Adipose hormone may play role in obesity-related asthma

NEW ORLEANS--New research suggests a hormone released from fat tissue is critical in the development of obesity-related asthma and may be a target of future treatments for the disease. The findings will be presented Saturday, March 23 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

Along with genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures, obesity is emerging as a risk factor for asthma. Many studies have shown obesity also affects the course of asthma. However, scientists do not understand how obesity contributes to asthma. An estimated 40 percent of people with asthma have obesity.

"There is a great unmet need for novel treatments for obesity-related asthma, because these patients are less-responsive to current therapies," said lead researcher M. Furkan Burak, M.D., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass.

The study looked at the adipose hormone aP2, which is increased in the circulation of humans and animals with obesity. It is involved in the body's inflammatory responses and previously has been shown to contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases associated with obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease. In previous research, the investigators detected increased aP2 levels in blood and lung fluid in mice with obesity.

In the new study, they measured aP2 levels in blood and lung fluid of people with and without asthma. They found aP2 levels were 25.4 percent higher in the blood of people who were affected by asthma and met the criteria for obesity or being overweight, compared with people without asthma. Higher levels of aP2 were associated with asthma status only in people with overweight or obesity. There was no significant difference in aP2 levels in normal-weight people with and without asthma.

They also measured aP2 levels in lung fluid collected from 13 people with obesity and 36 normal-weight people with and without asthma. They found aP2 levels from the individuals with obesity were 23 percent higher compared with the other study participants.

"These data suggest that aP2 may be an independent risk factor for obesity-related asthma," said co-investigator Gurol Tuncman, M.D. Ph.D., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. "The findings also suggest anti-aP2 treatments can impede obesity-related asthma development and its chronic complications. Our studies present an exciting opportunity for clinical translation of anti-aP2 drugs to treat obesity-related asthma."

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Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at http://www. endocrine. org . Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.

This story has been published on: 2019-03-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Anti-terror drill held

The Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit staged its first exercise today, mobilising about 270 officers from six disciplined services.

Codenamed "Powersky", the exercise took place at Lei Yue Mun Park and simulated an operation against a terrorist cell which was plotting an attack in Hong Kong using homemade explosives.

With Government Flying Services aerial support, Polices Special Duties Unit raided a terrorist cell, while its Counter Terrorism Response Unit neutralised other terrorists.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau officers and Fire Services Departments Hazmat Team were called to handle the chemical leakage at scene.

Polices Organised Crime & Triad Bureau and Immigration Department's Counter Terrorism Operations Section conducted scene investigation.

Customs & Excise Department officers searched for explosives at a suspected cargo truck at a boundary check point.

Under Secretary for Security Sonny Au said the drill aimed to enhance the co-ordination among various departments on counter-terrorism intelligence and response, and to arouse public awareness.

He said the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit, set up in April last year, offers a platform to boost Hong Kong's overall counter-terrorism deployment, adding the team will also review relevant strategies and response plans.

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
LONDON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The future of Theresa May's tenure at 10 Downing Street was under threat with Sunday reports of a coup by her own ministers to unseat her dominating headlines in the main London Sunday newspapers.

The dramatic development at the heart of the British governing Conservative Party comes at what is scheduled to be Britain's last week as a member of the European Union.

The BBC carried a more muted report in its bulletins, saying May could gain support for her twice-defeated Brexit deal if she promises to stand down as prime minister.

The broadsheet Sunday Times (ST) said that May was "at the mercy of a full-blown cabinet coup" as a group of senior ministers moved to oust her and replace her with Cabinet Minister David Lidington as the caretaker premier.

Lidington is May's de-facto deputy and stands in for her when she is unavailable for her ministerial duties.

According to the ST's front page article, plotters plan to confront May at a Downing Street cabinet meeting Monday and demand that she should announce her quitting.

"If she refuses, they will threaten mass resignations or publicly demand her head," the report added, saying it had spoken to 11 cabinet ministers.

One cabinet minister is quoted as saying: "The end is nigh. She won't be prime minister in 10 days."

The rift within the cabinet between May and her cabinet has erupted over the fate of the Brexit deal that May has agreed with Brussels.

Though the deal had already been rejected overwhelmingly by the House of Commons, the EU Council has given May more time to get the deal through her parliament, putting the planned departure from the bloc on Friday on hold.

However there is still no indication when, or if, May can guarantee a yes vote for her deal from the lawmakers.

May's former policy adviser, Conservative MP George Freeman, said on his social media site: "She's done her best. But across the country you can see the anger. Everyone feels betrayed. Government's gridlocked. Trust in democracy is collapsing. This can't go on. We need a new PM who can reach out and build some sort of coalition for a Plan B (Brexit)."

Downing Street sources told the ST that May has not yet come to the conclusion that she should resign and is still being encouraged by her husband Philip May to fight on.

The latest development in the Brexit saga comes after an estimate 1 million people marched through central London Saturday demanding another referendum to decide the country's EU Membership. A online petition aimed at stopping Brexit has meanwhile gained more than 4 million signatures.
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ROME, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Tourists from China are greeted with welcoming signs in their own language upon landing at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, the largest and most dynamic air hub in Italy.

Going all out to impress their Chinese customers, Italian tourism personnel eye greater opportunities in r Italy-China commercial and tourism exchanges.

FIGURES TELL

In 2017, Italy registered some 1.5 million Chinese tourists, according to the Chinese Tourism Academy (CTA), a public entity under the China National Tourism Administration.

Altogether, they generated in 2017 over 5 million overnight stays, 12.4 percent increase year-on-year, according to Italy's National Institute of Statistics.

Industrial personnel are working head over heels to enhance their services and adjust to the changing tourism market, especially the changing appetite of Chinese visitors.

"The profile of Chinese tourists has changed in latest years, accordingly to the rapid evolution of the Chinese population, and of its average income," Jacopo Sertoli, president of Shanghai-based Welcome Chinese company, told Xinhua, adding that recreation is becoming more important for Chinese.

Meanwhile, "the interest of Italians towards China have evolved and partially changed in latest years, and our offer has adjusted accordingly," Laura Grassi, chief manager of Italian tour operator Chinasia, told Xinhua.

Chinasia, the first and the oldest Italian operator to manage outbound flows to China since the early 1980s, has gathered much expertise over more than three decades.

"At the beginning, China tours mostly attracted Italian people from the middle-high class, well educated, and with an average age of 40," Grassi said.

Today, clients had various profiles. "We have the young student, who is possibly able to speak a little Chinese and wants to have an experience; we have many couples, and families with children as well," she added.

SERVICE-ORIENTED

In the meantime, Italy is stepping up education to train personnel for the tertiary sector.

At the European University located in the northwest of the Italian capital, the Bachelor's and Master's degrees in tourism management constitute a key educational offer, with special emphasis on Chinese culture-related education.

"Our graduate school students must take cultural anthropology, because it is crucial for them to learn about habits, traditions, and tastes of emerging tourism inflows," said Alessandra Romano, director of the European University Master in Tourism Management.

The master program focuses more on "market niches" than mass tourism, as explained by the professor, "where high-level professionals and managerial roles are more required."

"Yet, we do believe there is already a 'niche' of very high-level Chinese travelers, who have higher needs, and this is a crucial opportunity we cannot miss."

Italy's hopes in the sector were high in terms of growth and of employment, especially considering the sluggish domestic economy lately.

Tourism contributed some 13 percent to the Italian gross domestic product in 2017, according to a February report by a branch of the National Research Center.

People employed in the industry comprised about 14.7 percent of Italy's workforce in 2017, and some 250,000 new hiring are expected by 2023, according to a recent survey by Florence-based Center for Tourism Studies.

CLOSER CONNECTIVITY

However, industry experts are not yet satisfied, and are expecting to unleash greater potential through the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"This (the BRI) is something we really should concentrate on doing well," Marina Lalli, head of the tourism branch of Italy's major business group Confindustria, told Xinhua.

"Up to now, we have mainly drawn tourists from Asia -- and from China especially -- who wanted to see Italy for its way of like and style, but this is not enough anymore."

"We cannot just count on the fact that we have a beautiful country, nice weather, and good food... The interests of tourists are evolving, and the sector goes more and more digital."

"As such, we need to know really well the Chinese market and how it works, to cater to its needs and demands," Lalli said.

Connectivity was a further crucial point, according to the entrepreneur. Up to recent times, only Frankfurt and Paris in Europe work as major airport hubs for flights to and from China.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization said that China has been in the past decade and will continue to be "by far the fastest-growing tourism source market in the world."

"It is very simple: we just cannot lose that market, and let the big numbers from China come to Europe and visit Italy only few days as second destination," Lalli said.
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BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing three-nation visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, his first overseas visit in 2019, is poised to bring China-Europe relations to a new height.

China's respective relationships with Italy, Monaco and France have withstood the tests of vicissitudes of international situations, have stood out as examples of friendly cooperation between countries of different systems, and are characterized by strategic, stable and long-term significance.

The visit is a journey to consolidate friendship, deepen cooperation and engage in strategic communication.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Italy diplomatic relations. The visit to Monaco is the first visit by a Chinese president to the country, demonstrating China's long-standing view that all countries are equal regardless of their size.

Xi's ongoing trip will provide fresh impetus for China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, inject stability into today's fast-changing world and contribute positive energy to safeguarding multilateralism.

The current visit came more than three months after Xi visited Spain and Portugal. These visits show that China's policy toward Europe is stable and consistent.

At the annual "two sessions" earlier this month, China vowed to open wider and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the rest of the world. Xi's ongoing visit is regarded as a key step in promoting major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

China and the EU shoulder the important tasks of promoting sustainable global economic growth and safeguarding world peace and development. As China-EU relations continue to blossom, the world stands to benefit.
Landlords in Virginia who allegedly obtained unlawful court judgments against military tenants and charged improper lease termination fees have agreed to pay a $1.59 million settlement - the largest ever against a landlord for violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

The incredible sacrifices our servicemembers make when they deploy and move frequently should never create financial or legal hardships for them, said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. This settlement helps ensure that these men and women and honor for - not disadvantaged by - their military service, and that servicemembers' rights are protected going forward.

[Visit MOAA's Financial Center]

The SCRA provides legal rights to protect servicemembers and their families from eviction, property repossession, and court judgments against them while performing active duty service. Reserve and National Guard troops and their families also have rights during times of activation.

(For full details on SCRA coverage of all types, visit this online guide, made possible by a partnership between MOAA and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.)

Under the settlement in Virginia, PRG Real Estate Management and several related entities will pay $1.49 million to compensate 127 servicemembers who had 152 unlawful default judgments entered against them. The entities will also pay $35,000 to compensate 10 servicemembers who were charged early lease termination fees in violation of the SCRA.

PRG will pay a civil penalty of about $62,000 to the U.S. Treasury, repair the credit of affected servicemembers, provide training to its employees, and develop policies consistent with the SCRA.

[RELATED: Personnel Chiefs Blame Unsafe Housing on Leadership Failures]

In a statement provided to Stars and Stripes and other media outlets, PRG said it identified a specific issue with its training policies as the root cause of the issue and corrected it long before the investigation was completed, and that the company enjoyed a good working relationship with the DOJ to get this issue resolved and is committed to rectifying these circumstances.

Since 2011, the Department of Justice has obtained more than $470 million in relief for more than 119,000 servicemembers.

Amanda Dolasinski is MOAA's staff writer. She can be reached at amandad@moaa.org. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMOAA.
[March 25, 2019] CyberX Capitalizes on IIoT Security Momentum with Additional $18 Million in Strategic Funding CyberX, the IIoT and industrial control system (ICS) security company, today announced that it has raised $18 million in a strategic funding round led by Qualcomm Ventures (News - Alert) LLC and Inven Capital. Existing investors Norwest Venture Partners, Glilot Capital Partners, Flint Capital, and OurCrowd also participated in the round, bringing total funding to date to $48 million. The new funding will enable CyberX to further capitalize on its market leadership position by expanding its global go-to-market footprint, innovative product development, and IIoT threat intelligence capabilities. Qualcomm Ventures has a demonstrated track record of investing in some of the top global AI and IoT startups and has experienced nine $1-billion-plus portfolio exits to date, including Fitbit and Waze. Inven Capital is the CEZ Group's venture capital fund supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB). "We believe CyberX has the right management team, deep domain expertise, and scalable technology to address the needs of the world's largest and most complex enterprises," said Boaz Peer, director, Qualcomm Israel Ltd. and investment director, Qualcomm Ventures. "We're delighted to join as an investor given Qualcomm's strong interest in Industrial IoT and our ability to provide connectivity, compute and security solutions for this market." The latest round of funding comes at a time when CyberX has experienced significant customer growth across all industrial and critical infrastructure sectors including energy, oil and gas, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, mining, water utilities, building management, and other sectors. Growth is being driven by heightened board-level awareness of the significant business risks posed by digital transformation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). On one hand, these key initiatives are unlocking new levels of global productivity and efficiency. At the same time, they're driving deployment of billions of new IIoT devices and pervasive connectivity between IT and Operational Technology (OT) networks - increasing the attack surface and risk of costly downtime and dangerous cyber-physical safety incidents. Founded in 2013 by military cyber experts with a proven track record of defending critical infrastructure from nation-state attacks, CyberX is the only industrial cybersecurity company to have been awarded a patent for its innovative, ICS-aware threat detection analytics and machine learning technology. Purpose-built for the specialized protocols and devices of OT environments, CyberX's agentless platform enables organizations to continuously auto-discover unmanaged IIoT devices and monitor their OT networks for destructive cyberattacks such as WannaCry, NotPetya, and TRITON. Additionally, by integrating with customers' existing IT security stacks (Splunk, IBM Security, Palo Alto (News - Alert) Networks, Cisco, RSA NetWitness, ServiceNow, etc.), CyberX enables organizations to more effectively manage IT/OT risk and leverage scarce security personnel across both IT and OT. "The backing we've received from new and existing investors is clear validation of both the massive market opportunity and CyberX's proven ability to execute," said Omer Schneider, CyberX co-founder and CEO. "We're thrilled to have seasoned investors like Qualcomm Ventures and Inven Capital join our team as we continue growing the company at triple-digit rates." "Our societies and global economy rely on a dependable supply of energy, water, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, metals, and transportation," said Nir Giller, CyberX co-founder, CTO, and EMEA GM. "We have a unique opportunity to leverage our differentiated technology and world-class expertise to secure the critical infrastructure supply chain upon which our modern world depends." "We live in an era where everything is becoming digital and connected and even critical infrastructure is being managed digitally," said Viktor Miskovsky, investment director and member of the board at Inven Capital. "This brings a need for an industrial cybersecurity solution that is sophisticated yet simple to deploy and use. We believe that CyberX has the right mix of talent, superior technology, and experienced investors to be the leader in this field." About CyberX CyberX delivers the only industrial cybersecurity platform built by blue-team experts with a track record of defending critical national infrastructure. That difference is the foundation for the most widely deployed platform for continuously reducing IIoT and ICS risk and preventing costly production outages, safety failures, environmental incidents, and theft of sensitive intellectual property. Notable CyberX customers include 2 of the top 5 US energy providers; a top 5 global pharmaceutical company; a top 5 US chemical company; and national electric and gas utilities across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Strategic partners include industry leaders such as Palo Alto Networks, IBM (News - Alert) Security, Splunk, Optiv Security, McAfee, DXC Technology, and Deutsche-Telekom/T-Systems. For more information visit CyberX.io or follow @CyberX_Labs. About Qualcomm Ventures As the Venture Capital investment group of Qualcomm Incorporated, a world leader in next-generation wireless technologies, Qualcomm Ventures, through affiliated entities, including Qualcomm Ventures LLC, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we're focused on building the connections that bring our mobile future forward. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com. About INVEN CAPITAL INVEN CAPITAL is the CEZ Group's venture capital fund supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB). EIB financing uses funds from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). INVEN CAPITAL's strategy is to seek opportunities for investing in smaller, innovative and growing smart energy businesses. It primarily focuses on later-stage growth investment opportunities with sound business models demonstrated by earnings and long-term growth potential. INVEN CAPITAL's goal is to generate long-term value through active collaboration with the companies it invests in and to actively support organic or acquisition-based growth strategy. Companies in INVEN CAPITAL's portfolio can take advantage of the CEZ Group's extensive expertise in the energy sector, its client base, and technology synergies for their further development. The fund is a full member of Invest Europe (https://www.investeurope.eu - European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association) and CVCA (http://www.cvca.cz - Czech Private Equity and Venture Capital Association). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005130/en/

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[March 25, 2019] VoApps Names John Fasano as CEO ATLANTA, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- VoApps, a technology company that provides innovative voicemail solutions to help businesses reach mobile contacts with consideration and compliance, announced today that its board of directors has appointed industry veteran John Fasano as CEO. Fasano was most recently chief financial officer at fintech startup Gro Solutions, which was acquired in late 2018 by Q2 Holdings. VoApps offers patented solutions that optimize collections and call center efficiency. DirectDrop Voicemail is the company's flagship service that delivers a voice message directly to the consumer's voicemail server without calling their phone. Over 200 million messages have been delivered to mobile users through its technology. As CFO at GRO Solutions, Fasano was responsible for all aspects of finance, accounting, compliance and HR for the company. He offers over 20 years of senior-level management experience. Prior to joining Gro, he was CFO at ControlScan and Firstview, senior vice president of Finance at Elavon and also spent seven years at Ernst & Young. He holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting from California Lutheran University. Fasano's professional affiliations include the Atlanta CEO Council and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). "We're very excited to welcome John to our team," said Todd Santa Maria, vice president of Client Services at VoApps. "His proven ability to help rapidly grow companies comes at a great time for us, as our technology is driving outstanding business results for our clients and putting us on the radar of more and more companies." "I'm honored to be named CEO and to lead VoApps in its continued growth," said Fasano. "It's a privilege to be part of an organization that delivers innovative solutions to the best customers and backs its offerings with high-quality services and support. VoApps has significant opportunities ahead and to seize them, we must stay focused, move fast and continue to transform." VoApps was selected to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America in 2018 and was recognized by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the fastest growing private companies in the Atlanta metropolitan area in 2017. VoApps was incubated at Georgia Tech's Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC). About VoApps

VoApps is an Atlanta-based technology company that provides innovative voicemail solutions to help businesses reach mobile voicemail boxes efficiently and easily, with consideration and compliance built-in. VoApps owns and operates patented solutions that optimize collections and call center efficiency via its flagship service, DirectDrop Voicemail. DirectDrop Voicemail delivers a voice message directly to a consumer's voicemail server  without dialing or calling the phone in question  allowing call centers to respond to inbound follow-up calls based on the message delivered. For more information, visit www.voapps.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @VoApps.



Media Contacts:





Kathy Berardi Todd Santa Maria Carabiner Communications VoApps kberardi@carabinercomms.com todd@voapps.com 678.644.4122 470.809.6579 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/voapps-names-john-fasano-as-ceo-300817357.html SOURCE VoApps

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[March 25, 2019] Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco Celebrate Three Years as Exelon Companies Pepco Holdings and its more than 4,600 employees are celebrating three years as part of Exelon, the nation's leading clean power provider. Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric in New Jersey, Delmarva Power in Delaware and Maryland and Pepco in the District of Columbia and Maryland, has seen significant advancements in grid modernization, service reliability, efficiency, community giving and economic impact in the areas it serves since joining Exelon. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005454/en/ Since the two companies came together on March 23, 2016, the 2.1 million customers served by Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco have benefitted from nearly $4 billion spent modernizing and enhancing the local energy grid. These efforts have resulted in record service reliability for nearly all customers in 2017 and 2018. "As part of the Exelon family of companies, we are constantly bringing best practices forward that are resulting in tangible benefits for our customers, our communities and our employees," said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings. "We are celebrating this milestone, but, more importantly, we are recognizing the significant advancements we've achieved that have transformed the way we are viewed by our customers and stakeholders. More than ever, our companies are not seen just as utilities, but as trusted, innovative partners for communities across the mid-Atlantic." "We are proud of the investments we have made since first joining the communities that Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco serve, improing efficiency, reliability and savings for our customers," said William A. Von Hoene, Jr., Exelon's senior executive vice president and chief strategy officer. "In the years to come, we will continue to strive for operational excellence, remain a strong local partner and support our customers' efforts to meet their clean energy goals." Satisfaction among customers has continued to improve during the last three years, including satisfaction with reliability, which, at greater than 90 percent, is at an all-time high. The launch of new customer tools, redesigned websites with faster account access, enhancements to mobile applications and direct customer alerts and quicker access to billing and energy usage information are just a few of the efforts supporting improvements in customer satisfaction. As part of the ongoing commitment to powering communities and being good corporate citizens for the areas where employees live and work, Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco contributed more than $5.5 million to hundreds of organizations across the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey in 2018 alone. And, employees at these companies volunteered nearly 46,000 hours, or 5,723 work days, through Exelon's Powering Communities program, which connects employees with volunteer opportunities helping non-profit partners achieve their service missions. As an expanded commitment to help educate the energy workforce of tomorrow, Exelon and Pepco Holdings have committed more than $17 million during the past three years to help launch several major workforce development efforts, including the DC Infrastructure Academy, Atlantic City Electric Workforce Development Program and Delaware State University's Renewable Energy Education Center. This funding also has supported education programs for middle-and high-school aged students with an emphasis on renewable energy, energy efficiency and science, technology, engineering and math. The benefits of combining Exelon and Pepco Holdings are ongoing. In addition to the continued commitment to providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy service, Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco will advance new and innovative efforts around smart cities, transportation electrification, solar power, battery storage and other energy services that can connect communities and create new energy choices for customers. Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is a Fortune 100 energy company with the largest number of electricity and natural gas customers in the U.S. Exelon does business in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada and had 2018 revenue of $36 billion. Exelon serves approximately 10 million customers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania through its Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO (News - Alert) and Pepco subsidiaries. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with more than 32,000 megawatts of nuclear, gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric generating capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company's Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 2 million residential, public sector and business customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100. Follow Exelon on Twitter (News - Alert) @Exelon. Pepco Holdings, a unit of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading energy provider, oversees the operation of Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. The companies provide safe and reliable energy service to approximately 2.1 million customers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware and New Jersey. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005454/en/

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China vows easier market access for foreign investors, on course for greater opening-up

The annual China Development Forum kicks off at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li He)

China is on course for a greater opening-up of its economy, which is increasingly becoming a magnet for foreign investment, senior government officials and business executives said over the weekend at a high-profile forum in Beijing.

China's economic development has been achieved through reform and opening-up, and greater opening-up is a must for the economy's future high-quality development, Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng said on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the annual China Development Forum (CDF) at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The CDF, hosted by the Development Research Center of the State Council, the cabinet, has gained increasing attention in recent years for its gathering of high-ranking government officials and top industry executives.

A confluence of voices pledging greater opening-up at this year's forum put the nation's deregulation efforts in focus.

The country will unswervingly boost imports and continue to reduce tariffs, Han said, noting that the push for easing market access for foreign investment will continue, the negative list of investment will be shortened further and wholly owned foreign ventures will be allowed in more sectors, among wide-ranging opening-up efforts.

The opening of the country's financial sector seems to have been particularly fast-paced in recent years.

"There's apparent progress on foreign-invested financial institutions making inroads into the Chinese market," Yi Gang, governor of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, said Sunday at the forum.

In a fresh move, Bank of Beijing, one of the country's largest city commercial banks, announced Thursday that a wholly owned subsidiary of Dutch ING Group will set up a joint venture with the bank in which the ING unit will hold a 51 percent stake. If approved, the JV will become the country's first foreign-controlled lender.

Yi vowed that China will continue to pursue opening of the financial services sector, giving equal treatment to both Chinese and foreign institutions in areas including shareholding.

Quicken the pace

It's a good time to quicken the pace of financial opening in China, Peter Tyroller, a member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the forum on Sunday.

Still, "cautiously considering the risk of opening too fast means being careful while seeing the necessity to open," he said.

A new industry catalog to encourage foreign investment will attract multinational companies to invest in China and set up manufacturing and research and development centers in the country, Ning Jizhe, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Sunday at the forum.

Foreign direct investment in China hit $135 billion last year, an indication that the country remains one of the most attractive investment destinations worldwide, according to Ning.

In another sign, the World Bank Group's annual business environment report, released in late October 2018, showed China advancing to a global ranking of 46 from the previous year's 78, which the World Bank attributed to the country's brisk reform efforts.

Speaking on Saturday at the Economic Summit, part of the CDF, Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the General Office of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, said "we advocate making a bigger cake and sharing the cake, and not engaging in a 'zero-sum game'."

The crystal-clear opening-up signals apparently provide a boost for foreign investors seeking opportunities in the Chinese market.

Open environment

"The investment environment in China has been increasingly open, and the business environment in China is as well improving. These chances provide multinational companies with vast space for their development in China," Leif Johansson, chairman of AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical and biologics group, told the Global Times.

Johansson also reflected on the newly approved Foreign Investment Law, which was in the spotlight at the forum.

China will ramp up efforts to flesh out the newly passed foreign investment law to protect the legitimate rights of foreign-invested businesses, senior government officials pledged at the CDF.

In a conspicuous attempt to make the country more appealing to foreign investors, China's top legislature earlier in March approved the new foreign investment law, which will take effect on January 1, 2020.

The new law demonstrates the Chinese government's attitude and its determination to further open up the nation's market, Johansson said, stressing the company believes that the investment environment in China will become more open, fair, transparent and predictable.

"Therefore, we will further increase our investment in China," he said.
"We're happy to say that we've started construction, and we are just about near completion," said attorney Darwin Beauvais on behalf of Amazon. "In fact, we're scheduled to be completed on or about that first or second week in January."
Nobel Prize-winning laureate Michael Spence, an economic heavyweight at New York University, recognized the Chinese government as a pragmatic doer for its ability to engineer a miraculous transformation and navigate the economic situation.

One of the great strengths of Chinese government has been the ability to react quickly and pragmatically in identifying domestic demand and carrying out economic progress, Professor Spence said in an exclusive interview with Peoples Daily Online on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing on March 23, 2019.

Though there is never a simple formula that directs specific roadmaps for economic development, Spence stressed this is where capacity of China shows its empowerment.

Its a function of a fact that public sectors have traditionally attracted very talented people, and they are encouraged to keep the vigor to each other. Theres somebody that makes decisions, and other get on with it. In some ways, it can be best function as the behavior at the corporate level.

China is now aiming for a high quality development , with an agenda for higher level all-round opening up.

As Spence elaborated: In the early stage of the 40-year process, Chinas focus was essentially on itself. And with the emerging initiative that eyes to cooperate with many other global players, the Belt and Road Initiative for example, the attended focus on development is what innovates changes and the opening-up.

China has been an immense growth engine, and market-based economic development is happening in an idiosyncratic Chinese manner.

Chinese economy is going well as it innovates structural changes in the configuration of economy, Spence stressed.

Spence also praised Chinas contribution in sharing valuable experiences for the global economy. China as worlds second-largest economy, as its capacity to invest can be enormous, he said.

The position of China to which is really helpful, not only with the financing of it, but of the expertise of how to invest, Professor Spence continued.

As automation becomes more commonplace, Spence elaborated, the ecosystem built around the digital-oriented moves in China are fairly substantial such as e-commerce platform, mobile payment and FinTech. Heres also what China needs to exploit in the future,he concluded.
The trial of a Southington man charged with abusing a patient while he was a forensic nurse at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown began Monday.

Mark Cusson, 50, of 353 Harness Drive, Southington was charged in September 2017 with eight counts each of cruelty to persons and disorderly conduct. The former nurse worked for the state health department from 1996 until his retirement prior to arrest. Cusson is free on $75,000 bond and previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The alleged incidents occurred in the hospitals Whiting Forensic Unit. Cusson is one of 10 former Whiting staff members charged in the abuse case involving William Shehadi Jr. The trial is being held in Middletown Superior Court.

Video monitoring in the patients room in the Whiting Forensic Unit reportedly showed Cusson placing his legs around the patients head in a scissor type hold before releasing the patient and moving away, according to Cussons arrest warrant. On March 7, 2017, Cusson entered the patients room holding a cup of an unidentified liquid, which he then poured over the patients head while the patient was in bed. He also allegedly took the mop and placed it on the patients head.

On March 11, 2017, Cusson placed his groin in the patients face and moved back and forth several times, the warrant said.

Dr. Michael Norko, director of forensic services for the state Department of Mental Health, testified about the policies and procedures at Whiting Forensic Unit after being called on Monday by Assistant States Attorney Jeffrey Doskos.

Norko said the patient involved was committed to the facility in 1995 after being found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect in connection with the death of his father.

The patient has a history or verbal and physical violence and is under constant monitoring. A camera was installed in his room some time after 2000.

Norko read portions of the hospitals restraint and abuse reporting policies, including several variations of restraint methods. Norko said staff members are required to report any suspected abuse.

Defense attorney Norm Pattis questioned Norko on several aspects of the policies, asking if the examples of restraints are the only methods staff are allowed to use. He also inquired about the training and support Cusson received.

The trial is expected to continue throughout the week with presentation of evidence and testimony.

Shehadis conservator is currently suing the state over the allegations. The civil case is scheduled for trial in 2020, according to the state Judicial Branch website.

lsellew@record-journal.com

203-317-2225

Twitter: @LaurenSellewRJ
National

Goa put on a terror alert after Christchurch mosque attack

Panaji, Mar 25 (AGENCIES) | Publish Date: 3/25/2019 12:42:23 PM IST

In the context of possible Christchurch mosque vengeance reaction, Goa has been put on an alert following a tip-off from Central Intelligence Agencies, Goa Inspector General of Police Jaspal Singh confirmed on March 25.

This alert is about a possible attack on Israeli tourists in the Coastal tourist State.

Singh told The Hindu that though now there are not many Israeli tourists, two Chabad Houses in North coastal belt has not been operational while one in Canacona in South Goa has been under constant vigil, where a few visitors come for prayers.

As for instance, IGP said that at Canacona Chabad House people visit on Saturday and Sunday for prayers. On March 24 (Sunday) there were around 12 visitors for prayer. Our guards are deployed and also it is under our constant vigil, said Singh. All our Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been briefed and alerted, Anti-Terror Squad has been put on alert and we have been constantly sharing inputs with various agencies as well as have alerted our intelligence networks.

Police sources said that the alert has been in the context of a possible revenge attack by Al Qaeda or Islamic State terrorists for last weeks terror attack at a mosque in New Zealand.

The police sources said that the alert had been issued to several States and Union Territories which have Jewish structures, sizeable Jewish people or attract Israeli tourists.

As per the alert from Central Intelligence Agencies, we have to keep a close watch to ensure the security of areas frequented by Israeli tourists as well as prayer houses, said Singh.

According to police intelligence, several Israelis used to be on a long duration visa in Goa and often congregated to pray at Chabad houses. However, of late they have reduced considerably, and the Chabad houses in North coastal belt are almost not operating, said police sources.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China has enjoyed energetic development and made remarkable achievements since it was proposed 5 years ago, winning wide reputation from the international society and expanding the circle of friends.

More and more developed countries from the western world have expressed their interests in this initiative, including Italy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his state visit to Italy, held talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella on Mar. 22 in Rome. The BRI was a key topic of the dialogue between the two heads of state.

Xi encouraged the two sides to create highlights in bilateral cooperation, jointly build the Belt and Road, and promote the synergy of their development strategies and the planning of practical cooperation.

Italy supports Xi's initiative on jointly building the Belt and Road and believes that it will be conducive to Eurasian connectivity and common development, as well as to reviving the ancient Silk Road in modern times, Mattarella said, calling the Belt and Road a cultural exchange road. It is the latest statement made by an Italian leader on the joint construction of the BRI.

It takes time before new stuffs are received, and prejudices must be abandoned during the process.

Some people in the western society interprete the BRI with traditional geopolitics philosophy, believing it is a tool for geopolitics expansion. However, such interpretation is total misunderstanding of the initiative. In fact, the BRI is a great proposal that aims to bring new development opportunities to the world, especially relevant countries.

The BRI is promoting development of relevant countries on different levels.

By optimizing industrial layout, constructing industrial parks, and building ports, the initiative is enhancing the agglomeration effect of local economic development.

It promotes large-scale infrastructure construction, strengthening connectivity of railway, roads, waterways, airlines, tube networks and information expressways, reducing economic gaps among the countries.

The BRI also cuts cost for transnational economic activities through policy coordination, financial integration and unimpeded trade, in a bid to promote the smooth flow of commodities, personnel, information and capital.

It strings together the scattered pearls to form a trend of common development, and establishes the frame of the Belt and Road by six major economic corridors spanning Eurasia.

The BRI features new model for common development, aiming for a more balanced economic globalization.

Since the implementation of the proposal, a large number of major cooperation projects have been carried out, which filled the investment shortage of developing countries and promoted economic development. The initiative is timely assistance, rather than the so-called debt trap.

Besides, it also improved independent development capability of the countries by helping them build infrastructure, develop industries and conduct skill trainings, and created them an opportunity to better perform in the global division of labor by optimizing global industrial and supply chains.

The BRI has created a new model for international coordination, turning strategic competition into strategic cooperation.

It achieved strategic alignment with the strategies of many countries, such as the Eurasian Economic Union of Russia and relevant countries, the Juncker Plan of the European Union, and the Vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum of Indonesia.

The BRI are complementary with these strategies, rather than going against them. It has offered new dynamics for these countries to realize their goals.

By shaping a new type of international exchanges, the BRI makes fairer political order. Instead of exporting the Chinese mode, it is offering Chinese schemes.

Though the initiative is proposed by China, it is advanced on the basis of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits of all participants. Pursuing partnerships rather than alliances, the BRI is continuously expanding its circle of friends, and opposes exclusionary blocs.

The BRI, as a new practice, reflects the new mentality of geo-development. According to the philosophy of traditional geopolitics, strong powers always follow the beaten path to seek hegemony and undercut or exclude each other, which resulted to the two world wars in the 20th century.

However, the philosophy of the new geo-development emphasizes common development and mutual complementarity, aiming to enlarge the pie of common interests. It is destined to promote global prosperity in the 21st century.

The BRI is the grandest initiative for geo-development in the early 21st century. As a practice to build a community with shared future for mankind, it is the best gift for the world presented by China, and also the largest opportunity provided by China. One will miss the opportunity if failing to see this.

(Yan Yilong is an assistant professor at the School of Public Administration, and deputy head of the Institute for Contemporary China Studies, Tsinghua University)
As part of the Belgian-Dutch Mine Counter Measures (MCM) contract awarded to the Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium, with a worth value of 2.2 billion, ECA Group is to win 450 million for the building and the procurement of a total of 100 drones (ROVs) to supply the 12 mine-hunting vessels.

As part of the Belgian-Dutch Mine Counter Measures (MCM) contract awarded to the Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium, with a worth value of 2.2 billion, ECA Group is to win 450 million for the building and the procurement of a total of 100 drones (ROVs) to supply the 12 mine-hunting vessels.

Some ROVs ECA builds, at ECA's booth at IDEX 2019, UAE (Picture source : Navy Recognition)

As a reminder, a call for tenders was launched by the Belgian and Dutch navies in the Summer of 2018, seeking for companies to build a provide them 12 brand new autonomous mine-hunting vessels, scheduled to be fitted with a state-of-the-art toolbox.

Recently, the Belgian government in charge of the final decision has awarded the contract to the Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium, which regroups Naval Group and ECA Robotics. As part of this contract, ECA Group is in charge of the building of a total amount of 100 drones to supply the 12 mine-hunting vessels (6 for each navy).

The 10-year program will start with a design phase of about 3 years before the production and delivery phase of the drone systems. The contract should generate revenue starting 2019. This contract will be, by far, the largest contract ever won by ECA Group, its amount being greater than 4 years of turnover for the group.

This success is the achievement of a strategy focused for many years on the development of drone systems composed of multiple and varied drones cooperating as autonomously as possible within the same mission. In this case, it is a mine clearance mission at sea.

The Belgian and Dutch navies are thus acquiring the latest generation of mine hunters designed by Naval Group and fully integrating ECA Group's naval drones systems capable of conducting submarine mine clearance operations autonomously in the minefield. The drone systems to provide are the latest generations of drones developed over the last 4 years. The drones, all integrated into ECA Group's C2 MCM system, are Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs),towed sonars and Mine Identification & Destruction Systems (MIDS) composed of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) for the identification and destruction of mines, all of these drones can be implemented fully automatically from the USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicles). The naval drones system also incorporates UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and sweeps.

The Belgian navy is a reference in submarine mine clearance within NATO, this contract is a major asset for export: as 40 years ago with the tripartite mine hunters program that had generated sales of PAP robots to dozens of marines in 20 years, this success in Belgium should generate many commercial export benefits in the coming years.

Several major navies including France, India or England will renew their mine hunting fleet in the coming years. In addition, ECA Group believes that most navies will also be equipped with transportable drone systems that can be used from the coast.

A significant part of the execution of the contract will take place in Belgium within ECA Robotics Belgium, as part of a cooperation plan that already includes 39 Belgian partners. The equipped surface drones will be designed and produced in Belgium and all underwater drones will also be produced there. Finally, these naval or air drones generate a logistic support, repairs, spares activities that can be done by ECA Robotics Belgium. These activities generate additional revenues as maintenance and support contracts throughout the lifespan of drones, generally greater than 20 years for naval drones.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Author Ashwini Devare has been receiving a lot of questions lately about why she chose to write a memoir at the age of 51, when she isnt a celebrity or old enough to write one. Her latest book, Lost At 15, Found At 50, chronicles the authors life and experiences of living in Moscow at the height of the Cold War, in America during the Vietnam War, in Sikkim during the pro-democracy movement and more.

Recently in the city for the launch of the same, she told CE, I dont believe there is a prescribed age and stage to pen a memoir, if you feel a compelling desire to tell your story, you should do so right away.

While some write memoirs to heal or share ones past, Devare says writing the book helped her understand who she is today, what got her here and helped her relive her past choices.

She compares the experience to walking into a house that has been locked up for years and found it thrilling to re-open the doors and windows as it brought back all those old memories. She said, Ive been wanting to write this book for years, but I wasnt ready earlier. Since the story is so personal, I felt I needed the distance to write about it.

Always the new girl

By the age of 15, Devare had already lived in six countries, from Gangtok to Geneva, as her father, an Indian Foreign Service officer, was posted in a new place almost every two years.

She recalls how her sister and she would play a game of names where they would guess where their father would be posted to next and since they had no say in the matter, the verdict would either be a huge shock or a pleasant surprise.

I began to appreciate my nomadic life much later, as an adult. The incredible exposure I had to different cultures and languages was an education no school or college can impart, she said.

While she did learn a lot through the constant moving around, Devare adds that she is slightly envious of her friends who go to school and college reunions.

Since social media didnt exist during her days in school, she was unable to keep in touch with her peers as she moved countries, and still wonders where they might be today.

I was always the new girl. I had a Swiss friend called Isabelle in Geneva. I was the only Indian in the school and no one spoke English, but Isabelle didnt let that come in our way. We became good friends. After my family left Geneva in 1979, I never met her again, she recalls.

Living in the midst of war

The author was born in Moscow and though she was too young to recall what it was like to live in Russia when it was firmly entrenched behind the Iron Curtain, she recalls how her parents described life back then.

My mother tells me I loved Russian milk, which I drank in copious amounts the first year of my life. Back then, there were constant shortages and serpentine queues for milk, clothing, meat etc, which were intrinsic to everyday life, she says.

Having moved around a lot, the author considers home with what feels familiar and comforting, and adds that she is fortunate to feel at home in many places.

In Delhi, where my parents live, in Singapore, where I live, in the US, where my sister lives, in Pune where my family comes from, in Bengaluru, where my uncles, aunts and cousins live. Theyre all home to me, she adds.

While she has experimented with short stories and now,a memoir, Devare next plans to write a novel. Though she has many ideas in mind, getting started is the most daunting part of the writing process for her. However, she does hope to get down to it before the year ends.
Ranjani Madhavan By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: After a seven-year gap, the citys civic agency will conduct a census on the stray dog population in Bengaluru. The last census, done in 2012, recorded around 3 lakh stray dogs in the city. Animal rights activists have been pushing for a re-survey for several years, and it is now set to be conducted after the Lok Sabha elections, as the model code of conduct is in place currently. The Animal Husbandry Department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has only worked on the scope of work as of now.

The plan is in a preliminary stage right now. The idea is to determine the number of neutered and spayed stray dogs, as well as those that are not operated upon, in all eight zones. The numbers will give the Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres of each zone a target to meet, said D Randeep, Special Commissioner, BBMP.

We have not decided if we will call tenders. A few organisations and individuals have approached us showing interest in conducting the survey. We can only recommend them to the state government. The census will have to be done by people who have knowledge in this sector and understand the migratory habits of stray dogs. They will have to have prior expertise, he added.

BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said the proposed census can only be taken up after the elections are over.

Harini Raghavan, animal rights activist and founder of Citizens for Animal Birth Control, said, Animal rights organisations and individuals have been pushing for this for many years. It has been delayed too much. The figures will help us calibrate our targets. Right now, each ABC centre operates 300 to 600 dogs per month. The census will put pressure on them to focus on certain areas where the population is higher.

Raghavan added that currently, an ad hoc approach is being followed by officials. Several volunteers have come forward to help BBMP. This is not a commercial activity for us, and there is no expectation of pay. Since 2012, there were two years in between when ABC centres were not functioning due to some issues, so the stray dog population must have increased significantly by now, Raghavan said.
China and Europe, both pulling great efforts on cooperation with each other, have been experiencing increasingly closer economic and trade ties over the past years.

Thanks to the CHINA RAILWAY Express (Chinese block trains travelling to and from Europe), it only took 10 days for the four aircraft produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Vulcanair to be transported from Lodz, Poland to Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

These aircraft would be used for pilot training, sightseeing, photograph and short-distance shipment, introduced Che Tianfa, chairman of board of Sichuan Tuofeng General Aviation Co., LTD, the importer of the aircraft and Vulcanairs general agency in China.

According to him, China used to purchase most of its primary trainer aircraft from the US. After the delivery of the first batch of the Vulcan V1.0 aircraft, the remaining products will be shipped to China via the CHINA RAILWAY Express in partial shipment, Che said.

It marked the first time for the cargo trains departing from Chengdu to Europe to import airplanes, which is also a miniature of the increasingly closer economic ties between China and Europe.

A recent set of data released by Chinas Ministry of Commerce at a regular press conference further indicated the sound momentum for China-Europe economic and trade cooperation.

At present, China is Italys biggest trading partner in Asia and the third largest source of imports, while Italy remains Chinas fifth largest trading partner and source of foreign direct investment in the European Union.

Trade volume between the two countries reached $54.24 billion in 2018, up 9.1 percent over the previous year. This January, bilateral trade maintained growing momentum, increasing 8.9 percent year on year. In addition, bilateral investment also kept rapid growth and exceeded $20 billion.

Chinas trade relations with France were also on a rise in 2018. Last year, bilateral trade volume created a record high, hitting $62.9 billion with an increase of 15.5 percent.

France saw a high growth of exports to China in the sectors of agriculture, medicine, cosmetics, as well as middle- and high-end garment industries.

In the first two months of this year, the trade volume between China and France reached $10.6 billion, up 19.4 percent year on year. Chinas total imports from France surged by 42.2 percent in the same period.

Apart from strengthening partnership in traditional fields such as nuclear energy, aerospace and automobile, China and France are also actively expanding cooperation in ecological protection, silver-hair market, finance and other emerging industries.

Over the past years, China and Europe have always viewed each other as significant economic and trade partners, and their cooperation outweighed competition, said Chen Xin, director of the economic division of the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Countries like Italy and France are at the forefront of China-Europe economic and trade cooperation, Chen added.

On the demand side, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), focusing on policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds, will effectively deepen cooperation in the trade, investment, and cultural sectors between China and European economies, Chen noted.

On the supply side, China and Europe enjoy broad prospects of the Belt and Road cooperation, as the two sides, though differ in economic structures, are highly complementary in their industries, Chen added.

The advantages of many European enterprises are what their Chinese counterparts are in need of, while in turn, many Chinese enterprises can also provide quality supply for European companies, the director explained.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) pointed out in the latest World Economic Outlook report it issued this January that the global expansion has weakened. The global economy is projected to grow at 3.5 percent in 2019 and 3.6 percent in 2020, lower than the expectation made last October.

In the report, IMF also noted that the main shared policy priority is for countries to resolve cooperatively and quickly their trade disagreements and the resulting policy uncertainty, rather than raising harmful barriers further and destabilizing an already slowing global economy.

It is of great significance for China and Europe to enhance economic and trade cooperation in various fields under the BRI against such an international backdrop, Chen told Peoples Daily.

At present, the world economy is facing growing uncertainties, he pointed out. If China and Europe can continue heating up economic and trade cooperation under the BRI, peoples confidence toward future economic development would be largely increased, as both of the two are major players of the world economy that have huge sizes and consumption markets, Chen explained.

Analysts believe that in the future, the deepening economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe will become a highlight of the world economic recovery. Chinas growing quality of economic development and larger steps of opening up will further open prospects for China-Europe Belt and Road cooperation, third-party market expansion and new technology development.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and other leaders of the unit Monday discussed the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the city in a meeting with party chief Rahul Gandhi.

The opinion remained divided on the issue and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take a final call on it in the larger interest of the party, said a participant of the meeting.

Sources said four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.

ALSO READ | Will certainly contest Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat irrespective of alliance with AAP: Kapil Sibal

"AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko also handed over signed letters of 12 district Congress presidents, leaders of the party and councillors in three municipal corporations, in favour of the alliance, to Gandhi," they said.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf maintained their stand against the alliance, sources said.

The AAP has been seeking an alliance with the Congress in Delhi but the grand old party has not made its stand clear on the possible tie-up.

However, after getting no clear response from the Congress, the AAP declared its last candidate in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, with a senior leader saying the announcement was made seeing the Congress' "irresponsible and indecisive" attitude towards the alliance.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had also said internal surveys have indicated that the AAP is capable of winning all seven seats in Delhi on its own and it does not require an alliance with the Congress in Delhi.

However, the Congress and the AAP last Tuesday made fresh efforts with the help of NCP chief Sharad Pawar to forge an alliance in Delhi for the polls.

Sources said last week AAP made a fresh bid to forge an alliance with the Congress in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, with the former demanding five seats in the national capital.

However, shortly after the meeting, Kejriwal said that the Congress has refused to form an alliance with the AAP in Delhi and the two parties are not in talks with each other.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar on Monday alleged that his wife was confined inside their residence by a group of students, who had gathered there to meet him to present their demands relating to the admission process.

On the other hand, the students union claimed that their president was allegedly assaulted by the security staff at the entrance gate at the VCs residence and was admitted at the emergency ward of AIIMS.

Few hundred students have broken into my residence at JNU and have confined my wife inside the house. She is alone at home and terrified. Very unfortunate, the VC tweeted.In another tweet later, he said: This evening few hundred students forcibly broke into my JNU residence and confined my wife inside home for several hours while I was away in a meeting. Is it the way to protest? Terrorising a lonely lady at home?

While speaking to The Morning Standard, Kumar said some female guards had to take his wife to a hospital as she was mentally traumatised.

She was confined inside the house. Even though there was no physical attack, you can imagine the mental trauma....According to protestors, JNUSU president N Sai Balaji fainted after he was allegedly beaten up by the security and was being treated at the hospital.

We didnt know that the VC wasnt inside till the time he tweeted. We went to meet him. We have been trying to do the same for so many days. The students had returned to hostel an hour before the VC put this false allegation on Twitter, one of them alleged.

According to the Delhi Police, the students reached the VCs house at 6.30 pm. The students reached his house and tried to enter. They were stopped by the security staff. Most of them had moved back to their hostels and the situation was under control, a senior police officer said. No formal police complaint has been lodged in the case as of now.

Hunger strike

Students from the Jawaharlal Nehru University have been on a hunger strike for past seven days against the anti-student and anti-university prospectus. We have been trying to meet the VC to talk about our demands. We have been protesting against three major issues, the division of MPhil and PhD into two different courses, the high fee for the MBA course and an online test for admission to MPhil, Satish Chandra, a research scholar said
By PTI

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Police Monday arrested a 42-year-old man from Delhi for allegedly spying for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, officials said.

Mohammed Parvez was already arrested by the NIA for anti-national activities and was in judicial custody since 2017.

He was brought here on Monday for interrogation, following which the state police arrested him, Additional Director General (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said.

Parvez allegedly honey-trapped Indian Army soldiers through fake identity to collect confidential and strategic information and passed those to the ISI, which gave him financial support, the officer said.

During questioning Pervez revealed that he was in contact with ISI handlers and had travelled to Pakistan 17 times in the last 18 years, he said.

ISI gave all necessary support for passing confidential information, Mishra added.

Pervez got mobile SIM cards on photo and identity card copy of people on assurance of quick visa formalities done at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.

Conniving with SIM card retailers, he got the numbers activated to share information with his handlers, the officer said.

Parvez was presented before a Jaipur court, which sent him to four-day police custody, Mishra said.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: NITI Aayog member and noted scientist VK Saraswat has urged the industry to handhold innovators in the biomedical research. While delivering the presidential address at the Technology Conclave 2019 at the Sree Chitra Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Saraswat said the country lacked a system to help innovators in the valley of death (the phase between research and successful innovation).

In India we do not have a strong system to pull out our innovators from the valley of death. Here, the industry can play a big role. Industry should step in when the basic research turns into translational research, said Saraswat, who is also the president of the SCTIMST.

Investment should start flowing from the industry when the idea is getting into the demonstration stage, he said.Affordability and access are among the major problems faced by the healthcare sector, said Saraswat. The countrys per capita spending on health is two dollars while the US spends $5 and Germany about $31. Saraswat said the healthcare sector was facing an acute shortage of doctors. Institutions like the SCTIMST should try to increase the number of seats for medical courses.

Terumo Penpol founder C Balagopal, in his address, said the R&D spending of the governments and industries in the country was low. Despite this, Indian research institutes have a huge resource in terms of technology and skilled persons. Entrepreneurs should explore this, he said.

SCTIMST director Dr Asha Kishore said the biomedical technology wing of the institute has made tremendous contributions to the Indian healthcare sector. The blood bag developed by the wing is exported to over 70 countries and mechanical heart valve has crossed 1,20,000 implantations since 1990. BMT wing head Dr Harikrishna Varma delivered vote of thanks. The function saw the commercial launch of Vein Viewer developed by the SCTIMST and manufactured by Ms Agappe Diagnostics and product launch of DRIPO infusion monitor developed by Evelabs Technologies Pvt Ltd, a startup company incubated at SCTIMST. Besides, technology transfer of six new products were held.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif starrer 'Bharat', one of the biggest releases of the year has been stealing the limelight for all the right reasons! While fans can't wait to watch the film, there is some good news for all the movie buffs out there.

The trailer of the film is launching on April 24, but what makes it more interesting is that the trailer will also be attached to the biggest Hollywood film in recent times which is none other than -- 'Avengers: Endgame.'

All the Salman fans will get to witness on April 26 the much-awaited trailer, which will be showcased along with the highly-anticipated Marvel movie, which stars all the favourite superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Iron Man, Hawkeye and Ant-Man in the same flick.

WATCH | 'Avengers: Endgame' trailer 2: Crucial details you may have missed

Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared som more details about the upcoming period drama, including the final release date, trailer release date and trailer launch date.

"And here's some #Xclusiv info on Salman Khan starrer #Bharat... * #BharatTrailer will be launched on 24 April 2019. * #BharatTrailer will be showcased with #AvengersEndgame on 26 April 2019. * Release date locked: 5 June 2019. #Eid2019," he tweeted.

In January, the makers of 'Bharat' had unveiled the first teaser of the film. The one-minute and twenty-six-second teaser showed the 'Dabangg' actor in different avatars, narrating the story of his character's life.

Interestingly, even though the teaser introduced different shades of Salmans' characters, it did not reveal anything about Katrina's character.

WATCH | Salman Khans Bharat teaser shows actor in different avatars

Previously Salman and Katrina were seen together in the films 'Ek Tha Tiger' and 'Tiger Zinda Hai.'

Katrina was roped in for the film after Priyanka Chopra decided to walk out.

The upcoming film also starring Jackie Shroff and Sonali Kulkarni is a remake of the 2014 South Korean blockbuster 'Ode to My Father'.

According to reports, the 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor will be seen sporting five different looks in the film spanning 60 years, including a crucial part which will showcase the actor in his late 20s, looking much leaner and younger.

ALSO READ | Alia Bhatt to star opposite Salman Khan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Inshallah'

The film is Salman Khan's third collaboration with director Ali Abbas Zafar after the 2016's 'Sultan' and 2017's 'Tiger Zinda Hai.'

It is slated to hit the big screens on Eid, this year.
By Express News Service

To face the arc lights has been a childhood wish of Sanjana Doss, who is all set take forward her dream. This young diva will be making her debut with director Ratnam, for whom this will also be his first film. Titled Manasmitha, in this art cum commercial film Sanjanna is paired opposite newbie Charan Gowda along with Atul Kulkarni, Bhavani Prakash, Pallavi Purhohith and Veena Ponnappa as part of the cast.

As she starts the shoot from April, she is getting ready to juggle between pursuing her studies at Mount Carmel and the filming. An excited Sanjana says, I always wanted to become an actor since I was a child, but it just took a bit of time to convince myself and my parents. All of us knew where to begin and while I was figuring out how to start, this project came through.

Sanjana Doss

It has taken a couple of years, to make this move, admits Sanjana, who adds that either she didnt agree with the script completely or they thought she was too young and inexperienced. It was her uncle, Sanjay Hantaram, who has done around 52 films as a child actor and a serial artiste, came as her biggest connection in auditioning for a couple of projects. Dance was always my biggest strength and recently I had a brush up on acting skills at Nagathihalli Chandrashenkars Tent Cinema, says Sanjana, who is now been taking guidance from Bhavani Prakash, who is part of Manasmitha.

Having previously modelled too, Sanjana tells CE, why she planeed to begin with a genre that combines art and commercial. It has elements that I am comfortable with and there is a lot of scope.

The role, or the genre, that the director has planned, I thought would bring out my versatility, and I felt that it was a prefect project to begin with. More on this I will get to experiment once I start the shoot, she says.
By Express News Service

When Puneeth Rajkumar met Ganesh, it was nothing but film talk. The Power star, who has resumed shoot for Santhosh Ananddrams Yuvarathnaa, visited the sets of the latters upcoming film, Geetha, which was being shot at Malleswaram. Also joining the discussion was producer Syed Salam along with the team.

The film that marks the directorial debut of Vijay Nagendra has completed 70 per cent of the shoot, with 25 more days to complete the rest. The team plans to complete the talkie portions by April, after which they will be left with a song shoot, which they plan to do by May-end or first week of June.

Geetha, made under the joint venture of Syed Salam and Ganeshs home banner, Golden Movies, features Shanvi Srivastava, Prayaga Martin, Parvathy Arun. Geetha has the latter two making the Kannada debut. The title revives the legendary actor Shankarnags film release in 1981 with a fresh story. It has V Harikrishna scoring the music and Shreesha Kuduvalli as the cameraman.
By PTI

BEIJING: Fathers-to-be, take note! Smoking may increase the baby's risk of developing congenital heart defects -- the leading cause of stillbirth, a study has found.

Congenital heart affect eight in 1,000 babies born worldwide.

Prognosis and quality of life continues to improve with innovative surgeries, but the effects are still lifelong.

The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, suggest that fathers-to-be should quit smoking.

"Fathers are a large source of secondhand smoke for pregnant women, which appears to be even more harmful to unborn children than women smoking themselves," said Jiabi Qin, from Central South University in China.

"Smoking is teratogenic, meaning it can cause developmental malformations. The association between prospective parents smoking and the risk of congenital heart defects has attracted more and more attention with the increasing number of smokers of childbearing age," said Qin.

According to researchers, this was the first meta-analysis to examine the relationships between paternal smoking and maternal passive smoking and risk of congenital heart defects in offspring.

Previous analyses have focused on women smokers.

"In fact, smoking in fathers-to-be and exposure to passive smoking in pregnant women are more common than smoking in pregnant women," Qin said.

The researchers compiled the best available evidence up to June 2018.

This amounted to 125 studies involving 137,574 babies with congenital heart defects and 8.8 million prospective parents.

All types of parental smoking were associated with the risk of congenital heart defects, with an increase of 74 per cent for men smoking, 124 per cent for passive smoking in women, and 25 per cent for women smoking, compared to no smoking exposure.

This was also the first review to examine smoking at different stages of pregnancy and risk of congenital heart defects.

Women's exposure to secondhand smoke was risky for their offspring during all stages of pregnancy and even prior to becoming pregnant.

Women who smoked during pregnancy had a raised likelihood of bearing a child with a congenital heart defect, but smoking before pregnancy did not affect risk.

"Women should stop smoking before trying to become pregnant to ensure they are smokefree when they conceive," said Qin.

"Staying away from people who are smoking is also important. Employers can help by ensuring that workplaces are smokefree," he said.

"Doctors and primary healthcare professionals need to do more to publicise and educate prospective parents about the potential hazards of smoking for their unborn child," said Qin.

Regarding specific types of congenital heart defects, the analysis showed that maternal smoking was significantly associated with a 27 per cent greater risk of atrial septal defect and a 43 per cent greater risk of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction compared to no smoking.

The overall risk of congenital heart defects with all types of parental smoking was greater when the analysis was restricted to Asian populations.
By UNI

NEW DELHI: Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced a new electoral promise of providing Rs 72,000 annually to five crore families if voted to power, the BJP on Monday fielded its vocal leader and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to counter the same and expose the opposition party's "chhal kapat (bluff)".

"Congress party has a history of using poverty and schemes for poverty alleviation for political gains," Mr Jaitley told reporters at the party headquarters here.

"The Congress never had a history of fighting poverty, nor they had any legacy of providing funds to eradicate poverty.

In the name of schemes, there have been only "chhal kapat (bluff)," he said adding right from the Nehruvian era India's growth rate was hardly 3.5 per cent.

ALSO READ: Congress promises minimum income of Rs 72,000 per year to poor

"It was an economic model that used to be mocked by the world and called 'Hindu rate of growth'. There was hardly any attempt to fight poverty. Indira Gandhi won the 1971 elections with that 'remove poverty' slogan. But no funds were provided to run the schemes. There was no method of generation of wealth," he said.

"Indira Gandhi did not believe in increased productivity. She did not believe in generation of wealth, she only believed in redistribution of poverty," said Mr Jaitley, who is also the chairman of BJP publicity committee for the general elections.

Earlier in a series of tweets, Finance Minister said - "No political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress Party. It gave people of India slogans and very little resources to implement them".

In contrast, Mr Jaitley maintained that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already given the poor what Congress promises and precisely more than what Mr Gandhi has stated.

Mr Jaitley further said during the 10 years of UPA rule also, a policy of 'bluff' guided economic policy of the erstwhile Manmohan Singh regime.

"Dhoka. Bluff hota tha," he said pointing at the loan waiver scheme of 2008.

"The Congress promised loan waiver of Rs 70,000 crore farm waiver scheme. In contrast look at NDA regime, under PM-Kisan, the NDA government will give Rs 75,000 crore every year," he said.

Mr Jaitley particularly mocked at Mr Gandhi's reference to Direct to Bank Transfer benefit scheme and said it is the same party that opposed AadhaAr policies in parliament and even in the Supreme Court.
Rajesh Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: A majority of south Bihar segments of four Lok Sabha constituencies, namely Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui and Nawada, fall in the region considered a Maoist hotbed.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bihar has only five districts in the Maoist super sensitive list, including Lakhisarai.

Data mined by the ministry suggests that classical Naxal-infested districts such as Rohtas, Bhabua, Arwal, Bhojpur and Jehanabad have recorded a sharp decline in incidents of Red Terror.

The Lok Sabha segments in Bihar

For the first phase of polling, the Bihar seats, which are in proximity to active Maoist districts in Jharkhand such as Palamu, Chatra and Koderma, Bokaro and Hazaribagh and Chhattisgarh and UPs Sonebhadra district, have been listed as affected.

Among the biggies who will be in the fray in the area are former chief minister, Jitan Ram Manjhi, BJPs Sushil Singh in Aurangabad and Chirag Paswan of LJP at Jamui.

A top official in the Bihar police headquarters said, In all these constituencies, the biggest challenge for police would not only be to provide security to candidates but also detect landmines, especially in many segments of Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui and Nawada-Munger arc.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

While Naxalites use jungle routes to carry out the guerrilla attacks in Bihar and escape to Jharkhand and Purulia district of West Bengal and vice versa, the easy availability of explosives due to huge mining areas in the vicinity, also add to security issues.

Recently, security forces seized 372kg gelatine sticks and 1000 detonators from an SUV in Muffasil police station area of Aurangabad. The Jehanabad police also recovered explosive materials, which were meant for making improvised explosive devices, from a village in the Vishnuganj police station area.

Sushil advises Shatrughan to quit politics

Even as ex-BJP MP, Shatrughan Sinha welcomed the upcoming fight with Union IT minister Ravishankar Prasad in Patna Sahib, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and top BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had a word of advice for him Sunday.

Sinha, who has been a vocal critic of the BJP ever since he was denied a Central berth in 2014, was told He should not cheat the party which sustained him.

Modi, speaking to this paper from Bangalore over the phone said, Sinha should gracefully quit politics due to his age and loss of standing among the people.

Modi said Sinha has cheated BJP. He will find it difficult even to find a single polling agent. The Patna Sahib seat has four BJP MLAs, who will not allow him to get a single worker.
An artisan blows a newly-made Yuping bamboo flute at a workshop in Yuping Dong Autonomous County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 23, 2019. As a traditional Chinese musical instrument, Yuping bamboo flute is famous for its clear tone and delicate carving. Made from local bamboo, there are dozens of procedures in the making of this instrument. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Wang Bingzhen)
By PTI

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court Monday quashed criminal proceedings against Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain in a rape case, in a relief to the BJP MP before the Lok Sabha elections.

After hearing the minister's petition, Justice Suman Shyam set aside the order passed by the Nagaon Chief Judicial Magistrate on November 16 last year taking cognisance of the criminal proceedings.

An FIR had been lodged against the 68-year-old BJP MP from Nagaon in August 2018 alleging rape, and criminal proceeding was initiated against him.

The minister had then moved the high court challenging the criminal proceedings and subsequent passing of the November 16 order of the CJM.

A case under Indian Penal Code sections 417 (cheating), 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) was registered against Gohain for allegedly raping and threatening the married woman.

The complaint said the alleged incident took place at the woman's house when her husband and family members were away, seven-eight months before the FIR was lodged.

However, a week after the case was registered, the complainant's husband said the family had withdrawn the case and requested the media to not report on the issue.

But the complainant's statement was already recorded by the investigating officer by then and it had reached the court.

Police said the case could not be withdrawn at that point.

The four-time MP had earlier announced he will not contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls until his name was cleared by the High Court.

Nagaon is the only constituency in Assam where the BJP is yet to announce its candidate.

The 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam will go to polls in three phases -- April 11, 18 and 23.

Gohain has been representing the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency since 1999.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday formally inducted the four US-made Chinook [CH-47F (I)] heavy-lift choppers at Air Force Station 12 Wing.

Calling the induction a game-changer for the helicopter fleet of the IAF, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said, "These helicopters can carry out military operations during the night hours too giving the IAF a 24x7 battle capability. Besides Chandigarh, Dinjan in Assam will also have a unit to house Chinook."

"The country which is facing multiple security challenges will require a vertical lift capability across a diversified terrain. We operate from bases which are from sea level to very high altitude landing grounds. Chinook will give the IAF a quantum leap from transporting cargo to manoeuvring precarious high altitude locations. The aircraft is one of the best in its category. Though the Indian Air Force has been operating medium-lift helicopters MI-17 and heavy lift helicopter MI-26, the Chinook with a service ceiling of 20,000 feet will redefine heavy lift in inter-valley troop transfer, transportation of artillery guns and other heavy loads for roads organisation."

#Chinook : Induction - 25 Mar 19 -

IAF received its first CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopter on 10 Feb 19 at the Mundra port in Gujarat. On 25 Mar 19, it will be formally inducted into the Helicopter fleet of IAF at Chandigarh.

Photo Courtesy  Boeing India pic.twitter.com/hCfRzGmlmY  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 25, 2019

"The US-made chopper which serves armed forces of 19 countries will also augment the disaster relief to far-flung crises hit areas. It is all-weather capable and its state-of-art night vision goggles will permit all roles even by night. We have procured the Chinook with India-specific enhancements to increase our capability, the chief of air staff said.

Anupam Yadav one of the pilots who formally trained to fly Chinook for two months said, "We took a 35-hour flying training including night flying and NVG (night vision goggle) flying. This apart, we also underwent four weeks of groud training in the US. Twelve pilots and 12 flight crew were made to undergo training. Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter which is new to IAF and thus its flying characters were totally new for us. We learnt everything from flying to tactical from the Boeing pilots. The trainers have been deployed on these machines in Afghanistan and Iraq."

"This flying machine can take a load of eleven tonnes. The equipment which includes bulldozers, road building machines and even army guns can be carried underslung to the forward areas. Though our choppers were already equipped for this weight, we had our restrictions. As a multirole aircraft, it can take up to 24 stretchers. Close to 54 combat troopers can be transported to a forward location, said another trained pilot Ashish Gahlawat.

Siddharth who is a member of the trained technical crew said that this machine has two HF antennas in

the front which have a range of 1000 kilometres.

India now becomes the 19th country in the world to make use of these helicopters which are vital in carrying out high-altitude transport operations.

Once Rafales come, Pakistan will not come anywhere near the LoC: Dhanoa

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said, "When the Rafale aircraft come, the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and then they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near the LoC or the international border, with the kind of capability that we will possess, for which presently Pakistan don't have an answer.
Sumi Sukanya dutta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Health, it seems, is finally becoming a central plank around which election in the worlds largest democracy will be fought this time around.

The countrys grand old party, Congress, has vowed to promise right to health care in its 2019 manifesto, adding to the rights-based laws enacted under the Manmohan Singh government.

For our manifesto, were considering a to health care which will guarantee certain minimum health care to all Indians, increasing the expenditure on health to 3% of the GDP and training doctors and healthcare staff, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said while interacting with health-care professionals in Chhattisgarh last week.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has made the Centres recently launched flagship healthcare scheme, Ayushman Bharat, a big part of its poll campaign, said Congress had been forced to make big promises on healthcare, as the Modi government, through the initiative, has brought healthcare to the forefront of public welfare.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

We are of the view that society can flourish only when people dont have to pay through their noses to access quality healthcare. It is because of our initiatives that health is getting the importance it deserves, Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, who is a member of the BJPs manifesto committee, said.

Members in the manifesto committees in the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), too, said that steps for universal health coverage, including quality treatment free of cost for all citizens, will feature in their manifestos.

This is a case of delayed but much deserved attention to healthcare in countrys political agenda. It shows there is political will in parties to acknowledge that we have not done too well on this front so far, Anant Bhan, an expert in global health and policy, said.

He, however, pointed out that expenditure on healthcare in the country, which was less than Rs 65,000 crores this fiscal, is still just over 1.1 % of the GDP.

Promises galore

Congress has vowed right to health care in its 2019 manifesto, adding to the rights-based laws enacted under the previous UPA government.
Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying out a nuanced strategy to consolidate the Hindu vote base in West Bengal. According to sources, the BJPs poll strategy for Bengal as well as the bordering states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam is designed to build on its core vote base without playing the hard Hindutva card.

The saffron party asked NDA allies in Bihar not to field candidates from the minority community. The BJP is learnt to have mounted pressure on Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) to deny incumbent MP Mehboob Ali Kaiser a renomination from Khagaria, though the Janata Dal (United) has managed to field a lone Muslim candidate from Kishanganj constituency.

The trade-off for the BJP, which conceded five constituencies of its sitting MPs, besides contesting only 17 seats in Bihar, was to gain a say in candidate selection of allies in tune with the larger strategy of the NDA. The BJP got the allies on board to support the partys bid for Hindu vote base consolidation in Bengal. Candidate selection in Bihar has sent a strong message to West Bengal, said a senior BJP functionary.

The JD(U) and LJP were persuaded to play the OBC/Dalit card to trigger counter polarisation against minority candidates of the grand alliance.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

The BJP is also buoyed by the defection of a large number of Left and Congress cadre in West Bengal.

Enemys enemy is a friend is working well, with anti-Mamata Banerjee forces throwing their weight behind the BJP. The extent of Left workers joining the BJP has surprised top leaders. The BJPs poll plank to counter excessive minority appeasement by Mamata is gaining currency, added the BJP functionary.

BJP chief Amit Shah has time and again asserted that the party will win not less than 23 out of 42 LS seats in West Bengal.

The eastern approach (West Bengal, Odisha and the Northeast) would compensate any climbdown from peak positions in the partys traditional strongholds, said another senior BJP functionary.

Seven seats for Congress in Jharkhand

The mahagathbandhan in Jharkhand on Sunday announced the seat-sharing deal with the Congress getting to contest from seven out of the states 14 Lok Sabha seats. The JMM got 4 seats and the JVM two seats; the RJD will contest from a solitary seat.

CPI fields Kanhaiya

After it was left out of the opposition alliance in Bihar, the CPI on Sunday announced the candidature of ex-JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar from Begusarai.
Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: The Opposition grand alliance (Mahagathbandhan) finally arrived at a consensus on seat distribution in Jharkhand on Sunday.

The common ground was reached after key opposition players in the alliance, Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha -Prajatantrik (JVM-P) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) settled on a seat-sharing formula.

The seat deal was formally announced by JMM president Shibu Soren, in the presence of state Congress President Ajoy Kumar, JVM President Babulala Marandi, JMM executive president Hemant Soren and former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, at his Ranchi residence.

However, none from the RJD was seen during the announcement of the seat deal. Word is that the party, which has only been allotted the Palamu seat as part of the alliance deal, is also keen to field a candidate from Chatra.

However, talks are on to persuade RJD to settle on a solitary seat for the sake of keeping the alliance together.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

After several rounds of talks with all the alliance partners, we have settled on a seat-sharing format in Jharkhand. As per the agreement reached, the Congress would contest 7 seats, JMM 4, JVM 2 and RJD 1, the state Congress president said.

As per the deal, the Congress field nominees in Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, West Singhbhum, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad and Chatra seats, while JMM will contest Dumka, Rajmahal, Giridih and Jamshedpur Lok Sabha constituencies.

The JVM will put up candidates in Koderma and Godda seats, while the RJD will contest Palamu.

We had asked the Left parties to settle on 1 seat, but they refused. Hence, they couldnt be inducted into the grand alliance, Kumar said.It was also decided that if any dissident from any of the parties in the alliance decides to put his hat into the poll ring, he will be suspended from the party forthwith, Kumar added.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

KOLHAPUR: Addressing a massive joint rally of NDA allies in Kolhapur on Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exhorted people to vote for Prime Minister Modi again in the interest of safeguarding the nations security.

It isnt as if the Army didnt have the capability to strike back earlier. The issue is that the governments that came before lacked the political will when it came to giving our forces a free hand to respond to terror attacks. Modiji had the guts to do it and this is precisely why he needs to return as the PM, Fadnavis said.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

He said while the issue of national security will be central to the partys poll pitch, the performance of the NDA government and its development narrative will also be the key planks on which the party will seek votes.

The only ones demanding proof of casualties in the air strikes in Pakistans Balakot (in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack) are those in the Congress and Pakistan, Fadnavis said.

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and leaders of smaller NDA allies like Rashtriya Kranti Partys Sadabhau Khot, Rashtriya Samaj Partys Mahadev Jankar, ShivSangrams Vinayak Mete and RPIs Ramdas Athawale also addressed the rally.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: In less than two months after Centre and West Bengal fought a bitter turf war over CBI seeking to arrest then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, the BJP and Trinamool- ruled central and state governments came at loggerheads again on Sunday over the alleged recovery of undocumented gold from the bag belonging to Rujira Banerjee, wife of party chief Mamata Banerjees nephew Abhishek.

Customs Department reportedly recovered 2 kg gold from Rujiras bag at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport on the way back from Bangkok with her sister Menka Gambhir on March 16.

However, the issue snowballed after Customs officials reportedly filed a complaint at the Airport police station accusing Rujira of obstructing Customs officials in doing their duty and hurling abuses at them.

Rujira also filed an FIR at the police station against Customs officials accusing them of demanding Rs 50,000 from her and Menka and verbally abusing and threatening to book them under Customs Act.

Customs should make the CCTV footage public. Forget 2 kg, even if they could prove recovery of 2 gm of gold from my wifes bag, I will quit politics. BJP is spreading falsehood for political mileage before elections, Abhishek said.

Referring to reports in a section of the media that his wife, Rujira Banerjee, was found to be carrying two kg gold by customs authorities at the city airport, he said, "If that was so, why wasn't it confiscated? Was the 'chowkidar' sleeping?"

Terming the reports "baseless and politically motivated", he said his wife was "not carrying even two grams of gold" or any other dutiable or objectionable item in the baggage when she landed in Kolkata on March 16.

Banerjee claimed that the commissioner of the Customs Kolkata Zone had written to a junior officer to file an FIR against his wife on instructions from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, New Delhi.

The Trinamool Congress leader, who heads the party's 'Yuva' wing, wondered how a covering letter by the commissioner, which was marked 'secret', could land in the hands of a television news channel.

Banerjee, who called a press conference at his office in Amtala of South 24 Parganas district here on the matter, alleged that the BJP was indulging in personal attacks against his family members, after having "failed" to fight the TMC politically.

"They are petrified of the Trinamool Congress because Mamata Banerjee has not bowed down to them. If we ask questions, they call us anti-national, anti-Hindu," he said, referring to the queries raised by the chief minister on the number of terrorists killed in the Balakot air strike.

"Indian Army is not your (BJP) paternal property. They are our pride, it is your pride too," he said.

Claiming that wild allegations were made about his wife landing at the NSC Bose International Airport with gold, foreign currency and other materials from Thailand, Banerjee said, "I am open to any and every kind of inquiry".

He also stated that his wife is a Thai citizen by birth and possessed a passport of Thailand.

"My wife is a Thai citizen, is that a crime?" he said, adding that she is not a voter in India. The TMC leader said CCTV footage should be checked from the time of Rujira's flight landing at 12.40 am on March 16 till the time she left the airport at 1.55 am.

Alleging that his wife was deliberately targeted at the airport, Banerjee said, "Is it a crime to be the wife of Abhishek Banerjee?"

He added that he will file criminal and civil defamation suits against those spreading "lies" about his wife.

Claiming that he is the only person in the country to have filed a criminal defamation suit against BJP president Amit Shah, Banerjee said he will not be deterred from his fight against the saffron party by any kind of intimidation.

Regarding allegations of interference of Customs officials by local police, he said that a lady constable had assisted Rujira apprehending a medical emergency.

He said that his wife had gone to Bangkok for a medical checkup and would produce the necessary documents in court if required.

The TMC MP further said Rujira had filed a complaint with the NSCBI Airport police station on March 16, alleging criminal intimidation and a demand of Rs 50,000 by certain Customs officials, failing which she and Gambhir were threatened with detention.

The Customs complaint at the same police station, however, stated its personnel were prevented from an examination of Rujira and Gambhir's baggage.

The Customs authorities also alleged that its officers were voluntarily and intentionally obstructed by the two passengers, local police personnel and other unknown persons from exercising powers conferred under the Customs Act.

Meanwhile, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta told reporters here that the police declined to take cognisance of the Customs authorities' complaint and did not file an FIR.

Claiming that police did not follow the standard operating procedures for filing an FIR, Dasgupta said, "Are there separate rules to be followed for different sets of citizens?" BJP leader Mukul Roy, who had quit the TMC to join the saffron party following differences with Mamata Banerjee, alleged that in West Bengal, attempts are being made to destroy the federal structure of the country.

"This had also happened in the past when the local police tried to heckle a central government agency," Roy said, referring to the CBI's recent visit to the residence of former Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar to question him in connection with the Saradha chit fund and Rose Valley scams.

However, the investigative agency's officers were prevented by Kolkata police personnel and taken to a police station, triggering a major controversy.

(With PTI Inputs)
By PTI

MUMBAI: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam has just lived the idiom 'you win some, you lose some'.

The All-India Congress Committee Monday announced Nirupam's candidature from the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha seat but replaced him with former Union minister Milind Deora as the Grand Old Party's Mumbai unit chief.

According to sources in the party, this was in the offing for "at least four months".

"There were complaints made about Nirupam's style of functioning before Congress president Rahul Gandhi and also general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge. The matter was very much under consideration," a source said.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

The source also claimed that Nirupam's removal amid poll season will not have any bearing on the prospects of the Congress in Mumbai, which has six parliamentary seats.

"Rather, appointment of a fresh face (of Deora) as the city Congress chief will mean those who were not happy with Nirupam's style of functioning and were sitting at home will be out for campaigning now," the source added.

In the 2014 election, Nirupam had faced drubbing at the hands of BJP's Gopal Shetty in the Mumbai North constituency.

Nirupam had won the seat in the 2009 general elections.

The Congress had also suffered defeat in the February 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election with Nirupam at the helm and the party could win only 31 seats, 20 less than the 2012 polls.

On the announcement of his candidature from the North-West constituency, Nirupam said he had been longing for 15 years to represent the people from the seat.

Nirupam's main rival will be Shiv Sena's Gajanan Kirtikar, who won from the constituency in the previous election.

"With the blessings of Congress President @RahulGandhi I have got this opportunity to represent you in #LokSabhaElections2019.

"Do bless me. It's my promise I will never let you down," he said on Twitter.

Grateful to Sonia Gandhi ji and @RahulGandhi for giving me the opportunity to lead @INCMumbai. I commit myself to strengthening the party's roots in the city where it was born.



I look forward to working with all party leaders and thank @sanjaynirupam for his years of service. pic.twitter.com/Aw7hiYgk54  Milind Deora (@milinddeora) March 25, 2019

Nirupam, a former Shiv Sena leader, had taken charge as Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) president in March 2015.

Nirupam congratulated Deora on being appointed as his successor and said both will work as a team.

"Congratulations to @milinddeora for becoming new president of MRCC. My best wishes to him. We will work together as a team," he tweeted.
Ramananda Sengupta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister Sushma Swarajs tweet seeking a report from the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad on the forced marriage of two young Hindu girls after they were allegedly abducted and made to convert in Pakistan has sparked a Twitter war, with a Pakistani minister calling it an internal matter.

Pakistani PM Imran Khan has ordered an inquiry into the incident, which came to light Saturday after videos surfaced of Hari Das Meghwar, the girls father, howling in anguish outside a police station in Sindh. Reports said his wife had died after the abduction.

The two girls, Raveena, 13, and Reena,15, were reportedly kidnapped by armed men a day before Holi.

On Sunday, after Swarajs tweet, Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry responded: Mam its Pakistan (sic) internal issue and rest assure its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated. ...

Swaraj said: I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner. ... This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience.
By ANI

MEERUT: A woman patient was allegedly gang-raped by a group of staffers of a hospital following which five persons were detained, police said on Monday.

"The woman was admitted to the hospital with a breathing problem. She has alleged that she was gang-raped by hospital staffers on Sunday," Circle Officer Harimohan Singh said.

Four men and a woman were detained, he said. They are being probed for their role in the case.

The victim's husband has alleged that she was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital where she was made unconscious by giving an injection after which she was gang-raped by three persons from the hospital staff.

An officer familiar with the investigation told ANI that CCTV cameras of the hospital were switched off at the time of the alleged incident.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and further investigation in the matter is underway.
BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The following are the highlights of China's science and technology news from the past week:

-- The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) recently launched three stem cell clinic research programs to treat severe eye and gynecological diseases.

-- An international research team has for the first time identified nine genes responsible for eyebrow colors, according to a new report published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

-- Bumblebee species in East Asia are being threatened by climate change and vegetation change, according to a recent Chinese study.

-- Chinese researchers have revealed that different fruit colors are significant to the large-scale dispersal, distribution and diversification of plants.

-- A Chinese research team has successfully realized the regulation and encoding of photons, a step toward producing photonic chips, next-generation technology believed to be faster and more power-efficient than today's semiconductor electronic chips.

-- Two Chinese Earth observation satellites, the Gaofen-5 and Gaofen-6, were officially put into service on March 21 after completing in-orbit tests.

-- Rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing in China will help create more job opportunities, according to a report released by recruitment agency Michael Page China.

-- The CAS announced on March 22 that a Sino-European joint space mission known as SMILE was launched.

The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer is a comprehensive collaboration between the CAS and the European Space Agency. Satellites will be launched by 2023 to study the impact of solar activity on the Earth's environment.

-- Scientists from China, Germany and Canada have built two international cooperation platforms on neuroscience in the southern Chinese municipality of Shenzhen, according to the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of CAS.

-- Pan Jianwei, a renowned Chinese physicist and professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, won the 2019 R. W. Wood Prize presented by the Optical Society of America.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: Ahead of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's proposed visit to Ayodhya, the BJP Monday took a dig at her and asked if she would "say sorry" there for her party "putting hurdles" in building the Ram temple.

"Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take the pious Saryu river waters in her hand there and atone the sins committed by the Congress in Ayodhya?" asked UP BJP spokesperson Chandrmohan.

The newly-appointed Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh is slated to visit Ayodhya on March 27.

"Will she say sorry for the hurdles created by the Congress in the construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya?" he elaborated further.

Chandramohan claimed the devotees of Lord Ram and the people of Ayodhya want to know how come the general secretary of the party which has been doubting the existence of Ram setu is visiting Ayodhya -- the birthplace of Lord Ram.

"Her (Vadra's) visit to Ayodhya will become more relevant if she expels Kapil Sibal from the party before embarking on the tour," he said.

Sibal had sought the deferment of the adjudication of the title suit on Ayodhya land dispute in the Supreme Court beyond the 2019 general elections.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The firm of Nirav Modi, the main accused in the USD 2 billion PNB scam case, has moved the Bombay High Court against a special court order which permitted the Income Tax Department to auction 68 paintings seized as part of its probe against the diamantaire.

In a petition filed before the high court, the firm, Camelot Enterprises, has said such action is unlawful.

According to the court website, the hearing of the petition is scheduled for April 1.

However, the petitioner is likely to seek an urgent hearing in the case, at an earlier date, since the auction is scheduled to begin on March 27.

ALSO READ: UK Court denies bail to Nirav Modi, remands him in custody till March 29

Last week, a special court here permitted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to auction 11 luxury vehicles belonging to Modi.

The special court also allowed the Income Tax Department to auction the high-value art collection of the diamantaire who is wanted by agencies on charges of tax evasion and money laundering.

According to authorities, the 68 paintings are valued at more than Rs 50 crore.

Modi was arrested in London last week.

He was remanded in custody till March 29 by a court there.

Modi and his uncle, Mehul Choksi, another accused in the case, had left India before the fraud came to light in January 2018.

The Income Tax Department had last month provisionally attached 29 properties and 105 bank accounts of Modi, his family members and firms as part of its probe.

The taxman had also filed a charge sheet against Modi before the special court under sections 276 C (1) (wilful attempt to evade tax), 277 A (false statement in verification), 278 B (offences by companies) and 278 E (presumption as to culpable mental state) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Ch V M Krishna Rao By

There are still a lot of ifs and buts about Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)s Federal Front idea, but the Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief seems to have a larger game plan. For one, the snap polls experiment he tried to delink Assembly from the Lok Sabha polls to avoid mixing of national and state issues succeeded. KCR not only got a massive mandate thanks to his welfare schemes and development works but was able to dismantle the grand alliance of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Jana Samithi and the Communist Party of India pitted against him in the state.

The Telangana CM doesnt expect any grave threat from the grand alliance and hopes to bag all 17 LS seats (with ally MIM) in the state.This will help him play his cards well in Delhi as most pre-poll surveys predict a hung House.

KCR has pitched the Federal Front idea promising equitable distribution of available water, power and other national resources more effectively among states, besides free power for agricultural farming. He is also keen to bring revolutionary changes in the administration of the Union government by divesting rural development Panchayati raj, roads, education and medical healthto the states, keeping with the true spirit of federalism.

That there are not many regional leaders in contemporary South Indian politics who speak both Hindi and English fluently and have a good command over the issues may also help KCR. He also knows it is always the numbers game in Delhi politics. Except in 2014when Narendra Modi swept the polls, with the BJP singlehandedly crossing the magic number of 272it has always been a numbers game.

It is common for parties with diverse ideologies to contest elections separately. But when it comes to forming a government, ideological differences will be ignored as opportunistic alliances grab power. Barring perhaps the Communists, most parties have seen such formulations, with the same ones supporting different combinationslike UPA and NDA to suit their political compulsions at different times.

For KCR, the upside is that he has nothing to lose. Even if a party or a combination of parties comes to power without the TRSs support, he will remain a powerful leader with the entire state mandate in his favour.

Hoping to play a crucial role at the Centre, he has already prepared the ground for his scion K T Rama Rao, to possibly replace him in the state. The word democracy, for others, means it is always 51 versus 49. But for Chandrashekar Rao, it is 100 versus zero. When TRS came to power in 2014 with a slender majority63 MLAs in the House of 119he was not happy. In the name of achieving Golden Telangana, he started luring MLAs from other parties like the Congress, TDP, BSP, YSR Congress and CPI during his entire four-year term, and increased the tally to 88 before the House was prematurely dissolved in September last year, paving the way for snap polls.

The same KCR got a massive mandate in the second term bagging 88 seats in the same House of 119. But again, he was not satisfied with this number, and started his pet game of fresh inductions, targeting the Congress, TDP and Independents, which have so far put together 12 MLAs into the TRS kitty and increased the tally to 100. This is in addition to his new-found ally, MIM, which has seven MLAs. The induction game has not yet ended, and the TRS gates are still wide openall this happened within just three months of the Assembly poll results being declared.

Though there is no need for Chandrashekar Rao to go for accretion of his strength given the massive mandate he got, he is keen on seeing a House that has no Opposition, probably to see his scion sit comfortably in the saddle.

KCR has been advocating a theory that the country should be freed from both the Congress and the BJP, and he has already achieved a lot in this direction in Telangana.

Ch V M Krishna Rao

Resident Editor, Telangana

Email: krishnarao@newindianexpress.com
A Surya Prakash By

The vitriol launched by Congress president Rahul Gandhi towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his often-repeated diatribe Chowkidar Chor Hai has brought the political discourse in the country to a new low. It also brings to the fore the debate on corruption, an issue on which no member of the Nehru-Gandhi family has the moral authority to talk about. Here is a quick look at how the family funded their politics.

During the Nehru era, the Congress often collected funds from industrialists and businessmen, which at times landed the party and the government in trouble. For example, when Mundhra, an industrialist who funded the party in the 1950s, ran into financial problems, he signalled to the government that it was time for payback. Nehru obliged and directed the LIC to buy his companies shares at inflated prices. Finance Minister T T Krishnamachari, who was obviously acting on orders from above, lost his job when the truth came out.

Later, after the Congress split in 1969, Indira Gandhi began relying heavily on the communists for funds. And naturally, the Soviets came to her rescue. Vasili Mitrokhin, who was in charge of the KGB Archives, has made explosive revelations about how Moscow funded the activities of the Congress ahead of the 1971 elections. They even had moles in her Cabinet.

Many who have held key positions in Indian politics, government, bureaucracy, and industry in the post-1970 era provide us invaluable insight into how the grand old party went about the business of funding its activities and election campaigns.

These witnesses to that period say the Congress decided on a new mode of raising fundsvia commissions collected on mega international defence and other contracts. B G Deshmukh, who was the cabinet secretary between 1986-89 has written an enlightening autobiography: A Cabinet Secretary Looks Back.

Deshmukh says the genesis of the Bofors affair lies in the practice initiated by Indira Gandhi and further refined by her son Sanjay for collecting funds for the Congress Party. Till the middle of the 1960s, during the regime of Jawaharlal Nehru, the collection of funds for the party was more transparent

and business houses were also permitted to make open donations.

Indira, he says was in dire need of funds to fight polls and establish herself as the undisputed leader of her party. For this, she depended on loyal supporters like Rajni Patel and Vasantrao Naik. When she had established her supremacy in Indian politics, she decided that a far better way to collect funds was through claiming cuts from foreign deals. Sanjay Gandhi perfected and refined this further from 1972 onwards.

Deshmukh says when Indira came back to power in 1980, this system was fully perfected. Trusted officers were posted to key ministries and advised on how to finalise deals.

The second unimpeachable witness is B K Nehru, a distinguished civil servant, ambassador and governor and uncle of Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi. In his autobiography Nice Guys Finish Second, he recalled that at Sanjays cremation he had asked Rajiv whether the money Sanjay had collected allegedly for the Congress was safe. Rajiv said, all they found in the almirahs of the Congress office was `20 lacs. Nehru then asked Rajiv how much Sanjay had. He (Rajiv) held his head in his hands and said unaccounted crores.Two more equally unimpeachable witnesses to this era are former President

R Venkataraman and industrialist J R D Tata. In his autobiography My Presidential Years, Venkataraman recounts a conversation he had with Tata. Latter said it was quite possible Rajiv or his family members did not take commissions from Bofors but it would be difficult to deny the receipt of commissions by the Congress Party. That was because he (Tata) felt that since 1980, industrialists had not been approached for political contributions and that the general feeling amongst them was that the party was financed by commission secured on deals.

Since this was the established mode of fund collection, Bofors was certain to happen. In this scandal, Rajiv and others were accused of taking kickbacks when India purchased field guns for the Army from the Swedish arms manufacturer Bofors. Rajiv vehemently denied this charge in Parliament. However, the Nehru-Gandhis have never been able to explain why Bofors remitted $7.3 million to the account of Maria and Ottavio Quattrocchi.

The Quattrocchis moved this money around several banks in various locations. It was finally traced to the Channel Islands in the UK The Vajpayee government got the UK government to freeze this account. However, the Manmohan Singh government asked London to withdraw the order, resulting in the Quattrocchis eventually getting away with the loot. Why did an Italian businessman knock off a commission when India bought field guns for its Army? Why did Sonia Gandhi get the Manmohan Singh government to defreeze Quattrocchis account?

And as if this was not enough, there are the Volcker Committees conclusions on the non-contractual beneficiaries of Iraqi oil sales under the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme, which says the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had also funded the Congress. Further, it seems Saddam Husseins Iraq was just one of the two nations that had supported Indira Gandhis dictatorship during the Emergency! Do we need to say more?

A SURYA PRAKASH

Chairman, Prasar Bharati

Email: suryamedia@gmail.com
By Express News Service

TUMAKURU: Tumakuru is all set to witness an important chapter in Karnataka politics, as former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is scheduled to file his nomination papers as the Congress-JD(S) alliance candidate here on Monday.

The octagenarian has decided to file his papers only after his grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy files his. Prajwal Revanna has already filed his papers from Hassan. Through a grand procession, he will reach Mini Vidhana Soudha to file his papers. I will file my nomination around 2.15pm, accompanied by both JD(S) and Congress leaders, he told reporters on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara attributed it to the meeting of Gowda and AICC president Rahul Gandhi for conceding the Tumakuru Lok Sabha seat to JD(S).Both the leaders, who met over seat sharing in New Delhi, came to that conclusion. I appeal to the incumbent Lok Sabha member S P Muddahanume Gowda to desist from the contest as we will place him appropriately in the party, he said.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Meanwhile, after calling on Siddalinga Mutt Swami at Siddaganga Mutt, Deve Gowda said that in the wake of alliance government, Congress left the Tumakuru LS seat to JD(S).The Deputy CM had come to my house offering me to contest from Tumakuru, while senior leader T B Jayachandra and his son also extended their support over the phone, he said.

Meanwhile, S P Muddahanume Gowda will also file his nomination papers on Monday. To avoid any clash, the administration has fixed the slot between 11.30am and 2.30pm for alliance candidates procession and between 1pm and 3pm for Muddahanume Gowda.

Former Madhugiri MLA and Congressman K N Rajanna is also expected to file his nomination papers to contest as an independent. He says he is here to save the Congress in case he wins the elections.
Ashwini M Sripad By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: In the last 16 elections held to elect members to the Lok Sabha, only 13 women have entered the Lower House from Karnataka. And, most of them served only one term in office before being replaced by other candidates. In a sector that is largely dominated by male politicians, women say that not many are allowed to enter the field.

Of the 16 Lok Sabha elections held so far (1952-2019), five were held when Karnataka was part of the Mysore province and the state had not yet been carved out. Sarojini Mahishi, who contested and won from Mysore state, was the first woman MP for what would later become Karnataka.

She also holds the enviable position of having served four terms in the Parliament and also contested from Dharwad North in her career.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

While the state did witness two high profile electoral battle involving women  Indira Gandhi in 1978 and Sonia Gandhi- Sushma Swaraj in 1999  not many women get the chance to contest elections from Karnataka compared to their counterparts in other states, especially north India.

Other notable winners include Tejaswini Gowda, who took on JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda in 2004 and won by a margin of over 1 lakh votes from the Kanakpura constituency, which evolved into Bengaluru Rural.

If the woman is from a political family, she is likely to get more chances to contest. In any party, they consider the winnability factor of candidates before fielding them. Even today, politics is largely dominated by men and there is the question of the male ego too, Tejaswini, now an MLC, told TNIE.

In 2019, candidates who are likely to give tough competition to their opponents are Tejaswini Ananthkumar from Bangalore South and Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya.

TNIE also spoke to Jayanagar MLA Soumya Reddy, daughter of Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy and one among the few women MLAs in the present Karnataka Assembly.

Speaking about reservation for women in politics, she said, After 50% reservation was given in panchayats and municipal elections, more women got an opportunity to contest and win. The 33% reservation bill for women must be passed to allow more women enter the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. At the same time, women, who win under reserved categories, must make use of the opportunity instead of depending on their family.

A senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity said, Politics is not just about better education or having a dynamic personality. It is about muscle and money power. Women often are not capable of fighting or surviving in such a system. While it has changed a lot over the years, it will change even further in the days to come.

Indiras political rebirth

After the Emergency, Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi from the Rae Bareli seat by a margin of 55,200 votes in 1977. In 1978, she contested the Chikkamagaluru LS bypoll against Veerendra Patil and won. This election is considered her political rebirth.

The battle

1999 Sonia Gandhi fought against Sushma Swaraj from Bellary. Apart from Bellary, Sonia had also contested from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. She won both the seats but chose to retain Amethi.
Arun Lakshman By

Express News Service

Amid the frenzied debate in political circles set off by Congress supremo Rahul Gandhis soon-to-be finalised candidature in Wayanad LS seat, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has forecast a clean sweep for the UDF in the polls in state. In a candid one-on-one with Express special correspondent Arun Lakshman, the senior Congress leader vouches for Rahul as the countrys next Prime Minister.

Q. There is big news that Rahul Gandhi will contest the general elections from Wayanad and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy has announced the same. You as CLP leader and KPCC chief Mullappally have also substantiated this. What is the ground reality?

A.The state Congress has intimated and requested Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad and indeed it is for the high command to take the call. We are expecting a positive decision on the same by Monday. The AICC leadership will take a call on the same after factoring in all the aspects.

Q. With barely weeks left for the elections - Kerala will go to polls on April 23 - How highly do you rate the chances?

A.The Congress-led UDF will win a landslide. I have crisscrossed the state and found the prevailing political scenario is electrifying for the UDF. People are against the anti-people policies of Narendra Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan. The people are waiting for an opportunity to finish off these anti-people regimes. The general elections are the best time for the people to react and I can tell from my experience that the Congress and UDF will register facile victory in all the seats.

Q. BJP has entered into a political alliance with the BDJS and they are contesting in all the seats and a massive campaign is being conducted. There are reports of fierce three- cornered fights in several constituencies. Your take?

A. The BJP is a political nonentity in Kerala and there is no truth in talk of a three-cornered fight across the state. The contest is only between the UDF and the LDF and BJP-NDA has no role to play in the politics of the state. The educated and highly literate people of Kerala know what is best for them and the Congress-led UDF will indeed win the elections by a huge margin.

Q. Indeed, Congress seat-sharing had its share of problems, with the I group blaming you for forfeiting the Wayanad seat. Your comments?

A.These sort of things are commonplace and shouldnt be given undue importance. Seats have not been awarded on the basis of group affiliation. As I have said already, the KPCC requested Rahul to contest from a safe seat. Our allies - IUML, KC(M) and RSP - are all charged up after news of Rahuls candidature emerged. This will give the necessary heft for the party in all the South Indian states, especially in Kerala. However even before the name of AICC president started doing the rounds for the Wayanad seat, the UDF was on course for a big victory. Now, with Rahuls likely candidature weighing on voters, the LDF and the BJP simply do not stand a chance.

ALSO READ| Ramesh Chennithala blames police for back-to-back murders in Kerala

Q.Womens entry in Sabarimala was a major issue and you had openly come out against it. Is this going to become a poll plank?

A. The LDF Governments action was against believers and they have scoffed at devotees and their beliefs.People across the state, cutting across religion,caste and creed, were with the believers.The Police Raj clamped on Sabarimala resulted in several devotees being rounded up and this is likely to reflect on the outcome. I am not saying the Congress and the UDF will be raking up the issue, but you cant fault the public if they think on these lines.

Q.Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has alleged there is a Co-Le-B alliance working out in Kerala against the CPM and there is an unholy nexus between the Congress and the BJP in five LS seats?

A. Kodiyeri is living in a fools paradise. I can only sympathise with him. The CPM is contesting elections in very few seats and the number of seats which that party will win in the general elections will be much less. Then why are the Congress and BJP coming together to defeat a non entity.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Q. Post floods, the state government has come up with several projects for the states development. Your report card on these projects progress?

A. The government which failed miserably tried to hoodwink the public by announcing several people- friendly projects after the flood-havoc. However, these projects remain on paper and even the promised assistance of Rs 10,000 to the flood-hit didnt reach several affected households.
By Express News Service

JEYPORE: The entry of Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma in Koraput district as a Congress star campaigner has given a boost to the partys prospects in Kotpad Assembly seat.

Lakhma is scheduled to visit different Assembly segments in both Koraput and Nabarangpur to propagate partys poll agenda of farm loan waiver, pension of up to Rs 1,000 under social security scheme and minimum support price of paddy at Rs 2500 rupees per quintal.

Congress is the first party to have engaged a star campaigner from neighbouring Chhattisgarh to woo voters in the tribal areas of Koraput. The party recently formed the Government in Chhattisgarh, considered a bastion of BJP, last year.

Party workers in the region believe that the electoral gains in Chhattisgarh will enable Congress to perform well in the bordering districts of Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur in the ensuing polls.

Sources said, voters in rural areas of Malkangiri, Kotpad, Nabarangpur, Dabugam, Umerkote and Jharigam Assembly segments have close links with Chhattisgarh and their voting decision may be influenced by Congress performance in the neighbouring State. Congress leaders of Odisha believe that entry of star campaigners from Chhattisgarh would be beneficial for the party in the polls. Earlier, Chhattisgarh Congress leaders had met Kotpad MLA and Congress candidate Chandra Sekhar Majhi and held discussions on the strategies.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Ending speculations over whether he would throw his hat into the poll ring, Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan declared that he was not in the race for both MLA and MP seats.

Instead, Kamal said, he would focus on campaigning for his candidates, whose names, apart from the manifesto, were released here on Sunday.

Launching an attack on DMK president MK Stalin, Kamal said, I am an honest actor, paying his income tax without dues, and thinking only about the welfare of the people. Some people have transformed Sattasabai as Sattaisabai. Apart from being the son, who are you? he asked Stalin.

Kamal Haasan with his party candidates. (Photo: EPS/A Raja Chidambaram)

Targeting the officialdom for the insensitivity it handled the Pollachi sexual harassment case with, Kamal said, Superintendent of Police is announcing the victims name; the secretary is releasing full details on the Internet. What has the Chief Minister done to allay fears over an incident that took place near his native, he asked.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Promising the people that an alternative has emerged, Kamal said, You have accepted me as a good actor. Soon, you will call me a good politician, he said, adding MNM will transform the seats it wins as green constituencies.

ALSO READ: Kamal Haasan's MNM gives tickets to retired cop, film producer

Makkal Needhi Maiams chief had a slew of criticism aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi too.

He drew attention to the fact that the Prime Minister, who failed to visit flood-hit parts of Tamil Nadu after Ockhi wreaked havoc, now has time to visit four times in time for the election.

If voted to power, his party would ensure supply of good drinking water and end the need to buy the essential commodity, Kamal said.

Lunch meet with doctors stopped

Makkal Needhi Maiam President Kamal Haasans interactive meeting with doctors in the city was stopped midway after election officials found it to be in violation of the model code of conduct, on Sunday.

Officials of a flying squad pointed out that the party leader should have gotten permission from the election commission for such a meeting.

However, party functionaries held that it was only a lunch meeting with a few of their close associates. According to Static Surveillance Team official Rajeswari, they received complaints from police about Makkal Needhi Maiam conducting an indoor meeting at a private school in Singanallur on Sunday morning.

Hence, the officials visited the venue and instructed the party members to not conduct a meeting without permission.
T Muruganandham By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Many parties have released their manifestos for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, discussing many issues threadbare, but are unitedly mum on a key issue  reducing the debt burden of the State which is about to touch Rs 4 lakh crore.

The two Dravidian majors in Tamil Nadu, which have been alternately ruling the State for the past five decades, in their manifestos, explained how the State was affected by revenue loss due to certain steps of the Centre but did not outline their vision for reducing the debt burden.

This is perhaps because the debt burden has been going up during the regimes of these parties.

Though parties can argue that their present manifestos are only for the Lok Sabha elections, these parties, without fail, have dealt with the other issues of the State in detail but missed this key issue. The DMK has been vociferous in criticising the ruling AIADMK for the ever-increasing debt burden and the AIADMK too, when it was in the opposition camp, did not spare the DMK for the increase in the quantum of liabilities.

FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

But the finance ministers of both regimes had a common reason for the ever-increasing debt burden.

They comfortably say the loans availed by the government had been spent on productive purposes and the debt level was also kept well within the norms prescribed in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act. On the other hand, with every passing year, the debt level is going up.

The outstanding debt of the Tamil Nadu government at the end of March 2020, will be Rs 3,97,495.96 crore. The outstanding debt including liabilities which stood at Rs 57,457 crore in March 2006, crossed the mark of Rs 1 lakh crore in March 2011. It crossed Rs 2.5 lakh crore during 2014-15 and by March 2020, it is expected to touch Rs 4 lakh crore.

Apart from the huge chunk of revenue spent towards salaries of government employees and towards pension and retirement benefits, the payment of interest for the loans being availed is huge. The projection for the interest payment for 2019-20 is Rs 35,332.61 crore and it is expected to rise to Rs 43,941.76 crore.

It is obvious that the Centre has taken away key revenue sources, particularly the service tax. The State government has lost its hold over sales tax revenue due to GST and has been facing huge revenue loss and financial crunch points out the AIADMK manifesto.

In other words, the State governments opportunities for increasing its revenue have come down. The VAT on petroleum products, TASMAC revenue, stamp duty, vehicle tax and a few other sources alone are revenue resources for the State government.

The DMK manifesto says, Cess collected by the Union government for various purposes should duly be shared with the States for the respective purposes. Necessary amendments will be made to include all surcharges under the tax revenue meant for the devolution of funds to States.

Though the manifesto says it would impress upon the Centre to contain the fiscal and revenue deficits within the stipulated limited FRBM Act, it did not say anything concrete on reducing the already burgeoning debt burden.

ALSO READ| Tamil Nadu CM tears into Stalin's charges on Kodanadu murder

One of the major causes for the increasing debt burden of the State governments, particularly the Tamil Nadu government, is the freebies offered by the successive governments. But they christen them as welfare schemes meant for the poor and argue that such schemes cannot be avoided.

Asked about this deafening silence of political parties on this key aspect of public administration, political analyst Tharasu Shyam told Express: We have, many years ago, moved into credit economy. No government spends without availing loans and as such it would be difficult for the political parties to touch on this point. But the one thing which hard presses the government is the debt burden and the parties should have expressed their view and vision for reducing the liabilities. These parties did not even express the confidence of getting Central assistance to cope with this issue.

Shyam also pointed out that the financial resources of the States had gone into the hands of the Centre and the States were able to levy tax on very minimum items. The States are depending on the Centre for funds.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Satyan is of the view that the issue of management of debt should be dealt with along with the annual financial statement of the State government.

Increasing the direct and indirect taxes is the way to increase the revenue and thereby, the debt burden could be reduced. So, this issue would be ideally dealt with in the budget, he said.
Suning signs a cooperation contract with French food enterprises Farchioni in May 2017. (Photo/Courtesy of Suning)

Italian scholars, government organizations and business community applauded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country.

Xi's state visit to Italy culminated on Saturday with the signing of the intergovernmental MOU.

The two sides realized the huge potential of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in promoting connectivity, and stand ready to strengthen the alignment of the BRI and Trans-European Transport Networks and deepen cooperation on ports, logistics, marine transport and other areas, said a joint communique issued by the two countries on Saturday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Giulia Sciorati, an assistant research fellow at the School of International Studies with the University of Trento, told the Global Times that despite some opposition, the Italian government decided to sign the MOU because Italy seeks to continue strengthening trade relations with China, which is one of Italy's key trade partners, both in terms of imports and exports.

According to Sciorati, 3 percent of Italy's total exports in 2018 (amounting to about 13.8 billion euros) was destined for Chinese markets. China is the fourth largest destination for Italian exports, after EU member countries, the US and Switzerland.

Alessia Amighini, Co-Head of the Asia Centre and Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, told the Global Times that while there are different opinions within the Italian government, but no one can deny that a stronger and deeper relationship between Italy and China is needed by both sides.

According to the communique, the two sides expressed willingness to join efforts under the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to advance connectivity in line with the AIIB's mission and functions. More air links can be expected as the two sides agreed to facilitate the airline business from both countries and ease the market access for them, said the communique.

During Xi's visit, the two sides signed 19 intergovernmental bilateral cooperation documents.

They agreed to work cooperatively in fields such as environment and sustainable energy, agriculture, sustainable urbanization, health, aviation, space technology, infrastructure and transportation, according to the communique.

Sciorati predicted that the strongholds in Italy-China relations, which have historically been tourism and education, will continue to evolve. In particular, the Marco Polo and Turandot student exchange programs have proven extremely successful. The 2017- 2018 academic year saw Chinese students account for around 9 percent of Italy's total number of exchange students, ranking first in Asia.

Italian companies and businesspeople are optimistic about the Chinese market, and expect stronger bilateral ties between the two economies to bring more opportunities.

Nicola Brienza, an Italian politician and a mergers and acquisitions businessman in Shanghai, told the Global Times that he welcomes the MOU and expects the signing will help him bring more museums and exhibitions to Shanghai where he has been doing business for 15 years.

The Italian Trade Agency and Suning Holdings Group, a Fortune Global 500 company, also announced on Friday they inked an agreement to boost made-in-Italy exports to China.

The Italian Trade Agency said it will support made-in-Italy brands to more easily access the fast-growing Chinese market. Suning said it will open an Italian Pavilion on the online channels over the next three years, offering an Italian lifestyle and cultural experience, supporting brand penetration in the domestic market.

Against the backdrop of China's expanded opening-up, the two nations have made remarkable achievements in economic and trade cooperation, with bilateral trade hitting a historical high of $54.2 billion in 2018.

China's opening-up efforts not only promote mutual benefits but draw more Italian investment with greater openness and widened market access. By the end of last June, Italy had invested $7.21 billion in 5,937 projects in China, official data showed.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI : Five days after releasing its election manifesto, the ruling AIADMK has added a slew of promises to it, including the promise of an inquiry into the deaths of Tamils in the 2009 Eelam war in Sri Lanka. The annexure of manifesto, released by partys coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and coordinator and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, has targeted the DMKs candidate for Thoothukudi LS constituency Kanimozhi and claimed that she had misled the Tamil Eelam fighters during the Eelam war.

The party will urge the Union government, United Nations and international communities to order a credible international probe into the human rights violations, war crimes and genocide committed by the then Sinhalese Sri Lankan government and assisted by the then Union government led by the Congress-DMK combine by way of men and material support, said the annexure.

ALSO READ| Tamil Nadu CM tears into Stalin's charges on Kodanadu murder

The AIADMK has also said it will urge the Centre to press the Sri Lankan government to arrange a due devolution of administrative power to the Tamil Eelam regions and give a constitutional guarantee for the Eelam Tamils in the matter of human, property, language and religious rights.While urging the Union government to release the seven Tamil convicts languishing in prison in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, as ordered by the Supreme Court, the party listed out its achievements.

FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE

Due to the efforts of the Chief Minister, the Centre has initiated necessary steps to link the Cauvery and Godavari rivers, which will make 1,100 tmc water available for use, which otherwise gets drained in Bay of Bengal. In addition, the monetary assistance being granted under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme has been increased to `5 lakh, said the annexure to the AIADMK manifesto.
By AFP

KABUL: At least 13 civilians were killed, mostly children, in an air strike by "international forces" in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz late last week, the United Nations said Monday.

The strike happened between late Friday and early Saturday in support of ground operations conducted by pro-government forces fighting Taliban militants in the area.

ALSO READ | 'Hello brother': Words that countered a gunman's hate in New Zealand

"Initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country," the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

The US is the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides air support in the conflict.

A NATO spokesperson told AFP the coalition was investigating the claims.

"Those who were killed were internally displaced families who had fled the war in Dasht-e-Archi district and had recently moved to the city," added Khosh Mohammad Nasratyar, member of Kunduz provincial council, saying three children were also wounded in the attack.

The deaths come as ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with more civilians killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to a UN report.

The uptick in violence in 2018 coincides with a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by the "deliberate targeting of civilians", according to the report, mostly stemming from suicide attacks by insurgents allied with the Taliban or Islamic State (IS).

An increase in air strikes by US and Afghan forces also led to more civilian deaths in 2018, with more than 500 killed by "aerial operations for the first time on record".

Fighting continues to flare across Afghanistan even as the US and Taliban press forward in peace talks aimed at ending nearly 18 years of fighting.

The ongoing peace talks with the Taliban follow years of escalating violence in Afghanistan.

According to the UN, at least 32,000 civilians have been killed and another 60,000 wounded in the last decade.

Kunduz has been the scene of repeated air strikes gone awry over the course of the conflict, including an Afghan strike last April on an outdoor religious gathering in Dashte Archi that killed or wounded 107 people, mostly children, according to the UN.

And in 2015, a US airstrike struck a Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) hospital amid heavy fighting in the area, killing 42 people, including 24 patients and 14 members of the NGO.
By PTI

NOUMEA: A United Airlines Boeing 787-900 jet was diverted to the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Monday after reports of smoke coming from the cockpit, a local official said.

The US aircraft flying 256 passengers from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, touched down safely at La Tontouta airport in New Caledonia's capital Noumea.

"The passengers are disembarking calmly," said the official from the local Chamber of Commerce which runs the airport."

It seems that there was some smoke coming out of the cockpit.

An Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on March 10 led to the global grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

It followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October that left 189 dead, which raised major concerns about the safety certification of the 737 MAX 8 model.

The Nouvelles-Caledoniennes (Caledonian News) website reported that oxygen masks automatically dropped down in the cabin of the United Airlines plane.

The local RRB radio station said no one was hurt and all the passengers would spend the night in Noumea, 2,700 kilometres (1,650 miles) northeast of Melbourne.
By PTI

WELLINGTON: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday ordered an independent judicial inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks on March 15.

Ardern said a royal commission -- the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law -- was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world.

"It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to how this act of terrorism occurred and how we could have stopped it," she told reporters.

New Zealand's spy agencies have faced criticism in the wake of the attack for concentrating on the threat from Islamic extremism.

Instead, the victims were all Muslims and the massacre was allegedly carried out by a white supremacist fixated on the belief that there was an Islamist plot to "invade" Western countries.

ALSO READ | Note on New Zealand attack left in California mosque which caught fire

"One question we need to answer is whether or not we could or should have known more," Ardern said.

"New Zealand is not a surveillance state but questions need to be answered."

Ardern ruled out New Zealand re-introducing the death penalty for accused gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was arrested minutes after the attack on the mosques and has been charged with murder.

She said details of the royal commission were being finalised, but it would be comprehensive and would report in a timely manner.

It will cover the activities of intelligence services, police, customs, immigration and any other relevant government agencies in the lead-up to the attack.

The gunman livestreamed the attack online, although New Zealand has outlawed the footage as "objectionable content".

Ardern reiterated her believe it should not be aired.

"That video should not be shared. That is harmful content," she said when questioned about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showing excerpts of the footage at campaign rallies for local elections this month.

Erdogan had angered both Wellington and Canberra with campaign rhetoric about anti-Muslim Australians and New Zealanders being sent back in "coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a World War I battle.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Robert Mueller's investigation did not find sufficient evidence to establish that US President Donald Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 election, Attorney General William Barr has said as he summarised the key findings from the special counsel's historic probe that has cast a dark shadow over the presidency for nearly two years.

In a four-page letter to top lawmakers on Sunday, Barr highlighted two sections of Mueller's report -- Russia's efforts to affect the 2016 presidential election and whether the president obstructed justice.

The long-awaited report was submitted on Friday to Barr, who pored over the document before handing a summary to Congress.

Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and other actions throughout the probe raised concerns about the president trying to end the investigation.

Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating Moscow's determined effort to sabotage the last presidential election, found no conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote in the letter to lawmakers.

ALSO READ | Donald Trump's ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort jailed for 43 more months

Mueller's team drew no conclusions about whether Trump illegally obstructed justice, Barr said, so he made his own decision.

The attorney general and his deputy, Rod J Rosenstein, determined that the special counsel's investigators had insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed that offense.

Barr cautioned that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" on the obstruction of justice issue.

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," the attorney general said.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," Barr said, adding Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

The release of the findings was a significant political victory for Trump who described it as a "complete and total exoneration".

Terming the allegation of collusion "the most ridiculous thing ever", Trump said, "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest it's a shame that your president had to go through this."

Trump had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of "witch hunt".

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," Trump said.

ALSO READ | Mueller probe into Russian involvement in 2016 elections no 'witch hunt': Trump AG nominee

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," he said.

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of Mueller's investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections.

Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

While the president and his allies saw vindication in Barr's letter, Democrats questioned how Barr came to his conclusions and called for more information from Mueller's report.

Citing "concerning discrepancies", House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said he planned to call the attorney general to testify.

Barr's letter could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Mueller's full report will be made public.

Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsel's investigative files.

Barr's letter said that his "goal and intent" was to release as much of the Mueller report as possible, but warned that some of the report was based on grand jury material that "by law cannot be made public".

Barr planned at a later date to send lawmakers the detailed summary of Mueller's full report that the attorney general is required under law to deliver to Capitol Hill.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the president's stand.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

"As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country," she said.

Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been "completely and fully vindicated" by Mueller's report.

"Nevertheless, Democrats took us on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years, alleging wrongdoing where there was none," he claimed.

"So distraught and blindsided by the results of the 2016 elections, Democrats lied to the American people continually, hoping to undo the legitimate election of President Trump," Parscale said.
By PTI

KARACHI: A former police officer, who allegedly staged a fake encounter of a 27-year-old aspiring male model after declaring him a member of the Pakistani Taliban, was charged on Monday with murder.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi indicted former Malir Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar for the murder of Waziristan native Naqeebullah Mehsud in a fake encounter in Karachi.

Anwar, who was in court when charges were framed against him, pleaded not guilty.

The court ordered the complainant and the magistrate, who recorded the testimonies of eyewitnesses, to appear on April 11 and adjourned the hearing until then.

Anwar, along with former deputy superintendent of police and three others who are accused in the case, are out on bail, while 13 police officials are in jail on judicial remand.

An inquiry team probing the Jan 2018 'extrajudicial killing' of Naqeebullah found that the Waziristan native was killed in a "fake encounter" which was "staged" by the former Malir SSP.

Following the inquiry team's findings, Anwar was suspended from his post.

Anwar, however, had claimed that Naqeeb was a Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan militant but no evidence emerged to support this claim.

Naqeebullah's killing sparked outrage on social media.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Sunday began construction of a USD 3.85 billion oil refinery next to a Chinese-run port as part of a joint venture between India's Accord Group and Oman's oil ministry, the island nation's biggest foreign direct investment ever.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose 70th birthday coincided with the ground-breaking ceremony, said that with investments coming from India, China and Oman, Hambantota is set to become a multinational investment zone.

Oman and Sri Lanka have centuries-old relationships, Oman's Oil and Gas Minister Mohammed Hamad Al Rumhy said at the ceremony.

The USD 3.85 billion project is the single largest foreign direct investment in the island nation's history.

The refinery project, expected to complete in four years, came under criticism last week when a media report claimed that the government of Oman had rejected any knowledge of the project.

China has acquired the Hambantota port for a 99-year lease as a debt swap.

Beijing on Thursday said that it is "not narrow minded" to oppose the Indian investments in Sri Lanka, as it reacted guardedly to the USD 3.85 billion joint venture between India's Accord Group and Oman's oil ministry.

Chinese investments over the years in Sri Lanka amounted to over USD eight billion adding pressure to Colombo's external debt burden.

China's acquisition of Hambantota port as a debt swap has raised concerns about Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which US has cautioned as debt trap specially for smaller countries.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013.

It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea route.
RTHK: US court sentences Patrick Ho to three years

A court in New York has reportedly sentenced the former Hong Kong Home Affairs Secretary Patrick to 36 months in prison and fined him US$400,000.

Ho was convicted last December on seven out of eight counts of bribery and money laundering, over oil rights for the mainland conglomerate CEFC China Energy, in Chad and Uganda.

Ho had been part of a think-tank in the US that was financed by CEFC and which had been promoting Beijing's flagship Belt and Road trade initiative.

Ho was Home Affairs Secretary between 2002 and 2009.

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
GUANGZHOU, March 24 (Xinhua) -- In a red European-style villa in the southern Chinese metropolis of Guangzhou, Zora Gerault is teaching her Chinese students how to tailor clothes the way a French designer does.

She is the director of ESMOD Guangzhou, a Chinese branch of the renowned fashion design school established in 1841. Based in Paris, ESMOD now has 20 branches in 13 countries and regions, including two in Beijing and Guangzhou respectively.

In 2014, ESMOD partnered with Guangzhou Textiles Industry & Trade Holdings LTD to open a fashion design school in Guangzhou, aiming to train talent with a fashion sense of both the East and the West.

"France wants its fashion ideas and skills to be spread worldwide, while the booming Chinese fashion industry needs top talent. The coincidence of our demands leads to cooperation," Gerault said.

"So we started ESMOD Guangzhou, using French design concepts to nurture new Chinese designers," she said. "In this way, I think fashion cultures of the two countries are connected."

So far, four classes of students have graduated from the school, with many becoming independent designers or executives at fashion companies, or even founding their own clothing brands.

The works of Guo Ziqi, one of the top students, were showcased during the Paris fashion week in 2016 when she graduated from the school. Now, she is preparing for another trip to one of the most important stages of the fashion world.

She said what impressed her most during the study at ESMOD were the creativity in its course design and superb skills of French garment making.

"In the class, French teachers always encouraged us to use different materials such as plastic and paper to make clothes, to open our minds," Guo said.

According to Gerault, an important goal of her school is to inspire students to explore a new way of expression that combines traditional Chinese art with western skills.

"In our class, we are devoted to teaching students to use French technology to express Chinese ideas and culture," Gerault said.

"ESMOD Guangzhou is not just a school for fashion, but also contributes to Sino-French cultural communication," Gerault said. "I believe in the future there will be more and more opportunities and practices for this kind of communication."

A famous fashion designer of her own, Gerault has been working and living in China for nearly 12 years and developed a habit of drawing all the Chinese cultural elements that attracted her. Now, she has a thick notebook full of what she considers cultural treasures.

In the meantime, she has also witnessed the rapid development of China's fashion industry and its growing presence on the world fashion stage.

"Recently, Chinese clothing brands become much more popular in the global fashion circle. Chinese features are a new fashion now, and many famous international brands have launched Chinese-style products," Gerault said.
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Tim Mitchell is a reporter at The News-Gazette. His email is tmitchel@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@mitchell6).
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ADELAIDE, Australia, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese photographer Zhou Mengqi launched an exhibition on giant panda Sunday in Adelaide Zoo of South Australia.

The exhibition, with 50 photos, was titled "Giant panda and its hometown."

"Giant panda is our national treasure," Zhou said. "This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Westerner discovery of giant panda, as well as the 10th year of two giant pandas' sojourn in the Adelaide Zoo. It is my wish that the pandas could help strengthen ties between China and Australia."

Zhou, 65, spent the past 27 years taking photos for pandas in their habitats in China's Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

"I got the idea in 1992 when some foreigners visited China to see giant pandas," he recalled.

"At that time the pandas were sleeping, but still the foreign visitors were excited. So I thought, as someone from panda's hometown, maybe I can take some photos of pandas to help foreign visitors know more about the animal."

Consul Zhang Li, head of bilateral section with the Consulate-General of China in Adelaide, noted that giant pandas are a business card of China's tourism.

"It is good to have such an exhibition here, which will help local people learn more about panda and boost understanding of Australian people about China's culture," said Zhang.

Adelaide Zoo is the second oldest zoo in Australia, boasting a history of more than 130 years with more than 2,500 animals. Pandas Wang Wang (meaning Net Net) and Fu Ni (meaning Lucky Girl) arrived in November 2009 as the first pair of pandas in the Southern Hemisphere.

Phil Ainsley, director of life sciences with the zoo, told Xinhua that about 400,000 visitors come to the zoo each year, many of whom young people.

"Each year we have more than 50,000 students visit the zoo, and the connection (between panda) and our next generation is amazing," said Ainsley.

He believed that the exhibition raised the profile of pandas.

"His photos captured something really amazing," he said. "Pandas are important not only because they are a cultural icon, but also for the relation they allowed our two countries to build."

Zhou's photos will be on display on Monday in the Adelaide University. He planned to take the photos then to France, Japan and some other countries where the zoos host giant pandas.
Japajapa was informed that the attache was not available, he then demanded to see the ambassador, but was told that he could only see her after making an appointment.




GOVERNMENT has allayed flooding fears in Burma Valley following social media reports that Manyera Dam wall had weakened and could give in to the high volume of water.







The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde July Moyo, said engineers from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement visited Manyera Dam following the reports that it was about to give in to the high volume of water.





About 37 families staying on the downstream of the dam were reported to be at risk. We gathered that part of the dam wall was damaged, but reports indicate that water levels are now going down. We are now in discussion with people responsible for planning and resettlement to organise that the families staying in the downstream area of the dam are moved upstream. Anything can happen in future and it is important to take the necessary precaution measures, he said.





When The Herald visited Manyera Dam yesterday, some of the villagers were milling around the dam wall after receiving reports that the wall was about to collapse.





Mr Edward Nyamhunga who stays about 20 metres from the dam wall said they had been receiving calls from all over the country and even from neighbouring countries with people enquiring about the development.





Yes, water levels have been very high in the dam. I have never witnessed the high volume of water in the dam during my about 20-year stay in this area. The volume of water that was gushing at the spillway was very high and it damaged the road to Chalgrove Farm where there are A-1 farmers settled there.





People raised alarm after part of the dam wall at the spillway was washed away last week.





Zimbabwe National Water Authority engineers were here last Friday and they never raised any red flag about our safety, he said.





A resettled farmer, Mr Edward Jombo, said: People should not be reckless on the social media. There was panic all over with people enquiring about our safety. We are here at the dam to get a clear picture of the state of the dam wall. To me, it looks intact.




(Newser)  The woman who created an incredibly successful anti-Brexit petition has left Britainapparently fleeing for her life, the Guardian reports. Margaret Georgiadou, whose petition has over 5.2 million signatures Sunday, says she has endured a "torrent" of Facebook abuse and three phoned death threats that left her "shaking like a leaf." As she tweeted, "Who wants Brexit so much that they are prepared to kill for it?" Now she has shuttered her Facebook account and gone to Cyprus. "I feel terrible, I feel angry with myself because I thought I was tougher than that," she tells the BBC. "But I was scared. I haven't even told my husband because he is very old and he would become hysterical.

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Her petition aims to revoke Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which the UK invoked in March 2017 to leave the EU. "I want it to prove [Brexit] is no longer the will of the people," says the retired lecturer. "It was three years ago but the government has become infamous for changing their mindso why can't the people?" Among criticisms of Georgiadou, social-media users are slamming posts she allegedly made threatening Prime Minister Theresa May (Georgiadou doesn't recall making them) and claiming overseas bots are adding petition signatures (96% are from British IP addresses, per the Guardian). Georgiadou's Cyprus trip kept her from protesting Brexit in a massive march Saturday, but she tells the Evening Standard that she wished marchers well. (Read more Brexit stories.)
(Newser)  President Trump is claiming exoneration in the wake of the attorney general's summary of the Robert Mueller report. Democrats are saying not so fast. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, tweeted that he wants Attorney General William Barr to testify before his panel to resolve what Nadler views as "very concerning discrepancies and final decision-making at the Justice Department," reports the Hill. Nadler notes that Barr quoted Mueller as writing: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. With that the case, Nadler wants to know why Barr himself already has decided not to bring an obstruction-of-justice charge against the president. (In his letter, Barr said he had concluded the evidence was "not sufficient.") Related:

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Pelosi, Schumer: House and Senate Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer also criticized Barr, reports the AP. The attorney general's "letter raises as many questions as it answers," they say in a joint statement. "The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay. Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report."

House and Senate Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Charles Schumer also criticized Barr, reports the AP. The attorney general's "letter raises as many questions as it answers," they say in a joint statement. "The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay. Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report." Lindsey Graham: The GOP senator offers an opposing view. "Good day for the rule of law," he says. "Great day for President Trump and his team. No collusion and no obstruction. The cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed by this report. Bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down. Great job by Mr. Mueller and his team to thoroughly examine all things Russia."

(Read more Mueller report stories.)
(Newser)  Supporters of Chelsea Manning have called for her release from prolonged solitary confinement at a Virginia jail, but an official disputes that she's being held in those conditions, the AP reports. Former Army intelligence analyst Manning was sent to jail March 8 for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. She had previously served years in prison for leaking troves of classified US documents. The Chelsea Resists group says in a Saturday news release that Manning "has been kept in her cell for 22 hours a day. This treatment qualifies as Solitary Confinement."

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Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne says in a statement that the group's accusations "are not accurate or fair." The sheriff says the facility does not have solitary confinement but uses "administrative segregation" and inmates have access to visits, books, and recreation. A judge has ordered Manning jailed until she either testifies or the grand jury concludes its work, the Guardian reports. (Much more on the contempt of court case here.)
(Newser)  On the heels of one suicide of a Parkland school shooting survivor comes a possible second. An unidentified current male student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School died Saturday night of what police are calling an "apparent suicide," reports the Miami Herald. Ryan Petty, who lost his daughter in the massacre and founded a suicide-prevention group afterward, tells the Herald that the boy was a sophomore, and like Sydney Aiello a week ago, died of a gunshot wound to the head. "When you look at Columbine as an example, almost just as many students killed themselves after the fact than in the actual shooting. That needs to change," he said. "We need to get them the help they need." (Read more Parkland school shooting stories.)
China, France continue to regard each other as diplomatic priority

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd R), along with Peng Liyuan (1st L), wife of President Xi and wife of Macron Brigitte Macron (1st R) in Nice, France, March 24, 2019. (Photo/Xinhua)

China views the ties with France as something very important, and that has not changed at all over time, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Nice, one of the largest cities in France.

China has regarded France as its diplomatic priority, President Xi said, also vowing to maintain the long-term friendship between the people of the two countries.

France is the first major Western country that established official diplomatic ties with New China.

Although 55 years have passed, the duo's common pursuit of peace, development and justice have remained the same.

The duo stand by multilateralism

With multilateralism in mind, President Xi's idea of "building a community with a shared future for mankind" coincides with Macron's pledge, which has called for "make our planet great again."

"In the long run, we will have to face the same realities, and we're just citizens of the same planet," the French president said last April when responding to Washington's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

The two countries' successful cooperation in multiple areas including jointly combating climate change has served an active role in the international community, hailed President Xi.

The core of win-win cooperation stays

Win-win cooperation remains the core of bilateral ties. As President Xi noted, in the upcoming years, China will continue to open up more areas within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) so as to create more opportunities.

The stable ties between China and France means a lot not just for the two, but the entire world. China hopes to see France take a more active role in promoting the relationship between China and Europe as a whole.

On his part, Macron first recalled his visit to China last January. "Over the year, both sides have carried out exchanges on various fronts following the important consensus reached during our last meeting."

Paris attaches great importance to the BRI, and is willing to further consolidate strategic dialogue with Beijing, Macron said.

France marks the conclusion of President Xi's three-nation Europe tour, his first overseas tour in 2019. Earlier, he also paid visits to Italy and Monaco.
(Newser)  One of Germany's richest families, whose company owns a controlling interest in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread, Pret a Manger, and other well-known businesses, plans to donate millions to charity after learning about their ancestors' enthusiastic support of Adolf Hitler and use of forced laborers under the Nazis, according to a report Sunday. In a four-page report, the Bild newspaper reported that documents uncovered in Germany, France, and the US reveal that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. used Russian civilians and French POWs as forced laborers. Family spokesman Peter Harf, who is one of two managing partners of the Reimanns' JAB Holding Company, said recent internal research confirmed Bild's findings.

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"It is all correct," he said. "Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty ... they belonged in jail." The father and son, who died in 1954 and 1984, did not talk about the Nazi era and the family had thought that all of the company's connection to the Nazis had been revealed in a 1978 report, Harf said. But after reading documents kept by the family, the younger generation began to ask questions and commissioned a University of Munich historian in 2014 to examine the Reimann history more thoroughly. Harf said the family would donate 10 million euros ($11.3 million) to a not-yet-determined charity as a gesture, and once the historian's report is complete, it will be released to the public, the AP reports. "The whole truth must be put on the table," he said. "There is nothing to gloss over. These crimes are disgusting."

(Read more Nazi Germany stories.)
(Newser)  A West Texas sheriff's deputy who was critically wounded Friday in a shooting during a traffic stop has died. The El Paso County Sheriff's office confirmed the death of Deputy Peter Herrera in a statement on Facebook. It gave no further details. Authorities had said on Friday that they expected Herrera to survive the shooting because he was wearing a protective vest. Herrera was shot around 1:50am Friday after stopping a vehicle in San Elizario, about 25 miles southeast of El Paso along the US-Mexico border, the AP reports. Authorities say a man in the vehicle started shooting after the deputy asked the driver to step out of the car.

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"Immediately upon stepping out, the male pulled a weapon and opened fire," Sheriff Richard Wiles tells the El Paso Times. Wiles says the suspect fired at least 15 shots during the "totally unprovoked" attack, and Herrera never even had a chance to draw his weapon. The suspected gunman, 27-year-old Facundo Chavez, tried to drive away but his car stalled and he fled on foot with his female passenger and was found hiding in a shed a few blocks away, police say. Chavez was initially booked on an attempted capital murder charge. Wiles says Chavez has a lengthy criminal record, and was being investigated for an alleged domestic violence case last week involving the female passenger. (Read more Texas stories.)
(Newser)  But for one person who wasn't sleeping, a frightening and dangerous incident over the weekend at a California mosque could have turned tragic. Seven people were inside the Islamic Center of Escondido early Sunday when, shortly after 3am, the lone person not snoozing noticed flames and woke the others, Escondido Police Lt. Chris Lick says, per the Los Angeles Times. Together they were able to put out the fire using a fire extinguisher, Lick adds, per CBS News. But police soon noted the fire was no accident, blaming accelerant-aided arson instead, and they say a note found in the mosque's driveway referred to the mosque shootings that left 50 dead in Christchurch, New Zealand.

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Police say the mosque's exterior was damaged, and that in addition to arson, they're investigating the fire as a possible hate crime, as spray-painted graffiti on the scene also referenced the New Zealand shooting, per NBC San Diego. "Everyone is on edge here today," says Yusef Miller, a spokesman for Escondido's Muslim community, per the Times. No one spotted a suspect, and no arrests have yet been made. Local police and fire officials are teaming up with FBI and ATF agents, as well as a regional bomb/arson squad, to investigate. In the meantime, Miller says the mosque will remain open, per NBC. "We won't stop praying," he says. "We won't stop gathering." (Read more mosque stories.)
(Newser)  A rocket attack will shorten Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the US. The Israeli prime minister arrived in the US on Sunday and met with President Trump as planned on Monday in the White House. But Netanyahu will skip a planned address to AIPAC and immediately return home instead of staying for another two days, reports Reuters. The change comes after the Israeli military said a rocket fired from Gaza struck a home near Tel Aviv and wounded seven people. It is the furthest a Palestinian rocket has traveled into Israel since strife in 2014, notes the BBC. Israeli forces blamed Hamas and responded Monday by striking targets across the Gaza Strip, including the offices of Hamas' supreme leader, the AP reports.

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The strike came less than two weeks after a pair of rockets were launched toward Tel Aviv, the first in five years. Nobody was injured, and both Israel and Hamas later said those rockets appeared to have been fired by mistake. In response to the latest strike, Netanyahu said from his meeting with Trump that "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this. Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression. We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state." Late Monday, Hamas announced that Egyptian mediators had brokered a cease-fire, but renewed rocket fire could later be heard in Gaza. Also Monday, Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a massive shift that reverses more than 50 years of US policy in the Middle East. (More on that here, and reactions including from the UN here.)
(Newser)  When Alzado Harris went to the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Mo., in February 2017, he was inebriated, high on pot, and peeved at a friend. That's what led to his next act, he confessed to police, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: knocking over more than 100 headstones in the Jewish graveyard. Court documents note Harris caused more than $30,000 in damage, and on Thursday the 35-year-old pleaded guilty to felony institutional vandalism. He was sentenced that day as well, earning three years of probation, a $5,000 restitution fine, and a mandate that he stay employed full time and take an anger management class.

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Harris was arrested more than a year after the incident after officials say his DNA was tied to DNA found on a jacket left at the scene; his DNA had previously been obtained when he spent four months in prison for a 2016 break-in. Despite what Harris did, however, officials determined it wasn't a hate crime or otherwise anti-Semitic. "There is no evidence to indicate the incident was racially, ethnically, or religiously motivated," a University City police release said at the time. St. Louis Public Radio notes that if he doesn't complete his three-year probation, Harris will see a suspended sentence of five years behind bars. (Read more Missouri stories.)
(Newser)  A British Airways flight from London to Germany went to Scotland instead, a mistake that no one realized until the plane was on the ground. Passengers were shocked, the Scotsman reports, as was the crew. "The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened," a passenger tells the BBC. He evidently followed the flight plan he was given. The airline says it's working with WDL Aviation, a German company that operated the flight, to find why the wrong flight plan was filedleading to an arrival 525 miles off course, per USA Today. Passengers first thought it was a joke, possibly because the crew asked passengers to put up their hands if they were expecting to go to Dusseldorf.

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"While an interesting concept," another passenger tweeted, "I dont think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery." A student whose girlfriend was on the flight told CNN that she realized something was wrong when she saw mountains instead of the "usual German industrial landscape." The passengers' sense of humor was tested when the plane sat on the runway in Edinburgh for more than two hours awaiting permission to try again for Dusseldorf. "It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked, and they ran out of snacks," a passenger told the BBC. "It was also really stuffy." (Read more British Airways stories.)
Kate Baring (front row, third from the left) is a Junior at West Valley High School involved with the Alaska Youth for Environment Action group. Photo courtesy of Kate Baring.
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NEW YORK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Regarded as one of today's most talented and creative young violinists, Angelo Xiang Yu has recently received 2019 Avery Fisher Career Grant, a prestigious award presented to up to five outstanding instrumentalists each year in New York City.

The 30-year-old artist is also one of 10 recipients of the 2019 Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists -- the annual prizes that honor outstanding artistry and serve to acknowledge the promising future of selected performers within the 11 resident organizations of the Lincoln Center.

What is interesting is that Yu would not have been a violin virtuoso had his parents been generous enough to allow him to study the "expensive" piano when he showed signs of musical precocity as a child.

CHOOSING VIOLIN BY COINCIDENCE

Yu started to learn the violin at the age of four and a half. Yet it was a choice by coincidence. His teacher had suggested that Yu study the piano since he's got extremely sharp ears and big hands.

"My parents looked at the piano and said 'Wow, that's a huge box. It must be very expensive!' Then they saw a little box that happens to be a violin case. And they said, 'Okay, maybe we should learn that. That's probably a little cheaper,'" recalled Yu in a recent interview with Xinhua in New York City.

"It turned out to be the biggest 'mistake' in their life because violin can be the most expensive instruments in the world. For example, a Stradivarius or del Gesu violin can worth millions of dollars." said Yu, who performs on a 1729 Stradivarius violin on loan from an anonymous donor.

"So it's really, really a coincidence. But I am happy about it because later on I figured out that violin is the closest instrument to human voice, and I can express all my feelings with it. It's almost like an extension of my body whenever I play the violin. So I'm glad I made that decision," said Yu, also First Prize winner of the prestigious 2010 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists.

PAINS OF STARDOM

Born in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Yu moved to Shanghai at the age of 11 and received early training from a renowned violinist at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, as well as a prestigious artist diploma at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he was a student of Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, and Kim Kashkashian.

"Now I'm (almost) thirty years old. I spent my first decade in Inner Mongolia, second decade in Shanghai, and third decade in Boston. So it's been quite an interesting journey for me," said Yu, who now resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

An active recitalist and chamber musician, Yu has performed at many world-renowned concert venues and received consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience response for his performances.

The young musician was candid about his everyday life which he said was not as glamorous as in the spotlight on stage.

"To be honest, it's very, very difficult to be a 'star'. We have to deal with a lot of pressure. No matter how you feel today, you have to give the audience your best," said Yu, who spends about half of each year traveling around the world.

"Sometimes I had very bad stomachache. Sometimes I didn't sleep for like forty, fifty or sixty hours, and I still have to play a full concert by memory. If I miss one note, the whole world knows in the next day's newspaper," he said. "But we have to smile and act as if we're totally in control and confident. And please just imagine not doing that for only once, but doing that a hundred times a year. That's a lot to take in."

INDEBTED TO PARENTS

Yet Yu said he was always ready to share the beauty of music with the audience.

"I was given such talent by my parents. If I don't share that talent with the world, I am not fulfilling my responsibility as a musician. So as tough as it sounds like, I'm happy to do what I'm doing right now."

Yu was all in tears when he talked about his mother who passed away eight years ago.

"The biggest challenge I had to deal with emotionally and physically was when my mother got cancer and I wasn't even sure if I could stay in this country anymore because I so much wanted to go back and support the family," he said. "But then I decided to stay because I know if I thrive as a musician, that's the biggest comfort for her."

Yu took a flight to New Zealand for a pre-scheduled competition the day his mother passed away.

"I didn't even cry because I had no power to even do that. So I decided to cry with my violin," he said. "I got to the final and I couldn't feel my hands because physically I was so tired. I also had injuries. I took four pills of painkillers just to relieve the pain in my hands ... I felt her spirit was there with me, so that I was able to magically keep playing till the end."

"I made it and I sort of decided to use the music to mourn her. That was one of the toughest memories. But I would say that's also one of the most precious memories in my musical career. That makes me a stronger man, a much more mature musician," he said.

"Eight years passed since she passed away. But every time I perform on the stage, I still imagine she's there listening to me."

MERGING OF EAST & WEST

Yu attributed his success to his early violin training in China, further study in the United States as well as his deep exposure to both Chinese and Western culture.

"The violin teaching system in the U.S., for example, is very different from what I received in China," he said.

In China, people put more emphasis on the method and the technique while in America, it is more about the bigger picture and how to approach certain musical ideas, he said.

"Both are great. I think in order to become a great musician, you should have a very strong foundation technically, but you should also have this inner voice to help you to become a mature musician," he said.

Though the language of music is universal, it is very helpful for musicians playing a certain piece of music to better understand the culture and history where the music is from, Yu said.

"For example, Mozart was born in Austria and Bach was born in Germany. So we have to 'live' in Europe in order to really understand their language and their music," he said. "Just like if you ask an American to play (well-known Chinese) violin concerto Liang Zhu or Butterfly Lovers Concerto, most likely you will feel like something is missing. That's because the story has been in our blood for so long."

As to his future development, Yu said he hopes he would have more opportunities to share his music with more audience.

"I think that is very important. And really every day I remind myself where I come from and I'm really, really proud to be a Chinese," he said.

"Everybody has dreams. I have dreams, too. But luckily, I had almost fulfilled all my dreams of my childhood with all the efforts I was making on the daily basis," he said. "So I think it's important to focus on the next task. Always focus on how to prepare as well as possible for the next concert."
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

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Chen Ran (pseudonym), a junior student of the Beijing-based China Foreign Affairs University, started working part-time as soon as he arrived on campus.

A university student works as a waitor in a restaurant. (Photo/Chongqing Evening News)

Last summer, Chen traveled to Chongqing and Xinjiang Autonomous Region in western China, using 7,000 yuan he saved after a whole summers part-time work at Starbucks during weekdays as well as tutoring at the weekends.

I was always uneasy asking my parents for travel money, Chen explained.

Not long ago, he bought himself a new laptop. To some extent, he is now financially independent from his parents.

In a recent survey, China Youth Daily found that 89.3 percent of the 805 surveyed university students value financial independence and regard it as a sign of adulthood. 72.88 percent of them have made a start to reach financial freedom while 8 percent say they have already met their goal.

Many of those surveyed noted that they get great satisfaction from financial independence, and feel better about spending money that they have earned themselves.

In the survey, a majority of the respondents revealed that they want to prove they can live on their own. Almost half said that financial independence is "cool", and means they don't need to give their parents details of everything they buy.

Li Xinran (pseudonym) bought at least 25 lipsticks during the first two years of her college life. However, Li has grown into a more rational consumer after realizing that money doesn't grow on trees thanks to her part-time job.

I can afford my daily expenses, and pay my return ticket to get to school, said Li. Additionally, she often sends money to her parents.

Young adults can gain a sense of social responsibility in the process of pursuing financial independence, said Li Shuai, from the Beijing Institute of Technology.

Those who plan to start working as soon as they graduate can participate in internships or part-time jobs after school to prepare themselves for a career, Li suggested.
Researchers from the Museum will be joining those from The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the University of Manchester and Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, Netherlands, to explore a series of new sites in northern Wyoming.

It is hoped that the Mission Jurassic team will uncover a rich Jurassic assemblage of dinosaur bones, in addition to the fossilised remains of the other animals and plants that would have called this region home around 150 million years ago.

The site, known as the Jurassic Mile, is spread over roughly 2.6 square kilometres and has already yielded some impressive finds. For the last two years scientists from The Children's Museum have been uncovering dinosaur trackways, fossil plants and the remains of two sauropods: a 24-metre-long Brachiosaurus and the bones of potentially a 30-metre-long Diplodocus.

Fossils have included a striking two-metre-long shoulder blade and some semi-articulated limbs, in addition to over 600 other bones to have come out of the site. It is hoped that this is just a fraction of what is preserved within the rock.
The alleged forgery controversy between First Bank and Whiteplain British school Abuja over N630 million loan became more controversial ...

The alleged forgery controversy between First Bank and Whiteplain British school Abuja over N630 million loan became more controversial at the maiden sitting of the Public Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives, following the inability of the parties to make convincing presentations to the panel.









While the House committee was at loss by contradictions from both the defendants and petitioners, following which it gave a 7- day ultimatum to the parties to provide every detailed document involving the transaction, it formally directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to begin an independent probe of the allegations levelled against First Bank, since it plays a regulatory role over commercial banks in the country.









Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee of the House Hon. Uzoma Nkem Abonta on Thursday said at the inaugural meeting, that the probe panel was all out to deliver justice and not to rewrite or rearward judgements already made by the various courts of competent jurisdiction on the matter before it









Abonta spoke on the sidelines of the position of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN whose representative at the investigative hearing, said the apex bank could not wade into the matter because it would be subjudiced if they did since the dispute was already before the courts.









Our outcomes may prejudice the court case: if it were the First Bank, we will investigate, but when it is the petitioner that went to court, it is very inappropriate for us to investigate the CBN argued









The apex bank noted that it could delve into the matter only if the courts direct it to, but in this case, no, until probably it is subpoenaed.









But again the panel disagreed with the CBN on the grounds that the current disputes between the First bank and Whiteplain British school had far-reaching implications on the general economy and as such central bank needed to intervene to forestall future occurrences and save the economy.









Nonetheless, while CBN agreed to look into the matter and produce an independent opinion to the House committee, accusation and counter-accusations from both the petitioner, Dr Nwufoh, First bank and France Lee, the original owners of the land in which the British school in dispute was built, took the entire proceedings.









Whereas, Mrs Francess Ibeh of France Lee denied ever selling the land to the First bank but wondered how her signature and that of her son who has been out of the country for over twenty years appeared on a mortgage document upon which the bank wants to take over the British white plain school.









I didnt sell land to First Bank. The first bank forged my signature and that of my son over the land she said









She said the land was sold to Dr Nwufoh of Legacy Academy, adding that  I didnt sign the tripartite agreement. They signed my signature and that of my son who has been out of Nigeria for over 22years









In his submission, the petitioner told the committee that he did buy land from France Lee upon which a certificate of occupancy, C-of-O was obtained.









The petitioner Dr Nwufoh, further explained that he only signed a two-party agreement with the first bank and not a tripartite negotiation, wondering how a land he bought in 2008 and in 2014,  they said the person who I bought the land from surteied me









He said  They forged documents in a land I bought in 2008 and in 2014, they said the person who I bought the land surteied me









But the First Bank officials, in their various submissions, maintained that every transaction was legal and followed due process with all the stakeholders being carried along









They denied forging documents as it involved the mortgage and loan facility given to the management of the British school, noting that each of their actions so far, followed due legal process and in compliance with the two judgements given by two separate courts









But in the ruling, the Committee helmsman said,  I want all the documents. I dont want to sit on an appeal or a court ruling: if a lawyer forged documents, we will see to it that he is derobed









He, however, slammed AGIS for not doing due diligence on the land in dispute and therefore directed it to within three days provide it with the titles of the land.









Abonta demanded an independent opinion as a regulator on the matter from CBN. From the first bank, the panel wants the name of the lawyer involved in the mortgage agreement, as well as perfected the land titles, the name of the first bank manager in charge of the transaction and all necessary documents.





The panel noted that the documents will assist in determining what went wrong, even as the committee reiterated that it was not competing with the court judgements on the matter





It would be recalled that in a petition dated November 26, 2018, and signed by Whiteplain British schools administrator, Dr Francis Nwufoh, the petitioner alleged that First Bank used forged documents to seal the school over a loan yet to expire.









The petitioner further said that First Bank has commenced erecting parameter fence against the content of the judgment delivered by the court








Some employees of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers State are considering applying for transfer to neighbouring st...

Some employees of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Rivers State are considering applying for transfer to neighbouring states as a result of election violence that has always characterised every poll in the South-South state.









The INEC workers told our correspondent on Saturday that they were always afraid each time elections approached in Rivers, adding that they were tired of the situation.









One of them, who simply identified herself as Cordelia, said though no local government was safe during election periods in the state, places like Emohua and some riverine areas were more volatile than the others during election time.









She recalled that the fear among INEC workers had increased after an ad hoc worker, Ibisaki Amachree, was allegedly shot dead while she was moving election materials to a registration area centre.









She said, Majority of us are considering applying for transfer from Rivers State to any other state close to it. This is because of violence. For the past four to five years now, every election in the state has been marred by violence.









It is not like that in other neighbouring states. Remember that an INEC ad hoc worker lost her life. We learnt that she was shot by a soldier. We are afraid and that is why some of us may begin to seek transfer soon.









Another employee of the commission, who does not want her name mentioned, said she had agreed with her family to seek a transfer after the supplementary elections in the state.









I dont think some of us can be part of the conduct of another election in 2023. The level of violence in the state during the election is disturbing.









We are INEC staff, but politicians, security agents and thugs intimidate us during the election period, she added.









Recall that some workers of the commission in the state had sought to be transferred to other local government areas within the state after violence erupted in some areas during the presidential and National Assembly elections.








Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on Monday called for quick hamonisation of the N30,000 nation...

Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), on Monday called for quick hamonisation of the N30,000 national minimum wage bill to enable President Muhammadu Buhari assent to it.









Kaigama spoke to the newsmen in Lagos on the implementation of the new minimum wage.









It was gathered that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress had urged the President to sign and implement the new wage before the end of the 8th National Assembly.









The TUC president said that the House of Representatives and the Senate needed to harmonise the agreed sum and pass it to the President for his assent.









The N30,000 figure is one, but the aspect of the law might not be the same. There is the need to come together and harmonise, produce a clean copy and forward to Buhari to sign.









If that is not done as soon as possible, it will be difficult for the President to sign and implement the agreed national minimum wage.









The day Buhari signs the new minimum wage bill, it becomes law effective from that day, he said.









The labour chief said that implementation would be seamless since the Federal Government had said that it included its provision in the budget, but might take a while in some states that had not included it in their budget.









He urged the private sector not to delay its implementation as soon as the bill is enacted into law.









The TUC president advised the government to look into the issues of punishment for minimum wage defaulters and frequent review of the process.









He also said that Value Added Tax should not be tied to the implementation of the new wage, particularly in the public sector.









VAT is paid by consumers; it is paid by the lower class, while the business conglomerates and corporate organisations dont pay the appropriate tax.









It is unfair to tell workers who pay the appropriate tax that you will tie VAT to minimum wage. The organised labour disagrees with the government, he said.








Oil workers have warned the federal government against any hike in electricity tariff. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff ...

Oil workers have warned the federal government against any hike in electricity tariff.









The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) said consumers should not be forced to pay for services that are not rendered.









The association said in a communique after a national executive council meeting in Lagos weekend that it would not condone any attempt at hiking the current electricity tariffs as it is being contemplated.









Francis Olabode and Lumumba Okugbawa, President and General Secretary respectively said electricity consumers should pay for services rendered, not seem to have been rendered.









The union insists that tariff can only be hiked when electricity is stable.









It, therefore urged government at all levels to create the enabling environment so that the countrys abundant gas resource can be harnessed to provide investors in the energy sector with ample opportunities to invest in and flourish.









The workers also frowned upon poor funding of federal government agencies in the petroleum industry and urge the government to increase funding for agencies such as Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to help them in discharging of their duties.









PENGASSAN urged the federal government to direct its relevant organs to consider all proposed ways of increasing and generating funds for smooth running of these agencies and commence implementation of the 2015 harmonized CBA template.









The NEC-In-Session vows to confront all industrial issues with utmost seriousness now that the elections are over adding that the union will explore all possible means to ensure no organization undermines any provisions of the countrys laws.








Xi vows to be selfless, devoted to Chinese people

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Roberto Fico, president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, in Rome, March 22, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua)

After a meeting with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, the Italian lower house speaker raised an unplanned question.

What did you feel when you were elected Chinese President? Roberto Fico, president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, asked Xi.

The 44-year-old was elected speaker of the Italian lower house in March 2018. Fico explained that he was overwhelmingly excited about the election result and was curious about Xis feelings when he was elected to lead China, a country much bigger than Italy.

Its a heavy responsibility and an arduous task to be Chinese President, Xi replied.

Xi said he would like to be selfless and determined to devote himself to serving the Chinese people and Chinas development.

An athlete can improve his performance significantly through rigorous training. Similarly, he believes he could make the country a better place with the huge support of 1.3 billion Chinese people, Xi said.

I have the confidence to make it and so do the Chinese people. said Xi.

Xi also extended an invitation to Fico to visit China.

(Compiled by Chen Lidan)
A workshop held recently in Perugia, Italy, discussed opportunities for business investments between Vietnamese and Italian firms once the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) come into effect.

At the event, Trade Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Italy Nguyen Duc Thanh introduced Vietnams current situation of high economic growth, stable politics, abundant human resources, and open investment attraction policy.

Michele Fioroni, deputy mayor of Perugia, said Vietnams economic scale, features and strategic location in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and in the region is drawing attention of Italian businesses.

Advantages brought about by the EVFTA and Italian production strengths will give local companies numerous opportunities to exploit the Vietnamese market, he said, urging the group to speed up market studies, investment promotion and product advertisement to capitalize on such benefits.

Walter Cavrenghi, General Secretary of the Italy-Vietnam chamber of commerce, considered the EVFTA a win-win deal.

The official said Italian investors came to Vietnam late compared to other European peers, and advised Italian firms to prioritise trade-investment promotion and cooperation with Vietnams small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Alessandra Cursio, who oversees external relations at the chamber, said if signed, the pact will be the most ambitious and comprehensive FTA between the EU and a developing country.

With 99 percent of tariff lines removed, Italy will benefit from exporting machines, leather, medicines, chemicals, garment-textile and food products to Vietnam, she added.

Concluding the workshop, participants, who included Italian enterprises eyeing the Vietnamese market, agreed on the importance of the EVFTA to both the bloc and Vietnam, hoping EU member countries to soon sign and ratify the pact.-VNA
The Zenith El Primero chronograph celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The story of the worlds first automatic chronograph movement is a remarkable one and gives a cross-section of the watch industrys development over the past half a century. Here is a succinct summary of the history of this watch, distilled into 30 snippets.

1. The idea of launching an automatic chronograph germinated at Zenith in 1962 as a means of celebrating the companys 100th anniversary. At the time there was no automatic chronograph on the market.



2. Between 1966 and 1967, Zeniths Chronometry Department (which prepared watches for the observatory competitions) started working on a high-frequency movement beating at 36,000 vibrations per hour for use in this new watch.



3. Before the El Primero, Zenith had chronograph winders, who were responsible for filing all the chronograph parts so that they would match the tolerances of the basic watch movement.



4. To help prevent wear of the components in its high-frequency calibre, Zenith was the first watch brand to use molybdenum disulphide as a surface coating. It was applied to the pallets to improve the co-efficient of sliding friction in these watches.



5. Zenith was not the only watch brand working on an automatic chronograph at the time. Seiko and the Chronomatic group (Hamilton-Buren, Breitling, Heuer and Dubois-Depraz) were all competing to be the first to present the next major milestone in the watch industry.



6. The El Primero was announced as the worlds first automatic chronograph in a press release dated 10th January 1969. It was presented at the Basel Fair in 1969. The Chronomatic groups calibre 11 was presented on 3rd March 1969 and Seikos automatic chronograph followed in May 1969.

Calibre El Primero 1969  Zenith

7. The El Primero chronograph movement was launched by the MZM Holding  Mondia Zenith Movado, which had been created in the late 1960s.



8. The Zenith El Primero condensed the automatic chronograph with date inside a space that was smaller than conventional chronographs of the time.



9. Two different versions of the El Primero chronograph movement were offered from the outset: a classic version with date and another with day, date, month and moon phase.



10. A Zenith El Primero watch crossed the Atlantic fixed to the landing gear of a Boeing 707 in 1970, on the AF015 flight from Paris to New York.



11. In a move that would prove significant for the El Primero, Zenith was sold to the Zenith Radio Corporation of America on 28th May 1971. The MZM holding company was dissolved and the name Zenith Time SA was born on 21st June 1972.



12. In 1974 Zenith started slowing down production of the El Primero as the companys American owners put their faith in quartz technology.



13. In 1975 management decided to cease production of mechanical movements entirely and, in 1976, to get rid of the machinery and tools required for the production of the El Primero movement.



14. Charles Vermot, who was in charge of Workshop 4 at Zenith, wrote to the American owners: You are wrong to believe that the automatic mechanical chronograph will die out completely.

Charles Vermot  Zenith

15. Working in the utmost secrecy, and with the help of his brother, Charles Vermot decided to defy management by hiding all 150 presses and much of the tools required to produce the El Primero movement in an attic that he subsequently had bricked up.



16. In 1978 Zenith Radio Corporation sold Zenith Watches SA to a consortium of three Swiss brands, including Dixi, a machine tool company.



17. After its takeover, Zenith also became a movement supplier to third parties, one of which, Rolex, would shape the companys future.



18. Rolex adopted the El Primero movement for its now legendary Daytona chronograph. Under a ten-year contract, Zenith delivered the first movements in 1988 and the first El Primero-equipped Rolex Daytona watches were presented at Baselworld the same year.



19. The Zenith El Primero "De Luca" was name after Zenith's main Italian distributor and came in panda and inverse panda dial versions. They were produced from 1988 to 1996 and early variants are sought-after among collectors due to the absence of the "El Primero" on the dial and the fact that they were only made for two years (1988-89). This specific El Primero was the only one to be fitted with a plexiglass crystal and sword hands.



20. In 1991, Zenith celebrated the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation with two limited-edition chronograph-chronometer models using the El Primero movement. Although the dial of these watches was resolutely classic, the case back featured a map of the Swiss Confederation.



21. I would have been prepared to bet my life on the conviction that one day production of this chronograph would restart, Charles Vermot told Swiss national television in 1991.



22. In the 1990s, the top-of-the-range ChronoMaster line showed off the El Primero movement through a transparent sapphire crystal case back.



23. In 1997 Zenith launched an El Primero Rainbow model that had been designed to meet the specifications of the French Airforce, which included high resistance to g-forces and a legible dial with bright colours designed to be read in infra-red cockpits.

El Primero  Zenith

24. After more than three years of development, the first tourbillon version of the El Primero was presented in the Grande ChronoMaster XXT Tourbillon. It was the worlds first high-frequency tourbillon.



25. The Grande ChronoMaster XXT Tourbillon was followed by a perpetual calendar version, the Grande ChronoMaster XXT Perpetual Calendar.



26. In 2005, a minute repeater execution was presented in the Class Traveller, which involved 30 patents.



27. In 2007 the tourbillon and perpetual calendar complications were combined in a new model in the Academy line.





El Primero Rolling Stones  Zenith

28. On 14th October 2012 Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner entered the history books when he jumped from a helium balloon in the stratosphere. He wore a Zenith El Primero Stratos Striking 10th.





Felix Baumgartner  Zenith

29. In 2017 Zenith launched the Defy El Primero 21, which was fitted with a mechanical movement operating at frequency of 50Hz that could display one hundredth of a second.



30. In 2017 Zenith also presented the Defy LAB, which introduced a totally new conception of the oscillator responsible for beating out the time. It is a monobloc piece made of monocrystalline silicon that replaces some 30 components in a conventional regulating organ.
Egypt's high school final French, Spanish and Economics exams were leaked online early Thursday, several news websites reported.

The Facebook page "The Revolution of Corrupted Education" published the French language exam as well its model answers, as verified by Ahram Online.

The Spanish language and Economics exams were also leaked with model answers on other Facebook pages.

These are latest exams to be leaked since the start of the high school "Thanaweya Amma" exams started earlier this month.

Ministry of Education officials told Al-Ahram Arabic news website that if the French, Spanish and Economics exams were proven to be leaked the exams would be annulled and new exams would be set.

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced in the past few week the arrest of the administrators of several Facebook pages used to publish leaked high school exams and their answers.

Earlier this week, the ministry announced that its investigations reached to education ministry officials in the ministry printing house. The prosecution ordered the detention of said officials for 15 days pending investigations.

The general secondary certificate  essentially concluding high school  previously covered a period of two years before it was changed to one year in 2013.

Grades from the Thanaweya Amma exams determine students' university prospects and thus are often a source of stress and pressure for pupils and family alike.

The leaking of the exams for the fourth year in a row was the top trending topic on Egyptian social media, with the prevalence of smart phones seen as facilitating the leaks.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi enacted on Sunday several agreements that aimed to boost their relations in a tripartite summit in Cairo.

A statement by the Egyptian presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady highlighted eight points in a joint statement serving as the final communique of the summit.

The three leaders discussed issues related to the unity and integrity of Palestine, combating terror, and boosting economic cooperation between the three countries.

"The leaders reviewed the latest developments in the region and affirmed their determination to cooperate and support the Palestinian people's access to all their legitimate rights, including the establishment of a state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy," the statement read.

They also discussed the crises in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and agreed to cooperate and promote joint action within the framework of the League of Arab States.

"The leaders also stressed the importance of combating terrorism in all its forms and confronting all those who support terrorism by financing, arming or providing safe havens and media platforms [to terrorists]," the statement read.

They also discussed a number of ideas to enhance economic integration and cooperation between the three countries, including the promotion and development of joint industrial zones, cooperation in energy, infrastructure, reconstruction and other sectors of development cooperation.

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RTHK: Israel launces strikes on Hamas

Israel's military launched strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the army and witnesses said, hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house and wounded seven Israelis.

Witnesses and a security source in Gaza told AFP there had been at least two strikes on a site belonging to Hamas's military wing in the west of the Gaza Strip.

Details were not yet clear on the strikes.

Israel's military said in a statement it "has begun striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip."

The strikes began around the same time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington.

Netanyahu had earlier vowed a strong response to the rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv in a rare long-distance strike.

The house was destroyed and seven Israelis were lightly wounded from burns and shrapnel.

The flare-up comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

Israel blamed Hamas for the rocket, but a Hamas source denied the Islamist movement, which rules the Palestinian enclave, was behind it.

Netanyahu planned to cut short his Washington visit due to the security situation and return home after meeting Trump. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Egypt's Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki discussed on Sunday with Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, who is currently visiting Egypt with a delegation of Chinese military officials the latest regional and international developments and challenges, the Egyptian armed forces said.



According to the statement issued by the Egyptian armed forces, the Chinese minister had a red-carpet reception at the Defense Ministry's general secretariat premises as the national anthems of both countries were played.



The two ministers held an expanded meeting on the challenges witnessed at the regional and international arenas as well as their consequences on the security and stability of the Middle East region.



They also held a high-level session of talks that took up a number of issues of common interest besides increasing the prospects of cooperation at the military and security levels.



During the get-together attended by a number of top brass officials, Zaki highlighted the Egyptian-Chinese ties and the fruitful joint cooperation that contributes to maintaining security and stability efforts in the region.



For his part, Wei Fenghe expressed keenness on promoting bilateral cooperation during the coming period in various defense and security domains.

Egyptian army's chief of staff General Mohamed Farid attended the meetings along with a number of major Egyptian army commanders as well the ambassador of China to Cairo.

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Egypt's Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat says that the tourism sectors growth rate has rapidly increased, recording 16.5 percent, which exceeds the international average, the minister said during the Technological Innovation in Tourism Forum, which is held as part of the UN World Tourism Organisations meetings in Cairo.

The minister said that she has presented the ministry's strategy of developing the tourism sector in the country before to the executive council of the UN organisation.

For the second consecutive year, Egypt is hosting the UN World Tourism Organisations meetings of the Middle East Regional Commission, held in Cairo under the auspices of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

The minister highlighted the importance given to developing the tourism sector, represented by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's meeting with the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation Zurab Pololikashvili on Sunday.

During the opening session of the UNWTO Middle East Regional Committee meetings on Sunday, El-Mashat stressed the importance of keeping pace with trends in the tourism industry, which is a cornerstone of the structural reform programme launched by the tourism ministry for the development of the sector, adding that empowering women and encouraging innovation is one of the main objectives of the ministrys plan, along with the participation of the countrys youth.

Al-Mashat highlighted the ministrys vision to achieve sustainable tourism development in line with the sustainable development goals of the UN.

The ministry aims to have at least one member of every Egyptian family work in the tourism sector, directly or directly," Al-Mashat said.

Recent research by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said that travel and tourism in Egypt grew by 16.5 percent in 2018, much higher than the global average of 3.9 percent.

According to the WTTC, the countrys efforts in improving security infrastructure have paid off, leading to an increase in visits that is the highest since 2010.

The WTTCs 2018 research, which compared travel and tourism sectors in 185 countries, also showed that travel and tourism are responsible for 9.5 percent of all of Egypts employment, providing 2.5 million jobs.

The travel and tourism sector also contributed 11.9 percent to Egypts GDP in 2018 and is expected to grow a further 5.4 percent in 2019.

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Around 600,000 first-year high school students in Egypt (grade 10) were not able to take experimental tests due to a failure in the digital system of the new examination platform.

The exams were cancelled for the second day in a row on Monday following a system failure that prevented the tests from being downloaded on the newly introduced examination tablets.

Education minister says challenges expected

Minister of Education Tarek Shawky said on his personal Facebook page that "we expected challenges in the early days and we will overcome them before the end of the week."

"Let us remember that the goal of the experimental tests was to introduce students to new types of questions ahead of the end-of-year exams," and not to introduce them to the new technology, the minister said.

"We use the technology for two main purposes; provide access to the additional digital content prepared by the Egyptian Knowledge Bank to enrich understanding of the materials, as well as prevent fraud and manual correction errors," the minister explained.

What's next?

The minister stressed that the end-of year tests will not be administered using tablets unless their efficiency is ensured.

"We will notice a great improvement every day, we are working on fine-tuning the electronic system to avoid any problem," Shawky said, explaining that the way to fine-tune the new system is by testing it before the end-of-year exams.

Education reform

Egypts new education system is based on digital learning and eliminating tests based on memorising, officials have said.

Students will be trained to use their tablets to log onto educational websites, including the Bank of Knowledge, York Press and Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Tests will be sent to students tablets and will be marked electronically.

Students will be required to complete 12 exams in each subject during their three secondary school years. The highest six grades will be used to calculate a students final grade.

In April, Egypt received a $500 million loan from the World Bank earmarked for teacher training and upgrading the education system.

The education reform programme is part of Egypts 2030 Vision development strategy, which stresses that education reform is vital for achieving social transformation in the country.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Monday with Chinese Minister of Defence Wei Fenghe military and security issues of common concern, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency spokesperson.

During the meeting, El-Sisi highlighted Egypt's support for China's "Belt and Road" initiative to promote trade and economic cooperation between Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

El-Sisi stressed that "this new initiative will support Egypt's development efforts which aim to attract investment to major national projects in the Suez Canal zone and the establishment of industrial and logistical zones and ports on the Red Sea and the Mediterranean."

The meeting also touched on bilateral cooperation on the security and military levels, the fight against terrorism and joint exercises.

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Egypts parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal told MPs on Monday that he is keen to listen to their comments and remarks on proposed amendments to Egypt's 2014 constitution.

"We want a dialogue without barriers, but at the same time this dialogue should be within the limit of the amendments submitted by the majority MPs on 3 February," said Abdel-Aal.

Abdel-Aal, addressing MPs representing the capital Cairo and Upper Egypt governorates, said "I want to listen to your comments on the proposed constitutional amendments, but I also want to know from you the questions being raised by citizens in your own districts about the proposed amendments."

"For example, when I was in Aswan last week, citizens asked me many questions such as what is the objective of the proposed constitutional amendments, and why should they be submitted at this time," said Abdel-Aal.

"I think that you face the same questions in your own districts and as a result you should be able to answer and explain them to citizens at such a crucial time."

"As a constitutional law professor and a specialist in this respect, I can also give you good answers to tell to citizens in your own districts," said Abdel-Aal.

The two-hour debate, held at the meeting hall of the Shura Council, showed that there is a lot of rejection of the amendment that aims to give a greater quota of parliamentary seats (25 percent) to women. Mostafa Bakri, an independent MP and a journalist, said there are a lot of reservations that the quota of seats reserved to women in parliament be increased to 25 percent.

"This contradicts Article 53 of the constitution, which states that all citizens are equal and that there is no discrimination," said Bakri, adding that he has fears that if implemented, this amendment could be ruled unconstitutional.

Besides, said Bakri, some amendments need more explanation, such as the one aimed at reinstating the Shura Council.

"If approved, this council should have clear objectives and have legislative and supervisory powers," said Bakri, adding that "we do not need a symbolic house that will be costly and meaningless."

The parliament speaker is expected to hold another internal debate with MPs representing Alexandria and the Nile Delta governorates on Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, there will be three hearing sessions with representatives of political parties, civil society organisations and public figures.

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Chelsea Manning was arrested on March 8 after refusing to testify before a grand jury in a secret Virginia trial concerning WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. Supporters of the whistleblower are now saying that she's been held in solitary confinement since her arrest, and are calling for her to be released.

"We condemn the solitary confinement that Chelsea Manning has been subjected to during her incarceration at William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center" reads a press release shared by her the group Chelsea Resists.

Related | Introducing Senator Chelsea Manning

Manning has reportedly been isolated in her cell for 22 hours every day since her arrest, 17 days ago. The facility, according to the statement, doesn't define her treatment solitary confinement. Instead they're claiming she's in "administrative segregation:" "a term designed to sound less cruel than "solitary confinement."

"Chelsea can't be out of her cell while any other prisoners are out, so she cannot talk to other people, or visit the law library, and has no access to books or reading material. She has not been outside for 16 days [as of 3/23]. She is permitted to make phone calls and move about outside her cell between 1 and 3 a.m."



According to the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, these euphemisms for isolation as a punitive measure are common. Their definition reads:

"Different jurisdictions refer to solitary confinement by a variety of terms, such as isolation; administrative, protective, or disciplinary segregation; permanent lockdown; maximum security; supermax; security housing; special housing; intensive management; and restrictive housing units. Regardless of the term used, an individual who is deprived of meaningful contact with others is considered to be in solitary confinement."

The statement confirms that the facility is accommodating Manning's hormone medications and daily post-surgery treatments, addressing one of her supporters' concerns about the health risks of her detainment.

However, the group points out that isolation over 15 days constitutes "prolonged solitary confinement" according to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. The definition is allegedly based on studies showing that "after 15 days, certain changes in brain functions occur and the harmful psychological effects of isolation can become irreversible."

Manning was subpoenaed for questioning about the State Department and Pentagon documents regarding the Iraq and Afghanistan wars that she released to WikiLeaks in 2010. She previously served seven years of a 35-year sentence over the leak (a period during which she experienced solitary confinement) before Barack Obama commuted her sentence in 2017. She explained at her arrest she's refusing to answer questions because the WikiLeaks trial is sealed and she believes secret trails are unjust and "favor the government. However, she told reporters that she's "always willing to explain things publicly."

"In solidarity with many activists facing the odds, I will stand by my principles," she said in a statement about her arrest, according to the New York Times. "I will exhaust every legal remedy available. My legal team continues to challenge the secrecy of these proceedings, and I am prepared to face the consequences of my refusal."
Drake has never revealed the exact origin of his infamous Instagram handle @champagnepapi, but these days, the nickname seems more appropriate than ever.

Earlier this year, Drake (offstage: Aubrey Graham) joined forces with longtime spirits guru Brent Hocking to launch Mod Selection, a luxury Champagne label produced privately in France's Vallee de la Marne for over five generations. Now available on the wine market for the first time ever, the house's inaugural release comprises a Reserve Champagne and a Rose Champagne sold at a pricey $300 and $400, respectively.

While Drizzy is by no means the first celebrity to shake things up in the wine and liquor industry  see Jay-Z's D'Usse Cognac, G-Eazy's Stillhouse Whiskey, and Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin  the actor-turned-rapper's latest venture does stand out for its focus on a super-premium product. It's a departure from his first foray in booze, an acclaimed but affordable bourbon called Virginia Black Whiskey, which was also produced in collaboration with Hocking. A longtime bubbly connoisseur, Drake says it took years to nail down the perfect Cuvee formula that would pay homage to the grand traditions of French winemaking.

"I've always wanted my own Champagne," he explains. "This is a product that has been years and years in the making, something that we take very, very seriously  'authenticity' is probably the best word we continue to use."

To that end, Mod Selection practices minimal intervention of grapes (mostly Pinot Meunier) throughout harvest, carefully choosing only those with optimal levels of sugar and acidity to move on to the pressing stage. All of the wines in the portfolio  the Reserve and Rose are the first two of 10 releases  are aged up to 10 years on the lees, that post-fermentation yeast deposit that adds body and richness to a wine.

"This is a product that has been years and years in the making [...] 'Authenticity' is probably the best word we continue to use."  Drake

"Our house style is incredibly pure with bright, balanced acidity and elegant finessed effervescence," says Hocking, of the Reserve Cuvee.

The rose, meanwhile, is crafted using the saignee method, referring to the less commonly practiced style of "bleeding" out partially-fermented red wine juice that has come into contact with the skin and seeds of the fruit. The grapes used here  a blend of Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir  first undergo a proprietary cold-soak maceration at harvest in order to preserve flavor and amp up freshness. It is one of a handful of sparkling wines in the market made using the saignee method, yielding its rosy color and bursts of red fruit.

"'Selection' is really what distinguishes our house and production in every respect, from the location of our vineyards to the way we select our vines at harvest and first press juice for assemblage," Hocking says. "We track our grapes through their entire life-cycle. Not every Champagne house does this. Most producers just buy grapes in bulk from growers irrespective of quality. Everything is hand-selected with the utmost attention to detail from vineyard to glass."

Mod Selection is, in many ways, a fittingly Drake-esque brand: an aspirational product that celebrates the wealth he raps about while also embodying a sense of timelessness. It's a balancing act reflected even in the non-traditional design of the bottle  a sleek, warm metallic exterior embellished with French floral accents  which is hand-designed by artisans in Champagne to ensure no two bottles are identical.

"We wanted to create something unique while at the same time representative of tradition, heritage, and excellence that is Champagne."  Drake

"We wanted to create something unique while at the same time representative of tradition, heritage, and excellence that is Champagne," explains Drake.

Hocking agrees, noting that Mod Selection's Champagnes straddle the lines between traditional and modern, classic and bold, luxury and accessibility. "Champagne is a definitely a celebratory product but we feel Mod Selection has a place in luxury fine-dining luxury as well as high-volume consumer driven establishments," he explains. "The product lives in both worlds, bringing a modern interpretation to the history and heritage that is Champagne."

Diving further into booze seems a natural move for Drake  and not just because of the Champagne Papi moniker. The Toronto rapper has expanded his reach far beyond the world of music, becoming a global fashion tastemaker and serving as Global Ambassador for the Toronto Raptors. Yet, he says Champagne was a project he'd always wanted to take on, something he finally decided to do after meeting Hocking.

"I remember early on, somebody was like, 'I know the equivalent to you in the wine business, a guy who relentlessly dedicates his entire existence to finding the most authentic, the most innovative, the best of everything.'" Drake says. "That was how Brent and I became not only partners but friends for years and years. Obviously, we have many things that we've always wanted to do, and this was always at the top."

"It's all about dedication and passion [...] You have to find things you fully stand behind and fully believe in, or it won't work."  Drake

But regardless of what project Drake tackles he says it's his deep attachment to his work that allows him to succeed across various industries  and that's something his fans can definitely raise a glass to.

"It's all about dedication and passion," he says. "I have a genuine bond, a genuine connection with both my work as an artist and my work on wine and spirits. You have to find things you fully stand behind and fully believe in, or it won't work."

For more information on Mod Selection, visit modselectionchampagne.com.
Mandate Of The Special Rapporteur On The Situation Of Human Rights In Iran Extended For 1 Year

03/25/19

Source: United Nations Human Rights Council

In a resolution (A/HRC/40/L.15) on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopted by a vote of 22 in favour, seven against and 18 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for a further period of one year, and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit a report on the implementation of the mandate to the Human Rights Council at its forty-third session and to the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session. The Council calls upon the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to cooperate fully with the Special Rapporteur and to permit access to visit the country and to provide all information necessary to allow the fulfilment of the mandate; and requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with the resources necessary to fulfil the mandate.

#HRC40 adopts RES on situation of #HumanRights in Islamic Republic of #Iran. Decides to extend mandate of Special Rapporteur for a further period of 1 year. Requests it to submit report at #HRC43 and #UNGA74 pic.twitter.com/DxvYHVxlGq  HRC SECRETARIAT (@UN_HRC) March 22, 2019

The results of the vote were as follows:

In favour (22): Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Against (7): Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Iraq and Pakistan.

Abstentions (18): Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia and Uruguay.

Sweden, introducing the draft resolution L.15, explained that it aimed at extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran for a further period of one year, with a view to improving the situation of human rights, in light of persisting human rights concerns. Apart from technical updates, no other changes had been made in the text compared to the text adopted in 2018. Sweden positively noted the improved engagement of the Government of Iran with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It also called on the Government of Iran to facilitate the request from the Special Rapporteur to visit the country. Cooperation with the Special Rapporteur and other mandate holders offered an opportunity for Iran to engage with the Council on the concerns that persisted about the human rights situation.

Bulgaria, in a general comment on behalf of the European Union, said the European Union was concerned about the situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The European Union welcomed the improved engagement of the Government with the Human Rights Council. The authorities were urged to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran and facilitate a country visit. The draft resolution was a short procedural text with the main idea of extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran for another year.

Islamic Republic of Iran, speaking as the concerned country, said the appointment of a Special Rapporteur for Iran through a country-specific resolution was a politically motivated and unjust scheme. It was disturbing that putting States on the spot had become a course of convenience for the wholesale human rights violators, who wished to use it as a smokescreen. Draft resolution L.5 and its mandate contributed to cliches against Iran, and it was regrettable that the Human Rights Council's time and budget had been diverted to this course. Iran deeply regretted that Sweden and a few other countries had persisted in their unconstructive approach against Iran. This approach lacked good faith, particularly as they remained indifferent to the atrocities conducted in the region by their allies. Iran had vigorously engaged with the Universal Periodic Review Process since 2008, and continued to enhance its constructive interaction with the United Nations human rights mechanisms. Iran urged Sweden to discontinue its unlawful and unconstructive pathway, and called upon the Human Rights Council Member States to vote against the draft resolution.

Pakistan, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said it supported constructive engagement with United Nations and Council mechanisms but that States had the primary responsibility in guaranteeing human rights. Since this resolution defied the principle of sovereignty and independence and did not have the support of the country concerned, Pakistan would vote against it.

Uruguay, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said it would abstain for the vote in order to be consistent with the fact that it did not support its establishment in 2011. Special Rapporteurs played a vital role in monitoring human rights around the world but Uruguay questioned what contribution this mandate would make to protecting the human rights of the people of Iran, suggesting that other mechanisms would be more appropriate. The priority should have been on constructive dialogue and keeping channels of communication with the country concerned open. Uruguay remained concerned about the situation in Iran, including the execution of underage persons, and it called on Iran to align itself with recommendations and cooperate with the High Commissioner during an upcoming visit.

Brazil, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, noted that the work of the Special Rapporteur had shed light on many troubling issues in Iran. Brazil deeply regretted that Iran had not received the Special Rapporteur. It noted some questions about the means of enforcement of the Charter on Citizens' Rights, and it was particularly concerned about reports of human rights violations against women, children, human rights defenders, journalists, and religious and ethnic minorities. Brazil was further concerned about the application of capital punishment for a wide range of crimes that did not fall under the category of the most serious crimes. Iran needed to demonstrate compliance with international human rights law, and to allow unimpeded access to the Special Rapporteur to its territory. Brazil would abstain from voting on the draft resolution and it reiterated solidarity with the Baha'i minority in Iran.

Iraq, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation in the Human Rights Council, without ignoring the positive steps taken by some countries concerned. Such resolutions did not contribute to dialogue and cooperation. Instead, they turned the Council into a politicized and discriminatory forum. Iraq called on the Council to avoid such resolutions, and for those reasons Iraq would not support the draft resolution.

Cuba, in an explanation of the vote before the vote, said that resolution L.15 was a clear political act. Country specific resolutions were defunct, and it was only through dialogue that the Conference could promote human rights. Therefore, the Universal Periodic Review was the only way to effectively resolve human rights issues. Unilateral coercive measures against countries of the south, as was the case in Iran, were unacceptable. Cuba would therefore vote against the resolution.

The Council then adopted resolution L.15 by a vote of 22 in favour, seven against, and 18 abstentions.
Taq Kasra, A Sasanian-Era Persian Monument, Partially Collapses

03/25/19

TaqKasra.com - On 7 March 2019, parts of Taq Kasra collapsed only two years after the completion of a conservation operation by Avers. The Czech firm had been commissioned by the Iraqi Ministry of Culture.

Taq Kasra, also known as the Arch of Ctesiphon, is the world's largest brick vault and the symbol of the Persian Empire in the Sasanian era (224-651 AD). The monument is located about 35 km south of Baghdad, in modern-day Iraq, which was, at the time, part of Persia.

According to NRT TV, Kazim Shammari, head of the Iraqi National Alliance, has urged Iraqi authorities and UNESCO to act quickly to stabilise this massive arch.



VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=looWYwkoYoE

Amsterdam-based Pejman Akbarzadeh, who recently made a documentary film titled "Taq Kasra: Wonder of Architecture," says the Czech firm in charge of the recent conservation operation lacked sufficient expertise and experience in such conservation, and used a layer of concrete which, rather than protecting the arch, has resulted in damaging the edifice.



Akbarzadeh, in an interview with London-based Persian-language 'Iran International' TV, has criticised Iraqi authorities for failing to register Taq Kasra as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also criticised the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad for neglecting this iconic monument in favor of Shia shrines in Iraq.

In Tehran, several newspapers have covered the partial collapse of Taq Kasra. The Society of Iranian Archaeology has also expressed its concern about the situation in a press release. In the city of Yazd, Sepanta Niknam, a Zoroastrian member of the City Council, has urged Iranian President Rouhani to follow up on the issue during his trip to Iraq. There has been no official reaction to this development by Iraqi or Iranian authorities.



"Taq Kasra's Crisis: Iraqis hesitation & Iranians inattention"

(source: Iranian daily Sanat)



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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will on Monday, March 25, visit the beautiful Central Mediterranean Sea Island of Malta, at the invitation of his counterpart towards deepening relations to prosper their citizens.



The historic visit follows one to Accra by the Maltese Leader, Marie Louise Coleira Preca, last July, at which both presidents affirmed their resolve to strengthen the already good relations between the two countries.



President Akufo-Addos visit will give impetus to the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation agreed between both nations in 2013, and shore up the prospects for enhanced cooperation with Malta, which has one of the fastest growing financial, maritime, aviation and manufacturing sectors.



Whilst on the visit, the President will hold talks with his Maltese counterpart at the Magisterial Palace in Valletta.

He is also billed to meet the countrys Prime Minister, Dr Joseph Muscat, opposition leader Adrian Delia, and the Speaker of Parliament, Anglu Farrugia.



President Akufo-Addo will witness, also, the signing of some six agreements on Medicines, Bilateral Air Services, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Fisheries Cooperation, Tourism and the waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports, as well as address a business forum of Maltese and Ghanaian entrepreneurs.



Both countries, members of the Commonwealth Group of Nations (CHOGM), have firmed ties at both the bilateral and multilateral levels since the relocation of Ghanas Mission in Tripoli, Libya, to Malta in 2014, following the political crisis in the North African state.



Malta, a former British colony, with a population of 460,000 and a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in excess of 19 billion dollars with an estimated per Capita GDP of 41,900 dollars, has also established in Accra a diplomatic mission, its first in sub-Saharan Africa.



The countrys first High Commissioner to Ghana, Jean Claude Galea Mallia, presented his credentials to President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House last Tuesday.



Malta has one of the best logistics port administration in the world, with connection to 165 ports on all continents.



Many Maltese companies are already operating in Ghana, particularly in the textile and garments and services sector, with exports from those business concerns, especially ready-made apparels and clothing, ending up at high-end retail outlets in Europe.



President Akufo-Addo is expected to return to Ghana on Tuesday, March 26, 2019.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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USAID administrator Mark Green visited Egypt on Sunday and met with Egyptian officials, USAID partners from civil society and representatives from religious communities, the US embassy in Cairo said.

Green met with USAID partners to discuss their perspectives on challenges and opportunities for NGOs in Egypt and about the country's ongoing process to revise its NGO law.

He also met with young entrepreneurs at Flat6Labs, the Cairo-based regional startup accelerator programme, to learn how USAID and the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund are accelerating investments in early-stage, high-growth-potential companies to develop Egypt's private sector.

Green also visited Aslam Al-Silahdar Mosque in Islamic Cairo and saw how USAID, alongside the Agha Khan foundation, is helping to preserve important historic and religious cultural sites to help foster economic growth and employment in Egypt.

Green also visited the Adly Street Synagogue, where he learned more about the work of the NGO Drop of Milk and its efforts to promote interfaith understanding and the preservation of cultural heritage in Egypt.

The USAID administrator also met with Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr to discuss collaboration on issues such as womens economic empowerment, youth participation, private sector development, interfaith and community engagement, and the important role of NGOs in Egypt.

The USAID administrator met in the end of his visit with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly to affirm 40 years of cooperation between USAID and Egypt.

Green also acknowledged the Egypt's leadership under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in promoting religious pluralism, and emphasised the important role of civil society in Egypt's development journey and discussed ways to advance programmes of mutual interest.

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The Multimedia Group Limited, operators of Joy FM and other broadcasting brands, and one of its journalists, Mr Latiff Iddrisu, have sued the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante Apeatu, and the Attorney-General (A-G) over the alleged police brutality meted out to the journalist at the headquarters of the Ghana Police Service on March 27, 2018.



In a suit filed at the Accra High Court by their counsel, Mr Samson Lardy Anyenini, the media organisation and Mr Iddrisu are seeking GH10 million in compensatory damages, GH10,209 in special damages, an order for exemplary, aggravated and general damages, as well as costs, including legal fees.



Among other reliefs, the plaintiffs are also seeking declarations that officers of the Ghana Police Service committed torts and battery and false imprisonment against Mr Iddrisu.



They also want a declaration that the defendants are liable for the acts of officers of the Ghana Police Service.



Brutal assault



On March 27, 2018, Mr Iddrisu allegedly suffered a fractured skull after the police had brutally assaulted him in front of the CID headquarters in Accra while reporting on a protest by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against the detention of the then Deputy General Secretary of the party, Mr Koku Anyidoho.



Some policemen are alleged to have subjected Iddrisu to severe beatings.



Describing the nature of the assault, the plaintiffs, in their statement of claim, averred that the Multimedia Group Limited assigned Mr Iddrisu to cover the protest by supporters of the NDC against Mr Anyidohos arrest.



It explained that in an attempt to get accurate information for his reportage, MrIddrisu enquired from the policemen the specific name of one of the crowd control vehicles, but instead of answering him, the policeman held Mr Iddrisu by the shirt, pulled him and slapped him in the face.



Mr Iddrisu, the statement of claim added, fell and the policeman pushed him into the crowd and other policemen pounced on him.



First plaintiff (Mr Iddrisu) was pushed into the main compound and subjected to further beatings, including being hit in the ribs with a stick. Ist plaintiff (Mr Iddrisu) was violently pounded in the head with the butt of a gun multiple times by another officer until he began to vomit blood, it said.



It further explained that Mr Iddrisu was beaten by the police until he was rescued by a policewoman.



According to the statement of claim, Mr Iddrisu was later taken for treatment at the Lighthouse Hospital at North Kaneshie in Accra, where he was admitted due to signs of difficulty in walking, blurred vision and a swollen face.



Assault on journalists



The suit comes against the backdrop of numerous assaults on journalists by security personnel.



However, not a single security person has been prosecuted for the attacks on 25 journalists since 2016.



Checks by Graphic Online have revealed a tall list of victims, including reporters, photojournalists, station managers and editors, who have been brutally assaulted by soldiers and policemen.



Some of the attacks have left journalists with serious medical conditions. For instance, the Daily Graphics Victor Kwawukume has lost his sense of smell as a result of being beaten by the Ho Police while covering a swoop on criminals.

Source: Graphic.com









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A five-month-old boy has died after parents performed a circumcision at their home in Italy, officials say.



The baby was sent to a Bologna hospital in cardiac arrest on Friday night but died shortly afterward.



Authorities in the northern Reggio Emilia province have opened an investigation against the parents, who are reported to be of Ghanaian origin.



In a similar case, a two-year-old boy died after a failed circumcision at a migrant centre in Rome in December.



Some 5,000 circumcisions are performed in Italy each year but more than a third are carried out illegally, according to health charity Amsi.



Circumcision is not carried out at public health institutions in the Roman Catholic country.



Many of the country's immigrants come from Muslim countries where circumcision is commonplace.



Is circumcision safe?



Although it is a relatively simple medical procedure, circumcision is not entirely risk-free.



Doctors may recommend that a man or boy is circumcised if he has an unusually tight foreskin, known as phimosis, or suffers from recurrent infections of the foreskin and penis, known as balanitis.



There is also some evidence that men who are circumcised have a lower risk of contracting HIV from HIV-positive female partners.



It is not clear if circumcision reduces the risk of other sexually transmitted infections too, but studies suggest it may lower the chance of catching genital warts caused by a family of viruses called HPV.



The main risks of the surgery are bleeding and infection.



In the UK, the chance of these occurring is between one in 10 and one in 50, according to the NHS website, although that is a figure for older boys and men, not newborns.



How do other European countries compare?



Circumcision is legal throughout Europe, although the practice is becoming more controversial.



A court in Germany passed a local ban in 2012 after the circumcision of a four-year-old Muslim boy led to complications, with the judge saying it "permanently and irreparably changed" the body.



However, the German government later that year clarified that the procedure is legal provided it is performed by trained practitioners.



The following year, the Council of Europe recommended countries take steps to ensure good medical and sanitary practices when performing a circumcision.



And in the UK in 2016, a court ruled that a Muslim father could not have his sons circumcised after their mother disagreed.

Source: BBC









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The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is in pole position to win a reputable sanitation contest and take home a whopping 400,000 as prize.



Dubbed: Sanitation Challenge for Ghana (SC4Gh), the contest is aimed at helping cities to propose and implement sustainable liquid waste management strategies.



The KMA has so far managed to successfully implement all the strategies that it has proposed to improve disposal of liquid waste as part of the requirements for the contest.



The KMA would also submit its documents on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.



Osei Assibey Bonsu, a Senior Engineer at KMA, was confident that the KMA would win the prize because it had worked tirelessly in the last four years.



According to him, the assembly has done enough to win the Dignified City Award, whose winner would be announced in July.



Sanitation Contest



The programme was launched in October 2015 with 139 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly (MMDAs) in the country contesting the top award.



It will officially end on March 27, and the number of the contestants has been reduced to 17 but placed in two groups for the final contest.



Three Metropolitan Assemblies and six Municipal Assemblies will contest the prize of 400,000.



The other group, which consists of eight district assemblies, will also stage a contest for 285,000.



The various contesting assemblies submitted reports on their proposals to improve liquid waste management in their cities.



KMAs Achievements



Joshua Tetteh-Nortey, Senior Planning Officer, KMA, said the KMA has successfully introduced and supplied 1,900 Container Based Sanitation (CBS) system.



He said Moshie Zongo, a densely-populated area, where accessibility to toilet facilities is a major challenge, has received 149 pieces of the CBS.



Mr. Tetteh-Nortey said the KMA has also reviewed its by-laws and made it compulsory for every household to own a toilet.



He said through the efforts of the KMA, toilets had been constructed in schools in the Bantama and Manhyia North constituencies by their Members of Parliament (MPs).



He said Vacuum Tanker operators have been given technical and business training by the KMA to improve service delivery.



He said the KMA had contacted Sinapi Aba, a financial institution, to give loans at reduced rates to house owners to construct toilets.



The KMA official also said a Concrete Platform had been constructed at the Oti Land Fill Site for vacuum tankers to properly dispose of liquid waste.



Mayors Role



The KMA, led by Osei Assibey-Antwi, the Chief Executive, has taken sanitation matters seriously in line with governments agenda to make Ghana clean.



The Kumasi Mayor has been desilting choked gutters and also leading evening clean-up exercises in the city to set a good example.

Source: Daily Guide









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The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has announced that a one-month ban on fishing by inshore fishermen and artisanal fleets will take place from May 15, 2019 to June 15, 2019 to replenish the dwindling stock of fishes in the nations marine waters.



The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Francis Ato Cudjoe, who announced this in Parliament yesterday on behalf of the minister, said following the postponement of the 2018 closed season, the ministry, together with the Fisheries Commission, intensified its engagement with stakeholders on the need for the observation of the closed season this year for the benefits of all parties.



As Parliament may recall, this ministry, together with the Fisheries Commission, in accordance with sections 76 (3) and 84 of the Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625), has decided to use the closed season to address the dwindling stock of fishes in our marine waters, he stated.



According to the deputy minister, wider and extensive consultations and engagements with all stakeholders, including National Fishers Association of Ghana (NAFAG), the National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC), Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association and many others, had taken place and that all stakeholders had agreed on the proposed closed season for this year.



The deputy minister said that the latest consultative meeting was held on February 5, 2019, at the NAFAG Hall which the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs participated. A consensus was reached that May 15 to June 15, 2019 would be implemented as the closed season for inshore and artisanal fleets and August 1 to September 30, 2019 for industrial trawlers.



The ranking member for Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Committee of Parliament and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, was in support of the measures in principle but said it would have to take concrete interventions by the government to avoid a situation where fishermen would not have any income to depend on and the cost of fish on the market within that period would not see drastic increase as a result of the ban.



He said what government should have done was to have invested heavily in aquaculture development where a lot of people would have been encouraged to do aquaculture so that if government decides to place a ban on marine fishing, it will not affect fish production in the country.



He explained that the nation currently is able to produce 400,000 tons out of the one million tons of fish requirement in the country which has necessitated the importation of volumes of fish to meet the huge deficit.



He said the ban could further exacerbate the situation which would call for more importation of fish at the economic peril of the country.

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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Audio Attachment: Listen to Pius Enam Hadzide

Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Enam Hadzide, has dismissed suggestions that the Finance Ministry organized a party to celebrate an economic hat-trick.



The Finance Ministry courted controversy when they organized a party to mark the successful Eurobond, the completion of the IMF-ECF programme and the appreciation of the Cedi, something they consider as an economic hat-trick.



The Sector Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, was spotted in various pictures circulated on social media holding a plate of waakye; a local delicacy. Other staff members were seen eating kenkey and fish.



Some critics wonder why this should be celebrated when the focus should be on other things. According to them, it was in bad taste and needless.



The Deputy Minister, speaking to the issue on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo said what the Finance Ministry organized was a staff durbar with a touch of promoting made in Ghana goods.



It was a staff durbar; the only difference was that they were celebrating made in Ghana products, otherwise its nothing new. If it was a celebration, I would have spoken against it but it was not a celebration, he said.



He, however, conceded that management of communication around this durbar has been problematic.



Watch Pius' submission below





Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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Audio Attachment: Anim Piesie on Kokrokoo

Bernard Anim Piesie, a Member of the Communications Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), wants the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to "apologize" for misleading Ghanaians.



According to him, the NPP through their then running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, "deceived" Ghanaians that the NDC had increased the country's debt stock as a result of needless borrowing and so must be voted out of office.



"But now they are borrowing and even throwing a party to celebrate it," he bemoaned.



They said borrowing is a lazy mans approach . . . now they are doing it exceedingly . . . they must apologize to Ghanaians. Why are they celebrating? . . . to whom much is given much is expected, he added during a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show Kokrokoo.



Anim Piesie was reacting to the staff durbar held at the forecourt of the Finance Ministry to celebrate the successful $3billion Eurobond.



"Economic Hat-trick"



Ghanas Finance Ministry on Friday organized a food party in the capital Accra to celebrate what it describes as significant economic successes.



A poster announcing the event dubbed Kenkey Party, said the Ministry was celebrating Ghanas Hat-Trick of successes.



Those successes include "successful issuance of Eurobond" abroad raising some $3 billion for various projects.



The countrys completion of IMF-ECF program and the slight "appreciation of the national currency the cedi, were also reasons for the celebration.



But many have criticized the event as unnecessary.





Ghanas currency the cedi in recent weeks suffered significant depreciation sparking debates among Ghanaians.The cedi in February suffered a record fall against the U.S dollar and other major foreign currencies. At the time the currency depreciated by 8.6 percent representing the highest among over 140 currencies tracked by financial experts.But on Friday, 22nd March, the local currency experienced its strongest performance against the US Dollar in the past three months after gaining 8 pesewas to end the day selling at GHC 5.16 on the interbank foreign exchange market.However, some financial analysts say this cannot last, an opinion that Mr Anim Piesie subscribes to.To him, the recent appreciation of the cedi is only temporary and the local currency will definitely depreciate again because the "Vice-President had told Ghanaians that borrowing to support the cedi is not sustainable".

Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









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The National Womens Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Kate Gyamfuah has stated that the party has enviable record of initiating social intervention policies that impact generations.



Citing the Health Insurance Scheme and Free Senior High School policies introduced by the erstwhile Kufuor led NPP government and incumbent President H.E Akufo Addo respectively as epitome, Kate Gyamfuah criticized that same cannot be said about the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) which has ruled Ghana longer than any Political Party.



She accused the NDC of amassing wealth for themselves instead of implementing Policies to benefit all Ghanaians and generation to come.



If you are a politician you must be the last person to complain and the last person to benefit because the NPP government always think about the masses instead of individuals so, since the era of President Kuffuor, NPP government leaves a legacy that positively impacts on every Ghanaian and not only NPP members. When we were implementing Health Insurance, they(NDC) said it was not doable, The Free SHS too, even if you are NDC your Children benefits.



Kate Gyamfua said this in Koforidua on Saturday, during a workshop held by Loyal Ladies -a feminine campaign group in the party.



Charging the group to go all out by crusading on the achievements of the NPP government and expose the lies and evil plans of the NDC as captured on a leaked tape of its National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, she also counselled the group to operate through the structures of the party to avoid unnecessary friction.



The Eastern Regional Captain of the Loyal Ladies, Agyare Abigail Owusuaa, said the workshop was to empower and energize members of the group to move to the nook and cranny of the region to share government vision to the people and campaign for the party to retain power in 2020.















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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Parliament, on Monday, observed a minute silence for 50 Muslims who were shot and killed in Christ Church city in New Zealand on 15 March 2019 by one Brenton Harrison Tarrant, an Australian citizen.



This follows a statement made by Hon Ben Abdullah Banda, MP for Banda and Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Parliament on the New Zealand attack.



Hon Ben Abdullah Banda noted that "radicalization, populism, xenophobia, extremism and terrorism are fast eating into the global fabric", hence the need for a "united effort" by all people worldwide "to fight the menace".



He also observed that global peace appears to be on the brink of collapse as no one seems safe and secure as a result of terrorism.



Sharing his thoughts on the subject, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Hon Inusah Fuseini, said "any form of religious intolerance must not be tolerated" anywhere in the world.





Source: Emmanuel Akorli/ Peace Fm/ Parliamentary Correspondent









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Usually, when someone is listing best Ghanaian rappers, the names of Lord Kenya, Sarkodie, Obrafour, Reggie Rockstone, Okyeame Kwame and Strongman Burner can never be left out.



As a matter of fact, Ghanaians are becoming so interested in rap music to the extent that comedians are even building up their rap skills.



Two popular Ghanaian male comedians, Teacher Kwadwo and Clemento Suarez have been captured in a video rapping as if they were born with it.



Watch smart Clemento Suarez in this video as he used the Kwame Nkrumah story in a rap form to confuse his teacher (Teacher Kwadwo) to completely forget about his truancy.



















View this post on Instagram



Watch @teacher_kwadwo , @clementosuarez displaying their rap talents....

A post shared by GhanaCelebrities.Com (@ghanacelebrity) on Mar 25, 2019 at 2:45am PDT













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John Dumelo says a vibrant agricultural sector could quench Ghana's thirst for imported products and "solve problems". The actor who owns a three-acre cassava farm in the Manya Krobo community in the Eastern Region in separate tweets Thursday explained why agriculture has the answer to most of Ghana's problems.



He noted that most of the imports to Ghana were agro-based, adding that a vibrant Agric sector could supply Ghanaian factories with the raw materials needed to produce such products.



He posted: "Agriculture has the answer to most of Ghanas problems. Most of our imports are agro-based. Imagine Ghana having large factories producing rice, meat products, tomato paste etc? There will be no need to import, we will export our surplus. Its also important to note that these factories should be wholly Ghanaian owned. Change starts with us. Lets start small in our own way to make agriculture great again!".



is comments come days after President Akufo-Addo attributed the depreciation of the cedi to Ghanaians tastes for foreign goods.



According to the President, if Ghanaians manufactured some of the many products they import and or patronised locally made goods, the local currencys yearly depreciation will not occur.



I am thinking that our public discourse should also begin to focus much more on some of the structural problems involved in our currency. Yes, there are moments when you can fallbut there are structural problems we so far, do not articulate loudly enough in my view.



We live in a country where we are overly dependent on the importation of things for our daily sustenance, things we can produce we continue to import them and at the same time, we dont generate enough exports.



That is the issue on the current account, the persistent deficit in our national income statistics on current account. That is what gives rise to the frailty or our currency, the President said.



He was addressing a delegation from the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) led by their president, Anthony Forson.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house in a community north of Tel Aviv on Monday, wounding seven Israelis and leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to the United States.

Israel's army said the rocket was fired from the Palestinian enclave run by Islamist movement Hamas, raising the risk of another escalation between the two sides just ahead of April 9 Israeli elections.

Netanyahu is currently in Washington and said he would return home after meeting US President Donald Trump later Monday, cancelling an address to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference on Tuesday.

Israel also closed its people and goods crossings with the blockaded Gaza Strip and reduced the zone in the Mediterranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen off the enclave, a statement said.

The house hit was located in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv, police said.

Mishmeret is more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Gaza Strip and rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave at that distance is rare.

The hospital treating the wounded said seven Israelis were injured lightly by burns and shrapnel, including three children.

One of the wounded was a six-month-old child and six of them were members of the same family.

The house was destroyed in the wake of the rocket and subsequent fire, with burnt wood, a children's toy and other debris piled at the site.

Netanyahu said "there has been a criminal attack on the state of Israel and we will respond with force."

"I have decided, due to the security incidents, to cut short my visit to the United States," he said in a video released by his office.

"I will meet President Trump in a few hours and just after that I will return to Israel to lead closely the operations."

There was no immediate response from Hamas but its ally in Gaza, Islamic Jihad, said "we warn the Zionist enemy from committing an aggression against the Gaza Strip".

"Their leaders should be aware that we will respond with force against their aggression," it said, without commenting on who may have been responsible for the rocket.

The rocket comes after mounting tensions in recent weeks.

Netanyahu is believed by many analysts to want to avoid another Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip -- the fourth since 2008 -- with unpredictable results ahead of the elections.

But he faces a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief Benny Gantz and he will come under heavy political pressure to react firmly.

- One-year anniversary -

Monday's incident comes after two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv -- also rare -- on March 14.

No damage or injuries were caused, but Israel responded to that and further rocket fire by hitting what it said were around 100 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.

Four Palestinians were reported wounded in those strikes.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied they were behind the March 14 rocket fire towards Tel Aviv, raising the possibility they were launched by fringe groups.

Israel's military said they were launched by Hamas, but later there were Israeli media reports that the army's preliminary assessment was that they had been fired by mistake during maintenance work.

The reports were a sign that Israel was seeking to calm tensions. The military refused to comment on the reports at the time.

Monday's rocket comes just days ahead of the first anniversary on March 30 of Palestinian protests and clashes along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel.

An informal truce between Hamas and Israel had led to relative calm along the border, but recent weeks have seen another uptick in violence.

Netanyahu's visit to the United States was expected to include Trump's formal recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Breaking with longstanding international consensus, Trump said last week that the United States should recognise Israeli sovereignty there.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.



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Wanzhen Lu is shown in a York Regional Police handout photo. Police say they have found the van allegedly used in the violent kidnapping of Lu, a Chinese national, from an underground parking garage in Markham, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-York Regional Police MANDATORY CREDIT
FILE - This Dec. 7, 2015 file photo shows actor Michael Madsen at the premiere of "The Hateful Eight" in Los Angeles. Police have arrested Madsen after they say he was stopped while driving under the influence. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says Madsen was driving a Land Rover, which struck a pole in Malibu, California, around 8 p.m. Sunday, March 24, 2019. The 61-year-old, who has been featured in such Quentin Tarantino movies as "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill," was not injured. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
Oil-stained water cuts Houston industry from

Gulf of Mexico

South Texas' gateway to the world -Sheela Tobben / Bloomberg - Coast Guard planning test run of polluted shipping channel - Worst Texas chemical disaster in 14 years enters second week By Joe Carroll and Rachel Adams-Heard / Bloomberg ACAPULCO , Mexico

Petroleumworld 03 25 2019 The Houston Ship Channel won't reopen until the U.S. Coast Guard verifies that a cloud of cancer-causing benzene has dissipated and oily runoff from the region's worst chemical disaster in 14 years poses no threat to vessels or their crews. Oil refiners, chemical manufacturers and grain exporters in Houston's eastern suburbs are cut off from Gulf of Mexico shipping as the unfolding Intercontinental Terminals Co. calamity enters its second week. ITC achieved a significant milestone early Sunday in emptying more than half a million gallons of toxic liquid from an onshore tank wrecked in the four-day blaze that erupted March 17 and sent a mile-high plume of black smoke skyward. The Coast Guard plans to move a test vessel through the channel's 2-mile-long no-go zone to determine whether ship traffic can resume without disrupting efforts to skim gasoline ingredients that spilled into the waterway, Lieutenant Commander Jason Toczko said. He declined to estimate when the channel will reopen or specify when the test vessel will launch. The channel, which isn't a source of drinking water for Houston or its suburbs, connects the region's dense warren of refineries, chemical processors and fertilizer warehouses to the rest of the world via Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Dozens of major companies rely on the waterway to receive crude oil and other raw materials, and to send out finished products such as fuel and livestock feed. LyondellBasell Industries N.V .'s Channelview and Bayport chemical facilities are experiencing constrained barge and vessel logistics because of the closure but are operating, spokesman Chevalier Gray said in an email. The company is evaluating the event's effect on production. Vessels were allowed to enter a ship channel tributary called the San Jacinto River for a two-hour period Sunday night and will be allowed through between 9 a.m. and noon local time on Monday, the Coast Guard said. ITC crews finally drained about 13,000 barrels (546,000 gallons) of a benzene-laced refining byproduct called pygas from a charred tank after two earlier unsuccessful attempts, Brent Weber, the company's incident commander, said during a media briefing Sunday. Tank 80-7 An unknown quantity remains trapped in the tank beneath its floating roof, he said. Clearing the tank -- numbered 80-7 on the facility map -- is a significant achievement for ITC because it allows crews access to other damaged tanks still holding dangerous chemicals they need to drain to eliminate the danger of new fires. A 2-foot (0.6-meter) deep pool of chemicals on the ground around the damaged tanks was reduced to 2 inches by Sunday morning. Benzene levels in the air over suburban Deer Park and neighboring communities remained below harmful levels, said Adam Adams of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Trust Not There' That was a far cry from late last week, when readings of the pollutant linked to leukemia and other forms of cancer shut entire towns, triggered panic and sent 1,000 people to a pop-up medical clinic. Residents remain on edge, wondering what's next and when normal life will return. For many Houstonians, it's the worst industrial disaster since the 2005 explosion at BP Plc's Texas City refinery that killed 15. There's more tanks in there. Is it going to reignite? It's very uncertain, said Mercy Reyna, 50, who's been suffering from headaches, eye discomfort and chest tightness. The trust is not there. We feel like we're not being told the truth of what's going on. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit accusing ITC of violating clean-air laws. Meanwhile, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said it will be investigating the disaster. Siphoning Gasoline Dan Lowe, 52, sought treatment for eye and throat irritation. After ruling out strep throat and influenza, his doctor ordered blood tests to check for signs of benzene exposure. Lowe, who passed through Deer Park multiple time last week while driving for Uber, is awaiting the results. We used to siphon gasoline as teenagers and it felt like that, he said of the pain in his throat. It was stupid, but you don't forget that taste. County officials said they have no plans for now to stand up an ad-hoc medical clinic that was open for three days in Deer Park. Anyone with symptoms was urged to contact their doctor or call 911. I've been here most of my adult life, and this is the scariest I've seen it.  With assistance by Sheela Tobben, and Robert Tuttle _________________________



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The annual Fur Ball serves as a fundraiser for several animal rescue groups, and an awards night for area philanthropists.

Funds raised by this years $100-per-person fundraiser will go to the Michigan Animal Adoption Network, Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit and Cat Tail Acres.

The event will feature a cash bar, cocktail reception, buffet dining, dancing, live music provided by the Rick Lieder Band and a silent auction. The fourth annual Fur Ball Animal Welfare Warrior award will be presented to Dr. Cheryl Good.

Good is the owner of Dearborn Family Pet Care, 24909 Michigan Ave.

The Animal Welfare Warrior is awarded to an individual who consistently and powerfully advances the rights of rescue animals through extraordinary means: actions, words, time, and talent, according to a release from the presenters of the Fur Ball.

I am deeply honored to have been chosen the 2019 Animal Welfare Warrior Award recipient, Good said. I have dedicated my entire career to not only taking care of my patients, but to donating my time and resources to helping as many homeless dogs and cats as possible.

Thank you to the Michigan Animal Welfare Foundation Board of Directors and volunteers for working tirelessly to enhance this wonderful cause. I am fortunate to be able to work alongside you to help the helpless and lend my voice to those that can not speak for themselves.

Michigan Animal Adoption Network specializes in sterilization, community outreach, education and pet food and supply donations for low- and fixed-income families.

Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit is a shelter in Dearborn providing care and sanctuary to animals, encouraging adoptions and reunions, and promoting respect, responsibility and compassion for all animals.

Cat Tail Acres is a sanctuary for feral and unwanted cats. They are not a traditional shelter and do not accept socialized adult cats or kittens who are more adoptable. They believe all creatures deserve a right to a good life.

The Fur Ball will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. April 27 at the Suburban Collection Showplace Hyatt Place  Legacy Ballroom, 46100 Grand River Ave., Novi.
New tensions between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas come days before the first anniversary of the start of massive protests and clashes in the Gaza Strip.

Since March 30 last year at least 258 Palestinians have been killed in the violence, along with two Israeli soldiers.

Here is a recap:

First deadly day

A mass protest on March 30, 2018 demands the right for Palestinians to return to homes, now inside Israel, that they fled or were expelled from in the late 1940s, while Israel was created.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians converge along the barrier that separates Gaza from Israel.

Officially organised by civil society groups, the rally is backed by Islamist militant movement Hamas which runs Israeli-blockaded Gaza.

Several groups of protesters face off with Israeli soldiers, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails.

Israeli snipers respond with live fire, killing 19 Palestinians.

Kites on fire

On April 6 thousands of Palestinians gather again near the barrier. Nine Palestinians are killed and nearly 500 injured.

Four days later the Palestinians employ a new tactic, sending kites across the border, some carrying explosive devices, to set fire to farmland.

Similar kites and balloons have since torched thousands of hectares (acres) of land.

Bloodbath

On May 14 tens of thousands of Palestinians return to the barrier to protest as the US opens its embassy in Jerusalem after recognising the disputed city as Israel's capital.

At least 62 Palestinians are killed by Israeli fire in the ensuing violence, with more than 2,400 wounded.

On June 13 the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution, opposed by Washington, condemning Israel for the violence.

Summer of violence

On July 14 Israel unleashes dozens of air strikes, killing two Palestinians, while 200 rockets target Israel.

Overnight August 8-9 Hamas fires some 180 rockets and mortars from Gaza, according to the Israeli army, which says it responded by targeting 150 of the movement's military sites.

After a brief respite, 10 Palestinians are killed in clashes with the Israeli army during demonstrations on September 28 and October 5.

Aid from Qatar

On November 9-10, as mediation efforts progress, Palestinian civil servants in Gaza receive millions of dollars in salary arrears, funded by Qatar.

Since then four instalments of Qatari aid have been distributed to Palestinians in Gaza. Under UN auspices, Qatar has also financed deliveries of fuel to the territory's only power plant.

Escalation

On November 11 an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip leaves seven Palestinians and one Israeli soldier dead.

Hamas the next day attacks an Israeli bus, severely wounding a soldier.

It is the beginning of one of the worst escalations in years, with hundreds of rockets and mortars fired at Israel and dozens of Israeli strikes against Gaza positions.

Seven Palestinians are killed.

On November 13 an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire is agreed. A day later Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigns, saying Israel is "capitulating to terror".

On November 21 four Palestinians are killed by Israeli soldiers.

UN probe

On February 28, 2019 a UN probe says Israel may have committed "war crimes or crimes against humanity" in responding to unrest in Gaza, as snipers "intentionally" shot civilians, including children.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the report.

Rockets and strikes

Overnight March 15 Israeli aircraft and helicopters strike dozens of Hamas targets in Gaza after rockets are fired from enclave towards the region of Tel Aviv. Israeli media report that the rockets were fired by mistake.

On March 25 a rare rocket hits north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven people. Netanyahu cuts short his US visit, vowing "we will respond with force". The Israel army accuses Hamas of firing the rocket and says it is sending reinforcements to Gaza.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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The Israeli military said on Monday it had begun carrying out strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, hours after a Palestinian rocket struck a house near Tel Aviv.

Reuters witnesses heard explosions in Gaza just before the military put out its statement.

The military said in a statement that it had "begun striking Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip."

One position hit was a Hamas naval position west of Gaza City, and a another was a large Hamas training camp in northern Gaza, Palestinian security officials and Hamas media outlets said.

Both positions were likely to have been evacuated, as Hamas had hours of notice that Israeli strikes were coming.

Witnesses said three missiles hit the northern target.

A rocket from Gaza hit a house in a rare strike north of Tel Aviv on Monday, wounding seven Israelis and leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a Washington trip while vowing a forceful response.

The rocket from the Palestinian enclave and expected Israeli response come at a highly sensitive time just ahead of Israel's April 9 elections.

Israel's army said the rocket was fired by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, from the Rafah area in the south of the territory.

A Hamas official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, denied the group was behind the rocket, evoking the possibility it was caused by "bad weather".

Israel however made it clear it was preparing a firm response, announcing it was sending two additional brigades to reinforce the Gaza area and carrying out a limited call up of reservists.

Israeli roads near the Gaza Strip were closed and farming activities in the area were halted.

Israel also closed its people and goods crossings with the blockaded Gaza Strip and reduced the zone in the Mediterranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen off the enclave, a statement said.

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Low light shooting is nearly indisputable as a critical skill for anybody who uses a weapon in a duty or defensive application. On the surface, it may not seem like anything particularly radical. The fundamentals of marksmanship dont change. But a low-light environment does add layers of complexity, both in target acquisition and weapons manipulation.

Since you cannot simply magic yourself a proficiency in any mechanical skill, let alone one you plan to stake your life on, it would behoove every concealed carry shooter to seek some training specific to the low-light world and its idiosyncrasies.

Wes Doss and his crew at Khyber Training have been running a training endeavor with just this purpose in mind. Way back in 2012, Khyber started something they call the LSL Tour  named for the Lights, Sights, and Lasers that act as force multipliers under less-than-ideal lighting conditions. The LSL Tour, as the name implies, is a one-day seminar that is held nationwide at various law enforcement agencies around the country.

Since many smaller agencies do not have a dedicated low light program, LSL offers the chance for officers and deputies to not only get some trigger time in the dark, but also to get an education on best practices and the importance of training like this. While this particular class is a law-enforcement-only offering, we believe the lessons learned apply to armed citizens as well.

The 2015 national average for accuracy in officer-involved shootings was a gloomy 23%. This number is not broken down in day vs. night. What IS broken down are the hit percentages for Maryland City, Maryland police department and the San Bernadino Sheriffs Office in Southern California. According to the Force Science Institute, as quoted by Khyber Training, both of these agencies have a daytime hit rate of over 60%, but both departments also experienced a decline in accuracy of up to 50% in diminished light conditions. Thats how important it is to train this skill.

When asked about best practices for low-light skill building, Khybers owner and lead instructor Wes Doss said, As for doing right, low light is as much a mechanical skill as it is an accuracy skill, those that are getting it done are working with officers on actually running the lights like they run normal presentation skills, so that it minimizes cognitive thought. I like to have them think about turning on the headlights when they drive.

After the classroom portion of the workshop, we hit the range for some basic practicals. Because of the condensed format of the class, there is not the opportunity to spend multiple nights on the line. But the drills run in LSL are solid building blocks for execution of proper marksmanship in darkness in a variety of standard and non-standard shooting positions.

After several warm-up drills with both pistol and carbine, we moved into 90 and 180-degree turns as well as shooting from the seated position, including sideways shots from the seated position, to simulate engaging through the drivers and passenger side windows of a vehicle. Since all the students in this particular class were running weapon-mounted lights, emphasis was placed on proper manipulation of WMLs in a quick and consistent manner regardless of the shooting position. Par times were being constantly pushed with a premium on activating your light only long enough to acquire your target and make good hits.

Since our range time started late afternoon and ran into complete darkness, students were able to experience a full range of daylight, dusk, and full-darkness shooting conditions.

Our final drill was an El President shot in complete darkness. The El President has seemingly been around since caveman times. Which, arguably, makes it a great choice for a low-light shooting test. Vast swaths of the shooting community are familiar with El Prez, many of whom have shot it more than a couple of times. But, for us, shooting it in the dark gave this old drill a breath of new life.

All in all, we thought the LSL tour was a great overview of the skills required to prevail in a low-light or no-light fight, and recommend anybody who stakes their well-being on a firearm to get familiar with running it in the dark.

Visit https://www.khybertraining.com/
The Syrian government said that Washington's recognition Monday of Israeli claims over the occupied Golan Heights were a blatant attack on its sovereignty.

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a border area seized from Syria in 1967.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition "historic" and said the Golan Heights, which are still claimed by Syria, would remain permanently under Israeli control.

The move, which breaks with decades of international consensus, drew criticism from the Syrian government.

"In a blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, the president of the US has recognised the annexation of the Syrian Golan," a foreign ministry source said, according to state news agency SANA.

"Trump does not have the right and the legal authority to legitimise the occupation," he said.

The unnamed source also said the unlimited support the US gives to Israel makes Washington the prime enemy of the Arabs, according to SANA.

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Atlanta, GA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/25/2019 --First Choice Accident & Injury Care is an extensively trusted and renowned organization that operates in various parts of the state of Georgia. To the different accident victims, this company tends to offer adequate necessary medical support and also crucial legal assistance to the victims of various types of accidents. First Choice Accident & Injury Care is staffed with auto injury chiropractor and motorcycle accident doctor in Macon and Savannah Georgia who can provide people with the required medical care that they need. The people are specially trained in treating various accident-related injuries.



Truck accidents are known to be quite drastic, and they generally tend to cause severe harm to the health and wellbeing of the people involved in it. Hence, victims of truck accidents often require immediate medical attention. This medical help can be provided to them by First Choice Accident & Injury Care. However, owing to the severity of truck accidents, the expenses incurred in it also tends to be quite high. The person typically provides compensation for these expenses due to whom the accident has occurred.



Moreover, apart from the payment of medical expenses, the accident victim should ideally acquire certain compensatory damages as well. They should typically be compensated for their suffering, pain and lost wages. In case the guilty party does not agree to pay for these expenses, people can ideally seek out the services of a truck accident attorney in Alpharetta and Atlanta Georgia.



The legal professionals of First Choice Accident & Injury Care focus on making sure that the various medical bills of the accident victim are paid in full by the insurance company of the relevant at fault party. These attorneys tend to have the capability to aid their clients in recovering the amount of wages lost by them due to the accident, as well as in getting compensation for all of the pain and suffering endured by them.



Contact First Choice Accident & Injury Care at 404-455-2720.



About First Choice Accident & Injury Care

First Choice Accident & Injury Care is an organization serving the residents of Atlanta, Decatur, Lawrenceville, and its nearby regions.
Albuquerque, NM -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/25/2019 --Many people look at a topic such the medical care of prison inmates with measured indifference or outright disdain. The underlying subtext reads, "they deserve what they get". This broad social indifference to the health of inmates offers a bad guide for policy with dire repercussions in a broader social context.



An article in the Oxford University Press on clinical infectious diseases, published in 2007, noted that one in thirty-three adults in the United States was either in prison, jail, or on probation or parolea total of 7 million people. Regarding infections in prisons, the article states,



"Compared with the general public, newly incarcerated inmates have an increased prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection, hepatitis B virus infection, hepatitis C virus infection, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. While incarcerated, inmates are at an increased risk for the acquisition of blood-borne pathogens, sexually transmitted diseases, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection, and infection with airborne organisms, such as M. tuberculosis, influenza virus, and varicella-zoster virus."



Prison inmates are not only exposed to one another, they are also exposed to prison staff and guards and, who upon exiting the correctional settings in which they work return each day to their communities and families and if their medical conditions are not dealt with they go on to propagate them in the general population. Thus, the recognition and treatment of infectious disease among prisoners is something that should concern us all. In 2010, an article in The Atlantic notes, "of more than 10 million incarcerated people in the U.S. alone, 4 percent have HIV, 15 percent have hepatitis C, and 3 percent have active tuberculosis."



Infectious Disease in New Mexico's Jails and Prisons

As bad as the statistics above are, the picture in the State of New Mexico is far worse. According to an article published in the Albuquerque Journal in December 2015 approximately half of the inmates in the State's prison system have Hepatitis C. Similarly high rates of Hepatitis B have also persisted among New Mexico jail and prison inmates. New Mexico in Depth published an article entitled, "An Ignored Epidemic in New Mexico's Prisons" which further highlighted the problem-and the indifference:



"although the state's inmates have the highest prevalence of hepatitis C of any group in New Mexico  more than four in 10 are infected  the prisons are hardly treating any of them: Out of some 3,000 prisoners diagnosed with the disease, just 46 received treatment for hepatitis C during the 2018 fiscal year. They are locked in for their crimes, but the life-saving medications they need have been largely locked out."



The article goes on to note, "Whether or not the prisons are prepared for change, it may be forced upon them" in reference to the mounting lawsuits filed against the New Mexico Corrections Department and its private medical contractors entrusted with the healthcare of those in New Mexico's penal system and by extension the State of New Mexico.



Other types of infectious disease also tend to have a much higher incidence in prisons and jails as noted above. But of particular interest here is Staphylococcus A and B infections such as Osteomyelitis and related spinal sepsis which are the product of the gross neglect of prison infections.



Staphylococcus A and B infections: Osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis is an infection in the bone. While it is considered rare, it nevertheless is occurring at incredibly high rates in the State of New Mexico's prison system. Such infections get into the bone when they occur in neighboring tissues or spread through the bloodstream. Osteomyelitis is more likely to occur in settings where people are packed together such as jails and prisons. People who have other health conditions are also at higher risk again pointing toward inmates in correctional facilities given the statistics above. However, osteomyelitis is readily controlled even in vulnerable populations. It is a lack of appropriate medical care and lack of adherence to accepted standards of infection control in New Mexico prisons that has led to the current epidemic.



Epidemic? Do the Math

Rates of incidence for osteomyelitis vary, depending on the source. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgeons of America published an authoritative article in 2010 which looked at occurrence of osteomyelitis in a population-based study from 1969-2009 placed the number at 21.8 per 100,000 people.



Given that there are a total of about 7000 New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) inmates, simple math illustrates the epidemic of osteomyelitis in the New Mexico prisons. Collins & Collins, P.C. alone has filed or will in the near future have 10 or more lawsuits involving prison osteomyelitis and/or spinal sepsis. If the math is not already apparent, that is about five times the national average.



Prison Osteomyelitis Epidemic is the Result of Medical and NMCD Institutional Negligence



At Collins & Collins over the course of the past two years, we have had many calls and have taken on numerous cases involving inmates who have contracted osteomyelitis and/or spinal sepsis while incarcerated in one or more of New Mexico's correctional facilities.



Osteomyelitis is not difficult to diagnose. It is not expensive to diagnose. It is predictable in a prison environment. If it is properly diagnosed, it can be easily and inexpensively treated. It is very dangerous if it is not . It can lead to lengthy hospitalizations and death if not diagnosed and treated properly. Unfortunately it is not being properly diagnosed and treated in New Mexico Prisons leading to grave harm to inmates and their families.



This is ongoing. It is allowed to continue as a result of what seems to be utter indifference on the part of the State of New Mexico and NMCD to the health and safety of the state's inmates. It seems the only way to get anybody's attention on these matters is through the courts and this is precisely what Collins & Collins, P.C. intends to do.
RTHK: Trump declares Golan Heights belong to Israel

With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, US President Donald Trump declared on Monday that the Golan Heights belongs to Israel -- handing another major diplomatic victory to the premier ahead of elections.

Netanyahu spared no praise as he watched Trump sign the Golan proclamation at the White House, likening him to President Harry S Truman, who recognised Israel, and even to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who freed the Jews of Babylon.

"Your decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is so historic," Netanyahu told Trump. The Jewish state captured the territory from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967.

"Your recognition is a twofold act of historic justice. Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war of self-defence, and the Jewish people's roots in the Golan go back thousands of years," he said.

Trump -- who in 2017 took the even more momentous step of recognising disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- called the Golan declaration "a long time in the making."

"It should have taken place many decades ago," said Trump, who had revealed his intentions on the Golan on Thursday in a Twitter message.

Netanyahu was visiting Washington for the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel US lobby, but cut his visit short after a rocket fired Monday from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis in an unusually long-range attack.

Just as Netanyahu entered the White House, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Gaza linked to Hamas -- which denied carrying out the attack -- with the prime minister vowing to respond "forcefully to this wanton aggression."

Russia warned that Trump's proclamation would set off a "new wave" of tensions in the Middle East, while Syria denounced the "blatant attack" on its sovereignty.

US allies Britain and France have said that they still consider the Golan Heights "Israeli-occupied" in line with UN resolutions, as experts warned of repercussions to the United States unilaterally recognising the results of military conquest.

Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 but had won no international support. The territory had long been seen as a comparatively easy problem to resolve, as both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Golan's 20,000 settlers are largely secular in a region dominated by religious feuds.

But changing the strategic dynamics, Syria has been embroiled for years in a devastating civil war in which Iran has made inroads -- to the staunch opposition of Israel, which has vowed to eradicate the clerical regime's presence.

Trump's Golan declaration amounts to a gift to Netanyahu ahead of April 9 elections in Israel in which the wily right-winger is facing an unexpectedly stiff challenge from centrist Benny Gantz, who also came to Washington for AIPAC.

Shortly before the Golan proclamation, Vice President Mike Pence brought the AIPAC audience to its feet as he hailed Trump as "the greatest friend of Israel ever to sit in the Oval Office."

Pence outlined a long list of actions taken by Trump in support of Israel, including withdrawing the United States from the UN cultural body UNESCO and UN Human Rights Council, both over purported anti-Israel bias, and cutting off funding for the UN body that provides schooling to Palestinian refugees.

Amid Trump and Netanyahu's mutual affection and the Israeli leader's rightward turn, top Democrats seeking the White House have steered clear of AIPAC -- an absence that Pence eagerly highlighted.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a liberal Democrat whose city is home to 1.2 million Jews, nonetheless spoke at AIPAC, where he acknowledged differences with Netanyahu but won a standing ovation for opposing the movement to boycott Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

Challenger Gantz showed virtually no daylight with Netanyahu on security issues in his AIPAC address.

Citing his mother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and his son's service in the military, the former military chief said that "strength and moral power come together."

"That is why I say from this stage to the Iranian regime -- never again. We will not allow you to establish yourself in Syria, we will not allow you to develop nuclear weapons," he said.

"On my watch, you will not become a regional power and I will not hesitate to use force if and when needed," he said.

Gantz said that Jerusalem would always be Israel's "united and eternal capital" and added, without ruling out a Palestinian state in the West Bank, that the Jordan Valley would "always" be Israel's eastern security border.

But he won loud cheers from the American Jewish audience when he turned to domestic issues, promising more inclusiveness at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where women are separated from men, and chiding Netanyahu for allying with a party widely condemned as racist. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Moscow said it feared "a new wave of tensions" in the Middle East following the decision by Washington to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which are claimed by Russian ally Syria.

"Unfortunately, this could drive a new wave of tensions in the Middle East region," Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a radio broadcast, according to Russian news agencies.

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Politburo of Ansarullah calls for massive rally over four years of steadfastness [25/March/2019] ANAA, March 25 (Saba) - The Political Bureau of Ansarullah on Sunday called on the Yemeni people to rally during the four year anniversary of Yemen's people steadfastness in the face of aggression, which will be held on Tuesday in the square of seventy in the capital Sana'a and other squares in the provinces.



The Political Bureau of Ansarulllah confirmed in a statement obtained by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) stressed on the importance of large public attendance in this event as a sign of people's loyalty to great sacrifices and renewal of the continuity of steadfastness, as well ass as a sign of confirmation of the failure of the forces of US-saudi aggression coalition and their conspiracies targeting the Homeland.





AA

Saba
Two rallies in Hodeidah to protest against aggression violation

[25/March/2019]

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed">HODEIDAH, March. 25 (Saba)  Residents and women of al-Qanawas district of Hodeidah province two protest rallies to condemn the crimes and violations committed by the Saudi-led aggression.

At the rallies, the participants stressed the importance of showing more patience and steadfastness to confront the aggression and its plots that target Yemen.

The protesters called on the Yemeni people to the great attend to mark the fourth anniversary of the steadfastness against the aggression and its militias.

They hailed the great triumph made by the army in the battle fronts.

Ali Ahsan

saba
By SA Commercial Prop News

It is a true honour to be elected and to have the confidence of the property sector, says Dr Sedise Moseneke.



The SA REIT sectors representative on the Property Sector Charter Council (PSCC), Dr Sedise Moseneke, has been elected as the new Chairman of the PSCC.

The council is responsible for implementing transformation in the property sector.

Moseneke heads the SA REIT Associations Property Sector Charter Committee and is Executive Director at JSE-listed SA REIT Vukile Property Fund, non-executive chairman of Encha Property Services and a past president of the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa).

ALSO READ: The Global Lift & Escalator Expo comes to South Africa



It is a true honour to be elected and to have the confidence of the property sector. It is a great privilege to follow property stalwart Saul Gumede, who has excelled as Chairman of the PSCC for the past decade. I am proud to serve and give back to an industry that has looked after me, and look forward to working with the council to continue to transform the property sector, says Moseneke.



Andrea Taverna-Turisan, SA REIT Marketing Committee Chairman, comments, Dr Mosenekes service to the property sector and the country as a whole is another example of the SA REIT sectors longstanding commitment to working with all stakeholders to drive transformation forward.

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CEO of the Property Sector Charter Council, Portia Tau-Sekati reports, We are pleased to confirm Dr Moseneke as Chairman of PSCC. He is a passionate and vocal proponent of transformation in South Africa and the property sector, and the ideal candidate to take the PSCC into the future.

Moseneke notes that there is a misconception about transformation in the property sector that he hopes to help correct. Despite perceptions to the contrary, much is being achieved by business and government transformation initiatives in the industry. Building on this with industry-based programmes will assist entrench transformation and make it systemic in the property sector, he notes.

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To achieve this, and other council objectives, Moseneke sees scope for greater collaboration between the SA REIT sector, other private property stakeholders and the government on all its levels. This collaboration should always be defined by good governance and ethics. We must be transparent and corruption-free in all interactions between the sector, government and its all its departments, stresses Moseneke.



The PSCC will continue to issue its widely-referenced and respected research that shows the massive impact the sector has on the economy. As an industry body, the council monitors and tracks transformation as well as providing a credible information about the sector. This research is vital for stakeholders who need to trust the sector is clean and committed before allocating funding and resources for further transformation, growing more small property businesses, and creating more skilled property professionals, says Moseneke


Election Commission (file photo) The Supreme Court on Monday lashed out at the Election Commission for insisting that there was no need for increasing the sample matching of the EVMs with the corresponding Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs), saying that no institution could insulate itself from suggestion for improvement. At present VVPATA is matched with the correspondingA EVM at one polling booth in each of the assembly segments of the Lok Sabha constituency.



"No institution, including judiciary, can insulate itself from suggestion for improvement," said the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi sitting with Justice Deepak Gupta, taking exception to poll panel's Deputy Commissioner Sudeep Jain resisting the suggestion for increasing the number of sample matching of VVPATs with corresponding EVMs.



"If you are so up-to-date with protocols and processes," Chief Justice Gogoi said, "then, why did not Election Commission introduce VVPAT on its own and brought it only after the court's orders?"



The top court by its October 8, 2013, verdict had said that Electronic Voting Machines with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail was an indispensable requirement for free and fair elections as it ensures the accuracy of the voting system.



Reminding the EC that VVPATs were introduced on the directions of the top court, CJI Gogoi sought to recall the opposition the court faced from the poll panel on the necessity of VVPAT.



At the outset of the hearing, CJI Gogoi asked Sudeep Jain: "Can you increase the sample matching? We would like to increase it."



As Deputy Election Commissioner sought to refer to the aspersion being cast, CJI Gogoi said, "It is not a question of aspersion, it is a question of satisfaction."



The top court directed the EC to state the basis of its satisfaction that there was no need for increasing the sample matching of EVMs with VVPATs.



Besides this, the bench asked the Election Commission to spell out the difficulty if sample tallying was to be increased and the time required in meeting that.



As senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that it would not take more than five hours, CJI Gogoi told him that they want response from the EC.



Singhvi said that they have undertaken the exercise.



The top court had on March 15 sought the Election Commission's response on a plea by 21 opposition parties seeking audit of at least 50 per cent of EVMs with corresponding VVPATs.



The plea has been filed, among others, by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party, Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference, Sharad Yadav of the Loktantrik Janata Dal, Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress and M.K. Stalin of the DMK.



In the plea, they urged the court that 50 per cent of results of EVMs must be matched and cross-checked with VVPATs before the declaration of results in the general election.




Its the end of an era at the San Diego Zoo as the last two giant pandas will soon leave for China.

In an announcement Monday, zoo officials said the pandas, Bai Yun, 27  a fixture at the zoo for 23 years  and her son, Xiao Liwu, 6, must leave San Diego because a multi-year agreement with the Chinese to keep them here has ended. Zoo officials say sending the pandas back was always planned for April and was not prompted by any sudden request from the Chinese government.

The iconic black and white bamboo eaters have had a consistent presence at the zoo since 1996. The last day pandas can be viewed by the public is expected to be April 27.

With their impending departure, it is unknown if or when new pandas might inhabit the zoo again. Zoo officials are unable to say whether the wait is a matter of months or years.

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We have high hopes for pandas returning but I dont know that we have any set date when they might return, said Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for the San Diego Zoo.

There are still pandas at Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Zoo Atlanta and the Memphis Zoo

In the two decades since the first pandas arrived, the captivating animals have become intertwined with the image of San Diego. Their images grace T-shirts and postcards promoting the region, and they even had a starring role in the 2004 Anchorman movie. In the film, San Diego news anchors had a daily feature  the Panda Watch  chronicling the impending birth of a panda.

While the prospect of no new pandas for the indefinite future might alarm panda fans, there is a promising sign: The zoo has no plans to take down the animals exhibit, in hopes they will get more pandas. Several zoo officials are planning to go to China in the coming months to have in-person negotiations with leaders of its panda program.

We know our community is going to be sad when they hear this, but its a time for celebration, Dixon said. They are going home to their home country. It truly is a celebration of all the work we have done.

While lines are often long to catch a glimpse of the pandas at their enclosure, officials say they do not anticipate a drop in attendance once the pandas leave because all of its other exhibits.

The San Diego panda program has been very successful by most measures, producing six cubs and developing techniques now used around the world to keep young pandas alive. When pandas first came to the zoo in 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, had listed the species as endangered. Twenty years later, they were downgraded to vulnerable.

Two decades ago, the wild population of pandas was estimated to be less than 1,000. As of the latest count in 2014, there were 1,864 pandas living in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Another panda at the zoo, 28-year-old Gao Gao, returned to China in October. Gao Gao and Bai Yun produced five cubs together, including Xiao Liwu. All three will be back together at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan. Dont expect much of a reunion  pandas are very solitary and arent expected to interact.

Pandas are only native to China, so all pandas in American zoos are on loan from the Chinese government. Even those born on American soil are considered property of China. Its unclear from zoo officials what their negotiating strategy will be with the Chinese, or if whatever program comes next would necessarily involve breeding.

The species is the rarest of all bears and lives among damp bamboo forests in southwestern China. Most of the decline in numbers has largely been attributed to human encroachment, but pandas are also notoriously difficult to breed. They only mate one to two days a year and successful pregnancies are rare.

Xiao Liwu in October 2018 (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

It is unknown exactly when the pandas will leave. Bai Yun and her son Xiao Liwu will travel by plane and be attended to by numerous keepers and veterinarians. Bai Yun is expected to go into a retirement wing of the center, and Xiao Liwu will eventually be put in a breeding situation.

Zoo officials said it was bittersweet to say goodbye to the pandas but they were proud of everything they accomplished over 23 years.

The intent was to prevent the extinction of the species. This program can be looked at as one of a handful of programs that have actually prevented the extension of a key species, said Carmi Penny, director of husbandry sciences at the zoo.

While there might be tension with the Chinese government and the Trump administration over tariffs, zoo officials say that sort of issue doesnt filter down to those who are working with pandas in both nations.

A storied history

Pandas first took San Diego by storm in 1987 when two pandas  Basi and Yuan Yuan  stayed for 200 days. The pandas were a sensation, drawing more than 2 million visitors, the zoo said.

A 1987 article in the San Diego Evening Tribune described their arrival as a fanfare usually saved for humans as news reporters, TV cameramen and zoo employees fawned over the pair. The price of a one-day adult ticket at the time was $8.50 and $2.50 for children. Now it is $56 for an adult and $46 for a child (ages 3 to 11).

Pandas did not return again until 1996, when Bai Yun and another panda, Shi Shi, arrived at the zoo from the Wolong Panda Preserve in China. Both were supposed to stay 12 years, although Bai Yun remained 13 years longer. The pandas, in special traveling crates, were loaded onto a moving truck and escorted by the California Highway Patrol to the zoo.

Things were rocky at first with Shi Shi, who was not interested in mating with Bai Yun. Regardless, Bai Yun gave birth to her first panda, Hua Mei, in 1999 by artificial insemination. That panda became the first one born in the United States to survive and grow into adulthood.

In 2003, Gao Gao showed up and quickly began a successful pairing with Bai Yun. A son, Mei Sheng, was born in 2003. Four other cubs followed: Su Lin in 2005, Zhen Zhen in 2007, Yun Zi in 2009 and the last, Xiao Liwu, in 2012.

Under the agreement with the Chinese government, most young pandas born in other countries are supposed to go back to China when they are around three years old. Xiao Liwu, though, has now stayed longer than expected, as has Bai Yun, who was allowed to remain because of how much success she had in breeding.

Xiao Liwu, seven months old, in March 2013 with mother Bai Yun. (Peggy Peattie / Peggy Peattie)

Even if San Diego never gets another panda, the legacy of the zoos program will likely be viewed as a positive step in the rebuilding of the species.

Bob Weise, chief life sciences officer at the zoo, said several of the six cubs have gone on to have children of their own, building on a lineage originating in San Diego.

At the time that that pandas were brought to the United States in 1996, the survival rate for cubs was 10 percent to 20 percent, Weise said. Now, there is a 95 percent likelihood they will survive, he said, and part of that is because of work done at American zoos. One of those advances came from a San Diego Zoo nutritionist who developed a milk formula for cubs from Bai Yuns lactation that is now in widespread use.

The formula is especially useful if the mother panda is not giving her cub enough milk. The milk that panda newborns need to survive is much more nutrient-dense than that of many species and is crucial for survival, making any neglect from the mother potentially disastrous.

Congcong Zheng, a Chinese-born entrepreneurship professor at San Diego State University, noted that pandas have been used throughout history as a goodwill gesture by the Chinese.

Its something only the Chinese have, she said. It signifies something uniquely Chinese. At the same time, they are really cute and people around the world like them. It has been a way for the Chinese government to establish friendships.

As beloved as the pandas are in San Diego, its unlikely their absence at the zoo will dampen visitation or lower the institutions profile, said Joe Terzi, CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

It will continue to be a place that people all over the world come to see, with or without the pandas, he said. The zoo is bigger than just the panda exhibit.

A lazy day

More than 100 people waited in line Friday to see Xiao Liwu on a cool 64-degree day. The line slowly snaked through the exhibit until the end where adults and children crowded around the six-year-old panda.

Xiao Liwu climbed around the tree fort-style enclosure and plopped down in one of his favorite spots to sit. A ray of sunshine illuminated the top of his head as he leaned back with a bamboo stalk. He put the stalk in his mouth and peeled off outer layers to begin his meal.

Visitors were squishing against each other to see Xiao Liwu, although he didnt seem to notice. One gets the impression the panda was completely content and having a good day.

Hes right there, yelled Brooklyn Putich, 6, of Chino, as she finally got her first look at the panda and climbed on railings to get a better look.

Families of young children made up much of the crowd, leading to the occasional baby stroller traffic jam. Stephanie Toscano, of Tucson, Ariz., said she was in town for a wedding and decided to take her 4-year-old daughter Adynn to the zoo.

Shes waited all day for this. She wouldnt stop talking about it, Toscano said.

Zoo officials said none of the staff that worked with the pandas will be laid off, but will instead work with other animals. Still, it will be tough for employees that worked with the pandas each day to say goodbye, especially to Bai Yun, who has lived in San Diego for 23 years.

She was the perfect panda, said Carmi Penny, the husbandry director at the zoo. She was behaviorally stable, very intelligent, very inquisitive, not aggressive. Just a nice, good animal.

Bai Yun was not on display for much of Friday, but no one seemed to notice with Xiao Liwu content to put on a show. He got up from his sitting spot, climbed across logs in the enclosure, grabbed another bamboo stalk, leaned back and started to chew again. Each movement was captured by dozens of smartphones.

Staff writer Bradley J. Fikes contributed to this article

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phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

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An Israeli air strike targeted the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Gaza Strip on Monday, Hamas radio reported.

Haniyeh was unlikely to have been in the office, as Hamas routinely evacuates its buildings when expecting Israeli attacks.

An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment on the report.

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The Super Bloom has been an economic boon for Borrego Springs.

A stunning array of colorful desert wildflowers throughout Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has brought thousands of visitors the past few weeks, leading to record-breaking economic activity in the small town located in the middle of the states largest park.

I feel that this year we are way more organized and people are having a really enjoyable time, park volunteer Christie Barber said during a respite from answering questions in front of the Anza-Borrego Foundations state park store.

This time around, unlike in 2017 when the first Super Bloom in a decade brought a crush of visitors and problems to the community, Borrego Springs was ready.

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They made sure businesses were supplied properly and that dozens of portable toilets were spread out strategically near the most popular flower fields and in town. Dumpsters were rented by the dozens, and traffic control measures were put in place at the bottom of the Montezuma Road grade, where massive traffic jams had happened two years ago.

Absolutely, Borrego Springs is shining thanks to the preparation and the work put into it by Borregans in anticipation of this wonderful flower bloom, said Patrick Sampson, president of the local chamber of commerce.

1 / 25 Visitors to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park walk through a sea of flowers in Henderson Canyon. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 25 The butterflies were out in Henderson Canyon at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 25 Michelle Han, left, her husband, Thomas Han, center, and their daughter, Ashley Han, right, from 4S Ranch take a selfie photo of themselves while in a bed of wildflowers off DiGiorgio Road north of Borrego Springs. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 25 Visitors to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park stop to enjoy, and take photos as they make their way up the Cactus Loop Trail. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 25 Sam Lim from Garden Grove in Orange County takes photos of the desert dandelions in a field off Borrego Springs Road. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 25 Jon Derenburger of Normal Heights shoots video of a butterfly while visiting Henderson Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 25 Visitors walk and drive along Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 25 Selden McKee, center, a Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association volunteer gives Christy Lam, left, of Moorpark in Ventura County, and Karl and Rosie Galla of Redlands in San Bernardino County, advice on where to find the wildflowers in the area. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 25 Henderson Canyon is alive with color in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 25 A caterpillar makes its way along the side of Henderson Canyon Road in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 25 Carlees Food and Spirits was packed, just like most businesses in Borrego Springs, from visitors enjoying the wildflowers in the area. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 25 Visitors walk along Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 25 Poppies predominantly cover much of the south-facing hillsides and surrounding area above San Felipe Wash, just north of Highway 78 in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 25 Michael Stewart, of Pacific Beach takes photos of Emily Vaccarezza, also of Pacific beach, while visiting Henderson Canyon in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 25 Theres plenty of colors along the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 25 Chuparosa can be seen from the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 25 Bigelows monkey flower can be seen from the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 25 Poppies are near the south-facing hillsides above San Felipe Wash, just north of Highway 78 in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 25 Vehicles are parked along Yaqui Pass Road in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park near the Cactus Loop Trail. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 25 Poppies predominantly cover much of the south-facing hillsides above San Felipe Wash, just north of Highway 78 in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 25 The Borrego Palm Canyon Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is alive with color from the wildflowers. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 25 A sea of wildflowers off DiGiorgio Road north of Borrego Springs. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 25 A constant flow of visitors arrive in Borrego Springs along Palm Canyon Drive. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 25 Visitors in a field of mainly desert dandelions off of Borrego Springs Road. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 25 Visitors in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park walk among a sea of flowers in Henderson Canyon. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Experts say it appears the bloom will continue for some time, perhaps as long as Easter.

I think this is the best flower year weve ever had and Ive been here since the 2005 one, Barber said. The flowers are different and where theyre popping up is different and we still havent gotten to the canyon flowers. The cactus are just barely starting (to bloom), the smoke trees arent out or the ironwood.

Part of the preparation included a media campaign encouraging visitors to avoid weekends and come during the week instead. It seems to have worked.

All of the businesses are breaking records this year, said Betsy Knaak, president of the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association and one of the leaders of the preparation plans.

The weekdays are breaking records. From what Im hearing from the restaurants and other businesses, they all feel the same way. Its just been a real boom year. A super year. Its good for Borrego Springs.

Thomas Hildebrandt, the manager and head chef at Keslings Kitchen on Christmas Circle, said business has been up 30 percent the past few weeks compared to the Super Bloom of 2017, and that was a record-breaking time itself.

He said the weekdays have been almost as busy as the weekends. The clientele trends older during the weekdays, he said, and younger during the weekends when working families have time to flower gaze.

Hildebrandt came up with a plan to handle the crowds better. People arent seated until they have ordered. A sign in front of the entrance reads: Please Take Note! Expect periodic, unannounced and extensive halts in this ordering line. Thank you. He said if there are no more seats, orders have to be stopped.

Across the street at Carlees restaurant, owner and Borrego Springs Honorary Mayor Andy Macuga said waiting times of 45 minutes have often been the norm.

I think its a little busier than in 2017, he said. Overall, the town has a better handle on it. There are still some issues  for instance I cant create a bigger kitchen and put more cooks in there  but I think the plans we had for dealing with trash and the Porta Johns and the traffic flow with the state park at the bottom of the grade has made everything flow a lot smoother.

Macuga said he was asked recently what advice he might have for folks in Lake Elsinore, which has been overwhelmed the past month with flower-goers eager to see vast fields of orange poppies in Walker Canyon.

I told them there are really no pointers except that after going through it once, youre better prepared for it the next time, he said.

All of the hotels in Borrego Springs are going gangbusters, too.

Were sold out! said chamber president Sampson, who also is the general manager of La Casa del Zorro Resort and Spa. Theres no room at the inn. Same condition last 15 days and potentially the next 15 days. Food and beverage is booming. Reservations are a must but also were doing our share of feeding the visitors and offering them services under some duress given the sheer numbers.

Adding to the beauty of the flowers on Saturday  where hundreds of cars were parked along various roads exploring flower sites  were countless painted lady butterflies flying through the air and landing on blooms.

Along Henderson Canyon Road in northern Borrego Springs adjacent to the park, a vast acreage of yellow poppies, interspersed with white and lavender flowers, was attracting many visitors.

That was good news for nature lovers but not so good for countless white-lined sphinx moth caterpillars that have been getting squished by passing cars for weeks. The road was a sea of thousands and thousands of yellow-brown smudges where a caterpillar had been flattened.

Rob Anslow from Santa Ana was at Henderson Canyon in the late morning, having already climbed the Palm Canyon Trail. He said hed been coming to Borrego for 20 years during various Super Blooms.

Palm Canyon is just wonderful right now, he said. You can see almost every color of the rainbow. From the bottom of the canyon, all the way up to where the palm oasis is, is just stellar. Its just amazing. He said he even found two rare peach colored poppies near the trail.

Looking to the north at the field of poppies, Anslow said he comes to Henderson Canyon each visit. Every single time, the canyon has been a different color, he said. Ten years ago, this canyon was solid orange with California poppies. This year, its yellow.

He said the 2019 Super Bloom is amazing, but in his opinion not as good as two years ago.

2017 would look at this and say, Hold my beer, he said.

South of the town near the intersection of Yaqui Pass Road and state Route 78, two retired schoolteachers from El Centro were about to take a hike along Cactus Loop Trail across the road from the Tamarisk Grove campground.

Theyre gorgeous, said Ellie Kussman of the flowers that filled the south-facing side of mountains right before her. Spectacular, said her friend, Gretchen Benson.

Earlier in the day, they had been out near Shelter Valley to the south where they saw fields of purple flowers and many other blooms.

You can stand in one spot and see 15 different types of flowers, Kussman said.

In the afternoon, Knaak and Mike McElhatton, who is also with the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, were out in the desert looking for blooming cactus to update the associations map of wildflower locations, which can be found at borregoblooms.org.CQ

McElhatton said one reason he thinks more people have visited this year than in 2017 is that visits to the website are averaging about 4,000 a day compared to 1,300 to 1,500 two years ago.

I think that indicates a very high level of interest, he said.

Back along Henderson Canyon Road, Allen and Janis Ryan of Solana Beach said they had spent the night in town.

This is one of the most spectacular things to see in Borrego and the county, Allen Ryan said. If you dont come out to see this, youre missing something thats a truly amazing display of nature and wildlife.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
When Jose Tellez began his career with the National City Police Department in 1988, it was a different time.

The department had a reputation as an overly aggressive police force  a judgment driven by a slew of complaints of police brutality  at a time when its focus was to crack down on high crime rates.

Community-oriented policing was barely an incipient concept.

It wasnt ingrained in us, Tellez said.

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Yet early on, as the culture gradually changed within the Police Department, Tellez made impactful connections with the community that shaped his career as he rose through the ranks.

Now Tellez, 55, has ascended yet another rank, stepping into the top position.

The former assistant chief, who last week was sworn in as the top cop, runs a department with a $21 million budget and 100-plus employees, including more than 80 sworn officers. Under a three-year contract, he will earn an annual base salary of $197,000.

Unequivocally, hes the one, said police Capt. David Espiritu, who completed the San Diego County Sheriffs Academy at Southwestern College alongside Tellez in 1988.

Tellez has taken over the police force at a time when violent crimes appear to be on the rise, in the midst of a new era of transparency in law enforcement and less than a year since the Police Department was embroiled in controversy as critics pushed the department to be transparent about the in-custody death of Earl McNeil.

McNeil stopped breathing and suffered a heart attack after he was arrested by police and taken to San Diego County jail on May 26. A combination of a struggle with officers, drugs in his system and being held in a restraint device with two spit socks over his head led to his death, authorities said.

District Attorney Summer Stephan determined that neither officers nor sheriffs deputies were criminally liable for his death.

With a new police chief in charge, residents said they want a Police Department that keeps its officers accountable.

The challenge that I have perceived is the complete lack of transparency and how they have no one holding them accountable, said one resident who did not want to be named.

While the Police Department has made great strides since the late 80s and early 90s, Tasha Williamson said she feels the department has a long way to go.

(Tellez) has a lot of culture change that he has to do in his Police Department, said Williamson, who was among a core group that protested against the department in response to McNeils death.

Williamson, a community activist, said she met Tellez last year when she and McNeils family sat down with the Police Departments top brass. She said she appreciated his calm demeanor.

Tellez said he understands the push  in National City and statewide  for less secrecy surrounding police officers conduct. He is receptive for the most part to new state laws intended to make public certain records and footage.

He vowed to be open to meaningful dialogue with residents.

I think its incumbent on me to keep those lines of communication open, he said.

Its a task Tellez, who in 2001 became the first official spokesman for the department, has not shied away from throughout his career.

As a rookie police officer, one conversation in particular left a profound impact on him. At a time when crime was rampant, a mother made him aware of a harsh reality: She told Tellez she dared not venture outside with her children past nightfall because she perceived the streets as dangerous.

It was then that Tellez witnessed first-hand the effects of crime on the larger community and registered the impacts officers can have on the day-to-day lives of residents.

Outside the patrol unit, Tellezs first assignment was on campuses as a school resource officer  a role that led to relationships with children, parents, teachers and administrators.

Alma Sarmiento was a parent volunteer at Sweetwater High School when she met Tellez around that time.

What stood out about him in my mind was that he was very calm in his dealings with the teenagers, which helped him to earn their respect, said Sarmiento, now a National School District board member.

Ive seen (that) hes gained the respect of everyone that hes come to know, Sarmiento added.

Beyond earning respect, she said, Tellez showed dedication.

She was left flabbergasted when he showed up to work the morning his son had been born. She recalls that he showed her a small photo that had been taken at a hospital hours earlier.

She remembers Tellez admitted: Theres nothing for me to do there so I decided to come to work.

Tellez and his wife have two children, ages 24 and 26.

Another day, in 1991, a Sweetwater High School teacher, David Ybarra, asked Tellez to visit his government classes to talk about a controversial topic in the news: the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers. The discussion opened the door to hard-hitting questions from students, Tellez said.

He, in turn, for the most part listened to the students and assured them he understood the basis of the outrage.

For every incident that happens, Tellez said in a recent interview, theres an opportunity to connect with our community somehow.

As chief, Tellez hopes to build stronger bridges between the Police Department and the community to reduce crime and address public safety issues across National City, a working-class community of more than 60,000 predominately Latino residents where the violent crime rate has been on the rise despite an overall decline in crimes.

In mid-2018, the citys violent crime rate was the third-highest in San Diego County, trailing only Lemon Grove and Valley Center, according to a report by the San Diego Association of Governments, a regional planning agency.

Tellez said he plans to reshape the gang enforcement unit into a neighborhood policing team designed to tackle area-specific issues  whether gang-related or not  with a focus on long-term solutions.

Tellez also intends to create a homeless outreach team in response to a high volume of police calls related to homelessness, mental health and drug addiction.

Were dealing with those three aspects more and more, Tellez said.

He said patrol officers oftentimes are swamped with other calls and, regardless, arent exactly suited to address the underlying causes or provide long-term solutions.

While some consider him a natural successor to former police Chief Manuel Rodriguez, it wasnt long ago  around early 2017 near the 30-year mark in his career  that Tellez, a captain at the time, contemplated the idea of retirement.

Tellez said he felt it was the right time to cap his career and leave open his position to give interested lieutenants the opportunity to move up the chain of command. At the time, he shared his thoughts with City Manager Leslie Deese, who didnt want the Police Department to lose his wealth of knowledge and wisdom.

Hes so well-regarded inside and outside the department, Deese said. I thought, It would be a shame to lose his philosophy.

So Deese and Rodriguez devised a plan so that Tellez could mentor lower-ranking officers. The end result was a succession plan that gave lieutenants, sergeants and some corporals the chance to rise one rank in an acting capacity, allowing them to gain experience.

As a byproduct of the succession planning, Tellez stayed with the Police Department  long enough not only to see Rodriguez announce his retirement but also to succeed him.

During an emotion-filled ceremony in which Tellez was sworn-in on March 19, the consensus  among officers, city leaders and community members  was a palpable sense of pride in Tellez, a product of the department hes taken over.

Deese, a champion of internal promotions, reminded Tellez of the words she shared with him when he was promoted in 2017 to assistant police chief.

Keep leading from the heart and you will go far, she reiterated.

In May 2012, then-National City police Lt. Jose Tellez briefed reporters outside an apartment on Norton Avenue where a man was found dead. Tellez, a former spokesman for the Police Department, is the citys new police chief. (John Gibbins)

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Rescuers were still working to untangle a gray whale caught in a buoy net near Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard a day after the animal was first reported as being in a fix, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday.

Passengers aboard a boat spotted the entangled 20-foot-long whale near the harbor and reported it to the U.S. Coast Guard about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. A crew responded and tried to keep people away while approaching the mammal on a boat, but the whale kept swimming away, spokesman Mark Barney said.

Every time we tried to get close to it, the whale would get scared and dive underwater, taking the buoy with it, Barney said.

Coast Guard officials said it was unclear how much of the whale was entangled or whether the animal was in distress. They have called National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials for assistance.

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We dont even know if its injured or how long it has been tangled, Barney said.

NOAA has yet to arrive on the scene.

Elsewhere over the weekend, a gray whale washed up on a Malibu beach. The hulking corpse was beached on the sand Sunday, surrounded by surfers and beachgoers.

Officials cordoned off the dead animal with yellow tape to keep passersby away. A necropsy was scheduled for Monday.

A surfer walks past a dead gray whale in Malibu at County Line Beach on Sunday. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra
A federal appeals court led by a Trump appointee Monday unanimously upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit against San Francisco for failing to alert immigration authorities of the release of the immigrant who killed Kathryn Steinle.

The suit, brought by Steinles parents, alleged that San Francisco was negligent for failing to comply with a 2015 request by Immigration and Customs Enforcement representatives to hold the jailed immigrant until federal authorities could take custody.

Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, also known as Jose Inez Garcia Zarate, shot and killed Steinle, 32, near Pier 14 of San Franciscos Embarcadero in July, 2015 as she walked with her father.

The lawsuit, which sought unspecified damages, said a memorandum written in 2015 by then-San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi violated various laws.

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Mirkarimis memo said employees could provide information to ICE only if it was already public, or if federal authorities obtained a warrant or court order and employees first checked with the sheriffs legal counsel.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said San Francisco violated no state, local or federal law.

Our holding today makes no judgment as to whether or not the policy established by the memo was wise or prudent, Judge Mark J. Bennett, a Trump appointee, wrote for the court. That is not our job.

Lopez-Sanchez, who was in the country without legal authorization, shot Steinle about 2 months after being released from San Francisco jail.

In upholding the suits dismissal, the 9th Circuit said Mirkarimi had the legal right to enact his policy, even if it adversely affected ICEs ability to do its job.

The tragic and unnecessary death of Steinle may well underscore the policy argument against Sheriff Mirkarimis decision to bar his employees from providing the release date of a many times convicted felon to ICE, the panel decided.

But that policy argument can be acted upon only by Californias state and municipal political branches of government, or perhaps by Congress  but not by federal judges applying California law, the panel said.

A San Francisco jury in 2017 acquitted Lopez-Sanchez, a Mexican immigrant, of homicide charges, finding him guilty instead of being a felon in possession a gun.

His lawyer argued that he found the gun, which was wrapped in cloth, on the pier, and the weapon accidentally discharged when he unwrapped it.

The lawyer cited evidence that the bullet bounced off the pavement before striking Steinle.

The gun that killed her was owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and had been stolen from an agents car four days before the shooting.

Steinles death ignited a firestorm of criticism over sanctuary city policies, which prohibit local and state law enforcement from holding immigrants for federal immigration authorities unless ordered to do so by courts.

Supporters of the policies say they encourage immigrants who entered the country without authorization to cooperate with police without fear of deportation.

maura.dolan@latimes.com

Twitter: @mauradolan
Its the end of an era at the San Diego Zoo as the last two giant pandas will soon leave for China.

In an announcement Monday, zoo officials said the pandas, Bai Yun, 27  a fixture at the zoo for 23 years  and her son, Xiao Liwu, 6, would leave San Diego because a multiyear agreement with the Chinese had ended. Zoo officials said sending the pandas back was always planned for April and was not prompted by any sudden request from the Chinese government.

The iconic black-and-white bamboo eaters have had a consistent presence at the zoo since 1996. The last day pandas can be viewed by the public is expected to be April 27.

How the San Diego Zoo helped unlock the mystery of panda sex and parenting 

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With their impending departure, it is unknown if or when new pandas might inhabit the zoo again. Zoo officials are unable to say whether the wait is a matter of months or years.

We have high hopes for pandas returning, but I dont know that we have any set date when they might return, said Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for the San Diego Zoo.

There are still pandas at Smithsonians National Zoo in Washington, D.C., Zoo Atlanta and the Memphis Zoo.

In the two decades since the first pandas arrived in San Diego, the animals have become intertwined with the image of the zoo. Their likenesses grace T-shirts and postcards promoting the region, and they had a featured role in the 2004 Anchorman movie. In the comedy, a San Diego news team chronicled the impending birth of a panda with the Panda Watch.

Although the prospect of no new pandas for the indefinite future might alarm fans, there is a promising sign: The zoo has no plans to take down the animals exhibit. And several zoo officials are planning to travel to China in the coming months for in-person negotiations with leaders of the countrys panda program.

The pandas departure may sadden the community, Dixon said, but its a time for celebration. They are going home to their home country. It truly is a celebration of all the work we have done.

The San Diego giant panda program has been very successful by most measures, producing six cubs and developing techniques now used around the world to keep young pandas alive. At the time pandas first came to the zoo in 1996, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species as endangered. Within 20 years, their status had improved to vulnerable.

Two decades ago, the wild population of pandas was estimated to be less than 1,000. As of the latest count in 2014, there were 1,864 pandas living in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Another panda at the zoo, 28-year-old Gao Gao, returned to China in October. Gao Gao and Bai Yun produced five cubs together, including Xiao Liwu. All three will be back together at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Dujiangyan. Dont expect much of a reunion  pandas are very solitary and arent expected to interact.

Pandas are only native to China, so all pandas in American zoos are on loan from the Chinese government. Even those born on American soil are considered property of China. Its unclear from zoo officials what their negotiating strategy will be with the Chinese, or if whatever program comes next will involve breeding.

Young male panda Xiao Liwu was born at the San Diego Zoo. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The species is the rarest of all bears and lives among damp bamboo forests in southwestern China. Most of the decline in numbers has largely been attributed to human encroachment, but pandas are also notoriously difficult to breed. They only mate one to two days a year, and successful pregnancies are rare.

It is unknown exactly when the pandas will leave. Bai Yun and her son Xiao Liwu will travel by plane and be attended to by numerous keepers and veterinarians. Bai Yun is expected to go into a retirement wing of the center, and Xiao Liwu will eventually be put in a breeding situation.

Zoo officials said it was bittersweet to say goodbye to the pandas but that they were proud of everything that was accomplished over 23 years.

The intent was to prevent the extinction of the species. This program can be looked at as one of a handful of programs that have actually prevented the extension of a key species, said Carmi Penny, director of husbandry sciences at the zoo.

Despite tension with the Chinese government and the Trump administration over tariffs, zoo officials say that sort of issue doesnt filter down to those who are working with pandas.

A storied panda history

Giant pandas first took San Diego by storm in 1987 when two of the animals  Basi and Yuan Yuan  stayed for 200 days. The pandas were a sensation, drawing more than 2 million visitors, the zoo said.

A 1987 article in the San Diego Evening Tribune described their arrival as a fanfare usually saved for humans as news reporters, TV cameramen and zoo employees fawned over the pair. The price of a one-day adult ticket at the time was $8.50 and $2.50 for children. Now it is $56 for an adult and $46 for a child (ages 3 to 11).

Pandas did not return again until 1996, when Bai Yun and another panda, Shi Shi, arrived at the zoo from the Wolong Nature Reserve in China. Both were supposed to stay 12 years, although Bai Yun remained 13 years longer. The pandas, in special traveling crates, were loaded onto a moving truck and escorted by the California Highway Patrol to the zoo.

Things were rocky at first with Shi Shi, who was not interested in mating with Bai Yun. Bai Yun gave birth to her first panda, Hua Mei, in 1999 by artificial insemination. That panda became the first born in the United States to survive and grow into adulthood.

In 2003, Gao Gao showed up and quickly began a successful pairing with Bai Yun. A son, Mei Sheng, was born in 2003. Four other cubs followed: Su Lin in 2005, Zhen Zhen in 2007, Yun Zi in 2009 and the last, Xiao Liwu, in 2012.

Under the agreement with the Chinese government, most young pandas born in other countries are supposed to go back to China when they are around 3 years old. Xiao Liwu, though, has now stayed longer than expected, as has Bai Yun, who was allowed to remain because of how much success she had in breeding.

Xiao Liwu, shown at 7 months, tries to get mom Bai Yun to play in 2013. (Peggy Peattie / Peggy Peattie)

Bob Wiese, chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo, said several of the six cubs had gone on to have children of their own, building on a lineage originating in San Diego.

At the time the pandas were brought to the United States in 1996, the survival rate for cubs was 10% to 20%, Wiese said. Now, there is a 95% likelihood they will survive, he said, and part of that is because of work done at American zoos. One of those advances came from a San Diego Zoo nutritionist who developed a milk formula for cubs that is now in widespread use.

The formula is especially useful if the mother panda is not giving her cub enough milk. The milk that panda newborns need to survive is much more nutrient-dense than that of many species and is crucial for survival, making neglect by the mother potentially disastrous.

Xiao Liwu, star attraction

More than 100 people waited in line Friday to see Xiao Liwu on a cool 64-degree day. The line slowly snaked through the exhibit until the end, where adults and children crowded around the 6-year-old pandas enclosure.

Xiao Liwu climbed around the tree-fort-style area and plopped down in one of his favorite spots to sit. A ray of sunshine illuminated the top of his head as he leaned back with a bamboo stalk. He put the stalk in his mouth and peeled off outer layers to begin his meal.

Visitors were squeezing against each other to see the panda, although he didnt seem to notice.

Hes right there, yelled 6-year-old Brooklyn Putich, of Chino, as she finally got her first glimpse of the panda and climbed on the railing for a better look.

Families of young children made up much of the crowd, leading to the occasional baby-stroller traffic jam. Stephanie Toscano, of Tucson, Ariz., said she was in town for a wedding and decided to take her 4-year-old daughter, Adynn, to the zoo.

Shes waited all day for this, Toscano said. She wouldnt stop talking about it.

Zoo officials said none of the staff that worked with the pandas would be laid off but would work with other animals. Still, it may be tough for those employees to say goodbye, especially to Bai Yun, the 23-year resident.

She was the perfect panda, said Penny, the husbandry director. She was behaviorally stable, very intelligent, very inquisitive, not aggressive. Just a nice, good animal.

Bai Yun was not on display for much of Friday, but no one seemed to notice with Xiao Liwu content to put on a show. He got up from his sitting spot, climbed across logs in the enclosure, grabbed another bamboo stalk, leaned back and started to chew again. Each movement was captured by dozens of smartphones.

Molnar and Bradley J. Fikes, who contributed to this report, work for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com
On Monday morning, attorney Michael Avenatti surfaced on Twitter promising to uncover a blockbuster scandal involving Nike and some of the biggest names in college basketball.

Less than an hour later, federal prosecutors in New York announced that Avenatti was under arrest for allegedly trying to extort millions from the sports-gear giant  part of a web of criminal charges that, if proven, could send the 48-year-old lawyer to prison for decades.

Even as events in Manhattan were unfolding, Avenatti was accused in Santa Ana of embezzling from a clients $1.6-million legal settlement to cover personal expenses and buttress his troubled coffee business, a sideline that operated Tullys outlets in California and Washington state.

Avenatti also stands accused of bank fraud in the California case. Prosecutors say he gave a Mississippi bank fictitious personal tax returns to secure more than $4 million in business loans. The high-profile attorney has been in financial peril for some time. A former law partner won a $4.85-million personal judgment against him last year after Avenattis firm failed to pay a debt.

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Together, the legal travails and Avenattis sudden arrest marked a precipitous fall for the flamboyant legal counsel, who gained celebrity representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels in a hush-money case stemming from her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Donald Trump.

Tmrw at 11 am ET, we will be holding a press conference to disclose a major high school/college basketball scandal perpetrated by @Nike that we have uncovered. This criminal conduct reaches the highest levels of Nike and involves some of the biggest names in college basketball.  Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) March 25, 2019

Avenatti used the media exposure to secure clients in high-profile cases tied to Brett M. Kavanaughs Supreme Court confirmation hearings, President Trumps separation of immigrant families on the U.S.-Mexico border and the sexual abuse charges against singer R. Kelly  even as he fought a raft of litigation accusing him of financial misdeeds.

It was just a few months ago that Avenatti was campaigning across the country  having transformed himself into a combative fixture on cable TV  nurturing a dream, however far-fetched, of winning the 2020 Democratic nomination and replacing Trump in the White House.

If convicted of all charges, Avenatti could face up to 97 years in prison. He was released Monday on $300,000 bond.

Speaking to reporters as he left the Manhattan courthouse, Avenatti denied wrongdoing. I am highly confident that when all of the evidence is laid bare in connection with these cases... that I will be fully exonerated and justice will be done, he said.

During a Los Angeles news conference, U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna contrasted Avenattis actions with his self-depiction on Twitter: Attorney, Advocate, Fighter for Good.

The allegations in this case describe something different, Hanna said. A corrupt lawyer who instead fights for his own selfish interests by misappropriating close to $1 million that rightfully belonged to one of his clients.

Here are key takeaways from the criminal complaints against Michael Avenatti 

Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, offered his own scathing assessment. A suit and tie does not mask the fact that, at its core, this was an old-fashioned shakedown, Berman told reporters.

Court documents in New York referred to an un-indicted co-conspirator in the Nike case, and a source familiar with the investigation identified him as Mark Geragos, a Los Angeles attorney who has represented a stable of celebrity clients. Geragos lawyer Benjamin Brafman said he hoped prosecutors will conclude that Mr. Geragos did not violate the law in any manner.

Daniels, who is no longer represented by Avenatti, said she was saddened but not shocked by his arrest. I made the decision more than a month ago to terminate Michaels services after discovering he had dealt with me extremely dishonestly, and there will be more announcements to come, Daniels said in a tweet.

Stormy Daniels said she was not surprised by the arrest of Michael Avenatti, her former attorney. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / AFP/Getty Images)

Avenattis foes gleefully took to social media to savor his downfall. The presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., seized on the MAGA acronym  Make America Great Again  and gave it a sarcastic and topical twist: Michael Avenatti Getting Arrested!!!

It soon became a rallying cry of pro-Trump forces.

Trump meets his match: Stormy Daniels combative lawyer Michael Avenatti 

Avenatti was accused of attempting to extract more than $20 million from Nike. He allegedly threatened to hold a news conference if Nike didnt pay his client, an Amateur Athletic Union coach in California who alleged the company was paying families of high school basketball prospects, and hire Avenatti for an internal investigation.

The coach is Gary Franklin Sr. of the California Supreme, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition they not be identified. The program has developed a national reputation for producing top-flight players, including Deandre Ayton, last years No. 1 NBA draft pick.

After Avenatti and Nikes attorneys met on March 19, federal investigators launched a sting operation and began monitoring all contacts between the lawyer and the sports company, Berman said. They recorded a call on Friday, during which Avenatti allegedly threatened to take $10 billion off Nikes market capitalization by holding a news conference if his demands were not met.

You guys know enough now to know youve got a serious problem, Avenatti said, according to prosecutors.

Avenattis arrest came hours after what Berman termed a final meeting with Nike. During the encounter, Berman said, Avenatti made it clear to Nikes representatives that the company must cede to [his] demands or suffer the consequences.

The events Monday capped months of legal and personal drama for the once-obscure plaintiffs attorney.

Avenatti was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence on Nov. 14 after a former girlfriend lodged a complaint in Los Angeles. The city attorneys office decided to settle the matter through an informal hearing.

Earlier this month, his law firm, Eagan Avenatti, filed for federal bankruptcy, marking the second time in two years it sought court protection from creditors. The petition, swiftly rejected by a judge, came three weeks after a former lawyer at the firm filed papers accusing Avenatti of hiding millions of dollars from the court that oversaw its previous bankruptcy.

He has since abandoned his White House dreams. In December, after other more credible candidates began ramping up efforts, Avenatti issued a statement taking himself out of the running for president. He cited family obligations.

Times staff writers Nathan Fenno, Melanie Mason and Richard Winton contributed to this report.
The 2020 election was already shaping up as another rough one for San Diego County Republicans. That special counsel Robert Muellers investigation didnt find any collusion between President Donald Trump and the Russian government in the 2016 election doesnt change that.

At best, it may have kept a bad situation for the local GOP from getting worse.

President Donald Trump had outsized influence on San Diegos local campaigns last year, and not just in the 49th Congressional District, which had been a reliably GOP bastion in northern San Diego and southern Orange counties until Democrats flipped it with the election of Mike Levin.

Trump played an effective foil for Democrats in various county supervisor and city council races, to the detriment of Republicans. Never mind that those offices are officially non-partisan. A president having such an impact on local races like that is rare.

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Certainly, Republican candidates will be relieved they wont have to talk about the president being in collusion with the Russians. But while the Mueller probe hovered over the 2018 campaign, San Diego Democratic voters were more fired up by Trumps policies on health care, immigration and taxes  and their visceral dislike of the president.

But keep in mind that San Diego Countys political demographics for years have been trending Democratic (which includes Democratic-leaning independents). What happened last year was probably inevitable, eventually. The Trump effect basically just sped it up.

Those dynamics remain and may be even stronger in 2020. The demographic trend isnt going to reverse anytime soon and presidential elections tend to boost Democratic turnout. The full Mueller report may provided Democrats with more fodder, assuming it becomes public. Theres a lingering question about obstruction of justice. But even if it fades as an issue, as is likely, Trump again will loom large over next years elections at all levels and thats a problem for San Diego Republicans.

He was a big issue in a handful of local races last year and he wasnt even on the ballot, as he will be in 2020.

GOP candidates will still face the predicament of being pressed about whether they support Trumps policies. Aligning with the president will make it harder for them to attract moderate voters, whether Republicans, independents and even some Democrats. Not backing him could alienate the GOP base. In most San Diego swing-district elections, Republicans cant win by simply relying on the base.

Trump claimed the Mueller report vindicates him and, whether or not that ultimately turns out to be the case, it could fire up his base. Like the president, many of his core supporters believe he has been falsely persecuted by deep state bureaucrats and Democrats.

Further, with Trump up for re-election, Republicans could see a boost in turnout. The 2018 Democratic Blue Wave certainly surged thorough California, but depressed GOP turnout aided Democrats in some of the congressional districts they flipped.

The down side for Republicans is, with no real GOP presidential primary in California  and a highly contested one on the Democratic side  that sets up the potential for a lopsided turnout in March. That could be significant because under Californias primary system the top two vote-getters advance to November, regardless of party affiliation. Its rare, but that could allow two members of the same party to face off in the fall. Whether the turnout advantage is enough for Democrats to win both slots in some races is hardly certain.

While the dynamics favor Democrats regardless of the Mueller report, there are variables and unknowns that could cause them problems. The Democratic presidential nominee could turnout to be a weak candidate. The partys liberal-moderate split could distract them from focusing on Republicans, though past predictions that such infighting will doom a partys election prospects often have been overblown.

Also, a Democratic push to impeach Trump could be risky; so would a potential overreach by congressional investigations of Trump. That could allow Republican candidates to criticize Democrats for hurting the country, without having to issue a strong defense of Trump.

Lets not forget that Trump has done and said things that some experts had concluded would finally do him in politically, but they havent. He has show considerable resiliency, though his Teflon-like quality hasnt rubbed off on the Republican Party.

Republicans in California and San Diego are on the downswing, particularly after last years election blowout. Dont expect their candidates to be wearing Trumps Make America Great Again hats.

michael.smolens@sduniontribune.com

Twitter:@michaelsmolens

(619) 293-1256
It has been about half a year since the Sweetwater Union High School District said it learned it had a significant budget problem.

District officials said they learned in the fall that they had overestimated district spending by millions of dollars, and they rushed to make budget cuts to correct it. In December, a state fiscal agency called FCMAT announced that the district has long misrepresented its finances and appeared to have manipulated its financial statements, prompting an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Since then, the district says it has taken steps to improve its financial controls and fix its budget. Recently, Sweetwater Chief Financial Officer Jenny Salkeld reported that the district has reduced its budget shortfall for next school year from $42.4 million to $22.5 million, thanks to an early retirement incentive program the district implemented last year.

In her first sit-down interview with a Union-Tribune reporter, Sweetwater Superintendent Karen Janney  who was a district administrator and principal before becoming superintendent in 2015  and Sweetwater spokesman Manny Rubio explained why the district has approached the budget crisis the way it has and what the district thinks might be missing from the conversation about Sweetwater.

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This interview has been edited for length.

Union-Tribune: Whats been going through your minds as all this has been unfolding from the fall to now?

Karen Janney: Just because we find ourselves in a situation like this doesnt mean we have all the answers. And so our belief system is really focused around some values of collaboration. So from the very beginning weve said, Okay, were going to be in this situation. We dont know what it looks like yet, but were going to need everyones help to brainstorm some solutions. And so, yeah, its been that, but thats why its been not always visible. There are days where we feel like, Okay; we got this and then something new happens, or revenues change, or outlooks change, or projections change, enrollment changes, and then its like,Okay, lets regroup. How do we deal with that?

U-T: Why is it so important for the district to make sure they work closely with labor partners in particular?

Manny Rubio: When you look at what happened in Los Angeles, or you look at what happened in Oakland, and whats potentially happening in Sacramento and across different districts in California they read a lot like the stories of whats happened for us. You read about the declining enrollment, the increased costs for special ed, the increased costs of pension liability. Then theyre trying to bargain with their employee groups and theyre at an impasse or theyre having conflict. And I think for us. That was a big important piece. If we could at least take that part out of it because of the collaboration, then we could deal with the other stuff on its own.

U-T: When this started coming out in September, did it surprise you or shock you?

Janney: Yes, absolutely.

U-T: And you didnt have any idea or inkling that something was wrong about the finances before?

Janney: We were already experiencing some decline in enrollment and some other reduction in revenue around average daily attendance and unduplicated percentages. But yeah, that was the end of August when we found out there might be some issues with the unaudited actuals. Yes, that was a surprise.

U-T: I think some people are wondering how some of the things that were in the FCMAT report couldve happened in the finance department. What would you say to those people who wonder how that couldve happened, when thats under your staff and under your direction?

Janney: So theres gonna be an AB 139 review, an extraordinary audit. So well probably find out more information about that. As a superintendent, I cant know every single day-to-day thing that happens. Were gonna find out more information and learn from it and make adjustments where we need to. Weve already started making some of those adjustments just because of the report thats already come out. I mean, everybodys learning through this process. Its very true that our current financial system, the TrueCourse, is very very old and could not, you know, does not share as much information as we need to make the best decisions. So were working on that too. Dr. Salkelds office is really doing a lot of things all kinds of things to make sure that we dont fall back into the same kinds of practices or behaviors that were there before.

U-T: Im sure youve been reading the coverage about Sweetwater since this started happening. Do you think were missing anything?

Janney: I think that your articles have been pretty fair, you know, pretty fair. We think the story, the untold story, of Sweetwater is really more about what Manny is talking about. In spite of, you know, the huge deficits that we had mentioned  that was in the first interim report, they have now been cut in half because of the solutions we put in place (which) has been a result of the relationship between and among the employees in the district. So the other part of this is that, 80 to 90 percent of our budgets are people. Were not gonna create any solutions that dont involve people. But its been from the very beginning our intent to, you know, keep it as far away from the students and the classroom as possible.

And when you talk with the kids they want to know, are we still going to be able to do the things we do at school? Are classes going to be eliminated? And we try to explain that these are all built on students requests, and if there are enough kids who sign up for a class and theres a teacher who can teach it, then the school tries to offer it.

Previously

Kristen Taketa

Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @Kristen_Taketa
San Diegans will likely be asked in coming years to pay for a costly yet world-class public transit system  complete with a San Diego Grand Central, new rail lines and commute times that rival driving.

To fund the ambitious vision, officials are now gearing up to ask the regions historically tax-averse electorate to approve not one but two new tax hikes, the first of which could be before voters as soon as November 2020.

For months, leaders at the countys premiere transportation and planning agency, the San Diego Association of Governments, have sketched out the need for tens of billions of dollars in public funding to overhaul of the regions transit system.

Now officials with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System announced this week theyre also serious about pursuing a tax increase to pay for bus and rail upgrades.

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Political and transportation experts have said the move could be risky, potentially confusing voters and stretching thin their patience for new taxes.

Theres only so many sales-tax measures that voters are going to support, said Ethan Elkind, a transportation and land-use researcher at UC Berkeleys Center for Law, Energy and the Environment. I think thats a legitimate concern if you have these dueling measures. Its going to be hard to go back to voters for a second bite at the apple.

Still, if voters believe that in the end officials can deliver a transit system worth riding, they could be convinced to fork over the money, said Thad Kousser, chair of the political science department of UC San Diego.

What voters care about is the value proposition, he said. If you can sell them on this being a good investment, it doesnt matter how big that investment is.

Its making people who dont think of themselves as transit riders now, envision themselves as riding, he added.

Asking voters to approve multiple ballot measures, each requiring the onerous two-thirds voter approval, does not appear to be a coordinated tactic among the two transportation agencies.

MTS board chair Georgette Gomez announced on Wednesday the organizations strong interest in placing a half-cent sales tax increase before voters in the upcoming presidential election.

Gomez  who also sits on the SANDAG board  dismissed the idea that a second measure was even on the table.

At the moment, I dont know that SANDAG has been exploring a measure, but I do know that MTS is, she told the Union-Tribune. I, we are working very closely with SANDAG. If they are to explore a measure  I dont think this is competing to that, but thats if they ever go back to the ballot, to the voters, in the future.

However, over the last three months, SANDAGs recently hired top official, Hasan Ikhrata, has been leading the charge to radically modernize the regions transit system  making no bones about his intent to go to the voters for public funding.

Its going to need more than half a cent of sales tax, he recently said in an interview. Its going to be expensive.

Ikhrata, whos been rumored to be privately concerned about putting two measures before voters, has publicly expressed support for MTSs efforts to raise money.

I hope theyre successful, and Im going to support and coordinate with them, he said. If this is a down payment thats OK.

Ikhrata  a widely lauded transportation expert who left his position as the head of the Southern California Association of Governments in December to lead SANDAG  has repeatedly said his goal is to develop a public transit system thats at least as fast as driving.

His ambition has seemingly emboldened other transportation officials.

If you really want to make transit work better, theres really two key ingredients, make it goes faster, make it go more frequently, MTS CEO Paul Jablonski said at a press event Wednesday, aimed at boosting enthusiasm for his agencys envisioned new tax.

To make transit competitive with driving, Ikhrata has floated everything from exploring a futuristic hyper-loop system to constructing an underground trolley line from San Ysidro to Kearny Mesa to building a Grand Central station that would connect regional transit riders to the San Diego International Airport.

All this is necessary, hes argued, not only to boost the economy and draw new talent to the area but to meet state mandates for limiting greenhouse gases from cars and trucks.

His rhetoric has been everything the regions environmental and transit advocates have been yearning to hear for decades  including ideas many had been loudly touting at SANDAGs 21-member board of elected officials.

I will credit Hasan in being relentless in his public outreach in conveying a big vision, said Nicole Capretz, executive director of the San Diego-based Climate Action Campaign.

One of those public transit advocates has been Gomez, who before being elected to the City Council in 2016 worked for more than a decade with the Environmental Health Coalition, representing low-income neighborhoods of color suffering from toxic air pollution.

SANDAG is expected to release an initial blueprint for modernizing the regions transportation system by the end of the year.

At the same time, Gomez said MTS will be embarking on a months-long public outreach campaign to better understand what projects voters desire and would likely fund.

Were going to be very intentional on how were going to be gathering information and very transparent, she said at Wednesdays media event. Were going to be inclusive, transparent and we are going to be making sure that we are held accountable to our riders 

Her comments come less than two years after SANDAGs previous executive director, Gary Gallegos, resigned amid scandal. After a 2016 tax increase put forth by the agency failed at the ballot, it was revealed Gallegos had promised voters a long list of highway and transit project the half-cent levy likely wouldnt have fully covered.

Both agencies would like to distance themselves from SANDAGs former incarnation, which had made enemies on all sides of the political spectrum.

While MTS has a relatively clean record, its efforts to raise money for an all-transit ballot measure will likely be an uphill battle. Most successful transportation tax measures include a wide variety of projects, from rail and bus expansions to highway and road improvements.

Voters serviced by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority have approved four half-cent sales tax measures since 1980, all of which included some funding for highway infrastructure.

Transit-only measures face a much more demanding hurdle than measures that include things for multiple interest groups, said Martin Wachs, a distinguished professor emeritus at UCLAs Department of Urban Planning, who has studied transportation systems and policies around the world.

Wachs also said that putting two tax increases before voters could jeopardize the success of both.

Its pretty clear that voters need to have a relatively straight forward understanding of what is happening, and they will vote no if they dont understand what the measure is or they think another measure is coming soon, he said. So a single measure will stand a much greater chance of passage.

MTS officials said this week that recent polling found 67 percent of voters would definitely or probably vote for a half-cent sales tax to fund an expansion of the existing transit network. The agency wouldnt release the full survey results, citing an exemption under the California Public Records Act.

Such a razor-thin margin raises questions about to what extent organized groups will attempt to kill the tax increase.

Yeah, there will be funded opposition, said Tony Krvaric, chairman of The Republican Party of San Diego County. I think peoples appetite for taxes is over. We just had a gas tax. Its completely absurd.

Haney Hong, president and CEO of the San Diego Taxpayer Association, struck a more measured tone.

Expanding public transit in our region is important, but the devils in the details. We look forward to seeing what MTS puts together for a ballot measure and then giving it a good scrub to see if it uses taxpayer dollars well, and is able to deliver what it promises.

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which opposed SANDAGs 2016 tax increase, declined to comment for this story.

The first measure to the ballot has the best chances of passing, but that does mean it will raise enough money to truly overhaul the transit system, said Carl Luna, a political science professor at San Diego Mesa College.

It would be nice and smart and more effective if SANDAG and MTS would have come together to develop a unified, complementary plan, Luna said.

Summers coming, he added. Maybe we can lock the leadership in a room, turn off the air conditioning and keep them in there until they come up with a comprehensive regional transportation plan. Ill pop for a round of iced lattes to reward them all if they reached a deal.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
On Wednesday, County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher will ask his colleagues to kill current plans to build condominiums on an out-of-the-way piece of government property in Hillcrest and instead build a new structure that could house much-needed behavioral health services.

Located on Third Avenue on a spit of land that forms the jagged edge of the bluff that overlooks Mission Valley, the dilapidated property has been vacant for a decade but once housed abused and neglected children taken from their homes by the county.

The property is next door to a recently-rebuilt emergency services unit set up to screen youth coping with behavioral health problems and is one of several parcels along the narrow road that runs along a ridgeline that ends at the former property of San Diego Hospice.

To the east and west, canyons plunge to the floor of the valley, isolating the acreage from much of the surrounding neighborhood and providing views west across Mission Bay to the Pacific Ocean and east across Highway 163 to University Heights.

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The view makes the countys current plan to lease the ground to a developer for a condo project seem like the most lucrative option. But Fletcher, whose district includes most of the City of San Diego, makes the case that housing is not the best use of land situated within walking distance of UC San Diego Medical Center and Scripps Mercy Hospital, facilities that struggle to keep up with patient demand for psychiatric services.

Fletcher noted that the redevelopment plan for the property currently does not call for affordable housing and argues that it should serve a public purpose.

Its a public asset, and I believe the biggest public policy challenge we face in San Diego is not a shortage of luxury condos; its a shortage of mental health treatment facilities, Fletcher said.

At Wednesdays regularly scheduled supervisors meeting, Fletcher will ask for a vote to discard the current request for private development proposals and instead direct staff to conduct a feasibility study that would examine the viability of various behavioral health uses including short-term crisis stabilization, inpatient treatment, rehabilitation and outpatient services.

Taking this step, he said, would show many that the county is doing more than paying lip service to the current need for more robust psychiatric services.

If we can re-purpose this land for this purpose it sends a message that were really serous about tackling this issue, Fletcher said.

The idea got immediate applause from a powerful neighbor. Patricia Maysent, chief executive officer of UC San Diego Health, said Friday that she supports the proposed change in direction.

I think the location is brilliant, Maysent said. If we could potentially put behavioral health services there, it would be fantastic because its contiguous to our campus in Hillcrest, and its close to Mercy. Because of the way that land is situated, its kind of its own little space.

In an email, board chair Dianne Jacob said the idea fits with the countys broader efforts to radically transform and strengthen the delivery of behavioral health services across the entire region.

I look forward to the feasibility study at this location. A hub would be an important step in making sure those with mental health challenges and related issues get the coordinated care they so badly need, Jacob said.

The county currently operates a behavioral health screening facility for children on an adjacent property. Its unclear whether the residents living in a large apartment complex to the west have any objections to Fletchers proposed switch to behavioral health. Likewise, redevelopment is also planned for the San Diego Hospice property closer to the edge of the bluff.

The hearing will take place during the supervisors meeting at 1600 Pacific Highway Wednesday at 9 a.m.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

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Twitter: @paulsisson
British Prime Minister Theresa May was under pressure on Monday to give a date for leaving office as the price to bring Brexit-supporting rebel lawmakers in her party behind her twice-defeated European Union divorce treaty.

At one of the most important junctures for the country in at least a generation, British politics was at fever pitch and, nearly three years since the 2016 referendum, it was still unclear how, when or if Brexit will ever take place.

With May humiliated and weakened, ministers lined up to insist she was still in charge and to deny a reported plot to demand she name a date to leave office at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Rupert Murdoch's The Sun newspaper said in a front page editorial that May must announce she will stand down as soon as her Brexit deal is approved and the United Kingdom has left the EU.

"Time's up, Theresa," the newspaper said on its front page. The newspaper said her one chance of getting the deal approved by parliament was to name a date for her departure.

May called rebel lawmakers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker to her Chequers residence on Sunday, Downing Street said, along with ministers David Lidington and Michael Gove.

The two ministers denied reports they were being lined up as a possible caretaker prime minister.

"The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a meaningful vote (for her deal) this week," a spokesman said.

May was told by Brexiteers at the meeting that she must set out a timetable to leave office if she wants to get her deal ratified, Buzzfeed reporter Alex Wickham said on Twitter.

The Sun's political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, said some ministers were urging May to pivot to a no-deal Brexit as the only way to survive in power.

Mays deal was defeated by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15.

To get it passed, she must win over at least 75 MPs: dozens of rebels in her Conservative Party, some Labour MPs, and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government.

The Sunday Times reported 11 unidentified ministers agreed May should stand down, warning she has become a toxic and erratic figure whose judgement has "gone haywire".

Brexit had been due to happen on March 29 before May secured a delay in talks with the EU.

Now a departure date of May 22 will apply if parliament passes May's deal. If she fails, Britain will have until April 12 to offer a new plan or decide to leave without a treaty.

Some lawmakers have asked May to name her departure date as the price for supporting her deal.

Lawmakers are due on Monday to debate the government's next steps on Brexit, including the delayed exit date. They have proposed changes, or amendments, including one which seeks to wrest control of the process from the government in order to hold votes on alternative ways forward.

Amendments are not legally binding, but do exert political pressure on May to change course.

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The path out of homelessness could begin with a single phone call to the right person.

Finding that persons number, however, can be a challenge for someone on the street or in a shelter with few resources, little time for research and possible personal issues.

Thats where the San Francisco-based nonprofit Miracle Messages comes in.

Theres a mix of digital illiteracy and a lack of access to technology, along with these emotional barriers like the shame of being homeless, that leads to this perfect storm that can keep people on the street, said Kevin Adler, founder and CEO of Miracle Messages.

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The small nonprofit has a team of volunteers that includes retired private investigators who know how to find people, often through internet searches that can be as simple as doing searches on Whitepages Premium or Facebook.

Their work has led to about 200 reunions in the past four years, according to the groups website. People write text messages or record short videos directed at whomever they are seeking, and Miracle Messages team members try to track that person down to pass along the greetings.

Adler and a few others from Miracle Messages were in San Diego in late February to attend the National Alliance to End Homeless conference. While in town, he, a videographer and his friend Tim Schwartz went to a neighborhood known to have a large homeless population.

Arriving on the corner of 17th Street and Imperial Avenue on a cold and damp morning Feb. 21, Schwartz immediately turned heads with his suit, a loud black outfit covered in graphics from a Pac-Man game. He celebrates friends birthdays by giving hugs to strangers in public, and Adler was turning 34 this day.

He caught the attention of Rita Chambers, 56, as she walked past pushing a shopping cart filled with her belongings and dog, Eddie. After hearing of Miracle Messages mission, she began to tear up and told Adler she had not seen her three children in years, including a son who had been adopted as an infant.

Can you help me find him? she pleaded.

Later that morning, they met another homeless person who said he was looking for his birth parents. Adler said they are still working on his and Chambers cases, but dealing with adoption agencies can be especially challenging.

They had better luck with Jessica Montiero, who said she had not seen her sister, Sonja, in four years.

This one was pretty easy, Adler said. A couple of things were in place. Its an easy name to look up because its not that common. We had a sense that there was no bad blood between them, just someone moving away.

A few days later, a Facebook search found Sonja in Phoenix. She replied that she would love to see her sister again.

While a Facebook search doesnt seem like the most elaborate detective work, Adler said that sometimes the hectic life of homelessness can be an obstacle to doing what other people may see as simple tasks.

You dont know where youre going to go to the bathroom; you dont know where youre going to sleep, he said. Imagine your house gets flooded or there was an earthquake, and thats every single night. You wouldnt have the wherewithal to go to the library and do detective work.

Adler said he was inspired to create Miracle Messages because of his late Uncle Mark, who had mental health problems and was homeless on and off for 30 years.

After talking with homeless people in San Francisco, Adler realized many experience what he calls relational poverty, meaning they lack a social support network of family and friends.

He began asking homeless people if they had a family member or friend theyd like to reconnect with, and he met a man named Jeffrey who said he hadnt seen his family in 20 years.

He recorded a message, and I got home that night and found a Facebook group connected to his hometown in Pennsylvania, Adler said. He posted the video.

Within an hour, it was shared hundreds of times and made the local news that night, he said. Comments started coming in. Hey, I went to high school with Jeffrey. Im in construction. Does he need a job?

Adler quit his job and focused on creating Miracle Messages.

The nonprofit has partnered with Union Square Business Improvement District in San Francisco and recently began working with the city of Riverside. Adler said the nonprofit is working on a mobile app to create messages that will be uploaded to a database.

Homeless people who are searching for someone are asked to call 1-800-MISS-YOU. Friends and family members who are looking for someone they believe is homeless can fill out an online form at miraclemessages.org/findthem. About 700 people and 150 families are in the database.

The organization also offers free online classes twice a week for people to learn to do digital detective work and homeless outreach. Adler said there are volunteers across the country trying to create reunions through Miracle Messages.

Our mantra is, Everyone is someones somebody, he said.

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gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

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What will the public see, and when will it see it?

Those became the key questions Sunday after Attorney General William Barr released to members of Congress a brief summary of the conclusions of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The answers, based on Barrs letter to lawmakers, are cloudy.

The public will see something, but how much and when is unknown. Barr said in his letter that being mindful of the public interest, his goal and intent is to release as much of the report as he can, consistent with the law.

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That means scrubbing the report of any information that could compromise the secrecy of grand jury proceedings, as well as any material that could affect other ongoing investigations or prosecutions. Mueller has referred several matters to other prosecutors, and those inquiries are still underway.

The attorney general said he has asked Mueller and the Justice Department to begin the process of identifying such material so it can be redacted, but a speedy timetable is unlikely.

The schedule for processing the report depends in part on how quickly the Department can identify the . . . material that by law cannot be made public, Barr wrote.

Mueller interviewed hundreds of witnesses and reviewed thousands of documents, so there is voluminous material to sift through. If Barr decides to release any of the grand jury information, such a disclosure may have to be approved by a judge.

Another factor is a Justice Department policy that directs prosecutors to withhold potentially negative information about people they have investigated but not charged.

Those restrictions mean the report, when its finally released, could include many pages of blacked-out sections - a state of affairs unlikely to satisfy congressional Democrats.

Which raises more questions: How far will Democrats go to get more information, and how long will that take? A subpoena by the House to get the report could well end up in the Supreme Court, with Congress seeking to assert its investigative authority while the Justice Department argues for maintaining the confidentiality of its probes.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a tweet late Sunday that he would call Barr to testify in the near future. He suggested, as he has before, that the committee is prepared to use its subpoena power to obtain the full Mueller report.

Speaking Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Nadler said that while he would try to negotiate with Justice to obtain the report, the committee will certainly issue subpoenas to get it and absolutely take the case to the Supreme Court, if necessary.

Nadler and other Democrats focused over the weekend on the ambiguities in Muellers report, particularly regarding possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Barrs letter to Congress quoted the document as saying that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Nadler tweeted, Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ.

Rarely in the annals of special prosecutors and independent counsels has so much information been summarized in so few words as in Barrs four-page letter Sunday.

The Mueller investigation spanned several continents. It encompassed 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants and about 500 witnesses. It marshaled the combined efforts of 19 lawyers and 40 investigators, including FBI agents, intelligence analysts and forensic accountants.

In a different era, under an independent counsel law that expired 20 years ago, the public and members of Congress could now be poring over hundreds or even thousands of pages of material.

But since Congress let that post-Watergate law lapse, concerned that it gave independent counsels too much power, the Mueller investigation is governed only by regulations established by the Justice Department.

Experts agree that under those regulations, Barr need not voluntarily disclose any more than he already has. But Barr also has the authority to release considerably more if he chooses, subject to redactions to protect grand jury secrets and ongoing investigations.

The Attorney General may determine that public release of a special counsels report would be in the public interest, to the extent that release would comply with applicable legal restrictions, the regulations say.

Nothing in the special counsel regulations - or other Justice Department rules - prohibits Barr from releasing the report to Congress or the public, said Andrew Coan, a law professor at the University of Arizona and author of Prosecuting the President: How Special Prosecutors Hold Presidents Accountable and Protect the Rule of Law.

The grand jury secrecy rules mentioned in Barrs letter to Congress today may require some minor redactions, absent a court order permitting disclosure of grand jury information, Coan said. Otherwise, it is within Barrs power to release the full report. It may also be in the administrations political interest to do so if Barrs characterization of the report is accurate. It is certainly in the public interest.

Congress also has broad constitutional authority of its own to conduct investigations. And by all indications, the House, now under Democratic control, intends to use it to obtain as much of Muellers information as it can.

I think they have a presumptive right to get the reports the executive branch puts out, said William Marshall, a law professor at the University of North Carolina and an expert on executive privilege and congressional investigations.

The basic framework is that Congress has a right to the materials, he said, unless theres an affirmative reason to limit that right, in which case there would be a tug of war.

Where one stands on such questions depends on where one sits. Earlier in the Trump administration, GOP lawmakers demanded, and received, investigative documents related to the Justice Departments investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons email arrangement, among other inquiries.

And in the Obama years, Republicans subpoenaed then-Attorney General Eric Holder for information he refused to provide on a botched operation targeting illegal firearms called Fast and Furious. Holder invoked executive privilege.

Congress, then controlled by Republicans, went to court to enforce a contempt of Congress citation against Holder, making arguments that Democrats may soon find themselves echoing.

The Legislative Branch, the GOP brief said, is vested by the Constitution with the responsibility and authority to oversee Executive Branch agencies - including the (Justice) Department - to ensure, among other things, that unelected officials in charge of those agencies are held fully accountable to the American people.

Participating in an amicus brief, or friend-of-the-court filing, in support of the Republicans, coincidentally, was Jay Sekulow, now one of Trumps lawyers.

Ultimately, Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who has also presided over the Mueller grand jury, ordered Holder to produce the materials - a precedent likely to be cited by Democrats in their pursuit of materials from the Russia probe. But the case ended with a settlement after Holder left office, so it was never adjudicated by higher courts.

It took Republicans six years to enforce their subpoena in that case. The lesson for Democrats may be that the process of forcing the executive branch to turn over documents can take a very long time.
Russia joined President Donald Trump on Monday in claiming vindication with the end of the special counsels investigation. But a new dawn in U.S.-Russia ties still seems far off.

The lack of a finding by special counsel Robert Mueller that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia served as an opportunity for Kremlin allies to renew their claim that Moscow didnt interfere in the 2016 election at all.

Asked on his daily conference call with journalists Monday about the conclusion of Muellers investigation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred to a Chinese philosopher who said, It is hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if it is not there. 

Centuries have passed, but unfortunately there has been no understanding of this on the other side of the ocean, Peskov said.

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Attorney General William Barrs letter to Congress outlining Muellers findings said the special counsel did find that Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 election. But an anchor on Time Will Tell, a daytime political talk show on Russian state TV, summarized the news thus: They didnt find anything. The investigation was useless. Its results proved that it was useless.

For Moscow, the question now is whether the end of the Mueller investigation can breathe new life into Russias trans-Atlantic policy goals. After the 2016 election, Russian officials had hoped that Trumps presidency could herald a chance to lift sanctions on Moscow, engage in new arms control talks and win U.S. support for Russian foreign policy priorities in Ukraine and beyond.

Instead, in Moscows view, those hopes were dashed by a U.S. foreign policy establishment that used allegations of Russian election interference to undermine Trumps plans to improve U.S.-Russia ties.

U.S. sanctions against Russia have only increased in severity since Trump took office, and U.S. policy from Ukraine to Venezuela has continued to confront Russian interests. Mainstream Russian foreign policy experts last year took to predicting that it would take until the conclusion of the Mueller investigation for a new opportunity to emerge to change the relationship with Washington.

That new opportunity may have finally arrived, Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, said in a Facebook post Monday. Russia had to seize the opportunity to deal with Trump, the Russian lawmaker wrote, now that the cloud of collusion allegations no longer loomed over the White House. For starters, Kosachyov said, nuclear arms control should be at the top of the agenda.

The effect of the Mueller report puts all the aces in the Trump teams hands, Kosachyov said. Theres a chance to reset much in our relationship, but the question is whether Trump will risk it.

But Fyodor Lukyanov, a prominent Moscow political analyst, said in an interview that officials needed to keep expectations low. Even though Trump has often paid lip service to the need to improve relations with Russia, Lukyanov said, Trumps actions have shown that the president has little interest in actually doing so.

Im personally afraid that, indeed, there might be some illusions now that something new will happen, said Lukyanov, chairman of Russias Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, a research group. He predicted new efforts by the Kremlin to build ties with Trump and, perhaps, to hold another summit. But from my point of view, Lukyanov went on, its completely hopeless.

What appears certain, however, is that Muellers investigation concluding without a finding of Trump-Russia collusion gives Kremlin allies new grist for criticizing U.S. institutions. Rather than hail Muellers exhaustive investigation as a triumph of American due process, Russian President Vladimir Putins backers echoed the more conspiratorial rhetoric of Trump supporters in the United States. The notion of Russian interference in 2016, they said, was itself fake news.

Colossal effort and, clearly, significant taxpayer resources went into disproving an obvious fake, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. As for Muellers indictments against Russian intelligence officers and others for interfering in the election, the ministry said, the political motivation behind these cases is so obvious that theyre impossible to characterize other than as an embarrassment to the American justice system.

Lawmaker Alexey Pushkov, a foreign affairs specialist in the upper house of parliament, described Muellers findings as exonerating Trump in the face of a virtual conspiracy of U.S. news media and Democrats that was aimed at demonizing Russia.

The agents of conspiracy theory have been discredited, Pushkov posted on Twitter. From now on, only an idiot can believe them.

A post by the pro-Kremlin television network RT on the instant messaging platform Telegram said the Pulitzer Prize won by The New York Times and Washington Post in 2018 for reporting on Russian election interference was a Pulitzer for fake news. Hours earlier, Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, had referred on Twitter to that prize as the "#fakenews awards.

The Washington Posts Natalia Abbakumova in Moscow contributed to this report.

This story was first published in The Washington Post.
Its a small speck of brown moving across a seemingly endless valley of snow. The valley is so silent and so frigid, it feels as if the slightest sound could crack the sky.

Franz Camenzind is unbothered by the cold. He lines up his spotting scope atop a tripod and moves it slowly, left to right. He stops, focuses. A smile creeps beneath his beard.

A trio of coyotes is trotting around the carcass of a dead elk. Ravens flit around, taking nibbles. One coyote dives in and pulls at the meat. The elk around them barely even glance over.

Coyotes are incredible, the biologist says. Theyre smart, cunning and incredibly adaptive. I admire them.

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Biologist Franz Camenzind observes coyotes on an elk preserve outside Jackson, Wyo. (David Montero / Los Angeles Times)

That has scarcely been the main sentiment aimed at coyotes, seen as villains in popular culture and vermin by cattle ranchers and killed in myriad ways.

But things finally may be looking up for the coyote.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is awaiting the arrival of a bill that passed both legislative chambers this month that would eliminate coyote hunting contests  making it the third state after California and Vermont to initiate such a ban. Grisham, a Democrat who took over from Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, has until April 5 to sign it.

This year, bills to ban coyote whacking  killing the animals by running over them with snowmobiles  were introduced for the first time in the legislatures of Wyoming and Montana, hardly coyote-friendly refuges. However, neither bill got to a vote in the legislatures.

And national nonprofit groups mostly focused on wolf repopulation have increasingly been adding coyotes in their call to action releases.

Camilla Fox began the California-based nonprofit Project Coyote a decade ago as a way to stop killing contests and tournaments aimed at a variety of predators, including bobcats, foxes, wolves and the coyote. Camenzind, who has studied coyotes extensively, is on the groups science advisory board.

A coyote in Wyoming. The species has managed to thrive despite years of bounties and killing contests. (Jeff Schultes / EPA-Shutterstock)

Fox said the group has only recently begun seeing small gains for the animals protection as images of coyote hunts and kills are spread on social media platforms. Its been a slow slog to rehabilitate the coyotes image, she admits.

When we first started, we were viewed as fringe and people were asking Why in the heck did you choose the coyote? Fox said. We dont have to justify that anymore. Theyre so persecuted and maligned, more people are becoming aware of how badly theyre being treated.

Mark Twain may have set the coyotes image in stone 147 years ago when he wrote his travelogue Roughing It.

He has a general slinking expression all over, he wrote. The coyote is a living, breathing allegory of Want. He is always hungry. He is always poor, out of luck, and friendless. The meanest creatures despise him, and even the fleas would desert him for a velocipede.

How do coyotes thrive in urban Southern California? The answer is not for the weak-stomached 

There arent solid estimates on overall coyote populations in the United States, but the species has managed to thrive despite years of bounties put on their heads by the government, contests rewarding high-volume kills and human populations that have bled into wild and rural areas of America.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 68,913 coyotes were killed in 2017  down from 76,868 in 2016. From 2010 to 2017, the USDA alone killed 592,328 coyotes.

States are also willing participants in the killing of coyotes. Utah still offers a $50 bounty for a pelt. Most states have no bag limits on the number of coyotes that can be killed. Furs can be sold for as much as $125 apiece. And coyote-killing contests are still plentiful throughout the country.

In one contest, held in southeastern Montana in January, 46 hunting teams killed 48 coyotes  the largest weighing in at 33 pounds, according to the Fallon County Times. Prizes for the contests vary, with some offering as much as $1,000 for a first-place finisher who kills the most during a hunt, which typically go for 24 hours.

It is legal to kill coyotes, with few exceptions, in virtually any way imaginable: They can be gassed, trapped, shot, burned, run over and beaten, provided they arent on private land, on a limited number of preserves or in national parks.

Once mostly found in Western states, coyotes now live and thrive in every state but Hawaii. They also have spread widely into Mexico and Canada. Their stubborn persistence has annoyed ranchers for decades, seeing them as a threat to their livelihood.

Mike Carrico, who runs a cattle ranch near Rawlins in southern Wyoming, takes people on coyote hunts  usually in the spring when newborn calves are at their most vulnerable.

He said a coyotes killing of a single calf can be costly, with the value of that livestock ranging from about $800 to nearly $50,000 if it produces calves for a decade.

That loss will make a rancher sore, he said.

But he said he also believes in the ethical hunting of coyotes, though he conceded that definition may vary from hunter to hunter. He said for about $750, he will take hunters out on about 250 square miles of land, set up stands  where hunters will wait  and then call coyotes with sounds that bring them close before being shot.

This year, he said, coyotes havent been plentiful but can still be found on every square mile of the land. He said he has respect for the coyote who, unlike the wolf, managed to adapt and survive without help from the Endangered Species Act.

Camenzind said coyotes should engender respect as a truly native species to America. Weighing in at 35 to 40 pounds, they are smaller than wolves and can work in a pack or alone. They are resourceful and hardy.

They tend to have an alpha male in a group, and he tends to breed with a single female who will usually deliver a few pups; the other members of the group wont breed.

The biologist said the problem with unlimited hunting of coyotes is alpha males can be killed, leading to other males in a pack who wouldnt have otherwise bred beginning to produce litters. He said the hunting has the opposite effect of population control and that it instead leads to larger numbers of coyotes  sometimes with females breeding eight to 10 pups per litter.

Nature, he said, has its own built-in survival instinct that has helped buoy the coyotes through what predator advocacy groups believe has been a relentless killing of the animals.

Semi-retired cattle rancher John Fandek figures hes killed hundreds of coyotes in his lifetime, but he stopped hunting them several years ago. (David Montero / Los Angeles Times)

Near Pinedale  about 90 minutes from Jackson  rancher John Fandek figures hes killed hundreds of coyotes in his lifetime. He grew up in Wyoming, starting as a ranch hand and settling to run his own cattle ranch more than five decades ago.

Hes 76 and semi-retired now, and he stopped hunting the canids several years ago, deciding instead the land was better served by allowing the coyote to do what its always done: keep rabbit and ground squirrel populations in check while cleaning up the mess of dead elk and deer. He sees a spot for the coyote in the ecosystem and wants to help them out.

Inside his house  with the heads of several bucks mounted on the wall  he speaks plainly about ethical hunting. He hunts only for meat and believes animals deserve dignity and a chance to avoid the crosshairs.

He walks out onto his balcony and looks over his property on the edge of U.S. Forest Service land. He spots tracks in the snow that cross his property and lead into the trees. Its not uncommon to see the animals cross his yard, he said. His dog, Molly, doesnt like them, but he said theyve never bothered her, either.

He mentions the practice shown recently in videos of people running over coyotes, something hes seen happen over several decades. Using snowmobiles to chase them to exhaustion and then running them down, he says, is barbaric.

Thats not hunting, he said. Theyre not working for it. When I see that, it bothers me a lot. Its reprehensible.

The videos have been condemned by a wide swath of people, including Safari Club International, an advocacy group that is generally opposed to restrictive hunting measures.

Its president, Paul Babaz, condemned coyote whacking in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Ethical hunters respect wildlife and are commonly the most ardent conservationists. This respect is codified into legal practices and a deeply held ethical code that coyote whacking directly violates, the statement read.

It added that coyote management is necessary, but under ethical guidelines. Those who refuse to follow such guidelines and resort to abusive and cruel practices such as coyote whacking have no place in the hunting community.

Camenzind knows these are small, incremental steps toward helping the coyote move to at least a thin veneer of protection. Nowhere to go but up when youre at the bottom.

He doesnt understand the vitriol for the coyote, arguing its a uniquely American animal that has many of the traits that are admired around the country.

Weather and disease are bigger threats to livestock than coyotes, he said, but you cant shoot the weather.

Camenzind looks through the spotting scope again. The coyotes are still near the carcass with the ravens. Two of them have moved on and the third is taking a few more scraps. The carcass will be bones by morning. The elk have started to migrate en masse through the snow. It is still quiet as Camenzind packs up the tripod.

Hell be out again to see them, taking pictures and admiring the hardy species from afar and looking out for them  one more ally for Twains friendless creature.

Biology isnt hard, he said. Its the managing of the people thats difficult.

Gray wolf may be stripped of endangered species protection 

david.montero@latimes.com

Twitter: @davemontero
A state appeals court Monday ordered San Diego to financially compensate about 4,000 city employees who dont have pensions because of a 2012 voter-approved measure called Proposition B.

A judge has ruled the measure had been placed on the ballot illegally.

Californias Fourth District Court of Appeal did not invalidate Proposition B, but it ruled that the city or its labor unions must file a lawsuit to start a potentially lengthy legal process that would lead to the ballot measure being invalidated.

Proposition B made San Diego the only California city to discontinue traditional pensions for all new hires, giving them instead 401(k)-style retirement plans. It does not apply to newly hired police officers.

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The California Supreme Court ruled last year that Proposition B was placed on the ballot illegally and ordered the appeals court to come up with a solution, which was the goal of Mondays ruling.

In a 21-page decision, the appeals court ruled the financial compensation for the 4,000 workers must be the difference between the value of a pension and the value of the 401(k)-style plans, plus 7 percent annual interest.

Estimates of the citys costs have ranged from $20 million to $100 million based on a variety of factors, but a precise estimate isnt possible without a comprehensive actuarial analysis.

The City Council approved $100,000 last October for an analysis of the citys potential costs, but it hasnt been completed.

The ruling on compensation is a victory for the four city labor unions who challenged the legality of the citizens initiative. They had sought the compensation remedy chosen by the appeals court, while attorneys for the city had lobbied instead for a lump-sum penalty or fine.

The compensation ordered by the court is called a make whole remedy, because it seeks to give the employees what they would have had if the initiative never took effect.

The appeals courts decision not to immediately invalidate the ballot measure is a victory for the city, which argued in court papers that a separate legal process would be the most appropriate way to determine the fate of Proposition B.

The unions argued that it is inevitable that Proposition B would be invalidated and removed from the San Diego City Charter, so the appeals court should have immediately removed it to expedite the process of settling the case.

In its ruling, the appeals court said a separate legal process for invalidating the measure makes sense, partly because the measure is a citizens initiative that has already taken effect. More than 65 percent of voters approved Proposition B.

The ruling says a separate legal process also will provide opportunities for input by the state attorney general, proponents of Proposition B and city employees not represented by unions but who are affected by the ballot measure.

Union leaders said Monday that the appeals courts decision not to immediately invalidate Proposition B could delay settlement talks with the city, because pensions cant be restored for new workers with Proposition B still on the books.

The big fork in the road is invalidation, because without invalidation you cant put people back into pensions because the language from Proposition B will still be in the city charter, said Michael Zucchet, general manager of the Municipal Employees Association.

The City Council does not have the legal power to remove Proposition B from the charter. That can only be done by a court or by another citizens initiative or ballot measure.

City Attorney Mara Elliott said by email on Monday that she supports moving swiftly.

The city should immediately begin taking all steps necessary to comply with the courts order in a way that is fair to both the public and to city employees, she said. Frank communication between the parties is essential to achieving a fair and full resolution.

Former City Councilman Carl DeMaio, who helped write Proposition B, said Monday that supporters of the measure are exploring all legal options.

Proposition B pension reform is a citizens initiative that is protected under the California constitution, and we continue to assess all of the legal remedies afforded to prevent it from being illegally overturned, DeMaio said in a news release.

The lawsuit filed by the unions said Proposition B was illegal because then-Mayor Jerry Sanders used his power and influence as mayor to champion the measure. The unions said he was required to negotiate with them before pursuing it.

The state labor board agreed with the unions in 2015, ruling in their favor and creating the compensation formula that the appeals court ordered Monday.

The appeals court had overturned the state labor boards ruling in 2017, but the California Supreme Court overturned that ruling last August and reinstated the state labor boards decision.

Attorneys for the city filed an appeal last fall contending that the state ruling violated Sanders free speech rights, but last Monday the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would not intervene in the case.
Faced with a flood of homeless people living in cars near the beach, San Diego officials said Monday they are pursuing a new law that would restore the citys ability to prohibit such behavior.

The proposed vehicle habitation law would replace a previous version that the city stopped enforcing last August when a federal judge declared it too vague to pass legal muster. The City Council repealed the old law in February.

This new proposal comes in response to hundreds of complaints about public urination, trash, drug use and other illegal activity on city streets since the 35-year-old law was repealed.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer said the city will also double its number of safe parking lots, from two to four, so that unsheltered people forced to live in vehicles have someplace to go at night.

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If you are living out of your vehicle because you have nowhere else to go, we want to help you, Faulconer said at a news conference in Mission Bay Park.

At the same time, residents and businesses have a right to clean and safe neighborhoods. We will not allow conduct that takes advantage of San Diegos generosity and destroys the quality of life in our communities.

Faulconer said he plans to unveil the new ordinance, which will be based on vehicle habitation ordinances in other cities, at an April 17 meeting of the City Councils Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee.

The mayor characterized his approach as the right balance between helping people who really need it with the additional safe parking lots, while cracking down on illegal and unsafe activity in neighborhoods.

Faulconer said City Attorney Mara Elliott and her staff have been working on the proposed new law for several weeks.

He said the goal is not to criminalize homeless, but to hold people accountable for behavior that is damaging quality of life in city neighborhoods.

He added that many of those living in cars on San Diego streets, particularly near the citys beaches, are people who travel in their vans from city to city and sleep inside of their vehicles instead of staying in hotels.

There are some people who are not in need of help, or who dont even want to have that help in finding a permanent home, he said. They are instead using our neighborhoods as a vacation spot, or as stopping points as they travel from city to city. This is not safe, this is not healthy and this is not acceptable.

Councilwoman Dr. Jennifer Campbell, whose district includes the citys beach communities, praised the decision to seek a new, enforceable vehicle habitation law.

I applaud the mayors action today, which balances the need to provide more assistance and services to San Diegans living in their vehicles in need of a helping hand with the concerns about health and safety weve heard from our beach communities, Campbell said at the news conference.

She also stressed, however, that the new law and additional safe lots are just one effort toward helping the city cope with homelessness.

Theres much more that still needs to be done to resolve our homeless crisis, but this is a necessary step, Campbell said.

Michael McConnell, a local advocate for the homeless and a frequent critic of Faulconers handling of the issue, said the mayors proposed new law follows a pattern of the city reacting to problems in the absence of a long-term strategy.

We have to start having some long-term strategies on homelessness, instead of this whack-a-mole, Band-Aid type of response, McConnell said in an interview. Theres no focused thinking here. Theres no long-term thinking here.

McConnell said he supports San Diego having an enforceable vehicle habitation law because the city needs to prevent neighborhoods from becoming recreational vehicle parks.

I would support a new vehicle habitation law if the law respects that we have this raging crisis on our streets, he said.

Brian White, president of the Pacific Beach Town Council, said a new law is crucial to restoring quality of life to the citys beach communities.

I havent heard anyone say they dont want to help people who find themselves in a situation where they need to live in their car, White said. But there is also another group called van-lifers, who choose to travel around the country in their van and see beautiful places.

In addition, White said, people have begun to advertise campers parked on city streets near the beach on websites like Airbnb.

Its basically the camper van version of a short-term vacation rental, he said. The listings began popping up shortly after the final repeal.

Police Chief David Nisleit said an enforceable vehicle habitation law would be a crucial tool.

Weve seen our calls related to this type of behavior go up exponentially, he said.

The new ordinance, which would likely take effect in June at the earliest, wouldnt be enforced until police conduct a public education campaign and alert people living in vehicles to the existence of the city safe lots, he said.

It is important our officers have the tools they need to do their job more effectively, Nisleit said. And it is important for those who are living on our streets to have access to resources and the help they need to get back on their feet again.

In August, U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia said the citys previous vehicle habitation law did not indicate specifically what turns a vehicle into a persons home or living quarters, noting that people have gotten tickets under the law for reading a book inside their vehicle.

The injunction ordered by Battaglia came in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of disabled homeless people who prefer to live in vehicles because they dont function well in traditional homeless shelters.


San Diego legal experts, political scientists and elected officials joined a nationwide parade of parsing Sunday, weighing what a long-awaited summary of the Mueller report means.

Amid the shouts of no collusion among Republicans and no exoneration among Democrats, a consensus emerged that issues raised by the special counsels 22-month probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign arent going away.

This just seems like the start of it all, not the end, said Stephen Goggin, a political science lecturer at San Diego State University. I think many people were hoping this was going to bring it all to a close, but it opens up a lot more questions than it answers.

It also doesnt figure to change anybodys mind about President Trump, said Peter Cowhey, dean of the School of Global Politics and Strategy at University of California San Diego.

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The public divide over Trumps conduct wont change dramatically, he said. Prior indictments and an ambivalent finding on obstruction give critics enough to sustain their opposition. No finding of collusion boosts his supporters.

Cowhey said the energy for debate may slowly ebb a bit, especially if Attorney General William Barr releases the full report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Barrs four-page letter to Congress Sunday summarized the reports principal conclusions.

Democrats continued their call for broader transparency.

Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano (U-T file photo)

The American people deserve to see the special counsels full report and the underlying documentation, said Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano. He must release the full report immediately.

But Tony Krvaric, chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County, said its time to move on.

Will Democrats accept the report and engage in a debate about the important issues and challenges facing America, he asked, or double down on what are now ludicrous, disproved allegations that belong on the ash heap of history?

Chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County Tony Krvaric (U-T file photo)

Chuck La Bella, a former U.S. attorney with experience in politically charged investigations  he looked into possible campaign-finance crimes in the 1996 presidential election  said its not up to Barr to release the entire report because there are legal restrictions on the disclosure of grand jury material.

These people saying he has to do it, he has to do it, they should check the law, La Bella said. The law says he cant do it.

La Bella said Barr could petition a judge and argue that a full release is in the publics interest. But judging from the attorney generals letter Sunday, I dont think thats going to happen, La Bella said.

Much of the discussion Sunday by legal experts and politicians centered on the part of the report dealing with obstruction of justice. In his summary, Barr quoted Mueller: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

That left it to the attorney general to determine whether any of Trumps conduct constituted a crime. In his letter, Barr said the evidence developed by Muellers team is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

That left people on both sides of the controversy with something to grab onto, and they did. Everybodys already spinning it the way they want it to be, Goggin said.

It left San Diego journalist Seth Hettena, author of the 2018 book Trump/Russia: A Definitive History, scratching his head.

San Diego journalist Seth Hettena, author of Trump/Russia: A Definitive History (AP)

One thing I cant explain is why Mueller punted on whether there was sufficient evidence on obstruction of justice, he said. Thats why he was there. It was his job to make that determination.

Steven Semeraro, a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and a former federal prosecutor, said he wasnt surprised by Barrs decision on obstruction of justice because of the attorney generals earlier comments endorsing sweeping executive-branch authority.

Nor was he surprised by the reports other key conclusion: That the Trump campaign did not conspire or coordinate with the Russian governments social-media and computer-hacking interference in the 2016 campaign.

There was a lot of smoke suggesting something was happening, but there hasnt been anything to prove there was an agreement between the campaign and Russia, he said.

La Bella said the DOJ makes it clear to its prosecutors  and Mueller was one at one time  that they need proof beyond a reasonable doubt before bringing a case.

There may be an unethical, improper or unseemly relationship, but thats irrelevant to criminal law, La Bella said. Criminal law is very precise. If you dont have proof beyond a reasonable doubt, you dont have a criminal case.

Still, Semeraro said, theres a difference between whats illegal and whats right. He drew a comparison between the Trump campaign, which had multiple contacts with Russians, and Al Gore, who alerted the FBI when he was offered dirt on George W. Bush in 2000.

He asked, Is it a crime not to (contact the FBI)? No. But is it OK? Whether a crime is committed is one question, and whether its OK for America, OK for our democracy, is another.

For former San Diego federal prosecutor Jason Forge, the main question is why Sundays summary letter was released publicly at all.

Former federal prosecutor Jason Forge (U-T file photo)

He called it political grandstanding and said, It conflates what the public is interested in versus whats in the public interest.

He said it would have been better to keep the report confidential  just like every other prosecution memo thats ever been generated in the history of the department of Justice.

Still, he was also struck by something that many people, no matter their feelings about the Mueller reports conclusions, may find impressive, if not comforting: The size of the investigation, which included more than 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants, and interviews with about 500 witnesses.

Thats stunning, Forge said. Thats as comprehensive an investigation as this country has seen.

Staff writers Gary Robbins and Charles Clark contributed to this report.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
A woman was killed after flames consumed a Santee mobile home during a devastating flash fire Sunday night, a fire official said.

Santee Fire Department Battalion Chief Justin Matsushita told San Diego News Video that moments after firefighters arrived at the Mission Del Magnolia mobile home park, the residence was engulfed in flames.

Within seconds, literally seconds, the entire home was on fire, and you saw fire blowing out the front windows, Matsushita said.

A paramedic on his way back from a call was the first to spot a column of smoke coming from the fire off Woodside Avenue just west of state Route 67 about 10:50 p.m. He called the fire department and headed to the blaze. Several nearby residents also reported the fire.

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Fire crews arrived about five minutes later and found fierce flames coming from the home. The fire flashed over soon after.

This is just a reminder of how fast fire can move, how devastating it can be, Matsushita said.

After firefighters doused the flames, they found a woman in a back bedroom. She was not identified.

Although crews were able to save neighboring mobile homes from serious damage, the home that caught fire was destroyed. A damage estimate was not immediately available.

Fire investigators are looking into what caused the fire.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
A 21-year-old man stabbed a teen three times during a fight at a Southcrest park on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The fight erupted at Southcrest Park on Keeler Avenue about 2:15 p.m., police said.

The 19-year-old victim was stabbed three times in the back, fled and called 911, police Officer Sarah Foster said.

He was taken to a hospital with injuries that werent believed to be life-threatening.

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The suspect was still at the park when officers arrived and was arrested, Foster said.

Police did not say what led to the altercation.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
Police shot pepper balls and bean bag bullets at a man who initially refused to get out of a stolen car in the community of Nestor Sunday morning, San Diego police said.

Officers first spotted the blue Saturn on Hollister Street and determined the vehicle had been reported stolen, San Diego police Lt. Christian Sharp told an OnScene TV reporter.

The driver pulled over on nearby Judith Avenue, and started behaving erratically, Sharp said. He appeared to attempt to hide and ignored repeated commands to exit the vehicle with his hands up.

A German shepherd was also in the car.

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Officers eventually shot pepper balls into the vehicle, prompting the man to get out, but when he started walking toward a resident instead of toward officers, they shot him with a bean bag round, Sharp said.

The man was taken to a hospital to be evaluated and is expected to be booked on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle, according to the lieutenant.

The dog did not appear injured.

Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for talks this spring or summer, RIA news agency cited Russian lawmaker Alexander Bashkin as saying on Monday.

The exact date of the trip has not been set yet, Bashkin said.

The United States last week imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, the first such steps since a U.S.-North Korean summit collapsed last month.

The Kremlin confirmed on a conference call that a trip by Kim to Russia was being worked on but said that it was not able to provide further details.

"As soon as there is a concrete agreement on time, place and the form of the meeting, we will present the relevant information," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

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Three months into the Department of Homeland Securitys new program that requires asylum-seeking migrants wait in Mexico until their U.S. immigration hearings, experts said Friday the policy may be encouraging illegal border crossings.

This past week, migrants rushed the border at least four times at Playas de Tijuana, many of them claiming they were motivated by not wanting to wait in Mexico.

A CBP official said Friday migrants who cross the border illegally are not yet being returned to Mexico while they seek asylum.

Instead, they are being processed by CBP and then taken into custody, where they eventually get to wait in the United States, sometimes up to three or four years until their asylum hearings before an American immigration judge.

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Why would I spend three years here in Tijuana when I could be in the United States? asked Jeydi Fuentes Lopez Montes, a 29-year-old mother from Honduras traveling with a 1-year-old baby. I know there is work here in Tijuana, but isnt the work better over there?

Fuentes said she came to Tijuana originally planning to wait in line to ask for asylum, but she said when she learned the list to get an initial appointment with U.S. officials could take several months, she decided to try to find another way into the country.

Legal experts also say a judge is not allowed to deny a persons asylum request based solely on whether they entered the country legally or illegally.

Samuel Rodriguez Guzman from El Salvador arrived in Tijuana last week. He said he came to the beach on Thursday after hearing about more people successfully entering the country illegally, and seeing people get through the border infrastructure at Playas on the news.

Im trying whatever way I can to immigrate to the United States, said Rodriguez. I had problems with the gangs in my country and my father did too. They want to kill us. When we get there to the United States, they have to respect our human rights to ask for asylum, right?

Alan Bersin, the former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection said there is no coordinated system between the Mexican government and the U.S. to accept large numbers of migrants returned to Tijuana.

So far, fewer than 300 people have been returned to Mexico under the program, named the Migrant Protection Protocols.

Its an incompetent program currently, said Bersin, adding that people who cross illegally should be returned to Mexico in the same numbers as those who wait for months in line for their turn to cross legally.

This policy has a chance of succeeding as a deterrent, he said. But (Mexican President Andres Manuel) Lopez-Obrador is trying to avoid a fight with Trump so he says yes to everything but does nothing.

This week and last week migrants have been climbing through holes in border fencing at Playas or climbing over the 15-foot high fence.

Last Wednesday, on March 13, some people slipped through a hole in the border fencing near the beach.

One of the men, who was seen in a Union-Tribune video running down the beach carrying a small child while a border agent chased after him, provided updates via WhatsApp to several people in his group and some witnesses. He said he was not apprehended and made it to Los Angeles.

Last Thursday, a group of about 60 people who crossed included men, women and children who said they were mostly from Honduras. CBP spokesman Ralph DeSio said 52 people from that group were arrested.

Border officials also arrested 23 people from Honduras and one from Guatemala on Tuesday after they scaled the fence near the beach.

Then Thursday, activity at the border intensified as border agents and migrants clashed.

Two migrants and several witnesses said agents shot pepper spray across the fence and into their eyes. During the incident, one man climbed the fence and dropped into the U.S. before he was detained by border agents.

DeSio said CBP is currently averaging 167 arrests per day throughout the San Diego County area of responsibility, which stretches east to past Jacumba.

Every arrest in San Diego Sector is investigated. Every breach in San Diego County is a concern whether its near Imperial Beach or in Jacumba, DeSio said in a written statement. Compromises in our fence are common due to our aging infrastructure. Efforts are made to repair breaches or compromises in a timely manner.

On Friday, another hole big enough for people to climb through was visible at the base of the border fence at Playas, and migrants said they planned to return Saturday and try to climb through again.

Really, were tired of fighting because we just want to cross and ask for asylum inside (the United States.) Were not rude. We are allowed to come here and ask for asylum, said Jose Reinera, a Honduran migrant who climbed up on top of the fence at Las Playas on Thursday.

Reinera turned back and climbed back down on the Mexican side of the border when he realized his wife and kids would not be able to make the climb, he said.
Democrats grappled Monday with special counsel Robert Muellers findings, holding strategy sessions as Republicans gleefully called for them to move on. President Donald Trump accused those responsible for launching Muellers Russia probe of treasonous things against our country and said they certainly will be looked into.

Trump said the release of Muellers full report wouldnt bother me at all as the Democrats clamored for the Justice Department to release the entire document and not just Sundays four-page summary from Attorney General William Barr.

Barrs letter said Mueller did not find that Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election  knocking down arguments from Democrats who have long claimed there was evidence of such collusion.

But Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, according to Barrs summary, instead setting out evidence on both sides of the question and stating that while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Absent a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in and decided there wasnt sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice.

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Rep. David Cicilline, a Democratic member of the House Judiciary Committee, said he is among those not willing to accept the Barr report as a substitute for the special counsels findings. He said the Judiciary panel will make a formal request for Muellers report, with the expectation of a response from the Justice Department in short order. If one isnt provided, he said, the committee will begin a subpoena process.

People expect that this report be produced, Cicilline said. The longer we wait the worse it is for the American people.

Trump, his spokesmen and leading congressional Republicans all claimed total vindication for the president anyway. Questioned by reporters, Trump said he welcomed Muellers results but complained he had been abused by the investigation occurring at all and taking too long.

We can never let this happen to another president again, he said. There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country.

Those people will certainly be looked at. Ive been looking at them for a long time. And Im saying why havent they been looked at. They lied to Congress. Many of them you know who they are.

He didnt name names, but Trump has spent months railing against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimizing his presidency. He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed former Sen. John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI.

The investigation began months before the FBI saw the dossier  and the FBI already had a copy by the time McCain turned it in.

On Monday, ahead of several strategy meetings, Democrats showed they will curtail some focus, at least, from their investigations of Trump and try to keep attention on their policy goals. The House intelligence panel postponed an open hearing with Felix Sater, a Russian-born former business adviser to Trump who helped him negotiate an ultimately unsuccessful deal for a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., arrives at the Capitol to meet with reporters about the report by special counsel Robert Mueller, in Washington on March 25, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, was scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday on health care legislation, Democrats top campaign issue.

Over the weekend, Democrats discussed strategy on the Russia investigation in a flurry of calls. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer talked repeatedly, including several calls Sunday from her home in San Francisco. As soon as Barrs letter arrived, Pelosi quickly convened a call Sunday with the Democratic chairmen of major House committees.

In a joint statement, Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff and Oversight and Reform Committee chairman Elijah Cummings seemed to concede that collusion had not been found, saying they had confidence in Mueller, notwithstanding the very public evidence of Trump campaign contact with and willingness to receive support from Russian agents.

Still, they said, it will be vital for the country and the Congress to evaluate the full body of evidence collected by the special counsel, including all information gathered of a counterintelligence nature.

Monday on Capitol Hill, GOP lawmakers called for Congress to move on. This is done with, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. It is time for the country to move forward.

At the same time, however, Republicans followed Trumps lead in looking into how the investigation began. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham promised to unpack the other side of the story of the Russia investigation.

Graham, who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will probe the actions of the Justice Department. Still, he said the investigation was legitimate and had to happen in order to answer questions about Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The South Carolina Republican also had a warning for Trump using his pardon power to help those who were ensnared by Muellers investigation.

If President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well, Graham said.

Among those whom Mueller charged during the course of his investigation were the presidents former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering.

Sunday evening, before most lawmakers had returned from a break, Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement, The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

Democrats seem more likely to focus on their multiple investigations of the president, calls for transparency and frustrations with Barr rather than engaging in the talk of impeachment that has been amplified on Pelosis left flank. As the release of Muellers report loomed, she recently tried to scuttle that talk by saying shes not for impeachment, for now.

But Muellers report hasnt dissuaded some of Trumps fiercest critics among the new Democratic lawmakers who helped flip the House from Republican control. By the end of the month, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is still planning to introduce her resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to investigate grounds for Trumps impeachment.

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
River Gallo has prosthetic testes he says he never asked for and never wanted. Alice Alvarez says she should have been able to decide for herself before a doctor removed her testicles, which one did when she was an infant.

Both are part of a group supporting a bill in the California Legislature that would ban cosmetic surgeries on children born with atypical genitals until theyre old enough to consent. California would be the first state to enact such a ban.

The legislation has made public an emotional debate that has been simmering for decades in the intersex community. Advocacy groups for intersex people  individuals with varying differences in their reproductive or sexual anatomy  have been fighting to postpone medically unnecessary surgeries that they say do more harm than good.

Surgeries in extreme cases in which the gender of the child is unclear can result in female genitalia being constructed on someone who later identifies as male or vice versa. More common are procedures on deformities, such as an off-center urethra, or reducing an enlarged clitoris. Supporters of the bill say that because the surgeries carry risks, such as a loss of sexual sensation or function, they should be delayed until the patient can consent. The legislation, Senate Bill 201 by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), does not apply to genital surgeries that are medically necessary.

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The hypothesis is that these surgeries enhance the psychological well-being of children by ensuring they have genitals that are normal, said Julie Greenberg, author of the book Intersexuality and the Law. But there is no study that says this does help their psychological well-being, and there are plenty of people who say it caused them harm.

Pediatric urologists who perform the surgeries called SB 201 extraordinary overreach that would strip parents of their ability to make medical decisions for their children. Patients who have the surgeries heal better if they are young, said Dr. Lane Palmer, president of the Societies for Pediatric Urology.

This bill covers a significant number of surgeries we perform regularly and successfully, Palmer said. If we are going abdicate a parents right to make these medical decisions, whats next?

Even within the intersex community, there is no consensus on how old a person should be to consent to surgery, with advocates saying there is a fine line between ensuring a minor is old enough to make the decision without pressure from their parents, doctors or peers and not forcing all kids to wait until after puberty.

The legislation would require doctors to wait until patients can give informed consent, meaning they are mature enough to understand the benefits and potential risks of surgery.

There are conversations on whether there should be a specific age in the bill, and we are open to that conversation, Wiener said. But its not you cant have a surgery until you turn 18.

Pediatric urologists said the exact determination of when a minor can consent relies heavily on a doctors interpretation, prompting concern that doctors would be subject to litigation if a minor later changed his or her mind.

In my opinion, the surgery should be delayed until they are an adult, said Alice Alvarez, a 29-year-old Fontana woman and intersex activist.

Alvarez said she was born with external female genitalia and undescended testicles. As an infant, doctors removed her testes, telling her parents that it would reduce her likelihood of testicular cancer. Alvarez said she did not know about the surgery until she was 12, when, during a physical, she learned she was born without ovaries or a uterus. She said her parents, who did not speak English when she was born, did not understand the specifics of her surgery at the time.

They sent my parents home and said just raise her as a girl and pretend this never happened, Alvarez said. A lot of doctors say they have the best interest of the child in mind, but they arent following the children into adulthood to see how they feel about these surgeries. So, how can they say what they are doing is right?

Alice Alvarez is a 29-year-old community college student and intersex activist. She is a woman who was born with testes that were surgically removed when she was an infant. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Dr. Steve Lerman, chief of the UCLA Division of Pediatric Urology, agrees that there is not enough known about the long-term outcomes of complex genital surgeries. Those surgeries were relatively new procedures in the 1970s and 80s, and now some of those patients have valid complaints about their results, Lerman said.

Lerman said doctors, including himself, need to step up and recognize that such surgeries have previously had questionable outcomes and should be further studied. But, he disagrees with lumping into the bill straightforward cases of hypospadias, a birth defect in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis. He said those more common cases have had good to outstanding results over the past 20 years.

We need to find a way to make things better and that isnt by mandating that we sweep a diagnosis under the rug for 15 to 18 years, he said. That would absolutely be a mistake.

The California Medical Assn., an influential lobbying arm of doctors in the state Capitol, opposes the bill, saying parents and physicians should determine what is in the best interest of a child. Delaying a procedure or treatment for disorders of sex development, or DSD, as the medical community refers to intersex traits, could do more harm physically and emotionally.

We acknowledge that past treatment may not have reflected medical guidelines and standards of care that are currently in place, said Brandon Marchy, a lobbyist for the California Medical Assn., in a letter opposing the bill.

But postponing surgery until the age of consent carries risk just as performing a procedure on an infant does, Marchy said. In the absence of clear data, Marchy said, the decision should fall to parents with the advice of their doctors.

The first hearing on the bill is expected early next month.

We arent guaranteed to pass this bill, but we have a shot, Wiener said.

As the bill moves through the Legislature, it is expected to bring large groups of intersex advocates with personal stories of surgeries they say were unwanted or unsuccessful as well as parent-rights groups that will argue the government should not interfere in the ability of parents to make medical decisions for their children.

This is not a decision made lightly, said Dina Matos, executive director of the CARES Foundation, a support group for families and patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a condition that can result in genital ambiguity and may be recommended for reconstructive surgery during infancy. This is fundamentally a decision that should be left up to the parents. These children have a right to grow up healthy physically and psychologically, and removing surgery as an option for care hurts the child.

Santa Rosa family physician Suegee Tamar-Mattis disagrees, saying that without clear medical data supporting surgery, doctors should wait. Three former U.S. surgeons general wrote a 2017 report saying genital surgeries for cosmetic purposes should be delayed until patients can give consent. A 2017 Human Rights Watch report said parents were largely driven by fear in opting to have the surgery done on their children.

This is the biggest ethical failure in our lifetime, said Tamar-Mattis, who is intersex. Doctors want to see people be normal, and they think normal is the only way to have a happy life. But, there is no real normal, and people can be happy and healthy in life in different bodies.

River Gallo, a 28-year-old filmmaker, said it wasnt until recently that he heard the word intersex after having kept his own medical history a secret for much of his life.

He was born without testicles. At 12, he was put on testosterone, and at 16 he had surgery to give him prosthetic testes.

Gallo said, even at 16, he didnt feel mature enough to consent to the surgery that his parents and doctor said was needed. He said his parents were told that he needed the surgery in order to be a whole man, which, as a nonbinary person who does not identify as strictly male or female, is not the choice he would have made for himself.

Some days it really angers me, said Gallo, who uses male pronouns. It is a reminder of a decision that wasnt mine.

melody.gutierrez@latimes.com

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Two years ago, The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board opposed a bill that would add a maximum 95-cents fee to the monthly bills of all but low-income water customers to help pay for water infrastructure improvements in some 300 communities with about 1 million residents. These residents, clustered in agricultural areas in the Central Valley, have to rely on unsafe water supplies.

This is a very worthy cause. But needed improvements can easily be paid for with the states multibillion-dollar budget surplus or with the billions in approved state water bonds. Imposing a first-ever tax on something as basic as water is a horrible idea.

Now the concept is back in an even less-defensible version. The Associated Press reported last week that Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched a push for a water tax that would exempt low-income users but would set a minimum  not maximum  monthly fee of 95 cents, ranging up to $10 a month. This feels more like a stealth bid to establish a broad new tax to pay for the coming huge growth in local and state pension bills than a principled proposal.

Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, has a better, simpler idea: creating a trust fund to upgrade water systems using money from the state surplus. This deserves quick action  not Newsoms tax grab.

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Attorney General William Barrs four-page summary of special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs 22-month investigation into President Donald Trump and his 2016 campaigns dealings with Russian officials and operatives arrived Sunday like a thunderclap. It did not offer the complete and total exoneration that Trump claimed afterward. Nor, as the president asserted, was the probe an illegal take-down that failed. But the summary said the report rejected the ominous narrative put forth by many Democrats: that Trump and his aides knowingly conspired with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his thuggish government to steal the White House from Democrat Hillary Clinton. Just as the president has so often tweeted, there was no collusion.

It remains an indelible negative on Trumps record that among the seven who pleaded guilty to charges brought by Mueller were Paul Manafort, his campaign chairman; Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser, and Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer. But the collapse of the collusion claim is sure to resonate to Trumps benefit in his re-election bid and perhaps much longer as history judges his early years as a national politician.

On the more complex question of obstruction of justice, Barr noted Mueller specifically neither concluded Trump had committed a crime nor exonerated him. That left Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to make the determination  and they decided Trumps actions (such as firing FBI Director James Comey in 2017) were not obstruction. But as Barr wrote, Mueller noted that it is difficult to mount an obstruction case if the evidence does not establish the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

Trump still faces other serious criminal probes that could lead to indictments over financial misconduct, tax evasion and hidden improper payoffs to two alleged mistresses. But a massive investigation published in October by The New York Times documenting a Trump business empire built on shady, unethical, possibly illegal efforts to siphon profits and avoid taxes was shrugged off by many Americans. His attempts to buy the silence of alleged mistresses at this point are well-known and already baked in to how he is regarded.

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Given this backdrop, it may be time for the focus to shift from Trump to what Democratic leaders and rank-and-file lawmakers hope to accomplish from here on out. The earliest presidential primaries are less than a year away.

If the report comes out and offers no red flags that undercut Barrs summary, high-profile Democrats would be better served to focus on what they would do for the future of the country than on futile talk of impeachment. They risk handing re-election to a president they cant stand if they dont start emphasizing how they want to bring constructive change to America.

If House investigators find wrongdoing by the president, of course they should try to document it and bring it to light. But as matters now stand, its time for the more difficult challenge of explaining to everyday Americans how their lives would be better if a Democrat were in the White House.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

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After dominating headlines for nearly two years, special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and its possible ties to Donald Trumps presidential campaign culminated Friday in a final report.

The Justice Department appointed Mueller, an ex-FBI director, to lead the investigation in May 2017 and since then his probe has resulted in indictments, guilty pleas, convictions and some revelations in the news media but no indication of collusion between Russian operatives and the Trump campaign.

The investigation has, however, expanded to include questions about whether the president of the United States obstructed justice. Its been a winding road for the investigation, so were going to break down some of the key steps along the way. Here are the big developments that led to the release of Muellers report.

2017

Jan. 6: U.S. intelligence officials accuse Russian of influencing the 2016 election

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The Office of Director of National Intelligence said Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government had a clear preference for Trump to win over his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, and that Putin ordered an influence campaign and sought to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process.

March 2: Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from Trump campaign investigations

Sessions recused himself from any existing or future investigations of any matter relating in any way to Trumps campaign, meaning oversight fell to Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general, who appointed the special counsel.

May 9: President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey

The reasons for the firing are the subject of debate. Trump said he terminated Comey on the counsel of Sessions and Rosenstein. Democrats criticized the firing because of the ongoing investigation, but White House officials said the decision had nothing to do with Russia.

May 17: Mueller appointed as special counsel

The Justice Department named Mueller, a former FBI director, as special counsel to take over an investigation that was already underway.

The public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command, Rosenstein said at the time.

June 8: Comey testified against Trump before Congress

In a hearing before the Senates intelligence committee, Comey described an Oval Office meeting where he said that he felt Trump directed him to end the FBI investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Its my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation, Comey said.

Trump denied this the next day in a press conference at the White House.

June 14: Its reported that the investigation expanded to focus on Trump

The Washington Post and The New York Times reported that Muellers team began considering possible obstruction of justice a few days after Comey was fired.

In response, Trump tweets that Americans are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history  led by some very bad and conflicted people.

July 26: FBI agents raided the home of former campaign chairman Paul Manafort

FBI investigators entered the home of Manafort in Alexandria, Virginia, and left with a trove of material, according to The Washington Post.

Oct. 30: First charges filed

Manafort was indicted on charges of money-laundering and conspiracy. A business aide of his, Richard Gates, was also indicted. And it was revealed that George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, had pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russians.

Dec. 1: Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to FBI

Mueller announced a plea deal with Flynn. Flynn lied to FBI agents about his communication with the Russian government.

2018

Feb. 16: Russians indicted in the investigation

Mueller indicted 13 Russians and several Russian companies for using stolen identities and fake social media accounts and events to interfere in the election. The now infamous Internet Research Agency is one of the indicted groups.

Feb. 20: Lawyer linked to Trump campaign pleaded guilty

Alex Van der Zwaan pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about his work for Paul Manafort. On April 3, 2018 the Dutch lawyer became the first person to be sentenced in the Mueller probe. He was deported to the Netherlands after serving 30 days in prison.

Feb. 23: Gates pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Manafort

Gates pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to federal investigators and agreed to testify against his business partner, Manafort.

April 9: Trumps personal lawyer targeted in investigation

FBI agents raided Michael Cohens home, law office and hotel room. It was the first known federal investigation of a presidents lawyer in the modern era, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Sept. 14: Manafort pleaded guilty, agreed to cooperate

Manafort pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy on the eve of jury selection for his trial in Washington and agreed to cooperate with the special council. A judge later ruled that Manafort breached his plea deal by repeatedly lying to investigators. He also was convicted by a Virginia jury on Aug. 21 for tax evasion and bank fraud in a separate federal case unrelated to the Trump campaign.

Nov. 7: Sessions forced out

Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at President Trumps request.Trump tweeted that Sessions would be replaced on an acting basis by Matthew Whitaker.

Nov. 20: Trump submitted answer to questions from Mueller

Muellers team asked Trump to answer questions about any knowledge of Russian interference in the election and the president provided written answers. The answers were reportedly a result of a negotiation with Trumps lawyers that took almost one year. It was a compromise that put the president on the record but allowed him to avoid an in-person interview.

Nov. 29: Trumps personal lawyer pleaded guilty to lying to Congress

Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court in New York to lying to Congress about the extent of the Trump Organizations efforts to build a hotel in Moscow during the 2016 campaign. He was sentenced on Dec. 12 to three years in federal prison, and fined $50,000.

2019

Jan 18: Muellers office makes rare statement disputing press report

In a rare public comment from Muellers team, a Buzzfeed News story that reported Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress was disputed by the office of the special counsel. Buzzfeed responded by standing by its reporting.

Jan. 25: Roger Stone arrested

Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Trump, was arrested at his Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home after an indictment accusing him of lying, obstruction and witness tampering.

Feb. 27: Cohen testified before Congress

Trumps former lawyer, testified before the House Oversight and Reform Committee about his experiences working for the president, before and after the 2016 presidential campaign.

March 13: Manafort sentenced a second time

After being sentenced to four years in prison on one charge on March 8, Manaforts total sentence was increased to seven and a half years five days later.

RELATED: The same day, the Manhattan district attorney filed state criminal charges, including mortgage fraud, that could ensure Manafort remains behind bars even if he is pardoned by Trump.

March 14: House of Representatives unanimously votes to make Mueller report public

The House unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution calling for any completed report that Muellers team sends to the attorney general to be released to the public. In addition, it requested the full report be provided to Congress. The Senate blocked the measure hours later.

March 22: Mueller delivers the report

The special counsel turned in his long-awaited report to Attorney General William Barr.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
Last week, office administrator Maryam Abdullah had to negotiate an obstacle course to reach her desk in the Islamic Center of San Diego.

She edged past roses, carnations and wildflowers piled across counters. Stepped around more bouquets stacked on the floor. Resisted candy and cookies left by non-Muslim visitors. Avoided knocking over greeting cards and a homemade poster, the latter reading You Are Us.

To Abdullah, these gestures sent a message: He didnt succeed.

He was the terrorist who killed 50 Muslims in two New Zealand mosques on March 15. The slaughter of men, women and children at prayer struck a chilling chord around the world, frightening Muslims  and others  who have seen too many mass murders in the name of various warped causes.

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Police reported that the perpetrator of this atrocity had issued a manifesto, urging a white nationalist campaign against immigrants and religious minorities. If his goal was to provoke more outbursts of anti-Muslim violence, he failed.

Spectacularly.

We have had an overwhelming outpouring of love, support, sympathy and solidarity from all walks of life, said Imam Taha Hassane, the Islamic Centers spiritual leader. We are seeing people who have never been in a mosque in their lives walking in with flowers and words of love and support.

That support was especially strong among faith leaders  including local rabbis. They recalled that Hassane and other Muslims had rallied to their side last October, after 11 Jews were murdered in a Pittsburgh synagogue.

This was important to me, Rabbi Michael Berk of Beth Israel said about joining a delegation of rabbis to the Islamic Center the day after the New Zealand atrocity. Just as love and support was shown to our community, we would show that in return.

Imam Taha and other imams are our beloved neighbors, said Rabbi Lauri Coskey, head of Chavurah Kol Haneshamah, a community that gathers for Jewish holy days and life celebrations. We know each other and we show up for each other.

Like a tsunami

While San Diego has always been home to Muslims, Muslims havent always been a visible thread in our civic fabric. That was especially true after 9/11, when many kept a low profile for fear of a backlash from non-Muslims.

I remember the same deep, raw pain that everybody felt, said Ismahan Abdullahi, the Muslim American Societys national deputy director, recalling her reaction to that terrorist attack. But I felt demonized by what seemed like a majority of American citizens. Back then, I felt I could only rely on my own Muslim community and a few allies.

Even before 9/11, foreign politics often prevented better domestic relationships. Tensions between Israel, an ally of the U.S., and Iran, Syria and other Arab nations hindered attempts to build bridges between local Muslims and their Christian and Jewish neighbors.

Hassane, an immigrant from Algeria, arrived at the San Diego center 14 years ago. His early efforts to reach out to the broader community were resisted  by his own congregation.

Why are you having these programs with Jews and Christians? he was asked.

Some Jews and Christians asked the same question. Did Muslims belong in interfaith gatherings?

In the 80s and 90s, if we had an interfaith gathering it didnt include Muslims, Rabbi Berk said. There was the National Conference of Christians and Jews  now they call themselves the National Conference, but interfaith initially was just Christians and Jews.

Hassane persisted. Few were surprised when the imam joined other clerics in protesting the U.S. occupation of Iraq, but Hassanes concerns extended beyond the Middle East. He insisted on addressing a larger audience, beyond the walls of his mosque.

Imam Taha has spoken at my church and churches all across San Diego, said the Rev. Beth Johnson, pastor of the Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Vista.

There is such a strong connection with the Muslim community and that is very much due to the outreach and ongoing presence of Imam Taha Hassane.

When local spiritual leaders marched for immigration reform or better working conditions, Hassane would be in the front ranks. He condemned terrorism, no matter the ethnic or religious identity of the attacker or the victims.

He is a criminal and should be taken to justice, Hassane said, citing the self-professed Muslim mastermind of the 2015 San Bernardino massacre. Thats it.

Then came last Oct. 27. When a gunman slaughtered 11 Jews inside Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue, social media spread the news  and the sense of shock and fear  within minutes.

When Pittsburgh happened, Rabbi Berk said, it sort of swept over the Jewish community like a tsunami. One of the first personal outreaches we had was from Imam Taha. His love and support was so important.

A few days later, Beth Israel held a vigil. It was attended by thousands of people, representing numerous backgrounds and religions.

The most moving thing was when all the faith leaders were asked to come to the pulpit, Berk said. There were 40  I was just overwhelmed. And, of course, among them was Imam Taha.

I had to go, Hassane said. This is what my faith tells me. If my neighbor is in pain, I am in pain.

This month, clerics and lay people from all religions  and non-religions; local atheists were also present  flocked to the Islamic Center, expressing solidarity and concern. For Hassane and his flock, it was a watershed moment.

The same ones who were asking why we were having programs with Jews and Christians, the imam said, those same people now see the importance of this interfaith work.

Sad ties that bind

Religious scholars teach that Muslims, Jews and Christians belong to the same spiritual family, worshipers of one almighty God whose respective faiths share many tenets. Despite stereotypes of deep hostility between Muslims and Jews, polls show that they look on each other with a great deal of admiration.

In 2018, the Pew Research Center surveyed Muslims in several countries, asking if they had an unfavorable view of Jews. In the U.S., only 7 percent answered yes.

This year, the Michigan-based Institute for Social Policy and Understanding conducted a similar survey. This one found that only 10 percent of U.S. Muslims had an unfavorable view of Jews, while 13 percent of U.S. Jews expressed unfavorable views of Muslims.

Positive views of Jews were held by 45 percent of Muslims, and 53 percent of Jews had positive views of Muslims.

Tensions are over-played, said the Muslim American Societys Abdullahi.

While American Muslims and Jews tend to be divided over Israeli-Palestinian relations and other Middle Eastern issues, theyve found common cause in opposing terror.

It was so beautiful to see this solidarity, Abdullahi said, referring to the thousands who rallied at a vigil in Balboa Park last Sunday.

We stood together when the shootings happened in Pittsburgh, so we are going to stand together against this Islamophobia as well. The root issue is white supremacy and that doesnt impact just the Islamic community. It affects us all.

The bridge-building continues. On Wednesday, Hassane was an invited guest at St. Pauls, the Episcopalian cathedral on Bankers Hill. There, he led Muslims and non-Muslims in the traditional Islamic prayers at sunset.

On that same evening, a candlelight vigil at the University of San Diego  a Catholic institution  remembered the Muslims killed in New Zealand.

Weve had a lot of support from our school, said Rameen Javadian, the international relations undergraduate and Muslim Students Association president who organized the event. Especially the university ministry and the dean.

Among those assured Javadian theyd take part in the vigil: leaders of the schools Jewish Student Union.

That may be surprising, but should it be? Tammy Gillies, executive director of the Anti-Defamation Leagues San Diego branch, has her doubts.

Taha and I both agree there are areas we dont agree, but we are setting those aside, said Gillies, whose nonprofit is rooted in the Jewish community. Right here, in this community, we are leaders and we need to make our community better.

Lethal attacks in a house of worship, Gillies added, is, sadly, something that binds us. As Americans, we have to say this is what we dont want.

Two Fridays ago, she demonstrated what we do want: cookies.

She brought those goodies to the Islamic Center, telling the imam she wanted to cheer up the congregations children. Gillies shared her grief and anger with Hassane. And then this Jewish woman walked upstairs to join her Muslim neighbors in midday prayer.
Hes known as Mr. Scripps Ranch. Colonel Robert E. Bob Dingeman (Ret.), 96, has given nearly half a century of volunteer service to his community. But his service to his country started decades ago, when he was a teenager living at Pearl Harbor on the morning of the attack that led the United States into World War II.

Dingeman comes from a military family, including his father, Colonel Ray Dingeman. The family was stationed in Hawaii in 1941. It does not seem possible that many Sundays ago I was awakened in my home... to the sound of explosions and low flying aircraft. As we were alongside Hickam Field we were used to aircraft noise, but when we heard machine gun fire, my father ran outside and shouted The Japanese are attacking and bombing Pearl Harbor. We could see the red ball markings on the aircraft as they strafed us.

Dingeman was serving in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the time. He and others desperately worked to get the women and children to safety in bunkers while surrounded by explosions and fires. After ensuring they were out of danger, the men fired at the attacking planes with their small guns. It did little to stop the attacks, he said. With a short warning I am convinced that we could have decimated the attacking force. It did arouse us as a sleeping giant and we went on to win the conflict after tremendous losses and effort. The lesson learned is to be prepared and have good intelligence.

That day solidified Dingemans desire for a life of military service. After graduating from West Point in 1945, he went on serve in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. He has earned many awards, including several Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, Soldiers Medal, and Bronze Star/Valor, and still lives with many of his war injuries.

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Moving into civilian life did not stop Dingeman from being a high achiever. He earned numerous masters degrees, worked as a college professor, and became the backbone of the Scripps Ranch community, moving in as the neighborhood was growing in the 1970s.

Dingeman helped plan the community and advocated for it with the city. He has spoken at City Council and school board meetings hundreds of times. He was instrumental in forming the Scripps Ranch Civic Association (SRCA), similar to a town council. He served as president and held other leadership positions. He helped organize countless community events, many that are now annual traditions, such as the 4th of July Parade. Dingeman also kept his neighbors informed by helping establish the SRCA Newsletter. He said he mimeographed the one-sheet publication and hand-delivered it to all residents. It is now a 60-page monthly paper, for which he penned a column each month until last year.

He accomplished so much that the San Diego Unified School District named a school after him. Robert E. Dingeman Elementary School opened in 1995.

He and his wife, Gaye, have been married for 73 years and have two children, four grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. After his family, the joy of his life is visiting his children at the school that shares his name. Each year, students and staff celebrate Bob Dingeman Day to honor the birthday of their founding father. At 96, Bob laments the fact that he cant do as much as he has done in the past. But his can do spirit lives on in the hundreds of community leaders and volunteers he has mentored through the years and his kids at Dingeman Elementary School.

About this feature

Tran is a former member of the U-T Community Advisory Board. People San Diego Should Know is a weekly column about local people who are interesting and noteworthy because of their experiences, achievements, creativity or credentials. If you know of someone you believe San Diego should know, please send your idea to advisoryboard@sduniontribune.com

C


Robert Mueller has finally spoken. But it isnt easy to find exactly what he said.

A summary of Muellers findings is in a four-page letter sent to Congress on Sunday and signed by Attorney General William Barr. Its Barrs work, describing the work of Washingtons mystery man from the last two years.

But Barr only rarely quotes Mueller directly, bringing to the surface mere glimpses of the actual Mueller report.

Barr did give Mueller some of the most consequential lines. He quotes Mueller as saying while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

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He also uses Muellers words to dispatch with the initial mandate of the investigation: The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. ... The evidence does not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

And Barr borrows Muellers exact phrase to explain that the special counsel did not make a conclusion on whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation. Mueller was faced with difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether President Donald Trumps actions and intent could be seen as criminal and said he conducted a thorough factual investigation into these matters.

Thats it, except for a throat-clearing reference to the confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions he made.

Sphinx-like in a capital where public figures typically lunge for attention, Mueller has maintained a studied silence since his appointment, no matter how many times Trump called his labors a witch hunt.

Even Muellers spokesman rarely speaks.

Almost all Mueller had to say remains under wraps, at least for now. Democrats are demanding to see his full report. Some have floated the idea of asking him to testify before Congress.

But when he and his wife, Ann, attended St. Johns Episcopal Church across from the White House on Sunday, photographers and videographers captured their sunny-sidewalk stroll.

Mueller did not speak.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Special counsel Robert Mueller had two key questions before him: Did the Trump campaign collude with the Russian government during the 2016 election, and did President Donald Trump commit obstruction of justice? On the collusion question, Mueller provided an unambiguous no. But on obstruction, he punted.

Its a decision thats puzzled some former Justice Department officials who say prosecutors at Muellers level typically make their own charging conclusions rather than leave them to higher-ups like the attorney general. By not acting, Mueller placed the politically charged obstruction question in the hands of a Trump appointee, Attorney General William Barr, who even before he took office expressed skepticism about whether the presidents action constituted a crime. On Sunday, Barr said there was insufficient evidence Trump obstructed justice by trying to interfere with Muellers probe.

Barrs decision to exonerate Trump on the obstruction issue, when Mueller pointedly didnt, is being cited by Democrats as they press for the release of Muellers entire report. The outcome places the Justice Department in the center of a political fight, revives scrutiny of the attorney generals own views on obstruction and presidential power  which he shared with the White House before his nomination in December  and is prompting questions about why Barr interjected his own judgment in place of the special counsel who reported to him.

I find this to be very unusual that there was this question left open and presented by the special counsel, said Tim Purdon, the former United States attorney for North Dakota during the Obama administration. As U.S. attorney, usually you have the last say. Youre the decider, you decide what to do.

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But of course, Purdon added, these are unusual circumstances.

Among those unusual circumstances: Justice Department legal opinions say sitting presidents cannot be indicted, effectively ruling out criminal charges even if Mueller had conclusively found obstruction. Barr said he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, did not consider those legal opinions in determining that Trump didnt obstruct justice, but its not clear whether Mueller did. Obstruction of justice also requires criminal intent, which may have been hard for prosecutors to establish without an in-person interview with Trump.

Washington defense lawyer Jacob Frenkel said the evidence was sufficiently ambiguous on the issue of criminal intent. Combining that with the departments policy against prosecuting a sitting president, Frenkel noted that a more definitive finding may satisfy political pundits and the public but may not serve a true Department of Justice interest in determining whether or not to pursue charges.

Muellers team told Barr and Rosenstein about three weeks ago that it did not plan to reach a conclusion on obstruction, according to a Justice Department official who said the move was unexpected. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity Monday to discuss private conversations, would not say whether Mueller had asked or invited Barr to substitute his own judgment. Rosenstein had been heavily involved in the investigation since appointing Mueller as special counsel in May 2017.

Barrs decision to weigh in on the obstruction issue is noteworthy because of an unsolicited memo he sent in June to the Justice Department and shared with White House lawyers, making known his views on obstruction and presidential power.

He criticized the theory of obstruction that Mueller appeared to be pursuing as fatally misconceived, including scrutiny of the presidents firing of former FBI director James Comey. Barr argued that if Mueller concluded actions the president is generally legally permitted to do could constitute obstruction because of a subjective determination that they were done with corrupt intent, the decision could be disastrous for the presidency and the Justice Department.

Barr defended the memo during his confirmation hearing in January, saying it was narrowly focused on a single theory of obstruction that media reports suggested Mueller might be considering. Responding to lawmakers questions, Barr said he believed a president can commit obstruction by destroying evidence or tampering with witnesses.

Barrs four-page summary to Congress on Sunday did not explain why Mueller failed to reach a conclusion on obstruction, which had long been central to his investigation. Prosecutors examined a series of actions by the president, including his firing of Comey, to determine whether Trump had tried to hamper the inquiry and interviewed many White House aides and advisers along the way.

The summary did say Muellers report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and facts concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. Mueller said in his report that he had not concluded whether the president had committed a crime, according to Barrs summary, which Mueller was not involved in drafting.

Robert Clark Corrente, a former U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island, said he was taken aback by the reference to both sides of the question, which he said called to mind former Comeys 2016 assertion that Hillary Clinton should not be prosecuted for mishandling classified email despite having been extremely careless.

If youre a prosecutor of any stripe, federal or state, its your burden to prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, Corrente said. It really doesnt matter that theres evidence on both sides.

Muellers insinuation that there were actions that troubled his team left Democrats asking whether Trumps behavior had been effectively whitewashed.

On Monday, six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote Barr to ask for the full Mueller report by April 2.

Your four-page summary of the Special Counsels review is not sufficient for Congress, as a coequal branch of government, to perform (its) critical work, the lawmakers wrote. The release of the full report and the underlying evidence and documents is urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
British Prime Minister Theresa May conceded Monday that Parliament would defeat her twice-rejected Brexit divorce deal again if she put it to a new vote, but said she still hopes to change lawmakers' minds and get the agreement approved.

With the UK's departure from the European Union delayed and the new date up in the air, May also acknowledged she might be about to lose control of the Brexit process to lawmakers who want to force her government to change direction.

``It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote,'' May told lawmakers in the House of Commons.

She said she hoped to hold the vote later this week and was working to build support for the deal, which sets out the terms of withdrawing from the EU and the outline of future relations with the bloc. May warned opponents that continuing to reject the deal her government negotiated last year could lead to a ``slow Brexit'' that postpones the country's departure indefinitely.

Meanwhile, pro-EU lawmakers in Parliament aimed to seize control of the process with a motion later Monday that would let them hold a series of votes on alternatives to May's deal.

They hope these ``indicative votes'' on options that include a new voter referendum on EU membership and a ``soft Brexit'' that maintains close economic ties to the bloc can find majority support.

May said the government would ``engage constructively'' with the results of the process. But she said she was skeptical that it would produce a decisive result.

Brexit

With the March 29 Brexit day set almost two years ago days away and the withdrawal agreement lacking Parliament's approval, European leaders seized control of the timetable last week.

There is wide concern that a no-deal departure would be disruptive for the world's biggest trading bloc and deeply damaging for Britain.

The EU granted May's request for a delay, though a shorter one than she sought. It said if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal, the UK will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell European leaders what it plans to do _ leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a new path.

In agreeing to the postponement, European leaders hoped Britain's deadlocked politicians would find a solution to the crisis. But the EU isn't counting on it. The European Commission said Monday it had completed planning for a no-deal Brexit, calling that outcome ``increasingly likely.''

May stands little chance of getting the deal she struck with the EU approved unless she can win over Brexit-backing lawmakers in her Conservative Party and its Northern Irish ally, the Democratic Unionist Party. The DUP said Monday that the party's ``position remains unchanged.''

May has come under intense pressure to quit the prime minister's post as the price of winning support for the deal.

At a meeting Sunday at the prime minister's country retreat, Chequers, prominent Brexiteers told May they might back the deal _ if she agreed to step down so that a new leader could take charge of the next phase of negotiations, which will settle Britain's future relations with the EU.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who attended the meeting, accused the government of lacking ``gumption'' and chickening out on delivering Brexit.

Writing in Monday's Daily Telegraph, Johnson said that to win support for her deal, May must show that the next phase of negotiations ``will be different from the first.'' Johnson is likely to be a contender in any future Conservative leadership race.

Britain's best-selling newspaper, The Sun, piled pressure on May with a front-page call for the prime minister to resign, under the headline ``Time's up, Theresa.''

May is hanging on, hoping she can persuade Brexit-backing lawmakers that rejecting her deal means Britain may never leave the EU.

She told lawmakers that Britain would not leave the EU without a deal unless Parliament _ which has already rejected the idea _ voted for it.

She added that canceling Brexit ``must not happen,'' while ``a slow Brexit'' that involved a long delay to Britain's departure, ``is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together.''

The EU's executive Commission said Monday that it had finished planning for a no-deal Brexit, which could occur on April 12. The remaining 27 EU countries are hiring hundreds of people to conduct extra border and customs checks as well as to staff call centers set up to handle Brexit inquiries.

The commission warned that despite the preparations, a cliff-edge Brexit would cause ``significant disruption for citizens and businesses.'' It said new tariffs and border checks would cause delays for both people and goods.

The bloc also said that more remained to be done on ensuring an open border between EU member Ireland and the UK's Northern Ireland _ something both sides have agreed to. Checkpoints there were a source of great tensions during the bloody Irish ``Troubles'' from 1968 until the Good Friday peace agreement was sealed in 1998.

An EU official said the bloc was in ``in intense discussions with the Irish authorities about these matters.''

Opponents of Brexit feel the political tide may be turning in their favor. Hundreds of thousands of people marched through London on Saturday calling for a new referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain.

But with the deadline for a Brexit decision less than three weeks away, British politicians remain divided, and increasingly despairing about the country's political gridlock.

``Brexit is like the Death Star of politics,'' Conservative legislator George Freeman said. ``I always feared it would be like this. It's destroying and soaking up all the prime minister's room for manoeuver and political goodwill.

``I've never known this country so divided, so angry and in such a dangerous state,'' he said.

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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Construction chemical additive mixtures are a kind of specialty chemicals added to construction chemicals to improve the durability of the building. These additives are chemical formulations, which are added into the cement to make the concrete strong and more effective for building construction. This modification in the product the can resist harsh weather conditions, thus giving rise to bigger and stronger building structures. Some construction chemical additives are used to minimize the quantity of cement and water used in construction.



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http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/construction-chemical-additives-market.html



Construction Chemical Additives Market: Drivers & Restraints



The construction chemical additives market is driven by the increase in investment in the construction sector. The investment in the sector is expected to double over the next 10 years. Construction chemical additives increase the life of construction work and also provide additional protection from environmental hazards. Rise in expenditure on the development of tunnels, roads, dams, and bridges in developing nations is also driving the construction chemical additives market. However, increase in emission of toxic chemicals is anticipated to restrain the construction chemical additives market in the near future. Availability of alternatives for construction chemical additives is also estimated to hamper the market.



Construction Chemical Additives Market: Key Segments



Based on type, the construction chemical additives market can be segmented into plasticizers, accelerating additives, retarding agents, air-entraining agents, waterproofing additives, and others. Concrete additives help enhance the concreteness of chemical properties as well as physical properties. Demand for waterproofing additives, accelerating additives, and retarding agents is higher than that for other construction chemical additives.



Based on end-use industry, the construction chemical additives market can be divided into residential, non-residential and non-building. Construction chemical additives are employed in all the buildings. Developers and architects find it difficult to construct a building with just cement concrete. Different types of construction chemical additives are used to meet the different needs of buildings.



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Construction Chemical Additives Market: Regional Outlook



In terms of region, the construction chemical additives market can be segregated into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of demand, North America accounts for high share of the global construction chemical additives market. The U.S. is the leading consumer of construction chemical additives due to the significant demand for these additives in the construction industry in the country. North America is followed by Europe. Demand for construction chemical additives in Europe is high due to the rise in demand for reconstruction activities. The construction chemical additives market in Asia Pacific is expanding at a fast pace owing to the rapid development of the construction industry and rise in investment in infrastructure by various governments in the region. Demand for construction chemical additives is high in countries such as Japan, China, and India in Asia Pacific. The construction chemical additives market in India is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace in the near future. Demand for construction chemical additives in Latin America is rising at a significant pace due to the expansion in the construction industry in Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. The market in Middle East & Africa is likely to expand at an accelerated pace due to the presence of a strong construction industry, especially in the UAE.



Construction Chemical Additives Market: Key Players



Key players operating in the global construction chemical additives market include Yasham, BASF SE, Sika AG, RPM International, W.R. Grace & Co., Mapei South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Clariant, Croda International Plc., Evonik Industries, and Fosroc International.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- The expanding database of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been recently updated by the addition of a new study which is titled as "Electronic Shelf Label Market key Insights Based on Product Type, End-use and Regional Demand Till 2026". The fact-based research report on the global Electronic Shelf Label market covers various aspects such as trends, drivers, challenges and opportunities that have an influence on the growth and expansion of the global market. All these factors are analyzed across key regions of Latin America, North America, Europe, Middle and Africa (MEA) and the Asia Pacific. In order to provide an accurate forecast, analysts have presented the current market, which forms the basis of how the metal caps and closures market is expected to develop in the future.



The report includes a detailed ecosystem analysis and opportunity analysis, which is focused on providing an extensive view of the global electronic shelf label market. Porter's Five Forces analysis is also provided to understand the competitive scenario in the market. The study incorporates attractiveness analysis of the electronic shelf label market, in which segments such as hardware, software, and services are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and attractiveness in terms of opportunity.In order to provide a complete analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the electronic shelf label market, attractiveness analysis of every geographic region mentioned in the reporthas been provided.



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An overview of the electronic shelf label market detailing key trends and dynamics has been included to providea clear understanding of market ecosystem forces. The dynamics include impact analysis of drivers and opportunities and market restraining factors of the electronic shelf label market. Additionally, the report provides analysis of business strategies adopted by market leaders. Trends and services related to electronic shelf label along with their applications have also been explained in the report.



The study provides a decisive view on the global electronic shelf label market, broadly segmentedbased on componentinto hardware, software,and services; based on communication technology intoradio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), and beacon; and in terms ofend-useinto organized retail stores, drug store/pharmacies, consumer electronics (standalone), and other specialty stores. Further, the report provides a detailed breakdown of the electronic shelf label market across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America, thus providing valuable insights at the micro and macro levels.



The report highlights the competitive scenario within the electronic shelf label market, ranking all the major players according to key recent developments and their geographic presence. The insights into the electronic shelf label market are a result of our extensive primary interviews, secondary research, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by considering the impact of different economic, political, social, legal, and technological factors.



The market in North America has been segmented into the U.S., Canada, and Rest of North America. Furthermore, the market in Europe has been analyzed across France, Germany, the U.K., and Rest of Europe. The electronic shelf label market in Asia Pacific has also been segmented at country level into India, China, Japan, and Rest of Asia Pacific. The Middle East & Africa region covers GCC countries, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa. Similarly, South America includes Brazil and Rest of South America. This report provides all the strategic information required to understand the electronic shelf label market along with component, communication technology, and end-use of electronic shelf labels.



The research methodology is a perfect combination of primary research, secondary research, and expert panel reviews. Secondary sources such as annual reports, company websites, SEC filings and investor presentations, internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases, relevant patent and regulatory databases, market reports, government publications, World Bank database, and industry white papers are usually referred to develop a preliminary understanding of the market.



Primary research involves telephonic interviews, e-mail interactions, and face-to-face interviews for detailed and unbiased reviews of the electronic shelf label market across geographies. Primary interviews are usually conducted on an ongoing basis with industry experts and participants in order to obtain the latest market insights and validate existing data and analysis. Primary interviews offer new and fresh information on important factors such as market trends, market size, competitive landscape,growth trends, etc. These factors help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. Moreover, the data collected and analyzed from secondary and primary research is again discussed and examined by our expert panel.



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The research study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global electronic shelf label market. Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments. Some of the key players in the electronic shelf label market are Altierre Corp., Displaydata Ltd., Pricer AB, SES-imagotag, E Ink Holdings, Inc., and Teraoka Seiko Co., Ltd. among others



The electronic shelf label market has been segmented as follows:



Global Electronic Shelf Label Market



By Component



Hardware



Labels (Product) Type



LCD ESL



Segmented E-paper ESL



Full-graphic E-paper ESL



Infrastructure



Access Points (Transceivers & Base Stations)



Handheld Devices



Software



Pricing and Shelf Management Software



Other Digital Infrastructure



Services



Support and Maintenance



Installation



Training and Consulting



By Communication Technology



Radio Frequency (RF)



Infrared (IR)



Near-Field Communication (NFC)



Beacon



By End-use



Organized Retail Stores



Supermarkets& Hypermarkets



Malls



Drug Store/Pharmacies



Consumer Electronics (Standalone)



Other Specialty Stores



Multi Brand Stores



Company-owned/Brand Stores



By Geography



North America



The U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America



Europe



Germany



The U.K.



France



Rest of Europe



Asia Pacific



China



Japan



India



Rest of Asia Pacific



Middle East &Africa



GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of Middle East &Africa



South America



Brazil



Rest of South America



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Workers and employees in almost every industry are subjected to hazards which can permanently or temporarily injure them. Employers are compelled to provide proper protection equipment to workers for keeping their vital body parts such as face and eyes safe from sharp metal surfaces, toxic gases, and volatile substances. The importance of abiding by the occupational safety and health standards is gain traction across industries, and employers are being trained through awareness programs on the use of eye and face protection equipment. Investing in the purchase of these equipment is being observed as a practical solution to save business expenses accounted by the indirect costs of paying for the treatment of injured workers. Manufacturers of eye and face protection equipment are working towards developing effective devices and catering to the custom requirements of employers. Companies namely, E I Du Pont De Nemours and Co., 3M Co., Ansell Limited, Honeywell International Inc., Msa Safety Inc., Avon Rubber Plc., Grainger, Inc., Uvex Safety Group, Kimberly-Clark, and Bullard are at the forefront of supplying effective eye and face protection equipment across the globe.



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However, these companies are facing challenges in meeting the standards set by global and regional occupational safety administrations. In several developed countries, the national occupational safety guidelines and the state-wise mandates on the use of eye and face protection equipment are inharmonious. This is observed as a major impediment for the growth of the global eye and face protection market. Transparency Market Research's latest report on the global eye and face protection market projects that the demand for these equipment will gain moderate traction during the forecast period, 2017-2026. The report estimates that more than US$ 4.5 Bn worth of eye and face protection equipment will be sold globally by the end of 2026. During the forecast period, the global eye and face protection market is assessed to expand at a CAGR of 4.6%.



Key Findings from the Report



The report has analyzed the expansion of the global eye and face protection market across multiple parameters. Over the forecast period, several leading manufacturers of eye and face protection devices are expected to instrument tie-ups with employers and industrialists to cater to their specific requirements. Product development will witness a great emphasis in the global eye and face protection equipment manufacturing landscape.



The report estimates that eye spectacles and goggles will remain top-selling products in the global eye and face protection market. In 2017, eye spectacles and goggles accounted for more than 70% of the global eye and face protection market value. The global demand for laser safety goggles is also pegged to gain traction, while face shields will register moderate revenue growth, bringing in over US$ 600 Mn by 2026-end. In terms of applications, the report estimates that eye and face protection devices will be predominantly used in the manufacturing sector and the construction industry. By the end of the forecast period, more than US$ 1.5 Bn worth of eye and face protection devices will be sold across manufacturing and construction applications in the world.



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North America to Register High Adoption of Eye and Face Protection Equipment



A regional forecast on the global eye and face protection market reveals that sales of these devices and equipment will be considerably high in the US and Canada. North America's industrial safety standards are becoming more harmonized, propelling the use of eye and face protection equipment. By 2026-end, North America's eye and face protection market will reach an estimated value of US$ 1.3 Bn. However, Europe is expected to outpace the sales of eye and face protection equipment registered in North America, and emerge as the leading market by the end of the forecast period. Europe's eye and face protection market is posed to expand at the fastest pace, reflecting a value CAGR of 5.4%. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region is likely to register dominance in terms of production of eye and face protection devices.
Tampa, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Adoption Miracles, one of the top adoption agencies in central Florida, is offering free pregnant help near me. This service is available to any young women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and are interested in giving the baby to a loving home. There are thousands of prospective parents in the state who wish to adopt a child. However, finding a birthmother is challenging and that's where agencies can help. They provide care and assistance to the birthmothers before and after the birth and handle the communication with the adoptive parents.



"These young women are facing a difficult time. They just discovered they are pregnant, they do not have a lot of options and they feel alone. Often, they do not have a boyfriend or husband who they can rely on for support and help. So, what can they do? Adoption services are the answer and giving the child to a loving family not only will benefit the child, but help the birthmother get a fresh start as well." Adoption Miracles Representative



The fresh start refers to free counseling, transportation to and from medical appointments, assistance for the birthmother to either find a new career or get back into school and more. The counseling for pregnant help near me is available after the birth as well and is offered by the adoption agencies in central Florida to help these young women get a new lease on life and benefit from this experience, both in the short and long-term. The agency's website offers detailed information on the services that they offer both birthmothers and adoptive parents and a free consultation is available for both parties.



"We do not want people getting the wrong idea based on something they read online. The problem with these blogs and forums is that you have no idea about the credibility of those who are writing these things. If you want to know about adoption services, then you need to contact an agency directly. These sites may offer a few helpful tips, but you still want to doublecheck everything with a professional to ensure that it's accurate. If you are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, don't rely on information you find online to make such an important decision. Call us and get real help."



For more information, please call: 813-654-6911 or email adoptionmiracles@yahoo.com



About Adoption Miracles

Adoption Miracles is licensed and based in Tampa and assists couples throughout the United States with expanding their families. With nearly 20 years of experience, our team has helped birth parents find safe and loving homes for their children while receiving full financial and emotional support.



If you are interested in learning about these, or any of the other services that we offer, we invite you to give us a call or visit our site today.



Related Links

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Adoption-Service/Adoption-Miracles-522913974737213/
Westerville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- No More Phone Tag is renowned for providing bespoke call answering services to diverse clients in Ohio. The company has for more than 20 years worked with enterprises to help them streamline their call answering processes. No More Phone Tag has proficient call center agents and cutting edge technology that delivers top-of-the-line services. They specialize in property management call answering, medical office answering services, virtual phone systems, doctors/physician answering services, and connecting customers, among others. The company has skilled personnel who are friendly and passionate about their work. All the services offered are 100% HIPAA compliant.



Speaking about their services, the Company Spokesperson said, "Our Company offers quality services to both large and small enterprises. We always deliver quality services because our values reflect our beliefs. At No More Phone Tag, we prioritize our work and ensure that all our clients are contented at all times. Our mission is to be excellent in what we do and portray a professional image to our callers while remaining competitive. We understand the working schedules of our medical clients, and so we tailor our services to fit these needs and situations."



Clients can get physicians answering service at No More Phone Tag at very competitive rates. The company offers customized physician answering services to suit the schedules of every physician. Physicians can work with No More Phone Tag to personalize their on-call and escalation processes. Urgent calls received will be dispatched immediately while non-urgent consults can be delivered on the next day. The company bridges the communication gap between patients and their doctors by professionally handling all incoming calls. This gives physicians ample time to attend to as many patients as possible. Their HIPAA compliance helps them to exercise confidentiality when handling their clients' information.



Speaking about property management, the Company Spokesperson continued, "At No More Phone Tag, we work round the clock to deliver property management answering service that benefits the residents whenever the property owner is out. We ensure that they receive better services, excellent customer care from our agents. Our services allow property owners to experience better management control as we give priority to all maintenance emergencies brought forward by the tenants."



No More Phone Tag provides after-hours medical answering service to help doctors maintain professionalism even after working hours. The company makes sure all urgent calls from patients are immediately transferred to the doctor on call. The doctor on call receives notification within three seconds of receiving the call. No more Phone Tag enables physicians to provide a balance when attending to patients to ensure that all patients are prioritized with optimal care. They have a system that benefits their clients, and a multi-language service that provides swift bilingual communication to patients of all walks of life. No More Phone Tag personalizes their call answering services for efficiency.



About No More Phone Tag

The company has for more than 20 years worked with enterprises to help them streamline their call answering processes. No More Phone Tag has proficient call center agents and cutting edge technology that delivers top-of-the-line services.



Contact details

Company : No More Phone Tag

Address: 787 S. State Street, Suite B, Westerville, OH 43081

Phone: 1-614-895-2820

Web: www.nomorephonetag.com/
Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- The Diaper Bag Market's segment market shares in each geographic region are mentioned in the report, along with the historic and forecast growth rates. Each segment represented visually with supporting reasons to justify the growth rates. IGR's report also covers drivers and restraints in the diaper bag market.



Infinium Global Research's report covers the annual growth of the Global diaper bag market. It also includes chapters on the Global diaper bag industry trends, geographic analysis, and competitive landscape.



Get Sample Report Copy for Market Insights @ https://www.infiniumglobalresearch.com/reports/sample-request/4889



The report also includes a SWOT analysis to present the indicators of strength, weakness, prospects, and risk of the market until the completion of the projection period in 2024.



Diaper Bag Market: Industry Insights



The diaper bag is a special bag, has several small pockets to carry several essential items separately, to take care of a small baby. These bags are more suitable for working parents, who need to take care of their children in their office time, traveling or moving. These bags are coming in different varieties to reduce the stress on the person and allow him/her to do other work also.



Diaper Bag Market: Drivers and Restraints



The growth of nuclear families, urbanization, and growth in the number of working women professionals are helping to grow this market. The growing influence of nuclear families in the urban and rural areas are forcing the new working parents to carry their children with themselves. This trend is forcing them to carry all essentials item required to take care of their babies. Additionally, they need specially designed diaper bags, which provide them the freedom to do other works simultaneously. Hence, the demand for different varieties of diaper bag is increasing day by day. The availability of several alternative bags is hampering the growth of this market.



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Diaper Bag Market: Segmentation



On the basis of the sales channel, the market is segmented into a supermarket, hypermarket, specialty stores, online stores, and others. Supermarket sales channel accounted for a sizeable share in the market in 2018. The opportunity to see and feel the look and quality of baby diaper bag before purchase is attracting several new working parents in the supermarket. Additionally, these products are offered at less price in the supermarket, compared to other sales channel, owing to the bulk purchase of these items. Hence it is dominating the other sales channel.



Diaper Bag Market: Regional Insights



North America is the most dynamic, highly competitive and the largest market for diaper bag globally. The major driving factor, which has driven the growth of the diaper bag market in this region, is the presence of different branded bag manufacturing companies in this region. Additionally, a number of working parents have less time to care for their children at home in this region. Further, several MNCs are more concerned about the work-life balance of the working parents and providing creche service to their employee, in their commercial offices. These two factors are helping to maintain the dominating position of North America in this market. European diaper bag market had been the most dynamic region in 2018. Europe is expected to grow at a steady rate within the forecast period. Asia-Pacific region remains bright, and the industry is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during 2018-2023. The growing influence of corporate culture and a growing number of new working parents in this region are helping to grow the diaper bag market at the highest CAGR in this region. ROW also shows a steady rise in the market owing to the growing demand for the diaper bag in the developing countries in this region.



Diaper Bag Market: Competitive Analysis



The global diaper bag market is highly competitive. The prominent players in the global creatinine market are Carter's, Inc., Graco, Sanrio Co., Ltd., J.J Cole Collections, Trend Lab, SUNVENO, OiOi, Arctic Zone & California Innovations Inc., Petunia Pickle Bottom, Ju-Ju-Be, Storksak, and Amy Michelle. Product innovation and acquisitions & mergers are the key parameters to remain competitive and to gain greater market share.



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Reasons to Buy this Report:



- Comprehensive analysis of global as well as regional markets of the Diaper Bag.



- Complete coverage of all the product type and applications segments to analyze the trends,

developments, and forecast of market size up to 2024.



- Comprehensive analysis of the companies operating in this market. The company profile includes analysis

of product portfolio, revenue, SWOT analysis and the latest developments of the company.



- Infinium Global Research- Growth Matrix presents an analysis of the product segments and geographies

that market players should focus to invest, consolidate, expand and/or diversify.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- High purity quartz is a vital industrial component required for use in the production of all high-end electronics applications, semi-conductors, and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. None of these products can be manufactured without reliable supply of consistent-purity HPQ. High purity quartz has been gaining a lot of attention over the last few years. This type of high purity silica is the key raw material used in the manufacture of silica glass, a type of glass used in silicon processing and transparent UV-lamp bulbs. Increasing demand for solar energy augments the demand for high purity quartz. High purity quartz is used in several industries including semiconductor, solar, fiber optics, and lightening. High purity fused quartz, made from high purity quartz sand, offer a wide range of optical, mechanical, and thermal properties which are essential for producing several high-tech products.



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In terms of application, the high purity quartz market has been segmented into semiconductors, solar, lightening, optics, and others. Among these, the semiconductor segment is projected to dominate the global high purity quartz market throughout the forecast period. Increasing demand for HPQ in the semiconductor industry can be attributed to growing number of new fabrication plants (commonly called Fabs). High purity quartz is increasingly being used in the semiconductor industry to produce crucibles and quartz glass products such as windows, rods, and tubes. This factor is expected to drive the demand for high purity quartz in the semiconductor segment during the forecast period. The Paris Agreement, which was signed between more than 190 countries in 2015, calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the rise in global temperature to below 2C by the end of this century. This factor fuels the global solar power sector. This, in turn, drives the global high purity quartz market.



In terms of volume, Asia Pacific dominated the global high purity quartz market, accounting for a share of more than 45% in 2017. Increasing number of solar plants and fabrication plants in the region drives the market in the region. China and Japan hold a major share of the Asia Pacific market, owing to presence of a promising semiconductor industry in these countries. North America is another lucrative region of the global market, due to presence of large deposits of high purity quartz in the region. The high purity quartz market in developed countries, such as the U.K., France, the U.S., Italy, and Spain, is estimated to register a low market attractiveness index during the forecast period.



The report analyzes and forecasts the high purity quartz market at the global and regional levels. The market has been projected in terms of volume (tons) and value (US$ Mn) for the period from 2018 to 2026. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global high purity quartz market. It also encompasses the anticipated impact of these drivers and restraints on the demand for high purity quartz during the forecast period. The report highlights opportunities in the market at the global and regional levels.



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The report comprises detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global high purity quartz market. The Porter's five forces model has also been included to help understand the competition landscape of the global high purity quartz market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein application segments have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.



The study provides a decisive view of the global high purity quartz market by segmenting it in terms of application and region. These segments have been analyzed based on the present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for high purity quartz in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers individual application segments of the market in every region.
Selbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- The Asia Pacific IVA market is expected to generate high demand for these solutions due to the increasing requirement of such advanced technologies in healthcare sector. Increasing number of patients in hospitals is offering several difficulties to the staff in patient management and care. Such factors are encouraging the hospitals and medical institutions to incorporate advanced solutions in their facilities, thereby driving the IVA market growth. Moreover, countries such as China and India are also witnessing high adoption of these solutions for providing self-service to the customers.



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Increasing adoption of these solutions for customer service is predicted to accelerate the IVA market growth. It assists or handles the customer query by providing an interaction with the virtual agent or chatbots. These virtual agents direct the solution of the customer issues or transfer the calls to the concerned department, thereby managing the customer calls to the specific department and reducing the confusion in call flows. Several advantages offered by such systems to the company include 24/7 support, efficiency in business operations and higher productivity. These benefits are encouraging the adoption of such solutions in service industry, thereby providing an impetus to the IVA market.



IVA Market is expected to exceed USD 11.5 billion by 2024. The technological advancements and innovations being incorporated in several industries such as automotive and retail to assist the customers in operating the industrial solutions or services is expected to drive the IVA market growth. Some of the major technologies that are witnessing high adoption include machine learning and AI. These technologies are allowing the manufacturers to integrate the virtualized assisting solutions that can be connected to several industrial machines.



Speech recognition technology is witnessing high growth in the IVA market due to the rise in adoption of these techniques in modern industrial solutions. The automobile and smartphone industry are the major application areas of the technology. The future connected cars are being developed with speech recognition solutions that will allow the driver to use their cellphones, find their destination with the help of maps using speech activated commands. For instance, Apple CarPlay is an application-based software that gets connected to the vehicle display system and accepts voice commands.



The application of such technologies is growing rapidly in healthcare sector due to the rise in demand for improving the medical techniques that will allow the doctors or physicians to treat their patients in an effective manner. Several advantages offered by such systems in healthcare sector include personalized medication, advanced treatment plans, predictive medical care, improved diagnosis, and long-term cost saving. The Medical Virtual Assistants (MVAs) helps the healthcare organizations in collecting the insurance details, demographic information, procurement details, patient health history, finance/costing, data mining and analysis of all the records. Such rise in adoption of the virtual solutions in healthcare industry is expected to drive the IVA market growth.



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Key players operating in the IVA market are IBM, Clara Labs, Nuance Communications, InteliWISE, Artificial Solutions, Creative Virtual, eGain Communications, Anboto and 24/7 Customer, Inc. among others. These companies are engaged in developing industry specific solutions that will provide their customers option to customize the solution based on the industrial requirement. Moreover, the technological advancements and innovations in these industry verticals is expected to be a great opportunity for the IVA market players.



Table of Content:



Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope



Chapter 2 Executive Summary



Chapter 3 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Industry Insights



Chapter 4 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market, By Technology



Chapter 5 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market, By Service



Chapter 6 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market, By End-Use



Chapter 7 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market, By Application



Chapter 8 Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market, By Region



Chapter 9 Company Profiles



For More Details On this Report: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/intelligent-virtual-assistant-iva-market



Related Report:



Global Health Intelligent Virtual Assistant Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025



This report studies the global Health Intelligent Virtual Assistant market, analyzes and researches the Health Intelligent Virtual Assistant development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.



https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-health-intelligent-virtual-assistant-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025/?utm_source=RR-AN



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Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- According to a new study of Fact.MR, sales of lithium-ion battery pack will exceed 151 Mn units in 2019, up from 131 Mn units in 2018. Development of safe and reliable battery packs, in line with the surging power requirements from multiple applications is for to complement growth of lithium-ion battery pack market.



The study states that, growing palpability of disruptive technologies, smart grid storage, electric vehicles, data centers, and others, is providing an impetus to growth of the lithium-ion battery pack market. Additionally, rising dependency on electrochemical energy storage is fuelling investments in lithium-ion battery packs, as lithium ion battery is emerging as the ideal choice for electrochemical energy-storage.



"Soaring sales of plug-in and electric vehicles is one among the key factors spurring adoption of lithium-ion battery packs, as lithium-ion batteries have become the 'battery of choice' among automakers worldwide. Multiple advantages of a lithium-ion battery pack, such as high energy & power density, is making it outsell the conventional lead-acid variants", says the Fact.MR report.



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The battery industry is undergoing a sea change in line with increasing demand for battery technologies with superior capabilities. As per the report, changes in cell-technologies and innovations in smart electronics are creating favorable grounds for adoption of li-on technology, driving growth of lithium-ion battery pack market.



Lithium cobalt oxide to continue as the 'top-selling' lithium-ion battery pack variant, with global sales estimated to surpass 67 Mn units. Skyrocketing demand for portable electronic devices is foreseen to fuel demand for lithium cobalt oxide types, as most of the lithium-ion battery packs used in portable applications are cobalt-based.



The report opines that, the cylindrical cell type continues to be highly favored as compared to prismatic or pouch types, with global demand estimated to surpass 51 Mn units in 2019. Cylindrical packaging continues to be the widely-used for lithium-ion battery packs, on account of advantages such as superlative mechanical stability and ease of manufacture.



Browse Full Report on Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Market with TOC- https://www.factmr.com/report/3120/lithiumion-battery-pack-market



According to the report, Asia Pacific excluding Japan will continue to be the largest market for lithium-ion battery pack, as the APEJ hosts a large number of prominent battery OEMs. China, South Korea, and India are foreseen to be highly lucrative countries for the manufacturers of lithium-ion battery packs in terms of healthy expansion.



North America is likely to emerge as the fastest-growing market for lithium-ion battery pack, with opportunities brimming for the manufacturers across the key countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The buoyancy of North America lithium-ion battery pack market can also be ascribed to incessant penetration of plug-in & electric vehicles and steady demand for consumer electronics.



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Strategic Collaborations with OEMs- A Differential Strategy of Key Players



Key stakeholders in the lithium-ion battery pack market might have to focus on the emerging trends in the battery technologies space, which will help them offer high-performance and innovative products well-aligned with end-user specifications. Though leading players in the lithium-ion battery pack market account for a sizeable share, these companies will have to work on business optimization and product benchmarking in order to retain their stronghold.



According to the report, collaboration with end-users is one of the key differential strategies adopted by the market players to offer high value and grow sales profitably. For instance, leading manufacturers in the lithium-ion battery pack market, such as LG Chem and Panasonic Corporation, are collaborating with leading automotive giants. These collaborations will amplify production capabilities of the market players and aid in fostering cordial relationships with end-users.



The Fact.MR research study analyzes latent opportunities in the lithium-ion battery pack market from 2019 to 2028. According to the Fact.MR report, the lithium-ion battery pack market is likely to witness impressive growth at a value CAGR of over 12% during the assessment period.



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Sellbyville, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/24/2019 -- U.S. medical x-ray market will grow at significant rate over the forecast timeframe. Increasing healthcare expenditure, advancement in detector based techniques, presence of well-established reimbursement for imaging procedure and rising demand for digital x-ray systems should drive industry growth.



Growing geriatric population, increasing focus on research and development activities to advance medical technologies by German government will propel industry growth in Germany. Furthermore, rising need for sophisticated healthcare, homecare services and recent health reforms for accident or illness will propel business growth.



Brazil medical x-ray market size should witness lucrative growth over the forecast period. Increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the country coupled with growing adoption of diagnostic imaging procedure should fuel industry growth. According to Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, in 2015 CVD mortality accounted for nearly 28% of deaths in Brazil.



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Some of the companies operating in medical x-ray market includes Siemens Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Canon, Philips Healthcare, Hitachi Medical and Shimadzu. Industry players are focusing on new product launch, investment in R&D activities, mergers and acquisition to gain revenue share.



Line scan detectors market should contribute for significant growth over the forecast timeframe, owing to factors such as ideal for in-line x-ray photography and enables high resolution capture for x-ray. It provides imaging function within a single scan which will further drive industry growth.



Direct radiography should witness lucrative growth over the forecast period. The growth is attributed due to availability of mobile digital x-ray systems. It is used in various application such as chest imaging, dental, mammography, and orthopaedic. Moreover, increased demand for portable systems from geriatric population will drive medical x-ray market growth.



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Dental application contributed for substantial revenue share in 2016. Rising prevalence of dental diseases such as, gingival disease, periodontitis, dental plaque and caries should drive industry growth. Dental x-rays are obtained with techniques such as intraoral and extraoral imaging. Technological advancement in imaging devices to detect these diseases should increase demand for the products in the coming years.



Hospitals should witness significant growth rate over the forecast period. Most of the procedures performed in hospitals with mobile C-arm x-ray equipment, that require flat panel technology. Hospitals can afford expensive equipment as they have budget allocated. Such factors will drive business growth.



Medical X-ray Market size is set to exceed USD 15 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.



Rising prevalence of chronic diseases, favorable reimbursement scenario in developed nations, growing number of diagnostic imaging procedures and increased funding on research and development activities by the government will serve as major driving factors for the medical x-ray market growth over the forecast period.



Technological advancement in medical imaging, particularly in computed tomography (CT), has led to the rapid growth in performance of x-ray examinations. Demand for imaging procedure is high among females as compared to males. Owing to increasing number of breast cancer. However, high risk associated with exposure to radiation among patients and high installation cost of medical imaging modalities may restrain industry growth.



Medical x-ray market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD million from 2013 to 2024, for the following segments:



Medical x-ray market by product

o Flat panel detectors

o Indirect flat panel detectors

o Direct flat panel detectors

o Line scan detectors

o Computed radiography detectors

o Charge coupled device detectors (CCD)

Medical x-ray market by technology

o Computed radiography (CR)

o Direct radiography (DR)

o Others

Medical x-ray market by portability

o Fixed systems

o Portable systems

Medical x-ray market by application

o Dental

o Intraoral imaging

o Extraoral imaging

o Veterinary

o Cardiology

o Orthopaedics

o Neurology

o Oncology

o Others

o Mammography

o Chest

o Cardiovascular

o Orthopaedics

o Others



The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

- North America

o U.S.

o Canada

- Europe

o Germany

o UK

o France

o Italy

o Spain

o Others

- Asia Pacific

o China

o India

o Japan

o Others

- Latin America

o Brazil

o Mexico

o Others

- Middle East and Africa

o South Africa

o UAE

o Others
Egypt's Minister of Investment Sahar Nasr says that the current level of economic cooperation between Egypt and the United States reflects "the unique partnership binding both countries", highlighting that US investments in Egypt amounted to $21.8 billion in the fiscal year 2017/18.

Nasr statements came during her meeting in Cairo with USAID Administrator Mark Green, which was attended by Thomas Goldberger, the US Charge d'Affaires, the Assistant Administrator for the Middle East Bureau Michael Harvey, and Sherry Carlin, the USAID Mission Director in Egypt.

The meeting discussed cooperation with the USAID during Egypt's current chairmanship of the African Union in supporting development to achieve comprehensive growth and supporting all African countries, especially the most needy, as well as contributing to the development of infrastructure and promoting integration between African countries.

Mark Green praised the economic and social reform programme adopted by Egypt to improve the investment climate, pointing out USAIDs keenness to enhance economic partnership with Egypt within the upcoming period.

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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Transparency Market Research delivers key insights on the Multi-layer Blown Film Market in its published report, titled "Global Multi-layer Blown Film Market: Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20182026". In terms of revenue, the global Multi-layer Blown Film market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period about which TMR offers thorough insights and forecasts in this report.



Multi-layer Blown Films are used in the packaging process of consumer and industrial goods. Multi-layer Blown Films are structured in a format to ensure efficient packaging. The commonly used materials for inner and outer layer are polyethylene and polypropylene among others. Multi-layer Blown films are made up of different types of materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, EVOH, and polyamide among others. Tie layers are used in between these multilayer structures, when different material layer do not stick together.



Multi-layer Blown Films are manufactured with blown technology which includes extrusion of polymer material through a circular die, which is then followed by bubble expansion. The Multi-layer Blown Films can be used as sheets for wrapping or can be used as a laminate in the packaging. Multi-layer Blown Films provide better barrier properties and high stiffness.



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The global market for Multi-layer Blown film is segmented as layer type, material type, film type, application type, end use. The barrier properties of Multi-layer blown films are driving factors for growth of its market. On the basis of layer type, Multi-layer Blown Films are segmented as 2,3,5,7,9,11 layers and others. Multi-layer Blown films which have 5 layers are the commonly used structure, and 7 & 11 layer film structures have more improved characteristics.



Introduction of more number of layers implies better performance. On the basis of Material type, Multi-layer Blown Films includes polyethylene, polyamide, and EVOH among others. EVOH is used in between multiple layers to have high barrier properties. On the basis of film type, Multi-layer Blown films are segmented as stretch, shrink, and specialty film. The specialty films are preferred by manufacturers and brand owners, as they can be customized as per the end use requirements.



On the basis of application type, Multi-layer blown films are segmented as bags, pouches, wraps, and lids among others. Pouch segment is estimated to increase during the forecast period, as it provides protection to the goods. On the basis of end use, Multi-layer Blown Film are segmented as Agriculture, F&B, Textile, Consumer goods, and Pharmaceuticals. Food & Beverage segment is estimated to have significant growth during the forecast period.



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The North America Multi-layer Blown Film market includes country level analysis for the U.S. and Canada. Polyethylene segment has dominant share, by material type. The Latin America Multi-layer Blown Film market includes country level analysis for Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Rest of Latin America. The Europe Multi-layer Blown Film market includes country level analysis for Germany, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Benelux, Nordic, Russia, Poland and Rest of Europe. Germany accounts for a significant market share in the Europe Multi-layer Blown Film market.



The Asia Pacific Multi-layer Blown Film market includes country level analysis for China, India, ASEAN, Japan, Australia & New Zealand and Rest of APAC. The APAC Multi-layer Blown Film market represents the most lucrative geographic region wherein India and China represent substantial incremental opportunity during the forecast period. The APAC Multi-layer Blown Film market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period.



The Middle East and Africa (MEA) Multi-layer Blown Film market includes country level analysis for GCC, South Africa, North Africa and Rest of MEA. Multi-layer Blown Film market in the GCC region is particularly driven by high growth in the industrial segment. The MEA Multi-layer Blown Film market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period.



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Key players operating in the global market for Multi-layer Blown Film include Scientex Berhad, Berry Global Group Inc., Coveris Holdings S.A., Winpak Ltd., Loparex LLC, Proampac LLC, Next Gen Films Inc., RKW Hyplast Nv, borealis AG, and Korozo Ambalaj San.ve Tic A.S.



In this report, we have discussed individual strategies followed by these companies in terms of enhancing their product portfolio, creating new marketing techniques, mergers and acquisitions. The 'Competitive Landscape' is included to provide report audiences with a dashboard view and company share collectively.
San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- An investor, who purchased shares of United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC), filed a lawsuit over alleged Securities Laws violations by United Microelectronics Corporation.



Investors who purchased shares of United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC) have certain options and for certain investors are short and strict deadlines running. Deadline: May 13, 2019. NYSE: UMC investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 - 1554.



Taiwan based United Microelectronics Corporation provides semiconductor wafer foundry solutions. At all relevant times, one of United Microelectronics Corporation's primary competitors has been Micron Technology, Inc., a leading U.S. semiconductor company known for its development and production of DRAM products.



On May 13, 2016, United Microelectronics Corporation announced that it had entered into a Dynamic Random-Access Memory ("DRAM") Technology Cooperation Agreement with Fujian Jianhua Integrated Circuit Co. Ltd. ("Fujian"). Under the agreement, Fujian was to provide Microelectronics Corporation with related equipment for its research and development, as well as service fees subject to the progress of the technology development. United Microelectronics Corporation was to develop DRAM related technologies for Fujian and deliver such development results to Fujian before May 12, 2021. The developed technologies were to be jointly owned by both parties. United Microelectronics Corporation reported that its annual Total Revenue rose from over 149.28 billion TWD in 2017 to over 151.25 billion TWD in 2018 and that its Net Income declined from over 9.67 billion TWD in 2017 to over 7.07 billion TWD in 2018.



On November 1, 2018, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted United Microelectronics Corporation for industrial espionage. The indictment stated that United Microelectronics Corporation and another company conspired to steal trade secrets from U.S. semiconductor company Micron Technology, Inc. relating to its research and development of memory storage devices.



Shares of United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC) declined from $3.09 per share in June 2018 to as low as $1.64 per share on November 13, 2018.



The plaintiff claims that between October 28, 2015 and November 1, 2018, the Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that United Microelectronics Corporation conspired with Fujian to steal trade secrets from Micron relating to its research and development of DRAM, that United Microelectronics Corporation hired former Micron employees for the purpose of stealing such information from Micron, that the foregoing conduct placed UMC and certain of its employees at an increased risk of criminal and regulatory investigation by the U.S. government, and that as a result, United Microelectronics Corporation's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.



Those who purchased shares of United Microelectronics Corporation (NYSE: UMC) have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation.



Contact:

Shareholders Foundation, Inc.

Michael Daniels

3111 Camino Del Rio North - Suite 423

92108 San Diego

Phone: +1-(858)-779-1554

Fax: +1-(858)-605-5739

mail@shareholdersfoundation.com



About Shareholders Foundation, Inc.

The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio monitoring and settlement claim filing service, , which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is in contact with a large number of shareholders and offers help, support, and assistance for every shareholder. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. Referenced cases, investigation, and/or settlements are not filed/reached and/or related to Shareholders Foundation. The information is provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon.
Varese, Italy -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Olympos 2019 is an emerging new Italian brand that was founded in 2019 by Orlando Chiacchio, and it is focused at creating high-quality handmade shaving products for men. The brand has recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds and support for these products and the goal of this campaign is to raise a sum of EUR 13,000. Moreover, these handmade shaving products are being offered in a limited edition and the creator of this brand is welcoming everyone to participate in this campaign to get these exclusive items.



"Our limited edition Askl?pios line brings you a range of exclusive products and we are offering each of these products as a reward for our backers on Kickstarter." said Orlando Chiacchio, while introducing this project to the Kickstarter community. "Our Triple Milled shaving soap is packed with exquisite fragrances and a lot of scientific research and development has been put into the manufacturing process this product line." He added.



The Kickstarter Campaign is located on the web at: www.kickstarter.com/projects/yourbarber/olympos-2019-asklepios-shaving-luxury-products-lim and backers from around the world can participate in this campaign by making generous pledges and donations. The project offers a wide range of exclusive rewards for the supporters and each reward comes with worldwide shipping.



In addition, rewards include 100ml Askl?pios artisan luxury splash milk after shave, 150gr Askl?pios artisan shaving luxury triple milled soap, ceramic custom shaving bowl, ceramic custom soap holder and much more. The project is already getting a phenomenal response and more details are available on the Kickstarter campaign page of the project.



About Olympos 2019

Olympos 2019 is an emerging new Italian brand for men's grooming and it is introducing a wide range of high-quality handmade shaving products for men. The company has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for this product line, and it is welcoming stylish men from around the world to participate and contribute in this one of a kind project.



Contact:

Contact Person: Orlando Chiacchio

Company: LINKEDBRAINS DI CHIACCHIO ORLANDO

Address: Gemonio

State: Varese

Country: Italy

Phone: +393483398550

Email: info@linkedbrains.com

Website: www.kickstarter.com/projects/yourbarber/olympos-2019-asklepios-shaving-luxury-products-lim
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled 'Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Consumables Market  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026.' According to the report, the global polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consumables market was valued at US$ 434 Mn in 2017 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2018 to 2026. The report suggests that increase in use of polymerase chain reaction consumables in quantification of plant mutations and genetically modified organisms, assessment of bacterial and viral loads and absolute pathogen counts, quantification of NGS libraries, and detection of cancer in body fluid and stool DNA are likely to drive the polymerase chain reaction consumables market from 2018 to 2026.



The molecular diagnostic industry has emerged as a major driver of development in PCR technology-based amplification techniques. The demand for greater efficiency and productivity in the pharmaceuticals industry has led to the growth of the polymerase chain reaction consumables market. PCR technologies have been used to identify and analyze potential drug targets due to the introduction of personalized medicine. Other major factors driving the polymerase chain reaction consumables market include enhanced automation, rise in demand for analysis technologies, research-intensive investment by various biotechnological companies, and wider application areas of PCR technologies.



The report offers detailed segmentation of the global polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consumables market based on product and end-user. In terms of product, the PCR tubes segment is anticipated to have high share due to high adoption of PCR tubes in research and academic institutes as well as clinical diagnostic laboratories and hospitals.



The research and academic institutes segment is expected to account for a leading share of the market in 2026. The segment is also likely to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. PCR has become a functional tool in the mainstream life sciences and chemistry disciplines. Its applications range from molecular genetics to microbiology assays and are expanding beyond traditional areas. The clinical diagnostic labs and hospitals segment accounted for over 24.3% market share in 2017. The combination of exceptional specificity and sensitivity, low contamination risk, and low detection time has made PCR technology a better alternative to culture- or immunoassay-based testing methods for diagnosing various infectious diseases.



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North America held a prominent share of the global polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consumables market in 2017. The market has witnessed significant technological advancements, as companies have introduced newer PCR technologies and protocols. In addition, a large number of market players in the U.S. are focusing on R&D to introduce applications that would expand the use of PCR in new areas such as next-generation sequencing (NGS). Moreover, high awareness about latest health care technologies and higher purchasing power and affordability are anticipated to boost the PCR market in North America. Favorable reimbursement policies in the region also enable patients to avail of the best of health care facilities.



The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consumables market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a rapid pace mainly due to improving health care infrastructure, rising private and public investment in life science research, and technological advancements in countries such as China and India. Less competition in Asia Pacific is encouraging a large number of instrument manufacturers to enter the market. QIAGEN established its Asia regional headquarters in Shanghai, China, in 2006. Presently, the company has a strong base in Asia Pacific, primarily in China, Singapore, Japan and India.



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The report also provides profiles of leading players operating in the global polymerase chain reaction (PCR) consumables market. They include Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Qiagen N.V., Merck KGaA, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Eppendorf Group, 4titude, Corning Incorporated, and Greiner Bio-One International GmbH.
Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- With the presence of a large pool of participants, the global PVC market is displaying a highly competitive business landscape, finds a new research report by Zion Market Research (ZMR). Axiall Corporation, Formosa Plastics Group, KEM one, Solvay S.A., Ineos Chlorvinyls Ltd, and Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. are some of the key vendors of PVC across the world. These players are focusing aggressively on innovation, as well as on including advanced technologies in their existing products. Over the coming years, they are also expected to take up partnerships and mergers and acquisitions as their key strategy for business development, states the PVC market study.



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Citing an instance, in July 2018, Shintech Inc., a leading manufacturer of PVC across the U.S., unleashed its plans of investing nearly US$ 1.49 billion for setting a new PVC manufacturing unit in Plaquemine, a city in the state of Louisiana. Reliable sources claim that the construction of the new plant at Plaquemine will create nearly 3000 jobs. Reportedly, the construction of the new production facility is projected to be completed either in late 2020 or in early 2021. The strategic move is likely to augment the growth of the U.S. PVC market.



As estimated in this PVC market report, the global PVC market stood at US$ 57.06 billion in 2015. Witnessing a tremendous rise during the period from 2015 to 2021, the revenue in this PVC market is expected to reach US$ 78.90 billion by the end of the forecast period. The main products available in this PVC market are flexible PVC and rigid PVC. Among them, flexible PVC finds lucrative applications in medical equipment, signage, electrical cable insulation plumbing, and inflatable items. While rigid PVC is used across widows & door and construction sectors.



Escalating Product Application In Construction Sector To Boost Market Size



"Considerable product demand in construction activities, including window frames, pipe cabling, shutters, and coatings is anticipated to spur PVC market growth over the forthcoming years," says the author of this PVC market study. Apart from this, exceptional fire retarding features of PVC are expected to generate slew of opportunities for the PVC market over the span of next few years. The product finds massive applications across automotive, packaging, and electrical & electronics sectors.



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Thriving Construction Sector To Aid Asia Pacific Dominate Global Market



Geographically, Asia Pacific has been leading the worldwide PVC market and is anticipated to continue on the dominant position in the years to come, states the PVC market study. Rise in the number of construction activities witnessed in the countries such as India and China is the main factor behind the dominance of the Asia Pacific PVC market. For the record, APAC contributed over 52% towards global PVC market share during 2015 in terms of volume.



The global PVC market is segmented as follows:



By Type



Rigid PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

Flexible PVC (polyvinyl chloride)



By Application



Pipes & fittings

Wires and cables

Film & sheets

Bottles

Others



By End User



Automotive

Electrical & electronics

Construction

Packaging

Others



By Region



North America

The U.S.

Europe

UK

France

Germany

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

Latin America

Brazil

The Middle East and Africa



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About Zion Market Research

Zion Market Research is an obligated company. We create futuristic, cutting-edge, informative reports ranging from industry reports, the company reports to country reports. We provide our clients not only with market statistics unveiled by avowed private publishers and public organizations but also with vogue and newest industry reports along with pre-eminent and niche company profiles. Our database of market research reports comprises a wide variety of reports from cardinal industries. Our database is been updated constantly in order to fulfill our clients with prompt and direct online access to our database. Keeping in mind the client's needs, we have included expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends in this database. Last but not the least, we make it our duty to ensure the success of clients connected to usafter allif you do well, a little of the light shines on us.
Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Soft drink concentrates market witnessing a growth of over 5%



The global demand for soft drink concentrates is being observed to grow at a faster pace in the emerging countries as compared to the established markets. The surge in urbanization in the developing countries has led to a growing demand for ready to eat food and drinks. This has led to the easy availability of soft drink concentrates in the emerging market to meet the demand without the occurrence of gap in the supply. Though, the consumers in the developing countries are inclining their interest towards natural drinks without the trace of artificial sweeteners. Owing to this, the soft drink concentrates market in the established markets is moving towards maturity.



South Asia pivotal to the growth of soft drink concentrates market



South Asia is a part of the world with fast growing urban population which comprises a large proportion of young people. Countries including India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have been generating affair proportion of the Asia, soft drink concentrates demand. Some of the countries in other parts of the world such as Mexico and North African countries, have also been progressing at a fast pace, thereby contributing to the growth of soft drink concentrates market.



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Carbonated soft drinks leads the soft drink concentrates demand



The demand for soft drink concentrates in carbonated soft drinks is higher as compared to their non-carbonated counterparts. However, the higher growth in demand is being observed in case of non-carbonated soft-drinks. While cola flavored carbonated soft drinks generate higher demand for soft drink concentrates, among the non-carbonated soft drinks, orange flavored soft drinks accounts for the higher demand. Several people are having a pack of non-carbonated soft drinks on their breakfast table, which has augmented the demand for soft drink concentrates in this category.



Mass merchandising tops the demand for soft drink concentrates



The demand for soft drink concentrates is highest from mass merchandisers, while the other key end-users being food service, fountain machine and pubs and bars. The demand for soft drink concentrates from the drinking places such as pubs and bars have been increasing at a fast pace.



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Soft drink manufacturers expanding their geographical footprint  a boon for soft drink concentrates



Owing to the constant increase in demand for carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, several soft drink manufacturers have been investing in the expansion of their production capacity and entering into a less explored market. For instance in May 2018, Coca Cola opened a juice processing plant in Kenya. The Nairobi-based Coca-Cola Central East and West Africa Ltd plans to line up a number of soft drinks in the Kenya market to tap the rising consumer needs. This is expected to boost the demand for soft drink concentrates in the region.



Consolidated Tier 1 market for soft drink concentrates



The global soft drink concentrates market is fairly competitive, where the key operational companies include PepsiCo. Inc., Coca-Cola Company, Cott Corporation, Kraft Foods, Monster Beverage Corp., Dohler Group, and Dr, Pepper Snapple Group Inc. are among the frontrunners. Several soft drink manufacturers such as Coca Cola also have captive production plants of soft drink concentrates, which endows them to leverage more profit per unit sales of their soft drinks. There are certain soft drink concentrate manufacturers that specifically target the kids. For instance, India-based fruit concentrate manufacturer has positioned its products mostly to the Indian kids. Besides, product and sales channel development, the soft drink concentrate manufacturers are also focusing on improving the packaging to meet the concurrent consumer demand for packaging.



The research report on Soft Drink Concentrates presents a comprehensive assessment of the Soft Drink Concentrates 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 in Soft Drink Concentrates provides analysis and information according to market segments such as application, end-use and geographies.



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The Soft Drink Concentrates market report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The Soft Drink Concentrates report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The Soft Drink Concentrates market report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Demand for energy has been increasing rapidly across globe. Rise in urbanization and demand for electricity to suffice growing population has increased significantly. Steel is considered as a green material. It is increasingly being used to replace replacing aging wood electric utility distribution poles. Steel utility pole is a column or post used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities such as electrical cables, fiber optic cables, and related equipment such as transformers and street lights.



Steel Utility Poles Market: Key Segments



The steel utility poles market can be segmented in terms of type, material, application, and region. Based on type, the market can be classified into 1  40 feet, 41  70 feet, and above 71 feet. In terms of material, the steel utility poles market can be segregated into steel, wood, concrete, and composite. Based on application, the steel utility poles market can be categorized into transmission and distribution poles. Transmission poles carry high voltage power from regional substations to local substations. Distribution poles distribute lower voltage power to customers, it helps to avoid high voltage power effects.



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The steel utility poles market presents several opportunities. Additionally, steel utility poles can be customized by designing, integrating, and installing as per the requirements of the customer to transmit electricity. Steel utility poles are non-toxic, thus reducing disposal problems and costs. These poles can also be reused or recycled. Steel utility poles help save installation costs. Technological advancements also help reduce the production costs and service costs to of steel utility poles.



Steel Utility Poles Market: Regional Outlook



In terms of geography, the global steel utility poles market can be divided into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of demand, North America dominated the global steel utility poles market. This can be ascribed to the increase in electricity consumption of the U.S. Investments in the energy and power sector propel the demand for steel utility poles market. The American Iron & Steel Institute emphasizes on utilizing steel poles for better transmission and distribution of electricity. The steel utility poles market has been expanding in countries in Asia Pacific such as India, China, and Japan due to the improvements in the transmission and distribution network in these countries. The steel utility poles market in countries in Europe, such as the U.K., Germany, France, and Norway, is estimated to expand due to rise in investments in the power sector. Demand for steel utility poles is anticipated to increase in countries such as Brazil, and Mexico in Latin America due to rapid urbanization and improvements in transmission and distribution of electricity. Demand for steel utility poles in countries in Middle East & Africa is also likely to rise, as these provide safety and flexibility during desert storms. Moreover, investments in transmission and distribution of electricity is increasing in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. Rise in investments in transmission and distribution lines for electricity consumption in Africa are anticipated to propel the demand for steel utility poles market during the forecast period.



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Steel Utility Poles Market: Key Players



Key player operating in the global steel utility poles market include Omega Factory, GALVANCO, Hapco, KEC International, Stella Jones, Europoles GmbH, and Hidado
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- According to a new market research report "Sterilization Equipment Market by Product & Service (Instrument (Heat, Filtration, Low Temperature), Consumables and Accessories (Detergents, Indicators), Services (E beam, Gamma)), End User (Hospitals, Pharmaceutical Companies) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets.



The major factors driving the growth of this market are the rising incidence of hospital-acquired infections, increasing number of surgical procedures, rising focus on food sterilization and disinfection, technological advancements in sterilization equipment, and increasing number of hospitals in Asia. On the other hand, the presence of stringent regulations may restrain the growth of this market during the forecast period.



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Sterilization instruments accounted for the largest market share in 2017



By product and service, the Sterilization Equipment Market is classified into instruments, consumables & accessories, and services. The sterilization instruments segment accounted for the largest market share in 2017. The large share can be attributed to the growing incidence of HAIs and the growing volume of surgical procedures across the globe.



The hospitals and clinics segment dominated the market in 2017



On the basis of the end user, the Sterilization Equipment Market has been segmented into hospitals and clinics, medical device companies, food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical companies, and other end users. The hospitals & clinics segment accounted for the largest share of the Sterilization Equipment Market in 2017. The large share of this segment can be attributed to increasing incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), a growing number of hospitals in Asian countries, and an increasing number of surgical procedures.



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North America is estimated to command the largest share of the market in 2018



Based on region, the Sterilization Equipment Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW). In 2018, North America is expected to account for the largest share of the global sterilization equipment market. The increasing demand for sterilization technologies from the healthcare industry to minimize the occurrence of HAIs and the increasing number of surgeries in this region are the major factors supporting the growth of the Sterilization Equipment Market in North America.



Key players in the Sterilization Equipment Market include Steris Corporation (US), Getinge Group (Sweden), Advanced Sterilization Products (US), 3M Company (US), Belimed AG (Switzerland), Cantel Medical (US), and

Sterigenics International, Inc. (US)



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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- The increasing demand from the residential and commercial buildings likely to boosting growth of the global tool steel market in coming years. Also, growing investment in infrastructure projects in India, China and Japan Likely to argument for the growth of the global tool steel market. Moreover, rapid growth in construction activities in this region is another factor propelling growth of tool steel market in near future.On the basis of product class, Cold-work tool steel likely to dominate in terms of adoption due to rising demand for cutting and punching instrument manufacturing. These products are utilized in production of drawing dies, hobs, dies, and blades. These products have several qualities such as low cost of the products, long shelf life, toughness and high resistance likely to drive the demand for global tool steel market in coming years.The report provides overall analysis of the global tool steel market along with the regional and segmental analysis is also included.



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Global Tool Steel Market: Trends and Opportunities



The products have high strength and allow mass making of the molded plastics which are utilized for roofing, building insulation, door and windows and flooring which likely to influence growth of this market. The rising manufacturing process due to growing foreign investment to boost market growth in coming years. In addition, government initiatives and favorable policy likely to propel growth of the tool steel products across the globe. This is another factors fueling growth of tool steel market in coming years.



The products provides several benefits which includes high temperature resistance, high strength and resistance to cracking which have suitable for forging procedure and further contribute to the growth of tool steel market in coming years.



Global Tool Steel Market: Regional Outlook



On the geographical point of view, North America dominate the global tool steel market owing to rising demand from automotive to surge growth of tool steel market. The rising demand from manufacturing industry to accelerate growth of the global tool steel market in coming years. this products plays crucial role in the production of valves, automotive injectors, tail lamps and inner panels. This further propels growth of the global tool steel market in near future. This products are mainly used for the production of alcohol, dry foods and fatty food. This expected to propel growth of tool steel market in coming years.



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Global Tool Steel Market: Companies Mentioned



The prominent players operating in the global tool steel market includes SCHMOLZ + BICKENBACH, Tiangong International, Voestalpine, and Dongbei Special Steel Group. The manufacturers are largely focused toward new production and also focused toward strategic partnership to strengthen their presence across the globe. The players are also focused for mergers and acquisitions to attract new customers.



The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.
New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- The Top key vendors in Truck Racks Market include are Hauler Racks ,Kargo Master Inc ,The Thule Group ,Cross Tread Industries Inc ,U.S. Rack Inc ,Vanguard Manufacturing Inc ,Magnum Manufacturing Inc ,Texas Truck Racks ,Yakima Products Inc ,ProTech Industries



Download Report Overview Free Sample Copy of Truck Racks Market at https://www.marketgrowthinsight.com/sample/20517



Apart from this, the valuable document weighs upon the performance of the industry on the basis of a product service, end-use, geography and end customer.



The industry experts have left no stone unturned to identify the major factors influencing the development rate of the Truck Racks industry including various opportunities and gaps. A thorough analysis of the micro markets with regards to the growth trends in each category makes the overall study interesting. When studying the micro markets the researchers also dig deep into their future prospect and contribution to the Truck Racks industry.



A high focus is maintained on factors such as demand and supply, production capacity, supply chain management, distribution channel, product application and performance across different countries. The report not only offers hard to find facts about the trends and innovation driving the current and future of Truck Racks business, but also provides insights into competitive development such as acquisition and mergers, joint ventures, product launches and technology advancements.



A quick look at the industry trends and opportunities



The researchers find out why sales of Truck Racks are projected to surge in the coming years. The study covers the trends that will strongly favour the industry during the forecast period, 2019 to 2025. Besides this, the study uncovers important facts associated with lucrative growth and opportunities that lie ahead for the Truck Racks industry.



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On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into

- Welding Frame

- Riveted Frame

- Rivet/welded Frame

- Others



On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, including

- Heavy Truck

- Medium Truck

- Light Truck

- Others



Region wise performance of the Truck Racks industry



This report studies the global Truck Racks Market status and forecast, categorizes the global Truck Racks Market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia India and Other regions (Middle East & Africa, Central & South America).



Key points from TOC



7 Global Truck Racks Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis



7.1 Hauler Racks

7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors

7.1.2 Truck Racks Product Category, Application and Specification

7.1.2.1 Product A

7.1.2.2 Product B

7.1.3 Hauler Racks Truck Racks Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)

7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview



7.2 Kargo Master Inc

7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors

7.2.2 Truck Racks Product Category, Application and Specification

7.2.2.1 Product A

7.2.2.2 Product B

7.2.3 Kargo Master Inc Truck Racks Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)

7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview



7.3 The Thule Group

7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors

7.3.2 Truck Racks Product Category, Application and Specification

7.3.2.1 Product A

7.3.2.2 Product B

7.3.3 The Thule Group Truck Racks Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)

7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview



7.4 Cross Tread Industries Inc

7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors

7.4.2 Truck Racks Product Category, Application and Specification

7.4.2.1 Product A

7.4.2.2 Product B

7.4.3 Cross Tread Industries Inc Truck Racks Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)

7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview



Continue..



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This Truck Racks Market report holds answers to some important questions like:



- What is the size of occupied by the prominent leaders for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025? What will be the share and the growth rate of the Truck Racks Market during the forecast period?



- What are the future prospects for the Truck Racks industry in the coming years?



- Which trends are likely to contribute to the development rate of the industry during the forecast period, 2018 to 2025?



- What are the future prospects of the Truck Racks industry for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025?



- Which countries are expected to grow at the fastest rate?



- Which factors have attributed to an increased sale worldwide?



- What is the present status of competitive development?



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Nada Ali

Egyptian Nada Ali has won a trip to the UK to take part in the Cheltenham Science Festival and compete with 29 eager scientists from all over the world in the 2019 FameLab international competition on 23 March.

The British Council and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology celebrated the new voice of science at the Giza Pyramids after she won the judges approval with her talk in only three minutes.

The jury was headed by Yasser El-Shayeb, visiting professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and the chief of party for USAID funded project the Centre of Excellence for Water, AUC Provost Ehab Abdel-Rahman, Regional Director of the American Fellowship programme in Medical Education Samar Abdel-Azim Ahmed, as well as Egyptian actress Bushra.

Ali reached this stage after a long selection process from 1,633 applicants, passing a video submission phase where applicants submitted a three-minute video to present a scientific idea of their choice with clarity, content and charisma.

Nada received a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy and a Masters in Science in Microbiology from Alexandria University. Her main interest is in antimicrobial resistance and contributing to fighting this global problem. She is also a mother of two children, who were her motivation to start learning science communication so that she can sate their curiosity about everything in the world.

FameLab Egypt 2019 was hosted by Dr. Mohamed El-Nazer, a dermatologist and laser and aesthetic medicine specialist, and Yasmina Maher, FameLab alumnus of 2018 and a fifth-year student in clinical pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University.

This year, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology will fund the participation of FameLab runner-up Ahmed Saber El-Fiky to visit the Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom to support the efforts of the Egyptian government to promote science and build a culture that supports the positive role played by science in improving the economic and social development of countries. Ahmed also won the audience vote prize at the event.

Addressing the attendees, director of the British Council in Egypt Elizabeth White said, The ancient Egyptians used the cutting-edge science of their day to build the pyramids, leaving the world this tremendous legacy  the oldest of the wonders of the world. We chose this venue to showcase the achievements of young Egyptians passionate about science, and the way that the British Council/ASRT FameLab programme helps to encourage them in the studies and research of science and engineering. More than 4,500 years after these monuments were built; we are in the same place  witnessing young Egyptians creating new wonders.

In his speech, president of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) Mahmoud Sakr highlighted the significant increase in the number of participants this year as a result of the new system developed by the British Council. The new system allowed the participants to use an electronic platform to present a scientific subject in an interesting and innovative way to prove their abilities in three minutes. This platform helped reach all the governorates of Egypt, as some participants in previous years were unable to reach any of the six governorates, where local tours were held because of the distance barrier.

This year, FameLab celebrates 10 years in Egypt. Over the past 10 years, over 3,000 contestants participated in the FameLab competition from across all the governorates of Egypt.

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Maharashtra, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2019 -- Utilities Mobile Cranes Market



The global Utilities Mobile Cranes Market report look through various tendencies, obstructions, and challenges faced by the key competitors of Utilities Mobile Cranes market. The report has been prepared in consideration of the major outcomes and consequences of the market.



This report examines the Utilities Mobile Cranes market status and the potential of global and major regions, from angles of players, product regions and end Application/industries; this report assesses the key players in global and major regions and classifies the Utilities Mobile Cranes market by product and Application/end industries.



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Segmentation:



The Major Companies Covered in this Report are: Liebherr , Tadano , Manitowoc , XCMG , Terex , Zoomlion , Sany , KobelcoCrane , HitachiSumitomo , Furukawa , Sichuan Changjiang , Altec Industries , ActionConstructionEquipment , Elliott Equipment , Liugong , Bocker Maschinenwerke , Liaoning Fuwa , Manitex , Broderson



Market Analysis by Types:

Crawler Cranes

All Terrain Cranes

Truck Cranes

Trailer-Mounted Cranes

Others



Market by Application

Commercial

Public



Regions/Countries:

North America (USA, Canada, Mexico)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, etc.)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, etc.)

Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran etc.)

Africa (Egypt, South Africa, etc.)



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Points Covered in The Report:

The points that are talked over within the report are the major Utilities Mobile Cranes market players that influence the market such as raw material suppliers, manufacturers, equipment suppliers, end users, traders, distributors etc.



The all-inclusive profile of the companies is specified. The production, price, capacity, revenue, cost, gross, gross margin, sales volume, sales revenue, consumption, growth rate, import, export, future strategies, supply, and the technological developments that they are creating are also incorporated within the report. Besides the historical data from 2012 to 2017 and forecast data from 2019 to 2024.



The growth factors of the Utilities Mobile Cranes market are deeply discussed while the different end users of the market are underlined.



Data and information by manufacturer, by region, by type, by application and etc., and custom research can be added in line with the specific requirements.



The report also considers the SWOT analysis of the market. Finally, the report concludes with the opinions of the industry experts.



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The global Utilities Mobile Cranes Market provides an overall research conclusion and market feasibility of investing in a novel project is assessed. Global Utilities Mobile Cranes Market is a beneficial and trustworthy source of guidance and mode for individuals and companies concerned with the sales of the market.



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Sleeping in a few extra hours on the weekends might not be enough to combat the self-incurred damage from weekday sleep deprivation. According to a study from the University of Colorado Boulder, sleep restriction for just a 5-days dysregulated the internal circadian clock and increased late-night caloric intake, leading to weight gain. A recovery period over the weekend to sleep in was unable to mitigate these symptoms compared to a control group sleep deprived over the weekend as well. Weekend recovery sleep is therefore insufficient to counter against the metabolic consequences of prolonged sleep deprivation.

In our productivity-oriented modern society, sleep is typically one of the first casualties in our constant battle to do it all.

We often sleep in on the weekend to counter the sleep deprivation we self-incur during the working week, to varying success.

Sleeping less than 7 hours per night has been linked to a host of poor medical outcomes both mentally and physically. Psychological symptoms include fatigue and inattention, while physical ones include weight gain and increased diabetes risk.

Although we may feel reinvigorated after an 11-hour hibernation following a week of exhaustion, new research out of the University of Colorado suggests that the adverse effects of sleep deprivation linger on.

To specifically investigate the influence of weekend recovery sleep, the authors studied three groups of subjects over a week and a half period, with workweeks flanking an experimental weekend. One group was as a control group allotted the sufficient 9-hour daily sleep, one was a sleep deprived group getting only 5 hours each night, and the final one was a weekend recovery group, that was deprived during the weekday, and then allowed unlimited sleep over the weekend.

By looking at energy intake and metabolic measures, the authors were able to infer physiological activity between the conditions. It has been shown that sleep deprivation entails body-wide metabolic changes, but restorative effects of weekend rest was unknown.

First, the authors found that unrestricted sleeping-in on the weekend did not make up for the total number of sleep hours lost during the workweek deprivation.

The extra hours gained on Friday and Saturday nights were all but washed out by Sunday night, when they had to awaken early once again (even though they chose their own bedtimes). This data suggests that the ability to sleep in on the weekends following a workweek of restricted sleep hours does not necessarily result in individuals making up the missed sleep on an hourly basis.

An important finding of this study was that sleep restriction had substantial effects on the circadian clock timing. Our circadian clock is the driver of cyclical physiological processes that affects numerous cellular functions and gene programs regulating metabolism and sleepiness, to name a few. The regularity of our clock is important for our bodies to use resources at proper times of the day, predicting our needs so we can function optimally.

Melatonin is one element of the circadian clock, whose levels rise and fall every day, and is often used as an indirect measure of our clock timing. Melatonin measurement showed that sleep deprivation delayed both the start and end time of biological nighttime, and that this delay was not rescued with weekend recovery sleep. As the regulatory mechanisms desynchronized, energy consumption also drastically shifted.

Across all groups, the largest share of total caloric intake came from post-dinner time, but this fraction grew in the sleep restriction group during the weekdays, and then dropped off over the weekend in the weekend recovery group, but not in the sleep deprived group.

These findings were further explored physiologically by looking at insulin sensitivity in the body.

Hepatic insulin sensitivity was lowest in the weekend recovery group, possibly due to the wide fluctuations in energy intake over the trial period, and correspondingly produced the slowest glucose clearance from the body.

Together, the study provides evidence that sleeping in on the weekend may produce short-term emotional benefit, but does not fix the physiological ailments, as, metabolic correction does not occur quickly, according to co-author Robert H. Eckel, MD.

These findings also indicate that the disruption of sleep time may have its own negative consequences, such as the dysregulation of the circadian clock, that can remain even after returning to a regular sleep schedule. So perhaps next time youre ready to binge one more episode late on a worknight, consider saving it for the weekend, and your body will thank you for it.

The results were published March 18, 2019 in the journal Current Biology.

_____

Christopher M. Depner et al. 2019. Ad libitum Weekend Recovery Sleep Fails to Prevent Metabolic Dysregulation during a Repeating Pattern of Insufficient Sleep and Weekend Recovery Sleep. Current Biology 29 (6): 957-967; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.069
US President Donald Trump's call for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights was manna from heaven for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks before an election.

For many Arabs, it crushed any hope that there will one day be a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians and increased doubts that Washington is an impartial arbiter.

But allies and enemies can agree on one thing: Trump's statement last Thursday was a turning point in US policy over territory Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981, in a move the UN Security Council declared unlawful.

"I am confident that the Lord is at work here," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Israel when Trump made his announcement on Twitter, told the Christian Broadcasting Network in an interview.

Netanyahu, who has thanked Trump for the announcement, is seeking re-election on April 9 but faces a tough battle and possible indictment in three corruption cases in which he denies wrongdoing.

He was due to meet Trump on Monday on a trip highlighting what Netanyahu calls the strongest ever bond between an Israeli leader and a US president, though Trump has said his decision on the occupied Golan Heights was not connected with the election.

But Trump's decision, following US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017, could tempt other powers to annex land, undermine the roll-out of a US Middle East peace plan and tilt Israel back into conflict with its Arab neighbours, Middle East analysts say.

"Donald Trump has made sure that Israel will be in a perpetual state of war with its Arab neighbours for many decades to come," said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and author of the book Making the Arab World.

"What Trump has done is to hammer a deadly nail in the coffin of the peace process and Arab-Israeli reconciliation. This is a fundamental turning point. There is nothing left to discuss anymore."

Reshaping The Middle East

Trump's move is, according to many analysts, partly intended to boost his own chances of re-election in 2020, by targeting the vast pool of US evangelical Christians.

Many of them voted for his in 2016 and they are championed in his administration by Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and others.

The announcement on the Golan Heights was the latest in a flurry of decisions that are widely seen as intended to redraw the contours of the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Most have ticked the wish-list of Israel's right-wing government and met longstanding demands of its US supporters, including US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. The Arab east of the city was occupied by Israel and then annexed after 1967 in a move that is legally repudiated internationally.

White House officials say the decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights acknowledge the reality on the ground, which they say must be the basis for legitimate peace negotiations.

Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was inconceivable Israel "would allow the Golan to be controlled by the state of Syria or by any of the rogue actors operating in the areas, including Iran."

But with Sunni Arab leaders dealing with crises in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Sudan and Qatar, and their standoff with non-Arab Shia Iran, they are less focused on Israel.

Arabs In Disarray



Trump's aides have indicated privately that they believe his moves on Jerusalem have provoked a less severe reaction in the Arab world than experts had predicted, a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

In particular, they did not appear to have blocked behind-the-scenes security contacts developed in recent years between Israel and the United States' Gulf allies over their common enemy Iran, the person said.

Aides' advice to Trump on recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights was that Washington could again weather the storm, the same person said.

Support for the move in the Trump administration had gained momentum over the past year as Israel increasingly expressed concern about Iranian forces and their proxies taking up positions in southwestern Syria, the official said.

John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser and one of the administration's leading Iran hawks, was an important proponent of the policy shift, the official said.

But sceptics say the move will also give Iran and its local ally Hezbollah what they would see as justification for new attacks on Israel and hamstring anti-Iranian Arab leaders if they are seen to accept the US move.

The Trump administration has identified Iran as its main target in the Middle East, and withdrew from the deal signed by Tehran, the United States and other world powers in 2015 on curbing Iran's nuclear programme.

More To Come

But after the moves on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, Iran and Hezbollah may feel better able to present themselves as the only steadfast allies of the Palestinian cause.

They could also play into the hands of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by helping him in his portrayals of Israel and the United States as enemies.

"This will give further power to the Iran axis of resistance between Iran-Hezbollah-Assad against Israel and the US," said Galip Dalay, visiting fellow at Oxford University and a fellow at Brookings Doha. "This axis has just been given a very strong symbolic victory and this will give them the high ground."

He said Arab leaders could not publicly support Trump's decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights because it would threaten their popularity, in some cases already low.

"From the Arab standpoint, this makes them more hesitant to be supportive because the political space they need to manoeuvre has been eroded," said Dennis Ross, a veteran Middle East negotiator. "Each move by this administration has put Arab states on the defensive."

Ross also suggested that US recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights could embolden the Israeli right-wing to step up its push for annexing settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

"I worry that the right in Israel can say 'they recognized this. It will be a matter of time before we can annex all or part of the West Bank'," he said. "That would be the end of the two-state solution."

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Long ties with LA

Princess has the longest history of any cruise line to sail from the Port of Los Angeles, including its run on the hit television series 'The Love Boat.'

To mark the ships maiden call and the start of its West Coast season, the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band, under the direction of Arthur C. Bartner, provided pageantry and fanfare from a location on board Battleship Iowa. As Royal Princess departed and sounded its 'Love Boat' harmony-tuned horn, the USC Marching Band played back the theme song.

Mexican Riviera legacy

Passengers and onlookers were treated to a fireworks display that sent the ship off on its first seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise, the same itinerary made famous by Princess and 'The Love Boat.'

Alaska

Royal Princess will sail weekly to the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles through April 27, before heading north to Vancouver, BC, for a season of Alaska cruises. Then, returning to Los Angeles in September, Royal Princess will remain on the West Coast for six months, continuing cruises to Alaska, the Mexican Riviera and the California coast.

Royal Princess is among the small but growing number of MedallionClass ships that provide a wearable device, OceanMedallion, to expedite embarkation, automatically open stateroom doors and help personalize service on board.

Royal Princess first debuted in Southampton in June 2013, where it was named Her Royal Highness, Catherine, the duchess of Cambridge. The original Royal Princess (1984) was named by Princess Diana.
Press Release

March 25, 2019 Angara urges gov't to address waning interest in agriculture among youth Reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara is urging the government to put in place measures that would create more jobs and increase productivity in the agriculture sector to encourage young people to venture into farming. "Kailangan nating palakasin ang sektor ng agrikultura at palakihin ang kita ng mga magsasaka para mahikayat natin ang mga kabataan na magsaka," said Angara, who joined the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) campaign caravan in Negros Occidental, which is home to at least six universities and colleges offering various courses in agriculture. Angara issued the statement after the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), citing the results of the January 2019 Labor Force Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), reported that the agriculture sector suffered 1.7 million job losses, which primarily contributed to the decline in the actual number of employed Filipinos in January this year compared to the same period last year. The survey showed that the total registered employment decreased by 0.9 percent to 41.1 million in January, or equivalent to 387,000 fewer workers, compared to the previous year. NEDA said this was mainly due to the 1.7 million employment loss in the agriculture sector, which overshadowed the combined 1.3 million additional jobs in industry and services sectors. The country's labor force is comprised of those 15 years old and above, whether employed or unemployed. According to Angara, the lack of support services from the government to farmers has led to the poor state of agriculture in the country, which makes the industry unappealing to pursue as a career. "The seeming lack of government support to the agriculture sector is one of the most compelling reasons why we find it so hard to encourage young people to consider farming as a career, and why farmers and farm workers are leaving the field for better paying jobs," Angara said. The agriculture sector, the PSA said, currently employs 9.158 million individuals. The average daily wage of agriculture workers is P265, according to a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies or PIDS. Angara noted that the waning interest in agriculture among the youth was evident in the sharp decline of enrollees in agriculture courses from 2015 to 2018, which dropped by almost 30 percent. The Commission on Higher Education reported that 142,182 students enrolled in various institutions offering agricultural courses all over the country for school year 2015-2016. The enrollment fell to 127,287 for school year 2016-217 and further went down to 100,922 for 2017-2018. To boost the agriculture sector, Angara said the government should strengthen support services for farmers by providing better irrigation facilities, institutional credit, proper marketing facilities, and other farm subsidies needed to increase their productivity. The senator, who is running under the platform "Alagang Angara," has filed with the Senate a bill seeking to develop and strengthen the agriculture education and training in the country, through the institutionalization of manpower development for agriculture entrepreneurship, also known as "agripreneur," in vocational schools. Angara has been urging the government to focus on improving the agriculture sector to help the country achieve inclusive growth and food security. Aside from infrastructure development, Angara said, the nation needs nothing short of an "agriculture revolution," which the Duterte administration can spearhead alongside its "Build, Build, Build" program. An agricultural revolution is necessary to help revive the agriculture sector and improve the lives of impoverished farmers, who belong to 60 percent of the country's poorest, he said. Citing government records, Angara said the agriculture's relative contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) had been declining over the years. From 1998 to 2009, the sector accounted for 13 to 14 percent of the total GDP. This steadily declined to 10 percent in 2017.
Press Release

March 25, 2019 De Lima warns voters vs candidates peddling lies Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged the Filipino electorate to be more vigilant against administration senatorial candidates who bank on lies and disinformation to improve their chances of getting elected in the upcoming May 13 elections. De Lima, a known election lawyer, said voters should take time to probe the public records of candidates, especially those from the administration slate, and validate the authenticity of their claims to not easily be fooled into believing their lies. "A candidate who attains victory by lying will govern by lying, so we should consider it as a red flag that the administration senatorial candidates are using lies and disinformation as a key tactic to deceive the Filipino voters," she said. Among the senatorial candidates whom De Lima warned the voters against include former senator Jinggoy Estrada, presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, former congresswoman Imee Marcos, and former special presidential assistant Bong Go. "These candidates have repeatedly shunned any organized debate between them and candidates from the opposition slate 'Otso Diretso' because they are afraid to be exposed of their own lies," the former justice secretary said. "It is our democratic rights to reveal their true intention before we entrust them with our future. If this isn't enough to make us doubt their intentions in running for senators, I don't know what will," she added. Aside from being liars, the lady Senator from Bicol noted that both Estrada and Tolentino are alike in such a way that they both love to play the victim card to earn people's sympathy and trust. "In a shameless attempt to sway the Filipino public to vote for him, Estrada's campaign speeches highlighted his fake innocence over plunder charges. His nerve to falsely consider himself as a mere victim of political climate is preposterous," she said. "Tolentino is no different either because he continues to preach that he supposedly deserves the 12th senatorial spot in the 2016 national elections even though there was NO sufficient evidence that he was cheated on. Truth is, Tolentino is just a cry baby who cannot accept defeat," she added. The Ombudsman already confirmed that there is enough evidence to prove Estrada's guilt on charges of plunder for purportedly putting his congressional development fund amounting to PhP183.79 million to bogus foundations linked with businesswoman and alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. Tolentino, on his part, repeatedly alleged that fraud was the cause of his electoral defeat to De Lima in the 2016 elections, despite the lack of evidence to support such claim, and not to mention the fact that he lost to the former just secretary with a whopping margin of more than 1.3 million votes. "Why withdraw his election protest if he claims to be the real winner?," De Lima said. She then challenges Tolentino to join her Motion filed with the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) asking for the release of the results of revision and appreciation of ballots in the 25 percent pilot precincts. "Para magkaalaman na!," De Lima quipped. Marcos did not escape the eyes of De Lima who asked in rhetoric, "How come that Marcos is the only one who is not aware that she DID NOT finish her degree from Princeton University? She's being pathetic." Marcos insisted she earned a degree from Princeton University despite a reported confirmation from Princeton deputy university spokesperson Michael Hotchkiss that, "our records do not show that Ms Marcos was awarded a degree." De Lima urged voters to also look out for Go whom she called a "big liar," saying how "Go chooses not to admit that he took undue advantage of government funds to help fund his senatorial campaign. Sinong niloko niya? Style niya, bulok!" She said Estrada, Tolentino, Marcos and Go who are all running under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago slate are just among the candidates who are obviously willing to cheat their way to victory by sowing mistruth and deceiving people with their "fabricated stories." "Marami pa sila na mga kampon ni Duterte na pare-parehong sinungaling. As the election day nears, we should be wiser in choosing our candidates, lest we want to face disaster in the next three to six years of their reign," she concluded.
Press Release

March 25, 2019 Dispatch from Crame No. 494:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima's statement on why the withdrawal from the Rome Statute is a huge mistake The filing with the ICC of a communication against China's acts of aggression in the West Philippine Sea by former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales clearly and unmistakably shows that the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute is a huge mistake. Until March 17, 2019, the Philippines could raise any act of aggression, assaults against humanity and other heinous crimes of international concern committed by a foreign power such as China to the ICC, the Philippines until then being a state party to the Rome Statute. This is precisely what was achieved by Del Rosario and Morales when they filed the communication against China few days before said date. However, with the effectivity of the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC on March 17, 2019, it now becomes doubtful if the Philippines can still go to the ICC to assail a foreign power's acts of aggression committed after said withdrawal. During the Supreme Court oral arguments in the case filed by the minority Senators questioning the constitutionality of the Philippine withdrawal without the Senate's concurrence, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio raised this issue with Solicitor General Jose Calida. Justice Carpio asseverates that in the future, the Philippines might find itself in a very difficult situation since it would be without recourse to the ICC from acts of aggression of a foreign power if it withdraws from the Rome Statute. China's acts of aggression complained of in Del Rosario's and Morales's ICC communication definitely will not be the last to be committed by a foreign country or leader against the Philippines and Filipino citizens. Unfortunately, any future act of aggression by any foreign country committed after March 17, 2019 can no longer be raised by the Philippines to the ICC because of its withdrawal from the Rome Statute. More than Duterte, who remains to be covered by the ICC preliminary examination for crimes against humanity committed before March 17, 2019, the Philippines' withdrawal seems to have also benefitted foreign aggressors, to the detriment of the Philippines' interests and national security. Duterte's withdrawal from the Rome Statute becomes nothing more than a self-serving act that also favored his Chinese patron, with the Philippines as the major loser. Because as sure as anything, Duterte will continue to commit crimes against humanity on his countrymen, and China will continue to commit acts of aggression against Filipino fisherfolks beyond March 17, 2019. The Philippines has just been stripped naked of ICC protection from both. Another point. With the now emboldened President Duterte, whose unilateral act of withdrawing sans Senate concurrence was left unchecked by the Supreme Court, what would prevent him now from likewise withdrawing, whimsically and capriciously as he did as to the Rome Statute, from other major treaties like the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty? In short, the grievously ill-advised and arbitrary unilateral withdrawal from the Rome Statute was a colossal blunder.
Gordon says joint LTO, PNP OPCEN should be created immediately to avoid delay in Law's implementation

To prevent delays in implementing Republic Act 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, Senator Richard J. Gordon said the Land Transportation Office (LTO), in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), should immediately build an Operation Center.

"I will call on the LTO to build a 24/7 Operation Center immediately because we cannot implement the law without it. Therefore, the LTO, in coordination with the PNP, must prepare immediately so they are not delayed again," he said.

Gordon, principal author and sponsor of RA 11235, said the laws calls for a Joint PNP-LTO Operations and Control Center which should be operational and accessible real-time, as well as equipped with the latest available technology to facilitate the implementation of the law.

"It must have sufficient computers and software capable of addressing any emergency and inquiry. Also, a hotline, specifically for reporting of crimes or offenses committed with the use of motorcycles, should be established," he said.

The law also requires the LTO to maintain a registry of motorcycles in a database to facilitate information retrieval for official investigation and law enforcement purposes.
Fossil barnacles, the original GPS, help track ancient whale migrations

Barnacles that hitch rides on the backs of humpback and gray whales not only record details about the whales' yearly travels, they also retain this information after they become fossilized, helping scientists reconstruct the migrations of whale populations millions of years in the past, according to a new University of California, Berkeley, study.

Oxygen isotope ratios in barnacle shells change with ocean condition and allow scientists to chart the migration of the host whale, for example to warmer breeding grounds or colder feeding grounds. Now, marine paleobiologists led by UC Berkeley doctoral student Larry Taylor have discovered that barnacles retain this information even after they fall off the whale, sink to the ocean bottom, and become fossils."

As a result, the travels of fossilized barnacles can serve as a proxy for the peregrinations of whales in the distant past, like GPS trackers from the Pleistocene.

"One of the more exciting things about the paper, in my mind, is that we find evidence for migration in all of these ancient populations, from three different sites and time periods, but also from both humpback and gray whale lineages, indicating that these animals, which lived hundreds of thousands of years ago, were all undertaking migrations similar in extent to those of modern-day whales," Taylor said.

One surprise finding is that the coast of Panama has been a meeting ground for different subpopulations of humpback whales for at least 270,000 years and still is today. Whales visit Panama from as far away as Antarctica and the Gulf of Alaska.

This information about ancient migration will help scientists understand how migration patterns may have affected the evolution of whales over the past 3 to 5 million years, how these patterns changed with changing climate and help predict how today's whales will adapt to the rapid climate change happening today.

"We want to understand how malleable migratory behavior has been through time, how rapidly whales have adapted to previous climate changes, and see if this can give us some clues as to how they might respond to the current changes in Earth's climate," he said. "How will whales cope with that, how will the food base shift, how will the whales themselves respond?"

Taylor and his colleagues, senior author Seth Finnegan, a UC Berkeley associate professor of integrative biology, Aaron O'Dea of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and Timothy Bralower of Pennsylvania State University in University Park, will publish their findings this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Riding the whales

Barnacles are crustaceans, like crabs, lobsters and shrimp, that remain stuck in one place their whole lives, encased in a protective hard shell and sticking out their legs to snatch passing food. Most glue themselves to rocks, boats or pilings, but whale barnacles attach to a whale's skin by boring down into it. Some whales have been estimated to carry up to 1,000 pounds of barnacles, which are visible when they breech. Clusters of barnacles are used to identify individual whales.

"This gives the barnacle several advantages: a safe surface to live on, a free ride to some of the richest waters in the world and a chance to meet up with other (barnacles) when the whales get together to mate," O'Dea said.

Taylor's technique works because different species of whale barnacle hitch rides on different species of whale, so paleontologists can know, when they find a fossilized barnacle, which species it rode with. Normally, the barnacles stay with a whale between one and three years, until they fall or are brushed off, often at whale breeding grounds. At least 24 fossil assemblages of whale barnacles have been found around the world, Taylor said.

The new discovery means that the fossilized barnacles recovered at these sites can tell about ancient migrations of humpbacks, gray whales and perhaps other baleen whales (toothed whales, such as sperm whales, do not host many barnacles), potentially turning up previously unsuspected feeding and breeding areas.

The technique is based on measuring the oxygen isotopes in the calcium carbonate, or calcite, shell of the barnacle. The ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 goes up as the temperature drops. Since barnacles lengthen their shells by a few millimeters a month as they try to stay attached to whales in the face of the mammals' shedding skin, the composition of the new shell reflects the ocean temperature and general isotopic composition where it formed.

Taylor built on previous work showing that barnacles attached to living gray whales record a chemical signature of their migrations. He confirmed that the isotopic composition of the humpback whale barnacle (Coronula diadema) also tracks its environment today during the whales' yearly migration, showing monthly changes. He then demonstrated that fossilized barnacles from Panama and from the California coast could be analyzed similarly, and that they showed isotopic changes similar to that of today's whales."

This technique will be particularly valuable for studying prehistoric humpback populations, Taylor said, because the humpback was and is more cosmopolitan than the California gray whale, cruising widely through the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Scientists theorize that whale migration began as food sources became more scattered as the climate changed 5 million years ago. Modern Pacific whales migrate tens of thousands of miles annually, visiting several known feeding areas and returning to warm waters off Central and South America or Hawaii to breed.

"We plan to push this approach further back in time and across different whale populations," Finnegan said. "We hope that by analyzing other aspects of the geochemistry of the barnacles shells we might ultimately be able to figure out what areas different ancient whale populations were migrating to."

###

This study was supported by the National Science Foundation (EAR 1325683), the National System of Investigators (SENACYT) in Panama, the Paleontological Society, the Geological Society of America, Sigma Xi and the University of California Museum of Paleontology.

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Press Release

March 25, 2019 Poe on water interruptions: Apology is best expressed in monetary value Saying that an apology is best expressed in monetary value, Sen. Grace Poe exhorted Manila Water Company Inc. to implement a fair and just adjustment in the bill for the month of March and the succeeding months without water supply of its affected customers. Poe issued the statement as state regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and Manila Water officials meet on Monday, March 25 to discuss the adjustments. Poe said MWSS must be vigilant in seeing to it that the people are not shortchanged by the computation of the bill reduction. Manila Water, which covers Metro Manila's east zone, has stated in a number of times that it is looking at possible bill adjustments for its costumers, who have been inconvenienced by the supply shortage. "Manila water can absorb it, their income will not dry up. It is a drop in their bucket of profits. An apology is best expressed monetarily," Poe said. Poe said the bill adjustment should be forthcoming after the meeting of MWSS and Manila Water, and should be immediately felt by the people in their next billing. "Manila Water should not be reaping profits even if the taps have run dry," Poe said. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Poe facilitated a public hearing last week that revealed the extent of the water supply shortage problem and the apparent lack of foresight of state regulators in identifying measures to undertake to avert a water crisis. Poe said the panel is preparing its preliminary report on the matter. Poe said it is critical at this point to provide immediate relief to the consumers, who were not only inconvenienced, but who also spent money to buy containers and water and transport it to their homes. By undertaking this commitment to adjust its charges, Poe said Manila Water will be showing good faith to the public that it was also prepared to do its responsibility in the wake of this water supply problem. "Kung walang tumulong tubig sa gripo, bakit tayo magbabayad?" Poe said. "What's most important is this should be treated as an urgent matter, and should be felt by the consumers as soon as possible," Poe said.
Let me just say again, for the umpteenth time: The collusion has been right out in the open.



We all saw it. From the moment Trump stood at a podium inviting Russia to hack the U.S. State Department.



Trump has been so brazen that the people charged with holding him accountable, including the press, keep looking *past* what he says and does in public, searching for "evidence" of what is already evident. They've convinced themselves that a president can't be a brazen traitor.



He is. But here we are. Another farcical waste of time finally reveals itself thus, and I take no consolation in having been right to caution that this was the probable outcome.



I'm not interested in "wait for SDNY!" pushback. My biggest worry, which I repeatedly expressed for nearly two years, was that the Mueller investigation was intentionally or effectively just buying time for Trump to consolidate power, so "wait until X!" is no consolation to me.



NB: Trump has been calling this a "witch hunt" etc. in anticipation of this very outcome. Never mind that the report does not exonerate him; it does as far as he and his cultists are concerned. Now if the Democrats pursue investigations, he will double down on "witch hunt."



And that wouldn't work except for the fact that the political press will overwhelmingly accommodate his narrative.



Btw, that was also why, in spite of the abuse I got for saying it, I continually warned against putting all of our eggs into the Mueller basket. Elevating Mueller with a savior narrative only counterbalanced Trump's martyr narrative in the most dangerous way.



I'm pointing that out now not to do a victory lap, but because I really hope some lessons have been learned from that mistake, but, given the amount of directly transferring the savior narrative from Mueller to SDNY that I'm seeing, it seems like lots of folks ain't learned shit.

Someone (WHO COULD IT BE?) wants to make Manafort the fall guy for Russian collusion. No doubt he was at the center and in the thick of it, but he was, ultimately, only the go-between for two much more powerful players. The buck shouldn't stop with him. It's pretty clear who benefits from making sure it does stop with him, though.



That such a brazen effort is being made to frame him in the press is a hint that, behind the scenes, the key players may be trying to shape what evidence (documents and testimony) are provided to Mueller to direct his investigation toward Manafort and steer scrutiny away from Trump, Pence, and Kushner.

The collusion between Donald Trump's campaign (and, later, administration) and Russia has always been right out in the open  from his campaign forcing the Republican Party to change its plank on Ukraine, to Trump standing at a podium along the campaign trail publicly inviting Russia to hack Hillary Clinton's emails, to Trump's meetings with Russian diplomats in the Oval Office where he was photographed as he spilled intelligence secrets, to Trump publicly saying he would not meet with Vladimir Putin at the G20 only to meet with him privately anyway.



The incidents of collusion between Russia and Trump, his family, and/or his staff are many. And a huge number of them have never been concealed. They have been visible live, or known and quickly reported to the public.



And yet, many of us who have been hammering away for years at the fact that the then-Republican candidate and now president is colluding with a foreign adversary have been widely dismissed as kooks and conspiracy theorists for nearly the entire time  despite the fact that much of the information in Special Counsel Bob Mueller's filings has long been known.



It's merely confirming what those of us paying attention have seen with our own eyes.



...Over and over, people have argued with me that what I was saying about collusion couldn't possibly be true, because no one would be so stupid as to be that brazen.



But the brazenness wasn't stupidity. It was calculated. Trump and his co-conspirators knew damn well that there would be people lining up to argue that what they were seeing with their own eyes couldn't actually be what they were seeing with their own eyes, because no one would be stupid enough to be that brazen.

Here's what Trump is emailing to his supporters: "Complete exoneration," reiterating that it was (and any further investigation will be) a "witch hunt," and threatening/urging "We need to fight back BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE." pic.twitter.com/oQUX8jbRg1  Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) March 25, 2019

On Friday, Special Counsel Bob Mueller delivered his report to the Justice Department. Attorney General Bob Barr then issued a letter summarizing the findings in the report. (Thehas a complete copy of the text .) Mueller was investigating two things: Whether Donald Trump or any members of his campaign colluded with Russian officials; and whether Trump committed obstruction of justice.On the first item, Mueller found no evidence of collusion. On the second item, Mueller offered a mixed assessment of obstruction. Barr writes: "The Special Counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Barr then adds he finds insufficient evidence in the report to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.Note that these are Barr's assessments of the report. Mueller's report has not been made public, and there is still no guarantee that it will be, so we have to take it on faith at this point that Barr's characterization of what's in the report is fair.There's no reason to afford Barr good faith on this subject, and every reason not to , but we don't have any other option at the moment.Over the weekend, I shared a few thoughts on Twitter:I've made no secret of the fact that I was dubious about the Mueller investigation virtually from its start. In June of 2017, I was already urging folks to maintain measured expectations . And as early as September of 2017 , I was expressing my concern that it would never get any closer to Trump than Paul Manafort:And here we are, precisely as I feared. Except Manafort didn't even go down for anything he did in his role as Trump's campaign chair, leaving his crimes totally disconnected from Trump  a twist even I didn't see coming.Right up until recent weeks , I continually expressed my concerns: "Have I mentioned once or twice or three dozen times that I am very dubious about Special Counsel Bob Mueller's investigation? That I am concerned it lacks urgency? That I fear it will effectively, if not intentionally, create all the space Republicans need to consolidate power while keeping the public complacent and patiently waiting for accountability that will never actually come? That maybe lifetime Republican Mueller isn't actually as interested as we are in seeing an entire Republican administration brought to its knees and then frog-marched out of the White House?"In that same piece, I noted that Trump's collusion with Russia was not a theory: "We have known that the Trump campaign pressed for a change to the Republican platform's plank on UkraineThe lead story in my We Resist thread from March 3, 2017  nearly was about J.D. Gordon, the Trump campaign's national security policy representative for the Republican National Convention, openly admitting 'that he pushed to alter an amendment to the GOP's draft policy on Ukraine at the Republican National Convention last year to further align it with [Trump's] views,' which just happen to align with Vladimir Putin's."And I have written countless times that the collusion has always been right out in the open That Mueller has reportedly found no evidence of collusion is utterly absurd. Any suggestion to the contrary is straight-up gaslighting. It's fundamentallyto come to the conclusion that there's no evidence of Trump and members of his circle colluding with Russia.And it's only slightly less ludicrous to find there isn't actionable evidence that Trump committed obstruction. But here we are.My biggest worry about the Mueller investigation was always that it would effectively, even if not intentionally, create loads of time and space for Trump and the Republican Party to consolidate power. And that is exactly what has happened. There was precious little reason for Senate Republicans to hold Trump accountable for anything before, and there is no reason at all for them to do it now  unless and until they decide he's become no more use to them, and replace him with Mike Pence instead.Pence, who definitely knew, who was right in the thick of it during the presidential transition, and whose name has never been associated with the Mueller investigation for a moment.That was always a significant clue about the seriousness and efficacy of this investigation.Anyway. As I said above, I'm not pulling these receipts to do a victory lap. I couldn't be less fucking thrilled to have been right.I am recounting my words from the past two years with the hope that people will not immediately fall into the same trap of putting all their hopes into save us, and shouting down the women who have been right over and over and fucking over again.The Mueller report being a dud was always going to be a watershed moment. And let me be perfectly blunt: If you're terrified about what this signals for our future, for how empowered Trump will be after the delivery ofyou are right to be.This is only going to get worse. And I don't know what to do. I don't know what to advise. All I know is that we have to resist in every conceivable fashion at every possible moment if there is any hope to be had. We can't trust it to SDNY or House Democrats or anyone else  to save us. We need to start making some meaningful, organized efforts to save ourselves and each other.Let me say once again : I can't tell any other person what their resistance should look like. Each person has a different set of capabilities; a different level of safety; a different set of talents; a different number of spoons. How one protests in a small, rural town might look very different from how one protests in a big city that's a major media center.I only know whatresistance can and will look like. Each person needs to look inside themselves to define what theirs will. (Though certainly there are plenty of people who will offer good advice!)And, to be honest, you don't want me to define your resistance for you, because then you'd be limited by the boundaries of my imagination. Would I have conjured a national park resisting by tweeting facts ? Nope! But that is a brilliant and important act of resistance.All I will say is this: In an environment of official neglect, demoralization, and division, survival itself is an act of resistance. Staying engaged is an act of resistance. Building community is an act of resistance.If there is nothing else you are able to do to resist, just hang the fuck on, as hard as you can.
Mueller's report isn't even public yet, and it's "time for a reckoning," but it's still never time for a reckoning on their goddamn hideous coverage of Hillary Clinton, without which we wouldn't be here right now. https://t.co/mF4ZNevEqs  Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) March 25, 2019

One of the difficulties in resisting the Trump administration, the Republican Congressional majority, and Republican state legislatures (plus the occasional non-Republican who obliges us to resist their nonsense, too, like we don't have enough to worry about) is keeping on top of the sheer number of horrors, indignities, and normalization of the aggressively abnormal that they unleash every single day.So here is a daily thread for all of us to share all the things that are going on, thus crowdsourcing a daily compendium of the onslaught of conservative erosion of our rights and our very democracy.* * *Earlier today by me: Thoughts on Mueller and What's Next and Suspected Arson Attack at California Mosque The news is, of course, overwhelmingly about the conclusion of Mueller's investigation. Just a couple of quick related items...Andy Towle at Towleroad: Trump to Seek Revenge on Media and Former Officials Who Accused Him of Collusion . "After falsely declaring himself 'completely exonerated' by the Mueller Report, which nobody has seen aside from his appointee Attorney General William Barr, Trump plans to come for members of the media and former officials who have criticized him. Thereports: 'Within an hour of learning the findings, Trump called for an investigation of his critics and cast himself as a victim. Aides say Trump plans to highlight the cost of the probe and call for organizations to fire members of the media and former government officials who he believes made false accusations about him, while aggressively mocking his critics and one of his favored enemies, the news media.'"Luke Barnes at ThinkProgress: Trumpworld Celebrates Mueller Report  and Looks for Retribution . "The president doubled down on those comments as he boarded Air Force One to return to Washington, describing the investigation as an 'illegal takedown that failed,' adding late Sunday that he hoped 'somebody is going to be looking at the other side.' Trump's tweet and follow-up remarks encapsulate his supporters' reaction to the Mueller report. Reaction in Trumpworld swiftly went from relief over the findings to a desire to inflict some sort of payback against those  namely Democrats and members of the media  who had spent the last two years assuming that Mueller would definitively prove collusion between Trump and the Kremlin. 'You're going to see him [Trump] use this as a political bludgeon,' Cliff Sims, a former Trump aide, told CNN."This is going to get so ugly.* * *In other news today...Carlos Garcia, Carlos Jasso, Diego Ore, Brian Ellsworth, Maria Tsvetkova, and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber at Reuters: Russian Air Force Planes Land in Venezuela Carrying Troops . "Two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow. A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday. That comes three months after the two nations held military exercises on Venezuelan soil that President Nicolas Maduro called a sign of strengthening relations."Lauren Markham at the Guardian: Who Keeps Buying California's Scarce Water? Saudi Arabia. "But what business does a foreign company have drawing precious resources from a U.S. desert to offset a lack of resources halfway around the globe? What Fondomonte Farms is doing is merely a chapter in the long story of water management in the west, one that pierces the veil on the inanities of the global supply chain  how easy it is to move a commodity like alfalfa, or for that matter lettuce or clementines or iPhones, across more than 13,000 miles of land and sea, how much we rely on these crisscrossing supply lines, and at what cost to our own natural resources."Catie Keck at Gizmodo: FEMA Breach Exposes Personal Data and Banking Information of 2.3 Million Disaster Survivors . "The Federal Emergency Management Agency may have put the personally identifying information of millions of disaster survivors at risk of fraud and identity theft, according to a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General. The March 15 report said that during an audit of FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, it found that the agency shared and subsequently exposed the personal data of 2.3 million survivors of a number of natural disasters that included the 2017 California wildfires as well as hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Survivors of these incidents provided their private information to FEMA in order to obtain assistance such as temporary housing."* * *[Content Note: Gun violence; self-harm; death. Covers entire section.]Kaylee Hartung, Susannah Cullinane, and Holly Yan at CNN: Parkland Mourns 2 Student Suicides a Year After Stoneman Douglas Shooting . "Sydney Aiello, a 2018 graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, died by suicide last week. She survived the attack on Valentine's Day 2018 that killed 17 people at the Florida school  including 14 students and three staff members. Aiello, a Florida Atlantic University student, suffered from survivor's guilt and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, her mom told CNN affiliate WFOR. Then on Saturday, more tragedy struck Parkland when a second student died in what police describe as 'an apparent suicide.' ...'Unfortunately, what we've learned is that the survivors of a traumatic event like a school shooting carry with them a lot of guilt, anxiety, pressures, depression even,' said Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina Petty was killed in last year's shooting."Nicholas Rondinone at the Hartford Courant: Father of Sandy Hook Victim Avielle Richman Found Dead at Edmond Town Hall After Apparent Suicide . "[Jeremy Richman, 49, the] father of Avielle Richman, one of 20 first-grade students and six educators killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook School shooting, was found dead of an apparent suicide at Edmond Town Hall early Monday, police said. ...Richman, who led the charge on mental health issues with his wife in the wake of the shooting, had an office for the Avielle Foundation at Edmond Town Hall. The foundation was Richman's foundation is dedicated to pushing for 'brain science research' to attempt to discover the reasons behind some individuals' murderous actions."My condolences to the families, friends, classmates and/or colleagues, and communities of the people who died. I am so sorry.These deaths are painful reminders that gun violence is a reverberating trauma. It changes  and sometimes ends  lives long after the bullets have been shot.It's one of many reasons that gun violence in the United States is an urgent public health issue. Shame on any politician in this country who refuses to take necessary action to address it.What have you been reading that we need to resist today?
Summerset Group expects to spend more than $250 million building new villages in Blenheim and Rangiora where it's secured land for development.

The retirement village operator and developer bought nine hectares in Rangiora, where it plans to build more than 300 units. It also bought six hectares in Blenheim for a 200-plus unit village. Both sites will include two- and three-bedroom villas, serviced apartments, rest homes, hospital-level care, and dementia care centres.

"Were delighted to bring our brand of popular retirement living to both towns. Rangiora and Blenheim are both highly rated as places to retire in New Zealand," chief executive Julian Cook said in a statement.

Summerset has 25 villages completed or in development across the country and 11 sites for development. It built 454 units in calendar 2018 and its landbank of 3,910 units as at Dec. 31 supports an increase in the firm's expected average annual build rate to 600 units over the next two to three years.

Government data show 1,992 retirement village units received building consent in the year ended Jan. 31. Consents have been tracking above 1,900 for the past five January years, up from the 1,367 units permitted in the January 2014 year.

No price was disclosed for the two land acquisitions and both are subject to Overseas Investment Office approval.

Wellington-based Summerset spent $54.7 million on land in calender 2018, $203.8 million on new villages and almost $10 million constructing new care centres. It spent a further $6.4 million refurbishing established villages and care centres.

Summerset said it expects to spend more than $250 million building the two villages, employing some 600 people during the construction phase and creating 40 jobs at each village once they're up and running.

The shares rose 0.6 percent to $6.55, outperforming the 0.7 percent decline on the S&P/NZX 50 Index this morning.

(BusinessDesk)

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New Delhi: The first phase of voting begins from April 11 and WhatsApp - and not its parent company Facebook - has turned out to be the biggest social media platform for more than 87,000 groups to target millions with political messaging.



According to WhatsApp, over 20 crore Monthly Active Users (MAUs) are using its platform in India, but the fact is that these numbers are dated back to February 2017 and the company has not shared latest India numbers for over two years now.



India today has nearly 43 crore smartphone users, according to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research.If we go by these numbers, 20 crore can't be a right figure as almost every smartphone owner - from your grandpa to the maid at home -- uses WhatsApp and is a potential target for the groups working round-the-clock to reach them."By the end of 2016, India had nearly 28-30 crore smartphone users. Today, it has crossed 40 crore."People across age-groups are using WhatsApp so it is safe to say that the Facebook-owned platform reaches over 30 crore Indians, almost to the size of Facebook users in the country or even bigger," Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, told IANS.With Reliance Jio, data has gone ultra-cheap and political parties are now seen to livestream rallies, press meets and TV debates on Facebook and YouTube to reach their target audiences in the hinterlands."Over 87,000 groups aiming to influence the voters are currently active on WhatsApp. From fake statistics related to various government policies to news promoting regional violence, manipulated political news, government scams, historical myths, propaganda to patriotism and Hindu nationalism -- WhatsApp has it all in the election season," informed social media expert Anoop Mishra.One WhatsApp Group can have a maximum of 256 users so these 87,000 groups can reach over 2.2 crore people directly.Now imagine one user from these groups forwarding one message to five (maximum forward limit on WhatsApp) and these groups can actually engage a much bigger audience in their mission to influence voters.Realising the importance of curbing fake news, WhatsApp has launched several initiatives, from awareness programmes on dangers of fake news on TV, radio and digital platforms to limiting the number of forwards to five.It has also tied up with the Nasscom Foundation to train nearly 1,00,000 Indians to spot false information and provide tips and tricks to stay safe on WhatsApp."We're pleased that the recent changes we've made to limit viral content and educate users is having an impact. This work is never done -- there is more that we can and will do," WhatsApp India head Abhijit Bose said in a statement recently.WhatsApp, including other social media firms, will now have to process any request from the Election Commission to take down content within three hours during the 48-hour period before voting days.The task is enormous and the stakes are high."WhatsApp has been trying to curb the spread of fake news but has got a little success in doing so. Let us see how the things unfold as we enter the crucial election time," added Mishra.
Amat Cama and Richard Zhu of team Fluoroacetate exposed a vulnerability in the vehicle system during the Pwn2Own 2019 hacking competition, organised by Trend Micro's "Zero Day Initiative (ZDI)", held here this week.

Vancouver: Electric Vehicle (EV)-maker Tesla had to give away one of their Model 3 cars and $35,000 prize money to a group of hackers after they managed to crack its system during a hacking event.

The hackers targeted the infotainment system on the Tesla Model 3 and used a "JIT bug in the renderer" to take control of the system, Electrek reported on Saturday.

"Since launching our bug bounty programme in 2014, we have continuously increased our investments into partnerships with security researchers to ensure that all Tesla owners constantly benefit from the brightest minds in the community," the report quoted David Lau, Vice President of Vehicle Software at Tesla as saying.

As part of Tesla's bug bounty programme, the company had given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in rewards to hackers who exposed vulnerabilities in its systems.

The EV-maker was fairly quick to fix vulnerabilities exposed by white hat hackers, the report said.
"I was wanted to act in a regional film. There is a lot of disconnect with people belonging to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other Southern states since they love to watch their regional cinema. I was waiting for the opportunity," said Ranaut who celebrated her 32nd birthday here on Saturday.

Actress Kangana Ranaut who has been signed to act in the biopic of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actress J Jayalalithaa on Saturday said she always wanted to work in a regional film.

Talking more about her upcoming film, she said, "I was thinking of making a biopic on me. It came my way when I hear the narrative, it was so similar so either I could do that or do this. Then I go ahead to that. The movie will be released in Tamil and then later in Hindi."

Ranaut further said she will learn Tamil for the movie adding that if she fails, they have to dub eventually.

The three-time national award-winning actress hopes to add another national award to her tally for his last flick Manikarnika.

She said, "If a person through his acting is so good in himself that if you do not respect him then it is, in turn, disrespectful for that organization itself. So, if I or my film Manikarnika doesn't win at National film awards, then it will question the credibility of that award ceremony."

"If I come across other good work then, I will be objective enough to say it's better than me. But I don't think, if any, is there now. Last year, Tabu ji delivered a fabulous performance in Andhadhun," she added.

Ranaut has won the National award for Fashion, Queen and Tanu Weds Manu Returns.
Billikens In Space: SLU Students, Alumni, Faculty Seek Knowledge Beyond Earths Bounds

Were giving students the opportunities and experiences necessary to jump into a career in space, Michael Swartwout, Ph.D. , associate professor and chair of aerospace and mechanical engineering , said. That in terms of the big SLU picture has been happening all along.

Its hands-on learning that they then take with them into their careers beyond the classroom. With storied alumni, novel research and cutting-edge teaching, Saint Louis University students, alumni and faculty members are building on a legacy of innovation to find solutions to the new challenges humanity will encounter through space exploration.

Now a SLU alumna, Morgan Elliott (left) interned at NASA for two summers through a competitive fellowship while completing her undergraduate degree. Here, she is seen in a mock-up of the Orion docking system. Submitted photo

Now a SLU alumna, Morgan Elliott (left) interned at NASA for two summers through a competitive fellowship while completing her undergraduate degree. Here, she is seen in a mock-up of the Orion docking system. Submitted photo

At SLU, students launch satellites and study how life might arise on distant moons devoid of oxygen.

SLU Alums Launch Voyages of Discovery

Students who graduate from SLU join a long list of those who have helped advance mankinds reach into the cosmos.

Alumni from Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology have helped launch every NASA manned mission. In 2018, alumnus Fernando Abilleira (Parks 99, Madrid 01), worked on the Mars Insight Mission, helped form, design and implement the groundbreaking mission to the Red Planet.

SLU alumni who helped put Americas astronauts in orbit received a special thank you from Buzz Aldrin before a packed house at SLUs Center for Global Citizenship in 2017.

Buzz Aldrin detailed his past exploits as the second man on the Moon and his recent adventures in the Galapagos Islands and at the South Pole on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, as part of Saint Louis University's Great Issues Speakers Series. Photo by Maggie Rotermund

Aldrin spoke at SLU as part of the Universitys student-run Great Issues Speakers Series. St. Louis crowds lined up around the block hoping to hear from the legendary astronaut who told the SLU crowd that St. Louis has always played a major part in NASA activities.

He gave a special nod to members of the Old Mac Club  former employees, including SLU alumni, of McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing)  who helped put him and his crew members on the Moon.

By venturing into space, Aldrin said, we improved life for everyone here on Earth.

Looking Skyward for Research Experience

As a child, alumna Morgan Elliott (Parks 15) didnt dream about blasting off into space. She was focused on engineering and patient health as she grew older. However, as she pursued a degree in biomedical engineering under the mentorship of Professor Gary Bledsoe, Ph.D., and faculty members in the School of Medicine, she applied for a NASA internship through the agencys Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP).

Over two summers, Elliott interned as NASAs Johnson Space Center (JSC) Cardiovascular Laboratory. As part of the internship, she learned about the centers work and analyzed arterial mechanics of the vascular walls during head-down-tilt bed rest, a ground-based simulation of microgravity.

Space research was brought to my attention at SLU and the direct implications of space research on human health was made clear to me while at NASA, Elliott recalled. The program supported my education at SLU and gave me a new perspective on research. The work was inspiring because the researchs applicability to NASA goals was evident every step of the way.

Over two summers during her undergraduate education, SLU alumna Morgan Elliott interned as NASAs Johnson Space Center (JSC) Cardiovascular Laboratory, working with NASA scientists and astronauts. Submitted photo

NASA gave me a new lens to investigate the cardiovascular system, she continued. Every aspect of work at NASA is focused towards the overall mission; each question and study goes toward a go-no go decision. I loved the driven nature of the work and the ability of everyone, from interns to astronauts, to understand how they contribute to the overall mission.

Her work at SLU and NASA led her to her current work as a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University.

I sincerely believe my studies and research at SLU combined with my NASA internship experiences helped prepare me for graduate school, Elliott said. As part of Parks College, I looked at the wall timeline of historic college events and related NASA patches every day on my way to class.

Parks Colleges history is intertwined with space and aviation, she went on. I am proud to be one of the many tendrils involved in that historic, growing braid. Its humbling and inspiring to know the legacy of Parks College and its alumni. I will continue to push the boundaries of innovation as they did.

Better Living Through Chemistry . . . On Titan

SLU assistant professor of chemistry Paul Bracher, Ph.D. (center) and his students are currently looking how life might emerge on a moon like Saturns Titan, where methane, rather than water, is the dominant liquid. Photo by Ellen Hutti

While launching satellites and guiding astronauts are parts of SLUs space story, students and faculty members are also looking beyond our planet to answer some of universes biggest questions like how life originates from a mix of chemicals.

Thats exactly the question that Paul Bracher, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry in SLUs College of Arts and Sciences, and his students investigate daily in his lab. Bracher has received National Science Foundation and NASA funding for his work on the origin of life. His lab is one of 10 nodes of the Center for Chemical Evolution, a national project headquartered at Georgia Tech that focuses on determining how the building blocks of life first assembled into complex biomolecules.

Bracher and his students are currently looking how life might emerge on a moon like Saturns Titan, where methane, rather than water, is the dominant liquid.

We know what life looks like here, and how it evolved here, Bracher explained. But what does it look like elsewhere? If we dont know what to look for, it could exist right under our noses.

Learning more about how lifes building blocks like amino acids assemble can ultimately tell us more about how life started on Earth while also guiding future space exploration, Bracher said.

When youre sending probes out, you need to know what life might look like and what to look for  what those probes, the landers should be looking for, Bracher said. The data we develop is important. If life exists elsewhere in the solar system, our data is informing those missions looking for it.

Both undergraduate and graduate students work with Bracher as training the next generation of researchers involves getting into the thick of chemical processes and reactions.

The real world needs people to use these instruments and to read these data, he explained. There are just so many aspects to being a scientist and those skills are portable to other disciplines.

Applying SLU Skills Beyond the Stars

SLU alumnus Thomas Campbell, Ph.D., (A&S Grad 18) found earthly applications for the skills he learned working with Bracher on origin-of-life questions. Now an analyst with Kantar Health, a global health care consulting company, Campbell sees his work unraveling one of sciences most formidable challenges  how life begins  as helping him tackle career challenges more effectively.

The most important skill I learned from my research is how to work on a really hard problem, Campbell said. Every potential employer in the world needs people who can solve hard problems in a systematic way.

During his graduate work in SLU's Department of Chemistry, Thomas Campbell, Ph.D., received a NASA fellowship. SLU photo

Working as a NASA fellow during his graduate work, he continued, taught him the value of communicating clearly. Winning the competitive NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship while at SLU, he said, was his proudest achievement, one he credits to the mentoring he received as part of the Bracher lab.

Its exciting to see space-related research at SLU expand beyond engineering and into basic science, he said.

Learning Lifts Off into Orbit

Just as SLU chemistry students explore lifes origins and its biomedical engineers examine how the circulatory system works in microgravity, Billiken engineering students are hard at work attempting to launch satellites into orbit.

A team is currently at work on a CubeSat  a small satellite  that will launch in January 2020. If all goes well, it will orbit our planet and test a program that would sort image data. If the CubeSat fails, as a similar project did in 2015, to make it beyond the Earths atmosphere, the experience will still teach students valuable lessons, Swartwout, the projects supervising faculty member, explained.

The best training for spacecraft engineers is to get something built and flying, he said. Its to take an idea, get it engineered, to get it built and to get it into space. Theres a learning curve. There is a mistake curve.

Flying and failing as a student, he continued, can ultimately make students more resilient employees for space industry employers because theyve developed skills for coping with high pressure, high risk situations in their undergraduate work.

You have to have a strong heart and a thick skin to be in this industry, Swartwout said. You dont really learn unless you burn your fingers. Because, until youve put it through the fire of space operations, you dont know.

Teaching to the Future Job

In the end, for Swartwout, the best way for students to learn is through the hands-on projects they undertake in SLUs engineering labs.

Those projects are informed by faculty member research, like Swartwouts ongoing CubeSat database  a premier resource he developed that is used by NASA, the U.S. Air Force and space industry leaders.

As part of their coursework, a student team is currently at work on a CubeSat  a small satellite  that will launch in January 2020. If all goes well, it will orbit our planet and test a program that would sort image data. Photo by Ellen Hutti

The research-informed, hands-on approach of SLUs engineering classes gives its students an edge, he said, when it comes to seeking out professional and graduate opportunities.

Everyones going to have great classes, everyones going to have outstanding teachers, Swartwout said. But when you go into that interview and they see that fluid mechanics class, they arent going to ask you about that exam. Employers are going to ask about your project.

There are a lot of resumes in that stack but what are those things that will make you a known commodity? he continued. What sets you apart? Those skills  collaboration, cooperation, resilience  are what you learn here when you fly a spacecraft before graduation.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 13,000 students on campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of now more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.

Story by Amelia Flood, University Marketing and Communications
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Serbia marks 20 years since NATO bombing campaign



Belgrade, March 24 (AFP) Mar 24, 2019



Serbia on Sunday marked 20 years since the NATO air strikes that forced Belgrade to withdraw its troops from Kosovo, ending a conflict that claimed more than 13,000 lives.

After the operation to get president Slobodan Milosevic to stop his deadly crackdown on Kosovo separatists, the former Serbian province, mainly ethnic Albanian, was put under UN administration.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008 -- which Serbia refuses to recognise.

Commemorations were held across the country to recall the start of "NATO aggression", with a main ceremony in the southern town of Nis, which Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said drew 20,000 people.

The sound of an air raid siren kicked off the ceremony at 7:45 pm, the minute when the strikes began on March 24, 1999, and the airing of scenes of the bombings on a big screen.



- 'The most tragic days' -



"These are the most tragic days of our history," Orthodox Serbian Patriarch Irinej told the crowd, many holding candles.

"What is even more tragic is that it involved our former allies, our former friends."

Milosevic ordered his troops out of Kosovo on June 10, 1999.

NATO forces struck dozens of military targets, as well as infrastructure such as bridges, railways and the electrical grid. The number of civilian victims has not been officially established, and ranges from 500 according to Human Rights Watch to 2,500, according to Serbian officials.

"We were alone in the face of the biggest military power in the world," said Vucic, a former ultra-nationalist who became a centrist and wants his country to join the European Union.

"Their goal was clear: to beat us and humiliate us, and then give part of our territory to someone else," he said.

- 'It will always be a crime' -

Citing 2,500 civilians dead including 79 children and a "devastated country", he said the bombing campaign would "always be a crime".

Earlier on Sunday, the ambassadors of eight Western countries -- Canadian, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, British and American -- paid their respects to civilian victims at a monument in Belgrade.

"We remember March 24 as the day diplomacy failed, and we express our sincere regret for the loss of civilian lives during the events of 1999," they said in a joint statement. "We are saddened for all of those who lost their loved ones during the wars of the 1990s. We are here to honour their memory and are determined to work even harder to contribute to lasting peace and stability to the region."

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, for his part, said Saturday that "NATO's intervention in Milosevic's genocidal action against people of Kosovo was crucial humanitarian contribution (that) demonstrated coordinated international action for peace, justice and rules-based world order.

Writing on Twitter, he added: "The people of Kosovo will always reaffirm the profound gratitude for saving thousands of lives & giving us the opportunity to live in peace and freedom".

In Nis, Vucic was hailed for his statement that "the Serbian people have made the dignified decision that they to not want Serbia to join NATO," adding that remaining militarily neutral is "a natural choice".

According to a recent opinion poll conducted by the Institute of European Affairs, 79 percent of Serbs oppose joining NATO, with only 10 percent in favour.
Swedish soldier killed in joint military exercise



Stockholm, March 25 (AFP) Mar 25, 2019



A Swedish soldier was killed in the country's north during a joint international military exercise when he was run over by a battle tank, the Swedish armed forces said Monday.

The military said a "serious accident" occurred in the early hours of Monday outside the town of Overkalix.

"One person is confirmed dead after being hit by a Combat Vehicle 90. No other people injured," the armed forces said in a statement.

Some 10,000 soldiers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, the US and Britain are taking part in the Northern Wind exercises March 18-27, aimed at training in the cold winter climate.
Israel army accuses Hamas of firing rocket that hit near Tel Aviv



Jerusalem, March 25 (AFP) Mar 25, 2019



Israel's army accused Hamas of firing a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv on Monday, wounding seven people, and announced it was sending reinforcements to the Gaza area.

The military said on Twitter the rocket had been fired from the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip.

It announced it was sending two additional brigades to the area around the Hamas-run enclave and was carrying out a limited call up of reservists.

"The launch was carried out by Hamas from one of its positions in the Rafah area," Israeli army spokesman Ronen Manelis said.

The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rafah to hit the house in the community of Mishmeret.

It has raised fears of a severe military escalation between the two sides just ahead of April 9 Israeli elections.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier he was cutting short a trip to the United States and returning home due to the security situation.

Netanyahu said he would return after meeting US President Donald Trump later Monday, cancelling an address to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference on Tuesday.

Hamas had so far not commented on Israel's accusations.

Earlier, its ally in Gaza Islamic Jihad said "we warn the Zionist enemy from committing an aggression against the Gaza Strip".

"Their leaders should be aware that we will respond with force against their aggression," it said in a statement, without commenting on who may have been responsible for the rocket.
Air strike kills 13 civilians, mostly children, in Afghanistan



Kabul, March 25 (AFP) Mar 25, 2019



At least 13 civilians were killed, mostly children, in an air strike by "international forces" in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz late last week, the United Nations said Monday.

The strike happened between late Friday and early Saturday in support of ground operations conducted by pro-government forces fighting Taliban militants in the area.

"Initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country," the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

The US is the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides air support in the conflict.

A NATO spokesperson told AFP the coalition was investigating the claims.

"Those who were killed were internally displaced families who had fled the war in Dasht-e-Archi district and had recently moved to the city," added Khosh Mohammad Nasratyar, member of Kunduz provincial council, saying three children were also wounded in the attack.

The deaths come as ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with more civilians killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to a UN report.

The uptick in violence in 2018 coincides with a significant increase in the number of deaths caused by the "deliberate targeting of civilians", according to the report, mostly stemming from suicide attacks by insurgents allied with the Taliban or Islamic State (IS).

An increase in air strikes by US and Afghan forces also led to more civilian deaths in 2018, with more than 500 killed by "aerial operations for the first time on record".

Fighting continues to flare across Afghanistan even as the US and Taliban press forward in peace talks aimed at ending nearly 18 years of fighting.

The ongoing peace talks with the Taliban follow years of escalating violence in Afghanistan.

According to the UN, at least 32,000 civilians have been killed and another 60,000 wounded in the last decade.

Kunduz has been the scene of repeated air strikes gone awry over the course of the conflict, including an Afghan strike last April on an outdoor religious gathering in Dashte Archi that killed or wounded 107 people, mostly children, according to the UN.

And in 2015, a US airstrike struck a Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) hospital amid heavy fighting in the area, killing 42 people, including 24 patients and 14 members of the NGO.
Hamas says ceasefire reached with Israel after rocket attacks



Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, March 25 (AFP) Mar 25, 2019



Israeli air strikes hit sites across the Gaza Strip on Monday in retaliation for a rare long-distance rocket attack that struck a house near Tel Aviv, but Hamas said later a ceasefire was reached.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, said Egypt had brokered the ceasefire following the escalation that came just two weeks before Israel's April 9 elections.

Israel, whose strikes began around the same time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington, has not commented on the claim.

"Egyptian efforts succeeded with a ceasefire between the occupation and the resistance factions," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said.

Further exchanges of fire occurred after the ceasefire announcement, but calm seemed to return by around midnight (2200 GMT).

The ceasefire claim came after Israeli air strikes hit the office of Hamas's leader and dozens of other targets across the Gaza Strip on Monday evening.

Those strikes were in response to a rocket from the Palestinian enclave that hit a home north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven people early Monday morning.

On Monday night, a barrage of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel in response to the strikes, causing air raid sirens to ring out in southern Israel.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries due to those rockets.

Seven people were wounded in Gaza, the enclave's health ministry said, as explosions rocked areas of the Gaza Strip and balls of fire rose into the sky.

There was no indication Hamas leader Ismail Haniya was at his office at the time it was hit.

In comments from the White House, Netanyahu said "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression," while Trump spoke of Israel's "right to defend itself".

Netanyahu said he would return home after meeting Trump, cancelling an address to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference on Tuesday.



- Gaza City buildings hit -



One Israeli strike destroyed a building in Gaza City that Israel alleged was a secret headquarters for Hamas security and intelligence.

Residents of Gaza said the building was known to house the Hamas-linked Multasim insurance company.

Hamas's interior security office in Gaza City was also hit.

A joint statement from militant groups in Gaza, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, took responsibility for the barrage of rockets fired in response to the Israeli strikes later Monday night.

Israel's military said 30 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel by 10:00 pm, with some intercepted by air defence missiles and others falling in open areas.

The rocket from Gaza that hit a house in Israel early Monday was a rare long-distance strike and Israel's army said it was fired by Hamas.

A Hamas official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, denied the group was behind the rocket, evoking the possibility it was caused by "bad weather".

The Israeli house hit was located in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv, police said.

The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where Israel said it was fired from.

The hospital treating the wounded said seven Israelis were injured lightly by burns and shrapnel, including three children.

One of the wounded was a six-month-old child and six of them were members of the same British-Israeli family.

The house was destroyed, with burnt wood, a children's toy and other debris piled at the site.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008, and Netanyahu is believed to want to avoid another one with unpredictable results ahead of the elections.

But he faces a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief Benny Gantz and came under pressure to react firmly.

Gantz asked on Twitter, referring to corruption allegations against Netanyahu, whether the prime minister would "finally focus on the security of the citizens of Israel instead of dealing only with his legal concerns."



- One-year anniversary -



Monday's rocket attack followed another rare incident on March 14 in which two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv.

No damage or injuries were caused, but Israel responded to that and further rocket fire by hitting what it said were around 100 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.

Four Palestinians were reported wounded in those strikes.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied they were behind the March 14 rocket fire towards Tel Aviv, raising the possibility they were launched by fringe groups.

Israel's military said they were launched by Hamas, but later Israeli media reported the army's preliminary assessment was that they had been fired by mistake during maintenance work.

Even if the ceasefire announced by Hamas holds, there could soon be further tensions.

Saturday marks the first anniversary of Palestinian protests and clashes along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel.

An informal truce between Hamas and Israel had led to relative calm along the border, but recent weeks have seen another uptick in violence.
Vietnam once again issued false information on the illegal fishing and sinking of its fishing boat in Chinas Xisha Islands earlier this month, aiming to seek justice from the Chinese side. Vietnam encouraged its fishermen to illegally fish, making trouble out of nothing. Such behavior will damage the atmosphere of peace and stability in the South China Sea and will eventually only embarrass Vietnam.

On March 6, a Vietnamese fishing boat illegally trespassed and fished in the internal waters and territorial sea of Chinas Xisha Islands and sank after hitting rocks. The official Vietnamese agency first claimed that the Vietnamese fishing boat was rammed and sunk by a vessel of the China Coast Guard and the Vietnamese fishermen fell into the water. The Chinese side clarified the facts and pointed out that the Vietnamese fishing boat sank after hitting rocks and the Chinese vessel went to the rescue. Then, the Vietnamese side said on March 21 that before it hit the reef and sunk, the Vietnamese fishing boat was driven and sprayed with water guns by the Chinese vessel.

It is particularly ridiculous that the Vietnamese fishermen demanded that China compensate their losses and pay VND 8 billion (about 860,000 yuan). The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs actually supported the unreasonable demands of its fishermen.

The South China Sea has been relatively calm in the past two years. China, Vietnam and the Philippines have better managed their differences, and the disputes over the islands and reefs have not interfered with the overall cooperation. China-Vietnam economic and trade cooperation has grown especially fast. The trade volume between the two countries in 2018 reached $106.7 billion, making it the largest bilateral trade between ASEAN and China.

However, Vietnam has publicly voiced detailed maritime issues to create a bit of a wave in the South China Sea from time to time. In particular, on the issue of Xisha Islands, the Vietnamese side has encouraged its fishermen to go fishing in Xisha to put pressure on Chinas actions to maintain sovereignty. Xisha is completely under the control of China. The Vietnamese side wants to create controversy in the area, where US warships have appeared several times since last year. This is the unspoken cooperation between the US and Vietnam.

The Chinese side showed their greatest goodwill by coming to the rescue of the Vietnamese fishing boat. However, the Vietnamese side publicly made it a maritime incident between China and Vietnam, and then proposed an unreasonable request for compensation. This is a fraudulent claim.

China will not make concessions Vietnam expects on maritime issue, and Hanoi has no the ability to ask for concessions from the Chinese side. Some of Vietnams ideas are too naive. Hanoi has shown an aggressive attitude toward the South China Sea issue from time to time, which has created a contradiction against its strategy of forming a comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

Vietnams swing and the rapidly growing Vietnam-US relations have occurred at the same time. Analysts believe that the Vietnams misjudgment of the current international environment is conducive to the request made on the Chinese side. Vietnam also believes that certain friction with the Chinese side over the South China Sea issue is conducive to attracting support from the US and Japan.

However, Vietnam is most likely wrong. First, China will not please Vietnam over maritime issues. That is, Vietnam will not gain anything under any circumstances. In addition, Hanois fraudulent claim will incite domestic nationalism, and nationalism will increasingly become the main lever for the overseas Vietnam Reform Revolutionary Party and the Vietnamese domestic liberals to jointly carry out activities against the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The overall political situation in Vietnam has been smooth since its development of market economy. However, market economy will inevitably lead to the diversification of interests and the formation of anti-traditional sentiments. If Vietnam allows anti-China nationalism to grow, it will bury a fuse that breaks the current state.

We hope that the Vietnamese side will seriously manage and control the differences at sea with the Chinese side and that it doesnt take the initiative to pick things up, speculate on frictions at sea, or engage in other activities that can complicate the maritime issue. The Vietnamese side should be clear that China has the capability to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China advocates managing differences, which is a kind of goodwill. Peace at the sea is in the interests of both China and Vietnam. It is necessary for the Vietnamese side to remain fully awake and stay away from all kinds of temptations. Guiding friendly sentiment toward China will help make Vietnams various interests more coordinated and avoid ideological confusion.
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Photo Gallery Saudi Activists Tried and Tortured

Three Saudi women are currently on trial in Riyadh, where they are answering to charges of espionage and conspiracy. But all they really did was advocate for women's rights. Reports suggest they have been tortured and brutalized in a case that is symbolic of the kingdom's new hardline approach.
The Caliphate's Kids Sick Children Bear the Brunt of Post-IS Chaos

The last pocket of Islamic State may have been dislodged over the weekend, but the extremist group has left behind hundreds of children. They are the group's weakest and most innocent victims -- and in urgent need of medical care.
Women's Rights Trial Casts Light on Hardline Approach in Saudi Arabia

Three Saudi women are currently on trial in Riyadh, charged with espionage and conspiracy. The truth is that the women merely advocated for women's rights. They have reportedly been tortured in a case that has cast light on the kingdom's new hardline approach.
Bir Lahlou (Liberated Territories), March 24, 2019 (SPS) - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, said on Sunday that the right to self-determination is the fundamental principle of contemporary international law, signed by the Sahrawi side and Morocco in 1991.



The right to self-determination is "a consensual solution that comes in accordance with the nature of the conflict in Western Sahara as a matter of decolonization. This process must be completed with the exercise by the Sahrawi people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, said Ould Salek.



The statements by Ould Salek, a member of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, follow those made by Moroccos Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nacer Bourita, in which he referred to "the conformity of autonomy with the principle of the right to self-determination and independence, ahead of the second roundtable that brought together the two parties to the conflict, namely Morocco and the Polisario Front, under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary General Special Envoy, Horst Kohler, on 21-22 March in Switzerland.



The right to self-determination is "a fundamental principle of modern international law, which also represents the basis on which the United Nations (UN) was founded after the Second World War. This principle was included by the San Francisco Congress in the first article of the UN Charter.



Since the international community does not currently recognize Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, the Sahrawi people will only accept the independence of its entire national territory," he stressed.



The approval by the Sahrawi Republic of a referendum on self-determination stems from the "commitments made under the agreement the country signed with Morocco in 1991.



The peaceful consensual solution forces Morocco to definitively abandon the occupation policy and stop at its recognized international borders, Ould Salek stressed.



The Sahrawi FM reiterated SADRs readiness to cooperate with the United Nations and the African Union (AU) to put an end to the conflict between the Sahrawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco, on the basis of respect for the territorial unity of the Sahrawi State. (SPS)



062/SPS/APS
The backdrop to the plenary sessions, popularly called Lianghui, or Big Two, is the spreading dissatisfaction in China with Xi Jinping and his policies.





by Jayadeva Ranade





Does Doklam still rankle?





China has just concluded plenary meetings of the Partys top two bodies, which set the agenda for the year ahead. 2,158 delegates of Chinas political advisory body, the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and 2,948 Deputies of Chinas version of a parliament, the National Peoples Congress (NPC), gathered in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing from 9-11 March, and 5-15 March 2019, respectively. The plenary sessions are intended to formalise approval of the 89 million-strong Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to the policies, programmes and budget of Chinas leadership for the coming year.





Highlights of this NPC session included the lowered GDP growth rate of 6%-6.5% for 2019; commitment to provide 11 million new jobs and reduce rural poverty by 10 million; increase the national defence budget by 7.5% to approximately US$177.6 billion and approving a 5% increase in national security expenditure. Unprecedentedly, the Premiers report admitted that China faced a complicated and challenging domestic and international environment of a kind rarely seen in many years, and its economy came under new downward pressure. In an obvious attempt to ease US pressure, his report omitted all reference to the hi-technology Made in China 2025. Similarly, mention of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was buried in a single line in a sub-paragraph on domestic connectivity.





The backdrop to the plenary sessions, popularly called Lianghui, or Big Two, is the spreading dissatisfaction in China with Xi Jinping and his policies. Since the latter half of last year senior Party cadres and reputed Chinese academics have publicly articulated their discontent including against the abolition of age and term-limits for the posts of Chinese President, Vice President and the CCP Politburo. They specifically warned against any return after 30 years to the one-man rule of Mao Zedong. Worker discontent rose with strikes in every province of China except the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Protests by veteran and demobilised soldiers added to the CCP leaderships anxieties. Economists and owners of private enterprises too criticised government policies and failure to reform the State owned Enterprises (SoEs) who, they said, had entered every area of economic activity.





To prevent disruptive incidents and avoid embarrassment to Chinas leadership, elevated levels of security were enforced. Beijing, Tianjin and other cities initiated stability-maintenance measures and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Public Security, Zhao Kezhi was in Tianjin from 22 to 23 February to check safety measures. Li Chunsheng, head of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, told public security officials in Guangzhou that there were sensitive anniversaries this year and warned that hostile forces inside China have long marked this year as an important time to implement their planwhich is a vain attemptto overthrow our system.





Enhanced security measures were evident in Tibet because of the 60th anniversary this year of the abortive 1959 uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet and the XIVth Dalai Lamas flight to India. Tibet was declared off-limits to journalists and foreigners for an extended period till 30 April and TAR leaders inspected Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and convened a series of conferences of security cadres to uncover and eliminate the double-faced cadres owing loyalty to the Dalai Lama. Chinese armed police personnel and armoured police cars staged a show of force through Lhasa on 7 March.





Despite these signs of discontent, the reports presented to the plenary sessions by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and CPPCC Chairman Wang Yang bore the firm imprimatur of Chinese President Xi Jinping and affirmed his authority. Li Keqiang and Wang Yang opened their reports with acknowledgments to Xi Jinpings position as the core of the Party. Li Keqiangs report contained 15 references to Xi Jinping and not one to Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping or his predecessors. Only Xi Jinpings political ideology found mention in the reports. Of the 15 and 19 tasks mentioned in the reports to the NPC and CPPCC plenary sessions respectively, the first two listed following the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core and Xi Jinping Thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era.





There were some interesting, though mainly tangential, references to the India-China relationship. On the side-lines of the NPC on 8 March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi claimed Beijing had played a constructive role in defusing tensions between India and Pakistan over Pulwama and, referring to the historic Wuhan meeting asserted that the strategic understandings of our leaders trickle down to our people and become a common view.





Nevertheless, the stand-off at Doklam seems to still rankle the Chinese. Discussing Chinas military modernisation with two Chinese military experts on the state-owned CGTN, well known Chinese TV anchor Yang Rui referred to Doklam during his programme on 16 March. Earlier on 15 February, the state-owned PLA Daily reported that 37 NPC Deputies had proposed amendments to Chinas Criminal Law to curb military-related rumours online to protect the image of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Jiang Yong, one of the Deputies and Political Commissar of the PLA Beijing Garrison Command, specifically cited China offering soft loans of 20 billion yuan ($2.95 billion) to India in exchange for their retreat as a major false rumour. This rumour, which spread rapidly across China had caused serious concern to Chinas leadership. It was, very unusually, denied then by Chinas Ministry of National Defence, Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the CCPs official mouthpiece, Peoples Daily.





Jayadeva Ranade is a former Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India and is presently President of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy.




Italy has become the first developed economy to officially join Chinas New Silk Road following Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to Rome over the weekend.





The initial agreement, signed by Xi and Giuseppe Conte, Italys Prime Minister, saw 29 deals worth approximately US$2.8 billion for a variety of industries agreed and means Italy will become the first EU country to fully endorse the New Silk Road.





The Chinese investment, which will rise to as much as $22.61 billion, according to Italian media, will initially concentrate on the key ports of Genoa and Trieste.





The plan is Beijings centerpiece foreign policy and is the biggest and most ambitious infrastructure project in world history.





It has so far seen China invest billion in ports and railways across Asia and Africa, including the tiny state of Djibouti, as it looks to boost free trade and revitalize economies that have been largely underdeveloped for decades.





Italys participation has been seen by some observers as a way of reviving its struggling economy, but the agreement with China has caused a rift with its closest allies.





On March 24, 2019, shortly after the announcement, Gunther Oettinger, the EUs budget commissioner, expressed concern that key European infrastructure will now be in Chinese, rather than European hands.





However, Xi rejected the idea that China is looking to take over European infrastructure and said the country wants commercial exchanges to go both ways and for investment to flow in both directions.
TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn, said;

By far the most straightforward way of progressing matters would be for Parliament to approve the deal negotiated by the UK Government, as supplemented with the further assurances and agreements made between the UK and the EU, that were ratified last week. Any other outcome places the country somewhere between the risk of a potentially damaging no deal scenario on the one hand, and paralysing uncertainty on the other.

Much has been said about the Northern Irish Backstop by those who oppose the negotiated settlement on the table. However, it is inexcusable that differences over this issue were not resolved long ago.

The really curious point is that we knew as much about the backstop in December 2017 as we know now. Why, over a year later, has it become the last-minute stumbling block? In the joint statement issued in December 2017, by the European Union and the United Kingdom on the ongoing negotiations, it was made clear that the Irish border issue would be resolved, either, in some form of overall free trade agreement between the UK and the EU, or in a temporary solution for the island of Ireland involving regulatory alignment with the EU, said Mr Dunn.

At the insistence of the Governments Confidence and Supply partners, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), additional words were added to the statement to the effect that whatever happened it would not impact on the economic or political position of Northern Ireland in the context of the United Kingdom.
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I was recently perusing the extensive StogieGuys.com archives when I came across this tidy piece from 2010 by one of my colleagues. In typical George E fashion, it is as insightful as it is concise.

For a cigar fan, walking into a humidor displaying new and untried sticks is an enticing moment, he wrote. Whether its that cigar youve been wanting to try since you first heard or read about it, or something that just hit the shelves, smoking a cigar for the first time can be a lot of fun. But if, like me, you dont smoke several cigars a day, the quest for untried cigars means you can easily neglect those youve enjoyed in the past.

Indeed. Its easy to get caught up in the bustle and excitement of new cigars, especially in the month or so following the IPCPR Trade Show. So why not take some time this spring to re-acquaint yourself with an old favorite or two?

With this in mind, there were many, many cigars I could have chosen to write about today. Butwith a nudge from Holts Cigar Co., who generously provided the five-pack for this reviewI landed on the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature, a perfecto measuring 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 47 and a per-cigar price of $8.30 (or $185.95 for a box of 25).

Handmade at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. in the Dominican Republic with a Cameroon wrapper around Dominican binder and filler tobaccos, the Hemingway Signature is a dry, pale brown cigar with a narrowed foot and the classic Fuente band of gold, red, and black. Most of the visible veins are what Id call thin or nondescript, rendering the cigar relatively smooththough not without a few bumps and wrinkles here and there. The pre-light aroma is faint with notes of hay and pepper. And despite finding a very tight cross-section of tobaccos at the head after clipping it, the cold draw is easy.

Now some cigar enthusiasts will actually clip the narrowed foot before lighting, presumably to ensure an even light at the cigars widest point right from the get-go. I dont understand this. The Hemingway Signature lights easily and evenly with one wooden match.

As for flavor, the mild- to medium-bodied profile starts dry, woodsy, and very sweet. Individual notes include cherry, white pepper, molasses, and cream. On the finish, the sensation is spicier. The flavors remind me of cedar and cayenne heatboth of which nicely complement the sweetness of the core profile. This taste is remarkably consistent from light to nub.

Construction-wise, the physical properties are aligned with what Ive come to expect from Arturo Fuente. The burn is even throughout with no need for any touch-ups along the way, the draw is smooth, the ash holds well off the foot, and the smoke production is about average.

The Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature has stood the test of time, and for good reason. At an affordable price, you get classic medium-bodied flavors, well-aged tobacco, superb combustion qualities, and a nice interplay between the sweetness of the flavor and the gentle spiciness of the finish. For that, I award it four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

Patrick A



photo credit: Stogie Guys
Security was tight and opinions were mixed as about 52 million Thais voted. But the long shadow of the military is still having an impact, most of those willing to express an opinion declined to be identified.

The campaign was marred by allegations of vote buying, however, complaints were few on polling day with election observers from Australia, Canada, the United States and the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations on hand.

Exit polls had indicated a strong showing for the Pheu Thai party of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but initial officials results released Sunday had the military backed Phalang Pracharat party in the lead.

Thais voted Sunday in an election called a return to democratic rule, but which has been widely criticized as an exercise designed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to entrench his military's stranglehold on power. Counting began immediately after polls closed at 5 p.m.

Some were positive about the outcomes, particularly among the youth vote. A hotel receptionist said before voting, "I have my choice in my mind, it's good for me, I like it." Another said she had faith in a political system guided by the military and Thailand's 20th constitution, written after 13 coups since 1932, "We are very confident with the election today, it is going to be democratic and fair to the society."

Others remained angry about the coup in 2014, which ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and installed General Prayut as head of a junta that curtailed civil liberties and banned political opposition. "The coup is a really terrible thing that happened to our country. You can not say what you want or what you think, you can not protest because they will take you to the jail," she said.

Her sentiments were echoed by others who said it was wrong that Prayut and the military could dominate the political system and exert their influence to the point where they are widely expected to remain in control after this election.

"To answer whether to bring democracy back to Thailand is good or not; I won't say it's good," one middle-aged businessman said. "Everywhere in the world, in every country -- even in America -- you see how democracy works. Does it work for the country or the privileged few?"

Paul Chen, 80, was an exception. He spoke openly and said the elections were a step in the right direction and could provide a much needed boost for the economy, but noted the legal restrictions imposed by the junta. "After today I think everything will be getting better," he said. "They have so many good political parties, about two or three, but I can not mention their name, it may be against the law."

Thais have cast votes for the 500-seat House of Representatives, while 250 members in the Senate will be appointed by the armed forces. A joint session of both houses will elect the next prime minister. A key figure will be the overall popular vote. Pheu Thai, the party of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin -- who was also ousted by a coup in 2006 -- are expected to poll well in the rural north.

Future Forward, led by the young entrepreneur Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, has been effective in attracting the youth vote with promises to end military conscription, and inclusive polices have endeared him to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The youth vote and the LGBT community number around seven million each. Combined, they share 25 percent of the total vote. But seat distribution and absolute military control of the Senate leaves General Prayut's Phalang Pracharat as the only likely clear winner.

"In Thailand today after five years of dictatorship, we see these rising expectations among voters. Social mobilization, political participation, people want change," said Paul Chambers, lecturer and special adviser on international affairs at Naresuan University, Phitsanulok.

"You know the last time there was a long period like this of dictatorship between elections, my gosh its maybe 30 years ago. So people really want change. Now the junta leaders are not stupid, they're certainly trying to corral and control."

During a panel discussion at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand Chambers said, "...you know you can't stay in power militarily forever, you have to change your legitimacy, somehow. And the best way to do that in the world today is to have a so-called democracy."

Election results are not expected to be ratified until late May.
Spotting hacks automatically, before the hackers do

Kaiserslautern, Germany--In early 2018, cybersecurity researchers discovered two security flaws they said were present in almost every high-end processor made and used by major companies. Known, ominously, as Spectre and Meltdown, these flaws were troubling because they represented a new type of breach not previously known that could allow hackers to infer secret data -- passwords, social security numbers, medical records -- from the way computers pre-calculate certain data using architectural features called "out-of-order execution" and "speculative execution" to speed up their processes.

With that, a race started in the hardware community as chip designers hurried to find fixes to Spectre and Meltdown and to reveal as-yet-undiscovered flaws before hackers did. In the year since, numerous variants of these attacks have emerged, and more are expected.

In these "covert channel attacks," no data ever changes hands between the hacked processor and the attackers trying to steal data. The information is inferred in the way answers in a crossword puzzle can been guessed without knowing the actual answer to the clue. These hacks, therefore, are nearly impossible to spot.

Rising to this emerging threat, a team led by computer scientists at TU Kaiserslautern, Germany, in collaboration with researchers from Stanford University in California, has taken a novel approach to exposing potential flaws in new chip designs. It is an algorithm called Unique Program Execution Checking, or UPEC, for short.

"UPEC is a form of automated security verification that will alert designers to potential flaws in their microarchitectures, long before the chips are mass produced," says lead Professor Wolfgang Kunz, Chair of Electronic Design Automation at TU Kaiserslautern.

What's more important is that they've shown that such security holes exist in a much wider spectrum of processors than previously thought, affecting not just high-end processors but even the simple processors that are omnipresent in numerous applications of daily life, such as in the Internet of Things.

In essence, UPEC analyzes microarchitectural side effects of design decisions and detects if they can be exploited to create covert channels. What is key is that UPEC is exhaustive. It takes into account all possible programs that can run on the processor. The researchers believe UPEC can expose any potential covert channel vulnerabilities in future chip designs, even those that designers had not anticipated.

In real-world tests, the research team had UPEC analyze several open source chip designs and identified a number of previously unknown flaws. The team created and analyzed different design variations of these processors and demonstrated that such weaknesses easily result from normal design processes and can affect virtually any processor, particularly simple processors not just the class of high-end processors analyzed in the Spectre/Meltdown attacks.

"The key point here is that even simple design steps, like adding or removing a buffer, can inadvertently introduce covert channel vulnerabilities in pretty much any processor," says Mo Fadiheh, member of the Kaiserslautern team.

One prominent attack UPEC has revealed is what the team has dubbed the "Orc" attack that could be present on chips that are already being used as the backbone in many safety- and security-critical applications in the Internet-of-Things and in autonomous systems, like self-driving cars and airplanes.

"Theoretically, a hacker could use an Orc attack to assume control of an autonomous vehicle or to commandeer networked computers on the Internet-of-Things," says team member Subhasish Mitra, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Stanford University.

Orc is the first unanticipated attack to be discovered automatically by software alone. The Orc discovery demonstrates that covert channel attacks are possible in simple processors. Whether Orc vulnerabilities are baked into chips already on the market, the researchers can't say for certain because they lack the proprietary source code to make such evaluations.

"We suggest that companies making these simpler processors use UPEC to be certain they don't carry Orc and other vulnerabilities," Kunz recommends.

UPEC does not require a designer to have existing knowledge of potential attacks and provides demonstrable guarantees of security. Notably, for the processor design community, UPEC requires no dramatic changes to standard design processes. So far, UPEC works for processors of up to medium complexity. Further research is under way on high-end processors. The current implementation of UPEC has been built by making extensions to an existing formal verification environment provided by Onespin Solutions.

"Orc demonstrates that serious flaws can result from seemingly innocuous design decisions chip designers make every day," says Professor Mark D. Hill, a computer architecture expert from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "With UPEC, designers can be much more confident that they will find and eliminate all potential covert channel flaws in their designs."

###

Prof. Kunz and his research team will attend the DATE-2019 conference in Florence, Italy, on March 27 to present a paper detailing their work on UPEC. The research team is led by Prof. Wolfgang Kunz with Mohammad Rahmani Fadiheh and Dominik Stoffel of Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern, as well as professors Clark Barrett and Subhasish Mitra of Stanford University. For more, information please contact Prof. Wolfgang Kunz of Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern at kunz@eit.uni-kl.de.

https:/ / www. eurekalert. org/ pubnews. php

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has found one country in Europe that isn't worried about China's growing global clout or its ambitions to dominate the future of technology: Monaco.

Xi visited the tiny Mediterranean principality Sunday as part of a European tour that is clouded by mixed feelings about how to engage with China and benefit from its trade -- while setting limits on its appetite for greater economic and diplomatic influence.

Xi's appearance alongside Monaco's Prince Albert and Princess Charlene marks the first state visit by a Chinese president to the principality. The palace said Monaco is seeking to boost its trade and economic cooperation with China, without providing details on eventual contracts to be signed.

Monaco last year clinched a deal with Chinese tech company Huawei to develop its 5G telecommunications network -- a thorny issue for several European countries.

The U.S. government says Huawei's 5G network could give Chinese security services a backdoor to spy on consumers, and has pressed European partners to shun it. Huawei says the fear is unfounded. Monaco banned all flights in its airspace during Xi's brief visit and any sailing in its waters or mooring in its luxury yacht-filled harbor.
SLFUW holds jumble sale View(s):

Sri Lanka Federation of University Womens Jumble Sale will be held on Saturday, March 30 from 9 a.m at its Centre, 96/25, Kitulwatte Road, Colombo 8 (bordering Borella Kanatta.) In time for the Sinhala and Tamil new year, there will be garments, household items, kitchenware, homemade food items, books, glassware, handbags, shoes, vegetables, potted plants and all kinds of knick knacks at very reasonable prices.

Funds collected will go towards SLFUWs welfare projects.
Think local, develop better By Zara Kayani, exclusive to the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka View(s): View(s):

ISLAMABAD  In October 2018, Pakistani television news channels reported on how the local authorities in Pishin, a district in Balochistan province, were building a small dam to cope with frequent droughts in the area. Instead of accepting the governments proposal to build the dam at a cost of PKR10 million ($71,000), the local community decided to build one itself for just PKR2.1 million under a European Union-funded rural-development programme.

This self-sufficient approach to development has paid dividends elsewhere in Pakistan as well. The Hunza district in the countrys far north has a literacy rate of 95%  the highest in Pakistan  thanks to successful community-led schools, which outnumber low-quality government schools. And, emulating the Orangi Pilot Project on the outskirts of Karachi, the community built a sewage system with technical assistance from an NGO and financed 70% of the total cost.

These are not isolated examples. Frustrated with poor or non-existent state government services, local communities across Pakistan are playing a bigger role in development projects. Such community engagement, if widely replicated, could reduce the burden on state finances and enable the country to develop in a more inclusive and sustainable way.

The idea of local communities playing a key part in development initiatives is not new. In 1993, for example, the UNESCO-led Education for All Summit in New Delhi, India, emphasized that education is the responsibility of families, communities, and NGOs, as well as governments. But there has been a gradual change of thinking over the past three decades about how local communities can play a more effective role.

In the 1980s and 1990s, communities took a bottom-up approach to development and distanced themselves from government-directed initiatives. Yet this was largely unsuccessful, owing to political tensions and problems with scaling up such efforts. By contrast, there is now a growing consensus that local communities are most effective when they coordinate their efforts with well-functioning governments, NGOs, and private-sector actors.

In a 2013 World Bank report, Ghazala Mansuri and Vijayendra Rao highlighted the problem of civil-society failure in the absence of a cooperative infrastructure based on functioning state institutions. In a similar vein, Bishwapriya Sanyal from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology previously argued that development requires a synergy between efforts made at the top and the bottom, a collaborative effort among the government, market institutions, and NGOs which utilizes the comparative advantage of each type of institution, and minimizes their comparative disadvantages.

And a 2004 study by Harvard Universitys Asim Ijaz Khwaja concluded that community engagement substantially improved the maintenance of infrastructure projects as long as their participation was limited to non-technical aspects.

Such a collaborative approach should help communities feel less isolated in development projects. In this regard, Nobel laureate economists Amartya Sen and Elinor Ostrom referred to the development of social capital that allows a community to take the initiative in the event that funding or other forms of institutional assistance disappear.

Another education initiative in Pakistan, the STRIDE initiative, provides a further illustration of how local communities can play a positive role in development. The initiative  initially supported by the United Kingdoms Department for International Development and now taken up by the provincial governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and expanded to more districts  aims to improve students prospects of staying in school and making the transition to higher levels of education.

The initiative introduces afternoon classes and provides transport for students who live far from their school. Crucially, it also seeks to sensitize local communities to retention and transition challenges and encourages them to contribute to sustainable solutions.

These efforts seem to be working. In UC Pirhar in the Muzaffargarh district, the local community contributed PKR 48,000 to cover the transport costs of students attending a nearby STRIDE school, and the UC chairman himself gave rickshaws to some of his poor relatives so they could earn money by transporting STRIDE students.

Another STRIDE school, in the Swabi district, was having problems retaining teachers for the afternoon shift, owing to long traveling distances and mountainous terrain, coupled with social disapproval of women arriving home late in the evening.

To resolve the problem, the STRIDE district coordinator, having first consulted local citizens, persuaded the education department to build extra rooms in the school for use as a teachers hostel.

The conservative mindset in many areas of Pakistan can sometimes make it nearly impossible for women and girls to travel to a distant school. But by taking citizens concerns into account, the STRIDE initiative has enabled girls to continue their education without creating a backlash.

The development debate in Pakistan has moved on considerably in the past 30 years, and local communities are playing an increasingly important role. Their involvement should be welcomed and encouraged; indeed, it is vital for ensuring the acceptability and sustainability of development initiatives.

Zara Kayani is a research fellow at the Institute of Social and Policy Sciences (I-SAPS) in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019. www.project-syndicate.org
On Thursday and Friday last week the Queens British Grammar School in Estepona held an event to help raise money for nineteen-year-old Laura Nuttall.

Laura, a family friend of a couple of the students, who lives in the UK, found out before Christmas that she has glioblastoma, an extremely aggressive form of brain cancer.

The prognosis is poor with this disease and the length of survival following diagnosis is just 12 to 15 months. Fewer than three to five per cent of people survive longer than five years. Without treatment, survival is typically just three months.

While Laura is undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the family are trying to raise 150,000 to begin DCVax experimental immunotherapy treatment, currently not funded by the NHS.

The pupils of Queens British Grammar School have been making toasted sandwiches at school break times on Thursday and Friday and charging two euros per sandwich.

In just two days the school raised just under 500 euros.

The schools says that all donations would be hugely appreciated and they can be made through the family web page: www.gofundme.com/ngdq37-doing-it-for-laura
The council in Malaga plans to give a new lease of life to several of the city's disused telephone boxes.

The rise of mobile phones has contributed in recent years to a huge fall in the use of telephone boxes - of 300 across Malaga, only half are used each day. As such, there are plans to turn several into tourist information centres. These new facilities will feature tablets equipped with detailed local maps showing key information such as monuments and attractions with their opening hours.

They will complement the city's six staffed tourist information centres, and will be accessible 24/7, unlike the existing centres, which are only open from 09:00-18:00 (or 22:00 during designated periods).
The peak season for cruises is beginning at Malaga Port, and from 20 March to 30 June, 113 ships are expected to visit the capital city of the Costa del Sol, carrying 180,000 passengers, according to figures from Malaga port. Here, the arrival of spring marks the start of the busiest months for this sector, with 43 cruise ships due to arrive in April and in May. The only month which is busier is October, when 46 liners are scheduled to visit.

THE BUSIEST DAYS 11 April. This will be the day with the most activity this season, as four ships carrying a total of 13,256 passengers will be arriving in Malaga. 9 May. Three ships will coincide at the Port, carrying 10,606 passengers between them. 23 May. Three cruise ships with 9,950 passengers will arrive in Malaga Port. 31 March. Three cruise ships with 9,770 passengers are expected. 27 April. A busy day in terms of arrivals, with five ships carrying 4,406 passengers.

The new peak season is marked by efforts within the sector to attract luxury cruise tourism, and Malaga is very well positioned for that as its terminal at El Palmeral is just metres from the historic city centre. Sources at Malaga port say that half of all cruise passengers who arrive in Malaga each year are on board 'premium' ships. In fact, during the next few months seven of the 11 cruise liners which are scheduled to come to Malaga are within that category.

"The Seadream, Sea Cloud and Crystal Cruises companies have chosen Malaga to start and end their itineraries," say sources at the company. In addition to these cruises, where passengers stay at least one night in the city before leaving or upon arriving, Pullmantur has a further three scheduled during this period.

Malagaport has also announced a new initiative, 'Parking at your departure port', in conjunction with the cruise company, so passengers who arrive in a private car can leave it parked near the terminal while they are away.

New visitors

A total of 14 cruise ships will be visiting Malaga for the first time, including Royal Caribbean's new 'Spectrum of the Seas', for whom Malaga will be the first stop after leaving the shipyard. This giant of the seas will arrive on 16 April, during Holy Week.

Another landmark this season will be the first visit by the 'Marella Explorer 2', from the British Marella Cruises company, part of TUI Group. "Other companies who are regular visitors, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruceros and AIDA Cruises will be using Malaga again this season, and other ships designed for more exclusive tourism will be visiting for the first time," say sources at the Port.
U.S. President Donald Trump in a surprise announcement Friday withdrew a new round of sanctions against North Korea that had been announced only 24 hours earlier by his own government.

"It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury Department that additional large-scale sanctions would be added to those already existing sanctions on North Korea," Trump tweeted. "I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional sanctions!"

The move came 17 hours after Pyongyang notified Seoul that it is pulling officials from the new inter-Korean liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. It is unclear what specific sanctions Trump was canceling.

He may have been referring to the Treasury Department's announcement of sanctions targeting two Chinese shipping companies that helped North Korea evade sanctions. But U.S. media said he was talking about another round of massive sanctions his administration was preparing to announce this week.

Trump's spur-of-the-moment change of position is no longer surprising but cause confusion because he seemed uncertain what he was talking about. Until then it seemed that Washington was determined to take a harder line on North Korea after a bilateral summit in Hanoi collapsed.


They have been found hidden in an artificial leg, the brake fluid of a lorry, avocados in a warehouse, tins of sardines and even inside the body of a pet dog. The inventiveness of traffickers when looking for ways to hide their drugs constantly tests those whose mission it is to find them: the State security forces.

If there is one recurring factor, though, it is food. That became clear several months ago with 'Operacion Bananero', the biggest haul of cocaine in the history of Malaga and the second biggest in Spain and Europe. More than 6,300 kilos of white powder, which once cut and adulterated would have sold for more than one billion euros on the black market, were camouflaged among tons of bananas. Yes: bananas. Which raises the question, why do the traffickers choose to hide their drugs among fruit, fish or frozen foods?

The answer from an officer experienced in the fight against drug trafficking is logical: "Because it is not an easy decision for sanitary reasons and the cold chain, to open the containers. Just think, if you're wrong and the cargo goes bad, you run the risk of legal action and a demand for compensation".

The organisation behind the massive haul of cocaine discovered in Malaga used that strategy, although with a twist. They had designed a business structure which imported such a volume of merchandise that it gave it the appearance of legality. In fact, the 6,300 kilos of cocaine entered Spain via Portugal in 70 containers of bananas. In other words, it was like looking for like a needle in a haystack.

The following are just some of the operations uncovered in Malaga which demonstrate the preferred methods used by traffickers to hide their drugs.

Pineapples

A haul of 990 kilos from the biggest cocaine trafficker in North Africa

He started with hashish, but soon moved on to the cocaine business, using an ingenious method to hide the drug: in cylinders covered in a type of yellow wax, hidden among pineapples. That made it extremely difficult to detect, because it meant checking thousands of pieces of fruit to find the drugs. However, in December 2017 an investigation by the National Police and the Tax Agency resulted in one of these cargos being intercepted, and the arrest of the man believed responsible: a 72-year-old who was considered the biggest cocaine trafficker in North Africa. Although Moroccan, he was arrested in Malaga, which is where he ran his businesses. In total, officers intercepted 990 kilos of the drug. s.

Tofu and hazelnut cream

Refrigerated lorries to transport frozen food

Last August, the National Police carried out an important operation against a band of Dutch traffickers who were bringing cocaine into the country in containers of frozen food. They wrapped the drug really well and then submerged it in containers of hazelnut cream and tofu, which were then frozen and transported in refrigerated lorries together with other products such as prawn crackers and Chinese rice which did not contain drugs. This was a very detailed method, to the point that in order to lay a false trail, the traffickers falsified a well-known brand of fast food which is very popular in Holland, which is where the drugs were being taken. As a result of the police operation 550 kilos of cocaine were seized, but it also served to inform them about a previously unseen and very unusual method of transporting the drugs.

Onions

A method to confuse the sniffer dogs

The Guardia Civil called it 'Operacion Caribe'. In 2015, they discovered a method used by an organisation of Spanish and Italian traffickers, the latter believed to have links with the Camorra of Naples, to bring hashish into Spain and then transport it to Italy. The network was based in Almogia, in Malaga province, where the police had to roll up their sleeves and set to work to find the 1,200 kilos of hashish which the group had hidden among tons of onions. By using this method, they had hoped to fool any sniffer dogs which were used to check for the presence of drugs in the lorry, by masking the scent of the hashish with the smell of the onions.

Sardines

Hashish hidden among boxes of fish before freezing

On this occasion, the product chosen by the drug traffickers came from the sea. In 2013, the National Police in Malaga broke up an organisation which was bringing hashish into the country, hidden among sardines. The drug was camouflaged inside the boxes of fish before being frozen in Morocco, making a compact block between the sardines and the drugs, which made it difficult for Customs to detect. However, the authorities discovered the system and confiscated around 900 kilos of the drug.

Bananas (made of plastic)

Pieces of hollow fruit filled with cocaine

It was not the first time, nor the last, that an organisation hid cocaine in a container of bananas, but it was the first time that the drugs were hidden in hollow fruit made of plastic. In an attempt to fool the police checks, the traffickers filled the fake bananas with the cocaine and spread them out among real pieces of fruit in boxes in different pallets. The police discovered this trick in 2011, arrested those responsible and confiscated a cargo of 162 kilos of cocaine which had come from Ecuador.

Chard

More than 2,000 kilos of hashish among tons of chard

This time, the drugs were travelling in another lorry full of chard. Twelve tons of the vegetable were used by an organisation to hide 2,200 kilos of hashish travelling from Malaga to France. The Guardia Civil intercepted the lorry in 2016 and detained the leader of the group, who were hiding their drugs among vegetables in refrigerated lorries. Thanks to the leader's knowledge of the transport sector, he used to choose the time when large numbers of lorries carrying this type of product were crossing the border, in the hope that the checks would not be very stringent.

Lettuce

Marihuana hidden in a lorry heading for Ireland

It was all apparently innocuous. A lorry loaded with more than 20 tons of lettuce, packed into boxes, left Alhaurin de la Torre and set off for Ireland. However, Guardia Civil and National Police officers had information from the Irish Garda Siochana, warning that a network of Irish citizens who were living in Malaga were exporting something which wasn't exactly a salad vegetable. When the lorry was intercepted, the officers found 170 kilos of marihuana hidden among the lettuces.
A group of 'Malaguenos' were reunited for last Saturday's Put it to the People march in London. Numerous British residents living on the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical travelled back to the UK especially for the protest, where they met up with Spaniards originally from the province who live in the UK. The Malaguenos were joined by Bremain in Spain members and Spaniards who have made Britain their home.

Residents with a hybrid EU and Andalusian flag. / JENNIE RHODES

John Moffett, Theresa OShea and Tamara Essex were among the Brits who travelled from Malaga airport to London for the weekend. Meanwhile while Maria Barquin, who is originally from Marbella but has lived in the UK for 19 years and currently works for the NHS, travelled from Cambridge to march.

She was joined by Malaga-born Mercedes Frias and her seven-year-old son, Martin, who was born in the UK. Mercedes and Martin came from their home in Kent to take part in the protest.

OShea, who has lived in Spain for over 20 years and was therefore unable to vote in the 2016 referendum told SUR, Im really pleased I came. It is so unfair that over an issue that affects us so much, so many of us were unable to vote, so I am voting with my feet.

Carmen Ortega and Jose Luis Millet, originally from Velez-Malaga, have lived in London for five years and both work as teachers in state primary schools in the capital. They didnt want to miss the opportunity to show their support for another say on Brexit.

/ JENNIE RHODES

As a Malaguena I have felt really welcome at todays protest, with so many people supporting the option for the UK to remain in the EU, said Ortega during the march.

Biggest demonstration to date

It proved to be the biggest anti-Brexit demonstration to date with over a million people taking to the streets to ask for another chance to vote on Brexit. The enormous array of flags from different EU countries as well as the blue and yellow EU flag and imaginative placards bearing messages such as Dont blame the Hungarians and Bulgarians; blame the Etonians and Ikea has better cabinets, captured the attention of the international press and kept protesters entertained during the peaceful event.

The Put It To The People march set off from Park Lane at 12pm and ended with speeches at Parliament Square. Speakers included Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pro-European politicians including Labours David Lammy, Scottish leader, Nicola Sturgeon, and the Green MP for Brighton and Hove, Caroline Lucas.

/ J. R.

Stirring speech

But it was veteran Conservative and life-long pro-European, Michael Heseltine, who gave the most stirring speech. He talked of witnessing three wars in Europe and said that he shared the passion that [war] must never happen again. He was applauded when he said, Memories of those wars laid the foundations for what is the European Union today. But the loudest applause came when he said, You, the people, must be given the right to vote to remain.

Petition

Protesters also spent the day looking at their mobile phones to check on the status of a UK Parliament petition to revoke Article 50, which has now been signed by over five million people. It has broken records and is the petition with the highest number of signatories every recorded. Conspiracy theories have surrounded the petition, with rumours that robots or Russian and North Korean forces are behind the record numbers. However, these appear to have been proven wrong and signatories are said to be largely genuine with 96 per cent coming from the UK, according to UK media sources.

Labours Jeremy Corbyn received heavy criticism for his absence from the protest, while there has been no official reaction from Theresa May to either Saturdays march or the Article 50 petition. The focus on Monday morning was a cabinet meeting during which ministers were set to agree on whether to hold another meaningful vote on Tuesday.
BIlbao. An international group including renowned ICREA-IrsiCaixa researcher Javier Martinez Picado has managed to eradicate all signs of the Aids virus from the body of a patient through a bone marrow transplant. It is only the second time this has been achieved. Until now, the only person to have been cured through this technique was Timothy Brown, an American who lives in Germany, who until his name was made public five years ago was known as 'the Berlin patient'. That was in 2008 and it was described as an isolated case, and very difficult to replicate. However, it opened the door to hopes that one day a cure for HIV would be possible, and that now appears more feasible.

The objective has been achieved by repeating, in someone now known as 'the London patient', the same therapy as the one which cured Brown, but with slight differences. This was also an HIV patient who had to be treated for a lymphoma (a malign tumor of the lymphatic glands) through a transplant of hematopoietic progenitor cells, or, which is the same thing, a bone marrow transplant. Now, as before, the procedure has managed to remove at a stroke all signs of the virus in the patient's blood.

The London patient, whose identity is being kept anonymous at present, has had no sign of Aids in his blood for 18 months, but even so the doctors prefer to remain cautious. In theory, the existence of analyses showing that there is no sign of HIV in his veins would imply that he is cured: if there is no infection, there is no illness, but they prefer not to celebrate too soon: it is always possible that the virus, which has a strong ability to mutate and hide, could reappear.

The 'London patient' has shown no sign of the disease for 18 months but doctors are cautious

"We need to be prudent and we believe it is too soon to talk of a cure," said Javier Martinez-Picado at the press conference. "We know of previous cases which were not successful, and the virus reappeared within a year. What we can say is that this patient has needed no medication for a year and a half now".

Small differences

The stories of the Berlin and London patients are slightly different, although they appear very similar, and these differences make the second case much more hopeful. The American's transplant worked because the donor was part of the one per cent of the population who lack a protein called CCR5, which is one of the ways the virus enters the blood cells. At the time the therapy was thought unsuitable for most patients not only because of the high cost but because it would be impossible to find compatible donors for every patient in the world. So what has changed?

Something as simple as the fact that it was not as difficult as it seemed. The London patient's Aids virus was removed with a single transplant, while his predecessor needed two operations. Also, ten years later, the preparatory measures for surgery in this case were much less aggressive, and the scientists were encouraged by the fact that both patients overcame a common complication, graft versus host syndrome. "That also confirms that the Berlin patient wasn't a one-off," said Martinez-Picado. "We believe it is possible to achieve total remission of the virus, without the need for aggressive treatments".
North Korea has been blaming South Korea for its own failed diplomacy since leader Kim Jong-un's summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed.

North Korean propaganda website Uriminzokkiri said, "What is pathetic is the attitude of [South Korean] government who dreams of North-South cooperation... while cooperating with the U.S."

It added that South Korea "has nothing to gain by cooperating with the U.S."


Around 170 leaders from around the world will take part in the conference, which is hosted by the Chosun Ilbo.

The Asian Leadership Conference is scheduled to take place at Hotel Shilla in Seoul from May 14-15 under the theme, "The World at a Crossroads: Searching for Concrete Solutions," seeking to look for answers in times of uncertainty.

The former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, and the former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley will deliver keynote speeches. They should be able to provide accounts of the U.S. government's policy on North Korea.

From a more left-of-center perspective, former German chancellor Gerhard Schroder will offer his experiences of drastic cuts to the welfare state and German reunification. Also, Nobel laureate and economist Paul Romer will offer his insights on innovation and economic growth.

On the second day of the conference, former Italian Prime Minister Mateo Renzi, who became leader at the age of 39, will deliver a lecture on the dangers of populism.

On the sidelines, global AI, big data and blockchain start-ups will meet to discuss progress in their fields. Experts from mostly conservative U.S. political think tanks including the Brookings Institution, the Heritage Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Atlantic Council will hold a debate on security and defense policies, while consultants from McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company will offer their insights on corporate survival.

Experts from Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California at Berkeley will offer advice on venture capitalism.

For inquiries, visit www.alcchosun.com.
A fire that broke out in the sauna of a five-star hotel in Incheon on Sunday forced the evacuation of around 280 guests. No casualties were reported and the fire was extinguished in about half an hour.

According to the Incheon Fire Department, the blaze broke out at around 3:15 p.m. in the ceiling of the women's section of the sauna at Paradise Hotel.

Guests were evacuated quickly, some barefoot and only wearing their robes.
Blood donors rush to save lives of victims

From:ChinaDaily | 2019-03-25 07:25

Willing members of public brave long lines; food for injured taken to hospitals

As officials try to unravel the cause of the deadly blast at a chemical industry park in Jiangsu province, help from the public has been pouring in.

There were so many people that came to donate blood in Xiangshui county that organizers ran out of application forms on Friday, and donors continued to come through the weekend.

Liu Cheng, a doctor responsible for registration at the blood donation station, said that they had to ask their headquarters to dispatch another specially equipped bus for collection on Friday as there were so many people.

As of 4 pm on Sunday, local residents had donated about 350,000 milliliters of blood for those severely injured since the station was set up late Thursday afternoon, according to the station.

An average adult male weighing 70 kilograms has a blood volume of about 5,000 milliliters.

Meng Xianghua, a member of the local labor union assisting with the donations, said that on average, people had to wait at least five hours on Friday to donate blood.

He said one of his neighbors came at 8 am on Friday and was only able to donate blood at 1:30 pm. The union has been offering free food and water to donors, Meng said.

Zhou Junlu, a Xiangshui native who works in Shanghai, rushed home to see if he could help do anything after hearing news of the explosion. His journey took about six hours.

"There were too many people yesterday, so I decided to come today. I waited about two hours to donate blood," the 35-year-old said on Sunday morning.

Zhang Yinlong, 35, whose home is about 20 kilometers from the donation station, came four times because of long lines.

"I came at 5 pm yesterday, but the line was extremely long. I went back home and came back again at about 8 pm, but had to give up after waiting two hours," he said on Friday afternoon.

Zhang, a welder, spent another three hours waiting on Friday morning, but had to give up again at noon to pick up his son from primary school. So, he joined the line again after lunch.

On Saturday, volunteers and officers with the local Red Cross society brought 40 tents, 50 folding beds and 60 bags containing daily necessities like toothbrushes and soap to the area near the explosion site.

Many kindhearted people also came to Xiangshui People's Hospital to offer free food and medicine to the injured who were hospitalized there.

Chen Yueru, a member of the local volunteer association, said 2,177 food boxes were received for lunch. More than 10,000 bottles of water, 24 boxes of ham sausages, 14 boxes of instant noodles and 500 loaves of bread were also delivered to the hospital on Friday. Some people traveled 60 kilometers to offer food.

About 200 members from the association came to the hospital on Friday to assist patients, Chen said.
My name is Mark Goodfield. Welcome to The Blunt Bean Counter , a blog that shares my thoughts on income taxes, finance and the psychology of money. I am a Chartered Professional Accountant. This blog is meant for everyone, but in particular for high net worth individuals and owners of private corporations. My posts are blunt, opinionated and even have a twist of humour/sarcasm. You've been warned. Please note the blog posts are time sensitive and subject to changes in legislation or law.
Belt, Road brings youths closer at speech contest

From:ChinaDaily | 2019-03-25 07:09

An international English speaking competition aimed at helping youths from diverse backgrounds gain a deeper understanding of each other's countries and cultures through language and cultural exchanges was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province over the weekend.

The Belt and Road Youth English Speaking Competition and the China Daily "21st Century Cup" International English Speaking Competition, jointly held by China Daily, the Hangzhou government and the English-Speaking Union, attracted 31 students from 30 countries and regions.

Themes of prepared speeches for contestants were "let us be true to one another" and "the great truth is simple".

Participants were inspired to share their points of view on a shared future and promote communication through competition and exchanges in response to the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, according to organizers.

Nicol Yong Jia Jia from Malaysia emerged as champion and Chen Qiyu from China was first runner-up in the final held at the Hangzhou International Expo Center on Sunday.

Weng Tiehui, vice-minister of education; Zhu Guoxian, publicity chief of Zhejiang province; Zhou Jiangyong, Party secretary of Hangzhou; and Zhou Shuchun, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, presented the awards to the winners.

Qu Yingpu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, said that young people hold the key to the enhancement of people-to-people ties, and in this competition, young contestants shared their stories about the Belt and Road and China's new era.

"Thanks to concerted international efforts by many over the past five years, the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative is becoming a reality and already delivering real results and benefits to people," Qu said.

"By co-hosting the competition in order to build a new platform for deep and candid exchanges between young people in both China and the BRI countries and regions, we hope they can contribute their vision and wisdom to pursuing the BRI and building a community with a shared future," he said.

Qi Xiaohu, publicity chief of the Communist Party of China Hangzhou committee, said that as a pivotal city in the BRI, Hangzhou has carried out economic and trade collaborations and people-to-people exchanges with more than 100 countries, regions and international organizations involved in the BRI.

"The competition, which attracted more than 30 young foreigners to gather for dialogues between civilizations, is like spice seeds on the ancient Silk Road, which spreads the fragrance of culture into the distance and makes the awareness of a shared future for mankind more deeply rooted in people's hearts," he said.

Lord Paul Boateng, English-Speaking Union chairman, said that the BRI requires a deeper understanding of each other's countries and that comes from not only through the study of books but also young people relating to each other in conversation and engaging in cultural exchanges.

"And therefore we encourage exchanges, in which people come together from different nations and traditions of belief across the seas, by recognizing that there are things that bond us together with utilizing a shared language," he said.

Yong from Malaysia said that the competition helped the youths from different countries break the ice, and also opened up her eyes to a new world. "Through the competition, I was able to speak to people from countries, such as Mauritius and Hungary, for the very first time, and we had such meaningful conversations of each other's cultures throughout the past days of staying together," said Yong, a final-year student at St. Joseph's Institution International School in Malaysia.

Xia Peng, a judge in the competition and champion of the 2005 International Public Speaking Competition, said he is proud that an international stage for such competitions has been developed in China, and it also corresponds with the site of the G20 Hangzhou Summit in 2016. "Competition organizers are taking the initiative to tell China's stories to the world and are responding to the spirit of the times that China is embracing the world and following through on opening-up on a higher level," he said.

China Daily 21st Century English Education Media initiated the "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition in 1996, and contestants expanded to range from kindergartners to college graduates. This year was the first time the competition was developed around an international theme.
Mar 25 2019 6:32 pm

Agudath Israel of Americas New Jersey office decried the state legislatures passage of a bill today allowing doctors to write lethal prescriptions for terminally ill patients who say they wish to end their lives.

The state Assembly and Senate voted today to send the bill to Governor Phil Murphy for his signature. If he signs it into law, New Jersey will be the eighth state permitting aid in dying.

The bill would allow physicians to write prescriptions for lethal drugs for terminally ill patients who are evaluated by physicians as having less than six months left to live.

Agudath Israels New Jersey director, Rabbi Avi Schnall, reiterated the Orthodox Jewish groups longstanding opposition to these types of laws. Life possesses inherent sanctity, he said, irrespective of any diminished quality.

We have testified and met legislators over several years on this subject, he added. And we are deeply disappointed at todays votes. Our hope is that the governor may still veto the bill when it comes to his desk, and we urge him to do so.

Agudath Israel has long advocated on behalf of terminally ill patients, particularly through its Chayim Aruchim division, and notes that many patients with terminal diagnoses have gone on to live fulfilling lives well after their doctors darkest predictions have been pronounced. What is more, the organization has argued, misdiagnoses, the influence of family members, or financial pressures can lead patients to make irreversible decisions to end their lives prematurely.

Agudath Israel of Americas executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel added, This bill is not a matter of concern for New Jersey residents alone. Other states have recently passed similar laws, and we must all be worried about the message this sends to our children and to our senior citizens. We must send a different message, that human life is sacred. Period.
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Of all the books I read while studying English Literature at university, there are very few that I can say really stuck with me so much that I think about them on a near-daily basis. One that did is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe called William Wilson. If youre not familiar, its a deeply sinister tale in which the narrator describes being tormented throughout his life by infrequent run ins with his doppelganger, a figure that looks, acts and dresses exactly the same as him, until he is eventually driven mad. The story struck a chord mainly because my professor made a compelling case at the time for how this horror works on a psychological level, but also because he had us analyse the many thematic instances of doubles throughout the text. This, he explained, includes William Wilsons own alliterative initials, which are made up of two 'W's or, rather, 'double-you's. And it was at that point that I thought he was just really reaching.



The psychology makes sense to me though. The argument he made then was that mankinds most primal fear isnt loss of life, but actually loss of identity. The thought of a doppelganger who not only has your appearance, but your mannerisms, your birthday, yoursomewhere else in the world is horribly unsettling because it immediately undermines the foundation upon which everything you have ever perceived is based: that you are an original. At an individual level, it is the most deeply unnatural idea imaginable.



That there might be an exact duplicate of you, whether by coincidence or by design, is a core-shaking thought, and its one that has obviously been put to use in other movies, such as Denis Villeneuves Enemy, Richard Ayoades The Double and, perhaps most horrifyingly of all, Nancy Meyers The Parent Trap. And now Jordan Peele, in presenting a story of a family terrorised by their own exact doubles, doesnt just tap into that same innate phobia, but breaks down its door and sets it on fire. Theres blood and gore and plenty of laughs along the way, but trembling under the surface of it all is an unnerving chill.





" " The contrast between these two characters is the films most astounding special effect The contrast between these two characters is the films most astounding special effect

It has to be said that for all the intrigue in the premise and Peeles lingering creep with the camera, the most disturbing moments come from Lupita Nyongo knowing exactly how to be utterly fucking terrifying. Her lead role is as Adelaide, wife of Winston Dukes Gabe, mother to children Zora and Jason, and clear harbourer of a dark secret connected to the beach that the family are visiting. Her other role, though, is as Adelaides mysterious double, 'Red', who moves around the room like a mechanical figure popping out of a murderous Swiss clock, all while delicately clutching a large pair of scissors. When she speaks, its in a hoarse whisper, as though mimicking human communication she has previously only observed, croaking out each word like shes expelling a life force that doesnt belong to her. The contrast between these two characters is the films most astounding special effect, and, as Red, Nyongo has become the new face of human horror; a monster in her actions, a soulless vessel in her interactions.



It doesnt help that, while Dukes double is more grunting thug than unearthly evil, the childrens respective doppelgangers are vicious animals. Zoras is a whiplashed psychopath with slicked hair, sunken eyes and a wicked smile, and Jasons is a ferocious, gimp-masked puppy obsessed with fire. It turns out that those waiting for Peele to skewer another sector of social privilege with cutting subtext are wasting their time, because this film lives, dies and fiercely survives mostly on its characterisation and the casts remarkable performances.





" " This is the stuff that makes for truly indelible horror This is the stuff that makes for truly indelible horror

Thats not to say that Peele doesnt take all of the credit for harnessing all of the elements here though. This follow-up to Get Out may not seem as worthy for focusing less on social commentary and instead ramping up the dread, but there are choices made that show off Peeles directorial talent and help to confirm his own filmmaking brand. Just like Get Out, theres a through-line of humour that focuses on the relatable in the midst of the sinister, meanwhile this films visual identity actually ups the quotient of iconic shots from its predecessor. For every 'man sprinting wide-eyed towards the camera before veering off to the side', theres at least three 'masked, silent child rhythmically clicking his fingers in front of a burning car'. This is the stuff that makes for truly indelible horror.



As the concept unravels and revelations are made, Peele works to a resolution that is satisfying in providing just enough explanation for the existence of the films antagonists while adding extra layers of mythology on top. Either way, this a film that is going to reward repeat viewings like no other as spotting the thematic relevance of particular scenes can easily become a new viewalong experience. From the presence of twins, to characters saying the same words and jinxing each other, to the biblical reference of Jeremiah 11:11, maybe its my old English Lit professors lessons lingering in my head, but there are a ton of fun instances of doubling in Us. Or should that be 'U's as in 'you's?
Gotham/GC ImagesAs he works through a rough time, Justin Bieber is trying out new forms of self-care.

He shared video on his Instagram Story this weekend of himself sleeping inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. During a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, an increase of oxygen is pumped into the bloodstream, which helps promote healing and fight infections.

Justins wife Hailey snapped one video of her zipping him into the chamber, captioning it, sleeping in the HBOT. In another clip, we see Justin snug inside the tube. Sleep tight lover, Hailey wrote.

Michael Jackson is another celebrity who reportedly slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

In other Justin news, hes being blamed for an influx of tourists to a picturesque canyon in Iceland. He filmed his 2015 music video for Ill Show You there and since then, according to the Environmental Agency of Iceland, foot traffic to area has increased significantly.

Lonely Planet reports the area will now be closed to the public until June to give paths and vegetation around the canyon a chance to improve.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
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People's elected representatives in the House of Assembly, Members of Parliament (MPs), effectively voted to entrench the tyranny of poverty, unemployment, disease, social and economic decay, crime as well as corruption while by the same stroke enthroning the haves as the exclusive inheritors of the national wealth when they passed, without any amendment whatsoever, the Appropriation Bill of 2019/2020, the budget in simpler terms.

Now the electorate has a window into the kind of baggage - to which they parceled and sold their votes - they will have to contend with for the next five years. Indeed the prognosis is a very gloomy one for the future of the kingdom whose potential is being sacrificed by an apparent lack of human capacity and a mindset starved of scholarship, ideas and innovation, as amply mirrored by the pathetic display of MPs, occasioned by a retrogressive and suicidal political system.

Not that there were no holes in the budget, they were there aplenty, such as pouring hundreds of millions of the taxpayers money into the failed Royal Swazi National Airways  now reduced to a travel agent - and a vain bid to legitimise the financial drain that is the King Mswati III International Airport; unchecked expenditure on the military in the face of a remote possibility of the kingdom ever going to war with anyone except as a tool of oppression to silence internal political dissent; continuing typical wastages on ill-conceived projects such as the strategic oil reserve when the country is, after a long 50 years of independence, still importing from South Africa the bulk of its electricity requirements; the least said about the massive investments on the international convention centre and five-star hotel in the face of a constricting economy and deepening poverty and disease the better.

But our so-called honourable ones, the MPs, save for expending too much time attracting attention to their inflated egos, passed the budget plus all its inherent wastages as outlined above and more. There is no chance that this budget can address the multiple challenges of a dysfunctional healthcare system, a perennially constricting economy, ever increasing unemployment, deepening poverty, rocketing criminal activity and structural as well as institutional corruption. As I see it, with South Africa convulsing from the phenomenon of state capture that has compromised its energy generation capacity leading to phased power outages, the primary focus of our MPs should have been on efforts to break the dependency syndrome and ensuring that we produce enough power for our needs and even for export.

The failure to prioritise electricity power generation, which is the primary vehicle for economic and human development, speaks volumes about the mindsets of the governing minority who have arrogated to themselves the right to think and speak for the people in perpetuity.

Instead, MPs voted for government to further pick-pocket an already overburdened taxpayer with the three percentage points increase on pay-as-you-earn tax as well as imposing taxes on basic consumables, such as electricity, while slashing corporate tax. That this approach worked for President Donald Trump in the United States and increased domestic investments whose domino effect was the creation of more jobs does not mean it will also work in Eswatini. For starters, America is a vast country with a huge domestic market that, on its own, makes it competitive even before factoring the global economy.

The same cannot be said of Eswatini whose market size militates against replicating the American dynamics on the domestic front. As such, reducing corporate tax is no silver bullet to the ailing economy, job creation and poverty alleviation. Neither will this be a magnet to attract foreign direct investments (FDIs) to these shores. To attract FDIs requires a lot more than that, including political reforms that unfortunately are a no-go area as they are the nemesis of the ruling elite. MPs also failed to coerce government to at least suspend money-draining national celebrations until such time that the economy is in good shape or governments cash-flow challenges have improved. Why, the elected ones would rather be bogged down by their self-importance and demand seats on the high table just to be conspicuous during these wasteful events.

On a positive note, however, was the assurance of Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini that government would not be filling the 550 existing posts in the police service. This was reassuring indeed especially in the wake of idiotic calls from some sycophantic MPs for these positions to be filled even when government had issued a moratorium on hiring owing to the fiscus crisis. That said, there appears to be some contradictions in governments approach to the challenges facing the country. For in one breath the PM announced last year that utilities would not be increasing their tariffs yet the budget carries a 15 per cent VAT on electricity, which is tantamount to an increase without even engaging stakeholders as has become the norm when an increase is envisaged.

In the end, there can be no mistaking the intention of the budget, continued plunder by the haves while the have-nots will get worse off. And this seems to be in sync with Frederic Bastiat when he wrote: When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorises it and a moral code that glorifies it. Regrettably, that realm Bastiat was referring to is upon us in this, the Kingdom of Eswatini as personified by the budget.
MBABANE  The burning desire by lawyers to discuss the alleged judicial crisis in the country has resulted in their meeting being shifted to an earlier date.

Initially the meeting was slated for Friday but it has since been shifted to today at the Mbabane Club starting at 1pm. Secretary General of the Law Society of Swaziland (LSS), Thulani Maseko, said members felt that Friday was too late as the matters they intended to discuss were by their very nature urgent. The council of LSS was therefore compelled to shift the meeting to today, said Maseko.

The alleged judicial crisis which the learned friends intend to discuss during the meeting, includes the justice for sale allegations. During the meeting, the lawyers will also discuss the now litigious appointments of acting judges. Maseko urged lawyers to attend the meeting without fail as the issues that would be discussed were meant to improve the administration of justice in the country. In his speech during the official opening of the High Court of Eswatini 2019 Legal Year, the late LSS President, Mandla Mkhwanazi, said there was a growing concern among attorneys which had filtered to litigants, rightly or wrongly, that our justice is now for sale.

Perception

Mkhwanazi stated that this perception, which was shared by members of the public, reduced the dignity of the courts and judicial system in general. He mentioned that this created the impression that justice was then perceived to be only accessible to the rich and influential members of the society. He said when he delivered his speech, he was not making things up when he said justice was for sale in the country. He stated that there were many complaints from attorneys who alleged that they had witnessed the exchange of monies for judgments in favour of those who paid the money.

The Chief Justice, Bheki Maphalalas response on the allegations of justice being for sale, was that he was not aware of such and challenged the president to bring forth evidence to that effect. I will be expecting you Mr Mkhwanazi to give me evidence of justice being for sale, I am not aware of it, said the chief justice then.


MBABANE  Reduce schools hours, we are overburdened with schoolwork.

In a rather first of its kind, pupils of Siyendle Community High School have asked for less school hours with reduced homework. The request by the pupils is said to have taken the administration of the school by surprise to a point where they found themselves being punished for asking for less school hours. One of the pupils, *Sandla told this publication that the Form IV pupils of Siyendle Community High School, in the Shiselweni Region, felt overburdened by schoolwork and the long hours. He said due to the many subjects they learnt each day, they usually went home with a lot of homework and that meant they had no time left to revise or study what they had learnt that day.

He further explained that they decided to write an official letter to the schools administration on March 13, requesting that the number of subjects they learnt a day be reduced. The letter was to be sent through the head boy on March 14 who, because being nervous, failed to submit the letter to the schools administration. As such, the head boy held on to the letter for a couple of days. Sandla alleged that after the head boy said he could not deliver the letter to the schools administration, the pupils approached a senior teacher, who advised them to make further attempts to have the letter sent to the head teacher through the head boy, as per school protocol. However, the letter was never delivered to the head teacher.

Sandla alleged that on March 19, the schools administration called the whole Form IV class to the school hall, where the 60 pupils convened, and each one of them was given six strokes on the buttocks. Sandla claimed that they were then sent home and told not to come to school, but to have their parents come to the school. *Mrs Dlamini, a parent to one of the Form IV pupils, said her child came home and told her that she was to report to the school the next day for a meeting. Dlamini said she went to her childs school, where she found other parents who had been summoned too.

She said; Each parent went in alone. When I went in, the head teacher, deputy head teacher and two other teachers were in the room. I was asked what my child had said to me. I told them that she had informed me that the school had asked us to come to the school and for them to remain at home.


MATSAPHA  Fed up! This best describes the emotions that engulfed members of the Swaziland Amalgamated Trade Unions (SATU) towards one of the security companies in the country.



Yesterday, about 300 members of the organisation petitioned Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd.

The title of the petition that was delivered by SATU was titled Undermining of workers rights to freedom of association and assembly.

Reading and delivering the petition was Frank Mncina, who is the Secretary General of SATU and it was received and signed by Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd Human Resource Manager, Lindumuzi Ntuli.



The petition demands that Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd should stop with immediate effect the alleged onslaught and gross disrespect for the fundamental workers rights to freedom of association and assembly as enshrined in Section 32 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini.



It further calls on the security service provider to stop with immediate effect the alleged intimidation of workers subscribing to the union while also demanding that the security company stops with immediate effect the alleged labour rights violation.



Another demand advanced by SATU was that the security services provider respects the rights of the union to organise and represent workers while also demanding that Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd commits itself in writing that it shall address these demands within seven working days from the receipt of the petition.



The over 300 security guards, who were singing political songs aligned to the fight for freedom during the apartheid era in the Republic of South Africa, informed Ntuli that failure to adhere to the demands that were presented by the union would result in SATU embarking on a number of campaigns.



Mobilising



Mobilising our sister unions locally and internationally to put pressure on Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd to respect the rights of workers in Eswatini, said the union.

SATU further said it would put pressure on current and potential clients of the security firm not to enlist its services until they respected workers rights while also calling upon the citizenry to boycott all business entities where Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd rendered services.
MBABANE  Some schools have suspended the services of their support staff due to non-availability of free primary education (FPE) grants.



Phumelele Zulu of the Swaziland Union in Learning and Allied Institutions (SULAI) said a number of their members reported to the union that they had been coerced to suspend rendering their services.



This, she said, was due to the unavailability of FPE grants in some schools as they were (grants) the only funding they received.

The failure to award some of the 21 schools funding happens at the backdrop of government having already drawn E1.4 billion from the reserves to pay salaries.



Since the adoption of the FPE programme, government has been the sole funder of primary schools as parents do not have to pay a cent for the education of their children.



Zulu said some of the primary schools that had been reported to SULAI for requesting that their support staff take a sabbatical leave until there was funding were Ekuthuleni Primary School in Bhunya under the Manzini Region, and Bhunya Primary School.

Zulu further said the 21 schools reported by the Swaziland Association of School Administrators (SASA) to have not received funding were the most affected when it came to the remuneration of support staff.



SASA is under the umbrella of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) and its membership consists of head teachers and deputy head teachers.



Yesterday, this publication reported that since the schools opened on January 24, 2019, government had not funded 21 schools with the FPE grants. This was established by SASA following a social media survey where members of the organisation stated schools that had not received the grants.

Currently, government pays about E560 per pupil enrolled under the FPE programme.



Following the publication of the schools, Zulu said, most of these schools had not remunerated their support staff. She implored government to take the issue seriously as it affected the well-being of those who were entrusted with catering for the nutrition, hygiene and security of pupils. The unionist rhetorically asked how government could fail to abide by labour laws while it was the very institution that had to take people to account for failure to do same.



She further painted a gloomy picture on the welfare of the support staff as she relayed that some of them had been locked-out by their landlords due to being on arrears with their rent.

Some of our members were last paid in October and now its March. Imagine the frustration they are going through; even if one has an understanding landlord, this is too much a burden for them as well, Zulu said.
EKUKHANYENI  Please leave the school out of this. The above plea was made by the family of the Form IV pupil, Nomvuyo Maseko of Ekukhanyeni High School, who committed suicide by swallowing a weevil tablet.



Worth noting is that last year around October, pupils attempted to burn the school down following the mysterious death of four pupils.

The school yesterday suspended classes and teachers visited the family of the deceased pupil.



In an interview with the pupils great -grandfather, Wilson Ginindza, the incident had absolutely nothing to do with the school as it happened at home on a weekend.



Threatening



According to Ginindza, they had heard that there were people in the community who were threatening to go to the school to cause chaos.

He pleaded that they should not sensationalise the matter of his great- grandchild to settle their own scores.

We are hurting as a family at this moment and we insist that the school has nothing to do with this, he said.



Ginindza said Nomvuyo was a brilliant child and had no issues at school. He said everything was well and neither did she report that something was not right at school.



We are left with so many questions than answers on what really led her to take the decision to end her life, Ginindza stated.

He said all they could say was that a dark cloud was upon them and they were putting everything in Gods hands.



Signs

Ginindza said there were no signs of being suicidal displayed by his great- granddaughter, who he said was a respectful and very bubbly child.

The great-grandfather said it happened that Nomvuyo, who was a teenager, started misbehaving and was involved in a love relationship.

He said there were times when she disappeared from home and came back late.



Preceding the suicide, Ginindza said Nomvuyo disappeared last Friday and did not return home.

She came back the following morning and the family decided that her issue would be dealt with upon her mothers return on Saturday.

The decision, according to Ginindza, was taken by the family because they had engaged Nomvuyo on the matter, hence they decided that her mother was in a better place to address it.



Ginindza said Nomvuyo then left for school upon her return on Saturday and came back home.

On her return, her mother sat down with her and questioned her over her behaviour, which was to disappear from home without communicating to the elders, he said.
MBABANE  It is victory for PSAs as the Industrial Court has dismissed governments application to have the cost-of-living-adjustment (CoLA) case postponed to March next year.



Industrial Court Judge President Sifiso Nsibande yesterday found that the application for postponement was tantamount to interdicting industrial action by the public sector associations (PSAs).



The PSAs are the National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU), Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) and Swaziland National Association of Government Accounting Personnel (SNAGAP).



Reason



The primary reason for the application is not to enable the applicant (government) to prepare and be ready to present its case at a later stage but to delay the final outcome of the main application on the basis that whatever that outcome is, there will either be no point to the strike action, on account of governments inability to provide CoLA or there will be no further attempts to press for the CoLA through strike action again, said Judge Nsibande.

The court said it appeared to it that the application for postponement was an attempt to interdict the contemplated strike action and any future strike actions that involved the parties and the 2017/2018 CoLA issue, without actually making a direct application in that regard. In our view, it is not in the interest of justice to grant the postponement.

The Industrial Relations Act 2000 gives employees the right to organise, in terms of Part IV of the Act, said the judge president, sitting with members of the bench, Mathokoza Mthethwa and Musa Dlamini. He further pointed out that the Industrial Relations Act 2000, also allowed a party to engage in a lawful strike if a dispute had been certified as unresolved dispute under Section 81(5).

The court found that the provisions of Section 86 of the Act had been complied with.

Judge Nsibande also highlighted that the right to take part in union activity was enshrined in Chapter III of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini. He said: It is the duty of this court to protect the right within the confines of the law.



The court found that the PSAs were in possession of a certificate of unresolved dispute and they had complied with the provisions of Section 86 of the Industrial Relations Act.
The death toll from a massacre in a central Malian village rose to 134 dead, the U.N. said, as new video emerged Sunday showing victims strewn on the ground amid the burning remains of their homes.

An ethnic Dogon militia already blamed for scores of attacks in central Mali over the past year attacked an ethnic Peuhl village just before dawn on Saturday.

Among the victims in Ogossogou were pregnant women, small children and the elderly, according to a Peuhl group known as Tabital Pulaaku.

Graphic video obtained by The Associated Press shows the aftermath of Saturday\s attack, with many victims burned inside their homes. A small child\s body is covered with a piece of fabric, and at one point an ID card is shown covered with blood.

In the capital of Bamako, visiting U.N. Security Council President Francois Delattre, condemned the killings as an "unspeakable attack" late Saturday.

At least 55 people were wounded and the U.N. mission in Mali said it was "working to ensure the wounded were evacuated."

In New York, the U.N. secretary-general condemned the attack and called on the Malian authorities to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Islamic extremists were ousted from urban centers in northern Mali during a 2013 French-led military operation. The jihadists scattered throughout the rural areas, regrouped and began launching numerous attacks against the Malian military and the U.N. mission. Since 2015, extremism has edged all the way to central Mali where it has exacerbated tensions between the Dogon and Peuhl groups.

Members of the Dogon group accuse the Peulhs of supporting these jihadists linked to violent groups in the country\s north and beyond. Peulhs have in turn accused the Dogon of supporting the Malian army in its effort to stamp out extremism.

In December, Human Rights Watch had warned that "militia killings of civilians in central and northern Mali are spiraling out of control." The group said the ethnic Dogon militia known as Dan Na Ambassagou and its leader had been linked to many of the atrocities and called for Malian authorities to prosecute the perpetrators.

Mali\s Dogon country with its dramatic cliff landscapes and world renowned traditional art once drew tourists from Europe and beyond who hiked through the region\s villages with local guides. The region, though, has been destabilized in recent years along with much of central Mali.

SOURCE: AP
Disease is threatening to aggravate the already dire conditions facing millions of survivors following the powerful tropical cyclone which ravaged southern Africa 10 days ago, officials warned on Sunday.

Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique\s coast unleashing hurricane-force wind and rain that flooded swathes of the poor country before battering eastern Zimbabwe  killing 705 people across the two nations.

"It is inevitable that cases of cholera and malaria will arise. In many areas we are already fighting with malaria cases," said Lands Minister Celso Correia at a briefing in Beira, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) northeast of the capital Maputo.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs\ deputy head Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, also at the briefing, warned that disease outbreaks in inaccessible areas could be "really problematic".

The World Food Programme said Friday that the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Mozambique was on a par with the situation in Yemen and Syria which are both in the grip of civil wars.

Aid workers from across the world are continuing to arrive in the region to bring help to hundreds of thousands of affected people across an area of roughly 3,000 square kilometres (around 1,160 square miles).

 \We suffered a lot\ 

Survivors are struggling in desperate conditions with some still trapped on rooftops and those rescued in urgent need of food and medical supplies.

"The government is already setting up a cholera treatment centre to mitigate cholera. We should not be frightened when cholera issues arise," added Correia, describing efforts to control the emerging humanitarian crisis.

"It is normal. It\s almost inevitable. Malaria, we know how it arises. We have lots of wetlands and we\re going to have malaria that is sure to come up (there)."

Wilfried Deliviai, a 19-year-old resident of Beira which was caught in the eye of the storm, said he felt "sorry for our town, our city, because we suffered a lot to build it".

"Houses are completely destroyed, and some people don\t have money to rebuild their businesses  and many businesses are going to fail," he told AFP.

 \People don\t know what to do\ 

More than two million people have been affected in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi where the storm started as a tropical depression causing flooding which killed 60 and displaced nearly a million people. Hundreds are still missing in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

In its daily update, OCHA said 74,600 women impacted by the cyclone are pregnant and around 60 percent of them are due to give birth within the next six months. At least 7,460 of them are at risk of life threatening complications.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had recorded some cases of cholera so far but the UN was unable to confirm the reports.

Stampa described efforts to re-open the main access road to Beira as a "big victory".

"We will be able to bring more help to families living in this affected area," he said.

Those living in affected areas of Mozambique began to trickle back to church over the weekend.

The Ponta Gea Catholic Cathedral in Beira was miraculously undamaged by the storm while the church next door was levelled.

"The people don\t know what to do because they lost their houses, they have no food, they don\t know where to sleep  this brings sadness and anxiety," said Father Pedro, who conducted a mass in darkness late on Saturday.

Much of the area hit by the cyclone remains disconnected from electricity supplies, complicating rescue efforts at night-fall.

As many as 109,000 people are living in shelters across central Mozambique, many of them located in and around Beira.

Those shelters also "run the risk of infectious disease such as diarrhoeal disease and measles", James McQuen Patterson, UNICEF\s health and nutrition chief told AFP.

"Further, as many families have lost everything, some sleeping in the open, the risk of pneumonia, particularly among children increases considerably," he said.

One survivor was six-year-old Elena Joaquin, who clutched a coconut as she sat surrounded by pots and pans at a shelter in Buzi, southwest of Beria, where she had sought refuge along with her parents.

He also highlighted the need to helping people living with HIV/AIDS of to resume treatment as soon as possible in the Sofala, which has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in Mozambique.

But life had slowly begun to return to normal in central Beira where traffic was flowing more than in recent days and business were resuming trade.

SOURCE: AFP
Four years after Saudi Arabia led a military intervention in Yemen to back the government against rebels, the only hope for peace in a country threatened by famine hangs on a fragile truce.

Despite the Saudis entering the conflict on March 26, 2015 with a coalition composed of nine countries from the Middle East and Africa, Yemen\s internationally-recognised government has failed to defeat the Huthi.

The Iran-aligned rebels continue to control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.

And the conflict  which the United Nations says has unleashed the world\s worst humanitarian crisis and pushed the country to the brink of famine  shows no sign of abating in the impoverished nation.

In December, the rival sides agreed to a ceasefire in the key lifeline Red Sea port of Hodeida  just weeks after forces loyal to the government were able to enter the rebel-held city.

But even if major fighting has stopped, other elements of the accord  including a prisoner swap  have failed to materialise.

"There was a real breakthrough in Sweden. Substantive, on the one hand, but even more so in the psychological sense," Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group think tank, told AFP.

"There have been delays, obstacles, and backtracking, but what is unchanged is that the parties still view the agreement as their best option."

 Peace elusive 

Yemenis were hopeful the hard-won agreement reached in Sweden would be followed by a long-lasting peace deal, particularly as Riyadh came under intense international scrutiny following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom\s Istanbul consulate.

Fighting in Hodeida, whose port serves as the country\s lifeline, has largely stopped since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18, but there have been intermittent clashes.

And both the government and the Huthis have been accused of violating the truce deal, while an agreed redeployment of forces has also not yet been implemented.

The Saudi-led coalition, which has won US logistical support and includes the United Arab Emirates, warned in late January it was still prepared to use "force" against the Huthis to make the rebels abide by the UN-backed truce deal.

According to security analyst Aleksandar Mitreski the warring sides in Yemen are "showing no major weaknesses".

He insisted to AFP, however, that an "alleviation of the humanitarian crisis is possible".

"Current mounting pressure on the Saudi-led coalition may open up more channels for humanitarian aid to flow. This pressure can grow if the spotlight shifts from Syria over to Yemen."

International outcry over Khashoggi\s murder and images of emaciated Yemeni children has strained Saudi Arabia\s relations with its western allies, including Washington.

In March, the US Senate voted to end Washington\s military support for Riyadh-led efforts in the Yemen war.

 \Enormous obstacles\ 

Yemen\s conflict has left around 24 million people  more than three quarters of the country\s population  now dependent on some form of aid for survival.

The Yemeni government has been battling the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels since 2014, before the intervention the following year by the Saudis.

An estimated 10,000 people have been killed since March 2015, when Saudi Arabia and its allies  with the logistical and political backing of the United States  unleashed air power against the Huthi rebels.

But rights groups say the death toll is likely far higher. Save the Children has estimated that 85,000 Yemenis under five years old may have died of starvation.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite the three-month-old truce in Hodeida.

"Since the Stockholm agreement on December 13, it is estimated that eight children have been killed or injured in Yemen every day," Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

However, while fighting across the country continues, the shaky truce deal seems the only hope for peace.

"The agreement is alive so long as both sides see it as preferable to a military confrontation for Hodeida," Dickinson said.

But she warned "there are enormous obstacles and challenges along the way."

SOURCE: AFP
An early morning rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven people and prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington. The attack set the stage for a potential major conflagration, shortly before Israel\s upcoming elections.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family. The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

The sounds of air raid sirens jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5 a.m., sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed. The Israeli military said it identified the rocket fired from the Gaza Strip.

The family home in Mishmeret was left in ruins, with tiles, broken furniture and debris scattered about. A shattered baby\s crib lay among the rubble and two family dogs died in the explosion.

"It\s a miracle that nobody got killed," said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene.

Netanyahu, in Washington to meet President Donald Trump, held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel and decided to cut his visit short, cancelling a planned address to the AIPAC conference and meetings with congressional leaders.

"There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully," he said, "In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward."

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza\s Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

Monday\s attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel\s densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation. But Gaza\s Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidently and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday\s attack, but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire. A possible trigger could be a prison riot late Sunday when Hamas-affiliated prisoners stabbed an Israeli guard in the neck in southern Israel. Israeli guards moved in to subdue the rioters, wounding about a dozen prisoners, three of them seriously. In a statement, Hamas called for an end to the crackdown.

"We do not yet have a full understanding of who exactly ordered the firing of the rocket," said Eran Lerman, a former deputy director at Israel\s National Security Council. "But clearly this is no longer something that can be explained away as a mistake or a technical failure."

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic militant Palestinian group that seeks Israel\s destruction and possesses a large arsenal of rockets and missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel. The territory is home to other Palestinian militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also has a formidable rocket arsenal.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars since the group seized power in the strip in 2007. Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war in 2014; Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for all fire coming out of the coastal territory.

The outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days. Netanyahu, who also served as defense minister, is locked in a tight fight for re-election and has faced heavy criticism from his opponents for what they say has been an ineffective response to Gaza militants.

"The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable," his chief challenger, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Netanyahu has also come under attack from his own nationalistic camp.

"Israel\s deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty Netanyahu has failed against Hamas," said Education Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the Yamin HeHadash faction in Netanyahu\s coalition. "Netanyahu is a good prime minister but a failed defense minister."

In Gaza, Hamas has come under rare public criticism for the harsh conditions in the territory. An Israel-Egyptian blockade, combined with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority and mismanagement by the Hamas government have fueled an economic crisis. The territory\s residents have little desire for another war with Israel.

Instead of a full-fledged conflict, Hamas has tried to end the blockade through a violent weekly protest movement along the Israel-Gaza border fence that it launched a year ago. It too has largely failed. About 190 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier have been killed during the weekly rallies.

Egypt, Qatar and United Nations are trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas but that effort has yet to bring about an agreement. At the same time, there has been an uptick in violence in the West Bank over the past week, with a stabbing and shooting attack that left two Israelis dead near a West Bank settlement and Israel\s killing of two Palestinians it said attacked troops.

SOURCE: Associated Press
Benson Memorial Library was one of two libraries in the state selected to receive a $1,000 grant. The money will be used for an array of programs and contests through September.
Bank ABC is expected to launch a mobile-first retail bank in Bahrain before the end of 2019 as part of its digital strategy.

The Central Bank of Bahrain has approved the new bank and granted it a licence. After the launch in Bahrain, the intention is to expand into other Mena markets, such as Egypt and Jordan, Bank ABC said at the banks Annual General Meeting yesterday.

Bank ABCs shareholders during the AGM approved a cash dividend distribution of 3 per cent ($0.03 per share, net of treasury shares), amounting to $92.934 million. This translates to approximately 46% of the net profit for the year, attributable to the shareholders of the parent.

The AGM has also approved the appointment of new directors to replace retiring board members.

Since the announcement of the intention for a market-making arrangement in February 2018, ABCs share price has risen from $0.28 to $0.44 (as at January 31, 2019), a rise of 50% with over 30% of that gain following announcement of the arrangement on June 20, 2018.

The volume of ABCs share traded in the 12 months period to December 31, 2018 has increased to 54.2 million (+53%) from 35.5 million in similar period 2017.

The banks operating performance continued its positive trend during the year 2018, and the first phase of its transformation strategy has met its goals. This was achieved despite slowing global economic growth and persisting geopolitical tensions, the bank said.

In the core markets, recovery in the GCC remains muted and the outlook in North Africa continues to be challenging. But conditions in Brazil, another key market for us, are improving, the bank said.

Bank ABCs net profit for 2018 was $202 million, 5% higher than in 2017, thus continuing the past few years improving operating performance. Strategically, the bank is prioritising a more efficient use of capital and growing fee income, which caused return on equity to uptick, increasing to 5.2% in the year.

Total operating income was $817 million against $869 million reported for last year but normalises also to $866 vs $868 million respectively, after adjusting for effects of foreign currency hedging transactions in Banco ABC Brasil (BAB) (which have an offsetting tax charge impact) and also being somewhat reduced by FX depreciation of the Brazilian Real (BRL) against USD in particular.

Following the banks investments in building its presence in Dubai and Singapore, as well as the banks other strategic initiatives, operating costs were $474 million, $12 million higher than in 2017. Impairment charges for the year were $79 million, down from $96 million in 2017, reflecting prudent lending criteria and proactive management of remedial, which helped us contain our credit cost.

The bank said the next phase of Bank ABCs strategy, which was approved in late 2018, rests on four main pillars: to unlock the potential of its global wholesale bank, globalise and digitise its transaction banking business, enhance the groups operating model to increase resilience and strengthen culture, and continue to seek inorganic opportunities to address model constraints and enhance the groups returns, the bank said.

In regard to its Wholesale Bank strategy, the business at a global level shall be focusing on improving corporate and financial institutional client relationships by leveraging its network and capabilities to become a more effective partner, using multiple products across several countries on an ongoing basis, it added.

An important related initiative is reinforcing our global transaction banking business, leveraging our trade proposition alongside building a cash management business, which will meet a significant client need, as well as providing a source of diversification to the funding of the bank, it said.

The banks balance sheet remains strong, resilient and increasingly well-diversified. The Basel III capital adequacy ratio and Tier 1 ratio at the year-end stood at 18.2% and 17.2% respectively, which is higher than those of many of its peers. The underlying investment portfolio is stable and liquid, continuing to become more geographically diverse. Customer deposits were $16.4 billion at the year-end, compared with $16.8 billion in 2017, and loans and advances were $14.9 billion, against $15.3 billion in 2017. - TradeArabia News Service
This year has witnessed a number of significant real estate transactions in the GCC with the latest Dh289 million ($79 million) sale of Al Murjan, a residential tower in Abu Dhabi, showcasing renewed investor interest for high quality assets, according to leading real estate firm JLL.



Al Murjan tower is a 23-storey mixed-use development with residential apartments, retail facilities, and office space.



The development sits within a high-end master-planned development at Danet in tthe UAE capital with easy access to Abu Dhabi city centre and the E11 Sheikh Zayed Road.



In what represents the second large regional transaction that JLL has advised on this year, the recently announced sale of Al Murjan by Aldar Investments is another indication of the availability of capital in the market and the search amongst both private and institutional investors for institutional grade and stable income generating real estate assets.



This transaction follows the successful closing in February of the sale of Lulu Hypermarkets central distribution centre in Muscat, Oman.



In this transaction, JLL was a key advisor to the seller, an institutional real estate investment fund.



Abdul Kader Monla, the director, Capital Markets in Mena, JLL said: "We are seeing a market shift across the region with significant investments already witnessed in the first quarter of the year despite what was marked as a year of uncertainty."



"Transactions of this scale demonstrate renewed investor confidence, particularly in assets proving stable revenues," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
No construction and maintenance activities, including the excavation and demolition work, can be carried out from dusk to dawn in Oman's capital Muscat as per new rules issued by the citys civic body, said a report.



Muscat Municipality Chairman Mohsin ash Sheikh has issued a decision amending some provisions of the regulations, making it no longer permissible to carry out any excavation, demolition and construction work between sunset and sunrise, on official holidays, and on Fridays in residential neighbourhoods, reported Times of Oman.



Necessary works require prior permission from the municipality, stated the report, citing Sheikh.



As per the new laws, contractors will now only get a permit for works after they submit proof of the boundaries of the plot to the Ministry of Housing by clearly marking the boundaries of the plot on the ground, he added.
Oman and the US yesterday (March 24) signed a framework agreement allowing the US access to ports and airports in the sultanate, said a report.



The agreement was between Oman's Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence. It was signed by Mohammed bin Nasser bin Mohammed Al Rasbi, secretary general in Omans Ministry of Defence, and J Severs, the US ambassador to the sultanate, added the Times of Oman report.



The agreement enhances the Omani-American military relations, and allows the US forces to take advantage of the facilities provided at some of the sultanates airports and ports, especially in the Port of Duqm, the report said.
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) is planning to join forces with Signify, which was formerly known as Philips Lighting, as part of its preparations and readiness to launch the first innovation and economic free zone among UAE universities.



This initiative falls in line with the universitys vision to build fruitful partnerships with major international companies in order to provide a unique educational and research product for learners and entrepreneursaimed at changing the face of education and promoting a culture of entrepreneurship and thus drive empowerment in the Arab world, said a statement.



Dr Mansoor Al Awar, chancellor of HBMSU, made the announcement at Ignite Summit 2019, which was recently held in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, under the theme Radical Collaboration.



The event was organised to demonstrate leading leadership experiences and share forward-looking visions of sustainable growth through 2019 and beyond.



The free zone has received a great deal of extensive discussions, receiving widespread praise for the key role played by the university as a nucleus for building the future and a beacon of innovation and business intelligence.



The Innovation Center, which is to be positioned as a strategic link between the key elements of the University and the specialised resources of its partners from both the public and private sectors and major international and multinational companies headed by Signify, to conduct applied research and specialised projects and to come up with real and effective solutions that meet the needs and requirements of the local and international business community.



During the event, important meetings were held that resulted in the identification of new areas of bilateral cooperation, the first being an agreed joint training in the framework of various programs that would qualify the university learners to obtain a certificate from Signify at the completion of the training course; and conducting important research projects by faculty members and learners at the university on a number of pressing issues and topics proposed by Signify.



The two parties also expressed their intentions to establish a joint assessment centre for designers, and architects. Signify will benefit from the Universitys expertise in assessment, related procedures, the content and certificates.



Dr Al Awar expressed his delight in being part of Ignite Summit 2019, having been invited as one of the events main speakers upon the invitation of Goktug Gur, Signifys CEO in the Middle East, Turkey, and Pakistan.



The leading lighting company organized the big event that was attended by over 180 leaders from around the world. The summit also threw the spotlight on the achievements of four international clients who presented unique models in terms of innovation, creativity and excellence in vital areas.



Dr Al Awar shared that the summit highlighted the role of collaborative efforts in driving innovation, creativity, and excellence and opening up new opportunities for sustainable growth in reflection to the Sustainable Development Plans (SDGs) 2030.



He also reaffirmed HBMSUs commitment to participate in this international platform, which represents strong proof of the international communitys trust and confidence in the universitys capability to bring real and positive change to the global education system. Education is the cornerstone of a comprehensive national development and a better and safer future for present and future generations.



In his presentation, Dr Al Awar shared the universitys successful stories of the university as it leads the global efforts to re-conceptualise learning and transform the future universities into knowledge inspirations.



He tackled HBMSUs philosophy based on technology, innovation, creativity, and scientific research as well as gave updates on its initiatives to build 21st century skills.



The presentation was followed by an interactive session with Signifys senior leaders. The session focused on the universitys achievements, which complement Signifys values and strategies. The two parties also emphasized the importance of consistent communication and strategic collaboration in the future, to complement the success of their partnership in the completion of the Smart Building, that is considered as an unprecedented global achievement, with its interactive features providing the academic community with a unique experience and its sophisticated smart system enhancing the operational efficiency of the building.



The system allows control of lighting and air conditioning to conserve more energy in accordance with the best practices concerning sustainability and innovation.



HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and president of the University, said: Establishing an international cooperation is part of the UAE's key efforts to develop new tools for the future industry.



We have a close affiliation with Philips, as we recently launched the Smart Building, which is an advanced leap that we are proud of, especially as it is the product of a smart and fruitful collaboration with some of the world's leading companies to achieve our vision of guiding and leading educational, social, economic and environmental change locally and globally, he said.



This effort has significantly contributed to achieving our aspirations to provide a unique experience for the academic community in enhancing operational efficiency through innovative and sustainable smart systems such as lighting sensors, air conditioning and energy systems. We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with Signify and other leading global innovative organisations following our principle of 'Together We Grow,' which represents a fundamental value that we count on in achieving significant gains to build the future we aspire for, he added.



Goktug Gur, president and chief executive officer of Signify in the Middle East and Africa, Turkey and Pakistan, said: We are honoured by the presence of Dr Mansoor Al Awar, chancellor of HBMSU at Signify global leadership summit, Ignite 2019.



The most recognisable aspect of the partnership between HBMSU and Signify is their shared business values that focuses on putting customers first. It was great working with Hamdan University, which truly embraces partnerships and application of innovative technologies to create unique business models and build sustainable communities, Gur added.



The Ignite Summit 2019 witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Dr. Mansoor Al Awar and Goktug Gur, in the presence of senior executives at Signify, led by Eric Rondolat, the company's global CEO, following the selection of the University as a Customer for Life.



The agreement seeks to establish a strong strategic partnership in the field of research and development, support efforts to achieve academic and educational excellence, and establish direct communication for learners and faculty members of the University to reach out to Signify experts. This paves the way for knowledge transfer and exchange aimed at enriching their understanding and develop concepts that would help them tackle current and emerging challenges.



The MoU further seeks to explore opportunities and collaboration on spreading awareness about smart lighting technologies for buildings using IoT, smart innovations and professional development for academics. It also seeks to establish connection with the entrepreneurship community at HBMSU and support them in developing solutions for smart buildings. The R&D aspect reflects a big part of the bilateral cooperation, as the university will play a pivotal role as a global research centre in many areas.



Signify emphasised its commitment to share its expertise and employ its capabilities as a partner of the University in the smart lighting technology. The two parties agreed to explore cooperation on driving career development for the university learners in line with Signifys internal policies, while HBMSU offers to promote Signifys strengths as one of the leading providers for the building sector, implementing solutions in leading projects in the field of building automation using Internet of things, including the technologies implemented for HBMSU that further enhances the Universitys facilities and advanced efforts in the adopting IoT in lighting.



The visit to the Netherlands also included several strategic meetings, including a meeting between Dr Mansoor Al Awar and Eric Rondolat, Signifys global CEO, where they exchanged plans and future cooperation opportunities between HBMSU and Signify in areas such as training, development and providing job opportunities for university graduates.



A productive meeting had also taken place between Dr Mansoor Al Awar and Goktug Gur, in the presence several senior officials, headed by Anissa Abou, head of global specification; Ebru Bilge, head of integrated communications for Middle East, Turkey and Pakistan.



The meeting discussed the main directions for future cooperation between the University and Signify in research, training and assessment in line with achieving shared goals.



Dr Mansoor Al Awar and the accompanying delegation concluded the official visit to the Netherlands with a tour of Signifys facilities, including the Signify Lighting Application Center and Philips new 3D printing factory in Maarheeze, Signifys latest project which uses 3D printing for architectural lighting and other creatively designed lighting fixtures, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
DHL Global Forwarding, a leading international provider of air, sea and road freight services, has appointed Usam Alyasin and Ingo-Alexander Rahn as country managers in Iraq and Turkey, respectively.



Both of them will report to Amadou, chief executive officer, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa, said a statement.



Diallo said: The Middle East continues to play an integral role in our global network and we remain optimistic of its growth potential -- in light of infrastructural reforms and positive business sentiments.



This growth is further driven by a rapid adoption of new technologies among the younger and well-educated workforce that are contributing to the projected average economic growth of 2.6 per cent for 2019-2020, he said.



Diallo continued: With this tide of change and growth, it is essential that we have the right leaders who have solid understanding of the region to capitalise on this growth trajectory, in order to deliver the best business results for our customers.



I am positive that Alyasin and Rahn will drive continued growth for the company in the region, as they have proven their expertise in various roles within the organisation over the years. The wealth of experience they have gained will enable them to steer the business to greater achievements, he added.



Alyasin officially assumes role of country manager in Iraq. He has been with DHL Global Forwarding since 2011, and has played an important role in driving key customer relationships for industrial projects in his role as project operations manager. In his most recent role as general operations manager, he demonstrated a good track record, showing strong capabilities in industrial project management.



In his new role as country manager, Usam will leverage his understanding of the business and market, to lead business strategy and accelerate the growth for the company, in Iraq.



Alyasin said: It has been extremely rewarding for me to be with the company over the years and I'm excited to lead my team, to work with our customers in this dynamic region. With Iraq's gross domestic growth projected to reach a three-year high of 4.1 per cent next year, the signs are positive for the country and we are eager to serve our customers who want to leverage our global footprint to grow their business beyond the region.



He holds a Masters' Degree in Physics from Basra University, College of Science and has pursued higher education for Medical Radiation Physics, from Stockholm University.



Rahn appointed as country manager to oversee operations in Turkey. An industry veteran who has been with DHL for 17 years and with more than 25 years of experience in the industry, he first joined the business as vice president of Airfreight for DHL Danzas Air and Ocean based in Frankfurt, Germany.



Most recently as executive vice president of Global Airfreight and StarBroker AG, his responsibility included global procurement, air freight strategy, product development, route management and pricing strategy including DHL's in-house carrier.



His deep experience within the DHL Global Forwarding division in the last decade -- having taken on lead roles in the different regions, puts him in good stead to fully understand the business and industry.



Rahn said: I am honoured to be given various opportunities over the years, and this new role is a continued positive momentum for me.



The Turkish economy has immense opportunities to offer, especially with recent governmental fiscal measures to boost the economy. I'm excited to raise the bar further for the business in Turkey and the wider region, and I look forward to continue delivering the highest standards of excellence to our customers with the support of a talented and committed team, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Al Najeh Honey, a leading honey producer in the Gulf region, recently brought 40 tonnes of live honeybees through the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in the UAE.



On March 14 the honeybees landed in Ras Al Khaimah on an Egypt Air Cargo flight from Cairo, Egypt, for the first time in 2019. Many customers were waiting to welcome the bees and take them to various farms across the UAE, said a statement.



The task was executed flawlessly by RAK airport offering best handling services, thereby ensuring that the honeybee shipment is delivered and handed over to the consignee in the shortest possible time, it said.



Sanjay Khanna, CEO, RAK Airport, said: The entire team at the airport put in immense efforts to join all the dots together. Lot of planning has gone behind this to achieve the final goal of handling and delivering live bees.



It has been our endeavour to establish benchmark standards in our airport. Moreover, our airport is perfectly suited to handle such delicate and time sensitive cargo, he said.



We are grateful to Wagih Habeeb, country head; Sherif Sabry, general manager from Egypt Air Cargo; and Mohamed Najah, chairman of Al Najeh Honey & Bees Trading for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities in this regard. We would also like to thank the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, RAK Customs and other authorities for their quick and timely support provided, he added.



Al Najeh Honey farm started as a small trading business 26 years ago and since then begun raising and exporting queen bees and apiary equipment. The apiary is located in a remote desert property surrounded by a rickety barbed wire fence which holds 100 hives, each discreetly stored along the shady trees in locked plastic chests filled with trays of honeycombs guarded by thousands of bees.



Al Najeh Honey owns and operates farms all through Egypt, Saudi and UAE, mostly in the Northern Emirates near Al Dhaid.



Today, Al Najeh Honey has grown to be one of the largest bee suppliers in the world using airfreight and transporting approx 4.8 billion bees between Egypt, UAE, Oman, Sudan and Saudi Arabia.



Najah is closely associated with the Apex Body of Apiculture, Apimondia.  TradeArabia News Service
Oman's Deepak Oman Industries Project has laid the foundation for its $120 million integrated chemical complex in Salalah Free Zone.



The project includes the construction of a complex that will produce about 225,000 tonnes per year of chemicals, including calcium chloride and sodium nitrate, as well as locally available raw materials such as ammonia and limestone.



The products will be sold domestically as well as exported to international markets and will be used in sectors such as oil and gas, added the Oman News Agency report.



Deepak Oman Industries is a company owned by Oman National Investment Development Company (Tanmia), which is owned by the State General Reserve Fund; civil and military pension funds; Muscat Overseas; and Deepak Nitrite, which is one of the largest companies in India's chemical industry.



The ceremony was attended by Mohamed bin Salim Al-Toobi, Oman's Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs.



He stressed that the Salalah Free Zone is working to attract foreign investments to contribute to the national economy.



Salalah Free Zone Company continues its efforts to attract foreign direct investments and the zone has achieved an increase in the volume of investments to reach RO2 billion ($5.19 billion).
The Gulf Aviation Academy in Bahrain has become the authorised training centre for the CAA International (CAAi), the training arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, following the signing of a partnership deal between the two centres.



Setting its standards ever higher with this new partnership, the academy aligned its vision in advancing the training in the aviation industry with CAAis goal in partnering strategically with organisations that want to tackle the current challenges and achieve consistent standards of aviation regulations internationally.



Maria Rueda, managing director for CAAi, said: We are delighted to be working in cooperation with GAA and able to deliver our regulatory training programmes and expertise in Bahrain. With passenger numbers set to double by 2037 in the Middle East, we are committed to developing the next generation of aviation professionals in the region, to support a safe and secure air transport system for all."



GAA is proud to officially announce its partnership with CAA International to run its courses here in Bahrain by experienced UK CAA instructors. The programmes will cover programmes in the fields of Airport Management, Aviation Safety and Security and much more. This partnership is another direct result of our new Business Development strategy at GAA toward covering the full spectrum of Aviation and Logistics Training in the region. Ammar Al Raees, business development manager, GAA.



The first course that will be introduced in the academy will fall under the umbrella of Safety & Risk Management programmes, the Effective Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) course in March. Following the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and guidelines, the course will support airline management with FRMS best practice.



With the expansion of the current airport terminal buildings not only in Bahrain, but in the region, CAAis specific programmes dedicated to the personnel and management to certain relative agencies will be required. - TradeArabia News Service
Geneva registered a record 3.2 million overnight stays in 2018, up 5.8 per cent over compared to figures recorded in 2017.



After its historic performance in 2017, which saw the destination exceed the three million overnight stays mark for the first time since 1934, tourism in Geneva is thriving. 2018 sets a new record with a total of 3,232,871 overnight stays recorded. Geneva also outperformed the Swiss average for overnight stays (up 3.8 per cent) with a 5.8 per cent increase.



The city is the third most popular Swiss tourist destination for foreigners (i.e. excluding Swiss visitors), with a 12.3 per cent market share, behind Zurich (20.5 per cent) and the Bern region (14.4 per cent).



Top of the headcount of most frequent visitors to Geneva were the Swiss, who made a notable comeback with a total of 625,961 arrivals (up 14.5 per cent). The US came in second place with 284,713 tourists to the destination (up 3.3 per cent), ahead of the UK with 263,054 (up 2.9 per cent). France, with 260,828 visitors (up 5.5 per cent), and the Gulf region, with 252,885 (up 1.5 per cent), were close behind.



With a surge of 22.6 per cent, India showed the highest increase in visitor numbers with 8,841 more tourists compared to the previous year. In second place was Switzerland (up 14.5 per cent), followed by Spain (up 13.2 per cent) and China (up 7.8 per cent). The high potential South-East Asian market also showed significant growth (up 6.7 per cent).



Several factors go some way to explaining this success. Geneva offers a fantastic visitor experience that includes incredible hotels, innovative tourism services and easy access thanks to superb air, rail and bus connections. But its location also plays a major role in its allure.



According to the CEO of Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation, Adrien Genier, "Breaks to cities that have the countryside on their doorstep are a mega trend in international tourism. Nowadays, tourists want to visit a city not merely to be able to enjoy the cultural attractions and local restaurants, but also to make day trips. These figures show that Genevas breathtaking setting on the shores of Lake Geneva in close proximity to the Alps, coupled with its exciting cultural and food scene, makes the city their ideal destination." - TradeArabia News Service


The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) participated in the second International Handicrafts Exhibition, which was held under the patronage of the Minister of Information of Oman, Dr Abdul Moneim bin Mansour Al Hassani.



The exhibition was organised by the Public Authority for Craft Industries in the Sultanate of Oman between March 10 and 13. The exhibition featured more than 49 handicraft projects from 17 countries.



Bahrains pavilion attracted a large number of visitors, where a variety of handicraft products including leather crafting, artistic ceramics, and traditional wooden chests were showcased. Products at the pavilion demonstrated the development of Bahraini crafts in terms of aesthetics, quality, and innovation, and strongly pronounced a sense of national identity.



Our participation in this exhibition comes in line with our efforts to strengthen ties between Bahrain and Oman and benefit from international expertise in the handicrafts field, said Yasser Al Sayed, president of Al Jasrah Handicrafts Centre. - TradeArabia News Service
Oman Air has announced the cancellation of certain flights till April 30, triggered by the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max.



In a tweet, the airline stated: "As a result of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) directives on suspending operations of the Boeing 737 MAX, certain flights have been cancelled until April 30."

The routes affected during this period include Hyderabad, Calicut, Bahrain, Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa, Salalah, Riyadh, Dubai, Doha, Amman and Karachi.



Affected passengers will be rebooked on alternative/next available flights to their destinations, media reports said.



The decision to ground the Boeing 737 Max aircraft followed the deadly Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 crash earlier this month that killed all 157 people onboard, which lead to a wave of countries banning the operation of all Boeing 737 MAX models. - TradeArabia News Service
Celebrations marking International Day of Nowruz were held at the historic building of the Bolle Festsale in the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. The event was organized with the support of the Commissioner of the German Federal Government for Culture and the Media, the Association of Friends of the Berlin Ethnological Museum, the A. Humbold Forum Foundation and also with the active support of the diplomatic missions from nine countries - Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey.

Representatives of ministries and departments of Germany, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Germany, scientists and cultural workers, representatives of public associations, the local mass media, as well as representatives of national diasporas living in Germany and foreign students were the honored guests of the celebrations.

Representatives of the countries traditionally celebrating Nowruz organized exhibitions of national culture and thematic photo expositions that reflected the national identity of each nation.

As part of the event, the Embassy of Turkmenistan organized a thematic stand dedicated to the national motto of 2019 - Turkmenistan - the Motherland of Prosperity. The stand exhibited Turkmen carpets, paintings, national costumes, traditional handicraft items, books, magazines and booklets about Turkmenistan, presenting the rich culture, history, nature and tourist potential of the country. Visitors had the opportunity to get acquainted with the scientific works by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and other information publications about the country.

A joint gala concert included the compositions by Turkmen composers and folk music. The presentation of national gastronomic traditions of the countries celebrating Nowruz was another important part of the celebration. The stand of Turkmenistan was very popular. It provided visitors with the opportunity to taste the delicacies of the Turkmen national cuisine.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
Agartala, Mar 24 (UNI) Acting on a tip-off police have arrested five Bangladeshi nationals last night who were staying at a rented house at Dasda.

According to the report, police raided a house at Laxmipur locality of Dasda area on the basis of information that some people of the minority community were staying at the house. They claimed that they were from Nilam Bazar of South Assam. But they could not tell the name of the village of their dwelling.

After interrogation, they revealed that they came from Moulabi Bazar of Bangladesh but they had no passport. They admitted that they came through Kailashahar and identified as Fajul Islam (27), Jabir Ahamed (22), Millat Mia (24), Siralla Mia (22) and Maktar Mia (22).
Image: Boeing

On Saturday, Boeing met with pilots from several airlines to review changes to the 737 MAXs MCAS software in preparation for a more public explanation of the alterations expected to remove the beleaguered airliner from its worldwide grounding. On Wednesday, Boeing is expected to bring together pilots and officials from the airlines with the affected 737s in their fleets.

In addition to reviewing the software, pilots from five airlines flew simulated failures of the MCAS and were able to disengage the system and safely complete the flight. The New York Times is reporting that pilots who flew the simulation with the original software had just 40 seconds to identify MCAS as the source of the trim movement and disable it. And its worth repeating that these pilots had been aware of the controversy swirling around MCAS since the Ethiopian Airlines crash this month.

According to reports, Boeing is set to confirm changes previously reported as considered, which include changing the MCAS configuration to accept data from both angle-of-attack sensors rather than just one, limiting the number of times the MCAS can drive the stabilizer to affect nose-down pitch, and limiting the duration of the events to 10 seconds. Preliminary reports from both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents suggest that the MCAS continually tried to offset the pilots efforts to level the aircraft. In addition, new coding will make the MCAS disengage if it sees a differential in AOA sensor readings of more than 5 degrees.

Those same pilots few the 737 MAX simulator with the revised software and were able to diagnose simulated failures and land safely with less effort, according to reports.

This is part of our ongoing effort to share more details about our plan for supporting the safe return of the 737 Max to commercial service, Boeing says. We had a productive session this past Saturday and plan to reach all current and many future Max operators and their home regulators.

Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines, the U.S. airline with the most 737 MAX aircraft in its fleet, is canceling approximately 130 flights a day, while American is canceling roughly 90 flights a day. Southwest has 4000 daily flights exclusively on 737s, while American has 6700 flights a day across a wide range of aircraft types.
UTSA professor Banglin Chen has been ranked as one of the top 100 chemists over the past decade for his citation impact factor.

(March 25, 2019) -- Banglin Chen, a highly prolific chemistry researcher at UTSA, has been awarded the distinguished Humboldt Research Award. The award recognizes a researchers entire achievements to date and is granted to academics whose fundamental discoveries, new theories and insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline, and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future.

Chen, the Deans Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, arrived at UTSA in 2009 and credits the warm weather, tenure position and a beautiful city of San Antonio as convincing his family to make the move. He was born in Zhejiang, China and studied in China and Singapore. He also worked with researchers Omar M. Yaghi at the University of Michigan, Stephen Lee at Cornell University and Andrew W. Maverick at Louisiana State University as a postdoctoral fellow (2000-2003) before joining the faculty at UT-Pan American in 2003.

Since arriving at UTSA, Chen has won a series of recognitions for his research. In 2011, he was ranked as one of the top 100 chemists over the past decade based on his citation impact factor. Each year, from 2014 to 2018, he was chosen as a highly cited researcher by Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics. He was also spotlighted in The Worlds Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014-2018 by Thomson Reuters and is on the 2016 List of Most Cited Researchers in Materials Science and Engineering by Elsevier Scopus Data.

As a Humboldt recipient, Chen will visit several institutions in Germany this summer to initiate long-term collaborations with scientists in the nation, particularly Stefan Kaskel, whom he has known for 10 years. Kaskel, who is based at Technische Universitat Dresden, nominated Chen for the Humboldt Award and will serve as his Humboldt host professor.

Each morning, Chen awakes with excitement to work with his students at UTSA and make new discoveries.

UTSA has given us the freedom and environment to fully develop our ongoing research, particularly through the Welch research grant, he said. My colleagues, administrative staff and research officials, particularly Mary Riedel and Neal A. Guentzel, are very friendly and supportive.

Chens work on gas storage, gas separation, photonics, sensing and heterogeneous catalysis has been published over 40,000 times in close to 300 peer-reviewed articles and books with citations. His work has been published in Science, Nature Materials, Nature Energy, Advanced Materials, Energy and Environmental Science and other top journals.

The chemists current research goal is to develop membranes and to commercialize materials for large-scale gas separations. For example, a material termed UTSA-280 [Ca(C 4 O 4 )(H 2 O)]xH 2 O can be straightforwardly synthesized at a large scale in water from sodium squarate and Ca(NO 3 ) 2 4H 2 O. This material is very stable in the air and under water moisture. It shows highly selective sieving separation for ethylene/ethane.

Metal-organic frameworks are very promising materials for gas storage and gas separation at a lower energy and economic cost, said Chen.

Michael Doyle, the Rita and John Feik Distinguished University Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, has mentored Chen during their time together at UTSA.

The importance of metal-organic frameworks is likely to be recognized by a Nobel Prize in the near future, and Professor Chen will be one of those in the pool of scientists who are the leaders in the development of this important technology, said Doyle. His contributions are recognized nationally and internationally, and they bring a heightened visibility to the role taken by UTSA in advancing science and technology.

When Chen and Kaskel collaborate this summer, they will examine flexible metal-organic frameworks for gas separation and storage and for energy transformation.

In a nutshell, Chens goal is to discover some basic chemistry and materials that can benefit society.
(March 25, 2019)  All this month, UTSA has recognized the achievements women have made in history and society. In this last week of Womens History Month, UTSA hosts lectures that reflect on gender, human rights and other conversations that promote diversity, social justice and womens empowerment.

UTSA Womens History Month events include:

Reflections on Gender and the Global Refugee Crisis

Monday, March 25, 12 p.m.

John Peace Library Assembly Room (JPL 4.04.22), Main Campus

Rawan Arar, sociologist and postdoctoral fellow at Brown University, will discuss the social construction of the global refugee story, focusing on gendered experiences in everyday life that fall outside the mainstream story of refugee displacement.

The Big City/ Mahanagar Film Screening

Monday, March 25, 6 p.m.

Buena Vista Street Building (BVB 2.304), Downtown Campus

This film explores a housewifes quest to find a job challenging family values.

Equity-based, Trauma-informed Sexual Violence Prevention and Healing: A Conversation with The Rape Crisis Center

Tuesday, March 26, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

McKinney Humanities Building (MH 3.02.48), Main Campus

This discussion looks at how the Rape Crisis Center engages trauma-informed, person-centered, prevention-based approaches to promote norms and behaviors that advance safe, health, inclusive spaces for all.

Rhodessa Jones: A Women of the 21st Century

Wednesday, March 27, 12 p.m.

H-E-B Student Union Bexar Room (HSU 1.102), Main Campus

This lecture and multi-media performance examines use of theater as a healing tool in order to begin the process of a creating a dialogue to examine conditions that can affect daily lives.

The CIA and Torture: Case Studies, the Law, and Government Accountability

Thursday, March 28, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Business Building (BB 3.02.03), Main Campus

Jennifer K. Harbury, an activist, author and attorney who monitors and promotes human rights in Guatemala, will lead this discussion.

The Big City/ Mahanagar Film Screening

Friday, March 29, 11 a.m.

McKinney Humanities Building (MH 3.04.28), Main Campus

This film explores a housewifes quest to find a job challenging family values.
Passengers bound for Dusseldorf from London City Airport Monday morning on board British Airways Flight 3271 were surprised by the landing announcement, Welcome to Edinburgh. After a delay of 2.5 hours, the aircraft, operated by WDL Aviation for British Air, eventually made the two-hour flight to Dusseldorf.

The BBC is reporting that the Embraer 170 was flown from London City to Edinburgh and back for its final flights on Sunday, the day before. The crew is believed to have followed the previous days flight route. WDL said that At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.

One passenger described the involuntary stopover as a mystery travel lottery. British Airways says it will be in contact with the passengers soon, though it has not said if it will be offering recompense for the unexpected trip north.
GHA Enters into Contractual Agreement with Top Health Care Provider

The Gibraltar Health Authority have announced that it has entered into a contractual agreement with Clinica Universidad de Navarra, a Spanish private healthcare provider with tertiary centres in Madrid and Pamplona.

The system for referring patients to these centres in Madrid and Pamplona will remain as it is at present. This means that the GHA will continue to use, as its primary referral route, its well-established pathways for specialist care to NHS hospitals. Clinica Universidad de Navarra, and other Spanish centres with which the GHA enters into contractual arrangements, will continue to be used, only, for more urgent care. These decisions will continue to be made by the Tertiary Referral Board on clinical grounds. GHA patients have, historically, generally been referred to Pamplona for very specific and super-specialised treatments, which are not available in other tertiary referral centres in Spain. GHA patients have also attended Clinica Universidad de Navarra to enrol in specialised clinical trials, which were not available in other tertiary referral centres. The referrals to Clinica Universidad de Navarra have to date, been ad-hoc and not part of an agreement. Todays announcement means that patients who are referred to Pamplona will now be covered by a robust, contractual agreement.

Since it was founded in 1962, Clinica Universidad de Navarras ethos is to provide the latest in modern health care, with a human touch, offering patients and their loved ones the best medical treatment possible. The teaching hospital consider clinical research to be one of their main strategic principles, housing some of the most advanced technologies in modern medicine.

The groups Clinic in Pamplona, which contains 250 beds and 15 operating theatres, boasts 50 medical departments and 10 specialised areas. The Clinic has received a satisfaction level of 95%, 10 percent above the average amongst Spanish hospitals surveyed. In February 2014, it became the first centre in Spain to gain accreditation from the Joint Commission International for University Hospitals. More recently, the group opened a Clinic in Madrid, located in the new urban campus of the University of Navarra, which pride themselves in reinvesting all profits back into medical care and research.

The GHAs Medical Director, Dr Daniel Cassaglia said: As part of improvements in Clinical Governance, the GHA has been working in collaboration with our partner hospitals in Spain to ensure our sponsored patients receive the highest standard of care possible. Central to this process, has been entering into contractual agreements with Spanish hospitals and clinics, to include quality standards of medical care.

Roberto Lapieza, Corporate Commercial Director for Clinica Universidad de Navarra, added: The Clinica Universidad de Navarra is deeply pleased with GHAs agreement, as a result of the historical relationship between both institutions. We are honoured to be a GHA provider and hope it is going to be a fruitful engagement that benefits the inhabitants of Gibraltar, who have at their disposal our facilities, technology and professionals.

Minister for Health, Care and Justice, the Honourable Neil F. Costa MP spoke following the signing of the new agreement: It gives me great pleasure to announce our agreement with Clinica Universidad de Navarra. A great deal of work by my excellent professionals at the GHA and my Ministry has been conducted prior to this agreement, to ensure that we engage a provider that will offer our patients the very best medical treatments. We consider of utmost importance that any tertiary centres to which we refer our patients, share the GHAs principles and standards, in providing medical treatment in a caring, compassionate and safe manner. The group is highly renowned in Spain for offering the latest innovative treatments. The proximity of their clinic in Madrid, also eases travelling arrangements for our patients, their families and loved ones. I wish to thank Dr Cassaglia, my Medical Director, Dr Hamish Thomson, my Clinical Director of Anaesthetics and the Intensive Care Unit, and our fantastic team of professionals for their efforts and diligence in helping to secure this important and hugely significant contract. I hope to make a statement on a separate contract with a different tertiary group in the next few weeks.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Mar. 24, 2019 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 24, 2019 | 09:38 PM | PADUCAH

West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah has made the list of 2019 Best Online Community Colleges Nationwide, according to a recent survey by an education group based in Washington.



SR Education Group in Kirkland, Washington rated West Kentucky Community and Technical College 17th out of 25 top schools in a recent survey that looked at retention rate, online enrollment percentage, and the number of online associate degrees offered. Graduation rate or retention rate was reportedly weighted most highly in order to ensure that the rankings highlight the schools whose students are most likely to earn a degree.



Program data including available degrees, tuition rates, and details about program coursework were collected from schools' official websites, reflecting data for the 2018-2019 school year. Programmatic accreditations and profit statuses of schools were collected from official websites of the accreditation agencies or from the National Center for Education Statistics.



With 25 online associate degree programs and a retention rate of 64 percent, WKCTC makes the list of 2019 Best Online Community Colleges Nationwide.



Some of the degrees offered are in business administration systems, computer and information technologies, criminal justice, logistics and operations management, marine technology and medical information technology. Multiple tracks are available for each, and Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees are offered as well. The programs are fully online, and students can arrange for proctored exams in their own locale. About 22 percent of WKCTCs students are online learners.
Here is how you can help tornado victims
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 25, 2019 | 11:10 AM | CARLISLE COUNTY

A Carlisle County man is facing charges after an incident Friday night.

According to the Carlisle County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call stating that a truck had backed over a mailbox in the 1600 block of County Road 1016 and left the area. Sheriff Will Gilbert responded to investigate the collision.

While speaking with the property owners, the suspect's vehicle passed by going toward Highway 121. Sheriff Gilbert found the vehicle at a home in the 2000 block of County Road 1016.

Gilbert could not get anyone to respond to the door and called the registered owner, 41-year-old Michael Lee, in reference to the incident. Lee allegedly told the sheriff that he was at work, so Gilbert assumed that it was his son that was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Lee was asked to contact his son and have him come to the door. No one ever came to the door. Deputies later learned that Lee was not at work and that his son was not in the area at the time of the incident.

While the tow truck was loading the suspect's vehicle, Lee stepped outside of the home. He was arrested and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. He was lodged at the McCracken County Regional Jail.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 25, 2019 | 11:09 AM | MURRAY

A man accused of murdering two Murray women in February was in court on Friday.The Calloway County Circuit Court Clerk says 51-year-old Shannon Scott appeared before Special Judge Tim Kaltenbach. He faces two charges of murder along with 2nd degree cruelty to animals, 1st degree burglary, tampering with evidence and theft by unlawful taking.Kaltenbach ruled on a defense motion, saying that Scott must undergo a competency hearing on April 30 to determine if he is fit to stand trial.The charges stem from events on February 7, when police say Scott forced his way into the Catalina Drive home where his girlfriend, 37-year-old Tera Todd, lived with and cared for of 77-year-old Evelyn Scott. Police believe Shannon Scott stabbed Todd several times, then slit Evelyn Scott's throat and strangled her small dog. Todd reportedly fled the home to get help and was found dead outside a neighbor's garage.Kaltenbach was appointed to handle this case after Calloway Circuit Judge Jamie Jameson recused himself. He said there was a conflict of interest.

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By The Associated Press

Mar. 24, 2019 | WASHINGTON, DC

By The Associated Press Mar. 24, 2019 | 04:21 PM | WASHINGTON, DC

The Justice Department sent a letter to Congress on Sunday summarizing the conclusions of the Mueller report.



The summary says Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign or its associates conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election.



According to Attorney General William Barr, evidence gathered in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation is not sufficient to establish that President Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice.



Barr says Mueller did not reach any conclusions in evaluating the presidents conduct, leaving it to the Justice Department.



Barr's letter said that special counsel Robert Muellers team issued more than 2,800 subpoenas and executed nearly 500 search warrants in its probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election and any potential involvement by President Donald Trumps campaign. The special counsel employed 19 lawyers and was assisted by a team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants and other professional staff.



The team interviewed approximately 500 witnesses.



Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham says the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed by Muellers report.



Graham, a close ally of Trump, also says it is a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.



The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee says he will call Attorney General William Barr in to testify in the near future.



New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler tweeted that he will ask Barr to testify in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department.



Nadler tweeted that after Mueller worked for 22 months, Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 25, 2019 | 04:13 PM | UNION CITY

KYTN reports that Obion County Sheriff Karl Jackson said at 1:44 Monday morning, Union City police arrived at the Obion County Law Enforcement Complex with 37-year-old Sterling Lapree Higgins.





Sheriff Jackson said Higgins was uncooperative with the arresting officer and jail staff, to the point that he assaulted the staff members.





After being subdued, EMS officials were contacted for medical assistance, and Higgins was then transferred to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City.





Sheriff Jackson said at 2:52 am, the Sheriffs Department was notified that Higgins had been pronounced dead.





Higgins' body was taken to Memphis for an autopsy, which was ordered by the Obion County Coroner.





Sheriff Jackson said according to the emergency room doctor, no apparent injuries were seen on Higgins, and an investigation is underway.





District Attorney Tommy Thomas and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have been contacted for assistance with the investigation.



A Union City man, who became uncooperative after being taken to the Obion County Jail early Monday morning, has died at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City.
Major battles have been won against TB. But the war isnt over

We all need to advocate for more resources and better patient support. TB is everyones problem  not just the poor and forgotten.

The suffering and massive loss of life caused by Tuberculosis (TB) are proof that humanity hasnt prioritised the development of tools to eliminate a disease dating back 9 000 years. Two stark facts highlight this: most of the antibiotics used to treat TB were developed decades ago. And, until very recently, some diagnostic approaches being used were a century old.

Theres a chronic funding gap for TB research and development. The Global TB Alliance estimates that its as high as $1.3 billion per year.

While still inadequate, there has been a shift towards reducing the funding gap over the last two years. This, together with invigorated research strategies from large funding organisations such as the National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, point to a shift in the TB landscape.

As a consequence, there have been some exciting and positive movements on both treatment as well as prevention aspects.

Theres also a growing appreciation that focusing on ensuring good treatment outcomes alone wont be enough to eliminate TB. The disease has to be viewed as continuum of care. Attention must also be given, for example, to how people access healthcare services and where they are lost in the system.

The pandemic

TB, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, killed 1.6 million people in 2017, the highest number of deaths caused by a bacterial infectious disease. In addition, 10 million were infected with TB bacteria, the majority being poor people in the developing world.

In Southern Africa, high rates of HIV infection have been the primary driver of TB disease to the point where the region is now home to the worlds worst HIV-TB epidemic.

In 2017, 1 million children were infected with the TB bacteria and 233 000 died of the disease. The scourge of drug resistant TB has necessitated treatment with antibiotics that cause side effects such as deafness, leading to extraordinary levels of human suffering. There were almost half a million of these cases in 2017.

Signs of fresh energy to deal with the problem appeared on the horizon with the first WHO global ministerial conference in Moscow in 2017. Representatives from 120 nations adopted a declaration to rapidly achieve universal health coverage for eliminating TB.

A year later, the United Nations held its first ever high-level meeting on TB. The UN convened the General Assembly with the goal of establishing an accountability framework to drive the goal of ending TB.

The meeting identified a number of clear threats. The main ones were:

The rapid rise of drug resistance,

An increase in TB incidence in vulnerable populations including children, healthcare workers and people living with HIV, and

A disproportionate disease burden among the poorest countries with crippled public healthcare systems.

Vaccine and prevention

Two new TB vaccine studies have created a great deal of excitement about the development of a vaccine that would prevent infection or disease.

The first study looked at how revaccination with the current vaccine BCG resulted in the protection of adolescents from infection. This suggests that BCG revaccination maybe be a useful TB prevention strategy.

The second involved a clinical trial of a new vaccine candidate. This showed that it was possible to prevent adults who were infected with TB bacteria from developing active TB.

These two studies have raised hope that creating a new TB vaccine is a definitive possibility.

Treatment breakthroughs

Advances have also been made on the treatment front.

A recent study shows that its possible to prevent people with HIV from developing active TB disease. The study showed that it is safe to administer antiretroviral therapy combined with a preventive TB treatment commonly known as the 3-HP to people living with HIV.

Now that the safety of this treatment has been shown, the next step would be for the National Department of Health to consider the feasibility of making these drugs available to people with HIV through the public system.

Research also suggests that the two new TB drugs that have emerged recently, Bedaquiline and Delamanid, can be administered together safely. This has important implications for creating new treatment options for drug resistant TB.

Interesting scientific advances have emerged such as boosting the immune system with an approach called immunotherapy, to fight TB. This approach uses structures that are released by immune cells infected with TB bacteria to boost the activity of the immune response.

In South Africa, recent studies have reported clinically useful biomarkers that predict future outcomes of infection and disease. These have also increased scientists understanding of underlying TB disease mechanisms.

Way forward

These positive movements signal a shift in the landscape. But the world cant afford to be complacent. We cannot afford to lose momentum after coming so far. All nations, especially TB endemic countries, need to take up the call for action laid out in the UN declaration.

But the world wont simply treat its way out of the epidemic with antibiotics. Interrupting transmission, developing a vaccine, protecting vulnerable populations, developing new diagnostics and better treatment regimens are all required for controlling the epidemic.

Innovative and cost effective diagnostic and case finding approaches are desperately needed to strengthen health care systems together with more investment in research and development.

Finally, we all need to advocate for more resources and better patient support. TB is everyones problem  not just the poor and forgotten.

Bavesh Kana, Head of the Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, University of the Witwatersrand

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
[Photo/TUCHONG]

The Labor Day holiday, which the State Council on Friday morning said will be expanded to four days, has greatly spurred tourism in May, travel agencies said.

Ctrip, an online travel agency headquartered in Shanghai, said that the search volume for tour packages bound for Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province; Sanya, South China's Hainan province; Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province and Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, rose over 7 times compared to last week  and just three hours after the holiday adjustment was released at about 10 am.

Over 150 million visits are expected to be made by Chinese travelers during the four-day break, and travel peak time will fall on April 30 and May 1, according to Ctrip.

Data cited from Fliggy, Alibabas travel agency in Hangzhou, shows that reservations for domestic flights increased by 50 percent compared with the same time period last week until 12 pm, and international flights rose by 150 percent.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, said from 1999 and 2008 the Labor Day holiday was seven days; since 2009 it's been adjusted into a three-day break.

Traveler numbers and revenue expected to be created will see a year-on-year rise of 8 and 9 percent, respectively, in the four-day break.

He said that Chinese residents have 11 public holiday days, ranking 33rd globally. However, employers nationwide may pay over 40 billion yuan in total for every extra holiday day to employees. Considering these facts, he suggested measures should be taken to develop new forms of tourism, such as night tourism, to better tap the potential of the holiday tourism economy.

(Source: China Daily)
Please understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: website@womenofchina.cn. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, on strengthening China-Monaco relations, in Monaco, March 24, 2019. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, here Sunday on strengthening China-Monaco relations.

Xi was paying a state visit to Monaco, the first by a Chinese president to the European country.

Noting the affinity between the two peoples, Xi said that since China and Monaco established diplomatic relations more than 20 years ago, the two sides have always treated each other as equals with sincerity and friendship.

Xi said China-Monaco relations are developing steadily, with bilateral practical cooperation keeping pace with the times and taking the lead in China-Europe cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, telecommunications and mobile payment.

Xi said China and Monaco have set a fine example of friendly exchanges between countries that are different in size and have different historical and cultural backgrounds and social systems.

The Chinese president said the exchange of visits between him and Prince Albert II in about half a year demonstrated the high level of China-Monaco ties.

He called on the two sides to firmly grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, constantly consolidate traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support in the United Nations and on international affairs.

Both sides should adhere to openness and cooperation and pursue more win-win results, Xi said, adding that China welcomes Monaco to actively participate in the joint development of the Belt and Road.

Calling on the two sides to elevate cooperation on environmental protection, Xi said the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is welcome to conduct public-service activities in China aimed at environmental protection, so as to continuously enrich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Describing Xi's visit as a "historic" one, Prince Albert II said Monaco is willing to expand cooperation with China in such fields as science and technology, innovation, ecological and environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and renewable energy.

The prince said Monaco highly appreciates China's role in international affairs such as climate change and stands ready to support China in hosting the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year. He also wished the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics success.

Before the talks, Prince Albert II held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.

Monaco is the second leg of Xi's three-nation Europe visit. He has concluded a state visit to Italy and will pay a state visit to France.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd L) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st L) pose for a group photo with Prince Albert II (2nd R), head of state of the Principality of Monaco, and his wife Princess Charlene in Monaco, March 24, 2019. Xi held talks with Prince Albert II here Sunday. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a grand welcome ceremony held by Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, before their talks in Monaco, March 24, 2019. [Xinhua/Wang Ye]

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in the southern French city of Nice, March 24, 2019, before heading to the Principality of Monaco for a state visit. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by senior government officials of Monaco and France at the airport. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

(Source: Xinhua)
China and France should work together to safeguard multilateralism and to cement their ties with the principles of independence, openness, win-win inclusiveness, mutual learning and a strong sense of responsibility, President Xi Jinping said.

Xi made the remarks in a signed article published in France's Le Figaro daily newspaper on Saturday ahead of his state visit to France.

Xi recalled his first state visit to the country five years ago and said he wants to use this trip to both "sow the seed of hope for future cooperation" between the two countries and reap the fruits of "our growing relationship over the past five years".

The president said the China-France relationship is full of vitality and he expects their ties to grow further.

"I find reasons for such expectations from our past 55 years of mutual support and win-win cooperation, and more so from the great potential and future prospects that our bilateral relations hold," he added.

Xi noted he has built a good working relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron, and he said the two nations have deepened mutual political trust, intensified high-level exchanges, and maintained high-quality communication and coordination in a wide range of fields.

In an ever-changing world of rising protectionism and unilateralism, he said, China and France should work together to contribute to multipolarity and greater democracy in international relations.

Xi also said as both countries are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China hopes to strengthen coordination with France to safeguard multilateralism and uphold the basic norms governing international relations as underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

"We need to join hands to tackle challenges, promote global prosperity and stability and build a community with a shared future for mankind," he added.

Xi expressed firm resolve to expand China's opening-up and said the country's door will continue to open wider.

"I hope our two countries will continue to stand together to unequivocally reject protectionism, uphold an open world economy and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all," Xi said.

He called on the two countries to develop new areas of cooperation in such areas as agriculture and technological innovation, and to make greater headway in the cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and in third markets, while deepening all-around cooperation in the traditional areas of nuclear energy, aviation, and aerospace.

Xi welcomed the presence of French companies at the China International Import Expo, the event launched in Shanghai last November to demonstrate China's determination to expand opening-up and share development opportunities with the rest of the world.

He said China wants to import more high-quality French products and services to meet its people's growing needs for a better life.

China hopes more French companies will choose to invest and do business in China to share its development opportunities, Xi said. He expressed the hope that Chinese businesses contribute more to France's economic and social development.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France.

Those ties have become closer in recent years with bilateral trade topping $60 billion last year. Over the last five years alone, bilateral trade has expanded by more than $13 billion, and mutual investment increased by more than $20 billion.

(Source: China Daily)
Aspiring child care workers in Wrexham invited to apply for training scheme

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 25th, 2019

Individuals across Wrexham looking to work in the childcare sector are being invited to apply for a new programme which encourages people to consider a career in the industry.

Childcare Works phase two will be delivered by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru and will train up to 84 people aged 25 or over, providing them with supported employment placements in a nursery for 16 weeks.

The Welsh Government funded programme will run until December 2020, with work placements at nurseries in ten local authority areas  including Wrexham.

NDNA Cymru is now seeking participants who are currently not in employment or education but who are interested in taking part in the project to apply.

It follows the successful Childcare Works phase one in Flintshire and Wrexham, which trained 16 participants over the age of 50, most of whom have gone on to secure permanent employment within the early years and childcare sector.

Sarah Griffiths, nursery manager at Hill Tots Nursery Brymbo which took part in phase one of the programme said the NDNA Childcare Works scheme is a win win situation.

It effectively gives nurseries a 12-week interview process and those 12 weeks are valuable, explained Sarah.

They took on trainee Jackie for her placement and she is now employed with them permanently. She said: My advice is if you are unemployed and the opportunity is there, take it because what have you got to lose? You get experience on the way but if its not for you, you are still learning and its on your CV. You can take these skills into a new job.

Economy Minister Ken Skates encouraged those eligible and aspiring to pursue a career in childcare to apply for the scheme.

Childcare is an essential part of the Welsh economy, providing a vital service in a foundational sector and ensuring our communities and the Welsh economy can prosper and parents and carers can access employment and training.

This project is one of a number of ways we, the Welsh Government, are looking to support investment into the childcare sector, supporting the sector to grow and become sustainable.

We want to attract individuals with the right skills and personal attributes for working with young children to pursue a career in childcare.

With the success of phase one showing that given a little help and the right training opportunity, it can lead to starting a rewarding longer term career.

This project will support our ambitions for the sector and support roll out of the new Childcare qualifications later this year.

The Childcare Works project is one of the actions Welsh Government is developing under its 10-year Childcare, Play and Early Years Workforce plan. The plan aims to professionalise the sector and encourage high quality new entrants.

The Childcare Works project aims to give participants a chance to learn new vocational skills, in a supportive environment enabling them to take up further training, or an apprenticeship and pursue a future career in the early years and childcare.

It also supports the Welsh Governments Employability Plan, launched last year to support people into work now, while preparing the workforce for immediate and long term future challenges.

Purnima Tanuku OBE, chief executive of NDNA, said: We are really pleased that the Welsh Government has given us the opportunity to roll out the Childcare Works project across the country.

This project encourages people to consider a career in early years and childcare whilst undertaking practical work placement opportunities within the sector. Participants are given ongoing support, providing a valuable skills platform for those wishing to embark upon a career within the childcare sector.

We are also looking for nurseries across the ten local authority areas who can offer placements and gain from an extra pair of hands. For them, its also a great opportunity to recruit new staff after seeing their work in practice with their children and the staff team over a three month period.

If you are interested in participating as a nursery trainee, and you live in any of these local authority areas, go to ndna.org.uk/childcareworks or ring the NDNA Cymru office on 01824 707823.



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North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to launch recruitment drive for full-time firefighters

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 25th, 2019

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is preparing to open up a recruitment window for full time firefighters.

Registration for on-line applications will open at noon on Monday 8 April and close at noon on Wednesday 10 April.

The fire service already has an ongoing recruitment drive for on-call (or retained duty system) firefighter opportunities across the region.

However this is the first time in a while that the service is looking to recruit full time firefighters  with the window for online registrations open for just 48 hours.

Senior Operations Manager Stuart Millington said: We want people to join our team  and emphasise that theres no such thing as a typical firefighter.

Applications will be welcomed from all sectors of the community. We recruit on merit and ability, so whether youre male, female, short or tall, if you think you might have what it takes please keep an eye on our website and social media sites for further information about the recruitment process, as well as taster events and open evenings.

We are currently promoting a Taster Day for Women on 23rd March at Rhyl Fire Station. The role of a modern day firefighter is challenging, rewarding and most of all varied  and for such a diverse role we need a diverse workforce which reflects the communities we serve.

During our last full-time firefighter recruitment only 12 per cent of applicants were women  whereas in reality around 50 per cent our communities are women.

This Firefighter Taster Day has been arranged to ensure women make informed decisions about a potential career as a firefighter and in order to reduce the amount of women who may de-select themselves based on misconceptions, old stereotypes or myths.

The event is not an opportunity for women to be fast-tracked or given an advantage over any other groups of people  all applicants must go through the same recruitment process and must achieve the same level in any assessments.

To register for the Taster Day please visit www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk where there is also a wealth of information for all applicants about what it takes to become a full-time firefighter.



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Wrexham pianist honoured to perform with BBC National Orchestra of Wales later this month

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 25th, 2019

A pianist from Wrexham will make his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the end of the month.

Luke Jones, who has been playing the piano since the age of five, has performed in venues in the UK and across Europe and in 2018 he won the Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition

He was also a recipient of the 16-19 Blue Ribbon Instrumental Award at the National Eisteddfod. He returns to North Wales to perform Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue.

On Sunday 31st March Luke will make his debut with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in a Family Concert at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

Speaking about the upcoming performance, Luke said he feels honoured to be involved in the concert.

Im very much looking forward to performing with the BBC NOW for the Family Concert, continued Luke.

The orchestra is one of the best in the UK and I feel very honoured to be involved in the concert and offering music that will hopefully inspire and encourage not only regular listeners of classical music but also those who may be first time listeners.

He continued Rhapsody in Blue is a fun, catchy and lively work. Its got a bit of everything in it, moments of drama, virtuosity and shows that Gershwin was a highly skilled composer with an original voice and could communicate his style and experience of the world around him through music.

Presented by Elin Llwyd (S4C TAG and S4C Pobol y Cwm) and conducted by Grant Llewellyn, families can discover the sounds of the orchestra through music from the big screen and popular classics.

Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn, a special school from Denbigh, will also perform with BBC NOW. Following workshops in the school led by musician Andy Pidcock, pupils will perform a mashup performance of All Together Now by The Farm and Pachelbels Canon, accompanied by the orchestra.

The concert forms part of a BBC NOW tour to mid and north Wales, which sees the orchestra also visiting Aberystwyth and Bangor in a programme featuring Tchaikovsky, Borodin and Rodrigos Guitar Concerto performed by Thibaut Garcia. Narrated and led by BBC NOW musicians, families can also enjoy A Musical Journey through Europe  two workshops taking place as part of the tour at Pontio, Bangor.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales Family Concert takes place at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Sunday 31 March at 3pm. For tickets and more information, visit bbc.co.uk/bbcnow or contact the BBC NOW Audience Line on 0800 052 1812.

The concert will be recorded for broadcast later on BBC Radio Cymru.



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Wrexham producers showcase Welsh food and drink at international event

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 25th, 2019

Food and drink producers from across Wrexham came together last week to showcase their wares at an international event.

BlasCymru/TasteWales, which took place between March 20th and 21st, saw almost 150 new products being launched by the countrys leading producers, with representation to include Jones Village Bakery, Sabor de Amor and Wrexham Lager.

The two day event brought together more than 100 food producers and 200 buyers  more than a third of whom are international, with buyers from countries such as Germany, France, UAE, Qatar and Japan.

As part of the event Wrexham food and drink producers came together with UK and international buyers, journalists, dignitaries and industry leaders for Waless largest ever international food and drink event held at Newports Celtic Manor.

Welsh Governments Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths also announced a 22m funding boost for the industry to build on recent successes and help the sector thrive post-Brexit.

The new investment will be across the sector, offering new support to realise business growth opportunities and ambitions and to propel innovation forward. It will directly support the foundation sector in Wales respond to the challenges and opportunities of Brexit.

Further details on the projects that will benefit from the investment will be announced in the forthcoming months.

The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: Our food and drink sector is globally renowned and a real Welsh success story. It is already close to meeting our ambitious 2020 target earlier than expected.

However, we cannot let Brexit derail the sectors success and we must take every opportunity to showcase all it has to offer globally.

As BlasCymru/TasteWales gets underway again, I am delighted to be able to announce an additional 22 million for the sector to build on its success to date and support the industry to become even more resilient and respond to the challenges and opportunities Brexit brings.

With Brexit fast approaching it is more important than ever for the sector to showcase what it has to offer and have the opportunity to reach new markets and strike international trade deals.



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Wrexham prostate cancer support group gives its support to national campaign

This article is old - Published: Monday, Mar 25th, 2019

A Wrexham man and founding member of a local prostate cancer support group is calling on those suffering with the illness to visit the monthly meetings.

March has been designated as the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month  giving way for a national campaign to be launched throughout the UK.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer amongst men, affecting thousands of people each year.

The campaign has been developed to provide men with clear advice on prostate cancer. It outlines the associated issues and encourages men to discuss their individual risk and testing options with their doctor.

In a bid to offer help and assistance to those diagnosed with the illness and their families, a Wrexham Prostate Cancer Support Group has been established.

The group, which meets once a month at the Nags Head in Wrexham town centre, is firmly behind this months prostate cancer awareness campaign.

Malcolm Williams from Marford, one of the founding members of the group, said the key message is the importance of early detection.

The facts speak for themselves, men with localised prostate cancer who are identified and treated early are known to have a cure rate which can be in excess of 90 per cent, explained Malcolm.

In the UK we are blessed with an exceptional level of care from Prostate Cancer UK and indeed, the Macmillan organisation. In addition of course we have wonderful support from the medical staff at the Oncology Department at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Mr Williams added: The aim of our group is to provide support primarily for those who have been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer or on the journey to recovery following treatment. The invitations are also extended to partners and their families.

First and foremost, what we do discuss is totally confidential but it is held in low key environment and stories and anecdotes are shared with empathy and humour.

Rest assured the warmest of welcomes are provided for those who choose to join us.

The Wrexham Prostate Cancer Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm at the Nags Head on Mount Street.

For further information call 01978-852731 or email the group via wxmpcsg@gmail.com.



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Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-24 23:15:24|Editor: zh

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Photo taken on March 24, 2019 shows an exhibition on giant panda by Chinese photographer Zhou Mengqi in Adelaide Zoo, South Australia. Chinese photographer Zhou Mengqi launched an exhibition on giant panda Sunday in Adelaide Zoo of South Australia. The exhibition, with 50 photos, was titled "Giant panda and its hometown." (Xinhua/Pan Xiangyue)

ADELAIDE, Australia, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese photographer Zhou Mengqi launched an exhibition on giant panda Sunday in Adelaide Zoo of South Australia.

The exhibition, with 50 photos, was titled "Giant panda and its hometown."

"Giant panda is our national treasure," Zhou said. "This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Westerner discovery of giant panda, as well as the 10th year of two giant pandas' sojourn in the Adelaide Zoo. It is my wish that the pandas could help strengthen ties between China and Australia."

Zhou, 65, spent the past 27 years taking photos for pandas in their habitats in China's Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

"I got the idea in 1992 when some foreigners visited China to see giant pandas," he recalled.

"At that time the pandas were sleeping, but still the foreign visitors were excited. So I thought, as someone from panda's hometown, maybe I can take some photos of pandas to help foreign visitors know more about the animal."

Consul Zhang Li, head of bilateral section with the Consulate-General of China in Adelaide, noted that giant pandas are a business card of China's tourism.

"It is good to have such an exhibition here, which will help local people learn more about panda and boost understanding of Australian people about China's culture," said Zhang.

Adelaide Zoo is the second oldest zoo in Australia, boasting a history of more than 130 years with more than 2,500 animals. Pandas Wang Wang (meaning Net Net) and Fu Ni (meaning Lucky Girl) arrived in November 2009 as the first pair of pandas in the Southern Hemisphere.

Phil Ainsley, director of life sciences with the zoo, told Xinhua that about 400,000 visitors come to the zoo each year, many of whom young people.

"Each year we have more than 50,000 students visit the zoo, and the connection (between panda) and our next generation is amazing," said Ainsley.

He believed that the exhibition raised the profile of pandas.

"His photos captured something really amazing," he said. "Pandas are important not only because they are a cultural icon, but also for the relation they allowed our two countries to build."

Zhou's photos will be on display on Monday in the Adelaide University. He planned to take the photos then to France, Japan and some other countries where the zoos host giant pandas.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 05:11:23|Editor: Li Xia

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ANKARA, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey will take the issue of U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights to the United Nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on Golan Heights is a "gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of parliamentary elections set for April, Erdogan said in an interview with local broadcaster TGRT Haber.

On Thursday, Trump said it was time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, triggering strong criticism and condemnation across the world.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz tweeted that Trump will sign an official document to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights when he meets Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.

Erdogan voiced against the U.S. move on Friday, noting that the legitimization of the occupation of the Golan Heights cannot be allowed.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 07:01:39|Editor: ZX

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A man holds a candle and a sign board to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the NATO Aggression in Nis, Serbia, on March 24, 2019. Serbia cannot forgive NATO for the thousands of civilians killed in 1999, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said here on Sunday, two decades after the beginning of the NATO bombings. Under the slogan "We will forgive if we can, but we will forget only if we perish", leaders of the country, church and military, ambassadors and citizens gathered in downtown Nis with lit candles to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the NATO Aggression. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu)

NIS, Serbia, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Serbia cannot forgive North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for the thousands of civilians killed in 1999, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said here on Sunday, two decades after the beginning of the NATO bombing.

Under the slogan "We will forgive if we can, but we will forget only if we perish", leaders of the state, church and military, ambassadors and citizens gathered here at a city square in downtown Nis with lit candles to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the NATO Aggression.

Serbia started marking the Remembrance Day five years ago. Vucic told the gathering that preserving the memory of the victims of the 1999 bombing is vital for the survival of Serbian people in the future.

"Nobody was held responsible for these crimes. Serbian civilians, our children were a permitted target of the NATO aggression...these children and people will never be forgotten."

People watched a performance depicting a tragedy from the war, when on April 17, 1999, three-year-old Milica Rakic was killed by bomb debris in her house.

Vucic said Serbia will always see the death of 2,500 civilians, among whom 79 were children - as a crime, stressing that the Serbian people chose not to become a part of NATO, and opted for a policy of military neutrality instead.

During the event, speeches were also given by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej, Chairmen of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik, and Sladjan Vuckovic, an army officer that lost both of his hands while disposing of bombs that did not explode.

The NATO bombing started on March 24, 1999. During the 78-day bombing, around 25,000 objects were damaged, including airports, hospitals, schools, cultural monuments, road infrastructure, as well as the building of the Chinese embassy, where three Chinese were killed and dozens injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 07:41:45|Editor: ZX

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WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Attorney General William Barr told Congress Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that Donald Trump's campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to allegedly interfere in the 2016 election.

"The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election," Barr said in a letter to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

"The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Barr wrote, quoting the confidential report submitted by Mueller on Friday.

Barr's letter was a summary of what he called the "principal conclusions" of Mueller's nearly two-year investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

According to the letter, the Mueller report did not reach a conclusion as to whether Trump had obstructed justice, stating that it "does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr said Mueller's "decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions" leaves it to him to determine whether Trump's examined conduct described in the special counsel's report "constitutes a crime."

The attorney general added that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined "that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Trump, who has spent his weekend at his private club in Florida, touted Barr's summary as a "complete exoneration," while lashing out at Mueller's investigation that has shadowed his presidency.

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at the other side," he told reporters Sunday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington D.C.

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for Trump, said the president's legal team is "very pleased" with Barr's letter.

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday insisted that Mueller's report does not exonerate the president.

Judiciary panel Chairman Jerry Nadler tweeted that Trump "may have acted to obstruct justice, but that for an obstruction conviction, 'the government would need to proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct.'"

In another tweet, Nadler said his panel will call Barr to testify in near future "in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report."

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing for the release of Mueller's full report for their independent oversight and legislating to address issues that the special counsel's findings may raise.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he will not be "satisfied until the full report and all underlying evidence is made available."

"Americans deserve to know all the facts, which is why the report itself should be released - to the fullest extent of the law - in addition to the attorney general's summary," he said in a statement.

Mueller was appointed by Rosenstein in May, 2017, to lead the inquiry into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 election and whether the president obstructed justice, among other things.

The investigation has led to felony charges against 34 people, including six Trump associates, and three entities, triggering fierce criticism from the president and his political allies.

Much of the charges related to lying to Congress or federal investigators. Russia has denied any meddling in the 2016 election.

Barr said Sunday that Mueller's report "does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the special counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public."

The attorney general also revealed in his letter a massive effort by Mueller through the nation's court system and in interviewing witnesses to reach his findings.

Mueller's team issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, as the special counsel employed 19 lawyers and was assisted by a team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants and other professional staff.

The process of determining what else can be released from Mueller's report "has begun," CNN reported, citing a Justice Department official.

There's a small team working on it, and no firm timeline for release, according to CNN.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 07:52:47|Editor: Li Xia

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A folk band member performs during the celebration of spring equinox at the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia, in Riga, Latvia, on March 24, 2019. People celebrated spring equinox here with outdoor performances and traditional activities including egg dyeing and swinging on Sunday. (Xinhua/Edijs Palens)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 08:16:49|Editor: Lu Hui

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice on March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NICE, France, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.

Xi, who is paying a state visit to France, made the remarks when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice.

Related:

Full text of Xi's signed article in French newspaper

Xi's visit expected to usher in new stage in China-France ties
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 08:26:52|Editor: Li Xia

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SYDNEY, March 25 (Xinhua) -- An elite organized crime task force in Australia released details on Monday of a bizarre crime raid that not only uncovered cash and stolen goods, but also a crocodile.

Investigators from Strike Force Raptor charged a 24-year-old man in Sydney on Friday, who they alleged has ties to an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Charged with "four counts of dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, two counts of possessing a motor vehicle or vessel" and one count of "dealing in protected animals" while not having a Wildlife Exhibitors Licence, the man was granted "strict bail conditions" and will appear in court next month, a statement from New South Wales State Police said.

As well as the freshwater crocodile, other items that were seized during the raid included an undisclosed amount of "cash, a Mercedes Benz sedan, two Yamaha trail motorcycles and a jet ski."

Police alleged all of these goods were stolen and added their investigation into this strange case is "ongoing."
ABC/Randy HolmesT.I. has put on for the hip-hop community and beyond with his charitable efforts, and now the veteran rapper is being recognized for his philanthropy.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta phenom, born Clifford Harris, was honored at the Georgia State Capitol on Friday for his positive impact on his beloved city.

State Senator Donzella James applauded the Trap Muzik pioneer for spearheading several non-profit organizations, which include Harris Community Works, which works with the disadvantaged, and For The Love of Our Fathers, which works with people with Alzheimer's and dementia.

T.I. has also mentored youth at local area schools, hosted Thanksgiving turkey drives and delivered Christmas presents to families in need throughout the city of Atlanta.

The lyricist is also quite the social activist. In July 2016, he joined hundreds of Atlanta residents in a peaceful protest against the police-involved shootings of black men and women.

Most recently, Tip has been one of the more vocal celebrities calling for a boycott of Gucci after the Italian fashion house pulled products from its winter line which were criticized as being racist.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 09:37:04|Editor: Yang Yi

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PARIS, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to France will further consolidate the relationship between the two countries and usher it into a new stage, French politicians, scholars and experts have said.

Ahead of his visit, Xi published a signed article titled "Move Together Toward Common Development" in leading French newspaper Le Figaro, in which he called on the two sides to meet challenges with joint efforts and deepen strategic mutual trust in order to broaden the horizon for common development and shared prosperity.

This visit is set to mark a new stage in bilateral relations, said French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, adding that France has a relationship of trust with China.

In addition to strengthening existing cooperation, there is greater potential for cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Alain Labat, vice president of the New Franco-Chinese Institute, said Xi's signed article shows friendship and respect and can facilitate bilateral strategic and economic dialogues as well as people-to-people exchanges.

The four principles Xi put forward in the article -- independence, openness and win-win, inclusiveness and mutual learning -- serve as a prelude to more balanced and confident relations between France and China, added Labat.

Xavier Wanderpepen, director of China-Europe freight rail transport of Forwardis, a subsidiary of SNCF Logistics, noted that the Chinese president talked at length about economic exchanges with France.

To Wanderpepen, what is very important is that Xi said China welcomes French exports and companies. "For me, this message is very strong and the most concrete and enjoyable one in his article," he said.

Jean-Francois Di Meglio, president of Asia Center, a think tank in Paris, said Xi's article reiterated China's commitment to multilateralism, which is also shared by France.

China plays a positive role in conflict prevention and settlement in the world, said Di Meglio.

French sinologist Sonia Bressler said that in Xi's article, "we read all the love that China is bringing to France."

The France-China friendship is key to world peace, she said, adding that Xi's visit will help the two countries to develop a common future and link their destinies together.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 10:37:16|Editor: Li Xia

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MEXICO CITY, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The objective by the current Mexican government to reduce poverty requires more public and private investment, the Center for Economic Studies for the Private Sector (CEESP) said Sunday.

In its weekly report, CEESP said a consensus exists that strengthening productive investment and the growth of jobs are sustainable ways to reduce poverty.

"The most frequently observed pattern is that poverty is reduced in a permanent manner in cases where economic growth is sustained," the report said.

Citing figures from the National Council on Evaluating Social Development Policy (Coneval), CEESP said that in 2016 the number of people in moderate and extreme poverty in Mexico was 44 million and 9.4 million respectively.

The population under 18 that lives in poverty, which has problems accessing food, encounters greater obstacles in obtaining their competitive edges, CEESP said.

"All this represents an important area of cooperation among the public and private sector, in the shaping of agreements and strategies and in defining a shared national project," CEESP said.

Mexico's economy, the second largest in Latin America after Brazil, grew 2.0 percent in 2018. The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador forecasts similar economic growth for this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 10:37:16|Editor: Yang Yi

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China's online literature is embracing an increasing number of young writers and readers born in 1995 or later, who have helped boost the booming industry.

Online literature works in China are serialized on certain platforms such as websites and mobile apps, where readers can access the first few chapters for free and need to pay for the rest. Popular works may have the chance to be published.

China Literature Ltd., which operates one of the country's leading online literature platforms, had signed 7.7 million writers and offered 112 million online literature works by the end of 2018. Nearly half of all the writers newly signed with the platform last year were born after 1995, according to the company's financial report issued last week.

An online literature industry report released earlier this year shows that online readers increased by 20 percent in 2018 compared to 2017 while paying users grew about 15 percent year on year.

China Literature's sales revenue exceeded 5 billion yuan (about 744 million U.S. dollars) in 2018, up 23 percent from 2017.

Dong Jiangbo, editor in chief of literature website Tianxiashumeng, said young people are more willing to pay for novels they like instead of reading pirated versions.

Apart from getting their works published and earning royalties, online literature writers are also able to get "gratuities," which are paid by online readers to show their appreciation.

"It was hard to imagine several years ago that some popular online writers earned over 10,000 yuan per month," Dong told the Beijing Daily.

Shao Yanjun, a literature professor at Peking University, said she saw a transformation taking place in China's online literature as its readers became younger.

"Online literature started developing about 20 years ago and its first readers, mainly born in the 1970s and 1980s, preferred grand narratives," Shao said, adding that readers born after 1995 like interesting or relatable stories and young writers are writing with more imagination.

According to Dong, more writers aged 18 to 25 have been emerging in China's online literature field over the past four years.

He however noted that the majority of China's top online literature writers were still those aged between 25 and 45 and it might take several years to become a successful writer.

"The fast development of new media has brought more public attention to hardworking young people than ever before," Dong said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 10:52:19|Editor: Lu Hui

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice on March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NICE, France, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.

Xi, who is paying a state visit to France, made the remarks when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice.

Recalling the history of friendly exchanges between China and France, Xi noted that France is the first major Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

He pointed to the special significance of his visit, which came at a special year that marks both the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations.

"The history of China-France cooperation shows that bilateral ties are not 'a zero-sum game.' The strong complementarity between the two economies will remain for a long time," Xi said, adding that China's sustained development and further opening-up will create a host of new opportunities as well as broader space for bilateral cooperation.

Xi called on the two countries to constantly explore new fields of cooperation, nurture new growth areas for cooperation, and speed up the implementation of the Belt and Road and third-party cooperation projects that have been agreed upon.

For his part, Macron said France pays high attention to the Belt and Road Initiative, regards China as an important strategic cooperation partner, and appreciates China's important role in and contribution to climate change and other international affairs.

France is the last leg of Xi's three-nation Europe tour that has taken him to Italy and Monaco.

Related:

Full text of Xi's signed article in French newspaper

Xi's visit expected to usher in new stage in China-France ties
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 10:52:20|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Spanish pantomime Andre and Dorine will be staged in Beijing's Longfu Theater on June 18 and 19, marking its 12th round of touring in China.

Inspired by French philosopher Andre Gorz's autobiographic novel, the wordless show portrays an old couple who deals with the wife's Alzheimer's by reminiscing about their past and finally regains their love for another.

"Love is sweet and exciting, but it fades away in everyday life. However, when Alzheimer's tears the everyday life apart, love regains its power," said Yuan Hong, who is in charge of the pantomime's licensing in China.

The romantic pantomime has toured in nearly 30 countries across the world including the United States, Britain and Russia. It made its Chinese mainland debut in 2011 and has since been staged more than 100 times.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 11:02:21|Editor: Yang Yi

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ISLAMABAD, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China has provided emergency relief fund to Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, where heavy rainfalls caused serious damage and losses of lives.

On behalf of the Red Cross Society of China, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing on Sunday handed over the fund to Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan and Acting Secretary General of the Pakistan Red Crescent Khalid Majeed.

Appreciating the emergency assistance, Amanullah Khan said the province is carrying out disaster relief operations and will properly utilize the donation.

In a letter of condolences, Secretary General of the Red Cross Society of China Wang Ping said he hoped the support to Balochistan's relief operation would help restore normal lives of the affected people in the shortest possible time.

During the handover ceremony, the Chinese ambassador said China attaches importance to friendly exchanges and cooperation with Balochistan and is willing to help Balochistan's development, hoping the assistance could support the province's disaster relief works.

In March, at least 15 people lost their lives while 31 others injured in different incidents caused by heavy rains in large swathes of the country. More than 500 houses were partially or fully destroyed in Balochistan, according to local media.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 11:12:22|Editor: Yang Yi

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by Wang Di, Bui Long

HANOI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Ten Vietnamese girls in red costumes holding red lanterns danced gracefully here on Sunday, kicking off a cultural exchange activity between Chinese and Vietnamese youths.

Although Chinese educator and philosopher Confucius was born thousands years ago, his ideas have been preserved and brought into play, with wide application in contemporary Vietnam, Vietnamese officials, scholars and students said during the exchange held at Hanoi University.

The thoughts and actions of Vietnamese people have been more or less affected by Confucianism whose fine values have been preserved and passed from generations to generations not only in China, but also in the Orient, Do Nam Trung, vice head of the Department of Northeast Asian Affairs under the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said when addressing the exchange event.

Cultural exchanges should be mainly made by youths who help pass the evergreen friendship between Vietnam and China from generations to generations, Trung said, noting that "similarities in culture is an important factor in enhancing mutual understanding and developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries."

"Now, fine values of Confucianism still remain and are applied in various spheres in Vietnam," including management and administration because Confucius emphasized good social order and harmonization of various kinds of people by observing rituals of propriety, he told Xinhua.

Nguyen Thi Cuc Phuong, vice rector of Hanoi University, agreed that "Confucianism is still suitable to life of people, especially students, in the modern time."

"The Confucius Institute at the Hanoi University annually sends 30 Vietnamese grade students and university students to China to attend summer camps there. Culture is the most effective bridge of nations and peoples," she said when addressing the event.

Do Thanh Van, head of the Confucius Institute at Hanoi University, told Xinhua on Sunday that "Confucius encouraged people not only to be studious, but also to live in harmony with others, which is still useful in a modern society which requires broad and deep knowledge, and features a fast paced life."

Pham Van Duc, president of Vietnam's Graduate Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua recently that because Confucianism centers on respecting and promoting morality, kindness, righteousness, and harmony, among others, it can be applied to not only individuals, but also companies to enhance corporate social responsibility.

"I think that promoting fine values of Confucianism among individuals will bring about good benefits for at least themselves, their families and their workplaces," Duc said.

Many Vietnamese people, especially students told Xinhua on Sunday that profound values of Confucianism have good impact on their daily life, so they should be promoted on the basis of the traditional friendship and all-round cooperation between Vietnam and China.

"I want Vietnam and China to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on films, televisions, music, and literature, so that more works relating to Confucius and Confucianism will be made and translated into Vietnamese," said Nguyen Van Chung, a freshman at the Information-Library Department of Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Ngo Thu Phuong, a fourth-year student at the Chinese Department of Hanoi University, said "I'm a member of a dance group at the Confucius Institute. I love all spheres of Chinese culture. I want to visit more Chinese localities, including Qufu, the hometown of Confucius."

Confucius founded Confucianism, a school of thought that deeply influenced later generations. He was also the first Chinese person to set up private schools and enroll students from all walks of life.

Confucianism has laid a firm foundation for cultural exchange and cooperation between China and Vietnam, and partly due to it, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and among nations in the region will further develop, Peng Shituan, cultural counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, said when addressing the exchange on Sunday.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 11:37:25|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice on March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NICE, France, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.

Xi, who is paying a state visit to France, made the remarks when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice.

Recalling the history of friendly exchanges between China and France, Xi noted that France is the first major Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

France, he added, also is the first country to form a strategic partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China and the first to carry out civilian nuclear-energy cooperation with China.

He pointed to the special significance of his visit, which came at a special year that marks both the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations.

Xi spoke of the things that remain unchanged in the face of profound changes in the international situation and bilateral relations.

He said the importance China attaches to its relations with France has not changed. China has always regarded France as a priority partner of cooperation, and the two peoples keep a special friendship, he added.

"This is a valuable asset that we must inherit and carry forward to keep China-France relations at the forefront of the times," Xi said.

Xi went on to say that the common pursuit for peace, development, fairness and justice has not changed.

He said both China and France uphold the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter while practicing multilateralism and opposing protectionism and unilateralism in international affairs.

Both countries are committed to building an open world economy and working together to meet the common challenges facing humanity, Xi said, adding that China and France have cooperated successfully on many occasions in the field of climate change, playing a positive leading role in the world.

The mutually beneficial and win-win nature of China-France cooperation has not changed, Xi said.

"The history of China-France cooperation shows that bilateral ties are not 'a zero-sum game.' The strong complementarity between the two economies will remain for a long time," Xi said, adding that China's sustained development and further opening-up will create a host of new opportunities as well as broader space for bilateral cooperation.

Xi called on the two countries to constantly explore new fields of cooperation, nurture new growth areas for cooperation, and speed up the implementation of the Belt and Road and third-party cooperation projects that have been agreed upon.

"China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with France on major issues including the UN affairs, the reform of the World Trade Organization and climate change," Xi said, adding that China always supports European integration and hopes France can play a more active role in leading and promoting China-Europe relations.

Hailing his successful visit to China last year, Macron said that the two countries have been implementing the important consensus reached by him and Xi over the past year, strengthening cooperation on economy, trade, technology and culture.

France pays high attention to the Belt and Road Initiative, regards China as an important strategic cooperation partner, and appreciates China's important role in and contribution to climate change and other international affairs, Macron said.

The French president pledged to further strengthen strategic communication and collaboration with China, and bring into full play the leading role of the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to jointly safeguard multilateralism and promote world peace and prosperity.

France is the last leg of Xi's three-nation Europe tour that has taken him to Italy and Monaco.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 11:57:27|Editor: ZX

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WASHINGTON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Attorney General William Barr released his summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the just-ended Russia investigation on Sunday, evoking different reactions from Washington while setting the stage for new political fights.

NO COLLUSION BUT NO EXONERATION BY MUELLER

In a four-page letter to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Barr said Mueller did not find evidence that Donald Trump's campaign or anyone associated with it "conspired or coordinated with the Russian government" to allegedly interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Barr wrote, citing a confidential report that Mueller submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, marking an end to his nearly two-year investigation.

According to the letter, the Mueller report did not reach a conclusion as to whether Trump had obstructed justice, a focus of the special counsel's inquiry, stating that it does not conclude the president "committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr said Mueller's "decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions" leaves it to him to determine whether Trump's examined conduct described in the special counsel's report constitutes a crime.

The attorney general added that he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May, 2017, determined "that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Barr's letter was summary of what he called the "principal conclusions" of Mueller's high-anticipated report on his investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 election and whether the president obstructed justice, among other things.

WASHINGTON REACTS DIFFERENTLY

Trump, who has spent this weekend at his private club in the state of Florida, touted Barr's summary as a "complete exoneration," while again lashing out at Mueller's investigation that has shadowed his presidency for the past two years, which he has repeatedly called a "hoax" or a "witch hunt."

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," he told reporters Sunday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington D.C. "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. It's a shame that your President has had to go through this."

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for Trump, said the president's legal team is "very pleased" with Barr's synopsis, according to CNN.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement that Mueller's findings confirm the president's account that "there was no effort by his campaign to conspire or coordinate with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers."

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," the Democratic leaders said in a statement.

The statement also said Congress needs "the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work, including oversight and legislating to address any issues the Mueller report may raise. "

WHAT'S NEXT

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who first shared Barr's letter on Twitter, said Trump "may have acted to obstruct justice, but that for an obstruction conviction, 'the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct.'"

In a series of tweets, Nadler said his panel will call Barr in to testify in the near future "in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report."

Barr, 68, a DOJ veteran who was sworn in as Trump's second attorney general last month, had his nomination under scrutiny from Democrats for a memo he wrote to Rosenstein in June, 2018, criticizing Mueller's inquiry.

During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Barr assured senators of his independence and said that he would not be bullied by anyone into doing something he believes is wrong if he becomes the attorney general, adding that he would release Mueller's report as much as he could under the law.

Pelosi and Schumer on Sunday accused Barr, who previously served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993, of neither being a "neutral observer" nor in a position "to make objective determinations about the report," citing Barr's "public record of bias" against the Russia investigation.

Barr signaled in his letter that more information of the Mueller report may be released in the future.

The process of determining what else can be released from Mueller's report "has begun," CNN reported, citing a Justice Department official. There's a small team working on it, and no firm timeline for release, according to CNN.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats that the president and associates are facing.

Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the 2016 campaign who claim they had sex with Trump. The president's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated him in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.

MASSIVE INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT

Mueller's investigation, which began shortly after Trump's sudden decision to fire former FBI director James Comey, has led to felony charges against 34 people, including six Trump associates and advisers, and three entities, triggering firestorms of criticism from the president and his political allies.

Much of the charges against the Trump associates related to lying to Congress or federal investigators and none of them directly related to the question of collusion between his campaign and Russia.

Besides, 25 Russians were accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet. Russia has denied any meddling in the 2016 election.

Barr said Sunday that Mueller's report "does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the special counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public."

The attorney general also revealed in his letter a massive effort by Mueller through the nation's court system and in interviewing witnesses to reach his findings.

Mueller's team issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, as the special counsel employed 19 lawyers and was assisted by a team of 40 federal agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants and other professional staff.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 12:57:33|Editor: ZX

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- At the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in China's southernmost province of Hainan last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China will roll out broader and bolder reforms and further open up China's economy.

Over the past year, China has kept its promises on further reform and opening-up with concrete deeds.

FURTHER REFORMS & OPENING-UP

In a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the annual BFA conference last April, Xi pledged a new round of reform and opening up measures.

He promised that China will significantly broaden market access, create a more attractive investment environment, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, and take the initiative to expand imports.

In the following months, China hosted a series of diplomatic and economic events including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao summit, the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and the first China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The CIIE was attended by 172 countries, regions and international organizations and more than 3,600 enterprises. China's Ministry of Commerce said the second expo to be held later this year will feature larger exhibition area and be attended by more countries and enterprises.

Besides, during the just concluded "Two Sessions," a key annual event in China's political calendar, China adopted its first unified foreign investment law which will become effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Beijing will introduce a series of regulations and documents in accordance with the foreign investment law to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told a press conference after the conclusion of the legislative session.

Calling the new law a "sensible" set of policies, David Dollar, a senior fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution, said it is "definitely a step forward" in the country's continued reform and opening up.

Dollar said opening up more sectors would allow the entry of high-quality imports and also increase competition so that Chinese companies could improve, which would ultimately benefit China's economic growth.

Selcuk Colakoglu, director of Turkish Center for Asia Pacific Studies, said that the law "enhances the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) of foreign investors and makes international companies to invest more in China confidently."

DELIVERING PROMISES

By holding the first CIIE and opening up more sectors to foreign investment, China has proved it will always honor what it has promised.

About 960,000 foreign-invested enterprises had been set up in China, with the accumulated FDI exceeding 2.1 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of 2018, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Colakoglu, also a professor of international relations, said the new law will allow foreign investors "enjoy treatment no less favorable than that afforded to Chinese investors at the stage of investment access."

According to the World Bank, China ranked 46th globally for ease of doing business in 2018, up from 78 in 2017. Within this framework, Colakoglu noted that the foreign investment law will be "a landmark arrangement that will open China's door wider to the outside world."

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by Xi in 2013 to boost economic growth by improving the trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond, is another manifestation of China's resolve to further open up.

Over the past year, more friends have joined in the initiative, with an additional 50-plus countries and international organizations signing the cooperation documents, raising the total number of such documents to over 150. During Xi's recent state visit to Italy, the European country signed with China a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on BRI cooperation, becoming the first Group of Seven nation to join the initiative.

"I believe the initiative has great potential in terms of economic development and international cooperation. It is a very interesting concept and a framework for a new type of multilateralism spurred by China," said Carola Ramon-Berjano, a member of Argentina's Council on International Relations.

For countries like Argentina that lacks the needed infrastructure to boost trade, the BRI is an attractive and relevant proposal, said Ramon-Berjano, stressing that it will help the country "achieve inclusive and sustainable development" in the long run.

GLOBAL BENEFITS

As China gradually advances the opening-up in various sectors in accordance with the timetable announced at the BFA last year, the world's second largest economy, with its GDP now exceeding 90 trillion yuan (about 13.4 trillion U.S. dollars), continues to contribute to global growth.

Though China faced a complicated and challenging environment rarely seen in many years with the economy under new downward pressure, the nation managed to accomplish main targets for economic and social development in 2018, Li said in his government work report.

"China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development and has ample resilience, enormous potential and great creativity to unleash," Li noted.

According to data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to China has ranked first among developing countries for 27 consecutive years.

"China did a great job to attract FDI to the country since 1979. Gradual opening of the Chinese domestic market has provided a sustainable development within a stable environment," Colakoglu said.

China's last four decades of transformation has attracted global attention and China is greatly sought by most nations for building engagements, said Swaran Singh, a professor at the School of International Studies of the Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.

"There is increasingly acceptability today in China taking the lead in several regional and global initiatives," he noted.

Duncan Freeman, a research fellow at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, said "China's opening up and reforms have been extremely important for the global economy for the past 40 years. And it is even more so today when China has a very big economy."

When commenting on the global economic trend, the expert said there are a certain number of challenges, including those faced by the international economic system and the global growth.

"For this reason China's commitment to ongoing reforms, openness and sustaining its domestic growth is extremely important as a contribution not just to the maintenance of an open global economic system but to global growth," he said.

(Xinhua reporters Yi Aijun in Istanbul, Xiong Maoling in Washington, Hu Xiaoming in New Delhi, and Federico Grandesso in Brussels also contributed to the story.)
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Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 13:42:40|Editor: Li Xia

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MUMBAI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- India notified 2.15 million new tuberculosis patients in 2018, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has said.

The ministry said in a release on Sunday, the World TB Day, that the initiatives taken by the public and private sector have resulted in an increase from 25 percent to 83 percent in the treatment success rates (2017-2018), while the TB prevalence rates have come down from 29 percent to 4 percent.

The ministry reiterated their commitment to eliminating TB in the country by 2025.

India, which accounts for about a quarter of the Global TB Burden, has the highest burden of both TB and Multi Drug Resistant TB, exacerbated by the injudicious use of drugs, said a release by the Council for Healthcare and Pharma (CHP-F), an independent think tank that advocates the development of sustainable health systems.

According to WHO, TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In 2017, 10 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.6 million died from the disease (including 0.3 million among people with HIV).
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 13:47:43|Editor: Li Xia

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SEOUL, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Some of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials returned Monday to the joint liaison office with South Korea in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, multiple local media reported citing Seoul's unification ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 14:12:49|Editor: Li Xia

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SEOUL, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Some of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials returned Monday to the joint liaison office with South Korea in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, South Korea's unification ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that a part of the DPRK staff came to the liaison office for shift work as usual early Monday morning.

Officials from the two sides had a meeting as usual in the morning, according to the ministry.

The liaison office, which opened last September for the round-the-clock communications between the two Koreas, would be in normal operation, the ministry said.

It came after the DPRK announced its decision Friday to withdraw all of its staff from the liaison office.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 14:42:52|Editor: Li Xia

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SEOUL, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Some of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials on Monday returned to the joint liaison office with South Korea in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, Seoul's unification ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that a part of the DPRK staff came to the liaison office for shift work as usual early Monday morning.

Officials from the two sides had a meeting as usual in the morning, according to the ministry.

The liaison office, which opened last September for the round-the-clock communications between the two Koreas, would be in normal operation, the ministry said.

It came after the DPRK announced its decision Friday to withdraw all of its staff from the liaison office.

Asked about the reason for the DPRK's pullout decision, an unnamed unification ministry official told reporters that South Korea planned to figure it out later, according to the ministry.

The DPRK told South Korea that there has been no change in its willingness to operate the joint liaison office well in accordance with the joint declaration, made by the leaders of the two Koreas.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to open the liaison office after their first summit last April in the truce village of Panmunjom.

South Korean officials worked at the liaison office in Kaesong over the weekend and were normally at work in the office on Monday.

The DPRK's decision to withdraw from and return to the liaison office came after the second summit between Kim, the DPRK's top leader, and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

After the Hanoi summit, South Korea's presidential Blue House said both the DPRK and the United States made it clear to continue diplomacy and negotiations.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 15:18:00|Editor: zh

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by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong

NEW YORK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Regarded as one of today's most talented and creative young violinists, Angelo Xiang Yu has recently received 2019 Avery Fisher Career Grant, a prestigious award presented to up to five outstanding instrumentalists each year in New York City.

The 30-year-old artist is also one of 10 recipients of the 2019 Lincoln Center Awards for Emerging Artists -- the annual prizes that honor outstanding artistry and serve to acknowledge the promising future of selected performers within the 11 resident organizations of the Lincoln Center.

What is interesting is that Yu would not have been a violin virtuoso had his parents been generous enough to allow him to study the "expensive" piano when he showed signs of musical precocity as a child.

CHOOSING VIOLIN BY COINCIDENCE

Yu started to learn the violin at the age of four and a half. Yet it was a choice by coincidence. His teacher had suggested that Yu study the piano since he's got extremely sharp ears and big hands.

"My parents looked at the piano and said 'Wow, that's a huge box. It must be very expensive!' Then they saw a little box that happens to be a violin case. And they said, 'Okay, maybe we should learn that. That's probably a little cheaper,'" recalled Yu in a recent interview with Xinhua in New York City.

"It turned out to be the biggest 'mistake' in their life because violin can be the most expensive instruments in the world. For example, a Stradivarius or del Gesu violin can worth millions of dollars." said Yu, who performs on a 1729 Stradivarius violin on loan from an anonymous donor.

"So it's really, really a coincidence. But I am happy about it because later on I figured out that violin is the closest instrument to human voice, and I can express all my feelings with it. It's almost like an extension of my body whenever I play the violin. So I'm glad I made that decision," said Yu, also First Prize winner of the prestigious 2010 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists.

PAINS OF STARDOM

Born in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Yu moved to Shanghai at the age of 11 and received early training from a renowned violinist at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, as well as a prestigious artist diploma at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he was a student of Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, and Kim Kashkashian.

"Now I'm (almost) thirty years old. I spent my first decade in Inner Mongolia, second decade in Shanghai, and third decade in Boston. So it's been quite an interesting journey for me," said Yu, who now resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

An active recitalist and chamber musician, Yu has performed at many world-renowned concert venues and received consistent critical acclaim and enthusiastic audience response for his performances.

The young musician was candid about his everyday life which he said was not as glamorous as in the spotlight on stage.

"To be honest, it's very, very difficult to be a 'star'. We have to deal with a lot of pressure. No matter how you feel today, you have to give the audience your best," said Yu, who spends about half of each year traveling around the world.

"Sometimes I had very bad stomachache. Sometimes I didn't sleep for like forty, fifty or sixty hours, and I still have to play a full concert by memory. If I miss one note, the whole world knows in the next day's newspaper," he said. "But we have to smile and act as if we're totally in control and confident. And please just imagine not doing that for only once, but doing that a hundred times a year. That's a lot to take in."

INDEBTED TO PARENTS

Yet Yu said he was always ready to share the beauty of music with the audience.

"I was given such talent by my parents. If I don't share that talent with the world, I am not fulfilling my responsibility as a musician. So as tough as it sounds like, I'm happy to do what I'm doing right now."

Yu was all in tears when he talked about his mother who passed away eight years ago.

"The biggest challenge I had to deal with emotionally and physically was when my mother got cancer and I wasn't even sure if I could stay in this country anymore because I so much wanted to go back and support the family," he said. "But then I decided to stay because I know if I thrive as a musician, that's the biggest comfort for her."

Yu took a flight to New Zealand for a pre-scheduled competition the day his mother passed away.

"I didn't even cry because I had no power to even do that. So I decided to cry with my violin," he said. "I got to the final and I couldn't feel my hands because physically I was so tired. I also had injuries. I took four pills of painkillers just to relieve the pain in my hands ... I felt her spirit was there with me, so that I was able to magically keep playing till the end."

"I made it and I sort of decided to use the music to mourn her. That was one of the toughest memories. But I would say that's also one of the most precious memories in my musical career. That makes me a stronger man, a much more mature musician," he said.

"Eight years passed since she passed away. But every time I perform on the stage, I still imagine she's there listening to me."

MERGING OF EAST & WEST

Yu attributed his success to his early violin training in China, further study in the United States as well as his deep exposure to both Chinese and Western culture.

"The violin teaching system in the U.S., for example, is very different from what I received in China," he said.

In China, people put more emphasis on the method and the technique while in America, it is more about the bigger picture and how to approach certain musical ideas, he said.

"Both are great. I think in order to become a great musician, you should have a very strong foundation technically, but you should also have this inner voice to help you to become a mature musician," he said.

Though the language of music is universal, it is very helpful for musicians playing a certain piece of music to better understand the culture and history where the music is from, Yu said.

"For example, Mozart was born in Austria and Bach was born in Germany. So we have to 'live' in Europe in order to really understand their language and their music," he said. "Just like if you ask an American to play (well-known Chinese) violin concerto Liang Zhu or Butterfly Lovers Concerto, most likely you will feel like something is missing. That's because the story has been in our blood for so long."

As to his future development, Yu said he hopes he would have more opportunities to share his music with more audience.

"I think that is very important. And really every day I remind myself where I come from and I'm really, really proud to be a Chinese," he said.

"Everybody has dreams. I have dreams, too. But luckily, I had almost fulfilled all my dreams of my childhood with all the efforts I was making on the daily basis," he said. "So I think it's important to focus on the next task. Always focus on how to prepare as well as possible for the next concert."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 16:33:13|Editor: zh

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LHASA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- It was four days away from the opening of the annual peach blossom festival and workers were busy setting the steel-structured stage. Yet hundreds of tourists were already bustling under the wild peach groves in the mountains of Kala Village, Nyingchi City, in the plateau region of Tibet.

Undaunted by the effects of acute mountain sickness, Wang Xiaofang and her husband drove all the way from the southernmost province of Hainan to the village.

"Hainan has all sorts of flowers except peach blossom," said Wang, who posed for a selfie against the blue sky and distant snow-capped mountains.

Tibet's exotic culture and stunning landscape, despite its average altitude of 4,000 meters, proved too much to resist and they started a two-week holiday in the autonomous region.

The couple is part of a tourism boom in Tibet, which is expected to register 40 million tourist arrivals this year, up from 10 million in 2012.

A key factor accounting for this spike is Tibet's improved transport system, such as an expanding network of highways and an increase in flight links with other regions as well as hospitality facilities.

"I could only find hotels in the seat of county when I first drove to Tibet 10 years ago," said Zeng Weijun, from the coastal city of Zhanjiang in south China's Guangdong Province. "Now I can find hotels in the town and even in the village."

In the village of Zhaxigang in Nyingchi City, 54 out of 68 households have opened home-inns to cater for the rising number of tourists. Nyingchi boasts of beautiful flowers, mountains, canyons, waterfalls and glaciers and is a top tourist destination besides the regional capital of Lhasa.

Just 3 km away from the village, Lulang International Tourism Town with an investment of 3.8 billion yuan (567 million U.S. dollars) from Guangdong, received more than a million tourists last year, with sales revenue of 50 million yuan.

The regional government expects to further boost the tourism sector, which accounted for more than a third of the region's economy in 2018, up from 29 percent in 2017.

Tibet's GDP grew by 9.1 percent in 2018, and was among the nation's fastest.

A new 450-km-long railway is being built between Lhasa and Nyingchi, a sure impetus to tourism. It is part of a grand plan to build a new railway from Lhasa to Chengdu, capital city of neighboring Sichuan Province in Tibet's southeast, via Nyingchi.

In a bid to attract more tourists during the winter, the region has rolled out a spate of preferential policies including waiving admission charges for some scenic spots and discounted flight tickets during the winter season.

Tibet received 2.46 million tourists from Nov. 1 last year to March 15, up 84.2 percent year on year, and the region's tourism industry brought in around 2.62 billion yuan during the same period, a year-on-year growth of 41.1 percent, according to the regional tourism development department.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 16:48:18|Editor: Xiaoxia

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PHNOM PENH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Monday that he approved last week a budget of 15 million U.S. dollars to purchase armored personnel carriers for the country's peacekeepers stationed in conflict-torn Mali.

"It's required by the United Nations and we need to contribute to such a peacekeeping operation," he said in a speech during a university graduation ceremony here.

"We cannot leave our troops empty-handed, there must be armored vehicles for their self-defense," he said.

Cambodia has sent 309 troops to join the UN peacekeeping mission in the West African nation of Mali since 2014.

Cambodia firstly dispatched its troops abroad in 2006. Since then, the Southeast Asian country has provided a total of 5,785 soldiers to join UN peacekeeping missions in eight countries, including Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Lebanon, Mali, Syria and Cyprus.

In May 2017, four Cambodian peacekeepers in CAR were killed by a rebel group during a convoy attack near Bangassou, about 474 km east of Bangui, the capital city of CAR.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 17:03:30|Editor: zh

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Visitors look at artwork displayed in an exhibition marking the centennial of the Work-Study Movement in the China Cultural Center in Paris, France, March 24, 2019. A ceremony and a series of events were held here to mark the centennial of the Work-Study Movement. Starting in 1919, thousands of progressive young Chinese went to France, where they worked in factories in Paris, Lyon and Montargis to pay for their studies in the European country. Some of them became interested in Marxism and established one of the earliest Chinese communist party groups in France. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)

PARIS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony and a series of events were held here on Saturday to mark the centennial of the Work-Study Movement ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to France.

Starting in 1919, thousands of progressive young Chinese went to France, where they worked in factories in Paris, Lyon and Montargis to pay for their studies in the European country. Some of them became interested in Marxism and established one of the earliest Chinese communist party groups in France.

Among these prominent figures were late Chinese leaders Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping. The movement has also promoted cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.

The ceremony and the events were held in the China Cultural Center in Paris. At the ceremony, a sculpture by Wu Weishan, a famous Chinese sculptor, was unveiled. The bronze embossment, which shows a group of Chinese revolutionaries, will be put in Montargis, a Southern French city where many of those revolutionaries worked and studied.

"Sculpture must have spirit. The spirit of this piece is the struggling of the Chinese people for national rejuvenation and the friendship between China and France," said Wu.

Jiang Jianguo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, told the ceremony that with the events, China wants to show its appreciation for those who have helped the country in the past and to preserve friendship between the two countries.

"Through history can we be inspired to solve the problems in the present," said former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who attended the events on Saturday and unveiled the sculpture together with Jiang.

Raffarin said what brings France and China together now is their shared world view. Both countries believe that the tenser the world situation is, the more support for cooperation and multilateralism is needed, he said.

The China Cultural Center also saw the premiere of a TV documentary introducing the movement's history. The documentary was jointly produced by the French channel of China's CGTN and the French TV5 Monde. It featured historical video clips and narrations by the descendants of the movement's participants.

Yves Bigot, director general of TV5 Monde, said at the premiere that the movement was at the root of the French-Chinese friendship over the past century.

This year also marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France.

In his signed article titled "Move Together Toward Common Development" published Saturday in leading French newspaper Le Figaro ahead of his state visit to the European country, Xi said he will bring "goodwill" toward France with him on his visit.

"Such goodwill is based on the admiration both from the Chinese people and from myself for the splendid history and culture and the unique charm that France has to offer," he said in the article.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 17:43:45|Editor: Xiaoxia

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Rwandan President Paul Kagame speaks at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on March 25, 2019. About 1,500 participants, including Africa's top CEOs, international investors, experts and high-level policy makers, attended the forum in Kigali from Monday to discuss major topics and key challenges for Africa's private sector. (Xinhua/Cyril Ndegeya)

KIGALI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- About 1,500 participants, including Africa's top CEOs, international investors, experts and high-level policy makers, are meeting in Rwandan capital city Kigali from Monday to discuss major topics and key challenges for Africa's private sector.

The topics included intra-African trade and investment, better protection of Africa's interests and industries, mobilization of the private sector around cross-border infrastructure and logistical projects, public-private workshops and case studies.

It is very timely for the participants to discuss how to make the most out of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, among other important issues, said Rwandan President Paul Kagame at the opening ceremony, as the free trade area needs only one more country's ratification for entering into force.

The full involvement of the African business community is critical to keeping implementation of the "historic agreement" on track, said Kagame.

Africa needs 1.7 million new jobs every month and the continent needs to develop a striving private sector enabled by free trade opportunities, according to Philippe Le Houerou, CEO of International Finance Corporation.

Economic integration is an economic opportunity and a vital necessity, which can not happen without the private sector, said Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the forum.

Country leaders include Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe, according to the forum's program.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 17:48:47|Editor: Xiaoxia

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Police officers patrol near a gun market named "Gun City" at suburb area of Christchurch, New Zealand, March 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

by Li Huizi, Lu Huaiqian, Levi Parsons

WELLINGTON, March 25 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is still reeling from the nation's worst terrorist attack, in which a gunman killed 50 people and injured 50 others at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

While hundreds of thousands of people mourned the victims across the country, many have asked what can be done to prevent such tragedy from occurring again.

STRICTER GUN LAWS

"On 15 March our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday while announcing procedures to overhaul gun laws to make New Zealand "a safer place."

Under the tougher new laws, military style semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles, related parts as well as all high-capacity magazines will be banned in the country.

A Select Committee will be set up in the parliament to fast track the legislation.

The ban on semi-automatic weapons took effect immediately to restrict the potential stock-piling of these guns and encourage people to continue to surrender their firearms.

Legislator Raymond Huo, also chair of the parliament's Justice Committee, told Xinhua that the order is a transitional measure until the wider ban takes effect. The Arms Act 1983 stipulates that the government can ban guns through administrative orders.

Over the past week, gun owners in New Zealand have started to hand in their semi-automatics voluntarily to the police for destruction. The government is also working on a buyback program.

Ardern said Australia, after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, had changed its laws in 12 days, and New Zealand would do it in less. The swift ban was imposed six days after the tragedy, and the cabinet agreed to overhaul the law when it convened 72 hours after the mass shootings.

"The killer's gun was purchased legally and that's part of the issue. Once you obtain a license you can purchase a lot of firearms and there is no record of how many firearms you actually own," New Zealand Police Association President Chris Cahill told Xinhua.

There are around 240,000 licensed firearm owners in New Zealand, a nation of 4.8 million people. As one of the highest per capita gun ownership countries in the world, a nationwide gun registry will possibly be considered in the upcoming overhaul of the gun laws.

David Tipple, owner of Gun City, New Zealand's largest gun dealer which sold the alleged killer, Brenton Tarrant, ammunition and four firearms between December 2017 and March 2018, said he did not feel in any way responsible for the tragedy.

Tipple said the suspect had a legitimate A-class gun license when he made the purchase.

Although obtaining a firearm license in New Zealand is "a stringent process at some level," Cahill said 99.3 percent of all applicants get their gun license approved.

Any topic related to guns has become quite sensitive recently in this country, as New Zealand's largest gun show, an annual event which has been held for the past five years, was cancelled in respect for the victims of the horrific attack amid elevated security risks.

Many people have voiced their support for the gun law reforms. A petition calling for stricter gun control collected more than 90,000 signatures in 48 hours.

"The gun law of New Zealand in some way is outdated," said Caleb Vuli, a student of the University of Canterbury.

A British writer residing in New Zealand who prefers not to be named told Xinhua that he was surprised at the easy access to semi-automatics in the country, saying that gun control laws should be stricter.

"There is no valid reason to own fully- or semi-automatic weapons in New Zealand," said Al Lowe, an IT professional in Auckland.

"All weapons should be licensed, recorded on a national gun register and secured in a locked cabinet inspected every six months. Failure to adhere to rules would see gun licenses revoked," he suggested. "Any police record should prevent ownership of a gun."

"UNGOVERNED" SOCIAL MEDIA

While shocked by the heinous massacre, many people are also irked and upset by the attacker's shooting streamed live on major social media platforms worldwide.

The alleged shooter, a 28-year-old Australian man, appeared to have uploaded images of the weapons days before the attack and an announcement an hour before his action.

The man posted his 74-page manifesto on 8chan, a U.S. imageboard website, and Twitter, propagating his supremacist ideology. He also live-streamed the mass shootings on Facebook for 17 minutes before the platform suspended his account and deleted the massacre video.

Facebook said it has removed 1.5 million copies of the video in the first 24 hours after the shootings.

It is also a huge challenge for New Zealand's Internet service providers to stop the spreading of footage by identifying the websites distributing it and block their access.

"This is not just an issue for New Zealand ... All of us need to present a united front," Ardern told the media last week.

Echoing Ardern's call, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pushed for regulation of the "ungoverned" social media platforms.

"It is unacceptable to treat the Internet as an ungoverned space," he wrote in a letter to Group of 20 Chairman and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"It is imperative that the global community works together to ensure that technology firms meet their moral obligation to protect the communities which they serve and from which they profit," he wrote.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said Facebook had demonstrated the inability to self-regulate after the massacre that was live-streamed by the murderer.

"Seventeen minutes of a killer doing his business. A mass murder. This is unthinkable," Clark told local media The Spinoff on Sunday.

With extremism and terrorism deeply penetrating into social media, analysts said it is far from enough to simply rely on the technology giants themselves to regulate the content on their platforms.

Similar attacks elsewhere also arouse a huge outcry from the public for more legislative powers injected into the supervision on social media.

COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH NEEDED

Over the past 10 years, there is not a single mention of the threat posed by white supremacists or right-wing extremism in public documents of the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), or the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), according to a report by the Radio New Zealand (RNZ).

The SIS said the accused gunman had "never been brought to (its) attention" and was not known to the GCSB, New Zealand's two spy agencies, or their Australian counterpart.

Ardern said an inquiry will look into the Christchurch attack to help make New Zealand a safe environment by ridding the country of racism and extremism.

The government will also launch a high-level probe into whether security agencies ignored warning signs, or put too much focus on the threat of Islamic extremism, reported the RNZ.

One of the measures proposed to track extremist behaviors is a national database for hate crimes.

"Something that has come to light in New Zealand is that Muslims, not just in Christchurch but elsewhere, have been saying for some time they've been experiencing hateful incidents and things that may even constitute hate crimes," said Greg Barton, an expert in countering violent extremism from Australia's Deakin University.

"But the problem in New Zealand as well as Australia is that there's no way to collect these reports, catalogue them in a standard way, share them with all agencies, spot patterns and act on them," Barton said.

"So I think one of the needs in Australia and New Zealand is a national hate crimes register," Barton added.

The attack in New Zealand on people of more than 200 ethnicities speaking more than 160 languages, is a wake-up call for the world, said legislator Huo.

"The fight against terrorism and extremism cannot be done by one country or organization. All countries, regions and people should form a united front against the threats," he told Xinhua.

(Video reporters: Lu Huaiqian, Guo Lei; video editor: Liu Xiaorui)
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 18:38:56|Editor: Yurou

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JAKARTA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) have invited foreign observers to monitor the country's forthcoming presidential and legislative elections slated to be held on April 17, a KPU commissioner said here on Monday.

The foreign observers are made of official election organizers from several countries and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), KPU Commissioner Pramono Ubaid Tanthowi said.

"We invited election organizers from 33 countries and 11 international NGOs," he said, adding that they will carry out their monitoring activities from April 15 to 18.

During their stay throughout the period, the foreign observers would monitor the ballot casting process in voting stations and other related election activities.

They would provide an assessment report on the elections, the election commissioner said.

Voting will take place on April 17 from 07: 00 a.m. to 13.00 p.m. local time in each of 34 provinces across the nation.

The 2019 elections will simultaneously elect the next president who will govern the nation until 2024 and members of central and regional legislative bodies.

The 2019 president election is a rematch between incumbent President Joko Widodo and his arch-rival contender Prabowo Subianto who lost the presidential election in 2014.

The two presidential candidates are scheduled to meet in the last debate session on March 30 as part of their last campaign to attract voters.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 18:43:57|Editor: Yurou

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ULAN BATOR, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 69 girls have been sexually assaulted in Mongolia in the first two months of 2019, the Mongolian Women's Federation (MWF) said Monday.

The statement came after reports were recently made public that an 8-year-old girl had been repeatedly raped by her biological father on a grazing ground.

"A total of 69 girls aged 6-17 have been affected by sexual assault across the country in the first two months of this year. The majority of the perpetrators of the sexual violence are people close to the victims, including their fathers, stepfathers, brothers and relatives," Batnasan Oyungerel, president of the MWF, told a press conference.

"The number of these types of crimes is likely to increase if relevant laws are not tightened," Oyungerel said, noting that more than 290 girls have suffered from sexual assault in the country over the past three years.

"This is the number recorded by police. Nobody knows how many other girls are now crying and suffering from sexual assault behind closed doors," she added.

Divorce and lack of adequate parental care are the main factors for girls to be sexually abused, she said, urging an improvement in the country's family laws related to divorce and parental responsibility.

According to Mongolian law, a man convicted of raping a girl under 14 years old will be punished by imprisonment of 12-20 years or a life sentence. In addition, a man who is found guilty of raping a girl aged 14-18 can be sentenced between two and eight years.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 18:54:00|Editor: Yurou

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BANGKOK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Pro-military party Palang Pracharath won 97 constituency MP seats while the main pro-Thaksin party Pheu Thai got 137 constituency MP seats in Thailand's first general election since 2014 coup, according to the Election Commission's unofficial results on Monday.

The EC unveiled a 95-percent poll results after the second delay within 24 hours.

According to the initial results, nine parties have entered the lower house. The anti-military party Future Forward won 30 constituency MP seats and the Democrat Party got 33.

The EC neither announced the number of party-list MP seats nor the whole votes each party got. It said official results will be unveiled no later than May 9.

The EC said the delay is due to the complex computation between constituency-based MPs and that of party-list MPs.

In the election, voters voted 350 members in the lower house.

The new constitution allows parliament's upper house, the 250-seat Senate, to vote with the 500-seat lower house to choose the prime minister. The Senate is entirely appointed by the ruling military government.

Assuming the senate backs the same candidate, pro-military parties would need 126 seats in the lower House of Representatives to win a majority in a combined vote. Opposition parties need 376 seats.

The Pheu Thai party, which was ousted from government in 2014 coup, won the most constituency seats in Sunday's election and said it will try to form a government with similar-minded parties.

Meanwhile the military proxy party Palang Pracharat has also announced that the party has talked to other parties and is ready to take the lead in forming a coalition government.

More than 33 million voters out of the 51 million eligible cast their ballots in the election. The turnout is about 66 percent, while the EC expected more than 80 percent of the voters would join the poll.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 18:59:01|Editor: zh

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KUNMING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A cloned dog, believed to be the first of the kind in China, has started training in Yunnan Province in a program to reduce the cost and time needed for training police dogs.

Kunxun, a female of the Kunming wolfdog breed, was born on Dec. 19 last year in Beijing and arrived on March 5 for training at the Kunming Police Dog Base of the Ministry of Public Security.

She was cloned from a 7-year-old female dog, known as Huahuangma, that has been in service in the city of Pu'er, Yunnan, by Sinogene, a Beijing-based biotechnology firm. The cloning is part of the ministry's research program.

Huahuangma played important roles in helping detectives with dozens of murder investigations, and was accredited the first-level merit in 2016, said Wan Jiusheng, an officer who is responsible for training Kunxun.

Huahuangma's outstanding abilities as a police dog made her an eligible donor of genes, Wan said.

"It takes four to five years to train a meritorious dog such as Huahuangma, and costs hundreds of thousands of yuan," he said.

Police dogs serving in real tasks are not usually used for breeding. The cloning program helps researchers copy their excellent genes and reduces the time and costs needed for training, researchers familiar with the program said.

Wan said the 3-month-old Kunxun has shown remarkable abilities in adapting to different situations, responding to emergency, hunting, hearing and sniffing. "She has scored a couple of A's," Wan said.

Wan and other trainers are focused on fostering its qualities as a good sniffer dog. "As a cloned dog, Kunxun does not have brothers or sisters. She is rather independent," said Wan.

Being able to work with others, however, is also an important ability of a good police dog, and that takes experienced and well-sourced trainers to help her, said Zhang Song, a police dog training specialist.

Two other more mellow dogs are arranged as neighbors to train Kunxun, he said.

As the country's first cloned police dog, Kunxun gained huge public attention after her birth. Though she has huge potential, trainers and researchers said it also will take a lot of training and actual assignment experience for her to be as successful as Huahuangma.

When Kunxun is six months old, she will be assigned to training programs in following and tracking, crowd control or searching for explosives, based on her specialties. She is expected to enter service at around 10 to 12 months old.

In the future, Kunxun will be trained by Li Hua, head of the police dog squad with the public security bureau of Pu'er City, who trained Huahuangma, Wan said.

"We are not sure about her future. I hope she can fully develop her abilities in training," said Zhang Song, the police dog training specialist.

Cloning is only an ancillary method to train police dogs with outstanding abilities, but it can not replace natural breeding, researchers said.

"This is only a trial, a lot more scientific research is needed," said Zhang.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:14:03|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- In a conference room at west Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, heavyweight speakers ranging from Bridgewater Associates founder to AstraZeneca board chairman delivered their speeches in a TED setting and style. In spite of their different focus of industries, their talks share one common theme: sharing China's future.

The trendy speech session is part of the just-concluded China Development Forum 2019, the first annual high-level international conference featuring senior Chinese officials and domestic and overseas corporate giants held right after the annual legislative and political advisory sessions each year.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the influential forum, and has seen a boom in foreign enterprise participants who are ready to be more involved in the world's biggest developing economy's development after the country just unveiled its 2019 development plan and adopted a unified foreign investment law in its latest efforts to open up wider.

China set its GDP growth target at 6-6.5 percent this year, compared with about 6.5 percent in 2018. The government will further cut taxes and fees to energize the corporate sector and stimulate domestic consumption.

"The rapid growth of the Chinese economy in the 40 years since the process of opening-up and reform began is rightly regarded across the world as a huge economic achievement. Even though this growth has slowed recently, the Chinese economy's vast base means that it still offers tremendous potential," said Volkmar Denner, CEO of German manufacturer Bosch Group, which has attended the annual forum for 20 years.

Denner said China has become the world's biggest automotive market, and almost 10,000 Bosch associates in Suzhou are working on cutting-edge technologies such as solutions for automated driving and connected mobility. "Bosch is confident that the Chinese economy will continue to prosper."

Volkswagen, another automobile titan, is also confident in China's future development, with plans to invest more than 4 billion euros (4.52 billion U.S. dollars) in innovative technologies, e-mobility and new products in China this year, and introduce more than 30 new energy vehicle models in the next two years.

China's national legislature passed the foreign investment law at the closing meeting of its annual session on March 15. The law, landmark legislation that will provide stronger protection and a better business environment for overseas investors, will become effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Christian Kullmann, board chairman of global specialty chemicals firm Evonik, is encouraged by the Chinese government's plan to further broaden market access, strengthen protection of intellectual property rights, and expand imports as "this shows how much the government values a vibrant economy and an innovation-driven development strategy."

Opening-up is a win-win for both foreign chemical companies and the Chinese chemical industry as it draws inflows of both technology and investment, according to Kullmann. "By joining China's opening-up, Evonik gets closer to customers in the region and becomes more competitive in the global market."

China's regional development strategies also pose a strong appeal to foreign firms.

German industrial firm Siemens inked an MOU with China's top economic planner Sunday to promote the Belt and Road Initiative. The two parties will leverage their resources to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between the two countries' industries, especially in energy, transport, manufacturing and digitalization. They will also support the partnership in developing and financing projects in third-party markets.

For financial juggernaut HSBC Holdings, the Greater Bay Area remains the most exciting organic opportunity, and the group is accelerating plans to build a scale business in the region, according to John Flint, the group's executive director and chief executive.

"We have the opportunity of a lifetime to play a meaningful role," Flint said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:14:03|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes the expression of goodwill between India and Pakistan and supports the two countries in maintaining contact, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on his social media account that he had received a letter honoring Pakistan's national day from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and expressed his thanks to the Indian side.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said China welcomes leaders of India and Pakistan expressing goodwill to each other and hopes both sides would work to stabilize the situation, resolve differences and improve relations through dialogue, and China would continue to play a constructive role in this regard.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:19:04|Editor: zh

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Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan (R) meets with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Beijing, capital of China, March 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan met with Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Monday, with both sides eying closer cooperation in jointly building the Belt and Road and in other fields.

China and Singapore enjoy sound development momentum in bilateral ties, as evidenced by close high-level exchanges, ever-deepening political mutual trust, fruitful pragmatic cooperation, and vibrant and varied people-to-people and cultural exchanges, according to Sun.

Noting that China highly values the development of Sino-Singaporean ties, Sun said China was ready to work with Singapore in deepening cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as education, culture and tourism, as well as stepping up experience exchanges related to ensuring people's well-being, to promote greater advancement of bilateral relations.

The Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister said Singapore attaches importance to developing friendly cooperation with China, and is willing to take part in building the Belt and Road and to deepen bilateral cooperation in education, medical care and social governance, among others.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:19:05|Editor: ZX

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Tan Qingsheng (R), deputy chief of mission and minister counselor at the Chinese embassy in the Philippines, and Jose Villarin, president of Ateneo de Manila University, attend the donation ceremony held at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, the Philippines, March 25, 2019. The Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Monday donated two sets of global classroom learning equipment and dozens of books to help the country's third-oldest university upgrading its facilities. (Xinhua/Yang Ke)

MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Monday donated two sets of global classroom learning equipment and dozens of books to help the country's third-oldest university upgrading its facilities.

During the donation ceremony held at the Rizal Library in the campus, president of Ateneo de Manila University Jose Villarin, deputy chief of mission and minister counselor at the Chinese embassy in the Philippines Tan Qingsheng witnessed the turn-over of the facilities.

The global classroom digital technologies, also known as "eClassroom" developed by China's telecommunication giant Huawei enterprise, comprised video conferencing system, wireless routers and monitors and other grouped equipment. It is about connecting and fostering collaboration between teachers, students, and school administrators even when they are in different time zones or half a globe away, according to Huawei.

"I hope the facilities here will not only enable us to share knowledge and admire the jewels of culture but also help us to deepen understanding, expand cooperation and strengthen friendship," said Tan.

"Good bilateral relations between nations can only be based on good understanding and friendship between the peoples," he said, adding that the Chinese government now is providing more than 50 government scholarships for Philippine students to study in China annually, while the Philippines has also become one of the destinations for Chinese students.

Villarin expressed his gratitude on behalf of the university. He said he is grateful to the Chinese embassy as well as Huawei for their technical assistance in setting up the equipment which will bridge the distance between different countries and cultures.

"I look forward with the anticipation to many good things that our students will accomplish, the activities and projects they will do, who they will connect and work with, given this smart learning space from the people of China," he added.

The Ateneo de Manila University, founded in 1859, is the third-oldest and one of the most famous universities in the Philippines.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:39:13|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday urged the United States to properly handle Taiwan-related issues to avoid damaging China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a news briefing when responding to media reports saying the United States sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.

"China has closely followed the passing of U.S. warships through the Taiwan Strait and monitored the whole process," said Geng, adding that China had lodged stern representations with the U.S. side.

"We urge the U.S. to observe the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques and properly handle Taiwan-related issues so as to avoid undermining China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Geng said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:54:17|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with the Republic of Korea (ROK) on improving the environmental quality and seeking solutions to haze, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

Recently parts of the ROK media have reported that the poor air quality in the ROK was related to the fact that a total of 3.6 million ROK families used boilers, so the haze should not be blamed on China.

In response, spokesperson Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing that the ROK media reports were rational and objective, and China's environmental protection authorities and experts had given professional and detailed explanations on whether air pollution in China would affect the ROK.

He said China-ROK environmental cooperation had always been an important part of bilateral cooperation, and both countries had in-depth exchanges on strengthening air pollution prevention and promoting the construction of a bilateral environmental cooperation center.

"The Chinese side will speed up the control of its air pollution, and meanwhile China stands ready to enhance exchanges and cooperation with the ROK and make joint contributions to improving the environmental quality in both countries, and promoting regional and global sustainable development," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 19:59:18|Editor: Xiaoxia

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NAIROBI/BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The death roll from Cyclone Idai in heavily hit central Mozambique has risen to 446 on Sunday while humanitarian relief from the international community is flowing into the African country.

"Yesterday we had 417 dead bodies, and today the toll rose to 446 deaths," Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development Celso Correia on Sunday told reporters from the emergency operations center at Beira in the coastal province of Sofala, where the cyclone caused landslides.

It is difficult to obtain data from isolated areas, he added, while the affected people, including the displaced and the marooned, are estimated at more than 531,460.

More than 109,630 people have been provided with temporary shelters. Road traffic has been restored in some areas, including on the No. 6 national road on Saturday to facilitate the access of aid, the minister said.

"The overarching priority in the coming weeks is to stem the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, malaria and other diseases," the minister further said.

At the request of Mozambique's government, China has dispatched a 65-member team to provide search and rescue support as well as medical and epidemic prevention assistance.

The tropical Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in mid-March, causing floods and landslides. Search and rescue operations are continuing in the countries while humanitarian relief aid from countries and organizations are flowing into the affected areas.

In Zimbabwe, the death roll rose to 259 by Friday night and is feared to continue to rise with hundreds more injured and some 217 missing.

Zimbabwe had its eastern and southern areas mainly affected by the cyclone, and in the worst hit Manicaland Province, there were villages almost completely swept away. United Nations figures on Friday showed at least 16,000 families have been displaced in the country.

"There are fears the cyclone will return within days," Energy Mutodi, deputy minister of information, tweeted Saturday.

In landlocked Malawi, one death was reported from the cyclone that affected some 68,000 people.

Henrietta Fore, executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), on Saturday said, "We are in a race against time to help and protect children in the disaster-ravaged areas of Mozambique."

At the end of her visit to Beira, she said, "Aid agencies are barely beginning to see the scale of the damage."

The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday the destruction caused by Cyclone Idai appears to be worsening, citing continued heavy rains and floods. UN refugee agency UNHCR's spokesperson Babar Baloch said the death roll in Mozambique "is expected to exceed 1,000."

"Every day we discover that the destruction left by Cyclone Idai is worse than we imagined," the ICRC statement quoted Hicham Mandoudi, the ICRC's head of a sub-delegation in Beira, Mozambique, as saying.

Preliminary results estimated that 200,000 people urgently need food assistance for the next three months in Zimbabwe, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

The United Nations, the European Union, the United States, Canada, China and other organizations and countries have announced donations to the affected countries. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) said Sunday it has provided 500,000 U.S. dollars in aid to help Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe to deal with the cyclone's aftermath, noting the economic costs and social impact on the affected countries as well as on the entire region are immeasurable.

Of the aid, 200,000 dollars are for Mozambique, 150,000 dollars for Malawi and 150,000 dollars for Zimbabwe.

On Sunday, 39 tons in emergency humanitarian aid including tents, blankets and food from Morocco were airlifted to Beira, the official Moroccan news agency MAP reported.

Canada's emergency aid worth about 2.6 million dollars will be provided through the United Nations, Red Cross and non-governmental organization partners and will focus on meeting the immediate food, shelter, water, sanitation, health and protection needs in the three affected countries, the Canadian government's Global Affairs Canada has said.

The China International Development Cooperation Agency on Thursday said that China will provide humanitarian assistance to the three countries. The Chinese government has announced a donation of 800,000 dollars in cash for Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Guo Shaochun has said the Chinese community in Zimbabwe has mobilized emergency aid worth about 310,000 dollars.

"On (last) Wednesday, 11 trucks fully loaded with those supplies including maize, cooking oil, bottled water, tents, quilts and blankets arrived in the disaster-stricken area and reached the people, who are in great need," Guo told reporters.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:04:23|Editor: Xiaoxia

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JAKARTA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The British giant mining firm Churcil Mining Plc and Australian mining company Planet Mining Pty Ltd have lost legal battle against the Indonesian government to whom they accused of violating deals that led to investment loss, an Indonesian minister said here on Monday.

The two companies sued the East Kalimantan province's administration for breaching bilateral agreements by revoking mining business licenses for 350 km square area in the province on March 4, 2010, according to the ministry.

The miners claimed the policy had caused loss in their investment in Indonesia and demanded 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in fine, it said.

The case was brought to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) in Washington D.C. of the United States, the ministry said.

"After a long battle against strong companies, the Indonesian government has finally won a lawsuit in international arbitrage in ISSID. Their lawsuits were rejected," Indonesian Minister for Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly told a press conference.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:09:27|Editor: zh

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XINING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A female leopard and her cub have been caught on camera at Three-river-source National Park in northwest China's Qinghai Province, according to the park administration.

The three-river-source area is the source of China's major rivers and a major habitat for the big cat. It is estimated that more than 1,000 snow leopards live in the area.

The videos filmed on infrared cameras in January and February showed the leopard and her cub near the source of the Yellow River. It is the first time that the animal has been spotted during a scientific investigation at the source.

"Through continuous long-term investigations, researchers will gradually confirm the population, density, living conditions and migration routes of the animal in this area," said He Bin, an expert with World Wildlife Fund and a participant in the investigation.

The snow leopard is a Class-A protected animal in China, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies it as endangered-to-vulnerable.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:14:28|Editor: Xiaoxia

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NEW DELHI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- India's main opposition party - the Indian National Congress (INC) on Monday made a poll promise of providing an income support of 72,000 Indian Rupees (about 1,028 U.S. dollars) per annum to the 20 percent of the poorest families in the country, if the party was able to form the next government after the ensuing general elections.

Rahul Gandhi, INC president, termed this announcement as the final "assault on poverty" in the country.

India faces a seven-phased election beginning April 11. Votes are scheduled to be counted on May 23.

Announcing the party's election promise, Gandhi said that he and his party members had studied the fiscal implications of the scheme.

"20 percent of the poorest families will be given an income support of 72,000 Indian Rupees every year. All modalities have been worked out and this is possible within our budget. We have studied fiscal implications of the scheme," Gandhi said while addressing media persons in the Indian capital.

The INC president, who is also a lawmaker, further said that the amount will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of the poor. "50 million families and 250 million members of these families will directly benefit from the scheme. We will end poverty in this country," Gandhi said.

Meanwhile, the INC is yet to come out with its final election manifesto ahead of the general polls.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:34:33|Editor: zh

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Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the leading group for promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt, presides over a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt attended by provincial and ministerial level officials, in Beijing, capital of China, March 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng on Monday called on officials to take concrete measures to protect and restore the Yangtze River's ecological environment.

Han, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and also head of the leading group for promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt, made the remarks at a symposium attended by provincial and ministerial level officials.

Han stressed that all economic activities related to the river should not damage its ecological environment, and a green, ecological and sustainable path should be pursued in developing the region.

He pointed out that the Yangtze River's ecological environment still faces a severe situation, as an inspection last year revealed serious problems such as pollution emission and ecological damage in the region.

"The top priority at present is to protect and restore the Yangtze River's ecological environment," Han said.

He called on officials to live up to their responsibilities and take concrete measures to rectify related problems.

China earlier this year unveiled an action plan to protect and restore the Yangtze River with goals including eliminating more than 90 percent of "black and odorous" water bodies in cities at or above prefecture level in the Yangtze River economic belt by the end of 2020.

Efforts should also be made to improve transport efficiency along the Yangtze River's waterways by further integrating customs clearance and other means, Han added.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:39:34|Editor: Xiaoxia

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DHAKA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- With Bangladesh celebrating its 49th Independence Day on March 26, police have tightened security measures in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Additional law enforcement agencies' members have been deployed to strengthen surveillance especially in Dhaka's diplomatic Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas since Sunday afternoon after threats of militant attacks were reported.

Also on Monday, law enforcers were seen frisking people and setting up check-posts in Dhaka's key diplomatic zones.

Sources said foreign missions and clubs have been brought under the security blanket while hotels were asked to keep all details of their boarders.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on its official site said it has not issued an alert fearing attacks in Dhaka in light of the media reports.

Following heightened security, many foreign missions including those of the United States and Britain, issued security alert for their citizens living in the country.

A DMP official who preferred to be unnamed said there was no specific threat either to any specific establishment.

"Law enforcers were put on high alert specially in posh Dhaka areas though no threat exists."

Officials said security has been stepped up not merely in the diplomatic zones but elsewhere in Dhaka and other cities and towns to thwart any unwanted incident during Independence Day celebrations Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:39:34|Editor: Xiaoxia

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BEIRA, Mozambique, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Reconstruction of Sofala province which was hit by Cyclone Idai in central Mozambique may take up to three years, said former president Joaquim Chissano on Monday.

Chissano arrived in Beira, capital city of Sofala province on Monday morning to visit the areas struck by Cyclone Idai, carrying a message of resilience and comfort for the victims.

"The reconstruction of the main structures, resettlement of the population may take short period, if the support provided by the international community is in big quantity," said the former president.

Chissano went further and said that the means in the government's possession can determine the reconstruction of the country, as there are needs of reconstruction and rehabilitation of bridges and roads, hospitals and schools.

The former president also said he is happy about the support and quick response of the international community, saying that "the government was really helpless."

He warned that the danger hasn't finished yet because there are bodies to be found, and diseases will kill people, "but with all the forces combined all this can be mitigated," he said.

The number of people affected by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique has risen to 794,000, Mozambican government announced on Monday in Beira, adding up to 128,941 have already been rescued.

The death toll remains at 446, according to the Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development, Celso Correia, who spoke at a press conference, stressing that the rescue teams have not yet finished searches at all affected sites.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 20:59:40|Editor: Xiaoxia

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TASHKENT, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved a loan worth 200 million U.S. dollars to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses in one of Uzbekistan's densely populated rural areas, the bank said on Monday.

According to a statement, the loan will come from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a member of the World Bank Group, and will help to start a new rural enterprise development project in the eastern Ferghana Valley.

"The shift from planned to market economy in Uzbekistan will create opportunities for local small businesses in domestic and regional markets," said Hideki Mori, World Bank country manager for Uzbekistan, in the statement.

"With nearly 49,000 micro and small firms and 84,000 commercial farms and individual entrepreneurs in Ferghana Valley, the World Bank is pleased to support this project, which will help them expand, improve profitability and create up to 20,000 new jobs," Mori said.

Recognizing the need to reform the economy and find new drivers of growth, the Central Asian country is placing emphasis on accelerating private sector development to create jobs and increase people's income, the statement said.

The micro, small and medium-sized enterprises sector represents nearly 50 percent of the country's gross domestic product. In 2017, around 78 percent of the working force worked in small companies while 27 percent were employed in the agricultural sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:04:42|Editor: Xiaoxia

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TOKYO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Rallies were held in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa on Monday, with protestors calling for the central government to scrap its plans to relocate a U.S. airbase within the island as it runs contrary to the will of the majority of local citizens.

A prefectural referendum in Okinawa last month showed that more than 70 percent of eligible voters are opposed to the central government's plans to move the controversial U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan, to the coastal region of Henoko.

The central government, however, started landfill work for the replacement base on Monday.

Offshore landfill work entered a new phase in a 33-hectare section in the Henoko region in Nago, Okinawa, with the new project site adjacent to a smaller location, where land reclamation work in the pristine coastal region began last December.

Local demonstrators voiced their growing opposition to the construction work for the new base, with protestors gathering in front of the gates of the U.S. Marines' Camp Schwab, located close to the landfill site, to hold a sit-down protest.

Demonstrators also took to small boats in waters close to the site with banners denouncing the relocation of the base.

"It's quite unreasonable for the central government to blame the people of Okinawa for the delay in the closure of the Futenma base after slow progress in the construction at Henoko. We have called for scaling down of U.S. military bases in Okinawa, but instead they are being reinforced," one protestor in her sixties was quoted by local media as saying.

Prefectural officials also slammed the central government for forging ahead with the contentious base move, despite the results of the referendum, with Okinawa Vice Governor Kiichiro Jahana stating Monday that the ongoing landfill work should be scrapped as it undermines and disregards the will of the local people.

"The project hasn't won the people's understanding, which is why 72 percent of them opposed it in the referendum. We have to stop the work and hold dialogue," said Jahana.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki, meanwhile, has on numerous occasions called on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to halt the construction work and engage in more face-to-face dialogues, especially in light of the recent referendum results.

The central government's stance remains, however, that relocating the base to Henoko is "the only solution."

Under a 1996 pact made between Japan and the United States to relocate the base, the central government later and unilaterally decided it should be moved from the crowded residential district of Ginowan to the less populated coastal area of Henoko.

But calls are becoming more vociferous from Okinawans for its postwar occupation by U.S. forces to be completely ended, as, legally, Okinawa's control under the U.S. ended in 1972. But to many on the subtropical island it feels as though its occupation is continuing with no end in sight.

Okinawa hosts the vast majority of Japan's U.S. bases, yet the island accounts for just a fraction of Japan's total land mass.

For decades, the local people have suffered from U.S.-linked military accidents and mishaps, particularly involving aircraft, as well as general environmental and noise pollution.

Cases of heinous crimes committed by U.S.-base linked workers spanning brutal rape and murder cases, instances of military personnel driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as cases of assault and disorderly behavior, have seen anti-U.S. sentiment steadily rise in Okinawa.

The majority of local citizens want the Futenma base moved off the island and out of Japan altogether and their base-hosting burdens not merely "eased" but fundamentally lifted.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:04:44|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese rescue team members carry the newly-arrived equipment and materials at a temporary station in Beira, Mozambique, on March 25, 2019. A Chinese rescue team comprised of 65 members arrived at Beira International Airport in Mozambique on Monday after Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc in the southeastern African country. (Xinhua/Zhang Yu)

BEIRA, Mozambique, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese rescue team comprised of 65 members arrived at Beira International Airport in Mozambique on Monday after Cyclone Idai wreaked havoc in the southeastern African country.

The rescue team has brought with them some 20 tonnes of equipment and materials for search and rescue purposes, as well as for communications and medical treatment.

The rescue team, at the request of the Mozambican government, was dispatched by the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management with the approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council.

Sources with the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said this also marked the first overseas rescue mission by a Chinese team since the set-up of the ministry in March 2018.

The Mozambican government announced on Monday in Beira, capital city of Sofala province, that the number of people affected by Cyclone Idai in the country has risen to 794,000, adding up to 128,941 have already been rescued.

The death toll remains at 446, according to the Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development Celso Correia, who spoke at a press conference, stressing that the rescue teams have not yet finished searches at all affected sites.

Correia said there were already cases of diarrhea reported in some accommodation centers, but the health system is assisting people, and the government is working with partners to make the mitigation plan more efficient.

Asked by Xinhua about the stage of donations and rescues, the minister said the priority is to save lives by delivering food and providing medical care.

"We have support in donations and rescue teams that continue to arrive, but now the Institute for Disaster Management is making strategic management," said Correia.

"It was exactly the kind of help we need, basically in the field of health, environmental sanitation, among other supports." Correia said.

Minister Correia said that emergency operations are becoming more organized and with targeted approaches, being able to provide quick responses in a timely way.

During a tour of Beira on Monday, former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano said reconstruction of Sofala province which was hard hit by Cyclone Idai may take up to three years.

Chissano arrived in Beira, capital city of Sofala province on Monday morning to visit the areas struck by Cyclone Idai, carrying a message of resilience and comfort for the victims.

"The reconstruction of the main structures, resettlement of the population may take short period, if the support provided by the international community is in big quantity," said the former president.

He warned that the danger hasn't finished yet because there are bodies to be found, and diseases will kill people, "but with all the forces combined all this can be mitigated," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:04:44|Editor: zh

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XIANGSHUI, Jiangsu, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Police Force has dispatched a new emergency response team comprising 400 people to assist with rescue efforts after a deadly chemical plant explosion in east China's Jiangsu Province.

The members on the team, who are specialized in chemical defense, engineering and transport, have come from the Armed Police Force troops stationed in Jiangsu, Anhui and Fujian provinces and brought with them plenty of equipment, such as chemicals reconnaissance and decontamination vehicles.

The explosion happened at about 2:48 p.m. Thursday following a fire that broke out in a plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. Ltd., in a chemical industrial park in Xiangshui County in the city of Yancheng.

The death toll from an explosion in a chemical plant in east China's Jiangsu Province has risen to 78 as of Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Before this team, there have been some 1,000 officers and soldiers of the Armed Police Force working at the site since the blast.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:04:45|Editor: zh

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SHENZHEN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jieyi, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Monday met with Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu, who is leading a delegation from the city.

Welcoming the delegation, Liu said compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of the same family.

"We welcome and support cities on both sides, on the basis of upholding the 1992 Consensus, to enhance exchanges and jointly seek development, to bring Taiwan compatriots a stronger sense of fulfillment," Liu said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:04:46|Editor: Xiaoxia

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RIYADH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations to protect Yemeni children, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Joint Forces Commander of the Coalition, Fahad Bin Turki Bin Abdulaziz and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, signed the MoU in Riyadh.

The deal aims to strengthen the protection of children affected by the armed conflict in Yemen.

Abdulaziz affirmed his hopes of close cooperation in regard to the memorandum with the United Nations, especially that it serves a "noble cause."

The Saudi-led war in Yemen against Houthis in support of the Yemeni exiled government will complete its fourth year on Tuesday as it started on March 26, 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:09:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A Jet Airways aircraft is seen at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, March 25, 2019. India's beleaguered airline Jet Airways received an interim funding of 217.6 million U.S. dollars from State Bank of India Monday after its founder Naresh Goyal and his wife stepped down from the board of directors. (Xinhua/Stringer)

MUMBAI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- India's beleaguered airline Jet Airways received an interim funding of 217.6 million U.S. dollars from State Bank of India Monday after its founder Naresh Goyal and his wife stepped down from the board of directors.

The infusion of 217.6 million dollars would address the short-term worries of staff salary and leased planes which were grounded.

"We expect to get new investor by May 31," said Rajnish Kumar, chairman of State Bank of India, one of the major lenders to the airline.

Naresh Goyal's stake is set to come down to about 25 percent while Etihad's holding will fall to 12 percent following approval for resolution plan submitted by the bankers, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:14:49|Editor: Xiaoxia

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ATHENS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Greece marked on Monday the 198th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence on March 25, 1821 against the 400-year Ottoman rule with a customary military parade in the center of Athens.

Soldiers and mechanized units of the Greek Armed Forces paraded in front of the Parliament building, military jets flew and helicopters hovered over the crowd as people were cheering and waving Greek national flags.

In his message for the day, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who attended the parade in Athens, urged Greeks to continue defending freedom, friendship and cooperation among nations.

"Our ancestors fought for freedom for every man, because for Greeks freedom is an integral part of human beings. Therefore, today we fight for all peoples' freedom beyond our borders. This is very important concerning our big European family ahead of the upcoming crucial European Parliament elections," Pavlopoulos told the press after the parade, referring to the May ballots.

"We are all aware that forces of populism and racism which border on Nazism openly fight against the European structure, they seek the collapse of European democracy and European civilization. Each European citizen, including Greeks, should give them this message in the elections: You will not succeed," the Greek president stressed.

"We must look back to our history and learn. We are inspired by the heroes of 1821, who gave their blood so that we can live today in a free country," Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis said.

Greece's Armed Forces protect the country's territorial sovereignty and support the strengthening of peace and cooperation in the region, the minister underlined.

In addition to the military parade in the center of the Greek capital, thousands of Greek youth participated in student parades nationwide.
Aerial photo shows a train running on the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

NAIVASHA, Kenya, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Modern infrastructure projects like roads, ports and railways that are either financed or built by China have injected vitality into the country's transformation agenda, senior officials and experts said.

Philip Mainga, acting managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation said that China's immense contribution to expansion and upgrading of transport infrastructure in Kenya has unleashed benefits to the economy and citizens.

"There is no doubt the infrastructure projects financed and developed by China are making huge impact in the country especially when you look at the ease of travel and employment opportunities," Mainga told Xinhua recently.

He singled out phase one of the standard gauge railway (SGR) project that was launched on May 31, 2017 for ensuring there is seamless movement of people and cargo between the port city of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi.

"The SGR phase one also created so many jobs and new opportunities for local entrepreneurs who supplied construction materials like cement, steel and sand," said Mainga.

He said that phase 2A of SGR whose implementation has entered the final stretch will stimulate commerce and investments in the Kenyan hinterland.

China has overtaken external lenders to become largest financier of infrastructure projects that have positioned Kenya as an unrivalled transport and logistics hub in the region.

The Africa Construction Trends launched by consultancy firm, Deloitte in December 2018 indicated that Kenya had the highest number of infrastructure projects financed by China across the eastern African region.

Maxwell Mengich, general manager for infrastructure development at Kenya Railways Corporation said that Chinese-built modern roads and railways have benefited local entrepreneurs besides enhancing linkages with regional trading partners.

"Kenya has benefited from infrastructure projects built by the Chinese and they range from job creation, faster movement of people and goods," said Mengich.

"The future prosperity of this country is dependent on interconnectivity and China is helping us achieve that goal," he added.

Kenyan investors hailed Chinese-built infrastructure projects saying they have stimulated economic growth and boosted the country's attractiveness as an investment destination.

"These infrastructure projects have changed the image of our country for the better and we are witnessing an improved investor confidence thanks to ease of travel," said Kamau Njuguna, a member of East African Chamber of Commerce.

Njuguna said that completion of phase 2A of SGR project that will link Nairobi to the resort town of Naivasha, will have positive impact on horticulture and tourism.

"The railway line will cut down on cost of travel from Nairobi to Naivasha and the benefits will be felt by horticulture farmers as well as local and foreign tourists," he told Xinhua.

Kenyan youth have acquired skills and gainful employment thanks to Chinese-funded infrastructure projects like the Standard Gauge Railway that is a critical component of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Boniface Musimba, a technician at phase 2A of SGR said that knowledge and skills transfer has become a defining feature of China-built infrastructure projects.

"The positive impacts of infrastructure projects financed by China include employment creation, transfer of skills and knowledge that will benefit us in the long-term," said Musimba.

Local communities too have gained from modern infrastructure projects financed by China thanks to reduced cost of travel and opening up of the hinterland.

John Mwathi, community leader based from a village near Naivasha town said phase 2A of the SGR project has transformed rural livelihoods through growth of small businesses.

"The value of our ancestral land has gone up since the construction of phase 2A of SGR phase began. Our youth have benefited from jobs and the contractor has assisted us to construct new classrooms and water pans," said Mwathi.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:19:52|Editor: zh

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CHENGDU, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Roberto Castellani was quick to point out the differences between Chinese wine buyers 15 years ago and now.

The 78-year-old owner of an Italian wine company attended the 100th China Food & Drinks Fair, held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, from March 21 to 23 this year. This was his 32nd visit to the fair.

Over 4,000 companies from 40 countries and regions participated in the fair, which is held twice every year.

The Chinese people's understanding of wines has dramatically changed over the last few years, he said.

"About 15 years ago, I saw with my own eyes people pouring coca cola and soda water into wine that I brought to China, and then chugging it. People were always asking me for the cheapest wine. I almost felt despair," said Castellani.

This year he brought a high-end brand that sells for as much as 134 U.S. dollars a bottle, and he is worried about the sales.

Now when people come to wine fairs, they are almost like professional tasters and can tell the subtlety between wines, he said. It is time to bring quality wine to China, he added.

Suning.com, an e-commerce platform in China, said it sold about 300 million yuan of wine in 2018, about 60 percent of which were imported. More than 65 percent of the imported wine cost 300 yuan (about 45 U.S. dollars) per bottle.

"Chinese consumers have become more savvy and shrewd, and gone are the days when the distributors banked on the lack of knowledge of the buyers and made huge money," said Zhu Feng, general manager of Banniere, a Chongqing-based wine importer and exporter.

The company sold 320 million yuan of imported wine last year, Zhu said.

"In previous years, I saw people carry paper boards that said ten yuan (1.5 U.S. dollars) per bottle at the fair, and I haven't seen any of that over the past few years." Competition in the sales of cheap wines is fierce, so a growing number of sellers and buyers have turned to quality wines, he said.

"Before, people liked to buy cheap wines that have foreign names. Now, at the fair, they come to ask me about whether the wine was bottled in China or the country of origin. Quality wines have a good market prospect in China," said Zhang Bo, who imports wine from Canada.

Chinese wine-makers are also building quality brands as they seek to woo buyers.

Chinese wine imports were 687.5 million liters last year, a year-on-year drop of 8.26 percent for the first time since 2014, according to the Ministry of Commerce website. Meanwhile, the value of imports rose by 2.12 percent to 2.85 billion U.S. dollars.

"The market is becoming more polarised, and shifting fast," said Yang, a wine importer from Guangzhou.

"At the low-end level, cheap wines still sell. Upstream, the consumers are getting picky, and they like non-generic quality wines that are produced for a specific group of buyers," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:19:53|Editor: Xiaoxia

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KABUL, March 25 (Xinhua) -- More than a dozen militants have been confirmed dead as government forces increased pressure on the armed opposition groups in Afghanistan, officials said Monday.

In the latest crackdown on militants, government forces' fighting aircraft pounded a Taliban hideout in Sangin district of the southern Helmand province on Monday, killing six militants including senior commander Jihadyar, said an army statement.

Commander Jihadyar, according to the statement, had served as shadow spy chief of the Taliban outfit and his physical elimination could prove a major blow to the militants operating in the restive Helmand province.

Similarly, clashes between government forces and Taliban fighters on a road linking the southern Uruzgan province to Kandahar on Sunday night left eight militants dead and six others injured, a local official said.

The official on the condition of anonymity also confirmed that five security personnel were injured in the fighting which lasted for a few hours.

In the crackdowns against the armed opposition groups, the government forces stormed an hideout of Islamic State (IS) group by using an unmanned plane in Achin district of the eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday afternoon.

The operation killed three militants including the group commander, Aslam Farooqi, on the spot and destroyed their hideout, said an army statement released on Monday.

The government forces, according to the statement, would continue to target the armed militants elsewhere in the country.

Neither Taliban outfit nor IS group has made comment.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:39:57|Editor: Xiaoxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities said on Monday they have arrested 15 Zambians in Tunduma on the Tanzania-Zambia border in connection with various crimes, including stealing from businessmen and smuggling of goods.

Jomimasa Nsido, a senior official with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) in Songwe region, said the arrest sparked riots from the Zambian side of the border.

The official said some Zambians burned car tyres in the middle of the Tanzania-Zambia highway, demanding the release of their 15 colleagues.

"The arrest of the 15 Zambians is part of a campaign aimed at ensuring that the area remained safe for doing business," said the official, adding that most of the suspects were arrested over the weekend.

She said the operation to arrest criminals was being supervised by Songwe region's security and defense committee in collaboration with TRA.

Juma Irando, Momba district commissioner in Songwe region, said authorities from both countries were meeting to resolve the issue.

"People on both sides of the border should abide by laws in both countries," said Irando.

He said authorities in Momba district in the Tanzanian side and their counterparts from Nakonde resolved to hand over the 15 Zambians to authorities in the neighboring country for legal action.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:45:01|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A media registration system under the press center of the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition opened to media from home and abroad on Monday, the organizing committee said.

Journalists can log onto the official website -- https://exhibitionreg.news.cn -- to sign up. Registration will close on Sept. 10.

After registering online, foreign journalists temporarily in China can apply for J-2 visas at Chinese embassies, consulates or other agencies abroad entrusted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry with the confirmation letter generated by the registration system.

The time and method for collecting the press cards will be announced on the official website of the Beijing expo in due course.

Open from April 29 to October 7 next year, the 162-day expo will exhibit the latest achievements in floriculture and fruit and vegetable farming at the foot of the Great Wall in northwest Beijing's Yanqing District.

So far, 110 countries and international organizations have confirmed attendance. It is expected that more than 16 million people will visit the expo this year.

This is the second time China will hold such a high-level horticulture expo. Southwestern Chinese city Kunming held the expo in 1999.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 21:45:02|Editor: zh

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NAIROBI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and China plan to sign a mutual legal assistance agreement in order to combat corruption, the country's anti-graft watchdog said on Monday.

Twalib Mbarak, CEO of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission told Xinhua in Nairobi that Kenya has already signed the agreement and has submitted the deal to the Chinese government for them to sign.

"The mutual legal assistance agreement will help to combat economic crimes by enabling cooperation between Kenya and Chinese investigative agencies to trace and recover proceeds of crime that are transferred between the two nations," said Mbarak.

Mbarak said that bilateral legal agreements are required because with increasing globalization, corruption has now become a significant transnational crime that requires countries to conduct investigations in foreign countries.

He noted that increasing Sino-Kenya ties has provided greater opportunities for criminal networks to take advantage of ease of flow of funds between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:05:05|Editor: Xiaoxia

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HARARE, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's relief efforts got a boost Monday when the European Union (EU) availed a helicopter to support relief efforts in the eastern part of the country following the devastating impact of Cyclone Idai over a week ago.

The helicopter, an Mi-8AMT, will be operated by the World Food Program and started its mission in Mutare, capital city of Manicaland province on Monday, the EU said in a statement.

"It can transport up to three metric tons or 19 people and will connect responders with cut-off and hard-to-reach areas of Chimanimani and Chipinge. This enables transport of necessary relief items but also personnel and injured people for a period of approximately three weeks," the EU said.

It said the helicopter will be at the free disposal of about 20 humanitarian organizations, and will do about five rotations per day.

The helicopter comes at a time when the government has been lamenting slow movement of relief items to the effected people due to damaged infrastructure especially roads and bridges.

The helicopter is therefore expected to speed up distribution of food and other relief items to areas ravaged by the Cyclone, which has so far killed more than 150 people and displaced thousands of others particularly in the hardest hit Chimanimani district.

EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen is expected to visit the affected areas this week. He expressed hope that the helicopter will go a long way in improving the difficult relief operations underway.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:10:05|Editor: zh

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HONG KONG, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Over 400 people got vaccinated against measles Monday at vaccination stations set up at the Hong Kong International Airport to prevent the spread of measles infection, according to Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP).

From Jan. 1 to March 24, 2019, 20 measles cases have been registered in Hong Kong, a spokesperson of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Health Department told Xinhua on Monday.

This number is higher than the annual totals of the past few years.

Out of the 20 cases, at least nine have been categorized as imported cases and several recent cases concern people working at the Hong Kong International Airport.

The CHP held a health talk on Friday at the airport to deliver measles-related health advice, and set up a vaccination station on Saturday at the airport to provide measles vaccination to non-immune people working there.

"This mop-up measles vaccination exercise aims to protect those non-immune to measles. For those who was born before 1967 in Hong Kong, it is expected that they have contracted measles in the past and thus have antibodies against measles. Separately, those who have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine will also be protected against measles," a CHP spokesman explained.

The vaccination services were enhanced on Monday. According to the CHP, another vaccination station has been set up at the airport, and on Monday alone 484 people received measles vaccination at the stations.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:20:08|Editor: Xiaoxia

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BERLIN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) parties agreed on their program for the European Parliament elections on May 26 at a meeting in Berlin on Monday.

The slogan for the CDU-CSU European election program is "Our Europe is strong. For security, peace and prosperity". The program was launched here by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of the CDU, Manfred Weber, chair of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, and Markus Soeder, leader of the CSU.

Weber said that Europe "can only assert itself globally with good products. That is why we want Europe to be economically strong."

Soeder cautioned that Brexit was a "synonym for when Europe is left to the wrong people". He argued that Europe should strive to "keep one foot in the door of international politics," in particular by creating its own economic "champions."

The joint CDU-CSU European election program warns that "the European idea is being attacked by populists from left and right and by nationalists. Some want a Europe of prohibition and redistribution; others want to destroy the European idea."

Kramp-Karrenbauer emphasized that the upcoming European Parliament elections are "clearly not about the question of whether one is for or against Europe."

Weber reiterated that "Europe is the flagship in the fight against climate change."

The CDU-CSU program for the European elections calls for "the global pricing of greenhouse gas emissions and a rapid implementation, if necessary initially at the level of the G20 states."

Kramp-Karrenbauer stressed that holding open discussions about "all available instruments" is vital for tackling climate change, while Soeder noted that Germany would need to have a "fundamental rethink" of its own national energy policy.

This is the first time the CDU and CSU have a single program for the European elections and a common top candidate, Manfred Weber.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:25:09|Editor: zh

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- China saw a surge in the sales of books on the Chinese classics last year, especially those designed for children.

Chinese online retailer giant JD said that compared to 2017, 131 percent more such books were sold in 2018. The sales volume of Chinese classic photocopies rocketed by nearly 200 percent.

Sales of Chinese literary classics also boomed, with the sales volume of the classic novel "Journey to the West" published by the Commercial Press increasing five-fold, and "A Dream of Red Mansions" published by the People's Literature Publishing House rising by nearly 150 percent from 2017.

The craze for classics has been growing among children and adolescents.

Almost all of the 100 best-selling editions of the classic novel "The Three Kingdoms" and those for "A Dream of Red Mansions," more than 60 percent are intended for children, according to Beijing-based book industry researcher OpenBook.

The learning of Chinese classics was listed as a major task in a guideline on preserving and developing excellent traditional culture released by China's central authorities in 2017.

The same year, the Ministry of Education issued a guideline on college entrance exam reform, urging Chinese classes to increase student exposure to Chinese classics and related texts.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:30:10|Editor: yan

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RAMALLAH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Monday said it is following up developments in the Gaza Strip with grave concern, particularly the recent hours' escalation, despite Egypt's efforts to maintain calm.

The committee accused the Israeli government of "seeking to use the developments in the Israeli election next month, and utilize it for the benefit of the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies."

The committee said in a statement following its meeting earlier on Monday that Netanyahu is planning to "escalate the siege and the assault against our people in Gaza Strip, and induce tensions in the region in order to force the Palestinian people and Arab nations to surrender through what is known as the U.S. Deal of the Century."

The PLO statement said that the Palestinian people have right to end the Israeli occupation over the territories of 1967 borders, and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:35:11|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Russia is forced to abandon its plan of sending observers to monitor the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The Central Election Commission of Ukraine had refused to accredit 24 Russian citizens to monitor the March 31 presidential election as part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission, it said.

In February, Ukraine refused to accredit two Russian women who were heading to the country as long-term observers of the OSCE mission.

Short-term observers conduct monitoring only on the election day, while long-term members track the entire course of the electoral process before, on and after the polling day.

Later in February, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) invited Russian short-term observers to Ukraine, which has been in conflict with Russia since 2014 due to Crimea and Donbass.

Russia accepted the invitation, but now it has decided to abstain from sending observers even for a short term.

The ministry expects the ODIHR, despite the absence of Russian observers, to be able to provide the international community with an objective, reliable and honest picture of the election in Ukraine.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 22:45:12|Editor: yan

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BEIJING, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A recent survey shows that close to 90 percent of university students want to gain financial independence, the China Youth Daily reported Monday.

Among those who have such plans, 72.88 percent said they realized financial independence to varying degrees, and 8 percent are paying their own personal bills, the Beijing-based newspaper said.

The survey was based on answers from 805 respondents.

Different from the older generations that earned money to alleviate the burden on their families, the current students aspire for freedom, a sense of pride and responsibility, and satisfaction of supporting themselves, it said.

Nearly 50 percent of respondents attributed their pursuit of financial independence to "a sense of being cool" and reluctance to tell parents why they need the money.

Li Yuhui, a professor with the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China, warned against the risks facing students in taking part-time jobs to this end.

"With various choices ranging from tutoring jobs to being hired to create fake reviews in online marketplaces, how to make the right and safe decision should be a problem to be jointly addressed by the students, society and schools," Li told the paper.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:10:24|Editor: yan

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LONDON, March 25 (Xinhua) -- More than 70 percent of jobs done by women workers in England are at risk of being automated or taken over by robots, a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed Monday.

In addition, 15.7 percent of the young employees, aged 20 to 24, are also likely to lose their jobs to automation, the ONS said.

The new analysis shows around 1.5 million jobs in England are at high risk of having some of their duties and tasks automated in the future. But the impact of automation on the workforce is now likely to be slightly less than feared in 2011.

The three occupations with the highest probability of automation are waiters and waitresses, shelf fillers and elementary sales occupations, all of which are low skilled or routine, the study showed.

The three highly-skilled occupations at the lowest risk of automation are medical practitioners, higher education teaching professionals, and senior professionals of educational establishments.

The risk of job automation decreases as workers get older and is lowest for workers aged between 35 and 39. Just 1.3 percent of people in that age bracket are in roles at high risk of automation, said ONS.

The ONS said of the 20 million jobs it assessed, the proportion of jobs at a high risk of automation decreased slightly between 2011 and 2017, from 8.1 percent to 7.4 percent of roles.

The ONS said automation involves replacing tasks currently done by workers with technology, which could include computer programs, algorithms, or even robots.

"The exact reasons for the decrease in the proportion of roles at high risk of automation are unclear, but it is possible that automation of some jobs has already happened," the ONS said, citing self-checkouts at supermarkets as an example.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:15:25|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam on Monday said that investigation on the recently crashed Ethiopian plane that killed all 157 people aboard is "well underway."

A Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after taking off from Addis Ababa on March 10, killing all 157 people on board.

"The investigation of the accident is well underway, and we will learn the truth," Gebremariam said, adding that "many questions on the B-737 MAX airplane remain without answers, and I pledge full and transparent cooperation to discover what went wrong."

Amid ongoing investigations, recent reports indicated that despite Ethiopian Airlines is among the first to install a training simulator on the new Max 8, the captain of the crashed Flight ET-302 was not trained on the simulator.

However, Gebremariam stressed that Ethiopia's flag carrier has been providing the training effectively.

"As it is well known in our global aviation industry, the differences training between the B-737 NG and the B-737 MAX recommended by Boeing and approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called for computer-based training, but we went beyond that," an Ethiopian Airlines Group statement quoted Gebremariam as saying on Monday.

According to the CEO, after the Lion Air accident in October last year, Ethiopian pilots who fly the Boeing 737 Max 8 "were fully trained on the service bulletin issued by Boeing and the Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the USA FAA."

"We are the only airline in Africa among the very few in the world with the B-737 MAX full flight simulator. Contrary to some media reports, our pilots who fly the new model were trained on all appropriate simulators," Gebremariam said.

"The crews were well trained on this aircraft," Gebremariam said, adding "immediately after the crash and owing to the similarity with the Lion Air Accident, we grounded our fleet of Max 8s."

"Within days, the plane had been grounded around the world. I fully support this. Until we have answers, putting one more life at risk is too much," he added.

Gebremariam also noted that Ethiopian Airlines flight mechanics are certified by the FAA.

Ethiopian Airlines also stressed that it operates with "one of the youngest fleet in the industry, our average fleet age is five years while industry average is 12 years."

Ethiopia's flag carrier, which serves more than 11 million passengers annually according to figures from the airlines, has relatively better safety record in the aviation sector with minimal incidents in over 7 decades of its operations.

The French air accident investigation authority BEA is investigating the crashed plane's black boxes.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:20:28|Editor: yan

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WINDHOEK, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese community residing in Namibia said they are willing to be part of the upcoming 2019 Windhoek Annual Cultural Festival.

The event is scheduled to take place from June 26 to 30 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in the capital Windhoek.

The annual event aims to promote Namibian culture, while empowering youth with regard to entrepreneurship, social empowerment, creativity and innovation.

The cultural event also aims to teach others more about the different cultures in Namibia. It also aims to promote cultures from outside the country.

In an interview Monday, Wang Bai is pleased about the event, saying it will give him the opportunity to network with more Namibians.

"I have been living in Namibia for more than two years now. I really don't have the time to network with more Namibians apart from those who work with me. I am thankful for the event."

"I believe that it is very important to get to know more about the people who I am living in the same country with," Wang said excited.

Zhao Cuifen said she is looking forward to getting a taste of Namibia's drinks and food.

"I have tasted Namibian drinks and food before. I love it, because it is home-made and very delicious," Zhao said.

Li Yang is not residing in Namibia, but he said he is also looking forward to attending the cultural fun-filled event.

"I believe in culture. I feel that it is very important to know each others' cultures. What I find very interesting about the world is the fact that we all are different."

The newly initiated festival calls for interested exhibitors to apply for stalls, encouraging artists to perform during the festival to apply. The festival will be held under the theme "diversity".

Organizers said the reason why they came up with the theme is because there will be a variety of cultural activities on offer.

The initiator of the festival, Silvester Shapwa, said their aim is to promote Namibian culture, while empowering youth through entrepreneurship, social empowerment, and creativity.

Shapwa said the festival is not only hosted for Namibians.

"We are encouraging people from outside Namibia to also attend the festival. It is the first time that such an event is held in Namibia."

"This would be a great learning experience for those who know little about the Namibian cultures. Namibia has diverse cultures," he said.

Shapwa said there will be different cultural performances and international cuisines will also be available.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:20:29|Editor: yan

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ADDIS ABABA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan plans to nearly triple daily oil production from the current 350,000 barrels daily to around 1 million barrels daily by end of 2019, a South Sudanese diplomat said on Monday.

James Morgan, South Sudan ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, said with his country enjoying relative peace after nearly five years of civil war, South Sudan has turned its sights on reviving its oil sector.

South Sudan depends on oil production to finance more than 90 percent of its fiscal expenditure despite ongoing efforts to increase non-oil revenues.

"With the signing of the September 2018 peace agreement, South Sudan has been able to open five oil fields that were closed during the war," Morgan told Xinhua.

"At the moment South Sudan produces around 350,000 barrels of oil per day, but with the opening of previously closed oil fields and ongoing rehabilitation of currently operating oil fields, we are optimistic South Sudan will hit the 1 million barrels of oil per day mark by end of 2019," he further said.

Morgan called on key development partners, including China, to support South Sudan's efforts to rehabilitate its oil sector that was severely hurt by the civil war.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:45:37|Editor: yan

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PARIS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- France on Monday strongly denounced the early Monday rocket attack from the Gaza Strip which targeted a residential zone near Tel Aviv, recalling its commitment to guarantee security in Israel, the French Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

"France condemns with the greatest firmness the rocket fire that deliberately targeted inhabited areas of Israeli territory from Gaza," the ministry said in a press release.

"We express our solidarity with the victims and recall our unwavering commitment to the security of Israel," it said.

Early on Monday, a long-range rocket launched from Gaza hit a residential home in central Israel, injuring seven, in the first such incident since 2014.

The attack came amid heightened tension in the region ahead of the on-year anniversary on March 30 of the weekly protests along the fence in Gaza, known as the "Great March of Return," and during which Palestinians tried to breach the frontier. At least 190 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed in the rallies a year ago.

Brokered by the U.S., direct peace negotiations were stopped in April 2014 as the rival camps failed to come up with tangible results due to differences on major issues like settlement, security, borders and the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:45:38|Editor: ZX

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Zambia's fourth President Rupiah Banda, who is the executive president of the Zambia-China Friendship Association, delivers a speech during the launch ceremony of the association in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, March 25, 2019. Zambia and China on Monday launched the Zambia-China Friendship Association aimed at strengthening bilateral relations. (Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta)

LUSAKA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Zambia and China on Monday launched an association aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

A launch ceremony for the Zambia China Friendship Association was attended by Zambia's first president Kenneth Kaunda, who is the honorary president of the association and Zambia's fourth president Rupiah Banda, who is executive president of the association.

It was also attended by Lin Yi, Vice-President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries as well as Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie.

In remarks delivered during the launch, Kaunda said one of the goals of the association will be to strengthen grassroot ties between the peoples of the two countries.

Kaunda said as an advocate of Zambia's friendship with China, he was desirous to see it succeed, adding that Zambia and the rest of Africa have a lot to learn on how China has managed to lift itself out of poverty and grow into one of the world's economic powerhouses within four decades.

According to him, the association has a mammoth task to ensure it takes the relationship to greater heights, adding that Zambia must use the friendship with China to attain greater economic development.

On his part, Banda hailed the relationship that has existed since the pre-independence period.

He said China has shown that it was an all-weather friend to Zambia as evidenced when it financed the construction of the Tanzania Zambia Railway at a time the Asian nation was not economically developed and when western countries refused to come to Zambia's aid.

He commended China for sacrifices it made and has continued to make to help not only Zambia but other African nations.

The former Zambian leader said the association was a vehicle that will support ties at people-to-people level and that its formation was the culmination of the commitment to hard work between peoples of the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Chinese envoy hailed the launch of the association, saying the two countries have enjoyed a long history of profound friendship based on similar historical and development task.

According to him, frequent high-level visits and political trust between the two countries have been deepening and resulted in fruitful results.

The Chinese envoy said bilateral trade volumes between the two countries reached 5 billion U.S. dollars last year while China's direct investment to Zambia maintained a constant growth.

"The key to sound relations between countries lies in amity among the people. Indeed, friendship and goodwill between our two peoples provide solid foundation for the long-term growth of bilateral relations," he said.

The establishment of the association, he said, was a milestone in the two countries' bilateral relations which marks a new high level and hoped that the association will enhance and promote friendship and pragmatic cooperation between peoples of the two countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:55:43|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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PHNOM PENH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- United Nations resident coordinator in Cambodia Pauline Tamesis led three UN country team members, who were recently appointed as representatives of UN agencies in Cambodia, to present their credentials to Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn on Monday.

The three representatives, Nick Beresford, resident representative of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Sardar Umar Alam, representative of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Cristian Munduate, representative of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), used this opportunity to symbolically demonstrate the UN country teams' commitment towards working together, said a statement from the UN in Cambodia.

The UN agency representatives reaffirmed their support to the Cambodian government and the people of Cambodia by providing innovative solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the statement said.

Tamesis also informed Sokhonn, who is also a deputy prime minister, about the ongoing efforts of the UN development system reform, saying that the reform aspired to strengthen the UN's capacity and coordination systems to better support achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"The UN agency representatives reaffirmed their support to the royal government and the people of Cambodia by providing innovative solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030," she said in the statement.

The UN resident coordinator is the highest-ranking representative of the UN development system in the country.

During the meeting, the UN representatives discussed on the preparation for the 2019 annual dialogue between the UN country team and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the statement said.

The proposed topics for the annual dialogue are social protection, data for development and voluntary national review, it said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-25 23:55:44|Editor: yan

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MALE, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Maldivian Health Ministry on Monday said that over 60 percent of Maldivians were prone to diabetes while over 50 percent of those affected were not aware they had the illness.

In a recent survey conducted by the Health Ministry and Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, it said that Maldivians needed to change their lifestyle and food especially after they were diagnosed with a major illness.

The survey was conducted following information gathered from 50,000 people. It was revealed that women were more prone to diabetes than men in the island country.

Overall 8.1 percent of the total Maldivian population was affected by diabetes.

The survey was completed as part of the 100 day pledge policy of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to educate Maldivians about diabetes and to provide better medical treatment for the patients.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 00:35:57|Editor: yan

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DAR ES SALAAM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities said on Monday financial constraints were likely to derail the second phase implementation of the Water Sector Development Program (WSDP).

Makame Mbarawa, the Minister for Water and Irrigation, said out of the planned 3.3 billion U.S. dollars, the government has so far mobilized an estimated amount of 1.9 billion U.S. dollars only.

"The government is still soliciting other sources of financing so as to achieve our ambitious program," he told the 12th Joint Water Sector Review meeting in the capital Dodoma.

He added: "If the resources gap is not addressed, it will hinder the performance of the second phase of the program."

He told the participants that there was an urgent need to seriously think and come up with the solutions to the problem in their discussions.

However, Mbarawa said in spite of the financial resource constraints, there was a notable achievement across all the components of WSDP II such as improved provision of water supply and sanitation to communities.

He said in rural areas a total of 344 water supply and sanitation projects were completed while 500 projects are at different stages of implementation.

According to the minister, a total of 25,359,290 people equivalent to 64.8 percent of the rural population are served from 86,780 functional water points out of 131,370 water points.

In urban areas, he said projects implemented by urban water utilities benefit a total of 11,563,595 people, translating to water coverage of 85 percent.

In efforts to serve water resources, he said a total of 298 water sources have been identified for protection, 103 water sources are at various stages of demarcation and 18 water sources are gazetted.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 00:40:57|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the international community to provide more protection for UN staff members.

In his message on the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, the UN chief asked countries to strengthen resolve to give UN staff members "the protection they need to continue their work for peace and prosperity for all."

Guterres said that 16 UN staff members were kidnapped or abducted in 2018, and one thus far in 2019, adding that all have been released. Currently, there are 21 UN staff members under arrest or in detention -- five of whom are being held without any known charges, he added.

Guterres said that the UN will continue to do everything within its means to secure the staff members' release.

"Whether in their home countries or abroad, United Nations staff members have an admirable commitment to service. Their safety must be our priority," said the secretary-general.

The International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is observed annually on March 25 by the UN. According its official website, the day is marked each year on the anniversary of the abduction of Alec Collett, a former journalist working for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) when he was abducted by armed gunman in 1985.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:21:01|Editor: yan

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SHENZHEN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A delegation from Taiwan's Kaohsiung city led by mayor Han Kuo-yu Monday signed agreements with four companies from Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, to sell 200 million yuan (29.8 million U.S. dollars) worth of agricultural and processed products to the latter in the next four years.

Han described his trip to Shenzhen as "short but fruitful," saying he was looking forward to more people-to-people exchanges between the two cities in the future.

The delegation also visited Yantian Port, the Han's Laser company, the Tencent company, and the administrative service hall of Nanshan District, in Shenzhen Monday.

Han expressed the hope to expand cooperation with Shenzhen in agriculture, economy and trade, sports, culture, exhibition and other fields in the future.

When he was asked to comment on the Democratic Progressive Party's criticism of his ongoing visit, Han said he did not worry about or fear verbal attacks.

"We hope that the Taiwan residents can keep their eyes open so that they can tell right from wrong. Politicians should serve the people."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:31:04|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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United Nations General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces (C) chairs an event to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, at the UN headquarters in New York, March 25, 2019. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the international community to renew its promise to end racial discrimination. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the international community to renew its promise to end racial discrimination.

In his remarks at an event to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Guterres said that it is time to "renew our promise to end racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including social and ethnic discrimination, anti-Muslim hatred and anti-Semitism."

"The massacre at two mosques in New Zealand two Fridays ago is the latest tragedy rooted in such poison," he said.

The UN chief said that he was deeply alarmed by the current rise of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, fed increasingly by nationalist and populist ideologies.

When people are attacked, physically, verbally or on social media, because of their race, religion or ethnicity, all of society is diminished, said the secretary-general, adding that it is crucial for all of us to stand up and defend the principles of equality and human dignity.

Guterres said that he has asked his special adviser for the prevention of genocide to bring together the UN system to design a strategy and plan of action to combat hate speech.

The secretary-general said that the universal human rights have to be upheld and promoted. This includes supporting national legislation that promotes non-discrimination and encouraging politicians and religious leaders to speak out against intolerance, discriminatory stereotyping and hate speech.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which falls on March 21, commemorates the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, where police opened fire and killed 69 people peacefully demonstrating against apartheid in South Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:36:04|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) on Monday killed a civilian and kidnapped three others in southern Libya, a security source said.

"Gunmen in three vehicles attacked the town of Ghadwa and raided a number of civilian houses. The reasons for the attack are still unknown," a source of the security directorate of the southern city of Sabha told Xinhua.

Ghadwa, the largest southern Libyan city, is located 65 km southeast of Sabha.

Libya's eastern-based army has been carrying out a military campaign against terrorism and crime in the south since mid-January.

The army recently carried out an operation and freed several hostages held by militants in southern Libya, killing or capturing several kidnappers.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:41:05|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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U.S. President Donald Trump (L) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, March 25, 2019. Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967.

The proclamation said that it is "appropriate to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights" because of the security need of Israel.

"This was a long time in the making," Trump said before signing the decree at the White House with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing alongside.

Netanyahu welcomed Trump's move and called the recognition "historic."

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967 and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:46:06|Editor: yan

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GAZA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Ismail Haniyeh, Islamic Hamas movement's politburo chief, said Monday that Palestinian "armed resistance" is able to deter "the Israeli occupation" if it crosses the red line.

Haniyeh said in an emailed press statement that "for any Israeli occupation's violation of the red lines, our people won't surrender and the armed resistance (Hamas and other militants) will be able to deter it."

"The Palestinian cause is facing a comprehensive aggression at all levels and on all fronts in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza as well as the prisoners in the jails of the occupation," said Haniyeh.

He added "therefore, we have to face this comprehensive aggression with national unity and high coordination with our Arab brothers."

Israeli army warplanes and drones carried out on Monday evening several intensive airstrikes on military posts, facilities and compounds in southern, central and northern Gaza Strip, with no injuries reported.

An Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that Israeli Air Force warplanes struck several posts and facilities that belong to militant groups all over the Gaza Strip.

He said that the airstrikes are a response to earlier rocket attack fired from the Gaza Strip which hit a building in northern Tel Aviv in central Israel, leaving seven Israelis wounded and severe destruction and damage.

Neither Hamas nor any militant group in the Gaza Strip has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on Tel Aviv.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:51:07|Editor: yan

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GENEVA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Swiss-based international food giant Nestle on Monday announced the inauguration of a new Research & Development Center (R&D) in Beijing and a System Technology hub in Shenzhen in southeastern China.

The new R&D center will enable Nestle to accelerate trend-based innovation in China to meet fast-changing consumer demand, the company said in a statement here.

The technology hub will strengthen collaboration with Chinese partners and suppliers of operations in the area.

Nestle CEO Mark Schneider was quoted as saying in Beijing, "China is one of the fastest-changing food and beverage markets in the world, and a significant growth driver for Nestle."

He said the company is strengthening its local R&D capabilities so that its teams can work faster and more efficiently to turn ideas into "the latest must-have products" for consumers in China.

Nestle said its R&D in Beijing focuses on creating new food and beverage products primarily for Chinese consumers but also for those elsewhere in Asia.

The facility is close to the Nestle China headquarters with state-of-the-art facilities. And the center features more than 40 R&D specialists working across multiple product categories, with expertise in sensory sciences, food technology, and nutrition.

They also collaborate with local universities and innovation partners. The site also houses the Nestle Food Safety Institute in China.

The Shenzhen System Technology Hub in southeastern China is an extension of the Nestle System Technology Centre in Orbe, western Switzerland.

It is near leading beverage machine and system manufacturers, enabling the company to rapidly turn new ideas for beverage systems and components into reality.

Technologists and engineers based in Shenzhen will also scout new system technologies relevant for Nestle's global beverage businesses, the company said.

Nestle said it had been rooted in China for more than 30 years, providing consumers with tastier and healthier choices and creating shared value for shareholders and society and China is now the company's second-biggest market.

The company has 33 production sites, three R&D and two innovation centers, a food safety institute, a dairy farming institute, and one coffee center and it employs about 43,000 people in China.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 01:56:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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A UN truck heads towards the Quneitra Crossing, the only land crossing between Syria's Quneitra and Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, on March 26, 2019. The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of the Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli territory, the state news agency SANA reported. (Xinhua/Wang Jian)

DAMASCUS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of the Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli territory, the state news agency SANA reported.

The ministry said in a statement that Trump's move is a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Syria," adding that the Syrian government completely rejects the decision and the Golan Heights will always remain a Syrian territory.

"Trump does not have the legal right to legitimize the occupation of others' land by force," the ministry said.

Earlier in the day, Trump recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967 and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move.

Recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has been a recent demand by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which comes months after the Trump administration moved the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 02:06:11|Editor: yan

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STOCKHOLM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A Swedish soldier died on Monday in connection with Northern Wind, a military exercise in northern Sweden, Swedish News SVT reported.

"The worst has happened. A companion in the Armed Forces has paid the ultimate price and my thoughts go to the relatives and friends in the unit," said Colonel Stefan Smedman, leader of the military exercises.

The deceased, a woman in her 40s, was hit by a CV90 combat vehicle while she was in a tent. Emergency services were called to the scene at 01:00 on Monday morning, but her life could not be saved. The Swedish Armed Forces later confirmed her deceased.

"The news is painful and sad...It is important, now, to take care of each other; to be there to provide support and comfort," Micael Byden, supreme commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, wrote in a press release.

"Work has started on seeking the answer to what caused the accident, but also on continuing the activities in a safe manner. I and the rest of the Swedish Armed Forces are with you in this difficult time," said Byden.

Police have classified the case as traffic negligence and causing others' death through workplace environment crimes. According to the police, nine people were involved in the accident.

During the afternoon, it was announced that exercises would resume later that day.

The Northern Wind military exercise runs on March 18-27 near Overkalix in the far north of Sweden, close to the Finnish border. Around 10,000 people in total participate, including about 3,000 Swedes, as well as soldiers from Finland, Norway, the UK and the U.S.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 02:56:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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Photo taken on March 25, 2019 shows flame and smoke above buildings following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. The Israeli army expanded air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday night after targeting Hamas security facilities in Gaza City, a local radio station and eyewitnesses said. (Xinhua/Stringer)

GAZA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army expanded airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday night after targeting Hamas security facilities in Gaza City, a local radio station and eyewitnesses said.

Eyewitnesses said Israeli warplanes completely destroyed a Hamas-run building including an insurance company in central Gaza City.

However, an Israeli army spokesman said in a press statement that the targeted building is used for processing Hamas security intelligence.

Local radio station al-Quds reported that the main headquarters of Hamas interior security in Remal neighborhood in western Gaza City was destroyed by Israeli drones and warplanes.

Israeli warplanes also destroyed a house in eastern Gaza City, with no injuries reported, al-Quds said.

According to security officials in Gaza and eyewitnesses, Israeli drones and warplanes carried out more than 15 airstrikes on posts, facilities, compounds and buildings that belong to Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza health ministry said no injuries had been reported in the Israeli airstrikes yet, adding that a status of emergency had been declared at all hospitals across the coastal enclave.

The intensive Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip were carried out in response to earlier rocket attacks from Gaza on Tel Aviv in central Israel.

The Israeli media reported that the attacks injured seven Israelis and caused severe destruction to several buildings in northern Tel Aviv.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 03:21:26|Editor: yan

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A Brazilian judge has ordered the release of former President Michel Temer, who was arrested Thursday on corruption charges, according to media reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 03:21:26|Editor: yan

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TIRANA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Albania's Central Election Commission (CEC) Klement Zguri asked the Parliament on Monday to protect the CEC from being influenced by the current political crisis in Albania.

Speaking on the annual report of the commission in front of the Parliament Committee of Laws and Human Rights, Zguri said that it is the Parliament's obligation to protect CEC from the political crisis.

Zguri stated that the work of the Commission of Electoral Administration Zones (CEAZ) is affected by the fact that the political parties delay to submit the lists of the candidates or change these lists.

"The parliament should support the CEC in order to have standard local elections," Zguri said.

Albania is set to hold local elections on June 30.

For a month now, Albania has been going through a political crisis with the opposition parties holding several anti-government protests involving violence, asking the Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama and his cabinet to step down for early elections.

Lawmakers of Albanian opposition have resigned from their posts and refused the calls of the European Union (EU) and international organizations to hold talks with the government and end the political crisis.

The Socialist Party holds 74 seats in the 140-seat parliament.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Presence in Albania has called on the political parties to submit nominations for CEAZ, emphasizing that the "election is the only way to power, and political parties are responsible for the credibility of the elections in the eyes of Albanian voters," said the OSCE statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 03:51:35|Editor: yan

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U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu display the proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on March 25, 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, marking a major shift in U.S. policy in the Middle East.

The proclamation said that it is "appropriate to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights" because of the security need of Israel.

"This was a long time in the making," Trump said before signing the decree at the White House with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing alongside.

Netanyahu welcomed Trump's move over the Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967, and called the recognition "historic." "In a day of history, we have never had a greater friend than President Trump," he said.

Trump expressed condolences to Netanyahu for the Gaza rocket attack and affirmed Israel's right to defend itself. The two leaders also discussed shared interests in the Middle East, according to the White House.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967 and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move.

In response, Syria's foreign ministry called the U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria, according to the state news agency SANA.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric also said on Monday that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "clear that the status of Golan has not changed."
Photo taken on March 25, 2019 shows flame and smoke above buildings following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. (Xinhua/Stringer)

GAZA/JERUSALEM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli drones and warplanes destroyed the headquarters of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City on Monday night, no injuries reported.



Eyewitnesses and security sources said Israeli drones and warplanes fired several missiles at Haniyeh's headquarters in northwestern Gaza and completely destroyed it.

They said huge explosions were heard in the neighborhood after the building was destroyed.

Meanwhile, Israeli army confirmed that its air force struck and destroyed the headquarters of Haniyeh.

"Fighter jets recently targeted the office of Haniyeh in the northern Gaza Strip neighborhood of Rimal," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said the building was used "for terror purposes by Hamas."

Israel frequently targets Hamas sites and positions in Gaza but the strike on the office of a senior Hamas official is unusual.

According to the military, jets also hit Hamas' Interior Security offices, a five-storey building in the Rimal neighborhood in the northern Gaza Strip.

"The site is a prominent Hamas building and serves the organization's military wing," the army said.

Fighter jets also struck a three-storey building in the Tzabra neighborhood, which according to the military was a secret headquarters of Hamas used by its General Security forces, General Intelligence, and Military Intelligence.

Israeli warplanes and drones have been carrying out intensive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Monday, targeting buildings, facilities and posts in response to earlier rocket attacks on central Israel which wounded seven Israelis.

Earlier in the day, Hamas evacuated from all its buildings, compounds and facilities in fear of intensive retaliatory airstrikes from Israel on the Gaza Strip.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 04:51:44|Editor: yan

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CAPE TOWN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Monday launched a national action plan (NAP) to combat rising racism.

The NAP is an important tool to prevent and combat racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic and other discriminatory conduct and forms of prejudice that South Africa has been experiencing, the government said.

The NAP will subsequently be deposited at the United Nations and will also be revised every five years, said John Harold Jeffery, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development.

The plan includes a targeted set of actions, interventions, measures and time frames, with a proposed governance structure for the implementation of the plan, as well as clear monitoring and evaluation arrangements and a reporting framework, according to Jeffery.

It sets out, in clear and practical ways, what the government, civil society, the media, academia, business, labor and sporting and religious bodies have to do to combat and prevent discrimination and prejudice.

The plan was launched as South Africa celebrated the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

South Africa's NAP "further exemplifies our commitment to our CERD obligations," Jeffery said.

Although apartheid ended about 25 years ago, the legacy of South Africa's divided past, in the form of racism, intolerance and discrimination, continues to undermine the nation, said Jeffery.

Despite significant progress, too many people are victims of racial harassment and hate speech, because of the color of their skin, their ethnic origins, their sexual identity and expression, disability or religion, he said.

According to a recent report by the Hate Crimes Working Group, nationality, sexual orientation and religion are the top three grounds of hate crimes in South Africa.

The research reveals that 59 percent of hate crime victims are black or African.

Most of these victims are, however, non-South African nationals. Less than half (42 percent) of victims were born in South Africa. Twenty-eight percent originated from an East African country and 18 percent originated from a central African country.

"We can pass laws against hate crimes and hate speech, we can launch a detailed plan such as the NAP, but we also need to change attitudes and perceptions within communities and within societies," Jeffery said.

The NAP will ensure that the concerns of individuals and groups encountering racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance are more effectively addressed, he said.

Under the plan, a rapid response mechanism will be established to collate reported incidents of racism and other crimes of prejudice, the number of cases prosecuted, as well as the reasons for non-prosecution and the outcome of such cases prosecuted by the National Prosecuting Authority, according to Jeffery.

The plan provides mechanisms for documenting and monitoring incidents of racism and for ways to strengthen efforts to combat them, such as identifying legislation that needs to be amended or adopted to protect victims, said Jeffery.

Amid resurgence of racism-related crimes in the country, lawmakers have repeatedly stressed the urgent need to introduce a bill to criminalize racism to ensure the building of an inclusive society.

South Africa's Parliament has been working on a legislation to criminalize racism. The process has entered the stage of inviting public input into the bill.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 05:01:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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TUNIS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi on Monday met with visiting Swiss Federal Councillor Alain Berset over social security coordination between the two countries, according to a presidency statement.

The two-day visit of Berset, head of the Federal Department of Home Affairs of Switzerland, aims at ensuring good coordination between the Tunisian social security system and the Swiss system.

"My presence in Tunisia these days is related to the signing of a convention in the field of social security," said Berset.

This is an opportunity to discuss the very good relations between Tunisia and Switzerland and discuss the major issues affecting the Arab world and stability in the region, he added.

For his part, Essebsi stressed his country's interest in strengthening friendly relations with Switzerland, calling for continued efforts to diversify the areas of cooperation.

"This cooperation would support Tunisia's efforts to bolster its democratic experience and overcome its economic difficulties," said Essebsi.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 05:16:52|Editor: Shi Yinglun

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UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN policy on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights remains unchanged despite the Trump administration's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory, a UN spokesman said Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the territory that Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981.

Asked about UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' reaction to the U.S. move and whether it was a contravention of the UN Charter and of relevant Security Council resolutions concerning the Golan, Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN chief's position on this issue remains unchanged.

"For the secretary-general, it is clear that the status of the Golan has not changed. The UN's policy on the Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, and that policy, again, has not changed," Dujarric told a daily press briefing.

He said he was not aware of any plans of Guterres to contact either Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the U.S. move.

Immediately after Israel's annexation of the occupied territory in 1981, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 497, which declared that the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights "is null and void and without international legal effect."
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 05:26:54|Editor: Xiaoxia

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The Ark of Return, the Permanent Memorial to honor the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, is seen at the Visitors' Plaza of the UN headquarters in New York, March 25, 2019. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday highlighted the role of arts in the fight against slavery. Since the time of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the arts have been used to confront slavery, to empower enslaved communities, and to honor those who made freedom possible, said Guterres, in his remarks for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the commemorative meeting of the UN General Assembly. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday highlighted the role of arts in the fight against slavery.

Since the time of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the arts have been used to confront slavery, to empower enslaved communities, and to honor those who made freedom possible, said Guterres, in his remarks for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade at the commemorative meeting of the UN General Assembly.

Literature, music, poetry and other art forms have been vital tools in commemorating past struggles, highlighting ongoing injustices and celebrating the achievements of people of African descent, he said.

"Today, the artists, the writers, the poets who are committed to the struggle for racial equality and empowerment should know we are with them," he added.

The UN chief called on the international community to stand up against old and new forms of slavery, by raising awareness of the dangers of racism, and by ensuring justice and equal opportunities for all people of African descent today.

Every year on March 25, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honor those who suffered and died at the hands of the slavery system.

This year's theme is "Remember Slavery: Power of the Arts for Justice."

According to the UN, more than 15 million men, women and children were deported from Africa through the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which took place from 16th century to 19th century. And one third of them were women.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 05:41:57|Editor: yan

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ADEN, Yemen, March 25 (Xinhua) -- At least five pro-government Yemeni soldiers were killed on Monday in an airstrike launched by an unknown drone in the central province of al-Bayda, a security official told Xinhua.

"A suspected drone strike bombed a government military post in the Hazmiya district of al-Bayda, killing five soldiers and wounding several others," the security source said on condition of anonymity.

The post is located close to an area witnessing armed confrontations with militants of the Houthi group, the source added.

He pointed out that the same drone resumed bombing and targeted a weapons store in a newly-established camp of the government forces in the district.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sanaa and ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

The conflict has caused what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, killing more than 10,000 people and with 14 million Yemenis at the brink of mass starvation.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 05:56:59|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit condemned on Monday U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of the Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

Aboul-Gheit said in a statement that this proclamation is void and a blatant violation of the international law.

"The U.S. declaration will not change the legal status of the Golan Heights as an occupied Syrian territory," he stressed, adding that "legitimizing the occupation is a new approach in the U.S. foreign policy."

Earlier in the day, Trump signed a document recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory in a White House ceremony attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He affirmed that the Arab League rejects this approach and backs the Syrian right to retrieve its occupied lands.

Israel seized the Golan Heights in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in the 1980s, in a move never recognized by the international community.

Recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights has been a recent demand by Netanyahu, which comes months after the Trump administration moved the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:01:59|Editor: yan

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ANKARA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Turkish jets were not involved in any harassment of a helicopter carrying Greek Prime Minister in the Aegean Sea, state-run Anadolu Agency quoted security sources as saying on Monday.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in a speech that Turkish jets buzzed his helicopter as he was flying on Monday to the Agathonisi island, a few miles from Turkey's Mediterranean coast.

"Turkish jets forced my helicopter to reduce altitude until Greek jets intercepted them," Tsipras said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:02:00|Editor: yan

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AMMAN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Monday that the country rejects any decision that recognizes the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

The Golan Heights is an occupied Syrian territory in line with all international resolutions, Safadi said in a statement obtained by Xinhua.

Attaining peace in the Middle East requires ending the occupation of the Arab territories including the Golan heights, he noted.

The Jordanian minister said the position of the international community on the Golan Heights is clear and in line with the UN Security Resolution 497 which rejects Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation officially recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in the 1980s, but the international community has never recognized the move.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:07:02|Editor: Yang Yi

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, March 25, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

PARIS, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday agreed to carry forward the high-level ties between the two countries and forge a more solid, stable and vibrant China-France comprehensive strategic partnership on a new starting point in history.

The consensus was reached during the talks between Xi and Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Xi said that great changes have taken place in the international situation, but the China-France relations have always kept developing on a high level and in a sound and stable way.

He said that since President Macron took office, the bilateral ties have reached a new high in just less than two years, with many new outcomes achieved.

This year is of special commemorative significance, as it marks the 55th anniversary of China-France diplomatic ties, the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Work-Study Movement in France, and also the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Xi said.

"Knowing the past can help people judge today and move on better," he said.

The world is undergoing major changes rarely seen in a century, and humanity stands at a crossroads, and for China, France and Europe, they also come to a critical stage of development, the Chinese president said.

"China is willing to work with France to inherit the past and create the future, enable our close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership to continue leading the way, and make more historic contributions to building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity," Xi said.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:27:05|Editor: yan

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ADEN, Yemen, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Intense fighting erupted between government forces and the Houthi rebels in different areas of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah on Monday, killing three people, local sources said.

Over the past few hours, fierce armed confrontations broke out between government forces and Houthi rebels in several areas on the outskirts of Hodeidah, residents told Xinhua.

Various heavy weapons were used in the armed confrontations mainly on the eastern outskirts of Hodeidah, causing huge explosions, they added.

Other local sources said three civilians were killed, including a child, when a mortar shell fired by the Houthis landed on a residential neighborhood in the southern part of Hodeidah.

The warring forces have so far failed to withdraw from Hodeidah and its southern districts in accordance with the UN-sponsored Stockholm Agreement.

The deal aimed to avert an all-out offensive on the lifeline port city, which is the key entry of Yemen's most commercial imports and international aid.

The Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa and Hodeidah.

The four-year civil war has killed more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, displaced 3 million others, and pushed the country to the brink of famine.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:32:07|Editor: yan

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SANAA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 Houthi rebels were killed in Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen's eastern province of Marib on Monday, Yemeni government-run news website September Net reported.

The attacks targeted the rebels in Rabiaa valley in Serwah district.

There were no comments by Houthi rebels on the attack.

Serwah is the only district east of Marib under Houthi control, while the rest of the oil-rich province is under the control of the internationally recognized government.

A peace deal reached in Stockholm in December last year between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah has stalled after the rival warring forces failed to withdraw from the city.

Saudi Arabia is leading the military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:37:10|Editor: yan

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RIO DE JANEIRO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's ex-president Michel Temer and seven of his close aides were ordered to be released from prison on Monday, following their arrest last week on corruption charges.

Temer, his former Minister of Mines and Energy Moreira Franco and six others, were granted release by a federal judge, Antonio Ivan Athie, two days before a panel of judges was scheduled to rule on a habeas corpus petition from Temer's defense team.

"Upon examining the case, I verified that there was no justification for waiting another two days for the decision... on the matter of release," Athie wrote in his decision.

Athie said he was not acting to curtail Operation Car Wash, Brazil's ongoing judicial investigation into graft, but argued it was the suspects' constitutional right to remain free while awaiting trial.

Preventive arrest in Brazil aims to prevent a suspect from destroying evidence, witnesses tampering or continuing to commit a crime.

In Temer's case, investigators had argued he was still committing the crime of taking bribes, but Athie contradicted their finding.

Temer was arrested on Thursday, 80 days after leaving office, for accepting kickbacks from nuclear energy firm Electronuclear, which was granted a government contract to build the Angra 3 power plant. Under questioning Friday, he decided to remain silent.

The ex-president was arrested in Sao Paulo, where he resides, and taken to Rio de Janeiro, where the investigation is taking place. He had been held at the headquarters of Rio's federal police force.

He is the second ex-president to be arrested as part of Operation Car Wash. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is currently serving a 12-year-and-one-month sentence for corruption.

Temer became president in mid-2016, after Dilma Rousseff was impeached and as her vice president he was next in line to take office. This Jan. 1, he was succeeded by Jair Bolsonaro.
Source: Xinhua| 2019-03-26 06:57:14|Editor: Yang Yi

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TORONTO, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The minivan involved in the kidnapping of 22-year-old Chinese student Wanzhen Lu in Canada has been recovered, according to York Regional Police in Toronto area Monday.

Police received tips from the public that led them to a location in the City of Toronto where the vehicle used in the kidnapping was located. The vehicle was not occupied at the time.

However, the police, who did not release details on where the vehicle was located, continue to appeal to the public for any information on the kidnapped Chinese student's whereabouts. The police say they continue to be concerned for the well-being of the victim. The suspects are advised to seek legal counsel and contact police.

On Saturday evening, Lu was kidnapped by masked and armed suspects in an underground parking garage of a condo building in Markham of Toronto area when he and his Chinese friend got out of their vehicle.

Three armed suspects forced the student into a black minivan and fled from the underground parking garage. Police said that there are four suspects, including the minivan driver in the alleged abduction.

The suspects' vehicle has no front license plate. The back plate, which is stolen, is CEAR 350. The van is wheelchair accessible and has a sticker indicating its accessibility.

"We have been in close contact and communication with the police, urging them to rescue the kidnapped student as soon as possible. The police said that they are doing their best to solve the case. We have also contacted the student's parents in China," said a spokesman of the Chinese Consulate-General in Toronto.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Amid the anticipation of Attorney General William Barr's expected release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 presidential election, Democrats continued calls for the full release of the findings.

On the campaign trail and on the Hill, Democrats made clear they are going to want every detail and document about the investigation and some have said they are willing to use their subpoena power in order to get it.

"It means make the request, if the request is denied subpoena, if the subpoenas are denied we will hold people before the Congress and yes, we will prosecute in court as necessary to get this information," House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday on "This Week".

Democratic candidates running to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020 reacted quickly to the news that Mueller delivered his report to DOJ with one consistent message: Make it public.

"The Mueller report must be made public  all of it," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY said in a presidential campaign speech outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City.

"The Mueller report must be made public  all of it," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says in 2020 speech.



"it is not often that I agree with Richard Nixon, but he was right to say that the American people have a right to know whether their president is a crook" https://t.co/rTYLWyQTQg pic.twitter.com/bsJxzCYQIN  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 24, 2019

She added: "It is not often that I agree with Richard Nixon, but he was right to say that the American people have a right to know whether their president is a crook."

The much-awaited report was handed to the Justice Department for Barrs review, and Congress was notified of the transfer late Friday afternoon, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman.

After reviewing Mueller's report, Barr will then send what he has described as his own "report" on the Mueller investigation to the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Judiciary committees. Barr has promised to be as transparent as possible, but it's unclear how extensive or detailed Barr's own "report" to Congress will be.

In a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, Barr wrote that he is reviewing the report and anticipates that he "may be in a position to advise you of the Special Counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this weekend." He continued that, separately, he intends to "consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Mueller to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law."

"The next steps are up to Attorney General Barr, and we look forward to the process taking its course. The White House has not received or been briefed on the Special Counsels report," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted on Friday afternoon.

A senior Department of Justice official told ABC News on Friday that the report will not include any further indictments.

Mueller and his team investigated how far the Kremlin went to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including trying to determine whether any Americans may have helped those efforts.

At the heart of Muellers probe were two Russian operations: the spread of disinformation on social media, and the release of thousands of sensitive emails stolen by hackers from the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic targets. Muellers team has charged 25 Russian nationals and three foreign companies for their alleged role in those operations.

In appointing a special counsel to investigate, however, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also directed Mueller to look into allegations of possible coordination between Russian operatives and associates of President Donald Trump.

Trump and his Republican allies have derided the investigation as a witch hunt. But Rosenstein, FBI Director Chris Wray and Barr have each explicitly disputed that description.

At least four Trump associates, including Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn, have pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents during the Russia-related investigation.

Another Trump associate, the presidents former attorney Michael Cohen, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trumps business dealings in Moscow. And former Trump adviser Roger Stone has been charged with lying to Congress about his alleged role in tracking information stolen from Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Muellers investigation grew out of a probe the FBI launched in late July 2016.

By then, the FBI was already scrutinizing Trump campaign manager Paul Manaforts business dealings with pro-Russian officials in Ukraine  dealings that have since landed Manafort in jail. And the FBI was keeping tabs on Trump adviser Carter Page, who was previously targeted for recruitment by Russian spies and had raised eyebrows with a trip to Moscow in mid-July 2016.

But claims by Trump adviser George Papadopoulos  that the Russians were touting dirt on Clinton  really set off alarms inside the FBI.

If any Americans were part of helping the Russians [attack] us, that is a very big deal, James Comey, who was FBI director at the time, later told lawmakers.

Several weeks after formally launching the Russia probe, counterintelligence agents leading the investigation in Washington received a so-called dossier, which had been compiled at the behest of Democrats and detailed uncorroborated allegations of coordination between Trumps campaign and the Kremlin.

Some of the allegations involved Page, who was already on the FBIs radar, so agents began secretly intercepting his communications. Page has never been charged with any crimes.

The wide-ranging investigation continued even after Trump took office. After Jeff Sessions became attorney general, he recused himself from oversight of the FBIs Russia-related probe, citing his previous advocacy for Trump on the campaign trail.

Rosenstein subsequently assumed oversight of the investigation.

And then Trump shocked the federal law enforcement community: He fired Comey.

The move prompted Rosenstein to appoint Mueller to take over the whole matter, including a review of whether Comey's firing and other actions meant Trump improperly tried to obstruct the probe.

Comey later alleged that in a private meeting with Trump before his removal, the president directed Comey to let [Flynn] go.

Mueller has not released any evidence suggesting Trump committed a crime related to Russian efforts.

However, Mueller did uncover evidence of other possible crimes and referred those cases to other federal prosecutors.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan ended up tying Trump to federal campaign violations, alleging that  in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign  Trump personally directed Cohen to silence two woman claiming affairs with Trump by making illegal payments to them; Trump has repeatedly denied the affairs.

Cohen has pleaded guilty for his role in the matter, but no other charges have been filed.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Cum se murea cu zile in iadul de la Sighet: Medicamentele sunt inutile, sa lasam natura sa lucreze

Infometati, torturati si fara sa li se dea o pastila stunci cand se imbolnaveau. Acesta a fost regimul cumplit prin care au trecut detinutii la Sighet, cea mai de temut inchisoare din comunism. [citeste mai departe]
Two Ukrainian opposition politicians, Yuriy Boyko, presidential candidate, and his fellow party member Viktor Medvedchuk, have visited Moscow on March 22. Both leaders of the Opposition Platform - For Life were hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom head Alexei Miller.

It is hard to imagine a clearer hint with which Ukraines representatives Moscow is ready to talk.

This meeting has caused a squall of disapproval on the part of the pro-Maidan commentators, however, it can significantly strengthen Boykos positions among the southeast electorate, supporters of the so-called peace party. It is not known, however, whether it would help him to get into the second round of the elections, but he has got some chances of increasing the results.

March 22, Boyko and Medvedchuk have unexpectedly arrived in Moscow.

Both oppositionists were hosted by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Their conversation was broadcasted by NewsOne TV channel.

The open part of the meeting was generally dedicated to the gas issue. Thus, Russia has shown that it is ready to discuss this question (which is important not only for Ukraine, but also for the EU) with Boyko and Medvedchuk, and our country was promised some very favorable conditions.

The parties talked for about 20 minutes in front of the cameras and then left behind the closed doors.

Russians position. Main statements

Relations between Russia and Ukraine are in a state of deep crisis, I think it is right to hold such a meeting, said the head of the Russian government.

"We could discuss a number of issues that are particularly relevant, bearing in mind the current state of affairs in the sphere of economic relations. I mean the gas component, because, as is known, this year the gas agreements expire, and you need to decide what to do next," Medvedev added.

According to the Russian prime minister, the current Ukrainian authorities do not give clear signals on this matter. We have not received any serious signals from Ukraines current authorities yet, he said, thus explaining why he did not negotiate with the Ukrainian authorities, but with the opposition.

In addition, Medvedev proposed to discuss "the overall situation of the trade component and economic cooperation, since in recent years there has been a serious degradation of these relations." He said that, despite the existing difficulties in the relations between the two states at the political level, the companies of both countries continue to interact.

"At the same time, it is clear that cooperation in this area with the Russian Federation, cooperation between Ukrainian and Russian companies still matters very much for the development of the economy, and for the lives of people," the Russian prime minister concluded, urging the interlocutors to discuss this matter, which remains relevant in the context of the need to restore "all that has been lost recently."

From left to right: Gazprom head Alexey Miller, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev, Ukrainian presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko and Viktor Medvedchuk. Gas talks on March 22, 2019 112 Agency

In addition, Medvedev stated that the current situation in the economy of Ukraine is "bleak."

"The situation you depicted looks, of course, absolutely bleak. But, unfortunately, it is quite accurate. And it is a direct consequence of the policy, pursued by the current Ukrainian authorities."

Medvedev called the problems of cooperation between Moscow and Kyiv in the economic sphere, including on the issue of gas supplies, "exceptionally acute."

Key points of Ukraines side

Yuriy Boyko has explained why he asked for a meeting with Russian government representatives.

"In our opinion, we really had a good reason to ask for a meeting with Moscow, because economic relations between Russia and Ukraine are extremely important for our economy. As well as the return of the Ukrainian goods and products to the Russian market, which we have significantly lost in recent five years. This is especially true of engineering, food industry, and a number of other spheres that were traditionally supplied to the Russian Federation before," he said.

"Now there is a completely abnormal situation when the same Russian gas is supplied to the country not directly, but through Europe and through some incomprehensible intermediaries and schemes," Boyko stressed.

In addition, the head of the political council of the Opposition Platform - For Life, Viktor Medvedchuk, explained the need for negotiations with the Kremlin.

Tariff debts, directly related to gas, have increased by about 5.2 times since 2014. If we talk about the figures that force us to seek cooperation with the Russian Gazprom, I can say that since January 2014, Ukrainian tariffs have increased by an average of 745%, gas prices have risen by 1080%, and by 1200% for heating. This is indeed a very important step (direct gas supplies to Ukraine, - ed.) Therefore, the subject of our meeting is to conclude a contract on the direct gas supply," said Medvedchuk.

Ukraine should sign a new contract with Gazprom, Boyko said.

"We have discussed a number of issues on cooperation in the gas industry. First of all, this is the conclusion of a contract on gas supply. We have also discussed tariffs in Ukraine and prices for products since the gas component is included in the cost of all types of goods. In addition, we have discussed the possibility of extending the gas supplies contract because it is significant for Ukraines budget, the gas transportation system, and almost 50 thousand jobs," the presidential candidate emphasized.

Medvedchuk also added that the Russian side has already announced a possible reduction in gas tariffs.

"According to the head of Gazprom, now there is a possibility of reducing the price of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine by 25%, and we are negotiating on it. This will directly affect the reduction of tariffs for gas, heating, and water supply," Medvedchuk assured.

He also added that the balance of the gas supplies to Ukraine through Europe would decrease after the launch of Nord Stream 2 and the two branches of the TurkStream.

Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller has also confirmed the information about the possibility of reducing the price of gas for Ukraine and the preservation of transit.

Gazprom is ready to negotiate a new contract with Ukraine and a direct supply.

"At the same time, the price for end-users would be a quarter lower than it is now; we can confidently say it. As for the transit, we are ready to continue it on the basis of a valid agreement. We are ready to discuss the creation of a gas transportation consortium," Miller said.

What does the meeting in Moscow mean?

On the one hand, the discussion of gas issues with Boyko and Medvedchuk is theorizing. After all, currently, both of them do not have the necessary power to solve these issues.

And, of course, Medvedev understands this well.

On the other hand, a meeting with the Prime Minister of Russia sends some important messages to Boykos voters on the eve of the elections.

First, Moscow is ready to talk about lowering the price of gas only with these politicians. And consequently, the prices of utility tariffs and the total burden on the economy. Now Ukraine buys Russian gas in Europe at inflated prices.

In this context, Boyko gets a great promotion over his election rivals, who also promise to reduce the gas prices. But they do not always explain how it might be done.

Wannabe prez Tymoshenko suggests reducing the gas price of the domestic production, but she does not offer mechanisms for reducing gas prices for industry, which holds the economy of the south-east of Ukraine.

Now Moscow, through the person of Medvedchuk, declares that it will give Ukraine a huge discount of 25% and keep transit through our country. But, of course, such a discount is not everybody's cup of tea.

Secondly, it is a signal to Europe: some Ukrainian politicians will help the continent avoid a new gas war at the turn of 2019-2020.

Thirdly, and most importantly, it is a signal about whom Russia sees as its partners in Ukraine. Today it was about gas. But, as you know, there is another major issue in relations between our countries  peace in Donbas.

For pro-Maidan voters, this meeting is like a red rag for a bull. But they would never vote for Boyko anyway.

But for many voters in the southeast, for supporters of the conditional peace party, this is a strong message showing which candidates could realize the promise to achieve reconciliation in Donbas and end the war. Boyko is not the only presidential candidate who talks about direct negotiations with Russia. But he is the only one whom Moscow treats as a negotiator. That is, in fact, the only one who can implement the key program message of setting up peace.

In this regard, the meeting in Moscow can consolidate the "south-eastern" voter under Boyko. And this is not the best news for another candidate from the same niche, Oleksandr Vilkul, backed by Akhmetovs part (Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraines richest oligarch, who has 12,2 billion dollars - ed.)of the Opposition Bloc. And now, despite the fact that Yevgen Murayev (former Opposition Bloc member, who created his own political force, - ed.) withdrew in his favor, the rating of Vilkul fluctuates around 3%, which is three times lower than Boykos rating.

And after the meeting in Moscow, this gap might widen further.

Moreover, Vilkul and standing behind him Rinat Akhmetov (according to the media, Akhmetov is a close business partner of Petro Poroshenko) have long been accused of participation in elections as an alleged way to pull votes away from Boyko so that he would not bypass Poroshenko in the first round. In addition, Russian sanctions were already imposed against Vilkul and other representatives of the Akhmetovs wing of the Opposition block. Thus, Moscow has clearly stated that it considers them to be people who split the south-east political camp thus meeting the interests of Poroshenko.

After the meeting in Moscow, these arguments would receive the additional weight.

It is difficult to say whether this would help Boyko to get in the second round, however, it might help him to seriously increase the result. It would be a good base for the participation of the Opposition platform in the parliamentary elections.

And if this force shows a strong result, then its representatives will get the offices in the new Cabinet of Ministers and may realize peace and gas issues, negotiated in Moscow. Even before the expiration of the current gas contract.

Read the original text at Strana.UA.
Russian investigators claimed that the boy was messaging Russian student and was trying to get her to plant an explosive device in her school

Igor Gryb Facebook

Question 1: How did it happen?

Pavlo Gryb, 20-year old Ukrainian blogger and son of an ex-Ukrainian Border Service officer was abducted by the Russian Security Forces (FSB) in Belarus, on 24 August 2017. Then it was reported (in particular, in the Russian media) that Gryb was considered a supporter of Ukrainian far-right UNA-UNSO organization, banned in Russia. He was transported to Russia and charged with incitement to blowing up a Russian school based on his chatting with a female friend on Skype. Gryb claims he was having an online romance with the girl but says it turned out to be an officer from the Russian intelligence services who was messaging him on her behalf shortly before his trip. Russian investigators claimed that the boy was messaging the student and was trying to get her to plant an explosive device in her school. Gryb denies the charges.

Question 2: What do we know about the charges?

The teens have been online friends since January 2017. After six months of close communication, the young people decided to live together, and Russian girl Tatiana was going to get a passport for moving to Ukraine.

Then the girl told that she has been always considering herself a Ukrainian, and she discussed the Revolution of Dignity, the armed conflict in Donbas and the ideology of Ukrainian nationalism with Pavlo. At the same time, after the girl moved to Ukraine, young people allegedly intended to participate in Donbas war on the side of Ukraine.

In March 2017, a young man offered her to move to Ukraine. But before that, Tanya had to finish school and pass the exams. For the rest of the summer, the teenagers were going to go to the Ukrainian camp for training self-defense fighters, which Pavlo has found. And after they planned to go to Donbas. We wanted this together. And I relied on him on this matter. The idea was to start fighting for our views and then build a life somehow, create a family... He continued sending Tanya links to some texts about the formation of the Ukrainian nation, about the events of the mid-twentieth century, about the internal policy of the Soviet Union and Germany of that period. The teenagers were seriously passionate about the figures of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych (Nazi collaborators  ed.)," Russian outlet wrote.

Then the FSB began to follow their correspondence. Tatiana was brought in for questioning, and they decided to act out her meeting with Pavlo in Belarus. The meeting turned out to be short. The teenagers talked about the plans and said goodbye (although initially, they planned to spend several days in the country, the girls mother opposed it). And then Pavlo was kidnapped. As it turned out, he was taken to Russia and taken to the Smolensk region.

Question 3: How was the trial going?

It was difficult, like almost any other trials connected with Ukrainian political prisoners in Russia.

Pavlo was repeatedly arrested. And the Russian side ignored the statements of the father and the Ukrainian ombudsman about serious health problems of the boy.

In particular, at the end of January, Pavlos father reported that his son probably had Alzheimer's symptoms, and Ukrainian ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova later stated that Pavlo needed immediate heart surgery.

Question 4: Ukraines and the world reaction

"The European Union expects Mr. Gryb to be immediately released and granted access to the special medical treatment he needs. For so long as he remains in detention, Ukrainian doctors must be allowed to see him as required by a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights," the EU spokesperson stated.

The EU also emphasizes that Ukrainian doctors should be allowed to see the boy, as required by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights.

Pavlo Gryb, the Ukrainian political prisoner Hromadske

"The farce in the Gryb case continues. Today, he has been illegally extended arrest in the Russian Federation until April 2019. We express our protest to the Russian Federation and demand his release," Ukraines MFA said in one of its statements.

Question 5: What's next?

The fate of the boy remains unknown. He can appeal the verdict within ten days. Pavlo went on a hunger strike.

Ukraine has already offered to exchange him for seriously ill Russian mercenary Alexei Sedikov, but Russia refused.

His has already spoken about the fate of his son.

I can state that this is a death sentence. Pavlo needs an urgent medical operation that would continue his life. This is a death sentence.

Read the original text at 112.ua.
Ukraine's envoy in the Minsk talks group also condemned OSCE's position for the lack of action in this regard

Pro-Kremlin occupants claim that they would not resume the work of Zolote entry-exit checkpoint because the adjacent areas that they hold under control are currently wired. Yevhen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine in Minsk trilateral talks group said that on Monday morning, as Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

'They say they aren't ready [to open the checkpoint] because their side is not cleared of mines yet. So you could not disarm them - after three years?', Marchuk said.

He expressed confidence that any unit of Russian combat engineers could clear the mines in several days.

According to the Ukrainian official, this issue will be brought up on the Minsk group session on March 27. 'Explain this to the world; why won't you agree to open Zolote?', Marchuk asked.

Apart from that, he condemned OSCE's position for the lack of action in this regard.

On early March 24, the Ukrainian side resumed the work of the checkpoint in the unilateral order. The other side, namely the militants, could not provide safety guarantees for the civilians crossing the division line.
The bandits tried posing the attacks as if they were conducted by the Ukrainian military; Google Maps analysis confirmed it could not be true

Russian occupants have opened fire on two education establishments in Donbas. The Ukrainian side of the Joint Control and Coordination Centre reported that on Facebook on March 25.

'Armed formations of the Russian Federation have once again neglected the norms of the humanitarian law, trying to blame the Ukrainian military', the message says.

According to the report of the OSCE SMM that dates back to March 23, 2019, the Mission members spotted damage done to the school building in Petrovsky district in Donetsk. 'It's a 15-cm hole on the altitude of 30 cm above the ground. According to the OSCE patrol's estimates, the damage was done due to the use of heavy machine gun fire', the post reads.

According to the school staff, the attack took place on March 21, when the students were at school. As the SMM patrol tried to find out the details of the incident, the staff refused to answer their questions as they were intimidated by the militants.

Russian occupants attack school in Donetsk region, GoogleMaps screenshot 1 Joint Forces Operation Facebook

The screenshot posted above confirms that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could not be involved in the attack on the school; the nearest firing position of the Ukrainian troops is located at least 3,450 meters away from the school, and this is way out of reach of the machine gun effective range. Besides, the Ukrainian side of the Joint Control and Coordination Centre pointed out that the school is located amidst the living quarter, surrounded by the residential houses. The bullet that hit the school simply could not bypass all these buildings.

In another case, the team of OSCE SMM reported a hole and several cracks in the window glass on the first floor of the school building located in Golmivsky (the occupied area of Donetsk region).
Open source

Yesterday we witnessed a sensation in the Netherlands. Remember the populists who launched a referendum against the Association Agreement of Ukraine with the EU in 2015? Since that time, these guys have grown significantly.



In the parliamentary elections of 2017, they decided to create their own political parties, several at once, in order to get into big politics on the hype of referendum battles.



The result was rather pitiful.



At that time, only one party has got to the parliament - the Forum for Democracy, and it took only 2 seats. Then it gave reason to talk about the sober look of the Dutch voters on politics and a decent level of critical thinking, which prevented the victory of populists. Mainstream right-populist PVV did not impress by its results too.



But now everything has changed. Local elections were held yesterday in the Netherlands. Their specificity is that, according to the 2017 amendments to the Netherlands electoral legislation, the Provincial Council, which is being created during local elections, will also form the Senate, the upper house of the Dutch parliament, on a pro-rata basis.



And the results of these elections can be called sensational in many respects. The newcomers of the Dutch politicians, populists from the Forum for Democracy, will have the largest number of seats in the Senate - 12, or rather the same number as the ruling VVD party took, and twice as many as yesterdays leaders of the populist front in this country - the PVV party.

Baudet

Open source

Baudet

Read original article at Oleksandr Snidalov page in Facebook
State-run coal company Volynvuhillia ordered the Novovolynska-9 mine it oversees in Novovolynsk, northwestern Ukraine, to sell coal to privately held Ukrainskiy Natsionalniy Product (UNP), company documents show. A contract was agreed in December 2017 and sales began two months later

Novovolynska-9 coal mine in Novovolynsk, Ukraine August 2, 2018 Reuters

NOVOVOLYNSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian police are investigating two companies and a factory over a coal deal which some anti-corruption campaigners say epitomizes the difficulties of doing business in the east European country.

The sums involved in the deal are small but the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, an independent watchdog, says it illustrates the lack of transparency in Ukrainian business, an issue in a presidential election on Sunday that has cost President Petro Poroshenko support.

State-run coal company Volynvuhillia ordered the Novovolynska-9 mine it oversees in Novovolynsk, northwestern Ukraine, to sell coal to privately held Ukrainskiy Natsionalniy Product (UNP), company documents show. A contract was agreed in December 2017 and sales began two months later.

Volodymyr Yurkiv, the mines director at the time, told Reuters he complained to the energy ministry about the contract because it allowed UNP to pay eight percent less for its coal than the minimum price set by the ministry for private buyers.

He and trade unions also protested to the ministry when miners went unpaid as Volynvuhillia spent on other projects and went into the red. Police are now probing Volynvuhillia over the non-payment of 5.9 million hryvnias ($220,000) in salaries from July 15 to Sept. 5, 2018, suspecting unnamed UNP officials of lining their pockets while the miners struggled to make ends meet, according to court documents. Police declined to name the officials.

Energy ministry figures show wage arrears in state mines had reached 138.8 million hryvnias by Jan 1. Former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk told Reuters the arrears were largely caused by company officials spending money that should go to salaries on big purchases such as equipment because of the kickbacks that often go with such purchases.

Asked about the sales contract with UNP, Andriy Pylypiuk, acting manager of Volynvuhillia, said the coal purchase price in the original contract was an error that was corrected after the deal and that UNP quickly started paying more for its coal.

Company documents seen by Reuters confirmed the price increase.

Pylypiuk said his company supported selling to UNP because no other firm wanted to buy coal from Novovolynska-9 and that UNP had offered to pay up front. He denied wrongdoing.

Andriy Dombrov, who owns UNP, declined to answer Reuters questions. Police provided no details of how the investigation is going. The energy ministry declined comment.

COAL ENRICHMENT

A second police investigation is underway into an arrangement under which Volynvuhillia pays a local factory to enrich, or clean, the coal sold to UNP. Police are probing whether this arrangement, part of the sales contract between UNP and Volynvuhillia, is a criminal conspiracy.

Mykhailo Bondar, head of a parliamentary subcommittee on the coal industry, says Lvivska Vugilna Compania (LVC) enrichment factory is being paid for a job it does not do because it lacks the technology needed. Yurkiv said the coal had previously gone directly to electricity generators without being enriched.

Andriy Vengryn, who is a principal at LVC as well as a representative of UNP, denied any wrongdoing in the deal with Volynvuhillia. He confirmed LVC is doing the enriching and said the factory needs the extra coal to improve its financial well-being, telling Reuters: I am in full compliance with the law.

He added that under his management LVC had been rescued from the verge of bankruptcy. There are a lot of unfair rumors about me, he said.

When Energy Minister Ihor Nasalyk tried to step in last May, his order that the deal with UNP be canceled was not acted on. Nasalyk did not respond when asked about his order not being carried out.

A special energy ministry commission has twice recommended Pylypiuks dismissal, in March last year and in May. But the energy ministry said Pylypiuk had provided written justifications for his and Volynvuhillias actions and that it found no grounds to dismiss him.

The deal between UNP and Volynvuhillia epitomizes many of the problems of doing business in Ukraine, Andriy Savin, a lawyer at the Anti-Corruption Action Centre in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, told Reuters. Such deals show why foreign investors are so wary of investing in Ukraine.

This (situation around the sales deal between Volynvuhillia and UNP) ... is undermining Poroshenkos authority, said Mykhailo Volynets, leader of the Ukrainian miners trade union.

Looking ahead to this months election, he said the situation helped explain why people want changes, new faces in power, he said.

Poroshenkos office did not immediately respond to a request for comment but the president has dismissed such criticism in the past.

We launched the first decisive battle against corruption in Ukraine  we have created reliable independent anti-corruption bodies ... We have cleared the stable of corruption schemes in the energy sector and public procurement, he said in January.

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It is reported that NATO wants to increase the speed with which it can deploy forces in Europe

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks with Ian Lesser, German Marshall Fund vice president, before discussing the future of the transatlantic alliance during an event hosted in Brussels, March 18, 2019. US Dept of Defense

BRUSSELSNATO will plow funds into stationing U.S. military equipment in Poland, lending allied heft to Washingtons strategy for quickly reinforcing Europe with troops in case of a Russian incursion.

The $260 million storage facility will help turn an air base near Powidz, in central Poland, into a hub for U.S. forces in a former Soviet Bloc country that has a land border with Russia. Construction will start this summer and take two years, said Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in an interview. He said the facility will hold armored vehicles, ammunition and weapons for a brigade.

This shows how closely we are working together with the U.S., Mr. Stoltenberg said. This is to underpin the increased U.S. presence in Poland.

The U.S. Defense Department didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

NATO has bolstered its eastern flank in response to Russias annexation of Crimea, covert invasion of eastern Ukraine, and buildup of forces on its European border. The U.S. already leads a battle group in Polandone of four based in NATOs east totaling about 5,000 troopsand has an armored brigade headquartered there that rotates through the region.

The Trump administration is considering an offer from the government in Warsaw to provide $2 billion toward a U.S. base there that could be called Fort Trump.

The Powidz facility is one of five sitestwo in Germany and one each in Belgium and the Netherlands are the othersthat will hold the equipment for most of an armored division, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe. The so-called prepositioning of equipment, a practice also used during the Cold War, would allow the U.S. to reinforce allies quickly with thousands of troops but is less of a drag on funds and manpower than a permanent deployment.

NATO wants to increase the speed with which it can deploy forces in Europe, and allies are implementing a so-called readiness initiative to have 30 battalions, 30 air squadrons and 30 naval combat vessels ready to use in 30 days. The alliance is also investing in infrastructure to move heavy equipment and troops that was neglected after the end of the Cold War.

NATO will complete some 250 other infrastructure projects across Europe aimed at improving the ability of airports, harbors, railways and roads to transport and receive heavy equipment by 2021, Mr. Stoltenberg said.

The 29-member alliance has been strained in recent years by President Trumps broadsides against European members over their spending levels and his questioning of the value of U.S. membership. But at the same time, the U.S. has increased its military forces in Europe.

People talk a lot about U.S. disengagement, but in a practical way, you see how good the cooperation is, a Polish diplomat said.

The Trump administration has credited Mr. Stoltenberg for pressing allies to increase military expenditures, adding $100 billion from 2016 to the end of next year.

But some are still falling well short of NATOs defense-spending target of 2% of a countrys gross domestic product, including Germany, Europes largest economy. The German government endorsed a draft budget Wednesday that would see military spending increase next year but then decline, meaning Berlin would miss the 1.5% goal it pledged to NATO.

Mr. Stoltenberg noted that Germany had started increasing defense spending and pledged an 80% increase from 2014 to 2024 in a plan submitted to NATO.

I expect that Germany will do what they have told NATO, he said.

Courtney McBride in Washington contributed to this article.

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An election campaign poster with portraits of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) and opposition politician Yulia Tymoshenko is on display in Kyiv, Ukraine March 4, 2019 VALENTYN OGIRENKO/reuters

On March 31, Ukrainians will select their sixth president. The election is seen a referendum on the incumbent Poroshenko administration and his record since the watershed Euromaidan Revolution that decisively moved Ukraine onto a pro-Western path. Polls put political newcomer Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the lead, with Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko fighting for second place. The top two candidates will face off in an April 21 runoff. Here are five predictions about the first round.

1) This is likely to be the cleanest and least fraudulent election in Ukraines history. As someone who has observed every Ukrainian election since 1999, the signs point to an election day result that will reflect the will of the voters. This has often not been the case in Ukraine, as one recalls the more notorious cases, such as Kuchmas re-election in 1999, the second round of the 2004 Orange Revolution election, and the 2010 local elections. My prediction contrasts with sensational news stories and allegations of how dirty this election already is. Keep in mind that allegations of dirty tricks, wiretaps, and bribing voters are nothing new in Ukrainian politics. These have been a staple of elections, but they were never reported to such a degree as they are now. Under former President Viktor Yanukovych for example, such allegations were never public, and instead were desperate pleas behind closed doors to Western diplomats. In addition, while bribing voters with money, vodka, and buckwheat continue to occur, the pressure on state workers, media, and civil society is a mere fraction of what it was under Yanukovych. Much attention has been drawn to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and the criminal cases that are being investigated by the police into election fraud. Never before has an Interior Minister cared enough about election fraud to fight it publicly; Avakov has wisely deduced that by pointing out violations by all candidates (including the incumbents campaign), it enhances his political standing in the West and enhances his influence with the Ukrainian electorate. Self-interest triumphs. Fortunately, the end result is that the heightened attention on potential election problems has actually scuttled many attempts at fraud and improved the overall conduct of the campaign.

2) Poroshenko and Tymoshenko need strong turnout to make the second round. Zelenskiy will be in the runoff; the only question is who he will face in round two. This is the first time in Ukraines history that the candidates in the runoff are not known ahead of time. Polls in Ukraine are abundant, but they are too often political gimmicks to promote a candidate, rather than objective scientific tools. If one averages all polls over the last week (and disregards obvious partisan polls), the president maintains about a 1.5 percent lead over Tymoshenko. In addition, the powers of the incumbency will also benefit the president on election day. The key measure to watch is not the response to an individuals political sympathies, but rather how motivated that individual is to actually vote. This reality strongly benefits both Poroshenko and Tymoshenko, with polling showing the president having a slight edge in voter intensity. Thus, Poroshenko's and Tymoshenkos numbers on election day may be higher than their current poll ratings. Based on all of these factors, Poroshenko is more likely to make the runoff against Zelenskiy.

3) If Poroshenko doesnt make the runoff, Yuri Lutsenko is to blame. Despite their close friendship, it seems that Yuri Lutsenko is doing everything possible to ensure the president loses the race. Whether its threatening politically motivated criminal investigations against Tymoshenko and former defense minister and presidential candidate Anatoliy Hrytsenko, his accusation that the US ambassador gave him a do not prosecute list, or his whining about not receiving a planned $4 million in US technical assistance, every time the prosecutor general opens his mouth, he drives a wedge between Washington and Poroshenko. For Poroshenko to win, he needs Washingtons support. Thus, he would be wise to banish Lutsenko from Ukraine for the remainder of the campaign and replace him as soon as possible.

4) If Tymoshenko doesnt make the runoff, it will be because of her sense of entitlement. Similar to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, Tymoshenkos statements suggest that she sees this election as a coronation rather than a real contest. Also similar to Clintons deplorable comment, Tymoshenkos campaign hit a low when she accused US born Health Minister Dr. Ulana Suprun of being sent by foreigners who want to experiment on Ukrainians. Unlike the Clinton campaign though, Tymoshenko is actively campaigning in every region of the country, but her similar sense of entitlement is likely to be her downfall.

5) Pay no attention to current polls regarding the runoff, as the dynamics will be completely different. At the moment, polls predict that Zelenskiy easily wins the second round. However, those who say they are voting for Zelenskiy are not voting for him, but rather against the status quo. His candidacy is a classic protest vote. The first round gives voters a chance to register their disapproval, but in a runoff when the vote really matters, voters may reevaluate their support for Zelenskiy.

Read the original text at Atlantic Council.
At the moment, there are no Ukrainian diplomatic institutions in the territory of Syria

At least 75 citizens of Ukraine, including 54 children, stay in distress in Syria, as Refat Chubarov, the Head of Mejlis of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian MP from Petro Poroshenko Bloc reported on Facebook.

Recently, Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars and I as MP of Ukraine started to get the appeals from women, the citizens of Ukraine of different nationalities, who, due to different life circumstances, turned out to be at the territory of Syria with small children, with the requests to help them to return to Ukraine. At the moment, Crimean Tatar Mejlis is aware of 75 people (21 women and 54 small children), who stay in distress at the territory with destroyed infrastructure, Chubarov wrote.

According to him, Mejlis communicate with the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine to help Ukrainian citizens, who turned out to be in the predicament out of their country.

Earlier a suicide bomber blew up a car near the tomb of Sheikh Aqeel in Syrias Manbij, as the result of which eight people died.

In February, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) supported by the USA have seized the last enclave of the Islamic State  the city Baghuz.
Vasyl Prozorov accused Ukraine of the crash of the Malaysian Boeing in Donbas in 2014

Vasyl Prozorov, the former worker of the Security Service of Ukraine Facty

Vasyl Prozorov, the former worker of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) who fled to Moscow and gave a public press conference on March 25, was fired from the post of the senior expert advisor for systematic drinking alcohol at his workplace. The Security Service of Ukraine reports this on Facebook.

"Vasyl Prozorov was fired from the post of the senior expert advisor of SBU from one of the departments of the Security Service of Ukraine for professional incompetence - systematic drinking of alcohol at the workplace and denigration of the officers rank, the report said.

During a conference in Moscow on March 25, Vasyl Prozorov called himself "former worker of the Security Service of Ukraine," confessed of being recruited by Russian Security Service in 2014, and stated that Ukraine was involved in the crash of the Malaysian Boeing in Donbas in 2014.

Having drunk out the honor of an officer, Prozorov decided to sell his conscience and military oath, finding "worthy" buyers from the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. However, this monster must remember the fate of Judas. It is the matter of time, Ukraine's SBU wrote.

According to Prozorov, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and his press service knew about this beforehand, as they reacted to the accident very quickly. Another version of Prozorov was that the airspace over the combat zone was not closed, despite the fact that the hostilities began several months before.

July 17, 2014 passenger flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that was shot down in eastern Ukraine; the wreckage of the aircraft fell near Hrabove, a village located north of Torez in Donetsk region. All 298 passengers died.
Il-62,Russian transport aircraft Open source

The Russian military aircraft arrived in Venezuela. Ilyushin Il-62 and Antonov An-124 landed at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas on Sunday.

Dozhd, the Russian TV channel, reported that, citing journalist Javier Malorca.

'99 Russian military servicemen came to the airport; they were led by Vasiliy Tonkoshkurov, the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces reached the airport', reads the message on the TV channel's website.

Judging by the data of air naigation online services, the planes arrived from Syria.

The Russian defense ministry has not yet commented on the arrival of Russian planes to Venezuela.

Last month, spokeswoman of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stated that the U.S. was going to purchase a large batch of weapons in one Eastern European state for Venezuela, as Interfax news agency reported.

There is information that U.S. companies and their allies in NATO work out the issue of the purchase of a large consignment of weapon and ammunition in one of the Eastern European states for next passing to the opposition forces of Venezuela, Zakharova said.

She emphasized that the issue is about samples and equivalents of the heavy machine guns, under-barrel and atomized grenade launchers, man-portable air-defence systems, ammunition for small arms and artillery weaponry of different purpose.
The order, which enforces the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) about new anti-Russian sanctions and possible economic restrictions for over 800 people and almost 350 entities, appeared at Ukraines president website.

According to ICTV, the enterprise tied with the Russian oligarch, which works for the Russian side strangely disappeared from the list.

Who are those lucky ones lifted from the sanctions list? Number 50 is Iosif Kobzon. That is pretty clear. It gets more interesting. Number 721 is Moldovan Metallurgical Plant. It is almost the largest enterprise of pro-Russian Transnistria. The plant is controlled by Alisher Usmanov, the oligarch close to Putin. He thanks the Russian president for another award, the message said.

According to the journalists, Kommersant publishing house, mail.ru, MegaPhon, and iron mines with metallurgical plants should be noted among the state of Usmanov. They supply metal, including to the defense complex of Russia, in other words, weapon. And Ukraine lifts sanctions from such plant while asking the world to strengthen them, the message stated.

Moldovan Metallurgical Plant has a long-standing interest in Ukraine. It buys the deficit raw material, the scrap metal, here. It processes the scrap metal and then sells manufactured goods depriving the Ukrainian plants from work.

Earlier Australia imposed sanctions against seven citizens of Russian Federation in connection with Russias attack on Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait in November 2018.
Travelers are recommended to get vaccinated due to a severe outbreak of measles in Ukraine

Open source

The Foreign Ministry of Lithuania recommends the citizens to get vaccinated against measles before going to Ukraine, as Delfi reported.

Due to the outbreak of measles in Ukraine, the travelers are recommended to get vaccinated against measles. Only two doses of vaccine provide long-term immunity, the Foreign Ministry reports.

A few cases of measles brought from Ukraine were recorded in Lithuania (including one Lithuanian MP).

As it was reported on March 18, since the beginning of the year, 30,794 people who got sick were recorded and 11 people who died from this illness.

Earlier a two-year-old boy deceased because of the complications caused by measles. The deadly case was observed in Lviv, western Ukraine.

Moreover, a nine-year-old girl died from measles in Rivne region. It is the third case since the beginning of the year.

Generally, it was reported that 30,794 people have infected with measles since the beginning of 2019 in Ukraine. The incidence rate grows in Kyiv, Khmelnytsk, Ternopil, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions, and in Kyiv city as well.
Police officers will provide security of the Central Election Commission and all district election commissions

Andriy Kryshchenko, the Head of the Main Department of Kyiv National Police Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine

6,000 police officers, the military of the National Guard and workers of Ukraines State Border Guard Service will maintain order during the presidential elections in the country on March 31, as Andriy Kryshchenko, the Head of the Main Department of Kyiv National Police, said, Kyiv police website reports.

I have already stressed that order and security are the main goals Kyiv police set on the elections day and during the vote count. Therefore, all the units were reinforced today. The law enforcers are providing security of electoral materials, including escort of transportation of the ballots, provide security of the Central Electoral Commission and all district election commissions, Kryshchenko stated.

Since the election campaign began in Ukraine, 534 appeals were filed to the police concerning possible violations of the electoral legislation. The investigators deal with 33 criminal proceedings. 51 administrative reports for violations related to the elections process were made.

As it was reported, National Police and all the central bodies of the executive power included into the Internal Ministry, were reinforced a couple of days before the presidential elections.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine has created 199 district election commissions for the upcoming presidential election on March 31.

The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. 39 candidates take part in the race.
Besides, women might be allowed not to cover their heads in the temple

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine implements reforms and imposes new regulations in the churches, as RBK-Ukraine reported.

In particular, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine might allow setting benches in the churches, let women not cover their heads in the temple, and cancel the ban on burial service for Catholics.

Bishop of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine of Zaporizhia and Melitopol region Photios urged the priests to listen to the voice of the heart and act in compliance with the commandments of love.

If a person is christened in a church of another submission and he or she died, we will conduct burial service for this person, he stated.

The bishop noted that regarding the latter case, the priests need to specify why the Catholic appealed to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine for a burial service.

Earlier, Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Filaret said that the current church constitution provided by Constantinople does not satisfy him.
OSCE ODIHR Open source

The Russian Federation stated that it would not send the observers to Ukraine as Kyiv refused to accredit Russians within the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE (ODIHR), Russias Foreign Ministry stated.

Recently we got to know that the Central Election Commission of Ukraine has made an illegitimate decision; it refused the ODIHR of OSCE to accredit 24 citizens of Russia as part of the Bureaus mission on observing the presidential elections. In February, the ODIHR got a similar refusal toward two Russians aiming to Ukraine as the long-term observers of the mission. Now, the acquittal of such actions is the new legislative amendments adopted by the Verkhovna Rada in February in a hurry, when the ODIHR mission was already at the deployment stage in Ukraine, the Russian ministry said.

Discrimination steps of the Ukrainian authority prevent the Russian experts from the possibility to participate in the ODIHR observing mission. In such conditions, the Russian Federations is forced to refuse from the sending of the observers to Ukraine not to put them in the threat of persecution, the ministry said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry expects that the OSCE ODIHR will provide the objective information on the results of the elections in Ukraine, despite the absence of the observers from Russia.

Besides, the ministry stated, the evaluation of the situation in Ukraine doubts the legitimacy of the results of the upcoming elections of the Ukrainian president.

As we reported, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the principal institution of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (ODIHR OSCE) included 24 Russians into the list of short-term observers for the presidential elections in Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada registered the bill No.9524 which calls for ruling out the participation of the observers from the aggressor state in the presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine.

ODIHR offered to include two citizens of Russia to the list of the mission on the observation of the Ukrainian presidential elections on 31 March 2019, despite the conditions declared by Ukraine.

As we reported earlier, The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine has created 199 district election commissions for the upcoming presidential election on March 31.

The election campaign has officially started on December 31, 2018. Registration of the candidates was closed on February 4, 2019, and on February 9, the final list of presidential candidates is expected to appear. The candidates would be able to withdraw their candidacy until March 7, 2019.
The proper appeal should be sent for the consideration of the government soon

State Enterprise Precise Mechanics Plant joins Artillery Construction Bureau to create the closed loop of the production of the automatic cannons, as Ukroboronprom state concern, which supervises defense industry production facilities, reports.

Director-General of Ukroboronprom Pavlo Bukin made such decision to, particularly, decrease the administrative expenses at the enterprises. Besides, the National Council of the State Concern supported this ides. The proper appeal should be sent for the consideration of the government soon.

At the moment, 30-mm automatic cannons are the main products of Precise Mechanics Plant and Artillery Construction Bureau. They are the main weapon of BTR-3, BTR-4, and BMP-2.

It is expected that the creation of the closed loop of the production will increase the efficiency and speed of the processes; extend the production of BTR-3 and BTR-4. The saved funds from the reduction of the management will be used for renewal of the production capacity and increase of the wages of the workers.

The union of the enterprises will allow accelerating the processes of the creation of the new weapon. Particularly, the issue is about the development of 30-mm and 40-mm automatic cannons, which will use the NATO standard ammunition. These automatic cannons aim for the armament of the existing armored hardware such as BTR-3 and BTR-4 and newly developed hardware, the message said.

As we reported, Kharkiv tank factory upgraded over a hundred of T-64 main battle tanks made in 2017. The number of upgraded T-64s is quite enough to re-arm a tank brigade. The Kharkiv-based company continues to modernize the basic models of T-64s to this new level.

Besides, Kyiv Armored Vehicle Plant has manufactured the pilot hull of the armored personnel carrier 3DA (APC-3DA) made of the armored steel released by one of the NATO countries.
In case of the hunger strike, Pavlo Gryb will not be able to take medicine against gastritis

Pavlo Gryb, the Ukrainian political prisoner Hromadske

Political prisoner Pavlo Gryb, sentenced to six years in Russian prison, will be transferred to a separate cell due to the hunger strike as he cannot take medicine against gastritis, as Interfax reported citing Leonid Petrashis, the Chairman of Public Observation Commission of Rostov Oblast.

Pavlo Gryb wrote the statement on the hunger strike on March 25. According to Petrashis, the political prisoner will be examined by a doctor and transferred to the separate cell. Besides, the hunger strike can negatively influence the health of Pavlo, and he will not be able to take medicine against gastritis.

Pavlo Gryb is the son of the former Ukrainian border guard Ihor Gryb. Russian special agency detained the 19-year-old boy on August 25, 2017, when he went to Gomel (Belarus) to meet his friend. Later, he was convoyed to Russia. The Russian law enforcers suspect Pavlo Gryb of preparing a terrorist attack at a school in Sochi (a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast, - 112 International).

Pavlo Gryb was not allowed to see his mother and the Ukrainian consul. Russia promises to give permission to the meeting with the consul, but only after the verdict. Yet, the consular convention signed between Ukraine and Russia does not provide for such refusal.

On March 21, Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb delivered his last plea in North Caucasus military court in Rostov-on Don, Russia.

On March 22, the Russian court sentenced Ukrainian Pavlo Gryb to six years in standard regime penal colony for terrorism. Pavlo Gryb announced a hunger strike.
This could prevent emergency if Russia decides to supply gas through Ukraine starting from 2020

gas supplies Open source

Ukrainian Ukrtransgaz Company offers to use the free capacities of Ukraines underground gas storage facilities to those European countries, which depend on the transit of Russian fuel through the territory of Ukraine. The press-service of the company reports this.

It is noted that such measures will ensure uninterrupted gas supply during the autumn-winter 2019-2020 years and will protect against potential threats to the energy security of the EU countries (in particular, in case of termination of the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine from the beginning of 2020).

Now Ukraine can offer European customers storage facilities of about 12 billion cubic meters, and the maximum daily capacity from the facilities can be 260 million cubic meters. Technical capacity for exporting gas to Hungary is 68 million cubic meters per day, which is four times exceeds the productivity of the gas transport corridor from Austria to Hungary (only 15 million cubic meters per day), Ukrtransgaz says.

It is reminded that the Ukrainian gas storage complex is the largest in Europe, it consists of 11 underground gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 31 billion cubic meters. In the last 10 years, Ukraine has used only 50-60% of its technical capacity for its own needs. The 5 most powerful Ukrainian storages are located in western Ukraine, only 160 km from the Hungarian border.

On January 1, 2020, a 10-year transit contract between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Russian Gazprom will end. There are no ongoing negotiations for the extension of the contract.

As it was reported that Russian Gazprom is officially notifying the countries on the suspension of gas transit through Ukraine.

On March 21, Peter Szijarto, the Hungarian foreign minister stated that Russia and Hungary agreed on the supplies of the Russian gas in 2020 - even without the agreement on gas transit between Kyiv and Moscow.

In April 2018, Russian energy monopolist Gazprom declined the opportunity of extending the contract on gas transit with Naftogaz; only consultations would be held on this particular topic.

Gazprom and its partners intended to begin the realization of the Nord Stream 2 project, which costs ten billion dollars. It is expected that the 1200 km gas pipeline will be laid through the Baltic Sea, and will connect Russia and Germany passing Ukraine, Poland, and Baltic countries.
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Come back again sometime. Thank you for visiting.
Shimmering skyscrapers arising from desert sands; entire artificial archipelagos shaped like palm trees or maps of the world; an indoor ski resort where outdoor temperatures soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Such images often spark debates over whether the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is all about breathtaking visions for the future, or Ozymandian hubris.

Whatever ones take, the UAE is starting to view agritech with a similar sense of gigantism and grandeur. In Abu Dhabi, a funding and tax incentive tranche of $272 million has been earmarked this March for developing an agtech ecosystem, according to government officials. A statement seen by AFN describes how a clear set of cash and non-cash incentives have been identified and will be made available to agtech companies locally to aid growth and international companies to accelerate their establishment in Abu Dhabi.

These incentives could reach up to 75% rebate on R&D expenses, subject to eligibility and commercialisation conditions, the statement suggests. The incentive packages will enable the creation of advanced agtech knowledge in Abu Dhabi and help to solve traditional farming challenges, Saif Mohammed Al Hajeri, chairman of the Department of Economic Development, said in the statement: This will not only benefit the UAE, but also other nations across the world with arid conditions. Our aim is to position Abu Dhabi as a beacon for innovation in agriculture technologies applied to desert environments.

This months announcement fits a trend of Abu Dhabi, the largest and wealthiest emirate of the UAE, embarking on ambitious preparations for a world beyond fossil fuels. Earlier this year, the Abu Dhabi-based Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium announced the worlds first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable bio-fuel on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787. And slowly but surely, work continues on the city of Masdar  which some dub the worlds first carbon-neutral city, while others deride it as a Green Ghost Town, owing to its construction overspend and setbacks.

A turn to agtech is a substantial policy pivot for Abu Dhabi. Previously, food security solutions lay elsewhere. As tourists arrived in greater numbers, and as its population grew, the emirate bought up huge tracts of land in countries better suited to arable growth, like Serbia  hardly a paragon of Balkan stability.

Yet Abu Dhabi is rethinking its reliance on food imports partly due to persistent regional geopolitical tensions  these days with neighboring Qatar. Adding urgency to food security are also the effects of climate change on already scarce water supplies.

Changed strategies and fresh announcements are one thing. But where exactly is this money going to end up  and what would await any agtech company heeding the call of the desert and moving to work in Abu Dhabi? AFN contacted Elham Al Qasim, acting CEO of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), to discuss the ins and outs.

AFN: What agtech companies have already moved to Abu Dhabi or are established there?

Elham Al Qasim: Abu Dhabis existing AgTech community is strong and growing. There are already multiple companies applying agriculture technology farming methods and adapting them to the local environment. Located in Al Ain, the oasis of Abu Dhabi, a selection of these companies include Madar Farms, Pure Harvest, and Badia Farms. Importantly, the focus of the agtech sector extends beyond food. Elsewhere, Masdar  an international renewable energy company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, opened the worlds first-ever biofuel facility run by irrigating desert land with seawater. The facility is funded by the Sustainable Business Research Consortium (major partners include Etihad, Boeing, ADNOC, SAFRAN, GE).

We look forward to welcoming further AgTech businesses to Abu Dhabi that will, in turn, drive R&D innovation and position Abu Dhabi as a beacon for innovation in agriculture technologies.

Can you provide further details on how the funds will be allocated? Any further details about the sub-sector focus for the announcement?

As a priority, Abu Dhabi is looking to attract companies that are looking to innovate and apply new technologies and R&D to three key agtech sub-sectors. Each of the sub-sectors identified leverage Abu Dhabis climate and environment including plentiful land availability, natural heat and sunlight conditions.

These sub-sectors align with Abu Dhabis priorities and desert environment:

 Algae-based biofuels: Increasing demand for biofuels, as an alternative to traditional fuel, makes algae-based biofuels an attractive sector. All-year-round sunlight, access to saltwater and abundant land provides companies with an ideal environment for algae biofuels development and scaling in Abu Dhabi. Current global market size: USD 7Bn with multiple applications beyond biofuels.

 Indoor farming technology: In line with Abu Dhabis aspiration of water conservation, advancement in indoor farming technology and adaptation of the most advanced solutions to the desert environment is a priority area. With growing local and international population, Abu Dhabis demand for high-quality farming produce will put indoor farming technology at the forefront. Current global market size: USD 3.6Bn.

 Precision agriculture and ag-robotics: Abu Dhabi is an ideal place for companies pursuing precision agriculture and ag-robotics to base their R&D operations, offering proximity to a growing demand base for agriculture technologies locally and regionally. This will help local farmers to minimize resource utilization and wastage of critical resources including water, energy and land. Current global market size: USD 16Bn.

Importantly, there is no fixed number of businesses that will be applicable to the incentives. However, if a company does not qualify directly for the agricultural technology initiative, it may be eligible for other incentive programs operated by the ADIO.

These sub-sectors will all have potential for exponential growth. Expected CAGR for the next 5 years for each subsector; ~14% for precision ag., ~7% for bioenergy and ~22% for indoor farms.

Why the drive to establish an agtech sector in Abu Dhabi?

For Abu Dhabi, the capital emirate of the UAE, the government, and ADIO have identified agtech as a priority sector and is committed to establishing Abu Dhabi as a global center for desert environment agriculture innovation.

Whilst the incentive packages will benefit the UAE and enable the creation of advanced agtech knowledge in Abu Dhabi, the creation of a new leading agtech ecosystem will also help to solve traditional farming challenges whilst supporting other nations across the world with arid conditions.

This drive is a part of Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi governments accelerator program.

Any further information on the current ecosystem and strategy?

The development of a vibrant agtech sector in the emirate, is part of the Abu Dhabi governments Ghadan 21 program, as well as the broader UAE federal agenda. The programme was established in 2018 to accelerate the economic agenda and Abu Dhabis transformation to a new world economy, with a central ambition to make Abu Dhabi one of the best places in the world to do business, invest, live, work and visit.

The initiative will create new opportunities that will positively impact the economy in the mid and long-term future, aiming to generate over AED 1.650 billion ($450 million) of GDP contribution and stimulate 2,900 new jobs by 2021.

When it comes to FDI, our aim is to target sectors where it makes true commercial sense for the companies to establish in Abu Dhabi and where they may benefit from the environment and conditions that are prevalent, which agtech clearly fits into.

Abu Dhabi is already attracting investment from businesses, foreign government, venture capitalists and personal investors. In addition to providing generous incentives, Abu Dhabi offers a wide range of benefits to potential investors including globally competitive tax rates and world-class infrastructure. Most recently with positive regulatory changes aimed at attracting global companies to establish an advanced agtech ecosystem in the UAE.
PLEASE NOTE!

Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate!

All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited!

(One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!)
Drew Angerer/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) --Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing to bring Attorney General William Barr in front of Congress to testify about the results of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into claims of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 presidential election, as they continue to push for the full public release of Mueller's report.

They have raised questions about Mueller's decision not to exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice, and Barr's determination that a case wasn't warranted, outlined in a letter to lawmakers on Sunday summarizing Mueller's findings.

"His conclusions raise more questions than they answer," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-New York, said Sunday. "The American people are entitled to a full accounting of the president's misconduct referenced by the special counsel."

Nadler said he plans to ask Barr to testify before the House Judiciary Committee about his letter and Mueller's investigation, and threatened to subpoena him and the Mueller report for public release. His staff has already been in touch with the Justice Department on setting up Barr's testimony, according to a congressional aide.

Mueller, according to Barr's summary, did not find that the Trump campaign officials or any associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Barr also revealed Mueller's conclusion on obstruction, that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also doesn't exonerate him," and said the special counsel set out evidence on "both sides of the question."

Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill celebrated Mueller's conspiracy conclusion, arguing that it vindicated the president.

x

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, said in a statement Sunday that the findings meant the "case is closed" on the matters investigated by Mueller, a conclusion rejected by Democrats.

This is just the beginning, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, a member of the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, told ABC News Sunday afternoon. "Its case closed criminally but not case closed as to whether the president committed a high crime or misdemeanor."

Democrats vowed to continue their ongoing investigations into the Trump administration and pursuit of the Mueller report and underlying investigative materials.

They also raised questions about Barr's conclusion on obstruction of justice, citing a memo he sent to the Justice Department before his confirmation arguing it would be "fatally misconceived" that Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey could be the basis of an obstruction of justice inquiry.

"Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

Nadler, in a statement with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, said it was "unacceptable that, after Special Counsel Mueller spent 22 months meticulously uncovering this evidence, Attorney General Barr made a decision not to charge the President in under 48 hours," and did so without interviewing Trump.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
RTHK: PM May to meet ministers amid 'coup' talk

British Prime Minister Theresa May will on Monday chair a potentially volatile meeting of her cabinet amid reports of an attempted coup by colleagues over her handling of Brexit.

May will meet the very ministers said to be plotting to oust her at the start of another crucial week in Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, which could see MPs seize control of the process from the government.

Lawmakers are set to vote later on Monday on whether to force through the House of Commons a series of so-called "indicative votes" to gauge support for various Brexit options.

Meanwhile May must decide when, or even if, to ask them to vote again on her divorce deal  finalised with the EU last year  which they have already overwhelmingly rejected twice.

Under a new timetable imposed by European leaders last week, she now has until April 12 to win MPs' backing for the agreement or find a viable alternative which could include a lengthy extension to Brexit.

However, after a disastrous last week, the increasingly isolated leader spent the weekend ensconced at her country residence Chequers "at the mercy of a full-blown cabinet coup", according to the Sunday Times.

The newspaper said it had spoken to 11 senior ministers who "confirmed that they wanted the prime minister to make way for someone else" and planned to confront her at Monday's cabinet.(AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
ABC News

(WASHINGTON) -- Special counsel Robert Mueller's report into the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 presidential election did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia, according to a letter to Congress from Attorney General William Barr.

The letter describes "two main" Russian efforts to influence the election including attempts by a Russian organization to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United States and the Russian governments efforts to conduct computer hacking operations targeting former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.

In both circumstances, the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts.

The special counsels office made no conclusion on the matter of possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump.

"The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," the letter read. "Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction."

In his communique to lawmakers, Barr underscored that the special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

While Muellers report did not reach a conclusion as to whether obstruction of justice occurred, Attorney General Barrs letter said he determined a case for obstruction was not warranted.

In cataloging the Presidents actions many of which took place in public view, the report identities no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Department's principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Barr said his intent is to release as much as possible but there are grand jury secrecy concerns with some portions.

The White House celebrated the news, with President Donald Trump hailing the report on Twitter and, later in comments to reporters, as an "exoneration."

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully, someone is going to be looking at the other side," Trump told reporters on Sunday.

He tweeted: "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!"

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

"The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.

Jay Sekulow, one of President Trumps lawyers, told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos that the report was a "complete win for the president and the American people."

"Not just a win." Sekulow said. "The entire basis upon which this inquiry was instituted was a concern over collusion between the Russian government and the trump campaign, Bob Mueller and the Department of Justice could not be clearer. To have the obstruction issue even as a viable one, which it was not, there would have to be an underlying crime, which there wasn't."

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., questioned the timing of the letter tweeting "Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ."

The news comes amid Democrats continued calls for the full release of the findings.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a joint letter, seemed to sum up the sentiment of many congressional Democrats in saying that Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers" and that Congress "requires the full report and the underlying documents."

"The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," they wrote. "Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report."

The congressional leaders also took issues with the president's claims of being "exonerated."

On the campaign trail and on the Hill, Democrats made clear they are going to want every detail and document about the investigation and some have said they are willing to use their subpoena power in order to get it.

"It means make the request, if the request is denied subpoena, if the subpoenas are denied we will hold people before the Congress and yes, we will prosecute in court as necessary to get this information," House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday on "This Week".

Democratic candidates running to unseat President Donald Trump in 2020 reacted quickly to the news that Mueller delivered his report to DOJ with one consistent message: Make it public.

"The Mueller report must be made public  all of it," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY said in a presidential campaign speech outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City.

"The Mueller report must be made public  all of it," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says in 2020 speech.



"it is not often that I agree with Richard Nixon, but he was right to say that the American people have a right to know whether their president is a crook" https://t.co/rTYLWyQTQg pic.twitter.com/bsJxzCYQIN  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 24, 2019

She added: "It is not often that I agree with Richard Nixon, but he was right to say that the American people have a right to know whether their president is a crook."

The much-awaited report was handed to the Justice Department for Barrs review, and Congress was notified of the transfer late Friday afternoon, according to a Justice Department spokeswoman.

After reviewing Mueller's report, Barr will then send what he has described as his own "report" on the Mueller investigation to the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Judiciary committees. Barr has promised to be as transparent as possible, but it's unclear how extensive or detailed Barr's own "report" to Congress will be.

In a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, Barr wrote that he is reviewing the report and anticipates that he "may be in a position to advise you of the Special Counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this weekend." He continued that, separately, he intends to "consult with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Special Counsel Mueller to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public consistent with the law."

"The next steps are up to Attorney General Barr, and we look forward to the process taking its course. The White House has not received or been briefed on the Special Counsels report," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted on Friday afternoon.

A senior Department of Justice official told ABC News on Friday that the report will not include any further indictments.

Mueller and his team investigated how far the Kremlin went to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including trying to determine whether any Americans may have helped those efforts.

At the heart of Muellers probe were two Russian operations: the spread of disinformation on social media, and the release of thousands of sensitive emails stolen by hackers from the Democratic National Committee and other Democratic targets. Muellers team has charged 25 Russian nationals and three foreign companies for their alleged role in those operations.

In appointing a special counsel to investigate, however, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein also directed Mueller to look into allegations of possible coordination between Russian operatives and associates of President Donald Trump.

Trump and his Republican allies have derided the investigation as a witch hunt. But Rosenstein, FBI Director Chris Wray and Barr have each explicitly disputed that description.

At least four Trump associates, including Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn, have pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents during the Russia-related investigation.

Another Trump associate, the presidents former attorney Michael Cohen, has pleaded guilty to lying to Congress about Trumps business dealings in Moscow. And former Trump adviser Roger Stone has been charged with lying to Congress about his alleged role in tracking information stolen from Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Muellers investigation grew out of a probe the FBI launched in late July 2016.

By then, the FBI was already scrutinizing Trump campaign manager Paul Manaforts business dealings with pro-Russian officials in Ukraine  dealings that have since landed Manafort in jail. And the FBI was keeping tabs on Trump adviser Carter Page, who was previously targeted for recruitment by Russian spies and had raised eyebrows with a trip to Moscow in mid-July 2016.

But claims by Trump adviser George Papadopoulos  that the Russians were touting dirt on Clinton  really set off alarms inside the FBI.

If any Americans were part of helping the Russians [attack] us, that is a very big deal, James Comey, who was FBI director at the time, later told lawmakers.

Several weeks after formally launching the Russia probe, counterintelligence agents leading the investigation in Washington received a so-called dossier, which had been compiled at the behest of Democrats and detailed uncorroborated allegations of coordination between Trumps campaign and the Kremlin.

Some of the allegations involved Page, who was already on the FBIs radar, so agents began secretly intercepting his communications. Page has never been charged with any crimes.

The wide-ranging investigation continued even after Trump took office. After Jeff Sessions became attorney general, he recused himself from oversight of the FBIs Russia-related probe, citing his previous advocacy for Trump on the campaign trail.

Rosenstein subsequently assumed oversight of the investigation.

And then Trump shocked the federal law enforcement community: He fired Comey.

The move prompted Rosenstein to appoint Mueller to take over the whole matter, including a review of whether Comey's firing and other actions meant Trump improperly tried to obstruct the probe.

Comey later alleged that in a private meeting with Trump before his removal, the president directed Comey to let [Flynn] go.

Mueller has not released any evidence suggesting Trump committed a crime related to Russian efforts.

However, Mueller did uncover evidence of other possible crimes and referred those cases to other federal prosecutors.

The U.S. Attorneys Office in Manhattan ended up tying Trump to federal campaign violations, alleging that  in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign  Trump personally directed Cohen to silence two woman claiming affairs with Trump by making illegal payments to them; Trump has repeatedly denied the affairs.

Cohen has pleaded guilty for his role in the matter, but no other charges have been filed.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Bleubeard and I welcome you

Art, including the journey, background techniques, sewing on both paper and fabric, new experiments, photos, failures, and successes will be shared on this site. I have removed my e-mail address until such time as I can get it to work again. Thank you for understanding. You can always leave a note on my blog and I will visit you.



Please check out my Previous Collaborations link above to see what projects I have been involved in over the past ten years. Current and ongoing projects only are shown below.



Occasionally, Silent Sunday will showcase photos of my home, neighborhood, or community. A picture is often worth a thousand words.



Feel free to drop by every second Thursday of the month for my Second Thursday Tutorials. They are interspersed with my other Tutorials found at the link above.


According to the, the government has capitalized on the population's irritation with this scourge in order to adopt the anticorruption banner.

Political Scientist Jorge Aragon noted the Head of State's capacity of political reaction, as well as taking away Congress' prominence and the stance represented by opposition party Fuerza Popular.

Furthermore, Paredes stated that although President Vizcarra has attempted to address femicides and gender equality  he has not done the same with problems related to indigenous peoples.
I am a Flag-Waving Everyman, also known as a patriot. I believe in freedom, apple pie, rooting for America at all times, and that God gave us a two-day weekend so we could enjoy football and NASCAR.
The transfer rumour merry-go-round is already in full swing and we havent even got into April yet.

As ever, Liverpool are being linked with a whole host of names to strengthen their squad next season, and one name that keeps coming up is that of Paulo Dybala of Juventus and Argentina fame.

The 25-year-old is undoubtedly a huge talent and would be a welcome addition to any side, and he is a man that has been continually linked to a move to Liverpool over the past 18 months.

It would certainly be a landmark signing for Jurgen Klopp, making a real statement that world-class players are more than happy to make the switch to Anfield to join his revolution.

Yet whether or not this will happen seems unlikely, not only for the amount of money Juve would demand for Dybalas services, thus relinquishing a large portion of the available transfer budget.

However, it is common knowledge that the Reds are most likely going to have an attacker on their shopping list this summer, so someone of Dybalas quality would be a very welcome addition to the squad.

Some have asked the question as to where he would fit in, but that could be asked of any attacker that joins Liverpools ranks due to the prominence and influence of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah.

What people may be failing to realise is that having this amount of quality to choose from, to rotate and to tinker with is still a luxury that isnt afforded on Klopp.

Look across the M62 at Manchester City  they have world class players in every single position, with players like Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Rihad Mahrez sitting on the bench most weeks ready to come on and make an impact when theyre called upon.

Should Liverpool need to shuffle the pack, especially to bring on an out-and-out striker, their options are limited to Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge, with Rhian Brewster, set to be added to that list next season when he returns to full fitness?

Add to that list Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri and you have Liverpools rotational forwards and while it could certainly be full of worse names, it could also certainly be full of better talent.

This is where someone like Dybala, or someone of his level of talent, fits in perfectly.

To maintain title challenges and to be big players on the European stages for seasons to come, Klopp needs to keep competition for places rife in his squad. What is the point of relying eternally on his current front three because we have been very fortunate up until now to not have either of them pick up serious injuries? What happens if that were to happen next weekend?

Of course, theres the flip side of this equation and you have to consider how players will feel coming to Liverpool knowing that theyre likely not going to be a permanent fixture in the side and will need to be patient and play their role as part of the wider squad.

Not everyone will be satisfied with that, but having someone of the talents of Dybala to call upon in whatever capacity necessary make a Liverpool an even more dangerous side to come up against.

Its a dilemma that managers, Klopp included, would love to have, to be spoilt for choice in terms of which dangerous attackers to start with week in, week out, so why shouldnt the Reds be targeting such prestigious talent?
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations informs that on March 25, as of 08:30, some roads are closed and difficult to pass in Armenia, reports Armenpress.

Vardenyats Pass is closed due to snowstorm.

The inter-community roads of Ashotsk, Amasia regions and Sotk-Karvachar highway are difficult to pass. Talin-Lanjik-Mastara highway is covered with clear ice.

The ministry urges drivers to use snow tires.

According to the information provided by the Georgian authorities, Stepantsminda-Lars highway is closed for all type of vehicles.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will hold a closed-format working meeting at the defense ministry in the evening of March 25, the PMs spokesman Vladimir Karapetyan told Armenpress.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The missile launched from Gaza hit a house in the Mishmeret moshav in central Israel, the police said, TASS reported.

The Police received a report of a missile strike on the Mishmeret moshav. The missile has hit a house, which caught fire, the statement said.

6 Israelis, including children, have been injured in the strike.

Medics are providing aid to six residents, including a 50-year-old woman, who received moderately serious injuries. A man, a woman and a child received light injuries, sources in the Israeli medical service informed.

The Israeli military stated that they had documented a launch of one missile from the Gaza Strip aimed towards central Israel.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan




YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Applications for the 2019 Aurora Humanitarian Project for UWC schools and colleges are now being accepted, IDeA Foundation told Armenpress. The project, recognized as Young Aurora, is a partnership between the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, United World Colleges (UWC), Scholae Mundi and Teach for All. It provides an opportunity for UWC schools and colleges to design projects that will drive positive change in the community through humanitarian solutions. The winning team will be awarded a $4,000 grant to implement their project.

Now in its third year, 17 schools and colleges have participated in the Young Aurora Project till date. Previous project proposals have presented solutions to a diverse range of critical humanitarian issues identified near their schools and colleges in countries including Eswatini, Germany, India and China.

The 2019 selection process deadline is 19 April 2019. The competition will conclude with a presentation of the three finalists on an paid trip to Armenia from 16-20 October 2019 during Aurora Forum. One winning team will be provided with a grant of $4,000 to further their projects development, the two other finalist teams will be awarded $500. All teams who submit project proposals for Young Aurora will receive mentorship from experts across the UWC movement and Teach for All Network.

The organizing partners of Young Aurora share the belief that in times of a global crisis of humanitarian values its important to give young people inspirational role models. UWCs educational model is not just about knowledge, its about raising future leaders with strong humanitarian values, leaders who care about their communities and the society at large. Young Aurora gives them an opportunity to put their knowledge, skills and aspirations into action by designing and implementing specific projects with measurable impact. It empowers young people to make a difference and become positive actors in the society at an early age, said Veronika Zonabend, Chair of the Board of Governors of UWC Dilijan College in Armenia and Co-Founder of Scholae Mundi.

Proposed projects are assessed by a selection panel of esteemed judges including entrepreneurs, philanthropists and world leaders who shortlist projects based on their creativity, sustainability, quality of research, impact, commitment, self-reflection and format.

The Aurora Humanitarian Projects mission is to support and showcase student-driven projects, which offer solutions to relevant issues through innovative and sustainable approaches. Nobody should remain indifferent to other peoples suffering, and the spirit of Aurora teaches those young people, the participants, that they can and should do whatever is in their power to lend a helping hand to those in need. As important as education is in general, this lesson might be the most valuable one, stated Tom Catena, Chair of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative.

We are thrilled that once again UWC students around the world will rise to the challenge to create meaningful change through the Aurora Humanitarian Project. Young Aurora is an opportunity for our students to flex their humanitarian muscles, turning their UWC education  and passion  into action. Time and again, through their idealism, selfless leadership and compassion, UWC students participating in this challenge exemplify living the UWC mission, said Jens Waltermann, Executive Director of UWC International.

In 2018, the winning project was HOPE, developed by students from UWC Changshu China. HOPE, founded in 2017, is dedicated to preventing the sexual abuses of children by delivering trainings online and in schools throughout Changshu and the surrounding area, educating children and teachers about how to address and prevent sexual abuse.



***

Aurora Humanitarian Initiative

Founded on behalf of the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative seeks to empower modern-day saviors to offer life and hope to those in urgent need of basic humanitarian aid anywhere in the world and thus continue the cycle of giving internationally. The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative is Gratitude in Action. It is an eight-year commitment (2015 to 2023, in remembrance of the eight years of the Armenian Genocide 1915-1923) to support people and promote global projects that tackle the needs of the most helpless and destitute and do so at great risk. This is achieved through the Initiatives various programs: the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity, the Aurora Dialogues, the Aurora Humanitarian Index, the Gratitude Projects and the 100 LIVES Initiative.

United World Colleges (UWC)

UWC is a global educational movement with the mission to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. Central to the ethos of UWC is the belief that education can bring together young people from all backgrounds on the basis of their shared humanity, to engage with the possibility of social change through courageous action, personal example and selfless leadership. To achieve this, UWC schools and colleges all over the world deliver a challenging and transformational educational experience to a deliberately diverse group of young people, inspiring them to become agents of positive change.

Scholae Mundi

Scholae Mundi is a platform to promote the most advanced approaches in the field of education, which in the long term will catalyze social changes throughout the world. Providing opportunities to youth for the development of the knowledge, skills and the universal moral and ethical values that will guide them throughout their lives. Launching various new educational platforms with partners.

Teach for All

Teach For All is a global network of 49 independent, locally led and funded partner organizations whose stated shared mission is to "expand educational opportunity around the world by increasing and accelerating the impact of social enterprises that are cultivating the leadership necessary for change. Each partner aims to recruit and develop diverse graduates and professionals to exert leadership through two-year commitments to teach in their nations' high-need classrooms and lifelong commitments to expand opportunity for children. Teach For All works to accelerate partners' progress and increase their impact by capturing and sharing knowledge, facilitating connections across the network, accessing global resources for the benefit of the whole, and fostering leadership development of staff, teachers, and alumni.
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Provincial medical facilities are in demand of doctors and medical personnel, with a number of positions remaining vacant.

The Healthcare Ministry of Armenia has launched a new program whereby it will dispatch doctors from Yerevans medical institutions to provinces.

There are approximately 200 vacant positions in provincial medical facilities, Deputy Minister of Healthcare Lena Nanushyan told lawmakers at the healthcare and social affairs committee in parliament.

She said the ministry is using the information to organize the allocation of residency positions. These resident doctors sign contracts with the ministry and are dispatched to the given province upon graduation.

The other project, by which Yerevan doctors are sent to provinces temporarily, will remunerate the medical personnel extra.

During the given period of time doctors will receive their main salary, in addition to extra salary at the dispatched location, plus accommodation compensation, Deputy Healthcare Minister Arsen Davtyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Armenia will convene an extraordinary Cabinet meeting today on March 25.

The session will start at 14:00, the PMs Office told ARMENPRESS.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The operative meeting of the commanding staff of the Armenian Armed Forces has kicked of March 25th at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Yerevan.

Representatives of the Artsakh military command are also taking part within the framework of the Armenia-Artsakh military partnership, the defense ministry said in a news release.

Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan, welcoming the participating military officers and attaching importance to the role and importance of the annual gatherings in terms of perfecting the knowledge of the commanding staff, delivered a lecture the topic of The Military-Political Situation in the Region, Possible Developments Stemming From It.

Tonoyan presented the main challenges, external, including military threats, of the security environment around Armenia and Artsakh, existing and likely developments in the area of regional interests and conflicts, main guarantees for ensuring favorable negotiations conditions for the Armenian side in the NK conflict settlement process.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan My Love Foundation is implementing the Fatherlands Defender project as announced by Armenian President Armen Sarkissian on January 28, 2019.

The Foundation told Armenpress that project aims at assisting soldiers who have been wounded, injured and became disabled during the military service, teaching them new skills, providing an opportunity to work so that they can actively participate in the public life.

At this stage of the program, lectures are being carried out which are attended by boys, who receive treatment in the Rehabilitation Center for Fatherlands Defender, as well as by those who want to learn photography and etc. This will be a second profession for some of them, and the others will improve their knowledge. The duration of the course is three months.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has addressed a congratulatory cable to Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras on the occasion of the Independence Day of Greece, the PMs office said in a news release.

I am extending my warm congratulations on the occasion of Greeces national holiday  Independence Day, the Armenian Premier said in the cable.

I wish peace, progress and prosperity to you and the good people of Greece.

Armenia attaches importance to the continuous development of intergovernmental relations with Greece, based on many centuries of civilizational similarities, the existing warmth between our peoples, mutual respect and trust.

I am sure through joint efforts the Armenian-Greek political dialogue, as well the bilateral and multilateral format practical cooperation will be further strengthened and boosted, for the benefit of our friendly countries and for the welfare of our brotherly peoples.

I am hopeful that we will have the occasions to meet and to advance the Armenian-Greek cooperation agenda, Pashinyan said in the cable.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Within the frames of the events of the Year of Caucasian Leopard, the nature protection ministry of Armenia together with the Central Bank will issue a memorial coin depicting the Caucasian Leopard, the representative of the ministry Voskehat Grigoryan told a press conference in Armenpress.

The memorial coin will be issued in September. The specialists are already working on the sketches, Grigoryan said.

According to the governments decision, 2019 has been declared a Year of Caucasian Leopard in Armenia.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The 11th summit of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) will take place in Brasilia on November 13-14, TASS reports.

The capital city will host the event for already the second time.

Among the priorities declared by Brazil are scientific-technical and innovative cooperation, digital economy, fight against organized crime and money laundering.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. An investigation has revealed the preliminary cause of the deadly incident when an Armenian citizen was struck and killed by a taxiing airplane at the Moscow Sheremetyevo airport to be violation of technical rules by dispatchers registering passengers and baggage handlers, Russian investigators told RIA Novosti.

The man, a 25-year-old Armenian national identified as Albert Yepremyan (pictured above), arrived in Moscow from Spain on November 20, 2018 after being deported. He was on his way to Armenia. The plane that struck him on the tarmac was a taxiing Boeing 737 operated by Aeroflot bound for Athens. The plane continued the takeoff and landed safely in Greece.

Authorities said in addition to the main version they are also probing other possible variants, however, now we are inclined that the passenger wasnt noticed, Sergei Vazyulin, head of the Moscow transportation inter-regional investigative department of the Russian Investigative Committee told RIA Novosti.

He had exited the airport building and had to go and board the plane, however he appeared on the tarmac by bypassing it. We are now gathering necessary evidence, the investigation hasnt yet completed.

Initially, unconfirmed media reports suggested the man was trying to escape because he was being deported.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Foreign minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered lecture at the meeting of the leadership staff of the Armed Forces in the defense ministry, the defense ministry told Armenpress.

The high-ranking officers of the Armed Forces were introduced on Armenias approaches and principled position on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the regional developments and the key signals and factors which can play a role on this matter.

FM Mnatsakanyan once again stated that there is no alternative to the peaceful settlement process of the NK conflict.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The government is seeking harsher penalties for poachers, with the ministry of nature protection having introduced a new bill on amending the law regulating the sphere.

Voskehat Grigoryan, Head of the Bio-diversity and Bio-Safety Policy Department of the Nature Protection Ministry told a news conference today that the bill envisages to raise the fine for leopard poaching from the current 3,000,000 drams to 100,000,000 drams ($206,000). But if the poaching took place in a specially protected area the fine will be 500,000,000 drams ($1,000,000).

This is yet a draft option, it is currently in circulation, however the main emphasis of the bill is for the heightened fines to be a suppressive tool, so people avoid poaching, Grigoryan said.

World Wildlife Fund Armenia Director Karen Manvelyan said he is in favor of the proposed increase of the penalty.

Manvelyan added that today technologies enable carrying out more efficient supervision and detect poaching cases. He said there are currently more than 100 surveillance cameras installed in various locations, and they are planning to increase the number.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The traffic department of the Georgian ministry of infrastructures told Armenias ministry of transport, communication and information technologies that on March 25, as of 15:30, the Stepanstminda-Lars highway is closed for all types of vehicles, the ministry told Armenpress.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. There will be an agreed upon announcement for the meeting of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the PMs spokesman Vladimir Karapetyan told Armenpress.

Various media reports mention numerous versions for the dates and place of the meetings, but no official announcement has been made yet by the sides and the mediators.

In their March 1 statement the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs welcomed the readiness of the Armenian PM and the Azerbaijani President to meet soon under the auspices of the Co-Chairs.

This will be the first official meeting of Pashinyan and Aliyev. They already held three informal meetings in Dushanbe, St. Petersburg and Davos.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Jailed ex-MP Manvel Grigoryan has been once again transferred to a civilian hospital amid deteriorating health, the Department of Corrections told ARMENPRESS.

He has been taken to Nairi Medical Center in Yerevan.

Earlier, the European Court of Human Rights postponed the application of an interim measure concerning the case of retired general, former Armenian lawmaker Manvel Grigoryan, the Armenian Government Representation before the European Court of Human Rights reported through its official website.

On March 22, the Armenian Government was notified through a communique from the ECHR that on March 12 Manvel Grigoryans attorney has requested that in accordance to Article 39 of ECHR an interim measure to be applied  binding the Armenian government to immediately transfer Manvel Grigoryan to a civilian hospital under supervision of relevant personnel, as well as to immediately transfer him to a medical facility in France mentioned by him for further diagnostics and treatment.

On March 22, the ECHR has made a decision to postpone the examination of the issue of applying the interim measure, demanding the Armenian government to present relevant information by April 3rd.

Currently the authorized representative of the Armenian government at the ECHR is taking relevant actions to gather the mentioned information, formulate the stance of the Armenian government and present it to the European Court within the defined period of time, the Armenian Government Representation before the European Court of Human Rights said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Lebanon Michel Aoun arrived in Moscow on a two-day official visit on March 25, RIA Novosti reports.

On March 26 the Lebanese President is scheduled to meet with Russias President Vladimir Putin. The leaders of the two countries will discuss the cooperation development in economy, trade and humanitarian sectors, as well as international and regional issues. Michel Aoun told the Russian media that he also plans to discuss issues relating to the consequences of wars in the Middle East and etc.

This is the Lebanese Presidents first official visit to Russia.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian has initiated series of meetings with the factions of the Parliament, the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

On March 25 the President met with head of the ruling My Step faction Lilit Makunts and faction secretary Hakob Simidyan.

President Sarkissian said in the parliamentary system of governance quite active and through work is given to the Parliament both in the legislative field and the parliamentary diplomacy.

Lilit Makunts introduced the priority directions of the factions activity, as well as the details and agreements reached during the recent official visit of the Speaker of Parliament and his delegation to Germany.

The President and the lawmakers also touched upon the activities of the Parliament, including in the international platforms, the inter-parliamentary ties, as well as issues relating to science and education.

Armen Sarkissian expressed readiness to cooperate with the Parliament and assist its activities within the powers granted to him by the Constitution.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. An extraordinary Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the Government approved 2wo reportable and 5 non-reportable issues featuring on the agenda. The Executive amended one of its previous decisions to allocate 352,226.5 thousand drams without a tender to Union of Leading Technology Enterprises NGO under the STEM Education and Robotics Development in Schools program with a view to ensuring the smooth operations of engineering laboratories. In this connection, the Prime Minister noted that the amendment will ensure the activities of existing laboratories and the introduction of new laboratories.

But our message is that like all other spheres, no monopolies will be allowed in this sphere. Of course, we will continue to cooperate with the partner organization in the normal way, but the government is open to other proposals. The rationale behind the funding and the operations of the new proposals will be slightly different, the Premier said.

The Head of Government stressed that corruption and electoral frauds should be curbed in the educational system as well.

This is a complicated task, but it does not mean at all that we have to give up addressing this issue. Deeply rooted in our society, these issues will predetermine the future of our state and society. The history of the Third Republic was mostly marked by the reluctance of the authorities to discuss issues openly, frankly and honestly with the public at large. We must get rid of such practices. We should discuss any such issue with the public in an atmosphere of openness, otherwise we will come to a state of stagnation, Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Head of Government underscored that the educational system should not be politicized in its integrity. This needs to be stated very clearly. For example, the rectors who have made the system of higher education part of the party cells and who have narrowed our students opportunities have nothing to do in the new Armenia. This is my clear-cut position, and we should not be afraid to state it. Let them cling to the doors, their desks and armchairs, but they have nothing to do in the new Armenia. Let them find another job, another mission. The rectors who have shut the doors before a student in the Republic of Armenia cannot continue in office. The Revolution started with this motto and will be completed with it. There is no option. Yes, this is a political decision which will be implemented sooner or later. Let no one think that we forgotten the Revolutions key objectives, Nikol Pashinyan noted.

Taking into consideration the tradition and the years-long achievements, the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs considered it expedient to allocate the proposed funds in the form of a grant to Armenia, Sevan and Dynamo NGOs in the first half of the year without a tender. The Government passed a relevant decision to that effect. The meeting next referred to those sport halls given for rent. The Prime Minister stressed that stock-taking should be carried out in this area.

We need to understand what percentage of these transactions and deals were shady in fact. We need to see whether the amounts stipulated in the contracts match the ones actually paid, and whether the state-owned infrastructures serve their true purpose, which is extremely important, Nikol Pashinyan ponted out.

The Prime Minister instructed the relevant departments to conduct a joint study and report back the findings within a month.
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Minister of emergency situations Felix Tsolakyan received Tanja Radocaj, UNICEF representative in Armenia, the ministry told Armenpress.

Minister Tsolakyan highlighted the implementation of the program signed with the government and the expansion of the ministrys cooperation with UNICEF.

The minister said the ministrys main task in its humanitarian mission is to prevent possible disasters.

Tanja Radocaj expressed UNICEFs readiness to assist Armenia in case of natural and man-made disasters, stating that in the contemporary world no country is free of disasters.

At the end of the meeting the minister expressed hope that as a result of the cooperation with UNICEF children in Armenia will become more protected and informed.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. Montenegro has set visa free regime for Armenian citizens from April 15-October 30 for a period of 30 days, ARMENPRESS reports Montenegros CDM portal informs.

The citizens of Armenia can stay in Montenegro for 30 days without visa in case of the presence of the necessary documents.

Each year Montenegro sets visa free regime during that period for fostering tourism.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. By the decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan an extraordinary parliamentary session will be convened immediately after the March 26 regular session at the initiative of the Government of Armenia, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan
They were, nevertheless, a hodgepodge of ramshackle buildings constructed with no thought of order.

The settlers around Mount Hagen were generally made up of people who had moved in closer to the town to take advantage of its attractions and to sell the vegetables they produced in their nearby gardens.

Unlike their counterparts in the big towns like Port Moresby and Lae, where squatters came from other districts, they were mainly occupied by local landowners. The town was not yet big enough to have created an underclass of dispossessed landowners.

The settlements around Mount Hagen in those days were nothing like the ones that came later.

TUMBY BAY - I saw my first squatter settlement in 1967 in Mount Hagen.

Most of them occurred in the gullies and on the low rises around the town and were accessed by a mixture of pathways and occasionally wider tracks worn by the increasing number of vehicles owned by local people.

In those days the Toyota Stout was king. It came as a tough and almost unbreakable utility that was used for everything from coffee buying to use as public motor vehicles, known as PMVs, that plied the roads between the town and the outlying hamlets and villages.

The administration was well aware that these nascent settlements would eventually develop into the crowded eyesores that already existed in Port Moresby and Lae and did what it could to discourage them.

Thirty years later I worked with several people from Mount Hagen who had been rendered landless because of the spread of the town.

Their traditional lands had either been sold to commercial developers by unscrupulous clan leaders or enveloped by the settlements built by a mass of outsiders illegally moving into the area.

These landless people were now existing as renters in the squalid settlement areas that had once been their own traditional land.

For income they either worked in the town or in uncertain and tenuous jobs on resource development projects. Beyond that many of them migrated to places like Port Moresby and Lae to join the landless masses there.

Now, as urban dwellers, they make up a significant proportion of Papua New Guineas population. Any links they ever had with their traditional origins are well and truly broken. Not only are they landless but they also lack any sort of tangible connection to any kind of traditional heritage or culture.

While nowhere near as big as other shanty towns in the world, the squatter settlements around Lae and Port Moresby look very similar to those in places like Lagos in Nigeria in Africa.

The squatter settlement in Lagos is the biggest in the world. Lagos has a population of 21 million people with about 66%, or 14 million of them, living in squatter settlements. The city has been dubbed the "mega-city of slums,"

Just like Port Moresby and Lae these people live with no access to proper roads, clean water, electricity or waste disposal.

And just like Port Moresby and Lae they are subject to regular and brutal clearances by a government eager to use the land for commercial purposes.

There are many millionaires in Lagos, just as there are many millionaires in Port Moresby and Lae and even in Mount Hagen.

As far as I can tell no one has compiled any statistics on how many people now live in squatter settlements around the big towns. However, if we take the statistics from overseas cities, it is entirely possible that well over half of the populations of Papua New Guineas towns are squatters.

By any stretch of the imagination that is a colossal problem that will eventually have catastrophic social effects.

Any sensible government would now be undertaking measures to make sure that doesnt happen.

Unlike Lagos the large towns in Papua New Guinea have tracts of unused and marginal land surrounding them that could be developed and utilised as resettlement areas.

Careful negotiations would have to be carried out with the traditional landowners and money would have to be invested in infrastructure and transport but it is not an impossible thing to do.

Some of the well-established squatter settlements like Kaugere could be re-developed with suitable infrastructure.

Will it happen?

I cant see it but if it does no doubt it will be plagued by corruption and kickbacks like most things in Papua New Guinea.

Good sense in Papua New Guinea is always trumped by greed.
The event is hosted at the centre of Daga village, which lost its traditional Kutubu long house, to the shocking earthquake. Buildings surrounding the outdoor area where the festival takes place were also damaged.

The remote Daga village was unknown to the outside world until nine years ago when it hosted a traditional party known as the Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival.

The quake was a disaster for more than 40 villages, claiming many lives, destroying houses and food gardens and displacing hundreds of people.

PORT MORESBY  In February 2018, Daga village located in the midst of tropical forest near Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands, was the scene of a devastating earthquake.

There is no fence or any white mans roofing around it, nothing of any Western style around it, event organiser, Ms Saina Jeffery, tells visitors. Its just all natural; the surrounding is natural and beautiful at the site.

Ms Jeffrey said the festival was an opportunity to show the resilience of their culture and traditions and a chance to earn some money. The festival itself is seen as an opportunity for the communities to stand together and say we have to come together to do something to survive, to get ourselves back on track after the disaster.

Organisations like the Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) threw great support behind the festival. Despite setbacks, the locals with the help of the organising committee, rebuilt the long house and their homes to prepare to host the festival and its visitors.

With a festival theme Yumi mas kirapim bek yumi yet (We must raise ourselves) the earthquake-affected communities came together to restore and rebuild.

MRDC general manager Imbi Tagune presented a cheque of K50,000 to the festival committee on behalf of managing director Augustine Mano.

The 2018 festival showed the resilience of our people who have suffered the devastating impact of an earthquake yet had the strength and courage to pick themselves up and restore their lives just six months after the quake hit, he said.

Mr Tagune commended the organising committee and the people of Kutubu for their determination to host and share their culture and heritage to visitors.

MRDC has been with the people through the devastation of the quake, assisting and providing relief food, water and medical aid to the people, and by supporting the festival we want to help bring normalcy to their lives, Mr Tagune said.

Festival dancers at Wabag Show 2018 (Saina Jeffery)

The Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival celebrates the more than 40 different indigenous cultures that come together to salute the importance of the kundu drum and the trade of digaso oil. It also plays a vital role in safeguarding traditional practices and the diverse biodiversity of the Lake Kutubu region.

It is also an opportunity to promote sustainable tourism, which hopes to have socio-economic benefits for local communities in Bosavi, Kutubu, Semberigi, Kikori, Hela, Poroma, Nipa and Margarima, 60% of whom are women and girls.

The September event coincides with the PNG independence celebrations and features a colourful array of singsings, arts and craft and cultural demonstrating, and ends with canoe racing on Lake Kutubu.

Visitors in the past have included tourists, representatives of international tour operators, PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) and representatives of key partners working in the region.

TPA media coordinator Colin Taimbari described Lake Kutubu as truly an amazing experience and said it must be promoted. He called for a stronger partnership to improve roads and infrastructure for increased accessibility.

The next Kutubu Kundu and Digaso Festival will be staged on 21 September with the theme, My Song, My Dance, My Story - saving my home for tomorrow.

This year like previous years will see cultural groups travelling from remote parts of the province to participate in the celebrations.

Kutubu school children at Mano Primary School (Peter Kinjap)

The festival was initiated by the World Wide Fund for Nature with the aim of reviving some of the lost cultures and highlighting the significance of the natural and cultural heritage of the area.

From time to time, companies like Oil Search Limited, Bank South Pacific and Exxon Mobil Corporation have been major sponsors of the festival event with donations of cash and kind.

The event promotes Papua New Guineas cultural diversity, sustainable livelihoods, tourism and other important areas that contribute to a better community.

The ninth festival will take place near the famous Lake Kutubu and the people of the Southern Highlands invite you to join them in this extraordinary tribute to their incredible culture.

This is done in an effort to help restore normalcy to the lives of the Kutubu people after the devastating earthquake.
(Photos: Getty, AAP)

Where more investors, shareholders and consumers have begun to push back against major corporations for their failure to tackle climate change, 22 Australian companies have been bucking the trend.

Nearly two dozen Australian companies have been called out by environmental finance group Market Forces for pursuing new fossil fuel projects or banking their business strategies on the failure of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The public disclosure statements of all ASX300 companies were assessed by Market Forces to determine the extent of the business strategies alignment with the Paris Agreement climate goals  and found some were actively undermining the goals.

22 ASX300 companies are acting in a manner that actively requires the failure of the Paris Climate Agreement, such as continued investment in fossil fuel expansion, Market Forces stated.

Collectively, these firms make up 7 per cent, or $121 billion, of the ASX300.

21 of the 22 firms operate in the mining, resources, coal, oil, gas or energy sector, with the only exception being WH Soul Pattinson, an investment firm.

(Source: Market Forces)

Last month, Market Forces revealed the 25 ASX100 companies that had failed to adequately disclose their climate risks.

Investors must act

Market Forces called upon investors and super funds to divest their holdings in the 22 firms.

Super funds must ditch these companies if they are serious about playing their part in the fight against runaway climate change, the environmental finance group said.

These firms were uninvestable, out of line and out of time, added Market Forces legal analyst Will van de Pol.

Fully three years after the Paris Climate Agreement, these 22 companies continue to thumb their noses at investors on climate.

What is the Paris Agreement?

Story continues

The Paris Agreement is a landmark global climate agreement, of which Australia is a signatory, struck between 195 countries that sets out a global action plan to limit global warming to below 2 degrees celsius.

The deal was struck at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris on December 2015, with the action plain is set to roll out in 2020.

Its goals include the effort to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees; to review targets every five years; and for a robust transparency and accountability framework.

According to the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy, Australias target is to reduce emissions by 26-28 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Australias targets will be achieved through a credible policy suite that is already reducing emissions, encouraging technological innovation and expanding our clean energy sector, the Department said.

The Australian governments approach to climate change has been flagged as a key federal election issue, and indeed has been cited as partially responsible for the felling of Malcolm Turnbull from his role as prime minister.

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* Brother Peter Tabichi, a science teacher from rural Kenya, has won $1 million in prize money and was crowned the world's best teacher on Sunday. * Tabichi, a member of the Franciscan order, says his students face enormous challenges, like food shortages, while Tabichi struggles with an underfunded and overcrowded classroom and almost no technology to help develop his lesson plans. * Still, Tabichi has achieved extraordinary results for his pupils, who are frequently qualifying for local and international competitions.* * *A rural Kenyan science teacher who gives away most of his salary to help poor students has been named "World's Best Teacher" and awarded $1 million in prize-money on Sunday. Peter Tabichi, a science teacher and Franciscan Brother at Keriko secondary school in Kenya's Rift Valley, has won the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019, beating out 10,000 other nominees from 179 countries. According to the foundation's website, Tabichi donates 80% of his salary to local community projects, "including education, sustainable agriculture and peace-building." Tabichi received the prize at a ceremony in Dubai, hosted by Hugh Jackman.> Our 2019 Global @TeacherPrize Winner @petertabichi, alongside Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and actor and performer @RealHughJackman. > > Congratulations Peter, from all of us at the Varkey Foundation. pic.twitter.com/ic5TggDDWE> >  Varkey Foundation (@VarkeyFdn) March 24, 2019Tabichi faces challenges that would be unfathomable to teachers in the developed world. 95% of pupils come from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parents, said the Varkey Foundation."Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common," amongst the region's students, according to the foundation. Still, Tabichi was able to overcome adversity despite limited resources. "Turning lives around in a school with only one computer, poor internet, and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, is no easy task, not least when to reach the school, students must walk 7km along roads that become impassable in the rainy season."Thanks to Tabichi, 60% of students submitting research projects to national competitions are qualifying. Tabichi helped mentor students through the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair in 2018, where students displayed a device to allow blind and deaf people to measure objects.Tabichi also saw his village school come first nationally in the public schools category, while the school's mathematical science team also qualified to participate at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair 2019 in the US.Some of his students also won an award from The Royal Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to generate electricity."I'm immensely proud of my students," Tabichi told the foundation. "We lack facilities that many schools take for granted. So as a teacher, I just want to have a positive impact not only in my country, but also the whole of Africa."

Brother Peter Tabichi, a science teacher from rural Kenya, has won $1 million in prize money and was crowned the world's best teacher on Sunday.

Tabichi, a member of the Franciscan order, says his students face enormous challenges, like food shortages, while Tabichi struggles with an underfunded and overcrowded classroom and almost no technology to help develop his lesson plans.

Still, Tabichi has achieved extraordinary results for his pupils, who are frequently qualifying for local and international competitions.

A rural Kenyan science teacher who gives away most of his salary to help poor students has been named "World's Best Teacher" and awarded $1 million in prize-money on Sunday.

Peter Tabichi, a science teacher and Franciscan Brother at Keriko secondary school in Kenya's Rift Valley, has won the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize 2019, beating out 10,000 other nominees from 179 countries.

According to the foundation's website, Tabichi donates 80% of his salary to local community projects, "including education, sustainable agriculture and peace-building."

Tabichi received the prize at a ceremony in Dubai, hosted by Hugh Jackman.

Our 2019 Global @TeacherPrize Winner @petertabichi, alongside Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and actor and performer @RealHughJackman.



Congratulations Peter, from all of us at the Varkey Foundation. pic.twitter.com/ic5TggDDWE  Varkey Foundation (@VarkeyFdn) March 24, 2019

Tabichi faces challenges that would be unfathomable to teachers in the developed world. 95% of pupils come from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parents, said the Varkey Foundation.

Story continues

"Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common," amongst the region's students, according to the foundation.

Still, Tabichi was able to overcome adversity despite limited resources.

"Turning lives around in a school with only one computer, poor internet, and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, is no easy task, not least when to reach the school, students must walk 7km along roads that become impassable in the rainy season."

Thanks to Tabichi, 60% of students submitting research projects to national competitions are qualifying. Tabichi helped mentor students through the Kenya Science and Engineering Fair in 2018, where students displayed a device to allow blind and deaf people to measure objects.

Tabichi also saw his village school come first nationally in the public schools category, while the school's mathematical science team also qualified to participate at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair 2019 in the US.

Some of his students also won an award from The Royal Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to generate electricity.

"I'm immensely proud of my students," Tabichi told the foundation. "We lack facilities that many schools take for granted. So as a teacher, I just want to have a positive impact not only in my country, but also the whole of Africa."
Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi reacts after winning the $1 million Global Teacher Prize in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Source: AP)

The hard work of Kenyan science teacher and Franciscan monk Peter Tabichi has seen him crowned winner of the Global Teacher Prize  along with a sweet US$1 million (A$1.41 million).

Tabichi, who gives away 80 per cent of his monthly income to support the poor, teaches at a high school in Pwani Village, a remote, semi-arid part of Kenyas Rift Valley, where the school facilities include just one computer, poor internet access, and class sizes of 58 students.

Tabichi, who had never caught a plane before, was awarded the prize at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai in a ceremony hosted by Australian actor Hugh Jackman.

I feel great. I cant believe it. I feel so happy to be among the best teachers in the world, being the best in the world, he told AP.

According to the Varkey Foundation, which presents the Global Teacher Prize, nearly a third of the students are orphans and many go without food at home.

Its not uncommon experience for students to drop out early, abuse drugs, get pregnant, marry young, or suicide.

The school is in a very remote area  most of the students come from very poor families, even affording breakfast is hard, he said.

Undeterred, Tabichi expanded the Science club, design research projects, mentor students through the Kenya Science Engineering Fair 2018, and took the school to first place in the public school ranking.

Though the school only has one computer and intermittent internet access, Tabichi incorporates computing technology in most of his lessons, making visits to internet cafes and caching online content to use later in class.

Its seen enrolment double to over 400 in three year and indiscipline cases fall by 90 per cent.

At times, whenever I reflect on the challenges they face, I shed tears, he told AP about his students.

Story continues

Im immensely proud of my students, he said, whom he said worked hard despite the challenges they faced.

We lack facilities that many schools take for granted, so as a teacher I just want to have a positive impact, not only in my country but on the whole of Africa.

Tabichi, who is a member of the Roman Catholic brotherhood, wore a plain floor-length brown robe to receive the award and aims to use the money to improve the school and feed the poor, according to AP.

Tabichi invited his father, who was in the audience, to the stage and handed the award for him to hold, to the applause and cheers of the room.

In his acceptance speech, the Kenyan teacher explained that his father had been left with the task of raising him and his siblings after his mother died when he was 11, according to AP.

The prize is in its fifth year, with the winner selected by committees made up of teachers, journalists, entrepreneurs, business leaders and scientists.

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* At least 134 people have been killed in the latest outbreak of violence in the embattled Sahel region of Mali. * The United Nations has condemned the killings and urged the Malian government to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. * Mali's President has reportedly fired two generals and disbanded a vigilante group suspected of being involved in the latest attack.Over 100 ethnic Fuhani herders, some of whom were men and children, were massacred in a village in Mali on Saturday, the United Nations has confirmed.Footage thought to be from the village of Ogossogou emerged online on Sunday showing charred bodies and destroyed homes of the semi-nomadic ethnic group."The Secretary-General is shocked and outraged by reports that at least 134 civilians, including women and children, have been killed," Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement.He added that the UN chief is also calling on Malian authorities "to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice".Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has fired two generals and disbanded an anti-Jihadi group in response, Reuters reported. Army chief of staff General M'Bemba Moussa Keita was replaced by General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, while chief of land forces General Abdrahamane Baby was removed and Brigadier-General Keba Sangare has been named as his replacement.The Malian government has disbanded an anti-Jihadi vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou, Reuters reported, and some of the group's ethnic Dogon fighters are suspected of carrying out the latest killings.Despite a presence of a at least 4,000 French troops in the troubled Sahel region, locals have seen an increase in fighting between Jihadi-affiliated vigilante groups and ethnic rivals.Last Friday, up to 23 soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by Jihadi-affiliates, according to Reuters. This came on the back of a series of reprisal attacks in 2019.

At least 134 people have been killed in the latest outbreak of violence in the embattled Sahel region of Mali.

The United Nations has condemned the killings and urged the Malian government to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Mali's President has reportedly fired two generals and disbanded a vigilante group suspected of being involved in the latest attack.

Over 100 ethnic Fuhani herders, some of whom were men and children, were massacred in a village in Mali on Saturday, the United Nations has confirmed.

Footage thought to be from the village of Ogossogou emerged online on Sunday showing charred bodies and destroyed homes of the semi-nomadic ethnic group.

"The Secretary-General is shocked and outraged by reports that at least 134 civilians, including women and children, have been killed," Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said in a statement.

He added that the UN chief is also calling on Malian authorities "to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice".

Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has fired two generals and disbanded an anti-Jihadi group in response, Reuters reported. Army chief of staff General M'Bemba Moussa Keita was replaced by General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, while chief of land forces General Abdrahamane Baby was removed and Brigadier-General Keba Sangare has been named as his replacement.

The Malian government has disbanded an anti-Jihadi vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou, Reuters reported, and some of the group's ethnic Dogon fighters are suspected of carrying out the latest killings.

Despite a presence of a at least 4,000 French troops in the troubled Sahel region, locals have seen an increase in fighting between Jihadi-affiliated vigilante groups and ethnic rivals.

Last Friday, up to 23 soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by Jihadi-affiliates, according to Reuters. This came on the back of a series of reprisal attacks in 2019.
* Scooter taxi service Scooti launched in Melbourne on Monday. * It allows people to hail a scooter via an app and travel around the city on two wheels. * The company claims that its service is cheaper, greener, and quicker than travelling by car. A new scooter-hailing service called Scooti officially launched in Melbourne on Monday. The company's app connects scooter drivers with people that are looking for a ride in the same way that Uber's app connects car drivers with passengers. It will operate daily from 5am to 10pm. Scooti claims on its website that scooters are quicker, cheaper, and greener than standard taxis. Not only can our fleet of drivers navigate around traffic jams and pull up in tight spaces to let you off, theyre also making that inner-city commute more efficient and in turn, saving time and money, Scooti CEO Brett Balsters said in a statement.You won't need to worry about bringing a helmet either, as the scooter driver is obliged to provide one for all passengers. "All our drivers are specially trained, insured and certified under government legislation," said Balsters. "We operate in and around the CBD where most roads are 40 km/hr zones, and helmets, hairnets and safety vests are provided to all our customers." While this may seem revolutionary to some Australians, scooter taxi services already exist in several other countries around the world and they're becoming increasingly popular in congested cities. In Singapore, there's Grab, in Indonesia, there Go Jek, and in Italy, there's Scooterino. Scooti plans to expand to Sydney and Brisbane if the launch goes well in Melbourne.

Scooter taxi service Scooti launched in Melbourne on Monday.

It allows people to hail a scooter via an app and travel around the city on two wheels.

The company claims that its service is cheaper, greener, and quicker than travelling by car.

A new scooter-hailing service called Scooti officially launched in Melbourne on Monday.

The company's app connects scooter drivers with people that are looking for a ride in the same way that Uber's app connects car drivers with passengers. It will operate daily from 5am to 10pm.

Scooti claims on its website that scooters are quicker, cheaper, and greener than standard taxis.

Not only can our fleet of drivers navigate around traffic jams and pull up in tight spaces to let you off, theyre also making that inner-city commute more efficient and in turn, saving time and money, Scooti CEO Brett Balsters said in a statement.

You won't need to worry about bringing a helmet either, as the scooter driver is obliged to provide one for all passengers.

"All our drivers are specially trained, insured and certified under government legislation," said Balsters. "We operate in and around the CBD where most roads are 40 km/hr zones, and helmets, hairnets and safety vests are provided to all our customers."

While this may seem revolutionary to some Australians, scooter taxi services already exist in several other countries around the world and they're becoming increasingly popular in congested cities. In Singapore, there's Grab, in Indonesia, there Go Jek, and in Italy, there's Scooterino.

Scooti plans to expand to Sydney and Brisbane if the launch goes well in Melbourne.
Cyrell Paule has been caught getting cosy with Love Island star Eden Dally. Photo: Instagram

Her Married at First Sight stint was dominated by scene-stealing spats with both onscreen husband Nic Jovanovic and many of the series other contestants.

But now Cyrell Jimenez Paule appears to have found love elsewhere, after she was caught getting cosy with Love Island star Eden Dally.

It comes after the pair reportedly met at Mrs Sippy in Sydney earlier this month. Cyrell was there celebrating Jules Robinsons birthday, while Eden was grabbing a drink with Jessika Powers brother, Rhyce.

However, their first official date didnt come until they shared a cosy meal at trendy Milky Lane burger joint the following week.

Onlookers revealed the couple couldnt keep their hands off each other once they hit the street, with Cyrell leaping into Edens arms at one point, before and after they shared some steamy kisses.

Cyrell split with husband Nic in last Tuesdays episode following a tumultuous relationship. Photo: Channel Nine

They rushed out of the restaurant and couldnt stop kissing on the street. They looked like they were in a rush to get home, a source told New Idea.

And while the new romance appears to be driven by spice and spontaneity, a friend of Cyrells said she had an attraction to Eden ever since she saw him on Love Island last year.

The surprise new romance follows a colourful recent relationship history for both of the reality TV alums.

While Cyrell split with husband Nic at the commitment ceremony before the last, Eden broke up with Love Island love interest Erin Barnett last year after just three months of dating.

Story continues

In response to the shows explosive Sunday night episode, Erin took to Instagram in a bid to explain how grateful she was to not be featured in the series.

While I watch it (MAFS) I just think, thank God I have a good boyfriend and thank f**k I dont have friends like those girls on MAFS, she captioned the story.

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A new MKR prpmo shows Victor Aeberli displaying some intimidating behaviour, as viewers have put it. Photo: Channel Seven

The knives are out in the upcoming episodes of My Kitchen Rules, and we mean that literally.

A new promo for the Super Dinner Parties shows Victor Aeberli displaying some intimidating behaviour as viewers have put it, as he spins a knife at the table before a dramatic walk-out.

The suspenseful clip opens with the 28-year-old balancing the sharp object on the tip of his finger while the other contestants watch on.

Hes about to snap, reads a big caption splashed across the screen, before we finally see Victor speak.

The other contestants watch on to see if he is okay. Photo: Channel Seven

Wearing a different coloured shirt in the next scene, which indicates this is from a different dinner party to the one prior, Victor is then seen feeling frustrated with the other contestants and leaving the set altogether.

His partner-in-crime G is seen following him outside, before fellow contestant and rumoured love interest, Piper ONeil, also walks outside to find him.

Can we just get on with this? judge Manu Feildel is then heard saying before villains Josh and Austin Bonwick walk out to receive the results for their cooking.

The suspenseful clip shows the 28-year-old balancing the sharp object on the tip of his finger. Photo: Channel Seven

Wearing a different coloured shirt in the next scene, which indicates this is from a different dinner party to the one prior, Victor is then seen feeling frustrated with the other contestants. Photo: Channel Seven

Victor and G are gone, Manu then says while footage of Victor and G walk off.

I dont know what you mean, another voice, presumably Pete Evans, says.

Theyre out theyre, theyre gone, Manu responds.

This makes for some very explosive MKR viewing, and fans have already reacted to the bombshell promo on social media.

Hes then seen walking off. Photo: Channel Seven

That does look very intimidating, one fan wrote on Facebook.

Another noted the changes in outfits and wasnt sure if the incident will be as drama than its made to look. Nonetheless, they noted that Victor looks very disturbed either way though.

My Kitchen Rules continues tonight at 7:30pm on Channel Seven.

What has happened to Victor? Photo: Channel Seven

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The MAFS experts have revealed why they let Jess and Dan stay in the experiment. Photo: Channel Ninesion

Just when we all thought Married At First Sight couldnt get any more dramatic, last nights bombshell episode saw the experts allow two cheating partners to stay in the experiment together.

Dan Webb and Jessika Power, who have been sneaking behind their wife and husbands backs for the past two weeks now, gushed about how much they want to pursue each other, with Jess even saying that Dan is her future.

There were tears from her husband, Mick Gould, who called her a spoiled b**** and walked away saying she was making a mockery of the experiment.

Dans wife, Tamara Joy told them both to grow the f*** up and called them out for being manipulative and lying.

However, when Jess begged the experts to allow her and Dan to stay and see how things went, John Aiken, Trisha Stratford and Mel Schilling made a shocking decision.

The three of us have decided that were going to allow Jess and Dan to continue on in the experiment as a couple, John explained to the group of shocked bride and grooms.

Were going to let them explore this relationship and give them an opportunity to see if they develop the feelings and the connection that they have talked about this evening.

The experts claimed they cannot intervene in the experiment. Photo: Channel Nineynews:region=nz

What became clear is that this experiment is a process we do not change the course of, regardless of what our view is, we are not here to judge, to take sides or to intervene in the course of the experiment.

If we were to do that, then it would cease being an experiment and it would become a process at the whim of the experts.

The rest of the contestants were stunned and social media went into overdrive, with people claiming the whole thing had become a joke.

Now John Aiken has further explained the experts decision, saying they cannot intervene in the experiment.

We have different viewpoints, different training and different specialties, so we each bring different perspectives to the table, he told 9Honey.

Another successful year for the #MAFS Australia experts. NOT!!!When will they be held accountable for their poor match ups and decisions. Their success rate must be very low.  Cameron Scott (@CamScott07) March 24, 2019

few weeks ago, your guys ask Sam and Innes hold their moral ground at MAFS, and now you turn around and encourage cheating, lying and manipulating?? Give me a break these experts!  Gloria xian (@Gloriaxian1) March 24, 2019

We understand why theres been such a strong response to the decision weve taken tonight.

Story continues

People have become very invested in the process and clearly have very passionate feelings about it, but this is the same experiment that has produced Jules and Cam, so although not everyone will like every outcome there is still a lot of positivity to take out of the experiment this season as people will see over the final weeks.

Reaction from ex stars

The reaction to the experts decision has been massive on social media, and a number of ex contestants have added their voices to the clamour.

I am appalled that they allow this to happen and embarrass those two humans and let that Jess/Dan stay!! [sic] Nasser Sultan, from last year wrote on Instagram.

The show is making a mockery of the Australian people and just for ratings! The experts knew damn well what was going to happen and allowed it!!! Shame, shame and shame [sic].

Meanwhile Sarah Roza from the same season said, I felt so overwhelmed with emotions for Mick & Tamara during the final commitment ceremony both such seemingly lovely people who were unfortunately dealt such bad hands with their MAFS spouses.

Jess and Dan profess their feelings

Last night, the experts lapped up Jess speech about her feelings for Dan, with the bride saying she knew from the moment she met him that they were supposed to be together.

I came into this experiment wanting to find somebody I could build a life with, somebody that makes me happy and somebody that makes me feel confident and somebody that makes me excited to wake up in the morning and Ive found that. But its not with Mick. Its with Dan, she said.

Dan agreed with Jess, but also seemed very concerned that he was coming across as the bad guy.

This is obviously a shock to everyone here and this is not what I wanted. Ive come into this group and I feel like a dog, and to be honest with you, and especially Mick, Im bloody sorry, and to Tam as well, he said.

Im here for love, right? And me and Tam, were at a place where friendship was there. And it wasnt moving anywhere. And Jess spoke to me at the dinner table a couple of times. I was fighting it, I didnt want to speak to her because I was attracted to her from day one. But I dont get the goosebumps often and I did get it with Jess.

Mick could be seen crying as Jess revealed shed been sneaking behind his back. Photo: Channel Nine

John Aiken says people need to have faith in the experiment, as its the same one that produces Cam and Jules. Photo: Channel Nine

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MAFS relationship expert John Aikens own marriage has been affected by a tragic incident before he and wife Kelly met. Photo: Instagram

Hes best known for his efforts to match hopeful singletons as a relationship expert on Married at First Sight.

But John Aikens own marriage has been one marred by tragedy after his wife Kelly Swanson-Roe was widowed at just 24 years old after her first husband died in a canoeing accident.

The tragedy saw 30-year-old Jon Roe killed  along with 20 others  while he and Kelly were on a Contiki Tour in Switzerland in 1999, just three years into their marriage.

Kelly later met in John in New Zealand where she already had a public profile as a newsreader and journalist  a position which made her known to John before they were introduced in person.

John took on Kellys loss and told 9Honey, Rather than saying, No, I need to be separate with Kelly, I just said: Im going to bring her past partner into the relationship and really make him a part of it all.

Now, after more than 12 years of marriage and two children together, John and Kelly have found a way to integrate the tragedy into their familys life.

We talk openly about it, and we have photos of him  we have a little family event each year where we will remember him. (Hes) just a very key part of it all, John said.

You essentially grow together, you have your own relationship but he is a part of us as well.

On the recent anniversary of her first husbands death, Kelly paid a touching tribute to her lost love on Instagram.

Story continues

19 years gone today my Jonny Roe she said in her caption.

But still crystal clear in my memory is the warmth, kindness, humour and intelligence of that beautiful soul of yours. To the world you were just someone, but to me you were the world.

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Argentina's former president Cristina Kirchner was charged in yet another corruption investigation Monday, in this case over the fraudulent import of liquid gas. Judge Claudio Bonadio, who Kirchner accuses of political persecution, requested that the ex-president be placed in pre-trial detention, but her partial immunity as a senator shields her from imprisonment. Among the 10 cases brought against Kirchner, the most notable is the "corruption notebooks" scandal in which she is accused of having received tens of millions of dollars in bribes. In that case, the prosecution claims that a total of $160 million in bribes were handed over between 2005 and 2015. Center-left politician Kirchner was president for successive terms from 2007 to 2015, but her late husband Nestor preceded her in the top job. She hopes to stand in October's presidential elections and is the closest rival to center-right president Mauricio Macri, according to polls. Kirchner is currently in Cuba, where her daughter Florencia is receiving hospital treatment. She will face trial for corruption in May in a case in which she is accused of having favored businessman Lazaro Baez in the attribution of 52 public works contracts worth 46 billion pesos ($1.2 billion) during her presidency. Baez's BTP company secured large contracts in Santa Cruz province, where Nestor Kirchner served as governor for more than a decade. Argentina's ex-president Cristina Kirchner is embroiled in a number of corruption cases
A new blackout swept across Venezuela on Monday, including much of Caracas, sowing alarm two weeks after a nationwide outage that paralyzed the country. The power cut in the capital occurred around 1:20 pm (1720 GMT) and knocked out electricity in the city center. After nightfall, many apartment buildings in the Caracas metro area -- home to around six million people -- were aglow again and traffic lights were back on, but people reported they were still in the dark in many other states. Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez blamed the latest blackout on "an attack on the charging and transmission center" at the Guri dam, which supplies 80 percent of the power to the country of 30 million. "What (last time) took days, now has been taken care of in just a few hours," Rodriguez said, saying the fix had been made in "record time." Earlier, a local newspaper reported that the power was out at Venezuela's main international airport outside Caracas. Cellphone signals were disrupted and television was blanked out. Shops hastily lowered shutters, fearing looters. President Nicolas Maduro's government blamed the outage on an "attack" targeting the Guri hydroelectric plant. Rodriguez told state television that the opposition was responsible, claiming it "wants to plunge the population into profound unease." Juan Guaido, the opposition leader recognized as Venezuela's interim president by the US and many of its allies, countered on Twitter that Maduro's government "uses these moments to disinform and create anxiety." He said "at least 17" of the country's 23 states were affected, as well as much of the capital district covering Caracas, retweeting a graphic by web monitoring organization NetBlocks showing the internet down for 57 percent of Venezuela. Anxious Twitter users who were online said several big cities in the west of the country including Barquisimeto, Maracaibo and Barinas were impacted. "Not another blackout, no God, no," tweeted Flore Melero, a 29-year-old resident in the town of Ocumare del Tuy southeast of Caracas. "Sitting in the office, without power but with a generator, wondering 'How long will this new blackout last?' 'Do I have enough water at home?' 'What about the meat and chicken in the freezer?'" tweeted a Caracas resident, Andres Betancourt. Their comments summed up the panic and concerns that have lingered since the last blackout, which started March 7 and lasted a week. During that blackout, more than a dozen patients in hospitals died, public transport came to a halt, production slowed in the vital oil sector and water supplies were interrupted, forcing citizens to turn to sewage outflows and polluted water sources. Maduro also blamed the previous outage on a cyberattack on the Guri plant, accusing the United States. He went on to order the creation of a new military unit to protect basic installations. Observers at the time said that while a US attack was possible, it was unlikely. They said years of underinvestment, poor management and corruption was the likely culprit, and they predicted more power cuts would follow. - Citizens frustrated - According to a study by the opposition-ruled legislature and the medical group Medicos por la Salud, around half of Venezuela's hospitals have generators. In the last blackout, however, many did not work or were insufficient for the needs of intensive-care patients, neonatal wards and dialysis patients. Monday's blackout also hit the National Assembly building, forcing occupants to exit in the dark using stairs. In the streets of Caracas, anxiety was evident as residents worked out how to return home without a working subway network and few, overcrammed buses. "I'm wondering how to get home because there's no metro. I live in the center and it takes me two hours. I move slowly," said Ana Gonzalez, a frail 64-year-old who was closing up the cleaning products shop where she worked. For others, frustration and anger bubbled over, adding to a sense of powerlessness created by years of economic crisis that has made food and medicine scarce and prompted an exodus of more than 2.7 million Venezuelans since 2015. "Here, nobody tells the truth. The media don't tell the truth. And we're prevented from doing our work," said Yoan, an electrician wiring up a frozen yogurt shop Rafael, working in a printing shop where all the machines had come to a stop, accused the government of "not doing repairs" to the power grid. "They give so many warnings about the network being damaged and they do nothing," he said.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday vowed a "final assault on poverty" in India if elected prime minister in May, promising a minimum income for tens of millions of the country's poorest. The Congress Party leader, broadly seen as trailing the incumbent Narendra Modi in the race for top office, described the scheme to pay a guaranteed basic income of $1,000 a year to 50 million poor families as the largest of its kind on Earth. The sop to voters comes less than three weeks before Indians start casting their ballots in mammoth elections that stretch nearly six weeks until May 19. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party routed Congress at the last general election in 2014 and his supporters hope the Hindu nationalist leader can deliver another crushing victory. But Gandhi is trying to close the gap, promising among other things a safety net for Indians living beneath the poverty line in the world's second-most populous nation. "People have suffered in the last five years. We will give justice to them," the scion of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty told reporters in Delhi. "It is on this day that the Congress Party launched its final assault on poverty. It will be the world's largest minimum income scheme." Gandhi, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather were all prime ministers, has attacked Modi's economic record, accusing him of failing to create jobs for the nation's youth or aid desperate farmers. His proposed cash handouts for the poor are seen as modelled loosely on universal basic income, a concept attracting growing interest around the world. UBI -- supported by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg among others as a way to reduce inequality -- involves people being given a flat lump sum by the state instead of subsidies and social security payments. It has been tried out in several countries including Finland and Kenya, and has been promised by the ruling party of the small northern Indian state of Sikkim as well as Italy's new populist government. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that Gandhi was using the poor for political gains with his new scheme. "The announcement is a bluff. Congress has a history of doing politics over removing poverty and swindling people in name of poverty alleviation," he told reporters. Modi has already unveiled a raft of sweeteners for farmers and the middle class in Asia's third-largest economy, hoping to deflect opposition salvos over his 2014 campaign promise to create "good days" for all. Rahul Gandhi, president of India's main opposition Congress, is promising a safety net for Indians living beneath the poverty line in the world's second-most populous nation


A familys tropical island getaway has ended in tragedy after their little girl died following a seizure at the airport.

UK girl Ava Akers, 3, was coming home from the Maldives but had to be transferred to Bangkok after collapsing at the airport in a seizure in March 2017, Metro reports.

Avas father told the Metro his little girl was a perfectly healthy three-year-old, but while at the airport he noticed her dropping a souvenir from the gift shop.

The dad noted it was odd because his little girl was never really clumsy but suddenly Ava fell to the ground and began having a seizure.

Ava Akers, 3, pictured with her mum Helen (left). The little girl died months after returning home from a holiday in the Maldives. Source: Facebook/ Helen Avers and Facebook/ Avas Angels

Her eyes rolled back, her arms went straight and her whole body was shaking, Mr Akers told the paper.

Helen (Avas mum) caught her and I picked her up and ran around the airport asking for help.

Mr Akers thought she was going to die. She later recovered in hospital but an MRI scan revealed she had large swelling points in her brain.

The toddler fell into a coma and was flown to a hospital in Bangkok before she was transferred to Birmingham Childrens Hospital in England.

Doctors there informed the Avas parents she had suffered serious brain damage.

According to a GoFundMe page, Ava was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Encephalitis which affects the central nervous system. It can also cause meningitis.

Ava was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Encephalitis which affects the central nervous system. Source: Facebook/ Avas Angels

Ava was in hospital for four months and was told she would need palliative care.

Her parents decided not to place her in palliative care, concerned about her quality of life.

She died in the family home on July, 2017.

They have since started a charity called Avas Angels to raise money for families who also have to stay in hospital with their sick children.

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A South Korean court has approved the seizure of Mitsubishi's assets over the Japanese industrial giant's use of forced labour during World War II, an activist group said Monday. Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula. Around 780,000 Koreans were conscripted into forced labour by Japan during the 35-year occupation, according to data from Seoul, not including women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops. After years of legal battles, five Korean victims won a ruling from the country's Supreme Court in November ordering Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to pay each plaintiff compensation of up to 150 million won (US$132,000). Four of the wartime labour conscripts filed an asset seizure request in January, saying Mitsubishi had failed to respond to court orders. One plaintiff died earlier this year. On Friday, the Daejeon District Court south of Seoul ordered the seizure of two trademark rights and six patents belonging to Mitsubishi, a civic group campaigning against Japan's forced wartime labour policies said. "The process of compulsory execution against war criminal firms has officially begun," the group said in a statement released Monday. "With the latest court ruling, the debtor will be barred from carrying out transfer of rights... or any other act of disposal on the concerned trademark and patent rights," it added. If Mitsubishi fails to show a "sincere attitude", the group warned it would sell the seized assets. Japan says all historical compensation issues were settled under a 1965 treaty that re-established diplomatic relations and included a reparations package of about $800 million in grants and cheap loans. But recent court rulings in Seoul determined that the use of forced labour by Japanese firms was not included in the controversial treaty. After years of legal battles, South Korea's Supreme Court last year ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to pay compensation to several victims of wartime forced labour
Major Polish newspapers printed blank front pages on Monday in an appeal to the European Parliament to adopt controversial copyright reforms that have pitted traditional media firms against internet giants. "Today, we appeal to Polish members of the European Parliament for solidarity in supporting a vote on the Copyright Directive in the digital single market," read a petition signed by editors-in-chief of 30 Polish national and regional dailies backing the reforms. "Creators do not receive sufficient compensation for disseminating their works on the Internet. They often live in real poverty or leave the profession," said the statement published by the centrist Rzeczpospolita daily and other newspapers including the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza and the Fakt tabloid. The run-up to the European Parliament vote on Tuesday has seen furious lobbying and protests by both supporters and opponents of the law, which is designed to update European copyright legislation that pre-dates most online social media and is now nearly two decades old. Under the changes, European law for the first time would hold platforms legally responsible for enforcing copyright, requiring them to check everything that their users post to prevent infringement. The reform, two years in the making, is loudly backed by media companies and artists who want to obtain a better return from web platforms -- such as YouTube or Facebook -- that use their content. The new directive "will support creators, but will not harm Internet users. It will not take away the rights to links, will not ban memes or bring new obligations for non-commercial portals," it argues. But the directive is strongly opposed by internet giants such as YouTube-owner Google, which make huge profits from the advertising generated on content they host, and also by supporters of a free internet, who fear it will result in unprecedented restrictions to web freedom. Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in cities around Germany on Saturday under the slogan "Save the Internet". Save the Internet is a collective which has been mobilised for months to defend a free exchange of opinions on the web. There were similar protests in Austria, Poland and Portugal on Saturday. Google says the proposed copyright overhaul would be bad for creators and users Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Germany on Saturday to protest against an imminent EU copyright reform
US President Donald Trump was jubilant Monday -- but also looking for revenge -- after the Russia collusion report cleared him in a huge boost for his re-election chances next year. Trump could afford to be magnanimous in victory after spending two years trying to discredit special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Asked if Mueller had behaved honorably as head of a probe that he'd previously likened repeatedly to a "witch hunt," Trump answered: "Yes, he did." Trump also supported publication of the Mueller report, rather than just the short summary released late Sunday with a declaration that no evidence emerged to support allegations of collusion between the president's 2016 election campaign and Russia. "Wouldn't bother me at all," he told reporters at the White House. The "no collusion" declaration took the wind out of Democrats' sails, likely ending any immediate threat of impeachment for Trump, despite the many controversies and scandals still tainting his administration. White House aides did not hide their glee, signaling that Trump is now free to hit the 2020 campaign trail with his message that an angry left conspired to try and bring down a leader too strong to be tackled any other way. "It's a great day for America," Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a rare appearance on CNN, a channel the White House regularly savages as "fake news." Speaking in the spring sunshine outside the West Wing, Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway told journalists she had two words for presidential foes: "Move on." - Trump sees 'treasonous' opponents - The report summary released by Attorney General William Barr on Sunday cleared Trump of allegations that his Republican campaign worked with Russian agents to tilt the election result against Democrat Hillary Clinton. It said that Mueller had been unable to make a final determination on whether Trump tried to obstruct justice by hampering the Russia probe. The report "does not exonerate him," Barr quoted Mueller as saying on this point. But in a sign that Trump now feels more than fully vindicated, he suggested that the investigators should themselves come under scrutiny. "There are people out there who have done very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country," he said. Trump is especially angry at former FBI director James Comey, whom he fired in 2017, and other law enforcement officials who he claims conspired against him. The Democratic chairs of six House committees, including panels on the judiciary, oversight and finance, wrote to Barr demanding that the full report, underlying evidence and documents be delivered to Congress by April 2. They also plan to press on with their probe of Trump through existing congressional investigations. Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican head of the Senate judiciary committee, promised a look at the "shady behavior" of Democrats during the 2016 election. And Trump's son Eric echoed a growing outcry on the right of the Republican Party by taking aim at the media, demanding a "simple apology" from seven major news organizations, including The New York Times and CNN. On Thursday, Trump will be back on the campaign trail, addressing a rally of his most faithful fans in Michigan. "Expect him to come 'off the chain'," Trump's controversial former strategist Steve Bannon wrote to The Washington Post. - Tainted presidency - Despite the relief at the White House, the Mueller probe painted a deeply unflattering picture of the divisive and populist real estate tycoon-turned-politician. Mueller established that Russians did try to influence the 2016 election by hacking Democratic Party computers and flooding social media with disinformation to harm Clinton. The probe also brought new focus on Trump's hidden business dealings with Russians, including a long-running push to build a Trump tower in Moscow. It emerged that negotiations continued well into his election year -- despite claims by Trump that he had no such links. Also, while Trump escaped relatively unscathed, the probe uncovered other crimes, leaving a heavy taint on Trump's inner circle. Mueller issued criminal charges ranging from conspiracy to lying to investigators against 34 individuals. Six of those were former insiders in Trump's circle, and five have been convicted, including Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen, his national security advisor Michael Flynn and his campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including, at Trump's alleged instruction, using campaign funds for hush payments to an adult film star who allegedly had an affair with Trump. And Manafort was imprisoned for 7.5 years, though mostly for crimes unrelated to the campaign. With only a short summary made public by Barr, pressure is growing from Democrats for the entire probe to be released. However, Barr may declare parts of the report off limits for legal reasons. Senator Graham said he would be talking to Barr and "I hope soon to have as much of the report released as possible." US President Donald Trump is jubilant after the Russia collusion probe cleared him of wrongdoing Trump speaks in Palm Beach Airport on Sunday, March 25, shortly after hearing news that the Mueller report dismissed allegations that he'd colluded with Russia Factfile on six Trump aides who have been caught up in the fallout surrounding Mueller's investigation
With the completion of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, U.S. Rep. John Katko believes the results should be respected and House Democrats should focus on other matters.

Katko, R-Camillus, commented on Mueller's investigation one day after Attorney General Bill Barr sent a letter to the leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees summarizing the special counsel's report, which was submitted on Friday.

In his letter, Barr revealed that Mueller's investigation did not find President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election."

Barr also detailed Mueller's investigation into whether Trump committed obstruction of justice. The special counsel's report didn't reach a conclusion on whether the president's actions were obstruction of justice. Barr's letter notes that the document states "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr consulted with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who issued the order to open the special counsel's investigation, and determined there was insufficient evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice.

Katko, a former assistant U.S. attorney, highlighted the length of Mueller's investigation  it commenced in May 2017  and the resources he had available for the inquiry. According to Barr, Mueller had 19 attorneys and roughly 40 FBI agents, forensic accountants, intelligence analysts and other staff.

The investigation resulted in more than 30 indictments. Most of those indicted were Russians allegedly involved in the disinformation campaign and hacking operation. But some of those charged, including Michael Flynn, Rick Gates and Paul Manafort, were part of Trump's campaign.

"Mueller has concluded that there's no evidence of collusion and insufficient evidence to charge (Trump) or anyone else with any other crimes. To me, that is a very, very big statement that the evidence just isn't there," Katko said by phone Monday. "I think it's time to respect that. I think it's time to move on."

Katko reiterated that he supported Mueller's investigation and praised him as a "very honorable" man. His concern now is that House Democrats will continue to investigate "to do whatever they can to thwart this president."

U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, demanded more information about Mueller's investigation related to allegations of obstruction of justice against the president.

Nadler said Sunday he will be asking Barr to testify before the House committee.

Democrats have been calling on Barr to release the Mueller report to the public. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who traveled across upstate New York Monday, said Mueller's full report should be released to the public.

"You can't jump to a conclusion one way or another unless you see everything that Mueller has come up with," he said, adding that he hopes the full report is available "as soon as possible."

While Democrats may have different motives for wanting the report released, Katko agrees that at least a portion of the document should be made public. He noted that there is grand jury material in the report that legally can't be disclosed.

As Democrats consider their next steps, Katko offered advice to Trump.

"He shouldn't be taking a victory lap and he should just sit there and move on and start dealing with the issues of this country, like infrastructure, the Russian influence, trade policies. All of those things that are at the forefront of what we need to do as a country," he said.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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Erica Vladimer believes state Sen. Bob Antonacci was 'coming from a good place" when he offered his office as a last resort for sexual harassment victims who aren't having their complaints heard. But in an interview with The Citizen last week, she explained why that could be dangerous for victims  and members of his staff.

Vladimer, a co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group and former state legislative staffer, responded after Antonacci, R-Onondaga, issued a news release detailing where victims of sexual harassment could go for assistance with their complaints. His office provided a list of organizations and resources, including the state Division of Human Rights.

Antonacci added in a statement, "And of course, please call our office. We must work together to make people feel safe and comfortable in the workplace."

In a follow-up interview with The Citizen, Antonacci acknowledged that he viewed his office as a final option if a victim didn't receive assistance from the state Division of Human Rights or an organization.

Vladimer, who accused former state Sen. Jeff Klein of forcibly kissing her in 2015, previously worked for Klein as an education policy analyst and is familiar with how a state legislative office operates. But she is concerned that Antonacci's office would be equipped to handle calls related to sexual harassment complaints.

"Victims deserve to speak to people who are well trained in what's going to happen to their complaints and why things will happen the way they will, what choices they have moving forward at each step of the process," Vladimer said. "Nobody in a senator's office, or very rarely, are they going to be experts in that area. So (Antonacci) put victims in a precarious position to assume that his staff were well trained in this and he put his staff in a very precarious position in making them out to be experts."

Assistance for victims is an issue Vladimer has been learning more about since she helped launch the Sexual Harassment Working Group last year. The state Division of Human Rights, which accepts sexual harassment complaints, is over-burdened with cases, she said.

That is important information for a legislator's staff if someone contacts them seeking help, she added. If the staff isn't aware of those details, then it can create more challenges for victims pursuing action against their attackers.

HEARINGS

In February, the state Legislature held the first hearing on workplace sexual harassment in nearly three decades. It was a significant development for Vladimer and her colleagues in the Sexual Harassment Working Group, which pushed for the hearing.

Vladimer was among those who testified about their experiences. She has accused Klein, who previously led the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference, of forcibly kissing her outside a bar in Albany.

At the 11-hour-long hearing, lawmakers heard from two state entities and victims. Vladimer's main takeaway was that more hearings are needed.

"There's a lot of other stakeholders that we need to hear from, including the inspector general's office, the Governor's Office of Employee Relations and we also need to hear from the upstate workforce," she said. "There are a lot of protections that the New York City human rights laws afford to people living in New York City that upstate and out of New York City-area workers don't get, and they should be afforded that opportunity to talk about what happens in their workplace."

There is support for more hearings. The legislative leaders, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, support holding more hearings on sexual harassment in the workplace. Rank-and-file lawmakers also want additional hearings.

Legislative proposals are also a product of the hearing. Vladimer said there is a desire to address what she described as the "archaic" severe or pervasive standard for civil sexual harassment cases. Other measures include extending the statute of limitations for filing claims with the state Division of Human Rights.

Vladimer is hopeful dates for additional hearings will be announced soon. The Sexual Harassment Working Group wants at least two more hearings before the end of the legislative session.

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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SCIPIOVILLE  When a trip to San Pedro, El Salvador, was offered to Cathy Mullarney, the adventurous retired music teacher was all about it.

This trip wasn't a vacation though. It was actually far from it.

FUNDAHMER, a non-governmental organization that partners with the San Pedro Sister Community Project, began just after El Salvador's civil war to help reorganize poor communities in a way to benefit everyone. Together, the organizations lead projects including a scholarship program, an agricultural microloan program, food security and fair trade. Mullarney was going to help out.

On Sunday, Mullarney spoke to community members of how she connects her spirituality with the project at a soup supper at Scipioville Presbyterian Church. The event was part the Southern Cayuga Wider Parish Lenten Series, of a series of programs held at churches throughout that part of the Cayuga County.

Most of the El Salvador program's committee members are Quakers, but Mullareny said the mission isn't a religious one.

"It's a community organization," she said. "Visiting is the most important part to the community down there ... having an ongoing social relationship."

Sally Otis, who serves on the committee that put together the Lenten dinners and talks, said Mullarney was a great match for the series.

"We tried to think of local people who live their faith in practical ways. Cathy was suggested as what she's done with her life and faith," Otis said, who has also been to El Salvador.

FUNDAHMER, according to San Pedro Sister Community's website, works with communities to create economic and spiritual development, provide education and food sustainability  a project especially important to a mountainous San Pedro, where droughts aren't uncommon.

Next Sunday is the fourth event of the Wider Parish Lenten Series, featuring Fran Sampson at Trinity United Church of Christ in Union Springs. The series concludes at the United Ministry of Aurora on April 7.

Staff writer Dan Orzechowski can be reached at (315) 282-2239 or dan.orzechowski@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @OrzechowskiDan.

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A recently discovered photo of Harriet Tubman, believed to be the earliest one of the Underground Railroad conductor in existence, was unveiled to the public Monday at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

The portrait depicts a seated Tubman wearing a black blouse with a white collar and patterned skirt. The museum estimates the photo was taken in 1868, which would have made Tubman about 45 at the time. No younger photos of her are known to exist, said Dr. Kate Clifford Larson, author of the Tubman biography "Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero."

"What's remarkable about this photograph is that she's so proud and dignified and beautiful. She looks so young," Larson told The Citizen in 2017. "This is the vibrant young Tubman just coming off her work during the Civil War. She's building her life with her family in Auburn."

According to writing on the back of the photo, it was taken at "Powelson Photography, 77 Genesee St., Auburn." The abolitionist and Civil War spy lived the second half of her life in the city.

The museum and the Library of Congress jointly acquired the photo for $161,000 at a March 2017 auction. It was discovered earlier that year, alongside 48 other 19th-century images, in an album that belonged to Tubman friend and fellow abolitionist Emily Howland, of Sherwood. The Library of Congress has since cleaned and restored the album and photos.

The album is the museum's first acquisition to be displayed in Heritage Hall, the main entry hall of the museum, which opened in 2016. It will remain on display there through Sunday, March 31, before being relocated to the "Slavery and Freedom" exhibit in the museum's History Gallery. It will continue to be displayed there indefinitely.

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LOS ANGELESEveryone Deserves Sex Ed (EDSE), the organization dedicated to real sexual education, has tapped clinical sexologist Sunny Rodgers, ACS, to train attendees of EDSEs upcoming 25-hour sex educator certification program, scheduled for April 6-7 and 13-14 in Los Angeles. Rodgers will facilitate discussion of sex toy types and materials, intimate lubricants, and sex and aging, to give EDSE attendees a stronger understanding of these talked-about-but-often-misunderstood subjects.

Rodgers is a certified sexual health educator and serves as an ambassador for the American Sexual Health Association, where she advocates for access to accurate sexual health information, STI testing, and intimate healthcare nationwide. Rodgers also works as the resident Sexual Health and Wellness Educator for the Diamond Products family of pleasure product brands and helps train industry members to better understand the features, benefits, and usage of sex toys, lubricants, and other popular adult products.

Since 2000, I have worked with multiple sex toy manufacturers as a sexual health educator while building a private practice and working toward my Ph.D., Rodgers said. My private work has revolved around helping clients reconnect with their sexuality as they age, especially with regard to hormonal changes and menopause, and sex toys and lubricants play an important role in that process. Teaching at EDSEs sex educator certification program will be an amazing opportunity to bring this knowledge to even more people educators and practitioners, especially!

EDSE founder and lead educator Anne Hodder-Shipp, ACS, tapped Rodgers to teach these portions of the certification because of her unique understanding of pleasure products and lubricants, as well as her recent focus on sexuality and aging. With almost two decades of experience and a growing private practice, Rodgers has become a vocal advocate for normalizing aspects of human sexuality often underrepresented in professional development programs.

Sunny and I have known each other for more than 10 years, and its exciting to have her join our EDSE education team, Hodder-Shipp said. Sunnys bright disposition, compassionate perspective, and strong knowledge make her a great fit for our program. Sunny has valuable information to provide attendees about discussing how sex and intimacy changes as we age, and I dont know anyone more qualified to teach attendees about sex toys and lubricants.

Marketed as ideal for budding sex educators, health and social service workers, and anyone looking to bolster their sex ed knowledge, the EDSE certification program prepares attendees to have informed, inclusive and confident conversations about sex. Over the course of two weekends, EDSE attendees will learn key information about human sexuality, intimate health, consent, and communication skills, and be trained to respond to sex-related questions in a concise, intersectional, and nonjudgmental manner. Attendees also will leave with new insights into their own sexuality, a fun side effect of sex education training.

During my time as a sex educator, and a sex blogger before that, there was one thing I noticed most people had in common: a lack of confidence in, and even a little fear about, talking about sex, Hodder-Shipp said. This insecurity has a dramatic trickle-down effect. It leaves professionals feeling unprepared for workplace dynamics, parents terrified of having the talk, and service providers caught off-guard during sensitive conversations with their clients. My goal with EDSE is give people access to the kind of professional and educational support so many of us have lacked throughout our personal and professional lives.

The next EDSE certification will take place April 6-7 and 13-14 in Los Angeles. Individual certification is $995 and payment plans are available upon request. To apply, fill out this form. An EDSE representative will review and be in contact within 48 hours of submission.

More information about Hodder-Shipp can be found here, or email her directly at [email protected].
Former Baker of the Year David Wright is set to turn his family bakery and cafe into all-day bread and barbecue restaurant.

Wright, who won the title of Baker of the Year in the 2017 Baking Industry Awards, is partnering with burgers and barbecue chef Christian Stevenson  known as DJ BBQ  to transform Wrights Fire Station Cafe and Cake Shop Bakery in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

It has been well documented that bakeries, high street shops and restaurants are struggling, said Wright. We are no exception and, at this incredibly difficult time, you must either adapt to the needs of the modern customer or face a very austere future.

Wright and Stevenson are launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign on 4 April with the aim of raising 75,000 to help set up the restaurant and cafe celebrating food cooked with fire, including bread, coffee, wood-fired pizzas, burgers and BBQ food.

The majority of the investment will go on a new kitchen and provide new wall coverings, ovens and other equipment. It will also pay for new tables and chairs, new toilets and two delivery bikes - one pedal bike and one scooter - so they can deliver pizzas.

This follows a 300,000 investment over the past six years in the business, which was established by Wrights grandparents in 1946. Wright took it over from his father in 2013 and, with experience in set design after attending Kings College University in London, he redesigned both the cafe and bakery and moved production to a new site nearby.

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We are very lucky to have some great resources built over three generations, said Wright. I am lucky to have friends who are experts in their field, such as Christian.

Making the most of what we have and showing there is life in an established business is what weve done for over 70 years. Now we must adapt, take some risks and go all-in, so that the business is still going for my grandchildren to enjoy. We want to have fun, show off our talent and provide for our families.

Wright and Stevenson have been friends since meeting at a festival in 2014, when Stevenson discovered Wrights brioche buns were the best burger buns hes ever eaten.

Described as a live fire chef, Stevenson has his own YouTube channel with 175,000 followers. A regular on Jamie Olivers FoodTube, he also stars in and hosts festivals including Meatopia, The Big Feastival, Camp Bestival, Grilltopia and The Big Grill.

Stevenson, who is to move to Suffolk and will be involved in the new restaurant on a daily basis, is launching his third book, The Burger Book, on the day the Kickstarter campaign begins.
Cake maker Fiona Cairns has created a collection of luxury bath and body products for Waitrose.

The range, named Rose Gourmand, takes inspiration from Cairns baking and features floral designs and ingredients such as rose, pink pepper and hints of spice.

Cairns has been baking for over 30 years and has a bakery in Leicestershire producing cakes and biscuits by hand. In 2011, Cairns created the royal wedding cake for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Her partnership with Waitrose begun in 1993, when she started supplying six celebration cakes. Now, over 25 years later Cairns has created a collection of pamper products including a bubble bath, bath oil, shower gel, body butter, sugar scrub, soap bar and hand cream.

Cairns said she decided to create a bath and body collection having worked with an array of floral and spice extracts in her years of cake-making, and discovering the benefits of using natural ingredients to revitalise and nourish skin.

Theres nothing better than a long soak in the bath for de-stressing, and the floral scents and soothing ingredients in my collection make them an ideal addition to any relaxation routine, added Cairns.

I selected natural and sophisticated fragrances to create a warming, floral aroma and a feel of absolute luxury. We have worked with Waitrose & Partners for over 25 years and Im thrilled to be launching this new venture with them.

There is an ongoing trend for beauty and pampering products inspired by foods, with baked goods and confectionery taking leading roles. Beauty brand Baylis & Harding launched a range of sweet pamper products with fragrances including Frosted Sprinkles, Blueberry Glaze Donut and Vanilla Sugar Donut, while Cussons has produced a collection of Sweet Treats Shower Creams under its Imperial Leather brand, with scents including Marshmallow and Cherry Bakewell.

The Fiona Cairns collection is available at Waitrose stores and online, priced between 5 and 12.
Each county in North Carolina has a Grand Jury as required by law. One of the requirements of every Grand Jury is to inspect the county jail on a regular basis. In addition, the law requires that the State inspect every county jail twice a year and make a report of any deficiencies.In Beaufort County, in recent years, the Sheriff and Chief Detention Officers have played games with both of these inspections. Those games are designed to try to get a new jail built by making the existing jail look as bad as possible.The Big Game is played with the Grand Jury report. The Sheriff's staff does a "walk through" for the Grand Jury and shows them "the problems." We have reason to believe that the staff has sometimes actually written the report for the Grand Jury Foreman to sign. The most recent report appears to be a continuation of this Game.Here's what you and the public need to know.State law prescribes the standards every county jail must meet. The State Inspection reports any standards that are deficient. Every report usually contains some deficiencies. Those have always been immediately corrected. Once done, the jail meets the requirements as spelled out by law.So it becomes interesting to compare the two inspections. What you will find is that the Grand Jury report usually does not match the State Inspections. That is because the jail staff tries to make the jail look bad on the Grand Jury report, apparently hoping they will get a brand-new jail, or other things not required by law that they want. Click here to review the 2018 Grand Jury jail report.Jails are not intended to provide first class services to inmates. They are intended to provide basic every day service to those who are incarcerated. I say it again. Our jail is in compliance with the laws of the State of North Carolina. It is clean and will kept. The Grand Jury report dated December 10, 2018 deals with things that are not required by law. No grand Jury can possibly tour any institution and pick out all of the non-complaint items presented in this report without the Sheriff telling them what to say. Please note, when I say the "Sheriff" I am referring to his representatives.Please note the purpose of this visit is to insure there are no standards we are not in compliance with. The purpose is not to give the jurors' opinion or to give us their opinion on what they prefer or how they would like the world to be. Clearly this report exceeds their mandate.The management on the part of the Sheriff is simply deficient. He wants a new jail estimated to cost 25 million dollars. He has failed to submit work order to provide adequate maintenance or confer with the Board of Commissioners about problems that could have been fixed before they became problems. I continue to advocate for speedy trials, so prisoners do not have to spend so much time in jail, and a screening system to get more people out of jail pending trial. The District Attorney has done a good job of this, when it has been reported to him. But our Sheriff has never reported anything to the DA to let him know of inmates who need to be brought to trial immediately.Our jail is in compliance with the requirement of the State of North Carolina rules and laws. It is inspected two times each year and is in better condition than many jails in the state.No citizens is safe with this kind of thinking contained in the Grand Jury Report. This report is a hit piece for a new jail from the Sheriff.Our jail meets or exceeds state standards and would benefit from the Sheriff doing a better job of inmate load management and better management of maintenance and repairs. That needs to be done before we jump on the "new jail" bandwagon.
I am certainly ecstatic that the good people that comprise the best fabric of this nation can now move on from the certain damage that would have occurred if President Trump had been indicted in Conspiracy to Defraud the Presidential Election.Now, we must move on to heal as a nation, but not until we discover who was behind this hoax, this witch hunt of a two tiered justice system, so that the good people of this nation, who make up the very best of us, can feel confident that they will be safe from the bad people of this nation.No one, certainly not the President of the United States, should ever have to endure this evil perpetrated upon us all by the unscrupulous in the Deep State; the Fake News, who truly are; in congress, where stupid people talk far too much; in our courts,where cunning is rewarded over truth; those who are nefarious associated with the Clintons; and within the Obama Administration, whom are either complicit or stood idly by while this all occurred.We need to be protected from these bad people if our broken but good nation is to move forward, while trying to discover a path to be great again.There is a fundamental fairness that has been completely absent, where the Democratic Socialists continually present the Alinsky method that contends that, and the Joseph Stalin's final method ofThis is not the America that my forefathers brought into being and purpose, and fought to preserve against all enemies foreign and domestic. I pray a majority of you do to.If we can not construct a fair minded majority of good Americans, I fear that we will and must fight to achieve that Fundamental Fairness; not for President Trump, but for justice for all of us, for they will come for us next.In our United States Republic, we have not had real justice for years, and we must now end these rabid Democratic Socialists' form of modern age McCarthyism.
A Brooklyn landlord intends to install facial recognition technology at the entrance of a roughly 700-unit rent-stabilized complex, raising alarm among tenants and housing rights attorneys about what they say is a far-reaching and egregious form of digital surveillance.

Citing concerns over the potential for privacy and civil liberties violations, tenants at Brownsvilles Atlantic Plaza Towers filed an objection to the plan in January with the states Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) agency, which oversees rent-regulated properties.

On Sunday, several tenants told Gothamist that, unbeknownst to them, their landlord, Nelson Management, had sought state approval in July 2018 to install a facial recognition system known as StoneLock. Under state rules, landlords of rent-regulated apartments built before 1974 must seek permission from HCR for any modification in service.

Tenants at the two buildings, located at 249 Thomas S. Boyland Street and 216 Rockaway Avenue, said they began receiving notices about the system in the fall. According to its website, Kansas-based company StoneLock offers a frictionless entry system that collects biometric data based on facial features.

We dont want to be tracked, said Icemae Downes, a longtime tenant. We are not animals. This is like tagging us through our faces because they cant implant us with a chip.

It is not clear how many New York City apartments are using facial scanning software or how such technology is being regulated. But in a sign of the times, the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development last June began marketing 107 affordable units at a new apartment complex in the South Bronx. Among the amenities listed was "State of the Art Facial Recognition Building Access."

Asked about the use of facial recognition technology in affordable housing, a spokesperson for HPD said, "While we cant say weve seen an uptick in amenities of this sort, we welcome development plans that allow for the marriage of high tech features and affordability."

Mona Patel, one of the attorneys at Brooklyn Legal Services' Tenants Rights Coalition which is representing the tenants, said she had never heard of such a system being used in rent-regulated housing. The apartment buildings, which were built in the late 1960s under the states Mitchell-Lama affordable housing program, are home to mostly black residents, with senior women making up a large share.

In their letter to HCR, Patel and her colleagues said that studies have shown that facial recognition technology "disproportionately impacts the elderly, women and people of color." They also noted that the landlord had made no assurances to protect the data from being accessed by NYPD, ICE, or any other city, state, or federal agency.

The fact that such a technology is being proposed in a gentrifying section of Brooklyn has only heightened suspicions of harassment among tenants, Patel said. The neighborhood is near East New York, which was rezoned in 2016 and has since undergone a housing development boom.

The larger picture raised more questions about why the landlord is taking such a drastic step, she said. In this building in the middle of this gentrifying neighborhood, youre installing this particular type of security complex. Why now?

Across the real estate industry, New York City landlords have increasingly been moving to keyless entry systems, citing convenience as well as a desire to offer enhanced security. Over the years, in response to appeals filed by tenants, HCR has ruled in favor of key fob and card entry systems, saying that such substitutions did not violate rent-stabilization and rent-control laws.

But the latest technology has triggered even more concerns about the ethics of data collection.

Latch, a keyless entry device which offers users the option of accessing their apartments with a phone app, has been installed in more than 1,000 buildings across the city. Last fall, in Hells Kitchen, a group of senior loft tenants sued their landlord in Manhattan civil court for installing Latch in a common vestibule area. In addition to privacy concerns, the tenants, at least one of whom doesnt even have a cell phone, have alleged that such tech-reliant entry methods amount to age discrimination.

Ron Sharpe, 64, one of the plaintiffs in the case, told Gothamist that the new system has prevented him from accessing the building's mailboxes. "Im on crutches," Sharpe said, adding that he recently had surgery. "I'm looking for mail from doctors."

"It's a bit outrageous," he said.

In response, a Latch spokesman said the tenants were given keycards, which are also supported by the software. The company added that it neither collects nor stores GPS data and it does not share users' personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

The case prompted Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who represents the Upper West Side and parts of Hells Kitchen, to introduce legislation last week prohibiting landlords from requiring a smart access system as the only means of entry, as well as limiting the kind of personal data that companies like Latch can collect.

On its website, Nelson Management describes itself as "particularly adept in the ownership/management of Rent Stabilized, Section 8 and Mitchell Lama properties. Its holdings include Promenade Apartments, a 318-unit rent-stabilized complex in the Bronx, and 275 South Street, a 256-unit mixed-income rental building that it owns with Two Bridges developer L+M.

Nelson purchased Atlantic Plaza Towers in 2007 and proceeded to make $10.5 million in upgrades, according to the companys website.

Seth Hoy, a spokesman for Legal Services New York, said that since that time there have been nearly 100 eviction cases handled by Brooklyn Legal Services attorneys against Nelson Management. The information regarding StoneLock was brought to them by one of their clients facing eviction.

Surveillance has been an ongoing concern among tenants at the complex. Not long after taking over, Nelson installed security cameras in the two buildings. According to several tenants, the landlord has used the cameras to monitor packages being taken inside the building. Patel said tenants have received emails citing specific description of bags or containers they were seen bringing in, along with a warning that space heaters are not permitted in units. These tactics feel very much like harassment, she said, adding that it is illegal for a landlord to ban space heaters.

Nelson and StoneLock did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Last month, the management company reached out to a group of tenants to assuage their concerns about StoneLock. But tenants said the presentation, if anything, only deepened their fears that they were being asked to submit to a technology that had very little research behind it.

It just feels like you are being pitched a dream and you should accept it for what it, said tenant Fabian Rogers, adding, This was not something we asked for at any given time.

The tenants are yet to receive a response from HCR. One of their complaints is that because they were not promptly notified about the landlords application, they were not given enough time to file their objection.

A spokesperson for HCR issued the following comment:

HCR's Office of Rent Administration evaluates all applications for service modifications, and both owners and tenants have the opportunity to submit relevant information prior to a determination. This application is currently under review, and HCR is committed to providing due process for tenants and owners as required by law.

Rogers said the entire process has made him feel anxious about his future at the buildings. In order for the facial recognition system to work, residents must submit to an initial scan. Would opting out mean he would no longer be able to access his apartment?

It makes me think Im on an eviction ticket out of the apartment complexes, he said.

UPDATE: Brooklyn Legal Services has provided an update on the number of eviction cases they have handled against Nelson Management. It is nearly 100. The story has also been updated to include responses from Latch, HPD and HCR.
BLACK REPUBLICAN BLOG - The Republican Party is the party of civil rights and the four Fs: faith, family, freedom and fairness. The Democratic Party is the party of the four Ss: slavery, secession, segregation and socialism (Quote By Author Michael Scheuer).
Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is running for president as a Democrat. Yang has made a Universal Basic Income (UBI) of $1,000/month to all American adults the centerpiece of his campaign.

While Yang doesnt show up in any polls, he has a growing internet following that can be found under the hashtag #YangGang (not to be confused with Chinese politician Yang Gang).

The idea of a UBI has proponents on the political right and left. Proponents on the right tend to emphasize that an unconditional UBI would be more efficient than our current mishmash of welfare programs, which require a large bureaucracy tasked with determining each applicants eligibility and then making the paternalistic calculus of what services or products the truly deserving should be given. While Im skeptical even of this argument in its favor, I state it here to show that there are small-government reasons to support a UBI.

As justification for his proposal, Yang rightly notes that our decline in manufacturing employment over the last few decades is not due to trade or immigration but automation. So he should get credit for having more insight into this problem than President Trump, for example.

That said, just because Yang has some understanding of the problem does not mean that he has a workable solution. Indeed, his proposed UBI would be a social and economic disaster.

According to Yangs campaign website, he would pay for his $1,000/month UBI to every American adult by

reducing current welfare spending by giving people already receiving benefits the choice to opt-in to the UBI instead (but not do both), reducing spending by up to $600 billion (a very generous estimate); adding a Value-Added Tax (VAT) on business to generate $800 billion in new [tax] revenue; adding $500-600 billion in new revenue from economic growth and activity spurred by the UBI; and reducing costs of healthcare, incarceration, and homelessness of $100-200 billion as people would take better care of themselves and avoid the emergency room, jail, and the street.

First of all, even granting Yangs generous figures and presuming no negative distortion to the economy (which is unlikely), the total amount to fund a UBI this amounts to, between increased tax revenue and decreased government spending, is $2.2 trillion. There are currently more than 250 million American adults. Giving each of them $1,000/month adds up to $3 trillion/year, leaving $800 billion of Yangs UBI unaccounted for.

Second of all, Yangs figures are fanciful.

Lets begin with Yangs #1 source of funding: reduced spending on welfare benefits. The progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) notes, About 9 percent of the federal budget in 2017, or $357 billion, supported programs that provide aid (other than health insurance or Social Security benefits) to individuals and families facing hardship. Thus, even if every person receiving these benefits opted-in to Yangs UBI, he still has overestimated the savings by roughly $200 billion.

One might object that these are not the only entitlement programs that could be cut. The CBPP notes, Four health insurance programs  Medicare, Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace subsidies  together accounted for 26 percent of the budget in 2017, or $1 trillion. Unfortunately, Yang doesnt want to cut healthcare spending. He wants to increase it: he supports Medicare for all. Thus, it is possible  if not likely  that any savings he might gain from cutting welfare benefits would be overshadowed by increased healthcare spending before any of it could be used to fund a UBI.

If we look at his second and third sources of funding, we see the risk of what I have elsewhere described as a cannibalistic circularity of redistribution. Technology is displacing jobs (never mind that it is also creating jobs), so a tax is proposed, in Yangs case at each stage of production, to give to people who have lost their income so that they can then spend it  on items produced by those same companies, ultimately paying part if not all of the tax in increased prices. You cant increase your bank account by writing yourself a check. Increasing prices and/or reducing profits through taxes (Yangs source #2) in order to subsidize spending will not result in economic growth (Yangs source #3). At best, the result will be net zero, but only if everyone is required to spend 100 percent of their UBI check every month. If not, it will shrink the economy, not grow it.

Last, Yangs #4 source of funding is optimistic at best. Whos to say that people will use their UBI to take care of their health, stay out of trouble, and stay off the street?

Worst case: I presume $1,000/month, no-strings-attached, could buy a lot of illegal drugs, for example, funding an addiction that could land someone on the street and/or in jail and wreak havoc upon that persons health. Im not a fan of paternalism, but the reason our current programs are so paternalistic is (ostensibly, at least) precisely out of concern for things like the health and shelter of welfare recipients. Im more sympathetic to UBI arguments that acknowledge that cost than those like Yangs that try to claim the opposite.

Of course, I hardly think most people would suddenly become drug addicts and do not wish to imply that. The point is simply that drug addicts exist, and Yangs proposal would guarantee them $1,000/month just as much as a struggling undergraduate who wishes she had time to do more yoga and afford to eat organic. A more medium-case scenario: someone like me who totally would have blown at least a portion of $1,000/month on video games, Mountain Dew Code Red, and Taco Bell when I was in college, doing nothing positive for my health, to say the least.

All that is to say, while an $800 billion shortfall is the best-case scenario for Yangs UBI, Im not convinced any of his funding sources would get him anywhere near even that. Leading people on with the promise of $1,000/month without proper attention to these details is not simply imprudent, it is irresponsible and could be dangerous. Im not convinced any UBI is feasible, but Yangs would bring a slew of unintended consequences that would amount to an additional $3 trillion social problem, rather than alleviating the ones we have now.

As is the case with so many similar social panaceas, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Image credit: Andrew Yang by Marc Nozell
This past Saturday was the 100th anniversary of the forming of the Fascist movement in Milan, Italy in 1919. Here are five facts you should know about fascism:

1. Benito Mussolini coined the term fascism in 1919 to describe his political movement, the black-shirted members the Fasci di combattimento (combat groups), who seized power in Italy in 1922. Mussolinis party adopted the fasces, a bundle of rods with an ax among them, as a symbol of the Italian people united and obedient to the single authority of the state. Although the English word fascist was first used for members of Mussolinis movement, the term has since been used to refer to a broader set of similar beliefs.

2. Scholars have long noted the difficulty in defining what constitutes fascism. As George Orwell lamented in his essay What is Fascism? (1944), almost any English person would accept bully as a synonym for Fascist. That is about as near to a definition as this much-abused word has come. The BBC Magazine also noted in 2009 that, Broadly speaking, in political discourse, it is a boo word, a term used more for purposes of condemnation than precise categorisation. As of now, adds Lachlan Montague, an Australian-based researcher of fascism, the term fascist has been used as an insult so much [that] it has diluted the meaning, and in particular the evil nature the word carries.

3. Despite the misuse of the term, there are clear attributes associated with fascism. Robert O. Paxton, a professor emeritus of history at Columbia University who is often dubbed the father of fascism studies, defines fascism as both a political movement and political practice. As a form of political practice, fascism arouses popular enthusiasm by sophisticated propaganda techniques for an anti-liberal, anti-socialist, violently exclusionary, expansionist nationalist agenda. As a mass nationalist movement fascism is intended to restore a country thats been damaged or is in decline, by expansion, by violent attacks on enemies, internal as well as external enemies, and measures of authority, the replacement of democracy by an authoritarian dictatorship.

4. Fascism is based more on feelings than philosophical ideas, notes Paxton. In his essay The Five Stages of Fascism, published in 1998 in the Journal of Modern History, he defined seven feelings that act as mobilizing passions for fascist regimes. As Paxton says, the following mobilizing passions are present in fascisms, though they may sometimes be articulated only implicitly:

 The primacy of the group, toward which one has duties superior to every right, whether universal or individual.

 The belief that ones group is a victim, a sentiment which justifies any action against the groups enemies, internal as well as external.

 Dread of the groups decadence under the corrosive effect of individualistic and cosmopolitan liberalism.

 Closer integration of the community within a brotherhood (fascia) whose unity and purity are forged by common conviction, if possible, or by exclusionary violence if necessary.

 An enhanced sense of identity and belonging, in which the grandeur of the group reinforces individual self-esteem.

 Authority of natural leaders (always male) throughout society, culminating in a national chieftain who alone is capable of incarnating the groups destiny.

 The beauty of violence and of will, when they are devoted to the groups success in a Darwinian struggle.

5. A primary stated goal of fascist governments is autarky, or national self-sufficiency. But as an economic system, says Sheldon Richman, fascism is socialism with a capitalist veneer:

Where socialism sought totalitarian control of a societys economic processes through direct state operation of the means of production, fascism sought that control indirectly, through domination of nominally private owners. Where socialism nationalized property explicitly, fascism did so implicitly, by requiring owners to use their property in the national interestthat is, as the autocratic authority conceived it. (Nevertheless, a few industries were operated by the state.) Where socialism abolished all market relations outright, fascism left the appearance of market relations while planning all economic activities. Where socialism abolished money and prices, fascism controlled the monetary system and set all prices and wages politically.
March 25 is the feast of the Annunciation, exactly nine months before Christmas Day, and marks the moment that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became Man. The primary importance of this event  which is recorded in St. Luke 1:24-28  is the salvation of the world, but it also reveals how God sanctifies the world through our work.

The Archangel Gabriel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she has been chosen to carry Emmanuel, God-with-us, in her womb. At her reply, Let it be unto me according to Thy word, then the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (St. John 1:14).

This exchange defined the Virgin Mary in the early Christian Church, especially in the East.

If in Western Christianity veneration of Mary was centered upon her perpetual virginity, the heart of Orthodox Christian Easts devotion, contemplation, and joyful delight has always been her Motherhood, said Fr. Alexander Schmemann, the dean of St. Vladimirs Orthodox Seminary in Yonkers, New York.

The East rejoices that the human role in the divine plan is pivotal, because it unfolds Gods plan for sanctifying and deifying the world. Fr. Schmemann explained:

The Son of God comes to earth, appears in order to redeem the world, He becomes human to incorporate man into His divine vocation, but humanity takes part in this. If it is understood that Christs co-nature with us is as a human being and not some phantom or bodiless apparition, that He is one of us and forever united to us through His humanity, then devotion to Mary also becomes understandable, for she is the one who gave Him His human nature, His flesh and blood. She is the one through whom Christ can always call Himself the Son of Man.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI affirmed in 2008 that the description Mother of God  Eastern Orthodox use the Greek term Theotokos (literally, The one who gave birth to God)  is therefore the fundamental name with which the Community of Believers has always honored the Blessed Virgin. That title alone, he continued:

clearly explains Marys mission in salvation history. All other titles attributed to Our Lady are based on her vocation to be the Mother of the Redeemer, the human creature chosen by God to bring about the plan of salvation, centered on the great mystery of the Incarnation of the Divine Word.

The feast of Annunciation shows us the importance of human work in three ways.

First, the Gospel reveals that salvation came about by human agency. Obedience brought life. This is especially captured by the medieval Marian antiphon Ave Maris Stella. Western hymnographers attached great significance to the fact that the first word of the archangels greeting, Ave, is the Latin name of Eve (Eva) backwards. The hymn says: Thou that didst receive the Ave from Gabriels lips: Confirm us in peace, and so let Eva be changed into an Ave of blessing for us.

This is stronger in the terse Latin: Mutans Evae nomen  literally transforming Eves name through Marys consent to the divine plan. (One might even translate it exchanging Eves name, as one would exchange an unwanted gift for something preferable.) Church Fathers stretching back to at least St. Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202) contrasted the Theotokos obedience to Eves disobedience. In the Christian imagination, this made her a minor helpmeet to the New Adam, Who recapitulated the human race under His own headship.

Second, the incarnation shows a God united with His creation. Unlike the Deists clockmaker, or the wholly Other, God becomes a human being with flesh, bones, and sinews. He participates in the proper use of the things His hands have made. This shows that matter is not an evil to be escaped, or an illusion to transcend, but a positive good to be sanctified. It can become a source of life.Third, the incarnation shows that human work plays a role in renewing the world. United to Jesus, our work becomes a channel of our sanctification. Fr. Schmemann continued:

Son of God, Son of ManGod descending and becoming man so that man could become divine, could become partaker of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4), or as the teachers of Church expressed it, deified. Precisely here, in this extraordinary revelation of mans authentic nature and calling, is the source that gratitude and tenderness which cherishes Mary as our link to Christ and, in Him, to God.

The Virgin Mary, the Theotokos and Mater Dei, opened the door to salvation. When we dedicate our deeds to Him  at home, in church, or in the marketplace  they can extend His blessing into the world.

We work in professions and workplaces where the consequences of Eves disobedience is all-too evident; as Christ becomes incarnate in our hearts, He empowers us to transform the world one day, one office, one task at a time.

No work is too small or inconsequential for Him to use. As todays feast shows, the salvation of the entire world can hang on a single word: fiat  let it be  or simply, yes. And certainly, no work is large or significant enough to stand without His blessing.

The feast of Annunciation should teach every Christian to begin each day asking God to be incarnate in our hearts, our minds, and our work.

(Photo credit: Tim. This photo has been cropped. CC BY-SA 2.0.)
Anthony Comello, the 24-year-old "nobody" (as the NY Times charitably christened him) accused of killing Gambino crime family patriarch Frank Cali, has been charged with murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Comello was arraigned Monday in a Staten Island court, after being extradited from New Jersey.

This being the first slaying of a mob boss since 1985, the hit initially prompted speculation about mafia infighting. Investigators suggested that Cali may have been lured from his Staten Island home25 Hilltop Terrace in Todt Hill, a reputed mob strongholdby a staged crash into his Cadillac.

Shortly after the March 13th shooting, however, police arrested Comello, a nascent far-right conspiracy theorist with an alleged history of abusing prescription painkillers and an aggressive streak. Police raised the possibility that Comello became enraged after the mob head told him he couldn't date Cali's niece, who was having dinner at her uncle's house when he was murdered. Comello allegedly backed his pickup truck into Cali's Cadillac around 9:15 on the night in question, dislodging a license plate.

Footage from surveillance cameras reportedly shows Comello walking up to Cali's door and ringing the bell. Cali then follows the young man outside, where Comello picks up the license plate and hands it to him. Cali then tosses the plate in the back of the Cadillac, and that, according to investigators, is when Comello began firing, hitting Cali 10 times.

Police pulled Comello's finger printson file thanks to his purchase of a riflefrom the license plate and arrested him at his parents' house in Brick, New Jersey.

Comello, whom the Times has characterized as "rudderless" and (aside from having taken out the head of a local organized crime syndicate) "otherwise unsensational," has reportedly become enamored of right-wing Internet rabbit holes in recent months. He landed on the NYPD's radar after storming into a Manhattan federal courthouse in February and attempting to instigate a citizen's arrest on Mayor Bill de Blasio, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and other notable Democrats. When he appeared at his extradition hearing last week, he flashed his palm for reporters: On it, he'd doodled "M.A.G.A. forever" and "United We Stand," alongside a prominent QAnon symbol.

QAnon, for the uninitiated, is a wild conspiracy theory that says Special Counsel Robert Mueller was never investigating the Trump administration's Russia ties, but instead, top DemsBarack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Podestafor collusion and possible participation in a global pedophile scheme.

Asked what he was doing, waving his fringe-y scribbles at the press, Comello reportedly smirked, "Why not? I'm handcuffed." That Comello got his hands on a "sharp object" (the ballpoint pen he used to do his drawings) while in custody reportedly raised some questions in court.

At Comello's arraignment today, his attorneyRobert Gottliebframed his client's behavior as the result of rhetoric from President Donald Trump, QAnon, "and other right wing conspiracy web sites, hate words that have been spewed by citizens, including politicians at the White House," according to ABC 7.

"Words matter," he said. "Hate words matter."

It's not immediately clear how right-wing ideology might have motivated Comello to shoot Cali. Gottlieb has requested that Comello be held in protective custody since his arrest, shielding him from the possible threat of Gambino wiseguys seeking revenge for Cali's killing.


Just days after the suicides of two Parkland school shooting survivors, the father of a six-year-old girl who was killed during the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut has apparently taken his own life.

The body of Jeremy Richman, whose daughter, Avielle was killed in the 2012 shooting, was found at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown where he had an office for the Avielle Foundation.

From The Hartford Courant:

Richman, who led the charge on mental health issues with his wife in the wake of the shooting, had an office for the Avielle Foundation at Edmond Town Hall. The foundation is dedicated to pushing for "brain science research" to attempt to discover the reasons behind some individuals' murderous actions. Weeks after the shooting, Richman and others went to the Connecticut state legislature calling for fixing a broken mental health care system and removing the stigma from psychiatric illness. "We must act to ensure this doesn't happen again," he told lawmakers in the January 2013 hearing. For those who knew, Richman remained dedicated to this mission. "He had such a clear purpose of what he wanted to do to honor his daughter," said a family member of one of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. "I'm just shocked. I'm sitting in my car right now crying. The foundation was doing really important work and was doing such good things."

My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brain's violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundation's latest amazing work. https://t.co/xhy89JlXG8  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 25, 2019

Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel were part of a group of Sandy Hook parents who sued human garbage person Alex Jones after he led a campaign of harassment, claiming Sandy Hook was a hoax.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, there is help available. Please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
The first line of Jon Lee Anderson's long-awaited profile of Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro in the New Yorker is a real killer. "The authoritarian leaders taking power around the world share a vocabulary of intolerance, insult, and menace"

As Anderson writes, in Bolsonaro's Braziland around the world"A budding authoritarian borrows from the Trump playbook."

Excerpt:

Like many autocrats, Bolsonaro came to power with a suddenness that alarmed the elites. He had run a low-budget campaign, consisting mostly of a social-media effort overseen by his son Carlos. At events with supporters, he posed for selfies making a gesture as if he were shooting a machine gun. He promised to "reconstruct the country"and to return power to a political right that had been in eclipse for decades. In the inaugural ceremony, he vowed to "rescue the family, respect religions and our Judeo-Christian tradition, combat gender ideology, conserving our values." Afterward, Bolsonaro received a procession of foreign dignitaries, and as they stepped up to pay their respects the crowd greeted them with cheers or boos. The Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orban got perfunctory applause; the bolsonaristas seemed not to know who he was. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fending off charges of fraud and bribery, got a riotous cheer. Bolivia's President, Evo Morales, the only left-wing leader to attend, was subjected to shouts of "Get out, communist," and "indio de merda""fucking Indian." Despite Bolsonaro's divisive rhetoric, American conservatives were enthusiastic about his Presidency. He had expressed leeriness of China and hostility toward socialists in Cuba and Venezuela; he promised to move Brazil's Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Donald Trump didn't attend the inauguration, but he tweeted his solidarity: "The USA is with you!" Bolsonaro, who sees in Trump a kindred spirit and an opportunity, tweeted back, "Together, under God's protection, we shall bring prosperity and progress to our people!"

I don't want to give it away, but the last line will make your blood run cold if you're hoping for someone other than Trump in 2020.

Jair Bolsonaro's Southern Strategy [newyorker.com]
Reuters reports that all lights were out across many regions of Venezuela including much of the capital city of Caracas on Monday.

This blackout follows a previous and prolonged blackout, for which electricity had just been restored only two weeks ago.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blamed that earlier blackout on internet-based "sabotage" by U.S. president Donald Trump.

Former officials with Venezuela's state-owned power company and local engineers told Reuters this earlier blackout was probably caused by a technical problem with transmission lines that connect the Guri hydroelectric plant to the nationwide power grid.

Reuters:

Power was out in much of eastern Caracas as well as downtown, where the Miraflores presidential palace and most government ministries are located. Authorities said the Caracas subway was shutting down due to the lack of power. Several western states had no power, according to Reuters witnesses, though it remained on in the southern city of Puerto Ordaz and in parts of Valencia, the country's third-largest city. Shops across the country closed early to protect against possible looting. Neither state electricity company Corpoelec nor the Venezuelan information ministry responded to requests for comment. The blackout comes after electricity went out in much of the OPEC nation on March 7, with reliable service restored only four to six days later in most major cities. That blackout led to widespread looting in parts of the country and briefly paralyzed oil exports. Neither state-owned oil company PDVSA nor Venezuela's oil ministry immediately responded to requests for comment about the status of the country's oil infrastructure, including the main crude export terminal Jose.

PHOTO: People cross a street during a blackout in Caracas [Carlos Jasso/Reuters]
Anna Sorokin has been in jail since she was arrested in October 2017, with authorities accusing her of posing as a wealthy German heiress while allegedly scamming friends, banks, and others out of $275,000. Now feds are ready to deport her if and when she is done serving time.

Sorokin went by "Anna Delvey" while ingratiating herself in New York City's social scene. She allegedly lived in boutique hotels but couldn't pay the billsor would overdraft on loans to fund her lifestyle. She took a trip to Morocco, but apparently couldn't pay the bill, instead getting a friend cover $62,000 worth of travel expenses; the friend later wrote about it for Vanity Fair. Sorokin was also accused of faking her bank accounts to show she had 60 million in an attempt to get a $22 million loan.

The 28-year-old is now on trial in New York Criminal Court, but U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement confirmed to Insider that they are interested in deporting the German national because she has overstayed her visa.

"ICE is requesting that we be notified prior to her release from local custody so she can be taken into ICE custody," Rachael Yong Yow told Insider. "Regardless of whether or not she is convicted, she is amenable for removal because she is a visa waiver overstay. If she is convicted, she is sentenced to serve her time in the US."

Sorokin rejected a plea deal in December; at the time, the Daily News reported that her lawyer explained, "The New York State executive law Condition Parole for Deportation Only would permit Ms. Sorokin to finish the proposed three-to-nine (year) plea within a few months, and voluntarily return to Germany. Ms. Sorokin has declined all offers and we are ready to proceed with jury selection in February."

The News also noted at the time that she was "eligible to be released in the next few months because she has already spent the last year and two months on Rikers Island."

One thing that won't be part of her trial is how Sorokin apparently managed to fool three major law firms and stiffed them in $255,000 in fees. One lawyer not associated with those firms said, "Law firms tend to be very sophisticated in the practice of law, but in many senses, how theyre run as businesses, they are Neanderthals."
The allegedly illegal, unquestionably irritating LED billboard seen floating through NYC's waterways in recent months could soon incur a much steeper fine from the city  assuming, that is, authorities ever get around to enforcing the law the advertising company is believed to be violating.

The controversial barge was first spotted in the city's rivers in October, and has since attracted plenty of scorn from New Yorkers partial to a waterfront view that does not include an aggressively bright, 60-foot screen blaring ads for beer and private helicopter rides. After the Mayor's Office deemed it "hideous" earlier this year, the Law Department sent a letter to the company behind the boat, Ballyhoo Media, giving them a two-week deadline to demonstrate compliance with a local zoning resolution that prohibits advertising on local waterways

But more than two months later, the ad-boat is still making frequent voyages around Manhattan, and it's unclear whether any official enforcement action has been taken.

Frustrated by the city's inaction, some local lawmakers will introduce a bill this week that would increase the fine for companies caught advertising in the city's waterways to $100,000, up from the current penalty of $25,000 per daily violation. According to the bill's co-sponsors, Councilmember Mark Levine and Councilmember Justin Brannan, the legislation is aimed squarely at Ballyhoo, which is reportedly charging brands $55,000 for four weeks of a looped 30-second spot on the boat.

"We want to increase fines to the point that it's no longer economical for them to keep flouting the law, to just pay the fine and continue to clutter our landscape," Levine, an Upper West Side representative, told Gothamist. He added that every colleague he's spoken to about the issue is "outraged," and called on the NYPD to step up enforcement of the boat (a police spokesperson did not immediately return Gothamist's inquiries).

Councilmember Brannan, who represents Bay Ridge, has also voiced safety concerns about the disruptive advertising strategy, telling Gothamist earlier this year that the barge was "not only ugly, obnoxious and illegal, but dangerous to already distracted drivers."

Still, it remains to be seen whether the hefty threat will actually amount to much, as it does not appear that a single fine has been levied on the company since it arrived in New York City six months ago. While neither the Law Department nor Ballyhoo Media responded to Gothamist's questions by press time, Ballyhoo CEO Adam Shapiro told the Miami Herald last week that the dispute with New York City had been resolved, and that he was "running unimpeded in New York."

Shapiro went on to estimate that his barge is seen daily by at least half a million New Yorkers, who would be "lucky to see it more than once per day."

Are you a New Yorker who's been lucky enough to spot this as-yet-unsinkable monstrosity? Drop us a line at tips@gothamist.com
CEOs Share Their Advice on How to Get Promoted

Get That Promotion ASAP With These Tips From CEOs

The writing isnt on the wall, but on the signature in the right-hand corner of your paycheck every two weeks. We all want more zeros in our salaries and more benefits and perks from our employers, but the path to get there isnt always perfectly paved.

As Adam Fields, CEO of ARTA, explains, being promoted is a two-way street requiring two key players: employee and manager. While your managers are tasked with providing you a reasonable timeline for upward mobility and tracking your progress, the ball is in your court to hustle and ask for not only what you want, but can prove you deserve.

RELATED: How to Ask for a Raise (And Actually Get It)

Employees must be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that align with their pathway to promotion, Fields says. Its important to remember that employers and managers prefer to promote from within as it validates their hiring efforts, extends an employees lifeline within the company, provides further incentive for others, and optimizes internal resources and focus.

If you want to streamline your strategy to solidify your spot in your company and bring in thicker bacon, its best to take advice from those at the top. And by the top, we mean CEOs who have not only put in their time but have also made mistakes and learned from them. Here, they share their insight on getting ahead in the workplace and landing that promotion.

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Its one thing to double your numbers in one magical quarter, and an entirely different feat to do it every single season like clockwork. Even if you arent exceeding expectations, remaining consistently strong in your position will make you memorable during review season. After all, in a moment of reflection of your life and happiness, what comes to mind first? People who make everything easier and rosier, right?

Leo Kremer, CEO of Dos Toros, explains that its the dependable employees who tend to rise above the rest. A lot of people can do a great job for a couple weeks or a couple months, but its important to see steady, strong work for six months to a year before we are ready to discuss the promotion process, he explains. There are no shortcuts to demonstrating consistent excellence except to show up every day and own it.

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Ever been on a date with someone who looked or acted miserable? No energy, no zingy banter, just a dull, overpriced cocktail and sour company? Though no one can be on 100 percent, 24/7, if you really want to excel in your career, expressing how much you love what you do with thoughtful enthusiasm will earn you gold stars, according to Victor Mohan, CEO of Mohans Custom Tailors.

By coming in to work and showing that love through hard work and consistency, you will excel. When working directly with customers, you must be able to connect with them. Through your knowledge and love for the job, the customer will leave fulfilled and is more likely to return, he explains. We look for employees who show passion on the daily.

On days where you feel truly off, and your charisma cant hide your lack of A-game, its smarter to take a longer break than show your lack of engagement or negativity in the office. Unfortunately, people are more likely to remember the off-the-cuff remark than your usual charm.

RELATED: Best Productivity Books

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One surefire way to cement your position in the company is to work so tirelessly and interweave yourself so thoroughly across teams that you become indispensable. As Fields explains, ultimately the gesture of a promotion is often made when an employee has executed their goals, demonstrated initiative, and gone above and beyond. He notes this not only makes the professional better, but also their manager, their team and the company as a whole.

[This makes] the employee a more vital part of the organization. When an employee becomes indispensable to a company, managers need to recognize that effort through a promotion, he adds. Promotions drive employees, teams, and companies forward, so it truly pays for all parties to focus on them as part of building and scaling a career, and a business, he adds.

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If youre part of a start-up that hasnt really thought about tracking progress quite yet, take it as your opportunity to create a timeline. Or, if your company does have success measures in place, make sure you agree on the benchmarks so you can make progress, suggests Jared Pobre, co-founder and CEO of Calder Lab.

If you want to grow with the company you'll need to talk the talk and walk the walk: Be collaborative, communicative, and a team player. Your seniors will appreciate the ease of working with you just as much as your hard work, he explains.

As with anything career-oriented or important, get your goals on paper so you can illustrate during review season the progress youve made, and how you set out to do what you intended. The paper trail wont lie, and any numbers to prove your growth make helps make the case, he adds.

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Flying first class nonstop to Miami to entertain clients and stay in a five-star room on the companys dime? Sure thing! Digging through two years of financial reports to seek out an error? Meh, not so fun. But being willing to get your hands dirty, put in the overtime, and exhaust every effort to execute the unpleasant or tough parts of job make you outshine anyone else you work with, according to Kremer.

If you really want to know how to get promoted, step outside of your official job description and do it with a killer attitude. The extra effort into volunteering makes a great impression and shows that you aren't hung up on your own ego, and that you will do whatever you can to help support the team, whether or not it's your job, he adds.

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Sure, someone who agrees with everything you say, think, and do is nice at the beginning. But over time, never being challenged to think differently or never presenting alternative ideas or solutions can make you forgettable. On the other hand, Mohan explains that those worker bees who arent afraid to voice and share their opinion  within reason, of course  are the ones that executives notice. Especially when their new way of thinking or strategizing means success for the team or the company as a whole.

Becoming a yes-man will never allow your employer to see your true potential, he points out. You werent hired to just go through the motions, so use the passion you have for what you do and speak up.

RELATED: Dating Strategies to Apply to Your Job Search

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How many people are you friendly with outside of your section of the workplace? Do you take the extra few steps to say hi to the receptionist? Are you willing to step away from your computer and  gasp!  actually go have a conversation in person to avoid conflict? The value of networking, in and out of your office, is always underestimated, according to Pobre.

Networking is about sharing ideas, support, opportunities, and perspectives. It will also build your confidence and knowledge, and in turn make you more valuable, he explains. You never know when your connections will play a role in your life down the road.

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There are plenty of three-word combinations that pack a big punch, but these from senior partner Marc Anidjar really sting. How to get promoted? Ask for it. Many times you might be doing great work, but it does not necessarily mean that the higher-ups see all of your achievements, he says.

Ask for a promotion and back that ask up with quantifiable ways you have excelled: i.e., made the company money, helped identify a problem that you solved, or provided service in a manner that made the company look good, Anidjar advises. He explains this will show that not only are you a great employee, but that your care and know your worth.

From being consistent to humbly taking on the dirty work, keep these expert tips in mind as you pave that path to your promotion. You can do it!

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Ron Noftall was returning from a movie with his wife when something inside him broke.

Painful memories from two tours in Afghanistan came flooding back.

"I started telling her stories about things that I had never told her about, and it unlocked a beast."

Suddenly, Noftall was a bundle of nerves. For three weeks, sleep evaded him. He felt a seething rage.

His anger became so out of control he stopped driving for nearly a year, fearful of what he might do behind the wheel.

After 27 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, Noftall was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

I wouldn't even be able to leave the house. - Ron Noftall

"If you had seen me three years ago, I wouldn't even be able to leave the house," Noftall said in an interview with CBC Edmonton's Radio Active.

"Things just got weird."

Noftall sought medical care and underwent exposure therapy.

In the end, woodworking became his greatest comfort.

Something about the smell of the wood, the feel of the grain in his hands calmed his symptoms like nothing else.

He had been woodworking as a hobby for decades but threw himself into the work with a renewed sense of purpose.

"That level of extreme focus, I'm not thinking about anything else," he said. "It's all about the task that's right in front of me, what my hands are feeling.

"That takes away all the bad thoughts."

Ron Noftall/Facebook

Four years later, Noftall has turned his passion into a trade. He now operates his own custom furniture company called Branch Out Woodworking Ltd.

Inside his southeast Edmonton workshop, he handcrafts heirloom quality furniture, working largely on individual commissions.

He chisels and carves raw wood into coffee tables, cabinets and other custom pieces, and restores antiques to their former glory using only old-school techniques.

'Time to give back'

Business is good and now he wants to share his craft with other veterans. He hopes woodworking will prove therapeutic for others.

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"I got into the business and it got busy and I thought, it's time for me to give back a bit," he said.

"I feel so much peace from woodworking and I think other vets could benefit from it."

It's much easier to talk to one of your comrades than a stranger. - Ron Noftall

Noftall hopes to raise $10,000 online to buy the equipment needed to teach woodworking to fellow veterans. If the GoFundMe campaign is successful, Noftall would hold classes this spring inside his workshop for a minimal cost.

While Noftall hopes woodworking gives his students some respite from "rough times," he also anticipates the project will help veterans who have served overseas carve out a new brotherhood at home in Alberta.

"Being able to hang out with other forces members who are retired or medically discharged, it's nice," Noftall said.

"Everybody understands each other. And if you need to talk, it's much easier to talk to one of your comrades than a stranger."
Drumming and dance groups from Alberta and B.C. participated in a cultural event in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, this week.

The community hosted its second annual multicultural festival. Dene drummers from Detah, N.W.T., took part, as well as a father-son hoop dancing duo from near Edmonton, Dance Africa from Kamloops, B.C., pow wow dancers, and local Inuit drummers and square dancers.

"It was a beautiful event," said Cambridge Bay Mayor Pam Gross.

She said the event showcases unique music, stories, clothing and food.

VBR Photography

"We all use the drum in our music, and Indigenous people we can showcase our beautiful culture through our songs and we can tell stories through our songs and pass on ancestral traditions," she said.

"We can incorporate our own types of customary practices through our clothing and the unique identity that we have. And it all ties us to the drum and heartbeat of the drum."

Marla Limousin, the hamlet's senior administrative officer, says a hamlet employee discovered Dance Africa several years ago in Kamloops and invited them to attend.

Limousin said there are several residents in the community of about 1,700 of African descent.

She said the band members of Dance Africa were "blown away by their experience" in the remote hamlet, and they'd never been so far north before.

Submitted by Tracy Okhina

"They were welcomed with open arms and were heart-warmed by the friendliness of the community," she said in an email.

"They were excited by the cultural presence in our community."

Limousin said the group had previously been on stage with First Nations groups, but never with Inuit drum dancers.

"They felt a real sense of culture."

The three-day event, titled Unity in the Community, took place at the high school Tuesday through Thursday. It was a multicultural smorgasbord. The diversity of the community was on full display at the festival's community feast, where people were invited to bring a dish from their home country.

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"You can learn so much by interacting with people and learning through music. It's a great way to learn about people, as we have a diverse community, and it's nice to see, and see where people come from," said Mayor Gross.

VBR Photography

Last year there were 23 different dishes, and Gross said the curries were among the dishes that stood out.

"We're a growing community and we appreciate everyone that's here," she said. "It was really nice to see the whole community really happy."

The municipality of Cambridge Bay holds the event with support from sponsors like Health Canada. Gross is optimistic that they'll secure enough funding to continue the festival next year.
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A mother from Afghanistan now living in St. John's is facing an immigration nightmare, as her toddler needs cancer treatment in the United States  and she is prevented from accompanying him.

Sajia Yaqobi believes her best option is to obtain Canadian citizenship on compassionate grounds and get a rushed passport so that she can travel in May to Boston with her 15-month-old son, Elias, for a rare form of radiation treatment.

"Even a second [without her son] is too much for her," said Assadullah Faqiri, her husband. "And Elias without his mother, he cannot make it."

Elias Faqiri was born the picture of health  a staggering 11 pounds with a head so full of hair the hospital staff called him "Baby Elvis."

Submitted

His parents thanked God for a second son born in the same year as their first. Their dreams were coming true as they started their family in St. John's, a world away from the life they left in Afghanistan.

It wasn't long until turmoil returned to their lives, and the tufts of that jet black hair began falling from his head.

"At the age of 10 months, he was diagnosed with cancer. Brain cancer."

I don't want to lose that baby. - Assadullah Faqiri

Through tears, the boy's father does the talking. Faqiri is a taxi driver, keeping long hours to support his family. Yaqobi sits beside him and wipes rolling tears from her cheeks. She came to Canada in 2015, and has yet to learn English.

It's been five months since the diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma, and the outlook is positive.

Elias is responding to the chemotherapy, but he needs a special kind treatment not offered in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Bruce Tilley/CBC

The best option for his survival is to send him to Boston  first for some tests on April 9, and then for three weeks of proton radiation therapy in May.

Faqiri will make the five-day trip to Boston next month alongside his brother and sister, but worries what will happen if his wife can't be with her son for the longer second trip.

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The process

Yaqobi is a permanent resident of Canada, but not yet a citizen.

Therefore, she qualifies for health coverage and pays taxes, but cannot obtain a passport to travel internationally.

Permanent residents can visit the United States if they have a valid passport from their home country and apply for a visitor visa. This process can take months, and Yaqobi's Afghan passport has expired.

"I don't know how long it's going to be [to get a] visa," Faqiri said. "But more important is my son because I don't want to lose that baby."

Nick Whalen, the MP who represents the St. John's East riding where the family lives, visited Elias in the hospital on Monday afternoon.

He spoke with the family about another option  a federal program to provide travel documents to immigrants, which typically applies to refugees.

Yaqobi is not a refugee, but Whalen said his office is looking at how the program might be able to fit her case. If it does, she could get a document that would allow her a one-time entry to the United States.

Prior to Whalen's visit, the family hoped she could obtain Canadian citizenship and get an expedited passport to accompany her son in Boston.

Yaqobi has been in Canada long enough to qualify for citizenship and her husband and all his family are citizens.

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However, one of the requirements is an English proficiency test. Yaqobi has attended some English classes, but gave them up after her doctor ordered her to rest during her second pregnancy.

They tried calling the same immigration and citizenship hotline they've dealt with before, but say nothing is moving quickly enough to allow her to travel by May.

Medical exemptions can be granted under Canadian law to bypass certain parts of the citizenship process.

Life moves on

Yaqobi struggles to eat most days.

She doesn't sleep through the night, either, waking up with dreams that someone is trying to take her son.

Bruce Tilley/CBC

Faqiri works hard, trying to make enough money to cover the cost of travel for treatment.

"I'll work seven days a week, I don't care about that. Non-stop, as long as my son will survive."

Submitted

Their other son, Abbas, spends his afternoons in daycare while the parents tend to Elias at the hospital.

The toddler has split the last five months between home and the Janeway children's hospital, going back for chemotherapy and occasionally to deal with high fevers.

Faqiri said Elias cries for his mother, and is often only soothed by her presence.

"As soon as he can see his mother, he jumps right away," he said.

Both parents are thankful for all the help they've received from the Janeway  the doctors, nurses and staff have been miracle workers, they said.

Whether it takes government intervention or some sort of divine intervention, Faqiri just wants his entire family to be together as they move forward with the next steps.

He dreams of a day they don't have the anxiety of cancer looming over them, when his wife's smile and the jet black hair of "Baby Elvis" will return.

"My baby is my whole world. My wife is my whole world."

Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
NYPD officers shot a man who had allegedly been trying to set multiple cars on fire in Queens on Sunday afternoon.

Police officials say that the man, Jarrell Davis, allegedly crashed his car into a police SUV, tried to set fire to NYPD vehicles as well as his own, and then "brandished a knife and charged at the officers," prompting two officers to fire at him.

"Two officers discharged their firearms several times and struck the subject multiple times on his torso and leg. A 12-inch kitchen knife was recovered on the scene," Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison told reporters on Sunday afternoon.

Davis, who was taken to New York- Presbyterian Queens Hospital and is in stable condition, was charged with arson, attempted arson, multiple counts of menacing a police, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon. According to Harrison, around 3 p.m., Davis "crashed his vehicle into a marked police SUV, which was parked and unoccupied in front of the 111 Precinct" at Northern Boulevard and 215th Street. "[He] exited his vehicle and sprayed an accelerant fluid on the marked police vehicles and then sprayed the fluid on his own vehicle. The subject then set his vehicle on fire."

Cont: Firefighters also extinguished a car fire near the crime scene. It is currently unclear if the two incidents are connected. pic.twitter.com/wLrnwd9MTn  Citizen NYC (@CitizenApp_NYC) March 24, 2019

Police sources tell the NY Post that Davis, who was reportedly naked from the waist down (and wearing a firefighter's vest), may have been attempting suicide-by-cop because he yelled, "I shouldve done this in Texas, they shoot better."


When 79-year-old Carla Brooks opened her eyes from a deep sleep, a shadowy figure appeared above her, stroking her hair. Before she could scream, the stranger stuffed a rag into her mouth and sexually assaulted her.

It happens to everybody  no matter their age, Brooks tells PEOPLE, explaining that rape is about power.

As soon as the man left her St. George, Utah, home, Brooks called 911, and the investigation began.

Like thousands of other rape victims, she felt disappointed and afraid when her attackers DNA did not produce a match in local and statewide databases. But when investigators sent the DNA for further testing, her rapist was identified and arrested.

I didnt have to worry about him coming back, she says. It gave me quite a bit of peace.

In February, 32-year-old Spencer Monnett pleaded guilty and was sentenced five years to life for first-degree felony of object rape. He also pleaded guilty to burglary of a dwelling.

 For more on how Carla Brooks became an advocate for sex assault survivors after she was raped, subscribe now to PEOPLE or pick up this weeks issue, on newsstands Friday.

Since her attacker was arrested, Brooks has become determined to help other victims after learning of the thousands of rape kits that continue to sit on crime-lab shelves due to resource constraints. Currently, there is no database tracking untested rape kits, according to the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2004 by actress Law & Order: SVU actress Mariska Hargitay aimed at helping sex assault survivors.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Brooks has raised nearly $40,000 through her GoFundMe page and has donated to groups like End the Backlog, an organization devoted to change laws around the country to get rape kits tested.

Brooks believes that merely sharing her story of trauma and survival can make a profound difference in peoples lives. I learned if bad things happen, you can still go on, she says.
If more physicians from the United Kingdom decide to move to Nova Scotia, the province may have some of their former colleagues to thank.

A group of doctors from overseas has started mentoring those who are also considering a big move through a private Facebook group.

Those doctors are filling gaps in the transition process that one physician says would have made a big difference during his relocation to Bedford from Hastings, England, six months ago.

"For me, being one of the very first doctors coming in with this new batch of doctors, it took me almost a month to get ready after arriving," said Dr. Ade Akindele.

"It was a really frustrating month being away from my family in a new country, and not being able to do anything."

Carolyn Ray/CBC

Akindele said he faced several bumps in the road, including delays in getting his medical licence, setting up an electronic record system and even opening a bank account.

With proper guidance from the Nova Scotia Health Authority, those details could have been addressed before he made the move, said Akindele.

"Especially when you move into a new country, you don't know very many people so you don't want to complain or anything," he said. "It could have been a bit better, but I guess those were teething problems at the start."

Nova Scotia is gambling heavily on recruiting physicians who are disillusioned by the current working conditions in the U.K. to fix the province's doctor shortage.

Last week, a recruitment team met with 36 physicians in England and Scotland who are considering packing up and heading abroad. Those potential recruits were referred to the Facebook group for advice.

"What we're doing is off our own backs, you know. Which is good because we understand what happens when you come in," said Akindele.

"But I guess I'd like to see more partnership with the health authority, so that it's a more pleasant transition, a lot less stressful, because it's one thing to get people to come in, it's another thing to make them feel welcome and getting them to stay on long term."

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Akindele is one of the first to be accepted in a fast track immigration process specifically for doctors. Of the 25 physicians who've taken part in that process so far, five are from the U.K.

"But I guess I'd like to see more partnership with the health authority, so that it's a more pleasant transition, a lot less stressful." - Dr. Ade Akindele

But even with the expedited process, Akindele said it took him nearly a year to make the move once he made his final decision.

The licensing piece alone, he said, made him have some doubts about his decision to relocate.

"I've been a doctor since 2000. You have to get your paperwork from then, all the jobs you've done over the last 18, 19 years, get signatures from people you haven't spoken to in 18 years. It is tough but it can be done."

Last year, another physician from England expressed similar frustrations and urged the Health Authority to create a step-by-step process for others considering a move to Nova Scotia.

Carolyn Ray/CBC

Dr. Simon Bonnington, who now helps the province lure physicians from the U.K., described the transition as "fiendishly difficult" and "full of complexity and bureaucracy" that might turn off potential recruits.

The Nova Scotia Health Authority said a resource with information for potential recruits is under development. Members of the recruitment team met Friday to review the work that was created based on feedback from doctors.

In an email, the health authority said the work of the U.K. physicians has been "exceptionally helpful" in learning what's required for recruits.

Akindele said while the relocation process could have been smoother, he's loving his new life in Bedford  which he describes as a "brilliant" place to live.

"It's unbelievable how balanced I feel my life is at the moment," he said.

"I work long hours, it is stressful, but it is on a different level of difficulty when you compare to my 18 years of practice in the U.K. I feel I'm in control of what I do, the people are a lot more understanding."
Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi reacts after winning the $1 million Global Teacher Prize in Dubai (Picture: AP)

A maths and physics teacher from Kenya who gives most of his salary to poorer pupils has won a $1 million (760,000) prize for the worlds best teacher.

Peter Tabichi, a teacher at Keriko Secondary School, was awarded the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize at a ceremony in Dubai.

The event was hosted by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, who performed songs from his film The Greatest Showman.

Mr Tabichi is a member of the Franciscan religious order and gives away 80% of his pay to support pupils who otherwise could not afford books or uniforms.

Mr Tabichi, right, was presented with the award by actor Hugh Jackman (Picture: AP)

The nine other finalists, including Britains Andrew Moffat, from Parkfield Community School in Birmingham, rushed on to the stage to embrace and congratulate their colleague.

Mr Tabichi said: Every day in Africa, we turn a new page and a new chapter.

Read more

Who will be the next PM? These are the favourites to replace Theresa May

Shopworker stabbed to death as six people knifed overnight across London

Miracle postman died for 21 minutes and came back to life  on his way to the morgue

Today is another day. This prize does not recognise me but recognises this great continents young people.

I am only here because of what my students have achieved.

This prize gives them a chance. It tells the world that they can do anything.

Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi donates 80% of his salary to his pupils (Picture: AP)

Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi, centre, actor Hugh Jackman, left, and Dubai crown prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, right, at the ceremony (Picture: AP)

Part of the ceremony, which was also attended by the Earl of Wessex, included a video message from Andrew Lloyd Webber, who paid tribute to teachers all over the world and emphasised the importance of music education.

Lord Lloyd-Webber said: Teachers deserve far more praise than they often receive.

Today, as I fear we all know, education is under threat all over the world from funding shortages, lack of resources, and importantly, too few teachers.

This is particularly true in the case of music education, where many young people lack access to instruments, tuition and opportunities to perform.

The award marked the end of the annual Global Education and Skills Forum.
An A-frame sign with a painting of an angry, white man outside a Westside Vancouver art gallery is a jarring juxtaposition to the spring morning calm.

The image, which elicits double takes and stares from passersby, shows a spiked-haired man in a green jacket, with eyes bulging, mouth open, yelling in fury.

It's one of a series of portraits called Angry White Men by Vancouver artist David Haughton, who says he wanted to explore the rise of rage and evil among hate groups and some disenfranchised people.

"They are appalling images and they are saying stuff that is deeply disturbing," said Haughton of men depicted in the series.

"The greatest paintings explore stuff that is tough to figure out."

Yukiko Onley

The neo-Nazis, angry gun activists and yelling protestors shown in the portraits are adapted from photos Haughton pulled from online news sources in the U.S., Germany, Poland and other parts of the world where hate has made headlines.

Haughton says he isn't trying to glorify the men depicted in his paintings. Rather, he wants people to study them, and consider standing up to them, no matter how frightening they may be.

E. A. Clarke, Image This Photographics

Haughton is a self-taught artist and has been exhibiting his work for 40 years. He often paints landscapes of the west coast of British Columbia, but mostly, he explores the darker side of life in his work.

A retired emergency room physician, Haughton's last day at B.C. Children's Hospital was in October, 2017. The next day he cancelled his medical licence and took up painting full time.

E. A. Clarke, Image This Photographics

E. A. Clarke, Image This Photographics

Haughton hopes the Angry White Men series will one day be in a museum, much like the work of his hero Francisco Goya, a Spanish painter who explored the atrocities of war, and who is considered Spain's most important chronicler of the events of his time.

"I'm not going to sell any of these, no one in their right mind would buy one of these and put them above the fireplace or give it to their Aunt Mable," said Haughton.

The exhibit runs until March 27 at the Visual Space Gallery in Vancouver.
A day after her sister withdrew from the tournament with a knee injury, Venus Williams moved on to the Round of 16 of the Miami Open after beating 14th-seeded Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 6-1 on Sunday.

Williams needed just 74 minutes to clinch victory, as Kasatkina struggled mightily with her serve. She had six double faults and won just 17 of 54 points on her own service, failing to win a single service game. Williams converted all eight of her break-point opportunities.

"I didn't realize that [she broke serve in every game] until after the match looking at the stats," Williams said afterward, per WTA.com. "I've never had a match before like that in my life. There's always a time for a first."

Williams had her own issues serving, as she was broken on each of her first three service games, including a 19-point slog in the third game. But she stabilized in the second set, allowing just one break.

"I'm returning really well," Williams said. "If I'm getting a look at the serve, it's going well for me. I want to return that well tomorrow, too."

Williams will next face second-seeded Romanian and former world No. 1 Simona Halep, who battled back to down Slovenia's Polona Hercog 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-2 on Sunday. Williams and Halep have met six times before, splitting the matches 3-3, most recently with a straight-sets victory from Halep at the Australian Open.

In Sunday's final match, fourth seed and defending champion Sloane Stephens was ousted by Germany's Tatjana Maria 6-3, 6-2.

Maria broke Stephens five times, including three times in four service games in the second set. She ultimately put the match away on her fourth match point, the 13th point of the eighth game of the set.

"I could not be happier right now," Maria said in an on-court interview after winning. "I think I played at home, because I live here. It was helping me a lot.

"My game is pretty special, so I knew that tonight I had a chance. I played two times against Sloane, so I knew what to expect."

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In other seeded action, No. 5 Czech Karolina Pliskova avoided an upset, recovering to beat Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-4.

Latvian 11th seed Anastasija Sevastova wasn't as fortunate, blowing an early advantage to lose 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan. Also losing were Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens -- 6-4, 7-6 (1) to Czech Marketa Vondrousova -- and American 25th seed Danielle Collins, who fell 7-5, 6-1 to China's Yafan Wang.

--Field Level Media
Dessert Goals (also known as "OMG Dessert Goals" on publicity material and social media hashtags), is a curated food event that focuses on sweet treats. The seventh iteration of the mini-festival settled into a massive room in Long Island City this past weekend, where 22 vendors were on hand selling ice cream, cotton candy, cookies, marshmallows, doughnuts, and cakes... most looking as decadent as possible. Which makes sense, since Dessert Goals is an event that celebrates the act of taking pictures of fun-looking food, and posting them on the internet.

Photo-ready backgrounds, such as the plastic greenery that wrapped the columns, are provided throughout the space, helping the bright and colorful desserts really "pop." Admission this year was $17 for 90 minutes, but you also had to pay for every dessert you wanted to eat.

I was invited to attend the complimentary media/Instagram-influencer preview hour on Saturday, where I wolfed down like 10 desserts before noon. It's really easy to dunk on events like this, but it's worth noting that Dessert Goals provides a welcome opportunity for small businesses, many of which have no brick-and-mortar presence, to introduce hundreds of potential customers to their products. The people who create and run these sorts of hyper-local food operations work hard while chasing their sweet dreams.

The Dessert Goals theme this time around was Party Animal, and there were several "K-9 influencers" running around on Saturday as well, looking cute and clueless while sitting next to, for example, a doughnut ice cream sandwich.

The vendors themselves tried to delight the crowd with a broad spectrum of dessert types. There were the caramelized-to-order Indonesian cakes and mung-bean pudding cups at Moon Man, who will back at Queens Night Market next month for another season; and a new business called Kochin, run by young Vietnamese couple, brought their complicated, festive sundaes to the fair, which you'll likely see a lot more of this year at Smorgasburg. Kouklet Bakehouse were serving their excellent Brazilian cake rolls (keep at eye out for these at the weekly Park Slope and Morningside Heights farmers markets), and Brooklyn Floss was a big hit with its puffy clouds of cotton candy. More familiar faces such as Seed + Mill, Oddfellows, Squish, Baked, and Dough were also hand.

Given its ticket-selling success this weekend, you can expect to see the event return once again in the fall. For now, click through for a look at the desserts you'll see around the city this summer.
I dont expect this to be anything particularly profound but I felt that I had to write something about the recent event that has forever changed New Zealand.

I understand that no one is ever prepared for a tragedy and a common refrain is I never thought it would happen to me, but I really feel that New Zealanders are justified in thinking that  it is something that was wholly unexpected and basing on our history, justifiably so!

Overwhelming Disbelief

I couldnt (and still cant) believe that something like this had happened in Christchurch  our small, friendly, country that people come to because of the kindness, inclusiveness, and safety that is found here  a safe haven from wars and terrorism, a place where everyone whether man or woman, young or old, of whatever creed, religion, or race are safe and free to live their lives.

I do understand that New Zealand isnt perfect and have troubling problems with underlying racism but never in my wildest imagining could I have thought that someone ora few someones would think it was possibleand acceptable to mount an attack where they gun down dozens of innocent victims in their place of worship.

After Disbelief  Rage

Once the disbelief had subsided,I was somewhatfilled with both sadness and anger, anger that not only had someone been able to perpetrate this grievous evil but that they had thought that it was okay.

I am incensed that there exist in society people who think that white people are better than others, that other people do not deserve the same rights or even the right to life.

That they were able to find other people who thought the same monstrous things and decided to advance their worthless cause that only served to satisfy their twisted, hate filled minds.

Comfort from Unity

One comforting thing that has arisen from the response to this atrocity is how people have come together and risen up with a loud voice to proclaim that what happened was a wound on the very core of the heart of New Zealand and that in the words of our prime minister - They. Are. Us..

Seeing people come together to condemn the violence and hate and reach out to the hurt and suffering Muslim brothers and sisters of our nation has been a much needed balm in this gaping wound in our nation.

What God Has To Say

I cannot talk about a tragedy without quoting some words of comfort and wisdom from our heavenly father who cares about this even with much greater wells of sorrow, anger, and compassion that we can ever imagine.

We can take comfort that even though it seems like evil triumphed on Friday the 15th of March 2019, evil did not get the final word. For as the Psalmist says in Psalm chapter 92, verses 6-7, Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass, and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

And in Romans chapter 12, verse 19, we are encouraged not to seek our own revenge but to trust God for he will avenge the wrongs people have suffered, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for Gods wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.

What we can do is to reach out and be the hands and feet of God as he helps our country and our Muslim brothers and sisters to heal. As well as praying to our almighty father and being a friend to talk to for anyone who needs it, we can also contribute to physical needs that arise.

This is what we are encouraged to do in 1 John chapter 3, verses 16-18, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

To conclude these few thoughts, let us take time to come to terms with the immensity of this disaster, to feel angry but not sin, to come together as a community to serve and love one another, and most importantly to dwell  and act on  the precious truths in Gods word.

Jessica McPherson lives with her best friend and husband, Eoin and their family of rescue animals in Christchurch. She loves reading, writing, photography and scrapbooking but most of all sharing Gods love and truth with a hurting world. Jessica is particularly passionate about encouraging children and building them up in gospel truth.
In 2019, the H. Upmann brand is celebrating its 175th anniversary. For Altadis U.S.A, the company decided to get a head start on the celebration in 2018. It was at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show when Altadis U.S.A. rolled out a new addition to the H. Upmann line in the form of a Connecticut Shade cigar known as the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros. The name not only is derived from the fact that it uses a Connecticut Shade wrapper, but the fact that Altadis all-start cigar makers worked on the project. The cigar not only pays homage to a very old brand, but its a cigar also designed to give the brand a more contemporary spin. Today we take a closer look at the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros in the Toro size.

In previous assessments of Altadis U.S.A.s H. Upmann line, we provided some background on the H. Upmann brand:

The name H. Upmann is one of the classic names in the cigar industry. This cigar has its origins back in Cuba where founder Herman Upmann opened his first cigar factory in 1844 (thus the name of the cigar here). The company went bankrupt in 1922 and the name (and production) was eventually acquired by Menendez y Garcia Co.  the company that made Montecristo. The Cuban Revolution led to the nationalization of Cuban cigar companies  including H. Upmann. As a result of this, Menendez and Garcia would move the brand to the Canary Islands, then to the Dominican Republic. The brand would eventually come under the ownership of Altadis. This is why there is a Cuban H. Upmann and a Dominican H. Upmann.

As mentioned, the Grupo de Maestros team represents some of the most skilled cigar makers in the Tabacalera de Garcia and Flor de Copa factories. They have been involved in some high-profile Altadis releases. According to Altadis U.S.A., the group has more than 300 years of combined experience.

Without further ado, lets break down the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros and see what this cigar brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS

Blend and Origin

The Connecticut Shade wrapper of the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros comes from Ecuador. The remainder of the blend uses Dominican tobacco. One way the H. Upmann Connecticut is more contemporary is the inclusion of Pilotico tobacco. This seed varietal grown by the Mendez family that Altadis has used before  most notably on the Montecristo Pilotico Pepe Mendez.

The Pilotico tobacco comes from Jose Mendez & Co, a company founded by Cuban exile Jose Pepe Mendez. Mendez came from a tobacco family in Cuba. At the time of the 1959 Cuban Revolution, Mendez would flee Cuba, taking some tobacco seeds with him known as Pilotico. Eventually, Mendez settled in the Dominican Republic where he started growing the Pilotico seed in the Cibao region. Pilotico is a low-yield tobacco that is susceptible to mold and as a result, the tobacco fell out of use. Several years ago, Pepes grandson Siegfried Mendez, the Tobacco Director at Jose Mendez & Co., started regrowing the Pilotico seed in the Navarette region in the Dominican Republic and thus Pilotico tobacco has been reintroduced. This Pilotico tobacco has been made available to Altadis U.S.A.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Factory: Tabacalera de Garcia

Vitolas Offered

The H. Upmann Connecticut will be available in four sizes  each presented in 20-count boxes.

Robusto: 5 x 52

Toro: 6 x 50

Belicoso: 6 1/8 x 52

Churchill: 6 3/4 x 48

Appearance

While the Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper of the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro had a light brown color, it is still slightly darker than most Connecticut Shade wrappers. There wasnt much oil on the surface of the wrapper. Any visible wrapper seams were minimal. The surface of the wrapper had some visible veins, but overall was on the smooth side. Another contemporary feature of the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros is the use of a maduro leaf for the cap.

The band to the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros features a pale yellow background with gold font. The center of the band features the H. Upmann sun-wheel logo. Above the logo is the text H. UPMANN and below it is the text CONNECTICUT. There are gold pinstripes and adornments to the left and right. The band is also finished with gold trim.

There is also a secondary band that features a yellow background with gold trim and gold font. On the center of the band is the text GRUPO DE MAESTROS.

PERFORMANCE

Pre-Light Draw

A straight cut was used to commence the cigar experience of the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro. Once the cap was removed, it was time to move into the pre-light draw ritual. The cold draw delivered a mix of cream, coffee, and a slight cedar note. This was an excellent pre-light draw. At this poin,t it was time to move into the smoking phase and see what it would have in store.

Tasting Notes

The H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro started out with notes of white pepper, coffee, cream, and citrus. Early on the citrus and cream notes moved into the forefront. The coffee became a close secondary note while the white pepper was further back. On the retro-hale, there was layer of white and red pepper.

As the H. Upmann Connecticut Toro moved into the later part of the first third, the cream notes remained grounded in the forefront. The citrus notes subsided into the background and the coffee notes surfaced in the forefront. There were still some pepper notes in the more distant background. This continued through the midway point of the cigar experience.

Just past the midway point, earth notes started to mix in with the coffee notes in the forefront. These notes became more prominent and by the last third, displaced the coffee and cream notes in the forefront. By this point, the pepper spices in the background increased somewhat in intensity. Concurrently, the last third also saw some woody notes emerge in the background with the cream, citrus, and pepper notes. This is the way the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro cigar experience came to a close. The resulting nub was slight soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn

While there was a slight amount of jaggedness on the burn line, the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro maintained a straight burn path from start to finish. This was a cigar that didnt need an excessive amount of touch-ups along the way. The resulting ash was mostly silver-gray and skewed toward the firmer side. As for the burn rate and burn temperature, both were ideal.

Draw

As for the draw of the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro, it had that slight amount of resistance  which in my book makes for a really good draw. At the same time, this was a cigar that was low maintenance in terms of deriving flavor from.

Strength and Body

The H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro is a cigar that delivered a medium strength, medium-bodied smoke from start to finish. There was a slight variance in the intensity levels along the way, but in the end, the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro still was in the medium range. Both the strength and body balanced each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other.

When it comes to strength and body, its been mentioned on this site and other media outlets that many manufacturers are trying to move beyond the traditional mild Connecticut Shade smoke. When it comes to the Grupo de Maestros Toro, I would say this cigars medium strength, medium-bodied profile puts it beyond the threshold of a milder smoke. At the same time, there are other Connecticut Shade cigars out there that are bolder.

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt that Altadis has succeeded in creating a contemporary spin for the H. Upmann brand. Not only is the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro somewhat of a bolder Connecticut Shade offering, but the details such as the maduro leaf on the cap also contributes to this Connecticut Shade release. In terms of flavor, I did find the way the flavors all came together delivered something that wasnt a cookie cutter Connecticut Shade smoke. I did find this to be a cigar where the first half of the cigar delivered better flavor than the second.

In the end, the H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros Toro is a cigar that can be enjoyed by both the novice and experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, its a cigar I would buy and smoke again.

Summary

Key Flavors: Cream, Citrus, Coffee, Earth, Pepper, Classic Wood

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium Plus

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium

Finish: Very Good

Rating

Value: Buy One

Score: 89

References

News: H. Upmann Connecticut Grupo de Maestros to Commemorate 175th Anniversary of the Brand

Price: $8.60

Source: Altadis U.S.A. and Purchased

Brand Reference: H. Upmann

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop
The 5G revolution is pushing innovations for RF front-end SiP Published: 25 March 2019 by Chelsey Drysdale by Chelsey Drysdale

LYON, France  March 25, 2019: Without doubt, 5G has arrived and various key smartphone OEMs have already announced products that will support 5G cellular and connectivity. It is clear for everyone that 5G will totally redefine how the RF front-end interacts in-between the network and the modem. The new RF bands (1) pose so big challenges for the industry. The megatrends are today directly impacting the semiconductor and the advanced packaging industries and 5G is of course part of them.

5G will bring more packaging business for OSATs , asserts Santosh Kumar, Principal Analyst and Director Packaging, Assembly & Substrates, Yole Korea.

Yole Developpement (Yole) and System Plus Consulting, pursue their investigation towards the advanced packaging world and especially highlight today the ones focused on RF applications for cellphones. Under the dynamic context related to the 5G revolution, the leading advanced packaging companies are strongly investing to propose impressive technologies: From a technology viewpoint, base stations to smartphones, protocols to hardware, semiconductor devices and packaging, 5G requires disruptive innovations and not incremental ones as it was mostly the case in the past, explains Santosh Kumar from Yole.

This month, both partners release three dedicated reports dedicated to the RF SiP technologies. With both analyses, Yole and System Plus Consulting would like to give a broad understanding of the industry evolution, the innovative technologies and the strategy of each players.

The Advanced RF System-in-Package for Cellphones is a comprehensive review of the SiP market for various RF front-end modules in the mobile business. Market figures, technology trends, competitive landscape and more are part of this analysis.

In addition, System Plus Consulting proposes two case studies to point out the technology choices made by the leading players and the benefits of each of them, with: Broadcom AFEM-8092 System-in-Package in the Apple iPhone Xs/Xr Series and The Advanced packaging technology in the Apple Watch Series 4's System-in-Package.

Based on a real synergy between their expertise, the companies offer an exhaustive comprehension of SiP solutions for the RF applications.

Typical RF front-end components in smartphones include various switches, filters, amplifiers and the antennas themselves. SiP technology is more and more selected by the leading companies to answer to the market needs such as the implementation of an increasing number of bands and the development of circuitry in ever smaller surfaces. Therefore its added-value is its ability to gather many ICs, package assembly and test technologies on a same surface. At the end, companies create highly integrated products with optimized cost, size and performance.

The RF SiP packaging market can be divided into two segments:

 The 1st-level packaging of various RF components like filters, switches, and amplifiers at die/wafer level which includes RDL, TSV, and/or bumping steps

 The 2nd-level SiP packaging, which is performed at the SMT level: under this segment, various components are assembled on SiP substrate along with passives.

In 2018, the total RF front-end module SiP market (including 1st and 2nd levels) was US$3.3 billion. Five years later, in 2023, it is expected to grow at an 11.3% CAGR, reaching US$5.3 billion.

By 2023, the RF front-end SiP market for cellular and connectivity will constitute 82% and 18% of the total SiP market, respectively. By cellular air standards, front-end modules supporting 5G will account for 28% of the total RF SiP market in 2023. High-end smartphone contributes 43% RF front-end modules SiP assembly market, followed by low-end smartphone (35%) and luxury smartphone (13%).

The RF front-end SiP supply chain for 4G is led by a few IDMs like Qorvo, Broadcom (Avago), Skyworks Solutions, and Murata, which outsource part of SiP assembly to OSATs.

Qualcomm emerged as a serious RF front-end player for 5G solutions, especially 5G mmWave, with multiple wins at various mobile OEMs. And the leading company is expected to maintain its dominance in the future. In fact, Qualcomm along with Samsung are the only players that provide complete solutions for 5G, including modem, antenna module, and application processors. Qualcomm, being fabless, outsources all of its SiP assembly, which results in more business opportunities for OSATs. Also, IDMs are focusing more on RF front-end solutions for 5G sub-6Ghz, which also require packaging innovations like closer placement of components, double-sided mounting, conformal/ compartmental shielding, high accuracy and high-speed SMT, etc. This requires investment in new tools & processes.

Yole and System Plus Consulting analysts believe the burden of high investment in assembly technology will motivate firms to outsource more to OSATs.

The leading smartphones manufacturer Apple, is also part of the SiP playground. Indeed, for the second year, within its new versions of the iPhone, the Xs, Xs max and Xr models, Apple has decided to adopt innovative RF technologies, with the latest and most advanced filter and packaging technology proposed by Broadcom. Apples front-end module is the first to include a flip-chip GaAs-based power amplifier and advanced EMI shielding, allowing frequency band sharing in the same SiP platform, details Stephane Elisabeth, PhD, Expert Cost Analyst, RF, Sensors and Advanced Packaging at System Plus Consulting.

The reverse engineering company, under its RF SiP from Apple proposes a complete review of the FEM SiP, including a detailed analysis of the matching IC, the filtering dies, the internal and external EMI shielding and the Power Amplifier. In addition, System Plus Consulting is offering a detailed analysis of the Apple Watch S4 SiP, featuring die analyses, packaging processes and cross-sections.

This chip contains at least four innovative packaging technology from different OSATs player, explains Stephane Elisabeth from System Plus Consulting. In the RF applications, our report features analysis of the conformal/ compartmental shielding from ASE, and the double Side BGA from Amkor. It also includes a relevant comparison between TSMCs inFO technology since the A9, a cost estimation of a single side RF FEM SiP and a double-side BGA, as well as a detailed comparison with the non-cellular version of the S4 SiP.

Yole and System Plus Consulting will pursue their collaboration to propose smart technology and market analyses all year long.

Next month in China, Yole Group of Companies and its partner NCAP China propose a valuable program of conferences during 2 days welcoming the leaders of the semiconductor industry. This event Advanced Packaging & System Integration Technology Symposium, will take place in Shanghai, China, on April 22 & 23, prior NEPCON China. With a strong focus on the applications side, including the 5G revolution, Yole, System Plus Consulting, NCAP China and invited speakers including Besi, Kulicke & Soffa, Unisoc and more will share their vision of the industry evolution and analyse the technical challenges. To discover the full agenda and register, go to Advanced Packaging & System Integration Technology Symposium  2019.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
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Berlin, March 25, 2019  Slovak lawmakers should not pass an amendment to the countrys press law that would expand its right of reply mandate to include politicians and public officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On March 21, the culture and media committee of the Slovak parliament approved the amendment to the Press Act, which would require that media outlets publish replies from any politician or public official who claimed an outlets reporting damaged their dignity, honor, or privacy, according to local news website Bumm.sk; the measures will become law after passing a plenary session, the date of which has not been set.

Legally mandating a right of reply forces publications to become mouthpieces for politicians and public officials, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said in New York. The amendment would unduly interfere in the editorial independence of the media and would lead to pressure or self-censorship; the Slovak parliament should reject it.

Slovakias 2008 press law already mandates a right of reply, but in 2011 the law was amended to apply only to the general public, excluding politicians and public officials, according to local English language monthly the Slovak Spectator. Media outlets that refuse to publish a reply can be forced to pay up to 5,000 euros ($5,635) in compensation, according to Bumm.sk.

The amendments were drafted by the ruling Smer party after party chairman and former prime minister Robert Fico announced his intention to end media terror and lynching by expanding the right of reply at a rally on December 8, 2018, according to CPJ reporting.

CPJ emailed Ficos office for comment, but did not receive a response.

More than 400 journalists and editors signed a statement published on February 6 requesting parliament reject the amendment, which it said would enable politicians to flood newspapers with opinions that do not fit with the facts.

The Slovak Press Publishers Association condemned the amendments in a statement published on January 28.
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New York, March 25, 2019  Turkmenistan authorities should allow freelance reporter Soltan Achilova to freely travel outside the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

On March 11, Achilova, an Ashgabat-based journalist who contributes to independent news website Khronika Turkmenistana (The Chronicles of Turkmenistan), was barred from boarding an international flight, according to media reports and Farid Tukhbatullin, editor-in-chief of Khronika Turkmenistana, who spoke with CPJ.

An immigration officer told Achilova that she could not leave the country, but did not provide any explanation or documentation, Tukhbatullin said. According to CPJ reporting, Achilova has previously been detained by police, physically assaulted, and threatened over her journalism.

Authorities in Turkmenistan should immediately lift the travel ban imposed on veteran independent journalist Soltan Achilova and allow her to travel internationally, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said. Systematic harassment of Achilova and a handful of other journalists must be stopped as they do the important job of reporting from one of the most closed-off countries of the world.

Achilova was planning to attend a seminar in Tbilisi, Georgia, on a flight routed through Istanbul when she was stopped at passport control in Ashgabat International Airport, Tukhbatullin said.

CPJs calls to the Turkmenistan Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor Generals Office, which are among the government agencies that can impose a travel ban on a citizen, were not answered.

Khronika Turkmenistana, which is based in Vienna, and Achilovas former employer, the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertys Turkmen-language Service, are among the few critical Turkmenistan-focused media outlets, Tukhbatullin told CPJ.

The government tightly controls the internet through the only state provider, and has blocked critical websites, social media, and messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal, according to CPJ reporting.
Police have arrested the hit-and-run driver who allegedly killed a pedestrian in Hamilton Heights on Friday night. According to an NYPD release, 27-year-old Tyrik Cooper is charged with seven offenses in the death of 26-year-old Erica Imbasciani, including vehicular manslaughter, driving while impaired by drugs, leaving the scene of a serious crash, and driving without a license.

Imbasciani was killed on Amsterdam Avenue at West 141st Street, a stretch of road that the Department of Transportation has been attempting to make safer for two years.

According to NYC Crash Mapper, since February of 2013 there have been 549 crashes on Amsterdam Avenue from 110th Street to 162nd Street; three pedestrians and a motorist have been killed, 249 pedestrians and 84 cyclists have been injured.

In March of 2017, the DOT presented a plan to Community Board 9 to add safety improvements to that corridor, including a painted bicycle lane, a left turn lane, curb extensions, and safety islands. CB 9 has yet to approve the plan, though their role is strictly advisory.

"Incredibly, I would say the single largest reason for pushback has been loss of parking, in a plan that would entail the net loss of six spaces over a 45-block stretch of this avenue," Councilmember Mark Levine, who represents the area, told Gothamist.

"There's also, I think, a misunderstanding of what it would do to traffic to reduce from four to three travel lanes," Levine added. "I think people imagine that would create traffic jams, but in fact often traffic moves more smoothly in these residential streets with less speeding."

A DOT study found that more than 70 percent of drivers speed on this portion of Amsterdam during off-peak hours.

"One of the only times where I would really call for the administration to act even in the face of community board resistance, would be matters of life and death, and that's the stakes now on this roadway, so I do believe DOT needs to act," Levine said, noting that he would be sending a letter to the DOT today asking them to move forward with the safety improvements.

"Erica was killed on a stretch of Amsterdam Avenue where local residents and safe streets advocates have demanded a redesign that puts safety ahead of driver convenience," Erwin Figueroa, a senior organization at Transportation Alternatives said in a statement. "But Community Board 9 has stood squarely in the way of making this street safer since doing so was first proposed two years ago. While Council Member Mark Levine has long supported the redesign, Mayor de Blasio has still refused to act."

Streetsblog covered a town hall meeting this past October to discuss the DOT's proposals, at which CB 9's transportation committee chair, Carolyn Thompson, dismissed city data showing that the measures would make the road safer.

All its going to do is slow traffic down, Thompson said. Every time you say youre taking out a lane, youre slowing traffic down. I dont care what theyre saying, it slows traffic down.

Thompson was quoted as CB 9's transportation committee chair in a 1995 New York Times story about a proposed bike lane in her district. "I don't see anyone in the community saying, 'We really want this," she told the paper.

Seth Stein, a spokesperson for Mayor de Blasio, told Gothamist, "We are working with the community to implement enhanced safety features on this corridor. We will have more to say soon." CB 9 hasn't responded to our messages.

43 people have been killed on New York City streets since the beginning of 2019, a 20 percent increase over 2018.

A vigil for Imbasciani will be held on Monday night at 7 p.m. in front of Levine's office, which is also the spot where she was struck and killed.

"My daughter's beautiful amazing life was stopped short by a drugged up Hit and Run driver," Imbasciani's mother, Lisa Maccarelli Imbasciani, wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday morning that remembered her daughter as an artist with "a big loving heart and a passion for humanity and social justice."

"There is no doubt she would have made great contributions to humanity and the art world, if she would have had the chance."
Changes Coming for Crypto in Japan  and Beyond?

Regulatory changes are afoot in Japan, and if the countrys government has its way, the entire crypto-universe may be affected. Shinzo Abe. Source: Twitter, @JPN_PMO

Per a report from Sankei News, Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government wants the forthcoming G20 summit in June this year to place cryptocurrency regulations high on the agenda. Abe will have considerable sway at the summit, which will be held in Osaka.

Abes administration has already been particularly vocal about the need for an international consensus on cryptocurrency regulation and taxation in previous G20 ministerial meetings. And although the international community has been keen to kick the can down the road when it comes to international regulatory efforts, the fact that so many European G20 members have recently started to look at regulatory measures could provide a window of opportunity for Abe and finance minister Taro Aso.

The government is also keen to back proposals drafted by the regulatory Financial Services Agency (FSA), with exchanges in the country facing more scrutiny going forward.

Late last year, the FSA revealed a set of regulatory recommendations made by an industry-government study group, and has spent the first few months of 2019 deliberating on these.

Earlier this month, the FSA signaled its intention to push ahead with changes to the countrys legislation, with forthcoming boundaries of 4:1 to be set for margin trading at crypto exchanges.

And now the FSA looks set to adopt another of its study group recommendations  the FSA now wants to do away with the term cryptocurrency, in favor of crypto asset.

The administration believes that the term currency can cause confusion for banks and other conventional financial organizations, and says that referring to Bitcoin and altcoins as crypto assets will help Japan fall into line with international trends. Both the countrys finance minister and cabinet have already approved the measure.

The government also signaled its intent to ensure cryptocurrency-related companies store customer funds in cold wallets, rather than hot wallets.

Tokyo is keen to step up its regulatory efforts after police arrested an 18-year-old hacker accused of successfully exploited a vulnerability in the Monacoin platform Monappy to steal some USD 134,640 from almost 8,000 users, as reported by numerous sources, including Morning Star.

There was brighter news for the countrys flagging crypto mining industry, however, with the SBI Group  one of Asias biggest financial companies  announcing last week that it will create a mining unit. Per Japanese media outlet Crypto Watch, the company will appoint the former head of Swiss crypto wallet developer Breadwinner AG as the head of the new company, SBI Mining Chip.

The new subsidy will be based in Tokyo. SBI bought Breadwinner AG in a deal in January this year, and the group says it has partnered with a large but unnamed chipmaker in the United States for its new venture.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) backed by the US has defeated the Daesh [ISIS] by capturing the final shred of the territory of Baghouz in Syria. The forces have declared the end of the self-declared caliphate that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.

Even though the U.S.-backed forces have retaken nearly all the small pockets in Syria that were still under ISIS control, it doesnt mean the end of ISIS. Reports suggest that many ISIS fighters have blended in with the local population and moreover the ISIS ideology remains potent and continues to inspire attacks in Europe and Afghanistan. Even though it is unlikely that there is a command structure directing terrorist attacks around the globe there are local groups which identify themselves as ISIS.

Timeline of ISIS

The chaos which followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, an al Qaeda offshoot established there and changed its name in 2006 to Islamic State in Iraq.

As the Syrian Crisis began to unfold the groups leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sent operatives to Syria for setting up a Syrian subsidiary. Baghdadi follows in 2013 and renamed the group as The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

The group captured important cities like Fallujah, Tikrit and Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi renamed the group as Islamic State (IS) and declares a caliphate at Mosul in 2014.

In 2014 United States started building a coalition against ISIS and started air strikes to stop its momentum. It also started to extend support to the Kurdish militia to fight against the ISIS.

By 2016 the forces started recovering the territory captured by ISIS and the ISIS started facing catastrophic defeats.

The capture of Baghouz and declaration of elimination of caliphate has come as a final nail in the coffin of ISIS.
Question: Regarding my posts about the terrible perversion of Torah and halacha that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky has engineered with his prod...

Important!! email - yadmoshe@gmail.com
How America Got Hooked On A Deadly Drug
Barcelona star Lionel Messiwas in attendance as Cesc Fabregas' son was baptised with the old team-mates enjoying some family time during the international break.Fabregas' son, one-year-old Leonardo, was baptised, while the Monaco midfielder's daughters Lia (five) and Capri (three) were also present.Also in attendance were Fabregas's wife Daniella Semaan and her sister Suzanna.Messi attended with his two eldest sons Thiago (six) and Mateo (three).Messi was able to attend having withdrawn from the Argentina squad due to a groin injury.The 31-year-old suffered the problem as Argentina were beaten 3-1 by Venezuela in a friendly on Friday.Messi and Fabregas are close friends having played together in the youth ranks at Barcelona and later in the first-team when Fabregas rejoined the Spanish club in 2011.Messi has enjoyed another remarkable season - he has scored 39 goals in 37 games for Barcelona across all competitions.He will hope to be fit when Barcelona return to action on Saturday with a home game against local rivals Espanyol.
Novak Djokovicwas stretched to three sets but avoided another embarrassing defeat in the third round of the Miami Open.Djokovic, a six-times previous winner of the tournament, was made to fight for a 7-5 4-6 6-1 win over Argentina's world No 83 Federico Delbonis.The Serbian had arrived in Miami on the back of a shock reversal to Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber at Indian Wells last week.And he looked some way off his top form as he was broken three times in the first two sets by an opponent he had never previously played .But Djokovic rallied and a dominant performance in the deciding set saw him safely through to round four.Earlier, defending champion John Isner also moved through to round four with a 7-5 7-6 (5) win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain.And British No 1 Kyle Edmund produced the best performance of his year to date as he dispatched former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic 6-4 6-4.
A mood of protest is in the air in Podgorica, a city which England have found to be an incendiary place in the past.Around 4,000 Montenegrins rallied in the capital's main square on Saturday night as protests against the president Milo Djukanovic entered a third week.They passed off without trouble, although England fans are being urged to display respect and not to travel without tickets ahead of Monday's encounter in a tight stadium which can be volatile.The Montenegro FA have allocated only 690 tickets to their English counterparts  the minimum five per cent  for the mere 11,000-capacity stadium. More were being openly touted to visitors on Sunday, however.Tickets bought for 10 by locals were being sold for 40 in the afternoon sunshine to England fans intent on seeing Gareth Southgate's side  and up to 300 may have changed hands.British police have asked their Montenegrin counterparts to remove any England fans who show up among the home support, rather than seeking to relocate them in the away end, and have been assured of co-operation.Although travel to the country, via Austria, Turkey or Albania, is arduous for those not allocated a ticket by the FA-backed England Supporters' Travel Club, it shows the lengths fans will go.The presence of known trouble-makers is unlikely. Those who pose a serious risk have been made the subject of the 1,800 banning orders in place, recipients of which must surrender their passports when England are playing on foreign soil.Police were at a number of British airports on Sunday to help identify banned fans who might attempt to travel. But it is a new, younger breed of fans who drink to excess and behave anti-socially that has become a source of concern.Two matches in the past 12 months  in Seville and Amsterdam  were the source of extreme disorder. England's Nations League semi-final against Holland  a late evening kick-off in the modest Portuguese city of Guimaraes in June  is a concern.The policing challenge tonight is made no easier by the 200-yard proximity of the main bars to the Gradski Stadium.This is the place where, after the 2-2 draw eight years ago, a group of Montenegro Ultras invaded the pitch and tried, unsuccessfully, to entice England fans into joining them for a fight. Two years later, local riot police were sent in after Montenegro fans began fighting each other.Manager Ljubisa Tumbakovic's side have lost their last two home games, to Serbia and Romania in the Nations League, and drew 1-1 in Bulgaria on Friday in their opening game of this group. Their stellar players are still the ex-Manchester City pair Stevan Jovetic and Stefan Savic. Jovetic is missing through injury, with Savic also a doubt.Asked to identify weaknesses in the England squad, Tumbakovic replied: 'I'm really trying but I can't.' The biggest challenge appears to be off the pitch. The stadium is distinctive for the dark netting draped in front of all supporters to prevent missiles being hurled.
Jeremy Richman, the father of Avielle Richman, a six-year-old who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, was found dead this morning of an apparent suicide in his Connecticut office building. He was 49.

"This is a heartbreaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police departments prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time," said Lt. Aaron Bahamonde, a spokesman for the department.

Officials say Richman was found around 7 a.m. Monday morning at the Edmond Town Hall, a movie theater and event space in Newtown. Richman had an office for the Avielle Foundation, which is dedicated to pushing for brain science research to attempt to discover the reasons behind some individuals murderous actions, located there. Richman had just hosted his third event for the organization at the Edmond Town Hall in March.

My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brains violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundations latest amazing work. https://t.co/xhy89JlXG8  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 25, 2019

"He had such a clear purpose of what he wanted to do to honor his daughter," one of the Sandy Hook family members, who attended that event, told the Hartford Courant. "Im just shocked. Im sitting in my car right now crying. The foundation was doing really important work and was doing such good things."

Avielle Richman was among 20 children killed during the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook on December 14th, 2012.

Richman's death comes a week after two survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida also died in apparent suicides.

This is devastating - for Jeremys family, for the world. Jeremy was one of the kindest people Id met on this journey since the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012.



Please remember the Avielle Foundation today: https://t.co/0Y2gONMwxK https://t.co/u0nE4pLjqb  Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 25, 2019

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
World News: New WTO rules may favour the US, denying India policy space

by D Ravi Kanth

March 25,2019 | Source: Live Mint

India is facing a grave crisis in global trade as the US attempts to change the rulebook of the World Trade Organization by working closely with the very-able director-general, Roberto Azevedo". According to trade envoys who spoke on condition of anonymity, the US has made it almost clear that it will effect far-reaching changes in the WTO rules so as to ensure that India and other developing countries are denied policy space to address their specific trade needs. We have been very active at the WTO [and] we work closely with the very-able director-general, Roberto Azevedo" for addressing the specific concerns bothering the US, said Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, the US Trade Representative, during a hearing of the US Senate finance committee on 12 March.



Soon after terminating benefits worth billions of dollars accruing to Indian exporters under the generalized system of preferences (GSP) scheme on 5 March, the USTR and his team had embarked on proposals that would deny India and other developing countries flexibilities accorded under global trade rules. The US, for example, declared that India and other developing countries such as South Africa cannot avail of special and differential treatment (S&DT) in any current or future trade agreements on grounds that they are members of the G20 which was created by Washington following the 2008 financial crisis.



Without naming India, the USTR said, many members self-declare themselves to be developing countries even though they are among, in many cases, the richest in the world" to avail of special and differential treatment. The US proposal to deny S&DT, India warned on 28 February, can cause lasting damage to the multilateral trading system." S&DT enables developing countries like India to take commensurate trade commitments based on their economic capacity. It allows developing members like India to formulate their domestic trade policy, in a way that helps them to reduce poverty, generate employment and integrate meaningfully into the global trading system."



While developing countries made progress on some economic indicators since the inception of the WTO in 1995, the old gaps in the levels of development are far from being bridged, and in some areas, have even widened," India cautioned. But the US turned a deaf ear to the calls from India and a large majority of developing countries about the denial of S&DT. India, for example, is unlikely to secure any flexibilities for safeguarding livelihood concerns of its fishermen in the new trade rules for fisheries subsidies because of the US proposal to deny S&DT, said a trade envoy from Africa, who preferred anonymity.



Ambassador Lighthizer accused the WTO for having transformed into a litigation forum" with its dispute settlement system for resolving global trade dispute having breached its mandate. The WTO members had established a facilitator to address the specific issues raised by the US early this year. But the US chose to cock a snook at proposals during the meetings specifically convened to address Washingtons special concerns about improving the functioning of the appellate body. India expressed alarm at a meeting convened by the facilitator Ambassador David Walker of New Zealand on 21 March that the US has not submitted any proposal on how to address the issues it had raised.



The US, which had blocked the selection process for filling vacancies at the appellate body, the highest adjudicating mechanism for resolving global trade disputes, seems determined to decimate the appellate body by the end of this year, said several trade envoys, who asked not to be named.



- USTR Robert Lighthizer working with WTO director-general to rewrite the organizations rulebook

- US declared that developing nations cant avail of special and differential treatment (S&DT)
West Bengal: Workshop on Preferential Access for Small Scale Fish Workers to Marine Fish Resources & Coastal Regulation Zone Notification-2019 Organised by Sagar Matsyajibi Forum

March 25,2019 | Source: Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Fotum (DMF)

Sagar Matsyajibi Forum, the branch of Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Fotum (DMF) in Sagar Island (Block) had been keen to organise workshops on Preferential Access for Small Scale Fish Workers to Marine Fish Resources & Coastal Regulation Zone Notification-2019 to develop a common and in depth understanding of the issues related with these.



25 representatives from eight fish landing centres of the island alongwith two representatives from the women fish workers' unit attended the workshop. President of Sagar Matsyajibi Forum, Himangshu Mondal presided over and Abdar Mallick, Secretary of Sagar Matsyajibi Forum coordinated the workshop. Pradip Chatterjee, President of DMF and Convener of the National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (Inland) was the main speaker while Milan Das, General Secretary of DMF elucidated some points raised in the workshop.



Sri Himangshu Mondal, President, Sagar Matsyajibi Forum welcomed everybody and requested active participation. Pradip Chatterjee, the main speaker, said that he is sorry that he could not manage time to translate the presentations in Bengali. He promised to prepare and distribute a Bengali version within one month.



The presentation on preferential access for small scale fishers to marine fish resources stressed on the following points -



First, it defined the small scale fish workers as those who directly take part in the work in fishing, who work mainly for subsistence and not mainly for commercial purpose and who do not exploit other peoples' labour.



Second, it advocated for preferential access for small scale fishers because small scale fishing is more sustainable, more traditional and more equitable.



Third, it described how the mechanised sector has increased its share of the total marine fish catch from less than 15% in 1961 to more than 80% in 2018 and, conversely, how the small scale fishing sector's share has fallen from more than 85% in 1961 to less than 20% in 2018.



Fourth, it showed that most of the catch taken by the mechanised fishing sector was from the near shore (0 to 100 mtrs. depth) area where the small scale fishers fish. Thus, the mechanised sector has been directly responsible for over fishing in the near shore areas and for shortage of fish for the small scale sector.



Fifth, it showed that the number and capacity of the mechanised fishing boats has been more than double the optimum and those of the small fishing boats have been much less than the optimum as recommended by fisheries expert committee.



Then it recommended following steps to ensure preferential access of small scale fishing communities to marine fish resources applying the principle of subsidiarity -



- Fishing effort should match with maximum sustainable yield;

- Moratorium on registration of new mechanised boats;

- Stoppage of subsidy and assistance on fuel, boats and nets for mechanised sector;

- To ensure that fishing effort matches sustainable yield - reduction of number and effort of the existing mechanised fleet;

- Extension of the exclusive fishing zone of the small scale fishers upto 12 nautical miles in general and even more as required in specific areas;

- 6 months fishing ban on mechanised sector, 3 months ban on motorised sector with livelihood support for small fishers and no ban on manual fishing;

- Right of first catch should be with the small scale sector, mechanised sector to have the residue;

- Ban on destructive fishing methods like bottom trawling, purse seining, fishing with LED lights and fish finders.

- Protection of livelihood rights of small scale fishing communities in the marine or coastal protected areas.



Pradip Chatterjee updated the participants regarding the present status of the struggle for preferential access -



- The National Policy for Marine Fisheries (NPMF) has accepted principle of subsidiarity as its basic policy direction;

- NPMF has admitted the need for extension of exclusive fishing area for small scale fishers;

- NPMF has also accepted protection of livelihood rights of small scale fishing communities in the marine or coastal protected areas.

- The Government of India has banned Bull Trawling and LED Light Fishing in the sea beyond territorial waters.

- He suggested continuous struggle for preferential access to marine fish resources as this has been the lifeline of the small scale fisheries.



Next subject was Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2019 (CRZ-2019).



The presentation made by Pradip Chatterjee comprised of -



- History of CRZ Notification including the effort of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the struggle of fishing communities with the historic Kanyakumari March (1989) and Macchimar Rastriyo Adhikar Yatra (2008) as well as the background of three CRZ Notifications of 1991, 2011 and 2019;

- Fundamental weaknesses in the successive CRZ Notifications;

- Clause by clause analysis of CRZ-2019 Notification to show how it has further opened up the coast to the loot of the corporate and business houses.



Milan Das suggested that DMF should work to build up nation wide rejection of CRZ-2019.



The participants resolved to organise meetings at fish landing centres to aware the fishing communities on these very important issues and build up strong resistance. They demanded awareness materials in Bengali. DMF leaders assured them that the materials will be made available in the earliest.
West Bengal: Marine Women Fish Workers Cooperative Society of Sagar Island: Plans for Economic Empowerment of Women Fish Workers

March 25,2019 | Source: Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum (DMF)

Sagar Samudrik Mahila Matsyajibi Samabay Samity Ltd. drew up plans for economic empowerment of women fish workers of the Island on 22nd March 2019. In a meeting attended by Pradip Chatterjee, President of Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum (DMF), Milan Das, General Secretary of DMF and Abdar Mallick, Secretary of Sagar Matsyajibi Forum detailed discussions were held on the problems faced by the women fish workers and the ways and means to address those.



The meeting was attended by around 30 women fish workers. It was presided and coordinated by respectively Mumtaj Begum, President of the Society and Manasi Bera, Secretary of the Society. At the beginning Mumtaj Begum welcomed the participants. Then Manasi Bera gave a brief history of the cooperative and requested the participants to come out with a concrete plan of activities. It may be mentioned that Sagar Samudrik Mahila Matsyajibi Samabay Samity Ltd. has been the first and only women fish workers cooperative society on the island. Registered in November 2018, the Cooperative Society was organised through relentless efforts of DMF leadership.



DMF President Pradip Chatterjee asked all participants to come together to discuss and decide on issues that are important for the women fish workers economic empowerment and refrain from formal speech giving. The first issue raised by the women fish workers was the low wages they receive for sorting and drying job at the fish landing centres. It was stated that the women fish sorters and dryers had to work from 6pm in the morning to 5pm in the afternoon. The wages for 11 hours of hard work have been Rs.200/- plus food. But in one fish landing centre only Rs.180/- was paid to the women fish workers and that too without food.



The meeting resolved to demand uniform wages calculated on the basis of minimum wage for 8 hours plus overtime. As a first step it was decided to demand an increase from Rs. 180/- to Rs. 200/ for women workers who are paid Rs. 180/-. The Society would write a letter to the Sagar Matsyajibi Forum in this regard. In addition, the women fish workers also resolved to develop a fish sorting and drying centre of its own. The womens society will buy wet fish from the fishers, process it and then sell the dry fish to traders. For this they will approach the existing fish landing centres for land and the government for assistance in infrastructure. Further, they resolved to establish a fish meal production unit that would run all around the year and a fish pickle production unit. They resolved to approach the Fisheries Department for necessary training and assistance.



Small loans for member women fish workers and additional income generation through goatery, duckery, poultry etc. were also discussed. It was decided that Society members will sit together shortly to discuss and decide on concrete steps. The marginalised women fish workers concluded their meeting with renewed hope and resolve to stride forward.
Experts say the discussion on capital punishment has focused too much on politics, not nearly enough on policy.





Several Democratic presidential contenders have taken to Twitter recently to express their enthusiastic approval of California Gov. Gavin Newsoms (D) announcement earlier this month that he plans to suspend executions in the state.





Inspired! said Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), calling the death penalty immoral and ineffective. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) wrote that capital punishment is immoral, discriminatory, ineffective, and proven to be unequally applied. And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), said the announcement was very good news.





Ending the death penalty is one of the few issues that has received the unanimous support of the current field of Democratic presidential candidates. It hasnt always been so.





Former President Bill Clinton, a supporter of the death penalty during his presidency, was roundly criticized while he was governor of Arkansas for carrying out the execution of Ricky Ray Rector, a mentally ill black man. Former President Barack Obama called the death penalty deeply troubling but still supported its use in the United States.





Even during the last presidential cycle there was no consensus among Democratic presidential contenders on the issue. When the Justice Department announced it would seek death for Charleston shooter Dylann Roof, Hillary Clinton said she supported the decision, meanwhile Sanders  who was running against her in the primaries at the time  said he was opposed.





It reflects how dramatically, and how rapidly, views on the issue are evolving. Clearly, the politics of death have changed in the last 20 years, said John Blume, director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project.





Those changing politics, he said, are due to the rising cost of sentencing someone to death, the thousands of exonerations, and stories in recent years about botched executions. Im not sure were at the end of the line with the American death penalty, but you can see the finish line, Blume said.





But experts say the conversation about the death penalty following Newsoms announcement has been simplistic, focusing too much on politics and not enough on policy.





I think that with the attention that the moratorium imposed by Governor Newsom has attracted, there has been almost a media feeding frenzy about the impact on the death penalty on the 2020 election, Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center (DCPI), told ThinkProgress. I love talking about the death penalty, but as a practical matter, its not going to affect the election.





The better thing to be thinking and talking about, is the whole concept of the exercise of federal power in the administration of criminal laws, said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.





As of July, across the United States there were 2,738 people on death row, according to DCPI. There are just 63 people on federal death row, less than 2 % of the death row population.





California had 737 people on death row ahead of its moratorium. Florida has 353, Texas has 232, and Alabama has 185. A federal moratorium doesnt change any of that, Dunham said. The death penalty is largely a creature of state law.





He said the most notable aspect of the federal death penalty is that it is disproportionately used in states that either dont have the death penalty or that have a moratorium on capital punishment.





I think the better thing to be thinking and talking about, is the whole concept of the exercise of federal power in the administration of criminal laws, Dunham said. You see the use of the federal death penalty as a way to disrespect state judgements that the death penalty is an inappropriate punishment.





Beyond that, the death penalty is a canary in the coal mine of criminal justice, according to Dunham, who added that a conversation about the death penalty that doesnt include comprehensive reform is futile.





When its about politics, you have broad statements about narrow practices, he said. When counties, states, and countries adopt meaningful criminal justice reform, the use of the death penalty drops, and when counties, states, and countries look at abuses in the use of the death penalty, they discover that everything that is wrong with the rest of the criminal justice system is worse when it comes to capital punishment.





Blume, the Cornell professor, used another metaphor: Sometimes talking about the death penalty is like the tail wagging the dog.





Death penalty elimination is only a piece of a larger, needed conversation about criminal justice reform, he said. Thousands  millions  of people are doing life sentences or the equivalent, many of them for crimes where punishment is too harsh. Millions of people are incarcerated for low level drug offenses. There has been some movement on the latter, but there really hasnt been a comprehensive criminal justice reform.





More than 1/2 of all American executions took place in Texas





On the other hand, Blume argued, letting the tail wag the dog  starting comprehensive criminal justice reform with abolishing the death penalty  could create the necessary space to rebuild the system.





And, certainly, in an effort to shift the conversation presidential candidates often weigh in on issues they wouldnt have much power over if elected as president, something Blume said is worth acknowledging in the capital punishment debate.





If the president of the United States suspended the federal death penalty or commuted sentences it would not be insignificant. It would be an important statement, Blume added. It might help push some states who are now effectively abolitionist to go ahead and repeal.





And its certainly a conversation worth having. A DCPI report from 2 years ago found that in 2017 there was significant evidence of mental illness, brain damage, intellectual disability, severe trauma, or possible innocence in nearly 90 percent of capital punishment executions in the United States.





The report also found that 5 of the 23 people executed by the state in 2017 received glaringly deficient legal representation or were denied substantial judicial review.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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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

thinkprogress.org, March 23, 2019
Robin Rocky Myers may be innocent and intellectually disabled. His jury did not think he should be sentenced to die. Alabama intends to execute him anyway.





Myers case is rife with legal issues, but he received no federal court review because his appellate lawyer abandoned him without notice, letting the filing deadline for challenging Myers conviction and death sentence expire.





In a recent feature story in The Nation, reporter Ashoka Mukpo tells the story of how the intellectually-disabled Myers was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1991 murder of his neighbor, Ludie Mae Tucker, even after his jury recommended 9-3 that he should be sentenced to life.





Mukpo reports that the prosecution evidence against Myers was problematic. Two informants initially told police that, on the night of the murder, another manAnthony Cool Breeze Ballentine had traded a VCR stolen from Tuckers house for crack cocaine. Another witness corroborated their story, informing police that she had seen Ballentine, wearing a white shirt stained with blood, run into an alley near Tuckers house.





Weeks later, another man, Marzell Ewing, who had known Ballentine for 30 years, came forward to claim a reward for information about the murder. He told police hed seen a short, stocky man near the crime scene, carrying the stolen VCR.





After his statement, the original informants changed their stories, naming Myers as the man who had traded the VCR for drugs. Myers later admitted that he had found the VCR in an alley next to his housea common drop spot for stolen goods.





Because of his intellectual disability, Myers was unable to tell police when he had found the VCR, leading police to conclude he was lying.





In 2004, Ewing recanted his story. In a signed statement, he revealed that a detective had offered to eliminate the record of a prior arrest if Ewing testified against Myers.





Ewings statement admitted that his testimony was not truthful. I did not see who brought the VCR to the shot house that night.





Other evidence also suggested Myers is innocent.





Before she died, Tucker was able to describe her assailant to the police and the clothing he was wearing. Although Tucker knew Myers, she did not identify him as her attacker. Multiple witnesses testified at Myers s trial that he had been wearing a dark shirt the night of the murder, not the light shirt described by Tucker.





No physical evidence linked Myers to the murder and none of the fingerprints found at the crime scene matched his.





Mae Puckett, one of the jurors in Myers case, said she and a few other jurors were not convinced of his guilt but felt pressured by the majority of the jury to vote for guilt.





One white juror later spoke to Myers defense team, referring to him as a thug and describing him with a racial slur. I never thought for a moment that he did it, Puckett said, but she and the other jurors who doubted his guilt agreed to vote for convict if the jury would recommend a life sentence.





Nonetheless, exercising a since-repealed power to override a jurys vote for life, the trial judge sentenced Myers to death.





After Myers was sentenced to death, a Tennessee attorney, Earle J. Schwarz, agreed to represent him pro bono in his post-conviction appeals. But when the state courts denied Myers appeal, Schwarz never told Myers and never filed a federal habeas corpus petition, causing Myers to miss the federal filing deadline.





Mr. Schwarz decided that he could no longer represent Rocky, but unfortunately he just sat in a room and said that quietly to himself, said Kacey Keeton, who now represented Myers. He didnt tell Rocky, he didnt call the courts and let them know, he didnt tell the prosecutors, he just quit doing anything.





On behalf of Myers, Keeton is now seeking clemency from Governor Kay Ivey, Myers last chance to avoid execution. The fact that we are potentially executing a man who did not have his day in court because an attorney screwed up should give everybody pause, Keeton said.





Studies suggest that wrongful capital convictions are more likely in cases of judicial override or non-unanimous jury votes for death.





5 of Alabama's 6 death row exonerations, involved either judicial override or non-unanimous jury votes for death In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty cannot be imposed on intellectually disabled defendants.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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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

Death Penalty Information Center, March 23, 2019
A prisoner was hanged for murder charges at the Iranian city of Zanjans Central Prison last Wednesday.





According to IHR sources, a 34-year old man from Tabriz city of Iran was hanged on the morning of Wednesday, March 20, 2019.





The prisoner, identified as Reza Akbari, was in prison for 6 years and was transferred to the solitary confinement 2 days before the execution.





A well-informed source told IHR, He has been told that he is going to be transferred to Tabriz Prison. But it was a lie and they took him for execution. Rezas friends in prison only came to know about his execution by contacting his family by phone.





The aforementioned execution has not been reported by Iranian media so far.





According to the Iran Human Rights statistic department, the majority of executions in 2017 and 2018 in Iran was for murder charges.





At least 188 prisoners were executed for murder charges in 2018.





Only 33% of executions were announced by Iranian authorities in 2018.





There is a lack of a classification of murder by degree in Iran which results in issuing a death sentence for any kind of murder regardless of intensity and intent.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



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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

Iran Human Rights, Staff, March 24, 2019
But I dont want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you cant help that," said the Cat: "were all mad here. Im mad. Youre mad."

"How do you know Im mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldnt have come here.

 Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland





With freedom comes responsibility.

 Eleanor Roosevelt




Most Americans dislike-- or detest-- Donald Trump (57-39%) so it's not unreasonable to believe he will fail to be reelected next year, even though most sitting presidents are reelected. (In most of our lifetimes, only Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush were denied reelection.) Last year, nearly ten million more voters went for a Democrat in the House elections than for a Republican-- the biggest margin in U.S. history. There were 60,727,598 votes for Democrats (53.4%) and 50,983,895 votes for Republicans (44.8%).





The Democratic Party establisment and a lazy media call that a blue wave, rather than what actually was-- an anti-red/anti-Trump wave. There are reasons to believe the 2020 anti-red/anti-Trump wave will be much bigger. In 2018, Democratic candidates across the country had to tackle scores of locally popular incumbents with stellar records of constituent services that went back decades. In the presidential election next year, it will just be a Democrat against, arguably, the most hated man to ever occupy the White House. The 8.6% Democratic advantage in 2018 should certainly be a double digit advantage for the Democrat in 2020.





Hillary beat Trump by 2,868,686 votes-- 65,853,514 (48.2%) to 62,984,828 (46.1%). That margin can be explained by the results in the 3 biggest states: California, where Hillary had 4,269,978 more votes than Trump; Texas, where Trump's 807,179 vote margin was a severe underperformance (Romney beat Obama in Texas by 1,261,719 votes and even McCain's margin over Obama was 950,695); and New York, where Hillary beat Trump by 1,736,590 votes. Narrow, unexpected Trump wins-- for whatever reason (Russian interference or her lameness as a candidate)-- in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan gave Trump 46 electoral votes, without which Hillary would have won in the electoral college 273 to 258.

From Sunday's Fox News poll









Polling right now shows 2 top candidates, Biden and Bernie, with two more within striking distance: Beto and Kamala. A majority of Democratic voters tell pollsters their number one criteria in the primaries will be electability. Over the weekend, writing for

, Peter Beinart didn't disagree with that premise, only that the

. Polls in 2016 uniformly predicted Hillary would do better than Bernie against Trump. Those polls-- like the polls that had her sure she would be the first woman president in history-- were wrong. In the general election against Trump, Bernie would have certainly won Wisconsin and Michigan, both of which he won in the primaries and there are no states that Hillary won that he would have lost. Would he have won Pennsylvania? Iowa? Even Ohio? We'll never know. "Electability," wrote Beinart, "is extremely hard to predict. And when pundits discuss it, they often rely on unstated and dubious assumptions-- which usually lead them to predict that the most centrist candidate with the most establishment support is the person general-election voters will like best." That's how we wound up with the 2016 loser.





Beinart has a suggestion for journalists, the same one Chris Hayes made last month: "All this glib talk about electability has a cost. It leads commentators, often implicitly, to give electable candidates a pass when their policy views are fuzzy or flat-out wrong. So what should journalists do? Its simple: Spend less time discussing which candidates can win the presidency and more time discussing what theyd do if they actually won."
Tan Hiep Phat recently inaugurated the largest beverage plant in Vietnams southwestern region as part of its plan to reach 3 billion liters in production capacity by 2023.

The VND4 trillion ($173 million) plant spans an area of 40 hectares (99 acres), and uses Aseptic filling lines from GEA Procomac, a technological leader in the sensitive beverages filling field from Italy, to thermally sterilize beverage production.

During Phase 1, the factory, situated in Hau Giang Province, will operate one Aseptic filling line to produce 48,000 bottles an hour or 130 million liters a year.

Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group (THP) is installing two more lines with the investment of VND1.8 trillion ($78 million) to increase capacity to 300 million liters per year.

Tan Hiep Phat Group's new beverage factory in Hau Giang Province.

Aseptic technology allows THP to produce nature-based products such as Dr. Thanh Herbal Tea, Number One Energy Drink, Zero Degree Green Tea with Lemon and Zero Degree Macchiato Milk Tea.

The company will also seek to make use of natural resources, including fruits grown in the Mekong Delta region, to create new beverages. This will boost the regions economy and provide consumers with healthier drinks.

A THP spokesperson said the factory was built in Hau Giang to take advantage of the Hau River, allowing the company to distribute its products around the delta with more ease and at a lower cost. In addition, it will also better serve exports to Cambodia, Thailand and other neighboring countries by ocean freights.

"This is a strategic location which has significantly contributed to the double-digit growth of THP in recent years."

The company's Aseptic production lines ensure hygienic, advanced bottling systems.

The plant is part of the company's plan to triple its production in the medium term.

"Our goal is not just to build the fourth factory in Hau Giang but also to increase export globally. We want to have 10 percent of our products exported by 2023," the spokesperson said.

THP is the leader in the Vietnamese ready-to-drink tea market. The firm currently produces one billion liters of beverages per year, and plans to raise this number to over three billion liters by 2023. It also plans to increase revenues to $3 billion by 2027.

Vietnam with its 95 million population remains its main market. The company exports to 16 countries and territories, including demanding foreign markets like the U.S., Canada, France, the Netherlands, Australia, Korea, and Singapore.

With a global vision, THP plans to set up plants in other countries to take advantage of local resources, expanding its beverage portfolio and continuing to raise its scale.
The impact of Chinas economic slowdown on Vietnams economic prospects may be relatively limited.

Beijing recently cut its growth target for this year to the 6-6.5 percent range, from about 6.5 per cent set for last year. The official GDP growth of 6.6 percent in 2018 was already the slowest in 28 years.

China is Vietnams largest trading partner and largest source of imports and tourists, and was the second largest export market behind only the U.S. in 2018.

Vietnam has been exporting unprocessed agriculture and other primary products to China for decades. Recently there has been strong growth in exports of higher value agriculture products, including fruits, vegetables and other horticulture products and seafood. Vietnam also exports electronic and other manufactured products to China.

As Vietnam has become more integrated into regional production chains, imports and investment from Chinese enterprises have increased. Now besides consumer products, Vietnam also imports large volumes of components and parts for its manufacturing sector from China.

The recent rapid growth in Vietnams rapid manufacturing sector has been driven by growth in final processed and fabricated goods at the low value-added end of regional production networks. A Chinese slowdown could increase the availability of inputs and put downward pressure on prices of imports of components and parts for manufacturing.

On the other hand, some Chinese suppliers could struggle with their business. The net impacts on Vietnam are uncertain but will probably be relatively modest.

The current economic slowdown is also likely to have only a modest negative net impact on growth in Chinese demand for Vietnamese goods. Nevertheless, given sustained moderate growth in national consumption, growth in exports to China is likely to remain robust, especially as the scale of Vietnams manufacturing grows and its productivity and competitiveness increase.

But because it is such a major global economic power, Chinas slowing growth will put downward pressure on economic growth in Vietnams key markets like the U.S., E.U. and ASEAN. This could dampen growth in global demand for Vietnamese exports.

Chinese investment in Vietnam has been well below other major sources, but its share has been increasing. It is not clear what the net impact of the slowdown will be on FDI flows from China to Vietnam. At least some Chinese investors will view Vietnam as an increasingly attractive option to diversify investment risks.

Chinas slowdown in perspective

As Chinas productivity and per capita income increase towards high-income country levels, some slowdown in economic growth becomes inevitable. This is because the opportunities to generate productivity and income growth by transferring existing technology from more advanced economies diminish.

China is entering a stage of economic development where it will become more dependent on its own innovations for productivity growth. There will be less opportunity for relatively rapid economic leapfrogging. Thus, China is unlikely to ever return to previous high levels of growth.

Other factors contributing to Chinas slowdown include opaqueness in the banking system, growing levels of national and household debt, an aging population, economic inequality, over-capacity in some sectors, and the U.S. trade conflict. And compared with earlier slowdowns, the Chines government now has less policy space to stimulate growth through expansionary expenditure.

However, it is also important to recognize that despite its slowdown, Chinas rate of growth remains relatively high. Most countries with upper middle incomes and above will be more than happy if their economic growth "slowed down" to 6.5 percent.

And China remains one of the worlds largest economies, accounting for nearly 20 percent of global trade. In some areas, such as the digital economy and electronics, China is emerging as a world leader in innovation. Its potential as an economic partner continues to grow.

Growing regional integration

Moreover, implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known as TPP-11, and the long-anticipated EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements (EVFTA), should provide new opportunities for Vietnam to expand and diversify its economic relations.

Such diversification will help stimulate competition, technology transfer and productivity, and reduce Vietnams exposure to external economic shocks.

The expected agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2019 will also help Vietnam further develop and diversify its economic linkages with China, especially in trade in services, integration of production networks and technology and investment flows.

Other bilateral initiatives, including streamlining of cross-border inspections and payments services will also stimulate economic cooperation between the two countries.

Implications for Vietnam

A slowdown in Chinas rate of economic growth was inevitable given the countrys meteoric rise as a global economic power in recent decades. Internal factors, including increasing levels of indebtedness, have also contributed to this slowdown and limit the policy options available to the Chinese authorities to act to stimulate growth.

Nevertheless, the negative impacts on Vietnams economy may be relatively limited. China is expected to continue to grow at over 6 percent, and is likely to sustain moderate growth in coming years.

The prospects for Vietnam to continue increasing exports of higher value-added agriculture, manufactured goods and services to China remain strong. Vietnam would have more serious concerns if Chinas growth quickly fell to OECD country growth rates.

Possibly the bigger challenge for Vietnam is to avoid becoming overly economically dependent on China (or any single economy). Vietnams exposure to global economic shocks can be reduced by facilitating a more diversified mix of import and export markets. Hopefully, recently agreed reforms under regional and economic cooperation agreements will help promote trade and investment diversification.

*Raymond Mallon is a part-time advisor for the Australia-Vietnam Economic Reform Program.
The government has specified eleven components of the North-South Expressway among its top priorities this year. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Thanh

The Vietnamese government has asked agencies to quickly identify and clear land needed for the transnational expressway project.

It wants several related projects to get going this year. By the second quarter of the year, the Ministry of Transport should install milestones for the areas that are to be acquired for the projects, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has directed.

The ministry should publicly announce these areas to ensure transparency and work with local authorities to acquire the land quickly, he said.

Dung has asked the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to move telecommunications and electricity constructions in areas that have to be acquired.

He has also tasked leaders of cities and provinces to inform local residents of the importance of the North-South Expressway and give them information about compensation and relocation. The legal rights of local residents need to be guaranteed, he stressed

According to the government, the existing North-South route transports 45.37 million passengers and 62.27 million tons of cargo next year. By next year, demand will exceed capacity of the existing route by 5.92 million passengers and 14.5 million tons of cargo a year.

However, the North-South Expressway involves a series of major construction projects with large budgets and advanced technologies, and cannot be finished before 2025, the government has said.

The government has specified eleven components of the North-South Expressway among its top priorities this year. Three of them are publicly funded and the rest will be built under public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Work on two of the three public-funded sections is likely to begin in the second quarter of this year. For the private-funded works, the transport ministry will begin the bidding process in October.

The 11 sections are expected to cost VND118 trillion ($5.06 billion), with VND55 trillion ($2.36 billion) to be provided by the central government.

Together, the projects will cover 654 kilometers of the 2,000-kilometer expressway, starting from Nam Dinh near Hanoi to Vinh Long Province to the southwest of Ho Chi Minh City.
An investor looks at the VN-Index benchmark. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Tu

All three stock exchanges in Vietnam closed in the red Monday as high market cap stocks fell the hardest.

By the end of Monday afternoon trading session, Vietnams benchmark VN-Index dropped 18.64 points to 970.07, a 1.89 percent decrease. This is the lowest the market has fallen since the VN-index crossed the 1,000 points threshold two weeks ago.

Overall, 78 stocks rose in value, 43 remained the same and 236 stocks closed in red. Smaller bourses did not fare better, with the the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) and the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) down 1.56 percent and 0.79 percent respectively.

The biggest losers were companies listed in the VN30-Index, which represents 30 stocks with the highest market capitalization. Overall, the index fell by 18.87 points to 893.40, a decrease of 2.07 percent.

Out of the basket of 30 top stocks, 27 fell, and the other three remained at the same level. The fall was led by stocks associated with Vingroup, Vietnams biggest private conglomerate. Vingroups (VIC) shares fell by 2.87 percent this session, with their retail subsidiary Vincom Retail (VRE) down 2.3 percent, and real estate arm Vinhomes (VHM) down 4.71 percent.

The same trend was seen in other blue-chip stocks like state-owned PetroVietnam Gas JSC (GAS), down 1.7 percent; major steelmaker Hoa Phat Group (HPG), down 1.72 percent; as well as big commercial banks like BIDV (BID) and VietinBank (CTG), down 1.71 and 1.56 percent respectively.

Despite the market sinking, foreign investors remained net buyers on all three stock exchanges with a combined net value of VND230 billion ($9.93 million).

Foreign purchases were focused on bank stocks like CTG of VietinBank, VCB of Vietcombank and E1VFVN30, an investment fund that possesses stocks in all companies in the VN30 basket (biggest 30 companies on VN-Index).
Banks are launching major recruitment campaigns, some advertising over 1,000 vacancies and offering monthly salaries of hundreds of millions of dong.

HCMC-based Nam A Bank recently announced plans to hire 2,000 people in 2019, saying they are needed quickly to meet its expansion and businesses development plans.

On February 25, another private lender, Sacombank, had advertised for 800 consultants for personal and corporate clients and clerks for its offices across the country.

Vietnam International Bank (VIB) is trying to attract talent with remuneration packages reaching up to VND100 million ($4,310) a month. In 2019 it hopes to hire 250 people for its offices in Hanoi, HCMC and nearly 30 provinces and cities.

Other major private creditors such as Techcombank, Vietcombank and HDBank have also been aggressively headhunting for a few dozen to hundreds of positions.

According to the deputy general director of a bank based in the south, this wave of recruitments is to serve the banks expansion.

"Banks recruit all year round. However, recruitment is most aggressive in the first quarter of the year because this is the first phase of the business season," the source said, declining to be named.

A recent survey by the State Bank of Vietnams forecasting and statistics department found almost 77 percent of credit institutions expecting to recruit personnel this year.

According to banking analysts, the sector is also seeing many employees switching jobs due to wage differences. Mid-sized banks are the worst affected by this as many employees look to move to bigger rivals or to smaller banks for higher remuneration.

According to a VIB spokesperson, last year the average remuneration for credit officers and customer service staff at the bank was VND58-68 million ($2,500 to $2,930) per month, with top performers earning as much as VND97 million ($4,181). The bank also issued VND175 billion ($7.54 million) worth of bonus shares to its employees.

The HR director of Nam A Bank, Le Huynh Hoa, said every month employees are allowed to take part in remuneration programs on top of their base salary aimed to boost productivity and incomes. Taking home over VND100 million ($4,310) a month is normal, he said.

Hoa emphasized that this level of income is for non-executive employees. The lender reportedly raised salaries twice last year, and paid a Tet (Lunar New Year) bonus.

The second reason banks are recruiting on such a large scale could be due to high key performance indicator (KPI) levels, experts said. Almost all banks set the bar for performance high and are more than happy to let staff go if these are not met, and so staff turnover and recruitment numbers are large, they said.

A recent survey by recruitment firm VietnamWorks found that the base salary for employees in the banking sector, without bonuses, ranges from VND6.5-30 million ($280 - $1,293) a month, with the top 25 percent getting above VND50 million ($2,155).
Pham Van Thong, former deputy chief of HCMC Party Committee's Office, has lost his Party titles for multiple violations. Photo acquired by VnExpress

A former deputy head of the HCMC Party Committees Office has lost his Party titles for several land-related violations.

The Partys Central Inspection Committee announced Monday that the decision to strip Pham Van Thong of his Party titles had been decided by the HCMC Party Standing Committee.

Thong, 59, was found to be involved in the illicit transfer of a 32 hectare (80 acre) plot of public land in Nha Be District to private property firm Quoc Cuong Gia Lai by the Party units Tan Thuan Investment and Construction Company in June 2017.

He also wrongly signed a document allowing the Tan Thuan Company to transfer the land use rights for a riverside residential area project in District 7; proposed that the municipal Party Committee approve the Phu Nhuan Construction and Housing Trading Co. Ltd.s illegal transfer of a residential area project in District 2; and suggested that holders of the municipal Party Committees capital in South Saigon Development Corporation be allowed to decide the corporation's capital mobilization by issuing shares.

Thong is accused of violating the Party's principles and working rules and the regulations on asset management and use, breaching the laws on land management and real estate businesses of the citys Party unit.

"Thongs violations were very serious. They have caused frustration among the public and adversely affected the prestige of the Party unit," the Party Inspection Committee said in a statement.

The Tan Thuan Company first signed a contract to transfer the plot of public land in Nha Be District, which lies by the Saigon River, to property firm Quoc Cuong Gia Lai in June 2017.

Part of the land in Nha Be District that the Tan Thuan Company sells to property developer Quoc Cuong Gia Lai. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Concerns that the transaction was not transparent rose as the land was sold at an unusually low price of VND419 billion ($18.1 million), while its market price was estimated to be up to VND2 trillion ($86.3 million).

The Party unit's leaders in December 2017 ordered the transfer to be suspended for renegotiation after a reevaluation of the land by the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

In its reevaluation, the department put the land's value at over VND574 billion ($24.8 million), citing that only 480 square meters are residential land while the majority is agricultural land. It concluded that the Tan Thuan Companys decision had caused losses of over VND150 billion ($6.5 million).

The contract was eventually ordered to be terminated in April last year, and the Party unit's leaders ordered an inspection into the failed deal.

Following the investigation, several city leaders have lost their positions for involvement in murky land deals. Last December, Tat Thanh Cang, 47, was dismissed from several positions including deputy Party chief of HCMC.
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The Western Way, in partnership with the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce released, "The Economic Benefits of Arizona Rural Renewable Energy Facilities." The economic impact study, conducted by Development Research Partners, found that 34 rural renewable projects constructed in Arizona from 2001 to 2017 resulted in significant economic benefits to rural Arizona, including:

$9.4 billion contributed to the Arizona economy;

contributed to the economy; 17,971 Arizona jobs;

jobs; $1.2 billion in wages paid to Arizona employees; and

in wages paid to employees; and $16.7 million in state and local tax revenues benefiting Arizona .

The study also found that rural renewable facilities continue to contribute to the Arizona economy after construction is complete. Annually these projects contribute an estimated $63 million and sustain over 700 jobs with combined wages of over $33 million. The facilities also contribute nearly $1 million in annual property tax revenue benefiting Arizona schools.

"Rural Arizona has some of the best solar resources in the country and this report shows in great detail how the industry is benefiting our state with increased jobs and economic opportunities," said Jaime Molera, Arizona Director of The Western Way. "Over the last decade, market forces drove technological improvements leading to drops in the prices of utility scale solar which are cost competitive for utilities and can save rate payers money. More investment in utility scale renewables will grow Arizona's rural economy."

The study also tested the economic and fiscal benefits of adding new solar and battery storage facilities in Arizona. The model test case was a new 100MW-solar PV facility with a 30MW battery storage component in Yuma County. The report showed the project would result in a total economic output of $9.1 million for construction and $1.3 million direct and indirect benefits annually.

Jaime Molera and John Karakoulakis of The Western Way, and David Hansen, Senior Economist at Development Research Partners, the firm that conducted the study, are available for interviews from March 25 to March 26. Please contact Ana Carolina Pereira at apereira@conecsna.com or 480-751-5569.

About The Western Way

The Western Way is reclaiming conservative-based leadership on environmental and conservation challenges facing our country by driving efficient, market-based solutions that support our economy and enhance our environment.
Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) on Tuesday (3/19) presented a $50,000 check on behalf of the AEP Foundation to the Noble County Council on Aging for its Senior Center.

The new facility will offer Noble County seniors more space for social events, exercise and group education programs - and more. The additional space will allow the Noble County Council on Aging to offer a technology center, movie theater space, a coffee/beverage center, green space and more parking.

After renovations and additions at a former auto body shop at 561 S. Main St., the Noble County Council on Aging will be able to combine services from its separate facilities into one central location near downtown. The building will also be the new home for the Council's vital transportation services that give seniors who do not drive access they need to groceries, churches, health-care providers and more.

"The Noble County Council on Aging is truly thankful to the AEP Foundation and Indiana Michigan Power for this generous grant," said Cherish Smith, Executive Director of the Noble County Council on Aging. "This enables us to move forward with renovation and, with luck, complete the new center by year's end."

Toby Thomas, President and Chief Operating Officer, presented the check to the Council. "The AEP Foundation believes strongly in programs that improve lives through education, provide basic needs and enrich communities," Thomas said. "The Foundation is pleased to support the Noble County Council on Aging's plans to offer an accessible facility where seniors can come for help, education and socialization that improves their quality of lives."

The current Senior Center has served the community well. But it is in a two-story house that is divided into several small rooms, none of which are particularly conducive to large group meals or activities. The current center's upper floor is not accessible to people with disabilities, and parking is inadequate.

The Noble County Council on Aging will renovate this building to include restrooms, a full kitchen, offices, technology and information centers. The exterior will include an overhang for pick-up/drop-off, 40 parking spaces, a porch with outdoor seating and green space with picnic tables and park benches.

# # #

ABOUT NOBLE COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING: The Mission of the Noble County Council on Aging and Noble Transit System is to provide services and resources to the Citizens of Noble County and to provide safe, responsive and efficient transportation to the general public to improve the quality of life.

ABOUT THE AEP FOUNDATION: The American Electric Power Foundation is funded by American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and its utility operating units, including Indiana Michigan Power. The Foundation provides a permanent, ongoing resource for charitable initiatives involving higher dollar values and multi-year commitments in the communities served by AEP and initiatives outside of AEP's 11-state service area. The Foundation's areas of focus include special emphasis on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education, protecting the environment, providing basic human services in the areas of hunger, housing, health and safety, and enriching life through art, music and cultural heritage. The Foundation is based in Columbus, Ohio.

ABOUT INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER: Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is headquartered in Fort Wayne, and its 2,400 employees serve more than 593,900 customers. More than half of its generation is emission-free, including 2,278 MW of nuclear generation in Michigan, 450 MW of purchased wind generation from Indiana, 22 MW of hydro generation in both states and approximately 15 MW of large-scale solar generation in both states. The company's generation portfolio also includes 2,600 MW of coal-fueled generation in Indiana.
The African Development Bank Group today (3/22) announced the conclusion of a settlement agreement with GE Power, thus resolving sanctionable practices committed by former Alstom companies.

An investigation conducted by the Bank's Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that in 2006 and 2011 the companies, then named Alstom Power Generation AG, Alstom Power GmbH and Alstom Egypt for Power & Transport Projects S.A.E., engaged in two instances of corrupt practices and in one instance of a fraudulent practice in the context of the Bank-financed Suez Thermal Power Plant Project and the El Kureimat III Power Project, both in Egypt.

GE Power assumed control over these three companies in 2015, after the misconduct had occurred, when it acquired Alstom's thermal power generation business. As part of the settlement, the Bank imposes on former Alstom Egypt for Power & Transport Projects S.A.E. (now known as Alstom Egypt for Power Projects S.A.E.), based in Cairo, Egypt, and on former Alstom Power Generation AG (now known as GE Power Systems GmbH), headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, a debarment of 76 months.

The debarment period may be reduced to 48 months if the companies comply with all conditions of the agreement early. This debarment may be enforced by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group. Further, pursuant to the settlement, former Alstom Power GmbH (now known as GE Power GmbH), equally based in Mannheim, Germany, is debarred for a period of 12 months.

Among other conditions for release from debarment, GE Power commits to collaborate with the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption in the fight against corruption in the power generation and transmission sector.

"Corrupt practices in the power generation sector directly undermine the African Development Bank's operational priority to light up and power Africa. This can never be accepted by the Bank", says Bubacarr Sankareh, Manager of the Investigations Division within the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption. "We are very pleased that GE Power is joining us today in our efforts to fight corruption and to ensure the delivery of value for money to the Bank's regional member countries."

In 2006, Alstom Egypt for Power & Transport Projects S.A.E. and Alstom Power Generation AG participated in a tender for steam turbine generators in the context of the Bank-financed El Kureimat III Power Project. The companies indirectly paid an amount of 963,477 EURO to their local agent.

The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption has concluded that one purpose of the payment was to ensure the support of public officials involved in the procurement process in order to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the tender. Further, the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that the companies had erroneously only declared 50,000 EURO in fees paid to its local agent.

In 2011, Alstom Egypt for Power & Transport Projects S.A.E., Alstom Power GmbH and Alstom Power Generation AG, by then renamed Alstom Power Systems GmbH, participated in a tender for a steam turbine generator and condensers for the Bank-financed Suez Thermal Power Plant. In the context of this tender, the companies indirectly offered 1.7 million EURO to their local agent. The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption has concluded that one objective of the offer was to ensure that public officials would assert undue influence on the procurement process in favour of the companies' bid.

In reaching this settlement, the African Development Bank took into account General Electric's substantial cooperation with the investigation of the legacy cases as well as the high quality of the company's comprehensive compliance programme, which now applies to the Alstom entities acquired by GE Power.

About the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption

The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank Group is responsible for preventing, deterring and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud and other sanctionable practices in Bank Group-financed operations.

For more information visit https://www.afdb.org/en/about-us/organisational-structure/integrity-and-anti-corruption/

The investigation by the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank was conducted by Johann Benohr in collaboration with Mehdi Khoali.

African Development Bank staff and the general public can use secured hotlines to report sanctionable practices within the Bank or operations financed by the Bank Group.

Read the full story.

Secured telephone: +1 (770) 776-5658

Secured email server: investigations@iacd-afdb.org

Mail correspondence should be marked "CONFIDENTIAL" and sent to:

African Development Bank

Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption

Immeuble du Centre de commerce International d'Abidjan CCIA

Avenue Jean-Paul II

01 BP 1387

Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire

Technical Contact:

Ms. Chimene Clarisse Comoe
A voter intention poll conducted for EL PAIS shows the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) clearly winning the general election of April 28, but falling well short of the absolute majority in a fragmented Congress.

According to the pollster 40dB, the party led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez would earn 122 seats, representing 27.1% of the vote, and would be eight percentage points ahead of the Popular Party (PP), which would have 76 representatives in the lower house.

This will be the third general election in Spain in less than three-and-a-half years. Sanchez, who has only been in power since June, was forced to call a snap election when he failed to secure enough support for his 2019 budget plan. He has been leading a minority government ever since he won a no-confidence vote against Mariano Rajoy of the PP.

Results (l-r) for regional parties, Unidas Podemos, the Socialist Party, Ciudadanos, the Popular Party and Vox.

Because neither one of Spains main parties is expected to obtain a large enough majority to form a government, the winner will need support from smaller regional nationalist parties, nearly all of which are currently in open confrontation with right-of-center groups.

The survey shows only two options for a stable executive: one is a renewed alliance of the same congressional groups that came together in the no-confidence vote last May. That initiative attracted support from the leftist Unidos Podemos alliance and from nationalist parties from the Basque Country, Valencia, the Canary Islands and Catalonia, including the separatist Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and Catalan European Democratic Party (PdeCAT).

The poll suggests that the PP, under its new leader Pablo Casado, will see the worst result since its creation in 1989

The other option is a pact between the PSOE and Ciudadanos, one of the new parties to emerge from Spains protracted economic crisis. But at the moment an alliance of these two groups appears unlikely. In February, Ciudadanos leaders said they would not seek any deals with Pedro Sanchez or his party after the election, in protest over the prime ministers efforts at talks with those who perpetrated a coup in Catalonia, alluding to the unilateral independence declaration of late 2017.

What the poll clearly confirms is that Spains established two-party system is over. The system began cracking in 2015, with the emergence of the protest parties Podemos and Ciudadanos. And now there is another contender in the race: the far-right party Vox, which entered the regional parliament of Andalusia in December and now hopes to replicate this success on April 28 and on May 26, when Spain will hold local, regional and European elections.

According to this latest poll, Vox would win 10.2% of the vote at the general election, giving it 31 seats in Congress. If so, it will be the first time since the return of democracy in the late 1970s that the far right has gained such representation in Spanish politics.

Pedro Sanchez (l) greets Mariano Rajoy as the latter leaves Congress after the no-confidence vote. Reuters

Blocs

Both the left-wing bloc represented by the PSOE and Unidas Podemos (which recently changed its name from Unidos Podemos) and the right-wing bloc (PP, Ciudadanos and Vox) have 162 deputies each, 14 short of the absolute majority in the 350-seat Congress. In a similar scenario following the election, only the first bloc appears to have a chance of building the required majority with support from regional parties, most of which have already expressed rejection of the PP and any of its potential partners.

The survey, which polled 1,500 people between March 14 and 19, shows that minority regional parties would get a collective 26 seats, of which the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) seems set to earn the most, with 4.1% of the vote.

The poll suggests that the PP, under its new leader Pablo Casado, will see the worst result since its creation in 1989. The survey shows the mainstream conservatives losing 61 seats and 14 percentage points from the last election. Despite Casados shift to increasingly conservative positions, the PP continues to lose potential voters to Vox (18.8%) and to Ciudadanos (17.7%).

Ciudadanos would be the third-largest force in the lower house, with 55 deputies and 17.7% of the vote

The poll also shows bad news for the alliance of Podemos, United Left and the green party Equo. This group stands to lose nearly nine percentage points, with one in every five voters switching to the PSOE.

Ciudadanos would be the third-largest force in the lower house, with 55 deputies and 17.7% of the vote, a four-point rise from June 2016. The poll shows this party losing a similar amount of voters to Vox (10.6%) and to the PSOE (10%).

Asked what kind of governing alliance they would prefer to see in power, 33.9% of respondents opted for a repeat of the no-confidence motion coalition of PSOE, Unidas Podemos and the regional parties. The next favorite option is a three-way deal between the PP, Ciudadanos and Vox, mirroring the deal that ejected the socialists from power in Andalusia. This is followed by a PSOE-Ciudadanos agreement.

The turnout rate is expected to be good due to an increasingly mobilized electorate. One out of every four people who abstained in 2016 now say they are unsure who to vote for, while one of every three said they will abstain again. The abstention rate in 2016 was 30.2%.

English version by Susana Urra.
The clocks in Spain will move forward one hour on March 31 to mark the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. In principle, March 31 was meant to be the last time the clocks changed in the European Union, but the European Parliament has asked to delay the move until 2021.

A poll showed that most Spaniards would prefer Daylight Saving Time all year round

Speaking on Friday at a press conference, Spains Education Minister Isabel Celaa said that no changes would be made to the current system.

According to Celaa, the expert commission, tasked with reviewing a time zone change, was unable to reach any conclusive resolution due to the large impact the measure would have on cultural and economic sectors.

Other European countries have yet to reach a decision on whether to abolish the biannual clock change, and the issue is likely be a subject of an ongoing study, said Celaa.

In addition, a survey conducted by the Center of Sociological Investigations (CIS), a research institute in Madrid, found that most Spaniards prefer Daylight Saving Time (or summer time) despite the fact that experts recommend staying on standard (or winter) time all year round.

Is Spain in the wrong time zone? The time change brings up another related issue that has been the subject of much debate in Spain: whether the country should remain on Central European Time (CET) or go back to Coordinated Universal Time  the successor to Greenwich Mean Time or GMT, the time zone in which it naturally falls. Spain is in western Europe, the same as Portugal, the United Kingdom and France  that is to say, one hour behind central Europe. But in 1942, at the height of World War II, Germany changed occupied France's clocks to match Berlin time, while Britain, Portugal and Spain followed suit, albeit for different reasons. The former meant to take advantage of the long summer evenings to increase productivity, particularly on farms, as well as to avoid confusion with its allies in Europe; Spain's decision was seemingly a show of loyalty to Hitler and recognition that Germany was now the new master of the continent. At the end of the war, in 1945, Britain and Portugal returned to GMT, while France and Spain remained an hour ahead. France's decision made sense on the basis that most of its land mass falls within CET anyway, but that is not the case with Spain.

The time change is due to an EU directive, 2000/84/CE, which says that on the last weekend of October, the clocks turn back one hour, and are pushed forward again on the last weekend of March.

The idea is to adapt our bodies to natural light and save energy, but many people doubt whether any significant savings actually take place. Studies analyzed by the European Commission suggest marginal savings of 0.5% to 2.5% in electricity usage.

The European Commission agreed on February 8 to do an exhaustive review on the value of continuing to change the time twice a year, and has promoted ending the practice in 2019. The time change is said to affect peoples biorhythms and can be particularly upsetting for the elderly and children. A study by the European Parliament cites medical studies that say Daylight Saving Time can disturb a persons Circadian rhythm, the 24-hour cycle influenced by light, and impact their health.

EU member states must decide by the end of April 2020 whether they will stay in the summer or winter time. If they opt for Daylight Saving Time, the last time change will take place in March 2021, while the countries who choose to stay in winter time will change their clocks for the last time in October 2021.

English version by Asia London Palomba.
As around a million people marched through London on Saturday to demand a peoples vote on the United Kingdoms withdrawal from the European Union, there was a more modest affair going on at the same time in the Spanish capital. But the passions among the attendees at the demonstration in Madrid were running just as high as they were at the other Brexit march that day, with British migrants deeply concerned as to how the process could affect their rights, their futures and their lives in Spain.

The event had been organized by EuroCitizens, one of the many protest groups to spring up in the wake of the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, which saw leave win by 52%, compared to 48% for remain. Part of the British in Europe coalition, the EuroCitizens group has been working during the Brexit process to defend the rights of British citizens to live, work and study in European Union countries.

According to the organizers, around 400 people turned out in Madrids Plaza Margaret Thatcher, just by Colon square, to protest against the UKs exit from the 28-country bloc and to show their support for a peoples vote on what happens next in the process.

Carrying placards and flags, the crowd chanted slogans in English and Spanish, such as We want our rights, not Brexit!

The crowd was made up of a mix of ages and nationalities, and attracted workers, students and retirees alike. Carrying placards and flags, and with blue wigs, face paints and other fancy dress, the crowd chanted slogans in English and Spanish, such as Derechos si, Brexit no! (We want our rights, not Brexit!), and most memorably, Bollocks to Brexit!

Its an absolute shambles. It should never have happened, explained Daisy Arundel, who lives in London but was in Madrid visiting friends last week. She was sporting a large sign that read 17,410,742 people need a good spanking, in reference to the number of people who voted in the referendum to leave. My closest friends live here and I came a couple of days in advance to see them and to take part in the demonstration. All my friends and family are taking part in the one at home. My dads Scottish, my mums French and I was brought up in Europe most of my life  Paris, Vienna, Brussels, Copenhagen, Warsaw, Madrid

Protestors at Saturdays demonstration in Madrid. S. H.

Daisys friend, Emily Jones, also from London but now living in Madrid, was also keen to stress her European credentials. When youre a Londoner, youre a Londoner and then youre European. How did she feel after the 2016 vote? Devastated. I cried for two days. It was just the worst decision ever. In the case of a hard Brexit, Emily said that she and her family would take drastic action. I really think I would consider getting Spanish passports, giving up our British nationality and becoming fully fledged Europeans. I want my kids to be able to work in Paris or Berlin. Thats a huge decision, and its not one I particularly want to make.

I really think I would consider getting Spanish passports, giving up our British nationality and becoming fully fledged Europeans

Emily Jones, from London

Paul Whidby was at the demonstration with his Spanish wife and two young children. Hes been living in Madrid for 12 years, and said he thinks that Brexit is a mess. It was always a bad idea in my personal opinion, but I think that the last two or three years have reinforced that. Statements that were made during the original campaign were clearly wrong and so thats why there needs to be a second vote to be sure that people are making the decision based on the real facts. And what does he think will happen during this key week for the Brexit process? Its a lottery, its impossible to tell. What we hope for is that there is a vote. It seems unlikely based on what we can see at the moment but we live in hope.

English teachers Olly and Rhiannon were also at the march, the former having lived in Madrid since September, and the latter having just arrived after two years in Bilbao. Rhiannon said that she was finding the whole process frustrating. Its scary sometimes, because you dont know whats going on. Would a hard Brexit make her change her plans? Ill do everything I can to stay.

English teachers Olly and Rhiannon at the demonstration in Plaza Margaret Thatcher. SIMON HUNTER (EL PAIS)

Olly, meanwhile, sounded calm about his future in Spain. Luckily the Spanish government has been very generous with what theyve offered, he said, in reference to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs recent pledge to ensure residency for the 400,000 or so Britons resident in the country in the case of a hard Brexit. The one problem is freedom of movement. So to move to France or Italy, or somewhere afterwards, that would be difficult. But it seems like were fine to stay now that weve moved.

Addressing the crowd, Camilla Hillier-Fry, vice-chair of EuroCitizens, highlighted the work that the group had done to keep dialogue open with the Spanish administrations throughout the Brexit process. We truly hope that Spain continues to be as inclusive and welcoming as it has been until now, she told the crowd. And that these contingency measures that give us some peace of mind will be properly communicated to every town council and police station throughout Spain, ensuring that all British residents are treated equally. We want to keep on being a part of Spanish society.

I hope Theresa May will be forced to resign, they will be forced to have an election, and that will mean an extension of Article 50

Philip Waring, resident of Alicante

Philip Waring made the trip to the Spanish capital especially for Saturdays demonstration. He is from London originally, but made the move to live in Alicante on Spains eastern coast in September due to the Brexit process. We were just so scared about whats happening in the country, he said about his decision to leave the UK. I could see how bad this could get, even if we beat it. Having lived in the UK, its not very nice there, its scary  people are divided. Philip, who has taken early retirement, lamented the uncertainty that he and other British migrants have been plunged into during the ongoing process. But he ventured a prediction as to what would happen next. I hope [British Prime Minister] Theresa May will be forced to resign, they will be forced to have an election, and that will mean an extension of Article 50, he said, the latter a reference to the clause in the Treaty of Lisbon that gives any EU member state the right to quit the bloc. And in the case of a hard Brexit, and the difficulties that could entail for British migrants in Spain, would he try to stay rather than return to the UK? Definitely, came his reply. I dont want to go and live in a fascist country.

Whatever the outcome of this crunch week for the Brexit process, its clear that passions will continue to run high among British migrants in Spain.
Joint Statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries

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"We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement

The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN

Statement of the MFA of Armenia

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Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The regional center has become the second city in Belarus where the local plan for the implementation of the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed.

The beginning of a long work

The campaign "Agenda 50" designed to facilitate the implementation of the Convention principles on the ground, is coming to an end in Stolin. Its outcome has become the creation of a document that takes into account all the peculiarities of the region and thus helps the local community to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities. Though, as noted by the representative of the Danish non-profit organization "European House" Leni Peterson, this is only the beginning of a long work.

The way of creation of the local agenda, what has been achieved and what remains to be done - all these issues were discussed by the campaign participants in the course of the round table in Stolin.

Leni Peterson recalled that the campaign "Agenda 50" had started in Belarus three years ago (back then, the Centre for European Transformation conducted a study that reflected the willingness of Belarusian cities to implement the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and five pilot cities were chosen for the local agendas implementation).

"In Denmark, all local municipalities have their own agendas developed which considerably differ from each other. Changes are constantly being introduced into them. And I hope that you will do it, too, when youll feel the necessity. This is just the beginning of a long work", said Leni Peterson.

She congratulated the participants of the campaign with the local agenda creation and noted their success in mini-projects that they were implementing in parallel: they wrote a guide to Stolin and to the area for people with disabilities.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

At least one completely accessible place

Initially, the local agenda developers had identified three main problems in the Stolin area: inaccessibility of the environment, lack of the possibilities for independent living and insufficient qualification of social workers.

According to Mikhail Skrebeyko, local coordinator of the campaign "Agenda 50" in Stolin, the designed document provides a number of changes that will make the city more accessible. First of all, the changes will affect the central intersection, and a local bar "Olympus" will also become accessible.

"We will try to do at least one completely accessible place in the city", promised Mikhail Skrebeyko.

The work on the staff development will also continue for the personnel working with people with disabilities, and the issue of independent living will be addressed.

"Our goal is to create working places in the village of Luka, and then to invite people here so that they know they could live and work there. We also have workshops in the city where vocational adaptation is conducted", said the coordinator.

It is planned that people with neuropsychiatric diagnoses will work there, and this will contribute to preventing the deprivation of legal capacity.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The chief of the Administration of Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Stolin District Executive Committee Galina Voropaeva has long been engaged in a barrier-free environment program in Stolin area.

"I like that there are public organizations in Stolin which do not only realize the problem, but also want to deal with it, and they have become our partners. The state is ready to meet the wishes and demands, but also the public organizations need to understand that it is them who have something to do in the first place. And people with disabilities do need to understand that they have to do something by themselves, not only waiting to have everything done for them", summarized Galina Voropaeva.

In the development of the local agenda organizations such as the "Support center for young people with disabilities", Belarusian Society of Visually Impaired Persons (BelTIZ), Belarusian association of assistance to children and young people with disabilities (BelAPDIiMI), Republican Association of Wheelchair Users (RAIK) and Stolin Territorial Center of Social Service and Administration on Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Stolin District Executive Committee are involved. Trainers from the partner organization of the project  the Polish TUS Foundation  Peter Todys and Malgozata Peretyatkovich were inspiring and motivating others. They conducted strategic planning sessions with participants teaching to formulate goals and objectives by focusing on local issues and resources.

In addition to strategic planning sessions, the city residents, along with other cities representatives participating in the program "Agenda 50", had a chance to have a look at the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Poland and in Denmark.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Gentlemen agreement

"In Belarus, its a tradition to draw big generic plans first, not trying to take into account the unique experience of each region. We started preparation of local plans in the hope that by the end of this work the signing of the Convention would be just in time. But the reality surpassed our expectations: in 2016 the Convention was ratified", said director of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Siarhei Drazdouski.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Siarhei Drazdouski emphasized that every region has its own specific local agenda. General is only the structure, but the peculiarities and the understanding of the problems is unique.

According to him, it is exactly in Stolin that there was a prototype of the local committee on disability issues at the start of the campaign. Therefore, one of the agendas objectives was the creation of conditions for the work of the committee and establishing a dialogue between the state and the local community.

Deputy director of the Office and the general coordinator of the campaign "Agenda 50" in Belarus Mikhail Matskevich believes that in case such committees are established, the action plan is already designed for them.

"Thanks to the European Union. We will disseminate the experience throughout Belarus, on the preparation of agendas with the participation of authorities and public organizations", he promised.

Along with Scucyn, Babruysk, Valozyn and Stoubcy (which, though being the last one to join the campaign, signed the action plan the first), Stolin walked through the difficult path of creating a local agenda, the total of which has become a "living" document that can be changed and supplemented depending on the situation.

"The signing of the local agenda is a kind of a gentlemen agreement, thus we promise each other that we will fulfill it", concluded Mikhail Matskevich.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

***

The material was prepared in the framework of the international project "Rights of People with Disabilities: agenda for Belarus (Agenda 50)".

The campaign "Agenda 50" is being implemented with the support of the European Union in partnership with the Fundacja TUS (Poland)and the PA "European House" (Denmark). Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities, International Consortium "EuroBelarus" and Center for European Transformation participate in the campaign implementation in Belarus.
Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The campaign "Agenda 50" was summed up in Scucyn, and a local action plan for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed there.

The preparation of the local agenda for improving the quality of life of people with disabilities under the campaign "Agenda 50" in Scucyn has been completed. In the course of the roundtable, the campaign participants shared experience and discussed the results, which they managed to achieve in two years of work.

- I am very pleased that this issue (challenge of people with disabilities - EuroBelarus) is no more suppressed, it has begun to harmoniously interweave with all the processes that occur in the country and in our region. We are gradually realizing that it's not just people who need our attention, but the people who are entitled to have the same benefits as everybody else enjoys, said Deputy Chairman of the Scucyn Executive Committee Elena Pasyuta.

She noted that the local agenda of Scucyn has the truly significant local issues reflected, and representatives of various organizations and residents of the area contributed to their defining.

Photo of "EuroBelarus" Information Service

Head of the Department of Tourism and Investment Activities of the Administration of Economics of Scucyn Executive Committee Alexandr Amshey stressed that as a result of the work on the agenda the most comprehensive cross-section of relevant issues for people with disabilities in the region was obtained.

- Agenda is a strategy of our actions, the roadmap. The path will not be easy, but we have got now the development direction. It is the most valuable.

Photo of "EuroBelarus" Information Service

According to Director of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Siarhei Drazdouski, Scucyn has a good potential for successful implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

- We have been working in different cities. Youd think, how large Belarus is? But in all the cities, all the five agendas are different. This confirms once again that it is impossible to solve the same problem in different areas in a similar way, noticed Siarhei Drazdouski.

Photo of "EuroBelarus" Information Service

Deputy Director of the Office on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Mikhail Matskewich reminded about the main stages of the campaign "Agenda 50". He said that with the signing of the local agenda, cooperation with the campaign participants in Scucyn will not finish: the Office has prepared several educational activities which the local community can participate in later.

According to the director of Territorial Center for Social Service of Scucyn Angelina Shpakovskaya, the local participants were shocked at the beginning of the campaign because they did not know where to start from. But the "22 steps" technique, designed by the campaign Polish partners from the TUS foundation helped to structure the work - and the things went on.

At the work start, the participants formulated 12 problems, but many of the issues were addressed in the work course. The final document defines 4 problems to deal with:

- It is the scarce illumination of distant streets, lack of social taxi, insufficient accessibility of buildings and structures and low socialization and employment possibilities of people with disabilities. All these problems will be addressed. We have 5 people who have been certified under the "Inclusive barista" project, people are getting jobs through the center of employment, as well. A lot depends on the willingness of the people themselves - this is very important, summed up Angelina Shpakovskaya.

Photo of "EuroBelarus" Information Service

The outcome of the round table in Scucyn was the signing of the local action plan for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Prior to that, such documents were signed by the campaigners in Stoubcy and Stolin for their regions.

Photo of "EuroBelarus" Information Service

***

The material was prepared in the framework of the international project "Rights of People with Disabilities: agenda for Belarus (Agenda 50)".

The campaign "Agenda 50" is being implemented with the support of the European Union in partnership with the Fundacja TUS (Poland)and the PA "European House" (Denmark). Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities, International Consortium "EuroBelarus" and Center for European Transformation participate in the campaign implementation in Belarus.
Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

"Specificity is different, but the priority is general." In Valozyn, a local strategy for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was signed.

Although the document is not an official regulatory act, both local authorities and public social associations as well as people with disabilities took part in its development. The local agenda is a special action plan outlining measures to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in the region for the years 2019-2020. Valozyn became the fourth city in Belarus (after Stoubcy, Stolin and Scucyn) where a similar document was created and signed. The work on it was carried out within the framework of the Agenda 50 campaign aiming to implement 50 articles of the UN Convention at the local level, taking into account local peculiarities. Indeed, contrary to stereotypes, the specifics of disabilities challenges are different in different parts of our small country. Just the priority topic of the general problem is currently common for all regions - it is addressing issues of the barrier-free environment.

Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Besides accessibility, the Valozyn agenda also reflects other issues related to disability. Among them are discrimination against children with disabilities at school, problems with employers, lack of awareness of people with disabilities on their rights and the lack of rehabilitation facilities maintenance. To solve these problems, local activists will hold information campaigns, inclusive events, create accessible environment, organize trainings for personal growth and much more.

The signing of the document in Valozyn took a year and a half. In addition to achieving the main goal - creating a local agenda, during this time the local campaigners implemented a mini-project to inform the public about the problems and rights of people with disabilities, learned how to discuss important issues in a horizontal format (rather than to implement decisions lowered from above by inertia. They have also gained valuable experience of working in a team of interested people.

- The working group gathered, we sat down together and literally spelt out the problems in the field of disability in Valozyn district. Thanks to the Polish colleagues from the TUS Foundation, we managed to formulate the goals and objectives correctly and to discuss the problems. We did not invent anything new, nothing that would require some incredible costs, this is how the process was described by one of the authors of the agenda, psychologist of the Valozyn Territorial Center of Social Service, Elena Zhdanyuk.

In the center - Elena Zhdanyuk. Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

According to her, thanks to the work on the agenda it turned out that the solution of many issues that are acute for people with disabilities does not require any special events and funding, a simple dialogue, but real, taking into account the views of all parties.

One of the main principles of working on the local agenda was the inclusion of the local community, and first of all the main stakeholders - people with disabilities.

This is a new approach for our country, said Siarhei Drazdouski, Director of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

- Usually, all documents are written in the offices of ministries, and then communicated to people. Here, the approach is reverse, a European one: first, all sentences are designed on local level, and then established in high offices. This gives the most realistic picture for the problem solving.

Siarhei Drazdouski (left) and Deputy Chairman of the Valozyn District Executive Committee Igor Shakun. Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Siarhei Drazdouski stressed that such a method makes it possible to develop an action plan based on local needs and resources most effectively. In general, one of the main criteria when writing a local agenda has been the feasibility. After all, real changes need real goals, rather than even a beautifully presented, but impracticable concept.

Another important point: the local agenda is not a closed document. It can and should be revised and modified based on the situation. As the Deputy Director of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Mikhail Matskevich noted, the document is written in simple language so that everyone interested could read and understand it.

Failure to meet the local agenda does not provide for any penalties and sanctions. But the people who signed it take on a symbolic duty to implement this plan. For its part, the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities promised campaigners the support in meeting the agenda.

However, the Valozyn residents themselves are determined to implement their plans.

- I do not agree that the signing of the agenda does not commit to anything. This strategy is our two-year action plan, and I believe that we must implement it, because these are the needs of all our people, says Larysa Scarbacevic, chairman of the Valozyn branch of Belarusian association of assistance to children and young people with disabilities (BelAPDIiMI).

Larysa Scarbacevic (left). Photo of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The local action plan in Valozyn was signed by the representatives of the Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Valozyn Territorial Center of Social Service, a regional branch of the Belarusian Association of Visually Impaired Persons, the BelAPDIMI offices, the district executive committee, the regional organization of trade union branches, the Valozyn housing and communal department, local Administration for labour, employment and social protection.

***

The material was prepared in the framework of the international project "Rights of People with Disabilities: agenda for Belarus (Agenda 50)".

The campaign "Agenda 50" is being implemented with the support of the European Union in partnership with the Fundacja TUS (Poland)and the PA "European House" (Denmark). Office for the Rights of People with Disabilities, International Consortium "EuroBelarus" and Center for European Transformation participate in the campaign implementation in Belarus.
National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy in March bought natural gas in the European Union at $226 per 1,000 cubic meters, which is 6-13% cheaper than the price declared by Viktor Medvedchuk ($240-260 per 1,000 cubic meters) that could be offered by Gazprom under a contract with Ukraine.

"Medvedchuk said about gas supplies at a price of $240-260 per 1,000 cubic meters. We bought at an open auction in the EU in March at an average price of $226 per 1,000 cubic meters. And in April, the price dropped to about $217 per 1,000 cubic meters," Naftogaz said on its Facebook page.

Naftogaz also said that under the current contract, amended in the tribunal, Gazprom must sell gas to Ukraine at a price 48% cheaper than the price that would have been obtained in March using the formula in the original contract. At the same time, the Russian company refuses to comply with the arbitration award.

As reported, Naftogaz of Ukraine has not been buying natural gas under a contract with Russia's PJSC Gazprom for 1,000 days, since November 26, 2015, importing gas from the West.

Inconsistent prices were behind Ukraine's refusal to buy gas on its eastern border at the end of 2015. Late in December 2017, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce revised the contractual formula in a contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom. By arbitration decision, the price of gas for Naftogaz shall be equal to the price of gas in the hub in Germany, whereas previously it depended on the price of gas oil and fuel oil.

However, on March 1, 2018, Gazprom refused to resume gas supplies to Ukraine, having returned $127.624 million paid by Naftogaz in advance. Gazprom thus violated the Stockholm Arbitration ruling, which adjusted the pricing under the contract between the two companies.

Gazprom Board Chairman Alexei Miller during the talks with Medvedchuk and Yuriy Boiko with participation of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday said that if Naftogaz restores direct purchases of gas from Gazprom the price for end consumer in Ukraine will be something like a quarter less than current prices.
VR Capital Group (the United States) is identifies investment opportunities in Ukraine's wind power sector, mulling several projects now, VR Capital Group President Richard Deitz has said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that the company began to study the "green" sector in Ukraine from projects in wind power sector. For some reason the company switched to solar power plants, as these facilities looked more realizable at that time, he said. However, the company continues working on the wind power sector, which is also interesting and attractive for the company. VR Capital Group hopes that in the near future the company will be able to build wind farms in Ukraine, Deitz said.

He recalled that in March, the solar power plant in Kamianets-Podilsky with a capacity of 64 MW (the Podilskenergo managing company) was launched. The co-investors in it on a parity basis were VR Capital Group and the Ukrainian ICU group. On the same conditions, another 35 MW solar power plant was built in Kherson region (the managing company is Solar Capital), which will start operating in the near future.

According to Deitz, by the end of the summer in Mykolaiv region a third joint project with the ICU will be launched. The project is a solar power plant, consisting of 11 facilities with a total peak capacity of about 127 MW.

Thus, the total capacity of the three partner projects to be launched this year is 225 MW, and the total investment is at the level of $180 million, the president of VR Capital Group said.

He called the first experience of implementing projects in the real sector of Ukraine very successful, noting the lack of nuances about which investors have traditionally been concerned about (in particular, timely customs clearance of imported equipment and VAT refunds).

"The contractors did everything according to schedule. The company received regular reports at the main stages, the work was carried out transparently, he said. Today one can say that everything was done at a high enough level in terms of construction quality, although, of course, time will tell, because the service life of equipment is 20-25 years, Deitz said.

VR Capital Group Ltd., through its principal subsidiaries including VR Advisory Services Ltd (together, VR Capital Group) is an alternative asset manager with assets under management in excess of $4.5 billion. VR Capital Group's external client base is primarily composed of institutional investors from the United States and Western Europe, including university endowments, charitable foundations, family offices and institutional asset allocators.

Founded in 2006, ICU is Ukraine's leading asset manager with over $500 million in assets under management. Managing Partners Makar Paseniuk and Konstantin Stetsenko are majority shareholders of ICU.
State-owned enterprise (SOE) Lviv Radio Repair Plant, a member of the Ukroboronprom state concern, is accelerating the pace of works to overhaul air defense weapons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the press service of the concern has reported.

According to the report, today, the enterprise can repair 27 types of air defense equipment.

The concern said that recently anti-aircraft weapon system BM9K330 Tor, intended to defense facilities of critical infrastructure of the country and troop trains of the ground forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was successfully tested at the Yahorlyk training area (Kherson region). The Tor anti-aircraft weapon system is able to destroy aircraft flying over 12 km high, the press service said.

Ukroboronprom also said that among the works currently being provided by the Lviv enterprise is repair of the S-125 air defense missile systems, as well as the production of antennas and gearboxes for radar stations.

According to the concern, in 2018, the volume of production of the Lviv Radio Repair Plant was UAH 143 million. The press service did not specify comparative figures.
The ICU Group seeks to launch the largest unsorted solid household waste treatment plant in Ukraine in Zhytomyr using the MBT technology (mechanical, biological and thermal treatment of solid municipal waste), ICU Managing Partner Makar Paseniuk has said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"We expect to start the plant before the end of this year. We can obviously draw some conclusions on the first results of work, only at the end of 2020. This is a very dynamic business, a large number of factors affect its work," Paseniuk said. According to him, following the results of testing this business model, the group will be able to make a decision on its offer for potential co-investment.

Paseniuk said that for Ukraine, the MBT technology is innovative, there is no experience of its implementation in the country yet.

As reported, referring to the press service of ICU, MS Social Project LLC (Kyiv), part of the ICU Group, will invest up to EUR 10 million in construction of the largest unsegregated solid household waste treatment plant in Zhytomyr. After the implementation of this project in Zhytomyr we are considering the possibility of building this type of plants in other cities of Ukraine.

Tehnix (Croatia), which is the equipment manufacturer and developer of MBT technology was selected a contractor for the implementation of the project. Tehnix has built and commissioned more than 50 similar plants in the EU countries, in the countries where solid household waste, as well as in Ukraine, is not segregated at home.

The design capacity of the plant involves the processing of about 82,000 tonnes of solid waste per year. The depth of treatment using this technology will reach 85-95%, and its result will be the receipt of secondary raw materials, alternative refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for cement plants and compost from the organic fraction of solid waste.
If Russia stops transporting natural gas across the Ukrainian territory in 2020, Ukraine may offer European customers about 12 billion cubic meters (bcm) of space to rent in its underground storage facilities, Ukrtransgaz said in a statement.

The unused capacity of the Ukrainian gas transportation system would make it possible to accumulate the necessary amount of gas in the storage facilities and guarantee uninterrupted supply to consumers during the 2019-2020 fall and winter period without threats to the EU's energy security, the statement said.

The company cited Hungary, which consumes about 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually, as an example. Two-thirds of this amount is shipped to Hungary from Russia across Ukraine, about 20% is produced by Hungary itself, and the rest is imported from Austria. About 60% of gas shipped to the Baumgarten gas hub in Austria also comes through the Ukrainian gas transportation system.

"This considered, Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities may help Hungary ensure uninterrupted gas supply to its domestic consumers next winter even if Russia halts gas transportation across the Ukrainian territory to EU countries after January 1, 2020," Ukrtransgaz said.

The maximum amount of gas that can be exported to Hungary from these facilities is 68 million cubic meters, which is 4.5 times more than the daily capacity (15 million cubic meters) of the gas transport corridor from Austria to Hungary, it said.

"The use of such a significant capacity of the Ukrainian gas transport system will help considerably lower the risks of an emergency in Hungary's gas transport system. Ukraine stands ready to offer similar services and capacity to suppliers from other countries of Central and Eastern Europe," Ukrtransgaz said.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto earlier said his country was concerned about the chance of receiving Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019.

The Ukrainian underground gas storage system comprises 12 underground gas storage facilities with an aggregate capacity of 31 billion cubic meters. The maximum daily amount of gas that can be taken from underground storage facilities may reach 260 million cubic meters.

It was reported earlier that a ten-year gas transport contract between Naftogaz Ukrainy and Russia's Gazprom would expire on January 1, 2020. Gazprom is currently not holding active negotiations to sign a new contract to ship gas across Ukraine and is actively promoting the Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream gas pipeline projects.

Naftogaz believes it is highly likely that Gazprom will halt gas transportation via Ukraine in 2020 after completing construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The cost of farmland rent could increase fivefold, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko forecasts.

"Now the state leases its land plots twice as expensive as peasants. In 2017, the strategy of rational management of state agricultural land resources was adopted and the lease of state agricultural land should be carried out only through open auctions with single starting conditions. We must extend these standards and requirements to the land belonging to peasants. Only open auctions with single starting conditions can abolish the domination of major tenants. Due to the correct reforms, we can increase the cost of land lease in Ukraine by five times. This will be a fair position. In this way, we will increase the well-being of our peasants significantly," Poroshenko noted.

According to him, over the past few years the average rental rate for agricultural land has increased from 3% to 10% of the monetary value of land, but is still too low.

"We need to raise the cost of land rent. In order to raise the living standards. On average, EUR 52 per hectare leased by citizens-holders of shares. This is simply an unrealistic price of land lease in Europe. In Lithuania, it is EUR 81. Why don't we pay the farmer his honest rental price?" the head of state stressed.
Poroshenko says he is ready to accept any choice of Ukrainian people

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko declares that he will accept any result of the presidential election in Ukraine.

"I am ready to accept the victory of the Ukrainian people, because fair elections are a victory for the Ukrainian people, whoever wins," he said in an interview with the Ukraina TV on Friday evening.

Poroshenko stressed that he is confident in his victory, but the most important for him is free elections.

"I declare that there will be an absolutely strict and clear requirement for law enforcement agencies to protect the elections, stop extremists, and not allow bloodshed. And I want to assure our Ukrainian citizens that I, as president, will make every effort to protect constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens," he said, speaking of possible attempts by the Russian Federation to disrupt the election of the president of Ukraine. '

Poroshenko also expressed confidence that law enforcement agencies must toughly respond to any attempt to bribe voters on the part of all presidential candidates.

The president noted that the law enforcement officers in the framework of criminal cases had already detained people and arrested funds illegally used by some candidates in the election campaign. "I will support it regardless of the political force of those who try to discredit the confidence of the world, to discredit Ukrainians' confidence in the elections," the head of state said.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko condemns the visit of presidential candidate Yuriy Boiko and leader of the movement Ukrainian Choice - The Right of the People, member of the For Life Party Viktor Medvedchuk to Russia and negotiations with leaders of the government and Gazprom.

"They are discussing the economy ... They are discussing the issue of making Ukraine dependable again on the Russian gas, they are already discussing unions, which will be created after the presidential elections, after the parliamentary elections. And now they all claim that everyone will unite. Whom will they unite against? Against Ukraine, against each of us," Poroshenko said at the Regional Development Council in Chernivtsi region on Saturday.

The president stressed that representatives of some political forces went to Moscow, and representatives of other political forces in Ukraine are ready to kneel before the president of the Russian Federation.

According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin, making sure that he cannot defeat Ukraine at the front, wants to change it from the inside and change power.

"Moscow sees the strength of NATO and it does not dare to attack the strength of the Alliance. Moscow sees a strong Ukrainian army and understands that the price for an irresponsible decision of widespread aggression against our state will increase significantly, and Putin therefore has a plan to change tactics - not through victory on the front - it is already impossible for him, but to change the power in Ukraine from the inside, because then it will be possible to change our European and Euro-Atlantic course," Poroshenko noted.

As reported, on March 22, Yuriy Boiko, a presidential candidate and the leader of the Ukrainian Choice-People's Right movement, and Viktor Medvedchuk, a member of the For Life party, met with Prime Minister Medvedev and Gazprom chief Alexei Miller in Moscow. The meeting focused on Ukraine continuing to transit Russian natural gas and the possibility of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Miller backed Medvedchuk's proposal to revisit the idea of setting up a consortium to run Ukraine's gas transit system.
There are 75 Ukrainian women with children in difficult conditions in Syria asking to help return them to Ukraine  Chubarov

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people are now aware of 75 female citizens of Ukraine with children in harsh conditions in Syria with destroyed infrastructure and seeking help in returning them to Ukraine, MP Refat Chubarov (Bloc Petro Poroshenko faction), Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People has said.

"Recently, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people and me, as a Ukrainian deputy, began to receive appeals of women - citizens of Ukraine of different nationalities who, due to different life circumstances, turned out to be with young children in Syria, asking to help return them to Ukraine. Today the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people is aware about 75 people (21 women, 54 young children), who are located in difficult conditions in territories with destroyed infrastructure," Chubarov wrote on Facebook.

He noted that the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people interacts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in order to assist citizens of Ukraine who find themselves in a difficult situation outside their country.

"Since there are currently no diplomatic institutions of Ukraine in the Syrian Arab Republic, we ask those who have specific information about the cases of citizens of Ukraine staying in Syria, who are seeking protection from their own state and are not able to contact us, please inform us at Chubarov.Refat@rada.gov.ua," the MP wrote.
Marchuk: ORLO says it doesn't open Zolote checkpoint because its territory wasn't cleared of mines for three years from their side

The militants say that they don't want to open the Zolote checkpoint on their part of the occupied territory of Luhansk region since the nearby territory hasn't been cleared from their part.

"They say: they are not ready [to open the checkpoint,] because that side has not been cleared. You could not demine it during three years?" Marchuk said on Monday morning.

At the same time, he expressed conviction that, if desired, the division of the Russian engineering troops could well demine this territory in a couple of days.

Marchuk added that in a day, March 27, at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk, Ukraine would raise the issue of the opening of this checkpoint before the Russian side.

"Ukraine will put the question before the Russian side: explain to the world why you do not agree to open the Zolote," said the representative of Ukraine in the TCG.

Marchuk also expressed surprise at the behavior of representatives of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) on this issue.

"In such cases, as far as I understand it, the OSCE SMM could be active," he said.

It was reported, On Sunday, Joint Forces Operation Commander Serhiy Nayev said representatives of local government bodies unilaterally opened the Zolote border crossing checkpoint in Luhansk region.

He said as of 14:30 employees of Ukraine's State Border let more than fifty people and nearly one hundred and fifty vehicles into the "grey zone" and out of the "grey zone," the border service's press department said.

Meanwhile, Russia-occupation forces refused to open a checkpoint on its side for entry and exit, demonstrating a neglect of moral principles and international law, the border service said.
On March 23, the Ukrainian police took under the protection all election commissions to ensure public safety in the electoral process.

"From today we have protected all election commissions  there are 199 of them. More than 400 police officers were involved around the clock to ensure the safety of their work throughout the country," the Liaison Department of the National Police of Ukraine reported on Saturday referring to Deputy Head of the National Police Oleksandr Fatsevych who voiced it during a video conference call with the participation of representatives of territorial divisions.

According to him, now the police have taken control of the delivery of ballots to the district election commissions. And at the end of next week, the police will guard the precinct election commissions, after moving ballots to them.
The reports that Ukrainian border guards have recently been getting messages from unidentified numbers warning about the arrival of American special forces in Ukraine are untrue, people should not yield to such provocations, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said.

"Over the past few days many our borders guards, and possibly other citizens as well, have started receiving SMS-messages of a provocative content from unidentified people. The messages were referring to some secret arrival in Kyiv of 'American special forces' and claimed that the Maidan 3.0 issue had been solved and there was no point in [military] service because 'everything has already been decided for you'," the agency's representative Oleh Slobodian wrote on Facebook on Monday.

Neither the United States' nor any other country's special forces arrived in Ukraine, he said. "[Ukrainian] border guards at their workplace and positions, honestly and calmly fulfilling the duties vested in them by the people," Slobodian said.

The aim of such provocations is to "destabilize the domestic situation and disorient certain social groups and the society as a whole," he said.
On Thursday, March 28, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference of Public Initiative Vyborcha Rada UA entitled "Let's Make an Informed Choice!" During the event, experts will announce findings of the evaluation of the election programs of presidential candidates and comment on the course of the election campaign. Participants include: expert in law, head of Center for Policy and Legal Reform, lecturer of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy National University Ihor Koliushko, Ph.D., head of department at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Yevhen Bystrytsky, professor of political science at NaUKMA, scientific director of the Democratic Initiatives Foundation Oleksiy Haran, journalist, chief editor of the Internet publication Detector Media Natalia Lihachova, Ph.D. in Economics, Chairman of the Board of Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting Ihor Burakovsky (8/5a Reitarska Street). Press accreditation of journalists by phones: +38 098 053 6013 or email: shulimovstas@gmail.com (Stanislav Shulimov); or +38067 722 0961, or email: dan23477780@gmail.com (Danil Metelsky).
While two-third of the city of Aqqala, in northern Iran, is still submerged in water, the governor of the southern oil-rich province of Kuzestan has banned all local managers from leaving the region.

"Since there are some concerns over the basin of Karkheh River, forces have been assigned to check the floodgates, and do whatever necessary to confront a possible flash flood in the province," Gholamreza Shariati declared.

Iran Meteorological Organization (IRMO) warned that some areas in the west and southwest of the country were also being threatened by freezing temperatures and flash floods.

Earlier, Irans vice president had fired the governor of another province for being on a foreign trip and not returning to manage the disaster emergency.

Eshaq Jahangiri, Hassan Rouhanis vice president made the move as the government is being blamed for inaction in the face of floods in northern provinces, especially in Golestan, bordering Turkmenistan.

The former governor, Manaf Hashemi was in Europe for a few weeks prior to the disaster and failed to return to Iran to coordinate the emergency, as thousands of people are said to be stranded in inland seas created by the floods.
In his first new year speech on March 21, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described U.S. leaders as "top idiots", called Western diplomats "savages," labelled Europeans as "traitors" and "back-stabbers". He also denounced Saudi Arabia as "the worst state" in the world.

He also called on the Iranian people to bear the cost of sanctions, adding that sanctions provided "opportunities" for Iran.

Another highlight of the angry speech was that the West cannot use Iran's missile program as a leverage to exert pressure on Tehran, stressing that Iran will not negotiate on its missile program.

Such an angry speech, showing the Iranian leader to be oblivious to the challenges besieging his regime, stems from the insecurity he feels and the urge to show he is charge.

In a way, the speech was meant to portray Khamenei as an epitome of resistance and inflexibility. His model of resistance is rather simple: His vision is is to create the capability to deter the enemy. The focal point of his ideal model is the missile program, and his solution for the country's other problems is jihadist economy.

According to Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's defensive capability is based on its missile program. Precision missiles are now Iran's powerful fist and deterrent weapon against the enemy's aggression.

He argued in his speech that sanctions led to the growth of Iran's scientific and practical capabilities, embodied in its missiles.

He also argued that the same model can be applied to the "economic war"; the regime's jargon for U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Khamenei said that his theory of "resistance economy" which is based on boosting domestic production can be the main pillar of this model. During the past ten years, it is the fourth time Khamenei labels domestic production in his customary "name of the year" routine.

He termed the year 2012 as the year of "national product, supporting Iranian labor and investment." The codename for 2017 was "resistance economy, production and employment," and 2018 was "The year of "supporting Iranian products." To be more precise, this is the third consecutive year Khamenei has been using the concepts of "domestic products" and "Iranian goods" in his name of the year game.

His prime audience in speeches like this are the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and its militia Basij. Last year, IRGC and Basij commanders vowed to be on the front-lines of boosting domestic production, the same way they were at the front-lines in Syria.

It is foreseeable that during the coming months the IRGC and its affiliates will suggest cooperating with the government in most major agricultural, animal husbandry and industrial projects. Such a move would signal the bankruptcy of Iran's private sector.

In 2012, labelled as the "Year of national production", 100,000 private sector workers lost their jobs as 8 of every 10 production units went out of business and employment rates declined sharply.

During the past 6 months, the media talked about a tsunami of bankruptcy of production units. MP Hamid Reza Fouladgar said in late January that "one-third of small businesses are no longer active and the remaining two-thirds are working at a level less than their actual capacity."

This is an experiment that has already failed, but why Khamenei does not stop chanting the same slogans? One reason has to do with his perception of how dangerous "threats" he is facing are. Of course, he is aware of issues such as security, regional threats, as well as social problems and political divides inside Iran. But focusing on the economy is a multi-purpose propaganda that portrays the economic threat as the country's biggest problem and puts the blame on the Rouhani administration.

Otherwise, Khamenei has no practical solution for Iran's problems other than a personal propaganda plan. His habit of putting labels on each calendar year is a psychological reaction, not a political agenda or an economic plan. During the past 20 years, he has shown a bigger psychological reaction to his feeling of insecurity every time he faced bigger domestic or international threats. His reaction has been one of creating a bigger image of himself and blaming others for problems caused by himself. His losing strategy has been fuelling power struggles inside the country and creating more enemies beyond Irans borders.

Insisting on his mistakes have turned his annual speeches into run-off-the-mill emotional rants rather than an opportunity to offer practical policy. Even state-run media have found it increasingly more difficult to put the leaders words of wisdom into a strong spotlight.

The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Radio Farda
Following his visit to Beirut, the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that all the Lebanese authorities he met believed in the importance of keeping the political power of their country out of the Islamic Republic of Iran's "meddlesome" hands.

Pompeo visited Lebanon on Friday, March 22, after traveling to Kuwait and Israel.

During the visit, he met with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the speaker of the parliament Nabih Berri, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, and Joseph Aoun Chief Commander of the Army.

Meanwhile, according to the State Department's website, in an interview with Alain Dargham of MTV, Pompeo insisted, "I think they (Lebanese authorities) all understand the importance of keeping the political power out of the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Its been a consistent theme, something each leader Ive spoken with has talked about."

Referring to some sources mentioning that Pompeo was not happy after his meeting with Bassil, Dargham inquired, "What happened exactly?"

Secretary Pompeo immediately said, "Oh, I dont know who those folks are. We had a fine meeting. We had a conversation like all of my conversations yesterday that was very frank, that was very candid. Thats what friends do: they talk about how to move forward, how to work together."

Earlier in Lebanon, Pompeo had asserted that "Hezbollah is merely a terrorist group" that has been launched and financed by the Islamic Republic of Iran" aimed at "annihilating Israel, and even destroying Western Democracies, including the United States'."

Furthermore, Pompeo maintained that Hezbollah is a threat for all people of Lebanon, including Christians and Muslims.

"Lebanon and the Lebanese people face a choice: bravely move forward as an independent and proud nation or allow the dark ambitions of Iran and Hezbollah to dictate your future," he said during a joint news conference with his Lebanese counterpart, Gebran Bassil.

"The U.S. will continue to use all peaceful means, everything at our disposal to choke off the financing, the smuggling, the criminal network and the misuse of government positions and influence," by Hezbollah, he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has recognized Israels sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights -- the rocky plateau that Israeli forces seized from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War.

Syria also tried to retake the Golan Heights from Israeli forces during the 1973 Middle East war, but the surprise assault was repelled.

Signing a formal proclamation on March 25 at the White House, Trump said the United States should have recognized Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights decades ago.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel  very violent attacks," Trump said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood beside Trump at the White House as he signed the proclamation.

Netanyahu called the document a bold proclamation that marked a historic day that has transformed Israels military victories in the Golan Heights to a diplomatic victory.

We hold the high ground and we shall never give it up, Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also said Trumps proclamation made the alliance between Israel and America stronger and greater than ever.

Netanyahu's strongest rival in the upcoming Israeli elections Benny Gantz addressed the Pro-Israel lobby in Washington and used the occasion to send a message to Iran.

Recently, there were reports that Iran hacked his cellphone, which Tehran has denied, but Netanyahu has tried to use the reports against his rival.

Alluding on Monday to his military exploits against Iranian threats while in uniform, Gantz directed a warning toward Tehran: "You know me, and not only from my cellphone."

Based on live broadcasts, Reuters
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 22 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said March 25, Trend reports.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

Trend:

US President Donald Trump expressed hope that Turkmenistan will take advantage of new possibilities of exporting gas to the West in connection with the recent determination of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, according to the newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan, Trend reports.

In a congratulatory letter on the occasion of Nowruz (national spring holiday celebrated March 21-22 in Turkmenistan) addressed to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Trump noted that on these solemn days many people in the US and around the world celebrate the holiday of renewal and revival.

He stressed that the people of the US and its business circles continue to look for new directions to strengthen economic cooperation with Turkmenistan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincerest congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the national day of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Independence Day, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

I am hopeful that relations between Azerbaijan and Bangladesh will continue to develop and expand. On this remarkable day, I wish you the best of health and success in your endeavours, and the friendly people of Bangladesh peace and prosperity.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Matanat Nasibova - Trend:

Belarus and Azerbaijan have a powerful scientific, technical, technological and production potential that must be actively used to develop bilateral cooperation, Belarusian economist Anton Gurevich told Trend.

He said that Azerbaijan and Belarus have real opportunities and potential for expanding cooperation in the field of high technologies.

The expert noted that Belarus is interested in implementing joint projects with Azerbaijan on mutually beneficial conditions, and as a result of this, the parties closely cooperate in the field of machine engineering, in particular, to expand the assembly sites for Belarusian MTZ tractors and MAZ vehicles that are already operating in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is one of the important and reliable economic partners of Belarus, and more than 250 companies are involved in the bilateral trade, and they carry out deliveries regarding hundreds of commodity positions, Gurevich said.

More than 40 Azerbaijani companies are dealers and distributors of Belarusian companies in Azerbaijan, he added.

He noted that in parallel, the interaction in the areas of industrial cooperation and services, in the investment area is intensifying.

There are projects with the participation of Azerbaijani business in Belarus, those related to the creation of business centers, social infrastructure, etc., he said. Meanwhile, I believe that our countries could strengthen cooperation in the fields of transport, tourism and industrial cooperation.

Gurevich noted that both parties might benefit from the creation of joint technology parks, as well as the expansion of exports on the supplies of industrial products to other countries.
Tehran, Iran, March 25

Trend:

Iran's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dejpasand has announced that around $7.1 million has been assigned to compensate for the flood-related damages in the Golestan Province.

Speaking at the Gonbad-e Kavus crisis center he said that there should be resolutions to provide for the needs of flood-affected people.

"The volume and vastness of flood was multiple times more than in the previous year, but fortunately, there were less of damage and injuries than before," he said, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency.

"Considering power and water shortage, and living in the mud, it is natural that the people are complaining," said Dejpasand.

"In addition to $1.1 million of financial aid provided to the area, $7.1 million has been assigned to compensate for the destruction of infrastructure in the province. The insurance would also over compensation for the flood damages.", he added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

Sharg Ulduzu OJSC, Azerbaijans wine-making plant located in Shamkir district, plans to export its products to Japan, Head of the company Asgar Alyrzayev told Trend.

He said that this opportunity may appear this year through the companys participation in the upcoming exhibition in that country.

"We are constantly looking for potential partners abroad, we expect to find buyers in those countries where we participate in exhibitions, showing our products at international forums," he noted. "This year we are going to showcase our products at the exhibition to be held in Tokyo, and we hope to find new partners there."

He added that the company supplies its products to the markets of Russia and China.

"Unfortunately, our plans with deliveries to Mongolia didnt succeed, we couldnt agree on a number of issues related to logistics," he said.

He noted that the companys products have an international certificate ISO:22000, a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents, as well as a hygiene certificate issued by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Azerbaijans Ministry of Healthcare.

The company uses the latest technology. Modern German and Italian equipment is installed at the plant.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria, will change the look of the market, Trend reports citing Teodora Georgieva, executive director of the ICGB project company.

The relations between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan are based on a strategic partnership in the field of energy, Georgieva told Bloomberg TV Bulgaria.

Southern Gas Corridor, which will provide 1 billion cubic meters of gas to Bulgaria, is a key for the IGB, she said, adding that IGB is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Gas consumption in Bulgaria is 3 billion cubic meters, of which one billion cubic meters, or more than 30 percent will be provided by Azerbaijan. This is important for Bulgaria's energy security, the diversification of sources and for more serious competition in the market. When the IGB project is ready, it will change the look of the market and our customers will benefit from more competitive prices, noted Georgieva.

IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets.

The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Safety of the pipeline is firstly assured by the design of the pipeline,Trend reports citing BP Azerbaijan's communications manager Tamam Bayatly.

She made the remarks in an interview with John Batchelor Show, a famous American radio program that has a wide audience of listeners.

Safety and security is very important to our business. Safety of the pipeline is firstly assured by the design of the pipeline. We have detectors, we have the most modern sensors, designed and built in the pipeline. If there is an even smallest leak in any part of the pipeline throughout Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, 1,768 kilometers [Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan], the operators in our control room will detect immediately and will be able to contain that leak closing the valves on both sides of the leaking area. So this is in the design of the pipeline, she said.

Senior government affairs adviser at BP Guivami Rahimli, for his part, noted that BP has host government agreements with the countries where it operates.

BP has a contract with Azerbaijan and they are looking for the pipelines security, in Georgia it is the responsibility of the Georgian government and in Turkey it is the responsibility of the Turkish government, added Rahimli.

The total length of the BTC pipeline is 1,768 kilometers, 443 kilometers of which passes through Azerbaijan, 249 through Georgia and 1,076 through Turkey. Construction of the pipeline was commenced in April 2003, and the pipeline was filled with oil on May 18, 2005.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Tehran, Iran, March 25

Trend:

The fear of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)- related bills among Iranian people is pointless, since it will gradually allow to evaluate transparency in transactions, former CEO of Bank Saderat Seyed Bahaeddin Hosseini Hashemi told Trend.

Some say the FATF-related bills for Irans joining the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Combating Financing of Terrorism is a treason and that the bills are colonial and are considered as self-inflicted injury. They believe that it will damage Irans economy instead of being profitable for the country and those bills do not envisage commitment to facilitate the banking relations of Iran. Meanwhile, others believe that Iran's accession is being delayed and it will be irreversible lose for Iran's economy.

"FATF has not been approved by the Guardian Council yet and unfortunately, some unprofessional individuals are commenting on the issue," said Hashemi.

The economist noted that the fear among the people over this issue is pointless, since the bills will eventually ensure healthy transactions and pave way for evaluating transparency as in any other parts of the world, thereby, money laundering will be revealed and controlled.

"If the bills are not approved, it will cause the biggest damage and self-inflicted injury to Iran's economy. At the moment, there are only some countries in the world that are currently being black listed by FATF. Iran and North Korea were the ones listed in the system, but fortunately Iran has been removed from the list and hopefully the bill will be approved by the Guardian Council," he added.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. The FATF is therefore a "policy-making body" which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.

The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures, reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures, and promotes the adoption and implementation of appropriate measures globally. In collaboration with other international stakeholders, the FATF works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from misuse.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Fakhri Vakilov - Trend:

In order to strengthen economic relations between Uzbekistan and Hungary, the bank is open to cooperate with Uzbek banks within the framework of interbank buyers credits or credit lines, the Hungarian Exim Bank told Trend in an interview.

Exim Bank stated that the bank as a member of the integrated system of institutions of the Hungarian foreign economic diplomacy  is following the Foreign Economic Strategy of Hungary. One of the key elements of this strategy is the policy of Opening to the East, which focuses on creating new economic ties between Hungary and the fast developing countries of Asia.

Uzbekistan is a country in which Hungarian economic diplomacy is keen to support the development of economic cooperation and Exim Bank is ready to provide financing solutions for both Uzbek and Hungarian companies in accordance with the above mentioned strategy, said the bank.

Exim Bank also stressed that it is ready to grant financing and/or credit insurance with the aim of financing Uzbek buyers if their purchases of goods and services are from Hungarian exporters. Presently, there is one interbank credit line agreement in place with Hamkorbank, which is one of the largest privately owned banks in Uzbekistan.

Exim Bank underlined that in case of Uzbek companies, banks and sovereign and sub-sovereign entities which request financing from Exim Bank, should bear in mind that the financed export deals and the financing itself must comply with the Hungarian legislation as well as the regulations of international organizations that Hungary is a member of.

It should also be noted that one of the basic regulations that is followed by Exim is the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits  this transparently defines the main minimum conditions of the officially supported export credits, said the bank.

Exim Bank has no sectoral preferences or limitations with respect to the activity of the exporter and/or the foreign importer in case of providing support, however Exim Bank is unable to provide financing for the export of military goods.

Furthermore, Exim Bank noted that the bank is an investor in some specifically established investment funds. With these kinds of investments Exims goal is to boost the activity of the investment funds, which results in the improvement of international competitiveness of the country as the Hungarian exporting companies and projects not only have access to financing but capital as well.

---

Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev met King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in the city of Riyadh, the Government Office reported, Trend informs citing Kabar.

The head of government thanked the King for inviting him to take part in the closing ceremony of the Camel Fest international ethnofestival and conveyed words of greeting on behalf of President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov.

During the meeting, the sides discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation, including in the trade, economic, investment and humanitarian fields. The Prime Minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia is an important partner and occupies a special place in the foreign policy of Kyrgyzstan.

These days, citizens of our country come for pilgrimage and visit two holy sites. At the same time, it is very gratifying to note that the number of tourists from Saudi Arabia, for which our doors are always open, is increasing every year, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev said.

In addition, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev called further development and strengthening of trade, economic and investment cooperation as one of the most important areas of bilateral cooperation. According to him, the countries do not fully use the existing potential of economic cooperation.

In turn, the King of Saudi Arabia noted the importance of the further development of friendly relations between the countries. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud emphasized readiness to support existing initiatives to increase bilateral cooperation.

In addition, the King noted with satisfaction the high level of cooperation within the framework of international organizations and stressed the importance of further cooperation.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud supported the priority development of relations in the trade and economic sphere and instructed the responsible state authorities to ensure the promotion of issues of mutual interest.

The state bodies of the two countries should cooperate more closely on this issue. For my part, relevant instructions will also be given to strengthen investment cooperation. We must always support the issues that are in the Muslim community. We are kindred countries, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud said.

He also noted the great contribution of the Kyrgyz side to the success of the international Camel Fest.

The sides expressed mutual readiness to further deepen joint interaction between the countries.
Turkish embassy in Tehran sympathized with Iran over the flood incident north of the country, and expressed preparedness to help the flood-hit regions, Trend reported citing IRNA.

'We wholeheartedly share the pain of our brothers hit by the flood disaster that took place in Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces in Northern Iran. Turkey is ready to give any kind of support,' the Turkish Embassy in Tehran said in a message released on Monday.

Golestan and Mazandaran provinces north of the country have been affected by heavy rains for the past few days. Flood forced people in many areas to flee and Aqqala and Gomishan cities in Golestan province were evacuated in order to prevent human losses.
More than 17 people have died in storms and flooding in southern Iran, authorities said Monday, Trend reported citing Efe.

Another 74 people were injured in the floods, which have hit the country over the past few days, Pir Hossein Koolivand, chief of Iran's emergency services, told state-run news agency IRNA.

Emergency services rescued people trapped in homes or vehicles in the Iranian city of Shiraz, he said.

The storm left several cars trapped in flood waters in the city, as documented by an epa-efe photographer.

Heavy rainfall caused damage to the city's Vakil Bazaar market, which is popular with tourists.

Flooding has also hit the provinces of Kerman, Khuzestan, Ilam and Lorestan.

In Khuzestan the Arvand Rud River overflowed, swamping many houses, while at least one person died in Lorestan.

The Islamic republic's meteorological organization warned of three-digit rainfall in Khuzestan and that other rivers in the province would likely overflow.

The Regional Water Company in Tehran said that continuous rain could lead to rising water levels in rivers and authorities have urged citizens to stay in their homes.

President Hassan Rouhani put all governors of the Iranians provinces on full alert on Friday, ordering them to be prepared to deal with a crisis if it arises.

Rouhani said in a statement "all the facilities of the neighboring provinces be mobilized for delivering swift aid to the people of the flood-hit provinces and management of the problems created by the recent flood in the two northern provinces."

The country's leader gave an order to the Minister of Interior Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to head a team of relief and emergency services and dispatch it to flood-stricken areas.

The entire country was on alert after heavy rainfall and floods claimed the lives of nine people the northern provinces of Mazandaran, Golestan and North Khorasan over the past few days. Thousands of houses were damaged in those areas.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered the chief of staff of the armed forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad-Hossein Baqeri to send humanitarian aid to the tens of thousands of people affected by the flash floods.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Matanat Nasibova  Trend:

The statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that the proposal to return Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiating table is not a proposal to change the format, but to restore the negotiation format is another verbal bravado devoid of any logic, Fikret Sadikhov, the famous Azerbaijani political analyst and former diplomat, told Trend.

He said that the latest statement by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the unchanged format of the negotiation process, as well as similar statements by high-ranking officials of the EU, are serious message to Armenia.

This suggests that the unambiguous position of the world community in this issue is aimed at supporting the justified position of Azerbaijan in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sadikhov noted. Meanwhile, the actions and steps of the Armenian prime minister show that Pashinyan isnt only an amateur in politics, but also that he, not understanding and absolutely not delving into the essence of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is engaged in usual provocations in the form of trips to occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, making selfies with diaspora members during trips abroad, etc.

Sadikhov added that Pashinyans controversial statements related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are irritating the Armenian society as well.

There are many questions in Armenia to Pashinyan himself, they are connected with the outcome of the negotiations with Azerbaijan, with his plans and vision for resolving this conflict, Sadikhov said. Pashinyan makes statements that he can consult with the former presidents of Armenia and reveals their last names. For example, I cant imagine how he will consult with Armenian former president Kocharyan, who is in jail. That is, all this chatter, designed perhaps for some innovative approaches, suggests that Pashinyan isnt ready for negotiations and has no clear position towards the conflicts settlement, he doesnt know how to behave with Azerbaijan, in conditions when Armenia is far from being in an advantageous position.

He suggested that Pashinyans chatter, which doesnt correspond to the level of the head of the Armenian government, is related to his understanding of the inevitability of the return of the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Pashinyan should do serious work, build foreign policy guidelines and negotiate with Azerbaijan towards resolving the conflict, Sadikhov noted. Instead of just waving his hands and making promising statements on the streets, he should implement the decisions adopted and approved within OSCE Minsk Group in Kazan, Madrid and other cities. However, apparently, he believes that today it is still possible to continue the verbal bravado, which, in fact, obliges him neither to make some decisions nor take a specific position on the conflict. Therefore, I think that he is still maneuvering, waiting for some convenient situation in order to reassure his public, which in general expects some concrete, real steps from him.

The political analyst reminded that the resolutions by the UN Security Council constitute the legal basis for resolving the conflict, and unequivocally confirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the international borders of Azerbaijan, and also require the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories.

In its ruling regarding the case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia, the European Court of Human Rights also confirmed that the separatist regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan exists because of military, political, financial and other support from Armenia, Sadikhov added. At the same time, this ruling, which points to Armenias control over the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, in fact, put an end to Armenias continued denial of its responsibility regarding this fact.

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.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hopes Georgia can soon be welcomed into NATO, and praises the progress achieved by the country, Trend reports citing AGENDA.GE.

Georgia will become a NATO member, Stoltenberg stated during a joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at the Georgian governments administration building today, and underlined that it is only up to Georgia and NATO to make decisions about cooperation and partnership.

It is the NATO principle that each nation has the sovereign right to make its own decisions. Each nation has the right to choose its future. When we are ready, Georgia will become a NATO member and only NATO and Georgia and no third country will make the decision, Stoltenberg said.
The death toll from an explosion at a chemical plant in eastern China last week has risen to 78, of whom 56 have been identified, Trend reports citing South China Morning Post.

Cao Lubao, mayor of the city of Yancheng, Jiangsu province, said on Monday that the number of fatalities had increased from 64 on Sunday.

The authorities said on the weekend that more than 600 people were injured from the explosion at the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical plant in Xiangshui county on Thursday.

The State Council, Chinas cabinet, has also ordered nationwide inspections to identify and rectify dangers in chemical factories.
Croatian police announced here on Sunday that they had found 15 illegal migrants in a mountainous area in central Croatia and saved a pregnant woman who was in serious condition, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

The group illegally entered Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina through the snow-covered Pljesevica Mountain. The pregnant woman was sent to the nearest hospital in Gospic.

Thousands of migrants are stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina from where they try to illegally cross the border and enter Croatia, a European Union (EU) member. It's a part of the so-called Balkan Route that has become very active in recent months. In January this year, Croatian police rescued 15 migrants from freezing weather on the same mountain.

Earlier this month, Amnesty International accused Croatian police of violence against migrants, calling it "a deliberate practice by authorities designed to deter and discourage future attempts to enter the country."

Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic dismissed the accusation, saying the police were only protecting the border within the bounds of the national and EU laws.
Serbia cannot forgive North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for the thousands of civilians killed in 1999, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said here on Sunday, two decades after the beginning of the NATO bombing.

Under the slogan "We will forgive if we can, but we will forget only if we perish", leaders of the state, church and military, ambassadors and citizens gathered here at a city square in downtown Nis with lit candles to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the NATO Aggression.

Serbia started marking the Remembrance Day five years ago. Vucic told the gathering that preserving the memory of the victims of the 1999 bombing is vital for the survival of Serbian people in the future.

"Nobody was held responsible for these crimes. Serbian civilians, our children were a permitted target of the NATO aggression...these children and people will never be forgotten."

People watched a performance depicting a tragedy from the war, when on April 17, 1999, three-year-old Milica Rakic was killed by bomb debris in her house.

Vucic said Serbia will always see the death of 2,500 civilians, among whom 79 were children - as a crime, stressing that the Serbian people chose not to become a part of NATO, and opted for a policy of military neutrality instead.

During the event, speeches were also given by the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej, Chairmen of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik, and Sladjan Vuckovic, an army officer that lost both of his hands while disposing of bombs that did not explode.

The NATO bombing started on March 24, 1999. During the 78-day bombing, around 25,000 objects were damaged, including airports, hospitals, schools, cultural monuments, road infrastructure, as well as the building of the Chinese embassy, where three Chinese were killed and dozens injured.
Israel launched air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Monday after a rocket attack near Tel Aviv wounded seven people, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to the United States, Trend reported citing Reuters.

The Israel Defence Forces have begun striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, the military said in a statement.
Three Russian servicemen went missing in Syria in late February after being attacked by terrorists, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday, adding that the deaths of all three servicemen had been confirmed, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

"In late February, three Russian servicemen got ambushed by a group of militants while returning by car after the delivery of humanitarian aid to one of the settlements in the province of Deir ez-Zor in the daytime. The Russian servicemen went missing after a fighting that took place", the statement said.

"As a result of a series of special measures, the militants responsible for the attack on the [servicemen's] vehicle have been identified and the deaths of three Russian servicemen in fighting in late February have been confirmed", the statement read further.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, an armed gang involved in the attack on a vehicle with Russian servicemen in Syria in late February has been eliminated.

"As a result of a joint operation of the Russian Aerospace Forces and special forces, an armed gang, consisting of over 30 militants, that was involved in the attack on a vehicle with Russian servicemen has been eliminated", the statement said. "The bodies of the killed servicemen have been delivered to the Russian Federation," the statement added.
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 25

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Hagia Sophia may function as a mosque-museum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish media.

Erdogan said that Hagia Sophia may start to function as a mosque-museum after the municipal elections to be held March 31 in Turkey.

On March 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on the terrorist attacks in mosques in New Zealand, said that Hagia Sophia wont function as a mosque.

Erdogan noted that some forces want to provoke Turkey in light of the statements by a terrorist in New Zealand about Hagia Sophia.

Erdogan stressed that the Turkish authorities are well aware of what and when to do.

Fifty people were killed and dozens were seriously injured after gunmen opened fire at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on March 15. Four suspects were detained.

An Australian citizen of ultra-right views Brenton Tarrant, a native of Australia's Grafton fired at one of the mosques. He streamed the attack online, and before the attack, published a 37-page manifesto, in which he called his actions a terrorist attack.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
The United States military deployed a group of F-15 tactical fighters in Poland for a flying exercise, the Pentagon said on Monday, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

"US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, aircrew and support personnel from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, deployed to Powdiz Air Base, Poland, to participate in exercise Rapid Panther, March 25," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The exercise is aimed at demonstrating the 48th Fighter Wings ability to forward deploy rapidly with few aircraft and execute relevant training with the Polish military, it added.

The Pentagon also noted the exercise underscores the US commitment to security in the region and is not related to any current world events.
To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry.

Disclaimer

Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes.
India wing commander Abhinandan, even though handed it over to India in 60 hours, but in Pakistan Abhinandan had to go through 60 hours, after that there are a series of disclosures after it. Yes, Abhinandan are undergoing treatment in India and many major disclosures have been made in medical reports so far, so that Pakistan has once again been exposed. There are 5 big disclosures in the Medical Report of Abhinandan, which also exposes the activities of Pakistan. So let's know that the medical report of the reveals

The first disclosure - mental harassment

It is clear from the medical report of Abhinandan that he has not been physically abused, but mental harassment has definitely happened. However, the Abhinandan had conveyed to the Army and the Defense Minister that when he came to India, he had been tortured mentally in Pakistan. According to medical reports, during the interrogation of the Abhinandan, the Pakistanis had mentally tortured.

Second revealing - spinal cord injuries



when Abhinandan was jammed from the parachute in Pakistan, he was caught by the crowd and had also beaten, that video was watched by the whole world. However, this confirmation has now been confirmed by the complimentary medical report. According to the medical report, Abhinandan have been suffered in the spinal cord and injury has also been done in the ribs, so that the convocation will be treated for a long time.

also read Taimur Ali Khan adorable pics of celebrating Holi with Pichkariwatch video inside

Third disclosure - body chip

when Abhinandan coming to India, it was believed that the Pakistanis could chip to spy in their bodies and clothes, but in the medical report it was revealed that there is no chip in the body of the Abhinandan. In such a situation, once the Abhinandan are recovered than soon teach seen flying to defence nation.

Fourth Revealed - ISI

According to intelligence sources, the Abhinandan were kept with the ISI in Pakistan and they asked questioned to Abhinandan. Apart from this, the delay in release of the Abhinandan was also the mind of the ISI and they had also edited the video, so that the video should bring the matter to its mind accordingly. Abhinandan were recorded mentally tortured for recording the video.

Fifth Revealed - Abhinandan on Health

Medical reports revealed that Abhinandan has injury in spinal cord, which can take two months to recover. That is made clear that Abhinandan can fly again after a couple of months. However, Abhinandan had recently made a statement that they are desperate to fly and so they will be given permission soon.

also read Delhi police arrested JeM terrorist from Red Fort area
Islamabad: Rejecting the Indias claim of use of F-16 fighters jets by Pakistan in retaliation to Indias pre-emptive strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, Pakistan's military that JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used in the operation.

Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure.

Earlier, A day after Pakistan's attempt to retaliate the Indian Air Force's air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, the Indian armed forces displayed parts of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by an F-16, which fell in Indian territory. New Delhi had also underlined that electronic signatures captured by Indian radars had established the use of F-16 for the offensive.

The US State Department announced that it was seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential use of American-made F-16 jets against India in violation of the end-user agreement.

Ghafoor told Russian news agency Sputnik International, "The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise.
In addition to the fact that limousine travel is very glamorous, it is also the most comfortable trip you can...
When it comes to the violation of one's own image rights, what damages can be awarded? Is it just the damage due to the moral prejudice caused or also damages for the economic prejudice suffered by the person whose rights have been violated? Does the fact that the claimant ruled out any possibility for third parties to use their image influence at all the identification of what damages are due, eg because there is no actual market for the licensing of the claimant's image?





These are all issues that the Italian Supreme Court recently considered in a case (

) concerning the violation of a well-known actor's image rights.





Unsurprisingly, the court confirmed its earlier approach that, when it comes to image rights violations, the damage that can be compensated is both of a moral and economic nature.





Let's see how the court reasoned.





Background





The Milan Court of First Instance accepted the request for compensation made by an actor in the context of proceedings brought against a magazine for publishing, without his consent, a number of photographs taken of him.





Some of these photographs portrayed the claimant in an intimate setting together with a TV personality whom, at that time when the pictures were taken, he was in a relationship with.





The court found that the defendant had violated the claimants image rights ex

and

, thus rejecting the argument made by the defendant that publication of the pictures had been in the public interest, since the actor and his girlfriend were celebrities. The judge found that this behaviour was also against the

, and amounted to an undue interference with the claimant's private life (this being punishable as a crime under

).





The compensation had both an economic and moral component. The former (EUR 80,000) was calculated on the basis of the price of a hypothetical licence that the actor would have granted for the publication of the pictures in question. The latter (EUR 40,000) took into account the non-economic damage caused by the undue invasion of the claimants private sphere, which had caused him distress and psychological suffering.





The defendant appealed.





The Milan Court of Appeal upheld the decision at first instance, but found that this had erred in awarding also an economic damage. There could be no economic damage, as the claimant had expressly stated  through his spokesperson  that he excluded any consent to the publication of images of him in a private setting, thus ruling out any possibility of economic exploitation of his image. As such, there would be no market for licensing use of the images published by the magazine. As regards the non-economic component, the appellate court reduced it, on consideration that the intrusion would be less painful than what the first instance court had established.





The actor appealed to the Italian Supreme Court (as IPKat readers may know, appeal to this court is only on points of law, not fact), over the exclusion  by the appellate court  of compensation of the economic damage, and the reduced compensation of the non-economic damage. With particular regard to the former, the appellant stated that, if not the price of consent (for the hypothetical licence), the Milan Court of Appeal should have at least considered the number of copies that the magazine had sold, the profits made or the licensing fee requested by the actor in more recent instances.




NEW ORLEANS--Burosumab, a new injectable medicine to treat X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), an inherited form of rickets, demonstrates superior improvements in rickets and other outcomes compared with conventional therapy in an international, phase 3 clinical trial in children. Results from what investigators called the first head-to-head study comparing the new drug with conventional treatment for this rare disease will be presented Sunday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

"These improvements with burosumab have the potential to change the lives of children with XLH as they grow," said study principal investigator Erik Imel, M.D., associate professor of medicine and pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Ind.

XLH affects about 3,000 children and 12,000 adults in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates. Typically, XLH causes rickets, bowed legs, bone pain and short stature.

People with XLH have high levels of the hormone fibroblast growth factor 23, or FGF23, which causes low blood levels of phosphorus (hypophosphatemia). Conventional therapy has long been multiple daily doses of oral phosphate and active vitamin D (e.g. calcitriol), according to Imel.

The study included 61 XLH-affected children ages 1 to 12 years who previously received conventional therapy with oral phosphate and active vitamin D but still had evidence of rickets on X-rays. Patients were randomly assigned to continue this conventional therapy or switch to receive burosumab injections given every two weeks. Radiologists who were unaware of participants' drug assignments reviewed their X-rays and assigned a score for improvement of rickets.

By 40 weeks of treatment, that improvement was more than two times greater for the burosumab group than the conventional therapy group, Imel noted. Substantial healing of rickets occurred in 72 percent of participants receiving burosumab (21 of 29), the researchers reported, versus only 6 percent in the conventional therapy group (two of 32). Burosumab also reportedly led to greater improvements in leg deformities, height and distance walked in a 6-minute test, as well as larger increases in serum phosphorus and active vitamin D levels.

"We now know the magnitude of benefit from the new medication, burosumab, versus the prior approach with conventional therapy," Imel said. "This information is critical for doctors making treatment decisions for their patients with XLH."

###

In April 2018, the FDA approved burosumab, which has the brand name Crysvita, for patients with XLH ages 1 year and older. Burosumab binds and inhibits FGF23, according to its manufacturer, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., which funded the new study in partnership with Kyowa Kirin International of Japan. The study took place in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.

The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at http://www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE`S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION.

Oslo, 25 March 2019 : Adevinta ASA ("Adevinta" or the "Company") today announces its intention to launch an Initial Public Offering (the "IPO") of its shares and to apply for a listing of its shares on Oslo Brs.

Transaction Background

The IPO follows the reorganization announcement by Schibsted ASA in September 2018 and the General Meetings` approval to spin-off Adevinta (previously called MPI) by way of a demerger on 25 February 2019

In conjunction with the IPO, Schibsted and the Tinius Trust intend to sell B-shares in Adevinta (to be issued at the completion of the spin-off) to contribute to liquidity in Adevinta`s shares and to facilitate investment in Adevinta by non-Schibsted shareholders (the "Offering")

The concurrent spin-off and IPO will further support Adevinta`s strategy and growth plan, and is expected to secure a sustained strong, diverse and long-term shareholder base. Furthermore, the IPO is expected to enhance Adevinta`s ability to be an active participant in international consolidation and expansion options

Schibsted intends to remain as a long-term supportive owner and will support a simplified governance structure with an amalgamation into one ordinary share class by 2019 year end, subject to EGM approval

Adevinta highlights

Significant global market opportunity with presence in highly attractive geographies

Attractive business model - strong network effects, defensible market positions and winner-takes-most market characteristics

Leading marketplace player - combining local leadership, high growth and global scale

Local expertise powered by data and technology at scale

Longstanding track record of growth and profitability - 19% combined operating revenues growth [1] ,[2] and 25% EBITDA margin 2, [3]

Multiple opportunities for long-term growth and well positioned to drive industry consolidation

Offering highlights

Story continues

In connection with the listing and provided that prevailing market conditions so permit, Schibsted intends to sell up to 5% of the outstanding shares in Adevinta in the form of B-shares (to be issued at the completion of the spin-off). The reasons for Schibsted`s sale of shares are to contribute to liquidity in Adevinta`s shares and to facilitate for the investment in Adevinta by non-Schibsted shareholders

For the same reasons and provided that prevailing market conditions so permit, the Tinius Trust, which is the largest shareholder in Schibsted through Blommenholm Industrier AS, intends to sell a number of shares in Adevinta corresponding to up to 5% of its direct shareholding in Adevinta in the form of B-shares (to be issued at the completion of the spin-off), expected to represent 0.4% of the outstanding shares in Adevinta

In aggregate, the sale of Adevinta B-Shares by Schibsted and Tinius Trust, via Blommenholm Industrier AS, is expected to represent up to 5.4% of the outstanding shares in Adevinta (the "Base Offering")

In addition, Schibsted and Tinius Trust, via Blommenholm Industrier AS, are expected to provide a customary overallotment option of 15% of the Base Offering which, if fully exercised, would result in a total offering size of up to 6.2% of the outstanding shares in Adevinta

The offering is expected to comprise a public offering to institutional and retail investors in Norway and a private placement to certain institutional investors internationally

The Selling Shareholders and the Company will be subject to a 180 day lock-up period from the first day of trading and listing, subject to certain exceptions

The Board Members and the Management are subject to a 360 days lock-up period from the first day of trading and listing, subject to certain exceptions

Further announcements relating to the process will be made in due course. Subject to prevailing equity capital market conditions and receiving, inter alia , relevant approvals from Oslo Brs and the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway, Adevinta is still aiming for first day of trading and listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange on 10 April 2019

J.P. Morgan Securities plc and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), Oslo branch are acting as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners and Arctic Securities AS is acting as Joint Bookrunner, and Financial Advisor to the Tinius Trust. Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP are acting as legal advisors to the Company. Advokatfirmaet BAHR AS and White & Case LLP are acting as legal advisors to the Joint Bookrunners

Financial highlights

EUR million 2016 2017 2018 Combined operating revenues 421.1 511.4 594.6 Total growth 21.4% 16.3% EBITDA[4] 61.8 95.8 151.0 EBITDA-margin 14.7% 18.7% 25.4%

Key strengths

Marketplaces are a fast-growing and attractive global industry The total global classified market is estimated to have a value of ~USD 18 billion in 2017 based on revenue according to Statista [5] . Further, Statista forecasts that the total global classified market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6% during the period 2017-2022, which would result in a value (based on revenue) of ~USD 27 billion by 2022 Globally, the online classified market is benefitting from trends such as the shift towards online advertising, increasing digitalization of commerce and the proliferation of mobile devices Adevinta has diversified exposure to large markets in Europe (France and Spain in particular), and selective emerging markets in North Africa and Latin America, such as Brazil, that Adevinta believes have strong growth potential





Marketplace business model benefits from many attractive characteristics Marketplaces provide significant benefits to both users and listers by facilitating efficient matchmaking Adevinta`s individual marketplaces benefit from positive network effects and improvement in liquidity with increase in scale Marketplaces gain from winner-takes-most attributes and therefore create market leadership positions Leading marketplaces can increase investment in R&D to enhance their products and improve user experience and engagement Marketplaces have a high degree of operating leverage and low capital expenditure requirements



Solid leadership positions across generalist and vertical segments in Adevinta`s markets and one of the fastest growing marketplaces groups globally Adevinta occupies strong leadership positions across user traffic and ad listings in its major markets (France, Spain and Brazil), both in the generalist and vertical categories (real estate, cars and jobs) Globally, Adevinta is amongst the fastest growing marketplaces groups with 19% operating revenues growth [6]



Combination of global scalable tech components and data powered by strong product development capabilities Adevinta`s investments in R&D and product development, driven by local and central technology teams, are leveraged and deployed across various platforms Adevinta`s global footprint facilitates the combination of local product and tech capabilities with the benefits of centralized scalable components and data Adevinta intends to harness the variety of data collected across its platforms to increase personalisation and value delivery for its marketplaces participants



Longstanding track record of growth and profitability coupled with significant future growth potential Adevinta has grown its combined operating revenues by 19% CAGR [7] between 2016 and 2018. During the same period, EBITDA has grown by 56% CAGR 7, [8] and EBITDA margin has increased by 10.7 percentage points to 25.4% in 2018 7,8 Adevinta aims to continue to drive growth by improving matching performance across its marketplaces, pursuing further value creation in verticals, driving data and tech convergence and targeting innovation in adjacent markets Adevinta has a history of strategic M&A and intends to continue to drive value creation through inorganic moves, as appropriate





Experienced management team with a strong track record of digital transformation backed by a long-term shareholder Adevinta is headed by the former CEO of Schibsted, Rolv Erik Ryssdal, providing the management team with long-term experience in the marketplaces industry, managing large acquisitions and accessing the capital markets The executive management team of Adevinta will also be supported by country-level management teams with extensive internal and external experience and a track record of successful digital transformation In addition, the management team will be overseen by an experienced Board of Directors, which combines broad international and financial experience with specific industry knowledge



Management and board

Adevinta has assembled an experienced and well qualified management team led by Rolv Erik Ryssdal, who was CEO of Schibsted from 2009 to 2018 and whose other executive positions in Schibsted, included head of Schibsted Classified Media. Rolv Erik Ryssdal will be supported by Uvashni Raman as CFO and a team of divisional heads, including: Antoine Jouteau (CEO France) Gianpaolo Santorsola (CEO Spain) Ovidiu Solomonov (SVP Global Markets)

The Adevinta Board of Directors is chaired by Orla Noonan, who has extensive experience in content and media at Groupe AB, Paris, holding various management positions including Vice President and Secretary of Groupe AB responsible for finance, M&A and regulatory affairs

In addition to the chair director, the Board consists of a further five directors with substantial Board-level experience, namely: Kristin Skogen Lund (CEO Schibsted) Sophie Javary (Vice-Chairman CIB EMEA, BNP Paribas) Peter Brooks-Johnson (CEO Rightmove) Fernando Abril-Martorell Hernandez (Executive Chairman of Grupo Indra) Terje Seljeseth (Chief analyst at the Tinius Trust, former CPO of Schibsted ASA and CEO of Schibsted Classified Media)



Enquiries

Trond Berger, CFO in Schibsted. Tel: +47 916 86 695

Jo Christian Steigedal, VP Investor Relations in Schibsted. Tel: +47 415 08 733

About Adevinta ASA

Adevinta is a major global online classifieds company with generalist, real estate, cars, jobs and other marketplaces in 16 countries connecting buyers, seeking goods or services, with a large base of sellers. Its portfolio spans 36 different products and online classifieds sites and attracts an average of more than 1.5 billion[9] monthly visits across markets with a combined population of 800 million[10] people.

Important Notice

This document is not an offer for sale of securities in the United States. Securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). Adevinta does not intend to register any part of the offering in the United States or to conduct a public offering of Shares in the United States. Any securities sold in the United States will be sold only to qualified institutional buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) pursuant to Rule 144A.

This document is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons in (i), (ii) and (iii) above together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

Stabilisation: FCA/ICMA.

This document is an advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Directive. A prospectus prepared pursuant to the Prospectus Directive will be published, which, when published, can be obtained from the website of the Company (www.adevinta.com), www.jpmorgan.com, www.seb.no, www.arctic.com and at business addresses of the Company (Grensen 5, 0159 Oslo, Norway) and of the Managers, J.P. Morgan 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JP, United Kingdom, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), Oslo branch, Filipstad Brygge 1, 0252 Oslo, Norway and Arctic Securities AS (Haakon VIIs gate 5, 0161 Oslo, Norway). Investors should not subscribe for any securities referred to in this document except on the basis of information contained in the prospectus.

In any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended and together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive.

The Information contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in the Information are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give Adevinta`s current expectations and projections relating to its financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond each Company`s control that could cause the Companies` actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Adevinta`s present and future business strategies and the environment in which it will operate in the future.





[1] CAGR 2016-2018

[2] Based on Adevinta`s audited combined financial statements

[3] EBITDA (before other income and expenses, impairment, JVs and Associates), EBITDA margin 2018

[4] EBITDA (before other income and expenses, impairment, JVs and Associates)

[5] Source: Statista 2019, Digital Market Outlook

[6] CAGR 2016-2018, based on Adevinta`s audited combined financial statements

[7] Based on Adevinta`s audited combined financial statements

[8] EBITDA (before other income and expenses, impairment, JVs and Associates)

[9] Internal data

[10] Combined population of the 16 countries in which Adevinta operates (for Shpock including UK and Germany) according to CIA World Factbook (June 2018 est.)

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5 -12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.





This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.



The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Schibsted via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2239504


FILE PHOTO: The Airbus logo is pictured at Airbus headquarters in Blagnac near Toulouse, France, March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

By Marine Pennetier

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus signed a deal worth tens of billions of dollars on Monday to sell 300 aircraft to China, coinciding with a visit to Europe by Chinese President Xi Jinping and matching a China record held by U.S. rival Boeing.

The deal between Airbus and China's state buying agency, China Aviation Supplies Holding Company, which regularly coordinates headline-grabbing deals during diplomatic visits, will include 290 A320-family jets and 10 A350 wide-body jets.

French officials said the deal was worth some 30 billion euros at catalogue prices. Planemakers usually grant significant discounts.

The larger-than-expected order, which matches an order for 300 Boeing planes when U.S. Donald Trump visited Beijing in 2017, follows a year-long vacuum of purchases in which China failed to place significant orders amid global trade tensions.

It also comes as the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX has left uncertainty over Boeing's immediate hopes for a major jet order as the result of any warming of U.S.-China trade ties.

There was no evidence of any direct connection between the Airbus deal and Sino-U.S. tensions or Boeing fleet problems, but China watchers say Beijing has a history of sending diplomatic signals or playing off suppliers through state aircraft deals.

"The conclusion of a big (aviation) contract ... is an important step forward and an excellent signal in the current context," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a joint address with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

The United States and China are edging towards a possible deal to ease a months-long tariff row and a deal involving as many as 200 to 300 Boeing jets had until recently been expected as part of the possible rapprochement.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

China was also the first to ground the newest version of Boeing's workhorse 737 model earlier this month following a deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash, touching off a series of regulatory actions worldwide.

Story continues

Asked if negotiations had accelerated as a result of the Boeing grounding or other issues, Airbus planemaking chief and designated chief executive Guillaume Faury told reporters, "This is a long-term relationship with our Chinese partners that evolves over time; it is a strong sign of confidence."

China has become a key hunting ground for Airbus and its leading rival Boeing, thanks to surging travel demand.

But whether Airbus or Boeing is involved, analysts say diplomatic deals frequently contain a mixture of new demand, repeats of older orders and credits against future deals, meaning the immediate impact is not always clear.

One industry source said the latest Airbus order included Chinese government confirmation of an unspecified number of orders already counted on Airbus' books but with the names of customers undisclosed. Airbus could not be reached for comment.

The outlook has also been complicated by Beijings desire to grow its own industrial champions and, more recently for Boeing, the U.S.-China trade war.

French President Macron unexpectedly failed to clinch an Airbus order for 184 planes during a trip to China in early 2018 and the two sides have been working to salvage it.

Industry sources have said the year's delay in Airbus negotiations, as well as a buying freeze during the U.S. tariff row, created latent demand for jets to feed Chinas growth.

(Additional reporting by John Irish, Michel Rose, Jean-Baptiste Vey, Tim Hepher; Writing by Richard Lough, Tim Hepher; Editing by Jane Merriman and Cynthia Osterman)
MarketWatch

If the level of expenses you provided is accurate, coupled with moderate inflation and an estimated investment growth rate of net 6% to 6.5%, your strategy should be able to hold you over until Social Security and then some, said Brian Robinson, a certified financial planner and partner at advisory firm SharpePoint. There are enough assets with different taxable circumstances that, if allocated correctly and in the correct types of vehicles, will achieve a sustained retirement through at least age 90, Robinson said. At first, your withdrawal rate will be higher than average, which will obviously draw down your assets faster, but when Social Security kicks in, that rate will taper. For example, you have a substantial amount of money in your savings account.
(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. finally agree on something: the importance of 5G mobile phone technology for the U.S.

The protagonists in a wide-ranging and bitter legal battle before the U.S. International Trade Commission argue that the others actions are damaging the nations lead in fifth-generation wireless technology. The agency is scheduled to release key decisions on Tuesday in the long-running fight over patent royalties -- including one that could lead to an import ban on one of the U.S. economys most iconic products.

A ruling from the trade commission favoring Apple could undermine Qualcomms attempts to defend its business model and keep on charging billions of dollars in technology licensing fees. If Qualcomm prevails, Apple may face restrictions on its ability to import and sell some versions of the iPhone, the main source of its revenue.

The promise of 5G -- which is not yet on the market -- is not just faster speeds, but the ability to do things with connected devices not currently possible, from remote surgery via robots to self-driving cars that talk to each other. But the fear in Washington that China will get a global lead in 5G is being stoked by both Apple and Qualcomm to try to win the epic legal battle over technology that currently underpins all smartphones.

The whole telecom and wireless industry has been made to sing the 5G song, said Will Stofega, a mobile industry analyst at IDC, when asked about the dispute between two of the worlds largest technology companies. Theres a sort of alarmist trend that China may get ahead of us in actual deployment.

Their choice of 5G as a focus their arguments is on point. President Donald Trumps administration has already intervened in Qualcomms affairs by banning a hostile takeover by Broadcom Inc. in a move which cited the San Diego chipmakers importance to the new phone technology.

At the same time, U.S. politicians and regulatory agencies also are focused on curtailing the influence of Chinas Huawei Technologies Co. Apple and Qualcomm have each argued that a loss at the ITC for them would help Huawei gain an edge in 5G.

Story continues

Diminished American research and development in the baseband chipset market impacts competitive conditions in a sector that has national security implications, Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon and other lawmakers said in a letter to the agency, in support of Apples position. A dozen other politicians, both Republican and Democratic, also weighed in against an import ban.

The trade agency has the power to block imports of products that violate U.S. patent rights. In the first of two cases filed by Qualcomm, a trade judge said Apple infringed a patent for a power-saving feature, but cited the 5G race in recommending against banning iPhones. The commission is scheduled to release its final decision on Tuesday. The same day, a judge in a second case is expected to issue notice of her findings involving other Qualcomm patents lodged against Apple.

Its rare for the agency to decline to impose an import ban if a violation is found, though in special cases its agreed to delay implementation of such orders. The last time it decided against any ban was in 1984, when it found that barring hospital beds designed for burn victims would harm patients who might not be able to get the equipment.

Any import ban would next go to the Trump administration for consideration, and could be overturned on public policy grounds. In 2013, the Obama administration vetoed an import ban on older iPhones won by Samsung Electronics Co., citing concerns about blocking the use of fundamental technology in mobile devices.

At the center of the overall argument between Apple and Qualcomm is a tiny chip called a modem. The smartphone component helps convert radio signals into voice and data. Qualcomms chips have led the way in previous transitions to 3G services and its successors in the phones and services we use today.

Apple argues that giving in to Qualcomms demands to have the iPhone banned would hurt competition. Apples current supplier, Intel Corp., would face difficulties continuing to innovate in that area if revenue from sales in the U.S. was proscribed, Apple contends.

Without current 4G sales to Apple, Intel lacks a viable path forward to compete for coming 5G baseband chipset sales, Apple told the agency. Intel is now the only U.S. baseband chipset manufacturer still standing in the face of Qualcomms anticompetitive practices.

Qualcomm says thats nonsense. Theres plenty of competition, it says, mostly from overseas companies, and allowing Apple to use the patented inventions without paying up would hurt its, and the U.S.s, leadership in 5G.

Qualcomm is the global leader in 5G development and standard-setting, with Huawei being a close second, Qualcomm said. Although Apple purports to urge the Commission to keep a second runner in a two-man race, Apple is really urging the Commission to hobble the American leader in a field crowded with foreign entrants.

All phones that will debut on nascent 5G systems this year will be based on Qualcomm chips, the company has said. Samsung, the worlds biggest phone maker, is launching a version of its flagship Galaxy line using Qualcomm components.

Intel, Samsung, Taiwans MediaTek Inc., Huawei and others have all announced their own plans to bring 5G-capable modems to market, but most will come no earlier than 2020, by which time Qualcomm says itll be on its second version.

Analysts have expressed concern that the fight with Qualcomm could delay Apples entry into the 5G market. The company is holding off until at least 2020 before offering an iPhone that can connect to 5G services, according to people familiar with its plans.

Royalty Rivalry

While both sides are invoking 5G before the trade agency, the case is really a royalty debate thats become fairly common among companies in the mobile-device sector. The ITC cases are an effort by Qualcomm to put pressure on Apple to renew an expired licensing agreement.

Qualcomm not only makes the chips, but has patents on the fundamental technology that underlies all mobile devices. That means it gets paid whether a device contains a Qualcomm chip or not. The dispute with Apple is over how much Qualcomm should get in royalties from the iPhone.

The patents in the two ITC cases dont relate to industry standards. Qualcomm says thats to show how its research makes its phones not merely function, but work better. It also avoids the kind of legal dispute that tripped up Samsung in 2013.

Apple says the power-saving feature is for 15 extra minutes of battery life, and its been able to design around the patent. Apple asked that, if an import ban is imposed, it be given time to finish the roll out of the software change and to have the redesign reviewed by U.S. Customs officials.

The animosity between the two behemoth companies spans the globe. Apple filed an antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm and directed its component suppliers to stop paying the chipmaker, which has cost it billions of dollars in revenue. Qualcomm has won court orders in China and Germany that limit iPhone sales in those countries.

In the U.S., the trade agency is only one of the venues deciding disputes between the two companies. A trial was held in January in the Federal Trade Commissions antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm over its licensing practices, based in large part on the royalty fight with Apple. The two sides are awaiting a federal judges decision in that case.

A federal jury in San Diego on March 15 told Apple to pay Qualcomm $31 million for just three of the thousands of patents the chipmaker owns -- including the one in the first ITC cases -- while a Qualcomm lawsuit against the contractors is scheduled to begin in the same courthouse next month.

--With assistance from Mark Gurman.

To contact the reporters on this story: Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net;Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, Elizabeth Wasserman, Ros Krasny

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
These Kats don't give up without a fight

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has received over a dozen amicus briefs in support of Google against Oracle in a long-lasting battle for Java API (software interface) usage. Among others, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Microsoft, Red Hat, Mozilla, Python Software Foundation, Developers Alliance, along with IP scholars, computer scientists, software innovators, start-ups, and investors

about the rulings of the Federal Court of Appeals in

and





Googles last gambit





The legal saga between the two software mammoths started in 2010 after Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems and its proprietary rights to Java. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has opined on this case twice. In 2014, it decided that a software interface was copyrightable. Last year the Federal Circuit unanimously ruled that Googles use of 37 Java API packages in its Android operating system was not fair as a matter of law. Google is now facing as much as $8.8bn in damages.

petition In January, Google filed awith SCOTUS asking to review the copyright dispute. Specifically, Google has posed two questions: (i) whether copyright protection extends to an API; and (ii) whether Googles use of Java APIs in the context of creating a new computer program constitute fair use.





accused Google contends that it has been a long standing practice within the software industry to reuse interfaces to access essential prewritten tools for building new computer programs. Google's chief legal officer Kent WalkerOracle of "trying to profit by changing the rules of software development after the fact".





en banc rehearing of the case, so SCOTUS is Google's last chance. The SCOTUS has yet to confirm whether it will hear the case. The Federal Court refusedrehearing of the case, so SCOTUS is Google's last chance.





Amicus Briefs all side with Google





brief In its, Microsoft criticised the Federal Court of Appeals for taking an unduly narrow view of fair use in its decision by granting functional code the same level of copyright protection as creative expression in a novel. Microsoft argues that the entire computer industry 

depends on a robust fair use doctrine to ensure that software from different vendors will work well together and that developers can create collaborative innovations in software and hardware.





Microsoft urges the SCOTUS to grant review because the Federal Circuits decision threatens fair uses vitality and extinguishes the necessary breathing room for the ecosystem of innovation it protects, which will yield profound negative consequences for the ecosystem of programmers and innovation in general.





brief Mozilla, Mapbox, Medium, Patreon, Etsy and Wikimedia submitted a group, whereby they asserted that reuse and reimplementation of functional protocols, such as APIs, were vital in creating competing alternatives to incumbent industry players and new markets for development without fear of copyright infringement. These Amici urge SCOTUS to grant Googles petition for certiorari because Federal Circuits rejection of the fair use doctrine undermines 

valuable software engineering practices, such as reverse engineering, interoperability, and the creation of competing platforms, as well as innovations in data analytics, search engines, and many other groundbreaking advancements. Specifically, by creating irreconcilable conflicts with bedrock software fair use principles that have set the norms of engineering practice for over two decades, the Federal Circuit has opened the door to relitigating many status quo software engineering practicespractices that open source projects and small startups depend on every day to produce new platforms, programs, features, and interfaces.

Red Hat joined others in raising grave concerns about the Federal Circuit decisions. Unsurprisingly, Red Hat argues on behalf of open source software industry, emphasising that it heavily relies on a collaborative development model and runs a large portion of the modern Internet. Copyright in software interfaces, according to Red Hat, equals to granting the statutory monopoly of copyright to building blocks of a creative activity, which is specifically precluded by Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act, noting that

[t]he use of computer program interfaces for compatibility and interoperability purposes is both ubiquitous and essential to the operation of information and communication technologies and infrastructures.





raised 65 IP scholars haveconcerns that Federal Circuits copyrightability ruling is in conflict with a legal precedent in the following three aspects: (i) merger analysis; (ii) interpretation of the scope of copyright protection available to computer programs; and (iii) interpretation of the words and short phrases doctrine.





Professors Peter S. Menell and David Nimmer in a separate submission also highlight inconsistency with SCOTUSs seminal decision in Baker v. Selden, 101 U.S. 99 (1879), and misinterpretation of Congresss codification of SCOTUSs channeling principle and related limiting doctrines. In addition, Menell and Nimmer challenge the Federal Circuits appellate authority with regards to non-patent intellectual property law. inconsistency





What Oracle has to say?





comment In response to the petition, Oracle's general counsel, Dorian Daley, has published acontending that Googles arguments had already been thoughtfully and thoroughly discredited". Ms Daley went on to say that Googles "fabricated concern about innovation" conceals their true goal to copy the original and valuable work of others as a matter of its own convenience and for substantial financial gain".





According to her, the pace of innovation has only increased since the initial decision of the Federal Circuit in 2014, whereby Oracle Java code copied by Google was deemed copyright protected. Hence, the purported chill on innovation is a well known myth and SCOTUS should deny Googles request to take the case.
By Eric M. Johnson and Clement Uwiringiyimana

SEATTLE/KIGALI (Reuters) - Boeing Co will provide airlines that have bought the 737 MAX with free software upgrades, the U.S. manufacturer said on Monday, as Ethiopian Airlines told Reuters it expected a preliminary crash report this week or next.

Any fixes to the MAX software, the focus of investigations in two deadly crashes that have prompted worldwide groundings of the aircraft, must still get approval from governments around the world.

The U.S. Transportation Department said Monday it is forming an outside panel to review the Federal Aviation Administration's aircraft certification program amid growing concerns after two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes since October.

The causes of separate Lion Air and Ethiopian Airline crashes are also still unknown, though Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam said he trusts Boeing.

"Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future," Tewolde said on Monday. "Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years."

Meanwhile, Boeing has begun briefing airlines on software and training updates for the MAX, with more than 200 global airline pilots, technical experts and regulators due in Renton, Washington where the plane is built this week.

The sessions follow a briefing with carriers including three U.S. airlines on Saturday, part of Boeing's effort "to communicate with all current, and many future, MAX customers and operators," a Boeing spokeswoman said.

Tewolde told Reuters the leading African airline may or may not attend the briefing.

Lion Air Managing Director Daniel Putut said his airline would send two people on Wednesday, a pilot and an engineer.

The crash of an Indonesian Lion Air flight last October killed 189 people and first brought the safety of the 737 MAX into focus.

The 737 MAX is Boeing's best-selling plane, with orders worth more than $500 billion at list prices.

Story continues

Boeing's shares closed 2.3 percent higher at $370.46 on hopes that a fix is nearing completion, but have lost about 12 percent and $29 billion in market value since the March 10 crash.

In another blow to Boeing, France announced on Monday that Airbus had agreed to sell 300 aircraft to China Aviation Supplies Holding Company, including 290 A320 planes and 10 A350, in a deal worth about is 30 billion euros ($34 billion).

SOFTWARE FIX

Boeing's software fix for the grounded 737 MAX will prevent repeated operation of an anti-stall system at the center of safety concerns, and deactivate it altogether if two sensors disagree widely, two people familiar with pilot briefings said.

The system ignited a debate over the proper balance between man and machine in piloting the latest version of the 50-year-old 737.

Upgrading an individual 737 MAX with Boeing's new software only takes about an hour per plane, though the overall process could stretch on far longer as it is rolled out across the global fleet due to stringent testing and documentation requirements by engineers and regulators, according to a senior FAA official with knowledge of the process.

"Clearly there is pressure to get the airplanes ungrounded but there is tremendous pressure to make sure it was done right," the FAA official said. "The last thing in the world you want is to have the thing hurried and then find problems with it."

Ethiopian and French investigators have pointed to "clear similarities" between the two crashes, putting pressure on Boeing and U.S. regulators to come up with an adequate fix.

No direct link has been proven between the crashes but attention has focused on whether pilots had the correct information about the "angle of attack" at which the wing slices through the air.

Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East carriers, threw its support behind Boeing on Monday.

The airline will however delay the April delivery of another MAX jet until the cause of the crash is known, said Qatar Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker.

"I am sure that the aircraft will get back into the skies soon and that Boeing will get to the bottom of what happened and if there is something technical wrong that they will find a fix for it," he said.

Garuda Indonesia was invited to the briefing but requested a webinar instead, only to be rebuffed, Chief Executive Ari Askhara told Reuters on Monday. Last week, Indonesia's national carrier said it planned to cancel its order for 49 737 MAX jets, citing a loss of passenger trust.

Garuda, which has only one 737 MAX, had been reconsidering its order before the Ethiopian crash.

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, another MAX operator, suspended on Monday two routes between the United States and Brazil that it said it can only service with the longer-range MAX 8, but is not currently revising its MAX orders.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle and Clement Uwiringiyimana in Kigali; additional reporting by Jason Neely in Addis Ababa, Jamie Freed in Singapore, Cindy Silviana in Jakarta, Heekyong Yang in Seoul, Alexander Cornwell in Dubai, Sylvia Westall in Muscat, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, David Shepardson in Washington and Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo; Writing by Jamie Freed by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Michael Perry, Clarence Fernandez and Lisa Shumaker)
PERTH, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2019 / Centamin plc ("Centamin" or "the Company") (LSE: CEY, TSX: CEE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Sally Eyre, B.Sc., Ph.D., DIC, as an independent Non-Executive Director, effective 10 April 2019.

Dr. Eyre is a mining finance professional with extensive experience in global resource capital markets and mining operations. As a geologist, obtaining her doctoral degree in Economic Geology from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, Dr. Eyre brings strong technical balance to the existing Board composition.

Throughout Dr. Eyre's career, she has acquired substantial capital market, finance and directorate expertise. From 2011 to 2014, Dr. Eyre was President and Chief Executive Officer of TSX Venture Exchange listed Copper North Mining. Prior to this, from 2008 to 2011, she was an executive with Endeavour Financial, which transformed into the intermediate gold mining Company, Endeavour Mining. During this period of transformation, Dr. Eyre served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Etruscan Resources and subsequently as Senior Vice President Operations, of Endeavour Mining.

Dr. Eyre currently holds two non-executive directorships: Adventus Zinc Corporation and Japan Gold Corporation. Adventus Zinc is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company. Dr. Eyre has been a Non-Executive Director since 2017, where she is the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee and Steering Committee. Japan Gold is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company. Dr. Eyre has been a Non-Executive Director since 2016, where she is the Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee.

Following Dr. Eyre's appointment, the Centamin Board will comprise of nine members: the non-executive Chair, two Executives and six independent Non-Executives. This appointment is in accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code and the Company's ongoing commitment to achieving the highest standards of corporate governance.

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Josef El-Raghy, Chairman commented:

"We are delighted to be welcoming Sally to the Company. Her excellent technical skills and experience acquired throughout her career will be a valued addition to our existing diverse and multidisciplinary Board."

There are no further details that are required to be disclosed in respect of the appointment under LR9.6.13 of the UK FCA Listing Rules.

This announcement contains additional regulated information.

For more information, please visit the website www.centamin.com or contact:

Centamin plc

Andrew Pardey, Chief Executive Officer

Alexandra Carse, Investor Relations

+44 (0) 7700 713 738

alexandra.carse@centamin.je Buchanan Communications

Bobby Morse

Chris Judd

+ 44 (0) 20 7466 5000

centamin@buchanan.uk.com

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Centamin PLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/540067/Centamin-PLC-Announces-Appointment-of-Non-Executive-Director




PARIS (AP) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping received the full honors of a formal reception during a state visit to France on Monday that included attending the signing of a multi-billion dollar deal between European aircraft maker Airbus to China.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Xi's official visit was an "excellent signal" of the strength and reliability of relations between China and France. Appearing with the Chinese leader at the presidential Elysee Palace, Macron said the two countries want to build a "strong Euro-Chinese partnership, based on clear, strict and ambitious rules."

Xi, who plans to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Paris on Tuesday, said China "attaches great importance" to its relations with Europe.

European leaders want to increase trade with China, albeit on European terms, amid trade tensions between the United States and both China and the European Union.

The Airbus sale Xi saw finalized involves the sale of 300 airplanes. The China Aviation Supplies Holding Company has ordered 290 Airbus A320 and 10 Airbus A350, according to a statement from the French presidency.

The price was not specified. The sale is estimated to be worth 30 billion euros ($34 billion) at list prices, although buyers often secure discounts.

"We are honored to support the growth of China's civil aviation with our leading aircraft families," said Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft. "Our expanding footprint in China demonstrates our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners."

Other major business deals on renewable energy and the food industry were signed Monday, in addition to bilateral agreements.

Both leaders agreed on a protocol allowing the French exports of chicken meat to China. The country opened its market to French beef products following Macron's January 2018 state visit to China.

French energy company EDF and the China Energy Investment Corporation signed a deal worth 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to deliver two offshore wind farms in Chinese waters.

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EDF chief executive Jean-Bernard Levy said the deal "consolidates EDF's foothold in China."

Macron said during his appearance alongside Xi that China and France share views on the importance of combating climate change, with green investments abroad making up part of the strategy.

Earlier in the day, the French leader welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liuan, at the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris. The French National Guard played the country's anthems. Both leaders laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldier from World War I whose tomb is under the monument.

On Monday night, the Chinese president was honored with a state dinner at the Elysee Palace. The guests included French actor Alain Delon, Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, French-Chinese painter Yan Pei-Ming and Chinese actress Gong Li.

Xi and Macron also confirmed the opening of a branch of the Pompidou Center, a modern art museum in Paris, in Shanghai this fall.

Xi started his trip to Europe last week, signing deals in Italy and heading to Monaco on Sunday to ink more. He arrived in France on Sunday evening where he had a private dinner with Macron in the resort town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.
Clifford Chance offices sign





Clifford Chance lawyers will be able to take two months unpaid leave as part of a new flexible working scheme at the firm, which will also target former CC lawyers.



Called 'Clifford Chance Choice', the time off scheme will be piloted during the upcoming 2019-2020 financial year, allowing junior and senior associates to take eight weeks off from work.



Associates in the firm's London-based finance, capital markets and TMT groups will be eligible to apply for the time off, as well as all associates in the firm's Spain, Italy and Istanbul offices.



Management will decide whether or not an associate can take the two months off, which must be taken consecutively. The pilot will run for CC's next financial year, until 30 April 2020.



Additonally, the magic circle firm is piloting a programme to utilise its former lawyers under the same new Clifford Chance Choice umbrella. CC alumni will be able to apply to work as part of CC teams on specific projects, "with the option to work flexibly and from home where appropriate", a statement from the firm said.





CC partner and global head of people and talent Laura King said in a statement: "With over 8,000 registered alumni working in over 3,000 organisations across 100 different countries, our alumni bring a wealth of experience and insights in every sector and region of the globe.







"Clifford Chance Choice is about embracing changes to the world of work. It gives our people the choice to excel in work but also pursue other interests. It gives our alumni the choice to remain a part of the Clifford Chance family after they move on to other things. And it gives our clients the choice of a wider and flexible pool of motivated, brilliant lawyers."







In 2016, CC launched a flexible working scheme open to lawyers above two years post-qualification experience (PQE) in which lawyers could work from home on any given day of the week provided they have appropriate technology available to work on in an appropriate environment.

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Fellow magic circle firm Allen & Overy launched its own contract lawyer business Peerpoint in 2013, through which teams of legal professionals can work for the firm on a flexible basis. It initially targeted A&O alumni to be brought in to help the firm with high-profile work.
Investing.com - Major cryptocurrencies were mixed as the week opened in Asia, with Bitcoin gaining but other top digital tokens losing ground.

On Monday morning, Bitcoin added 0.21% to $3,987.9 by 01:07 AM ET (05:08 AM GMT). The coin continues to struggle to break the $4,000 mark without a clear directional catalyst.

Meanwhile, Ethereum lost 0.30% to $136.32, XRP went down 0.73% to $0.30639 and Litecoin dropped 0.52% to $59.998.

Traders took note of reports that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is reviewing applications related to cryptocurrencies. One of them concerns Bitcoin futures from institutional trading platform Bakkt, which has been delayed.

Without pointing to Bakkts applicaton specifically, commissioner Dan Berkovitz said the CFTC is working diligently with all the applicants to process their applications.

But we need to ensure that a crypto product, just like any other product thats traded on our markets, meets all the standards, he noted.

The Bakkt platform by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE (NYSE:ICE)) has much been anticipated by the market. ICE planned to launch Bakkt in mid-December, but then postponed the launch to January. The exchange platform will offer physically delivered daily futures contracts traded in BTC/USD.

Now it is still pending full regulatory approval due to a lack of consensus over how Bakkt would handle its Bitcoin futures.

Elsewhere, Switzerlands Federal Council has begun a consultation on adapting the countrys federal law for blockchain development. The move aims to improve legal certainty over blockchain applications in order to lay a basis for regulatory framework for the industry.

The council has also proposed segregating crypto assets when bankruptcy takes place, reflected by the proposed amendment to the Federal Law on Debt Collection and Bankruptcy.

Earlier this week, Switzerlands Federal Assembly also approved a motion to instruct the Federal Council to adapt existing legislation for crypto regulation.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2019) - Cansortium Inc. (CSE: TIUM.U) is one of the latest new listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Headquartered in Miami, Florida and operating under the brand Knox Medical, the company through its subsidiaries operates 4 cultivation facilities and 11 dispensaries across Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania, with licensing pending in Michigan.

For more information, please view the InvestmentPitch Media "video" which provides additional information on the company. If this link is not enabled, please visit www.InvestmentPitch.com and enter "Cansortium" in the search box.





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Through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary in Ontario, Canada, the company has applied for a license from Health Canada to produce dried marijuana, marijuana plants, fresh marijuana, processed oil and finished products at its property near Grimsby, Ontario and to sell such marijuana products within Canada. In Colombia, the company has obtained licenses for the cultivation, production, research and development, including the development and operation of a seed bank, domestic sales and export of medical cannabis in oil form.

Jose Hidalgo, CEO, stated: "We are excited to share this milestone with our employees and investors who have supported our vision to become a leading medical cannabis company. We are a patient-centric company, investing heavily in developing top-quality medicine and implementing cutting-edge research, while providing our customers with unparalleled care at our state-of-the-art dispensaries. We are focused on the rapid deployment of our retail operations in our home state of Florida as well as further development of the other markets in our portfolio. Our track record of achievement in every market where we operate positions us strongly for success on the Canadian Securities Exchange."

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The company recently closed its IPO, raising gross proceeds of US$53,072,000 from the placement of 26,536,000 units priced at $2.00, including the over-allotment of 536,000 units, with each unit consisting of one share and one-half a warrant, with the full warrant exercisable at US$2.40 for 24 months. The units were sold by Paradigm Capital and Canaccord Genuity.

For more information, please visit the company's website www.cansortium.com, contact Jose Hidalgo, CEO, at 305-900-6266 or email jose@knoxmedical.com.

For Investor Relations contact Jeff Reath, Executive Vice-President, at 507-871-6135 or email jeff@cansortium.com

About InvestmentPitch Media

InvestmentPitch Media leverages the power of video, which together with its extensive distribution, positions a company's story ahead of the 1,000's of companies seeking awareness and funding from the financial community. The company specializes in producing short videos based on significant news releases, research reports and other content of interest to investors.

CONTACT:

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All ocean shipping, port and cargo operations remain shut at the world's two largest dry bulk ports, Hedland and Dampier, owing to the passage of Severe Tropical Cyclone Veronica. Major liquefied natural gas export facilities along the north western Australian coast have also suspended operations. It's the fourth consecutive day of suspended operations as Cyclone Veronica is moving very slowly. But there could be weeks of delay if Veronica soaks the landscape.

At the time of writing* the eye of the cyclone has not technically made landfall. The eye is just a little off the north west coast of Australia and is closer to Dampier, at about 71km (44.15 miles) distant, rather than Hedland which is 133.78km (83 miles away).

Veronica is bringing very strong winds and heavy rain, conducive to major flooding. Over 250mm of rain has been recorded at Port Hedland so far.

Unfortunately, the cyclone, which is being described as slow moving by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, has been "almost stationary" since Sunday morning. Destructive winds of 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour) are being recorded along the north west coast and the Bureau adds that there have been wind gusts of over 100km/hour for over 24 hour along the coast.

"It's often slower-moving cyclones like this that do greater damage because their impacts are felt for such a long time," says Dr Adam Morgan, a meteorologist with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in a public statement.

Looking at the cyclone maps, Port Hedland may have had a lucky escape. The forecast originally predicted that Veronica would make landfall between Port Hedland and the port at Dampier. However, cyclones are notoriously fickle and Veronica shuffled from side to side on its approach... putting Hedland in its path. Then, at about 20:00 hours March 24 (local time), the storm veered to the south east away from Hedland.

This track-map shows where Cyclone Veronica has been and where it's about to go. At this point it looks like it will run over the port of Dampier albeit in a greatly weakened state. The danger is that it will move slowly and will soak the iron ore and salt stockpiles. Also in the cyclone's path is the giant LNG export facility on Barrow Island. Graphic: Bureau of Meteorology.

This track-map shows where Cyclone Veronica has been and where it's about to go. At this point it looks like it will run over the port of Dampier albeit in a greatly weakened state. The danger is that it will move slowly and will soak the iron ore and salt stockpiles. Also in the cyclone's path is the giant LNG export facility on Barrow Island. Graphic: Bureau of Meteorology.

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The port at Dampier may not be so lucky. Veronica is now forecast to move along the coast and that puts Dampier directly the path of the cyclone.

That's potentially very significant as, according to the Bureau, the strongest (i.e. most damaging) winds are found within 50km (31 miles) of the eye of the storm.

Much of the population in the area affected by the cyclone are under a red alert  they've either evacuated, headed to shelters or they're in some other safe place.

And that population, of course, includes various kinds of marine surveyors and auditors. So, at this point, the maritime industry does not know, and cannot assess, what, if any, damage has been done, how it was done and what it was done to.

There are several potential damage points  local land-side and marine port infrastructure (ship-loaders, jetties, buoys and so on) can be damaged by wind or storm-surge. Port hinterland related transport infrastructure (road and rail) could potentially be flooded out and rendered impassable or, worse still, damaged or destroyed by flood waters.

And, finally, there's the issue of dry bulk stockpiles getting wet. Wet iron ore is too dangerous to transport by sea  it can (and has) caused ships to capsize.

Moisture can be held in the spaces between touching iron ore particles in what appears to be a dry iron ore stockpile. During sea transport, the various motions of the ship, rolling, pitching, surging and so on, will cause the particles to separate. The moisture is then freed. The iron ore particles become suspended in water, which transforms an apparently dry cargo into a thick viscous mud or a freer flowing liquid mud.

Dry bulk carriers are not designed to carry gloopy liquids. As the ship rolls, surges and pitches, the liquid mud sloshes from side to side in the ship's hold. It's a lot of mud, and therefore weight, that's moving around the ship. And the now semi-liquid cargo tends to shift in one direction and not return, which upsets the stability of the ship. If that happens for too long, and by too much, it will move the center of gravity in the ship. And the ship will list and could capsize.

Under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code a ship master must not load soggy dry bulk cargoes if it does not meet the Transportable Moisture Limit. That's calculated from the flow moisture point i.e. the point at which the particles of the dry bulk cargo lose contact with each other and free the entrapped water. The Transportable Moisture Limit is 90 percent of the flow moisture point.

It's certainly possible that the iron ore stockpiles will breach the transportable moisture limit. And here's why: rain, tides and storm surges.

Data from the Bureau shows that there's a lot of rain falling in the Dampier-Hedland region. Maritime executives also point out to FreightWaves that, owing to the time of month, the region is experiencing spring/king tides. As the moon circles the planet its gravitational pull on the waters of the Earth aligns with the gravitational pull of the Sun. When that happens the planet experiences very high and very low tides. That's significant. Spring tides will add another six to seven meters (20 to 23 feet) to the highest level of the spring tide. And the cyclone will bring a storm surge, which is a rise in the normal water level driven by higher winds and/or lower atmospheric pressure. It's not known by how much higher Veronica's storm surge will drive local tide levels.

Given spring tides plus a storm surge and it's possible that the stockpiles will have been soaked from below in seawater as well as from above in rain water. After the weather event is over the water will drain from the stockpiles under the effects of gravity but how long that will take depends on a wide variety of factors such as the local drainage.

And that's assuming that the iron ore stockpiles even survive Veronica, which they might not. Get enough water in the stockpile and the iron ore particles could lose contact with each other. If that happens, the stockpile will liquefy and collapse. To then dry out the iron ore will require hot and dry weather with the use of machinery to repeatedly physical turn over the iron ore to encourage evaporation. Once the iron ore's dry it can be re-piled. Maritime executives say that, in a worst-case scenario, it that could take up to 14 days to dry out the iron ore.

Pictured: the export facilities at Dampier. Upper right are the iron export stockpiles, to the left are the salt export stockpiles. Photo: Google Earth.

Pictured: the export facilities at Dampier. Upper right are the iron export stockpiles, to the left are the salt export stockpiles. Photo: Google Earth.

At least the iron ore won't dissolve. The same cannot be said for the giant stockpiles on the export loading facilities of East-Mid-Intercourse Island and Mistaken Island at the Port of Dampier.

Those stockpiles are made of salt (see image, left).

"They'll melt," the executive said.

It's also worth noting that the waters around Dampier are home to a solar salt-mining operation. A series of pens allow the progressive flooding then evaporation of seawater which leaves behind large volumes of sodium chloride i.e. table salt. When the final pan has salt in it to a depth of 25cm it's harvested. The facility can make four million metric tons of salt a year. It takes 65 tons of sea water to make one ton of salt. It takes 18-24 months to make the salt.

And if there's heavy rain and/or a sea-surge then all of those pans will be flooded with water.

"So they'll have to start all over again," the executive said.

Maritime executives advise FreightWaves that they expect to start receiving assessments tomorrow mid-morning West Australia time.

From a maritime shipping perspective, the storm is significant as it has caused the temporary suspension of operations at Port Hedland, which handled 519.4 million metric tons of dry bulk throughput  the vast majority of which (98 percent) is iron ore.

Hedland also received 2,221 ships. As a metric ton is 2,204 U.S. pounds, Hedland's volume equates to 572.5 million U.S. tons. It also caused the suspension of operations at Dampier which handled 177.3 million metric tons of cargo, of which 82.6 percent was iron ore for export, and 9,538 vessel calls.

Also suspended is Ashburton, a liquefied natural gas export facility that handled 2.6 million metric export tons in 2017-2018 and 90 vessels. Barrow Island, a significant West Australian oil and a 15.6 million tons per annum liquefied natural gas export facility operated by oil major Chevron, has also suspended operations.

*The time of writing is late Monday 25 March at 15:15 to 17:30 Australian Eastern Standard Time; 12:15am to 02:37am U.S. Eastern Daylight Time and 21:15 to 23:37 U.S. Pacific Daylight Time.

Image sourced from Pixabay

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 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Delay in decision over citizenship through mothers leaves young people waitingand without much hope

Nepal is one of 27 countries in the world with unequal citizenship laws, limiting womens rights to pass on citizenship to a child or a non-citizen spouse.
By Paul Lienert

(Reuters) - Evelozcity, the U.S. electric vehicle startup, has changed its name to Canoo and said on Monday that it will offer a range of EVs to private and commercial customers by subscription only.

Canoo is positioning itself as a "boutique California EV brand" and said it will start sales in the United States in 2021, eventually expanding to China.

The company, one of dozens of EV startups in the United States and China, has not disclosed its investors but has raised about $1 billion, according to a source familiar with the process.

Canoo said it plans to market a four-model range that will include personal commuter and "lifestyle" vehicles, as well as commercial vehicles for ride and delivery services. The so-called lifestyle vehicle is meant to provide the space and functionality of an SUV, the company said.

Canoo did not provide any details on pricing but said it would not have a dealer network. It will offer a variety of subscriptions of different duration, some bundled with insurance and related services.

Founded in late 2017 and based in a Los Angeles suburb, Canoo said it is planning a "lean" operation that will rely on a contract manufacturer to assemble its vehicles.

In mid-March, German publication Automobilwoche reported the company was in talks with Canadian supplier Magna International and its unit Magna-Steyr to assemble the startup's vehicles in the United States.

Canoo said it is "evaluating partners for manufacturing but no contracts are signed yet." Magna declined to comment.

Canoo said it plans to partner with a provider of self-driving technology for future automated versions of its vehicles.

The startup said its vehicle designs will be non-traditional, with "a minimalist design that maximizes interior space."

Canoo said it has 350 employees and announced several key hires, including former executives of Uber, SAIC Motor and STMicroelectronics.

The company was founded by Stefan Krause, Ulrich Kranz and Richard Kim, all of whom worked previously at another California-based EV startup, Faraday Future. Krause is a former top executive at Deutsche Bank. Kranz was a senior vice president at BMW's electric vehicle unit. Kim previously led the exterior design of the BMW i3.

The founding team was joined last year by another industry veteran, Karl-Thomas Neumann, former chief executive of German automaker Opel and head of Volkswagen AG's China operation.

(Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by Bill Trott)
By Jason Neely

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines said on Monday it would keep close ties with U.S. planemaker Boeing even though questions remained about its 737 MAX 8 model, after a crash shortly after take off this month killed 157 people.

CEO Tewolde Gebremariam also promised to work closely with an investigation into the March 10 incident, after reports that the probe was under strain because the Ethiopian authorities were not sharing information with international partners.

Boeing has come under intense scrutiny since the crash, the second in five months involving its new 737 MAX 8 model. But Tewolde said the airline's relationship with Boeing was sound.

"Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future," he said, in his most extensive written statement since the incident.

"We pledge to work with Boeing and our colleagues in all the airlines to make air travel even safer," he said, although he added: "Many questions on the B-737 MAX airplane remain without answers."

He said he did not want to speculate on the cause of the crash, but defended the airline's training program.

Boeing's 737 MAX fleet has been grounded worldwide, wiping $28 billion off the company's market value and throwing doubt over advance orders of the plane, worth more than $500 billion.

Tewolde said he supported the decision to halt flights of the plane. "Until we have answers, putting one more life at risk is too much," he said,

Tewolde said both pilots of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane had been fully trained "beyond" the requirements of Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The airline's Aviation Academy annually trains more than 2,000 pilots, flight attendants, maintenance workers and other employees for Ethiopian Airlines and other African carriers, he said.

"We are the company others turn to for aviation expertise," he said, adding the company had invested more than $500 million in the last five years in training and other infrastructure in their Addis Ababa base.

(Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Edmund Blair)
(Bloomberg) -- The European Union is set to call on member states to exchange information to manage the cybersecurity risks of 5G wireless networks, side-stepping U.S. calls to outright ban Chinese equipment makers like Huawei.

In the recommendation to European capitals due to be unveiled on Tuesday, member states will be given several months to report to the EU potential cyber threats to the 5G network in their home markets, according to a person familiar with the matter. The information will then help craft a set of minimum EU-wide standards, the person said, which could include government requirements for telecom operators to ensure certain standards from suppliers.

The new measures are aimed at coordinating a European approach to managing cybersecurity risks, following allegations propelled by the U.S. government that Huawei and other Chinese equipment makers could enable spying by Beijing. Huawei has repeatedly denied the allegations.

The 5G network, which will power everything from self-driving cars to smart factories, "will become the backbone of our digital connectivity. It is absolutely central in security terms," European Security Commissioner Julian King said last week. "We believe that we need a more common EU approach to the security of 5G networks."

The commission would propose to coordinate risk assessment and risk management measures, "including reinforced cooperation and exchange of information," King added.

The EU measures would amount to a much softer response sought by Washington, which has pressured European allies to shun Huawei from its 5G networks, including threats to Germany to cut back on intelligence-sharing if the company is involved in its network.

With no ban in the works, Europe has sought to balance concerns about growing Chinese influence with a desire to increase business with the regions second-biggest trading partner. Germany and France have proposed tighter security rules for data networks rather than outlawing Huawei, while the U.K.s spy chief has indicated that a ban is unlikely.

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The EUs recommendation will also serve to pressure those member states who havent been as active on considering the 5G cyber risks, according to a different person familiar with the matter. While the recommendation is non-binding for countries, it could be referred to in court as a legal document.

The recommendations come after European member states on Friday said they "look forward" to the commissions recommendation. Some countries, including Belgium and Norway, have been urging the EU to provide guidance, for instance on how to vet 5G equipment and how telecom operators should roll out 5G networks.

To contact the reporter on this story: Natalia Drozdiak in Brussels at ndrozdiak1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Nikos Chrysoloras

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States clinched a strategic port deal with Oman on Sunday which U.S. officials say will allow the U.S. military better access the Gulf region and reduce the need to send ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime choke point off Iran.

The U.S. embassy in Oman said in a statement https://om.usembassy.gov/u-s-statement-on-the-signing-of-the-strategic-framework-agreement that the agreement governed U.S. access to facilities and ports in Duqm as well as in Salalah and "reaffirms the commitment of both countries to promoting mutual security goals."

The accord is viewed through an economic prism by Oman, which wants to develop Duqm while preserving its Switzerland-like neutral role in Middle Eastern politics and diplomacy.

But it comes as the United States grows increasingly concerned about Iran's expanding missile programs, which have improved in recent years despite sanctions and diplomatic pressure by the United States.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal was significant by improving access to ports that connect to a network of roads to the broader region, giving the U.S. military great resiliency in a crisis.

"We used to operate on the assumption that we could just steam into the Gulf," one U.S. official said, adding, however, that "the quality and quantity of Iranian weapons raises concerns."

Tehran has in the past threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route at the mouth of the Gulf, in retaliation for any hostile U.S. action, including attempts to halt Iranian oil exports through sanctions.

Still, the U.S. official noted that the agreement would expand U.S. military options in the region for any kind of crisis.

Duqm is ideal port for large ships. It is even big enough to turn around an aircraft carrier, a second official said.

"The port itself is very attractive and the geostrategic location is very attractive, again being outside the Strait of Hormuz," the official said, adding that negotiations began under the Obama administration.

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COMPETITION WITH CHINA

For Oman, the deal will further advance its efforts to transform Duqm, once just a fishing village 550 km (345 miles) south of capital Muscat, into a key Middle East industrial and port center, as its diversifies its economy beyond oil and gas exports.

The deal could also better position the United States in the region for what has become a global competition with China for influence.

Chinese firms once aimed to invest up to $10.7 billion in the Duqm project, a massive injection of capital into Oman, in what was expected to be a commercial, not military, arrangement.

"It looks to me like the Chinese relationship here isn't as big as it appeared it was going to be a couple of years ago," the second official said.

"There's a section of the Duqm industrial zone that's been set aside for the Chinese ... and as far as I can tell so far they've done just about nothing."

Still, China has in the past shown no qualms about rubbing up against U.S. military facilities.

In 2017, the African nation of Djibouti, positioned at another geostrategic choke-point, the strait of Bab al-Mandeb, became home to China's first overseas military base. The U.S. military already had a base located just miles away, which has been crucial for operations against Islamic State, al Qaeda and other militant groups.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
FLOW TRADERS PUBLISHES ITS 2019 CONVENING NOTICE FOR THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Flow Traders N.V. (FLOW.NX) is pleased to announce that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (General Meeting) will take place on Wednesday, 8 May 2019 at 15.00 hours Amsterdam time at the INIT building, Jacob Bontiusplaats 9 in Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

The convening notice, agenda and other documentation relating to the General Meeting, as well as information on how to register for the General Meeting, is in English and available on our website: www.flowtraders.com/investors.

ENDS

Contact Details

Flow Traders N.V.

Serge Enneman / Manager Investor Relations

Phone: +31 20 7996799

Email: Investor.relations@flowtraders.com

About Flow Traders

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HUG#2239497


(Adds Paulson & Co response, closing share price)

By Nichola Saminather

TORONTO, March 25 (Reuters) - Newmont Mining Corp won the support of at least two key investors for its $10 billion takeover of Goldcorp Inc on Monday, after offering to sweeten the deal with an 88-cent-per-share special dividend if shareholders approve the transaction.

The immediate cash payment would represent a portion of the savings from a separate agreement with Barrick Gold Corp , Newmont said in a regulatory statement.

Newmont investors who had earlier protested the terms of the deal, saying Goldcorp shareholders benefited too much from it, commended the dividend payment and withdrew their opposition.

"Although the dividend is small, it is a step in the right direction," Paulson & Co, which last week said it would vote against the deal, wrote in an emailed statement. "Since the Newmont board and other significant shareholders are supportive of the revised terms, we will no longer oppose the transaction.

Newmont's friendly bid to buy Goldcorp to create the world's biggest gold producer preceded the agreement with rival Barrick to establish a joint venture combining their operations in Nevada. Newmont offered 0.328 of its shares and 2 cents for each Goldcorp share.

Van Eck International Investors, which said last week that Newmont's takeover offer transferred to Goldcorp shareholders too much of $4.7 billion in synergies from the Barrick venture, also expressed its support for the deal on Monday.

"We're very pleased with Newmont's decision," said Joe Foster, portfolio manager at Van Eck, Newmont's third-biggest shareholder. "Companies always claim they're going to create synergies. It's great to see Newmont putting their money where their mouth is and giving us a payout up front."

In an investor presentation earlier this month, Newmont said Goldcorp shareholders would get $600 million of the pre-tax synergies from the joint venture with Barrick.

"If one assumes this dividend payment of $469 million reflects the after-tax value of the JV that would have been previously shared with Goldcorp shareholders, it would appear to be fair," Josh Wolfson, managing director of metals and mining at Desjardins Securities, said by email.

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Goldcorp shares jumped as much as 3.7 percent and closed up 2.7 percent at C$14.9 on Monday in Toronto, erasing most of Friday's 2.9 percent loss. Newmont climbed 1.2 percent to $34.90, its highest close in a month in New York trading.

"In the discussions I've had with a number of our large, long-term shareholders this morning, they're quite pleased with this outcome and are supportive of it," Newmont Chief Executive Gary Goldberg told Reuters on Monday.

Goldcorp said in a separate statement it supported the special dividend.

Also, Goldcorp said proxy advisory firm ISS recommended on Monday that its shareholders support Newmont's takeover offer when they vote on April 4. Newmont shareholders will vote on April 11. (Reporting by Nichola Saminather Editing by Marguerita Choy and Tom Brown)
Gandaki Medical College officials, who are accused of fleecing students, still on the run

Nine administrative officials of Gandaki Medical College, including college chairman Khuma Prasad Aryal, are still on the run even weeks after a forgery case was filed against them at the Kaski District Court by the students.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation H announced plans to expand the footprint of its Hyatt Centric brand with new hotels in downtown Memphis, TN., downtown Nashville, TN., and downtown Austin, TX. These additions testify the brands solid potential. The hotels are expected to open in 2020 and 2021. The company has 26 properties in 11 countries that includes Chile, France, India, Japan, Spain and more.

Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis will be developed by a joint venture between affiliates of Hyatt and Carlisle Hotels, Inc. The construction of this 227-room hotel is likely to start in second-quarter 2019 and expected to open by the end of 2020. Meanwhile, Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville will be developed by a joint venture between Hyatt and C. B. Ragland of Nashville. This 252-room hotel is slated to open by second-quarter 2021.

Hyatt Centric hotel in downtown Austin is anticipated to open in mid-2020 and will have 233 rooms. This hotel will be solely owned by Hyatt.

The company has already opened Hyatt Centric hotels in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, downtown Portland, Ore; Midtown Atlanta; Bangalore, India; Goa, India; Lima, Peru; Brickell, Miami; and Santiago, Chile.

Expansion Strategy Bodes Well

Hyatt aims to differentiate its brands from one another by providing distinct travel experiences. The company is also consistently trying to expand its presence worldwide and has expansion plans in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

Launched in 2015, the Hyatt Centric brand is swiftly gaining momentum. It is a brand of full-service lifestyle hotels located in prime destinations, particularly catering to millennial-minded travelers. Meanwhile, the companys new signings across its brands globally have consistently outpaced its openings and this trend is expected to continue in 2019.

In 2018, Hyatt registered net room growth of 13.6% on a year-over-year basis. For 2019, it expects unit growth of roughly 7-7.5%, reflecting 80 new hotel openings.

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Price Performance

In the past three months, shares of Hyatt have gained 9.7% compared with the industrys 18.6% rally. Stocks like Extended Stay America, Inc. STAY, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation VAC and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT, which belong to the same industry, have also gained 19%, 39.5%, and 21.9%, respectively, in the same period.

Hyatt has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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By Joyce Lee

SEOUL, March 25 (Reuters) - A convoy of dozens of South Korean officials left for an inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea on Monday in a bid to maintain fragile gains in relations with Pyongyang, despite North Korea's decision to pull out of the office last week.

The liaison office in Kaesong, North Korea, was opened in September and had been one of the key developments made in the past year of detente between North Korea and South Korea.

South Korea's Unification Ministry would not explain exactly what the 64 officials would be doing at the office without their North Korean counterparts, but a spokesman said Seoul is seeking to try to "normalise" operations at the office.

In a major setback for South Korean President Moon Jae-in's attempts to engage, North Korea announced on Friday it was quitting the office, just hours after the United States imposed the first new sanctions on the North since the second U.S.-North Korea summit broke down last month.

Although South Korea did not directly link the North's move to the breakdown of the summit, after which U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not be imposing more sanctions, experts said Pyongyang's move seemed calculated to pressure South Korea into convincing the United States to ease sanctions.

"It appears to be North Korea pressuring South Korea; it could also be signalling how South Korea's role is not needed or even meaningless, or even that North Korea's announcement of a 'new path' is imminent," said Kim Dong-yub, a North Korea and military expert at Kyungnam Universitys Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul.

Several North Korean state media outlets released statements on Monday criticising Seoul for not pushing forward with inter-Korean economic projects while sanctions remain in place.

Some 39 South Korean officials and support staff with 17 vehicles left South Korea on Monday morning to work at the liaison office in the North, joining 25 South Koreans who had remained at the office over the weekend despite North Korea's pullout, South's Unification Ministry said.

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"Although the North side has pulled out of the liaison office, the embers remain, and in order to guard the embers we are going to work today as usual," Kim Chang-su, deputy chief of the liaison office, said on Monday as he left for Kaesong.

When asked what South Korean personnel will do at the office, Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said "we are operating the Kaesong office, followed by putting in efforts to normalise the liaison office" without elaborating.

There are some North Korean personnel currently in Kaesong, including from North's Central Special Zone Development Guidance General Bureau and support staff, Baik said at a press briefing on Monday. (Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Michael Perry)
Gov. Ned Lamont in January at the State Armory in Hartford.

Gov. Ned Lamont in January at the State Armory in Hartford. Photo: Michael Marciano/ALM



A Connecticut bill aimed at requiring state prosecutors to release data about their decision-making received strong support from speaker after speaker at Monday's public hearing at the State Legislative Office Building.



Nineteen people, businesses and other organizations submitted written testimony, all in favor of State Senate Bill 880: An Act Increasing Fairness and Transparency in the Criminal Justice System. The state's new governor, Democrat Ned Lamont, proposed the legislation.



The bill, which was bandied about Monday in front of the Judiciary Committee, would require the state to collect, report and publish annually on a public website information about prosecutors' decisions. That information would include statistics about case outcomes, bails, plea deals, diversionary programs, and sentencing and demographic information about who prosecutors decline or decide to prosecute. Connecticut's Division of Criminal Justice, which oversees prosecutors, is generally exempt from the state's Freedom of Information Act.



Among those providing written testimony Monday were representatives from the Division of Criminal Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union Connecticut, the Office of Chief Public Defender, several church organizations, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, Connecticut Voices for Children, and the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Every entity supported the bill, although some wanted revisions or additions.



Gus Marks-Hamilton, smart justice field organizer with the state's ACLU branch, said his group supports the measure because it demands transparency.



"This would allow lawmakers and the public to better evaluate the criminal justice system and, should it be necessary, propose evidence-based reforms to improve the system for the betterment of Connecticut residents," Marks-Hamilton said in his remarks. "Despite the enormous power that prosecutors wield, Connecticut residents have very little information about what they do."



Giving testimony on behalf of the Office of Chief Public Defender was Christine Rapillo, the state's chief public defender.



"The bill mandates that the justice system collect data so that outcomes for both the accused and the community can be tracked," Rapillo wrote. "Fairness to the accused and the victim, sentences that ensure successful reentry of convicted individuals into the community and public safety all need to be the goals of the criminal justice system. This proposal will help ensure that the system is accomplishing those goals."



Furthermore, Rapillo wrote: "Senate Bill 880 increases transparency and accountability in our criminal justice system and provides additional safeguards against unnecessary incarceration."



Speaking on behalf of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Lucy Nolan, director of policy and public relations, wrote: "We believe that collecting and analyzing data about sexual assault crimes will provide much-needed clarity about the scope of these crimes, their outcomes, and gaps in policies that need to be addressed."



Kevin Kane, the chief state's attorney for Connecticut, said his office has been pushing, since 2007, for an information technology system "to review and store information so decision-makers can make informed decisions." Kane also said that, while he supports the release of data, he added, "data can also be misunderstood and misused if not taken in context."



If the Judiciary Committee votes to pass the bill out of committee, it could be sent to yet another committee or go straight to the floor for a vote. Lamont, the one who proposed the bill, is expected to sign off on it.



According to the Connecticut ACLU, Massachusetts and Florida have passed legislation requiring state prosecutors to release data about their decision-making process. Several jurisdictions, including New York County and Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, have released racial demographic data from prosecutors' decisions.
By Joseph Ax and Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represented adult film star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with U.S. President Donald Trump, was charged on Monday with what prosecutors said was an attempt to "shake down" Nike Inc for over $20 million.

Avenatti, who was also hit with separate federal charges alleging embezzlement and fraud in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, was arrested in New York.

A subdued Avenatti, wearing a dark gray suit, sat alone at the defense table at his hearing in federal court in New York.

Prosecutors said Avenatti and another lawyer, who was not named in court papers, met with Nike's attorneys on March 19 and told them they had a client, a former amateur coach, who had evidence Nike employees had bribed top high school players to play for Nike-sponsored college teams.

The other lawyer, an unnamed co-conspirator, was identified by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, citing sources, as high-profile Los Angeles attorney and CNN contributor Mark Geragos.

Geragos did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment. A spokeswoman for CNN said that Geragos was no longer with the network.

According to the criminal complaint, Avenatti told Nike he would go public unless it paid his client $1.5 million and hired him and the other lawyer to conduct an internal investigation for between $15 million and $25 million.

Avenatti also offered to accept a $22.5 million payment for his silence, prosecutors said.

A former executive at Nike rival Adidas was recently convicted in federal court in Manhattan of participating in a similar scheme, part of a sweeping probe by prosecutors of corruption surrounding the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The case has ensnared several prominent basketball coaches.

In one call, Avenatti threatened, "I'll go take ten billion dollars off your client's market cap ... I'm not fucking around," according to the complaint.

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Geragos, who has represented celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Winona Ryder, is defending the actor Jussie Smollett, who is charged with falsely reporting he was the victim of a racially motivated attack in Chicago.

It was not clear why Geragos has not been charged in the Nike case.

'OLD-FASHIONED SHAKE-DOWN'

The charges came shortly after Avenatti said on Twitter he would hold a news conference on Tuesday to reveal "a major high school/college basketball scandal" reaching "the highest levels of Nike."

"A suit and tie does not mask the fact that, at its core, this was an old-fashioned shakedown," Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, told a news conference.

Nike said in a statement it "will not be extorted" and alerted investigators to Avenatti's demands immediately.

Federal prosecutors in California unveiled separate charges against Avenatti on Monday, accusing him of misusing a client's $1.6 million settlement to pay for his own expenses as well as those for his coffee business.

He was also charged with defrauding a Mississippi bank of $4.1 million in loans by submitting false tax returns for 2011-2013 that inflated his income.

Avenatti faces up to 30 years in prison on the most serious charge in California and up to 20 years for the top charge in New York.

He gained international notoriety for representing Daniels, the porn star whom Trump is accused of paying off during the 2016 presidential campaign to keep quiet about an alleged affair. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Daniels, 48, who is no longer represented by Avenatti, said she was "saddened but not shocked" by his arrest, adding she fired him after learning he had acted "dishonestly" with her.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax and Brendan Pierson in New York; additional reporting by Daniel Trotta and Jonathan Stempel in New York, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; editing by Bill Tarrant and Cynthia Osterman)
Malaysian government sends workers health test standards

After a wait of nearly five months, the Malaysian government has sent the migrant workers medical examination standard, which is necessary for implementation of a landmark labour deal that Nepal and Malaysia had signed in October last year.
Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin, Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney in 2018/Photo by Carmen Natale (ALM)



The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory and Expungement Modernization Act, including among its provisions expungement of past marijuana offenses to right what proponents call past social injustices, didnt have the needed 21 votes for passage in the state Senate and was pulled from the scheduled board list of bills for the upper chambers Monday voting session. The Assembly followed suit and canceled its scheduled vote on the measure as well.



Quite simply, support wasnt sufficient, and it was held for another day, another time.



While we are all disappointed that we did not secure enough votes to ensure legislative approval of the adult use cannabis bill today, we made substantial progress on a plan that would make significant changes in social policy, Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said in a statement. This fight is not over. We need to learn from this experience and continue to move forward.



Sweeney ended his statement on an optimistic note.



While this legislation is not advancing today, I remain committed to its passage, he said. The Senate was very close to 21 votes and, with more education and advocacy, I believe we will get this legislation across the finish line.



Still, the outcome is considered a blow to Gov. Phil Murphy, who made legalization of recreational marijuana a key campaign promise, one he said he had every intention of delivering, especially to minority communities that the bill was intended to help.



The governor made a last-minute pitch last week at a press conference attended by more than a dozen community activists, faith leaders, and members of law enforcement to tout the bill to legalize recreational use of marijuana for adults 21 or older, bring about vast social reform, and make minorities, women and disabled veterans key players in the new industry.



Ive started to call people in Pennsylvania. I'm running out in New Jersey, Murphy joked at the March 21 conference on how he had been working the phones to garner support for the bill.



At the news conference, Murphy alluded to the shortage of votesabout five or six in the Senate. Were not there yet, he said more than once.



On Monday, the bill was said to still be three votes short for passage.



The marijuana bill, if enacted, would have made New Jersey only the second state after Colorado to establish regulations for marijuana use as an act of the legislature, and the 11th in the nation to approve adult, recreational use of marijuana that permits the cultivation and sale of cannabis.



Central to its social reform goals, the bill would establish an expedited expungement process for individuals convicted of low-level marijuana offenses, and a virtual expungement process that would automatically prevent certain marijuana offenses from being taken into account in areas such as education, housing, and occupational licensing.



Under the bill, adult-use marijuana would be subject to an excise tax of $42 per ounce, which would be imposed when marijuana is cultivated.



Municipalities that are home to a cultivator or manufacturer would receive the revenue from a 2 percent tax on the product within their jurisdiction. Municipalities that are home to a wholesaler would receive the revenue from a 1 percent tax on the product within their jurisdiction.



A Trenton source who is close to the legislative process said that the bill was held, in part, because Sweeney would rather not have the marijuana bill drag out with lawmakers holding it hostageor as baitin the budget negotiations that have started. Sweeney had commented on the amount of horse trading that would take place if the marijuana bill and the new budget were both up for passage.



Holding the marijuana bill for another time, possibly for the lame-duck session after the November elections, where all 80 seats in the Assembly are up for grabs, seems more palatable, said the Trenton source, who asked not to be named because the source is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.



Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, shared Sweeneys disappointment and commitment to ultimately getting the legislation passed.



"Im disappointed that the Legislature was not able to secure sufficient support necessary to approve the adult-use cannabis, medicinal marijuana and expungement bills today, but this is still a historic day, Coughlin said. We moved closer to the goal than ever before.



Today does not mark the end of the process and effort," Coughlin added. "I remain committed to enacting the legislation.
* 26 of 30 stocks on Egypt's index fall * QIIB rises after increase in foreign ownership limit * Union Properties jumps after direct deal * Shuaa Capitals sees biggest intra-day gain since Dec 2014 By Ateeq Shariff March 25 (Reuters) - Egypt's index fell sharply on Monday, pulled down by its blue-chip shares, while Qatar's index was lifted by its financial stocks.

The Egyptian blue-chip index dropped 1.2 percent, with 26 of its 30 stocks declining. Egyptians were the net sellers of stocks during the session and non-Arab foreigners were the net buyers, according to data on the exchange website.

Egyptian Chemical Industries lost 5 percent and Palm Hills Development declined 4.6 percent. The former said it expects to post profit of 296.8 million Egyptian pounds ($17.21 million)on sales of 3.63 billion Egyptian pounds for the full-year 2019-2020.

Qatar's index added 0.6 percent with most of its financial stocks gaining.

Qatar International Islamic Bank added 3.5 percent, its biggest intraday gain in over a year, after its shareholders approved an increase in its foreign ownership limit to 49 percent from 25 percent.

Sharia-compliant lender Qatar Islamic Bank increased 1.5 percent. Last week, the company completed an international bond issuance of $750 million sukuk.

The Dubai index also rose 0.6 percent, with its largest lender listed-developer Emaar Properties rising 2.1 percent and its unit Emaar Malls adding 1.1 percent.

Union Properties climbed 9.4 percent after Dubai Financial Market (DFM) said that a direct deal worth 60 million dirhams ($16.34 million) was implemented on 155.5 million shares of Union Properties. DFM slid 1.7 percent in active trade.

Shuaa Capital jumped 13.4 percent - its biggest one gain since December 2014, after it said it was in talks with Abu Dhabi Financial Group on a potential merger.

The Saudi index gained 0.2 percent, with Al Rajhi Bank rising 0.8 percent and Banque Saudi Fransi increasing 1.1 percent.

The Saudi market ended the previous week at its highest in almost four years after its inclusion in the FTSE Russell's emerging-market index.

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Makkah Construction and Development Co rose 1.9 percent after the developer reported a hike in its full-year net profit.

The Abu Dhabi index was up 0.5 percent with its largest lender First Abu Dhabi Bank gaining 1.1 percent.

Eshraq Properties rose 5 percent after its board approved the cross listing of its shares on the Saudi's main Tadawul index.

But Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank slid 0.4 percent. Al Hilal Bank has made about 160 people redundant ahead of a three-way merger with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union National Bank, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Union National inched up 0.4 percent.

SAUDI ARABIA The index edged up 0.2 pct to 8,667 points ABU DHABI The index rose 0.5 pct to 5,118 points DUBAI The index added 0.6 pct to 2,634 points QATAR The index gained 0.6 pct to 9,949 points EGYPT The index fell 1.2 pct to 14,671 points KUWAIT The index was up 0.4 pct at 5,943 points OMAN The index was flat at 4,128 points BAHRAIN The index fell 0.5 pct to 1,416 points ($1 = 3.6728 UAE dirham) ($1 = 17.2500 Egyptian pounds) (Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams)
The long-awaited report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller presented no evidence incriminating President Donald Trump, according to Attorney General William Barr.

"The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election, according to a four-page summary of the report released Sunday by the Justice Department.

What Happened

Trump claimed complete and total exoneration after the summarys release, but thats not what Mueller said, according to Barr's summary.

While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, the report said.

Barr dismissed the prospect of prosecuting Trump for obstruction of justice.

The evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction of justice offense, the summary said.

The report concludes a 22-month investigation that led to the indictment and arrest of multiple Trump associates. Earlier this month, the courts sentenced ex-campaign manager Paul Manafort to 47 months in jail on fraud charges. Trump adviser Roger Stone awaits trial, and investigations are ongoing into leads from attorney Michael Cohen.

Why Its Important

Muellers findings weaken the Democratic case for impeachment, at least on the basis of the four-page summary released Sunday.

Bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down, GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Twitter.

The promise of political stability prompted an initial rally in U.S. futures, although the markets soon declined on sell-offs in Asia. Investors were heartened by the reduced risk of impeachment, which could leave Trump open to pursuing tax cuts, easing corporate regulations and negotiating concessions from China.

"This cloud has now dissipated and this should allow markets to breathe a sigh of relief," KKM Financial CEO Jeff Kilburg said, according to CNBC. "This could be a real positive for the market if it allows Trump to focus on getting the Chinese trade deal concluded."

Story continues

Whats Next

Rather than beat the collusion issue, Democrats doubled down on their latest strategy to oust Trump from office: win back the seat. Their Sunday night tweets redirected discourse toward 2020 platform topics such as gun violence, offshore oil drilling, infrastructure and health care costs.

Still, theyre not abandoning the hope of prosecution just yet. House leaders have called for Barrs testimony and the release of the full report with the intent of clarifying questions about potential obstruction of justice.

Democrats are also continuing independent investigations into the 2016 election, corruption and obstruction of justice through the House Judiciary, Oversight, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees. Reuters suggested the focus of inquiry could shift to emoluments and conflicts of interest.

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White House photo by Shealah Craighead.

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 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Mueller report is in, and its time to pass judgement.

We should all be happy. America's presidential election was not compromised by a foreign power. The electoral process was, and is, sound. It held up. Donald J. Trump won. Fair and square. That is now settled.

The president should be happy. He's been harassed for two years. Vilified constantly. And now he's been vindicated. Can we be clear: Mueller found no Trump-Russia conspiracy. No collusion.

Mr. Trump's base should be happy. Throughout this ordeal, they've stayed true. Despite the most outrageous charges, they stayed with the man they'd elected. I'm looking forward to seeing his approval rating now that the Mueller report is out.

But the media is not be happy. And if you watched certain news channels over the weekend, you would have seen that they are not just unhappy, they are apoplectic. And I saw one news anchor very close to tears!

What the media should be feeling is shame: They've thrown away their professional integrity with an orgy of Trump hatred.

And there are some Democrats who should at the very least, be embarrassed by their previous comments. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said he had "evidence" of collusion. Evidence! Really? Where is it? Robert Mueller couldn't find it. And former CIA Director John Brennan actually called the president "treasonous." Thats beyond embarrassing. Thats disgraceful!

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I believe America is done with Trump investigations.

But I don't think the president is done with what's been done to him. I said at the beginning of this editorial that Americas election system survived intact, and so it did. But it was attacked not just by a foreign power, but also by deep state rogues who attempted a coup from the inside.

Its time we got to the bottom of that! And I think the president will.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2019) - Mundoro Capital Inc. (TSXV: MUN) (www.mundoro.com) ("Mundoro" or the "Company") is pleased to announce completion of the third year exploration program with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ("JOGMEC"), on the Borsko Jezero license ("Borsko") located within the Timok Magmatic Complex ("Timok") in eastern Serbia. This exploration program is the third year of the Phase I earn-in with JOGMEC, which included primarily: (i) 57.6 line kilometers of Induced Polarization ("IP") geophysics, (ii) a gravity survey over 6 sqkm and (iii) target testing drilling of 9,090 meters over 9 drill holes in Borsko.

Teo Dechev, CEO & President of Mundoro commented, "Mundoro's exploration portfolio of targets, projects and partners is designed such that the success of the company is driven by the proven earn-in partner funding model to test targets and advance exploration of projects. The Company continues to have discussions with interested third parties seeking options on our available projects, confirming the growing interest in exploring the Tethyan Belt in Timok, Serbia as well as Bulgaria."

JOGMEC-Mundoro Exploration Program at Borsko

Borsko is one of the four licenses being sole funded by JOGMEC as part of the earn-in agreement entered into in 2016. Borsko is located directly west of the Bor copper porphyry underground mine and the Veliki Krivelj copper-gold porphyry open-pit mine, all located in the central portion of Timok. Timok is one of the most prolific metallogenic domains in the Tethyan Belt with deposits such as the Cukaru-Peki copper-gold deposit and the Bor copper porphyry underground mine and the Veliki Krivelj copper-gold porphyry open-pit mine (Figure 1: Borsko Location Map).

Teo Dechev, CEO & President of Mundoro commented, "Mundoro's management and exploration team continue to see compelling reasons for exploring the Borsko license, located in the center of Timok. Under the terms of the earn-in agreement, JOGMEC was required to spend US$4 million in Phase I while to date, JOGMEC has spent approximately US$5.09 million. JOGMEC will render a decision on whether to proceed to Phase II of the earn-in agreement in May 2019. Thereafter it will be determined final ownership percentage and how the Borsko exploration program will be advanced. Of main interest in the Borsko license is Target 1 which requires further drilling in order to test for: (i) continued lateral extent of the lithocap for high sulphidation style mineralization in the upper portion of the lithocap and (ii) a possible porphyry system responsible for the alteration and mineralization identified."

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Highlights of the Borsko Exploration Program

There is an overall continuous geophysical CSAMT anomaly for at least 1.6 km in areal extent ( Figure 2: 3D Alteration Model ) which has been partially tested. Drilling to date has identified that this CSAMT anomaly appears to be related and delineates the advanced argillic alteration (" lithocap ") under cover. The drill tested hydrothermal alteration system extends 400 m by 800 m with a thickness 500+ meters.

The alteration remains open primarily towards the north, west and south. Such alteration systems are host environments of the Bor and Cukaru-Peki high sulphidation Cu-Au deposits in the Timok region.

The lithocap contains elevated copper-gold-arsenic values which are indicative of high sulphidation style mineralization. Drill holes drilled into Target 1 intersected epithermal gold-silver mineralisation of: 1.04 g/t Au and 6.9 g/t Ag over 15 m in 17-BJ-11 (1.15 g/t AuEq) and 0.77 g/t Au and 1.9 g/t Ag over 31.2 m in 17-BJ-12 (0.85 g/t AuEq)

At the bottom of the lithocap, weak potassic alteration was identified which suggests potential for porphyry style mineralization may be present beyond the immediate area drill tested to date.

Target 1 Analysis

Target 1 was discovered as a result of the 2017 drilling program, which was focused on testing targets defined by structural and geophysical interpretations. The first hole in this program, BJ-06, discovered advanced argillic alteration system hosted in andesite beneath 550 m of volcanic cover at Target 1. Target 1 is identified as an undercover lithocap which can be indicative of, and has the potential to host: (i) high sulphidation copper-gold mineralization and (ii) porphyry copper-gold mineralization. The lithocap has the following features:

The uppermost 500 m - 800 m of Target 1 area is a weakly altered volcanic unit. At the bottom of this volcanic unit the transition zone appears with trace pyrite in chlorite-smectite and partially overprinted by kaolinite.

It is in the top of the lithocap where marked concentrations of anomalous metal values occur suggesting that this is the likely location of high sulphidation mineralisation as exampled by Bor and Cukaru-Peki deposits which are located in this central region of Timok.

The lithocap is approximately 400 m - 600+ m thickness of pervasive quartz-kaolinite-dickite alteration containing medium to strong semi-massive pyrite. Pyrophyllite and alunite are also present together with small bodies of vuggy residual quartz. These alteration assemblages confirm typical acid environment which host high sulphidation mineralization.

In the deepest holes at ~1,200 m, the advanced argillic alteration transitions abruptly downwards to chlorite-bearing andesite, interspersed with patches containing remnant biotite of hydrothermal origin and minor epidote. This may be considered as weakly developed potassic alteration, suggesting that the porphyry intrusion that supplied the magmatic fluid for this alteration lies beyond the immediate area drill tested to date.

Copper and gold values are elevated in many parts of the advanced argillic zones and the underlying chlorite-biotite zones. Elevated copper values are either present as energite (e.g. 17-BJ-07, 1033 m) or fine sulphides, but in the chlorite-biotite zone as chalcopyrite (e.g. 17-BJ-07, appears from 1250 m and 19-BJ-20 at 890 m).

The drill core observations, aided by spectral alteration mapping, were able to identify vertically and laterally zoned alteration to be used as a vector towards mineralised "hot spots" of the hydrothermal system (Figure 2). Based on the vertical and lateral zonation of the lithocap, the system remains open in the following directions:

There is an overall a continuous geophysical CSAMT anomaly for at least 1.6 km in areal extent which has been partially tested. Drilling to date has identified that this CSAMT anomaly appears to be related and delineates the lithocap under cover.

In the northwestern direction, drill hole 18-BJ-18 intersected advanced argillic alteration which is characterised and dominated by fine-grained silicification with strong disseminated pyrite and minor kaolinite.

Towards the northeast, as indicated in hole 19-BJ-20, the advanced argillic alteration abruptly transitions to quartz-magnetite-biotite (weak potassic) alteration at 859 m containing trace chalcopyrite and a quartz-molybdenite vein.

Westwards and Southwards, the alteration package remains open as the drill hole depths of holes BJ-09 (to the west) and BJ-10 (to the south) were unable to conclude if the alteration extends in these directions and as such, follow up deeper drilling is required to test for extension of the lithocap in these two directions.

Eastwards, the advanced argillic alteration zone, appears to weaken to chlorite-smectite with pyrite as observed in 18-BJ-13.

At depth, transition to weak potassic alteration containing weak quartz veining with trace chalcopyrite suggests potential for porphyry style mineralization in the vicinity.

Other Targets Tested in the JOGMEC Exploration Program

Approximately 2,000 meters to the south of Target 1, the South Target was tested which identified a heavily faulted zone of pyrite-bearing chlorite-smectite-kaolinite alteration for an interval of 184 m in drill hole 18-BJ-19, indicating a possible periphery of another Borsko-type lithocap.

Located approximately 2,000 m to the north-northeast of Target 1, Target 5 was tested with three drill holes 18-BJ-14, 18-BJ-15 and 18-BJ-17 to test the west-northwest fault that runs through the area of Target 5 and appears to also be cutting through the vicinity of the Bor mine 4 km to the east. Trace of chalcocite and remnant of covellite and chalcopyrite mineralisation, as well as disseminated native copper were observed within the hornblende-feldspar andesite.

For further description of the Borkso geology see Mundoro's press release dated December 18, 2017 at www.mundoro.com.

Drilling, Sampling, Analysis and Quality Assurance and Control

The drilling technique was triple tubed diamond drilling from surface for PQ and HQ, while for NQ was double tubed. The drill holes were generally cased from surface progressing from PQ to HQ at 380m on average, however exact depths vary from hole to hole. Drill hole orientations were surveyed at approximately 30 meters intervals. Drill core was oriented using the Reflex EZ-Trac and Devico Pee Wee tools, the bottom of the core was marked by the drillers and this was used for marking the whole drill core with reference lines. Company personnel monitored the drilling, with drill core delivered daily to the Company's core storage facility where it was logged, cut and sampled.

Core recovery was measured and recorded continuously from the top to the end of the hole for every drill hole. Each run of 3m length was marked by plastic core block which provided the depth drilled. Core recovery is recorded as 99.4-100% in most intervals.

The drill core was sawn into two along drill core orientation line using a core-cutter and left half looking downhole was collected in bag and submitted for analysis, the other half is kept in tray and stored. Samples were collected at one or two-meter lengths from mineralised intervals and every fifteen meters one sample of two-meter lengths from non-mineralised intervals with brakes for major geological changes. The samples were submitted to SGS managed laboratory in Bor, Serbia for sample preparation and analysis. Drill core samples are assayed using 50-grams charge for fire assay with atomic absorption finish and multi-element method 4 acid digestion ICP-AES package IMS40B.

In addition to the laboratory's internal QA/QC procedures, the Company conducted its own QA/QC with the systematic inclusion of certified reference materials every 20 samples, blank samples every 20 samples and field duplicates at every 25 samples.

Qualified Person

Technical information contained in this Press Release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. G. Magaranov, P. Geo., Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

On behalf of the Company,

Teo Dechev, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

About Mundoro Capital Inc.

Mundoro is a Canadian mineral exploration and development public company focused on building value for its shareholders through directly investing in mineral projects that have the ability to generate future returns for shareholders. The Company holds a portfolio of projects in Serbia and Bulgaria as well as an investment in a producing gold mine in Bulgaria. There are eight licenses in Serbia, four of which are optioned to JOGMEC, two licenses are optioned to Freeport-McMoRan Exploration Corporation and two licenses are available for joint venture. In Bulgaria, Mundoro has formed a Generative Alliance with JOGMEC. Mundoro's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MUN".

For further information please contact:

Teo Dechev, CEO, President and Director of Mundoro Capital Inc. at +1-604-669-8055

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This News Release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe" or "continue" or similar words or the negative thereof, and include the following: completion of the earn-in expenditures and options by JOGMEC; and completion of a definitive joint venture agreement by the parties. The material assumptions that were applied in making the forward looking statements in this News Release include expectations as to the mineral potential of the Timok North Properties, the Company's future strategy and business plan and execution of the Company's existing plans. We caution readers of this News Release not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements contained in this News Release, as there can be no assurance that they will occur and they are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include general economic and market conditions, exploration results, commodity prices, changes in law, regulatory processes, the status of Mundoro's assets and financial condition, actions of competitors and the ability to implement business strategies and pursue business opportunities. The forward-looking statements contained in this News Release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this News Release are made as of the date of this News Release and the Board undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and for a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Figure 1: Borsko Drill Hole Location Map

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Figure 2: 3D Alteration Model



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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43630
All new Datsun Go launched in Nepal with advanced tech

Pioneer Moto Crop, the authorised distributor of Datsun vehicles in Nepal has rolled out three new variants of the Datsun Go. The all new Datsun Go will now be available in three trimsGo A(0), Go (T) and Go T(0) ,with prices starting from Rs2.49 million.
(Bloomberg) -- Naspers Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Bob van Dijk has been working for years to solve a problem rivals might envy  getting investors to value his South African firm nearer to its $133 billion stake in Tencent Holdings Ltd. A plan for a Dutch listing is his boldest step yet.

By carving out its international internet businesses, including the 31 percent holding in the Chinese tech giant, for a listing on Euronext Amsterdam, van Dijk hopes to tap a bigger pool of capital and shrink a discount thats been worsened by Naspers outsize presence on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

This will be the largest consumer internet business, in Europe and the third-largest company on the Amsterdam exchange, van Dijk said in a phone interview, noting that he expects to attract 2 billion euros ($2.26 billion) of investment just from index funds. The value of the Naspers offspring would likely trail only Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Unilever NV on the Dutch market.

The move makes sense, and might narrow the gap between Naspers 1.42 trillion rand ($100 billion) market capitalization and the Tencent stake, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst John Davies. But the bigger challenge for van Dijk will be to show that the firm can strike gold with more of its investments.

The transfer doesnt indicate whether Naspers can demonstrate a track record of investment success after the transaction, Davies said in a note.

Naspers might have remained a little-known publisher of newspapers and operator of pay-TV services if not for the decision in 2001 to invest $32 million in an obscure Chinese web firm. While the success of the Tencent investment made Naspers the most valuable company in Africa, its market cap suggests investors assign no worth to its other businesses.

Naspers quandary is similar to those faced by other companies that made hugely successful investments in technology startups that eventually overshadowed their operating businesses, such as the winning bets Yahoo! Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp. made on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

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Van Dijk, CEO since 2014, has focused much of his attention on India and Europe and on e-commerce, delivery and online payments in his search for the next brightest ideas. He has about $9 billion of cash to spend after he trimmed Naspers stake in Tencent last year and received proceeds from the sale of Indian e-commerce startup Flipkart to Walmart Inc.

Mail.ru, Swiggy

Among the holdings in internet businesses that will be included in the Amsterdam-listed entity are Russian social network Mail.ru, German food delivery business Delivery Hero and Indian e-commerce startup Swiggy. Naspers will still control the new internet unit by keeping a 75 percent stake, with the remainder making up its free float.

The carve-out alone may not be enough to give Naspers the valuation bump van Dijk is seeking. The shares slumped 1.6 percent in Johannesburg. Tencent dropped 3 percent in Hong Kong.

Ken Rumph, an analyst at Jefferies Group LLC in London, said in an email that Naspers investment record outside of Tencent has been good, but that the company will continue to struggle to persuade investors to value its management of assets at anything other than a discount.

Still, the value of the newly listed company, yet to be named, could bump up against Europes largest tech firm, German software developer SAP SE, which has a market capitalization of 121 billion euros.

Too Big

Some investors have encouraged van Dijk to pursue listings, and he said on Monday he will look at other opportunities. His separation of pay-TV company MultiChoice this month focused Naspers entirely on consumer internet businesses.

Van Dijk said he chose Amsterdam partly because its a great place to attract talent. The listing requirements are very similar to Johannesburg and the company can keep the same management and board. Naspers executives are largely based in the Netherlands and travel extensively, as they seek to replicate the Tencent bet.

Amsterdam has become attractive to companies as Brexit uncertainties weigh on the U.K., including listings on the London Stock Exchange.

Thanks to its Tencent holding, Naspers accounts for almost a quarter of the Johannesburg exchanges benchmark index, up from 5 percent just five years ago. As a result, many South African institutional investors have had to sell the shares because the weighting exceeds their limit for single stock holdings, the company said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Loni Prinsloo in Johannesburg at lprinsloo3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, Frank Connelly

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2019 / One World Ventures Inc. (OWVI) is in a great position to move forward as the 2019 hemp growing season approaches. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) formulates their Regulations for federally regulated hemp production in the USA, the Navajo Nation San Juan River Farm Board (the "Board") is keeping in compliance with its current Rules. The USDA also confirmed that any Rules they release for the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, and distribution of industrial hemp will not be implemented until the 2020 growing season.

"As a large investor in the development of the Navajo Nation Cannabis Campus, our subsidiary Aqueous Sciences and our partner Native America Agricultural Company are gaining strides in the industrial hemp industry, as well as inspiring positive change in this large, native community," Stated DaMu Lin, CEO, OWVI. "Health and safety of consumers is the number one concern for us and we assure that all compliance and monitoring obligations are being met."

The new 2018 Farm Bill which includes Tribal Nations and requires them to have Regulations in place that include procedures for information collection, land use, testing, effective disposal of plants & products and compliance with law enforcement, annual inspections and submission of data to the USDA. The Board has already prepared and included this information into all their updated Regulations, Applications, and Forms required to join the Navajo Nation Cannabis Campus and to register for a license. The American Indian Agricultural Regulatory Agency (AIARA) will be regulating and monitoring the Regulations for the Navajo Nation empowered by the Board.

"As a Sovereign Tribal Nation, we are self-governed, but have modeled our Rules after the proposed criteria set out in the 2018 Farm Bill which for the first time includes Tribal Nations," Said Dineh Benally, President of the Board. "We are in support of these Rules and have already submitted our Hemp Regulations to the USDA for approval to retain our primary regulatory authority over hemp and cannabis production on our native lands."

Story continues

For more information, visit

www.oneworldventuresinc.com

www.nativeamericanagriculture.com

www.aqueousic.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Amy Walters-Flagg

Tel: 702-331-9700

Email: info@owvi1997.com

SOURCE: One World Ventures Inc





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A North Korean dissident group is selling post-liberation blockchain visas to visit the country after tyrant Kim Jong-un is overthrown. Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) is issuing 200,000 G-Visas to visit Free Joseon  the name the group has chosen for the Stalinist nation post-liberation. At time of publication, 64 of the visas have been sold for one Ethereum ($135) for a total of around $8,640. CCD today announced that traffic is exceeding the expected capacity and the visas will go on sale once they have updated their infrastructure. A statement on the website reads: To this day, tens of millions of comrades remain powerless slaves of a fallen regime. We declare the establishment of Free Joseon. This interim government establishes

A North Korean dissident group is selling post-liberation blockchain visas to visit the country after tyrant Kim Jong-un is overthrown.

Cheollima Civil Defense (CCD) is issuing 200,000 G-Visas to visit Free Joseon  the name the group has chosen for the Stalinist nation post-liberation.

At time of publication, 64 of the visas have been sold for one Ethereum ($135) for a total of around $8,640.

CCD today announced that traffic is exceeding the expected capacity and the visas will go on sale once they have updated their infrastructure.

A statement on the website reads: To this day, tens of millions of comrades remain powerless slaves of a fallen regime.

We declare the establishment of Free Joseon.

This interim government establishes the basis for building a country that respects human rights and humanitarianism and respects the honour and dignity of all women, men, and children.

This government is a single and just organisation representing the people of North Korea.

Tyranny

Earlier this month, CCD allegedly broke into Madrids North Korean embassy, reports the Washington Post.

A group of masked intruders reportedly tied up eight staff and held them hostage for two hours before taking mobile phones and computers and escaping.

According to Amnesty International, North Korea is one of the most oppressive societies in the world.

Torture, forced abortions, and murder are reportedly frequently committed by the state, and up to 120,000 people are detained in political prison camps.

Restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of movement are severe.

For more news, guides, and cryptocurrency analysis, click here.

The post North Korean rebels sell blockchain visas for visits once Kim Jong-un is overthrown appeared first on Coin Rivet.
By Barani Krishnan

Investing.com - The rally in oil seems stuck with nowhere to go.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude and U.K. Brent oil barely moved in Monday's trade as recession worries gripped the market a week after what seemed to be unstoppable momentum for oil bulls from an OPEC vowing not to stop production cuts until it had drained the market of excessive supply.

WTI settled down 22 cents, or 0.4%, at $58.82 per barrel.

Brent, the global oil benchmark, rose 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $66.88 at 2:50 PM ET (18:50 GMT).

The net-long position held by hedge funds and other money managers in U.S. oil rose last week to its largest level since the end of August, a sign that prices could continue climbing over the next six months helped by OPEC production cuts and virtual halt in Venezuelan crude exports to the United States.

Yet some pointed to active producer hedging after WTI's climb last week to $60 per barrel, a move that on paper could be a strong neutralizer to the global supply draining efforts of OPEC.

"The market is getting longer from the CTAs and perhaps some oil-related buying, but its just not enough to offset the selling in the market," Scott Shelton, energy futures broker at ICAP (LON:NXGN) in Durham, N.C., said.

Global financial markets were mired in illiquid trading on Monday after weak factory data from the United States, Europe and Japan triggered a selloff in U.S. equities on Friday and also led to the inversion of Treasury yield curve for the first time since 2007.

Yields on U.S. 10-year Treasury yields rose slightly on Monday after data showed German business morale improved unexpectedly in March, but spreads between U.S. three-month and 10-year Treasury yields modestly inverted as the session progressed.

"The further flattening of the Treasury yield curve as a signal of recession on the way, (and) means global oil demand could be slowing, said Dominick Chirichella, director of risk and trading for oil at the Energy Management Institute in New York,

Story continues

Despite Monday's anemic trade, WTI was on track to end March up more than 3%, while Brent showed a gain of over 1%. Year to date, the U.S crude benchmark has a 29% gain, while its U.K. peer is up almost 24%.

OPEC cuts aside, huge back-to-back declines of nearly 14 million barrels in U.S. crude stocks over the past two weeks have provided the oil markets a big sentiment boost. Some, however, said the recession worries may still have a bigger impact on the market.

"U.S. inventories are the key to finding new buying, but I struggle to think these draws are going to continue with the balancing item so far out whack," Shelton added.

Petromatrix, an energy consultancy in Zug, Switzerland, agreed, saying: "Crude oil futures are trading the tightening of the weekly (supply) report(s), but holding to those gains has proved to be difficult."

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Investing.com - Oil prices fell on Monday in Asia amid concerns of a broadening global economic slowdown which could threaten demand for crude.

U.S. Crude Oil WTI Futures fell 0.8% to $58.56 by 1:00 AM ET (05:00 GMT). International Brent Oil Futures was down 0.7% to $66.31.

Fears of a more widespread global slowdown escalated on Friday after manufacturing data from Germany showed a contraction for the third straight month. In the U.S., preliminary measures of manufacturing and services activity for March showed both sectors grew at a slower pace than in February.

The underwhelming data exacerbated worries over slowing global growth prospects and energy demand.

Investor sentiment was further hit following the appearance of an inverted yield curve - a possible signal of an upcoming recession.

The last time the spread between the 3-month Treasury bill and the 10-year note went negative was in 2006, right before the economic downturn that began in the following year.

Looking ahead, the American Petroleum Institute is set to publish its weekly update on U.S. oil supplies on Tuesday, while the Energy Information Administration (EIA) will release its weekly report on oil stockpiles the following day.

The EIA reported that U.S. crude supplies unexpectedly fell by nearly 10 million barrels last week, the most since July, thanks to strong export and refining demand.

Elsewhere, trade talks between the U.S. and China will also keep investors on their toes, as U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other members of the Trump administration head to Beijing this week for another round of trade discussions. Earlier reports suggested that the two sides are hoping to reach a trade deal by the end of April.

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Frank Fina attends a news conference at the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office on Jan. 27, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)



The Pennsylvania Office of Disciplinary Counsel has asked the state Disciplinary Board to recommend a public censure for former Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina for alleged improper questioning of Penn State's former general counsel during the investigation of serial child molester Jerry Sandusky and several university administrators.



The attorney for the ODC made the argument Monday before a three-member panel of the Disciplinary Board, contending that Fina broke a disciplinary rule prohibiting attorneys from subpoenaing other lawyers to testify about their clients without first obtaining judicial approval.



Specifically, disciplinary counsel argued that Fina misled grand jury Judge Barry Feudale in the hopes of gaining the judge's approval to question former Pennsylvania State University general counsel Cynthia Baldwin.



"He stood on his head to convince Judge Feudale, and then he turned around and questioned her about her clients," ODC attorney Amelia C. Kittredge said, adding that she wanted the board to recommend a public censure for the alleged conduct.



Fina's attorney, Dennis McAndrews, however, said the board failed to provide any evidence to back up its claims, and that Fina obtained judicial approval twice before questioning Baldwin.



"Any one of us is at risk if this is what it takes to put your professional license and career in jeopardy," McAndrews said.



The ODC's request comes nearly four months after a three-member hearing committee of the Disciplinary Board recommended that Fina not face any charges over the allegedly improper conduct.



Fina became well-known for handling the case against convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, and he also helped build the case against three Penn State officials who were later convicted of child endangerment charges in connection with Sanduskys conduct.



The disciplinary charges against Fina stem from an October 2012 hearing into whether state prosecutors could call Baldwin to testify before an investigating grand jury. Baldwin had appeared before the investigating grand jury when the former university officials, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz and Graham Spanier, had testified.



The matter was the subject of a contentious hearing before the Disciplinary Board's three-member hearing committee in June. The hearing included several hostile exchanges between attorneys and a witness, and one of Finas lawyers saying that a statement made by disciplinary counsel was defamatory and scandalous.



The hearing committee ultimately recommended in January that Fina not face any discipline over the alleged conduct, finding instead that the ODC failed to prove that Fina had issued the subpoena seeking Baldwin's testimony.



The subpoena at issue does not bear respondents name as the requesting deputy attorney general, but that of his superior, Bruce Beemer. The ODC did not offer any evidence that respondent issued the subpoena to Ms. Baldwin or even caused it to be issued, the hearing committee's report said.



Monday's proceedings were before a Disciplinary Board panel that consisted of James Haggerty of Haggerty, Goldberg, Schleifer & Kupersmith, Martson Law Offices attorney David Fitzsimons and Tioga County Judge Robert Repard. Following the hearing Monday, the Disciplinary Board should make its final recommendation to the Supreme Court. It will be up to the justices to decide what disciplinary measures Fina should ultimately face.



Before the panel Monday, McAndrews said the fact that a subpoena was issued requesting Baldwin's testimony and the fact that a hearing took place before Feudale regarding what questions Fina would ask meant he could not be found to have violated the disciplinary rules. But Haggerty and Fitzsimons focused several questions on what representations Fina made to Feudale during the hearing.



McAndrews responded that Baldwin agreed to waive any potential privilege, and that Fina agreed not to question Baldwin about how Spanier, Schultz or Curley prepared to come before the grand jurya promise McAndrew said Fina kept.



Fitzsimons, however, noted that the Pennsylvania Superior Court came to a different conclusion in its 2016 decision that dismissed several criminal charges against the ex-Penn State administrators due to conduct that occurred during the grand jury proceedings.
Ansaris rival seeks interim order not to let him continue his work

In his writ petition, Salam has claimed that Ansari was appointed just because he was a central committee member of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and his name was enlisted in the closed Proportional Representation list of the erstwhile CPN UML, which contradicts the principle that all officials of the commissions must be independent and not affiliated to any party.
The dust has only just begun to settle. Based on Special Counsel Robert Muellers specific finding of no collusion that should be the end of the day on that. The curious way he and (separately?) the Attorney General handled the obstruction case, though, is still up for grabs. And it will probably await their testimony before the Congress. And testify, Mueller surely will. Attorney General William Barr has already been called.



But the talking heads havent much been talking about why Mueller didnt insistif necessary, by grand jury subpoenathat the president give his own oral account to Mueller, or to his grand jury. Why did Mueller let him off the hook in this regard? Did he fear he would lose a constitutional fight? Maybe. Did he fear the unseemliness of such a battle with a sitting president? Who knows? Nonetheless, those issues will apply solely to an investigation of the president of the United States.



Still, it was the decision of Trumps lawyers to hold the line on this critical strategy callmaybe even overruling their own unruly clientthat undoubtedly saved the day for the president himself. Anyone who has ever watched him talk even for a few minutes knows that had he testified or been interviewed he would have admitted far too much, misrepresented, distorted, or just lied if compelled to give his account to a questioning prosecutor with half a brain.



At bottom, though, theres a lesson here for every client who tells his lawyer that if he doesnt agree to an interview or to testify that everyone, including the prosecutor, will conclude that hes a guilty man. Most criminal lawyers with any experience have a No Interview, No Testimony placard as item Number One in their defense playbook. And, oftentimes, they will have to fight with the client to have their way on this decisive issue. It is likely that Rudy Giuliani, for all of his shortcomings, probably had to do that with the president, astonishingly going so far as to tell the press that he would literally throw himself in front of the president to stop him from testifying. Not uncommon, many lawyers take the public fall for the client, by announcing that My client truly wanted to testifyhe has nothing to hidebut it was my decision and it was I who said no. But these are battles worth having and positions critical to the clients defense and salvation.



As recent prosecutions related to the Mueller investigation and the litany of high-profile prosecutions preceding them proves beyond any doubt, the risks attendant to having your client subject himself to an interview with a prosecutor are great, and the rewards often pale in comparison. A failed interview can result in the client being charged with providing false or misleading information, in addition to which the client has locked himself into a version of events and hamstrung his ability to proactively defend himself at trial. With the recent decisions in SEC v. Herrera (2017 WL 6041750 (S.D. Fla. Dec. 5, 2017)) and In re Grand Jury Investigations (2017 WL 4898143 (D.D.C. Oct. 2, 2017)), added to this already foreboding list is the risk of waiving the attorney-client privilegeparticularly when it is the attorney that opts to meet with the government in place of the client.



What is most telling is a message deriving from this investigation for virtually every target vacillating over whether to accept his lawyers knee jerk, playbook advice to remain silent. That is, no one, not the talking heads of the media or even the most strident members of the Democratic Party, have argued so far that the reason why Mueller came to no conclusion that the president committed a crime was likely because Mueller did not gain the pleasure of Trumps company in an interview chair opposite him or in a grand jury room.



In truth, no one seems particularly bothered by that. A lawyers decision to have his client Take The Fifth or decline an office interview seems, today, almost de rigueoror if not, it should be. Thankfully, weve come a long way from the days of Senator Joe McCarthy. Everyoneespecially prosecutorsnowadays expects the Fifth or an interview declination. If we were asked by a prosecutor to interview our clients tomorrow, wed simply say this: If its good enough for the president, its good enough for my client.



Sound glib? Sure. Still, preferable indeed to an interview or testimony that risks damaging admissions, or alternatively perjury or false statement charges. Thank you, Mr. President!



Joel Cohen, a former prosecutor, practices white-collar criminal defense law at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan and is the author of Blindfolds Off: Judges on How They Decide. Gerald B. Lefcourt practices criminal defense law in New York City. He is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Lawyers; a founder of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; and founder and past president of the New York Criminal Bar Association.
A pile of coins sit next to a jar full of coins and topped with a graduation cap.

Image source: Getty Images.

If you want to invest for long-term financial goals, then setting up a brokerage account is a great way to get started. But there are also some special tax-favored accounts that are specifically designed to help people save for college. These college savings plans, called 529 plans because of the section of the Internal Revenue Code that created them, allow you to invest money tax-free -- and withdraw funds without paying income tax, so long as they go toward qualified education expenses.



Before you jump into a 529 plan, though, it's important to know all the features that make these college savings accounts special. Just as choosing the right broker is a vital step in any savings plan, picking the best 529 plan can give you big advantages over choosing an ordinary college savings plan. Below you'll learn the most important things you need to know about 529 college savings plans.

You should use 529 money only for eligible educational expenses

Most of the time, investors have to pay taxes on the income and gains on their investments. But 529 plans let you save and invest on a tax-free basis. Theres a catch, though: The government wants you to use the money in a 529 plan only for eligible educational expenses. These include tuition and required fees for students, as well as room and board if the student is enrolled at least half-time in a college program. Typically, you can also use 529 plan money to pay for supplies for classes, including calculators and software products that are required for your course of study.



In the tax reform package that passed at the end of 2017, 529 plans were expanded to allow for spending on educational expenses for K-12 schooling. Now you can withdraw up to $10,000 per year to go toward those elementary or secondary school tuition expenses.



If you take money out of a college savings plan that doesn't qualify, you'll owe tax on the income withdrawn, as well as a 10% penalty. That's designed to keep you from misusing the 529 plan, and it's enough of a disincentive to lead most parents to follow the rules.

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Not all 529 plans are the same

There are dozens of different 529 college savings plans available. Most of them are offered directly through state government entities because of the specific wording of the federal law that allows 529 plans to exist, and every state except Wyoming has its own 529 plan. There are also some plans that aren't affiliated with a particular state.



529 plans have limited menus of investment options that you can choose from, usually consisting of mutual funds. Some plans leave it up to the investor to decide how to allocate money, while others use funds that automatically adjust the portfolio's asset allocation according to the student's age and how much time is left before the student begins college. For example, an age-based investment option might be invested mostly in aggressive investments like stocks while beneficiaries are at least 10 years away from starting college, but then gradually shift toward less volatile investments like bonds as students enter their teens.



There are also big differences in the fees that various 529 plans charge. Some states are well-known for their low-cost investment options, while other states' plans charge you relatively high fees for providing the investment funds, leaving less money in your college savings. In general, there's little reason to go with a high-cost 529 plan, and the lower the fees, the more your account will grow and help you cover college costs.

You don't have to use your state's 529, but doing so may be worth your while

Some people think that because their home state offers a 529 college savings plan, they're required to use it. That's not the case, and most 529 plans allow residents of any state to invest in their plans.



However, some 529 plans offer incentives to in-state residents. For example, states commonly offer a state income tax deduction for residents' contributions to their state 529 plans (though there are caps on those deductions). Those deductions typically aren't available if you contribute to another state's college savings plan. If your state offers such a tax break, you should compare how much you'll save on your taxes with how much more your home state's 529 plan charges in fees than the lowest-cost options available nationwide. If the tax benefits are greater, then sticking with your home-state 529 plan will be worth it.

Contribution limits on 529 plans are high, but there are gift tax considerations

Those who are familiar with tax-favored retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k) plans, know that these accounts have fixed contribution limits. With 529 plans, each plan sets its own lifetime contribution limit, but they tend to be high -- $200,000 or more in most states.



However, there are some other limits to pay attention to. If you make a contribution to a 529 plan, then you're treated as making an immediate gift to the student you name as beneficiary of the account. That's not a problem if the amount you contribute is less than the annual gift tax exclusion amount, which is $15,000 for 2019. However, larger gifts require you to file gift tax returns -- and even though you likely won't actually owe tax because of the unified lifetime gift and estate tax credit, it's nevertheless a consideration you should take into account when deciding when and how much to contribute to a 529 college savings account.

Be smart about your college savings plan

If you want to save for college, then opening a 529 college savings plan account makes a lot of sense. By keeping in mind all the details discussed above, you'll be able to identify the best 529 plan accounts out there and open one that will meet your needs while minimizing the expenses you'll have to pay in order to get the tax benefits of the plan.

The Motley Fool owns and recommends MasterCard and Visa, and recommends American Express. Were firm believers in the Golden Rule. If we wouldnt recommend an offer to a close family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Ascent either. Our number one goal is helping people find the best offers to improve their finances. That is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.






Steven Schain

Steven Schain



Envision managing the risk of a volatile, staggeringly lucrative, 100-percent federally legal enterprise? Toss in ridiculously inconsistent federal, state and local regulations, insanely evolving technologies and efficiencies and an industrywide disinclination to ever "play by the rules."



However, when armed with decent risk management fundamentals, a marijuana-related business can diminish most horrible outcomes, fortify the enterprise's sustained growth and maybe even get rich along the way.



Risk management is the identification, evaluation and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical resources applications that minimize, monitor and control unfortunate events' probability or impact.



Although denied many standard "risk management tools" (like credit cards, bankruptcy law protection and federal patents and trademarks), assembling a "risk management insurance, accounting and legal advisory team" could prevent an insufficiently prepared marijuana-related businesses from foundering.





Indentifying Loss Exposure





With Corona brewer and Robert Mondavi wine producer Constellation Brands Inc. investing $3.88 billion in grower Canopy Growth Corp., the Wall Street Journal valuing 2018's U.S. legal marijuana sales at $10.2 billion, and marijuana stocks trading on Canadian exchanges, cannabis is officially big business and in dire need of risk management.



However, due to marijuana's 100-percent federal illegality, even more is at risk and fewer, and less effective, risk management tools are available. The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 prohibits marijuana's manufacture, distribution, dispensation and possession and lists it next to heroin as a Schedule I controlled substance having "a high potential for abuse," 21 U.S.C. Sections 801, Et. Seq (1970) (Controlled Substance Act). Thus, claims may be brought against anyone in the marijuana industry's supply chain touching the item prior to sale to the consumer; i.e., anyone planting, cultivating, harvesting, processing/extracting, testing, packaging, disposing, transporting and dispensing marijuana (hereafter, collectively referred to as marijuana-related businesses or MRBs). Due to this federal illegality, many standard risk management tools are denied to MRBslike credit cards, bankruptcy law protection and federal patents and trademarks.



Risk management is the process of anticipating losses and developing a plan to survive them through: identifying each loss exposure (such as being sued for a defective product); evaluating each loss exposure's frequency and severity; weighing, then selecting, each exposure-managing technique; deploying exposure-managing techniques; and reviewing evaluating and improving a risk-management plan.



A marijuana-related business' "loss-causing-events universe" encompasses: people (owners, investors, employees, customers and vendors); property (buildings, equipment, crops, inventory, vehicles, data, cash, intellectual property); and profits.



Although people are a marijuana-related business' most valuable asset, and their welfare is the first priority, even the most safety-conscious businesses experience job-related injuries costing thousands in medical expenses and lost productivity. Through enacting safety plans and rigorous employee training, accidents' frequency and severity can be minimized, employee health and welfare can be protected and workers compensation insurance coverage premiums can be stabilized. Similarly, to prevent a dying investor's ownership transferring to a less than cooperative relative, MRBs could obligate owners to execute buy-sell agreements requiring their survivors to sell the decedent's portion to the surviving partners.



Unlike people, damaged or destroyed property can be repaired and replaced and its "useful life" can be accurately anticipated and amortized. Unfortunately, due to federal prohibition, MRBs are denied many standard insurances (like crop or cash exceeding $25,000), federal trademark and patent protection, and banking and credit card services.



Marijuana-related businesses' profits and valuation create the greatest vulnerability and regulatory fines and penalties, business interruption and lawsuits impose the most perilous risk. Because they endure federal, state and local regulations, MRBs are vulnerable to fines and penalties from federal agencies (including the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration), state agencies (Pennsylvania Department of Health's Office of Medical Marijuana), and each municipality and borough in which they operate.



"Business interruption loss" is where an event halts an MRB's operations like a wildfire's soot and ash wiping out a grower's crops immediately prior to harvest. Before the ensuing revenue-generating grow cycle is completed, employees, utilities and rent still require payment and, unless it has six months of cash to survive a revenue less 180-day period, a marijuana-related businesses could get crushed.



Lawsuits range from a single plaintiff seeking damages to class actions in which an entire group of claimants seek compensation. Each year defective, faulty or misused products cause serious injuries and property damage. Although primarily seeking remuneration for personal injury, property damage, or economic harm, products liability claims may also seek punitive relief to punish the defendant and redress harms allegedly done to society. Defending litigation or settling claims can materially drain a company's resources requiring additional regulatory requirement compliance, developing/disseminating product warnings, instituting a product recall, deploying employee time to investigate/mitigate claims, investigating/testing products and assessing risk and hiring expert consultants.





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Assembling a Risk Management Team





Because even the most standard loss could crash insufficiently prepared MRBs, assembling a "risk management insurance, accounting and legal advisory team" is critical.



First, before the business launches, choosing an industry-appropriate insurer and coverage is mandatory and, due to the specificity of the regulations governing cannabis production cycles, extraction and infusion, waste disposal, and finished products, managing a marijuana-related business insurance needs requires understanding the most precarious exposures.



Specialized coverage is needed for growing operations (indoor, outdoor, greenhouse), extractors, product infusers and manufactures, dispensaries (HIPPA compliance and cash management), transporters (product and cash), testing labs, commercial landlords and property managers and security providers. Additionally, because critical differences exist between the provided coverage (much of which contain troubling exclusions), specialized coverage is required for standard areas like general liability, property, workers' compensation, professional liability, directors and officers, employment practices liability, crop, cybersecurity and data breach, motor truck cargo, stock throughput and crime and employee dishonesty



Second, choosing a certified public accountant (CPA) familiar with the cannabis industry, the thousands of pages of Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) regulations and, most importantly, Section 280E of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is a game changer.



Pursuant to Section 280E, the IRS forbids MRBs from deducting otherwise ordinary business expenses from gross income associated with trafficking Controlled Substance Act's Schedule 1 substances like marijuana, see 21 U.S.C. Sections 801, Et. Seq (1970); 26 U.S.C. Section 280E (No deduction  shall be allowed for any amount paid  in carrying on any trade or business if such business  consists of trafficking in controlled substances ).



Thus, because it prohibits claiming any tax deduction other than costs of goods sold (i.e., direct expenses attributable to the production of products sold by a company), Section 280E denies a marijuana-related business from claiming typical retail business deductions like rent, utilities and maintenance.



A seasoned industry CPA can offer profitability protecting and 280(e) shielding strategies like: using primary accounting system as the general ledger only for sales, cost of sales and inventory; using primary accounting systems department classification functionality within a single accounting file and use separate files for each legal entity without commingling a management company or other entities with a dispensary; using the same chart of accounts in each companys accounting file (making it easier to prepare and confirm financial information); keeping sales, cost of sales and inventory details in the tracking and point-of-sale systems and archive monthly; documenting services and transactions between all dispensary-related entities; following all intercompany contracts and pay/record the intercompany bills monthly; ensuring all inventory is on the balance sheet at the end of each reporting period; and developing, documenting and strictly following a process to determine total cost of goods sold.



Third, because even the most standard claim could derail an insufficiently prepared MRB, having a lawyer on board to avoid, mitigate and defend against liability and claims is essential.



Successfully defending against litigation requires treating all failures as potential claims and quickly reacting to liability issues when they arise. A seasoned cannabis attorney will help launch a risk transfer program shielding from claim and damages caused or contributed by third parties' acts and omissions by documenting these decisions in writing and at a business relationship's inception. Risk transferring documents include "hold harmless agreements" (ensuring that third parties are contractually responsible for own negligence, errors and omissions) and "statements of financial responsibility" like certificates of insurance which confirm both that third parties have sufficient insurance and list marijuana-related businesses as an "additional insured."



Steve Schainis senior counsel to global cannabis law firm Hoban Law Group. With 14 offices and 44 lawyers, Hoban Law Group is the only practice 100 percent devoted to cannabis and hemp law. Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Schain represents entities, governments and individuals in choosing a structure, preparing and submitting license application, regulation, compliance and litigation and drafting legislation. Contact him at steve@hoban.law.
(Bloomberg) -- Outspoken tech investor Dave McClure helped fund 1,800 early-stage companies in 60 countries as the chief executive officer of 500 Startupsuntil he stepped down two years ago in a sexual misconduct scandal that roiled the industry. Now, both McClure and the VC firm he co-founded are taking steps to rebuild themselves, this time without one another.It was 2017, when McClure abruptly resigned from 500 Startups, retreating from the spotlight amid allegations from women that hed behaved inappropriately. He acknowledged hed made advances toward multiple women in work-related situations in a since-deleted blog posted titled Im a creep. Im sorry. He handed the leadership reins to his 500 Startups co-founder, Christine Tsai. No legal action was taken against McClure or the firm.Today, McClure is working on a second act, albeit a lower-profile one. Hes raising a new fund to invest in other venture firms worldwide, according to two people familiar with the plans. McClure declined to comment for this story.

With the working title Practical Venture Capital, McClures new effort will be vastly different from the early-stage venture work he built his career on, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The new fund is designed to purchase stakes in smaller funds, sometimes called micro-venture capital firms and also buy stakes from those funds investors when theyre seeking liquidity. The initial target for the fund is $100 million, although the final amount could be larger, the people said.McClure is the latest in a string of male venture capitalists unseated in the #MeToo movement who are now attempting to re-enter the industry by starting a fresh venture fund. Fred Destin, a former Accel and Atlas Venture partner, moved to Europe and helped raise more than $50 million for a firm called Stride.VC last summer. In 2017, a startup founder accused him of making unwanted advances at a party several years earlier; Destin said at the time he misread the situation and had never used his position as a VC in an inappropriate way. Steve Jurvetson, who parted ways with Draper Fisher Jurvetson a little more than a year ago, raised a new $200 million fund called Future Ventures last month. Jurvetson had stepped down amid misconduct allegations, which he strenuously denied. The VCs follow other public figures accused of misconduct, including comedian Louis CK and Pixar co-founder John Lasseter, who have made controversial bids to reclaim their careers.

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500 Startups, meanwhile, is adjusting to its own post-scandal realitywithout the leader who helped propel it to prominence. Started by McClure and Tsai in 2010, 500 Startups has stakes in Twilio Inc., Credit Karma Inc., Signapores Grab and seven other companies each worth more than $1 billion, in addition to having a stable of portfolio companies notable for its female and international founders. By the time McClure left, 500 Startups fund and accelerator had 150 employees.

But recently, it has slimmed down its operations, Tsai confirmed to Bloomberg. The firm laid off what she described as a handful of people. Its Japanese division also recently broke off as an independent venture.

We decided to make some changes to our back-office departments in order to better scale the firm, which means a small number of people leaving the team, she wrote in an emailed statement. We are also actively bringing in new hires for other departments.

Tsai declined to elaborate further on the job cuts, saying only that it was part of a new chapter for the firm, which included last months promotion of longtime employee, Tim Chae, to be the fourth general partner. Im excited about the year ahead, Tsai said in the statement.

Despite its place in the VC firmament, even before McClures departure, 500 Startups had struggled to raise its fourth fund in 2015. It lowered a $200 million target to $150 million in 2016. By September 2017, a few months after the scandal, the fund had raised just $62 million of that amount, according to the most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Today, 500 Startups is raising fresh investment for its fifth global fund, expected to be the firms largest ever, according to a person familiar with the plans who asked not to be identified because process is private. Tsai declined to comment on the fundraising, per SEC regulations, but told Bloomberg TV last year that Abu Dhabi Financial Group would be the anchor investor. The Middle Eastern investment management group took a minority stake in 500 Startups and joined the board last year.

To contact the author of this story: Lizette Chapman in San Francisco at lchapman19@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anne VanderMey at avandermey@bloomberg.net, Alistair BarrMark Milian

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Civil servants stop going to work over Chand outfits threat

Taking advantage of the poor security situation in these areas, the Chand outfit has intensified its extortion drives in Bulingtar, Baudikali and Hupse rural municipalities.
(Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son, famous for his early investment in Chinas top e-commerce company, also had the chance to own a big stake in Amazon.com Inc. -- but he missed out for want of $30 million.

Son, speaking at the Milken Institute conference in Tokyo, said he was close to striking a deal to acquire 30 percent of the U.S. e-commerce pioneer with Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos in its early years. Son offered $100 million, but Bezos insisted on $130 million. Its not that Son thought the stock wasnt worth it; he just didnt have the money.

"We were laughing about it when I met him again recently, Son said. "Its a big mistake that I didnt make that investment. I just didnt have enough cash. But my image, my vision was right.

Amazons market value is now more than $860 billion, meaning that stake would be worth about $260 billion. SoftBanks stake in Chinas Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is worth about 14.5 trillion yen ($132 billion).

Son did mention he had been close to buying a stake in Amazon two years ago in an interview with David Rubenstein. Son didnt mention the financial details of the transaction at that time.

In the Milken Institute interview, Son made the point about Amazon as he explained why he has such a voracious appetite for raising capital. SoftBank announced a $100 billion Vision Fund to make technology investments, the largest fund ever of its kind. Son has used that money to take stakes in many of the worlds most valuable startups from Uber Technologies Inc. and WeWork Cos. to Didi Chuxing.

"This time I dont want to make the same mistake, Son said. So I prepare enough money.

To contact the reporter on this story: Pavel Alpeyev in Tokyo at palpeyev@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Elstrom at pelstrom@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Naspers Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Bob van Dijk has been working for years to solve a problem rivals might envy  getting investors to value his South African firm nearer to its $133 billion stake in Tencent Holdings Ltd. A plan for a Dutch listing is his boldest step yet.

By carving out its international internet businesses, including the 31 percent holding in the Chinese tech giant, for a listing on Euronext Amsterdam, van Dijk hopes to tap a bigger pool of capital and shrink a discount thats been worsened by Naspers outsize presence on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

This will be the largest consumer internet business, in Europe and the third-largest company on the Amsterdam exchange, van Dijk said in a phone interview, noting that he expects to attract 2 billion euros ($2.26 billion) of investment just from index funds. The value of the Naspers offspring would likely trail only Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Unilever NV on the Dutch market.

The move makes sense, and might narrow the gap between Naspers 1.42 trillion rand ($100 billion) market capitalization and the Tencent stake, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst John Davies. But the bigger challenge for van Dijk will be to show that the firm can strike gold with more of its investments.

The transfer doesnt indicate whether Naspers can demonstrate a track record of investment success after the transaction, Davies said in a note.

Naspers might have remained a little-known publisher of newspapers and operator of pay-TV services if not for the decision in 2001 to invest $32 million in an obscure Chinese web firm. While the success of the Tencent investment made Naspers the most valuable company in Africa, its market value suggests investors assign no value to its other businesses.

Naspers quandary is similar to those faced by other companies that made hugely successful investments in technology startups that eventually overshadowed their operating businesses, such as the winning bets Yahoo! Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp. made on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

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Van Dijk, CEO since 2014, has focused much of his attention on India and Europe and on e-commerce, delivery and online payments in his search for the next brightest ideas. He has about $9 billion of cash to spend after he trimmed Naspers stake in Tencent last year and received proceeds from the sale of Indian e-commerce startup Flipkart to Walmart Inc.

Mail.ru, Swiggy

Among the holdings in internet businesses that will be included in the Amsterdam-listed entity are Russian social network Mail.ru, German food delivery business Delivery Hero and Indian e-commerce startup Swiggy. Naspers will still control the new internet unit by keeping a 75 percent stake, with the remainder making up its free float.

The carve-out alone may not be enough to give Naspers the valuation bump van Dijk is seeking. The shares slumped 1.6 percent in Johannesburg. Tencent dropped 3 percent in Hong Kong.

Ken Rumph, an analyst at Jefferies Group LLC in London, said in an email that Naspers investment record outside of Tencent has been good, but that the company will continue to struggle to persuade investors to value its management of assets at anything other than a discount.

Still, the value of the newly listed company, yet to be named, could bump up against Europes largest tech firm, German software developer SAP SE, which has a market capitalization of 121 billion euros.

Too Big

Some investors have encouraged van Dijk to pursue listings, and he said on Monday he will look at other opportunities. His separation of pay-TV company MultiChoice this month focused Naspers entirely on consumer internet businesses.

Van Dijk said he chose Amsterdam partly because its a great place to attract talent. The listing requirements are very similar to Johannesburg and the company can keep the same management and board. Naspers executives are largely based in the Netherlands and travel extensively, as they seek to replicate the Tencent bet.

Amsterdam has become attractive to companies as Brexit uncertainties weigh on the U.K., including listings on the London Stock Exchange.

Thanks to its Tencent holding, Naspers accounts for almost a quarter of the Johannesburg exchanges benchmark index, up from 5 percent just five years ago. As a result, many South African institutional investors have had to sell the shares because the weighting exceeds their limit for single stock holdings, the company said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Loni Prinsloo in Johannesburg at lprinsloo3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, Frank Connelly

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
By Tiisetso Motsoeneng

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Tencent shareholder Naspers plans to float a portion of its e-commerce ventures on Euronext in Amsterdam, a move South Africa's biggest company said on Monday will create a $140 billion European internet giant.

As well as a one third stake in China's Tencent, which is worth around $134 billion, Naspers - via its e-commerce business - also owns stakes in OLX, the biggest classifieds ads site in India and Brazil, and mobile classified platform letgo, which vies with Craiglist in the United States.

Naspers did not give financial details of the listing, which is pencilled in for the second half of the year.

But chief financial officer Basil Sgourdos said the new entity was likely to be the third largest on Euronext, above oil giant Total, which is valued around 130 billion euros.

"We bring a very unique story to Europe. We bring Europe's largest consumer internet company. Europe has been starved of global internet investment opportunities," Sgourdos said.

Founded more than 100 years ago in the Stellenbosch winelands of South Africa, Naspers has transformed itself from a newspaper publisher into a $100 billion empire, thanks to its one-third stake in Tencent.

The stake is a money spinner for the group but has also become a headache for Chief Executive Bob van Dijk, because it dwarfs Naspers' own market capitalisation by almost 30 percent.

As part of efforts to narrow the gap, van Dijk spun out and separately listed the company's de facto African pay-TV monopoly Multichoice, a company valued around 50 billion rand, last month.

Sgourdos said that the decision to also separately list its internet investments in Amsterdam would go a long way in narrowing the valuation gap because Naspers' oversized weighting on the JSE was to blame for the discount.

"As our weighting in the index went up, our discount widened. Why? Because South African funds cannot have single stock exposure of 25 percent. So as much as they love Naspers, they can't hold it," he said.

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Sguordos said the new entity, which is yet to be named, was valued at roughly $140 billion, based on a mean consensus of analysts' estimates.

CONGENIAL HOME

Naspers accounts for about a quarter of the JSE's value, a headache for local fund managers who have been forced to sell the stock when its valuation rises to limit their exposure.

Some analysts doubt whether the Euronext move will have much of an impact in narrowing the discount, with Jeffries' Ken Rumph saying part of the problem was some investors did not believe Naspers could turn the internet businesses into profitable enterprises.

"Amsterdam may be slightly more... of a congenial home but does that really change anything? Or will people still think this is some assets that we're not sure we will ever see their value? To me that's the real problem with Naspers," Rumph said.

The e-commerce businesses generate $3.3 billion in annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, from sales of nearly $16 billion, with Tencent accounting for virtually all the profit.

The new entity, which will have a secondary listing in Johannesburg, will house stakes from some of the biggest internet brands in emerging markets including Russia's biggest social networking site mail.ru, Indian online travel firm MakeMyTrip and Brazilian food delivery firm iFood.

The new company is expected to be owned 75 percent by Naspers and have a free float of 25 percent when it lists in the second half of the year.

Naspers problems mirror the dilemma faced by Yahoo, where its core business ended up being worth 10 times less than its stake in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan.

Yahoo fixed that by selling its core operating business to Verizon in 2016 and re-branding what was left as Altaba, a conflation of alternative and Alibaba'.

Shares in Naspers fell 1.6 percent to 3,222.63 rand as of 1443 GMT.

($1 = 14.4582 rand)

($1 = 0.8835 euros)

($1 = 7.8482 Hong Kong dollars)

(Additional reporting by Toby Sterling and Bart Meijer in AMSTERDAM; Editing by Edmund Blair and Alexander Smith/Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Imagine a squadron of battle-ready drones flying alongside U.S. military fighter jets. Its not a video game. Its part of a Pentagon plan to reduce costs, suggests Jon Markman, growth stock expert and editor of Strategic Advantage.

A jet powered Valkyrie drone successfully buzzed the skies of Yuma Arizona, according to an Air Force press release. The 29-foot aircraft might be the shape of things to come. It might also open a new sales channel for defense contractors.

More from Jon Markman: Dongles and Dollars Keep Square on the Move

Military aircraft are expensive and often plagued with development problems. The standard version of the F-35 fighter jet costs $89.2 million. The XQ-58A Valkyrie project might provide a solution. At only $2 million to $3 million a pop, its cheaper than the cost of a Patriot missile.

But its real appeal is the potential to fly alone or as part of a swarm, controlled by a manned aircraft or from ground control. Squadrons of Valkyrie could serve as wingmen to expensive, piloted fighter jets, flying ahead to strike or surveille enemy targets -- just like in video games.

The best way for investors to play wingman drones and other cutting-edge aircraft is TransDigm Group (TDG), a little-known Cleveland component maker.

The company makes mission-critical pumps and valves, actuators and motors, quick disconnects and couplings, batteries, chargers and other systems that keep commercial and military planes in the sky. It is not a glamorous business, but it is extremely lucrative, by design.

TransDigm managers dont think like engineers. They behave more like investment bankers, looking to acquire businesses that will spin off private equity-type returns to investors. Since 1993, they have acquired 60 OEM aerospace parts businesses with these profiles.

See also: 2 Ways to Bet on BDCs

The company is now the sole supplier for 80% of the end markets it serves. And 90% of the items in the supply chain are proprietary to TransDigm. In other words, the company is operating a monopoly for parts needed to operate aircraft that will typically be in service for 30 years.

Story continues

Sales grew 8.8% in fiscal 2018, to $3.8 billion. The company earned $905.4 million in profits. That trend continued in the fiscal first quarter results, as the company earned $196 million in profits on $993 million in sales.

While shares trade at 6x sales and 25.3x forward earnings, expensive by aerospace standards, the company is more like a successful private equity fund.

Managers are uniquely motivated to increase shareholder value and they have an enviable record. Shares are up 2,503% since 2009. TransDigm has pulled back in recent weeks; you can buy it now around the $430-$435 area.

More From MoneyShow.com:
U.S. President Trump visits the Lima Army Tank Plant (LATP) in Lima, Ohio U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to workers in front of U.S. Army tanks on display at the Lima Army Tank Plant (LATP) Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, the country's only remaining tank manufacturing plant, in Lima, Ohio, U.S., March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files

By David Lawder, Philip Blenkinsop and Michael Martina

WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS/BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's blunt-force use of tariffs in pursuing his "America First" trade agenda has angered many, from company executives to allied governments and members of both parties of Congress.

But there's one effort which has drawn broad support from those who oppose him on almost everything else - his push to force Beijing to change what are widely viewed as China's market-distorting trade and subsidy practices.

As U.S.-China talks to end a trade war reach their endgame, politicians, executives and foreign diplomats are urging Trump and his team to hold out for meaningful structural reforms in China to address entrenched problems in the relationship that hurt U.S. and other foreign companies and workers.

Trump's trade war "has let the genie out of the bottle" by lifting expectations that the trade war will force China to reform policies that businesses and foreign governments regard as unfair, said Steven Gardon, vice president of indirect taxes and customs at Lear Corp. Gardon's firm is an automotive seating and electrical supplier with plants in 39 countries, including the United States and China.

"Now that all these issues have been raised, there's a lot more domestic political support to address these issues, and I don't think you can pull back from that," Gardon said at a Georgetown Law School forum this month. "There's now pressure politically that they have to be addressed for the long term."

Gardon's comments reflect a broad shift in U.S. and international business sentiment towards China's economic and trade policies, one that is aligned with Trump's goals, if not his tactics.

Trump's trade team say they are in the final stages of negotiating what would be the biggest economic policy agreement with China in decades. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin head to Beijing this week to try to accelerate talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. Liu is set to travel to Washington for another round of negotiations in early April.

Story continues

Eight months into the trade war that has disrupted the flow of billions of dollars of goods between the world's two largest economies, it is unclear if a deal acceptable to both sides can be done.

China's President Xi Jinping is seen as reluctant to make economic reforms under pressure from the United States, and Trump has said he may keep tariffs on Chinese goods in place for "a substantial period" even if a deal is struck.

Xi may find it easier to live with the tariffs Trump has imposed on trade than to change China's model for economic development.

As part of a deal, Beijing has offered to make big-ticket purchases from the United States to help reduce a record trade gap. Trump's team has said those purchases would be worth more than a trillion dollars over about six years.

While big Chinese purchases might be tempting for Trump's administration, they would do nothing to address what U.S. firms competing in China or against Chinese firms say are structural problems with a system stacked against them.

The United States complains China engages in systematic intellectual property theft, forces foreign firms to give up trade secrets for market access and spends huge sums subsidizing its own industry. Redressing those complaints would require policy reform at the highest level from Xi and China's ruling Communist Party.

A survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China in late February showed that a majority of member U.S. companies supported increasing or maintaining tariffs on Chinese goods, and nearly twice as many as last year want the U.S. government to push Beijing harder to create a level playing field.

The U.S. tariff demands have even encouraged some reform-minded Chinese officials and private-sector business executives to call for a faster pace of reform in China as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first steps toward capitalism.

Lighthizer told lawmakers in late February that Chinese-American business people in particular have urged him to "hang tough" in the talks and not to "sell out for soybeans."

STAY THE COURSE

When Trump delayed a threatened tariff increase well before a March 1 deadline for a deal, he stoked fears that he may be swayed by the big purchase order and leave longstanding structural problems unresolved.

Since then, a steady drumbeat of lobbyists, company executives, foreign diplomats and U.S. lawmakers from both parties have urged Trump to stay the course on his structural demands.

Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, one of the most pro-trade Republicans and a critic of Trump's tariffs, recently joined that call.

"While we want China to buy more U.S. goods ... it's even more important for us to hold China accountable to meeting high international standards on intellectual property rights, subsidization, overcapacity, and the other structural ways in which China distorts the global economy," he said at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing just days after the tariff delay was announced.

Last week, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime China trade hawk, took to the Senate floor to urge Trump not to "back down" and take a deal based largely on Chinese purchases of American soybeans and other goods.

On Thursday, Schumer tweeted: "Now's not the time to drop $200B in tariffs just because China's close to a deal, @realDonald Trump."

QUIETLY ROOTING FOR TRUMP

European Union members, traditional allies of the United States, are still smarting about the steel and aluminum tariffs Trump imposed on imports into the United States last year. The EU is also worried that Trump will impose duties on autos. But the bloc shares many of the same frustrations over China's technology transfer policies and market access constraints.

"We get complaints every day from our companies," one European official told Reuters in Beijing, noting that despite repeated pledges from the Chinese government to make life easier for foreign companies, little had changed.

EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom's assessment of China's behavior sounds almost like it was written by the U.S. Trade Representative's office, charging that China has abused global trading rules.

China has "blurred the lines between state and private sector. The state has undue influence," she said in a Washington speech this month. "Intellectual properties of companies are stolen. State subsidies, direct or indirect, are common. And these impacts are felt at home and abroad."

Malmstrom says that while the U.S. and EU "agree on the diagnosis," they differ on tactics, and she argues for a more multilateral approach, citing the EU's work with the United States and Japan to address the issues through reform of World Trade Organization rules.

Some worry that Europe could lose out if Washington and Beijing strike a deal to purchase billions of dollars more in products to try to shrink the U.S. goods trade deficit with China.

"If China is buying more from America then inevitably it will buy less from Europe," a second European official based in Beijing said, adding that could in particular affect large European multinationals.

But European diplomats and officials acknowledge a begrudging support for Trump's goals, even if they are repulsed by his blunt tactics. Many are secretly rooting for his success.

"We are against unilateral measures, but nobody is exactly sorry for China. On content we think he does have a point," said one EU diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity in Brussels. "Beijing has to understand that without reform, the system could just stop working."

Trump administration officials insist that he has gotten the message and is holding out for "structural changes" to the U.S.-China relationship, along with an enforcement mechanism that holds China to its pledges.

Clete Willems, a White House trade adviser, told the Georgetown Law School forum that Trump is determined to fix problems with China's trade relationship that he has railed against for years, long before he ever sought office.

"The notion that he's just going to suddenly accept a bad deal is totally inaccurate. The president is going to walk away from bad deals," said Willems, who announced on Friday that he is leaving the White House for family reasons.

(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Simon Webb and James Dalgleish)
CEO Steven Friel (left) and Yoav Navon, director of litigation finance, of Woodsford Litigation Funding Ltd (Courtesy photo)



U.K.-based Woodsford Litigation Funding is opening an office in Tel Aviv, after nearly a year of exploring the Israeli market.



As its director of litigation finance for Israel, the firm has brought on Israeli litigator Yoav Navon, who has served as a local consultant for the past 10 months. Leaders hope to invest $20 million in Israel-sourced disputes during the next two years.



Woodsford CEO Steven Friel said the company elected to take a closer look at sourcing matters from the country's tech community after discovering that it already had a substantial Israeli element in its portfolio.



"Israel is a startup nation, and these startups are generally very sophisticated. They're rich in intellectual property but constrained in finances," he said. "If they find themselves in disputes with Silicon Valley or other U.S. or European multinationals, they need financial support."



At the same time the company was turning its attention on Israel, Navon, a former associate at Tel Aviv-based Ron Gazit, was contemplating a move into litigation finance. The initial consulting arrangement was a good fit for both.



"Having represented Woodsford in Israel for the past 10 months, I am now glad to have cemented my position at one of the leading global funders," he said in a statement. "I can see that the appetite for, and understanding of, the benefits funding offers is growing rapidly here."



Friel called Israeli startups the "perfect counterparties".



"They're smart and sophisticated, they know their product incredibly well and they're willing to stand up for themselves," he said. "They have a stomach for litigation in a way that not all new startups do."



The primary goal of Woodsford's new Israel office is to identify and back original American and European litigation that has an Israeli element, looking both to venture capital-backed startups and spinoffs from universities. The second aim is to back international arbitrations stemming from the country, which will likely be seated in New York, Paris and London.



Woodsford is also looking to get involved in the local courts by the end of the year.



"We have not yet gotten fully comfortable with Israeli domestic litigation, but we have the capabilities and people in Israel to make it work," Friel said.



The Tel Aviv office is Woodsford's first expansion since moving into Singapore in 2017.



In July, rival Bentham IMF announced a $30 million fund in partnership with law firm Kobre & Kim to invest in Israeli companies.



Read More:



U.K.'s Woodsford Litigation Funding Enters Singapore Market



Kobre & Kim Launches $30M Israeli Litigation Finance Fund With Bentham
Complement, not replace

To let FDI cause promising industries to die on the vine is not prudent
* May seeks to save her Brexit deal

* May to warn of 'Hotel California Brexit'- Times

* Northern Irish DUP in talks with government

* May tells lawmakers: Approve my deal by March 21

* May to attend EU summit on March 21-22 (Recasts, adds May's comments)

By Andrew MacAskill

LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May's warned lawmakers that unless they approved her Brexit divorce deal after two crushing defeats, Britain's exit from the European Union could face a long delay and could involve taking part in European parliament elections.

After two-and-a-half years of tortuous divorce negotiations with the EU, the final outcome is still uncertain with options including a long delay, exiting with May's deal, a disorderly exit without a deal or even another referendum.

May issued Brexit supporters an ultimatum: ratify her deal by a European Council summit on March 21 or face a delay to Brexit way beyond June 30 that would open up the possibility that the divorce could be ultimately thwarted.

The prime minister bluntly warned that Britain will be forced to take part in European parliamentary elections expected to place at the end of May if there is a longer extension to Brexit talks.

"If the proposal were to go back to square one and negotiate a new deal, that would mean a much longer extension  almost certainly requiring the United Kingdom to participate in the European Parliament elections in May," she said in an article in the Sunday Telegraph.

"The idea of the British people going to the polls to elect MEPs three years after voting to leave the EU hardly bears thinking about. There could be no more potent symbol of parliament's collective political failure."

The Sunday Times said May will warn Brexit supporters that unless they support her deal they will face a "Hotel California Brexit" where you can check out, but never leave.

EU leaders will consider pressing Britain to delay Brexit by at least a year to find a way out of the domestic maelstrom, though there is shock and growing impatience at the political chaos in London.

Story continues

Her deal, an attempt to keep close relations with the EU while leaving the bloc's formal structures, was defeated by 230 votes in parliament on Jan. 15 and by 149 votes on March 12.

But May continues to fight to build support for her plan, which is expected to put before lawmakers for a third time next week, possibly on Tuesday.

To get it through parliament, the prime minister must win over dozens of Brexit-supporting rebels in her own Conservative Party and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) which props up her minority government.

"I know that I will have to do more to convince others, as well as the DUP, if I am to succeed in finally securing a majority for the deal," May said.

The DUP said on Saturday it is continuing to hold talks with the government but differences remained over the Irish border.

The proposed changes would address the most contentious part of the divorce deal - an insurance policy aimed at avoiding controls on the sensitive border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

The DUP is also demanding a seat at post-Brexit trade talks as its price for supporting her deal, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

But the opposition Labour Party's finance policy chief John McDonnell said on Saturday he was concerned that Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond's presence during the talks on Friday means the government might have offered the DUP money to back the deal.

"It will rightfully be seen by the British electorate as corrupt politics and will demean our political system in the eyes of the world," McDonnell said.

The DUP denied that they were seeking money from the government.

THIRD TIME LUCKY?

After three dramatic days in parliament this week, lawmakers voted on Thursday to have the government ask the EU for a delay beyond the date Britain is scheduled to leave - March 29.

May says she wants to minimise any delay but to achieve that she will need parliament to back her deal at the third time by the middle of next week, possibly on Tuesday.

She needs 75 lawmakers to change their vote. If she can swing the DUP behind her, along with several dozen more Brexit supporters in her own party, she will be getting close to the numbers she needs.

One eurosceptic Conservative lawmaker Daniel Kawczynski said on Saturday he will now back May's deal because otherwise there is a risk Brexit may not happen.

Around 20 Conservatives lawmakers are unlikely ever to be satisfied but she may draw in a small number of opposition Labour lawmakers.

In another sign of how Brexit continues to reshape loyalties in Britain's politics, a senior Conservative lawmaker quit his local party on Saturday due to disagreements over Brexit.

Nick Boles, 53, has been critical of the government's threat to leave the EU without a deal and has faced calls from his local party to be ousted as its candidate for the next general election. {nL8N21308E}

Boles said he could remain aligned with the Conservatives in parliament if it is offered "on acceptable terms."

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill Editing by Clelia Oziel and Guy Faulconbridge)
WEED, Inc. and Yissum (of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) sign first-of-its-kind deal for exclusive license, assignment and transfer to WEED Inc. of groundbreaking intellectual property for novel technologies and formulations of cannabis-related and cannabinoid-based products

UPDATE: CEO is currently 'Down Under' at its subsidiaries, WEED Australia Ltd and The Cannabis Institute of Australia to discuss clinical 'CBD' trials to begin in Israel this year.

TUCSON, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 20, 2019 / WEED, Inc., (BUDZ) (''WEED'') announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license and assignment agreement with Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd., Israel (''Yissum'').

Under the terms of the agreement, WEED, Inc. agrees to exclusively license and, purchase from Yissum, certain patents, technology and know-how (upon payment of certain installments) relating to formulations for the administration and delivery of lipophilic compositions (including cannabinoids) developed by Prof. Elka Touitou at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Under the agreement, WEED is obligated to pay multi-million dollar consideration to Yissum, which is payable in installments and includes a product sales-related milestone payment, with WEED only receiving the exclusive license rights and the assignment rights to the above intellectual property after payment of the relevant installment payments.

In order to close the exclusive license portion of the agreement and the assignment portion of the agreement, WEED, Inc. needs to raise additional funds to pay the consideration required under the agreement.

WEED Inc. is also pleased to announce that it has entered into a consulting agreement with Prof. Elka Touitou, of the Institute of Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Prof. Touitou will serve as the chairperson of WEED, Inc.'s Scientific Advisory Board and will advise and support WEED, Inc. with respect to its scientific research and product development for this project.

Story continues

Mr. Glenn E. Martin, CEO of WEED, Inc. said, '' WEED, Inc. has made history in the Holy Land! After several months of intense and productive negotiations along with several trips to Israel, WEED and Yissum have successfully concluded this multi-million USD exclusive license and assignment agreement.''

''Further I'm pleased to announce that we believe this historic arrangement with WEED, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary WEED Israel Cannabis Ltd., for this exclusive license and assignment of five patent families held by Yissum based on the innovations of Professor Elka Touitou, will now allow us to move forward to help and benefit patients.

CEO, Martin added, March 20th, '' I'm down in Australia until March 30th working with our Australian team to advance WEED's global research goals that we are starting in Israel. We are bringing Israeli advances in ''CBD studies to Australian patients, which is vital to WEED's 'country to country' product synergies.''

Prof Touitou is a pioneer in cannabinoid research, and published the first scientific work on transdermal delivery of cannabinoids in 1988. Our researchers are looking to develop efficient products for at least two 'indications,' one of which will be focused on woman's health, utilizing Cannabinoids.''

Dr. Yaron Daniely, CEO and President of Yissum stated, ''As global leaders in the field of Cannabis and Endocannabinoid research, Yissum diligently looks for appropriate commercial partners to advance promising technologies from Hebrew University for the benefit of patients. We are hopeful that this partnership delivers important new products and therapies to those in need.''

Elliott Kwestel, Director and Corporate Secretary of WEED Israel Cannabis Ltd. commented, ''WEED Israel is looking to acquire all appropriate licenses with the goal of bringing vertically integrated products to market globally within one year. Further studies in high dosage THC, THC and continuing CBD research are on the horizon.''

The assignment of the five patent families to WEED, Inc. pursuant to the agreement with Yissum, is the first-of-its-kind originating from Cannabinoid research conducted at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Prof. Touitou said, ''Cannabinoids are very lipophilic molecules with a relative low bioavailability, short activity and their existing formulations often have low patient compliance. There is a great need and demand for pharmaceutical products with improved efficacy and prolonged therapeutic effect.

Our new sophisticated technologies offer diverse solutions for promoting enhanced delivery and adequate administration of Cannabinoids for high therapeutic efficiency in treating patients currently suffering from various diseases.''

Dr. Liat Shbiro PhD added, ''It's an incredible privilege to work with Professor Touitou who shall lead WEED Israel's cannabis research and chair our Israeli Scientific Advisory Board.''

In this deal, WEED Inc. was represented by the law firm of Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., Phoenix, Arizona, USA and Marcella Eytan and Nir Zohar of the law firm Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

About Yissum

Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd.

Yissum is the technology transfer company of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Founded in 1964, it is the third company of its kind to be established and serves as a bridge between cutting-edge academic research and a global community of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry. Yissum's mission is to benefit society by converting extraordinary innovations and transformational technologies into commercial solutions that address our most urgent global challenges.

Yissum has registered over 10,700 patents covering 3,000 inventions; licensed over 950 technologies and has spun out more than 150 companies. Yissum's business partners span the globe and include companies such as Boston Scientific, Google, ICL, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Microsoft, Novartis and many more.

For further information please visit www.yissum.co.il

About Prof. Elka Touitou

Prof. Elka Touitou is the Head of the Innovative Dermal, Transdermal and Transmucosal Delivery Lab at the Institute of Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, HUJ.

Professor Touitou is an internationally renowned authority in the field of drug delivery and design of new technologies for efficient administration of drugs and development of new products. She has pioneered leading technologies in the field, being the inventor of Ethosomes, currently recognized as one of the most sophisticated and efficient transdermal carriers. Professor Touitou is a Visiting Professor at Universities in Europe and Asia. She has broad experience in collaborating with the pharmaceutical industry serving in their Advisory Boards.

Professor Touitou has served as a Director in the Board of Controlled Release Society (CRS) and is honored as a CRS Fellow, recipient of the Jorge Heller Outstanding Paper Award, the Kaye Award for Innovation and honored as one of leader innovators at the Hebrew University.

Professor Touitou has more than 100 scientific publications that include original research papers, reviews and book chapters. She is a co-editor of the books Enhancement in Drug Delivery (2006) and Novel Cosmetic Delivery Systems (1999). She is also the author of numerous granted international patents.

About Sangre AT, LLC DBA Sangre BioSciences.

Sangre AT, LLC (dba "Sangre BioSciences"), WEED, Inc.'s wholly owned US subsidiary, is a plant genomic research and breeding company comprised of top-echelon scientists with extensive expertise in genomic sequencing, genetics-based breeding, plant tissue culture, and plant biochemistry, utilizing the most advanced sequencing and analytical technologies and proprietary bioinformatics data systems available. For additional information about Sangre BioSciences, please visit www.sangreagrotech.com .

About WEED, Inc.

WEED, Inc. (BUDZ) is currently a USA-based fully reporting public company. WEED Inc. is a multi-national, multi-faceted, vertically-integrated world class Cannabis organization. WEED is structured as a holding company doing business through its divisions, wholly-owned subsidiaries, and strategically placed collaborative partners to achieve and promote our global brand.

WEED is dedicated to its global goals and outreach across the full spectrum of the Cannabis industry to find treatments, therapies and medical cures utilizing the Cannabaceae plant family. WEED does not grow, harvest, produce, or sell any substance in violation of US Federal law under The Federal Controlled Substances Act, and meets all standards of international law for WEED, Inc. and its subsidiaries in foreign locations. For additional information about WEED Inc, please visit: www.WEEDIncUSA.com

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of WEED, Inc.'s securities, here or abroad, nor shall there be any sale of the shares of common stock in any state or country in which offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or country.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not a description of historical facts constitute forward-looking statements and may often, but not always, be identified by the use of such words as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "plans," "potential," "possible," "probable," "believes," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "could" or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions.

Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company's business, including that we have a limited operating history and very limited funds, are dependent upon key personnel whose loss may adversely impact our business, some of our potential business activities, while believed to be compliant with applicable state law, may be illegal under federal law because they violate the Federal Controlled Substances Act, and we may be subject to the risks related to the cost, delays and uncertainties associated with potential future scientific research, product development, clinical trials and the regulatory approval process.

We may not be able to enter into binding agreements related to the subject matter of this press release on terms favorable to us or at all. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update this release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.

For more information, contact:

Glenn E. Martin

(520) 818-8582

info@WEEDIncUSA.com



SOURCE: WEED, Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/539434/WEED-Inc-Signs-First-of-its-Kind-Agreement-on-Key-Cannabis-Related-Intellectual-Property-in-Israel




The Women In Trucking (WIT) Association has announced five finalists for its fifth annual Distinguished Woman in Logistics award.

Sponsored by the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) and Truckstop.com, the award is intended to "promote the achievements of women employed in the North American transportation industry," according to a WIT press release.

Finalists for 2019 are: Lindsey Graves, Sunset Transportation; Michelle Halkerston, Hassett Express; Judy McReynolds, ArcBest; Sarah Ruffcorn, Trinity Logistics; and Erin Van Zeeland, Schneider. According to WIT, finalists were selected from an immense group of high-performing women representing third-party logistics, supply chain management and related functional disciplines.

Members of the judging panel include: Stephanie S. Ivey, Director of Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute, Southeast Transportation Workforce Center, and Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Memphis; Nancy O'Liddy, Chief of Staff at TIA; Brent Hutto, Chief Relationship Officer at Truckstop.com; and Ellen Voie, President and CEO of WIT.

The winner will be announced on Friday, April 12, during the TIA 2019 "Capital Ideas" Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

Image: Women in Trucking

Image: Women in Trucking

Lindsey Graves

Lindsey Graves is a second-generation owner and Chief Operating Officer at Sunset Transportation, a leading St. Louis, Missouri-based third party logistics company. In her 12 years with Sunset, she has grown through hands-on experience in every department; she now oversees operational and personnel growth, strategy, marketing and implementation at Sunset's corporate headquarters in south St. Louis and five national branch offices. Graves was a Class of 2018, "40 Under 40" Recipient of the St. Louis Business Journal.

Michelle Halkerston

Michelle Halkerston is President, CEO & Owner of Hassett Express, a full-service transportation and logistics provider specializing in time-definite services. She joined Hassett Air Express in 2001 as Vice President of Strategic Planning, was named President in September 2003, and purchased the company in October 2013. Halkerston is involved in all facets of the business and has steered the Hassett team through significant changes in customer needs and dynamics to achieve the most successful year in company history. As a privately held Certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Hassett's success is based on commitment to its employees, customers and community and on building partnerships that provide value to both organizations.

Story continues

Judy McReynolds

Judy R. McReynolds is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ArcBest. From its roots in less-than-truckload delivery, under McReynolds' leadership ArcBest has transformed into a full-scale provider of end-to-end supply chain services, surpassing $3 billion in revenue last year. In 2016, McReynolds was elected ArcBest Chairman of the Board. She has 28 years of logistics and transportation industry experience, including 21 years at ArcBest. McReynolds also serves on numerous outside boards. She is the current chair of the American Transportation Research Institute board, and a member of the American Trucking Associations' Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Sarah Ruffcorn

Sarah Ruffcorn is the Chief Operations Officer of Trinity Logistics, a 2018 "Top 50 Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation" Company. In this role, Ruffcorn leads: Trinity's Regional Service Center brokerage offices throughout the country; the Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) division; the Advanced Services division, which includes warehousing, expedited, drayage, international and intermodal services; as well as the Managed Services division, which includes shipper transportation management systems and fully managed solutions services. Ruffcorn also serves on the Trinity Logistics Board of Directors, is co-chair of TIA's Women in Logistics Committee, and is a member of the TIA Technology Committee. She was awarded the 2015 Delaware Business Times' "Best 40 Under 40" award for being one of the region's "best and brightest young professionals."

Erin Van Zeeland

Erin Van Zeeland is Group Senior Vice President and General Manager of Logistics Services at Schneider, a premier provider of transportation, logistics and intermodal services. Schneider is a $5 billion (2018 annual revenue) company founded in 1935 and its foundation of operational excellence is built on service, trust and reliability. In her position, Van Zeeland is responsible for all aspects of the company's Logistics Service offering; this includes Transportation Management (Brokerage), Supply Chain Management, Warehousing and Port Dray. Within her functional responsibilities, she ensures that over 27,000 third-party carriers and service providers are effectively utilized to meet supply chain needs, service and profitability objectives across any mode of transportation and logistics services.

Image sourced from Pixabay

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GHAZNI, Afghanistan -- Women job seekers in a restive Afghan province have reported widespread sexual harassment that has forced them to abandon their search for employment.

Zainab Ahmadi, a young journalist, interned with the state broadcaster for months without pay. She hoped to put her newly acquired skills to use and find work.

When I went to offices, both those of government and private organizations, I was offered friendship in return for getting a job there, she told Radio Free Afghanistan.

Muzhda Nouri, another recent graduate, experienced something similar.

I submitted my resume for a job at an office in the city, she said of an incident while withholding the name of the organization. Soon I was called and informed that I could get the job without any interview if I agreed to a friendship with the man who was doing the hiring.

Nouri says her repeated refusals of such offers have resulted in her being unemployed.

Womens rights activist Khadija Rouhani says sexual harassment adds to womens problems in Ghazni. The southeastern province is strategically located midway on the main highway connecting the capital, Kabul, to Afghanistans second city, Kandahar, in the south.

Last August, the Taliban overran the provincial capital, also called Ghazni, which is a city of 280,000 residents. The Taliban now control large parts of the rural province.

But for women in Ghazni, the frequent fighting between the hard-line Taliban and government forces is just one of the problems they face. Some like Rouhani argue that men in authority everywhere are making their lives miserable.

Every time a woman faces sexual harassment, it has a devastating impact, she told Radio Free Afghanistan. It often means they will never return to that place [to seek employment].

The provincial authorities, however, reject such complaints. Muhammad Arif Noori, a spokesman for the provincial governor, says thousands of women are already employed in the province, mostly in the fields of health care and education.

This is just a concern, but no such thing exists in reality, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. If we had a massive [sexual harassment] problem, we would have not seen more women working for the government compared with five years ago.

Shukaria Wali is in charge of the Directorate of Womens Affairs in Ghazni. She insists that women do not face extensive sexual harassment.

So far, we have not received any formal or informal complaints about a specific case, she noted. If women have such complaints, they need to talk to the Directorate of Womens Affairs so we can raise a voice for them.

But women in Ghazni say that shame, fear, and cultural taboos in the staunchly conservative patriarchal society prevent them from filing official complaints or launching a public campaign against sexual harassment.

Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Habibur Rahman Taseers reporting from Ghazni, Afghanistan.
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As Colorado lawmakers begin debating Gov. Jared Polis revisions to the 2019-20 state budget, early childhood education leaders in Colorado Springs are keeping their fingers crossed that one addition survives.

Polis has been pushing to fulfill a campaign promise thats become his top legislative priority: use taxpayer dollars to provide free, full-day kindergarten for all students who want it.

The plan would have an intended trickle-down effect and provide free preschool for an additional 5,000 qualifying 3, 4 and 5 year olds at risk of school failure because of poverty, homelessness, abuse, having parents who dropped out of school or other factors.

Demand for preschool for underprivileged children is high, said Noreen Landis-Tyson, president and CEO of Community Partnership for Childhood Development, better known as CPCD.

Theres a huge unmet need for Colorado Preschool Program slots  we have wait lists, and school districts do, too, she said.

The Joint Budget Committee last week endorsed the proposal at a cost of $185 million, which is $42 million less than Polis $227 million request, plus $25 million for curriculum and supplies.

The state pays for half-day kindergarten for about 13,000 students. An additional 50,000 students statewide are enrolled in full-day kindergarten, which isnt offered in all districts. Some districts pick up the tab for it, while other charge.

Funds for more preschool openings would come from the Colorado Preschool Program, which also pays for kindergarten slots under a 2013 provision that gives school districts spending flexibility. The additional funding for all-day kindergarten for everyone would free up more money in the preschool pot.

Polis also is seeking another 3,000 preschool seats in his budget proposal, for a total of about 8,000 new openings statewide for eligible kids.

We are excited we might have the opportunity to make something thats closer to universal preschool, where most kids are getting served that want to be, said Kathy Howell, early childhood education facilitator for Colorado Springs School District 11.

During any given school year, Howell said D-11 has 300 to 400 preschoolers on a waiting list under the states free preschool program.

This year, there are 326 kids on the waiting list.

Its always been a need, Howell said. The earlier were able to help children access curriculum and instruction, the earlier were able to make sure theyre coming to school with the foundation to learn.

Public school districts apply for Colorado Preschool Program slots, and districts can either contract out the classes, provide the program in-house or a combination.

The intent is to provide children who are at-risk for school failure, living in difficult situations in their home, an opportunity for early childhood education, Landis-Tyson said.

Her organization administers the federal Head Start program as well as the states preschool program in Harrison School District 2, Colorado Springs D-11, School District 49, Fountain-Fort Carson D-8, Widefield D-3 and Academy D-20.

CPCD also offers support services for clients, such as behavioral health, nutrition needs, family training sessions and activities.

Of the 1,800 children CPCD serves annually, 650 are in preschool program slots, Landis-Tyson said.

The importance of preschool and full-day kindergarten is to make sure kids get the foundation they need to leave third grade reading at grade level, Landis-Tyson said.

Statistics show that 44.6 percent of El Paso County third-graders read at grade level by the end of the school year.

Having difficulty reading correlates to students dropping out of school, repeating a grade, committing a crime as a juvenile and other unwanted outcomes, Landis-Tyson said.

Richard Allen, a cybersecurity and risk management consultant in Colorado Springs and education policy analyst, opposes the state funding full-day kindergarten.

As structured now, I think it is a misuse of state resources, when other needs are considered, he said.

In giving approval last week, Joint Budget Committee members mentioned that other sectors, such as transportation, will not receive as much of an estimated $1 billion surplus in property tax revenue if all-day kindergarten for all is approved.

Allen believes that some children, particularly boys, are not ready to read and write in kindergarten, which can lead to the deficit becoming a label and an identity.

Repeated evaluations of Head Start have found that the early gains evaporate in succeeding grades, he said.

Proponents, though, say the earlier learning begins, the better the chance students have to succeed in later grades and in careers.

Learning to read starts at birth, not at preschool or kindergarten, Landis-Tyson said. The earlier we can intervene, the more successful well be having students start kindergarten ready to learn.

Said Howell: Its exciting to see the day when people are really thinking about where it begins, Howell said.

That would be early childhood education.

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.
Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years.
Laurie Clark revisits Monument Board of Trustees residency questions; Jim Romanello says hes being 'stalked' by former election opponent
In Case You Missed It: Here are the top five stories from today's paper

Take a quick look at some of the important news you may have missed from todays paper.
Quote:

When drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950s, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but today there are less than one-quarter that many.



A. there are less than one-quarter that many

B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many

C. there are fewer than one-quarter of that amount

D. the number is less than one-quarter the amount

E. it is less than one-quarter of that amount

there are less than one-quarter that many.



less

Immediately you should know A is wrong. "Drive-ins" are countable and thus should use the word "fewer"





B. there are fewer than one-quarter as many

amount

"Drive-in" is countable and thus should use the word "number" instead, not amount.

less

amount

Same as C. We also should not use "less"

less

amount

Same as D.

This one can actually be an easy one if you know what to look for. This sentence correction problem tests your knowledge of when to use AMOUNT and LESS/FEWER.These are the key principles you need to know to get the right answer[*]AMOUNT - only used to describe objects that CAN'T be counted. For example: Bravery, charisma, and water[*]NUMBER - used to describe objects that CAN be counted. For example: Cars in the parking lot, puppies in the pound, and zits on my pubescent face[*]LESS - used to describe objects that can't be counted[*]FEWER - used to describe objects that can be countedA weird tip I use is to remember is reciting in my head "There is less air," after all you would never say "There is fewer air."Now with that out of the way, lets proceed to break this bad boy down.A. there are less than one-quarter that manyWhen drive-ins were at the height of their popularity in the late 1950's, some 4,000 existed in the United States, but todayA. there arethan one-quarter that manyC. there are fewer than one-quarter of thatD. the number isthan one-quarter theE. it isthan one-quarter of that
"a symbol of the common man, rising from poverty to governor"

Grand Old Partisan salutes Joseph Ritner, born to German-speaking farmers in Pennsylvania this day of 1780. Attending school for only six months, he learned English and educated himself by reading on his own. After army service during the War of 1812, he worked as a county road supervisor.

Ritner served six terms in the state house and for several years was speaker. In 1835, he won the governorship, after losing twice. This political ally of civil rights champion Thaddeus Stevens steadfastly opposed slavery, as his inaugural address made clear:

"Opposition to slavery at home, which by the blessing of Providence, has been rendered effectually; opposition to the admission into the Union of new slave-holding States, and opposition to slavery in the District of Columbia, the very hearth and domestic abode of the national honor, have ever been and are the cherished doctrines of our State."

His administration deserves praise. Ritner defeated a Democrat attempt to abolish free public schools. Instead, he took pride in the number of public elementary schools increasing from fewer than eight hundred to more than five thousand and of public secondary schools up from sixteen to thirty-eight. He signed a law chartering a state infrastructure bank after President Andrew Jackson ended the Second Bank of the United States.

President Zachary Taylor (W-LA) nominated him for Director of the U.S. Mint.

Ritner helped establish the Pennsylvania GOP. At the 1856 Republican National Convention, he urged fellow delegates to "take strong opposition to the extension of slavery" and vowed "to put his shoulder to the wheel and do all he could for freedom."

Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kHiQ-AxhOxc

Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement.

Each day, Michael Zak's grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far.

He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar.

Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision.

Buy the book at Amazon

"This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!"

"Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan."

"Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before."

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" " In the 1995 film 'Clueless,' Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone played popular high school girls  hubs of their social networks. Paramount Pictures/Getty Images

If you were to inoculate a historical creative person against a dangerous disease in order to save other historical creative people, would it make more sense to immunize famous recluse J.D. Salinger, or that cad Frank O'Hara?

Well, obviously the answer is the sociable O'Hara  he interacted with dozens of people every day: dancers, musicians, painters, literary critics. J.D. Salinger mostly only saw his guard dogs. Point being, given the choice, there is power in both vaccinating and educating the popular, social people in a community, as compared to doing so with the ones who hang out by themselves on the outskirts.

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A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences investigates how this phenomenon works in the real world. Researchers examined developing countries where the spread of infection can cost thousands of contemporary, nonhypothetical lives every year unless these people get access to education and inoculating drugs in a timely manner. The researchers collected data from 16,000 people in 17 rural villages in Uganda, focusing on how information and vaccines have historically been distributed to people in communities, and figuring out how to do it more effectively.

" " Researchers have devised a strategy for effective education and preventative treatment when fighting disease that involves identifying the most-connected and -trusted 'hubs' of a social network, like teachers, religious leaders or village elders. Education Images/UIG/Getty Images

Generally speaking, medicines and health information have traditionally been distributed to people with formal roles in the community: teachers, public health workers, government officials, etc. But remember: Writers Frank O'Hara and J.D. Salinger both occupied the same role, but the difference in their social reach was vast. The research team realized there is power in the way real social networks work, and public health programs can really benefit from being able to sort out the O'Haras from the Salingers.

"Everyone is a node in a social network," said lead author Dr. Goylette Chami of the Department of Pathology at Cambridge University, in a press release. "Most nodes have just a few connections. However, a small number of nodes have the majority of connections. These are the hubs we want to uncover and target in order to intentionally cause failure in social networks spreading pathogens or damaging behaviour."

For example, when infections from parasitic worms take hold in a community, conventional wisdom dictates that at least three quarters of the residents need to receive treatment in order for preventative strategies to work. But this is often easier said than done.

"The refusal of treatment by a few people can result in the destabilisation of mass drug administration programs that aim to treat 1.9 billion people worldwide," says Chami.

That's why her team worked to create an algorithm to determine which households serve as social "hubs"  the community members most people come to for advice and trust in matters of health. Once identified and treated, these social hubs could make it a lot easier to educate entire communities, and that education would then lead to treatment. According to the study, 32 percent of households would need to be given health education rather than the 54 percent traditionally thought necessary to reach a community's disease control threshold.

And their algorithm is actually pretty simple: go to a village, select a few households at random, and ask them who in the village is the most trusted source of medical advice. This simple approach often just involves randomly interviewing a few people in a small village and asking them to point to the houses of the best-connected people  no databases or special equipment required.

"In an ideal world, everyone would be treated," says Chami. "However, with limited resources, time and information, finding the best connected neighbours, the 'hubs', and removing them through treatment, looks to be the quickest way to fragment a network that spreads infections, and to render the most people safe."

Now That's Upsetting Even though malaria is a preventable illness, it is the leading cause of death in Uganda.
" " If you can fall asleep in any movie, is that a sign of a sleeping disorder? Flashpop/Getty Images

No one shells out $15 per movie ticket to take a nap, yet many people can't helping falling asleep in movie theaters, even during loud, blow-em-up action films. What gives? Sure, movie theaters are dark and those plush, reclining seats are darn comfortable, but is that enough to cause a healthy adult to pass out in the middle of the afternoon?

We reached out to Murray Johns, an Australian sleep doctor who invented the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the global standard for measuring an individual's propensity dozing off during eight different daily activities. Patients are asked to rate from 0 to 3 their likelihood of falling asleep during the day while reading, watching TV, riding in the car, etc. For seven of the eight activities, you'd expect to stay awake (the exception being "lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit," i.e. siesta time), yet many of us still doze off.

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In 2002, Johns collected sleepiness data from more than 2,800 adults in seven countries and used it to rank each activity on the ESS by its relative sleep-inducing power, or what he calls its "somnificity." According to the study, topping the list of most "somniferous" activities is lying down to rest in the afternoon (of course), followed by "watching TV," then "sitting and reading." Movie theaters don't show up until No. 6, "sitting, inactive in a public place (e.g. a theatre or meeting)," which has a somnificity score less than half of watching TV, but twice as sleep-inducing as sitting and talking with someone.

Why are some daytime activities more somniferous than others? Posture plays a big role, Johns concluded.

"A situation with high somnificity is one where you're not moving much. You might be sitting, but you won't be standing, and you won't be moving your head and neck in particular," says Johns. When the muscles in the head and neck relax, he explains, that sends signals to the brain to reduce something called the "secondary wake drive." And when that drive is reduced, sleep is more likely to take over.

That's because sleepiness and wakefulness are products of two separate bundles of nerve cells in your brain that regulate the "sleep drive" and the "wake drive." Your sleep drive and wake drive exist in a yin-and-yang relationship, meaning they are mutually inhibitory. The wake drive inhibits the sleep drive and the sleep drive inhibits the wake drive. Whichever is dominant at any given moment determines whether you are awake or out cold.

Most of the push and pull between the sleep and wake drives is hardwired by the circadian alerting system (or internal biological clock), which is programmed to keep us alert for roughly 16 hours a day and sleepy for eight hours. That's why jet lag is so disorienting, because our internal awake/sleep clock hasn't updated to the new time zone.

But the biological clock only controls what Johns called the "primary wake drive." There's also a secondary wake drive, he believes, that's influenced by physical postures and activity levels.

"When you stand up, the muscles and joints that are involved in maintaining your posture produce some contribution to the secondary wake drive," Johns says. "When you sit down, or perhaps more relevantly, when you lie down and close your eyes and stop moving, you reduce this secondary wake drive and that induces sleep."

That partially explains why reading, or watching TV or a movie, can push us over the edge into Sleepytown. We're sitting still, head and neck relaxed. But why is TV-watching twice as likely to put people asleep? Probably because a lot of adults watch TV to wind down at the end of a long day, precisely as the wake drive is giving way to the sleep signals. (Many also watch TV lying down.) Going to the movies, on the other hand, is more of an "exciting" activity than a relaxing one.

But why is it that some people fall asleep during absolutely any movie, even films with blaring soundtracks and endless explosions? In that case, it might be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder.

Philip Gehrman is a sleep scientist and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. In his practice, he deploys the Epworth Sleepiness Scale as a tool for diagnosing sleep disorders "based on the idea that if you're well rested, you should be able to maintain wakefulness even in sedentary, quiet activities," Gehrman says.

Gehrman says that falling asleep in the movies, even sometimes, is a sign of a sleep deficit. That deficit could be caused by simply being overtired or because of a sleep disorder.

It's true that most of us simply aren't sleeping enough -- the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours for adults 26-64 -- but others may suffer from more serious sleep disorders like sleep apnea that can profoundly disrupt sleep. One reason why older people are more likely to doze off in movie theaters is that you're more likely to have a sleep disorder as you age, says Gehrman. So, if you're one of those people who always starts to snore 10 minutes into the latest action flick, you might want to tell your doctor.

Now That's Sleep-Inducing A British play called "Lullaby" was performed in 2011. Audience members wore pajamas and were given beds to lie on. The aim of the theatre piece was to send the audience to sleep during its performance.
" " If you're diabetic and you like to enjoy an occasional drink, doctors recommend low-sugar alcoholic beverages. Dmitry Kim/Hemera/Thinkstock

If you have diabetes, you know how much micromanagement is involved in your day-to-day eating and drinking decisions. Keeping your blood sugar at the correct levels is a constant balancing act, and every substance that enters your body could tip that balance. Alcohol is one of those elements that must be very tightly managed. When consumed in moderation, it usually isn't a problem for diabetics. But drinking any more than the bare minimum can cause major trouble.

For diabetics, there's a big difference between the effects of chronic and occasional drinking. Moderate alcohol consumption is generally fine, provided that the diabetes is well-managed. With very sensible drinking, the liver can easily do its job flushing out the alcohol -- blood sugar levels will rise, but they'll stay under control. Doctors recommend no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women, and they also advise sticking to low-alcohol, low-sugar beverages.

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Chronic alcohol use and continued binge drinking -- as well as drinking when your diabetes isn't controlled or your blood sugar is low -- can wreak complete havoc on blood sugar levels and can also worsen diabetes side effects. With the liver working overtime to clear out alcohol instead of doing its normal job of changing stored carbohydrates into glucose, blood sugar levels drop drastically. Heavy alcohol use can also aggravate diabetic eye disease and nerve damage.

It's very important for diabetics to make sure they've eaten before drinking alcohol or best that they drink during a meal. The presence of food in the stomach slows the absorption of alcohol into the blood, which allows for more controlled changes in blood sugar. Even among non-diabetics, the double whammy of chronic drinking on an empty stomach lowers blood sugar and also weakens the body's ability to recover from low blood sugar. When you're drunk, you're not as aware of your blood sugar so you might not attempt to fix the problem. That'll become a bad situation even if you don't have diabetes, and it's obviously very problematic for diabetics.

Alcohol's negative effects on diabetes symptoms have been well-known for years, but a 2013 study showed that binge drinking might actually cause Type 2 diabetes. Researchers from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York found that alcohol interfered with insulin receptor signaling in the brains of rats, and it didn't matter if the rats had been fed or not before being administered the alcohol. The rats then developed insulin resistance, which happens when the body loses control of blood sugar levels because it's no longer responding correctly to insulin. Insulin resistance is a major cause of Type 2 diabetes.

So, even if you aren't diabetic, chalk up yet another reason to curb the binge drinking. The short-term fun definitely isn't worth the long-term problems.
Mahakali River to get four suspension bridges

Indian authorities have given the green signal to their Nepali counterparts to construct four suspension bridges on Indian territory over the Mahakali River that flows along the border of Nepal and India.
Tsering Ngodup Lama is a food and travel reporter at The Kathmandu Post, focusing on food security, labour, migration, tourism and travel. Before joining the Post, he was deputy editor at M&S VMAG, and a reporter for The Himalayan Times.
Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren of the Hope College psychology faculty has received recognition as a Fellow by both the Midwestern Psychological Association (MPA) and the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR).

To be named an MPA Fellow is the highest honor that the association can bestow on a member. Selection requires evidence of significant contributions to the discipline of psychology and/or service to the MPA in terms of scholarship, productivity, leadership and visibility. Fellows are selected by a committee including the MPAs president-elect, current president and past-president after having been nominated. Van Tongeren is one of 19 new Fellows this year.

ISSR Fellows represent the upper tier of membership in the society, which also admits associate members. The Fellows are first nominated by an existing Fellow, with selections made by the societys Membership and Executive committees.

Van Tongeren is an associate professor of psychology at Hope, where he has taught since 2012.

He has published more than 100 journal articles and academic book chapters. He has received multiple grants for his research from the John Templeton Foundation as well as from the college.

In 2016, the Association for Psychological Science named him a Rising Star, a recognition most often bestowed on scholars at institutions with graduate-level programs. Hope named him a Towsley Research Scholar in 2015, and he received the colleges Social Sciences Young Investigators Award in 2014.

Van Tongerens research focuses on the social motivation for meaning and its relation to virtues and morality. Specifically, he and his students adopt a social-cognitive approach to study meaning in life, religion and virtues, such as forgiveness and humility.

He regularly involves students as collaborative researchers in his work, both part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer. Several Hope students are co-authors on his publications, and students he mentored in research have received regional awards for excellence from the Midwestern Chapter of Psi Chi  The International Honor Society in Psychology.

Prior to coming to Hope, Van Tongeren was a post-doctoral fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University for a year. He completed his undergraduate degree at Colorado Christian University in 2004, his masters degree at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2006 and his doctorate at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011.

The Midwestern Psychological Association has more than 2,500 members from universities, colleges, hospitals, clinics, school systems, business and industry, government and private practice. The MPAs purpose is to promote the advancement of psychological science by conducting an annual meeting at which papers, posters and symposia addressing psychological research may be presented. The associations 91st annual meeting will be held on April 11-13 in Chicago, Ill. More than 3,300 people attended the event last year.

The International Society for Science and Religion was established in 2002 to promote education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. The society has approximately 200 members from nations and regions including South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as from Europe and the United States.
The Hope College Chapel Choir will present its annual post-tour Home concert on Thursday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.

The public is invited. Admission is free.

The choir will be performing selections from the concert program for its recent spring-break tour, which includes an accessible yet interesting program of sacred choral works of familiar and new works by composers such as John Rutter, C.H.H. Parry, Stephen Paulus, F. Melius Christiansen and others. The Chapel Choir presented four concerts in Florida between March 15 and March 19.

The concert will also include faculty member Dr. Huw Lewis as accompanist.

The Chapel Choir is Hopes premier choral ensemble. Founded in 1938, the choir has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada, performing in venues including The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and numerous choral conferences. The choir has also traveled abroad on nine occasions, most recently to South Africa in 2018. The Chapel Choir is featured in multiple events at Hope, including the colleges long-standing Christmas Vespers, the award-winning television broadcast of which is seen around the country at Christmastime on PBS.

The 40-voice ensemble, which consists of student musicians from a wide variety of academic disciplines, is dedicated to the performance of the finest sacred and secular choral music. Students in the choir are selected by audition and maintain a rigorous rehearsal schedule in preparation for their concert tour and other engagements throughout the year.

The Chapel Choir is directed by Dr. Christopher Dekker, director of choral activities and visiting assistant professor of music. A 2009 Hope graduate, as a student he was a member of the choir, and for two spring-break tours was an accompanist for the ensemble. Dekker has additional degrees from Central Michigan University and The University of Notre Dame.

Accompanist Dr. Huw Lewis was educated at the Royal College of Music, London, Cambridge University and the University of Michigan. He has been at Hope College since 1990.

The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets.
Brief Encounter (1945) is considered one of the best British films ever by those of a certain age. It is based on the play Still Life (1936) by Noel Co...

1 day ago
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
Market anomalies still rampant despite hefty fines

The governments effort to check market anomalies by imposing cash penalty against wrongdoers is proving ineffective, as many shopkeepers are still being found ignoring government rules.
Nepal Airlines to discuss Kathmandu-Narita flights with Japanese delegation

Nepal Airlines Corporation is holding talks with the visiting delegation of Narita International Airport Corporation of Japan on Monday regarding the plan to operate non-stop flights between Kathmandu and Narita. Narita is a city on the eastern outskirts of Tokyo, Japan.




Use of smart watch technology is on the seemingly inexorable rise. One need only think of the use of a smart watch. A brief look around the office will show a growing proportion wearing some form of smart watch to track one's steps, monitor their heartbeat and distinguish their daily movements. With 71 million smartwatches reportedly sold in 2018 it was only a matter of time before this technology reached the younger generation. But the watches contain notable amounts of 'personal data' as defined by the Data Protection Act 2018, including location, call logs and phone numbers.Enter the 'Enox Safe-Kid-One', produced by ENOX Production Services GmbH . This watch is designed to allow parents to track the location of their child and contact them through an accompanying app. At first glance, this might be seen as a parents' dream, enabling them to easily contact their child and ensure that they can monitor that their child is in a safe location at all times. The app even allows parents to "draw a geographical fence" around their child, which notifies a parent when their child exits that 'safe' area.On the one hand, this enables a parent the freedom to leave their child to play and explore within a permitted perimeter, checking on them from the convenience of their office or home. However, on the flip side, would you want to be tracked? Doing so conjures up worrying connotations of animal tracking; moreover, it does not exactly engender a sense of trust between parent and child.True, the watch is not the first of its kind in this area; Kat readers may be familiar, for example, with the Apple app 'find my friend', as a means of tracking our loved ones. But if we are able to track our friends and family so easily, who else could be doing the same?Against this background, there have been a variety of concerns raised in connection with this Enox watch. Most notably, the European Commission has recalled the sale and distribution of this watch over safety fears for children. In an ironic twist, the watch, which is designed to promote child safety, may have resulted in the opposite.The Commission considered this a serious security risk and as a result, alerted other nations in the European Economic Area (EEA) via its Rapid Alert System . Thus, the European Commission, in its recall alert, expressed concerns that the app could be easily hacked and data such as location history, phone numbers, serial number can easily be retrieved and changed.The Commission also highlighted that commands could be sent through the watch to any "malicious user", making it possible to track and communicate easily with a child. Security experts have found it worryingly simple to track children when the watches did an inadequate job of encrypting data or checking who was logging information. This could, therefore, result in children's personal information being widely available to potentially dangerous individuals. The Commission, therefore, has directed public authorities across Europe to recall the product from end users.Enox plans to appeal the decision with Iceland's consumer protection regulator, which had forwarded its concerns about the watch to the Commission. Enox founder, Ole Anton Bieltvedt, has stated that the watch had passed the necessary tests carried out by German regulators last year, allowing it to be sold. As Kat readers are aware, over the last few years, we have seen some notable data breaches, including at British Airways Dixon Carphone and even our own government . The GDPR introduced a duty to report data breaches within 72 hours to the relevant supervisory authority as soon as such breach was known to have occurred. Any organisation failing to notify a breach when required to do so can result in a fine up to 10 million euros or 2 per cent of global turnover. Fines aside, a concern that hacking may lead to disclosing the location and patterns of movement for children is of substantial concern.The appeal by Enox puts into relief the conflicting concerns between parental responsibility and trust against the risk of privacy, cyber-hacking and data breach. So whether or not you are an advocate of this watch, it merits keeping a close eye on how this case develops.
Human rights have been a point of contention in the history of US-North Korea relations. On March 13, 2019, the US Department of State released the 2018 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The congressionally mandated reports are part of the Department of States requirement to fulfill its obligation to the US Congress under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Trade Act of 1974. North Korea is one such country included in the annual reports.





In the 2018 report, twenty-nine pages are dedicated to reporting on human rights violations in North Korea. Data for the report are derived from a combination of sources including reports from the United Nations, the International Bar Association, the Korean Institute for National Unification, the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, Human Rights Watch, the Institute for National Security Strategy and other think tanks and academics; surveys from InterMedia and Reporters Without Border; defector testimonies; domestic, foreign and international press reports; imagery analysis; and North Koreas penal code, laws and constitution. The report notes that North Koreas failure to allow for the freedom of movement inside the country by foreign governments, journalists or other invited guests limits the Department of States ability to fully assess or confirm the reported abuses.





The rights violations cited in the report can be broken down analytically by the types of rights, namely sociopolitical, security and socioeconomic rights. Security rights are typically included in the sociopolitical rights category in the traditional human rights literature while socioeconomic rights are not recognized by the US government. Nonetheless, a breakdown as such allows for analysts to capture the philosophical debates at the heart of the tension between the US and North Korea on the rights issue and the changing nature of the rights discourse to include the human security and non-traditional security discourses in the post-2012 period. It also opens the door to potential dialogue on the rights issues where the discourse overlaps.





A summary of the sociopolitical rights violations in the report includes rigid controls over many aspects of citizens lives, including arbitrary interference with privacy; censorship, and site blocking; substantial interference with the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; severe restrictions of religious freedom; significant restrictions on freedom of movement; restrictions on political participation; and coerced abortion. The debate between the US and North Korea on these specific rights violations focuses on rights afforded to individuals versus individuals as citizens of the state. North Korea adopts the position that rights are afforded to individuals as citizens of the state, thereby allowing the government to regulate individuals rights to freedom of movement, assembly, association and practice of religion and access to information. China also adopts the position that rights are granted to individuals as citizens of the state. However, it goes one step further by making it a moral obligation of the state and government officials to uphold the rights granted to citizens by the law. As the US government notes in the report, North Korean government officials have consistently violated the rights afforded to their citizens by the law and constitution and officials are not held accountable for their violations.





North Korea should engage the US on human rights simply because it is necessary in order to move toward full, normalized relations between the two countries and to glean support among US policymakers for the lifting of sanctions.





The security rights violations highlighted in the report include arbitrary detentions by security forces; unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government; forced disappearances by the government; torture by authorities; detention centers, including political prison camps in which conditions were often harsh and life threatening; and political prisoners. These violations pertain primarily to a lack of due process, disregard for existing North Korean laws, and the failure of the government to adequately reform its criminal justice system including prison and correctional facilities and to hold government officials and security personnel accountable for their violations. Reform of the criminal justice system provides a foundation upon which the US government and North Korea could engage one another. Moreover, dialogue, cooperation and actual changes in the criminal justice system and conditions of the prisons, detention centers and correctional facilities would indicate some progress made toward the human rights issue. Existing US congressional resolutions note that the US president must certify that North Korea has made complete, verifiable and irreversible progress on the human rights issue in order for some of the unilateral sanctions to be waived.





Finally, the notable socioeconomic rights mentioned in the report includes severe restrictions on worker rights, including denial of the right to organize independent unions, domestic forced labor through mass mobilizations and as a part of the re-education system; forced labor conditions faced by DPRK overseas contract workers; and trafficking in persons. These issues are of particular importance since North Koreas official human rights discourse emphasizes socioeconomic rights. Human trafficking is an area where both the US and North Korea could engage in dialogue. The US government regularly provides assistance to countries efforts to combat human trafficking. Forced labor of the foreign overseas workers is less likely to be an issue on which the two can engage in dialogue due to it being a source of revenue for the North Korean government. It is unlikely for North Korea to engage in dialogue on the other issues due to their domestic nature. Nonetheless, reform of existing laws and the government actually holding officials accountable for their abuse and violation of the laws would address some of the underlying factors contributing to these rights abuses.





The question begging is: Why should North Korea engage the US given the philosophical differences between the two countries on human rights? North Korea should engage the US on human rights simply because it is necessary in order to move toward full, normalized relations between the two countries and to glean support among US policymakers for the lifting of sanctions. US policymakers have taken bipartisan action ranging from public laws to resolutions calling for North Korea to respect and protect the human rights of their people as they are enshrined in the UN Declaration of Human Rights. They have consistently asserted that human rights must be a key element in negotiations between the US and North Korea and incorporated as part of any comprehensive agreement between the two countries. A true change in the nature of relations between America and North Korea depend on engagement of issues beyond denuclearization. As Victor Cha notes in The Bloomberg, human rights are critical for successful negotiations.








The Iranian Regime has already killed hundreds of thousands of its own people inside Iran in order to maintain control, along with hundreds of people living in other countries, including human rights defenders, critics of the Iranian leaders, political activists, and dissidents.

Saeed Karimian, an Iranian-born British citizen, was a television executive, chair, and owner of 20 TV channels operating in Persian, Arabic, Azeri and Kurdish languages. He was sentenced to death in absentia by Irans judiciary system.

In 2017, he was shot dead along with his Kuwaiti business partner in Turkey. The Turkish authorities blamed the mullahs after two supposed operatives were arrested in Serbia trying to return to Iran with fake passports.

Ahmad Mola Nissi, a Dutch citizen of Iranian origin, was a prominent figure in the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz, which calls for a separate state in western Iran.

In 2017, he was shot dead in The Hague. The Dutch government publicly announced it had strong indications that the Regime was behind this.

Another European citizen and opponent of the Iranian regime, Mohammad Reza Kolahi Samadi, was killed in the Netherlands in 2015.

However, Irans terrorist plots are increasingly being foiled by the relevant authorities.

In 2018, Denmark thwarted a plot to assassinate an Arab separatist leader living in their country and the Danish Security and Intelligence Service concluded that an Iranian intelligence service had planned it.

Iran also routinely plots assassinations of foreign politicians that the Regime opposes, such as Adel Al-Jubeir, the former Saudi ambassador to the United States. Two Iranian nationals were convicted of plotting to assassinate him at a restaurant in Washington DC in 2011.

Also, at least two terror plots in Europe were thwarted during 2018 alone, including the Free Iran gathering in France, where over 100,000 people attended, and the Iranian New Year gathering in Albania.

Dr Majid Rafizadeh wrote: When pressure is imposed on Tehran, the Iranian regime responds by employing the only modus operandi that it is familiar with: carrying out terrorist attacks and assassinations on foreign soil. This does not mean that the international community should pursue appeasement policies toward the Iranian leaders. Instead, the Iranian leaders must be more forcefully held accountable for conducting such heinous acts, imposing fear in other nations, and destabilizing peace and security across the globe.
Even worse, the article was near enough verbatim an article published by Iranian state media months before.

Former MEP Struan Stevenson said: This kind of horrible Fake News an attempt to blacking and demonize the MEK simply playing to the hands of the mullahs.

It is abhorrent for Der Spiegel to present this as journalism, especially when the MEK invited the magazine to their headquarters in Albania several times to see the site for themselves and meet actual MEK members. The magazine failed to even include reference to the many publicly available court documents that prove their report to be false.

Instead, they relied solely on the testimony of those who have sought to vilify the MEK for years.

People like Mostafa Mohammadi, an MOIS operative who repeatedly claimed that his 39-year-old daughter Somayeh is being held captive by the MEK and has filed complaints in Canadian, Iraqi and Albanian courts seeking the release of his daughter. All three courts ruled that the claims were baseless and rejected his complaint because of Somayehs testimony and her interviews with media outlets.

Another witness is Gholamreza Shekari who claimed to be jailed, tortured, and brainwashed, by the MEK 24 years ago and admits that he took monthly financial help from the MEK until his ties to the regime were revealed. He is now a paid stooge of the Regime and it goes without saying that his ludicrous claims are completely untrue. He is nothing but a mercenary.

Stevenson said: The report shows how the mullahs have reacted to the threats to their regime by ramping up their sponsorship of international terror and cyber warfare, as well as a demonization campaign against their main organized opposition.

Sadly, this sort of defamation is nothing new. In fact, the MOIS has had an Anti- Hypocrisy Division (the derogatory name the regime used to describe the MEK) for over 30 years.

The mullahs follow a two-pronged approach when it comes to eradicating the MEK, which is to arrest, imprison, torture, and execute MEK supporters inside Iran, while carrying out an extensive propaganda campaign to demonize the MEK abroad, which includes accusing them of terrorism, murder, kidnapping, torture, etc. Incidentally, these are all things that the Regime have carried out.

The Regime says that the MEK cuts off their members support to the outside world, destroys the family unit by divorcing members and separating them from their children, and has some kind of financial-political relationship with Saddam Hussein.

By design, this demonization campaign tricks the international community into not being too concerned about the mullahs violence against the MEK.

Take, for instance, the assassinations of key MEK figures, including Kazem Rajavi, Mohammad Hossein Naghdi, Zahra Rajabi, and the massacre of 30,000 MEK members in the summer of 1988.
Nirmala Pant rape and murder case: DSP Angur GC surrenders before court

Angur GC, a former deputy superintendent of police, who is accused of torture and evidence tampering in Nirmala Pant rape and murder case, surrendered before the court on Monday.
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Representatives unaware of development plans in their areas

Elected representatives of the local units of Surkhet said they too are facing difficulties while implementing plans as the provincial government did not coordinate with them.
Reversal of democratic thrust

After Dahal was forced to step down, the subsequent governments sought to contain anarchy, insecurity and impunity spread by the Maoists as well as democratise and professionalise the security forces that had once backed the monarchy. T
- President Rodrigo Duterte said that the drug situation in the country has worsened

- He added that some of his policemen are at the brink of surrendering already

- The President also said that the Philippines might end up like Mexico

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During President Rodrigo Dutertes speech in the campaign rally of PDP-Laban in Cagayan de Oro City, he said that the drug problem in the country worsened. KAMI learned that according to President Duterte, the police are at the brink of surrendering.

In a report by the Manila Bulletin (author Genalyn Kabiling), the President said that with the huge worth of illegal substance entering the country, the Philippines might end up like Mexico, being controlled by drug cartels.

Things have worsened. My policemen are at the brink of surrendering. Everyday  dont believe that its one billion. The next day there will be another 1. 3 billion. Thats just an excuse. Thats a bait, the President said.

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In a previous report by KAMI, President Duterte expressed his exhaustion being the countrys chief executive as he will be turning 74 this month.

The President also gave a warning to those involved in drug operations, even the current politicians. KAMI also reported before that President Duterte released a new narco-politicians list, including 8 of his party mates in PDP-Laban.

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It Doesn't Matter What She Wears! We received a lot of messages and stories from our female viewers about the stressful experience of being disrespected in public over their choice of clothes. A message to all the citizens is that we should stop telling women what to wear and stop trying to justify rude behavior  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: Kami.com.ph
- Palace says that there is nothing the Philippines could do right now about the Chinese vessels allegedly harassing local fishermen

- Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the PH can only protest

- He added that the fishermen should provide proof that the harassment really happened

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Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has commented regarding the issue that Chinese authorities were shooing away local fishermen from the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal as seen in the documentary by Senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares.

In a report by the ABS-CBN News (author Dharel Placido), KAMI learned that there is nothing that the Duterte administration could do right now since China has control over it.

May magagawa ba tayo eh sila ang may kontrol as of now, meron silang pwersa doon. We can only protest like any other country na nagki-claim, like Vietnam. Iyun lang ang magagawa natin eh. You want us to declare war against them? Panelo said.

He also added that China has control over it since they deployed military forces there.

PAY ATTENTION: Pinoy Celebrities Whose Relationships Are Not So Well-Known

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However, Panelo said that the fishermen should be able to provide proof that they were harassed by the Chinese authorities.

You have to show proof that it is still happening now. We will protest. We will not allow that to happen to our fishermen, he said.

According to a report by Rappler (author Pia Ranada), Colmenares shared a documentary on his Facebook page about the fishermen from Zambales. One of the fishermen said that Chinese vessels allegedly threw water cannons to them so that they cannot enter the Panatag Shoal.

You may watch the documentary here:

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It Doesn't Matter What She Wears! We received a lot of messages and stories from our female viewers about the stressful experience of being disrespected in public over their choice of clothes. A message to all the citizens is that we should stop telling women what to wear and stop trying to justify rude behavior  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: Kami.com.ph
- Maine Mendoza attended this year's grand alumni homecoming of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde

- She brought with her, her rumored boyfriend, Arjo Atayde

- She took and finished Bachelor of Science in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management major in Culinary Arts from the said institution

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Maine Mendoza attended the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's grand alumni homecoming, which was held at The Island in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), on March 23.

The said institution is where she completed her bachelor's degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management major in Culinary Arts.

KAMI learned that her rumored beau, Arjo Atayde, has accompanied her during the event.

The rumored couple can be noticed being together often after admitting the real status of their relationship, early this year.

This was after they co-starred on a Metro Manila Film Festival entry Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles Starring Coco Martin and "Bossing" Vic Sotto.

They both admitted that they were exclusively dating and still trying to get to know each other.

Maine also said that Arjo was the first man that he introduced to her family.

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KAMI previously reported about Maine Mendoza & Arjo Ataydes epic dates in New York & at Star City.

Arjo starred in his a movie "'TOL", together with Joross Gamboa, and Ketchup Eusebio and Jessy Mendiola as their leading lady. Arjo will also star in an iWant original series entitled "Bagman."

PAY ATTENTION: 15 Signs That Show Your Love Will Withstand Anything

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We received a lot of messages and stories from our female viewers about the stressful experience of being disrespected in public over their choice of clothes. A message to all the citizens is that we should stop telling women what to wear and stop trying to justify rude behavior  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: Kami.com.ph
Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets.
Doing as little as possible at all times and thoroughly enjoying life in doing so...
Security agencies intensify manhunt for Netra Bikram Chand

At least two senior intelligence officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing the sensitivity of the matter, told the Post that security agencies were tracking Chands activities through various meanstechnical devices and human intelligenceand they have found him to be changing his shelter frequently.
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Think of a scandalous headline you've read about the Los Angeles Unified School District in recent years:

An iPad debacle that derailed a superintendent's tenure.

A guilty plea from a former food services director accused of skimming from the budget.

A financial scandal involving now-former school board member Ref Rodriguez and a charter school he founded.

As LAUSD's official watchdog, the Office of the Inspector General had a hand in all of these cases, and many more. The auditors and investigators in the OIG are charged with holding LAUSD officials accountable for how they spend more than $9.6 billion each year.

But in recent years, the OIG reported a sharp drop in the number of cases its investigative unit completed, according to a KPCC/LAist review of the office's annual reports.

In 2013, the year Ken Bramlett was hired as LAUSD's Inspector General, the office closed 58 investigations. In 2014, the year Frank Cabibi was brought aboard as a deputy IG in charge of the investigative team, the OIG closed 27 cases.

Five years later, in fiscal year 2018, the office reported closing just five full-fledged investigations.

Meanwhile, pending cases piled up. Last year, the OIG reported 95 cases "still in progress" up from just 15 in 2013.

A "Report of Investigation" indicate the LAUSD's Office of the Inspector General found evidence of wrongdoing in a case. A "Case Memorandum" indicates OIG investigators couldn't sustain a finding of wrongdoing. Both of these filings count toward the total of full-fledged investigations closed. Counted separately are "due diligence" reports: routine background checks OIG runs on applicants who sought to open charter schools, take high-level jobs, or win contracts with LAUSD. (KPCC/LAist analysis)

KPCC/LAist learned of concerns about how the office is handling cases from a trove of documents OIG employees sent to higher authorities within LAUSD or in state government describing allegations that Cabibi and Bramlett oversaw a hostile work environment in OIG.

In two of these documents, OIG employees also alleged Cabibi's handling of cases was causing a backlog.

Three well-placed sources, one of them a fired OIG investigator, say cases were held open longer than they needed to be under Cabibi's leadership. Why? They say Cabibi was eager to open cases, but not to close them. A fourth source acknowledged some cases stayed open longer than they should have, but stressed that investigators were stretched thin and struggled to keep up with the workload.

The question is not only whether OIG's investigators are getting their work done. At issue is whether the office has too much discretion to open new cases -- or, conversely, whether investigators have too little power and too few resources to vigorously pursue investigations into corrosive waste, fraud or mismanagement.

The issue has played a role in LAUSD's debates over charter schools in recent years. Charter advocates have criticized district officials for relying on OIG investigators too often to handle routine charter school oversight.

The OIG is also tasked with completing routine background investigations on applicants who seek to open charter schools, take high-level jobs, or win contracts with LAUSD. In fiscal year 2018, OIG completed more than 127 of these "due diligence reports" -- an increase of 60 percent from the year before. Nearly half of those reports were classified as "charter school due diligence."

BEHIND THE OIG'S CURTAIN

KPCC/LAist's reporting describing the tumult at the top of the Office of the Inspector General has opened a window into a secretive department whose leaders generally work behind closed doors and avoid press attention.

Bramlett left the OIG in June 2018 and declined to comment to KPCC/LAist.

Cabibi resigned in March 2018 amid sexual harassment allegations. He has said his resignation was unrelated to those complaints.

Cabibi did not return multiple calls and requests for comment. Cabibi is on the record in court documents, however, saying he was trying to change how the office handled investigations to prevent disorganization and confusion when cases were forwarded to prosecutors.

William Stern, LAUSD's new Inspector General, cautioned against drawing conclusions from the case closure numbers alone. Stern, who took over in January, declined to answer questions about specific cases or allegations of misconduct in how they were handled.

Stern did offer a more general defense of how the OIG operates, noting that while some investigations can be straightforward and easy to close, a more complex inquiry might remain "in progress" for months -- or perhaps longer.

Maribeth Vander Weele, the former inspector general for Chicago Public Schools, agreed that it's difficult to definitively say what the numbers mean.

But unlike Stern, Vander Weele said the decline in the number of resolved cases is notable.

"Those numbers," she said, "seem to reflect the turmoil in leadership."

BACKLOG OF CASES

The OIG's annual reports show that in a typical year, the office's investigative team fielded between 200 and 300 calls on its tipline, "most of which required some level of investigative follow-up."

There is one exception: a relatively large number of calls to LAUSD's fraud hotline in 2017 triggered an unusually high number of investigations.

A staff of "around a dozen" OIG investigators handled these calls, according to Stern. (The exact number of staffers, he said, is confidential.)

Annual reports show that the inflow of work to the OIG has remained relatively steady, aside from that uptick in 2017. Yet OIG's own reports show the completed investigations have dropped to a fraction of what it was in June 2013, two months before Bramlett started in OIG.

A composite of partial screenshots from the annual report LAUSD's Office of Inspector General filed after fiscal year 2013. That year, the OIG completed 58 cases. The above illustration shows roughly half of the investigative reports the OIG filed that year. (KPCC/LAist illustration.)

The number of incomplete investigations has also increased. In June 2014 -- one month after Cabibi joined the office -- there were 29 cases "in progress." One year later, there were twice as many. By June 2017, there were nearly five times as many open cases as there were three years earlier, when Cabibi came onboard.

(These counts don't include the work completed by a separate and larger team of auditors, who reported to Bramlett, but not Cabibi. The number of audits OIG auditors have routinely completed has remained steadier in recent years, the office's reports show.)

After Cabibi resigned in March, OIG staffers went through a credenza in Cabibi's office and found at least 25 cases ready to close, according to an email an OIG employee sent to LAUSD school board members.

READ MORE:

Contact the author of this article by email or via a Twitter message.

THE PRESSURE OF THE WORK

Advocates for charter schools have criticized LAUSD leaders for leaning on the Inspector General to perform routine oversight.

Charter schools are publicly funded, but operated by outside non-profit organizations. Their opponents see them as a threat to the district's finances. However, charters are subject to oversight from LAUSD officials -- including the OIG.

In 2016, charter groups backed legislation to put clearer limits on the OIG's role -- a response to what advocates saw as open-ended, protracted investigations of charter schools. At the time, the California Charter Schools Association criticized the OIG's oversight as "heavy-handed and lacking in transparency." (The OIG-limiting legislation didn't go anywhere.)

In 2017, several prominent charter school organizations mounted another challenge to the OIG's authority, demanding LAUSD more clearly define when OIG could launch an investigation. After LAUSD officials threatened not to renew their schools, the charter groups ultimately backed off this demand.

Some sources disagreed with the premise that the OIG was aggressively pursuing charter investigations and say that under Bramlett and Cabibi, investigators working charter school cases did not always feel they had free reign.

Former OIG investigator Walter Finnigan said Bramlett and Cabibi's message to those working certain charter cases was: Don't do too much.

Two other well-placed sources echoed Finnigan's description of Bramlett or Cabibi as hesitant to vigorously pursue certain cases involving charter schools.

WHY SO MANY OPEN CASES?

The volume of open cases could be tied, at least in part, with how Cabibi wanted to manage the investigative team.

Cabibi himself has said he wanted to change how the office handled investigations, according to a sworn deposition he gave in April 2018 as part of yet another lawsuit, filed by ex-OIG investigator Cheryl Dorsey.

Those changes had to do with when his office designated a case as "closed," particularly when their investigation might have resulted in criminal charges. LAUSD's Inspector General does not have the power to pursue criminal charges, but can refer cases to agencies that do, like the District Attorney or U.S. Attorney.

In his deposition testimony, Cabibi explained he thought it didn't make sense to call such a case "closed" when "the greater case was the ... potential criminal case."

"So my process was: don't close the case," Cabibi said. "The case will have a new designation called 'the D.A.'s Office, Open D.A.' -- meaning it's at the D.A. and it's still open."

(KPCC/LAist illustration)

The annual reports KPCC/LAist reviewed do not show how many OIG investigations, if any, were designated as "Open D.A." One possible reason for that, which is noted in the reports, is that state statute limits the OIG's ability to disclose the results of its investigations.

That said, Finnigan, who worked for the OIG for three years, said he believed only a handful of the open cases could be designated as pending with the D.A.'s office.

Finnigan and another well-placed source said they believed Cabibi had another reason for keeping cases open: to leverage more resources for the office -- a greater budget, more investigators, or maybe both.

"I believe [Cabibi] was trying to pump up the caseloads," Finnigan said in an interview with KPCC/LAist.

In his deposition, Cabibi acknowledged tensions between him and board members. Though he didn't specify the source of the tension, Cabibi said he decided that he "didn't like the politics ... of the board."

"I felt certain pressures that-- I felt that the direction I was taking the program," Cabibi said, "was not in the same direction that the board wanted the program to be in."

LAUSD fired Finnigan in December 2018 after a co-worker accused him of sexual harassment.

As KPCC/LAist reported last week, Finnigan denies all allegations of wrongdoing. His wrongful termination suit against LAUSD claims the district's reason for his firing is "pretextual," and that he was actually terminated in retaliation for speaking up about "illegal misconduct" inside LAUSD. The case is still pending.

In a statement, LAUSD said Finnigan's lawsuit was "filled with inaccurate allegations."

ALL CASES AREN'T EQUAL

What do we know about the types of cases OIG takes on and what it takes to close them?

Stern, LAUSD's current Inspector General, said some instances of fraud or waste are "easily identified and worked to conclusion."

Then, he said, there are cases that are "very complex and sophisticated schemes and artifices to defraud that can take a substantial number of resources."

Pursuing those complex cases can take time. For example, in 2014, OIG auditors first published a report raising red flags about David Binkle, the former leader of LAUSD's Food Services Division. After the OIG's review caught the attention of the District Attorney, the case took almost five years to wind through the criminal courts. It was only this month that Binkle pleaded guilty to felony conflict-of-interest and forgery charges.

In the annual report, both a complex case and a relatively straightforward case count as the same.

"It's important to look at the type of investigation and not just the quantity," Stern said, "especially in an office that is charged with such a broad and large mission."

Vander Weele, the former Chicago schools IG, said there are reasons to be concerned about the trends in case closures at LAUSD's OIG.

Yes, she says, fluctuations can happen from year to year. But she said LAUSD's numbers show a precipitous drop, not a small fluctuation.

For example, Vander Weele pointed to the June 2017 figures, which showed OIG -- which has "around a dozen" investigators -- had closed just nine investigations over the previous year.

"One investigator," she said, "should be able to close nine cases."

Contact the author of this article by email or via a Twitter message.
1. Yes. The Schlueter Group has extensive experience and contacts. Its a good investment.

2. Yes. The firms namesake has a background as a legislator and knows Killeen well.

3. No. The expenditure is a waste of money. Our lawmakers should be doing that work.

4. No. The contract should be shorter, incentivized and based on performance benchmarks.

5. Unsure. Its not always easy to quantify the outcomes of lobbying efforts.

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ACLU Sues FBI for Records Related to Black Extremists Report

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  The American Civil Liberties Union sued the FBI on Thursday for records related to a divisive 2017 report that said black extremists were on the rise following the shooting deaths of several African-Americans.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for Northern California names the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. The ACLU and its foundation were joined by the Center for Media Justice, based in Oakland, California, as plaintiffs.

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The lawsuit stems from an intelligence assessment released by the FBI in 2017 that said black identity extremists were targeting law enforcement after police killings of black men. At the time, the agency said it doesnt target specific groups and noted the report was one of many.

But the report alarmed civil rights activists who remember a time when the U.S. government targeted and harassed black people and black-led organizations.

The public deserves to know whether the FBI is wasting valuable resources to target those who object to racism, police violence against Black people, and injustice in America, said Malkia A. Cyril, co-founder and executive director of the Center for Media Justice, in a statement.

FBI spokeswoman Tina Jagerson said Thursday that the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit says the FBI failed to respond adequately to public records requests seeking documents dating to 2014 that contain phrases such as black nationalist, black identity extremist and black separatist. The requests also seek records that reference extremist violence by black people.

The FBI said that the requests lacked enough descriptive information to permit a search.

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Nate Jones, director of the FOIA Project of the National Security Archive at The George Washington University, said the FBI goes out of its way to conduct bad and incomplete searches when faced with a regular records request.

They follow the law when theyre sued, he said.
Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Last week, I got behind in my blogging while I was in Santiago, Chile recruiting international scholars and students, presenting talks on immigration, and meeting with alums and friends of UC Davis School of Law.

During my visit, it became apparent that immigration -- as well as the United States' college admissions scandal -- was a hot topic. As discussed in this Migration Policy Institute report, Chile has experienced a national debate on immigration. In response to public concern with Haitian, Dominican, and other immigrants, new President Sebastian Pinera has proposed greater restrictions on immigration. The consensus appears to be that the Immigration Act of 1975 needs to be reformed; however, the Chilean Congress has been unable to act.

Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

During my visit, I had the privilege of meeting with the deans and faculty at two amazing law schools. First, I visited Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and lectured on judicial review and the U.S. immigration laws. In this talk, I summarized recent developments in the Supreme Court's review of the constitutionality of the immigration laws and policies. My ultimate conclusion is that the Court consistently engages in meaningful judicial review of the immigration laws.

Universidad de Chile law school

The next day, I visited the Universidad de Chile law school and delivered the following lecture:

The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: The United States and Chile by Kevin R. Johnson. Remarks presented at the Universidad de Chile Law School, March 20, 2019

In December 2019, more than 150 nations approved the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (Global Compact). Building on the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the Compact continues the process of promoting cooperation, coordination, and dialogue on migration in the international community. It identifies a number of objectives and commitments, primarily directed at cooperation and coordination. The Compact also calls for, among other things, nondiscrimination against migrants and providing proof of identity to migrants in a state.

A number of nations, including the United States, Australia, Chile, and the Dominican Republic, declined to sign the Global Compact. As with other international arrangements, a major concern was that the Compact would result in the surrendering of national sovereignty over immigration. Immigration is a controversial -- indeed explosive -- issue in many nations and strong voices often advocate for national sovereignty and the exercise of power over immigration and immigration controls.

More generally, in the United States President Trump has expressed skepticism about international institutions, including and especially the United Nations. In responding to international trade, immigration, and foreign policy generally, the President has consistently and unequivocally emphasized America First. That approach, of course, places primacy on national sovereignty and serves as a frame for all of the U.S. governments relations with other countries.

To calm sovereignty concerns with the Global Compact, the Compact did not impose binding obligations on nations but was a non-enforceable promise to cooperate and coordinate migration policies. In fact, the Compact expressly recognized national sovereignty over immigration and enforcement. It specifically provides that:

"[t]he Global Compact reaffirms the sovereign right of States to determine their national migration policy and their prerogative to govern migration within their jurisdiction, in conformity with international law. Within their sovereign jurisdiction, States may distinguish between regular and irregular migration status, including as they determine their legislative and policy measures for the implementation of the Global Compact, taking into account different national realities, policies, priorities and requirements for entry, residence and work, in accordance with international law."

Global Compact, Paragraph 15

Reasons Some States May Have Declined to Join the Global Compact

Reasons beyond concerns with ceding national sovereignty also likely contributed to some nations declining to join the Global Impact. The following reasons may have contributed to the decision of the United States, to not sign the Compact:

Immigration Regulation Raises Sensitive Domestic Political Issues

Immigration touches on issues of language, culture, and the sense of national identity. Such issues are controversial in the United States. They also are generally thought of as a primarily domestic, not international, concern and the subject of intense internal debate.

The Omnipresent Concern with Mass Migration.

When it comes to immigration, nations in the developed world often worry about mass migration and see a need to exercise control over immigration, with the corollary need for limits on the number of immigrants coming into the country. Such concerns raise controversial economic, political, social, and cultural issues that affect all people of society. Concerns with mass migration in the United States have hindered efforts at domestic immigration reform. Such reform has been discussed for many years. That is true even though it is generally agreed that the current U.S. immigration regime requires reform. The United States has an antiquated immigration system created by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which was passed by Congress at a time when exclusion and deportation of communists was paramount. These are not the major immigration concerns of the 21st century. Although amended on numerous occasions, the INA remains the basic U.S. immigration law.

Concerns with the Long Term Impacts of Previous Migration and Refugee Accords.

Some of the nations resistance to the Global Compact may be rooted in concerns with the impact of the implementation of previous international accords, such as the United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees (1951) and the United Nations Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (1967) . Those treaties created powerful -- and binding on states -- international protections for noncitizens who flee persecution or have a well-founded fear of future persecution.

In the United States, the U.N. Protocol led Congress to pass the Refugee Act of 1980, which created the modern asylum system in the United States. Concerns with the numbers of asylum seekers in the United States have provoked concern and tough responses, including immigrant detention, family separation, and the return of Central American asylum seekers to Mexico. Such concerns may have contributed to the resistance to the Global Compact.

Inconsistency with Contemporary U.S. Immigration Enforcement Policies

Immigration policies in the United States today focus primarily on immigration enforcement. Besides not being crafted for the realities of modern migration pressures, the policies are not consistent with the humanitarian spirit of the Global Compact.

President Trump has spoken harshly of immigration and immigrants. He has bolstered immigration enforcement measures and has sought to restrict legal immigration. To that end, the Trump administration, among other things, has issued three versions of the Muslim ban, aggressively employed immigrant detention, and fervently advocated building a wall along the U.S./Mexico border. President Trump frequently declares that the nations southern border is in crisis and has talked about the invasion from the South. Such concerns almost certainly led to a general resistance in the United States to the call for migration cooperation in the Global Compact.

President Trump also has specifically attacked Muslim, Mexican, Salvadoran, and Haitian noncitizens. The verbal attacks have translated into tough immigration enforcement measures directed at these groups. Although some of these measures have provoked controversy and been halted by the courts, many have gone into effect.

The harsh tone combined with the tough enforcement measures in the United States have frightened immigrant communities, as well as people with affinities for those communities. Besides striking fear into immigrants, which have impacts on their well-being as well as their cooperation with government, the harsh rhetoric and attacks on immigrants has delayed indefinitely much needed congressional reform to the immigration laws.

The Need for International Cooperation

Global economic and political pressures fuel migration and affect many nations. No single nation can effectively address migration pressures and flows on its own. In the future, nations must recognize the following in addressing migration

In addition, immigration law and policy affects the rights and well-being of human beings. Harsh policies adversely impact human lives. Nations must work to create humane, as well as manageable and efficient, immigration policies.

At the same time, migration of people from other countries bring changes to the receiving nations. Efforts need to be made to focus not on simply admission and removal but also on policies that facilitate the integration of immigrants into society.

The Global Compact was designed to facilitate much-needed coordination and cooperation on migration matters. Multilateral work is much needed as nations around the world undoubtedly will continue to experience migration flows. Although some of the migrants are refugees fleeing civil strife or fearing persecution, migration also represents a response to economic opportunity, political freedoms, and family reunification.

Put simply, to effectively manage migration, the international community must work together. Building border walls between nations will not end immigration or the pressures for migration. Instead, international arrangements like the Global Compact offer the hope of the future  to effectively, efficiently, and humanely manage migration in the 21st century.

KJ

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2019/03/chilean-president-president-sebasti%C3%A1n-pi%C3%B1era-last-week-i-missed-blogging-while-i-was-in-santiago-chile-recruiting-inte.html
Monday, March 25, 2019

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has accepted the consent disbarment of former state Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

The Morning Call reported

After a jury trial, Kane was convicted on nine counts in August 2016 for leaking information about a grand jury investigation to a Philadelphia newspaper and lying about it.

She reported to Montgomery County Correctional Facility on Nov. 30 to begin serving a 10-to-23-month sentence.

Kane, who is from the Scranton area, was the states first woman and first Democrat to be elected attorney general, winning in a landslide in 2012. Her conviction came before she completed the term.

In 1993, Kane obtained her law license, and after she was charged, her license was suspended in 2015. Kane voluntarily resigned from the practice of law this month, according to a March 11 filing by the Supreme Court disciplinary board.

The same source has links to its extensive coverage of the matter. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/03/the-pennsylvania-supreme-court-has-accepted-the-consent-disbarment.html
Monday, March 25, 2019

The web page of the Ohio Supreme Court has a summary of an oral argument scheduled tomorrow

In re Application of Gillian Holzhauser-Graber, Case no. 2018-1425

Board of Commissioners on Character & Fitness

The Board of Commissioners on Character & Fitness recommends that the Ohio Supreme Court reject Gillian Holzhauser-Grabers 2016 application to be admitted to practice law in the state. Holzhauser-Graber, who graduated from law school in 1988, has applied for admission four times. Based on omissions in her most recent application and her testimony at a character and fitness hearing, the board determined that Holzhauser-Graber didnt sufficiently demonstrate that she has the required character and fitness to practice law.

Noting that Holzhauser-Graber took the bar exam a second time in 1991 and those results were sealed because she hadnt met the professions character and fitness requirements, the board also suggests that the Supreme Court now release her 1991 bar exam results.

Womans First Application to Practice Law Rejected

Candidates who want to practice law in Ohio must submit a registration application, which requires complete disclosure of many aspects of the candidates past. In addition, local bar associations conduct character and fitness interviews of candidates, and the board holds hearings in certain circumstances.

Holzhauser-Grabers journey to join the Ohio bar began in 1988. That year, the Ohio Northern University College of Law graduate gave false testimony at a hearing before a panel of the character and fitness board. The board disapproved her application and recommended that she not be permitted to sit for the bar exam until at least February 1991. However, because Holzhauser-Graber has a vision impairment, the Supreme Court gave her special permission to take the bar exam in February 1989. The Court ordered that the results remain sealed until the same time all the early 1991 bar exam results were released if she met the required character, fitness, and moral qualifications.

In January 1991, the Findlay/Hancock County Bar Association found that Holzhauser-Graber demonstrated the necessary character and fitness, and the board agreed. However, she didnt pass the bar exam.

Applicant Takes Bar Exam for Second Time

She retook the test in July 1991. Before those results were released, the bar associations acting president informed the board about a personal-injury lawsuit Holzhauser-Graber filed against Blanchard Valley Hospital. Holzhauser-Graber acknowledged that she lied in her testimony in that suit. The board recommended that the Supreme Court deny her application and permanently prohibit her from reapplying to practice law. Based on testimony from Holzhauser-Grabers psychologist, the Court in 1993 decided, however, to allow her to reapply in two years if she continued counseling and underwent another fitness and character evaluation after the waiting period. The Court ordered the sealing of her July 1991 bar exam results, which remain sealed.

In 1995, the board recommended Holzhauser-Grabers admission, but the Court, without explanation, declined to adopt the recommendation. The Courts February 1996 order stated that she couldnt reapply for another two years.

Woman Reapplies for Admission to Ohio Bar Twice More

Holzhauser-Graber reapplied in 1998, but the bar association raised concerns about her suspected role in hiding her fathers assets to make him eligible for financial assistance from a church pension board. The bar association denied her application in 2000, and she didnt appeal. She reapplied again in 2013, but the bar association noted that she didnt disclose the Blanchard Valley Hospital case in her application, and she then mischaracterized the litigation when questioned. She appealed the bar associations disapproval but then withdrew her appeal.

Candidate Encounters Issues with 2016 Application

She filed her most recent application in 2016. While she disclosed most of her earlier applications for admission, she didnt note her 2013 application and its denial. In addition, she didnt disclose her involvement in two 1984 Hancock County probate court matters, which she had never disclosed on any application. She supplemented her application with additional details, but didnt offer an explanation why she hadnt noted them in her application.

Although she had personal references and treating psychologists testify on her behalf, the boards panel stated that this support for her didnt outweigh its concern about her ability to be honest and forthright as an attorney. The board determined that Holzhauser-Graber didnt show by clear and convincing evidence that she has the current character and fitness to practice law, and the board disapproved her admission to the Ohio bar.

Holzhauser-Graber is entitled to an automatic review of this decision on the record before the Supreme Court.

Applicant Argues She Is Rehabilitated

In her objections, Holzhauser-Graber points to the testimony from four psychological experts, who indicated she has faced her earlier issues making untruthful statements and who believe she presents the character and fitness to practice law. She also describes the support various personal references, including church officials and an attorney, made in support of her admission.

She notes that the lawsuits at issue were resolved many years before her 2016 application, and she maintains that their omission from her application doesnt reveal a lack of candor with the board. She states that she subsequently submitted the entire case files from those cases to the board. She argues that she has rehabilitated herself with extensive therapy and is fit to practice law in Ohio.

She asks the Court to admit her to the bar if she passed the bar exam, and offered to submit to monitoring for the first few years. Alternatively, she asks that she not be forever barred from being admitted to practice law and that her bar exam results be released.

Bar Association Sees Pattern of Deceit and Omission

The bar association filed a written answer to Holzhauser-Grabers objections, but has waived its opportunity to participate in oral argument. In its response, the bar association states that the 30-year procedural history in this case shows a pervasive pattern of lies and omissions. Noting that Holzhauser-Graber was 32 years old when she first lied to the boards panel in 1988, the bar association argues that her lack of candor isnt youthful indiscretion.

Also, Holzhauser-Graber doesnt address in her objections any reasons for her failure to disclose past court cases in her most recent application or why she was less than candid in hearings, the bar association notes. Nor does the positive testimony of the psychologists and personal references invalidate her conduct in the admissions process, the organization maintains.

The bar association argues Holzhauser-Graber hasnt shown candor or evidence of rehabilitation. It asks the Court not to approve her application, and concludes that, after 30 years, Holzhauser-Graber should be prohibited from reapplying again for admission to practice law in Ohio.

- Kathleen Maloney

Docket entries, memoranda, briefs (including amicus briefs), and other information about this case may be accessed through the case docket.

Contacts

Representing Gillian Holzhauser-Graber: F. Stephen Chamberlain, 419.235.5125

Representing Findlay/Hancock County Bar Association: Christian Pedersen, 419.422.5688.

The recommendation of the Board of Commissioners on Character & Fitness is linked here. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/03/the-web-page-of-the-ohio-supreme-court-has-a-summary-of-an-oral-argument-scheduled-tomorrow-in-re-application-of-gillian-hol.html
This week marks the fourth anniversary of the Saudi-led campaign to force Houthi rebels from parts of northern Yemen.

The fighting has caused what the United Nations calls "the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

About 24 million Yemenis -- about 80 percent of the population -- are in need of humanitarian assistance. Millions more have been displaced by the fighting in Yemen.

UN officials say the conflict has led to many civilian deaths and created food shortages. They also say it is destroying the health and education of an entire generation of Yemeni children. The UN estimates that about 10 children die every day from preventable diseases caused by hunger.

Collapsing healthcare

A UN report says Yemen has experienced a sharp jump in the number of suspected cases of the disease cholera.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 100,000 suspected cases were found from the beginning of the year until March. It claimed that over 190 people have died from the disease in 2019.

In the capital, Sanaa, Doctor Saddam al-Azizi said more than 50 cholera cases were reported every day last week at al-Sabeen, one of Yemens largest hospitals. He told The Associated Press that most of the cases were acute watery diarrhea. He added that 20 percent were confirmed cholera cases.

Yemen has experienced two outbreaks of cholera and acute watery diarrhea since 2016. There have been over one million suspected cholera cases and some 3,000 deaths reported nationwide since the fighting began. UN agencies began sending cholera vaccines to limited areas in Yemen since May of 2018.

Cholera is caused by eating unclean food or drinking water. UN agencies have been working to support water safety, cleanliness and health services in Yemen. The aid agencies said that the outbreaks are the result of the country's collapsing health system after four years of conflict.

The rise in cholera cases usually takes place during rainy seasons in Yemen.

It is Yemens children that suffer the most. In Sanaa, boys wait at a burial ground every day hoping to get money for helping to bury the dead.

"If no one has died, we just hang around the graves and play around," said 13-year-old Ahmed al-Hamadi.

Fifteen-year-old Yasser al-Arbahi attends school for about three hours in the morning. He says he spends the rest of the day looking for work.

About 2 million Yemeni children have stopped attending school since 2015, according to the United Nations. UNICEF, the UNs childrens agency, said many schools are damaged, not in use or have becomes shelters for the displaced.

About 2,500 boys have joined the fighting. More than half of Yemeni girls are married before 15.

Rights group Save the Children estimates that 85,000 Yemeni children under the age of 5 may have died of starvation.

Im Jonathan Evans.

VOAs Zlatica Hoke and The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted their reports for VOA Learning English. The editor was George Grow.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

diarrhea n. an illness that causes you to pass waste from your body very frequently and in liquid rather than solid form

acute adj. requiring short-term medical care; lasting a short time

outbreak n. a sudden increase in activity

according adv. as stated
scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history
Its hard to make smartphone batteries much bigger without adding size and weight to the phone. And phone makers have largely abandoned removable batteries. So over the past few years weve seen a focus on making it easier and faster to charge your phones battery.

Wireless charging lets you top off your battery simply by placing your phone on a charging surface, with no wires to fiddle with.

Fast charging, meanwhile, lets you refuel your battery without tethering yourself to a charger for too long. How long it too long? Thats probably a matter of user preference, but over the past few years weve seen fast charging tech get faster and faster.

Last year Oppo released a Super VOOC charger that could take a phone with a 3,400 mAh battery from zero to 100 percent charged in 35 minutes. Now rival Xiaomi is showing off a system that can charge a phone with a bigger battery in just over half the time.

In a demo video posted to Chinese social media site Weibo, Xiaomi president Lin Bin shows its new 100 watt fast charger taking a phone with a 4,000 mAh battery from empty to full in just 17 minutes.

Is that a huge advantage if you normally just plug in your phone before bedtime and unplug it in the morning? Probably not. But if you dont usually get through a day without stopping to charge your phone once or twice, this means that you could plug in your phone for just a few minutes and probably get enough extra juice to run for hours.

On the down side, the lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones have a limited number of charge cycles. So the more often you charge your phone, the more the battery will degrade  a phone that lasts all day on a charge when you first start using it may die at mid-day after a year or two. Getting in the habit of using your phone heavily and then charging it multiple times a day could theoretically accelerate the process. The good news is that if you eventually need to charge your phone multiple times a day, it wont take long with a fast charger.

Device makers also have to balance heat generation with charging to ensure that hardware doesnt overheat. I have to assume Xiaomi has some sort of solution here, or the company wouldnt be getting ready to launch the new technology.

Xiaomi is expected to reveal more details about its 100 watt fast charging system tomorrow.

via Phone Radar and MySmartPrice
China has stopped all new purchases of Canadian canola seeds in what some see as retaliation for Canadas arrest of a top executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei.

The Canola Council of Canada said last week exporters are reporting Chinese importers are unwilling to purchase the seeds at this time.

In 2018, China bought about 40 percent of Canadas canola exports for a total of USD2.1 billion.

Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said Canadas government now needs to retaliate and should expel any Chinese athletes training in Canada for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022.

We are going to lose billions in dollars in trade and its time to show our displeasure, Saint-Jacques said

Earlier this year, Beijing suspended canola imports from Canadian-based Richardson International Ltd. for what one Chinese official alleged was the detection of hazardous organisms in the companys product.

But David Mulroney, Canadas former ambassador to China, said the blockage of Canadian canola is absolutely related to the Huawei arrest.

Relations between both countries have been tense since Canada arrested Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in early December at the request of the U.S.

On Dec. 10, it arrested two Canadians in an apparent attempt to pressure the government of Justin Trudeau. A Chinese court also sentenced a Canadian to death in a sudden retrial in December, overturning a 15-year prison term handed down earlier.

Mulroney said the latest move by China should convince the Canadian government that Huawei should be banned from supplying equipment for 5G networks in Canada.

This is really the example that should convince people that the risk is too great, Mulroney said.

Canada and its security agencies are studying whether to use equipment from Huawei as phone carriers prepare to roll out fifth-generation technology. 5G is designed to support a vast expansion of networks to facilitate medical devices, self-driving cars and other technology.

Huawei is the worlds biggest supplier of network gear used by phone and internet companies, but has long been seen as a front for spying by Chinas military and its highly skilled security services.

We are about to make a really, really important decision on the future of the technology on which our internet is based, Mulroney said. How can we not at least consider whats happening in the agriculture sector when we make a decision in the technology sector?

If China intervenes capriciously in one sector, might it not intervene capriciously in another? We have to turn the tables on China. China turns the tables on us, he added.

Prime Justin Trudeau said Canadas intelligence and security services are very carefully examining Huawei.

Trudeau added that he is optimistic his government will be able to solve the canola issue, noting a previous issue over canola exports to China in 2016 was solved.

It is not the first time that Beijing has struck back against a nation which appears to cross it.

In 2010, China suspended its bilateral trade deal with Norway and restricted imports of Norwegian salmon after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Chinese political prisoner Liu Xiaobo.

Britain and other countries were also retaliated against over their meetings with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who is considered a dangerous separatist by Beijing.

We cannot take this laying down any longer. Its a two-way relationship and they cannot do this to an old friend, said Saint-Jacques, the ex- ambassador.

Saint-Jacques also said it is getting close to the point where Canada should expel Chinas ambassador. Rob Gillies, Toronto, AP
An accident that took place on Friday at the Avenida do Ouvidor Arriaga resulted in 16 school children being sent to the hospital for an evaluation. The collision involved a school bus and a private car. Seven people, including five school children aged between 4 and 5 years old, a female school worker and a female teacher sustained injuries. The collision is suspected to have been caused by the car failing to stop at the intersection and colliding with the school bus. The cars driver is a local student aged 20 years old.

Property management industry expects fee increase

The property management industry expects property management fees to increase between 5 and 10 percent due to the citys new minimum wage bill. The vice-president of the Property Management Business Association Macau, Yeong Kuong, expects that this time, the increase will have less of an impact than the increase of the minimum wage in 2016. The minimum wage adjustment will definitely result in an increase in costs, and these costs will be passed onto small owners, said Yeong, who hopes the government can give more time to residents and the property management industry for them to adjust to the new regulation.

Smart water meter program to launch this year

Macao Water will launch a smart water meter pilot program for homes in the first half of this year in the Macau peninsula, according to the utility company. The meter will be used to record users water habits and abnormalities and to analyze data. It is hoped that the meter will help to reduce errors caused by manual meter readings and to better understand the daily water-peak distribution. Moreover, on Friday, the citys water authority reported that Macau currently has a total of 179 buildings participating in the safe water scheme.

Las Vegas Sands notifies SEC of settlement

Casino company Las Vegas Sands has notified federal regulators that it settled a 15-year breach-of-contract battle with a Hong Kong businessman, without disclosing terms. A notice posted with the Securities and Exchange Commission says only that Round Square Co. headed by Richard Suen released all claims against Sands when the agreement was announced March 14 in Nevada state court. The notice says the settlements terms are confidential. Sands twice appealed jury verdicts that Suen was due tens of millions of dollars for helping Sands open its first casino in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau in 2004. The settlement ended a third trial in Nevada that focused on establishing the amount Round Square should receive.

Pagcor sees revenue jump in offshore operations

More stringent regulations over Philippine offshore gaming operators, starting from 2016, have resulted in a large increase in revenue for the countrys gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor). Offshore operations generated PHP657 million (MOP4.3 billion) in 2016. After the aforementioned regulations were tightened, revenues soared to PHP3.924 billion (MOP25.6 billion) in 2017 and PHP7.365 billion (MOP48.1 billion) in 2018.

Kosovo suspends casinos, betting shops

Kosovos parliament has voted to suspend all casinos and betting shops. Lawmakers voted 74-0 for a resolution suspending gambling activities until a draft law the government will prepare in 30 days is approved. It did not say what the new law will change. Avdullah Hoti, a lawmaker with the Democratic League of Kosovo party who proposed the resolution, said betting games have grabbed the citizens and no one has become rich with the betting shop businesses. In a post on his Facebook page, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said he is looking for Cabinet approval next week. In 2018, the government gained 16 million euros (MOP146 million) from gambling receipts. After neighboring Albania closed all casinos and betting shops last year, many of them moved to Kosovo.
In light of the results obtained by Macau in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which ranked the region among the worst in the world for school bullying, the Times interviewed the Head of the Department of Innovative Social Work of City University of Macau, Professor Jacky Ho.

Macau scored fourth overall in the ranking of the worst jurisdictions for bullying, just behind Singapore, New Zealand and Latvia.

Questioned on whether the results in the last assessment were surprising, Ho said: Lets say yes and no. The reason I am not surprised is because we have been seeing a lot of different incidents regarding school bullying which came out in different forms, whether physical and emotional or even verbal.

So I am not surprised by that situation because we see this everywhere now, and because of social media, people are more aware of that situation. There are more cases being reported, not just by the media but also through other community platforms.

Nevertheless, Professor Ho explained, on the other hand, I am [somewhat] surprised because Macau has been cultivating [a system where] NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) provide a range of different kinds of services to young people. Plenty of them [address] professional social support for youth and help them to grow in different ways, he noted.

Ho added that he feels surprised by the revelation that somehow it seems that these programs that have been put in place do not actually help the young people to focus on their future or their personal development or personal pursuit.

Little time, poor communication

Another topic addressed by the PISA report, which refers back to a 2015 assessment, is that contrary to global trends, students enrolled in elite schools in Macau have a higher probability of being involved in bullying.

What I found from the report is that young people from these elite schools are usually from a high income family but maybe because of this, they might be lacking support or lacking communication between youngsters and their parents, said Ho.

Maybe their parents occupy high-level jobs and they might not have much time for their kids, the professor suggested, while calling attention to another factor that might have influenced Macaus results.

Also because Macau is a special city where most businesses are open 24-7, [shiftwork] might also contribute to the lack of opportunity for children to talk with their parents and parents hardly find time to spend with their youth.

This might add to attention- seeking behavior and parents may not be aware of their sons and daughters situations, whether in an academic or emotional or self-development setting, he said. This could justify the high percentage of students involved in bullying in the so-called elite schools, and they can be either the victim or the aggressor in this sense.

To recognize incapacity

Questioned on whether he expects any change in the results for the upcoming PISA report  with assessments being done every three years  Ho said I am expecting a linear trend on this situation in Macau and that is why I am suggesting that these issues should be targeted and resolved not just with schools but also with parents and the community as a whole.

According to Ho and at an international level, there is some work being done in this field through a method termed restorative meetings, in which all parties involved in a bullying problem are invited to discuss the problem and resolve it permanently.

These meetings occur usually when schools find out that there are students being bullied. All parties gather in a meeting to try to settle the problem. Nowadays, not many schools [in Macau do this] although some have social workers or other counsellors working there and with the capability to intervene in these situations.

The scholar calls for pressure to be put on schools to adopt this method because schools focus too much on punishment but after you deal with the consequences of the bullying, the relationship between the students has not been resolved. They return to the classroom and engage in an even more conflict-ridden relationship.

The situation is made worse by the fact that schools higher administration and management have been unable to acknowledge their incapacity to deal with bullying.

This is a situation that schools, principals, headmasters and teachers need to acknowledge is beyond their professional knowledge to deal with. They have to engage the schools counsellors or social workers and get them into the core of the problem.
Hong Kongs Department of Health is investigating an outbreak of measles that has infected three workers at the citys airport.

The trio, employees at the Hong Kong International Airport, each developed a rash last week, according to a government statement late Friday. Another two cases were announced Saturday, one involving a man working for an airline and the other, a 11-month-old girl.

The man traveled to countries including Japan, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines during the incubation and communicable periods, according to a separate government statement.

He was a pilot with Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Radio Television Hong Kong reported, citing the government. Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong governments information department couldnt immediately be reached outside of office hours to confirm a pilot was infected.

The Philippines is in the midst of a measles epidemic. More than 21,000 cases have been recorded this year and 315 people have died, its government said.

A health talk was conducted at the Hong Kong airport to deliver measles-related health advice to workers, a government spokesman said Friday. Measles mop-up vaccinations were given to close work contacts of the three patients to prevent the possible spread of infection, he said, referring to the infected airport employees.

At the beginning of March, a man developed full-blown symptoms of measles after boarding a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo. He was a flight attendant at the airline, the South China Morning Post reported. Bloomberg
Italy signed a memorandum of understanding with China on Saturday supporting Beijings Belt and Road initiative, which aims to weave a network of ports, bridges and power plants linking China with Africa, Europe and beyond.

With the move, Italy becomes the first member of the Group of Seven major economies, which includes the United States, to join the Belt and Road program, following Portugals embrace of the initiative in December.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a ceremony in Rome where 29 separate protocols of the memorandum were signed by both governments in front of the flags of China, Italy and the European Union.

Luigi di Maio, the Italian minister of economic development, told reporters afterward that his countrys goal is to increase exports to China in order to correct trade imbalances and boost Italian businesses and the countrys troubled economy. He said the value of the individual deals signed on Saturday amounts to USD2.8 billion, with the potential to grow to USD22.6 billion.

Our goal with these accords is to start to rebalance an imbalance for which there is a lot of Made in China coming to Italy and too little Made in Italy that goes to China, Di Maio said.

He said Italy now expects a substantial and gradual increase of exports and we hope that in the next years we can balance out the trade imbalances.

Italys move appears to also be driven by hopes that Chinese investment in Italys ports might help revive the countrys traditional role as a key link in trade between the East and West.

The signed accords are wide- ranging and include cooperation between banks, between a Chinese construction company and Italian ports, and the export of Italian fruit to China. The deals also foresee cooperation in the spheres of science and technology and between media outlets, as well as the return by Italy of hundreds of Chinese cultural treasures.

The signing ceremony took place at the Villa Madama, a Renaissance villa designed by Raphael, where Xi was greeted with full honors on the second day of his two-day visit to Italy. He then traveled to Sicily, where officials hope to attract more Chinese tourism.

Italys involvement in the Belt and Road program gives China a crucial inroad into Western Europe and a symbolic boost in its economic tug-of-war with Washington, where President Donald Trump is challenging China over trade and other issues.

The EU, however, is worried about unfair competition from Chinese companies, which are controlled by the Chinese government and benefit from the states financial backing. EU leaders in Brussels are preparing a strategy to counter the growing influence of China, which they describe as a systemic rival.

Some Italian government officials were critical of the deals, worried that Italy might be ceding national sovereignty in key strategic areas to Beijing. In a sign of opposition, Matteo Salvini, the deputy prime minister and interior minister, stayed away from the official ceremonies with the Chinese delegation.

Di Maio stressed that Italy remains firmly rooted in its alliance with the United States, NATO and its European partners, but said Italy must also look out for its own economic interests.

Like someone in the United States said America first, I continue to repeat: Italy first in commercial relations, Di Maio said.

In response to concerns that the memorandum could open the way to colonization by China, Di Maio countered it would instead help goods manufactured in Italy to colonize the world.

That is a good colonialization, he said.

The Belt and Road project has so far seen investments totaling more than a trillion dollars since its launch more than five years ago, and China says some 150 countries have signed agreements related to the project.

Beijing has marketed the initiative as a way to give some of the worlds neediest countries a leg up, helping them gain access to more trade and investment. But it also helps Chinese companies tap new markets for their products while helping Beijing amass greater global influence.

Some governments including the U.S., Japan and India worry that Beijing is trying to build a China-centered sphere of influence that undermines their own sway, pulling developing nations into infrastructure debt traps that would give China ever-more control over their territories and economies. Some say the proposed improvements are too expensive for the impoverished countries.

Chinas official position is that Belt and Road is solely an economic initiative with no political motives. Xi said last year that even as China moves closer to the center of the world stage, it will never seek hegemony. AP
Following in his fathers footsteps was always going to be a challenge for CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.s Victor Li.

Li Ka-shing, the self-made billionaire who over seven decades turned a plastic flower business into a global empire spanning ports and property to telecommunications and retailing, last March announced he would retire. He then handed the top position at the family- controlled conglomerate to his eldest son.

Twelve months later, Victor Li, 54, has learned a tough lesson about being the follow-up act to a legendary figure in Hong Kong and investors have been pretty unforgiving so far.

The stock price of the familys flagship company, CK Hutchison, has dropped 16 percent in the year since Li Ka-shing announced his retirement. During that time, the benchmark Hang Seng Index has fallen 8.1 percent.

Li Ka-shing has been a unique asset of the family group, which unfortunately is not transferable to the next generation, said Joseph Fan, a Chinese University of Hong Kong professor who specializes in family-run businesses.

The elder Li, now 90, started out as a refugee and built a fortune that made him the citys richest man, earning him a reputation among local residents as a deal maker on par with the likes of Warren Buffett.

Younger leadership

Now, its show time for Victor Li. The fitful transition at CK Hutchison is emblematic of a broader shift occurring at Hong Kongs top family-run companies as billionaire founders make way for younger leadership.

The next tycoon to step aside may be Henderson Land Development Co. Chairman Lee Shau Kee, the citys second-richest man. Lee, 91, is considering retiring and having sons Lee Ka Kit and Lee Ka Shing take over, the company said in a stock exchange filing last week.

Even as CK Hutchisons profit has jumped, Victor Lis attempt to put his stamp on the groups future has led to some setbacks abroad, with the group retreating from several high-profile deals. Closer to home he has moved cautiously, focusing on redeveloping properties and leaving untouched a board of directors composed largely of old-timers.

Theres not much change. Its just having an extra title, Li said at a Hong Kong press conference on Thursday following the announcement that CK Hutchison income rose 11 percent in 2018 to HKD39 billion (USD5 billion), on a 9 percent gain in sales to HKD453 billion.

With the retirement of his father, nicknamed Superman by the local media, the younger Li has yet to win over investors who doubt he has the same magic touch, according to Richard Harris, Hong Kong-based chief executive officer of Port Shelter Investment Management.

CK Hutchisons shares used to have a Superman premium, Harris said. When Superman retired, things became boring.

Thats not for lack of trying. The younger Li didnt waste time seeking to reshape the family business: In June a consortium of the groups companies offered AUD13 billion (USD9.3 billion) for APA Group, an Australian operator of gas pipelines. The price tag represented the biggest overseas acquisition offer in CKs history.

The deal imploded, with Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in November rejecting it as contrary to the national interest.

Li took another hit when the groups Canadian oil company, Husky Energy Inc., abandoned a CAD2.75 billion (USD2.1 billion) hostile takeover of MEG Energy Corp. Husky announced its plan in September and in January walked away after failing to win enough support from shareholders.

Lis ability to make deals abroad is suffering in part from his fathers decades of work cultivating relations with the Chinese leaders, according to CGS-CIMB Securities analyst Raymond Cheng. Superman is seen as having close ties with the Chinese government, while Western countries are growing skeptical of such backgrounds, he said.

At the press conference, Li defended the groups overseas purchase plans, saying CK Hutchison today is seen as a global company although Hong Kong is its home. We dont feel excluded in other places in the world, he said.

Li has had victories closer to home. In July, the group disclosed a plan to redevelop Hutchison House, a stolid 1970s-era building in Hong Kongs Central district. The new 490,000-square-foot building could double the projects rental income when completed in 2023, with a value that could reach HKD35 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

Well keep on doing Hong Kong property. Its our main business, Li said at the press conference.

The Hutchison House project is one of several redevelopments of existing Hong Kong properties as Li devotes more attention to the groups backyard, according to Morningstar Investment Service analyst Phillip Zhong.

He has a greater belief there are more opportunities in the Hong Kong property sector, he said. Because of the setback they had in Australia and improving sentiment here, theres a shifting of the focus back to Hong Kong.

Long tenure

In the boardroom, Li is still largely working with his fathers team. The average age of members of CK Hutchisons board of directors is more than 73, the oldest among companies on the Hang Seng Index, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The average for index member companies is 61.

Affiliates CK Asset Holdings Ltd., CK Infrastructure Holdings Ltd. and Power Assets Holdings Ltd. arent far behind, with all three ranking in the top 10 of the oldest boards of companies on the index. CK Hutchison declined to comment about board composition and corporate strategy.

The news from abroad wasnt all bad for Li. In June, CK Asset spent 1 billion pounds (USD1.3 billion) to acquire the London headquarters of UBS Group AG. The group took control of mobile operator Wind Tre SpA by buying out its partner for 2.45 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in September.

Li has slowly been building ties with Chinese tech companies by agreeing to deals with Ant Financial, Xiaomi Corp. and Meitu Inc. to sell smartphones, offer digital payments and provide other services in CKs retail stores.

Victor didnt make any major mistakes, said Francis Lun, CEO of Geo Securities Ltd. We cant expect everyone to work miracles. Bruce Einhorn & Jinshan Hong, Bloomberg
China pledged to improve its system for registering new drugs in the country this year and more closely monitor those medicines after theyve entered the market, part of a series of rapid health-care reforms that seek to lower costs and improve the quality of drugs.

We are going to identify a new framework of the administration measures for drug registration, Wang Ping, Director-General of the Department of Drug Registration at the National Medical Products Administration, said at a forum in Beijing on Saturday. We also want to work closely with pharmaceutical companies and strengthen monitoring and surveillance after the new drug has been launched into the market.

Facing pressure from its growing middle class to gain access to the best drugs and health care available, Beijing is now approving novel drugs from foreign pharmaceuticals like Pfizer Inc. and Novartis AG as quickly as U.S. or European regulators are. Where patients once had to travel outside of the country to get life-saving medication, China is now determined to make sure its citizens, who have some of the highest rates of cancer, diabetes and liver disease in the world, can get direct access to top drugs first.

Its also adding more of these novel drugs to its national insurance reimbursement list regularly, a change thats already boosting revenue for companies like Roche Holding AG. While drugmakers have had to lower prices substantially in order to get onto the list, the surge in volume sold has made it worth their while.

At the same time, China wants to contain costs by lowering prices of generic medicines  older drugs whose patents have expired.

Last year, it started a pilot program for some of its major cities to bulk-buy certain generic drugs through tender, a process that drove down prices by as much as 90 percent. As the program expands to cover more generic drugs, its likely to eat into the profit of pharmaceuticals like Pfizer, who do a thriving business selling generic versions of drugs they invented to Chinese hospitals.

Many patients in China still pay too much out of pocket especially for high value drugs that treat serious diseases, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said at the same panel at the China Development Forum. Chinas government should integrate best practices from other markets, he said, and must deepen its protection of intellectual property. Bloomberg
An armed attack drill is considered being held annually to simulate emergency situations in the citys casinos, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau announced in a statement on Friday.

The announcement came after the simulation drill dubbed as Wolf Hunting 2019 was concluded at The Venetian Macao on Friday, in which emergency workers and officers from the Judiciary Police, the Public Security Police Force, the Fire Services Bureau and the Customs Service took part.

The drill on Friday simulated an armed robbery with six actors posing as criminals attacking some patrons before escaping the hotel lobby.

According to authorities, some 360 people attended the 90-minute drill.

According to Paulo Martins Chan, director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), the emergency contact system has been improved between DICJ, the casinos, as well as the police, as cited in a report by TDM. Commenting on the drill, Ma Io Kun, commissioner-general of Unitary Police Service said, without testing, we wont be able to assess the effectiveness of the current system operations.

The police said in a statement that the drill included simulations of multiple injuries, a bomb threat, people being held hostage and standoffs between the police and the criminals. The drill also incorporated pepper spray for the first time.

The police also pledged that it would remain vigilant in developing the security situation by carrying out different types of exercises, enhancing the coordination capacity and joint operations of public security services and other entities to deal with possible emergency situations.

Commissioner-general Ma further added that the rise in money exchange scams has brought changes to the surroundings of the casinos. Yet he assured that the citys overall social order remains intact.

Wolf Hunting was designed to test the ability of public-sector departments and the local casino industry to coordinate and respond to major incidents.

Further, DICJ said in a statement that it would continue to assist the police in its simulation drills, and coordinate with the gaming concessionaires and sub-concessionaires in order to enhance the capacity to respond to unforeseen situations.

It added that the move is also to establish mechanisms of collaboration, and improve and optimize the supervision of casinos in a timely manner. LV

Airport holds fire drill

The Macau International Airport (MIA) carried out its Fire in the Fuel Farm Exercise 2019 on Friday, involving a simulated fire in a fuel tank caused by static electricity.

Nam Kwong Petroleum & Chemicals Co. Ltd., the fuel provider, activated the safety systems according to their internal procedures and moved the vehicles that were parked in the area.

Simultaneously, they notified all entities involved in the emergency in accordance with the Airport Emergency Plan.

The airport fire fighting station deployed their trucks immediately to the location to put out the fire. Although there were no injuries, the commander-in-chief asked for additional support from the Fire Services Headquarters and evacuated staff in the vicinity of the incident.

The exercise, which lasted for 45 minutes, was coordinated by the Macau International Airport Company Ltd.

About 230 people took part in the exercise, representing the Unitary Police, the Public Security Police Force, the Fire Services, the Civil Aviation Authority and CAM-Macau International Airport Company, amongst others.
BY PHILIP WAFULA

pwafula@ug.nationmedia.com

KAMULI-The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga who was airlifted to Nairobi in critical condition yesterday is now feeling better.

Her mother Eva Kadaga has told daily monitor that Kadagas health is improving and that she was able to at least able to eat today.

Kadaga was on Thursday admitted at Nakasero Hospital, where she was reportedly being treated for fatigue-related illnesses.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Speaker of Parliament, Kadaga became ill as a result of a hectic work schedule, fatigue and jetlag upon her return from long haul flights to New York, USA and Rabat, Morocco.

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Kadaga transferred to The Aga Khan Hospital

Parliament confirms Kadagas ailment
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Saturday that he is extremely bullish about the global economy based on the amount of innovation underway, and urged China to continue to open up amid complaints from the U.S. and others that it is shutting foreign firms out of key high-tech industries.

In a speech at an economic forum in Beijing, Cook said Apple is less concerned with the short-term economic outlook because the tech giant makes investments looking ahead years or decades.

In the long term, Im extremely bullish. I think the key to the economy, unlocking its potential has always been innovation, and when I travel around the world, Ive never seen innovation at a more feverish pace than I do today, so Im extremely optimistic, Cook told participants at the China Development Forum, a gathering of business leaders in Beijing.

His remarks come as China and the U.S. prepare to meet again to resolve their trade dispute, which has roiled global markets, and as Apple is expected to announce that it is launching a video service.

The iPhone has long been Apples marquee product and main money maker, but sales are starting to decline. The company is pushing digital subscriptions as it searches for new growth.

Apple is one of many American companies now grappling with increasing Chinese consumer anxiety. China is a major market for Apple and other smartphone makers, accounting for one-third of the industrys global handset shipments.

In other comments, Cook said the world was facing greater challenges than ever before.

Climate change is threatening our planet, poverty and inequality hold citizens and nations back from their potential, basic health care remains out of reach for millions, he said.

At the same time [] we can have a healthy planet and a thriving economy. We can continue to lift millions of people out of poverty, and we can give everyone a chance to learn and thrive. To fulfill this potential, we must all work hand in hand, government, academic institutions and businesses like Apple, Cook said. Dake Kang, Beijing, AP
Prime Minister Theresa May faces growing pressure from within her own party either to resign or to set a date for stepping down as a way to build support for her Brexit agreement with the European Union, British media reported yesterday.

Senior Conservative Party figures were urging May to recognize her weakened political position and leave the prime ministers post. However, there was no indication from Downing Street a resignation was near.

Some of the partys key supporters of a hard Brexit that would see Britain leave the EU even without a withdrawal deal in place planned to meet with May at Chequers, the prime ministers country residence.

May thus far has been unable to generate enough support in Parliament for the deal her government and the EU reached late last year. Lawmakers voted down the Brexit plan twice, and May has raised the possibility of bringing it back a third time if enough legislators appear willing to switch their votes.

Treasury chief Philip Hammond said that senior party members plotting to remove May were being self-indulgent. He said a change of leadership would not provide a solution to the U.K.s political deadlock on Brexit.

Weve got to address the question of what type of Brexit is acceptable to Parliament, what type of way forward Parliament can agree on so that we can avoid what would be an economic catastrophe of a no-deal exit and also what would be a very big challenge to confidence in our political system if we didnt exit at all, Hammond said.

Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, mentioned as a possible caretaker prime minister should May be ousted, said that talk of a Cabinet revolt was far-fetched speculation.

The Cabinet is focused on the best way to get Mays withdrawal plan passed in the House of Commons, Lidington said.

The U.K.s departure from the EU was set to take place on March 29, but the absence of an approved divorce agreement prompted May last week to ask the leaders of the 27 remaining member nations for a postponement.

The leaders rejected Mays request to extend the deadline until June 30. Instead, they agreed to delay Brexit until May 22, on the eve of EU Parliament elections, if the prime minister can persuade Parliament to endorse the twice-rejected agreement.

If she is unable to rally support for the withdrawal agreement, the European leaders said Britain only has until April 12 to choose between leaving the EU without a divorce deal and a radically new path, such as revoking the decision to leave the bloc or calling another voter referendum on Brexit.

Parliament may take a series of votes this week to determine what proposals, if any, could command majority support.

Conservative Party legislator George Freeman tweeted Saturday night that the U.K. needs a new leader if the Brexit process is to move forward.

Im afraid its all over for the PM. Shes done her best. But across the country you can see the anger. Everyone feels betrayed, Freeman tweeted. This cant go on. We need a new PM who can reach out & build some sort of coalition for a Plan B. Gregory Katz, London, AP
A battle over funding for Puerto Rico is complicating the path forward for a long-delayed disaster aid bill thats a top political priority for some of President Donald Trumps Republican allies as it heads to the Senate floor this week.

At stake is USD13.5 billion emergency relief legislation to help southern farmers, rebuild hurricane-damaged military bases, repair water systems, and assist victims of last years California wildfires, among other purposes.

The measure has wide backing from both Democrats and Republicans and is perhaps most ardently backed by Trump loyalists such as David Perdue, R-Ga., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who face potentially difficult re-election fights next year.

The White House, however, isnt pleased with the bill and is particularly opposed to efforts by Democrats to make hurricane relief to Puerto Rico more generous. Senate Republicans are supporting food aid to the devastated island and are working with top Democrats like Patrick Leahy of Vermont to try to speed passage of the measure by adding additional help for Puerto Rico.

The House passed a companion $14.2 billion version of the legislation in January, but it got tangled up in the politics of the partial government shutdown and Trumps demands for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The measure is especially sought by lawmakers from southern states like Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, which were hit by hurricanes Michael and Florence last year. Theres money to respond to an earthquake in Alaska, California wildfires and floods in South Carolina, and for the ongoing recovery effort in Puerto Rico, which was devastated by back-to-back hurricanes in 2017.

And now theres widespread flooding in Nebraska, Iowa and other Midwestern states.

In an official position paper in January, the White House said the House bill was far too generous, objecting to almost $6 billion worth of the measure. But it stopped short of an outright veto threat, and GOP aides say Trump has since told Perdue that hed sign the Senate version of the bill, which mirrors the House plan in most respects.

For many lawmakers, passage is already overdue. Puerto Rico has already cut nutrition benefits by roughly 25 percent amid the funding crunch and Georgia lawmakers warn that their farmers need help in the run-up to planting season.

We are past the time when this should have gotten done. I have spoken with the president many times about this. His commitment to our farmers is unwavering, Perdue said last month.

Trumps commitment to aid to storm-ravaged Puerto Rico is in question, however.

Last fall, Trump tweeted falsely that the government of Puerto Rico was using disaster aid funding to pay off its debt, and earlier this year Trump reportedly contemplated trying to shift some of Puerto Ricos disaster aid to address disaster in the mainland U.S.

While Trump supports $600 million to maintain food stamp benefits in Puerto Rico, Capitol Hill aides say the White House is opposing more generous terms for delivery of disaster aid dollars and funding to rebuild antiquated water systems and make them more resilient to future storms.

Allies of Puerto Rico say Trump treats the U.S. territory worse than states that have endured far less devastating hurricane disasters.

These folks are living under the American flag, said Rep. Jose Serrano, D-N.Y. They should not be treated any differently than any other American citizen.

The Puerto Rican vote is an increasingly potent vote in Florida, an essential state to Trumps re-election bid. Freshman Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a Trump ally, is a strong supporter of aid to the island. Andrew Taylor, Washington, AP
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MANILA - Many residents of Marinduque province still live in fear, almost 23 years after the area was hit by one of the largest mining disasters in the country.

These fears were awakened by the supposedly worsening condition of the Maguilaguila dam, which was recently inspected by the staff of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), according to Lord Allan Velasco, the lone district representative of Marinduque.

"Napansin namin na parang yung spillway tumataas na yung siltation niya. In other words, matatakpan na yung butas na paglalabasan ng tubig," he said in an interview on DZMM Friday.

(We observed an in increase in the spillway's siltation.)

Velasco said if the spillway gets blocked, water from the dam will find other exits.

"Baka talagang masira na ang integrity ng dam kaya medyo nakakakaba," he said.

(We fear that this could weaken the dam foundation).

After last year's inspection, he said the mining company has barred the entry of MGB. He also lamented that the firm has yet to make any move to fix the dam.

The lawmaker said he wrote to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to find ways on how to a similar disaster.

"Ang suggestion nila ay magtatayo ng gabion dam. A gabion dam is a dam they'll put doon sa downstream ng river para in case pumutok yung dam, it will filter out at masalo yung siltation. Kaya lang hanggang ngayon hinihintay pa rin natin yung pagpapagawa nila ng gabion dam doon," said Velasco.

(They suggested the construction of gabion dam, which will filter water and prevent siltation. But we have yet to see a gabion dam get constructed.)

How the mouth of Boac River looked after the mine spill.

The disaster on March 24, 1996 saw million tons of mine tailings spilling into rivers, killing marine life and livelihood.

Velasco said the provincial government filed a $100-million class suit against Marcopper's parent company, Canadian firm Placer Dome--later bought by Barrick Gold, also a Canadian firm--for the disaster.

He said Barrick Gold offered Marinduque a $20-million settlement to drop the case and admit that Marcopper and Placer Dome were not liable for the disaster.
(HealthDay)Racial segregation starts early in a child's life, with vulnerable black "preemies" receiving worse hospital care in the United States than white, Hispanic or Asian infants, a new investigation finds.

Researchers looked at segregation and the quality of care at more than 700 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), focusing on babies born very prematurely or with a very low birth weight.

"Compared to white (premature) infants, black infants were concentrated at NICUs with lower quality scores, and Asian and Hispanic infants were concentrated at NICUs with higher quality scores," said study lead author Erika Edwards.

Edwards said the investigation was "unable to study the drivers of the segregation or differences in quality."

Still, she pointed to several potential factors, including where the infant's family lived and hospital location; type of insurance coverage; and parental immigration status.

"Insufficient" public policies governing access to high-quality obstetric, perinatal, and neonatal care may also play a role, added Edwards, a research assistant professor at the University of Vermont.

But what is not in doubt, she said, is the seriousness of the problem. Besides being "related directly" to the infant's immediate risk for death and disease, a hospital's quality of care can have long-term implications for a preemie's health prospects, explained Edwards, who also directs data science at Vermont Oxford Network.

The study involved nearly 118,000 very preterm births between 2014 and 2016. The babies were born at just 22 to 29 weeks gestation, or weighed from under 1 pound (401 grams) to a little more than 3 pounds (1,500 grams) at birth.

Of the total, more than 36,000 (31 percent) were black. Nearly 22,000 were Hispanic, almost 6,000 were Asian and close to 54,000 were white (46 percent).

Investigators reviewed "Baby-MONITOR" rankings of NICU quality of care. These ratings are based on nine measures, including risk for death while in care; risk that a premature baby would develop bacterial or fungal infections, lung disease, or a collapsed lung; and risk for rapid loss of body heat (hypothermia).

They found that black preemies made up more than a third of the infants in the lowest-ranking NICUs, while constituting just a fifth of those in the highest ranking NICUs.

On the other hand, Asian and Hispanic infants were more likely than white babies to be admitted to higher-ranking facilities.

Edwards said Census data suggested that place of residence largely explains hospital admission patterns among Hispanic babies. But that factor alone does not fully explain either higher-quality care among Asian infants or lower-quality care among black infants, she added.

The study is published in the March 25 issue of JAMA Pediatrics.

Dr. Elizabeth Howell, co-author of an accompanying editorial in the journal, said the findings reflect a "long history of residential segregation, which has impacted housing, education, and health."

Howell is a professor of population health science and policy with the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.

She agreed with Edwards that "disparities in quality of care have a major impact on the health of the newborn, especially the babies born very prematurely."

And such disparities "are associated with later neurodevelopmental impairments, which place these infants at a disadvantage over the life course, and perpetuate health and socioeconomic disparities," said Howell.

Going forward, Howell said it will be important to focus on obstetric services as a whole to explore the reasons for variations in care quality. Also critical, she said, will be determining whether the care provided by a single NICU differs for patients and parents depending on their racial or ethnic background.

More information: Erika M. Edwards, Ph.D. MPH, director, data science, Vermont Oxford Network, and research assistant professor, University of Vermont, Burlington; Elizabeth A. Howell, M.D., professor, department of population health science and policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City JAMA Pediatrics, March 25, 2019. Erika M. Edwards, Ph.D. MPH, director, data science, Vermont Oxford Network, and research assistant professor, University of Vermont, Burlington; Elizabeth A. Howell, M.D., professor, department of population health science and policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, March 25, 2019. Learn more about racial healthcare disparities at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Journal information: JAMA Pediatrics

Copyright  2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
German drugs giant Bayer said Monday it and its US partner Janssen Pharmaceuticals had agreed in principle to jointly pay nearly $800 million to settle a legal dispute over anticoagulant Xarelto.

The cost would be shared equally by both companies to resolve almost all of the "approximately 25,000 Xarelto claims in the United States," Leverkusen-based Bayer said in a statement.

Both companies reserved the right to withdraw from the $775 million (685 million euro) settlement if an insufficient number of plaintiffs accept it, Bayer said.

"More than five years after the Xarelto litigation began, and with Bayer and Janssen Pharmaceuticals prevailing in all six cases that went to trial, the companies have reached an agreement in principle to settle in the amount of 775 million US dollars," Bayer said in a statement.

While plaintiffs have claimed side effects, the German company has insisted that its medication has been successfully prescribed to 45 million people around the world.

"Bayer continues to believe these claims are without merit and there is no admission of liability under the agreement," it said.

"However, this favourable settlement allows the company to avoid the distraction and significant cost of continued litigation."

Bayer and Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, jointly developed the oral anticoagulant drug, and Janssen markets it in the United States.

The deal comes as Bayer faces far bigger legal troubles following its takeover of agrochemicals giant Monsanto, whose glyphosate weedkillers Roundup and Ranger Pro have been linked by litigants to cancer.

Explore further Investors flee Bayer after second glyphosate trial blow (Update)

 2019 AFP
For the first time in humans, a research conducted by SISSA neuroscientists shows the existence of temporal maps in the brain for decoding such an abstract, complex and fascinating feature of the world. Credit: Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash

What happens in the brain when listening to the rhythmic pace of a song, or when waiting for a traffic light to turn green? For the first time, an imaging study shows that a time map exists in a specific area of the human brain, the so-called supplementary motor area (SMA).

The study, conducted by the team led by SISSA Professor Domenica Bueti and published in PLOS Biology, shows that distinct portions of the SMA, a region of the cerebral cortex important for motor preparation and time perception, respond preferentially to different durations. The portions of the SMA responding to similar durations are in close spatial proximity on the cortical surface, according to an anterior-to-posterior spatial gradient.

The most anterior portions of SMA are greatly active for the shortest duration (200 ms), while the most posterior bits are active for the longest duration (3 sec), the intermediate durations led to the activation of the cortex between those extremes. These novel findings, which are the result of a collaborative effort between SISSA and research institutions in Japan, Switzerland and the Netherlands, are important to gain insights on the computational architecture underlying time perception and they also open up new perspectives to the study of temporal cognition.

The representation of time

"Topography i.e., the fact that neurons processing similar stimulus properties occupy neighbouring positions on the nervous system, is an encoding mechanism widely used in the brain to represent sensory and motor information. For example, there is a body map in our primary somatosensory cortex. In this map, the portions of the cortex receiving tactile information from the hand and the wrist are neighbours compared to those receiving information from the toe," says Domenica Bueti. "Our findings show that a topographic representation exists also for something immaterial like time." Previous studies conducted in humans and other animals have shown the involvement of SMA in time perception. However, none of those previous works clarified how temporal information is represented in this area.

"With our work, we show that in SMA time is represented via topography and duration tuning. The first, as we said earlier, refers to the fact that the portions of SMA responding to similar durations are in close spatial proximity on the cortical surface." The second is duration tuning: "Our results show that different portions of SMA respond preferentially to certain durations in a way that the response is greater for the preferred duration, and become progressively weaker for durations far from the preferred one. Moreover, we show that temporal maps are linked to perception: i.e., the better the map in SMA, the more accurate and precise is duration perception. This is how SMA represents time."

The different colors represent the SMA portions that preferentially respond to certain durations. The durations ranged from 200 milliseconds (in red) up to 3 seconds (in blue). Credit: Domenica Bueti

A cutting-edge study

The research was conducted with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at ultra-high field i.e., 7 Tesla, available at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale of Lausanne. During the study, two groups of healthy volunteers carried out a temporal discrimination task of visual stimuli i.e., two images displayed in sequence on a computer screen for durations ranging from 200 milliseconds up to 3 seconds. Each volunteer had to decide which of the two images was presented for longer time. While the volunteers carried out the task, their cerebral activity was recorded through fMRI.

"It was an extremely complex study, which took a long time to carry out, and besides SISSA, it involved researchers from Osaka University, Sussex University, the Ecole Polytechnique Federale of Lausanne, the Royal Academy for Arts and Sciences of Amsterdam, Lausanne University and Araya Inc. of Tokyo," explains Domenica Bueti.

Perceiving time: innate or acquired phenomenon?

Many interesting questions arise from these findings. Domenica Bueti says, "We have now to understand whether this time map represents the physical or the perceived time. Does the map change as the perceived duration changes? Does the map change if an observer perceives a stimulus that was physically displayed on the screen for one second, as either longer (for example a second and a half) or shorter (for example, 800 milliseconds)? And are there maps at birth? Or are they the by-product of experience and education? These are important and fascinating questions we would like to investigate with our future research."

Explore further Researchers look at how the brain represents time when processing long-term memories

More information: Foteini Protopapa et al, Chronotopic maps in human supplementary motor area, PLOS Biology (2019). Journal information: PLoS Biology Foteini Protopapa et al, Chronotopic maps in human supplementary motor area,(2019). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000026
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The Chinese Famine of 1959-61 has been widely interpreted as an important contributor to later epidemics of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitis (T2DM, but in re-examining 17 related Chinese studies researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Leiden University Medical Center, found little evidence for this association. The paper is published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology.

"Most Chinese studies were limited in using appropriate age-balanced controls," said L. H. Lumey, MD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School. "Therefore, establishing a firm connection between prenatal famine and T2DM in future studies in China will require significant improvements in study design and execution."

To demonstrate the limitation in the Chinese studies, the researchers re-analyzed published data using several control groups. With age-balanced controls, no increases were seen in T2DM.

Lumey and colleagues further determined that studying just pre-famine births as controls could suggest a 'protective' effect of famine on later health outcomes. Studies from both the Dutch Famine and the Chinese Famine show that increased body size in adulthood has important implications for T2DM after prenatal famine exposure. "However our studies of the Dutch famine have not yet examined if changes in DNA methylation in individuals exposed during gestation could lead to 'intergenerational' effects, on the grandchildren, large enough to explain the increased obesity and hyperglycemia in China today," said Dr. Bastiaan T. Heijmans of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

Because of limitations in study design and the original analyses of the Chinese studies it is an open question if the famine has significantly contributed to the current epidemic in China. And accordingly, it is also not yet possible to make firm statements regarding the long-term impact of direct exposure or the intergenerational impact of indirect exposure.

"The current T2DM epidemic in China represents an enormous public health challenge," noted Lumey. "Public health efforts for prevention and treatment should therefore focus now on well-established risk factors for overweight and obesity, especially the increased intake of energy dense foods and sedentary lifestyles that affect the entire population, regardless of early famine exposure."

Explore further Chinese famine data shows no long-term health effects except for schizophrenia

More information: Chihua Li et al, The effect of the Chinese Famine on type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemics, Nature Reviews Endocrinology (2019). Journal information: Nature Reviews: Endocrinology Chihua Li et al, The effect of the Chinese Famine on type 2 diabetes mellitus epidemics,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41574-019-0195-5
In this March 10, 2019, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., addresses a rally during a campaign stop in Concord, N.H. "Medicare for All" legislation has two provisions that could make it even more politically divisive for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates: It lifts curbs on government health insurance for people in the country illegally and revokes longstanding restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions. Embracing these will give Democratic candidates a boost with the party's liberal base in the primaries. But that could complicate things for an eventual nominee seeking support from voters in the middle (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

The "Medicare for All" legislation that's become a clarion call for progressives has two little-noticed provisions that could make it even more politically perilous for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

The legislation from White House hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with a similar measure in the House, lifts curbs on government health insurance for people in the country illegally and revokes longstanding restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions.

Embracing the changes will give Democratic candidates a boost with the party's liberal base in a wide-open primary fight. But such divisive issues could complicate things for an eventual nominee seeking voters in the middle. President Donald Trump has denounced Medicare for All as "socialism," and immigration and abortion are issues that energize Trump's political base .

"It seems like the writers of the bills are just trying to pander to the Democratic activists," said Janet Robert, president of the anti-abortion advocacy group Democrats for Life. "You don't see this coming from Democrats who run in communities in more rural areas. You don't just need votes from Democratic activists to win the election."

But Kristin Lynch, a spokeswoman for 2020 Democratic hopeful Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, said the senator believes "it is imperative that all residents of the U.S. have affordable, quality health coverage," including "comprehensive reproductive care." Booker is a co-sponsor of Sanders' bill.

Other Democratic senators running for president have also signed on to their Vermont colleague's legislation: Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California, and Elizabeth Warren of New York. Their offices did not respond to requests for comment.

Beyond the Senate, a spokeswoman for 2020 Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg said he supports lifting current restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortion. Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, generally supports covering immigrants even if they are in the country illegally, but she said he'd have to see specifics.

Neither Sanders' bill nor the similar measure in the House has a realistic chance of becoming law, with the Senate controlled by Republicans and Trump in the White House. But the House bill will get committee hearings this year, and supporters are pressing for votes.

So far, the debate has centered on the bill's promise of quality care with no premiums or copays versus its potentially huge costs. Adding immigration and abortion take it in a different direction.

The words "immigrant" and "abortion" don't appear in Sanders' bill, which is expected to be re-introduced soon, or in House legislation from Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Debbie Dingell of Michigan. Instead the legislation refers to U.S. "resident" and "comprehensive reproductive" care.

Both Medicare for All bills would extend coverage to every U.S. resident, delegating the health and human services secretary to define residency. The House bill also prohibits the government from denying benefits because of "citizenship status." Both bills call for steps to deter immigration for the "sole purpose" of getting free medical care.

That's different from former President Barack Obama's health care law, which limited benefits to U.S. citizens or nationals, and "lawfully present" immigrants. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute estimates there are about 6 million people in the U.S. without legal permission who are uninsured.

"Everyone, no matter who they are or what services they need, must have access to quality affordable health care," said Dingell. She said she's looking to start "conversations across the country to build the consensus that will ensure every person gets the health care coverage they need."

On abortion, both bills essentially would sweep away the Hyde amendment, the term for federal laws stretching back more than 40 years that prohibit taxpayer money for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman. Such restrictions would not apply to Medicare for All. and comprehensive reproductive care would be a covered benefit.

Sanders' and Dingell's offices confirmed that abortion would be covered.

Supporters of abortion rights say that's a long-overdue recognition of shifts in society and the power of women in the Democratic Party.

"You had this election where women in particular showed up because health care is front-and-center in their minds," said Leila Abolfazli, who specializes in federal policy for the National Women's Law Center. "It makes sense that if you are going to do a new type of health care system it would include the full range of reproductive health services."

Polls show Americans generally support abortion rights, but are divided on whether the government should pay. About 6 in 10 said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a Pew Research Center poll from last fall. A Public Religion Research Institute poll earlier in 2018 found that 51 percent of Americans said government insurance programs for low-income women should not pay for abortion services, while 46 percent said they should.

On immigration, a recent Gallup poll found about 4 out of 5 Americans support letting people living illegally in the country become citizens if they meet certain requirements.

"We are not going to split hairs forever over your immigration status," said Sonya Schwartz of the National Immigration Law Center, which advocates on behalf of immigrants.

But R.J. Hauman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports immigration curbs, said Medicare for All would just become a "pull factor," drawing more immigrants to the U.S.

Explore further Many shades of meaning behind 'Medicare-for-all'

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday he will sign legislation allowing terminally ill patients to seek life-ending medication.

New Jersey will join six other states and the District of Columbia that have similar laws once the bill is signed.

"Allowing terminally ill and dying residents the dignity to make end-of-life decisions according to their own consciences is the right thing to do. I look forward to signing this legislation into law," Murphy, a Democrat, said in a statement after the Democrat-led Assembly and Senate passed the measure in close votes.

Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully since at least 2012 to advance the legislation. The bill got some attention in New Jersey in 2014 around the time that 29-year-old Brittany Maynard, who was terminally ill with brain cancer, was in the national spotlight.

Maynard drew news coverage after publicizing that she and her husband, Dan Diaz, moved to Portland, Oregon, from Northern California so she could use the Oregon law to end her life on her own terms.

Under the bill, adult New Jersey residents with a prognosis of six months or less to live could request the life-ending medication.

The legislation includes several measures that legislators called "safeguards." They include requiring patients to make two requests, along with a chance to rescind the request.

Supporters say the new law would let qualified patients decide to end their own lives in a dignified manner.

"There is no good reason for them to be forced to prolong their pain and suffering or to prolong the grief of their loved ones if they make that choice," Democratic state Sen. Nicholas Scutari said in a statement.

Opponents argue the bill will hurt the most vulnerable in society and that the state should instead work to improve its health care system.

"New Jersey ought to be investing in better care and support at the end of life, not enshrining this dangerous public policy into law," Matt Valliere, executive director of Patients Rights Action Fund, said in a statement.

Murphy didn't specify when he will sign the bill. The measure passed the Assembly 41-33, with 4 abstentions. It cleared the Senate 21-16.

California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and D.C. all have similar legislation.

Explore further California right-to-die bill stalls with Catholics opposed

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new male birth control pill passed tests of safety and tolerability when healthy men used it daily for a month, and it produced hormone responses consistent with effective contraception, according to researchers at two institutions testing the drug. The phase 1 study results was presented Sunday, March 24 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

The experimental male oral contraceptive is called 11-beta-methyl-19-nortestosterone dodecylcarbonate, or 11-beta-MNTDC. It is a modified testosterone that has the combined actions of a male hormone (androgen) and a progesterone, said the study's co-senior investigator, Christina Wang, M.D., Associate Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Los Angeles Biomed Research Institute (LA BioMed), Torrance, Calif.

"Our results suggest that this pill, which combines two hormonal activities in one, will decrease sperm production while preserving libido," Wang said.

The study took place in 40 healthy men at LA BioMed and the University of Washington in Seattle, Wash. Ten study participants randomly received a placebo capsule, or dummy drug. The other 30 men received 11-beta-MNTDC at one of two doses; 14 men received 200 milligrams, or mg, and 16 got the 400 mg dose. Subjects took the drug or placebo once daily with food for 28 days. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which is developing 11-beta-MNTDC and other male contraceptives, funded this study.

Among men receiving 11-beta-MNTDC, the average circulating testosterone level dropped as low as in androgen deficiency, but the participants reportedly did not experience any severe side effects. Wang said drug side effects were few, mild and included fatigue, acne or headache in four to six men each. Five men reported mildly decreased sex drive, and two men described mild erectile dysfunction, but sexual activity was not decreased, she said. Furthermore, no participant stopped taking the drug because of side effects, and all passed safety tests.

Effects due to low testosterone were minimal, according to co-senior investigator, Stephanie Page, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, because "11-beta-MNTDC mimics testosterone through the rest of the body but is not concentrated enough in the testes to support sperm production."

Levels of two hormones required for sperm production dropped greatly compared to placebo, the researchers found. The drug effects were reversible after stopping treatment, Wang noted.

Because the drug would take at least three 60 to 90 days to affect sperm production, 28 days of treatment is too short an interval to observe optimal sperm suppression, Wang explained. They plan longer studies, and if the drug is effective, it will move to larger studies and then testing in sexually active couples.

"Safe, reversible hormonal male contraception should be available in about 10 years," Wang predicted.

Wang said most men are open to using this type of male birth control. She cited a multinational survey of 9,000 men published in the journal Human Reproduction in February 2005 that found that 55 percent of men in stable relationships want to try new, hormonal male contraceptive methods if they are reversible.

This experimental contraceptive, 11-Beta-MNTDC, is a "sister compound" to dimethandrolone undecanoate, or DMAU, the first potential male birth control pill to undergo testing by the same research team. Their results were published February 1, 2019 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

"The goal is to find the compound that has the fewest side effects and is the most effective," Page said. "We are developing two oral drugs in parallel in an attempt to move the [contraceptive medicine] field forward."

Explore further Dimethandrolone undecanoate shows promise as a male birth control pill
Japanese women under 65 are less likely to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by bystanders when they suffer a sudden cardiac arrest in a public location compared to in a residential location, report investigators in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. They speculate that cultural attitudes may influence bystanders and propose that correct knowledge of CPR and better understanding of sex-based disparities are needed to facilitate public health intervention.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major public health problem in industrialized countries, affecting more than 350,000 individuals in the United States and 123,000 individuals in Japan each year. Around 1,000 adults suffer from sudden cardiac arrest in prehospital settings each day in the US alone, and only one in nine OHCA victims survives to hospital discharge. Bystander CPR is associated with improved outcomes in prehospital settings, and international guidelines on resuscitation emphasize its importance as one of the essential components of the "chain of survival." However, recent studies have highlighted sex-based disparities, pointing out that women suffering cardiac arrest in a public location were less likely to receive bystander CPR.

"The reasons for this sex-based disparity should be better understood to facilitate public health intervention," explained Tasuku Matsuyama, MD, Ph.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan who led the investigation.

Dr. Matsuyama and colleagues report on a large nationally-representative group of almost 85,000 patients from the All-Japan Utstein Registry from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. They examined the rates and outcomes associated with bystander CPR as a function of a patient's sex. The analysis included adult patients aged 18 years and older with OHCA of medical origin in public or residential locations, witnessed by bystanders. As in earlier studies, women had lower rates of shockable arrest rhythms and were less likely to receive advanced life support interventions.

During the study period, 373,359 OHCAs were registered and 84,734 cases were eligible for analysis. Overall, around 54 percent of women and 57 percent of men received bystander CPR in a public location and 46.5 percent of women and 44 percent of men received bystander CPR in residential locations. Women had a higher likelihood of receiving bystander CPR in a residential location. In public locations, women aged 18-64 years were less likely to receive bystander CPR. When witnessed by a non-family member, women were less likely to receive bystander CPR regardless of age.

Reasons for lower rates of bystander CPR among certain subgroups of women in this study remain uncertain, but the investigators speculate that in Japan, bystander CPR including use of an automated external defibrillator on a woman has the potential to result in being accused of sexual assault. "Cultural factors, specific to Japan, may influence bystander attitude toward patients of a different sex. Therefore, it may be difficult to increase the rates of CPR on non-family, young victims unless laypersons have confidence in legal protections in Japan," commented Dr. Matsuyama. "While we acknowledge that our findings may not be generalizable to other patient populations or countries, similar findings were reported in a recent North American study."

Their data show that younger women may miss the opportunity to receive one of the most important treatments for cardiac arrest because of some obstacles unique to young women. Correct knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation may improve the chances for more young women, therefore it is important to disseminate the importance of bystander CPR particularly for young women.

In an accompanying editorial, Jacob C. Jentzer, MD, FACC, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA, and colleagues point out that similar findings were reported in the International Cardiac Arrest Registry. They agree these may relate to inherent biases and differences in social norms. In addition, they note lower utilization of other potentially-beneficial therapies in women after OHCA in several studies, with worse survival in women compared to men.

"This study highlights the importance of bystander CPR as a key component of the 'chain of survival' for OHCA victims, emphasizing the need for public heath interventions to ensure adequate CPR training among laypeople," commented Dr. Jentzer. "Additional studies are needed to determine why these sex-based differences occur, to ensure that all patients with a witnessed OHCA can receive this crucial therapy, which can increase the likelihood of neurologically-intact survival."

More information: "Sex-Based Disparities in Receiving Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation by Location of Cardiac Arrest in Japan," Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2019). Journal information: Mayo Clinic Proceedings "Sex-Based Disparities in Receiving Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation by Location of Cardiac Arrest in Japan,"(2019). DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.12.028
Maria Manriquez, MD. Credit: Sun Czar Belous

A cell phone app for pregnant women and new moms struggling with opioid addiction is helping them get to doctor appointments on time, chat online with counselors, message their physician and watch videos that teach them about changing their behavior.

"Pregnant and parenting women who are in the process of recovery have so many issues to deal with," said Maria Manriquez, MD, director of the Addiction Medicine curriculum and professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of MedicinePhoenix. "Even with coordinated care, such as medical homes, a huge gap exists. This is especially prevalent when part of the 'prescription' includes medication, obstetric and addiction medicine visits, counseling, support groups and learning new material such as cognitive behavioral therapy techniques."

iTether Technologies Inc. developed a digital care management platform that can be used via a smartphone app to improve care coordination and treatment of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). Dr. Manriquez is partnering with the company to enhance the platform specifically for pregnant women and new moms with SUD.

The app was among 10 first-round winners of a "Grand Challenge" created by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau to address opioid use disorder in pregnant women and new moms. The Health Resources and Services Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.

Phase 1 winners received a share of a $100,000 cash prize and continue to Phase 2. The UA-iTether partnership will use its $10,000 grant to enhance content on the app and begin small-scale testing through August 2019. Grand Challenge entrants included multi-disciplinary teams of academics, health professionals, tech companies, as well as individuals and community groups.

Along with Dr. Manriquez, iTether Chief Clinical Officer Karen Burstein, Ph.D., is leading the project. iTether is a Phoenix-based provider of application development for behavior change services. Sean Gunderson, CEO and co-founder of iTether, said he believes the first step in the fight against substance abuse starts by transforming the way treatment is delivered to patients struggling with addiction.

Unique to the platform are personalized care plans, online education, telehealth access to clinicians and tracking of progress toward recovery.

"Care coordination and management, especially for pregnant women with substance-use disorder in rural communities, is essential to effective treatment and support," Dr. Burstein said. "Patient-centered care coordination originally was developed to improve the health outcomes of individuals with chronic conditions and/or multi-system involvement that frequently required interdisciplinary care. We are proposing to adapt the iTether care management system for use with both English- and Spanish-speaking women with substance use disorder and release it on a limited basis to patients under the care of Dr. Manriquez and her colleagues."

iTether's digital system of care management consists of a smartphone application for patients and a secure portal for clinicians that enables continuous communication with patients, and a comprehensive recovery program through which patients work on their health, sobriety and recovery. Currently, most patients attend class in person. Some of these sessions could be delivered through a streaming platform which would allow the classes to be taught from anywhere.

"Often, patients have transportation or child care limits that restrict reliable and quality care. It is not easy as a full-time parent, employee or student to make and keep appointments, especially when there is no coordination in timing of visits for someone with a chronic disorder," Dr. Manriquez said. "The prototype could benefit the community by setting guidelines and developing standards that help providers deliver consistent messaging to patients."

The iTether partnership is one example of how the medical school is working to combat the opioid epidemic. In September 2018, Dr. Manriquez received a $700,000 grant from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to begin a clinic for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder at BannerUniversity Medical Center's Women's Institute in Phoenix. Additionally, the funding will enable tele-mentoring and education for providers caring for these women.

Explore further Why pregnant women with depression often slip through the cracks
" " Sure, there are benefits to operating your online business from home, but that doesn't mean that it's risk-free. Vico Collective/Erik Palmer/Getty Images

"You never know what kind of greatness can come out of an American garage," promises a 2014 TV ad for Cadillac's CTS Sedan. From Disney and Mattel to Apple and Amazon, countless U.S. business staples have risen to greatness from humble, home-based beginnings.

Innovators have been operating businesses from home for ages. The Internet only makes that easier. The teleworking ranks grew 80 percent between 2005 and 2013. And, although growth of home-based businesses by the self-employed lags behind overall growth in teleworking, studies still show that incorporated home-based businesses grew 17.5 percent from 2005 to 2012 [source: Lister].

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The benefits of home-based work are obvious:

No commute

Tax benefits

Better work-life balance

Flexible work hours

The benefits of operating an online business from home include:

Lower startup and overhead costs

More flexibility to scale your business up or down quickly

Flexibility to test out new business ideas without incurring as much financial risk

Ability to manage a team of remotely-based team members without the strictures of a 9-to-5 workday

Just because there are benefits, however, doesn't mean that operating an online business from home is risk-free. Just like other businesses, home-based companies must comply with federal, state and local regulations and tax rules. In addition, online businesses must comply with special ordinances that apply only to them. Online sellers, for instance, are obligated by the Federal Trade Commission to provide "prompt delivery" to clients who order their products online, and small online businesses hit with unexpected demand or supply delays may run afoul of these legal obligations without even knowing it.

Home-based business also may require special "Home Occupancy Permits" and be subject to local zoning laws. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recommends that you consult with a lawyer specializing in Internet law who can help you maximize the benefits of working from home while educating you about the risks.

If you're ready to tumble out of bed and into your home office, find out what else the SBA and others recommend for online business startups on the next page.
" " A whole lot of people lined up in January 2014 to sign up for health care (and thus avoid the individual shared responsibility provision). Joe Raedle/ Getty Images

"Individual shared responsibility provision." Strung together, those words sound like a fictional government program in a dystopian novel, or maybe a new HR policy you and your co-workers aren't quite sure you're on board with. Plus, it's safe to say the oxymoronic "individual shared" bit isn't really self-explanatory.

So when I tell you that the individual shared responsibility provision is actually a tax stipulation designed to increase enrollment in health insurance plans, don't worry if it wasn't your first guess. "Provision" may sound nice, but in this case, it's really more of a penalty. Here's why it was established.

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When President Obama made the Affordable Care Act a cornerstone of his administration, it gave a lot of people pause  some of those "people" being health insurance companies that could no longer decline to cover folks with pre-existing conditions or past illnesses. The companies argued that healthy people probably wouldn't buy insurance until a real medical condition cropped up, which would mean the insurance companies wouldn't be able to make enough money on healthy people to pay out benefits for the sicker ones.

The result is the individual portion of the shared responsibility provision. According to the provision, people  and that means virtually every man, woman and child in the United States  have to be covered by health insurance. Get it through your employer, buy it from the health insurance marketplace, shop for an individual plan, or get it from a government program like Medicare or Medicaid  whatever works, but just do it. It's the law.

If you don't and you're not eligible for any of the exemptions from this provision, you're subject to a tax penalty. For the 2014 tax year, the penalty is the greater of these two options: a flat rate of $95 per uninsured adult and $47.50 per child (with a $285 max per family) or 1 percent of your household income. For the 2015 tax year, that will rise to $325 per adult and $162.50 per child (with a $975 max per family) or 2 percent of family income. In 2016, each person will pay $695  or 2.5 percent of the family's combined income. Those penalties are prorated if you're without insurance for only parts of the year.

But individuals aren't the only ones footing the bill. The individual part of the shared responsibility provision is just that  the individual part. Insurance companies, the government and employers also have to make a commitment to their end of the health insurance bargain. Employers, for example, have to offer health insurance to their employees, as long as their company is large enough to qualify [source: IRS]. If they don't, they have to pay a penalty, too [source: IRS].

There are a few exemptions from the individual provision, but by and large everyone is expected to be covered. And beware: As we outlined, the penalties for those who aren't covered by insurance increase every year until 2016.
" " Viewers look at a Diego Rivera painting on display in New York in 2017. Rivera is one of many notable Mexican artists who've paid their tax obligations with artwork. Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images

Nobody likes paying taxes. OK, maybe billionaire investor Warren Buffet doesn't mind kicking up a share of his earnings to the government bean counters. For the rest of us, the idea of turning over a portion of our paychecks to big bureaucracy is the equivalent of being asked to donate a couple of fingers to medical research.

That's not to mention that complying with the maze of tax laws in place around the world isn't always easy. That's especially the case for folks in creative fields where income can be erratic. (Just ask Stephen Baldwin. Or Wesley Snipes. Or Nicolas Cage.) The good news for artists in Mexico, though, is that they can use the fruits of their creative endeavors to keep the tax man at bay.

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Pago en Especie (Payment in Kind) is a six-decade old program in which Mexican artists give a piece of their own artwork to the government in order to zero out the amount of federal taxes they owe. In a way, the program cuts out the middle man: Artists don't have to hock their works on the private market and then use that cash to satisfy tax obligations. The program also provides the government with an impressive collection of fine art for museums and public spaces, with contributions coming from names as notable as Diego Rivera, Leonora Carrington and Rufino Tamayo.

" " Mexican artist Leonora Carrington, pictured here in 1975, has used the Pago en Especie system to pay her taxes with artwork. Jerry Engel/New York Post Archives/Getty Images

Pago en Especie was hatched in 1957 after Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros offered to give the feds some paintings in order to stay out of jail over unpaid taxes. Sixty years later, the Mexican government is sitting on a cache of some 8,000 works of fine art, including paintings and sculptures.

Thinking of grabbing an easel so you don't have to grab that checkbook to fulfill your civic duty? Think again: Not everyone with a paint by numbers set and a flair for color can cover their tax bills with a couple hours in the studio. Artists are vetted by government officials and a panel of other legit artists before they can participate in the program, and the works they donate have to meet a certain standard of quality. Artists make the government donations according to reported sales, donating one piece to the government for every five that they sell on the open market. Tax collectors value those pieces based on the going price for other works by the same artist.

"You might think we would be tempted to scribble something on a napkin to pay our taxes," artist Miguel Calderon told The Atlantic in 2014. "But aside from being convenient, it is also a source of pride, knowing that your art will become part of a historic collection that reflects Mexico's creative heritage."

Now That's Interesting The Netherlands is home to the world's highest personal tax rate, where Dutch citizens pay 52 percent of their incomes to the government each year.




By Lee Kyung-min







A coalition of customs authorities from 14 countries in the Asia Pacific region will initiate an eight-week crackdown on the illegal trade of waste, the Korean Customs Service (KCS) said Monday.







The nation's customs agency said the joint effort seeks to raise awareness of what essentially is the "dumping" of garbage traded under the guise of legitimate import or export of recyclables.







The agency said exporters of such waste will no longer be able to avoid accountability in their home countries as detailed data logs will be handed over to respective government authorities.







"Only importers have been punished thus far, mostly following a customs clearance procedure of shipments," a KCS official said.







"This only identifies the importer, a reason exporters have largely gone unpunished. But that will no longer be the case when customs agencies of 14 countries share information on the illegal practices," he added.







Participating countries include Korea, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Singapore, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.







The crackdown will begin today and last through May 17.







The move came months after the customs authorities in the Philippines notified its Korean counterparts about a Korean firm that refused to take back what turned out to be a combined 6,300 tons of garbage, not plastics as described in the customs filings.







A joint team comprised of the Ministry of Environment and the KCS oversaw the return of the garbage from the Philippines back to its rightful home, South Korea.







Compensation for the 52 million won ($47,000) expenses incurred will be sought through legal means. The team will refer the case to the prosecution for further investigation.


Science of Training On Rhabdomyolysis, Ballistic Squats & More

Written by Team MD

25 March 2019

Science of Training On Rhabdomyolysis, Ballistic Squats & More



1) Rest Longer Between Sets to Maximize Muscle Protein Synthesis and Growth

Five minutes of passive rest was superior to one minute of rest between sets of a leg workout (leg press and knee extensions) followed by consumption of 25 grams of whey protein according to a study led by James McKendry from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. During recovery, test subjects were infused with a carbon 13-labeled amino acid. Researchers measured muscle protein synthesis by the concentration of the labeled amino acids in muscle samples taken by biopsy. The one-minute rest periods between sets interfered with muscle protein synthesis. The study showed that athletes should rest longer between sets to maximize muscle protein synthesis and growth. (Experimental Physiology, 101: 866-882, 2016)

2) Longer Rest Intervals Better for Gaining Strength and Hypertrophy

Time under tension is the most important factor determining the effectiveness of a weight-training program on strength and muscle hypertrophy. Failure training using minimal rest intervals is a popular training method of many bodybuilders. However, with short rest intervals, athletes dont recover adequately and dont develop maximum tension during subsequent lifts. A study led by Brad Schoenfeld from CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx, New York found that resting three minutes between sets produced greater changes in muscle mass and strength than resting one minute. The athletes trained three times per week for eight weeks. Rest longer between sets so that you can use heavier weights and gain strength and mass faster. This study supported the results of the previously review study by McKendry and co-workers. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, published online November 20, 2015)

3) Rhabdomyolysis Following Blood Restriction Training

Many studies, notably those by Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo, have shown that blood flow restriction during weight training (Kaatsu training) increases muscle strength even at loads as low as 30 percent of one-repetition maximum. Japanese researchers reported a case study of an athlete who developed rhabdomyolysis following Kaatsu training. Rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) involves destruction of muscle tissue that results from the release of the muscle cell contents into the bloodstream. Toxic chemicals include myoglobin, creatine kinase, potassium, lactate dehydrogenase, uric acid, calcium, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and phosphorus. The athlete was hospitalized for 10 days with evidence of extreme tissue damage. Kaatsu training is effective, but no more so than standard weight-training methods. Blood flow restriction to muscles during weight training, while generally recognized as safe, can be potentially dangerous in some people. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30: 2064-2068, 2016)

4) Size Matters for Muscle Strength and Power

Muscle cross-sectional area was more important than muscle density for predicting muscle strength and power according to a study led by Benjamin Weeks from Menzies Health Institute in Queensland in Australia. Fifty percent of muscle strength and power could be attributed to muscle cross-sectional area, while muscle density accounted for 18 percent. The researchers used sophisticated imaging techniques to measure cross-sectional area and density. Muscle size is an important predictor of strength, but not the only one. Factors such as neuromuscular activation and skill account for the other 50 percent. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30: 1577-1584, 2016)

5) Ibuprofen Has No Effect on Post-Weight Training Inflammation

Ibuprofen, widely used a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), had no effect on post-weight training muscle soreness or markers of inflammation such as white blood cell count, creatine kinase or myoglobin, compared to a placebo (fake ibuprofen). Luke Vella from Deakin University in Australia gave test subjects (college-aged men) 1,200 milligrams of ibuprofen or placebo, following a lower-body workout designed to produce muscle soreness. The researchers measured soreness, as well as blood and muscle markers of inflammation, for 24 hours. We can infer from many recent studies that athletes should avoid NSAIDs during training because it interferes with cellular repair that increases muscle strength and size. This study showed that ibuprofen had no effect on inflammation, soreness or muscle pain, so the drug is of little value during the recovery from intense weight training. (Frontiers of Physiology, 7(article 86), 2016)

6) Ballistic Squats Increase Vertical Jump Height

Performing ballistic (explosive) squats before a vertical jump test resulted in better performance than non-ballistic squats a phenomenon called post-activation potentiation. Ballistic squats also increased jump height more in stronger people. Timothy Suchomel from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, and co-workers, measured vertical jump height in test subjects two minutes after performing a single maximum-rep squat, either ballistically or non-ballistically. Combining ballistic squats with explosive jumps is a training method developed by Soviet scientists in the 1960s, and is widely practiced by track and field athletes. An example is to do a heavy set of squats followed immediately by jump squats or hurdle hops. This is an effective technique for developing explosive strength in power sports. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30: 1652-1660, 2016)



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Cell C is in deep financial trouble and the company and its shareholders are now considering drastic measures to save the mobile operator.

This is according to well-placed industry sources who told MyBroadband that Cell C continues to suffer because of its high debt burden.

Cell C told MyBroadband that it is currently in R8.9-billion debt, as per its latest financial results.

Its poor financial situation is aggravated by a net loss of R1.273 billion for the year ended 31 December 2018.

Blue Label troubles

Cell Cs biggest shareholder  Blue Label Telecoms, which owns an effective 45% stake in the mobile operator  has been punished by the market since its acquisition of Cell C.

Blue Label Telecoms finalised its recapitalisation of Cell C on 7 August 2017, which formed part of its plan to cut the mobile operators debt from R20 billion to R6 billion.

It also announced ambitious plans to turn around the mobile operators financial fortunes, but the market was not convinced.

Blue Label Telecoms share price plummeted from R17.04 when the deal was concluded to R3.58 on 20 March 2019  a 78% decline in less than 2 years.

Drastic measures

Cell C has already seen drastic changes at the company since then, which include the departure of its CEO Jose Dos Santos on 1 March 2019.

The company has also withdrawn its Miss South Africa sponsorship after five years as a major sponsor of the pageant.

These changes are, however, mild in comparison to what industry sources said the company is considering: outsourcing its network operations to MTN.

MyBroadband has learned that Cell C is in discussions with MTN to potentially manage its network to cut its operational expenses.

Cell C already roams on MTNs network in areas where Cell C has chosen to purchase coverage rather than self-build.

A network management services agreement with MTN can save Cell C a lot of money, but it will be challenging to get passed regulatory hurdles to make it work.

The Competition Commission previously recommended that the Competition Tribunal prohibit a similar deal between MTN and Telkom.

In this case MTN was planning to take over financial and operational responsibility for the rollout and operation of Telkoms RAN, with reciprocal roaming agreements.

One industry source told MyBroadband that it will be possible for such a deal to be successful, but that MTN and Cell C will have to be very careful about how the agreement is structured.

Cell C has sidestepped questions about the issue, though. Instead of commenting on the discussions with MTN, it merely pointed out that it roams on MTNs network and currently manages its own network.

MTN would not directly comment on questions about discussions with Cell C, but did say it is always exploring options to lower the cost of operating the network.

There are various options available to our customers, but it would not be appropriate to comment on any customer operations, in any context, said Jacqui OSullivan, executive for corporate affairs at MTN South Africa.

Cell Cs big hope

Cell C is confident that it can become financially sustainable, with its hopes hanging on a deal with the Buffet Consortium  which is backed by billionaire Jonathan Beare.

In February 2019, Blue Label Telecoms announced that Cell C has concluded a binding term sheet with The Buffet Consortium which will see it become a minority shareholder in the mobile operator.

Cell C told MyBroadband that a large part of the financial sustainability plan is to conclude the principles of the Buffet Consortium term sheet.

This deal, Cell C said, will bolster its balance sheet and ensure its sustainable growth for the future.

Now read: Cell C pulls Miss South Africa sponsorship
Load-shedding costs businesses time and money, and South African data centres are particularly hard hit as they cannot afford any disruption in their electricity supply.

MyBroadband spoke to two of South Africas premier data-centre operators, Teraco and Hetzner, which highlighted the challenges they face with load-shedding.

Teraco MD and CFO Jan Hnizdo told MyBroadband that the cost to run a data centre during load-shedding increases by between 50% and 75%.

Hnizdo explained that apart from the cost to run diesel generators, their staff are working double shifts to ensure there are no problems during the load-shedding period.

He explained that with South Africas erratic electricity supply, Teraco designed its data centres to use their own power generation as a primary source  with Eskom as a secondary source.

R14,000 in diesel used for a single load-shedding session

Hetzner brand manager Athena Turner echoed Hnizdos views and estimated that it costs between 5-7 times more to run a data centre during load-shedding.

These higher costs include around R14,000 in diesel for a single load-shedding session of 2.5 hours, increased frequency of generator maintenance, and staff overtime.

To ensure they are always online, Hetzners Samrand data centre has been engineered to run for days without any intervention  thanks to its fuel capacity of 49,000 litres.

Our diesel generators can run for seven days continually before theyre required to refuel their bulk tanks, Turner said.

The data centre also has redundant A and B feeds  each with their own isolated diesel generator and UPS.

In the event of a generator failure, all load will transfer to the alternate feed and generator, Turner said.

Costs absorbed

Good news for businesses is that both Teraco and Hetzner are absorbing the additional costs associated with load-shedding.

Hnizdo said the current period of load-shedding will have no impact on their pricing, but this can change if load-shedding becomes a permanent occurrence.

Turner said that Hetzner is also able to absorb the additional costs associated with running their data centres off diesel generators.

She did add, however, that while theyre not yet at the point of considering pricing increases, this could change should load-shedding continue to form part of South Africas future.

Now read: GoDaddy launched in South Africa
The SA Post Office (SAPO) CEO Mark Barnes recently said he wants the company to become the preferred delivery partner of South African online shops.

Barnes said SAPO will accomplish this by launching an ecommerce platform in April 2019, investing in the organisations infrastructure and working with local and international online retail players.

According to Barnes, the move to become a strong ecommerce player will be a big revenue stream for the Post Office.

This plan, however, is nothing new.

When Barnes took over as Post Office CEO three years ago he punted the potential of online shopping deliveries through their extensive network.

There is a good reason why this grandiose plan did not materialise to date: the Post Office cannot be trusted to deliver letters or packages on time.

Recent MyBroadband tests revealed that it can take months for a letter to be delivered in South Africa, and according to user feedback the same holds for online shopping parcels.

Local ecommerce companies also told MyBroadband that the SA Post Office does not have the IT systems needed to support proper online shopping operators.

In fact, the SAPO website is often down and many consumers complain that they struggle to track packages and get feedback from the organisation when there are problems.

People do not trust the SA Post Office

This lack of trust has been reinforced by MyBroadbands recent ecommerce survey, which revealed that 80% of online shoppers do not trust the SA Post Office to deliver online shopping parcels.

The survey was completed by 2,161 South Africa consumers  providing a good overview of the local online shopping market.

The survey results show that 86% of online shoppers prefer to have their package delivered by a door-to-door courier service.

Other delivery services like in-store pick-up (8%) and pick-up point or pick-up locker (4%) also proved more popular than the Post Office (3%).

Alternatives to the SA Post Office

The negativity towards the SA Post Office is not surprising considering its reputation for slow deliveries and lost packages.

The majority of survey respondents said fast delivery is extremely important to them when it comes to shopping online, which the Post Office will struggle to achieve.

In fact, the poor service levels from SAPO have given birth to many local online shopping parcel delivery services, including courier companies and pick-up networks.

Pargo, for example, built its smart logistics company because ecommerce companies make as little use of the local Post Office as possible.

The company built an alternative to the Post Office by allowing people to send and receive parcels to thousands of Pargo pick-up points throughout the country.

In fact, local delivery companies were so successful at providing an alternative to the Post Office that most online shops do not even list the Post Office as a delivery option.

For the Post Office to now convince online shops to send parcels via its network, and trust it with fast and reliable delivery, will be very challenging indeed.

Online shopping survey results

The table below provides an overview of the results of MyBroadbands 2019 eCommerce Survey.

Which delivery method do you prefer? Answer Percentage Door-to-door courier service 85% In-store pick-up 8% Pick-up point or pick-up locker 4% Post Office 3% Where do you prefer to have your online shopping packages delivered? At home 57% At work 40% Other 3% Which of these delivery services have you used before? DHL 49% The Courier Guy 46% FedEx 44% Aramex 40% RAM 39% Dawn Wing 37% FastWay 29% DSV 17% Pargo 12% Globe Flight 11% Do you trust the South African Post Office to deliver your online shopping parcel? Yes 20% No 80% Which payment method do you prefer? Credit card 55% EFT 24% Third-party payments 17% eBucks 2% Other 2%

Now read: The SA Post Office is truly delusional
WhatsApp account hijackings are a constant risk to users, including South Africans who use the messaging app.

According to reports from a local IT industry player, he has seen a rise in WhatsApp attacks of late, based on feedback he has received from associates.

This has resulted in three contacts from one WhatsApp group having their accounts compromised this month alone.

The angle of attack: the SMS recovery code.

Attack method

The attack method involves an attacker installing WhatsApp on their device and then registering a victims phone number as the number of the account.

WhatsApp has measures in place to prevent this type of hijacking, and sends an SMS with an account verification code to the cellphone number in question.

This ensures that the user with control of the cellphone number can access the code and act accordingly.

However, attackers use social engineering to convince the victim to send them the SMS verification code so they can hijack the WhatsApp account.

WhatsApp states on its website that it you receive a verification code and did not request it someone entered your number when trying to register in WhatsApp.

Without the verification code, the user who is verifying the number will not be able to complete the verification process and use their WhatsApp with that number, states WhatsApp.

The company goes on to state that it does not have any information related to the individual who is attempting to verify your WhatsApp account.

Protect yourself

If you receive a message asking for a WhatsApp verification code you have just received  after not requesting a code or attempting to set up WhatsApp on a new device  the obvious step to take is to ignore the message.

If you are concerned about falling victim to this attack, however, you can enable two-step verification (2FA) on your WhatsApp account to protect it.

This lets you set a code which will be required  in addition to the verification code  to set up WhatsApp on a new device.

To enable 2FA on your account, open WhatsApp and got to Settings > Account > Two-Step Verification > Enable.

Contacts

This does not close all attack vectors, though, and if a friend, colleague, or family members WhatsApp account is compromised the attacker may attempt to target you by posing as one of your contacts  as they will have control of their WhatsApp account.

If you suspect that one of your contacts has been compromised, check if their WhatsApp encryption security code has recently changed. You can also call the contact  using a cellular call  to ask if they have sent the questionable WhatsApp messages.

Recovery

The IT industry player told MyBroadband that of the contacts who had their accounts hijacked, one was able to reclaim their number after mailing WhatsApp several times and explaining their situation.

If you are in need of WhatsApp support, you can contact the company via its support page.
Three local wind bands will join forces for the Saint Helena Community Band Spring Fling, a joyous spring musical. The Saint Helena Community Band along with the Pacific Union College Prep Band and the PUC Symphonic Wind Ensemble come together at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 14, to celebrate the arrival of spring. The concert is hosted by Pacific Union College and will be held at Paulin Hall on the PUC campus in Angwin. Admission and parking are free.
Hundreds of residents took advantage of Fridays open house to share their opinions about streetside parklets, crosswalks, and other aspects of St. Helenas upcoming downtown streetscape project.

About 180 people signed in during the four-hour drop-in event at the vacant Masonic building, and consultant David Gates estimated the total crowd at between 200 and 250. Four students from St. Helena Elementary Schools fourth- and fifth-grade leadership class also attended to share input provided by 240 classmates.

Photos of streetscape concepts and architectural designs from other cities were displayed, and guests were given blue colored dots to stick next to the most appealing photos.

Pots and planters, thats nice. Make the street look pretty, said Ester Akersloot, placing one of her dots, then gesturing toward another photo of a planted median strip. This would be pretty arty, wouldnt it? But I dont think its necessary myself. We need better sidewalks, for sure.

Last year Akersloot successfully lobbied the city to design a continuous sidewalk on the south side of Hunt Avenue so that residents like her can safely walk to the downtown. During the open house, she spoke in favor of building a new public restroom off Main Street and installing directional signs to help people find the existing restrooms at Lyman Park and Lewis Station Park.

Maybe put signs up and arrows  restrooms this way, Akersloot suggested.

Bill Ryan, one of the organizers of the St. Helena Street Piano at Lyman Park, said hed like to install a second piano at a new mini-parklet  a pocket of public space created by bulbing out the sidewalk, often at the site of a crosswalk.

Theyre all over San Francisco, Ryan said. A street piano at a mini-parklet would have a nice local, organic appeal, and it suits both locals and visitors, he said.

Tom Allen, whose Downtown Renaissance project explored similar ideas, was excited about the renewed push to spruce up the downtown space.

Streetscape improvements, gathering places for pedestrians, fixing up the alleyways, more attention and resources for the trees  this is great, Allen said.

In addition to comments about the streetscape, people used the open house to weigh in on the Adams Street property, City Hall, a potential new hotel, and the need for a community center.

We asked them to design the stove but theyre looking at the whole kitchen, said David Gates, one of the consultants guiding the project.

He saw that as a sign that theres strong public will to design a comprehensive project that builds on St. Helenas unique sense of place.

People are starting to realize they have an opportunity here, Gates said. Its very exciting.

The input from Fridays open house will help shape the design of the downtown streetscape project. Construction of the new sidewalks is scheduled for spring 2021.

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An injured hiker was rescued by helicopter from Mount St. Helena Sunday evening.

The CHP received a distress call at 6:05 p.m. that a man sustained a minor lower leg injury and was unable to walk himself back out of the table rock area of Mount St. Helena, which is about a 3-1/2 mile walk up the mountain, said Jason Martin, Cal fire battalion fire chief with the Napa County Fire Department.

The rescue helicopter landed at an open space at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga, and the man was transferred to an ambulance and brought to Adventist St. Helena Hospital for treatment.

The injured man was in his mid-late 30s, hiking with a party of four, and was from the Bay Area, Martin said. The rest of the hiking party walked down unassisted.

At the beginning of the spring season, the CHP gets quite a few incidents like this, Martin said.

Especially as the weather starts getting nicer and people start going out on the rocks and we run into incidents where people arent prepared," he said.

A video of the rescue is available on the CHP's Facebook page. Go to https://bit.ly/2HQdR9H

You can reach Cynthia Sweeney at csweeney@weeklycalistogan.com or 942-4035.

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On the slopes of Mount Veeder, ready to spring to life, is a newly planted forest-in-waiting to replace the one that burned to a crisp in the October 2017 Nuns fire.

A total of about 60 volunteers working at various times Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday went on a tree-planting blitz that featured about 4,000 Douglas fir seedlings. They also planted a few hundred future oaks, maples and redwoods.

The 160-acre property known as The Cove is owned by the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District. This former Girl Scouts camp includes the peak of Mount Veeder.

After the Nuns fire, the Open Space District had hundreds of charred trees cut down and carted off to a timber mill. Now the district is using volunteers and donated seedlings to set in motion another Mount Veeder transformation- not recreating the forest of old, but a less-dense, more fire-resistant version.

Im excited, volunteer Carol Hall on Thursday. I dont know what its going to be, but Im excited to see it and be part of it.

Hall and Judy Weitz worked together, digging holes and planting Douglas fir plugs provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection that will be left to nature for nurturing. They both had been to the pre-fire The Cove many times over the years as Girl Scouts leaders.

The thing about the place was that it was overgrown, Weitz said. It was scary when it was windy.

She recalled having to move campers into shelters on the property as the wind howled for fear of falling tree limbs.

Whats really nice about this right now is, its a fresh start, Weitz said.

The Coves forest apparently grew more dense after the Girl Scouts bought the property in 1964. Weitz mentioned a campsite known as Valley View that in recent decades no longer had views of Napa Valley  though, of course, it does again now after the fire and logging.

Napa Valley from Valley View looks small and far below. Thats because The Cove campsites are near the top of 2,680-foot-tall Mount Veeder, the highest point in this part of the Mayacamas mountains.

Even when the newly planted trees are full-grown, campers should be able to see Napa Valley from the campsites.

Were going to plant up here today on that hill, Chino Yip told volunteers on Thursday. Not on the southeast side. We want to maintain that valley view.

Gone from The Cove are some of the landmark trees that Weitz and Hall remember. The huge maple tree near the entrance and the Douglas fir called the singing tree because campers climbed in the branches and sang were fire victims.

But perhaps some of the newly planted plugs and saplings, though they are presently so small that they could be killed by someone carelessly walking in the area, will one day achieve landmark status.

Much work needs to be done before the Open Space District opens The Cove for group camping again. A water system must be rebuilt. The district must decide whether it wants to add a septic system or use portable toilets.

Open Space District Deputy General Manager Chris Cahill said the earliest The Cove could reopen to groups such as the Girl Scouts for camping is 2020.

By then, the newly planted trees should be off to a good start. In 20 years, if all goes as planned, they should have turned The Cove into something very different from todays post-fire, post-logging landscape.

A very diverse forest, a blend of hard wood and conifers, Open Space District General Manager John Woodbury said.

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Napa business owners will be able to apply for directional signs when road work or disaster threatens to cut off visitors. The grassy strips along streets, however, will officially remain a no-ad zone.

Refining a new sign ordinance passed in December, the City Council on Tuesday agreed to ease a ban on A-frames and other surface-level signs that some merchants argue are necessary to keep up business when construction or emergency barriers block a direct path to their front doors  as happened following the 2014 earthquake and during the current rebuilding of sidewalks on downtown Main Street.

Business owners will be able to apply to Napas community development director for temporary permits for directional signage, which must be linked to a temporary physical condition such as a construction project or other emergency that hinders normal access.

Napa had outlawed A-frames and similar markers in 2011, relaxing the ban only for a few months after the Aug. 24, 2014 South Napa quake damaged downtown buildings and forced the city to cordon off one side of Brown Street for safety reasons.

Another change sought by some electoral candidates, however, failed to pass. The sign-law update does not include permission to set up election campaign signs on parkways, the grassy strips between a street and sidewalk that are maintained by homeowners but remain part of the public right of way.

Allowing campaign markers on curb strips that are widely considered a part of private homes gained the support of some recent local candidates as well as the backing of Councilmember Scott Sedgley.

But the idea foundered on concerns about defying a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring governments to treat all types of noncommercial speech in public places with neutrality. (In that ruling, the high court stopped Gilbert, Arizona from enforcing a city restriction on directional signs that applied only to houses of worship.)

City staff warned the federal ruling would require Napa either to allow any kind of private speech in road corridors or none at all. From the citys perspective, if the city opens up that forum for other private speech, it complicates the citys ability to enforce signs that are illegal in the rights of way, said City Attorney Michael Barrett.

Sedgley conceded that state of affairs only reluctantly before casting the only dissenting vote against the ordinance change.

As far as election signs, this looks like its a solution looking for a problem, he said. For a lot of things that are grassroots, I dont see the harm in having (signs) in the grass strip.

Another recent office-holder also bemoaned Napas inability to carve out a more lenient signage rule for elections, declaring that its absence will leave some candidates shorthanded against better-financed rivals.

Personally I like having them in public rights of way, said Amy Martenson, who was elected to the Napa Valley College board in 2014 and served one term. I feel it levels the playing field for grassroots candidates and for candidates that dont have those pro-business connections.  Im aware of wanting to be content-neutral, but Im not aware of any other kinds of signs being put in peoples parking strips in front of their homes, so I dont think its a problem that exists.

The changes to the sign ordinance will require a second approval by the council and a 30-day waiting period before they take effect.

Tuesdays vote refines a package of changes Napa council members made in December to its sign codes, the most extensive revision in nearly a quarter century. Hard limits on letter height and the maximum coverage of a facade were replaced by a new standard in which a storefronts width determines its maximum sign size  for example, a space 40 feet wide is entitled to 40 square feet of display area.

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Illinois just got a new Chabad center!

The Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights now has its own Chabad presence. Since moving to the area at the beginning of this year, Rabbi Yaakov and Chaikie (nee Weingarten) Kotlarsky and their daughter, Rochel, have hosted Chanukah events and even a recent Purim partyadvertised as magicalas part of their inaugural events.

The village, known for its dynamic downtown area, award-winning library and historic horse race track, is located fifteen minutes from the closest Chabad center in Buffalo Grove. With a population of 80,000, many of whom commute twenty-five miles to downtown Chicago for work, Kotlarsky estimates there are 1,500 Jewish residents. Chabad will be the first Jewish presence there.

Many people here believe theyre one of the only Jews in town, Yaakov says, but weve met so many more. Were sure that an established center in town will boost Jewish pride and more people will begin to come out of the woodwork.

For more information, visit https://www.chabadah.org/

The Kotlarsky family
Cancer with your caffeine? Judging from the bleary-eyed java addicts queued up every morning at Californias 2,800 Starbucks, its a non-issue. Most folks dont even notice the signs warning that the coffee and pastries contain acrylamide, a carcinogenic chemical produced when the beans are roasted and the croissants are baked.

And even those who do read those advisories ignore them, calculating that some thingswell, that first morning cup of coffee, anywayare worth the risks.

After all, California is studded with those warning signs. You see them at gas stations, bars, even Disneyland. Their omnipresence is dictated by Proposition 65, the 33-year-old voter-approved initiative that requires businesses to post warnings on products containing dangerous compounds.

In recent months, the state has opted to require new and improved warnings with more details, and to apply them to something that didnt even exist when Prop. 65 first took effect: online markets.

The new rules also expand responsibility for the warnings to the entire supply chain associated with a product, from manufacturer to distributor to retailer.

As a result, visits to the states Prop. 65 website have skyrocketedboth from businesses and from the citizen bounty hunters who can make money by spotting and reporting violators.

But even as the measure has expanded to cover, say, online wine sales and marijuana dispensaries, it has run aground on the coffee warnings. After much pushback and debate about the potential health benefits of java, the state regulatory agency that oversees the proposition has a pending rule making the warnings unnecessary where coffee beans and brew are sold.

As for how the Prop. 65 warnings have changed? The original notices simply declared that a chemical known to cause cancer or reproductive harm was present in a product. Among other things, the new warnings must state that a product can expose consumers to harmful chemicals, name at least one of the chemicals, include a triangular yellow alarm symbol, and refer to additional and detailed information on a website maintained by the propositions administering agency, the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Those warnings can apply to almost anythingfuels and solvents and coffee, of course, but also high-end fashion accessories, jewelry, furniture and cosmetics.

By 2018, Proposition 65 was noteworthy for two things: the ubiquity of the warnings and the general indifference of the public when confronted with them. It was unthinkable, for example, that anyone who needed a fill-up would run screeching from a gas station simply because there was a sign about carcinogenic chemicals positioned over the pump.

But the amendments seem to have spurned renewed interest in the regulation. They were adopted after a UC Davis researchers interviewed more than 1,500 people at DMV offices and found that more than 75 percent preferred the new proposed warnings over the old ones, and 66 percent supported warnings that specifically named a toxic chemical.

During June 2018, before the new warnings took effect, the site had 107,000 users, 132,000 sessions and 348,000 page views, said Sam Delson, OEHHAs deputy director for external and legislative affairs. During the peak shopping period from November 17, 2018 to December 16 2018, traffic surged to 874,000 users, 920,000 sessions and 1,573,000 page views.

Many of the visits were from businesses looking for details on compliance, he said. Proposition 65 doesnt directly punish manufacturers or retailers for hawking products that contain dangerous chemicals above state-decreed thresholds. As long as businesses comply with the warnings, they can sell most wares. But executives abhor the thought of warning labels appended to their high-gloss lipsticks or coffee tablesso much so that they often reformulate their products so a warning isnt needed.

Other inquiries came from another group: bounty hunters, or citizen enforcers In Prop 65-speak. It turns out theres money in them thar toxics. The proposition allows private citizens to sue manufacturers, distributors or retailers of non-compliant products and keep a portion of any settlements or fines.

Bounty hunters typically buy products that dont have any warnings, pay a lab to test them for listed chemicals, then serve the purveyor with a 60-day notice if the items are not in compliance. Such a notice gives local district attorneys or the state attorney general the option of pursuing the case. Except in very rare and highly publicized cases, however, prosecutors pass due to heavy workloads. The citizen enforcer can then sue, presenting the business with the choice of a court fight or settlement. And in the vast majority of cases, businesses opt for settling, says John J. Allen, a partner with Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis, a Los Angeles-based law firm that defends plaintiffs in Proposition 65 cases.

Unless theres an absolute necessity to fight, its just easier and cheaper to settle, says Allen. If a business goes to court and doesnt prevail, it risks paying the plaintiffs legal fees and fines of up to $2,500 per day of exposure for each person who used the product. So if youre talking, say, hair gel or plastic wristwatch bands, thats potentially a great many exposures.

Settlements typically range from $25,000 to $40,000, though some can reach six figures, said Tom Jonaitis, a toxicologist and the founder of RegTox, a consulting firm that deals with Proposition 65 issues. Plaintiffs also agree to reformulate their products or post warning labels.

When everything shakes out, attorneys fees usually take 80 to 90 percent of such payouts. The remaining 10 to 20 percent comprises a stipulated penalty, with 75 percent of that figure going to the state and the remaining 25 percent going to the enforcer.

In 2017, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the state attorney generals office recorded 688 Proposition 65 settlements totaling nearly $25.8 million.

Usually, an enforcer has multiple cases running at the same time, Allen says. Theyll go to a mall or go online and look for a particularly line of merchandise, buy five or 10 items, get them tested, see which has listed chemicals and what the concentrations are, then issue notices.

Wine merchants face new requirements to ensure their online transactions don't run afoul of California's Prop. 65 toxics warnings.

Wine merchants face new requirements to ensure their online transactions dont run afoul of Californias Prop. 65 toxics warnings.

Many of the recent notices have targeted online wine retailers, says Ryan Landis, a principal of Polsinelli, a California law firm that defends businesses involved in Proposition 65 cases. Alcohol is a listed compound under the regulation, and its hazards must be noted in any sale conducted in the digital realm.

Alcoholic beverage sellers now have to update their warnings to cover online and internet sales, says Landis. They were accustomed to simply including the warnings on the physical packaging.

Regardless of whatever hassles Proposition 65s warnings cause for businesses, the bottom line, supporters say, is that they work. When retailers reformulate a product to comply with California state law, they invariably sell that product nationwide, says David Roe, who drafted the original language of Proposition 65 while working as an attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund.

It makes no marketing sense to peddle a clean product in California and a dirty one in the other 49 states, says Roe. Proposition 65 has been the single most successful law in the country over the last 30 years in reducing unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals. The great untold story of 65 is that its impact has been largely invisible. Thousands of products have been reformulated to reduce toxicity. But no one realizes that because these products dont have warnings. The more 65 succeeds, the fewer indications there are of that success. The ultimate goal of the proposition is to have no warnings, to have no evidence that its goals have been achieved.

Allen agrees with that assessmentgrudgingly, and to a point.

If Proposition 65 has done anything beneficial, its reducing the number and concentrations of chemicals used in consumer products, he says, but it has achieved that in an awkward and inelegant fashion. There are ways of doing that without relying on an army of private enforcers who want to line their pockets. Its like killing an ant with a sledge hammer.

Speaking for the state, Delson acknowledges that not everyone is a fan, but we believe Proposition 65 is an effective tool to help people make informed decisions, and perhaps more importantly, it has stimulated companies to make products safer by eliminating or reducing chemicals to avoid a warning.

But then theres coffee. The argument is that people are exposed to acrylamide from a variety of sources, not just cappuccinos. And the threshold limits established for the chemical under the regulation dont necessarily correlate to greater peril. In multiple studies, coffee consumption is linked to lower cancer, diabetes and heart disease rateslurking acrylamide notwithstanding.

When Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle ruled last year that acrylamide exposure was covered under Proposition 65 and that warnings were mandated for coffee, it prompted a backlash from free enterprisers carping about nanny state overreach.

The state, howeverperhaps recognizing the political risks that could arise from denying a population their morning caffeinationis trying to ditch the warning. A pending regulation would clarify that exposure to chemicals via coffee consumption doesnt pose a significant cancer risk and therefore doesnt require Prop. 65 warnings. We have been sued over the issue, Delson acknowledged in an email, but we expect to adopt it by June, 2019.
In order to enhance military cooperation between India and Bangladesh and to deepen better military ties, Lt Gen M M Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, GOC-in-C Eastern Command visited Bangladesh from March 18 to 22 last.

This was stated in a defence press release issued on Saturday.

He commenced his tour on March 19 last by paying homage to the martyrs at a solemn ceremony in Dhaka.

He also visited Liberation War Museum and Banga Bandhu Memorial Museum, later and paid homage. Lt Gen M M Naravane called on Riva Ganguly Das, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh in Dhaka on the same day.

The Army commander attended a Mukti Jodha Scholarship felicitation ceremony as guest of honour and distributed scholarships to the heirs of the freedom fighters. The Mukti Jodha Scholarship scheme is named as Notun India- Bangladesh Mukti Jodha Sontan Scholarship Scheme.

Lt Gen M M Naravane also called on the service chiefs of Bangladesh Armed Forces, Gen Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff; Vice Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury, Chief of Naval Staff and Air Chief Marshal Massihuzzaman Serniabat, Chief of Air Staff.

The officers discussed various aspects of defence cooperation including the positive outcomes of various joint events/ expeditions being undertaken by the militaries of both the nations.

Lt Gen M M Naravane also interacted with Lt Gen Sheikh Mamun Khaled, Commandant, National Defence College Bangladesh and Maj Gen Anwarul Momen, Commandant, Bangladesh Military Academy and also visited various facilities of Bangladesh Military Academy.

The visit was a positive step towards enhancing the bilateral defence cooperation of both the countries, the release added.
Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the Muslim migrants from Bangladesh are posing a serious cultural threat to the country whereas the migrants of other religions cannot create additional political or cultural challenges.

In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, Himanta was quoted as saying that Muslims from Assam, Uttar Pradesh or Bihar are different from Bangladeshi Muslims.

The report also stated the minister as saying that the fight is going against Bangladeshi Muslims and not against Indian Muslims.

Himanta claimed that the people of Assam are facing identity crisis only from Bangladeshi Muslims and further cited that monasteries are being encroached upon, temples are being demolished every day, temple land is being encroached for madrasas.

He also said that he respects the Indian Muslims and that the BJP government is trying their best to work for their welfare.

The report also stated Himanta as saying that the BJP government has sanctioned funds in order to improve the living conditions of the illegal migrants residing in detention camps.

The minister also said that the identity of the people living in detention camps should be digitally recorded and they should not be allowed to claim Indian citizenship in other states but they should be given basic human rights.

He also said when the Assam Accord was signed, the cut-off should have been 1951 but Rajiv Gandhi imposed upon leaders of the Assam Agitation to make the cut-off 1971.

Stating that Assam took on the burden of illegal immigrants between 1951-71 who are foreigners as per the Citizenship Bill, and the Constitution, Himanta said the BJP government wants to make them Indian in the context of Assam.

He also added that around 30 lakh people imposed serious political and cultural threat to the people of Assam so Rajiv Gandhi incorporated Clause 6 in the Assam Accord.

Himanta said that at present the BJP is trying to implement the Assam Accord, which is a protection against people who have been regularized between 1951-71

Himanta also said that if people voluntarily give up eating beef or if the government can create a situation where eating beef declines it is fine but in the Northeast, the people should be given freedom to eat beef because it is a part of their identity and culture.

He also feels that people of Assam will not take into account the Citizenship Bill while casting their votes and will vote for the BJP as the state has seen much development under the partys rule.
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US Special Counsel Robert Mueller has not found evidence of collusion between Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 US presidential campaign, RIA Novosti reported citing a statement by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

Based on the Mueller report, US Attorney General William Barr stated that there is not enough evidence of obstruction of the probe into his campaign, the department added.

It also said that Trumps campaign team had nothing to do with hacking of the US Democratic Party during the 2016 election campaign. The DoJ noted that Mueller asserted that hackers linked to Russian authorities had carried this out.

Also, the Special Counsel stated that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on obstruction of justice.

The US Attorney General will decide on whether to publicize the new report by Mueller when he becomes convinced that it does not contradict the law.

Russian presidential spokesperson spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacted to the Mueller reports summary release by saying that the Kremlin had not seen the results of the investigation into alleged Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election.

Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the election.
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The events of 27 October 1999 were organized by a foreign country and perpetrated through the Armenians. This is what former speaker of the National Assembly, former MP and member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Galust Sahakyan said today at Yerablour Military Pantheon.

The events of 27 October 1999 were one of the darkest pages in the history of the Armenians because people wanted to break the government down immediately for no reason. It was a measure that was taken and it had consequences on the overall development of our country many years later, Sahakyan said.

After all these years, people declare that there were people who ordered these events. In response to this, Sahakyan said the following: I am asked that question every year, and every year I say that I believe the events were organized by a foreign country and perpetrated through the Armenians. However, Sahakyan had trouble saying which country organized the events.

On 27 October 1999 at around 17:00, during the regular question-and-answer session of the parliament and government officials at the National Assembly, gunmen invaded the session hall and opened fire at Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Karen Demirtchyan and Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan.

The gunmen were Nairi Hunanyan, Karen Hunanyan, Eduard Grigoryan, Vram Galstyan and Derenik Bejanyan. The victims were Speaker of the National Assembly Karen Demirtchyan, Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly Ruben Miroyan and Yuri Bakhshyan, Minister for Operative Issues Leonard Petrosyan and MPs Armenak Armenakyan, Henrik Abrahamyan and Mikayel Kotanyan.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia is introducing a new model of needs assessment of persons with disabilities. This is what Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Zaruhi Batoyan said during a discussion on the bill on making amendments and supplements to the Law On state pensions that was held during the session of the Standing Committee on Health and Social Affairs of the National Assembly on 25 March.

According to her, the Ministry has developed a new model of needs assessment of persons with disabilities and will introduce it this year.

This implies individual studies on needs assessment and provision of services based on those needs. Currently, whenever people are classified under a particular group of disability as a result of expert examination, the group is mainly limited to the provision of benefits, wheelchairs, hearing devices and prosthesis-orthopedic accessories and, course, certain privileges in the healthcare and education sectors. However, unfortunately, there is nothing mentioned about the creation of equal opportunities. People are entitled to free medical aid, but, for instance, there are no conditions for persons with disabilities to have access to reproduction services, Batoyan said.

The minister also said that even though higher education is free for persons under the first and second groups, universities remain inaccessible for them. Zaruhi Batoyan stressed that an adapted environment is necessary for changes in a persons life.
Lilit Hakobyan and Masis Arakelyan, founders of the Giteliq (Knowledge) Armenian school operating in Berlin since March 2018, opened the branches of the Armenian school in the cities of Greifswald and Rostock of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in January 2019.

There are no Armenian unions, associations or organizations in these cities, and the local Armenians only interact by visiting each other or going to each others houses. Lilit and Masis are the first Armenians to open Armenian schools in the cities and consider it an exclusive phenomenon. First, they contacted the municipal authorities with the hope that the authorities would allocate an area, and soon enough, the integration affairs representative expressed support to them as a way of helping representatives of a national minority disseminate Armenian culture.

Although a year has passed since its establishment, our school in Berlin is already well-established and has a good reputation. The Armenians in the other two cities responded quickly and were excited. Of course, it is hard work, but we do it with responsibility and with the awareness of the need to provide Armenian children of Germany with an Armenian education and upbringing, Masis Arakelyan told the Hayern Aysor (Armenians Today) online newspaper of the Ministry of Diaspora of Armenia.

Every week, Lilit and Masis travel from Berlin to teach the children Armenian language, songs and dances.

Masis Arakelyan voiced hope that their activities would be effective because, as he interacts with the children, he and Lilit realize that they have a great desire to learn Armenian and wait impatiently for the classes. Most of the children dont even know where Armenia is on the map and know nothing about its history and culture.

We Armenians abroad are in a constant struggle to teach Armenian children Armenian. We also work as psychologists with them. There are children who cry during the lesson because they dont know their native language. Its hard, but we focus and continue to hold the lesson, Lilit Hakobyan said.

All the branches of the Armenian school have 70 students. In September, the school received an invitation to participate in a cultural festival and present Armenian culture along with representatives of other nations living in different cities across Germany. The schools founders have already decided that the students of the three schools will give a concert and introduce foreigners to the national and cultural values of the Armenian people through songs and dances.
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UK urges allies to seek alternatives to Russia natural gas

168.am: Armenia ex-police chief hospitalized

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NBC: US holds back additional military aid to Ukraine to avoid tension

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today met with participants of the operative meeting of the leadership of the Armed Forces at the administrative complex of the Ministry of Defense, reports the news service of the Prime Minister, according to NEWS.am.

Greeting the participants of the operative meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated that the meeting serves as a good opportunity to discuss various issues related to the countrys development agenda.

The head of government touched upon the current state of the Armenian economy and talked about the steps being taken for an economic revolution and the model of economic development, emphasizing the fact that the favorable economic situation will contribute to speedy solutions to the current issues of the Armed Forces. In this context, Pashinyan presented the activities that the government is carrying out to create favorable conditions for military servicemen and solve their social issues.

In response to the questions from the participants of the operative meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan touched upon the challenges facing Armenia in terms of foreign policy, the military-political situation and developments in the region and provided details about the negotiations over the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and his recent meeting with the Prime Minister of Georgia and more.
Trump's decision to recognize the occupied Golan Heights, captured from Syria, as part of the Israeli territory, makes the United States became the main enemies of the Arab countries, and the UN lost its credibility and status, the statement of the Syrian Foreign Ministry reads, SANA reported.

The move comes as an embodiment of the organic coalition between the US and Israel in the severe hostility to the Arab nation which makes the US as the main enemy of the Arabs through the unlimited support and protection offered by the US successive administrations to the Israeli usurper entity.

Syrian Foreign Ministry stressed that Trump violated a number of UN resolutions, including No.497 for 1981, which recognized the Israeli occupation as illegal. The ministry added that Syrians have the right to return the Golan in any available ways, it is an Arab Syrian territory.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Israel should know that the day of the liberation of the Golan from occupation is closer than it seems to the invaders.

On March 25, President Donald Trump officially recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel, which was announced at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Golan Heights is a disputable territory in the Middle East the biggest part of which is controlled by Israel, while the eastern part by Syria. Just as Israel, Syria considers the Golan Heights a part of its territory. From 1944 to 1967 the Golan Heights were a part of the Syrian province of Quneitra. Two thirds of the territory was seized by Israel during the Six-Day war in June 1976.
Madeline Smith, C'20, who along with her teammates Giselle Tolentino, C'20, and Jurate Reventas, C'20, took first place in the 16th annual Robert 'Bob' Fram CSI Challenge on March 23, succinctly summed up the event: The CSI Challenge allows us the opportunity to learn new skills, bond with others and win one for the Mount. Twenty-two teams from Mount St. Mary's University, Towson University, Montgomery College, and Guelph Humber University in Toronto, Canada, competed this year.

The CSI Challenge, established to promote educational pursuits in the career fields of forensic science and criminal investigation, is organized and managed by the Mounts Criminal Justice Student Association (CJSA) and co-sponsored by the Frederick Police Department. The Mount has numerous alumni who serve in all segments of local, state and federal law enforcement as well as the intelligence community and are proud of those who have chosen this profession and strive to live a life of significance by serving others, said Professor and CJSA Faculty Advisor Joseph J. Vince, Jr. "At the Mount the educational experience does not stop at the classroom. We strive to provide students with unique real-world understandings that make them professionally ready for the challenges they will face in law enforcement and intelligence careers.

Participating in the CSI Challenge as judges and witnesses are local crime scene technicians, other law enforcement officers and faculty members from the various universities who have had experience in crime scene investigations, forensics and anthropology. This year students also had the opportunity to meet two FBI intelligence analysts to discuss how data assists law enforcement in solving crimes.

Student competitors are dispatched to a replicated crime scene of an actual case to fully investigate that crime. Team members are judged on their display of professionalism, expertise in crime scene evidence collection and preservation, written case preparation and interviewing witnesses, critical thinking and team coordination as they process their designated crime scene. Students are given 50 minutes at the crime scene and 40 minutes to write their reports, resulting in a grueling competition.

During the 50-minute crime scene investigation, three-member teams process the crime scene by photographing, sketching, collecting DNA and fingerprints, preserving blood stains, gathering shell casings and accumulating other crime scene evidence. When the evidence is collected, it must be properly submitted and a crime narrative report prepared within 40 minutes. Teams are judged by detectives of the Frederick Police Departments Criminal Investigative Unit, forensics and crime scene technicians.

In addition to providing first-hand experience, the CSI Challenge also provides participants with opportunities to meet with and interact with law enforcement officers and other professionals who work in the field. Frederick City Police Department Chief Edward Hargis said, The interactions between students and law enforcement today is essential for helping guide these students on the path to one day working in the field of law enforcement.

This years replicated crime scene was based on an actual murder investigation conducted by the Arlington County Police Department in Virginia. At the conclusion of the competition, students learned first-hand how the case was investigated and solved from the officers themselves. Officers Tara Crider and Bridget Meyer of the Arlington Police Department outlined the investigation step-by-step to its successful prosecution. The students learned that an estranged husband brutally murdered his ex-wife and staged a burglary to hide his nefarious deed. The forensic evidence uncovered at the scene proved pivotal in identifying the husband as the perpetrator as well as gaining a guilty verdict.

Officer Crider praised the students for their educational pursuits and expertise displayed in the CSI Challenge, noting that the actual crime scene investigation took my team nine days to process, and I am amazed what you were able to accomplish in 50 minutes.

Mount student Amani Jones, C'21, gained confidence by participating in the event. Maybe I can do this for real," she said. "Maybe I can use these skills that Im learning and the information that I gather and figure out how real things like this work."

Mount seniors Colby Jews, Krysten Peterson and Drew Bonner of Team Alpha, who finised in fifth place, have competed for four years and are preparing for further study or employment. Peterson has been offered a position at Xcelerate Solutions, while Bonner will be entering a Ph.D. program in sociology at George Mason University. Jews recently interviewed at Xcelerate Solutions and is also considering options with local law encorcement agencies.

The names, team members and scores for the top-finishing teams follow. The first-place team earned a $500 cash prize and the permanent engraving of their names on the CSI Excellence Cup. The second place team received $250 and the third place team $150.
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Al-Qaeda Calls Muslims to Avenge New Zealand Shootings But Avoid Targeting Places of Worship
In Naba 174 Editorial, IS Slams Hollow Condemnations of New Zealand Shootings and Urges Violent Reprisals
(Adds no response to request for comment from U.S. authorities)

By Nia Williams

March 25 (Reuters) - A judge in Alberta, Canada, ruled on Monday that the war crimes sentence of a Canadian man formerly held at U.S. military base Guantanamo Bay in Cuba has expired, making Omar Khadr a free man.

Khadr was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan in 2002 and sent to Guantanamo Bay, charged with throwing a grenade that killed U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Speer.

He was later transferred to Canada, where he was handed an eight-year sentence in 2010, before being released on bail in 2015. Khadr's sentence would have expired last year had he remained in custody.

Court of Queen's Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau ruled that the nearly four years Khadr spent on conditional release counted toward his sentence.

Speaking outside the court in Edmonton, Alberta, the now 32-yaer-old Khadr said he was pleased with the decision.

"I think it's been a while but I'm happy it's here, and right now I'm going to just try to focus on recovering and not worrying about having to go back to prison, or, you know, just struggling," Khadr said.

In 2010, the Canadian Supreme Court said Canada had breached Khadr's rights by sending intelligence agents to interrogate him in Guantanamo and sharing the results with the United States. He pleaded guilty to Speer's murder but later recanted, and his lawyers said he had been grossly mistreated.

Canada formally apologized to Khadr in 2017 and paid out C$10.5 million ($7.83 million) in compensation, acknowledging Canadian government officials had played a role in the abuse he suffered. It was a controversial decision that attracted fierce criticism from many Canadians.

"We are a country that respects the rule of law and very much respects the judicial process," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said when asked about the ruling on Khadr's sentence.

In 2016, Trudeau's Liberal government dropped a bid to return Khadr to prison that had been launched by the previous Conservative government.

Story continues

Khadr's lawyer, Nate Whitling, said the judge's decision meant his client would not have to live under any further conditions and there was no longer the risk he might have to return to prison.

Khadr is also seeking dismissal of his U.S. conviction for war crimes. Whitling said that appeal had been obstructed and delayed but they were still pressing ahead with it.

U.S. authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ($1 = 1.3405 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Nia Williams in Calgary, Alberta, Canada Editing by Bill Berkrot and Matthew Lewis)
* CEO promises to work with crash probe partners

* Another Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed five months ago

* Ethiopian to work with Boeing "well into the future" (Updates with quotes, background)

By Jason Neely

ADDIS ABABA, March 25 (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines said on Monday it would keep close ties with U.S. planemaker Boeing even though questions remained about its 737 MAX 8 model, after a crash shortly after take off this month killed 157 people.

CEO Tewolde Gebremariam also promised to work closely with an investigation into the March 10 incident, after reports that the probe was under strain because the Ethiopian authorities were not sharing information with international partners.

Boeing has come under intense scrutiny since the crash, the second in five months involving its new 737 MAX 8 model. But Tewolde said the airline's relationship with Boeing was sound.

"Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future," he said, in his most extensive written statement since the incident.

"We pledge to work with Boeing and our colleagues in all the airlines to make air travel even safer," he said, although he added: "Many questions on the B-737 MAX airplane remain without answers."

He said he did not want to speculate on the cause of the crash, but defended the airline's training program.

Boeing's 737 MAX fleet has been grounded worldwide, wiping $28 billion off the company's market value and throwing doubt over advance orders of the plane, worth more than $500 billion.

Tewolde said he supported the decision to halt flights of the plane. "Until we have answers, putting one more life at risk is too much," he said,

Tewolde said both pilots of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane had been fully trained "beyond" the requirements of Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The airline's Aviation Academy annually trains more than 2,000 pilots, flight attendants, maintenance workers and other employees for Ethiopian Airlines and other African carriers, he said.

"We are the company others turn to for aviation expertise," he said, adding the company had invested more than $500 million in the last five years in training and other infrastructure in their Addis Ababa base.

(Writing by Katharine Houreld Editing by Edmund Blair)
(Recasts, adds EU comment)

BEIJING, March 25 (Reuters) - European Union ambassadors in Beijing will not be visiting China's western region of Xinjiang this week after receiving a government invitation, as such a trip needs "careful preparation," a spokesperson for the bloc said on Monday.

China has been stepping up a push to counter growing criticism in the West and among rights groups about a controversial de-radicalisation program in heavily Muslim Xinjiang, which borders Central Asia.

Critics say China is operating internment camps for Uighurs and other Muslim peoples who live in Xinjiang, though the government calls them vocational training centers and says it has a genuine need to prevent extremist thinking and violence.

China's foreign ministry said late last week it would invite Beijing-based European diplomats to visit soon. Sources had told Reuters the invitation was made to EU ambassadors based in Beijing.

A spokesperson for the EU Delegation to China said they, along with embassies of member states in Beijing, on March 21 received a formal invite from China's foreign ministry to send ambassadors to Xinjiang from March 27-29.

"While the EU and EU Member States in principle welcome the invitation, such a visit requires careful preparation in order to be meaningful," the spokesperson said.

"Discussions to this end are ongoing, hence the proposed trip will not take place this week. The EU remains open to a future visit taking into account our expectations."

Speaking earlier on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said talks were ongoing about the trip. He did not elaborate.

A U.S. official told Reuters that "highly choreographed" tours to Xinjiang organized by the Chinese government were misleading and propagated false narratives about the troubled region.

Geng said trips organized by China's government to Xinjiang for diplomats and reporters have been very successful at showing people the true situation there, and denounced U.S. criticism as "slander."

Story continues

Speaking at a daily news briefing, Geng said such trips were to raise the international community's understanding about Xinjiang's social and economic development.

"The people who have been on the trips felt for themselves the real situation Xinjiang's calm and order and the happy lives and jobs of all the people's there, and all positively appraised China's policy governing Xinjiang," Geng said.

The U.S. criticism "does not accord with the facts," he added. "It is purely rumor starting and slander."

China resolutely opposes the United States interfering in its internal affairs using the Xinjiang issue, Geng said.

"At present Xinjiang is politically stable, the economy is developing and society is harmonious."

There have been two visits by groups including European diplomats to Xinjiang this year. One was a small group of EU diplomats, and the other by a group of diplomats from a broader mix of countries, including missions from Greece, Hungary and North African and Southeast Asian states.

A Reuters journalist visited on a government-organized trip in January.

Late last year, more than a dozen ambassadors from Western countries, including France, Britain, Germany and the EU's top envoy in Beijing, wrote to the government to seek a meeting with Xinjiang's top official, Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, to discuss their concerns about the rights situation.

Two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that China was not offering a meeting with Chen to the EU ambassadors.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed sanctions against senior Chinese officials in Xinjiang, including Chen. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kim Coghill)
(Adds comment from New Zealand Muslim community leader, paragraphs 9-12; changes date to March 26)

PARIS, March 26 (Reuters) - One of the main groups representing Muslims in France said on Monday it was suing Facebook and YouTube, accusing them of inciting violence by allowing the streaming of footage of the Christchurch massacre on their platforms.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said the companies had disseminated material that encouraged terrorism and harmed the dignity of human beings. There was no immediate comment from either company.

The shooting at two mosques in New Zealand on March 15, which killed 50 people, was livestreamed on Facebook for 17 minutes and then copied and shared on social media sites across the internet.

Facebook said it raced to remove hundreds of thousands of copies.

However, footage could still be found on Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube a few hours after the attack, as well as Facebook-owned Instagram and Whatsapp.

Abdallah Zekri, president of the CFCM's Islamophobia monitoring unit, said the organization had launched a formal legal complaint against Facebook and YouTube in France.

Both companies have faced widespread criticism over the footage.

The chair of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security wrote a letter to top executives of four major technology companies last week urging them to do a better job of removing violent political content.

A spokesman for the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) welcomed the French group's action. He said his organization had been planning to contact Facebook to register their complaint but had been busy dealing with the aftermath of the attacks.

"They have failed big time, this was a person who was looking for an audience and ... you were the platform he chose to advertise himself and his heinous crime," said FIANZ spokesman Anwar Ghani, referring to Facebook.

"We haven't been in touch with the (French) group ... but certainly something which can deter the social media space in terms of these types of crimes, we would be supportive of that," he said.

A man has been charged with one count of murder over the Christchurch shootings and will next appear in court on April 5. (Reporting by Julie Carriat Additional reporting by Charlotte Greenfield in WELLINGTON Writing by Richard Lough Editing by John Irish and Paul Tait)
(Recasts, writes through)

By Joyce Lee

SEOUL, March 25 (Reuters) - North Korea reversed a decision to withdraw its staff from an inter-Korean liaison office by sending some back to work on Monday, South Korea said, in a turnaround that came after U.S. President Donald Trump opted not to impose extra sanctions on the North.

On Friday, North Korea had said it was quitting the office, just hours after the United States imposed the first new sanctions on the North since the second U.S.-North Korea summit broke down last month.

The liaison office in Kaesong, North Korea, was opened in September and had been one of the key developments made during the detente between North Korea and South Korea in the past year.

The withdrawal of North Korean staff had been seen as a setback for South Korean President Moon Jae-in's attempts to engage with Pyongyang.

However, Trump on Friday said he has decided against imposing new large-scale sanctions on North Korea, a move that experts said could be an effort to defuse tensions or signaling that the "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign on North Korea was not going to get any stronger.

"Some of North Korean staff members are working at the liaison office" on Monday, the South's Unification Ministry said in a statement.

The two sides held a consultation at the liaison office on Monday and will continue to operate the office as usual, after North Korean staff members told the South "we came to do our shift as usual today," the ministry added.

Some four or five North Korean officials came to work at the office on Monday, about half the usual level of staffing, and none of the more senior officials were among those who came to work, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

A convoy of dozens of South Korean officials had left for the liaison office earlier on Monday in a bid to maintain fragile gains in relations with Pyongyang.

Analysts reckoned the continued presence of North Koreans at the liaison office probably reflected Pyongyang's satisfaction over Trump's decision to hold off on the imposition of more sanctions.

They said the threatened withdrawal of staff appeared to have been calculated to pressure South Korea into persuading the United States to soft-pedal on sanctions.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyonhee Shin; Editing by Michael Perry & Simon Cameron-Moore)
(Adds name and date of document, quote on marriage)

LORETO, Italy, March 25 (Reuters) - Pope Francis signed a new document on young people during a visit on Monday to a site that some Catholics believe was the house of Jesus Christ's mother, flown by angels from the Holy Land to Italy's Adriatic coast.

Francis traveled to the city of Loreto, site of one of Italy's most visited religious shrines, where he said a Mass, comforted many sick people, and signed a paper he has written on the role of young people in the Church.

The document, known as an "apostolic exhortation," is his assessment of a month-long synod of bishops at the Vatican last year.

The document, now being translated from the original Spanish, is expected to tell young people that they should not be obsessed with doctrinal minutiae but blend the Church's rules with social activism to help those in need. Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said its title is "Christus Vivit" (Christ Lives) and that it will be published on April 2.

According to popular tradition, the tiny house at Loreto was where the Madonna lived in Nazareth and where, according to the Bible, an angel appeared to her to tell her she would give birth to Jesus. Monday is a religious holiday, the Feast of the Annunciation, marking this event.

The Holy House of Loreto or the Flying House of Loreto, as it is known, was miraculously saved by angels so it would not be destroyed after Christian crusaders were expelled from Palestine in the 13th century, according to the tradition.

A more earthly explanation, also offered on the shrine's website as an alternative, is that a wealthy family of merchants who ruled over what is now part of Greece and Albania and whose surname was Angeli (angels), had the stones brought over by ship.

The house is now part of a large basilica that attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year.

In his address to crowds in the square outside the shrine, Francis did not mention the tradition but said Loreto was a place of spirituality, faith and devotion.

He also repeated his defense of the traditional family and his opposition to gay marriage.

"In the delicate situation of the world today, the family based on marriage between a man and a woman assumes an essential importance and mission," he said. (Reporting by Philip Pullella Editing by Frances Kerry)
* Army-backed party and its rival both say will form government

* Thaksin-linked party considering legal action over results

* Critics say new election system skewed poll for the military

* Nearly 600,000 sign petition to impeach election body (Updates with Thaksin saying junta manipulated election)

By Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson

BANGKOK, March 25 (Reuters) - Thailand's first general election since a military coup five years ago was thrown into disarray on Monday as two opposition parties alleged cheating and the election commission said it could be weeks until the make-up of parliament becomes clear.

Confusion over the outcome of Sunday's election raised the specter of a protracted struggle to form a government, spoiling hopes of a clear cut result that could have ended 15 years of political turmoil in Southeast Asia's second largest economy.

Both the pro-army party seeking to keep coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister and the opposition party linked to self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, claimed they would command enough parliamentary seats to form a coalition government.

The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party said it was considering a legal challenge over what it said were poll irregularities after partial results showed Prayuth's Palang Pracharat party with an unexpected lead in the popular vote.

The strong early showing for Palang Pracharat increased the likelihood that Prayuth, who was army chief when he overthrew a Pheu Thai government in 2014, would stay in power, although that outcome was not certain.

"There are irregularities in this election that we're not comfortable with. These affect the nation's credibility and people's trust," said Sudarat Keyuraphan, candidate for prime minister of the Pheu Thai Party.

"We've voiced our concerns before for vote-buying, abuse of power, and cheating. All three have manifested. We will fight back through legal means," she told a news conference.

Story continues

Thailand has been racked since 2004 by street protests of both opponents and supporters of Thaksin. Parties linked to Thaksin have won every previous election since 2001, but the populist telecoms billionaire was thrown out by the army in 2006 and a government led by his sister was ousted in 2014.

Thaksin wrote an opinion piece headlined "The Election in Thailand Was Rigged" in The New York Times on Monday.

"I knew that the junta running Thailand wanted to stay in power, but I cannot believe how far it has gone to manipulate the general election on Sunday," he wrote.

Earlier on Monday, election commission official Nat Laosisawakul blamed delays and irregularities in results on "human error" and said a full count of the vote would be released on Friday.

"We have nothing to hide," he said.

DECK STACKED FOR MILITARY

The lower house and the upper house Senate, whose 250 members are appointed by the junta, will together select the next prime minister based on the support of a simple majority of 376 lawmakers.

That means Prayuth's party and allies have to win only 126 seats in the lower house to vote him in as prime minister, while Pheu Thai and its potential "democratic front" partners would need 376 all from the lower house to choose the next premier.

The House of Representatives, the lower house, has a total 500 seats, and on Monday the Election Commission posted the winners of the 350 seats that were contested on a first-past-the post basis.

The, as yet, unofficial results showed Pheu Thai leading with 137 seats to 96 seats for junta leader Prayuth's party.

However, official results for the lower house's remaining 150 "party seats," which will be allocated by a complex formula involving voter turnout, will not be announced until May 9.

It might, however, be possible to roughly calculate the shares of the 150 "party seats" on Friday, when the Election Commission is due to give a breakdown of votes cast.

"CHEATING" TRENDS ON TWITTER

The strong popular vote showing by the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party stunned voters who had hoped the poll would loosen the grip that traditional elites and the military hold on power in a country that has one of the highest measures of inequality in the world.

Many Thais took to social media to voice their suspicions about the results of an election that critics had said was systematically skewed in favor of the military from the outset because of the junta-appointed Senate's role in selecting the prime minister.

Thai-language hashtags that translated as "Election Commission screw-up" and "cheating the election" were trending on Twitter in Thailand.

Many tweets referred to inconsistencies between the numbers for voter turnout and ballots cast in some parliamentary constituencies. Some questioned the overall turnout of less than 70 percent, which was much lower than expected.

Future Forward, a new party that appears to have made a spectacular election debut, winning 30 of the 350 constituency seats thanks to its appeal to young voters, also questioned the poll numbers.

"There are obviously some irregularities with the numbers because they don't add up. This is making people skeptical of the election results," said Future Forward spokeswoman Pannika Wanich.

A change.org petition launched a week ago to impeach the Election Commission had garnered almost 600,000 signatures by Monday evening, up from around 200,000 at the start of the day.

(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Chayut Setboonsarng Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
(Adds quotes, background)

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - There have been no conversations about President Donald Trump issuing pardons for any of his associates who have been charged or pleaded guilty as part of the U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, the White House said on Monday.

There has been "no discussion that I'm aware of" regarding pardons, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters. Fellow White House spokesman Hogan Gidley also told MSNBC in an interview that the White House has not had any conversations about such pardons.

Gidley said he did not know whether any lawyers for Trump's associates had approached the White House counsel about pardons.

Mueller's team finished up work on Friday and submitted its findings to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who issued a four-page summary on Sunday. Barr said the Special Counsel's Office had found no evidence of criminal collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia in the 2016 election but had left open the issue of whether Trump had tried to obstruct justice.

Still, Mueller's investigation led to charges and guilty pleas against dozens of people, including a series of Russian nationals and companies as well as several top Trump advisers, such as former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and former adviser Roger Stone.

"We have a very rigorous process that relates to pardons," Gidley told MSNBC. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Susan Heavey Editing by Bill Trott)
Post: #1 The CIA revealed as the Gestapo of the Vaticans Fourth Reich

Advertisement Quote: Most people naively associate the Reich with Nazi Germany. Only a handful of people know that the Reich is and always has been a realm of Rome called the Holy Roman Empire (HRE; German: Heiliges Romisches Reich (HRR), Latin: Imperium Romanum Sacrum (IRS), Italian: Sacro Romano Impero (SRI)). Because the Reich is a Roman Empire it is governed by the Vatican.



The First Holy Roman Empire (controlled by the Vatican) or First Reich existed from 962 to 1806. The First Reichs empire was centered on the Kingdom of Germany, and included neighbouring territories, which at its peak included the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Burgundy. For much of the First Reich, the Empire consisted of hundreds of smaller sub-units, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities and other domains. Otto I was crowned King of Germany in 962 as the first Holy Roman Emperor (German: Romisch-Deutscher Kaiser) of the First Reich. Otto was installed by the Vatican to lead the First Reich. The last leader of the First Reich was Francis II, who abdicated and dissolved the Vatican control over the empire in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.



The Vatican regained some control of the Empire with the Second Reich, from 1871 to 1919. Germany was chosen again to lead the rebuilding of their empire. From 1914 to 1918 Germany tried to rebuilt the Holy Roman Empire for the Vatican (WWI) but the empire was again dissolved in 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919.



he Vatican did not give up its aspiration of a Holy Roman Empire centered on Germany. Even after being defeated and humiliated the Vatican again chose Germany to rebuild its Third Reich (Third Holy Roman Empire). From 1933 to 1945 (WWII) Adolf Hitler succeeded in building the largest ever Holy Roman Empire for the Vatican. It had taken and controlled all of mainland Europe for the Vatican. On June 6, 1944 (D-Day) the United States, Canada and Britain landed on the beaches of France and began liberating Europe from Vatican control. On May 7, 1945 Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Western Allies and on May 8, 1945 to the Soviet Union, formally dissolving the Vaticans Third Reich.



60 years later and Germany is once again chosen to build a new Holy Roman Empire  the Fourth Reich. This time however, a former Nazi German Youth  Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger ( served the Third Reich for at least 4 years) is now also the leader of the Vatican. To build the Fourth Reich a German installed another German to rebuild the Roman Empire. The German controlled Vatican installed the biological daughter (by Artificial insemination) of the leader of the Third Reich (Adolf Hitler) to build the Fourth Reich. She has been tasked to first weaken Europe and its American liberators through debt (U.S. and Europe Debt Crisis) and wars against an imaginary enemy (War on Terror), then launch major biological and nuclear attacks against the United States and Russia. The attacks in the United States will be carried out by the Vaticans modern day Gestapo  we all know them as the CIA. The attacks against Russia will be carried out by the Vatican army  we all know them as NATO
(Adds Chinese Foreign Ministry comment)

WELLINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday she will travel to China at the end of the week for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, amid concerns of strained relations between the countries.

Ardern said she would travel to Beijing on Sunday.

She first announced her plans to visit China last year but no final dates had been announced.

Ties with China have been tense under Ardern's government which has openly raised concerns about Beijing's growing influence in the South Pacific, and rejected Chinese telecoms giant Huawei's first local bid to build a 5G mobile network.

Opposition leaders have blamed Ardern and her government for the alleged deteriorating relations with China, and said that ties were at the worst ever.

Ardern has acknowledged there were complexities in the relationship with China, but dismissed concerns of a rift with New Zealand's largest trading partner.

The prime minister said the trip had been trimmed down to a one-day visit in the wake of the mass shooting in Christchurch that killed 50 people.

"It was intended to be a longer visit, including a business delegation, but under the circumstances that just didn't seem appropriate and I do want to acknowledge that our hosts, China, have been incredibly accommodating of those needs," Ardern told a news conference.

Ardern, who will also meet Premier Li Keqiang during the trip, will return to New Zealand on Tuesday.

Talks would include discussions around an upgrade to the free trade agreement between the two countries as well as other issues, she said.

Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China hopes the visit can help both sides to strengthen understanding and mutual trust and would inject new impetus into relations.

Last month, China postponed a major tourism campaign in New Zealand days before its launch raising concerns of strained ties over China's growing influence in the Pacific.

Last year, New Zealand issued a defense policy statement in which it said China's rising influence in the South Pacific could undermine regional stability, and alluded to tension in the disputed South China Sea, sparking complaint from China. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING Writing by Praveen Menon Editing by Paul Tait and Michael Perry)
There are good reasons to think frack sand supplier U.S. Silica (NYSE: SLCA) and water technology specialist A.O. Smith (NYSE: AOS) could struggle to grow in the year and years ahead. The former's fate is linked to a commodity market with a volatile past, while the latter is facing obstacles in its most important growth market.

But investors with a long-term mindset who look below the surface will see reasons for optimism in each business. The changing dynamics of American shale energy and the forgotten slow-and-steady growth of the North American water heater market are likely to help U.S. Silica and A.O. Smith, respectively, continue to grow for the foreseeable future.

A hand drawing an ascending bar chart on a chalkboard.

Image source: Getty Images.

What happens when the supers move into the Permian?

To be blunt, U.S. Silica hasn't been a great stock to own in recent memory. The only time in the last five years investors could have purchased shares and be sitting on gains at current prices was...the last five months or so. But a closer look suggests the business is well positioned to deliver sustainable operations in good times and bad going forward. Given the shifting dynamics of American shale, there's potential for significant upside.

The business reported $392 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2018 (notably excluding roughly $282 million in asset impairment charges), which marked a healthy improvement from $307 million the year before. Perhaps a better sign of the strength of operations is the fact U.S. Silica generated a record $310 million in cash from operations last year.

The recent acquisition of industrial ceramic manufacturer EP Minerals looks like a stroke of genius in retrospect. Industrial sales volumes increased just 8% from 2017 to 2018, but average selling prices soared 66% in that span. That led to a 79% year-over-year increase in revenue for the industrial segment. The company's other subsidiary, SandBox Logistics, is also crushing its niche in last-mile deliveries of frack sand. U.S. Silica says the business has 24% market share based on throughput volumes.

Story continues

A boat made of a $100 bill with barrels of oil in it.

Image source: Getty Images.

Of course, the company's bread-and-butter business of frack sand deliveries is highly dependent on the pace of oil well completions, which have been subdued thanks to a lack of crude oil takeaway capacity, primarily in the Permian Basin. There are two reasons that could quickly change. First, a slew of major pipelines is starting up in 2019 and 2020 that can help relieve bottlenecks in the region.

Second, the supermajors are beginning to consolidate acreage in the Permian Basin. The scale they introduce could push production costs down to levels not seen outside Saudi Arabia. For instance, ExxonMobil thinks it can drive pumping costs to $15 per barrel and pull up 1 million barrels per day by 2024. That would allow production to proceed no matter the global benchmark prices -- and provide a huge boon for in-basin sand suppliers such as U.S. Silica.

Considering shares are trading at a low valuation relative to earnings today, when operations aren't firing on all cylinders, it doesn't seem Wall Street is taking the supermajor shift too seriously yet. Investors willing to factor it into their five-year forecasts could beat analysts to the punch.

Paper origami balloons lifting dollar signs.

Image source: Getty Images.

A slowing Chinese economy can be navigated

A.O. Smith may be in the boring business of water heaters, but it has quietly been one of the best growth stocks on the market since it went all in on water technologies in 2011. The ascension has been powered by its dominant market share in China, where tens of millions of newly formed middle-class households purchased their first-ever water heaters. In contrast, the typically slower-growth North American market is primarily driven by slow-and-steady factors such as replacing older equipment.

Considering the Chinese market has driven the stock to incredible heights -- and deservedly so -- Wall Street has been freaking out over the impact of the country's economic slowdown on the business. Analysts aren't exactly wrong. A.O. Smith reported that North American market revenue outgrew its rest-of-world segment in 2018, and management expects sales in China to decline as much as 10% in 2019.

That creates one of the most significant hurdles for the business in recent memory, but operations will remain comfortably profitable. A.O. Smith generated 75% of total adjusted segment earnings from the North American market in 2018, thanks to bolstering its product lineup with some of the most energy-efficient water heaters and boilers on the market. It grew global annual water treatment sales to $400 million, compared to just $35 million seven years ago, and became the exclusive water-treatment products supplier to Lowe's.

Two glasses of water.

Image source: Getty Images.

The ability to leverage its leadership position and diversify revenue streams with new products provides a healthy cushion against a slowing Chinese economy. Reduced consumer spending in the country will still sting, to be sure, but A.O. Smith exited 2018 with $645 million in cash and a net cash position of $424 million. It generated $449 million in cash from operations last year, which marked a 38% increase year over year. It also reported record revenue and adjusted earnings.

In other words, investors with a long-term mindset could find the recent slide in shares to be a great opportunity. Then again, a long-term mindset isn't required to decisively label A.O. Smith as an attractively valued growth stock. Shares change hands at just 20 times trailing earnings and 17.4 times future earnings. By comparison, the S&P 500 trades at an average of 30 times cyclically adjusted earnings.

Investors willing to bet that management can navigate a slowing Chinese economy could see above-average returns in five or 10 years' time.

More From The Motley Fool

Maxx Chatsko has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Lowe's. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
* Israeli officials not commenting on ceasefire

* Seven wounded from rocket strike in Mishmeret village

* Israeli warplanes hit Hamas targets in retaliation

* Violence comes two weeks before close-fought Israel vote (Adds details)

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller

GAZA/JERUSALEM, March 25 (Reuters) - Israel launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border on Monday in response to the longest-range Hamas rocket attack to cause casualties in years.

After a day of intense cross-border fighting, Palestinian officials said Egypt had mediated a ceasefire, though the frontier did not remain calm for long.

Rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel after the late-night truce was supposed to take effect, sending residents running for shelter. In Gaza, Palestinians reported Israeli planes attacked at least two targets.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, and smaller Palestinian factions put out a statement that Egypt had mediated a ceasefire even as the rockets were fired. Israeli officials did not comment on whether a truce had been reached.

Monday's violence began when seven Israelis were wounded near Tel Aviv by a morning rocket attack. The Gaza health ministry said five Palestinians were later wounded by a wave of retaliatory strikes.

Dozens of explosions rocked the coastal enclave and ambulance sirens echoed in the mostly empty streets. In one Gaza neighborhood, people rushed to buy bread in anticipation of a long escalation. The office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was one of the initial targets hit, although he was likely to have been evacuated in advance.

Gaza militants fired barrages of rockets into Israel late into the night. Some were shot down by Israeli defenses and others landed in empty areas.

The escalation came just two weeks before an election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life after a decade in power, campaigning on a tough line against Palestinian militants.

Story continues

Beset by corruption scandals, he faces a strong challenge from a centrist coalition led by a top general.

Netanyahu cut short a visit to the United States, saying he would fly home right after meeting President Donald Trump.

"Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this," Netanyahu said. "And as we speak... Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

Trump told reporters with Netanyahu at his side that Israel has the "absolute right" to defend itself.

In the last Gaza war in 2014, more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to the Gaza health ministry, were killed in seven weeks of fighting. Sixty-six Israeli soldiers and seven civilians in Israel were killed.

HAMAS ATTACK

The Israeli military said Hamas launched the rocket that destroyed a house in Mishmeret, a village north of Tel Aviv. There was no claim of responsibility for the early morning attack.

The military said Hamas fired the rocket from about 120 km (75 miles) away, making it the longest-range attack from Gaza causing casualties since the last war in Gaza in 2014.

Israel has waged three wars on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. Israeli air strikes in retaliation for rockets from Gaza are a frequent occurrence, but Israel's swift mobilization of extra troops to the border area was unusual.

The two sides have managed to avert all-out war for five years, most recently with the help of Egyptian mediation after a major escalation in November last year.

Some of the other initial targets struck in Gaza, likely to have been evacuated, were the internal security office of Hamas, a naval base, a training camp and an insurance office in Gaza city, Palestinian security officials said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged restraint from both sides and said that, together with Egypt, the United Nations was trying to help defuse the situation.

WIDE RANGE OF SCENARIOS

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated seven people after the morning missile strike, including an infant, a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 60-year-old woman suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds.

The Israeli military said it was assigning two brigades to the Gaza area and some reservists were being called up. Reuters journalists saw troops moving towards the border, where the military also closed several roads to civilian traffic.

"We are prepared for a wide range of scenarios," chief spokesman Ronen Manelis said.

Israeli towns near Gaza and Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, opened bomb shelters in anticipation of rocket strikes.

The rocket attack coincided with tension ahead of the March 30 anniversary of the start of weekly Gaza protests at the frontier in which some 200 Gazans have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli fire. One Israeli soldier has been killed.

Israel says it has no choice but to use deadly force at the protests to prevent militants from breaching the border fence.

Gaza is home to 2 million Palestinians, most of them descendants of people who fled or were driven from homes in Israel when it was founded in 1948. The protesters demand the right to return to land from which their ancestors fled.

Israel seized Gaza in a 1967 and pulled out its troops in 2005. Since Hamas took over two years later, Israel has maintained a security blockade, along with Egypt, that has reduced Gaza's economy to what the World Bank calls a collapse.

Netanyahu's visit to Washington, after Trump said it was time to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, was seen at home as a bid to boost the right-wing Likud leader's chances of a fifth term.

At their White House meeting, Trump signed a declaration codifying U.S. recognition of Israel's hold on the strategic plateau, a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. Syria called the move "a blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Netanyahu's election prospects have been clouded by graft allegations against him. He has denied any wrongdoing. (Additional reporting by Stephen Farrell, Maayan Lubell and Dan Williams in Jerusalem Editing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Dan Grebler)
Though the broad U.S. stock market is riding high this year, the latest series of events seem to be stalling the ascent. Global growth concerns and rising fears of recession in the United States are the main culprits behind the volatility.



In particular, the eurozone manufacturing sector activity in March fell at the fastest pace in nearly six years, per the latest data from IHS/Markit research. German manufacturing activity grew at the weakest pace in six and a half years while Frances private sector contracted. Meanwhile, the U.S. manufacturing sector Flash Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) also tumbled to its weakest level in nearly two years.



These have shaken the complacency in the stock market, compelling investors to dump the riskier assets and take flight to safety at least for the near term. Further, the Feds more-than-expected dovish stance sent 10-year Treasury yields to the lowest since early 2018. In fact, the spread between yields of three-month Treasury bills exceeded those of 10-year notes for the first time since 2007. An inverted yield curve  wherein long-term rates fall below short-term  generally signals an upcoming recession (read: Growth Worries Resurface as Bulls Turn 10: 5 ETF Buying Zones).





Further, both Europe and China are battling tariff wars with the United States that are causing slowdown in global growth. Political turmoil in Britain over the country's exit from the European Union also remains a drag on risk assets.



Against such a backdrop, we have highlighted four safe haven ETFs that investors should add to their portfolio, especially if global growth fears continue to escalate. These products will likely benefit from the crisis and would be in focus in the weeks ahead.



SPDR Gold Trust ETF GLD



Gold is often viewed as a store of value and a hedge against market turmoil. The product tracking this bullion like GLD could be an interesting pick to play in the current market turbulence. The fund tracks the price of gold bullion measured in U.S. dollars, and is kept in London under the custody of HSBC Bank USA. It is the ultra-popular gold ETF with AUM of $32.9 billion and heavy volume of nearly 8.8 million shares a day. It charges 40 bps in fees per year from investors. The product has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (Hold) with a Medium risk outlook (read: Can Gold ETFs Continue to Shine in 2019?).



Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust FXY



Yen is considered a safe haven currency in times of uncertainty. Investors could tap this via FXY, which appears a great way to play a future rise in the yen relative to the U.S. dollar. It tracks the price of the Japanese yen relative to the U.S. dollar. The fund charges 40 bps a year in fees and sees a good volume of roughly 198,000 shares per day. The product has accumulated $176.4 million in its asset base and has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 with a Medium risk outlook (read: Be Secure With 5 ETFs This Week That Packs a Global Punch).



iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN VXXB



This ETN is a popular option providing exposure to volatility that sees a truly impressive average volume of about 8.3 million shares a day. The note has amassed $806.5 million in AUM and charges 89 bps in fees per year. The note is linked to the performance of the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index Total Return, which provides access to equity market volatility through CBOE Volatility Index futures. The index offers exposure to a daily rolling long position in the first and second month VIX futures contracts and reflects market participants views of the future direction of the VIX index at the time of expiration of the VIX futures contracts comprising the index.



iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF TLT



The products tracking the long end of the yield curve often provide a safe haven. TLT provides exposure to long-term Treasury bonds by tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index. It is one of the most popular and liquid ETFs in the bond space with AUM of $10 billion and average daily volume of 9 million shares. Expense ratio comes in at 0.15%. Holding 34 securities in its basket, the fund focuses on the top credit rating bonds with average maturity of 25.39 years and effective duration of 17.48 years. It has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 with a High risk outlook (read: Muni Bonds Off to Best Start Since 2006: 5 Hot ETFs to Buy).



Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?



Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >>





Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT): ETF Research Reports



Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (FXY): ETF Research Reports



SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports



iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXXB): ETF Research Reports



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



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The Daily Beast

NBCSaturday Night Live returned from a four-week hiatus this week with a holiday message from Kate McKinnons Dr. Anthony Fauci.Do people still think Im sexy or are we done with that? Fauci began. With COVID cases on the rise, people still have a lot of questions: Is it safe to travel? Can I still use this as an excuse to get out of stuff? I would like to never work again.To answer those queries, Fauci presented a series of increasingly absurd scenarios that began with basic situations li
By Sardar Razmal and Mohammad Stanekzai

KUNDUZ/LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, March 24 (Reuters) - Air strikes in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz killed about a dozen civilians on Saturday, local officials said, as battle intensified there and in southern Helmand province.

The air strikes killed 13 civilians, said Safiullah Amiri, a member of Kunduz provincial council. The casualties included children, said fellow council member Amruddin, who pegged the civilian death toll at 12.

The bodies were brought into Kunduz city in the back of a truck as part of protests by dozens of civilians.

The civilian deaths occurred as Afghan and Taliban forces claimed to inflict heavy losses on each other in that province and in Helmand, two Taliban strongholds.

A spokeswoman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan did not respond immediately to questions on Sunday. Resolute Support, comprising troops from 39 countries, trains, advises and assists Afghan security forces.

The New York Times reported earlier that the air strikes that killed civilians followed a firefight between U.S. and Afghan soldiers that had been provoked by a Taliban working inside Afghan forces. Reuters has not confirmed the paper's report.

Four Afghan soldiers died in the fight, a senior Afghan military source said.

A record number of Afghan civilians were killed last year as aerial attacks and suicide bombings increased, the United Nations said in a February report.

Kunduz is also where two U.S. soldiers were killed in combat on Friday. The U.S. Department of Defense identified the soldiers as Specialist Joseph Collette, 29, and Sgt. Will Lindsay, 33.

Fighting has accelerated during a period of recurring peace talks. The latest negotiating round concluded this month with U.S. and Taliban officials citing progress toward ending the 17-year war.

Afghan forces, with NATO air support, killed 58 Taliban, including several commanders, in Kunduz, the defense ministry said on Saturday via Twitter. The Taliban said that it had killed 19 members of Afghan forces and five from foreign forces.

Story continues

Fighting was also fierce in Helmand, including more civilian deaths.

The Taliban on Saturday claimed an attack at a stadium celebration of Farmers Day in Helmand, which killed four people and wounded 31, including minor injuries to the province's governor.

A day earlier, Taliban attacked two Afghan outposts in Sangin, killing 48 Afghan security personnel, said Hashim Alokozay, a Helmand member of parliament. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said the two outposts were over-run, killing 52 Afghan troops and wounding 11 more.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for Helmand's governor, said the Taliban also suffered heavy casualties. (Reporting by Sardar Razmal in Kunduz city, Afghanistan, and Mohammad Stanekzai in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan Writing by Rod Nickel and Hamid Shalizi in Kabul Editing by David Goodman)
ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, facing mass protests against his 20-year rule, sacked the head of the state television, private Ennahar TV channel reported on Monday. Lotfi Chriet replaced Toufik Khelladi, Ennahar added. There was no immediate official confirmation. The reported sacking comes after journalists working at state media had staged a protest in front of the state TV building to demand freedom to cover protests against Bouteflika, which are now in its fifth week. "For a public television free and open for all," read one banner held up at the protest. State media has started covering the protests after initially ignoring them. Khelladi is close to Bouteflika's brother Said, a presidential advisor and major political player whose name has been shouted in slogans by protesters alongside Bouteflika's. The 82-year old, who has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, bowed to the protesters this month by reversing plans to seek re-election. But he stopped short of quitting as head of state and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted. The move further enraged Algerians, and many of Bouteflika's allies have turned against him. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed amd Lamine Chikhi, writing by Nayera Abdallah and Ulf Laessing; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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Heres what a very likely sequel to Californias 1862 megastorm would look like She Man

lop guest

User ID: 453356

03-25-2019 06:10 AM











Post: #1 Heres what a very likely sequel to Californias 1862 megastorm would look like

Advertisement Anatomy of a HOAX: Heres what a very likely sequel to Californias 1862 megastorm would look like



Those who supported the cap and trade bill to save California and the Earth were either themselves scammedor they knew they were hiding the truth. Think the drought, floods and crazy weather in California is because you drive a Ford instead of a Tesla? Think the world is going to come to an end because of steaks from cows? I am still waiting for the punch line. We are told by Guv Newsom that the coming rains and floods, followed by drought is because of climate change.



There are two types of climate changenatural and man made. In California, all of these catastrophes are NATURALNOT MAN MADE.



That singular storm, called the Great Flood, unleashed 10 feet of rain and snow over California in 43 days at the end of 1861 and the start of 1862. The precipitation formed an inland sea that stretched 300 miles down the Central Valley and as much as 60 miles wide. At least 21 people died, the state declared bankruptcy, and, Cox says, it drowned so many cattle that California changed from a predominantly ranching economy to the agricultural salad bowl we know today.



Maybe the Great Food of 1862 was caused by the Civil War? Or maybe it happened before in California?



The analysis took hundreds of consultants and two years of work to produce. It also required the creation of entirely new tools. Coxs USGS team created the first landslide susceptibility map, which is now in wide use for a variety of research and planning projects. The final report is a testament to the possibilities of environmental modeling. But how likely is another ARkStorm in real life?



Very likely, it turns out. Using environmental forensic techniques like seafloor sampling, researchers have found these megastorms are surprisingly frequent, having occurred in 212, 440, 603, 1029, 1418, 1300, 1605, 1750, 1810, and 1862. Based on the most robust data, says Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, theres a 50-50 chance of another ARkStorm pummeling California again by 2060.



Notice the dates. Now is it time for our legislators too apologize, repeal the cap and trade tax, repeal job killing regulationsand run the State honestly?



Pass this to every legislatorRepublican and Democrat, let them know it is not too late to admit the truththey were had by scamsters.



https://www.popsci.com/ARkStorm-megastorm-california Those who supported the cap and trade bill to save California and the Earth were either themselves scammedor they knew they were hiding the truth. Think the drought, floods and crazy weather in California is because you drive a Ford instead of a Tesla? Think the world is going to come to an end because of steaks from cows? I am still waiting for the punch line. We are told by Guv Newsom that the coming rains and floods, followed by drought is because of climate change.That singular storm, called the Great Flood, unleashed 10 feet of rain and snow over California in 43 days at the end of 1861 and the start of 1862. The precipitation formed an inland sea that stretched 300 miles down the Central Valley and as much as 60 miles wide. At least 21 people died, the state declared bankruptcy, and, Cox says, it drowned so many cattle that California changed from a predominantly ranching economy to the agricultural salad bowl we know today.Maybe the Great Food of 1862 was caused by the Civil War? Or maybe it happened before in California?The analysis took hundreds of consultants and two years of work to produce. It also required the creation of entirely new tools. Coxs USGS team created the first landslide susceptibility map, which is now in wide use for a variety of research and planning projects. The final report is a testament to the possibilities of environmental modeling. But how likely is another ARkStorm in real life?Notice the dates. Now is it time for our legislators too apologize, repeal the cap and trade tax, repeal job killing regulationsand run the State honestly?Pass this to every legislatorRepublican and Democrat, let them know it is not too late to admit the truththey were had by scamsters.

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* Trump's call on Golan Heights precedes Israeli election

* Trump may also be seeking re-election boost - analysts

* Arabs see new blow to Middle East peace hopes

By Samia Nakhoul

BEIRUT, March 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's call for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights was manna from heaven for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks before an election.

For many Arabs, it crushed any hope that there will one day be a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians and increased doubts that Washington is an impartial arbiter.

But allies and enemies can agree on one thing: Trump's statement last Thursday was a turning point in U.S. policy over territory Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981, in a move the U.N. Security Council declared unlawful.

"I am confident that the Lord is at work here," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Israel when Trump made his announcement on Twitter, told the Christian Broadcasting Network in an interview.

Netanyahu, who has thanked Trump for the announcement , is seeking re-election on April 9 but faces a tough battle and possible indictment in three corruption cases in which he denies wrongdoing.

He was due to meet Trump on Monday on a trip highlighting what Netanyahu calls the strongest ever bond between an Israeli leader and a U.S. president, though Trump has said his decision on the Golan Heights was not connected with the election.

But Trump's decision, following U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017, could tempt other powers to annex land, undermine the roll-out of a U.S. Middle East peace plan and tilt Israel back into conflict with its Arab neighbors, Middle East analysts say.

"Donald Trump has made sure that Israel will be in a perpetual state of war with its Arab neighbors for many decades to come," said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and author of the book Making the Arab World.

Story continues

"What Trump has done is to hammer a deadly nail in the coffin of the peace process and Arab-Israeli reconciliation. This is a fundamental turning point. There is nothing left to discuss anymore."

RESHAPING THE MIDDLE EAST

Trump's move is, according to many analysts, partly intended to boost his own chances of re-election in 2020, by targeting the vast pool of U.S. evangelical Christians. Many of them voted for his in 2016 and they are championed in his administration by Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and others.

The announcement on the Golan Heights was the latest in a flurry of decisions that are widely seen as intended to redraw the contours of the Israeli-Arab conflict.

Most have ticked the wish-list of Israel's right-wing government and met longstanding demands of its U.S. supporters, including U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. The Arab east of the city was occupied by Israel and then annexed after 1967 in a move that is legally repudiated internationally.

White House officials say the decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights acknowledge the reality on the ground, which they say must be the basis for legitimate peace negotiations.

Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was inconceivable Israel "would allow the Golan to be controlled by the state of Syria or by any of the rogue actors operating in the areas, including Iran."

But with Sunni Arab leaders dealing with crises in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Sudan and Qatar, and their standoff with non-Arab Shi'ite Iran, they are less focused on Israel.

ARABS IN DISARRAY

Trump's aides have indicated privately that they believe his moves on Jerusalem have provoked a less severe reaction in the Arab world than experts had predicted, a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

In particular, they did not appear to have blocked behind-the-scenes security contacts developed in recent years between Israel and the United States' Gulf allies over their common enemy Iran, the person said.

Aides' advice to Trump on recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights was that Washington could again weather the storm, the same person said.

Support for the move in the Trump administration had gained momentum over the past year as Israel increasingly expressed concern about Iranian forces and their proxies taking up positions in southwestern Syria, the official said.

John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser and one of the administration's leading Iran hawks, was an important proponent of the policy shift, the official said.

But skeptics say the move will also give Iran and its local ally Hezbollah what they would see as justification for new attacks on Israel and hamstring anti-Iranian Arab leaders if they are seen to accept the U.S. move.

The Trump administration has identified Iran as its main target in the Middle East, and withdrew from the deal signed by Tehran, the United States and other world powers in 2015 on curbing Iran's nuclear program.

MORE TO COME

But after the moves on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, Iran and Hezbollah may feel better able to present themselves as the only steadfast allies of the Palestinian cause.

They could also play into the hands of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by helping him in his portrayals of Israel and the United States as enemies.

"This will give further power to the Iran axis of resistance between Iran-Hezbollah-Assad against Israel and the U.S.," said Galip Dalay, visiting fellow at Oxford University and a fellow at Brookings Doha. "This axis has just been given a very strong symbolic victory and this will give them the high ground."

He said Arab leaders could not publicly support Trump's decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights because it would threaten their popularity, in some cases already low.

"From the Arab standpoint, this makes them more hesitant to be supportive because the political space they need to maneuver has been eroded," said Dennis Ross, a veteran Middle East negotiator. "Each move by this administration has put Arab states on the defensive."

Ross also suggested that U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights could embolden the Israeli right-wing to step up its push for annexing settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.

"I worry that the right in Israel can say 'they recognized this. It will be a matter of time before we can annex all or part of the West Bank'," he said. "That would be the end of the two-state solution."

(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Another student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., has died by apparent suicide, police have confirmed. The death comes a week after Sydney Aiello, 19, a survivor of last years mass shooting, took her own life.

Coral Springs Police confirmed that the most recent death was an apparent suicide, though they have not yet released details of the students identity, other than the fact that he or she was a currently enrolled student at Parklands Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Police have not confirmed if the deceased student was enrolled at the high school last year when it became the scene of a horrific mass shooting that claimed 17 lives. They have also not confirmed the cause of death.

The death closely follows Aiellos suicide, a recent graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Aiello died last Sunday, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help the family with funeral expenses.

Aiellos mother told CBS Miami her daughter suffered from survivors guilt following the Feb. 14, 2018 massacre and had difficulty taking college classes because she was afraid to be in a classroom.

A Broward County Medical Examiners Office spokesperson told NBC News Aiello died of a gunshot wound to the head.

David Hogg, a survivor of last years shootings and a vocal anti-gun advocate, mourned the death of a second Parkland student on Twitter. How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything? the 18-year-old wrote.

How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?



Rip 17+2 ????????  David Hogg (@davidhogg111) March 24, 2019

Hillary Clinton offered her own take on the tragedy online. Nothing is worth the tremendous costs our young people bear because of our inaction on guns, she tweeted.
Avon Products, Inc. AVP was a big mover last session, as the company saw its shares rise more than 10% on the day. The move came on solid volume too with far more shares changing hands than in a normal session. This stock, which remained volatile and traded within the range of $2.66$3.2 in the past one-month time frame, witnessed a sharp increase on Friday.



The stock gained after the company confirmed that it is in discussion with the Brazilian cosmetics maker, Natura Cosmeticos, regarding a potential deal.



The company's Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter has moved higher over the past few weeks, suggesting that more solid trading could be ahead for Avon Products. So make sure to keep an eye on this stock going forward to see if this recent jump can turn into more strength down the road.



Avon Products currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) while its Earnings ESP is positive.

Avon Products, Inc. Price

Avon Products, Inc. Price | Avon Products, Inc. Quote

Investors interested in the Cosmetics industry may consider a better-ranked stock like Revlon, Inc. REV, which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Is AVP going up? Or down? Predict to see what others think:Up or Down

Today's Best Stocks from Zacks



Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%.



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Revlon, Inc. (REV) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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Shares of Azul S.A. AZUL have fared well in the past six months. The stock has rallied 71.2%, against the industrys decline of 11.4%.

Reasons for Robust Price Performance

The Latin American carrier is being aided by solid demand for air travel, which has led to higher passenger revenues. Notably, passenger revenues, which contributes significantly to the top line in 2018 (97.4%), increased 17.9% on a year-over-year basis during the year. The same is expected to be strong in 2019 as well, courtesy of upbeat demand.

Moreover, Azul issued an encouraging outlook for unit costs in 2019, driven by fleet transformation efforts to include next-generation jets. The metric is expected to decline 1-3% year over year. The carrier aims to add 21 next-generation aircraft and replace 15 older jets in 2019. Consequently, half of Azul's capacity in 2019 will be next-generation jets. Also, the carrier provided an update on capacity growth in 2019. Consolidated capacity is expected to expand 18-20% year over year and domestic capacity is estimated to grow in the range of 16-18%. Also, international capacity is projected to increase 20-25%.

Furthermore, the company is undergoing a free transformation process of adding Rodger Jets next generation aircraft. As part of this strategy, Azul announced an additional order for 21 E2s (Embraer airplanes), totaling the firm order for this type of aircraft to 51. These aircrafts are expected to reduce costs by approximately 26%. The fleet transformation process is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2021. In February 2019, the company announced the acceleration of fleet renewal and modernization plan. This is another positive factor, which is anticipated to expand margin by lowering costs and generating higher revenues. In line with this, Azul anticipates operating margin in the range of 18-20% in 2019.

Bullish Readings & Zacks Rank

The positivity around this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock can be gauged from the Zacks Consensus Estimate being revised 8.3% upward in the past 30 days for 2019 earnings.

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The companys impressive Momentum Score of A further highlights short-term attractiveness.

Other Stocks to Consider

Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation Sector may consider SkyWest, Inc. SKYW, Frontline Ltd. FRO and Fly Leasing Limited FLY, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

All the three stocks boast an impressive surprise history. SkyWest outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 16.9%. Frontline outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, the average being 31.6%. Fly Leasing outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 42.2%.

Today's Best Stocks from Zacks

Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%.

This outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. From 2000  2018, while the S&P averaged +4.8% per year, our top strategies averaged up to +56.2% per year.

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AZUL SA (AZUL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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Across the country there are 69 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association that offer part-time programs -- evening or weekend classes -- and normally require four years to complete. Approximately 1 in 10 graduates from ABA-approved schools attended a part-time law program, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2018, about 11,000 students of the 111,561 total J.D. students in the U.S. were enrolled part time, which allowed them to meet -- or attempt to meet -- their obligations to their employers and families.

While these schools boast about their quality education, they seldom caution that for certain people, instead of a way to a better life, those demanding years of study, the law degree, and bar membership itself can cost them all that they hold dear: family, friends and their job.

If that is something you never expected to hear, let's peer into the future of what going back to school and obtaining a legal education can do for you -- and the possible unintended consequences.

That you can attend law school part-time is one thing. The real question is, "Should I?"

Before we look at the downside, let's examine what a legal education can give you.

Sharpens Your Analytical Skills

"One of the most useful benefits of a legal education is how it greatly improves the ability to see and think clearly about issues -- what we call, thinking like a lawyer," says Beau Baez, a visiting professor at the University Of North Dakota School of Law.

I attended Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles, where I developed highly analytical skills -- careful reading, listening and analysis -- which fostered the ability to see and articulate multiple sides of an issue.

"By applying the legal principles they've studied to real-life fact situations, law students learn how to formulate arguments on any side of a question that are both logical and credible. This is something that becomes second nature, useful in so many aspects of daily life, as you are virtually forced into becoming more open-minded," Baez observes.

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However, there is a price to pay to learn the art of "thinking like a lawyer," a steep price, well beyond the tuition.

Disadvantages - Do You Want to Stay Married?

"The time commitment is simply enormous, and night students will be in class generally four days a week from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Typically, assignments will be three hours of homework per classroom hour. You will also be required to read from 300 to 450 pages a week. This leaves students with little time for family and friends as -- especially if you are working full-time -- almost every waking moment is spent studying," Baez points out.

Nationally recognized law school admissions advisers Ann Levine and Derek Roberti agree that law school consumes your entire life.

"Yes, it absolutely is a risk to marriage," Levine stated in an article I wrote on the subject in 2011. She repeated a law school dean's warning to a group of married law students on the first day of class:

"Look to the left. Look to the right. By the end of your first year in school, one marriage will be in trouble. In the second year, it will be in worse shape. And by the end of the third year, they will have been separated or divorced for months."

According to Baez, "They are telling it like it is. You've got to ask yourself, 'What matters most? Do I want to lose my marriage, and risk emotional damage to my kids just to become a lawyer?' "

'If I Get a Law Degree, I'll Move Up Higher in the Business'

"Dennis, for your readers who are already highly successful in their chosen field, attending law school could be one of the worst career mistakes they could ever make," he underscores.

I asked, "But evening law schools make a big point of how valuable that legal education is for the businessperson wanting to move up. How could it hurt?"

His reply was something that had never occurred to me, and I'll bet to a lot of people reading this right now:

"There is a kind of thinking about the value of a legal education that goes like this. 'If I get a law degree, and upgrade my skills, I will move higher within the company.' For some, it can be a benefit, but the value of having that J.D. is often overblown, and the risk to your job is almost never discussed. Why? Because instead of helping you advance, the exact opposite is accomplished, and I've seen this over and over again across the 20 years that I've been teaching law."

Baez cited the example of an employee at a large bank who proudly told his colleagues that he was in an evening law program. "And then the boss found out. They stopped promoting him, reasoning, 'He will probably open his own law practice, so why invest anything more in his professional development?'"

This is 2019 Not 2000

Professor Baez cautions everyone who thinks that becoming a lawyer will easily lead to a job and great income. "Twenty years ago that was true. Today it isn't, and the good old days aren't coming back anytime soon."

See Also: Buying a Home Could be a Bad Career Move

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This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
By Serajul Quadir DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh is not in a hurry to relocate Rohingya refugees to a Bay of Bengal island, a minister told Reuters on Monday, after the United Nations sought more details on the government's plan, criticized by some human rights groups. Bangladesh wants to move 100,000 of the nearly 1 million Rohingya Muslims sheltered in cramped camps in its southeastern district of Cox's Bazar to the remote island, known as Bhasan Char http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/MYANMAR-ROHINGYA/010060Z21XP/index.html, which it has been developing for the past two years. The United Nations is making plans to help Bangladesh with the move, Reuters reported last week. But in a statement on Monday, the world body called for a thorough assessment to ensure the viability of the move, saying it was discussing "critical protection and operational issues" ahead of any relocation. "We're also examining the potential operational implications of setting up a humanitarian response on Bhasan Char, including the requirements, time frames and costs involved," it said. Bangladesh is in talks with U.N. humanitarian bodies, and working on their observations, said Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief."So we are going a little slow. There's no exact date to relocate," he added. "We are not in a hurry and it will start only when all these U.N. bodies and Rohingya people feel the area is ready." Rahman said the government was working to build more cyclone shelters on the island, which is hours from the mainland by boat. Many Rohingya have opposed the transfer plan. A World Food Programme document shows the U.N.'s food agency supplied Bangladesh with detailed plans, including a timeline and a budget, on providing for thousands of Rohingya taken to the island within weeks. The March 12 plans show how the agency and its partners "may facilitate the identification, staging, forward movement, reception, and sustainment of refugees" on the island, based on an initial appeal for donor funds from $9 million to $19 million. Densely-populated Bangladesh says it has been grappling with the large refugee numbers. The number of refugees in Cox's Bazar has swelled since August 2017, when a Myanmar military-led crackdown that U.N. investigators have said was conducted with "genocidal intent" prompted some 730,000 Rohingya to flee. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has denied almost all accusations of atrocities made by refugees, saying its security forces engaged in a legitimate counterterrorism operation. GRAPHIC: A remote home for the Rohingya - http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/MYANMAR-ROHINGYA/010060Z21XP/index.html (Reporting by Serajul Quadir; Writing by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
NEW YORK (AP)  Barbra Streisand apologized Saturday for her remarks about Michael Jackson and two men who have accused him of sexual abuse, saying that she should have chosen her words more carefully and that she admires the accusers for "speaking their truth."

Streisand had received bitter criticism online after she was quoted in The Times of London as saying that Jackson's accusers were "thrilled to be there" during the alleged abuse, which "didn't kill them."

After an initial statement Saturday to The Associated Press in which she sought to clarify her remarks, the superstar of song, stage and screen posted an apology online that went further.

"I am profoundly sorry for any pain or misunderstanding I caused by not choosing my words more carefully about Michael Jackson and his victims," she wrote.

"I didn't mean to dismiss the trauma these boys experienced in any way," she wrote. "Like all survivors of sexual assault, they will have to carry this for the rest of their lives. I feel deep remorse and I hope that James and Wade know that I truly respect and admire them for speaking their truth."

The apology went far beyond the earlier statement to the AP, in which she elaborated on her published remarks, saying she felt "nothing but sympathy" for the men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who accuse the late star of molesting them as children.

She wrote in that earlier statement: "To be crystal clear, there is no situation or circumstance where it is OK for the innocence of children to be taken advantage of by anyone."

The remarks in question came deep into a wide-ranging interview with The Times. Asked about Jackson, Streisand was quoted as saying she "absolutely" believed Robson and Safechuck, who make their allegations in the recent HBO documentary "Leaving Neverland."

Jackson's estate has condemned the HBO documentary. Jackson, who died in 2009, was found not guilty in 2005 of charges he molested a 13-year-old boy.

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Streisand was asked about the documentary, which she called "too painful."

She then said that Jackson, when she met him, was "very sweet, very childlike." Asked how she reconciled that man with the one portrayed in the documentary, she replied: "His sexual needs were his sexual needs, coming from whatever childhood he has or whatever DNA he has. You can say 'molested,' but those children, as you heard say, they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn't kill them."

Among those firing back on social media was the director of "Leaving Neverland," Dan Reed, who wrote of that last quote: "Did you really say that?!"

Asked by The Times whether she was angry at Jackson, Streisand said: "It's a combination of feelings. I feel bad for the children. I feel bad for him. I blame, I guess, the parents, who would allow their children to sleep with him."

Also attracting attention Saturday for remarks about Jackson was his close friend and mentor Diana Ross.

"This is what's on my heart this morning," Ross wrote on Twitter. "I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others."
New York (AFP) - Branding US President Donald Trump "a coward" who is "tearing apart the moral fabric" of America, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Sunday held her first rally for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination outside the Trump International Hotel in New York.

Gillibrand emphasized transparency as she presented herself as a candidate defined by the courage and integrity she claims Trump lacks.

"Look a this tower!" said Gillibrand, her hair blowing in the wind. "A shrine to greed, division and vanity... We are here to reject the politics of fear and hate."

Speaking to a few hundred supporters and curious onlookers, the 52-year-old -- who first revealed plans to run in January before launching her campaign last weekend -- insisted she was ready to take on lobbies whose "special interests... prevent us from seeing solutions."

Like most of her 15 or so Democratic rivals Gillibrand favors universal health coverage, a $15 an hour federal minimum wage and access to university for everyone. Also high on her list of priorities is climate change: an "existential threat."

But rhetoric aside, Gillibrand -- who is married to a venture capitalist -- is closer to the political center than her leftist competitors like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who are running on ideas like free university tuition.

So far, Gillibrand is trailing in the polls -- and had the misfortune of holding her first rally on the same day the president's 2016 presidential campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia, according to a released summary of Robert Mueller's probe into Moscow's election meddling.

- Can a woman win? -

Gillibrand, a mother to two boys, is a champion of causes that matter to women and families, from sexual harassment to paid maternity leave.

But polls show that the Democratic favorites at this stage are all men: Sanders, former vice president Joe Biden, and Texan Beto O'Rourke dominate the top tier.

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Gillibrand's supporters are confident that she can she close the gap in the coming months.

"It's so early in the primary process... she has so much time to build and grow her coalition," said Zaheen Sarker, a 24-year-old finance worker.

Among possible obstacles: Gillibrand started her career aligned closely with conservatives on key hot-button issues, like opposing gun control and pushing for more deportations.

She has since changed her positions -- leading to charges of being a political contortionist.

But for Sarker, Gillibrand's "evolution on these policies shows that she is able to learn and change, which is so important in politics."

With only a few hundred people turning out Sunday on her home turf, it seems like she has a steep uphill battle ahead.

For some, the fact that she is a woman alone presents problems.

"I like Gillibrand, but I don't think she could defeat Trump," said Carol Mitchell, 75.

But she suggested Gillibrand could make a good runningmate for Joe Biden.

"After the Hillary experience, I am really worried about having a woman at the top of the ticket," Mitchell said.
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP)  The first black woman to lead a city police department in Virginia said Monday that she was forced out, calling herself "no quitter" and accusing a small group of officers of "bias and acts of systemic racism, discriminatory practices and abuse of authority."

Tonya Chapman released a four-page statement a week after her abrupt resignation. It says her attempts to change the culture consistently were met with resistance from some people within the Portsmouth Police Department, some of whom "quite frankly did not like taking direction from an African American female."

Despite working closely with the city manager during her three-year tenure, Chapman says the city manager made her resign "under duress" and without warning.

City Manager L. Pettis Patton did not immediately return calls Monday seeking comment.

"There will be no comment as this is a personnel matter," said Dana Woodson, a spokesperson for the city.

City Councilor Elizabeth Psimas said in an email that council members can't comment on city employee personnel matters.

Chapman said the city manager told her that if she signed a pre-written resignation letter, she would receive two months of severance pay, but if she did not, she would be terminated. She said she is asking the city to extend her severance pay to six months and to give her a positive letter of recommendation.

Portsmouth, with a population of nearly 100,000 people, is about 52 percent black. Home to a large Navy medical center and a sprawling shipyard, it sits across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk and is a short drive to the Atlantic Coast.

Chapman said she could not provide additional information about her forced resignation but suggested it was driven by "members of a highly influential fraternal organization" who had tried unsuccessfully for more than two years to generate a vote of "no confidence" in her. She said some of those people were recently disciplined for policy violations.

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Sgt. Matthew Crutcher, president of the Portsmouth Fraternal Order of Police, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chapman said she knew running the police department would be a challenge but became acutely aware of racial tensions within the ranks after a former officer was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2015 shooting of a black man.

Officer Stephen Rankin shot and killed William Chapman II outside a Walmart. The 18-year-old was unarmed and had been suspected of shoplifting. Rankin, who is white, claimed self-defense, saying Chapman knocked away his stun gun and charged at him.

"Having been a member of two other law enforcement agencies, I have never witnessed the degree of bias and acts of systemic racism, discriminatory practices and abuse of authority in all of my almost 30-year career in law enforcement and public safety," she wrote.

She said she is reluctant to speak publicly about what she witnessed "out of concern for public safety," but said she is willing to share specific information with the "appropriate government entity."

James Boyd, president of the Portsmouth chapter of the NAACP, said his group will respond at a 6 p.m. Monday news conference. Last week, Boyd said Chapman is the latest victim of what he calls a systemically racist police force.

Chapman's statement also included a list of crime reduction statistics and community engagement initiatives during her tenure.
The body of an Indian student killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks was returned Monday to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies.

Masters student Ansi Alibava, 25, was among at least five Indians shot dead by a white supremacist in New Zealand on March 15 and her body was the first of two to be repatriated.

Her body arrived at an airport in Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala early on Monday where it was received by relatives and government officials.

It was then taken to her nearby hometown of Kodungallur and put on display -- her mother Razia and brother Asif Ali weeping over the coffin -- before a funeral.

"She hails from a poor family and her whole family counted on her. She was a girl who took up the challenge to succeed in life in all adverse circumstances," said K. I. Noushad, Alibava's uncle.

She was praying at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch with her husband, Abdul Nazer, when the Australian gunman opened fire on worshippers, killing 43.

Another seven were murdered at a separate mosque when the shooter later turned his weapon on Muslims there in the worst violence of its kind ever seen in New Zealand.

Some families have opted for burials in Christchurch itself, where a national remembrance service for the victims will be held on Friday, two weeks after the tragedy that shocked the world.

Alibava started supporting her family after her father died five years ago in Saudi Arabia where he had been working.

She took out thousands of dollars in loans to fund her studies in business agriculture at Christchurch's Lincoln University.

Alibava's cousin, P.H. Niyas, told AFP the dedicated student was soon to finish her studies.

"She had gone there last year, the course was due to finish by April. There was to be a six-month training (course) after which she was to return home by December," said Niyas.

- Supermarket job -

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Alibava also worked part-time at a supermarket with Nazer, who she married two years ago.

On March 15, they went to the Al Noor Mosque and sat separately in the men and women's sections.

When gunfire broke out, Nazer managed to flee through an emergency exit but his wife did not make it.

When he returned to look for her, Nazer found his young wife motionless and face down, according to Indian media reports.

He was officially informed of her death 24 hours after the massacre.

Another Indian family who lost relatives in the attack opted for burial in Christchurch.

Father and son Asif Vora and Rameez Vora hailed from Gujarat, in western India, and were visiting family in New Zealand when they were killed.

The body of another victim also from Gujarat, Maheboob Khokhar, was expected to arrive late Monday at Ahmedabad airport. The body was due to be taken to a mosque for prayers and then to a burial ground.
LIBREVILLE, March 25 (Reuters) - President Ali Bongo, who suffered a stroke in October, has returned to Gabon following medical leave in Morocco, a source at the presidency told Reuters on Monday.

Secrecy surrounding the state of Bongo's health during his five-month absence fueled instability in Gabon, where declining oil revenues and widespread poverty have dented his popularity.

And in January, a small group of soldiers briefly seized state radio in a bid to end 50 years of rule by Bongo's family, who critics say have enriched only a small elite in the west African nation.

Bongo took over from his father Omar when he died in 2009, and despite widespread allegations of fraud was narrowly re-elected as president of the OPEC member in 2016, sparking deadly clashes between protesters and police.

"The president has returned definitively," the source said, adding that Bongo may still travel abroad for medical tests. He returned on Saturday, the source said.

A presidential spokesperson was not immediately available for comment on Bongo, whose last public appearance was in January, when he briefly returned to Gabon one week after the coup attempt to swear in a new government.

In this and other closely-choreographed television appearances, it was not clear whether Bongo could walk, speak properly or move his right arm.

"He will continue to work, given he was already managing some files from Rabat, (but) his agenda has not yet been defined," the source said. (Reporting by Geraud Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Sofia Christensen Editing by Edward McAllister and Alexander Smith)
London (AFP) - British MPs have voted to play a bigger role in Brexit, giving themselves the power to express their preference for different options in an unprecedented move that the government called "dangerous".

On Monday evening MPs won a vote that will allow them to seize control of parliamentary business on Wednesday by 329 to 302, with three junior ministers quitting after voting against the government.

British pro-Brexit tabloid The Sun said Tuesday that May had "lost control of the Brexit process to MPs in a humiliating defeat".

The Times also said the prime minister had been "humiliated by Tory rebellion" as the cabinet "prepares for (a) snap election".

Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and health minister Steve Brine resigned, a government source told AFP, while business minister Richard Harrington announced his decision to leave government on Twitter.

In his resignation letter, Harrington said the government's approach was "playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country".

But the Brexit ministry said in a statement it was "disappointed" by the vote, adding that it "upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent".

Three years after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Monday's vote sets up a potentially crucial clash between government and parliament on the best way to end a bitter political crisis.

MPs will now have the chance to vote on various options, such as revoking Article 50 and cancelling Brexit, holding another referendum, a deal including a customs union and single market membership or leaving the EU without a deal.

But even if MPs decide a majority course of action, the government is not legally bound to follow their instructions.

"The government will continue to call for realism -- any options considered must be deliverable in negotiations with the EU," the Brexit ministry said.

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The prime minister said she was "sceptical" about the process and that similar efforts in the past "produced contradictory outcomes or no outcomes at all".

- 'National embarrassment' -

May admitted Monday she had still not secured the votes needed to get her own, twice-rejected Brexit deal through parliament, raising again the prospect that Britain could crash out of the European Union in just over two weeks' time.

Anxious at the deepening crisis in London, EU leaders last week agreed to postpone Brexit to avoid a potentially catastrophic "no deal" divorce on March 29, when 46 years of ties were formally scheduled to end.

But they warned that unless May can persuade MPs this week to support her withdrawal deal, Britain must come up with a new plan by April 12 -- or leave its closest trading partner with no deal at all.

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the government was a "national embarrassment", adding: "We will still face the prospect of a disastrous no-deal Brexit."

The EU had earlier ramped up the pressure by announcing its full readiness to deal with the "increasingly likely" event of a no-deal Brexit in three weeks' time.

- 'Chicken who bottled Brexit' -

Parliament remains deeply divided over Brexit, reflecting the sharp divisions in the country.

MPs have already voted against a "no deal" Brexit but this remains the default legal position unless they agree an alternative.

May went over her own Brexit scenarios at an emergency cabinet meeting earlier Monday.

It followed a weekend of media reports that her own ministers were trying to oust her.

Most of the alleged plotters are Brexit backers who fear the terms of Britain's departure will be watered down or even reversed.

"Theresa May is the chicken who bottled Brexit," former foreign minister Boris Johnson wrote in The Telegraph.

"It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  LET MY PEOPLE GO," he wrote, leaving some room however for possibly supporting her deal.

What happens to her premiership if parliament favours a more EU-friendly Brexit that contradicts her policies is unclear.

Parliament is thought most likely to rally around the idea of keeping Britain in a customs union with the EU or its single market.

Both of those policies contradict May's position.

A customs union would keep Britain from striking its own trade agreements with non-EU countries.

A single market would require the government to go back on May's promise to regain control of Britain's borders and migration policy.
London (AFP) - A British Airways plane flew by mistake from London to Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf in Germany on Monday.

Passengers only found out about the mishap when the pilot said the plane was coming in to land in Edinburgh, which is around 500 miles (800 kilometres) from Dusseldorf.

After the crew realised the mistake, the plane was refuelled and flown to Dusseldorf, landing in Germany with a delay of more than three and a half hours.

"We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed," a spokesman said.

Twitter user Son Tran, who said he was on the plane, said: "While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery".

Another passenger, Sophie Cooke, told the BBC that the wait in Edinburgh "became very frustrating".

"The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," Cooke said.
Shares of China Mobile (NYSE: CHL) fell 5% on March 21 after the company posted its annual report for 2018. Its operating revenue rose 1.8% to 736.8 billion RMB ($110 billion). Within that total, its telecommunication services revenue grew 3.7% to 670.9 billion RMB.

China Mobile's EBITDA rose 1.9% to 275.5 billion RMB ($41.1 billion), and its net profit improved 3.1% to 117.8 billion RMB ($17.6 billion). However, 13.9 billion RMB of that net profit came from the IPO of China Tower, which acquired China Mobile's towers over three years ago last August. Excluding that one-time gain, its net profit would have declined 9%.

Networking connections across a city.

Image source: Getty Images.

China Mobile stated that 2018 was a "challenging year" for Chinese telcos, due to competition, the saturation of the smartphone market, and government-enforced reductions of wireless fees and the elimination of data roaming charges. Higher spending on ongoing 5G network upgrades also throttled its earnings growth.

However, China Mobile remains the largest wireless carrier in China, and its status as a state-backed enterprise limits its downside potential. The stock also trades at just 12 times earnings and pays a yield of nearly 4%. Do those factors make China Mobile a compelling investment for conservative investors?

A growing user base

China Mobile's total mobile users grew 4% to 925 million in 2018. Within that total, its number of higher revenue 4G customers rose 10% to 713 million. Its wireline broadband customers climbed 39% to 157 million.

That growth continued this year, with its mobile users rising to 929 million, its 4G users hitting 719 million, and its broadband customers reaching 164 million by the end of February. Those numbers indicate that the market leader still has room to grow.

China Mobile's two smaller state-backed rivals, China Telecom (NYSE: CHA) and China Unicom (NYSE: CHU), are generating stronger growth in wireless customers but softer growth in the broadband market.

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China Telecom's total mobile users rose 21% to 303 million in 2018, its 4G customers climbed 33% to 242 million, and its broadband customers grew 9% to 146 million. China Unicom's total mobile users rose 11% to 315 million, its 4G customers rose 26% to 220 million, and its broadband customer base grew 6% to 81 million. Both telcos posted growth in all three categories in the first two months of 2018.

Last year, the Chinese government reportedly considered merging China Telecom and China Unicom to create a bigger rival for China Mobile in the wireless market. That merger could threaten China Mobile, but competition between the big three carriers is carefully regulated (with rotating management and controlled prices), and it might be easier for China Mobile to compete with a single carrier instead of two.

A young woman uses a smartphone.

Image source: Getty Images.

Declining revenue per user

China Mobile's user growth looks solid, but its mobile ARPU (average revenue per user) declined 8% to 53.1 RMB ($7.90) for the year due to the aforementioned fee reductions and the elimination of data roaming charges. Its ARPU per 4G user fell 8% to 61.3 RMB ($9.15).

This caused its total consumer mobile service revenue (over two-thirds of its top line) to decline 2%. Within that total, a 55% increase in its mobile data revenue failed to offset a 27% drop in voice and SMS revenue.

Moreover, higher data usage rates (which rose from 1.7GB per user to 4.3GB between the end of 2017 and 2018) increased China Mobile's operating expenses as the government capped its subscription prices. This could make it tough for the company to grow its earnings in 2019.

Other irons in the fire

On the bright side, China Mobile's household broadband blended ARPU rose 3% to 34.4 RMB ($5.13). That growth, which complements its growth in broadband users, could give China Mobile more bundling opportunities between its wireless and wireline plans.

Its Internet of Things (IoT) business -- which offers wireless connections to cars, wearables, smart home devices, and other connected gadgets -- is also growing. Its total number of IoT smart connections surged 141% annually to 551 million, and its IoT service revenue rose 40% to 7.5 billion RMB. That only accounted for 1% of China Mobile's top line, but its weight could significantly increase as the country's IoT market expands.

China Mobile will also benefit from the ramp up of 5G technologies across China. Those upgrades are weighing down its near-term margins, but they'll eventually reduce its data costs and allow it to generate more revenue per user over the long term.

Still a rock-solid business

Investors seemed disappointed by China Mobile's dependence on the China Tower IPO for earnings growth and its declining mobile ARPU. However, those headwinds are temporary, and it remains one of the safest long-term plays on the Chinese market. Its stock probably won't rally much higher this year, but its low valuation and high yield could convince patient investors to stick around.

More From The Motley Fool

Leo Sun owns shares of China Mobile. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Montreal (AFP) - Canada has granted asylum to a woman who helped Edward Snowden hide in Hong Kong after his leaks exposed US global surveillance programs, a refugee rights association said Monday.

Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana were scheduled to arrive in Toronto later Monday on a flight from Hong Kong, the non-profit organization For the Refugees said. They were set to travel to Montreal on Tuesday to settle there as private sector-sponsored refugees.

Rodel was among a group of people who sheltered Snowden, a former CIA employee and US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, putting him up in her apartment in 2013 while he was in Hong Kong on the run from US authorities.

His leaks of highly classified documents revealed the existence of global surveillance programs run by the NSA in cooperation with partners Australia, Britain and Canada.

Snowden, who now lives in Russia, was charged in June 2013 in the United States with espionage and stealing state secrets.

Canada granted Rodel, a Philippines national, and her daughter asylum in January but it was kept secret for security reasons, according to For the Refugees.

"Me and Keana can have a real life, a real future in Canada," Rodel told Radio-Canada by phone before she boarded a plane to Toronto. "I'm so happy."

In a tweet in French, Snowden gave "thanks to all who, in Canada and across the world, made this possible. After so many years, the first of the families who helped me is free, and has a future."

"But the work is not over. With solidarity and compassion, Canada can save all of them," he added.

- Others remain -

Five other people who helped Snowden have also requested asylum but remain in Hong Kong awaiting a response, according to the daily National Post.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to do so in "a situation regarding a specific case."

Story continues

But Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland implicitly confirmed the report, telling reporters she had not personally intervened in the process.

Asked during a Washington visit whether the granting of asylum might harm US-Canadian relations, Freeland told reporters that Ottawa based its decision on case-by-case considerations, not "geopolitical relations."

A spokesperson for Canada's immigration ministry also declined to comment except to say that in "exceptional circumstances" requests for asylum can be accelerated.

Radio Canada said Rodel was under pressure from Hong Kong authorities and faced a risk of deportation to the Philippines.
A multi-million Indian scam involving investments in a supposed cryptocurrency is unraveling. | Source: Shutterstock

The Mumbai Crime Branch in India is set to question Bollywood actor Shahbaz Khan over his involvement in a cryptocurrency scam.

The case hit the roof after the Mumbai police arrested four scammers for running Cashcoin, a high-yield investment program that duped investors of 1 billion (~$14.52 million). The accused reportedly ran seminars and marketing events across major Indian cities to sell their cloud mining schemes. They would promise investors double returns while projecting bitcoins success as a yardstick for their projects potential progress.

Cashcoin approached Shahbaz Khan, a yesteryear actor with over 200 credits in Hindi television and movie industry, to spread its agenda. Khan would use its influence on social media to bring legitimacy to their cloud mining project. He would also appear in Cashcoin seminars and speak well about the project personally with investors. Khan can be seen in one of his Youtube videos inviting investors to Indian city Surat for a Cashcoin event. Excerpts from his video (translated from Hindi):

I will be in Surat on January 5, 2017, for promoting Cashcoin. As we all know that the future belongs to the cashless trend, we also know how much important role cryptocurrencies would play. So, well meet at the event to know more about Cashcoin.

Indian police suspect that Shahbaz Khan received monetary benefits for promoting the said scam. If proved, Khan could face a severe penalty to compensate for the investors losses. He could also land in prison on the charges of fraud, breach of trust, criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code and sections of Information Technology Act.

Bribing Bollywood

Shahbaz Khans mention in a cryptocurrency scam closely follows a long history of Bollywoods relationships with scams and dubious promotions. Before Khan, Indian actors including Shilpa Shetty, Nargis Fakhri, Zarine Khan, and Bipasha Basu openly promoted the works of GainBitcoin mastermind Amit Bhardwaj. The $5.26 billion-scam also allegedly received support from Shettys husband, Raj Kundra.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
What happened?

Theresa May has told the House of Commons that there is still not sufficient support to bring her Withdrawal Agreement back for a third meaningful vote. The prime minister had been widely expected to present her divorce deal to MPs on Tuesday, but following a phone call with the DUP, it has become clear that she does not have enough votes to win the vote.

What could happen next?

Mrs Mays latest announcement represents yet another setback to her personal credibility. And she could suffer more humiliation tonight when MPs are expected to agree on a proposal to force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to her Withdrawal Agreement. Indicative voting means MPs vote on a series of proposals  for example, leaving the EU without a deal; revoking Article 50; having a second referendum; leaving the EU but remaining part of the single market  in order to establish a parliamentary consensus.

However, Mrs May has infuriated MPs: first, by insisting Tory MPs vote against this; and second, by saying these indicative votes will not be binding. The fundamentals remain the same. If her deal is passed before Friday, Britain will leave the EU on May 22. If she is unable to get MPs to sign off her deal this week, then Britain will crash out without a deal on April 12.

Read more about this story

What are the governments no-deal plans? (The Conversation)

PM concedes lack of support as MPs seek to take control (The Guardian)

Opinion: The Tory Party is assuring its own destruction (The Independent)

What will MPs vote on in Parliament this week? (The Telegraph)

On the day Theresa May had to battle to save her leadership, the prime minister told MPs there was still not sufficient support for her to bring back her Withdrawal Agreement for a third meaningful vote. We wanted to know how you rate her performance as PM  and the results so far dont make good reading for Mrs May. Read the full story here (Yahoo News UK) and have your say below:

Story continues

The 1.5 million jobs in England most at risk from automation

About 1.5 million jobs in England are at risk of becoming automated, according to a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Of the 20 million jobs across England in 2017, 7.4 percent are at high risk of being replaced by robots, computer programs and algorithms, the report said. The roles most at risk are those filled by young people and women, and part-time positions. Nearly three quarters of the roles (70.2 percent) at major risk are currently held by women. Read the full story here (Sky News)

BA flight bound for Dusseldorf lands in Edinburgh

A British Airways flight bound for Dusseldorf from London landed in Edinburgh by accident after a paperwork mix-up. The flight pattern was filed incorrectly the previous day, so crew who came to work on Monday assumed the flight was bound for Edinburgh. It is understood that neither the pilot nor the crew realised they were heading for the wrong destination until they landed. Those on board only realised the error when the plane landed and the welcome to Edinburgh announcement was made. Read the full story here (The Telegraph).

Passengers on the luxury Viking Sky cruise ship were subjected to violent, choppy waters before being evacuated during a storm at the weekend. Footage has since emerged of the dangerous conditions they had to endure in the Norwegian Sea, with furniture skidding across the deck, leading to 20 passengers being hospitalised with injuries. (Yahoo News Video)

7

From April 2017 to March 2018, five men and two women went to A&E in England after being bitten or struck by crocodiles or alligators, curious new NHS figures show. One person was treated following contact with a centipede or venomous tropical millipede. Dogs were the cause of the highest number of hospital admissions due to animal-inflicted injuries, with 8,014 people treated. The NHS does not hold information on whether the injuries were inflicted in the UK or abroad, but only that the treatment was carried out in England. Read the full story here. (Sky News)
Women gather in the section for foreign families at the al-Hol, near Hasakeh in Syria  a camp which is now home to those who are displaced after living under the Islamic State - The Telegraph

Eight-year-old Hamed cast a critical eye at the at tent peg, raised a hammer above his head and began thwacking it into the hard, stony ground.

It is heavy work, and he would rather be in school. But he has little choice.

I get about 2,000 lira for putting up one tent, he said, using the popular term here for Syrian pounds. I can do three or four a day, so that is 8,000.

That, he said, is just about enough to feed himself, his mother, and her newborn baby twice a day. But we cant eat all the time, he said. "My mother explained, we can't spend so much money on food because we need to buy stuff for the baby now."

Hamed is one of about 41,000 children in al-Hol, the largest of three sprawling camps in north eastern Syria that houses former members, children, and prisoners of the Islamic State terrorist group.

More than 40,000 children are living in al-Hol, the largest of three sprawing camps in north eastern Syria that houses former members, children, and prisoners of the Islamic State terrorist group Credit: Sam Tarling /The Telegraph

The fate of the children who emerged from Isil's doomed caliphate is a matter of humanitarian urgency and critical to international security.

And yet the lack of provision made by world governments, including Britain's, is striking.

The Telegraph has seen dozens of malnourished infants as Isil families left Baghuz, Isil's last bastion, in the past two weeks.

At least 108 children have already died en route to or soon after arriving at the camp, mostly from severe acute malnutrition, pneumonia, and dehydration, according to the International Rescue Committee.

The vast majority of them were under five years old, and most of those babies younger than one. Many are also carrying serious injuries from shrapnel.

The fate of the children who emerged from Isil's doomed caliphate is a matter of humanitarian urgency Credit: Sam Tarling /The Telegraph

The casualties included Jarrah Begum, Shamima Begums newborn son, who died of a lung infection last month.

Unicef has described the living conditions for those children who reach the camp as "extremely dire."

Hamed, who spoke to the Telegraph with the permission of his German mother and on condition of anonymity, said he bitterly misses his old life in Europe.

If there was a school, Id go to it, he said, as he took a pause in his tent work to speak to the Telegraph. "But there isn't one here."

Story continues

When I was in Germany I was learning, then in Doula I learnt nothing, he said, using the Arabic word for State  the term many Isil families use for the group.

They just teach like the Quran... and they teach you that you have to fight. But I said: I dont want to fight. I dont like to fight. I just want to be a normal one, I just want to live in a house and make my job. I dont want to fight, I dont want to be a warrior.

Unicef has described the living conditions for those children who reach the camp as 'extremely dire' Credit: Sam Tarling /The Telegraph

He said he had left Germany when he was five years old, and only emerged from the Islamic State two months ago.

The camp, he said, is a miserable and filthy place. Kids poop everywhere, he said. You have to watch where you walk. You cant just sit anywhere, like you can in Germany.

It is not surprising. Adults in the section of the camp where Hamed lives told the Telegraph many of the young children have chronic diarrhoea.

Play, if there is such a thing, involves picking on one another or chucking rocks at moving cars.

They call me a dog and things. They think it is a joke, said Hamed, when asked about his friends. My mother doesn't like me to be like the other children. She says maybe there is a little baby there, like three years old, and maybe youll hit him. Even though I dont like to throw rocks, he said.

Its not a game. They come, they throw, the glass breaks, he said. In Germany it is not like this, youre not hitting on cars. If you want to play you go to your friends, you have friends, they dont call you anything, you play a bit.

The larger and more loosely regulated section of the camp reserved for Syrian and Iraqi citizens has a market which is run by Kurdish authorities in al-Hol Credit: Sam Tarling/The Telegraph

Most children have little time for that though.

Adults here told the Telegraph that almost every child from about the age of eight upwards is a low-paid labourer in the camps grey economy.

Theyre already entrepreneurs. I think they wake up and the first thing they think is: who am I going to hit up for money today? said Lorna Henri, a 54-year-old woman from the Seychelles who has become the de-facto guardian of two unaccompanied children in the camp. "I try to give them what I can."

Ms Henri said boys generally sent by their mothers to run errands in the camp market, which children can access more easily than adults, and put up tents. Girls clean or offer to cook.

The market, in the larger and more loosely regulated section of the camp for Syrian and Iraqi citizens, is crowded with small boys hauling hand carts for 200 Syrian pounds per errand.

The market is crowded with small boys hauling hand carts for 200 Syrian pounds per errand Credit: Sam Tarling/The Telegraph

Such Dickensian scenes are not unusual amidst humanitarian crisis. And across the Middle East, children are generally expected to pull their own weight at an earlier age than in the West.

But the prospects for these children are bleak in more than one way.

Radical Isil supporters continue to exert influence inside al-Hol, including by harassing women who want to remove their veils. There have been reports of punishment tent-burnings by an underground religious police, and several women from different countries who the Telegraph spoke to complained about being labelled infidels by their fellow inmates.

Without intervention, there is a good chance the children here will be brought up in the same poisonous ideology that turned many of their fathers into terrorists.

Without intervention, there is a chance the camp's children here will be brought up in the same poisonous ideology that turned many of their fathers into terrorists

The United Nations has expressed alarm at the situation. Last week Henrietta Fore, the executive director of Unicef, urged member states to take responsibility for children who are their citizens or born to their nationals, and to take measures to prevent children from becoming stateless.

Some governments have heeded the call. Last week, the French government said it had evacuated several children.

But Kurdish officials have told the Telegraph that Britain has refused to take back British Isil members or their children in the camps on the grounds that it has full confidence in the legal and administrative system of Rojava, the unrecognised Kurdish proto-state in northern Syria.

Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, last week claimed that it would have been too risky to send British officials to save Jarrah Begum, although he remained a British citizen after his mother was stripped of her own citizenship.

However, the al-Hol camp is run by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led Western-backed armed group that Britain is allied to. Journalists, including from the Telegraph, and aid workers visit the camp on a regular basis, safely and without incident.

Radical Isil supporters continue to exert influence inside al-Hol, including by harassing women who want to remove their veils Credit: Sam Tarling/The Telegraph

Nor is it true, as Mr Hunt claimed, that journalists are afforded special protection unavailable to UK officials in Syria or in the camps.

In al-Hol, the foreign women constantly exchange rumours about which governments might take Isil members back. For their children, who committed no crime, the only thing on the horizon is more arduous work.

"I'd like to...sell stuff. Or you know, build houses," shrugged Hamed, when asked what he would like to do when he grows up. Those are the only careers on offer in al-Hol camp.

He picked up his hammer, and went back to hitting the tent peg. His blows made little impact on the stony ground.

Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security
BEIJING, March 25 (Reuters) - Trips organized by China's government to the western region of Xinjiang for diplomats and reporters have been very successful at showing people the true situation there, the foreign ministry said on Monday, denouncing U.S. criticism as "slander."

China has been stepping up a push to counter growing criticism in the West and among rights groups about a controversial de-radicalisation program in heavily Muslim Xinjiang, which borders Central Asia.

Critics say China is operating internment camps for Uighurs and other Muslim peoples who live in Xinjiang, though the government calls them vocational training centers and says it has a genuine need to prevent extremist thinking and violence.

A U.S. official told Reuters that "highly choreographed" tours to Xinjiang organized by the Chinese government were misleading and propagated false narratives about the troubled region.

Speaking at a daily news briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said such trips were to raise the international community's understanding about Xinjiang's social and economic development.

"The people who have been on the trips felt for themselves the real situation Xinjiang's calm and order and the happy lives and jobs of all the people's there, and all positively appraised China's policy governing Xinjiang," Geng said.

The U.S. criticism "does not accord with the facts," he added. "It is purely rumor starting and slander."

China resolutely opposes the United States interfering in its internal affairs using the Xinjiang issue, Geng said.

"At present Xinjiang is politically stable, the economy is developing and society is harmonious."

The foreign ministry said late last week it would invite Beijing-based European diplomats to visit soon. Sources have told Reuters the invitation was made to European Union ambassadors based in Beijing.

Geng said talks were ongoing about that trip. He did not elaborate.

Story continues

There have been two visits by groups including European diplomats to Xinjiang this year. One was a small group of EU diplomats, and the other by a group of diplomats from a broader mix of countries, including missions from Greece, Hungary and North African and Southeast Asian states.

A Reuters journalist visited on a government-organized trip in January.

Late last year, more than a dozen ambassadors from Western countries, including France, Britain, Germany and the EU's top envoy in Beijing, wrote to the government to seek a meeting with Xinjiang's top official, Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, to discuss their concerns about the rights situation.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has weighed sanctions against senior Chinese officials in Xinjiang, including Chen. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kim Coghill)
By Sijia Jiang and Pei Li HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese tech giants are in the hunt for young, energetic staff to take the place, in some cases, of veteran managers. The companies deny that the moves, which are worrying some older employees, reflect any discrimination based on age. Explicit age discrimination is illegal in many countries, though not in China. Chinese tech companies are known to prefer young workers, in part because of demands such as the so-called "996" schedule that asks employees to work 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. On Thursday, Tencent Holdings confirmed plans to reshuffle 10 percent of its managers. "Let some older members of management retire from their positions," Tencent Holdings President Martin Lau said. "Their jobs will be taken up by younger people, new colleagues who may be more passionate." Asked to elaborate on the reshuffle, Tencent cited its annual report as stating its employment practice complies with laws and regulations and "does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, race, disability, age, religious belief, sexual orientation or family status". Analysts said the move to promote younger managers is driven in part by the rise of a new generation of Chinese internet companies such as Pinduoduo and Bytedance, which are mostly run by entrepreneurs and engineers born in the 1980s or 1990s. "The environment and external pressures are pushing these companies to reform, if the leadership is too old, it's easy for them to fall behind," said Li Chengdong, a Beijing-based tech analyst who used to work at Tencent and e-commerce giant JD.com Inc. "In the U.S. and Europe you rarely see companies going through structural reform every other year, but it's quite common in China... core leadership can be replaced within a very short amount of time." RETIREMENT PLAN At Baidu, CEO Robin Li said in an internal letter - which the company made public - that it plans to accelerate efforts to become more youthful this year by promoting more workers born after 1980, and also announced an executive retirement plan. The first executive to leave under that plan is its president for new business, Zhang Yaqin, who will retire in October, Li said. Local media reported Zhang's age as 53. "For senior managers which have worked hard for the company and accompanied its growth, if they want to choose a new life because of personal or family reasons, we will take care of them under the executive retirement plan," Li wrote. A Baidu spokesman said that age is not a factor in whether managers chose to retire or not and that it was up to them if they wanted to join the plan. Lei Jun, chief of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, said at a news conference on March 20 that the company was appointing new, younger general department managers as part of an organisational restructuring. A Xiaomi spokesman said the company was not cutting the senior management team but that it needed to promote "younger talents" to support its rapid expansion. Chinese tech workers in their 30s and 40s told Reuters they had come to accept the industry's preference for youth but worried that it was becoming more extreme, especially in up-and-coming fields such as artificial intelligence. "I'm not worrying so much about losing my job, but certainly there is worry that I will not get promoted," said a 38-year-old engineer at JD.com. Like other employees interviewed for this story, he declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media. A JD.com spokeswoman said it did not discriminate and that any high-performing employee is eligible for promotion. LONGER TIME TO PROGRESS A 29-year-old female programmer for one of China's top short video platforms said ageism was of greater concern to women. "It can take a longer time for women to progress to the better jobs, so the age restriction more heavily affects women," she said. "There is definitely the feeling that if you are older, you won't understand the product." Older workers have few legal options. "The only recourse Chinese workers have is if they're not properly compensated once they're laid off," said Geoffrey Crothall of China Labour Bulletin, a Hong Kong-based labour rights group. While age discrimination is illegal in the United States, it is often hard to prove. Bias in favour of younger workers often shows itself openly in the Silicon Valley start-up scene, where investors often prefer to back entrepreneurs in their 20s and 30s. In China, some in the tech industry said older employees could still get ahead if they were top performers. At telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, known for an aggressive internal culture where everyone's contract is up for renewal every few years, one employee defended the approach as common in the industry. Huawei declined to comment. "Companies are moving away from the traditional iron rice bowl type of mentality," he said. (Additional reporting by Cate Cadell in Beijing and Josh Horwitz in SHANGHAI; Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Richard Borsuk)
Post: #1 I -70 West in Colorado: King of the Mountains

Advertisement

They can not be helped.



The cities along this route all were gold mining towns...



-----------------------



I-70 West in Colorado: King of the Mountains 2.0









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDgu9Bw3-QA



This video was originally #13-60, the 2013 Season Finale, it was muted for one of the songs I used so I changed the song out so the video can be active again, this time in 60FPS. Enjoy arguably the finest scenic 160 mile stretch of Interstate Highway on a crisp and clear early summer morning.



-----------------------



The Eisenhower Tunnel, officially the EisenhowerEdwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel,[1] is a dual-bore, four-lane vehicular tunnel in the western United States, approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of Denver, Colorado. The tunnel carries Interstate 70 (I-70) under the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.

With a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m) above sea level, it is one of the highest vehicular tunnels in the world. The tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel and highest point on the Interstate Highway System. With the completion of the second bore in 1979, it was one of the last major pieces of the Interstate system to be completed.



Opened in 1973, the westbound bore is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, the U.S. President for whom the Interstate system is also named. The eastbound bore was completed in 1979 and is named for Edwin C. Johnson, a governor and U.S. Senator who lobbied for an Interstate Highway to be built across Colorado.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower_Tunnel



-----------------------



Leadville Colorado is the poor mans Vail however why not just go to vail...

Leadville had gold and yes Lead...

It once had a population of 15,000 but has shrunk to 2,800...



Leadville Colorado (CO) Story on Video









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p07BgpeGYFI



----------------------- Mele Kalikimaka

The Yellow sign are highway design book violations...They can not be helped.The cities along this route all were gold mining towns...-----------------------I-70 West in Colorado: King of the Mountains 2.0This video was originally #13-60, the 2013 Season Finale, it was muted for one of the songs I used so I changed the song out so the video can be active again, this time in 60FPS. Enjoy arguably the finest scenic 160 mile stretch of Interstate Highway on a crisp and clear early summer morning.-----------------------The Eisenhower Tunnel, officially the EisenhowerEdwin C. Johnson Memorial Tunnel,[1] is a dual-bore, four-lane vehicular tunnel in the western United States, approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of Denver, Colorado. The tunnel carries Interstate 70 (I-70) under the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.With a maximum elevation of 11,158 feet (3,401 m) above sea level, it is one of the highest vehicular tunnels in the world. The tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel and highest point on the Interstate Highway System. With the completion of the second bore in 1979, it was one of the last major pieces of the Interstate system to be completed.Opened in 1973, the westbound bore is named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, the U.S. President for whom the Interstate system is also named. The eastbound bore was completed in 1979 and is named for Edwin C. Johnson, a governor and U.S. Senator who lobbied for an Interstate Highway to be built across Colorado.-----------------------Leadville Colorado is the poor mans Vail however why not just go to vail...Leadville had gold and yes Lead...It once had a population of 15,000 but has shrunk to 2,800...Leadville Colorado (CO) Story on Video-----------------------
New York (AFP) - The Mueller investigation is over, but President Donald Trump now faces a slew of other investigations by federal prosecutors in New York and Democrats in Congress that could create more deep troubles for his administration.

The biggest threat comes from federal prosecutors in New York, who have already prised a guilty plea on multiple charges from Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen and who could be a dangerous witness against the president in other cases.

Investigators in the notoriously aggressive SDNY office -- Southern District of New York -- and its sister bureau in Brooklyn, are believed to be looking at a whole manner of possible wrongdoing by Trump, his family, and his Trump Organization real estate group.

Those range from Trump's election-eve hush payments for alleged former mistresses, financial improprieties surrounding the celebrations of his inauguration, and possibly illegal funnelling of foreign money to the Trump campaign and inauguration.

The New York state attorney general has opened inquiries into violations by the Trump family charity, real estate dealings, and taxes.

Most of those probes are taking place in secret, but the state attorney general has already sued Trump, members of his family and the Trump Foundation alleging it was used as a virtual slush fund for family needs in "a pattern of persistent illegal conduct."

- Hush payments to mistresses -

In all of those, Cohen, who has been sentenced to three years in prison, is potentially a dangerous witness as a longtime insider who has turned against his former boss.

One particularly explosive case is the SDNY probe into the payoffs Cohen illegally arranged to buy the silence of at least two women, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who claimed credibly to have had affairs with Trump before he ran for president.

Those were part of "catch-and-kill" arrangements with tabloid newspaper National Enquirer, which Cohen has testified had for years financial arrangements to protect Trump from any damaging personal news.

Story continues

Cohen testified that the payment he made to Daniels, which was ruled an illegal use of campaign funds, was ordered and reimbursed by Trump himself -- a possible criminal act.

A third woman, Summer Zervos, a one-time contestant on Trump's reality television show "The Apprentice," has sued him for defamation after he said she lied in claiming that he groped and forcibly kissed her.

Trump's lawyers have failed to get the case thrown out, opening the door to the possibility that the president could be forced to confront his accuser in court as a witness.

- Fraud at the Trump Organization? -

In his February testimony in Congress, Cohen raised issues of financial malfeasance by Trump and the Trump Organization in banking and real estate deals.

He said Trump falsified data in financial disclosures to banks and insurance companies, providing more meat for federal investigators.

For that and the probe into the Trump Foundation, eyes are now on the figure who likely knows more secrets about Trump than anyone else: Allen Weisselberg, the accountant who has served the Trump Organization for four decades.

- Profiting as president -

Meanwhile in the US capital Trump is fighting a lawsuit brought by the attorneys general of Maryland and Washington alleging that Trump's continued ownership of a hotel in Washington frequented by lobbyists, company executives and foreign governments violates the Constitution's "emoluments" ban on the president profiting from his office.

Evidence has shown that Trump has reaped significant financial gains from the Trump International Hotel just a few blocks from the White House, and from his properties in New York, based on the patronage of those seeking favor with the president.

It's not clear how far the emoluments case will go: the Justice Department is fighting to have it quashed as baseless.

- Democrats push probes -

And in Congress, Democrats have stepped up pressure with several investigations of the president.

The main one, by the House Intelligence Committee, parallels the Mueller probe's focus on Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign had a role in that.

And the House Judiciary Committee is examining allegations of obstruction of justice against Trump, after Mueller declined to conclude anything from his evidence on this subject.

"We're going to move forward with our investigation into obstruction of justice, abuses of power, corruption, to defend the rule of law, which is our job," committee chairman Jerry Nadler said.
Washington (AFP) - The number of emergency-room visits linked to cannabis in one hospital in the first US state to completely legalize its use tripled within a few years, according to a study that points to the dangers of ingesting the drug.

Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2014, the first state to do so, making the study published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine particularly noteworthy. Nine other states have now legalized cannabis for recreational use, while 34 of the 50 allow its medical use.

Researchers analyzed a half-million emergency-department visits at the University of Colorado hospital in Aurora from 2012 to 2016, of which roughly 2,500 were at least partially attributed to marijuana consumption.

The number of such visits has increased yearly, from less than 250 in 2012 to more than 750 in 2016.

While more than 90 percent of the visits were related to inhalation of the drug, the rest were linked to edible cannabis, whether in cookies, candy or any of the other food forms that have been used to ingest THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the plant's main psychoactive ingredient.

Andrew Monte, a professor of emergency medicine and the study's principal author, said the tripling in total emergency-room visits was not altogether surprising.

"Whenever there's a new drug in a community, that means there will be more emergency department visits associated with it," Monte told AFP.

That applies even to conventional drugs, he said, like blood-pressure medications.

But the proportion of emergency-room visits linked to ingested cannabis is far higher than usage rates would suggest. In Colorado, edible cannabis represented only 0.3 percent of the total weight of THC sold, but accounted for 10 percent of cannabis-related emergency-room visits.

"I do think that part of it is naivete around the use of edibles," Monte said.

"The edible phenomenon has been noticed by emergency physicians, but there's never been any data to back it up, and these data do that," he said.

Story continues

"The effects of cannabis edibles are much more unpredictable, and unfortunately they last a lot longer, and that results in people ending up in the emergency department."

"They're not expecting to have bad anxiety effects or psychoses, and those effects last for a long time."

Inhaled cannabis acts in less than 10 minutes, reaches peak concentration in the blood in 30 to 90 minutes and leaves the body in four hours.

Ingested cannabis, on the other hand, reaches its peak in three hours, and THC remains in the body for up to 12 hours.

That delayed action can lead first-time consumers to eat far too much, and too fast, leading to intoxication and sometimes acute psychiatric symptoms.
Credit Suisse Groups CS CEO Tidjane Thiam has received 30% year-over-year higher compensation for 2018 as a reward for improving the companys performance through his overhaul plan that was completed last year.

For 2018, Thiam received CHF 12.65 million as total compensation, of which CHF 3.35 million is fixed compensation and CHF 4.94 million represents short-term incentive awards. Also, he received CHF 4.36 million as long-term incentive awards, which was up significantly from 2017 when the CEO had voluntarily proposed to reduce these by 40%.

The executive groups compensation surged 34% from 2017 to CHF 93.49 million mainly due to rise in CEOs pay package.

The increase in compensation was on account of Thiams three-year restructuring plan (2015-2018) to boost the companys performance. Having successfully completed the plan, Credit Suisse delivered its first annual post-tax profit since 2014 of CHF 2.1 billion for 2018.

Further, the executive group was commended for strengthening capital position as judged by common equity tier 1 ratio of 12.6% as of Dec 31, 2018 compared with 11.4% at the end of 2015. Moreover, the CEO successfully launched a share buyback program for 2019, thereby lifting investors confidence.

In the three years of restructuring, Thiam was also able to control the escalating cost base and maintained the targeted expense range of below CHF 17 billion for 2018.

He was successful in reviving the company, despite receiving continuous criticism from shareholders and involvement in legal matters. However, slow growth of the global economy amid trade tensions and Brexit-related concerns keeps us apprehensive.

Shares of Credit Suisse have lost 26% over the past six months compared with 4.6% decline of the industry it belongs to.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the same space are Bank Of Montreal BMO, Lloyds Banking Group PLC LYG and Royal Bank Of Canada RY. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bank Of Montreal has been raised 1.2% for the current year in the past 60 days. The companys share price has jumped 14.9% in the past three months.

Lloyds has witnessed 2.4% upward earnings estimate revision for 2019 in the past 60 days. Its share price has risen 28.3% in the past three months.

Royal Bank Of Canadas shares have gained 11.1% in three months time. Its earnings estimate for 2019 have moved up slightly in the past 60 days.

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Representative Katie Hill (D., Calif.) defended her colleagues past assertions of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia on Monday, telling CNNs Alisyn Camerota the claim remains completely valid despite special counsel Robert Muellers failure to produce any evidence to substantiate the charge.

Hill was asked whether her Democratic colleagues, including House Judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler and House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, should apologize for asserting without evidence that Trump campaign officials colluded with Russians to sway the election in Trumps favor.

I wouldnt say that they need to apologize. They are still stating things that happened in plain sight. The definition of collusion as a legal term is on that is completely nebulous, Hill said. So, I think the suspicions that have been had by both the Democrats in Congress and people across the country are completely valid. Whether it was intentional or not, Trump and his associates were conducting themselves in a way that was highly, highly suspicious both during the election and after that made it so that this investigation needed to happen.

Hills comments come one day after attorney general William Barr delivered to Congress a four-page letter that summarized his principal conclusions after reviewing the Mueller report and exonerated Trump on the question of collusion.

Special counsel did not find anyone with the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government, Barr wrote.

The Mueller report does not, however, exonerate Trump on the obstruction of justice charge, but Barr determined independently that there was not sufficient evidence of that crime to produce an indictment.

While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, reads a section of the report pertaining to the obstruction issue, according to Barr.

More from National Review




As Donald Trump declared victory following the conclusion of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, Democrats showed no signs of backing down from the numerous legal questions encircling the president and his associates.

The completion of the highly anticipated Mueller report prompted an intense debate in Washington over how to proceed as Democrats said a summary of its findings by the attorney general, William Barr, raises as many questions as it answers, even though it probably laid the issue of collusion with Russia firmly to rest.

Since taking control of the House of Representatives in January, Democrats have launched an onslaught of investigations into the president, his administration and his family business.

It thus came as an undeniable blow to Democrats that Muellers report did not find that the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to swing the 2016 election, or produce a more definitive conclusion on whether the president himself engaged in any criminal activity.

But as Trump and his allies seized on the account to falsely claim total exoneration, Democrats signaled the legal and political battle lines were far from settled, especially when it came to Barrs decision not to pursue the obstruction of justice issue.

Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House judiciary committee, announced he would summon Barr, who was confirmed as Trumps attorney general earlier this year, to testify on Capitol Hill as Democrats seek more answers from the conclusion of the nearly two-year federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future.  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

In a four-page letter to Congress, Barr said Muellers report did not find criminal collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow during the 2016 presidential election but was inconclusive on the question of whether the president obstructed justice.

Story continues

Its a shame that our country has had to go through this, a defiant Trump said Sunday. To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this.

Related: 'Slam and shame the media': Mueller report spark backlash against press

Democrats nonetheless demanded the release of the full Mueller report, while suggesting Barrs summary could not be trusted given his prior criticisms of the special counsel investigation.

The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, the Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

Given Mr Barrs public record of bias against the special counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.

Democrats took particular issue with the claim by Barr and Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, that Muellers evidence was insufficient to prove Trump had obstructed justice.

The special counsel examined several actions by Trump in considering the question of obstruction, including his firing of the former FBI director James Comey, public and private attempts to pressure the former attorney general Jeff Sessions, and role in misleading the public about a meeting between his campaign and a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

In a joint statement, the Democratic chairmen of the House intelligence, judiciary and oversight committees called for the complete release of Muellers report and all underlying documents.

It is unacceptable that, after Special Counsel Mueller spent 22 months meticulously uncovering this evidence, Attorney General Barr made a decision not to charge the president in under 48 hours, the chairmen said.

The special counsels report should be allowed to speak for itself, they added.

On Monday evening, six Democratic House committee chairs, including the chairmen of the intelligence and judiciary subcommittees, sent a letter to Barr requesting that he send them the full Mueller report by 2 April. They also asked Barr to start transmitting the evidence underlying the report to the relevant committees.

Barr has not made clear how much of the report he intends to make public, teeing up a potentially major dispute that may ultimately be settled in the courts. By a tally of 420-0, the House voted overwhelmingly last month in favor of making the Mueller report public.

Related: What we learned from Barr's summary of the Mueller report

But even as they seek a full accounting of Muellers investigation, Democrats have sought to temper expectations of impeachment  a subject that has polarized the American public.

The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has on multiple occasions thrown cold water on what several Democrats refer to as the I-word, leaving it to voters at the 2020 ballot box to determine Trumps fate.

Some strategists said the initial read of the Mueller report may have lifted the burden of impeachment from Democrats shoulders, enabling them to focus instead on drawing a policy contrast to Trump as he seeks re-election next year.

I think Democrats need to allow the investigations to continue while focusing on the rest of their legislative agenda, said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist who served as an aide to the former Senate majority leader Harry Reid.

Its pretty clear impeachment is not in the cards, at least not right now.

To impeach Trump, Democrats would need not just a majority in the House but also a two-thirds vote in the Republican-led Senate to convict  an outcome as unlikely as ever before given the widespread support Trump enjoys from members of his own party.

Polling has found Americans largely split on whether Trump should be impeached.

There are countless other legal perils looming over Trumps presidency, however, that remain unresolved and which Democrats are likely to focus on.

Among them are hush money payments to women claiming affairs with Trump and attempts by the president and his allies to cover them up.

In public testimony on Capitol Hill last month, Trumps former personal attorney Michael Cohen directly implicated the president in the hush money payments  a violation of US campaign finance law  while also accusing Trump of various other criminal acts.

Those allegations are being investigated by prosecutors of the southern district of New York and increasingly a subject of the inquiries launched by House Democrats.

Reading the coverage today one would assume that the release of the Mueller report ended the criminal investigations into Trump his inauguration, his business, and his foundation, Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to Barack Obama, tweeted.

It didnt. He still has more criminal exposure than all the other presidents combined.
AL-HAMADA AL-HAMRA (Libya) (AFP) - Braving the cold and hostile Libyan desert, Milad Mohammed scratches the ground to extract what he calls "manna from heaven" -- white truffles coveted as a delicacy at home and abroad.

The fungus known locally as "Terfas" is the only thing, besides some wild grass, that grows under the desert sands nurtured by the combined effect of rain and cold temperatures at night.

They have been consumed since Roman times for their delicate taste as well as their nutritious and medical properties, and are sold to Gulf countries as a luxury food item.

Mohammed harvests the white truffle as a hobby and each year before springtime he treks through the desert region of Al-Hamada al-Hamra, southwest of Tripoli, to look for them.

"I don't earn my living from this. It's a passion," says Mohammed, in his 60s, a retired civil servant from the western city of Zintan.

"It's like a therapy, a way to purify myself from the chaos of the city," he adds as he takes a drag from a cigarette outside a tent he pitched in the desert after a day's work.

"It's a beautiful place, and rough, and you feel so isolated here," says Mohammed.

For hours he wanders across the desert by foot or in his pickup truck, covering dozens of kilometres (miles) and stopping at several spots to scratch the sand with his hands or a cane in search of white truffles.

Usually they are buried deep underground.

- Digging with bare hands -

"There is nothing more satisfying than to use your bare hands to dig into the sand and extract these delicious truffles," says Mohammed.

"They're manna from heaven."

But searching for this white gold in the oil-rich North African country that descended into chaos after the fall of veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi in the 2011 NATO-backed uprising is no easy task.

Libya has been gripped by unrest since the revolt, with various groups vying for control of its oil wealth and cities, while the desert has become a hornet's nest for jihadists and criminal gangs.

Story continues

Unlike hunters of black truffles, who use dogs or hogs to search for the prized mushroom, Mohammed only trusts his eyes to spot the place where they grow.

According to him, white truffles -- scientifically known to provide a rich source of protein -- have health benefits and their juice is used to treat eye diseases.

But truffles are also in great demand in Gulf markets.

- Buyers and sellers -

Over the past few years the price per kilo of white truffles tripled to 130 dinars ($33), a merchant said, as harvesting the fungus became more difficult due to Libya's unrest and unfavourable weather conditions.

This year the harvest was good thanks to abundant rain but that meant that the cost per kilo dropped to 80 dinars.

Wholesale transactions often take place at a tent erected on a road near Zintan that leads to Al-Hamada al-Hamra.

It is there that pickers like Mohammed and Khaled Abdelwahed go to sell the truffles they found in the desert.

"We endured very cold weather but the merchant is offering us a fraction of the price," says Abdelwahed, as he tried to negotiate a good deal for the eight kilos of truffles he collected after four nights spent in the desert.

"The merchant's making a better profit than us, and all that time he keeps warm in his tent" while truffle pickers do all the hard work, he says.

The buyer Khalifa al-Sahraoui, a merchant from neighbouring Algeria who travels to Libya each year for truffle season between November and March, disagrees.

"We buy the truffles and sell them to other merchants," he says.

Abdallah Miloud, another truffle merchant, says the harvest is sold to middlemen who in turn "sell them to clients abroad".

The Libyan white truffle is "of excellent quality" and "prized in Gulf countries", he adds.

There are no official figures for the export of Libyan truffles.

But according to Miloud, revenues from sales have "rescued several families" from financial hardship.
Deutsche Bank AG DB has paid its CEO Christian Sewing compensation of 7 million (excluding fringe benefits and pension service costs) for 2018, up considerably from 2017. The higher pay is a reward for improving the companys performance.

The CEO has been praised for standing up to his duties of developing and implementing a strategic plan, laying down an impressive cost savings target for 2019, stabilizing and improving client satisfaction and employee commitment.

The executive groups compensation of 55.7 million also came above 29.8 million in 2017, mainly due to rise in variable compensation and decision to increase base salary for some.

However, 2018s bonus pool was 1.9 billion, down 14% from previous year mainly due to reduction in headcount undertaken by Sewing as a move to cut costs. Notably, the German lender has paid its board members bonuses for the first time in the last four years.

The highest paid executive is Garth Ritchie, who received a total compensation of 8.62 million in 2018 compared with 3.25 million in 2017. He received a functional allowance of 3 million for being handed with an additional responsibility in connection with the implications of Brexit, per the annual report. Another executive, Stuart Lewis, received functional allowance of 1.2 million.

The rise in executive groups pay is reflective of improvements made in terms of stable balance sheet, return to profitability and the significant progress made to reduce costs and generate higher returns.

Shares of Deutsche Bank have declined 31% over the past six months on the NYSE compared with 4.6% fall recorded by the industry.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the same space are Bank Of Montreal BMO, Lloyds Banking Group PLC LYG and Royal Bank Of Canada RY. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Bank Of Montreal has been raised 1.2% for the current year in the past 60 days. The companys share price has jumped 14.9% in the past three months.

Lloyds has witnessed 2.4% upward earnings estimate revision for 2019 in the past 60 days. Its share price has risen 28.3% in the past three months.

Royal Bank Of Canadas shares have gained 11.1% in three months time. Its earnings estimate for 2019 have moved up slightly in the past 60 days.

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Would you like to see the updated picks from our best market-beating strategies? From 2017 through 2018, while the S&P 500 gained +15.8%, five of our screens returned +38.0%, +61.3%, +61.6%, +68.1%, and +98.3%.



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I do not recall hearing President Donald J. Trump urge anyone to enter a mosque and gun down Muslims. Still, Trumps critics  whose volcanic rage makes Vesuvius resemble Old Faithful  hold him responsible for March 15s mayhem in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Police say that an Australian white supremacist opened fire inside two local mosques, killing 50 worshipers and wounding some 50 more. Yet, somehow its all Trumps fault  his detractors argue.

 Senator Tim Kaine (D., Va.) said: The president uses language often thats very similar to the language used by these bigots and racists, and if hes not going to call it out, then other leaders have to do more to call it out.

 Time and time again, this president has embraced and emboldened white supremacists, said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.). Instead of condemning racist terrorists, he covers for them.

 CBSs Late Show host Stephen Colbert claims that Trump has trouble showing love for things that are not him, and he has a particularly bad record with Muslims in this regard.

 MSNBC national-security analyst Ned Price said, This is a president who has given plenty of rhetorical ammunition, I think, to terrorists like this.

 He is showing that it is okay to be bigoted. Its okay to treat others in a hateful manner, Hoda Hawa of the Muslim Public Affairs Council said of Trump on CNN. What we saw in New Zealand was a manifestation of that exported hate and of that exported bigotry.

 When people of such influence and such stature are endorsing such a hateful, evil ideology, it emboldens those who will go out and do something really evil and nasty, like what happened in New Zealand, said musician John Legend.

These scathing attacks raise this philosophical question: If the president of the United States speaks, and the Trump-loathing media and his critics ignore his words, has he made a sound?

In fact, President Trump has praised Muslims at home and abroad. He has denounced white supremacists. And he has embraced the two groups whom Klansmen, neo-Nazis, and their ilk detest the most: blacks and Jews. This news may shock most Americans, since anti-Trump journalists conceal these facts like classified data.

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 With the rising of tonights moon, I send my greetings and best wishes to all Muslims observing Ramadan in the United States and around the world, Trumps holiday greeting stated last May 15. Ramadan reminds us of the richness Muslims add to the religious tapestry of American life. Trump also hosted a June 6 iftar dinner for Muslim U.S. officials and Islamic diplomats. Trump welcomed his guests in Arabic: To each of you and to the Muslims around the world: Ramadan Mubarak.

During Trumps maiden international voyage to Saudi Arabia, he met numerous Islamic counterparts.

I chose to make my first foreign visit a trip to the heart of the Muslim world, he said in a major address in Riyadh on May 21, 2017. To the leaders and citizens of every country assembled here today, I want you to know that the United States is eager to form closer bonds of friendship, security, culture, and commerce.

But what about the Muslim ban? That policy, endorsed by the U.S. Supreme Court, bars travelers from terror-wracked countries whose governments cannot or will not help American officials screen their citizens at our borders. Those nations (initially Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Syria; eventually Libya, Somalia, and Yemen) were dubbed countries of concern by . . . the Obama administration.

Trump unbanned Chad, Iraq, and Sudan after they tightened security. He later restricted North Korea and Venezuela  neither one a Muslim hotbed.

 In a speech two days after an August 13, 2017, white-nationalist v. Antifa melee in Charlottesville, Va., Trump said: Racism is evil. And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.

Trump also said: To anyone who acted criminally in this weekends racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Justice will be delivered.

Some condemned Trump for observing violence on both sides. However, journalists and cops confirmed this fact.

As conservative luminary Gary Bauer recalls, Trump also said that August 17 that there were very fine people on both sides, including those who peacefully protested against the KKK and neo-Nazis. Trump added: Im not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists  because they should be condemned totally. He also called them rough, bad people. Instead, those whom Trump called very fine people were those who had a permit and were protesting very quietly the taking down of the statue of Robert E. Lee.

In the wake of Christchurch, a journalist asked Trump if he considered white supremacism a growing global threat. I think its a small group of people that have very, very serious problems, he said. Its certainly a terrible thing. Its hard to see how dismissing these losers as small, terrible people with very serious problems emboldens them.

 Trump likely mortified white nationalists when he asked for black votes in 2016 in Detroit and Flint, Mich., and at a charter school in Cleveland. What the hell do you have to lose? Trump pleaded with black voters at rally after rally. Early in his tenure, Trump welcomed several dozen presidents of historically black colleges and universities and opened a White House office to assist them. He has strengthened school choice, signed criminal-justice-reform legislation, launched opportunity zones, and boasted of the record-low unemployment that blacks have enjoyed on his watch. This surely nauseates white supremacists.

 But didnt Trumps anti-Semitism unleash another shooters onslaught that killed eleven Jews at Pittsburghs Tree of Life synagogue?

Lets review this one more time.

When Trumps daughter, Ivanka, converted to Orthodox Judaism, married Jared Kushner (an Orthodox Jew), and then reproduced, Trump did not disown her. Rather he made Ivanka and Jared two of his closest advisers. Trumps Jewish grandchildren also are the first to enjoy the White House as presidential blood relatives.

Trump is the first sitting chief executive to visit the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site, in Jerusalem  the Israeli capital to which he moved Americas embassy, from Tel Aviv. Trump signed the Palestinian-terror-thwarting Taylor Force Act. On Thursday, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the previously Syrian Golan Heights. Just this afternoon, Trump hosted at the White House Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguably the world leader with whom he is closest  personally and strategically. Sitting beside the commander-in-chief, Netanyahu said in the Oval Office, We have never had a greater friend than President Trump.

Donald Trump is a friend of Jews and Israel, not an anti-Semite, no matter how often his scheming enemies lie through their teeth about this.

Indeed, despite anti-Trump lies to the contrary, the Tree of Life murderer opposes Trump.

For the record, I did not vote for him nor have I owned, worn or even touched a MAGA hat, he stated via Twitter. Using particularly ugly language, he continued: Trump is a globalist, not a nationalist. There is no MAGA as long as there is a kike infestation.

Trumps alleged anti-Semitism really deserves a proper burial, once and for all.

 But wait. What about the Christchurch shooter invoking Trumps name? The gunmans 74-page manifesto mentions Trump only once beyond the table of contents. Regarding support for Trump, he wrote: As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no.

Thats hardly a ringing endorsement.

Trump haters also insinuated that the killer is a right-winger to whom anti-Muslim violence comes naturally  yet another slur against conservatives. The shooters comments expose his beliefs as more left than right.

He wrote that conservatism is corporatism in disguise, I want no part of it. He added: Conservatism is dead. Thank god. Now let us bury it and move on to something of worth.

He further explains, [I] consider myself an Eco-fascist by nature. The nation with the closest political and social values to my own is the Peoples Republic of China.

The communique discusses eco thrice and the environment 18 times. The environment is being destroyed by over population, he claims. Kill the invaders, kill the overpopulation, and by doing so save the environment. Rather than pinning the Christchurch killer on Trump, perhaps the environmentalist Left should claim this assassin as one of their own.

If liberals consider this unfair, perhaps we all can agree on this: A wicked gunman fatally shot 50 Muslims in New Zealand. He alone perpetrated this repulsive slaughter. This atrocitys victims and their grieving survivors deserve far better than to serve as lava in the Lefts latest anti-Trump eruption.

Michael Malarkey contributed research to this opinion piece.

More from National Review
The Duchess of Sussex with her mother, Doria Ragland and Prince Harry, at Kensington Palace last year - AFP

The Duchess of Sussex's due date has been a closely-guarded secret, and not even Prince Harry and his wife know whether to prepare for a prince or a princess.

But the one thing that is in no doubt is that, when it comes to welcoming Baby Sussex, the Duchess's mother, Doria Ragland, will be with her every step of the way.

Doria Ragland, the royal baby's 62-year-old grandmother, is said to be traveling from LA to London near the end of the month to attend the birth and help the couple settle in with their first born.

Here we take a look at Ms Ragland and the close bond she shares with her daughter as she supports her through the highs and lows of life as a new royal.

Doria's first grandchild

Meghan is determined not to have a nanny and some reports last month even suggested that Doria, 62, had taken classes at Los Angeles-based Cradle Company, in preparation for helping with the newborn.

The Duke and Duchess have been busy for the past few months renovating Frogmore Cottage, in the grounds of Windsor Castle, where they now live and are expected raise their child long-term. The nursery will reportedly be gender-neutral, and decorated in shades of grey and white. The renovations also include a guest room, where Ms Ragland can stay.

Meghan held a high profile baby shower in New York in February, and is said to be planning on holding a second one in the UK, attended by her mother.

Previous reports have suggested Doria may split her time between the US and UK to help raise the royal baby.

How did Meghan's parents meet?

Ms Ragland was born in Ohio to an antique dealer father and a mother who was a nurse. The family soon moved to Los Angeles, where she attended the Fairfax High School. She is remembered as bright and friendly  the teenager with the Afro hair who loved listening to Marvin Gaye and dining out at a local Mexican taco joint with friends.

After school she worked as a make-up artist, which is how she met her husband, Thomas, who was then a lighting director in Hollywood. I like to think he was drawn to her sweet eyes and her Afro, plus their shared love of antiques, Meghan has said of what attracted her father to her mother.

Story continues

The pair married in 1979 and Meghan was born two years later.

The family moved into a house in The Valley, LA, to a neighbourhood that Meghan has described as leafy and affordable. But it was far from diverse - to the point that Meghan once remarked: And there was my mom, caramel in complexion with her light-skinned baby in tow, being asked where my mother was since they assumed she was the nanny.

When did Meghan's parents divorce?

The marriage collapsed when their daughter was just six and after the divorce, Ms Ragland took a job as an air stewardess, meaning their daughter was frequently cared for by her father.

To instill a sense of pride in her mixed heritage, he bought two sets of dolls, one with a white family and one with a black family. He took the black mother doll, the white father doll and a child doll in each colour, which he then wrapped and put under the Christmas tree.

While Meghan was educated at private schools  beginning at Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse before attending Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girl Catholic private school in Los Angeles  Ms Ragland was always careful to nurture a sense gratitude in her only child. The mother took her daughter to visit disadvantaged children in Rwanda, see the slums of Jamaica and experience poverty in Mexico when she was just 10.

My mother raised me to be a global citizen, with eyes open to sometimes harsh realities, Meghan wrote on her now closed blog The Tig.

Doria Ragland is escorted down the steps of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, after the wedding of her daughter Meghan to Prince Harry Credit: Reuters

Doria's career

Ms Ragland later returned to university to obtain a Masters degree in social work, following on from her BA in psychology; she was described by her daughter as specialising in elder care.

Her most recent job was at Didi Hirsch mental health services in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Culver City  an organisation whose mission statement reads: Didi Hirsch transforms lives by providing quality mental health and substance abuse services in communities where stigma or poverty limit access.

She works specifically with the geriatric community, Meghan has said, describing her mother as a free-spirited clinical therapist, who also teaches yoga.

Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, watch the closing ceremony for the Invictus Games in Toronto Credit: REUTERS

She is now believed to be seeing private patients as a freelance therapist, from the Crenshaw bungalow which she inherited from her father in 2011.

She is also continuing to teach yoga.

Doria and Meghan's close bond

As the gulf widens between the lifestyles they lead and the circles they mix in, Ms Ragland and her daughter remain extremely close - to prove the point she once drove a car with the number plate MEGNME. Her mother filed for bankruptcy in 2002, but has never spoken publicly about her daughter.

And while many speculated a seven hour meeting with Oprah, before the Royal wedding, was to seal a deal to open up about the racist abuse her daughter suffered, those who know the family say she would never do anything without Meghans blessing or that would jeopardise the relationship that they have.

In a 2014 Tig post called Love Letter, Meghan captured her mothers personality by describing her in this way: Dreadlocks. Nose ring. Yoga instructor. Social worker. Free spirit. Lover of potato chips & lemon tarts.

If the DJ cues Al Greens soul classic Call Me, just forget it, she will swivel her hips into the sweetest little dance youve ever seen, swaying her head and snapping her fingers to the beat like shes been dancing since the womb. And you will smile. You wont be able to help it. You will look at her and you will feel joy.

It was just one of many times she wrote about their bond.

We can just have so much fun together, and yet, Ill still find so much solace in her support, Meghan said of her mother in 2017. That duality coexists the same way it would in a best friend.

This article was first published in May 2018 and has been updated.
Beirut (AFP) - Eight Lebanese citizens, all Shiite Muslims, have been charged with "terrorism" in the UAE and denied legal representation in a trial "marred with violations", Human Rights Watch said Monday.

While the charges have not been made public, families of the eight men say they were charged with terrorism, according to New York-based HRW.

UAE media reported that they are linked to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

Although the Iran-backed Hezbollah holds three cabinet posts and is 13 seats in the Lebanese parliament, it is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the United Arab Emirates.

A representative of the UAE government could not be immediately reached for comment.

Family members told HRW the defendants had been held in solitary confinement for prolonged periods and denied legal representation and visits by their relatives.

"Time and again, the UAE has used the spectre of terrorism to justify its utter lack of respect for the rule of law," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW.

"By not respecting the rights of the defendants to a fair trial, the Emirati authorities are indicating that they have already decided the outcome."

All of the men under trial have lived and worked in UAE for more than 15 years, seven of them for Dubai-owned Emirates Airlines, HRW said.

The eight men had been detained between December 2017 and February last year and held for one year before their trial opened on February 13, it said.

Family members told HRW that none of the men had any known political affiliations and their confessions were made under duress.

Leading English-language Gulf News daily on February 13 reported an Abu Dhabi court had charged 11 "Arabs", including three in absentia, with "setting up a terrorist cell and planning attacks in the UAE upon the orders of Lebanon's Hezbollah" and that they communicated with the Shiite group in favour of Iran.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 27.
Tallinn (AFP) - Thousands of Estonians lit candles across the Baltic state on Monday in memory of the victims of Soviet mass deportations launched 70 years ago that saw tens of thousands sent to labour camps in Siberia, where many of them died.

Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin ordered the mass deportations of so-called "enemies of the people" from Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania after the USSR occupied the trio during World War II.

Launched on March 25, 1949, the deportations saw an estimated 95,000 Baltic residents, including some 32,000 from Lithuania, 42,000 from Latvia and 21,000 from Estonia, sent to "gulags" or Soviet forced labour camps in Siberia. A large proportion were women and children.

"Only together can we stand up against the return of a totalitarian way of thinking and all-embracing cruelty and so stand for the free world and society where nobody feels fear," Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid said as she paid homage to the thousands who perished in the Russian far east.

Deportees who survived were allowed to return home between 1958 and 1965.

The European Court of Human Rights has recognised the deportations as a crime against humanity.

"I'm here because my own ancestors were deported: they were taken to Siberia and they died there," Katlin, a 35-year-old Tallinn resident who declined to give her surname, told AFP at an evening candlelight vigil in the city's Freedom Square that drew thousands.

Sisters Elle and Malle Viitamees were both small children when they were deported along with their family to Novosibirsk.

"I didn't even realise that something was wrong. The fact that we had nothing to eat or drink was something normal -- no one had anything," said Elle, who is now 72, told AFP of growing up in Siberia as she lit candles in Freedom Square.

Her family returned to Estonia in 1958.

Several thousand people also gathered in cities and towns across Latvia to honour deportees.

"This day is when we bring together survivors of the deportations with children of today so that kids can hear these horror stories of survival in the Gulag from first hand sources," Andrejs Ancans, an activist involved organising a memorial event in Riga, told AFP.
By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Hong Kong government official was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday by a U.S. judge following his conviction for bribing officials in Chad and Uganda in exchange for contracts for a Chinese energy company. Chi Ping Patrick Ho, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan federal court, where he had been found guilty of seven criminal charges last December. Ho, who has been in jail since his arrest 16 months ago, had sought a sentence of time served, while prosecutors had sought five years. Preska said her sentence took into account Ho's "extraordinary" history of charity, which included becoming a mentor to another prison inmate whom she had sentenced. "I feel great remorse that my actions and my situation have caused too heavy a burden on my family," Ho said in court before being sentenced. "I am deeply sorry." Edward Kim, Ho's lawyer, said he and his client were considering options for appeal. Ho was arrested in November 2017 on charges of violating U.S. foreign corruption law, money laundering and conspiracy. Prosecutors said he arranged bribes on behalf of Shanghai-based energy conglomerate CEFC China Energy. At the time of his arrest, Ho was secretary-general of the Hong Kong-based China Energy Fund Committee, which was funded by CEFC China Energy. Prosecutors said Ho caused the energy company to offer a $2 million bribe to the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, in 2015 in exchange for exclusive oil rights in that country. The government of Chad has denied the U.S. charges. Prosecutors also said that Ho caused $500,000 to be wired to Uganda's foreign minister in 2016, with the promise of further payments in the future, to secure favors for the Chinese company, including the potential acquisition of a Ugandan bank. Sam Kutesa, who previously served as president of the U.N. General Assembly, has been Uganda's foreign minister since 2015. Uganda has denied the allegations. In arguing for a tougher sentence, prosecutors said in court filings that Ho had not accepted responsibility, pointing to emails he sent from jail. In one email, Ho described himself as "the first of the sacrificial lambs" of hostility between the United States and China. Ho sent that email following an exchange about the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on U.S. charges in Canada, which has fueled tensions between the two countries. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
By David Alire Garcia

MEXICO CITY, March 25 (Reuters) - A trove of Aztec sacrifices including a richly adorned jaguar dressed as a warrior and recently discovered in downtown Mexico City could lead archaeologists to the most tantalizing find yet: an Aztec emperor's tomb.

Discovered off the steps of the Aztec's holiest temple during the reign of the empire's most powerful ruler, the sacrificial offerings also include a young boy, dressed to resemble the Aztec war god and solar deity, and a set of flint knives elaborately decorated with mother of pearl and precious stones.

The offerings were deposited by Aztec priests over five centuries ago in a circular, ritual platform once located in front of the temple where the earliest historical accounts describe the final resting place of Aztec kings.

None of these details have been reported before and such a discovery would mark a first since no Aztec royal burial has yet been found despite decades of digging.

"We have enormous expectations right now," lead archeologist Leonardo Lopez Lujan told Reuters. "As we go deeper we think we'll continue finding very rich objects."

The jaguar offering, found in a large rectangular stone box in what would have been the center of the circular platform, has stirred particular excitement.

Only about one-tenth of the box's contents has been excavated, but already a wide array of artifacts has been found near the top, including a spear thrower and a carved wooden disk placed on the feline's back that was the emblem of the Aztec patron deity Huitzilopochtli, the war and sun god.

A layer of aquatic offerings placed on top of the west-facing jaguar have also been identified, including a large amount of shells, bright red starfish and coral that likely represented the watery underworld the Aztecs believed the sun traveled through at night before emerging in the east to begin a new day.

A roseate spoonbill, a pink bird from the flamingo family, has also been found in the offering. It was associated with warriors and rulers, and thought to represent their spirits in their descent into the underworld.

Story continues

"There's an enormous amount of coral that's blocking what we can see below," said archeologist Miguel Baez, part of the team excavating the offerings at the base of the temple, known today as the Templo Mayor, located just off Mexico City's bustling Zocalo plaza.

The Templo Mayor would have been as high as a 15-story pyramid before it was razed along with the rest of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan after the 1521 Spanish conquest of Mexico.

Expanded by each Aztec king, the shrine was believed to be at the center of the universe and was crowned with two smaller temples, one on the north side dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc and one on the south to Huitzilopochtil.

The latest offerings all align with the southern temple.

WARRIOR SOCIETY

Several decades after the conquest, chroniclers detailed the burial rites of three Aztec kings, all brothers who ruled from 1469 to 1502.

According to these accounts, the rulers' cremated remains were deposited with luxurious offerings and the hearts of sacrificed slaves in or near the circular platform.

In 2006, a massive monolith of the Aztec earth goddess was discovered nearby with an inscription corresponding to the year 1502, which is when the empire's greatest ruler and the last of the brothers, Ahuitzotl, died.

Elizabeth Boone, an ancient Mexico specialist at Tulane University, notes that Ahuitzotl's death would have been marked with lavish memorizing and that the jaguar may represent the king as a fearless warrior.

"You could have Ahuitzotl in that box," she said.

A smaller stone box next to the jaguar offering containing a top layer of copal bars, used by Aztec priests for incense, has also been identified, though it too has only been partially excavated as both were only opened earlier this year.

Next to it another stone box has been found containing 21 flint knives decorated to resemble warriors, including the same war god disk but made of mother of pearl, as well as a miniature wooden spear thrower and shield.

Finally, an adjacent circular offering holds an approximately 9-year-old sacrificed boy found with a wooden war god disk, a jade bead necklace and wings made from hawk bones and attached to his shoulders.

Like the jaguar, the boy likely had his heart torn out as part of a ritual sacrifice, though further tests will need to be conducted to confirm the theory.

The offerings also speak to the geographic reach of the Aztecs, a warrior society like ancient Sparta that conquered neighboring kingdoms to acquire tribute.

The starfish came from the Pacific Ocean, for example, while the jade was brought from Central America near present-day Honduras.

"The offerings provide a window not only into the (Aztecs) sacred world, but also their economic lives," said Frances Berdan, an Aztec scholar at California State University, San Bernardino.

Meticulous sifting through the latest offerings is expected to continue for at least several more months, though practical hardships weigh on the archaeologists.

Mexico's new government has cut the project's budget by 20 percent this year, according to several archeologists who work on the excavation, and nearly all members of the 25-person team have not been paid since December. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Beth Pinsker

NEW YORK, March 25(Reuters) - It sounds like it should have been impossible to miss, but it took more than a year for an industrial equipment company to discover $12,000 worth of doggie day spa charges on an employee's expense reports.

Level upon level of corporate management also failed to detect that the same employee was running a scheme to sell more than $200,000 in company equipment on eBay.

Only a fraction of expense reports are closely examined, so it is no wonder that companies experience more than $7 billion in annual losses from fraud, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

By using robots, instead of relying on random spot checks, companies are catching fraud more than twice as fast and fraud losses are halved, said Andi McNeal, director of research for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

That is what happened when the industrial equipment company put in place an artificial-intelligence program from Oversight Systems, which was able to quickly ferret out the culprit.

"It started out as a small infraction that led to an investigation that led to other things," said Terrence McCrossan, chief executive of Atlanta-based Oversight Systems, which audits about $2 trillion worth of employee spending each year and works with employers like the U.S. Department of Defense, McDonald's and General Electric.

The expense reporting universe is being overhauled to use artificial intelligence to get a 100 percent overview of employee submissions. In addition to monitoring fraud, companies are streamlining the way employees file expenses.

Soon, employees around the world will stop fussing with paper receipts and crying over hotel bills, then waiting weeks to get reimbursed while their paperwork travels through the corporate labyrinth. Managers will no longer be stuck in the middle of the process, policing spending, and companies will stop losing so much money to waste and fraud.

Story continues

TEST CASES

Some changes have already occurred, ranging from corporate card charges that automatically attach to electronic expense reports to seamless experiences for business travelers who stay at approved hotels.

One of SAP Concur's newest offerings is Concur Detect by AppZen, which does a 100 percent audit of incoming expense reports.

AppZen analyzes expenses by looking for risk. Only about 10 percent of expenses that flow through a company have a problem that needs to be addressed, said Anant Kale, CEO of AppZen, based in San Jose, California.

The algorithm can clear expense reports with no issues almost instantly, so that these employee outlays can be reimbursed as quickly as two days.

If a charge has a red flag, it goes to a human auditor. One Concur Detect customer, Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc, said it had reduced the number of expense reports that required review by one-third.

Kale has been surprised by the kind of problems that are popping up since AppZen's 2016 launch.

"Employees are claiming the same expense multiple times. That happens more often than you can imagine," Kale said. "It's not fraud, but an honest mistake."

AppZen also finds many expenses that are disallowed by corporate policy. Some of these are for strip clubs, in-room movies during business travel or charging gifts at a hotel shop.

Oversight Systems has identified questionable expenses like eyelash extensions, lost sunglasses and an employee who billed for a new shirt after he spilled coffee on himself on the way to a meeting.

There is also true fraud. Oversight Systems, for instance, found an employee who expensed for parking over and over using the same receipt each time. By the time the fraud was discovered, the parking lot no longer even existed.

What makes the difference between catching wrongdoers and companies' losing money? Better compliance and making audits more efficient, said the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners' McNeal.

As much as machines can learn and improve their performance, people are more complicated. AppZen, for instance, has yet to run a clean screen on a company where it catches no problems, no matter how much effort a company puts into employee education and catching disallowed expenses before they are filed.

"Youre never going to get all of them to comply - thats just human nature," McNeal said. "You're just trying to let the fewest grains get through the sieve." (Editing by Lauren Young and by Leslie Adler)
By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General William Barr's conclusion that President Donald Trump did not obstruct justice, revealed publicly on Sunday in a letter to lawmakers, reflects inherent difficulties in proving such an obstruction case, legal experts said. Barr sent a four-page letter to congressional leaders summarizing a report by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller handed in on Friday, which remains confidential. Mueller was appointed to investigate whether Trump's campaign conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election and to probe whether the president later unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Mueller vindicated Trump on the core question of Russian collusion, writing in his report that "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," according to Barr's letter. While Mueller stopped short of determining whether Trump obstructed justice, Barr concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring such a case. Following are some reasons why proving an obstruction case against Trump was so difficult and what may lay ahead. WHAT DID MUELLER SAY ABOUT AN OBSTRUCTION CASE AGAINST TRUMP? Mueller said he did not reach a finding on whether Trump obstructed justice and set out "evidence on both sides of the question," according to Barr's letter. Barr did not make this evidence public, noting only that Mueller said there were "difficult" factual and legal questions raised by an obstruction case. Muller said "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," according to Barr's letter. Barr, however, found there was insufficient evidence to establish an obstruction case against Trump. WHY WAS IT DIFFICULT TO PROVE OBSTRUCTION AGAINST TRUMP? A federal law makes it a crime to attempt "to influence, obstruct or impede the due administration of justice." To prove obstruction, prosecutors must show an individual acted with a "corrupt," or improper motive - a specific intent to impede an investigation. Mueller's obstruction investigation likely focused on Trump's interactions with former FBI director James Comey, legal experts said. According to Comey, in February 2017 Trump asked him to back off an investigation into national security adviser Michael Flynn over Flynn's contacts with Russia. Trump eventually fired Comey in May 2017. "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go ... He is a good guy," Trump told Comey, according to a memo written by the former FBI director. Some legal experts have said in the last year that Trump's intent was clearly to block an investigation, and that there was a strong obstruction of justice case to be made. But others have said that establishing that Trump acted with the "corrupt" intent of blocking the investigation would have been difficult. Trump could have argued he was simply vouching for Flynn's character, and not pressuring Comey to drop an investigation, these lawyers said. In an interview with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt that aired two days after the firing, Trump said he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he fired him. But Trump also said in the NBC interview and in others that he fired Comey because he was incompetent, weakening a potential obstruction case, experts said. WHY DID BARR CLEAR TRUMP OF OBSTRUCTION? An obstruction of justice case against Trump was also undermined by Mueller's findings that the Trump campaign did not conspire with Russians to interfere in the election. Obstruction of justice is usually coupled with some underlying wrongful act that is being covered up, experts said. Barr cited this shortcoming in his letter, saying that, "while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the president's intent with respect to obstruction." Barr's letter also notes that obstruction, like any crime, requires to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in court. Barr also noted that many of the actions described in Mueller's report "took place in public view." Obstruction of justice typically describe secret efforts to impede a court proceeding, and Barr may have viewed the public nature of Trump's acts as weakening the case against him. COULD CONGRESS PICK UP THE OBSTRUCTION INVESTIGATION? Yes. Democrats took control of the House of Representatives in January, giving them investigatory powers including the ability to issue subpoenas. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement on Sunday that the fact that Mueller had not cleared Trump of obstruction "demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay." COULD CONGRESS BRING AN OBSTRUCTION CASE AGAINST TRUMP? The U.S. Constitution empowers Congress to remove a president from office for "high crimes and misdemeanors," including obstruction of justice through a process of impeachment. In an impeachment proceeding, lawmakers have broad leeway to define obstruction of justice and are not bound by Barr's determination, legal experts said. But impeachment is a very political process, and appears unlikely because Trump's Republican party controls the Senate. Some Democratic lawmakers had hoped Mueller's investigation would lay a groundwork for impeachment, but that hope has now largely faded. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Sandra Maler)
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat

BANGKOK, March 25 (Reuters) - Two days after an election that was meant to restore democratic rule and stability, Thailand has plunged deeper into uncertainty thanks to a complex parliamentary system that critics say the military junta devised to trip up its rivals.

The Election Commission has been accused of incompetence and even complicity in cheating in Sunday's poll, and it might take another six weeks to publish official results for the 500-seat lower house.

The commission on Monday announced the winners of 350 seats of the House of Representatives but the remainder will not be announced until May 9.

Until then, it will be unclear whether the next government will be formed by the party that wants junta leader and former military chief Prayuth Chan-ocha to stay on as prime minister or the "democratic front" led by the party ousted in a 2014 coup.

WHY ARE THE FULL RESULTS TAKING SO LONG?

Partly because of complex election rules written by supporters of the junta three years ago, and partly because the Election Commission has yet to finalize a full count.

Most parties in fact estimate their rough share of the seats from partial results and both sides have begun negotiating to put together a coalition on that basis.

Prayuth's party probably has enough votes to keep him on as prime minister, but it needs coalition partners in the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, to form a stable government.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO WIN THE ELECTION?

Officially, the magic number for choosing the next prime minister is 376 votes - a majority of a combined vote between the 500-seat House of Representatives and the 250-seat Senate.

But the challenge of getting to 376 votes is different for the two camps.

Because the Senate is appointed entirely by the junta, Prayuth's party needs only about 126 House seats, either on its own or with coalition partners.

But the "democratic front" of parties led by loyalists of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra need to win 376 of the 500 House seats to choose the prime minister because it cannot count on many, or even any, Senate votes.

Story continues

CONSTITUENCY SEATS VS PARTY SEATS

Only 350 seats in the House of Representatives are directly elected "constituency seats" where the candidate with the most votes wins the district in a first-past-the-post system.

The winners of those seats were announced on Monday.

The pro-Thaksin opposition Pheu Thai party won 137 House seats while the pro-junta Palang Pracharat party, which wants to keep Prayuth in power, won 97 seats.

The non-aligned Bhumjaithai party, which has officially aligned with neither camp, won 39 seats. The Democrat party, which said it won't side with Pheu Thai, won 33 seats.

A new progressive party, Future Forward, won 30 seats. It would be part of an anti-junta democratic front.

Other parties won 14 seats.

PARTY SEATS

The remaining 150 "party seats" in the lower house are allocated under a complicated formula based on the total number of votes cast and each party's share of the nationwide vote.

The formula divides the total number of votes cast nationwide by the 500 seats in the House of Representatives. So, if 40 million people were to vote, the "value" of one House seat would be 80,000 votes.

The formula effectively caps the number of seats any one party can gain. If a party has already reached or is close to its limit in constituency seats, it cannot get any more party seats.

The exact allocation of party seats won't be known until the Election Commission releases unofficial results, which are expected on Friday. That will show total votes cast and the parties' share of them.

However, the definitive numbers won't be released until May 9, when the official results are published. That said, partial results up to 94 percent released on Sunday night offer clues.

Because Pheu Thai already has 137 constituency seats, it may well have exceeded its seats "cap" and therefore will be unlikely to get any party seats.

But Palang Pracharat has only 97 constituency seats, and since it was also leading the national popular vote, it is likely to gain 15-25 more party seats.

Adding the seats together would put Palang Pracharat very close to the 126 seats it needs to vote Prayuth in as prime minister, which is why many assume the junta leader will stay on.

SO WHO GETS TO FORM A GOVERNMENT?

Technically either side would need just more than 250 seats, or half of the 500-member lower house, to form the next government.

However, the "democratic front" would need 376 seats in the House to first get one of the prime ministerial candidates from its side approved, since it could not rely on members of the junta-appointed Senate to endorse its candidates.

Palang Pracharat, assuming all Senate members vote in line, will be close to the 126 seats needed to get Prayuth to stay on. However, it will need coalition partners able to rely on more than 250 seats in the House to form a stable coalition government. (Writing by Kay Johnson. Editing by John Chalmers and Jon Boyle)
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Corporal Hitler: Hero or Deserter? LopDude

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03-25-2019 09:53 PM



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Post: #1 Corporal Hitler: Hero or Deserter?

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By the early 1930s Nazi propagandists were on track to build Hitler into the Fuhrera godlike supreme leader of the people. During his World War I service in the German army the Austrian-born soldier had received the Iron Cross (2nd and 1st Class) and the Wound Badge, thus his followers were eager to portray him as a hero who had risked his life for the Fatherland. Germanys Social Democrats were as anxious to tarnish the war record of the little corporal by revealing any falsehoods or exaggerations.



In seeking to belittle the increasingly influential Nazi leader, however, those behind the article in Echo der Woche handed Hitler the perfect opportunity to take the hero or coward battle public by filing a libel lawsuit against the newspaper and its anonymous writer. In a libel action the person making the accusationthe newspaper, in this casehad to prove the claim was true. In addition, the court hearing the action would determine whether the reputation of the plaintiffHitlerhad been harmed in the eyes of those who had read or heard the accusation. Unfortunately for the Echo, most of the witnesses called would testify on Hitlers behalf.



https://www.historynet.com/corporal-hitl...erter.html



the article is long, give yourself 275 minutes of read time



this thread is brought to you by the juan star foundation for a better america Let us honor the Lop fallen-never forget them Let us honor the Lop fallen-never forget them On a damp and windy day in late February 1932 presidential hopeful Adolf Hitler and his devotees in the National Socialist German Workers Party gathered in a secluded corner of a Munich cafe to discuss an article in Hamburgs Social Democrat newspaper Echo der Woche. Headlined Kamerad Hitler, the piece suggested the rising star of German politics was not the World War I hero his followers purported him to be, but was in fact an Austrian deserter. The writer alleged that while serving on the Western Front, Hitler hadnt come under enemy fire, as claimed, but had spent most of his time in the rear at regimental headquarters. The newspaper had withheld the writers name, ostensibly to protect that individual from retribution by Hitlers Sturmabteilung paramilitary thugs.By the early 1930s Nazi propagandists were on track to build Hitler into the Fuhrera godlike supreme leader of the people. During his World War I service in the German army the Austrian-born soldier had received the Iron Cross (2nd and 1st Class) and the Wound Badge, thus his followers were eager to portray him as a hero who had risked his life for the Fatherland. Germanys Social Democrats were as anxious to tarnish the war record of the little corporal by revealing any falsehoods or exaggerations.In seeking to belittle the increasingly influential Nazi leader, however, those behind the article in Echo der Woche handed Hitler the perfect opportunity to take the hero or coward battle public by filing a libel lawsuit against the newspaper and its anonymous writer. In a libel action the person making the accusationthe newspaper, in this casehad to prove the claim was true. In addition, the court hearing the action would determine whether the reputation of the plaintiffHitlerhad been harmed in the eyes of those who had read or heard the accusation. Unfortunately for the Echo, most of the witnesses called would testify on Hitlers behalf.this thread is brought to you by the juan star foundation for a better america (This post was last modified: 03-25-2019 10:06 PM by LopDude .)

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By Jan Wolfe WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The closure of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election does not mark the end of legal worries for President Donald Trump and people close to him. Other continuing investigations and litigation are focusing on issues including his businesses and financial dealings, personal conduct, charitable foundation and inaugural committee. The special counsel on Friday submitted his confidential report on the investigation to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who must decide on how much of it to make public. On Sunday Barr released a summary of Mueller's findings that said the investigation did not find that President Donald Trump committed a crime but also does not exonerate him. The summary also said Mueller found no evidence that any member of Trump's election campaign conspired with Russia during the election. While Mueller's probe has ended, the other investigations, pursued by prosecutors at the federal and state level, could result in charges beyond those brought by Mueller or civil liability. The U.S. Justice Department has a decades-old policy that a sitting president cannot face criminal charges, so such a case against Trump would be unlikely while he is in office even if there were evidence of wrongdoing. Some legal experts have argued the department is wrong and that a president is not immune from prosecution. Either way, Trump potentially could face charges once he is out of office. Here is an explanation of some criminal investigations and civil lawsuits still under way. MUELLER'S CRIMINAL CASES Mueller charged 34 individuals and three companies. Several of those cases resulted in guilty pleas and one case went to trial, with former Trump Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort convicted in August 2018 of eight criminal counts, including bank fraud and tax fraud. Longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone was indicted in January of this year and pleaded not guilty, but his trial is still pending. There are other cases involving indicted Russians that have not gone to trial. Other prosecutors within the Justice Department will likely take over criminal cases begun by Mueller, legal experts said. BUSINESS PRACTICES AND FINANCIAL DEALINGS Trump may face significant peril from federal prosecutors in Manhattan, according to legal experts. His former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said in Feb. 27 congressional testimony that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is examining Trump's business practices and financial dealings. Cohen already has implicated Trump in campaign finance law violations to which he pleaded guilty in August 2018 as part of the Southern District investigation. Cohen admitted he violated campaign finance laws by arranging, at Trump's direction, "hush money" payments shortly before the 2016 presidential election to porn film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy magazine model Karen McDougal to prevent damage to Trump's candidacy. Both women said they had sexual relationships with Trump more than a decade ago. He has denied that. Prosecutors said the payments constituted illegal campaign contributions intended to influence the election. Under federal election laws, such donations cannot exceed $2,700 and need to be publicly disclosed. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, received $130,000. McDougal received $150,000. The New York investigation has involved longtime Trump ally David Pecker, publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper, who admitted to paying McDougal for the rights to her story and then suppressing it to influence the election, an arrangement called "catch and kill." During his Feb. 27 congressional hearing, Cohen said he was in "constant contact" with federal prosecutors in Manhattan, and said other crimes and wrongdoing by Trump are being investigated by them, though he did not offer details. Cohen said he could not testify about the nature of his last conversation with Trump in early 2018 because it was under investigation by the federal prosecutors in New York. NEW YORK STATE CHARGES AGAINST MANAFORT The Manhattan district attorney's office is exploring criminal charges against Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, over financial crimes related to unpaid state taxes and possibly loans. In cases bought by Mueller, Manafort in 2018 was convicted of tax fraud, bank fraud and failing to disclose foreign bank accounts in Virginia and pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges in Washington. He was sentenced to a combined 7-1/2 years in prison in the two cases. Trump has not ruled out granting Manafort a pardon. The president would not be able to pardon Manafort if he is convicted of charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney because they would not be federal crimes. However, New York has broad double-jeopardy protections that usually prevent the state from prosecuting a person for crimes arising from the same criminal conduct the federal government has prosecuted before. SUMMER ZERVOS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT A defamation lawsuit against Trump by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on his reality television show "The Apprentice," continues in New York state court after a judge in 2018 allowed it to proceed. Zervos sued Trump after he called her and other women who have accused him of sexual misconduct liars and retweeted a post labeling her claims a hoax. Trump has agreed to provide written answers to questions from Zervos by Sept. 28, according to a court filing. Zervos accused Trump of kissing her against her will at his New York office in 2007 and later groping her at a meeting at a hotel in California. More than a dozen women have accused Trump of making unwanted sexual advances against them years before he entered politics. Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer for Trump, had argued that the lawsuit unconstitutionally impedes the president from performing his duties. An appeals court rejected that argument on March 14 by a 3-2 vote. Kasowitz said he would appeal the decision to the state's highest court. Separately, two lawsuits against Trump brought by porn star Stormy Daniels were dismissed. THE TRUMP FOUNDATION A lawsuit filed by the New York state Attorney General's Office has already led the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which was presented as the charitable arm of Trump's business empire, to agree in December 2018 to dissolve, and the litigation continues. The state is seeking an order banning Trump and his three eldest children from leadership roles in any other New York charity. Trump has said the lawsuit was concocted by "sleazy New York Democrats." The state's Democratic attorney general accused the foundation of being "engaged in a "shocking pattern of illegality" and "functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests" in violation of federal law. The attorney general's office alleged Trump and his family members used the charity to pay off his legal debts and purchase personal items. The foundation agreed to dissolve and give away all its remaining assets under court supervision. "EMOLUMENTS" LAWSUIT Trump is accused in a lawsuit filed by the Democratic attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia of violating anti-corruption provisions of the U.S. Constitution through his businesses' dealings with foreign governments. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on March 19 in the Trump administration's appeal of U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte's 2018 rulings allowing the case to proceed. The Constitution's "emoluments clause" bars U.S. officials from accepting payments from foreign governments and the governments of U.S. states without congressional approval. The lawsuit stated that because Trump did not divest himself of his business empire, spending by foreign governments at the Trump International Hotel in Washington amounts to unconstitutional gifts, or "emoluments," to the president. The three appeals court judges, all appointed by Republican presidents, expressed approval toward Trump's arguments in the case and signaled they might dismiss it, but did not issue a ruling. Some experts have said the case will eventually be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. TRUMP INAUGURAL COMMITTEE Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating whether the committee that organized Trump's inauguration in January 2017 accepted illegal donations from foreigners, misused funds or brokered special access to the administration for donors. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from donating to U.S. political campaigns or inaugural committees, and corruption laws ban donors from making contributions in exchange for political favors. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said in December 2018 that the president was not involved in his inaugural committee. The $107 million raised by the committee, which was chaired by real estate developer and investor Thomas Barrack, was the largest in history, according to Federal Election Commission filings. IMPEACHMENT Under the Constitution, the president, vice president and "all civil officers of the United States" can be removed from office by Congress through the impeachment process for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The House of Representatives acts as the accuser - voting on whether to bring specific charges such as obstruction of justice - and the Senate then conducts a trial with House members acting as prosecutors and the individual senators serving as jurors. A simple majority vote is needed in the House to impeach. A two-thirds majority is required in the Senate to convict and remove. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis)
(Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. election has ensnared dozens of people, including several advisers to President Donald Trump and a series of Russian nationals and companies. Rod Rosenstein, the No. 2 U.S. Justice Department official, in May 2017 appointed Mueller to look into Russian interference, whether members of Trump's campaign coordinated with Moscow officials and whether the Republican president has unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe. Mueller has charged 34 people and three companies. Attorney General William Barr issued a summary of Mueller's report on Sunday, saying it did not find any evidence that Trump or his associates broke the law in an election that was marked by extensive interference with Russia. Trump denies collusion and obstruction. Russia denies election interference. The following are those who have pleaded guilty or have been indicted in Mueller's inquiry. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2RwJarW) PAUL MANAFORT Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, guilty of five counts of tax fraud, was sentenced to a combined 7-1/2 years in prison in two cases brought by Mueller in which he was convicted by a jury in Virginia in August 2018 and pleaded guilty a month later in Washington. In Virginia, he was found guilty of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. Manafort, who prosecutors said tried to conceal from the U.S. government millions of dollars he was paid as a political consultant for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in a separate case in Washington and agreed to cooperate with Mueller. The Washington case had focused on accusations of money laundering and failing to report foreign bank accounts, among other charges. A judge on Feb. 13 ruled that Manafort had breached his agreement to cooperate with Mueller by lying to prosecutors about three matters pertinent to the Russia probe including his interactions with a business partner, Konstantin Kilimnik, who they have said has ties to Russian intelligence. MICHAEL COHEN Cohen, Trump's former personal lawyer, pleaded guilty in August 2018 to crimes including orchestrating "hush money" payments before the 2016 election to women who have said they had sexual encounters with Trump, violating campaign laws. That case was handled by federal prosecutors in New York, not Mueller's office. As part of a separate agreement with Mueller's team, Cohen pleaded guilty in November 2018 to lying to Congress about negotiations concerning a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow, a project that never materialized. Cohen is due to report to prison on May 6 to begin serving a three-year prison sentence. Cohen in February 2019 testified at a public hearing before a House of Representatives committee. He accused Trump of approving the "hush money" payments and knowing in advance about the 2016 release by the WikiLeaks website of emails that prosecutors have said were stolen by Russia to harm Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. He said Trump implicitly directed him to lie about the Moscow real estate project. He promised to keep cooperating with prosecutors and made multiple closed-door appearances before congressional panels. MICHAEL FLYNN Flynn, Trump's national security adviser for less than a month in early 2017, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia during Trump's presidential transition and agreed to cooperate with Mueller. Trump fired him as national security adviser after it emerged that Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence and the FBI about his dealings with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. His sentencing is pending. ROGER STONE The longtime Trump ally and presidential campaign adviser was charged in January 2019 with seven criminal counts including obstruction of an official proceeding, witness tampering and making false statements, pleading not guilty. His trial date has been set for Nov. 5. Prosecutors said Stone shared with members of the Trump campaign team advance knowledge of the plan by WikiLeaks to release the stolen Democratic emails. Prosecutors also accused him of trying to interfere with a witness, a radio host who matched the profile of Randy Credico. RICK GATES The former deputy chairman of Trump's campaign, Gates pleaded guilty in February 2018 to conspiracy against the United States and lying to investigators. He agreed to cooperate with Mueller and testified as a prosecution witness against Manafort, his former business partner. His sentencing is pending. KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK A Manafort aide in Ukraine and a political operative described by prosecutors as linked to Russian intelligence, Kilimnik was charged in June 2018 with tampering with witnesses about their past lobbying for Ukraine's former pro-Russian government. Prosecutors said in January 2019 that Manafort shared political polling data with Kilimnik in 2016, providing an indication that Trump's campaign may have tried to coordinate with Russians. TWELVE RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS Twelve Russian intelligence officers were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2018, accused of hacking the Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations as part of a Russian scheme to release emails damaging to Clinton during the 2016 race. They covertly monitored employee computers and planted malicious code, as well as stealing emails and other documents, according to the indictment. THIRTEEN RUSSIAN NATIONALS, THREE COMPANIES Thirteen Russians and three Russian companies were indicted in Mueller's investigation in February 2018, accused of taking part in an elaborate campaign to sow discord in the United States ahead of the 2016 election and harm Clinton's candidacy in order to boost Trump. The companies included: the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based propaganda arm known for trolling on social media; Concord Management and Consulting; and Concord Catering. GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS The former Trump campaign adviser was sentenced in September 2018 to 14 days in prison after pleading guilty in October 2017 to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials, including a professor who told him the Russians had "dirt" on Clinton. ALEX VAN DER ZWAAN A lawyer who once worked closely with Manafort and Gates, Van Der Zwaan pleaded guilty in February 2018 to lying to Mueller's investigators about contacts with a Trump campaign official. Van Der Zwaan, the Dutch son-in-law of one of Russia's richest men, was sentenced in April 2018 to 30 days in prison and fined $20,000. RICHARD PINEDO Pinedo was not involved with the Trump campaign, but in February 2018 pleaded guilty to identity fraud in a case related to the Mueller investigation for helping Russian conspirators launder money, purchase Facebook ads and pay for supplies. He was sentenced in October 2018 to six months in jail and six months of home detention. (Compiled by Susan Heavey, Sarah N. Lynch, Jan Wolfe; Editing by Will Dunham and Grant McCool)
The father of a child gunned down in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was found dead from an apparent suicide outside Newtown's Edmond Town Hall early on Monday morning.

The body of Jeremy Richman, 49, was found by emergency personnel who responded to the scene around 7 a.m. over reports of a possible suicide, Connecticut outlet Middletown Press reports.

Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel, were the parents of Avielle Richman, who was in the first grade when she was gunned down during the massacre, which left six staff members and 20 children between the ages of six and seven years old dead.

Richman and Hensel became outspoken advocates following their daughter's death. The two co-founded the Avielle Foundation, which strives to prevent violence and build compassion through brain research, community engagement and education.

Remembering the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting:

Richman's death comes days after two survivors of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, mass shooting committed suicide.

On March 17, 19-year-old college freshman Sydney Aiello took her own life a little over a year after the attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which claimed the lives of 14 students and three staff members.

Aiello, who graduated from the high school months after the shooting took place, was close friends with Meadow Pollack, a Stoneman Douglas senior who was fatally shot during the massacre. Aiello's parents say she was stricken with PTSD and survivor's guilt, which they ultimately believe led her to commit suicide.

Remembering the victims of the Parkland shooting:

A second Parkland survivor, whose identity has not yet been released, also died by apparent suicide on Saturday night, police confirmed to CNN.

David Hogg, a Parkland shooting survivor turned outspoken gun control activist, took to Twitter on Sunday to react to the deaths.

"How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?" he wrote. "Rip 17+2."

How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?



Rip 17+2   David Hogg (@davidhogg111) March 24, 2019

Editor's note: If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Click here to learn about the warning signs of suicide.
By Kagondu Njagi

KIBWEZI, Kenya, March 25 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Worried that a drought could wipe out his crops back in 2000, farmer Jonathan Kituku Mung'ala remembered meeting agricultural customers, in his previous job with Kenya's power company, who were making good money growing a hardy, native tree.

Called mukau by locals, the Melia volkensii tree is known for thriving in drylands, and provides thick shade that protects crops from the sun.

Farmers can also earn over 3 million Kenyan shillings ($29,806) per hectare by selling its timber, according to the Nairobi-based Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI).

As climate change worsens and farmers struggle to make a reliable income from food crops alone, some in arid Kenya are turning to agroforestry - the practice of growing trees in their fields.

They have discovered that mixing Melia volkensii in with their crops is one of the simplest, most effective ways of protecting their farms and livelihoods.

Mung'ala, 63, decided to plant 100 Melia volkensii trees on his 65-hectare (160-acre) farm in Kibwezi in southern Kenya.

Ten years on, he has more than 7,000 trees.

While their shade stops the sun scorching his crops, the dew that falls from the leaves at night also keeps his soil from going thirsty and the branches act as a buffer against wind storms, he said.

And whenever he needs to, he can bring in extra money by selling the wood.

"I never worry that my children will miss an education for lack of school fees. Nor am I bothered that when they fall ill, they will not get medical care," he said.

"This tree makes money for me all year round."

REVIVING THE LAND

For communities feeling the pressure of prolonged drought, the Melia volkensii is "a game changer," said Josephine Musyoki, a researcher at KEFRI.

Not only does it help keep crops growing through dry spells, the tree can also revive soil that has been damaged by extreme weather or deforestation, Musyoki said.

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When its leaves fall and rot, they add essential nutrients back into the ground.

Lawrence Gitaari, a 43-year-old farmer from Marimanti in central Kenya, credits the tree with helping bring life back to the land in his village.

Just ten years ago, he said, most of the rangeland in the area had been cleared by villagers felling trees for charcoal.

That led to soil erosion, as the direct heat from the sun killed off many of the enriching organisms.

"The Melia volkensii is changing this because it takes (only) about three years of the tree dropping leaves on the farm floor for degraded soil to become fertile again," said Gitaari, who has several of the trees on his farm.

IRRIGATION

But farmers cannot simply plant the tree around their farms and expect to get rich, said Mung'ala, the farmer in Kibwezi.

While growing Melia volkensii is easy, only farmers who know how to properly care for it will see the full benefits, he said.

The tree needs a lot of pruning to ensure it grows properly and to keep the trunk straight, so it can be sold for timber.

Farmers also need to learn how to extract the seeds from their kernels carefully, as they are easily damaged, Mung'ala added.

Even when farmers know how to grow the tree successfully, they should be wary of relying too heavily on it to see their farms through the dry seasons, said Alice Akinyi Kaudia, co-chair of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, a U.N.-led initiative to cut short-lived climate pollutants.

She recommended that Melia volkensii farmers eventually transition to using irrigation, especially in arid parts of Kenya where crop yields often take a big hit due to delayed or inadequate rains.

Farmers may be able to sell the tree's timber when they are short of money, she noted, but they still need to grow crops to feed their families and sell to their communities.

"If everyone has money and there is no food, will people eat money?" she asked.

'THE TREE IS EVERYTHING'

Since Mung'ala's Melia volkensii trees matured, he has never needed to use irrigation because the canopy shade does such a good job of keeping his crops cool and conserving rainwater.

It can even become so dense sometimes that no crops will grow under it, he said. But he has a way to make money from those dark spots too: growing grass to sell as livestock fodder.

Mung'ala grows enough grass to yield 100 bales per season and sells them for 300 shillings each.

He also sells Melia volkensii seedlings to fellow farmers and some of his trees for lumber, charging 8,000 shillings per meter. Wood from other popular trees, like pine and cypress, fetches half that price, he said.

Mung'ala has built a reputation for his success with the tree and uses his experience to train other farmers from Kenya and Tanzania.

Through his training, he knows of about 60 farmers growing the tree in Kibwezi alone, he said, estimating the number along the coastal belt at as many as 4,000 farmers.

"When I look at the trees, I see money. When I look at the grass on the farm floor, I see money. What else can a farmer want?" Mung'ala asked. "This tree is everything." ($1 = 100.6500 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Kagondu Njagi, Editing by Jumana Farouky and Sebastien Malo. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers climate change, humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking and property rights. Visit http://news.trust.org/climate)
Some first-time and low- to middle-income home buyers will likely be edged out of the housing market under tougher standards recently adopted by the Federal Housing Administration, experts say.

The FHA, which insures mortgages for borrowers with spotty credit who cant afford a larger down payment, said it will put riskier loans through a more rigorous review. That likely will mean a larger portion will be denied while some borrowers may not even apply for the loans in the first place.

FHA officials imposed the stricter criteria because theyre concerned that the agencys loan portfolio in recent years has included more borrowers who arent as creditworthy.

Weve seen continued deterioration in credit quality, Keith Becker, the FHAs chief risk officer, said in an interview. Weve observed a steady increase in credit risk.

The vast majority of FHA loans are approved through an automated system while a small share are referred to the lenders, who manually review applications based on FHA guidelines. In 2016, the agency eliminated a rule that required manual reviews for all mortgage applications from borrowers with credit scores under 620 and above debt-to-income ratios of 43 percent.

Nazi past: German family, stakeholders in Krispy Kreme, Panera Bread, to donate $11M over Nazi past

As a result, average borrower credit scores fell from 676 in 2017 to 670 in 2018. And more than 28 percent of mortgage approvals in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 had credit scores of less than 640, agency figures show.

Becker says the agency isnt reinstating the old thresholds and will instead take a more holistic approach to mortgage approvals that considers various criteria, though the effect will likely be similar. About 40,000 to 50,000 loans a year, or 4.5 percent of the agencys total, that would have been approved automatically will now be put through manual review, FHA officials say.

More: More older women are returning to work, rebuilding savings and a professional identity

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More: STEM jobs are on the rise. Here are 15 cities hiring the most high-tech workers

Its going to tighten credit, says Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance. Some lenders, he says, will no longer process loans that dont meet the new standards for automated approvals because manual reviews take longer and are more expensive. Others, he says, may adopt standards that are even tougher than the FHAs so theyre not liable in case of default.

In total, he estimates, about 50,000 borrowers that previously received mortgages could be filtered out.

Those (borrowers) that may be stretching their financial circumstances to buy a house could be affected by the new criteria, says Ralph McLaughlin, chief deputy economist of CoreLogic, a real estate research firm. For example, he says, certain income, such as bonuses, that might pass muster in an automated process could get screened out in a manual system, while some personal loans could be disqualifying.

After analyzing the new FHA parameters, Quicken Loans, by far the largest FHA lender has determined that this new criteria will have a de minimis effect on Quicken Loans FHA underwriting approval rates," company president Bob Walters said in a statement.

After the housing crisis, most banks turned away from FHA loans and non-bank lenders such as Quicken dominate the market.

For now, delinquencies remain low. The 60-day delinquency rate for FHA mortgages was 1.56 percent January, down from 1.65 percent a year earlier. The 90-day delinquency rate was 2.03 percent, down from 3.02 percent. And the serious delinquency rate beyond 90 days was 3.92 percent, down from 4.95 percent, FHA figures show.

But Becker says problem loans typically dont show up as delinquencies until well after loan approvals, and the agency is trying to head off potential problems. He notes the share of mortgages becoming 60 days delinquent in the first six months of an origination rose from 0.37 percent in fiscal 2016 to 0.44 percent in fiscal 2018.

The FHA requires borrowers to have a down payment of at least 3.5 percent, well below a typical 20 percent. In exchange, borrowers pay a 1.75 percent upfront insurance premium and 0.8 percent to 1 percent annual fee for a 30-year mortgage.

The FHA insured 12.1 percent of all mortgage originations in 2018, down from 13.5 percent in 2017 and a peak of 17.9 percent in 2009, just after the housing crisis. During a good economy and housing market, more traditional lenders are willing to provide mortgages to borrowers with lower credit scores and down payments.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fewer first-time home buyers likely to qualify for mortgages under tougher FHA standards
Dubai (AFP) - Clashes in Yemen's Hodeida have left five fighters dead, medical and military sources said Monday, despite a ceasefire agreement between warring parties in the port city.

Fighting between Yemen's armed rebels, known as the Huthis, and pro-government forces erupted late Sunday in the eastern part of the city, a military official told AFP.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a doctor at Hodeida's main hospital said medics had received the bodies of three rebel fighters.

A doctor at a government-run field hospital in Hodeida said two loyalists had been killed in the hours-long clashes.

The Red Sea city of Hodeida last year emerged as the main frontline in the war. The city is home to Yemen's most valuable port and has been controlled by the rebels since 2014.

In December, the rival sides agreed to a ceasefire in Hodeida under a deal brokered by the UN in Sweden -- just weeks after forces loyal to the government were able to enter the rebel-held city.

Fighting in Hodeida, whose port serves as the country's lifeline, has largely stopped since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18, but there have been intermittent clashes.

Both the government and the Huthis have been accused of violating the truce deal, while an agreed redeployment of forces has also stalled.

The Yemen conflict pits the Iran-linked Huthis against a regional pro-government coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which intervened in the conflict four years ago.

Since then the war has killed around 10,000 Yemenis, according to the World Health Organization, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Some rights groups say the toll could be much higher.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Karen Leicht is a convicted felon from Miami and a self-described "cat lady" who wants to vote.

Although Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights for most felons, she told a Senate committee Monday that she hasn't registered because she wasn't sure if she was eligible: She completed a 30-month prison sentence and three months' probation for a conviction of insurance fraud she said she was unwittingly caught up in.

"It was my complete and total understanding that at that point ... I was free. I now have a passport; I was able to travel to Italy to my son's wedding this last year  so exciting! I'm like a citizen again, except for I still can't vote," she said. "I need to make sure that when I go and register to vote that I am not going to commit another crime, because I'm not going back inside. I was there once; I will not going back again. I work full time, I'm a caregiver for my mother, I'm a cat lady and I pay my restitution to this day every month."

That restitution totals $59 million. And that's the problem. She'll never pay it off.

Her story is part of the debate lawmakers are wrestling with as they try to decide the definition of completing a felony sentence. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved a bill after hearing Leicht's testimony that makes paying restitution a requirement to be able to register to vote. But even though Leicht will never pay back the ordered restitution, two senators  a Republican and a Democrat  told her to register to vote while lawmakers sort out the issues. The constitutional amendment says felons who complete their sentence and who didn't commit murder of a felon sex crime can now vote.

"Go register to vote," said Democratic Sen. Jason Pizzo. "This is subject to interpretation; there is some confusion. You're not intentionally committing a bad act."

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He told her the state attorney in Miami has already said she won't prosecute felons who register to vote if they do so believing they aren't breaking the law.

"Oh my God! I'm shaking! That's so incredible! Thank you so much!" a clearly elated Leicht said. In a rarity in legislative meetings, many in the crowd burst into applause.

Even Republican committee Chairman Sen. Keith Perry said she should register to vote, even though his interpretation of the amendment language is that she shouldn't be allowed to do so. He called himself a supporter of felon voting rights restoration but said the language advocates put into the amendment means all court-ordered penalties, including financial obligations, need to be fulfilled.

"If you need to go register to vote, go register to vote. I would encourage you to do that," he said. "As a citizen, you didn't swear an oath to uphold the constitution. I did, so I take it very seriously."

He added that he doesn't want to put up roadblocks preventing registration and the bill could change going forward.

After the meeting, Leicht cautiously said she would register based on what was said in the committee meeting.

"If he didn't say it on record, I'd still be afraid," she said. "I do not want to reoffend."
Let there be light  and air in the workplace. Photo: Luis Alvarez/Getty

When the majority of offices are grey, airless and based on functionality, it can be difficult to feel particularly inspired. And when most of us spend our days working to tight deadlines, dealing with heavy workloads and responding to a constant barrage of emails, not much space is left for creative thinking.

Despite this, though, creativity is a valued business asset. Being creative doesnt necessarily just mean having artistic flair, but it can mean better problem-solving, thinking of new ideas and finding different ways to achieve a work goal, regardless of your profession.

Encouraging creativity is something that benefits employers too, with research suggesting companies that foster creativity are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in revenue growth. Creativity is also CEOs most valuable leadership quality for success, according to an IBM survey.

Whether creativity can be made is up for debate, but it can certainly be encouraged  something businesses are beginning to embrace in the workplace.

Switching up your seating

Some companies believe switching up your seating arrangements every day or week is a good way to promote communication between different colleagues and discuss new ideas.

It might seem like a nuisance to pack up your desk and shift all your belongings to the other side of the office, but some managers swear by it. Steve Jobs was particular about where he wanted his bathrooms in the Pixar headquarters, so employees would bump into each other and talk more.

Research also suggests that where you sit matters. In 2016, a study by Cornerstone OnDemand and Harvard Business School found that rearranging desks or sitting next to someone with a complementary work style can be a good, cost-effective way to bring energy to an office and boost performance.

Bring nature indoors

Small differences to an office can mean significant changes to the way people work. Unsurprisingly, staring at four plain walls all day isnt the best way to promote creativity  but injecting some colour or introducing plants can help.

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People who work in environments that incorporate natural elements report a 15% higher level of wellbeing, 6% percent more productivity overall, and are 15% more creative.

Make the office fun

Not all offices are designed the same  some have a coffee machine and a small kitchen to eat your lunch in, others have slides, smoothie stations and more.

The Dr Martens office in Camden, north London, has a wall of amplifiers and meeting rooms themed around punk, rock and indie music. There are plenty of social spaces, coffee machines which deliver milkshakes and even wellbeing rooms, perfect for when you need a break from the daily grind.

Research shows happier workers are more likely to be creative and productive  and adding fun extras to the office makes staff feel more appreciated.

Share ideas

Sharing your thoughts about how to improve a business isnt always easy, but it is important to boost creativity in the workplace. Ensuring employees ideas are welcomed and accepted without judgement is key, which might mean holding brainstorming sessions in small teams  so people dont feel embarrassed to speak up.

Accounting firm Grant Thornton UK use online platforms to share information and ideas and thousands of staff members have chosen to be involved.

Research suggests the UK is lagging behind other European countries when it comes to promoting innovation and creativity at work. While 67% feel able to offer their ideas at work, only 57% think management are receptive to new ideas, according to a 2016 study by BMC Software.
The government said Monday it will soon complete the list of foreign nationals working in Philippine offshore gaming operations with the goal of collecting over P22 billion in annual income taxes from them. Members of an interagency task force presided by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III discussed several measures to complete the foreign workers list after they discovered gaps or inconsistencies in the respective figures they initially submitted. The task force agreed to meet again with the Finance chief on March 29 to come up with the complete list. There are still gaps in the numbers and we need to close those gaps. In our computations, there is at least P22 billion a year not being collected in the income taxes from these Pogo workers who could possibly exceed 100,000 in number, Dominguez said during the meeting held at the Department of Finance central office in Manila. He said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., Department of Labor and Employment, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Immigration and various special economic zones needed to come up with a comprehensive list of foreign workers in Pogos. We have to get a clear picture here. If we do not have that, how can the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] do its job which is to collect taxes from everybody so that we are being fair to all Filipinos who are paying their taxes? Dominguez said. BIR deputy commissioner Arnel Guballa said an initial 64 out of 205 service providers of Pogos showed that they employed a total of 33,000 foreign workers or an average of 515 per service provider. He said with 515 foreign workers employed in about 200 service providers, the government should be collecting income taxes from about 103,000 foreigners working here.Guballa said the BIR also came across a newspaper report in China stating that foreign workers in Pogos here were receiving an average of 10,000 yuan or about $1,500 or P78,000 a month. Dominguez said with an average income tax of 25 percent of their salaries, this would yield an estimated P18,750 a month which was left uncollected by the BIR from each foreign worker. This would mean P22.5 billion in foregone income tax revenues a year, he said. The rough computation does not include allowances and other fringe benefits which are also taxable, Dominguez said. He asked Pagcor to resolve this estimate and the claim by Pogo service providers that these foreign workers were paid an average of P35,800 or about 5,000 yuan a month, representing only about $700 a month. We have to go after these guys because they are not paying taxes. Simple, Dominguez said. We hope that everybody will be 100-percent cooperative here so that these guys can get their taxes collected, he said. He said a worker from China would not leave his country to work here if he would just getas Pagcor reported$700 a month or around P35,800 which was just a third above the minimum daily wage, given that they had special skills as Pogo employees. Dominguez also learned that foreign workers in Pogos might also be present in special economic zones such as those in Bataan, Clark, and Aurora which are allowed to operate online gaming operations in Makati City.
By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - France has banned flights in and out of the country by Iran's Mahan Air, accusing it of transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, diplomats said on Monday, after heavy U.S. pressure on Paris to act. The decision to revoke Mahan's license to operate in France was made after Germany banned the airline in January. Paris had considered revoking its license more than two years ago under the presidency of Francois Hollande, but had backed down because it feared it could harm relations just after a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers was signed in 2015. The United States imposed sanctions on Mahan Air in 2011, saying it provided financial and other support to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and Washington has been pressing its European allies to follow suit. "We knew of their activities from our own intelligence services and after the German move it was a question of credibility," said a French diplomatic source. The French ban on the airline, which had four flights a week to Paris from Tehran, takes effect from April 1. The airline's website is no longer taking reservations and calls to its offices in Paris were not answered. Tensions between Paris and Tehran have grown in recent months as President Emmanuel Macron and his government have become increasingly frustrated with Iran's ballistic missile tests, regional activities and a foiled attack on an Iranian exile group in France, which Paris says Iranian intelligence was behind. Both countries only reappointed ambassadors to each other's capitals last month after more than six months without envoys. There are no plans at this stage to ban another airline - Iran Air - said one diplomat. Mahan Air, established in 1992 as Iran's first private airline, has the country's largest fleet of aircraft and has flights to a number of European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Greece. European countries have been under sustained U.S. pressure to reimpose sanctions on Iran since President Donald Trump last year pulled Washington out of an international nuclear non-proliferation treaty reached with Tehran under his predecessor Barack Obama. Along with Iran, the other signatories to the deal - Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China - are still trying to keep it alive and set up in January a mechanism to allow trade with Tehran and circumvent U.S. sanctions. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta, William Maclean)
Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA FMS recently announced that the FDA has approved its computer-assisted ultrafiltration control software, which aims at improving fluid management during hemodialysis (HD). This further fortifies the company's foothold in the global renal medical devices and services space.

The ultrafiltration control software is designed to work with the companys newer HD machines and provide computer-assisted diagnosis. Notably, effective fluid management is critical for ensuring the best HD treatment.

However, following the announcement, shares of the company dipped 2% to $38.56 at close.

Fresenius Medicals Products at a Glance

Fresenius Medical provides a wide range of dialysis products to its own dialysis clinics and third-party clinics.

These include modular machine components, dialyzers, bloodline systems, HD solutions and water treatment systems. The companys HD CAREsystem, CAREset and production and testing dialysis machines currently have a robust demand in the market.

The company also offers a wide array of HD, Peritoneal dialysis (PD) and Acute Dialysis products. Under Acute Therapies, the multiFiltratePRO machine deserves a mention.

Market Prospects

Mordor Intelligence states that the global renal medical devices and services market is expected to see a CAGR of about 6% from 2018 to 2023. The rising incidence of chronic kidney diseases across the globe is currently fueling the market.

Hence, the latest approval has been a well-timed one for the kidney care giant.

Some other key players in the renal care space are DaVita DVA and Baxter International BAX. DaVita Kidney Care, an operating division of the company, has been successfully driving its top line. Baxter also has a core Renal segment, which primarily offers PD and HD therapies.

Price Performance

In the past year, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock have declined 22.7%, against the industrys 10% rise. The current level also compares unfavorably with the S&P 500 indexs 5.6% increase.

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A Key Pick

A better-ranked stock in the broader medical space is Veeva Systems VEEV.

Veeva Systems long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 14.8%. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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In this May 27, 2016 file photo, Family spokesman Peter Harf, who heads the Reimanns JAB Holding Company, is pictured in Berlin, Germany. One of Germanys richest families says it will give millions to charity as a gesture after learning their ancestors enthusiastically supported the Nazis and used forced laborers.

The German family that owns a company controlling Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread and Keurig Dr. Pepper will donate $11 million to charity after learning that its ancestors supported Adolf Hitler and used forced laborers under the Nazis.

Albert Reimann Sr. and son Albert Reimann Jr., donated to Hitler's SS and used Russian civilians and French prisoners of war as forced laborers, according to a report in German newspaper the Bild.

Reimann family spokesman Peter Harf, the chairman and managing partner of the family's JAB Holding Co., said the Bild's report was accurate and had been confirmed by additional research commissioned by the Reimann children and grandchildren.

It is all correct, he commented to the Bild. Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty."

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The older Reimanns  the father died in 1954, his son in 1984  did not talk about the family's history with the Nazis, Harf told the newspaper, and the family thought it learned all of the company's connections in a 1978 report.

"Our stand at the time was: there were companies where things were worse than they were here," Harf said, in comments translated into English and forwarded by the Reimann family's spokesperson to USA TODAY.

A post-war investigation initially banned the family's company from staying in business but was overturned by the U.S., the Bild reported. After reading family documents, the younger Reimanns in 2014 commissioned University of Munich economic historian Paul Erker to examine the family history, Harf said.

"At the beginning of 2014 we decided: We want to know more," Harf said. "(Erker) is to work through the Reimann story completely and independently."

While the newspaper did not come up with an overall number of forced laborers used during World War II, it found that in 1943 the company used 175, amounting to about 30 percent of the total workforce in its industrial chemicals company.

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We were all ashamed and turned as white as the wall, Harf said. There is nothing to gloss over. These crimes are disgusting.

JAB Holding has built a considerable food portfolio. In May 2018, it acquired ready-to-eat food chain Pret A Manger, just four months after merging Dr Pepper Snapple Group with Keurig Green Mountain in January 2018 to create Keurig Dr Pepper.

The Luxembourg-based investment firm company acquired Panera Bread in 2017 and owns controlling stakes in Krispy Kreme (acquired in 2016), Peet's Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee Company and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group.



The 10 million euros ($11.3 million) will be donated to a charity, still be to determined, and the historian's report will be be released to the public, Harf said.

The whole truth must be put on the table, he said.

Contributing: Associated Press

Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: German family, stakeholders in Krispy Kreme, Panera Bread, to donate $11M over Nazi past
Hamas asked its followers to send bitcoin donations. At least one person was listening. | Source: Shutterstock

Months after the initial plea for bitcoin donations, Hamas military wing Al-Qassam Brigades has once again sent an appeal to supporters urging them to provide financial aid via the cryptocurrency, per Arutz Sheva.

According to the Al-Qassam Brigades, this is part of the groups already existing Support the Resistance campaign. The fundamentalist organization has been dubbed a terrorist organization by the European Union, Israel and the United States.

The appeal for bitcoin donations comes at a time when Hamas is facing financial woes. Partly this is because the traditional channels through which it has received funding in the past have been blocked. In its previous plea broadcast via Telegram for financial donations, Hamas blamed Israel for this:

Israel is fighting the resistance by trying to cut off its support, but supporters of the resistance all over the world are fighting the Zionist attempts and are working to find alternative methods to support it. We call upon all supporters of the resistance and of our just cause to support it through Bitcoin, through means that we will announce soon.

Sources of Funds Drying up for Hamas?

The appeal is coming at a time when Hamas is bracing for even more cuts to its funding. Recently one of its biggest benefactors, Qatar, announced a new tougher approach. According to The Jerusalem Post, the wealthy Gulf State will, starting April, cut all funding to the fundamentalist organization. Instead, Qatar will direct those funds to humanitarian projects.

#Qatars break with #Hamas shakes up Mideast politics

Hamas, lest we forget, is classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization #FTO by the US Department of State, and its terrorist status was recently reiterated by the EU. https://t.co/7tJxQkwwI9  Wendy R. Acho (@Acho_Wendy) March 23, 2019

Between 2012 and 2018 it is estimated that Hamas received approximately $1.1 billion from Qatar.

Read the full story on CCN.com.
Democratic presidential contender Kamala Harris told supporters Sunday that Attorney General William Barr must be made to testify to Congress about the conclusions in Special Counsel Robert Muellers report.

Lets speak truth on some of the current topics of the day, the California senator said at a campaign rally at Atlanta, Ga.-based Morehouse College. Lets speak truth that the American public deserves transparency and accountability, and the Mueller report must be made public for a full accounting of what happened, and the attorney general of the United States must be required to come and testify before Congress instead of just submitting a four-page memo of what happened.

Mueller on Friday submitted to the Justice Department a final report on the conclusions of his investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election, in which he said he had found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to a short summary released Sunday by Barr.

Even before Harriss call for Barr to testify, House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler had signaled that the Committee plans to request testimony from Barr.

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future.  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Several other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have called for the full Mueller report to be released to the public, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bernie Sanders, and Amy Klobuchar, former Texas representative Beto ORourke, and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.

More from National Review
By Orfa Mejia

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Sunday called Jerusalem Israel's capital, saying the Central American country would open a trade office there, but he stopped short of announcing plans to move his embassy from Tel Aviv.

Hernandez has in recent months signaled that his government is mulling moving the Honduran embassy to Jerusalem, and made his comments on the holy city during his appearance at a conference on U.S.-Israeli relations in Washington.

"Today I have announced the first step, which is to open a trade office in Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel, and this will be an extension of our embassy in Tel Aviv," Hernandez said in a statement issued by his government.

"I've said that a second step will draw a lot of attacks from the enemies of Israel and the United States, but we will continue along this path," Hernandez added.

Hernandez' comments follow the formal recognition by U.S. President Donald Trump of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Last May, Trump moved the U.S. embassy to the disputed city.

Trump's move was criticized by many foreign governments and caused anger among Palestinians, who with broad international backing seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they want to establish in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

East Jerusalem is still considered occupied under international law, and the city's status is supposed to be decided as part of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

Hernandez, an ally of the United States, said the trade and cooperation office would open immediately in Jerusalem.

His foreign ministry said in a statement that Israel would in a reciprocal gesture open an office for cooperation in Tegucigalpa, giving it diplomatic status.

In 2017, Guatemala and neighboring Honduras were two of only a handful of countries to join Israel and the United States in voting against a U.N. resolution calling on Washington to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

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Guatemala moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in May after the United States, fueling expectations that Hernandez might follow suit.

Honduras and Guatemala are two of the most violent and impoverished countries in the Americas. Both depend economically to a significant degree on U.S. aid and investment, and the leaders of the two have generated significant controversy.

Hernandez' legitimacy was called into question during his 2017 re-election bid after the official vote count ground to a halt when he appeared to be headed for defeat.

After the count restarted, the trend turned against his opponent and the electoral authority declared him victor, a decision later backed by the United States.

Meanwhile his Guatemalan counterpart, Jimmy Morales, has clashed with the United Nations for closing down a U.N. anti-corruption body that sought to have him impeached.

(Reporting by Orfa Mejia; Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Sai Sachin Ravikumar

MUMBAI, March 25 (Reuters) - Indian tax authorities are hoping for a windfall with the auction on Tuesday of rare oil paintings that were once part of fugitive billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi's collection and have been seized by the government.

Auctioneers say the sale is the first of its kind in a country where tax authorities have usually auctioned property, gold and luxury items, but not art.

After a court order allowing the auction to take place, tax authorities, who are pursuing Modi over the country's largest bank fraud, appointed professional auction house Saffronart.

The sale in Mumbai of some 68 works is expected to fetch anywhere between 300 million and 500 million rupees ($4.4 million-$7.3 million).

"Until a few years ago, the tax authorities really didn't know the value of art," said Farah Siddiqui, an art adviser who is advising clients eyeing Modi's collection.

The 48-year-old Modi, whose diamonds have sparkled on Hollywood stars, is one of the prime accused in a $2 billion loan fraud at state-run Punjab National Bank. Modi denies the charges and believes they are politically motivated.

The auction comes just weeks before a national election and as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces pressure to bring back Nirav Modi (no relation), who fled the country last year and has been residing in the United Kingdom.

He was arrested last week by British authorities and remanded in custody after he appeared before a London court. India asked Britain last August to extradite Modi.

The auction includes works by Raja Ravi Varma, a 19th century painter considered among India's finest, and V.S. Gaitonde, a modern artist known for his abstract and often monochromatic paintings.

"We believe that the collection's intrinsic value will garner a positive response from collectors," said Saffronart Chief Executive Dinesh Vazirani.

India Law Alliance, a law firm representing the company controlled by Modi that owns the artwork, said it was challenging the court order that allowed the auction. The case will be heard by the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, a lawyer at the firm told Reuters.

Vijay Aggarwal, a lawyer for Modi, declined to comment. ($1 = 68.8990 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Sai Sachin Ravikumar Editing by Frances Kerry)
DUBAI, March 24 (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday it would expand its ties with Lebanon in spite of the "provocative and interventionist" call by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for Beirut to choose sides, Iranian state television reported.

On a regional tour to drum up support for Washington's harder line against Tehran, Pompeo said on Friday that Lebanon faced a choice - "Bravely move forward as an independent and proud nation, or allow the dark ambitions of Iran and Hezbollah to dictate your future."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed Pompeo's remarks.

"Because of the failure of its policies in the Middle East, America has turned to the outdated and disgraced weapon of threats and intimidation to impose its imperious policies on other countries," Qasemi said, state television reported.

"While respecting the independence of Lebanon and the free will of its government and nation, Iran will use all its capacities to strengthen unity inside Lebanon and also to expand its ties with Lebanon."

Hezbollah, whose influence has expanded at home and in the region, controls three of 30 ministries in the government led by Western-backed Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the largest number in its history.

The dominant Shi'ite Muslim power Iran and Hezbollah, founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, are major players in the war in Syria and the fight against militant groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, which include Islamic State.

Qasemi said that Lebanon's Hezbollah was a legal and popular party.

"How can Pompeo make such impudent and irrational remarks (about Hezbollah) while visiting Lebanon," he said.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington has increased since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers last May, and then reimposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The restoration of sanctions is part of a wider effort by Trump to force Iran to further curb its nuclear program and to end its ballistic missile work as well as its support for proxy forces in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi)
Megawide Construction Corp. and the MUL Consortium said Monday they started the construction of Maynilad Water Services Inc.s water reclamation facility in Las Pinas City. Megawide said in a statement the water reclamation facility was the companys first water project. It is also Maynilads largest wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 88 million liters per day. This is our first engineering project in wastewater treatment and were proud to be the partner to Maynilad in this undertaking. Together with MUL, we are looking forward to delivering a first-world facility that meets the standards of Maynilad and benefits the greater community, said Megawide deputy head for construction Eric Tan. Under the plan, Megawide and MUL will deliver the design and build the component of the Las Pinas water reclamation facility. MUL is comprised of Toshiba Water Solutions, an international environmental services company that specializes in wastewater collection, treatment and disposal; and Filipino company LinkEnergie, one of the leading electromechanical contractors in the Philippines. LinkEnergie chief executive Francisco Matias said the new WRF would support the Supreme Court-mandated cleanup efforts for Manila Bay. Once the Las Pinas water reclamation facility is operational, it will process raw sewage to conform to DENR standards of cleanliness. It will discharge only clean water into the river system that drains directly to Manila Bay, Matias said.The facility will serve around 660,000 customers once completed in 2021. Megawide is one of the leading infrastructure and engineering companies in the Philippines. It has built several big-ticket infrastructure projects in the country including the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. Megawide bagged P16.8 billion worth of new construction contracts in the first nine months of 2018, up 55 percent from the new contracts secured in the entire 2017. The company said this brought total outstanding order book to P39.7 billion, or 22 percent higher than the previous year across residential, office, commercial and infrastructure projects. The share price of Megawide fell 3.04 percent Monday to close at P20.70.
Washington (AFP) - Benny Gantz, who is posing a stiff challenge to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in upcoming elections, said Monday he would not hesitate to use force on Iran to contain the regional rival.

In a speech to the US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, Gantz also spelled out further his views on peace prospects with the Palestinians, insisting that Israel's military will always control security in the West Bank.

The centrist former military chief showed no daylight with Netanyahu on peace and security matters -- but won standing ovations from the American Jewish audience by raising domestic issues, including promising more inclusiveness at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest site.

Citing his mother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and his son's service in the military, Gantz said that "strength and moral power come together."

"That is why I say from this stage to the Iranian regime -- never again. We will not allow you to establish yourself in Syria, we will not allow you to develop nuclear weapons," he said.

"On my watch, you will not become a regional power and I will not hesitate to use force if and when needed," he said.

Gantz said that Jerusalem -- also claimed by the Palestinians -- would always remain Israel's "united and eternal capital" and said, without ruling out a Palestinian state in the West Bank, that the Jordan Valley will "always" be Israel's eastern security border.

"Responsibility for the security of the land of Israel will remain in the hands of the IDF and the IDF alone," he said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

He said, however, that he was open to negotiations with the Arab world, amid Netanyahu's efforts to make peace with Gulf Arabs that oppose Iran.

"To those who would like to turn a new page, we will extend our hand in peace and we will strive for peace with any honest Arab leader," he said.
Fire and smoke are seen during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City - REUTERS

Israel launched strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Monday hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house near Tel Aviv and wounded seven people, leading to fears of a severe escalation.

The retaliatory strikes began around the same time as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, held a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in Washington.

Mr Netanyahu addressed the attack during the White House press conference, saying: "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this. And as we speak ... Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

The on-camera appearance ended with Mr Trump signing a decree formally recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a territory which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

The move, which formalises a commitment Mr Trump made last week, appeared to give Mr Netanyahu a boost ahead of the closely contested April 9 Israeli elections.

The two leaders show off a proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights Credit: Reuters

Condemning the attack from Gaza, Mr Trump said Israel has the "absolute right" to defend itself.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel - very violent attacks," Mr Trump said.

"This should have been done numerous presidents ago".

Speaking from the White House, the Israeli leader told Mr Trump "Israel has never had a better friend than you".

Mr Netanyahu said he would cut short his US visit and return home after his meeting with Mr Trump to deal with the aftermath of the Tel Aviv attack.

The flare-up comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

The attack on Gaza has so far involved at least six strikes, including five in and around Gaza City and one in southern Gaza between Rafah and Khan Yunis, according to an Israeli security source.

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There are no reports so far of any casualties in Gaza.

A police officer inspects the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel Credit: AP

Earlier on Monday, a rocket from Gaza hit a house in Mishmeret, around 12 miles north of Tel Aviv, in a rare long-distance strike.

Seven Israelis were injured lightly by burns and shrapnel in the attack, including a six-month-old child. Six of them were members of the same British-Israeli family.

Rocket fire from Gaza at that distance is rare, the rocket would have had to travel some 75 miles.

Israel's army said the rocket was fired by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, from the Rafah area.

A Hamas official has denied the group was behind the rocket, evoking the possibility it was caused by "bad weather".

But Israel warned of a firm response and announced it was sending two additional brigades to reinforce the Gaza area and carrying out a limited call up of reservists.

Israel's military said in a statement it "has begun striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip."
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border on Monday in response to the longest-range Hamas rocket attack to cause casualties in years. After a day of intense cross-border fighting, Palestinian officials said Egypt had mediated a ceasefire, though the frontier did not remain calm for long. Rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel after the late-night truce was supposed to take effect, sending residents running for shelter. In Gaza, Palestinians reported Israeli planes attacked at least two targets. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, and smaller Palestinian factions put out a statement that Egypt had mediated a ceasefire even as the rockets were fired. Israeli officials did not comment on whether a truce had been reached. Monday's violence began when seven Israelis were wounded near Tel Aviv by a morning rocket attack. The Gaza health ministry said five Palestinians were later wounded by a wave of retaliatory strikes. Dozens of explosions rocked the coastal enclave and ambulance sirens echoed in the mostly empty streets. In one Gaza neighborhood, people rushed to buy bread in anticipation of a long escalation. The office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was one of the initial targets hit, although he was likely to have been evacuated in advance. Gaza militants fired barrages of rockets into Israel late into the night. Some were shot down by Israeli defenses and others landed in empty areas. The escalation came just two weeks before an election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life after a decade in power, campaigning on a tough line against Palestinian militants. Beset by corruption scandals, he faces a strong challenge from a centrist coalition led by a top general. Netanyahu cut short a visit to the United States, saying he would fly home right after meeting President Donald Trump. "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this," Netanyahu said. "And as we speak... Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression." Trump told reporters with Netanyahu at his side that Israel has the "absolute right" to defend itself. In the last Gaza war in 2014, more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to the Gaza health ministry, were killed in seven weeks of fighting. Sixty-six Israeli soldiers and seven civilians in Israel were killed. HAMAS ATTACK The Israeli military said Hamas launched the rocket that destroyed a house in Mishmeret, a village north of Tel Aviv. There was no claim of responsibility for the early morning attack. The military said Hamas fired the rocket from about 120 km (75 miles) away, making it the longest-range attack from Gaza causing casualties since the last war in Gaza in 2014. Israel has waged three wars on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. Israeli air strikes in retaliation for rockets from Gaza are a frequent occurrence, but Israel's swift mobilization of extra troops to the border area was unusual. The two sides have managed to avert all-out war for five years, most recently with the help of Egyptian mediation after a major escalation in November last year. Some of the other initial targets struck in Gaza, likely to have been evacuated, were the internal security office of Hamas, a naval base, a training camp and an insurance office in Gaza city, Palestinian security officials said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged restraint from both sides and said that, together with Egypt, the United Nations was trying to help defuse the situation. WIDE RANGE OF SCENARIOS Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated seven people after the morning missile strike, including an infant, a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 60-year-old woman suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds. The Israeli military said it was assigning two brigades to the Gaza area and some reservists were being called up. Reuters journalists saw troops moving toward the border, where the military also closed several roads to civilian traffic. "We are prepared for a wide range of scenarios," chief spokesman Ronen Manelis said. Israeli towns near Gaza and Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, opened bomb shelters in anticipation of rocket strikes. The rocket attack coincided with tension ahead of the March 30 anniversary of the start of weekly Gaza protests at the frontier in which some 200 Gazans have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli fire. One Israeli soldier has been killed. Israel says it has no choice but to use deadly force at the protests to prevent militants from breaching the border fence. Gaza is home to 2 million Palestinians, most of them descendants of people who fled or were driven from homes in Israel when it was founded in 1948. The protesters demand the right to return to land from which their ancestors fled. Israel seized Gaza in a 1967 and pulled out its troops in 2005. Since Hamas took over two years later, Israel has maintained a security blockade, along with Egypt, that has reduced Gaza's economy to what the World Bank calls a collapse. Netanyahu's visit to Washington, after Trump said it was time to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, was seen at home as a bid to boost the right-wing Likud leader's chances of a fifth term. At their White House meeting, Trump signed a declaration codifying U.S. recognition of Israel's hold on the strategic plateau, a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. Syria called the move "a blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Netanyahu's election prospects have been clouded by graft allegations against him. He has denied any wrongdoing. (Additional reporting by Stephen Farrell, Maayan Lubell and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Dan Grebler)




Israeli forces and Hamas exchanged rocket fire on Monday night amid fears of a new conflict in Gaza.

Israeli forces carried out strikes against what they called Hamas terror targets across the Gaza Strip, after an earlier rocket attack that destroyed a family home and wounded seven people in a neighbourhood north of Tel Aviv. The army also said it was reinforcing troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves.

Related: Rocket fired from Gaza hits house in Israel, wounding seven

The targets of the Israeli raids on Gaza included the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and a five-storey building in central Gaza City it said was a Hamas interior security office.

Militants in Gaza then fired at least 10 rockets towards the southern Israeli town of Sderot, but no Israeli casualties were reported as a result of that attack.

At 10pm on Monday, Hamas announced that a cease-fire had been brokered by Egyptian mediators. But shortly after, renewed rocket fire could be heard in Gaza, setting off air-raid sirens in southern Israel. Hamass leadership went into hiding after the first rocket attack, anticipating the Israeli response. The Gaza health ministry said five people were wounded by the airstrikes.

The fighting broke out while the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was in Washington to meeting Donald Trump. After receiving emphatic backing from Trump at the White House, Netanyahu announced he was cutting short his US trip to take command of operations.

Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it, Netanyahu said during his White House appearance. As we speak, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

Trump described the Hamas rocket attack as horrific and added: The US recognises Israels absolute right to defend itself.

The clashes come at the height of a tight election before the Israeli vote on 9 April. Hamas is also under intense political pressure, with Gazas economy squeezed by an Israeli and Egyptian embargo, and sanctions imposed by the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank.

Story continues

Hamas and Israel have fought three conflicts in the past decade, and battled in dozens of minor flare-ups since the last one in 2014. With little to show for any previous violence, neither side has expressed interest in full-fledged war.

However, the Monday morning missile strike obliterated the home of a British-Israeli family and comes during a period of heightened tension in Israel and the Palestinian territories. With a general election two weeks away, Netanyahu is under pressure from political opponents to hit back hard against militants, even as he has been counselled by military advisers of the futility of a fresh conflict.

With opinion polls showing Netanyahu running neck and neck with his main opponent, Benny Gantz, the Israeli leader has sought to dismiss him as a leftist who is weak on security issues.

Separately, this weekend marks the anniversary of a year-long protest movement along Israels frontier that its troops have responded to with lethal force, killing more than 180 people and shooting 6,000 others. Hamas, which backs the rallies, is expected to call for thousands to attend, while Israel has said it will continue its live fire policy against what it calls violent riots.

Those protests were intended, in part, to pressure Israel and Egypt to lighten a punishing decade-long blockade on the 140 sq mile territory that has led to a humanitarian crisis and virtually imprisoned much of the population. But neither Israel nor Egypt have significantly changed their policy.

Meanwhile, Hamas faces its own internal dissent against recent tax hikes and dire living conditions, and has forcefully suppressed local demonstrations during the past week.

An Israeli military spokesperson said Mondays rocket had a range of 75 miles, making it one of the farthest strikes ever carried out by militants in Gaza.

I have a simple message for Israels enemies, Netanyahu said. We will do whatever we must to to defend our people, and defend our state. After this meeting I will return home ahead of schedule, to lead the people of Israel, and the soldiers of Israel.

As a result of Netanyahus early return home, a dinner with Trump was cancelled as well as Netanyahus scheduled address to Aipac, the pro-Israel US lobby group.

In an apparent attempt to de-escalate the situation, a Hamas official, speaking to the Agence France-Presse news agency on condition of anonymity, denied the group was behind the rocket launch, and even suggested the projectile was automatically fired by mistake following bad weather.

The prime ministers visit to Washington had been seen as an attempt to highlight his close and fruitful relationship with Trump before the election. Trump on Monday signed a proclamation formally recognising Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a plateau Israel captured from Syria in 1967.

Netanyahu said it was a truly a historic day, that translates our military victory into a diplomatic victory. He said that the Golan was invaluable to our defences and claimed that Israel had taken the territory in a just war of self-defence. He added: The Jewish people have roots in the Golan that go back thousands of years.

Trump said: This was a long time in the making. It should have taken place many decades ago.

The Syrian foreign ministry called the US proclamation a blatant aggression on its own sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry said the US move represents the highest level of contempt for international legitimacy.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he is to cut short his trip to the United States after a rocket attack near Tel Aviv.

"In light of the security events I decided to cut short my visit to the U.S.," Netanyahu said, calling the attack a heinous crime that would draw a strong Israeli response.

He said he would meet with President Donald Trump in the coming hours and then fly back immediately.

(Reporting by Stephen Farrell)
Rome (AFP) - Former communist militant Cesare Battisti, jailed for life in Italy over four murders carried out in the 1970s, has confessed to the killings after decades of denying involvement, media reported Monday.

Battisti, 64, has admitted all the charges brought against him "in four murder cases", Milan's prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media.

Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later, and had spent nearly four decades on the run.

An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January.

Battisti was sentenced to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard, for taking part in the murder of a butcher and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair.

He is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough "41-bis" prison regime usually applied to Mafia members.

Battisti confessed to the killings during questioning in prison over the weekend, Nobili said.

Following his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels. In 2004, he skipped bail in France, where he had taken refuge. He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree -- later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court -- in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome.

But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers.

Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee.
Jeremy Richman, a 49-year-old father of a victim killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, has died from an apparent suicide.

His daughter, Avielle Richman, was one of the 20 first-grade students and six educators killed in the 2012 massacre.

Police confirmed the father had died on Monday morning, declining to provide any other details except that his death did not appear suspicious.

This is a heart breaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police departments prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time, Newton Police Lieutenant Aaron Bahamonde said in a statement.

The father was found by an electrician at Edmond Town Hall early Monday morning, according to police. The chief medical examiner will determine the official cause of his death.

The Richman family created the Avielle Foundation after the mass shooting to promote brain science research that probes murderous and other violent actions committed by individuals like the man who stormed their daughters elementary school six years ago.

The Avielle Foundation has an office located inside the Edmond Town Hall.

Mr Richman became a prominent supporter of mental health care reform following the shooting, telling lawmakers in a January 2013 hearing, We must act to ensure this doesnt happen again.

He reportedly left his job at the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company, where he worked as a researcher, in order to spend more time working at the foundation.

Two survivors of another school shooting in Parkland, Florida also died from apparent suicides within the past week.

My heart breaks for this family, which has already endured so much, Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. This is a gut punch. I came to know his family after Sandy Hook, I attended the funeral. My prayers go out to them.

He added, The cascading harm done by that savage, unspeakable act reminds us of the trauma thats caused  and the after-effects.

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
By Aditi Shah and Tanvi Mehta

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) - Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal will step down from the board of the Indian carrier he founded 25 years ago and its lenders will seize control, the company said, as part of a deal led by state-run banks to save the airline from bankruptcy.

Saddled with debt of more than $1 billion, Jet has been on the brink of collapse, and had to ground more than two-thirds of its fleet as it struggled pay lenders, suppliers, pilots and leasing companies.

Banks have moved in to take a majority stake in the airline after Jet failed to convince potential investors, including its largest shareholder Etihad Airways, to save the airline.

Goyal's departure, however, could reignite investor interest in India's oldest private airline. Tata Sons in November had been in talks to invest in Jet on the condition that Goyal would step down or take a less prominent role, sources have said.

Saving Jet is crucial for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he looks to avoid thousands of job losses ahead of a general election. His government urged state-run banks to rescue the airline without pushing it into bankruptcy, sources have told Reuters.

Under the rescue plan, Jet's lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will take a controlling stake of just over 50 percent, the airline said in a stock exchange announcement.

The banks will issue a loan of 15 billion rupees ($218 million) to meet Jet's obligations and will form an interim management committee to oversee operations, it added.

Jet will use the money to partly clear dues owed to lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner, the airline said in a separate statement. It will re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft and renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended.

Goyal's 51 percent stake has been halved to make room for the banks, according to reports by Indian TV.

"No sacrifice is too big for me to safeguard the interest of Jet Airways and the families of the 22,000 employees," Goyal said in the statement.

Story continues

As part of the bailout plan, lenders will start a bidding process to sell their stake in the airline to a new investor. In the meantime they will nominate two directors to Jet's board.

Bids to buy a stake in Jet will open on April 9 and close on April 30 with the expectation that a new investor will be in place by May 31, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar told CNBC-TV18, adding that even Goyal would be eligible to bid for it.

LONG HAUL

Even as news of Goyal's departure led to a rally in Jet's shares, which ended the day 12.4 percent higher, analysts say there is still a long road ahead.

The next steps, which include the amount of equity capital being infused and the selection of the new board, are more critical, said CAPA India CEO Kapil Kaul.

"It is critical to have a world class board led by a chairman with proven credentials," Kaul said, adding that the short timeline for the lenders' plan to sell their controlling stake was also ambitious unless they have an investor in mind.

Also, the banks have converted only 1 rupee ($0.0145) of their debt into equity. That means the airline still needs to service all of its existing loans. It also needs to pay months' worth of salaries to pilots and other senior employees.

'SAD DAY' FOR INDIAN AVIATION

Goyal's exit as chairman brings an end to an era during which he built Jet into one of India's leading airlines with more than 120 planes, enviable landing slots and flights to places such as Hong Kong, Dubai, Paris and London.

Goyal's wife, Anita, with whom he set up the full-service carrier at a time when state-run Air India was the only formidable opponent, will also step down from the board.

Jet has survived collapse once before when it got close to running out of cash in 2013. On that occasion, Abu Dhabi's Etihad bought a 24 percent stake to keep the airline running.

But competition from low-cost carriers, such as IndiGo and SpiceJet Ltd, together with high oil prices, hefty fuel taxes and a weak rupee piled on the pressure in recent months.

"Today is indeed a sad day for Indian aviation," said Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director at rival SpiceJet, adding that Goyal made India proud by launching a "world class" airline.

Singh said this was also a wake-up call for Indian policy makers. "We urgently need to address structural challenges that make India's airlines uncompetitive to airlines around the world," he said.

($1 = 68.9120 Indian rupees)

(Additional reporting by Aftab Ahmed in New Delhi, Stanley Carvalho in Abu Dhabi; Editing by Martin Howell, Louise Heavens and Mark Potter)
Johnny Depp arrives at the red carpet during the closing ceremony of 1st Hainan International Film Festival on December 16, 2018 in Sanya, Hainan Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Johnny Depp will have to wait a little longer to resolve a high-stakes $30m (23m) legal battle with his former lawyers after a judge ordered that the trial should be delayed.

The 55-year old star of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was due to face law firm Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman in court on 6 May.

Court documents obtained by The Blast, however, reveal that a Los Angeles judge has ruled the trial must be delayed until 16 September.

Read more: Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean reboot loses writers

The judge said the parties involved had to unwind the tangled affairs of Depp and revealed there are outstanding depositions and missing documents preventing the case from moving forward as quickly as it should be.

He further stated that a great deal of finger-pointing concerning whose fault it is from both sides has exacerbated the delay.

Johnny Depp has appeared in five Pirates of the Caribbean movies as Jack Sparrow, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. (Credit: Disney)

Depp accuses his ex-lawyers of conspiring with his former business managers to con the triple Oscar nominee out of millions of dollars.

The firm has filed its own lawsuit in response, claiming that the actor has not paid them for work they have carried out and that he caused his own financial difficulties through misconduct.

Depp denies that he owes the firm any money.

Read more: Amber Heard received death threats over abuse allegations

He is also involved in legal proceedings involving his ex-wife Amber Heard, against whom he has filed a $50m (38m) suit for defamation.

The suit follows an op-ed Heard wrote for The Washington Post, in which she detailed her experience of speaking out against abuse.

Read more: Ezra Miller on Depps controversial Fantastic Beasts casting

Depp was last seen on the big screen as the magical villain Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter prequel movie Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald  a role he is set to reprise in the upcoming sequels.




A party-list congressman on Monday called for a boycott of legislators who supported the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law and other similar legislation during the May elections. Senators and congressmen who voted for that anti-people law have no place in the legislature and should not be voted, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said. Casilao, a member of the Makabayan Bloc, said that aside from the Train Law or Republic Act 10963, the RA 11203 Rice Liberalization Law, RA 8041 Water Crisis Act or privatization of Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, the RA 8479 Oil Deregulation Law and other laws and policies are detrimental to the welfare and interests of poor sectors. Let us choose opposition bets to show that we are protesting against its measures, and that we demand real change, not  promises, Casilao said. Let us fight for an independent Senate, he added.Casilao added that a Senate that pays homage or  to the executive branch is a breach of separation of powers and sabotages democratic governance. The candidates we are endorsing are those who committed to repeal the TRAIN Law, so that price hikes of basic goods and services could be arrested, for the benefit of poor sectors, he said. Instead, Casilao said the public should vote for candidates who push for wage hike of workers, champion Philippine interests over the West Philippine Sea, oppose charter change, protect due process or rule of law, women's rights, and human rights, and push for peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front.
Amman (AFP) - Jordan's King Abdullah II cancelled a visit Monday to Romania after its prime minister vowed to move her country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, his office said.

The king "decided to cancel his visit to Romania which was due to begin on Monday in solidarity with Jerusalem" following the announcement by Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, a royal court statement said.

Dancila's promise, made on Sunday at the annual conference of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC in Washington, broke with the position of both the European Union and her own president.

"I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government that I run, will move our embassy to Jerusalem," said Dancila, whose country holds the EU's rotating chairmanship.

Romania's centrist President Klaus Iohannis, who has opposed the embassy transfer as a breach of international law, criticized Dancila.

"Because of the amateurism of the prime minister our relation with this region is damaged", Iohannis said Monday during a meeting with mayors from across Romania.

"Romania built a relation based on trust with the Arab world... Now the prime minister has managed to cripple it. And for what? For nothing", Iohannis said, adding that King Abdullah took Dancila's decision as a "personal affront".

The move would align Romania with the United States which moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year, sparking international criticism and Palestinian and Arab anger.

International consensus holds that the status of Jerusalem -- one of the thorniest issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- must first be decided through negotiations between the two sides.

A spokeswoman for the European Comission also reacted on Monday by saying "the position of the European Union has not changed". The EU supports the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, both with Jerusalem as their capital.

Story continues

King Abdullah, whose country is the custodian of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, has repeatedly said that the question of Jerusalem is key to achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

The only way to do that, he has said, is by creating a Palestinian state in the disputed holy city alongside Israel.

Last week he called Jerusalem a "red line" for Jordan, while the kingdom's parliament recommended that the government expel Israel's ambassador in response to "Israeli aggression" at holy sites in the city.

Jordan is the only Arab country apart from Egypt to have a peace deal with Israel. But the treaty is overwhelmingly opposed by Jordanians, more than half of whom are of Palestinian origin.

Israel sees the entire city of Jerusalem as its capital while the Palestinians consider the eastern sector annexed by Israel as the capital of their future state.
By Khalid Abdelaziz

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Dozens of journalists marched in Khartoum on Monday to demand an end to a crackdown on press freedom amidst the most sustained challenge to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir since he took power in a 1989 coup.

Protesters have been taking to the streets frequently across Sudan since Dec. 19. The protests were initially triggered by price rises and cash shortages but evolved into demonstrations against Bashir and his National Congress Party.

Monday's protesters carried a large banner that read "Free press or no press" as they walked down a main street in the Sudanese capital. They chanted "journalism is the voice of the people" and "the revolution is the choice of the people".

Since the wave of demonstrations began, 90 journalists have been detained, according to the Sudanese Journalists' Network, an anti-government group of journalists that organised Monday's protest. Most have since been released, the group said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says the number of arrests is unprecedented, but that it is impossible to give an exact figure because journalists have been arrested then freed, with this happening to some more than once.

The CPJ has also said that Sudanese authorities have tried to censor news coverage of the protests and that they have blocked access to popular social media platforms.

Othman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper al-Tayar, and one of Sudan's most prominent journalists, was arrested at his Khartoum office on Feb. 22, the same day Bashir declared a state of emergency, his family said.

He was detained shortly after a televised interview in which he criticized Bashir's declaration of a state of emergency, according to relatives. They said Mirghani remains in custody, but has still not been charged.

The Sudanese information ministry told Reuters that the state of press freedom in Sudan is good.

Story continues

"Opposition party newspapers are issued in Khartoum and the freedom to demonstrate is guaranteed by the constitution," said Information Minister Hassan Ismail. "There is no political crisis in Sudan, but there is an economic crisis."

He added that his ministry has requested information about the reasons behind Mirghani's arrest and that he will be meeting the director of the National Security and Intelligence Service on Tuesday to discuss Mirghani and other issues.

Bashir last month also dissolved the central government, replaced state governors with security officials, expanded police powers and banned unlicensed public gatherings. That has not deterred protesters from staging regular rallies.

(Additional reporting and writing by Lena Masri in Cairo; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 25, 2019  Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This weeks list includes JPMorgan JPM, Wells Fargo WFC, Nike NKE, Micron MU and FedEx FDX.

Soft Start to Q1 Earnings Season

We are still a few weeks away from the Q1 earnings season fully dominating the markets attention. The period when earnings releases are in the spotlight lasts for about six weeks each calendar quarter, with the Q1 reporting cycle getting underway with the results from JPMorgan and Wells Fargo on April 12th.

But the bank earnings reports will not be the first of the Q1 earnings season, as the reporting cycle has actually gotten underway already. This includes the March 21st release from Nike that reported results for its fiscal quarter ending in February, we now have results from 11 such S&P 500 members. Micron and FedEx are some of the other index members that have come out with their fiscal quarters ending in

February, which we count as part of our March-quarter tally.

The fact is that by the time the big banks come around to report March-quarter results on April 12th, we will have seen Q1 results from almost two dozen S&P 500 members already.

The 11 S&P 500 members that have reported Q1 results are too small a number from which to draw any meaningful conclusions. That said, Q1 growth for these 11 index members is tracking notably below what we had seen in the recent past and positive revenue surprises also appear to be on the weak side, as the comparison charts below show.

In terms of Q1 scorecard, total earnings for these 11 S&P 500 members that have reported results are down -15.1% from the same period last year on +4.1% higher revenues, with 81.8% beating EPS estimates and 54.5% beating revenue estimates.

It is premature to draw any firm conclusions from this admittedly small sample of Q1 results. But it is nevertheless a weak showing from these 11 index members relative to other recent periods. In other words, we have made a soft start to this earnings season.

Story continues

Expectations for 2019 Q1

The expectation is that earnings will actually decline in Q1, after many quarters of very strong growth. Growth got a huge boost last year from the tax-cut legislation, but it was fairly impressive in 2017 when there was no such support. If actual 2019 Q1 earnings growth turns out to be negative, it will be the first earnings decline since the second quarter of 2016.

Total earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to be down -3.3% from the same period last year on +5% higher revenues. This would follow +14.4% earnings growth in 2018 Q4 and a quarterly growth pace that was roughly double the Q4 pace in the first three quarters of the year.

The overall tone and substance of management guidance during the last earnings season was on the negative side. This reflected a combination of slowing economic growth, particularly beyond the U.S., and rising input expenses. As a result, analysts steadily lowered their estimates for 2019 Q1 as well as full-year 2019

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WASHINGTON  The Justice Department offered no indication on Monday of how soon it would reveal details from Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference to members of Congress, who intensified their demands for access to the special counsel's full report.

The leaders of six House committees said in a letter to Attorney General William Barr that they wanted to see Mueller's full report by April 2. They also asked him to turn over the evidence Mueller's investigators had gathered, saying the materials were "urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution."

Barr issued a four-page summary of that report on Sunday, declaring that Mueller's 22-month inquiry had not found that President Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russian efforts to sway the 2016 election. On the separate issue of whether Trump had sought to thwart the investigation, Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined that the president's conduct did not constitute a crime because Mueller's team did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice.

Trump and his allies swiftly declared victory in the inquiry that had cast a shadow over nearly all of his presidency to date. Congressional Democrats, however, said Barr's summary had only heightened their interest in obtaining a fuller account of how Mueller reached his conclusions.

"If President Donald Trump says it 'wouldn't bother me' to release the full Mueller report, then Attorney General Barr and the administration should release the full report and underlying documents without any further delay," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said on Twitter. "The American people deserve the full truth. Now."

No conspiracy: Mueller report: Investigation found no evidence Trump conspired with Russia, leaves obstruction question open

William Barr: Congressional Democrats question AG's decision that Trump didn't obstruct justice

Story continues

Schumer also pushed the Senate to vote on a measure calling for Mueller's report to be made public, a proposal that passed the House 420-0 this month. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blocked the request, saying Barr and Mueller should be given time to review the report, and the attorney general has already said he plans to release it.

A small team of Justice Department staffers is reviewing the report to determine which parts are based on grand jury testimony or would reveal information about other pending cases, subjects Barr has said the department is constrained to keep secret, according to an official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The department offered no clues on Monday about how long that review would last, or even about the size of the report Mueller had delivered.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Monday sent a letter to Barr calling for the report's release. "A four-page summary ... with no underlying evidence or findings, is not adequate to accomplish our constitutional, legislative, and oversight responsibilities," Feinstein said.

Democrats said they were particularly interested in Mueller's decision not to decide whether the president had committed obstruction, and how Barr could have reached his own conclusion so rapidly.

A Justice Department official said that Mueller's team informed Barr and Rosenstein during a meeting three weeks ago that they could not reach a conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. It was Bob Muellers decision not to reach a conclusion on obstruction, the official said. It was entirely Bob Muellers decision.

Special counsel Robert Mueller attends church across from the White House on March 24, 2019.

Barr, nominated by Trump to replace Jeff Sessions, is all but assured to be called to testify before Congress to explain his action, along with the special counsel in what is shaping up as a protracted political fight that could spill into 2020 presidential election cycle.

"It's critical for the public and Congress to see the facts that Mueller actually found rather than just having to rely on Barr's conclusions, especially since it's pretty clear that there's some stuff in Mueller's report that supports the idea that there was obstruction of justice and some things that don't," said Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor and a law professor at George Washington University. "All of that needs to come out."

Barr told lawmakers on Sunday the process won't be that simple. He said department lawyers would review the report to remove material that must remain secret, such as grand jury-related information. Then he said he would review it again to determine "what can be released in light of applicable law, regulations, and Department policies."

Vindication: Muellers report found no Russia collusion, but vindication remains elusive for Trump

Analysis: With Mueller report in, nothing's over. But for Trump, everything has changed

Democrats have also pointed to recent history to suggest they are entitled to more. In September 2016, for example, the FBI released documents related to its investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email server during her time as secretary of state.

Justice Department officials have since turned over 880,000 pages of documents on the Clinton email probe, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said in an op-ed last week. "There's no excuse to bury information on Trump Russia and counterintelligence."

Meanwhile, Mueller's office began winding down its work. Prosecutors who work there notified federal courts that they were withdrawing from a case involving former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, to be replaced by prosecutors from the U.S. attorney's office in Washington.

Contributing: Bart Jansen and Christal Hayes

Mueller report conclusions from AG Barr

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Justice Department offers no clue when Mueller's full report could be released; House leaders want it April 2
It was 1982, the height of the civil war in El Salvador. Four Dutch TV journalists linked up with leftist rebels near the town of El Paraiso, which had an army base on its outskirts.

Planning to spend several days behind rebel lines, the newsmen hoisted rucksacks onto their backs and walked single-file down a trail.

They had only minutes to live. Lying in wait, Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machine guns were ready to spring an ambush.

"They were sitting ducks. The military waited for them and basically executed them," said Thomas Buergenthal, who was part of a three-member United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador set up as part of a U.N.-brokered peace agreement in 1992.

In 1993, the commission's report on wartime human rights violations concluded the ambush was set up to kill the journalists, and was ordered by Col. Mario Reyes Mena, a brigade commander.

Calls are now mounting in the Netherlands for Reyes Mena and others to be brought to justice after a documentary shown on Dutch TV cast a spotlight on the never-prosecuted slayings. The investigative piece, "In Cold Blood," revealed that Reyes Mena has been living in relative obscurity in the United States.

"It is very much in the interest of the Dutch government to bring those responsible for the deaths of the four journalists to justice," the Dutch foreign and justice ministers told lawmakers after the documentary aired. "Not only because it concerns four Dutch citizens who were shot dead, but also because it concerns journalists, who have an indispensable task in a democratic constitutional state."

Reyes Mena, now 79, lives in a Washington suburb. A legal resident of the United States since at least 1987, he is no longer shielded by a 1993 amnesty law, declared unconstitutional by the Salvadoran Supreme Court in 2016.

Even before the Dutch documentary aired in September, the attorney general's office in El Salvador had begun investigating possible criminal charges against Reyes Mena and Francisco Antonio Moran, the former head of the Salvadoran secret police who was also named in the U.N. report. The prosecutors were acting on a criminal complaint filed in March 2018 by lawyers for Gert Kuiper, a brother of one of the slain journalists, said Oscar Perez, a spokesman for Kuiper's legal team.

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"I need to find justice," said Kuiper, whose older brother, Jan, was killed two days before his 40th birthday.

The Salvadoran attorney general's office won't comment on its confidential investigation.

The developments come amid a growing push for justice for victims of El Salvador's civil war, during which an estimated 75,000 civilians were killed, mostly by U.S.-backed government security forces.

In November 2017, former Salvadoran army Col. Inocente Orlando Montano, accused in the 1989 massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in San Salvador, was extradited from the United States to stand trial in Spain. He remains jailed with trial expected to begin later this year.

In January 2016, former Defense Minister Jose Guillermo Garcia Merin was deported from the United States to El Salvador. He is among those being prosecuted for the December 1981 massacre by a U.S.-trained Salvadoran army battalion of almost 1,000 people in the village of El Mozote.

Associated Press journalists went to the town house where Reyes Mena lives in Centreville, Virginia, last month after telephone calls seeking comment about the allegations were not returned. A middle-aged man opened the door then slammed it shut without a word.

Reyes Mena also refused to talk to the Dutch documentary team that went to his home, accusing them of being part of a communist conspiracy.

Days before their deaths, journalists Jan Kuiper, Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemsen had come under the scrutiny of El Salvador's secret police after Koster's contact information was found on a guerrilla. Before dawn on March 11, 1982, the four were rousted in their San Salvador hotel and taken to secret police headquarters for interrogation by Moran.

Undeterred, the four linked up with four rebels near El Paraiso on March 17 and headed down a path. The truth commission report, citing testimony from the sole survivor, a rebel identified only as Martin, described what happened next.

"They had gone about 250 meters when they came under heavy fire from M16 rifles and M60 machine guns, coming from two hills about 100 meters away. Martin saw two of the journalists fall to the ground. They were hit by the first shots and never moved again," the report said.

Soon after the ambush, Todd Greentree, a political officer at the U.S. Embassy at the time, dismissed as fiction the official Salvadoran account that the newsmen died in crossfire.

Still, Greentree says he's "very ambivalent" about seeking justice for what he said was "obviously a war crime."

Bringing individual officers to trial for what appeared to be a coordinated operation among different security force branches seems at best "an incomplete form of seeking justice," he said by telephone from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

But Natalie Southwick of the Committee to Protect Journalists said it is "incredibly important" to bring them to justice because it sends a message to those considering killing journalists that they won't get away with it.

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Associated Press reporters Mike Corder in Amsterdam; Marcos Aleman in San Salvador, El Salvador, and Luis Alonso Lugo in Centreville, Va., contributed to this report.

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Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee strongly criticized President Donald Trump's plans for a new "Space Force" on Monday, setting the stage for a battle over one of Trump's favorite initiatives. Trump signed a directive in February to start the process of creating a new branch of the military dedicated to handling threats in space, which has become an applause line at the Republican president's campaign rallies. Legislation to create the branch requires congressional approval. Proponents of Trump's plan have said it would make the Pentagon more efficient and lead to real reform of a national security area where the United States faces threats from Russia and China. But Adam Smith, the Armed Services panel's Democratic chairman, said Trump's proposal would create a "top-heavy bureaucracy," including two new four-star generals and a new Air Force undersecretary. He also said it requested "an almost unlimited" seven-year funding transfer authority that seeks to change existing laws without a detailed plan or analysis. "I hoped that President Trump and DoD (Department of Defense) would exercise careful consideration and develop a realistic path forward," Smith said in a statement. "However, the details of the Space Force proposal sent to Congress by the president are highly problematic." Smith said he would look at other potential legislative options regarding the Space Force. Representatives for the Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Peter Cooney)
A South Korean court has approved the seizure of Mitsubishi's assets over the Japanese industrial giant's use of forced labour during World War II, an activist group said Monday.

Japan and South Korea are both democracies, market economies and US allies, but their relationship has been strained for decades as a result of Tokyo's brutal 1910-45 colonial rule over the Korean peninsula.

Around 780,000 Koreans were conscripted into forced labour by Japan during the 35-year occupation, according to data from Seoul, not including women forced into sexual slavery by Japanese troops.

After years of legal battles, five Korean victims won a ruling from the country's Supreme Court in November ordering Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to pay each plaintiff compensation of up to 150 million won (US$132,000).

Four of the wartime labour conscripts filed an asset seizure request in January, saying Mitsubishi had failed to respond to court orders. One plaintiff died earlier this year.

On Friday, the Daejeon District Court south of Seoul ordered the seizure of two trademark rights and six patents belonging to Mitsubishi, a civic group campaigning against Japan's forced wartime labour policies said.

"The process of compulsory execution against war criminal firms has officially begun," the group said in a statement released Monday.

"With the latest court ruling, the debtor will be barred from carrying out transfer of rights... or any other act of disposal on the concerned trademark and patent rights," it added.

If Mitsubishi fails to show a "sincere attitude", the group warned it would sell the seized assets.

Japan says all historical compensation issues were settled under a 1965 treaty that re-established diplomatic relations and included a reparations package of about $800 million in grants and cheap loans.

But recent court rulings in Seoul determined that the use of forced labour by Japanese firms was not included in the controversial treaty.
PRISTINA (Reuters) - Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has fired the country's ethnic Serb deputy justice minister after she called NATO's 1999 bombing campaign against Serbia a "planned genocide". Deputy minister Vesna Mikic comes from Kosovo's Serb minority which accounts for about 5 percent of the country's population of 1.8 million. "The NATO alliance committed a deliberately planned genocide against a sovereign country that fought Albanian terrorism inside its own borders," Mikic said on her Facebook account on Sunday, marking the 20th anniversary of the NATO bombing. NATO carried out air strikes in 1999 against the now defunct Yugoslavia, comprised of Serbia and Montenegro, to halt a brutal crackdown against Kosovo Albanians by Serbian security forces. After 78 days of bombing, under the terms of an armistice, former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic ordered his troops to withdraw from Kosovo and be replaced with NATO control. Mikic's post sparked criticism in the predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo where most people praise NATO for halting the two-year war and clearing the way for its independence in 2008. As many as 4,000 NATO peacekeepers are still deployed. Mikic was not immediately available for comment. Haradinaj dismissed the deputy minister with immediate effect. "In Kosovo government there will be no place for individuals, despite their ethnicity, to denigrate our common euro-Atlantic values," Haradinaj said in a statement. More than 13,000 thousand people, mainly local Albanians, were killed in the 1998-99 war. Kosovo has earned recognition from the United States and most EU countries, but Serbia and its major allies Russia and China remain adamantly opposed to Kosovo's independence. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; additional reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade, editing by Ed Osmond)
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  The Latest on reaction across America to the first glimpse into the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation (all times local):

9:15 p.m.

Bob Miller is a retired manufacturing engineer, from Franklin, Wisconsin, who describes his political views as "middle to the left." He says questions still linger in his mind following the special counsel's Russia investigation.

He says of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller: "From what I know of the report it sounds like there was no collusion. But I'd want to see the whole report or find out everything."

Adds the 65-year-old retiree: "If Congress gets the full report and all the information, I'll make my decision at that point."

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8:40 p.m.

Stephen Turner, an electrical engineer from Belmont, North Carolina, is a Republican who voted for Donald Trump for president. He says he's glad the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller is over.

"My first reaction is I'm glad ... I'm glad maybe we can move on," Turner told The Associated Press. "The ones side that's happy is happy. And the other side that's not happy wants to do some more investigation."

He says it's time to move on "and actually do stuff for the country and not spend all these resources and time on these investigations."

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8:20 p.m.

Justin Linot, a truck driver interviewed in Derby, Kansas, is a registered Democrat. He expressed surprise at the outcome of the Russia investigation.

Speaking at a Starbucks in that suburb of Wichita, Kansas, the 36-year-old trucker said Sunday: "I am really surprised they weren't able to find anything significant enough to be able to indict him."

He says he thought special counsel Robert Mueller did a good job investigating, but doesn't feel the public will necessarily ever learn the truth about Trump's dealings with Russia. Says Linot, "I feel too many people haven't told the truth to begin with."

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He adds Democrats were right to investigate Trump, calling the matter something that should have been looked into regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a Democrat. Of Trump, he concludes, "I think he has been treated more than fairly."

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8:10 p.m.

Luke Ahearn, a 29-year-old general contractor from New Orleans, was grocery shopping in its suburb of Metairie with his brother Sunday when he learned about the Mueller report's outcome. Ahearn, who describes himself as a Trump supporter, questioned whether the time and money put into the two-year investigation was worth it.

Ahearn says he thinks special counsel Robert Mueller did a fine job. Officials say Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential vote.

But he adds of the investigation: "I just think they spent way too much money on it, too much time on it."

Ahearn says he doubts whether it's worth going through the effort of getting the entire report released, saying the country has a lot of other problems to deal with, adding, "Let's move on to the next problem in our society."

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8:05 p.m.

Morgan Raum, a 22-year-old senior at New York's Barnard College who is active in campus Republican and Libertarian clubs, says the conclusion of the investigation confirmed her longtime doubts about allegations of collusion.

Raum, who is majoring in political science and Judaic studies, said, "It took 22 months and I don't really know how it could've taken this long to conclude nothing happened. For me the whole time it seemed pretty far-fetched."

But Raum, who is from Manhattan, says she doesn't expect the report to change the minds of many Democrats.

"They've been sure he (Trump) was guilty even before the investigation started," she says.

Raum is president of Columbia University Libertarians. She says she had long had issues with Trump, disapproving of his tweets and his belittling of adversaries. She voted for Libertarian Gary Johnson in the 2016 presidential vote.

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7:50 p.m.

Helen Jones, of Salt Lake City, Utah, says she is conservative and a registered Republican, but can't stand Trump. The 72-year-old retired English professor said she voted for third-party candidate Evan McMullin in 2016.

She doesn't expect anything "sensational" to come out of the Mueller report, but pointed to other ongoing investigations in New York and elsewhere involving Trump and those in his orbit.

She said, "I think it's just the beginning. I can't believe he's not implicated in some way. Look at the people he's surrounded himself with, they're all crooks and liars."

Jones said she hopes the entire report is released, but expect it to change the minds of her relatives who are strong Trump supporters - or her own mind, for that matter.

A longtime "political junkie" who closely followed Watergate, she believes this is another historical moment.

"I hope it's a turning point in the Trump presidency," she said. Still, doesn't want Trump to be impeached.

"My preference would be he just gets elected out," she said.

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7:35 p.m.

Carl Solberg, a New York City Democrat who used to work as a federal prosecutor, called Mueller a "very straight arrow kind of guy" and said he believes Mueller did exactly what he was tasked to do. But Solberg doubts it will put an end to questions about Trump and Russia.

While in Boston visiting family, the 72-year-old Solberg said, "Whether there is a prosecutor that pursues it or not, I think there will continue to be questions in people's minds about the Russians."

He noted that Mueller's "mandate was narrow. He that "... frankly if I were a prosecutor trying to find evidence of criminal intent in Donald Trump, I don't (think) he has criminal intent I think he's just got a basically empty skull. So it would be very hard to prove that and I think Mueller probably realized that pretty early on."

Solberg said the conclusion of the Mueller investigation doesn't mean Trump is in the clear, noting that he remains under investigation by the federal prosecutors in New York.

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Trump supporter Richard C. Osburn of South Charleston, West Virginia, said the president was "drug through the mud" and wants his critics to give him a break.

The 52-year-old nurse said, "The things that the man's doing to try to help the average worker in this country never gets recognized by the mainstream media. They would rather hate, hate, hate than recognize accomplishments. Those days have got to stop."

Osburn, a longtime Republican voter, supported Trump in 2016. He said the Mueller report does not end questions about Trump and Russia.

"It's never going to go away," he said. "This is what the media has to understand. (Democrats) absolutely despite this man. It's all about their own agenda. They're hell bent on finding anything."

Osburn said he's satisfied with what he's seen in the Mueller report and criticized Democrats for pressing for the investigation.

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7:20 p.m.

Michael Tucker of Bancroft, West Virginia, is not a fan of President Donald Trump. But the 44-year-old truck driver says he does not believe the president was treated fairly in the Russia investigation.

He also doesn't think Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report will bring an end to questions about the president and Russia.

While shopping at a farm supply store Sunday in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, Tucker called the Russia investigation "a joke, for the most part."

Tucker says if Trump colluded with Russia, "they would have come up with something by now. It's one witch hunt after another, basically. If they could have found anything, they would have."

Tucker says he's confident that Mueller did "what he was hired to do" and has mixed feelings about whether Democrats should have pressed for an investigation into Trump's Russia ties.

Tucker said he considers himself an independent voter but would vote for Trump again compared to anyone currently in the Democratic field.

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In Oklahoma City, Fernando Sevilla, a Republican who voted for Trump, said Trump is "doing a great job" and that he believes the Mueller investigation was "witch hunts."

Sevilla said, "I don't think he went with Russia at all. He added, "He's a businessman, he was never a politician. Politicians to me they're just a bunch of crooks. They promise you one thing and they do another."

While Democrats were right to seek the investigation, he said Trump has not been treated fairly.

The 66-year-old Sevilla said the investigation did not answer questions he has about Trump's Democratic opponent in the 2016 election, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the whereabouts of thousands of deleted emails.

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In Detroit, 36-year-old William Braasch has been following the Mueller probe from its start and  while disappointed in what Barr released Sunday afternoon he's not surprised.

Braasch, a registered nurse, said, "I honestly doubted that much would come out, given that Barr was appointed by Trump. I'm not any more let down than I would have been before with this administration and the investigations."

Braasch added that he is "looking forward" to Congressional investigations of Trump and investigations in New York state into Trump's foundation.

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Sue Arani, an accountant, was walking her dog and checking news on her phone Sunday in downtown Los Angeles. The 57-year-old Arani is originally from Iran but has been a US citizen since 1981. She describes herself as "Republican leaning," but says she voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential contest.

Arani said the full report should "absolutely" be made public immediately, "in the name of full transparency."

She says the public must see the report, "especially before the next election." She also says the White House shouldn't be allowed to spin the results: "Trump is famous for lying too much."

Arani trusts Mueller: "I'm sure, based on his excellent reputation, that he did a complete job in his investigation. But he is in between a rock and a hard place, politically."

Arani personally believes that there was likely collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. "But it's possible that a lot of stuff wasn't disclosed from the lower levels to the top (within the campaign). They might have kept Trump in the dark on purpose, so he could stay beneath it all. Maybe that was his idea too."

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Nora Kubiaczyk (pronounced koo-bee-AH-che) lives in Minneapolis, works in advertising, leans Democratic and considers herself "pretty liberal." She voted for Clinton in 2016. In an interview Sunday in downtown Minneapolis she said, "I'm not shocked. It seems like with each of these investigations, there's always going to seem like something like it's a coup, or there's somebody that seems like a smoking gun, and then it will be like yesterday's news in no moment and Trump will keep walking on."

She said it seemed there moments where Mueller was going after Trump and others where there were "a couple fumbles."

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7:10 p.m.

Many Republicans are cheering and Democrats are scoffing as first word on the details of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation emerge.

For supporters of President Donald Trump, the four-page summary of the investigative findings released by Attorney General William Barr felt like an exoneration of the man they back.

For Trump's opponents, some of whom had visions of the Mueller's work ending with the president being led away in handcuffs, it is a disappointment.

What seemed certain in the wake of Sunday's release was that it marked no end to the political divide, to the fierce criticism of Trump or to calls for more of Mueller's report to be released.

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Contributing to this report were Corey Williams in Detroit; Sharon Cohen in Chicago; Chris Weber in Los Angeles; Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky; Jeff Baenan in Minneapolis, Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Tim Talley in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston; Denise Lavoie Josh in Richmond, Virginia; Josh Replogle in West Palm Beach, Florida; Colleen Slevin in Denver, Colorado; Sarah Blake Morgan in Belmont, North Carolina; Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas; Adam Geller in New York; and John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on Congress and the special counsel's Russia investigation (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

The Democratic leaders of six House committees are demanding that Congress have the full report by special counsel Robert Mueller "no later" than April 2.

The chairmen of the panels wrote in a letter to Attorney General William Barr Monday that his four-page summary of Mueller's work is "not sufficient for Congress, a coequal branch of government" to perform oversight duties.

According to Barr, Mueller did not find that Trump or his associates colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 elections. By Barr's account, Mueller did not implicate or exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice, effectively punting that question.

The heads of the committees asked Barr to send them the full Mueller report by April 2 and start sending Congress the underlying documents the same day.

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5:45 p.m.

The House intelligence committee is postponing an open hearing with a Russian-born former business adviser to President Donald Trump as Democrats seek more information about special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

The panel was scheduled to interview Felix Sater on Wednesday. He is a former business adviser to Trump who worked on an unsuccessful deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Intelligence committee spokesman Patrick Boland said Monday that the panel is instead focusing this week on bringing in Justice Department officials to better understand Mueller's report.

A four-page letter from Attorney General William Barr announced Mueller's main findings, including no evidence of collusion by Trump's 2016 campaign with the Russian government.

Democrats say the letter is not enough and are looking for the full report.

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5:15 p.m.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is trying to quickly pass a resolution urging the public release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, but he's being blocked by Republicans.

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Schumer said Monday that since President Donald Trump supports releasing the report, "there's no good reason for anyone to object."

Shortly after the Senate opened, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to Schumer's request. He says the Justice Department needs more time to wrap up Mueller's two-year probe.

The House unanimously approved the resolution last week.

Trump said earlier Monday that the release of Mueller's report "wouldn't bother me at all."

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4:10 p.m.

The special counsel's office is handing off a court fight over a subpoena issued to an unidentified company that refused to turn over information demanded in Robert Mueller's investigation.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller's office, said Monday that the matter was being handed off to federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia.

Mueller concluded his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election without additional charges Friday. His office has been handing off lingering issues to other offices in the department to see through to the end.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from the company. The unidentified company, which is owned by an unidentified foreign government, has been racking up fines of $50,000 a day for not complying with a subpoena for documents.

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1:40 p.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he told President Donald Trump that the late Sen. John McCain "deserves better" than the president's harsh criticism.

The South Carolina Republican said Monday that Trump blames McCain for the Russia investigation. The former Arizona senator had turned over to the FBI a salacious dossier he received about Trump's activities in Russia. McCain died last year.

Says Graham: "Trump believes it was the McCain people who spread this."

But Graham says he told Trump, "it was not John McCain."

Graham and McCain were dear friends, but parted ways over Trump. Graham is now close to Trump and spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Graham said McCain did "exactly what he should have done" in giving the dossier to authorities.

Trump publicly criticized McCain last week.

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1:10 p.m.

Kentucky's Republican senators say special counsel Robert Muller's investigation vindicated President Donald Trump, but a home-state, Democratic colleague in the House says many questions remain after the summary of Mueller's report was made public.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the special counsel's conclusions confirmed Trump's account that there was no effort by Trump's campaign to conspire or coordinate with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Paul told reporters in Louisville on Monday that the nearly two-year investigation was a "colossal waste of money and time."

Rep. John Yarmuth said Attorney General William Barr's summary of Mueller's conclusions "leaves many questions unanswered."

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1:01 p.m.

President Donald Trump is accusing those responsible for launching the special counsel investigation of "treason" and says they "will certainly be looked at."

Trump did not specify who he's referring to, but told reporters Monday, that "There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say treasonous things against our country."

Trump adds that, "Those people will certainly be looked at" and says: "I've been looking at them for a long time."

The comments come a day after the attorney general told Congress that special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence Trump or his associates conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

Asked about the possibility of issuing pardons, Trump also says: I "haven't thought about it."

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12:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report "wouldn't bother me at all."

Trump says he's glad Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling is over and wishes it could have gone quicker. Trump says "we can never let this happen to another president again."

Asked Monday whether Mueller had acted honorably, Trump responded: "Yes, he did."

Attorney General William Barr has told Congress that Mueller found no evidence Trump or his associates conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Trump was asked about Mueller's report as he spoke to reporters along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo).

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12:35 p.m.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team told the attorney general about three weeks ago it would not be reaching a conclusion about whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice. That's according to a Justice Department official who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The official says the news from Mueller's team to Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was "unexpected."

In releasing a summary of Mueller's findings on Sunday, Barr said Mueller had drawn no conclusion about whether Trump obstructed justice. Instead, his report laid out the evidence on both sides of the question.

Barr told Congress that he and Rosenstein decided there wasn't enough evidence to prove Trump had committed that crime.

 Associated Press writer Eric Tucker

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12:05 p.m.

A close ally says President Donald Trump felt a sense of relief after learning special counsel Robert Mueller's report had cleared him of conspiring with the Russian government.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham flew home from Florida with Trump after spending the weekend awaiting Mueller's findings. On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr told Congress Mueller did not find evidence that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia during the 2016 election.

Graham says that on the flight home Trump conveyed a "sense of relief" that there was now the "legitimacy" of his presidency where there had been questions before.

Trump has declared the findings a total vindication, but Mueller reached no conclusion on whether the president obstructed justice. Barr says Mueller's report presents "evidence on both sides" of that question.

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11:45 a.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says President Donald Trump came out of the Russia investigation stronger. But he is warning Trump not to pardon any associates convicted during special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

The South Carolina Republican, who spent the weekend with Trump, told reporters on Monday that "if President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well."

He's referring to figures such as Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort has been convicted in Washington and Virginia of crimes related to years of Ukrainian political consulting work.

Mueller's report, turned over to Friday to Attorney General William Barr, did not find evidence that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice.

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11:35 a.m.

The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says his panel will "unpack the other side of the story" of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into President Donald Trump and his campaign.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will investigate the actions of the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, including the FBI's use of a dossier compiled by British spy Christopher Steele.

Graham spoke Monday after Attorney General William Barr reported to Congress on Mueller's findings. Barr said Mueller found no evidence that Trump or his associates conspired with Russia. Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Graham said he will be speaking with Barr at noon and wants him to testify before his committee.
As thousands of motorcycle riders held a motorcade to oppose the newly-signed law mandating the use of bigger and double license plates, Malacanang on Monday urged the protesters to address their grievances in the courts. If they feel its unconstitutional, then they can always raise that before the courts, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace press briefing. According to the Palace official, President Rodrigo Duterte, a known motorcycle enthusiast, stands by the legislation. Well, he has signed it... Everyone should comply. No exception, Panelo added. On Sunday, some 120,000 motorcycle riders nationwide gathered to show their opposition against the recently-signed double-plate law, claiming that its implementation would become dangerous, discriminating, and anti-poor. Motorcycle rider groups slammed the passage of Republic Act 11235, or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2017. The measure, authored by Senator Richard Gordon and Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, was signed into law by Duterte last week. Under the new legislation, the Land Transportation Office shall issue bigger, readable, and color-coded license plates to every motorcycle in the country. The LTO shall determine the font style and size of the number plates provided that the contents of the number plates shall be readable from the front, the back, and the side of the motorcycle from a distance of t least 15 meters from the motorcycle, the RA read. The LTO shall also devise a color scheme of the readable number plates for every region in the Philippines where a motorcycle is registered for quick and easy identification, it added. These readable number plates must then be displayed in both the front and back sides of the motorcycle and should be made of suitable and durable material as determined by the LTO. The utilization of voluntary and paid labor from prisoners shall be among the requirements to bid for the procurement of the number plates under this Act, the law stated.Some groups, however, were against its passage. Jobert Bolanos of the Motorcycle Rights Organization argued that old and new motorcycles dont have the provisions for a front-mounted plate. "Adding a bracket outside of factory specifications will surely pose a big risk for the riders, their passenger, and even the pedestrians," he said. Rod Cruz, chairman of the Arangkada Riders Alliance, said that motorcycle riders have been burdened with several ordinances and regulations. "Motorcycle riders have been hampered by several ordinances and laws that sometimes we think that we are being outcast in our own society, Cruz said. RA 11235 is, by far, the worst law of all, so you cannot blame us for doing this nationwide call for fairness and equality. Please do not treat us like criminals," he added. The law was crafted to address the rising number of crimes perpetrated by motorcycle-riding gunmen by making their bikes more easily identifiable. The government has allocated an initial funding of P150,000,000 for the implementation of the new law. However, the LTO, along with other concerned agencies, has yet to formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations to push the provisions of the said act within a non-extendible period of 90 days from its effectivity.
Tehran (AFP) - Major floods across much of Iran have left 19 people dead and more than 90 injured, blocking roads and triggering landslides with warnings of more heavy rain to come, emergency services said Monday.

Such a widespread flood threat is unprecedented in arid Iran, which until 2018 was dealing with decades of drought.

Seventeen people were killed and 94 injured in the southern city of Shiraz, one person died in the western province of Kermanshah and another in Lorestan, also in the west, rescue services said.

The national emergency has struck in the middle of Iranian New Year holidays, with many relief workers also on vacation.

Many of those killed in Shiraz were holidaymakers caught in the flood as they entered the city in their cars.

With 25 of Iran's 31 provinces experiencing floods or facing imminent threat, the country's National Crisis Management Committee was activated at cabinet level.

"I have ordered all governor-generals, all provincial managers and officials nationwide to stay at their posts throughout the next 72 hours which is the peak of the flood threat," First Vice President Eshagh Jahangiri said on state television after the committee's first meeting.

President Hassan Rouhani issued a statement expressing condolences to victims' families and thanking emergency services and the military for their responses to the crisis.

He demanded an "immediate investigation" into the causes of the high death toll in Shiraz.

Since the flooding, Rouhani had previously been absent from public view, with his deputies and ministers taking his place in visiting disaster-struck areas.

Reports on the ultra-conservative Fars news agency that Rouhani has been vacationing on the southern Gulf island of Qeshm triggered criticism from his hardline opponents and even some reformist allies.

- Situation 'critical' -

Iran's meteorological service has warned of more heavy showers until Wednesday, forecasting as much as 15 centimetres (almost six inches) of rainfall in some western provinces in the next 24 hours.

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The situation is "critical" in the provinces of Khuzestan, Lorestan and Kohgiluyeh-Va-Boyerahmad, said Deputy Interior Minister Mehdi Jamalinejad, quoted by the ISNA news agency.

The latest floods follow major flooding on March 19 in the northeast's Golestan and Mazandaran provinces, for which no official casualty toll has been issued.

The police have advised against road trips in the coming days, with many roads blocked by flooding or landslides caused by heavy rains.

Tehran's Mehrabad Airport announced delays or cancellations of flights to the provinces.

The Crises Management Organisation and the health ministry, in charge of hospitals, have cancelled all leave and been placed on full alert.

Local media reported that hundreds of villages have lost electricity and water, many of them cut off as access roads were washed away.

- Climate change -

The army has been called in to help the worst affected areas, and villages are being evacuated for fear of rivers and dams overflowing.

Officials have gone on state television to broadcast urgent calls for holidaymakers as well nomadic tribes in western Iran to move to high ground and away from rivers.

Flood warnings have gone out for central provinces such as Isfahan and the capital Tehran.

"Climate change is forcing itself on our country," said Energy Minister Reza Ardekanian, who is in charge of dams and water supply.

"These unprecedented floods in our country are because of climate change worldwide," he said, quoted by Tasnim news agency.
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham on Monday vowed to investigate the origins of Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe in order to expose possible anti-Trump bias on the part of the Department of Justice officials who opened the investigation.

During a press conference marking the release of Attorney General William Barrs summary of the Mueller report, Graham called for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate whether DOJ officials overreached in investigating Trump due to their personal and political hostility to him.

By any reasonable standard, Mr. Mueller thoroughly investigated the Trump campaign. You cannot say that about the other side of the story. And what I hope Mr. Barr will do is understand: for the countrys sake appoint somebody outside the current system to look into these allegations, somebody we all trust, and let them do what Mr. Mueller did, Graham said.

The South Carolina Republican vowed that, regardless of whether a special counsel is appointed, the Judiciary Committee would investigate to what extent DOJ officials relied on the uncorroborated Steele dossier when applying for a warrant to surveil Carter Page during his time as a national-security adviser to the Trump campaign.

What role did the dossier play? Was it the primary source of the information given to the court, was it supplemental, was its outcome determinative? I want to hear from Mr. [Bruce] Ohr why he warned people that you might not want to rely on Christopher Steele, Graham told reporters when asked what specific events his committee plans to investigate. I want to know the role James Comey played in this process. I want to find out: Was the only reason you recused yourself was because of the tarmac meeting with Loretta Lynch? Graham added, referring to Bill Clintons June 2016 meeting with then-attorney general Loretta Lynch on an Arizona airport tarmac.

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Republicans have repeatedly cited the meeting in arguing that Lynch was compromised by the Clintons and, as a result, instructed the FBI not to pursue charges related to Hillary Clintons use of a private email server. Former FBI director James Comey admitted during subsequent congressional testimony that Lynch instructed him to refer to the Clinton email probe as a matter when announcing that the DOJ would not pursue charges.

Senior DOJ officials relied on information provided in the Steele dossier as part of their FISA warrant application to surveil Page, and did not inform the court that the dossier was partially funded by a law firm working on behalf of the Clinton campaign. Graham went on to call the unsubstantiated dossier garbage, pointing out that a number of its allegations  including the claim that Michael Cohen went to Prague to meet with Russian hackers during the campaign  have been disproven.

More from National Review
WASHINGTON  A day after Attorney General William Barr cleared President Donald Trump of conspiring with Russians to win the 2016 election, Republicans in Congress said they would open a new probe into the investigation Trump derided as an "illegal takedown that failed."

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters Monday he has urged since late 2017 a review of the justification for surveillance warrants against Carter Page, a foreign-policy adviser to the Trump campaign that were based in part on a "dossier" of salacious material collected by former British intelligence worker Christopher Steele, who was hired by Democrats to investigate Trump.

Whether or not its illegal, I dont yet know, Graham said. What makes no sense to me is that all of the abuse by the Department of Justice and the FBI  the unprofessional conduct, the shady behavior  nobody seems to think thats much important. Well thats going to change, I hope.

Graham, a former military lawyer himself, also questioned why the FBI did not warn the Trump campaign about repeated Russian efforts to influence him, as documented by special counsel Robert Mueller. Graham said his question is whether the counterintelligence investigation was opened as a back-door to spy on the campaign.

Republicans in the House of Representatives spent months investigating similar questions when they controlled the chamber last year, producing incendiary messages in which FBI agents professed their disdain for Trump, but no direct evidence that the Justice Department's conduct was motivated by political considerations. The department's Inspector General also is conducting a review of the Russia investigation.

I still to this day am at a loss to explain why nobody went to President Trump to tell him that there may be some people in your orbit that are connected to the Russians and working with the Russians, Graham said. How did it fail and break down here? What it a ruse to get into the Trump campaign? I dont know, but Im going to try and find out.

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Graham outlined his priorities after Barr summarized the conclusions of Mueller's 22-month investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Barr said Mueller found no Trump campaign conspiracy with Russia. Mueller made no decision on whether Trump obstructed justice, but Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein found insufficient evidence to pursue an obstruction charge.

Trump himself claimed vindication from Barrs summary.

But House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said Barr's conclusions merely handed the job of investigating Trump to Congress, whose judgments aren't strictly constrained to whether someone committed a crime.

It is unconscionable that President Trump would try to spin the special counsels findings as if his conduct was remotely acceptable, Nadler told reporters Sunday. Special counsel Mueller was clear that his report does not exonerate the president.

Both Graham and Nadler each said they will call Barr to testify about his decisions.

Even before Mueller submitted his confidential report to Barr on Friday, a poll in mid-March found the country divided about whether Democrats were "going too far" in their investigations.

The USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll of 1,000 registered voters found nearly 49 percent said "Democrats are doing the right thing in these investigations," while 46 percent said "Democrats are going too far with all the investigations." The poll was taken by landline and cellphone March 13 through 17, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Congressional Republicans have long argued that the FBI began investigating Trump during the campaign because of political corruption aimed at defeating him. The FBI fired former agent Peter Strzok, who exchanged anti-Trump messages with FBI lawyer Lisa Page.

Trump later fired former FBI Director James Comey. Republicans considered the dismissal of the political appointee justified, but Democrats and some legal experts have argued is a possible justification for an obstruction charge.

Grahams priorities listed have concerned House Republicans for years, as he noted.

Those days are over, Graham said. Going forward, hopefully in a bipartisan fashion, we will begin to unpack the other side of the story.

More on the political landscape after special counsel Robert Mueller's inquiry:

Analysis: With Mueller report in, nothing's over. But for Trump, everything has changed

Poll: Half of Americans say Trump is victim of a 'witch hunt' as trust in Mueller erodes

Congressional Democrats question AG William Barr's decision that Trump didn't obstruct justice

Muellers report found no Russia collusion, but vindication remains elusive for Trump

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After Mueller report, Senate moves to investigate the Russia probe Trump called an 'illegal takedown'
The Mayor of London has handpicked a blockchain author to join an elite group of key influencers selected from the citys businesses.

MarketOrders co-founder Sukhi Jutla was chosen by mayor Sadiq Khan to be part of the group charged with shaping Londons skills system.

Jutla  an award-winning entrepreneur and author of three books  made headlines a year ago by becoming the first number one best-selling author covering blockchain.

She was also recently named as one of the UKs Top 100 Women in Tech, and was listed as a Top 100 European Digital Pioneer by The Financial Times and Google.

Proud

I am proud to be representing the voice of entrepreneurs and small business owners, especially those working in frontier technology areas such as blockchain and artificial intelligence, to ensure we create a suitable and responsive city-wide skills system for all Londoners, she told Coin Rivet.

The Business Partnership will play an essential role in ensuring that Londons economy is responsive to the changing skills landscape, especially when it comes to the digital and technological shifts occurring.

The group will be expected to advise the mayor on how skills and education provision can help businesses access talent, particularly in response to a range of challenges including Brexit and increasing automation.

It is understood the mayor will publish a new Skills and Employment Vision document later this year, which will be closely linked to his Local Industrial Strategy, due to be published at the same time.

The mayor, Sadiq Khan, explained his Skills for Londoners strategy in 2018 laid out his ambitions to create a city for all Londoners by granting access to skills for anyone who needed them.

Talent

Involving Londons employers and businesses to meet this ambition is at the heart of this, and Im delighted to announce my new Skills for Londoners Business Partnership, made up of leading figures from businesses of all sizes and sectors, who share my passion for supporting Londons talent, he explained.

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I look forward to working with them as they play a central role in our efforts to maintain Londons global position as a great place to work, invest, and grow a business.

The Business Partnership will play a key role in shaping both documents, which will set out the next steps for delivering on the mayors priorities such as new policies to address emerging challenges, and will make the case for more funding to be devolved to London.

Other key appointments to the group are Rajesh Agrawal (Deputy Mayor for Business and Chair of the Business Partnership), film and TV executive Nahrein Kemp, Aurea Jones of Barts Health NHS Trust, and Optimity founder Anthony Impey MBE.

The post London calling for blockchain entrepreneur appeared first on Coin Rivet.
Our long national hysteria may not be over, but at least it should  by rights  be diminished.

Robert Mueller delivered his long-awaited report on Friday, and Attorney General William Barr just released his summary of the findings. They completely vindicate President Trump regarding the allegation that his campaign colluded with the Russians during the 2016 election, and also conclude that he didnt commit the crime of obstruction of justice.

The Russia finding couldnt be starker. In his letter Barr quotes directly from the report: [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. This, according to Barr, after more than 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants, 230 orders for communication records, 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers, and interviews with roughly 500 witnesses. If there were any evidence of collusion, Mueller would have found it.

It always seemed unlikely, if not outright preposterous, that the Russians would have entrusted a sensitive intelligence operation to the most shambolic general-election campaign in modern memory. There was no reason to collude with the Trump campaign, in any case  the Russians obviously hacked Democrats emails, on their own, and then released them via their WikiLeaks cutout, on their own. Nonetheless, even as Mueller indictments and plea deals piled up, with no suggestion of collusion in sight, Trump critics could never give up on the idea.

The media was obsessed, and always implied there was some devastating revelation just over the horizon. MSNBC and CNN took every minor scooplet from outlets such as the Washington Post and the Daily Beast and blew them up into major stories. The press, in its zeal to believe the worst, sometimes published too-good-to-check erroneous reports. Otherwise serious opinion writers accused Trump of being a traitor or perhaps a Russian asset since 1987. John Brennan assured everyone that there was no doubt that there was collusion. Democrats such as Adam Schiff said the same.

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Itd be a nice contribution to the public discourse if any of these people admitted they were wrong, but instead they will all move on, looking for the next blockbuster to destroy Trump looming somewhere over the next hill.

As for obstruction, thats come a cropper, too, although the Barr letter is careful to note that Mueller doesnt exonerate Trump on this score. Clearly, Trump hated the probe and, if hed had his own way, would have ended it. He never did, though. Since Trump wasnt guilty of collusion, its hard to see what his corrupt motive would have been justifying an obstruction charge  indeed, the chief cause of his rage seems to have been that he was indeed, as he insisted all along, innocent of collusion, yet subjected to years-long investigation. Also, its dubious that a president can obstruct justice while exercising his lawful powers. So Mueller left the legal question to Barr, who concluded there wasnt evidence of a crime.

Democrats are now clamoring for the full Mueller report, hoping it reveals something more damaging than what is alluded to in the Barr letter. Although we are sure there are embarrassing details, Barr notes that most of the episodes related to obstruction are already known. Still, we favor maximum disclosure, mindful of the restrictions on disclosing grand-jury material  as well as disclosure of as many materials as possible related to how this investigative train got running in the first place.

We said at the outset of the Mueller probe that we preferred an independent commission as the more appropriate venue for a public airing of the facts around Russian interference. Mueller ended up proceeding in the same rut as most special-counsel probes, prosecuting a lot of process crimes and a few more-serious offenses not directly related to the matter at hand. There was plenty to work with here, since Trumps associates, from Paul Manafort to Roger Stone, were such a motley, sleazy crew. They are marks against his judgment; that never made Trump a traitor.

If nothing else, Mueller will have accomplished something important if hes managed to put that poisonous charge to bed.

More from National Review
Menaka (Mali) (AFP) - France's armed forces chief says jihadist forces in Mali are on the back foot but the fight to restore peace in the poor Sahel country will be long.

Speaking to AFP and French radio station RFI, General Francois Lecointre said recent attacks by jihadists in Mali should be seen as the sign of a beleaguered enemy.

"The reason why the enemy has reacted so brutally is precisely because we went after him in his last holdouts," he said last week while visiting troops from France's Operation Barkhane in Mali.

"Another probable reason is that it has to restore a certain reputation with the public" for its ability to mount attacks, he argued.

Since the start of the month, 26 Malian troops have been killed in jihadist attacks central Mali, sparking angry protests by their relatives.

"These highly symbolic attacks, which come on the heels of very powerful blows by Barkhane and its allies, are the reaction of someone who feels cornered," Lecointre said.

"For me, it's a positive sign."

But the enemy had not yet been defeated, he said.

"Obviously.. these groups are trying to get themselves back together and forge alliances because they have been weakened."

- 'Long-term battle' -

France sent troops into Mali in 2013 to help drive back Islamist insurgents who took control of the north of the country.

And Operation Barkhane, which has 4,500 troops, remains in place, with 2,700 soldiers in Mali to support poorly-equipped local military forces.

But the deployment comes at a hefty cost and has been subjected to political scrutiny.

Lecointre, 57, said Mali faced a long-term battle for stability.

"I am cautious," he said.

"It will be a long battle to change mindsets, to ensure the public believes in its State, in a Mali whose competence extends across the whole of the country.

"This is not the kind of work that can be done at the flick of a switch -- it has to bring together the military effect and real work in communication and development."

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On Saturday, 130 Fulani villagers in central Mali were killed by an ethnic militia, a massacre that prompted the government to sack senior military officers and break up the militia.

- G5 Sahel task -

Lecointre also admitted that early expectations for a French-backed five-nation anti-terror force in the Sahel had been premature.

Conceived in 2015, the G5 Sahel aims to pool the military strengths of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

The French-backed force carried out its first operation 18 months ago but faces major obstacles in terms of training, equipment and funding. It has still only mustered 4,000 out of a proposed 5,000-man complement.

"I think we were too impatient," Lecointre said.

"We probably pushed for this joint force to make a symbolic commitment to carry out operations when it was not completely ready," he acknowledged

There were political gains from the launch, which saw the G5 Sahel gaining a measure of international support, he said.

"However, it is always difficult to build an army, an operational force," he said.

"It's politically complicated."

But the force is now operating within an established legal framework, he said.

"And now the forces made available for the G5 Sahel have to reach capacity, while understanding they are subject to their national armies which are heavily engaged in their respective territories."

Lecointre said the rising number of jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso was "a source of concern".

"It indicates a spread of the jihadist movement to the south," he said.

France was stepping up its cooperation with Burkina Faso and was looking at ways of helping it combat jihadist encroachment in frontier zones, he said.
By Fadima Kontao BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita sacked and replaced two generals and disbanded an anti-jihadi vigilante group on Sunday, a day after gunmen massacred 134 Fulani herders in the country's troubled central region. The ethnic bloodshed took place less than a week after a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Mali's central region. That attack was claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate. The army chief of staff General M'Bemba Moussa Keita was removed and replaced by General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, while chief of land forces General Abdrahamane Baby was replaced by Brigadier-General Keba Sangare. Malians have grown increasingly frustrated by the failure of government forces to protect them from both jihadist onslaughts and ethnic reprisals. But the massacre of civilians at the villages of Ogossagou and Welingara on Saturday, which left the charred bodies of women and children smouldering in their homes, has shocked a population long inured to gratuitous killing. Mali's Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga said in a statement after an emergency cabinet meeting that President Keita had also ordered the dissolution of an anti-jihadist vigilante group called Dan Na Amassagou. Some of the group's ethnic Dogon fighters were suspected of being behind the attack. The jihadists have consistently tried to exploit a sense of persecution among the Fulani, whose semi-nomadic, pastoral way of life sometimes brings them into conflict with more settled farmers like the Dogon, by arming and training them. Some Dogon traditional hunters in turn took up arms to protect themselves. Tacit outsourcing of the fight against jihadists to vigilante groups with scores to settle has unleashed ethnic violence across the Sahel. In neighbouring Burkina Faso at the end of December, an ethnic Mossi militia group killed dozens of Fulani in revenge for the killing of a village chief by jihadists. "The protection of the population remains and will remain the monopoly of the state," Maiga said. "Our forces will ... actively disarm any person who should not be armed." Despite a 4,500-strong French force in the Sahel region, jihadist attacks have multiplied since they first intervened in 2013 in an effort to push back Islamists and allied Tuareg rebels who had taken over the northern half of the country. France's foreign ministry said it welcomed the "Mali government's efforts to break up the militia who have been creating terror in the region and must now be disarmed." "France will continue to support efforts aimed at protecting the population, and at creating the conditions for dialogue and a national reconciliation, which are more necessary than ever in the centre of Mali," it added. (Additional reporting by Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako and Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Daniel Wallis)
A man allegedly seen in viral video repeatedly kicking an elderly woman aboard a New York City subway train was arrested Saturday and charged with assault, PEOPLE confirms.

Marc Gomez, 36, of Yonkers, New York, was taken into custody Saturday and charged with three counts of assault and one count of harassment, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department tells PEOPLE.

A rep for the law firm for Gomezs listed attorney, Steven Mechanic, declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE.

Online records show Gomez is being held on $15,000 bail at the Vernon C. Bain Center. He is next due in court on March 29.

The 78-year-old victim was previously treated and released from the hospital following the March 10 attack. She suffered bleeding, swelling and cuts to her face, according to the spokesperson.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea wrote about the apprehension on Twitter, adding that the victim is getting the care, advocacy & support needed.

UPDATE: The subject IS IN CUSTODY. The victim was treated & released from the hospital & is getting the care, advocacy & support needed. Thank you to the worldwide community for the tremendous assistance. Addl details to follow @NYPDDetectives pic.twitter.com/pE07F6BIIi  Chief Dermot F. Shea (@NYPDDetectives) March 23, 2019

Thank you to the worldwide community for the tremendous assistance, Shea wrote.

He also included a photo of Gomez that police had previously issued as a plea to the public for help in identifying him, with the words Apprehended written over it in large red letters.

RELATED: WATCH: Pit Bull Attacks Woman on New York City Subway  and Police Are Investigating

The attack occurred March 10 just after 3 a.m. on a No. 2 train at the Nereid Ave. Station in the Bronx.

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Video shared to social media shows a man wearing glasses, a black hat and coat and a patterned scarf forcefully kick a seated woman at least six times in the head and the stomach area.

Marc Gomez | NYPD

The woman can be seen attempting to shield the blows with her arms as fellow riders yell Ooooh at each attack and continue to film.

The suspect is then seen exiting the train while the woman remains seated with her hands to her face.

According to the New York Daily News, she got off the train at the next stop and an EMS crew was waiting for her.

RELATED: Professor Who Fled Nazis as Child Dies After Getting Knocked Over by a Rushed Subway Rider

NYPD Chief of Transit Edward Delatorre first acknowledged the incident on March 22, writing on Twitter that his department had become aware of the social media video and was actively investigating this heinous assault.

The NYPD spokesperson did not know if the department was aware of the incident between March 10 and March 22.

On Saturday, Delatorre praised his team for its quick response in helping the victim.

Great job by our detectives-equally stellar work by Transit cops & outreach teams as they fanned out across the city overnight to reconnect with the victim, especially our Distict 3 officer who spent hours building a rapport & getting the victim the help she so desperately needed https://t.co/Xq6c6Hgp3G  NYPD Transit (@NYPDTransit) March 23, 2019

Great job by our detectives-equally stellar work by Transit cops & outreach teams as they fanned out across the city overnight to reconnect with the victim, especially our District 3 officer who spent hours building a rapport & getting the victim the help she so desperately needed, he tweeted.
The software believed to be linked to the catastrophic crashes of two new Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes in less than five months is getting a makeover.

Pilots from five airlines, including the three U.S. carriers that flew the MAX jets before they were grounded worldwide, tested upgrades to the flight-control system over the weekend at Boeings facility outside Seattle, the aircraft manufacturer confirmed.

Boeing will also host more than 200 airline pilots, technicians and regulators in an informational session Wednesday thats among the initial steps in its attempt to get the MAX planes back in the air.

Investigators have pointed to the stall-prevention system known as MCAS  Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System  as a likely factor in the Oct. 29 crash of Lion Air Flight 610, which killed all 189 aboard when it plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia.

Aviation authorities have noted clear similarities between that airplanes movements and the path taken by Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which crashed March 10 just outside the capital city of Addis Ababa and took the lives of the 157 passengers and crew on board.

'A red flag': From the flight manual to automation, why pilots have complained about Boeing's 737 MAX 8

Training inequality? Are pilots outside the U.S. getting the training needed to fly jets, including Boeing 737 Max 8?

Both of them exhibited drastic changes in airspeed and altitude, plummeting a few minutes after takeoff as the pilots made futile attempts to return to the airport.

On Monday, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told the Wall Street Journal he believes the MCAS was activated when his companys ill-fated flight nosedived to earth, becoming the first aviation official with inside knowledge of the accident to make such a statement.

Gebremariam told the newspaper he would wait until for the results of the ongoing investigation to make a final determination.

In a statement, Gebremariam also disputed reports that the pilots of Flight 302  veteran captain Yared Getachew and first officer Ahmed Nur Mohammed, a relative newcomer  did not have the proper training to handle the new aspects of the MAX 8.

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Contrary to some media reports, our pilots who fly the new model were trained on all appropriate simulators, Gebremariam said. The crews were well trained on this aircraft.

Boeing has been under fire for installing MCAS  a counter to the new planes tendency to pitch up  while providing scant information about it to the pilots and declining to offer extra training. When sensing the plane may be in danger of stalling, the software automatically lowers the nose of the aircraft to help it regain speed.

That software feature relies on readings from only one of the two angle of attack sensors on the MAX, and a faulty sensor is believed to have activated MCAS on the Lion Air flight and possibly also the Ethiopian flight even though the jets were not in danger of stalling.

A Reuters report based on the contents of the cockpit voice recorder indicated the Lion Air pilots couldnt understand why the plane insistently lurched downward, even checking a manual in a desperate attempt to regain control.

Searching for answers: FBI joins criminal probe into Boeing 737 Max 8 safety certification in wake of crashes

On Saturday, pilots from Southwest, American and United airlines as well as foreign airlines Copa and Fly Dubai took simulated flights using the MCAS in its original form and with the proposed updates, and all we able to land safely, the New York Times reported.

We had a productive session this past Saturday and plan to reach all current and many future MAX operators and their home regulators, Boeing said on its website. At the same time, we continue to work closely with our customers and regulators on software and training updates for the 737 MAX.

As part of the computer upgrade to the MAX series, Boeing said it would adjust MCAS so it relies on data from two sensors, and instead of repeatedly pushing the nose down, the system would do it just once and less steeply.

Ask the Captain: What's that strange drilling sound on a plane?

In apparent response to criticism, Boeing plans to add as standard feature of the MAX a warning light that illuminates when the angle of attack sensors disagree, the Seattle Times reported, adding that previously delivered planes could have it installed at no cost. Previously, that display was optional and came with an extra charge.

The Federal Aviation Authority is expected to mandate the flight-control system upgrade by April, but getting the approval from domestic and foreign regulators for MAX planes to fly again figures to take months.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MAX effort: Boeing tests changes to grounded planes to get them back in the air
READ: Asian group tagged in P1.8-billion shabu 'tea'

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Chief Aaron Aquino on Monday batted for the return of theWhen we Filipinos commit drug violations in other countries, the law is much harsher. Filipinos are killed there, Aquino told dzMM radio. Here [in our country], we only have life imprisonment [against foreign drug traffickers]. Aquino made his statement even as a House leader expressed concern over the handling and storage of the, saying the illicit substances must not find their way back into the market. Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco said the seizure of the illegal drugs, mostly methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, was an affirmation of President Rodrigo Dutertes campaign against illegal drugs. While I view with deep concern the recent entry of billions of pesos worth of illegal drugs into the country through our controlled borders, I am more concerned with what will happen to the pieces of evidence confiscated during drug busts,Velasco, chairman of the House committee on energy, said. Aquino said he backed the proposals of pro-death penalty Senators Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson. Drug traffickers sent to the [New] Bilibid [Prison] would just continue their business inside. They get more connections, and the more their business flourishes, he said.They just continue enjoying business [while in prison]. Aquino said capital punishment should be revived against drug smugglers after the seizure of 276 kilos of high-grade shabu worth. The drugs coming from Vietnam were uncovered inside a container van at the Manila International Container Port. No one, however, was arrested. International cooperation is very important. We, Filipinos cannot solve the [drug] problem alone. Chinese [nationals] usually facilitate the drug trade. You dont see any Filipino managing a drug laboratory, Aquino said. He called on other concerned government agencies to closely monitor the entry of drugs through the seaports, airports and the countrys open coastlines.
McDermott International, Inc. MDR recently clinched an offshore EPCI contract worth $500-$750 million for a project in the Middle East. The contract requires McDermott to provide engineering, procurement, construction and installation services in the Arabian Gulf. Per the deal, the company will build six new offshore jackets and three associated topsides. The work also includes the construction of pipelines, bridges, cables and brownfield developments in the existing offshore facilities. Notably, the duration of the contract is around 3 years and its value is likely to be incorporated in McDermotts first-quarter 2019 backlog.

Just a few days back, the company was awarded a subsea EPCI contract from BP plc BP for the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim natural gas project. The value of the contract  which is to be reflected in the firms first-quarter 2019 backlog  is estimated in the band of $500-$750 million.

McDermotts broad product portfolio, strong geographical footprint and healthy relationship with oil companies help it to notch up contract wins regularly even in volatile oil price environment. With ongoing contract wins, McDermotts backlog and revenue pipeline are likely to witness further momentum.

As of Dec 31, 2018, it had a backlog of $10.9 billion, reflecting a major increase from $3.9 billion in the corresponding period of 2017. This is majorly driven by the companys merger with Chicago Bridge & Iron, which boosted its backlog and added onshore services to the offshore focused portfolio of McDermott.The increased scale and diversification has positioned the company to capitalize effectively on growth opportunities, while leading to cost synergies.

McDermott has a significant presence in countries where state-owned entities continue to scout for production growth and new resources. The company's strong relationship with National Oil Companies in the Middle East enables it to generate long-term earnings and leads to an impressive revenue pipeline. As of Dec 31, 2018, the firm boasted a revenue opportunity pipeline of $93.1 billion, mainly driven by North, Central & South America, and Middle East & North Africa segments.

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Zacks Rank & Key Picks

McDermott currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

McDermott International, Inc. Price

McDermott International, Inc. Price | McDermott International, Inc. Quote

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Khizr Khan, the father of fallen Army Captain Humayun Khan, was on The View Monday where he shared an emotional moment with co-host Meghan McCain.

After appearing in support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Khan and his family were the subject of verbal attacks from Donald Trump and his supporters  much like the treatment McCain and her family have recently been subjected to.

I am honored to sit under your grace, under your dignity, Khan said, bringing McCain to tears. Under the grace of Senator McCains family. Our hero, hero of this nation. How dare this Russian-tainted president disrespect our hero.

As Meghan held back tears, Khan said the last thing he gave his son was Senator McCains book Why Courage Matters and that he gives it to new cadets at the University of Virginia ROTC program, with which he is deeply involved. And he said it is because of the kind of man that Senator McCain was.

Whenever I would take that book, he would sit across the table without asking what political venue I belonged to, what are my perspectives, what are my political views, Khan said of the late senator. He would try to, in his conversation, encourage me, hearten me.

Khan went on to say that it was the support of people like Senator McCain after that DNC speech that helped him and his family push through all of the negativity.

The example of Senator McCain, the encouragements of people like him, huddling with family, receiving encouraging letters from throughout the country, Khan said. Such examples elevate us as a nation. And that had been our source of strength. So for that, I am so grateful.

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on ABC.

Watch what Meghan McCain had to say about President Trumps attacks on her late father:

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Mexico City (AFP) - The 500-year-old wounds of the Spanish conquest were ripped open afresh on Monday when Mexico's president urged Spain and the Vatican to apologize for their "abuses" -- a request Madrid said it "firmly rejects."

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist, reopened the debate over Spain's centuries of dominance in the New World with a video posted to social media, urging Spanish King Felipe VI and Pope Francis to apologize for the conquest and the rights violations committed in its aftermath.

"I have sent a letter to the king of Spain and another to the pope calling for a full account of the abuses and urging them to apologize to the indigenous peoples (of Mexico) for the violations of what we now call their human rights," Lopez Obrador, 65, said in the video, filmed at the ruins of the indigenous city of Comalcalco.

"There were massacres and oppression. The so-called conquest was waged with the sword and the cross. They built their churches on top of the (indigenous) temples," he said.

"The time has come to reconcile. But let us ask forgiveness first."

Spain's reaction was swift and unequivocal.

"The government of Spain deeply regrets that the letter the Mexican president sent to his majesty the king, whose contents we firmly reject, has been made public," it said in a statement.

"The arrival, 500 years ago, of Spaniards to present Mexican territory cannot be judged in the light of contemporary considerations," it said.

"Our two brother nations have always known how to read our shared past without anger and with a constructive perspective, as free peoples with a shared history and extraordinary influence."

- 300-year reign -

Lopez Obrador took office in December after a landslide election win that represented a firm break with Mexico's traditional political parties.

A folksy populist, he pulls no punches in going after traditional elites -- but had so far cultivated cordial relations with Spain, including during a visit to Mexico City by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez earlier this year.

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Lopez Obrador made the remarks during a visit to his native Tabasco state, in southern Mexico.

He was later due to visit the nearby city of Centla. On March 14, 1519, the site was the scene of one of the first battles between Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and the indigenous peoples of the land now known as Mexico.

With the help of horses, swords, guns and smallpox -- all unknown in the New World at the time -- Cortes led an army of less than 1,000 men to defeat the Aztec empire, the start of 300 years of Spanish rule over Mexico.
General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who led a 2014 coup, may become a civilian prime minister - Getty Images AsiaPac

Thailand's military-backed party was on Sunday night headed for an unexpected win over a populist party leading a democratic front in the country's first election since a 2014 coup.

Early partial results announced by the Southeast Asian nations election commission after it had counted 89 percent of votes put Phalang Pracharat, led by military junta chief Prayuth Chan-o-cha, in the lead with 7 million votes. The main opposition party, Pheu Thai, had 6.6 million.

However, in another surprise twist, Ittiporn Boonprakong, the commission chairman, said the full unofficial results would only be declared on Monday morning, without giving any reason for the delay.

Polling day saw a high turnout among Thailands 51.2 million eligible voters who were determined to cast their ballots after five years of military rule under a junta led by General Prayuth.

The close result reflects the deep divisions that remain between supporters of the pro-monarchy junta and those who back Pheu Thai and other parties aligned with Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire former prime minister currently living in exile.

Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, is also in the running for prime minister Credit: Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters

Junta critics have blamed military rule for an under-performing economy and lack of democratic freedoms, while its supporters claim the army has stabilised the country.

The initial results did not reveal how many of the 500 seats in the lower house of parliament each party had won, nor indicate their ability to form a ruling coalition.

However, the odds have already been weighted in favour of the junta returning to power through the civilian Phalang Pracharat Party, due to recent electoral reforms that have been denounced by opposition parties as unfair.

A 250-strong Senate, largely selected by the junta, and a new proportional system were intended to manoeuvre Phalang Pracharat and Mr Prayuth into prime position to maintain the premiership and overall control.

With the benefit of the Senate votes, the party has a huge head start over its rivals in the lower House of Representatives and needs just 126 lower house seats to secure a parliamentary majority.

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Pheu Thai supporters watch the election results come in Credit: Wason Wanichakorn/AP

Politicians and analysts have long-feared the system not only renders the election unfair, but that it could produce a stalemate or a fragile government unable to firmly lead the country.

The official results do not have to be declared until May 8, allowing time for delicate coalition negotiations or preliminary results to be disputed.

Polling was foreshadowed on Saturday evening by an unusual televised warning from King Maha Vajiralongkorn that voters should support good leaders to prevent chaos.

The cryptic message was the kings second intervention into politics ahead of the crunch election. In February, he torpedoed a political bid by his sister, Princess Ubolratana, who was nominated by the Thai Raksa Chart party as its prime ministerial candidate.

The TRC, which would have been a natural coalition ally for Pheu Thai, was later dissolved.

Early polls also indicated a strong performance for the newcomer Future Forward party led by Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a charismatic young autoparts tycoon.

Mr Thanathorn energised many of the seven million first-time voters by vowing to end military dictatorship and tackle inequality.
In a matter of days, a mother watched her 7-week-old baby go from happy and alert to gravely sick with meningitis to dying in her arms.

Now she's searching for answers, urging parents to trust their instincts and demanding changes at Salem Hospital's emergency room in Oregon after discharging her sick daughter hours before her vital signs crashed.

"My hope is that something good can come out of this," Ginger McCall said. "What I want the most is to raise awareness so this doesn't happen to anyone else."

McCall, an attorney and state official who works as Oregon's public record advocate, moved from Washington, D.C., to Salem with her husband a year ago.

She was thrilled to discover she was pregnant.

"I wanted a baby for years," McCall said. "I feel like I waited my entire life to meet her and we only got seven weeks together."

Ginger McCall's 7-week-old daughter, Evianna Quintero-McCall, died of meningitis on Sunday after being discharged from the Salem Hospital emergency room with a fever. Photographed at her home in West Salem on March 22, 2019.

Salem Hospital officials declined to comment on the death, citing privacy concerns.

This is a heartbreaking loss, and Salem Health offers its deepest condolences," officials said in statement.

McCall sat Friday in her living room surrounded by flowers and cards, a program from her daughter's memorial next to her on the table. It had been less than a week since Evianna Rose Quintero-McCall  Evi for short  died.

Evi came down with a fever the morning of March 15. She cried a weak, moaning cry  a cry McCall now knows is a telltale sign of Group B strep meningitis.

She and her mother-in-law rushed Evi to Salem Hospital where she was given Tylenol and sent home with a lingering fever.

Hospital staff called infection routine

Looking back, McCall wishes she would've known to insist on a meningitis test, or driven 90 minutes to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, where they might have recognized the infection that would go on to kill her daughter.

She tried to stay calm, trusting the doctors.

"There's a stereotype of a hysterical, panicked, first-time mom, and that probably affected the situation," McCall said.

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She told staff she tested positive for Strep B while pregnant. Expectant mothers are typically tested for the Group B strep infection and treated with antibiotics. The bacterial infection can be passed to babies during delivery.

McCall said hospital staff told her Evi probably just had a routine infection.

But Evi's wounded cry  "the worst sound you could imagine"  continued.

"I knew she was in real, terrible pain," she said.

A few hours later, McCall drove her baby to her pediatrician. Still feverish, Evi threw-up in the exam room. Her doctor told her: Go to the emergency room. Now.

He called ahead to alert hospital staff.

"I figured the doctors would be able to fix it," McCall said. "I remember thinking  we don't live in the 1800s, surely someone will save my child."

Once there, everything became a blur as hospital staff performed a spinal tap and tried to stabilize her daughter.

"It happened so fast. ... All of the sudden, she was crashing and they didn't take a moment to tell us what was happening. We were left in the dark."

Evi was transported via ambulance to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Her condition deteriorated.

"They did their very best, but by the time she got there, it was just too late," McCall said.

Doctors have to end life support

Her daughter was placed on life support and declared her brain dead.

McCall and her husband, Omar Quintero, slept fitfully next to Evi. Alarms woke them at 5 a.m. Sunday  her vital signs were dropping.

Doctors withdrew life support, and McCall and her family took Evi to a hospital courtyard where they held her as she died.

"I will never get to know what color her eyes would've been or what her voice would've sounded like or who she would've grown up to be," McCall said. "That just kills me."

In the days that followed, McCall learned she wasn't the only Salem mother to lose her baby to meningitis.

In May 2018, a 7-month-old boy was taken to Silverton Medical Center, a hospital in Oregon, where he was given Tylenol and sent home despite the family's concerns.

The infant was later flown to Doernbecher and died from bacterial meningitis.

An average of 4,100 cases of bacterial meningitis resulting in 500 deaths are reported every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Babies are at an increased risk of contracting meningitis, which can be spread during birth. They can also contract it through the air from people coughing and sneezing, or from contaminated food.

McCall said she was told Evi had late-onset Group B strep, which caused the meningitis. She wants parents to know the warning signs.

"I hope they will strongly advocate for themselves and their children," McCall said. "I hope they will appreciate every moment they have with their children."

Mom believes better training needed

Symptoms of Group B strep meningitis and recording samples of the cries commonly heard in those infected are available at groupbstrepinternational.org.

McCall said her real hope is for hospital staff to become better educated about meningitis symptoms and change their protocol about diagnosis and discharge. She wonders if her daughter would be alive if someone spotted her weak cry as a sign of the infection during her first ER visit.

"I would like if for them to be trained to recognize the signs of this because it is so catastrophic and it happens so fast," she said. "Every minute matters."

She said she's not interested in suing the hospital for money. She just wants to see change.

With her good job, supportive family and law degree, McCall said she feels like she has the social, political and economic capital that most people do not have.

"I think it is my responsibility to use that to ensure this doesn't happen again," she said.

Ginger McCall holds an ultrasound image of her 7-week-old daughter, Evianna Quintero-McCall, who died of meningitis on Sunday after being discharged from the Salem Hospital emergency room with a fever. Photographed at her home in West Salem on March 22, 2019.

An outpouring of support followed Evi's death. Friends, family, government officials and co-workers filled Salem First Presbyterian Church Thursday for her memorial service.

McCall said she tries to remember the beautiful moments from her daughter's short life  a faint smile as she slept, an appetite so voracious they dubbed her the "Milk Monster," and trip to the Coast where she looked up with awe at the light streaming through the moss-covered trees.

McCall and her husband loved nature and hoped to share that love with Evi. They summited 14,439-foot Mount Elbert in Colorado last year and took a picture of themselves smiling, holding a sonogram of Evi.

"We wanted to climb mountains with her," she said.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth

My 7 week old daughter, Evi, died of bacterial meningitis on March 17 after being treated at Salem Hospital. On the morning of March 15, I took her to the Salem Hospital ER, where they saw us, treated her with Tylenol and fluids, then discharged us (while she still had a fever)  Ginger McCall (@gingermccall) March 21, 2019

At 6:08AM, after she was declared braindead and life support was withdrawn, she died in my arms.  Ginger McCall (@gingermccall) March 21, 2019

Know the signs of meningitis and advocate strongly for yourself and your child.  Ginger McCall (@gingermccall) March 21, 2019

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Mom wants change after baby dies from meningitis. 'We wanted to climb mountains with her'
March 25, 2019

Here's a stat that's sure to raise a few brows: Nearly 21K Botox injections were performed on teens aged 13-19 in 2017, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPC). That troubling number is clearly on the rise, as the same demographic underwent 12K injections seven years prior in 2010. Now, plastic surgeons around the globe are imploring adults, specifically lawmakers, to be vigilant and take action on the issue.

In a story published in the U.K.'s Sunday Times magazine, Mark Henley, president of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, said, "It is absolutely vital that regulators start to pay attention and put a stop to inappropriate celebrity endorsements or the targeting of vulnerable young people with self-esteem issues."

The story also quotes Nick Lowe, a dermatologist who pioneered the cosmetic procedure, as saying he's "very concerned." "Girls are having treatment at an age when they dont need itwere seeing more body dysmorphic syndromes and a terrible loss of self-confidence," he said. "Theyre convinced that looking like a celebrity is going to make them happier and more successful. Its extremely sad and very worrying."

Celebrities aren't really the only problematic influence on teens. Social media, filters, and the desire to look a certain way in selfies are also fueling the problem. At the same time, a report from the Nuffield Council of Bioethics pointed out that game developers often target young people with inappropriate plastic surgery-themed apps. CNN recently reported on a particular category of these apps, which simulate cosmetic surgery. The objective of these games is for kids to perform liposuction, a nose job, lip fillers, or a double-eyelid surgery on a brightly colored cartoon character.

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Alyson Schafer, a family counselor, author and parenting expert, told Parents.com that these apps send a dangerous message about body image. "These apps are saying that there is a beauty ideal, and if youre outside of it, you need to modify yourself with an invasive approach," she said. "These apps send a horrid message."

While it's not exactly surprising that with so much inappropriate content and unrealistic visual media influencing kids and teens, more and more are interested in experimenting with cosmetic procedures like Botox from a very young age. Although Botox is approved for adults 18 and older in the U.S., there is no law prohibiting children under 18 from getting injections. Many doctors are opposed to treating people who are under 18, but others consider doing it on a case-by-case basis.

In the meantime, ASPC published a paper published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery last September called "When Is Teenage Plastic Surgery versus Cosmetic Surgery Okay? Reality versus Hype: A Systematic Review." In it, the authors, board-certified plastic surgeons Rod J. Rohrich, M.D. and Min-Jeong Cho, M.D. of the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, encouraged practitioners to understand teens' motives for undergoing procedures and do careful, extensive evaluations to make sure they're appropriate candidates for their desired procedure.

"Despite its growing popularity, guidelines and outcome studies for teenage plastic surgery have previously not existed," explains Dr. Cho. "Our research exposed a need for stringent guidelines, particularly when it comes to determining when a procedure is appropriate to perform and the recommended age for each procedure, so that's what we set out to deliver."

But it seems as though some experts, like those quoted by the Sunday Times, also want to see action from lawmakers. The Sun reports that the Nuffield Council of Bioethics has previously called for people under 18 to be banned from all cosmetic treatment. Here's hoping international growing concern could lead to an all-hands-on-deck effort to preempt inappropriate teen use of Botox in the U.S., as well.
Beira (Mozambique) (AFP) - Survivors of a powerful cyclone that pummelled southern Africa were to begin receiving emergency medicine, food and tents on Tuesday as floodwaters receded, while the Red Cross warned of "a ticking bomb" of disease in the storm-struck region.

Cyclone Idai smashed into Mozambique's coast, unleashing hurricane-force wind and rain that flooded swathes of the poor country before battering eastern Zimbabwe -- killing more than 700 people across the two nations.

The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Elhadj As Sy said Monday "we are sitting on a ticking bomb" as he called for renewed efforts to address the worsening health situation.

As logistical conditions improved and roads to affected communities have been reconnected, the full scale of the humanitarian crisis has been revealed for the first time since disaster hit on March 15.

More than two million people have been affected in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi where the storm started as a tropical depression causing deadly flooding which displaced nearly a million people.

Hundreds are still missing in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

"The conditions for rescue are improving. Yesterday a road reopened which was really important to allow officials to work and rescue," Mozambique's Land Minister Celso Correa told reporters on Monday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Sebastian Rhodes Stampa also said Monday that 30 aid missions were flying in while others were going by road "so we can really deliver volume".

"We are packing food and shelter now -- they will go out (Tuesday) both north and south," he said.

In New York, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock launched an appeal to provide Mozambique with $282 million to help with relief efforts over the next three months.

Lowcock told reporters that similar campaigns would be instigated in the coming days for Zimbabwe and Malawi.

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- 'Children looking for their parents' -

Buzi, one of Mozambique's worst-hit towns located 30 kilometres (19 miles) southwest of the city of Beira, became reachable by road on Monday -- for the first time since the storm hit.

"It will now be much faster to deliver aid," Stampa added.

In Buzi, survivor Joao Zacaria said that "one man who had 40 cows lost them all. Forty, can you imagine!"

IFRC head Sy, who had just returned from the region, warned of a "high risk of water-borne diseases" like cholera and typhus -- as well as malaria, which is endemic in the region.

A procession of mourners carried the coffin containing the body of Tomas Joaquim Chimukme, who was killed by the cyclone, through saturated marshland outside Beira.

Many of those attending wore open sandals in the water which was ankle-high.

The UN has warned that stagnant water in many areas, decomposing bodies and the lack of sanitation in overcrowded shelters in Mozambique could create breeding grounds for such diseases.

The government has already identified some suspected but unconfirmed cases of cholera, Sy said.

"That is the reason why I am raising the alarm. Many of these water-borne diseases are a great risk, but they are preventable," he added.

"The worst thing is the children crying and looking for their parents... It is heartbreaking," he said, adding that it remained unclear how many children may have been orphaned.

Medical services in the affected region were stretched even before the cyclone hit and according to aid group MSF, Beira hospital's operating theatre sustained serious damage. As many as 17 health centres have lost their roofs, it added in a statement.

The South African military has deployed several aircraft to the affected area and an EU-funded World Food Programme chopper is supporting rescue and recovery efforts.
So we now know what Donald Trumps 2020 re-election campaign slogan will be: No collusion, No obstruction. We know, too, that Robert Muellers report will likely act as a huge boost to the presidents chance of being re-elected 18 months from now.

Mueller did not say definitively that Trump did not collude with Russia to influence the 2016 election, or that he did not try to interfere with investigations into such accusations. He said, rather, that he found no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. He also said while he set out the case for and against the accusation of obstruction of justice in regards to several incidents, he determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement. It was attorney general Bill Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who decided the presidents actions did not constitute a crime.

None of this fine print matters. What matters is that Donald Trump and his supporters will now be able to say with honesty and sincerity that an almost-two-year investigation, led by a dogged and respected prosecutor, found no evidence the president colluded with the Kremlin. They will use it as part of their messaging, and they will absorb it personally and take heart from it.

The most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard  there was no collusion with Russia, Trump told reporters on Sunday afternoon, trying to look stern, rather than gleeful, as news of Muellers main conclusions was released.

There was no obstruction, and none whatsoever. And it was a complete and total exoneration. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest its a shame that your president has had to go through this.

It is not just Trumps supporters who are going to have to think about the significance of Muellers report. Many Democrats saw in the former director of the FBI a means of revenge for their partys surprising and painful defeat with a candidate they all believed was far better qualified.

Being told that Russia was working to interfere in the election on Trumps behalf was some sort of salve.

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But if it could be also shown that Trump had actively colluded with the Kremlin, if his strange bromance with Vladimir Putin could be explained, if it could be shown the Russians had kompromat  ideally something financial or sordid  on Trump, they could write him off as a crook and let matters take their course.

Now, they cannot do that.

Its true that Democrats will continue their own congressional investigations into the president and his officials. Congressman Jerry Nadler, Democratic chair of the House of Representatives judiciary committee, said on Sunday his panel would call Barr to testify shortly, citing concerns over the attorney generals conclusions from special counsels report.

But Democrats must proceed with great caution. If, in the light of Muellers conclusions, they act with the same gung-ho language and attitude some have been displaying, they risk the danger of a backlash of public opinion. They risk Trump and his supporters saying theyre trying to frame a man who has just been cleared.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

In realty, Muellers report has removed any prospect of the president now being impeached.

For the Democrats to proceed with such a move would be seen as nothing less than partisan. That means they must focus their efforts on removing Trump from office by electoral means.

Muellers conclusions may be the most significant political event for the country since Trumps victory in November 2016. His findings do not make Donald Trump a more attractive man. They do not make his racist language any more acceptable, his policies less toxic. He will not be a more effective administrator or any less of a narcissist. The country will not be any less divided.

What Muellers work has done, however, is remove from around Trumps neck the accusation that he was a traitor who had betrayed his country  no less, to the old Cold War enemy of Moscow.

Some people, of course, will continue to believe that he did. But that is not what Robert Mueller found.
CPP junks localized talks

Despite the rants of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison,seem to be working well as the number of New Peoples Army fighters and supporters who have surrendered continues to rise, military officials said Monday. Its funny, annoying and pitiful to hear Sison because he always says that local peace talks are just a waste of time and peoples money because they wont succeed, said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, speaking in Filipino over radio dwIZ. The mere fact that he continues to speak ill of this kind of peace negotiation just shows that this is bearing fruit. The numbers do not lie. As we have said, over 11,000 of their comrades have surrendered since January of 2018, he added. Arevalo said that for the first three months of 2019, about 600 NPA fighters and supporters have surrendered to government troops. They have realized that they have been deceived and have descended from their mountain hideouts to rejoin their families, avail of government benefits, and live normal lives, he said. Government efforts to aid rebels and supporters who surrender are contained in the governments Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). The E-CLIP, which was institutionalized by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 3, 2018, provides a complete package of assistance and interventions to former communist rebels and their immediate families to prepare them for integration to mainstream society. These include skills development training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, PhilHealth enrollment, housing, livelihood and legal assistance. The Palace, meanwhile, dismissed Sisons threats to deliver more lethal blows against the Duterte administration. Other than saying that his rants are psychologically challenged, they are undeserving of a response, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a text message. In a statement on Saturday evening,on weak points of the enemy forces in the countryside.to the regimes most brutal, corrupt and drug-trading officials in the cities. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also made light of Sisons threat. Hahaha, lethal blows? With what and how? His men who are tired of his lies are coming down in droves to avail of the benefits being offered by the government, Lorenzana told the Manila Standard.Sisons threats are plain and simple bluster and braggadocio, he added. Lorenzana said Sison has become irrelevant but was trying hard to appear relevant. The NPA holdouts who are reduced to being terrorist extortionists devoid with any ideology will continue to extort, burn equipment and ambush soldiers and policemen, he said. That is the only thing they could do now. Earlier this year, Sison said overthrowing the government remains their top priority, vowing to strengthen the CPPs armed wing. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines is authorized to be open to peace negotiations with the current and prospective regime of the reactionary government, but its principal work now is to work for the ouster of the Duterte regime, Sison said in January. Troops in the countryside are more than ready to face any attacks by remnants of the NPA, who are now desperate due to the governments decision to permanently terminate the peace talks with their political leaders, the head of the AFP public affairs office, Col. Noel Detoyato, said. Our troops are already given instructions and we are actually in the offensive in running after their armed group and their fronts organizations, Detoyato said Monday. On Sunday, a priest turned rebel leader in Negros Occidental, his wife and a 20-year-ld member of the communist movement were arrested by in their safehouse in Laguna. Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said Francisco Fernandez, 71 alias Ago consultant of the National Democratic Front and spokesman of Negros Regional Deputy Secretary was arrested in Brgy Calumpang Liliw, Laguna at about 5:16 a.m. Fernandez was arrested along with his wife Cleofe Lagtapon, 66, regional deputy secretary for communications and education and 20-year-old Gee-Ann Perez, regional communications staff of Komite Rehiyon-Negros-Cebu-Bohol-Siquijor. They were arrested on the strength of warrants issued by a regional trial court in Cadiz City, for murder. READ: Joma pits NPA vs. Rody
Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation found no evidence that President Donald Trump or members of his 2016 presidential campaign conspired with Russia to sway the election, according to a four-page summary released Sunday by U.S. Attorney General William Barr.

Muellers report reached no conclusion on the investigation into obstruction of justice by the president: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Nonetheless, Barr states that after he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reviewed the report  submitted on Friday, after 22 months of investigation  they concluded that the evidence was not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

Also Read: Jim Carrey Takes on Attorney General Barr in Post-Mueller Report Political Cartoon

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders quickly declared vindication: The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.

The report itself is divided into two parts: Russian interference in the 2016 electionand obstruction of justice. In the matter of Russian interference, Barr writes that the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

As to obstruction of justice, Barr writes writes that the Special Counsel did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both of the sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction, Barr writes.

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Barr added that the department did not even consider constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president.

The summary to Congress and subsequently to the press comes two days after the special counsel completed his two-year investigation and submitted his findings to the Department of Justice.

Also Read: Read Attorney General William Barr's Full Letter to Congress Announcing Delivery of Mueller's Report

Congressional Democrats have widely called for the Mueller report to be released in full to Congress and to the public, following the passage of a resolution calling on the Justice Department to do so by a House vote of 420-0. If the full report isnt provided to Congress, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said on CNNs State of the Union Sunday, We will try to negotiate. We will try everything else first. But if we have to, yes, we will certainly issue subpoenas to get that information,

Democrats are also seeking access to underlying material from Muellers investigation, and are expected to subpoena Mueller to testify in Congress.

Barr holds discretion over how much of the report would be released to the public, based on national security interests and the Justice Department guideline that calls for the withholding of information on why certain individuals are not being prosecuted. While 34 individuals have been indicted with seven of them either being convicted or entering guilty pleas, Muellers memo to the DOJ said that no further indictments will be made.

That lack of additional indictments was interpreted by many as a sign that Donald Trump would be in the clear of suspected conspiracy of collusion with the Russian government.

If the special counsel found there is no collusion, that is a vindication for the president, George Washington University Law School Professor Jonathan Turley told CBS News. It doesnt mean that he acted appropriately, it doesnt even mean that the special counsel didnt find evidence that could be criminal. But it clearly indicated that he doesnt believe there is a criminal case to be made.

But while Muellers investigation of Trump is done, other investigations are still ongoing. Among them is an investigation into Trumps inaugural committee by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. The prosecutors are searching for a wide range of documents related to the committees finances in search of potential crimes that include fraud, disclosure violations, money laundering, and illegal contributions from foreign entities.

SDNY prosecutors are also following up on testimony from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, which include claims of campaign finance violations related to the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels for her silence on a sexual encounter with Trump. Cohen also disclosed emails with another Trump attorney, Robert Costello, that he says suggested the possibility of a presidential pardon. If that is proven to be true, it could mean an obstruction of justice charge against the president.

Read original story Mueller Finds No Evidence of Trump Collusion With Russia, Justice Department Declines Obstruction Charge At TheWrap
By Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of collusion between U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia in the 2016 election, but left unresolved the issue of whether Trump obstructed justice by undermining the investigations that have dogged his presidency. Even though Muellers findings on obstruction of justice were inconclusive, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in a summary released on Sunday that Mueller's team had not found enough proof to warrant bringing charges against Trump. It marked a political victory for Trump. He quickly claimed complete and total exoneration", while his Democratic opponents expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome and vowed to continue congressional inquiries into his business and personal dealings. The Kremlin said following the release of Barr's summary that President Vladimir Putin was ready to improve ties with the United States but was up to Washington to make the first move. "In this case, the ball is absolutely in their court. It was given to Trump in Helsinki," Peskov said in a conference call with reporters on Monday, referring to a summit between Putin and Trump in the Finnish capital in July 2018. Peskov repeated Moscow's denial of any interference in U.S. elections and internal affairs or those of any other country. "...It's hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat," Peskov said. Mueller's 22-month investigation ended with a finding that no one in Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated with the Russian government", according to Barr's four-page summary of the confidential report. The long-awaited report into whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russian efforts to help him defeat his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, marked a milestone in his presidency as he prepares for his 2020 re-election battle. Trump has described the Mueller inquiry as a "witch hunt", saying there was no collusion with Russia and denying he obstructed justice. He is certain to use the report to attack his Democratic opponents in the 2020 race. "This was an illegal takedown that failed," Trump told reporters on Sunday. "It's a shame that our country had to go through this." Many of Trump's opponents had accused him of obstructing the Russia investigation when he fired then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017. Mueller himself did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law, but he presented his evidence to Barr to make a determination. "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr quoted Mueller as writing in the final report on an investigation that led to indictments and convictions of several of Trumps senior former aides. Barr, a Trump appointee who took office last month, said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence did not justify bringing obstruction charges. Democrats, however, said they wanted to see Muellers report for themselves as they launch congressional investigations of their own into the 2016 election and Trumps business and financial dealings. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the fact that Mueller did not clear Trump on the obstruction issue "demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay." U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, said Barr should release as much of Mueller's report as possible. It remained unclear, however, how much more would be made public. Mueller formally ended his investigation on Friday after bringing charges against 34 people, including Russian agents and former key allies of Trump, such as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen. None of those charges, however, directly related to whether Trump's campaign worked with Moscow. While Muellers team backed the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia worked to help Trump win the 2016 election, it concluded that Trumps team did not collude with Moscow. The Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr said in his summary of Muellers report. LEGAL FIGHTS Trump, who had been uncharacteristically quiet on Twitter for much of the weekend as the country awaited Mueller's conclusions, was in his private quarters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when he got the news from his advisers. This is very good! Trump said, according to White House spokesman Hogan Gidley. And Trump was clearly in a good mood as he returned to Washington from Mar-a-Lago on Sunday evening. The closure of the special counsel's probe gives Trump a boost but it does not mark the end of his legal woes. Other investigations are focused on his businesses and financial dealings, hush-money payments to two women who said they had affairs with him, and questions over the funding of his charitable foundation and presidential inaugural committee. Democrats who control the House of Representatives are also preparing a series of their own inquiries. On the issue of obstruction, Barr said Mueller's report flagged "'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. Barr said the decision was left to him by Mueller, and he said there was not enough evidence to move forward with such a charge. The report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent ... each of which ... would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, Barr explained in his letter to lawmakers. Nadler called for Barr to testify to Congress, citing very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department. Still, Trump's closest allies were delighted. Vice President Mike Pence hailed it as a "total vindication of the President of the United States and our campaign" and many Trump voters saw it as a victory over Trump's opponents. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, noted Mueller's conclusion that Trump's campaign did not conspire with Moscow, but said he was disturbed by Russian efforts to "interfere with our democracy" and looked forward to reviewing additional information from the special counsel's report.U.S. intelligence agencies concluded shortly before Trump took office in January 2017 that Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States. (Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth in Moscow; Roberta Rampton in Palm Beach, Florida; Karen Freifeld, Doina Chiacu, David Morgan, Mark Hosenball, Jason Lange, Susan Cornwell, Alexandra Alper and Nandita Bose in Washington; Swati Pandey in Sydney Writing by Matt Spetalnick, Ross Colvin and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Peter Cooney, Kieran Murray and Mark Heinrich)
The finding that Donald Trump and his 2016 presidential campaign didn't conspire with the Russian government is somewhat mystifying.

Not because it cannot be accepted as true. Special counsel Robert Mueller's reputation for excellence, diligence and thoroughness underscores how the finding is credible and ought to be welcomed.

No, it mystifies because Trump could have sat quietly waiting for the truth to emerge. The president's underlings could have honestly answered questions by the FBI and lawmakers. But this didn't happen.

The president spent nearly two years trashing an inquiry that ultimately cleared him and his campaign of criminally conspiring with Russia, and several former aides are now convicted felons for lying under oath  apparently about something that didn't warrant concealment. Some evidently lied out of a misbegotten, twisted sense of loyalty that only made matters worse.

Mueller's conclusions, as characterized in a four-page summary released Sunday afternoon by Attorney General William Barr, are deeply disappointing to partisans who saw the inquiry as a prelude to impeachment. But that was never the intent of Mueller's investigation, which provides needed clarity after nearly two years of rumors and speculation that swirled about Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Special counsel Robert Mueller and his wife, Ann, attend church across from the White House on March 24, 2019.

Trump quickly and inaccurately called the report a "complete and total exoneration." Actually, the special counsel stated that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" on obstruction of justice.

So how do Mueller's findings, as described by Barr, stack up against Trump's repeated characterizations of the investigation? Let's take them one by one:

"There is no collusion." Trump, it appears, was right all along. Clearly there were attempts at collusion, most notably the Trump Tower meeting in 2016 where aides and family members eagerly met with Russians dangling dirt on Hillary Clinton. But Mueller reported that his "investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

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"There is no obstruction." Mueller's investigation began after what looked like obstruction of justice in plain sight: Trump asked FBI Director James Comey to go easy on national security adviser Michael Flynn, fired Comey after he demurred, bragged about it to Russian officials in the Oval Office, and told NBC News' Lester Holt that Russia was the reason he fired Comey.

Mueller didn't draw a legal conclusion about obstruction, but Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, after reviewing Mueller's full report, said there was not enough evidence demonstrating the president was guilty of wrongdoing. It would certainly be difficult to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt of a cover-up when no underlying offense  such as conspiracy  took place. Even so, Barr needs to explain to Congress and the public how he reached his decision, and did it so quickly.

"This investigation is a witch hunt." Trump repeated this endlessly, and it was always a canard. Mueller's reputation was sterling. He's a highly respected, by-the-book former FBI director and a lifelong Republican who served with valor in Vietnam. In 22 months as special prosecutor, he won convictions of five Trump aides  in most cases, for lying. They included former campaign manager Paul Manafort, fired national security adviser Michael Flynn and onetime personal lawyer Michael Cohen. In all, 34 people and three companies were indicted on scores of charges.

The investigation included more than 2,800 subpoenas, nearly 500 search warrants and interviews with about 500 witnesses (but not Trump himself in person). So now, the president is in the ironic position of hailing the accuracy of an inquiry he repeatedly tried to discredit.

"The Russia thing is a hoax." This depends on the definition of "thing." If it means criminal collusion, then Trump has a point. But if it refers to Russian interference in the election, Mueller dispatched this assertion months ago when he indicted  with pages of extraordinary detail  dozens of Russian nationals on charges of hacking Democratic computers and waging a disinformation campaign aimed at sowing division and helping Trump.

So now what? Congress and the public deserve to see Mueller's full, taxpayer-funded report, and that should happen, with redactions only to protect sources and methods.

Nor is the end of Mueller's efforts the end of Trump investigations. Lawmakers and other federal prosecutors are examining a host of issues: possible campaign violations involving payoffs to women who allegedly had affairs with Trump, inauguration funding, the Trump Foundation, Trump's taxes, real estate deals and potential insurance fraud.

Beyond Trump, the special counsel gave Congress plenty of homework that transcends partisanship. Mueller unearthed a plot by a foreign adversary to undermine America's democracy. Even if the president didn't collude  something for which the nation should be thankful  Muellers findings cry out for steps to prevent this from ever happening again.

With the 2020 presidential campaign already underway, there is little time to lose.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mueller report mystifies, but not because it cannot be true
WASHINGTON  Since his appointment nearly two years ago, Robert Mueller sought to answer one overriding question that has cast a shadow over Donald Trump's presidency: Did his campaign coordinate with the Kremlin to win the White House?

A summary of the special counsel's investigation delivered to lawmakers Sunday said unequivocally that neither Trump nor his campaign conspired with Russian efforts to sway the election that put him in office.

But the four-page summary fell short of giving the White House the "complete and total exoneration the president, his lawyers and political allies claimed after Attorney General William Barr released it to lawmakers and the public.

On the separate question of whether Trump sought to obstruct Mueller's inquiry, the special counsel was not equally definitive: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr wrote, quoting from Mueller's report.

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The striking passage from Mueller's still-secret report all but guaranteed that the 22-month inquiry will continue to loom over Trump's administration. So too does the cascade of new investigations, including criminal inquiries directed at Trump's business and his inaugural committee.

Because Mueller did not make a definitive finding on obstruction, Barr said the decision was left to him and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to conclude that Trump's conduct  including his firing of former FBI Director James Comey after urging the then-director to drop an ongoing inquiry into national security adviser Michael Flynn  did not amount to a crime. That Trump's appointees rather than Mueller drew that conclusion left legal observers and Trump's critics unsatisfied.

"On obstruction, it seems he concluded nothing, in a very bizarre move, Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, said of Mueller. Essentially, he punted.

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Mariotti said Barrs decision to absolve the president of possible legal jeopardy will not end the debate.

I wouldnt take his word for it," he said.

While Trump and his lawyers have sought to frame Sunday's disclosures as vindication, others cautioned that the president remains in the cross-hairs of multiple of federal investigations in New York and congressional inquiries in Washington, all spawned by Mueller's probe, that promise to linger well into the 2020 campaign and beyond.

"President Trump ought to be very careful about screaming vindication," said Jimmy Gurule, a former Justice Department official in the George H.W. Bush administration. "His worst nightmare may yet be ahead of him."

Vindication is precisely what Trump claimed, just as he had done repeatedly since Mueller's appointment in 2017. Speaking to reporters in Florida, where he spent the weekend, Trump blasted Mueller's investigation as "an illegal takedown that failed" and lamented it was a "shame our country had to go through this."

White House under siege

Unaddressed by Trump's supporters was the significant damage Mueller's probe has already inflicted on Trump's presidency. Mueller has charged 34 people with a range of criminal offenses and secured convictions of some of Trump's closest political allies.

Federal and state prosecutors in New York have taken aim at Trump's real estate empire and hush money payments to alleged mistresses.

Those investigations continue to threaten some of those closest to the president, including his son, Donald Trump Jr., and longtime Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg. His longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, who faces three years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud and orchestrating illegal payments to women who have claimed to have had sex with Trump, is cooperating with prosecutors.

And House Democrats have said they are ramping up their own investigations of the president.

The political impact of Mueller's work has been far reaching, leaving the White House under siege for the better part of two years, frustrating the president's ability to pursue an agenda in Congress, raising the specter of impeachment and complicating his relationship with foreign leaders on the world stage, according to aides.

President Donald Trump and Robert Mueller

And while Trump has already sought to dismiss Mueller's now-shuttered investigation like so many vanquished political opponents, the damage its revelations caused might not end so quickly. In charging documents, Mueller showed that some of the president's most senior aides repeatedly lied in part to protect their boss' business and political fortunes.

"What Mueller has done stands on its own," said Robert Ray, who served as an independent counsel in the investigation into President Bill Clinton's unsuccessful Arkansas land deal that expanded to include his extramarital relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

"I think he has done as much as he could do and more than I expected," Ray said of Mueller. "He's already shown that there was penetration into our election system by Russian operatives. That, alone, should be frightening."

Ray referred to charges Mueller leveled last year against 13 Russian nationals and three businesses  including an internet firm tied to the Kremlin  accused of conspiracy, identity theft, failing to register as foreign agents, and violating laws that limit the use of foreign money in U.S. elections.

A defining investigation

Although Mueller found no evidence to support a conspiracy involving Trump and the Kremlin, the first two years of his administration have been largely defined by the contours of the Russia investigation.

In the run-up to the inauguration, the president-elect attacked U.S. intelligence agencies, blaming officials for leaking the contents of an unverified dossier prepared by a former British intelligence officer that linked Trump to the Russian government.

That only accelerated after Trump took the oath of office.

Barely a month into the administration, the new president was forced to fire his national security adviser, Flynn, who lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak before Trump took office. Flynn, who pleaded guilty, is awaiting sentencing for that crime.

In March 2017, Trump turned on the Justice Department and his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for recusing himself from oversight of the Russia inquiry. Two months later, he abruptly dismissed Comey for his handling of the Russia probe, setting the stage for appointment of Mueller who would go on to examine whether the president sought to obstruct the investigation by firing his FBI director.

Eventually, Trump ousted Sessions, too. Those moves further fueled concerns of possible obstruction. Mueller's report appeared to leave that question unanswered. Barr and Rosenstein said that the evidence investigators gathered "is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Patrick J. Cotter, also a former federal prosecutor, said proving intent in an obstruction case can often be a difficult task.

Cotter said that Mueller and Barr likely looked at the facts as longtime prosecutors and decided that the evidence did not rise to the threshold of guaranteeing a conviction, were the president ever to be charged.

I dont think it's a punt to do that, Cotter said. That's their job.

But Cotter also said that it appears neither Barrs summary nor the principal findings from Muellers report vindicate Trump.

I don't mean to be flip, but (Trump) should learn how to read, Cotter said.

Lies and Russia

While Mueller's primary mission was to determine whether Trump coordinated with Russia to benefit his campaign, Bruce Udolf, who served as associate independent counsel in the Clinton investigation, said the lack of such a finding does not diminish the gravity of what the special counsel did find.

Of the six former aides to Trump charged, five were accused of lying to investigators or Congress, mostly about subjects involving contacts with Russia.

Flynn's attempts to deny the substance of his talks with Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, served as a precursor to a series of disclosures highlighting a campaign eager to benefit from Russia's help and aides who later lied about their interests in Russia's potential assistance.

The criminal charges lodged against members of Trump's inner-circle are unrivaled since more than a dozen people, including a national security adviser and a defense secretary, were implicated in a secret operation to provide arms to Iran during the Reagan administration in what became known as the Iran-Contra scandal.

Political peril in Congress

If the criminal investigations pursued by Mueller and the ongoing inquiries launched by federal prosecutors in New York represent the most grave legal threats, renewed examinations opened by congressional Democrats offer potential political peril.

Earlier this month, the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee opened a sweeping investigation, requesting documents from 81 "agencies, entities, and individuals" connected to the administration and Trump's private businesses.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the Judiciary panel, said he would ask Barr to testify before his committee and would also demand the release of Muellers full report.

The attorney generals comments make it clear that Congress must step in to get the truth and provide full transparency to the American people, Nadler said. The president has not been exonerated by the special counsel.

Meanwhile, the leader of another House committee has said it was broadening its own examination of Russian election interference, and yet another panel took searing testimony from Cohen, who publicly accused the president of participating in a criminal conspiracy.

'No collusion' to remain Trump's refrain

Mueller's lack of a finding on the obstruction question and the newly-launched criminal and congressional inquiries are not expected to silence Trump's most loyal supporters.

People are going to wave it around and his supporters are going to say it shows no collusion, said Ryan Williams, a longtime GOP operative. The president has basically made the investigation a partisan issue and undermined Robert Muellers credibility with his base.

Williams noted that past administrations also sought to challenge the credibility of their investigators. James Carville, Clintons then-longtime political aide, threatened to launch an all out public relations war against then-independent counsel Kenneth Starr.

Then-Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole once described investigators looking into the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration as highly paid assassins. Dole said the independent counsel at the time, Lawrence Walsh, was running a witch hunt, a term Trump has used more than 170 times on Twitter since his inauguration.

A key difference with Trump, Williams said, is that he takes the shots himself, rather than attempting to appear above the fray. Unusually confident as his own communications director, Trump has appealed to supporters in part by eschewing political correctness and embracing a penchant for rhetorical combat.

Weve been on a trendline, Williams said, but President Trump has certainly changed the way the president responds to investigations of their administration.

Sunday's disclosure ended one investigation, but means there are many more to which Trump must still respond.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Muellers report found no Russia collusion, but vindication remains elusive for Trump
Donald Trump has described Robert Muellers probe into alleged collusion between his election campaign and Russia as an illegal takedown, while suggesting Democrats should now be investigated.

The president claimed the report represented a total exoneration, when in fact Mr Mueller specifically said that while his probe did not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also did not exonerate him.

Mr Mueller did not make a determination on whether Mr Trump committed obstruction of justice in the Russia probe, and attorney general William Barr and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence gathered by Mr Mueller was insufficient.

The summary of Mr Muellers report does say the special counsel did not find the Trump campaign or its associates conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election.

Mr Trump claimed, without evidence, the investigation was an illegal takedown that failed.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, the president said: Its a shame that our country had to go through this.

This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebodys going to be looking at the other side.

Mr Trumps lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said Mr Muellers report was more positive than he had anticipated. Its better than I expected, Mr Giuliani said.

Echoing the president, Mr Giuliani and others on Mr Trumps outside legal team said in a statement: This is a complete and total vindication of the president.

In his first comment after Mr Barr sent a letter to members of Congress summarising the report, Mr Trump tweeted: No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

However, in addition to Mr Muellers report saying it did not conclude the president committed a crime but also did not exonerate Mr Trump, the House Judiciary Committee chairman said the special counsel clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

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Democratic representative Jerry Nadler tweeted to say Mr Barrs letter to congress said that while the president might have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted to say Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.
SEOUL, March 25 (Reuters) - North Korea sent back its officials to an inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong on Monday, reversing a decision two days ago to withdraw the officials, South Korea's Unification Ministry said.

A group of four to five officials showed up at the office earlier in the morning saying they came to work "as usual," the ministry said in a statement.

Though the presence of the North's head of the office was not confirmed, the two sides held a consultation and will "continue to operate the office as usual," the ministry said.

(Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Joyce Lee; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Could there be life under the ice? (Getty)

NASA is to launch a tiny spacecraft towards one of the more mysterious objects in our solar system  a moon of Neptune which might be able to host life.

NASA researchers believe that Triton may have liquid oceans benath its icy surface, kept liquid by ammonia in the water.

NASA researchers at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas revealed a plan to launch a small spacecraft towards the moon.

The moon was glimpsed by NASAs Voyager 2 in 1989, which captured images which led scientists to believe there might be liquid water beneath the surface.

Neptunes moon Triton was the last stop on Voyager 2s tour of the outer planets (Getty)

The time is now to do this mission, Louise Prockter, director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston.

Read more

Who will be the next PM? These are the favourites to replace Theresa May

Shopworker stabbed to death as six people knifed overnight across London

Miracle postman died for 21 minutes and came back to life  on his way to the morgue

The time is now to do it at a low cost. And we will investigate whether it is a habitable world, which is of huge importance.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
NASA released images of a meteor exploding over the Bering Sea in December in what was the largest such event recorded since 2013.

The images of the "fireball," a term used by NASA to describe "exceptionally bright meteors that are spectacular enough to to be seen over a very wide area," were captured Dec. 18, 2018, using instruments on the Terra satellite, the agency said.

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) captured an image sequence of the meteor a few minutes after the event, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS) captured a color image of remnants of the meteor's passage, NASA said.

Last week, NASA revealed that the explosion unleashed energy equivalent to 173 kilotons of TNT, more than 10 times the energy generated by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

Scientists combed through Earth satellite data to see if we had a record of a fireball exploding in the atmosphere over the Bering Sea back in December 2018. See how @NASA instruments imaged the event: https://t.co/WysTJWSevP pic.twitter.com/xCAvMN3O8U  NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) March 22, 2019

"An event like this might occur two to three times a century," Lindley Johnson, a planetary defense officer at NASA, told USA TODAY last week.

NASA said that because of the altitude of the meteor and the remote area, the event did not pose a threat to anyone on the ground.

The last similar fireball event was in 2013, when a meteor exploded in Russia's Chelyabinsk region and was captured on video by security and dashboard cameras. Johnson said that meteor generated energy equal to 440 kilotons of TNT.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASA releases images of giant 'fireball' exploding over Earth last year
The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed a slightly smaller-than-expected decrease in natural gas supplies. Moreover, the drawdown fell short of the five-year average. Influenced by these factors, natural gas prices ended Friday at $2.753 per million Btu (MMBtu), down 1.5% over the week.

The EIA Inventory Data

Stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states fell by 47 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended Mar 15, just below the guidance (of 48 Bcf decline) as per the analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts. The decrease was also significantly lower than both the five-year (2014-2018) average net shrinkage of 56 Bcf and last years drop of 87 Bcf for the reported week.

Following past weeks supply decline, at 1.143 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), natural gas inventories are 556 Bcf (32.7%) under the five-year average and 315 Bcf (21.6%) below the year-ago figure.

Fundamentally speaking, total supply of natural gas averaged around 93.5 Bcf per day, essentially unchanged on a weekly basis as dry production remained flat. Meanwhile, daily consumption fell 6.2% to 91.3 Bcf primarily due to weaker residential/commercial sector demand amid higher-than-normal temperatures in California and the U.S. Northeast.

Volatile Last Few Months for the Fuel

While natural gas has rallied more than 8% over the past month, its still 44% below the four-year high of $4.929 per MMBtu reached in mid-November. The early onset of winter, together with the lowest level of stocks in 15 years, demand from power plants and growing LNG shipments lifted the commodity to almost $5 per MMBtu.

But the euphoria didnt last long as mild weather in December and early January led to smaller withdrawals that markedly reduced the storage deficit and sent prices lower.

What Lies Ahead?

The fundamentals of natural gas consumption continue to be favorable. The demand for cleaner fuels and the commoditys relatively lower price has catapulted natural gas' share of domestic electricity generation to 35%, from 25% in 2011. Moreover, new pipelines to Mexico, together with large-scale liquefied gas export facilities have meant that exports out of the U.S. are set for a quantum leap. Finally, higher consumption from industrial projects will likely ensure strong natural gas demand.

Story continues

However, record high production in the United States and expectations for explosive growth through 2020 means that supply will keep pace with demand. Therefore, prices are likely to trade sideways but for weather-driven movements.

Want to Own a Natural Gas Stock Now?

The uncertain natural gas fundamentals (considering its seasonal nature) is responsible for the understandable reluctance on investors part to dip their feet into these stocks.

Moreover, most natural gas-heavy upstream companies like Gulfport Energy Corporation GPOR, QEP Resources Inc. QEP, SilverBow Resources, Inc. SBOW, Chesapeake Energy Corporation CHK, Southwestern Energy Company SWN etc. carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which means that investors should preferably wait for a better entry point before buying shares in them.

If you are looking for a near-term natural gas play, Antero Resources AR might be an excellent selection. The company has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

This Denver, CO-headquartered companys expected EPS growth rate for three to five years currently stands at 20%, comparing favorably with the industry's growth rate of 18.8%.

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(Fixes typo in headline)

* Israel says rocket was fired from Gaza

* Netanyahu to meet Trump as planned and then fly home

* Tensions high ahead of Gaza border protests anniversary

* Violence comes some two weeks before Israeli election

By Tova Cohen

MISHMERET, Israel March 25 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he will cut short his trip to the United States after a rocket attack near Tel Aviv wounded seven people.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said the projectile was fired from Gaza, an enclave controlled by the militant Hamas group, and Netanyahu said Israel would respond forcefully.

Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington on Sunday for a four-day visit ahead of an April 9 Israeli election, said he would fly home immediately after meeting President Donald Trump at the White House, as planned, later on Monday.

The early morning attack on Mishmeret, an agricultural town north of Tel Aviv, came at a time of high tension ahead of the anniversary of Gaza border protests at the weekend, and Trump's expression of support for Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights.

"In light of the security events I decided to cut short my visit to the U.S.," Netanyahu said, calling the rocket fire a "heinous attack."

In Mishmeret one house was completely destroyed, and at least one other house and cars were left badly damaged.

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said it was treating seven people, including an infant, a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 60-year-old woman who was suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds.

The strike came minutes after the Israeli military activated air raid sirens in the area and said one rocket had been launched out of the Gaza Strip, a coastal territory 50 miles (80 km) away where Hamas and other factions possess such weapons.

Smadar Castelnovo, a Mishmeret resident who lives opposite the destroyed house, said they were woken up shortly after 5 a.m.

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"We heard the siren and we didn't think it was anything, but my daughter made us go into the reinforced room," said Castelnovo, still in her pajamas.

"My daughter was upset because we had left the dog out. We went out to get the dog and as soon as we went back in there was a very loud boom."

Police sealed off streets, and emergency services were working at the scene, as Israeli politicians visited to talk to media crews.

GAZA BRACING

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from Gaza, where Palestinians were preparing for Israeli retaliation.

Israel told Palestinian officials it was closing all Gaza crossings as well as access to the sea from the blockaded territory.

Yahya Sinwar, the head of the Islamist militant group Hamas in the coastal enclave, canceled a planned public meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon, with Hamas officials citing "developments."

Netanyahu said his decision to return to Israel was made after he consulted with Israeli military and intelligence chiefs. He had been due to address AIPAC, the largest U.S. pro-Israel lobby, on Tuesday.

But early on Monday he said: "In a few hours, I will meet President Trump and immediately after that I will return to Israel to direct our actions close-hand."

His chief rival in next month's election, centrist ex-general Benny Gantz, issued a statement accusing the rightist premier of having "bankrupted national security" by permitting such attacks. Gantz, who is also in Washington to address AIPAC, had urged Netanyahu to return home.

Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, and outlying communities had last come under a long-range rocket attack that caused casualties during the 2014 war with Hamas.

Two rockets were launched at Tel Aviv on March 14 but caused no injuries or damage. Israel blamed those rocket launches on Hamas, though a security official later said the salvo had been set off by accident.

The latest attack follows disturbances involving Palestinian prisoners in southern Israel. Palestinian officials said 20 prisoners in Israel's jail in the Negev were injured during violence inside the prison in the wake of "humiliating searches" by prison guards. Israeli officials said two guards were stabbed and wounded. (Additional reporting by Stephen Farrell and Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza Editing by Jeffrey Heller)
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border on Monday in response to the longest-range Hamas rocket attack to cause casualties in years.

After a day of intense cross-border fighting, Palestinian officials said Egypt had mediated a ceasefire, though the frontier did not remain calm for long.

Rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel after the late-night truce was supposed to take effect, sending residents running for shelter. In Gaza, Palestinians reported Israeli planes attacked at least two targets.

Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, and smaller Palestinian factions put out a statement that Egypt had mediated a ceasefire even as the rockets were fired. Israeli officials did not comment on whether a truce had been reached.

Monday's violence began when seven Israelis were wounded near Tel Aviv by a morning rocket attack. The Gaza health ministry said five Palestinians were later wounded by a wave of retaliatory strikes.

Dozens of explosions rocked the coastal enclave and ambulance sirens echoed in the mostly empty streets. In one Gaza neighbourhood, people rushed to buy bread in anticipation of a long escalation. The office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was one of the initial targets hit, although he was likely to have been evacuated in advance.

Gaza militants fired barrages of rockets into Israel late into the night. Some were shot down by Israeli defences and others landed in empty areas.

The escalation came just two weeks before an election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life after a decade in power, campaigning on a tough line against Palestinian militants.

Beset by corruption scandals, he faces a strong challenge from a centrist coalition led by a top general.

Netanyahu cut short a visit to the United States, saying he would fly home right after meeting President Donald Trump.

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"Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this," Netanyahu said. "And as we speak... Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

Trump told reporters with Netanyahu at his side that Israel has the "absolute right" to defend itself.

In the last Gaza war in 2014, more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to the Gaza health ministry, were killed in seven weeks of fighting. Sixty-six Israeli soldiers and seven civilians in Israel were killed.

HAMAS ATTACK

The Israeli military said Hamas launched the rocket that destroyed a house in Mishmeret, a village north of Tel Aviv. There was no claim of responsibility for the early morning attack.

The military said Hamas fired the rocket from about 120 km (75 miles) away, making it the longest-range attack from Gaza causing casualties since the last war in Gaza in 2014.

Israel has waged three wars on Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007. Israeli air strikes in retaliation for rockets from Gaza are a frequent occurrence, but Israel's swift mobilisation of extra troops to the border area was unusual.

The two sides have managed to avert all-out war for five years, most recently with the help of Egyptian mediation after a major escalation in November last year.

Some of the other initial targets struck in Gaza, likely to have been evacuated, were the internal security office of Hamas, a naval base, a training camp and an insurance office in Gaza city, Palestinian security officials said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged restraint from both sides and said that, together with Egypt, the United Nations was trying to help defuse the situation.

WIDE RANGE OF SCENARIOS

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said it treated seven people after the morning missile strike, including an infant, a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 60-year-old woman suffering from blast injuries, burns and shrapnel wounds.

The Israeli military said it was assigning two brigades to the Gaza area and some reservists were being called up. Reuters journalists saw troops moving towards the border, where the military also closed several roads to civilian traffic.

"We are prepared for a wide range of scenarios," chief spokesman Ronen Manelis said.

Israeli towns near Gaza and Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, opened bomb shelters in anticipation of rocket strikes.

The rocket attack coincided with tension ahead of the March 30 anniversary of the start of weekly Gaza protests at the frontier in which some 200 Gazans have been killed and thousands wounded by Israeli fire. One Israeli soldier has been killed.

Israel says it has no choice but to use deadly force at the protests to prevent militants from breaching the border fence.

Gaza is home to 2 million Palestinians, most of them descendants of people who fled or were driven from homes in Israel when it was founded in 1948. The protesters demand the right to return to land from which their ancestors fled.

Israel seized Gaza in a 1967 and pulled out its troops in 2005. Since Hamas took over two years later, Israel has maintained a security blockade, along with Egypt, that has reduced Gaza's economy to what the World Bank calls a collapse.

Netanyahu's visit to Washington, after Trump said it was time to recognise Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, was seen at home as a bid to boost the right-wing Likud leader's chances of a fifth term.

At their White House meeting, Trump signed a declaration codifying U.S. recognition of Israel's hold on the strategic plateau, a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. Syria called the move "a blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Netanyahu's election prospects have been clouded by graft allegations against him. He has denied any wrongdoing.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Farrell, Maayan Lubell and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Peter Graff, Angus MacSwan and Dan Grebler)
Washington (AFP) - With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, US President Donald Trump declared Monday that the Golan Heights belongs to Israel -- handing another major diplomatic victory to the premier ahead of tight elections.

Netanyahu spared no praise as he watched Trump sign the Golan proclamation at the White House, likening him to President Harry S Truman, who recognized Israel, and even to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who freed the Jews of Babylon.

"Your decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is so historic," Netanyahu told Trump. The Jewish state captured the territory from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967.

"Your recognition is a twofold act of historic justice. Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war of self-defense, and the Jewish people's roots in the Golan go back thousands of years," he said.

Trump -- who in 2017 took the even more momentous step of recognizing disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- called the Golan declaration "a long time in the making."

"It should have taken place many decades ago," said Trump, who had revealed his intentions on the Golan on Thursday in a Twitter message.

Netanyahu, a wily right-winger who this year would become the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, is facing an unexpectedly stiff challenge in April 9 elections from centrist Benny Gantz, who also came to Washington for AIPAC.

Netanyahu was visiting Washington for the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel US lobby, but cut his visit short after a rocket fired Monday from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis in an unusually long-range attack.

Just as Netanyahu entered the White House, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Gaza linked to Hamas -- which denied carrying out the attack -- with the prime minister vowing to respond "forcefully to this wanton aggression."

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- International opposition -

Trump was isolated in the move, with the United Nations and US allies France and Britain all saying that they still considered the Golan Heights "Israeli-occupied" in line with UN resolutions.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Trump's declaration "ignores all international procedures" and "could drive a new wave of tensions" in the Middle East.

Syria denounced the "blatant attack" on its sovereignty, while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized Trump for giving "virtually an election gift" to Netanyahu.

Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 but had won no international support. The territory had long been seen as a comparatively easy problem to resolve, as both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Golan's 20,000 settlers are largely secular in a region dominated by religious feuds.

But changing the strategic dynamics, Syria has been embroiled for years in a devastating civil war in which Iran has made inroads -- to the staunch opposition of Israel, which has vowed to eradicate the clerical regime's presence.

Shortly before the Golan proclamation, Vice President Mike Pence brought the AIPAC audience to its feet as he hailed Trump as "the greatest friend of the Jewish people and the state of Israel ever to sit in the Oval Office."

Amid Trump and Netanyahu's mutual affection and the Israeli leader's rightward turn, top Democrats seeking the White House have steered clear of AIPAC -- an absence that Pence eagerly highlighted.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a liberal Democrat whose city is home to 1.2 million Jews, nonetheless spoke at AIPAC, where he acknowledged differences with Netanyahu but won a standing ovation for opposing the movement to boycott Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

- Gantz touts 'strength' -

Challenger Gantz showed virtually no daylight with Netanyahu on security issues in his AIPAC address.

Citing his mother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and his son's service in the military, the former military chief said that "strength and moral power come together."

"That is why I say from this stage to the Iranian regime -- never again. We will not allow you to establish yourself in Syria, we will not allow you to develop nuclear weapons," he said.

"On my watch, you will not become a regional power and I will not hesitate to use force if and when needed," he said.

Gantz said that Jerusalem would always be Israel's "united and eternal capital" and added, without ruling out a Palestinian state in the West Bank, that the Jordan Valley would "always" be Israel's eastern security border.

But he won loud cheers from the American Jewish audience when he turned to domestic issues, promising more inclusiveness at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where women are separated from men, and chiding Netanyahu for allying with a party widely condemned as racist.
Washington (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Donald Trump in Washington on Monday amid expectations the US president will formally recognize the Jewish state's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Trump broke with longstanding international consensus last week over the status of the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War, saying the US should recognize Israeli sovereignty over the strategic plateau.

Israel's foreign minister said the US president will go one step further on Monday when he welcomes a grateful Netanyahu -- who is looking for an electoral boost ahead of April 9 parliamentary polls -- to the White House.

"President Trump will sign tomorrow in the presence of PM Netanyahu an order recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Israel Katz tweeted.

Netanyahu has long pushed for such recognition, and many analysts saw Trump's statement, which came in a tweet on Thursday, as a campaign gift.

Netanyahu is locked in a tough election fight with a centrist political alliance headed by former military chief Benny Gantz and ex-finance minister Yair Lapid.

New opinion polls last week showed Netanyahu losing ground to his electoral rivals, and the Washington visit was seen as an opportunity to regain momentum.

The prime minister has a "working meeting" at the White House on Monday and a dinner on Tuesday.

- Trump's latest pro-Israel move -

Netanyahu is also set to address the annual conference in Washington of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Tuesday. Gantz speaks at the high-profile event on Monday.

The Golan Heights decision is the latest major move in favor of Israel by Trump, who in 2017 recognized the disputed city of Jerusalem as the country's capital.

Syria and other states in the region condemned Trump's pledge, saying it violates international law. France said the same.

Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 in a move never recognized by the international community.

Story continues

Netanyahu phoned Trump to tell him he had made "history," and called the gesture a "Purim miracle," a reference to the Jewish holiday that Israel was celebrating that day.

Although Trump professed no knowledge of the Israeli politics in play, Netanyahu's relationship with the US president has long been a central feature of his campaign.

Trump appears on giant campaign billboards in Israel shaking hands and smiling with Netanyahu, and the premier has shared video of the US leader calling him "strong" and a "winner."

On the same day as Trump's Golan Heights tweet, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Jerusalem, where he joined Netanyahu in a visit to the historic Western Wall, offering his host a prime pre-election photo opportunity.

It was the first time such a high-ranking American official had visited one of the holiest sites in Judaism, located in mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem, with an Israeli premier.

Trump relies on pro-Israel evangelical Christians as part of his electoral base and has moved US policy firmly in Israel's favor.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest election challenger, Benny Gantz, called on Monday for unity and moderation in a speech to a major pro-Israel U.S. lobby group that has been uneasy at Netanyahu's courting of far-rightists. Gantz's appearance at AIPAC was overshadowed by a rocket strike on Israel from Gaza that prompted Netanyahu to cancel his own speech at the event so he could return and oversee retaliation. Gantz, a retired army general who is a centrist newcomer to politics, went briefly off-script to commend Netanyahu's decision, before delivering veiled censure of the conservative premier's electioneering, which has included dismissive rhetoric about Israel's Arab minority and appeals to ultranationalists. "The divisive dialogue tearing our strong nation apart may serve - I doubt it, but it may serve - political purposes, but is shredding the fabric that holds us together," he said. If he succeeds Netanyahu after the April 9 election, Gantz said, "there will be no Kahanists running our country, there will be no racists leading our state institutions, and there will be no corruption leading our ways - no corruption whatsoever." Netanyahu forged a pre-election alliance last month with Jewish Power, an ultranationalist party that includes adherents of the late anti-Arab rabbi, Meir Kahane. In a rare reprimand AIPAC, which is the largest U.S. pro-Israel lobby, called Jewish Power "a racist and reprehensible party." The four-term premier also faces criminal charges in three corruption cases, pending a review hearing after the election. Netanyahu has denied wrongdoing and described himself as the victim of liberal media bias and judicial overreach. U.S. Jews, a largely Democratic constituency, have at times fretted over Netanyahu's alignment with President Donald Trump's Republican administration, and Gantz talked up AIPAC's bipartisan strategy. Gantz called Trump "a true partner and ally of Israel," but added: "We want all of America, Republicans and Democrats, to move forward in the spirit of true bipartisanship that served so well in the past." After the speech, Gantz met Vice President Mike Pence, who also addressed the gathering. Posting a photo of himself shaking hands with Pence, Gantz wrote on Twitter: "I thanked him for his unequivocal support for Israel and for everything they are doing for us." Netanyahu, who opinion polls show running neck and neck with Gantz, has dismissed his rival as a "weak leftist," accusing him of allowing Iran to hack his cellphone. Gantz outlined national security policies that were not significantly different from the prime minister's, and laughed off the alleged breach. Iran has denied targeting Gantz. Gantz has said he had been informed by Israel's domestic security service of a breach but there was no sensitive information on the device. Alluding on Monday to his military exploits against Iranian threats while in uniform, Gantz directed a warning toward Tehran: "You know me, and not only from my cellphone." (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Growth investors focus on stocks that are seeing above-average financial growth, as this feature helps these securities garner the market's attention and deliver solid returns. But finding a growth stock that can live up to its true potential can be a tough task.

In addition to volatility, these stocks carry above-average risk by their very nature. Also, one could end up losing from a stock whose growth story is actually over or nearing its end.

However, the task of finding cutting-edge growth stocks is made easy with the help of the Zacks Growth Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which looks beyond the traditional growth attributes to analyze a company's real growth prospects.

NextEra Energy (NEE) is one such stock that our proprietary system currently recommends. The company not only has a favorable Growth Score, but also carries a top Zacks Rank.

Research shows that stocks carrying the best growth features consistently beat the market. And returns are even better for stocks that possess the combination of a Growth Score of A or B and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy).

While there are numerous reasons why the stock of this parent company of Florida Power & Light Co. Is a great growth pick right now, we have highlighted three of the most important factors below:

Earnings Growth

Earnings growth is arguably the most important factor, as stocks exhibiting exceptionally surging profit levels tend to attract the attention of most investors. For growth investors, double-digit earnings growth is highly preferable, as it is often perceived as an indication of strong prospects (and stock price gains) for the company under consideration.

While the historical EPS growth rate for NextEra is 9%, investors should actually focus on the projected growth. The company's EPS is expected to grow 9.1% this year, crushing the industry average, which calls for EPS growth of 3.8%.

Cash Flow Growth

Cash is the lifeblood of any business, but higher-than-average cash flow growth is more beneficial and important for growth-oriented companies than for mature companies. That's because, high cash accumulation enables these companies to undertake new projects without raising expensive outside funds.

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Right now, year-over-year cash flow growth for NextEra is 34.8%, which is higher than many of its peers. In fact, the rate compares to the industry average of 9.4%.

While investors should actually consider the current cash flow growth, it's worth taking a look at the historical rate too for putting the current reading into proper perspective. The company's annualized cash flow growth rate has been 11% over the past 3-5 years versus the industry average of 4.9%.

Promising Earnings Estimate Revisions

Superiority of a stock in terms of the metrics outlined above can be further validated by looking at the trend in earnings estimate revisions. A positive trend is of course favorable here. Empirical research shows that there is a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The current-year earnings estimates for NextEra have been revising upward. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has surged 0.1% over the past month.

Bottom Line

While the overall earnings estimate revisions have made NextEra a Zacks Rank #2 stock, it has earned itself a Growth Score of B based on a number of factors, including the ones discussed above.

You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

This combination indicates that NextEra is a potential outperformer and a solid choice for growth investors.



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Zacks Investment Research
READ: 'With Philippines, China out of ICC, case vs. Xi won't prosper'

READ: PH complaint vs. Sino leader futileDoJ

READ: Two former Philippine officials sue China leader before ICC

who filed abefore the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity over Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea may have been politically motivated, a Palace official said Monday. They may know that China is not a... state-party, [and] the Philippines is also not a state-party, so how [can] the ICC assumes jurisdiction? Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing. Panelo said some observers have said the move might even harden Chinas stand on the South China Sea while others point out the ICC doesnt really have jurisdiction over the case. Two days before the Philippines withdrawal from the ICC became official, formeraccused Xi of crimes against humanity for the top Chinese leaders actions to gain control of the South China Sea. In a communication to ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, Del Rosario and Morales asked that Xi and other Chinese officials be investigated for crimes against humanity. The enclosed communication outlines how President Xi Jinping and other officials of China, in implementing Chinas systematic plan to control the South China Sea, have committed crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, the two said in a joint statement. Both Del Rosario and Morales said the atrocious actions of Chinese officials in the South China Sea and within Philippine territory constitute crimes against humanity that can be prosecuted by the ICC. While the Palace said the two former officials have a right to file a case, it said this would be a futile exercise since the ICC has no jurisdiction over China or the Philippines. They could be motivated with righteous indignation over the establishment of structures on some parts of the South China Sea which have been ruled to be rightfully belonging to us. To their minds, the establishment of those structures endanger the environment as well as our fishermen, Panelo said. Whether or not the case will prosper is another matter. It could be dismissed because China is not a member of the ICC, [nor] is the Philippines, he added. In the same briefing, Panelo also blamed Del Rosario, who was the countrys top diplomat at the time, for not doing anything when China was just starting erecting activities in the contested territories. He did not offer specifics, however, and did not name the source of his information. Solicitor General Jose Calida on Monday said the Philippines withdrawal from the ICC will have no negative effect on the countrys justice system. Calida said the countrys institutions are strong, able to function, investigate and prosecute drug-related cases, with without ICC membership. The Solicitor General cited data showing that 49, 034 drug-related cases have been filed in various courts as of 2018, while 75, 327 are pending before the public prosecutors office. The Philippine justice system functions independently with or without membership in the ICC. Hence, the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute has no effect in our justice system, Calida said in a statement.All these facts show that the government is not unwilling or unable to prosecute these crimes, despite what administration critics say, he added. Calida said the decision to withdraw from the ICC was a prerogative of the government. As a sovereign state, it is our prerogative to be a party to the Rome Statute or not, the chief state lawyer said. Calida said there are laws to protect the Filipinos fundamental rights and that Manila remains a party to other human rights treaties. At the same time, he said the move will not affect foreign aid to the country. Panelo, meanwhile, said the government will file a diplomatic protest if it is shown that Chinese coast guard have been keeping Filipino fishermen away from Scarborough or Panatag shoals in the West Philippine Sea. He was reacting to a short documentary released by senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares, showing local fishermen explain how their catch had dropped from 20 tons to only two tons because Chinese ships were driving them away. As far as I know, [Chinese] Ambassador Zhao Jianhua told me that the fishermen there are not being harassed. Now if there is a violation, then we will have to go back to them and say, Hey, they say theres a violation, you better stop it, Panelo said. The policy is always, You cannot be harassing our fishermen, he added. Beijing and Manila have previously agreed to let fishermen freely navigate the disputed waters except for marine protected areas.




Suspend your disbelief for a second.

Assume that the Trump administration  which lies so easily and so often on matters big and small  can tell the truth about the Mueller investigation. Forget the cover-up about separating families at the border and jailing children. Pretend it has fully embraced the death toll of more than 3,000 Americans in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. Imagine Trumps inauguration crowds really were exceptionally large.

Lets just give the new attorney general, Bill Barr, the benefit of the doubt, based on his service in the George HW Bush administration if nothing else.

Lets also assume his four-page summary of the special counsels investigation is the very best case he can make on behalf of the man who just hired him.

That case would sink any other leader in any other western country. Any previous president of the United States would need to start lawyering up for impeachment.

As Barr points out, the Mueller report is divided into two.

Richard Nixon infamously demonstrated that the cover-up could be worse than the crimes of Watergate

One part is about Russian interference in the 2016 election, which Trump has repeatedly dismissed as a Democratic excuse for why Hillary Clinton lost.

The second part is about Trumps obstruction of justice in seeking to halt the Russian investigation.

According once again to Trumps own attorney general, making his best possible case for his boss, Mueller declined to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment about whether Trump committed the crime of obstruction. So Barr made it for him. Strip away all the legal throat-clearing, and he decides the case is not sufficient.

Quoting Mueller, Barr writes: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Now, you might be wondering why a sitting president would sail so close to the wind that he might just be guilty of obstruction of justice.

Normal people sitting on a jury, or voting in an election, might be curious as to why a president would possibly, maybe, commit a serious crime  depending on your reading of the law and Trumps intent  to stop an investigation into Russian interference in his own election.

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Then again, normal people asked the same questions of Richard Nixon, who infamously demonstrated that the cover-up could be worse than the crimes of Watergate.

It might be too much to imagine this tweet-raging president quitting office under threat of impeachment, as Nixon did. But its not too much to consider the impact of this cover-up on voters in next years elections.

As for the Russia investigation itself, Barr says Mueller writes that the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

Case not proven on two counts sounds like the end of a long Democratic dream.

Its actually a blessing.

For starters, Muellers considerations were narrowly drawn and judged but the issues he has surfaced  and the investigations he has spawned  are far broader.

In particular, US and state attorneys in New York are peeling away the layers of the stinking onion that is the Trump family business. Those layers include hush money to a porn star, fraudulent statements to lenders and insurers about real estate, a sham family foundation and corruption involving foreign donations to an inaugural committee.

In short, a president who may or may not be guilty of obstruction of justice doesnt suddenly grow a halo of legal purity while running for president. And he doesnt clean up his act in office, either.

A clear and damning Mueller report would have set up a titanic clash over impeachment: a process that would fail

Both Congress and the southern district of New York have a very long way to go.

They might just find out why Trump was so determined  even if he didnt commit a crime, in the view of his own attorney general  to stop the Russian investigation. Especially if the investigation Trump feared was far more about his business than his election.

Much like last years elections, the Mueller report has done Democrats a huge favor. Winning both the Senate and House would have set up a titanic clash between Congress and the White House, the kind of clash White Houses have often won in time for re-election.

In the same way, a clear and damning Mueller report would have set up a titanic clash over impeachment: a process that would fail in this Republican-controlled Senate, no matter the evidence presented.

There will be many Democrats disappointed Mueller did not scream Guilty! and that impeachment remains on hold. But party leadership, and election veterans, know short-term disappointment offers a long-running advantage.

It means a year of more congressional revelations and a year of more indictments. It means the 2020 election can be forward-looking about Trumps fitness for office, rather than backward-looking about the last election.

It means more consideration of corruption and less talk of collusion.

Related: Kushner, Inc review: Jared, Ivanka Trump and the rise of the American kakistocracy

Voters, as well as lawyers, may struggle to define collusion and to prove conspiracies beyond reasonable doubt. Even when a presidential candidate goes on national TV to ask the Russians to hack his opponents emails.

But what voters readily understand is the stench of corruption around a man who promised to drain the swamp. Populism tends to lose its popularity when the populists are more concerned with personal profit than public service.

With a large field of talented candidates running to drive Trump from office, Democrats can look forward to a long and fine discussion of what standards of conduct and character we expect from a president.

Within minutes of Barrs summary of the Mueller report being released, Trump told reporters the report was complete and total exoneration. Thats because, in this White House, the words complete and total have come to mean partial and unfinished.

With so many legal threads hanging half-pulled from the rags that still cover Donald Trump, the undressing of this president has only reached the end of the first tease.
North Korea has returned its staff to an inter-Korean liaison office, Seoul said Monday, just days after unilaterally withdrawing from the joint facility.

The office in the Northern city of Kaesong was opened in September as the two Koreas knitted closer ties, but the North pulled its staff out last week amid a deadlock in talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

The unification ministry said some of the North Korean staff were back at work on Monday saying they had come to cover their "shift as usual".

"Thus, the South and the North held consultations at the liaison office this morning and will continue to operate the office as usual," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the North did not offer details on why they had returned or pulled out in the first place.

Experts had suggested that the withdrawal was Pyongyang's attempt of pressuring Seoul to exert more influence on the US in the current diplomacy.

Their return follows US President Donald Trump's abrupt tweet at the weekend saying he had "ordered" the withdrawal of additional sanctions -- without identifying the measures -- against Pyongyang by the US Treasury.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was instrumental in brokering the talks process between the nuclear-armed, sanctions-hit North and the US, Seoul's key security ally.

- Development projects -

Moon has long backed engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table, and has been dangling the carrot of inter-Korean development projects, among them an industrial zone also in Kaesong and cross-border tourism for Southerners.

But the failure by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump to reach agreement in Hanoi last month on walking back Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for relaxation of the measures against it has raised questions over the future of the process.

Both sides expressed willingness to talk further after the Vietnam summit, but it has since emerged that Washington presented Kim with a wider definition of what it regards as denuclearisation.

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A senior Pyongyang diplomat recently told reporters that the North was considering suspending nuclear talks with the US while last week Washington unveiled a new set of sanctions targeting two Chinese companies accused of helping Pyongyang.

The liaison office opened three months after Kim signed a vague pledge at his first summit with Trump in Singapore to work towards "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula", and shortly before Moon went to Pyongyang for his third summit with Kim last year.

When it opened, Seoul's unification ministry said the office would become a "round-the-clock consultation and communication channel" for advancing inter-Korean relations, improving ties between the US and the North, and easing military tensions.
Cryptocurrency exchange OKEx has stated it still has faith in the UK market despite the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit fiasco.

OKEx is a Malta-based digital asset exchange. The company recently announced it recorded $2.4 billion daily trading volume in its contracts market in March.

Following the addition of the British pound (GBP) on its customer-to-customer (C2C) fiat-to-token trading platform, OKEx visited the UK to discuss blockchain development in the country at a recent MindXchange event.

OKExs C2C trading platform supports Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). To be eligible to trade, you need to be a designated merchant and have your account linked to a valid UK bank account alongside a valid mobile phone number.

During its visit to the UK, OKEx assembled a group of technology enthusiasts to discuss blockchain development in the UK in London.

Throughout the discussions, it was noted that a robust regulatory environment is the key to the next bull run in the digital assets market  according to a press release shared with Coin Rivet.

As the adoption of blockchain technology is broadening in the UK and across the world, the exchange is calling for prompt action to accelerate the process of getting a regulatory framework in place.

Andy Cheung, head of operations at OKEx, commented: It has always been delightful to see the crypto community growing. The UK owns one of the fastest-growing crypto communities in the world.

Having observed such great potential, we wanted to support the needs here, and therefore, we launched GBP on our platform.

Despite the uncertainty around Brexit, we are still optimistic about the crypto market as this could be a new economic opportunity for both the European euro and British pound.

Interested in reading more OKEx-related news? Discover how the exchange recently added Bitcoin Cash and Ripple to its C2C marketplace.

The post OKEx puts faith in UK market despite Brexit uncertainty appeared first on Coin Rivet.
Hundreds gathered to pay their final respects in Karachi on Monday as the remains of one of the Pakistani victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks were laid to rest back home.

Syed Areeb Ahmad was one of nine Pakistani nationals murdered in the New Zealand city earlier the month, when an accused white supremacist gunman killed 50 Muslim worshippers in two mosques.

Ahmad's body was flown into the southern port city of Karachi and transported to a relative's house where family and friends gathered before heading to the cemetery for the burial.

"It was very painful for the parents and all of us to wait. His funeral is taking place now that is a bit of relief for us," said Ahmad's uncle Aleemullah Khan.

"But his father is in so much agony as Areeb was his only son and the provider for the family," he added.

The other eight Pakistani victims were buried in New Zealand, according to the Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman.

Islamic custom dictates that the dead should be buried within 24 hours, but strained authorities were forced to move carefully with their investigation, delaying funerals by several days in some cases.

Ahmad's burial comes days after Pakistani officials posthumously awarded Naeem Rashid -- who tried to tackle the gunman before being shot dead -- with the order of bravery during Pakistan Day celebrations over the weekend.

During a visit to Islamabad Monday, the EU's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini offered her condolences to the victim's families, while warning against the growing threat of Islamophobia.

"It's a threat not only for Muslims but also for our societies because the strength of our societies lies in their diversity and whoever attacks the diversity of our societies, attacks the entire society, not just one segment of it," Mogherini told a press conference.
Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A Palestinian journalist was acquitted on appeal over an investigative report about corruption in the Gaza Strip Monday, according to Amnesty International and a campaign group.

In a 2016 report for Al-Araby TV, Hajar Harb alleged that doctors were writing false medical reports to let people leave Gaza for treatment, one of the few reasons Israel allows Palestinians out of the blockaded strip run by Hamas.

In October that year, two doctors launched legal proceedings accusing her of defamation and "publishing false information," according to Amnesty International.

The 34-year-old had been sentenced to six months in prison and fined, but the appeals court overruled the decision, Fathi Sabah, head of a group supporting Harb, told AFP.

The appeals court in Gaza "acquitted journalist Hajar Harb of all charges and closed her file," he said.

"This represents not just a victory for Hajar but for freedom of the press," he added.

Amnesty said Harb had been questioned by police at least four times following her report, but welcomed the decision of the court.

"It is really good news that Hajar Harb was acquitted today, she was standing a trial that should not have taken place to begin with," Saleh Higazi, Amnesty's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, told AFP.

"We hope that the Gaza authorities take this opportunity to signal that they are serious about freedom of expression and the press."

In 2018, the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms recorded 77 violations of press freedom in the Palestinian Authority-run West Bank and 37 such cases in Gaza.

Islamists Hamas have controlled Gaza for more than a decade and have recently cracked down violently on street protests.
Miami (AFP) - The community of Parkland was grieving Monday after a second student took their life a little over a year following the shooting at the Florida town's high school that left 17 people dead.

As Parkland was mourning, the authorities said the father of a child killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, had apparently committed suicide.

Jeremy Richman, 49, lost his six-year-old daughter, Avielle, in the Sandy Hook shooting that killed 20 children and six staff members.

"This is awful, horrible, devastating news," Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said on Twitter, reacting to reports of Richman's death.

"He was just here in Parkland last week," said Ryan Petty, whose 14-year-old daughter Alaina was among the 14 students killed in the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Three adults were also killed.

"He was here meeting with some of the families here, helping us," Petty said. "It's just heartbreaking to know that he was suffering."

In Florida, the head of the Emergency Management Division urged the state legislature to devote more resources to helping survivors of the school shooting in Parkland.

"Mental health is a bipartisan issue," Jared Moskowitz said on Twitter. "While we are in session NOW is the time."

Moskowitz's appeal followed two suicides over the past week -- one of a former student at Stoneman Douglas and one of a current student.

Sydney Aiello, 19, a Florida Atlantic University student whose best friend, Meadow Pollack, died in the attack at Stoneman Douglas, committed suicide last week.

Her mother told a local television station that Aiello had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and with "survivor's guilt" following the school shooting.

- 'Still at risk' -

The second suicide victim has not been publicly identified.

According to the authorities, the student was currently enrolled at Stoneman Douglas and took his own life on Saturday.

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Parkland parents, students, teachers and county officials held a gathering on Sunday to discuss providing more support to the community.

"Today was the first of many meetings with all city, county and mental health experts in order to make sure our students, teachers and parents receive the education they need to prevent the next suicide," Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among those killed at Stoneman Douglas, said on Twitter.

Petty told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that "we have students and staff that are still at risk."

"We have to recognize after an event like this there is trauma, anxiety and depression," Petty told the newspaper. "We have to educate parents and teachers to recognize the signs and ask the right questions."

David Hogg, an 18-year-old Parkland survivor who has become a leader of a Stoneman Douglas student-led movement for gun control, tweeted: "Rip 17+2."

"How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government/school district to do anything?" Hogg asked.

Stoneman Douglas students have became crusaders against gun violence under the banner "March for Our Lives," lobbying for tougher gun control laws and organizing protests and rallies across the United States.

Several 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls spoke out following the suicides.

"It's horrific that the Parkland and Sandy Hook communities continue to endure even more loss," Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders tweeted.

"We must take real action to end our gun violence epidemic and do everything we can to support the families who have been affected by this crisis."

California Senator Kamala Harris said she was "absolutely heartbroken."

"Gun violence affects so many lives and we must do better to help each other heal after such tragedies," Harris tweeted.
By Svea Herbst-Bayliss

BOSTON (Reuters) - For months, activist investor William Ackman promised to rebuild his record. Now he has some numbers to prove it.

Since Jan. 1, Pershing Square Holdings has gained 31.9 percent, making it the best start to a year in the firm's 15-year history, Ackman wrote in a letter released on Monday.

More importantly, Ackman laid out how his hedge fund is essentially transforming itself into a holding company that owns stakes in public companies and offers a helping hand to struggling management teams to resurrect once-strong returns.

"We attribute our improved performance to initiatives that we have implemented over the last 18 months," he wrote.

With his own transformation on firmer ground, Ackman said he can again help others. "Pershing Square, as a large influential investor with a track record for successful turnarounds, can provide management with the required runway and necessary long-term backing to succeed."

For years Ackman earned billions for himself and clients while growing Pershing Square Capital Management into a roughly $20 billion firm. But in 2015 a soured bet on drug company Valeant paved the way for three years of losses, when investors ran for the exits, shrinking assets to $8 billion.

Now Ackman's publicly traded fund, Pershing Square Holdings, makes up roughly three-quarters of the firm's $8 billion in assets and the capital is stable because investors have to sell to another investor before exiting.

Permanent capital will help improve his own returns over time and let him become a helpmate to struggling companies, Ackman wrote.

To get here, Ackman went back to his roots and last year laid off staff, told his investor relations executives to stop raising new capital and re-dedicated himself to researching investment ideas instead of jetting around the world to visit with clients.

Ackman and his colleagues now own more than 20 percent of Pershing Square Holdings' outstanding shares, he wrote.

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His business, he explained to anyone who does not know about investments in companies like Chipotle and Canadian Pacific , is buying companies at a discount and helping them flourish again.

Over the last months, Ackman, once a fixture at conferences and on television, adopted a more low-key style, which he is translating to portfolio companies as well.

He said he has a lot of influence but prefers to use it "sparingly." "Occasionally, we will ask a question, share an idea, or raise an issue. Most of the time, our CEOs rarely hear from us," Ackman wrote, saying they call him. "We view our job as oversight, not day-to-day management."

(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; editing by Grant McCooland Leslie Adler)




Pete Buttigieg has surged to third place in a new poll of Democratic presidential candidates, ahead of Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and BetoRourke.

Related: Shortest Way Home review: Pete Buttigieg as president in waiting

The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, won the backing of 11% of likely Iowa Democratic caucus voters in an Emerson poll released on Sunday.

Joe Biden had 25% support, with Bernie Sanders in second place with 24%. But the performance of Buttigieg, who has impressed in a series of TV appearances, is likely to serve as a warning to his better-known rivals.

Buttigieg had 0% support in Emersons January poll, which was conducted just after he formed an exploratory committee.

He has not yet formally declared he is running to take on Donald Trump next year but he has been widely praised for his performance in a CNN town hall and in high-profile interviews. He has met the 65,000-donor threshold that qualifies him to take part in the Democratic debates.

Harris, a senator from California, had 10% support in the Emerson poll  which had a margin error of +/- 6.2%  while Warren of Massachusetts was in fourth place with 9%.

Beto ORourke, the former congressman from Texas who has captured the attention of the public and the media with a combination of relentless charm and non-committal policy positions, was backed by 5% of likely voters.

Now this'll get people talking...new Emerson poll of Iowa:



 Biden - 25%

 Sanders - 24%

 Buttigieg - 11%

 Harris - 10%

 Warren - 9%

...https://t.co/o4WHsyetvl  Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) March 24, 2019

Buttigieg supports the Green New Deal proposal, a series of climate change reforms backed by progressive Democrats, and has said he is in favor of single-payer healthcare, an issue fast becoming a litmus test for Democratic candidates.

Were he elected, Buttigieg would be the first openly gay president. In South Carolina on Saturday, he told voters his marriage existed by the grace of a single vote on the US supreme court, and said it had brought him closer to God.
(ITV)

Piers Morgan has leaped to the defence of the mum of a transgender child, telling a journalist to be more respectful on Twitter.

The Good Morning Britain presenter is no stranger to a Twitter row himself, but told Farrow that he felt she had crossed a line in her comments following a previous debate on the show.

Catholic journalist Caroline Farrow had previously been a guest on Good Morning Britain with mum Susie Green and her daughter Jackie, where they discussed the familys experiences and Greens charity Mermaids which supports transgender children.

But after the TV debate, Farrow posted a series of tweets which were later deleted accusing Green of child abuse and stating: What she did to her own son is illegal. She mutilated him by having him castrated and rendered sterile while he was still a child.

Read more: Piers Morgan describes gender fluidity as a farce

Police visited Farrow to talk to her about the tweets and about misgendering Jackie, although Green later withdrew her complaint, and Farrow returned to GMB to explain her lack of remorse.

But presenter Morgan blasted: There has to be a coming together and a more respectful on both sides way of debating issues that have arisen from this world of transgenderism.

Thought @piersmorgan and @susannareid100 were absolutely fabulous this morning tackling the Susie Green story. Proof neither are transphobic. Fair @GMB #GMB  India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) March 25, 2019

As Farrow argued her opinion, Morgan added: Which youre entitled to have, but what I dont think youre entitled to do is to be quite so abusive on Twitter.

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So my question to you is, now that its been dropped and you dont have to face police action, do you feel a little bit regretful about the language you used and the way you phrased it?

Farrow replied: No, absolutely not. My husbands a very good judge of character and he said no, those tweets werent spiteful.

Read more: Bishop backtracks over blessings for transgender Christians

Susanna Reid also waded in, telling her that her husbands opinion would be biased, and said: Its sounding incredibly personal. I think everybody agrees that you are entitled to your view. But I think what people are concerned about is if you repeatedly target an individual and call on other people to do the same and use language which is frankly insensitive, whether its legal or illegal, it is hurtful and theres no need for it.

Youre entitled to discuss the whole issue, but dont make it so personal.

Read more: Baptiste actress reveals she is transgender

Morgan, who is often at the centre of Twitter rows himself, told her: The bottom line is, the debate that we had on air between the two of you was a lot more respectful than the one that happened on Twitter.

Thats my point, with Twitter sometimes people use it not thinking about the impact, whereas on television you might not have used some of the phrases that you used.

I just think theres a better way to have this debate than simply hurling things like child abuse, castration or whatever at people on Twitter. Do it in a more respectful way.
SEPULCHRAL SCENE. Sun-burnt patch of land in Cebu, which has been placed by authorities under a state of calamity Monday due to the effect of the weather phenomenon El Nino on all crops, with provincial officials approving a resolution declaring a state of calamity and immediately earmarking P59 million for the relief and assistance of affected farmers and fishermen. Damage to crops and marine resources is being assessed.

STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT. A mother and her child (above) enjoy swimming in the murky waters at Baseco Beach to beat the summer heat32 degrees Celsius on Monday with humidity at 64 percentagainst the warning of the Department of Environment to avoid getting sick while residents of Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City (below) queue up behind a water ration tank for water. Ey Acasio

STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT. A mother and her child enjoy swimming in the murky waters at Baseco Beach to beat the summer heat32 degrees Celsius on Monday with humidity at 64 percentagainst the warning of the Department of Environment to avoid getting sick while residents of Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City queue up behind a water ration tank for water. Norman Cruz

READ: Heat is on, its

season

READ: Angat water level fast going down, PAGASA warns

Cebu province was placed under a state of calamity Monday due to the damage done to crops by the dry spell brought about by theThe declaration, approved by the Cebu Provincial Board, will allow the use of emergency funds to help farmers affected by the dry spell. A statement issued by the provincial information office said Argao and Dalaguete towns were priority areas for assistance. The provincial government has allotted about P60 million as Quick Respond Fund this year to address the effects of the El Nino. Earlier, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office recommended a declaration of a state of calamity, based on its province-wide assessment, which showed that 27 local government units reporting damage to crops and fishing. The weather bureau on Monday said  as a result of global warming. In an interview, Analiza Solis, chief of the weather bureaus Climate Information Monitoring and Prediction, said this would mean more powerful, though fewer typhoons. Before year 2000, an El Nino phenomenon happened every 10 to 15 years, she said.Now, it has shortened to five to 10 years, she added. In 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1998, there were strong El Nino episodes, Solis said. Other strong episodes occurred in 2010, 2015 and 2016, or every five to 10 years.The more extreme weather conditions would become the new normal, she said. Meanwhile, the weather bureaus hydrologist, Sheila Schneider, said BulacansLast Sunday, water level dipped by .37 meters, she told the Manila Standard. Business groups on Monday signified support to government efforts to solve water disruption in the east zone of Metro Manila within 150 days. The groups led by the Management Association of the Philippines said they were confident that the interim measures will resolve the shortage to bring immediate relief to consumers.We are heartened by the fact that measures have been developed in consultation with and cooperation of all stakeholders, including government water agencies, regulators and the two private concessionaires, the groups said.
Bordeaux (AFP) - Workers building a mosque in southwestern France found a pig's head and animal blood at the entrance to the site on Monday, the latest in a series of attacks on Muslim places of worship over the past decade.

Construction of the mosque in the small town of Bergerac -- known for its fine Bordeaux wines and for its association with literary figure Cyrano de Bergerac -- has been contested since it was first proposed in 2017 and finally approved in October 2018, despite widespread local opposition.

"The perpetrators smeared the walls with animal blood and placed a severed pig's head" on the front gate of the construction area, the deputy public prosecutor of Bergerac, Charles Charollois, told AFP.

The vandalism took place overnight and wasn't discovered until workers arrived in the morning.

"This building project is controversial," Charollois said. "There have been administrative and legal appeals to stop it, so there are many leads for us to follow."

Bergerac's police commissioner, Frederic Perissat, "strongly denounced and condemned these acts that damage our freedom of conscience and expression and are contrary to the principles of separation of church and state," and called for "mutual respect" in the community.

Over the past few days, posters declaring "Bergerac is the city of Perigord, not Islam!" -- referring to the former name of the Dordogne region -- had been pasted around the town, according to its mayor Daniel Garrigue.

"I can't say that they're connected, but I note that they're in the same spirit," Garrigue said.

In France, desecrating a religious facility is a crime punishable by up to seven years in prison.

- Recurring targets -

The attack on the site in Bergerac comes less than two weeks after a gunman killed 50 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, and injured another 50, during a shooting spree at two mosques.

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Following the massacre, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered police to increase security at all places of worship.

France is home to Europe's biggest Muslim and Jewish communities alike, and both faiths have been recurring targets of hate crimes in recent years.

Attacks on mosques and Islamic sites have been a yearly occurrence since 2007, when 148 Muslim headstones in a national military cemetery near Arras were smeared with anti-Islamic slurs and a pig's head was placed among them.

Dozens of French mosques were also assaulted following the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January 2015, with some targeted with firebombs, grenades or gunfire.

Similar hate crimes have targeted Jewish sites.

In February, vandals spray-painted swastikas on around 80 graves in a Jewish cemetery in Quatzenheim, near the German border.

The mosque in Bergerac is not the first to raise hackles among local residents.

Plans for a huge mosque in Marseille, home to a large North African community, were scrapped in 2017 after eight years of legal battles.
digital-workflow

Credit: iStock.com/CTRd







As a CIO or IT Director, what do lawyers need from you?



In our view, lawyers and law firms need tools that help them complete their essential work faster and more easily, that fit within their existing workflows and complement their other tools, that dont break the bank, and that offer the efficiencies and advantages of up-to-the-minute technological advances without requiring constant assistance from IT. Piece of cake, right?



Not quite. While the burgeoning legal technology industry has done a great job of providing useful, affordable solutions that offer accessible, intuitive smart technology, weve fallen down on one key component. Too many offerings either arent integrated with common workflows or dont work well with other technologies. Some of that is due to the speed at which the marketplace has evolvedbut its within our power to start doing better.



Increasingly, law firms are realizing that improving the core work of lawyers needs to be a joined-up experience not a disjointed tour around all the applications and services available to them.





The Legal Tech World Is in a Constant State of Flux





The entire legal technology industry has been booming for years, and the growing availabilityand functionalityof artificial intelligence (AI) promises to keep the trend going. Of the $1 billion invested in legal technology in 2018, $362 million was earmarked for AI technologies. The number of AI-focused legal technology companies grew by 65 percent in just a year, spurred in part by advances in natural language processing, machine learning and their application to the text-heavy practice of law.



Meanwhile, new startups keep springing up, while other companies continually combine and reinvent themselves to adapt to changing technologies and to meet emerging needs.



Weve also seen a number of mergers focused on bringing analytics and automation to existing tools. For instance, last year legal research company Fastcase acquired Docket Alarm, which tracks dockets and generates analytics, and then obtained Law Street Media, which it intends to relaunch as an enhanced daily news and analytics hub.



But even while discrete companies are joining forces, the tools that theyre providing still have a tendency to be highly fragmented. Worse, the constant change in the marketplace creates a moving target for what services and tools are available and what they work with. When solutions dont work in the core tools already in use, lawyers end up with multiple disparate workflows that dont connect smoothly. That means they have to shift tools as they transition between the different stages of their core tasks, be it case management, legal research, document drafting, or e-discovery. Instead of sharing information within and across these workflows and using technology to expedite these common tasks, the lack of a single unified end-user experience creates speed bumps in the day-to-day practice of law.



Things are beginning to change. Notably, successful legal tech companies are broadening their niches by strategic innovation and creating open integration ecosystems.





Story continues

Integrated Products and Services Benefit Firms





With unrelenting pressure on law firms to control their costs and compete with growing alternative legal service providers, lawyers cant afford the slowdowns those speed bumps cause.



If instead, we create integrated solutions that work within existing workflows while maximizing the efficiencies allowed by automation and AI, we can do more than just eliminate those costly delays: we can fast-track legal services and allow lawyers to focus on the irreplaceable human aspects of legal practice. For example, imagine deploying an AI-powered legal research solution that could identify case law results and insert them directly into a document draft while simultaneously using natural language processing to locate similar previous work within your document repository.



This is the next level of legal technology servicesif legal technology companies can find a way to share the sandbox and create tools that work well together.





Legal Tech Companies Should Cover the Last Mile





As we see it, the mandate of legal technology leaders is to make lawyers lives easierto help them finish their work quickly and competently so that they can get home on time. In the current technology environment, that means creating smooth workflows that put the right tools in lawyers hands exactly when, where, and how they need them.



Salesforce, the top customer-relationship management solution, is a great example of a technology company expanding its reach by reinventing itself as a platform rather than a standalone application. Its AppExchange allows third-party developers to create products that expand the power of Salesforce to different work settings. Through AppExchange, Salesforce has created an ecosystem of over 5,000 ready-to-install solutions that extend the functionality of Salesforce across every department and industry.



Of course, this isnt the only approach to creating integrated products and services, but it offers one example of how a market leader can redefine the work environment. In our increasingly boundaryless and connected business ecosystems, the work that flows between clients and law firms is the best place to integrate technology.







Paul Domnick is President of Litera Microsystems, having been President of Litera Corp from 2014 to 2017. He brings a unique insight into the utility of the Litera Microsystems risk management solutions having previously been CIO of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for five years.
Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday attacked the British Labour Party's record on anti-Semitism as a "national disgrace" in unusually strong criticism of the close ally's opposition.

Addressing the US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, Pompeo denounced a rise in anti-Semitism around Europe, the Middle East and in the United States but had especially strong words about Britain.

"In Britain, the Labour Party's tolerance of anti-Semitism in its ranks is a national disgrace," Pompeo said.

The Labour Party made strong gains in Britain's 2017 elections under leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran leftist and supporter of pro-Palestinian causes.

Corbyn says he is not anti-Semitic and has vowed to root out bigotry against Jews.

But nine members of the party have quit, with many citing alleged anti-Jewish racism. One of them, Jewish lawmaker Luciana Berger, said she received death threats amid a slew of abuse and concluded that the party had become institutionally anti-Semitic.

Pompeo, a staunch defender of Israel, said it was legitimate in a democracy to criticize policies of Israel but not the very existence of the Jewish state.

"Let me go on record: Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism," Pompeo said to a standing ovation.

"The Trump administration opposes it unequivocally and we will fight it relentlessly."

Pompeo, like other Republicans at the AIPAC conference, also assailed the Democratic Party after comments by Representative Ilhan Omar, who apologized after her talk of dual loyalties among supporters of Israel was seen as anti-Semitic.

While strongly backing Israel diplomatically, Trump defended white supremacists who chanted anti-Semitic slogans during a march in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017.

A gunman who killed 11 people at a synagogue last year in Pittsburgh was enraged by Jewish support for settling refugees into the United States, amid persistent denunciations of immigrants by Trump.
Here's where you can fly on Porter for $74

Theres no need to pack up the car and drive to Muskoka this summer  you can fly instead.

Starting June 27, Porter Airlines will be flying to the popular Ontario summer retreat in about 20 minutes. Flights will go out twice a week on Thursdays and Mondays from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Muskoka Airport.

"Muskoka is an inspiring destination that attracts travellers from near and far," said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, in a news release.

"This new route serves as a great opportunity to link Muskoka to our North American network."

A standard flight leaving on June 27 and returning on July 1 is $94 dollars. A basic flight is $74. Seats are filling up fast.

While flying to Muskoka  travellers can see the iconic Algonquin Park and famous waterways like Georgian Bay below instead of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway.

"A new summer service between Toronto and Muskoka is great news for all Ontarians," said Michael Tibollo, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, in a news release.

Shuttle buses will be available to take passengers to their destination.

Porter will stop flying to Muskoka on September 3.

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
Prince Charles paid his respects to one of Cubas revolutionary heroes after becoming the first royal to visit Cuba in 60 years with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Within an hour of touching down in Havana on Sunday night, the royal couples first official engagement was to lay a wreath at the monument to Jose Marti, Cubas national figurehead who became a symbol of the countrys bid for independence against Spain in the nineteenth century.

They landed in a British government RAF Voyager after spending the morning in Barbados, where they attended a service at St Michaels Cathedral in Bridgetown.

After being greeted at Havanas International Airport - also named after Jose Marti - by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rogelio Sierra Diaz, Charles and Camilla were taken to the eponymous memorial.

Although he died in battle against the Spanish, leading a reckless cavalry charge at the battle of Dos Rios in 1895, Marti was a poet and essayist as well as revolutionary thinker and political theorist.

Prince Charles attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jose Marti monument in Havana Credit: AFP

At 109 metres, his memorial - a star-shaped tower made of Cuban marble - is said to be the largest monument in the world to a writer.

The prince and duchess stood at the base of the memorial flanked by a guard of honour while a military band played the two national anthems: first Cubas - words by Jose Marti, naturally - and then Britains.

As the couple stood there they were overlooked by the images of two heroes of the Cuban revolution behind them. One huge wire sculpture on the side of a government building depicted Che Guevara, another the revolutionary commander Camilo Cienfuegos.

Prince Charles attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jose Marti monument in Havana Credit: Reuters

The display of pink-tinged roses was brought up to Charles on an easel borne by two goose-stepping soldiers, who then placed it for him at the foot of the memorial. In Cuba, it seems, visiting dignitaries do not get to lay their own wreaths, but instead simply untie the ribbon around them.

The couple were then given a tour of the museum dedicated to Marti inside the monument.

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Curator Eva Maria Diaz told him about the writers life, and the history of Havana, which prompted Charles to point out that Britain had once occupied the city during the eighteenth century - briefly.

As they left he told her: Ive learnt a great deal about Jose Marti.

Saying that he would like to spend more time in Cuba, he joked: You might get fed up with us very quickly.

He added: I am sorry to have dragged you in on a Sunday. I hope it is not inconvenient for you.

She said afterwards: He knew that Havana was under British power in the eighteenth century. It was a very brief period.

He said that he would like to have more time to continue the visit. He was especially interested inJose Marti's life and work. I told him that Marti's writings were published in 27 books, including literary, political and journalistic works.
(Refiles to fix typo in headline)

By Sarah Marsh

HAVANA, March 24 (Reuters) - Prince Charles and his wife Camilla landed in Havana on Sunday for the first official trip by the British royal family to Communist-run Cuba even as Britain's top ally the United States seeks to isolate the island nation.

Shortly after arriving on a Royal Air Force plane, the heir to the British throne laid a wreath of flowers at the memorial to independence hero Jose Marti on Havana's Revolution Square dominated by massive portraits of guerrilla fighters including Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

During his three-day historic visit, which is part of a broader Caribbean tour, the 70-year old Prince of Wales is set to dine with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, tour Havana's restored colonial district, visit community and green energy projects and review a parade of antique British cars.

The royal visit, in line with a broader normalization in relations between the West and Cuba, comes three years after one by former U.S. President Barack Obama then billed as the start of a new chapter for ties between the old Cold War foes

Since Donald Trump became U.S. president, however, the United States has reverted to its decades-old strategy of seeking to pressure Cuba to change, including tightening its crippling trade embargo on the island.

The Trump administration has ramped up that pressure over the crisis in Cuba's socialist ally Venezuela.

"It's always good for Cuba to strengthen its relations with important international actors but all the more so when the United States has a president responding to the interests of extreme right-wing people who want to hurt Cuba," said one Havana resident, Arian Rubio, 26, a historian.

William LeoGrande, a professor of government at American University, said such visits by high level delegations of major powers "lend legitimacy to the Cuban government and represent an implicit warning to the United States that hostile actions against Cuba may incur a diplomatic cost with important allies."

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The UK government had asked the royal couple to add Cuba to their Caribbean tour of former and current British territories in hopes of boosting commercial and cultural ties and political influence.

British trade with Cuba was less than $100 million last year while only a handful of well-known British companies have investments there through subsidiaries, for example Imperial Brands Plc, British-American Tobacco Plc and Unilever.

Opportunities to do business, however, are expected to grow as the Caribbean's largest island continues opening up its beleaguered, state-dominated economy. Those include opportunities in its expanding tourism sector, that already attracts some 200,000 British tourists annually.

Moreover Britain has sought to drum up more trade with alternative partners since a referendum to exit the European Union three years ago.

Plans for high-level officials to accompany the Prince of Wales were scuttled by the political drama playing out in London over how best to leave the EU before a March 29 deadline.

Underscoring the thaw in British-Cuban relations, when Diaz-Canel receives Charles at the presidential Palace of the Revolution on Monday evening, it will be their second meeting in a year.

The 58-year old Cuban president paid the prince a visit last November in London on his first tour of several countries since replacing Raul Castro last April. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh Additional reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Sandra Maler)
(PITTSBURGH)  Shots were fired overnight through the office window of the attorney for a white police officer acquitted in the killing of an unarmed black teenager, and several hundred people gathered in protest Saturday over the verdict that left Pittsburgh a city on edge.

Police put officers on 12-hour shifts until further notice.

The jurys decision late Friday in the deadly shooting of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II upset his family and touched off a nighttime demonstration by about 100 people. It was followed by another protest on Saturday afternoon at an intersection called Freedom Corner in the citys Hill District neighborhood, the historic center of black cultural life in Pittsburgh.

One man held a sign with the names of black men killed by police around the U.S.

Its very painful to see what happened, to sit there and deal with it, Roses father, Antwon Rose Sr., told the crowd. I just dont want it to happen to our city no more. Its happening like every other day. Weve got to do more in our community so they have more stuff to do.

Addressing the young brothers, the teenagers father said: Streets aint it. Read books, man. Do everything you got to do, but leave those streets alone. It aint worth it.

The mostly white crowd then began marching toward downtown Pittsburgh.

Overnight, five to eight shots were fired into the building where defense attorney Patrick Thomassey works, police in nearby Monroeville said. Police said they had been staking out the place as a precaution when they left to answer another call around midnight, and that was when the gunfire erupted. No one was hurt.

Former East Pittsburgh Police Officer Michael Rosfeld was charged with homicide for shooting Rose as the teenager ran away from a traffic stop last June. Rosfeld walked out of the courtroom a free man Friday after telling the jury that he thought Rose or another suspect had a gun pointed at him and that he fired to protect himself and the community.

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I hope that man never sleeps at night, Roses mother, Michelle Kenney, said of Rosfeld, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I hope he gets as much sleep as I do, which is none.

The verdict leaves Roses family to pursue the federal civil rights lawsuit they filed against Rosfeld and East Pittsburgh, a small municipality about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from downtown Pittsburgh, where the trial was held.

Roses death  one of many high-profile killings of black men and teens by white officers in recent years  spurred angry protests in the Pittsburgh area last year. Immediately after the verdict, scores of protesters blocke intersections and entered two hotels, chanting 17 for Roses age. No arrests were made.

Rose was riding in an unlicensed taxi that had been involved in a drive-by shooting minutes earlier when Rosfeld pulled the car over and shot the teenager in the back, arm and side of the face. Neither Rose nor another teen in the taxi was holding a weapon when the officer opened fire, though two guns were later found in the vehicle.

The 12-person jury  including three black members  saw video of the fatal confrontation. The jury took less than four hours to reach a verdict.

Thomassey, the defense lawyer, told reporters that Rosfeld is a good man. He said to me many times, Patrick, this has nothing to do with the kids color. I was doing what I was trained to do.' Thomassey said he hopes the city remains calm and everybody takes a deep breath and gets on with their lives.

Pittsburgh was in the spotlight less than five months ago, when a gunman ranting about Jews killed 11 people at a synagogue.

Rosfeld had worked for the East Pittsburgh Police Department for only a few weeks and was sworn in just hours before the shooting.

Prosecutor Jonathan Fodi argued that the video showed there was no threat to the officer. But a defense expert testified Rosfeld was within his rights to use deadly force to stop suspects he thought had been involved in a shooting.

Prosecutors did not call their own use-of-force expert  a decision the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania questioned. But Mike Manko, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, said prosecutors were confident they had what they needed to make their case.

Shortly before the traffic stop, another person in the taxi, Zaijuan Hester, rolled down a window and shot at two men on the street, hitting one in the abdomen. Hester, 18, pleaded guilty last week to aggravated assault and firearms violations. He said he, not Rose, did the shooting.

Prosecutors had charged Rosfeld with an open count of homicide, meaning the jury had the option of convicting him of murder or manslaughter.
By Sylvia Westall

MUSCAT (Reuters) - Qatar Airways threw its support behind Boeing on Monday as the U.S. planemaker faces its biggest crisis in years after deadly crashes of its flagship 737 MAX jet.

Regulators grounded the worldwide MAX fleet after an Ethiopian Airlines MAX crash killed all 157 people on board this month, wiping nearly 15 percent off shares in the world's biggest planemaker.

"We have confidence in the Boeing airplanes and we are sure they will find the issue they had which is still under investigation," Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker told reporters in Muscat.

Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East carriers, is a major Boeing customer. It has ordered 20 MAX jets and committed to buying a further 40. It has taken delivery of five of the aircraft, according to Boeing's website.

The airline will delay the April delivery of a single MAX jet until the cause of the crash is known, Baker said.

"I am sure that the aircraft will get back into the skies soon and that Boeing will get to the bottom of what happened and if there is something technical wrong that they will find a fix for it," he said.

Attention has focused on the anti-stall system, known as MCAS, and the sensors that activate it. MCAS pushes the planes nose down if it believes it is ascending at too steep an angle.

Qatar Airways will attend a Boeing briefing this week on software and training updates for the MAX, Baker said.

The MAX is an upgrade to Boeing's best-selling 737 narrowbody jet and only entered service in 2017. Boeing has booked orders worth more than $500 billion for the MAX.

The Ethiopian crash is the second fatal crash involving the MAX jet. In October, a MAX operated by Indonesia's Lion Air fatally crashed killing all 189 on board.

Baker said he believed the worldwide grounding was driven by public perception. Passengers around the world asked airlines to change flights or refunds to avoid flying on the MAX after the Ethiopian crash.

"The regulator had to act to give confidence to the people, that the regulators were looking after their interests," he said.

(Reporting by Sylvia Westall, writing by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Louise Heavens and Keith Weir)
Metro Manila Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Monday expressed disappointment over the controversies involving his men and said he we will not tolerate abuse by any police officer. This developed as another AWOL (absent without an official leave) police officer was arrested, this time for sexually molesting his 14-year-old stepdaughter. Police Officer 1 Johnny Ocampo, 41, was arrested late Saturday night along PMP Manmade Paradise Resort in Barangay Nazareth, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. Meanwhile, 180 police officers in Metro Manila were promoted to their next higher rank in an oath-taking at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Monday. Eleazar led the oath-taking for the first batch of newly promoted officers that included 19 Superintendents, 19 Chief Inspectors, one Senior Inspector, 27 Inspectors, 16 Senior Police Officers IV, 33 Senior Police Officers III, 32 Senior Police Officers II, and 33 Senior Police Officers I. Caloocan Regional Trial Court Branch 124 Judge Victoria Isabel Paredes issued a warrant for Ocampos arrest for rape and acts of lasciviousness. Paredes recommended no bail for Ocampos temporary liberty, Eleazar said. Eleazar recently relieved more than 40 policemen, including two commanders, for their alleged involvement in robbery-extortion activities. He ordered all district directors and police station commanders in Metro Manila to discipline and relieve subordinates if found to be corrupt, abusive and remiss in their work. He also reminded his men to always ensure that their personnel were performing their duties and responsibilities. He said the performance of their personnel will reflect on their leadership and so proper guidance is a must. The internal cleansing program of the PNP is being carried out on a nationwide scale and the PNP leadership is determined to implement this until all the laggards and the undesirables are weed out and made to face sanctions, Eleazar said. The case against Ocampo stemmed from the complaint of Olive Valeriano, mother of the minor who sought police assistance from the National Capital Region Police Office-Regional Special Operation Unit (NCRPO-RSOU) and narrated what happened to her daughter.The RSOU team conducted a surveillance operation and coordinated with the local government and police authorities in General Tinio to locate Ocampo. The authorities then asked the court to issue an arrest order. Police records showed that Ocampo raped his stepdaughter who was only 14 years old during that time. Investigation also revealed that Ocampo went AWOL in 2006 when he was reassigned to Regional Intelligence Division in the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) region. Ocampo is now detained at the RSOU detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, in Taguig City. The suspect was the second AWOL cop arrested by the NCRPO this month for a criminal offense. Last week, Police Officer 2 Alejandro Gacayan Hernandez was driving a motorcycle with a companion when he was caught in possession of a prohibited substance during a checkpoint operation in Las Pinas City. The suspect went AWOL in 2012. Operatives of the Las Pinas City Police Police-Community Precinct 7 placed Hernandez under arrest for possession of shabu during a police checkpoint along the Alabang-Zapote Road in Barangay Almanza Uno around 4 a.m. In 2017, The NCRPO dismissed from the service 158 Metro Manila policemen, suspended 625, demoted 38 and reprimanded nine others for their involvement in various illegal activities. NCRPO records also showed that 724 administrative cases were also filed against 1,198 erring personnel. The five district commanders in Metro Manila also enforced disciplinary sanctions on 1,302 policemen who were transferred to floating status at the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit in 2017. Three hundred thirty-four personnel were reassigned outside the NCRPO, 147 were subjected to Reorientation Program and 1,094 Police Officers 1 were subjected to an Orientation Program.
On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr delivered a four-page letter to congressional leaders outlining the results of Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation.

The letter addresses each aspect of Muellers findings, highlighting the focal points of the investigation: Russian interference in the 2016 election, whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia and whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice.

On collusion with Russian, Barr quoted Muellers report as concluding, [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

On possible obstruction of justice, Mueller wrote, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Barr said that he is still reviewing the full report, including sections that he could release publicly.

Read the full text of the letter below:

Page 1 of Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Page 2 of Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Page 3 of Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Page 4 of Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress on Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Dear Chairman Graham, Chairman Nadler, Ranking Member Feinstein, and Ranking Member Collins:

As a supplement to the notification provided on Friday, March 22, 2019, I am writing today to advise you of the principal conclusions reached by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III and to inform you of my initial review of the report he has prepared.

The Special Counsels Report

On Friday, the Special Counsel submitted to me a confidential report explain the prosecution of declination decisions he has reached, as required by 28 C.F.R. 600.8(c). This report is entitled Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Although my review is ongoing, I believe that it is in the public interest to describe the report and to summarize the principal conclusions reached by the Special Counsel and the results of his investigation.

The report explains that the that the Special Counsel and his staff thoroughly investigated allegations that members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, and others associated with it, conspired with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, or sought to obstruct the related federal investigations. In the report the Special Counsel noted that, in completing his investigation, he employed 19 lawyers who were assisted by a team of approximately 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff. The Special Counsel issued more than 2,800 Subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication records, issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers, made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence, and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses.

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The Special Counsel obtained a number of indictments and convictions of individuals and entities in connection with his investigation, all of which have been publicly disclosed. During the course of his investigation, the Special Counsel also referred several matters to other offices for further action. The report does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the Special Counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public. Below, I summarize the principal conclusions set out in the Special Counsels report.

Russian Interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. The Special Counsels report is divided into two parts. The first described the results of the Special Counsels investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The report outlines the Russian effort to influence the election and documents crimes committed by persons associated with the Russian government in connection with those efforts. The report further explains that a primary consideration for the Special Counsels investigation was whether any Americans  including individuals associated with the Trump campaign  joined the Russian conspiracies to influence the election, which would be federal crime. The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As the report states: [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

The Special Counsels investigation determined that there were two main Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. The first involved attempt by a Russian organization, the Internet Research Agency (IRA) to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United State designed to sow social discord, eventually with the aim of interfering with the election. As noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that any U.S. person or Trump campaign official or associate conspired or knowingly coordinated with the IRA in its efforts, although the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals and entities in connection with these activities.

The second element involved in the Russian governments efforts to conduct computer hacking operations designed to gather and disseminate information to influence the election. The Special Counsel found that Russian government actors successfully hacked into computers and obtained emails from persons affiliated with the Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations, and publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks. Based on these activities, the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian military officers for conspiring to hack into computers in the United States for purposes of influencing the election. But as noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

Obstruction of Justice. The reports second part addresses a number of actions by the President  most of which have been the subject of public reporting  that the Special Counsel investigated as potentially raising obstruction-of-justice concerns. After making a thorough factual investigation into these matters, the Special Counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under Department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the questions and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the Presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. The Special Counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

The Special Counsels decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime. Over the course of the investigation, the Special Counsels office engaged in discussions with certain Department officials regarding many of the legal and factual matters at issue in the Special Counsels obstruction investigation. After reviewing the Special Counsels final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed and obstruction-of-justice defense. Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president.

In making this determination, we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, and that, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the Presidents intent with respect to obstruction. Generally speaking, to obtain and sustain an obstruction conviction, the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct with a sufficient nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding. In cataloguing the Presidents actions, many of which took place in public view, the report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Departments principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction-of-justice offense.

Status of the Departments Review

The relevant regulations contemplate that the Special Counsels report will be a confidential report to the Attorney General. See Office of Special Counsel, 64 Fed. Reg. 37,038,37,040-41 (July 9, 1999). As I have previously stated, however, I am mindful of the public interest in this matter. For that reason, my goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsels report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies.

Based on my discussions with the Special Counsel and my initial review, it is apparent that the report contains material that is or could be subject to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e), which imposes restrictions on the use and disclosure of information relating to matter[s] occurring before [a] grand jury. Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)(2)(B). Rule 6(e) generally limits disclosure of certain grand jury information in a criminal investigation and prosecution. Id. Disclosure of 6(e) material beyond the strict limits set forth in the rule is a crime in certain circumstances. See, e.g., 18 U.S.C.  401(3). This restriction protects the integrity of grand jury proceedings and ensures that the unique and invaluable investigative powers of a grand jury are used strictly for their intended criminal justice function.

Given these restrictions, the schedule for processing the report depends in part on how quickly the Department can identify the 6(e) material that by law cannot be made public. I have requested the assistance of the Special Counsel in identifying all 6(e) information contained in the report as quickly as possible. Separately, I also must identify any information that could impact other ongoing matters, including those that the Special Counsel has referred to other offices. As soon as this process is complete, I will be in a position to move forward expeditiously in determining what can be released in light of applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies.

As I observed in my initial notification, the Special Counsel regulations provide that the Attorney General may determine that public release of notifications to your respective Committees would be in the public interest. 28 C.F.R.  600.9(c). I have so determined, and I will disclose this letter to the public after delivering it to you.

Sincerely,

William P. Barr

Attorney General
By Steve Friess and Zachary Fagenson

DEARBORN, Mich./MIAMI (Reuters) - Retired Ford assembly plant worker and Donald Trump supporter Henry Thompson was giddy as he listened to a summary of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia report on TV at a Dearborn, Michigan, diner on Sunday.

Mueller found no evidence the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, according to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, delighting Trump's followers in battleground states and bewildering opponents.

"Finally we get to stick it to all the haters who want to undermine our president," said Thompson, a lifelong Democrat who backed Trump in the 2016 campaign for his opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"How many times did Trump say: 'No collusion' - and he was right. They say the president lies. But his enemies have lied about this from the beginning," he said.

Trump, who will hold a rally in Michigan on Thursday and has repeatedly called the Mueller probe a "witch hunt," quickly hailed the announcement as "complete and total exoneration."

Mueller did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law by interfering with probes into the 2016 election and left Barr to make a decision. The attorney general said Mueller did not present enough evidence to warrant charging Trump with obstruction of justice.

Democrats like Sam Skardon of Charleston, South Carolina, said they wanted to see the full report, not just the summary presented by Barr, a recent Trump appointee.

"I'm not going to take William Barr's word for what the findings are. I want to see for myself. I want the full report," said Skardon, 30, who works in economic development.

However, the announcement was a turning point for other Americans who did not vote for Trump.

Miami, Florida-based television and film producer Alfred Spellman said the report showed it was time for Trump opponents to work on beating him at the polls, rather than trying to find grounds to impeach him.

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"Whatever other issues they have with the president are political issues and should be resolved at the ballot box," said Spellman, an independent, whose credits include documentaries such as "Cocaine Cowboys."

Florida, like Michigan, is a battleground where polls show Trump's support has softened since he won the states in 2016.

'LET HIM DO HIS JOB'

In Dearborn, Trump supporter David Chalamet saw the Mueller report as a personal victory.

This isnt just vindication for Trump, its vindication for me, said Chalamet, 21, a first-time voter in 2016 who backed the New York real estate magnate to the dismay of his Democratic parents.

My friends and family that are Democrats keep asking me how I can still support him when hes so corrupt. But hes not. Hes just not a typical politician. Now let him do his job and stop harassing him, he said.

Democrats like Charlie Stone now relished the chance of trying to beat Trump in the 2020 election.

"In a way, Im glad this was the outcome because I dont think impeachment is a very good idea, said Stone, 40, a resident of the Detroit district of Democratic U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, who wants to impeach Trump.

"I want Trump defeated at the ballot box because he is a disgusting, immoral man," said Stone.

W. Melvin Brown, an emergency room physician in Charleston, was skeptical about Mueller's decision to neither accuse nor exonerate Trump of obstruction. But he wanted the country to move on.

"Should Congress keep pushing for it? I say no, because these legal things can drag on for years," said Brown, 49, who described himself as an independent voter leaning toward the Democratic Party. "I think we should get back to the business of running the country rather than fighting for your party."

(Reporting by Steve Friess in Dearborn, Michigan, and Zachary Fagenson in Miami; Additional reporting by Harriet McLeod in Charleston, South Carolina; Writing by Andrew Hay; Editing by Peter Cooney and Paul Tait)
The Mueller report is here. We still don't know what's in it, but we know special counsel Robert Mueller is done with his investigation and will not be bringing more indictments. We don't yet know the full range of potential charges he considered, who he decided against indicting and what his reasoning was. We don't yet know how much of the report and the evidence will be released to the public.

The one thing we can predict with certainty is what Donald Trump's response will be: "No collusion."

We've seen hints of that already. Earlier this week, Newt Gingrich said that in the absence of legal action against Trump by the special counsel, investigation by House Democrats would be unjustified. We can hear the presidents cries of "WITCH HUNT" against the House already. Trump will use the absence of new indictments from the special counsel's investigation  no matter what its conclusions are  to attack and delegitimize congressional investigation, just like he attacked the Justice Department, the FBI and the intelligence community for investigating him.

Read more commentary:

Robert Mueller report will be a gold mine of improprieties. Trump shouldn't celebrate yet.

Our view: Mueller completes his report. Now let's see it.

Holtzman: Don't cover up Mueller investigation. We need to know everything he finds.

It's easy to make those kinds of claims when you're not accountable to the truth. For Trump, anything less than an indictment means he's innocent. But in a world where facts matter, that's not what it means.

It's possible Mueller didn't find evidence federal crimes were committed. It's also possible he concluded crimes were committed but he lacked sufficient evidence to bring charges. And as to the president, it's possible Mueller concluded there was sufficient evidence to charge him, but DOJ policy forbade indicting a sitting president.

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We won't know the truth unless and until Attorney General William Barr makes the fullest possible release of the Mueller report, consistent with his commitment to transparency. Based on what we know at this point, be skeptical of any claims of innocence.

An American flag flies outside the Department of Justice in Washington on March 22, 2019.

Whether Trump could be indicted for any of his conduct, absent DOJ policy, is question reserved for the judgment of the prosecutors who analyzed all of the evidence, both inculpatory and exculpatory, and assessed its sufficiency.

Good prosecutors  and Mueller is a great one  don't bring indictments based on suspicion. They only proceed when an investigation produces evidence that would be admissible in court and sufficient to establish a defendants guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A decision not to charge someone who has been under investigation does not mean that they are innocent.

What about the Southern District of New York

We do know that prosecutors in the Southern District of New York view Trump as an all-but-unnamed-co-conspirator to campaign finance fraud. Including "Individual 1" in an indictment is not a step the DOJ would have taken without deliberate consideration. Mueller stayed carefully within his jurisdiction to investigate collusion between the campaign and Russia and did not pass judgment, as far as we know, on evidence that has surfaced regarding potential crimes including campaign finance violations, financial misconduct related to the inauguration, and insurance and bank fraud involving the president's businesses. Investigation and decisions about charging those matters are still pending in both federal and state prosecutors' offices.

More: Here's why you should have faith in Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation

So the president cannot claim he has a clean bill of health because the special counsel didn't indict him.

There is abundant evidence in the public record  and no telling what else the investigation may have uncovered that we don't know about  of bad conduct by this president. Even if Mueller concluded that the president committed no crimes (we dont know whether that is the conclusion he reached yet or not), criminal investigations will continue in other jurisdictions. And Congress has a separate obligation to engage in oversight and determine whether the president has engaged in misconduct that, while not a violation of the criminal code, constitutes high crimes or misdemeanors.

What does all of this mean for us?

First, Barr committed, in the letter he wrote to congressional leaders, to transparency. He told them he would share the "principal conclusions" Mueller reached with them this weekend. He said he would consult with Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein to determine "what other information" from the report could be released to Congress and to the public. These are important commitments and we should hold him to them. In a matter so deeply important to the country, the public has a right to know.

Congress cannot engage in oversight without full transparency from DOJ. Congress must have access to Mueller's investigation, both the criminal side and counterintelligence assessments, to aid in its investigation. The country is entitled to no less.

But we, private citizens in this country, are also entitled to Mueller's conclusions. The attorney general should release the report, with necessary but narrow redactions, as soon as possible. We are not children, who can't be trusted with the family secrets. We are full participants in our country and we are entitled to the truth about this president and his presidency.

If Barr understands his job is to be the peoples lawyer, not the presidents, he will disclose the Mueller report publicly. But it doesnt stop there. Each of us must read it carefully and draw our own conclusions about to its contents. We shouldn't accept the spin of a president or of pundits. This is the time to think critically about the facts  because there are facts and they still matter.

If the president claims investigation by Congress is a witch hunt because Mueller didn't indict him, we should remember that the criminal justice system and the legislative branch are assigned different responsibilities under the Constitution. If Trump twists the reports language to delegitimize Congress' investigation, we must compare that claim to the actual findings Mueller made. And in the event significant portions of the report are not made public, we must consider what it means that Trumps DOJ would do that.

Mueller's work may have ended. But ours has just begun.

Joyce White Vance is a former U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Alabama and a law professor at the University of Alabama School of Law. Follow her on Twitter: @JoyceWhiteVance

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Robert Mueller's lack of new indictments could mean for Donald Trump
Jerusalem (AFP) - Palestinian militants fired a rocket at Israel late Tuesday prompting further retaliation strikes from the Israeli army, with the late-night exchanges threatening claims of a truce.

It comes hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was prepared for further military action in Gaza, at a highly sensitive time ahead of Israel's April 9 elections.

The latest severe flare-up began early Monday when a rare long-distance rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis.

The Israeli military hit back with a series of air strikes across the enclave and Palestinian militants launched a barrage of new rockets. No casualties have been reported.

Calm prevailed throughout Tuesday, with Hamas claiming Egypt had brokered a ceasefire, but as night fell Israel said a projectile was fired from Gaza around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT).

Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and other groups said "the rocket that hit near Ashkelon was the work of an individual and the factions are committed to calm" as long as Israel is.

"Our airforce just struck several Hamas terror targets in Gaza," the Israeli army tweeted late Tuesday.

"If Hamas think that we'll sit idly by as their rocket fire, explosives, and breaches of Israel's border fence threaten the lives of Israeli civilians - they're wrong.

"Our fighter jets and aircraft struck additional Hamas targets in Gaza," it later added.

A security source in Gaza said an air strike hit a Hamas military base in Khan Yunis.

Netanyahu, who cut short his US visit, had earlier said "we are prepared to do a lot more".

"We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state," he said via satellite link to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference.

The army said that after an assessment with Netanyahu, the military chief of staff Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi ordered more forces be sent to the southern region.

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Kohavi also "approved completing the summoning of additional reserve soldiers," a statement from the military read, without providing further details.

- Avoid fourth war -

The prime minister is widely believed to want to avoid a fourth war in Gaza since 2008 with unpredictable consequences ahead of the elections, but he is also under heavy political pressure.

Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of protests and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border, and large demonstrations are expected for it.

Netanyahu said earlier Tuesday that Israel's response to Gaza fire was the largest-scale attack on Hamas sites since the last war between them in 2014.

The government closed its people and goods crossing with the blockaded enclave and reduced the zone in the Mediterranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen.

It did not confirm the ceasefire announced by Hamas.

Israel's army blames Hamas for the rocket that hit a house Monday in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv.

A Hamas official, however, denied the group was responsible for that rocket and indicated it may have been fired by accident or even due to "bad weather".

burs-ecl/fox
- 2019 Samir Hussein

Last year was one of the most eventful for the Royal family, with the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank, and the birth of Prince Louis.

And while 2019 won't be as jam-packed for the Windsors, there's a whole new reason to celebrate on the horizon - the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first child in the spring.

As royal watchers in the UK and abroad wait for the latest arrival, speculation is mounting as to what he or she could be called - and whether the Queen will allow the child to become a Prince or Princess.

Duke & Duchess Of Sussex

What names could the couple be considering?

The duke and duchess may decide to go with a traditional name like Alice, Mary, Elizabeth or Victoria for a girl or Philip, Frederick, Charles, Arthur, Edward or James for a boy.

However, the pair are forward-thinking royals and may decide to surprise everyone when naming their first child. Canadian-born Autumn Phillips, and husband Peter Phillips, opted for a non-traditional name for their daughter Savannah - the Queen's first great-grandchild - in 2010.

Princess Charlotte stands next to Savannah Phillips and Prince George at Trooping The Colour 2018 Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage

The Duchess may also seek inspiration from her friends. Her confidante and stylist Jessica Mulroney has twin boys Brian and John, and a daughter Isabel Veronica, who is known as Ivy - who were pageboys and bridesmaid at the royal wedding.

In the US, the most popular name for a baby girl is Emma and Liam for a baby boy. In the UK, the most popular name for a girl born in 2017 was Olivia, and for a boy Oliver.

Harry and Meghan's child, who will be seventh in line to the throne, is extremely unlikely ever to be king or queen, meaning the couple have more freedom with their choices.

In comparison, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose to give their children traditional names, picking George for their firstborn, who is likely to one day be king.

One option - considered a favourite for a girl - is Diana, in honour of Harry's mother.

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William and Kate paid tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales in 2015 by choosing it as one of Charlotte's middle names. Prince Harry was just 12 when the Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Meghan's mother, to whom she is close, is called Doria, and the ex-Suits star may want to pay tribute to her as well.

What are the current name odds?

Odds from William Hill as of March 25:

Victoria 8/1 Diana 10/1 Alice 12/1 Isabella 12/1 Arthur 14/1 Alexandra 16/1 Edward 16/1 Elizabeth 16/1 Grace 16/1 James 16/1

Titles (and why the baby won't necessarily be a Prince or Princess)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby will not be a prince or a princess unless the Queen steps in. King George V - Harry's great-great-grandfather - limited titles within the royal family in 1917.

If the child is a boy, it could instead become Earl of Dumbarton - one of the subsidiary titles the prince received from the Queen on the morning of his wedding. The eldest son and heir apparent of a duke can use one of his father's lesser grade peerage titles by courtesy, according to Debrett's. A daughter could be Lady (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor, and any subsequent sons Lord (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor.

The 1st Earl of Dumbarton, George Douglas, was a Scottish nobleman and soldier. He was badly injured in a duel with the duc de Normandie in 1669 and papers reported him dead due to the severity of his injuries.

Keep up to date with the Royal family by signing up to our weekly newsletter, Your Royal Appointment.
Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia investigation - AFP

Since Donald Trump's election a shadow has hung over his administration - a federal investigation into possible collusion between the president's campaign and Russian agents.

Robert Mueller, the stern former FBI director now leading the investigation, has charged dozens of individuals with crimes ranging from election interference to fraud along the way.

Mr Trump has denounced the probe as a "witch hunt" - a view held by a number of leading Republicans.

However the alleged crimes detailed by Mr Mueller's team so far indicate the potential extent of the attempt to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

With the wide-reaching investigation reportedly aiming to reach its conclusion by September 1, here is a timeline of the key events to date.

May 2016

George Papadopoulos

Over drinks in a London wine bar, George Papadopoulos reportedly tells Alexander Downer, Australias High Commissioner to the UK, that he is aware that Russia has compromising material on Hillary Clinton. This later becomes the spark for the Russia investigation.

June 9, 2016

Donald Jr arriving for a meeting in Trump Tower in 2016 Credit: AFP

The president's oldest child, Donald Trump Jr, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, meet at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-linked lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, believing they will receive damaging information about Mrs Clinton. Mr Kushner fails to initially report the meeting to the government, as required, when he takes a position in the administration as a senior adviser.

June 15, 2016

A hacker calling himself Guccifer 2.0 leaks the Democratic National Committees (DNC) opposition research on Mr Trump. Security experts link the data breach to Russian hackers.

June 20, 2016

Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who set-up Orbis Business Intelligence and compiled a dossier on Donald Trump Credit: PA

Christopher Steele, a British former spy, produces the first of his private memos into Mr Trumps alleged ties to Russia, later to be known as the dirty dossier. They are funded first by a Republican rival, then by the Democratic National Committee. The work is done on behalf of Washington consulting firm Fusion GPS. The compromising information on the Republican candidate includes claims he slept with prostitutes at a Moscow hotel in 2013.

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Early July 2016

Mr Steele hands the information hes gathered on Mr Trump over to the FBI. The former intelligence officer had been a source for the agency in the past.

July 22, 2016

WikiLeaks publishes thousands of emails stolen from the DNC - days before the Democratic convention is due to begin.

July 2016

The FBI begins investigating possible links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign. It comes after Australian authorities alert the agency to Mr Papadopoulos's earlier comments on Russian dirt to their diplomat in London. The Australians' decision to alert the FBI is made after the stolen Democratic emails are released, and Mr Papadopoulos's allusion to Russian information appears to have greater significance.

August 19, 2016

Republican nominee Donald Trump, Campaign Manager Paul Manafort, and his daughter Ivanka Trump at the Republican Convention Credit: Getty

Mr Manafort quits the Trump campaign days after news reports emerge claiming he has received payments from Russian-backed Ukrainian figures. The campaign chief denied receiving secret payments or working for the governments of Ukraine or Russia.

September 2016

Congress members are briefed on the CIAs belief that Russia is intervening in the election to benefit Mr Trump. Republican senator Jeff Sessions, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, meets with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the US, in his Senate office.

Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the US Credit: AP /Cliff Owen

By this point, the Internet Research Agency is spending around $1.25 million a month on interfering with the election according to US prosecutors.

October 7, 2016

Shortly after the publication of a 2005 Access Hollywood video in which Mr Trump discusses sexually assaulting women, WikiLeaks releases a batch of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podestas email account. The leaks continue for weeks.

October 12, 2016

WikiLeaks contacts Trump Jr on Twitter to ask him to share a link to file archives. Shortly afterwards, the candidate tweets about the leaks.

October 21, 2016

The FBI obtains a warrant to wiretap Carter Page, a former foreign policy adviser on the Trump campaign.

October 28, 2016

James Comey takes the oath before he testifies during a US Senate Select Committee Credit: AFP

James Comey, the FBI Director, sends a letter to Congress announcing the agency has reopened its investigation into Mrs Clintons use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. He does not publicly reveal the FBI is investigating the Trump campaign.

November 8, 2016

Mr Trump is elected president.

Mr Trump's supporters celebrate on election night Credit: AFP

November 10, 2016

In his Oval Office meeting with Mr Trump, Barack Obama reportedly warns the president-elect against putting Michael Flynn in a high level position within his administration.

November 18, 2016

Mr Trump offers Mr Flynn the job of national security adviser and Mr Sessions the job of attorney general - two of the first appointments the president-elect makes.

Late November 2016

Members of the Trump transition team reportedly warn Mr Flynn that his communications with Ambassador Kislyak will be monitored by US intelligence agencies.

November 30, 2016

The Justice Department informs Mr Flynn that he is under investigation for his unreported lobbying on behalf of Turkey.

December 1, 2016

Jared Kushner Credit: AP

Mr Flynn and Mr Kushner meet with Mr Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, at Trump Tower. Mr Kushner allegedly proposed setting up a back-channel of communication between the administration and Vladimir Putin, the Russian president.

December 22, 2016

Mr Flynn contacts Ambassador Kislyak to urge Russia to oppose a resolution about Israeli settlements. Russia is one of several countries Mr Flynn contacts, allegedly at the behest of Mr Kushner.

December 29, 2016

The Obama administration issues new sanctions against Russia in response to its interference in the US election.

Mr Flynn calls Ambassador Kislyak multiple times about the sanctions and asks Russia not to retaliate. He later tells Mr Flynn that Russia "had chosen to moderate its response to those sanctions as a result of his request", according to investigators.

December 30, 2016

In a tweet, Mr Trump praises Putins decision not to respond to the US sanctions.

Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2016

January 4, 2017

Mr Flynn tells Donald McGahn, the Trump campaigns top lawyer, that he is being investigated by the FBI.

January 6, 2017

US intelligence agencies release a detailed report on Russian election interference.

Mr Comey briefs Mr Trump at Trump Tower in New York. The FBI director says Mr Trump is not personally under investigation as part of the agencys counterintelligence case. He also informs Mr Trump of the contents of Mr Steeles dossier, including the allegation involving prostitutes in a Moscow hotel. Mr Trump denies the allegation.

January 10, 2017

In his Senate confirmation hearing for the attorney general post, Mr Sessions denies under oath contacting Russian officials during the election campaign.

Mr Steeles dirty dossier is leaked by Buzzfeed News, despite containing a series of unverified claims. The explosive 35-page report creates a legal storm.

FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

January 11, 2017

The next day Mr Trump holds a press conference in Trump tower decrying the "highly salacious" dossier, saying he has been a victim of "fake news".

"Does anyone really believe that story?", Mr Trump asks the audience.

He adds: "I'm also very much of a germaphobe, by the way, believe me."

.@PeteHegseth on @FoxNews Source #1 was the (Fake) Dossier. Yes, the Dirty Dossier, paid for by Democrats as a hit piece against Trump, and looking for information that could discredit Candidate #1 Trump. Carter Page was just the foot to surveil the Trump campaign... ILLEGAL!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2018

January 18, 2017

Mr Kushner submits his application for top-secret security clearance, excluding a number of meetings with foreign officials, including the December Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer.

January 20, 2017

Mr Trump is inaugurated as president.

January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2017

January 22, 2017

Mr Flynn is sworn in as national security adviser.

Michael Flynn Credit: AP

January 24, 2017

During an FBI interview, Mr Flynn lies about his conversations with Ambassador Kislyak.

January 26, 2017

Sally Yates, the acting attorney general, is briefed on the Flynn interview and warns the White House that the national security adviser could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail.

Mr Trumps lawyer later says the president knew that Mr Flynn lied to the FBI by late January.

January 27, 2017

The FBI director claims Mr Trump told him I need loyalty, I expect loyalty over dinner at the White House, a move which could be seen as an attempt to steer the Russia investigation. Mr Trump has vehemently denied the claim. Mr Comey adds that the president tells him that Mr Flynn has serious judgment issues. He also again denies the allegations involving prostitutes at a Moscow hotel, denying he even spent the night in Moscow.

February 8, 2017

Jeff Sessions Credit: Getty

Mr Sessions is confirmed as attorney general.

February 13, 2017

Mr Flynn resigns as national security adviser after just 24 days in the post.

February 14, 2017

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Mr Trump reportedly asks Mr Comey to end the FBI investigation into Mr Flynn, which could amount to obstruction of justice. The FBI director claims the president told him: He is a good guy, I hope you can let this go. Mr Trump denies he made the comments.

March 2, 2017

Mr Sessions announces he will recuse himself from any Russia investigation after his meetings with Ambassador Kislyak are revealed. Rod Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, is now responsible for overseeing the probe.

March 20, 2017

Mr Comey publicly confirms the FBIs investigation into Russian hacking and potential collusion with individuals in the Trump campaign for the first time while testifying before the House Intelligence Committee.

May 9, 2017

Mr Trump fires Mr Comey. The president alludes to the Russia probe in his letter to the FBI director, saying "I greatly appreciate you informing me... I am not under investigation".

A copy of the letter by President Trump firing Director of the FBI James Comey Credit: Reuters

May 17, 2017

Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, is appointed as special counsel to oversee the Russia investigation following Mr Comeys departure.

Robert Mueller, the former FBI Director Credit: AP

June 2017

Mr Trump reportedly asks White House lawyer Donald McGahn to have the special counsel fired, but backs down when Mr McGahn threatens to quit over the request. The report prompts suggestions Mr Trump may have sought to obstruct justice. The president later dismisses the reports as fake news.

July 27, 2017

Mr Papadopoulos is arrested at Washingtons Dulles International Airport.

August 1, 2017

FBI Director Christopher Wray is sworn in Credit: Reuters

Christopher Wray takes over as FBI director.

October 5, 2017

Mr Papadopoulos pleads guilty to lying to the FBI about his efforts to put the Trump campaign in contact with Kremlin figures. Mr Papadopoulos enters a plea agreement with Mr Mueller, suggesting he has agreed to become an informant for a lesser sentence, but this is not made public until later in the month.

October 2017

Former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus; former press secretary Sean Spicer and Sam Clovis, a Trump campaign foreign-policy adviser, are all interviewed by Mr Muellers team.

October 30, 2017

Mr Muellers team reveals charges against former Trump campaign staff - Mr Manafort and his associate Rick Gates are charged on 12 counts, including conspiracy to launder money and making false statements. Mr Papadopoulos guilty plea is made public in court filings.

November 2017

The Russia investigation interviews Mr Kushner, White House adviser Stephen Miller and White House counsel Donald McGahn.

November 30, 2017

Mr Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI in his January interview.

December 7, 2017

Hope Hicks announced she was resigning from her post in February, a day after testifying in front of the House for nine hours as part of its Russia investigations Credit: Bloomberg

Hope Hicks, the White House communications director, is interviewed by Mr Muellers team. The following month Mr Sessions is also interviewed.

February 2, 2018

Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee release a memo accusing the Justice Department and FBI of an abuse of power during the Russia investigation. The memo also accuses Peter Strzok, an FBI agent on the investigation, of anti-Trump bias. The special counsel removed Mr Strzok from the investigation after he learned the agent had exchanged anti-Trump texts.

February 16, 2018

Mr Muellers team reveals charges against 13 Russian nationals and three organisations linked to the Internet Research Agency for unlawfully engaging in operations to interfere with elections and political processes. The charges reveal the full scale of alleged Russian election meddling and recounts their alleged crimes in remarkable detail, describing how Russian agents created hundreds of social media accounts to influence the election.

February 22, 2018

Mr Mueller files additional charges against Mr Gates and Mr Manafort including bank fraud and failure to declare foreign bank accounts.

February 23, 2018

Mr Gates makes a plea deal with the special counsel.

June 4, 2018

Mr Trump claims he has the absolute right to pardon himself and calls the appointment of the special counsel totally unconstitutional.

June 8, 2018

Mr Mueller files charges against Konstantin Kilimnik, a political operative with alleged ties to Russian intelligence, bringing his probe a step closer to the Kremlin's door. The indictment includes new charges of witness tampering against Mr Manafort, the third set of charges to be added since he was indicted in October.

June 15, 2018

Paul Manafort's mugshot. The former Trump campaign chairman is set to stand trial at the end of July Credit: Alexandria Sheriff's Office

Mr Manafort is sent to jail after a judge revokes his bail. The former Trump campaign manager is accused of contacting witnesses while awaiting trial for fraud charges.

July 13, 2018

The Russia investigation announces criminal charges against 12 officers from Russias online troll factory, the GRU. The individuals are accused of hacking the DNC and the Clinton campaign.

July 16, 2018

Donald Trump appears to side with Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence officials during a joint press conference in Helsinki, praising the Russian presidents extremely strong and powerful denial over election meddling.

He added: I dont see any reason why it would be Russia who interfered in the 2016 presidential race.

The next day, after a fierce backlash from Democrats and Republicans, Mr Trump made a statement in the White House saying he misspoke and meant the opposite. He clarified that he should have said "I don't see any reason it wouldn't be" Russia. He called the sentence he meant to say a "bit of a double negative".

August 18, 2018

Mr McGahn, the White House counsel, has co-operated extensively with the Russia investigation and spent more than 30 hours with Mr Mueller's team, the New York Times reports.

Following the report, Mr Trump said he allowed Mr McGahn to fully co-operate with investigators. The revelation is significant because Mr McGahn will be a key witness to Mr Trump's thinking at significant points - for instance in the days leading up to his firing of James Comey, the former FBI director.

Historians have drawn comparisons with John Dean, the White House counsel during Richard Nixon's presidency, who handed prosecutors key information about his attempts to obstruct justice.

Hours later, Mr Trump appears to be rattled by the news reports, sending out a string of tweets in which he compares the Russia investigation with the 1950s hunt for communists led by Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2018

August 20, 2018

Mr Trump sends out a series of attacks aimed at Mr Mueller and his team calling the special counsel "disgraced and discredited".

He goes on: "Wheres the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed). If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!"

The comments come as the jury in the trial of Mr Manafort, the president's former campaign chairman, continue to deliberate a verdict.

August 21, 2018

Mr Manafort is found guilty of eight financial crimes in the first trial of the Russia investigation - a major victory for the special counsel.

A judge declared a mistrial on 10 other counts the jury could not agree on, however Manafortt, who led Mr Trump's election effort during a crucial stretch of 2016, is still facing a lengthy prison stretch.

The verdict was part of a stunning one-two punch of bad news for the White House, coming as the president's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, was pleading guilty in New York to campaign finance violations arising from hush money payments made to two women who say they had sexual relationships with Mr Trump.

November 7, 2018

Mr Trump forces Jeff Sessions, the US attorney general, to quit, plunging the Russia investigation into deep uncertainty. Matthew Whitaker, Mr Sessionss chief of staff, will fill the role of acting attorney general. Mr Whitaker has previously suggested that a replacement to Mr Sessions could slash Mr Muellers budget so the investigation "grinds to almost a halt".

It raises questions about whether Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading that investigation who reports to the Justice Department, will face more restrictions in the coming months. The person Mr Trump selects as attorney general is likely to oversee the Russia investigation personally, raising fears the president could pick an ardent supporter who could protect him.

November 21, 2018

Mr Trump submitted written responses to questions from Mr Mueller's team. Earlier in the month, news outlets reported that Mr Trump had spent several days with his lawyers drafting his answers. "I write the answers. My lawyers don't write answers," Mr Trump said in response.

November 26, 2018

Mr Mueller's team accuses Manafort of lying to them, breaking his plea deal. They urge a judge to press ahead with sentencing the former Trump campaign chairman, arguing he no longer deserves the leniency their agreement gave him.

November 29, 2018

In a surprise announcement, Cohen pleads guilty to lying to Congress about the Russia investigation, including misleading the chamber about the fact he was pursuing a project to build a Trump tower in Moscow deep into the 2016 presidential campaign.

Michael Cohen was Mr Trump's personal lawyer for a decade Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Cohen said he lied two congressional committees in 2017 in order to minimise the links between the Moscow project and Mr Trump. Court documents said he gave the false impression that the project had ended in January 2016 - before the first Republican primary vote - when in fact he pursued it until June 2016.

December 12, 2018

Cohen is sentenced to three years in prison. During the sentencing hearing it emerges that Cohen has given Mr Mueller's team wide-ranging and helpful information. However, prosecutors in the southern district of New York recommend a substantial term of imprisonment for Cohen for the egregious nature of his crimes and his lack of assistance. On the same day, the New York prosecutors also reveal they have come to an agreement with American Media Company, Inc. the National Enquirer's publisher over a payment made during the election campaign to a woman alleging an affair with Mr Trump.

December 20, 2018

Matt Whitaker, the acting attorney general, says he will not recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation. Mr Whitaker had previously criticised the probe and suggested it could be curtailed but slashing the special counsel's budget.

January 25, 2019

Roger Stone has vowed to fight the charges Credit: AFP

Roger Stone, a longtime friend and adviser to Mr Trump, is arrested during an early morning FBI raid of his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr Stone indicted on seven counts, including one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements and one count of witness tampering in Mr Muellers investigation.

February 14, 2019

William Barr was nominated by Mr Trump and approved by the Senate earlier this year Credit: AP

Bill Barr is sworn in as attorney general. Mr Barr now oversees the Russia investigation and has ultimate say over how much of Mr Muller's final report is made public.

February 27, 2019

Cohen testifies publicly for the first time, telling Congress his former boss was a "liar", a "cheat" and a "racist". Cohen claims Mr Trump participated in insurance fraud and directed him to make hush-money payments to women alleging affairs even though he knew it was wrong. Mr Trump has denied those claims, saying Cohen is attempting to get a more lenient prison sentence.

March 22, 2019

Mr Mueller submits his report, as is required, to the US department of justice following an investigation that lasted 674 days.

It will now be up to Mr Barr, the US attorney general, to decide how much of the report to release to Congress and the public.

March 24, 2019

Mr Barr releases a four-page summary of the Mueller report which states that Mr Trump and his aides did not collude with Russia in the 2016 election campaign. Mr Mueller did not reach a decision on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice in his alleged attempts to thwart the investigation - meaning it was not a total victory for the president - instead deciding not to come to a conclusion.

The summary of the report quotes Mr Mueller saying of obstruction of justice: While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him".

Mr Barr and Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, decided there was not enough evidence to conclude that Mr Trump had acted with corrupt intent, and therefore decided he had not obstructed justice.

Mr Mueller also decided to recommend no further indictments and has no sealed indictments waiting to be made public, meaning he will not bring any more charges now his probe is complete.
BangkokThe results of Thailands first election since the 2014 coup were expected to trickle out Monday, with the junta primed to retain its grip on power after a vote that saw its main rival diminished, but vaulted a new pro-democracy force into the kingdoms politics. The Election Commission delayed without explanation a full announcement of preliminary results on Sunday night as a blizzard of complaints mounted over apparent mistakes in the count and possible irregularities at the polls. Nearly 1.9 million votes had been invalidated with 93 percent of votes tallied, the EC said late Sunday. Earlier counts showed that in a handful of provinces more than half the ballots cast were invalidated. Sundays electionseen as a referendum on the militarywas held under new rules written by the junta to ease its transformation into a civilian government. Despite that head-start, analysts had not expected the army-linked Phalang Pracharat party to win the popular vote, given anger at junta rule and the enduring popularity of Pheu Thai -- the party of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. But as initial figures dribbled out, Phalang Pracharat -- with 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister -- edged into a clear lead, racking up more than 7.6 million votes with more than 90 percent of ballots tallied. This will give them... popular legitimacy and more credibility, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University, told AFP. Phalang Pracharat had nearly half a million more votes than Pheu Thai, despite the track record of Thaksin whose parties have won every vote since 2001, drawing on loyalty from the rural and urban poor. That should propel Prayuts party to the 126 lower house seats it needs to secure a parliamentary majority, in combination with a 250-seat upper house Senate that is appointed by the junta. Shock gripped the pro-democracy camp, which had hoped to harness widespread anti-junta sentiment. Thaksin, the self-exiled billionaire ex-cop turned-Thai premier, who is at the crux of Thailands political breakdown, reached out to supporters as the results tipped against his Pheu Thai party. As long as we still have breath, we can not give up, he said in a Facebook post on Monday. Prospects of an anti-junta coalition squeezing into power began to evaporate late Sunday. The Election Commission has said it will finalise the results by May 9. But questions over the count have billowed out, with social media ablaze with allegations of vote buying, mass invalidation of electoral cards and bungling by polling staff across the country.About 400,000 people signed a change.org petition to dissolve the commission. Three candidates from the juntas Phalang Pracharat were the first to file petitions for a recount after losing in their constituencies. More disputes are expected across the political spectrum. Turnout was also 64 percent, much lower than forecasts. A co-ordinator for Thailand-based election monitor We Watch said that voter education was really insufficient for the first election in eight years. Voters were, for example, confused about how to make the ballot valid, how to mark the ballot, We Watchs Chompunut Chalieobun told AFP. Chompunut also said many monitors were blocked from accessing polling stations. Election night hoisted a new, youth-focused political party with vigorous anti-junta positions -- Future Forward party -- onto the Thai political stage. Led by telegenic billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, it took more than five million votes, which could make it Thailands third-biggest party. And on the eve of the poll, Thailands King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued a cryptic statement urging people to support good leaders against those who create chaos. Another royal command in February torpedoed the candidacy of the kings elder sister Princess Ubolratana for prime minister via a party linked to Thaksin. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup, and has lived in self-exile since 2008. The administration of his sister Yingluck was also the victim of a 2014 power grab by the military. The Shinawatra-aligned Pheu Thai party has vowed to accept the results but said it needed more clarity on the outcome before it took a stance.
South African conglomerate Naspers, the continent's biggest media company, said Monday that it will spin off online assets into a new company with a primary listing in Amsterdam, creating Europe's biggest listed consumer internet company.

The subsidiary, called NewCo, will group all of Naspers' internet investments outside of its home market, including stakes in Chinese giant Tencent, mail.ru, OLX and Avito, it said in a statement.

The Wall Street Journal put the value of the 31-percent Tencent stake held by Naspers alone at $134 billion.

NewCo, to be listed on the Euronext exchange in Amsterdam, will be 75-percent owned by Naspers, with a free float of around 25 percent, it said.

NewCo will comprise assets in online classifieds, food delivery, payments, etail, travel, education, and social and internet platforms sectors, and others.

Naspers gave no date for the listing, but said it would happen no earlier than the second half of this year.

"The listing will present an appealing new opportunity for international tech investors to have access to our unique portfolio of international internet assets," said Naspers CEO Bob van Dijk in the statement.

Naspers' fast growth has made it a behemoth on the Johannesburg stock exchange, where it alone makes up almost a quarter of the SWIX index, compared to five percent five years ago, it said.

Institutional investors in South Africa have come up against limits on holdings of a single stock, forcing them to sell Naspers shares.

The Euronext listing is to address that problem, as well as create shareholder value, the company said.

Even after the spinoff Naspers will remain the biggest company listed in South Africa.

NewCo will receive a secondary listing in Johannesburg, it said.
Sanaa (AFP) - Barefoot in a blue striped shirt, Ahmed al-Hamadi walks from school to a cemetery in the Yemeni capital where he works to help his family survive.

The 13-year-old makes his way through the cemetery, where graves are cramped together and overgrown with weeds.

Hauling gallons of water on his tiny shoulders, he waters plants and sprinkles tombstones to rid them of the Sanaa dust for a modest payment from the families of the deceased.

"We usually wait for funeral processions to work," Ahmed told AFP. "If no one has died, we just hang around the graves and play around here."

Ahmed is among millions of children struggling to stay in school in Yemen, where war, poverty and disease have brought the Arab world's poorest country to its knees.

The Yemen conflict, which pits the government against northern rebels linked to Iran, took a turn for the worse when Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened on behalf of embattled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.

March 26 marks four years since the Saudi-led coalition launched the military campaign to oust the Huthi rebels who occupied most of Yemen several months earlier -- triggering what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

- Children most at risk -

Yemen has the highest level of child labour in the Arab world, both as a percentage and in sheer numbers, according to the International Labour Organization.

And in the chaos of war children are the most at risk, with girls facing forced marriage and boys recruited as fighters.

UNICEF, the UN children's fund, called Yemen a "living hell for children" in 2018, with a whopping 80 percent of minors in need of aid.

The agency estimates that two million Yemeni children, out of an eligible seven million, are out of school as the war grinds into its fifth year.

Alongside the violence, Yemen's already-fragile economy has contracted by over 50 percent since the escalation of conflict in 2015, according to the World Bank.

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The currency has plummeted, and with it purchasing power.

Yemen's private sector is all but dead and the government-run central bank has struggled to pay civil servants' salaries despite over $2 billion of cash injections by Saudi Arabia.

Many families have had no choice but to rely on their children for income -- sometimes as little as a few dollars a month.

Three years ago, Atiqa Mohammed was an officer in the Yemeni military. Today, she runs a little grocery store and more often than not her shelves are empty.

She had to turn a group of children away one March afternoon, with neither bread nor milk to sell them.

"The war has devoured everything," she told AFP. "I don't want much. Bread and tea would be enough, as long as it's an honest living."

- 'Crowded with visitors' -

Three-quarters of Yemen's population of 29 million are in need of humanitarian aid, with upwards of 10 million on the brink of mass starvation, according to the UN.

And in some areas, both government- and rebel-held, teachers have not been paid their wages since 2016. UNICEF stepped in this month, disbursing the equivalent of $50 per month to some 100,000 educators.

Ahmed is one of the luckier ones. His school still opens its doors to pupils in Sanaa, controlled by the Huthis since the rebels staged a takeover of Yemeni territory in 2014.

But when his father could not find work, it was up to him to help his family. He first tried street peddling before turning to the cemetery as a last resort.

Fifteen-year-old Yasser al-Arbahi also found himself working at the cemetery after his father had a stroke, putting his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold.

His days have become routine: wake up, attend class until noon, then head to the cemetery after lunch.

"If there's a grave that needs to be cleaned, I'll spray it down. Then on Fridays, I make sure I have water to sell to the families who come to visit the graves."

Some 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen over the past four years, according to the World Health Organization, although rights groups say the toll could be five times higher.

Both the Saudi-led alliance and Huthi rebels have been accused of acts that could amount to war crimes, while the coalition has been blacklisted by the UN for killing and maiming children.

By the tombstones in Sanaa, Yasser pays particular attention to cacti and flowers planted on the graves, taking the time to water them all.

He appeared thankful for the work: "Cemeteries are crowded with visitors."
Crosses are seen in a park to commemorate the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland - REUTERS

Two teenagers who survived America's deadliest high school shooting have committed suicide in the last week, bringing fresh tragedy to the Florida community.

A 17-year-old boy who attended the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida - where 17 people were killed last year - died on Saturday in what police are treating as a suicide.

The boy, who has not been named, was in his second year of high school and reportedly died from a gun shot wound to the head.

It comes just days after Sydney Aiello, a 19-year-old recent graduate of the school, took her own life. Ms Aiello's family said the teenager had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered from survivors guilt after the shooting, in which one of her best friends, Meadow Pollack, was shot dead.

Former student Nikolas Cruz entered the high school armed with a semi-automatic rifle on February 14, 2018 and left 14 students and three staff members dead, with 17 others wounded.

Students gather at a gun control rally at the West Front of the US Capitol March 14, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Credit: Getty Images

Sydney, who was not in the room during the shooting, went on to study at Florida Atlantic University but struggled to attend classes because she was afraid of being in a classroom.

Meadow's father Andrew Pollack, who has since become a gun reform activist, told the Miami Herald "Meadow and Sydney were friends for a long, long time".

"Its terrible what happened," he said. "Killing yourself is not the answer".

The fresh tragedy has drawn calls in Florida for increased spending on suicide prevention programmes and more mental health services for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school community.

More than 60 local school, child services and law enforcement officials met with teachers and parents for an emergency meeting on Sunday.

"Now is the time for the Florida Legislature to help," said Jared Moskowitz, Floridas emergency management director and a former state representative from Parkland.

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Another survivor, David Hogg, who has become a prominent gun control advocate since the massacre, added his voice to calls.

"How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government/school district to do anything?" he tweeted.

The city's mayor Christine Hunschofsky said Monday that officials are publicising the available counseling services.

In a separate development, the father of a 6-year-old killed in the Sandy Hook school massacre died of an apparent suicide on Monday.

Jeremy Richman's body was found in his Connecticut office building Monday morning, Newtown police said.

Mr Richman, 49, had dedicated his time to helping prevent mass shootings after his daughter Avielle was among 20 children and six adults killed in the elementary school in 2012.

Police said they will not disclose the method or any other details surrounding Mr Richman's death but said that it does not appear to be suspicious.
A second survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting has died, police have confirmed.

The Coral Springs Police Department was quoted in US media as saying the student had died in an apparent suicide on Saturday.

The case is being investigated further and officers did not release the students age or cause of death.

Sydney Aiello, who was a student at the school when the shooting occurred, died last Sunday.

The 19-year-old had been suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder and survivors guilt since the shooting and took her own life, according US media.

A gunman killed 17 adults and children at the school on 14 February 2018 when he opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle.

Nikolas Cruz, the suspected shooter, is charged with murdering 14 students and three teachers.

Around a dozen other people were also left injured.

After news of the unnamed students death emerged on Sunday, some of the shootings survivors urged local authorities to act.

How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything? David Hogg, a survivor who has since become a prominent gun control advocate, said. Rip 17+2.

In March 2018 thousands of pupils walked out of schools across the US demanding action on gun control, prompted by the Florida shooting.

For confidential support on mental health call Samaritans free from any phone, at any time, on 116 123 (UK & RoI) or email jo@samaritans.org. In the US call 1-800-273-TALK or chat online.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea said some North Korean officials returned to an inter-Korean liaison office on Monday, three days after the North abruptly withdrew its entire staff citing unspecified instructions from "higher-level authorities."

It wasn't immediately clear why North Korea sent some workers back to the office or whether it would restore a full staff. The North's decision to withdraw its staff on Friday came a week after its vice foreign minister threatened to pull out of nuclear negotiations with the United States following the collapse of a nuclear summit last month between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in Vietnam.

Seoul's Unification Ministry, which deals with inter-Korean affairs, said in a statement that four to five North Korean officials showed up for work Monday at the liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong and told South Korean officials they came to work their usual shifts.

The ministry said the North had still not provided a clear explanation as to why it withdrew staff from the office. It expressed hope that even the partial return of North Korean personnel would allow the office to serve its "essential function." The North reportedly had sent about 10 workers each working day to the office since it opened last September as part of a slew of reconciliation steps between the rivals agreed to by Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

"We plan to continue operating the inter-Korean liaison office like we did in normal times," said Baik Tae-hyun, the ministry's spokesman.

Some analysts say the withdrawal was part of North Korean efforts to pressure South Korea to back its position with the United States more strongly following the breakdown of the Trump-Kim summit. North Korean state media have recently demanded that South Korea distance itself from the United States and resume joint economic projects that have been held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North.

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The Koreas in past months have also dismantled some of their front-line guard posts, halted military exercises across their border and vowed to resume inter-Korean economic projects when possible, voicing optimism that international sanctions could end, allowing such projects.

While Moon says inter-Korean reconciliation is crucial for achieving progress in nuclear negotiations, the breakdown of the Trump-Kim summit has created a difficult environment to push engagement with the North.

Washington and Pyongyang have struggled with the sequencing of North Korea's nuclear disarmament and the removal of sanctions, and blamed each other for the collapse of last month's meeting in Hanoi.

The liaison office between the Koreas is the first since the Korean Peninsula was split into a U.S.-backed capitalistic South and a Soviet-supported socialist North in 1945. The rivals previously used telephone and fax-like communication channels that were often shut down in times of high tensions.

Kaesong is also the location of a now-shuttered factory complex that was jointly run by the two Koreas. It combined South Korean capital and technology with cheap North Korean labor. Both Koreas want the United States to allow exemptions from the sanctions to permit the reopening of the factory park, which provided North Korea with much-needed foreign currency. Critics say Kaesong and other inter-Korean economic projects helped North Korea fund its nuclear weapons program.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib; AIPAC 2019. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP (3), Michael Brochstein/Zuma Wire)

WASHINGTON  The first evening of the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, was punctuated by a rousing address from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who like several other speakers sharply criticized the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

There are 62 new Democratic freshmen in the House, Hoyer said at one point during his Sunday-evening speech. Not three.

The crowd, which was said to be 18,000 people in size, cheered for what was an unmistakable reference to new House members Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and, in particular, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. All three have been, to varying degrees, charged with hostility to Israel, with Omar accused of outright anti-Semitism.

Hoyer seemed to indicate that while Israels traditional enemies, such as Syria and Iran, remain as determined as ever, it is the rising antipathy toward Israel expressed through the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement that is the bigger threat. BDS, which seeks to curb Israels economic might, has found support on college campuses, as well as from celebrities such as Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters.

AIPAC, which will feature speakers including Vice President Mike Pence, has skewed increasingly right in recent years, and most major Democratic nominees for president decided to stay away this year. In perhaps another sign of this rightward drift, this years meeting identified a new enemy: socialism. Or, rather, the progressivism that is increasingly popular in the Democratic Party.

That progressivism has embraced BDS, having come to view Israel as an oppressive power and the Palestinians as a nonwhite minority whose experience is not dissimilar from that of American people of color. In a show of protest on Sunday evening, anti-Israel protesters projected messages onto the facade of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, where the AIPAC convention was held. Stop Killing Palestinian Children, one message said, an apparent reference to Israeli military incursions into the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Stop U.S. Aid for Israels Crimes, said another.

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Protest messages on the facade of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, during AIPAC in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alexander Nazaryan/Yahoo News)

Inside the cavernous convention hall, the mood was just as pugnacious. Vowing to defeat BDS, Hoyer declared the movement anti-American, though he did not explain why this was so. Hoyers message matched the theme of this years AIPAC conference  which is Together for Good. The implication was clear: Insult Israel and you insult the United States.

I stand with Israel, proudly and unapologetically, said Hoyer  who is not Jewish with audible emotion in his voice. So, when someone accuses American supporters of Israel of dual loyalty, I say: Accuse me.

Later, attendees said Hoyers message resonated. Allan Kaplan, an investor from San Francisco, said that socialism was being used as another way to promote an anti-Semitic approach to politics. It doesnt really have anything to do with socialism. Its just an old canard in a new skin.

Yehudit Barsky, who works for the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism in New York City, pointed out that Israel has a rich history of socialism, perhaps best reflected in the farm collectives known as kibbutzism. She hoped that more education would wean the new House members off their suspicion of the Jewish State.

Despite AIPACs rightward shift, there were still Democrats in the audience, including Miami University of Ohio student Daveed Abrams. He was hopeful and forgiving. I think that besides the anti-Semitic comments Ilhan Omar made, she has a lot of potential. I think that shes willing to fight for peoples rights, he said, adding that it was acceptable to criticize Israel, though not to do so in plainly anti-Semitic fashion.

None of the evenings main speakers mentioned Omar or her House peers by name. They didnt have to, given the immense attention she has attracted. Allusion, if not subtlety, sufficed. Americans dont support Israel because AIPAC is influential, said Meghan McCain, a conservative commentator who is the daughter of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. AIPAC is influential because Americans support Israel. She also made reference to Israels detractors in the halls of Congress, as former Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.  the first Jewish American on a major party presidential ticket and a close friend of McCains father  stood next to her.

Inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center during AIPAC. (Photo: Alexander Nazaryan/Yahoo News)

Ron Dermer, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, went so far as to suggest that Israel might enact a boycott of its own by refusing to trade with certain countries. He asked the audience to imagine a world without mobile phones or certain medications, a reference to Israels vaunted digital technology and biomedical sectors.

This may seem far-fetched, but things can change quickly, noted Joan Ryan, a member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Ryan was one of several members of Parliament to recently quit the Labour Party, which is broadly the equivalent of the Democratic Party in the United States, over frustration with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has stood accused of both harboring personal anti-Semitic beliefs and permitting such beliefs to fester within Labour.

Im proud to be a Zionist, said Ryan, who is also not Jewish. She told her fellow supporters of Israel that it was imperative to "stay on our guard" and "stand our ground."

Outside the convention center, protester Rich Siegel, who had come from New Jersey, was standing his ground too, as hundreds of AIPAC attendees streamed past him. Siegel stood amid them, holding a Palestinian flag and a sign that said, When do we Jews notice that Israel is a terrorist state? Siegel said that he had been completely indoctrinated into the cult of Zionism as a youth, going so far as to live and work in Israel, only to become disillusioned in his middle years. He accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and said he felt a moral obligation to protest AIPAC. Siegel added that he was glad that, given the unambiguously critical message on his placard, nobody had physically attacked him.

Theyll just walk by, he said, and call me a schmuck.

Protester Rich Siegel outside AIPAC. (Photo: Alexander Nazaryan/Yahoo News)

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Read more from Yahoo News:
When Kyle Hartmann hung an American flag in his South Dakota State University dormitory on September 10 of last year, he was doing more than just commemorating a dark day in American life. My mom in particular knew five people that passed away on September 11 [2001], including a close family friend, he told me in a phone interview. When he returned from dinner that night, he saw that the flag had been taken down.

Hartmann put it back up with a note explaining its significance, but a university official ordered him to take the flag down because it could potentially offend people. After Hartmann challenged the decision, officials told him that the schools speech policy was deliberately vague to allow for decisions based on the feelings of the community. He was eventually allowed to put the flag up until the end of the day, when he had to take it down  which resulted in its being displayed only for a total of two hours, he told me. As Hartmann later testified to the South Dakota state legislature, it is impossible for students to exercise their First Amendment rights when the policy is not accessible or clear.

Stories such as Hartmanns explain why President Trump signed an executive order last Thursday directing federal agencies to tie federal grants to schools records on free speech. Although the measure contains no specific penalties, it sends a signal to the states that the federal government is monitoring the way First Amendment rights are protected on college campuses. When the president announced this order at the Conservative Political Action Conference in early March, he highlighted another story, that of a California student who had been assaulted for working as a recruiter for a conservative group.

But Hartmanns story also helps explain why South Dakota governor Kristi Noem signed a law last Wednesday to protect free speech on the states six public-university campuses. The new law, nearly a year in the making, could serve as an example for other states that want to protect students First Amendment rights so that their universities dont suffer penalties under the administrations new policy.

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South Dakota may not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of political correctness, but even this deep-red Midwestern state has experienced attacks on free speech on its college campuses. Most of the incidents have taken place at the states flagship school, the University of South Dakota. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education gives the university a yellow rating for speech policies that too easily encourage . . . administrative abuse and arbitrary application.

Beyond Hartmanns experience, consider an episode from 2015, when the university shut down the showing of a film titled Honor Diaries. Critics denounced the film  which documented the honor killing of women in Islamic culture  as anti-Muslim bigotry, leading the university to cancel the event out of concern for students emotional safety. The university provost said that the format and setting did not allow for appropriate discussion following the screening. Although the viewing was rescheduled for the following month at a womens conference, one of the events organizers described being stunned at the amount of pressure to cancel the event prior to the schools decision to do so.

Another incident involved a Hawaiian Day social event in late February. A student organization at the University of South Dakota Law School changed the Hawaiian theme to prevent culturally insensitive practices, such as handing out leis. The school is currently investigating the incident to determine whether the law schools interim administration pressured the student organization into changing the theme of the party.

According to state representative Sue Peterson, the sponsor of the new bill in South Dakota, this Hawaiian Day event pushed the legislation over the finish line. When she first introduced the bill last year, it promptly died in committee, owing to criticism that it was unnecessary and because the board of regents, which governs the states six public universities, promised to enact a new policy to protect free speech. It did so last December. But the Hawaiian Day incident convinced lawmakers that they needed to intervene to force the board to take more-decisive action. The final bill passed the state legislature with overwhelming majorities.

The law requires the states six public universities to maintain a commitment to the principles of free expression and to encourage the timely and rational discussion of topics in an environment that is intellectually and ideologically diverse. It designates outdoor areas as a public forum for free expression and calls for annual reports from the board of regents on how schools fostered intellectual diversity, along with descriptions of events that impeded the free exchange of ideas.

But while the bill represents a victory for free speech, it could have been stronger. An early draft called for more specifics in defining what events colleges were required to report, including attempts to block or prohibit a speaker, and disciplinary action resulting from speech-related activities. This language was removed from later versions. The bill also lacks detailed enforcement mechanisms. But according to Peterson, if the campuses fail to comply with this law, there will be a swift and significant legislative response, I can assure you.

These concerns notwithstanding, South Dakota has taken an important step to defend free speech on its college campuses  especially since President Trump signed his executive order the following day. As Hartmann concluded in his testimony, when it comes to free speech, policies should be clear and easily understood. Its time for more states to protect the many students who have been denied their right to free speech.

More from National Review
"The peace talks with the Reds is definitely over."

If there are still doubts that the political negotiations between the national government and the communist-led National Democratic Front have reached an inevitable, irrevocable dead-end, the recent decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to dissolve the government negotiating panel should put them to rest. Dutertes pronouncement that the NDF and its two allied organizations, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New Peoples Army (NPA) will have to wait for the next president if they expect any possibility of a resumption of any negotiations spells the doom of what had promised to be fruitful talks at the start of his term in mid-2016. With three years to go before the Duterte administration walks off into the sunset, we can therefore expect a search-and-destroy and take-no-prisoners policy by the military designed to bring the 50-year-old insurgency to its knees. The recent arrest of what the NDF claims as a peace consultant and his companion, a retired priest, and the filing of charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives against thema standard operating procedure now, it would seem, against arrested rebel suspects so they would stay behind bars for a long, long time, indicates a stepped-up drive against the communist insurgency by the military. Several other prominent peace consultants earlier released from prison to take part in negotiation in Europe have since been rearrested as well. The government now wants local peace talks as an alternative to the scuttled national-level negotiations that had been held off and on since the post-EDSA era. The idea of local peace talks sounds good in theory: talk to the local NPA leaders, convince them that armed struggle is futile because the government is addressing their grievances, such as agrarian reform, and even offer them cash for arms, housing, and livelihood assistance. But will the rebels bite this tactic, and stream to military camps to surrender? Thats highly unlikely. The military may be able to convince some of the rebels to go down from the hills and return to a normal life in the social mainstream, but probably not in sufficient numbers to dismantle the rebel apparatus in the countryside. Were talking here of armed struggle thats been going on for half-a century, or spanning two generations, and the aging communist leaders and their second liners steeped in Marxism-Leninism-Maoism arent likely to give up so easily.The famous quote was uttered by the character Dick the Butcher in William Shakespeares Henry VI, but it looks like someoneor perhaps a group of people, we really dont know at this pointmay have taken to heart the Shakespearian line quite literally, with devastating results.A total of 38 lawyers have been killed during the Duterte administration. The latest fatality, lawyer Rex Jasper Lopoz, was gunned down by unidentified men on March 13 evening in front of a shopping mall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines has condemned the killing, of Lopoz as the most recent in a quick succession of violent attacks against members of the Bar. We are almost losing count, but there have been 38 such reported killings since Atty. Rogelio Bato Jr. was killed by unidentified gunmen in Tacloban, Leyte on August 23, 2016, the IBP said. The 40,000-strong lawyers group urged the police to solve the cases, including the murder of former Cebu City Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro in January 2019 and the abduction of lawyer Alwyn Mendoza in Nueva Ecija in February. The series of unsolved crimes against lawyers has germinated a dark halo of fear that has paralyzed the most important pillars of the justice system, the IBP said. Murder and other forms of mindless violence have no place in civilized society. Lawyers are professionals who must not be associated with the perceived crimes of their clients, they added. We agree completely. The IBP is correct in urging the Supreme Court to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the series of killings of lawyers. The High Tribunal should initiate a dialogue among the SC, IBP, the military and the police, as well as NGOs to ensure the safety of lawyers nationwide. Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin said last year that he would ask his colleagues to conduct an independent probe into the rash of killings of lawyers. Whatever happened to his pledge? Is he waiting for more murders to occur until he becomes all by his lonesome the last lawyer standing in this country?
MADRID, March 25 (Reuters) - A gang transporting three tons of cannabis from Gibraltar and Morocco to towns along Spain's Costa del Sol tourist resorts has been arrested, Spanish police said on Monday.

The gang, made up of Britons, Germans and Spaniards, had its headquarters in the upmarket town of Marbella, where it sold the drugs. It was led by a Spanish woman and her German partner.

Police said in a statement that the gang rented pleasure yachts to smuggle the drugs to marinas along the Costa del Sol. The authorities also seized 630,000 euros in cash, a drone, four cars and 30 mobile telephones.

After being charged with membership of a criminal organization and drug trafficking, four of the detainees were jailed, the police said.

(Reporting by Sabela Ojea Guix, editing by Axel Bugge and Ed Osmond)
Juba (AFP) - A high court in Juba on Monday charged prominent South Sudanese activist and economist Peter Biar Ajak, 34, with terrorism, after eight months in detention with limited contact with the outside world.

Biar was detained in July 2018 after comments he made criticising the failure of the new country's leadership on all sides to stop five years of civil war in which nearly 400,000 people are thought to have died.

Prosecutor Deng Acuil charged Biar and six fellow accused, including businessman and philanthropist Kerbino Agok Wol, who has been jailed since April 2018, with sabotage against the state, banditry, possession of firearms and public disorder.

The charges relate to an October riot in the National Security Service headquarters -- a much feared detention centre known as "Blue House" -- in which detainees reportedly briefly overpowered guards before surrendering.

The accused all pleaded not guilty.

None of the accused has yet to face charges linked to their original arrests.

"This is a confusing part of it because these persons were first arrested on different reasons which are not known to us. They are being brought to court on other reasons which is an event of October," said Biar's lawyer Philip Anyang.

He said Biar "is a civilian who has never touched a gun, held a gun or been involved in any rebellion or any thing to do with the army," Anyang told AFP.

Wol, a former security officer who became a businessman and runs his own private security firm as well as an NGO to empower youth, told the court he was forced to give a statement while "guns were on my head" during the investigation.

Biar is an economist who has worked for the World Bank, studied in the US in Philadelphia and at Harvard, and is studying for his doctorate in Britain's University of Cambridge. His arrest prompted condemnation from the United States.

South Sudan descended into war in 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy and fellow former rebel leader Riek Machar of plotting a coup.

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The pair had risen to power during Sudan's 1983-2005 civil war between north and south, before South Sudan won independence in 2011.

Machar was reinstated under a peace deal as vice-president in 2016, but fled the capital months later chased by Kiir's tanks and helicopter gunships.

He is due to return to Juba in May as vice president under a reincarnation of the peace deal signed in September 2018. But progress in the latest deal has been slow amid multiple lingering unresolved issues.
Baghouz (Syria) (AFP) - Suicide bombers, snipers, rockets -- Islamic State group fighters did everything they could to defend their last scrap of territory in eastern Syria, but their diminished resources were not enough.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday declared victory over the jihadists in the remote village of Baghouz, after reducing their once terrifying proto-state to a ghostly riverside camp.

From the top of an abandoned building overlooking the devastated encampment, SDF fighter Hamid Abdel Aal points to an earth berm half way to the Euphrates River.

"We arrived at night. We were there at that barricade," says the man in his thirties, a checkered green scarf wrapped around his jet black hair.

"In the morning, they attacked. They had snipers shooting at us," he says, a large yellow flag of the Kurdish-led SDF billowing behind him after their victory.

For four hours, the jihadists fought back, he said. But in the end, they retreated to the reedy river edges.

"Eight of them blew themselves up. Others handed themselves over," says Abdel Aal, who has been fighting with the Kurdish-led SDF since 2016.

Abdel Aal, who hails from the northeastern Kurdish province of Hassakeh, shows off war scars acquired in years of battle.

On his right side is a gunshot wound sustained during the battle for the jihadists' former de-facto Syrian capital of Raqa, on his neck a scar from a mine explosion.

- 'Hiding in tunnels' -

Another fighter named Omar, a slim 31-year-old wearing a mismatching uniform, also recalls the past days of battle.

Even as SDF forces advanced backed by the air strikes of a US-led coalition, the jihadists "would attack sporadically", he says.

"Suicide bombers would leap out of tunnels. Most were foreigners -- from Kazakhstan, France, Saudi Arabia and Iraq."

There was a time when the jihadists injected fear and claimed deadly attacks across the Middle East and beyond.

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After declaring a "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq in 2014, they ruled over millions in territory the size of the United Kingdom.

But in the previously unheard of village of Baghouz, the group's fighters have emerged from tunnels and caves in the rocky hillside to surrender.

On Sunday, AFP reporters saw dozens of people -- mostly bearded men in heavy woollen tunics, some with their faces concealed in a scarf -- trudge out of the battered camp.

"They were hiding under the hill or in tunnels," Omar says.

"It's normal. At any time, you can see them emerge from a trench," says the father of three girls and a boy, who has also fought the jihadists on other fronts.

- 'Tom and Jerry' -

"The battles used to be more ferocious," Omar says.

"They used to be at the peak of their force. They used car bombs, heavy artillery, drones, and planted explosive devices in homes," he says.

At the height of their rule, IS collected taxes and stamped their own coins.

Now all that remains of their "caliphate" are charred vehicles, plastic basins, the odd gas stove, and blankets or sheets thrown over hastily dug-out trenches.

Two dead bodies, a blue plastic water can stuffed with explosives, and a book in the Cyrillic alphabet lie in the ruins.

"Until the end, they had rocket-launchers. They would shoot at our cars from afar," says SDF fighter Hisham Haroun, a gun in its holster slung over his shoulder.

"They were strong, but it wasn't the IS strength of yonder years," says the stocky combattant with grey eyes, a military cap on his head.

"When we started fighting IS, they had combat expertise, military strategies," he says, a walkie-talkie clipped into his pocket.

"But towards the end, it was like Tom and Jerry -- like a mouse in a corner," he adds.

"It no longer has a way out from the cat."
STOCKHOLM, March 25 (Reuters) - Nostalgic music-lovers are increasingly returning to old-style vinyl records to hear artists the same way they discovered them years ago - but they may be startled by a new experiment in Sweden.

Instead of old crooners, artist Alexander Hoglund has put the sound of effervescent pain-killers on vinyl after a six-month creative experiment to find the perfect fizz.

Hoglund ordered tablets from around the world, popping them into glasses and selecting a top ten whose sounds were put onto clear vinyl to represent water.

The best sound? A German pain-killer, Hoglund reckons.

"I started by listening to a large amount of effervescent tablets and found the ten best that I think have the best resonance and funniest sound," he told news agency TT.

"I had to experiment with different types of glass, different amounts of water, different recording atmospheres to find the best prerequisites for recording this little sound."

Fizzy tablets go perfectly with old-style records, according to Hoglund. "It adds warmth and fills the room in a different way when you listen to it on vinyl."

The recording mixes comic and sad undertones.

"For me there is something humorous and very ordinary in the noise of the dissolving Treo or Alvedon, but there can also be something very serious in it," Hoglund said.

"For example, if one suffers from chronic disease or something like that, it has a different meaning."

His record is part of a renaissance for vinyl. Sales have soared in recent years despite the outdated technology. (Reporting by Simon Johnson; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Qamishli (Syria) (AFP) - The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria said Monday it handed over three Russian orphans to a delegation from Moscow who will transfer them back home.

Kurdish foreign affairs official Abdel Karim Omar said the children, aged five to seven, are being sent back at the request of Russia.

He told AFP their parents had been affiliated with the Islamic State group, although it was not immediately clear how or when they arrived in Syria.

A member of the Russian government delegation said the siblings are from the country's North Caucasus region. The majority-Muslim southern territory is home to most of the Russians that joined IS.

Nelly Kouskova said the children were orphaned nearly one year ago, without providing details.

Their aunt back in Russia had asked authorities to help bring them home, Kouskova told a press conference.

Since the death of their parents the children have been living in the Al-Hol camp, a Kurdish-run shelter designed to accomodate 20,000 people.

But due to the mass exodus of people fleeing the battle to oust IS from its final strip of territory -- over which Kurdish-led forces claimed victory on Saturday -- the numbers have swelled to 70,000.

More than 9,000 foreigners, including over 6,500 children, are being held in the overcrowded camp, the Kurdish administration said on Monday.

Syria's Kurds have repeatedly called for the repatriation of foreign IS suspects and their relatives.

But the home countries of suspected IS members are reluctant to take them back, due to potential security risks and the likely public backlash.

Russia, however, can be seen as a pioneer in systematically returning children of suspected jihadists home.

Last month, 27 children aged four to 13 were flown from Iraq to the Moscow region. That followed the repatriation from Iraq of 30 children in late December.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in late 2017 called the drive to return the children "a very honourable and correct deed" and promised to help.

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Some other foreign governments have also taken steps to bring the children of jihadists home.

France has repatriated five orphaned children of French jihadists' from camps in northeast Syria, the government said on March 15, in the first such transfer.

Belgium has said it will help the repatriation of children younger than 10, as long as the link with one Belgian parent is proven.
Lets take a brief walk down memory lane, to a week of chaos and controversy nearly two years ago. On May 9, 2017, President Trump fired FBI director James Comey, leaving Andrew McCabe in charge of the bureau. McCabe, as Americans now know, later would be fired from the FBI for leaking sensitive information about the FBIs investigation of the Clinton Foundation and lying about those leaks to Comey and to internal investigators.

Moreover, while Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosensteins memorandum detailing the reasons for Comeys termination centered around his handling of the Clinton email investigation, the president  in a subsequent interview  indicated that he was also considering the Russia investigation when he made his decision, and there were contemporaneous reports that hed told Russian officials in the Oval Office that Comey was a nut job and that he had faced great pressure because of Russia. Thats taken off.

Compounding the complexity, the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, had already recused himself from investigating the Russia controversy, and the American body politic was still absorbing the salacious details of the Steele dossier  a document that BuzzFeed shamefully had dumped into the public square without verifying any of its material allegations. Oh, and American intelligence agencies had concluded that the Russian government had attempted to disrupt the American election (in part by hacking Democratic emails) to help elect Donald Trump.

Given this reality, a thorough and complete investigation of Russian interference  including of any potential cooperation with the campaign it was allegedly trying to benefit  was a national necessity. The best option  an independent commission not unlike the 9/11 Commission  appeared to be off the table. The political branches lacked the will to create it. Congressional committees were investigating, but they lacked many of the key investigative tools available to law enforcement.

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Meanwhile, a more conventional probe helmed by the FBI was completely unsatisfactory. Public trust in the FBI was already nearing all-time lows. Democrats believed that the FBI had helped elect Donald Trump. Republicans believed the FBI had wrongly exonerated Hillary Clinton  and this was before it was widely known that the FBI had apparently used the Steele dossier as part of an application for a FISA warrant to surveil Carter Page.

The next-best option was a special counsel, but that carried its own dangers. Special-counsel investigations (including investigations empowered by the old independent-counsel statute) tended to be long and expensive, and to spiral out of control. Rod Rosenstein faced a stark challenge. Picking a special counsel was the least worst option, but if he chose the wrong person, hed compound the crisis he was hoping to ameliorate.

The American people should be grateful for what happened next. Rosenstein chose the best available course of action, chose the right special counsel, and then  along with Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Attorney General William Barr  left Robert Mueller alone to do his job. In his letter notifying Congress that Mueller had delivered his report, Barr said there were no instances in which the attorney general or acting attorney general concluded that a proposed action by a Special Counsel was so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental Practices that it should not be pursued.

While there are valid criticisms of Muellers investigation (my colleague Andy McCarthy has made a number of thoughtful critiques), the bottom-line results were impressive even before he delivered his final report. Thanks to his indictments, sentencing memoranda, and other documents, we gained a far more complete picture of the nature of Russian interference in the election, learned far more about actual and attempted contacts between Trump-campaign officials (and allies, such as Roger Stone) and Russians assets or operatives, and uncovered serious criminal wrongdoing by high-ranking members of Trumps campaign team.

Not only did these findings and indictments render a valuable public service, but their very thoroughness enhanced the credibility of the vital conclusion that came next  that the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

When we read the report  and given President Trumps public support for its release, well likely see it soon enough  we will almost certainly learn additional material facts about Russian actions, Trumps conduct, and the conduct of his senior team. Members of Congress will be able to make their own judgments about obstruction of justice and likely critique or support Muellers conclusions about collusion, but well be working with facts  not unsupported, anonymous allegations, not rapidly changing news reports, and not hysterical talking-head presuppositions.

The Trump Department of Justice  placed under immense pressure  did its job. And Id note something else important. For all of Trumps norm-breaking, and for all of the concerns about the fate of the rule of law, Trumps DOJ performed better than Obamas when the chips were down. Thanks to congressional and inspector-general investigations, we now have evidence that the Obama DOJ put its thumb on the scales to help Hillary Clinton on two counts  by pressuring the FBI not to recommend charges against Clinton for mishandling classified information and by reportedly cautioning the FBI not to take overt steps in its Clinton Foundation investigation during the campaign. The warning allegedly triggered a dramatic pushback, with McCabe claiming that he responded, Are you telling me that I need to shut down a validly predicated investigation?

The DOJ has done its job, but there is now one more job it must do  and it likely cant do it without the presidents explicit permission and direction. Its now time for the Trump administration to declassify and release as much of the relevant Russia evidence as possible. That means the Mueller report, yes, but also relevant FISA applications, supporting documents, court rulings, transcripts of testimony, and anything else that can give the American people a more complete picture of how the Russia investigation began, how it was conducted, and the facts it uncovered. The truth is too important to remain in the shadows.

But for now, DOJ leaders  and Robert Mueller  deserve our thanks. In a time of (justified) collapsing public trust in American institutions, our best available evidence indicates that they responded to a challenging moment with integrity and resolve. It is a relief to say, with a high degree of confidence, that in the Mueller investigation our system worked.

More from National Review
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's ousted former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, said on Monday that the ruling military junta "manipulated" the results of an election after a party of his loyalists did worse than expected. Partial results of Sunday's election, the first since a military coup in 2014, showed an unexpected popular vote lead for a pro-military party that wants to keep junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha as prime minister. "I knew that the junta running Thailand wanted to stay in power, but I cannot believe how far it has gone to manipulate the general election on Sunday," Thaksin wrote in the opinion piece in the New York Times. Reuters could not immediately reach a government spokesman to seek comment. A pro-Thaksin party on Monday also alleged cheating and said it was considering a legal challenge to the polls. (Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
"In recent months the world has been watching the spectacle of Britain's being the object of virtual humiliation at the hands of the EU."

The United Kingdoms current troubles over Brexit (British exit) is unquestionably the worst thing that has happened to that proud nation since the Battle of Britain of 1942, when Adolf Hitlers powerful air force (Luftwaffe) tried to pound the now-beleaguered UK into submission. No matter how hard the Fuehrer triedbombs rained on Britains main population centers on a daily basisBritain stood united, strong and defiant. Today not one of those adjectives describes the land of William the Conqueror, the Duke of WellingtonNapoleon Bonapartes vanquisherand Winston Churchill. The UK is neither united nor politically strong nor defiant. Its political system is undergoing unprecedented stress, it is being treated in humiliating fashion by the group from which it wants to exitthe European Unionand the once-famous stiff upper lip is currently not quite so stiff. And all because of a colossal miscalculation in 2016 by the Conservative government under Prime Minister David Cameron. That miscalculation has turned the British peoples world virtually upside-down. Not every BritisherEnglishman, Welshman, Scot or Northern Irishmanwas pleased when the UK decided to join the EU in 1971. Acutely conscious of Britains role as Western Europes leader in post-Napoleonic era and fiercely proud of their countrys unique traditions andespecially the City of London, which the UK considers the worlds premier financial centerthose unhappy Britishers, who came to be called Euroskeptics, criticized and opposed every British government move to integrate the UK into the EU. They fought for, and rejoiced over, the UKs refusal to become part of the EU monetary union, the only major member to do so. Continuously pressured by the Euroskeptics to terminate the UKs European entanglement, David Cameron in a fit of chutzpah mixed with Conservative arrogance, came to a momentous decision: the government would leave it to the British people to decide in a referendum whether the UK should leave the UK or remain within it. The Leavers and the Remainers were now to decide the issue once and for all. Cameron apparently proposed the referendum out of a firm belief that his normally sensible countrymen would disregard the hysterical Euroskeptic oratory and opt for Britains remaining with the EU. Cameron was very wrong: his countrymen voted to terminate Britains ties with the EU. The vote has proven to be one of the greater political miscalculations in the UKs history. The Leavers have emerged triumphant.But the Leavers majority was by no means overwhelming: only 52 percent of British voters voted in favor of leaving the EU. Stated differently, almost half of all Britishers voted to remain within the EU. Scotland, the second largest component of the UK, has since indicated unambiguously that it wants to remain part of the EU. Given the narrowness of the Leavers victory and the humiliating treatment that the UK has been receiving during the course of the Brexit negotiations, it is hardly a cause for wonder that there currently is mounting pressure for the holding of a second referendum on the leave-or-remain issue. Until it began to look that the EU would adopt a tough stance, things had been looking very good for the UK, which has the worlds fifth largest economy. The British economy was posting the highest economic growth rate in Western Europe, the pound sterling was strong, the City of London was doing enormous business and, most important the UK was a highly regarded leader of the First World. And all because of a miscalculation, a misjudgment, made in 2016 by a Prime Minister brimming with political and personal arrogance. In recent months the world has been watching the spectacle of Britains being the object of virtual humiliation at the hands of the EU, the latest chapter in the story being told to accept a May 22one day before the EU parliamentary electiondeadline. Thats too sad. Britain does not deserve to be so treated. At last count four million signatures have been placed on a petition seeking a second Brexit referendum. Those are signatures of British citizens who think that, in the light of the experience following the 2016 vote, a second look at the entire Brexit idea is needed. If a second referendum, is held, the Remainers could very well prevail. That would put an end to a very sad train of events triggered by a collosal political miscalculation.
Prime minister Theresa May faces a crucial few days (Picture: PA)

Theresa May is battling to stay in power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit.

At the start of another crunch week in Westminster, the Commons is due to vote on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the prime ministers Withdrawal Agreement.

It comes after Mrs May held lengthy talks on Sunday with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers, including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis at her country residence Chequers to discuss whether there is sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her deal.

But in his regular column for the Daily Telegraph on Monday, Mr Johnson said Mrs Mays government had chickened out and bottled it completely over Brexit.

Defeat for the government in the Commons on Monday night on the plan  tabled by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn  would be a further humiliation for Mrs May.

The proposal seeks to pave the way for a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the government.

Brexit secretary Steve Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if MPs took control of parliamentary proceedings and brought about a constitutional collision.

Boris Johnson has criticised the prime minister again (Picture: PA)

But Chancellor Philip Hammond said one way or another MPs would be given the opportunity this week to decide what it is in favour of, though could not confirm whether Tories would be given a free vote on the options.

Read more

Who will be the next PM? These are the favourites to replace Theresa May

Shopworker stabbed to death as six people knifed overnight across London

Miracle postman died for 21 minutes and came back to life  on his way to the morgue

At the weekend, two senior ministers  environment secretary Michael Gove and Mrs Mays de facto deputy David Lidington  dismissed reports of a coup to oust the prime minister.

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On Monday, she will convene her Cabinet in the morning before she updates the Commons on the Brexit process following last weeks European Council summit where she agreed to delay Britains departure beyond March 29.

Bu Mr Johnson told Mrs May to set out convincing proofs of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last to win support for her deal.

David Lidington dismissed speculation that he could be installed as a caretaker prime minister under a reported Cabinet plot to oust Theresa May (Picture: PA)

He said: If she cannot give that evidence of change  she should drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides  Remainers and Leavers  now believe are sensible.

Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now  without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people go.

However, foreign office minister Mark Field said he would support revoking Article 50 if it became an option in the event Mrs Mays deal was defeated and free votes granted for indicative votes.

The Commons faces another crucial week on the Brexit front (Picture: PA)

He told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: My personal view is that I would be happy to revoke Article 50  I appreciate that is probably a minority view  but if we get to this utter paralysis and I sincerely hope that in the next 48, 72 hours we do not, then if that becomes an option thats an option that I would personally take.

Meanwhile, The Sun newspaper used its front page on Monday to urge Mrs May to promise to resign in order to win support for her deal from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

Unlike so many she has determinedly respected the will of the Leave majority She must now take the next principled step  and show she is not just another craven politician determined to cling to power, it said.

Speaking about Sundays Chequers talks with Brexiteers, a Downing Street spokesman said: The PM and a number of government ministers met today at Chequers for lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit.

The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week.
As the tire fire that is Theresa May's handling of Brexit continues to burn, a crowd pegged at around a million people flooded the streets of London on Saturday, protesting the disastrous policy and calling on a new referendum.

SEE ALSO: John Oliver shares his thoughts on Brexit and we honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry

While the option of a second referendum on Brexit was once seen as highly unlikely, there's now a semblance of hope for those backing the vote. Prime Minister May has bungled the process and is faced with a variety of dubious options, including a yet-again delayed exit or even a no-deal Brexit that would have serious ramifications.

Dubbed "Put It To The People," Saturday's march saw around a million people participate, organizers said. The event also included a rally in front of Parliament. London Mayor Sadiq Khan was among those marching and he was scheduled to speak at the post-march rally.

And we're off! 



Here in London, thousands of people from across our city and country have come together with @peoplesvote_uk to send a clear message:



Enough is enough - it's time to give the British public the final say on Brexit. #PeoplesVote #PutItToThePeople  pic.twitter.com/wJzXF4UB6N  Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) March 23, 2019

The swarm of people in London was in direct contrast to the much smaller "March to Leave," a two-week trek of pro-leave protesters led by Nigel Farage, walking from Sunderland with the aim of arriving in London on Friday, March 29, the originally planned Brexit date.

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In London, though, the streets were flooded with protesters holding quippy signs and marching in costume, all part of the growing movement to demand a new vote over leaving the EU.

Even superheroes backed the second vote protest.

Image: Getty Images

One of many, many clever signs seen in London during Saturday's protest.

Image: Getty Images

The movement to remain in the EU got a big boost in visibility earlier in the week when an online petition calling for revoking Article 50, the law that outlines how countries can exit the EU, gained so many signatures (now at 4.4 million) that it crashed the government's petition website.

Organizers pegged the crowd at just over a million participants.

Image: Getty Images

Even dogs joined the march.

Image: Getty Images

To say the Brexit process has been a disaster is putting it mildly, as can be seen by the fact that Prime Minister May is the target of both aforementioned protests that take opposing sides. It's reflective of the infighting that's taken place in Parliament, leaving that body of government in a deadlock with no plan in place for an exit.

Despite Saturday's enormous protest, odds of a second referendum are still long thanks to the hurdles that need to be cleared  including approval from that deadlocked Parliament, a decision on what, exactly, the referendum would be a vote on, and negotiating a timetable on the vote.

Madness is an understatement when it comes to the Brexit mess

Image: Getty Images

London was flooded Saturday with protesters and their signs, calling on a new Brexit vote as Teresa May flirts with disaster.

Image: Getty Images

For now, it's a wait-and-see situation for everyone. The EU has given May until April 12 to get a deal passed by Parliament.

The protesters were not kind to May.

Image: Getty Images

Failure to get a deal done will mean either a no-deal Brexit or May will have to propose yet another alternative before that deadline. And, with that, yet another journey into the unknown for the UK.
Bangui (Central African Republic) (AFP) - Three top rebel chiefs have been named "special military advisers" to the Central African Republic government, the presidency said Monday as the volatile country sought to honour a February peace deal.

The three will be charged with setting up special joint units under the peace accord reached in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the eighth since mainly Muslim rebels overthrew president Francois Bozize, a Christian, in 2013.

The accord, signed in Bangui on February 6, brought together President Faustin-Archange Touadera and the leaders of 14 armed groups who control some 80 percent of the country's territory.

The three rebel chiefs were named as Ali Darassa, head of Unity for Peace in Central Africa (UPC), Mahamat Alkatim, head of the Patriotic Movement for Central Africa (MPC), and Bi Sidi Souleymane, head of the 3R group (Return, Reclamation, Reconciliation).

They will help assure security alongside the national army.

Other rebel officials were also given roles including Adama Chaibou of the MPC, tasked with relations with the Arab world.

The announcement in early March of a new government in Bangui after the Khartoum accord sparked a wave of protest by armed groups demanding more ministerial positions.

The African Union set up a follow-up meeting to shore up the peace deal that resulted in a new agreement to form an inclusive government.
(Reuters) - Here is a timeline of significant developments in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether President Donald Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow.

2017

May 17 - U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appoints former FBI Director Mueller as a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 election and to look into any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and people associated with Republican Trump's campaign.

The appointment follows President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey on May 9 and days later Trump attributed the dismissal to "this Russia thing."

June 15 - Mueller is investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice, the Washington Post reports.

Oct. 30 - Veteran Republican political operative and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who worked for the campaign for five pivotal months in 2016, is indicted on charges of conspiracy against the United States and money laundering as is his business partner Rick Gates, who also worked for Trump's campaign.

- Former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos pleads guilty to a charge of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials.

Dec. 1 - Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser for less than a month who also had a prominent campaign role, pleads guilty to the charge of lying to the FBI about his discussions in 2016 with the Russian ambassador to Washington.

2018

Feb. 16 - Federal grand jury indicts 13 Russians and three firms, including a Russian government propaganda arm called the Internet Research Agency, accusing them of tampering to support Trump and disparage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The accused "had a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election" according to the court document filed by Mueller.

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- An American, Richard Pinedo, pleads guilty to identity fraud for selling bank account numbers after being accused by prosecutors of helping Russians launder money, buy Facebook ads and pay for campaign rally supplies. Pinedo was not associated with the Trump campaign.

Feb. 22 - Manafort and Gates are charged with financial crimes, including bank fraud, in Virginia.

Feb. 23 - Gates pleads guilty to conspiracy against the United States and lying to investigators. He agrees to cooperate and testify against Manafort at trial.

April 3 - Alex van der Zwaan, the Dutch son-in-law of one of Russia's richest men, is sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $20,000 for lying to Mueller's investigators, becoming the first person sentenced in the probe.

April 9 - FBI agents raid home, hotel room and office of Trump's personal lawyer and self-described "fixer" Michael Cohen.

April 12 - Rosenstein tells Trump that he is not a target in Mueller's probe.

April 19 - Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump supporter in the election campaign, joins Trump's personal legal team.

June 8 - Mueller charges a Russian-Ukrainian man, Konstantin Kilimnik, a Manafort business partner whom prosecutors say had ties to Russian intelligence, with witness tampering.

July 13 - Federal grand jury indicts 12 Russian military intelligence officers on charges of hacking Democratic Party computer networks in 2016 and staged releases of documents. Russia, which denies interfering in the election, says there is no evidence that the 12 are linked to spying or hacking.

July 16 - In Helsinki after the first summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump publicly contradicts U.S. intelligence agencies that concluded Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election with a campaign of hacking and propaganda. Trump touts Putin's "extremely strong and powerful" denial of meddling. He calls the Mueller inquiry a "rigged witch hunt" on Twitter.

Aug. 21 - A trial jury in Virginia finds Manafort guilty of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account.

- Cohen, in a case brought by U.S. prosecutors in New York, pleads guilty to tax fraud and campaign finance law violations. Cohen is subsequently interviewed by Mueller's team.

Aug. 31 - Samuel Patten, an American business partner of Kilimnik, pleads guilty to unregistered lobbying for pro-Kremlin political party in Ukraine.

Sept. 14 - Manafort pleads guilty to two conspiracy counts and signs a cooperation agreement with Mueller's prosecutors.

Nov. 8 - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns at Trump's request. He had recused himself from overseeing the Mueller inquiry because of his contacts with the Russian ambassador as a Trump campaign official. Trump appoints Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, a critic of the Mueller probe, as acting attorney general.

Nov. 20 - Giuliani says Trump submitted written answers to questions from Mueller, as the president avoids a face-to-face interview with the special counsel.

Nov. 27-28 - Prosecutors say Manafort breached his plea deal by lying to investigators, which Manafort denies. Trump says he has not ruled out granting Manafort a presidential pardon.

Nov. 28 - Giuliani says Trump told investigators he was not aware ahead of time of a meeting in Trump Tower in New York between several campaign officials and Russians in June 2016.

Nov. 29 - Cohen pleads guilty in the Mueller investigation to lying to Congress about the length of discussions in 2016 on plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. "I made these misstatements to be consistent with individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to individual 1," says Cohen, who previously identified "individual 1" as Trump.

- The president criticizes Cohen as a liar and "weak person."

Dec. 12 - Two developments highlight growing political and legal risks for Trump: Cohen sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the election; American Media Inc, publisher of National Enquirer tabloid, strikes deal to avoid charges over its role in one of two hush payments. Publisher admits payment was aimed at influencing the 2016 election, contradicting Trump's statements.

2019

Jan. 25 - Longtime Trump associate and self-proclaimed political "dirty trickster" Roger Stone charged and arrested at his home in Florida. Stone is accused of lying to Congress about statements suggesting he may have had advance knowledge of plans by Wikileaks to release Democratic Party campaign emails that U.S. officials say were stolen by Russia.

Feb. 21 - U.S. judge tightens gag order on Stone, whose Instagram account posted a photo of the judge and the image of crosshairs next to it.

Feb. 22 - Manhattan district attorney's office is pursuing New York state criminal charges against Manafort whether or not he receives a pardon from Trump on federal crimes, a person familiar with the matter says. Trump cannot issue pardons for state convictions.

Feb. 24 - Senior Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Schiff says Democrats will subpoena Mueller's final report on his investigation if it is not given to Congress by the Justice Department, and will sue the Trump administration and call on Mueller to testify to Congress if necessary.

Feb. 27 - Cohen tells U.S. House Oversight Committee Trump is a "racist," a "con man" and a "cheat" who knew in advance about a release of emails by WikiLeaks in 2016 aimed at hurting rival Clinton. Trump directed negotiations for a real estate project in Moscow during the campaign even as he publicly said he had no business interests in Russia, Cohen testifies.

March 7 - Manafort is sentenced in the Virginia case to almost four years in prison. The judge also ordered Manafort to pay a fine of $50,000 and restitution of just over $24 million.

March 13 - Manafort is sentenced to about 3-1/2 more years in prison in the Washington case, bringing his total prison sentence in the two special counsel cases to 7-1/2 years.

- On the same day, the Manhattan district attorney announces a separate indictment charging Manafort with residential mortgage fraud and other New York state crimes, which unlike the federal charges cannot be erased by a presidential pardon.

March 22 - Mueller submits his confidential report on the findings of his investigation to U.S. Attorney General William Barr.

March 24 - Barr releases a summary of Mueller's report, saying the investigation did not find evidence that Trump or his associates broke the law during the campaign. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the summary is a complete exoneration of Trump.

(Compiled by Grant McCool in New York; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Trott)
(Reuters) - Islamic State fighters have been defeated at the final shred of territory they held in eastern Syria, marking the end of jihadist rule that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Saturday. This timeline chronicles the lightning rise, cruel reign and gradual fall of Islamic State. * 2004-11 - In the chaos following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, an al Qaeda offshoot sets up there, changing its name in 2006 to Islamic State in Iraq. * 2011 - After Syria's crisis begins, the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sends operatives there to set up a Syrian subsidiary. Baghdadi follows in 2013, breaking with al Qaeda and renaming his group "The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant". * 2014 - Its sudden success starts with the seizure of Fallujah in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria at the turn of the year. The jihadists take Mosul and Tikrit in June and overrun the border with Syria. At Mosul's great Mosque, Baghdadi renames the group Islamic State (IS) and declares a caliphate. So begins a reign of terror. In Iraq, IS slaughters thousands of Yazidis in Sinjar and forces more than 7,000 women and girls into sexual slavery. In Syria, it massacres hundreds of members of the Sheitaat tribe. IS beheads Western hostages in grotesquely choreographed films. In September, the United States builds a coalition against IS and starts air strikes to stop its momentum, helping the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia turn the militants back from Kobani on the border with Turkey. * 2015 - Militants in Paris attack a satirical newspaper and a kosher supermarket, the bloody start to a wave of attacks that IS claims around the world. Militants in Libya behead Christians and pledge allegiance to IS, followed by groups in other countries, but they stay operationally independent. In May, IS takes Ramadi in Iraq and the ancient desert town of Palmyra in Syria, but by the end of the year it is on the back foot in both countries. * 2016 - Iraq takes back Fallujah in June, the first town IS had captured during its initial blaze of success. In August, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG, takes Manbij in Syria. Alarmed by the Kurdish advances near its own frontier, Turkey launches an offensive into Syria against both IS and the YPG. Enmity between Turkey and the YPG will continue to complicate operations against IS. * 2017 - Islamic State suffers a year of catastrophic defeats. In June it loses Mosul to Iraqi forces after months of fighting and Baghdad declares the end of the caliphate. In September the Syrian army races eastwards backed by Russia and Iran to relieve Deir al-Zor and re-extend state control at the Euphrates River. In October, the SDF drives IS from Raqqa. * 2018 - The Syrian government retakes IS enclaves in Yarmouk, south of Damascus, and on the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The SDF advances further down the Euphrates and Iraqi forces take the rest of the border region. The United States vows to withdraw troops. * 2019 - IS fighters are defeated at their last enclave on the Euphrates at the village of Baghouz, the SDF says. The SDF declares the "caliphate" eliminated. (Compiled by Angus McDowall; Editing by Tom Perry/Mark Heinrich)
By Linda Carroll

(Reuters Health) - In a large national study that included nearly 90 percent of all preterm and low-birth-weight babies born in the U.S. in a recent three-year period, researchers found that black infants were more likely than white infants to receive care in a lower-scoring neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The hospital's quality of care is directly related to deaths and complications in newborns, said study coauthor Erika Edwards of the University of Vermont. Complications commonly seen in premature babies can have lifelong consequences. For example, she said, "Chronic lung disease is related to asthma which is already an issue in minority populations. And brain injury can cause developmental delays."

To look more closely at the possibility that race and/or ethnicity play a role in where the most fragile infants got care and whether some sort of segregation was going on in NICUs across the nation, Edwards and her colleagues turned to the Vermont Oxford Network, an organization that collects data from hospital NICUs worldwide. Edwards is also director of data science for the network.

Network members contribute standardized data on all infants born after only 22 to 29 weeks of pregnancy or weighing 401 g to 1500 g (about 14 oz to about 3 lb.)

As reported in JAMA Pediatrics, the researchers focused on 134,871 infants born from January 2014 to December 2016. Some were born at hospitals with NICUs; others had to be transferred to these more sophisticated facilities.

NICU quality was determined based on nine factors, such as infant mortality during birth hospitalization, health-care associated bacterial or fungal infection, a timely eye exam, and chronic lung disease.

Overall there were 743 hospitals in the study, with 38 contributing one year of data, 28 contributing two years of data and 677 contributing data for three years. Among infants whose treatment was examined in the study, 36,359 were black, 53,895 were white, 21,808 were Hispanic and 5,920 were Asian.

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When the researchers analyzed the quality of hospitals that the very low birthweight babies ended up, they found that minorities tended to end up at different hospitals than whites and that black babies were more likely to be treated at a lower-quality NICU than white babies.

Edwards doesn't know yet why black infants are more likely to end up at a lower quality NICU and says that is a topic for future research. "Black people don't always end up at the closest hospital to them," she said. "And we don't necessarily know why. Certainly there are a number of theories. It could be related to insurance and which hospitals accept which insurance. Where deliveries occur could depend on whether a physician has (is authorized) to deliver at a particular hospital."

While there have been smaller studies showing similar results, this is the first to look at "the national picture," said Dr. Elizabeth Howell, director of the Blavatnik Family Women's Health Research Institute and a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Howell coauthored an editorial accompanying the new study.

"We've been looking at these kinds of questions in medicine across the board, not just in neonatal care," Howell said. "Residential segregation I think is one of the biggest factors. However, there are other factors. We need to understand the underlying causes if we are going to target interventions to reduce disparities and improve care."

The new study is "important," shedding light on NICU care for "the most vulnerable tiny infants, who can weigh as little as 14 oz.," said Dr. Albert Wu, an internist and professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "We now know that babies tend to be segregated by race and, more important, that black infants tended to be concentrated in hospitals with worse care. This kind of disparity can influence their health and quality of life for the rest of their lives."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2Os2OVj JAMA Pediatrics, online March 25, 2019.
Donald Trump did not obstruct justice over the Russia investigation, the US attorney general William Barr has ruled.

Mr Barr took the decision after special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the probe, declined to draw a legal conclusion about the presidents conduct.

The special counsels team, according to Mr Barr, undertook a thorough factual investigation into whether Mr Trumps actions could constitute obstruction of justice.

While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mr Mueller is quoted as saying in his report, which was delivered to the attorney general on Friday after an investigation which lasted nearly two years.

Mr Muellers decision allowed the attorney general to make a ruling instead.

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence ... is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence, Mr Barr wrote in a summary of the report, which was sent to members of the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday.

The special counsels investigation also did not find that collusion took place between the Trump campaign and the Russian government's election interference efforts.

Mr Barr, a political appointee, wrote that the report he received was divided into two main parts addressing whether Mr Trumps campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, and whether Mr Trump obstructed justice with his actions during the investigations that have followed.

The special counsels report concluded that there were two primary ways in which Russian forces attempted to influence the 2016 election.

One of those included a disinformation campaign online and in social media to sow social discord with the intent of influencing the campaign, and conducted by the Russian group the Internet Research Agency.

The second Russian strategy aimed at influencing the 2016 campaign was a computer hacking campaign, which successfully stole emails from the 2016 campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee before those documents were published by WikiLeaks.

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According to Mr Barrs summary, the report indicated that investigators did not find that the Trump campaign or officials co-ordinated with that effort despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

The full report has not been made public but the White House said it was a total and complete exoneration of Mr Trump.

Its better than I expected, Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for the president, said.

Some members of Congress criticised the attorney generals decision to make a ruling on obstruction of justice where the special counsel had declined to.

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify, Jerry Nadler, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said.

Mr Trump began posting on his Twitter account after the report summary was made public.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION, he said. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

Shortly afterwards he spoke to reporters and said: To be honest its a shame that your president has had to go through this. He described the investigation as an illegal takedown that failed and added that hopefully somebodys going to be looking at the other side, he added.

Additional reporting by agencies
Donald Trump may be revelling in what he claims to be complete and total exoneration from Robert Muellers investigation, but his legal jeopardy is far from over.

Ongoing federal and state probes in New York could pose an even greater threat than the Russia probe, experts said, after the special counsel cleared the presidents campaign team of colluding with the Kremlin to interfere in the 2016 election.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are pursuing at least two known criminal inquiries, one focused on possible corruption in Mr Trumps inaugural committee and the other on the hush-money scandal that has left his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, facing prison for campaign finance violations.

The president also faces scrutiny from New Yorks attorney general, who is investigating Mr Cohens claims that the president exaggerated his wealth when seeking loans for property projects and in a failed bid to buy the NFLs Buffalo Bills.

State regulators, meanwhile, are looking into whether Mr Trump gave false information to insurance companies.

Mr Cohen told congress in testimony last month he is in constant contact with prosecutors over the ongoing investigations.

Patrick Cotter, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, said the probes were very real and very significant.

If youre Trump, this has got to feel, in some ways, like an even greater threat than the Russia probe, he added.

Political observers have speculated that Mr Cohen, who is scheduled to report to prison to begin a three-year sentence May, might secretly be providing investigators with additional information.

The president's former lawyer and longtime fixer has said Mr Trump ordered and personally reimbursed six-figure payments to adult film actress and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to suppress affair allegations during the election campaign.

Mr Cohen also stoked speculation when he told congress he was aware of other "wrongdoing" involving Trump but could not talk about it because it was "part of the investigation that's currently being looked at by the Southern District of New York".

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"If you've got Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer, as a tour guide, that means you could go anywhere," former New Jersey governor Chris Christie later told MSNBC.

Mr Trump denies wrongdoing and has dismissed the New York investigations as politically motivated harassment, a claim he and his supporters are likely to return to in the wake of Mr Muellers findings.

Attorney general William Barr said in letter to congress on Sunday that the special counsels two-year investigation did not find the presidents 2016 campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the election. The probe did not come to a definitive answer on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Mr Mueller noted, according to the attorney general.
By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday recognized Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights in an election boost for visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting a sharp response from Syria, which once held the strategic land. With Netanyahu looking over his shoulder at the White House, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan as Israeli territory - a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. The move, which Trump announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move since February 2017. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally. Netanyahu, who faces an election on April 9, earlier on Monday said he was cutting short his U.S. visit after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, blamed on Hamas, wounded seven people near Tel Aviv. Israel launched retaliatory air strikes in Gaza. Israel's prime minister arrived in Washington on Sunday, originally for a four-day trip. His chief rival for the premiership, Benny Gantz, also visited the U.S. capital, telling a major pro-Israel lobbying organization that he was the better alternative to lead the country. In signing the proclamation, Trump said "This was a long time in the making." He handed the pen that he used for his signature to Netanyahu, and said: "Give this to the people of Israel." The prime minister welcomed Trump's action and said Israel had never had a better friend. He harked back to two previous Middle Eastern wars in justifying Israel's need to hang on to the Golan. "Just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground and we should never give it up," he said. Syria reacted swiftly to Trump's proclamation, calling it a "blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and saying it had a right to reclaim the Golan. At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "clear that the status of Golan has not changed," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "The U.N.'s policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed," Dujarric said. A U.N. Security Council resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member body in 1981 declared that Israel's "decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect." It also demanded Israel rescind its decision. NATO ally Turkey termed the U.S. recognition unacceptable and said it would take action against it, including at the United Nations, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. The Arab League also condemned the move. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has refused to talk to the United States since Trump ordered the U.S. embassy moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, expressed his "absolute rejection" of the Golan move in a statement issued by the Palestinian Authority news service Wafa. The presidency reaffirmed that sovereignty is not decided by either the US or Israel no matter how long the occupation lasts," the statement said. The negative reactions reprised last week's response to Trump's tweet announcing the move. The announcement triggered direct or implied criticism from European as well as Middle Eastern countries and organizations, including Britain, Germany, France, the European Union, Turkey, Egypt, the Arab League and Russia. Elsewhere in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel group, held its annual meeting with speaker after speaker expressing U.S. support for strong ties with the country. "We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and her fight is our fight," Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday. Pence also talked tough against Iran, saying that under Trump, "America will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon." Netanyahu challenger Gantz appeared before the gathering, and vowed to protect his country against threats from Iran and Syria. He called for unity in Israel. "We must remember if that we want hope, we must have unity," he said. With election day approaching, opinion polls put Netanyahus right-wing Likud and Gantzs centrist Blue and White party neck and neck. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Jeff Mason; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
"Gani was a leading thinker on the role of civil society not only in the Philippines but globally."

When I think of Isagani R. Serrano, I recall one of the most beautiful lines from the Bible, from the Book of Ecclesiastes: To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace. Gani lived in all these timeswith a mind as brilliant and rigorous as anyone in the world, with a will that was as strong, resolute, and determined as the best of our leaders facing our countrys social and political challenges from Marcos to Duterte, and yes with a heart that was consistently kind, compassionate, generous, and gentle even in situations of extreme adversity. This last quality is not easily found as a good and compassionate heart is usually seen as a hindrance to being a tough and effective leader. But Gani proved with his life that you could be a visionary and leader who cared for people. For sure the mind was incisive, critical, and visionary. Personally, Ganis writings on civil society in the 1990s shaped my thinking on many issues. Having co-founded with Marvic Leonen, Gus Gatmaytan, and Nonette Royo the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center in 1987, a human rights organization that put itself at the service of indigenous peoples and rural communties with law as the tool and service we could provide, we struggled to frame properly our role in the evolving socio-political landscape at that time. Ganis thinking was the clearest even then, grounded on both theory and practice. Gani was a leading thinker on the role of civil society not only in the Philippines but globally. His 1995 address during First World Assembly of CIVICUS in 1995 in Mexico City has become a classic. Entitled Humanity in Trouble but Hopeful, Gani invoked the song Imagine of John Lennon and challenged all of us to work for a better world. He described the euphoria then among civil society organizations: The emergence of civil society as a worldwide force, embodying the voices from below, is now duly recognized by states and the corporate community. Many of the heresies of yesteryears attributed to them have landed in the official rhetoric and policy. Global civil society has arrived, and at a time when its voice was most needed. I was also greatly influenced by Ganis writings on sustainable development. I saw his thinking evolve from the original conception of sustainable development as one where the needs of the present generation are met without sacrificing the interests of the future generations to an emphasis on environmental and climate justice. And so in 2005, in a speech to the United Nations entitled It's About Fairness In Our Troubled World, Gani did not mince words; he condemned poverty as a moral aberration, an assault on our common humanity. And that it can be ended soonest. There's more than enough to feed, house, educate, save and lengthen lives, permit wider freedom of movement and leisure for every woman, man and child now living, even those yet to be born. We only need a fundamental change of mindset and firm resolve to make a more just and fair world happen.Gani did not stop at making commentaries about our troubled world. He acted on this knowledge and became a leader of many organizations and movements that challenged the status quo, that have worked hard and continued to work hard so another world would be possible. He co-founded, led, and/or convened many of our best efforts to imagine a better world: The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Earth Day Network Philippines, Social Watch Philippines, CREST (Center for Renewable Electricity Strategies), Sustainable Development Solutions Network-Philippines (SDSN-PH), Go Organic! Philippines, La Liga Policy Institute; Global Call to Action Against Poverty-Philippines; Earth Day Network Philippines, Philippine Network on Climate Change, Aksyon Klima, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Philippine Greens, Freedom from Debt Coalition, NGO Forum on the ADB, Conference Against Poverty, Green Forum Philippines, Congress for a Peoples Agrarian Reform, National Coordinating Council on the Local Government Code, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, among others. For the three decades I watched Gani exert his own particular brand of servant leadership. He was a tough leader. He called things as he saw them. He dealt with crises many times, stayed above the fray when the quarrels were petty and personal, or when our fights were about tactics rather than strategies, but he engaged fully when what was at stake was more fundamental such as principles and values or where the consequences to people and the poor were serious. I worked with Gani the most on climate change, a very challenging space both here in the Philippines and abroad. Many times, we were tempted to give up this fight. But Gani always reminded me that was not an option. As strong-willed and opinionated a leader Gani Serrano was, there was a softness in the man that came out regardless of the situations he was into. In the decades I have known him, I have never heard Gani raise his voice. He condemned injustice for sure but it was always in a way that made dialogue still possible. This is why when Gani passed to a new life, people from all walks of life and different persuasions gathered together in his home in Bataan and the PRRM headquarters in Quezon City to honor his memory. Jose Maria Sison sent his tribute honoring Ganis role in the revolutionary movement. John Cavanagh and Robin Broadour common friends from Washington DCwrote about being pulled in, hypnotized by Ganis gentle wisdom. Ed de la Torre in the Bataan wake and then in the final day of the week of remembering Gani in PRRM led the singing of Imagine, with the original lyrics of Lennon and the translation by Pete Lacaba. Gani, being a man of all seasons, will surely outlive his death. Lisa Dacanay, his life partner and my close friend and collaborator, is inviting everyone to join her, Ganis children, and the Serrano family in transforming collective grief into a productive initiative of setting up an NGO cum social enterprise in his honorRemembering Isagani Serrano (RISe) Incthat would be based in their farm in Bataan and pursue his many imaginings of a sustainable future alongside the many organizations he founded and led in his lifetime. According to Lisa: RISe shall mobilize family, relatives and friends from all over the world and work with PRRM, Social Watch, Earth Day Network and other groups he led and founded in his lifetime to transform our farm and our [email protected] inn and cafe into: a learning center for farmers and advocates of sustainable agriculture and social enterprise in agricultural value chains espousing sustainable consumption and production; an agri-ecotourism destination linked to a national and global network of learning centers and destinations; and, a vibrant hub for imagining glocal initiatives (local initiatives with a global perspective, a termed coined by Gani) for a sustainable future. RISe will be launched on Ganis 40th day on April 2, 2019, at 4PM (with a mass at 3PM). I cannot find a better way of honoring our Gani of all seasons.
Donald Trump  who for the past two years was accused of possibly betraying his country to Russia  has claimed he was the victim of evil and treasonous acts that no other president should be forced to endure.

As shellshocked and downbeat Democrats scrambled to determine how best to proceed with the fallout of Robert Muellers conclusion that the president did not collude with Moscow, Mr Trump and the White House took the opportunity to enjoy something resembling a victory lap.

I think Democrats and the liberal media owe the president and they owe the American people an apology, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, told breakfast television. They wasted two years and created a massive disruption and distraction from things that ... impact everyones day-to-day lives.

On Sunday, after attorney general William Barr said in a letter to Congress that Mr Mueller had found no evidence of collusion but no decision about whether he had obstructed justice, Mr Trump had told reporters he had been subjected to an attempted illegal takedown. He suggested Democrats should be investigated.

On Monday, meeting in the Oval Office with Benjamin Netanyahu, where he signed a document that formally recognised Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, he dug in further.

There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things  I would say treasonous things against our country, he said.

I will tell you, I love this country. I love this country as much as I can love anything: my family, my country, my god. But what they did, it was a false narrative. It was  it was a terrible thing.

He added: We can never let this happen to another president again. I can tell you that. I say it very strongly. Very few people I know could have handled it.

In his report, the result of almost two years of work, Mr Mueller said he found no evidence of a direct link between what he said were Moscows efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, and the Trump campaign. On the issue of whether the president had obstructed efforts to investigate possible collusion, he set out the case for and against in regard to several incidents.

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Yet, he determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement. In turn, Mr Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, decided the presidents actions did not constitute a prosecutable crime.

Mr Muellers conclusions have been a huge disappointment to Democrats, who had been hoping he would uncover Mr Trump had been guilty of nefarious behaviour.

Many of the Democrats seeking their partys nomination to challenge Mr Trump in 2020, have pointed out what has been released so far is Mr Barrs summary about Mr Muellers investigation  not the special counsels report.

The fact that special counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, house speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

Given Mr Barrs public record of bias against the special counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin on Monday said Vladimir Putin was ready to improve ties with the United States following the release of Mr Barrs summary and called on the United States to formally recognise there was no collusion between Russia and Trumps campaign, Reuters said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called on Washington to make the first move to reset the relationship and repeated Moscows denial of any interference in US elections and internal affairs.
Robert Muellers sprawling 22-month probe into Russian election interference has failed to establish Donald Trumps presidential campaign team conspired with Moscow to sway the 2016 election, but questions remain over the contents of the report, and the US presidents conduct since taking office.

William Barr, Mr Trumps newly-installed attorney general, sent a four-page letter to Congress on Sunday outlining the contents of special counsel Mr Muellers report, which was submitted to the Justice Department on Friday.

According to the letter, Mr Mueller and his team did not find a direct link between Mr Trumps campaign and Russia, but stopped short of ruling on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

Mr Mueller laid out evidence on both sides of the obstruction question, but, according to the letter, although it does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it does not exonerate him.

Mr Barr wrote he and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein - both Trump allies appointed by the president - themselves concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge the president with a crime.

Mr Trump declared the report provided complete and total exoneration and claimed the probe amounted to an illegal takedown that failed.

Mr Barr said he would have to consult with Mr Mueller and other US justice department officials before he can release more of the confidential report or any other information he gathered during the investigation.

But unless and until the full report is made, major questions will remain about Mr Muellers findings. Here are four of the biggest:

1. What evidence is there Mr Trump obstructed justice?

The letter highlights a number of actions Mr Mueller investigated as potentially raising obstruction-of-justice concerns, though Mr Barr fails to provide any detail.

Democrats were calling for the full release of the report even before they received Mr Barrs letter, and the conspicuous lack of detail has only strengthened demands to make it public.

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Mr Barr states Mr Mueller presented evidence on both sides of the obstruction question, but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment.

Unless the report is released, Congress and the public will remain in the dark about the incidents that caused Mr Mueller and his team concerns.

2. Collusion

Although Mr Barr says Mr Mueller did not establish that members of Mr Trumps team conspired with the Russian government, the letter does not say what Mr Mueller learned that fell short of a crime about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts.

It also does not answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or Congress during the Russia probe.

The report may shed further light on incidents such as Donald Trump Jrs secret meeting with a Russian lawyer in 2016 to discuss getting dirt on Hillary Clinton, and former Trump adviser Roger Stones communications with WikiLeaks.

3. Lack of direct quoting of Mueller

Unlike previous independent counsels, there has so far been no disclosure of a summary provided by Mr Mueller himself, raising questions about Mr Barrs interpretation of a report politicians and the public are yet to see.

Mr Barrs summary includes only a handful of quotes lifted directly from Mr Muellers report; only one of which appears to be a sentence in full.

It's unclear what else is coming from Mr Barr, though he states in the letter that he is working to make more information public. He said he will be consulting with Mr Mueller to determine what else can be released.

But whatever is provided is unlikely to be enough for Democrats, who have said they want all of Mr Mueller's underlying evidence  including interviews and documents.

4. Is Mr Trump out of the woods?

It appears not. The US Constitution empowers Congress to remove a president from office for high crimes and misdemeanors, including obstruction of justice through a process of impeachment.

In an impeachment proceeding, lawmakers have broad leeway to define obstruction of justice and are not bound by Barrs determination, legal experts said. The full report may make clear Mr Trump committed obstruction in the eyes of lawmakers.

Mr Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime.

They say the president directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to arrange illegal hush-money payments as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Mr Trump's inaugural fund.

Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe over Mr Trump that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season.

And they are now demanding that Mr Barr should turn over Mr Mueller's confidential report and the underlying evidence he gathered in order for them to draw their own conclusions.

They are also calling for Mr Barr to testify on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trumps lawyer has said it would be very inappropriate for the presidents written answers to Robert Mueller to be made public.

Jay Sekulow, a member of Mr Trumps legal team, told CNN on Monday his clients communications with the special counsel are confidential, and that they should continue to remain so, despite the president being cleared of conspiring with Russia.

Its not as simple as just wave your hand and we release the document. I think that would be very inappropriate, he told host Alisyn Camerota, who asked if Mr Trump would be willing to make public the written answers.

If I was representing you in a case and we came to a voluntary determination to submit answers in writing, and then you were exonerated, I dont think that would be material that would be relevant to the general public.

However, Mr Trump was explicitly not exonerated by the as-yet-unreleased report. Though Mr Trump was cleared of colluding with Moscow, Mr Mueller failed to rule on whether the president obstructed justice, according to the presidents newly installed attorney general William Barr.

In a letter sent to Congress, Mr Barr said that while Mr Muellers report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it does not exonerate him.

Mr Sekulow said whether Mr Trumps answers would be released is a question for the attorney general, but that he has some strong opinions about whether he should do.

Susan Hennessey, a national security expert at the Brookings Institution, said the comment was a "big tell" about "how afraid" the White House is of the contents of Mr Mueller's report.

Mr Trump gloated on Monday morning over the findings, quoting from Fox News anchor Bret Baier, who said Mr Muellers conclusions represented a good day for America.

The president also quoted a passage from Mr Barrs letter clearing him of collusion, before tweeting an apparent headline by MSNBC, a television network Mr Trump perceives to be an enemy.

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Breaking News: Mueller Report Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy, he wrote.

He later retweeted one of his own posts from Sunday, which simply read: "Good Morning, Have A Great Day!
By Samia Nakhoul BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's call for recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights was manna from heaven for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu two weeks before an election. For many Arabs, it crushed any hope that there will one day be a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians and increased doubts that Washington is an impartial arbiter. But allies and enemies can agree on one thing: Trump's statement last Thursday was a turning point in U.S. policy over territory Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed in 1981, in a move the U.N. Security Council declared unlawful. "I am confident that the Lord is at work here," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was in Israel when Trump made his announcement on Twitter, told the Christian Broadcasting Network in an interview. Netanyahu, who has thanked Trump for the announcement, is seeking re-election on April 9 but faces a tough battle and possible indictment in three corruption cases in which he denies wrongdoing. He was due to meet Trump on Monday on a trip highlighting what Netanyahu calls the strongest ever bond between an Israeli leader and a U.S. president, though Trump has said his decision on the Golan Heights was not connected with the election. But Trump's decision, following U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017, could tempt other powers to annex land, undermine the roll-out of a U.S. Middle East peace plan and tilt Israel back into conflict with its Arab neighbors, Middle East analysts say. "Donald Trump has made sure that Israel will be in a perpetual state of war with its Arab neighbors for many decades to come," said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics and author of the book Making the Arab World. "What Trump has done is to hammer a deadly nail in the coffin of the peace process and Arab-Israeli reconciliation. This is a fundamental turning point. There is nothing left to discuss anymore." RESHAPING THE MIDDLE EAST Trump's move is, according to many analysts, partly intended to boost his own chances of re-election in 2020, by targeting the vast pool of U.S. evangelical Christians. Many of them voted for his in 2016 and they are championed in his administration by Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence and others. The announcement on the Golan Heights was the latest in a flurry of decisions that are widely seen as intended to redraw the contours of the Israeli-Arab conflict. Most have ticked the wish-list of Israel's right-wing government and met longstanding demands of its U.S. supporters, including U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as the capital. The Arab east of the city was occupied by Israel and then annexed after 1967 in a move that is legally repudiated internationally. White House officials say the decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights acknowledge the reality on the ground, which they say must be the basis for legitimate peace negotiations. Trump's Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, said it was inconceivable Israel "would allow the Golan to be controlled by the state of Syria or by any of the rogue actors operating in the areas, including Iran." But with Sunni Arab leaders dealing with crises in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Sudan and Qatar, and their standoff with non-Arab Shi'ite Iran, they are less focused on Israel. ARABS IN DISARRAY Trump's aides have indicated privately that they believe his moves on Jerusalem have provoked a less severe reaction in the Arab world than experts had predicted, a person familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. In particular, they did not appear to have blocked behind-the-scenes security contacts developed in recent years between Israel and the United States' Gulf allies over their common enemy Iran, the person said. Aides' advice to Trump on recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights was that Washington could again weather the storm, the same person said. Support for the move in the Trump administration had gained momentum over the past year as Israel increasingly expressed concern about Iranian forces and their proxies taking up positions in southwestern Syria, the official said. John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser and one of the administration's leading Iran hawks, was an important proponent of the policy shift, the official said. But skeptics say the move will also give Iran and its local ally Hezbollah what they would see as justification for new attacks on Israel and hamstring anti-Iranian Arab leaders if they are seen to accept the U.S. move. The Trump administration has identified Iran as its main target in the Middle East, and withdrew from the deal signed by Tehran, the United States and other world powers in 2015 on curbing Iran's nuclear program. MORE TO COME But after the moves on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, Iran and Hezbollah may feel better able to present themselves as the only steadfast allies of the Palestinian cause. They could also play into the hands of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by helping him in his portrayals of Israel and the United States as enemies. "This will give further power to the Iran axis of resistance between Iran-Hezbollah-Assad against Israel and the U.S.," said Galip Dalay, visiting fellow at Oxford University and a fellow at Brookings Doha. "This axis has just been given a very strong symbolic victory and this will give them the high ground." He said Arab leaders could not publicly support Trump's decisions on Jerusalem and the Golan Heights because it would threaten their popularity, in some cases already low. "From the Arab standpoint, this makes them more hesitant to be supportive because the political space they need to maneuver has been eroded," said Dennis Ross, a veteran Middle East negotiator. "Each move by this administration has put Arab states on the defensive." Ross also suggested that U.S. recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights could embolden the Israeli right-wing to step up its push for annexing settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank. "I worry that the right in Israel can say 'they recognized this. It will be a matter of time before we can annex all or part of the West Bank'," he said. "That would be the end of the two-state solution." (Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick in Washington, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
"When it comes to making themselves more comfortable, the sky's the limit."

Right up front, Im asking my readers to pray for the recovery of broadcast journalist Twink Macaraig, whos battling Stage 4 cancer. A news anchor and program manager on TV-5, Twink is also my sorority sister from Sigma Alpha Nu. An essay of hers in thelast Sunday showed that shes lost none of her feistiness, not just about her own health issues, but also including the political causes she cares deeply about. Im still a fighter! she declared. God bless and reward you for that, sis.A different kind of fighter is how one might describe Nur Misuari, the MNLF and ARMM leader, whos now threatening to wage war again if the country doesnt adopt federalism. As a federalism advocate myself, I have to say that with friends like him, who needs enemies? Most accounts of the long battle to pass the new Bangsamoro Organic Law say that Nur never cooperated with his rivals in the much bigger MILF and kept trying to block its passage. Now that the BOL is part of the law of the land, Nur is evidently ready to break the law just to keep his own ageing personal ambitions alive, after the well-documented failures of the ARMM experiment that he led. For his part, MILF chair Al-Hajj Murad is counselling peace and vowing that he will abide by the Constitution. Would he be just as peaceful if the BOL battle had not gone his way? Its an interesting question, but by now purely academic, since Murad is now responsible for building a new sub-nation, not trying to destroy the larger nation. Plus, a federalist constitution will also give him more room to expand his autonomy and authority on the ground.Up in the air is how one might describe the honorable members of the Upper Housethe Senatewho repeatedly remind us of the increasing distance between their own little world and the larger world of us poor mortals on the ground. Since Duterte took office, the senatorsmany of them professedly aligned with the administrationhave repeatedly stalled or blocked key items of his agenda that were sent up from the Lower House, e.g. the Trabaho Bill, the second part of comprehensive tax reform; the charter change initiative; and now, even the proposed budget this year. Among the essential items being sidelined by the senators intransigence is the budget for acquiring right of way (ROW) for infrastructure projects. To give you an idea of the importance of ROW: In Central Visayas alone, only 12 infra projects have been implemented out of a total 95 projects due to ROW problems. Fifty-seven projects worth P2 billion have been suspended, while the balance of 26 projects worth P4.5 billion were outright terminated. Its probably easy to dismiss these trivial concerns from the lofty aerie inhabited by the senators, who after all have no specific constituency to answer to. But when it comes to making themselves more comfortable, the skys the limit.Ground has already broken for building the senators a new home in the Fort, to the tune of a staggering P8 billion. Thats an average P333 million to make each senator feel better about the kind of office he has to work in. Senator Ping Lacson reminds us that the Senate will be saving P171 million in annual rentals to GSIS. At that rate, it will take 46.7 years for the new building to pay for itself. And of course, GSIS will be losing rental income that would otherwise have strengthened the pension fund of government employees. Lacson says the project will encourage future senators to behave and act with the dignity of an edifice like the one now being built for them. Evidently it is already too late to similarly reform the current crop of lawmakers. But if a new building will prompt future senators to behave better than their predecessorshey, it might just be worth it after all.Another font of entertaining wisdom is senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares, who wants government to drop the Kaliwa dam project because it would displace thousands of families among the indigenous peoples who inhabit the Sierra Madre range. Instead, he wants government to look at alternatives like rehabilitation of the Wawa dam and [construction of] the Kaliwa weir. Its characteristic of Colmenares and his comrades in the Makabayan bloc of legislators to shoot down infrastructure and other projects with their ideological jargon, while dumping on government the responsibility of coming up with alternatives. Wont people also need to be relocated away from Wawa? How much water can a 7-foot run-of-river weir provide year-round by comparison with a 70-meter-high reservoir dam? Compensating and relocating affected local communities is part of virtually every large infrastructure project, especially dams. But it requires asking tough questions and working hard on the answers, not taking cheap shots at the expense of the welfare of the larger majority.Thoughts on todays Gospel (Matthew 18: 21-35): In the parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus answers a question from Peter by saying that we should be ready to forgive our enemy, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times. That may seem unreasonable to some. Why should we be so forgiving to people who dont deserve it? More important: even if we wanted to, how can we bring ourselves to such excessive magnanimity? As to the first question, the parable presents us with the servant who, despite being forgiven his debts by his master, threw into prison another fellow servant who owed him a much smaller amount. We have no right to be so hard-hearted with our neighbor when we ourselves, as congenital and original sinners, are continually and repeatedly being forgiven for much worse offenses by our Creator. As to the second question, the first servant might not have behaved so badly had he paid closer heed to the example being set for him by his master. There is only one source of the limitless grace that not only allows for the forgiveness of our own sins, but also teaches us, by example, how to forgive others as wellup to seventy-seven times, and more.
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 25, 2019  Zacks Equity Research Unilever UL as the Bull of the Day, ADT Inc. ADT asthe Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Levi Strauss & Co. LEVI and Stitch Fix SFIX.

Here is a synopsis of all four stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Its feeling a little uncertain in the markets again these days. President Trump and Fed Chairman Powell seem to be on the same page and in the most recent meeting, the Fed chose to leave short-term rates unchanged and also hinted that they had almost no appetite for any raises in the near future.

Powell pointed to the lingering effects of the trade war, slowing growth in Europe and China and an end to the natural stimulus of the 2017 tax cuts.

The Central Bank also lowered 2019 GDP growth estimates from 2.3% to 2.1% that's pretty significantly at odds with the 3.2% expected from the White House.

While the equity markets initially cheered to Feds actions, reality quickly sank in and industrials, materials and financials all took a hit as investors prepared themselves for a slowdown in the economy.

So maybe you're thinking about getting defensive. That doesnt mean you turn all your holdings into cash and bury it in the backyard! It means taking the time to find the companies that provide the best shareholder value possible even while weathering changing conditions.

How about a company whos brands are used by 2.5 billion people every day? Nutritious foods, soaps and lotions, dental care, cleaning supplies, literally everything we all use all the time.

It's Unilever.

Thanks to decades of aggressive acquisition, Unilever has become totally ubiquitous on the supermarket shelves. After all, this is the company that acquired both the Slim Fast and Ben and Jerrys brands at the same time. Thats diversification. (Theyve since reduced their stake in Slim Fast to a small minority interest.)

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The company estimates that 70% of households in the world currently has at least one Unilever product in their home.

With that type of market share, Unilever could easily rest on their laurels, but instead takes the opposite approach - constantly innovating to improve their internal processes, attract and retain the best employees and provide the most attractive selection of products to their customers.

Those customers remain loyal in no small part because of Unilevers Sustainable Living Plan, which the company describes as the recognition that growth at the expense of people or the environment is both unacceptable and commercially unsustainable.

Their stated commitment is to:

 Help more than a billion people to improve their health and well being

 Halve the environmental footprint of our products

 Source 100% of our agricultural raw materials sustainably and enhance the livelihoods of people across our value chain.

Source: Unilever.com

Theres more feel good stuff that we could talk about, but lets make sure we also feel good about the financials.

Even during a year in 2018 that challenged many global corporations with currency fluctuations, commodity price uncertainty and general consumer discomfort.

While we fretted about trade wars, Brexit and other geopolitical uncertainty, Unilever grew sales by 3.1%, improved operation margin 90bps to 18.4% and turned in healthy free cash flow of 5 billion.

Though price and volume growth was fairly evenly distributed across the company, the company reported that they saw the brands with the most distinct and well-articulated social and environmental purpose grow significantly faster than out other brands.

Were expecting earnings growth of 2.87% in the current year and 3.16% next year, and the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock also pays a 3% annual dividend yield.

Even in a defensive sector, Unilever stands out. Just take a look at how it performed compared to the Consumer Staples Sector and the S&P 500 at the end of 2018 when things looked the darkest. In uncertain conditions, its literally the best of the best.

Bear of the Day:

Home Security is one of those things that we know is necessary, but dont really like to think about.

You know that in an uncertain and sometimes dangerous world, you need to protect your family, home and belongings. Until fairly recently that meant hiring a security company to install equipment in your home and then also paying them to monitor the signals from that equipment and alert you and/or the appropriate authorities when there was a problem.

It was a great business  they got to sell you the original equipment and then also collect fees for the monitoring services on a continuing basis. Though there were plenty of local firms that could do that, there was one undisputed national leader in the business  ADT Inc.

The "internet of things" has changed that.

Starting with what were essentially just smart doorbells that allowed customers to see who was coming to the door, home security options have now expanded into a vast universe of interconnected products that provide security services - but also allow you to control locks, lights, garage doors, climate control systems, and even items like pet food dispensers  and all from a smartphone.

There are choices for every level of customer, from basic DIY components that you can purchase and install yourself, to professional-quality total automation systems. Most of them are also modular, meaning you can start with a basic setup and then add components as needed that are basically plug-and-play.

If you want professional monitoring, that will still cost money of course, but in most cases, its much less expensive than ADT. SimpliSafe charges $14.99/month. Nest is $29/month, but that drops to $19 if you commit to a three-year contract, and Rings Protect Plus is only $10/month.

ADT Pulse starts at $28.99/month (with a three-year contract) and can easily grow to $60 with added features.

(Note: The above prices are from a February 2019 survey by PCMag.com and may have changed.)

So where does all this leave ADT? In a pretty ugly place -- Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) territory.

Home security and automation is becoming a crowded industry and thats great news for homeowners who have more options than ever for keeping the people and things that are dear to them safe, but its bad news for ADT.

Additional content:

How Did Levi Strauss IPO Go?

Levi Strauss & Co. went public Thursday of last week, opening at $22.22, trading as high as $23.24 and as low as $22.00.

Levi Strauss is an American clothing brand that has been a household name for as long as jeans have existed. In fact Levi Strauss actually created the first pair of jeans in 1873. This company started in 1853 in San Francisco. Jeans gained its fame in the dude ranch era in the early 1900s and were quickly adopted by younger edgier generations until they became the societal norm we see today, with Levi leading the charge in this culture shift. Now Levis can be found in 50,000 retail stores across 110 countries.

Now after 166 years of operation they decide to open up ownership of the company to the public, again. They went public initially in 1971 to give the heirs of this empire a chance to cash out raising about $50 million. The family decided to take it private in 1985 through a $1.7 billion leveraged buyout, making it the largest buyout ever at the time. This 2019 IPO, raising $623.3 million and valuing the company at $6.55 billion, couldnt have come at a more opportune time for Levi considering that their operational performance appears to be at an all-time high. Levi has had consistent top-line growth over the past 4 years as well as a 167% bottom line growth over the past 5 years. What some retail investors dont know is that an IPO is most beneficial when a company is valued at its highest because the company only receives capital on the day of the IPO. An enterprise doesnt collect on a soaring stock price. Only the shareholders do. With market valuations high, this appeared to be an ideal time for Levi to recapitalize.

As a potential shareholder we need to ask ourselves if this is the peak, or does Levi Strauss still have room for growth. This surge of $623.3 million into their balance sheet should help innovative CEO Charles V. Bergh further diversify Levis portfolio and reduce inefficiencies in its supply chain. This company has already been working to grow beyond its leading category of mens bottoms and will further invest in tops and womens apparel. Levi plans to dig its nails deeper into its emerging markets business, specifically China and India where they plan to open new stores and build rapport with their consumers. Just like every other retail business, they will focus on building out their e-commerce sites. Levi is also going to reduce time to market for new products to stay in front of trends.

One risk associated with any retail-apparel business is the amount of consumer discretionary spending that the economy has to spend. With unemployment close to the lowest its been in 50 years, and steady wage growth, businesses that rely on consumer discretionary spending dont have anything to worry about yet. One thing that we can all agree on is that jeans arent going out of style anytime soon.

Stitch Fix is another retail-apparel company that just went public in November of 2017. Stitch Fix is an online business that helps consumers pick their wardrobe that fits their style and who they are. SFIX is up 85% since its IPO and looks to have room to grow based on its Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). As you can see below estimates for three consecutive quarters following the current quarter EPS estimates have been revised up. This a signal for consumer discretionary spending growth as well as a positive sign for an apparel IPO.

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Zacks.com provides investment resources and informs you of these resources, which you may choose to use in making your own investment decisions. Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer.

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



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(ITV)

Uri Geller has revealed plans to bend Theresa Mays mind into cancelling Brexit, claiming he made her Prime Minister with the help of Winston Churchills old spoon.

The illusionist and self-proclaimed psychic has taken the events surrounding Brexit to a whole new level of bizarre by offering to use telepathy to call a halt to it, and told Good Morning Britain that he had previously used a spoon owned by Winston Churchill to predict that May would become Prime Minister.

Presenter Piers Morgan said: You thought Brexit couldnt get any madder  it just did.

Read more: In pictures  the Put it to the People march

Geller has been peddling plans to unite the UK in a mind control exercise that would bring about a second referendum, but also made his startling claims about being responsible for Mays power in his GMB appearance.

@SharonHorgan Do you feel oddly comforted by Uri Geller's intervention? I do.  Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) March 23, 2019

He said: Ive known Theresa May for over 21 years, I lived in the same village as she still does. She visited my home, I took her to my garage, I pointed at a spoon that belonged to Winston Churchill  this is three years before she became Prime Minister.

I bombarded her mind. I said you are going to be the Prime Minister. She laughed, she didnt believe me, and she is.

Uri Geller has vowed to use his telepathic powers to stop #Brexit. Heres how he plans to do it pic.twitter.com/Pyo1r9DfXm  Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 25, 2019

For anyone who wants to give Gellers plan a whirl, this is how to do it.

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He instructed: This is my plan, listen carefully. People at the protest were holding posters saying Uri Geller save us. Im not a guru and Im not a miracle worker, but I believe with the power of the mind, if we concentrate, no matter how bizarre this sounds, how far out and science fiction

If we concentrate, together we meet 11 11, am and pm, just think the following: Theresa, bring us to a second vote. Go for a second referendum.

Read more: Boris Johnson says Theresa May has bottled it

Many people may understandably feel unconvinced by Gellers powers, but he read from a CIA document that noted he had demonstrated paranormal perceptive abilities in a convincing manner.

He said: I know very well that there are a lot of sceptics out there who dont believe in my powers. Take a moment to read from the CIAs manual.

Cant believe were at the point where Uri Geller is the only hope for my insulin  Ed Gamble (@EdGambleComedy) March 22, 2019

Read more: Tony Blair says Britain will be a serious country again after Brexit

However, some viewers questioned his telepathic powers when they noticed a reflection of someone holding up card prompts to remind him of his plan.

@piersmorgan Hmmmm so can every one else see the card the bloke in the reflection is holding and giving him directions not reading of a script to much #gmb #fraud  andy bird (@andyb201084) March 25, 2019

Morgan asked whether Geller felt his reputation would be trashed if his anti-Brexit plan didnt work, but the psychic said it was a risk he was willing to take.

He said: As I said Im not a miracle worker. Maybe Im doing this too late. Im just a human being, Im doing my best to make this work.

It doesnt look good for me (if it doesnt work), of course  all my life is a gamble, but hey, I have the power, I believe in you people in the UK, lets do this, we dont have much time.
Washington (AFP) - The United States said Monday it was not looking at an international court to try Islamic State extremists and urged countries to repatriate them after Syria's Kurds proposed a tribunal.

Two days after the United States announced the complete defeat of the Islamic State group, the Kurdish force that holds some 9,000 foreign jihadists and their relatives -- 6,500 of them children -- voiced regret at the lack of response to US-led calls on Western nations to bring back their citizens for trial.

The Syrian Kurdish administration said that a better idea would be to set up an international tribunal in northeastern Syria to prosecute the fighters also known as ISIS, who at their zenith imposed a brutal interpretation of Islam on millions of people across Iraq and Syria and carried out widespread beheadings and sexual assaults.

But James Jeffrey, the US special representative on Syria policy, voiced little interest when asked about the proposal, saying: "We're not looking at that now."

The "priority is to pressure countries to take back their own citizens who may or may not have committed crimes," Jeffrey told reporters in Washington.

"If they put the effort into it, they can deal with it," he said.

Repatriation is a sensitive issue for Western nations such as France and Britain, which have experienced attacks by homegrown extremists and have little interest in seeing more return.

Britain has gone so far as to strip Islamic State proponents of citizenship.

In the most high-profile US case, the United States last month said that Hoda Muthana, a young woman from Alabama who joined the Islamic State group, was not a citizen due to her father's former diplomatic status.

President Donald Trump stunned allies in December when he ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 US troops from Syria, although faced with internal criticism he agreed to a limited presence.

Jeffrey said that forces had begun to withdraw in December but declined to specify exact plans, saying US troops will stay "in very limited numbers" in northeastern Syria and at the Al-Tanf base used by the US-led coalition.

The forces will "continue our clearing operations and stability operations against ISIS for a period of time not to be determined at this point," he said.
Washington (AFP) - China "systematically" impedes access to Tibet with restrictions that have prohibited diplomats, journalists and ordinary citizens from visiting, the United States said in a report Monday.

The State Department documented access problems to the Himalayan region in a report to Congress mandated by the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, passed with bipartisan support in December.

The law, which notes that no US region is prohibited, requires the United States by the end of this year to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing the policy.

"The Chinese government systematically impeded travel to the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan areas outside the TAR for US diplomats and officials, journalists and tourists in 2018," said the report to Congress.

Even visits by US diplomats were "highly restricted," it said.

"Chinese government-designated minders followed US diplomats and officials at all times, prevented them from meeting or speaking with local contacts, interrogated them and restricted their movement in these areas," it said.

Tibet is the only region for which China requires diplomats and journalists to seek special access.

The State Department said that China last year rejected five of the nine US requests to visit Tibet, including one by Ambassador Terry Branstad.

Of the visits that went ahead, two were for routine consular matters, one was for the consul general in nearby Chengdu and the other was for security officials to prepare the visit by Branstad that was ultimately denied.

Quoting the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China, the State Department said that only seven international journalists sought permission to visit Tibetan areas last year, compared with dozens in past years, with reporters sensing "the apparent futility of applying."

The report said that China denied access to tourists during times seen as politically sensitive and that Americans of Tibetan ancestry said they were singled out for special screening.

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Matteo Mecacci, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, which pushed for the law, welcomed the report as a sign that the United States is "serious" about reciprocal access to Tibet.

"I think it shows that reciprocity with China is a principle that is important not just for trade or economic issues, but also for access for Tibet," said Mecacci, a former Italian member of parliament.

He voiced hope that China, which has protested the law, would address its policies in light of the impending restrictions on visas for officials.

"Our goal is not to bar Chinese officials from coming here. It's to end the isolation of Tibet," he said.
LIMA (Reuters) - The wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido had a brief message for President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, following the arrest of her husband's chief of staff this week: "Enough already." In an interview with Reuters in Peru, where she met with Venezuelan immigrants before a trip to the United States, Fabiana Rosales said the arrest of Roberto Marrero on terrorism accusations on Thursday was a "farcical" attempt by Maduro to break the opposition's morale. "We know what we're up against. We know what kind of monster this dictatorship is," said Rosales, a 26-year-old journalist and opposition activist who is considered Venezuela's first lady by supporters. Venezuela plunged into a deep political crisis in January, when Guaido invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. He has been recognized by most Latin American and Western countries as Venezuela's rightful leader. But Maduro retains control of state functions and the loyalty of the military top brass. A socialist, Maduro says Guaido is a puppet of the United States and is attempting to lead a coup against him to wrest control of the OPEC nation's oil reserves, the largest in the world. Asked if she had a message for Maduro, Rosales said "enough already." Rosales said spies and pro-government armed groups known as "collectives" have long followed her and her husband, monitoring their movements and stalking their family members and friends. "I and my family members have received threats of being thrown in jail or killed." "But there's something they've underestimated, and that's that our ideals in this struggle won't be broken," she said. "If they thought they can break our morale by arresting Roberto Marrero, or that they could break him, they're very mistaken." Venezuela's foreign ministry did not answer phone calls seeking comment outside regular working hours on Saturday. Venezuelan authorities have accused Marrero of planning attacks against political figures, and said an arms cache had been seized from his house. Guaido, 35, told Reuters in an interview on Friday that he was prepared for more people in his team to be arrested, but thought Maduro's government had reached its final stage. Rosales said she thought Maduro was too fearful to have Guaido himself arrested. "I think the regime is thinking about it very carefully. I don't think they would dare," she said. "They've always been afraid of people who believe in freedom." Rosales declined to comment on whom she plans to meet in the United States, but said she has confirmed visits to New York City and Miami. "We'll see what happens in coming days. But I'm certain the freedom for Venezuela is getting closer and closer." (Reporting by Mitra Taj; Editing by Sandra Maler)
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 25, 2019  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Alphabet GOOGL, Wells Fargo WFC, PetroChina PTR, Micron MU and Allstate ALL.

Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog:

Top Analyst Reports for Alphabet, Wells Fargo and PetroChina

The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Alphabet, Wells Fargo and PetroChina. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today.

You can see all of todays research reports here >>>

Alphabet's shares have outperformed the Zacks Internet Services industry in the past year (+20.4% vs. -4.6%).The Zacks analyst thinks Alphabet is riding on its growing search initiatives. Its strong initiatives toward elimination of bad ads and introducing useful major search updates are acting as tailwinds. These are enhancing its search results.

Further, Googles robust mobile search is also a major positive. Additionally, its strong focus toward bolstering presence in the cloud market on the back of expanding data centers and robust cloud offerings continues to aid top-line growth.

The companys strong focus on innovation related to its AI techniques and Android OS along with growing presence in the home automation space are aiding business growth further. However, the companys growing litigation issues might hurt its profitability. Also, it's increased spending on consumer gadgets, YouTube video app and cloud computing services remains a concern.

Shares of Wells Fargo have underperformed the Zacks Major Regional Banks industry over the past three months (up +14.4% vs. +17.4%).Its earnings surprise history is decent, having beaten expectations in two of the trailing four quarters. The Zacks analyst likes the ongoing investments in the businesses to enhance compliance and risk management capability, build a better bank and strengthen core infrastructure.

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The bank settled fake account scandal-related lawsuit filed by shareholders and ended investigations by about 50 states, which will enable it to focus on operations. However, Wells Fargo was slapped with several sanctions, including a cap on its assets by the Federal Reserve, following its involvement in several legal issues. Its reputation was harmed by such involvement and might take some time to recover. Falling mortgage banking income is another concern.

PetroChinas shares have gained +11.2% year to date, underperforming the Zacks International Integrated Oil industry, which has increased +13.6% over the same period. The Zacks analyst thinks that since higher oil prices will likely support the state-run giant's upstream unit in the near-to-medium term, the stock might regain favor.

The company's exploration & production segment has been benefiting from steady commodity price recovery and stricter cost control. Meanwhile, the downstream business -- consisting of the refining and chemicals activities  should be able to take advantage of optimized resource allocation, strict cost control and increased production of high-value products.

However, the company's weak oil production growth prospects are a major concern. Limited international operations and losses on gas imports give investors more reason to be cautious about the stock.

Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include Micron and Allstate.

Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential

The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.

Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +98%, +119% and +164% in as little as 1 month. The stocks in this report could perform even better.

See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>>

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Zacks Investment Research

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



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Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 25, 2019  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Netflix NFLX, Amazon AMZN, Costco COST, Cisco Systems, Inc. CSCO and Walmart WMT.

Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog:

3 Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy Right Now

The S&P 500 has surged over 14% in 2019, driven by growth from tech giants such as Netflix and Amazon. With that said, no matter how long the current rally lasts, it is always a good idea to search for strong companies that look poised to run impressive businesses for years to come.

Today, we have highlighted three blue-chip stocks that look like buys at the moment.

1. Costco

This big-box grocery giant is coming off a better-than-expected Q2 fiscal 2019. COST stock has jumped 17% to start the year, but still rests below its 52-week high of $245.16 a share. Costcos e-commerce strength has helped drive growth. In fact, digital comps surged over 25% last quarter, boosted by Costcos free two-day delivery for non-perishable food and household supplies, along with expanded same-day through its Instacart partnership.

Costco also recently proved its e-commerce strength as rivals all roll out more digital offerings and delivery options. COST overtook Amazons spot as the number one internet retailer in terms of customer satisfaction in 2018, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Looking ahead, Costcos quarterly revenue is projected to jump 7.2% to reach $34.69 billion, based on our current Zacks Consensus Estimate. This would roughly match last quarters 7.3% top-line expansion.

Costcos current full-year revenues are projected to jump 7.6%, with its adjusted fiscal 2019 earnings expected to surge nearly 16%. COST has also seen a ton of positive earnings estimate revision activity for 2019 and 2020, which helps it earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Costco looks poised for long-term success by proving its value proposition to customers, as roughly 90% of members reportedly renew their subscriptions. And the company is a dividend payer that boasts B grades for both Value and Growth in our Style Scores system.

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2. Cisco Systems, Inc.

Shares of Cisco have doubled the Computer-Office Equipment Markets 12% average climb over the last year, which helps CSCO stock rest right below its 52-week high of $54.23 per share. The firm recently raised its quarterly dividend to $0.35 per share, up from the $0.33 a share CSCO paid throughout 2018. In terms of its business, the historic networking and tech giant has expanded its internet of things division in recent years, offering clients the chance to connect everything from transportation fleets to assembly lines in order to run their operations more efficiently.

Ciscos current quarter earnings are projected to climb 16.7% to hit $0.77 a share on the back of 3.4% revenue growth. Peeking a bit further ahead, the company is expected to see its full-year EPS figure surge nearly 18%, with revenues projected to climb 4.7% to $51.67 billion. CSCO has also experienced 12 positive earnings estimate revisions for both its current full year and the following year over the last 60 days, against zero downgrades.

This impressive earnings revision activity helps Cisco sport a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at the moment. CSCO also trades just below its industrys average forward P/E at 18.5X forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimates. Going forward, Ciscos ability to grow its IoT unit and further expand beyond its switches and routers should help its rally continue.

3. Walmart

Walmart is coming off a stronger-than-projected fourth-quarter fiscal 2019. The retailer posted 40% full-year e-commerce growth and 3.6% full-year U.S. comps expansion, which highlighted its online grocery pickup business, digital initiatives, and other newer offerings. Walmart has raced into the future of retail through improved digital platforms, a massive store remodeling program, and more. Walmart projects that its e-commerce sales will climb around 35% as it adds 1,000 new grocery pickup locations in fiscal 2020 to end the year with 3,100 total. The company also expects to double its grocery delivery locations to 1,600.

The companys earnings are projected to slip this year, weighed down by its Flipkart investment, which could prove vital as Indias economy grows and Chinas slows. Meanwhile, our current Zacks Consensus Estimate calls for Walmarts top-line to climb 2.7% this year to touch $528.21 billion, with fiscal 2021 revenues projected to come in 3.2% above our current-year estimate to reach $545.22 billion.

Walmart rocks a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) based on fiscal 2020 and 2021 earnings revision strength. WMT also earns B grade for both Value and Growth in our Style Scores system. For instance, Walmart is trading at 20.7X forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimates, which represents a discount compared to its three-year high of 23.8X. And shares of WMT have climbed 45% over this stretch, to crush its industrys 11% average climb. In the end, Walmart is one of the biggest companies in the world and is dividend payer that has raised its quarterly cash payout every year since first declaring one in March 1974.

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  March 25, 2019 Stocks in this weeks article include American Airlines Group AAL, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings AAWW, C&J Energy Services CJ, Builders FirstSource BLDR and Dana Inc. DAN. Kevin Matras screens for companies showing their 'first' profit and explains why they are ones to watch.



Screen of the Week written by Kevin Matras of Zacks Investment Research:



5 Stocks Basking in the Glory of Recent Analyst Upgrades

Proper guidance is often the difference between success and failure in life. The same holds true for the investing world. In the absence of proper guidance, identifying a winning stock is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack. Proper guidance, as far as investing is concerned, comes from brokers, who are deemed to be experts, equipped with vast knowledge of investing.

Of the three types of brokers/analysts (sell-side, buy-side and independent) present in the investment world, sell-side analysts are most common. Various brokerage firms employ them to provide unbiased opinion to investors after thorough research. Buy-side analysts are employed by hedge funds, mutual funds etc. while the independent ones simply sell their reports to investors.

Brokers, irrespective of their type, attend company conference calls/presentations and scrutinize every detail available publicly before advising investors about their course of action. Individual investors, more often than not, do not have access to such detailed and well-researched information.

Earnings Estimate Revisions  A Proper Guide

Broker ratings are backed by sound logic and are by no means arbitrary. Since brokers closely follow the stocks in their coverage, they revise earnings estimates only after carefully examining the pros and cons of an event for the concerned company. In fact, a rating upgrade or downgrade by brokers has the potential to influence the price of the stock.

Story continues

Naturally, when investors see brokers revising their estimates or recommendation on a stock, they often assume that there is something in the stock that has attracted analyst attention. In fact, a rating upgrade generally leads to stock price appreciation. Similarly, the price of a stock may plummet following a rating downgrade.

Estimates can move north for a number of reasons  favorable earnings performance, a bullish guidance, product launch or any favorable macro scenario.

For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at:https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/363090/5-stocks-basking-in-the-glory-of-recent-analyst-upgrades

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



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How many more heinous crimeslike the one committed by a 17-year-old to Christine Silawan of Cebu Citymust be committed before the so-called righteous women's groups realize that RA 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, is a sham? There is public outrage, as well as apprehension, that the principal suspect arrested by National Bureau of Investigation Region 7 (NBI-7) agents might not land in jail because he is a minor. And last Saturday, as Christine is being laid to rest, the Cebu court ordered the NBI to immediately release from its custody the teenage suspect because he was arrested without any warrant. He will still be tried for murder once the hearing starts, according to the court. So for now, the teenage suspect has been released and probably billeted in a safe house under the auspices of Senator Francis Pangilinan. Who knows? The "Pangilinan law" exempts minors or anyone under 18 years old from criminal responsibility. Legal experts say the young suspect could walk away free if a government psychiatrist would certify in court that he was not in his right state of mind, because of his age, while committing that horrible crime. Just what is the difference between his state of mind when he committed that heinous crime over a week ago and when he turns 18 in a few days? Can someone tell me the logic? Perhaps Senator Francis Pangilinan can. It was Pangilinan who authored RA 9344 (signed by then President Gloria Arroyo) in 2006. That boy should invite the senator when he celebrates his 18th birthday! He is off-the-hook, at least for now. This demonic killer-rapist was so "innocent" he waylaid, raped, and then slaughtered 16-year-old Christine Silawan who had served as church collector at a chapel in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu. Her half-naked and mutilated body was found on a vacant lot the next day.And for those who oppose lowering the minimum age of criminal liability, particularly those who oppose the restoration of the death penalty, how many more dead teenagers do you need to reconsider your so called "anti-death penalty" stand? A few days after the rape and murder of Christine in Cebu, another teenage girl was gang-raped in Tondo, Manila where at least two of the perpetrators are minors. The mother of the victim has called on President Duterte for help to attain justice, as the two minors may be absolved of criminal liability. Thanks again Senator Kiko! When arrested by the police, the suspects admitted committing the crime after authorities seized their cellphones containing video recordings of the said rape. Police said the modus of the group, who call themselves as the "FU*@#K Boys", consists of befriending girls on-line, inviting them to partying and drugging their drinks, and then raping the helpless victims while video-recording the act. Worse, they even post it online! Self-respecting parents who have helped their children develop a sense of responsibility beginning at the age of four or five will say that kids will be capable of discernment once they reach teen age. So, I would like to thank Senator Pangilinan, the 13th Congress, who passed this stupid law, and Gloria Arroyo for signing it into law in 2006...on behalf of the increasing number of minors who commit these heinous crimes.
Coin Rivet received a press release yesterday that has raised some interesting questions about the privacy-based coin Zcash. The French National Assemblys Finance Committee has suggested that all privacy-based coins should be banned. In the press release, the Electric Coin Company refutes such an assertion for some very valid reasons. However, it also claims that Zcash is AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism) compliant, which would then make the question of its actual privacy debatable.

The Electric Coin Company is the new name of what was once the Zcash Company. Little wonder then that it has rebutted the comments regarding the banning of privacy coins. There are some valid concerns raised by the Electric Coin Company. The company states that privacy is a fundamental human right and that personal financial privacy is essential to protecting the individual freedoms that preserve an open and democratic society.

Fear of the creeping surveillance state is one of the most important debates in recent times. Where does one citizens privacy end for the state to make society safer as a whole? These issues are highlighted not just in the data mining of consumers on the internet, but also in the issues surrounding anti-terrorism.

However, the Electric Coin Company goes on to say: The Zcash protocol requires the use of payment addresses for all transactions. This allows virtual-asset service providers (VASPs), such as exchanges, to issue a unique deposit address to each customer, thus allowing Zcash transactions to be unequivocally attributed to a specific customer.

If this is true, then how private is Zcash in reality? If the coin can be attributed to a specific customer, then does this not make the companys claims of privacy redundant, thereby rendering the whole argument null and void?

The Electric Coin Companys argument seems to therefore be that we believe in privacy-based cryptocurrencies, but they shouldnt be banned because they are not actually private in the first place.

Not the strongest of rebuttals from a company whos aim is to boost Zcash.

The post Zcash is AML/CFT compliant according to the Electric Coin Company  but how? appeared first on Coin Rivet.
WELLINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday a royal commission inquiry into the events leading up to a March 15 attack on two mosques in Christchurch that killed 50 people, including into the country's intelligence services.

"It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to the bottom of how this act of terrorism occurred and what, if any, opportunities we had to stop it," Ardern told reporters at Parliament House in the capital, Wellington.

She said a royal commission, which are independent inquiries and are usually reserved for matters of the greatest public importance, was an appropriate response to the attack. (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Praveen Menon Edotong by Paul Tait)
Home | News | General | APC will enforce partys decision on 9th NASS leadership - Spokesman

- The APC has taken a stance as the inauguration of the 9th National Assembly draws closer

- The ruling party says it will ensure that its decisions are respected by members in electing principal officers of the assembly

- The APC said it would not allow the minority party, the PDP, interfere in choosing those who emerge leaders of the legislature

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it will ensure that the partys decisions are respected by members in electing the principal officers of the 9th National Assembly.

The ruling party's stance was made known by the national publicity secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, who spoke with THISDAY at the weekend.

Unlike what happened during its assumption of power in 2015, APC said it would not allow the minority party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to interfere in choosing those who emerge leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly.

He said that the party would apply the principle of party supremacy in handling the emergence of new leadership of the incoming National Assembly.

READ ALSO: David Mark tells INEC to stop declaring elections inconclusive

His words: We will enforce party discipline. And you have seen what we have done to our very important and mighty party men.

So, you could see that APC is instilling party discipline, bringing cohesion and harmony into our system and we expect everyone who now subscribe to the world view of the APC, to abide by the decision of the party.

So, the party is up and doing. We dont need to make noise about what we are doing, we have the majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives to choose our leaders and we will choose our leaders.

On whether the national leadership of the party will enforce its decisions on the zoning of offices in the National Assembly, Onilu said: That is what is expected and that is what we will do.

According to Onilu, there are various options before the party, including retaining the existing zoning arrangement.

He stated that the new leadership of the party is mindful of what is at stake and will do everything possible to thwart any move by the PDP to encroach on its interests.

His words: You see, what you get in advanced democracies under the presidential system of government is that the winner takes all.

Once you are in majority, you dont have any business with the minority party in deciding who to choose as your leaders. But because the PDP has the characteristics of a busy body, it has been seeking to get involved.

As it happened in the past, they are still thinking that they will decide for us what the leadership will look like in the National Assembly. They are carrying the joke too far.

Onilu said that although a formal meeting was yet to be held to consider the zoning plan, the party is working quietly behind the scene to resolve the matter.

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Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the leadership of the APC has started mobilising its governors and key chieftains to ensure that the leaderships of both chambers of the National Assembly are core loyalists of the party.

It was gathered that governors elected on the platform of the APC had been advised to work together with senators and House of Representatives members from their state to ensure the party's choices are respected.

The move by the APC is in reaction to a purported plot by the outgoing Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership when the 9th Senate is inaugurated in June, this year.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!

Nigerians set 2nd term agenda for President Buhari | Legit TV

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Home | News | General | 9th NASS: APC commences mobilisation of governors, key chieftains

- The APC have commenced plans to ensure that only the party loyalists emerge leaders of the 9th National Assembly

- The ruling party have started mobilising governors elected on its platform and key chieftains to ensure its plans are not thwarted

- The move followed the purported plot by the outgoing Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership

A report by Daily Trust indicates that the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has started mobilising its governors and key chieftains to ensure that the leaderships of both chambers of the National Assembly are core loyalists of the party.

Accordingly, returning members of the APC caucuses in the two chambers, including new comers and the partys national leadership in Abuja, were now disposed to sorting out issues ahead of the inauguration of the National Assembly.

It was gathered that governors elected on the platform of the APC had been advised to work together with senators and House of Representatives members from their state to ensure the party's choices are respected.

The move by the APC is in reaction to a purported plot by the outgoing Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership when the 9th Senate is inaugurated in June, this year.

The Saraki group was said to have met last week at the Maitama residence of the Senate President where 35 PDP senators-elect agreed to influence the emergence of a new Senate leadership and retain the position of deputy Senate president.

The group, which was said to have come up with Plans A, B and C, would sponsor one of them for the position of Senate president in the event two or more members of the APC caucus present themselves for the position on the floor of the Senate.

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Meanwhile, senators-elect on the platform of the APC have moved against plans to micro-zone the leadership of the Senate to individuals, warning that it would backfire on the party.

A ranking senator-elect, who spoke to a national newspaper on the condition of anonymity, warned that if the APC zoned the leadership positions to individuals, it would generate crisis for the party.

According to him, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party was already working to decide who becomes the Senate president, just like in 2015.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!

2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| Legit TV

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Home | News | General | Sokoto APC rejects Tambuwals victory, gives reason

- The declaration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto as winner of the just-concluded governorship election has been rejected by the state chapter of APC

- INEC earlier declared Tambuwal winner of the election after Saturdays supplementary with a narrow margin of 342 votes

- The APCs spokeman, Bello Danchadi, said the margin of votes was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held

The Sokoto state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday, March 24, rejected the declaration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal as winner of the just-concluded governorship election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has earlier declared Tambuwal winner of the election after Saturdays supplementary with a narrow margin of 342 votes,

The chief collation/returning officer, Fatima Mukhtar, said that Tambuwal of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured the highest votes of 512, 002, defeating his close rival Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu of APC, who polled 511, 660 votes.

READ ALSO: Live Updates: Ortom, Tambuwal win governorship election as INEC gives official announcement of results in rerun election - Day 2

Addressing a press conference in Sokoto, the APCs spokeman, Alhaji Bello Danchadi, rejected the declaration on the ground that the process was flawed with irregularities, which he said were duly reported to electoral body.

Danchadi said the margin of 342 votes was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held, a development which he said contravened the electoral law.

He said the party had also registered its complaints to INE, which included alleged outright rigging perpetrated by the PDP.

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He alleged that some eligible voters at some polling centres were denied voting, and in some places repeated votings were recorded.

According to him, We draw the attention of INEC to a number of polling units that were cancealed as result of violent attacks by thugs, while others were abitrarily cancealed to please certain political party interests.

 In view of these we deem it necessary to express our disagreement with the action taken by INEC to declare a winner without giving us a fair hearing in our position in the electoral processes. 

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Governor Aminu Tambuwal scored the highest number of votes to win the Sokoto state governorship election.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 512,002 votes following the rerun election which took place on Saturday, March 23.

The incumbent governor defeated Ahmad Aliyu of the APC who polled 511,661 votes. The PDP candidate won with a margin of 342 votes.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Protect your vote to make it count - PDP Guber Candidate | Legit TV:

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Home | News | General | Ambode, Ajimobi, Akpabio grace Osinbajos thanksgiving service in Ogun

- Vice president was on Sunday, March 24, joined by Governor Ambode and other dignitaries at a thanksgiving service for President Buhari/Osinbajos victory at the just concluded poll

- The interdenominational service of praise and thanksgiving was held at Obafemi Awolowo Square in Osinbajos hometown, Ikenne, Ogun state

- Osinbajo prayed for the gathering asking God to grant everybodys heart desires and dreams

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo, on Sunday, March 24, attended an interdenominational service of praise and thanksgiving at their hometown, Ikenne in Ogun state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the service, held at Obafemi Awolowo Square, Ikenne, commenced with a praise and worship session with songs rendered by Buki Bekes while Osinbajo and Dolapo swayed harmoniously.

Addressing the congregation, Osinbajo said it was Gods mercy that made him and his crew come out unhurt from the crashed helicopter.

READ ALSO: Live Updates: Lalong, Tambuwal win governorship election as INEC gives official announcement of results in rerun election - Day 2

A helicopter carrying Yemi and his entourage had crashlanded in Kabba, Kogi, on February 2. The vice president rendered his favorite Yoruba song Oke Oke la nlo and some other songs while the congregation sang along.

Osinbajo prayed for the gathering asking God to grant everybodys heart desires and dreams. Earlier, Dolapo led the congregation to a worship song and afterwards testified Gods goodness and mercies on their lives especially for sparing the life of the vice president and his crew in the helicopter crash.

The first bible reading, taken from Psalm 149, was read by Governor Akinwunmi Abode of Lagos state. In a sermon, Most Rev. Michael Fape, Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos and Bishop of Remo Diocese, thanked God for his mercies and for sparing Osinbajos life in the ill-fated helicopter.

Citing Romans Chapter 9 Vs 15 to 16, Fape said God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and be gracious to whom he will be merciful.

He said it was the mercy of God that brought his electoral victory and prayed that the same God would abide by the vice president.

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He described the vice president as a humble and God fearing man. As you move on to the next level, mercy will follow you and if mercy follows you, no one can contend with you.

The bishop later led the congregation to a special prayer for the vice president and his wife. In a remark, Dapo Abiodun, Governor-elect of Ogun, thanked God for giving the people of the state, a worthy son, in the person of Osinbajo.

He described him as an embodiment of sincerity, diligence and intellect. Abiodun said he too was a testimony that God answers prayers, saying he would not have won his election if not for God.

He pledged to give the people of Ogun a worthy leadership. Veteran musician, Ebenezer Obey also thrilled the gathering.

Former governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, traditional rulers, clergies and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains also attended the service.

Recall that Legit.ng reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday night, March 14, said President Buhari was probably poorer than when he was elected in 2015.

The vice president said this during a dinner in honour of volunteers who canvassed for votes for the APC during the campaigns for the 2019 general election at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

2019 elections: Do you still trust INEC to conduct fair elections? - Nigerians speak| Legit TV:

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Home | News | General | BREAKING: INEC declares Ganduje winner of Kano guber supplementary poll

- Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has been declared winner of the gubernatorial supplementary election in Kano state

- Governor Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled a total of 45,876 votes, while his opponent Abba Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 10,239 votes

- The breath-taking election has been described as being fraught with a lot of controversies, and characterised with reports of violence

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the incumbent governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, winner of the gubernatorial supplementary election in the state.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

After the collation of figures for the poll conducted in 28 local government areas on Saturday, March 23, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled a total of 10,239 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 45,876 votes.

The state Returning Officer Profesor Bello Shehu, announced that Ganduje scored a total vote of 1,033,695 while his closest opponent Abba Yusuf polled 1,024,713 votes.

Four polling units were cancelled in Gama Ward in Nasarawa LGA due to alleged irregularities and violence.

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The election in the state has been described as being fraught with a lot of controversies, and characterised with reports of violence.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the PDP had insisted that no election was held in Kano, calling INEC to declare its candidate, Abba Yusuf, winner of the March 23 re-run.

The opposition party made this known in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, and obtained by Legit.ng on Saturday, March 23. According the PDP, ''the people of Kano state have since made up their minds to have Abba Yusuf as their governor.''

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#Elections2019: INEC announces election results Legit TV

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Home | News | General | Supplementary polls: PDP wins 2 Taraba House of Assembly seats

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won two seats in the Taraba House of Assembly following the supplementary polls held in the state on Saturday, March 23.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP won the elections in Ussa and Ardo Kola state constituency in the state.

In Ussa state constituency, INEC declared Timothy Anderifun of the PDP as the winner of the election.

Anderifun secured 9,434 votes to beat Kurutsi Yakubu, his closest rival and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Allance, who polled 8,057 votes.

In Ardo Kola state constituency, INEC declared Dominic Bukuni of the PDP as the winner.

Bukuni secured a total of 22,583 votes to beat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aliyu Muhammed, who garnered 19,408 votes.

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Meanwhile, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, INEC declared the chairmanship candidate of the PDP, Abdulahi Sabo, winner of the supplementary poll for Kuje area council in the FCT.

The electoral body had on Saturday, March 9, declared the chairmanship election in the area inconclusive due to electoral violence at some poling units in Rubochi and Kwaku areas of the council.

Professor Titus Ibekwe, the INEC returning officer who announced the result, said Sabo scored the highest votes of 19, 090, to defeat the incumbent chairman, Abdullahi Galadima of the APC who scored 15, 187.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!

Protect your vote to make it count - PDP Guber Candidate | Legit TV

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Home | News | General | Supplementary elections now a means to subvert the peoples will - CSO carpets INEC, police

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (CSSR) on Sunday, March 24, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put an end to supplementary elections in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Clement Nwankwo, the convener of the coalition of 70 civil society groups, said this at a press conference in Abuja on the observation of the elections.

According to Nwankwo, it appears that the rerun process was now a manipulation tool to circumvent the will of the electorate.

READ ALSO: Live Updates: Ortom, Tambuwal win governorship election as INEC gives official announcement of results in rerun election - Day 2

Nwankwo said that the group deployed observers for the supplementary governorship elections in Bauchi, Benue, Kano, Plateau and Sokoto states and noticed some ills.

He noted that some flaws observed were recurrent in Nigerias elections and as a country they ought to be condemned.

Some of the flaws, he said, included voters intimidation and insecurity that resulted in shooting of a returning officer in Benue.

The widespread incidents of violence, thuggery and abuse of the electoral process, especially as reported in Gama ward of Kano must be addressed by INEC.

Situation Room believes that the level of abuse recorded in Gama ward is of such monumental proportions as to necessitate INEC expunging the outcome of the supposed voting results from the final collation.

Safety of election day workers, INEC and ad hoc staff, observers is not guaranteed and portends great danger for future elections in Nigeria.

Actions of political parties and their supporters continue to undermine the confidence in our electoral process as well as the rights of citizens to participate fully in election and cast their votes without fear, he said.

Nwankwo specifically complained about the incidences of violence as recorded in some local government areas in Bauchi, Kano and Benue where thugs threw stones at voters.

He said that some reports received showed instances of over-deployment of security personnel such as in Plateau.

He said that the group was shocked by the situation in Kano where the deployment of senior police officers could not stem the incidents of political thuggery and intimidation.

Nwankwo said that reports showed that instances where security personnel, most especially the police and civil defence, with challenging situations were met with inaction.

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He said the organisation was concerned that abuses of electoral process occurred in spite of the deployment of top-level police officials, including a Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) and three Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) and commissioners.

Nwankwo lamented that the situation was even better in Kano during the general elections when a state commissioner of police took charge.

He said that there were reports of widespread vote buying in Kano and Bauchi states and underaged voting was also recorded in Plateau and Sokoto states.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, congratulated the Aminu Tambuwal, winner of the governorship election in Sokoto state.

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"I realized being a journalist in this country was indeed dangerous."

I have been a journalist for almost 70 years. I have covered presidents from the time of Elpidio Quirino. I have walked the corridors of power. There have been memorable moments in my career in the pursuit of press freedom. Sometimes, these even endangered my life. The most unforgettable was the time I was covering the Central Bank of the Philippines as business editor of theDuring my daily rounds of the old Ayuntamiento Building where the CB was located, a CB officialI cannot remember whotold me I should look into the illegal activities of some members of the Monetary Board. Of course I started to investigate the backgrounds and activities of the Monetary Board members. I wondered why my fellow journalists covering the CB were not doing the same. I soon learned that some of them were getting monthly payoffs from the office of a ranking CB official. I learned that the three members of the seven-member MB were importing dollar allocations at that time for their own businesses. This was clearly a conflict of interest. They were also with the Manila Stock Exchangeclearly a no-no for MB members. I wrote that expose and it became the banner headline of the Herald. I even named the three MB members. My story set off an inquiry by the Senate. Since my expose was detailed, the three MB members were called to testify. I was also invited to testify but I refused, saying my story was enough. This happened during the second year of the Magsaysay administration. President Ramon Magsaysay told the three individuals to show cause why they should not be fired for committing illegal acts. I recall I was leaving for home one evening. I was going down the stairs, past the security guard. Suddenly, there were two men to my side and they shoved their guns to both sides of my body. They told me to get in their car, which had appeared in front of me, gangster-style, just like in the movies. I found out that the only thing I could say was What is this? They told me in the vernacular: You will soon find out. They made me alight in front of the Hotel Filipinas along Padre Faura. We took the elevatorI forgot to which floorand entered a room. It must have been a minor suite. There was a burly man puffing a cigar. He told me: You are a brave young man. I would hate to see something bad happening to you.I asked him: Sir, what have I done? Was this the Cavite mobster who killed somebody at the Semanillo Building on Dasmarinas Street? I recognized him because his photo was in the papers. After gathering my wits I asked: Sir, what do you want? he said one of those I had exposed was his friend. I asked him what he wanted me to do. He said he would like to present the side of his friend. I said Sure. The man told me to relax and wait for somebody to bring his friend's statement. I would be given dinner. He left but a guard was left with me. I knew the guard had a gun. I looked at my watch and saw it was 10 in the evening. I knew my wife was getting worried because I was usually home by eight. There was a bed in the room, but who could rest in such a situation? It was six in the morning when I heard a knock on the door. I was given a big envelope and told: This is it. I read the statement and it was the burly mans friend explaining his side. I was told to print it, verbatim, the following day. And then I was told I could go home. From Hotel Filipinas I took a cab and returned to the office parking area where my car was. My wife was agitated so she phoned my brother Willie who said he would pick us up so we could see the President in Malacanang. The President asked me point blank: Since I am firing those men, could you recommend a replacement? I thought for a while and said there were only three honest men I could recommend: Jaime Velasquez, Amando Dalisay and Gumerindo Garcia. The President said: Done. My wife and I were relieved. Soon enough, members of the Armed Forces came to my home to provide my family security. One for me, one for my wife, and two for each of my children who were then enrolled at the Ateneo Grade School. The problem soon dawned on me and my wife: We would have to pay for the meals of our security detail. The security followed us everywhere. This lasted six or seven months. This incident taught me that being a journalist in the Philippines could really mean life or death.
Home | News | General | Nigerian lady marries throw pillows in Ogun as Dubai-based fiance misses wedding (photos)

- A Nigerian lady has sparked the attention of many internet users after her wedding photos emerged online

- It was gathered the bride tied the knot with throw pillows in Ogun state as her Dubai-based fiance could not make the ceremony

- The ride looked excited to be tying the knot despite the groom's absence

A Nigerian lady has walked down the aisle with throw pillows in Abeaokuta, Ogun, as her Dubai-based fiance could not be present for the wedding. Photos from the ceremony are currently flooding the internet and people have a lot to say.

In some African cultures, it is the norm for a groom to be absent at his own wedding especially if it a king of sorts. He is required to sit on his throne and await the arrival of his bride who must have married the king and gone through some spiritual rites.

While that is considered tradition in some parts of Africa, it appears weird for a bride to tie the knot in the absence of her husband. However, this bride was convinced she was doing the right thing when her man was represented with throw pillows on their wedding day.

READ ALSO: Actress Funke Akindele celebrates her lookalike sister's birthday in sweet way

It was gathered that the Dubai-based groom could not make the ceremony but it had to go on and that it did.

Here are photos below:

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Meanwhile, many internet users have been swept through a roller coaster of emotions following the video of a young couple exchanging vows.

The young couple exchanging vows has left so many internet users with a teary eye because the beauty of love is the only language every soul on the planet understands.

The groom who seemed proud to be marrying the love of his life went straight into a prayerful mood as he told his wife how much he loved her and how much he hopes to be the perfect man for her.

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Home | News | General | Drunk passenger gets arrested after relieving himself on woman's luggage

Police have arrested a passenger who was accused of urinating on a fellow passengers luggage during a flight.

Legit.ng understands the plane was travelling from Chicago to Charlotte and was expected to touch down at 12.52am on Thursday, March 21.

According to Daily Mail, the identity of the notorious passenger is yet to be released and the incident took place in the US on Thursday, March 21.

READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com)

Police have arrested a passenger who was accused of urinating on a fellow passengers luggage during a flight. Photo: www.americanairlines.co.uk

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As per police reports, airline officials requested the authorities to be on standby so they could arrest the drunk passenger once the plane touched down.

So far, the victim has been identified as a female and the case was reported to the Federal Bureau of investigations (FBI).

It is still not clear whether the perpetrator will be charged for their misconduct.

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Home | News | General | Kano supplementary polls: Accredited observer group lauds INEC for prompt distribution of election materials

- The Coalition of INEC Accredited Observers has lauded INEC for prompt distribution of election materials during the Kano reruns

- The coalition said following the prompt distribution of materials, the election began early enough at most of the polling units

- The election observers also commended the security agents for their quick intervention by restoring law and order in areas affected by violence

The Coalition of INEC Accredited Observers for the Kano state re-run governorship supplementary election has hailed the electoral commission for distributing the election materials on time.

The leader of the group, Ambassador Chinyere Manukwem, made the commendation while addressing newsmen in Kano on Sunday, March 24, NAN reports.

READ ALSO: Appeal Court nullifies APC primaries in Zamfara

Legit.ng gathers that Manukwem represented the Global Initiative for Civic Training and Youth Development, one of the 18 observer groups accredited by INEC.

She said the commendation was necessary because the distribution of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials was done in good time.

The distribution of the electoral materials both sensitive and non-sensitive was done in a record time, she said.

He said following the distribution of materials early enough, the election began early enough at most of the polling units visited by the group.

According to the group, the election also witnessed massive turnout of voters, especially women as well as heavy presence of security personnel at all the polling units visited.

Most of the political party agents that participated in the election were present at the polling units.

In most of the polling units visited, the election was relatively peaceful with the exception of Dala and Gama wards in Nasarawa local government areas where the election was disrupted by hoodlums, Manukwem said.

The election observers, however, commended the security agents for their quick intervention by restoring law and order in the affected areas.

Manukwem, who commended the electorate for coming out en-masse to exercise their franchise, lauded the media for adequate coverage of the supplementary election.

The group, however, called on critical stakeholders to continue to educate the electorate on the need for peaceful conduct during elections.

It also urged politicians to always accept election results as it is not a do-or-die affair.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a former commissioner of lands in Kano state, Alhaji Yusuf Bello Dambatta, described the Independent National Electoral Commission as an institution that promotes thuggery in the name of democracy.

Danbatta, who served in the cabinet of former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, made the statement at the INEC collation center on Sunday, March 24, in response to the outcome of the Kano supplementary elections.

The former commissioner alleged that there was no election in Gama and some other places slated for the reruns.

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Home | News | General | Bauchi governor-elect Bala Mohammed reacts to election victory

- The governor-elect of Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohammed, has promised to bring back good governance denied the people

- Recall that Senator Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party defeated the incumbent governor of Bauchi, Muhammed Abubakar, in the gubernatorial supplementary poll

- Senator Mohammed says the collation of the supplementary poll that has just been concluded by INEC is a work of God

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohammed, has promised to bring back good governance denied the people.

Muhammed made the promise during a press conference in Bauchi on Sunday, March 24, shortly after the announcement of the supplementary poll results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Mohammed polled 6,376 votes as against 5,117 garnered by the incumbent governor, Muhammed Abubakar of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

READ ALSO: Second term: Yoruba elders list what they expect from Buhari

Legit.ng gathers that the just concluded supplementary election took place in 15 local government areas of the state on Saturday, March 23.

The governor-elect said: Today is a very auspicious day for us in Bauchi and on behalf of the party, I wish to express gratitude and appreciation to God almighty.

The collation of the supplementary poll that has just been concluded by INEC is a work of God and we owe it to him.

We also owe it to the people of Bauchi who have stood very firm on the threshold of freedom and liberty and have shown that they are the icons of democracy and liberty. Words alone cannot express my appreciation to them all."

Muhammed also said that the auspicious achievement recorded by the PDP in the supplementary election deserved to be celebrated.

He however, called on all his supporters to celebrate in peace.

The governor-elect said: They should all go out to celebrate but they should celebrate in peace and with gratitude to God because what we want is peace and tranquility, harmony and good relationship with one another.

We do not have any acrimony or hatred against anybody, even those who didnt vote for us, we want them to join us in this celebration because this is democracy."

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Muhammed also appreciated the security agencies in the state and promised to continue to work with them as they had shown they are the key partners of the society.

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Legit.ng previously reported that Bala Mohammed, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Bauchi state, won the supplementary poll in the state.

Mohammed's victory was announced on Sunday, March 24, by the returning officer, Professor Kyari Mohammed.

The PDP candidate polled a total of 6,376 votes, while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammed Abubakar, the current governor of the state, polled 5,117 votes.

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Home | News | General | Why Buhari refused to campaign for APC candidates after his re-election - Bashir Ahmad

The personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new media, Bashir Ahmad, has said the president refused to campaign for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after his re-election because he wanted the people to vote for candidates of their choice.

Ahmad, who made the disclosure on Saturday, March 23, said the party wanted President Buhari to visit some states after the presidential election, but the president cancelled the plan at the last minute.

Legit.ng gathers that the presidential aide said in a tweet on Saturday, March 23, that President Buhari stated that people should be allowed to vote for whoever they want, not because of him.

READ ALSO: Nigerian newspaper review for March 15: Ortom, Lalong, Ganduje, Tambuwal win re-elections

See his tweet below:

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje, winner of the gubernatorial supplementary election in the state.

After the collation of figures for the poll conducted in 28 local government areas on Saturday, March 23, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled a total of 10,239 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 45,876 votes.

The state returning officer Profesor Bello Shehu, announced that Ganduje scored 1,033,695 votes while his closest opponent Abba Yusuf polled 1,024,713 votes.

In another previous report by Legit.ng, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed gratitude to God and all Nigerians for re-electing him as president, describing the process as free and fair.

The president received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission alongside Professor Yemi Osinbajo, from Professor Mahmood Yakubu on Wednesday, February 27.

He promised to continue to work for the countrys progress and consolidate on his administrations focus on reviving the economy and fighting corruption.

Buhari expressed gratitude to God for sparing the lives of the people to witness another milestone in Nigerias democratic development, conclusion of the presidential election in an overwhelmingly peaceful manner.

He congratulated all the presidential candidates and their teams on a hard-fought campaign.

The president said: "We may have had different views during the campaign, but the one thing most of us have in common is love of our country and our desire to improve conditions for Nigerians."

"From the comments of several observers both local and foreign, it is obvious that the elections were both free and fair.

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"Now that the elections are over, and a winner declared, we must all see it as a victory for Nigeria, our dear country. That was why I encouraged my teeming supporters, in a speech I read earlier today, not to gloat. Our God-given victory is enough cause for joy, without deriding those who were in the opposition. All Nigerians, going forward, must stand in brotherhood, for a bright and fulfilling future."

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Home | World | Africa | Afreximbank grants Zimbabwe interbank forex trade loan

Cairo-based Africa Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) has extended an undisclosed amount in lines of credit to Zimbabwe's interbank foreign exchange trading to stabilise the forex supply in the economy and address liquidity challenges besetting the economy, Business Times has learnt.

The development comes after the official interbank forex trade has managed to trade around $65 million since February 20. The trading system started at a rate of ZWL$2.5 to the US dollar but has since devalued further to $2.7 amid expectations that it will weaken further to get to equilibrium with the parallel rate. Parallel market rates are around ZWL$3.5-ZWL$3.8

Given companies' forex payment backlogs of around $900 million, the system has done little to help the economy out of dire forex challenges situation and this has helped sustain the parallel market rates which were expected to drop.

Over $500 million of forex is needed to stabilise the forex market system.

Though John Mangudya, RBZ governor could not be drawn into how much money is the country is applying for to stabilise the forex auction system, he told this publication that Afreximbank will be crucial in stabilising the interbank forex system.

Mangudya was in Cairo, three weeks ago to get more lines of credit from the country's all weather bank to stabilise the system which has so far recorded a limited success.

"As we speak, Afreximbank has already granted Zimbabwe a facility towards underpinning the interbank forex market. We expect to start drawing down from the facility soon and it is our fervent hope that forex availability will improve," said Mangudya.

Some few companies have benefited from the system, with Dairibord chief executive Anthony Mandiwanza saying that the interbank market was encouraging.

Mangudya said over 60 bureaux de change agents have registered for the forex interbank system.

Meanwhile, Mthuli Ncube, Finance and Economic Development Minister has said government has put in place mechanisms which will ensure forex interbank market will not benefit banks only.

He said the system will allow the market to determine the actual value of Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar.

Ncube said the central bank is already liberalising forex trading and the international community is happy with the move of determining the real value of RTGS dollars.

Treasury believes the RBZ's mechanism of focusing on containing money supply growth; while putting in place monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the interbank foreign exchange market is not manipulated will go a long way in improve forex challenges.

The country's biggest industry representative, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) said the central bank should increase the official exchange rate to between 1:3.2 and 1:3.5 in order to harness meaningful forex.

This comes after the interbank forex trade is managing to trade an average of $12 million weekly. That money is too little given the foreign currency constraints that the companies have had over the past three years.

"If the monetary authorities increase the exchange rate to around 1:3.5 most businesses and individuals would be confident to bring their money to the banks as they know the rate is more or less the same the black market rate," CZI president Sifelani Jabangwe said.

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Home | World | Africa | Zimbabwe volcano fears

The Civil Protection Department (CPD) in Masvingo has dispatched a team to Bikita in Masvingo province following social media reports of a possible volcano eruption at Mapadza Hill.

Bikita Assistant District Administrator, Mr Innocent Matingwina told reporters that according to villagers from Ziki village, a loud noise was heard emanating from the mountain top on Saturday morning after which a rock fell from the mountain top, landing at the foot of the mountain.

One villager, Selina Mandinyenya interviewed by the CPD alleged that a fire was seen at the mountain top before the rock fell.

Mr Matingwina said no injuries were recorded as the rock fell a distance from households.

He however said there are fears that two balancing rocks adjacent to the one that fell could also fall as they seem unstable.

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Home | World | Africa | Mnangagwa goes Biblical: 'Zimbabwe accepts will of God'

President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Zimbabweans should accept the will of God but remain faithful even if hard times befall them.

Mnangagwa said this when he graced a special church service at the Mabelreign Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, Harare in honour of Tropical Cyclone Idai victims and affected communities.

"As people, we know things after they have happened. Right now, we don't know what is in store for all of us here tomorrow. Some will wake up with a headache tomorrow but it is only God who knows it. So we accept everything, but even if hard times befall us, we must remain faithful to God like [the Biblical] Job," he said.

The President also said anything can happen anytime, so everyone must be ready.

"When Jesus said: Come to me,' he was referring to us the alive not the dead. So we must be ready always," he said, adding that everyone is a sinner and what is required is repentance so that people can be able to be with their creator.

The special church service comes after President Mnangagwa declared two-days of national mourning this weekend remembering those affected by Cyclone Idai.

154 have died, with hundreds missing, while a lot of infrastructure has been destroyed mostly in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.

"After declaring two days of mourning, we saw it fit to spare this day to pray for those who perished in the disaster and those injured and others lost properties. I was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) when the disaster struck, and by yesterday, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi had sent three planes with aid towards the disaster. We thank the local corporate world for giving a helping hand in the form of donations. Many churches, organisations, individuals, foreign embassies, the United Nations (UN) and the British government have helped us during this hour of need. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles have written to me, expressing their deepest condolences to Zimbabwe," said Mnangagwa.

The President also thanked his Tanzanian counterpart, President John Magufuli, South Africa, Botswana and Angola for their acts of benevolence, adding that even the medical staff attending to those injured in Manicaland deserves special recognition.



The President visited Manicaland for two days and I witnessed the disaster.

He said in some cases, an entire home was swept away, with everything including plates and cooking utensils.

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PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa's admission that he is the one who authorised the deployment of soldiers to quell street protests on August 1, 2018 and in January this year was brave but leaves neutrals confused.

Following the July 30, 2018 elections, protests broke out in Harare on August 1 and at least six innocent civilians were killed.

This caused international uproar and drew worldwide criticism after the army used brutal force to deal with unarmed protesters  something Mnangagwa's predecessor and long-time ruler Robert Mugabe had not done in the 37 years of his dictatorship.

Many were left asking who could have taken such a drastic decision with conspiracy theories pointing an accusing finger at retired army general and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

And that line of thinking was buttressed when Mnangagwa appointed a Commission of Inquiry to probe the events of August 1, 2018 as he sought to mend the country' battered world standing.

Another army deployment would be repeated in January this year following a Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions-backed stay-away, killing 16 people in cold blood. Again, Mnangagwa did not own up to the killings.

Then out of the blue, the president admits he knew everything and worse still gives a very plausible reason why that was done.

He further announces government is set to capacitate the police so they can be able to deal with demonstrations without the help of the army in the future.

But then, my question is; is it proper to break something so you can fix it? Why engage in all those costly processes when there is a clear way of solving a problem? Why did the Kgalema Motlanthe Commission chew scarce foreign currency when you could have just told the nation the truth?

Mnangagwa could have just explained himself clearly immediately after the shooting incidents and apologised to the nation and those affected for the excesses.

Probably, he wanted to find out who had called for the demonstrations because a lot of high-ranking MDC officials and civic leaders have already been arrested or convicted for inciting violence, especially after the January protests. Mr President, you cannot continue to live and do things the same way as the old dispensation and expect different results.

Just recently, it was revealed Mnangagwa was engaging a top United States public relations company to spruce up the country's image  something I still do not agree with.

The solutions are right by your side, sir. I even hear murmurs from the corridors of power to the effect that re-engagement efforts with Washington and the removal of sanctions do not necessarily mean dancing according to the whims of the US.

Why then spend money on something that cannot be bought? One's character cannot be changed by what people think  it is shaped by deeds. If you are a reformer, it will all be clear at some stage that you are indeed pushing the reform agenda.

No-one should be doing that for you. You have a chance of implementing reforms the way you like and you have the resources to create the kind of image that you want. Whatever government is doing must be seen to reflect the tenets of democracy and the aspirations of the Second Republic that you preach. Your supporters must start realising you are also human and can also make errors of judgment.

When you rose to power you clearly stated that you will listen to constructive criticism and in this case, I will kindly say "you got it all wrong, Mr President".

In the wake of Cyclone Idai and your travelling to Dubai and reports you had to cut the trip short  one wonders, "why did you have to make the trip in the first place?"

And on your return, rush to install a ceremonial minister for Harare before acting on the devastating cyclone?

You have a busy schedule and it's prudent that those around you arrange your undertakings in such a way that people are able to differentiate you from Mugabe.

You do not have to endear yourself with the West per-se, but the moment leaders align themselves with the masses and provide sound leadership  everything falls into place.

The austerity for prosperity gospel must be practised by you and your Cabinet such that we all have a feel of what it means to suffer for future benefits.

Foreign trips must be arranged in such a way they do not continue to bleed the already depleted State resources.

You clearly hold the aces, Mr President and you can easily make-or-break this nation.
Home | World | Africa | Witness nails MDC Alliance MP in fake address case

THE trial of Mt Pleasant legislator Samuel Banda (MDC Alliance) for violating the Electoral Act continued last Friday with another state witness Mr Isaac Chidavaenzi saying Banda apologised to him for fraudulently using his address.

Banda was arrested last year for providing a false address during the national Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise.

Prosecuting, Mr Peter Kachirika told the court that Banda allegedly misrepresented to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that he lived in Mt Pleasant, Harare during the Ewa exercise.

He contested for the Mt Pleasant House of Assembly which he won.

The address in question is No, 34 Waller Avenue, Mt Pleasant, Harare.

Mr Worship Dumba a candidate in the Mt Pleasant parliamentary elections reported the matter.

Banda appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye and the trial will continue on April 5.

In his evidence in chief, Mr Chidavaenzi who also contested for the Mt Pleasant seat told the court that Banda approached him twice after he had reported to the MDC Alliance vice president Mr Morgen Komichi.

"The first time I heard Banda had used my address No 34 Waller Avenue, Mt Pleasant was three weeks before elections when he had taken part in a radio show.

"Thereafter, Banda visited my house and asked me if we would make a pact that if either one of us lost, the loser would work with the winner.

"The second time, Banda came around, he said 'Sorry old man for using your address, it was not my doing but that of my campaign manager," said Mr Chidavaenzi.

Banda's lawyer Mr Job Sikala accused Mr Chidavaenzi of being a bitter loser.

Chidavaenzi denied the allegations saying there was no bad blood between him and Banda.

"I do not believe I nailed anyone because when the CIO agents came to my house and I just stated facts. I wanted to withdraw the case, but the police told me that I was not the complainant and the State can only withdraw the case," said Chidavaenzi.

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Aiko Melendez was joined by her partner Mayor Jay Khonghun and children Andre Yllana and Marthena Jickain during a thanksgiving party held Sunday evening at Chateau 1771 in BGC.

At the thanksgiving party for her double victory as Best Supporting Actress forat the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival and Gawad Pasado Awards 2019, actressannounced that shes taking a short break from showbiz.Talking to some select members of the entertainment press in BGC on Sunday, the multi-awarded actress said that she is going to help her partner Subic Mayorwho is eyeing the vice gubernatorial position in the province of Zambales. She also took the opportunity to apologize to ABS-CBN because she had to decline a role in the upcoming series. I was supposed to do awith them. I think youve already seen the publicity shoot. I was there, but unfortunately, Im not going to be part of that series anymore. I had to decline.AndJay, Aiko appealed. The role shes supposed to play was given to, to which the 43-year-old actress was happy about. I told her to accept the project when she informed me that the role was being offered to her. Shes my friend and Im happyrole, she said. She also opened up about her fears that something bad might happen to her and her politician boyfriend after the latter was included in the presidents narco listan accusation both of them have denied.We are glad that instead of losing support, more people are showing their love for Jay, more people are expressing their support in his bid for a higher position. Its just sad-accusefor him to be tagged as one of the narco politiciansdrug lord, thats something so unfair, was her brave statement. , if theres one person who knows Jay very well, that should be me. And Ive seen how he works. I didnt see anything illegal. I didnt see or hear him doing anything suspicious. Even his drivers, his staff, who have been working for him for 15 to 20 years can attest to that. And-vouchcredibilityJay, she continued. Meanwhile, Aiko also clarified that the photos she posted on social media were not from a prenup shoot. She said that the photos were meant for a calendar that they plan to give out in Zambales. Im not engaged yet. I dont have a ring. I dont have a proposal yet or something, not, Aiko beamed. The Subic mayor, who was seated beside Aiko butted in alluding to any plans to marry the actress, Let me answer that. Aiko is a good person. Any man would be so lucky to find someone like her..
Home | World | Africa | Zimbabwe urged to improve dialogue process

Renowned human rights lawyer from Sudan, Yasmin Sooka has challenged Zimbabwe to take a cue from other African countries that have successfully managed to handle their political crisis through an effective national dialogue process.The advice by Sooka, the former chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan come at a time President Mnangagwa recently called for national dialogue among political parties in the country.

More to follow....

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Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM and TOTAL SA TOT have reached an agreement related to increased gas exports from Papua New Guinea (PNG).



Per the plan, the capacity of ExxonMobil-operated PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant will be increased to around 16 million tons per annum (mtpa) from its current capacity of 6.9 mtpa. According to analysts, the move will enable the company to compete with Australias biggest LNG projects.



The cost of the expansion is valued at about $13 billion, lower than the initial cost projection of $19.5 billion. The cost per ton is less than 50% from Chevron Corps CVX Gorgon LNG plant in Australia. The Gorgon LNG plant is slightly smaller than the expected PNG LNG facility post expansion. Another major LNG plant in Australia is the Woodside-operated North West Shelf, which has annual production of about 16 mtpa.



The expansion will include addition of three new LNG trains with a capacity of 2.7 mtpa each on the existing PNG LNG plant site.Two of these trains will be supported by gas from the Elk-Antelope fields, which is managed by TOTAL. The other train will be underpinned by existing fields and the new Pnyang field, operated by ExxonMobil. The partners intend to commence production from the new trains by around 2023 or 2024, when the LNG market is anticipated to need new supply due to growing demand in Asia and a lack of other projects.



The partners expect to reach a final investment decision in 2019. The parties intend to begin engineering and design work in the second half of 2019. Prior to these, the partners are required to agree on terms with the PNG government. The terms include domestic gas supply requirements, local content and landowner agreements. It is mandatory for the companies to agree on cost sharing and phasing the timing of their gas field developments.



ExxonMobil holds a stake of 33.2% in the LNG project. Other partners include Oil Search,Santos, National Petroleum Company of PNG, JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration Company and Mineral Resources Development holding 29%, 13.5%, 16.8%, 4.7% and 2.8%, respectively.



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Kenya on Sunday experienced earth tremors at around 7.20 pm.

The tremors were felt in several counties including Mombasa, Nyeri, Makueni, Kiambu, and Nairobi. Meteorological services said the tremor was also felt in Naivasha and Nakuru.

According to the USGS, an earthquake hazard programme, the earth tremor was measured at a magnitude of 4.8 and a depth of 9km, 41 km NNW of Wundanyi, in Taita Taveta County.

The Kenya Meteorological department noted that no significant damage was caused.

Residents at the Coast were also advised to seek higher ground and leave low lying areas near the beach until given an all-clear after geologists pinpoint the epicenter of the earth tremor.

On Twitter, Kenyans in their droves shared their experiences and as you would expect, some found humor in the rare seismic activity.

We have sampled some reactions below.

Felt the #tremor while lying on my bed but ignored it coz I thought its never that serious! #earthquake  Suzanna OWIYO  OGW (@SuzannaOwiyo) March 24, 2019

I thought its my whisky ? thats misbehaving in the body? #earthquake #tremor  Ongata Rongai ?  GRAYSON MARWA (@GrayMarwa) March 24, 2019

is it enough excuse to miss work tomorrow? #tremor  KenMwafrika (@Kenmwafrika) March 24, 2019

watch out for conman Prophet Dr David Owuor take credit for the #tremor felt in Nairobi. Such a charlatan.  Lord Abraham Mutai (@ItsMutai) March 24, 2019

At first I thought it was the world ending na nilikua napika Chapo,so I had to eat zenye zilikua ready zote ???#Earthquake #tremor  Dj Lescott (@ScottCharles254) March 24, 2019

The tremor was Ruto moving a huge piece of land into his inventory.#tremor  Anhedonia (@MegMarieqsa) March 24, 2019

Labda hii #tremor has occurred because Jubilee has stolen money for stability na hatujui?  Kigen_AbdulHakeem (@KiplimoKigen) March 24, 2019

#tremor #earthquake waah my girl was on top during that tremor waah my friend heshima nimepewa ?? then twitter ruined everything i thought i was on fire today ?  Imupset (@muitunguvincent) March 24, 2019

#Earthquake #tremor This goes to remind you all that there is a force greater than you, politics, wealth and even the most powerful persons. Nature! (God)  Leone Wandera ???? (@Legalairman) March 24, 2019

Hops onto Twitter to check if I was loosing my shit or things were actually shaking ? #tremor  Michelle Nyaribari (@__nakaniwa) March 24, 2019

Going by Kenyans rushing online to confirm the #tremor felt, I think it is safe to say that #KOT is the most likely group of persons to provide truthful information on issues. This is where the Fact checkers are.??  Dr. Mercy Korir (@DrMercyKorir) March 24, 2019

This Tremor Lasted Longer than Otile. ?#tremor  BRAVIN (@ItsBravin) March 24, 2019

I am in Kenya and I felt the tremors.

If the tectonic plates divide, please join Kenya with Canada, most of its population is aged and employment guaranteed, or at least Australia #earthquake#earthquake #tremor  bensow ramon (@bensow_ramon) March 24, 2019

I bet with all my money, Prophet Dr. David Owuor will take credit for this #Tremor. Save this tweet.#Earthquake  Victor Mochere (@VictorMochere) March 24, 2019

If you dint experience the tremor dont worry,you aint alone?

The same way Jesus will come back and few will know?

Lakini hii ya leo imeshake tu sinners,its a warning?#earthquake #tremor  Kerubo Hillary ?? (@kerubo_hillary) March 24, 2019

#tremor

who also feels uhunye should give us a holiday to nurse the trauma?  Sharon Maganga (@babe9ed60d14424) March 24, 2019

I thought something was under my bed omg!#tremor  Lilian Kiarie (@kiarie05) March 24, 2019

Am I the only one who looked outside the window after feeling the #tremor? ???  Yes I Ken (@KenMacharia_) March 24, 2019

Was out with friends last evening till late. So when my handbag started trembling on the table .. #earthquake.. I thought I gotta stop drinking ?  Cess Mutungi (@ChairladyNCTC) March 24, 2019

Tomorrow in kenya you will hear 30b shillings was used to manage the tremor ?#earthquake  GACHARA JEFF (@Senior__writers) March 24, 2019

Am I the only who didnt feel this #earthquake shit??? can it be replayed so that I feel it too?  Nelly Martha (@MarthaHatabitia) March 24, 2019

BREAKING: DP William Ruto has denied that no #earthquake has occurred in Nairobi and other parts calling it fake news. Meanwhile Redcross to ask for more funds to control the tremor situation.  Levi Sitati (@sitati) March 24, 2019

Lol the way everyone went to their TL to report the #earthquake makes me wonder how it will be at the last judgement :

Tweep 1: Is it just me or did you guys hear that trumpet?

Tweep 2: Haiya, some guy on a horse flew past my window blowing a trumpet!

?  Lia Marta (@LiaMarta33) March 24, 2019

#tremor #earthquake waah my girl was on top during that tremor waah my friend heshima nimepewa ?? then twitter ruined everything i thought i was on fire today ?  Imupset (@muitunguvincent) March 24, 2019

I love how half of Nairobi just assumed they were drunk. #earthquake  The UnIntelligible One (@contact_matt) March 24, 2019

Funny how Twitter is the one place you run to when you want to confirm something! #earthquake  Winnie Lakisha (@Winkisha) March 24, 2019

I am in Thika and I felt the tremors.

If the tectonic plates divide, please join Kenya with Australia. I would prefer US but its on the other side of everything #earthquake  JoyceMwangi (@Joyqty) March 24, 2019

Things Ill tell my kids in the future when they are not listening to me: I survived #Earthquake 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. Take a seat son! ??? The tremors tho were lil scary  Samuel Gachagua (@sammyikua) March 24, 2019

I felt it. Round 1 i did not know what was happening. I thought is the weekend alcohol ?. round 2 i was already on my way out of the house? i dont trust the cement they used ? #earthquake  Duke Laston (@dklaston) March 24, 2019

#earthquake me after kusikia tremor ya earthquake pic.twitter.com/ewzwYeLmGT  David lubisia (@David_lubisia) March 24, 2019

Dryspell imeisha. The #earthquake shaked the nanio really good???  Lioness_KE?? ?? (@lioness_KE) March 24, 2019
Brazil's ex-president and alleged head of a graft ring, Michel Temer, was freed from jail Monday after a judge said there were no legal grounds for his detention. Temer, accused of leading a sophisticated embezzlement and money laundering scheme, was the second ex-president of the Latin American country to be caught up in a sprawling anti-corruption probe called Car Wash that has claimed scores of political and corporate scalps. The 78-year-old predecessor of the current far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested Thursday in Sao Paulo and placed in "preventative detention" in Rio de Janeiro -- a decision overturned by judge Antonio Ivan Athie, citing the lack of legal justification. Athie also ordered the immediate release of former mines and energy minister Moreira Franco and several others detained along with Temer. "I am not against the so-called Car Wash (investigation)," Athie said in his decision. "I want to see our country free from the corruption that plagues it. However, without constitutional guarantees, guaranteed to all ... there is no legitimacy in the fight against this plague." Despite evidence that could incriminate the accused, it "did not justify preventative detention", Athie said, pointing to the absence of proof that the accused were a threat to public order or would hide evidence. Hours after the ruling, Temer was freed and whisked away in a car. The federal prosecutor's office said it would appeal the decision. - 'Various crimes' - The federal prosecutor's office on Thursday accused Temer of leading a criminal organization that was "involved in concrete acts of clear gravity." It described a "sophisticated criminal system" which by the end of 2014 had made illicit payments of some one million reais (the equivalent of $500,000 at the time) in connection with the construction of a nuclear power plant that was never completed. Investigations suggest the group may have committed "various crimes" with public agencies and state-owned companies involving nearly half a billion dollars, the statement said. Since 2014 the Car Wash probe has uncovered a vast graft operation involving state oil firm Petrobras and major construction companies and bribes to politicians of several parties. More than 150 people have been convicted and hundreds more charged so far. The scale of the corruption uncovered has stunned Brazilians weary of graft among their leaders. Temer is just the latest ex-president caught up in the probe. Former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is serving a lengthy jail term after being convicted in two corruption cases. Temer, who took over as a caretaker figure after the last Workers Party president, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached and removed from office in 2016, was Brazil's most unpopular leader ever. While Rousseff was not directly implicated in the Car Wash scandal, she was damaged by association, having chaired the board at Petrobras between 2003-2010, when much of the alleged corruption was flourishing. Temer, a center-right politician of the PMDB party, faced several corruption accusations on leaving office last year. Brazil's Congress voted to dismiss two allegations in 2017, cementing his reputation as the ultimate survivor in one of the world's messiest and most scandal-ridden democracies. Former Brazilian president Michel Temer was detained on allegations of corruption


Katie Holmes took her daughter Suri to visit refugees in Greece.

The 40-year-old actress recently spent time at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos and took to Instagram to share some photos from the trip, including one of 12-year-old Suri - her only child with ex-husband Tom Cruise - laughing as she played with a young boy.

The 'Logan Lucky' actress - who is a global ambassador for Artolution, a community-based organisation that "seeks to ignite positive social change through collaborative art making - also shared a group photo that included herself, Suri and the charity's co-founder Max Frieder standing outside Moria.

She captioned the image: "Wonderful to spend time with such beautiful souls."

Katie felt "grateful" to have been invited on the trip, where she did some painting and created art with the "incredible women" at the refugee camp.

She captioned a series of pictures: "I am so grateful for this experience of working with and getting to know these incredible women in #moriarefugeecamp their hearts are so kind.

"I love these women who became our friends as we collaborated on many different projects this week.

"I am so very grateful for this experience. The resilience of these women is so profound and truly inspiring to witness. And I pray for refugees everywhere #moreiarefugeecamp."

The camp in Moria is said to be mainly home to refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

While Suri is largely unseen in the public eye these days, the Greece trip is the second time her mother has shared photos of her daughter on Instagram recently.

Last month, she posted a black and white picture of Suri and her friend from behind as they looked over a mountain.

Quoting Virginia Woolf, the former 'Dawson's Creek' star captioned the image: "No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself."
Kenya Airways chief executive Sebastian Mikosz answers questions from members of the public.

Sir, I am a small shareholder of Kenya Airways who, like other shareholders, has gone for many years with without dividends due to the massive losses the company has been reporting in recent years. What new revenue streams are you looking at to boost the profitability and stability of KQ and make shareholders happy? Dan Murugu, Nakuru

I perfectly understand the shareholder expectations on payment of dividends from KQ. The current situation is, however, that unlike in the past, KQs position has been affected by a drastic change in market conditions which in turn affected the organisations profitability. My focus is on improving our equity and balance sheet by employing a different operating model, so we get back to profitability. These include development of ancillary revenue streams, improving the efficiency of our aircraft deployment, opening new routes and developing a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) strategy.

We will need to leverage our profits to support the growth of the airline back to a respectable financial position to enable us pay dividends. Significant reinvestment is, therefore, required to return the airline to its rightful position as a major player in the Africa aviation market. Our overall aim is to return to a sustainably positive financial position where we can meet shareholder expectations.

Your initial two-year term will be coming to an end by June this year. Do you intend to stay on? Fredrick Mulama, Bungoma

Let me take this opportunity to once again give the correct position regarding my contract. It is for a three-year period. It runs from June 1, 2017 and ends in June 2020.

When you were at the helm of LOT Polish Airlines you were credited with turning around the company. What measures have you so far implemented to rid KQ of mismanagement and corruption to enable it compete effectively with other airlines? Andrew Maranga Ratemo, Malindi

Firstly, the allegations of corrupt practices in the company in the past are yet to be proven to the relevant authorities, and I welcome anyone with proof to present them. This is the only way we can make true change.

From the time I joined KQ, market conditions have changed. The airline environment has become more competitive and we therefore need to adapt to remain relevant. From a human resource perspective, we need to shift the mindset that we are a State corporation and adopt a private sector approach to recover market share. This is a key focus area and is what we have started implementing to bring back the airline to profitability. We are opening new destinations like New York and will soon open Geneva and re-establish Rome where we will use our Dreamliners.

What happened in LOT Polish Airlines was similar to the KQ situation, where despite a financial bailout we quickly undertook a restructuring that enabled it to grow back to profitability. I intend to deploy a similar strategy in ensuring the efficient growth of KQ.

On KQs proposed but already controversial Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Kenya Airports Authority over management of JKIA, can you confidently assure staff of both KQ and KAA that their jobs will be secure if the proposal finally goes through? Okulo Andrew Guya, University of Nairobi

Let me first dispel the rumour that the PPP is controversial. This project has already been publicly condemned by commentators without taking time to understand the issues currently affecting Kenyas aviation sector. Let us put KQ aside for a moment. Kenyas aviation market is slowly losing share and if something is not done to arrest it, it will lose its position as a regional hub, affecting jobs and ultimately Kenyas economy. The motivation of this PPP proposal is informed by these market conditions to ensure that we reverse the trend. The proposal is to have an SPV (special purpose vehicle) structure whose sole aim is to ensure that both KAAs assets at JKIA and Kenya AirwaysKAAs main customercan compete effectively with other airports and carriers in the region. This is how our competitors are currently operating. We want to grow us as we grow the aviation industry in Kenya. We have no plans at all to declare any staff redundant. In fact, we are in the process of finalising the recruitment of 48 more pilots, 100 more flight attendants and have advertised for an additional 87 Assistant Flight Pursers. This is informed by the continued expansion of our network and our ambitious business aspirations.

Concerns have been raised that you have brought in many Poles who now call the shots at KQ. How true is this and could you give a breakdown of the expatriates by their nationalities currently working at KQ? David Mutua, Kilifi

The issue of expatriates has been blown out of proportion. KQ is a Kenyan company that operates in a global market. As such it competes with international players and needs different points of view and perspectives on the business. It needs to source talent globally as well as locally. This is normal in Airline operations. As of today, Kenya Airways employs 18 expatriates, including all secondments, out of the total number of more than 3,000 employees. This is approximately 0.6 per cent of the entire KQ staff. For your information, we have 36 Kenyans working as expatriates in other countries in the world. Should we therefore bring them back to Kenya? If we want to be global, then let us think global.

News about negative performance of Kenya Airways have for years dominated the media but given the time you have been at the helm since 2017, I believe you now know more about the airline than the rest of us. What exactly has been ailing our national carrier? Francis Njuguna, Kibichoi

It is easy to bash the airline when all is not well without taking effort to understand the real reasons things did not work out. I would rather draw lessons from it to guide our forward strategy. At the moment our focus is on returning us to profitability through reviewing our operating model to better compete in the market, efficiently deploying our assets, building our MRO capacity, and enhancing our customer experience alongside other revenue generating initiatives.

Among the many causes for KQs current financial troubles is the use of many special purpose vehicles that were registered in Cayman Islands and other tax havens, and whose owners are unknown, but which were used to purchase aircrafts on behalf of KQ at exorbitant prices. They include Amboseli Limited, Walkers SPV and Samburu Ltd. In the proposed takeover of JKIA, KQ is again proposing setting up another SPV for the purpose of running the airport. What assurance do we, as Kenyans, have that this SPV will not take us to where earlier ones have confined KQ? Wafula Pius, Nairobi

SPVs have been wrongly judged in the public domain, yet there is no proof that they are involved in any financial impropriety. SPVs are basically subsidiaries that protect the financier from bankruptcy and are common in financing of large assets like ships and aircraft. From a financiers perspective, loans are made to SPVs, where the aircraft are owned by the SPV for the duration of financing. The SPVs are incorporated in the Cayman Islands as it is a tax-efficient jurisdiction which benefits all parties in the transaction. To give you an example, JamboJet is actually an SPV formed to run operations of a competitively priced regional carrier.

Sir, your chairman, Michael Joseph, in a Right of Reply piece in this paper last week did elaborate that the proposed PPP deal, among other benefits, will increase jobs from the current 950 to more than 3,000. However, employees, through their union leaders, are some of the fiercest critics of the deal. In fact, they want you and Mr Joseph out soonest. Why would employees fight a scheme that would guarantee their jobs and create more jobs for other Kenyans? How will you overcome the politics in this issue? Komen Moris, Eldoret

I was also totally surprised by the unions actions. As KQ, we have submitted a proposal to KAA which is under consideration. KAA then needs to come back to us with their submission. In short, we are not at the stage where management is expected to engage the unions in discussions. The impression created that the proposal was finalised is therefore false and is meant to fuel negative political sentiment on a straightforward process. We are, however, committed to engaging with the union on this issue.

KQ has been facing serious competition in the region, with Ethiopian Airways doing much better than KQ while RwandAir has also made positive steps which threaten KQs dominance. In Tanzania, the government has recently been making heavy capital investment in their national carrier. How does KQ intend to go about this situation and emerge unscathed in the cut-throat competition that commercial aviation has become? Boniface Shimoli, Nairobi

I fully share your point of view on the market. Our model which has been successful in the past needs to be reviewed, vis-a-vis that of our competitors. We have to adapt to compete effectively, hence the proposal to mirror the competitions business model, by consolidating airport and airline assets that will enable us jointly benefit from revenue growth. Our aim is to bring JKIA and Kenya Airways to the Top Five ranking in terms of cargo and passenger traffic and financial performance.

In October last year, Kenya Airways launched the much-publicised direct flights to the US then shortly after reduced the frequency. Could the reduction have been a result of poor or inadequate market research? Janet K. Mwaita, Nairobi

We conduct market research to ascertain the viability of any route we are considering and New York was no exception. Kenya Airways started marketing the New York route at least one year prior to the maiden flight, and we took an aggressive market entry approach, selling the seven-day a week proposition. As we progressed we realised that seasonality is a big factor in US market behaviour.

Like any business, we factored this through tactical changes to our schedule and adopted a seasonal cycle that would have five flights a week during the low season and seven flights a week during the high season. Daily flights will resume from June 20 to September 8, 2019, and from December 15, 2019 to January 15, 2020. This business cycle enables us to better optimise our investment in the route. We remain strongly committed to the New York route.

In 2012, the previous KQ management carried out retrenchment that the courts later found to have been done unfairly. Is there a chance that the company can review some of the genuine cases and give those individuals a second chance especially if they have upgraded their skills that are relevant in the industry? I am one of the victims of the retrenchment. Antony Ngumbau, Nairobi

I do empathise with the situation. Retrenchment is never an easy exercise for any company to undertake as it touches on the livelihoods of the staff affected. As Kenya Airways, we are constantly looking out for the best talent with the skills and experience needed to enable us to meet our strategic agenda and to meet our business objectives. I encourage you to look out for opportunities that we may advertise.

Suppose the proposed PPP deal on JKIA does not work out, what will be the immediate and long-term consequences to Kenya Airways? Would you lose a nights sleep if the proposed deal failed? Brian Okudo Ochieng, Migori

Our immediate focus will be to review our growth strategy and to make the necessary adjustments. If the proposal does not go through, we do have other options. However, we all need to realise that it will take longer to realise our growth ambitions. Consequently, Kenyas position as a regional hub will also be affected.

For several years, KQ has been losing some of their best pilots, engineers and even cabin crew to rival airlines like Emirates. Why cant KQ attract and retain its most skilled people? Steve Biko, Awasi

The correct position is that this has been happening over the last two years. Staff leaving one organisation for another is a normal occurrence, even in the aviation industry. The reasons vary, from remuneration, to career growth and even to the environment. I am afraid I cannot answer for those who have left but I believe that KQ is still an attractive employer as we are still actively recruiting pilots, engineers and cabin crew.

Sir, with regard to Dreamliners, initially KQ had made it public that they were purchasing the aircrafts. However, some reports now suggest that KQ was leasing the Dreamliners from a company called Awas Aviation. Could you offer clarity on this matter? Francis Kimani, Nairobi

Contrary to the way this issue has been sensationalised in the public, Kenya Airways leases its aircraft from reputable aircraft leasing companies. KQ has a fleet of nine Dreamliners which are currently in operation. Out of the nine, six are on finance lease which means KQ is servicing loans towards final ownership of the aircraft (equivalent to house mortgage, where you have right of use and eventually right of ownership is transferred upon completion of the loan). The other three are on operating leases. This is a contract that allows for the use of assets but does not convey rights to ownership. The current lessors of the three leased aircraft are Peregrem, BOCA and Dubai Aerospace. All these are reputable aircraft leasing companies.

It is almost two years since you took over at Kenya Airways with a promise to rescue it from the financial difficulties it was in. What was the status of KQ then and how is it now? Flora M. Koech, Nairobi

I am optimistic. After two years at the helm, we have progressively improved our financial position. We have seen significant year-on-year revenue growth both in passenger and cargo business. We also continue to pay attention to costs. Management is committed to grow revenues and to address cost challenges. This will be a long and challenging process, but we are optimistic that we are on the right track.

Source: Nation.co.ke
Last week the ethanol industry cheered when the EPA proposed a rule that would allow 15% ethanol blends to be sold year-round. But by the end of the week they were complaining as the EPA granted more waivers to refiners seeking exemption from ethanol-blending requirements.

Ethanol supporters cheered last summer when Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned. As Oklahomas Attorney General, Pruitt had sued the EPA over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). As EPA Administrator, Pruitt seemed determined to weaken the RFS.

Pruitt angered the ethanol industry by liberally granting waivers to some refiners that sought relief from their ethanol blending quotas. Refiners save money with these waivers, but they also lower the value of the credits refiners must pay to comply with the mandate. That means the waivers weaken the RFS, so they were an irritant for the ethanol industry and its supporters.

Following Pruitts departure, Andrew Wheeler, who was Pruitts second-in-command, took over as EPA Administrator.

Last week the agency unveiled a proposed rule to allow year-round sales of 15% ethanol fuel blends (E15). Year-round E15 sales had been restricted because of the potential to form smog from evaporative emissions.

The ethanol industry had long sought to sell E15 year-round and cheered the news. The new rule would also establish trading restrictions to curb speculation in renewable identification numbers (RINs). Speculation in RINs  which are used to enforce the ethanol mandate  has been blamed for driving ethanol prices higher at times.

But then Wheeler irritated the ethanol industry just a few days after announcing the E15 rule change, when he granted five new RFS waivers to refiners. Ethanol supporters who cheered the E15 change complained that the waivers let refiners off the hook. Related: U.S. Didnt Import Venezuelan Oil Last WeekFor The First Time Ever

Neil Koehler, CEO of Pacific Ethanol, and chairman of the Renewable Fuels Association stated:

If on the one hand you are allowing this additional market access by removing an arbitrary barrier, and on the other hand youre destroying demand through inappropriate granting of a mass number of small refinery exemptions that arguably will interfere with the growth of the higher blends. Its important that both get addressed.

It seems to me that the RFS quotas are at least as arbitrary as the 10% barrier was, so what the ethanol industry really seeks is that refiners are forced to blend at least 10% but allowed to blend more. Refiners, on the other hand, would like to be able to blend any amount they choose based on what economics dictate, even if that means zero ethanol blended.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley complained on Twitter that these five ridiculous RFS waivers would translate into nearly a billion bushels of corn demand lost.

Senator Grassley and other ethanol proponents are angry that EPA is allowing the waivers to reduce the overall blending requirement to below the RFS mandate. They want the RFS requirements to be raised to make up for previous losses due to the waivers.

In following Pruitt, Andrew Wheelers EPA seems to have succeeded in angering both the oil industry and the ethanol industry, neither of which is getting everything they want.

By Robert Rapier

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As Washington and Beijing try to reach a deal after months of disagreement and trade tensions that have impacted not only both countries but the global economy as well as global oil demand growth and oil prices, new developments broke this weekend that will likely create more headwinds between the two countries. On Sunday, two American ships sailed through the growingly controversial Taiwan Strait.

U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Curtis Wilbur, and U.S. Coast Guard cutter, USCGC Bertholf, "conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit March 24-25 (local time) in accordance with international law," the Navy's Seventh Fleet said in a statement. "The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," U.S. Navy Commander Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Navy's Seventh Fleet. said in a statement.

Trumps pro-Taiwan pivot

Unlike the Obama Administration, President Trump has reinforced U.S.-Taiwan relations even as Beijing continues to put more pressure against the self-ruled island that China considers its sovereign territory, while it still has never ruled out force in order to bring the country under its rule. President Trump, for his part, approved $330 millionn in arms sales to Taiwan in September, which provoked a stern rebuke from Beijing. However, that amount is the lowest in recent years, as U.S. policymakers weigh their obligation to help defend Taiwan against provoking Beijing in a delicate cat and mouse game that has been ongoing for years. Taiwan, for its part, particularly under current Taiwanese president Tsai lng-wen, has sought to solidify Taiwanese self-rule even. This weekends U.S. voyage marks the third such trip this year in the Taiwan Strait. Related: Worlds 2nd Largest Oil Company Sees Huge Drop In Profit

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen told CNN last month that the Chinese military threat posed by Beijing was growing "every day" in line with a more assertive foreign policy under its President Xi Jinping. Before her election, relations between China and Taiwan had reached a new era of conciliation or, as Beijing would like to call it, reconciliation during the administration of President MaYing-jeou, a Beijing-leaning bureaucratic that seemed prepared to allow the merging of the two sides through economic cooperation. Now that Tsai has been in office around three years, cross-strait relations can arguably be called the worst since 1979 when China stopped firing artillery barrages across the strait at Taiwanese outlaying islands.

Threat to Taiwans energy imports

As of Monday morning Beijing time, the Chinese government had yet to officially respond to the U.S. naval voyage. However, when it does reply, it will likely condemn the U.S. action, while also stating (again) that Taiwan is sovereign Chinese territory and the U.S. should avoid meddling in Chinese domestic affairs. Politics notwithstanding, there are also concerns in both Taipei and Washington that increased force and military activity by Beijing in the Taiwan Strait in recent years could also impact Taiwans energy sector - a dynamic that would quickly cripple the countrys economy.

Chinas air force has conducted several island encirclement patrols near Taiwan beginning on April 18, 2018. The drills reportedly featured different types of Chinese warplanes including H-6k bombers, Su-30, and J-11 fighters, and surveillance, alert aircraft, which aimed to test and hone their real combat capabilities. Chinese Air force spokesman Shen Jinke said recently that China would continue to carry out such patrols, adding that the country has the determination, confidence, and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to Taiwanese official statistics, oil, coal, and natural gas made up 48 percent, 29 percent, and 13 percent of Taiwans total primary energy consumption in 2015, respectively, while the remainder was mostly nuclear (7 percent) and smaller amounts of various renewable energy sources. Total energy import dependence was about 98 percent, according to the Taiwanese government.

By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com

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Chinas liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports increased in February compared to the same month last year, but fell from the record highs from January as the winter heating season approaches its end amid ample supplies in Asia.

According to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs, cited by Reuters, Chinese imports of LNG in February 2019 increased by 9.7 percent compared to February 2018, to 4.35 million tons.

The February 2019 imports, however, were off the record high LNG imports from January 2019, when Chinese imports reached 6.55 million tons, up by 2 percent from the previous record set in December.

Chinese LNG demand is still expected to grow, but this winter season, China was better prepared to meet its natural gas needs with LNG imports.

This, coupled with milder weather in Asia for most of the winter and rising global LNG supply, has led to Asian spot LNG prices dropping this winter. Last week, spot prices for May delivery to Northeast Asia slumped to below $5 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu)the lowest level since May 2016, traders told Reuters.

China will still see its LNG demand growing, but at a slower pace than the growth between 2017 and 2018.

China breakneck demand surge of the past two years is expected to slow down this year as Beijing is determined to avoid severe shortages by boosting pipeline connectivity, building more storage and import terminals, and raising domestic natural gas production.

Economic slowdown, a more considered approach on coal-to-gas switching and increased domestic infrastructure availability will mean LNG demand will slow in 2019, from the 40-45% growth we have seen in 2017 and 2018, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said in its 2019 LNG outlook in early January.

But China will still grow at around 20%, by far the largest source of LNG demand growth in the global market, according to WoodMac.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Two Russian planes with 100 troops landed in Venezuela this weekend, Reuters reports, citing media reports and flight tracking websites. The move is the latest signal of strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow amid growing pressure on the Maduro government from Washington.

It also comes three months after the Venezuelan and Russian army conducted joint military exercises in Venezuela. At the time, the U.S. government slammed the exercises as Russian encroachment in South America.

An explanation for the presence of the troops came from Russian state-owned news outlet Sputnik, which cited a source as saying, Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character.

The news, however, will no doubt spark a reaction from Washington as the Venezuelan crisis continues with no resolution in sight despite the increasing pressure that the United States is piling up on the government in Caracas.

Yet the leader of the opposition and president of the national Assembly, Juan Guaido, said this weekend that the end of the Maduro government is in sight. The self-declared interim president who called for new elections told Reuters that allies of the Venezuelan opposition were in talks with high-ranking military personnel to switch sides as the army seems to be the factor that can tip the scales one way or another.

They are isolated, alone, they are falling apart day by day, Guaido said. The citizens do not like them, they reject them, they hate them, because that is what they have received from them: hate.

The diplomatic pressure has worked, the economic pressure and the pressure on assets have worked, Guaido also told Reuters.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Maduro is accusing the opposition leader and those around him of plotting to kill him with the support of the United States to assume control of Venezuelas oil wealth.

By Irina Slav or Oilprice.com

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The governor of Khuzestan, the biggest oil-rich province in Iran, has banned government officials from leaving it despite the danger of floods in the region, Radio Farda reports, citing a statement by Gholamreza Shariati.

"Since there are some concerns over the basin of Karkheh River, forces have been assigned to check the floodgates, and do whatever necessary to confront a possible flash flood in the province," the Khuzestan governor said.

The local meteorological service has warned there is a danger of floods in parts of the west and southwest of the country as well as freezing temperatures. While drought is a typical occurrence in the southern province of Khuzestan, now its another disaster threatening the region and putting the capabilities of local authorities to handle emergencies to the test.

The Khuzestan governors statement comes after Irans vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, fired another governor for failing to return from a trip to Europe to oversee the management of the flood emergency in his area.

According to a CIA file, Khuzestan accounts for almost 70 percent of the countrys oil production. More importantly, perhaps, the province produces almost all of Irans natural gas. It also houses four ports that are Irans largest exit point for various exports.

Despite the oil wealth, Khuzestan is one of the poorest regions of Iran and it is also home to most of its Arab population, which, according to the CIA, accounts for two-thirds of the provinces total population.

This population, for its part, accounts for a small percentage of the total, at 6.5 percent, yet it is far from peaceful: last year, Arab separatists killed 29 people during a military parade in the latest outbreak of violence among a population thats comparable in its strife to the communities in the Niger Delta.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Security forces at the Alaas field in northern Iraq have thwarted an attack by Islamic State militants, killing and injuring several attackers, Iraqi media report citing a statement from the operator of the field, North Oil Company.

This is the latest in several attacks by the terrorist group on the field after it was driven out of the area in 2017. At the time, Alaas was one of the fields that IS set on fire during its retreat.

While Baghdad celebrated the defeat of Islamic State after the battle for Mosul, the last remaining stronghold of the terrorist group in the country, even then there were military experts who warned that not all militants were destroyed in the push, warning that the group will sooner or later resurface.

According to security reports from the Kurdistan Regional Government from the last few months, this is already happening: according to the Kurdish forces, sleeper cells are waking up and terrorist activity is increasing.

Indeed, the number of kidnappings, car bombings, assassinations of local community leaders and attacks on the grid have remained high even after the official end of the war with IS. The militants have also started targeting oil fields again. In early February, Iraqi media reported two attacks on oil police checkpoint staff in a single weekend.

For now, the attacks are being thwarted successfully by the Iraqi security forces, which retook control of the northern oil fields around Kirkuk after the ill-fated independence referendum in the Kurdistan autonomous region. Whats more, the state-owned oil companies have ambitious oil production plans for the future.

Iraq had oil reserves of 153 billion barrels as of 2017, and in 2018 Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said the actual reserves could be twice as large. If the higher estimate proves true, it would make Iraq the largest oil-rich country in the world, ahead of Venezuela, which claims that its reserves are just above 300 billion barrels, and also ahead of Saudi Arabia.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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" " Activists have brought suit in federal court, aiming to grant the Colorado River the same legal rights as a person. David McNew/Getty Images

A federal lawsuit filed in September against the state of Colorado seeks to have the Colorado River ecosystem recognized as "possessing rights similar to a 'person,'" including "certain rights to exist, flourish, regenerate and naturally evolve."

The litigation, filed by Denver attorney Jason Flores-Williams, actually names the river ecosystem as the plaintiff in the suit. Environmental groups Deep Green Resistance (DGR) and the Southwest Coalition and several individual activists also are participating as the role of "next friends" acting on behalf of the river to bring the lawsuit. DGR activist Will Falk explained in a San Diego Free Press article that the lawsuit is an effort to counter a system that "currently defines nature as property."

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Flores-Williams has significant experience representing homeless people in class-action litigation against the city of Denver and city officials. He says that that previous work inspired the river lawsuit. "The only thing more homeless than homeless people is nature," he says.

" " The Colorado River pictured five miles from its source in the Rocky Mountains. raclro/Getty Images

Flores-Williams says that after researching legal efforts to protect the environment, he came to the conclusion that even those "heroic" lawsuits hadn't prevented environmental conditions from worsening. One reason, he says, is that "many environmental cases are dismissed for a lack of standing, because you can't show what somebody, or a corporation or a state, is doing is of immediate harm to a human being."

"It's a real problem, a procedural defect," says Flores-Williams.

If the river lawsuit is successful, Flores-Williams says that it would enable groups to act on behalf of the river, and make their case by showing that a defendant is damaging the waterway, without the need to prove that humans are being hurt.

The idea of nature having legal rights isn't a new idea. Back in 1972, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, in his dissenting opinion in the case of Sierra Club v. Morton, argued that environmental issues might be put in better focus if lawsuits could be filed "in the name of the inanimate object about to be despoiled, defaced, or invaded by roads and bulldozers, and where injury is the subject of public outrage. Contemporary public concern for protecting nature's ecological equilibrium should lead to the conferral of standing upon environmental objects to sue for their own preservation."

Douglas cited legal scholar Christopher D. Stone, whose book "Should Trees Have Standing?" made the case that natural objects could have legal rights, which would be exercised with the assistance of appointed guardians.

Since then, an international movement has sprouted to confer legal rights on nature, and recently, several countries have afforded such status to rivers. In March 2017, for example, after long negotiations with indigenous people, the New Zealand Parliament passed legislation that declared the Whangagui (Te Awa Tupua) River to be "a legal person" with all of the rights, powers, duties and liabilities that any other New Zealand resident might have.

Shortly after the New Zealand decision, a court in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand ruled that the Ganges River and its main tributary, the Yamuna River, also deserved the same legal status as human beings.

Even so, the Colorado River lawsuit may face a difficult legal road. Reed Benson, chairman of the environmental law program at the University of New Mexico, told the New York Times that he considered it "a long shot in more ways than one."

But Flores-Williams doesn't seem deterred by the challenge, or by worries that some might take a dim view of a river being granted rights similar to those of a human being, or of a corporation.

"I wish people would get hung up on the idea that our environment is being diminished," he says. "The river should have a right to exist." Additionally, he says, "anyone knows that if the Colorado River is extinguished, it would cause an injury to us all."

The office of Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper declined to comment on the suit itself, but, via email, spokesperson Jacque Montgomery defended the state's efforts to protect the river.

"Colorado and countless partners have long understood the significance of the Colorado River system and the need to balance our needs for water with conservation and enhancement of the river ecosystem," she wrote. "This extends from efforts to protect  and improve habitat for  endangered fish in the river over the course of decades to the recent development of Colorado's Water Plan. That plan's very essence is about working together to ensure sufficient water supplies for agriculture, cities, recreation and the environment as our state continues to grow. The Colorado River, and its protection, has been a fundamental focus of Colorado as a state, but also of local governments and water utilities who themselves depend upon the river's health and function as necessary for their own success."

Flores-Williams says that activists in other states have expressed interest in filing similar suits.

Now That's Interesting The Constitution of Ecuador contains an entire chapter laying out the legal rights of nature, including "the right to integral respect for its existence" and "the right to be restored."
" " An Indian man walks past a wall covered in graffiti on various world religions in Mumbai. There are somewhere around 4,200 religions operating in the world today, with over 2,500 in the U.S. alone, although there is no exact count. INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images

If, as Karl Marx suggested, religion is the "opium of the people," we live on a planet where nobody needs to walk too far down the street to get drugs. Each year, hundreds of new religious movements are born; they're all over the place if you know where to look. Never mind that only a tiny fraction of them will survive  there's more where they came from.

So, who starts new religions and why?

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Spiritual Startups

Starting a new religion is actually a lot like rolling out a new social media app: Hundreds of these things appear out of thin air every year, created by go-getters with some entrepreneurial spirit, egoism, creativity, ambition and flair for presenting an idea. But dumb luck and good timing play a part, too  sometimes an idea comes along that speaks to people's needs and concerns at a particular moment in history. When this happens, some buzz is generated, people get curious, and maybe (just maybe), the whole thing blows up. And we end up with Snapchat or Scientology.

Religious scholars avoid the word "cult" when describing new religious movements since the term is so laden with value judgments, but every new religious sect or spiritual movement essentially begins the same way: as a cult.

"The big joke in religion is that Cult + Time = Religion," says Reza Aslan, a religious scholar and author of bestselling books about the beginnings of both Islam and Christianity. "Christianity was a cult for hundreds of years before it became the official religion of the Roman Empire. To this day, there are Americans who call Mormonism a cult, in spite of the fact that it's one of the most thriving religions in the world."

Truth is, at some point most of the world's great religions were what most people would call "cults," started by upstarts like Jesus or Muhammad or Buddha. But according to Lorne Dawson, a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo and author of "Comprehending Cults: The Sociology of New Religious Movements," while many of these motivational leaders have the drive to start a new spiritual group, precious few have the wherewithal to manage it through the awkward early stages without mismanaging finances, alienating their followers or otherwise letting their egos get the better of them.

"Cults have a bad reputation because corruption is pretty common within these groups," says Dawson. "But in many cases, these charismatic leaders are really trying to help people. Research shows, in many of these new religious movements, people [adherents] are successfully overcoming drug or alcohol addiction, family problems, etc., because the religions really do provide new stabilizing influences in their lives."

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The World's Newest Religions

There are so, so many religions out there. There are hundreds of offshoots of Tibetan Buddhism, different forms of Mormonism, UFO religions and countless reconceived notions of every form of Christianity you can think of. One Christian sect might follow a preacher who believes in polygamous marriage while another might have very specific rules on how to baptize somebody. You name it, it's available.

According to Dawson, reliable estimates put the number of officially recognized religions currently operating in the United States at around 2,500. The U.S. is a very religious society, compared to Europe or Canada, which each currently has only a few dozen new religions. Africa also seems to be a hotbed of new religiosity:

"Africa was the last place to be penetrated by European religion  primarily by Islam and Christianity," says Dawson. "There have been loads of conversions away from native practice, just in the last 100 years. As so often happens, when people convert, they usually combine their animistic beliefs with some elements of Catholicism. In the case of Africa, this has been in the midst of economic upheaval, new diseases and a lot of disruption. It's ripe for new prophets to show up and say, 'I've got the new truth, we're all going to be OK.'"

This is not to say these new religions are OK with the establishment, though. One back-to-the-land spiritual movement on the island of Borneo called Milah Abraham was in the news in 2017 because its leader, Ahmad Mushaddeq, was jailed for blasphemy in Indonesia for claiming to be the actual son of God. Mushaddeq has over 50,000 followers, and the Indonesian government isn't happy about it  the country recognizes six different religions, but Milah Abraham isn't one of them.

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Stricter New Religions Succeed ... Sort Of

If a new spiritual movement makes it out of the awkward beginning stages, if enough people are committed to giving their money and time to the cause, it needs to develop institutionalized control. A rigid hierarchy and clearcut guidelines about the difference between correct and incorrect belief tend to attract true believers and keep out the freeloaders  people who take advantage of the essential do-gooder-ish-ness of a religion without being invested in helping it succeed.

The Church of Scientology is a good example of a new, very successful religion that did a great job in its mid-century beginnings of laying down some clearcut guidelines for the levels of commitment expected of its believers. In return, Scientology promised a new, powerful identity, a better type of salvation than anyone else was offering, as well as prosperity and luck. But as the religion has grown, something new and 100 percent expected happened: the followers of Scientology have begun to want to define the religion for themselves.

"For the first time, Scientology is having to confront sects  Scientologists breaking off from the church but not the religion," Aslan says. "They're seizing for themselves the power to define Scientology for themselves. The church says they aren't allowed to do this, but that's the same argument every religious institution makes. That's what the Vatican said when Luther nailed his Theses to the church door: 'Only we can define what is and isn't Christian.'"

And we know who won that argument.

So, although stricter religions are generally more successful, the five great world religions  Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism  all have one thing in common: They have made themselves strong enough to survive continual dissension over orthodoxy and evolve with the changing needs of their communities.

"In the U.S., both slave owners and abolitionists used not only the same Bible to justify their argument, they used the exact same verses. When that's the kind of scripture that you have, you know it's going to last," Aslan says.

Now That's Interesting There is a relatively new file-sharing religion out there called Kopimism that originated in Sweden in 2010 and propounds that the copying of information is sacred and that "all people should have access to all information produced."
Canada has granted asylum to a woman who helped Edward Snowden hide in Hong Kong after his leaks exposed US global surveillance programs, a refugee rights association said Monday. Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana were scheduled to arrive in Toronto later Monday on a flight from Hong Kong, the non-profit organization For the Refugees said. They were set to travel to Montreal on Tuesday to settle there as private sector-sponsored refugees. Rodel was among a group of people who sheltered Snowden, a former CIA employee and US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, putting him up in her apartment in 2013 while he was in Hong Kong on the run from US authorities. His leaks of highly classified documents revealed the existence of global surveillance programs run by the NSA in cooperation with partners Australia, Britain and Canada. Snowden, who now lives in Russia, was charged in June 2013 in the United States with espionage and stealing state secrets. Canada granted Rodel, a Philippines national, and her daughter asylum in January but it was kept secret for security reasons, according to For the Refugees. "Me and Keana can have a real life, a real future in Canada," Rodel told Radio-Canada by phone before she boarded a plane to Toronto. "I'm so happy." In a tweet in French, Snowden gave "thanks to all who, in Canada and across the world, made this possible. After so many years, the first of the families who helped me is free, and has a future." "But the work is not over. With solidarity and compassion, Canada can save all of them," he added. - Others remain - Five other people who helped Snowden have also requested asylum but remain in Hong Kong awaiting a response, according to the daily National Post. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate to do so in "a situation regarding a specific case." But Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland implicitly confirmed the report, telling reporters she had not personally intervened in the process. Asked during a Washington visit whether the granting of asylum might harm US-Canadian relations, Freeland told reporters that Ottawa based its decision on case-by-case considerations, not "geopolitical relations." A spokesperson for Canada's immigration ministry also declined to comment except to say that in "exceptional circumstances" requests for asylum can be accelerated. Radio Canada said Rodel was under pressure from Hong Kong authorities and faced a risk of deportation to the Philippines.
AUTHORITIES arrested on Sunday, March 24, another National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant who has a standing arrest warrant for murder.Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar

AUTHORITIES arrested on Sunday, March 24, another National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant who has a standing arrest warrant for murder.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde identified the arrested NDFP consultant as Francisco Hernandez, who was nabbed in Barangay Calumpang, Liliw, Laguna at 5:16 a.m. Sunday.

Hernandez was arrested along with his wife, Cleofe Lagtapon, and Gee-Ann Perez, who are allegedly both members of the leftist group.

Recovered from them were three short firearms, assorted ammunition, and various electronic gadgets, which they allegedly used for their extortion activities and several subversive documents.

Albayalde said Hernandez has four standing arrest warrants over murder charges. His wife was included in one of the arrest warrants.

The arrest of the two of the most wanted person (national level) holding key position of CPP-NPA-NDF, specifically Kilusang Rehiyon Negros Committee, will greatly affect the leadership aspect of the communist terrorists group, he said.

In addition, it shows genuine support and serious campaign to eliminate or neutralize the 50 long years existence of CPP-NDF-NPA that brought terror and problems to the Filipino people and its government, he added.

Hernandez was among the NDFP consultant who was temporarily released to take part in the peace negotiations between the government and communist leaders in Oslo, Norway in 2016.

Of the 23 NDFP consultants who were released, six have already been re-arrested, including Hernandez.

Earlier, the PNP also arrested CPP key leaders Rafael Baylosis, Vicente Ladlad, Rey Claro Casamber and Renante Gamara over illegal possession of firearms. (SunStar Philippines)
MANILA, Philippines  The Philippines and Japan signed on Tuesday (March 19) a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that assures better protection for soon-to-be-hired overseas Filipino workers (OFW) under the new specified skills residency in Japan.

The agreement, signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Japanese Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita in Tokyo, aims at protecting Filipino from illegal recruiters who promise jobs in Japan.

Bello expects the Philippines will be able to get 30 percent of the 350,000 available jobs that Japan will open to foreign nationals.

Industries in need of skilled workers include health care, food services, electronics, food manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, construction, shipbuilding, fisheries and aquaculture, aviation and building maintenance among others.

Under the agreement, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will facilitate the processing and accreditation while the Philippine Labor Overseas Labor Office (POLO)  Japan will be in charge of the verification of skilled workers documents, coordination onsite and welfare concerns.

To be hired, applicants must pass the skill level tests and Japanese proficiency exams to be administered by the Japan Foundation in the Philippines.

Those who will be hired as specified skilled workers may stay in Japan for a maximum of five years under the Specified Skills No. 1 visa status with the chance to receive a status of Specified Skills No. 2 if the worker obtains a higher level of specialization.

According to the guidelines contained in Department Order No. 201 Series of 2019 last March 22 issued by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), applicants for Specified Skilled Workers jobs must be at least 18 years old; must pass an examination or other evaluation method that the applicant possesses skills requiring considerable knowledge or experience necessary for the work which the applicant intends to engage in; must pass the Japanese language proficiency test as well as the language proficiency necessary for the work which the applicants intends to engage in; and must possess a passport valid for at least six months prior to the intended date of departure.

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The DOLE emphasized that no fee of any kind or form shall be collected, directly or indirectly, from the specified skilled worker for their selection and deployment to Japan.

Likewise, no deductions will be made on the workers allowances and salary except for host countrys prescribed tax for foreign workers.

Japans new law on admitting foreign workers under the specialized skills program takes effect in April 11.  Marje Pelayo

The post Cooperation on OFW protection signed between PH, Japan appeared first on UNTV News.
EU rejects Chinas offer of Xinjiang tour, but says its open to one later

The European Union and its member countries rejected an invitation by China last week to a visit to Xinjiang, but said they remain open to a trip to the region where Beijing has come under international condemnation for the detention camps it operates there.

The Delegation of the EU to China  the office representing 28 European powers in Beijing  said the Chinese foreign ministry invited them and their member countries embassies on a three-day trip at the ambassador level starting Wednesday, March 27, to Xinjiang in Chinas far west.

While the EU and EU member states in principle welcome the invitation, such a visit requires careful preparation in order to be meaningful, a delegation spokesman said on Monday.

Discussions to this end are ongoing, hence the proposed trip will not take place this week. The EU remains open to a future visit, taking into account our expectations, the spokesman added.

A diplomatic source from an EU member state told the South China Morning Post that the states would not take individual actions on this matter, and would instead wait for EU coordination for a collective decision.

A visit by all EU member countries would be the first by a large group of Western diplomats to the area since Beijings security clampdown in Xinjiang seized international attention over the last year.

China has been repeatedly condemned by foreign governments and human rights groups on human rights abuses reportedly committed in Xinjiang, where detention camps were reported to be holding more than one million ethnic Uygurs and other Muslims for political re-education.

China and CNN in row over account of deaths in Xinjiang camp

Former detainees have told foreign news organisations that they were subjected to abuse and torture at the centres, and some have testified about their experiences before the US Congress  charges which Beijing consistently denies.

According to Beijing, the centres are pre-emptive measures against extremism that offer trainees job and other life skills.

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Late last year, a group of 15 Western diplomats from France, Britain, Germany and the EUs top envoy in Beijing asked to meet with Xinjiangs top official, Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, to discuss their concerns about the situation in Xinjiang.

However China has only allowed limited access for carefully selected groups of journalists and diplomats to the area, most of them from non-Western countries.

A three-day visit by a delegation that included EU countries took place at the end of February, when diplomats from Hungary and Greece, as well as Myanmar, Algeria, Morocco, Vietnam, Singapore and the mission of the League of Arab States in China visited Xinjiang.

The invitation to the larger EU contingent was sent on Thursday, the day Chinese President Xi Jinping began a six-day European state visit to Italy, Monaco and France.

In addition to meeting French President Emmanuel Macron  among EU leaders, an outspoken critic of China  Xi is to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Paris on Tuesday, before he ends his trip.

The tour, Xis first overseas state visit this year, is Chinas latest effort to ease fears that it is a systemic rival to the EU, as identified in a European Commission report this month. Good relations with the EU have grown more important for China as it remains mired in a trade war with the United States.

EU countries are split over Chinas growing influence on the continent and tactics that some claim are intended to divide the bloc. While some are welcoming towards Chinese investments, others remain sceptical.

During Xis visit on Saturday, Italy confirmed becoming the first Western European power to join Chinas multibillion Belt and Road Initiative. Still, the US is applying great pressure on the European Union to shut out Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies from participating in the next-generation 5G networks, citing cybersecurity risks.

A series of EU meetings involving China are scheduled in the coming weeks: a EU-China summit in Brussels, Belgium, is set for April 9, while the 16+1 summit of China and countries from central and eastern Europe is scheduled in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on April 12.

This article EU rejects Chinas offer of Xinjiang tour, but says its open to one later first appeared on South China Morning Post

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Clashes in Yemen's Hodeida have left five fighters dead, medical and military sources said Monday, despite a ceasefire agreement between warring parties in the port city. Fighting between Yemen's armed rebels, known as the Huthis, and pro-government forces erupted late Sunday in the eastern part of the city, a military official told AFP. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a doctor at Hodeida's main hospital said medics had received the bodies of three rebel fighters. A doctor at a government-run field hospital in Hodeida said two loyalists had been killed in the hours-long clashes. The Red Sea city of Hodeida last year emerged as the main frontline in the war. The city is home to Yemen's most valuable port and has been controlled by the rebels since 2014. In December, the rival sides agreed to a ceasefire in Hodeida under a deal brokered by the UN in Sweden -- just weeks after forces loyal to the government were able to enter the rebel-held city. Fighting in Hodeida, whose port serves as the country's lifeline, has largely stopped since the ceasefire went into effect on December 18, but there have been intermittent clashes. Both the government and the Huthis have been accused of violating the truce deal, while an agreed redeployment of forces has also stalled. The Yemen conflict pits the Iran-linked Huthis against a regional pro-government coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which intervened in the conflict four years ago. Since then the war has killed around 10,000 Yemenis, according to the World Health Organization, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Some rights groups say the toll could be much higher.
Hong Kong's former home affairs secretary Patrick Ho Chi Ping was jailed for three years Monday for a scheme to bribe African officials to boost a top Chinese energy company that was part of Beijing's global Belt and Road initiative. Ho, 69, who worked for the controversial energy conglomerate CEFC China Energy, was sentenced by a New York judge after being convicted in December on seven charges of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and money laundering for bribes. He was accused of paying off top officials in Uganda and Chad to support the Shanghai conglomerate's projects in their countries. Some of the deals were arranged in the halls of the United Nations, leading to the US arrest in November 2017 of Ho and a co-conspirator, former Senegalese top diplomat Cheikh Gadio. The two men allegedly offered a $2 million bribe to Idriss Deby, the president of Chad, "to obtain valuable oil rights," and a $500,000 bribe to an account designated by Sam Kutesa, the minister of foreign affairs of Uganda, who had recently completed his term as the President of the UN General Assembly, according to the charges. "Patrick Ho schemed to bribe the leaders of Chad and Uganda in order to secure unfair business advantages for the Chinese energy company he served," said US Attorney Geoffrey Berman, "Foreign corruption undermines the fairness of international markets, erodes the public's faith in its leaders, and is deeply unfair to the people and businesses that play by the rules." CEFC was an upstart company that quickly grew to be worth tens of billions of dollars despite a murky track record. It was considered to be a vital player in Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious One Belt One Road plan to build commercial networks around the world. CEFC was led by Ye Jianying, an ostensibly well connected businessman who built a network of global contacts, and notably was able to meet with members of then-vice president Joe Biden's family and a former CIA director. But after Ho was arrested by US authorities in 2017, CEFC's business began to crumble. Last year Ye disappeared and is now believed to be held by Chinese authorities for unspecified charges.
THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their

SERIOUSLY? Nur Misuari threatened war if we do not shift to a federal form of government?

But with whom? Col. Noel Detoyato, the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office, is asking. Who is his enemy? Lets ask him first who his enemy is.

It is a rhetorical question, consistent with the dismissive tone of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana who described the supposed threat as a bluff. Its almost like them saying, Bring it on, you warred with us before and we routed you.

Of course, nobody wants war. Even the former chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front, Muslimin Sema, warned, according to an Inquirer report, that war is not childs play.

But heres the sadder part, courtesy of House Deputy Majority Leader Rodante Marcoleta, who, presumably speaking for his fellow congressmen, disclaimed any responsibility if Misuaris threatened war does break out. Weve done our part, Marcoleta solemnly declared, their part being the hasty, almost surreptitious, passage of a draft constitution that they forwarded to the Senate.

So this is what we have: a president who is a staunch advocate of federalism, a rebel leader who so strongly supports the Presidents advocacy that he would not hesitate to take up arms if it is not approved and a House of Congress practically telling the rebel leader its all right to wage war over your disappointment, just dont blame us.

Dont we have here a case similar to that of a groom being shotgunned into marriage?

Isnt it a better idea to explain to the people what federalism is and how it is supposed to work instead of applying duress to rush them into embracing the idea? The trouble is that even those who are at the vanguard of the federalism movement cannot seem to agree on the concept. Nowhere is this more evident than in the complete disregard by the lower house of the proposals submitted by President Dutertes consultative committee, replacing them with the congressmens own version.

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The House leadership is resentful of the Senates attitude towards their masterpiece. They had planned on their draft constitution being submitted to the people in a plebiscite to be held simultaneously with the May elections. But the senators refused to be shepherded and, lacking time to thoroughly examine its provisions, killed the congressmens plan.

In this light, Marcoletas Pontius Pilate act is understandable. Blame the Senate instead, thats what he wants to say. We cant even get them to cooperate with us on our budget insertions.

We cannot thank the senators enough for playing spoilers. As I have repeatedly said, we should be told exactly what we are going into before they ask for our consent. We cannot vote yes to federalism on the basis of motherhood statements like it would free us from imperial Manila. As the Manilans would say, kumita na yan. The devil is in the details. Show us its horns.
Hong Kong could face a second wave of measles infections, a top disease expert warned on Monday, as health authorities stepped up vaccinations of workers at the citys airport.

The Centre for Health Protection has recorded 20 measles infections so far this year  against 15 in all of 2018  five of them involving airport and airline staff.

The outbreak started early this month, when a Cathay Pacific Airways flight attendant displayed symptoms such as a fever and a rash.

University of Hong Kong microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung said the attendant, who had travelled to Japan, was probably the source of the outbreak at Hong Kong International Airport.

Ho noted the 23 year-old man was the first to become ill, and that a 41-year-old pilot working on the same airline also got sick during the incubation period of seven to 21 days.

The pilot, despite becoming ill on March 12, took seven flights between March 13 and 16.

Health officials, meanwhile, met representatives from the Hong Kong Airport Authority, airlines and other airport-based firms and briefed attendees on the latest cases and offered advice on infection control on Monday morning.

Due to a generally high level of measles immunity among the citys population, the scale of the current outbreak had been small, Ho told a radio programme.

But I expect more cases to surface, and there could be a second round of infections, he said.

I expect more cases to surface, and there could be a second round of infections

Ho Pak-leung, HKU

In 2016, the World Health Organisation declared that Hong Kongs local transmission of measles  a highly infectious disease that can be spread through coughing and sneezing  had been eliminated for at least 36 months. But imported cases are still recorded.

Ho said local measles outbreaks in recent years had been limited to households and hospitals, and that a case at the airport had not been seen in the past decade.

I believe the outbreak at the airport and overall increase in the number of cases is due to more people getting sick in Japan and the Philippines and bringing the disease home, Ho said, noting the number of measles cases in the two countries had shot up recently.

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To tighten the grip on the outbreak, Ho suggested health authorities vaccinate airport workers not born in Hong Kong and who have unclear vaccination histories.

Speaking on two radio programmes on Monday morning, Dr Wong Ka-hing, who heads the Centre for Health Protection, said the centre had set up a vaccination station in the non-restricted part of the airport. This came after some airport workers complained about not being able to get vaccinated on Sunday, as the booth was inside a restricted zone.

Some also complained about long queues and waiting times, according to the Staffs and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines.

The unions secretary general, Ip Wai-ming, said workers had to sit through a lengthy health talk before medical staff checked their suitability for the vaccine.

It took at least three hours [to get vaccinated], Ip said.

He said at least 20 complaints were lodged on Sunday, and that more than 100 workers had failed to get vaccinated, despite joining the queue.

Wong said about 400 workers were vaccinated since last Friday, and that authorities would try to speed up the process.

He also said nine of the current cases were confirmed to have been imported, but did not give further details.

According to the health authority, most of the citys residents are immunised against measles, especially young people.

Those born in 1985 and after, and who went to primary school in Hong Kong, were likely to have had both doses of the vaccine. In addition, most older people, such as those born in the early 1960s, would have already had the disease and developed immunity.

The Airport Authority has also launched its own infection control scheme, according to Chapman Fong Sui-man, general manager of terminal one, who attended the meeting on Monday.

Asked if it was too late to launch the vaccination programme for airport employees, Fong said: After receiving the notice on Friday, we immediately made arrangements, we think it is timely.

The union said that after the second vaccination station opened the waiting time had been slashed by about 30 to 40 minutes. The quota for getting vaccinated in the morning, however, was quickly used up, it said.

The Hospital Authority, meanwhile, convened an ad hoc meeting on Monday to look at measures in public hospitals. The authority will start to offer measles vaccination to necessary staff from next week.

In the first phase, vaccinations would be provided to those working in high-risk departments, such as paediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology, intensive care units and isolation wards.

According to the authorities, there are people who have never been vaccinated, while local residents born between 1967 and 1978 do not have sufficient immunity against measles due to their single dose vaccination.

Ho recently posted online a list of the kinds of person most susceptible to measles infection. They were:

People who visit Japan, particularly areas with more measles cases, such as Tokyo, Osaka and Aichi prefectures

Airline workers who visit places with measles outbreaks, and those who might come into close contact with them

New arrivals from countries with poor measles vaccination programmes

Children under the age of one, and those who have not been vaccinated

Adults who have only had one shot of the measles vaccine, such as those who went to primary school before 1996

People with impaired immunity, such as those with Aids, or people who have had transplants or cancer treatment

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THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has removed over 650,000 campaign materials all over Metro Manila.NCRPO Director Major General Guillermo Eleazar urged the candidates to also do their

MALACANANG challenged motorcycle riders on Monday, March 25, to question the constitutionality of the recently signed Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.

The call was made after motorcycle organizations staged a massive "Unity Ride" on Sunday, March 25, to protest the enactment of the law, which they deemed "unconstitutional and discriminatory."

"Why [is it unconstitutional]? What's their argument? If they feel it's unconstitutional, they can always raise that before the courts," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told Palace reporters.

Duterte, a known motorcycle enthusiast, signed Republic Act (RA) 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act on March 8, mandating the use of "bigger, readable, and color-coded" number plates, in an effort to prevent the commission of crimes using the vehicles.

The law also states that the readable number plates must be displayed in "both the front and back sides of a motorcycle" and should be made of "suitable and durable material" determined by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Jober Bolanos, chairperson of the Motorcycle Rights Organization, said in an interview on Sunday, March 24, that filing for declaratory relief against the law would depend on the finality of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

Bolanos stressed that his group had "enough ammunition" to prove to the Supreme Court that RA 11235 was "unconstitutional."

Senator Richard Gordon, who authored and sponsored the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, urged the LTO to be careful in drafting the IRR for the law.

Asked if the President is standing by the recently signed law, Panelo said: "Of course, he has signed it. Everybody should comply, [including the President], no exceptions."

Pressed again about Duterte's reaction on the motorcycle groups' strong opposition to the implementation of RA 11235, the Palace official said, "Wala (None). I will ask him para mas (so we will know)... We haven't talked about that yet." (SunStar Philippines)
Saudi sisters stranded in Hong Kong after fleeing family granted emergency humanitarian visas to stay in undisclosed third country

Two sisters who fled Saudi Arabia and their family have been granted emergency humanitarian visas to stay in an undisclosed third country after being stranded in Hong Kong for more than six months.

The law firm of Michael Vidler, who was assisting the pair, announced on Monday evening that Reem, 20, and Rawan, 18, left Hong Kong last week.

We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to restart our lives free of violence and oppression, the pair said in a statement.

We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations. We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women.

Reem and Rawan (not their real names) fled to Hong Kong in September from a family holiday in Sri Lanka and were planning to fly on to Australia when, they say, they escaped a kidnap attempt orchestrated by the Saudi consulate at Hong Kong International Airport.

Two months after their arrival in the city, their Saudi passports were revoked, forcing the sisters, who renounced their Muslim faith, to stay in Hong Kong.

Their escape prompted a pursuit by their father and uncle  high-ranking officials in Saudi Arabia  who flew to Hong Kong to file missing persons reports to police.

Vidler said: After six months of hiding in Hong Kong from Saudi authorities and their family, these strong, brave and determined young women have finally been able to secure humanitarian visas to a third country place of safety.

He added that the two were now beginning their lives as free young women, looking forward to assimilating into the local culture, contributing to their new home and leading lives as equal human beings.

We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to restart our lives free of violence and oppression

Story continues

Saudi sisters Reem and Rawan

To ensure their future security we will not be disclosing the third country where the sisters are now living, nor will we be providing any further details regarding the process of their applications, departure from Hong Kong or their new lives. The sisters will not be giving any further media interviews, Vidler said.

Lynn Maalouf, Middle East research director at Amnesty International, said the sisters showed immense courage and took huge risks to escape repeated abuse by their relatives.

Reem and Rawans male relatives got away with repeated beatings because of the lack of adequate protection against domestic violence in the country. This is only one facet of the systemic discrimination that Saudi women face under Saudi Arabias repressive guardianship system, she said.

This system not only treats women like second-class citizens, it places them in grave danger. No woman or girl should fear for their life like Reem and Rawan did. Saudi Arabia must urgently reform the guardianship system and end the whole range of discriminatory laws and practices women face.

The Post reported earlier in March that the pair had been allowed to stay in the city until April 8.

The decision bought the pair more time for their asylum request to a third country to be processed.

A source familiar with the situation said the Immigration Department had allowed the sisters to stay in Hong Kong until early April as tolerated overstayers on humanitarian grounds.

Additional reporting by Tony Cheung

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A rising Taiwanese politician met a senior Beijing official responsible for cross-strait relations on Monday, and used the occasion to reiterate his support for a two-decade old consensus on unification.

Although Han Kuo-yu, the mayor of Kaohsiung, insisted that his tour was only intended the drum up business for the city, the meeting with Liu Jieyi, the head of the Taiwan Affairs Office, in Shenzhen was the latest with senior officials.

Han has also met Wang Zhimin and Fu Ziying, the directors of Beijings liaison offices in Hong Kong and Macau respectively, and Shenzhens party chief Wang Weizhong during his visit.

His trip has attracted criticism inside Taiwan, with President Tsai Ing-wen warning that Beijing may try to use Han to introduce a one country, two systems policy for unification.

Han, a member of the opposition KMT is widely seen as one of the front runners in next years presidential election after his mayoral election victory last year in a city that has traditionally been a stronghold of Tsais Democratic Progressive Party.

His support for the 1992 consensus  a verbal understanding reached in that year between the Chinese Communist Party and the KMT that there is only one China, is considered a political boost for Beijing.

On Monday he repeated his support for this consensus, telling Liu it was the most powerful stabilising factor in cross-strait relations, according to Taiwanese media reports.

He said all exchanges between the island and the mainland were important, adding:Now I reiterate that I support the 1992 consensus... I hope there will be more exchanges across the strait and people will become good friends.

Liu said people from both sides of the strait were one family and Beijing welcomed more exchanges between cities on the basis of the1992 consensus.

We will continue to share development opportunities with Taiwanese people and deepen cross-strait integration, he said.

Liu, continued that people on both sides of the strait should join hands to support the 1992 consensus and oppose Taiwan independence.

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But Taiwans Cross-Strait Policy Association Secretary-General Wang Chih-sheng said Hans meetings with mainland officials had aroused suspicion on the island.

As a popularly elected local government chief in Taiwan, Hans meetings have undoubtedly aroused grave public concern that he has been trapped in the one country, two system formula framed by Beijing, said Wang

Taiwans Mainland Affairs Office also said Han must get Taipeis approval to negotiate or make deals with Chinese officials, otherwise he would be breaking the law.

Hans visit to the mainland is officially designated as an opportunity to promote agriculture, tourism and investment opportunities for the city and will focus on technology, including artificial intelligence.

During his stay in Shenzhen, Han visited the citys civic centre and the Qianhai and Shekou districts, which form part of Guangdongs Pilot Free Trade Zone, and witnessed the signing of an agriculture produce deal worth 200 million yuan (US$29.8 million).

Cross strait relations took a turn for the worst following the 2016 election victory of Tsais independence-learning DPP and Beijing has tried to increase the pressure on Taiwan by peeling away some of its last diplomatic allies and conducting a series of military drills around the island.

Beijing regards Taiwan as breakaway province that must eventually be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary, and views any pro-independence activity as contrary to Chinas core national interests.

In a speech in January, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that reunification with Taiwan was a key part of Chinas national rejuvenation and the issue of Taiwan could not be passed from generation to generation.

He suggested the one country, two systems model used in Hong Kong could provide a template for unity, but Tsai dismissed his overtures saying most people in Taiwan opposed the policy.

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PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Monday, March 25, that the 17-year-old suspect in the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan in Cebu is not yet off the hook despite his release.He

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said Monday, March 25, that the 17-year-old suspect in the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan in Cebu is not yet off the hook despite his release.

He is not off the hook ha. Hindi porket ni-release siya ng husgado, he is already off the hook. Ang sinasabi lang hindi na siya pwedeng arestuhin that time because it doesnt fall on warrantless arrest and hot pursuit operations kaya yan ni-release ng korte, hindi ibig sabihin na wala siyang kasalanan, Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

On March 22, Friday, the prosecutors office ordered the local social welfare and development to release John (not his real name), citing that his arrest, which was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on March 16, was invalid.

The release of the suspect came few hours after Silawan was laid to rest.

Silawan was found dead, with her face skinned, on March 10 in Barangay Bankal in Lapu-lapu City, Cebu.

Albayalde said Johns arrest is no longer covered by the warrantless arrest or hot pursuit operations, which should be conducted immediately after the crime has been committed.

Meantime, Albayalde said he ordered the local police to continue close coordination and to extend all the help they could give with the NBI, which spearheads the investigation on the case. (SunStar Philippines)
THE second day of March 2019 saw students getting together at the SM Seaside Cebu for Southwestern University PHINMAs annual SPARK Summit, an event that brings key leaders to inspire students to enable

THE second day of March 2019 saw students getting together at the SM Seaside Cebu for Southwestern University PHINMAs annual SPARK Summit, an event that brings key leaders to inspire students to enable their self-discovery, ignite their love of learning, and ultimately spark their passion to foster change in the community.

First held in 2017, SPARK Summits goal is to enable students to succeed in their studies and careers, and to make a positive impact wherever they may be.

The first leg of this years SPARK Summit was held in Zamboanga City, the second in Tacloban City, ultimately concluding in Cebu City.

The one-day summit was attended by hundreds of students who were interested in how SWU PHINMA could guide and help them choose the careers they wanted to pursue.

According to SWU PHINMA chief operating officer Albert Gamboa, there were many students dropping out and not continuing their college studies, as well as others who were not really interested in the courses they were taking, as these were chosen for them by their parents.

Gamboa explained that the SPARK Summit was intended to address these issues, as well as establish SWU PHINMA as a leader in providing learning opportunities both in and out of the campus.

SPARK Summit features forums where students can interact with inspiring leaders in their fields to discuss timely and thought-provoking ideas on leadership, innovation, storytelling, and design.

Forum speakers in the Cebu leg were Freeman online editor Joeberth Ocao, multi-discplinary artist Francis Sollano, and RockEd Philippines founder Gang Badoy. The events keynote speaker, Senator Bam Aquino, was represented by his wife Timi, who spoke about the senators journey in becoming a leader. (PR)
Taiwan says it could issue travel warning for Hong Kong if extradition plans are not ditched

A Taiwan official has warned the island could issue a travel alert for Hong Kong, if the citys government insists on pushing ahead with a proposed extradition agreement with the mainland, Taiwan and Macau.

Chiu Chui-cheng, deputy minister of Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, said on Monday that the council remained highly concerned about the extradition proposal despite recent assurances from Hong Kong officials.

We will do whatever necessary to ensure the safety and rights of Taiwanese people living or travelling in Hong Kong, he said. We will provide information to our people, especially information about risks.

Asked if authorities would consider a travel alert, Chiu said: We have a lot of different measures, including the one you just mentioned. If the situation really worsened to that level, I am afraid that our personal safety could not be sufficiently protected [without a travel alert].

Last month, the Security Bureau proposed an amendment to the extradition laws to allow the surrender of fugitives to jurisdictions in which the city has no extradition deal, including Macau, Taiwan and the mainland.

Officials said the bill was meant to close loopholes exposed by a murder case last year, in which Taiwanese authorities were unable to prosecute a Hongkonger accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend in Taipei before fleeing back home.

As it stands, suspects can be surrendered to one of the 20 countries with which Hong Kong has an extradition deal. The 46 offences they can be handed over for include murder, hacking, smuggling and tax evasion, as well as 15 corporate crimes such as fraud, corruption and money laundering.

The governments proposal was fiercely opposed by the citys pro-democracy camp, as well as business and legal sectors.

The council previously noted the potential impact the proposed amendments could bring to the human rights and safety of its citizens in Hong Kong. However, it is the first time a Taiwan official has suggested a travel alert could be imposed.

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Taiwan has been one of Hong Kongs biggest source of tourists. Last year, 65 million travellers visited Hong Kong, 78.3 per cent of whom were from mainland China. More than 1.9 million visitors came from Taiwan, and accounted for 13.6 per cent of the non-mainland total.

Chiu also said doubts and arguments still surrounded the proposal.

In response, Hong Kongs Undersecretary for Security Sonny Au Chi-kwong only said the government has been in touch with authorities in Taiwan.

We hope to discuss human right protections with different jurisdictions in a pragmatic manner, he said. We are contacting Taiwan and waiting for a discussion [to be arranged].

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The United Nations said Monday it was examining how to assist Bangladesh in relocating thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island despite warnings it could trigger fresh humanitarian upheaval. Dhaka says shifting 100,000 refugees to a muddy silt islet in the Bay of Bengal will take pressure off overcrowded camps along its southern border, where almost a million Rohingya Muslims live in cramped tent cities. But the move to Bhashan Char -- which is an hour away by boat from the mainland -- is unpopular with many refugees and experts have raised concerns about the island's capacity to withstand the monsoon that tears along Bangladesh's coastline every year. Bangladesh, which has built shelters and flood walls on the island, says it will begin relocating refugees there on a voluntary basis from April. The UN resident coordinator's office in Bangladesh said Monday it would "engage constructively" with the government to ensure any refugees moved there could live "in safe and sustainable living conditions". "We are also examining the potential operational implications of setting up a humanitarian response on Bhasan Char, including the requirements, time frames and costs involved in providing services," the statement said, stressing that any relocation be on a voluntary basis. The island only emerged from the water in 2006 and lies in a coastal area prone to flooding, cyclones and other extreme weather that has killed hundreds of thousands in past decades. A UN special rights rapporteur in January warned rushing refugees to the island could spark a "new crisis". But Dhaka says the island is ready, pointing to a newly-constructed three-metre (nine-feet) embankment they say will keep out tidal surges in the event of a cyclone. Some UN officials have visited the island but access has not been granted to the media. Bangladesh has spent some $280 million transforming the muddy strip but previous deadlines for shifting the Rohingya from camp sites in Cox's Bazar have passed unmet. The camps there host nearly a million refugees who have fled persecution in neighbouring Myanmar in waves going back decades. The largest exodus was in August 2017, when the first of about 740,000 Rohingya escaped violence in Myanmar described by UN investigators as bearing the hallmarks of genocide. The fetid camps quickly swelled into the largest refugee settlement on earth, with huge levels of humanitarian aid needed to care for their inhabitants. The UN refugee agency said Monday nearly $1 billion was needed for the Rohingya in Bangladesh but only a tiny fraction had been raised so far. Khaled Khalifa, a regional UNHCR representative, told reporters in Dhaka "every penny short" of the $920 million needed this year would impact lives on the ground.
Washington State University researcher Leah Sheppard has found that attractive businesswomen are considered less trustworthy, less truthful and more worthy of being fired than less attractive women. Credit: Washington State University

A Washington State University researcher says attractive businesswomen are considered less trustworthy, less truthful and more worthy of being fired than less attractive women. This "femme fatale effect," as she and a University of Colorado colleague call it, goes beyond a commonly accepted explanation that attractive women simply aren't seen as fitting in traditionally masculine roles. Rather, the effect taps into more primal feelings of sexual insecurity, jealousy and fear among both men and women.

"Highly attractive women can be perceived as dangerous and that matters when we are assessing things like how much we trust them and whether we believe that what they are saying is truthful," said Leah Sheppard, an assistant professor of management in the WSU Carson College of Business and lead author of a paper in the journal Sex Roles.

The myth of the femme fatale has been around since ancient Greece, when Homer's Odysseus was seduced by the goddess Circe and kept from his wife and home for a year. The ensuing list of man-eaters, vamps and dark-hearted sirens is long, from the smoldering Carmen of George Bizet's opera to the lethal leading ladies of film noir.

Despite decades of feminism and a growing awareness of gender stereotypes, the effect persists.

In fact, said Sheppard, "there's two dueling stereotypes here. You have the 'what is beautiful is good' stereotype, meaning that in general attractive people should fare better across their lifespan. We can say that that's generally true.

"It becomes more nuanced when we look at gender," she added. "For women there are certain contexts in which they don't seem to benefit from their beauty."

Sheppard and Stefanie Johnson, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business, conducted six separate tests to reach their conclusion. They used images drawn from a Google images search for a "professional woman" and had participants in Amazon's Mechanical Turk, an online crowdsourcing platform, rate their attractiveness.

The first four studies asked participants to rate the truthfulness of women and men announcing layoffs in fictional news accounts. Regardless of their title or industryexecutive or the traditionally feminine public relations professional, the masculine culture of tech firm or more feminine hospitalthe attractive women were consistently considered less truthful than the non-attractive women. Because the results were independent of the women's role or industry, the "best fit" argument failed.

In the fifth study, the researchers used what's called a prime, a suggestion that puts participants into an emotional state that can color their perspective. They asked participants to think and write about a time when they felt secure in a relationship and certain that their romantic partner "was faithful and committed to them alone." This was called the "sexual security" prime. A second "general security" prime had them think and write about a time when they felt very good about themselves.

Those primed to feel sexually secure ended up thinking attractive women were as truthful as less attractive women.

The final study asked if participants thought the woman should be fired, and primed some participants to feel sexually secure, but others to feel sexually insecure. As with the fifth study, the sexually secure participants found both attractive and less attractive women were equally truthful. Participants primed to feel sexually insecure viewed the attractive women as less truthful, and therefore more deserving of termination.

Sheppard sees both evolutionary and social factors at work in the results.

Evolutionarily, women have used their attractiveness to get mates. They see more attractive women as competition and threats to steal their partner. Men, for their part, have been drawn to attractive women but worry that their attractiveness might make them unfaithful. Before the recent advent of the paternity test, they risked raising children that were not their own.

Socially, attractive women can use their looks to get advantages in the workplace, whether they deserve it or not. Both men and other women can find this unfair, said Sheppard, if not deceitful.

Sheppard said the femme fatale effect might be blunted if people were more conscious of the stereotypes they use, but people are often unwilling to acknowledge that they use stereotypes to begin with.

Unfairly or not, she said, much of the burden of addressing the problem falls on attractive women themselves, who she said can attempt to be more transparent.

"They're going to be challenged in terms of building trust," she said. "That's not to say that they can't do it. It's just that trust is probably going to form a bit more slowly."

More information: Leah D. Sheppard et al, The Femme Fatale Effect: Attractiveness is a Liability for Businesswomen's Perceived Truthfulness, Trust, and Deservingness of Termination, Sex Roles (2019). Journal information: Sex Roles Leah D. Sheppard et al, The Femme Fatale Effect: Attractiveness is a Liability for Businesswomen's Perceived Truthfulness, Trust, and Deservingness of Termination,(2019). DOI: 10.1007/s11199-019-01031-1
Yong Wang, Voiland Distinguished Professor, Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. Credit: WSU

Researchers at Washington State University, University of New Mexico, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a catalyst that can both withstand high temperatures and convert pollutants at near room temperaturean important advance for reducing pollution in modern cars.

They report on their work in the journal, Nature Communications.

Catalytic converters have been used in the U.S. since the 1970s as a way to clean up pollutants from vehicle exhaust. In the catalytic process, rare metals, such as platinum, are used in a chemical reaction to convert carbon monoxide and other pollutants to non-toxic carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water.

As cars have become more fuel-efficient, however, they use less energy and the temperature of the exhaust gases is lower, which makes it harder to clean up the pollutants. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy has set a goal of removing 90 percent of harmful emissions at 150 degrees Celsius or lower.

The catalysts have to perform at low temperatures but also must survive under the harsh conditions encountered during operation.

"The catalyst problem has increased paradoxically as cars have become better and more efficient," said Emiel Hensen, catalysis professor at Eindhoven University of Technology.

Meanwhile, the industry also struggles with the high cost of the precious metals required for catalysis. Platinum, for instance, facilitates chemical reactions for many commonly used products and processes but costs more than $800 per ounce.

The catalyst the researchers developed is based on the activation of single atoms of platinum supported on cerium oxide. While their catalyst outperforms current technology, it also reduces the amount of platinum required, which would lower overall costs.

"The industry wants to make use of every single atom of the precious metals, which is why single-atom catalysis has attracted increased attention," said Abhaya Datye, a distinguished professor at UNM's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

In their latest work, the researchers first ensured their catalysts were thermally stable, trapping platinum ions on a cerium oxide support at very high temperatures. Their synthesis method caused the platinum atoms to strongly bond to their support. They then activated the catalyst in carbon monoxide at about 275 degrees Celsius.

"To our surprise, we discovered that the high temperature synthesis made the ceria more easily reducible, allowing it to provide a key ingredientoxygento active sites," said Yong Wang, Voiland Distinguished Professor in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at WSU.

The activated oxygen was then able to remove pollutants at near room temperature at the platinum sites.

"This research directly addresses the 150-degree challenge identified by the U.S. Department of Energy and by automobile companies," said Wang. "The discovery of oxygen activation at near room temperature is extremely useful, and this finding could have a significant impact on the technology of exhaust emission control."

The researchers now plan to study the performance of single-atom catalysts with other organic compounds and pollutants. The work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Basic Energy Sciences and Netherlands Research Center for Multiscale Catalytic Energy Conversion.

Explore further New catalyst meets challenge of cleaning exhaust from modern engines
Colonisation Experiment Arctic Deep Sea. Credit: ROV Kiel 6000 GEOMAR

There is a wide variety of animals living on the Arctic seabed. Attached to rocks, they feed by removing nutrients from the water using filters or tentacles. But it can take decades for these colonies to become established, and they probably don't achieve their natural diversity until much later. These are the findings of a unique 18-year study by researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), which has now been published in the scientific journal Limnology and Oceanography.

Some sponge species stand on rocks like Roman vases, while the tentacles of feather stars (comatulida) and sea lilies sway elegantly in the currents. When remotely operated underwater vehicles travel around the bed of the Arctic deep sea, their cameras regularly capture images of these sedentary creatures. One of the most important habitats for these organisms is the so-called "dropstonesrocks and boulders that are incorporated into glaciers on land and then transported out to sea. Once the ice melts, the rocks sink to the seabed, where they provide precisely the hard substrate that many of these species require.

But how long does it take before the first settlers in the Arctic deep sea take advantage of this? And how does the community develop further? "Until now, we knew next to nothing about this," explains Michael Klages from the AWI. A few studies have investigated these questions in the Antarctic, but they focused on the shallow sea areas, where the conditions are different.

Now, there are new findings from the deep-sea observatory HAUSGARTEN, located in the Fram Strait between Svalbard and Greenland, where the AWI conducts various long-term ecological studies. In July 1999, Michael Klages and his colleagues from the AWI's deep-sea research group placed a heavy metal frame on the seabed at a depth of 2,500 metres. So-called settlement panels made of clinker bricks, Plexiglas and wood were attached to the frame to offer possible substrates for sedentary deep-sea inhabitants. Then it was a case of waiting to see what happened.

In 2003 and 2011, the team sent a remotely operated underwater vehicle to the construction, and in late August 2017 the frame was finally brought back to the surface. The first author of the recent publication, Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser, who now works at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the US state of Massachusetts, had the task of carefully examining the settlement panels. This involved counting, collecting and taxonomically classifying the individual organisms.

"In this investigation we saw that colonisation of such habitats in the Arctic deep sea occurs extremely slowly," summarises Michael Klages. After four years, only single-celled organisms belonging to the foraminifera were found on the panels, and after twelve years the polyp Halisiphonia arctica was the only multicellular animal present. Even after 18 years, there were only 13 species of multicellular invertebrates.

However, despite the low diversity, the researchers haven't concluded that natural solid substrates are not an important habitaton the contrary: "Without them, a number of sedentary animals wouldn't exist in the Arctic deep sea," stresses Michael Klages. But the waste products of civilisation that are now ubiquitous in the oceans don't appear to be a good substitutedespite the fact that the AWI team have seen a sea lily growing on a plastic bottle in one of the pictures taken by the remotely operated underwater vehicle. "That's what gave us the idea of using Plexiglas in our experiment," the researcher explains. "We wanted to see whether it could be colonised just as well as a near-natural substrate." Apparently that's not the case. At least, after 18 years significantly fewer animals were found on the plastic than on the clinker bricks. But the latter couldn't compete with a nearby rocky reef, where 65 different invertebrates were identified. It is possible that even almost two decades isn't long enough for the panels to achieve their theoretical species diversity. The rocky reef mentioned is considerably older in comparison, and so has had more time to attract a wider range of inhabitants.

The findings provide important insights into the sensitivity of deep-sea ecosystems. "If disturbances there destroy the sedentary inhabitants of the seabed, it can take decades for the colonies to recover," says Michael Klages. In the Arctic, such disturbances could occur as a result of fishing, or drilling for oil and gas. However, much more far-reaching consequences are to be expected, e.g. in the depths of the Pacific, where large-scale manganese nodule mining is planned.

More information: Kirstin MeyerKaiser et al, Recruitment of Arctic deepsea invertebrates: Results from a longterm hardsubstrate colonization experiment at the LongTerm Ecological Research observatory HAUSGARTEN, Limnology and Oceanography (2019). Kirstin MeyerKaiser et al, Recruitment of Arctic deepsea invertebrates: Results from a longterm hardsubstrate colonization experiment at the LongTerm Ecological Research observatory HAUSGARTEN,(2019). DOI: 10.1002/lno.11160
A new CAST issue paper examines the long-term impact of groundwater depletion on agriculture. Credit: Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kay Ledbetter

A new Council of Agricultural Science and Technology, or CAST, paper examines the causes and consequences of groundwater depletion throughout the U.S. with a focus on how this will affect agriculturethe largest sector of groundwater use.

The paper, "Aquifer Depletion and Potential Impacts on Long-term Irrigated Agricultural Productivity," was co-authored by Dr. John Tracy, Texas A&M University's Texas Water Resources Institute director, College Station.

Tracy chaired a task force of university and government researchers exploring the long-term impact of aquifer depletion on U.S. agriculture. Their investigations and insights are reflected in the paper.

Other task force members from Texas A&M included Dr. Gretchen Miller, department of civil engineering; Dr. Dana Porter, department of biological and agricultural engineering, Lubbock; and Dr. Zhuping Sheng, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center resident director, El Paso.

Additional members included Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Bureau of Reclamation River and Reservoir Operations, Boise, Idaho; Dr. Leonard Konikow, U.S. Geological Survey, retired, Reston, Virginia; and Steve Sibray, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Paper highlights include:

An overview of groundwater and its use in the U.S.

An outline of geographical areas impacted by groundwater use.

Consequences from depleting aquifers.

Mitigation efforts to reverse groundwater depletion.

A case study on the causes, consequences and mitigation of groundwater depletion.

"Fresh water remains a critical limiting resource around the world," said Dr. David Baltensperger, head of Texas A&M's soil and crop sciences department. "This issue paper provides a great summary of issues surrounding depletion of our groundwater resource."

According to the paper, large-scale depletion of groundwater within the U.S. began in the 1950s and tripled by the 1990s, with approximately 71 percent directed toward irrigating crops, Tracy said.

"As the U.S. population increases, demands for more food production and water supplies will stress valuable water resources, especially in locations sensitive to droughts," Tracy said.

As the U.S. population increases, so will demand for fresh water. The cost of pumping will increase as the water table declines farther below the surface, and well productivity will suffer. Credit: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

The paper noted the U.S. aquifer system with the greatest long-term groundwater storage depletion is the Ogallala Aquifer in the Great Plains region, where groundwater levels have declined by more than 150 feet in some areas.

"The most obvious consequences of depleting groundwater resources are the loss of a long-term water supply and the increased costs of pumping groundwater as the water table declines further below the ground surface," Tracy said.

Other consequences include reduced flow to surface water systems and ecosystems; loss of productivity of groundwater wells; subsidence of land and ground failures; and degradation of groundwater quality.

"The aquifer system is complex and dynamic, changing spatially and temporally as human activities interfere with it," Sheng said. "The depletion of groundwater might cause irreversible impacts."

Tracy stressed the long-term consequences are apparent and must be addressed carefully to avoid abusing this water resource.

"Increased competition for the use of water from aquifers may negatively affect future agricultural practices in drier regions of the U.S," Tracy said. "The problem needs to be addressed over the long haul and by avoiding promoting policies that focus on quick fixes that will ultimately fail."

Strategies to mitigate impacts of aquifer depletion may include policy, technology and management options, which should take into account local/regional conditions, including hydrogeological factors, applicability to agricultural production systems and economic factors, Porter said.

"For example, in the southern Ogallala Aquifer region, agricultural producers have adopted efficient advanced irrigation technologies such as low-pressure center-pivot irrigation systems and subsurface drip irrigation," she said. "They have also employed limited supplemental irrigation management strategies and lower-water-use crop rotations such as dryland production."

Sheng said while some solutions can be simple, such as decreasing or stopping pumping or increasing water availability with managed aquifer recharge, no one solution fits all.

"To be more effective, they should be essential components of integrated water resources management, which considers policy constraints and social and economic impacts beyond technical feasibility," he said.

Explore further The global race for groundwater speeds up to feed agriculture's growing needs

More information: Aquifer Depletion and Potential Impacts on Long-term Irrigated Agricultural Productivity: Aquifer Depletion and Potential Impacts on Long-term Irrigated Agricultural Productivity: www.cast-science.org/file.cfm/  on_C4FAE917A6979.pdf
Kiana Aran's novel system immobilizes the CRISPR complexes on the surface of graphene-based transistors. These complexes search a genome to find their target sequence and, if the search is successful, bind to its DNA. This binding changes the conductivity of the graphene material in the transistor, which detects the change using a handheld reader. Credit: Keck Graduate Institute (KGI)

A team of engineers at the University of California, Berkeley and the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) of The Claremont Colleges combined CRISPR with electronic transistors made from graphene to create a new hand-held device that can detect specific genetic mutations in a matter of minutes.

The device, dubbed CRISPR-Chip, could be used to rapidly diagnose genetic diseases or to evaluate the accuracy of gene-editing techniques. The team used the device to identify genetic mutations in DNA samples from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

"We have developed the first transistor that uses CRISPR to search your genome for potential mutations," said Kiana Aran, an assistant professor at KGI who conceived of the technology while a postdoctoral scholar in UC Berkeley bioengineering professor Irina Conboy's lab. "You just put your purified DNA sample on the chip, allow CRISPR to do the search and the graphene transistor reports the result of this search in minutes."

Aran is the senior author of a paper describing the device that appears online March 25 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Doctors and geneticists can now sequence DNA to pinpoint genetic mutations underlying a host of traits and conditions, and companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA even make these tests available to curious consumers.

But unlike most forms of genetic testing, including recently developed CRISPR-based diagnostic techniques, CRISPR-Chip uses nanoelectronics to detect genetic mutations in DNA samples without first "amplifying" or replicating the DNA segment of interest millions of times over through a time- and equipment-intensive process called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. This means it could be used to perform genetic testing in a doctor's office or field work setting without having to send a sample off to a lab.

"CRISPR-Chip has the benefit that it is really point of care, it is one of the few things where you could really do it at the bedside if you had a good DNA sample," said Niren Murthy, professor of bioengineering at UC Berkeley and co-author of the paper. "Ultimately, you just need to take a person's cells, extract the DNA and mix it with the CRISPR-Chip and you will be able to tell if a certain DNA sequence is there or not. That could potentially lead to a true bedside assay for DNA."

Bypassing the bottleneck

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is famous for its ability to snip threads of DNA at precise locations like a pair of razor-sharp scissors, giving researchers unprecedented gene-editing capabilities. But for the Cas9 protein to accurately cut and paste genes, it first has to locate the exact spots in the DNA that it needs to cut.

For Cas9 to find a specific location on the genome, scientists must first equip it with a snippet of "guide RNA," a small piece of RNA whose bases are complementary to the DNA sequence of interest. The bulky protein first unzips the double-stranded DNA and scans through until it finds the sequence that matches the guide RNA, and then latches on.

To harness CRISPR's gene-targeting ability, the researchers took a deactivated Cas9 proteina variant of Cas9 that can find a specific location on DNA, but doesn't cut itand tethered it to transistors made of graphene. When the CRISPR complex finds the spot on the DNA that it is targeting, it binds to it and triggers a change in the electrical conductance of the graphene, which, in turn, changes the electrical characteristics of the transistor. These changes can be detected with a hand-held device developed by the team's industrial collaborators.

Graphene, built of a single atomic layer of carbon, is so electrically sensitive that it can detect a DNA sequence "hit" in a full-genome sample without PCR amplification.

To harness CRISPR's gene-targeting ability, the researchers took a deactivated Cas9 protein -- a variant of Cas9 that can find a specific location on DNA, but doesn't cut it -- and tethered it to transistors made of graphene. When the CRISPR complex finds the spot on the DNA that it is targeting, it binds to it and triggers a change in the electrical conductance of the graphene, which, in turn, changes the electrical characteristics of the transistor. Credit: Keck Graduate Institute

"Graphene's super-sensitivity enabled us to detect the DNA searching activities of CRISPR," Aran said. "CRISPR brought the selectivity, graphene transistors brought the sensitivity and, together, we were able to do this PCR-free or amplification-free detection."

Aran hopes to soon "multiplex" the device, allowing doctors to plug in multiple guide RNAs at once to simultaneously detect a number of genetic mutations in minutes.

"Imagine a page with a lot of search boxes, in our case transistors, and you have your guide RNA information in these search boxes, and each of these transistors will do the search and report the result electronically," Aran said.

Rapid Diagnostics

To demonstrate CRISPR-Chip's sensitivity, the team used the device to detect two common genetic mutations in blood samples from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients.

Conboy, co-author of the paper, says CRISPR-Chip could be an especially useful device for DMD screening, as the severe muscle-wasting disease can be caused by mutations throughout the massive dystrophin geneone of the longest in the human genomeand spotting mutations can be costly and time-consuming using PCR-based genetic testing.

"As a practice right now, boys who have DMD are typically not screened until we know that something is wrong, and then they undergo a genetic confirmation," said Conboy, who is also working on CRISPR-based treatments for DMD.

"With a digital device, you could design guide RNAs throughout the whole dystrophin gene, and then you could just screen the entire sequence of the gene in a matter of hours. You could screen parents, or even newborns, for the presence or absence of dystrophin mutationsand then, if the mutation is found, therapy could be started early, before the disease has actually developed," Conboy said.

Rapid genetic testing could also be used to help doctors develop individualized treatment plans for their patients, Murthy said. For example, genetic variations make some people unresponsive to expensive blood thinners, like Plavix.

"If you have certain mutations or certain DNA sequences, that will very accurately predict how you will respond to certain drugs," Murthy said.

Finally, because the CRISPR-Chip can be used to monitor whether CRISPR binds to specific DNA sequences, it could also be used to test the effectiveness of CRISPR-based gene-editing techniques. For example, it could be used to verify that guide RNA sequences are designed correctly, Aran said.

"Combining modern nanoelectronics with modern biology opens a new door to get access to new biological information that was not accessible before," Aran said.

Explore further New strategy improves efficiency of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing

More information: Detection of unamplified target genes via CRISPRCas9 immobilized on a graphene field-effect transistor, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2019). www.nature.com/articles/s41551-019-0371-x Journal information: Nature Biomedical Engineering Detection of unamplified target genes via CRISPRCas9 immobilized on a graphene field-effect transistor,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-019-0371-x
About 80 percent of young eels put into aquaculture pools in Japan in December and January may have been smuggled from Taiwan via Hong Kong, according to trade data and sources close to the matter.

Japan imported some 6 tons of juvenile eels from Hong Kong in those two months, according to government data, but Hong Kong does not engage in eel fishing, raising suspicions about their origin. Industry observers say most of them could have been illegally brought from Taiwan, which bans exports of the snake-like fish.

The eels start their spawning migration in the waters of East Asia and are designated as a species at risk of extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to deteriorating habitat conditions and overfishing.

Eels are consumed as a prized summer delicacy in Japan, but its imports of young eels may spark international criticism at a meeting of parties to the Washington Convention in Sri Lanka, which will open in late May.

The members of the international pact, officially called the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, are expected to discuss enhancing transparency in eel transactions.

According to the Finance Ministry's trade statistics, Japan imported about 1.6 tons of young eels in December and about 4.4 tons in January from Hong Kong. Meanwhile, none were shipped from mainland China and Taiwan, although they catch the fish.
3-D image of head of bumblebee. Credit: Pierre Tichit

By generating 3-D images of bumblebees' compound eyes, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered how bumblebees differ in their vision. The results could contribute to increased knowledge about the pollination processonce researchers are able to determine which flowers different bees see easily, and which ones they find it harder to distinguish.

Researchers have previously known that large bees see better than smaller individuals, but it has been unclear why.

"We have investigated the compound eyes of buff-tailed bumblebees of various sizes. What field of view do they have and with what resolution do they see? Now we know how large flowers need to be for individuals of various sizes to spot them. We have found out why large bumblebees see small objects better," says Pierre Tichit, doctoral student at the Department of Biology at Lund University.

Together with Emily Baird, Gavin Taylor and colleagues from Germany and the UK, Pierre Tichit has developed a new method. Using computer-assisted tomography and very high-resolution imaging, the researchers succeeded in generating three-dimensional images of the bumblebees' compound eyes, showing how and what they see in various parts of their field of view.

The results show that large individuals see better than small ones in certain parts of their field of vision  more specifically, in front of them and slightly above them. This could make it easier for large bees to discover flowers at a distance as well as to find small flowers. It also becomes easier for them to see hanging flowers and blooms they need to access from below.

"Our results help us understand why pollination is adversely affected if plants with larger flowers disappear in an area dominated by smaller bees. It becomes possible to do something about it," says Emily Baird.

The next step is to use the method to compare vision in different species of bee.

"Bees are found all over the world, from the rainforest to the tundra. With our technology, we hope to be able to understand how their vision is adapted to the various environments they inhabit," concludes Pierre Tichit.

More information: Gavin J Taylor et al. Bumblebee visual allometry results in locally improved resolution and globally improved sensitivity, eLife (2019). Journal information: eLife Gavin J Taylor et al. Bumblebee visual allometry results in locally improved resolution and globally improved sensitivity,(2019). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.40613
Google says the proposed copyright overhaul would be bad for creators and users

Major Polish newspapers printed blank front pages on Monday in an appeal to the European Parliament to adopt controversial copyright reforms that have pitted traditional media firms against internet giants.

"Today, we appeal to Polish members of the European Parliament for solidarity in supporting a vote on the Copyright Directive in the digital single market," read a petition signed by editors-in-chief of 30 Polish national and regional dailies backing the reforms.

"Creators do not receive sufficient compensation for disseminating their works on the Internet. They often live in real poverty or leave the profession," said the statement published by the centrist Rzeczpospolita daily and other newspapers including the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza and the Fakt tabloid.

The run-up to the European Parliament vote on Tuesday has seen furious lobbying and protests by both supporters and opponents of the law, which is designed to update European copyright legislation that pre-dates most online social media and is now nearly two decades old.

Under the changes, European law for the first time would hold platforms legally responsible for enforcing copyright, requiring them to check everything that their users post to prevent infringement.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Germany on Saturday to protest against an imminent EU copyright reform

The reform, two years in the making, is loudly backed by media companies and artists who want to obtain a better return from web platformssuch as YouTube or Facebookthat use their content.

The new directive "will support creators, but will not harm Internet users. It will not take away the rights to links, will not ban memes or bring new obligations for non-commercial portals," it argues.

But the directive is strongly opposed by internet giants such as YouTube-owner Google, which make huge profits from the advertising generated on content they host, and also by supporters of a free internet, who fear it will result in unprecedented restrictions to web freedom.

Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in cities around Germany on Saturday under the slogan "Save the Internet".

Save the Internet is a collective which has been mobilised for months to defend a free exchange of opinions on the web.

There were similar protests in Austria, Poland and Portugal on Saturday.

Explore further Protesters rally against EU internet copyright reform

 2019 AFP
A fossilized whale barnacle from Panama that once rode along with a humpback whale. Credit: Larry Taylor, UC Berkeley

Barnacles that hitch rides on the backs of humpback and gray whales not only record details about the whales' yearly travels, they also retain this information after they become fossilized, helping scientists reconstruct the migrations of whale populations millions of years in the past, according to a new University of California, Berkeley, study.

Oxygen isotope ratios in barnacle shells change with ocean condition and allow scientists to chart the migration of the host whale, for example to warmer breeding grounds or colder feeding grounds. Now, marine paleobiologists led by UC Berkeley doctoral student Larry Taylor have discovered that barnacles retain this information even after they fall off the whale, sink to the ocean bottom, and become fossils."

As a result, the travels of fossilized barnacles can serve as a proxy for the peregrinations of whales in the distant past, like GPS trackers from the Pleistocene.

"One of the more exciting things about the paper, in my mind, is that we find evidence for migration in all of these ancient populations, from three different sites and time periods, but also from both humpback and gray whale lineages, indicating that these animals, which lived hundreds of thousands of years ago, were all undertaking migrations similar in extent to those of modern-day whales," Taylor said.

One surprise finding is that the coast of Panama has been a meeting ground for different subpopulations of humpback whales for at least 270,000 years and still is today. Whales visit Panama from as far away as Antarctica and the Gulf of Alaska.

This information about ancient migration will help scientists understand how migration patterns may have affected the evolution of whales over the past 3 to 5 million years, how these patterns changed with changing climate and help predict how today's whales will adapt to the rapid climate change happening today.

"We want to understand how malleable migratory behavior has been through time, how rapidly whales have adapted to previous climate changes, and see if this can give us some clues as to how they might respond to the current changes in Earth's climate," he said. "How will whales cope with that, how will the food base shift, how will the whales themselves respond?"

Taylor and his colleagues, senior author Seth Finnegan, a UC Berkeley associate professor of integrative biology, Aaron O'Dea of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and Timothy Bralower of Pennsylvania State University in University Park, will publish their findings this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Found in Panama, this fossilized whale barnacle once rode along with a humpback whale. Credit: Larry Taylor, UC Berkeley

Riding the whales

Barnacles are crustaceans, like crabs, lobsters and shrimp, that remain stuck in one place their whole lives, encased in a protective hard shell and sticking out their legs to snatch passing food. Most glue themselves to rocks, boats or pilings, but whale barnacles attach to a whale's skin by boring down into it. Some whales have been estimated to carry up to 1,000 pounds of barnacles, which are visible when they breech. Clusters of barnacles are used to identify individual whales.

"This gives the barnacle several advantages: a safe surface to live on, a free ride to some of the richest waters in the world and a chance to meet up with other (barnacles) when the whales get together to mate," O'Dea said.

Taylor's technique works because different species of whale barnacle hitch rides on different species of whale, so paleontologists can know, when they find a fossilized barnacle, which species it rode with. Normally, the barnacles stay with a whale between one and three years, until they fall or are brushed off, often at whale breeding grounds. At least 24 fossil assemblages of whale barnacles have been found around the world, Taylor said.

The new discovery means that the fossilized barnacles recovered at these sites can tell about ancient migrations of humpbacks, gray whales and perhaps other baleen whales (toothed whales, such as sperm whales, do not host many barnacles), potentially turning up previously unsuspected feeding and breeding areas.

The technique is based on measuring the oxygen isotopes in the calcium carbonate, or calcite, shell of the barnacle. The ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 goes up as the temperature drops. Since barnacles lengthen their shells by a few millimeters a month as they try to stay attached to whales in the face of the mammals' shedding skin, the composition of the new shell reflects the ocean temperature and general isotopic composition where it formed.

Taylor built on previous work showing that barnacles attached to living gray whales record a chemical signature of their migrations. He confirmed that the isotopic composition of the humpback whale barnacle (Coronula diadema) also tracks its environment today during the whales' yearly migration, showing monthly changes. He then demonstrated that fossilized barnacles from Panama and from the California coast could be analyzed similarly, and that they showed isotopic changes similar to that of today's whales."

This technique will be particularly valuable for studying prehistoric humpback populations, Taylor said, because the humpback was and is more cosmopolitan than the California gray whale, cruising widely through the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Scientists theorize that whale migration began as food sources became more scattered as the climate changed 5 million years ago. Modern Pacific whales migrate tens of thousands of miles annually, visiting several known feeding areas and returning to warm waters off Central and South America or Hawaii to breed.

"We plan to push this approach further back in time and across different whale populations," Finnegan said. "We hope that by analyzing other aspects of the geochemistry of the barnacles shells we might ultimately be able to figure out what areas different ancient whale populations were migrating to."

Explore further Young humpback whale freed from fishing gear off Hawaii

More information: Larry D. Taylor el al., "Isotopes from fossil coronulid barnacle shells record evidence of migration in multiple Pleistocene whale populations," PNAS (2019). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Larry D. Taylor el al., "Isotopes from fossil coronulid barnacle shells record evidence of migration in multiple Pleistocene whale populations,"(2019). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1808759116
Duke University will pay $112 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit after federal prosecutors said a research technician's fake data landed millions of dollars in federal grants, the school and the government said Monday.

The private university in Durham submitted claims for dozens of research grants that contained falsified or fabricated information that unjustly drained taxpayer money from the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, the U.S. Justice Department said. The school said it is repaying grant money and related penalties.

"Taxpayers expect and deserve that federal grant dollars will be used efficiently and honestly," local U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin said in a statement. "May this serve as a lesson that the use of false or fabricated data in grant applications or reports is completely unacceptable."

The lawsuit was first filed in 2015 by whistleblower and former Duke employee Joseph Thomas. The Justice Department took it over afterward. The suit claims the faked research was conducted by former research technician Erin Potts-Kant, who was supervised by pulmonary medicine researcher William Michael Foster. Foster's lab experimented with mice, seeking to determine the effects of inhaling diesel exhaust, among other tests. Several research papers by Foster's team were later retracted.

"We expect Duke researchers to adhere always to the highest standards of integrity, and virtually all of them do that with great dedication," university President Vincent Price said in a statement. "When individuals fail to uphold those standards, and those who are aware of possible wrongdoing fail to report it, as happened in this case, we must accept responsibility, acknowledge that our processes for identifying and preventing misconduct did not work, and take steps to improve."

The settlement was announced on the same day that U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles had scheduled a hearing on why the deal supposedly struck in November hadn't been finalized by the Justice Department.

The government alleged that between 2006 and 2018 Duke knowingly submitted faked data to federal agencies in 30 grants. The university had warning signs that some of the research was fraudulent but didn't act until discovering in 2013 that Potts-Kant had siphoned off money for spending on clothes and other items, the lawsuit said.

Duke University said the technician pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery in state court and paid the school restitution. Foster retired in 2015, university spokesman Michael Schoenfeld said.

Thomas, the whistleblower, will get $33.75 million from the settlement, the government said.

Duke is still dealing with a different research scandal dating back more than a decade. Duke medical professor Dr. Anil Potti engaged in misconduct while researching treatments in human cancer patients, U.S. Health and Human Services Department investigators said in 2015. Potti's studies were published in top medical journals including the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet Oncology between 2006 and 2009.

In a settlement reached with the federal health agency, Potti did not acknowledge liability but agreed to have all his research supervised until 2020. Potti left Duke in 2010. Duke settled lawsuits brought by patients and estates of patients who participated in those medical trials.

As a result of both cases, the National Institutes of Health last year required Duke University researchers to increase their reporting of how federal grant money was being spent.

Explore further Former Duke researcher retracts lung cancer paper

 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Cross-sections of Earth's mantle down to 1,400 km depth showing changes in its flow as ancient ocean beds fall into Earth's deep interior. Credit: Ana Ferreira, UCL

As ancient ocean floors plunge over 1,000 km into the Earth's deep interior, they cause hot rock in the lower mantle to flow much more dynamically than previously thought, finds a new UCL-led study.

The discovery answers long-standing questions on the nature and mechanisms of mantle flow in the inaccessible part of deep Earth. This is key to understanding how quickly Earth is cooling, and the dynamic evolution of our planet and others in the solar system.

"We often picture the Earth's mantle as a liquid that flows but it isn'tit's a solid that moves very slowly over time. Traditionally, it's been thought that the flow of rock in Earth's lower mantle is sluggish until you hit the planet's core, with most dynamic action happening in the upper mantle which only goes to a depth of 660 km. We've shown this isn't the case after all in large regions deep beneath the South Pacific Rim and South America," explained lead author, Dr. Ana Ferreira (UCL Earth Sciences and Universidade de Lisboa).

"Here, the same mechanism we see causing movement and deformation in the hot, pressurised rock in the upper mantle is also occurring in the lower mantle. If this increased activity is happening uniformly over the globe, Earth could be cooling more rapidly than we previously thought", added Dr. Manuele Faccenda, Universita di Padova.

The study, published today in Nature Geoscience by researchers from UCL, Universidade de Lisboa, Universita di Padova, Kangwon National University and Tel Aviv University, provides evidence of dynamic movement in the Earth's lower mantle where ancient ocean floors are plunging towards the planet's core, crossing from the upper mantle (up to ~660 km below the crust) to the lower mantle (~6601,200 km deep).

The team found that the deformation and increased flow in the lower mantle is likely due to the movement of defects in the crystal lattice of rocks in the deep Earth, a deformation mechanism called "dislocation creep", whose presence in the deep mantle has been the subject of debate.

The researchers used big data sets collected from seismic waves formed during earthquakes to probe what's happening deep in Earth's interior. The technique is well established and comparable to how radiation is used in CAT scans to see what's happening in the body.

"In a CAT scan, narrow beams of X-rays pass through the body to detectors opposite the source, building an image. Seismic waves pass through the Earth in much the same way and are detected by seismic stations on the opposite side of the planet to the earthquake epicentre, allowing us to build a picture of the structure of Earth's interior," explained Dr. Sung-Joon Chang, Kangwon National University.

By combining 43 million seismic data measurements with dynamic computer simulations using the UK's supercomputing facilities HECToR, Archer and the Italian Galileo Computing Cluster, CINECA the researchers generated images to map how the Earth's mantle flows at depths of ~1,200 km beneath our feet.

They revealed increased mantle flow beneath the Western Pacific and South America where ancient ocean floors are plunging towards Earth's core over millions of years.

This approach of combining seismic data with geodynamic computer modelling can now be used to build detailed maps of how the whole mantle flows globally to see if dislocation creep is uniform at extreme depths.

The researchers also want to model how material moves up from the Earth's core to the surface, which together with this latest study, will help scientists better understand how our planet evolved into its present state.

"How mantle flows on Earth might control why there is life on our planet but not on other planets, such as Venus, which has a similar size and location in the solar system to Earth, but likely has a very different style of mantle flow. We can understand a lot about other planets from revealing the secrets of our own," concluded Dr. Ferreira.

Explore further Researchers help define Southern Ocean's geological features
Trees are removed from cold lake beds in Scandinavia. Credit: Professor Mary Gagen, Swansea University

A new study has revealed how clouds are modifying the warming created by human-caused climate change in some parts of the world.

Led by Swansea University's Tree Ring Research Group, researchers from Sweden, Finland and Norway analysed information contained in the rings of ancient pine trees from northern Scandinavia to reveal how clouds have reduced the impact of natural phases of warmth in the past and are doing so again now to moderate the warming caused by anthropogenic climate change.

Even though northern Scandinavia should be strongly affected by global warming, the area has experienced little summer warming over recent decadesin stark contrast to the hemispheric trend of warming temperatures, which is strongly linked to rising greenhouse gas emissions. According to the study, temperature changes have been accompanied by an increase in cloudiness over northern Scandinavia, which in turn has reduced the impact of warming.

Mary Gagen, Professor of Geography at Swansea University, said: "The surface warming caused by rising greenhouse gases is modified by many complicated feedbacksone thing changing in response to anothermeaning that there are large geographical variations in the temperature of a particular place at a particular time, as the global average temperature rises. One of the most important, and most poorly understood, climate feedbacks is the relationship between temperature and clouds. We might think that, simply, when it is cool it is cloudy, and when it is warm it is sunny, but that is not always the case."

Professor Mary Gagen core sampling a tree. Credit: Professor Mary Gagen, Swansea University

The research team analysed tree ring records to find out what summer temperatures were like in the past, and how cloudy it was. Using their collected data, the team produced a new reconstruction of summer cloud cover for northern Scandinavia and compared it to existing temperature reconstructions to establish the relationship between temperature and cloud cover.

Professor Mary Gagen said: "Most people know that the width of a tree ring can tell us what the temperature was like in the summer that ring grew, but we can also measure other things in tree rings such as the isotopes of carbon and water that the wood is made from. Isotopes are just different types of an element, the amount of the different isotopes of carbon in the wood tells us how cloudy it was in the summer the tree ring grew. By combining the tree ring width and tree ring carbon measurements we built a record of both past summer temperatures and past summer cloud cover. Summer temperatures in Scandinavia have increased by less than the global average in recent decades because it also got cloudier at the same time, and that modified and reduced the warming. That turns out to also be the case back through time."

Author Professor Danny McCarroll explained: "We found that over short timescales, increased cloud cover lead to cooler temperatures and vice versa in the past. However, over longer timescales -decades to centuries-we found that in warmer times, such as the medieval, there was increased cloud cover in this part of the world, which reduced local temperatures. The opposite being true in cool periods, such as the Little Ice Age.

The preserved rings of a pine tree, that started growing in 1369 and fell into a cold lake in 1716, allow scientists to measure what the temperature was like in the summers of each year's growth and how sunny it was. Credit: Risto Jalkanen

"These finding are important as they help to explain the feedback relationship between cloud cover and temperature, which is one of the major uncertainties in modelling future climate. Understanding the past relationship between temperature and cloud cover in this part of the world means we can now predict that, as the global temperature continues to rise, that warming will be moderated in northern Scandinavia by increasing cloud cover. The next step is to find out whether the same is true for other parts of the world."

Professor Mary Gagen added: "One of the main sources of uncertainty about future climate change is the way that clouds are going to respond to warming, cloud cover has a really big influence on temperature at the surface of the Earth.

"Clouds are going to be critical in modify warming of the climate. In some places, like Scandinavia, it turns out that the summer climate gets cloudier as the planet warms, in other places though it is likely that warming will be enhanced by a reduction in cloudiness which will make the surface of the Earth even warmer. What is really worrying is that climate models have shown that, if greenhouse gas emissions are allowed to continue until there is double or even triple the pre industrial amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, then some of the most important clouds for cooling our planet, the big banks of oceanic clouds that reflect a lot of sunlight back to space, could stop forming altogether and this would really accelerate warming."

The study, Cloud Cover Feedback Moderates Fennoscandian Summer Temperature Changes Over the Past 1,000 Years, is published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Explore further Declining sea ice to lead to cloudier Arctic: study

More information: Giles H. F. Young et al, Cloud cover feedback moderates Fennoscandian summer temperature changes over the past 1000 years, Geophysical Research Letters (2019). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Giles H. F. Young et al, Cloud cover feedback moderates Fennoscandian summer temperature changes over the past 1000 years,(2019). DOI: 10.1029/2018GL081046
A new book co-edited by Sean Solomon from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory shares the major findings  and lingering mysteries  from NASAs MESSENGER mission. Credit: Columbia University

Up until 2008, only one spacecraft had ever visited the planet Mercury, and it didn't linger long. NASA's Mariner 10 mission flew past the tiny world three times in the 1970s, giving humanity a helpful but limited glimpse of the solar system's innermost planet. Mariner 10 imaged about 45 percent of Mercury's surface and discovered its internal magnetic field, among other things.

Decades passed with Mercury exploration on pause, until the launch of the MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) mission in 2004. Orbiting Mercury more than 4,000 times, the MESSENGER spacecraft gave scientists the firstand so far, onlyglobal picture of Mercury. It revealed strange surface features, exposed clues about its geological history, mapped a magnetic field unlike anything we'd seen before, and made countless other discoveries. After orbiting Mercury for more than four years, the spacecraft ran out of gas; without propellant, its closest approach distance sank lower and lower until the probe finally crashed into the planet's surface on April 30, 2015.

Now, after pouring through the massive amounts of data that the spacecraft returned, some of MESSENGER's top scientists have published a book detailing the mission's major lessons. Titled Mercury: The View After MESSENGER, the book is co-edited by Sean Solomon, who led the mission and is now director of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory within Columbia's Earth Institute.

In the interview below, Solomon shares some of the key findings discussed in the book, why they matter for us Earthlings, and how the MESSENGER data will inform a new mission that's already on its way to Mercury.

The conversation has been edited and condensed.

What inspired you to put this book together?

We'd written hundreds of papers, but we wanted to synthesize all of that information while we were still together as a team, and describe to our scientific colleagues what we had learned about Mercury from the MESSENGER mission.

What the book conveys is that we were looking at a complicated planet, and all of its elements and processes, for the first time globally. The book is a reflection of the fact that we had a very broad science team that was addressing just a huge range of questions on a planetary scale, from the deep interior of the planet to how the atmosphere works and how the planet interacts with the solar wind and space weather. It was a wonderful experience to be part of a team that was addressing such a broad range of questions all at once.

The MESSENGER mission gave humankind its first global look at the closest planet to the Sun. In this view, enhanced coloration highlights the chemical, mineralogical, and physical differences between the rocks that make up Mercurys surface. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/Carnegie Institution

What initially captured your interest in Mercury?

In our solar system we have four natural laboratories to explore how planets of rock and metal formed and evolved: Earth, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. We now know there are hundreds of those laboratories around other stars, but only four are within reach of current spacecraft. Mercury completes that inventory of planet formation and evolution experiments, one of which produced our own planet and three of which produced very different planets.

Of the four inner planets, Earth ended up a bit larger, the only one that today has oceans, that today has a climate amenable to the organisms that live there, and that we know was a seat for the origin of life. And so Earth seems special, especially to us because it's our home. But it is a product of the same processes that produced our sister planets, and so we'd like to understand what characteristics led to the environment that we call home, and how small changes in the starting conditions or distance from the host star or other events may have set Earth off in a slightly different direction from its sister planets. How vulnerable does that mean our planet is over the long-term, and how likely is it that Earth-like planets around other stars might have outcomes similar to that of our own planet?

Why is Mercury the last of those four to be thoroughly explored?

Mercury's harder to get to than either Venus and Mars, and it's farther. It's much closer to the Sun, so the environment is much harsherthe Sun is as much as 11 times brighter than it is at Earth's orbit, and the radiation is higher because you're that much closer to the Sun. So it's always been a challenge to send a spacecraft to Mercury.

Humankind has sent more than three dozen spacecraft to Venus and more than four dozen to Mars. MESSENGER was only the second spacecraft to visit the innermost planet. Nonetheless, it gave us a global view of surface composition, the interior, and the space environment. So we're definitely catching up to where Mars exploration was about 40 years ago, and to where Venus exploration was roughly 25 years ago. Catching up: yes; caught up: no.

What were some of the key discoveries to come out of the MESSENGER mission?

Of all the inner planets, Mercury is made of the densest stuff, by far. We've known for 70 years or so that it's mostlymaybe two-thirdsmetal, and there were ideas as to why. One idea was that Mercury is metal-rich because it condensed only from those materials that were solid very close to the Sun, which would have included iron. Another idea was that it started out maybe twice its current size, and then extraordinary heat from the nebula of gas and dust around the early active Sun vaporized the outer portion. A third idea was that Mercury started out Mars-like in size, and later a large object collided with it and ejected most of the rocky shell, leaving behind a metal-rich object that was smaller by maybe a factor of two. All of those theories predicted Mercury should be depleted in elements that are easily removed by high temperaturesthe so-called volatile elements. We made the first chemical maps of the surface, and one of the biggest surprises of the mission was that those volatile elements are present, and they're present in high abundances. So none of the theories for why Mercury was metal-rich are correct. They've all been falsified by the geochemical remote sensing. That means we need a new theory for how to assemble the inner planets.

Another surprise came when we measured Mercury's magnetic field. We had a guess that, like the Earth's field, it would be dominantly dipolarlike the field of a bar magnetand it was. The big surprise was that, unlike Earth's, the magnetic field of Mercury doesn't have the same center as the planet. It is offset toward the north pole by about 20 percent of the planet's radius. There were no models that predicted that result before the mission, and it has important implications on Earth. Earth's polarity occasionally flips, and those magnetic reversals provide the basis for working out a lot of Earth's history. The method assumes that the Earth's magnetic dipole has always been at the center, but to find a sister planet where that's not true at least challenges this assumption on our own planet.

MESSENGER gave scientists unprecedented views of Mercurys surface. Here, a detailed look at a crater within Caloris Basin. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/Carnegie Institution

There were many other discoveries, but the last one I'll mention is about Mercury's polar deposits. These deposits were first seen decades ago by Earth-based radar as bright areas inside impact craters near the north and south poles. These areas are in permanent shadow and have been cold enough to trap water ice for billions of years. MESSENGER confirmed that the polar deposits are mostly water ice, but we discovered something else. In craters more than a few degrees from the poles, the ice was covered by an extraordinarily dark material. It's darker than anything else on Mercury, so it's not Mercury material. It's associated only with the polar deposits, so maybe it's there because of the same processes that sent the ice to Mercury. Our team's conjecture is that the dark material is organic matter of the sort that coats objects in the outer solar system, and that it could have been delivered along with water ice by the impacts of comets and asteroids. One of the ideas for how the Earth's water was acquired is that it came from the impacts of outer solar system objects. And so it might be that, preserved in the deep freezes of these polar craters, Mercury provides an archive of the process by which water and organic material were delivered to the early Earth.

What comes next for the exploration of Mercury?

I'm sure there are more discoveries to be made from the MESSENGER data. We have terabytes of data that were collected, and there are people writing papers on the analysis of those data now. We expect that students of Mercury will be pouring through those data for years and years.

In addition, there are two spacecraft en route to Mercury right now as part of a joint mission by the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency called BepiColombo. The spacecraft are expected to enter orbit around Mercury in late 2025. Until then, the MESSENGER data are the best available for addressing questions that haven't been answered yet, and setting up the questions to be answered by BepiColombo. So we expect the MESSENGER data to be a very important resource, certainly for the next seven years, and no doubt thereafter.

What mysteries do you hope BepiColombo might solve?

BepiColombo will go long way toward further advancing our understanding of Mercury.

MESSENGER had an elliptical orbit around Mercury, so we had to pick one hemisphere for the closest approach, and we picked the north. So BepiColombo is going to get better observations of the southern hemisphere than we did, and it's bound to improve our understanding of the hemispheric differences. One of the questions I have is: Can we see anything in the surface, in the geological history or composition, for instance, that gives us a clue as to why the magnetic field is off-center?

It will also be interesting to find out if we can see surface changes since MESSENGER was there, indicating ongoing geological processes, changes to the magnetic field, or other modifications that we can't even anticipate at this stage.

Once BepiColombo starts sending back data, do you foresee creating another edition of your book?

I think I'll probably leave the next book to those guys.
Naresh Goyal, founder of Jet Airways, has stepped down from the company's board, according to a statement

India's troubled Jet Airways said Monday that founder Naresh Goyal has stepped down as chairman and left the company board as part of a rescue plan.

Jet, which has debts of more than $1 billion, said in a statement that its creditors would inject up to $218 million of "immediate funding support" into the airline.

The Mumbai-based carrier, which until recently was India's second biggest airline, has been forced to ground three-quarters of its 119-aircraft fleet.

This is because it was unable to pay aircraft lessors. Its pilots have also complained of delays in receiving their salaries.

Thousands of customers have been stranded in recent weeks after their flights were in some cases abruptly cancelled.

Jet employs more than 20,000 people.

A collapse would deal a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pragmatic pro-business reputation ahead of elections starting on April 11.

India's air passenger numbers have rocketed six-fold over the past decade with its middle class taking advantage of better connectivity and cheaper flights.

The country's aviation sector is projected to become the world's third-largest by 2025.

But like other carriers Jet has been badly hit by fluctuating global crude prices and a weak rupee, as well as fierce competition from budget rivals.

Alarm bells for Jet first rang in August when it failed to report its quarterly earnings or pay its staff, including pilots, on time. It later reported a loss of $85 million.

Explore further Jet Airways shares rise on Tata investment speculation

 2019 AFP
Mohammad R. Fadiheh (from left to right), Professor Wolfgang Kunz and Dominik Stoffel have developed the new algorithm in collaboration with scientists at Stanford. Credit: Koziel/TUK

In early 2018, cybersecurity researchers discovered two security flaws they said were present in almost every high-end processor made and used by major companies. Known ominously as Spectre and Meltdown, these flaws were troubling because they represented a new type of breach not previously known that could allow hackers to infer secret datapasswords, social security numbers, medical recordsfrom the way computers pre-calculate certain data using architectural features called "out-of-order execution" and "speculative execution" to speed up their processes.

With that, a race started in the hardware community as chip designers hurried to find fixes to Spectre and Meltdown and to reveal as-yet-undiscovered flaws before hackers did. In the year since, numerous variants of these attacks have emerged, and more are expected.

In these "covert channel attacks," no data ever changes hands between the hacked processor and the attackers trying to steal data. The information is inferred in the way answers in a crossword puzzle can been guessed without knowing the actual answer to the clue. These hacks, therefore, are nearly impossible to spot.

Rising to this emerging threat, a team led by computer scientists at TU Kaiserslautern, Germany, in collaboration with researchers from Stanford University in California, has taken a novel approach to exposing potential flaws in new chip designs. It is an algorithm, Unique Program Execution Checking, or UPEC, for short.

"UPEC is a form of automated security verification that will alert designers to potential flaws in their microarchitectures, long before the chips are mass produced," says lead Professor Wolfgang Kunz, Chair of Electronic Design Automation at TU Kaiserslautern.

What's more important is that they've shown that such security holes exist in a much wider spectrum of processors than previously thought, affecting not just high-end processors but even the simple processors that are omnipresent in numerous applications of daily life, such as in the Internet of Things.

In essence, UPEC analyzes microarchitectural side effects of design decisions and detects if they can be exploited to create covert channels. What is particularly key is that UPEC is exhaustive. It takes into account all possible programs that can run on the processor. The researchers believe UPEC can expose any potential covert channel vulnerabilities in future chip designs, even those that designers had not anticipated.

In real-world tests, the research team had UPEC analyze several open source chip designs and identified a number of previously unknown flaws. The team created and analyzed different design variations of these processors and demonstrated that such weaknesses easily result from normal design processes and can affect virtually any processor, particularly simple processors not just the class of high-end processors analyzed in the Spectre/Meltdown attacks.

"The key point here is that even simple design steps, like adding or removing a buffer, can inadvertently introduce covert channel vulnerabilities in pretty much any processor," says Mo Fadiheh, member of the Kaiserslautern team.

One prominent attack UPEC has revealed is what the team has dubbed the "Orc" attack that could be present on chips that are already being used as the backbone in many safety- and security-critical applications in the Internet-of-Things and in autonomous systems, like self-driving cars and airplanes.

"Theoretically, a hacker could use an Orc attack to assume control of an autonomous vehicle or to commandeer networked computers on the Internet-of-Things," says team member Subhasish Mitra, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Stanford University.

Orc is the first unanticipated attack to be discovered automatically by software alone. The Orc discovery demonstrates that covert channel attacks are possible in simple processors. Whether Orc vulnerabilities are baked into chips already on the market the researchers can't say for certain because they lack the proprietary source code to make such evaluations.

"We suggest that companies making these simpler processors use UPEC to be certain they don't carry Orc and other vulnerabilities," Kunz recommends.

UPEC does not require a designer to have existing knowledge of potential attacks and provides demonstrable guarantees of security. Notably, for the processor design community, UPEC requires no dramatic changes to standard design processes. So far, UPEC works for processors of up to medium complexity. Further research is under way on high-end processors. The current implementation of UPEC has been built by making extensions to an existing formal verification environment provided by Onespin Solutions.

"Orc demonstrates that serious flaws can result from seemingly innocuous design decisions chip designers make every day," says Professor Mark D. Hill, a computer architecture expert from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "With UPEC, designers can be much more confident that they will find and eliminate all potential covert channel flaws in their designs."

Explore further MeltdownPrime and SpectrePrime: Researchers nail exploits

More information: Andrew Ferraiuolo et al, Verification of a Practical Hardware Security Architecture Through Static Information Flow Analysis, Proceedings of the Twenty-Second International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems - ASPLOS '17 (2017). DOI: 10.1145/3037697.3037739

Provided by Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern
Christina Thompson, author of Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, at the Peabody Museum. Credit: Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer

The islands of Polynesia stretch over thousands of miles of ocean, presenting a daunting barrier to ancient people before the invention of magnetic compasses and modern navigation equipment.

Yet early Europeans exploring the Pacific found island after island full of people who shared similar customs and beliefs despite their far-flung distribution. They told tales of epic voyages of discovery and colonization, undertaken in ocean-going canoes, robust enough to make the trip but fragile enough to make some Western scholars doubt they could have made the crossing, preferring instead a narrative of accident and drift.

Who the Polynesians were, where they came from, and how they navigated such formidable seas has puzzled explorers, missionaries, anthropologists, and archaeologists for centuries.

In her book Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia, Harvard Review editor Christina Thompson examines what's known about what might be humanity's most epic migration, and what questions remain. She also explores the investigation itself, how different times and changing Western assumptions colored the inquiries into native peoples' abilities and their past, and how sometimes the right questions were asked, even though the tools didn't yet exist to answer them.

GAZETTE: You wrote that "Sea People" is about the "sheer wondrousness of the improbability" of the peopling of Polynesia. What was so wondrous about it?

THOMPSON: First of all, it's the distance, the sheer distance. Once you get out to the far reaches of the Polynesian Triangle [bounded by New Zealand, Hawaii, Easter Island], you're talking about distances of over 2,000 miles between some of the islands. The idea that anyone would first explore out that far and then would go back and forth, and develop a navigational capacity that would enable them to do that sort of thing, it was just mind-bending to me.

So distance was a piece of it. Then, although people make a great deal about the fact that they didn't have metal tools, I think the thing that was most interesting was they didn't have writing. They had to not only develop that navigational capacity, they had to pass it on. If you think about how they did that in an oral culture, that also seems amazing to me.

"The idea that anyone would first explore out that far and then would go back and forth, and develop a navigational capacity that would enable them to do that sort of thing, it was just mind-bending to me."

GAZETTE: The book deals also with the flip side of that wondrousness, the Western skepticism that an "unsophisticated," "primitive" people could manage this feat. What underlies Western skepticism? Was it also wonder at the distances involved? Or was it rooted in racism, in ignorance? Why not just take folks at their word when they say they did it?

THOMPSON: There was a lot of skepticism, and I think that was basically rooted in a sense of Western superiority and classic colonialism and that set of attitudes. But one of the things that I think is misunderstood is that this was not a uniform view. There are periods, at the end of the 18th century and in the 19th century, when Europeans who were interested in this subject were actually not that skeptical at all of Polynesian voyaging capacity.

Some of the 19th-century figures I write about took for grantedcompletelythat Polynesians had been the greatest navigators ever. They were convinced that they had sailed these distances and they had gone back and forth repeatedly.

What I saw that sort of surprised me, because it ran contrary to the conventional wisdom, was a rise in skepticism in the 20th century. My interpretation is that this is because we're actually moving away from understanding the people. We're moving away in time from real contact with the islanders and a real understanding of what they were doing.

The earlier theorists of the 19th century had many bad ideas, but they did believe in Polynesian voyaging. And they were quite close to the people. They spoke the languages. They often married into these cultures. They were intimate with them. And they lived in a period before there was so much lost knowledge. So that was an interesting aspect of the story that I didn't foresee.

GAZETTE: Do we know why the Polynesians stopped voyaging?

THOMPSON: No. There are some interesting analyses of climate and the idea that there was a "climate window" that was particularly conducive to these voyages, and it might have closed. But none of this is conclusive.

But why did they stop? It's like the question of why they went.

GAZETTE: That was going to be another question, so jump right in.

THOMPSON: The most logical answer is that they have a tradition of migrating. These are people who have been moving for a couple of thousand years. They have been migrating from island to island and they keep migrating until they run out of places to migrate to.

They seem to have an idea of what they're doing and it may be propelled by what [Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Australian National University] Peter Bellwood and others have called "a founder-focused ideology." I always liked that idea. You have a culture that really values founder figures. The founder is next in line to the gods, and to be a founder could be a great ambition. You can sort of imagine that a younger son might go out and seek a way to become a founder figure. It's sort of plausible, though it is a long way to go.

GAZETTE: How risky were these trips? Were they so good at navigating that it was like walking down the street? Was it 50-50, but there's glory at the end so what the heck? Or was it that only someone with the risk tolerance of a 22-year-old would undertake one?

THOMPSON: Over the years various people have pointed out that these people are basically sailing into the wind and that it's not so dangerous to explore into the wind because you can count on the wind to bring you home.

So the idea of going out and back, out and back, out and back, in a radial patternor something like thatis not so improbable. And if you were a person who expects there to be an island, who knows that islands are in chains and believes that you will find another island and that there will be another island beyond that, then the question is basically, "How long is it going to take to find the next one?"

But, of course, there are places where there aren't any islands. You can draw a line through the Marquesas from northwest to southeast and if you were to set out at any angle along that line, you would have to go 4,000 miles before you found anything. Which is a very long way to go, like you're probably out of food and water at that point.

GAZETTE: Do you have a favorite part of the book?

THOMPSON: Well, I have a real soft spot for Captain Cook. Then, intellectually, I was very interested in the middle part, which was about orality and literacy. And, of course, I love the story of the Hokule'a [a Polynesian double-hulled canoe that was sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976 to test Polynesian navigation techniques] and all the navigational stuff. I wanted to have a thread that went all the way through about how Europeans and Polynesians had different ways of thinking.

GAZETTE: The subtitle of the book is "The Puzzle of Polynesia." What puzzle pieces remain unknown?

THOMPSON: There's an argument about evidence from ancient DNA right now. There's not very much ancient DNA from Polynesia or even from the area slightly west of Polynesia, where the precursors of Polynesians came from. So everybody's waiting for more DNA, more information. And there are still questions about Polynesian contact with South America that remain unresolved.

GAZETTE: Tell me the story of putting the book together. Did you start right on the heels of your earlier book, "Come On Shore and We Will Kill and Eat You All"?

THOMPSON: It took me about two years after that first book before I figured out what I wanted to write about next. Then it all came together at the same time. I got an NEA grant that enabled me to travel and, at the same time, I put the book proposal together and sold the book.

Explore further Researchers find possible explanation of early Polynesian migration

This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu.
On April 1st, 2019, major new immigration reform will take effect with a new aMiddle Skilled Workera (tokuteigino) visa status for foreign workers in Japan.

This new class of visa is designed to alleviate labour shortages due to Japanas shrinking population in a wide range of industries a including nursing care, cleaning, factory work, construction, hospitality, agriculture, fisheries, and restaurants. If it works, it could lead to a modest influx of foreign workers to Japan with a subsequent need for housing and other support services.

The scheme aims to bring in more than 345,000 migrants to Japan over the next 5 years. The target for the first year is a much more modest 47,550 workers. The new immigration status differs from the much-criticised Technical Intern Training Program in that foreign workers are considered regular employees and there is a path to permanent residence status. Another difference compared to previous efforts to plug Japanas labour shortages with foreign labour is that applicants need to pass both a language test and a skills test to qualify for the new visa status.

The language component seems to be a nod to concerns about integration of new immigrants. The specific requirement is Level N4 or higher of the Japanese Language Proficiency test. That level requires applicants to be able to read 167 kanji characters, to understand some basic sentences and to have some elementary listening skills. One potential problem is that the total number of people that passed the Level N4 or higher last year was only 154,000 (100,000 when restricted to examinees outside Japan). While that sounds like a lot more than the approximately 70,000 workers needed to meet the targets, a large number of those examinees will either slot into the highly skilled category or they may not have an interest in the industries for which Japan is seeking workers. The question is whether additional people will take the exam (approximately 6 months of study would be required) with the specific goal of fulfilling the requirements of the new visa.
Credit: Szasz-Fabian Jozsef/Shutterstock

A house proud mouse, considerately tidying up the workbench of the shed in which it lives, has been captured on video and shared online. The mouse pops out of a box, picks up some screws, nail clippers and a metal chain and carries them back into the box. It's tempting to think the mouse is cleaning up its home in the same way that a human would. Of course, in biology, things are rarely that simple.

Cleaning a living area for hygienic reasons isn't unusual in animals. Bees will remove corpses from the hive, male fish will pick bits of mould and silt from their eggs. Clearing debris from a display area is common in birds that dance to attract a mate. None of these apply to the mouse, so we need to look for an explanation that is based in the innate behaviours of rodents.

Packrats in North America have a habit of collecting shiny objects, stones and wood to protect their nests. Some mice like to keep a good larder  when food is plentiful, they will hoard it.

Many rodents bury novel objects that they find in their territory and this is sometimes thought to be an extension of the natural digging response that all rodents have. Mice and rats are keen tunnellers so the urge to dig is an important part of their behavioural repertoire.

Mice also manipulate their bedding to make a nest. Though it's difficult to be sure with only a short video as evidence, it's possible that the mouse's behaviour is rooted in these responses of hoarding, burying and generally manipulating its environment. All those objects in the mouse's territory may have triggered confusion, leading the mouse to stash them somewhere it perceives as safe.

So animals are lot tidier than you think and not just this one mouse. Cleanliness is a virtue for a whole host of critters.

1. Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes lack limbs but still tidy their hunting grounds using their triangular heads and muscular necks to move aside grass.

Decluttering their space may give them a clearer path to potential prey  extremely beneficial for a predator that cannot correct its aim after launching an attack.

2. Songbirds

Songbirds are known to haul their chicks' "faecal sacs" and drop them outside the nest. Bluebirds have been seen draping faecal sacs on electric wires, fence posts and utility poles. The birds are quite strict at removing faeces, uneaten food and dead nestlings immediately, to prevent infection and to make the nest harder for predators to detect.

3. Ants

The risk of disease is especially serious for social animals. Social insects such as ants and bees live in large numbers within very confined spaces, making them vulnerable to contagions. It is for this reason that many ant species carry their dead out of the nest rather than leaving the corpses to fester in the tunnels.

One study found that if ants were prevented from removing the dead bodies, they were more likely to die. However, Indian jumping ants have a slightly different method  their nests include a "rubbish" chamber which is filled with dead ants, left over prey and faecal matter. These chambers are staffed by a "sewage crew" of maggots that eat the refuse and prevent the chamber getting clogged.

4. Naked mole rats

Naked mole rats also live underground and follow a similar system to the ants. They build special toilet areas in their burrows, and when these are full, "waste worker" mole rats plug it with soil and dig a new one. Mole rats are quite meticulous when it comes to their tunnels  whisking away any unruly roots, pebbles and other litter in the passageways.

In one study, scientists planted cables and a thermometer in a mole rat burrow, which were promptly cleared away by the "cleaning crew".

5. Damselfish

For those of you who watched the BBC's Blue Planet II, you may remember the footage of the garibaldi damselfish tirelessly removing sea urchins from their nest areas, only to find the next day that it was again covered in sea urchins.

Much of the work of rearing offspring is handled by the male. Upon becoming an adult, a male garibaldi will select a promising stretch of reef where he will live for the rest of his life. In addition to removing sea urchins from their nest areas, the garibaldi will remove debris, sea stars that wander along, and gnaw away all the plant growth except for a few species of red algae. These he trims so they are about an inch long, which is perfect for the eggs to rest in.

Just like physical traits, behavioural traits aren't just influenced by the environment, they can also be inherited. Certain traits make some individuals more likely to reproduce and pass on their genes than others  such as an insistence on cleanliness to prevent disease or predation. As much as we like to think that humans are special and unique, it's worth recalling the words of Charles Darwin, who said: "The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind."

Explore further Researchers find bee species where males perform babysitting duties

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
This composite picture shows images of storms on Neptune from the Hubble Space Telescope (left) and the Voyager 2 spacecraft (right). The Hubble Wide Field Camera 3 image of Neptune, taken in Sept. and Nov. 2018, shows a new dark storm (top center). In the Voyager image, a storm known as the Great Dark Spot (GDS) is seen at the center. It is about 13,000 km by 6,600 km in size -- as large along its longer dimension as the Earth. The white clouds seen hovering in the vicinity of the storms are higher in altitude than the dark material. Credit: NASA/ESA/GSFC/JPL.

Images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope document the formation of a Great Dark Spot on Neptune for the first time, report researchers in a new study.

Like Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Neptune's Great Dark Spots are storms that form from areas of high atmospheric pressure. In contrast, storms on Earth form around areas of low pressure.

Scientists have seen a total of six dark spots on Neptune over the years. Voyager 2 identified two storms in 1989. Since Hubble launched in 1990, it has viewed four more of these storms.

In the new study, planetary scientists analyzed Hubble's photos of the ice giant taken over the past several years and chronicled the growth of a new Great Dark Spot that became visible in 2018.

By studying companion clouds that showed up two years before the new Great Dark Spot, the researchers conclude dark spots originate much deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought.

The Hubble images also helped the researchers pinpoint how often Neptune gets dark spots and how long they last. The new findings give scientists insights on the inner workings of the poorly-understood ice giant planets but also have implications for studying exoplanets of similar size and composition.

"If you study the exoplanets and you want to understand how they work, you really need to understand our planets first," said Amy Simon, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and lead author of the new study published today in AGU's journal Geophysical Research Letters. "We have so little information on Uranus and Neptune."

The cyclic motion of the Great Red Spot imaged by the Cassini spacecraft. Unlike on Neptune, Thin jet streams on Jupiter keep the Great Red Spot from breaking apart and from changing latitude; it rotates around Jupiter but doesnt move north or south. Credit: NASA.

A history of dark spots

Scientists first saw a Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 1989, when NASA's Voyager 2 probe flew past the mysterious blue planet. As the spacecraft zoomed by, it snapped pictures of two giant storms brewing in Neptune's southern hemisphere. Scientists dubbed the storms "The Great Dark Spot" and "Dark Spot 2."

Just five years later, the Hubble Space Telescope took sharp images of Neptune that revealed both the Earth-sized Great Dark Spot and the smaller Dark Spot 2 had vanished.

"It was certainly a surprise," Simon said. "We were used to looking at Jupiter's Great Red Spot, which presumably had been there for more than a hundred years."

A new Great Dark Spot appeared on Neptune in 2018, nearly identical in size and shape to the one Voyager saw in 1989. Simon and her colleagues were analyzing Hubble images of a smaller dark spot that appeared in 2015 when they discovered small, bright white clouds in the region where the 2018 Great Dark Spot would later appear.

"We were so busy tracking this smaller storm from 2015, that we weren't necessarily expecting to see another big one so soon," Simon said.

The high-altitude clouds are made up of methane ice crystals, which give them their characteristic bright white color. Scientists suspect these methane clouds accompany the storms that form dark spots, hovering above them the way lenticular clouds cap tall mountains on Earth.

A view of the first Great Dark Spot scientists observed on Neptune. Credit: NASA.

Lifespan of a spot

Simon and co-authors Michael Wong and Andrew Hsu at the University of California Berkeley tracked the methane clouds from 2016 to 2018. They found the clouds were brightest in 2016 and 2017, before the new Great Dark Spot became visible.

Computer models of Neptune's atmosphere have shown the deeper the storm, the brighter its companion clouds. That these white clouds appeared two years before the Great Dark Spot and that they lost some brightness when it became visible suggests dark spots may originate much deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought, according to the new study.

Simon, Wong and Hsu also used images from Hubble and Voyager 2 to pinpoint how long these storms last and how frequently they occur. They report in a second study published today in the Astronomical Journal that they suspect new storms crop up on Neptune every four to six years. Each storm may last up to six years, though two-year lifespans are more likely, according to the findings.

Dark versus Red

The new findings show how Neptune's Great Dark Spots differ from Jupiter's Great Red Spot. The Great Red Spot has been observed since at least 1830 and could be up to 350 years old. Thin jet streams on Jupiter keep the Great Red Spot from breaking apart and from changing latitude; it rotates around Jupiter but doesn't move north or south.

But Neptunian winds operate in much wider bands around the planet, so storms like the Great Dark Spot slowly drift across latitudes. These storms typically hover between westward equatorial wind jets and eastward-blowing currents in the higher latitudes before strong winds pull them apart.

Planetary scientists hope to next study changes in the shape of the vortex and wind speed in storms that form dark spots. "We have never directly measured winds within Neptune's dark vortices, but we estimate the wind speeds are in the ballpark of 328 feet (100 meters) per second, quite similar to wind speeds within Jupiter's Great Red Spot," said Wong. More frequent observations using Hubble will help paint a clearer picture of how storm systems on Neptune evolve, he said.

Explore further Hubble reveals dynamic atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune

More information: A. A. Simon et al, Formation of a New Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 2018, Geophysical Research Letters (2019). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters , Astronomical Journal A. A. Simon et al, Formation of a New Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 2018,(2019). DOI: 10.1029/2019GL081961
Defoliated and uprooted trees in Puerto Rico's Toro Negro state forest following October 2017's Hurricane Maria. A new study shows that damage from the storm was not only worse than, but different from any previously documented event. Credit: Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute, Columbia University

A new study shows that damage inflicted on trees in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria was unprecedented in modern times, and suggests that more frequent big storms whipped up by a warming climate could permanently alter forests not only here, but across much of the Atlantic tropics. Biodiversity could suffer as result, and more carbon could be added to the atmosphere, say the authors. The study appears this week in the journal Nature Communications.

Hurricane Maria not only destroyed far more trees than any previously studied storm; big, old trees thought to be especially resistant to storms suffered the worst. Lead author Maria Uriarte, a faculty member of Columbia University's Earth Institute, said that because hurricanes are projected to intensify with warming climate, the damage probably presages more such events. "These hurricanes are going to kill more trees. They're going to break more trees. The factors that protected many trees in the past will no longer apply," she said. "Forests will become shorter and smaller, because they won't have time to regrow, and they will be less diverse."

When Maria hit Puerto Rico in October 2017, it came in as a Category 4, with winds up to 155 miles per hour and up to three feet of rain in places. Many trees were denuded of foliage, snapped in half or blown clear out of the ground. The strongest storm to hit the island since 1928, Maria killed or severely damaged an estimated 20 million to 40 million trees.

Uriarte, who has been monitoring tree growth and mortality across Puerto Rico for the past 15 years, returned soon after the hurricane and began documenting its effects. For the new study, she and two colleagues homed in on a 40-acre section of the El Yunque National Forest, near the capital of San Juan, that has been intensively monitored by multiple teams since 1990. This long-term monitoring allowed Uriarte and her colleagues to compare damage from Maria with that of past hurricanes, including 1989's Hurricane Hugo and 1998's Hurricane GeorgesCategory 3 storms, but the only things even close to Maria in recent times.

Forest ecologist Maria Uriarte (foreground) and students take in a once-lush plot where almost every tree was splintered or simply blown away. Credit: Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute, Columbia University

They found that Maria killed twice as many trees outright as previous storms, and broke more than three times as many trunks. Some species suffered much worse, with breakage rates up to 12 times those of previous storms. Alarmingly, these tended to be the slowest-growing, most valuable hardwoods that in the past were the most resilient to big storms: towering mahogany-like tabonucos with great crowns, prized for furniture and boat-building, and thick ausubos, whose wood is so dense it does not float in water. These and other big trees provide habitat for many birds and other creatures that smaller trees do not. About half of the trees with broken trunks will die within two to three years, said Uriarte.

However, a few species did well in all the storms, and one stood out: the common sierra palm, whose slender, flexible trunk bends with wind and quickly resprouts, grass-like, from its top if it loses foliage. Uriarte believes that the palms and a few pioneer species that can take root quickly and grow following storms may be the future of forests across the Atlantic tropics and subtropics. "This will yield lower statured and less diverse forests dominated by a few resistant species," she said.

Tropical cyclones derive their energy from ocean heat. Atlantic temperatures are already ascending, and models predict that by 2100, maximum sustained hurricane winds could increase by as much as 15 percent. Warmer air also carries more moisture, so rainfall could increase by up to 20 percent near storm centers. Both factors destroy trees; extreme winds do it directly, while rain saturates and destabilizes soil, encouraging uprooting. "The expected changes in hurricane winds and rainfall may have profound consequences for the long-term resilience of tropical forests in the North Atlantic basin," says the study.

New seedlings are taking over a previously shaded forest floor, now opened to the sky by Hurricane Maria. Fast-growing pioneers and wind-resistant species could quickly replace more diverse assemblage of trees. Credit: Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute, Columbia University

The potential loss of many tree species could have cascading effects on forest wildlife and plants, say the researchers. This also would probably alter forests' growth dynamics, such that instead of soaking in more atmospheric carbon than they give offwhich they currently dothe equation would reverse, and forests would become net emitters. This would be because the decay of felled trees would outweigh carbon taken in by any replacements. Along with palms, one species that probably would take over would be the fast-growing yagrumo, which shoots up quickly in sunny clearings created by big storms. But the yagrumo also is often the first to fall in storms, and so would just add to the problem. Thus, forests would help feed the very warming that is destroying them. Separate estimates suggest that trees killed or damaged by Hurricane Maria alone will release about 5.75 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere, or about 2.5 percent of the carbon taken up annually by all forests in the United States.

Edmund Tanner, a senior lecturer emeritus at the University of Cambridge who studies tropical trees but was not involved in the new research, said the study is important, because "it reports different, rather than just intensified, effects of strong versus weaker hurricanes." Tanner said the effects are "probably representative of huge areas of tropical lowland forest near sea coasts, some of which are likely to experience similar or worse damage in a warming world." Maria "was a Category 4 hurricane," noted Tanner. "There is a Category 5."

Explore further Landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria

More information: "Hurricane Maria Tripled Stem Breaks and Doubled Tree Mortality Relative to Other Major Storms," Nature Communications (2019). Journal information: Nature Communications "Hurricane Maria Tripled Stem Breaks and Doubled Tree Mortality Relative to Other Major Storms,"(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

It is known that gas giants around other stars are often located very near their sun. According to accepted theory, these gas planets were formed far away and subsequently migrated to an orbit closer to the star. Now, researchers from Lund University and other institutions have used advanced computer simulations to learn more about Jupiter's journey through our own solar system approximately 4.5 billion years ago. At that time, Jupiter was quite recently formed, as were the other planets in the solar system. The planets were gradually built up by cosmic dust, which circled around our young sun in a disk of gas and particles. Jupiter was no larger than our own planet.

The results show that Jupiter was formed four times further from the sun than its current position would indicate. "This is the first time we have proof that Jupiter was formed a long way from the sun and then migrated to its current orbit. We found evidence of the migration in the Trojan asteroids orbiting close to Jupiter," explains Simona Pirani, doctoral student in astronomy at Lund University, and the lead author of the study.

These Trojan asteroids consist of two groups of thousands of asteroids that reside at the same distance from the Sun as Jupiter, but orbiting in front of and behind Jupiter, respectively. There are approximately 50 per cent more Trojans in front of Jupiter than behind it. It is this asymmetry that became the key to the researchers' understanding of Jupiter's migration.

"The asymmetry has always been a mystery in the solar system," says Anders Johansen, professor of astronomy at Lund University. Indeed, the research community had previously been unable to explain why the two asteroid groups do not contain the same number of asteroids. However, Simona Pirani and Anders Johansen, together with other colleagues, have now identified the reason by recreating the course of events of Jupiter's formation and how the planet gradually drew in its Trojan asteroids.

Thanks to extensive computer simulations, the researchers have calculated that the current asymmetry could only have occurred if Jupiter was formed four times further out in the solar system and subsequently migrated to its current position. During its journey toward the sun, Jupiter's own gravity then drew in more Trojans in front of it than behind it.

According to the calculations, Jupiter's migration went on for around 700,000 years, in a period approximately 2 to 3 million years after the celestial body started its life as an ice asteroid far from the sun. The journey inward in the solar system followed a spiraling course in which Jupiter continued to circle around the sun, albeit in an increasingly tight path. The reason behind the actual migration relates to gravitational forces from the surrounding gases in the solar system.

The simulations show that the Trojan asteroids were drawn in when Jupiter was a young planet with no gas atmosphere, which means that these asteroids most probably consist of building blocks similar to those that formed Jupiter's core. In 2021, NASA's space probe Lucy will be launched into orbit around six of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to study them.

"We can learn a lot about Jupiter's core and formation from studying the Trojans," says Anders Johansen.

The authors of the study also suggest that the gas giant Saturn and the ice giants Uranus and Neptune could have migrated in a similar way.

Explore further Scientists find evidence for early planetary shake-up

More information: S. Pirani et al, Consequences of planetary migration on the minor bodies of the early solar system, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2019). Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics S. Pirani et al, Consequences of planetary migration on the minor bodies of the early solar system,(2019). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201833713
Tagged Farne Island Arctic Tern. Credit: Chris Refern, Newcastle University

Data from a landmark study of the world's longest migrating seabird reveals how overland migration is an integral part of their amazing journey.

Analysing the data from electronic tags retrieved from 47 Arctic Terns, the Newcastle University-led team has been able to characterise in unprecedented detail the route and stop-off points during this record-breaking bird's 90,000 km annual migration.

This includes:

An 8,000km, 24-day, non-stop flight over the Indian Ocean, feeding on the move

An overland detour from the Farne Irelands to the Irish Sea and over Ireland to the Atlantic

A short stay on the New Zealand coast before completing the final leg of their journey

A stop-off at Llangorse Lake, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, during their return journey in the Spring

Led by scientists at Newcastle University, UK, in collaboration with BBC's Springwatch and The National Trust, 53 adult birds nesting on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast were fitted with geolocators over a three year period.

Weighing just over 100 g the Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any bird, travelling all the way to Antarctica for the winter and back to the Farnes, which are owned and managed by the National Trust, to breed in the spring.

So far, 47 tags have been retrieved and the research team, led by Dr. Chris Redfern of Newcastle University, are starting to analyse the data.

"Technology is revealing details of the movement and behaviour of these amazing birds in unprecedented detail," says Dr. Redfern, whose initial findings in collaboration with Dr. Richard Bevan are published today in the academic journal Ibis.

"Arctic Terns feed on surface fish and other marine animals so it has always been assumed they would migrate via a coastal route, down the North Sea and through the English Channel.

"But instead our data has shown their regular route is to travel overland across the UK to the Irish Sea and some are going even further crossing Ireland to the North Atlantic."

After that, it's a long hard trek south, down the coast of West Africa and then out across the Indian Ocean.

"Our data suggests their flight over the Indian Ocean is an 8,000 km long haul without a break, probably feeding on the move," says Dr. Redfern. "For a bird that weighs less than an iPhone, that's an amazing feat.

"Many of the terns have gone even further, ending up around New Zealand before turning south towards the East Antarctic, finally arriving four months after leaving Northumberland.

"The scale of their migratory journey across featureless oceans is breath-taking! In that context, the UK land mass between the Irish Sea and the Farne Islands must be no obstacle at all to an Arctic Tern and the quickest route to their breeding colony."

The data also highlights key stop-off points off the coast of Lancashire and Wales in April and May as the Terns make their way back to the Farne Islands to breed.Dr. Redfern, who carried out the study with Dr. Richard Bevan and the Natural History Society of Northumbria, said the detailed picture of Arctic Tern migration patterns would help with future

conservation efforts.

"Understanding their behaviour in detail means we can start to build a picture of which areas are important feeding and breeding grounds."

Longest flight ever recorded

More than two thousand pairs of Arctic Terns breed on the Farne Islands. Sitting two miles off the coast of Northumberland, the islands are home to 87,000 pairs of seabird, including Puffin, Eider Duck and Shag. The National Trust has cared for the Farne Islands since 1925.

Previous studies have shown these birds are likely to return each year to the same few square metres of ground, making it an ideal environment to carry out year-to-year tracking studies with geolocators.

Earlier data from the study, featured on BBC Springwatch in 2016, showed that one bird had flown an estimated 96,000km (almost 60,000 miles) from its breeding grounds on the Farne Islands to its winter quarters in Antarctica.

The bird started its migration on 25/7/2015 reaching the tip of South Africa by 25/8/2015

It then moved into the Indian Ocean where it spent nearly all of October (7/10/2015-31/10/2015; 1st staging area35.4 S, 71.9 E)

After this it moved to its second staging area (60.6 S, 70.1 E) on the coast of Antarctica (3/11/201515/11/2015)

It then slowly made its way along the edge of the Antarctic continent until eventually ending up in the Weddell Sea (3/2/2016) where it stayed until 23/3/2016 (3rd staging area69.6 S, 25.3 W)

Finally, it moved up to the tip of South Africa (4/4/2016) and made its way along the west coast of Africa and arrived in the Farne Islands' area 4/5/2015

Over its lifetime the record-breaking tern could be flying as far as 3 million km between the Farne Islands and Antarctica, the equivalent of nearly four trips to the moon and back.

Explore further Arctic terns confirmed to have the longest animal migration in the world

More information: 'Overland movement and migration phenology in relation to breeding of Arctic Terns, Sterna paradisaea' Chris Redfern and Richard Bevan. Ibis, 2019.
Rice University physicists and colleagues in Austria and Brazil have shown that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates (top) can cause them to either divide into the uniform segments characteristic of Faraday waves (center) or shatter into unpredictable splinters (bottom). The frequency and amplitude of the shaking determines the outcome. Credit: Gustavo Telles/University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos and Jason Nguyen/Rice University

Physicists in the United States, Austria and Brazil have shown that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) can cause them to either divide into uniform segments or shatter into unpredictable splinters, depending on the frequency of the shaking.

"It's remarkable that the same quantum system can give rise to such different phenomena," said Rice University physicist Randy Hulet, co-author of a study about the work published online today in the journal Physical Review X. Hulet's lab conducted the study's experiments using lithium BECs, tiny clouds of ultracold atoms that march in lockstep as if they are a single entity, or matter wave. "The relationship between these states can teach us a great deal about complex quantum many-body phenomena."

The research was conducted in collaboration with physicists at Austria's Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and Brazil's University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos.

The experiments harken to Michael Faraday's 1831 discovery that patterns of ripples were created on the surface of a fluid in a bucket that was shaken vertically at certain critical frequencies. The patterns, known as Faraday waves, are similar to resonant modes created on drumheads and vibrating plates.

To investigate Faraday waves, the team confined BECs to a linear one-dimensional waveguide, resulting in a cigar-shaped BEC. The researchers then shook the BECs using a weak, slowly oscillating magnetic field to modulate the strength of interactions between atoms in the 1D waveguide. The Faraday pattern emerged when the frequency of modulation was tuned near a collective mode resonance.

But the team also noticed something unexpected: When the modulation was strong and the frequency was far below a Faraday resonance, the BEC broke into "grains" of varying size. Rice research scientist Jason Nguyen, lead co-author of the study, found the grain sizes were broadly distributed and persisted for times even longer than the modulation time.

"Granulation is usually a random process that is observed in solids such as breaking glass, or the pulverizing of a stone into grains of different sizes," said study co-author Axel Lode, who holds joint appointments at both TU Wien and the Wolfgang Pauli Institute at the University of Vienna.

Images of the quantum state of the BEC were identical in each Faraday wave experiment. But in the granulation experiments the pictures looked completely different each time, even though the experiments were performed under identical conditions.

Lode said the variation in the granulation experiments arose from quantum correlationscomplicated relationships between quantum particles that are difficult to describe mathematically.

"A theoretical description of the observations proved challenging because standard approaches were unable to reproduce the observations, particularly the broad distribution of grain sizes," Lode said. His team helped interpret the experimental results using a sophisticated theoretical method, and its implementation in software, which accounted for quantum fluctuations and correlations that typical theories do not address.

Hulet, Rice's Fayez Sarofim Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and a member of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM), said the results have important implications for investigations of turbulence in quantum fluids, an unsolved problem in physics.

Explore further Quantum experiments probe underlying physics of rogue ocean waves

More information: J. H. V. Nguyen et al, Parametric Excitation of a Bose-Einstein Condensate: From Faraday Waves to Granulation, Physical Review X (2019). Journal information: Physical Review X J. H. V. Nguyen et al, Parametric Excitation of a Bose-Einstein Condensate: From Faraday Waves to Granulation,(2019). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevx.9.011052
Scientists from The Australian National University have discovered the have discovered that 558 million-year-old Dickinsonia fossils do not reveal all of the features of the earliest known animals, which potentially had mouths and guts. Credit: Ilya Bobrovskiy, The Australian National University (ANU)

Scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have discovered that 558 million-year-old Dickinsonia fossils do not reveal all of the features of the earliest known animals, which potentially had mouths and guts.

ANU Ph.D. scholar Ilya Bobrovskiy, lead author of the study, said the study shows that simple physical properties of sediments can explain Dickinsonia's preservation, and implies that what can be seen today may not be what these creatures actually looked like.

"These soft-bodied creatures that lived 558 million years ago on the seafloor could, in principle, have had mouths and gutsorgans that many palaeontologists argue emerged during the Cambrian period tens of millions of years later," said Mr Bobrovskiy from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

"Our discovery about Dickinsoniaand many other Ediacaran fossilsopens up new possibilities as to what they actually looked like."

Ediacara biota were strange creatures that lived on the seafloor 571 to 541 million years ago. They grew up to two metres long and include the earliest known animals as well as colonies of bacteria.

The fact that Dickinsonia and other Ediacara biota fossils were preserved at all in the geological record has been a big mysteryuntil now.

The team, which includes scientists from Russian institutions, discovered how Ediacara biota fossils were preserved, despite the macroorganisms not having skeletons or shells.

"As the organisms decayed, softer sediment from below gradually flowed into the forming void, creating a cast," Mr Bobrovskiy said.

"Now we know that what we are looking at is an impression of a soft organic skeleton that may have been anywhere within Dickinsonia's body. What we're seeing could be a part of Dickinsonia's bottom, the inside of its body or part of its back."

Mr Bobrovskiy said Dickinsonia had different types of tissues and must have been a true animal, a Eumetazoa, the lineages eventually leading to humans.

Co-researcher and RSES colleague Associate Professor Jochen Brocks said the team used a melting cast of a Death Star made of ice to show the physical properties of sediments that enabled the soft-bodied Ediacara biota to be preserved.

"This process of fossilisation could tell us more about what Ediacara biota were and how they lived," he said.

"These fossils comprise our best window into earliest animal evolution and are the key to understanding our own deep origins."

The study is published in Nature Ecology and Evolution today.

Explore further Fat from 558 million years ago reveals earliest known animal
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The environmental health of wetlands across the world is deteriorating. The authoritative Global Wetland Outlook released by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 2018 highlighted an alarming trend in wetland loss; at least 35 percent of the world's natural wetlands have been lost since 1970.

This will have serious implications on our ability to store carbon and support broader climate adaptation. By restoring, conserving, and wisely using our wetlands we can contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Natural wetlands have declined across inland, coastal and marine habitats, with serious impacts on food security, fisheries and other wetland-dependent species, water provision for agriculture and domestic needs, and as natural protection from storms and floods. The economic and biodiversity value of wetlands far outweighs many terrestrial ecosystems  and yet they are disappearing faster than any other ecosystems. They provide society with huge value. By degrading and draining our wetlands, we lose much more than what lives there, we also lose the diverse benefits they provide to society.

The Ramsar Strategic Plan 20162024, adopted by the 168 Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention at their twelfth meeting in Uruguay includes targets for the restoration of wetlands, with biodiversity conservation. Given the important role that wetlands play in local and regional climate processes, including storing greenhouse gases, they represent an essential component of strategies for adaptation to, and mitigation of, climate change. They can make a significant contribution to building the resilience of communities globally.

Yet these systems continue to be degraded, annual rates of loss have actually accelerated in the last two decades. Since 1970, 81 percent of inland wetland species populations and 36 percent of coastal and marine species have declined. Over the last century we have lost 70 percent of our natural wetland area.

We, International Organization Partners to the Ramsar Convention, would like to remind Contracting Parties to the Convention that our role is to bring these concerns to the forefront of their activities on wetland management, protection and restoration. We call for a specific programme on Wetland Restoration under the newly adopted UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

This would help to urgently accelerate the work of countries in mobilising the Strategic Plan of the Ramsar Convention, and to act at the pace needed to deliver against the ambitious SDGs, Aichi Targets, post-2020 biodiversity framework, as well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We must reverse the decline of natural wetlands, and one key strategy to do that is to restore wetlands and their functions as a key ally for all countries to adapt to climate change impacts, and to help store carbon.

Explore further Wetlands disappearing three times faster than forests: study
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has awarded a new STEM designation for two master's programs in architecture at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). UTSA is now the only Texas institution--and one of few universities in the nation--to have STEM CIP Code 04.0902 for its M. Arch. and M.S. in Architecture programs. Credit: University Communications

The UTSA Master of Architecture and the Master of Science in Architecture have been awarded a unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) designation by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. UTSA is now the only Texas institutionand one of few universities in the nationto have STEM CIP Code 04.0902 for its M. Arch. and M.S. in Architecture programs.

The Classification of Instructional Programs or "CIP Code" is a government-developed designation for academic programs, according to the primary subject matter of the programs' content. CIP Codes help students identify areas of study with particular curricular emphases as well as programs that offer added benefits such as funding and visa status.

The new CIP Code will help UTSA recruit high-caliber students who want access to STEM-related architecture opportunities. It will also provide UTSA faculty members with the opportunity to compete for new types of research funding.

"Having both of our graduate programs recognized with the new STEM CIP Code will create a wide range of opportunities," said Sedef Doganer, professor and chair of the UTSA Department of Architecture. "This new STEM designation positions UTSA Architecture at the forefront of the discipline and will allow us to break new ground in preparing students for success through architectural research, education and practice."

The designation provides an additional 24 months of Optional Practice Training (OPT) for international students, with a total of 36 months of OPT employment after degree completion. This enhances opportunities for international students to secure work visas at the end of their educational journey.

The UTSA Department of Architecture has historically included STEM-related content in its program offerings. Additionally, many architecture faculty at UTSA conduct STEM-related research. As a result, UTSA's M. Arch. and M.S. in Architecture graduates are prepared to develop design intentions and ideas with sound, research-based solutions.

"UTSA has always employed an applied STEM approach to both our architectural education and our professional practice," said John Murphy, dean of the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning. "This new CIP Code is a validation of our efforts to differentiate our curriculum with a STEM emphasis."

Research and development are crucial in improving and developing key concepts related to sustainability and problem solving for the user groups architects serve. In addition to applying advanced technologies and sustainable principles to building design and construction, architects lead multidisciplinary teams of designers, engineers and consultants to effectively integrate building systems and improve the public health and welfare.

In July of 2018, the United States Congress passed the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technology Education (CTE) Act, making architecture an officially recognized STEM subject. The bi-partisan act will allow states to use federal funds to modernize the CTE curriculum, allowing for an increase in available funds for high-school-level architectural education. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) lobbied for the change for several years, in the meantime bringing design to K-12 students through special programs and activities. The bill formalizes these efforts.

Provided by University of Texas at San Antonio
RTHK: Junta poised to retain power in Thailand

Thailand's governing junta looks poised to hold on to power in a vote that saw its main rival diminished but vaulted a new pro-democracy force into the kingdom's politics.

Sunday's poll  seen as a referendum on the military  was the first since a 2014 coup, and was held under new rules written by the junta to ease its transformation into a civilian government. The final results are to be announced on Monday.

Despite that, analysts had not expected the army-linked Phalang Pracharat party to win the popular vote, given mounting anger at junta rule and the enduring popularity of Pheu Thai  the party of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

But as preliminary results trickled in on Sunday, Phalang Pracharat  with coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister  clung to the lead, racking up more than 7.6 million votes with 93 percent of ballots tallied.

"This will give them... popular legitimacy and more credibility," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

Phalang Pracharat had nearly half a million more votes than Pheu Thai, despite the track record of Thaksin whose parties have won every vote since 2001, drawing on loyalty from the rural and urban poor.

Prayut's party is on track to cobble together the 126 votes in the lower house it needs for a parliamentary majority, in combination with a 250-seat upper house Senate that is appointed by the junta.

As the results came in, dismay rippled out across the pro-democracy camp, with prospects diminishing of an anti-junta coalition squeezing into power.

The Election Commission unexpectedly postponed the release of fuller results until Monday afternoon, including the number of lower house seats won by each party.

But questions quickly began to percolate on social media over an election that saw a massive 1.9 million ballots invalidated, setting the stage for disputes.

Election night was full of surprises, with the new, youth-focused Future Forward party led by telegenic billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit taking more than five million votes, which could make it Thailand's third-biggest party. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
In April of 2017, as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were preparing to meet, a group of academics, policy wonks and former diplomats took out a full-page ad in the New York Times. The wonks warned the U.S. against falling into the Thucydides Trap.

The ad explained the Thucydides Trap as arising when a dominant power fears the rise of a new power and war results. The specific sentence in Thucydides was this one: What made war [that is, the Peloponnesian War] inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.

But notice that Thucydides didnt say anything about Sparta being a dominant power (similar to the U.S.) that was threatened by Athens, a rising power (similar to China). In fact, if the signatories to the Times ad had actually studied the history of ancient Greece they would have known that the power relationship between Sparta and Athens was exactly the opposite.

At the time of the Peloponnesian War, Athens was by far the dominant power in Greeceindeed, in the entire known world (as well see in a minute). And the war wasnt caused by Spartas insecurities, it was instigated by a cocky, imperious and expansionist Athens (i.e., similar to China).

The signatories to the Times ad, like virtually all modern historians, were sympathetic to Athens. This isnt hard to understand, since Athens was a democracy while Sparta was an oligarchy.

But lets cut through the bias and acknowledge that, though an oligarchy, Sparta was well-ruled. Athens, meanwhile, though a democracy, was poorly ruled, at least after the death of Pericles (who died, incidentally, in the very plague I mentioned in my series on Lucretius). Post-Pericles, Athens was not so much democratic as mob-ruled.

Consider the predicament of Thucydides himself. Long before he became a famous historian, Thucydides was an Athenian general. In the opening battles of the war, Thucydides and his fleet arrived in Amphipolis too late to save the town, which was besieged by the Spartan general, Brasidas. As a result, Thucydides was recalled to Athens, tried and convicted by the Assembly, and exiled.

Similarly, later in the war, after Athens had won a naval victory, the Assembly decided that the victory hadnt been as complete as it should have been. Six naval commanders were summoned to Athens, tried, convicted and executed. This bizarre act destroyed the morale of the famous Athenian navy, left the fleet bereft of leadership, and powerfully contributed to Athens final defeat in the war.

Or consider the more famous fate of Socrates  who, by the way, also participated in the doomed battle for Amphipolis as a young conscript. Athens also charged, convicted and executed Socrates, one of the wisest men who ever lived. Democracy leaves a lot to be desired when it descends into ochlocracy (mob rule).

Long before hostilities broke out between Sparta and Athens, it was Athens that was the overwhelmingly dominant city-state in Greece. Athens had defeated the Persian army in 480 BCE and then led a large coalition of Greek city-states in further attacks on Persia and its allies, assembling the Athenian Empire in the process.

By 470 BCE Athens controlled all of Greece except for Sparta and few of its allies. It was vastly wealthier than Sparta, boasted many more allied city-states and controlled the most powerful navy in the world.

Thus, far from being a dominant power threatened by the rise of a weaker-but-growing power, Sparta was the weaker power threatened by the most dominant power in the known world, a power that was growing more dominant by the day.

Moreover, it wasnt Sparta who launched the war; Athens instigated the conflict by engaging in continuous provocations against Sparta. The Spartan king, Archidamus, opposed the war in spite of Athens bellicose behavior, and Pericles did his best to fend off the war party in Athens. But when Pericles died, he was succeeded by the warmonger, Cleon, and passions on both sides spun out of control.

Cleon convinced the Athenians that they couldnt lose against Sparta  hadnt Athens just destroyed the entire Persian Empire? Wasnt Athens the strongest power in the world? He whetted the Athenians war lust by describing the riches it would acquire once Sparta had been beaten.

Taking advantage of a brief war between two Sparta allies, Megara and Corinth, Athens convinced Megara to defect from its alliance with Sparta. This gave Athens a crucial presence on the Isthmus of Corinth, directly threatening Sparta. That made war inevitable.

We might also note that, at least in modern times, its not usually the dominant power that launches the war, its the audacious rising power (China in this case). This makes sense, since the dominant power, having had to defend its position over and over again, knows exactly how strong it is  and what the limits of its powers are.

But a rising power has none of this experience. All it knows is that, relative to what it used to be, it is now much stronger. It exaggerates its power without knowing it is doing so, believing that no other state can possibly stand up to it. Consider Japan in the nineteenth century, Japan in the mid-twentieth century, Germany in the early twentieth century, Germany in the mid-twentieth century.

Finally, lets also note that, when a self-aggrandizing, rising power instigates a war against an existing dominant power, its almost always the rising power that is crushed. Consider Japan, Japan, Germany and Germany, above.

Thus, what the sponsors of the New York Times ad should have done, if they had read their Thucydides, was to have placed their full-page ad not in the New York Times but in, say, the Reference News, Chinas largest newspaper.

Next week well begin to consider what Cold War II might look like, militarily, economically, and diplomatically.

Next up: Cold War II, Part 6
During the past few months, allegations have been made regarding the editorial and professional integrity of the work of RFE/RL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi. The allegations that have been shared with us range from claims of pro-government bias to corruption, mismanagement, and state interference in editorial decisionmaking. RFE/RL does not tolerate any violations of its mission and its code of ethics. Accordingly, in order to determine whether these allegations have merit, we have taken the following steps:

RFE/RL's Standards Editor has reviewed the Tajik Service's journalism, with a particular focus on four areas: 1) failure to report objectively on Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his family; 2) laudatory reporting, of low news value, of the presidential family and top officials; 3) failure to cite Western human rights reports that provided crucial context on key news stories; and 4) prejudicial reporting on the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan. This review found that RFE/RL's Tajik Service failed to live up to RFE/RL's standards in respect to all four areas, and we have already taken steps to correct these lapses. We have also commissioned an independent external editorial review of Tajik Service content. The panelists are regional experts and native Tajik speakers with a strong grounding in Western academic and journalistic standards. Their findings are expected to be complete in early April and will be made public. Some non-editorial allegations fall beyond the scope of our ability to investigate internally. Earlier this month, RFE/RL asked the State Department's Office of the Inspector General to investigate those claims. Corrective action will follow any investigation by the OIG, as warranted.

RFE/RL's Central Asian reporters work in some of the worlds most restrictive environments. Our correspondents are under constant surveillance by security services and openly pressured to avoid scrutiny of top government officials. This month alone, three of our journalists in Kazakhstan have been detained while covering public protests.

RFE/RL's independent reporting is vital to our audiences living under repressive regimes that have all but silenced dissent. In many countries, RFE/RL is the only alternative to state-run media peddling disinformation and false narratives. Anyone who doubts our commitment to hard-hitting journalism need look no further than Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, where our bureaus have been forcibly closed due to our reporting, and in Russia, where RFE/RL has been declared a foreign agent and our journalists work under constant threat of harassment.

I am committed to resolving this issue in a transparent and comprehensive manner. We at RFE/RL look forward to continuing our important mission of delivering objective news and information to the audiences who need it most.

Daisy Sindelar

Acting President, RFE/RL
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
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" " Uh-oh. That's precisely the sort of scenario that the B612 Foundation (and the rest of the world) wants to avoid. SCIEPRO/Getty Images

In 1943, aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupery published "The Little Prince." It's a sweet, sad tale of a crashed pilot meeting a young boy (the title character) who claims to be from a tiny asteroid called B-612. The story praises the curiosity of children and the folly of adults. Today, an organization called B612 hopes to avoid future follies by building up a planetary defense system to protect Earth from asteroid collisions.

It would be dangerous to ignore the potential of an asteroid collision. After all, debris from space enters Earth's atmosphere all the time. Organizations like NASA are well-aware of the dangers. NASA's Near Earth Object Program searches and tracks objects in space that could pose a threat to the planet. As of March 24, 2016, the program had counted 14,020 near-Earth asteroids, with diameters ranging from less than 30 meters (98 feet) to larger than 1 kilometer (0.6 mile).

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These objects have the potential to cause enormous devastation should they collide with Earth. It's happened before  an asteroid or comet hit Earth on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico 65 million years ago and not only left a huge crater but is believed to have been the event that triggered the fifth mass extinction. That's the one that killed off all the dinosaurs. Much more recent was the Tunguska event, which happened in 1908 in Siberia. Or the 2013 Chelyabinsk event, which also occurred in Russia.

How can we protect ourselves from future collisions? That's what the B612 Foundation focuses on. Led by former astronaut Ed Lu, their plan is to launch a space telescope called Sentinel. This telescope will orbit the sun between Earth and Venus. B612 will use data from the space telescope and observatories on Earth to identify potential threats in our neck of the solar system, hopefully decades before those threats become imminent.

Before it can undertake its mission though, the telescope needs funding. A lot of funding. In a 2015 interview with Planet Money's Jacob Goldstein, Lu estimated that building the Sentinel would require at least $500 million more in cash.

" " A sketch of the B612 space telescope dubbed Sentinel that would keep an eye for asteroids that got too close for comfort B612 Julie via Wikimedia Commons

If it did get built and did detect a threat, what then? Assuming scientists have detected the asteroid with enough time to spare, we'd need to change the trajectory of the potential threat so that the object would miss Earth. The B612 approach is to use something called a gravity tractor  essentially a spacecraft that would pull the object into a new trajectory using only the gravitational attraction between the spacecraft and the object. If you catch the object far enough out from Earth, the adjustment would be minor.

That's just one potential solution to the problem of an asteroid collision. To learn about alternative approaches, just watch the video below.

Now That's Cool Asteroids aren't all threats, and there's a good chance that within the next few decades humanity could be mining asteroids for rare metals, water and minerals.
" " An artist's impression of the orbits of three stars close to the center of the Milky Way. ESO/M. Parsa/L. Calcada

Scientists always seem to be finding new evidence of Albert Einstein "being right." The latest example comes from astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. Astronomers there have been studying the stars that orbit dangerously close to the supermassive black hole in the center of our galaxy to find that  you guessed it!  Einstein's landmark theory of general relativity is holding strong, even at the doorstep of the most extreme gravitational field in our galaxy.

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Supermassive Laboratories

Most galaxies are known to have supermassive black holes lurking in their cores, and our galaxy, the Milky Way, is no different. Located approximately 26,000 light-years from Earth, our black hole behemoth is called Sagittarius A* (aka Sgr A*), and it has a mass 4 million times that of our sun. Astrophysicists are hugely interested in black holes, as they're the most compact, gravitationally dominant objects known in the universe and, therefore, an extreme test for relativity.

" " A peek at the center of our galaxy, courtesy of the ESO's Very Large Telescope, with Sagittarius A*, our galactic black hole, and S2, a daredevil star that orbits relatively close to Sgr A*, highlighted. ESO/MPE/S. Gillessen et al.

By tracking the motion of stars orbiting close to Sgr A*, a team of German and Czech astronomers have analyzed 20 years of observations made by the VLT and other telescopes using a new technique that pinpoints the positions of these stars. One of the stars, called S2, orbits Sgr A* every 16 years and zooms very close to the black hole  around four times the sun-Neptune distance. Because of its racetrack orbit deep inside the black hole's gravitational well, S2 is treated as a natural relativity "probe" into this mysterious "strong gravity" environment.

"The galactic center really is the best laboratory to study the motion of stars in a relativistic environment," said Ph.D. student Marzieh Parsa, who works at the University of Cologne in Germany, in a statement. "I was amazed how well we could apply the methods we developed with simulated stars to the high-precision data for the innermost high-velocity stars close to the supermassive black hole." Parsa is lead author of the study published in The Astrophysical Journal.

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Newton, Meet Einstein

By precisely measuring its motion around the black hole, the researchers could compare its orbit with predictions laid out by classical Newtonian dynamics. They found that the star's actual orbit deviated from Newtonian predictions exactly as predicted by Einstein's general relativity  although the effect was slight.

In a nutshell, Einsteinian gravity treats space and time as two of the same  four-dimensional "spacetime" where time is another dimension incorporated into the three dimensions of space  and matter influences the curvature of spacetime while the curvature of spacetime influences the motion of matter. For example: If you have a massive object, it will bend spacetime, like the famous example of the bowling ball suspended on a rubber sheet. If another object travels past the massive object, the curvature of spacetime will deflect its direction of motion  like a marble rolling past the bowling ball.

Classical Newtonian gravity assumes space and time are separate dimensions and does not include the effects of the curvature of spacetime. Therefore, general relativity will leave an imprint in the motion of all moving objects in the universe (creating a deviation in an object's predicted Newtonian motion), and its slight effects become obvious in extremely strong gravitational environments, such as the immediate vicinity of Sgr A*. And only precision instruments like the VLT, which uses adaptive optics to remove the blurring effects of Earth's atmosphere from astronomical observations, can detect this deviation.

In 2018, S2 will swoop to its closest point in its orbit around Sgr A*, and astronomers using the VLT are preparing a new instrument to get an even more precise view of the extreme environment surrounding the black hole. Called GRAVITY, the instrument is installed on the VLT Interferometer, and astronomers not only predict that it will get an even more precise gauge on Einstein's general relativity, it might even detect deviations away from relativity, possibly hinting at new physics beyond relativity.

Now That's Interesting The term "new physics" refers to the theoretical developments in physics required to explain the short-fallings of the standard model and general relativity. For example, modern physics cannot explain why there's more matter than antimatter in the universe, so experiments are being conducted to look for physical phenomena beyond the standard model.
" " The Western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) nests in the open, making it vulnerable to a changing climate. Michael L. Baird/Flickr

Bird couples are famous for sticking together. Monogamy is tough for any animal, but for most bird species, solo parenting would be practically impossible. After all, it involves keeping a clutch of eggs constantly incubated and protected while feeding themselves, and later a nest full of squawking, wriggling babies. Because making baby birds is such a hassle, around 90 percent of birds raise their chicks with a mate.

That's great, because these days it's taking a lot more parental vigilance to be a bird. A new study published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography finds that as climate change makes weather patterns less reliable, the survival rates of bird babies increases when both bird parents bring their cooperation A-game.

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" " The plover often makes its nest on sandy beaches; rising sea levels and beachgoers pose threats, and now the nesting bird has been seen adapting to increasingly volatile temperatures. Ted Soqui/Corbis/Getty Images

The international team of researchers studied plovers, a type of shore bird. Many plover species lay their eggs on in the ground, out in the open, where the nest receives direct sunlight and affords the parents a view of any incoming predators. In order for the eggs to incubate properly, they need their parents to keep them at a constant temperature of around 95-102 degrees F (35-39 degrees C). As average temperatures at some plover nesting grounds have been inching up in recent years, the researchers found the mother and father bird have to switch off incubation duties more frequently than usual.

"In many bird species where both mates participate in incubation, one sex, generally the female, incubates by day, while the other (the male) does it by night," said Juan A. Amat, a researcher at the Donana Biological Station of the Spanish Council for Biological Research, in a press release.

The research team studied 36 populations of 12 different plover species over six continents, and found that over the course of 31 breeding seasons, the male plovers have begun more often participating in the daytime incubation more when the temperatures rise, probably in order to give his mate a break  remember, plovers have to sit on their eggs in the open, experiencing direct sunlight  and protect the eggs from extreme temperatures.

"This flexibility of parental cooperation would facilitate responses to the impact of climate change on populations' reproductive biology," said Amat.

Pull out your notebook and add plovers to the list of animals that have had to adapt their behavior in the face of climate change.

Now That's Distressing Climate change is expected to seriously alter the range of many bird species by the end of this century.
Warm up your vocal chords because the 37th annual Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival arrives on April 9th. The storied genre film festival in Belgium will host ten world premieres, eleven international and ten European premieres over the course of two weeks.

Leading the way are Hollywood heavy hitters like the new Hellboy and Pet Sematary films. The already divisive film Dragged Across Concrete will stop by the fest. Then there are fest circuit faves like One Cut of the Dead, The Unthinkable and The Witch Part 1: The Subversion.

There is a lot more information over at the festival website . Check it out!

It is a sociological fact that fantasy and horror cinema always enjoy a renewed interest from audiences and critics in times of social and economic turmoil. Needless to say, the harvest is particularly rich in the current international climate!

Italy comes up with not only extremists who seek refuge in an asylum centre (GO HOME), but also fascism incarnate (Il Duce Mussolini himself) making a comeback in the twenty-first century (IM BACK)! The Scandinavians focus on cross-border terrorism (THE UNTHINKABLE) and climate disasters (THE QUAKE). The Koreans threaten to unleash the Third World War (TAKE POINT) while the Americans try to come to terms with their multiple mass murders (THE DEAD ONES).

Dystopias are also doing well, thank you very much. LEVEL 16 confronts us with the cosmetic exploitation of orphans, ROCK STEADY ROW makes a devastating judgment about the American education system, and ANIARA plans a forced exodus to the planet Mars...

For those who persist in believing in mankind, do not panic! The 37th edition of the BIFFF has a lot of big guns at the ready: PET SEMATARY, HELLBOY, IRON SKY 2 (THE COMING RACE), GRETA, ASSASSINATION NATION, THE BEACH BUM, DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE, and LITTLE MONSTERS.

In total we will screen 97 films: ten world premieres, eleven international, and ten European premieres, with a selection that will take you to the far corners of India and Thailand! There is also news from the home front, with nine Belgian feature films or co-productions, including THE ROOM (with Olga Kurylenko and Kevin Janssens), PLAY OR DIE, EXTRA ORDINARY, and THE HOLE IN THE GROUND.

Among the numerous novelties is the very first ZOMBIFFF RUN, during which the participants run the risk of being eaten alive in an apocalyptic setting in the heart of Brussels! Another delicacy for demanding film lovers is the NANARLAND screening, a delicious double bill with SAMURAI COP and TROLL 2. Nostalgic souls will be delighted by the return of rafting-on-a-sea-of-humans, in collaboration with the Magic Land Theater.

Nuff said! The rest of the program youll have to discover for yourself!
A new martial arts action film starring Nicolas Cage called, Jiu-Jitsu based on the comic book of the same name is being showcased at Hong Kong Filmart. Highland Film Group is handling the sales of the movie, according to Variety Magazine.

A little-known fact is that Nicolas Cage is a black belt and he trains with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the UFC champ Royce Gracie. ('Oh yeah, baby, he can roll on those mats!')

The cast line-up also includes Alain Moussi, who stars in the 'Kickboxer' franchise. The film is being produced by Dimitri Logothetis with Martin Barab and is also directing from a script he wrote with Jim McGrath.

The plot centers around an ancient order of Jiu-Jitsu fighters facing fearsome alien invaders in a battle for earth every six years. Cages character and his team of Jiu-Jitsu fighters join forces with Moussis character to defeat their enemies. Currently, the film has no production or release date.

Logothetis told Variety, " 'Jiu-Jitsu is guaranteed to satisfy the millions of martial arts and science fiction lovers across the globe with world-class martial artists, stuntmen go-to expert Alain Moussi joining superstar Nicolas Cage for some formidable, no holds barred fight sequences set in exotic Burma.

Cage starred in a similar 2011 film that featured him showing off his martial arts moves called, 'Outcast.'

Cages upcoming films include, 'Running with the Devil,' 'Kill Chain,' 'A Score to Settle,' 'Primal' and 'Grand Isle.' His other credits include winning an Oscar for the 1996 film, 'Leaving Las Vegas,' the 2018 horror film, 'Mandy,' 'Mom and Dad,' and '211.' His voice work was featured in the 2018 animated films, 'Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse' and 'Teen Titans Go to the Movies' where he voiced Superman.
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 Continued sentencing dialogues in the blogosphere | Main | Major 9th Circuit ruling on prior conviction exception 

September 21, 2005

Will the next SCOTUS nominee have any criminal law background?

As evidenced by articles at Slate and from the AP, the beltway buzz over the possible next Supreme Court nominee is starting to grow. And if past is prologue, we should expect a nominee from the White House soon: President Bush announced John Roberts' nomination 18 days after Justice O'Connor announced her retirement, and Wednesday marks 18 days since Chief Justice Rehnquist passed away.

In the run up to the selection of John Roberts, I spotlighted in a series of posts the limited trial court experience and criminal law experience among the current Justices. And, because Judge Roberts is lacking in both these areas, I am especially hopeful  though not particularly optimistic  that the name which emerges from the White House short list might contribute to SCOTUS diversity across these important dimensions.

Some prior related posts:

UPDATE : This Washington Times article states that a "new name has emerged on the longer list of candidates  Judge Consuelo M. Callahan of the Ninth Circuit." As detailed in this press release at the time of her confirmation to the Ninth Circuit, Judge Callahan was a state prosecutor for 10 years and also a state trial judge for 4 years. And, interestingly, this DOJ bio indicates that Judge Callahan worked for the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office while attending McGeorge School of Law. Also, thanks to this playful profile by A3G, I see that a story about Judge Callahan ran in last November's Daily Journal under the title "Tough Customer: 9th Circuit Judge Consuelo Callahan Has a Playful Side But Not When It Comes to Sentencing."

September 21, 2005 at 01:27 AM | Permalink

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 What Expertise Should O'Connor's Replacement Have from ProfessorBainbridge.com

Doug Berman of the Sentencing Law and Policy Blog points out the limited criminal law experience of the sitting Supreme Court justices and expresses the hope that O'Connor's replacement will be chosen to fill out the Court's expertise in that [Read More]

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 What Expertise Should O'Connor's Replacement Have from ProfessorBainbridge.com

Doug Berman of the Sentencing Law and Policy Blog points out the limited criminal law experience of the sitting Supreme Court justices and expresses the hope that O'Connor's replacement will be chosen to fill out the Court's expertise in that [Read More]

Tracked on Sep 21, 2005 3:29:44 PM

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 A prison celebration of Mothers' Day | Main | Will pro-gun commentators assail politicians who dis the Second Amendment rights of former felons? 

May 11, 2008

Developing a SCOTUS short list of district court judges

With this Newsweek essay, headlined "The 2008 Bench Press: The most important decision a president ever makes? It's choosing a Supreme Court nominee," Anna Quindlen reminds us that it is not too early to start obsessing over who might be on the presidential candidates' SCOTUS short list. Though I have (and others have) blogged this topic before, my recent great experience at the Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference reminded me how many federal district judges would make great Justice material.

In this post from 2005 during the last round of nomination debates, I argued that the Supreme Court could really benefit from having a Justice with trial court experience. Remarkably, it has been nearly half a century since the Supreme Court has even a single Justice with experience as a federal district court judge, and I think the Justices' confusing work in various arenas (especially sentencing) reflects a lack of practical district court wisdom.

With all these thoughts in mind, I hope readers might use the comments to suggest great federal district judges for the next Supreme Court vacancy. On this day of honoring moms, perhaps female district judges should be placed at the top of the list. More generally, all shrewd SCOTUS watchers know that various matters of personal demographics  age, race, gender, religion, geography  may be of considerable concern to those selecting the next nominee to the Supreme Court.

Some related SCOTUS short-list posts:

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Not to fight the hypothetical, but I think that the number of Supreme Court cases decided in which experience as a district court judge would be very valuable (as compared to experience as a prosecutor, defense attorney, or civil litigator) is really quite small. Plus, sitting Justices can sit by designation in the district court if they like; perhaps it makes more sense to encourage sitting Justices to take time in the district court than it does to look for district court judges as future Justices.

If you want me to name names, though, here are some current or recently-departed district judges I would support if Barack Obama is elected President: Paul Cassell, David Levi, Mark Filip, Patrick Schiltz, Mark Kravitz.

Posted by: Orin Kerr | May 11, 2008 1:49:27 PM

Orin -- I take it you'd support those guys if McCain is elected too? ;-) Although it does say something unfortunate that 3 of the 5 district judges you named have left the bench for greener pastures.

And I the spirit of Mother's Day, I'll name Amy St. Eve, who (like Judge Filip) has very quickly made a reputation as one of the best judges in the Northern District of Illinois. Don't know if she's a mother, though.

Posted by: Jonathan F. | May 11, 2008 2:54:13 PM

Adalberto Jordan, SD Florida

Nancy Gertner, D Mass

Greg Presnell, MD Florida

Gerald Lynch, SNDY



Posted by: Lindsay | May 11, 2008 4:03:53 PM

Judge Rosenthal in Houston would be an excellent pick for McCain. She's probably not conservative enough, but she's a well respected judge and the fact that she's female can't hurt her candidacy.

Posted by: | May 11, 2008 5:15:01 PM

Orin,

"Why do you think the number of cases in which experience as a district court judge would be valuable is limited"? (I understand that you offer the caveat "as compared to prosecutors, civil litigators, etc.") I think that district court judges have a keener appreciation of the "real world" effects of Supreme Court decisionmaking, esp. in areas such as procedure (criminal and civil), sentencing, and evidence (off the top of my head). But more generally, I think a district court judge sitting on the Supreme Court might better recognize when a proposed opinion offers little or no guidance to the lower courts. And thus - it might (I concede this is a "big" might) lead to more precisely written opinions.

Posted by: Alex | May 11, 2008 7:10:54 PM

Orin, given that the vast majority of district court judges were once prominent prosecutors, defense attorneys, or civil litigators (and/or state judges), I think service as a district judge likely includes some of the other types of experience you mention.

Moreover, criminal justice issues --- not just sentencing, but also search and trial and habeas issues --- comprise roughly 1/3 of the SCOTUS docket and this is the bread + butter of the work of federal district courts. I suppose high-profile con law cases do not play to district court experiences, but I am not calling for all of SCOTUS to be filled with district court vets. Rather, it seem at least 1 of 9 ought to have logged some serious trial court time.

Posted by: Doug B. | May 11, 2008 7:46:30 PM

Nancy Gertner [Mass.]

Paul Grimm [Md.]



defense attorney

Posted by: Barry | May 12, 2008 8:43:00 AM

Royal Furgeson, Western District of Texas

Posted by: Jason | May 12, 2008 9:22:15 AM

Judge Kopf.

Posted by: Booker fan | May 12, 2008 11:51:00 AM

Judge Doty of Minnesota.

Posted by: M | May 12, 2008 1:20:42 PM

Judge Loretta Preska, SDNY, is pretty much universally respected throughout that district. In fact, as I recall, she did make the "short list" of possible nominees that the Bush admin was said to be circulating last summer. She's the only district court judge in recent memory whose name has been "officially" floated as a potential SCOTUS nominee.

Out of curiosity, if anyone knows: when was the last time a sitting SCOTUS Justice sat by designation in a district court?

Posted by: NYC 3L | May 12, 2008 2:06:46 PM

Lee Rosenthal, SDTX

Posted by: bruce | May 12, 2008 4:09:23 PM

Then Associate Justice Rehnquist tried a civil case in the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond in 1984. He was reversed by the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for giving an improper jury instruction.

Posted by: Tom | May 12, 2008 5:15:45 PM

Sidney Fitzwater, Chief Judge N.D. Tex

Posted by: B | May 13, 2008 10:39:49 AM

Having clerked at the District Court level for many years, I agree it is important to have some Justices with experience as a trial judge. Perhaps when writing an opinion, they'll take a moment to think, "How would I instruct a jury on this?" or "Can a trial court easily apply that brilliant 17-part balancing test I just crafted?"

Perhaps they'll understand the realities of sentencing, and the power of the prosecutor. They'll know what is like to make instant rulings, and have actual experience with jury deliberations and jury questions. They may even get an idea of how the real world works in terms of searches and seizures, "voluntary" consents to search, plea hearings, mentally impaired defendants who seek to represent themself, and other matters.

We in the trenches often read SCOTUS opinions, and wonder if the authors have any idea what actually goes on in the trial courts, or in the real world.

(Exhibit A: the mess they recently made of the Heck v. Humphrey doctrine. Do we really want every person arrested to immediately file an anticipatory lawsuit, on the off-chance they someday may be convicted and later have the conviction set aside? Are we supposed to stay thousands of these proceedings for decades? Do we really want discovery in a civil action occurring simultaneously with a criminal proceeding in which the defendant has a right against self-incrimination? Do we really want the civil case to be used to conduct discovery in the criminal case? Fealty to academic theory and dogma must be tempered by practical reality.)

Posted by: Anonymous Clerk | May 16, 2008 8:28:32 PM

Jeffrey Fisher, Stanford law prof & Sup Ct litigator extraordinaire

Posted by: Jeff | May 18, 2008 9:35:42 AM

I would hope that the next president (particularly if it is Sen. Obama) will seriously consider appointing someone with criminal defense attorney background. Many judges at all levels are former prosecutors, as that seems to be a surest career path to the bench. Defense perspective on the bench is sorely missing.

As a result, I think recommendation of Jeffrey Fisher is a good one.

Posted by: Gene | Nov 2, 2008 12:13:25 PM

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March 3, 2009

Noticing the biggest bias in the federal judiciary

President Obama has not yet nominated aany federal judges (which, perhaps, is giving all the judicial wanna-bees a good chance to make sure their taxes are paid up). Nevertheless, the judicial appointment debates are heating up, with the Senate Republicans firing off this new letter urging the new guy in the White House to avoid an unduly partisan approach to nominations.

I tend in these debates to be more concerned about professional than partisan biases. And my concerns about professional biases were confirmed and heightened by an amazing statistic I saw in a new article in this great special issue of the Denver University Law Review on "The Election of President Barack Obama." An article by Scott Moss, titled "The Courts Under President Obama," is mostly focused on Supreme Court nominees, but the final few pages examine lower federal court picks by Presidents Clinton and GW Bush. And, while I was impressed to see that these presidents were pretty good (and pretty similar) on a variety of diversity criteria, I was amazed to see how many more persons with prosecuting/government experience were appointed to the bench compared to persons with public defense experience.

These specific statistics appear in a cool chart on p. 15 of the Moss article, and here are basic highlights: Presidents Clinton and GW Bush appointed nearly 400 lower court judges who had prior experience as a prosecutor or government attorney, but appointed fewer than 60 who had prior experience as a public defender. These numbers become even more unbalanced when one considers only circuit-level appointments: Presidents Clinton and GW Bush appointed 73 circuit court judges with experience as a prosecutor or government attorney, and only 4 with experience as a public defender.

Though I am sure at least a few attorneys who came to the bench with private practice experience had some exposure to criminal defense work, these stark numbers provide insight into why post-Blakely and post-Booker circuit jurisprudence has consistently tended to favor the government (until SCOTUS jumps in). It also highlights why, though the public often believes that the criminal justice system tilts in favor of defendants, there can often be a practical tilt that runs in the other direction.

Some related old and new posts on judicial appointments:

March 3, 2009 at 05:41 PM | Permalink

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Though I am sure at least a few of the attorneys who came to the bench with private practice experience surely had some exposure to criminal defense work, these stark number surely provide some important insight into why post-Blakely and post-Booker circuit jurisprudence has had such a pro-government tilt.

This is an interesting statistic. I'm not sure what to make of it. I think it may be worth noting, though, that one can do defense work as either a pd or a private practitioner. One cannot, however, do prosecution work as a private practitioner (settting aside the statistically insignificant exceptions). PDs do good work and perform a great public service, but I imagine that most of the best criminal defense lawyers are in private practice.

Posted by: ab | Mar 3, 2009 5:50:34 PM

"PDs do good work and perform a great public service, but I imagine that most of the best criminal defense lawyers are in private practice."

This is a dangerous assumption. Keep in mind that PDs don't pick their clients. While there are many fine private defense attorneys (obviously), good PDs have the benefit of more experience, greater exposure to the full range of the prosecutor's office, and a better sense of what works in front of a majority of a forum's judges.

They might "lose" more often, but I think that goes back to the types of cases that are presented to their offices, not the caliber of their lawyering.

In the federal courts I think there's a small private defense bar that's very good, but beyond that select group one would be much better off with a Federal Defender. Those attorneys have comparatively small caseload and are expert with the guidelines, negotiating with the USAO, dealing with the probation department while they're drafting the PSI, etc. In other words-- all the key stages of the case are familiar terrain, and the key players are well known to the FPD.

Just a thought.





Posted by: Pedro | Mar 3, 2009 9:56:45 PM

I wonder what these Senators were doing the full 6 years they controlled the presidency, house and the senate and if they worried about 'unduly partisanship' during that time. Senators seems to have a very short memory.

Posted by: MarkM | Mar 4, 2009 5:31:36 AM

A "practical tilt" in favor of the government is a bit generous. In any event, I wouldn't care so much about inclinations if the judges had the competence to just apply the law. But they don't. The federal judiciary's competence has plummeted in the modern era, and this includes on the Supreme Court where reading oral argument transcripts reveals all kinds of weird (read: wrong) beliefs being expressed about very basic constitutional principles by sitting Justices. Many appeals court and district court judges should not even have licenses to practice law, as far as I can tell.

It's probably fitting given the robber-baron era we've been in the last couple of decades (think Lochner era). This kind of wealth concentration tends to have all kinds of perverse effects on the society at large, not the least of which is the rampant promotion of the incompetent (but well-connected) to the top.

Posted by: DK | Mar 4, 2009 11:41:07 AM

While I am not so naive as to not understand that hypocrisy is just part of politics, the Republicans continued demand for passage of their nominees ("just an up or down vote") when they denied the same to Clinton appointees for 8 years (one African-American judge from North Carolina saw his nomination to the 4th Circuit stalled for over 5 years!) continues to astound me at the sheer nerve of it. As for judging by former defense attorneys, I don't think we have to look beyond Judge Nancy Gertner in Massachusetts to see the quality of work that can be brought to bear, especially on sentencing issues. Judge Gertner's pre- and post-Booker sentencing work is a model for how is should be properly done.

[I am an assistant federal public defender]

Posted by: Sumter L. Camp | Mar 4, 2009 12:49:54 PM

Virginia state PD here. the kind words about us are very nice I was held up by this sentence: "the public often believes that the criminal justice system tilts in favor of defendants." I guess that's true? (i.e. I am willing to believe Prof. Berman has or has seen some data to support the statement?)

If so it is really mind-boggling. A meme left over from Nixon's political opposition to the Warren Court, maybe? I have never felt it to be true in my professional life.

Posted by: dgj | Mar 4, 2009 5:27:56 PM

Remember, one reason people would think that is due to what matters get reported on. The vast majority of cases, where defendants are at a huge disadvantage simply don't make it onto the radar. Little enough of the system makes it into the collective conciousness that anything that does is likely to be an outlier in at least some regard and often more than one.

So, people read about an exclusionary ruling and think that such things are extremely common. Compounding this is the media's difficulty in reporting legal decisions accurately.



Only people who pay attention are likely to see many of the details, and even those vary from place to place.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Mar 4, 2009 5:54:36 PM

Some judges who were prosecutors are harder on the govt than other judges. They know the right way to do things, and they hold the govt to that standard.

Posted by: ausa | Mar 6, 2009 2:57:05 PM

I do think it is true that ex-prosecutor judges can, occassionally, be particularly harsh on prosecutors who act incompetently or unethically. But I nevertheless suspect that, in most circumstances, ex-prosecutor judges are somewhat more likely to uphold the position of the Government.

When I think of judges and prosecutors, I always liken it to my own attitudes toward waiters. I did the job for several years, and as a result I tend to be very tolerant of mistakes, delays, etc.; knowing what a pain-in-the-ass the job can be, I am generally willing to assume my waiter is working conscientiously and is just busy/a victim of circumstance (i.e., kitchen delays, etc.). *But*, if I see my waiter smoking a cigarette outside or chatting up the bartender while my coffee is languishing empty or my food is up from the kitchen and getting cold, I get borderline postal. Basically, I take personal offense that someone would fail to take pride in the job...

On a separate note, I think two big factors affecting the PD/prosecutor disparity are: (1) Former defense attorneys, especially PDs who don't pick their cases, are politically vulnerable to attacks of the "he once defended a triple-rapist" sort. If the PD was any good, he or she most likely represented high profile, bad dudes and/or at least a few times succeeded in having drugs or other evidence suppressed in a serious felony case. These are not activities that generally endear one to the public (although if a particular member of the public is charged with a crime, he or she will likely find such activities very endearing). (2) As far as I can tell, judgeships are all about political connections, and being a prosecutor is a great way to make those; in fact, it is my impression that it is usually hard to be a top level prosecutor without them, as you either have to run for (state) office, or, to be a U.S. attorney, be appointed by the President. Even if you are just an assistant DA of some rank, you necessarily come to the attention of the elected/appointed DAs with the connections. Not that some PDs aren't well-connected, but it seems to be more built in to the structure of the DA side.



Posted by: Observer | Mar 11, 2009 1:11:49 PM

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August 24, 2015

Might any Prez candidate pledge to put a criminal defense attorney on the Supreme Court?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by this CBS News dispatch from the presidential campaign trail headlined "Chris Christie makes a Supreme Court promise." Here are excerpts from the piece:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday pledged that if elected president, his first Supreme Court nominee would not be a Harvard Law or Yale Law School graduate. "I think you can be pretty sure of that fact," he promised radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt. In an interview with Hewitt, Christie argued that Americans were tired of the "education establishment" and implied that success was not limited to those who hold an Ivy League education. Five of the current Supreme Court justices are Harvard Law graduates, while three are Yale graduates. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg received her law degree from Columbia Law School. The governor mentioned that his ideal U.S. Supreme Court appointees would come from various backgrounds and would know that their rulings affect "real people's" lives every day. "You need folks who have real life experiences, who have had real struggles, and who have made a difference in their communities in ways that are different than just going to an Ivy League school."

My first reaction to these comments was to find remarkable how similar candidate Christie's comments about selecting judges are to Prez Obama's (often criticized) comments about the importance of judges having "a keen understanding of how the law affects the daily lives of the American people" and having "that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with peoples hopes and struggles."

Upon second thought, though, I came to realize that what is really lacking on the Supreme Court are jurists with experience as criminal defense attorneys. Most notably, the last four appointed Supreme Court Justices all had experience as prosecutors and/or members of the US Department of Justice. (In reverse order, Justice Kagan has been US Solicitor General, Justice Sotomayor had been a NY state prosecutor, Justice Alito had been a US Attorney for New Jersey, and Chief Justice Roberts had been a senior official in the Justice Department.)

Of course, despite their Ivy League degrees and some similar resume lines, I think all the current Justices, thanks in part to significant time in a variety of professional roles other than just as a government lawyer, did come onto the Court with some diverse "real life experiences" and "real struggles." Still, I think candidate Christie is making a reasonable pith for greater educational (and personal and professional?) diversity on the Supreme Court. And especially now that criminal justice reform is a hot-topic on the campaign trail, it is now at least possible to imagine that a future President would seriously consider nominating for the Supreme Court somebody with a background in criminal defense.

August 24, 2015 at 09:30 AM | Permalink

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I can't imagine a criminal defense attorney making it through the modern confirmation process.

Posted by: Bryan Gates | Aug 24, 2015 10:49:14 AM

Thurgood Marshall made it , but it would be a struggle for an R or D criminal defense lawyer to be confirmed 



Posted by: Docile Jim Brady in Oregon | Aug 24, 2015 12:05:48 PM

Impressive to get more with defense specialties on the lower courts.

These days being a director of an advocacy group with some defense work while one's professional life involved service as a prosecutor (Sotomayor) is what passes as being pro-defense minded.

Posted by: Joe | Aug 24, 2015 12:33:55 PM

How about a non-lawyer? How about a mentally retarded, alcoholic dementia, wine besotted bum puking in the gutter for an upgrade in the common sense of decisions and clarity of writing? The nominees have all been waking nightmares for this lawyer besieged and betrayed nation.

How about moving the Supreme Court to Wichita, Kansas, the middle of the continental US? just away from that homosexual dominated, Sodom and Gomorrah of rent seeking in Washington DC. It is gayer than San Francisco if you count the whites living there.

How about making the number of Justices an even number to end its idiotic and disruptive 5-4 decision. A tie lets the lower court decision stand. The lower court decision was likely based on a prior Supreme Court decision, and these fools are just playing like two year olds throwing things around a room.

If it going to make the laws, and not just apply the laws, have 500 seats, make it a legislature.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Aug 24, 2015 12:39:42 PM

How about impeaching them for their decisions, not some trivial, idiotic collateral corruption? Those decisions are the real crimes of these elite members of the hierarchy of the criminal cult enterprise that is the lawyer profession today.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Aug 24, 2015 12:43:53 PM

I think the only real possibility would be someone who had previously survived the confirmation process. Someone, for example, like Judge Jane Kelly of the Eighth Circuit. She was a longtime federal public defender before going on the bench in 2013. It didn't hurt that she had Senator Grassley on her side. Unfortunately for Governor Christie, she has a Harvard JD.

Posted by: Person | Aug 24, 2015 2:16:47 PM

All Ivy League law degrees should be disqualification per se. If all lawyers are dumbasses, they are the biggest dumbasses of all. Look at this all Ivy Supreme Court. It is a disgrace of stupidity. They are always wrong. They're idiots. Worse, they believe themselves to be smarter than the elected representatives of the states and of the federal government. They are not. They are stupider, and far stupider.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Aug 24, 2015 3:12:55 PM

Hugo Black. Defended persons in jury trials accused of crimes. No one on the court has done that. I do not think that any of the present Harvard and Yale and Columbia 9 tried a civil jury trial as a lawyer in court. When you hear them on CSPAN at the oral arguments you hear six with accents of "turdy turd and a turd" or what we call Yorkie accents. All of them think that their itShay does not stink.

Posted by: Liberty1st | Aug 24, 2015 4:51:53 PM

@Supremacy Claus" This was the first time I laughed at anyone's comments. They were perfect!

I really don't think that we will see a defence lawyer on the SC. For one, Christy will not be president, and two, it would make too damn much common sense to stock the High Court with a Justice that would make decisions that were "thought out" before offering his/her opinion.

Posted by: Book38 | Aug 24, 2015 5:37:21 PM

Remember when the Senate wouldn't confirm Obama's nominee to head the DOJ's Civil Rights Division because he represented a cop killer? http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/senate-rejects-obamas-nominee-civil-rights

So many senators fail to understand the sixth amendment and can't understand why individuals would represent individuals who have committed such henious crimes. I fear a criminal defense attorney will unfairly have difficulty in the confirmation process.

Posted by: Michael Abromowitz | Aug 24, 2015 7:54:15 PM

Gee, how about putting on a judge whom will rule on the originality of the Constitution, not specific to criminal law? What a novel concept... (rolls eyes).

I am sick and tired about the court becoming a defacto dictator's block, interpreting the Constitution tot he flavor of the day. Sentencing is a state's perogative, not a federal government's nanny state job.

Posted by: Eric Knight | Aug 25, 2015 12:19:58 AM

"These days being a director of an advocacy group with some defense work while one's professional life involved service as a prosecutor (Sotomayor) is what passes as being pro-defense minded."

I suspect most defense attorneys are very happy with the "wise [sic] Latina['s]" elevation to SCOTUS. Her laugh out loud fixation on the 6.5 hours at the Pinholster oral argument or the nonsense speedy trial dissent displays a pro-defense mindset.

Posted by: federalist | Aug 25, 2015 9:34:54 AM

"the originality of the Constitution"

Whatever that is. Is that some nod to originalism which has more flavors now than Baskin Robbins? This would go with the "flavor of the day," which is how it is going to be applied. Individuals apply the Constitution and their will be influenced by the current understanding of the law. If we want Zombie Taft to interpret the law via the flavor of yesteryear, we might have to do that "Walking Dead" show's path.

"sentencing is a state's prerogative"

When federal courts aren't sentencing ... and then it has to be done following the law of the land, which state judges have to swear/affirm allegiance to.

Posted by: Joe | Aug 25, 2015 10:16:33 AM

Being from Jersey, Christie will surely want to appoint a JD from Princeton.

Posted by: Allen | Aug 26, 2015 12:51:35 AM

Allen, Princeton does not have a law school. The last three justices (Justice Alito, Justice Sotomayor, and Justice Kagan) have undergraduate degrees from Princeton, so appointing another alum from Princeton would not be a significant change from the current court.

Posted by: tmm | Aug 26, 2015 2:15:45 PM

Interesting note, besides Ivy JDs, the current batch has five Ivy (3 Princeton, 1 Harvard, and 1 Cornell), two Stanford, and two Jesuit undergrad degrees (along with two Oxford degrees and one London School of Economics degree).

Posted by: tmm | Aug 26, 2015 2:21:49 PM

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March 29, 2016

"There hasnt been a criminal defense lawyer on the Supreme Court in 25 years. Thats a problem."

The title of this post is the headline of this notable new Vox commentary authored by Dara Lind. Here is how the piece starts:

It's been a quarter-century since a former criminal defense lawyer sat on the Supreme Court. Since then, crime has fallen by half. Incarceration has risen, then fallen (slightly) again. Americans are becoming more and more critical of the "tough-on-crime" mindset that defined the end of the 20th century, and more skeptical that police and prosecutors will always use their powers for good  in other words, they're coming in line with how defense lawyers see the world. But when Barack Obama made his third (and likely final) Supreme Court nomination last week, he nominated Merrick Garland. Garland is a former prosecutor with a tough-on-crime record. The Court already has two ex-prosecutors. Appellate defense lawyer Timothy O'Toole points out that the Court has veterans of both sides of civil cases (defendants' and plaintiffs' lawyers) and one side of criminal cases (prosecutors). "But the one group that seems kind of outside that box, particularly on the Supreme Court, are defense lawyers. And that's a shame." Defense lawyers and scholars worry this isn't an accident; it's the result of the structure that shapes who can get nominated to the Supreme Court to begin with. Federal judges tend to be people who "ticked all the political checkboxes on their career starting from when they were 15," says Tejas Bhatt, assistant public defender for New Haven, Connecticut. Often one of those boxes is working as a prosecutor. Even beyond any particular career experience, the system rewards "people who don't take controversial positions, they don't do controversial things, who don't issue controversial opinions, who do seem to hew more toward law and order and enforcement." There's good reason to be concerned about the jurisprudence of a court that only understands one side of a criminal case from experience  and since the high-water mark of the 1960s, defense lawyers have seen the Supreme Court put serious restrictions on the right against self-incrimination, the right against unreasonable search, and even the right to a lawyer. But to many of them, this isn't just a problem with jurisprudence. It's a problem with the Supreme Court in a democracy  and in an increasingly diverse America. They believe the politics of Supreme Court confirmations has limited all but a very narrow, very privileged slice of America to have a shot at a seat on the highest court in the land. And one of the groups who they fear are locked out is the people whose job it is to stand up for the rights of the marginalized  and those who are on the wrong side of well-intentioned laws.

March 29, 2016 at 08:30 AM | Permalink

Comments

I continue to think a defense minded pick was a good idea that the choices put out there this time would not have worked well given the current situation. Garland was a good pick, the two leading alternatives not defense minded choices, the third even deemed problematic by someone who wanted a defense minded pick.

Last time was a good choice too since it wasn't the standard appeals judge, often white male. Kagan turned out to be a good pick and her background probably supplies a different perceptive.

Ditto the Latina from the Bronx with long experience. This includes being a member of the State of New York Mortgage Agency, part of one of the largest urban rebuilding efforts in American history, the agency helped low-income people get home mortgages and to provide insurance coverage for housing and AIDS hospices. She was also on New York City Campaign Finance Board and board of directors of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.

But, a defense minded pick -- one person in the past suggested Jeffrey Fisher -- is fine. Perhaps, if Garland fails, able to ride it out in part since he was picked just for that reason, Clinton can pick him or Jane Kelly. The other woman can be raised to appellate level and in a few years be a prime choice for the next slot.

Posted by: Joe | Mar 29, 2016 9:44:10 AM

"Ditto the Latina from the Bronx with long experience."--and yet, with all that experience, she couldn't figure out the difference between causation and attributability when evaluating a Double Jeopardy case. Nor could she figure out the operative effect Ginsburg's opinion would have had in the Ricci case. (It wouldn't, as Sotomayor asserted in her prepared Senate remarks, affirmed the Second Circuit.)

Posted by: federalist | Mar 29, 2016 12:39:51 PM

While different career paths can form part of a judge's perspective, it is not necessarily outcome determinative. While Justice Sotomayor did work as a prosecutor, her opinions are not pro-prosecution. In my state, there are several former public defenders serving as judges who are just as tough on defendants as any former prosecutor.

Posted by: TMM | Mar 29, 2016 12:40:45 PM

Hey. Earl Warren was a DA. We are just talking odds here. It's a thing.

Posted by: Joe | Mar 29, 2016 12:54:15 PM

@TMM

"In my state, there are several former public defenders serving as judges who are just as tough on defendants as any former prosecutor."

This misframes the concern, or at least it is not what concerns me. For me the issue is one of legitimacy. We live in a diverse society and while I realize that with only nine people there can never be a judge for every single interest group, not having anyone with that experience ever in their career makes it seem that the court just doesn't care. Realistically, these days more cases that reach SCOTUS involve criminal law than they do gender or racial concerns. So at least for me it's not an issue of whether a PD is "easier" or "harsher" than a DA in outcomes. It is whether or not someone with that experience has a visible place on the court.

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Long-time readers know I have been talking a long time about the prosecutorial tilt that impacts who gets nominated and confirmed for seats on the US Supreme Court and lower federal courts. Encouragingly, the need for more balance in the courts is getting more attention as criminal justice reform continues to garner attention (especially among would-be Democratic Prez candidates). Consider, for example, this piece on this topic at Slate by Kyle Barry under the headline "Democratic Presidential Candidates Should Promise to Appoint This Kind of Judge to the Federal Courts." Here are excerpts:

The lawyers who best understand the importance of [the Constitution's] basic protections, of course, are public defenders. And the Supreme Court hasnt had a justice with significant experience representing indigent criminal defendants since Thurgood Marshall, who founded the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, retired in 1991. Two current justices  Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor  worked as prosecutors. The rest have no hands-on experience with the criminal justice system, creating what Washington Post columnist Radley Balko has called a massive blind spot in the courts decision-making.

This absence of experience extends beyond the Supreme Court to the entire federal judiciary. Former public defenders are woefully underrepresented on both the trial-level district courts and the circuit courts of appeal, while experience as a prosecutor remains a common and largely unquestioned career path to the federal bench.

The issue is cross-partisan and deeply systemic. Much like how the policies that created Americas mass incarceration crisis were bipartisan  with Republicans and Democrats competing to appear most tough on crime  so too has been the impulse to tap prosecutors over public defenders as federal judges. According to the advocacy group Alliance for Justice, more than 40 percent of President Barack Obamas judicial nominees were prosecutors, outnumbering public defenders by three to one.

The problem has only worsened under President Donald Trump. Trumps judicial appointees lack diversity along any metric. They are 91 percent white and 76 percent male. Just one of his 91 confirmed judges is black. Still, the lack of criminal defense experience is extreme. By reviewing the Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaires for all of Trumps 143 confirmed or pending judicial nominees who have submitted one (a handful of recent nominees have not), I learned that not one has worked full-time as a state or federal public defender. One, Clifton Corker, a pending nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, reports one year as a volunteer federal defender. Thats it.

By contrast, more than one-third of Trumps nominees have worked as prosecutors, including 38.3 percent of his district court nominees and 33.3 percent of his circuit court nominees. And thats with a narrow definition of prosecutor that excludes lawyers, like Gorsuch, who served in high-level executive branch positions but did not personally prosecute cases....

Obamas penchant for choosing prosecutors culminated in the nomination of Merrick Garland, a former prosecutor, over Jane Kelly, a former public defender, to the Supreme Court in 2016. Once Kelly, a judge on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, was reported to be a finalist, conservative groups used her public defense experience to launch a smear campaign and paint her as a threat to law and order; an especially offensive tactic given that Kelly was herself the victim of a violent assault. Yet it also betrayed an important truth: While Gideons promise of robust public defense is both celebrated and stigmatized, the stigma is baked into traditional notions of the ideal, critique-proof judicial nominee. Prosecutors have faced no such hurdle.

For progressives, the Trump era has ignited perhaps unprecedented interest in the courts and judicial nominations. On issues from immigration to the environment to voting rights, just to name a few, the federal courts have been the primary check on the Trump administrations often cruel and discriminatory policies. And Trumps nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, along with a flock of far-right and in many cases grossly incompetent nominees to the lower courts, sparked outrage that has echoed through the halls of Congress and beyond.

But what is the flip side of that outrage? What kind of judicial nominees should progressives demand? Part of the answer is obvious: more public defenders. Indeed, a pledge to appoint at least as many public defenders as prosecutors to the federal bench is a tangible way for presidential candidates to show commitment to dismantling mass incarceration while at the same time charting a path forward for the courts. There is now real opportunity to start a new narrative around judicial selection, one that rejects the stigma attached to public defenders and the mythical neutrality of prosecutors.
 Interesting new TRAC data on intra-courthouse judge-to-judge differences in sentences | Main | Another useful reminder of the need for more criminal justice diversity on the federal bench 

March 25, 2019

Eager for input on what to cover in webinar on "The First Step Act and Other Federal Sentencing Developments"

As detailed at this link, next week I will be doing a "CLE Live Quick Webcast" for the Ohio State Bar Association under the title "Federal Criminal Law: The First Step Act and Other Federal Sentencing Developments." Here is the "course description":

This program will cover the basics of the First Step Act, the prison reform legislation that was signed into law on December 21, 2018. We will also discuss other related federal sentencing developments, including the case of United States v. Haymond, currently pending with the Supreme Court.

I have put together a basic outline for my presentation, and it is all too clear to me that it will be impossible to cover thoroughly in just an hour's time all aspects of the FIRST STEP Act and Haymond and related matters. Consequently, as the title of this post indicates, I am eager for input from readers on just what I should be sure to cover in the short time I have for this OSBA program. I have a sense of which part of the FIRST STEP Act are most important to discuss, but I really welcome thoughts from those out in the field working on these and related issues.

March 25, 2019 at 01:49 PM | Permalink

Comments

I'd put in a plug for covering parts of the First Step Act that require counsel and courts to go beyond their core criminal justice comfort zone (of calculating guidelines, hearing resentencing motions, etc.). So I'd want to hear about 1) proving administrative exhaustion in the compassionate-release context; 2) getting BOP to comply with the "local preference" prison provision; and more generally 3) how to properly place alleged BOP recalcitrance / failures before the courts. (You could call your presentation "first steps toward losing an audience of generalists.")

Posted by: MP | Mar 25, 2019 1:58:52 PM

I would provide the list from FAMM's FAQ about offenses that are not eligible for "earned time" credit so that, when able, counsel can negotiate around it.

More importantly though, the changes to 851 enhancements, including addition of "serious violent felony" priors as predicates are a really big deal that federal practitioners must understand.

Also, the Sentencing Commission currently lacks a quorum, so while statutory safety valve has been amended and expanded to cover more folks, the Guidelines have not yet caught up, so folks will have to ask for the safety valve guideline reduction and reduction under 2D1.1(b)(18). Fun fact: you can now be both a career offender and safety valve eligible.

Finally, there are lots of intricate details to the changes, so when in doubt, call your friendly neighborhood federal defender for assistance.

Posted by: defendergirl | Mar 25, 2019 3:11:52 PM

More angst than you need from me but I have concerns about prisoners left behind by the First Step Act. It shouldn't be surprising that the general public and unfortunately members of congress are unaware of the limitations.

Nonviolent marijuana offenders and other drug offenders with life sentences do not receive sentencing relief from the First Step Act even if they are first time offenders.

There is something in the bill for many categories - juveniles, women, crack cocaine offenders but not for marijuana offenders.

The compassionate release reforms do not give relief to nonviolent marijuana or other nonviolent offenders with life sentences. The amount of time that needs to be served has been reduced from 3/4 to 2/3 of the sentence, but that excludes any nonviolent person serving a life sentence.

For the first 5 years of the Obama administration the population of the federal prison system increased by over 19,000 inmates.

Obama's clemency initiative granted clemency to slightly over 1,700 inmates. Thirty-nine of those commutations were granted to nonviolent marijuana offenders. Eleven of these thirty-nine were serving life sentences. The ussc counted 69 total but their criteria was that the major drug was marijuana not that marijuana was the only drug.

While hundreds of millions of dollars are being invested in emerging cannabis businesses while marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug on the controlled substance act, nonviolent marijuana offenders are serving life sentences for the same substance.

These are the prisoners left behind by the first step act and clemency project 2014.

Posted by: beth | Mar 25, 2019 8:52:31 PM

Very helpful, folks. Thanks!

Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 26, 2019 2:11:53 PM

You might want to explain how defense counsel can argue prejudice on resentencing in a situation where the original indictment states in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base but the actual conduct involves enough cocaine base so that the advisory guideline sentence remains the same.

Posted by: ? | Mar 27, 2019 2:04:13 PM

Post a comment
 "What Is Relational Justice?" | Main | Eager for input on what to cover in webinar on "The First Step Act and Other Federal Sentencing Developments" 

March 24, 2019

Interesting new TRAC data on intra-courthouse judge-to-judge differences in sentences

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University maintains lots of data on the work of federal courts and federal agencies. Seemingly inspired by the recent sentencing(s) of Paul Manafort, TRAC completed a "study of judge sentencing differences at 155 federal courthouses across the country" in which "the judge with the lowest average prison sentence was compared with the judge with the highest average sentence at each courthouse." At this page, TRAC summarizes its findings this way:

Based upon case-by-case sentencing records, the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University found that half of federal judges served at courthouse where the average prison sentence differed by at least 23 months depending upon which judge handled the case. Sixty-six of these judges served at six courthouses where the average prison sentence length differed by more than 48 months. The Orlando courthouse in the Middle District of Florida with seven judges had a range of over 80 months between the judge with the shortest versus the longest average prison sentence. This was followed by the Greenbelt courthouse in Maryland with over 64 months difference among the seven judges serving there.... To examine current sentencing differences at each of the 155 federal courthouses included in the study, read the full report [at this link].

Because TRAC is comparing average sentences for each federal judge directly without controlling for the specific caseloads of these judges, variations in average sentences could reflect caseload differences as much as judicial differences. But in the full report, TRAC reasonably notes that due to "the fairly large number of defendants sentenced by each judge, where there is random assignment of cases to judges then statistically speaking each judge should have closely comparable caseloads so that differences in the nature of the offenses and defendants' histories are roughly comparable."

Ultimately, this TRAC report provides a crude and incomplete account of intra-courthouse judge-to-judge differences because just one or two outlier judges could and would make a courthouse look bad in this TRAC accounting. Still, it is interesting and useful to be reminded statistically of what all federal criminal justice practitioners know well, namely that most judges have their own distinctive and unique approaches to sentencing decision-making.

March 24, 2019 at 11:54 PM | Permalink

Comments

This statistic is meaningless. if one judge has three drug cases with safety-valve eligible defendants and another has three Armed Career Criminal gun cases, the average sentence will be wildly divergent. Bad data is worse than no data.

Posted by: defendergirl | Mar 25, 2019 9:30:41 AM

What about a complete County judicial corruption? Who can you complain to? Judge that referred to himself as God, Prosecutor that had no evidence and would not accept any, sheriff that did whatever the judge asked, County judge that was used and committed suicide, I think you get the picture!

Posted by: LC in Texas | Mar 25, 2019 8:38:57 PM

I have to agree with defendergirl. Without an analysis of statistical significance, or of how much variation would be expected by random chance, these data don't tell us anything.

For example, if a judge has a single case where they sentence the defendant to 200+ years, that would obviously drive their average up quite a bit. But did that sentence reflect the judge or the case?



Posted by: William Jockusch | Mar 26, 2019 9:37:37 PM

I largely agree, defendergirl and William, with your criticisms. As I mentioned in the mean post, this TRAC report provides a crude and incomplete account of intra-courthouse judge-to-judge differences. But If they were to refine their analysis and presentation of these data, it might still tell us something worthwhile (though a recent USSC report captured these ideas with much greater sophistication and effectiveness: https://www.ussc.gov/research/research-reports/intra-city-differences-federal-sentencing-practices).

Posted by: Doug B | Mar 27, 2019 9:39:06 AM

Post a comment
 Another useful reminder of the need for more criminal justice diversity on the federal bench | Main | "The Effects of Voluntary and Presumptive Sentencing Guidelines" 

March 25, 2019

"Theories of Prosecution"

The title of this post is the title of this notable new paper authored by Jeffrey Bellin now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract:

For decades, legal commentators sounded the alarm about the tremendous power wielded by prosecutors. Scholars went so far as to identify uncurbed prosecutorial discretion as the primary source of the criminal justice systems many flaws. Over the past two years, however, the conversation shifted. With the emergence of a new wave of progressive prosecutors, scholars increasingly hail broad prosecutorial discretion as a promising mechanism for criminal justice reform. The abrupt shift from decrying to embracing prosecutorial power highlights a curious void at the center of criminal justice thought. There is no widely-accepted normative theory of the prosecutorial role. As a result, prosecutors are increasingly viewed as the criminal justice systems free agents, deploying the powers of their office as they see fit to serve constituents, public safety or, most broadly, the cause of justice. This Article uses the rapidly shifting views of prosecutors to explore normative theories of prosecution: what should prosecutors be doing? It highlights the emptiness of the current do justice model, and proposes an alternative servant-of-the-law theory of prosecutorial behavior that could place real constraints on prosecutorial excess. It also explores ways in which a servant-of-the-law model could, perhaps counterintuitively, contribute much-needed theoretical grounding to the progressive prosecution movement.

March 25, 2019 at 07:28 PM | Permalink

Comments

Sir

I am Deputy Prosecutor General and a research fellow doing my Doctorate from University of Karachi;

sir, by going through your article it transpire that their is no hard and fast theory regarding Prosecution; it means philosophers of law did not give any importance to Prosecution because if you see even in criminal justice system Police, Judiciary and Prison is consider as pivotal pillars of criminal justice system but no any importance is given to the prosecution and prosecutors; Why?

Posted by: Abdullah Rajput | Sep 10, 2019 4:52:29 AM

Post a comment
SINGAPORE (Mar 25): Boustead Projects is jointly developing an aerospace and high-tech park in the Subang Aerotech Park which will be leased to corporations in the aerospace industry when completed.

BP Aerotech (Subang), Boustead Projects wholly-owned subsidiary in Malaysia, last Friday signed a joint venture agreement with Malaysia Airports (Subang) to incorporate a joint venture company BPMA Subang to undertake the development.

BP Aerotech (Subang) will carry out the design, construction, project management, development management, testing, commissioning and fit-out works and asset management or property management for the park's aerospace developments.

BP Aerotech and its joint venture partner  MA Subang  will respectively hold stakes of 70% and 30% in BPMA Subang. MA Subang is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) which is listed on Bursa Malaysia.

Under the agreement, MAHB has granted BPMA Subang the rights to sublease up to about 34.66 acres of land next to Subang Airport for the aerospace developments, subject to MAHB obtaining the relevant authority approvals for the sublease.

Thomas Chu, MD of Boustead Projects, says, Malaysia, in particular Selangor, is expected to continue playing an important role in the Asia Pacifics growing MRO market for aircraft. Our partnership with MAHB will allow us to further expand our overseas presence in a high value sector where we are able to add value, given our integrated and growing capabilities across design-and-build and development, and our experience and track record in delivering projects in the aerospace sector which currently stands at over 200,000 sqm in gross floor area.

As at 9.52am, shares in Boustead Projects are trading at 93 cents.
A 1st tranche has been awarded as part of the Tuas Megaport project in Singapore

HERICOURT, FRANCE - EQS - 25March 2019 - GAUSSINManugistique (EURONEXT GROWTH FR0010342329) hasannounced that its 100% autonomous, 100% electric AGV PERFORMANCE 65 tons vehiclehas been selected by the operator of the port of Singapore for its TuasMegaport extension project.













A firm order for a 1st tranche of 86 AGV PERFORMANCEvehicles has been received by ST Engineering Land System, Gaussin's partner andlicensee for the territory of Singapore.

This emblematic contract from one of the world'sleading port operators validates the technological advance, know-how,robustness and reliability of the Gaussin autonomous patented vehicles trialledin Singapore since 2018.

This order for 86 AGV PERFORMANCE will generate turnover forGAUSSIN from the 1st half of 2019 via the licence granted to ST EngineeringLand System, the latter financing the entire project.





The Tuas Megaportproject, which is intended to provide Singapore with state-of-the-art portinfrastructure, will double its capacity to 65 million containers (TEU) shippedannually in the medium term, and will eventually increase this figure to 100million containers.





A total of 2,000AGVs will be needed for the 1st phase, and regular invitations to tender willbe issued over a period of 10 years.

GAUSSIN announced at the beginning of last October (cf. press release dated 2 October 2018)the signing of an exclusive 20-year contract - until 2038 -, including anupfront fee and royalties on future sales, with the land systems division of STEngineering, a Singapore-based multinational specialising in defence andengineering technology listed on the Singapore stock exchange, enabling it tomanufacture, promote, distribute and sell the ultra fast-loading FULL ELEC AGVPERFORMANCE vehicles in Singapore.

Upcoming events

PassengerTerminal Expo London, from 26 to 28 March 2019 (Siemens Hall S1-10, Stand 2010)

SITLParis from 26 to 28 March 2019

Story continues

TOCAsia Singapore, 9 and 10 April 2019 (Gaussin-ST Engineering stand, Stand E20)

DubaiAirport Show from 29 April to 1 May 2019 (Stand 5450)





* This document maycontain forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information refers tofuture prospects, developments and strategies of Gaussin Manugistique and isbased on an analysis of expected future results and estimates of amounts that arenot yet determinable to date. Forward-looking information naturally containselements of risk and uncertainty relative to events and therefore dependent oncircumstances which may or may not occur in the future. Gaussin Manugistiquedraws your attention to the fact that forward-looking information provides noguarantee concerning its future performance or financial situation, financialresults or trends in the sector in which Gaussin Manugistique operates, andwhich may significantly differ from those proposed or suggested in theforward-looking statements contained in this presentation. Furthermore, eventhough the financial position of Gaussin Manugistique, its performance andtrends in the sector in which Gaussin Manugistique operates comply with the forward-lookinginformation contained in this presentation, such performance or trends may notbe a reliable indication of the company's future performance or prospects.Gaussin Manugistique is not committed to updating or confirming analysts'expectations or estimates or to publicly correcting any information or event inorder to reflect an event or circumstance eventually occurring following thispresentation.

About Gaussin

Gaussin Manugistique isspecialised in the auditing of handling processes and the development ofwheeled handling systems used to place and transport heavy, bulky or fragileloads. With more than 50,000 vehicles worldwide, GAUSSIN Manugistique boasts astrong reputation in four fast-expanding markets: Energy, Transport, theEnvironment and Raw Materials. Gaussin Manugistique has been listed onEuronext Growth in Paris since 16 June 2010. Gaussin shares have been listed inthe E2 trading group (public offering) since 20 July 2012, after AMF approval12-360 was secured on 17/07/12 for the prospectus, available free of chargefrom www.gaussin.com.

About ST Engineering Land Systems

STEngineering is a global defence technology and engineering group specialisingin the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Incorporated in1997 and headquartered in Singapore, ST Engineering ranks among the majorcompanies listed on the Singapore Exchange, and is one of Asia's leadingengineering groups.

STEngineering relies on a global network of subsidiaries and related companieswith approximately 22,000 employees serving customers in Asia, the Americas,Europe and Oceania.

A leader in each of itscore businesses, ST Engineering contributes innovation and technology to createmulti-disciplinary, intelligent engineering solutions for its defence,government and business applications customers.
SINGAPORE - MediaOutReach - 25 March 2019 - TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. (TYO:7921), one of two only companies in the whole of Japan specialising in financialdisclosure advisory, has invested in TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte. Ltd. whichhouses the rebranded Elite Asia brands(previously known as EliteTranslations and EliteInterpreters) and the technology startup, AISA Digital Pte. Ltd. The company'sfirst-ever investment in Southeast Asia shows its conviction in the growth ofthe East Asian and the Southeast Asian regions.





"Our investment in TRANSLASIA Holdings attests to ourconfidence in this region and our commitment to drive growth and expansion inEast Asia and Southeast Asia. We see enormous potential in the Southeast Asianmarket and Singapore is a formidable gateway to that. We expect the growth ofe-Commerce in this region to be immense and TRANSLASIA Holdings is strategicallypositioned to take advantage of this with its unique expertise in this region,its strengths, and its technological innovations," comments Ryusuke Okada,Director and Managing Executive Officer, TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. andChairman, TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte. Ltd.





The fragmented nature of Asia has many businesses perplexedon how to successfully enter, grow, and succeed in this region. Businesses haveto grapple with complex challenges like geographical and infrastructuraldisparity, cultural diversity, and language differences. Yet, its phenomenalgrowth rates and massive potential cannot be ignored by any business looking tosucceed and thrive in the global economy. A Google--Temasek study projectedthat the Internet economy of Southeast Asia alone is set to exceed USD 240billion in gross merchandise value (GMV) by 2025, having already reached USD 72billion in 2018.1

This is where AISA Digital can play a significant role.

AISA Digital - Building for Now, Driving for the Future

Poised to serve online businesses and e-Commerceportals, AISA Digital will launchits very first end-to-end integrated localisation solution in March 2019 tocompanies who want to scale their businesses across Southeast Asia. Thesolution is powered by a hybrid model of AI technologies, a cloud-basedlocalisation platform, and a marketplace solution for ASEAN linguists residingacross Southeast Asia. And the result is the amalgamation of human andartificial intelligence to yield faster, good quality, and cheaper localisationservices to translate digital contents or e-Commerce products to ASEAN languages.

Story continues





"This innovation arm of TRANSLASIA empowers companieswith massive localisation capabilities so that businesses can triumph over languagebarriers and outperform competitors in this immensely fragmented region,"iterates Hong Yin Yin, CEO, TRANSLASIA Holdings. "We assist them tocapitalise on the burgeoning digital economy and to be future-ready. Becausethe future is Asia."





Elite Asia - From Service Provider to Solution Partner





The launch of TRANSLASIA also marks the rebranding of EliteTranslations and Elite Interpreters to Elite Asia. Established since 2006 andheadquartered in Singapore withoffices in Hong Kong and Malaysia, the company has evolved intoa regional powerhouse that helps businesses navigate effortlessly across Asianborders through innovative language services and solutions powered bytechnology and people. Furthermore, Elite Asia will be liaising with TAKARAPRINTING CO., LTD. to serve clients in Japan.





The rebranding entails a paradigm shift in Elite Asia'sbusiness model with a heavier investment in technology and a refocus oninnovation. The company's solutions are aggregates of an uncompromisingapproach to address clients' needs, partnering them at a deeper level and goingbeyond just being a service provider.





LIT Asia 2019 - Expanding Businesses in Asia





The inaugural LITAsiaevent unfolded on March 26, 2019, 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM at CHIJMES Hall,Singapore. The half-day immersive event brought together media professionals,executives, customers, key partners, regional digital powerhouses, and in-houseteams to learn from experts and get new ideas on how to navigate effectivelyand enhance experiences in the fragmented Southeast Asia region. Attendeesacquired insights on how to expand successfully into the rest of Asia, overcomeglobalisation barriers, and develop meaningful connections with your customersusing the newest language technology.





TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte. Ltd., which houses the Elite Asiaand AISA Digital brands, helps businesses overcome linguistic and culturalbarriers and is the bridge to communication so businesses can understand theirneeds in new business environments. With TRANSLASIA, doing business in Asiafeels like doing business at home.

________________________________

1e-Conomy 2018 by Google and Temasek





ABOUT TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD.

TAKARA PRINTING CO., LTD. is the industry leader providingfinancial disclosure support to listed companies in Japan as well asIPO-related services in local and overseas markets. It produces and sellsprinted materials related to the financial instruments & exchange act, thecompany law, and investor relations related information. It also operates inthe production and handling of legal and IR-related advertisements. Inaddition, it provides translation services for disclosure and IR-relateddocuments. Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the companywas founded on June 15, 1952 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.











ABOUT TRANSLASIA HOLDINGS PTE. LTD.

TRANSLASIA Holdings Pte.Ltd.comprises of a group of companies that provides suites of language and culturalservices and advisory to help business excel in new host countries. Itsinnovative solutions, powered by technology and people, enable businesses toconnect across East Asia and Southeast Asia with one voice. With TAKARAPRINTING CO., LTD. as its major shareholder, TRANSLASIA helps businesses takeflight across Asia by committing to the core values of clarity, transparency,collaboration, trustworthiness, and conviction.









ABOUT ELITE ASIA PTE. LTD.

Elite Asiaenables businesses to market and communicate effectively across Asian markets,and to overcome business complexities brought on by cultural and linguisticbarriers. Since its inauguration in 2006, this regional powerhouse has helpedbusinesses navigate effortlessly across East Asia and Southeast Asia.Headquartered in Singapore with offices in Malaysia, Hong Kong, the companyserves multinational companies and regional firms through innovative languagesolutions powered by technology and people, and by communicating with clarity,expressing within cultural context, and speaking with conviction.









ABOUT AISA DIGITAL PTE. LTD.

AISA Digital Pte. Ltd. supports e-Commerce and digitalbusinesses with artificial intelligence capabilities that enable massivelocalisation in Asian languages. AISA assists companies to actualise digitaltransformation and capitalise on digital economies. Powered by a hybrid modelof AI technologies, cloud-based localisation technology, and a robustmarketplace solution for ASEAN linguists living across the Southeast Asia, AISAdelivers massive contextual translation in major ASEAN languages at high speedand at a fraction of the cost.
Condos in the Shenton Way, Tanjong Pagar and Spottiswoode Park neighbourhoods have seen a pick-up in transactions, especially in the week of March 5-12.

The most noticeable is at Wallich Residence at Tanjong Pagar Centre where four high-floor units were sold, of which caveats were lodged for three. Two of the transactions were for 614 sq ft, one-bedroom units: the one on the 51st floor fetched $2.38 million ($3,879 psf), and was the highest achieved for a one-bedder; while the other was on the 43rd floor, and went for $2.15 million ($3,504 psf), according to URA Realis. The third unit transacted at Wallich Residence where a caveat was lodged is a 1,098 sq ft, three-bedroom unit that went for $3.53 million ($3,211 psf).



Four units have been sold at Wallich Residence at Tanjong Pagar so far this month, and have attracted buyers from China and America (Pictures: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)



A fourth unit was also sold this month, but no caveat was lodged. It is a 1,313 sq ft, three-bedroom unit which fetched $4.15 million ($3,157 psf).

The buyers were said to comprise a wide spectrum of nationalities: a Singaporean, a permanent resident, an American citizen and a Chinese national. The 181-unit luxury residences span the 39th to 64th storeys  the top 25 floors of Singapores tallest tower, which stands 290m tall.

Other transactions in the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood included a 506 sq ft, one-bedroom unit at Skysuites@Anson that was sold for $1.35 million ($2,668 psf), and a 1,001 sq ft two-bedder at the nearby Icon that changed hands for $1.67 million ($1,668 psf).

In the adjacent Spottiswoode Park area, a 797 sq ft, two-bedroom at Spottiswoode Residences changed hands for $1.6 million ($2,009 psf), and the neighbouring Spottiswoode 18 saw an 893 sq ft, one-bedroom penthouse sold for $1.45 million ($1,623 psf).

Even The Beacon on Cantonment Road, a condo completed 11 years ago, saw two units sold in the first week of March: a 1,109 sq ft unit on the fifth floor and a 1,163 sq ft unit on the 13th floor that went for $1.5 million each.

Story continues

Along Shenton Way, two units at V on Shenton (pictured below) also found buyers. One was a 474 sq ft, one-bedroom unit on the 33rd floor that was sold for $1.12 million ($2,369 psf), and the other was a 1,518 sq ft, four-bedroom unit that fetched $3.15 million ($2,075 psf).





Tang Wei Leng, managing director of Colliers International, commented last year: Areas such as Shenton Way stand to benefit from the development of the Greater Southern Waterfront. These include buildings that sit on the fringe of Shenton Way and Tanjong Pagar. They will find themselves directly at the doorstep of Singapores new premier waterfront destination, she says.

The Greater Southern Waterfront is a 1,000ha site  2.5 times the size of Marina Bay  that will be freed up following the relocation of the ports at Tanjong Pagar and Pasir Panjang to Tuas from 2025. The government plans to redevelop the land for new mixed-use developments. This will also better optimise and intensify the use of prime CBD land, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, during this years Committee of Supply debate on March 7.

Tanjong Pagar Centre has become a key catalyst, leading the rejuvenation and transformation of the district, says Dora Chng, general manager of residential at GuocoLand Singapore. GuocoLand is the developer of Tanjong Pagar Centre, an integrated development that includes Wallich Residence.

Soon, Tanjong Pagar will become the gateway to the Greater Southern Waterfront, says Chng. She sees Wallich Residence continuing to be attractive to international property buyers and expects sales to continue at a steady pace.

See Also:






A view of the central business district in Singapore. (Photo:REUTERS/Edgar Su)

By Joyce Koh and Melissa Cheok



(Bloomberg) The masterminds of Singapores most audacious market manipulation scheme cheated Goldman Sachs International and Interactive Brokers LLC as part of a plan that resulted in the 2013 penny-stock crash, prosecutors said as a trial began against the two alleged perpetrators.

Malaysian businessman John Soh Chee Wen faces 189 charges while Quah Su-Ling, former chief executive officer of Ipco International Ltd., faces 178 charges for orchestrating the fraud, Singapore prosecutors said as the trial started Monday. Soh and Quah pleaded not guilty to the charges.

This is a prosecution for the most serious case of stock market manipulation in Singapore, Deputy Public Prosecutor Peter Koy said in an opening statement which lasted almost two hours. Soh and Quah, aided by a third person, artificially inflated the liquidity and manipulated the price of shares in three companies listed on the Singapore stock exchange, Koy said. The two were accused of conducting trades through accounts that were opened with 20 financial institutions, including foreign and local brokerages and private banks.

Among the charges are six each for deceiving Goldman and Interactive Brokers to extend margin financing and deliver payment of more than S$232 million ($172 million) for the purchase of securities, according to a statement from the prosecutors. Goldman Sachs International is a unit of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The trial is the culmination of years of investigation into a stock market rout that has been blamed for falling trading volumes in the city. The stock-trading irregularities related to Blumont Group Ltd., LionGold Corp. and Asiasons Capital Ltd., which has been renamed Attilan Group Ltd., saw the stocks surge by at least 800 percent over nine months before they plunged during three days in October 2013. The rout spurred brokers to clamp down on margin lending and has dented trading sentiment.

Singapore meted out its first jail sentence for the penny-stock rout last week, with the prosecutor calling the crash the result of the most audacious, extensive and injurious market manipulation scheme ever in the city state.

Story continues

Goh Hin Calm, who was Ipco interim CEO, was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment in a Singapore court Wednesday. Goh, who earlier pleaded guilty to two of six charges under the Securities and Futures Act, helped two others in perpetuating the scheme, prosecutors said last week.

The crash wiped S$8 billion off the value of shares of three companies in October 2013. For his part, Soh said in a 2016 interview that the crash in the shares of the mining companies was due to a collection of ad hoc events triggered by an unexplained phenomenon.

The three companies have said they dont know what caused the sudden declines. Banks and brokers have sued their clients and others to recover at least $230 million from the stock rout.

Soh and Quah used accounts held at firms including UOB Kay Hian Pte, AmFraser Securities Pte, Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse Group AG, Interactive Brokers and Saxo Bank A/S, prosecutors said. The financial institutions will give evidence that they didnt know Soh and Quah were instructing trades in the accounts, according to the prosecution.

Goldman and Interactive Brokers were deceived into accepting shares of the three companies as collateral in extending financing, not knowing that the market for those shares was false, according to Mondays prosecution statement. The financing was used for margin trading to manipulate the shares, the prosecutor said, describing the process as a vicious cycle of deception, cheating, and market manipulation.

The trial is expected to last at least until November.

 2019 Bloomberg L.P
SINGAPORE (Mar 25): Sunpower Group has been lauded as one of Chinas Best Managed Companies (BMC) by big four accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu through its BMC programme, a global initiative recognising private companies with advanced management ideas.

This is the first year the BMC award was introduced to China following the awards inception in Canada in 1993.

Shortlisted recipients of the award are evaluated based on Deloittes framework of Best Managed criteria which comprises four key tenets of management excellence, namely: strategy, operational excellence, leadership & employees commitment to corporate excellence, as well as financial strength.

In a press release last Friday, Sunpower says its strategic expansion into or green investments (GI) since 2016 has driven the group to new heights.

This was accomplished by the merging of Sunpowers proprietary integrated technologies and expertise, management expertise and decades of experience in the manufacturing & services (M&S) segment into a synergistic business model structured to maximise returns, says the group.

Sunpower largely attributes its 87.1% y-o-y growth in earnings to RMB267.8 million ($53.9 million) in FY18 to the stronger-than-expected ramp up of its GI projects, adding that its GI segment recorded a fourfold increase in operating cash flow over the financial year despite being still in the early stages in development.

Going forward, the group says it is on track to build a sizeable GI portfolio targeting to invest RMB2.5 billion in equity by 2021.

Our position now is the result of proven strategic planning and execution, in seizing the right opportunities with foresight, specifically, having identified an advantageous business model for GI projects that can deliver long-term, recurring high-quality income and cash flows, says Guo Hongxin, executive chairman of Sunpower.

We will remain focused on continuously realising the enormous potential of GI, which we believe will drive sustainable growth for Sunpower and also fulfill our social mission to alleviate smog and return blue skies to China, he adds.

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Earlier this month, The Edge Singapore noted how Sunpower had contributed total returns of 10.1% as of Mar 1, mainly as the groups GI segment carries significantly higher margins.

Login to read: Falling margins will hold back stock price gains

Considering the groups intentions to continue expanding its GI portfolio, the groups revenue, earning sand average margin is expected to grow as GI continues to account for a larger share of total earnings in the near-term.

As at 10:53am, shares in Sunpower are trading half a cent lower at 58 cents.
Members of the Bayan Muna party-list

QUEZON CITY, Philippines  Bayan Muna Partylist has filed a complaint at the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) against Manila Water over weeks of water interruptions.

In a 20-page petition, the group wants Manila Water customers to no longer pay their bill this March. Affected residents should also receive compensation due to the difficulties they have experienced amid the water shortage.

Ang gastos nila sa mga nakaraang linggo para lang makabili ng drum mga timba, makabili ng bottled water ay napakalaki kumpara doon sa kanilang average monthly bills, (Their expenses last week just to buy a drum of water or bottled water is too much compared to their average monthly bills) Bayan Muna secretary general Renato Reyes said.

The group also wants the MWSS and Manila Water to conduct a public hearing where consumers can have an opportunity to be heard.

Aside from Bayan Muna, Jose Gallego a resident of Mandaluyong City also personally filed a complaint at the MWSS.

Akala namin hanggang apat na araw lang, inabot pa kami ng isang linggo. Iyong tatay ko nga hindi na naidala sa ospital dahil dapat may therapy siya tatlong beses sa isang linggo. Ang nangyari hindi ko nadadala dito sa polymedic dahil pati polymedic walang tubig, (We thought it will only take four days, but it lasted a week. We were not able to bring our father to the hospital, he was supposed to have his therapy. It should be three times a week but even the Polymedic [General Hospital] is out of water) he said.

MWSS chief regulator Patrick Ty said they will review the basis of the filed petition.

The MWSS and the officials of Manila Water held a meeting to determine the assistance they can provide to affected customers and whether they could suspend distribution of billing charges for March.

They also discussed about the possibility of a refund but it might still need to undergo a thorough process.

Kasi hindi pa tayo sigurado. Ayaw kong sabihin na guilty sila baka sabihin naman ng Manila na prejudged na sila. Hindi ko po sila pine-prejudge. Klaro lang, hindi ko po sasabihin na kailangan po silang mag-rebate, pinag-aaralan lang po natin yan, (Were still uncertain, we cannot say they are guilty. Manila Water might say they are being prejudged. I am doing no such thing. I am not saying they need to rebate, we are still reviewing it) Ty said.

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The MWSS already issued a Notice to Explain to Manila Water regarding the possibility of receiving penalty due to the water interruptions. Manila is given five days to respond.

The MWSS aims to come up with a decision by June if they will impose penalty against Manila Water or not. Meanwhile, the Manila Water still has no comment on the possible penalty or refund.Aileen Cerrudo (with reports from Joan Nano)

The post Bayan Muna files complaint vs Manila Water appeared first on UNTV News.
Reuters

The matter was escalated to Twitter and the Prime Minister's personal twitter handle @narendramodi was immediately secured, PMO India's tweet said, adding any tweet shared during the brief period when the account was compromised must be ignored. It was not immediately known how long the personal Twitter handle of Modi, which has over 73 million followers, was compromised. Twitter took the necessary steps to secure the compromised account as soon as it became aware of the activity, a Twitter spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters, adding an investigation revealed no signs of any other impacted accounts at present.
QUEZON CITY, Philippines The Department of Health (DOH)-Epidemiology Bureau has recorded 44,566 dengue cases from January 1 to March 9 this year, with 167 deaths. This is almost half a percent higher compared to the 26,408 dengue cases reported during the same period last year. The report adds, Central Visayas region has the most number []

QUEZON CITY, Philippines The Department of Health (DOH)-Epidemiology Bureau has recorded 44,566 dengue cases from January 1 to March 9 this year, with 167 deaths.

This is almost half a percent higher compared to the 26,408 dengue cases reported during the same period last year.

The report adds, Central Visayas region has the most number of dengue cases with 4,956. The region also recorded 32 deaths which is also the highest number among the regions.

READ: Dengue cases in Zamboanga Peninsula up by 81%

Meanwhile, the National Capital Region (NCR) has 4,604 cases, followed by Calabarzon with 4,559; and Caraga with 4,350.

The health department reiterates the use of 4-S campaign to prevent dengue.Aileen Cerrudo

4S Kontra Dengue by DOH Philippines#AntiDungue #4S #DOH Posted by Community Newswatch PH on Tuesday, 9 January 2018

The post DOH records 44,000 dengue cases, 167 deaths this year appeared first on UNTV News.
Pope Francis will pay a visit to Morocco on March 30-31 during which he will meet King Mohammed VI who also has the religious title of Commander of the Faithful. The visit puts the Kingdom on the forefront of international efforts to promote inter-religious dialogue.

Under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, Morocco stood out in the region as a haven of promoting the genuine values of moderate Islam and has undertaken efforts to preserve the centuries-old tradition of religious tolerance between Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Pope Francis visit to Morocco comes thirty-four years after the visit of John Paul II in the Kingdom. This new historic visit of the Pope will include a significant interfaith forum. A moment that will allow this message of peace between Christians and Muslims to live on and which will confirm the tradition of welcome and understanding that has characterized the relations of Morocco with the Catholic Church for centuries, the Catholic church in Rabat said in a statement.

Prior to being an overwhelmingly Muslim country, Morocco was a land of Christianity and Judaism.

The visit will also highlight the friendly ties between Morocco and the Vatican, which were formally established in 1976 although relations between Moroccan sovereigns and the Catholic Church date as far back as the Almoravids era (1061-1147).

In 1980, late King Hassan II was the first Muslim monarch to visit the Vatican. King Mohammed VI visited the Vatican in 2000.

One of the main highlights of the Popes trip to Rabat will be a direct meeting with the Moroccan people from the yard of Hassan mosque where the Pope will address the crowds before standing for a moment of silent contemplation at the grave of late Kings Hassan II and his father Mohammed V.

A visit to the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams for meetings with Islamic counsellors and imams is also on the Popes agenda.

The Pope will also show support to charities, including Caritas, which has been lending support to migrants mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to archbishops of Morocco, there are some 30,000 Catholics in Morocco most of whom from Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Pope will also hold a prayer at a covered stadium in Rabat. The prayer will be broadcasted live across the globe.
By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) - At least 18 people were killed and around 100 others were injured in flash floods in Iran's southern Fars province, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, with more rain forecast following days of devastating floods in the north.

Some 26 provinces out of 31 now have flood warnings due to torrential rain in a country more accustomed to drought. State TV said villages near rivers and dams in several provinces had been evacuated for fear of the rising water.

Authorities have warned about possibility of floods in the capital Tehran as well as in the oil-rich southern province of Khuzestan in the next 48 hours.

Pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani's hardline rivals have criticised his government for doing too little, too late to help.

The hardline judiciary said on Sunday the government's handling of the disaster was being investigated, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

"Any shortcomings regarding the handling of the floods, failure to provide relief and aid to the survivors will be investigated," it quoted judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi as saying. Hardline cleric Raisi lost the 2017 presidential election, when Rouhani was re-elected.

The semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday that Rouhani has returned to Tehran from Iran's Qeshm Island in the Gulf, where he had been spending the Iranian new year holiday.

He had been criticised by Iranians on social media for being in the south when flooding was hitting the north of the country.

His energy minister, Reza Ardakanian, said climate change had caused the floods. "Climate change is forcing itself on our country. These floods in Iran are the result of climate change worldwide," Tasnim quoted him as saying.

In a rare move, Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on the armed forces to help the flood-hit northern provinces, where Iran's English-language Press TV said five people had been killed.

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Reflecting a long-running struggle between the president and his rivals, Iran's hardline media have accused the government of reacting too slowly to the floods, while highlighting aid work by the Revolutionary Guards - a rival power centre in Iran's faction-ridden political establishment.

The spread of flooding to the south follows days of floods since March 19 that affected more than 56,000 people living in 270 villages and small towns in the northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran, on the Caspian Sea, TV reported.

In Shiraz, in the south, Tasnim quoted the head of Iran's emergency medical services, Pirhossein Kolivand, as saying 18 people had been killing, including four children. Some 94 were injured in the city in Fars province.

Iranian media showed pictures and footage of crumpled cars piled up deep in mud and water after floods swept through Shiraz. Iran's Students News Agency ISNA said high water had damaged thousands of houses in Shiraz and other towns.

"We all are going to die. Pray for us. We are all going to die. Mother, we all are going to die," said a woman in a bus caught in the floods in Shiraz, according to a video on Twitter.

Fars Governor Enayatollah Rahimi told state TV the flooding was under control and rescue and aid workers had been dispatched to the flood-hit areas.

Kolivand later said one other person was also killed in Sarpol-e Zahab in the western province of Kermanshah and one other person in the western province of Lorestan was killed.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Alison Williams)
Thailand's election was marred by "irregularities" and "rigged" to ensure the military retain their political grip on the kingdom, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra told AFP in an interview on Monday. "Everyone knows in Thailand, everyone international that observed the election in Thailand, knows that (there) is irregularities," he told AFP in English. "What we call, we should call, rigged elections is there. It's not good for Thailand." The 69-year-old tycoon was ousted in a 2006 coup and has since chosen self-exile in Dubai, but has remained a towering figure in Thailand's decade-long treadmill of protests and coups. In the months running up to Sunday's vote Thaksin had remained tight-lipped. But he hit out during an interview with AFP in Hong Kong on Monday, accusing the junta of stacking the deck in its favour ahead of the vote and using dirty tricks at the ballot box. "Any game, if the rule and the referee is not fair, the result will not be respected," he said. Asked whether he thought the vote was rigged he replied: "Definitely". When pushed for evidence he listed reports of suspiciously high ballots cast for the pro-military party in key provinces as well as the large number of votes that were invalidated by election officials. "If you look at the number of ballots and the number of voter turnout, the ballots much more exceed the number of voter turnout in many, many provinces," he said.
Kylian Mbappe scored one and set up two more as France routed Iceland 4-0 at the Stade de France on Monday night to move to the top of Group H in Euro 2020 qualifying. The result gives France six points from their first two matches and puts them ahead Turkey, who also won 4-0 on Monday, on goal difference. "It was our objective to take six points but the manner was good as well," France manager Didier Deschamps told the post-match press conference. Deschamps praised his team's "offensive efficiency" against a "dense" Icelandic defence. "When the opponent plays very defensively it can be very difficult to find a way through so that was a good sign," said Deschamps, although he acknowledged that Icelandic fatigue near the end played a role. He added that he was pleased that all three strikers - Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Oivier Giroud - scored. "They are the champions of the world and you saw that today," acknowledged Iceland manager Erik Hamren. "Five shots on goal and they scored four. That's top class" From the start Mbappe's movement mesmerised the Icelanders, though his contribution to the opening goal after 11 minutes was straightforward. The visitors cleared a corner only as far as Benjamin Pavard. The right back switched the ball to Mbappe, alone on the left. The young star had time to aim his cross which Samuel Umititi met at the near post with a header that glanced off the inside of the far post and into the goal. Four minutes later, Giroud almost headed another, from a cross by Pavard, but Hannes Halldorsson leapt and stretched to palm the ball over. For the next 45 minutes, France, who have never lost to Iceland, gave the impression that they had slipped down a couple of gears and were content to take the long-range shooting opportunities the packed Iceland defence was allowing. Iceland meanwhile worked courageously and managed to force the occasional small threat. After 68 minutes, Iceland were again punished for failing to put distance on a clearance. France moved the ball to Pavard who swerved a cross in from the right that lured Halldorsson into a desperate dive for a ball he could not reach. - 'Something different' - Giroud kneed the ball into the empty net for his 35th France goal. That moved him into third on the all-time list of France scorers, breaking a tie with David Trezeguet. The Chelsea striker trails only Michel Platini, on 41, and Thierry Henry, the all-time leader on 51. "He's not playing much for his club," said Deschamps. "But he remains effective and brings something different to the other two strikers." Gaps began to appear in the Iceland defence. "As long as its 1-0 we have a chance, but after 2-0 we had problems," Hamren said. Mbappe added a third after 78 minutes. Griezmann slipped a pass between two defenders to the advancing Mbappe who shrugged off a timid challenge and slid the ball past Halldorson. Six minutes later, Mbappe returned the assist with a neat backheel that sent Griezmann scampering through the frozen Icelandic backline to poke the ball into the corner of the goal. "We've started well with two nice team performances" Paul Pogba told French broadcster M6. "We knew what we were up against. They are a team that doesn't let in a lot of goals but today we did our job." Pogba warned that the world champions are improving: "I think that we've made progress. We gained experience with the World Cup." The defeat continued a miserable run for Iceland whose victory in Andorra on Friday was their only victory in a competitive match since November 2017. France's next game is away to Turkey on June 8. On the same evening Iceland host Albania. "We're not yet qualified and the next game against our friends the Turks will be hot," Deschamps warned.
Benny Gantz, who is posing a stiff challenge to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in upcoming elections, said Monday he would not hesitate to use force on Iran to contain the regional rival. In a speech to the US pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, Gantz also spelled out further his views on peace prospects with the Palestinians, insisting that Israel's military will always control security in the West Bank. The centrist former military chief showed no daylight with Netanyahu on peace and security matters -- but won standing ovations from the American Jewish audience by raising domestic issues, including promising more inclusiveness at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Judaism's holiest site. Citing his mother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and his son's service in the military, Gantz said that "strength and moral power come together." "That is why I say from this stage to the Iranian regime -- never again. We will not allow you to establish yourself in Syria, we will not allow you to develop nuclear weapons," he said. "On my watch, you will not become a regional power and I will not hesitate to use force if and when needed," he said. Gantz said that Jerusalem -- also claimed by the Palestinians -- would always remain Israel's "united and eternal capital" and said, without ruling out a Palestinian state in the West Bank, that the Jordan Valley will "always" be Israel's eastern security border. "Responsibility for the security of the land of Israel will remain in the hands of the IDF and the IDF alone," he said, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. He said, however, that he was open to negotiations with the Arab world, amid Netanyahu's efforts to make peace with Gulf Arabs that oppose Iran. "To those who would like to turn a new page, we will extend our hand in peace and we will strive for peace with any honest Arab leader," he said.
Former communist militant Cesare Battisti, jailed for life in Italy over four murders carried out in the 1970s, has confessed to the killings after decades of denying involvement, media reported Monday. Battisti, 64, has admitted all the charges brought against him "in four murder cases", Milan's prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media. Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later, and had spent nearly four decades on the run. An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January. Battisti was sentenced to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard, for taking part in the murder of a butcher and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair. He is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough "41-bis" prison regime usually applied to Mafia members. Battisti confessed to the killings during questioning in prison over the weekend, Nobili said. Following his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels. In 2004, he skipped bail in France, where he had taken refuge. He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro. After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree -- later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court -- in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome. But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers. Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee.
Authorities seize over 300 kilograms of shabu concealed in packets of Chinese tea.

MANILA, Philippines  Authorities seized almost 300 kilograms of shabu shipment at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Friday (March 22).

Personnel from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) discovered the contraband inside a 40-foot container.

The illegal drugs totaling 276 kilograms were concealed inside Chinese tea bags packed in one-kilogram packets.

Authorities said the items, which arrived in the country on March 17, were shipped from China and falsely declared as plastic resin.

According to PDEA, they were able to intercept the contraband through an intelligence report from their Vietnam counterparts.

The information, the PDEA said, was tipped by the eight Chinese nationals arrested in Vietnam for shipping illegal drugs of similar packaging.

The operations of PDEA and Customs started when Vietnam police seized on March 20, three hundred kilos of shabu in a buy-bust operation in Ho Chi Min City allegedly run by a Chinese national who used a textile company as a cover up, said PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino.

The BOC revoked the accreditation of the consignee, Wealth Lotus Empire Corporation, and the involved Customs broker, Jane Castillo.

According to reports, the drug syndicate Golden Triangle was the group behind the large-scale drug shipment.

They were the source of the P1.1B worth of shabu confiscated in Ayala, Alabang last Tuesday (March 19), PDEA said.

PDEA Director Aquino admitted that the lack of death penalty or grave punishment for illegal drugs activities has turned the Philippines into a favorite trading spot of drug syndicates.

When we interrogate chemists or arrest Chinese chemists or any involved in the illegal drug trade, the first thing that they will tell me is that there is no death penalty in the Philippines. And thats the main reason that they will continue to smuggle drugs, he said.

Aquino added that the Chinese drug suspects argued that their members were able to walk free despite the charges filed against them because of the lax enforcement of laws and weak justice system in the country.

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Thus, the official hopes that death penalty will be reinstated to help solve the menace of illegal drugs trade in the country.

Thats actually the stand of PDEA in the restoration of the death penalty particularly on drug trafficking, drug smuggling and drug manufacturing, Aquino concluded.  Marje Pelayo (with details from Asher Cadapan Jr.)

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Morocco hosts this Monday in Marrakech an African Ministerial Conference on African Unions support to the United Nations political process on Sahara.

The event, which brings together 37 African countries from the five sub-regions of the continent, comes to back the decision, adopted at the 31st AU Summit, held July 1-2, 2018 in Nouakchott (Mauritania), said a release issued by the Moroccan Foreign Ministry.

The AU summit decision reaffirms the exclusivity of the United Nations in handling the Sahara issue, added the press release, affirming that the Marrakech conference backs the vision of African States that pledge to strengthen the unity of the continent and to reject any attempt to divert it from its urgent priorities of sustainable human development, regional integration and the prosperity of its citizens.

Last July, the AU ended its process to mediate in the Sahara issue, stressing the primacy of the UN process in dealing with the regional conflict.

Recommendation 12N of the AU report said that the role of the AU is to support UN efforts and the UN Secretary Generals Personal Envoy. The report only referred to the UN resolutions on the Sahara, calling on the parties to engage in serious negotiations in good faith and with a spirit of compromise in order to reach a fair, lasting and mutually acceptable solution.

Yet, the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity, including the Algerian regime and the polisario separatist group, are conspiring with South Africa to convene a conference of the member states of the Southern African Development Community, to undermine the UN political process for the settlement of the Sahara issue.
Kaliwa River

PASAY CITY, Philippines  Infrastructure projects under the Philippine-China agreement are now under scrutiny by lawmakers including the controversial Kaliwa Dam and the Chico River Pump Irrigation Projects.

One of the issues that the lawmakers raised for review is the structures resiliency or strength.

The Ibon Foundation said such aspect of the infrastructure must be prioritized.

May mahabang record actually ng problema sa mga Chinese loans. May problema doon sa quality ng construction. May problema doon sa terms ng kasunduan, (China-funded projects have a long-standing record of problems in the quality of construction, in the terms of the agreement,) said Ibons Executive Director Sonny Africa.

One example of a China-funded project was a dam in Ecuador which already showed cracks, only two years after opening.

Likewise, Ecuador is said to have fallen into Chinas debt trap because of the dams price tag of US$1.7 billion dollars.

Senate Committee Chair on Energy and Economic Affairs Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said such a review of contracts is possible while he is confident that the Philippines will never experience Ecuadors dilemma because the country has a very strict building code.

We certainly can. The Philippines has a very comprehensive and strict building code. That will not likely happen in the Philippines, he said in a statement.

In last weeks Senate inquiry, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) explained that all projects, specifically those loaned from China, were thoroughly studied and approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.

From the recommendation of the technical working group as this was studied, their recommendations are still the Kaliwa Dam, said MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco.

As of this writing, the MWSS is still awaiting the engineering design of the MWSS-China Kaliwa Dam project before it kicks start the construction.  Marje Pelayo (with reports from Nel Maribojoc)

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With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, US President Donald Trump declared Monday that the Golan Heights belongs to Israel -- handing another major diplomatic victory to the premier ahead of tight elections. Netanyahu spared no praise as he watched Trump sign the Golan proclamation at the White House, likening him to President Harry S Truman, who recognized Israel, and even to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who freed the Jews of Babylon. "Your decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is so historic," Netanyahu told Trump. The Jewish state captured the territory from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967. "Your recognition is a twofold act of historic justice. Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war of self-defense, and the Jewish people's roots in the Golan go back thousands of years," he said. Trump -- who in 2017 took the even more momentous step of recognizing disputed Jerusalem as Israel's capital -- called the Golan declaration "a long time in the making." "It should have taken place many decades ago," said Trump, who had revealed his intentions on the Golan on Thursday in a Twitter message. Netanyahu, a wily right-winger who this year would become the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, is facing an unexpectedly stiff challenge in April 9 elections from centrist Benny Gantz, who also came to Washington for AIPAC. Netanyahu was visiting Washington for the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel US lobby, but cut his visit short after a rocket fired Monday from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis in an unusually long-range attack. Just as Netanyahu entered the White House, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Gaza linked to Hamas -- which denied carrying out the attack -- with the prime minister vowing to respond "forcefully to this wanton aggression." - International opposition - Trump was isolated in the move, with the United Nations and US allies France and Britain all saying that they still considered the Golan Heights "Israeli-occupied" in line with UN resolutions. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Trump's declaration "ignores all international procedures" and "could drive a new wave of tensions" in the Middle East. Syria denounced the "blatant attack" on its sovereignty, while Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu criticized Trump for giving "virtually an election gift" to Netanyahu. Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 but had won no international support. The territory had long been seen as a comparatively easy problem to resolve, as both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Golan's 20,000 settlers are largely secular in a region dominated by religious feuds. But changing the strategic dynamics, Syria has been embroiled for years in a devastating civil war in which Iran has made inroads -- to the staunch opposition of Israel, which has vowed to eradicate the clerical regime's presence. Shortly before the Golan proclamation, Vice President Mike Pence brought the AIPAC audience to its feet as he hailed Trump as "the greatest friend of the Jewish people and the state of Israel ever to sit in the Oval Office." Amid Trump and Netanyahu's mutual affection and the Israeli leader's rightward turn, top Democrats seeking the White House have steered clear of AIPAC -- an absence that Pence eagerly highlighted. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a liberal Democrat whose city is home to 1.2 million Jews, nonetheless spoke at AIPAC, where he acknowledged differences with Netanyahu but won a standing ovation for opposing the movement to boycott Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians. - Gantz touts 'strength' - Challenger Gantz showed virtually no daylight with Netanyahu on security issues in his AIPAC address. Citing his mother's experience as a Holocaust survivor and his son's service in the military, the former military chief said that "strength and moral power come together." "That is why I say from this stage to the Iranian regime -- never again. We will not allow you to establish yourself in Syria, we will not allow you to develop nuclear weapons," he said. "On my watch, you will not become a regional power and I will not hesitate to use force if and when needed," he said. Gantz said that Jerusalem would always be Israel's "united and eternal capital" and added, without ruling out a Palestinian state in the West Bank, that the Jordan Valley would "always" be Israel's eastern security border. But he won loud cheers from the American Jewish audience when he turned to domestic issues, promising more inclusiveness at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where women are separated from men, and chiding Netanyahu for allying with a party widely condemned as racist.
Former communist militant Cesare Battisti has admitted four murders carried out in the 1970s, weeks after being jailed in Italy for the killings that were part of a failed bid to spark a far-left revolution. Battisti, 64, admitted all the charges brought against him in four murder cases during Italy's so-called "Years of Lead", Milan prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media on Monday. He also admitted that armed revolution was wrong, Nobili said. Nobili, who questioned Battisti at a high-security prison in Sardinia for nine hours over the weekend, said it had "felt like I was watching the liberation of someone who was initially embarrassed, troubled". Nobili quoted Battisti as saying: "I realise the wrong I have done and apologise to the families." Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told journalists that he now expected "these pseudo-intellectuals on the left who for years cuddled this murderer also to apologise". Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later and spent nearly four decades on the run. An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January, before he was extradited to Italy. Battisti was sentenced in absentia to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard; for taking part in the murder of a butcher who was also a far-right militant; and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller, who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair. - Apologies 'out of place' - The murdered policeman's brother Maurizio Campagna said "apologies now seem out of place". "I think his lawyer is advising him so he can have his sentence reduced," Campagna told Italy's Sky TG24 television. Battisti is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough "41-bis" prison regime usually applied to Mafia members. His lawyer Davide Steccanella said the statements weren't made "for possible benefits, the hope was to give (my) client back a fair image, not that of someone who could strike again, as he has been described". Battisti admitted the killings "little by little... not as a flood", Nobili said. "The armed struggle prevented the development of a cultural, social and political revolution which, from the events of '68, would have been absolutely positive," Nobili quoted Battisti as saying. After his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels. In 2004, he skipped bail in France where, like many other far-left Italian militants, he had taken refuge. He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro. After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree -- later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court -- in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome. But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers. - Years of Lead - Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee. Italy's Years of Lead was a decade of violence which began in the late 1960s and saw dozens of deadly attacks by hardline leftwing and rightwing groups. During his election campaign, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro vowed that if elected he would "immediately" send Battisti back to Italy. Battisti, who has a five-year-old Brazilian son, in 2017 told AFP he would face "torture" and death if he were ever to be sent back to Italy. Italian authorities are still hunting 30 "terrorists" on the run abroad, 27 from the left and three from the right. Fourteen of those being sought are believed to be in France.
Palestinian militants fired a rocket at Israel late Tuesday prompting further retaliation strikes from the Israeli army, with the late-night exchanges threatening claims of a truce. It comes hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was prepared for further military action in Gaza, at a highly sensitive time ahead of Israel's April 9 elections. The latest severe flare-up began early Monday when a rare long-distance rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis. The Israeli military hit back with a series of air strikes across the enclave and Palestinian militants launched a barrage of new rockets. No casualties have been reported. Calm prevailed throughout Tuesday, with Hamas claiming Egypt had brokered a ceasefire, but as night fell Israel said a projectile was fired from Gaza around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT). Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and other groups said "the rocket that hit near Ashkelon was the work of an individual and the factions are committed to calm" as long as Israel is. "Our airforce just struck several Hamas terror targets in Gaza," the Israeli army tweeted late Tuesday. "If Hamas think that we'll sit idly by as their rocket fire, explosives, and breaches of Israel's border fence threaten the lives of Israeli civilians - they're wrong. "Our fighter jets and aircraft struck additional Hamas targets in Gaza," it later added. A security source in Gaza said an air strike hit a Hamas military base in Khan Yunis. Netanyahu, who cut short his US visit, had earlier said "we are prepared to do a lot more". "We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state," he said via satellite link to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference. The army said that after an assessment with Netanyahu, the military chief of staff Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi ordered more forces be sent to the southern region. Kohavi also "approved completing the summoning of additional reserve soldiers," a statement from the military read, without providing further details. - Avoid fourth war - The prime minister is widely believed to want to avoid a fourth war in Gaza since 2008 with unpredictable consequences ahead of the elections, but he is also under heavy political pressure. Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of protests and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border, and large demonstrations are expected for it. Netanyahu said earlier Tuesday that Israel's response to Gaza fire was the largest-scale attack on Hamas sites since the last war between them in 2014. The government closed its people and goods crossing with the blockaded enclave and reduced the zone in the Mediterranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen. It did not confirm the ceasefire announced by Hamas. Israel's army blames Hamas for the rocket that hit a house Monday in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv. A Hamas official, however, denied the group was responsible for that rocket and indicated it may have been fired by accident or even due to "bad weather". burs-ecl/fox
Two Singaporean men were allegedly involved in the illegal dumping of toxic waste into Sungai Kim Kim  an incident that has afflicted thousands of victims in the industrial town of Pasir Gudang in the neighboring Malaysian state of Johor.

One was charged yesterday, while the other remains on the run.

The Star reported that 34-year-old Singaporean Wang Jin Chao and 36-year-old Malaysian Yap Yoke Liang  both directors of a used tire-processing company  were charged in the Sessions Court in Johor Baru for their alleged involvement in the dumping of chemicals.

A second Malaysian, 35-year-old lorry driver N. Maridass, was accused of illegally disposing chemicals into the river on March 7. Both Wang and Yap are accused of conspiring with the driver.

All three pleaded not guilty, and according to The Star, they are set to face further charges under Malaysias Environment Quality Act 1974. Wang was denied bail.

The wanted Singaporean

Meanwhile, Johor police are on the hunt for a second Singaporean company director believed to have been involved in the toxic waste disposal in Pasir Gudang, Malay Mail reported.

It is believed that the man is also a fellow director at the same used tire-processing company.

The Singaporean man has been identified as a 30-year-old company director and we are awaiting feedback from our Singaporean counterparts, said Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd during a press conference yesterday.

In response, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed in a statement that it had been in touch with their Malaysian counterparts.

The Singapore Police Force is in touch with the Royal Malaysia Police, and are awaiting the latters official request for assistance. We are unable to comment further as investigations by the Malaysian authorities are ongoing, noted SPF.

Authorities believe that a lorry dumped the waste in the river earlier this month, sending hazardous fumes into a wide-ranging area surrounding the site. Those suffering from the toxic wafts of air have reported nausea and vomiting.

So far, the incident affected about 4,000 families in Pasir Gudang, leaving nearly a 1,000 people in hospitals. All 111 schools in the area have been closed, but they should be reopening on March 31.

This article, Singaporean man charged in toxic waste dumping case in Johor; another Singaporean suspect missing, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters!
Thailand's military was accused Monday of rigging the country's first election since a 2014 coup, with former premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his pro-democracy party complaining of "irregularities" in preliminary results. The junta is primed to retain its grip on power despite only having a slight edge in the popular vote, after election officials released the first unofficial early results for seats in the lower house. But Thaksin, who has remained a towering figure in Thailand's decade-long treadmill of protests and coups, accused the junta of stacking the deck in its favour ahead of the vote and using dirty tricks at the ballot box. "Everyone knows in Thailand, everyone international that observed the election in Thailand, knows that (there) is irregularities," he told AFP in an interview on Monday in Hong Kong. "What we call, we should call, rigged elections is there. It's not good for Thailand," he said, speaking in English. Sunday's election -- seen as a referendum on the military -- was held under new rules written by the junta to ease its transformation into a civilian government. Despite that headstart, analysts had not expected the army-linked Phalang Pracharat party to win the popular vote, given anger at junta rule and the enduring popularity of Thaksin's Pheu Thai. But preliminary figures showed Phalang Pracharat -- with 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister -- ahead in the popular vote. It had racked up more than 7.6 million votes with more than 90 percent of ballots tallied, giving any government it tries to form a claim to legitimacy. That is nearly half a million more votes than Pheu Thai. However, Pheu Thai had 137 constituency seats in the lower house compared to Phalang Pracharat's 97, according to early figures. There are still 150 "party list" seats in the lower house up for grabs, where the popular vote will matter more. But however the numbers play out, coup leader Prayut's party will benefit from a military-appointed 250-member Senate, meaning it only needs 126 lower house seats -- compared to 376 for Pheu Thai. As rivals scrambled to seize the momentum and persuade other parties to join forces in a coalition, Thaksin -- who had remained tight-lipped in the months running up to the vote -- hit out at the junta. "Any game, if the rule and the referee is not fair, the result will not be respected," said the 69-year-old tycoon. Asked whether he thought the vote was rigged he replied: "Definitely". When pushed for evidence he listed reports of suspiciously high ballots cast for the pro-military party in key provinces, as well as the large number of votes invalidated by election officials. "If you look at the number of ballots and the number of voter turnout, the ballots much more exceed the number of voter turnout in many, many provinces," he said. Pheu Thai's prime ministerial candidate Sudarat Keyuraphan said her party had won the "mandate from the people" to form a government. She also pointed to "irregularities" and said her party was "gathering evidence". - 'Greatest concern' - Pheu Thai will have to try and build a pro-democracy coalition, lassoing in Future Forward -- a new upstart anti-junta party which has won the hearts of millennials, claimed over five million mainly youth votes and 30 lower house constituency seats. Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruankit, whose party is key to any alliance, told reporters Monday that his "greatest concern" is that the junta may stay in power. Nearly 1.9 million votes had been invalidated with 93 percent of votes tallied. But the Election Commission defended itself against critics accusing it of bungling the process. "Please wait.. this is Thailand, we are not like other countries who have an election one day and form a government the next," said Jarungvith Phumma, EC secretary-general. The commission sidestepped questions over wildly inaccurate poll returns reported late Sunday in several constituencies, with another official calling it "human error". - Deep divides - The EC has said it will finalise the results by May 9. But questions over the count have billowed out, with social media ablaze with allegations of vote buying, mass invalidation of ballots and bungling. A co-ordinator for Thailand-based election monitor We Watch said voter education was insufficient. A candidate in Songkhla province for the Democrat Party, which came in second in the last election in 2011 but was down in fifth this time, said they had evidence of votes bought. "Without vote buying, we wouldn't have suffered such big losses," candidate Sirichok Sopha told AFP. The vote has again revealed Thailand's old divisions between Thaksin supporters and arch-royalist, conservatives who look to the army for stability. Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup, and has lived in self-exile since 2008. The administration of his sister Yingluck was also the victim of a 2014 power grab by the military. But Kobsak Pootrakool, Phalang Pracharat spokesman, told reporters: "The people have chosen us"
US coastguard cutter takes part in freedom of navigation in Taiwan Strait for the first time

The United States sent a guided-missile destroyer and a coastguard vessel through the Taiwan Strait at the weekend, the US Seventh Fleet said.

It was the first such voyage involving a coastguard ship.

USS Curtis Wilbur and the coastguard cutter USCGC Bertholf conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit [on] March 24-25 in accordance with international law, US Seventh Fleet spokesman Lieutenant Joseph Keiley said on Monday.

The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The US will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows.

On Monday, the Chinese foreign ministry said it was monitoring the warships and had lodged a representation to the US.

China has closely monitored and been fully aware of American warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.

We urge the US to abide by the one-China principle and ... handle Taiwan-related issues in a prudent and proper manner, so as not to harm China-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Geng said.

In the past year, the US has increased the frequency of what it called freedom of navigation operations in the Pacific Ocean and the congested waterways in the South China Sea by sending warships including aircraft carriers and destroyers to sail in the region. Despite warnings by Beijing, Washington has also sent warships to sail through the Taiwan Strait  the latest voyage was the third such operation this year.

Song Zhongping, a Hong Kong-based military analyst and a former instructor with the PLAs Second Artillery Corps, warned of Washingtons provocation in the Taiwan Strait involving a coastguard vessel.

US ships, particularly paramilitary vessels, sailing through the Taiwan Strait is an action of provocation, Song said. The coastguard is responsible for the defence of US coast, not another countrys coast.

Story continues

According to Song, Bertholf was sent to take part in a joint exercise with the South Korean coastguard in a mission to help enforce sanctions against North Korea by the United Nations.

The cutters home port is Alameda, on San Francisco Bay. South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported that the Bertholf was scheduled to arrive at a military-civilian port on Jeju Island on Monday.

This article US coastguard cutter takes part in freedom of navigation in Taiwan Strait for the first time first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019.
Nigerias state-oil firm NNPC plans to revamp its refineries to help Africas biggest crude oil producer to save billions of dollars on fuel imports.

Despite controlling the worlds 10th-largest oil reserves, Nigeria has only four aging, inefficient state-owned refineries, leaving it almost wholly reliant on imports for its fuel needs.

Italys Maire Tecnimont won a contract from NNPC worth about $50 million to carry out checks and equipment inspections for Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta. The work would last for six months starting from the end of this month, NNPC said.

The overhaul of the Port Harcourt refinery would be the first since the last revamp was carried out 19 years ago, the NNPC said.

Earlier this year, Oil minister Emmanuele Ibe Kachikwu said the government would raise $1.2 billion to upgrade its refineries in a bid to end reliance on imports.

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangotes oil refinery, which is set to roar into operation next year, could supply almost half of refined petroleum needed by the African market.

The refinery near the capital city, Lagos, was designed to process a variety of light and medium grades of crude and produce extremely clean fuels that meet Euro V specification.

Currently, Nigeria exports its crude oil to be refined by global refiners and imports refined petroleum for its own needs.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday ordered an independent judicial inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks on March 15. Ardern said a royal commission -- the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law -- was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world. "It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to how this act of terrorism occurred and how we could have stopped it," she told reporters. New Zealand's spy agencies have faced criticism in the wake of the attack for concentrating on the threat from Islamic extremism. Instead, the victims were all Muslims and the massacre was allegedly carried out by a white supremacist fixated on the belief that there was an Islamist plot to "invade" Western countries. "One question we need to answer is whether or not we could or should have known more," Ardern said. "New Zealand is not a surveillance state ... but questions need to be answered." Ardern ruled out New Zealand re-introducing the death penalty for accused gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was arrested minutes after the attack on the mosques and has been charged with murder. She said details of the royal commission were being finalised, but it would be comprehensive and would report in a timely manner. It will cover the activities of intelligence services, police, customs, immigration and any other relevant government agencies in the lead-up to the attack. The gunman livestreamed the attack online, although New Zealand has outlawed the footage as "objectionable content". Ardern reiterated her believe it should not be aired. "That video should not be shared. That is harmful content," she said when questioned about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showing excerpts of the footage at campaign rallies for local elections this month. Erdogan had angered both Wellington and Canberra with campaign rhetoric about anti-Muslim Australians and New Zealanders being sent back in "coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a World War I battle. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters travelled to Istanbul to meet Erdogan and address an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Peters said OIC members were full of praise for the support New Zealand had offered its small, tight-knit Muslim community in the wake of the killings. "A number of them were weeping and sobbing at the demonstration (of support) by non-Muslim New Zealand towards the Muslim victims," he told reporters. "It was dramatic and I was told by countless ministers that they've never seen anything of that type." The body of an Indian student killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks, meanwhile, was returned Monday to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies. Ansi Alibava, 25, was the first of at least five Indians shot dead on March 15 to be repatriated. The family planned to hold a funeral ceremony for the masters student in their nearby hometown of Kodungallur.
Top image credit: AsiaOne

All too frequently, Ill be walking home, minding my own business, when our (un)friendly neighbourhood superhero whizzes past. Im not talking about Cicak Man, but our very own Scooter Boy, decked out in crime-fighting geara streetwear tee and baggy track pantsand riding his version of the Bat Bike: an e-scooter.

Without warning, he zooms past, just as Im about to turn off the pavement; a few seconds earlier, and I would have collided head-on with that Chariot of Doom. Then, incredibly, he stops at the traffic light just a few metres of me, as if to prove the ludicrousness of his need for speed. My eyebrow twitches. My mouth froths. My kidney burns (this is unrelated to the speeding; I will need to get it checked out).

I prepare a list of angry reprimands, but my resolve soon evaporates. The light turns green and Scooter Boy zooms away.

For all the public awareness campaigns, kindness movements, and Bag-Down Benny songs, some Singaporeans just cant seem to get with the programme. We live in a shared, crowded city, but many seem to treat it as their own backyard or personal playground. The consequences of civic discourteousness are often invisible; often, it means more work for our unfortunate public cleaners. However, the recent closure of multiple bike-sharing services in Singapore, due to inconsiderate parking, as well as the brief suspension of Grabs scooter-sharing service at NUS, due to riders failure to use e-scooter properly, have made issues of civic-mindedness more visible to the public.

Its apparent that these companies have faced a Singaporean public that just did not want to comply with their requests on how to use the service.

Stop leaving the bikes lying on the pavement? Sure, well bring it up to the lift lobby and throw it from the third floor.

Please park the bicycles inside the yellow box? Okay, but were taking the seats with us.

All cyclists must wear helmets? Fine, but were not cyclists; were on scooters.

Story continues

Of course, we all know that these offenders are but a minority of our population. However, I would argue that we all have certain behaviours or habits that are harmful to others, but that we remain unaware of.

To give you a suitably uncouth example: bare feet. Recently, its become quite the online trend to record and share a video of anyone who lacks the good manners to keep their feet planted firmly on the floor. Instead, when riding the bus, these ladies or gentlemen remove their feet from their sandals to rest them on the opposite seat.

Swine! Scoundrels! Savages! We take great joy in videotaping, sharing, and watching these videos, unified in our distaste for these classless codgers. I, however, feel a twinge of empathy for the video-d, as I too used to engage in such behaviour; that is until I was politely told off by a well-meaning elderly gentleman.

Certain things exist for our convenience, but rely upon civic awareness. If awareness is absent, regulations have to be enacted that force these companies to grapple with the consequences.

At the same time, regulations drive these conveniences away.

As some people rightly point out, there are sectors of our country that inhabit the overlapping Venn diagram sliver of first world country, third world mindset. Singapore has a long history of case studies in this is why we cant have nice things.

Because some people kept spitting their chewing gum all over the country, and worse, in public transport, the government banned gum. Because some people kept leaving the rides lying around, making bike-sharing a phenomenal mess, LTA forced the companies to clean up, and this is one factor that drove them out of the industry. Because some students kept riding their e-scooters at breakneck speed, pillion riding, the otherwise useful service was not available for a safety timeout.

You will notice that the causes are limited to some people, but the effects impact the entire community and society in which these behaviours take place. While the current perception may be that calling others out for their bad behaviour is rude, I would argue that it is ruder still to merely sit back, take a video, and giggle about it later along with the rest of the internet. Such passive activities do little to correct or help the individual who is making the mistake.

Instead, we should develop a culture of active civic-mindednessto go out of our way to correct behaviours that are inappropriate or harmful, but that people may be unaware they are performing.

Of course, this doesnt mean that we should turn into hawkish aunties that berate, belittle, and begin every sentence with the phrase, Aiyo, back in my day . Rather, we should view such actions as a way of further helping and showing kindness to those around us, akin to assisting a stranger in picking up a wallet or phone they have dropped.

Such active civic-mindedness also inspires companies involved in such convenience industries to engage in greater actions of Corporate-Social Responsibility (CSR).

A good example is Grabs recent follow-up to the recent time-out that occurred after their rollout of e-scooter services at NUS, including: Safety roadshows to highlight safety regulations and good practices for e-scooters and ensuring that helmets are provided at all GrabWheels parking locations around campus.

Clearly, companies like Grab take safety seriously and are doing their best to provide a safe shared e-scooter service. It would seem that, at this point, the issue of e-scooter and other pedestrian safety is dependent on the community in which the service is being used.

Through such efforts, companies and communities can come together to create a healthier and safer society, through the promotion of positive behaviours and attitudes.

The next time another Scooter Boy zooms by your neighbourhood, refrain from fuming internally and accept the possibility that he may have just been unaware of the recklessness of his behaviour. By pointing out the error, youre making life a little safer for him as well.

Dont be a bystander. If you see something, say something.

This way, we can all continue to have nice things.

Ever wished Singaporeans were more considerate? Write to us at community@ricemedia.co.

The post When Was The Last Time You Called Another Singaporean Out For Their Bad Behaviour? appeared first on RICE.
New research has revealed some of the environmental factors that could increase a child's risk of obesity

New researchers has found that boys, and not only girls, may start puberty earlier than average if they are obese.

Carried out by researchers from the University of Chile in Santiago, the new study looked at 527 Chilean boys ages 4 to 7 years.

The researchers measured their total body obesity using body mass index (BMI), as well as central obesity, or excess belly fat, by measuring the waistline.

To assess when puberty started the researchers used a standard measure for boys.

The findings, which were presented on Sunday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, USA., showed that both total obesity and central obesity increased the chance of early puberty, compared with having a healthy weight.

For example, at age five or six, boys with total obesity had nearly 2.7 times higher odds of starting puberty early before age nine, and those with central obesity had almost 6.4 higher odds.

The average age at onset of puberty for this group was 11.4 years.

Lead investigator, Maria Veronica Mericq, M.D. explained that central obesity may increase the risk of early puberty even more than total obesity as central obesity is more closely related to fat mass, whereas a higher BMI, the measurement used for total obesity, can reflect increased muscle not just fat, especially in athletes.

Previous studies have shown that obesity is linked to an earlier puberty in girls, but the findings from studies on boys have been less clear.

Some studies have found that both being overweight and obesity delay puberty in boys, while others have linked being overweight, but not obese, to earlier puberty.

"With the increase in childhood obesity worldwide, there has been an advance in the age at which puberty begins in girls. However, in boys the evidence has been controversial," said Mericq.

"Early puberty might increase the risk of behavior problems and in boys could be related to a higher incidence of testicular cancer in adulthood. Our results suggest that controlling the obesity epidemic in children could be useful in decreasing these risks."
25 Mar  Fans will have the opportunity to see Pia Wurtzbach's wax figure, as it will soon arrive in the Philippines.

The news was announced by Madame Tussauds Hong Kong on its official Instagram, stating that the wax figure will be unveiled in Manila on 29 March at the SM Mega Fashion Hall.

On the other hand, Wurtzbach herself has taken to Instagram Stories to express her excitement over the upcoming launch.

"I can't wait for this! I can't believe I'm gonna be immortalised in Madam Tussauds! Dream come true," she wrote.

The Miss Universe 2015 is the first Filipina to have her own wax figure at the Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

(Photo Source: Pia Wurtzbach Instagram)
Bubble tea chain Jenjudan has made its foray into Southeast Asia with its first and flagship outlet in Singapore at City Link Mall. It started as a store in Taiwans famous Shilin Night Market in 2010 and has since expanded to 29 outlets worldwide including locations in Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. Known for its brown sugar boba, the brand created its own unique formula for producing and manufacturing brown sugar. In order to maintain freshness and its signature texture, the boba are diligently cooked and glazed every two hours. You can even customise your desired levels of sweetness. Serving a wide variety of beverages, from its iconic brown sugar series to fruit tea selections, all its ingredients are shipped directly from Taiwan. Signature drinks include Bubble Brown Sugar Milk (soft brown sugar boba served with chilled fresh milk) and the Bubble Milk with Oreo (blend of fresh milk, chocolate wafers and sweet creme). New flavours such as Taro, Pineapple and Green Bean will be rolled out in the near future.
Hands Across America holds a special place in the annals of peculiar and quirky '80s pop-culture history. Over 30 years after the event took place, Hands Across America is now an oft-forgotten punchlinea factoid often referenced in comic fashion, if anyone happens to remember it at all. But with Jordan Peele's latest horror film Us hitting theaters this week, Hands Across America will return to the collective consciousness as it plays a small, yet vital, role in the film's premise. If you are too young to remember the event, or just need a refresher on the campaign that united Americans on a single day in 1986, here's everything you need to know about its history and how it fits into Jordan Peele's Us.
Although Senegal has one of the highest access to electricity rates in sub-Saharan Africa, just 42% of people in rural areas have access, Ibrahima Niane, head of rural electrification programs at the Ministry of Energy said.

Ibrahima Niane made the statement during a working session with solar solutions provider Nadji.Bi Group. He explained that off-grid solutions have contributed in improving access to electricity to people living in rural areas.

Senegal has set up a commission in charge of the development of the off-grid market, Niane said.

The country intends to revitalize the process of rural electrification during this year, in order to achieve its goal of 100% electrification by 2025, he added. Currently, the West African nation has a national electrification rate of 64%.

Last year, Senegal has raised about $14 billion in pledges from Western countries, the World Bank and other lenders to fund new infrastructure.

The Finance Ministry mentioned France, Canada, the World Bank and Islamic Development Bank among those promising funds for the 2019-23 phase of the Senegal Emergent Plan, which seeks to attract foreign investment.

Senegal, home to some 16 million people and the second-biggest economy in West Africas monetary union, has recorded annual economic growth of more than 6 percent since 2015.
Several people Saturday demonstrated in capital Tripoli demanding the release of former leader Muammar Gaddafis chief spy noting that the liberation of the latter will contribute to national reconciliation.

Several dozen relatives and members of Magerha tribe held placards demanding the release of Abdullah Al-Senussi, one of theirs. He was sentenced in 2015 on multiple charges including his role in the crackdown on the revolution that deposed longtime ruler Gaddafi.

Senussi has been in prison along several members of Gaddafis close entourage, also condemned for their role in the crackdown.

One of Gaddafis brothers-in-law, Senussi fled to Mauritania following the fall of the autocratic regime. He was handed over to Libya authorities in September 2012.

The protestors pinned their demand on medical grounds. They also held placards reading Freedom to prisoners. Yes to national reconciliation.

Libyan authorities have not released details on Senussis health conditions.

Libya has descended into chaos following Gaddafis removal. The country has been under the control of two different administrations: the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) headquartered in Tripoli and its rival in the east.

Efforts to reconcile the country have failed but last week the UN said it will hold a reconciliation conference in April to pave the way for elections later in the year.

The Saturday demonstrations came following the release of Gaddafis foreign chief spy Abuzeid Dorda, more than one month ago, report say.

Dorda, who was also sentenced in 2015 alongside Senussi, has been released on health grounds.
It took practically no time after the revelation that special counsel Robert Muellers report does not exonerate President Donald Trump of criminal activity for Trump to assert that the report is a complete and total exoneration. Yet on obstruction of justice, according to Attorney General William Barr, the Mueller report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the Presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction.

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Trump may think himself exonerated because of Barrs independent conclusion that the evidence developed during the Special Counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Barrs letter states that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein believe there is insufficient evidence to establish that the president, with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct with a sufficient nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding. Such are the elements of the relevant federal criminal statute.

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But even if Barrs judgment were well-foundedwhich cannot be assessed without release of the Mueller report itselfTrump might want to familiarize himself with the case of Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings. Hastings, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1992, holds the distinction from an earlier career of having been the sixth federal judge in American history to be impeached, convicted, and removed from office under Article II of the Constitution. A Congress under Democratic control, in 1989, convicted and removed then-Judge Hastings, a Jimmy Carter appointee, because of his role in a corrupt conspiracy to extort a bribe. They did so even though Hastings had actually been tried for the offense and acquitted.

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The Hastings conviction is consistent with what professor Stephen M. Griffin appropriately calls the Hamiltonian vision of high crimes and misdemeanorsnamely, that the impeachment process and our criminal law run on separate and not always intersecting tracks. Some abuses of office may be impeachable though not indictable, and some crimes, though indictable, will not be impeachable. That is because, as Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 65, what makes an offense impeachable is not its criminality, but the abuse or violation of some public trust. Such offenses, he explained, are of a nature which may with peculiar propriety be denominated POLITICAL, as they relate chiefly to injuries done immediately to the society itself. Professor Michael Gerhardt, a leading academic writer on impeachment, has summarized the scholarly consensus: The major disagreement is not over whether impeachable offenses should be strictly limited to indictable crimes, but rather over the range of nonindictable offenses on which an impeachment may be based.

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The implications for Trump are twofold: First, should Congress find that presidential corruption has so undermined the legitimacy of the incumbent as to warrant impeachment, the non-criminality of his corruption would not be a constitutional defense. Second, should Congress deem the president guilty of criminal obstruction of justice, it would likewise be irrelevant that the Department of Justice had decided not to bring charges.

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In his recent paper, Griffin suggests that our three historical experiences with presidential impeachmentthe impeachments of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton and the case of Richard Nixonmight imply that a new constitutional understanding has evolved. We might now be living with a contemporary constitutional understanding in which indictable criminality has actually become a constitutionally necessary element for presidential impeachment. Griffin argues, given the depth of party polarization in what he calls our tribal times, there will never be a public consensus as to the nature of abuse of office sufficient to support impeachment and conviction without a showing of indictable criminality.

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Griffin is no doubt right about party politics. But his suggestion that the Hamiltonian understanding has been displaced is, in my view, both wrong and dangerous.

In our tribal times, not even agreement on criminality will prevent trench partisan warfare surrounding impeachment.

The Clinton episode shows why the theory is mistaken. The conflict dramatically illustrates that the publics perception of whether impeachment is appropriate rests centrally on the character of the alleged corruption, not its technical criminality. It is true that the House voted articles of impeachment based on obstruction of justice and perjury before a grand jury. It rejected an article that would have been based on alleged misstatements in response to a questionnaire from the House Judiciary Committee. But the criminal allegations, both serious and plausible, never gained traction beyond the House because the public was never persuaded that Clintons underlying wrongdoinghis extramarital affair with a White House internwas sufficiently corrosive of his legitimacy to warrant removal from office, even if he lied about it.

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In Nixons case, the focus of the House Judiciary Committee on Nixons criminal conduct led it to reject a charge that he had authorized, ordered, and ratified the concealment from the Congress of the facts and the submission to the Congress of false and misleading statements concerning the existence, scope and nature of American bombing operations in Cambodia in 1969. Yet as famously argued by the late John Hart Ely, Nixons secret and unilateral war-making dwarfed in constitutional importance the abuses of power for which the House Judiciary Committee approved impeachment articles. To accept a new understanding that the focus of impeachment must be on criminality risks leaving abuses of trust undisciplined that may profoundly endanger our constitutional system, even though they are not crimes.

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It should also be observed that, in our tribal times, not even agreement on criminality will prevent trench partisan warfare surrounding impeachment. If the House Judiciary Committee declines to focus its upcoming inquiries on potentially non-criminal corruptionsuch as Trumps regular apparent emoluments violationsit will be pursuing a consensus unlikely to be achievable based only on offenses that might also be crimes. A fact-filled record on non-criminal corruption, if sufficiently dramatic, would be more likely to promote consensus than accusations regarding crimes that the presidents defenders believe are not serious.

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Thus, Barrs non-prosecution decision should have little to do with the House Judiciary Committees investigations. The  difficult issues of law and fact uncovered by Robert Mueller need to be pursued. There needs to be fact-finding on what Franklin Foer has called the possible adjusting [of] foreign policy for the sake of personal lucre, which, if proven, would be damning, even if not criminal. Trumps efforts to undermine the investigation of the 2016 campaign might themselves be viewed as impeachable, even if there was technically no underlying criminal conspiracy with the Russians that could be charged to specific Trump campaign officials. As Benjamin Wittes has noted, knowingly and gleefully benefiting from a foreign powers theft and disclosure of a political opponents emails isnt, without more, a crime. But such conduct would be scandalous, even disgraceful, and would certainly cast Trumps attacks on the Mueller investigation in a yet more sinister light. If Mueller developed compelling evidence of such misconduct, that, too, might well cast doubt on Trumps legitimacy as president.

None of this is to deny, of course, that the ultimate decision to impeach or not will take politics into account. The present point only is that the Barr letter is largely immaterial to the Houses constitutional responsibilities. A purveyor of one of the most expansive views of executive power in all of law concluding that a federal prosecutor could not persuade a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the president obstructed justice is not exactly exoneration even in the criminal law context. In the impeachment context, its irrelevant.
In 2018, Chief Justice John Roberts admonished Donald Trump for publicly criticizing an Obama judge who blocked his stringent new asylum policy. We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Roberts said in a statement, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them.

Roberts may need to remind Judge Edith Brown Clement that the federal judiciary does not have Democratic or Republican judges. On Friday, Clement, a George W. Bush appointee who serves on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, issued an acidic dissent in a racial gerrymandering case that lay bare her partisan grievances. Clement first suggested that the district court judgea black Obama appointeehad intentionally redrawn the district to help a black, Democratic candidate win his election. She then implied that the (black, Democratic) plaintiffs only triumphed because they happened to draw a 5th Circuit panel with two Democratic appointees. Her polemic demonstrates that it isnt just Trump who is politicizing the judiciary; judges like Clement are perfectly capable of doing so on their own.

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Thomas v. Bryant is a complex case involving Mississippis Senate District 22, which lies at the core of the Mississippi Delta. A historically black region, the district is nonetheless drawn to give black voters only a slim majority: Under a map adopted by the legislature in 2012, it has a black voting-age population of 50.8 percent. Black citizens candidates of choice consistently lose to white, Republican politicians. In response, three voters, including a former state senator named Joseph Thomas, sued Mississippi under the Voting Rights Act. They argued that the state had gerrymandered the district to dilute African-American voting strength and deprive African-American voters of an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

In February 2019, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. His meticulous opinion carefully analyzed the history of the official discrimination in the region as well as its contemporary racial polarization. He noted that Mississippis Senate is much whiter than Mississippi and that this representation gap deprives black voters political effectiveness in proportion to their population. Senate District 22, in particular, appears designed to provide black voters less opportunity than other members of the electorate to elect the State Senator of their choice. To remedy this infringement of the Voting Rights Act, Reeves adopted a new map that made the district much more compact and reasonably shaped while boosting minority voting strength.

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Mississippi appealed, and on Friday, the 5th Circuits three-judge motions panel rejected the states request to block Reeves order. Writing for the majority, Judge Gregg Costa, an Obama appointee, explained that the state had not shown a high likelihood that Reeves findings would eventually be overturned. Judge James L. Dennis, a Clinton appointee, joined his decision. Clement dissented, reframing the case as a raw political power-grab. Joseph Thomas, she wrote is a black Democrat who is trying hard to get his seat back by running for state senate in 2019. And Reeves, perhaps, inadvertently (but perhaps not), helped him to do so by eliminat[ing] the Republican base in District 22 and moving two Republican challengers into a neighboring district. Reeves order, Clement concluded, is narrowly tailored to win Thomas the election.

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There are several problems with this analysis. First, as the majority points out, it irresponsibly insinuates that Reeves is corrupt, even taking the unusual step of repeatedly naming him to imply that he is a partisan actor. (Typically, an appellate judge would simply refer to the district court rather than naming and shaming the individual judge.) Second, the theory makes little sense because Reeves did not know that his plan would move two Republican challengers out of the district when he adopted it. Nor did he, or anyone, know the full slate of candidates who will run in the upcoming state senate race, because the candidate qualifying deadline had not yet closed. Clement essentially accused Reeves of predicting the future.

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Uncowed by the majoritys rejoinder, Clement doubled down on her political critique. The full 5th Circuit skews heavily to the right, thanks in part to Trumps infusion of very conservative judges. But Mississippi cannot ask the full court to rehear its motion and reverse the panel under 5th Circuit rules. So Clement bemoaned that the state had the poor luck of drawing a majority-minority panel, and urged it to appeal to the Supreme Court. She also encourage[d] Mississippi to move for an expedited appeal at the 5th Circuit on the merits so that a different panel could quickly undo this mistake.

What, exactly, does Clement mean when she slams her majority-minority panel? The phrase majority-minority typically refers to districts with a minority-white population. A generous interpretation of her pun might be that she suspects a majority of the 5th Circuit disagrees with Costa and Dennis. A more critical reading is that Costa and Dennis are Democratic appointees, while most 5th Circuit judges were appointed by Republicans. Both possible explanations of Clements quip lead to the same implication: The black, Democratic plaintiffs only won this round because they drew two liberal judges (who were appointed by Democrats), while most 5th Circuit judges (who were appointed by Republicans) wouldve ruled against them.

Or, put cynically: These black voters only won their gerrymandering lawsuit because an Obama judge and a Clinton judge wound up on their panel. Who needs Trumps commentary when judges like Clement are willing to lay bare the partisanship that roils their own courts?
Earlier this month, New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote a piece describing his epiphany that race is a divide that is still central to the American experience andmore surprisinglydeclaring a change of heart on reparations for descendants of slavery in America. At the end of 2014, Brooks had acknowledged the propulsive impact of Ta-Nehisi Coates article The Case for Reparations in bringing the idea further into mainstream conversation. But, despite his seemingly deep understanding of the articles point, Brooks summarized reparations as basically a big apology and disagreed on its more practical implications: who gets the benefits, how, and who pays.

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His conversion is a sign of hope in the effort to unify Americas polarized political environment, which seems only more strained now than in 2014, and it complements the growing importance of reparations policy for the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates. Brooks has realized that the pervasive and morally corrupting impacts of slavery and racial discrimination continue to this day, a fact many of us become aware of, often uncomfortably, at a much earlier age. To Brooks credit, many others either failor refuseto ever recognize this reality. And yet, because other white intellectuals did not take as long to recognize it, its worth taking a closer look at the ways Brooks particular conversion, as notable as it is, also falls short.

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One concern is that Brooks, considered a centrist by many, only came to truly comprehend the profound impact of race as a divide in America by embarking on a pilgrimage for a few years. While Brooks may have had the luxury and motivation to seek these truths and find them, it is doubtful that many Americans who have yet to come to this understanding canor even want todo the same.

He also failed to explain exactly how encounters like his chat with an irate older black woman in South Carolina made things click for him, other than the simple fact that genuine exposure to people different from you can help you realize the legitimacy of others experiences. This only further illustrates the problem with racially homogeneous communities in America created by both explicit and covert modes of segregation. How are we supposed to understand and identify our commonalities if we are unable, or refuse, to interact?

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Second, Brooks emphasis on slavery as the reason for reparations glosses over the significant discrimination and segregation that black Americans have experienced since the Civil War, particularly racism in housing policy and employment. Slavery is of vital importance, but to make this atrocity the central injustice permits others to trot out the sham defense that very few whites owned slaves, or the fact that some black people owned slaves. Black codes, Jim Crow laws, and the assortment of other discriminations after the 13th Amendment were devastating injustices, and all need to remain a part of the reparations dialogue. Richard Rothstein, among others, has shown that policies from as recently as the late 1960s have set black Americans back financiallyproviding much larger and more immediate justifications for reparations than just racial slavery.

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Then, there is the way Brooks highlights a canard he apparently bought into back in 2014, his practical objection to reparations because of poor whites who have nothing of what you would call privilege. Brooks never clarifies whether he has since changed his mind about this belief, but it is a common misconception. Equating privilege with economic status misses the point. If the privilege of being white were sanitized by the condition of being poor, there really wouldnt be much sense in calling it white privilege. Privilege is often imperceptible to those who have it, and thats why the viewpoints of those without the privilege are especially valuable. Its dangerous for Brooks to even raise his earlier objection without addressing its fallacy.

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As scholar Nahum Chandler has pointed out, if being white has often historically been considered the normal or the average viewpoint, wouldnt, at least initially, understanding any nonwhite views be inherently about recognizing any possible commonalities? Not everyone is willing to. Its those opposing equality who look for opportunities to argue for the inferiority of another group. Black people are just as intelligent, just as capable, and equally as flawed as white people; race doesnt determine these potentials.

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What we need is for those who oppose reparations to recognize that the point of hearing the voices of minorities is not to incite conflict or deepen divisions between white and black Americans. Brooks concludes his column with his belief that we must consolidate all the different narratives and make them reconciliation and possibility narratives. Thats a vague way of putting it, but with a minor clarification, I generally agree. If Brooks is treading around the territory of race-neutral approaches, I would remind him of the damage those can cause. Black and other minority narratives are often suppressed or dismissed. As evidence, take the entrenched idea that black Americans dont work as hard as they could. If Americans holding that view saw for themselves the black experience of workhow blacks have multiple-job-holder rates on par with whites, for exampleand truly considered and believed that narrative, welfare queen stereotypes would not be so widespread. When those opposed to reparations recognize, as Brooks has, that truly considering these voices is good for the entire country, they can find common ground with others in our different aspirations for progress in this country. Placed in that context, Brooks closing statement on the importance of considering a reparations policy resonates more clearly.

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But Brooks does nail a critical idea when he writes that considering reparations is a gesture of respect that makes possible the beginning of a new chapter in our common life. His understanding here is similar to, but clearly more developed than, his earlier position that reparations are just a big apology. This is where I feel the need to applaud David Brooks. The recognition and serious consideration of minority voices in America isnt just for the sake of those minorities but for the sake of America itself.

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If it would make debating reparations more palatable, we can use Rothsteins preferred term: remedies. In Rothsteins vision for addressing injustices, government policies such as targeted home-buying subsidies could make black Americans whole after the constitutional violations that segregated the nation in the first place. So, as with reparations, the point is to continue in the common effort to amend our current and past failures.

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While Brooks article is encouraging evidence of the growing understanding of black disenfranchisement, it also inadvertently demonstrates the ever-expanding room for miscommunication and demonstrates how the views of minorities must always be considered in order to have a diverse and equal country. Brooks change of heart may have been possible simply because he is politically centrist, but I think the more important factor is his open-mindedness. Humans have a tendency to interpret new information in ways that only confirm their original beliefs. Brooks authentic desire to understand has left him open to differing opinions and experiences, expanding his understanding. Its here that Brooks example is indispensable.
A version of this article was originally published by the Trace, a nonprofit news organization covering guns in America. Sign up for the newsletter, or follow the Trace on Facebook or Twitter.

In February, Erin Nealy Cox, a Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, held a press conference to announce steps her office was taking to reduce deaths from domestic violence.

Standing behind a lectern, Cox introduced a districtwide initiative informally called Abusers with Guns. Its mission: to prosecute people who should not have firearms because of prior domestic violence misdemeanors, felonies, or protective orders.

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Not only could the Justice Department theoretically prosecute you for firearm possession, but in the Northern District of Texas, we will prosecute you, said Cox in her prepared remarks. And upon conviction, the penalties will be swift, stiff, and serious.

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Since she was sworn into office in November 2017, Cox has established one of the most aggressive records in the country for prosecuting domestic abusers who unlawfully keep guns. In fiscal year 2018, Cox prosecuted 23 people with the lead charge of unlawful gun possession despite a prior domestic violence misdemeanor conviction, according to Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse database (TRAC), which compiles information on federal prosecutions. That tally is the highest of any district in the country. (Cox said the total sounded high but her office was unable to provide a precise figure. TRACs figures were confirmed by several other districts though its national tally was slightly higher than the one provided by the Justice Department.)

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Just four years earlier, only 23 people in the entire country were prosecuted under the federal statute banning people convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor from possessing firearms, according to TRAC.

Domestic violence cases are just a no-brainer because of the violence associated with them, said Cox. If I have limited resources andlets just say Im going after felons with a gunwhy wouldnt you prioritize going after domestic violence felons if you know that theyre high-risk offenders?

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The Northern District of Texas is just one of several across the country that has announced new efforts to punish abusers who unlawfully keep guns. In the past five months, U.S. attorneys in Ohio, Oklahoma, and Vermont have also said they are using the force of federal law to crack down on these crimes.

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According to data provided by the Justice Department, there has been an 80 percent increase in the past two years in the number of people charged under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9), the federal law banning those convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor from possessing firearms. In fiscal year 2018, 197 defendants were prosecuted, up from 110 in fiscal year 2016.

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Weve been saying to anyone who will listen, this is homicide prevention, said Mike Tobin, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Ohio. There, prosecutions of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9) have increased from zero in fiscal 2014 to six in fiscal 2018, according to TRAC.

It just doesnt seem like theres much downside to taking on these cases, added Tobin.

If youre willing to punch your wife in the face and hit her over the head with a beer bottle, youre probably more likely to pull a firearm and shoot her or shoot the police officers who are responding to the call from the neighbor. And there are countless examples of that.

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A woman is shot to death by a current or former romantic partner every 16 hours, according to FBI and state crime data analyzed by the Associated Press. Domestic violence claims the lives of children, innocent bystanders, and police officers called to help; it sometimes escalates to mass shootings. Abused women are five times more likely to die if their abuser has access to a gun.

Recognizing the dangerous link between guns and domestic abuse, Congress passed a federal law known as the Lautenberg Amendment in 1996 to ban those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from possessing firearms.

There is some evidence to suggest that the law has saved lives by preventing dangerous people from having guns; it is also thought to be massively underutilized. In 2015, a former federal prosecutor claimed it was egregiously ineffective and noted that hundreds of thousands of Americans were potentially in violation of it.

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Domestic abuse is typically handled at the state and local levels, where laws vary widely. So federal prosecution numbers do not provide a complete picture of how these crimes are handled in the criminal justice system. But for years, experts on the issue have encouraged the feds to do more to punish abusers who unlawfully keep guns.

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Now it seems a shift is underway.

As part of the Abusers with Guns initiative, Cox designated one federal prosecutor to partner with state and local law enforcement to identify the offenders whose cases should be handled federally.

These efforts are part of a nationwide uptick in federal gun prosecutions that began in 2014 during the Obama administration. It was strengthened by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. One consequence of trying more gun crimes is that federal prosecutors are catching domestic abusers in their net.

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Advocates for survivors of domestic violence say theyre glad to see more domestic abusers penalized for unlawful gun possession.

To the extent that federal prosecutions mean that we are now taking both domestic violence and gun violence against survivors more seriously, I am all for it, said Natalie Nanasi, a law professor at Southern Methodist University who runs the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women. She added that any approach should be informed by the opinions of individual survivors.

One advantage of the feds targeting domestic abusers who unlawfully keep guns, says David Keck, director of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, is that in some states, the only way of prosecuting somebody is to prosecute federally.

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Advocates for survivors of domestic violence say theyre glad to see more domestic abusers penalized for unlawful gun possession.

As of this writing, 21 states do not have laws that align with the federal gun ban for those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

If there isnt a state law that mirrors that federal law, it can be very confusingif not impossiblefor states law enforcement professionals and the state courts to figure out how to implement that federal law, adds Sierra Smucker, an expert on firearms regulations at the RAND Corporation.

A Justice Department spokesman attributed the recent increase in federal prosecutions under this statute across the country to two factors. First, he noted three recent Supreme Court cases (notably Voisine v. U.S in 2016) that clarified the kinds of lower-level cases that can be prosecuted at the federal level. He also cited Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative to combat gun violence that was first implemented in 2001 under President George W. Bush and reinvigorated in March 2017 by Jeff Sessions.

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One component of Project Safe Neighborhoods is designed to encourage U.S. attorneys to partner with state and local law enforcement officials to identify the most violent criminals and determine the cases that should be handled in federal courts, which typically have harsher penalties.

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Several representatives for U.S. attorneys officesincluding those in northern Ohio, western Oklahoma, and Vermontattributed their increased emphasis on domestic violence to Project Safe Neighborhoods and specifically mentioned the increased cooperation.

In northern Ohio, funding from Project Safe Neighborhoods has paid for additional prosecutors to handle violent crime cases.

In Vermont, a Project Safe Neighborhoods task force, composed of members from state, local, and federal law enforcement, created an education campaign to warn domestic violence offenders of the consequences they faced if caught with illegal firearms.

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It is too early to say whether or not these new efforts have reduced intimate partner homicides.

There is some evidence that in its early years, Project Safe Neighborhoods was effective at reducing homicides. Critics of the program have noted that it ignores corrupt gun suppliers, targets black Americans, exacerbates Americas overincarceration problem, and catches nonviolent offenders in its net.

Several experts interviewed for this piece say they support the federal efforts but share concerns about Americas high rates of incarceration. I am also concerned about overincarceration, said Nanasi. However I am more concerned about over incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders, misdemeanants who jaywalk, who cant pay their bond, for crimes that dont endanger the safety of the people around them.

Rather than prosecuting people, Keck of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms would prefer for guns to be surrendered by people who shouldnt have them because they pose a threat to public safety. Ideally this would happen when the offense is first adjudicatedand before the defendant is in violation of federal law.

Still, Keck believes that enforcing the federal law will encourage more people to comply with it. You send a message that the federal governments going to take it seriously, he added.

That, says Cox, is one of her goals. She hopes it will encourage family violence judges to say to defendants, This is not just a theoretical prosecution, this is happening, theres an initiative. So dont possess a gun, whatever you do.
A fire at a mosque in Escondido, California, is being investigated as a possible hate crime after graffiti referencing the March 15 terror attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, was found in the buildings parking lot, according to the Associated Press.

While police said Sunday that the graffiti had referenced the mass shooting, they did not elaborate as to what exactly it said. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, an accelerant had been used when starting the fire. Authorities confirmed in a statement Sunday that they considered the attack to be an arson attempt.

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No one was hurt in the fire, and worshippers at the Dar-ul-Arqam mosque were able to extinguish the fire before it did major damage to the building. Seven people were inside the mosque at the time the fire was set early Sunday.

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According to the police statement, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting local authorities in investigating the fire. The investigators have not yet identified a suspect.

The shootings at Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch left 50 people dead. The suspect in the attack penned a manifesto laying out a set of extremist white supremacist beliefs and making it clear that his motivation was to kill Muslim immigrants.

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While the Escondido fire appears to be one of the first attempted hate crimes in the U.S. to explicitly reference the New Zealand shooting, a nonprofit in the U.K. has reported that anti-Muslim hate crimes have spiked dramaticallyby 600 percentsince the shooting. According to the Guardian, the group learned of 95 incidents between March 15 and March 21, most of which referenced the New Zealand attack. In the U.S., anti-Muslim hate crimes have continued to rise in recent years, according to a report released last year by the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

On Sunday evening, according to the Washington Post, several hundred people attended an interfaith vigil near the Escondido mosque.
Back in November, when President Donald Trump referred to a judge who had ruled against his administration as an Obama judge, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare rebuke in a public statement. We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges, Roberts intoned. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. The remark echoed Roberts insistence during his 2005 confirmation hearings that judges are like umpires who merely call balls and strikes.

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But the partisan gerrymandering cases the Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday and the case about a controversial citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. census that the court will hear next month will once again put Roberts stated principle to the test. This time, following the departure of swing Justice Anthony Kennedy, Roberts could well be the only one in a position to stop a pattern in which all the Republican-appointed judges side with perceived Republican interests and all the Democratic-appointed judges side with perceived Democratic interests. The question in these cases will be which of the two enigmatic versions of Roberts described in Joan Biskupics magnificent new book, The Chief, will show up: the solid conservative who wrote the opinion to kill a key provision of the Voting Rights Act and voted with four other conservatives to allow corporate money into candidate elections, or the institutionalist chief justice who is desperate to show that there remains a distinction between law and politics. Given the blockbuster cases expected in the next Supreme Court term beginning in October, theres going to be real pressure for the institutionalist John Roberts to be dominant in this terms political cases.

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On their face, the two partisan gerrymandering cases the court is hearing do not look like they should break along party lines. In one case, Rucho v. Common Cause, good government groups Common Cause and the League of Women Voters are going after North Carolina Republicans for explicitly drawing congressional district lines to help Republicans capture 10 of 13 seats. In the other case, Benisek v. Lamone, good government groups such as the Brennan Center are siding with Republican voters who have challenged Maryland Democrats decision to gerrymander a Republican district to give Democrats a 61 congressional advantage in the state. Political scientists have weighed in on both cases to say that technological advances in data technology have allowed for more sophisticated gerrymanders, giving states in the upcoming 2020 elections the ability to draw district lines that will be so effective they can withstand even wave elections that should sweep entrenched incumbents out.

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And yet redistricting, like so many other election reform issues, has itself become another partisan issue, with Democrats much more likely to support reform and Republicans more likely to want to leave the question to the political branches. Former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder has raised considerable sums for a Democratic effort to fight Republican redistricting efforts, and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has agreed to head a Republican group in response to Holder. Republicans must be betting that they will have full control over more state governments after the 2020 census, when law mandates that all lines must be redrawn. (They currently control 30 state legislatures, thanks in major part to methodical 2010 gerrymanders.)

This is where Roberts role as an institutionalist might come in.

So too are political lines apparent in the census case. The U.S. government is defending the inclusion of a question about citizenship for the first time since the 1950 census as needed to provide accurate demographic information to the Department of Justice to help it protect Latinos in Voting Rights Act lawsuits. But two courts have already found that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross insisted on including the citizenship question for undisclosed reasons, and that the DOJ voting rights claim was a mere pretext. Republicans have again lined up in favor of including the question, which Democrats oppose as likely to inhibit a complete and accurate count of all persons in the United States, leading to lower representation in Democratic-leaning areas and fewer federal resources based on population.

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As a matter of jurisprudence, the partisan gerrymandering cases are much more difficult than the census case. For decades, the Supreme Court justices have split between conservatives who believe these cases present political questions that are beyond the ability of courts to manage and liberals who think that there are any number of ways to separate out the most egregious gerrymanders from more normal balancing of interests in redistricting cases. Last term, the court punted once again on the issue in the Gill v. Whitford case from Wisconsin, with swing Justice Anthony Kennedy, who had invited briefing on this question since 2004, retiring days after the punt.

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We have a good sense of where Roberts stands on these issues. He expressed skepticism at the Gill oral argument about court intervention, worrying that the intelligent man on the street is going to believe that when the court decides individual cases, it is siding with either the Democrats or the Republicans, and not using some scientific measure of partisan bias that he dismissed as sociological gobbledygook. And while we dont know where Justice Brett Kavanaugh will be on these issues because this is the first time he will consider them as a judge, his general jurisprudential disposition puts him firmly in a conservative camp that has long resisted judicial policing of partisan district lines.

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The census case is jurisprudentially easier. The Commerce Departments decision to include the citizenship question is a textbook example of arbitrary and capricious action in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. The only justification that the department has offered for including the questionhelping DOJ help Latinos in voting rights caseshas indisputably been found to be a pretext. Whether Ross was actually motivated by partisan considerations is beside the point. And yet conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas were so put off by this lawsuit that they were willing to stop the trial in the case even before judgment. The courts other conservatives too might be swayed by the strong political valence of the case.

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This is where Roberts role as an institutionalist might come in. According to Biskupics reporting, Roberts changed his initial vote in the first Obamacare case to save the law from being struck down, crafting a compromise with two liberal Justices, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, to block a Medicaid requirement in return for upholding the law. As Biskupic explained:

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Viewed only through a judicial lens, [Roberts] moves were not consistent, and his legal arguments were not entirely coherent. But he brought people and their different interests together. His moves may have been good for the country at a time of division and a real crisis in health care, even as they engendered, in the years since, anger, confusion and distrust.

There are only so many times liberals can expect Roberts to make this move again. Next term, a presidential election term, promises blockbuster cases on issues from abortion to gun rights to immigration. On the one hand, the conservative Roberts will get to see more of his preferences become part of American law. But the price that may be paid will be Democrats increasingly looking at a Republican Supreme Court doing the partys bidding.

A Roberts vote to strike down partisan gerrymandering and to block a citizenship census question might be some ammunition against such claims in the termand the yearsto come. He can show in these cases that he is above politics, and then call the balls and strikes in the cases to come next term exactly as hed like them to be.
Among the multitudinous questions that anyone whos been following the Russia-Trump story might seek to see answered in a full(er) Mueller report if and when its released, some are legal: Why didnt the special counsel think the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Trump campaign officials and representatives of the Russian government amounted to a crime? Some are political: Did attorney general William Barr, who criticized Muellers investigation before he was appointed, frame Muellers findings in a way that was misleadingly flattering to the president? And some are just, like, shouting-at-the-sky anger-frustration questions, like the one I have, which is: Why in the dang heck did the special counsels office just go out of its way to accuse former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort of discussing Russia policy in 2016 with someone who had ongoing ties to Russian intelligence  if it was also about to conclude that no one in the campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities?

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Heres what Im talking about:

 In March 2018, the special counsels office made a filing in its case against a lawyer named Alex van der Zwaan, who pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about something related to Paul Manaforts pre-Trump work in Ukraine with another Trump adviser named Rick Gates. In that filing, the special counsel noted that a fourth individual involved in Manaforts business has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016. Hes called Person A here, but other reports identified him as Konstantin Kilimnik.

NBC News: Here's the filing. Person A is identified in previous pages as an associate of Paul Manafort: pic.twitter.com/zWkY8vTZRR  Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) March 28, 2018

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 In July 2018, Mueller formally accused Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU, of hacking and distributing Democratic Party emails in 2016.

 Then, in November 2018, the special counsels office asked a federal judge to formally rule that Manafort had lied to authorities about (among other things) meeting with Kilimnik in New York City in August 2016. In a January 2019 filing, Manaforts defense team disclosed that the special counsel had asserted that, at that August 2016 meeting, Manafort and Kilimnik discussed Trump campaign polling information as well as a potential resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, over which the U.S. had imposed economic sanctions on Russia. In a February 2019 hearing, heres what special counsel prosecutor Andrew Weissmann said about the issue: This goes, I think, very much to the heart of what the special counsels office is investigating. And in 2016 there is an in-person meeting with someone who the government has certainly proffered to this court in the past, is understood by the FBI, assessed to behave a relationship with Russian intelligence.

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So, its on the record that the special counsel believes that Paul Manafort met, while he was Trumps campaign chairman, with an individual who had ongoing ties to the Russian intelligence agency that interfered in the 2016 election. We know that their meeting touched on a topic with direct relevance to U.S. sanctions against Russia. We know that sanctions were one of the big reasons that the Russian government was interested in the 2016 U.S. election to begin with. How, then, does Mueller square the existence of this meeting with a conclusion that no one on the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russian government in its 2016 election interference? And if Mueller believes that no such coordination took place, then what was the point of pursuing a finding of fact that seems to suggest otherwise in federal court a month ago?

It is urgent that the full Mueller report be released if only to prevent my brain from self-combusting while trying to figure this out!
Special counsel Robert Mueller has submitted his report on the Russia investigation, and Republicans are gloating. They claim a four-page letter from Attorney General William Barr, purporting to summarize the report, exonerates President Donald Trump. Theyre wrong. The letter says the Justice Department wont prosecute Trump, but it reaches that conclusion by tailoring legal standards to protect the president. Heres a list of Barrs weasel words and what theyre hiding.

The Russian government. The letter quotes a sentence from Muellers report. In that sentence, Mueller says his investigation didnt prove that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. The sentence specifies Russias government. It says nothing about coordination with other Russians. Trumps campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, gave campaign polling data to Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian associate who has been linked to Russian intelligence. Manafort, Donald Trump Jr., and Jared Kushner met secretly in Trump Tower with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Kremlin-connected lawyer. But neither Kilimnik nor Veselnitskaya is part of the Russian government. They seem to be excluded from Barrs analysis.

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In its election interference activities. This phrase is included in the same excerpt.

It reflects the structure of the investigation. Mueller started with a counterintelligence probe of two specific Russian government operations: the production of online propaganda to influence the 2016 U.S. election, and the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clintons campaign. These are the two operations Mueller targeted in his indictments of Russians last year. If Barrs letter is accurate, Mueller seems to have decided to confine his examination of American complicity to those two operations. In fact, Barrs letter specifically cites those operations as the contexts in which Mueller didnt find conspiracy or coordination. Other contacts between Trump associates and Russians, such as Trumps Moscow tower project and Michael Flynns secret talks about easing sanctions, have been set aside.

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Agreementtacit or express. A footnote in Barrs letter says the special counsel defined coordination as agreementtacit or expressbetween the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. The letter doesnt clarify whether this definition originally came from Mueller or from the Justice Department. This, too, limits the range of prosecutable collusion. We know, for example, that in June 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was told in an email that the Crown prosecutor of Russia had offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary  and would be very useful to your father. The email said the offer was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Trump Jr. wrote back: If its what you say I love it. Apparently, by the standards asserted in the letter, this doesnt count as even tacit agreement  on election interference.

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Rosenstein and I have concluded. Barrs letter mixes two different authors. On questions of conspiracy and coordination, Barr summarizes Muellers findings. But on the question of whether Trump obstructed justice, Barr draws his own conclusion: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Thats Barrs opinion, not Muellers. As the letter concedes, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Thats for the rest of us to decide.

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Absence of such evidence. One reason to be suspicious of Barrs conclusions is that in the course of the letter, he tweaks Muellers opinion to look more like his own. Muellers report, as excerpted by Barr, says the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference. Barr quotes that line and then, in the same sentence, concludes that the absence of such evidence bears upon the Presidents intent with respect to obstruction. But the excerpt from Muellers report doesnt refer to an absence of evidence. It refers to a presence of evidence, and it says this evidence isnt enough to prove a crime. Throughout the investigation, this has been a standard Republican maneuver: misrepresenting an absence of proof as an absence of evidence. Barrs use of this maneuver in his letter is a red flag that hes writing partisan spin.

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Underlying crime. When Barr concludes that Trump shouldnt be charged with obstruction, he bases this on his prior decision not to charge Trump with conspiracy. Since the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, Barr argues, there was no pending or contemplated proceeding that Trumps behavior could have obstructed. This argument has many problems, but lets start with the simplest one: It bypasses examination of Trumps obstructive acts. Barr simply defines whatever Trump did as nonobstructive, as long as an underlying conspiracy with Russia isnt proved. If Trump asked thenFBI Director James Comey to drop his investigation of Flynn, thats fine.

Related to Russian election interference. Barrs requirement of an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, as a predicate for prosecuting obstruction of justice, exempts Trump from obstruction charges even if Trump is shown to have committed crimesas long as those crimes arent specifically connected to the Russian hacking and propaganda campaigns. Flynn, for example, conferred secretly with Russias ambassador about lifting sanctions, but not until weeks after the 2016 election. Even if this were proved to be a criminal conspiracy on Flynns part, Barrs legal standard would insulate Trump from prosecution for anything he did to thwart the FBIs investigation of Flynn.

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That the President was involved in. In narrowing the permissible premises for an obstruction charge, Barr doesnt just specify that the crime in question has to be related to the two Russian interference operations. He specifies that the crime has to involve Trump himself. This immunizes Trump against prosecution for anything he did to obstruct investigations, not only into Flynn, but also into the established crimes of Manafort and the alleged crimes of Roger Stone.

Pending or contemplated proceeding. Barr says none of Trumps acts against Comey or other investigators can be prosecuted as obstruction of justice, since they lack a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding. For example (this is my example, not Barrs), when Trump fired Comey, Trump wasnt facing trial and wasnt officially a target of the Russia investigation. By this standard, the president can bury an investigation as long as he does so before it gets to him. You cant walk out on Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, because thats assault with a deadly weapon. But if somebody gets shot on Fifth Avenue, and your friend lies to police about it, you can order the cops to drop their investigation of your friend.

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Each of which  beyond a reasonable doubt. Barr says Mueller found no actions that, in our judgment, can simultaneously meet three tests: (1) obstructive conduct, (2) corrupt intent, and (3) nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding. The attorney general says prosecutors would have to prove each of these elements of the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Even if some of Trumps acts are both obstructive and corrupt, Barr wont bring charges unless the nexus to a  proceeding can also be proved by the highest legal standard. In a case like this one, thats an almost impossible threshold for prosecution.

When we get our hands on Muellers reportand ultimately, Muellers evidencewell have a fuller picture of what he found. We know from Barrs letter that in the report, Mueller sets out evidence on both sides of the obstruction questionand that Mueller says his report does not exonerate Trump. For now, all we have is the letter. And it doesnt show that Trump is innocent of collusion or obstruction. It shows that collusion and obstruction were defined to exclude what he did.
This article first appeared on the blog Impeachable Offenses?

The villagers are despondent. Helpless against the ogre in the white castle looming over their town, they hired Sir Robert, peerless paladin of republican virtue, and sent him forth against the monster. After a two-year quest, every hint and rumor of which was followed breathlessly by the quaking townspeople, Sir Robert has returned. But he comes not with the ogres severed head hanging from his saddlebow, but with a long parchment that says, The creature in the white palace is indeed a bad fellow, certainly not better and indeed somewhat worse than you knew him to be when you selected him to live there. What you do about that is now up to you.

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Upon reading this, the scales fell from the villagers eyes. Sir Robert now stood before them, revealed not as a knight in glittering plate armor with pennon flying from his lance, but as what he had been all along: a grave, punctilious, honest lawyer. Sir Robert had done what he was tasked to do, neither more nor less. And then, in their disillusionment, those villagers most wroth against the ogre wailed and rent their garments and covered their heads with ashes.

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Robert Mueller was never going to save us from Donald Trump. He was certainly never going to indict a sitting president of the United States. Indeed, given the narrow scope of Muellers chargeto investigate any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigationuncovering evidence beyond a reasonable doubt of an underlying crime was always a long shot. It was extraordinarily unlikely that he would find that Trump or high-ranking members of his presidential campaign colludedor, to use the better and more precise legal term, conspiredwith the Russian government to fix the 2016 election.

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The improbability of success on collusion, narrowly construed, had nothing to do with the inherent morality of Trump and his handlers. After all, Trump chose as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, a man so sleazy that even before his recent convictions had been cast out of American politics to practice his black arts on behalf of thugs and tyrants in the developing world and aspiring autocrats on the fringes of the former Soviet empire. Apart from thoroughly corrupt newcomers like Manafort and lightweight wannabe grifters like Rick Gates, Trumps campaign was a family affair. Which meant that a chip off the old block like Donald Jr. was empowered to gleefully accept meetings with obviously dodgy Russian intermediaries offering obviously stolen dirt on candidate Hillary Clinton.

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It was always vanishingly improbable that the Russians would connect themselves directly and provably to the campaign of a weak, imprudent huckster.

But however much the Trump menage might have been willing to conspire with the Russians, it has always seemed improbable in the last degree that, during the campaign, the Russians ever got close enough to Trump that the interaction could be fairly categorized as a criminal conspiracy. A prosecutable conspiracy requires proof that two or more persons reached a tacit or express agreement to carry out a criminal objective.

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The first problem with proving that Trump conspired in the legal sense with the Russians is identifying the criminal objective of the conspiracy. The second and equally daunting obstacle is proving an agreement to commit the object crime.

What we know of Russian activities in 2016 establishes that they did two basic things to help Trump and hurt Clintonthey certainly conducted a social media disinformation campaign that favored Trump and they almost certainly hacked Clinton campaign emails and fed them to the media through WikiLeaks.

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As to the first, one might construe the millions of rubles expended on the Russian social media effort as an illegal foreign campaign contribution, but I am aware of no evidence suggesting that the Trump campaign had any more advance knowledge of the Russian efforts on this score than anyone else. Indeed, there is no reason to think the Russians would have said anything to Trumps people about their work in this realm. They didnt need Trumps help to do what they were doing, and telling Trumpthat famously indiscreet manwould have risked disclosure that would have nullified the whole point of the exercise.

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As for the Clinton email leak, the original hack was illegal, but it is altogether unclear whether anything that happened thereafter was criminal. Legal experts have poured out barrels of internet ink arguing that for a foreign government or entity to give, and an American candidate to accept, negative information about an electoral opponent is a campaign finance violation. Ive always found this contention improbable, both as a matter of law and as a matter of simple common sense.

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Suppose, as was surely the case, that the British favored Hillary Clinton in the last election, and that, as was apparently not the case, they had evidence Donald Trump had long been a Russian intelligence asset. Can anyone seriously contend that it would be a crime under American law for the Clinton campaign to ask the British about their knowledge of Trumps allegiances or indeed for the British to respond to the query? Even if one accepts the somewhat strained argument that information is a thing of value regulated by campaign finance law, no plausible reading of the First Amendment would permit criminalization of the disclosure of information so vital to the operation of the democratic process.

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In any case, I strongly suspect that when the details of Muellers investigation finally emerge, they will reveal no evidence of prior communication between Trumps people and the Russians about the Clinton email hack or the feeding of the material to WikiLeaks. An expression of interest in the emails by Donald Jr. at the Trump Tower meeting, yes. Loud public encouragement of the release from Trump, yes. Some advance word given to Roger Stone by Julian Assange (not the Russians) of the impending release of the material by WikiLeaks, perhaps. But no Trump-Russian cooperation in either obtaining or disseminating the material.

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All of which makes perfect sense. The Russians perennially want to undermine their great geopolitical rival, the United States. They disliked Hillary Clinton for her past posture on Russian matters and perceived her as the more obviously competentand thus undesirablecandidate in the 2016 election. Therefore, they were happy to attack her to weaken her support among the American public and to cause general disruption of American civic life. Butand this is a huge butwhile it is now sometimes hard to remember, before Nov. 8, 2016, no sensible personnot the Russians and probably not even Trump himselfthought the American public would freely choose to elect such a transparently unqualified con man.

It was therefore always vanishingly improbable that the Russians would connect themselves directly and provably to the campaign of a weak, imprudent huckster, thus exposing Russia to the wrath of what the Russians surely assumed to be the incoming Clinton administration. Without such connections, there can have been no criminal conspiracy.

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The situation with respect to obstruction of justice is different. It appears from Attorney General William Barrs letter that Mueller did find evidence from which one might conclude that Trump obstructed justice, but elected not to opine on whether that crime was committed. We dont yet know whether he did so because the evidence on both sides of the question was in rough equipoise, or because he concluded that the law is ambiguous, or because he decided that, since he could not under DOJ policy indict a president, he should not offer an affirmative opinion that the president committed a felony.

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My best guess is that he intended that Congress and the public should weigh the evidence and arrive at their own conclusions. The Barr letter is a fairly transparent effort to frustrate that expectation by offering a pre-emptive and exonerating legal judgment carrying the imprimatur of the attorney general. It is also a peculiar animal because it effectively concedes that Trump did obstruct the Mueller investigation, in fact, but nonetheless concludes that Trump did not commit the crime of obstruction, primarily because Mueller did not find that Trump was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

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For what its worth, I think, Barr is wrong on the law. His heavy reliance on the absence of proof that Trump himself committed a crime connected with Russia is certainly misplaced. One can undoubtedly obstruct justice by interfering with an investigation of the crimes of someone else. Moreover, the law is clear that one can obstruct an investigation that ultimately does not yield proof of criminal wrongdoing by anyone. Barrs contrary conclusion is only explainable as intellectually dishonest special pleading, or as the product of an intellectually honest, but constitutionally suspect, embrace of the so-called unitary executive view of the presidency, pursuant to which the president as the personal embodiment of the executive branch cannot obstruct justice by stopping investigation of anyone else.

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But none of the foregoing is at all surprising. The chances of a smoking gun tying Trump to a provable electoral conspiracy with the Russians were always tiny. And any obstruction case was almost certainly going to turn on debatable views of presidential power and the importance of finding an underlying crime. This does not mean that the Mueller report itself, once revealed, will be of no consequence. One suspects it will reveal a wealth of discreditable detail about Trump and his clan. Still, whatever is in it will likely serve only to confirm his opponents disdain, even as his fans continue to hail it as exoneration.

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For me, the most important question about the Mueller report is the issues it will leave unaddressed. For example, I have long thought that the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia during the election were a mere secondary issue. The real question about Russia is why Trump has become a reliable, even obsequious, apologist for Vladimir Putin and hasso far as he has been able, against the resistance of Congress and the intelligence and defense establishmentsregularly aligned himself with Russian interests. That requires explanation, and I strongly suspect Mueller did not read his charge as extending to an inquiry that would demand a deep historical analysis of Trumps personal and business history running many years into the past. If the mystery of Trumps open affinity for Putin is to be solved, congressional Democrats will have to solve it.

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Which brings me to the three main lessons of the Mueller investigation.

The first is that Trumps opponents have always invested far too much hope in Robert Mueller. He was asked to investigate one quite narrow segment of Trumps affairs. He seems to have done so, vigorously, professionally, and dispassionately. But he was never going to be Trumps Ken Starr, peering into every cranny of Trumps life before and after the election for the silver bullet that would bring down a president. Mueller lacked the powers the old independent counsel statute gave Starr, and, happily I think, he lacks the zealotry that propelled Starr to the sordid fizzle of the Clinton impeachment. He has provided a salutary example of what the law, and the prosecutors who serve it, is supposed to do.

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Bob Muellers legal investigation was never going to solve our national political crisis.

Second, the very narrowness of the Mueller inquiry should remind us that the problem with Donald Trump has never been one misdeed or misjudgment, or even one extended disgraceful episode. Nor is it the things we do not know about him (unless he really is compromised by Russia). The already-obvious challenge he presents to American democracy is his endless, staggering, mind-numbing array of completely public assaults on communal decency, competent governance, and bedrock constitutional norms. We dont need Bob Mueller to tell us what the problem is. And almost nothing Mueller was ever likely to discover would have added very much to our understanding of that problem.

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Bob Muellers legal investigation was never going to solve our national political crisis. And by not trying to solve it, by simply doing the job the Constitution and the laws asked him to do, he has paid the American system of government and his fellow citizens the great compliment of trusting us to solve it for ourselves. The truth is that both Democrats and Republicans have been hiding behind Bob Mueller for a long time. The shallow, vicious children of Trumps media and congressional base have transformed him and the rest of the honorable men and women of federal law enforcement into an imaginary traitorous deep state. Among Democrats, Wait for Mueller has been the mantra of those either too cautious or too calculating to move boldly against a generational threat.

Now we are going to find out what 21st-century American democracy is made of. Will congressional Democrats have the fortitude to investigate those things that remain to be investigatedand do it both thoroughly and fairly? Will Republicans honor the example of their predecessors during Watergate and cooperate in seeking the truth? While waiting for its investigations to conclude, will Congress as a body defend its prerogatives and the constitutional balance against a president who plainly respects neither? And will it have the courage, once all investigations are complete, to act both on what they find and what is already staring them in the face? And even if our elected representatives fail us, will we employ the founders primary remedy against an overreaching or incompetent executive and vote to turn him out of the White House?

Bob Mueller is an old-fashioned man who has placed an old-fashioned faith in the regular processes of law and in our national commitment to intelligent self-government. I hope we are worthy of it.
Moroccan university professor Abdelali Mohamed Oudghiri received Sunday the 41st Prize of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in the Arabic Language & Literature category.

Dr. Oudghiri, who shared the $200,000 award with Egyptian Prof. Mahmoud Fahmy Hegazi, won the prize for his advanced studies on Arab language and his efforts to promote this language to counter dialects and foreign languages in universities.

Dr. Oudghiri was born in 1944 in the city of Fez. He completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Mohammed Ben Abdallah in Fez, the Sorbonne University in Paris and the Mohammed V University in Rabat. He received his masters degree in linguistics in 1976 and then a Ph.D. in linguistics. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Islamic University of Niger, Secretary General of Moroccan Linguistic Union.

Dr. Oudghiri published research and specialized language studies in Morocco and the Arab world. He is also the author of many literary and linguistic books. He has several poetry collections and won Moroccan Book Award three times: (1977  1989  2014).

Set up in 1979, King Faisal prize rewards outstanding works of individuals and institutions in five major categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science.

Its aim is to benefit Muslims in their present and future, inspire them to participate in all aspects of civilization, as well as enrich human knowledge and develop mankind. KFP winners are evaluated only based on merit and their works are meticulously examined by specialized selection committees.
So, theres an ongoing Fight on the Internet (TM) between what you might call the Civil Liberties Left (whose most outspoken member is probably the Intercepts Glenn Greenwald) and the Progressive Left (whose most notable tweeter, in this debate, is probably Voxs Matt Yglesias) over what Attorney General William Barrs summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report about the 2016 election means.

Greenwald and others in his camp believe that the summarys conclusion that no one on the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities is evidence the liberal medias coverage of Trump and Russia for the last two-plus years has been hysterical, xenophobic conspiracy-mongering. Yglesias, meanwhile, has noted that the Barr letter concludes that Russia engaged in extensive election interference, which is a claim that Greenwald has been skeptical of, while New Yorks Eric Levitz and the New York Times Jamelle Bouie have pointed out that Trump could still have engaged in Russia-related behavior that was ethically corrupt and dishonest even if Mueller decided it wasnt illegal per se.

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The central question that could resolve this debate, to the extent that internet arguments can ever be resolved, is why Mueller (apparently) chose not to make a case that Trump and his top advisers participated in an election-interference conspiracy by discussing U.S. sanctions against Russia with representatives of the Russian government. Which is a question thats important not just because it might end a Twitter feud, but because it would, you know, help the American public understand what the hell their current president was up to during the year that his advisers kept discussing U.S. policy with the foreign power that was sabotaging his campaign opponent.

To review:

 Russia does not like that the U.S. has imposed sanctions that restrict a number of Russian political figures and oligarchs from using the U.S. financial system.

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 Its a noncontroversial matter of public record that Russians with connections to the Russian government met with Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner at Trump Tower in New York City on June 9, 2016, in part to complain about sanctions.

 In response to claims by the special counsels office, Paul Manaforts attorneys have admitted that he met on Aug. 2, 2016 in New York City with an individual named Konstantin Kilimnik to discuss topics including a Ukraine peace plan. Its a matter of public record that Kilimnik received language training from the GRU, Russias military intelligence agency, and the special counsel has asserted that Kilimnik still had active ties to Russian intelligence in 2016. Its also a matter of public record that Russia wants to resolve the Ukraine situation in part because doing so might result in the lifting of sanctions.

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 Former national security adviser Michael Flynn has admitted in court filings that he discussed sanctions in a telephone conversation with Russias ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition period.

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Mueller was clearly interested in the June 9 meeting, the Manafort-Kilimnik meeting, and the Flynn conversation. The question, then, is whether he decided that Trump and his advisers conduct in relation to those incidents was entirely defensible and above-board (which would tend to support Greenwalds position) or whether he found the incidents concerning and corrupt but not necessarily prosecutable (which would support Yglesias et. als positions).

As my colleague William Saletan points out, its possible that Barr selectively quoted Mueller to make it appear that his report clears Trump of any inappropriate interaction with Russia when in fact Muellers full report simply addresses the sanctions issue as separate from election interference because it didnt directly involve hacking or distributing Democratic emails. Theres also a related possibility, hinted at in this Daily Beast report, which is that Mueller felt the question of whether the sanctions talk was criminal was best left to Congress, because it involves a sitting president:

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A source with direct knowledge of the investigation told The Daily Beast that it was their interpretation that Mueller was making a case to Congress, who (unlike DOJ, in Muellers view) is empowered to weigh the lawfulness of a presidents conduct.

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The Daily Beasts quote is tantalizingly light on context; its not clear whether the source was referring to a case for conspiracy charges, or obstruction charges, or both, or something elseor how exactly Mueller would have been under the impression that hes making a case to Congress when his report was submitted to the attorney general, who has discretion over what parts of it to release.

There would be an easy way to resolve all of this, which is to ask Robert Mueller, and there doesnt appear to be anything that would preclude him from appearing before Congress to answer questions about how he defined coordination. But while Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee say theyre interested in calling Mueller in to discuss broader counterintelligence issues, the Dems leading the House Judiciary Committeewhich would be directly responsible for the impeachment-related question of whether the president committed a crimehave not expressed a similar intention. I put in an inquiry with the committee about the possibility but havent heard back. They should definitely do it, for America/Twitter.
Nearly 45 years after Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, there remains no evidence that Nixon had advance knowledge of the Watergate break-in, even as evidence that he was deeply involved in efforts to cover up the crime has only grown. If one accepts Attorney General William Barrs reasoning in the letter he sent Sunday purporting to exonerate Donald Trump of obstruction of justice, perhaps we should consider a belated exoneration of the disgraced former president as well. But Barrs reasoning should not be accepted, because it sits squarely at odds with settled law and amounts to an attempt to preempt Congress constitutionally assigned role to determine if the president has committed high crimes and misdemeanors.

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In his letter, Barr stated that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had not found sufficient facts to establish a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the election. Barr also indicated that Mueller found evidence that the president may have obstructed the investigation but did not reach a conclusion on that issue. For some reason, Barr felt compelled to offer his and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosensteins view on that matter, asserting that seeking an indictment of Trump for obstruction would be contrary to Department of Justice policy.

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According to Barr, because Mueller concluded that the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to election interference, it would be difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that the president had a corrupt intent to interfere with a grand jury or other official proceeding. Barrs argument thus suggests that if a subject of a criminal investigation avoids indictment for the underlying offensewhether it be insider trading, burglary, or election interferencehe should not be charged with criminal liability for efforts to obstruct the investigation of the potential offense, either.

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That is simply not the law. Proof of an underlying crime is not an element of an obstruction charge, and individuals are regularly charged with obstruction without facing criminal liability for an underlying offense. To take just one example, Martha Stewart was charged with obstructing an investigation into insider stock trading without facing criminal liability for her trades.

The attorney generals position is not only flatly wrong; its dangerous. If Barrs view was widely adopted by federal prosecutors, it would provide a truly perverse incentive to engage in obstruction. If wrongdoers knew they were unlikely to be charged with obstruction if prosecutors are unable to obtain sufficient evidence of an underlying crime, they would have every reason to engage in obstruction and witness tampering in an effort to prevent prosecutors from gaining access to underlying inculpatory testimony and other evidence that might lead to such charges.

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Barrs novel view on the intent required to prove an obstruction charge is not the only curious element of the attorney generals analysis. Barr also asserts, without explanation, that there was insufficient evidence that Trump engaged in obstructive conduct with a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding. That is puzzling, given that there is ample evidence that Trump not only set out to influence investigations but, according to James Comey, even attempted to wholly shut down an investigation of his former national security advisor Michael Flynn (one that ultimately led to a guilty plea).

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Barrs own idiosyncratic views on the law may provide the answer to this puzzlement. Before joining the administration, Barr authored a lengthy memo criticizing Mueller for even pursuing an obstruction investigation of the president. As Barr opined, a president has plenary authority to stop or start a law enforcement investigation for any reason, including an investigation of the presidents own potentially criminal conduct. It therefore appears more than possible that the attorney general has concluded that Trump did not obstruct justice because the attorney general believes that presidents cant be held liable for obstructing justice, even when they obstruct it.

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A final mystery regarding Barrs opinion regarding the Mueller obstruction investigation is why it was rendered at all. According to the attorney general, the special counsel did not reach a conclusion regarding whether the president should be criminally charged with obstruction of justice but limited his report to an elucidation of the evidence on both sides of the matter.

That makes a great deal of sense when one considers that, as Barr reiterates, there is a longstanding Department of Justice policy against indicting sitting presidents. Rather, the only remedy for criminal conduct by the nations chief executive so long as the president remains in office is impeachment by the House and removal by the Senate. Because the president cannot be charged, there is simply no charging decision to be made by the Department of Justice.

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Mueller appears to have properly taken that policy into account. Because any opinion on whether Trump should be charged with a crime would be wholly hypothetical, he chose not to express an opinion. That is the same approach taken by Watergate special prosecutor Leon Jaworski, who, in his road map memorandum to Congress, transmitted the evidence he had compiled of Nixons involvement in an obstruction of justice scheme without reaching any conclusions on the presidents culpability, a matter Jaworski believed was properly assigned to the Congress.

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The question, then, is why Barr felt the need to supplement Muellers account of the relevant evidence on the obstruction issuenone of which Barr detailed in his letterwith an answer to the entirely hypothetical question of whether the DOJ would seek to charge Trump if it could. One cant help but question whether Barrs letter amounts to an attempted usurpation of the constitutionally assigned authority of the House to determine whether the president engaged in an impeachable offense.

In any event, one thing is clear: Given the at best idiosyncratic and more than arguably outright wrong views of the obstruction of justice offense that appear to have informed Barrs conclusion, it is all the more clear that all of the evidence regarding the presidents conduct adduced in the Mueller inquiry must be transmitted to Congress in connection with its investigation of whether Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors.
On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr introduced his letter to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees by saying: I am writing today to advise you of the principal conclusions reached by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller and to inform you of the status of my initial review of the report he has prepared. This introduction does not fit his letter, though: If one wanted to advise of the reports principal conclusions, one would expect that more of the principal conclusions actually be shared.

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Instead, Barr distributed parts of four of Muellers sentences throughout his letterthree of which offer any kind of conclusions, and none of which even appear to be complete sentences from Muellers text. Those sentences are obviously helpful for Trump legally and politically, but Barrs short letterone page on Russia, one page on obstructionraises more questions than it even tries to answer.

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What Barr put out on Sunday was not Muellers summary, nor a summary of Mueller. It literally contains more of Barrs legal conclusionsafter just 48 hours of reviewthan of Muellers own conclusions over almost two years of investigation. It contained zero details of the evidence that led to either mans conclusions. Mueller surely wrote an executive summary of his findings for Barr, and it clearly would have been easier for Barr simply to give Congress and the public Muellers summary than to write this letter himself. The question is why Barr didnt.

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In past reports by independent counselsthe closest predecessor to the special counselthe model has been for the prosecutor to provide an executive summary, an introduction, and/or section-by-section summaries of the counsels findings. Lawrence Walshs Iran-Contra Report, which went dozens of chapters and hundreds of pages, led with a one-page executive summary listing the five subjects of his investigation, followed immediately by a one-page Overall Conclusions section with seven short but damning core findings. Nothing in this summary raised problems for executive privilege or national security. Ken Starrs referral about President Clintons relationship with Monica Lewinsky started with a one-page introduction that also included seven short bullet-point findings that were damning. In its 445 pages, the Starr Report included 11 separate sections for possible ground for impeachment, most of which included short summaries. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Barr did not even reveal the length of the report that he had boiled down to four sentences.

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Its worth looking at what from Muellers actual report Barr did include in his message to the relevant congressional committees (other than the title of the report itself).

The narrowness of the sentences that Barr selected from Mueller is revealing, and the omissions speak loudly.

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First, the topline item that Trump and his allies have taken as total exoneration: [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

This conclusion is a good one for the presidents defenders. But it doesnt address any of the evidence of improper relations between Trump surrogates and Russia that we already know about or explain how Mueller viewed these connections within his framework for finding no collusion. What about the actions of informal adviser Roger Stone, who allegedly contacted WikiLeaks to seek information for the Trump campaign? The Mueller teams indictment of Stone alleges, After the July 22, 2016 release of stolen DNC emails by [WikiLeaks], a senior Trump Campaign official was directed to contact [Stone] about any additional releases and what other damaging information [WikiLeaks] had regarding the Clinton Campaign. Who directed the senior official?

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What about Paul Manafort and Konstantin Kilimnik? Muellers team had already concluded that Manafort lied to investigators about offering detailed polling information to Kilimnik, whom Mueller has identified as having ties to a Russian intelligence service. The Mueller teams own court filings seem to contradict Barrs letter. What did Muellers own summary ultimately determine about these contacts, which are very relevant to Congress counter-intelligence mandate? Such contacts do not have to be direct to count as conspiracy or even non-criminal coordination.

Instead of explaining these key details, Barr selects a second sentence from Mueller that has nothing to do with findings or principal conclusions. Barrs first footnote includes Muellers general definition of coordination, to be an agreementtacit or expressbetween the Trump campaign and the Russian government on election interference. This may clarify what is meant by the non-establishment of coordination, but it is certainly not a conclusion or a finding in and of itself.

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Barrs third quotation from Mueller is an excerpt on obstruction of justice: While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

This sentence is intriguing, and calls out for more detail, but instead of explaining, Barrs fourth selection from Mueller dismisses the relevance of an obstruction inquiry: In making this determination [not to prosecute obstruction], we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that the evidence did not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference. 

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Barr does not share any of Muellers findings or analysis to explain how he reached his own conclusions. Instead, he offers his ownalong with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosensteinslegal analysis in two full paragraphs but no actual details.

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Just to underscore this point: Barr offers two paragraphs of his own principal conclusions, and just two or three laconic sentences of Muellers conclusions. Keep in mind that Barr wrote an unsolicited memo to Trump early in the investigation announcing his own view that a president essentially could not be guilty of obstruction for the act of firing former FBI Director James Comey, one of the central questions of the obstruction case. It is not a surprise, then, that he reached the same conclusion now. Again, this letterword for word, legal theory for legal theoryshares exactly what we already knew about Barrs view of the relevant law without telling us anything about Muellers factual findings.

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Heres what Barrs letter does say about his and Rosensteins conclusions: [The] report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Departments principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. It must not be overlooked that he invoked the standardand the prosecutors necessary considerationof proving the case beyond reasonable doubt. An indictment requires probable cause, but Barr, and presumably Rosenstein, held the evidence to a higher standard. It is wise for a prosecutor to bring charges not for the barest margin of evidence over the threshold, but to think about the prudence of a trial. Barr and Rosenstein are surely wise to take that trial standard into account in determining whether an indictment might be warranted. But if Barr held himself to that high evidentiary standard to justify his decision not to bring charges, surely it is also relevant to ask whether Muellers team also held itself to that same rigorous beyond a reasonable doubt standard both on questions of obstruction and conspiracy.

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It matters if Mueller had sufficient evidence for probable cause on either of these questions but decided it was insufficient evidence for a prudent indictment with an eye toward a trial and a realistic conviction. Probable cause is relevant for Congress and for the public.

Barrs letter also makes a point against an obstruction indictment that has been criticized but should be given some credit. As noted earlier, Barr explains that he and Rosenstein took into consideration that there was no legal finding of an underlying crime in declining to prosecute for obstruction. It is problematic that Barr used this non-finding to avoid discussing the facts of obstruction, but it is a realistic consideration in a complicated obstruction case. Barr himself writes, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the evidence of the presidents intent with respect to obstruction. It is true that one can be guilty of obstruction without finding sufficient evidence of an underlying crime. And of course, the goal of obstruction is to make it harder for investigators to find that underlying evidence, so Barrs claim that evidence does not establish an underlying crime should be appropriately discounted. Nevertheless, given the political costs and the overstated but persistent legal challenges in indicting a sitting president, the strength of the evidence of an underlying crime is more relevant than some critics have acknowledged. Ultimately, it is a reasonable view that the obstruction case is more quintessentially an abuse of power question more appropriate for congressional investigation and a potential impeachment inquiry. As a result, Barrs decision not to indict all the more demands his cooperation with Congress to deliver the full Mueller report.

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Maybe Barr intends to release the report to Congress and the public soon enough that these questions will be resolved by a full reading. But in that case, why rush such a cursory letter with so little evidence or analysis to be helpful? And if Muellers report were really so supportive of these legal conclusions, why would Barr offer so little of it, and so much more of himself? Barr is certainly wise enough to know that a significant portion of the report will have to be made public at some point, so it is hard to imagine that he would misrepresent it. But it is also hard to read this document as a true attempt to summarize Muellers report rather than an attempt at Barrs spin and an extension of his extreme views of presidential power. The letter only raises concerns about how Barr and his DOJ will navigate the legal issues ahead, including Congresss legal claims to actually read the full report, which could draw out over many months.

These sentences from Muelleras curated by Barrunderstandably have given Trump a political boost and decreased his legal peril, at least temporarily. But in writing such a short letter with so much of himself and so little of Mueller, and so quickly that it seems implausible that he actually had time to deliberate, Barr has made the case for releasing the full report stronger. If he has accurately represented Muellers report, he would be wise to release it soon and release it completely.
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Sikhs do not like to see Whites in their 81% Ethnic Stronghold in Calgary





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he urgency facing European Canadians is more severe than I imagined.On Friday, March 15, 2019, I published a live video of an ethnic enclave in Calgary on the National Citizens Alliances (NCA) Facebook page . This particular ethnic enclave with an 81% visible minority population mirrors almost exactly the demographic reality that Dr. Duchesne and Dr. Kaufmann have been warning about: sustained mass immigration of 200,000 plus since the 1990s is causing the replacement of Canadas traditional Euro heritage population with third world immigrants. As Dr. Duchesne and Dr. Kaufmann state, if this is allowed to continue unabated, by 2100 visible ethnic minorities similar to this Calgary enclave will become an 80% super majority population, while Canadas traditional Euro heritage population will be relegated to a 20% minority.This transformation represents a radical change in the demographic make-up of Canada. According to Dr. Duchesne from his book(2017), the transformation is unprecedented in world history in that consecutive Canadian federal governments are actually replacing the people they are supposed to serve. In addition, according to Dr. Kaufmann, Canada is undergoing the fastest ethnic change in the Western world. Through the NCA ethnic enclave video , I was given a rare glimpse into what Canada would look like if this radical demographic transformation occurs. It will not be a hospitable country if you are a European Canadian. You should be alarmed at what may be coming. In my opinion, Canada is heading down a similar path to South Africa, where the Boers are presently being persecuted, robbed, tortured, and murdered with the tacit consent of the SA government and opposition parties under the guise of righting past social wrongs.It should be noted that according to Dr. Kaufmann, four out of five immigrants coming into Canada are from the third world. Further, it doesnt matter which establishment party or controlled opposition is in power federally. All these parties support mass immigration of at least 250,000 a year not including illegal migration and chain migration. Case in point, the Stephen Harper regime, which pretended to be nationalist and supportive of old stock Canadians, had historic mass immigration ( highest levels in 100 years ) from 190 countries with the Philippines, India, China, Islamic Republic of Iran, and Pakistan in the top five of immigrant home countries. In comparison, the Justin Trudeau regime has had historic mass immigration ( slightly higher than the Harper regime ) from 190 countries with the Philippines, India, Syria, China, and Pakistan in the top five of immigrant home countries.The NCA ethnic enclave video has received over eleven hundred comments, and many of these comments are by third world immigrants from the enclave or connected to it. Their hostility towards European Canadians is undeniable. It should be acknowledged that most of these immigrants come from utterly ruthless, corrupt countries, where individual and group self-preservation are at the forefront of daily life. Here are some representative comments (profanity and threats have been edited out):
For President Donald Trump, known to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat even when neither victory nor the jaws exist, the principal conclusions of Special Counsel Robert Muellers Russian collusion and obstruction of justice investigation are nothing short of a golden-sealed triumph.

It is surprising that one did not hear shrieks of primal exultation emanating from Mar-a-Lago in Florida and rant across the country in the immediate aftermath of the conclusions being made public. To Trumps credit, his two-year-long assertive incantation of the mantra no collusion has been fully attested to by Muellers conclusions. The report states that the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

That is as unambiguous a vindication as it can get from a prosecutor with a reputation to be unsparing but precise.

Significantly though, the conclusions as reported by Attorney General William P. Barr specifically point out two main Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election. The first involved attempts by a Russian organization, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United States to sow social discord, eventually with the aim of interfering with the election, the Barr letter says.

The second element involved the Russian governments efforts to conduct computer hacking operations designed to gather and disseminate information to influence the election. The Special Counsel found that Russian government actors successfully hacked into computers and obtained emails from persons affiliated with the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party organizations, and publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks, the findings say.

It is in the context of the Russian efforts to influence the election and the virulent enthusiasms shown by candidate Trump personally and his aides generally during the run-up to the election on public platforms and rallies supporting them that I am confused why it is not seriously problematic. I understand that the Special Counsels mandate was not to examine the flagrant absence of morality from an aspiring politicians public behavior but the simple fact that Trump so sanguinely approved any Russian operation to access Hillary Clintons 30,000 emails should remain a matter of grave concern.

Simply because the presidents conduct before he assumed office was a pile-up of political transgressions there is a tendency to forget specifics, one of which was his notorious public appeal to the Russians to obtain and release Clintons emails. He has since tried disingenuously to pass that off as a joke but at the time he said it he seemed very serious. I find it curious that the presidents conduct around the investigation, be it firing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey on May 9, 2017 or his reported comments on May 10, 2017 to visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov, in the Oval Office, along with the then Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey I. Kislyak have not amounted to anything actionable.

A New York Times story on May 19 reported this: President Trump told Russian officials in the Oval Office this month that firing the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, had relieved great pressure on him, according to a document summarizing the meeting.

I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job, Mr. Trump said, according to the document, which was read to The New York Times by an American official. I faced great pressure because of Russia. Thats taken off.

There has been a number of other extraordinary comments and observations by the president about Russia and its President Vladimir Putin that, taken together, suggest at least a very curious softness towards an adversary which the Special Counsel says interfered in the presidential election.

Although Trump declared with characteristic bombast that the Mueller conclusions were a complete and total exoneration, Mueller made no determination as to the obstruction of justice. While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, the findings said.

It is unquestionable that the explicit pronouncement that there was no collusion is an unequivocal victory for the president who is expected to capitalize on it for his 2020 reelection campaign even while weaponizing it against the Democratic Party as well as large chunks of the mainstream media.

Speaking of the mainstream media, the Mueller conclusion about collusion is not just egg over its face but a whole plate of anda bhurji or scrambled eggs. Its credulity over the Russian collusion now appears deeply troublesome in light of the Mueller conclusions. I say this with no schadenfreude because when the mainstream media loses credibility as a collective, journalists lose theirs individually too. People tend to conflate the media generally with journalists individually. There is a great deal that the media needs to think about in the aftermath of the Mueller report.
Bratislava's art gallery has fallen victim to the Culture Ministry's decision to establish a culture space in the current Kunsthalle location.

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20 years. That is the length of time during which Slovak artists fought for Kunsthalle (Art Gallery) to be opened in Bratislava. The art gallery is today managed by the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) and housed in the premises of the National Culture Centre (NOC), both under the administration of the Culture Ministry.

After five years of the art gallery's existence, being under the Culture Ministry turned out to be an impediment to the department.

The Culture Ministry needs to spend 260 million on the creative industry from European funds, although a single euro has not been allocated to any project to date.

Thus, the ministry seeks to establish and move the Creative Hub Bratislava (Kreativne centrum Bratislava) into the current premises of Kunsthalle.

About Kunsthalle, without Kunsthalle

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Preparations for the Creative Hub have begun despite the fact that the Culture Ministry has not yet announced a call to apply for the money on these creative hubs.

Two contracts on providing services, which are available in the central register of contracts, establish evidence.
The Supreme Court has suspended prosecution of Jozef Majsky, who embezzled non-banking firms Horizont Slovakia and BMG Invest more than 15 years ago.

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The police arrested Jozef Majsky at the Slovak-Austrian border in autumn 2002. At first, it seemed the businessman, suspected of the embezzlement of non-banking company Horizont Slovakia, would not escape punishment.

The same day he got arrested, Majsky was also charged with establishing and supporting an organised crime group, along with fraud in relation to the bankruptcy of Horizont Slovakia.

At that time, Majsky faced suspicion that he had fictitiously bought a bankrupt firm from Vladimir Fruni and had withdrawn all the money left in it. Three days after his arrest, a district court in Kosice ordered his detention. In July 2004, two years since his arrest, the police completed the investigation of his case and submitted a proposal for the indictment of Majsky to a prosecutor. He accepted it.

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The first trial was to take place in November 2005. Influential businessman and privatiser Majsky, however, defended himself. Shortly after the charge was brought against Majsky, he was released.

It is now 2019, but Majsky still has not been convicted. On March 21, the Supreme Court decided to suspend the prosecution of Majsky due to his worsening health. His health condition would be checked upon in six months, the court added.
They want Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matecna to be dismissed from her post.

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Farmers will continue with their protests across Slovakia. On March 25, they will begin their trip across the country from Gynov (Kosice Region).

During their previous protest, they rode on tractors, but this time, they will ride to Bratislava on horses, the SITA newswire reported.

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The aim of the protest is to call on people to sign a petition to recall Agriculture Minister Gabriela Matesna, a nominee of the Slovak National Party (SNS), from her post.

Members of the Initiative of Farmers informed the public about the protest on the evening of March 24 on Facebook.

Matecnas actions are problematic

The aim of this protest ride is to call on people to attend the public gathering that will take place on March 29 at 17:00 in front of the Governments Office, the initiative informed on Facebook.

The reasons for further protests include Matecnas actions, as well as Slovakias food self-sufficiency.

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Seven of 10 apples are imported to Slovakia, the farmers said, as quoted by SITA, adding that the country only has 37 percent food self-sufficiency. The minister doesnt respect the court's decisions. She covers subvention fraud. During her rule, Slovakia is still at the bottom of EU countries in the production of domestic food. Moreover, the European Commission has said after its December control that the current state in Slovakia does not exist in other countries.

The farmers from the initiative also say that Matecna was the person who signed dubious agreements with Lubica Roskova. It happened while she was at the helm of the Slovak Land Fund. As a result, the minister should bear a criminal responsibility for that, they added, as reported by SITA.
Grand Rapids, Michigan, is famous for many things. Depending on your age, you might know it as the childhood home of President Gerald Ford, as the birthplace of Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, or possibly as Beer City USA.

Ah yes, the beer. Grand Rapids has made quite the name for itself in the world of beer over the past few years. The city features such breweries as Founders, Atwater, New Holland, Hopcat and many more (almost 40 actually), making it a must-visit destination for beer lovers everywhere.

But beer isnt the only beverage for which Grand Rapids is known these days: the coffee scene here, already formidable for years, is growing steadilyfrom neighborhood cafes to world-famous roasters, theres something for every taste and preference. So the next time youre in Grand Rapids, whether to take part in the Ale Trail or visit Anthony Kiedis childhood home, here are some coffee shops to help caffeinate your trip.

Madcap Coffee Company

Any coffee tour of Grand Rapids has to start at Madcap. With three cafes and a roastery in the city, and wholesale accounts stretching the length of the country, Madcap, arguably the citys first true specialty roaster, has gained quite the reputationone stretching well beyond Grand Rapids.

Their flagship cafe at the corner of Monroe Center and Ottawa Ave in downtown Grand Rapids is the perfect encapsulation of everything Madcap stands for. The big, open plan space, all white paint, and exposed brick exude a simple elegance, allowing the clean branding and immaculate service to shine.

Atop a long low-profile bar, a matte black three-group La Marzocco Strada cranks out espresso drinks, with the assistance of Mahlkonig PEAK and Nuova Simonelli Mythos One grinders, while pour-over coffee is ground by an EK43 and brewed by a pair of Wilbur Curtis Seraphim brewers (all also in the same matte black). Madcaps impressive selection of retail coffee is on display, alongside a small but solid food menu (ice cream sandwich, anyone?).

Due to its central location (and reputation), Madcaps Monroe Center cafe is always busy, but its worth braving the crowds to see what all the fuss is about.

Madcap Coffee has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook Twitter , and Instagram

Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge

Just a few blocks due south of Madcaps flagship lies Lantern Coffee Bar & Lounge. A comfortable, welcoming mood pervades Lantern, from the local art on the walls to the basement seating area.

Oh yes, the basement. The upstairs part of Lantern is mostly taken up by the barwhere Bay Citys Populace Coffee Roasters is served on a La Marzocco Strada or various manual brew methodsand a couple of armchairs. Downstairs, however, lies a quiet, inviting brick-walled space, with wooden beams, rustic pillars and lots of comfortable seats. Atmosphere is provided by the small, high windows (this is a basement, after all), and soft mood lighting.

Lantern feels like your favorite local coffee joint, and its hidden-away basement style adds to the speakeasy charm. Couple that with quality coffee, a wide selection of pastries and a commitment to sustainability, and youve got yourself a worthy stop on any coffee tour.

Ferris Coffee & Nut

Over the Grand River to the west lies Ferris Coffee & Nut, the sprawling cafe and retail location of this 94-year-old Grand Rapids institution. Part coffee shop, part candy store, Ferris serves an array of inventive drinks, many of which incorporate their rotating selection of house-made nut milksa growing trend Ferris, a nut roaster, has been able to take the inside track on.

The cafe itself, newly renovated, is large and bright, with a big communal table and low, fashionable armchairs before floor-to-ceiling windows. The marble-topped bar holds a three-group Synesso Cyncra, alongside Mahlkonig PEAK and K30 grinders, while the polished concrete floors make everything inside sparkle warmly, even on a grey Midwestern day.

The drink menu is extensive, with cold brew and pour-over options accompanying the usual espresso suspectsall anchored by their array of nut milks. They also serve sandwiches and a selection of pastries, and if you venture into their retail store you can find a host of nuts, candies, and chocolate for sale, alongside the requisite bags of coffee.

Ferris Coffee & Nut has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook Twitter , and Instagram

Lyon Street Cafe

In the Heritage Hill neighborhood, Lyon Street Cafe sits on the street from which it takes its name. Nestled between a home brew supply store and a bakery, with a wine store and a pizza parlor in close proximity, Lyon Street feels like the very definition of a neighborhood cafewhich is what it turns out to be.

Long and relatively narrow, Lyon Streets white-painted brick walls make it feel bigger than it is. Booth seating lines one wall (booth seating is always a good idea) while the bar runs along the other; in between are high two-top tables which give a nice elevated view of the cafe.

Lyon Streets coffee lineup rotates (they recently showcased Cat & Cloud from Santa Cruz, CA). A shiny La Marzocco GB5 combines with a Mahlkonig K30 grinder, while a white EK43 and a row of Hario V60s take care of manual brews. If youre not in the mood for coffee, beer on tap and a selection of wines are also available.

Anchoring a row of neighborhood shops is no easy task, but judging by the number of people visiting on a Saturday afternoon in October, Lyon Street is a doing a very good job.

Rowster Coffee

Wealthy Street, where the final three cafes on our tour reside, runs east-west almost the entire length of the city, and the slice that contains Rowster definitely fits the name Wealthythis is an ultra-hip district, with boutiques, breweries, and bars stretching into the distance.

Rowster Coffee sits unassumingly on the corner of Wealthy and James, their flagship location showcasing simple, clean design and a thoughtful approach to coffee. Theres a lot to like about the interior, with its subdued color palette and minimal seating. It gives the cafe a sense of space and serenity, a feeling that is only enhanced by the laid-back, eclectic music selection.

While Rowster is, as the name suggests, a coffee roaster, theyve moved their roasting operation offsite, allowing the cafe to concentrate on the brewing and serving of coffee (retail bags are, of course, available to take home).

The bar area takes up about half of the space, with a low wood-topped counter backed half by chalkboard paint and half by subway tile. A Modbar under-counter espresso machine and pour-over system mean theres no barrier between the customer and the barista preparing their drink, adding to the sense of openness and giving the cafe the feel of a hip cocktail bar or an upmarket diner.

As with all good coffee shops on lively streets, the bar seats in Rowsters huge front window are the ideal spot to while away an afternoon, sipping a draught cold brew or kombucha and watching the denizens of Wealthy St. go about their fashionable lives.

Rowster Coffee has multiple locations around Grand Rapids. Visit their official website and follow them on Facebook Twitter , and Instagram

Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar

A few blocks down Wealthy St. into the East Hills neighborhood sits Squibb Coffee & Wine Bar, artfully blending daytime with nighttime to offer both caffeinated and alcoholic drinks (as well as cheese and various small plates).

Squibb (named for the owners) has a light, airy feel, with white tables and an imposing white bar, atop which squat a Kees Van Der Westen Mirage espresso machine and Mahlkonig PEAK grinder. Exposed ductwork and industrial-chic light fixtures are met with a mural of a giant squid on one wall, for a playful touch.

Coffee is provided by Populace, as well as rotating guest roasters from around the country, and there is also an extensive tea selection courtesy of Rishi Tea. Cheese and charcuterie round out the menu, accompanied by toast and a selection of small plates and snacks.

The combination coffee and wine bar is a smart idea in this part of the world, as during the long Michigan winters customers can come in for a coffee in the morning and happily get snowed in, safe in the knowledge that wine and cheese are available for later on.

The Sparrows Coffee & Tea & Newsstand

The final stop on our Grand Rapids coffee tour is only a block down from Squibb, but has a charm thats all its own. Small, cozy and friendly, The Sparrows is a local landmark in the East Hills neighborhood.

Housed in a standalone former hardware store, The Sparrows has been in business for more than 10 years, and they recently began roasting their own coffee on the west side of town.

The cafe on Wealthy St. is warm and inviting, with high-backed armchairs in the front window and a row of two-top tables running along the wall opposite the bar. A La Marzocco GB5 produces an extensive list of creative specialty and seasonal drinks in addition to the classics.

Where The Sparrows really stands out, however, is in the third part of the name. Along the wall opposite the bar runs a rack of magazines and newspapers, from The Atlantic to Fader and The Detroit Free Pressalthough a sign asks customers to purchase them before reading, implying an awkward conversation in the past.

The Sparrows combination of coffee house and newsstand is both reassuring and necessary, as the role of community spaces becomes ever more important and access to print journalism dwindles. Being able to pick up a local newspaper or political magazine alongside your morning latte is a rare gift, and should be cherished.

Fionn Pooler is a journalist based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the publisher of The Pourover. Read more Fionn Pooler on Sprudge.

Top photo by Rachel Liu.
A bombshell report dropped today out of Germany, where Bild, a popular Berlin-based broadsheet, is reporting on the disturbing Nazi pasts of Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr., whose descendants today own JAB Holdings.

The Washington Post breaks it down in English:

The tabloid Bild, one of Germanys most popular papers, reported that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr., whose family backs JAB Holdings, had significant links to the Third Reich. JAB Holdings is a privately held conglomerate that has investments in a wide portfolio of global companies, among them Peets Coffee, Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper-Snapple. It acquired Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, which owns three national bagel chains  Einstein Bros., Noahs New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel  in 2014.

The report goes on to mention that Herr ReimannSr. died in 1954, Jr. in 1984were anti-Semites and avowed supporters of Adolf Hitler whose businesses benefitted from association with the Third Reich, including the disturbing use of forced labor. Reckoning the German crimes of World War Two in todays business climate remains an ongoing concern for modern German businesses, with WaPo namechecking Hugo Boss, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and others as firms with similar narratives. There are of course many more, including IBM, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola (through the Fanta brand), Kodak, Bayer, and the Associated Press, to name just a few.

For their part here in 2019, JAB is owning up to it, issuing the following statement to Bild (as translated by WaPo):

It is all correct, family spokesman Peter Harf, who is one of two managing partners of JAB Holdings, told Bild. Reimann Senior and Reimann Junior were guilty. The two men have passed away, but they actually belonged in prison.

In 2014 JAB commissioned a historian to learn more, and will publish his findings in a public book upon completion, as per reporting by Business Standard. Harf, the family spokesman, told Business Standard that JAB intends to donate some 10 million Euros (roughly $11 million USD) to a suitable organization as reparations for unpaid labor during the Nazi regime.

JAB was founded in Germany in the 1820s, and today owns a varied portfolio of brands including Clearasil, Calgon, Mucinex, Durex, Woolite, Coty, Dr. Pepper Snapple, and a wide range of coffee and fast casual cafe brands, including Pret a Manger, Caribou, Panera Bread, Krispy Kream, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Keurig Green Mountain, and Peets Coffee and Tea. In recent years theyve extended ownership into the specialty coffee and third wave cafe market, acquiring Stumptown Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, and Mighty Leaf Tea, as well as investing heavily into Trade, the online roaster marketplace based in New York.

This story is developing

Read previous Sprudge reporting on JAB Holdings.

Disclosure: Intelligentsia, Stumptown, and Trade are advertising partners on Sprudge Media Network.
Bashar al-Assad has reiterated that the regime will retake all areas, including Idleb and areas currently controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces writes Al-Araby al-Jadeed.

The Syrian regime has unequivocally declared once again that it will retake the rest of the country by any means it deems necessary, including military force. This demonstrates that, despite all its past claims of being willing to abide by ceasefires and negotiate peace with its many opponents, this was always its intention since the very start of the war. It also potentially means that with over one-third of the country still outside of regime control, these areas, too, could descend into bloody conflict, which could prolong the destructive eight-year-old Syrian war even further.

Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, in a joint press conference with the chiefs of staff of both Iran and Iraq, reiterated the regimes goal of continuing the war if thats whats needed for it to reconquer the entire country.

The Syrian state will regain full control over all of its geography sooner or later, whether through reconciliation or military force. Idlib wont be an exception at all, he declared.

Dubbing the continued US troop presence in the northeast of the country illegal he reaffirmed that: There wont be any area of Syrian soil outside the government control.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stated on multiple occasions in recent years that his aim is to reconquer every inch of the country. This February, he repeated this goal using the exact same phraseology.

Such statements demonstrated Assads clear disregard of the ceasefires his regime agreed to and pressure from world powers for him to reach a conclusive settlement to bring an end to the bloody conflict. In retrospect, and even at the time, it was clear that Damascus played along with the various Geneva peace negotiations simply in order to buy itself more time.

Last year was a year of successive victories for Assads regime. Its forces levelled the opposition bastions of Eastern Ghouta, in Damascus, and Daraa, in the south where the uprising against Assads rule began back in March 2011.

The Syrian dictator was able to focus on one battlefield at a time since he had secured ceasefires with his opponents elsewhere under the Russia-sponsored Astana Agreements de-escalation zones. This enabled him to avoid getting embroiled on multiple fronts simultaneously, as was the case earlier in the war.

Today, there is only one de-escalation zone left in the conflict. That is in the northwestern province of Idlib, which is currently controlled by the jihadist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group.

This month, Russian and Turkish military forces began joint patrols of the demilitarised zone the latter established in the province last September in order to stave off a major regime offensive into Idlib.

In recent weeks Assad, with Russian support, has stepped up airstrikes on Idlib, the most serious and deadly since last fall. Now, it seems, its only a matter of time before he launches an assault on Idlib, which many fear could create another humanitarian crisis since at least three million civilians are still in that province.

Idlib, if not handled carefully, could become the most devastating single battle in the Syrian war since the infamous one that transpired in East Aleppo back in 2016.

Turkey completely failed to adequately contain HTS. The jihadists were able to seize dozens of villages in both Idlib and Aleppo in January, becoming the most powerful and undisputed force on the ground in Idlib.

This all happened in spite of the fact that the Turkish Army has 12 observation posts, established as part of the Idlib de-escalation zone, along Idlibs frontiers and supported and trained a large force of Syrian militiamen, the National Liberation Front (NLF). The NLF promptly reached a ceasefire agreement with HTS following the groups January offensives which essentially amounted to a capitulation.

These current patrols Turkey is conducting with Russia will not likely reverse these territorial losses to HTS nor forestall a regime offensive indefinitely, especially since Russia is actively participating in the aerial bombardment of Idlib once again.

Then there is the one-third of Syria currently under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). While that force has largely focused on combating the Islamic State group (IS), Assad is still adamant they disband and the regime retakes full control of the areas they control, which includes most of the major Syrian-Kurdish territories that gained de-facto autonomy for the first time ever, back in 2012.

The SDF has tried to negotiate with the regime on at least two occasions since last summer. These talks never made any real progress. Damascus is opposed to the mere idea of discussing autonomy or any form of decentralisation with Kurdish-led forces.

In the long-term, this probably means that the SDFs only two real options are to either surrender or try and fight the regime. The SDF, for its part, opposes any military solution since they say that will lead to more losses and destruction and difficulties for the Syrian people.

Syrian-Kurdish authorities also slammed Ayyoubs latest statement.

The use of threatening language against the Syrian Democratic Forces, which liberated and protected all of northern and eastern Syria from the terrorist forces, only serves the forces that are working to divide Syrias unity, they said, adding that Ayyoubs position reflects the continuation of the sterile racist policies that led Syria to this catastrophic situation.

Assad was unambiguous about his goals for SDF-controlled areas in Syria back in May 2018 during an uncritical interview with Russia Today. He stated that his regime would first try to negotiate with the SDF, by which he more likely than not meant the terms of the groups surrender, and if that failed he would resort to military force. He also dismissed the American military presence in those SDF-controlled areas, insisting he would take action there with the Americans, or without the Americans.

More recently, in his statements this February, Assad, in a message clearly directed at the SDF, warned against any group in the country counting on American protection.

Given his unwillingness to consider any reasonable compromise or peace settlement Assads hell-bent goal to reconquer all of Syria and re-subjugate its population under his rule could see the war drag on into the 2020s.

Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Rebel commanders, under the protection of Turkey, have been raking in large sums of money, which has been stolen from residents and aid groups reports Etihad Press.

Areas of northern Syria under the control of Turkish forces and allied rebel groups have, over the last few months, seen the opening of real estate and trade bureaus by individuals linked to rebel group commanders, who laid down arms and left their positions in the Damascus countryside, Hama and Homs to join up with the Turkish army in Afrin, Jarablus and al-Bab.

Influential figures in rebel groups use these institutions to launder the money they have illegitimately gained during the war. These figures have amassed huge sums from various foreign entities under the pretext of aid for civilians, which they have then kept for themselves.

The most important source of these funds has been commanders of the Turkey-allied factions looting and stealing from the residents of Afrin, as well as stealing public and private property in the areas under their control, as well as imposing tolls and taking part in smuggling and prohibited trade.

Rebel group commanders are trying to launder this money through fake companies in anticipation of any emergency that could upset the situation in northern Syria.

The companies that have become known for money laundering include the Abdel Momen company, established by Abou Omar and Abou Nouman Kibritu, as well as Abou Qassi al-Irani and his manager Abou Ali Hadeed Kabriteh, who changed his name to Mohamed al-Shami and was a commander in Jaish al-Islam in eastern Ghouta, where the company was established to steal funds that were coming as aid to Ghouta residents.

The Jaish al-Islam leader known as Abou Essam al-Buwaydani opened a camel farm near the village of Basouta in the northwestern Aleppo countryside after taking it from its owners. Buwaydani took control of another farm near the village of Kafr Shil, near Afrin, and has about 300 heads of camel.

A Commander in the Muatassim Billah militia, known as Muatassim Abbas, opened a farm for deer in the Afrin area, in addition to dealing drugs and stimulant pills in areas under Jabhat al-Nusras influence and those controlled by the Turkish army.

The investments of these war merchants enjoy full protection from Turkish-allied factions in coordination with Turkish officers in exchange for a high portion of the profits.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
While the return of Syria to the Arab League has not been tabled for the summit next month, the ongoing situation in the country will be discussed writes Hurriya Press.

The Arab League announced, through its Secretary-General Mahmound Afifi, that the return of Syria (the Assad regime) had not yet been included on the agenda for the Tunisia summit.

Afifi said that the agenda included about 20 projects and issues, headed by the Palestinian issue and the situations in Syria, Libya and Yemen, as well as supporting peace and development in Sudan, and Iranian interference in Arab countries affairs.

He added that there was an item related to displaced people in Arab countries, especially Iraqis, included at Baghdads request, adding that other items could be introduced during the course of preparatory meetings.

On Sunday, Afifi announced in a press conference, held with a media delegation accompanying a delegation of the General Secretariat of the Arab League at the summit, that the issue of Syrias return was not included on the agenda, and that so far, no party had officially proposed it, but that there would be discussion of the Syrian crisis.

In response to questions about US President Donald Trump announcing in a tweet that the time had come to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, Afifi said that, the resolutions of ministerial meetings and Arab summits confirm the Arab and Syrian nature of the Golan in accordance with the Security Council resolution issued in 1981.

He continued, It is possible in light of the recent development for Arab countries to call for a new addition to the draft resolution pertaining to the Golan based on what is emerging.

The summit, which is scheduled for next month, will discuss the Turkish intervention in northern Iraq and Iranian occupation of Emirati islands, as well as support for Somalia and follow up on the matter of developing an Arab national security organization.

The Arab League halted the membership of Syria (the Assad regime) in November 2011 in response to pressure from several Arab countries given the conflict in the country.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
A host of countries have criticised US President Donald Trump, for his decision to call for the recognition of the Syrian Golan as Israeli land writes SANA.

US President Donald Trumps provocative statements on the occupied Syrian Golan drew a storm of international condemnations and criticism, as many states and parties asserted their rejection of these reckless statements, and at the same time they expressed adherence to the relevant international resolutions, which assert that the Golan have always been and will always remain a part of Syria.

Russia strongly condemned the statements through the Kremlin, the National Security Council and the Foreign Ministry, affirming that they threaten stability in the region.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the Golan is Syrian territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967 and that the statements by the US President, disregard international law.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned Trumps statements describing them as illegitimate and unacceptable. It asserted that the statements dont change the natural belonging of the Golan, and they clearly prove the failure of the bargaining policies and the righteousness of the resistance and its steadfastness in the face of the hostile and expansionist nature of the US and the Zionist entity.

Britain affirmed that the Syrian Golan is land occupied by Israel since 1967, indicating that it has no plans to change its stance on that.

A spokesman from the British Foreign Office said in a statement quoted by Reuters that, The UK views the Golan Heights as territory occupied by Israel, asserting that the, Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law, including the UN Charter. We did not recognize Israels annexation in 1981 and have no plans to change our position, the statement added.

In turn, the European Union slammed Trumps statements, affirming that its stance has never changed and that according to international law, Israels sovereignty over the lands which it occupied in 1967 is not recognized.

Germany, also condemned Trumps statements, asserting that the Golan is land occupied by Israel and that the German Government rejects the unilateral steps.

German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, renewed his countrys stance that the Golan is Syrian land occupied by Israel, slamming Trumps statements.

Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said that his countrys stance regarding the occupied Syrian Golan has not changed.

Suga said in statements broadcasted by Japanese TBC TV that the policy of the government has not changed and the Japanese stance does not recognize the Israeli annexation of the occupied Syrian Golan.

On Saturday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry affirmed that US President Donald Trumps statements contradict international law.

The Ministrys Spokesman, Ahmed al-Sahhaf, said in a statement quoted by Al-Sumaria News that Trumps statements, give legitimacy to the occupation and they contradict international law.

In the same context, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry affirmed that the Golan is Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, indicating that Trumps resolutions on the Golan are a blatant violation of international law and legitimacy.

In a statement quoted by the Wafa News Agency, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry added that these statements are representative of their approach to the occupation and the arrogance adopted by the US and Israel and an attempt by the Trump administration to change the world order and to control it.

Syrias Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York and informed him of the Syrian Arab Republics stance that rejects and condemns the statements made by US President Donald Trump, through which he expressed his intention to recognize Israels sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Arab Golan.

Jaafari affirmed that the US administration doesnt have any right or authority to decide the fate of the occupied Syrian Golan and that any US measure that attacks the right of the Syrian Arab Republic to restore occupied land and practice its sovereignty is an illegitimate act that has no effect and is a breach of the US obligations towards the provisions of the UN Charter and international law.

Jaafari called upon the Secretary General to issue an official unambiguous stance in which he affirms the firm stance of the UN towards the issue of the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan.

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
What didnt kill his presidency wont necessarily make it stronger. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

Robert Mueller wont save the American republic from itself. For the moment, we do not have access to the special counsels report on Russian intervention in the 2016 election. It is possible that that documents fine details will prove damaging for Donald Trump. But its principal conclusions  as summarized by Attorney General William Barr  have not. According to Barrs letter to Congress, the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its efforts to sway the 2016 election despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. And while Mueller did find evidence to support the claim that our president committed obstruction of justice, he did not find said evidence persuasive enough to make a conclusion himself. Instead, he left that prosecutorial decision to Donald Trumps attorney general, who made precisely the decision that one would expect.

None of this should obscure the fact that Muellers investigation had previously produced criminal convictions of the presidents former campaign manager, national security adviser, longtime personal attorney, among others in his extended orbit. Nor should it banish from memory Donald Trump Jr.s eager acceptance of an offer of aid from the Russian government, or his fathers decision to pursue a development project in Moscow while campaigning on an aberrantly Russia-friendly platform, or the presidents repeated insistence that Vladimir Putins word was more truthworthy than the CIAs, or the myriad other undisputed acts that would, in normal political times, be seen as presidency-defining scandals, in and of themselves.

But it probably will.

The (non-Fox News) cable medias financial incentives led it to inflate expectations about what the Mueller report would reveal, and some Democratic lawmakers encouraged the hype. Meanwhile, Mueller ostensibly took a narrow interpretation of his mandate, failed to prove the most sensational (and improbable) of the allegations against Trump, and refused to draw any conclusion about the most mundane and plausible one. Now, the president will declare vindication, the mainstream media will likely perform acts of contrition, and Nancy Pelosis caucus will have to reevaluate how it wishes to approach a scandal that has now been formally declared a nothingburger.

This is not ideal for the Democratic Party. But it also doesnt strike me as a very big deal for it, either. Put aside the fact that the Southern District of New York is still pursuing investigations of the president, and that we still havent gotten a firsthand glimpse of Muellers findings. Lets say the conventional wisdom hardens, and the whole Trump-Russia thing goes down as a dud. I dont think the outlook for 2020 becomes much different than it was three days ago.

A Mueller report that recommended criminal charges against the president or his family surely would have put wind in Team Blues sails. But the absence of such a report is unlikely to durably improve the presidents public standing. Trumps approval rating has been both remarkably low  and remarkably stable  throughout his time in office. Stock market dips and high-profile legislative failures have occasionally pushed it just under 40 percent. When the president shuts up for a few days, and allows the electorate to focus on the tightening labor market, it ticks up two or three points above 40 percent. But the ceiling on his approval appears sturdy and low. As of late January, 57 percent of voters said they would definitely not support Trump in 2020.

And the president doesnt need a special counsels help to provide such voters with fresh reasons to fear and loathe him. On Sunday afternoon, Trump could have taken Muellers findings as an opportunity to appeal to his softer skeptics by reinforcing the impression that the Fake News media had defamed him  and that he is, in truth, far more normal and reasonable a president than hes previously appeared. Instead, he called for an investigation into his political rivals.

Trump continued his attacks on the Mueller probe even while hailing its apparent findings: "It began illegally. And hopefully somebody's going to look at the other side. This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully somebody's going to be looking at the other side."  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 24, 2019

The vast majority of Americans already know whether they will be voting for or against Donald Trump in 2020. And macroeconomic conditions will do more to determine where the undecideds land than any single news event. In October 2016, the American electorate listened to Donald Trump brag about grabbing women by their genitals without permission. Many American voters suddenly changed their minds about the Republican nominee, and Hillary Clinton opened up a commanding lead in opinion polls. It took less than two weeks for the publics memory of that incident to fade, and for polls to revert to their long-running average. Today is March, 24, 2019. It does not seem plausible that a notably uninteresting report released today will have any significant impact on the vote tally on November 3, 2020.

Nevertheless, Democrats do have some thinking to do about how to proceed. They will, of course, demand the release of Muellers full report. But many in Pelosis caucus have already expressed a neurotic anxiety about appearing too partisan in their oversight of the Trump administration. And to the extent that Trump succeeds in spinning Muellers report as exoneration, House Democrats may become even more timid in their probes of the presidents taxes, business practices, and myriad acts of apparent corruption.

This would be a mistake. As I (and my colleague Jonathan Chait) have previously written, Trumps greatest vulnerability was never his supposed fealty to the Kremlins geopolitical interests, but rather, his actual fealty to the financial interests of himself, his family, and his economic class. The immediate victim of Russias interference in the 2016 election was Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party; the immediate victims of Trumps documented tax-dodging efforts were middle-class taxpayers. The victims of his decision to outsource governance of the VA to his friends from Mar-a-Lago were American veterans. The victims of his administrations gutting of consumer protection, environmental, and labor regulations are wide swathes of the American public. These latter, non-Russia scandals have always been more politically promising. They deal with issues that are directly relevant to the general public, and they directly undermine the presidents chosen political persona. Candidate Trump did not pretend to have hawkish views on U.S. policy toward Russia, or a commitment to scrupulous campaign tactics. But he did campaign as a populist who would challenge the global elite that had robbed our working class. Democrats should use their control over the House to investigate scandals that draw attention to the presidents venality, and dutiful service to the Davos set.

If Democrats fear that Muellers report has damaged their credibility  and that another high-profile probe that leads nowhere could hurt their party further  they could start by investigating the tax crimes that have already been publicly documented. According to the New York Times, the Trump family cheated the federal government out of hundreds of millions in revenue. Surely, this fact has enough implications for tax enforcement policy to justify some televised hearings.

More broadly, past precedent suggests that you dont need to prove your political rival has done something wrong to derive a benefit from investigating their supposed misdeeds. Despite the fact that their years-long investigation of Benghazi produced no evidence that Hillary Clinton had committed any wrongdoing, the mere existence of the probe was sufficient to persuade a large segment of the public that Clinton was personally responsible for the deaths of American soldiers overseas.

In May 2016, a poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found that a majority of independent voters  and a sizable minority of Democrats  believed that it was either definitely or possibly true that Hillary Clinton knew the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi was going to be attacked and did nothing to protect it.

Illustration: The Washington Post

If House investigations of baseless conspiracy theories can be politically effective, probes of well-established scandals (like his tax dodging, or fraudulent university, or profiteering off the presidency) would presumably be the same.

All of which is to say: Muellers apparent dud does not change the fact that Donald Trump is a weak president. And if Democrats take todays events as an opportunity to focus more tightly on publicizing Trumps purely domestic scandals, he may soon be an even weaker one.

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The Net has described me as a 'mad scientist of RPG blogging,' and a 'Quixotic bastard' ... and also 'the most gonzo - and the grouchiest - old school DM.'









Began playing Dungeons and Dragons at the age of 15, forty-one years ago. I am a steadfast AD&D gamer, but I have made so many changes to the original system that my present model is something of a Frankenstein's monster of role-playing design. I continue to make new changes every day to my game's structure and function.
...the view from the sidewalks of Minneapolis and Saint Paul...
The architecture of the Elman neural network-based system for recommending internship placements. Credit: Permana & Pradnyana.

Choosing an internship placement is a key step for many students, as an internship can have a substantial impact on their professional development. Researchers at Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, in Indonesia, have recently developed an AI-based recommendation system that can allocate students to internship placements that best match their skills and aspirations.

After completing their degree, students often struggle to figure out their next step, due to a lack of confidence in their skills or familiarity with the job market. Universities often guide students at the beginning of their career by recommending internship programs that are aligned with their skills and interests.

A successful internship placement can play a crucial role in a student's career, helping her to gain confidence and become familiar with the reality of her chosen work environment. On the other hand, a poorly chosen placement can result in the student losing confidence in herself or wasting time in a workplace that is not aligned with her skills.

With this in mind, the team of researchers at Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha set out to develop a recommendation system that could assist graduating students in choosing a suitable internship placement. Their system uses a recurrent artificial neural network (ANN) they call the Elman neural network to analyze test results of individual students and determine the placement that best matches their competencies.

In this test, the students provide information about their skills, grades, aspirations and interests. The same students also complete a questionnaire called the Inventory Personal Survey, which assesses their attitude and behavior.

"Students only need to fill the questionnaire and take the test," the researchers explained in their paper. "The data obtained from the test and questionnaire are then processed by an ANN."

The researchers trained and tested their system using information collected from a sample of students who were applying for internships after completing their course. Their evaluations gathered highly promising results, with the system achieving an accuracy level of 95 percent in identifying the internship placements that were ultimately assigned to the students.

"Based on the results of our tests, the system can recognize the training data and testing data well," the researchers wrote. "The system can provide recommendations for internship placements, such as software house, multimedia, networking or an administrational job for new students who are seeking internships that match their competencies."

The system developed by the researchers could prove very useful at Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, allowing staff to hand out internship recommendations more quickly and efficiently. To ensure that their technique generalizes well across a larger student population, however, the researchers might need to carry out further studies with a larger training dataset.

Until now, their system has primarily been used to provide placement recommendations for informatics students, but it could potentially be extended to other fields of studies. In the future, other research groups might also draw inspiration from this study and develop similar recommendations systems for other institutions.

More information: A A J Permana et al. Recommendation Systems for internship place using artificial intelligence based on competence, Journal of Physics: Conference Series (2019). A A J Permana et al. Recommendation Systems for internship place using artificial intelligence based on competence,(2019). DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/1165/1/012007

 2019 Science X Network
Attorney General William Barr. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

The summary of Robert Muellers report, given to Congress by Attorney General William Barr, asserts that President Trump engaged in a number of actions that impeded the investigation. At the same time, it concludes that Trumps campaign did not criminally conspire with Russia during the 2016 campaign. Barr seizes upon the latter point  no criminal collusion  to dismiss the former point. While Mueller punted on whether Trump broke the law, Barr decided to deem his conduct not a crime. The absence of such evidence bears upon the Presidents intent with respect to obstruction, write Barr. No underlying crime, he argues, means no obstruction.

Barrs logic is upside down. He is saying the finding of no criminal collusion undermines the findings that Trump obstructed justice. In fact, the obstruction undermines the findings of no criminal collusion.

Mueller has apparently found no criminal collusion between Trump and Russia, a finding that is hardly shocking. As Trumps defenders have pointed out, collusion is not a crime. There are crimes that fall under the category of collusion  many former prosecutors have theorized that Mueller could indict Trump or his campaign under a conspiracy charge. Mueller did not find evidence strong enough to prove in a court of law, and possibly not at all.

It is bizarre, however, to spend two years insisting collusion is not a crime and then turn around and call the absence of crimes proof that there was no collusion. Of course Trump colluded with Russia. He literally went on camera and asked Russia to hack Hillary Clintons emails, promising that Russia would be rewarded by the American media, and Russia responded to this request by attempting a hack to steal Clintons emails that very day. Trumps campaign aides repeatedly welcomed and sought out Russian assistance. His campaign manager passed on 75 pages of intricate polling data to a Russian operative during the campaign. And he did all this while secretly pursuing a lucrative business deal with Russia.

To define this nexus of communication and shared mission as something other than collusion is to define the term in a way that nobody would have accepted before this scandal began.

As I wrote recently, The unanswered questions here center on how much deeper this cooperation goes, and what laws might have been tripped. Apparently, the answer is none. And there is no reason to doubt either Muellers finding he found no criminal collusion, nor Barrs unequivocal summary. However, the notion that the lack of evidence absolves Trump cannot possibly be squared with the steps he has taken to obstruct justice.

Barrs summary does not detail all the obstruction (or perhaps, obstruction-like) steps Trump has taken, but it does note many took place in public. The most damning was his repeated encouragement of his campaign lieutenants not to cooperate with Muellers investigation. His lawyer reportedly dangled pardons for Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, and there is almost no doubt the prospect of a pardon encouraged Roger Stone to stay strong.

People who want to demonstrate their innocence make displays of cooperation with investigators. They promise to tell them everything they know, and encourage their subordinates to do the same. Trump did the opposite. He refused to give the special counsel an interview. He used his pardon power to encourage his subordinates to withhold cooperation.

This behavior obviously does not prove that Stone and Manafort implicated their former boss. It might have been a successful cover-up, or it might have been behavior that looked like a cover-up yet lacked an underlying offense. The point is that his flamboyant refusal to cooperate deprives Trump of any claim to having been cleared. As Trump stated repeatedly, he considers obstruction of justice just a term to describe fighting back.

Trump hired Barr for the role after Barr wrote a private memo attacking the obstruction of justice component of the Mueller investigation, and discussed the memo with Trump before his nomination. Now Barr has followed through on the position that he laid out, and which apparently recommended him for the job. Congress obviously cannot take Barrs summary of Muellers findings as the final word, and will demand to see the entire thing.

By Trumps own terms (and apparently Barrs), he fought back and won. That, however, is not the same as being exonerated. In fact, it precludes it.

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This Is Why You Gotta Love The Lovesac Company

The Lovesac Company Comfortably Beats The Consensus The Lovesac Company (NASDAQ: LOVE) is a story-within-a-story that we see accelerating its hyper-growth over the course of the next year. Not only is the furniture industry benefiting from strong tailwinds put in place by the pandemic but it is a growing concern within the industry.

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Thousands protest in Times Square to support Robert Muellers investigation on November 8, 2018. Photo: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Its Mueller time at last. The Special Counsel completed his report on Friday, and Attorney General William Barr submitted his findings to Congress on Sunday afternoon. Though weve yet to see the full report, the initial news seems positive for the Trump administration. Barrs four-page letter claims that Robert Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Conservatives promptly celebrated, as did Trump, who claimed in a tweet that hed been exonerated by the report.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

For months, liberals and never-Trumpers alike had longed for a more dramatic conclusion to the Mueller investigation. Now it looks like they expected too much from the Special Counsel, and forgot that the path to justice is often circuitous. The investigations limitations were clear from the start, but that did not prevent it from occupying pride of place in many imaginations.

and, um, also we have shirts (can you tell we were ready for this?) https://t.co/fD1x3ojdNM pic.twitter.com/R5H2HjiPoH  Ezra Levin (@ezralevin) March 22, 2019

The t-shirts, the prayer candles, the protest signs, book-length tweet storms: they all look like symptoms of a kind of civic religious fervor in retrospect. The norms would hold  indeed, must hold, or so many seemed to believe. Mueller would provide Congress the tools it needed to take down Trump and our national nightmare would be over at last.

This was always a fantasy, dependent on the whims of a Trump-appointed attorney general and limited by the reasons for Trumps victory. Its early yet, and we may ultimately conclude that Barr sidestepped his legal responsibilities by dismissing evidence that Trump obstructed justice, as Marcy Wheeler argued on Sunday afternoon. But even if the DOJ had decided to pursue new indictments, we would be left, still, with political problems the government is in no position to resolve. As damaging as new indictments would be to Trumps chances for re-election, they would not strip away the white nationalism that made him president. The Russian government did not plant racism and jingoism in American hearts.

Thus, Barrs inaction does not alter the bedrock facts of our situation. It does not rebut the case for impeachment. The Mueller investigation had proven to be a story of legitimate importance months ago; the probe produced indictments that reveal profound corruption at the highest levels of power. Whatever the full text of the report shows, it wont diminish the urgency of our political crisis. We already knew that Trump had likely committed tax fraud, that corruption infects his inner circle and his administration. More to the point, we already knew that he was a bigot whose temperament, antipathy for the poor, and hostility to the human rights of immigrants made him unfit for the office of president. The Mueller investigation did not concern itself with those matters. The FBI was never in any position to rescue Americans from the full threat Trump poses to their liberties.

So we occupy the same position today that we did on Friday. Even if the report had somehow led to the removal of Trump from office, the forces that made Trump president would persist. America would be just as unequal and as violent as its always been, damaged by the same inequalities that our norms failed to prevent and even helped to flourish. Change will not come from the pen of Robert Mueller, but through mass movement and electoral change. Theres no point in waiting for a savior.
By: Diana Norberto Fontanez has reason. My page at lareinadelmercadeo.com was a site full of content, with files of my newsletters, and comprehensive to meet visitors who click and read like. But why I changed? And you should do the same? It all depends, but let's look at the following using an a Web page web page is excellent for sharing information with your visitors. We have articles, free reports, section with testimonials, contact forms, etc. All you need to position yourself in front of your customers and make more sales. Some examples: A beauty salon can use your page to include photos of before and after their customers. An accountant may include educational articles that position you as an expert. A consultant can use your page with the same purpose.



Every entrepreneur can use the page with similar purposes. More information is housed here: Larry Culp. > offer similar insights. The question would be what is your goal? Already know mine. That visitors give me your email to add it to my list (newsletter) to start a professional relationship. Although my previous website did the same, only 12% of visitors became subscribers. Nothing bad. 100 Visitors, 12 are converted to subscribers. But I want more because I know that if I increase the percentage, increase my sales, right? And it was there I started to test the use of a landing page. And what was what I found? A landing page before, I explain briefly.



A landing page is a single page where there are links to other areas of your website. The only goal you want to achieve with that landing page is the person to take a specific action. Look at its different uses: report free a. promote a free report, the person is pre-qualifies (only want potential customers), it gives you your email and start to send you a newsletter (or gives you your postal address and send a printed newsletter). B. promote a free report, the person gives you your phone and make a call tracking. C. promote a free report, the person gives you your postal address and give you follow-up with a series of letters written. D. promote a free report, the person gives you your email, you positions through the report and send it to your sales letter. Simple! You want a specific action and a landing page will help you with that goal. There are many uses for the landing pages, but these I have mentioned are its most frequent uses. Have what results I have had with the use of a landing page? Since I made the change, the percentage rose from 12% to 26.4%. More readers, more sales! That is by using my home page. You can modify to increase it, but my page is divided into so many portals that anyone visit (not attract 100% of pre-qualified individuals). Now using the same strategy, I'm having a 57.2% conversion with a special domain that my Wizard inserts into my articles (the visitor is more pre-qualified). Paying advertising to through Facebook, I'm having a 22.1% conversion. Should you use a landing page? It all depends on the lens you have, but if you have a specific goal such as those you mentioned, maybe the use of a landing page should try to see if it is more efficient.
Photo-Illustration: Konstantin Sergeyev/Intelligencer; Source Images: Le Mon/Getty Images (thief); Yichuan Cao/NurPhoto (building)

Hypothetical question for you, just hear me out: If a stranger asked you for a million dollars, would you just give it to them? Personally speaking, I would not. This is in part because I do not have a million dollars, but also because Id want to know a bit more about to whom I was giving a million dollars, which is a large sum of money.

Of course, others might have different perspectives on the matter. Large companies like Facebook and Google have millions of dollars to throw around willy-nilly. Apparently you can just ask for it (sort of). Last week, Lithuanian national Evaldas Rimasauskas pleaded guilty to wire fraud for tricking both of those companies into giving him more than $100 million in total. He faces up to 30 years in prison for the scheme.

Rimasauskas was indicted two years ago by the Justice Department as part of a criminal ring in which phishing scammers pretended to be Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese manufacturer that does business with Facebook and Google. The plan involved sending the tech companies invoices made to look like they were from Quanta, and having the companies wire the money to phony bank accounts overseas. According to Bloomberg, Rimasauskas admitted last week to creating fake bank accounts in Latvia and Cyprus to receive the scammed proceeds, and signing fake contracts and documents that were submitted to banks to support the wire transfers. He also incorporated a company in Latvia also named Quanta.

The operation extracted $23 million from Google in 2013 and $98 million from Facebook in 2015. Google says it has recouped the funds, and Facebook said it also recovered the bulk of the funds, per Bloomberg. Well, thank goodness.
On Monday, Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri welcomed the president of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Tsereteli, the president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), is on an official state visit.

He was welcomed by Grand Duke Henri at the Grand Ducal palace.
Passengers on a BA flight from London City to Dusseldorf were rather surprised to find themselves landing in Edinburgh, and the pilot had no explanation.

Passengers aboard the flight only realised the error when they landed and an announcement welcomed them to Edinburgh, which, while a lovely city, is a destination none of them had in mind when they bought tickets to Dusseldorf.

The flight has since been 'redirected' to Dusseldorf, according to information obtained by the BBC, but there is no information as to how many passengers were affected.

I have fallen asleep, missed my stop and woken up at the end of the district line before. This morning I never expected to wake up from my Dusseldorf bound flight...in Edinburgh! @British_Airways #BritishAirways #BA3271  Peter James-Hamilton (@PJamesHamilton) March 25, 2019

A passenger on board the flight also told the BBC that fellow passengers asked the crew whether they were joking, which they were not. At this point passengers were asked to raise their hands if they wanted to go to Dusseldorf, which unsurprisingly they all did.

The plane remained on the tarmac in Edinburgh for 2.5 hours before taking off to its actual destination, and according to the above passenger they ran out of snacks and the toilets were blocked.

BA says that the plane was not lost at any point, but that the paperwork had said Edinburgh. The reasons for this are unclear.

"Diverted" to Edinburgh

In response to a passenger query, BA tweeted that the plane had been "diverted" to Edinburgh for unknown reasons:

The flight has been diverted to Edinburgh, we don't have any information as to why at the moment. There is an estimated departure time of 10:30 from Edinburgh to make way to Dusseldorf. Sarah  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019

However, the passenger was quick to question this choice of words and noted that it appeared more like a mistake than a diversion:

This feels like an honest mistake rather than a diversion. The crew was convinced of the Edinburgh flight path from the get-go...  Son Tran (@sontrantuan) March 25, 2019

At this point, BA acknowledged that they did not have any information on what happened:

We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. As we've previously advised we don't have currently have any information on this. However, we do know that there is an estimated departure at 10:30. Kieran  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019
Trumps fans feel vindicated and vengeful. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

Anyone looking ahead to the 2020 presidential election before this last weekend almost certainly had a mental asterisk attached to her or his analysis based on the possibility that Robert Muellers investigation would produce something devastating to the presidency of Donald Trump. No one knew, of course, if it would represent an immediate threat to Trumps tenure in office or simply a thumb on the scales against his reelection prospects. But the possibility that the Mueller report would leave Trump unscathed was a decidedly minority expectation (probably even among Republicans, despite all the public blustering about a witch hunt).

Now that it appears the Mueller report will supply, at best, thin gruel for those feeding on dreams of impeachment, and may at least temporarily quell discussion of presidential crimes, the question must be asked: Did the odds of Trumps reelection actually just significantly rise?

That is certainly the spin being promoted by the president himself, who directly tied the release of Bill Barrs summary of the Mueller report to his 2020 campaign slogan:

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

More objective analysts werent so sure:

Maybe this time will be different... Maybe it will motivate the GOP to vote... but tbh, Trump has a 90% approval rating with the GOP. We're well over a year away, and if u ain't motivated for the prez election... I'm not sure you'll be motivated ever for an election.  (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) March 25, 2019

Theres also the little matter of Trumps habit of overplaying good news and hurting himself:

There's some speculation about whether Barr's letter will help Trump's job approval. My guess is no, and quite possibly the opposite, as he has a tendency to step on his applause lines by feeling emboldened to say/do something counterproductive. But we'll see. https://t.co/xyUgc2CfY8  Sean T at RCP (@SeanTrende) March 25, 2019

In a rare data-free observation, Nate Silver suggests that a Mueller whiff really just removes some scenarios that were potentially disastrous for Trump:

What we can say, however, is that a number of really bad outcomes have been removed from the table for Trump:

* Theres no previously unknown smoking gun linking Trump to Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 campaign. * Trump wasnt indicted, and none of his family members were indicted. * Trump didnt pardon anyone before the investigation concluded. *Trump didnt fire Mueller.

Removing these extremely negative outcomes is a pretty big win for Trump. It isnt quite the same as predicting that hell gain immediate political upside from the conclusion of the investigation; it wouldnt surprise me at all if his approval rating goes up by a couple of percentage points, for instance, but it also wouldnt surprise me if it doesnt.

What this development almost certainly does mean, however, is a recalibration of both parties 2020 strategy and message. As my colleague Eric Levitz argues, the fizzling of the Mueller investigation (if thats what we are in the process of witnessing) clears the way for Democrats to focus on more politically salient examples of presidential malfeasance:

Trumps greatest vulnerability was never his supposed fealty to the Kremlins geopolitical interests, but rather, his actual fealty to the financial interests of himself, his family, and his economic class. The immediate victim of Russias interference in the 2016 election was Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party; the immediate victims of Trumps documented tax-dodging efforts were middle-class taxpayers. The victims of his decision to outsource governance of the VA to his friends from Mar-a-Lago were American veterans. The victims of his administrations gutting of consumer protection, environmental, and labor regulations are wide swathes of the American public. These latter, non-Russia scandals have always been more politically promising.

You could also argue that Democrats will now find it easier to stress policy differences with the president and his party. Even if Trump was (to consider a laughable hypothetical) a model of probity, his own policy agenda, his hostility to deeply held national values, his partys deeply unpopular long-range goals, and his sheer recklessness would all make him vulnerable to a reelection defeat.

It should also not be forgotten that all the exultant raging from Trump and his supporters right now will free Democrats of any illusion that 2020 will be a cakewalk. With a Trump reelection now looking significantly more feasible than it did just last week, Democrats may begin considering in painful detail the catastrophic consequences of a second Trump term, and adjust the tone and conduct of their own nomination contest accordingly. The wolf is now most definitely at the door, howling in anticipation of a rich feast that his intended victims can no longer risk serving up via damaging internecine conflict.

For Team Trump, the Mueller Fizzle (again, if thats what it is) reinforces the already central message to the presidents base that by dint of his destructive skills he is overcoming enormous odds to defy the arrogant elites who despise the sturdy Middle American virtues he is defending. A second Trump term, they will be told in a thousand explicit and implicit ways, could truly turn back the clock and restore the era of American Greatness before deracinated globalists and uppity feminists and minorities began to ruin everything. Conventional Republicans who have been quietly hedging their bets in the anticipation that Mueller might bring Trump down will now grit their teeth and commit themselves to their conqueror without reservation.

Now more than ever, 2020 will be a high-stakes battle of intensely motivated partisans representing different understandings of the American past and present and different visions of the countrys future, with the 45th president remaining an object of adoration for some and deep loathing for others. Robert Mueller did not, after all, provide an easy path out of the Trump presidency. The hard path, which will conclude either 19 months from now or an eternity later, is now likely unavoidable.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) denounces some 20 countries, where virginity certificates are still a common practice. Luxembourg is not one of them.

Nancy Kemp-Arendt, MP for CSV, looked into the matter after hearing that Belgian doctors were discontinuing the practice of providing virginity certificates.

WHO lists some 20 countries, where virginity certificates are still practised: it includes Afghanistan, Brasil, Morocco and South Africa, but also the Netherlands, Canada and Belgium.

Minister of Health, Etienne Schneider, examined the report and confirmed that Luxembourg is not on the list of countries where virginity tests were carried out. However, he does add that even if the practice has not been documented in Luxembourg, this doesn't mean that individual doctors might not be carrying out virginity tests and providing women or their relatives with virginity certificates.

In agreement with the international science and medical community, the Ministry of Health considers it to be scientifically proven that no medical exam can reliably prove whether a woman is a virgin or not, and that such tests can have a negative impact on women's physical and mental health.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of India's poorest families if Congress comes to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The scheme will benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals directly, according to Gandhi. "After doing all the calculations several times, we have found that this scheme is fiscally possible," Gandhi said while addressing a press conference today. Gandhi said that the Congress would implement the scheme in a phased manner and it would benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals. Gandhi did not go into the details, but claimed the scheme was possible to execute. Gandhi confidently said Congress would remove poverty from the country with the new scheme if it came to power.

BusinessToday.In analysis of Rahul Gandhi's announcement:

Allotting Rs 72,000 per annum to 5 crore families would translate into a burden of Rs 3.60 lakh crore on the exchequer and amounts to around 13 per cent of the Rs 27,84,200 crore budgeted expenditure for 2019-20.

This figure of Rs 3.60 lakh crore is slightly more than the entire corpus of funds Narendra Modi has set aside for centrally sponsored schemes in 2019-20. The Narendra Modi government has laid down budgetary allocation of Rs 3. 27 lakh crore for the Centre-sponsored programmes during the next fiscal.

It will be about 2 per cent of the total GDP of India. This means that either India will have to go back on its fiscal discipline path, or find resources by curtailing other welfare measures.

Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress has studied the financial implications of the scheme and has consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising the scheme.

Earlier today, the Congress Working Committee met to finalise the manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The manifesto is being framed by a committee headed by P Chidambaram.

Follow BusinessToday.In live blog for more updates about the scheme:

07:45pm: FM Arun Jaitley says, referring to the Congress party, "You have misled the country on issue of poverty for 50 years. Even after giving that slogan (garibi hatao) if today you think that 20% people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country."

07:44pm: "The latest announcement of the Congress party if tested on simple arithmetic then Rs 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress party - a bluff announcement," said FM Jaitley.

07:43pm: Arun Jaitley: Today most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000/ month. The minimum starting salary in govt after the 7th CPC is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42%.

07:35pm: FM Jaitley says: Nehruvian model stagnated growth. Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 & just redistributed poverty. The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance & economic model of the Congress Party.

Nehruvian model stagnated growth. Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 & just redistributed poverty. The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance & economic model of the Congress Party. - Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) March 25, 2019

07:30pm: "Indira ji won election in 1971 on 'gareebi hatao' but she didn't take the necessary steps to remove poverty. She did not believe in increased productivity, she did not believe in generation of wealth, she only believed in redistribution of poverty," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

06:00pm: Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) slams Rahul Gandhi for his Rs 72,000 promise. "It is deeply regretted that Mr Gandhi forgot to announce the source of such a whopping fund and it makes us to believe that this burden will fall on tax payers, if his party comes to power. It is a declaration which has been made without applying any mind just for greed of votes. It's ironic that loan waiver, other freebies burden always falls on the section that pays tax and gets nothing in return. It has become a fashion to impose all burden on tax payers for fulfilling unrealistic declarations. Mr Gandhi has become an expert in making high but lofty declarations," said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

05:20pm: "Congress gave CM seat to us even when we won 37 seats. With support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi we formed government here. I'll campaign everywhere in state. I'll also go to Andhra, Chandrababu Naidu also invited me. We're secular parties, wherever required I'll go," says HD Deve Gowda.

05:05pm: "The work that PM Modi has done for women empowerment and his thoughts towards women, is evident. He has put women in leading portfolios, he has also worked extensively for the 'divyangs'," said Paralympian Deepa Malik.

Also read: Rahul Gandhi's Rs 72,000 per annum promise to the poor is doable; here's how

05:00pm: "Rahul Gandhi suggested us to give Tumkur to JD(S), after joint discussions. We obeyed the decision. We didn't expect that Deve Gowda ji would decide to contest from here, so it's a great news for us. I assure people of Tumkur will make sure he wins," says Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara.

04:55pm: Kamal Haasan said that the meeting with West Bengal CM was 'excellent'.

Kamal Haasan, Makkal Needhi Maiam after meeting West Bengal CM: Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman). pic.twitter.com/gaZSj3TLQZ - ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

04:50pm: Former Union Minister Sukh Ram and his grandson Aashray Sharma join Congress. They had also met party President Rahul Gandhi earlier today.

04:45pm: Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik files nomination for the Bijepur assembly constituency at the Padampur Sub Collector office in Bargarh. He had earlier filed his nomination for the Hinjili assembly constituency: ANI.

04:35pm: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan meets Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah: ANI.

04:27 pm: A delegation of Conrgress leaders including Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kapil Sibal, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi will approach the Election Commission today over the biopic of PM Narendra Modi.

04:20 pm: Paralympian Deepa Malik and INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat join Bharatiya Janata Party.

Delhi: Paralympian Deepa Malik and INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). pic.twitter.com/H9iqxtQGfC  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

04:08 pm: Nationalist Congress Party has released its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

03:57 pm: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Minister of State for Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, expressed his reservations about Congress' Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme in a tweet. "Very sad to see the President of the Grand Old Party reducing himself to a pack of lies," Rathore posted on Twitter.

Very sad to see the President of the Grand Old Party reducing himself to a pack of lies.



Rahul Gandhi: a compulsive liar, our very own Pied Piper of Hamelin. https://t.co/nPJKqDuILG  Chowkidar Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) March 25, 2019

03:19 pm: Alloting Rs 72,000 per annum to 5 crore families will put a burden of Rs 3.6 lakh crore on the state exchequer.

03:10 pm: The scheme will be implemented in a phased manne, Gandhi said.

03:05 pm: This amount will be credited directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

03:00 pm: "It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme," he said.

02:50 pm: The monthly basic income has been pegged at Rs 12,000, Gandhi said.

02:45 pm: Rahul Gandhi said that the Rs 72,000 will be given every year to 20 per cent of the poorest families in India.

02:47 pm: After the CWC meet today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced the details of the minimum basic guarantee scheme.
WASHINGTON -- The United States sent Navy and Coast Guard ships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, the U.S. military said, as part of an increase in the frequency of movement through the strategic waterway despite opposition from China.

The voyage risks raising tensions with China further but will likely be viewed by Taiwan as a sign of support from Washington amid growing friction between Taipei and Beijing.

The two ships were identified as the Navy destroyer Curtis Wilbur and the Coast Guard cutter Bertholf, a U.S. military statement said.

The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, the statement said.

The U.S. will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows, it added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing that China had already lodged representations with the United States, and that it had paid close attention to the U.S. ships.

China urges the United States to cautiously and appropriately handle the Taiwan issue to avoid harming Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan strait, Geng said.

In Taipei, Taiwans Defense Ministry said the ships had passed through the Taiwan Strait from the southwest and proceeded in a northerly direction.

Taiwans armed forces monitored their progress to ensure regional stability and security of the coastal border region, the ministry said, adding nothing out of the ordinary was observed and there was no cause for alarm.

Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which also include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Chinas increasingly muscular military posture in the East Vietnam Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom of navigation patrols.

Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen, to Chinas anger, will stop over in Hawaii this week at the end of a tour of the Pacific.

Washington has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help provide the island with the means to defend itself and is its main source of arms.

The Pentagon says the United States has sold Taiwan more than $15 billion in weaponry since 2010.

Beijing has been ramping up pressure to assert its sovereignty over the island, which it considers a wayward province of one China and sacred Chinese territory.

China has repeatedly sent military aircraft and ships to circle Taiwan during drills in the past few years and worked to isolate the island internationally, whittling down its few remaining diplomatic allies.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency released a report earlier this year describing Taiwan as the primary driver for Chinas military modernization, which it said had made major advances in recent years.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said trade negotiations with China were progressing and a final agreement will probably happen, adding that his call for tariffs to remain on Chinese imported goods for some time did not mean talks were in trouble.
Police in the Philippines, in coordination with their Vietnamese couterparts, have recently seized 276 kilograms of crystal meth originating from a port in Ho Chi Minh City.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Thanh Binh, deputy head of the anti-drug police division under Vietnams Ministry of Public Security, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday that the shipment was sent from Cat Lai Port in the southern Vietnamese metropolis.

On Wednesday last week, police also confiscated 300 kilograms of drugs and arrested 11 members of a large-scale drug ring in Ho Chi Minh City.

Eight of the suspects are Chinese nationals while three others are Vietnamese.

Following their arrest, the ring members confessed to police that another drug haul had been transported to the Philippines via Cat Lai Port, before Vietnamese officers informed their Filipino counterparts of the tip-off.

A total of 276 kilograms of crystal meth is seen at a port in Manila in this photo supplied by officers.

On Saturday evening, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and customs department eventually discovered that the drugs were hidden inside a container, which were declared as plastic beads, at a port in Manila.

Police investigation revealed that the narcotics were first smuggled from Laos via the Bo Y Border Gate in Kon Tum Province in Vietnams Central Highlands.

After the drugs passed the border gate, the three Vietnamese suspects in the ring were in charge of transporting them to Hashan Company in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, where a group of Chinese members led by 50-year-old Huang Zai Wen would disguise the stimulants as plastic beads, before shipping them to a third country.

Hashan is operated by a female Vietnamese director, while its fields of business were registered as garment and export.

Records showed that the firm had only declared 40 shipments over the past five years.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Authorities in the northern Vietnamese province of Lao Cai have requested financial support worth more than US$132 million from the central government's budget for the construction of an airport near its famed resort town of Sa Pa.

The provincial administration has submitted a proposal to the prime minister regarding the investment in the airdrome, which is expected to be located in Cam Con Commune, Bao Yen District, about 120 kilometers west of Sa Pa.

The facility will cover an area of 371 hectares and is estimated to cost over VND5.9 trillion ($253.7 million).

The project will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

PPP is a government service or private business venture funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies.

In the document, the Lao Cai administration asked the central government to channel VND3.088 trillion ($132.7 million) from the national budget into the construction of the runway, taxiway, apron, and roads leading to the airport.

Lao Cai will spend VND910 billion ($39.1 million) on site clearance and relocation of affected residents.

The Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) will contribute VND131 billion ($5.6 million) for work relating to air traffic management.

The remaining VND1.772 trillion ($76.1 million), to be used for the development of the airports civil aviation zone and a fuel depot, will be funded by the private sector.

The venue is designed to handle 2.5 to three million passengers each year and to be able to receive such aircraft as A320, A321, and similar ones.

According to the provincial administration, the construction of the Sa Pa airport is necessary for the provinces economic and tourism development plans.

The facility is also in line with the governments plan for airport development across the country by 2030.

Located some 320km northwest of Hanoi, Sa Pa is famous for its tranquil and romantic atmosphere and marvelous natural landscapes.

The touristic town is accessible within a 3.5-hour journey from the Vietnamese capital via the Hanoi - Lao Cai Expressway.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Dancing with the Stars will be without Grant Denyer tonight following an injury to his back.

A 10 spokesperson told TV Tonight, Grant Denyer has suffered a bulging disc in his back that has forced him to leave the dance floor. He is on bed rest for the next few days and will be back fighting fit next week.

Denyer was absent this morning on the 2DayFM breakfast show with Ed Kavalee and Ash London.

His manager sent an SMS to the team to indicate his injury resulted from swinging a sledgehammer on his farm. After spending the night in hospital he is now at home recovering.

Denyer previously suffered a suffered a compressed fracture of the lower vertebrae during a motorsports event in 2008. In 2012 he dropped out of a Bathurst event due to chronic back pain.

The Gold Logie winner has recently been working on a gruelling schedule of breakfast radio, Dancing with the Stars and Celebrity Name Game.

DWTS production for hosts entails a Sunday meeting and a full day of Monday rehearsals and show.

Amanda Keller will host solo tonight.
Bilawal Bhutto to launch train march: Khursheed Shah

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader and member of the National Assembly (MNA) Khursheed Ahmed Shah, on Sunday, announced party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardaris plans to launch a train march from Rohri in Sindh to Rawalpindi in Punjab.



He said this while talking to media persons in Sukkur while adding that PPP had decided to do this to save the public from the torture of price hike.



Shah alleged that the federal government had constituted economic policies, which have miserably failed. With regard to the loan taken from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the recent past, the senior leader remarked that Imran Khan had previously vowed to commit suicide rather than approaching the agency.



Yet, he still approached IMF, Shah added



MNA Shah said out loud the possibility of forming an alliance with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other parties since opposition had united in the past and would do so again to raise voice for public issues



Hailing the parliament as superior, he wondered why the prime minister was not coming to the forum. He said that many people were asking him about the train march while maintaining that PPP had given the government six months to show some improvement.
British Airways has apologised after a flight to Dusseldorf landed in Edinburgh by mistake.

A paperwork error has been blamed after passengers ended up more than 500 miles from their planned destination on Monday.

The plane took off from London City Airport shortly after 7.30am and followed instructions to fly to the Scottish capital instead of the German city.

Passengers told how they thought the pilot was joking when he announced they were about to land in Edinburgh.

Son Tran, who was on board, said the journey "felt like an honest mistake" and the crew was "convinced of the Edinburgh flight path from the get-go".

"I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery," he wrote in a tweet to BA.

After the flight crew was alerted to the mistake, the plane was refuelled and flown to Dusseldorf, where it touched down more than three-and-a-half hours behind schedule.

The flight was operated by German firm WDL Aviation on behalf of BA CityFlyer, which is a subsidiary of British Airways

An investigation has been launched by the firms to find out why the paperwork error occurred.

A British Airways spokesman said: "We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed.

"We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually."

WDL Aviation said in a statement: "We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.

"At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised.

"We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh."
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were mobbed by the public and the press as they went on a walkabout in Old Havana during their historic tour of Cuba.

Royal protection officers and Cuban security had their hands full keeping back the crowds from Charles and Camilla as they explored the Unesco World Heritage Site.

Camilla carried a parasol to ward off the searing sun but Charles managed to keep cool in a shirt, tie and suit during their guided tour.

The old town has retained many of its 18th-century colonial Spanish buildings, with their verandas, brightly-coloured frontages and internal courtyards, with several renovated in recent years.

To begin day two of #RoyalVisitCuba, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are seeing Old Havana on foot, accompanied by local historian Dr. Eusebio Leal. This year marks the 500th anniversary of the city of #Havana. pic.twitter.com/FbXDaj33b5  Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) March 25, 2019

Stray dogs wandered across the royal couples path and, like Cubas citizens who benefit from their countrys renowned healthcare system, they have been vaccinated, and their claws clipped.

Story continues

The couple stopped by a group of elderly street musicians and, as a huge media scrum tried to capture the moment, Charles put a note in their collection hat.

Charles puts a note in a hat as he watches musicians play in Old Havana (Jane Barlow/PA)

Camilla wandered over to a group of American tourists who questioned her about the Duchess of Sussexs pregnancy.

Mimi Ricketts, 50, said: I said Are you excited about the new baby about to arrive in your family? and she said yes she was.

Mindy Whittle also got the chance to meet royalty and said after her encounter: I love her (Camillas) dress. We shook hands  do I have to pay extra for that?

The prince and the duchess on tour (Jane Barlow/PA)

The couple began their tour in Arms Square, close to the site where the Spanish established the city on November 16, 1519.

They briefly visited the El Templete  small temple  a building from 1828, and as they left, the crowds swarmed around them.

The prince and duchess have made history by becoming the first members of the royal family to officially visit Cuba.

Charles and Camillas groundbreaking trip is likely to usher in a new chapter in the relationship between the UK and the Communist state once ruled by Fidel Castro.

The prince passed up the offer to try some churros, a sweet deep-fried street food made from batter, during the walkabout.

Charles turned down some churros (Jane Barlow/PA)

Carlos Leuva, speaking through an interpreter, said he knew who the prince was and thought he was a great personality and looked like he had a great sense of humour.

He added: I offered him some churros but he said he had already had some breakfast.

As the duchess made her way through the crowd, shaking hands with a line of people, she met a living statue of Cuban hero, the essayist and poet Jose Marti.

The prince enjoyed the tour (Jane Barlow/PA)

The man stood stock still in a suit painted bronze  and then moved to present her with a rose and kiss her hand.

After meeting a group of female entrepreneurs running a bicycle repair business, she was accosted by an Australian tourist, Frank Buckley, 68, who addressed her breezily: Good to see you! How are you enjoying it?

He said afterwards: She said she had not been here long. She looked to me a little bit puffed. But she had no trouble walking up to me and shaking my hand.
Italy on Saturday became the latest EU country to sign up to Chinas so-called Belt and Road initiative, following Portugal, Greece and a handful of eastern European countries. One center, two fundamental points, was probably one of the sexiest catchphrases from Chinas reform czar Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. Deng came up with the expression to define Chinas post-Cultural Revolution policies. His critics suggested he'd defined the bra.During obligatory study sessions, Chinese party members and millions of workers were forced to learn the slogan by heart. But soon they found out that the center meant Chinas Communist Party, while one of the two points was the Reform and Open Door policy, and the other was the Four Cardinal Principles.These are the socialist road, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leading role of the Party, and Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong philosophy.Earlier on, in 1957, Mao Zedong initiated the Let 100 Flowers Bloom campaign, encouraging intellectuals to speak out against the government  and then arresting and killing them. After Mao, the Four Modernisations initiated in 1977, also by Deng Xiaoping, in agriculture, industry, national defence and science and technology became official policy.Three RepresentsBut numbered slogans didnt stop with Deng Xiaoping. Between Chinas current president Xi Jinpings One Belt, One Road, and Deng Xiaopings One Center slogans, Jiang Zemin, who ruled China in the 1990s and early 2000s came with his own (and widely ridiculed) Three Represents, but its explanations were so complex that not many bothered to learn what it really meant. In case you're wondering, the answer is: the Party must represent the requirements of Chinas advanced productive forces, advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the people.Hu Jintao, the bookish-looking successor of Jiang Zemin  possibly inspired by Diana Ross - clearly intended to topple his mentor with his Three Supremes, a policy intended to reform Chinas judicial branch. In their work, the grand judges and grand prosecutors shall always regard as supreme the party's cause, the people's interest, and the constitution and law," Hu explained. He then abruptly terminated any discussion on legal reforms by appointing an apparatchik without any legal training as Supreme Court president whose job it was to make sure courts let the first supreme (the partys cause) rule over the other two (peoples interests and the rule of law).OBOR: the road to tomorrowToday, the world outside China has woken up to Beijings craze for numerological slogans. We got the first glimpse of it with the hybrid, some might say, schizophrenic, One Country, Two Systems structure that Beijing invented to lure Taiwan back into its fold. The idea was to incorporate the former British and Portuguese colonies Hong Kong and Macao into Mainland China while they would keep their own, capitalist system. Beijing, the plan had it, would only be responsible for diplomacy and national defence.But 20 years after the implementation of the system, Taipei has seen an increasing influence of Beijings less-than-democratic interventions in these two territories, and politely continues to refuse Beijing's offer  for as long as it can. Meanwhile, the 16+1 Cooperation between China and sixteen countries in Central and eastern Europe (among which are 11 EU member states) started in 2012 as a precursor to the One Belt-One Road initiative.As is now well known, the trillion dollar, continent-spanning One Belt-One Road Initiative itself involves a 'maritime silk road and a belt of overland routes between China and the rest of the Eurasian supercontinent. Conveniently it is reduced to Belt and Road Initiative or the more professional sounding abbreviation BRI. But hard core fans shorten it to Obor which to some may sound somewhat like a monster from Middle Earth that sparks fear among friendly hobbits.

Italy on Saturday became the latest EU country to sign up to Chinas so-called Belt and Road initiative, following Portugal, Greece and a handful of eastern European countries.

One center, two fundamental points, was probably one of the sexiest catchphrases from Chinas reform czar Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. Deng came up with the expression to define Chinas post-Cultural Revolution policies. His critics suggested he'd defined the bra.

During obligatory study sessions, Chinese party members and millions of workers were forced to learn the slogan by heart. But soon they found out that the center meant Chinas Communist Party, while one of the two points was the Reform and Open Door policy, and the other was the Four Cardinal Principles.

These are the socialist road, the people's democratic dictatorship, the leading role of the Party, and Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong philosophy.

Earlier on, in 1957, Mao Zedong initiated the Let 100 Flowers Bloom campaign, encouraging intellectuals to speak out against the government  and then arresting and killing them. After Mao, the Four Modernisations initiated in 1977, also by Deng Xiaoping, in agriculture, industry, national defence and science and technology became official policy.

Three Represents

But numbered slogans didnt stop with Deng Xiaoping. Between Chinas current president Xi Jinpings One Belt, One Road, and Deng Xiaopings One Center slogans, Jiang Zemin, who ruled China in the 1990s and early 2000s came with his own (and widely ridiculed) Three Represents, but its explanations were so complex that not many bothered to learn what it really meant. In case you're wondering, the answer is: the Party must represent the requirements of Chinas advanced productive forces, advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the people.

Hu Jintao, the bookish-looking successor of Jiang Zemin  possibly inspired by Diana Ross - clearly intended to topple his mentor with his Three Supremes, a policy intended to reform Chinas judicial branch. In their work, the grand judges and grand prosecutors shall always regard as supreme the party's cause, the people's interest, and the constitution and law," Hu explained.

Story continues

He then abruptly terminated any discussion on legal reforms by appointing an apparatchik without any legal training as Supreme Court president whose job it was to make sure courts let the first supreme (the partys cause) rule over the other two (peoples interests and the rule of law).

OBOR: the road to tomorrow

Today, the world outside China has woken up to Beijings craze for numerological slogans.

We got the first glimpse of it with the hybrid, some might say, schizophrenic, One Country, Two Systems structure that Beijing invented to lure Taiwan back into its fold.

The idea was to incorporate the former British and Portuguese colonies Hong Kong and Macao into Mainland China while they would keep their own, capitalist system. Beijing, the plan had it, would only be responsible for diplomacy and national defence.

But 20 years after the implementation of the system, Taipei has seen an increasing influence of Beijings less-than-democratic interventions in these two territories, and politely continues to refuse Beijing's offer  for as long as it can.

Meanwhile, the 16+1 Cooperation between China and sixteen countries in Central and eastern Europe (among which are 11 EU member states) started in 2012 as a precursor to the One Belt-One Road initiative.

As is now well known, the trillion dollar, continent-spanning One Belt-One Road Initiative itself involves a 'maritime silk road and a belt of overland routes between China and the rest of the Eurasian supercontinent.

Conveniently it is reduced to Belt and Road Initiative or the more professional sounding abbreviation BRI. But hard core fans shorten it to Obor which to some may sound somewhat like a monster from Middle Earth that sparks fear among friendly hobbits.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall became the first representatives of the British royal family to visit Cuba when their plane touched down in Havana.

Charles and Camillas groundbreaking trip is likely to usher in a new chapter in the relationship between the UK and the Communist state once ruled by Fidel Castro.

The Queen is, unsurprisingly, the most well-travelled of the royal family, having paid official visits to more than 100 countries during her time on the throne.

Queen Elizabeth II during a state visit to Kenya (Ron Bell/PA)

Her reign began on foreign soil after her father George VI died while she was staying in Kenya.

There are a number of countries and territories which the Queen has not visited, including some former members of the Soviet Bloc.

In contrast, vast swathes of the South Pacific have been covered by royal visits from the Queen such as Nauru, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Fiji on board the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh watching dancers in Kiribati (PA)

Royal visits to South America have been rare  possibly due to the reach of Britains empire not extending beyond British Guiana and the Falkland Islands.

The Queen visited Brazil and Chile in 1968 and Guyana in 1994.

Closer to home, and the changing face of Europe over the last 30 years has meant there are newer countries which have not been visited.

The Duke of Cambridge meets Palestinian Authority Deputy Prime Minister, Ziad Abu-Amr, in Ramallah (Joe Giddens/PA)

Albania and Belarus are still to be visited, while the Queen took in Belgrade, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb when it was part of Yugoslavia in 1974.

Many Commonwealth members have received the British head of state or a representative, but many other African countries have not, including Mali in the west and Djibouti in the east.

A number of Asian countries are also awaiting their first glimpse of British royalty, including North Korea.
Frances President Emmanuel Macron has said he hopes a 73-year-old yellow vest protester, who suffered serious head injuries after being charged by police in Nice, gains wisdom over the incident.

Anti-globalisation activist Genevieve Legay remains in hospital on Monday after police advanced aggressively on people defying a protest ban on Saturday.

A reporter saw Ms Legay, who was waving a rainbow flag marked Peace, fall to the pavement, blood spilling from her head.

Anti-globalisation activist Genevieve Legay (Claude Paris/PA)

In an interview published in Nice Matin on Monday, Mr Macron suggested Ms Legay did not behave responsibly, saying that fragile people should not attend places that are defined as prohibited.

He added: I wish her a speedy recovery, and perhaps a form of wisdom.

At least 2,000 people have been injured in yellow vest protest violence.
BEIRA, Mozambique (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of people are in need of food, water and shelter after Cyclone Idai battered Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, killing at least 656 people.

Here is a look at the storm's impact, according to U.N. agencies and affected governments.

MOZAMBIQUE

Cyclone Idai made landfall the night of March 14 near the port city of Beira, bringing heavy winds and rains. Two major rivers, the Buzi and the Pungue, burst their banks, submerging entire villages and leaving bodies floating in the water.

Number killed: 446

Number injured: 1,500

Houses damaged or destroyed: 33,600

Crops damaged: 500,000 hectares

Number affected: 531,000

ZIMBABWE

On March 16, the storm hit eastern Zimbabwe, where it flattened homes and flooded communities in the Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.

Number killed: at least 154, according to government. U.N. migration agency puts toll at 259.

Number injured: 200

Number displaced: 16,000 households

Number affected: 250,000

MALAWI

Before making landfall, the storm brought heavy rains and flooding to the lower Shire River districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, in Malawis south. The rains continued after the storm hit, compounding the misery of tens of thousands of people.

Number killed: 56

Number injured: 577

Number displaced: 94,000

Number affected: 840,000

(Reporting by Emma Rumney in Beira, Tom Miles in Geneva, MacDonald Dzirutwe in Harare and Frank Phiri in Blantyre; Writing by Alexandra Zavis; Editing by Louise Heavens and Andrew Cawthorne)
France 24

Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank voted Saturday in municipal polls boycotted by the main opposition Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza, in protest at the indefinite postponement of a general election. No legislative or presidential election has been held in the Palestinian territories for 15 years, while the last municipal vote -- also boycotted by Hamas -- took place in 2017.Of the 376 villages in the West Bank, 60 had no candidates standing and another 162 had a single list, leav
Israels army accused Hamas of firing a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv on Monday, wounding seven people, and announced it was sending reinforcements to the Gaza area. The military said on Twitter the rocket had been fired from the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip.It announced it was sending two additional brigades to the area around the Hamas-run enclave and was carrying out a limited call up of reservists.The launch was carried out by Hamas from one of its positions in the Rafah area, Israeli army spokesman Ronen Manelis said.The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rafah to hit the house in the community of Mishmeret.It has raised fears of a severe military escalation between the two sides just ahead of April 9 Israeli elections.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier he was cutting short a trip to the United States and returning home due to the security situation.I have decided, due to the security incidents, to cut short my visit to the United States. I will meet President (Donald) Trump in a few hours and just after that I will return to Israel to lead closely the operations, Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.The prime minister cancelled a scheduled address to pro-Israel lobby AIPACs annual conference on Tuesday.Hamas had so far not commented on Israels accusations.Earlier, its ally in Gaza Islamic Jihad said we warn the Zionist enemy from committing an aggression against the Gaza Strip.Their leaders should be aware that we will respond with force against their aggression, it said in a statement, without commenting on who may have been responsible for the rocket.(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Israels army accused Hamas of firing a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv on Monday, wounding seven people, and announced it was sending reinforcements to the Gaza area.

The military said on Twitter the rocket had been fired from the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip.

It announced it was sending two additional brigades to the area around the Hamas-run enclave and was carrying out a limited call up of reservists.

The launch was carried out by Hamas from one of its positions in the Rafah area, Israeli army spokesman Ronen Manelis said.

The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rafah to hit the house in the community of Mishmeret.

It has raised fears of a severe military escalation between the two sides just ahead of April 9 Israeli elections.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced earlier he was cutting short a trip to the United States and returning home due to the security situation.

I have decided, due to the security incidents, to cut short my visit to the United States. I will meet President (Donald) Trump in a few hours and just after that I will return to Israel to lead closely the operations, Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.

The prime minister cancelled a scheduled address to pro-Israel lobby AIPACs annual conference on Tuesday.

Hamas had so far not commented on Israels accusations.

Earlier, its ally in Gaza Islamic Jihad said we warn the Zionist enemy from committing an aggression against the Gaza Strip.

Their leaders should be aware that we will respond with force against their aggression, it said in a statement, without commenting on who may have been responsible for the rocket.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Bienvenidos, Your Highnesses!

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles made history on Sunday as the first members of the British royal family to visit Cuba in an official capacity, according to the BBC. Charles's mother, Queen Elizabeth, has never made a state visit to Cuba, which came under Communist rule by Fidel Castro in 1959.

As their first stop off the plane, the royal duo attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial of Cubas national hero, essayist and poet Jose Marti.

The Prince and duchess stopped off in Cuba as part of their royal tour of the Caribbean, which includes 12 days of over 50 engagements in Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, the Cayman Islands and Grenada. (And we hope your royal highnesses get a chance to relax on the Cuban beaches at some point...)

The heir to the royal throne is set to spend Monday and Tuesday in Havana, then Wednesday touring the south coast of the country and learning about the flora, fauna and environmental conservation efforts taking place in Cuba. He will depart Cuba on Wednesday.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall spoke of their groundbreaking royal tour of the Caribbean in early February, but Camilla was a little apprehensive about the royal menu.

She said she loved the music and was interested in the architecture. And she did make a remark about she wasnt so sure about the food, Baroness Brenda Hale told The Telegraph after speaking with Parker-Bowles at the U.K. Supreme Court on February 5.

We hope you got your hands on some mojitos and fried plantains already.

RELATED: 8 Times Prince Charles Was the Biggest Royal Wildcard
Complete shutdown observed in IHK

A complete shutdown was observed in India-held Kashmir against the banning of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) by the Indian government, the Kashmir Media Service reported on Sunday.



New Delhi had announced a ban on the pro-independence group on Saturday as part of a crackdown on what it calls separatist organisations.



A statement issued in New Delhi had said the Indian government declared JKLF an unlawful association as it was trying to curb the activities of secessionist organisations posing a threat to the countrys unity and integrity.



The groups leader, Yasin Malik, was arrested recently in a counteroffensive against dissent following a Feb 14 suicide attack that killed over 40 Indian soldiers in the disputed region. Over a thousand people have been arrested since then.



The call for a strike was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik. All shops and other business establishments were shut in Srinagar and other cities of the valley.



Indian police and paramilitary forces set up checkpoints at several places, while troops were deployed to foil possible protests in downtown Srinagar. The order to ban Jamaat-i-Islami and JKLF is nothing but an act of political vengeance and an oppressive tactic to suppress the just movement of people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian governments decision to ban the organisations peacefully striving for the resolution of Kashmir dispute will not cow down the people, a statement from the JRL said. The statement added that the Indian government wants to push people towards the wall for raising the demand to get their rights but it will not make pro-freedom leadership to crumble.
The Prince of Wales has honoured Cubas national hero Jose Marti at the start of his historic visit to the Communist state.

Charles stood in silent contemplation as a large wreath of roses was laid at the open-air monument to the famous essayist and poet in Havanas Revolution Square.

Fidel Castro, Cubas former Communist ruler, would address the people close to where the prince stood before the ceremony began, giving speeches at important moments.

Surrounded by imposing ministry buildings, the heir to the throne, whose wife Camilla was nearby, walked behind two soldiers who held aloft the large floral tribute made of roses and then laid it at the stone monument.

The Prince of Wales attends a wreath-laying ceremony (Jane Barlow/PA)

The heir to the throne touched it briefly before taking a few steps back and pausing to look at the wreath.

The British Embassy in Havana has described the royal visit to Cuba as a historic moment.

The wreath that was laid at a ceremony by the Prince of Wales (Jane Barlow/PA)

It tweeted: Everything is ready for today when TRHs The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrive in #Cuba for the first official #RoyalVisitCuba.

A historic moment for both countries.

Charless visit offers an opportunity for the UK and Cuban governments to forge closer ties in the wake of the soft diplomacy employed by members of the monarchy, who use it to make friends and build bridges during foreign tours.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jose Marti Memorial (Jane Barlow/PA)

A spokesman for the couple, who arrived in the ministerial jet RAF Voyager, said: Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to experiencing the culture and meeting the people of Cuba.

There was another milestone as it is believed to be the first time an RAF plane has landed in Communist Cuba, which had very close ties with Russia during the Cold War.

Later Charles and Camilla were given a tour of the museum dedicated to Marti inside the monument which stands over 100 metres tall and dominates Havanas skyline.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall tour the Jose Marti exhibition, learning more about his life. #RoyalVisitCubapic.twitter.com/Mq0tTtAMd0  Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) March 24, 2019

Curator Eva Maria Diaz told him about the writers life and the history of Havana, which prompted Charles to point out that Britain had once occupied the city during the 18th century  briefly.

Story continues

As they left he told her: Ive learnt a great deal about Jose Marti.

Saying that he would like to spend more time in Cuba, he joked: You might get fed up with us very quickly.

The Jose Marti Memorial in Havana pays tribute to the essayist, poet and national hero of Cuba. Their Royal Highnesses attend a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial. #RoyalVisitCubapic.twitter.com/4C0sT8rXpb  Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) March 24, 2019

He added: I am sorry to have dragged you in on a Sunday. I hope it is not inconvenient for you.

Ms Diaz said afterwards about the prince: He knew that Havana was under British power in the 18th century. It was a very brief period.

He said that he would like to have more time to continue the visit. He was especially interested in Jose Martis life and work.

I told him that Martis writings were published in 27 books, including literary, political and journalistic works.
New legislation banning smacking is being considered in Wales [Photo: Getty]

Parents could be banned from smacking their children under legislation being introduced today by the Welsh government.

Ministers in Cardiff are hoping Wales will become the first country in the UK to stop fathers, mothers and other adults acting in a parental capacity from physically punishing their children.

If passed by the assembly, it will be made law and children will have the same protection from physical punishment as adults.

Under current laws, parents cannot be criminally convicted for smacking their children as long as the punishment is considered to be reasonable. But the new proposals would see this defence removed.

The Welsh government insisted parents and guardians would still be able to raise children effectively, claiming the proposed law would not stop them from grabbing a child about to step out into a busy road, or brushing a youngsters hair against his or her will.

Julie Morgan, the deputy minister for health and social services, said: We are sending a clear message that the physical punishment of children is not acceptable in Wales. What may have been deemed as appropriate in the past is no longer acceptable. Our children must feel safe and be treated with dignity.

READ MORE: Number of parents fined for taking children on term time holidays doubles in a year

The Government-led bill is being supported by a number of organisations including the NSPCC, Barnardos and Action for Children, and comes as a private members bill in Scotland is currently being considered by MSPs which would remove the defence of justifiable assault in Scots law.

But the campaign group Be Reasonable, backed by The Christian Institute and The Family Education Trust, argued the move would criminalise ordinary parents.

Spokeswoman Lowri Turner said: It is disappointing that the Welsh Government has decided to press on with this unnecessary piece of legislation that will do nothing to protect children, but will criminalise loving parents.

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As we have seen from a slew of Freedom of Information requests, parents suspected of smacking face suspension, investigation by the police and social services, and prosecution.

Research published last year found 81% of parents of young children in Wales disagreed that it is sometimes necessary to smack a naughty child.

Meanwhile, the Parental Attitudes Towards Managing Young Childrens Behaviour 2017 survey found only 11% of parents with young children reported they had smacked their children in the last six months.

The bill will now be scrutinised by AMs, with Welsh Government sources confident it will be passed by the National Assembly and brought into law after achieving Royal Assent by Spring 2020.

Welcoming the announcement, Sally Holland, childrens commissioner for Wales, said: Theres nothing reasonable about physically punishing a child. This bill sends a clear signal that Wales is a country which protects children; a country which will afford children equal protection from physical punishment as adults; a country which promotes childrens rights.

Viv Laing, head of policy at NSPCC Cymru, said: Its wrong that children in Wales have less protection from assault and that a legal defence which does not exist when an adult is hit can be used to justify striking a child.

Which other countries have banned smacking?

Wales would join the 54 countries around the world which have already banned the physical punishment of children. Sweden was the first to do so back in 1979, and is now joined by including Greece, Latvia, Albania, DR Congo and Kenya.

In the UK, US and Australia reasonable chastisement is still allowed.

Viv Laing, head of policy at NSPCC Cymru, said: Its wrong that children in Wales have less protection from assault and that a legal defence which does not exist when an adult is hit can be used to justify striking a child.

We have long campaigned for equal protection for children and we strongly believe a change in the law is a common-sense move. Closing this loophole brings Wales in line with dozens of countries across the world and is simply about fairness and equality for our children.

READ MORE: What is snowplough parenting?

Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: When a parent raises a hand to a defenceless child, whether thats a smack, slap or another physically harmful behaviour, they have lost control.

Research tells us that children who are physically punished are more likely to have poorer mental health and physical well-being and when they grow up, are more likely to engage in self-destructive or antisocial behaviour. Hurting a child isnt acceptable and it is a form of child abuse.

Back in 2017 a university lecturer spoke out about her desire to see smacking made illegal.

Felicity Gerry, a law lecturer at Charles Darwin University in Australia believes spanking, hitting or smacking a child should be outlawed.

Slapping, spanking, smacking and hitting a child with a wooden paddle are forms of violence that would amount to assault if applied to an adult, she told The Daily Telegraph.

Her comments come after last year it was revealed that smacking children in the UK could be banned if a UN inquiry ruled in favour of making the parenting practice illegal.

Additional reporting by PA.
US Senator Bernie Sanders attends a mosque in the state of California in the wake of deadly attacks against two mosques in New Zealand by a white supremacist shooter.

In this difficult moment, not only in American history where we see a rise in hate crimes, and not only in a world where we see a growing tendency toward authoritarianism, where demagogues are picking on minority communities all over this world, now is the time  for us to stand up to hatred of all kinds, Sanders said during the event Saturday.

The 2020 presidential candidate visited the Islamic Center of Southern California, where religious leaders and people from other faiths had gathered to commemorate the 50 lives lost in the mass shooting earlier this month in Christchurch, New Zealand.

To show the world that this nation in fact will be a leader in bringing our people together regardless of their religion, and to create an economy that works for all of us, an environment that works for all of us, and a world in which love will conquer hate, said the Vermont senator.

Fifty people died and dozens were injured in twin shootings on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

Described as a terrorist attack by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, it was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in the country.

The majority of victims were migrants or refugees from countries such as Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Somalia and Afghanistan. Muslims account for just over one percent of New Zealands population.

The attack revived calls for an end to Islamophobia in the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Trump has been urged to assure Muslims that they are protected and that he will not tolerate violence against their community.

The US presidents condemnation of the massacre was mild and did not involve the word Muslims.

Ever since he appeared in office, the New York billionaire has been running and anti-Muslim agenda, including the so-called Muslim ban.
Summer is on the way, so now is the perfect time to start planning a summer getaway. One of the best ways to spend a few summer days is with a visit to the shores of Lake Erie. Port Clinton, Ohio is a fun beachfront town with restaurants, shops, parks, an aviation museum, and even an African Safari Wildlife Park. Nicknamed the "Walleye Capital of the World," this shoreline community welcomes tourists with open arms, and once you visit, there's no doubt that you will come back again.

Where to stay

Like any vacation destination, there is a large selection of lodging options to choose from in Port Clinton.

If you want the very best, stay with one of the properties offered by Lake Erie Beach Front Properties, Ltd. They offer two gorgeous homes that are located in the Village at Water's Edge. Both properties, 1623 and1624 Water's Edge, are privately owned waterfront homes.

1623 is a three bedroom, three bathroom home and 1624 is a four bedroom, three bathroom home. Both sleep up to ten people and have private decks with stunning views of Lake Erie. The motto of Lake Erie Beach Front Properties is "Privately owned with a personal touch," and that is evident the moment you walk through the doors.

The interior of 1623 Water's Edge is decorated in the most perfect way. The colors, furniture and beach decor will instantly put you into vacation mode.

The main floor has two of the bedrooms, a bathroom, a sizable kitchen and living room.

The third bedroom is located in the loft area of the condo, and there's a bathroom attached to the bedroom. All of the bedrooms in 1623 Water's Edge have televisions and large closets and dressers, so there's no need to worry about overpacking.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

An added bonus to this unit is the attached garage. Off of the garage, visitors will find a patio with steps that will take you right into Lake Erie. There's also a laundry area with full sized washer and dryer.

There's really nothing missing from the Water's Edge homes. Both properties come with the use of an outdoor pool and hot tub.

The fenced in the pool area is adorned with lounge chairs and has a covered area with a fireplace and picnic tables. The pool is open daily from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. You can reserve your spot and get more information by visiting www.lakeeriebeachfrontproperties.com.

If you prefer a hotel stay, there are many hotels in the area. The Holiday Inn Express is undergoing a complete first floor renovation, which will be finished before summer begins. The Holiday Inn offers complimentary breakfast, an indoor pool and whirlpool, and a fitness center. There's also a Best Western hotel which is one of the only pet friendly hotels in the area. Not only do they allow pets, but pets stay for free. The Best Western offers guests complimentary breakfast each morning, and there is an outdoor pool and a beach adjacent to the hotel.

Things to do in and around Port Clinton

If you want to explore a bit and get off the mainland, spend some time on one of Ohio's islands. You can catch a ride to Put-in-Bay on the Miller Boat Line, which is only a ten minute drive from the Village at Water's Edge. The island always has special events and festivals going on during the summer months. If you are looking for some thrills, Cedar Point Amusement Park is less than a thirty minute drive from the Water's Edge properties.

If fishing is your thing, there are a number of fishing charters in Port Clinton or you can fish off one of the many piers located throughout the city. It's not called the "Walleye Capital of the World" for nothing. No matter if you choose a charter or a pier, you are bound to catch some fish during your visit.

There's endless ways to spend your time in Port Clinton, so plan your getaway soon.
The When Calls the Heart showrunners and cast were as stunned and completely caught off guard by the regrettable involvement of their longtime star, Lori Loughlin, in the college admissions scandal. Beyond being in the most-watched and beloved drama in Hallmark Channel history, the actress had a key role as executive producer for the series. She also starred in multiple perennial Hallmark movies along with the slew of Christmas productions. The decision was made quickly to sever ties with the star the day after her arrest by federal authorities, despite her efforts in persuading the judge to allow her to retain her passport in order to continue work in Vancouver.

The When Calls the Heart show and numerous other productions make their home there.

To their credit, Executive Producer Brian Bird and several of the favorites of the Northwest Territory saga have cultivated close relationships with the loyal groups of Hearties who proclaim their loyalty out loud. This takes place the at annual HFR conventions, in social media conversations, and even through making handmade crafts and keepsakes fitting for the early 1900s setting.

The assurance and comforting words that came from Brian Bird on behalf of all the producers that the show must go on written across a scenic graphic of Hope Valley, along with grateful words from castmates days ago, gave fans the heartfelt lift they needed through the tumult.

As reported on March 23 by International Business Times and other outlets, no one knows the specifics of the retooling under the creative hiatus currently underway.

What is a sure thing, is that this time is likely anything but a hiatus for anyone on the crew of When Calls the Heart and some roles have contenders for recasting when Season 6 returns.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Who will step into period shoes?

The opening of Season 6 had already thrust When Calls the Heart into the modern era more than any other in just the first three episodes. Fiona (Kayla Wallace) caused more than a few eyes to gawk at the full view of her stockings and stylish, big-city shoes when she sauntered up steps in her above the ankle attire.

The telephone at last brought communication to a new level for the community, thanks to savvy of Fiona, and some fans may have already seen a peek of Pascale Hutton as Rosemary, breaking in her brand-new home phone. The latest news of Hope Valley will never travel so speedily, and Rosemary always plays the perfect cheerleader for the good news in the lives of citizens, too.

No one knows if a new face will be in the role of strong female mayor, mom, and business owner, Abigail Stanton, but some familiar names have been put in the hat. Andie McDowell, who made a great success of Cedar Cove on the Hallmark Channel before When Calls the Heart, is a top contender. Her contemporary drama focused on an older woman with a successful career establishing a life after divorce, and she could embody the perfect mindset for making things right after a loss.

Kimberly Williams Paisley is another star being tossed about for the role. She starred in Christmas Train for the network, and is very familiar with powerful women, too, having had her run in Nashville.

Kelly Rutherford of Pretty Little Liars has also expressed interest, and Daphne Zuniga, who is practically a queen of TV drama, with her bevy of female-driven TV movies, literally raised her hand with a Hi to Hallmark Channel on social media, making her keen interest in a move to Hope Valley very evident.

Some fans have expressed that they would love to see a return by Brooke Shields, who portrayed departed Mountie Jack Thorntons mother, Charlotte. Her reemergence could create a nice bridge between past and present for a series restart.

Not in the garage

The Hallmark movie series, Garage Sale Mysteries also was halted with the recent events, and no one from the network has commented on its future. Although produced under a different production awning than When Calls the Heart, the successful ongoing series would be another plum for the right person with personality for sniffing out clues.

Some favorite couples will stroll right on with life in Hope Valley, Paul Greene, who portrays Dr. Carson Shepherd, showed gratitude to fans for their support through what he called a tough spot, and his on-screen love, Andrea Brooks, openly gushed about her affection for the TV locale and its loving fans. Leading lady, Erin Krakow has cultivated much love from fans for her positive and playful words, and those messages will be more than welcome when the actress is ready to share.

When Calls the Heart constantly embraces the goodness that comes from going through trials, and even though some new faces may be part of the drama's future, the messages of fortitude and faith will remain the same. Change is never a reason to lose hope.
Global community can benefit from experience of Pakistan: Arif Alvi

President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that after successfully addressing the challenge of terrorism, the country is on the threshold of change. He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony in connection with Nowruz celebrations held in Islamabad on Sunday.



Arif Alvi said that the global community can benefit from experience of Pakistan as it has learnt a lot while dealing with the menace of terrorism and extremism. He said Pakistan believes in peaceful neighborhood but desire for peace shouldnt be considered its weakness it was capable of tacking all kinds of situations.



The President urged the Muslim countries to devise a joint strategy for dealing the phenomenon of Islamophobia.



The Central Asian countries embassies along with embassies of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Afghanistan and Iran joined hands to celebrate Nowruz festival at the lush green lawns of Islamabad Serena Hotel.



These countries established there stalls where they put on display various items depicting the culture of the respective country.



Besides, a variety of food stuff was also made available on these stalls. The Central Asian pilaf (pullao) available almost on all stalls of Central Asian states became a must-eat dish. Pakistani visitors especially took a great interest in this kind of pullao and enjoyed the tasty Central Asian delicacy to the full. Likewise, pieces of art exhibited by embassies of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan also attracted huge attention of the visitors. Pakistani visitors not only evinced keen interest in these items but also bought many of them.



Turkish Shawarma was perhaps the most-sought after delicacy. Albeit, price, for some, was on a higher side, even then people flocked to the stall to taste this unique Turkish delicacy. Shawarma is a Middle Eastern meat preparation based on the doner kebab of Ottoman Turkey. Originally made of lamb or mutton, todays shawarma may also be chicken, turkey, beef, or veal, cut in thin slices and stacked in a cone-like shape on a vertical rotisserie.



Iran and Afghanistan stalls too had a lot to offer to visitors while the UN also established a stall on the venue. International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in 2010, at the initiative of several countries that share this holiday (Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, India, Iran Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.)



Inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as a cultural tradition observed by numerous peoples, Nowruz is an ancestral festivity marking the first day of spring and the renewal of nature.



It promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities. Azerbaijan is not a Central Asian country however it also takes part in the Nowruz celebrations. In Azerbaijan Nowruz is celebrated as coming of spring season.



President of Pakistan Arif Aliv who graced the occasion as the chief guest, congratulated the member countries for hosting such an impressive event. Dr Alvi also went to each and every stall; mixed up with the people and got information about various aspects of life style of the respective country.



The President while speaking on the occasion said, he was greatly touched by cultural performances of children. It is always a pleasure to see children clad in beautiful dresses of their respective countries and presenting some extra ordinary cultural performance adding such performances in fact add true color to Nowruz festivities. The President congratulated all the participating countries and providing people of Islamabad with an opportunity of having first hand information about various delicacies of these countries.
CHESTERFIELD, Va.  Information released earlier in this month by Unicorn Riot, an independent media group, identified several members of Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group, two of those members have ties to a Heathen group, Ealdrice Theodish Fellowship.

TWH reported in February on Virginia Capitol Police Officer, Sgt. Robert A. Stamm, being placed on administrative leave for undisclosed reasons after Seven Hills Antifa published an article linking him with the AFA.

The recently published information by an Anti-fascist group, Torch Network and The Daily Beast utilizing some of the 770,000 leaked messages of Identity Evropa from the chat server, Discord, allegedly identified Chesterfield, Va. School Resource Officer, Dan Morley as not only being a member of the same Heathen group, but also having a connection to Stamm.

Since the allegations were published, Ealdrice Theodish Fellowship has removed the majority of their pages leaving only one page their website stating, Wassail friend. This work is done. Godspeed.

According to posts on Twitter last week by Col. Jeffrey S. Katz, Chief of the Chesterfield County Va Police Department, Morley  has been removed from his position [as SRO] & has been administratively suspended pending my recommendation for termination.

TWH is following this story and will continue to report any new developments.

* * *

Crossings of the Veil

David Palladini, (April 1, 1946  March 13, 2019) artist and illustrator passed away earlier this month after a long illness. Many Pagans will recognize his work from the Aquarian Tarot Deck, and The New Palladini Tarot. He also provided illustrations for folklorist, Jane Yolens books, Stephen Kings Eyes of the Dragon, and many others. Palladinis parents immigrated to the U.S. in 1948 from Roteglia, Italy, and settled in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park. Palladini received a scholarship to the prestigious Pratt Institute Art School in Brooklyn, New Yorkthe same art school as Pamela Colman Smith, the illustrator of the Rider-Waite tarot deck. He is survived by two brothers and his life partner of the last 16 years, Dr. Margretta Klaussen.

* * *

(May 18, 1936  March 14, 2019) psychologist, writer and researcher passed away at age 82. Metzner may be best remembered for the book The Psychedelic Experience published in 1963, which he co-authored along with with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass). Metzner held a B.A. in philosophy and psychology from Oxford University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Harvard University, He completed his post-doctoral training with an NIMH fellowship in pharmacology at the Harvard Medical School, and served as professor emeritus at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, where he taught for 30 years. His recent books Searching for the Philosophers Stone and Overtones and Undercurrents detail the development of his alchemical divination psychological methods, which integrate transpersonal psychology with ancestral healing, yogic light-fire practices, meditations, and the selective use of psychedelics to bring about deep healing. He was a co-founder and president of the Green Earth Foundation , a non-profit educational organization devoted to healing and harmonizing the relationship between humanity and the Earth. He is survived by his wife, Cathy Coleman, a daughter and a step son.

What is remembered, lives.

In other news:

Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary will be speaking at the College of William and Mary as part of Campus COLL 300 courses. She is among the speakers for the Spring 2019 term, with the theme: Ceremony with a multicultural focus. Her visit to campus also is part of William and Marys 100 Years of Women, celebrating the 100th anniversary of women being admitted to the University which was founded in 1693. In addition, to speaking at a variety of classes the week of March 25-29, she will be doing a campus-wide presentation which also is open to the public on Wednesday, March 27 from 5-6:30 pm at the Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium, 200 Stadium Drive in Williamsburg, Va.

South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem signed into law a bill requiring public schools to prominently display In God We Trust. The law requires the sign to be prominently displayed and easily readable and no smaller than 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide. The South Dakota House of Representatives added a section stating that if displaying the phrase results in a lawsuit, the state attorney general will provide legal representation at no cost to the school district or school board and the state will assume financial responsibility for any legal expenses related to the lawsuit. So far, no appeals have been filed.

A junior at at D.H. Conley High School in Greenville, North Carolina won first place for her research on the Salem Witch Trials in the senior exhibit category of the National History Day regional competition at East Carolina University. National History Day competition is similar to a science fair for history projects. Jessica Kestler, the competitions co-coordinator, said, Students do research on a project that fits into the annual theme we have each year and they can choose to present their historical research in five project categories.

In witch hunt news:

Tarot of the week by Star Bustamonte

Deck: Joie de Vivre Tarot by Paulina Cassidy, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Card: Ace (1) of Wands

Paying attention to ones intuition could prove key to moving forward with enthusiastic plans for the future this week. Conversely, feeling frustrated or blocked advises stepping back and re-evaluating the choices available.

Decks generously provided by Asheville Raven & Crone

Bringing you the news is expensive. We invite you to join our Sustainers Circle at a level comfortable for you. Every bit helps.
Govt wants to engage opposition in comprehensive discussions: Shah Mahmood Qureshi 25 March, 2019



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Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry

Woke Bingo Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said the government wants to engage the opposition in comprehensive discussions on issues related to national security and the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).



Talking to media at Qasim Fort at the concluding ceremony of a three-day spring festival, he said that in his capacity as foreign minister and in consultation with Prime Minister Imran Khan, he has sent a letter to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He said he has also contacted Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to invite them to discussions on the national security related issues. He said the government is ready to discuss the matter in parliament also. He asked Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to send his point of view on the important issues in writing.



You all [the opposition parties] are united in your stance regarding the plan. Are not all your parties signatories to the plan? Then lets take the matter forward together, he said, referring to his telephonic conversation and letters to Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif.



He said Bilawal was adamant and instead responded by demanding that the whole parliament be briefed on NAP. I have no objections to that either. We are ready for that. I want to tell Bilawal through the media: Please allay your concerns in writing to me. What sort of implementation do you want? What steps should we take to combat the forces that give shelter to terrorists? Guide us, tell us. We will give importance to your input and will try to incorporate it in NAP. But mere statements do not solve problems,' he said. The foreign minister said India is trying to defame Pakistan in the international community in order to push Pakistan from FATF grey list to the black list, adding that political parties should come forward to devise a comprehensive plan to deal with the national security related matters with consensus. Today India is trying to move a resolution in the [UN] Security Council against Pakistan which a lot of countries have presented  I do not wish to name them  and many countries are acting as spokespersons for it. Pakistans united stance is in its best security interests and is in accordance with its national security requirements, he said.



Qureshi once again called upon Bilawal Bhutto to give talks a chance. I invite you to sit with us and give me your suggestions, verbally or in writing, and if you face trouble in coming, the National Assembly is a shared forum. Let us meet in the assembly, and if you feel like your party members are not all on the same page yet then I am ready to come. The chamber of the leader of the opposition is available. I will tell Sharif to make it available for us, he stressed.



To a question about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis greetings on Pakistan Day, the foreign minister said India was bent on attacking Pakistan in February this year, and now it is sending greetings. However, he described it as a positive change. He also welcomed Indian PMs statement of initiating joint efforts for overcoming poverty, terrorism and betterment of the subcontinent. He said Pakistan has no hesitation in moving forward on these issues as Prime Minister Imran Khan has already stated that India and Pakistan should engage in joint efforts on these issues. Qureshi, however, said there might be some uncertainty in mutual relationship till the holding of elections in India, adding that Pakistan must be ready for dealing with any kind of situation.



To another question, Qureshi condemned the terrorist attacks in New Zealand in which 50 Muslims were martyred by a white supremacist terrorist. He said that the incident happened due to rising Islamophobia. He lauded the support and action of prime minister of New Zealand and the people of the country after the sad incident. He said the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have right to pursue their political strategies. He said most of the workers of both parties are not happy with the current political situation. He also quoted the statement of PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan in which he said that his party always faced trouble whenever it made alliance with the PML-N. The foreign minister said every kind of protection was being given to the minorities in the country.



To another question, Qureshi said proper medical facilities are being given to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the medical teams have declared his health condition satisfactory.Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday said the government wants to engage the opposition in comprehensive discussions on issues related to national security and the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).



Talking to media at Qasim Fort at the concluding ceremony of a three-day spring festival, he said that in his capacity as foreign minister and in consultation with Prime Minister Imran Khan, he has sent a letter to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He said he has also contacted Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to invite them to discussions on the national security related issues. He said the government is ready to discuss the matter in parliament also. He asked Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to send his point of view on the important issues in writing.



You all [the opposition parties] are united in your stance regarding the plan. Are not all your parties signatories to the plan? Then lets take the matter forward together, he said, referring to his telephonic conversation and letters to Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif.



He said Bilawal was adamant and instead responded by demanding that the whole parliament be briefed on NAP. I have no objections to that either. We are ready for that. I want to tell Bilawal through the media: Please allay your concerns in writing to me. What sort of implementation do you want? What steps should we take to combat the forces that give shelter to terrorists? Guide us, tell us. We will give importance to your input and will try to incorporate it in NAP. But mere statements do not solve problems,' he said. The foreign minister said India is trying to defame Pakistan in the international community in order to push Pakistan from FATF grey list to the black list, adding that political parties should come forward to devise a comprehensive plan to deal with the national security related matters with consensus. Today India is trying to move a resolution in the [UN] Security Council against Pakistan which a lot of countries have presented  I do not wish to name them  and many countries are acting as spokespersons for it. Pakistans united stance is in its best security interests and is in accordance with its national security requirements, he said.



Qureshi once again called upon Bilawal Bhutto to give talks a chance. I invite you to sit with us and give me your suggestions, verbally or in writing, and if you face trouble in coming, the National Assembly is a shared forum. Let us meet in the assembly, and if you feel like your party members are not all on the same page yet then I am ready to come. The chamber of the leader of the opposition is available. I will tell Sharif to make it available for us, he stressed.



To a question about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis greetings on Pakistan Day, the foreign minister said India was bent on attacking Pakistan in February this year, and now it is sending greetings. However, he described it as a positive change. He also welcomed Indian PMs statement of initiating joint efforts for overcoming poverty, terrorism and betterment of the subcontinent. He said Pakistan has no hesitation in moving forward on these issues as Prime Minister Imran Khan has already stated that India and Pakistan should engage in joint efforts on these issues. Qureshi, however, said there might be some uncertainty in mutual relationship till the holding of elections in India, adding that Pakistan must be ready for dealing with any kind of situation.



To another question, Qureshi condemned the terrorist attacks in New Zealand in which 50 Muslims were martyred by a white supremacist terrorist. He said that the incident happened due to rising Islamophobia. He lauded the support and action of prime minister of New Zealand and the people of the country after the sad incident. He said the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have right to pursue their political strategies. He said most of the workers of both parties are not happy with the current political situation. He also quoted the statement of PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan in which he said that his party always faced trouble whenever it made alliance with the PML-N. The foreign minister said every kind of protection was being given to the minorities in the country.
by Paul Braterman

20th-century creationism and racism

Henry Morris, founding father of modern Young Earth creationism, wrote in 1977 that the Hamitic races (including red, yellow, and black) were destined by their nature to be servants to the descendants of Shem and Japheth. Noah was inspired when he prophesied this (Genesis 9:25-27) [1]. The descendants of Shem are characterised by an inherited religious zeal, those of Japheth by mental acumen, while those of Ham are limited by the peculiarly concrete and materialistic thought-structure inherent in Hamitic peoples, which even affects their language structures. These innate differences explain the success of the European and Middle Eastern empires, as well as African servitude.

All this is spelt out in Morriss 1977 book, The Beginning of the World, most recently reprinted in 2005 (in Morriss lifetime, and presumably with his approval), and available from Amazon as a paperback or on Kindle.

Morris is no fringe figure. On the contrary, he, more than any other individual, was responsible for the 20th-century invention of Young Earth creation science. He was co-author of The Genesis Flood, which regards Noahs flood as responsible for sediments worldwide, and founded the Institute of Creation Research (of which Answers in Genesis is a later offshoot) in 1972, serving as its President, and then President Emeritus, until his death in 2006.

Nor was this a personal aberration. As we shall see, he was heir to a strong tradition of creationist racism, of which he never managed to rid himself.

Strong accusations require strong evidence. I have therefore included as an Appendix some relevant passages from The Beginning of the World, quoting at length to avoid any risk of misrepresentation.

Very similar views to those of Morris were expressed by the esteemed physiologist Arthur Custance (Noahs Three Sons, 1975, published by the mainstream Christian publisher Zondervan, now part of Harper Collins). Custance and Morris certainly knew about each other as intellectual opponents, Morris favouring simple six-day creationism, while Custance championed the Gap Theory, according to which geological time is concealed within the opening three verses of Genesis. However, Morris clearly got there first, since he had published similar material in 1972 (The Remarkable Birth of Planet Earth), while The Beginning of the Earth was an update of a work first published in 1965.

Creationism, Adventism, and institutional racism

Note: Morris and other authors whom I cite used the word Negro, as I do for consistency when referring to their work. This word, unlike its toxic cousin, was not historically regarded as offensive, although it now sometimes is. For instance, the University of Chicagos estimable Journal of African-American History called itself the Journal of Negro History until 2002.

While Morris was the most effective 20th-century exponent of biblical creationism, his theories derived largely from those of the Seventh-day Adventist George McCready Price, whose ideas derived in turn from those of Ellen G. White, founder-prophetess of Adventism. White had spoken of the evils of crossbreeding. Price ascribed the variety of human races to the dispersal after Babel, the deleterious effects of interbreeding, and environmental effects, which had given the Negro his dark skin, while, Price said, his mind became a blank.[2]

Biblical literalism and creationism were used to support racial discrimination and bans on interracial marriage until quite recently. In South Africa, biblical literalism was used to justify apartheid, on the grounds that when God dispersed the various nations at Babel, He intended them to remain separate. The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa supported apartheid until 1986. The Southern Baptist Convention, now the largest Protestant denomination in the United States with 15 million members, was formed, in 1845, specifically in defence of slavery, and did not apologise for this until 1995, when it adopted a resolution on racial reconciliation, and committed itself to the removal of racism. Bob Jones University, rigidly creationist and biblical literalist, and the publisher of numerous texts for creationist homeschooling, refused admission to black students until 1971, and denied admission to applicants engaged in an interracial marriage or known to advocate interracial marriage or dating until 2000.

What about Darwin?

How often have we heard the accusation that evolutionary thinking is responsible for racism, as if Darwin had invented the concept. See for example this quotation from Henry Morris himself, on the Institute for Creation Research website, in 1993:

But what about the origin of races? One searches the Bible in vain for this information, for neither the word nor the concept of race appears in the Bible at all! There is no such thing as a raceexcept the human race!  Race is strictly an evolutionary concept, used by Darwin, Huxley, Haeckel, and the other 19th-century evolutionists to rationalize their white racism.

Thats a lie. Morris is denying his own earlier blatant racism, which I described my opening paragraph (the word race occurs, without apology, in the chapter title I cited and repeatedly throughout the text). Moreover, I can hardly believe that Morris was completely ignorant of the strength of racism among strongly anti-Darwin churches and colleges, or of the long history of racism and the ways in which pre-evolutionary science had been used to justify it.

Early studies of race

It is, I hope, common knowledge by now that the traditional classification of races corresponds only poorly to genetic reality, that the boundaries between races are fuzzy, arbitrary, and based on minor and quite recent differences, that the variation within a race (however defined) is far greater than the differences between races, and that sub-Saharan Africans, traditionally classified as a single race, are in reality more genetically diverse than the rest of humanity put together. Conversation about the concept of race is made enormously difficult by the damage done its name, but I hope this can be set aside in the present discussion.

The idea of racial stereotypes goes back at least as far as Linnaeus Systema naturae (1735  1768), in which he contrasts Europaeus, active and smart, with Afer, crafty, slow, and foolish. Such views were widespread. David Hume, in 1742, wrote that he was apt to suspect on the basis of history that Negroes were inferior to whites. Scientific study can be traced to Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, who in the 1790s classified humans on the basis of skull shape as Caucasian (Blumenbach popularised this term, still in common use), Mongolian, Malayan including Southeast Asian and Pacific Islanders, Ethiopian or sub-Saharan African, and American. Very presciently, he noted that variation among Africans was as great as in the rest of humankind, and wrote that Africans had shown themselves capable of the highest levels of attainment. Georges Cuvier, the outstanding naturalist of the early 19th-century, also compared skulls, and distinguished between Caucasian, Mongolian, and Ethiopian, all descended eventually from Adam and Eve. Cuvier made enormous advances in comparative anatomy, based on his understanding of the relationship between form and function, and argued against the then new-fangled idea of evolution on the grounds that since each species was well-adapted to its niche, with parts that worked well together, change would be impossible. Im reminded here of current arguments against evolution, on grounds of irreducible complexity.

Stereotyping of non-Whites sharpened throughout the nineteenth century. One obvious reason, in the US, was the need to justify slavery. Another, operating more strongly in England, was, according to the historian of ideas Kenan Malik, the emerging class structure of capitalism, and the obvious desirability for the upper classes of thinking that their position was the result of intrinsic merit.

The biblical literalists dilemma

Faced with the variety of humankind, and the Genesis account of the Flood, the biblical literalist has two options. The more usual one, and as we have seen the one adopted by Morris, is to regard the different branches of humanity as descended from the three sons of Noah. Since Semitic and Japhethic branches are generally identified as Middle Eastern and European, the rest of humanity is then presumed (as in Morriss discussion) to descend from Ham. This despite the fact that in Genesis the listed descendants of Ham, just as much as those of Shem, are all Middle Eastern or North African. So here, as in other matters, self-proclaimed biblical literalists are recklessly projecting their own imaginings on the Bible.

Separate origin theories and 19th-century Flood Geology

The other, even more objectionable, option is to deny that the coloured races (to use an old-fashioned expression) were descended from Adam in the first place. In this version of events, Negroes were a separate creation, and therefore not fully human. This kind of belief regards racial segregation as natural, and mixed marriages as perversion. In some versions, Negroes were created before Adam in order to serve his descendants, while in others, inferior races (Negroes, Chinese, and, some more recently say, Jews) are the offspring of Eve and the Serpent.

Separate origin theory (polygenism) has a long history and was at one time considered intellectually respectable. The eminent naturalist Louis Agassiz, who discovered the Ice Ages, thought that Whites and Blacks were separate creations, although he believed they should be equal under the law. He commissioned photographs of slaves (see on right) for his anthropological studies, and last week these became the subject of an ownership lawsuit between Harvard University and one of the slaves descendants. The creationist Alexander Winchell, Professor in turn at Vanderbilt, the University of Michigan, and the University of Syracuse, argued as late as 1878, in Adamites and Preadamites, that humans existed before Adam, and maintained that this belief was consistent with Scripture.

However, separate origin theory was soon used, especially in the run-up to the American Civil War, to justify racism, slavery, and segregation. In the 1840s, Samuel George Morton, for a while Professor of Anatomy at Pennsylvania Medical College, and his collaborator George Gliddon (for a while US Vice-Consul in Alexandria), argued for separate creation on biblical grounds. From examining mummies, they had correctly concluded that African and Middle Eastern peoples were in existence three thousand years ago much as they are today. But this was only a thousand years after the date that the Bible gives for Noahs flood. It followed that such diversity could not have arisen in so little time, forcing them to conclude that the black race had a separate origin. Measuring their skulls, they concluded (are you surprised?) that blacks had lower cranial capacity and hence lower mental capacity than whites, among other defects. John Van Evrie in a series of publications between 1848 and 1868 (note the dates), argued that the Negro was a separate creation for whom slavery was the natural state, accused abolitionists of promoting the evil of miscegenation, appealed to discontented and underprivileged whites in the North where he lived, and during the Civil War campaigned for an immediate peace on the Confederacys terms. Van Evrie thought that the success of democracy (which was of course for Whites only) depended on Negro subjugation, and his populist writings, as we would now describe them, may have contributed to the 1863 New York Conscription Riots.

The clergyman and publisher, Buckner H. Payne (Ariel: or the Ethnological Origin of the Negro, 1867, Reply to the Scientific Geologist and Other Learned Men, in Their Attacks on the Credibility of Account of the Mosaic Account of the Creation and of the Flood, 1876) regarded the Curse of Ham as irrelevant to the issue of slavery, since the Negro was a Preadamite creation without a soul. Miscegenation was the sin that led to the Flood, and (here Payne anticipates modern Young Earth creationism) the mountains were raised to their present height by the convulsions associated with Noahs Flood, when (Genesis 7:11) the Fountains of the Deep were broken up. Here Paynes geology anticipates that of Whitcomb and Morriss The Genesis Flood, already mentioned as the foundational document of 20th-Century Young Earth creationism. Payne earned a brief and rather dismissive obituary in the New York Times on his death in 1883, but other obituaries to Payne described him as the Souths leading logician. Charles Carroll (The Negro as Beast; or, In the Image of God, 1900) cited Winchell (see above), and described Negroes as Preadamite, one of the Genesis beasts, but equipped with hands and the power of speech, the better to serve his master, the white man. Carroll acts as a bridge between 19th-century separate origin creationism, and the present-day extremist groups discussed in the next section.

Separate origin creationism and the American Far Right

Separate origin theory persists among White extremist groups in America. According to Alexander Schiffners The Origin of the Races; and Pre-Adamic Man (Prophetic Herald, 1968), the yellow races as well as Negroes are beasts created before Adam. Carrolls ideas also re-emerged in Destiny Publishers 1967 In the Image of God, which regards miscegenation as a wicked perversion, the real sin of Cain, and the sin that provoked the Flood. Ham was of part-Negro descent, and the demands of the Civil Rights Movement for racial integration were inspired by Satan.

At this point separate origins theory merges with anti-Semitism and anti-Communism. W. Clyde Odeneal, in Segregation: Sin or Sensible? (Destiny Publishers, 1958), argued that Segregation is an Anglo-Saxon principle because The Anglo-Saxon, Celtic and related races are predominantly the Bible-reading, Bible-disseminating peoples of the world, and condemned racial equality as a Communist notion, promoted by non-Christians. I understand this as a clear reference to Jewish Civil Rights activists. Charles Magne, The Negro and the World Crisis (Kingdom Identity Ministries, 1980), also considered Negroes as apes, created before Adam, and wrote that they were being used by Jews to destroy the White Nordic race. The Christian Identity movement, which has strong historical links to the KKK, is closely related to the British Israelites. Both Identity and the British Israelites regard the Anglo-Celtic race as Gods favoured people, the true descendants of Israel, and maintain that the inferior (i.e. non-White) races were created before Adam. Similar separate origin beliefs are also held by other fringe groups, such as Aryan Nations, which shares a website with the Church of Jesus Christ Christian, and maintains that The Canaanite Jews [i.e. Jews] are a literal descendent of Satan and the natural enemy of our white Christian race. Aryan Nations is affiliated with the Aryan Brotherhood, the most powerful White gang in US prisons.

There are a few self-styled ministries (whom I do not intend to publicise) who reprint obscure 19th Century separate origins pamphlets. Destiny Publishers is still in existence, linked to the British Israelite movement, and describing itself on its front page as devoted to revealing the Book of the People to the People of the Book. Kingdom Identity Ministries continues to distribute books and cassettes from its website and from its American Institute of Theology, and to broadcast. Its homepage shows a serpent with the head of a caricature Jew and, just in case you dont get the message, a bright yellow body covered in six-pointed stars.

Creationism and Nazism

We can now place Nazi racism in its context. Despite creationist claims, it has nothing to do with evolution science or any other kind of science, but is an extreme form of separate origin mythology. It places great emphasis on the distinct origins of races, together with a mystic belief in race, blood, and soil. Thus Alfred Rosenberg, official Nazi philosopher, taught that God had created Man as separate races, with of course the Aryan race superior to all others, and destined to rule over them. It followed that it was the duty of Aryans to purify their lands by eliminating non-Aryans as cancer is cut from diseased body. Rosenberg powerfully influenced Hitler, who in Mein Kampf wrote that God and nature had created the races as separate, so that miscegenation was a sin against nature and Gods will. Hitler did believe in evolution within a race (microevolution), but regarded the races as separate creations and explicitly rejected the evolution of humans from non-human ancestors. (I could not bring myself to read Rosenbergs or Hitlers actual writings, but have relied here and in much of my discussion of creationist racism on Tom McIvers compilations of creationist writings, Anti-Evolution, and his article The Protocols of Creationism, Sceptic Magazine 2(4), 1994, p. 76. For more on Hitlers views, see e.g. this from the Evolution Institute, of which I am a supporter, and references therein)

Mainstream creationism today

To return to mainstream creationism, I looked up the word race on the website of leading creationist organisations. Answers in Genesis, historically an offshoot of the Institute for Creation Research, and probably the leading biblical literalist organisation today, goes out of its way to downplay racial differences. It advances a fantastical family tree for humankind (with the peoples of Japan and Java related to the Ionian Greeks), but does say that Noahs prophecy referred specifically to the interaction between the ancient Israelites and their Canaanite neighbours. Creation Ministries International says little about Noahs curse (or prophesy), heavily emphasizes the biological unity of humankind, and explicitly condemns Christian Identity

What, then, of Morriss own Institute for Creation Research? That, you may remember, is where Morris had written that race was an unbiblical concept introduced by evolutionists in order to maintain their belief in white superiority. Did that mean that he had transcended, as well as disavowing, his earlier racism? I doubt it. A search for Canaan on the Institute for Creation Research website leads to the study notes for his New Defenders Bible (2006, the last year of his life), which refer to Ham, with his physical and materialistic bent, and speak of Noahs own insight into the developing characters of his sons and grandsons and, therefore, of their descendants. [Emphasis added]

As Malik very recently (18 March 2019) put it, The idea of abstract, essential differences between specially-defined populations is what lies at the heart of racial thinking. Morris, by this standard, was a racial thinker to the end. He had sanitised his vocabulary, and his self-image, but not his thinking. And if his followers still think, as he did, that Noahs words refer to anything beyond the ancient Near East, they have cause for soul-searching.

1] KJV, And he said, Cursed be Canaan, as servants of servants shall he be and to his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tens of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

2] Ronald Numbers, The Creationists p.102.

I thank Tom McIver for helpful correspondence, and for drawing my attention to his catalogue updates, https://www.librarything.com/catalog/tmciver and https://www.librarycat.org/lib/tmciver/search/text/racism. Embedded links to AiG, ICR, and CMI set at no-follow to avoid boosting.

Appendix: extracts from The Beginning of the World

With the deepest hearts of his own sons thus laid bare before him, Noah was moved to make the great prophetic declaration of Genesis 9:25  27. To some extent the insight thus revealed into the future was no doubt based on the insights he had into the hearts of his sons But, more importantly, he spoke in the Spirit, prophesying as the Spirit gave utterance. [p 127]

As he knew the characters of his own sons, he could foresee that their respective descendants would be characterised chiefly by religious zeal (Shem), mental acumen (Japheth) and materialistic drives (Ham).) [p 128]

The prophecy is worldwide in scope and, since Shem and Japheth are covered, all Hams descendants must be also. These include all nations which are neither Semitic nor Japhetic. Thus, all of the earths coloured races,  yellow, red, brown, and black  essentially the Afro-nation group of peoples, including the American Indians  are most likely to be Hamitic in origin and included within the scope of the Canaanitic prophecy, as well as the Egyptians, Sumerians, Hittites, and Phoenicians of antiquity. [p 129]

Truly they have been servants of mankind in a most amazing way. Yet the prophecy again has its obverse side. Somehow they have only gone so far and no farther. The Japhethites and Semites have, sooner or later, taken over their territories, and their inventions, and then developed them and utilised them for their own enlargement. Often the Hamites, especially the Negroes, have become actual personal servants or even slaves to the others. Possessed of a racial character concerned mainly with mundane matters, they have eventually been displaced by the intellectual and philosophical acumen of the Japhethites and the religious zeal of the Semites. Neither Negroes nor any other Hamitic people are intended to be forcibly subjugated on the basis of this Noahic declaration. The prophecy would be inevitably fulfilled because of the innate nature of the three racial stocks, not by virtue of any artificial constraints imposed by man. [p 130]

Every little Indian or African tribe seems to have developed its own language, by virtue of its own isolation and the peculiarly concrete and materialistic thought-structure inherent in Hamitic peoples. [p. 142. Morris regards all languages other than Indo-European and Semitic as Hamitic]
by Scott F. Aikin and Robert B. Talisse

One commits the straw man fallacy when one distorts an interlocutors argument or claim in a way that makes it more easily criticized. In effect, one replaces an actual opponent with one made of straw  a new figure that is easily knocked over and who cannot fight back. For example, consider:

Students request that there be a bar on the college campus for informal gatherings and receptions. The administration opposes the bar because they refuse to subsidize student bacchanalia.

The problem here is that the request for a bar, even from college students, is not identical to a call for wild, destructive drinking binges. The administration has constructed a straw man of the students request.

The straw man fallacy comes in a variety of forms. These range from the standard version captured in the case above, to the selectional weak man, the hollow man, and the iron man. However, a unique kind of straw man is perpetrated when one creates a pastiche of distortions of ones dialectical opponent  it is not composed simply of a single distortion, but rather a slew of mischaracterizations bent on representing ones opponents in the worst light. We call this the burning man. In deploying the burning man fallacy, one not only stuffs an opposing figure with straw, but then proceeds to surround it with more tinder and additional flammable material, with the intention of committing the view at issue to the flames, along with whole traditions, movements, and ways of thinking.

One famous example of the burning man is found in Meletus exchange with Socrates in Platos Apology. Meletus charge is that Socrates is a representative of everything wrong with intellectual life in Athens. According to Meletus, Socrates is an impious physicist who holds that the sun and moon are mere stones, that he is not capable of raising children, that he intentionally corrupts those around him, and that he is an atheist. The problem, of course, is that Meletus has depicted Socrates as if he were Anaxagoras the physicist. Meletus has taken a collection of bad representatives of the intellectual climate in Athens and just thrown them all at Socrates. These are all bad things (by hypothesis), but none are accurate with respect to their target, and they are deployed not just for the sake of a criticism of one of Socrates views, but for the sake of a full rejection of everything about him. It is less an attempt at conviction along evidential lines, but more through a repudiation of the kind of person that Meletus claims Socrates is.

Lets turn to a more current example. This tactic of burning the man is common when specific disagreements are tips of icebergs reflecting larger cultural divides. And once a disagreement at hand is seen as a manifestation of the cultural divide, all the bad images of the culture that one abhors now accumulate around ones dialectical opponent. It happens quickly, and it yields little more than revulsion with those on the other side.

Sean Hannity of Fox News is a master of the burning man. Recently, he presented in one short 10-minute piece a characterization of the crop of 2020 Democratic hopefuls as collectively:

pushing to give 16-year-olds the right to vote, even though you cant drink until youre 21. Theyre promising to stack the Supreme Court so they get enough justices that think their way and will legislate from the bench. And theyre proposing an end to the Electoral College . . . . Government-run health care and complete takeover of the health care industry  yes, run by the state. . . . And government-run education  now theyre going to add pre-K and college education. They havent done a better enough job with kindergarten through 12th grade? And they will have government consolidation of all guns and gun laws and government-run clean energy through the government takeover of the energy sector . . . . Government-run universal income, government-paid-for vacation, government-sponsored healthy food

. . . . [T]hey will tell you how to run your business. There will be government promises for everything and for everybody  youll never have a worry in the world. But you also will give up all of your freedom.

The strategy here is to collect a set of views  specifically those objectionable to his preferred audience  and pile them together into a heap of disagreeable ideas. His strategy is to show not just that any one of the commitments is wrong, but that they come as a wholesale package of something not to be argued against, but simply reviled. He concludes that:

Democrats dont share the values of our framers. They want power for themselves, and they want it at all cost . . . . It is a blatant, dramatic, frightening attempt to alter America in ways that will make it unrecognizable and forever destroy the greatest economic wealth creation system in the history of the world.

Its pretty dramatic stuff, and the rhetorical strategy is to enable the aggregation of outrageous commitments to overwhelm. Weve already termed the strategy of overwhelming an opponent or audience with ideas, arguments, objections, and proposals as swamping, and the burning man uses much of the same strategy. Instead of one particular line of higher quality reasoning, the sheer quantity of claims, combined with the intensity of outrage that they provoke, takes on a quality of its own.

The burning man, then, not only distracts from the actual claims and arguments given by particular interlocutors, its also a way of preventing oneself (and ones audience) from even hearing those claims and arguments in their non-distorted forms. In repudiating those people as if they were simply a collection of objectionable commitments, one forecloses further exchange with them.

With the burning man, the two general problems with straw man fallacies come into especially tight focus. Not only does one distort the picture of ones dialectical opponents, but one does so in a way that disables argument with them. If we value a culture of critical exchange, both of these results must be resisted. As another cycle of national political campaigning begins, we ought to be wary of claims about what the Democrats or the Republicans believe.
by Katrin Trustedt

In a Palazzo in Palermo, a video installation of a moving digital map of the sea traces the disappearance of a migrant ship. With this installation, the project Forensic Oceanography makes visible what is  even from this Palazzo, facing the Mediterranean Sea  usually removed from sight.

The figure of the migrant is, according to Thomas Nail, the political figure of our time, and this century will be the century of the migrant. In his book Nail traces the long history of migration, to question the notion of the nation state  in fact historically a fairly recent idea. Understood as a stable and organic, self-reproducing and self-sustaining whole, this notion tends to cast migrants as abnormalities and exceptions.[1] Instead, the figure of the migrant, the stateless, and the refugee should be seen as the defining figures for our time, as writers from Hannah Arendt[2] to Thomas Nail have suggested. With much more climate change migration to be expected, this figure can only become more crucial. While appearing quite prominently in political discourse as a problem, the migrant has remained in many other ways still unseen. It is this peculiar status of the figure of the migrant that Forensic Oceanography highlights in Palermo, as both excluded and included in European politics and discourse.

Europe itself is a hybrid form, both much older than the historically young notion of a nation state, and much younger [3]  younger as institutionalized in terms the European Union, founded after the atrocities of the second world war, in order to overcome the lethal legacies of the nation state and to overcome the unholy trinity of people-territory-state (Hannah Arendt). The long history of European migration goes back to the mythical origin of Europe itself, as embodied in the figure of Europa. The mythical figure Europa, abducted by Zeus who appeared in the form of a bull, and taken to Crete, originally stemmed from Phoenicia, a region on the Mediterranean coast of todays Lebanon and Syria. According to this myth of migration and alterity, Europa lent her alien name to the place of her involuntary exile. Ovids Metamorphoses has the myth of Europa end in the midst of the sea, in movement, with the figure of Europe migrating towards the land that will have been called after her. The figure of Europa inscribes such a decentered and excentric position into the very name of Europe.

In todays political discourse in Europe, the figure of the migrant seems to systematically occupy a position of ex-ception  of being included as being excluded (Agamben)  and as a symptom of externalization. Processes of externalization generally depend on giving something outward form, as the OED has it (To make external; to embody in outward form; to give or attribute external existence to; to treat as consisting in externals)[4], and at the same time thereby make it possible to disassociate ourselves from this externalized entity. The OEDs definition thus highlights the dynamic of externalization as involving both exclusion (To make external) and inclusion (to embody, to give something recognizable form).

In his book Around us, the deluge: The externalization society and its cost the German sociologist Stephan Lessenich claims externalization to function as an organizing principle of the contemporary Western world order.[5] European social life, as he shows, rests on certain costs  financial, social, environmental or otherwise  being unaccounted for and shifted elsewhere: out of sight and onto others. European waste, including nuclear waste, and the environmental costs of the goods to be consumed in Europe are exported to Africa. Together with the externalization of violence, by way of the export of weapons, deals with dictators, or proxy wars, these costs continually create conditions for migration. Externalization in this sense is thus one of the main causes for migration to Europe. Our externalization society, however, seems to be unable to face up to its own dependencies and contradictions. Therefore, it excludes and externalizes migrants on yet another, this time discursive, level, banning their existence in the language that is used to keep them separate, while keeping migration as a main political topic closely present: as something that is to be excluded and reduced.

Migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees thus seem to take on the role to confront Europeans with what they cannot just not know: their responsibility as a society of externalization. And because the migrants inadvertently seem to give such responsibility a face, when this responsibility is being rejected, attacked, repressed, or expelled, they usually are, too. There seems to be a partial, abstract and indirect awareness of the systematic exploitation that drives migration. But having this half-knowledge does mostly not lead to a conscious acknowledgement of our role, but rather to the rejection of knowledge and responsibility by rejecting migrants and refugees that appear to embody and personify it, in a self-reinforcing vicious circle.

Externalization thus suggests a connection between embodiment and exclusion, giving (outward) form and removing from sight. In psychoanalytic discourse, such projections of internal content onto other people both to get rid of it and to keep it close in order to be able to distinguish oneself from it go hand in hand.[6] The political reaction to the self-generated migration seems mainly to consist in the reiteration of exclusion and externalization. The EU has increasingly externalized the responsibility for migrant ships in the Mediterranean Sea.[7] By delegating the responsibility to Libyan and other northern African authorities who are funded to intercept and rescue migrants before they reach European shores, the responsibility for dealing with migration from Africa is externalized. What was once the responsibility of Mare Nostrum  literally: our Sea  is delegated to the countries from which the ships of migrants depart. Various political agents in the European Union try to make migration  which is at least partly the result of the externalization of social costs of our modes of production and life  the worry and concern of those bearing the costs. At the same time, while the figure of the migrant is kept present, it is singled out mainly as something that is to be contained and rejected.

The three-part installation Liquid Violence from the collective Forensic Oceanography visualizes the systematic externalization of the figure of the migrant. Liquid Traces (2014) traces the fatal trajectory of one left-to-die-boat. The migrants vessel left the port of Tripoli on March 27, 2011 with seventy-two migrants on board. Due to NATOs enforcement of an arms embargo in the central Mediterranean Sea as part of the military operations in Libya, at that time this was the most highly surveilled section of sea in the entire world. After the migrants placed a distress call by a satellite phone, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rome signaled the boats distress and position to all vessels in the area, and alerted Malta Maritime Rescue Coordination Center and NATO Headquarters allied command in Naples. Although evidently inspected by an aircraft, helicopters, and a military ship approaching them in circles, and in spite of clearly being on NATOs surveillance radar, the boat in distress was left to die. On 28 March, after having probably entered the Maltese Search and Rescue area, the vessel ran out of fuel and began to drift back until April 10 when it landed southeast of Tripoli. Eleven of the seventy-two migrants were still alive; two died shortly thereafter.

We see a map of the moving militarized border regime in the Mediterranean Sea and witness a display of the complex conditions that have provoked thousands of deaths recorded at European maritime borders. The fluid map is based on various technologies such as satellite imagery, ship location data, geospatial mapping, and drift models. Through a voice-over we follow how the responsibility to rescue the migrant ship is externalized form one agent to the other. By showing what is unseen within the regime of visibility imposed by the surveillance tools, the video highlights the precarious relation of an imperative of visibility on the one hand and the invisibility of the deaths in its center on the other.

Mare Clausum (2018), another part of the installation, traces the effects of Italy and the EUs policy of externalized refoulment and the violence exercised by the Libyan Coast Guard on their behalf. A confrontational rescue operation of a migrant boat on November 6, 2017, involving rescue NGO Sea Watch and the Libyan Coast Guard, left at least 20 people died, while 47 passengers were ultimately pulled back to Libya where several faced grave human rights violations. The confrontation was based on policy agreements with and support for the Libyan Coast Guard by Italy and the EU. In this way, a militia-infiltrated Libyan Coast Guard has been made to operate what Forensic Oceanography calls refoulment by proxy on behalf of Italy and the EU.

Liquid Violence exhibits the intricate relation of making visible and invisible. Highlighting migration in this way, Forensic Oceanography intervenes in the discourse on that border area, countering the imaginary notion of a stable state with stable borders with the complexities of the Mediterranean Sea. Rather than focusing on the land, Liquid Violence directs our attention to the non-space that is the sea, that lacks the apparent unity of space and law, of order and orientation pertaining to the land (Schmitt).[8] Everything is liquid here, including the zones of sovereignty and jurisdiction. This border is not one made of concrete, but one constantly drawn and re-drawn by changing regulations and practices. The violence is not just physical, but one of transferal and denial. Instead of the fantasmatic notion of a wall keeping everything foreign out of a given state, the liquid violence of the sea captures the complexities and contradictions of our contemporary and future borders.

This video installation in the Palazzo Forcella De Seta was part of the art exhibition Manifesta 12. Palermos iteration of the European Nomadic Biennial did not take place in confined spaces designed solely for art, but rather consisted of artistic interventions spread across the city, based on local partnerships and initiatives, reflecting on and in fact intervening in contemporary legal and political struggles concerning migration. Continuous migration of people, capital, goods, data, seeds, germs  from the Ancient Greeks, the Arabs and the Normans to the more recent arrivals from Northern Africa, South East Asia and the Middle East  has shaped and reshaped the city of Palermo throughout its history. Besides its long-term connections with Northern Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean over the last 2000 years, Palermo has also been taken and occupied by almost every leading European power. The Manifesta 12 has highlighted Palermos function and potential as a laboratory for diversity, for new models of citizenship as well as human rights. The mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando, has launched a call to abolish the residence permit and for mobility as an inalienable human right.

Liquid Violence involves various strategies of making visible what is kept in the marginal, transitory and violent space of the sea, marking the unseen in the context of the visibility regime of our surveillance era. It re-appropriates surveillance data in order to make visible what these techniques are usually not used to make visible but in fact to block from view, highlighting the sea as this non-space of exception, revolving around the invisible act of violence by neglect, and pointing us to the invisible bodies and invisible lives entrapped in this externalization of migration. As a larger installation, Forensic Oceanography arranged a whole constellation of different videos and other materials, while one could only focus on one at a time, necessarily turning ones back on others, as well as on the actual sea outside of this Palazzo. In this way, the installation makes us realize our own blind spots. It lets us face up to what we are in fact not seeing  something we cannot afford not to see.

[1] Thomas Nail, The Figure of the Migrant, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2015

[2] Hannah Arendt, We Refugees, The Menorah Journal, 1943.

[3] Cf. Jacques Derrida, The Other Heading: Reflections on Todays Europe, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1992.

[4] Oxford English Dictionary, entry externalize, v.

[5] Stephan Lessenich, Neben uns die Sintflut: Die Externalisierungsgesellschaft und ihr Preis, Berlin: Hanser, 2016.

[6] For Freud, a dream is an externalization of an internal process. cf. Jean Laplanche, Jean-Bertrand Pontalis, Language of Psycho-Analysis, entry projection.

[7] Cf. EU Borders and Shifting Internal Security: Technology, Externalization and Accountability, edited by Raphael Bossong, Helena Carrapico, Heidelberg: Springer, 2016; EurAfrican Borders and Migration Management: Political Cultures, Contested Spaces, and Ordinary Lives, edited by Paolo Gaibazzi, Stephan Dunnwald, Alice Bellagamba, London: Palgrave, 2017.

[8] Third and last, the solid ground of the earth is delineated by fences, enclosures, boundaries, walls, houses, and other constructs. Then, the orders and orientations of human social life become apparent.  Law is bound to the earth and related to the earth. This is what the poet means when he speaks of the infinitely just earth: justissima tellus. The sea knows no such apparent unity of space and law, of order and orientation. Carl Schmitt, The Nomos of the Earth in the International Law of Jus Publicum Europaeum, Telos Press, 2006, p. 42.
Timothy P. Camus capped a long career in federal law enforcement as the tip of the spear in the battle against so-called IRS impersonators.



Theyre the crooks who call and pose as Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents: liars who tell people they owe back taxes, and extortionists who order them to pony up fast or theyll be arrested.

Often they target older Americans, even phoning people in nursing homes, says Camus, who makes his contempt for such offenders plain.

Theyre gutless. Just horrible human beings, he says. I dont know how they sleep at night.

Camus, 56, who retired from the U.S. Department of the Treasury at the end of 2017, says the highest loss he saw involved a victim who, over time, gave scammers more than a half-million dollars.

Another victim paid a higher price, so distraught that he killed himself once he realized hed been had.

Camus remembers another victim, too: a South Florida man in his 70s so agitated by demands for payment for a phony tax bill that he crashed his car while driving to a Walmart to buy prepaid debit cards for the scammers. The victim abandoned the wreck and made the rest of the trip on foot.
Syed Murad Ali Shah to appear before NAB

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to appear before the National Accountability (NAB) on Monday (today), instead of Tuesday, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.



The chief minister will be appearing before the anti-corruption watchdog in connection with an ongoing probe into fake bank accounts case. The provincial chief executive will appear at NABs old headquarters in Rawalpindi where Director General Irfan Mangi will record his statement. The chief minister will also be handed over a written questionnaire by the NAB investigators.



DG NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi has, meanwhile, contacted the district administration and sought additional security measures at the NAB office.



On March 21, NABs Rawalpindi office had summoned Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah to appear before it on March 26 in a case related to awarding subsidy of billions of rupees to Omni group sugar mills in Sindhs Thatta and Dadu districts. The accountability bureau has further directed the chief minister to bring along all records pertaining to the Sakrand, Khoski, Pangrio and Thatta sugar mills.



On March 20, former president Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had appeared before NAB and recorded their statements in the Park Lane Estate case. A large number of PPP workers were arrested following clashes with police ahead of the scheduled appearance of Bilawal and Zardari before the NAB investigators at the old headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The authorities deserve praise for strengthening the banking sector and for resolving nine banks, Completing the financial sector clean-up, as planned, will support the provision of adequate and affordable credit to the economy, the Board of IMF stated.



The Country some time past had no choice but to run to the IMF for the ECF like an antelope that had sighted an oncoming lion. This was a testament that the managers of the economy at that time had tried everything possible to avoid the disgrace of telling the IMF that please come with your cane and chalk and teach us how to manage our own economic affairs.



Going to IMF made nonsense of our first Presidents famous declaration that the black man was capable of managing his own affairs and makes us the laughing stock in the sight of countries that in the early stages of their development had to come to Nkrumahs Ghana for financial assistance.



Ghana is currently faced with a sovereign debt crisis, rising interest costs, policy slippages and external shocks which have dampened the countrys medium-term prospects and the sacrifices the IMF wants Ghana to make have put the governments credibility on the line from Ghana web general news of 24th April 2015. This meant that the managers of the Ama Ghana had thrown their hand in despair, all efforts to paddle the canoe to the shore proved unsurmountable. In Chennu Achebes own words things have fallen apart and the center can no longer hold".



Then from the white mans land in Washington DC, at the GE-Economist event as part of the U.S African Leaders Summit in April 2015, a man in beautiful African print seated at the far corner in the room rose up and walked majestically to the podium like a village hunter who had just gifted his girlfriends mother a deer and was walking back to his house.



This man also known as Edee beeeeee stated that the decision to open discussion with the IMF was not because of the failure of the governments own home grown solutions but rather because of the need for policy credibility and confidence from the international financial institutions, capital markets and investors.



What eroded the investor confidence and policy credibility, Mr. Boosu Keena? Whose duty was it to assembly the best brains to manage the economy? Who chewed the bone and even had no mercy for the marrow, Mr. JDM? There is no justification for taking us to the International world for the ridicule because we paid you and your Ministers elephant size salaries to think and give us solutions but not excuses to justify incompetence.



Power has changed hands, edee beee has seen his smooooothness level, now the NPP government that had in the past chastised the Mahama government for putting Ghana under the IMF programme and promised to kick the programme out after it elapse in 2018 had to tell Ghanaians a different story.



IMF says Ghana has underperformed and would miss its objectives for going for the facility hence the only way to be back on track is an extension. This was not the news majority of unemployed graduates wanted to hear, this was certainly not the news Ghanaians wanted to wake up to.



Government was not enthused about this news yet there was no choice than to extend the facility. This meant that sacrifices would have to be made, belts would have to be tightened. Hopes were dashed, expectations were not met, Labour unions started murmuring, the major opposition party that tattered the nation to the IMF like a sheep to the slaughter house suddenly found their voices.



Indeed, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown so they say in Africa. The Economic Management Team led by Dr. Muhamadu Bawumia made it clear to Ghanaians that we will come out of this servitude. Ghana will be managed by Ghanaians not IMF. Ken Ofori-Atta and his indefatigable team at the Finance Ministry put the right measures in place so that by the April deadline, Ghana will secure its sovereign freedom from IMF.



After putting the right structures in place, this is what the IMF Board had to say The fund congratulates the Authorities for successfully completing the ECF supported program and stands ready to support Ghana in its quest for economic prosperity.



This tells us that nothing is impossible to achieve if we commit our all to it. Ghana our beloved country is free forever. This is reminiscent of the colonial days leading to 6th March 1957, the euphoria, the pride in knowing that no external party is lurking around, breathing on your neck and ready to pounce on you the very second you veer off the track of economic administration.



The government is happy, Ministers and party communicators are all over the place trumpeting our successful exit from the fund. Must we make merry about our exit? What is there to celebrate about it? This is the time to reflect deeply on why the past administration went to IMF, what lessons to acquire from it and work industriously so we can borrow the words of the Jews NEVER AGAIN would any government take us back.



The current government still has the goodwill of the people but must be told in plain language that they need to up their game in the area of monitoring and supervision of policies, programmes and projects. Accra is engulfed in filth, heads must roll. People make mockery of the Presidents vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa by 2020. Whose duty is it to ensure that we raid the city of filth? What challenges do such institutions tasked to clean the city face? Have they made their concerns known to the appropriate authorities? Ghanaians are wide awake and will vote on what you promise us not because we love you. "NA LOVE GO PAY OUR HOSPITAL BILLS.



Government must understand that they are given four years to prove their worth to us the electorates before we can entrust them with another term. If there are changes to be made, if there are Ministers to be sacked, if there are things to do, Addo show boy please dont wait till 2020.



Most of your MDCEs are seriously underperforming, fighting with constituency executives on daily basis and no one talking. Most MPs and MDCEs in your party are now human version of the legendary Tom and Jerry cartoons causing apathy for your party.



Many party communicators are bitter and the most dangerous thing is walking with a friend who has his own plans about you. A stitch in time saves nine so let us do the work of the one who sent us whiles it is day, night is coming when no man can work.



Whiles we make merry and deservedly put the likes of Adongo in their proper place, let us also remember that Ghana is not all about Accra and IMF exit, this is more to it that than this. The bigger picture is maintaining the goodwill of Ghanaians and ensuring that government communication machinery at the grass root is well oiled to explain the big big grammar into simple language for my grandmother at Edwinase Atimatim to understand. How can the market woman at Bosofour in Asante Mampong make meaning of the Eurobond success, what impact does the appreciation of the cedi against the major currencies have on the waahye seller at Saabo zongo? These are but a few of the job of Government communicators. I repeat, a stitch in time saves nine.



It is time exit police brutalities, time to exit bribery and corruption, time to exit open defecation, exit underperforming ministers, time to exit political vigilantism. God bless our homeland Ghana.





















Source: Kwabena Boafo









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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Editors note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the company Verus Research.

Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico is emerging as a national leader in joint government-industry efforts to modernize the countrys space-based defense systems and build 21st century laser and microwave weapons, and that is creating opportunities for local business.

That includes companies of all sizes, from global players like Raytheon and Northrop Grumman to small homegrown firms and even startups with innovative technologies.

Kirtland Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range are playing critical roles in the modernization efforts, thanks to their technical talent and established infrastructure. Thats boosted through aggressive efforts by Democratic senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall to promote New Mexico as a high-tech hub for development of space systems and laser and microwave technology, known as directed energy. Thats helped raise New Mexicos profile, generating more defense spending here.

Were now widely recognized as a national center of excellence, Heinrich told the Journal. Its positioning us in the coming decades to significantly grow the job base in New Mexico.

As defense programs grow, more private sector investment is flowing into the state.

Theres a laundry list of employers setting up shop in Albuquerque, from small, homegrown companies to big guys like Boeing, Raytheon and General Atomics, Heinrich said. They all want to be here. They see New Mexico as the place to be now.

The boom in activity reflects changing national defense strategies, with development of space systems and directed energy among the Pentagons top priorities.

On the space front, that means upgrading government satellite systems to manage modern day challenges and make space-based communications, monitoring, and control systems far more efficient and robust.

New Mexico already excels in that area, thanks largely to Air Force space agencies at Kirtland and the local industry expertise thats built up alongside it.

On the directed energy front, the military is working to move laser and microwave weapons out of the lab and into the field, with a lot more money going into prototypes for testing, evaluation and training of war fighters. Most of that work is centered in New Mexico because those weapons were largely developed here through the Air Force Research Laboratorys Directed Energy Directorate, creating a rich pool of talent and technical expertise.

White Sands, meanwhile, is emerging as the nations key test and evaluation site for those weapons.

Heinrich and Udall have helped win a lot more government funding and industry contracts for all those programs. The fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act provided money to upgrade military infrastructure and capabilities here and advance technology modernization programs. That includes:

 $371 million for the Air Forces Space Rapid Capabilities Office at Kirtland, nearly a threefold increase from FY 2018;

 $15 million to upgrade White Sands laser and microwave testing infrastructure; and

 $484 million for directed energy activities nationally, most of it for Air Force efforts, particularly in New Mexico, to advance laser and microwave systems.

New Mexicos entire congressional delegation is also lobbying the Defense Department to co-locate the headquarters of a newly-planned Space Development Agency here.

Attracting jobs

More defense spending means more military and civilian jobs at Kirtland, and more contracts for local companies.

Just since February, the government announced two new awards for homegrown Albuquerque firms. Tau Technologies won an $8.9 million contract for modeling, simulation and assessment work on laser systems, and LoadPath LLC won $14.9 million to assist in research and development of advanced components and systems for satellites.

Such homegrown firms are growing fast. Verus Research, for example, grew from 21 employees and $2.7 million in revenue in 2014 to 74 employees and $12 million in revenue last year. The company works on lasers, high-power microwaves and nuclear engineering.

New task orders are coming in now, and theres more on the way, said Verus Research Managing Director Hank Andrews. Customer appetite is great.

Big companies are also staffing up to manage new and ongoing space and directed energy-related contracts.

In January, Northrop Grumman said it would open a new Albuquerque-area facility and expand its workforce, potentially doubling its employees to 300 over the next three years.

Boeing, which manages all of its directed energy work in Albuquerque, has developed a ground-based compact laser weapon system for defense against drones. It sold its first ones last year to the Marine Corps for testing and training.

The company, which employs about 200 throughout New Mexico, hired 20 people last year and will hire 20 more this year.

Were in a growth period now to develop and grow laser technology for war fighters, said Ron Dauk, Laser and Electro-Optical systems program manager.

Raytheon as well has ramped up at the Sandia Science and Technology Park to better manage its microwave-related work, nearly doubling its facility there to 175,000-square-feet. The site employs 150 people and includes the largest single concentration of microwave-related scientists and engineers among all companies nationwide, said Don Sullivan, directed energy chief technologist for Raytheon in Albuquerque.

Were recruiting more scientists and engineers now, and given our backlog of work, that will continue into the future, Sullivan said.

Raytheon has built a ground-based microwave defense system to down swarms of incoming drones simultaneously, which it tested at White Sands last fall. If the military deploys the system, most high-tech manufacturing and development will remain in Albuquerque with final assembly elsewhere. That means more jobs at Raytheon and at local high-tech firms that supply components and services to the company, Sullivan said.

Discussions are ongoing about using our system, Sullivan said. Theres potential to actually start producing units in the next two to three years.

Opportunities are also emerging for startup companies with innovative ideas to help solve technical problems. Thats boosted by a new Air Force emphasis on rapid development, prototyping and acquisition of technologies to speed the deployment of emerging defense systems, said Matt Fetrow, director of the Air Force Research Laboratorys Technology Engagement Office.

To facilitate those efforts in New Mexico, the AFRL contracted the ABQid business accelerator last year to help it build collaborative relations with private companies. That led to a novel Hyperspace Challenge last fall that paired 10 companies with Air Force specialists in a week-long competition in Albuquerque where participating firms presented data analytics technology that could help the military to rapidly translate reams of satellite data into useful information.

ABQid will help organize another challenge this year looking at a different technology problem.

We are front and center in defense modernization activities, and its creating lots of potential opportunities for businesses here, Fetrow said. That includes established companies and startups that can help the Air Force rapidly field new capabilities.

Space and directed energy agencies at Kirtland

Space Rapid Capabilities Office

Space and Missiles Centers Advanced Systems and Development Directorate

Air Force Research Laboratorys Space Vehicles Directorate

AFRLs Directed Energy Directorate

Combined $900 million in annual funding in fiscal year 2019

More than 1,600 civilian and military employees

FY 2016 economic impact

AFRL: $659 million, 4,166 direct and indirect jobs

Kirtland Air Force Base overall: $6.7 billion

22,000 direct jobs, including Sandia National Laboratories

53,000 total jobs supported
Monica Jojola is very busy. She owns two companies that do government contracting for the military, and she spends a lot of time traveling.

But when her travels take her just a short jaunt south to her 99-year-old grandmothers house at Isleta Pueblo, its like shes a different person.

Frankly, the competitiveness in the city doesnt go home with me, Jojola said. (Im) very laid-back, respecting the elders, respecting the men and the women who are so involved in the pueblo that Im probably more quiet and more reserved. It humbles me.

Jojola is president of Montech Inc., a company she started in 2011, and managing member of Pueblo Vista, a joint venture she launched with an Arizona firm last year. The companies provide contracting work for the Energy and Defense departments, the Army, the Air Force and the U.S. Special Operations Command, among other agencies.

Jojola is honorary commander of the 58th Special Operations Wing and civic leader to the Global Strike Command, both at Kirtland Air Force Base. She also is chairwoman of the Anderson Alumni Council at UNM.

Still, what defines Jojola most is her Native heritage.

She grew up on Isleta Pueblo, speaking Tewa with my mom and dad and my cousins, my grandmother, my aunties, my uncles, but it wasnt until after she graduated from the University of New Mexico that she really began to identify with her culture.

The moment came when Jojola followed the advice of Agnes Dill, an Isleta Pueblo member who advocated for the rights of Native women. It was Dill who suggested Jojola seek the Miss Indian New Mexico title.

She did and she won, and it made her realize how far she had drifted from her upbringing.

Because I had played in a market where I was not even recognized as being Indian or being from Isleta, (the title) actually drove me back to my roots, Jojola said.

Youve got the honor of having that title for the whole year, so youre traveling across the state at different events, she said. It made me realize how valuable my Native background was. Its not until youre 19 or 20, and you think, Oh, my gosh, that is beautiful. How the heck did you make that? or `Where did that (tradition) come from? 

Jojolas Montech office is near the Air Force base and some of her clients, but its also close to Isleta Pueblo.

She says she is fortunate to be in such close proximity. Twenty-five minutes south, and youre back in your native land again. I love that.

How did you reach the decision to start your own business?

Ive always had an executive leadership position, even in my mid-20s. You become secure with your job. You have everything supporting you as an employee, so when you run off and (are) on your own, you no longer have those resources. You almost feel sick to your stomach because youre thinking, What am I doing? Am I crazy? But I knew that if I didnt do this in my early 40s, that I would just be kicking myself a decade later, saying, why not? Plus  the federal sector was starting the woman-owned, small-business set-aside. There was probably less than two handfuls of women saying, Yes, I can master this program, and so it was important for me to do it.

Have you faced any difficulties as a female business owner?

In my line of business, its heavy Department of Defense. So you get 10 people around the table, seven, eight of them are men. Ive been fortunate to see the women who are sitting at the table as well as being very strong (and) empowered, they speak well, they are well put together, educated. Theyve learned some pretty strong leadership roles and skills and for the most part, the men have been respectful.

Men, theyve got this cameraderie going among themselves. Theyll say, Did you watch the Super Bowl this weekend? That question probably isnt being addressed to me. So you just try to read the paper on Monday morning  so you know whats going on.

What has been your experience in the business world as a Native woman?

I learned along the way that I dont want to go off and share, Hey, were a Native American corporation, were a woman-owned small business  not any of those. I like to absolutely address our competencies.

What are your hobbies?

Id like to say Im an avid anything, like a runner, but Im not. I enjoy long, long walks where you can think. If I travel somewhere and enjoy the weekend in a different city besides Albuquerque and then I make my way back home, I enjoy that. Friendships are really important to me.

Where do you like to walk?

Down south. In the Los Lunas area, the Isleta area, the bosque area. You see trees, you see river, you see good walking trails and dirt  no pavement.

Whats the best compliment youve ever received?

I believe the best compliment Ive ever received  and I still hold it close to my heart  is, Monica, although you may not want to hear this, youre a role model for other young Native women who are entering this field. I just feel that its the right thing to do (because) someone did this for me.

What makes you laugh?

Family stories that happened when I was 8 years old or 10 years old.

Pet peeves?

When others perhaps dont respect humanity, regardless of the situation. I just think that people, whether its someone whos outside on the corner of the street asking for a quarter, its still a human being and not acknowledging that person.  They were a child to a mother at one point, and so when I see that no one acknowledges that one man or lady standing there, I feel disheartened and I feel sad that no one said, Hello or How are you? 

So what do you do?

I will make it a point to say, when I see someone and theres a group of us, Ill say, Hello, sir or Hi, maam, and to make sure that everyone hears that.

Whats on your bucket list?

Because my daughter, Cameron, who is 18, would love to do skydiving, I would love to do that. Thats something we could share together.

What are your favorite traditions that you grew up with?

I believe my most favorite traditions are everything surrounding my grandmothers home. Shes 99 years old, so she understands everything  the traditions. Whether its a feast day or a cultural event or whether its preparing for something in the village, everything is kind of centered at my grandmothers home. Were preparing food there, the cousins are meeting there, the house is busy and full and were laughing along the way, though there might be hard tasks ahead of us.

Whats the most important thing your grandmother taught you?

A lot of it is not forgetting where we come from. Being kind to one another, because were going to need each other one day. Regardless of where we go in our travels and all the wonderful things we do, that we belong in that village and how we belong to the family and each other. So youre never drifting. Youre never lost.

THE BASICS: Monica Yvette Jojola, 50, born in Albuquerque, raised on Isleta Pueblo; bachelors degree in political science, University of New Mexico.

POSITIONS: President of Montech Inc. and managing member of Pueblo Vista Joint Venture, LLC; previously business development director for Chickasaw Nation Industries Inc.

OTHER: Honorary commander of 58 Special Operations Wing and civic leader to Global Strike Command, both at Kirtland Air Force Base; chair, UNM Anderson Alumni Council; board member, American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico.
On July 6, 1855, Albany innkeeper William Landon served brandy to a pair of customers. Big mistake. New Yorks prohibition law had gone into effect two days previously. Landon was the victim of a sting operation.

Facing a significant fine and confiscation of his wine cellar, Landon secured the services of one of the countrys earliest celebrity lawyers, John K. Porter. Porters first step was to ask the presiding judge to declare the prohibition statute unconstitutional, but the judge ruled that he lacked authority to nullify an act of the legislature. And so the case proceeded to trial.

Porter couldnt well deny that his client sold the brandy. Instead he asked the jury to take the step from which the judge had shrunk. He urged the jury to find the statute unconstitutional. His closing argument, which went on for hours, cleverly worked on the jurors emotions while weaving in quotations from numerous legal authorities to buttress his contention that the prohibition law unconstitutionally deprived his client of the use of his own property.

On the basic question of whether the jury had the authority to declare a statute unconstitutional, Porter quoted from no less an authority than James Kent, the recently deceased chancellor (effectively, chief justice) of New York. In criminal cases, Kent had written, the jury may, and indeed they must  take upon themselves the decision of the law as well as the fact.

The judge presiding over the trial interrupted Porters argument: The rule is well settled that  the jury are the judges of the law and the fact; but the question here is, are they judges of the Constitution? Porter was ready with a counterquestion of his own: It is conceded that the jury are the judges of the law. Is not the Constitution the supreme law? Turning to the jury, he continued: Yet it is seriously claimed, that you, who are made judges of the law, are not competent to understand the declaration of your own rights in the paramount law. As well might it be claimed that you are unable to comprehend the Declaration of Independence.

That kind of rhetoric sweeps all before it like floodwaters bursting through a Nebraska dam, and with roughly the same attention to the niceties of logical reasoning. The jury needed only a few minutes of deliberation to find Landon not guilty.

Nearly everything about the Landon trial strikes a modern lawyer as bizarre. Practically every other sentence of Porters summation would be objectionable today. In our modern practice, jurors have no power to decide questions of law, still less of constitutionality. We draw a strict division between issues of law (reserved for the judge to decide) and issues of fact (the jurys province). But that division of responsibilities, the foundation of modern legal procedure, is a relatively recent legal development. Only in Sparf v. United States, decided in 1895, 40 years after the Landon trial, did the United States Supreme Court rule that in federal cases it is the duty of the court to expound the law and that of the jury to apply the law as thus declared to the facts as ascertained by them.

To me, its astonishing that it took our judicial system so long to arrive at a conclusion that is at once obvious and essential. We simply cannot have one law to govern all of society unless we have one unified authority to declare what the law is. We need to agree on what the law requires of us before we can hope to approach the ideal of equal treatment under its protection.

But my approval of the Sparf decision doesnt blind me to the fact that it adjusted the balance of power between two core institutions of our legal system. Sparf involved murder on the high seas. One of the convicted defendants won his appeal while the other lost, but the biggest winner was the federal judiciary itself, which vastly increased its authority over the suddenly diminished jury.

When news of a big verdict breaks, or the Supreme Court issues a new landmark decision, most of us react as to the final score of a big game. We boo or cheer, depending on whether our side wins or loses. But often the most important question isnt who benefits from a decision, but who gets to make it.

The next time you hear breaking legal news, try this experiment. Detach yourself from the impulse to approve or disapprove of the outcome and ask instead whether the judge who rendered the decision gained or lost power. Spoiler alert: Judges, from the Supreme Court on down, usually dont vote against themselves.

Joel Jacobsen is an author who recently retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com.
WASHINGTON  The cloud that has hung over President Donald Trump since the day he walked into the White House has been lifted.

Yes, special counsel Robert Mueller left open the question of whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation. Yes, separate federal probes still put Trump and his associates in legal jeopardy. And yes, Democrats will spend the coming months pushing for more details from Mueller, all while launching new probes into Trumps administration and businesses.

But at its core, Muellers investigation gave the president what he wanted: public affirmation that he and his campaign did not coordinate with Russia to win the 2016 election. After spending months tweeting No collusion, Trump had been proven right.

The findings, summarized Sunday by the Justice Department , are sure to embolden Trump as he plunges into his re-election campaign, armed now with new fodder to claim the investigation was little more than a politically motivated effort to undermine his presidency.

Its a shame that our country had to go through this, Trump said. To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this.

Muellers investigation stretched on for nearly two years, enveloping Trumps presidency in a cloud of uncertainty and sending him into frequent fits of rage. The scope of the probe was sweeping: Mueller issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtained nearly 500 search warrants and interviewed 500 witnesses, including some of the presidents closest advisers.

And Trumps ultimate vindication on the question of collusion with Russia came at a steep cost.

The investigation took down his campaign chairman, his White House national security adviser and his longtime lawyer. It revealed the extent of Moscows desire to swing the 2016 contest toward Trump, as well as Trumps pursuit of business deals in Russia deep into the campaign. And the Justice Department didnt explain why so many Trump associates lied throughout the investigation.

But in the end, Mueller concluded that those lies were not an effort to obscure a criminal conspiracy by Trump and his advisers to work with Russia. There was smoke, and plenty of it  including an eyebrow-raising meeting between Trumps son and a Russian lawyer  but ultimately, no fire.

Good day for the rule of law. Great day for President Trump and his team, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.

Democrats quickly sought to puncture Trump and fellow Republicans jubilation, vowing to subpoena Muellers full report, which remains a secret. After spending years questioning Trumps ties to Moscow, the Democrats focus is shifting to the question Mueller pointedly left unanswered: whether Trump obstructed the investigation by firing FBI Director James Comey and dictating a misleading statement about his sons meeting with the Russian lawyer.

The fact that special counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

The fight for those documents will be lengthy and contentious, particularly against the backdrop of the 2020 presidential election. It will involve complex debates over the rules that govern special counsel investigations, which put a member of Trumps Cabinet in charge of summarizing Muellers findings for the public, and a presidents right to keep his private discussions out of the public eye.

Previewing the case Democrats will make to get more details about Trumps actions, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., declared: Executive privilege cannot be used to shield or hide wrongdoing.

For Trump and his associates, the argument will be far simpler: Democrats already tried to go after the president once and failed.

Just as important a victory as this is for President Trump, this is a crushing defeat for Democrats and members of the media who have pushed the collusion delusion myth for the past two years. That officially ends today, said Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign official.

Trumps legal troubles are far from over. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are pursuing at least two criminal inquiries involving the president or people in his orbit, one involving his inaugural committee and another focused on the hush-money scandal that led his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to plead guilty last year to campaign finance violations. New York Attorney General Letitia James is also looking into whether Trump exaggerated his wealth when seeking loans for real estate projects and a failed bid to buy the NFLs Buffalo Bills.

But in the hours after Muellers findings were released, those investigations appeared to be a world away for Trump. As he walked into the White House Sunday night, he pumped his fist to a group of supporters and declared, America is the greatest place on earth, the greatest place on earth.

___

EDITORS NOTE  Julie Pace has covered the White House and politics for the AP since 2007. Follow her at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC .

___

Follow all of APs Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations

An AP News Analysis
In November 2016 members of the Islamic Center of New Mexico and Jewish Congregation Nahalat Shalom came together with the goal of protecting each others people from the hatred and violence unleashed by Donald Trumps mean-spirited and racist demagoguery.

In these last two years our group has promoted positive community work, meeting with our political representatives and supporting Albuquerques immigrant-friendly city ordinance and the similar Bernalillo County resolution. We have also responded to attacks on our communities, including some at the local mosque in Albuquerque, the killing of Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue and now this, the slaying of Muslims in New Zealand by a self-proclaimed white supremacist praising Donald Trump as a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose.

We support marginalized peoples in our community targeted by discrimination and violence. When any one of us is at risk, we are all at risk.

Our respective religions, Judaism and Islam, teach us of our oneness with each other, of our connection to all sentient beings; they teach us to be allies of the poor and the stranger; they teach us the mitzvahs of making peace and working for justice. On behalf of the Jewish members of Muslim and Jews United, and the congregants of Nahalat Shalom, our hearts ache for our Muslim sisters and brothers. We stand beside them to help keep them safe, to mourn their loss, and to share courage in times of pain, fear and anger. We are also deeply grateful to live in New Mexico, a state that largely celebrates and learns from our rich cultural differences. May we each walk in and commit ourselves to peace. Shalom and Salaam.
GOVERNMENT HAS through the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) called for public support in the implementation of some critical road safety interventions across the country.



Executive Director of NRSC, Mary Obiri-Yeboah, made the call on Sunday, March 24, while addressing journalists at the Information Ministry in Accra.



Her address was necessitated by the two accidents that occurred in Kintampo and Ekumfi on Friday, March 22, 2019.



The two accidents in the Central and Bono East regions reportedly left over 60 persons dead and several others injured.



Madam Obiri-Yeboah complained that in recent times, we have been at the receiving end of some resistance for the introduction of one road safety measure or the other.



According to her, the Commission intends to lead a conversation on the implementation of the Regulation on Speed limiters, which requires that all commercial vehicles must be fitted with speed limiters to help manage speeds as a major contributory factor to road traffic crashes.



Madam Obiri-Yeboah stressed that road safety is a way of life and a collective responsibility. The Transport operators, GPRTU, PROTOA, VIP, VVIP etc have a huge responsibility to ensure that their drivers are well educated and trained periodically. They must ensure at all times that their vehicles are roadworthy. The Police must intensify their enforcement programme and passengers must speak out against conducts that put the lives in danger.



She stated road users must remember that the use of the road require knowledge and responsibility. All road users must demonstrate discipline at all times whilst in traffic as drivers, riders, pedestrians, passengers, etc.



She lamented that road traffic crashes have seen an upsurge of road deaths and injuries from the beginning of this year.



The Executive Director said available statistics from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service indicates that from January to end of February 2019, a total of 411 persons were killed and 2,048 were injured through road traffic crashes in Ghana.



She recalled that in February 2018 after series of occurrences of road traffic crashes, President Akuffo Addo, expressed his concern about the carnage and tasked the Ministers of Interior, Transport and Roads and Highways to come up with a working solution to address the menace.



She explained that the Committee submitted its report to the President which identified indiscipline as the main contributory factor to the increasing incidents of road traffic crashes.



She added that this situation has culminated into total disrespect for road traffic laws and regulations related to travel speeds, overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, long driving periods, disregard for traffic regulations by motor riders including the non-use of crash helmets among others.

Source: Daily Guide









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There are many stories in New Mexicos Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community about lives cut short by lack of access to health care. As the co-interim director of the New Mexico Asian Family Center (NMAFC), I hear these stories almost daily. Now that funding to develop a Medicaid buy-in plan has passed the Legislature, I urge Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to seize this opportunity to craft a plan that will extend coverage to all New Mexicans. AAPIs and all families need this affordable health care coverage option.

The Medicaid buy-in is an innovative idea that would allow eligible New Mexico residents to pay a reasonable monthly premium for the trusted health care coverage that Medicaid has provided for more than 50 years. That includes preventive care, childbirth and prenatal care, and even specialty care.

For one family that I worked with, New Mexicos Medicaid buy-in plan is coming too late. But for so many more in our community, it will be a welcomed relief that will finally make life-saving health care affordable and accessible.

Last year, a 55-year-old grandfather came to NMAFC asking for help accessing health care. He had moved from Vietnam to Albuquerque a few years before with his wife. Their daughter had married an American man and started a family of her own here. Working and raising kids, particularly for low-income, immigrant families, can be overwhelming. A multi-generational household can help bridge gaps in childcare and income, and the daughter and son-in-law were grateful to have her parents living with them.

Shortly after arriving in Albuquerque, though, the grandfather began experiencing severe headaches. Without financial resources, he was unable to access care in the United States. It wasnt until he made a trip back to Vietnam that he went to a doctor. The news was devastating: He had brain cancer.

Back in New Mexico, he was ineligible for Medicaid because he had not been in the state for five years. Desperate to get treatment, he and his wife moved again. This time to California where he could access Medicaid. He began chemotherapy, but the treatment made him weak and, without being able to work, he couldnt afford the cost of rent, food and basic necessities. He and his wife had to move back in with their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Albuquerque. He was with his family, but he was without care.

When I started working with him through the center, he had gone many months without any treatment. He was weak, and his family was scared. I was able to get an exception for him to receive coverage through UNM Care. He briefly resumed treatment, but, I am sad to say, died a few months ago.

Timely access to affordable health care could have saved  or at the very least prolonged  this mans life, giving him more time with his family. It is not too much to ask that our elders be able to see a doctor, and to see their grandchildren grow up.

Talk to any of the more than 40,000 AAPIs living in New Mexico and you will hear a similar story. A friend who lost a limb because she couldnt afford medical attention until it was too late. A cousin who died from pneumonia as a result of the flu. A grandchild born prematurely due to inadequate access to prenatal care. Its time to change the way families access health care.

With a Medicaid buy-in plan in place, New Mexicans, including those like the grandfather I worked with, will be able to get covered and get care  without fear of bankrupting themselves or their families.

We cannot change that familys story. Its too late. But, by adopting a Medicaid buy-in plan in New Mexico, we can provide a better quality of life for the thousands of other New Mexicans  in the Asian Pacific Islander community and around the state  who lack health care coverage.
Elizabeth Warren, the pointy end of the spear of Democratic radicalism, has called for the end of the Electoral College.

My view, she said at a CNN town hall, is that every vote matters. And the way we can make that happen is that we can have national voting and that means get rid of the Electoral College.

Her statement elicited the support of other 2020 candidates. The same people who complain daily about Donald Trump violating norms are now openly advocating eliminating the Electoral College and packing the Supreme Court. Democrats obviously want to beat Trump and win the presidency going forward. There are simpler, less far-reaching expedients than trying to dump the Electoral College, beginning with nominating a more appealing candidate than Hillary Clinton. If Democrats could manage that, and win both the popular vote and an Electoral College majority, their concerns about the current system would suddenly evaporate.

The case against the Electoral College is, first, as Elizabeth Warren said, that it supposedly ensures that some votes dont matter: In heavily blue or red states, voters on the other side are effectively disenfranchised. This isnt true, though. All votes are counted toward the outcome in every state. Voters from Republican, rural areas in California, for instance, arent disregarded; they are simply outnumbered. If it is the considered progressive view that this is tantamount to disenfranchisement, California could immediately mitigate the problem by splitting its electoral votes by congressional district the way Nebraska and Maine do.

Another argument is that the Electoral College bears the moral stain of slavery. But the debate over how to select the president that took place at the Constitutional Convention was between the large and small states. Slavery wasnt mentioned, except in an ambiguous remark by James Madison. The Electoral College was indirectly touched by the slavery compromise only because states were allocated electors based on their senators and congressional districts, and slaves were counted as 3/5ths of a person for purposes of congressional representation. When the 3/5ths clause was abolished 150 years ago, the Electoral College continued to operate as usual.

Then theres the question of proportionality. The way the Electoral College distributes electors isnt strictly proportional to the population of the states, yet the big states still are hugely important. The 84 electoral votes of automatically blue California and New York are an enormous step toward Electoral College victory.

Its understandable that Democrats feel aggrieved by how Hillary Clinton lost. But 2016 wasnt a true test of the popular vote, given her opponent wasnt contesting the campaign on those grounds. Trumps team was, rightly, trying to eke out an Electoral College victory rather than run up the score in Republican states. Yes, Clinton walloped Trump by nearly 2-1 margins in California and New York, but that didnt get her anything except greater permission to act the sore loser. What Democrats want is effectively to make California and New York the king-makers in presidential politics, and not have to bother with the middle of the country and smaller, more rural states. This is exactly the approach that the Electoral College is meant to foreclose.

Opponents of the Electoral College have made some progress in getting blue states to agree to award their electors to the popular-vote winner, a deal that would go into effect when states equaling 270 electors join the compact. This arrangement would surely lose its allure as soon as it meant awarding the electoral votes of these states to Donald Trump or any other Republican.

In the Trump era, Democrats are in a perpetual state of panic. They should remember that the electoral map is always changing. Before 2016, it was thought the Electoral College favored Democrats. It shouldnt be beyond their conceiving that they can win again under the long-established rules of Americas foundational governing document.

If its true that they cant, they have only themselves to blame.
WASHINGTON  Please, lets stop pretending that the college cheating scandal is just an indictment of overindulgent, wealthy helicopter parents.

The Justice Department has accused dozens of super-rich parents of making $25 million in illegal payments  and, in some cases, taking a tax break to boot  to get their children into selective colleges.

If true, these parents broke the law. They could face some prison time. But in the coming weeks, a lot of parents and their children, whove been legitimately accepted to pricey colleges, will make a move to put themselves in another type of prison.

Certain madness takes over this time of year  between late March and early April  when the college acceptance letters are sent out. Hearts are elated if children are accepted to prestigious public and private universities. Then comes the financial reality: Going to these dream colleges often means taking on substantial student loans.

Outstanding student-loan debt at the end of last year was $1.5 trillion. Education debt ranks second in consumer debt nationwide behind mortgages.

Parents will sentence themselves and their children to decades of debt because they believe attending a select school is a must for their children to succeed. They will trade financial stability for the status symbol of a brand-name college education.

The recent admissions scam has been used to underscore the pressure parents and students are under to get into better schools, as if the thousands of other colleges and universities in the country just arent good enough. Heaven forbid you suggest a student attend a community college first, if money is woefully lacking. The pushback is typically substantial  and illogical.

Dripping with disdain, parents and students say that if the acceptance to an elite college doesnt happen, there is always the safety school. Whats financially sound and safe about struggling under the weight of enough debt to equal the price of a home?

And the financial imprisonment is even harder for low-income families, particularly minorities. Many students from these homes run out of money before they can graduate. They end up with debt and no degree.

Last fall, I met a mother at a financial-literacy program in Delaware who was very concerned about how to pay her parent PLUS loans. She had taken out more than $100,000 to help send her child to the top-rated University of Michigan to study to be a teacher.

I asked her why she didnt send her daughter to a school in her home state or somewhere close by so she could commute and reduce the cost of attendance.

Its where she really wanted to go, and she worked hard to get into Michigan, the mom said with pride.

But studies have shown that the determination and hard work that the child demonstrated would have helped her succeed wherever she ended up going to college.

A sort of mania has taken hold, and its grip seems to grow tighter and tighter, wrote New York Times op-ed columnist Frank Bruni in his 2015 book Where You Go Is Not Who Youll Be.

Its the elite edge that drives many parents and students to put themselves in financial jeopardy, Bruni pointed out.

What about the connections a child will make at a premier institution, you might ask?

Gallup asked 5,100 graduates about the career helpfulness of their undergraduate alumni networks.

Just 9 percent of graduates said the school network has been very helpful or helpful to them in the job market, according to Gallup, which released the findings earlier this year.

Just one in six alumni from schools ranked in the top 50 by U.S. News and World Report reported that their alumni network has been useful to them in the job market.

While these alumni are slightly more likely than alumni from lower-ranked schools to perceive their alumni network as helpful, the differences are relatively minor and unlikely to offset the significant differences in tuition costs, Gallup said.

What can markedly make a difference in job success for a student?

What helps tremendously is an internship during college in which a graduate can apply what he or she is learning, Gallup said.

Long before the current admissions scandal, Bruni wrote, The admissions game is too flawed and too rigged to be given so much credit. For another, the nature of a students college experience  the work that he or she puts into it, the skills that he or she picks up, the self-examination thats undertaken, the resourcefulness thats honed  matters more than the name of the institution attended.

Stop the madness. Dont succumb to admissions mania that can condemn you and your kid to a life of crushing debt.

E-mail michelle.singletary@washpost.com
Two candidates for provost at the University of New Mexico will be making public and private appearances on campus this week as university President Garnett Stokes moves to hire a top executive.

Paul Holloway, the vice provost for global engagement and interdisciplinary academic affairs at University of Michigan, will be on campus today and Tuesday. Michael J. Benedik, a vice provost and chief international officer at Texas A&M University, will be at UNM on Thursday and Friday. Both are being considered for the job of provost and executive vice president of academic affairs, which is one position.

The candidates stop on campus will include public forums today and Thursday. Holloway will have one session with faculty and another with staff this morning, followed by a community and campuswide public meeting today at 3 p.m. in the Student Union Building. Benedik will follow the same schedule on Thursday.

Richard Wood has been serving as the interim provost since Chaouki Abdallah resigned at the start of the current school year to take a job at Georgia Institute of Technology.

The provost is the top academic official at UNM. The Office of Academic Affairs oversees all aspects of UNMs academic mission, including research, teaching, service and academic personnel.

Wood said during a university meeting last week that he applied but was not chosen to be one of four finalists who were recommended to Stokes by a search committee comprised of university employees and the firm Isaacson, Miller, which UNM hired to find candidates.

The search committee headed by Barbara McCrady, a psychology professor, provided Stokes with four candidates, Wood said. Stokes had previously said she wanted four unranked finalists.

A webpage the university created to provide updates on the search for provost identifies Benedik and Holloway as candidates. It also says an unnamed candidate will be on campus April 10.

The university canceled a candidate forum it had previously scheduled for last Thursday, according to the university website.

It wasnt clear if Stokes, who will make the final decision on the hire, had whittled the four recommendations down to Holloway and Benedik or if anyone else will be considered. The university hasnt responded to a Journal records request made earlier this month for the names of all applicants for the position.

The candidates were selected by the search committee, which worked with the search firm. At this point we have scheduled two candidates for campus visits (this) week, UNM spokeswoman Cinnamon Blair said in an email. After campus feedback is collected, the President will consider the feedback from all stakeholders, and will make the final decision.

Susan Boe, the vice president of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said nothing prohibits UNM from disclosing all applicants and the finalists for the position.

Its an unfortunate battle because the public needs to know who public bodies are looking at as potential candidates, Boe said.

She said there are several important reasons why the public should know who is being considered for high-ranking public positions.

Often, public bodies will say the reason we couldnt hire a person of color or a woman is because the applicant pool was so thin, Boe said. How do we know that for a fact if we dont know who the candidates were?

The provost salary is negotiable, Blair said. Abdallah was making $318,238 annually when he left UNM.

Stokes, who became UNMs president in March 2018, also still needs to hire a vice president for equity and inclusion and the senior vice president for finance and administration.
ELECTRONIC COPIES ARE GOOD ENOUGH: Last weeks column included readers concerned about identity theft wanting to supply cellphone pics rather than leave their registration and insurance cards in their vehicle, and state law requiring paper copies of vehicle registration.

What a difference a week makes.

Nora Meyers Sackett, deputy press secretary for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, got with both the Taxation and Revenue Department, which oversees the Motor Vehicle Division, and the Department of Public Safety, aka State Police, and says that regarding electronic copies of ones vehicle registration, TRDs and DPS assessment is that nothing in the law prevents use of electronic copies. Section 66-3-13 NMSA 1978 simply requires that the division issue such registration and that the vehicle owner sign the registration and exhibit it upon demand. New Mexico State Police officers do accept electronic copies of documentation individuals normally carry in their cars, including vehicle registrations.

AND MORE ON THAT EMISSIONS CHECK WEBSITE: After a March 11 column item mentioned being able to check your vehicle emissions status online, Laura Highfill emails that it doesnt work as advertised.

I just renewed a 2016 vehicle online. No message showing emissions required came up, and I was allowed to renew.

Good so far, because as described vehicle owners only get a notice if they need to renew their emissions certificate, which Bernalillo County residents have to do every two years.

But.

Laura adds that because another vehicle we owned had registration revoked due to expired emissions, I thought Id check my car. It said emissions was NOT needed, but in small print showed the emissions had expired in April 2018! I got my emissions done and checked online a day or two later and it had updated properly. Their system is definitely not functioning the way it should.

Theres clearly a disconnect, but the city environmental health official explained you are only supposed to get a message if theres an issue, which in Lauras case happened because there was.

Heres hoping web officials can get all the messages to vehicle owners in the same lane.

CENTRAL NEEDS SOME PAVING TLC: Martinez-dave asks in an email if there any plans by the city to rehab the pavement on East Central from about Dorado to Louisiana both east- and west-bound. There are numerous sunken pavement cuts, bumps and potholes and just plain worn-out asphalt that hasnt been touched in 20 to 30 years. The intersection at Juan Tabo and Central alone with all the broken asphalt is a hazard for motorcyclists and bicyclists.

Yes and no.

Johnny Chandler, who handles information for the city of Albuquerques Department of Municipal Development, says DMD does have a time frame for road rehabilitation for Central Avenue from Louisiana to Eubank. Central Avenue from Wyoming to Eubank is scheduled for this summer. Central Avenue from Louisiana to Wyoming is scheduled for the summer of 2020. Central from Eubank to Dorado has not been scheduled at this time.

Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, N.M. 87109.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Authorities say a woman wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Albuquerque last year has been extradited to New Mexico to face charges.

KRQE-TV reports 37-year-old Latrice Thomas was arrested recently in California after being on the run since May.

Authorities say she likely will be arraigned on the open count of murder.

It was unclear Sunday if Thomas has a lawyer yet.

Albuquerque police say 27-year-old Hilarie Humbles was found dead at an apartment complex last summer.

Police say they believe the two women got into an argument after Humbles helped Thomas move, but Thomas refused to pay for Humbles help.

Police identified Thomas as the person who allegedly shot and killed Humbles.

The case was one of the unsolved homicides featured on the Albuquerque Police Departments website.

___

Information from: KRQE-TV, http://www.krqe.com
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  A New Mexico archbishop is renewing his call for Catholics to stop worshipping the skeleton folk saint known as La Santa Muerte, or Our Lady of Holy Death, saying he fears some mistakenly believe the Grim Reaper-like figure is a Roman Catholic Church-sanctioned saint.

Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester recently told The Associated Press he believes some Catholics may be fooled into venerating Santa Muerte even though the focus on death runs counter to the churchs teachings.

Its really wrong, Wester said. I think in part, its (because) people are looking and searching. Its a symptom of a search looking for answers.

But the devotion to death is not in line with the churchs teachings, Wester said, and Santa Muerte is misleading to people.

Our devotion is to the God of life, Wester said.

Popular in Mexico and sometimes linked to drug cartels, La Santa Muerte in recent years has found a diverse following north of the border: immigrant small-business owners, artists, gay activists and the poor, among others  many of them non-Latinos and not all involved with organized religion. Shrines and statues of the skeleton figure  typically depicted wearing a black nuns robe and holding a scythe  can be found in New Mexico, California, Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere.

People pray to Santa Muerte for all manner of otherworldly help, from fending off wrongdoing and exacting revenge to landing better jobs and stopping lovers from cheating. Others seek her protection for their drug shipments and to ward off law enforcement.

Wester is one of only a handful of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops who have denounced Santa Muerte. In 2017, he joined El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz and San Angelo Bishop Michael Sis in Texas in urging Catholics to avoid honoring to the folk saint.

Sis said La Santa Muerte is spiritually dangerous and has no link to Catholicism. It should be completely avoided. It is a perversion of devotion to the saints, Sis said.

But so far no other high-ranking Catholic church officials have publicly criticized the worshipping of Santa Muerte, according to Andrew Chesnut, author of Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint and Bishop Walter F. Sullivan chair in Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

In Latin America, church officials rebuke Santa Muerte almost weekly, Chesnut said.

Chesnut said he believes U.S. Catholic officials have been reluctant to aggressively attack Santa Muerte because of their focus on defending migrants rights and concerns about portraying Mexican immigrants as dangerous and all connected to drug trafficking.

___

Contreras is a member of The Associated Press race and ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
Copyright  2019 Albuquerque Journal

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall announced Monday he will not seek re-election to a third term in 2020, setting the stage for a 30-year run in elected office to draw to a close and touching off what could be a wild race to determine his successor.

A Democrat who is the senior member of New Mexicos congressional delegation, Udall was seen as a heavy favorite to win re-election next year to a new six-year term.

His decision to step down after his current term expires could reshape New Mexicos political landscape, as multiple Democrats and Republicans are likely to express interest in the open seat.

Im confident that we could run a strong campaign next year to earn a third term, because of all the work you and I have done together, along with my wife, Jill, and my incredibly dedicated staff, Udall said in a statement.

But the worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent, he added. Thats why Im announcing today I wont be seeking re-election next year.

Udall, 70, also said he does not necessarily plan to retire and is seeking new ways to serve New Mexico and our country after I finish this term. He did not specify what that might mean.

The son of former U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, the senator was elected New Mexicos attorney general in 1990 after two unsuccessful bids for Congress.

After two terms as attorney general, Tom Udall won election in 1998 to the northern New Mexico-based 3rd Congressional District. He then was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, easily beating Republican Steve Pearce in that years general election.

Udall was re-elected to the Senate in 2014 and considered running for governor last year.

In his Monday statement, he said he sees his remaining 21 months in the Senate as an opportunity.

Without the distraction of another campaign, I can get so much more done to help reverse the damage done to our planet, end the scourge of war, and to stop this presidents assault on our democracy and our communities, he said.

Udall said he will get to work immediately on three real crises that are happening right now  climate change, expanding clean energy and protecting public lands and forests.

During his time in the U.S. Senate, Udall has focused largely on environmental and campaign finance transparency issues. He also played a key role in 2016 legislation that rewrote the nations 40-year-old chemical regulation laws and in the passing of the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which preserved more than 275,000 acres as wilderness area in the state this month.

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Udall also emerged as a leading critic of President Donald Trump, telling state lawmakers in a January speech that I have never been so worried about our democracy.

He introduced legislation in the Senate that would have blocked Trumps national emergency declaration regarding the border. The bill was passed by Congress but was vetoed by the president on March 15.

Udalls retirement from the Senate could mean less clout for New Mexico in Washington, D.C., said longtime political observer Brian Sanderoff.

It will be a loss from a seniority standpoint, Sanderoff told the Journal. Whoever replaces him, whether it be a Democrat or a Republican, will be starting out as a freshman.

But he also said the allure of a U.S. Senate race with no incumbent will likely attract a crowded field of candidates, adding, Vacant U.S. Senate seats dont come along every day.

Open race

New Mexico went 36 years without an open U.S. Senate seat  during the tenures of Democrat Jeff Bingaman and the late Pete Domenici, a Republican  but will now have its third open race in a 12-year period that began in 2008.

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., Attorney General Hector Balderas and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver are among the Democrats who could decide to run for Udalls seat.

Lujan, the fourth-highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. House, would have to give up his House seat in order to run for U.S. Senate, unlike Balderas and Toulouse Oliver.

I am humbled by the outpouring of support I received today, Lujan said Monday. In the weeks to come, I will speak with my family, New Mexicans, and supporters about the opportunity to serve our state in the U.S. Senate.

Toulouse Oliver, a former Bernalillo County clerk who easily won re-election last year as secretary of state, also suggested she was weighing whether to launch a run.

The future  in politics and in life  is often unpredictable, but my commitment to serving the people of New Mexico is unwavering, Toulouse Oliver said. As a result, every decision I have made and will make about my work for our state will be based on how I can best use my skills and experience to move New Mexico forward.

For his part, Balderas said Mondays focus should be on Udall, saying he was grateful for the outgoing senators service and their work together on key issues.

After discussions with my wife and family, I will provide updates at the appropriate time, added Balderas, who also ran for U.S. Senate in 2012 but lost in a collegial primary against U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich.

On the Republican side, a spokesperson for state GOP Chairman Steve Pearce, a longtime congressman who ran for governor last year, said Monday that it was too early for him to make a decision.

Former Lt. Gov. John Sanchez has also been mentioned as a potential Republican candidate, and others could also enter the fray.

National Republican Senate Committee Communications Director Jesse Hunt called Udalls decision an opportunity for a GOP candidate.

The Democratic Partys lurch toward socialism has even longtime party leaders running for the hills, Hunt said. The people of New Mexico deserve a Senator who will fight for more jobs, lower taxes, and safer communities and we look forward to fielding a strong candidate in the New Mexico Senate race.

But Sanderoff said Republicans will face a steep challenge trying to win the seat in a presidential election year, as such election cycles typically feature higher Democratic voter turnout than non-presidential election years.

Other possibilities

One potential candidate who has ruled out a run is Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.

While its an honor to be considered for the Senate seat, I am committed to the people of Albuquerque and making a difference on the challenges we face here every day, Keller said Monday. There is nothing more critical to me right now than driving down crime, addressing homelessness, and reviving our economy.

Burquenos elected me to take on these fights, he added. Were starting to make progress and Ill keep fighting by their side to make a lasting impact.

U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small has also been mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate, but Torres Smalls office said the first-term congresswoman did not have a comment about the speculation.

Tributes to U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

Whether serving the people of this state as attorney general, as a congressman, as a senator or simply as a neighbor and friend, Tom Udall has reliably put New Mexicans first. He has fought for our water, for our lands, for our people, and his voice has been a consistent beacon of leadership and moral clarity in turbulent times. Whether serving the people of this state as attorney general, as a congressman, as a senator or simply as a neighbor and friend, Tom Udall has reliably put New Mexicans first. He has fought for our water, for our lands, for our people, and his voice has been a consistent beacon of leadership and moral clarity in turbulent times.  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Over the next two years, we have an incredible opportunity to stand up for New Mexico and defend our American values. Everyone who knows Tom Udall knows that he will never stop fighting for what he believes in.  U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. He has laid the groundwork to get money out of politics and overturn Citizens United, has been a climate champion for years fighting its harmful impacts, and his work has been paramount to strengthen tribal sovereignty and support Native communities.  U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M. Tom was my colleague in the Congress and also a worthy opponent when I challenged him for the Senate seat he won in 2008. Hes been a devoted public servant and advocate for his constituents in New Mexico and I am proud to call Tom my friend.  Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce Even talented legislators struggle to stand out on the national stage while delivering for our state, but Senator Udall does both with skill and empathy.  Democratic Party Chairman Marg Elliston

Journal staff writer Jessica Dyer contributed to this report.


Border Patrol closed all five highway checkpoints in New Mexico on Saturday and reassigned agents to help with the influx of migrant families and unaccompanied children.

To process and ensure appropriate care for those in custody, resources, including personnel, have been diverted from other border security priorities, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said in a statement.

Border Patrol agents have been coping with a surge in families crossing in the El Paso sector, which includes all of New Mexico. In the past month in the El Paso and Sunland Park area, agents have been taking on average 600 people a day into custody.

In order to have the manpower to transport and process the large number of migrants, the checkpoints have been temporarily shut down.

A total of six checkpoints are closed, including all five in New Mexico, and one in West Texas.

Border Patrol operates checkpoints within 100 miles of the border to detect undocumented immigrants and drugs. Agents also find stolen vehicles and wanted felons, according to Border Patrol.

Nationwide, Border Patrol Agents at highway checkpoints this past year seized more than 41,863 pounds of cocaine, 2,717 pounds of heroin, 405 pound of meth and more than 6,360 pounds of Fentanyl, according to data from CBP for fiscal year 2018.

The agency has said that highway checkpoints are integral to Border Patrols security mission.

The checkpoints in New Mexico are located on Interstate 10, Interstate 25, NM 185, a route to Hatch and two checkpoints near Alamogordo on Highway 54 and 70. The checkpoint shut down in west Texas, US 62/180, is a popular route to Carlsbad.

This is intended as a temporary measure, Border Patrol said.
LAGUNA WOODS, Calif.  The group of white-haired folks  some pushing walkers, others using canes  arrive right on time at the gates of Laguna Woods Village, an upscale retirement community in the picturesque hills that frame this Southern California suburb a few miles from Disneyland.

There they board a bus for a quick trip to a building that, save for the green Red Cross-style sign in the window, resembles a trendy coffee bar. The people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, pass the next several hours enjoying a light lunch, playing a few games of bingo and selecting their next months supply of cannabis-infused products.

Its like the ultimate senior experience, laughs 76-year-old retired beauty products distributor Ron Atkin as he sits down to watch the bingo at the back of the Bud and Bloom marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana.

Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The 2018 General Social Survey, an annual sampling of Americans views, found a record 61 percent back legalization, and those 65 and older are increasingly supportive.

Indeed, many industry officials say the fastest-growing segment of their customer base is people like Atkin  aging baby boomers or even those a little older who are seeking to treat the aches and sleeplessness and other maladies of old age with the same herb that many of them once passed around at parties.

I would say the average age of our customers is around 60, maybe even a little older, said Kelty Richardson, a registered nurse with the Halos Health clinic in Boulder, Colorado, which provides medical examinations and sells physician-recommended cannabis through its online store.

Its medical director, Dr. Joseph Cohen, conducts Cannabis 101 seminars at the nearby Balfour Senior Living community for residents who want to know which strains are best for easing arthritic pain or improving sleep.

Relatively little scientific study has verified the benefits of marijuana for specific problems. Theres evidence pot can relieve chronic pain in adults, according to a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, but the study also concluded that the lack of scientific information poses a risk to public health.

At Bud and Bloom, winners of the bingo games take home new vape pens, but Atkin isnt really there for that. Hes been coming regularly for two years to buy cannabis-infused chocolate bars and sublingual drops to treat his painful spinal stenosis since the prescription opiates he had been taking quit working.

It was desperation that brought him here, he said, adding that his doctors didnt suggest he try medical marijuana. But they didnt discourage him either.

The dispensary is filled with the 50 people from the bus as they peruse counters and coolers containing everything from gel caps to drops to cannabis-infused drinks, not to mention plenty of old-fashioned weed.

Adele Frascella, leaning on her cane, purchases a package of gummy candies she says helps keep her arthritic pain at bay.

I dont like to take an opioid, said Frascella, 70.

Fashionably dressed with sparkling silver earrings, Frascella confirms with a smile that she was a pot smoker in her younger days.

I used to do it when I was like 18, 19, 20, she said. And then I had a baby, got married and stopped.

She took it up again a few years ago, even investing in a volcano, a pricey, high-tech version of the old-fashioned bong that Gizmodo calls the ultimate stoner gadget. But these days, like many other seniors, she prefers edibles to smoking.

Renee Lee, another baby boomer who smoked as a youth, got back into it more than a dozen years ago after the clinical psychologist underwent brain surgery and other medical procedures that she said had her taking 10 meds a day, four times a day.

And I wasnt getting any better, she said, adding that she asked her doctors if she might try medical marijuana as a last resort. They said go ahead and she found it ended her pain.

In 2012 she founded the Rossmoor Medical Marijuana Club in her upscale San Francisco Bay Area retirement community.

We started with 20 people, and we kept it really quiet for about a year and a half, she said, noting that although California legalized medical cannabis in 1996, it was still seen in some quarters as an outlaw drug.

Her group has since grown to more than 1,000 members and puts on regular events, including lectures by pro-cannabis doctors and nurses.

People Lees age  65 and over  are the fastest-growing segment of the marijuana-using population, said Dr. Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He believes more studies on the drugs effects on older people are needed. And while it may improve quality of life by relieving pain, anxiety and other problems, he said, careless, unsupervised use can cause trouble.

We know that cannabis can cause side effects, particularly in older people, he said. They can get dizzy. It can even impair memory if the dose is too high or new ingredients are wrong. And dizziness can lead to falls, which can be quite serious.

Richardson said Colorado saw an uptick in hospital visits by older users soon after the state legalized cannabis in 2012. The problem, he said, was often caused by novices downing too many edibles.

Thats a lesson Dick Watts, 75, learned the hard way. The retired New Jersey roofing contractor who keeps a winter home at Laguna Woods Village began having trouble sleeping through the night as he got into his 70s. He attended a seniors seminar where he learned marijuana might help, so he got a cannabis-infused candy bar. He immediately ate the whole thing.

Man, that was nearly lethal, recalled Watts, laughing.

Now when he has trouble sleeping he takes just a small sliver of candy before bed. He said he wakes up clear-headed and refreshed.

And I have it up on a shelf so my grandkids cant get to it, Watts said.

___

Associated Press Writer Krysta Fauria contributed to this story. Follow APs complete marijuana coverage: https://apnews.com/Marijuana.
Ghanas Ambassador to Denmark, H.E Amerley Ollennu Awua - Asamoa has called on investors to join the Government of Ghana achieve its dream of Ghana Beyond Aid agenda by investing in various sectors of the economy.



H.E Amerley Ollennu Awua-Asamoa said Ghana is opened for business and urged the delegation investors she wooed from Finland to Ghana to join hands with entrepreneurs to support the One District One Factory (1D1F), One Village One Dam, Planting for Food and Jobs as well as Free Education, the Governments policy we invite investors from these areas to come in and many more.



The Ambassador made the call at a Seminar in Accra last week organized by the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in collaboration with Finnpartnership, Ghana Embassy in Denmark, Embassy of Finland in Abuja and Business Finland.



According to H.E Amerley Ollennu AwuaAsamoa, the Programme was aimed at launching Ghana into Agro- Industrialization, adding that choosing Ghana for business is an excellent decision.



She reiterated that Ghana continues to be the gateway to Africa, hence the need to implement successful policies.



The Executive Director of NBSSI, Ms Kosi Yankey on her part stated that she was excited about the collaboration and looked forward to more of such partnerships. She said the Ghana beyond Aid meant finding strong partners for Ghana and to trade globally and to strengthen their business for growth.



She advised entrepreneurs to build the right relationships in order to attract partnerships and further urged them to take advantage of the opportunities to strengthen your relationships.



The Partnership



The Finnpartnership is a Finnish Business Partnership Programme financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Finland.



The objective of the Seminar was to introduce Finnish investors to Ghanaian businesses and also offer Ghanaian and Finnish companies an opportunity to create new business linkages. The total number of participants were eighty-four (84).



The participants were taken through the process of accessing the Finpartnership and how to take advantage of the numerous opportunities it has to offer businesses in Ghana.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Three people were killed and two critically injured in a fiery head-on collision involving two semis and a pickup Sunday about 3:30 p.m. on Interstate 10 about mile post 19 near Lordsburg, State Police reported.

Investigators believe a 2015 Freightliner tractor trailer was traveling east on I-10, when for unknown reasons it crossed the center median and collided with a west bound 2013 Kenworth tractor trailer head on. The Freightliners trailer hit a 1999 Dodge pickup that was also traveling west.

Both semis caught fire, State Police said in a news release.

As a result of the crash, three individuals sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased by the Office of the Medical Investigator.

State Police identified those killed as the driver of the 2013 Kenworth, Jose Apodaca, 47, of El Paso, a passenger in the 1999 Dodge pickup, Susan Rojo, 47, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and the driver of the 2015 Freightliner, Sean White, 50, of West Covina, Calif.

The male driver of the pickup and his 13-year-old female passenger, both believed to be from Arizona, were taken to an area hospital with critical injuries. Their current conditions were unknown Monday afternoon, police said.

Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor and seatbelt use has not been determined.
Two days after the Albuquerque International Sunport experienced a power outage, passengers were once again delayed due to a second interruption of power.

Crews with the Public Service Company of New Mexico shut down power early Monday to fix additional issues discovered in the process of addressing the original problem on Saturday.

Not only were flights delayed Saturday, but also the outages, which affected the entire airport, disabled the electronic flushing sensors on toilets throughout the Sunport.

Stephanie Kitts, a spokeswoman for the Sunport, said there were no reported complications in the restrooms regarding overflowing commodes or other damage.

The original outage occurred about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, and PNM restored power by about 8:30 a.m. In that time, an estimated 30 outgoing and incoming flights and 4,000 passengers were affected.

We do have several backup generators, but they did not fire, Kitts said. An investigation as to why that happened is underway. Were trying to figure out if the two incidents  the power outage and the failure of the backup generators to fire  are related.

Shannon Jackson, spokeswoman for PNM, said the Saturday outage was caused by a failure in an underground line.

PNM crews were able to locate and isolate the problem, and switched power to a nearby stable source to get things up and running at the Sunport faster, as crews repaired the underground line, Jackson said.

In the course of making that repair, other problems were discovered with a second underground circuit. Officials from the Sunport and PNM conferred and decided to address the second issue during the airports non-operational hours Monday morning.

Repairs, which involved the replacement of some components, began about 3:30 a.m. and were completed just after 5 a.m., Jackson said.

Kitts said the opening of security checkpoints, which typically open at 4 a.m., was delayed as a result of the power interruption.

There were folks waiting at 5 a.m. (at the checkpoints), but I cant confirm if any individuals missed flights.

She added that some outbound flights early Monday were delayed, but that no flights were canceled.
The Rio Rancho Police Department shut down half of its offices Monday after an employee found a suspicious package in the mail.

According to Capt. Andrew Rodriguez, spokesman for RRPD, an administrative assistant was opening the mail around 2 p.m. and found a letter with no return address and a suspicious substance taped to it.

To err on the side of caution, we evacuated one half of the station and called for (Rio Rancho Fire Rescue Department) as well as the FBI and Albuquerques (hazardous material) crew, Rodriguez said.

He said he didnt believe there was any danger to the public, and the department had notified other agencies of the situation.

By 4:10 p.m., most of the agencies on scene were cleared to leave.

Postal inspectors are handling the investigation and will get back to us, hopefully by tomorrow, and let us know what the substance was, and everything is all clear, Rodriguez said. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time we have ever received a package like this.
A member of the Convention People's Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly known as Kabila has joined some political pundits who are criticising the Finance Ministry for organising a party in celebration of an 'economic hat-trick'



According to Kabila, per his checks the cedi is still not doing well and so 'I don't know what they are celebrating'.



Kabila was contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Monday.



Watch video below





Ghanas Finance Ministry on Friday organized a food party in the capital Accra to celebrate what it describes as significant economic successes.A poster announcing the event dubbed Kenkey Party, said the Ministry was celebrating Ghanas Hat-Trick of successes.Those successes include "successful issuance of Eurobond" abroad raising some $3 billion for various projects.The countrys completion of IMF-ECF program and the slight "appreciation of the national currency the cedi, were also reasons for the celebration.But many have criticized the event as unnecessary.

Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Looks like you're going to want to grab your umbrella, and your jacket before you head out the door this morning. Showers have returned to portions of Northern California overnight, and will spread across the remainder of our region through your Monday. The heaviest rain and snow are expected to occur this afternoon through late tonight. Snow levels will dip to around 4500' and travel impacts will be likely. A Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 9am today until 11am Tuesday for portions of the Sierra and the Northern Mountains above 5000'. A WInter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 7pm tonight through 11am Tuesday portions of the Sierra South of Plumas County. Temperatures are starting out in the high 40's to low 50's in the valley, and in the 20's to low 40's in the mountains for your Monday morning. Winds will be out of the South to 15mph. High temperatures are projected to end up in the mid to high 50's in the valley this afternoon, and into the 40's to 50's in the mountains later today. Up to an inch of rain will be possible in the valley today, and around 20 inches of new snow will be possible in the mountains.

Showers will become less widespread on Tuesday. Snow showers will be likely through the day in the Sierra, and there will be a chance for valley thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon. The second storm system of the week will arrive on Tuesday night and will last through the day on Wednesday. Snow levels will be down to around 3500', and mountain travel impacts look very likely. Up to 3 feet of snow will be possible from Tuesday through early Thursday. An inch to an inch and a half of rain will be possible in the valley during that time. There is a decent chance for valley thunderstorms on Wednesday. Showers will linger into your Thursday forecast, but are projected to fizzle out by Thursday night. Friday and Saturday are expected to be mostly dry, but another round of wet weather is possible on Sunday.
BBDO India has appointed Kunal Solanki as Vice-President for the Mumbai office. He will report to Atin Wahal, Executive Vice-President and Head of BBDOs Mumbai operations.

Solanki began his career in advertising more than 18 years ago and joins BBDO after 11 years working in the Middle East (Dubai). He has experience across various categories, including Telecom, FMCG, Automobile, Banking, Electronics and Durables working on different brands such as Hutch & Vodafone, Marico, Sony, LG, Heinz, Kimberley Clark, Hyundai, Westside (TATA), Cox and Kings.

Over the last few years, he has helped develop the digital arms of agencies in Dubai, with a focus on integration and content creation.

Solanki said, In this day and age, when consumers have so much content thrown at them, it is imperative that brands get the context right and present it in a way that the consumers can relate too. BBDOs work over the years has done just that and this is what resonated with me. I am delighted to join the BBDO family and look forward to my journey ahead.

Commenting on his appointment, Atin Wahal said, Kunal is rare breed of advertising professionals who understand the communication needs as well as the marketing problems for the clients. His experience with varied categories and regional exposure will surely be an asset for the agency. We welcome him to the ever-energised BBDO Ashram.
In an ancient land where river meets sea, faith and fact converge. Where once stood a legendary kingdom lost to the waves now stands the temple of its great lord. Watch the story of Hinduisms sacred site Dwarka, its presiding deity and the love of His people in Dwarkadhish: Kingdom of Krishna premiering 27th March at 9 PM on HISTORY TV18.

The one-hour film brings to life the legends of Krishna, the stories of Dwarka, of Dwarkadhish temple and the devotion of the faithful. Renowned mythologist and author, Devdutt Pattanaik decodes the appeal of Krishna, beliefs, practices and ritual worship. The film also counts down to Dwarkas biggest annual festival - Janamshtami, the celebration of Shri Krishnas birth. Here we see Dwarka and its grand temple transformed, amidst special ceremonies, community prayers and grand celebrations. The excitement is palpable ascolour, light, pomp, symbolism and faith hold sway.

The characters in the film straddle tradition and modernity. Their lives revolve around the temple and its precise routine  a young dancer and tattoo artist, a girl from a Pujari family, a tailor, a priest and pilgrims. The film travels back and forth, through ancient past and modern day, between what history knows and faith believes.

Thus each year, Dwarka and its faithful renew their bonds with their patron deity. Each year, Dwarka much like the rest of India, moves forward another step into the future with its faith resolute and firmly rooted in the traditions of the past.

Avinash Kaul, MD A+E Networks | TV18 and COO Network18 "At HISTORY TV18 we've always put forth best-in-class content thats riveting, contemporary and most of all relevant for our viewers. Dwarkadhish- Kingdom of Krishna' is truly a one-of its kind documentary which celebrates the spirit of India with all its ancient splendor coexisting beautifully with youth and modernity.

Dwarkadhish: Kingdom of Krishna is a celebration of lost histories and ancient narratives of faith rooted in thousands of years of tradition and of the people of India, who come together from far corners of the country, converging in a sacred space, in search of a spiritual experience.
hoichoi, worlds largest digital content platform for Bengali movies & shows has entered into a unique partnership with coupon giants GrabOn. This tie-up will provide users with amazing discounts on a wide variety of verticals from food, fashion, travel, recharge and more from their merchants. hoichoi will be promoting these coupon & promo codes sourced from GrabOn on their social media platforms and also through other channels, to give their consumer base enthralling concessions in varied categories. At the same time, GrabOn would be creating a microsite and list all the offers available across categories which users who subscribe to hoichoi can avail. The microsite will again be promoted through hoichois social channels and their user base through email, sms and other mediums.

Vishnu Mohta, Co-Founder of hoichoi, commented: hoichoi will be the one of the first OTT platforms to enter in an interesting partnership with GrabOn. This will enable our subscribers to get offers from GrabOn through their website to avail them at their own accordance. We are a customer-first company and we have always been focused at giving something extra to our subscribers. This partnership with GrabOn allows exactly that!

GrabOns Founder & CEO, Ashok Reddy stated: The partnership will help the market leaders break through to a whole new user demographic helping them save big on online shopping and purchase. This alliance will benefit both the parties, as hoichoi subscribers can avail the best discounts while GrabOn users can enjoy the extensive content library like originals and movies which hoichoi provides.
This World Sleep Day, Thrive Global India is partnering with SPACES, a premium home linen brand from the house of Indian textiles major Welspun, to issue a national call on the importance of staying well. This partnership aims to align Thrive Global Indias vision of adequate rest, sleep and wellness with SPACES product experiences to empower consumers to #StayWell. The collaboration will incorporate Thrive s science-based solutions and signature micro steps to focus on thoughtful living for the SPACES family and help it stay true to its mission of inspiring well-being among its consumers.

For nearly three decades, Welspun has been committed to providing the best-in-class multi-sensorial experience through its wide range of superior and high-quality bath and bed linen. SPACES offer thoughtfully designed home linen products to address everyday struggles of usage, maintenance and appearance. With this partnership, Thrive Global India will help SPACES strengthen its efforts to bring mindful, comfortable living to its consumers.

Thrive Global India and SPACES recognise that bath and bedtime are important daily rituals. In our busy, fast-paced lives, we dont give sleeping or bathing the importance we ought to. When these activities are used as me-time they help us pause, refresh and recharge. The Thrive-SPACES partnership will utilize Thrive Global Indias innovative, globally recognised approach to encourage consumers to prioritize their own mental and physical well-being and #StayWell.

As part of the collaboration, Thrive Global Indias media platform will host a dedicated section that will provide curated content across a range of digital assets to take SPACES message to a larger audience. This will include a Thrive-SPACES Video Series that will feature new role-models of success who focus on me-time and staying well. Thrive s community section will also feature personal stories from users and expert commentary that will accelerate the culture shift around the importance of prioritizing well-being.

Speaking of the association between Thrive Global India and Welspun, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, Arianna Huffington said, Thrive and Welspun are united in our mission to reinforce the value of mental and physical well-being. With #StayWell, we hope to empower people to take the time for themselves each day, as the science is clear that the key to performing your best is to prioritize our own well-being, which includes making the time to unplug and recharge."

Dipali Goenka, CEO and Jt. Managing Director of Welspun India, said SPACES is all about thoughtful living, hence, were delighted to partner with Thrive Global India to integrate our world class products with a thoughtfully designed experience that empowers our consumers to lead a stress-free and healthier lifestyle. We are keen on offering the best to our consumers  quality, technology, and solutions that make their everyday lives better.

Thrive Global India is part of Times Bridge, whose mission is to bring the worlds best ideas to India and share Indias best insights with the world. Times Bridges current portfolio of companies includes Uber, Airbnb, Smule, Coursera, Houzz, and MUBI, among others.
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The Majority in Parliament has dismissed claims by the Minority that a Lebanese national has been abducted in the country.



This was contained in a statement signed by a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, John Ntim Fordjour, for and on behalf the Majority Caucus.



The Lebanese, Mahran Mustapha Baajour, is alleged to have been abducted at the airport by some operatives of National Security.



The minority believes the situation could spark diplomatic row between Ghana and Lebanon.



On Sunday, the Minority in Parliament, in a press release signed by the Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, tasked the Akufo-Addo-led government to act in an accountable manner as is expected of democratic states by breaking its unhelpful silence over the abduction and disappearance of Mahran Mustapha Baajour.



The Minority is reliably informed that immediately after arriving at the Kotoka International Airport on December 13, 2018, Mahran Mustapha Baajour and his two Ghanaian hosts who welcomed him at the airport were arrested at the precincts of the airport just when they were about departing in their Toyota salon vehicle with registration number GN 6126 - 15 by persons claiming to be operatives of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).



After all three were kept in detention for six days in violation of Ghanaian law, our understanding is that Mahran's two hosts, one Razak Abdul and another were then released as free men while Mahran was kept in detention. This is the reason Mahran's family and officials from his country are having a hard time believing denials and claims of innocence by Ghanaian Government officials they have contacted, the Minority alleged.



Barely twenty-four hours after the Minority's press statement, the Majority in Parliament fired a quick rebuttal on Monday describing the former's assertions as "false, unfounded and holding no truth".



"credible checks conducted at the National Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration affirm beyond a doubt that no such person had arrived at the Kotoka International Airport, contrary to the palpably false accounts given by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs..."



"Ghana is acclaimed in the international community as a country where human rights and the rule of law are creditably upheld and thus, any contemptible attempt by the Ranking Member and the Minority, to falsely portray ur country otherwise, in pursuit of parochial and partisan interests should and must be condemned in no uncertain terms," the Majority shot back.





Below Is A Copy Of The Statement.





MAJORITY PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE









THE PALPABLY FALSE CLAIMS OF ABDUCTION OF LEBANESE NATIONAL MISCHIEVOUSLY MADE BY THE MINORITY



The attention of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has been drawn to a press statement released by the Minority making rather outrageous allegations of abduction of one Mahran Mustapha Baajour purported to be a Lebanese businessman of Palestinian origin at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, on December 13, 2018.



We wish to emphatically state that credible checks conducted at the National Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration affirm beyond a doubt that no such person had arrived at the Kotoka International Airport, contrary to the palpably false accounts given by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

It is abundantly clear that the claims of the Minority are false, unfounded and holding no truth. More so, failure on the part of the Ranking Member and the Minority to verify the facts with the relevant agencies prior to release of the statement, smacks of deliberate attempt to cause disaffection for the image and reputation of Ghana as they have often sought to do.



We therefore strongly condemn the rather mischievous and most unpatriotic falsehood fabricated by the Minority and accordingly urge the general public to disregard and treat with the contempt it deserves, the obnoxious attempt by the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Minority, to smear the highly reputed image of our beloved country Ghana in the comity of nations.



Ghana is acclaimed in the international community as a country where human rights and the rule of law are creditably upheld and thus, any contemptible attempt by the Ranking Member and the Minority, to falsely portray ur country otherwise, in pursuit of parochial and partisan interests should and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.



It is our understanding that the National Security shall accordingly issue a response in due course.





Signed



John Ntim Fordjour, MP



Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs



For and on behalf the Majority Caucus

Source: Isaac kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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https://www.aish.com/jw/s/The-Silence-of-the-Jews.html

As Jew-hatred increases and becomes more the norm, we must remember who we are.

I am afraid.

Im afraid that it is now okay to hate Jews and question their loyalty. Im afraid that we, the People of the Book, have become ignorant of our own history. Afraid that we have forgotten how to hold our homeland dear to our hearts because we cant remember a time that we did not call this Land our own. We take ourselves and our inheritance for granted. With anti-Semitic attacks increasing in Europe and U.S. and becoming the norm, even chic, Im afraid that our children will not know what to say or worse  cower in shame when confronted with this spewing of animosity,

When faced with a wall of hate, it becomes our duty to give our children the backbone and knowledge to stand proud and tall.

Every generation has its challenges. When faced with a wall of hate, it becomes our duty to give our children the backbone and knowledge to stand proud and tall. Otherwise the next generation may simply lose themselves into a world that does not know the true story of the Jews.

I am reminded of the poignant words of Mike Tress, an American businessman who tried tirelessly to rescue as many Jews as he could from the Nazis. In 1945 after the war ended, he traveled to DP camps in Europe, seeking to give hope to the survivors. Mike was haunted for the rest of his life by the sights he saw and the words he heard.

On February 10, 1946, Mike gave the speech of his life to an overflow crowd in the Hotel Pennsylvania. He wanted to light a fire in the hearts of American Jewry. Mike tried to wake up his fellow American Jews to the plight of their brothers and sisters and to the hellish suffering they endured.

His words continue to speak to us:

I tell you my friends, I tell you from the very depth of my soul, that the moment I planted my foot on German soil I wept bitterly. I was disturbed that on that soil, in that country, there were men and women walking around with their heads held high. And yet, those same men and women had perpetuated the most dastardly crime in history against the Jewish people. In every corner, in every face, in every thing that I saw Germany  I wont use the term human  I saw our own six million dead. My heart bled and broke seeing these arrogant people alive while behind us lay the ruins of our own people, our nearest and dearest

Mike went on to describe Zielsheim, the first D.P, camp that he visited. 3,500-4,000 Jewish men and women were housed there. When he spoke to the survivors of Nazi atrocities, he began to realize that something was missing.

All the men were between the ages of 16 and 35. I had anticipated seeing children. I visited the yeshiva that had been set up and young men were learning there, but there were no children. Then it began to dawn on me that among these people in Zeilsheim there were no old or young. In my naive way I asked Vu zeinin die kinder? Vu zeinin alle kinderlach?  Where are the children? Where are all the children? They answered me, Es is nisht da kein kinderlach  Here there are no children. In all of Germany, there are at most 100 Jewish children still living. In Poland alone out of 3,500,000 Jews, there were over 800,000 children. The methodical, scientifically oriented Germans murdered all the children under the age of 12, since they could not put them to good use. They also had no use for men and women over the age of 60. Therefore, they were the first to be murdered. My heart broke a thousand times, but I was awestruck by the greatness and the courage of our people. These young Jewish men and women had unwavering faith and they exuded hope and belief in God. It is beyond comprehension that people who have experienced such indescribable horrors should still be able to cling to their faith. They still believe in God, in Torah and the greatness of our people.

We have just concluded the holiday of Purim. When faced with enemies who tried to obliterate us, the nation of Israel gathered together in prayer and unity. Miraculously we overcame the threat of death and the venomous hatred of Haman. We are told in the Torah to Zachor  Remember, Al Tishkach  Do not forget. Never forget that there are those who try to obliterate you, who attempt to burn you in their ovens, to throw you into the sea. Remember for generations to come that there are times that you will be pushed down into the hard earth and the world will be happy to pay tribute to you in a museum or some plaque but you will never disappear completely. You will overcome. You will live again.

Our obligation today is to remember. Our mission must be not to forget.

Whether it is 1946 and we are faced with the missing voices of our children, or 2019 and the vicious voices that try to cut us down, we must remember who we are.

We cannot be ghosted into silence.

As we approach our days of freedom, the holiday of Passover, let us renew our commitment to live as Jews. Let us remember who we are, where we have come from and where we are going in life. Let us appreciate the Land of Israel, every stone, every road upon which our Patriarchs and Matriarchs walked. And let us communicate to the next generation that to be a Jew is to embrace a life of faith, goodness and fortitude with strength and dignity. No matter how low others may stoop, we rise above.

Remember always. Never forget.
The venue is small but packed with stories. They came from North Africa, the Gulf or the neighborhood down the street to attend the fourth edition of the Haifa Independent Film Festival (HIFF) on March 20-26. Inside the Khashabi Theatre is an eclectic crowd made of internationally recognized filmmakers, emerging talent and a mostly Palestinian audience longing for movies they can relate to.

Haifa, located almost equidistant from Tel Aviv and Beirut, is no ordinary Israeli city. It has become in recent years a growing cultural hub for the local Palestinian population. The city had already been hosting a film festival for more than three decades, showcasing a wide range of Israeli and international movies but few Arab stories. HIFF's organizers saw a need that needed to be fulfilled. Now, the festival organizers say, is time for the coastal city to find its rightful place on the map of Middle Eastern cinema.

The idea was to give a stage for local talent and connect with the rest of the Arab world  and show locals here a Palestinian cinema that they don't usually get to see, HIFF director Rojeh Khleif told Al-Monitor. Local filmmakers create movies and just don't have a place to show them. There are films I have seen overseas that I couldn't watch here, he added.

The idea for the festival was born from the need for a cultural platform dedicated to Arab Israelis, who often feel excluded.

Palestinian citizens of Israel, who often call themselves "48 Palestinians," are part of the communities that remained inside the Green Line drawn after the 1948 war. They include Christians, Muslims, Bedouin and Druze and make up about 20% of the country's population. An estimated 30,000 of them live in Haifa, making it an important urban center for Arab culture.

The fourth edition of the festival is showcasing 59 short and feature-length films as well as workshops and masterclasses across seven venues that are landmarks for the city's Palestinian community. They include the Kabareet club, known for welcoming Arab DJs, and the Arabic-language theater Al-Midan.

To me, as a filmmaker living in Haifa, it's great to finally have a place to participate in something that is truly independent, free of the government and censorship. That's what is really special about this festival. There are not a lot of spaces like this inside Israel, Palestinian filmmaker and poet Annemarie Jacir told Al-Monitor. She is known for such critically acclaimed movies as Like Twenty Impossibles, When I Saw You and Salt of This Sea, which was an official selection of the Cannes international film festival in 2008.

Her latest feature film, Wajib, which she presented last year at HIFF, tells the story of a father from Nazareth and his estranged son coming together to hand-deliver his daughter's wedding invitations to each guest, as local Palestinian customs dictate. In Israel's largest Arab city, tension simmers between the two men with conflicting views on emigration, Palestinian armed resistance and one's complicit attitude toward Israelis.

We are Palestinians. We tell our own stories. We have been marginalized for so long, so our cinema is still in a new phase, in a way, said Jacir, who gave an archive workshop. There are still so many stories that need to be told. It's also a way of having a dialogue with our community. A big part of it is also to be able to criticize ourselves. It's about asking the tough questions.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, organizing an Arab film festival inside a country regarded as an enemy by most neighboring countries has proven challenging. Many Middle Eastern directors cannot make it because it is difficult or impossible to obtain a visa, while others simply refuse to participate.

"The main challenge is to bring Arab movies here. For some filmmakers, presenting a movie in Haifa, which is under Israeli authority, would be normalization, the festival's production manager, Samaa Wakeem, told Al-Monitor, referring to a concept broadly defined as the political act of refusing to engage with Israel in any form.

So we have to convince them that it's a Palestinian festival in Palestinian venues for a Palestinian audience. It's the fourth edition now so more and more people trust us  but some still refuse."

But the event's location in an Israeli city also means many Palestinians are not able to attend. Residents of the Gaza Strip have been living under a decade-long blockade, making travel nearly impossible, while many of those living in the West Bank need permits to enter Israel.

According to the organizers, some Middle Eastern directors say they would like to attend but cannot because of their government's policies.

We still have a bit of a problem with Lebanese directors. They won't send their films for now. They really want to, but it's too risky. They are afraid, said Rojeh Khleif.

They have reason to be: In 2017, award-winning Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri was detained in Beirut and faced charges in military court for shooting part of his film The Attack (2012) in Israel.

Some still dare to make the trip. Filmmaker, poet and writer Hind Shoufani, who was born in Lebanon and now lives in Dubai, presented her feature-length documentary Trip Along Exodus for an emotional audience. The film explores the past 70 years of Palestinian politics seen through the prism of the life of her father, Elias Shoufani, a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization and an academic and leftist intellectual who was one of the leaders of the opposition to Yasser Arafat within Fatah.

I felt so disconnected from this place for 40 years. When you grow up like me in Beirut or Damascus, this place is completely inaccessible, even though it's just a couple of hours away by car. So it's really kind of mind-boggling to be here now, Shoufani told Al-Monitor, smiling. As someone who grew up thinking this whole region was my homeland, I find that including Haifa, Nazareth and my dad's village of Miilya into my world is a true pan-Arab nationalist dream come true.

Having presented her film in over 20 festivals in both the West and the Arab world, Shoufani said she felt particularly proud to show her work to a Palestinian audience  proud and nervous. Because it touches on some details of the resistance and history, for a Western audience that is more than enough information, as they do not have the inside knowledge, but here when you play it in front of people who have possibly studied these events and lived through them, then any mistake you may have made becomes very clear, she said. The level of scrutiny and discussion is very high. So it's very interesting and humbling.

The festival has grown every year and its organizers dream of making it even bigger despite a very limited budget and the struggle to find proper venues to host the screenings. Haifa has no independent Palestinian cinema, so most films are shown in theaters and bars with rented sound systems. But more than the festival, the ambition is for a proper cinema industry to grow.

We need more people to produce films here. For now we don't have a place to rent equipment, for example. We don't even have a cinema, sighed Rojeh Khleif. So that's our hope: to one day have a real industry to tell our own stories and motivate people to consume, research, remember and create our own culture.
Iran's Meteorological Organization has warned of more floods to come in Iran as a number of provinces have been hit by heavy rain and flooding. The massive scale of the flooding and the number of those impacted has prompted the government to call in the military for disaster response.

Fars and Lorestan are the latest provinces hit by floods. In Shiraz, 17 people have been reported killed in flash flooding so far, with an additional 68 injured.

Irans Meteorological Organization has warned of potential flash flooding in 12 provinces across the country, mostly in the south and west. Rain showers could be accompanied by lightning, heavy winds, overflowing rivers, snow and slippery roads in mountainous areas, warned the organization. As the storms move south, Iranian officials have warned southern provinces to be on high alert.

While Iranian rescue crews assess the damage and other provinces prepare for the worst, the floods have already been politicized. First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri removed the governor of Golestan, Monaf Hashemi, from his post after criticism that he was on a pre-planned foreign trip when the flooding began. Iran is in the middle of its Nowruz, or New Year, holidays, when many Iranians leave the capital for their home cities or for mountain getaways during the two-week break. The heavy rains began over the weekend in the northern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran on the Caspian Sea, a popular vacation getaway. According to officials, the approximate 1,000 homes that were damaged were near rivers.

President Hassan Rouhani called on government officials to immediately provide estimates on the damages in Golestan province at the next Cabinet meeting so that preparations for damage repair could begin.

A number of military officials have also vowed to assist in the recovery efforts. Gholam Hossein Gheybparvar, the head of Irans Basij organization, said they would begin the rebuilding process in Golestan province in two days. Ataollah Salehi, deputy chief of staff of Irans armed forces, said that all of Irans forces would be responsible for providing services to those impacted by the flooding.

The reactions on social media have been harsher than the calm and collected official statements. A video of dozens of cars piling up in Shiraz was one of the most shocking and viral videos to be shared from todays flooding. Videos showed that, in addition to roads, homes were also flooded.

Videos of flooding in Shiraz struck a particular nerve. Many pointed out that poor management and a lack of preparation caused most of the damages. The natural flow of water past a historical gate in Shiraz had been paved over into a major street, forcing water to travel through streets rather than their natural route. Many online also complained that the flooding in Shiraz had been forecast, and better preparations could have led to the closing of dangerous roads to prevent the loss of life. One Twitter user wrote, This map shows that rain and flooding is predicted in Lorestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, Ilam, Khuzestan and Fars provinces. Have any officials given warnings to the residents of these regions, especially Nowruz travelers, or are they planning on being caught unaware again?

One Twitter user was even criticized for tweeting that the provinces most impacted by the flooding were provinces that voted for Rouhani in the 2017 presidential election.
The cultural adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) recently raised the idea of a significant reform in the executive structure of the Islamic Republic: the abolition of the presidency and the reinstatement of a prime minister position. Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi said that under such a change, the Iranian parliament would then exercise the authority to remove and replace the head of the government at its discretion and expediency at any moment it finds such a figure unfit to rule.

This was not the first time a transition from the presidential system into a parliamentary one has been brought up by the Islamic Republic's political elite. In October 2011, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke of a distant future when such a change might take place. However, no steps were taken toward implementing the plan. Now, Saffar Harandi's suggestion comes as a significant part in a continuum of comments from IRGC commanders who have been disappointed in the results of the last two presidential elections, which first brought Hassan Rouhani into office and then kept him there.

In a debate broadcast on state TV March 19, Saffar Harandi said the head of the government needs to be appointed by an institution "such as the parliament" that enjoys the powers to "hold him accountable on a daily basis" and "whenever lawmakers find him unfit, they could appoint another person of their choice." The comments expressed open dissatisfaction with Rouhani's performance and, more importantly, showed how Iran's ultraconservatives are seeking to unseat any administration they deem opposed to their own political line.

Those remarks coincided with state-funded Soroush Magazine's interview with IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, where he directly blamed "the choice made by the people" in the presidential election for the current economic woes. Without naming Rouhani, the IRGC commander said today's "problems are not any one [person]'s fault. Its the people who should have made the right choice. They are the ones who need to act with watchfulness."

He also referred to the controversial live presidential debates aired on state TV in May 2017, where Rouhani and his rivals waged an ugly battle before the eyes of Iranian viewers. Jafari criticized people for electing a candidate for his "eloquence" in the debates and "defeating his rivals" only in verbal exchanges, saying, "If the winner is supposed to be the good orator, then the whole system will be about words." The commander accused the Rouhani government of delivering nothing beyond words and sweet talk. He said, "But the candidate who is the man of real action might not be able to defeat his rivals during debates."

The references made by the IRGC commander were more than explicit. While finding the government to be responsible for the ongoing grievances, he believes that it was voters who made the wrong choice in the 2013 and 2017 presidential polls. Similar opinions echoed by like-minded hard-liners in recent weeks have strengthened the likelihood that such a view is the official stance of the powerful IRGC leadership.

"Today's economic condition is a fruit of the last vote," said Mohammad Reza Naghdi, the IRGC's deputy commander for cultural and social affairs. "If we have any complaints about the economic hardship these days, we are the ones responsible, because we voted for those who pursued a mirage in diplomacy as a solution to the economic problems."

The very same day, Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who commands the IRGC's Aerospace Force, called on people to think hard about their future choices. "Whenever we elected qualified officials, we did witness positive outputs. Now, to guarantee a great future for our country, we have to think twice."

Early into his term in office, Rouhani demonstrated sharp differences with the IRGC. In recent years, disputes between the two sides have been fluctuating between very public and top secret. At some points, this has appeared in the form of implicit and sarcastic diatribes. The 2017 presidential debates laid bare the gap in the most explicit form, however. That's where Rouhani accused the IRGC of trying to sabotage the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by launching its controversial missile tests.

The key clash between the IRGC and the Rouhani government revolved around the JCPOA back then, with IRGC officials never hesitating to vent their outrage at the deal. With the JCPOA seemingly hitting a dead end now, the commanders are in a stronger position, propagating the argument that Iran's economic failures are rooted in government mismanagement.

Still, given the supportive speech made by the supreme leader in August, a serious scheme to remove Rouhani almost halfway into his second term does not seem to be on the agenda of his die-hard critics. Khamenei's remarks came in reaction to a group of lawmakers who had called for Rouhani's head. "Those who argue that the government has to be removed are playing into the hands of the enemy," Khamenei said.

The current circumstances do not appear to be ripe for an immediate removal of the presidential position as a whole. But the parliamentary elections in 2020 and the presidential polls in 2021 will witness more serious efforts by senior IRGC generals toward a more favorable political atmosphere. They will prepare the ground for altering the fabric of the current parliament and the advent of a new administration, one which is less of a thorn in their side compared with that of Rouhani. That desire, long publicly untold, is now out in the open as it seems hard-line commanders cannot help but express it.
On March 21, thousands of Mosul residents flocked to Um El-Rabe'ayn Island, a touristic area about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of the city center, to celebrate Nowruz, Mother's Day and spring, unaware that the festival would turn into another rendezvous with death in this war-torn city.

Amid a festive atmosphere, an overcrowded ferry capsized in the Tigris River, close to its bank, killing more than 120 people, mostly women and children, while dozens are still missing after the victims were swept away by the strong river currents.

"We were longing for few moments of joy, but death insists on not leaving us alone," said Aya Nawfal, a Mosul University arts student and a survivor of the disaster. "I remembered Jonah's prayer while in the whale's belly. I was ready to face death when someone rescued me," she added. "My scream was like a world-shaking birth cry."

Fifteen of Nawfal's family members lost their lives in the catastrophe.

"I lost my beloved mother, sister and 4-month-old brother," Aya told al-Monitor, shedding tears. "My aunt also drowned, leaving her three daughters, the youngest of whom is 7 years old. It is an indescribable tragedy."

With the viral spread of the disaster's videos, Mosul residents' wrath grew and activists called for a protest the next day.

"Mosul's service and touristic facilities lack emergency sections and the most basic safety measures," said Ahmed Akram, a Mosuli activist who attended the protest. "There were no life jackets or lifesaver rings on that ferry or in the touristic area. The water levels in the river were very high and fast flowing, especially since the riverbed in that place is very steep."

While some accused the ferry operator of ignoring the authorities' warning of the rising water levels as the Mosul Dam gates had been opened, many others came out to protest against the corruption in the city.

"It was a turning point that awakened Ninevah's young people to cross the fear barriers," said Akram, "We expressed our discontent with the governor, called him a corrupt and asked him to leave without hesitation."

Officials showed their grief and visited the incident's site. In a statement, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said he was following the story "with pain and sadness" and had ordered "all state efforts" to find survivors and treat victims. Abdul Mahdi also suggested the removal of Ninevah Gov. Nawfal al-Akoub and his two deputies. "For the evident negligence in performing his duty and responsibility, and evidence of a possible waste of public funds and abuse of position, we propose the removal of the governor and his deputies," Mahdi wrote to Iraqi parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi.

The Iraqi parliament on March 24 voted to dismiss Akoub.

The prime minister also formed a Crisis Council presided by head of Ninevah University Muzahim Al-Khayyat, chief commander of Ninevah Operations Gen. Najm Al-Juboori and Ninevah Police Commander, Hamad Namis al-Jabouri.

Akoub had gone to the scene of the disaster, accompanied by Iraqi President Barham Salih, in a convoy of vehicles, but was blocked by the angry victims' relatives. Akoub was reported to have run over two people with his car while he was trying to flee from stones thrown at him by protesters. Two people were injured.

"It was a peaceful protest. We called it to bring the touristic area's administrators to justice," said Mahmoud Juma, a university student from Mosul, "The governor arrived smiling and smoking a cigar. This provoked the people who approached his car. He drove it and started threatening us before he ran over two young men. He continued to run over them. It is equivalent to [an attempt of] intentional murder."

These violent scenes bring to mind the protests in Basra and raised concerns of a backlash that could destabilize Mosul, a city still in ruins after a nine-month battle to liberate it from the Islamic State.

"It was not possible to control people in such moments," Mahmoud Ezzo, a political scientist at Mosul University, told Al-Monitor. "I was worried about certain religious slogans in the protest glorifying martyrdom and the call to hold Friday prayers there. We were only there to demand that those responsible be held accountable."

Ezzo is concerned about a possible destabilization in Mosul, in part because monied interests, referred to as "the investor," that are backed by a strong militia are believed to be raking off profits from many businesses.

"Shuffling the deck might start soon," Ezzo said. But he feared that there could be a backlash if this happens. "The political and military supporters of the investor are strong and capable of sending a booby-trapped vehicle to target the protests. We have delivered our message and the next stage is left to the courts."

The protests could be exploited to restructure the political scene in Ninevah as many political blocs seek to find a foothold in a province of more than 4 million people that has the second-largest city after Baghdad, Ezzo said before the Iraqi parliament took action to remove the governor.

Salih Elias, a Mosul journalist and activist who attended the protest he described as the biggest in the city in five years, told Al-Monitor, "This is a positive action, although not enough. There are other perpetrators, including the authority supervising the touristic facility, rescue teams and the river police. There was no crisis management at all."

Omar Mohammed, a Paris-based scholar of Mosul and a blogger for Mosul Eye, agreed with Elias. "The removal of the governor and his deputies alone is not sufficient, for they have led a frightening corruption network in the province," said Mohammed. "We call for their trial, the withdrawal of all militias from Mosul and the formation of an international reconstruction committee that coordinates with experts from within the city. Without achieving this, the government would be doing nothing but a patchwork."

Ali Bashar, a political scientist at Bayan University in Erbil and the spokesman for an initiative named "We will not shut up," said corrupt militia-backed economic entities, the provincial council, thefts and fake reconstruction efforts are endangering the city's future.

"Corruption can threaten the city's security," he said.

Many protesters applauded the cooperation of security forces and their role to keep the protest on the peaceful track.

"Some violence and violations were dealt with rapidly by the organizers," said Khaldoun Salih, a university student specializing in economics who attended the protest. "The security forces kept calm and behaved responsibly, but I am afraid this will be exploited by political parties, destabilizing the city's security."

Suha Hassen, a Mosul native and doctoral student in counterterrorism at George Mason University in the United States, indicated that she thought there would not be a violent backlash in Mosul.

"Mosul residents are demonized, humiliated and accused of terrorism," she said. "They do not have the luxury of protesting, like the people of Basra or Baghdad. The latter will find popular sympathy  if they protest; Mosul residents will not."

Hassen said there is no leadership in the city capable of leading a revolution.

"It is a broken society surrounded by ethno-sectarian conflicts," she said. "The protests will fade away within a week. What we should worry about is the trauma and despair that will be passed on to Mosul's coming generations."
KARBALA, Iraq  A high-ranking Shiite cleric delegation from Najaf visited the holy Yazidi temple in Lalish northern Iraq on March 17. Yazidis witnessed a horrible genocide by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The visit is a part of a campaign carried out by Shiite clerics to gather religious leaders in different parts of Iraq in order to promote coexistence and tolerance.

On March 7, high-level Christian, Muslim and Yazidi religious leaders met in the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, southern Iraq. The shrine is one of the holiest places for Shiite Muslims.

The participants toured the holy place to send a message to the people of Karbala and to the Iraqi people that they seek to join hands for peace and a shared coexistence between Iraqis of all religious denominations.

Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, the representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest religious authority in the country, received the religious leaders and representatives and was briefed on the outcome of the previous high-level meetings.

Karbalai stressed the importance of the cross-religious joint action, and the need to translate these dialogues into a plan of action to be submitted to the Iraqi authorities.

The convention of religious leaders was held under the slogan of God loves to spread peace. It was inaugurated by Talal al-Kamali, a member of the board of directors of the Imam Hussein Shrine, who welcomed the participants and expressed joy that a holy Shiite site had welcomed leaders from across the religious spectrum in Iraq.

Kamali said several previous conventions had been held with many prominent religious figures, which is further proof of the seriousness of a joint action to promote peaceful coexistence under the current circumstances as Iraq has emerged from the crisis of the Islamic State (IS), which had previously taken over parts of the country.

The high-level meeting touched on the main current issues of major importance for Iraqis. Most notably, participants discussed the Vatican announcement that conditions for a papal visit to Iraq are "not yet met" and also the trip Pope Francis took to the United Arab Emirates, and the subsequent historic declaration on human fraternity between Christians and Muslims. Also, Cardinal Mar Luis Rafael I Sacco, the Chaldean patriarch of Iraq, issued a homeland declaration to urge the three Iraqi presidencies to meet and resolve the outstanding problems between the political parties and movements in Iraq. This is in addition to the Mandaean hope document put forth by Mandaean groups outside Iraq, sounding the alarm on the reality that Mandaeans are on the verge of extinction in Iraq.

The meeting also discussed the seriousness of what was termed Sunni and Shiite hate speech during Christmas celebrations, as many have called on Christians not to take part in Christmas festivities.

The consequences of the reported slaughter of 50 Yazidi victims in Syrias Baghouz at the hands of IS also were on the conventions agenda.

In the context of all this, the Chaldean patriarch stressed the need for a high-level pilgrimage visit to the historic city of Ur in southern Iraq, where the Prophet Abraham was born. The cardinal said that leaders of Abrahamic religions should go on this pilgrimage in an effort to show unity among Iraqis and to encourage the Holy See to visit this holy and highly symbolic place.

On the sidelines of his discussion of the Mandaean hope document, Mandaean community leader Jabar Helou said these meetings help bridge the gap between the different religions in Iraq and help dissipate Mandaeans fear as to the possibility of their extinction in Iraq, in light of their thin demographic weight and the departure of nearly 90% of the community's members from the country. He expressed hope that the outcomes of these conventions would encourage the remaining members of the Mandaean community to stay in Iraq, which he believes is the most challenging issue on the agenda of these high-level meetings.

The director of Al-Khoei Institute in Najaf, Jawad al-Khoei, said the meetings yielded some practical results, including the decision to issue a book on religions that are officially recognized in Iraq and provide a definition of religious diversity. Millions of copies of the book are to be distributed.

In response to the message from the self-styled Sunni grand mufti of Iraq, Sheikh Mahdi al-Sumaidaie, who called on Christians not to take part in Christmas celebrations, Sunni Sheikh Anas al-Issawi told Qadiriyya community members in Baghdad that such messages are not acceptable at all.

Issawi said the Sunnis of Iraq do not actually have the position of mufti and called for caution when it comes to fatwas that are issued based on political agendas that do not reflect the positions of the Iraqi Sunni community toward Christian citizens.

Women were represented at the convention by Nadia Fadel Mghames, the first Iraqi woman to become the director of Mandaean Endowment.

Mghames said her participation in the convention reflects a desire to strengthen the status of women in religious dialogues and to add another level of diversity to high-level meetings, where women are usually excluded.

She said these meetings are important to help end religious and social discrimination against minorities and women.

Khoei also referred to the previous meeting between Sheikh Abdul Waha al-Samarrai from the Iraqi Jurisprudence Council of Senior Scholars, stressing that the fourth meeting is a continuation of the previous ones. He said these conventions have become an urgent necessity to confront any possible attempt at sedition in light of the political conflict in Iraq.

The first high-level meeting of religious leaders was held at the Chaldean Catholic Church on March 1, 2018, while the second was hosted by Mundi Sabian in Baghdad on April 26 of the same year. These meetings are the most important at the religious level since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.
The Jordanian parliament is a genuinely legitimate institution in an absolute monarchy. In that sense, it is not very different from parliaments in several other Arab states. They reflect the will of their electorates in some way, engage in heated debate and have quite limited authority. Nevertheless, the Jordanian parliament is not insignificant. Its debates and decisions are covered (if cautiously) by the Jordanian media, and the sovereign must take what happens there into consideration in light of the parliament giving voice to the mood of his people.

When the Jerusalem District Court decided on March 17 to extend the temporary closure order for the Muslim prayer room at the Gate of Mercy (Bab al-Rahma) on the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif to Muslims) for another 60 days, a majority of the Jordanian House of Representatives voted to call on the monarch to sever diplomatic relations with Israel and close the country's embassy in Tel Aviv. Nothing more, nothing less.

The legislature referred to the ongoing Israeli aggression at holy sites in occupied Jerusalem and Israel's alleged attempts to challenge the status quo at the holy site while also attacking the special status of Jordan as the guardian of the sacred Islamic sites in Jerusalem. The parliament accused Israel of assailing the status of the Islamic Waqf on the Haram al-Sharif. In Israel, news of the parliaments vote was relegated to the back pages of newspapers.

Meanwhile, the Jordanian government could not ignore the parliaments demand. In Amman, the Foreign Ministry joined in calls to overturn the closure order, adding that Israel will bear full responsibility for anything that might happen at the site. Yet even this was hardly enough to restore calm. King Abdullah II was also forced to jump into the fray, issuing a statement asserting that a red line had been crossed, that Israel is entirely responsible for tensions with Muslim worshippers and that Jordan has a historic responsibility toward Jerusalems Islamic holy sites.

Israel claims that the structure in question had in the past only housed offices belonging to the Waqf and never actually served as a mosque. When Israel learned in 2003 that the offices were being used by Hamas, the site was closed by police order. Muslim activists recently forced it open and turned it into a mosque. It is safe to assume that the Israeli claim is correct, like so many other claims about the Temple Mount in the last few years. It is also reasonable to assume that there are Muslim elements there who want to instigate provocations, create precedents and cause Israel to react in a way that appears to bait innocent worshippers. What is most frustrating is the ease with which the Israeli government falls into these traps.

The incident involving the placement of metal detectors at the entrances to the Haram al-Sharif, after two Border Patrol policemen were killed at the Gate of the Tribes, was some two years ago in July. It has since become an integral part of the Palestinian national narrative. Israel wanted to use the detectors to determine whether Muslim worshippers were armed with guns or knives, but the Muslims saw the equipment as an assault on their dignity, even if it might have expedited their entry to the site. The Waqf announced that its officials would not enter the Haram al-Sharif as long as the metal detectors were in place, and the mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, issued a fatwa declaring that all Muslim worshippers should avoid the area until the metal detectors were removed. His ruling was strictly observed.

The result was an especially effective form of non-violent protest, and it became even easier for the Muslim world to identify with the worshippers when Jordan, which is responsible for the Waqf on the Haram al-Sharif, issued a vociferous complaint. The whole affair finally ended when Israel decided that rather than fanning the flames, it would remove the metal detectors. It walked away with its tail between its legs. Muslim worshippers were suddenly empowered.

Another scandal erupted in July 2017, when an Israeli security guard accidentally killed a Jordanian doctor who owned an apartment in which a staff member of the Israeli Embassy in Amman was living. It occurred after the guard fired legitimately at a worker who had stabbed him with a screwdriver. The Jordanians wanted to interrogate the security guard, who had returned to Israel together with the ambassador. Riots erupted outside the embassy after Jordan announced that the ambassador could not return unless the security guard stood trial. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited the guard to his office for a heros welcome in front of the media's cameras. This drove the Jordanians crazy.

The way it all ended was entirely foreseeable. Israel apologized for the incident half a year later and promised to pay compensation to the families of the two Jordanians killed. Furthermore, it was agreed that Ambassador Einat Schlein would not return to Amman and would instead be replaced by a new ambassador.

Whenever such incidents occur, Israel claims that it has acted in good faith, without malicious intent. This claim, however, is irrelevant. What really matters is how it all appears.

Israels peace treaty with Jordan, signed in 1994, is an important, but fragile asset. Israelis have a neighbor in Amman, King Abdullah, who is actively seeking peace. No one can say that he is not a partner for peace as Israeli officials often claim about Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abdullah encouraged the Arab world to endorse the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, for which his father had laid the groundwork, leading to its unanimous adoption by the Arab League. So, this is the man who helped bring about the most important diplomatic development between Israel and the Arab world in the last 70 years.

Furthermore, Abdullah has time and again extricated Israel from trouble of its own making in its relationship with Jordan in general and in the context of the Temple Mount in particular. Yet, instead of making a real effort to engage Abdullah in a steady dialogue and be attentive to his concerns and criticisms, and instead of understanding how important it is for him to see progress in talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the Israeli government treats his very presence the same way it treats the peace process itself: He is all the way over there, so there is no reason to engage, advance and express concern, because everything will be readily available as soon as it's needed. What this really means, however, is that Israel is missing an opportunity to engage in dialogue with a neighbor who shares common interests. This could very well put the peace treaty with Jordan at risk.

Nothing can be taken for granted, and nothing is certain if Israel doesnt deal with it on a steady basis. The Israeli governments irresponsible behavior in matters involving Jordan has entirely been the result of internal considerations and long neglect of achievements culminated through lots of hard work. It also leaves a troubling legacy for whomever takes over after the next election, regardless of whether it is a government of mainstream and delusional right-wing parties or a government committed to peace.
Public protests were staged March 14-15 in the Gaza Strip against the dire living conditions and harsh conduct of the Hamas-affiliated security forces against the protesters. Meanwhile, reactions to these incidents in the West Bank appeared in the form of media statements or measures on the ground.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described Hamas as a dark movement that will end up in the trash can of history. This came during a phone conversation between Abbas and Fatah spokesman Atef Abu Seif who was injured March 19 during the events in Gaza. The video of the conversation was posted on Facebook.

PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Saeb Erekat tweeted March 15 his condemnation of Hamas' attacks on the protesters demanding an end to the movement's rebellion.

On March 18, Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatahs Central Committee, told Al-Arabiya that Gazas protests are against Hamas oppression and that Fatah supports them.

Hamas accused in a March 19 statement Fatah and the Palestinian Authority (PA) of exploiting the protests to stir security tension in the Gaza Strip and to plant the seed of security chaos once again.

Meanwhile, Fatah's student party, Shabiba, at An-Najah National University in Nablus announced in a March 17 statement banning the Islamic Bloc, Hamas student wing, and closing its headquarters. Shabiba denounced Hamas actions in the Gaza Strip against the protesters and said it would not allow the presence of an extension of Hamas at the university.

On the same day, the Islamic Bloc said it had received a notice from the university banning its activities until further notice and without stating a reason. It labeled the decision as a form of surrender by PA security institutions to foreign pressure and called on the university to reconsider the decision. It added that the decision perpetuates the suffering of its members under security pursuits, torture and political detention from Israel and the PA.

The step taken by Shabiba against the Islamic Bloc is unprecedented in the context of student bodies, reflecting Shabibas power and influence and its ability to affect the university administration, which is headed by acting Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.

Ibrahim Shalhoub, who represents the spokesperson for the Islamic Bloc, told Al-Monitor, Maher Natsheh, the acting president of An-Najah notified me March 17 of the ban of our activities without a prior warning or an official letter. He claimed they feared political problems at the university. Meanwhile the other student organizations continue their activities. We contacted rights groups to convince the university to reconsider the decision, but to no avail.

Raed Dabei, member of Shabiba in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor, This measure against the Islamic Bloc was necessary to turn the attention to Hamas violations in the Gaza Strip. The ban was a successful tactic. The incidents in Gaza adversely affected the West Bank. We tried to talk the bloc into condemning Hamas conduct in Gaza, but it refused.

The Islamic Bloc accuses Palestinian security forces of obstructing its work at West Bank univerisities by pursuing its members. Since 2018, more than 400 of its students have been detained by the PA.

Muhannad Karaja, lawyer with Aldameer Organization for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, Fatahs Shabiba pitted against the bloc and pushed the university to take this decision. This is tantamount to a misuse of power. We will file a lawsuit to appeal against the legality of this decision that violates freedom of expression, harms syndical work and spills the Gaza tensions into the West Bank.

The ban on the Islamic Bloc stirred angry reactions. The Progressive Student Labor Front politically linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine issued March 17 a statement condemning the decision as harming plurality.

On March 18, the Progressive Student Union Bloc affiliated with the Palestinian Peoples Party dismissed Shabibas decision as arbitrary. It perceived the ban as depriving the bloc of its syndical rights and bringing the political Palestinian disputes to university halls.

Khalil Assaf, member of the Public Freedoms Committee in the West Bank, described March 18 the decision as apartheid and an unacceptable attempt to eliminate the other.

Khouloud Assaf, editor-in-chief of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, tweeted March 18, How can Shabiba confiscate the [Islamic] blocs right to protest against the confiscation of freedom of expression in Gaza? Are we using oppression to protest against oppression?

Mohammad al-Kobri, director of public relations at An-Najah National University, told Al-Monitor, News about the university banning the blocs activities is incorrect. Student activities were frozen for both Shabiba and the Islamic Bloc to keep tensions from spreading at the university, especially after the events in the Gaza Strip. We want to avoid friction among students.

Commenting on Kobris argument, Shalhoub said, Shabiba practices its activities through An-Najah Student Council that it controls. It will not be affected by the alleged ban.

Karaja noted, An-Najahs announcement of banning the two student parties is a blatant maneuver aimed to justify the decision against the Islamic Bloc. Shabiba controls the Student Council; the Islamic Bloc is the only one damaged by the ban.

Shabibas decision against the Islamic Bloc shows that Fatah controls most universities in the West Bank. Although Shabibas decision is not legal since it lacks the powers needed to issue it, it seems that Fatah has the upper hand when it comes to university decisions.

In the early hours of March 17, the house and car of Azzam Salhab, Hamas Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member, were targeted in Hebron by gunmen. The attack caused material damage but no injuries.

While Hamas blamed the PA of being behind the incident, Adnan al-Damiri, a spokesman for the Palestinian security services, said on the same day that the investigation was ongoing in order to determine the circumstances of the incident.

Fathi al-Qarawi, a Hamas PLC member from the West Bank, told Al-Monitor, Shabibas ban on the Islamic Bloc is a political decision that threatens the Palestinian arena and serves Israel. This is unacceptable. The university administration must intervene to protect the students right to practice their syndical activities and to prevent any prejudice to student bodies.

Hamas is fully aware that the Islamic Bloc at West Bank universities is its only platform available at the present time, amid the security crackdown by Israel and the PA. This turns the bloc into a favorable environment for the dissemination of Hamas ideas and for attracting supporters to its ranks.

Hamas has, therefore, sought to promote the blocs activities to boost its own influence in the West Bank. By doing so, the Islamic Bloc becomes a systematic target for the PA and its organs.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos attendance at the sixth summit meeting between Israel, Greece and Cyprus in Jerusalem on March 20 has added a new and troubling dimension to the already tense ties between Ankara and Washington. Turkish officials construed the Jerusalem summit as an anti-Turkish gathering and are displeased with Washington's support for Turkeys principal rivals in the eastern Mediterranean.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, however, warmly welcomed the backing the summit received from Washington.

The Greek daily To Vima summed up what the leaders would not say openly when it wrote that the summit sent a strong message to Ankara regarding energy security and its hostile behaviour in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Israeli media carried similar assessments, which were also colored by the increasing tension between Turkey and Israel over developments in the Gaza Strip and now the issue of Israels annexation of the Golan Heights.

Turkeys rivalry with these three countries has gained added significance with the discovery of vast natural gas reserves in the region in recent years, which Ankara is also keen to exploit. Ankara believes that Greece, Cyprus and Israel aim to prevent Turkey from accessing these reserves, which it says it has a right to under international law, and has vowed to respond militarily if necessary.

In addition, Turkey disputes the validity of the Exclusive Economic Zone Cyprus has declared around the island. It argues that the Greek Cypriot administration cannot do this as long as the Cyprus problem remains unsolved, because this is an encroachment on the rights of the Turkish Cypriots in the north of the divided island.

To show Ankaras determination, Turkish warships prevented the Cyprus contracted Italian oil giant Eni in February 2018 from sending a deepwater drilling rig to one of the disputed lots off the southern coast of the island.

The Jerusalem summit also came a few weeks after Turkey held its largest navy drill ever, which started on Feb. 27 and lasted four days, covering the Black Sea, the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean.

Can Kasapoglu, an analyst for the Istanbul based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy, pointed to the significance of the drills code name of Blue Homeland, which he said was not merely the name of an exercise. It is also a geopolitical concept that manifests Ankaras political-military agenda in the coming decade, he wrote in an article for the semi-official Anadolu Agency. This understanding adopts a more active role for the Turkish navy in energy, geopolitics competition, coercive efforts and naval diplomacy, he added.

The emphasis at the Jerusalem summit was on the EastMed pipeline project, which aims to connect Israel, Cyprus and Greece and carry natural gas from the region to Europe.

Before Turkeys ties with Israel soured there was much talk about sending Israeli gas to Europe via a pipeline to be connected to Turkey's existing network of pipelines. This was considered to be the only viable and economic route available.

Hope also emerged after the discovery of vast offshore gas reserves by Cyprus that this would expedite a solution to the Cyprus problem, following which Cypriot gas could also be sent to Europe via Turkey.

The EastMed project, however, clearly aims to circumvent Turkey and has merely added to Ankaras sense of encirclement by hostile powers that is supported by the United States.

Serdar Turgut, who reports for daily Haberturk, wrote from Washington that the EastMed project had been selected merely to oppose Turkey, even if it will be more expensive and risky than a pipeline project that goes over Turkey. Pointing to Pompeos support for this project, Turgut underlined that the meeting in Israel showed that [Turkey] is up against a very strong bloc.

All of this comes at a time when Ankaras ties with Washington are heading for a fresh crisis over unresolved military issues that are also set to weaken Turkeys position in NATO.

The main issue currently centers on Washingtons objections to Ankaras purchase of Russian-made S-400 anti missile systems and its threats to withhold the delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey if the deal goes ahead.

Americas alliance with the Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria, which Turkey sees as a terrorist group that poses a threat to its security, is also fueling negative Turkish perceptions about Washingtons regional ambitions.

Retired Brig. Gen. Naim Baburoglu summed up the feeling in Ankara when he wrote that Washington is pursuing policies in Syria and the eastern Mediterranean that fall counter to Turkeys national interests. In his column for the news portal Gercek Gundem he underlined his expectation that the energy war and the struggle for influence in the eastern Mediterranean will continue with increased intensity in 2019.

Retired Ambassador Selim Kuneralp, however, thinks it is unlikely that Turkey can engage in military action to secure its interests in the region given the countries that are involved. Turkey says it has rights in the eastern Mediterranean under international law. Therefore it should take the matter to the International Court of Justice. The only other option  given that it will find it hard to fire a single shot  is to issue hollow threats, Kuneralp told Al-Monitor.

In his opening address at the Jerusalem summit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to what he said had blossomed into one of the best regional associations in the world, underlining that Pompeos presence proved Washingtons supports for this effort.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Anastasiades and Tsipras who both underlined the growing importance of Washingtons support for the cooperation between Greece, Cyprus and Israel on energy and security issues.

It was Pompeo's remarks, however, and the joint declaration issued after the summit, that rankled Ankara. Revisionist powers like Iran and Russia and China are all trying to take major footholds in the East and in the West, and we view the United States and Israel and the Republic of Cyprus and Greece as great, key partners in security and prosperity, Pompeo said.

Given that Ankara has much better ties today with the revisionists than it has with the West, analysts believe this puts Turkey in the revisionist camp in Washingtons eyes.

The joint declaration after the Jerusalem summit was also considered to be hostile to Turkey, even if it was not named in any way.

The leaders agreed to increase regional cooperation; to support energy independence and security; and to defend against external malign influences in the eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East, the declaration said.

Believing that the reference to malign influences includes Turkey, veteran political commentator Yalcin Dogan argued that a diplomatic statement could not be anymore hostile than this.

In his column for the news portal T24, Dogan went on to list the embedded messages to Turkey from Jerusalem as follows: "You may be a regional actor but you are not the boss; you are not behaving in a well-intentioned manner; in the event of an undesirable situation we are determined to struggle against you; and, in addition to these, America stands with us economically and politically.

Aware of his countrys need to get along with Turkey for a host of pragmatic reasons, Greece tried, after the Jerusalem gathering, to mollify Turkey by sending its foreign minister straight to Turkey.

During his press conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Foreign Minister Giorgos Katrougalos said Greece was aware that Turkey had certain rights regarding energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean based on international maritime law.

He said that his country wanted to promote a positive agenda with Turkey based on respect for international law and the de-escalation of tensions in the region by implementing measures designed to build mutual trust.

These remarks appear to have mollified Ankara for the moment. However, with the solution to the Cyprus problem nowhere in sight, with the temperature in Turkish-Israeli ties rising again and with latent tensions between Greece and Turkey that can surface at any moment, analysts expect the eastern Mediterranean to remain potential flashpoint for the foreseeable future.

They also expect this to have negative results for Turkish-American ties, which are already beset by a host of problems that are unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
Officials from Arkema celebrated an Alabama plant expansion on Monday, saying a new unit in the Mobile area is at the forefront of producing a next-generation polymer material with far-reaching uses.

The unit at Arkema's plant in Axis, north of Mobile, produces PEKK (Poly-Ether-Ketone-Ketone), a plastic that company officials say is as strong as aluminum but much lighter, is resistant to heat and chemical corrosion and can be used in 3D printing. They said that while industries are still evaluating the material's properties, they expect to see it widely used in aerospace, offshore petroleum production and medical applications.

Company officials said the emerging market in PEKK and related plastics is highly competitive and declined to disclose details about how much they spent on the project or how much of the material they could produce. They said the expansion, which is now fully operational, added about 23 new jobs, bringing the Axis plants workforce to 110. Arkema markets its PEKK thermoplastic resin under the brand name Kepstan.

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce officials said that based on the fact that the project was an expansion and that it that involved that many new jobs, it had qualified for 10-year ad valorem tax exemptions and a break on taxes related to construction expenses. The value of those incentives was not immediately available.

"The plant you will see is the very first plant in the United States to produce commercial scale PEKK." said Christophe Andre, the Arkema Group's executive vice president for advanced material. Following years of intense growth, France-based Arkema has annual sales of $10.4 billion and is active in 55 countries, he said.

Advanced materials such as PEKK have been a company focus, he said. Putting the new production unit in Alabama "reflects what an important market the United States is for us," he said. France is the only other country where Arkema produces PEKK, officials said.

"Through these efforts we are truly laying the groundwork for more fuel-efficient cars, more sustainable housing, new sources of energy, more use of renewable materials and so much more," Andre said.

Erwoan Pezron, Arkema's global president for technical polymers, referred to a scene in the 1967 movie "The Graduate" in which a young college graduate is told that the word "plastics" is the key to future opportunity.

"Little did they know back then that in fact this new material would change the face of so many industries across the world," he said. PEKK represented "an exiting evolution" in the field, he said.

"Mobile is a great place to work," said Richard Rowe, president and CEO of Arkema Inc. "It's a great place to live and do business."

Rowe said that in the present, PEKK is a new material that industries are evaluating and learning how to use, so the investment in the Axis plant is "very much about the future." But he said he expects demand to grow, and there's room for expansion in Axis.

"The investment we're celebrating to day is Phase 1," he said. "I wouldn't call it that unless I was confident there's going to be a Phase 2."

A 2017 Reuters article reported that Boeing was making extensive use of PEKK plastics from another manufacturer in its Starliner manned space vehicle. In some cases those parts weighed 40 percent as much as they would have in aluminum, it said.
Tornado relief efforts are continuing in Lee County, and a pair of grocery chains are pitching in to help.

Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, announced a donation of $225,774 to the American Red Cross. The money will help Alabama and Georgia communities impacted by a string of destructive tornadoes on March 3. The money came from a community donation program held across all BI-LO, Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores from March 6 through 19.

The money will benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief to provide food, shelter and counseling.

Publix also has been involved in several outreaches to the Beauregard community. A team of more than 20 Publix volunteers set up at the corner of County Roads 51 and 38, the area that saw the largest loss of life during the March 3 storms. The volunteers spent time cooking and distributing around 200 hot meals to storm victims, volunteers, linemen and utility workers, fire and emergency personnel, law enforcement and debris removal workers.

On March 5, Publix launched its Red Cross Disaster Relief register collection campaign in eight stores in Columbus and LaGrange, Ga. and Phenix City and Auburn. Customers and associates donated more than $40,000.

In the following days, Publix employees volunteered at the Lee County EMA Center to remove trees, feed volunteers, pack supplies, and work with other outreaches. Publix also donated 2,500 reusable bags, which were split between the two relief centers.
Another German dynasty is facing up to its past support for the Nazi regime.

The Reimann family -- whose JAB Holding Co. owns Panera Bread and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts -- pledged 10 million euros ($11 million) after discovering the extent of its ancestors' ties, according to a German newspaper report.

The family used Russian civilians and French prisoners of war as forced labor for their businesses and private villas in the Nazi era, Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday. They also donated to Nazi organizations as early as 1931, and Albert Reimann Jr., the primary source of his descendants' multibillion-dollar fortune, once complained about the French prisoners' work rate.

The Reimann family commissioned a historian early this century to probe their ancestry following a 1978 article that mentioned its ties to the Nazis, a spokeswoman for the family said by phone. That report will be completed and made available in 2020. The decision to donate 10 million euros was spontaneous because the family was ashamed, she said, adding a recipient hasn't been announced.

Some of Germany's biggest fortunes trace back to the Nazi era. The $36 billion combined wealth of Susanne Klatten and Stefan Quandt, major shareholders of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, has ties to an industrial empire that built firearms and anti-aircraft missiles for the Third Reich's war machine. Likewise, Viktoria-Katharina Flick and twin brother Karl-Friedrich Flick are among the world's youngest billionaires through a fortune that heralds from another Nazi weapons manufacturer.

The Reimann family's charitable gift represents a fraction of its JAB fortune. Five family members -- Wolfgang Reimann, Renate Reimann-Haas, Stefan Reimann-Andersen, Matthias Reimann-Andersen and Andrea Reimann-Ciardelli -- are worth at least $10 billion combined, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The Reimann fortune had its beginnings in 1828, when Ludwig Reimann, a chemist, joined Johann Adam Benckiser at the chemical company he founded five years earlier in Pforzheim, Germany. In 1858, Reimann moved the operation to Ludwigshafen, Germany. Reimann Jr. joined the firm in 1923, at the age of 25, helping to run the company alongside his father and uncles.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Reimann Jr. transformed the business, introducing products such as Kukident denture adhesive cream in 1962, and Calgonit dishwasher detergent in 1964. In 1981, he hired Peter Harf, a former management consultant with a doctorate in economics from Cologne University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

JAB has since diversified and spent about $60 billion in the past decade building a coffee and soft drinks empire.
The Alabama Public Charter School Commission today overruled the Birmingham school board and approved the creation of a new charter school for the states largest city.

Plans call for the opening of I3 Academy in the fall 2020 with 420 students in K-5th grade in the former Woodlawn Baptist Church building. Renovations are currently underway to convert the church to a school.

Tommy Bice, who was state superintendent when lawmakers enacted a law authorizing charter schools in 2015, is the board chair of the new academy. Were elated, Bice said. I think [the Commission] heard how committed we are to this, and how sound our plan is, and were ready to get to work to serve children.

Birminghams school board rejected the groups application on Jan. 24 saying the application did not fully meet prescribed standards. But a review of I3 Academys application for the Commission, conducted by the Auburn Center for Evaluation, found the application met standards.

The state Commission voted 7-1 in Montgomery today to approve the application. The sole "no" vote was from Cedric Tatum, who represented Birmingham City Schools during the appeal.

Commission President Mac Buttram noted the Auburn Center for Evaluation recommended approval of I3 Academys application. Their report was more in depth than Birminghams was, he said, and reached a different conclusion than reviewers used by Birminghams school board.

I3 Academy becomes Birmingham's second public charter school.

In 2017, the city school board also denied the application of STAR Academy, now Legacy Prep, which appealed to the state charter school commission and received approval. Legacy Prep plans to open with 120 students in K-2nd grade in west Birmingham in August.

Birmingham's school board has denied all three charter school applications it has received since becoming an authorizer in 2016.

Bice said the I3 Academy organizers chose the Woodlawn area for the school because, Its one of the largest areas of needs of children who are currently not performing at grade level. We want to serve that population.

Bice said they will continue talking with families and recruiting students as they continue planning for the schools opening.

Neonta Williams, who founded Black Alabamians for Education, said this is good news for children in the Birmingham area.

It is giving them hope, Williams said, that there is opportunity to change the trajectory of their lives.

Ronald Jackson drove to Montgomery for the meeting. Jackson leads a group called Citizens for Better Schools and Sustainable Communities and was at odds with state officials during the Alabama Department of Educations intervention into the school district in 2013.

Jackson called the proceedings a sham, saying, [I3 Academy] got the vote because it was rigged from the beginning.

Jackson said Alabama's schools will become re-segregated through the addition of charter schools and questioned the group's motives for opening the school.

"They're playing rich-folk games with poor-folk money," Jackson said.

This is the seventh public charter school the Commission has approved since the law authorizing charter schools was passed in 2015. Two are currently operating, and three---Birmingham's Legacy Prep, Washington County's Woodland Prep and Montgomery County's LEAD Academy---will open in August

The Commission approved Tuscaloosa County's Capstone Charter School in January, which, like I3 Academy, plans to open in fall 2020.

Charter schools are public schools that are given flexibility from some regulations in exchange for more accountability, typically in the area of improved achievement. Supporters say charter schools can better serve students who have not been served well by traditional public schools, while opponents say charter schools take financial resources away from already struggling schools.

Buttram, who served one term in the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2014, said, "Students in Alabama deserve quality education wherever they live. Especially where their schools are failing, that's where we hope we'll get charter schools to hopefully turn that around. Overall, where we have approved [charter schools] have been places that needed some choices for people."

Williams said charter schools and school choice are an urgent need in Alabama. We cannot keep doing the same thing weve been doing, she said. We cant wait. Parents need parallel options at the same time.
Atlanta officials announced they are reopening 22 cases related to the decades old murders of African-American children and young adults.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Police Chief Erica Shields announced they were taking another look at the cases. At least 28 children, teens and adults were killed in and around Atlanta from 1979 to 1981, igniting fear across the city.

It would certainly be in order for us to look once again at evidence that the city of Atlanta has in its possessionto once again take a fresh look at these cases and to determine once and for all if there's additional evidence that may be tested that may give some peace - to the extent that peace can be had in a situation like this- to the victims' families, Bottoms said.

Wayne Williams, 60, is serving a life sentence for the murder of two adults and officials believe hes responsible for some of the other deaths. Williams, who maintains his innocence, has never faced charges related to the childrens deaths and questions about other possible suspects have lingered since his 1982 conviction.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the new investigation will involve the Atlanta Police Department, the Fulton County District Attorneys Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation using modern technology to test evidence such as DNA and carpet fibers.

Atlanta Police have also established a hotline, 404-546-2603, for tipsters looking to provide information.

The announcement came just as a new documentary about the case aired on Investigation Discovery.
Recreational marijuana is now legal in 10 states, and medical marijuana is legal in 33 states.

State Rep. Mike Ball, a Republican from Huntsville who is a former ABI agent, last week introduced House Bill 243 that would legalize medical marijuana in Alabama.

The bill would create an exemption from the crime of marijuana possession for people with medical conditions who qualify for a valid medical cannabis card for the medical use of cannabis, or marijuana.

This is about helping sick people, said Ball, who sponsored bills that became Lenis Law and Carlys Law for CBD oil use. He said both those laws need to be extended.

Carlys Law, passed in 2014, authorized a UAB study on using cannabidiol, or CBD oil, to treat seizure disorders. That law expires July 1, 2019. The bill would extend Carlys Law until Jan. 1, 2021.

In 2016, Alabama passed Lenis Law, allowing patients who suffer seizure disorders or other debilitating medical conditions to use a product that comes from the marijuana plant.

HB 243 would also revise Lenis Law, and authorizes those over age 19 diagnosed with a qualifying condition to obtain a medical cannabis card, authorizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

The bill would establish the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission and require the commission to establish and administer a patient registry system that registers patients with qualifying medical conditions. The commission would issue medical cannabis cards and licenses for the cultivation, processing, transportation, manufacturing and sale of cannabis in the state.

Wed like to hear your opinions on the possible legalization of medical marijuana in Alabama, and legalization of marijuana for recreational use. Please take part in our poll below.

Please also take our survey on other issues related to the marijuana issue, and we will share the results later, comparing it to a survey we took two years ago. The 10 states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use are Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Vermont and Washington, plus the District of Columbia.
This is an opinion column.

Twenty years ago at the Clarke County Democrat, my editor Jim Cox gave me a nugget of wisdom Ive carried around since  a warning about old folks judging the kids.

The younger generation is always going to hell, he said. When I was young, our parents told us we were going to hell. Now we think your generation is going to hell. And when you are my age, you'll think your kids' generation is going to hell, too.

Every time someone near me has groused about kids these days, Ive thrown that rock back at them, but two weeks ago, I realized Id finally crossed that generational threshold Jim warned me about. I saw our kids, and they sure looked like they were going to hell.

It was when I watched that video  of Spain Park and Hoover High School Students ranting and mocking African-Americans and Jews with the kind of language youd hear at a Klan rally. This little window into young suburban Alabama gave us a look at how ugly it still can be: The mad ravings you expect from people wholl deny the Holocaust happened but suggest in the same breath that another one might not be such a bad idea.

But from kids.

However, if our kids are going to hell, then we would have been the ones who led them there.

Its every generations duty to leave the next one better off. Despite the economists caterwauling on cable TV, this country has done a pretty good job of that  financially. But sadly, weve measured health in terms of wealth, and not by the well-being of our souls.

I dont like talking about religion much, mostly for the same reasons as everyone else  its too dicey of a subject for polite conversation except with people you already know agree with you.

But look at those kids and think. If you cant think, feel.

Their public embarrassment is our public embarrassment. Not because of all the social media moralizing and holier-than-thou backlash against them. Not because of all the tongue-clucking at Alabama being Alabama.

No, what happened there, on camera, is the failure of so many people and institutions. Their schools have taken a well-deserved walloping for it. Their parents, too. But our churches have played a role in this, too, if only by their silence.

I grew up going to a conservative Southern Baptist Church, but one of the most important lessons about my religion, I had to leave that church to learn: Racism is a sin.

Im not here to evangelize, but as young Christians, we were taught that the most important commandment was to love our neighbors and even our enemies. But never in my youth did I hear a pastor say something that should have been plainly evident: Racism is probably the most pervasive violation of Jesus most important commandment.

In the hot hours after that video spread, I mouthed off on Twitter, Good luck finding a white evangelical church that ever says that from the pulpit. MLKs Letter from Bham jail is as relevant today as ever.

Thankfully, one of my followers on Twitter corrected me.

About a week after that video, pastor Buddy Gray stood in the pulpit of Hunter Street Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist megachurch in Hoover, with a lesson for his congregation. It probably says something for how long Ive been away from church that I still find sermons-by-PowerPoint bracing, but Gray put the words on the screen for everyone in that church to read.

Why Racism is a sin.

Firmly, Gray walked his church through the denials white people tell themselves and explained why each was wrong  simple things that still need telling, like how saying youre colorblind communicates to people of color that you just dont care.

I know some of you are this morning saying, That simply isnt me. I dont have any problems with prejudice, Gray said. I think youre probably fooling yourselves. In fact, I know that you are.

And Gray preached, too, that sin is not solely an artifact of individual responsibility, but also that institutional racism is an offense to God.

For it is possible for systems and structures to be unjust, even when people who are inhabiting those systems and structures dont have any animus in their hearts, Gray said. In any system, because people are sinners, whether it is political, economic, religious or anything else, there can be systemic injustice.

One sermon alone wont save Alabama or America from its historical sin, but its a start. White evangelicals need to hear so much more of that. Its a message we must pass on: Do as we say, not as we have done.

But on one point, I was wrong: There are white evangelical pastors out there who arent afraid finally to preach the truth. And where theres truth being told, theres hope to be had, and for that, Id like to thank Gray for setting me straight, too.

Amen.

Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group.

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Seventy-five years after his fighter plane crashed in Austria, Tuskegee Airman Capt. Lawrence E. Dickson was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery on Friday as four Air Force jets roared overhead and his daughter and grandchildren looked on.

A stiff wind rustled nearby magnolia trees as the mourners sat before his silver casket and his 76-year-old daughter, Marla L. Andrews, received a folded flag from an Army general who knelt before her.

Earlier, at a church service, a minister likened Dickson to the Old Testament patriarch Joseph, whose bones were carried by his people to the Promised Land from the foreign realm where he died.

"Joseph served his people on foreign soil," said the Rev. Jerry Sanders of Fountain Baptist Church in Summit, New Jersey. "What we do for Captain Dickson today is what they did for Joseph in the long ago."

It was a solemn farewell for a daughter who cherished a father she never knew and who lamented the life she might have had.

"I don't think I would have felt so empty and so alone," Andrews, of East Orange, New Jersey, said Thursday.

"I heard many people say that he was very friendly, he was very warm, he was extremely personable," she said. "I just had the feeling that if he would have lived, it would have been so different."

"But he didn't," she said.

So she strove to raise her children so her father would have been proud of them. And although there were painful times, "I just have to thank God that he got me through as far as he has," she said.

In July, the Defense Department announced that it had accounted for Dickson, who was among more than two dozen black aviators known as Tuskegee Airmen who were still missing from World War II.

Dickson, who was 24 when he went down, joined the Army Air Forces from New York and was a member of the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group.

He trained at the Tuskegee Army Flying School and crashed in mountainous southern Austria on Dec. 23, 1944, while on an escort mission.

He was among the more than 900 black pilots who were trained at the segregated Tuskegee airfield in Alabama during the war.

They were African-American men from all over the country who fought racism and oppression at home and enemy pilots and antiaircraft gunners overseas.

More than 400 served in combat, flying patrol and strafing missions and escorting bombers from bases in North Africa and Italy. The tail sections of their fighter planes were painted a distinctive red.

During the service in the Old Post Chapel at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Sanders spoke of the Israelites' escape from slavery, comparing it to men such as Dickson helping African Americans on their exodus from bondage.

"Remember your future is based on my past," Sanders said Joseph reminded his people.

"Where you're going has something to with where I've been," he said. "The bones of Joseph, like the bones of Captain Dickson, tell a story."

During a dig in 2017 at the crash site, near Hohenthurn, Austria, a ring belonging to Dickson was found in the dirt by a University of New Orleans graduate student, Titus Firmin.

Charred remains and other small personal items were also found, along with parts of the airplane.

Last August, the Army presented Andrews with the ring and a formal report on how her father was accounted for.

The 14-karat art deco ring was a precious physical link.

There had been talk for months that a ring had been found during the dig. When an official gave it to her in her home, she said quietly, "Wow, guys."

The excavation had also found the ring's aqua-colored stone, which had broken loose and was found separately.

The ring was inscribed: "P.D.," with a heart with an arrow through it, and "L.E.D. 5-31-43."

P.D. was Andrews' mother, Phyllis Dickson. L.E.D. was her father, and May 31, 1943, was his 23rd birthday.

The Army also gave her a remnant of a harmonica that was found at the crash site, and a small cross.

The identification had been confirmed when DNA was extracted from arm- and leg-bone fragments found at the crash site and matched with DNA from Andrews, a nephew and a distant cousin.

The dig in 2017 was conducted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the University of New Orleans and the University of Austria at Innsbruck, with help from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

There are 26 Tuskegee Airmen still missing from the war.

Two days before Christmas 1944, Dickson took off from his base in Italy in a P-51D Mustang nicknamed "Peggin," headed for Nazi-occupied Prague.

He was on his 68th mission and had already been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for meritorious service.

He was leading a three-Mustang escort of a fast but unarmed photo reconnaissance plane, according to the account of a wingman, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Martin, many years later.

(Martin died July 26, 2018, at the age of 99 at his home in Olympia Fields, Illinois. His daughter, Gabrielle Martin, was present for Friday's service.)

The four planes headed over the mountains for Prague. About an hour into the trip, Dickson radioed that he was having engine trouble and began losing speed.

His wingmen stayed with him as he dropped back. The twin-engine reconnaissance plane sped on and was soon out of sight.

Dickson decided to turn for home in his crippled plane, and his buddies stuck with him.

He looked for a spot to land or bail out. Martin saw him jettison the canopy of his cockpit before bailing out, but then he lost sight of the airplane.

The two wingmen circled, looking for a parachute, a column of smoke or burning wreckage. There was nothing but an empty, snow-covered valley.

After the war, the Army searched for Dickson in northern Italy, where Martin thought he went down. Other crashed planes and remains were found, but not his.

In 1949, the Army recommended that his remains be declared "nonrecoverable."

In 2017, the Pentagon, armed with new data on the crash location, began investigating the case anew.

We need to have more reverence for the bones, Sanders said Friday. There are some things we can learn from bones. There is a . . . blessing in the bones. We need to remember those who have gone before.
A 25-year-old mother pleaded guilty to four felony crimes after her young children  ages 1 and 2  were seriously injured in her care.

Melissa Ann Miller, of Snead, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse, said Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey. The injuries to the children were life-threatening an included cigar burns to their bodies.

Miller was first arrested in September 2016 after an intensive investigation into the injuries sustained by the children in April of that year. Authorities said they had been so severely beaten they were hospitalized at Childrens of Alabama for about a month.

Casey said Miller originally blamed the injuries on a battery-powered four-wheeler. However, the investigation showed that the extent of the injuries could not have been caused in that manner. The children also had burns on their bodies that were not caused by a battery powered four-wheeler.

As a result of her plea, Miller will receive two 12-year prison sentences  one for each of the attempted murder convictions  two 12-year sentences each for the aggravated child abuse convictions. Miller is also prohibited from contacting her children per order of the court.

Attempted murder is a Class A felony, which carries a sentence range of 10 to 99 years. Aggravated child abuse is a Class B felony which carries a sentence of two to 20 years. Because Miller has been convicted of two Class A felonies, she will not receive any good time credit towards her sentences, Casey said.

At the time of her plea, she was serving a 180-day sentence in the Blount County jail for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Casey praised the work of social workers with the Alabama Department of Human Resources and retired Blount County sheriffs Investigator Sue Ashworth conducted the probe. She also thanked the nurses and doctors at Cullman Regional Medical Center and Childrens Hospital of Alabama for their life-saving medical care for both children.

The children are doing well and live with a relative. The fact that a mother could do to her children what was done to these babies is absolutely unfathomable, Casey said.
Mobile public officials should not create an unfair competition with downtown restaurant owners by allowing a Chick-fil-A to set up inside Government Plaza, a county commissioner said Monday.

Merceria Ludgood, in citing her concerns about downtown eateries, was the only No vote on a memorandum of understanding between the county and Chick-fil-A that allows the chicken-centric fast-food eatery to sell a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items inside the downtown government building.

The commission approved the agreement 2-1, with Commissioners Connie Hudson and Jerry Carl approving.

I just feel like we have a lot of restaurants downtown and we are trying to build up our capacity with those restaurants, Ludgood said after the vote. Its counter-productive to bring in another entity that could undermine some of the traffic those restaurants downtown could get.

She added, My No vote is really a Yes vote for the restaurant industry that is downtown already.

Hudson said she doesnt it see it that way, and disputed any suggestion that public officials were creating an unfair competition.

Its an open market for anyone, said Hudson. We put out a (request for proposal) and anyone could have responded. Its difficult because we dont have an operational kitchen. But the restauranteurs I have personally spoken with downtown say they are so busy right now they cannot expand their operations.

Ludgood denied that her No vote was related to the national attention Chick-fil-A has gotten over the San Antonio City Councils vote last week to deny the restaurant from opening inside that citys airport.

The council in San Antonio -- the nations seventh-largest city -- voted 6-4 to exclude a Chick-fil-A from the overall restaurant and concession space inside its international airport over the companys alleged bias against the LGBTQ community.

Ludgood said, My vote had to do with us allowing competition inside (Government Plaza) and keeping people from going downtown (to privately-owned) restaurants.

Hudson said did not hear from anyone objecting to Chick-fil-A.

I have not heard anything negative from anybody, she said. Only positive. I just dont see it as a negative at all. I think its a positive thing. Its positive for the employees and the jurors.

Carol Hunter, spokeswoman with the Downtown Mobile Alliance, said shes hopeful that the downtown restaurants will still get a lot of business from Government Plaza employees and jurors who visit.

That is a big part of the lunchtime business when court is in session, said Hunter. As long as our restaurants do a good job and provide a product that customers want, this should not be too big of a blow.

Hudson said she unsure on the exact date in which Chick-fil-A will begin serving breakfast and lunches inside the government building. She said that shes hoping for an opening around April 8, which is when jurors are supposed to be inside the building.

That first week, we want to make sure we have some jurors here so they can compare weeks with jurors and those without, said Hudson.

The county agreement with Chick-fil-A allows the restaurant to set up an additional distribution point or ADP, on the ground floor area of Government Plaza.

Chick-fil-A will pay the county a commission in the amount of 10 percent of pre-tax sales to utilize the building. Payments will be made bi-weekly as Chick-fil-As sales cycles are closed, the agreement states.

The eatery will not cook on site, but the agreement allows Chick-fil-A access to a kitchen area where restaurants, such as Cafe 205, once operated.

Prepared food will be transported from Chick-fil-As downtown location inside the RSA Battlehouse Hotel at 12 N. Royal St.

The limited menu includes:

Breakfast: Chick-fil-A biscuit $3.25, yogurt $4, orange juice $3 and an unspecified canned drink $2.

Lunch: Chick-fil-A sandwich $4.50, side salad $3.95, market salad $10, and a canned drink $2.

The menu, as listed on the agreement, does not include the eaterys popular waffle fries. Food will be served from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until food is sold out, from Monday through Friday.

The agreement is temporary, and allows Chick-fil-A to set up its operations for only one week, with the option to extend up to three additional weeks.

Hudson has said the hope is for a permanent relationship with Chick-fil-A serving inside Government Plaza.

She said she would also support a food court inside Government Plaza, while Ludgood said that she would not.

The original intent was to have food service in this building, said Hudson, about Government Plaza which was
When someone asks Congresswoman Terri Sewell which has been a bigger barrier for her in her career, being an African-American or being a woman, she always answers unequivocally being a woman.

That barrier seems to be getting smaller. The Alabama Democrats win in 2018 made her a part of the most diverse congressional class in history, with more women in seats than ever before.

For the last eight years Sewell has gathered women intergenerationally from all walks of life across Birmingham to be inspired by other women in politics at her Ultimate Ladies Power Lunch. This year she brought fellow Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, Connecticuts first black congresswoman and 2016s national teacher of the year to speak about her journey into politics.

Hayes grew up in Section 8 housing and had a baby at 16, but was able to change her path by attending community college and then continuing on to get her bachelors and then masters degree in education. She went on to win the National Teacher of the Year award in 2016 and ran for Congress the following year.

Hayes said it was at the ceremony honoring her teaching award that she decided to run for office. She said Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos told her her goal was to take government out of education and let parents make the best decisions for their children. Hayes remembered her childhood without parents who advocated for her education, but did not respond to Devos comments. She said it was then that she decided she needed to be in the room to help advocate for students like her who didnt have parents encouraging their education.

According to a 2017 Rutgers study, women are far less likely to consider running for office at the height of their careers than men, despite having virtually the same likelihood of winning elections.

...womens lesser interest in office holding is linked to a number of factors: lower levels of personal income, less external support for a candidacy, more demanding household obligations, and self-perceptions that they are not qualified, according to that study. A clear finding that emerges across all of these results is that men in this eligibility pool, regardless of personal or professional characteristics, feel greater comfort and freedom to think about seeking office.

Sewell said it is important to see the different ways women navigate through politics so other women can see themselves in the journey.

We as women totally undervalue the skill set we naturally have, which I think makes us particularly suitable for being a legislator, Sewell said. Were naturally the mediators and the negotiators in our family. Were naturally the ones that are the budgeters in our family. Were naturally the ones trying to move our family forward. That negotiator, mediator skill set is not to be undervalued in the political arena.

Sewell credits the women in her hometown, from her Girl Scout leader to her guidance counselor for inspiring her drive. And it was her mother Nancy Gardner Sewell, the first black woman elected to the Selma City Council, that spurred her interest in politics. She credits Amelia Boynton Robinson, a civil rights activist and the first African-American woman to run for the 7th congressional district, for her ability to win her seat in 2010. She ran so I could someday win.

The community in Selma nurtured me; told me I was smart. I believed them, Sewell said. No matter what door I got to walk through, whether it was Princeton or Oxford or Harvard Law School, I never didnt believe I didnt belonged - didnt even dawn on me that I didnt belong because the people of Selma told me I was the best they had to offer, and that I deserved to walk through that door. And I carried with me everything I learned from them.

Sewell said she hopes that through her melding of local women in Birmingham, that women will be inspired to make that first leap into politics.

Theres not one way to be successful. Theres not one way to get to Congress, Sewell said. I think the that more people hear others journeys, hopefully they can see themselves in that, and see that they too can have a similar journey or a similar impact.
Ive been living a double life for the past three years.

As part of Al Jazeeras elaborate infiltration of the United States gun lobby, I assumed the role of a gun advocate, pretending to campaign for a repeal of Australias rigid, gun control laws, and pretending that I wanted more firearms in the hands of Australian citizens.

In fact, I disagree with all of those things. I believe the gun lobbys efforts to conceal the truth, which concerns public safety and constitutional rights, should be brought to light.

That is why I chose to take part in this undercover investigation.

My involvement in the project began in 2015 when I received a call from Peter Charley, the executive producer of Al Jazeeras Investigative Unit in Washington, DC.

He explained that his team were investigating the US gun lobby and its attempts to manage the messaging on whether more guns lead to more deaths. His team had gathered enough evidence of deliberate deception, and were now considering staging an undercover operation.

Charley then got to the point. His idea was to create a pro-gun group in Australia that would, in theory, appeal to the NRA. He asked if I would be interested in posing as that groups founder and president in order to infiltrate the NRA? And, if so, would I be comfortable wearing hidden cameras on frequent visits to the US to cultivate ties with the NRA, and to record my conversations with them?





It was an interesting idea. Id never worn a hidden camera or claimed to love guns. In fact, Id only fired a gun a few times on a friends farm. I didnt know a Glock from Luger and Id never seen an assault rifle.

That didnt matter, Charley said. He was looking for someone with the ability to work a room and knowledge of people, business and finance. I would be trained thoroughly in the journalistic requirements, as well as the handling of guns.

So, I was in.

Double life

In preparation for my assignment, Al Jazeera flew me to London, where I was taught how to phrase questions and how to conduct myself as an undercover journalist. I was schooled by a concealed camera expert in the use of tiny cameras  undetectable to the human eye. And they brought me to the US and put me through gun safety courses and arms training. My new life as a gun enthusiast had begun.

All I had to do now was convince the NRA that I was somebody I was not.

Rodger Muller, left, with Pauline Hanson, right, who leads Australias far-right One Nation party [Al Jazeera]

The plan Charley had devised was simple. Playing on the NRAs open contempt of Australias strict firearms laws, he created a group called Gun Rights Australia which claimed it was pushing for a repeal of the legislation.

My job was to use this as a front to endear myself to NRA officials and climb as high as I could within the organisation, recording conversations with them on subjects such as how they respond to a massacre, how they pressure members of the US Congress, and how they manipulate the media.

Scary world out there

I took my first steps as a man with a double life at the 2016 NRA convention in Louisville, Kentucky. Camera operators and producers from Al Jazeeras Investigative Unit travelled with me from Washington, DC, to Louisville, and helped position the pinhead-sized camera lenses for my very first encounters with NRA officials.

I was a little nervous at first, but soon relaxed into my new role. As I made my way further into the gun lobby, I began to understand the depth of some US citizens passion for their cherished Second Amendment  the right to keep and bear arms.

Those around me at the NRA convention wore hats, T-shirts and badges, declaring their undying love for the God-given right to carry a weapon. It became very clear to me that, if I wanted to sound believable, I had to espouse those same passions.

That was not easy. I am genuinely proud of Australias gun control laws, and to rail against snowflakes and gun grabbers seemed like a betrayal of my friends and family back home, who I believe are safe because of such tough laws.

Many of them were astonished at my newfound passion for firearms. I brushed most queries off saying, Its a scary world out there. Ive realised that guns can keep us all safe  so Im campaigning for more guns here.

But not everyone was happy with such explanations. On more than one occasion, strangers who had seen the Gun Rights Australia website confronted me on the street and berated me for trying to drag Australias gun laws in the direction of those in the US.

James Ashby, left, Steve Dickson, centre, and Rodger Muller, right, in Washington, DC [Al Jazeera]

Pythons, lions and guns

But at the NRA convention in Louisville, my claims to want Australias laws repealed made people smile at me, shake my hand and slap me on the back.

At the end of each days filming, Peter and his team would huddle in a hotel room to review the videos Id secretly filmed. Sometimes, one of my cameras had pointed too high and all I had filmed was the ceiling. Over time, I learned how to capture the sort of footage Al Jazeera required.

Over three years, I travelled from Australia to the US numerous times to build connections with the pro-gun community. Some encounters were amusing, others utterly bizarre.

At one gathering, an albino python was released onto a lawn and a tiger paced in a cage for the amusement of cocktail-sipping guests.

There, I spoke to Donald Trump Jr, the son of the US president and an outspoken gun rights advocate. Wayne LaPierre, the NRA chief, applauded as my presence was announced by an MC. At another event, I fired shotguns at clay pigeons beside US congressmen, and posed for a photograph with Chris Cox, a chief lobbyist for the NRA.

Bit by bit, I was gathering video, collecting conversations, and living a life I never thought possible.

Then Charley asked me to contact Pauline Hansons One Nation  a far-right pro-gun Australian political party. Charley wanted me to find out if any connections existed between One Nation and the US gun lobby. And so began another chapter in my life as an avid gunner.

When I approached One Nation Chief of Staff James Ashby and mentioned my NRA connections, he told me he wanted to visit the US to meet them. I set up meetings in Washington and soon Ashby and One Nations Steve Dickson were on a flight to the US

I was there, ready to meet them. And our hidden cameras were all primed and ready to go.
There are 300,000 Roma in Britain, but some members of persecuted minority lack documentation and could lose residency.

Luton and London, United Kingdom  At the Luton Roma Trust, members of the English towns Roma community seek help with doctors letters, rental agreements and other minor bureaucratic issues.

A small map of the European Union hangs on a wall at the charitys office.

While day-to-day struggles continue to interrupt their lives, Brexit and the new immigration system it ushers in is beginning to cast a larger shadow over Britains Roma minority.

So far we havent talked to anyone but we are concerned, said Manix, who arrived from Romania in 2015 with his wife Valuca and their children.

They are worried that Britains divorce from the European Union will harm their familys future in the United Kingdom, especially their youngest childs.

He wants to go to school so much, said Valuca of her four-year-old son. He speaks English already. We dont really know what exactly will happen.

The accession of several Eastern European states to the EU in the 2000s saw growing numbers of the persecuted and impoverished Roma minority leave countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia to begin new lives in the UK.

The British government has guaranteed that EU citizens currently resident in the UK will be allowed to remain once it departs the union, but legal experts and charities are concerned that the Roma could slip through the cracks and lose their right to stay.

If any EU citizen, including Roma, misses the deadline for getting the new immigration status, he or she will become illegally resident and will fall victim to the 'hostile environment' Theresa May announced in 2012 as home secretary. Colin Yeo, immigration barrister

The estimated 300,000 Roma in the UK comprises one of the countrys most marginalised and vulnerable groups, facing widespread discrimination and poverty rates far above average.

Many lack the English language skills and documentation required to complete the new application process, which must be submitted through an Android mobile app. Some are not even aware that they are required to apply before June 30, 2021  or December 31, 2020 in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

I am quite uncertain right now and fear whether we will be able to stay here or we will have to leave, said George, who moved to the UK from Romania in 2017 with his wife and three children.

Between 10 and 12 million Roma are estimated to live in Europe, with most in eastern parts of the continent.

With ancestral roots in India, the Roma migrated to Eastern Europe in the 10th century and have been persecuted throughout history.

After the fall of the Soviet Union and the break-up of Yugoslavia, many travelled West, seeking to escape poverty and discrimination.

There are at least 700,000 Roma in Romania, where they live on the margins of society and are often discriminated against. Adults are underrepresented in professional careers while children often miss out on schooling.

George now works 12-hour night shifts at a bread factory in Luton. Thats stressful for me and my family, he said.

Speaking through a translator, he explained that he would be unable to complete the residency application process by himself and needs assistance to know which documentation to prepare.

Moving to the UK has led to better-paid work and educational opportunities unavailable to his children at home. Returning, he said, is unthinkable.

Many people do not know about the scheme

Under the UKs post-Brexit immigration system, EU citizens must register for settled status through a phone app created by the Home Office, which requires applicants to submit and verify identity documents.

Roma Support Group, a London-based charity, recently ran sessions to help Roma people register.

Of the 69 who took part, all but four were able to complete the process. But only seven could submit their application without assistance.

The main problem is that many people do not know about the scheme, said Mihai Calin Bica, who works at the Roma Support Group. Once they find out about it, because they are lacking IT skills or they dont know to read or write English, then they will not have enough skills to do this on their own. And they will have to look for support which currently is not available at such a high level to cover the need.

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The group had to turn away 40 people because of high demand.

It is currently seeking Home Office funding to increase its efforts, but Bica worries for members of the Roma community in remote parts of the UK.

There will be many people who will be in trouble if they dont have support where they live, he said.

The Windrush scandal, which rocked the government last year, offers a worrying glimpse into the future for those who do not register their settled status on time.

Journalists, charities and politicians uncovered evidence of the Home Office targeting Caribbean immigrants, who arrived in the UK before 1973 as British citizens but often lacked official documentation.

Victims lost homes, jobs, medical care, and over 60 of them were wrongfully deported to countries they had not seen in decades.

If any EU citizen, including Roma, misses the deadline for getting the new immigration status, he or she will become illegally resident and will fall victim to the hostile environment [Prime Minister] Theresa May announced in 2012 as home secretary, immigration barrister Colin Yeo told Al Jazeera.

Employment will be lost, bank accounts closed, landlords will be forced to evict and it will be a criminal offence to work or to drive, for example.

Yeo believes Roma may, in fact, face an even more precarious state than the Windrush generation, who simply lacked documents to prove their British citizenship.

Those EU citizens who miss the deadline will be illegal as well as without documents, which is a worse situation to be in, he said.

It's highly important that the Home Office understands that people are working and not stealing. We need to be understood and allowed to stay here. George, Romanian expatriate in the UK of Roma origin

The devastating effect of years of austerity on the UKs ailing justice system compounds these issues.

The government has cut over one billion pounds ($1.3bn) in legal aid funding since 2012, with growing numbers of defendants having neither a legal defence nor support in courtrooms across the country.

There is no longer any legal aid available to fight immigration cases in the UK and when you have lost your job, your home and your bank account and it is illegal for you to work, you simply cannot afford to pay for a lawyer to help you, said Yeo.

The EU currently contributes funding towards Roma integration in the UK. British authorities have been accused of failing to use all the money offered to them for these purposes, but there is no sign that Westminster will provide replacement funds after Brexit, which will leave Roma groups with even fewer resources to address the communitys needs.

Our main concern is that after Brexit, the governments replacement for European structural funds will no longer place an emphasis on Roma communities, Marley Morris, Brexit researcher at the Institute for Public Policy Research, told Al Jazeera. This could mean that activities dedicated to supporting Roma will be less likely to receive funds.

Back in Luton, as George prepared for another 12-hour shift at the bread factory, he called on the government for support.

Its highly important that the Home Office understands that people are working and not stealing, he said. We need to be understood and allowed to stay here.
Forum for Democracy, which blamed the Utrecht attack on immigration, has become the biggest Dutch party in the senate.

Last weeks provincial elections in the Netherlands saw the far-right Forum voor Democratie (FvD), or Forum for Democracy, make significant gains in the upper house of the Senate.

Winning most votes and 13 seats  more than Prime Minister Mark Ruttes party  the result surprised observers. FvD previously had no seats in the 75-member house.

The Dutch went to the ballot box just two days after an attack in Utrecht in which three people were killed. In the aftermath of the violence, all parties apart from FvD suspended their campaigning.

The party is led by 36-year-old Thierry Baudet, who was quick to blame the governments migration policy for the assault.

This is a combination of an honour killing and a half-terrorist motive, he told supporters at a rally afterwards.

Dutch prosecutors say they plan to bring terrorism charges against a man of Turkish origin for the attacks.

FvD, which currently holds two seats in parliament, opposes immigration and advocates for Nexit: the Netherlands leaving the European Union.

Baudet talks about a Dutch First economic and cultural ideology which shares parallels with US President Donald Trumps America First rhetoric.

Posing the question 'Does Islam have a place in the Netherlands?' in our national political debate shows that questioning elementary rights of immigrant communities has become mainstream. Diederick van der Wijk, cofounder and director of Refugees Forward

In his victory speech on Wednesday, Baudet blamed the establishment for what he described as the decay of Dutch culture.

We are standing amidst the debris of what was once the greatest and most beautiful civilisation the world has ever known, he said, blaming universities, journalists and politicians for undermining the potential of the Netherlands on the world stage.

Baudet has become known in the Netherlands for his hardline views. He has spoken out against immigration, the EU and last year said in an interview that women were less ambitious than men.

Laura van der Sanden, who lives and works in Amsterdam, says she is taken aback by the results, particularly given the perceived liberal Dutch mentality.

Im surprised, she told Al Jazeera. Actually, its more accurate to say that Im disappointed.

Professor Jan Jaap de Ruiter at Tilburg University, who lives in Utrecht, says that while some people are shocked by the success of FvD, there were signs of its rise before the attack in the city.

The polls already indicated he was going for a major win, he said, suggesting Baudets ability to position himself as an intellectual while advocating for populist policies has encouraged people to vote for his party.

Baudet is very well versed, his victory speech was full of references to classical literature and poets.

It attracts some people because hes talking about a Netherlands which is independent and not part of the European Union. He conjures up this nostalgia for a Netherlands which has never really existed.

Turnout in the provincial elections was slightly higher than four years ago at 54 percent, although lower than in general elections.

Diederick van der Wijk, cofounder and director of Refugees Forward  an organisation which helps refugees in the Netherlands to develop business ideas, says that FvD plays on peoples fears.

FvD provides the traditionally powerful the false hope that this process of emancipation by immigrant communities can be stopped, and that the old boys can maintain their positions of power. The Dutch should rather embrace this transition into a more natural and sustainable balance of economic and political power.

He said that the Netherlands should address how immigration is discussed in public debate.

Forum voor Democraties rise is a big punch in the face for immigrants of first, second and third generations who work hard to make a contribution to Dutch society and climb up the ladders in their professional careers.

Posing the question Does Islam have a place in the Netherlands? in our national political debate shows that questioning elementary rights of immigrant communities has become mainstream.

They've repackaged a lot of nativist, racist and harshly anti-immigration rhetoric in what is a seemingly a sleek and sophisticated exterior, but ultimately they're racists in suits. Kafui Adjogatse, Amsterdam resident

Anas Ragheb, a Syrian who has settled in the Netherlands, is a social entrepreneur. He said that the narrative around refugees in the country has also contributed to FvDs success.

There is too much talk in the media about refugees being jobless and staying on welfare for longer than four years, he said.

The consequences of this victory for the Forum voor Democratie are huge on the community of newcomers. The hate speech and Islamophobia will increase and society will be polarised.

When the Senate is seated in May, Prime Minister Ruttes Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy, which has now lost its majority in the upper house, will now need to work with the opposition groups.

We are going to have to get to work. We have to talk with other parties so we can continue to lead this country well, he said on Wednesday after the results.

Geert Wilderss far-right Freedom Party, which shares some parallels with FvD, lost four seats in the elections going from nine to five.

Kafui Adjogatse, a Briton who works in international development in Amsterdam, is concerned about how FvD and Baudet have managed to gloss over their hardline views.

Theyve repackaged a lot of nativist, racist and harshly anti-immigration rhetoric in what is seemingly a sleek and sophisticated exterior, he says, but ultimately theyre racists in suits.
Will General Benjamin Gantz be any different than the other generals who entered Israeli politics as would-be saviours?

Its deja vu all over again in Israels electoral politics, albeit with a few twists.

Three-star general Benjamin Benny Gantz is promising to unseat the mercurial Benjamin Bibi Netanyahu in the upcoming vote and change the political calculus of both Israelis and Palestinians. But how will this clash of the Benjamins differ from the political rivalries in any of the previous elections, where generals won the vote but lost the peace?

In the 1992 battle of the Yitzhaks, General Yitzhak Rabin won against Netanyahus former boss, the incumbent Likud leader, Yitzhak Shamir, only to be assassinated three years later by a right-wing Jewish zealot, which allowed Netanyahu to secure his first electoral victory in 1996.

Three years later, another general named Ehud Barak revived hopes for Middle East peace by beating Netanyahu in the polls, but the Labor leader failed to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians the following year at the Camp David summit. That paved the way for six consecutive right-wing governments, starting with, yes, you guessed right it, another general, Ariel Sharon.

Opposition hopefuls argue, as they always do, that this time it is different. Defeating the indomitable but weakened leader of Likud will lead to the disintegration of the right, they say.

Third time lucky

Some see in the imposing figure of Gantz a modern-day Israeli John Wayne, especially in his incarnation as Colonel Mike Kirby in the 1969 Hollywood epic (disaster), The Green Beret. Unlike the short, arrogant and loud Barak, Benny speaks softly and carries a big stick. He has embraced the wisdom of the Duke: Talk low, talk slow, and dont say too much and above all never apologize; it a sign of weakness. Gantz not only does not apologise for his bloody past, but he actually boasts about it. His campaign videos are a reel of the mayhem and destruction he brought onto the Palestinians and Israels Arab neighbours.

Gantzs Blue and White political alliance, which includes two other military chiefs, Gabi Ashkenazi and Moshe Yaalon, has been leading in the polls. It is more representative of Israelis than the eclipsing Labor Party, which lost its allure and influence a long time ago.

Blue and White supporters say this election presents an historic opportunity to deal Netanyahu a final blow that would knock him out of Israels political scene. Hounded by charges of corruption and imminent indictment, Netanyahu is the weakest hes been in a long time. His lies and deception have finally caught up with him.

An electoral defeat for the Likud leader, who dominates the government as prime, defence and foreign minister, is bound to fracture his party, bring down the delicate coalition of right-wing fanatics he had forged, and shatter the Israeli right as a whole. In other words, unseating Netanyahu, the king of Israel, will undo his entire regime and pave the way for new politics in Israel.

Or at least so the opposition hopes.

Not so fast, say the sceptics.

Wishful naivety

Netanyahu & co insist that they still command huge popular support, despite the indictments. He emphasises his unparalleled experience among peers, especially in comparison to his rival Benny, whose political career has only just begun. Unlike many Israeli generals-turned-politicians before him, Gantz has never served in government or parliament.

Moreover, Netanyahu continues to exercise considerable influence over the right. A proven skilful political operator, he engineered a number of coalitions of religious, secular, as well as centrist and extremist parties. Indeed, many of the leaders of the smaller parties served under him in the past, including Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) and Naftali Bennett of the New Right party, who began their political careers as his office director and chief of staff, respectively.

Netanyahu also has a huge influence in Washington, and especially within the current administration. President Donald Trump, who enjoys unparalleled support among Israeli Jews, has gone out of his way to praise him as a tough, smart and strong leader. It seems like not a week goes by without the Trump administration giving him a helping hand in his electoral campaign.

From moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, to legitimising illegal settlements, to omitting the occupied label from references to the occupied Palestinian territories and calling for the recognition of Israels sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, Trump has trampled over international law and past agreements to bestow American legitimacy on Bibis most wacky fantasies.

Netanyahu also prides himself on being a skilled statesman, forging diplomatic, security and strategic relations with many world and regional powers, especially Gulf states, without making any concessions to the Palestinians.

The incumbents strategy is winning the day; he has demonstrated that not only are better Israeli relations with the US and Arab world not contingent on making compromises in Palestine but in fact, the greater the Israeli repression of the Palestinians, the greater American complicity and the Arab appeasement of Israel have become.

The rule of the generals

Its no coincidence that, from the outset, Netanyahus strategy was posited on labelling Benny Gantz as a leftie, while emphasising his own right-wing credentials. After all, the Israeli left is for all practical purposes, passe; its out of fashion after decades of political turn towards the right.

The crisis in the so-called left runs deep. The Labor Party, which has changed nine leaders in the span of 20 years, and its junior partner Meretz are expected to win no more 12-15 percent of the vote in April. And two leaders of the so-called left, Avi Gabbay of Labor and Tzipi Livni of Hatnuah (The Movement), have basically risen from the shadows of the right. Their joint Zionist Union alliance fell apart only a few weeks ago.

Not surprisingly, Gantz rejects the leftie label and its implications of softness and compromise, even though many on the left embrace him as their choice. In fact, along with his ally, Yair Lapid of centrist Yesh Atid party, he rejects the whole left-right binary with the slogan No Left, No Right, Israel Above All.

But then, then does he stand for?

Gantzs campaign shtick revolves around his straight-talking toughness in comparison with the corrupt, lying, flip-flopping, champagne-drinking, cigar-smoking, American-accented Netanyahu. He markets himself as the credible and safe alternative to lead a country. If Israel is bound to always live by the sword as he contends, a general is more suitable for the job.

Many Israelis agree.

They have long viewed generals, rightly or wrongly, as selfless patriots, the saviours of Israel from foreign threats and domestic excesses.

Having three former military chiefs unite against Netanyahu in this election is a product of the military elites growing involvement in politics since the 1973 war. The events of that year paved the way for Yitzhak Rabin to become the first former chief of general staff to take over the Israeli premiership.

In the following three decades, Labor appointed former top military officers to leadership positions four times to enhance its security credentials against the rising right.

Other members of the top brass entered Israeli politics by joining Likud governments, starting with Ariel Sharon, Yigael Yadin, Moshe Dayan and Rafael Eitan. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, this trend continued, with generals like Rehavam Zeevi, Avigdor Kahalani and Yitzhak Mordechai establishing their own parties and/or joining right-wing coalitions.

On the left, former generals Rabin, Barak and Amram Mitzna stepped in to take the reins after Labors repeated losses to Likud. The latters huge electoral loss to fellow general Ariel Sharon in 2003 dampened Labors chances of regaining power ever again.

Left behind

Its important to recall that when Labor ruled, it put Likud to shame. The left that Netanyahu ridicules as soft and elitist was the one that established, developed and expanded the Jewish state on the ruins of another people  the Palestinians. It won major wars against multiple Arab states, occupied lands three times Israels size, and acted as mercilessly and at times more aggressively than Likud towards Palestinians both within the state and in the occupied territories.

Indeed, Labors militarist, expansionist and colonial policies over three decades and its outright rejection of Arab peace overtures in the early 1970s paved the way for the rise of the movement for Greater Israel and the eventual Likud takeover in 1977.

After Labor opposed the Likud-led invasion of Lebanon in 1982 and supported negotiations with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) a decade later, the hope was it had set itself apart from Likud. But Netanyahus decision to negotiate with the PLO and sign the Wye River and Hebron agreements with Yasser Arafat in the late 1990s blurred the lines between Likud and Labor. Likewise, Labors embrace of economic liberalisation and privatisation in the 1980s and 1990s has all but extinguished its socialist credentials.

Thats why the right-left divide that Netanyahu is trying to revive in order to win the April 9 election, is no longer a relevant feature of Israeli politics. The difference between left and right is meagre and no longer consequential. Its high time to call Labor and the Blue and White alliance by their real name, Likud light.

Both Bibi and Benny are very well aware of this. They both know that right-wing coalitions have, for all practical purposes, dominated the politics of the country over the past four decades, with the exception of the two short-lived Labor governments. So pervasive is the right, that fascist elements of the new right have become fashionable. Netanyahu has already welcomed the inclusion of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) in a future coalition government. Thats the party that advocates stripping Israeli Palestinians of their citizenship and expelling them to the occupied territories.

The two Benjamins also understand that the dominance of the right in Israeli politics is showing no sign of subsiding. With the exception of Meretz, which may not make it to the next Knesset, all the Jewish parties running in the election represent different shades of right, from the moderate to the extreme, from the nationalist-religious to the nationalist secular, and from the Ashkenazi to the Sephardic right.

Where is Israels Charles De Gaulle?

For Palestinians, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Both Likud and Blue and White reject the basic principles of equitable peace: an end to illegal settlement building, full withdrawal to the 1967 borders, establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and a just solution to the Palestinian refugee question.

The Benjamins reject any form of coalition with Arab parties, limiting government formation to the Jewish parties only. They remember how Rabin was assassinated in part for relying on Arab parliamentarians to pass the Oslo Accords through the Knesset, rendering him and the entire Peace Process illegitimate in the eyes of the right. While some Israeli Arab leaders view Netanyahu as the worst of all possible options, they hardly stand a chance of joining a government led by any other party in the Jewish state.

With the possible exception of Rabin, who was assassinated before he could reveal his vision for permanent peace, Israeli leaders, politicians and generals have lacked the courage to try and yank Israel out of its conundrums by taking the necessary risks to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

In other words, Israel is yet to produce a leader like Charles De Gaulle, who pulled France out of Algeria, or like Frederik De Klerk, who ended apartheid in South Africa.

In his book with the telling title, Fortress Israel, The Inside Story of the Military Elite Who Run The Country  And Why They Cant Make Peace, former chief correspondent for the New York Times, Patrick Tyler concludes:

The Zionist movement had survived the onslaught of world wars, the Holocaust, and clashes of ideology, but in the modern era of statehood, Israel seemed incapable of fielding a generation of leaders who could adapt to the times, who were dedicated to ending the occupation and, thus, their isolation, or to changing the paradigm of military preeminence.

Incapable, yes, but Israel is also uninterested in an equitable solution. Washingtons support, Arab appeasement and Palestinian weakness give Israeli leaders no reasons to take risks for peace.

Peace has, in fact, become a dirty word in Netanyahus Israel.
At least 10 children among those killed in Kunduz city as the UN registers a record number of civilian deaths in 2018.

At least 13 civilians, mostly children, were killed by a US air raid in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz, the United Nations said on Monday.

The air raid early on Saturday was part of a battle between the Taliban and combined Afghan and US forces that lasted about 30 hours in Kunduz, a Taliban stronghold.

Initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country, the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

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Those who were killed were internally displaced families who had fled the war in Dasht-e-Archi district and had recently moved to the city, added Khosh Mohammad Nasratyar, member of Kunduz provincial council, saying three children were also wounded in the attack.

The deaths come as ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with more civilians killed in the Afghan war in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to a UN report, with more than 500 killed by aerial operations for the first time on record.

Child casualties from air raids have also increased every year since 2014.

Fighting has accelerated during a period of recurring talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at ending Afghanistans 17-year war.

A day earlier, the Taliban attacked two Afghan outposts in Sangin, killing 48 Afghan security personnel, said Hashim Alokozay, a Helmand member of parliament.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said the two outposts were overrun, killing 52 Afghan troops and wounding 11 more.
National Liberation Front spokesman says only elected representative can solve the problems facing the country.

A senior official from Algerias ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) has withdrawn his support for President Abdelaziz Bouteflikas proposal to hold a national dialogue conference aimed at getting the country out of the current political deadlock.

Hocine Khaldoun, FLN spokesman, told the private Dzair TV network on Sunday that the conference  which would see the participation of opposition parties and civil society actors and is aimed at reforming the constitution  will not solve the problem.

Honestly, we are going to revise our position on the conference, Khaldoun said, adding that the conference will not solve the issue because participants will not be elected.

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The conference will not be of any use. What we need is an elected president. If we want to win time, then we ought to establish an independent elections commission  whoever gets elected can then address the people and the movement.

Hundreds of thousands of Algerians have been taking part in nationwide protests against Bouteflikas re-election bid since February 22.

Amid growing pressure, Bouteflika on March 11 abandoned his plan to seek a fifth term at the helm of Algeria, a key oil producer.

But while the announcement was initially greeted with instant celebrations, the joy proved to be short-lived as the ailing 82-year-old, who suffered a debilitating stroke in 2013, stated that he would remain in office until a successor was elected.

This prompted critics to accuse the octogenarian of attempting to illegally extend his 20-year-rule.

Khaldoun later in the day told the TSA news website that he was expressing his own opinion and that he assumed full responsibility for the remarks.

In my capacity as FLN spokesman, I gave my own personal opinion which I am going to submit to the partys coordination committee tomorrow.

Theres going to be an open and democratic debate around this proposal and everyone will have to take responsibility for their position.

Some long-time allies of the president, including the army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah, have expressed support for the protesters, revealing cracks within a ruling elite long seen as invincible.

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui has also struggled to form a transition government, despite having reached out to more than 300 people.
Residents of Beira and surrounding areas unable to return to normality more than a week after Cyclone Idai hit.

Beira, Mozambique  Joao Domingo returned to his home in the devastated town of Beira on Sunday after collecting the few remaining maize cobs from the familys small communal farmland in Nhamatanda, located 101km away.

He recounted the days his family had spent stuck in the house without food, as floodwaters engulfed the surrounding area.

We did not have food when we were trapped inside our small house  myself, my wife and four children  we starved, said Domingo. After makeshift roads were erected, I had to catch the bus today to Nhamatanda, but a plastic bag full of maize is all I could salvage.

My children were crying when we were trapped inside the house for three days. My 14-year-old-son kept asking if we would emerge alive, and if he would ever go to school again.

Cyclone Idais massive flooding has ravaged Mozambique and killed 446 people nationwide, according to official statistics.

The people of Beira are still coming to terms with the deadly effects of the storm, which destroyed the area around the coastal town, leaving most houses ruined or damaged.





Ricardo Pereira, 28, said he used to spend most of his time on the beach, working as a helper for holidaymakers, but now he wandered around aimlessly, chatting with people about the carnage and its effects.

Its something we really dont want to be reminded of, said Pereira. But you cant avoid talking about it. When you see people sitting around on street corners as if nothing happened, it is because [we] are just trying to put a brave face on. But we do talk about it.

Rescue efforts have meanwhile intensified, reinforced by a 65-member Chinese rescue team, which arrived in Beira on Monday at the request of the Mozambican government, as the number of those affected by Cyclone Idai rose to 794,000.

In Beira, most of those displaced have found shelter on higher ground in several buildings in the city, occupying some 2,867 classrooms throughout this metropolitan area of 500,000 people.

Firoz Sumaly, a religious leader, said the restoration of electricity at the Hospital Central da Beira was now under way, with the cleric having mobilised aid organisations to donate several generators.

Aid workers conduct checks despite difficult conditions including damaged roads and lack of clean running water [Mike Hutchings/Reuters]

Aid group MSF said it had been forced to cease medical activities in Beira as a result of the flooding.

The first thing you see when you arrive is destruction and a lot of water. We hear that the situation outside the town may be even worse, MSFs emergency coordinator in Beira, Gert Verdonck, said in a statement.

The water system is out of service, so there are large areas where people are really finding it difficult to find sources of clean water.

Its hard at this stage to have a clear picture of the medical needs. Actually, its even hard just to get to the health centres, because the roads are destroyed or because the health centres themselves are destroyed.





Relief is on the way

Mozambican Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario told reporters on Monday that while the worst excesses of the flooding had been contained, the country, with Beira topping the list, was still reeling under the challenges of this massive disaster.

Do Rosario said 293 people had died in the last three days while 345 had been displaced. He added that some 1511 were either hospitalised or receiving treatment from mobile medical teams courtesy of the Southern African countrys government and aid agencies.

Everything that must be done is being done, I can assure you all, Do Rosario said.

People must continue to stay in safer and higher places, relief is definitely on the way. No death must happen again because help has not reached them. Food, shelter and medical attention are critically needed.

We are also working on restoring power, which has been cut in most parts of the city. Another chief priority is the reconstruction of the Beira road, which has been cut off. Progress on site is satisfactory, I can safely tell you that.

Meanwhile, the Mozambican government says at least 500 victims of the cyclone nationwide have been driven beyond the border into three neighbouring countries  Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Spokesman Geraldo Saranga said the government had sought refugee status for the victims in the three countries.

The relevant government departments of the four nations have been speaking to ensure the smooth movement and settlement of the affected citizens of Mozambique who have been forced to move to the safety of our neighbouring countries. The three countries have all reacted with compassion and as Mozambicans we feel deeply indebted.
Attorney General William Barr has made his determination about Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation. Now Democrats want to make their own.

The delivery on Sunday of Barrs summary to Congress about Muellers conclusions has opened a new chapter in the battle over the nearly two-year investigation that is likely to consume Capitol Hill in the coming weeks and months. Democratic politicians are demanding a full look at Muellers findings and dismissing Barrs summary as incomplete, at best, and biased, at worst.

Mueller was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, possible collusion between US President Donald Trumps campaign and Moscow and whether the president unlawfully sought to obstruct the probe.

They have seized on a line in the summary that says Muellers report does not exonerate Trump on obstruction of justice  even though Barr concluded the evidence of obstruction is insufficient to find Trump committed a crime.

The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement. Given Mr Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.

Given the report, Democrats seemed more likely to focus on their ongoing investigations, calls for transparency and frustrations with Barr, rather than engaging with the talk of impeachment that has been amplified on Pelosis left flank. As the release of Muellers report loomed, Pelosi recently tried to scuttle that talk by saying she is not for impeachment, for now.

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House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who would lead any impeachment effort, said he would call Barr to testify soon in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department.

Yet, while Democrats focused on the obstruction piece, Barrs summary report dealt their investigative efforts an undeniable blow by concluding that Trumps campaign never conspired with Russia. Top Democrats, now leading broad investigations of Trump in the House majority, had long suggested just the opposite.

After 22 months of a special counsel and 2 years of congressional investigations, its over, tweeted Congressman Mark Meadows, a close ally of Trump. The clock has finally struck midnight on the Russian collusion fantasy.

In a joint statement, Nadler, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, almost seemed to concede that collusion had not been found, saying they have confidence in Mueller, notwithstanding the very public evidence of Trump campaign contact with and willingness to receive support from Russian agents.

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Still, they said, it will be vital for the country and the Congress to evaluate the full body of evidence collected by the special counsel, including all information gathered of a counterintelligence nature.

Democrats discussed strategy in a flurry of calls over the weekend. Pelosi and Schumer talked repeatedly, including several calls Sunday from her home in San Francisco. As soon as Barrs letter arrived, Pelosi quickly convened a call on Sunday with Cummings, Schiff and Nadler to go over its main points. They were on the same page with their response, according to a person familiar with the call. Nadler later held a conference call with Democratic members on the Judiciary panel and reiterated calls for transparency.

People familiar with the calls requested anonymity to discuss them freely.

This case is closed

Republicans unified to call for Congress to move on. This case is closed, said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in a statement.

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Trump celebrated the findings but did not appear ready to let the matter drop, calling the investigation an illegal takedown that failed. He said that hopefully somebodys going to look at the other side, an apparent reference to Democrats.

The White House said on Monday it was up to the Justice Department to decide if detailed findings from Muellers probe would be made public.

I think that the president is doing exactly what he should and thats leaving that decision into the hands of the attorney general and well see what decision he makes on that front, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told NBC.

Sanders declined to comment on whether Trump would invoke the presidential privilege to withhold any information. But Jay Sekulow, one of Trumps personal lawyers, said it would be very inappropriate to release the presidents written answers to the special counsel, saying they were confidential. Despite lengthy negotiations, Mueller never obtained an in-person interview with the president.

As a lawyer, you dont waive privileges and you dont waive investigative detail absent either a court order or an agreement between the parties, Sekulow told CNN in an interview, adding that Barr would make the final decision.

I want the whole damn report

Democratic calls for transparency on the Mueller report could set up a court battle with the Trump administration that could take months or years to resolve.

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Its unclear what else is coming from Barr, though he states in the letter that he is working to make more information public. He said he will be consulting with Mueller to determine what else can be released. But whatever is provided is unlikely to be enough for Democrats, who have said they want all of Muellers underlying evidence, including interviews, documents and material turned over to the grand jury.

Democrats have said they are willing to subpoena Mueller and Barr, if needed, to push for disclosure.

Though Trump himself has said the report should be made public, its not clear whether the administration would fight subpoenas for testimony or block the transmission of grand jury material.

If the administration decides to fight, politicians could ask federal courts to step in and enforce a subpoena. A court fight could, in theory, reach the Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Democrats will keep the focus on full transparency.

I dont want a summary of the Mueller report, tweeted Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate. I want the whole damn report.
Mohammed Jasim Awad was one of two volunteers who drowned trying to rescue passengers after ferry accident.

A funeral has been held for a volunteer who drowned trying to help after last weeks ferry disaster in Iraq. Angry relatives are accusing the local government of negligence. Officials have been sacked and nine people arrested, including the owners of the boat. But dozens of passengers are still missing.

Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim reports from Mosul where the ferry overturned.
Truce comes after Israeli fighter jets attack sites in Gaza in retaliation for rocket fired at Israel.

Hamas, the group that governs the Gaza Strip, said it reached an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel after an exchange of fire, but explosions in the enclave could still be heard early Tuesday.

Egyptian efforts succeeded with a ceasefire between the occupation and the resistance factions, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said.

Israel had yet to comment.

The reported truce comes shortly after multiple rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Monday evening, according to a joint statement issued by Gazas armed groups, in response to Israeli air strikes that pounded Hamas positions across the Palestinian territory.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza said they fired projectiles across the border and warned they would escalate attacks if the Israeli army continued its air raids.

Sirens sounded in multiple places in southern Israel close to the border, the Israeli army said.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli warplanes launched air strikes against Hamas positions across the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for a rocket from the Palestinian enclave that hit an Israeli home, wounding seven people.

As the Israeli assault began, residents in the northern part of the Gaza Strip reported hearing the sounds of explosions earlier on Monday evening. Local media reported air strikes landed in an agricultural area east of Khan Younis in Gazas south.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from the Gaza-Israel border, said several empty buildings associated with Hamas were hit.

Weve seen several plumes of smoke coming up from the Gaza skyline behind us and weve seen confirmation from the Israeli military that these strikes have begun.

Flames and smoke are seen during an Israeli air raid in Gaza City [Mahmud Hams/AFP]

From our colleagues inside Gaza, were hearing that so far, the targets seem to have been empty training camps associated with Hamas military wing  also a sea base as well, Fawcett said.

Later he said a building right in the middle of densely populated Gaza city had been entirely destroyed.

Ambulances were on the scene, but there had four small warning explosions prior to the largest one that flattened the building that may have allowed people to get out of the area.

Israel said it had destroyed Hamass military intelligence headquarters.

Gazas health ministry said seven Palestinians were wounded in the attacks.

Asked whether the group was responsible for the rocket fire Hamas spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanoo told Al Jazeera: The Israelis continue to impose a crippling siege on the Gaza Strip and practise all kinds of aggression against Palestinians Therefore, the Israeli occupation should bear the consequences of its actions against our people in Gaza and the West Bank and in Jerusalem, as well.

Hamas will not leave our people undeterred  the resistance will strike back if needed.

He condemned the Israeli response.

The current Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip reflects its criminal nature. The Palestinian resistance will not allow the occupation to oppress its people.

Warnings to civilians

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniya called for unity to address Israeli attacks

The Palestinian cause is being attacked on various fronts  in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as inside Israeli jails.

We must face this onslaught with a united national front, and in coordination with our Arab allies  Our people and the resistance will not surrender if the occupation crosses red lines.

Ashraf al-Qudrah, spokesperson for Gazas health ministry, said hospitals and medical points across the strip are ready and on high alert.

The health ministry has also called on residents to take precautions as Israel begins to launch attacks across Gaza.

Israel issued a similar warning about an hour before the raids began, telling Israeli residents to open bomb shelters in the expectation of potential rocket fire coming from inside Gaza in response.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned by the recent developments in Israel and the Gaza Strip and urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Uninhabitable

The escalation comes 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv  in which Hamas denied responsibility. Israel has long said it holds Hamas responsible for all violence from Gaza, controlled by the group since 2007.

It was the first time the city had been targeted since a 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.

At the time, Israel said it had targeted 100 Hamas positions in the besieged Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians.

Israel has also waged three offensives on Gaza since December 2008, a year after Hamas assumed control of the coastal enclave.

The last war of 2014 severely damaged Gazas already weak infrastructure, prompting the UN to warn that the strip would be uninhabitable by 2020.

Tensions have been high for the past year along the Israel-Gaza frontier since Palestinians began popular protests near Israels fence west of the Gaza Strip, protesting their right of return and demanding an end to the 12-year-siege.

The siege has devastated the local economy, severely restricting food imports and access to basic services. It has also stopped the flow of construction materials.

Since the start of the protests, dubbed the Great March of Return, nearly a year ago, the Israeli military has killed more than 200 Palestinians.

About 60 more have died in other incidents, including exchanges of fire across the fence. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed by Palestinian fire.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Qatar and the UN are trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, but that effort has yet to bring about an agreement.

US-Israel ties unbreakable

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu appeared alongside US President Donald Trump in a press conference at the White House shortly after the raids began.

Netanyahu said Israel was responding forcefully to what he called wanton aggression.

We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state, he said adding that he will cut his meeting short to return to Israel.

Trump called the attack on Tel Aviv despicable and said that the United States recognises Israels absolute right to defend itself, describing the alliance between the US and Israel as unbreakable.

During the press conference, Trump signed a proclamation formally recognising Israels sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, a move that reversed decades of US policy.

The recognition is expected to come as a boost to Netanyahu, who is running for re-election in Israels presidential elections next month.

An Israeli Apache helicopter releases flares as it flies over the Gaza Strip [Mohammed Salem/Reuters]

Additional reporting by Maram Humaid in Gaza.
Authorities evict more than 600 families from their homes accusing them of illegally occupying government land.

Hojai, India  After battling for life for five days at a hospital in Guwahati, the capital of the northeastern Indian state of Assam, Kulsuma Begum succumbed to her injuries on March 11.

Her mother-in-law alleged police and paramilitary forces barged into her house to physically remove Kulsuma  who had given birth to a baby boy just two hours ago  during an eviction drive at Sarkebasti village in central Assams Hojai district, about 150km east of Guwahati.

Authorities in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) forcibly evicted more than 600 Muslim families from their land in Hojai, saying the families, including Kulsumas, had encroached upon government land.

Seven to eight policemen entered the house and started ransacking it. I could take some stuff out. When I came back I saw Kulsuma was lying on the floor and couldnt move, Ramisa Khatun told Al Jazeera.

I took up the baby as I feared they might kill him, said Ramisa, 50. As Kulsuma was being ushered out of the house she collapsed, said Ramisa.

Seven to eight policemen entered the house and started ransacking it Ramisa Khatun, evictee

The 22-year-old was rushed to Guwahati after a local hospital in Hojai referred her to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where a doctor said she had suffered shock.

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In one corner of the Guwahati hospital corridor, the newborn baby was sleeping next to Ramisa on a visibly dirty blanket. The baby has now been handed over to the family.

FIR filed

Following public outrage, a formal police complaint (First Information Report) was filed against several KAAC officials as well as a local police officer.

A case has been registered and the investigation is going on, Hojai Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tanmoy Borgohain told Al Jazeera.

A court in Guwahati has put a stop on the evictions [Courtesy of Ain Uddin/Al Jazeera]

Tuliram Ronghang, chief executive member of the KAAC and leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, alleged that undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh had encroached upon the land, which belonged to Karbi Anglong.

However, the evictees refuted Ronghangs allegations, saying they are genuine Indian citizens. Some activists questioned the legality of the entire operation, saying Sarkebasti village fell under Hojai district and not under KAAC jurisdiction.

The Karbi Anglong district doesnt have any locus standi to evict the people here, Saidur Rahman, president of Hojai district committee of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, a peasant movement, told Al Jazeera.

A letter by a top Hojai official to Assams chief secretary corroborated their claims. The letter written on February 28 rejected the allegation that people had encroached upon forestland and warned against any eviction drive.

Despite concerns of human rights violations and legal complications, the Karbi Anglong administration still went ahead with its operation to uproot hundreds of families weeks before the general elections scheduled in April and May.

A court in Guwahati finally put a stop on the evictions asking the administrations in Hojai and Karbi Anglong to settle the border dispute.

Eviction drives

Under the BJP government in Assam, which came to power in 2016 on an anti-immigrant plank, eviction drives have escalated.

Less than six months after coming to power in Assam, the BJP government  the first in the northeastern states  launched eviction campaign near the famous Kaziranga National Park against what it called illegal encroachment.

A case has been registered and the investigation is going on Tanmoy Borgohain, Hojai Deputy Commissioner

In February 2017, the government informed the Assam assembly that about 3,481 families were evicted from 13 districts. While most of them were Muslims, they also included other marginalised social groups such as the tribal people.

However, government records reveal hundreds of people were evicted from the lands they officially owned.

Indrajit Bezbaruah, an associate professor at Assams Lumding College, said those evicted were either internally displaced persons (IDPs) from flood-affected areas, IDPs from ethnic conflict-ridden Bodoland districts, or the local landless peasants belonging to the indigenous Kachari Muslim community settled in the area since the 1970s.

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Experts say that recurring ethnic strife and floods in Assam have resulted in the state having one of the highest numbers of IDPs in the country. In 2015, Assam hosted an astounding 74.4 percent of all the IDPs in the country.

Assam has 362,450 landless families spread across 31 of its 33 districts, Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma told the state assembly in February last year.

Peasant organisations in the area have been demanding the government to provide them with land ownership for more than two decades.

However, neither the central nor the state government has laid down any policy to rehabilitate Assams IDPs. With little institutional support, many of them have settled on government land over the decades.

Muslim IDPs

Suprakash Talukdar, a leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), alleged that Assam government has not conducted any land settlement survey since 1965, which has denied land to the landless and kept them vulnerable to forced evictions.

Bhabesh Kalita, Minister of State for Revenue and Disaster Management in Assam, however, said his government was working to rehabilitate those displaced by erosion.

We have a policy for rehabilitation for erosion affected families only for those people who are displaced from patta [documented] land and we are rehabilitating them, Kalita said.

Our government has taken a target to provide land patta to one lakh [100,000] people this year. No government has taken such target based initiative so far.

Muslim IDPs in Assam carry an additional risk of being stripped of their citizenship rights, according to Guwahati-based activist Hafiz Ahmed.

Eviction policy doesn't discriminate against people based on caste, creed or religion Bhabesh Kalita, Assam minister

Ahmed alleged the government has built an anti-Muslim sentiment to marginalise the community.

BJP came to power in the state on the premise of hatred against the Muslims. They want to keep the momentum of hatred on till the general election, he said, referring to the national elections.

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Kalita, the Assam minister, however, denied the government was targeting a particular group.

Eviction policy doesnt discriminate against people based on caste, creed or religion, he told Al Jazeera.

Syed Burhanur Rahman, a lawyer at Gauhati High Court, said the eviction could result in the affected Muslims being declared stateless.

Last July, nearly four million people, mostly Muslims, were excluded from a draft citizenship list, effectively stripping them of their citizenship. A Supreme Court-monitored body National Register of Citizens (NRC) is working to publish its final list that aims to identify undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants.

Despite the warning from the highest authority of the district administration that it will affect the NRC process, how the government could go ahead with the eviction drive, asked Rahman.

Meanwhile, Mafijul Islam, Kulsumas brother-in-law who works as a construction worker in Guwahati, told Al Jazeera that they were asked to attend the NRC hearing in Nagaon district, about 50km from Hojai, three days after their house was demolished.

Nearly 3,000 people have been rendered homeless [Courtesy of Ain Uddin/Al Jazeera]

As Kulsuma fought for her life at the Guwahati hospital, her family members travelled over 120km to Nagaon to meet the NRC official, who refused to meet them since they had reached the venue after the 4pm deadline.

Back in Hojai, hundreds of families have been rendered homeless.

Hojai Deputy Commissioner Borgohain said on humanitarian grounds we have sent a medical team and trying to provide drinking water.

Activists have raised concerns at the timings of the evictions as elections are barely a couple of weeks away.

But Borgohain assured his administration has taken steps to address the concerns regarding the conduct of the elections (among the displaced people).

In Guwahati, Talukdars CPM party and other civil society groups organised a protest march to seek justice for Kulsuma.

Assams Muslims are more vulnerable as certain political forces treat them as second class citizens because of their identity, Talukdar said.
The Israeli military action came after a rocket, allegedly fired from the Gaza Strip, struck a home in central Israel.

The Israeli military has begun striking Hamas targets throughout Gaza according to local residents and the Israeli military.

About four hours after the Israeli bombardment began, at least 10 rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel.

Hamas radio reported that Israeli bombing destroyed the office of leader Ismail Haniya in Gaza.

Residents in the northern part of the Gaza Strip reported hearing the sounds of explosions on Monday evening. Local media reported that air strikes landed in an agricultural area east of Khan Younis in Gazas south.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from the Gaza-Israel border, said several empty buildings associated with Hamas have been hit.

Weve seen several plumes of smoke coming up from the Gaza skyline behind us and weve seen confirmation from the Israeli military that these strikes have begun.

Flames and smoke are seen during an Israeli air raid in Gaza City [Mahmud Hams/AFP]

From our colleagues inside Gaza, were hearing that so far, the targets seem to have been empty training camps associated with Hamas military wing [] also a sea base as well, Fawcett said.

Later he said a building right in the middle of densely populated Gaza city had been entirely destroyed.

Ambulances were on the scene, but there had four small warning explosions prior to the largest one that flattened the building that may have allowed people to get out of the area.

Israel said it had destroyed Hamas military intelligence headquarters.

The military action came after a rocket, allegedly fired from the Gaza Strip, struck a home in central Israel on early Monday, wounding seven.

Israel has blamed Hamas for the attack.

When asked whether the group was responsible for the rocket launch towards Israel on Monday Hamas spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanoo, told Al Jazeera:

The Israelis continue to impose a crippling siege on the Gaza Strip and practice all kinds of aggression against Palestinians  Therefore, the Israeli occupation should bear the consequences of its actions against our people in Gaza and the West Bank and in Jerusalem as well.

Hamas will not leave our people undeterred  the resistance will strike back if needed.

He condemned the Israeli response.

The current Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip reflects its criminal nature. The Palestinian resistance will not allow the occupation to oppress its people.

Warnings to civilians

Hamas political chief Haniya called for unity to address Israeli attacks

The Palestinian cause is being attacked on various fronts  in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as inside Israeli jails.

We must face this onslaught with a united national front, and in coordination with our Arab allies  Our people and the resistance will not surrender if the occupation crosses red lines.

Ashraf al-Qudrah, spokesperson for Gazas health ministry, said hospitals and medical points across the strip are ready and on high alert.

The health ministry has also called on residents to take precautions as Israel begins to launch strikes across Gaza.

Israel issued a similar warning about an hour before the raids began, telling Israeli residents to open bomb shelters in the expectation of potential rocket fire coming from inside Gaza in response.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned by the recent developments in Israel and the Gaza Strip and urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Uninhabitable

The escalation comes 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv  in which Hamas denied responsibility. Israel has long said it holds Hamas responsible for all violence from Gaza, controlled by the group since 2007.

It was the first time the city had been targeted since a 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.

At the time, Israel said it had targeted 100 Hamas positions in the besieged Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians.

Israel has also waged three offensives on Gaza since December 2008, a year after Hamas assumed control of the Strip.

The last war of 2014 severely damaged Gazas already weak infrastructure, prompting the UN to warn that the strip would be uninhabitable by 2020.

Tensions have been high for the past year along the Israel-Gaza frontier since Palestinians began popular protests near Israels fence west of the Gaza Strip, protesting their right of return and demanding an end to the 12-year-siege.

The siege has devastated the local economy, severely restricting food imports and access to basic services. It has also stopped the flow of construction materials.

Since the start of the protests, dubbed the Great March of Return, nearly a year ago, the Israeli military has killed more than 200 Palestinians.

About 60 more have died in other incidents, including exchanges of fire across the fence. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed by Palestinian fire.

Meanwhile, Egypt, Qatar and the UN are trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, but that effort has yet to bring about an agreement.

US-Israel ties unbreakable

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu appeared alongside US President Donald Trump in a press conference at the White House shortly after the raids began.

Netanyahu said Israel was responding forcefully to what he called wanton aggression.

We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state, he said adding that he will cut his meeting short to return to Israel.

Trump called the attack on Tel Aviv despicable and said that the United States recognises Israels absolute right to defend itself, describing the alliance between the US and Israel as unbreakable.

During the press conference, Trump signed a proclamation formally recognising Israels sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, a move that reversed decades of US policy.

The recognition is expected to come as a boost to Netanyahu, who is running for re-election in Israels presidential elections next month.

An Israeli Apache helicopter releases flares as it flies over the Gaza Strip [Mohammed Salem/Reuters]

Additional reporting by Maram Humaid in Gaza
Parts of Kenyas northwest on the brink of starvation and govt is accused of not doing enough to deal with the drought.

Millions of dollars are set aside every year for water projects in areas prone to drought in Kenya.

Nairobi has sent foodstuffs to the hunger-troubled counties of Turkana and West Pokot to save thousands of Kenyans who have been starving due to the long dry spell.

A convoy of trucks carrying the relief food arrived in Turkana and West Pokot over the weekend.

Those affected in the northwest region of Turkana say they want permanent solutions.

Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi reports from Turkana.
Science and maths teacher Peter Tabichi wins $1m Global Teacher Prize for 2019 beating nine other finalists.

A maths and physics teacher from a secondary school in a remote village in Kenyas Rift Valley has won the $1m Global Teacher Prize for 2019, organisers have said.

Peter Tabichi, who is giving away 80 percent of his salary to support poor students, received the prize at a ceremony on Saturday in Dubai, hosted by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.

Every day in Africa we turn a new page and a new chapter  This prize does not recognise me but recognises this great continents young people. I am only here because of what my students have achieved, Tabichi said.

This prize gives them a chance. It tells the world that they can do anything, he added after beating nine finalists from around the world to claim the award.

The Dubai-based Varkey Foundation, which organises the event and handed out the prize for the fifth time, praised Tabichis dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his students talent.

All this combined, it said in a statement, has led his poorly-resource school in remote rural Kenya to emerge victorious after taking on the countrys best schools in national science competitions.

Tabichi, 36, teaches at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani village, in a remote, semi-arid part of Kenyas Rift Valley, where drought and famine are frequent.

Around 95 percent of the schools pupils hail from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parent, and many go without food at home, the statement added.

Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common, the statement read.

To get to school, some students have to walk 7km along roads that become impassable during the rainy season.

The school, with a student-teacher ratio of 58 to 1, has only one desktop computer for the pupils and poor internet, but despite that Tabichi uses ICT in 80 percent of his lessons to engage students, the foundation said.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulated Tabichi in a video message, saying your story is the story of Africa, a young continent bursting with talent.
#MetooEscritoresMexicanos and #MeTooPeriodistasMexicanos trend in country where violence against women is prevalent.

What started as one woman in Mexicos literary world sharing experiences of sexual abuse, has since grown into a online campaign against sexual harassment and other forms of assault in several industries in the country.

The social movement started on Thursday after Ana Ge, a political commentator, tweeted that a powerful man within the literary circle had beaten, manipulated and abandoned more than 10 women, on multiple occasions.

But since he is a renowned writer, nobody believes these women, she said.

Va la historia: un hombre poderoso en el circulo literario ha golpeado, manipulado, gaslighteado, embarazado y abandonado (en mas de una ocasion) a mas de 10 mujeres. Pero como es un escritor renombrado, nadie le cree a estas mujeres.  ana g. gonzalez (@anag_g) March 22, 2019

Following Ges tweet, #MetooEscritoresMexicanos or Me Too Mexican Writers began to trend in the country, with millions of mentions, according to local media.

By Monday, #MeTooPeriodistasMexicanos (Me Too Mexican Journalists), #MeTooAcademicosMexicanos (Me Too Mexican Academics) and #MeTooCineMexicano (Me Too Mexican Cinema) were being used by abuse and harassment survivors to shed light on the prevalence of violence against women in these industries.

Translation: What was private now is public because it affects us collectively because impunity has already claimed too many lives, because it forces us radically to make an ethical, political, legal and social rethinking inside and outside the private space.

(lo que era privado ahora es publico porque nos afecta colectivamente, porque la impunidad ha cobrado ya demasiadas vidas, porque nos obliga radicalmente a hacer un replanteamiento etico, politico, juridico y social dentro y fuera del espacio privado) #MeTooEscritoresMexicanos  Vivian Abenshushan (@zingarona) March 25, 2019

Translation: Violence against women is also frequent in media.

Seven out of 10 women who work in this field have also been harassed by a boss, a coworker or a source

La violencia vs las mujeres tambien se hace frecuente en el medio periodistico. 7 de cada 10 mujeres q trabajamos en el medio hemos sido acosadas x un jefe, un companero de trabajo o una fuente Esto segun el AcosoDATA d #PUM#MeTooEscritoresMexicanospic.twitter.com/fhaVpa5egi  Ruth Muniz (@RootMuniz) March 24, 2019

Translation: I study literacy, and I have experienced violence against me and against my classmates.

When I was in the second year of my mayor, I was raped by Christopher Yescas @ nietodearreola, it took me a long time to get out of the denial. The literary circle is small.

Estudio Letras y he vivido violencia contra mi y contra mis companeras.

Cuando iba en el segundo ano de la carrera me violo Christopher Yescas @nietodearreola, me tomo mucho tiempo salir de la negacion. El circulo literario es pequeno, es el mismo.#MeTooEscritoresMexicanos  Lapiz de labios (@FlorFatal) March 23, 2019

Translation: This type of move helps [society] to evolve and awaken consciences. We have normalised harassment and other abusive behaviours but I am glad that this is already changing.

Este tipo de movimientos ayudan a evolucionar y a despertar las conciencias. Hemos normalizado el acoso y otras conductas abusivas, pero celebro que eso ya este cambiando. #MeTooEscritoresMexicanos#YoSiLesCreo  (`._.A._.) (@Ady_Gracia) March 25, 2019

Seven women killed every day

Violence against women is widespread in Mexico.

According to the United Nations, the country has one of the worlds highest femicide rates. Seven women are killed every day, according to the UN. Six out of 10 women, including minors, say they have suffered some type of violence in their lives.

The online campaign came less a month after a new poll, conducted by the United Mexican Journalist collective, found that 73 percent of women faced some type of abuse in the media industry.

About 63 percent said the abuse came from their coworkers.

Recently, victims of domestic abuse were given panic alarms as part of government efforts to combat growing rates of violence, but many online said that more must be done.

Mexicos #Me Too moment on Twitter this weekend was not its first. In 2018, Mexican actress Karla Souza came forward with news of how a director had raped her at the start of her career.

Souza did not reveal the name of her attacker, but the Mexican television network Televisa pointed the finger at filmmaker Gustavo Loza.

Loza has denied the accusations, saying in a statement that the actress gave no direct accusations against me in any of her interviews.

The #MeToo movement gained momentum in October 2017 after US producer Harvey Weinstein was accused by several women of sexual assault and rape. Weinstein has denied the allegations.

Millions of women worldwide shared their own stories of abuse, harassment and assault.
No drought or natural disaster in Yemen but millions go to bed hungry because of the four-year war.

It has been four years since the Saudi-UAE coalition began its military offensive supporting the Yemeni government against Houthi rebels.

The war has had a devastating effect on millions of Yemenis.

The numbers are simply staggering and millions of internally displaced Yemenis are living in desperate conditions.

Al Jazeeras Priyanka Gupta reports.
Although Mueller found no evidence of collusion, Trump still faces sweeping investigations by several House panels.

Washington, DC  US Attorney General William Barr said on Sunday that the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election concluded that no individual part of Donald Trumps campaign conspired or knowingly coordinated with Russia during the election.

Barrs account in a four-page memo to Congress came after Special Counsel Robert Mueller finished his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, possible coordination with the Trump campaign and whether Trump unlawfully obstructed the investigation.

On the last question, Barr said he did not find sufficient evidence to suggest the president obstructed justice, but The Special Counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.'

Trump and his supporters are celebrating the reporting, with Trump tweeting, No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

But Democrats and some Republicans are calling on Barr to release the full report to Congress and the public as sweeping and wide-ranging investigations by committees in the US House of Representatives into Trump, his business, family and inner-circle continue.

What are the House investigations?

Five House committees are investigating allegations of campaign finance violations, bank and insurance fraud, and obstruction of justice. The Senate Intelligence Committee has also been investigating Russian interference in the election.

Although Mueller found no evidence of a conspiracy between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russian hackers, House committees are moving forward and plan to bring Attorney General Barr to give evidence.

We are going to move forward with our investigations of obstruction of justice, abuses of power, corruption, to defend the rule of law which is our job, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler told reporters in New York. Its a broader mandate than the special prosecutor had.

The five House committees investigating Trump are led by an ensemble cast of very experienced Democrat legislators. Four of the five committee chairmen have served in Congress since the 1990s and witnessed the Republican impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

House Intelligence Committee

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Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is the youngest of the group. Hes been representing California in Congress since 2001. The committee is investigating Trumps talks with Russia surrounding Trump Tower Moscow, the Russian hacking in 2016 and whether Russia and Saudi Arabia have gained financial leverage over Trump and his family, among other issues, he has said.

Schiffs committee will hold a public interview of Felix Sater, a former Russian mobster, on Wednesday about his business dealings with the Trump Organization and the deal for a high-rise tower in Moscow that Trump pursued in 2016. On Thursday, the committee will hold a hearing on Kremlin political tactics.

Financial Services Committee

The Financial Services Committee is coordinating with attorneys for Deutsche Bank, the big German lender, to take a close look at $350m in loans it provided to Trump at a time when other commercial lenders would not.

We are requesting documents. We are not ready to talk about it yet. We are just working on that, Representative Maxine Waters, Financial Services chairwoman, told Al Jazeera.

Ways and Means Committee

The Ways and Means Committee is laying the groundwork to demand 10 years of Trumps tax returns. Under a little-used US law, the request must come from Representative Richard Neal, the chairman of Ways and Means panel, to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who is not likely to comply without a court order.

Right now, Mr Mnuchin is in a defensive mode. Sycophants usually are. We know what he is going to say. That doesnt stop us from our responsibility. We cant cop out, Democrat Bill Pascrell, senior Ways and Means member, told reporters. My prediction would be the request will go out in the next couple of weeks.

Judiciary Committee

The Judiciary Committee, which under House rules has the sole authority to issue articles of impeachment against Trump, unveiled document requests on March 4 to 81 people, agencies and businesses related to Trump, his family and members of his inner circle. Committee Democrats said they are pursuing allegations against Trump of obstruction of justice, public corruption and abuses of power.

For the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical and constitutional rules and norms, Nadler said in a statement.

Oversight Committee

The Oversight Committee, led by Democrat Elijah Cummings, has requested documents from the White House on Trump overriding the security clearance process for his daughter and son-in-law, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. The same committee also sought White House documents on the presidents role in reversing a decision to relocate the FBI headquarters in DC, adjacent to his hotel.

The American people should be concerned and the press definitely should be concerned when you cannot get information that you need to make one accountable, Cummings told Al Jazeera. I anticipate there will be some discussions with the White House counsel and we will see what we can do from there.

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In more than six hours of public testimony on February 27 before the Oversight Committee, the presidents former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen spoke about Trumps alleged lies, dishonest way of doing business and scams he pulled before becoming president. Cohen gave names and presented Congress with copies of checks the president wrote to pay hush money to an adult film star.

He has since elaborated in two days of closed-door testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on his negotiations for a Trump Tower deal in Moscow during the 2016 campaign and efforts by the White House to conceal those talks later from Congress.

Intel chairman Schiff told reporters staking out the second hearing that Cohen was fully cooperative and committee members found it an enormously productive session.

Lanny Davis, one of Cohens lawyers, said in a television appearance on MSNBC February 28 that Cohen had offered the committee new information about pressure from White House lawyers to lie about the timing and extent of Trumps negotiations with Moscow on real estate deal during the 2016 campaign. The White House has denied the allegation.

There is plenty of evidence of a conspiracy to collude with Russia. But this is about lying and obstruction evidence, Davis said. Its pretty explosive.

Avoiding talks of impeachment

Muellers report says the Special Counsels office found no evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian hackers.

Transcripts of Cohens testimony are being redacted now in preparation for eventual public release, according to Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, a member of the Intelligence Committee. We had him for two days. He said a lot, about a lot of different subjects, Krishnamoorthi told Al Jazeera.

Without White House cooperation, it will take months and likely a court battle before Congress hears from the many witnesses and sorts through documents Democrats are asking for. The effort is complicated by the work of Special Counsel Mueller and a separate inquiry opened by the federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Republicans say the Democrat-led House investigations are an overreach, that the investigations lack a basis in facts and are motivated by a partisan drive to bring down the president.

It goes on until the 2020 elections, or they impeach him, whichever comes first, Representative Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican and chair of the House Freedom Caucus which supports Trump, told Al Jazeera. They are spreading a wide net. It appears to be a prelude to an impeachment resolution that would come out of the Judiciary Committee.

Prior to Muellers probe conclusion, most Democrats publicly avoided overt talk of impeachment, though privately they acknowledged thats where these investigations were headed.

But now with Barrs remarks on Muellers conclusion out, its likely Democrats will continue to probe Trump, though impeachment now seems less likely.

This is our constitutional responsibility, to have oversight over the executive branch, and the evidence they will have, is what they will gather doing the oversight, bringing the truth to the American people, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has, for now, ruled out impeachment proceedings.
Massacre of 50 Muslims prompts conversations about alt-right, spies and Islamophobia in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Christchurch, New Zealand  A week of national mourning, new gun-control laws and emphatic declarations of This is not us  New Zealanders have been forceful in denouncing the March 15 mosque attacks that killed 50 Muslim worshippers.

But amid the outpouring of public support for the Pacific islands minority Muslim community, many are also asking how the suspected perpetrator of the gun assaults  28-year-old Australian-born Brenton Tarrant  slipped under the radar of security agencies.

The answer, analysts say, has much to do with online radicalisation, but is also linked to authorities failures to adequately assess the threat posed by white supremacists, such as Tarrant himself. Behind that, some argue, is the normalisation of anti-immigrant and Islamophobic views by politicians and media outlets throughout the world, including in New Zealand.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday announced a Royal Commission will investigate the mass shooting.

The inquiry will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack, Ardern said after her cabinet agreed on the inquiry. It is important no stone is left unturned.

Rise of the alt-right

Relatively few details have emerged about Tarrant, who claimed to have been inspired to commit the massacre after seeing the invasion of France by immigrants in 2017 and called for Turkeys Hagia Sophia Museum to be freed of its minarets.

What is clear, however, is he was plugged into a global alt-right network as his online footprint on 8chan, a notorious far-right site populated by anonymous message boards full of violent language and threats, has shown.





The alt-right is a catch-all term for a number of political views stretching along a spectrum from the far right of mainstream conservatism all the way to pro-violence white supremacism.

At its heart, however, are specific threads of anti-immigrant, Islamophobic and white nationalist beliefs that bind the loosely knit grouping together.

All three narratives featured prominently in a manifesto allegedly published by Tarrant in the minutes before the mosque shootings.

The 74-page document, which denounced immigrants as invaders responsible for white genocide, was sent to politicians, including Ardern, while footage of the gun assaults was broadcast live on Facebook.

It wasnt the first time Tarrant is believed to have aired hateful messages. In the days before the attack, online accounts allegedly linked to the suspect also circulated white supremacist imagery and messages celebrating violence against Muslims and minorities. Local media reports have also claimed he made regular, racist, Facebook posts.

Analysts say part of the reason Tarrant wasnt flagged as a threat, however, is that much of his online activity was limited to murky sites such as 8chan, where he advertised his manifesto and the link to the livestream in the minutes leading up to the mosque attacks.

According to Jarrod Gilbert, a senior lecturer on crime and justice at the University of Canterbury, Tarrants case points to the fact that adherents of white supremacism, as with other violent and fringe narratives, no longer necessarily congregate together in physical locales.

Instead of the traditional bunch of street thugs hanging around on a corner drinking cheap cider and sneering at immigrants, he said, the alt-right gather together from the privacy of their homes.

With the alt-right and the online communities, we dont know how big or significant they are, Gilbert told Al Jazeera.

[They are] very different to the skinheads of the past  They exist in bedrooms and in an international internet community connected only tenuously by hate, he said.

Keyboard warriors

For authorities seeking to shut down their vitriolic narratives, the shift in white supremacists approach means authorities often struggle to identify where legitimate threats may come from.

Trying to monitor just one person online is really quite difficult, president of the New Zealand Police Association union Chris Cahill said, let alone an entire movement such as the alt-right, which may have millions of followers worldwide.

190322062222288

Its so easy for keyboard warriors to get online and spout all sorts of stuff, he told Al Jazeera, adding many of those filling the internet with hateful narratives may never take action outside of their room.

I have some faith that police and intelligence agencies do monitor that but social media is such a vast beast and there are so many different places to hide [online], Cahill said. And being able to understand the mix of threat is really difficult.

Andrew Little, minister for the countrys security intelligence agency, revealed last week authorities had been working for months on a plan for monitoring far-right extremism prior to the Christchurch mosque attacks. It had yet to be finalised.

Id like to say I wish wed done it earlier. I wasnt concerned until now at the pace at which they were going, Little told the NZ Herald newspaper.

We are far more likely to fear outsiders

But critics argue the reason intelligence agencies failed to catch Tarrant is that they simply did not look closely enough at the 28-year-old and the wider alt-right collective.

The reason for the oversight, they say, was institutional bias spawned by anti-immigrant Islamophobic political rhetoric around the world, including in New Zealand.

It is safe to say we have been perhaps too focused on what we might perceive to be the usual terror suspects, the ISIS type-inspired people, Gilbert said, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) group, which swept through Syria and Iraq in 2014, establishing a self-proclaimed caliphate.

We have clearly not been keeping our eye on stuff that may be a little more home-grown and has gone perhaps underneath the radar, he said. We are far more likely to fear outsiders than we are people from within our own. Thats not a great reality but I suspect it is a reality.

Muslims in particular have borne the brunt of that fear, according to Muslim community advocate Guled Mire.

Mire said there had been tremendous surveillance of Muslims in New Zealand, pointing to racial profiling by police, airport security forces and stringent monitoring of the minority communitys online activity.

It has not been on the same scale when it comes to white supremacist extremist views, he told Al Jazeera.

We in the Muslim community feel as if we have been let down, our law enforcement authorities and security agencies have failed us miserably.

Islamophobia in New Zealand

As in many other Western countries, New Zealands political leaders have taken a hard-line stance on immigration in recent years, helping create what Mire called a normalisation of anti-immigrant and Islamophobic views in some pockets of society.

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Ardern herself promised to slash migration numbers, which have been blamed by some for a housing crisis and stagnant wage growth, during her 2017 election bid.

The New Zealand leader, widely praised for her empathy in response to the March 15 attack, also had to strike a deal with now-Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, head of the nationalist New Zealand First Party and a staunch critic of immigration, in order to govern.

Peters has said in the past that New Zealand was being dragged into the status of an Asian colony by immigration, and in the wake of the London bombings in 2005 claimed, moderate and militant [Muslims], fit hand and glove everywhere they exist.

Analysts, meanwhile, have warned Muslims, who account for about one percent of New Zealands nearly five million people, continue to face racism.

Such discrimination includes verbal and physical abuse, negative stereotyping, including in the media, and a lack of knowledge about their faith and its associated customs in the Pacific country.

Issac Azam, a resident in the northern city of Auckland, home to about three-fifths of New Zealands 50,000 Muslims, told Al Jazeera he knew of several people who had been targeted by discrimination ranging from racist name-calling to assault.

Three years ago, Azam also pointed out, a pigs head was left in front of the Al Noor mosque, where more than 40 people were shot dead on March 15.

Words matter and can carry so much weight, we have found this out the most devastating way, he said.

Ardern demands global action on extremism

In the wake of the mosque attacks, Ardern has admitted New Zealand has work to do on eradicating all forms of racism, with the countrys non-white minority communities, including the indigenous Maori, frequently experiencing discrimination.

New Zealands acting Race Relations Commissioner Paul Hunt has also called on the Pacific nation to recognise that in some quarters of our society there is Islamophobia and implored the government to revisit hate laws.

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While New Zealand staggers from the Christchurch tragedy towards having conversations about what the attack says about race relations in its society, the global nature of modern day white supremacism means it cant overcome the threat posed by the alt-right alone.

Tarrant himself cited an array of global inspirations, including previous mass killers such as the Norwegian far-right gunman Anders Breivik, fascists such as Britains Oswald Mosley, and modern-day populists such as US President Donald Trump.

Ardern was quick to point out the suspect only spent sporadic periods of time in New Zealand and called for global action on extremism.

In an interview with the BBC, she claimed Tarrants case was proof leaders could no longer think in terms of boundaries if they want to guarantee a safe and tolerant and inclusive world.

We absolutely have to learn the lessons from both what gave rise to the ugly ideology of this individual and what environments allow that to grow and potentially spread, Ardern said.

A window of opportunity

But some analysts have been more explicit in their analysis, and suggested ending the threat posed by the alt-right and Islamophobia will only be achieved by shifting existing mainstream narratives about Muslims, both locally and internationally.

The terrorist attacks in Christchurch reflect the global rise in Islamophobia  hatred toward Muslims  cultivated by political parties, media organisations, and a wide range of hate industries, Mohan Dutta, deans chair in communication at the New Zealand-based Massey University, wrote last week.

Dutta also called for discussions anchored in the voices of Muslims experiencing hate as the starting point to halting the global spread of Islamophobia.

Mire agreed and called on New Zealand to set the standard in battling back Islamophobia and the rise of alt-right extremist ideologies, which he said threaten minorities everywhere in the world.

Its sad to think that a situation like this is what drives us to have these difficult and hard discussions, Mire said.

But we have a small window of opportunity, right now, and we must take it in order to ensure that such events never happen again.
Hajar Harb, 34, acquitted on appeal over 2016 investigative report that revealed misconduct in Gazas health ministry.

A Palestinian journalist has been acquitted on appeal over an investigative report about corruption in the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday, according to Amnesty International and local media reports.

Hajar Harb, a 34-year-old Palestinian journalist from Gaza, revealed in 2016 investigation that doctors in Gazas Hamas-run health ministry were writing false medical reports to allow healthy people to leave the enclave for treatment in exchange for money.

One of the few reasons Israeli authorities permit Palestinians to leave the blockaded strip is to seek medical treatment abroad.

In October of that year, two doctors launched legal proceedings accusing her of defamation and publishing false information, Amnesty International said in February.

The investigative journalist was tried while away in neighbouring Jordan receiving treatment for breast cancer.





On June 4, 2017, she was sentenced to six months in prison and fined with 1,000 shekels ($276), but the appeals court overruled the decision.

Rights groups had criticized the case as a violation of free speech in the enclave and have said that fair litigation is not guaranteed in Hamas judiciary system.

Harb celebrated her acquittal on Monday, calling it the most beautiful thing.

Fathi Sabah, the head of a campaign group supporting Harb, told reporters in Gaza the appeals court acquitted journalist Hajar Harb of all charges and closed her case.

This win represents a victory for Hajar as well as for press freedom, he said.

Amnesty International also welcomed the decision on Monday.

It is really good news that Hajar Harb was acquitted today, she was standing a trial that should not have taken place to begin with, Saleh Higazi, Amnesty Internationals deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, told the AFP news agency.

We hope that the Gaza authorities take this opportunity to signal that they are serious about freedom of expression and the press.

According to Amnesty, Harb was summoned and interrogated at least four times in the summer of 2016, following the broadcast of the report.

Harb had also told Amnesty that she was verbally harassed and received threats from several doctors in Gaza, although none of their names, faces or job titles were featured in the report.

In 2018, the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms recorded 77 violations of press freedom in the Palestinian Authority-run occupied West Bank, and 37 such cases in Gaza, which is administered by Hamas.

Gaza has been under a land, sea and air blockade imposed by Israel since 2007 when Hamas  the group that governs the Gaza Strip  took over power after winning a parliamentary election.

The group has recently cracked down violently on street protests.
Local Israeli council near Gaza border warns residents to expect military action as country waits for response.

An early morning rocket, allegedly fired from the Gaza Strip, struck a home in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven people and prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington.

The developments set the stage for a potential major conflagration, shortly before Israels upcoming elections.

The rocket attack destroyed a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of the family.

Israels ambulance service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

The sounds of air raid sirens jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5am (03:00 GMT). A strong sound of an explosion followed.

An Israeli military spokesperson said the rocket attack was carried out by Hamas, adding that the army was set to deploy two brigades and infantry units to the southern Gaza area. It also called up reserves after the rocket attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Mondays incident. Al Jazeera reached out to Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip but received no response.

Later on Monday, a Hamas official denied to AFP news agency that the movement was behind the attack.

No one from the resistance movements, including Hamas, has an interest in firing rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the enemy, the official said on condition of anonymity, evoking the possibility that the strike may have been caused by bad weather.

He added that the same message had been delivered to Egypt, which has acted as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Forceful response

Netanyahu, who was in Washington to meet President Donald Trump, held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel and decided to cut his visit short, cancelling a planned address to the AIPAC conference and meetings with congressional leaders.

There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully, he said. In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.

Speaking from occupied West Jerusalem, Al Jazeeras Stefanie Dekker said that Netanyahu is under huge pressure to act.

An escalation in response could be something like seeing Israel target the homes or positions of Hamas leaders, she said.

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Israeli media reported former security officials saying that what is needed now is a more forceful response to cut out the capability of Hamas.

Witnesses in Gaza told AP news agency they saw Hamas officials evacuating government premises, anticipating an Israeli response to the alleged attack.

Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main cargo crossing into Gaza.

Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett on the Gaza-Israel border said that most people are expecting a major Israeli operation.

He said the Sderot regional council, the local government on the Israeli side of the Gaza border told them that there has been a warning given to Israeli residents around here to expect Israeli military action soon, and to expect the sound of explosions coming from the Gaza Strip.

According to local Palestinian news agency Maan, the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, Ziyad al-Nakhla, said that if Israel launches an attack on the Gaza Strip, it would provoke a strong response.

Mondays attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv.

The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be hurtling towards another confrontation. But Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidentally and calm was quickly restored.

Dire economic situation

Gaza has been under the control of Hamas since 2007. The group won a decisive victory in parliamentary elections a year before, but western governments refused to recognise their win.

In June 2007, Hamas fought against a pre-emptive coup by its rival Fatah, which controls the Palestinian Authority, resulting in driving it out of the strip.

The same summer saw Israel and Egypt impose an ongoing land, naval and air blockade on the coastal enclave. Israel has also waged three offensives on Gaza since December 2008. The last such offensive was in 2014, in which more than 2,000 Palestinians  the majority of them civilians  were killed.

The 52-day war also severely damaged Gazas already weak infrastructure, leading the United Nations to state that the strip would be uninhabitable by 2020.

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The blockade against Gaza, combined with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority, have exacerbated a dire economic crisis in the enclave. Recently, Hamas has come under rare public criticism for the harsh conditions in the territory.

The latest outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days.

Netanyahu, who also served as defence minister, is locked in a tight fight for re-election and has faced heavy criticism from his opponents for what they say has been an ineffective response to armed groups in Gaza.

Egypt, Qatar and the UN are trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas but that effort has yet to bring about an agreement.

At the same time, there has been an uptick in violence in the occupied West Bank over the past week, with Israel killing two Palestinians it said attacked its troops.
The US is investigating the bombing in Kunduz and says it takes every precaution to prevent civilian casualties.

The preliminary findings of a UN investigation in northern Afghanistan has found that a US air raid on Saturday killed 13 civilians, most of them children.

The attack in Kunduz followed a Taliban raid which killed six Afghan and American soldiers.

US forces relaxed their rules of engagement last year and the result, according to the UN, has been more than double the number of civilian casualties from the previous year.

Al Jazeeras Charlotte Bellis reports.
People descended on the capital to protest the annual AIPAC conference, amid division among US Democrats.

Washington, DC, United States  Protesters rallied outside the White House against AIPAC as the lobbyist group kicked off its annual conference on Sunday amid divisions among US politicians over support for Israel.

Pro-Palestinian groups, including Al-Awda, Students for Justice in Palestine, Answer Coalition, Code Pink and Neturei Karta, gave speeches condemning the Israeli occupation in Palestine and what they called AIPACs overreach in Washington.

Others said they were there to show solidarity with Ilhan Omar, the Minnesota congresswoman who came under attack over the past few weeks for what has been labelled as anti-Semitic rhetoric and questioning AIPACs influence on US politicians.

Several protesters held up placards in support of Omar, while a speaker from Al-Awda, who organised the protest and a march to the convention centre in the afternoon, called for the backing of Omar and Rashida Tlaib, the first two Muslim women in US history to win seats in the House.

Demonstrator Christie Brink joined the protest from Arizona. As she does every year, she planned to visit a number of politicians on Monday to lobby against AIPAC.

My [fliers] might end up in the trash, or end up with someone at the desk who might become president one day, she said. Ilhan Omar might have gotten blowback, but  she started a conversation on AIPAC and lobbying in the country.

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Rajaa, who withheld her last name fearing Israeli repercussions when visiting family in Palestine, travelled from Philadelphia to Washington, DC to take part in the protest. She said that while some politicians have decided not to attend AIPAC this year, more work was still needed to strip AIPAC of its influence.

AIPAC shunned

This years AIPAC conference has become a point of contention among Democrats following a growing movement calling on progressives to boycott the three-day event.

Last week, liberal advocacy group MoveOn released data showing that 74 percent of their members did not think progressive presidential candidates should attend the conference. Soon after, seven Democrats running for office in the 2020 election have said they would not attend the conference.

Other politicians followed suit. In the run-up to the conference, Congressman John Yarmuth tweeted: Im not going to the AIPAC Conference, and not only am I pro-Israel and pro-Jewish, I AM Jewish. Im also anti-Netanyahu and anti-Trump.

Abbas Hamideh, executive director of Al Awda, said the large number of Democrats choosing not to attend was an applaudable step and a win for the pro-Palestinian movement.

This is something we have been fighting for for many years, he told Al Jazeera. We  the entire Palestinian movement in the US  are finally making a dent  making a difference, through our rallies, through our lectures here at university, through BDS [Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions].

US support for Israel

While some believe the conference boycotts are partially due to Omar shedding a spotlight on AIPAC, others said it had more to do with a demographic change in the democratic party and a response to a Trump presidency that has cosied up to Israel, much to Palestinians discontent.

Over the past year, the Trump administration moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, shut down the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) office in Washington, DC, and last week recognised Israels sovereignty over Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967.

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The US is the ultimate battlefield for the liberation of people in Palestine, Jamal J, who joined the protest from Paris, France, told Al Jazeera. Nothing will happen if it doesnt happen first here, he added.

I believe the Trump administration gives a reason and motivation for the minorities and the oppressed to organise and to pushback. We have to take advantage of that and put forward out concern for human rights.

Amar Masri, from Indiana, believed AIPACs influence on politicians runs deep.

[Just as] Muslims go to Mecca to go to heaven, politicians go to AIPAC for their blessing to get to the White House, he told Al Jazeera.

US President Donald Trump is expected to sign an order recognising Isrealis sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights on Monday as he meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, who is also scheduled to speak at AIPAC.
The young women  known as Reem and Rawan  have been in hiding for months after fleeing an allegedly abusive family.

Two Saudi sisters fleeing their family in Saudi Arabia have secured emergency visas and departed from Hong Kong after spending months in hiding, according to their lawyer.

The young women, who go by the aliases Reem and Rawan, left Hong Kong on Monday for a new country of residence, which has not been named.

Lawyer Michael Vidler said in a statement that the sisters, aged 18 and 20, were granted emergency humanitarian visas after six months in Hong Kong.

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Vidler said the two are now beginning their lives as free young women.

The sisters say they were escaping alleged abuse by their male relatives, according to Amnesty International.

Following the news of their departure from Hong Kong, Amnesty said on Twitter that the two had shown immense courage & took huge risks and that they must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back.

Reem & Rawan showed immense courage & took huge risks to escape the repeated abuse by their male relatives. The sisters must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back. https://t.co/3YerbRSOOy  Amnesty International (@amnesty) March 25, 2019

The young women have drawn attention to their plight by tweeting under the name #HKSaudiSisters.

They claim they escaped while on a family trip in Sri Lanka, intending to seek asylum in Australia but were intercepted at Hong Kong airport by Saudi officials and subsequently went into hiding.

Hong Kong is not a signatory of the 1951 Refugee Convention and would-be asylum seekers often languish for years as they wait to be sent to a third country.

Free of violence and oppression

The sisters said in a statement that they want their story to give hope to others facing similar situations.

We are thrilled  that we have found our way to safety to restart our lives free of violence and oppression, they said.

The two sisters are not the first to flee Saudi Arabia and seek assistance via social media.

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Such cases appear to be on the rise, with the two sisters story emerging a month after 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf al-Qunun drew international attention with her dramatic escape from an allegedly abusive family to eventually gain refugee status in Canada.

Saudi female runaways who flee the kingdom typically say they are trying to escape domestic abuse and male guardianship laws that bar women from obtaining a passport, travelling abroad, marrying or undergoing certain medical procedures without a male relatives consent.

Women who are caught fleeing Saudi Arabia can be pressured to return home, arrested for disobedience or can be placed in restrictive centres.

The Saudi government and its embassies around the world do not typically comment on individual runaway cases, deeming them a family affair.
The SDF has detained some 1,000 foreign fighters, whose home countries are reluctant to take them back.

The US-backed Syrian fighters who drove ISIL from its last strongholds are calling for an international tribunal to prosecute hundreds of foreigners rounded up in the nearly five-year campaign against the group.

The administration affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said on Monday that such a tribunal is needed for justice to take its course, particularly after several countries have refused to bring home their detained nationals.

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We call on the international community to establish a special international tribunal in northeast Syria to prosecute terrorists, the SDF said in a statement.

In this way, trials can be conducted fairly and in accordance with international law and human rights covenants and charters, it said.

The announcement came two days after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS)s so-called caliphate was declared defeated following the SDFs capture of the village Baghouz, the last territory under ISIL control.

Uncertain future

The SDF has detained more than 1,000 foreign ISIL fighters, including many from Western countries.

In total, some 5,000 Syrian and foreign fighters have been detained, with the SDF warning that it does not have the capacity or authority to detain so many people.

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Some 30,000 foreigners arrived in the Middle East after ISIL declared its caliphate in Iraqs second-largest city, Mosul, in 2014.

The United States and the SDF have long urged European allies to take back ISIL fighters but negotiations have so far ended without agreement and only a handful of detainees, mostly women and children, have been repatriated.

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Home countries of suspected ISIL members are reluctant to take them or their families back, due to potential security risks and likely public backlash.

Both the UK and France have said fighters must be brought to justice in the region where their crimes had been committed, while German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said foreign fighters can only return if it is ensured they can be immediately taken into custody.

In February, SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told Al Jazeera that talks with the US-led coalition and US army on establishing an international tribunal were under way.

This court can take responsibility for the interrogation of those terrorists and to take all the information needed from their countries to be able to prosecute them  and then give them the sentences that they need or deserve for the crimes that they have committed, Gabriel said.
Bangkok, Thailand  Political parties jostled for position on Tuesday amid confusion about the winner of a weekend poll that was fought under a complicated new voting system including elements of proportional representation.

The Elections Commission delayed its announcement on the results from late on Sunday to Monday morning. It was then further delayed to the afternoon, citing technical issues.

It then said it would reveal only the names of the winners of the 350 directly elected constituency seats, having suspended allocations of the 150 seats available under the proportional party list system.

The names of the winners were uploaded to its website at 4pm local time (09:00 GMT) showing that Pheu Thai had won 138 seats and Palang Pracharat, the army-backed party set up to campaign for military government leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, had won 96 seats.

Future Forward, a party set up only a year ago by billionaire car parts tycoon Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, came in third with 29 seats.

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and other Future Forward party leaders bow to the media after a press conference in Bangkok on Monday [Hathairat Phaholtap/Al Jazeera]

Coalition talks

Pheu Thai leader Sudarat Keyuraphan earlier told reporters the party, which is backed by exiled tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra and has won every election since 2001, was in talks to form a coalition.

We want to be at the core of the government because we did the best in the election, she said.

But across town, the army-backed Palang Pracharat was telling the media that it had the necessary numbers to form a government.

Kobsak Pootrakool, the partys spokesperson, said the party had won the popular vote and was also in the process of building a coalition that would ensure it a majority in the lower house.





We have received the most votes of all the parties that were running in the election, he told Al Jazeera in an interview at the partys headquarters, adding they were in the process of building a coalition of like-minded parties.

The people made their decision clear, Kobsak said. For the party, it has turned out to be quite satisfactory.

The elections on Sunday were the first since the coup in 2014 but were held under a new constitution designed to weaken the power of the main political parties and entrench military influence through its appointment of the upper house, which will also have a role in choosing the prime minister. Campaigning was spirited, but constrained by repressive legislation.

In the Thai political system and tradition, its the party with the largest number of MPs who has the first go at forming a coalition, said Pravit Rojanaphruk, a senior journalist at Khaosod English. Its not like the American system. We are entering a period of intense political jockeying.

The popular vote showed Palang Pracharat with 7.6 million votes, Pheu Thai with 7.2 million and Future Forward with nearly 5.3 million. As part of the new system, the calculation of the party list is being done in a new, more complicated way.

The Election Commission was criticised for the delay in announcing the result  it now says a complete picture will be available only on May 9  raising concerns about irregularities.

Rohan Hettiarchi, the head of mission for the Asian Network for Free Elections, which observed the polls, said the postponements risked undermining trust among the electorate.

In a meeting on Monday, the Elections Commission blamed technical issues for the sudden decision, he said.

We need to verify what really happened and whether there were any irregularities, he told Al Jazeera. ANFREL deployed 34 monitors around the country covering at least 1,000 polling stations.

Future Forward, which campaigned in support of democracy and to reform the military, did well in Bangkok and among younger voters.

A nurse votes at a Bangkok polling station in Sundays election. [Kate Mayberry/Al Jazeera]

Low turnout

Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said the party was overwhelmed at the support it had received and was open to talks with Pheu Thai to form a government.

We are willing to form a coalition with the party that got the most seats in the lower house, with conditions, he said at a press conference. We are ready.

Turnout was much lower than had been expected after the long queues at polling stations during early voting the week before. Just over 65 percent of the 51 million registered voters cast their ballot, the commission said.

Palang Pracharats Kobsak said people had backed the party because it promised security and because they loved Prayuth. He noted that many older people had turned out for the party, showing photos on his phone of grey-haired men and women being helped out of vehicles and into the polling station.

He said such people didnt usually vote in Thailand.

Titipol Phakdeewanich, an expert in Thai politics at the University of Ubon Ratchathani, said he was not completely surprised at the support for the army-backed party although it did not bode well for Thailand.

People are trapped in this illusion of peace and stability portrayed by the military, he told Al Jazeera. Its not really stability. Its military suppression. Its not sustainable in the long-term. If you want peace you need to get people to accept democracy and to learn to live with differences in opinion and ideas.
US President Donald Trump has recognised the disputed Golan Heights as Israeli territory in an election boost for visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing a sharp response from Syria, which once held the strategic land.

With Netanyahu looking over his shoulder at the White House, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting United States recognition of the occupied Golan as Israeli territory  a dramatic shift from decades of US policy.

The move, which Trump announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move since February 2017.

After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israels Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 21, 2019

Netanyahu welcomed Trumps action and said Israel had never had a better friend. He harked back to two previous Middle Eastern wars in justifying Israels need to hang on to the Golan.

Syria reacted swiftly to Trumps proclamation, calling it a blatant attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and saying it had a right to reclaim the Golan.

The Syrian foreign minister said US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights will lead to its isolation.

Minister Walid al-Moualem added: No matter how many years have passed, this will not change the fact that the Golan is an occupied Syrian territory.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Gaza-based resistance faction Hamas both slammed the decision.

In a statement released by his office, Abbas said: There is no legitimacy that can override UN Security Council resolutions, the UN General Assembly or the Arab Peace Initiative.

Meanwhile, Ismail Haniya, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, said the Golan Heights would forever remain an integral part of Syria.

At the UN, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is clear that the status of Golan has not changed, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The UNs policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed, he added.

A UN Security Council resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member body in 1981 declared that Israels decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect. It also demanded Israel rescind its decision.

Qatars Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting the US move and saying the Golan Heights are occupied Arab land.

NATO ally Turkey termed the US recognition unacceptable and said it would take action against it, including at the UN, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

The US has once again ignored international law. However, this decision will never legitimize Israeli occupation. On the contrary, it will further increase tensions in the region by preventing peace efforts in the Middle East.  Mevlut Cavusoglu (@MevlutCavusoglu) March 25, 2019

The Arab League condemned the move saying that Trumps recognition does not change the areas status.

The announcement triggered direct or implied criticism from European, as well as Middle Eastern, countries and organisations, including the UK, Germany, France, the European Union, Egypt, Russia and Venezuela.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects Trumps government intention to recognise the sovereignty of Israel over the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights, in violation of Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter.

La Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela rechaza categoricamente la intencion del gobierno de D. Trump de reconocer soberania de Israel sobre el territorio sirio de los Altos del Golan, en violacion de resoluciones del Consejo de Seguridad y en contravencion de la Carta de la ONU pic.twitter.com/xZ5WkM9WNG  Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 25, 2019

Elsewhere in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel group, held its annual meeting with speaker after speaker expressing US support for strong ties with the country.

We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and her fight is our fight, Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday.

Pence also talked tough against Iran, saying that under Trump, America will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu challenger Benny Gantz appeared before the gathering, and vowed to protect his country against threats from Iran and Syria. He called for unity in Israel.

We must remember if that we want hope, we must have unity, he said.

With election day approaching, opinion polls put Netanyahus right-wing Likud and Gantzs centrist Blue and White party neck and neck.
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I do feel for our liberal friends, I really do after their weekend from hell. To be disappointed by Mueller, and humiliated by Trump, when everything seemed to be going so swimmingly! The shame of it!

Its the ingratitude! Dont those deplorables -- Trumpists, Brexiteers, white nationalists, yellow vests -- dont they understand that everything they take for granted today -- labor laws, old age pensions, education, health care, safety, clean air and water -- were given to them by the activism and the peaceful protests of the progressives?

And now that the progressives are ethically progressing onwards to extend the sacrament of peaceful protest to new groups of the underprivileged -- women, minorities, gays, migrants, Muslims -- the ungrateful populist hounds selfishly insist that not a word of the old welfare-state Latin Mass be changed.

So I understand the outrage of the educated class at the election of Trump. Just like the McCarthyites two generations ago, our baffled educated class knows there must be reds under the beds, some vile conspiracy responsible for the unspeakable insult of rejecting their kind and beneficent rule. There has to be a conspiracy! At the highest levels of government! No wait, our guys are at the highest levels of government, so the conspiracy has to be, well, something or other, so lets sic Robert Mueller on the contemptible fiends that are colluding to overturn our enlightened and ethical rule!

And now the Mueller game has ended, according to the attorney general , in bupkis -- from the Yiddish, dont you know -- meaning that the real story is that the Obama administration conspired and coordinated with the FBI and the DoJ and the intelligence community in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

To coin a phrase: what did the President know and when did he know it? Obama, that is.

It would be fun for the late-night comedy giants to make jokes about the parallels between the monstrous crimes of the Spanish Inquisition and the noble Mueller probe.

Lets see: the Grand Inquisitor and the Special Prosecutor were talking over a beer. The Grand Inquisitor asks: What instruments of torture do you use these days, Bob? And the Special Prosecutor replies: Instruments? We dont need no stinkin instruments, El Grando; the process is the punishment.

Do you think that our late-night millennials would get the joke? I have my doubts.

Now, heres a splendid book just out, reviewed here, about The Unmasking of the Administrative State by John Marini of the University of Nevada and the Claremont Institute.

Marini has two aims. First, to retell the history of American political ideas in the 20th century, in order to offer an alternative to the institutional progressive consensus. Second, to show the practical problems of the progressives administrative state and then make the theoretical case against it.

Yes, yes, jolly good show, chaps. But the current populist movement is not really opposed to the progressives administrative state as such. It just doesnt like the rulers putting government benefits at hazard by with crazy new projects. The Trump and Brexit voters are not telling the administrators to take their welfare-state pensions, and health cares, and educations, and put them where the sun dont shine. No indeed. Its the new projects they dont need. Medicare for All? We get health insurance at work. Student debt? My kids earning $150,000 a year fracking down in Texas. Green New Deal? Over my dead SUV. The deplorables are just telling their neo-feudal lords that we are the loyal serfs, from time out of mind, and forget the wretched of the Earth beyond the borders. The rulers and their bureaucratic underlings are supposed to be protecting us, the voters, and not the helpless victims beyond the seas. And youd better not touch grandpas Social Security and grandmas Medicare benefits, either.

But we understand! We can see how our educated Subaru drivers with their snooty administrative-state sinecures might be a bit miffed about all this. After all we did for them, the ungrateful racist sexist homophobes!

If you ask me, its all adds up to a magnificent Hegelian dialectic. On the one hand we have the thesis of the progressive administrative swampies with their mindless gotta-be-a-victim-in-here-somewhere ideology; on the other hand, we have the antithesis of the conservative/libertarian intellectuals that have been roto-rooting socialism and the administrative state to little effect for the last century. We have the new populists burning down the Champs Elysees on the one hand and the trendy lefty activist peaceful protesters on the other risking their smartphones, their parents fortunes, and their intersectional honor staging fake hate crimes in campus safe spaces, making out that they are the true voice of the oppressed.

Are we having fun yet? I cant wait to find out what the great Hegelian synthesis will be.

Christopher Chantrill @chrischantrill runs the go-to site on US government finances, usgovernmentspending.com. Also get his American Manifesto and his Road to the Middle Class.
To keep blacks feeling like victims in a forever racist America, Democrats keep the flames of racial division burning. Blacks are only 12% of the population. This means white voters gifted the first black president two terms. Despicably, Democrats continue to tell blacks, Keep voting for us to keep racist white America off your backs. Contrary to the Democrats' lie, we have come a long way baby in race relations in our country. Living, working, and playing together, a majority of Americans work out their racial issues. We need race-baiting Democratic politicians to get out of our way.

In 1952, Dad was among a handful of blacks who broke the color barrier to become Baltimore City firefighters. Dad was stationed at 6 Engine. Filled with hate and resentment over his presence, the white firefighters humiliated Dad at every turn.

Outrageously, Dad was assigned separate eating utensils, bathroom, and sleeping area. Dad kept a jar of Sanka instant coffee because he was forbidden to drink from the same coffeepot as the white firefighters.

Dad was also the assistant pastor of an east Baltimore storefront church. To escape the constant harassment by the white firefighters, Dad retreated to the firehouse storage room to pray and study his Bible. Sarcastically, the firefighters named the storage room Marcus' Chapel.

One day, Dad could not find his assigned spoon. He grabbed a spoon and placed it in his coffee and went to get cream. When Dad returned, John was holding the spoon from Dad's cup of coffee. Angrily, John ordered, Keep your black hands off our spoons. Then, John threw the spoon into the sink. Dad let the incident go.

On another occasion, John verbally attacked Dad for putting his foot on the edge of a chair to shine his shoes. This was the last straw for Dad. He challenged John to settle their differences outside after work. The captain caught wind of the scheduled duel of fists. He ordered both men to go home after their shift.

Dad told me that he went to the storage room and prayed about John. He prayed, God give him to me.

After two years, a new young white firefighter was assigned to 6 Engine. He came upstairs to Dad's bunk and invited Dad to have coffee with the other firefighters. It was Dad's first coffee from the main coffeepot.

Dad won Firefighter of the Year two times. When Dad was 90, I asked him to explain how he won. A lieutenant firefighter panicked in a burning building and jumped out a window. Dad grabbed his legs and held him until help arrived. Dad passed away before telling me what he did to win Firefighter of the Year a second time.

On one occasion, the captain ordered all the firefighters out of a raging burning building. Dad's mask malfunctioned. He could not breath or see. Dad said the devil spoke to him saying, Everyone has to go sometime and you're going to go by fire. Dad prayed, Jesus and passed out.

Safely outside, a firefighter asked, Where's Marcus? John flew back up the ladder into the inferno. Dad said he regained consciousness hearing someone yelling his name, Marcus! Marcus! Marcus! He saw the light of John's flashlight and yelled, Over here!

John and another firefighter carried Dad out of the building. Dad said he will never forget the peace and safety he felt hearing John's voice, We got you. You're okay. We got you!

Dad's body and clothing were so filled with smoke that the emergency room staff had to open windows. Dad made a full recovery.

Dad and John became lifelong friends. When John passed away in later years, Dad spoke at his funeral. God answered Dad's prayer. He gave John to Dad.

Racism will exist along with every other sin until Jesus returns. Thanks to pioneers like my dad, blacks are thriving in every area of American life. We just need Democrats to stop scheming to divide us.

Watch the Countdown to Lloyd's Dad's Legacy

Lloyd Marcus, The Unhyphenated American

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For the cover photo on its current issue, Rolling Stone gathered together House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) under the headline "Women Shaping the Future." The inclusion of Omar was bold given the controversy over her repeated anti-Semitic remarks and how Pelosi stumbled in her attempt to separate the Democratic party from them. Yet, Omar's views have long been known. In 2012 she called on Allah to "awaken the people and help them see the evils of Israel. Yet, Democratic leaders appointed her to the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) and are rejecting calls for her removal. This is because her world view is embraced by her left-wing colleagues who now dominate policy.

During her election campaign Omar issued a statement that called for massive cuts in U.S. defense spending, the closing of overseas bases and the need to "avoid military conflict at all costs" with Iran. She also called for ending sanctions on Tehran and decried U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition battling the Iranian-supported insurgents in Yemen. On this last point, the Democratic-controlled Foreign Affairs Committee voted with her to send to the floor H.J. Res. 37 on February 5, which the full House quickly passed on Feb. 13 on an almost party-line vote (every Democrat plus 18 Republicans). The resolution directs "the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress." And the present Congress will not make any such authorization.

The U.S. started providing intelligence and logical support, including aerial refueling of Saudi-coalition bombers, under President Barack Obama. The main effect of the House measure will be to shift the balance of power on the battlefield towards Iran's Shiite proxies. The timing of the House resolution could not be worse. Talks backed by the Trump administration for a political solution to the conflict have made progress. The port of Hodeidah has been opened for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged country. Yet, the Houthi rebels only agreed to withdraw from the port because of pressure from superior coalition forces. It's called negotiating from strength.

The House report accompanying resolution gives a factual description of the conflict:

"The United States has longstanding strategic interests in promoting security and stability in the Arabian Peninsula.... In 2014, after years of violence and insurgency, Ansar Allah/ Houthi rebels seized the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa, deposing the legitimate, internationally recognized Government of Yemen and further destabilizing Yemen and the region."

The report confirms,

"Iran has trained and equipped Houthi fighters with weapons, reportedly including ballistic missiles and armed drones. These have been used against Saudi civilians and a U.S. navy ship and personnel."

Then, the facts are ignored in favor of a disgraceful "cut and run" resolution.

The strategic importance of Yemen is obvious to anyone who looks at a map. It borders Saudi Arabia and the outlet of the Red Sea and Suez Canal, a trade route that carries 12% of world seaborne commerce.

The U.S. supports the Saudis as a frontline state opposing Iranian aggression. And it is nice to have an ally who will fight. The U.S.-Saudi alliance is the basis for the larger, cooperative relationship between America and the vast Sunni Muslim community. Israel and the Arabs have also been drawn into alignment against the common enemy Iran.

A technicality prevented H.J. Res 37 from being voted on in the Senate. However, on March 13, Sen. Bernie Sanders's version of the resolution (S.J. Res 7) was passed by a vote of 54-46. President Donald Trump has already threatened to veto it. Seven GOP Senators voted with all the Democrats to shift the majority in the upper chamber. The "anti-war" Republicans were led by libertarians Mike Lee (R-UT), who co-sponsored the resolution; and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who like Rep. Omar wants to avoid any confrontation with Iran. Paul has even claimed that Iran's missile program is merely a defensive move to ward off a possible U.S. or Saudi attack.

Sen. Paul is following his father on this issue. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) was a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee when I was serving on its staff. I remember watching with dismay his defense of Iran's "right" to a nuclear program and his criticism of U.S. sanctions as "interference" in Tehran's business.

On the same day the Senate voted to block U.S. action in Yemen, the HFAC held a hearing on H.R. 1004, the Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act. Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), the bill has 56 co-sponsors (including two Republicans). Reps. Omar, Ocasio-Cortez and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) are on board. Their support belies Cicilline's opening remarks at the HFAC hearing condemning Nicolas Maduro as "A dictator who doesn't care about the Venezuelan people." He endorsed opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has gained official recognition around he world as the legitimate leader of the country. But Cicilline will only support diplomatic and economic pressure on Maduro, not force against a tyrant who is ruling by force; posing at every opportunity with his military commanders.

Instead, Cicilline blamed President Trump for the crisis, citing his "rhetoric" and "saber rattling" about possible military intervention. Any direct action would be "illegal" and would "hurt the Venezuelan people." No wonder a coalition of left-wing "peace" groups have called for passage of H.R. 1004.

On the same day as the hearing, a letter was sent to Speaker Pelosi endorsing the bill, signed by, among others, Code Pink, Democratic Socialists of America NYC, Western Mass Venezuela Solidarity Coalition, and (to square the circle) the Yemini Alliance. Pelosi was praised for "the historic passage of H. J. Res. 37, which, like Cicillines H.R. 1004, invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973." And "adopting legislation on Venezuela... will serve as an effective counterweight to the militaristic and anti-refugee policies of the Trump Administration." At a March 16 rally "in solidarity with the Venezuelan people [meaning the Maduro regime], Code Pink declared "its people decided to be free from the imperial rule of the United States" prompting President Trump to plot a coup.

Yemen and Venezuela are only the first two places where the left-leaning Congress will work to isolate America from the world. In the Jan-Feb issue of Foreign Affairs is an essay by Brian McKean and Caroline Tess entitled "How Congress Can Take Back Foreign Policy." Both authors served in the Obama Administration after having been Senate staffers. They applauded Sen. Sanders's Yemen resolution and set it in a wider effort to control arms sales in general. They look back to the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 which sought to limit sales to allies to avoid arms races or the escalation of conflicts -- unilateral restraints that can only encourage aggressors. And on March 26, the HFAC Oversight Subcommittee will open the door on this subject by holding a hearing on "Proposed Small Arms Transfers." Will President Trump's sale of arms to Israel, Taiwan and the Ukraine be targeted next?

The McKean-Tess essay is filled with nostalgia for the 1970s when large, post-impeachment Democratic majorities in Congress spurred America's world-wide retreat, starting with the betrayal of South Vietnam (which the authors do not mention; it's all about liberal ideals and nothing about the horrific results). And with a libertarian-leftist coalition able to shift the majority in the Senate to match the Democrat majority in the House, it will be a long two years ahead for national security policy. Rep. Omar is just a cover girl for a much larger problem.

William R. Hawkins is a consultant specializing in international economic and national security issues. He is a former Republican staff member on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.
You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before. These are the words of Rahm Emanuel, advisor and fixer in both the Clinton and Obama administrations, as well as the current Mayor of Chicago. His words are also an important part of the playbook of the left, which takes every advantage of natural or man-made catastrophes to advance their agenda.

All extreme weather events are said to be evidence of global warming or climate change, and the only way to prevent the destruction of Planet Earth in the next 12 years is to cede more money and power to the federal government. Anyone in a Trump MAGA hat, even one standing as still as a statue, like Nick Sandman, proves that President Trump is a racist, sexist pig unsuited for public office.

And the periodic mass shooting is the crisis that the left uses to push further gun restrictions on an otherwise law abiding and responsible gun owning public. The recent mosque shooting in New Zealand is the perfect example and is playing out in such a predictable manner as to be a dream come true for the left.

The timing was perfect since the left was losing the narrative and needed a distraction. The Russian collusion hoax is rapidly unraveling with rumors of sealed indictments for deep state tricksters being soon unsealed after Mueller finally released his no additional indictments report. Democrat hopefuls announcing their bids for the White House have become a clown show with Robert ORourkes past fantasies of running over children to John Hickenloopers admission that at age 18, he took his mother to see a hard core porn movie, Deep Throat.

For the American Left, gun control is one of their holy grails, after open borders, reparations, infanticide, transgender bathrooms, confiscatory taxes, banning planes and cows, and so on. The New Zealand shooting is a gift to the left, wrapped up in a pretty bow, ready to be opened on Christmas morning.

New Zealand has announced a plan to ban assault weapons, however they are defined. Assault weapon is a politically contrived term that sounds scary but doesnt describe actual firearms. Its actually a ban on semi-automatic weapons, which include most modern handguns that require a trigger pull for each bullet fired, even if reloading is not required after each shot. It also bans fully automatic machine guns, which at least in the US are virtually impossible to legally obtain.

In the US, such an assault weapon ban was pushed through by Bill Clinton and the Democrats in 1994, after which the Democrats promptly lost control of the House, and after the ban expired, there was no move to reinstate it. So what? Bill Clinton and his wife tried to take over healthcare in America, also failing, but that hasnt stopped Bernie, Ocasio-Cortez and others from wanting to try it again.

Also cited are gun control measures across the pond in Australia. The Aussies rolled out their version of gun control in 1996 after a mass shooting in Tasmania. The National Firearms Agreement banned possession of automatic and semiautomatic firearms. While Australia did not have another mass shooting, their firearm homicide rates were already on the decline, and continued to decline at the same rate as before the ban, as Matt Palumbo wrote.

There was a similar downward trend in the US during the same time period despite a 50 percent increase in guns per capita in the US. Similarly Australians own more guns now than before the ban. Also ignored is the fact that most gun related deaths in Australia are suicides, not homicides. This is the predictable consequence of myopic legislation, creating more of what has been banned.

Here in the US, Democrat presidential hopefuls are jumping on the bandwagon, not letting the NZ crisis go to waste, including Bernie Sanders. Rest assured, the rest of the Democrat clown show will double down on Bernies tweet, just as each wanted an even higher tax rate then the other candidates. Expect other candidates to demand a full repeal of the Second Amendment.

The NZ shooter got his wish. He created the crisis that NZ and US leaders bought into hook, line, and sinker. From his manifesto.

Finally, to create conflict between the two ideologies within the United States on the ownership of firearms in order to further the social, cultural, political and racial divide within the United states. This conflict over the 2nd amendment and the attempted removal of firearms rights will ultimately result in a civil war that will eventually balkanize the US along political, cultural and, most importantly, racial lines.

How convenient. Things are playing out just as the shooter and the American left had hoped. If I didnt know better, I would say something like, Do you believe in coincidences?

The US media is predictably part of the show. The New York Times laments the US not having a leader like NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. She personifies crisis leadership, in the eyes of the Gray Lady, reflexively grabbing guns from law abiding citizens after the same government previously investigated the mosque shooter and decided he was worthy to own a gun in NZ.

NZ has more restrictive gun laws compared to the US with required background checks, gun safety classes, and personal references. The mosque shooter passed all the checks.

New Zealand police revealed Friday that they met with the accused Christchurch mosque shooter at his home in October 2017 before granting him the license that let him purchase the weapons used in the rampage.

Even with the proposed new gun restrictions in NZ, the shooter would have likely still obtained his firearms, even if outside the law. Just look at the number of firearm homicides in the US cities with the most restrictive gun laws.

But dont let a crisis go to waste. NZ government officials are further restricting gun rights and ownership. American politicians are eager to do the same, using this crisis to full advantage.

Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
So much for "Hands off Venezuela," as Rep. Ilhan Omar likes to say.

Thus far on Twitter, she's been suspiciously quiet about the new reality: that Russian troops are now rolling into Venezuela, to prop up the embattled  and failed  socialist dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro. Even the swamp-focused Hill has noticed the story:

Two Russian Air Force planes landed in Venezuela carrying nearly 100 troops and a Russian defense official, according to Reuters. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 indicated an Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane both departed from Russian military airport Chkalovsky for Caracas on Friday, according to the news service. The two nations conducted military exercises on Venezuelan soil three months ago, which President Nicolas Maduro praised as an indicator of stronger ties between the two countries, according to Reuters. Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, was on the first plane, according to a tweet from Venezuelan reporter Javier Mayorca, while the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 metric tons of unspecified materials.

The Venezuelan thug had been on his last legs, with democratic forces circling him  and in comes the Russian cavalry, or whatever those troops have been assigned to do. There is some speculation that they are there to repair Venezuela's shambling military aircraft, originally purchased for billions, from Russian suppliers.

Last legs, though, is likely true, given the large number of defections from Venezuela's military. Four days in February yielded "hundreds" of defecting troops, the Colombian government said. A more recent report says that number has swelled to thousands.

Now we have Russians on Western Hemispheric soil, and at a minimum, they're putting on a show to test President Trump's resolve, similar to the Cuban missile crisis. They're also there to guard the Maduro regime against Venezuela's people who want him out of there.

What they've done is strike harder and faster than the U.S. has, the U.S. having calculated that it can just wait for the slow bleed of defecting Venezuelan troops to do its work.

The Russians saw that wait and decided to seize the day. They are, after all, students of history. They know that not being militarily prepared for an invasion is a good way to get an Afghanistan-like result  so they've upgraded. They also know that color revolutions spell trouble for them, and as the independent Moscow Times notes, they are reading Venezuela as a color revolution. They also know that propping up a dictator, as they did in Syria, as a means of defending their perceived strategic interests works with the Americans, who have pretty much let him have his way there. Lastly, they know in their bones that the U.S. would gladly do anything to avoid any direct confrontation with them, which was the lesson they took from the Cuban missile crisis.

This indeed means that it is a test for President Trump.

Here's the thing, though: they seem to be underestimating certain other factors.

Venezuela's effort to free itself is far from just an ordinary contest of groups and interests. It's a virtually pan-national consensus in that country that the failed dictatorship has to go, and this consensus has the support of virtually all of the country's neighbors, which is quite unprecedented in Latin American history. Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Canada, and many other states are very much onboard, and momentum is rolling. Put troops on the ground in Venezuela, and risk confrontation with a whole slew of angry countries.

That President Trump's lieutenants are intensely focused on Venezuela and putting a lot of priorities in that direction. They have allies in Congress, such as Sen. Marco Rubio. And aside from leftist clowns peddling decades-old tropes such as Omar, they have the Democratic leadership, too. They do, after all, want to win Florida in 2020. Challenging a U.S. that focused on an issue is a recipe for trouble.

The U.S. has precedent and history to invoke in this challenge, called the Monroe Doctrine. That doctrine, far from being a tool of U.S. imperialism, as the actually imperialist Castroite government of Cuba charges, is a policy of protecting nascent Latin American states from foreign interference so they can develop on their own. There are plenty of reasons to bring it up now.

Lastly, they seem to think President Trump is a paper tiger, someone who will shrink to avoid confrontation even as he talks tough. Trump is a man of surprises. Perhaps the Russians are going to find out the hard way that they've chosen poorly.
The second enterprise planning to grow medical cannabis in St. Stephen hopes to begin production this year -- in a building that also will be used to grow tilapia fish by means of aquaponics. "By June we'll be ready to cultivate," Stewart Farms principal Tanner Stewart says. However, he adds, "This will be very dependent on the government wheels. We'll be ready." The federal health department still has to issue licences to cultivate, harvest and sell under the legal regime for medical marijuana.

Stewart, who grew up in Miramichi, learned about aquaponics and indoor "vertical" agriculture as a young entrepreneur in Alberta. Aquaponics combines the raising of fish and hydroponics, the soil-less growing of plants, in one integrated system. He originally acquired the former SWP Industries Inc. fence mill property in St. Stephen to raise tilapia, then use the manure to grow organic green vegetables indoors under LED lights without herbicides or pesticides. He decided on January 1, 2018, to switch to medical grade cannabis sold through a doctor's prescription. "We only changed the plant from lettuce to cannabis," he says. He plans to use the same production model.

Canada legalized cannabis as a recreational drug for adults on October 17, and St. Stephen now has its own Cannabis NB store, but Stewart plans to stick with the medical product. "At any time we can make that decision to lateral over into the recreational market," he says. However, he says, "Stewart Farms is totally focused on becoming a health and wellness company," growing different strains of cannabis to treat Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depression and addiction.

Tidal Health Solutions Ltd. began producing medical marijuana last year in the same industrial park where Stewart intends to operate. Health Canada granted Tidal Health Solutions a licence to produce on April 13, according to the department's website. The company plans to expand, but president and CEO Barry Katzman declines to say more.

Katzman welcomes Stewart Farms as neighbours in the industrial park. "I think he's a bright young guy with big visions," he says.

Health Canada lists 159 commercial cannabis growers in Canada, including three in New Brunswick licenced to cultivate, with about half of these with the final licence to sell. Fewer than six are certified organic growers, Stewart says. He plans to join this select group.

Charlotte County's location at the heart of a huge aquaculture industry makes St. Stephen a good place to grow tilapia, but he will use only organic feed, Stewart says. He will grow cannabis with fish manure plus organically certified supplements. "There will be about 50 tonnes of extra solid fish waste per year," he says, mulling over composting this with cannabis plant waste to produce "supercharged fertilizer."

The building where Stewart plans to raise fish and cannabis originally housed a steel foundry before SWP Industries set up shop. He has to completely gut the old structure, replacing even part of the roof and exterior wall panels. As he put it, he bought nearly 30 acres of land, a fence, steel frame and the services to the lot. "It's really a 100day continuous build. We're two weeks into it," Stewart says, while Darryl Leger with AvantGarde Construction and Management Inc. of Riverview, the company overseeing the job, conducted a site tour. Stewart plans to do the job over four phases, hoping to be ready for initial sales by 2020.

Leger says 20 to 30 people might work between now and June on construction but not all at the same time. Stewart hopes to have up to 10 people working in St. Stephen in 2019, 30 in 2020, and more than 100 by 2021, plus head office staff in Edmonton, Alberta. "By the time we get the four phases done we'll be up to 12,000 kilograms of organic cannabis per year," along with 200,000 kilograms of tilapia to be exported live to Boston.

The cannabis will grow on four stories, one on top of the other in the 40foothigh building.

The fish should bring in $1.5 to $1.8 million in revenue each year and cannabis "north of $50 million."

He has $10 million in capital to date. "That's all private equity from Alberta. A million of that is me," Stewart says. Getting to the end of phase four in 2021 will require more capital, he says. St. Stephen offers low real estate prices, reasonable power rates and an educated labour force ready to work, Stewart says.

He left Miramichi 13 years ago as a 21yearold and started a construction company in Alberta working in the oil industry. He invested in the Alberta company NutraPonics and served as CEO for five years, producing tilapia and organic leafy vegetables with similar technology to what he plans to use in St. Stephen. He left NutraPonics at the end of 2018 but has made no decision to return to live in New Brunswick. He has other business interests including a construction company in Alberta, and his children, aged three and five, are settled in Edmonton.

He came to St. Stephen this week for his first look at the construction project -- still in the demolition stage -- and planned a visit to Miramichi before heading back to Edmonton. He expects to bounce between these three communities for the next while. He turns 34 on April 21.
Attorney General Barr has summarized Robert Mueller's report: no collusion, collaboration, conspiracy, or whatever term the Hate Trump media chooses to use, between Russia and the Trump campaign. We knew this before Mueller wasted 40 million dollars. But Mueller threw a desperate bone to the media and to the Nadler- Schiff Democrats.

Mueller refused to conclude as to whether Trump obstructed justice. This was a cowardly act to allow the Dems and the media to say, as they are saying, that Mueller did not exonerate Trump on the obstruction charge. Trump, like every American, is presumed innocent unless convicted. He does not need Mueller's Obama-Hillary lawyers to "exonerate" him.

Presumably, the obstruction of justice is firing James Comey, also known as "St. James." There is no evidence that the multitude of investigations of President Trump were affected in any way by firing Comey. In fact, the investigations were more rigorous because Trump fired Comey.

The Democrats, led by Crooked Hillary, wanted Comey fired after he reopened the investigation of Hillary in October 2016. But when Trump fired Comey...that was something else again.

Mueller and his staff of 19 attorneys knew that if they did not reach a conclusion on the obstruction of justice allegation to exonerate President Trump, then the attorney general would have to do so. Give A.G. Barr and Rod Rosenstein credit for stepping up to do the job that Mueller refused to do.

A.G. Barr's letter reads:

After making a "thorough factual investigation" into these matters, the Special Counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under Department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction[.] ... The Special Counsel's decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime. Over the course of the investigation, the Special Counsel's office engaged in discussions with certain Department officials regarding many of the legal and factual matters at issue in the Special Counsel's obstruction investigation. After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president[.] ... In making this determination, we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference," and that, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction."

The Mueller report can and should be summarized thus: there was no collusion, and there was no obstruction of justice. We spent 40 million dollars and two years to learn what we knew before Mueller was appointed.
This is what passes for "moderate" in the Democratic Party these days.

Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke is proposing an alternative to the socialist "Medicare for All" plan being pushed by Bernie Sanders and several other major candidates. He's calling it "Medicare for America"  a stealthy attempt to eventually bring about full government control of the health care industry.

CNN:

For O'Rourke, the proposal's appeal is that he thinks it moves the country to guaranteed health care more quickly than the alternatives, including the signature Medicare for All proposal from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who is also vying for the Democratic nomination. That's in part because it would maintain the private insurance industry, which is a deal breaker among progressives. "What it says is, if you like your employer-sponsored insurance, you like the network that you're in, you like the doctors that you can see, you're happy with that, you can keep it," O'Rourke said Thursday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in response to an audience question. "If you do not like your employer-based insurance and want to enroll in Medicare, you can. If you have no insurance whatsoever or if you are under-insured today, you can enroll in Medicare as well."

Gee...where have we heard that before?

While many Americans like the idea of expanding Medicare, their support drops when they hear private insurance would be eliminated, according to polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Medicare for America would address those concerns, said Jen Tolbert, the foundation's director of state health reform. "The bill does try to strike a middle ground," she said.

"Middle ground"? Compared to what? I suppose if you're looking for a difference between the full on socialism of Medicare for All and O'Rourke's socialism-lite scheme, you might be able to see a distinction between the two.

In reality, even O'Rourke admits that his plan gets us to total government control eventually.

It's the boiling frog scenario, where we, the health care consumers, are the frogs. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain taking over your health care." Meanwhile, bureaucrats will look to sabotage the private insurance industry, making sure that "Medicare for America" morphs quickly into "Medicare for All."
Shortly after Israel's 1982 incursion into Lebanon, I sat in a kindergarten classroom in the border town of Kiryat Shmona. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling where a Katyusha rocket had struck. By some miracle, it was a dud, and it hit before the start of the school day. The roof had been hastily repaired, although the large hole in the ceiling was still there.

It was the rainy season, and rain was coming down in sheets, not droplets. There was an eeriness about the scene  the makeshift repair, the gaping hole in the ceiling, the unnerving thought that a Katyusha could have wiped out a kindergarten class, and the thunderous noise of the torrent of rain echoing off the rooftop.

The Katyusha originated in the Soviet Union. First used against German troops in World War II, it had a sound so terrifying that battle-hardened German soldiers who had fought on the Eastern Front panicked upon hearing it.

The rocket had made its way from the Soviet Union to Hezb'allah through Iran, Hezb'allah's patron.

I asked the elderly woman who was my guide if Israel should have gone into Lebanon. They should have gone in two years earlier, she replied. For two years, Kiryat Shmona sat under the bombardment from Lebanon.

It was discrimination, she said. The Jews who settled at Kiryat Shmona and along the border were Mizrachi Jews, Jews who had been driven out of the Middle East by a resurgence of Islamic militancy. Kiryat Shmona was so close to Lebanon that when they watered the plants, the water also irrigated a neighboring field in Lebanon.

While we live under the bombardment of rockets, she continued, the Ashkenazi Jews in Tel Aviv frolic in nightclubs. They talk of peace while we experience war. They lack compassion.

They will understand its meaning, she predicted, only when rockets hit Tel Aviv. Then they will know and experience what we know and experience. It will take that to rouse them from their slumber.

Now rockets from Gaza have reached Tel Aviv, Israel's largest and most commercially important city. The rockets came from Hamas, another Iranian proxy.

The attack was an inevitable outcome of President Barack Obama's decision to make Iran the hegemonic power in the Middle East. The Obama administration's release of hundreds of billions of dollars enabled Iran to upgrade the warfare capabilities of its proxies on the Israeli border.

Tel Aviv now, like Kiryat Shmona decades ago, is in the path of death from the skies. Maybe Israel could ignore the attacks on its border communities, but it cannot ignore the attacks on its "Hill of Spring"  one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

Israel will have to awaken from its slumber and embrace the reality of being a society under siege, like Kiryat Shmona, Sderot, and other border towns. Israel will have to ignore the U.N., the New York Times, and the deluge of anti-Semitic opinion that condemns it whenever it rises to defend itself. It should embrace the Talmudic imperative: when they come to kill you, rise up and slay them first.

Abraham H Miller is an emeritus professor of political science, University of Cincinnati, and a distinguished fellow with the Hyam Salomon Center, a news and public policy organization.
Democrats are going to have a lot of candidates to choose from in 2020  septuagenarian socialists; a couple of losers from 2018; and women, women, and more women.

But for some reason, the focus this week has settled on an unknown mayor from a small Midwestern city. He's young, a veteran  and, oh, yes, he's gay.

South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg is not a serious challenger to the Democratic frontrunners  yet. But he's creating a buzz among Democratic primary voters in early states  not only for who he is, but for what he says.

NBCNews:

Unlike President Donald Trump, the South Bend, Ind., mayor, who is still technically in the "exploratory" phase of a 2020 presidential campaign, is young, progressive and gay. While Trump obtained deferments to avoid Vietnam, Buttigieg signed up for military service when his generation went to war in Afghanistan. He comes from a small Midwestern city rather than the Big Apple. And perhaps most important to primary voters and some Republicans, his politics are informed by a deep grasp of history, philosophy and ethics that are at odds with Trump's rejection of expertise. "It's so diametrically opposed to everything Trump," said Molly Jong-Fast, a New York author and socialite who has hosted a dinner for Buttigieg late last year and is planning a fundraiser for him this spring. "Even if Pete is not the candidate, he is the future of the Democratic Party."

Buttigieg recently said "a figure like" President Donald Trump "should never have been able to come within cheating distance of the Oval Office." So much for civility.

But whether it's because he's so new to the national scene or because there's such a huge contrast between him and Sanders, Warren, and Biden, early Democratic primary voters are giving him the once-over:

Still, the interest in Buttgieg is spreading on the ground in early states, said Jaime Harrison, a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman and Senate candidate who ran against Buttigieg for Democratic National Committee chairman a couple of years ago. "There are definitely some folks who are talking about him," Harrison said. "He's an extremely gifted politician and he's very genuine. I think what everybody else is seeing is what I saw when we were head to head. ... I would not dismiss Pete at all." That goes for Iowa, too, said state party chairman Troy Price. "We've seen growing interest," Price said. "Iowa caucus-goers and Iowa Democrats are interested in what he has to say and want to hear more."

The key for Buttigieg  as it will be for all minor candidates  is to stand out in the coming Democratic candidate debates. He's certainly a learned man  but so was Woodrow Wilson. Jimmy Carter was a nuclear physicist. Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar. The measure of a candidate is not how much information he can cram into his head, but whether he has the capacity to lead.

This may be a "moment" for Mayor Buttigieg. Does he have anything worthwhile to say?
If the internet search monopolists at Google are trying to build a case that they are a dangerous threat to democracy in need of antitrust remediation, they are doing a good job of it. We already know that Google is run by leftists for leftists and fired software engineer James Damore for political reasons  because he dared question P.C. orthodoxy. But there is an accumulating body of evidence that Google attempts to manage the public's access to information so as to bias it in favor of Google's friends and against those Google decides are its enemies.

Paul Crookston of The Free Beacon spotted the rascals quietly doing their mischief by doing a simple auto-fill test, seeing what Google would suggest as a customer typed in a subject.

Using Google search on multiple browsers and on private-browsing mode, the Free Beacon found Google search had an aversion to the search term "indictment." Using either "Trump" or "Mueller" as the subject, the following word "indictment" was not suggested even after spelling out most of it. For example, putting "Trump indi" into Google's search bar does not lead to "Trump indictment" but rather to "Trump India," "Trump India Pakistan," Trump India tariffs," and "Trump Indiana."

Bing has no such reticence:

Read the whole thing to see other amusing takes on Google's squeamishness about leading users to the real story. This one, to me, takes the cake:

I think the word "suppression" is appropriate.
The Left predictably melted down in shocked and sensational fashion when the summary of the Mueller report written by A.G. Barr and Deputy A.G. Rosenstein was released and read on Sunday, and it was announced that there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Despite the abundance of facts that have long proved the Trump-Russia collusion meme was a hoax devised by the Clintons, approved by Obama and orchestrated by the corrupt overlords at the DOJ and FBI, our pathetic media, even Fox News, called the news of Mueller's exoneration a bombshell.

Where have these folks been? Clearly, their heads have been stuck firmly in the sand like the ostriches they are. Facts they do not want to hear? They do not exist; they can wish them away. Chuck Todd, Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, and of course Rachel Maddow and her colleagues at MSNBC were not only shocked, but catapulted into paroxysms of horror. Apparently, it had never occurred to them that their beloved Mueller would not do their bidding and find Trump, his kids and his campaign guilty of crimes against humanity.

The "breaking news" alerts on Fox were equally shocked, calling the news a "bombshell." A bombshell it was not. The shock was that Mueller and his team of partisans could not find their way to indicting Trump for any wrongdoing. So certain that their folk hero Mueller would criminally implicate the president, the Trump-deranged could not, cannot, accept his conclusions that there was no collusion with the Russians.

On one level, their outrage is humorous, like SNL's Emily Litella discovering the difference between Soviet jewelry and Soviet Jewry. On the other hand, it is not one bit amusing; the Left was hoping with every fiber of its being that Trump was guilty of being a traitor to our nation. Despite his obvious love for this country, they hoped he was a Russian agent who had worked against our interests.

That is how disordered the Trump-haters are; they hoped to learn that our president had committed treason and are disappointed he has not.

C.S. Lewis wrote years ago:

"Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally we shall insist on seeing everything  God and our friends and ourselves included  as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred." (Mere Chistianity)

A long quote but a relevant one. Our left was hoping for the worst. Adam Schiff, Jerrold Nadler, and the denizens of CNN and MSNBC should take note. They've all gone off the rails of civilized discourse.



Grabien screen grab.

They have left all aspects of tolerance behind. Since Trump won the election of 2016, they've become overtly what they perhaps have always been at heart: grossly intolerant themselves. They now rationalize any and all forms of discrimination if it serves their ends.

The bombshell is that even Bret Baier and Ed Henry at Fox were shocked by Mueller's conclusive report. As careful and bipartisan as Fox has been, they too assumed the worst and looked forward to it, ratings and all. As has been noted, Fox is changing. The network suspended Jeanine Pirro for posing a perfectly logical question about Ilhan Omar's allegiance to Islam over America. The same week, they hired the corrupt cheat Donna Brazile. Fox may lose those of us who have long valued its mantra of "fair and balanced." It appears that may be a thing of the past.

The truth that the Trump-Russia collusion was a hoax from the outset has been revealed over the last two years, drip by drip, fact by fact. John Solomon, Sara Carter, Peter Schweizer, and a host of others including Judicial Watch have been writing about and revealing the truth regularly, not to mention the numerous congressional hearings that also revealed the duplicity of the Left and the calculated plan to see that Trump never took office. The amazing thing is that the Jake Tappers, Chuck Todds, and Rachel Maddows of our media have not bothered to read the work those reporters produced. They ignored the revelations of those hearings. They dismissed as specious any and all facts contrary to their cemented conviction that Trump had somehow cheated to win. They did not want to know about the extraordinarily incriminating emails among those higher-ups at the FBI and DOJ. Not one of the usual suspects could admit that their bete noire, Donald Trump, could have won fair and square after all they had done to prevent such an outcome. They all had their fingers in their ears, screaming la-la-la-la, so that no disagreeable information reached their brains.

Given the team that Mueller hired to investigate the president, Democrat partisans all, and that at least twenty-five million taxpayer dollars were spent with the intent to take Trump out of office, the result of Mueller's two-year scrutiny of all things Trump is also the exoneration of those of us who supported and voted for the man. This much is clear: President Trump is a far better man than all those who sought to bring him down.
A woman named Bob Bland (yeah, I know) believes that the "Jewish establishment" caused the New Zealand mosque attack.

Bland shared a particularly nasty and nauseating posting on Facebook that blames Jews for the massacre.

Jerusalem Post:

On March 17, Bob Bland shared a post from Jesse Rabinowitz  a social justice advocate  who wrote that: "The same language and hate that folks spew against Sisters [Women's March co-leader] Linda Sarsour and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) killed 54 Muslims in New Zealand. You can't stand in solidarity with the Muslim community and simultaneously disavow Muslim women for speaking their truths. American Jewish Establishment, I'm looking at you." The share was not accompanied by any additional statement from Bland. In the comments section, a follower called out Bland for suggesting "that you cannot feel sympathy for the tragedy that happened if you do not agree with Linda and Ilana." The comment also added: "My biggest fear is that the entire purpose of your post was to somehow insult or shame Jews."

It's now hateful to call an anti-Semite an anti-Semite? Who knew?

Bland later apologized, using the excuse that she's a mother and was busy doing mom things:

Bland apologized, saying that "it has come to my attention that some people are upset that I shared Jesse's post. I was juggling two kids on a Sunday plus not being mindful. I'm sorry. I do agree with the first two sentences that Jesse said, except I would extend it to all establishment politicians of both parties, of any or no faith. Words matter and I should have clarified." The Zioness movement also posted a screenshot of Bland's share, writing: "The Women's March, Inc. is attacking Jews again. Somehow, we still aren't desensitized to their never-ending cycle of deeply antisemitic slurs." "Calling out antisemitism is not bigotry against Muslims. We've witnessed this enough times: the zero-sum game these women are playing literally leads to horror. Jews and Muslims are in fact targeted by the same heinous actors within the white nationalist movement across the globe, which is why Jews and Muslims of conscience have come together in solidarity during crises like we witnessed in Christchurch and in Pittsburgh."

Can she walk and chew gum at the same time? There's no evidence for that, so I guess we can excuse Bland for missing the anti-Semitism that was staring her in the face from that Facebook post.

Both Linda Sarsour and Ilhan Omar are pretty despicable people. If you asked them to look into their own hearts, they'd probably blame the Jews for the Holocaust, too  if they believe the Shoah even happened. The media are giving these women a prominence they don't deserve. Their partner in anti-Semitism, Ms. Bland, is no better.
All warfare is based on deception, Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, an ancient Chinese military treatise, often regarded as one of the most influential books ever written on war strategy. For centuries, Sun Tzus words have been gospel for military strategist, businessmen and lawyers alike.

Military deception is as old as war itself. The great city of Troy fell to the Greeks largely because of the Trojan horsea deception. Smoke screens, a deceptive technique used to mask the movement of military units, were first used by the Greeks during the Peloponnesian War in the 5th century BC. During the Gothic War between the Byzantium Empire and the Kingdom of Italy, Roman General Belisarius lit a long chain of campfires to exaggerate his troops size, causing the much larger army of Goths to flee in panic. The Mongols often lured their enemies into traps by feigning retreat. They also used straw dummies to give an impression of a larger army.

Quaker guns at Manassas Junction March 1862.

Deception proved very fruitful during the American Revolution in 1780. When the continental forces under the command of Colonel William Washington attacked a fortified barn near Camden, South Carolina, where the Loyalists under Colonel Henry Rugeley had barricaded themselves, the Colonel asked his men to surround the barn and prepare a pine log that resembled a cannon. He pointed the cannon towards the building and threatened to blow it away if the Loyalists didnt surrender. Rugeleys men meekly surrendered without a single shot having been fired.

This was the first recorded incident of a Quaker gunthe name is a reference to the religious community of Quakers who believed in pacifism and non-violence.

Related: The Ghost Army That Duped The Nazis

Quaker gun near Centreville, Virginia, in March 1862, after the Confederate withdrawal; a man with a stick is pretending to "fire" it with a linstock

Quaker guns played a small but significant role during the American Civil War. From the American Civil War: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection:

One early example of Quaker guns occurred on September 28, 1861, when Confederate forces evacuated Munson's Hill , Virginia, leaving their earthworks to an advancing Union force. When the Union soldiers reached the Confederate lines, they discovered two logs and one stovepipe guarding a shallow ditch rather than the three Parrot guns reported by Union scouts. During Major General George B. McClellan 's Peninsula Campaign (MarchJuly 1862), Confederate defenders attempting to delay the Army of the Potomac again resorted to deception. In early 1862 McClellan, never an aggressive commander, refused President Abraham Lincoln's repeated request that he advance south from Washington to Richmond, choosing to believe reports that he faced almost 100,000 Confederate troops at Manassas Junction, supported by more than 300 artillery pieces. In reality, his front was opposed by only 40,000 soldiers and a wide assortment of Quaker guns. McClellan's hesitation combined with the gullibility of Union scouts led to a delay of weeks, which allowed Confederate general Joseph E. Johns ton to organize the defenses of the Confederate capital. When Johnston ordered the evacuation of the Manassas-Centreville line, newspaper reporters quickly noticed that he had left a significant quantity of desperately needed artillery. To McClellan's humiliation, after closer inspection it was determined that the ''artillery" were logs painted black. In the Siege of Yorktown (April 5May 3, 1862), Confederate major general John B. Magruder also made extensive use of Quaker guns. The Union side also employed Quaker guns in the Peninsula Campaign (March-July 1862).

Quaker Guns, Centreville, Virginia. March 1862
AT&T and Viacom have now reached a deal to ensure Viacom channels remain on the DIRECTV platform.

The finer details of the agreement have not been made public yet although both sides released a joint statement earlier today confirming the deal had been struck.

This comes after a fairly tumultuous week that saw escalated tensions between the two.

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Viacom had explicitly accused AT&T of looking to oust third-party channels and content so that it could create an environment where it can more easily streamline its own content to platform subscribers. As an extension of this point Viacom also actively reached out to its base to put pressure on AT&T to agree a new deal to ensure more choice is available to consumers.

AT&T responded by accusing Viacom of using these moves as a negotiating ploy to a better deal.

The previous agreement technically expired on Friday night and before that there was a real concern the Viacom-related channels would go dark for DIRECTV users once the midnight deadline was reached. In the end that never happened with the channels remaining live which proved to be the first firm indication of a deal having been in the works.

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Without either company announcing the details of the deal, theres still a lot of questions that remain unanswered. For example, it remains to be seen how important now the Viacom lineup is to AT&Ts DIRECTV NOW streaming service.

Prior to the AT&T/Viacom deal talks becoming public, AT&T announced a revision to its main DIRECTV NOW plans which saw an increase in price coupled with a decrease in channels.

That reduction in the number of channels included what was effectively an eradication of Viacom channels from the new DIRECTV NOW plans.

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At present, theres no suggestion that has changed and therefore irrespective of this new deal it would seem likely the Viacom channels will remain off the new DIRECTV NOW main packages.

However, this will still be good news for existing DIRECTV NOW subscribers. When the new streaming service plans were announced, AT&T did confirm existing subscribers has the option to just accept a price increase but keep their original channel lineup the same as it was before.

A move which made those existing customers the only ones who could continue to access Viacom channels on the NOW platform. Thats without new customers having to resort to paying massively inflated prices by opting for one of the new DIRECTV-branded streaming only packages.

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It also remains to be seen how widespread the Viacom access is as part of the new deal. It was previously believed that AT&T was keen to remove many of the channels it deemed to be unpopular enough, and this was in contrast to Viacom who wanted to ensure the number of its channels bundled into the DIRECTV deal remained unchanged.

Deciphering which of the two outcomes is most evident in the new deal will likely be indicative of which of the two companies conceded the most when agreeing the new terms and pushing this new deal over the line.
Many people on both sides of the border were disappointed last September when the owners of Grand Manan's HoleintheWall campground announced their decision to scale back operations, putting the clifftop portion of the property up for sale. For 25 years, the campground was run by Basil and Kaye Small on property that had been in their family since about 1804. Kaye carried on after Basil's death in 2012, but last year after careful consideration the family decided to sell 100 acres and maintain a smaller number of tent and trailer sites near the park entrance. Former campers expressed sadness at the loss of a unique vacation adventure. Now, the experience may be preserved, if a new plan is approved. The "Eastern Vista" proposal is asking the federal government to add the property as a "seaside adjunct" to Fundy National Park.

Andrea Kelter is spearheading the project. The proprietor of the Painted Whale gift shop in North Head was the Smalls' second "longstay" camper, parking her trailer there up to eight months a year for the past 15 years, and camping before that. When Kaye told her last August about the closure, she says, "I was very sad. I greatly admired Basil; I know he had a vision" for the park and the island. She appreciated the setting and likens the deepwater frontage to Forillon and Gros Morne national parks. Fearing the loss of a unique place, she says, "What you see here, you won't see elsewhere. Once it's gone, it's gone."

She knew Parks Canada had acquired environmentally sensitive areas that weren't contiguous, such as in Prince Edward Island and Kejimkujik, Nova Scotia. "I thought, 'this might work,'" and within a week she had started working on a proposal for the addition of the site to Fundy National Park.

Kelter has won awards for her previous work in marketing for large shopping centres; this is another type of marketing. "This park is a passion of mine," she says. "I'd hate to see it become a version of what's happened in some places in the USA," an overcrowded tourist trap, so "a national park is a great fit." She notes that in a 1979 proposal for a Deer Island marine park, Parks Canada identified Grand Manan as a significant area.

For her proposal, she dug into statistics about visitors travelling from Maine and Fundy National Park. She found that the average stay in New Brunswick is only two or three days; people are passing through. She believes a small but unique national park adjunct makes a compelling reason to spend one's whole visit on Grand Manan, or at least southwest New Brunswick and the Bay of Fundy, and that the long season typical of national parks would be a good reason for the summer ferry to run longer, potentially from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving.

The ninepage proposal describes the property for sale -- listed at $1.299 million -- and lists Grand Manan's features and attractions, including wildlife, fisheries, trails, ferries and services. Incorporating the campground's 2017 statistics, a 2004 University of Maine research paper on area tourism, and Fundy National Park (FNP) visitor numbers from Statistics Canada, it makes a case for great economic benefits to the island and surrounding area. The paper states that 5% of FNP's 2016 visitors coming to the Grand Manan adjunct could bring 16,375 more tourists; adding 10,000 visiting only the Grand Manan site, it extrapolates a revenue increase for Coastal Transport of over $578,000, and -- based on the university paper -- an annual tourist expenditure of over $3.7 million in food, activities and shopping.

As a consequence, the proposal argues, renewed competition for tourist dollars would lead to better infrastructure maintenance, a longer season and "a selfperpetuating circle of sustainable growth." This would benefit a community highly dependent on fishing and vulnerable to climate conditions, and a diversified and growing economy would attract new residents.

The paper goes on to project increased revenue of over $4.8 million for the province along the Fundy Coastal Drive, an incentive for cruise lines to include Grand Manan as a regular port, and an "unprecedented opportunity" for the federal government to showcase the work of its fisheries and natural resources branches in protecting ocean resources and endangered species.

Kelter pitched her idea to former Premier Frank McKenna, whom she describes as "New Brunswick's greatest living advocate" for development, and who now chairs the Advisory Council for Jobs and the Visitor Economy. He responded with advice and encouragement, stating, "The biggest single failure in Canadian tourism is the lack of authentic experiences for visitors. We are particularly targeting the more affluent travelers who are willing to pay good money for unique experiences ... your proposal would meet that objective in spades." Further support has come from the Charlotte Coastal Region Tourism Association and the Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick. The next step is to approach New Brunswick Southwest MP Karen Ludwig, Fundy Royal MP Alaina Lockhart and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.

With a federal election coming in October, Kelter acknowledges that there are a lot of issues competing for government attention, but she is optimistic because "the mandate for protection is fairly bipartisan," with a government target of 17% of Canada to be protected land by 2020. "Even if the government purchased it and did nothing for a year or two, the land would be protected," she adds.

Aided by Grand Manan Tourism Association and Chamber of Commerce President Greg Pidduck, she wants to involve provincial and municipal governments in the process as well. Given that islanders are sometimes resistant to change, especially when it's perceived as mainlandgenerated, Kelter says, "Although I am from away, this is my 20th year here. I've always worked hard at listening to what's important on Grand Manan." She adds that she has no intention of trying to change island culture. So far the response has been positive and enthusiastic, with 100 "likes" on her Facebook page's first day.

Kaye Small acknowledges that if she sold the property "to offshore people who'll put up gates," locals "would be jumping up and down" in anger, so she supports the plan. Her revamped North Head Campground and Park opens May 16 and still includes the Hole in the Wall rock formation, 14 campsites, two cabins and a trailer. "I'm happy to have [Kelter] take the initiative," Small says. "I think it's fun when someone has the energy to pursue something like that, especially when it's in harmony with the island."

For updates on the project, visit <www.facebook.com/FriendsofFundyParkWest/>.
It seems like an international variant of the Samsung Galaxy Fold will not include Samsungs Exynos processor. As most of you know, Samsungs flagship smartphones usually come in two SoC variants, the US and China get the Snapdragon-powered variant, while Europe and India get Exynos-powered Samsung flagships.

Well, according to XDA, Samsungs first foldable smartphone will break the mold. At launch, Samsung did mention that the phone will be fueled by a 7nm 64-bit octa-core processor, so it was easy to assume that the company was referring to the Snapdragon 855 64-bit octa-core processor from Qualcomm, as the Exynos 9820 is an 8nm processor.

Now, the Galaxy Fold launch took place in the US, and Samsung always mentions only US-based variants of its flagships, so it was not exactly surprising that the Exynos variant was not mentioned, and some people actually automatically assumed that the European variant will ship with the Exynos 9820. Well, according to the source, that will not happen.

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The source claims that the international variant of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which will arrive with the SM-F900F model number, will also ship with the Snapdragon 855, not the Exynos 9820. The source notes that one of its developers, deadman96385, has shared a firmware dump from the international variant of the device, and the build.prop inside it contains the same set of references that was spotted in the SM-F900U variant of the device.

Do keep in mind that the Exynos 9820 variant may still exist, even though thats unlikely, as the phones international model aimed at Europe will ship with Snapdragon 855 at least according to the provided information.

Samsungs very first foldable smartphone

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The Galaxy Fold is Samsungs very first foldable smartphone, and the device was announced alongside the Galaxy S10 series last month. Samsung did reveal quite a bit of detail when it comes to the device, but not all tidbits, as you can see.

The Galaxy Fold is made out of metal and glass, and it comes with two displays. The main display measures 7.3 inches in diagonal, while the secondary one is much smaller at 4.6 inches. The phone will ship with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, while it will not offer microSD card expansion.

The phones main display will include a rather noticeable corner notch, while the phone will include three vertically-aligned cameras on the back. When folded, the device will be quite narrow, and the device will include 10 and 8-megapixel cameras on the front. A 16-megapixel sensor is accompanied by two 12-megapixel ones on the back of the Galaxy Fold.

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This handset will ship with Android 9 Pie out of the box, with Samsungs custom software on top of it. The phone does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack, while it comes with a 4,380mAh battery and support for fast charging. The Galaxy Fold will cost almost $2,000 once it becomes available, and you can think of it as a luxury phone of sorts. This handset will be more affordable than Huaweis Mate X foldable smartphone, though, but both are extremely expensive, needless to say.
As suggested by a newly discovered patent owned by Japanese company Sharp, yet another foldable phone could be in the works on the Far East. The patent was apparently filed back in 2017 and although Sharp has so far been quiet regarding its ambitions in the segment, the company might release its foldable phone by the end of this year.

The accompanying images show a horizontally folding phone with a clamshell design. The said form factor is already popular in Sharps home country of Japan and it could be that the company is cashing in on that popularity by going for an already trending design. Furthermore, the images show that the phone has two hinges that are presumably spaced less than an inch apart. This would give the phone greater flexibility and allow it to fold at two points. So, in addition to folding the phone completely, users would also be able to bend it partially, leaving the lower part of the display visible. This could come in handy for viewing things such as notifications and time quickly without having to unfold the whole phone.

LetGoDigital has also come up with some renders based on the patent images and according to them, it seems like Sharps phone would fold perfectly, without leaving a gap in between. This would be quite an accomplishment as the foldable devices that have been revealed so far all have a discernible gap in between. Moreover, it also seems that Sharps foldable device would have a bezel-less design and the images do not show a selfie camera. Since Sharp is a venerated display maker, it could be that the company is developing its own display technology, which would not only allow the screen to bend perfectly, but camera sensors might also go beneath it, rendering a notch cutout or pinhole useless.

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On the back, there seems to be a lone camera sensor, which is quite surprising, as some companies have now moved on to a quad camera setup. However, as Google has shown with its Pixel phones, impressive results can be achieved with a single camera unit as well. Alternatively, it could be that the patent depicts an earlier design and the eventual product will look a little different. Other than that, the images also show a charging port on the bottom of the phone and three buttons on the left-hand side, the functions of which have not been detailed.

Sharps smartphone predominantly sells in Japan, with some like the Sharp Aquos D10 making their way to Europe. The company is presumably trying to increase its market share by keeping up with the latest trend in the industry. However, its worth mentioning that companies like Sharp files numerous patents each year and not all of those are acted upon. So far, only Samsung, Huawei, and Royole have released their foldable phones and others like Xiaomi and LG are seeing how things play out before jumping in.
Meng Wanzhou, the embattled Huawei Chief Financial Officer who hasnt been at her post for nearly four months now, with her prospects of returning to it looking grimmer by the day, has plenty of reasons to be displeased with her latest visit to Canada that was supposed to only take an hour or so in early December as she was switching flights on her way to Mexico, yet turned into a diplomatic incident unlike any other in recent memory.

Adding to the 47-year-olds pile of misery is a new revelation stemming from her arrest made on the request of the United States Department of Justice; as it turns out, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei and one of the key people at the worlds second-largest smartphone manufacturer with a seemingly infinite portfolio of Android devices  is quite a big Apple fan.

Canadian authorities seized a trio of devices from Ms. Meng as part of her arrest at the Vancouver International Airport: an iPhone, iPad, and a MacBook Air, a rather modest choice if such a thing exists within Apples walled ecosystem. A court filing cited by Bloomberg reveals that the devices in questions are already a subject of a rather contained dispute between Canadian prosecutors and Ms. Mengs legal team. The Chinese side is trying to obtain a copy of all contents found on the devices, presumably encrypted as Ms. Meng surely had the common sense not to have her electronics laying around unlocked. Afterward, her legal representation wants to see the three gadgets sealed, as written in their request.

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The Canadian government doesnt appear to be overly concerned with the troubled industry veterans desires, having already arranged for her devices to be handed over to the competent British Columbia Supreme Court Registry. There, authorized Ottawa officials will review whether a solicitor-client privilege Ms. Mengs defense is using as the basis for the request holds up to a sufficient degree, i.e. the one that would see the filing honored.

Ms. Meng wasnt entirely free of Huawei-made devices when she ended up being detained on suspicion of various international crimes; a Mate 20 RS Porsche Design was confiscated from her as well, with the device in question being the most powerful mobile gadget released by the Chinese firm to date, though it will be losing that title to the P30 line scheduled for a Paris launch tomorrow. Thats still a rather poor ratio of Apple-to-Huawei devices, especially for a top executive of a company known for demoting workers using iPhones. It was only last year that Huawei overtook Apple by handset shipments and sales, seizing the number two spot in the global market for the first time ever, with the Cupertino-based tech giant now being its closest rival.

As for other electronics, Canadian authorities found several SIM cards and a ScanDisk flash drive on her person.

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Her apparent admiration of Apple devices does not add much intrigue to the already endlessly curious care of Ms. Meng as she is a tough executive to a get a read on; not even her CFO tenure at Huawei is public knowledge as the Shenzen-based firm only revealed the list of its top executives back in 2011. That lack of transparency is one of the main gripes Washington holds against it, though its susceptibility to Beijings control remains the main reason preventing the company from making any progress in the U.S. market.
Verizons planned 5G home network offerings may be utterly impractical to scale and take several years to roll out, according to a new report from New York-based independent research firm MoffettNathanson LLC. The assessment follows an analysis of the carriers roll-out in Sacramento, following six months of slow progress which saw only up to six percent of homes gaining access to the network. Making matters worse, only around three percent of homes within those areas actively subscribing to the service.

According to the report, Verizons problem seems to stem from the fact that the radios it is installing  approximately 200 as of January  arent covering a wide enough area to make the roll-out profitable. In fact, the coverage of each radio appears to be much lower than expected, the firm reports.

That low rate of expansion highlights the challenges associated with growing the network, particularly as it pertains to growing the network without absorbing massive costs. Whats more, the report notes, Sacramento is not the largest city the technology is being deployed in, ranking at number 35 in the nation. So the cost-to-return ratio will almost certainly be higher in other regions.

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The costs will also be detrimental to the companys ability to gain subscribers or move consumers away from more traditional network types such as fiber optic-based connections.

Not at all a surprise

The new report comes following reports from early last month that indicated Verizon was scaling back its 5G fixed wireless broadband service until the second half of this year. At the time of the announcement, the provider stated that the move was due to a lack of standards-based 5G customer premises equipment. Summarily, the company pointed back to the start of its home 5G roll-out and the fact that its equipment, at the time, didnt comply completely with 5G New Radio (5G NR) standards.

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The analysis from experts at MoffettNathanson implies that there could be another reason for the delays as well and that shouldnt come as too much of a surprise either. As early as February 9, reports began to appear showcasing exactly how limited the roll-out had been so far after PCMag was able to get its hands on an internal map showing the coverage area for the network.

As of that earlier report, Verizons network was shown to be severely lacking, serving only a handful of neighborhoods and zones in each of its launch cities  including Houston, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles in addition to Sacramento. The service, when launched, cost users as much as $70 per month for new customers and just $20 less for current subscribers. Yet it only covered very small portions of the maps in question.

Advantage all of the competition

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The takeaway from the new report seems to be that Verizon has placed itself at a severe disadvantage almost across the board in its rush to roll out next-gen networks quickly. Companies such as Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T are focusing on mobile data networks instead and will build up home services from that.

Specifically, AT&T is expected to center its efforts in home 5G service around hotspots while Sprint and T-Mobile wont even necessarily be utilizing the same millimeter wave spectrum as Verizon. The latter company built out its initial network on the 28GHz band. Sprint and T-Mobile instead intend to utilize the wider mid-band spectrum, at least initially. That means the companies will be offering a slight reduction in speed with much greater coverage to start before broadening out on other bands.

AT&T may be at a disadvantage from a consumer perspective as well since it decided to begin rolling out advanced LTE under a 5G E branding early this year. The move was widely decried as an attempt to cash in on the 5G branding without due consideration for exactly how that would impact consumers or cause confusion around the conventions used for each successive generation of mobile networks. The 5G E service is essentially 4G while true 5G will move the measuring metric from megabits per second to gigabits per seconds  with one gigabit equalling 1,000 megabits.
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 47F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Inna Faliks: Seventy-five percent of my students at UCLA are Chinese or Chinese American. Pianists from China, after graduating from the best music schools in Europe and the United States, return home to pass on classical music traditions in their own distinct ways. This musical exchange is exponentially growing. Concert halls may remain empty in our nations cities, especially when traditional classical recitals are offered by a non-household name, but in China, playing a Beethoven or Chopin program is not boring or unhip. Chinese audiences are hungry for more.  Washington Post
With, the various brushes with death that Ive reported in this space have heretofore been experienced and survived by Mrs. T. No more: I got back on the scoreboard late last Friday night.

I was driving back to Connecticut after seeing an off-Broadway show. All at once and without warning, a freak blizzard blew up, one that was bad enough to make the roads slippery and interfere with visibility. I didnt like the way things looked, so I decided to pull over and sit it out. Just as I spotted an empty parking lot up ahead, an oncoming driver in a BMW hit a slick stretch of pavement, slithered into my lane, and knocked my rental car off the highway and into the guardrail before I could get out of his way. He stopped his car, jumped out, and ran over to me, shouting, My God, are you all right? It was my faultI know it was my fault!

Fortunately, Id already slowed down far enough that my airbag didnt deploy as a result of the collision, and I felt reasonably sure that I was unhurt. A third driver who saw the crash happening pulled off the road to make sure that we were both all right, after which he called the police, who arrived with reassuring promptitude. Having gotten a look at the front end of my car and figured out that I wouldnt be driving home, or anywhere else, I called Mrs. T to tell her what had happened and warn her not to expect me anytime soon. Three hours later, an all-night cab returned me to her in one piece, shaken but not stirred.

It happens that Id never been in an auto accident before. What surprised me most about the experience was how loud it was. The crunching sound that you hear when another car runs into you is really quite overwhelming. I was just as surprisedalbeit in the opposite waywhen, some forty-odd years ago, I found myself in the middle of a bank robbery in the course of which pistol fire was exchanged at close range. I learned that day that when a revolver goes off indoors, it sounds just like a child popping a blown-up paper bag. (Foley artists, take note!)

On the other hand, I wasnt even slightly surprised by how scared I was, or by how long it took for me to pull myself together. To be sure, I sounded calm enough as I spoke to the policemen, and I mostly thought, O.K., what do I do next? Nevertheless, it took me a good fifteen minutes, if not more, to stop shaking, and even though I was home and in bed by four-thirty, I found it impossible to fall asleep until well after sunrise. And while I wasnt injured in any way, I was startlednot to mention amusedto see that a clump of my gray hair had fallen out and spread itself all over my black sweater. Since nothing had hit my head during the crash, I can only conclude that a massive rush of adrenalin loosens your hair at the roots.

In case youre wondering, my life didnt flash before my eyes as I bounced off the guardrail, though I did spend a fair amount of the weekend that followed thinking about how grateful I am to be alive. Im pleased to report, too, that I seem not to have sustained any lingering post-traumatic stress. I took Saturday off, but by Sunday I felt like writing again, so I knocked out Fridays Wall Street Journal drama column, followed by this posting.

Be all this as it may, nobody has to tell me that luck, if thats what you care to call it, was with me that night. As they say in the movies, Im not a praying man, but a close friend of mine who is a cantor sent me a Jewish prayer of thanksgiving the next day that is, she explained, meant to be recited after escaping danger: Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the world, who rewards the undeserving with goodness and who has rewarded me with goodness. Ill sign that.

* * *

Red Asphalt, a 1960 driver training film about auto accidents produced by the California Highway Patrol:
Singapore crossed 41 per cent during April and December 2018 to nearly USD 13 billion.

Singapore leapfrogged Mauritius to become Indias largest source of Foreign Direct Investment months before the countrys double tax avoidance agreement with Singapore came into force. Singapore toppled Mauritius, as FDI in equity from Singapore crossed 41 per cent during April and December 2018 to nearly USD 13 billion, while FDI from Mauritius slipped 55 per cent from a year back to only USD 6 billion, displayed the latest official data, the Financial Express reported.

Indias total equity FDI inflows rose up 23 per cent significantly during the first quarter, but slowed down subsequently, and slipped 7 per cent to USD 33.5 billion during the same period. The inflows are stated to register a drop in FY19  first annual drop in the current Modi era  unless the last quarter registers a huge recovery.

Intriguingly, at USD 6.06 billion, chemical FDI inflows sparring fertilizers during the first three quarters of 2018-19 toppled those into financial and other services ( USD 5.92 billion), computer software and hardware ( USD 4.75 billion), telecommunications (USD 2.29 billion), trading (USD 2.34 billion) and automobiles (USD 1.81 billion). The chemicals sector lured only USD 1.3 billion during the whole 2017-18 year, reported the Financial Express.

Speaking of Indias FDI locations, India modified its 33 year tax pact with Mauritius during May 2016, and updated it with Singapore in December 2018 to close the gaps exploited by companies in tax havens to avoid legal taxes.

The report states, the agreements will be applicable from April 2019 after a two year changing period during which capital gains on transfer of Indian shares procured from April 2017 are being taxed at 50 per cent of the domestic rate. Post April 1, 2019, full domestic capital gains tax will be effective.

Inflows from Mauritius have slumped, after the advantages of tax haven are yet to kick off. Although, since Singapore has a strong and evenly transparent financial system with smoother access to funds at cheaper costs, several foreign companies with interest in India feel reluctant to invest through Singapore than Mauritius, stated analysts, reported the Financial Express.

However Singapore had also overthrown Mauritius as the top source of FDI into India in 2015-16 (only to give away the top rank in the next year), the gap in their investments was never as huge as during 2018 and 2019.

Previously, the share of Mauritius in cumulative FDI inflows into India from April 2000 has declined slowly over the years from as big as 42 per cent on March 2011 to 32 per cent on December 2018; while Singapores cumulative FDI sky rocketed to 19 from 9 per cent during the same period, the Financial Express reported.

The fall in overall FDI inflows this year could add pressure on the rupee; however a decline in oil prices in recent months has brought down the pressure of trade balance, the largest part of Indias current account.

Previously, current account deficit slipped to 2.9 per cent of GDP during July and September 2018-19 from 2.4 per cent during the previous quarter.

(With agency inputs)
In this context, Governor Shaktikanta Das said he would meet the heads of payments bank this week.

New Delhi: In a bid to change the market dynamics of the banking and financial sectors, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon come up with alternative models of lending and capital raising for the sectors.

In this context, Governor Shaktikanta Das said he would meet the heads of payments bank this week. I will be meeting heads of payments banks later this week to understand their issues. Though the spheres of banking technology and trade finance have been commendable, alternative models of lending and capital raising are coming up and have the potential to change the market dynamics of traditional lenders and the role of traditional intermediaries.

RBI has undertaken a detailed consultation process with them and discussed issues. I have already started a process of very active engagement with stakeholders and players like banks, cooperative lenders, NBFCs and various other stakeholders who are supposed to play these kind of roles, Das said while speaking at an event organised by NITI Aayog in the capital.

Das on Monday also met Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, and is learnt to have discussed the current economic situation, ahead of the first bi-monthly monetary policy for 2019-20.

As a new layer in the banking system, as many as seven payments banks have commenced operations after the first set of licences was issued in 2015.

Das has mentioned the emergence of alternative fund raising and lending models like crowd funding and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending in the country.

Crowd-funding, which entails raising external finance from a large group of investors, is at a very nascent stage in India, he said. The peer-to-peer lending, for which RBI has issued Master Direction in October 2017, has the potential to improve access to finance for small and medium enterprises. Eleven entities have been licensed to operate P2P platform, he added.

Das further said the RBI has granted licences and permitted seven purely digital loan companies (NBFCs) to commence operations. Although they are purely digital players operating through mobile applications, we have ensured that they have at least one physical presence for customers to reach out to in case of need, he said.

Appreciating the role of fintech companies, the governor said these can widen financial inclusion in India by reducing costs and making formal financial services accessible to a large number of people.

He said there has been a focused effort to develop a proper national payments infrastructure and technology platforms like Immediate Payments Service, Unified Payments Interface, Bharat Interface for Money, Bharat Bill Pay System or Aadhaar-enabled Payment System.

This has changed the retail payments scenario of the country. The total volume of retail electronic payments witnessed about nine-fold increase over the last five years, he added.
Sanjay Dutt plays the merciless nemesis of Ranbir in the project.

Mumbai: After wrapping her Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff starrer, Vaani Kapoor began shooting for Ranbir Kapoor starrer, Shamshera.

Vaani is known to be a great dancer but for this role, she is set to challenge her dancing skills and push her limits as an artist. She needs to be extremely proficient in several classical dancing styles to be able to pull off the intricate choreography that is being set for her. Vaani has been honing her dancing skills by learning Kathak for a few months now and she has been pulling in hours daily to perfect her dancing and body postures.

Vaani Kapoor says, Since Shamshera is set in a particular time, the dance sequences require me to have a very Indian, very classical body language, which is why I started taking kathak classes to learn the nuances and the grace. Karan specifically wanted me to adapt to a more traditional Indian dance form and break from the western style to do justice to the choreography that is being set for me.

YRFs larger-than-life entertainer will have jaw-dropping action sequences and Ranbir Kapoor in a never seen before avatar. Sanjay Dutt plays the merciless nemesis of Ranbir in the project.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi already giving to poor much more than what Congress promises, asserted Jaitley.

New Delhi: Barely four hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi promised an income guarantee scheme to remove poverty from the country, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley questioned Congresss final assault on poverty.

"The latest announcement of the Congress Party if tested on simple arithmetic then 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress Party - A bluff announcement", said Jaitley.

No political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress Party. It gave people of India slogans & very little resources to implement them. However, PM Narendra Modi has already given the poor what Congress promises, said Jaitley.

Nehruvian model stagnated growth. Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of Garibi Hatao in 1971 and just redistributed poverty. The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance & economic model of the Congress Party, added Jaitley.

Today most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000 month. The minimum starting salary in government after the 7th pay commission is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42 per cent, said Jaitley.

In the last 5 years, the govt. headed by PM Narendra Modi introduced DBT through banks. Besides subsidies for food, fertilizer, kerosene, 55 Ministries handed over subsidies to the poor through the DBT which was enabled by AADHAAR, said Jaitley.

Jaitley said the addition of expenses made by the government on the various welfare schemes to contend that the PM Narendra Modi-led BJP governments welfare benefits to people averaged Rs 1,06,800 annually, in comparison to Rs 72,000 that Rahul Gandhi promised.
Indigenously built Desi Bofors gun system based on designs of Bofors howitzer.

Dhanush artillery guns have a maximum strike range of around 36 km depending upon the ammunition being used.

New Delhi: At a time when heavy artillery is being used at the Indo-Pak border, the Indian Army on Tuesday will receive its first batch of indigenously built Dhanush artillery guns, often called the Desi Bofors.

The chairman of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) will hand over the first batch of six Dhanush artillery guns to Central Ordnance Depot Jabalpur. The 155mm x 45 calibre artillery guns will be deployed mainly at the border with Pakistan and China.

These guns have a maximum strike range of around 36 km depending upon the ammunition being used.

Gun Carriage Factory has been given the bulk production clearance (BPC) for manufacturing 114 Dhanush guns.

Significantly, the Dhanush gun system is based on the designs of the Bofors howitzer.

The purchase of Bofors guns in the 1980s included the technology transfer to OFB. Due to Bofors and other scandals for many years, India was unable to acquire or import foreign artillery guns, after which the OFB started work on the Dhanush guns. The OFB has upgraded the 39-calibre of the original Bofors to 45-calibre in Dhanush to increase its strike range.

The induction of Dhanush guns will add to the firepower of the Indian Army.

The Pakistan Army has been using heavy artillery guns to target Indian posts and civilian areas after tensions between the two country heightened after the Pulwama attack.

The Indian Army, too, has been retaliating with heavy artillery Bofors gun to target Pakistans Army posts.

Dhanush has been mechanically upgraded to fire standard Nato 155 mm ammunition and can accommodate the bi-modular charge system which has resulted in increasing the range. It has also been electronically upgraded to enhance the firing accuracies and to provide compatibility with various kinds of ammo as well.

The self-propulsion unit allows the gun to negotiate and deploy itself in mountainous terrains with ease.
The scheme would be a part of the Congress manifesto which will be released on April 2 here.

New Delhi: Leaning on welfare economics in a bid to return to power in Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Monday announced its ambitious minimum income guarantee scheme. or Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay), under which 20 per cent of the poorest families in India would be given an income support of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per annum, benefiting about five crore households, or about 25 crore family members.

The scheme would be a part of the Congress manifesto which will be released on April 2 here.

The time for change has come, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi as he announced the scheme after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country, he said, adding each family that earns less than `12,000 per month would be compensated with a maximum of up to `6,000 per month. The money would be transferred to the bank account of a woman family member.

Terming the scheme as historic even in the global context, Mr Gandhi said, It has been worked out that a total of five crore families or 25 crore individuals will directly benefit from the scheme.

It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme, he said.

The Congress president also said that an expert committee would be formed for implementation of the programme if the party is voted to power.

He said that the scheme would be the final assault on poverty and a kind of part II of the UPA governments flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or the Mgnrega.

Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Gandhi said, If PM Modi can give `350,000 crore to Indias richest, then we can do the same for Indias poorest.

Narendra Modi is creating two Indias in the country and we will not allow two Indias and will be only one India. There will be no two Indias, he said.

Saying that the poor have suffered in the last five years, the Congress president said, We are going to provide justice to them.

Nyay is likely to entail an annual expenditure of `360,000 crore, which is six times the outlay for Mgnrega in 2018-19  `55,000 crore. The bulk of money to be disbursed under Nyay would go to rural India which accounted for 16.87 crore households in 2011.

The Congress chief termed it a historic day, and tweeted, 5 crore of the poorest families in India, will receive `72,000 per year. #NyayForIndia is our dream and our pledge. The time for change has come.

The contours of the scheme have been worked out by top economists and experts, led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former finance minister P. Chidambaram, and all fiscal repercussions have been taken into consideration, he said.

The scheme was first announced by Mr Gandhi at a political rally last month and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is understood to have given the name Nyay to it at the last CWC in Ahmedabad.

Asked about the resources for the ambitious scheme, Mr Gandhi said, Remember that in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, I had promised that in 10 days farmers will be given a loan waiver. I am promising you today that justice will be done. First a pilot project will be run then scheme will run.

Head of Congress data analytics department Pravin Chakrabarty, who has been a part of the core group along with Mr Chidambaram and head of research department Rajiv Gowda, told this newspaper that the figure of `12,000 per month as the benchmark had been arrived at following research into the income distribution data and socio-economic data which shows that poorest families earn somewhere between `5,000 to `6,000 per month.

He said that a group of economists, sociologists and policy experts worked on the concept over the last five months and arrived at the proposed scheme.

We are offering the people of India a new social contract and this is very much doable, he said.

Mr Chakravarty said that the implementation model of the Nyay would be a federal one just like the Mgnrega and the Centre and states would share equal burden.

According to him, the minimum income guarantee programme was also an effort to remonetise the economy which had suffered massively following demonetisation. As more money would be pumped in, the buying power of people would increase and the economy would kick-start again.

Mr Chakravarthy said that the first phase of the scheme which would target the bottom 20 per cent of the poor would be implemented in two years.

Sources said the minimum income guarantee scheme proposed by the Congress after Mondays CWC meet is not the first time the party has mulled over it.

Way back in 1938 when Subhash Chandra Bose was the party president, the AICC session in Haripura, Gujarat had discussed it and a separate committee to work out the contours had been formed under the leadership of none other than Late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. However, the rough and tumble of the Quit India Movement and later political happenings saw the matter getting buried.

A good 80 years later though Mr Nehrus great grandson has now proposed one of the most ambitious welfare programmes of the world, they said.
There is also a buzz that Mr Vaghelas son and former Congress MLA Mahendrasinh Vaghela could join the BJP.

Ahmedabad: Will Gujarat former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, now with the NCP, take on BJP president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar? This was the topic of discussion in political circles here on Monday, with participants debating the chances of a high-profile electoral battle taking place.

Mr Vaghela, popularly known as Bapu, had won this seat in 1989 as a BJP candidate.

It is wish of the party workers as only Bapu can give Amit Shah a tough fight. Party workers have proposed his name for this seat, said state NCP leader and MLA Jayant Patel.

He also said that an alliance with the Congress was possible in Gujarat. Talks are going on for an alliance at the top level, he said. The two parties had formed an alliance in the 2014 elections, and the NCP had contested from Porbandar.

Gujarat votes in the third phase on April 24.

The Congress is yet to name its candidate for Gandhinagar. It is learnt that the party is reworking its strategy after the announcement of Mr Shahs nomination.

The party had almost finalised Gandhinagar MLA C.J. Chawda for the seat but is also considering fielding a strong Patel leader.

Mr Vaghela has denied that he would be contesting. I have made it clear that I am not going to fight this election, he said. Many believe that Bapu, being an unpredictable political leader, can spring a surprise at any time.

There is also a buzz that Mr Vaghelas son and former Congress MLA Mahendrasinh Vaghela could join the BJP. If it happens, it would be a huge embarrassment for the veteran. Mr Mahendrasinh Vagela left the Congress along with Bapu during the high-voltage Rajya Sabha election of 2017. He joined the BJP after that for a short time against his fathers wishes but resigned later. He may rejoin the ruling party to secure his political future.

It was speculated that the BJP would give Mr Mahendrasinh Vaghela the Sabarkantha

Lok Sabha ticket, but since the BJP has announced its candidate there is a question mark over his joining the BJP. Mr Mahendrasinh Vaghela was not available for comment.

Many believe that the real reason behind the buzz of Bapus possible fight against Mr Shah could be related to the political moves of his son.
'Country is important for me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JD(S) and I won't do the same,' Kumaraswamy said.

Earlier on Sunday, Kumaraswamy had slammed Congress Lok Sabha member SP Muddahanumegowda for 'unnecessarily' creating disturbance in the state ahead of the polls. (Photo: ANI)

Bengaluru: Amid signs of rift, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that a few leaders of coalition partner Congress are creating hurdles for candidates of his party JD(S) ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

"Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let Janata Dal (Secular) workers do the same. The country is important for me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JD(S) workers and I won't do the same for 20 seats allocated to Congress in alliance with us," Kumaraswamy told media persons at Mandya.

Earlier on Sunday, Kumaraswamy had slammed Congress Lok Sabha member SP Muddahanumegowda for unnecessarily creating disturbance in the state ahead of the polls.

Speaking to ANI, Kumaraswamy had said, We all are fighting unitedly but a few people are unnecessarily creating a disturbance for their personal gains.

"It is Congress' responsibility to sort out its own issues," he had said.

On March 23, JD(S) confirmed that former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda will contest from Tumkur, one of eight Lok Sabha seats conceded to JD(S) as a part of the seat-sharing arrangement with Congress in Karnataka.

His comments came a day after Muddahanumegowda announced that he will file his nomination as the Congress candidate from the Tumkur seat.

Of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Congress will contest 20 seats and JD(S) eight.

On March 19, Kumaraswamy had said Congress and JD(S) will be fighting together to prevent BJP from making strides in the state.

Karnataka will go to polls during the second and third phases of the seven-stage elections on April 18 and April 23, respectively. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP had won 17 seats in Karnataka while Congress bagged nine seats and JD(S) two.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.
Punta Cana abuts the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is known for its 32-km-stretch of beaches and clear waters.

Sundeep Bhutoria (left) with Leonel Fernandez (right), former President of the Dominican Republic and newly elected president of WFUNA at the 42nd WFUNA Plenary Assembly in Punta Cana.

After 20 hours of flight, 17 hours in transit and a four-hour drive from the capital, Santo Domingo, I reached a picturesque paradise city called Punta Cana on the easternmost tip of Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic, not to be confused with Dominica in West Indies, is a Caribbean nation which forms an island called Hispaniola with its neighbouring country, Haiti. These are part of a series of islands known as the Greater Antilles. Area-wise it is the second largest Caribbean nation after Cuba. The capital, Santo Domingo, named after patron Saint Dominic, has a population of about 30 lakhs.

Punta Cana abuts the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is known for its 32-km-stretch of beaches and clear waters. The Bavaro area and Punta Cana combine to form the Coconut Coast  an area of lavish, all-inclusive resorts. It is popular for zip-lining, windsurfing, kayaking and sailing.

I spent a few hours at the J W Marriott Hotel in Santo Domingo. This hotel was awarded the best luxury city hotel in the Americas by Trip Advisors 2017 Travellers Choice Awards.

This was the first time I visited the Dominican Republic and my main agenda was to attend the 42nd WFUNA Plenary Assembly being hosted in Punta Cana in October. Every three years WFUNA Plenary Assembly brings together representatives from over 70 United Nations Associations from all over the world. The plenary session was preceded by a seminar on Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies as well as capacity-building sessions on a variety of topics.

At the plenary, Leonel Fernandez, a former President of the Dominican Republic, was elected the new WFUNA president. Ambassador Park Soo-Gil of Korea passed on the baton to Mr Fernandez after serving as president .It was nice to meet them both in person during the sessions. I had a meeting with the new president of WFUNA and presented him with a portrait of Mother Teresa. I did met him before when he visited India as the President of the Dominic Republic few years back.

The Third WFUNA Global Youth Forum was also held in conjunction with the plenary assembly at the Palms Beach Hotel of Punta Cana. The hotel brags a gorgeous convention centre and 500 rooms and suites with stunning views.

The Dominican Republic was under Spanish rule for 300 years and declared independence in 1821. It was occupied by the US between 1916 and 1924 (for eight years). Since 1996, the Dominican Republic moved towards representative democracy. In the past 20 years, the country has had one of the fastest growing economies in the Americas. Recent growth has been due to construction, manufacturing, tourism and mining.

I visited an Indian restaurant, Pranama, located at Bavaro in Punta Cana. Pranama, owned and run by Krishna and Maria, is the only restaurant in the Dominican Republic serving authentic Indian cuisine. It was a pleasure to meet Maria, with whom I was in touch with before my trip over email and phone. I was very touched during our email correspondence, only that as she had very kindly offered that if I had a problem finding time to go to her restaurant, she will be happy to send my dal/roti to the resort as well.

In my overseas visits, I come across many Indians whose Indianism and love and care for Indians has touched my heart, Marias husband, Krishna is, of course, one of them.

Pranama restaurant in Punta Cana

Maria and Krishna met each other in Switzerland while studying Hospitality Management in a well-known school and they were good friends. After completing their studies, Krishna came back to his hometown in Hyderabad and then visited Punta Cana to meet Maria for his holidays. Krishna has fallen in love with this place. When he visited Maria for his holidays they both decided to get married. Krishna loved Punta Cana so much that he decided to stay there and that gave birth to this beautiful Indian restaurant Pranama. I have not only enjoyed the food at Pranama but also was impressed with the decor of the restaurant.

The credit for the interior decor goes to Marias mother, who did all the paintings herself. The decor of the restaurant is a reflection of Indian art and culture. Indian motifs and pictures of Indian gods and goddesses further enhanced the Indianness of the place.

Krishna always had a special touch and feeling for cooking and he further honed his skills working for almost 10 years in the Swiss restaurant industry. He very well knows how to balance the flavours for non-Indians. The couple, together cook vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The Pranama restaurant has a real tandoor where they make all kinds of tandoori dishes, including naans. Apart from the restaurant, the couple also runs catering services, especially for Indian weddings in the hotels nearby.

I was very impressed by Marias knowledge about India and Indian cuisine. Maria also took me around to show me Punta Cana and I never felt that this was the first time I was meeting her.

As far as the Indian community in Punta Cana is concerned, apart from Krishna, there are two other Indians, one has a tour operator agency and the other is a chef working for a five-star hotel.

As Punta Cana is also emerging as a marriage destination for NRIs settled in North America, I am sure in a couple of years Punta Cana will host many big fat Indian weddings.

Before coming to Punta Cana, on the way I met Amit Shah, who is one of the very few Indians to come and settle at Juan Dolio, a small beach town located an hours drive from the capital city of Santo Domingo, some 18 years ago. Juan Dolio, with a 10-km white sand beach, is a weekenders throng.

I had quite a few meetings notably with Fernando Gonzales Nicholas, the first honorary consul of India in the Dominican Republic and the newly appointed honorary consul of India, Antonio Lama.

During my evening with Maria, I told her that you have an Indian restaurant in a city of three-and-a-half Indians; as there are three Indians in the city and since she is married to an Indian, she is half-Indian as well.

The Dominican Republic is a tropical paradise, all sun, sand and sea. An ideal place to unwind and host events.

The writer is a social and cultural activist based in Kolkata, and a frequent international traveller
Mother Russia: South Florida sees a boom in 'birth tourism'.

Miami: Every year, hundreds of pregnant Russian women travel to the United States to give birth so that their child can acquire all the privileges of American citizenship. They pay anywhere from $20,000 to sometimes more than $50,000 to brokers who arrange their travel documents, accommodations and hospital stays, often in Florida.

While the cost is high, their children will be rewarded with opportunities and travel advantages not available to their Russian countrymen. The parents themselves may benefit someday as well.

And the decidedly un-Russian climate in South Florida and the posh treatment they receive in the maternity wards  unlike dismal clinics back home  can ease the financial sting and make the practice seem more like an extended vacation.

The Russians are part of a wave of birth tourists that includes sizable numbers of women from China and Nigeria. President Donald Trump has spoken out against the provision in the US Constitution that allows birthright citizenship and has vowed to end it, although legal experts are divided on whether he can actually do that.

Although there have been scattered cases of authorities arresting operators of birth tourism agencies for visa fraud or tax evasion, coming to the US to give birth is fundamentally legal. Russians interviewed by The Associated Press said they were honest about their intentions when applying for visas and even showed signed contracts with doctors and hospitals.

There are no figures on how many foreign women travel to the US specifically to give birth. The Center for Immigration Studies, a group that advocates for stricter immigration laws, estimated that in 2012, about 36,000 foreign-born women gave birth in the US, then left the country.

The Russian contingent is clearly large. Anton Yachmenev of the Miami Care company that arranges such trips told the AP that about 150 Russian families a year use his service, and that there are about 30 such companies just in the area.

South Florida is popular among Russians not only for its tropical weather but also because of the large Russian-speaking population. Sunny Isles Beach, a city just north of Miami, is even nicknamed Little Moscow.
In both constituencies, the rebels would make the way difficult for the Sena candidate and the BJP candidate.

Mumbai: Suvendra Gandhi, a son of disgruntled sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Dilip Mansukhlal Gandhi from Ahmednagar, has taken a decision to rebel against the party. Addressing a workers meeting, Suvendra Gandhi said, We need to contest the Lok Sabha election at any cost.

Suvendra Gandhi told The Asian Age, I am fighting this election as an independent candidate but as a chowkidar and a worker of the BJP.

In the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat too, another rebellion has taken place in the saffron fold. The Sena had fielded Sadashiv Lokhande from the seat but Bhausaheb Wakchaure from the BJP had rebelled against Mr Lokhande saying that the Sena candidate was inactive in the constituency and the people of Shirdi were demanding that he should contest the election.

In both constituencies, the rebels would make the way difficult for the Sena candidate and the BJP candidate.

Asked about his defeat in the Ahmednagar council election, Suvendra Gandhi said that victory and defeat are a part and parcel of elections. Veteran leaders had been defeated in the past and later they won the election. My father has served the constituency thrice in the past. He had given 68 candidates in the Ahmednagar council election. We have improved our performance in the council, he said.

The independent candidate also raised the question of importing Congress leaders into the BJP fold and said that if the party replaced Sujay Vikhe-Patil, the son of a veteran Congress leader, and he would take back his decision to contest the election.

Fighting for his fathers honour, Suvendra Gandhi said that the party had not given a ticket to the veteran leader, who had been working day in day out since 1972. And the party decided directly to give a ticket to a new entrant who has never contested a gram panchayat election.

The party leadership should have taken a meeting with local leaders and workers before taking in Sujay, he said.
In a video that went viral on social media, Mr Danve said, Pakistan has killed 40 terrorists, and there was an uproar in the entire nation.

Mumbai: The state BJP president Raosaheb Danve landed himself in yet another controversy. While addressing a meeting in Solapur on Monday, Mr Danve had an embarrassing slip up when he said that there was uproar in the country when Pakistan killed Indias 40 terrorists in Pulwama.

In a video that went viral on social media, Mr Danve said, Pakistan has killed 40 terrorists, and there was an uproar in the entire nation.

On trying to contact Mr Danve for the same, he remained unavailable.

After his speech the Opposition party expressed their criticism against Mr Danve on various social media platform. The official twitter account of Congress stated, After using slang word (sale) for farmers who feeds the country, now labelling soldiers as terrosists who have sacrificed their lives for the country, Mr Danve has lost his sense.

Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, The one who can calls jawans as a terrorist and accuse farmers using words like sale, he can only be called a demon and not human. Ive demanded immediate removal of Mr Danve from the post of president.

He further said, Its a tradition of BJP to humiliate our jawans, Mr Modi had also earlier said that businessmen takes more risk than our Jawans. Apart from that, BJPs MLA has also used filthy language for our forces.

Mr Sawant also stated, Mr Danve has been an history-sheeter, he spoke about the Lakshmi darshan to voters in terms of bribe. Few days back Mr Danve said, give me votes and Ill give you money. Such people do not deserve to remain in party.

In 2017 too, Mr Danve had stirred the hornets nest when he reportedly said that farmer continued to complain despite the state government doling out sops to bail out tur growers.
Playing the traditional Chinese waiting game to wear out, exasperate and exhaust the rival, opponent or critic.

Chinas ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui has once again has done well for his country by suggesting during a Holi Milan function hosted by his embassy on March 17 that China fully understood Indias concerns on the Masood Azhar issue. Further, by expressing confidence that the issue, regarding the proposal for the UN Security Councils listing of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist would be resolved soon, Mr Zhaohui bowled a perfect googly to deflect the seriousness of the issue and deflate and defuse the (temperamental) passions of an inherently innocent, flexible and gullible India. Mr Luo surely gauged New Delhi well, having read the psyche and studied the contours of the election-mode domestic polity. Playing the traditional Chinese waiting game to wear out, exasperate and exhaust the rival, opponent or critic.

Indeed, Mr Luo does possess the required professional skill and diplomatic acumen to come out unscathed from difficult foreign stations to tackle the noisy, yet harmless, free press of Indian democracys equally harmless (though occasionally cacophonic) public opinion, which is historically benign, benevolent, and forgiving to foreigners, unlike the domestic audience of the Chinese diplomat.

Thus, it must have been a memorable experience for Mr Luo to get a ringside view of momentous happenings in, and from, Pakistan, during his ambassadorial tenure in Islamabad (March 2007 to June 2010). This was when Gen. Pervez Musharraf was forced to hand over the baton of Army Chief (after being there from October 6, 1999) to Gen. Parvez Kayani on November 27, 2007; the Benazir Bhutto assassination of December 27, 2007; the Mumbai mayhem of 26/11/2008, perpetrated by the Pakistani military-militant-mullah-mosque quad; and Asif Ali Zardari becoming the biggest beneficiary of his wifes murder by the Army-ISI duo!

Without doubt, therefore, Mr Luo is a Pakistan expert with a vast knowledge and deep connection with the Army-ISI duo owing to his countrys all-weather friendship with lslamabad. Besides, Mr Luos subsequent stint as ambassador to Canada  May 2014 to August 2016  too must have had given him insight on Huaweis and its CFOs, Meng Wanzhous (presently on bail), operations, which now seems to have created an unprecedented Sino-Canadian-American diplomatic-cum-politico-commerce crisis.

Mr Luo has been in India since September 2016 and he already has seen several situations. Gurudaspur, Pathankot, Doklam, Pulwama and Balakot. Understandably, his eyes today are firmly glued to Bhutan. First, to open a diplomatic mission and then follow up with the ultimate political mission: to grab more South Asian territory. China forcibly occupied Tibet; grabbed the Aksai Chin on the sly; physically penetrated PoK/Gilgit-Baltistan to access the sea; will not accept a solution to the Sino-Indian border; almost created havoc in Doklam; made an absurd claim of an entire sea as its own territory, and now shows the desperation to connect Beijing with the Bay of Bengal, thereby breaking the monotonous dependence of the vast swathe of landlocked terrain in middle-Central Asia on South Asian gateways to the sea. The Chinese ambassador aspires for access to both; eastern and western waterfronts of South Asia, thereby reducing time, expenditure and distance for the movement of men and material to the sea and back to the remote Chinese mainland. Thereafter, Mr Luo could well claim unprecedented credit for opening the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar, along with five to six Bay of Bengal ports of at least two South Asian nations. Routing through landlocked Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and the eastern and northeastern states of India, that happen to be favourable hunting grounds for the Chinese Communist Party since its birth.

Mr Luo, therefore, is well aware as to what it takes for India to take on the Sino-Pak axis across its entire land frontier, compounded further by the aggressive Chinese penetration into Indias economics, finance, commerce, industry and polity; all in the guise of mutual benefit, shared prosperity, a win-win situation, even if there is none.

One question here. Why is China paying huge amounts of cash to certain individuals and institutions? To buy them over? To black out adverse news on China? To mislead Indian public opinion? To achieve the ultimate gameplan of breaking India as planned by the Communist Party of China since long, which hates competition and believes in monopoly in everything? From polity to economics? Religious repression to suppressing the voices of disagreement and dissension?

Coming back to the public Holi Milan diplomacy of Mr Luo, assuring his Indian guests that the terrorist issue will be resolved soon, one is compelled to quote media reports wherein Mr Luo himself had said two years ago, on March 22, 2017, a few months after assuming office in India: Discussions on for listing Masood Azhar, just wait  says the Chinese ambassador. Mr Luo told reporters on the sidelines of the China visa application service centre inauguration ceremony in Delhi. China supports India and other countries on terrorism. Discussions going on. It takes time, Mr Luo said and advised Indian media to focus more on positive cooperation between India and China, thus implying that the Indian media was unfocused. Thats the Chinese ambassadors obstinacy and insensitivity towards the Indian media and India itself! That was two years ago. Have things changed?

The parting shot of Mr Luo, in March 2017, on being asked by the media about Chinas opposition to Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, was: Its the same, discussions going on. It was a clear signal that he was not interested in answering any unscripted questions.

Incidentally, the same day when Mr Luo was trying to acclimatise in Delhi on March 22, 2017, Indias then foreign secretary, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, was in Beijing to co-chair a China-India strategic dialogue with the neighbouring countrys vice foreign minister Zhang Yesui in which the Masood Azhar issue was discussed.

It may well be asked why I am being alarmist and taking divergence, instead of convergence, in Sino-Indian bilaterals? The answer lies in the question itself. I find there are innumerable convergence takers of the Chinese version, who tend to be extraordinarily optimistic, and virtually none to point out that there is the other side of the divergence story too. Its good to be optimistic, but its also essential to focus on divergence, and the unfolding scenario around us.

It is worth analysing Chinas on-ground actions in the Indias Northeast and the eastern state of West Bengal, which were devastated by the Chinese brand of communism (masterminded by Beijing) from 1967 to the early 1980s. I understand a sizeable number of Nepalese too have real-life stories to tell on the Communist Party of Chinas shenanigans. I, therefore, am convinced that if the earlier destruction had affected the entire Northeast, West Bengal, and a landlocked Nepal, tomorrow will definitely be the turn of Bhutan and the rest of India, under the guise of convergence. The majority of Indians are by and large simple, gullible and easily winnable with (deceptive) sweet words. They cannot decipher the Chinese pictographic language, psyche, and global targets. Indians rarely try to fathom the overall Chinese strategy, being benignly indifferent, as in the past.
However, it is not confirmed whether the arrested man is the cleric who performed their marriage.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of 'influential' men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering nationwide outrage. (Photo: File/ Representational Image)

Lahore: A man has been arrested in Pakistan for allegedly assisting in solemnising the wedding of two Hindu minor girls, who were reportedly abducted and forcefully converted to Islam, as the teenagers approached a court in the country's Punjab province seeking protection.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering nationwide outrage.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a probe into the issue. According to Geo TV, the teenagers approached a court in Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province seeking protection.

"Police have arrested a man from Khanpur who is suspected to have assisted in the nikah (marital contract) of the girls," it said. However, it is not confirmed whether the arrested man is the cleric who performed their marriage.

Earlier, there were reports that the cleric who performed the minor girls' marriage was arrested from Khanpur in Sindh.

Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a prominent Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, said he would present a resolution in the National Assembly in its next session demanding an end to forced conversions.

The draft resolution demands that the most unfortunate incidents of kidnappings and forced conversions must be condemned unanimously by all honourable members of Parliament.

"The bill against forced conversions which was unanimously passed by Sindh Assembly in 2016 and then reverted due to the pressure of extremist elements, must be resurrected and passed in the Assembly on the priority basis," says the draft resolution.

The resolution would seek strict action against controversial religious elements for supporting such inhuman practice.

A war of words broke out between India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry over the reported abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of the two Hindu teenagers.

The spat started soon after Swaraj sought details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the reported abduction of two Hindu teenaged girls.

Swaraj, while tagging a media report about the incident, tweeted that she has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on the matter.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry responded to her tweet, saying it was his country's "internal issue".

In a Twitter post in Urdu on Sunday, Chaudhry said the prime minister has asked the Sindh chief minister to look into reports that the girls in question have been taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab.

He said the prime minister has also ordered the Sindh and Punjab governments to devise a joint action plan in light of the incident, and to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his party's agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

Rights activist Jibran Nasir tweeted that the sisters were converted at the Dargah Barchundi Sharif and were taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab following their marriages.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province. According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages to take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.
Top foreign affairs official for Syria's semi-autonomous Kurdish region warned ISIS members captured during assault still posed threat.

People flee as heavy smoke rises above the ISIS group's last remaining position in Syria. (Photo: AFP)

Baghouz: Dozens of ISIS group militants emerged from tunnels to surrender to US-backed forces in eastern Syria on Sunday, a day after their "caliphate" was declared defeated.

Syria's Kurds warned that despite the demise of the proto-state, the thousands of foreign militants they have detained are a time-bomb the world urgently needs to defuse.

An AFP reporter saw dozens of people -- mostly men -- file out of the battered encampment in the remote village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border to board pickup trucks.

"They are IS fighters who came out of tunnels and surrendered today," Kurdish spokesman Jiaker Amed said.

Some sported thick beards and wore long woollen kaftans over their dark-coloured robes, or a chequered scarf around their faces, as they trudged out of their final hideout under the drizzle.

"Some others could still be hiding inside," said Amed.

World leaders were quick to hail Saturday's announcement by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that the last shred of land controlled by ISIS in Syria had been conquered.

But the top foreign affairs official for the country's semi-autonomous Kurdish region warned the members captured during the assault still posed a threat.

"There are thousands of fighters, children and women and from 54 countries, not including Iraqis and Syrians, who are a serious burden and danger for us and for the international community," Abdel Karim Omar told AFP.

"Numbers increased massively during the last 20 days of the Baghouz operation," he said.

He also warned of the continuing danger posed by ISIS sleeper cells.

The SDF is continuing to carry out operations to rout out any remaining terrorists in the area and uncover possible weapons caches.

"This back-clearance operation will be deliberate and thorough and help ensure the long-term security for the area," the US-led coalition backing the SDF wrote on Twitter.

"Future terrorists"

As the SDF's months-long assault closed in against the last ISIS strongholds in the Euphrates Valley, terrorists and their families gradually gathered in Baghouz.

While some managed to escape, many foreigners stayed behind, either surrendering or fighting to the death.

According to the SDF, 66,000 people left the last ISIS pocket since January, including 5,000 militants and 24,000 of their relatives.

The assault was paused multiple times as the force allowed people to evacuate from the enclave on the banks of the Euphrates.

The SDF have screened droves of people scrambling out of Baghouz in recent weeks, detaining suspected terrorists and trucking civilians and ISIS relatives to camps further north.

Most relatives have been crammed into the Al-Hol camp, a facility built for 20,000 people but which now shelters 72,000.

The Kurdish administration in northeastern Syria has warned it does not have capacity to detain so many people, let alone put them on trial.

But the home countries of suspected ISIS members are reluctant to take them back, due to potential security risks and the likely public backlash.

Several held in Syria have been stripped of their citizenship.

"There has to be coordination between us and the international community to address this danger," Abdel Karim Omar said.

"There are thousands of children who have been raised according to ISIS ideology," he added.

"If these children are not re-educated and re-integrated in their societies of origin, they are potential future terrorists."

"New phase"

The SDF's main support has been the international military coalition launched by the United States in mid-2014 to counter the expansion of ISIS.

Its aerial campaigns against ISIS hubs across a "caliphate" which once spanned territory the size of the United Kingdom have levelled major cities and contributed to the biggest wave of displacement since World War II.

According to the Airwars monitoring NGO, at least 7,500 civilians have died as a result of coalition actions in four and half years.

The conflict in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people since it erupted eight years ago, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor says.

US President Donald Trump has vowed to drastically scale down US military presence in Syria once ISIS is defeated, leaving the Kurds exposed to threats by Damascus and Turkey.

Ankara sees the SDF as a terrorist organisation and Abdel Karim Omar warned that any cross-border offensive risked leading to mass breakouts from the jails where militants are currently held.

"Any new threat or new war would give an opportunity to these criminals to slip out," he said.

ISIS, faced with multiple offensives in Syria and Iraq since 2014, has morphed from a territorial force back into a clandestine insurgency group carrying out hit-and-run attacks in both countries.

The SDF's top commander said Saturday that anti-ISIS operations were entering a new phase.

Mazloum Kobane said the new focus would be ISIS sleeper cells that "are a great threat to our region and the whole world."
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will review whether Pakistan has made enough progress on global standards against financial crimes.

Achieving 27 targets under an action plan is top priority for Imran Khan, say officials. (Photo:AP)

Islamabad: A group of experts from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will review whether Pakistan has made enough progress on global standards against financial crimes to warrant its exclusion from the watchdog's grey list.

The Paris-based global body is working to curb terrorism financing and money laundering and has asked Pakistan to reassess the operation of banned terrorist outfits in the country. Pakistan is under intense international pressure to rein in terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) after the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

In June last year, the Financial Action Task Force had placed Pakistan on the grey list of countries whose domestic laws are considered weak to tackle the challenges of money laundering and terrorism financing.

The delegation of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) will reach Islamabad today and meet officials this week to see the progress, the Dawn reported.

"The meetings will start on Tuesday and will end on Thursday," Finance Ministry spokesman Dr Khaqan H Najeeb said.

He said the APG assessment team would meet officials from the State Bank of Pakistan, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Election Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, National Counter Terrorism Authority, law enforcement agencies and counter terrorism departments.

He said experts from the ministries and other key institutions would get an opportunity to explain and convince the assessors about Pakistan's performance.

The country has taken certain steps since the February 18-22 meetings with FATF functionaries to comply with latest instructions to meet various deadlines in order to avoid being included in a blacklist.

It declared as "high risk" all the eight entities and related elements specifically named by FATF as threats to the global financial system.

Achieving 27 targets under a 10-point action plan has now become a top priority for the Imran Khan-led government, the report said.

Pakistan has written to FATF president Marshall Billingslea to appoint any other member as co-chair of the Asia-Pacific's Joint Group, in place of India, to ensure that the FATF review process is fair, unbiased and objective.

The Joint Group is a sub-body of the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) of the APG. Pakistan is a member of the APG and its case is being presented before the FATF by the APG.

India's Financial Intelligence Unit's (FIU) director general is the co-chair of the Joint Group.

The government has so far fined six banks and started investigations against 109 bankers for opening "fake" bank accounts.

Memorandums of understanding are being signed with the UK, Qatar, the UAE and Australia for sharing of intelligence, the newspaper said.

Pakistan is also trying to improve coordination among different agencies of the government through centralised software, the news report added.

Get the latest election news, live updates and election schedule for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 on ndtv.com/elections. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for updates from each of the 543 parliamentary seats for the 2019 Indian general elections.
She has also been senior manager at the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, legal director at Low Carbon Australia, and a legal and compliance director at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. She was most recently with the Bank of Queensland, where she held various leadership roles, including senior manager for regulatory response, frameworks, and insurance.

Clients are demanding premium talent and genuine expertise in the governance, compliance, and regulation, the firm said. It added that the appointment also shows the firms commitment to its core value of providing high-value from talented, skilled, and experienced professionals.

Bradshaw will work closely with Samantha Carroll, who is the firms director for governance, compliance and regulation, Ash St. said.

Michelle Bradshaw
According to reports in the national media cited by The Moscow Times , the man didnt show any signs of being intoxicated or under the influence when he had his documents checked at check-in. However, as he was making his way to the plane, on the bridge, he took off all his clothes and remained stark naked.The explanation for this strange gesture was even stranger: He shouted that he was naked because clothing impairs the aerodynamics of the body. He flies with more agility when undressed, a fellow passenger told the Russian media.Police have released video of the suspect in handcuffs, sitting on the floor at the airport, still very much naked. Hes talking to the officers and doesnt seem disorderly, as one would expect from a dude whos stark naked.The Ural Airlines flight departed without delay, but, of course, the naked passenger wasnt on it. He was taken into custody and will probably be charged in the incident, if doctors rule that hes mentally healthy.After the police had detained the offender, he was taken to the airports medical room and then was hospitalized in a medical facility. The offender is a native of Yakutsk but lives in the Moscow region, the press service of the Interior Ministry says, as cited by the same publication.The report doesnt say whether the man was planning to test this newly improved aerodynamic state by jumping out of the plane or if he simply assumed his nakedness will help the plane get him to his destination faster.
Well after giving us a peek last month, the automaker has officially taken the covers off their first N Line crossover. Say hello to the 2019 Tucson N Line, Hyundai's second addition to their growing N Line family just after the Elantra GT .

Built and designed by Hyundai to give the Tucson a bit more attitude, it comes with an array of exterior and interior upgrades, as well as improved steering and handling. With it, the company claims that this unique combination gives the crossover a N-inspired sportiness while still retaining the versatility and family-friendly nature of the Tucson.

Unlike your typical Tucson, the N Line version comes with a dark chrome front grill complete with blacked-out mesh inserts. It also gets redesigned front and rear bumpers which add that extra hit of sportiness. Shod in the wheel wells, on the other hand, are 19-inch N Line alloy wheels painted black. Speaking of black, other portions of the Tucson like the headlight bezels and rear spoiler are also finished in the dark color.

The Tucson N Line comes with leather-suede sport-style seats that come with red contrast stitching. Meawnhile, both the steering wheel and gear shift lever are also upholstered in leather and come with the distinct stitching accent. Finally, it gets new alloy pedals which further enhances its looks.

As mentioned earlier, this particular Tucson gets tweaked suspension settings and steering. According to Hyundai, the springs will offer 8% better rigidty at the front while the rear will get 5% improved rigidity at the back. The electronic power steering, on the the other hand, has been given a software update which they said will offer a more direct, linear feel at the wheel.

With the new Tucson N Line, Hyundai now provides the sporty feeling to customers who also want the versatility and comfort of an SUV. Tucson is our best-selling model in Europe and it is positioned right at the heart of our brand, so we are excited to introduce the N Line character to our customers in this segment, said Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, vice president of Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe.

As for what's under the hood, the 2019 Tucson N Line will be available with two engine options. First up is the 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline inline-four that puts out an impressive 177 PS and 265 Nm of torque. Next is the 2.0-liter CRDi 48V diesel-hybrid which puts out 185 PS with 400 Nm of torque, and has a claimed average fuel consumption of 18 km/l under the European combined cycle rating.
There's no other way of saying it, crossovers are bringing in big bucks for automakers. Not one to miss out on opportunities, these companies are launching these car-based high-riders faster than they can make them. Kia is one of the many to do so, and they'll be launching yet another one soon.

For now, it doesn't have an official name just yet, although the South Korean automaker has released a few details on it. They have simply dubbed it the Ceed crossover for now and, as straightforward as it sounds, it will be a stilted version of the Ceed hatchback. From its design sketch, the lifted hatch will appear to have different looks from the car it will be based upon.

The sketch shows the rear of the upcoming crossover and has a rather rakish tailgate. Also, its tail lights are slimmer than that of its standard counterpart. A high window line is present, and so is a dramatic-looking roofline. Of course, other details will be toned down once the production car is revealed, namely the large alloy wheels and corner air outlets.
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China is gunning for the United States' position as the world leader in biotech, according to a new report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

Details: The Chinese government has set up more than 110 bioscience research parks, including one in Shanghai referred to as "Pharma Valley." The Ministry of Science and Technology plans to build up to 20 more parks by 2020.

Drug companies are eligible for incentives including free or subsidized lab and manufacturing space and a 15-point reduction in corporate income taxes.

More than 1,000 government-funded venture capital firms will provide as much as $800 billion in capital.

The Chinese are investing in specific therapeutic areas, including genomics. Chinese researchers are writing an increasing share of the world's academic papers on genomics.

Go deeper: China wants its own pharma industry
In Estonia's parliamentary elections this month, nearly half of the votes cast were submitted online.

Details: The country allows its citizens to vote online during a 6-day window before election day, reports Kalev Aasmae for ZDNet. Estonians cast 247,232 "i-votes," or "internet votes," during that time, using their national ID cards and PINs.

Axios cybersecurity reporter Joe Uchill explains why most countries, including the U.S., don't vote online:

"Voting experts generally oppose online voting because it introduces massive security complications into the process. Connecting voting systems to the internet makes them more vulnerable to hackers, the apps used to do the voting are separately vulnerable, and there's no centralized written record to audit voting accuracy in case something seems awry."

Switzerland's online voting system, for example, was recently found to be vulnerable to a hacker changing votes remotely.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is cutting short his Washington, D.C., trip after a rocket fired from Gaza injured at least 7 people and damaged a house in central Israel early Monday local time.

Why it matters: The attack on Mishmeret, north of Tel Aviv, comes amid Israel's election campaign. It prompted Netanyahu to decide to leave D.C. after his Monday afternoon meeting with President Trump. The PM was to address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, before leaving D.C. Wednesday evening.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

The big picture: It's the first such incident since a 2014 war in the Palestinian enclave and comes ahead of the anniversary of Gaza border protests at the weekend, Reuters reports.

The backdrop: There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Mishmeret blast, but it comes 10 days after rockets were fired toward Tel Aviv. That caused the Israeli military to launch retaliatory strikes. The situation was defused when Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired by mistake, the Associated Press reports. "[I]t would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire," the AP noted.
The number of immigrants arrested or turned away at the southern border has continued to climb to levels not seen for years, according to new Department of Homeland Security data obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The surge has been driven by an influx of migrant families and unaccompanied children, according to a DHS official. "At the moment, we have the closest thing to an open border that we've had," said Leon Fresco, an immigration attorney and member of a Homeland Security advisory committee formed by DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen several months ago.

Detention centers are overcrowded, and immigration officials often aren't able to deport immigrants as quickly through expedited removal procedures.

and immigration officials often aren't able to deport immigrants as quickly through expedited removal procedures. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have even begun releasing migrant families into the U.S. almost immediately instead of holding them in detention, Mark Morgan, former chief of Customs and Border Protection under President Obama, told Axios. He said this could create an additional incentive for migrants.

"Unless Congress does something, we are where we are on this. There are no levers left to pull."

 Leon Fresco

The big picture: The latest data comes at a time when the Trump administration is trying to make the case that there is a true emergency at the border, in the face of skepticism in Congress and pushback over his national emergency intended to fund a border wall.

It also comes during reports of Mexican smugglers using buses for quicker, safer transportation for Guatemalan migrants. Central Americans continue to gather in large groups for the long voyage to the border.

of Mexican smugglers using buses for quicker, safer transportation for Guatemalan migrants. Central Americans continue to gather in large groups for the long voyage to the border. The Trump administration is expanding a policy that forces some asylum-seekers to stay in Mexico until their cases are completed. And President Trump has vetoed Congress' efforts to end his declared national emergency.

Between the lines: Families and children who have fled dire circumstances in their home nations are coming to the U.S. for asylum. But there are real logistical issues at the border and in U.S. immigration policy. Immigration is already a complex issue, but it has become an increasingly political one as well.

"We're infusing politics, which is making it even further a dysfunctional immigration system," Morgan said.

which is making it even further a dysfunctional immigration system," Morgan said. Another reason to be concerned about the numbers: The government's track record for caring for migrant children isn't great.

By the numbers: Historically, the number of border crossers begins escalating around March due to the warmer weather, and it typically doesn't peak until May. The U.S. has had this much border activity in the past, but could reach as many as 1 million apprehensions and inadmissibles this year, according to Morgan  levels not seen for at least a decade.

In May 2014  the peak of the child migrant crisis under Obama there were almost 69,000 migrants arrested or turned away. In just three weeks of March, there have already been almost 66,000 apprehensions and inadmissibles.

the peak of the child migrant crisis under Obama there were almost 69,000 migrants arrested or turned away. In just three weeks of March, there have already been almost 66,000 apprehensions and inadmissibles. One big change: Back when reaching 1 million border enforcement actions in a year was common, the vast majority of migrants were single, Mexican adults who often made multiple attempts to cross the border. Now, DHS is dealing with the complexity of caring for tens of thousands of Central American parents and children. Laws that enabled the quick deportation of single, Mexican adults do not apply.

Go deeper:
Until his run ended in 2001, Robert Hanssen spent 20 years as a Russian mole burrowed deep in the FBI. That made him one of history's most successful inside threats  a class of threat that plagues both government agencies and private companies.

The big picture: The FBI agent who went undercover to bring Hanssen down, Eric O'Neill, recounts the operation in "Gray Day," which hits bookstores next week. He spoke to Axios about what Hanssen's tale can teach the rest of us about trusted insiders.

Why it matters: It's not just hackers who steal files or funds; sometimes it's inside threats  employees exploiting legitimate access to a network to rob their employers. "They are people who already have the keys to the kingdom," said O'Neill.

A 2016 survey found that 27% of cyberattacks were either known or believed to be spearheaded by insiders.

The intrigue: While Hanssen was paid by Russia, according to O'Neill he was also motivated by resentment about being passed over for the fieldwork he sought and instead sent to man counterintelligence databases in an office.

Disgruntled employees are a key source of insider threats. Just ask Tesla, where an employee passed over for promotion sent trade secrets to competitors last year.

"Sometimes the people who don't get treated well or don't get promotions or are tired of being seen as the IT geeks, they can really cause the most damage," said O'Neill. "So it really behooves you to take care of those people."

As in Hanssen's case, the biggest threats are the people with the most access, not necessarily the people with the highest status.

Trust, but verify: The FBI knew that someone in the government was leaking secrets to the Russians. But during their investigations, the agency refused to look internally for the mole.

"It was a psychological flaw, willful blindness making the FBI so sure it was a CIA person that we didn't see that the guy was someone in the room with knowledge of these cases," said O'Neill.

That's a block many organizations have when looking for insider threats. It's hard to doubt your own employees, and hard for employees to accept being viewed as a threat.

With Hanssen, that meant actively ignoring warning signs, including a tip that Hanssen's wife had found a suspect pile of cash in their home.

"My favorite thing to ask people is 'When do you think was the first time Hanssen, a 25-year vet of the FBI, was polygraphed?'" said O'Neill, noting that the FBI required a lie detector test every 5 years.

The answer is that he was never given a lie detector until after he was arrested.

What's needed: There are ways to thread the needle and guard against insider betrayal without destroying trust between management and staff.

"You have to make everyone feel like they are part of the process rather than being watched," said O'Neill.

That means telling people to be on the lookout for abnormal behavior. "If someone has a problem, it's not just their problem," he said.

Auditing networks for the removal of files or other strange activity is a non-invasive way of spotting trouble.

Segmenting networks  keeping data that doesn't need to be connected in separate compartments  and pruning unnecessary network access can limit exposure.

Editor's note: This piece was corrected to show Hanssen's run ended early 2001 (not December 2000).
1 big thing: Investor FOMO is driving Lyft's valuation sky high

Giphy

Not only is Lyft not profitable now and losing $911 million a year ("it would appear to be the largest-ever net loss for a company entering the public markets for the first time," Axios' Dan Primack points out), the company has said it's not sure how it ever will be profitable. But investors don't care.

Driving the news: Lyft is expected to price on Thursday and go public Friday, with estimates for the company's market cap having risen to $25 billion.

That's $10 billion higher than its most recent private valuation of $15.1 billion, which was double its value as recently as April 2017 of $7.5 billion.

What's happening: Lyft's IPO is perfectly timed at the intersection of 3 concurrent market themes that are driving investor FOMO.

Private companies are staying private for longer and growing larger than they have before. Despite a recent uptick, fewer companies than ever are going public.

Private equity managers are holding more dry powder, or money on the sidelines, than ever before. That's a function of more money flowing into private equity as its returns have beaten public markets' and a lack of new businesses deemed worthy of that capital.

The stock market is rising again, headlined by big technology names, toward all-time highs with rich valuations that's even got Warren Buffett saying he can't find anything to buy.

The intrigue: This is a wide-ranging phenomenon that's even demonstrated itself in Tajikistan government bonds.

Despite being a country most investors couldn't find on a map, Tajikistan's $500 million bond offering in 2017 received $4 billion worth of bids, or 8 times more than it offered. That was with a credit rating well below investment grade and absolutely no track record.

As I wrote not long after the Tajikistan deal, emerging market debt was so in demand from buyers in search of high yields and whatever was hot at the moment that dedicated EM investors literally weren't able to get bonds they wanted.

"It's frustrating for me as an investor," Josephine Shea, portfolio manager at Standish Mellon Asset Management said at the time. "There seems to be quite a bit of indiscriminate buying without looking into underlying fundamentals."

The theme continued this year as Uzbekistan, another former Soviet country that has never before sold bonds to the international market, produced a $1 billion bond offering at a 4.75% coupon (well below average) that received $5.5 billion of bids.

The bottom line: Whether it makes money or not, Lyft is a hot name that's part of a successful sector. It has been just the latest beneficiary of investor FOMO. That's driving Lyft's valuation to potentially double what it was just 9 months ago and more than triple what it was 2 years ago.
President Trump met at the White House today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and signed a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel  very violent attacks. ... This should have been done numerous presidents ago."

The big picture: The official proclamation, which was announced by Trump earlier on Twitter, is a huge policy shift by the U.S. that could have repercussions for American policy towards other occupied areas in the world. Countries around the world have been critical of the decision.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke today to Secretary of State Pompeo and stressed that recognizing Golan Heights is "a flagrant violation of international law" and will create more tensions in the region, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

The signing ceremony came just as Israel's military announced it had begun striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, after a Hamas rocket wounded 7 people in a village north of Tel Aviv. Netanyahu cut his Washington trip short as a result of the attacks and will fly back to Israel Monday afternoon.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Monday publicly demanded the resignation of the rectors of state-run universities who he said are linked to Armenias former leadership.

Those rectors who turned the system of higher education into party cells, those rectors who locked the doors for students have nothing to do in the new Armenia, Pashinian told a cabinet meeting in Yerevan. This is my very explicit position and we must not be afraid of expressing that position.

Let them cling to their doors, desks and armchairs, but they have nothing to do in the new Armenia. Let them find other jobs, other tasks, other missions, he said.

Pashinian stressed that he and his government have made a political decision to get rid of such rectors. Let nobody think or hope that we will forget what we rallied for [in April-May 2018,] he added.

The remarks seemed primarily addressed to Aram Simonian, the long-serving rector of Yerevan State University (YSU) who remains affiliated with former President Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party of Armenia (HHK).

Simonian has been under mounting pressure to step down since last springs velvet revolution which brought Pashinian to power. In December, a government body implicated the YSU administration in serious financial irregularities. The Armenian police likewise alleged last month that Simonian has embezzled YSU funds and engaged in other corrupt practices over the past decade.

Simonian, who has still not been formally charged with any crime, denies the allegations as politically motivated. He has said that he will not resign before serving out his current term in office in 2020.

YSUs Board of Trustees narrowly failed to sack the 63-year-old rector when it met on February 28. Half of its 32 members are appointed by the government. The other board members are chosen by the YSU faculty and students.

An HHK member since 1997, Simonian has long been accused by his detractors of suppressing student activism and placing YSU under the strong influence of the former ruling party.

Pashinian personally accused the university administration of preventing YSU students from joining his street protests against Sarkisian shortly after launching them in April 2018. He charged at the time that YSU has become an HHK lair.

Simonian on Monday declined to comment on Pashinians latest remarks, arguing that the prime minister did not name names. He may or may have not referred to me, the YSU head told RFE/RLs Armenian service. I cant tell.
In what was their second meeting in as many months, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his Georgian counterpart Mamuka Bakhtadze held talks in a mountain resort in northern Armenia on Sunday.

Pashinians press office gave few details of the informal meeting held in the Yenokavan resort. It said they stressed the importance of Georgian-Armenian relations in all areas and discussed ways of expanding them.

A short video and photographs released by the office showed the two casually dressed leaders speaking tete-a-tete at a local restaurant.

In a separate Facebook post, Pashinian said that he spent a good day in Yenokavan with my friend and Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze. He did not elaborate.

The Georgian government issued no statements on the meeting.

Bakhtadze and Pashinian held similar talks in the Georgian town of Bolnisi in January. The Armenian premier said afterwards that they decided to organize a Georgian-Armenian business forum in May.

Their latest meeting came more than a week after Georgian President Salome Zurabishvilis official visit to Yerevan. Meeting with Zurabishvili, Pashinian spoke of a historic opportunity to elevate relations between our countries to a new level.

As prime minister, I paid my first official visit [abroad] to Georgia, and this underlines our governments and my special attention to Armenian-Georgian relations, he said.
By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan is expanding export geography of the local wine products which occupy special place in the development of non-oil sector of country's economy.

Sharg Ulduzu OJSC, Azerbaijans wine-making plant located in Shamkir district, plans to export its products to Japan, Head of the company Asgar Alirzayev told Trend.

He said that this opportunity may appear this year through the companys participation in the upcoming exhibition in that country.

"We are constantly looking for potential partners abroad, we expect to find buyers in those countries where we participate in exhibitions, showing our products at international forums," he noted. "This year we are going to showcase our products at the exhibition to be held in Tokyo, and we hope to find new partners there."

He added that the company supplies its products to the markets of Russia and China.

"Unfortunately, our plans with deliveries to Mongolia didnt succeed, we couldnt agree on a number of issues related to logistics," he said.

The company uses the latest technology. Modern German and Italian equipment is installed at the plant.

The company also plans to establish wine exports to India and Vietnam this year.

Winery occupies one of the most important areas in the food industry of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is famous for its high quality grape varieties. Five major wine-growing regions of the country are Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Ganja, Tovuz. Local grape varieties in Azerbaijan include White Shani, Derbendi, Nail, Bayanshire, Gamashara, Ganja Pink, Bendi, Madrasa, Black Shani, Zeynabi, Misgali, Khindogni, Agdam Kechiemdzheyi, Tebrizi, and Marandi.

Last year, 167,000 tons of grapes were harvested in the country.

The share of Azerbaijan in the wine production in the former Soviet Union has always been high. Nevertheless, the Alcoholism and Anti-Drinking Initiative of the former Soviet Union in 1985 caused the destruction of the vineyards of more than 130,000 hectares in Azerbaijan. One of the first steps towards the restoration of vineyard and winemaking in the country was the Law on Winemaking, adopted in 2001.

In order to ensure sustainable development of winemaking in the country, increasing interest in wine production and exports, the State Program on the development of wine growing in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2018-2025 has been approved in May 2018, which will lead to development of wine tourism and increase the amount of loans allocated to the wine industry in Azerbaijan.

According to the State Program, the export of wine from Azerbaijan should increase five-fold by 2025.

Azerbaijan Wine Manufacturers and Exporters Association was established to coordinate activities between producers and exporters of wine and winery products with the support of the Export and Investment Promotion Foundation of Azerbaijan (AZPROMO) in 2016.

Currently, about 40 winemaking enterprises operate in Azerbaijan producing natural wine, sparkling wine, liqueur, brandy, vodka, ethyl alcohol, cognac and etc.

Most of producers target Russian and European markets as well as new growing markets for Azerbaijani wine such as China.

Azerbaijani Wine Houses are opened in foreign countries to promote national brands and exports of local products. The first wine house of Azerbaijan was opened in China in 2018.

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By Leman Mammadova

Azerbaijan and Belarus can further increase mutual trade by using the cooperation opportunities in various fields.

Belarus and Azerbaijan have a powerful scientific, technical, technological and production potential that must be actively used to develop bilateral cooperation, Belarusian economist Anton Gurevich told Trend.

He said that Azerbaijan and Belarus have real opportunities and potential for expanding cooperation in the field of high technologies.

The expert noted that Belarus is interested in implementing joint projects with Azerbaijan on mutually beneficial conditions, and as a result of this, the parties closely cooperate in the field of machine engineering, in particular, to expand the assembly sites for Belarusian MTZ tractors and MAZ vehicles that are already operating in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is one of the important and reliable economic partners of Belarus, and more than 250 companies are involved in the bilateral trade, and they carry out deliveries regarding hundreds of commodity positions, Gurevich said.

More than 40 Azerbaijani companies are dealers and distributors of Belarusian companies in Azerbaijan, he added.

He noted that in parallel, the interaction in the areas of industrial cooperation and services, in the investment area is intensifying.

There are projects with the participation of Azerbaijani business in Belarus, those related to the creation of business centers, social infrastructure, etc., he said. Meanwhile, I believe that our countries could strengthen cooperation in the fields of transport, tourism and industrial cooperation.

Gurevich noted that both parties might benefit from the creation of joint technology parks, as well as the expansion of exports on the supplies of industrial products to other countries.

Last year, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus was about $ 204 million, which is approximately $ 56 million more than the figure of 2017. However, the volume of trade between Azerbaijan and Belarus reached $ 60 million in January-February this year. The import from Belarus to our country amounted to $ 55.9 million, while the volume of export from Azerbaijan to Belarus was $ 3.3 million.

Products of the machine engineering industry, petrochemistry, woodworking, pharmaceuticals, military-technical cooperation made up the main Belarusian export items to Azerbaijan. In turn, Azerbaijan mainly exports to Belarus petrochemicals, vegetables, fruits and other non-oil products.

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus were established in 1993, but cooperation in the economic sphere has been developing dynamically in the past decade.

Today, a legal and organizational framework has been set up that allows the implementation of joint projects. The Agreement on Investment Promotion and Mutual Protection between the Governments of Belarus and Azerbaijan came into force in 2011.

Azerbaijans first ever Trade House was opened in Belarusian capital Minsk on May 26, 2017, that presents Azerbaijan's domestic products.

Azerbaijan and Belarus also interested in the development of cooperation pharmaceutical field. It is planned to build a big pharmaceutical enterprise in Azerbaijan through Belarusian investments.

Belarus is interested in the North-South project and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, and aims to create a railway route Minsk-Baku. Recently, Belarusian Railways and the Azerbaijan Railways CJSC signed an agreement on mutually beneficial cooperation for the interaction of the railways of the two countries to contribute to the development of the International North-South Transport Corridor.

Belarus and Azerbaijan are further developing cooperation in machinery equipment that is holding a special place in bilateral economic relations.

So far, more than 10,000 Belarusian tractors and specialized equipment have been assembled at the Ganja automobile plant.

Belarus will also supply electrobuses to Azerbaijan. Earlier, the Ganja Automobile Plant signed an agreement with the Belarusian company OJSC Holding management company "Belkommunmash for the supply of component electric buses to and their assembly in Azerbaijan.

An assembly line of Belarusian-Azerbaijani tractors is planned to be launched during the first quarter of 2019 in Turkey. The Minsk Tractor Works (MTW) OJSC signed a new contract with Ganja Automobile Plant in Azerbaijan on September 22, 2017, for a supply of tractors to Azerbaijan along with an additional protocol on jointly entering the Turkish market. Up to 5,000 units of tractors are planned to be manufactured in Turkey. The design capacity that will be implemented during the initial stage will be up to 2,500.

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By Trend

The statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan that the proposal to return Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiating table is not a proposal to change the format, but to restore the negotiation format is another verbal bravado devoid of any logic, Fikret Sadikhov, the famous Azerbaijani political analyst and former diplomat, told Trend.

He said that the latest statement by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the unchanged format of the negotiation process, as well as similar statements by high-ranking officials of the EU, are serious message to Armenia.

This suggests that the unambiguous position of the world community in this issue is aimed at supporting the justified position of Azerbaijan in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sadikhov noted. Meanwhile, the actions and steps of the Armenian prime minister show that Pashinyan isnt only an amateur in politics, but also that he, not understanding and absolutely not delving into the essence of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is engaged in usual provocations in the form of trips to occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, making selfies with diaspora members during trips abroad, etc.

Sadikhov added that Pashinyans controversial statements related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are irritating the Armenian society as well.

There are many questions in Armenia to Pashinyan himself, they are connected with the outcome of the negotiations with Azerbaijan, with his plans and vision for resolving this conflict, Sadikhov said. Pashinyan makes statements that he can consult with the former presidents of Armenia and reveals their last names. For example, I cant imagine how he will consult with Armenian former president Kocharyan, who is in jail. That is, all this chatter, designed perhaps for some innovative approaches, suggests that Pashinyan isnt ready for negotiations and has no clear position towards the conflicts settlement, he doesnt know how to behave with Azerbaijan, in conditions when Armenia is far from being in an advantageous position.

He suggested that Pashinyans chatter, which doesnt correspond to the level of the head of the Armenian government, is related to his understanding of the inevitability of the return of the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Pashinyan should do serious work, build foreign policy guidelines and negotiate with Azerbaijan towards resolving the conflict, Sadikhov noted. Instead of just waving his hands and making promising statements on the streets, he should implement the decisions adopted and approved within OSCE Minsk Group in Kazan, Madrid and other cities. However, apparently, he believes that today it is still possible to continue the verbal bravado, which, in fact, obliges him neither to make some decisions nor take a specific position on the conflict. Therefore, I think that he is still maneuvering, waiting for some convenient situation in order to reassure his public, which in general expects some concrete, real steps from him.

The political analyst reminded that the resolutions by the UN Security Council constitute the legal basis for resolving the conflict, and unequivocally confirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the international borders of Azerbaijan, and also require the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories.

In its ruling regarding the case of Chiragov and Others v. Armenia, the European Court of Human Rights also confirmed that the separatist regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan exists because of military, political, financial and other support from Armenia, Sadikhov added. At the same time, this ruling, which points to Armenias control over the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, in fact, put an end to Armenias continued denial of its responsibility regarding this fact.

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.

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By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid.

On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my sincerest congratulations to you and your people on the occasion of the national day of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Independence Day, Ilham Aliyev said in his letter.

I am hopeful that relations between Azerbaijan and Bangladesh will continue to develop and expand. On this remarkable day, I wish you the best of health and success in your endeavours, and the friendly people of Bangladesh peace and prosperity.

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By Trend

Safety of the pipeline is firstly assured by the design of the pipeline,Trend reports citing BP Azerbaijan's communications manager Tamam Bayatly.

She made the remarks in an interview with John Batchelor Show, a famous American radio program that has a wide audience of listeners.

Safety and security is very important to our business. Safety of the pipeline is firstly assured by the design of the pipeline. We have detectors, we have the most modern sensors, designed and built in the pipeline. If there is an even smallest leak in any part of the pipeline throughout Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, 1,768 kilometers [Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan], the operators in our control room will detect immediately and will be able to contain that leak closing the valves on both sides of the leaking area. So this is in the design of the pipeline, she said.

Senior government affairs adviser at BP Guivami Rahimli, for his part, noted that BP has host government agreements with the countries where it operates.

BP has a contract with Azerbaijan and they are looking for the pipelines security, in Georgia it is the responsibility of the Georgian government and in Turkey it is the responsibility of the Turkish government, added Rahimli.

The total length of the BTC pipeline is 1,768 kilometers, 443 kilometers of which passes through Azerbaijan, 249 through Georgia and 1,076 through Turkey. Construction of the pipeline was commenced in April 2003, and the pipeline was filled with oil on May 18, 2005.

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By Trend

Global leaders continue to send their telegrams and letters of congratulations on the occasion of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev becoming the new President of Kazakhstan, Trend reports citing Kazinform.

Having highly appreciated joint work with the First President of Kazakhstan - the Leader of the Nation, in his telegram US President Donald Trump noted that he looks forward to productive relationship with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He extended his congratulations to President Tokayev on assuming the post and on the occasion of Nauryz holiday wishing the people of Kazakhstan happiness and prosperity.

King of the Belgians Philippe also congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on assuming the role of the President of Kazakhstan and wished him all the best in this responsible post.

The US Department of State praised the contribution of the First President and the Leader of the National Nursultan Nazarbayev in establishing and promoting enduring, dynamic relations between the United States and Kazakhstan.

"At this historic moment in Kazakhstan, we salute Nazarbayev's role as the father of today's modern, sovereign, and prosperous Kazakhstan, and acknowledge the example he sets for responsible regional and global leadership.

We once again applaud his significant efforts in the nonproliferation sphere, his leadership in global denuclearization efforts, his exemplary commitment to the peaceful transition of power, and his contributions to peace and prosperity in Kazakhstan and the region.

We congratulate Kazakhstan's new President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev and look forward to continue working with him to deepen our enhanced strategic partnership and advance our longstanding mutual interests in economic development, trade and investment, and safeguarding regional and global security," the statement reads.

Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasized that Kazakhstan and Germany enjoy partnership relations and their bilateral cooperation is based on intensive ties. Steinmeier expressed confidence that Kazakhstan will continue to play its role in the region and remain Germany's reliable partner.

On behalf of the people of Italy and on his own behalf President Sergio Mattarella congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on taking up the office of the President of Kazakhstan and expressed hope that relations between Kazakhstan and Italy will strengthen further during his tenure both in bilateral format as well as within the EU.

In his letter UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres pointed out that he looks forward to cooperating closely with newly-appointed Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Many other global leaders extended their heartfelt congratulations to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on becoming the new President of Kazakhstan.

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By Trend

The fear of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)- related bills among Iranian people is pointless, since it will gradually allow to evaluate transparency in transactions, former CEO of Bank Saderat Seyed Bahaeddin Hosseini Hashemi told Trend.

Some say the FATF-related bills for Irans joining the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and the Combating Financing of Terrorism is a treason and that the bills are colonial and are considered as self-inflicted injury. They believe that it will damage Irans economy instead of being profitable for the country and those bills do not envisage commitment to facilitate the banking relations of Iran. Meanwhile, others believe that Iran's accession is being delayed and it will be irreversible lose for Iran's economy.

"FATF has not been approved by the Guardian Council yet and unfortunately, some unprofessional individuals are commenting on the issue," said Hashemi.

The economist noted that the fear among the people over this issue is pointless, since the bills will eventually ensure healthy transactions and pave way for evaluating transparency as in any other parts of the world, thereby, money laundering will be revealed and controlled.

"If the bills are not approved, it will cause the biggest damage and self-inflicted injury to Iran's economy. At the moment, there are only some countries in the world that are currently being black listed by FATF. Iran and North Korea were the ones listed in the system, but fortunately Iran has been removed from the list and hopefully the bill will be approved by the Guardian Council," he added.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. The FATF is therefore a "policy-making body" which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas.

The FATF monitors the progress of its members in implementing necessary measures, reviews money laundering and terrorist financing techniques and counter-measures, and promotes the adoption and implementation of appropriate measures globally. In collaboration with other international stakeholders, the FATF works to identify national-level vulnerabilities with the aim of protecting the international financial system from misuse.

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By Trend

Iran's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Farhad Dejpasand has announced that around $7.1 million has been assigned to compensate for the flood-related damages in the Golestan Province.

Speaking at the Gonbad-e Kavus crisis center he said that there should be resolutions to provide for the needs of flood-affected people.

"The volume and vastness of flood was multiple times more than in the previous year, but fortunately, there were less of damage and injuries than before," he said, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency.

"Considering power and water shortage, and living in the mud, it is natural that the people are complaining," said Dejpasand.

"In addition to $1.1 million of financial aid provided to the area, $7.1 million has been assigned to compensate for the destruction of infrastructure in the province. The insurance would also over compensation for the flood damages.", he added.

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By Trend

Hagia Sophia may function as a mosque-museum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish media.

Erdogan said that Hagia Sophia may start to function as a mosque-museum after the municipal elections to be held March 31 in Turkey.

On March 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on the terrorist attacks in mosques in New Zealand, said that Hagia Sophia wont function as a mosque.

Erdogan noted that some forces want to provoke Turkey in light of the statements by a terrorist in New Zealand about Hagia Sophia.

Erdogan stressed that the Turkish authorities are well aware of what and when to do.

Fifty people were killed and dozens were seriously injured after gunmen opened fire at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on March 15. Four suspects were detained.

An Australian citizen of ultra-right views Brenton Tarrant, a native of Australia's Grafton fired at one of the mosques. He streamed the attack online, and before the attack, published a 37-page manifesto, in which he called his actions a terrorist attack.

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By Trend

The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which envisages transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria, will change the look of the market, Trend reports citing Teodora Georgieva, executive director of the ICGB project company.

The relations between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan are based on a strategic partnership in the field of energy, Georgieva told Bloomberg TV Bulgaria.

Southern Gas Corridor, which will provide 1 billion cubic meters of gas to Bulgaria, is a key for the IGB, she said, adding that IGB is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Gas consumption in Bulgaria is 3 billion cubic meters, of which one billion cubic meters, or more than 30 percent will be provided by Azerbaijan. This is important for Bulgaria's energy security, the diversification of sources and for more serious competition in the market. When the IGB project is ready, it will change the look of the market and our customers will benefit from more competitive prices, noted Georgieva.

IGB is a gas pipeline, which will allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas, in particular, the gas produced from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 gas and condensate field. IGB is expected to be connected to TAP via which gas from the Shah Deniz field will be delivered to the European markets.

The initial capacity of IGB will be 3 billion cubic meters of gas.

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Kathmandu, Nepal, March 25: Nepal and Japan signed on a much waited Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to send Nepali workers to Japan amid a function held at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) on Monday.





Officiating Secretary at the MoLESS Ram Prasad Ghimire and Japans ambassador to Nepal Masashi Ogawa signed on the government-to-government deal. As per the deal, the status of Nepali workers will be given as Specified Skilled workers (SSW).





It is said that the deal will be executed immediately by establishing a separate unit under the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) to facilitate the recruitment process of Nepali workers.





The separate unit under the DoFE will be responsible for calling application, facilitate the Japanese side to conduct the language and skills tests and overseeing the deployment of the successful applicants to Japan.
HANNOVER, Germany, March 25, 2019 / B3C newswire / -- Ophthalmic medical device company Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH (Implandata) announced today it successfully attained CE mark for its next generation EYEMATE-IO 1.1 implantable micro-sensor, which will be launched in April 2019. The CE-certified product enables eye surgeons to place the permanent implantable eye pressure sensor in conjunction with cataract surgery through significantly smaller incisions. The micro-sensor performs continual monitoring of eye pressure in glaucoma patients, providing highly critical information for guided glaucoma therapy.

Prof. med. Burkhard Dick, Director of the University Eye Clinic of Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bochum and current President of the German Society for Cataract & Refractive Surgeons states: Implanting the next-generation intraocular micro-sensor is almost a minor intervention in the hands of an experienced surgeon and can be performed during cataract surgery without any major hassle and without increasing the likelihood of complications. From the surgeon's point of view, this further miniaturization is a major breakthrough and has the potential to render the sensor a valuable and reliable tool for monitoring IOP. Given the relatively high proportion of cataract patients who also suffer from glaucoma, we can expect to implant ever larger numbers of these microsensors in the foreseeable future."

Volker Dockhorn, CEO of Medicel AG, Altenrhein/Switzerland, which is manufacturing the customized ACCUJECT EM-IO 1.1 delivery system for Implandata, explains We are delighted to be working with Implandata on this exciting product. The injection of the implantable microsensor EYEMATE-IO 1.1 is one of these exciting challenges that we are happy to face when it comes to injecting new innovative implants into the eye. With the ACCUJECT injector platform specially adapted to the EYEMATE-IO 1.1 sensor, the surgeon can now reduce the required incision size down to less than 3.2 mm.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring is a considerable challenge for glaucoma patients and their ophthalmologists. Current IOP measurement methods require in-office procedures to be performed by trained medical staff. However, these measurements are obtained just a few times a year, although it is known that the eye pressure is highly dynamic and influenced by many parameters and, thus, changing throughout the day.

In contrast to the sporadic readings obtained in standard clinical practice, the EYEMATE system provides actionable IOP measurements throughout the 24 hours period and outside the ophthalmologists office, enhancing treatment options and contributing to less progressing vision loss in glaucoma patients, elucidates Implandatas CEO, Max Ostermeier and continues as the EYEMATE system provides direct feedback to the patient in a home setting - information previously unavailable to the patient - therapy compliance will be improved, as already observed in earlier studies.

Implandata is currently preparing for an initial market launch of its products at EYEMATE clinical Centers of Excellence in Germany and Switzerland in 2019, followed by further internationalization in 2020 and the subsequent years.

About Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease and a leading cause for irreversible vision loss worldwide. Intraocular pressure is the only modifiable risk factor to reduce the peril of vision loss. Reduction and control of eye pressure in glaucoma patients limits the risk of disease progression considerably. Close to 80 million patients are affected by the disease globally; further, due to aging populations, the number of patients is expected to increase to 112 million by 2040. Implandata is addressing a pressing need in a continuously growing market with its products for improved glaucoma care.

About Implandata

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Contact

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Anna Smith writes a weekly column about Bakersfield. She can be reached at anna@sagebakersfield.com. The views expressed here are her own.
Kathmandu, Nepal, March,25, 2019: Main opposition Nepali Congresss parliamentary party meeting is called for today to hold discussions on contemporary national political issues including the controversial Security Council Bill.





The meeting, which is going to take place at the NC parliamentary party office, Singhdurbar, is called to take decisions against of the governments plan to keep the National Army under the preview of the Prime Minister.





The main opposition Nepali Congress and other opposition parties including the concerned security experts have been protesting the governments bid to keep the National Army under the preview of the Prime Minister. As the government has prepared the bill, the opponents have termed the governments plan to authoritarian regime in the country.




Strange Egg Casings Found on Oregon Coast - But Some Know What They Are

Published 03/22/2019 at 3:53 PM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Seaside, Oregon)  A run of "strange eggs" found along the Oregon coast has caught the eyes of beachgoers lately, with reports coming in from all over the shoreline. (All photos courtesy Seaside Aquarium / Tiffany Boothe).



People are scratching their heads, but Seaside Aquarium and their public education specialist Tiffany Boothe know exactly what they are. She's been answering a lot of questions lately.

We have heard reports of findings up and down the coast but with a large concentration on Gearhart beach, Boothe said. These strange gelatinous tubes are squid eggs. Squid form large schools and lay their eggs together on the bottom of the seafloor. Each female may lay up to 12 egg capsules and each egg capsule has between 180 and 300 eggs developing inside. As the eggs develop you can actually see the baby squid moving while still in the egg. When they hatch they are about the size of a grain of rice.

Meanwhile, the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport has been showing off skate eggs in recent days.

These creatures at Seaside Aquarium are called Opalescent squid (Loligo opalescens) and they can reach up to 11 inches in length. They are found from Mexico to northern British Columbia and come into shallow waters to spawn.

During the spring and summer large schools of Opalescent Squid move into shallow coves and bays to mate, lay their eggs, and die, Boothe said. Each female lays about a dozen cigar-shaped egg capsules, each containing 180 to 300 eggs.

After that, the egg sacs automatically attach to each other, forming huge clusters. It then takes about five weeks for them to hatch.

Nature has a unique way of hiding these from predators: the capsules have no taste or odor.

Over the last decade and beyond, Seaside Aquarium has been picking these up and the egg casings of skates with regularity, letting them hatch in tanks. At one point in 2007, Boothe proclaimed We have babies! after some locals picked up a few of the skate eggs on the beach and one egg clearly had living creatures inside. They counted four healthy embryos that time, but have had more in other instances. The year before they had six of them hatch in the tanks.

Back then she told Oregon Coast Beach Connection: They probably have about six months before they are ready to leave their protective casing. Until then they cannot be on display. Their eyes are sensitive to light at this stage.

These squid eggs are also expected to create a new brood. You'll likely see them on display at Seaside Aquarium later in spring.

West winds bring stuff like this onshore. In fact, squid eggs and skate eggs are a very common find this time of year. Boothe said it is also possible to find whale burps, ocean burps and even glass floats.

Whale burps is the nickname for rock-hard bundles of sea grass that have been compressed together. There are also ocean burps, a very loose term for bundles of sundry objects that get stuck together and tossed up by the tide, which often yield still living specimens like live egg casings from various species.

Egg casings from skates are often referred to as Mermaid Purses (picture at bottom of article), Skate egg cases are frequently found by local beachcombers. Boothe said that although its appearance resembles seaweed, it is a very tough, protective casing which can contain anywhere from two to seven embryos per casing.

Adult female skates will drop these on the ocean floor, where the casing will drift for nine to twelve months, Boothe said. During that time, the embryos feed upon a yolk sack that they are attached to. When the babies are developed enough to be self-sufficient, one end of the casing will open up and the baby skates - now 3.5 inches long  will emerge. Lodging in Astoria/Seaside - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours











Below: the egg casing for a skate, found by the aquarium in the past

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Kathmandu, Nepal, March 25: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has given mid-April deadline to the Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) to join the mainstream peaceful politics by renouncing the violent activities.





The government will control all form of violent activities of the CPN if it did not opt the peaceful politics by mid-April, Prime Minister Oli said the government is ready to hold talks with the party only if it renounce the violent activities and opt peaceful politics.





Prime Minister Oli, who is also the co-chairperson of the government head Nepal Communist Party (NCP), set the deadline to the CPN with the urge to end the violent activities while addressing a meeting of the Nepal Communist Party's Parliamentary Party in Kathmandu on Monday.





It would better to the Chand-led group to sit for talks with the government as early as possible by renouncing all forms of violence Prime Minister Oli said adding that such a way will be a good opportunity for the group to join the peaceful mainstream politics.




A Houston police sergeant was charged with murder Saturday after his wife was found shot to death in their Pearland home, according to enforcement officials.

Pearland police were called at noon Saturday to a house in the 1900 block of Canyon Creek Court, after a family member trying to get in contact with the victim found her dead inside the kitchen.

Hilario R. Hernandez, 56, was taken into custody hours later in Kingsville, southwest of Corpus Christi. Jodi Silva, a Houston Police Department spokeswoman, confirmed that Hernandez works for HPD.

Pearland ISD confirmed that Belinda Hernandez, the librarian at Shadycrest Elementary, died Saturday. The district will have extra counselors on campus Monday to help children cope.

"Please keep our Shadycrest family and the Hernandez family in your prayers," the statement said.

The couple had been married more than three decades and had two grown children. "I was very happily married; I loved my children," Belinda Hernandez told the Chronicle in 2014, when she was featured in a story for fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher. "But I always had my one regret. I wished I had gone to college and become a teacher."

She returned to college in 2011 to make that dream a reality.

Investigators are now looking for surveillance video that could provide additional details, Pearland police spokesman Jason Wells said.

"We are going to conduct business as usual," Wells said. "The law is held accountable for everybody, actually more so for (officers)."

Police had not yet found anyone who heard gunshots. More than a dozen neighbors stood outside watching police investigate, with almost the entire dead-end block taped off by Pearland police.

They were shocked, describing the area as a quiet suburban neighborhood with no history of violence.

"They seemed like just everyday, normal people," said Lucretia Jeansonne, 64, who lives down the street.

She would wave at Hernandez when he drove by.

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It was 1982, the height of the civil war in El Salvador. Four Dutch TV journalists had linked up with leftist rebels near the town of El Paraiso, which has an army base on its outskirts.





Planning to spend several days behind rebel lines, the newsmen hoisted rucksacks onto their backs and, carrying their recording gear, walked single-file down a narrow dirt trail.





They had only minutes to live. Lying in wait, Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machine guns were ready to spring an ambush.





They were sitting ducks. The military waited for them and basically executed them, said Thomas Buergenthal, an American who was part of the three-member United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador, set up as part of a U.N.-brokered peace agreement in 1992.





In 1993, the commissions report on wartime human rights violations concluded that the ambush was set up to kill the journalists, and was ordered by Col. Mario Reyes Mena, a brigade commander.





Calls are now mounting in the Netherlands for Reyes Mena and others responsible for the killings to be brought to justice after a documentary shown on Dutch TV cast a spotlight on the never-prosecuted slayings. The investigative piece, aptly titled In Cold Blood, revealed that Reyes Mena had been living for years in relative obscurity in the United States.





It is very much in the interest of the Dutch government to bring those responsible for the deaths of the four journalists to justice, the Dutch foreign and justice ministers told lawmakers six weeks after the documentary aired. Not only because it concerns four Dutch citizens who were shot dead, but also because it concerns journalists, who have an indispensable task in a democratic constitutional state.





The government will make every effort to achieve this result, the ministers said.





Reyes Mena, now 79, lives in a Washington suburb. A legal resident of the United States since at least 1987, he is no longer shielded by a 1993 amnesty law that protected the military, paramilitary groups and guerrilla fighters from prosecution for human right abuses during the 12-year war. The Salvadoran Supreme Court declared the amnesty unconstitutional in 2016, though the countrys legislature is now considering granting another one.





Even before the Dutch documentary aired in September, the attorney generals office in El Salvador had begun investigating possible criminal charges against Reyes Mena and Francisco Antonio Moran, the former head of the Salvadoran secret police who was also named in the U.N. report. The prosecutors were acting on a criminal complaint filed in March 2018 by lawyers for Gert Kuiper, a brother of one of the slain journalists, said Oscar Perez, a spokesman for Kuipers legal team.





I need to find justice, said Kuiper, whose older brother, Jan, was killed two days before his 40th birthday.





The Salvadoran attorney generals office wont comment on its confidential investigation, which the Dutch government says began last June.





The developments come amid a growing push for justice on behalf of victims of El Salvadors civil war, during which an estimated 75,000 civilians were killed, mostly by U.S.-backed government security forces.





In November 2017, former Salvadoran army Col. Inocente Orlando Montano, accused in the 1989 massacre by soldiers of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in San Salvador, was extradited from the United States to stand trial in Spain. Several of the victims were Spaniards. He remains jailed and the trial is expected to begin later this year.





In January 2016, former Defense Minister Jose Guillermo Garcia Merin was deported from the United States to El Salvador. He is among those being prosecuted for the December 1981 massacre by a U.S.-trained Salvadoran army battalion of almost 1,000 people in the village of El Mozote, the largest massacre in modern Latin American history.





Geoff Thale, of the human rights group Washington Office on Latin America, said it is important for El Salvador to see justice done in these cases, even as the Central American country struggles with gang-related violence.





Its hard to imagine that Salvadorans would feel confident about the ability of attorneys general and courts to bring them justice today if they cant bring justice in cases like El Mozote, or internationally covered cases like the Dutch journalists or the Jesuits, Thale said. Its a test of the judicial system and of the rule of law in El Salvador today.





In its report, the U.N. truth commission cited statements from officers at a military base outside El Paraiso in naming Reyes Mena as the planner of the ambush on the Dutch journalists.





An Associated Press reporter, photographer and videographer went to the town house where Reyes Mena lives in Centreville, Virginia, last month after telephone calls seeking comment about the allegations were not returned. A middle-aged man opened the door a crack and then slammed it shut without saying a word.





In the Dutch documentary, Reyes Mena accused the filmmakers of being part of a communist conspiracy for seeking answers about the killings.





I dont have to be talking about it. It was more than 30 years ago, he said. The filmmakers left after a younger man standing behind Reyes Mena told them to go.





Days before their deaths, journalists Jan Kuiper, Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemsen had come under the scrutiny of El Salvadors secret police after Kosters contact information was found on a guerrilla. Before dawn on March 11, 1982, the four were rousted in their San Salvador hotel and taken to secret police headquarters for interrogation by Moran.





A photo taken after their release later that day appeared in a local newspaper with a headline identifying Koster as a contact for subversives, according to the U.N. report.





Undeterred, the four pushed ahead with their plan to meet up with Salvadoran guerrillas on March 17. A German journalist drove them in a Volkswagen van from the capital to the outskirts of El Paraiso, where, guided by a young boy, they linked up with four rebels and headed down a path. The truth commission report, citing testimony of the sole survivor of the ambush, a rebel identified only as Martin, described what happened next.





They had gone about 250 meters when they came under heavy fire from M16 rifles and M60 machine guns, coming from two hills about 100 meters away. Martin saw two of the journalists fall to the ground. They were hit by the first shots and never moved again, the report said. Martin ran a zig-zag path to evade the bullets and escaped.





Soon after the ambush, Todd Greentree, a political officer at the U.S. Embassy at the time, met with reporters and dismissed as fiction the official Salvadoran account that the newsmen died in crossfire.





Still, Greentree says hes very ambivalent about seeking justice for what he said was obviously a war crime.





Bringing individual officers to trial for what appeared to be a coordinated operation among different security force branches seems at best an incomplete form of seeking justice, he said by telephone from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.





Greentree said the Dutch journalists were seen by Salvadoran security forces as agents of the enemy because of a previous film that Koster made that they considered sympathetic to the rebels.





Buergenthal disagrees. These were legitimate journalists, he said.





Globally, journalists now face even greater peril, with the number killed in retaliation for their work nearly doubling in 2018 over the previous year to 34, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.





The 1982 case stands out because state security targeted the newsmen, said Natalie Southwick, CPJ program coordinator for South and Central America.





Bringing those responsible to justice is incredibly important because it sends a message to those considering killing journalists that they wont get away with it, Southwick said.





Buergenthal, who from 2000 to 2010 served as a judge on the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, said the Dutch government was oddly silent about the killings for years.




Surgeons can ask Google Home to provide recommendations about medical device sizes mid-operation, thanks to a new app for the smart speaker, according to Verdict.

What you should know:

1. The technology, created by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, allows physicians to access procedure-related information without removing sterile scrubs.

"When you're in the middle of a procedure, you need to remain sterile, so you lose the ability to use a computer," said lead study author Kevin Seals, MD. "This smart speaker technology helps us to quickly and intelligently make decisions relevant to a patient's specific needs."

2. Researchers designed the voice-activated medical app for interventional radiology. Physicians can ask Google Home what size sheath is needed to implant a stent in a blood vessel.

3. The researchers conducted literature reviews of 475 devices, such as catheters, stents, sheaths and vascular plugs, and added size specifications for the devices to the app's database. They used Google's Dialogflow software and Python coding language to develop the technology.

4. The researchers plan to develop voice-assisted technology capable of delivering information about other treatments. They also aim to incorporate health record information.
Colchester, Vt.-based Green Mountain Surgery Center lead investor Amy Cooper held a ribbon-cutting for the state's first ASC March 22, the Burlington Free Press reports.

What you should know:

1. Green Mountain Surgery Center is the culmination of nearly five years of efforts. Despite the ribbon-cutting, the center is not yet open to the public. The center is in the midst of earning Medicare certification and is not expected to open until June or July.

2. The center was heavily contested during certificate of need hearings, but ultimately the Green Mountain Care Board approved the center in July 2017.

3. Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and Attorney General T.J. Donovan attended the ribbon cutting. Mr. Donovan said, "Access to affordable healthcare is a consumer protection issue, period. Any time we give consumers choice in any industry, that's a good thing. Healthcare should be no different."

4. Vermont was the last state in the U.S. without an ASC.
Quincy (Ill.) Medical Group is seeking the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board's permission to appear at an upcoming board meeting to appeal the board's denial, local news affiliate KHQA reports.

What you should know:

1. The board denied QMG's request to develop a new surgery center earlier in the month but gave the physician group time to answer outstanding questions about its proposal.

2. QMG wants permission to go before the board and address its concerns.

3. If allowed, QMG could be put on the April 30 agenda.

4. QMG CEO Carol Brockmiller issued a statement to KHQA, "Quincy Medical Group is committed to doing what is best for our community. We look forward to addressing the HFSRBs questions and issues to seek approval for the proposed surgery center. We are grateful for the continued support from our patients, employers and community and remain optimistic that with additional information, the HFSRB will approve the project."

5. Quincy-based Blessing Health System heavily opposed QMG's request to build a new surgery center. Blessing operates a surgery center.
A security breach at Greenville, S.C.-based St. Francis Physician Services' former medical center may have compromised data from more than 32,000 patients, HIPAA Journal reports.

Affected patient records from Greenville-based Milestone Family Medicine, a medical center previously affiliated with SFPS, include information such as names, addresses, health insurance information, Social Security numbers and dates of birth.

SFPS posted a statement on its website detailing the cyberattack, which the health system discovered Jan. 4. SFPS hired a third-party forensic firm to investigate the security breach and found that an unauthorized person gained access to Milestone Family Medicine's systems. No patient information was found to have been misused.

SFPS is mailing notification letters to patients affected and is providing free credit monitoring and identity protection services to individuals whose Social Security number was affected. The HHS Office for Civil Rights recorded 32,178 Milestone Family Medicine patients were affected.

"We deeply regret any concern this may cause," SFPS wrote in the statement. "To help prevent something like this from happening in the future, we are enhancing technology management and information security risk oversight."

Milestone Family Medicine was affiliated with SFPS, which employed physicians at its practice, until Feb. 24. SFPS told HIPAA Journal its choice to end its relationship with Milestone Family Medicine was not related to the security breach.
The Cleveland Clinic will build a new hospital in Mentor, Ohio, that will feature both inpatient and outpatient care as well as an emergency department, according to Cleveland.com.

The hospital is part of the clinic's plan to attract new patients and double its number of patients, up to 4 million, in the next five years.

"Responsible stewardship will allow us to grow, and we will grow both physically and digitally. We'll invest in our home base and our core infrastructure here in Ohio," Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, said during his annual state of the clinic address.

The new hospital will be within 7 miles of two competing hospitals, though Kevin Malecek, director of economic development and international trade for Mentor, said he believes the competition will be good for the community.

"I think it's always a good thing for us to have another hospital option, another medical service option for our population," Mr. Malecek told Cleveland.com. "As we have an aging population in this area, there will be plenty of patients."
Startup CoverUS has developed a blockchain-supported platform that allows patients to sell their medical information to providers, according to Forbes.

The business will use blockchain technology to time-stamp the data sale and will require approval from the patient and provider for the transaction to be completed.

CoverUS' said its blockchain technology aims to put control in the hands of patient. Patients download their information from their EHR into the platform and add more health information as they see fit. Providers and physicians can then buy it.

Providers can benefit from this system by receiving more in-depth data. Patients can get paid up to $1,500 annually for selling their information, according to CoverUS co-founder Christopher Sealey.

The company plans to launch a pilot program in the second quarter of this year. CoverUS will test the technology with 1.5 million patients with irritable bowel syndrome, linking them with people in the healthcare market who want their data.

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Google has been accused of selling advertisements to companies that offer unapproved dementia and Alzheimer's treatments, according to The Times, a U.K.-based publication.

The search engine giant reportedly sold ads for retailers showcasing unproven medical treatments under search teams such as "Alzheimer's pills" and "dementia supplements," The Times reports. Google has since stopped selling ads under Alzheimer pills and dementia supplements search terms, according to the report.

A spokesperson for Google told the Daily Mail: "We have strict policies that govern the kinds of ads we allow on our platform, and ads for products that offer 'miracle cures' for medical ailments are a violation of those policies. When we find ads that violate our policies, we remove them."
Elizabeth, N.J.-based Trinitas Regional Medical Center and Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health System in West Orange, N.J., are discussing a merger, according to tapinto.net.

Trinitas CEO Gary Horan sent a letter to employees outlining the benefits of a potential merger, including improved purchasing power and greater leverage when negotiating with insurers.

"We do not know at this point what level of affiliation we will arrive at, if any, but we should have a good idea if this concept makes sense shortly," Mr. Horan wrote. "The healthcare landscape is changing, and we owe it to those who depend on us to explore all options."
A Maine judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to stop the merger of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine-based Mayo Regional Hospital and Northern Light Health in Brewer, Maine, according to The Piscataquis Observer.

The lawsuit was filed by Gerald Nessmann, a member of Mayo Regional Hospital's publicly elected board. The towns of Sebec and Monson later joined the lawsuit. Mr. Nessmann argued that the merger may not be in the best interest of Hospital Administrative District. No. 4's member towns, which could lose their reserve fund to Northern Light Health after a merger.

Superior Court Justice William Anderson said the merger cannot yet be challenged because it had been completed.

"Declaring rights and responsibilities for a merger that may not even be completed or finalized in the form as presented to the Court now could put the Court at risk of issuing an advisory opinion," the judge wrote. "This would be improper."
The News on Sunday, March 24, 2019

by Neelum Hussain

Society takes exception to womenas rejection of the authority of the male voice and their daring to speak of things that only men can do and speak about. The march has opened up space for debate on some serious concerns

1983 to 2019: the response to womenas protests hasnat changed

Mainstream Pakistan is shocked by the slogans of Aurat March. A nation that is characterised by its free use of sexual abuse that not only targets women with explicit reference to their sexual body parts, but does so with impunity, is shocked by womenas demand for bodily integrity and safety. A culture where men a all men a ranging from the highest in the land to the littlest street urchin and the local badmash, freely interlard their speech with language that strips women of their clothes, their autonomy; their self-respect, reduces them to their sexual bodily parts and spells out in explicit detail what they, as men, can do to them a is shocked by the slogans of Aurat March.

The nation which remained silent at Khadim Hussain Rizvias filthy language targeting women in violent street protests, is morally outraged by women speaking out for their own bodies and staking their claim to agency, autonomy and respect in the home, the street and the marketplace.

Shocking? Yes. Surprising? No!

The Aurat March slogans challenged the status quo and put patriarchal authority thresholds to doubt. The terms and terminology of Khadim Hussain Rizvias sex-based abuse did no such thing. Thus while some did take exception to his language, the greater concern of the many was not with Rizvias hate speech and incitement to rape but with the public inconvenience caused by the protest.D14

When women came out into the streets of Lahore on February 12, 1983 to protest Zia ul Haqas proposed Law of Evidence, fatwas were passed invalidating their marriages and declaring their children illegitimate. They were labelled as prostitutes, kafirs and CIA/KGB agents and accused as elitist women who knew nothing about the areala lives of areala women. This too was not surprising. At a time when mainstream political parties were either silent or colluding with the military government, women were the first to challenge a dictatorial regime and raise their voice for democracy; the first to speak publically for womenas social, economic, legal and political rights and the first to openly highlight the gap between ground realities and the complacency of the societal self-image as a culture that accords high status and respect to women.

But why the hysteria over the Aurat March in 2019? The 40 or so years that lie between February 12, 1983 and March 8, 2019 should have inured society to the phenomenon of women raising their voices for their rights. As part of WAF and the larger womenas movement, women have turned to the law on issues as disparate as the privatisation of the Womenas Bank and the adult womanas right to choice in marriage; they have prevented marriages to the Quran, protested honour killing, marched for joint electorates, minority rights and peace; they have spoken out against religious extremism, discriminatory laws and violence against women in the home and the street and have raised their voice for womenas parliamentary representation; for womenas right to paid work, labour rights and the rights of landless peasants.

Orchestrating their demands, and in their own right too, writers like Kishwar Naheed and Fahmida Riaz have rejected patriarchy through poems like aHam GunahgarAurteina and aHazoor, yeh siah chadar meri nahin, aap ki zaroorat hai.a So why the hysteria now, when a new generation of women voice their demands for respect, safety, agency and autonomy?

The answer lies in the shift from the broad outlines of larger public issues to their detailing as experienced and expressed publicly and privately in the daily routines of life. It lies in the irreverent tone of voice; in the appropriation and subversion of gender-based stereotypes and clichAs that naturalise male dominance and routinise violence against women. It lies in womenas use of satire, humour, aphorisms, inversions, role reversals that challenge power-based privileges. Not only did the Aurat March foreground the personal as the political, it challenged patriarchal authority thresholds by turning language on its head, and joked and laughed while doing so.

Authority takes itself seriously and does not respond well to laughter. And that is the reason why Aurat March slogans were met with howls of outrage, anger, accusations of vulgarity, immodesty and much more and the abahayaa slogans of the Minhaj al Quran womenas counter-march that calls the Aurat March women agali ki kutiyaa accepted as civilised expression.

This is not to say that society condones rape, sexual harassment, honour killing etc. What it takes exception to is womenas rejection of the authority of the male voice and their daring to speak of things that only men can do and speak about.

Given the furore, there is a need to examine the Aurat March slogans and connect them to their underlying meaning and referential field. aApna khana khud garam karo!a; aMujhe kia maaloom tumhara mauza kahaan hai!a is not just about warming up the food and lost socks. It is about male privilege and entitlement that take the womanas services for granted and see her compliance as moral imperative. Not a serious issue? Elitist? aWesterniseda? Take a look at recent news reports of the husband who killed his wife for serving a cold dinner even as the March was taking place, and the father who beat his twelve year old daughter to death for not making a agol rotia, and justified his act with the statement as reported by the media: aYou would do the same if it happened to you!a

aI will burn your honour to the ground and walk smiling through the gates of heavena. Shocking!

Only the worst can be said of a woman who defiantly dispenses with her honour! Except that the slogan is not about the womanas honour at all, for the simple reason that society gives her none. It is about male honour and privilege, and the murder and mutilation of women in the name of that honour. About forced marriage and male pride and the denial of womenas right to education, paid work, mobility. It is about the objectification of women as property and the male right to dispense with them as they will. It is about the law of Qisas and Diyat that makes murder easy.

In the face of this, should she allow herself to be fooled by the aghar ki rania myth and endorse a value that is the cause of her shaming, deprivation and death? Is this still an immoral statement? If so, whose immorality is it about a the manas, the womanas, or of the society that condemns her for speaking out?

The Aurat March has opened up space for serious debate. Moral outrage as refusal to look uncomfortable realities in their face should not deflect attention from what are very serious concerns.
Registered nurses across New York City have postponed their April 2 strike date after progress in negotiations at Montefiore, Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian systems, according to a union news release.

The announcement comes amid negotiations between the New York State Nurses Association and the New York City Hospital Alliance, which represents Mount Sinai Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Mount Sinai West/St. Luke's Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center.

Nurses planned a strike affecting about 10,000 workers for April 2. That strike is now postponed, pending further bargaining, the union said.

Officials with the New York State Nurses Association said progress has been made in negotiations, including "significant movement in safe staffing," as well as in developing a fund to improve and enforce safe staffing grids by hiring more nurses.

The union plans to release more information when negotiations resume March 27.

A hospital alliance spokesperson confirmed the withdrawal of the strike notice and said the alliance will continue to negotiate in good faith.

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Taliban leaders in Afghanistan are complicating efforts to end polio worldwide, Bill Gates told Reuters via phone March 25.

Three things to know:

1. In 2018, 33 polio cases occurred worldwide, according to data from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative cited by Reuters. Another six cases occurred in 2019. Of these 39 cases, 16 were in Pakistan and 23 were in Afghanistan.

"We've got to get Afghanistan and Pakistan to zero," Mr. Gates told Reuters. "We need government donors to stay committed."

2. Mr. Gates said Pakistan is making progress to address polio but noted that Taliban leaders are hindering vaccination efforts in Afghanistan. The leaders do not have a strict policy on polio vaccines but sometimes stop vaccination campaigns from occurring in the country.

"That's what we don't have predictability or control over," Mr. Gates said.

3. Since the World Health Assembly launched the GPEI in 1988, global polio cases have fallen 99.9 percent. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation joined GPEI as a major supporter in 2007, donating nearly $3 billion to polio eradication efforts.
Harrisonville, Mo.-based Cass Regional Medical Center is no longer at risk of losing its Medicare contract, according to The Kansas City Star.

CMS placed the hospital on "immediate jeopardy" in January after an 83-year-old patient died following a routine colonoscopy in August 2018. State officials investigated Cass Regional in November 2018 and found staff members did not respond properly when the patient showed signs of distress after the colonoscopy.

CMS inspectors conducted a follow-up visit to the hospital in February and lifted its "immediate jeopardy" status, CMS spokesperson Julie Brookhart told The Kansas City Star.

However, inspectors also found several infection control and hand hygiene issues at the hospital during the follow-up inspection. Cass Regional CEO Christopher Lang said the hospital submitted a plan of correction to address these issues March 11.

"This plan has been accepted and Cass Regional has been informed that all deficiencies noted in the February survey are correct and that Cass Regional is currently and again in compliance," Mr. Lang said in an emailed statement to The Kansas City Star.

More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:

WHO unveils final recommendations for 2019-20 flu vaccine: 3 notes

Early detection of deterioration, sepsis among top priority research topics in pediatrics

Instagram, GoFundMe crack down on anti-vaccine content
A 69-year-old man slashed a nurse with a knife at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital March 24, according to a PIX 11 news report.

Lewis Cook was arrested and charged with assault following after the 6:40 a.m. incident., police said.

The 32-year-old nurse, who remains unnamed, suffered a minor injury.
Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare is backing a city-sponsored program that offers financial assistance for full-time students who want to attend community college, according to the Nashville Business Journal.

The for-profit hospital operator reportedly has agreed to donate $100,000 to Nashville Getting Results by Advancing Degrees, which is scheduled to launch this fall.

"Nashville GRAD is an innovative partnership to improve college graduation rates and the quality of life for thousands of families while enhancing Nashville's workforce," HCA CEO Sam Hazen said in a statement cited by the Journal. "HCA Healthcare is proud to support Nashville GRAD as a complementary strategy to our work with the high school academies, and we appreciate [Nashville] Mayor [David] Briley's leadership on this important issue for our city."

Nashville GRAD was developed in partnership with Nashville State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville, according to the program website. It helps eligible full-time students at these schools with purchasing textbooks, transportation, industry certification fees and other assistance.

More articles on workforce:

Physicians generally happy at work but still face stresses, study shows

5 large metro areas with low, high unemployment

Froedtert Health seeks to fill more than 500 open positions
The global spinal fusion market is expected to exceed $1.2 billion by 2027, growing at a 5.4 percent compound annual growth rate, according to a Future Market Insights report.

Here, four spine surgeons discuss where they see spinal fusions headed.

Christopher Wolf, MD. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute (Los Angeles): Advances in bone grafting in the past led us from using autologous grafts to grafts from cadavers. Over time, these advances with the use of proteins such as BMP are enhancing fusion potential. This will continue to improve and make surgery safer and more effective for patients.

Implants are continually advancing with a number of companies competing. It likely will move to some extent towards more custom implants for patients that can be 3D printed to exact size/shape for implantation based on preoperative imaging. Also, improvements with the application of stem cells are advancing, but not as rapidly as most would hope. At present, stem cells can help augment a fusion. It is hoped that in the future the disc itself can be 'regenerated/restored' with this technology. But that potential in humans remains to be seen.

Michael Goldsmith, MD. The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (Bethesda, Minn.): Hopefully revision surgery for pseudarthrosis will be less prevalent in the coming years. As our implants and techniques become better and our adjuncts to bone grafts become more powerful through advancement in biologics, I would expect to see fusion rates rise. Revision surgery is extremely costly and has higher complication rates than index fusions, so the goal is to avoid reoperation to benefit both the patient and health system.

One concern I have, which is a bleak prediction, is that innovation may decrease as well. In an effort to save money, many hospitals, in particular the larger health systems, are moving to one or two vendor systems which drives out smaller companies and may have the downstream effect of diminishing innovation. Oftentimes smaller companies have the ability to be more innovative either because they were created around a new technology or in order to differentiate themselves. We need to continue to encourage true innovation at the ground level by supporting all technology, not just from the big companies.

Roger Hartl, MD. Weill Cornell Medicine (New York City): The combination of MIS, biologics for disc repair, regeneration and replacement, better surgical planning (navigation/robotics) and a better understanding of the pathophysiology will result in a reduced need for fusion surgery. This will take some time but will surely happen. As surgeons, we can decide to be at the forefront of research and innovation or have insurance carriers and governmental decision-makers take the lead.

Daniel Birk, MD. Stony Brook (N.Y.) Medicine: New kinodynamic models of spine biomechanics will combine with advances in material science, robotics, additive manufacturing, computer vision and nanotechnology. Novel diagnostic modalities will accompany groundbreaking insights into spine pathophysiology. Today, I am unable to offer my patients spinal restoration. However, in 10 years, I predict that fusion surgery, and the associated complications, will become mostly obsolete and will give way to dynamic and adaptable spine technologies that restore and maintain spine physiology without rigid fixation or titanium implants.

Contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com to participate in future Q&As.

Register today for Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + The Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference June 13-15, click here. To learn more about exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, contact Maura Jodoin at mjodoin@beckershealthcare.com.
A Northern Ireland farming company has been granted planning approval to open a 2.5m base near Dungannon with the potential to create 40 new jobs.

Countryside Services Ltd (CSL), which is ultimately owned by the Ulster Farmers' Union, offers commercial and professional services to the farming and rural community across NI.

Mid Ulster District Council has signed off on its plan for a new facility at the Granville industrial hub near Dungannon, which is already home to major agri-firms such as Dunbia and Linden Foods.

The new CSL building will include a laboratory, offices and tag production unit, as well as a packaging storage and distribution facility.

CSL, currently based at Moy Road, Dungannon, said the expansion is necessary to meet demand for its livestock identification tags across Northern Ireland and the rest of UK.

The company said its Flexo tag system has rapidly grown in terms of market demand.

Improvements in the design of livestock tags have been reflected in new figures from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

The data revealed that the 219,816 replacement livestock tags sold in Northern Ireland during 2018 was 26,000 (12%) down on the 2016 figure.

According to the UFU, led by president Ivor Ferguson, the average cost of replacing a single tag is currently 3.25 (plus VAT).

It's understood that the UFU, with the backing of economic development agency Invest NI, will support the new facility through funding.

In documents submitted to the Planning Service, Invest NI said it could provide the site for the new facility at the Granville Industrial Estate.

In its planning submission, Countryside Services described itself as "the epitome of a small rural business" that requires a rural location.

It said: "The location and wider Granville area is conductive to this type of business complemented by adjacent businesses that specialise in the agricultural and agri-food sector."

CSL was set up by the UFU in 1998.

As well as being involved in animal tagging, the firm also distributes the Farm Business Improvement Scheme, a multi-million-pound Government funding pot which assists farmers in upgrading equipment and machinery.

The company recorded a 2m turnover in 2017.
A bid from a team in Belfast to return commercial shipbuilding to the city has won funding from a major research and innovation programme.

A bid from a team in Belfast to return commercial shipbuilding to the city has won funding from a major research and innovation programme.

The plan, led by Artemis Technologies, has won early-stage funding from UK Research and Innovation's Strength in Places fund.

The consortium behind the bid aims to fast-track the prototyping of a new class of vessel and sub-systems, including a wind/electric hybrid, named the Autonomous Sailing Vessel (ASV).

Artemis Technologies CEO Iain Percy said: "This early-stage funding is a major endorsement of our plans to make Belfast the advanced maritime manufacturing capital of the world.

"The city is already home to some of the most advanced aerospace and composite engineering talent available anywhere on the planet and we want to harness that potential by combining it with Belfast's rich maritime history and our own expertise in high-speed yacht design.

"We strongly believe this project will be an economic game-changer for Northern Ireland by placing the region at the very heart of the revolution of the maritime sector."

The bid, named 'Decarbonisation of Maritime Transportation - a Return to Commercial Sailing', is one of 24 ambitious projects to receive early-stage funding to develop full-stage proposals. The ASV will be one of a series of commercial products developed by Artemis Technologies in Belfast using wind and other energy recovery systems.

Initial discussions with potential customers have indicated a range of applications, from a city-to-city passenger ferry to a defence reconnaissance vessel.

Each of the shortlisted projects from the first wave of the fund has been awarded up to 50,000 in early-stage funding, which will allow applicants to develop full-stage bids.

The strongest projects will receive between 10m and 50m.
The only Russian airline to sign up for the part Belfast-made Airbus A220 has pulled out of a deal to lease six of the larger model planes, it has emerged.

Russian media reported that Red Wings has abandoned its plans in the wake of rising costs of a lease arrangement for six A220-300s. The state-owned carrier was set to be the first airline in Russia to fly the narrow body aircraft. Airbus acquired a majority stake in Bombardier's C-series last summer, rebranding the planes into its large portfolio. The wings for the jet series continue to be made at Bombardier's factory in east Belfast.

Despite industry body ADS reporting a strong start for 2019 in the aerospace industry, Airbus has already lost an order for five A220-100 aircraft this year after Swiss carrier PrivatAir filed for insolvency.

Red Wings had been due to lease the six A220s from Dublin-based GTLK Europe, which is part of Russia's state transport leasing company.

GTLK suggested to Russian Aviation Insider that it will still purchase the A220s.

"The price of the aircraft increased, which led to the escalation of the leasing rate. [Therefore] the contract with GTLK was annulled. The aircraft will be re-marketed, as there's demand for this type on the market," it said.

Meanwhile Paul Everitt, who heads UK body ADS, said while the global aerospace industry is thriving, a no-deal Brexit poses a major threat to the UK industry: "As MPs return to Parliament to vote on a Brexit deal, we urge the Government to remove the threat of no-deal and commit to work with Parliament to secure a new approach," he said.
On the New Zealand Killings

Note- I have erased the names of terrorists.



Cartoon by Tom Toles



(SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.) - On March 15, 2019, B***** T*******, an Australian, attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, killing 50 and wounding several others. He posted links on Facebook that connected to a live video of the massacre from a camera mounted on his body.

The video showed unspeakable slaughter as a gunman moved through the houses of worship, saying nothing, shooting as many people as he could.

He also left behind a 74-page manifesto" declaring himself a  racist and ethno-nationalist eco-fascist" and various diatribes against immigrants, Muslims, Jews and religious converts.

He wanted to defend our lands from invaders, to reduce immigration rates and to deepen division and start a civil war in the United States. Calling immigrants invaders is right out of Trumps playbook.

T****** further stated in his manifesto that he was inspired by mass murderer A*** B*****, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.

He also mentions Finsbury Park terrorist D**** O*****, and then goes on to rail against mass immigration and said he views Donald Trump a symbol of renewed white identity. Think about that for a moment  Tarrant links Trump with two mass murderers.

President Trump expressed sympathy for the victims, but played down the threat of white nationalism across the world, saying he didnt consider it a rising threat despite data suggesting otherwise.

Yet, Trump keeps encouraging both violence and white nationalism, and white-nationalist violence is rising. The cartoon (right) by Tim Toles says it plainly, in one nutshell.

David Leonhardt of The New York Times put it nicely, While Trump doesnt deserve blame for any specific attack; he does deserve blame for using the worlds biggest bully pulpit to corrode our democracy and public safety.

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The fashion retailer set up by former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is expected to appoint administrators within days.

Pretty Green, which has a store in Belfast, has been struggling with falling demand on the high street.

The decade-old menswear business, which employs 180 staff across the UK, has filed a notice of intention to appoint Moorfields Advisory to handle an insolvency process.

Its dozen stores include a branch at Victoria Square and 40 concessions in other outlets such as House of Fraser.

Yesterday its Belfast store tweeted to say it was "business as usual today".

On Twitter, Gallagher, said: "As long as we've got our health, gotta put things into perspective." He then closed his tweet, "as you were PG I mean LG x".

The company's latest accounts, which referred to "another challenging period on the high street", disclosed a pre-tax loss of 1.5m in the 16 months to January 2018, despite revenue of 38.2m.

City sources told Sky News that the notice had been put down in order to create a window for Pretty Green to secure new investment. If a buyer is found, a deal would be implemented after administrators have been appointed.

Reports say there has been interest from potential bidders since Moorfields began running a process earlier this month.

Moorfields Advisory is understood to have told interested parties that Pretty Green's business and assets would not be sold solvently.

In a statement earlier this month, it said: "Pretty Green is not immune to the challenges facing the UK high street as customers migrate from purchasing in store to online.

"The growing overall demand for the brand, coupled with a strong online customer base, position the company well to navigate these changes and we are therefore considering all options."

The firm declined to comment further on Pretty Green's filing of a notice of intention to appoint it as administrator.

Pretty Green could not be reached for comment.
Mother's Day is just around the corner - this Sunday in fact - the day when we say thank you to the women who mean so much to us.

In reality, we can never sufficiently thank these amazing ladies for all they've done for us throughout the years, from nursing us through illnesses and drying our tears (and not just when we're children), to giving great advice and the best hugs of all, but marking the occasion with a card and a present is the least we can do.

To that end, we've rounded up this year's best Mother's Day beauty offerings.

So, whether you're buying for a flower-lover, a skincare obsessive, a glam gal or a stylish minimalist, here are 14 great gift ideas for your leading lady...

For the green-fingered mum

1. RHS daisy garland hand wash and lotion duo, 22

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Infused with daisy and marigold extracts, this floral hand care duo comes in a beautiful box decorated with a print from the Royal Horticultural Society's archive.

2. L'Occitane Fleur de Force Mother's Day collection, 25

Part of a collaboration with lifestyle vlogger Fleur de Force, this collection, worth 34.50, comprises mini shower oil, body cream, hand cream and fragrance in scrumptious almond and cherry scents.

3. SoulAndSoap personalised Mother's Day pamper set, 29.99, Etsy

With rose bath salts and bath bomb alongside freesia soap and a lavender candle - all handmade - this box contains everything mum needs to create a bathtub oasis.

4. Rituals The Ritual of Sakura renewing ritual, 29.50

Inspired by and infused with Japanese cherry blossom, this four-piece pampering set of shower gel, scrub, lotion and hand wash comes in a pretty pink keepsake box.

For the minimalist mum

5. Ashley & Co Sootherup Tui & Kahili hand and body lotion, 28, Selfridges

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For the mother who won't allow clutter - or colour - in her shiny, spotless bathroom, the monochrome styling's of New Zealand brand Ashley & Co will fit right in.

6. Cosmydor S/4 Artisanal organic face and hand liquid soap with argan oil and cardamom essential oil, 28

Free from foaming agents and synthetic fragrances, this nourishing soap owes its rich scent to argan oil, coconut oil and cardamom, plus it's vegan-friendly and housed in a glass bottle, perfect for the plastic-free mama.

7. Haeckels Essentials gift box, 30

Aesthetically pleasing and gorgeously scented, this starter selection from Margate-based eco-beauty brand Haeckels comes with an Exfoliating Seaweed Block, a tube of Geranium Hand Balm and a miniature perfume of your choice.

For the glam mum

8. Benefit Mum's Hoola, 26

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How cute is this? Benefit has rebranded its cult favourite bronzer in honour of all the mamas out there. Same iconic shade, new Mum's Hoola packaging.

9. Sisley L'Orchidee coral highlighting blush, 74

Admittedly, this orchid-inspired palette is almost too beautiful to disturb with a brush, but once you've finished admiring it, you'll discover a stunningly luminescent soft coral shade to adorn your cheeks.

10. Givenchy L'Interdit Eau de Parfum, 58.65 (was 69), 50ml, Boots

Ahead of Mother's Day, Givenchy has launched a limited edition L'Interdit eau de parfum trio, teaming the new fragrance with a daringly dark Rouge Interdit Vinyl lipstick and make-up pouch.

11. Elemis Pro-Collagen Capsule Collection, 145

Looking for something truly luxurious? The Elemis Pro-Collagen Capsule Collection offers pots of the classic face cream, plus a serum and eye cream, inside a chic black vanity case. And despite the price tag, it's actually a steal since it's valued at 217.

For the skincare loving mum

12. Nourish London radiance beauty collection, 30

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Featuring travel-sized hydrating facial oil, serum and moisturiser, plus an Illuminating Face Shimmer, this vegan radiance-boosting collection is all mum needs to glow on the go.

13. Liz Earle cleanse & Polish hot cloth cleanser lavender & vetiver skincare gift set, 36, John Lewis

Is your mother dearest one of the legion who swear by Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish? Then she'll love this collection, which contains the new Lavender & Vetiver edition - and the body version, plus two muslin cloths and an exfoliating mitt - it's the ultimate smooth skin set.

14. Foreo Luna 2, 126.75 (was 169), John Lewis,

Skincare gadget makers Foreo are offering 25% off the Luna 2 until March 31. One side of this pulsating pink device exfoliates and the other targets fine lines and wrinkles, while also helping mum's skincare products absorb better.
Celebrated journalist and author Lionel Shriver is appearing at Imagine, the festival of ideas and politics, which runs in Belfast from today until March 31.

Born in North Carolina 61 years ago to a religious family - her father was a Presbyterian minister - she was something of a rebellious teenager and reportedly informally changed her name from Margaret Ann to Lionel because she felt it better reflected her tomboy personality.

Her most famous novel, We Need To Talk About Kevin, which documents a mother's attempts to understand why her son carried out a mass killing at a school, was later turned into a film.

Lionel is married to jazz drummer Jeff Williams and they split their time between London and the US.

Apart from her books she has written for The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The New York Times, The Economist, The Guardian and The Spectator.

Q. What brought you to Northern Ireland in 1987?

A. I wanted to write a novel (Ordinary Decent Criminals) set against the backdrop of the conflict in Northern Ireland. It was a rapid process of education for me. When I arrived it hadn't quite registered how tired it was to set a book in Belfast and the number of cliches I would need to avoid. Foreign novelists in Northern Ireland were seen as something of a local joke. And there had been plenty of evidence that foreign television crews were capable of organising a riot all by themselves.

Q. Unlike many people who came to Northern Ireland, especially Americans, you had more sympathy for the unionist cause then the nationalist one. Why was that?

A. It wasn't a party political thing. I didn't come to Northern Ireland with any preconceptions, which made me unusual. A lot of Americans came over already having taken sides. I came with a genuinely open mind. That is not a boast, but rather a statement that I knew nothing about the conflict and had to hit the ground running. That innocence was useful.

Looking at the situation from a democratic perspective, I thought that as long as the majority of people in Northern Ireland wanted to remain part of the UK they should be allowed to do so.

Q. Is that what has fuelled your dislike of republicanism during that period?

A. I intuitively dislike bullying. When I arrived I did not think the lack of civil rights and the injustices going on were of such egregious character that they merited violence and therefore I found myself completely at odds with the IRA.

Liberal Americans from an ocean away may have regarded the IRA as some kind of left wing liberation movement but I found it to be a right wing nationalist retrograde movement which was authoritarian and thuggish.

Historically I have talked a little less about loyalist violence which no sane person endorsed either. At least one could say it was reactive, no matter how distasteful.

I threw them (terrorists) all into the same lot but the IRA were better organised and were often misrepresented as heroes while violent loyalists didn't have much of a constituency.

Q. You have strongly opposed the prosecution of police officers or soldiers for historic crimes, for example the killings on Bloody Sunday. Why?

A. I think that you cannot have it both ways. You cannot let terrorists go and still hold soldiers to account.

I realise there is an argument that soldiers should be held to higher values, but I think the more persuasive argument was that the Good Friday Agreement was supposed to draw a line under all that.

It was not a perfect justice but even an imperfect justice has to be an imperfect justice for everyone.

In the context of Northern Ireland anyone who is in the police or Army enjoys none of the clemency that the Good Friday Agreement gives to terrorists.

It seems to work out that as long as your morals are in the gutter you get out of jail free. Terrorists are rewarded but the forces of law and order are pursued.

It was one of the great ironies of the Good Friday Agreement that terrorists got out of jail but the so-called ordinary decent criminals remained inside.

Q. What do you think of the shambles Brexit has become?

A. I think (the Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar is part of the problem. He got caught up in a crusading impulse and regards it as a nice turnaround of which country is now top power. The whole argument around the border is, I believe, perfectly insincere. No one is worried about a renewed terrorist campaign. It is strange that no one ever mentions by name the IRA or its weirdo affiliates when warning of renewed violence.

I believe the Good Friday Agreement can be amended to take account of changing circumstances even if there was agreement reached at a previous time. People react as if the Good Friday Agreement was Holy Writ. That whole process was a farce with people blethering away until 3am one morning. It is not Holy Writ.

It is a weird supposition by the EU and Irish government that if you put a little camera on the border all hell will break out. Yet both the EU and Irish government have asserted that they are not going to enforce a hard border.

If the UK is no longer in the EU and the border is still in place, the real problem is between the EU and the Irish government because the UK is not going to put anything up on the border.

Varadkar and the EU would be in opposition because the EU would not want Ireland to be a backdoor into it.

Theresa May was an idiot and bought their set up and it was a trap and now she has written it into the withdrawal agreement. I have never seen such incompetence.

I do believe Brexit is one of the best opportunities for an united Ireland that nationalists are ever going to get. It could convince a lot of people to switch allegiance if it is inconvenient for them to hold their traditional views. After all, Northern Ireland was strongly in favour of remaining in the EU.

Q. In previous reports you have suggested that you could be easily hurt. Is that right?

A. I don't think I am unusually easy to hurt. I think everyone is easy to hurt in some way but we vary enormously in our capacity to disguise it.

That is one of the reasons why I avoid social media. I have no interest in it. Given that I can be provocative I have a tendency to draw the ire of a certain group of people, so why should I put myself in the way of them.

I have no interest in spending my time inviting insult. I would rather avoid it like any normal person. However, I don't mean that I am some kind of tender flower. I am perfectly capable of giving the appearance of having a thick skin.

Q. What do you think of Donald Trump?

A. I spend every summer in New York and there is no evidence that he has changed in any way since being elected. He is an idiot. That is why I don't talk a lot about him.

His flaws are on display for everyone to see. They are no secret. He is a narcissist; he doesn't read; he doesn't know what he is talking about. He shouldn't be president of the United States. That is apparent to everyone and it is not useful for me to go on about him.

I am just waiting for his term of office to be over. I don't think he will get a second term but I was wrong about him the first time. The Democrats should not get on their high horse and think success is a given in the next presidential election. They need to choose someone fairly centrist in his or her views as opposed to some far left diversity character who will alienate the mainstream.

Q. Unlike many commentators you have not been a wholehearted supporter of the #MeToo campaign. Why?

A. I question it. I am not a natural bandwagoner and something that calls itself #MeToo is not inclined to get me behind it.

These recent mass movements that have a momentum of their own make me uneasy. In this case there were some cases of abuse of power which were revealed early on and I am glad that they came to light. Some of the women who testified had real cases.

However, it doesn't make any sense to support or oppose the movement. I think all instances of alleged abuse need to be judged on their merits and not just as part of the movement.

This whole notion of believing women without question is patently absurd. Some people believe some women no matter who they are and if they have evidence. Women can lie as well as men. There is nothing about a female which makes her more reliable than a man.

I believe the principles of due process have got lost in the shuffle, things like the presumption of innocence and the need for empirical evidence.

It seems that you can just point the finger and people are deemed guilty and are out the window. None of us would like to be judged guilty until proven guilty.

Q. Do you come back to Northern Ireland often?

A. I used to come back a little more often. I used to come over to visit my dentist but I have finally got one near where I live. Now it is usually following invites to literary festivals. I enjoy going back to Northern Ireland. It brings back happy memories and I always feel at home there.
A man who fears being sterilised if forced back to his native China has won a High Court battle in his ongoing attempts to remain with his wife and children in Northern Ireland.

The 32-year-old, who cannot be identified, secured a declaration that the Home Office unlawfully failed to determine a claim that his whole family should be allowed to stay in the United Kingdom.

Born in the Fujian Province, the man stated that he fled China in 2008 due to concerns about being persecuted over his membership of an unauthorised Christian church.

In 2014 he claimed asylum in the UK for the first time after being arrested for working unlawfully in Chinese restaurants.

Since then the man's wife, also a Chinese national, has given birth to two children.

As part of his bid to secure asylum the man claimed: "I am fearful, if returned to China, that either myself or my wife would be forced into being sterilised in order to prevent us from having any more children.

"We would also be heavily fined... and we have no means of paying any financial penalty."

He went on to state that by 2015 all of the family's asylum claims were rejected.

However, in September 2018 the Secretary of State granted leave for his wife and children to remain in the UK.

The decision made no mention of the man, who was instead informed that his asylum request was being treated separately.

His lawyers contended that, based on his children having resided in the UK since birth, all members of the family should be allowed to remain under immigration rules and European human rights law.

Ruling on the man's judicial review challenge, Mr Justice McCloskey said assertions that the man still has an outstanding asylum claim was "fundamentally misconceived".

The judge said he was entitled to a declaration that the Home Office failed to determine the further application for all family members to be permitted to stay.

He ordered that the issue must be determined within an eight-week period.

Mr Justice McCloskey held that by failing to determine the applicant's application, the Secretary of State's decision maker had contravened the Borders, Citizen and Immigration Act 2009, and the human rights of all family members.

He confirmed: "This challenge must succeed accordingly."
A 32year-old man was remanded in custody at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday charged with murdering Darren McGurk in Limavady.

Karl Mark John Watson of Glenview Drive in Limavady is accused of murdering 23-year-old last week. He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by allegedly trying to interfere with a witness.

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Police had received a report last Thursday that Mr McGurk had sustained a serious head injury following an assault at a house in the Glenbeg Walk area of the town on the previous evening.

He had been taken to hospital where he died on Sunday.

The accused had been arrested on Friday and had been originally charged with grievous bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Following Mr McGurks death he was further arrested and charged with murder.

The defendant appeared in the dock in handcuffs on Monday.

A police officer said she believed she could connect the accused to the charges.

A prosecutor said she was asking for a remand in custody.

A defence solicitor said he had been specifically instructed not to make a bail application.

He told the court: My clients family have asked on their behalf to extend their sincere condolences to the McGurk family on this tragic situation.

It is a close-knit community.

District Judge Peter King remanded the defendant in custody to appear back at the same court via video link on April 15.
Irish leader Leo Varadkar has refused to discuss any potential delays at the border in the event of a no-deal Brexit, following a warning by the European Commission.

The Commission said it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal on April 12.

In a statement, the body said it had completed its preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, which it said would cause significant disruption for citizens and businesses and significant delays at borders.

In such a scenario, the UKs relations with the EU would be governed by general international public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation, said the statement released in Brussels.

The Taoiseach refused to answer questions about the issue at a photocall event in Dublin, and stated only that he wished to see a deal ratified, and that the Commissions statement was just a statement of fact.

Im still confident and I still think its likely we will have a deal, he said.

However, as every day passes, no-deal does become more likely. Thats just a statement of fact.

So were intensifying our no-deal preparations. They have been very much under way now for months, if not years.

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They are being intensified and finalised at the moment. We need to see now what happens in Westminster over next couple of days and weeks and well take it from there.

Mr Varadkar then walked away, leaving Health Minister Simon Harris to field further questions.

Ive given up making predictions in relation to Brexit, but focus needs to stay very much on the House of Commons this week, Mr Harris said.

The ball is very firmly in Westminsters court, and the EU has provided more time for Britain to make its decision, and that time needs to be used wisely, we need not just to hear what Britain is against, we need to hear what Britain wants as a way forward.

Mr Harris said despite senior DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson suggesting Ireland join the Commonwealth, he doesnt see it happening.

I dont wish to see it arise, remember my party was the party that declared Ireland a republic, he said.

We are going to have to find new ways to work with the United Kingdom and continuing to wanting to work with the UK should they leave the European Union.

There are lots of different views in relation to it, but I think we have a strong, deep, historical, personal relationship with the UK, I hope that continues and I dont think that necessitates being a member of the Commonwealth.
A Sinn Fein councillor has condemned the erection of "sinister" Parachute Regiment flags in Cookstown town centre.

The flags carry the message 'Londonderry 1972 No Surrender' on them alongside the Parachute Regiment ensignia.

Sinn Fein Councillor for Cookstown John McNamee condemned the erection of the flags and said that they glorify the Bloody Sunday killings.

Parachute Regiment flags have also been erected in north Belfast, after it was announced that a 'Soldier F' will be prosecuted for his role in the deaths of two people on Bloody Sunday, and the attempted murder of four others.

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Thirteen people were killed and 15 wounded after members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in Derry's Bogside on January 30, 1972. A 14th person died in hospital.

The flying of the flags is in direct contravention of the flags protocol put forward by the Loyalist Communities Council which states that flags should only be flown between June and September, should be flown in a "respectful" manner and not in a way to be used for provocative purposes.

I have received a large number of complaints since these flags went up over the weekend. While Im aware that similar flags have been erected elsewhere those erected in Cookstown have a more sinister message on them," Councillor McNamee said.

The flags I have seen have the message Londonderry 1972 No Surrender emblazoned on them which is an obvious reference to the Bloody Sunday Massacre carried out by the Parachute regiment in Derry on 30th January 1972.

This is a deliberate act to cause further trauma and distress to the families of those murdered on that day.

Councillor McNamee called on the PSNI to investigate the flying of the flags as a hate crime.

In my opinion the erection of these flags is a hate crime and I am calling for their immediate removal," he said.

I am also calling on the PSNI to investigate those responsible for this hate crime as these flags were erected in full view of the towns CCTV cameras.
A man is to appear in court this morning charged with the murder of Darren McGurk from Limavady

A man is to appear in court this morning charged with the murder of Darren McGurk from Limavady.

The 23-year-old - Northern Ireland's ninth murder victim of 2019 - was attacked in a house in the Glenbeg Walk area of the Co Londonderry town last Wednesday, sustaining a serious head injury.

Police said he succumbed to his injuries yesterday morning.

A 32-year-old had been arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm. He was re-arrested and charged with murder yesterday and will also face a charge of perverting the course of justice.

Mr McGurk, a former student of St Mary's High School, Limavady, is survived by his parents, Majella and Patsy, and brothers Gavin, Caolan, Mark, Ryan, Owen and Declan.

They were said to be struggling to come to terms with his death.

There was widespread shock as news of the incident spread, with many of his friends paying their respects on social media.

"So sorry to hear this," said one friend. "He was a lovely fella, definitely a character! The whole family is in my thoughts and prayers."

Police appealed for anyone who may have been aware of his last movements, or who was in contact with him over social media or who tried to over recent days, to contact their major investigation team.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna said: "First and foremost, I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to Darren's family and loved ones who are struggling to come to terms with Darren's untimely death.

"We received a report around 4.20pm on Thursday that Darren had sustained a serious head injury following an assault at a house in the Glenbeg Walk area of the town the previous evening. We believe this assault occurred around 6pm on Wednesday.

"Darren was taken to hospital where he sadly passed away."

The officer continued: "On Friday we arrested a 32-year-old man and charged him with grievous bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

"Following Darren's death, the same man was further arrested and charged with Darren's murder. He will appear before Coleraine Magistrates' Court for the offences of murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice."

The officer made a number of appeals to the public in a bid to trace Mr McGurk's final movements.

"Were you in touch with Darren, via text or on the phone? Did you see him that day? Was he with anyone? Were you in the Glenbeg Walk area around the time of the assault? Did you hear or see anything that was out of the ordinary?

"I am also keen to speak to anyone who knows Darren and may have been trying to get in contact with him between 6pm on Wednesday through to 4.20pm on Thursday. This includes any attempts to contact Darren by mobile phone or on social media.

"I want to establish an accurate picture of what occurred on Wednesday night so Darren's family know exactly what happened to their loved one."

Police can be contacted on 101 or information about crime can be passed anonymously on 0800 555 111 to Crimestoppers.

Darren's funeral details have yet to be confirmed.
A series of spoof election posters have appeared around Belfast, setting social media on fire as people try to figure out who's behind them.

Local political blogger Alan Meban first drew attention to the posters on Twitter, by posting a series of photos.

The posters feature a stock photo of a man wearing a generic 'vote' rosette.

They include a number of different spoof slogans advertising candidates from the 'Sameold Sameold Party' including "Don't think. Just vote", "A vote for me, is a vote for me", "Scared of them'uns? Vote for us'uns" and "Whatever happens, just keep voting for me".

Candidates names are replaced by "Chancer?", "Opportunist?", "Career politician" and "We made this mess".

Are you behind the posters? Get in touch with us at digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk or call us on 0845 075 5846

Speculation is rampant as to who could be behind the posters.

One Twitter user suggested that the posters could be a promotion for a "play or comedy show" saying that Belfast funnymen Shane Todd or Colin Geddis may be behind it.

It was also suggested that the group behind a series of billboards of Tweets poking fun at MP's statements on Brexit could be the authors.

Election posters have started going up all over Northern Ireland as parties prepare for the upcoming local government elections in May.

Mr Meban said that the posters encouraged the public to actually think about what they are voting for.

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As voters, we sometimes get sucked into the narratives of fear and difference voiced by politics candidates and parties," he said.

"These timely and humorous posters - clearly a rather well-executed act of agitprop - help us stand back and consider what were hearing and thinking.

"With elections coming up in May and the consequences of 2016s EU Referendum rarely out of the news headlines, maybe the message of the posters is just cynical enough to cajole a few of us into voting by following our own intentions and aspirations rather than someone elses stale dogma.
Residents in rural parts of Northern Ireland could have no access to cash if ATM raids continue, retailers have warned.

Glyn Roberts, the head of Retail NI, was speaking after yet another cash machine was ripped from the wall of a garage in Co Fermanagh early yesterday morning.

McAleer's Spar on the Dromore Road in Irvinestown was the fifth premises to be targeted in the province since the start of this year.

The digger used in the attack is believed to have been stolen from a nearby building site, before being set alight shortly after the incident happened.

Similar attacks have occurred across different counties, with an Asda store in Antrim having two ATMs torn out by a digger last month.

Other locations that have been affected are Omagh, Moira, Dungannon and Newtownabbey.

On Friday, a Danske Bank branch in Mallusk had its built-in machine destroyed.

Part of the grocery store in Irvinestown was badly damaged but reopened in the afternoon to continue trading.

But Mr Roberts said such vandalism will have a real impact on rural communities if they continue at such an alarming rate.

"This is concerning because it seems like there's an increase in these attacks, but it also seems that there are no no-go areas for the criminal gang or gangs behind these attacks," he said.

"We saw the attack at the Danske Bank branch on Friday and then Irvinestown on Sunday morning and it appears to have emboldened them with the 'success' at banks now.

"There's certainly concern among our members now about who's going to be next."

Mr Roberts also urged retail businesses, particularly those close to building sites, to be "extra vigilant in the days to come".

He added: "We're going to talk to colleagues in the banking and construction sectors about what we can collectively do together, because I'm very conscious that owners of these building sites are victims also."

The PSNI's Organised Crime Branch set up a new team to deal with such incidents earlier this month, due to the increase in attacks.

Detective Sergeant Brian Reid said: "Thieves used a digger to remove the 'built-in' cash machine from a filling station on the Dromore Road at around 4.05am, causing extensive damage to the building. We believe the culprits used a trailer to remove the ATM from the scene.

"We also believe the digger was stolen from ground under development nearby. The digger was set alight at the scene immediately after the theft."

Mr Reid said that police are investigating whether the attacks are linked.

Ulster Unionist MLA Rosemary Barton described the theft as "despicable". She added: "It is frustrating to see yet another ATM ripped from the wall of a local business. The ATM is a crucial service in this local area and this latest incident has now deprived the community of yet another facility."

"These despicable actions have become all too prevalent over the past few months across Fermanagh and South Tyrone. It must be made a priority now for the PSNI to put more resources into trying to prevent such deeds."

Adding her condemnation in a tweet, DUP leader Arlene Foster said: "Another rural community robbed of an ATM. Thoughts are with the shop owners who have to rebuild. Huge inconvenience for the wider community too.

"ATMs are being moved indoors and only available during office hours. Will be speaking to PSNI Fermanagh and Omagh about cracking down on the thieves.

"This is another disgraceful attack on the local community in the county. It is an attack on a local business striving to provide a service to people and yet another blow to people who depend on this service to meet their needs."
Ian Ogle died after being beaten and stabbed 11 times in the back near his home

A 36-year-old woman and 31-year-old man previously arrested in connection with the murder of Ian Ogle have been reported to the PPS (Public Prosecution Service) for assisting an offender and withholding information.

Community worker and father of two Mr Ogle was murdered by a group of men near his Cluan Place home in east Belfast on January 27.

Police said Mr Ogle had been stabbed 11 times in the back and suffered a fractured skull.

Two men have been charged with his murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna has also made a further appeal for information.

At this time, I want to reiterate my appeal for witnesses to this horrific murder. Ian Ogle was subjected to a brutal attack and his family deserve justice," he said.

"Anyone with information that could assist my investigation is asked to please get in touch with the investigation team by calling 101 quoting reference 1303 27/1/19.

"Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous.
Disgraced care home provider Runwood Homes has come under fire over staff numbers at Dunmurry Manor, it can be revealed.

Disgraced care home provider Runwood Homes has come under fire over staff numbers at Dunmurry Manor, it can be revealed.

Relatives of people living in the nursing home have raised concerns about staffing levels and said they felt the situation was affecting the care being delivered.

In particular, they were worried that staff were not able to properly supervise residents, assist with continence needs, or ensure they were eating and drinking adequate amounts.

Their concerns emerged after an unannounced inspection of the home in January.

The findings of the visit have reignited calls for health officials to take action against Runwood Homes.

Julieann McNally, whose grandmother lived at Dunmurry Manor in 2016, said: "This is proof that Runwood Homes is not fit for purpose.

"How much evidence do the trusts and the Department of Health need before they finally say enough is enough?"

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) uncovered a number of issues during its inspection of Dunmurry Manor on January 17.

It was the first assessment of care at the nursing home since the publication of the damning Home Truths report last June.

In it, the Commissioner for Older People criticised Runwood Homes for a litany of failings at Dunmurry Manor, including staff shortages, shocking hygiene lapses and a failure by management to address concerns.

As a result of the report, which made allegations of abuse and neglect at the home, detectives launched a police investigation, which is still ongoing.

The January inspection also revealed areas of good practice - in particular staff were praised for the care they delivered, their knowledge and their interaction with residents.

The inspection report also noted that planned staffing levels were being adhered to, although both staff and residents' relatives raised concerns about this area with the RQIA.

It said: "Consultation with six staff confirmed that they were not satisfied that the staffing levels in the home met the assessed needs of patients. Staff stated that they felt 'frustrated' and that they 'give their best but there is never enough time'.

"In addition, two staff responding on an online survey were of the opinion that the staffing levels were too low."

One employee said: "Dunmurry Manor is a beautiful home and obviously a lot of thought was put into the reminiscence dementia friendly services.

"I only wish that was the same for their business plan in terms of staff levels  staff want to give people the care they deserve."

The inspector said that consultation with nine relatives also confirmed that they were not satisfied the staffing arrangements in the home met patients' needs.

"Likewise, three respondents within relatives' questionnaires confirmed that they did not feel there was enough staff on duty to provide care to the patients," he continued.

The concerns were passed to Runwood Homes and an assurance was given that additional care assistant hours had been allocated and the situation will remain under review.

It did emerge during the inspection that two staff members did not feel they could raise any concerns with the home's management.

The RQIA inspector also raised concerns about shortfalls in the way management monitored the registration of care staff.

This was stated as an area for improvement.

Runwood Homes did not respond to a request for a comment.
The fire service is investigating the cause of a blaze that destroyed an Indian restaurant in Coleraine.

The fire happened at the Indus Valley Restaurant at the Riverside Regional Centre in the town on Sunday night.

A total of seven fire engines and 35 firefighters from Coleraine, Portstewart, Portrush and Londonderry worked to tackle the blaze, which broke out shortly after 10pm.

It is understood this is the third time in recent years a fire has broke out in the immediate area.

A Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: Firefighters dealt with a fire in Indus Valley Restaurant and worked hard to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings and businesses.

The incident was dealt with at 00.46am (25 March 2019) and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Maurice Bradley, DUP MLA for the area, said it was "tragic" to see a business destroyed.

Thankfully no one was hurt in the fire, but there has been a drastic loss of business to the restaurants and fast food outlets in the area, not to mention the destruction of Indus Valley, I believe, the third time a fire has occurred here," he said.

"Members of the NIFRS were quickly on the scene, and with the first of gas tanks at the rear of premises catching fire members of the PSNI formed a cordon around the area, diverting traffic away from the danger scene.

"It was tragic to see a business go up in smoke, but the rapid response from the emergency services saw they fire quickly brought under control and normality restored around midnight."
Theresa May has told MPs there is "still not sufficient support" to bring her Withdrawal Agreement back for a third meaningful vote.

Speaking in the Commons on Monday, Theresa May said reopening the agreement is "simply not an option", but she will continue discussions to find a way forward.

"It is with great regret that I have had to conclude, that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote," she said.

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"I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support so that we can bring the vote forward this week and guarantee Brexit.

"If not, the Government has made the commitment that we would work across the House to find a majority on the way forward."

The Prime Minister said the "default outcome" remained leaving without a deal.

"The alternative is to pursue a different form of Brexit or a second referendum," she said.

"But the bottom line remains: if the House does not approve the Withdrawal Agreement this week and is not prepared to countenance leaving without a deal, we would have to seek a longer extension."

Tonight, MPs will debate an amendable Government motion, where they will put their favoured Brexit outcomes to a vote.

Seven amendments have been tabled, however it is unlikely all will be selected for debate by Speaker John Bercow.

One amendment tabled by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn calls on the Government to provide parliamentary time to debate a range of Brexit options, including Labours own plan, a customs union and a second referendum.

Another is a cross-party amendment tabled by Sir Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grieve and Hilary Benn and signed by 109 MPs.

It would allow Parliament to seize control of the Commons agenda on Wednesday and hold a series of indicative votes to establish whether there is a majority for any Brexit outcome.

Mrs May told the Commons that the Government will oppose Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment to pave the way for indicative votes, but if it fails ministers will provide their own mechanism for them to take place.

Other amendments include one reaffirming support for the result of the referendum and another calling for a second Brexit referendum.

Shortly before Mrs May began addressing the Commons, the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt tweeted: "Time is running out. A disastrous no-deal #Brexit is more likely than ever.

Time is running out. A disastrous no-deal #Brexit is more likely than ever. It is now up to the UK Parliament to deliver a cross-party majority for a positive future EU-UK relationship. The door of the @Europarl_EN remains open to a closer relationship. https://t.co/C2Ruz8ZGwX  Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) March 25, 2019

"It is now up to the UK Parliament to deliver a cross-party majority for a positive future EU-UK relationship. The door of the @Europarl_EN remains open to a closer relationship."

Over the weekend, there were several reports questioning Mrs May's future in No 10, with one backbench MP stating she should set out her plans to resign in order for her to get her Withdrawal Agreement through Parliament.

Mrs May's hopes of winning DUP support for her deal were also dashed on Monday afternoon after a phone call with Arlene Foster failed to alter the DUP's opposition to her Withdrawal Agreement.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is still confident there will be a Brexit deal, but a no-deal scenario has become more likely.

Speaking to the media in Dublin, Mr Varadkar said the Irish Government has stepped up preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
The parents of a 17-year-old girl found dead outside Belfast City Hospital on Sunday morning have spoken of their devastation.

The girl has has been named by police as Tara Wright. Friends have also taken to social media to share their memories of her.

In a statement released to the media Ms Wright's parents said that they were "devastated" at her death.

They said she was a "vibrant soul with a zest for life that could bring joy to all around her".

"Tara was a kind, funny, charismatic, bright young girl with her whole life ahead of her and we can't believe that we now have to say goodbye to her," the statement read.

"Tara will be missed immeasurably not only by us, but her entire family, especially her brothers and sister Charles, Alistair and Anna, who will never forget the love they had for her and the love she had for them."

Police believe her death is linked to a car crash in Castlereagh in the early hours of Sunday.

Four men  aged 20, 21, 28 and 30  were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident.

They were subsequently bailed pending further police inquiries.

In the single-vehicle crash, a silver Mercedes was found on its roof near the roundabout at Ballygowan Road close to the junction with Manse Road, at around 2.30am.

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A man found injured after the crash was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for emergency treatment.

Shortly afterwards at around 3am, the Ambulance Service reported finding a teenage girl lying on the ground next to a grey MG car in the grounds of City Hospital in the Lisburn Road area of south Belfast.

Police believe that the MG car brought Tara to the City Hospital following the crash, she is understood to have been in the car when the ambulance service arrived at the crash scene.

Attempts were made to resuscitate the teenager, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

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In a Facebook tribute, Tara's friend Neo Godson said that his heart was "completely broke" by her death.

"Tara you were such an amazing, funny and kind person, a best friend to me. You walked into the room and just put a smile on everyones face," he wrote.

"You brought the laugh to anywhere you went, you knew how to just make everyone happy. You where just so amazing and unique. All of the memories I have of us I will cherish forever.

"I would do anything in this world to hear your voice one more time. I love you always and rest easy beautiful."

Ellis Quigley worked with Tara at TeleperformanceUK in Newry and wrote on Facebook that he saw her on the day of her death.

"Cant believe I only saw Tara yesterday and saw that smile that would make anyones day and now shes gone," he wrote.

"The funny memories of work and night outs seeing her will be cherished so much. Sending so much love and prayers to her family and friends."

PSNI Inspector Nigel Henry offered his sympathies to Tara's family.

"Our investigation is at an early stage, however, we do believe that Tara was injured during the one vehicle road traffic collision on the Ballygowan Road," he said

We are appealing to anyone who witnessed either the silver Mercedes or grey MG to contact us to assist us with our enquiries. We also believe that a grey coloured MG vehicle conveyed Tara to the area of Belfast City Hospital therefore we are also appealing to anyone who witnessed this vehicle between the Ballygowan Road and the Hospital to contact police.

Investigating officers arrested four males aged 20, 21, 28 and 30 yesterday. They have since been released on bail and are assisting us with establishing the circumstances leading to Taras death.

"If you have information about the collision, which you believe could assist our investigation, please pick up the phone and call us on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 227 of 24/03/19.

I would also urge anyone who may have dash-cam footage of either vehicle taken in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact us.
An unlikely friendship has grown between a widow - whose husband was savagely murdered by the IRA - and a former member of the terror group.

A BBC documentary to be screened this week reveals the friendship between Kathleen Gillespie and former IRA member Anne Walker.

Kathleen's husband Patsy Gillespie (42), a cook at Fort George Army base in Londonderry, was kidnapped by the IRA and tied into his van, which had been loaded with a massive bomb on October 24, 1990.

He was told to drive it to the Army checkpoint near the Donegal border at Coshquin while members of the IRA gang held his wife and children hostage in their home.

The device was detonated, killing Mr Gillespie and five soldiers.

The IRA said it didn't regard Mr Gillespie as a civilian because he worked in the Army base.

Anne Walker was so disgusted with the murders in the proxy bomb attack that she left the IRA, moving to Limerick from her hometown.

The pair met each other at a peace and reconciliation group in the city.

Ms Walker told the BBC documentary: "Before I met Kathleen, I thought whatever this woman says to me, whatever this woman had to do, I am just going to take it."

However, she said: "When we met she threw her arms around me and gave me a massive hug and said that we are going to be okay."

Mrs Gillespie said: "If you look at the two extremes of myself, whose husband was murdered brutally by the IRA, and I'm best friends with a ex-IRA woman, we are the embodiment of what can be.

"But I will never forgive the IRA because they tore my life and my family's life apart."

The documentary has contributions from Father Ted star Ardal O'Hanlon, who grew up close to the border in Carrickmacross, as well as Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole, who remembers travelling to Belfast every year to smuggle new clothes across the border to his family home in Dublin.

Border Country: When Ireland Was Divided airs on BBC 1 on Wednesday at 10.35pm
A pensioner broke down and wept as she recalled seeing a woman with "half her head" missing after being shot by soldiers in west Belfast, an inquest has heard.

Margaret Elmore was 27 on August 9, 1971 and lived with her mother in a bungalow beside the old manse site opposite Henry Taggart Army base.

The eyewitness broke down and wept as she recalled what she saw from her mother's bedroom window as she gave evidence at an inquest for the 10 victims of the Ballymurphy massacre yesterday.

She described seeing Joan Connolly "brandishing a stick" as she took cover behind a bush alongside an unknown man. "It was half a metre long," she said.

"I don't know why she had it."

Mrs Elmore said she "thumped the window" to warn the mother-of-eight to "stay down" as bullets smashed into the side of the house.

Then, wiping away tears, she recalled hearing Mrs Connolly saying "mister, I can't see" before slowly turning around.

"I thought she was turning to look at me," Mrs Elmore said.

"But half her head was gone."

The witness told the inquest that she believed the shots were coming from the Army base due to the trajectory of the bullets and because two armoured vehicles sped out of the gates immediately after the first "heavy shot" was fired.

She said it was followed by persistent gunfire. Mrs Elmore also recalled taking in a frantic young man who burst into the property in search of refuge. "Nobody slept that night," she added.

Tommy Morgan (62) also gave evidence yesterday and recalled how four people were shot dead as they stood beside him when he was only 15-years-old.

He told the inquest that he initially believed "loyalist gunmen" to be responsible for the "storm of bullets" which rained down upon unarmed civilians that day.

However yesterday he claimed he was certain that the shooting was coming from the Henry Taggart base.

He said he saw Noel Phillips and Danny Teggart fall to the ground as they ran across the waste ground in search of safety.

"I stopped to see if they'd get up, but they didn't," he said.

The witness also described seeing Joseph Murphy being struck before he fell to the ground and "went quiet" just yards away from where he was.

Mr Morgan then described hearing the "crying, sobbing, frightened, terrified voice" of Joan Connolly. "The voice is still with me," he said.

The witness also recalled how his friend shouted "we're your own" to an IRA gunman who appeared at the side of the field and took aim at them believing they were loyalists - he said the terrorist left without firing at anyone.

Afterwards he saw a Saracen armoured car enter the field and watched in terror as paratroopers "laughed and joked" as they "flung bodies" into the back.

The legal representative for Joseph Murphy's family called on the coroner to force the MoD to state its case and explain why "a completely innocent man" was "shot in cold blood" before military witnesses begin giving evidence next week.

Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan acknowledged the "forceful argument" which touches on an "issue of fairness" but stopped short of compelling the MoD to prepare position statements. However she did request some insight be delivered to her either orally or in writing by tomorrow.
The Environment Minister has launched a billboard campaign highlighting wind energys role in tackling climate change.

The campaign was launched on Monday by Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton with Dr David Connolly of the Irish Wind Energy Association.

The posters will appear on 45 billboards and bus shelters over the next two weeks in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, and Westmeath.

Dr Connolly said climate change is the single greatest challenge of our time.

Our billboard campaign is highlighting the role wind energy has played in leading the move away from fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable, electricity, he said.

With the right leadership we can be ambitious for Irelands energy future and for our role in the fight against climate change.David Connolly

The more wind energy we use, the fewer our CO2 emissions.

The most recent report from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) found that in 2017 wind energy was responsible for avoiding 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Last December the Environmental Protection Agency announced that a 21% increase in electricity generated by wind in 2017 was largely responsible for a sharp fall in CO2 emissions in the energy sector.

Dr Connolly added: Wind energy is the cleanest and cheapest source of renewable electricity in Ireland.

Last year we provided 29% of Irelands electricity but that is not enough. Ireland must do better.

We know that wind, with other renewables like solar and biogas, alongside battery technology and greater interconnection, can provide 70% of our electricity by 2030.

This target is supported across the renewable energy sector and we hope Minister Bruton will endorse it in the climate action plan he will publish shortly.

With the right leadership we can be ambitious for Irelands energy future and for our role in the fight against climate change.

The billboard campaign is unlikely to impress the governments political opponents, who have consistently criticised their alleged inaction over climate change.

Ireland has been ranked worst in Europe on climate action in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2019, 48th out of the 57 entities measured.

Eamon Ryan, Green Party leader, has previously accused the government of being two-faced when it comes to climate.

Fine Gaels record on dealing with the climate crisis has been pitiful and no amount of grandstanding about their environmental credentials can hide that.

They get out in the media and make great noise about their deep concern for our future but behind closed doors they support huge increases in emissions in transport, agriculture, and award licences to explore for oil and gas.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Republic rejoining the Commonwealth is not on the agenda right now, after a DUP MP floated the idea at Fine Gael's party conference.

The suggestion from MP Jeffrey Donaldson was met with applause by delegates in Co Wexford on Saturday.

Sir Jeffrey said Ireland would benefit from being part of the group, which is primarily made up of former territories of the British Empire.

"This won't get agreement with everyone here," he said.

"I do hope we can come to a day when the Republic of Ireland will join with many other nations in the Commonwealth of nations and recognising, whatever our history, and whatever differences there have been in the past, that we've overcome a lot of diversity in the past in dealing with those issues, and I think it would be good in dealing with that.

"The Commonwealth is a place where Ireland's voice should be heard and I would like to see that happen."

He made the comments while sharing a stage at an event, hosted by Young Fine Gael, with Tanaiste Simon Coveney, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and SDLP MLA Claire Hanna to discuss north-south relations.

Also present was former SDLP leader Mark Durkan, who is running for Fine Gael in May's European elections.

Asked for his views by reporters afterwards, Mr Coveney said joining the Commonwealth was not on the table.

Mr Coveney said there is "probably not" a majority to support it within the party. "It's not something that's on my agenda," he added.

He claimed delegates clapped because they were "wanting to show some warmth towards Jeffrey Donaldson". He added: "Fine Gael is a generous party and we want him to feel welcome."

Yesterday, Mr Varadkar was also asked for his opinion. "It's not something that's on the agenda at the moment anyway," he said.

The Republic was a member of the Commonwealth until April 1949, when The Republic of Ireland Act 1948, came into force, severing all formal ties with the British Crown.

The idea of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth has been prominently supported by Fine Gael Senator Frank Feighan, who Sir Jeffrey referenced a number of times.

Mr Feighan argues membership would promote Ireland's values on a global stage and strengthen economic relations internationally.

Last August, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said she is open to discussions on Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth. She told TheJournal.ie: "I think those that hold that view need to put that view forward, and I think it needs to be looked at, and debated, and it needs to be discussed.

"It is not a proposition I would be advancing - but I am me. This is not all about Sinn Fein. This is much bigger than us. The debate has to have the capacity to put everything on the table and then the business of debate and discussion in a reflective way, not a divisive way."

Sir Jeffrey spoke at length about his party's wish to be good neighbours to the Republic, despite tense Brexit negotiations.

"There is no ulterior motive in unionism that says we can use Brexit to prevent this or prevent that, in terms of increased, enhanced co-operation in our common good," he said.

"We need to ensure that people are comfortable where they are, we need to address the issues around the backstop in particular, but it's about developing the new relationship."

Sir Jeffrey was also pressed on his party's use of the petition of concern in the Assembly to block a vote on marriage equality.

He pointed out that the DUP no longer has enough members to have the majority for a petition of concern and that it may no longer be a problem if there is a Stormont Executive.
The Taoiseach has said he will work with Britain on Brexit, regardless of who is prime minister.

Leo Varadkar was speaking on RTE'S Week In Politics programme on Sunday when he was pressed on rumours that Theresa May's position has become untenable in her Cabinet, and that ministers are allegedly plotting to oust the Prime Minister.

Mr Varadkar said he believed Mrs May could deliver Brexit, but added that his cabinet has ensured the British-Irish working relationship was not dependent on Mrs May alone.

"I think she can, but one thing I know is that I should not interfere in internal politics in the UK," he said.

"Whoever the prime minister is, we will work with that prime minister. We've made sure over the last two years we have very good links, not just at Prime Minister-level and Taoiseach-level, but also between [UK chancellor] Philip Hammond and [Irish Finance Minister] Pascal Donohoe and so on.

"Whoever is prime minister, we will work with them.

"It didn't have to be this bad, I think what's happened is the UK is now consumed with Brexit.

"Even after they leave, assuming they leave with a withdrawal agreement, they will spend two or three years consumed about what the future relationship is going to be like.

"We have to make sure we're not consumed and defined by it, and my job as Taoiseach is to ensure we limit any damage so we can get on with our ambitious plan for the future."

The Taoiseach also responded to reports that German leader Angela Merkel had pushed for a taskforce to deal with the border issue, which had put the Republic under pressure.

"I'm not under any pressure from Chancellor Merkel or anyone else on this issue," he said.

"What Chancellor Merkel or President Macron would do is ask reasonable questions.

"I'm not sure what people think happens at European Council meetings. We don't go to have dinner, we have robust engagements, hard questions are asked and answered, and we come to a consensus position and stand by that position."

Mr Varadkar also took aim at Mrs May's political opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and his Brexit plan.

"Our Plan A is getting the withdrawal agreement ratified and that is still possible.

"Plan B could involve UK changing position in the next couple of weeks, on the customs union for example.

"Corbyn's customs union is cake and eat it as well. It's a customs union, but still with the ability to have state aids and so on."
The plane was mistakenly flown to Edinburgh rather than Dusseldorf (Lesley Martin/Edinburgh Airport/PA)

British Airways passengers were mistakenly flown to Edinburgh rather than Dusseldorf due to a paperwork error.

The pilot of Flight BA3271 took off from London City shortly after 7.30am on Monday and followed instructions to fly to the Scottish capital instead of the German city.

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The destinations are more than 500 miles apart.

After the flight crew was alerted to the mistake, the British Aerospace 146 plane was refuelled and then flown to Dusseldorf, where it touched down more than three-and-a-half hours behind schedule.

German firm WDL Aviation operated the flight on behalf of BA CityFlyer, which is a subsidiary of British Airways.

An investigation has been launched by the firms to find out why the paperwork error occurred.

The flight has been diverted to Edinburgh, we don't have any information as to why at the moment. There is an estimated departure time of 10:30 from Edinburgh to make way to Dusseldorf. Sarah  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019

We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. As we've previously advised we don't have currently have any information on this. However, we do know that there is an estimated departure at 10:30. Kieran  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019

A British Airways spokesman said: We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed.

We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.

WDL Aviation said in a statement: We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.

At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised.

We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.
A house lies in ruins after being hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Members of a British-Israeli family in the Middle East have been injured after a rocket was apparently fired from the Gaza Strip amid continuing violence between the Palestinian territory and Israel.

Up to seven people including children are reported to have been wounded after the strike on the home in the farming community of Mishmeret, around 50 miles north west of Jerusalem, and approximately 62 miles north of Gaza.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was appalled by what he described as a terrorist attack overnight, while Britains ambassador to Israel said there was no justification for the strike.

Appalled by terrorist attack from Gaza against civilians, including British-Israeli dual nationals. My thoughts are with all those affected. Completely UNACCEPTABLE actions by militant groups  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) March 25, 2019

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was cutting short a three-day diplomatic visit to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House following the attack, prompting Israels military to launch its own strikes on Gaza, which is controlled by the militant Islamic group Hamas.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Hunt said: Appalled by terrorist attack from Gaza against civilians, including British-Israeli dual nationals. My thoughts are with all those affected. Completely UNACCEPTABLE actions by militant groups.

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesman said they were unable to provide any further information about the injuries sustained by the family, nor comment on claims children were among those hurt.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded.

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

David Quarrey, the British ambassador to Israel, said in a statement: We unequivocally condemn todays rocket attack into Israel from Gaza.

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Our thoughts are with the British-Israeli family whose house in Mishmeret was hit.

There can be no justification of any kind for this attack, whose consequences could have been devastating.

Alistair Burt, minister of state for the Middle East, said: I condemn the rocket attack from Gaza, which destroyed a family home in Mishmeret with innocent civilians inside.

Shocked to hear that dual British-Israeli citizens are among those injured.

Such acts are unacceptable and part of a hopeless cycle of violence and suffering.

US vice president Mike Pence said the rocket attack proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace.

The rocket was the second launched towards central Israel in recent weeks.

The Israeli military quickly mobilised troops and called up reserves in response to the strike.

It comes as bloodshed on the border between Israel and Gaza continues, despite hopes towards the end of last year that talks between the two would see a reduction in violence.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall take a tour of Old Havana (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were mobbed by the public and the press as they went on a walkabout in Old Havana during their historic tour of Cuba.

Royal protection officers and Cuban security had their hands full keeping back the crowds from Charles and Camilla as they explored the Unesco World Heritage Site.

Charles and Camilla take a tour of Old Havana, Cuba #RoyalVisitCuba  @belperbarlow @PAImages pic.twitter.com/9kF92uS3uY  PA Royal Reporters (@PARoyal) March 25, 2019

Camilla carried a parasol to ward off the searing sun but Charles managed to keep cool in a shirt, tie and suit during their guided tour.

The old town has retained many of its 18th-century colonial Spanish buildings, with their verandas, brightly-coloured frontages and internal courtyards, with several renovated in recent years.

To begin day two of #RoyalVisitCuba, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall are seeing Old Havana on foot, accompanied by local historian Dr. Eusebio Leal.



This year marks the 500th anniversary of the city of #Havana. pic.twitter.com/FbXDaj33b5  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 25, 2019

Stray dogs wandered across the royal couples path and, like Cubas citizens who benefit from their countrys renowned healthcare system, they have been vaccinated, and their claws clipped.

The couple stopped by a group of elderly street musicians and, as a huge media scrum tried to capture the moment, Charles put a note in their collection hat.

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Camilla wandered over to a group of American tourists who questioned her about the Duchess of Sussexs pregnancy.

Mimi Ricketts, 50, said: I said Are you excited about the new baby about to arrive in your family? and she said yes she was.

Mindy Whittle also got the chance to meet royalty and said after her encounter: I love her (Camillas) dress. We shook hands  do I have to pay extra for that?

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The couple began their tour in Arms Square, close to the site where the Spanish established the city on November 16, 1519.

They briefly visited the El Templete  small temple  a building from 1828, and as they left, the crowds swarmed around them.

The prince and duchess have made history by becoming the first members of the royal family to officially visit Cuba.

Charles and Camillas groundbreaking trip is likely to usher in a new chapter in the relationship between the UK and the Communist state once ruled by Fidel Castro.

The prince passed up the offer to try some churros, a sweet deep-fried street food made from batter, during the walkabout.

Carlos Leuva, speaking through an interpreter, said he knew who the prince was and thought he was a great personality and looked like he had a great sense of humour.

He added: I offered him some churros but he said he had already had some breakfast.

As the duchess made her way through the crowd, shaking hands with a line of people, she met a living statue of Cuban hero, the essayist and poet Jose Marti.

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The man stood stock still in a suit painted bronze  and then moved to present her with a rose and kiss her hand.

After meeting a group of female entrepreneurs running a bicycle repair business, she was accosted by an Australian tourist, Frank Buckley, 68, who addressed her breezily: Good to see you! How are you enjoying it?

He said afterwards: She said she had not been here long. She looked to me a little bit puffed. But she had no trouble walking up to me and shaking my hand.
Jeremy Corbyn is reviewing his security after a Brexit supporter hit him with an egg while yelling respect the vote, it has emerged.

The leader was visiting a mosque in his constituency less than a week after Labour announced it would support a second referendum on EU membership when he was attacked by 31-year-old John Murphy.

The assault on March 3 came amid heightened tensions over Brexit, with Remain-supporting politicians telling how they have received death threats and MPs being warned about their safety.

Murphy was told by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot that he may be jailed after admitting assault by beating in order to send a clear message that attacks on MPs must stop.

Mr Corbyn, in a statement read to Westminster Magistrates Court, said he was shocked and surprised by the egging.

I feel these kind of attacks drive a wedge between elected representatives and those who elect them in the first place. We are now reviewing and increasing my security protection, he said.

Mr Corbyn had gone to the Muslim Welfare Centre with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott after visiting north Londons Finsbury Park mosque, which was the site of the terror attack by far-right extremist Darren Osborne.

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Prosecutor Kevin Christie told the court that Mr Corbyn took off his shoes and sat down next to his wife Laura Alvarez and a group of people who seemed to be in great spirits.

Suddenly, he felt a strike to the right side of his forehead and then realised someone had reached over his right shoulder and struck him, Mr Christie said.

As he was struck he heard a male voice shouting: Respect the vote.'

Mr Corbyn, after washing the egg off to reveal a red mark on his head, witnessed a very aggressive Murphy being restrained while his face was contorted with rage.

Murphy, of Barnet, north-west London, continued to yell the slogan as he was held.

The Labour leader said in the victim impact statement that he was determined to continue to interact with the public, but accepted he must now be more cautious.

Labour declined to comment on the increased security measures.

In recent days, independent MP Anna Soubry said she was targeted by very, very serious death threats and Labours Lloyd Russell-Moyle said a man shouting traitors grappled with him in an attempted assault.

MPs have also been warned by Commons Deputy Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to travel by taxi or with colleagues because of the hostile climate.

Prime Minister Theresa May has faced heavy criticism from MPs, who accused her of whipping up tensions and putting them at risk of physical attack after she blamed them for delaying Brexit in a Downing Street speech.

Ms Arbuthnot told the court she is considering a short prison sentence for Murphy, who had been equipped with four further eggs.

This is a public servant and attacks on MPs must stop. The message must go out  this must stop, she said.

Malik Aldeiri, defending, said Mr Corbyns statement was slightly over egged in the sense that Mr Corbyn himself hasnt suffered any impact, with the main concerns being from his family.

Murphy, of Totteridge Common, in Whetstone, was bailed until later in the day when he may be sentenced.
The DUP has failed to give its backing to Theresa May as rumours of a possible leadership coup by Cabinet ministers gather pace.

The Prime Minister held "lengthy" talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers yesterday as she battles to save her beleaguered deal ahead of another crunch week in Westminster.

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But her government's survival is also highly dependent upon DUP votes in the Commons.

Asked to state support for Mrs May as Prime Minister, a spokesman for the DUP last night said: "The leadership of the Conservative Party is entirely a matter for the Conservative Party."

The response is in contrast to the unambiguous backing given to Mrs May by her de facto deputy David Lidington, who has insisted he is "100% behind" her.

Another potential caretaker prime minister, Michael Gove, also came out to say that it is "not the time to change the captain of the ship".

However, the DUP's failure to give explicit backing to Mrs May is significant, as its votes on any Brexit deal could prove crucial.

It comes just days after the DUP's deputy leader Nigel Dodds strongly criticised Mrs May for failing to secure an acceptable withdrawal agreement.

He said: "As we have always said, negotiations with the EU inevitably go down to the wire and the Government has been far too willing to capitulate before securing the necessary changes which would get an agreement through the House of Commons."

Continuing the furious broadside, Mr Dodds said the Government had "consistently settled for inferior compromises when they didn't need to".

And he insisted Mrs May should have continued to negotiate with the EU to press for changes to the controversial Northern Ireland backstop.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister invited Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis, among others, to her country residence to discuss whether there is sufficient support among MPs to bring the withdrawal agreement before the Commons for a third time this week.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The PM and a number of Government ministers met at Chequers for lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit.

"The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week."

Former ministers Steve Baker, Dominic Raab, Damian Green and Iain Duncan Smith were also in attendance.

Chief Whip Julian Smith, Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt were present from the Government.

Chancellor Philip Hammond accused those allegedly trying to topple Mrs May of being "self-indulgent", while Mr Duncan Smith told ministers who briefed against the Prime Minister to apologise and "shut up".

Meanwhile, Mr Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if MPs took control of parliamentary proceedings this week and brought about a "constitutional collision".

The Sunday Times claimed 11 Cabinet ministers wanted Mrs May to make way for someone else and Mr Lidington was in line to take over the helm.

But the Mail on Sunday reported ministers were plotting to install Environment Secretary Mr Gove as a caretaker leader.

Mr Gove told the BBC: "I think this is a time for cool heads. But we absolutely do need to focus on the task at hand and that's making sure that we get the maximum possible support for the Prime Minister and her deal."

He added: "It's not the time to change the captain of the ship, I think what we need to do is to chart the right course."

Mr Lidington said: "I don't think that I've any wish to take over from the PM, who I think is doing a fantastic job.

"I tell you this - one thing that working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task. I have absolute admiration for the way she is going about it."

Despite heavy criticism of Mrs May's handling of the Brexit process and calls from members of her party to stand aside, the Chancellor insisted ousting her would not "solve the problem".

"To be talking about changing the players on the board frankly is self-indulgent at this time," Mr Hammond told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

"This is not about the Prime Minister or any other individual, this is about the future of our country. Changing Prime Minister wouldn't help us, changing the party in government wouldn't help us - we've got to address the question of what type of Brexit is acceptable to Parliament."
Theresa May's hopes of winning DUP support for her Brexit deal have been dashed following a phone call with party leader Arlene Foster.

Following the call, one of a series of moves by the Prime Minister on Monday to rally support for her deal, a DUP spokesman said the party's "position remains unchanged".

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The party, who are supporting the Conservative Government in a confidence and supply agreement, are strongly opposed to the controversial Irish backstop, which aims to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.

Meanwhile, a no-deal Brexit on April 12 is becoming increasingly likely, the European Commission has warned.

The warning came as Theresa May addressed senior ministers at a special meeting of Cabinet ahead of a historic week of crunch votes in the House of Commons which could shape the outcome of Brexit.

Mrs May is facing a battle to hold on to power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit, while some of her own backbenchers openly discuss her removal as Prime Minister.

In its statement, the European Commission said it had completed its preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, but warned it would nonetheless cause significant disruption for citizens and businesses.

If it crashes out without a deal on April 12, the UK will not benefit from a transition period to new arrangements, but will immediately be subject to checks and tariffs on its exports to the EU, while significant delays can be expected at the borders, said officials.

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Following Cabinet, Mrs May was due to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn before delivering an oral statement to MPs on the decision reached at last weeks EU summit to extend the Brexit negotiation period beyond March 29.

MPs will then debate and vote on a proposal to force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to her Withdrawal Agreement.

Defeat for the Government on Monday night over the plan  tabled in an amendment by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn  would be a further humiliation for Mrs May.

The proposal seeks to pave the way for a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government.

Sir Oliver acknowledged that any votes would be advisory rather than binding on the Government and it may take several rounds of voting before a majority is found for any of the options  if one can be found at all.

He said Mrs May hasnt been able to get a majority and we dont know what she could get a majority for, so once we find that out there is a way forward, in principle, and then the next thing would be for the Prime Minister to take that forward and for the Government to implement it.

But he told BBC Radio 4s Today: None of us know whether it will work.

Tory backbencher Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the influential Conservative 1922 Committee, said Theresa May should set out her plans to quit in order to get her Brexit deal through.

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Clearly a number of people do not want the Prime Minister anywhere near the next phase of negotiations, which is the future trading relationship between ourselves and the EU, he told Today.

He said there should be an orderly process to replace the Prime Minister, with a full leadership contest rather than an interim successor.

And Mrs Mays former Downing Street director of communications, Katie Perrior, said it was time for the Prime Minister to announce her departure date to get her Brexit deal through.

Writing in The Times Red Box, Ms Perrior said: Maybe its time to stop finding scapegoats and admit that Theresa May and her lack of leadership has made a bad situation worse.

With great sadness, its time for her to swap her departure date in return for the deal. Its the least she can do.

But International Trade Secretary Liam Fox insisted that Mrs May was respected by the public, despite calls for her to go from MPs.

What I was finding from real voters was people spontaneously saying: I dont understand how Theresa May puts up with the pressure, she is a great public servant, her resilience is amazing, Dr Fox told Today.

It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people goBoris Johnson

He said Tory Eurosceptics had to accept that MPs would block a no-deal Brexit.

I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit, said Dr Fox. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove  tipped at the weekend as a possible replacement for Mrs May as PM  told the BBC: We need to ensure that we leave the EU and we do so in an orderly fashion, and as many people as possible (need to) recognise that that means supporting the Prime Minister and making sure she gets the deal through.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove urges support for Theresa May during the current #Brexit deadlock, saying "this is an immensely serious week"https://t.co/Rtmdjo1O5q pic.twitter.com/B06LTNrU9D  BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) March 25, 2019

Meanwhile, European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said images of an estimated one million people marching in favour of a second Brexit referendum were very telling, but added that the commission was negotiating only with the UK Government.

For as long as the UK Government does not tell us otherwise, we are working on the presumption that the UK will leave the EU, he told a Brussels press conference.

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who was one of a group of prominent Brexiteers to meeting Mrs May at Chequers on Sunday, claimed the Government had chickened out of delivering Brexit.

In an article in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson signalled his belief in the need for a change of leadership by asking: Can we really go on with a negotiating team that has so resoundingly failed?

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If Mrs May cannot deliver convincing proofs of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last, he said she should drop the deal and demand an immediate departure from the EU with an extended transition period stretching as late as December 2021 to negotiate a trade deal.

It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people go, said Mr Johnson.

Meanwhile, The Sun newspaper used its front page on Monday to urge Mrs May to promise to resign in order to win support for her deal from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

Unlike so many she has determinedly respected the will of the Leave majority She must now take the next principled step  and show she is not just another craven politician determined to cling to power, it said.
There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding Liam Smiths death (Police Scotland/PA)

The family of Liam Smith have said they are heartbroken after a body found in woods was confirmed as that of the missing teenager.

The 16-year-old was last seen boarding a bus in Aberdeen on November 17 last year.

A member of the public discovered a body on Friday afternoon in woods south of Banchory in Aberdeenshire.

Police Scotland have confirmed it was that of the missing schoolboy.

We can confirm that the body found on in the #Banchory area on Friday 22 March, 2019 is that of teenager Liam Smith, who was reported missing from #Aberdeen in November, 2018.



Read more: https://t.co/pxt7Oot7vl  North East Police (@NorthEPolice) March 25, 2019

In a statement released by police, Liams mother Alix said: While we never gave up hope of finding Liam, we were realistic about the challenges facing us. Our hearts are broken.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the search for Liam including members of the public who took it upon themselves to help.

Thank you also to everyone who has left messages of support which have provided us with comfort at extremely difficult times.

At this most difficult time of all, we would ask for privacy as we try to come to terms with our enormous loss.

Specialist resources including a police helicopter, search dogs, and the dive and marine unit had been deployed in the search for Liam.

Police Scotland said there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Police have arrested a man in connection with a suspicious death in Greenock (Andrew Milligan/PA)

A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a man found in a Greenock flat.

Emergency services were called to Nelson Street at approximately 5.45am on Sunday, where the fatally injured man was found.

The man, who has not been identified, died at the scene.

Police Scotland say they are treating the death as suspicious and a 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Officers are now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed anything unusual in the area between midnight and 5.45am to come forward.

A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident as well as the identity of the deceasedPolice Scotland

A statement from Police Scotland said: A post-mortem examination will take place in due course to establish the exact cause of death however police are treating it as suspicious at this time.

A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident as well as the identity of the deceased.

Detective Inspector Linda Dunn at Greenock CID would like to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Nelson Street, Greenock between midnight and 5.45am this morning, Sunday 24 March 2019 and who may have witnessed anything suspicious.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Greenock on 101, quoting incident number 1032 of 24 March 2019.

Alternatively, witnesses wishing to remain anonymous can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 111555.
Theresa May is battling to stay in power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit.

At the start of another crunch week in Westminster, the Commons is due to vote on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Ministers Withdrawal Agreement.

Defeat for the Government on Monday night on the plan  tabled by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn  would be a further humiliation for Mrs May.

The proposal seeks to pave the way for a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if MPs took control of parliamentary proceedings and brought about a constitutional collision.

But Chancellor Philip Hammond said one way or another MPs would be given the opportunity this week to decide what it is in favour of, though could not confirm whether Tories would be given a free vote on the options.

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After a weekend which saw two senior ministers dismiss reports of a coup to oust the PM, Mrs May will convene her Cabinet in the morning before she updates the Commons on the Brexit process following last weeks European Council summit where she agreed to delay Britains departure beyond March 29.

On Sunday, Mrs May held lengthy talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis at her country residence Chequers to discuss whether there is sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her deal.

A Downing Street spokesman said: The PM and a number of Government ministers met today at Chequers for lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit.

The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week.

It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people go.Boris Johnson

Elsewhere, Mr Johnson claimed the Government had chickened out of delivering Brexit this week and told Mrs May to set out convincing proofs of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last to win support for her deal.

Writing in the Telegraph, he said: If she cannot give that evidence of change  she should drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides  remainers and leavers  now believe are sensible.

Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now  without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people go.

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However, Foreign Office Minister Mark Field said he would support revoking Article 50 if it became an option in the event Mrs Mays deal was defeated and free votes granted for indicative votes.

He told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: My personal view is that I would be happy to revoke Article 50  I appreciate that is probably a minority view  but if we get to this utter paralysis and I sincerely hope that in the next 48, 72 hours we do not, then if that becomes an option thats an option that I would personally take.

Meanwhile, The Sun newspaper used its front page on Monday to urge Mrs May to promise to resign in order to win support for her deal from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

Unlike so many she has determinedly respected the will of the Leave majority She must now take the next principled step  and show she is not just another craven politician determined to cling to power, it said.
Ian Brown holds a camera belonging to John Pritchard, an airship officer on the R34 (Andrew Milligan/PA)

The centenary of a record-breaking airship journey is being marked by Scotlands National Museum of Flight.

The giant R34 airship made the first return flight across the Atlantic and the first east-west crossing by air in 1919.

Bosses at the East Lothian museum, a base which has a close connection to the airships history, hope visitors will use the anniversary as a reason to visit and learn about the epic 6,000-mile double-Atlantic crossing.

The 634ft R34, nicknamed Tiny, was stationed at East Fortune  now home to the museum, which started out as a Royal Naval Air Station.

The primary duty of airships was to protect convoys and carry out anti-submarine activities.

HMA R34 arrived at East Fortune in May 1919, having been constructed at the Wm Beardmore factory at Inchinnan near Glasgow but completed too late for active service in the First World War.

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The airships main claim to fame came in July 1919 when it and a crew of 30 set off on the first direct flight between Britain and the US.

Its journey began on July 2, just a few weeks after Alcock and Browns record-breaking west-east Atlantic flight.

The R34 reached Mineola in Long Island at 9.45am on July 6, 108 hours and 12 minutes after departing from Scotland.

The journey was hampered by dwindling fuel supplies, violent squalls and a leak that was repaired with the crews supply of chewing gum.

Its story is told as part of the National Museum of Flights Fortunes of War permanent display.

It features objects such as the large bowplate from the R34, the airships altimeter dial, binoculars and a camera used on the flight as well as a bottle of brandy taken on board for medicinal reasons.

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The museum is also launching a search for images of memorabilia plus recollections from descendants of the R34s crew members, which it hopes to develop into a digital gallery to help tell the airships story.

Ian Brown, assistant curator of aviation, said: The story of the R34 is packed with insights into the technologies and social history of the time.

It was a huge undertaking that was front-page news both in the UK and the USA, and its fascinating to know that the crew really were convinced that large, rigid airships like the R34 were the future of long-distance travel.

Were very proud that our East Fortune home has such close links to this historic adventure and hope that as many people as possible will visit during this centenary year to learn more about it.

The National Museum of Flight begins seven-day opening for the new season on Saturday.
The Prince of Wales attends a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jose Marti Memorial in Havana, Cuba (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have made history by becoming the first members of the royal family to officially visit Cuba.

Charles and Camillas groundbreaking trip is likely to usher in a new chapter in the relationship between the UK and the Communist state once ruled by Fidel Castro.

After the couple stepped on to Cuban soil from the UK ministerial jet RAF Voyager, there were brief handshakes from Cuban officials before they were whisked away to a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial for Cubas national hero, the essayist and poet Jose Marti.

The prince and duchess will be joined by Commonwealth minister Lord Ahmad, who is flying to the country later this week to represent the UK Government.

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His presence is an indication of how important Downing Street views the four-day Cuban visit and its potential to develop new avenues with a country that has already begun the process of opening up economically and socially.

The Castro brothers, first Fidel and then Raul, ruled the country for almost 60 years and in recent years private enterprise has been encouraged  although it has been scaled back amid fears the reforms were fuelling inequality.

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Access to the internet was widened in the run-up to Christmas when Cubans were offered a 3G mobile network  previously they had to rely on WiFi hotspots and internet cafes.

Charless visit offers an opportunity for the UK and Cuban governments to forge closer ties in the wake of the soft diplomacy employed by members of the monarchy, who use it to make friends and build bridges during foreign tours.

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A spokesman for the couple said: Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to experiencing the culture and meeting the people of Cuba.

There was another milestone as it is believed to be the first time an RAF plane has landed in Communist Cuba, which had very close ties with Russia during the Cold War.

The couple arrived from Barbados, one of five Commonwealth realms Charles and Camilla have visited.

Before departing Barbados today, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall attend a church service at St. Michaels Cathedral. #RoyalVisitBarbados



TRH will arrive in Havana later for the #RoyalVisitCuba. pic.twitter.com/shmZ1L818o  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 24, 2019

St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines have also featured on their tour.

There are no plans for the royal couple to meet Raul Castro but they will be guests of honour at an official dinner hosted by the countrys president, Miguel Diaz-Canel.

At a Havana recording studio, the prince and his wife will meet members of the Buena Vista Social Club.

The group became worldwide celebrities when their 1997 album became a surprise global hit and Grammy award winner.

Other highlights of the Cuban trip will include the couple meeting the owners of the famous vintage cars still running in Havana, although these will be British classics.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive at Jose Marti International Airport (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Prince of Wales has honoured Cubas national hero Jose Marti at the start of his historic visit to the Communist state.

Charles stood in silent contemplation as a large wreath of roses was laid at the open-air monument to the famous essayist and poet in Havanas Revolution Square.

Fidel Castro, Cubas former Communist ruler, would address the people close to where the prince stood before the ceremony began, giving speeches at important moments.

Surrounded by imposing ministry buildings, the heir to the throne, whose wife Camilla was nearby, walked behind two soldiers who held aloft the large floral tribute made of roses and then laid it at the stone monument.

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The heir to the throne touched it briefly before taking a few steps back and pausing to look at the wreath.

The British Embassy in Havana has described the royal visit to Cuba as a historic moment.

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It tweeted: Everything is ready for today when TRHs The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrive in #Cuba for the first official #RoyalVisitCuba.

A historic moment for both countries.

Charless visit offers an opportunity for the UK and Cuban governments to forge closer ties in the wake of the soft diplomacy employed by members of the monarchy, who use it to make friends and build bridges during foreign tours.

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A spokesman for the couple, who arrived in the ministerial jet RAF Voyager, said: Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to experiencing the culture and meeting the people of Cuba.

There was another milestone as it is believed to be the first time an RAF plane has landed in Communist Cuba, which had very close ties with Russia during the Cold War.

Later Charles and Camilla were given a tour of the museum dedicated to Marti inside the monument which stands over 100 metres tall and dominates Havanas skyline.

The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall tour the Jose Marti exhibition, learning more about his life. #RoyalVisitCuba pic.twitter.com/Mq0tTtAMd0  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 24, 2019

Curator Eva Maria Diaz told him about the writers life and the history of Havana, which prompted Charles to point out that Britain had once occupied the city during the 18th century  briefly.

As they left he told her: Ive learnt a great deal about Jose Marti.

Saying that he would like to spend more time in Cuba, he joked: You might get fed up with us very quickly.

The Jose Marti Memorial in Havana pays tribute to the essayist, poet and national hero of Cuba.



Their Royal Highnesses attend a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial. #RoyalVisitCuba pic.twitter.com/4C0sT8rXpb  The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) March 24, 2019

He added: I am sorry to have dragged you in on a Sunday. I hope it is not inconvenient for you.

Ms Diaz said afterwards about the prince: He knew that Havana was under British power in the 18th century. It was a very brief period.

He said that he would like to have more time to continue the visit. He was especially interested in Jose Martis life and work.

I told him that Martis writings were published in 27 books, including literary, political and journalistic works.
Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd is now likely not to fight extradition and could return to the UK as early as this week, his lawyer said.

The 31-year-old is currently in prison in the Georgian capital Tbilisi after handing himself in to the authorities last month.

Shepherd went on the run while facing trial over the death of Charlotte Brown, 24, on a Champagne-fuelled first date when his speedboat overturned in the River Thames.

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He was convicted of manslaughter at the Old Bailey and sentenced to six years in jail after Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, died after plunging into the icy water in December 2015.

Shepherds lawyer Tariel Kakabadze said there is a very big chance Shepherd will not fight extradition to the UK and wants to participate as he challenges his conviction in the Court of Appeal.

The next hearing in Georgia could be set by the judge on Monday, he said, adding: If he agrees with the extradition request, he might return to the UK this week.

Web designer Shepherd, originally from Exeter, may seek certain reassurances before agreeing to the request, which was sent to the Georgian authorities by the Home Office, the lawyer suggested.
Anglo-Irish relations are at their lowest point since the 1980s hunger strikes, according to a new study by a Dublin-based academic.

"Relations have not been as tense since the early 1980s - and political rhetoric that had vanished by the 1990s has re-emerged," Professor Etain Tannam wrote in a working study, produced for Dublin City University's Brexit Institute.

The study by Prof Tannam, who is Associate Professor of International Peace Studies at Trinity College, was reported in yesterday's Dublin-based Sunday Business Post newspaper.

The author noted the Irish government had insisted the border be dealt with as part of the main 'divorce' deal, rather than as part of discussions on future trading relationships. The border 'backstop' has so far prevented the UK agreeing a formal withdrawal agreement with the EU.

"The Irish government feared that if simultaneous negotiations occurred, the British government would use the Northern Irish issue as a bargaining chip to gain trade concession from the EU and, in that bargaining game, a soft border could be sacrificed in the final outcome," she wrote.

Dr Tannam reported that proposals by Theresa May to remove the backstop had been followed by a resurgence of hardline rhetoric from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tanaiste Simon Coveney.

Her paper also expressed concern about the future of Anglo-Irish relations after Brexit.

With less regular contact between British and Irish officials expected after Brexit, Dr Tannam urged the two governments to set out a legally binding schedule of meetings under the auspices of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Although the Conference was part of the Good Friday Agreement, it has rarely met in recent years.

She also looked forward to smoother relations once the Brexit process if completed.

"While the halcyon days of the 1990s will not return, the relationship is likely to be relatively co-operative in the decades ahead," the academic wrote.
Thailands election commission has said it will release full vote counts from the first election since a 2014 coup on Friday.

The announcement came as an anti-junta party claimed it won the most seats and will try to form a government.

The commission said it will announce the results of 350 constituency seats later in the day, but full vote counts, which are needed to determine the allocation of 150 other seats in parliament, will not be available for several days.

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The Pheu Thai party, which was ousted from government in the coup, said it won the most constituency seats in Sundays election and will try to form a government with similar-minded parties.

Unofficial results show the military-backed Palang Pracharat party won the popular vote.
President Donald Trump has accusing those responsible for launching the special counsel investigation of treason and said they will certainly be looked at.

Mr Trumps comments came after the US Justice Department said Robert Muellers investigation did not find evidence that Mr Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump did not specify who he was referring to, but told reporters on Monday: There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things.

I would say treasonous things against our country.

Mr Trump added: Those people will certainly be looked at.

He then said: Ive been looking at them for a long time.

Asked about the possibility of issuing pardons, Mr Trump said: Havent thought about it.

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The president said the release of Mr Muellers report wouldnt bother me at all, saying he wish the inquiry could have been concluded more quickly and saying: We can never let this happen to another president again.

Asked whether Mr Mueller had acted honourably, Mr Trump, who was hosting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, responded: Yes, he did.

Mr Mueller also investigated whether Mr Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer, attorney general William Barr said in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Muellers report.

The special counsel does not exonerate Mr Trump of obstructing justice, Mr Barr said, and his report sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

However, the president tweeted that he had been completely exonerated of collusion and obstruction of justice.

Previously, speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, Mr Trump said it was a shame the nation had to go through the investigation.

Mr Trump claimed the report found there was no collusion with Russia, there was no obstruction.

He also lashed out at the investigation, claiming without evidence that it was an illegal takedown that failed.

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After consulting with other Justice Department officials, Mr Barr said he and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence.

Mr Barr released a four-page summary of Mr Muellers report on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

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Mr Barrs chief of staff called White House counsel Emmet Flood on Sunday to brief him on the report to Congress.

Mr Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, about to return to Washington after spending the weekend there.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Mr Trump had been completely exonerated.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) March 24, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham added that the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed.

Mr Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, also said it is a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.

Republican Doug Collins said there is no constitutional crisis while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican said it is time we move on for the good of the nation.

Eric Trump, the Presidents son, called for a simple apology from the media for the hell everyone has been put through during the two-year probe.

But the House Judiciary Committee chairman said Mr Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

Democrat Jerry Nadler tweeted that Mr Barrs letter to Congress says that while Mr Trump may have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted that Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.

There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Mr Barr is not a neutral observer and they urged the full release of the report.

Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, and Mr Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said that Mr Barrs letter to Congress raises as many questions as it answers.

In a joint statement, the leaders said that Mr Barrs past bias against the special counsel inquiry shows he is not in a position to make objective determinations.

They say that the fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

Several Democratic presidential candidates said Mr Muellers full report must be made public.

Kamala Harris said Mr Barr must testify before Congress, adding: That is what transparency looks like.

Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, noted that politicians have voted to release the full Mueller report, not a summary from what she called Mr Trumps handpicked attorney general.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said the public deserves the full report and findings immediately, not just the in-house summary from a Trump Administration official.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the Mueller report must be made public. She tweeted: The President works for the people, and he is not above the law.

Mr Muellers investigation ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them.

The probe illuminated Russias assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

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Mr Mueller submitted his report to Mr Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department, which appointed him.

Mr Mueller was assigned to the job in May 2017 by Mr Rosenstein, who oversaw much of his work.

Mr Barr and Mr Rosenstein analysed Mr Muellers report on Saturday, labouring to condense it into a summary letter of main conclusions.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 25, 2019

2019/03/25

At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand will pay an official visit to China from March 31 to April 1.

At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar of Mongolia will pay an official visit to China from March 31 to April 2.

Q: It is reported that US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun arrived in Beijing yesterday. Will he meet with Special Representative of the Chinese Government on the Korean Peninsula Affairs Kong Xuanyou and talk about the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue?

A: The Chinese side maintains close communication and contact with all relevant parties on the Korean Peninsula issue. Information on important exchanges will always be released in a timely manner.

Follow-up: Some DPRK officials have returned to the joint liaison office with the ROK in Kaesong today. What is your comment?

A: We support the DPRK and the ROK in enhancing mutual trust and improving ties through dialogue and consultation. Meanwhile, we hope that all parties concerned will work together to sustain the current momentum of amelioration, continue engagement, and work together to promote denuclearization and the establishment of a peace mechanism on the peninsula.

Q: A US warship and a US Coast Guard ship sailed through Taiwan Strait yesterday. What is your reaction to that?

A: China has paid close attention to and monitored from start to end the passage of the US military vessels through the Taiwan Strait. We have made representations to the US side. We urge the US to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, prudently and properly handle Taiwan-related issues, and avoid damaging China-US relations and cross-straits peace and stability.

Q: Recently the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on social media that he received a message of greetings for Pakistan's National Day from his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and he welcomed that. Do you have any comment on it?

A: China has noted relevant reports and welcomes the exchange of goodwill between the two leaders. China supports India and Pakistan in continuing contact and dialogue to restore stability, resolve differences and improve relations. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end.

Q: Can you tell us about the Foreign Ministry's discussion with the Europeans about inviting them to Xinjiang? Can you tell us when you would hope to take the European ambassadors to visit Xinjiang? Can you give us any details about the discussions with them and what you've told the Europeans and what kind of trip you are offering to take them on?

A: I responded to similar questions last week. As far as I know, discussions are still going on at the moment.

Q: You just mentioned the New Zealand Prime Minister will be visiting China. I was wondering if you could give any details about the topics she plans to discuss with the Chinese leader and will Huawei be on the agenda?

A: This will be Prime Minister Ardern's first visit to China after taking office. During the visit, leaders of the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-New Zealand relations and other issues of mutual interest. We believe that her visit will contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and mutual trust, expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and lending impetus to the development of the China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership.

Q: As we have noted, according to some recent media reports of the ROK, experts said that the root cause of smog is actually related to the use of domestic boilers in the country. There are boilers being used in 3.6 million Korean families, and winter is the peak season, which is why blaming China for the smog in the ROK is not well grounded. I wonder what is your response to those reports? Is there any cooperation project between China and the ROK on smog control?

A: We have taken note of relevant reports. Those remarks by Korean experts you mentioned are reasonable and objective. Chinese authorities for environmental protection and leading experts have given professional and thorough explanations on whether China's air pollution affects the ROK. Here I won't repeat what they said as such information is readily available online.

In response to your question, environmental cooperation has always been an important part of China-ROK cooperation. Our environment ministries, after in-depth exchanges, signed a working plan on advancing the prevention and control of air pollution and the construction of an environmental cooperation center. The Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute established a working group to conduct joint research and analysis on air quality in the two countries.

To achieve our own development, we will accelerate efforts to treat air pollution and secure a decisive victory in fighting smog to keep the sky blue. At the same time, we will work with the ROK to enhance communication and cooperation in air quality, find solutions to the smog issue, and contribute to better environment in our countries and the sustainable development of the region and beyond.

Q: A US official has criticized China for taking "highly choreographed tours" to Xinjiang, saying that this did not accurately reflect what is actually going on. The official also criticized China for carrying out "highly repressive" policies in Xinjiang. What's you response to this?

A: To give the international community a better idea of the economic and social development of Xinjiang, China has invited foreign diplomats and media reporters from many countries to visit this region. After a first-hand experience of the real Xinjiang where people of various ethnic groups live happily in tranquility and prosperity, many spoke highly of China's Xinjiang policy. Their remarks were also covered by media. The criticism of the US official you mentioned is not based on facts at all. It is pure rumor and denigration.

I'd like to reiterate that people in Xinjiang are living a happy and fulfilling life with political stability, economic vitality and social harmony. We firmly oppose the US attempt to use Xinjiang-related issues as a pretext to interfere in China's internal affairs.

Q: At last week's press conference, you said that President Xi Jinping has sent messages of condolences to his counterparts in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe which were hit by the tropical cyclone. You also mentioned that the Chinese government has offered emergency humanitarian assistance to the three governments and stands ready to provide more support in light of the needs of relevant countries. Do you have any updates for us?

A: You may have already noticed that China's Ministry of Emergency Management has released information on this. At the request of the government of Mozambique, the Chinese government dispatched a rescue team to Mozambique. According to my information, the rescue team arrived in the affected area on the morning of March 25 local time with supplies for disaster relief and assistance. They will provide search and rescue support and medical and epidemic prevention assistance for the local rescue efforts. We believe that with the help of various parties, people in the cyclone-hit areas in Mozambique will soon rebuild their homes.

Q: Regarding India and Pakistan, you just mentioned that China is willing to play a constructive role in easing the tensions between the two countries. Earlier, China had also stated that it is willing to mediate between India and Pakistan. Do your remarks today show any evolution in China's position on India and Pakistan?

A: China's position is consistent and clear. India and Pakistan are both important countries in South Asia. We hope they will have a friendly and cooperative relationship and properly resolve outstanding issues in bilateral relations through dialogue and consultation. China would like to maintain friendly relations with both countries and stands ready to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation between them.
A police officer inspects the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel has begun responding forcefully to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, the countrys prime minister has said.

Speaking at the White House, Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not tolerate the rocket strike, which struck a home in central Israel early Monday and wounded seven people.

As we speak, he said, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

He said Israel will do whatever we must do to defend itself.

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The military has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas leader says his group would respond if Israel retaliated too forcefully.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement that the Palestinian people will not surrender and its militant factions will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.

The Israeli military had earlier reinforced its troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Military spokesman major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades were being mobilised and that there is a limited drafting of reserves under way following the attack, which destroyed a house and left seven people wounded in central Israel.

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She said the military has concluded that Gazas militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

Maj Lifshitz said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded.

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

Its a miracle that nobody got killed, said Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic who was one of the emergency personnel at the scene.
A house lies in ruins after being hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel (AP)

The Israeli military has said it is reinforcing its troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Military spokesman major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades are being mobilised and that there is a limited drafting of reserves under way following the attack, which destroyed a house and left seven people wounded in central Israel.

She said the military has concluded that Gazas militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

Maj Lifshitz said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles.

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The attack prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

Its a miracle that nobody got killed, said Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene.

Mr Netanyahu held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel and decided to cut his visit short, cancelling a planned address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference and meetings with US congressional leaders.

He said: There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully.

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In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gazas Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground.

Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech.

Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gaza coast.

Mondays attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israels densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation. But Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidentally and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Mondays attack, but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire.
US special counsel Robert Mueller has spent 22 months examining whether Donald Trumps presidential campaign conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election.

His conclusion: There was no collusion.

However, the question of whether Mr Trump obstructed justice was not so clear-cut. In laying out Mr Muellers findings, US attorney general William Barr said the special counsel did not weigh in on the question. Instead, Mr Barr ultimately made the call that Mr Trump did not violate the law, a move that drew criticism from Democrats who say the president is hardly in the clear.

Here are the key points from Mr Muellers findings:

No collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia

Mr Mueller made that clear.

Mr Barr quoted Mr Muellers confidential report as saying the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

That finding marks a victory for the US president, who has turned no collusion into a daily refrain on Twitter.

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However, the letter is short on detail. Mr Barr said he will have to consult with Mr Mueller and other US justice department officials before he can release more of Mr Muellers confidential report or any other information he gathered during the investigation.

Mr Barrs letter did not say what Mr Mueller learned that fell short of a crime about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts. It also did not answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or US congress during the Russia probe since there was not any direct coordination going on.

No smoking gun on obstruction of justice, but no exoneration either

Mr Mueller decided not to make a judgment one way or the other on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

He wrote: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Instead, the special counsel laid out the evidence on both sides of the question.

According to Mr Barr, Mr Mueller left unresolved what he viewed as the difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction.

2 yrs of constant attacks, the largest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people, & what do we have?



BOOMING economy. Lowest ever unemployment for Blacks, Hispanics, & Women. Rising wages.



Maybe Dems should cool it w the conspiracies & try working w @POTUS for ALL Americans  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 25, 2019

Barr made the decision over prosecuting obstruction

With no recommendation from Mr Mueller, Mr Barr said he then stepped in.

The attorney general, who was appointed by Mr Trump, said he and his deputy Rod Rosenstein decided there was not sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice.

That conclusion was based on Mr Muellers investigation, Mr Barr said. It was not a reflection of the justice departments view that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mr Barr determined that none of Mr Trumps actions amounted to obstruction and that there was not sufficient evidence to show he acted with a corrupt intent.

He also noted there was not an underlying crime involving Mr Trump.

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The bar for prosecution over collusion was high

The letter sheds some light on how Mr Mueller approached the collusion question.

In assessing whether Americans committed crimes related to Russias election interference, Mr Mueller was looking for a specific agreement tacit or express between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Mr Barr said investigators did not find that. But his letter does contain a nod to some of the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia, noting that Mr Mueller uncovered multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

Grand jury witnesses have shown that Mr Mueller scrutinised a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower involving a Russian lawyer. The presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, took the meeting even though it was described as a Russian government effort to help his father. Trump Jr expected the meeting to produce derogatory information on Mr Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.  Abraham Lincoln  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 24, 2019

Court papers also show that Mr Mueller uncovered that a Maltese professor told a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser that the Russians had dirt on Mrs Clinton in the form of emails  a message passed along weeks before it became public that Democratic groups had been hacked.

Mr Trump was also trying to cut a business deal in Russia during the campaign, an effort that included his personal lawyer discussing the proposal with a Kremlin official.

But according to Mr Mueller, the Americans involved did not violate the law.

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Is Trump out of the woods?

No.

Mr Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say the president directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to arrange illegal hush-money payments as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Mr Trumps inaugural fund.

Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe over Mr Trump that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season.

And they are now demanding that Mr Barr should turn over Mr Muellers confidential report and the underlying evidence he gathered in order for them to draw their own conclusions.

They are also calling for Mr Barr to testify on Capitol Hill.
Special counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not find evidence that Donald Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, the Justice Department said.

Mr Mueller also investigated whether Mr Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer, Attorney General William Barr said in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Muellers report.

The special counsel does not exonerate Mr Trump of obstructing justice, Mr Barr said, and his report sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

However, the President tweeted that he had been completely exonerated of collusion and obstruction of justice.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, Mr Trump said it was a shame the nation had to go through the investigation.

Mr Trump claimed the report found there was no collusion with Russia, there was no obstruction.

He also lashed out at the investigation, claiming without evidence that it was an illegal takedown that failed.

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After consulting with other Justice Department officials, Mr Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence.

Mr Barr released a four-page summary of Mr Muellers report on Sunday afternoon. Mr Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

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Mr Barrs chief of staff called White House counsel Emmet Flood on Sunday to brief him on the report to Congress. Mr Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, about to return to Washington after spending the weekend there.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Mr Trump had been completely exonerated.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) March 24, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham added that the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed.

Mr Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, also said it is a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.

Republican Doug Collins said there is no constitutional crisis while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican said it is time we move on for the good of the nation.

Eric Trump, the Presidents son, called for a simple apology from the media for the hell everyone has been put through during the two-year probe.

But the House Judiciary Committee chairman said Mr Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

Democrat Jerry Nadler tweeted that Mr Barrs letter to Congress says that while Mr Trump may have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted that Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.

There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Mr Barr is not a neutral observer and they urged the full release of the report.

Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, and Mr Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said that Mr Barrs letter to Congress raises as many questions as it answers.

In a joint statement, the leaders said that Mr Barrs past bias against the special counsel inquiry shows he is not in a position to make objective determinations.

They say that the fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

Several Democratic presidential candidates said Mr Muellers full report must be made public.

Kamala Harris said Mr Barr must testify before Congress, adding: That is what transparency looks like.

Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, noted that lawmakers have voted to release the full Mueller report, not a summary from what she called Mr Trumps handpicked Attorney General.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said the public deserves the full report and findings immediately, not just the in-house summary from a Trump Administration official.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the Mueller report must be made public. She tweeted: The President works for the people, and he is not above the law.

Mr Muellers investigation ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them.

The probe illuminated Russias assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

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Mr Mueller submitted his report to Mr Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department, which appointed him.

Mr Mueller was assigned to the job in May 2017 by Mr Rosenstein, who oversaw much of his work.

Mr Barr and Mr Rosenstein analysed Mr Muellers report on Saturday, labouring to condense it into a summary letter of main conclusions.
Trevor Ringland wrote on Saturday: "Just after the last Northern Ireland assembly elections I challenged a senior Sinn Fein figure. I said 'you have pressed the hate button during that election campaign and it's going to be very hard to put this back in its box'. His response was: 'I'll not take lectures from the likes of you.' I went back to my wife and I said: 'No matter what I say, there's no space in their Ireland for me.'"

That is a terrible story to hear from one of the most tireless and effective workers for peace Ireland has ever produced.

A man whose friends think him almost absurdly optimistic now feels despair over what he calls "the recent upsurge in divisive Irish nationalist rhetoric".

Growing up during decades when colleagues of his policeman father were being routinely murdered and injured by the IRA, Trevor - whom I'm proud to call a friend - wanted to unite, not divide.

He played rugby 31 times for Ireland and laughs about his success in uniting Ireland twice, once when he scored a try against England and both wings of the Maze prison cheered and later, in his last match, when he allowed an England winger to score a hat-trick, uniting the country in calls of "he's useless, get rid of him".

Among his achievements were his work with the GAA, his chairing of the Small Steps campaign to encourage understanding between communities, and the role in Peace Players International that won him the International Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2007.

That was the same year that in Croke Park, at the Six Nations clash between Ireland and England, this man who considers himself Irish, Northern Irish and British sang Ireland's Call, God Save the Queen and Amhran na bhFiann in Irish.

That is also the man the senior Sinn Fein figure dismissed as "the likes of you".

I've recently been criticised for describing Sinn Fein as a cancer on our island.

Yet its brilliant propaganda dismisses unionists as bigots and haters and sees no fault in those who murdered its political opponents.

As the King James Bible puts it: "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Despite my Dublin nationalist background, I have long found Northern Ireland unionists morally on a higher plane than nationalists, not least in their capacity to forgive.

One of my occasional correspondents, a Protestant who works almost exclusively with Catholics, wrote to me recently about Gordon Wilson, whose daughter Marie died in the Enniskillen bombing in 1987.

"What do we associate Gordon Wilson with?" he asked. "A total absence of vindictiveness - a total willingness to be magnanimous."

Why, he wondered, did there seem to be no evidence of such an attitude amongst the Bloody Sunday or Ballymurphy families.

"This is not to minimise their pain," he added. "It is preventing healing in Northern Ireland."

The simple reason is that nationalism these days is driven by haters. As this man who craves peace put it: "I am very depressed about the sectarian separatism Sinn Fein are encouraging."

Around the same time I received a card from another occasional correspondent. She had read in one of my articles of Dolours and Marian Price, the Old Bailey bombers, that Dolours's guilt at her past had contributed to her death.

Could I, she asked, give her an address for Marian, so she could send her writings that could lead her to Jesus, "the only one who can give her peace of mind and heart before it is too late".

This lady is the kind of person derided by the born-again progressives as dinosaurs, yet she displays Christianity at its best.

It is because so many Protestant people in Northern Ireland have been taught to forgive and turn the other cheek that so few among them took to the gun and so many would forgive the wrongs done to their community if the perpetrators showed any remorse.

But there isn't remorse. There is only aggression and malignancy, otherwise known as cancer, which Sinn Fein are spreading throughout our island.
The latest raid on an ATM machine, this time in Fermanagh early yesterday, is the fifth such attack since the beginning of the year

The latest raid on an ATM machine, this time in Fermanagh early yesterday, is the fifth such attack since the beginning of the year.

A virtual epidemic of this kind of lawlessness raises fears that large swathes of Northern Ireland, particularly in rural areas, could be left without cash if ATMs are withdrawn.

The perception that the problem is largely confined to west of the Bann was confounded last Friday by a raid on a cash machine at Mallusk.

Other attacks have taken place in Antrim, Omagh, Moira and Dungannon. One ATM operator has already withdrawn its service because of the raids.

There is a typical pattern to these attacks. The robbers use a digger stolen from an area close to their targeted ATM, and tear it from the wall.

In these days of so many bank closures, particularly in rural areas, it is difficult to overestimate the reliance which many people have on the availability and efficiency of ATM machines.

Online banking can replicate many of the services carried out by local branches in accessing cash, but the traditional method is still favoured by many people, and not just the elderly, at a time when there are so few alternatives available.

Glyn Roberts, head of Retail NI, is not scaremongering when he says the spate of ATM raids will have a significant impact on rural communities, if they are allowed to continue at the present rate.

His further claim that there are no "no-go" areas for these criminal gangs is worrying if it is proved to be true.

It must be said that if these criminals are not exactly acting with impunity, they seem to be going about their dastardly business with a considerable degree of ease.

It would be tempting, though perhaps a fallacy, to try to trace a cause and effect between the frequency of such attacks and the decline of police officers in rural areas.

However, the question must be asked if the longer response times by police to such attacks actually emboldens the gangsters who are all too aware of the fewer officers available in the countryside.

Perhaps Chief Constable George Hamilton should consider setting up a dedicated province-wide unit, to take the initiative to the criminals who currently seem to act with such disregard for the law.

Such a move would attract overwhelming public support, and this in turn might strengthen the Chief Constable's hand in dealing with his paymasters on the Policing Board.
It isn't so much that Theresa May is a duff party leader and Prime Minister; we have had a lot of those in the past and they've actually managed to get things done.

It is the fact that she is a duff party leader and Prime Minister at this critical, era-changing moment when the United Kingdom needs a Churchill or Thatcher; someone prepared to face down every opponent - at home and in Brussels - and finally deliver an exit agreement.

The fact that she has survived is astonishing, albeit for all the wrong reasons.

Personally, I've long been of the opinion that the only thing which will get her out of Number 10 is a full-blown exorcism; and even then, I'm pretty sure she'd give the Prince of Darkness a run for his money.

Her 'I'm on your side' address to the nation on Wednesday evening was possibly the most tone-deaf, tin-eared, blame-everybody-else speech ever heard from a Prime Minister.

So bad, in fact, that it probably added a few million signatures to the Revoke Article 50 petition and another couple of hundred thousand people to Saturday's march in London.

It certainly sparked a potential coup against her, yet her enemies are so divided amongst themselves that no-one landed a killer blow over the weekend.

Mind you, the hand-wringing insincerity of those lining up to deny plotting against her will give her no cause for comfort - each and every one of them is desperate to get rid of her, but only if they can wear her crown or expect elevation to the Cabinet.

Mrs May has been extraordinarily lucky in her choice of enemies.

She still thinks she can get her Withdrawal Agreement across the line at the third time of asking, even if that means telling potential converts that she will step down as Prime Minister in exchange for their votes.

Ironically, so keen are some of her own side to be rid of her - both Leave and Remain - that they may be prepared to accept her offer.

What happens after that is anybody's guess, because choosing her replacement would make the Borgias' usual method of score-settling look like the monthly meeting of a Mills and Boon book club.

The reality is, she is toast.

The surreality is, she simply refuses to pop-up and acknowledge the fact.

That, I think, will suit the DUP quite nicely.

It's always easier to deal with a weak leader clinging to office by two fingertips than dealing with a new leader who might very well have a mind and game plan of their own.

When the original confidence and supply deal was signed in June 2017 I don't think anyone realised how troublesome for the Prime Minister the DUP could become.

That deal is now up for renewal and a new leader - aware that the DUP is increasingly unpopular with some sections of the party - might balk about how close the relationship needs to be this time.

The DUP is enjoying its time in the political/media spotlight - so, deep down, it is quite fond of Theresa May.
The government of Leo Varadkar (left) and Simon Coveney would face major challenges in the event of a vote for a united Ireland

Brexit has created layers of crisis even worse than opponents like myself predicted. Amid this, the case for Irish nationalism is being made more effectively by the actions of the DUP than by the politics of Sinn Fein, suggests former Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Patten. Meanwhile, three UK Government ministers have warned that a "no-deal" Brexit could lead to a border poll under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has predicted the same, not least because people in Northern Ireland will see this as the route to continued EU membership.

The question is now more about "when", rather than "if". Even former First Minister Peter Robinson has cautioned unionists to get ready and prepare for a referendum.

And Theresa May has warned that as and when the vote takes place, it is by no means certain that unionists will win. The combination of Brexit plus demographics has changed the political context.

Ireland's government won praise for its anticipation of the Brexit referendum vote by doing the preparations for a Leave vote that the UK notably failed to do. Now the onus is on Dublin to prove that it is capable of continued strategic political management and that the Brexit planning was not just a one-off.

In short, Ireland needs to prepare for a border poll.

Perhaps former SDLP leader Mark Durkan's role as a Fine Gael candidate in Dublin for the European Parliament will hasten the process.

A "new Ireland" will have to mean more than just bolting Northern Ireland onto the existing Republic. Such a settlement would be unacceptable to unionists. But it would also fail to address the weaknesses and failings of the south - in particular, those around healthcare and housing policy. A new beginning represents an opportunity to bring together the best of both jurisdictions and lose the worst.

Preparations will need to consider a variety of factors. These include the extent to which the existing Irish Republic becomes the basis for a new state, which protects and promotes the interests of people who have previously regarded themselves as unionists.

In practice, this means that aspects of how Ireland currently operates need to change - moving to an integrated all-island healthcare service, free at the point of delivery, is the demand most often heard in Northern Ireland. This fits neatly with Ireland's SlainteCare programme.

The economy is where the difference between the two jurisdictions is most pronounced. While the Republic has a fundamentally strong economy, Northern Ireland has a fundamentally weak one. That reality is reflected in the fiscal deficit in Northern Ireland, which is filled by an annual subvention calculated officially at more than 9bn a year, or by the Nevin Economic Research Institute at around half that once non-Northern Ireland costs (such as debt interest and the armed forces) are removed.

Ireland's economic policies need to be copied in the north: availing not just of a competitive corporation tax rate, but, more importantly, by investing in the transport and communications infrastructure of the northern and western parts of this island. There needs to be a strong commitment to building the skills-base in Northern Ireland, at school, vocational and higher education levels.

Restructuring the constitution, the economy and the healthcare system cannot be done overnight. So, the task for the Dublin government is not merely to plan for how the referendums will be conducted and who will be entitled to vote, but also to produce a blueprint for how a vote for reunification could be implemented.

Perhaps most important of all, the failings of the Brexit referendum need to be considered. Voters must be clear on what they are voting for, how that result would be implemented and what the ultimate objective is. It is necessary for the Dublin government, as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to take a leading role in suggesting clear and detailed answers to these questions.

None of these aspects of planning can be done overnight. The signs are that, at present, neither Dublin nor London is giving much consideration to any of it. Yet recent history - as illustrated by Brexit, German reunification and the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia - demonstrates how quickly major political and constitutional change can happen.

Key concerns that must be addressed include the principles of an all-island (improved) healthcare system, a functioning economy that benefits everyone, how to attract external investment (including from the European Investment Bank) into infrastructure improvement and the early convening of a forum for an all-island Bill of Rights.

Now would be the right time to establish a Dail committee on how to improve cross-border co-operation and review the extent to which the principles of the Good Friday Agreement have so far been implemented.

There is a growing respect across the UK for the Republic's use of citizens' assemblies to address complex political problems. It would be helpful to convene - in both Northern Ireland and the Republic - citizens' assemblies to consider what question, or questions, might be put to the electorate in the referendums.

That does not mean that the referendums would take place immediately. Rather (borrowing the Brexit language of Michel Barnier) that it would be easier to "de-dramatise" the politics when a referendum is still probably some time away. Citizens' assemblies might also consider how best to produce linkages with the UK that are attractive to unionists, which might include membership of the Commonwealth, or new federation-type arrangements.

Consideration needs to be given to future governance arrangements, in particular the role of Stormont and whether Ireland should become a federated state, with devolved government also in the other three provinces. Other action needs to be taken on matters that relate to political identity, building on the work in the Republic of Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, including presidential votes for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland, votes for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland for a reformed Seanad, representation of Northern Ireland in the Dail and the right of people born in Ireland to opt for British nationality.

These steps could form the core of a plan led by the Irish government to provide a route to a "new Ireland" and assist the people of this island to move towards a united, peaceful and prosperous single nation.

But once the challenges towards achieving this are spelt out, it becomes clear both the scale of the task ahead and the reality that it can only be successfully undertaken with planning and time.

Reforming the healthcare system of both jurisdictions and mending the weak economy of the north is the work of a decade, or more, not the result of a back-of-the-envelope scribble.

Yet, at present, neither London nor Dublin appears to have any strategy for dealing with a demand that is growing in strength almost daily.

A New Ireland: A Ten-Year Plan? by Paul Gosling is available from Amazon and independent bookstores, priced 8.99
Some BMW cars are at risk of going on fire

HUNDREDS of cars in Northern Ireland are believed to be affected by the worldwide recall of BMWs due to a fire risk.

The German car maker estimates the fault may encompass up to 268,000 diesel-engined models in the UK, including Northern Ireland.

It said the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler can, in some cases, leak glycol liquid and "in combination with typical soot particles and the high temperatures normally present in the EGR module this might result in smouldering particles".

BMW explained in certain "very rare" cases this could melt the engine's intake manifold and potentially cause a fire risk.

The recall was announced by BMW last August with an initial estimate that it affected 480,000 cars but it has since grown to 1.6 million vehicles worldwide.

Models affected include various types of the 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series, X3, X4, X5 and X6 built between 2010 and 2017. The majority of the popular models affected were made between late 2014 and mid-2016.

In a statement, the manufacturer, which also owns Mini and Rolls Royce, explained the fault was discovered during in-depth technical testing of the engines.

"During further examination of engines with a similar technical setup, the BMW Group analysed individual cases that were not included in the original technical campaigns," it said.

"These individual cases posed no significant risk to our customers.

"Nonetheless the BMW Group decided to further reduce even this minor risk by expanding the country-specific technical campaigns."

One Belfast owner, whose recalled car is currently with a local dealership, said: "My car has already been with the dealer for nearly two months and I've been told it could be a long time yet.

"To be fair, they have provided me with a courtesy car but obviously it is disappointing not to have my own car."

What's the problem?

The fault means droplets of hot blue glycol coolant can, in some instances, leak inside the cooler where exhaust gases flow. This forms tiny, hot particles within the exhaust gas which can then come into contact with the manifold wall - around the air inlet to the engine.

These particles can smoulder and, in extreme cases, cause fire.

Which models?

BMW says it is recalling 1.6 million cars worldwide and 268,000 in the UK. Twelve models are affected, including the 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 6 Series X3, X4, X5 and X6 models fitted with four-cylinder engines between December 2014 and August 2016.

The same models fitted with six-cylinder diesel engines made between July 2012 and June 2015 are also affected, along with some models of the 1 Series, 2 Series, 7 Series and X1 built as early as 2010.

What should I do if I own one of these cars?

Many car owners will have received a safety recall letter, urging them to contact their local BMW garage.

On some models, the garage will automatically replace the EGR cooler. In others, it will inspect the component for damage and only replace it if there is a leak.

Those who have yet to receive a letter should visit the DVSA website and tap in their registration number to see if the car has been recalled.

How long will it take?

It could take months. Some Northern Ireland drivers have already been waiting more than two months for the issue to be resolved.

BMW said those most at risk are being dealt with first.
There are a few exciting additions to the Somatosphere masthead that Id like to announce. (Please note that we are working to fix up the masthead itself, and that a version with proper bios will return shortly!)

One important piece of news if that the site finally has a Managing Editor again. Talia Gordon, who has been contributing to the Web Roundup section for a while, has joined the site as a part-time Managing Editor. If you would like to reach Talia, please feel free to contact her through the admin@somatosphere.net address.

Talia is a PhD student in the Department of Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago, who also holds an MA in medical anthropology from Wayne State University. Her work broadly explores how therapeutic paradigms shape individual and collective experience in the US, and her dissertation research examines the concept of resilience in projects of social repair and the temporalities of crisis in Flint, Michigan.

We have a couple of people who have stepped down from the editorial collaborative: Leo Coleman, who has written extensively for the site, and Lily Shapiro, who edited In the Journals for a number of years. Thanks to both of them for all of the work theyve done for the site.

We are also adding five new members to the Editorial Collaborative:

Vincent Duclos, Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Studies and Modern Languages and in the Center for Science, Technology and Society at Drexel University.

Emma Kowal, Professor of Anthropology at the Alfred Deakin Institute and Convenor of the Science and Society Network at Deakin University.

Martha Lincoln, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at San Francisco State University.

Nolwazi Mkhwanazi, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, and Senior Researcher and Director of the Medical Humanities program at Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER).

Mark Robinson, Assistant Professor at Creighton University in the Center for Health Policy and Ethics, and Student Fellow at the Petrie-Flom Center for Biotechnology, Health Policy, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.

Welcome to the Somatosphere team! Well be announcing new additions to our In the journals and Web roundups contributors shortly.

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TWISTED killer Trevor Hamilton. Hamilton was convicted this week of murdering retired Strabane librarian Attracta Harron in 2003.

Eddie the hero sniffer dog who helped jail one of Northern Ireland's most notorious murderers has featured in new Netflix documentary The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

The springer spaniel was instrumental in snaring evil killer Trevor Hamilton who kidnapped and murdered 65-year-old Co Tyrone woman Attracta Harron as she returned from Mass in Donegal to her home in Strabane in 2003.

Cadaver dog Eddie, who was brought over from the South Yorkshire victim recovery dog unit, was hailed as instrumental in helping to secure the conviction against Sion Mills man Hamilton.

Now he has featured in the popular new Netflix documentary series which focuses on missing child Madeleine McCann and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

Then three years old, Madeleine went missing from her holiday apartment in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

The series shows how baffled Portuguese detectives eventually accepted help offered by British police to track down the girl, including the services of Eddie and a second sniffer dog called Keela.

The dogs' handler Martin Grime told the film-makers: "When the dog indicates in the field, it will either be human decomposition or human blood.

"The human decomposition is very persistent, very pungent to the point where we've been able to locate, in blind searches, graves 40 years after the body has been removed and the body was only there for a short period of time."

Footage during the series shows Eddie, who is trained to smell dead bodies, searching what was Kate and Gerry McCann's bedroom in the Ocean Club apartment during their holiday.

While searching a cupboard he barks urgently, a sign he has apparently picked up the scent of a cadaver.

It led to police taking forensic samples but ultimately they did not lead anywhere following extensive lab testing and there is no suggestion the McCanns are under any suspicion.

The film reveals how the lab findings seriously discredited the Portuguese police investigation with a journalist angrily revealing how she had been given totally false information by a senior source about the DNA evidence ahead of the final results.

The film stresses that while trained dogs can sniff out potentially useful evidence, its value only becomes known following scientific testing.

Expand Close TWISTED killer Trevor Hamilton. Hamilton was convicted this week of murdering retired Strabane librarian Attracta Harron in 2003. / Facebook

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Whatsapp TWISTED killer Trevor Hamilton. Hamilton was convicted this week of murdering retired Strabane librarian Attracta Harron in 2003.

Eddie first gained fame when he helped nail Trevor Hamilton for the murder of Attracta Harron in 2003.

Evil Hamilton abducted and murdered the recently retired librarian as she returned home from Mass in 2003.

Eddie sniffed her makeshift grave near Hamilton's Sion Mills home and also detected potential evidence on a car mat in Hamilton's burnt-out red Hyundai Lantra.

The car had been torched at the rear of his home on December 11, 2003, the same day he murdered the 65-year-old grandmother and mother-of-five.

The blood in the car matched DNA from Attracta Harron and Hamilton was jailed for life without the chance of parole in 2006.

An appeal court then ruled in 2008 that he would be eligible for parole after serving 35 years, meaning he will not be considered for release until 2040 at the age of 58.

The Netflix film also features Northern Ireland ex-senior cop Jim Gamble, who explains why he is convinced Kate and Gerry McCann had nothing to do with their daughter's disappearance and why he believes that she may still be alive.
God's angels are truly watching over us. He makes this point clear in Scriptures throughout the Bible. Read on for six Bible verses that remind us there are angels watching over you.

In this article:

As humans, we typically imagine Gods protection as a magical force field that keeps us from all harm. While God has the ability to stop evil, we have to remember that we live in a fallen world where we have free will. Because of this, sometimes God works in ways that we do not understand. Instead, Gods protection can come in the form of peace and strength in the middle of despair, possibly in the form of angels.

As believers in Jesus, we are promised a new life covered under the protection of God and His angels in which nothing can ever separate us from His love. We can rest easy knowing that no matter what hardship we face, God is our provider and protector. He sends down His angels to watch over us and protect us from the harm of the world. These angels can give us peace so we can focus on knowing there is a bigger plan that God has chosen us for.

Angels have been cited all throughout the bible for their amazing ability to protect those in harm. Here are words straight from the Book of God that remind us that we are protected by Gods angels.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.

This translates literally to mean that God will instruct His angels to watch over individuals. God will give each of His angels a purpose: to guard His children. Those who are faithful will be under the constant care of His angels.

For it is written, He will command His angels concerning you to guard you carefully.

In this chapter of Luke, Satan challenged Jesus to throw Himself off the highest point of the temple by citing that God would protect Jesus with His angels. However when citing the Psalm 91:11 verse, Satan purposefully omitted in all your ways thus changing the meaning. The fact is that God sends His angels to protect those who have committed themselves to His loving care, not to those who want to put Him to the test.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them.

The angel of the Lord can mean any one of Gods angels. In this passage, it is noted that God would send His angels down to His true loyal children and rescue them from danger. His angels will lift us up and keep us from harm if we choose to trust in Him.

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Here, Jesus speaks of how God values each of His children. Because He loves each of us so much, God assigns angels to each of us for our protection. No matter who you are, how low you may feel in life, God doesnt discriminate who gets angels to watch over them. Instead, He tells others to not despise one another. In addition, the angels have direct access to God and are a helpful communication liaison between heaven and earth.

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Angels are sent by God to protect us so that we are able to inherit Gods kingdom in heaven. Angels are servants of God that carry out His will and work for our good. Here, we are given protection and shelter by the angels by their ability to assist us in our deliverance from sin and being gifted by eternal life in heaven.

See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.

This is a great example of God showing how He can use His angels to protect His children. The Lord was promising the Israelites that they would be guided by an angel to the Promised Land of Canaan. The Israelites were protected during their journey through the wilderness because they trusted in God and His promises.

These bible verses serve as reminders that Gods angels will always watch over us. If we trust in God and His plan for us, we will be protected by His angels as we walk throughout life. Angels are a direct way for us to connect with the Lord, so we should accept their protection and trust in their abilities.
Joko Widodo, the incumbent in Indonesias upcoming presidential election, takes pictures with supporters during his first campaign rally at a stadium in Serang, Banten province, March 24, 2019.

The campaigns of incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodo and opponent Prabowo Subianto have swung into high gear in the final few weeks before Indonesias presidential election next month, with recent polls showing the latter gaining ground on his rival.

Both the presidential candidates must persuade undecided voters to go to polling stations, analysts said, as recent surveys indicated that the number of people who had not made up their minds ranged from 11 percent to as much as 33 percent of the electorate.

Over the weekend both campaigns kicked off their first large outdoor rallies in the run-up to the April 17 vote, when Southeast Asias largest nation will hold its first simultaneous elections for parliament and the presidency.

Most polls point to Jokowi being on track for reelection and riding on the successes of his infrastructure drive, including the recent launch of Jakartas first metro system. But Prabowo could pull off a win, according to analysts.

Prabowo still stands a chance because even though Jokowi still has a two-digit lead, his electability is dropping, while Prabowos is rising, Adi Prayitno, a political analyst at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, told BenarNews.

This should be an alarm bell going off for the Jokowi camp, he said.

Jokowi was favored by 49.2 percent, while support for Prabowo stood at 37.4 percent, according to a survey released last week by pollster Litbang Kompas. About 13 percent of respondents did not disclose their preferences.

The numbers appear to show the gap narrowing between the two candidates. An October poll by Kompas indicated that Jokowi had a comfortable lead of nearly 20 percent. Several other surveys released earlier this month put Jokowis electability at between 54 and 57 percent, compared with around 34 percent for Prabowo.

During a campaign speech on Sunday in Serang, Banteng province, Jokowi appealed for unity among residents of the diverse and sprawling Muslim-majority country made up of many islands.

Our great country is blessed by God with religious, cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences, the president told the crowd. Let us together preserve the unity, because we are one nation.

Jokowi will face Prabowo, a retired general in the armys special forces, in a repeat of the 2014 presidential election that propelled the incumbent to a first term.

Prabowo has benefited from the zealousness of his supporters when the Jokowi camp appeared complacent, Adi said.

Both candidates must pitch aggressively to undecided voters, he added.

Indonesian presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto (center), a former military general, is welcomed by his supporters in Mojokerto, West Java province, Feb. 24, 2019. [AFP]

I will fight!

Prabowo did just that during a campaign rally in Merauke, Papua province, on Monday.

The elite in Jakarta have failed this nation, Detik.com news website quoted Prabowo as telling a crowd of supporters in the mineral-rich far eastern province, where armed separatist groups have fought the Indonesian military for years. With all due respect, I dont mean to find faults, but I dont mince words, he said.

The elite only protect their own interests. All they do is collect wealth for themselves and their families, added Prabowo, the former son-in-law of the late Indonesian dictator Suharto, who was one of the countrys richest men.

Jokowi, for his part, showed a combative side in a speech in front of thousands of his supporters in Yogyakarta on Saturday.

I have been silent for 4 years. I have been slandered, I have been accused of things, I was vilified and looked down on, but I have been silent. But today, in Yogyakarta I say, I will fight! he said, to the cheers of his supporters who shouted: Fight! Fight!

Jokowi was alluding to accusations that he was a communist who had lied about his education, as well as attacks on his character that questioned his Islamic faith and fitness to lead the country.

Analysts said Jokowi was likely to tout his achievements in building infrastructure, including a network of toll roads on Java and Sumatra islands, as well as Jakartas Mass Rapid Transit, the country first metro system, which he inaugurated on Sunday.

But Jokowi and his running mate, Muslim cleric Maruf Amin, should be worried about Prabowos late surge, said University of Indonesia political analyst Aditya Perdana.

The Prabowo campaign is likely to attack the governments economic record, Aditya told BenarNews.

Under Jokowi's presidency, economic growth has stagnated at about 5 percent. In September 2018, the rupiah fell to its lowest level since the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis.

The country is also grappling with a widening current account deficit.

Ujang Komarudin, a political lecturer at Al Azhar University in Jakarta, said debates among the presidential and vice presidential contenders were more likely to convince swing voters than rallies.

The final two televised debates are scheduled for March 30 and April 13.

Campaign rallies could affect undecided voters but not in a big way, Ujang told BenarNews.

Open campaign rallies will only show how many people candidates can mobilize, but to influence undecided voters, debates are more effective, he said.

Zoned campaigning

Indonesias General Election Commission (KPU) has set campaign zoning for the presidential candidates and their running mates, with each scheduled to attend rallies in 17 provinces in the three weeks leading up to the vote.

A member of the Jokowi campaign team, Lukman Edy, said all political parties supporting the incumbent would mobilize their members so they could attend every rally.

They will all go out campaigning, including Mr Jokowi, Mr Maruf, chairs of coalition parties and legislative candidates, Lukman told BenarNews.

Analysts said Jokowi had picked as his running mate Maruf, the conservative 76-year-old chairman of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars (MUI), to fend off accusations from hardline Islamic groups that he was hostile to them.

Conservative religious groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) have rallied around Prabowo in their short-term goal to prevent Jokowi from being re-elected

While Maruf has moderated his comments to appeal to more liberal voters, the Prabowo camp has sought to portray its vice-presidential pick, Sandiago Uno, a wealthy 49-year-old businessman educated in the United States, as a pious Muslim.

A member of the Prabowo campaign, Drajad Wibowo said, his team would focus on South Sulawesi, Central Java and East Java  areas known as strongholds for Jokowis supporters.

We will pitch our programs such as tax cuts and housing, he said.

Arie Firdaus in Jakarta contributed to this report.
Indonesian Police Inspector-General Rudy Sufahriadi (center) speaks about wanted suspected members of the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen militant group whose faces appear on an overhead screen during a press conference in Jakarta, March 4, 2019.

The Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) group is a shadow of its former self after its leaders were killed or arrested in recent years, but the tiny band of militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) is capable of recruiting more members, analysts said.

Last week, government forces shot and killed three MIT suspects during a gunbattle in the jungles of Parigi Moutong, a regency of Poso district on Sulawesi Island where the group has operated for years, authorities said.

The killings brought to four the number of suspected MIT militants killed by security forces since early March, and reduced the groups overall strength to only seven fighters, officials said.

But the groups real strength is not known, analysts told BenarNews.

At the grassroots level, efforts to mobilize people to join the group are still ongoing, said Zaki Mubarak, a terrorism researcher at Syarif Hidyatullah Jakarta Islamic University.

There have been people coming in from other regions.

The three men who were gunned down on March 21 included two militants from the Maluku islands and Sumatra, who were wanted on suspicion of being part of the MIT group that operates in Poso and elsewhere in Central Sulawesi province, police said.

The authorities said they recovered several home-made bombs, 55 bullets and a saw from bags owned by the slain men.

The seven other MIT holdouts on the loose included the groups current leader, Ali Kalora, officials said.

The remaining militants broke off into two groups to elude security forces taking part in the so-called Operation Tinombala, a security task force that has been hunting down MIT militants for years on Sulawesi.

Sidney Jones, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) in Jakarta, cast doubt on police claims that MIT had only seven members left.

We dont know exactly their real number because they are constantly moving in the jungle, she told BenarNews.

The question is: is it possible that more people have joined without police knowing it, she said.

MIT was no longer a big threat to stability but it was important for Indonesian authorities to keep pursuing its members, Jones said.

Symbolically, Poso is important because its the only place where the pro-ISIS group can claim territorial control, she said, using another acronym for IS.

Like two sides of the same coin

Zaki said MIT has support from another pro-IS network blamed for recent terrorist attacks in Indonesia, Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), and from former members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the group linked with al-Qaeda. Indonesian authorities blamed JI for the Bali bombings, which killed 202 people in 2002.

Some elements at MIT have participated in military training in the Philippines sponsored by JI. JAD and MIT are like two sides of the same coin, very close, he said.

Zaki said some residents of Poso and other areas in Central Sulawesi had shown sympathy to the group by providing food and failing to report members to the authorities. This was due partly to a history of deadly Muslim-Christian conflict there, Zaki noted.

In 2016, thousands of local people attended the burial of slain MIT leader Santoso and hailed him as a hero. Santoso, alias Abu Wardah, was killed during Operation Tinombala in July.

Santoso operated out of the surrounding mountains in Poso and conducted paramilitary training for militants, drawing recruits from within and outside the country, including at least six Uyghurs.

Two months after his death, his successor, Mohamad Basri, was captured. That same year, authorities announced that they had reduced MITs ranks from an estimated 40 people to fewer than 10.

The death of Santoso and the capture of his deputy significantly weakened the group, officials said.

Santoso was the first Indonesian militant to publicly pledge allegiance to IS.

Beheadings

During Santosos leadership, at least three farmers in the same district in Parigi Moutong were beheaded in 2015  many of them non-Muslims from other parts of Indonesia.

In late December 2018, villagers in Parigi Moutong found a mans head wrapped in a cloth that had been placed on a bridge. The victim was believed to be have been killed by MIT. When police went to recover the mutilated and headless corpse, gunfire broke out, injuring two of the officers, officials said.

Jones said she doubted that MIT would expand under the leadership of Ali Kalora, who was a foot soldier not seen as an ideologue.

The group also lacked funding and logistics to expand, Jones said.

Weapons smuggled in from the southern Philippines were hard to come by because of tightened border security and joint patrols involving forces from Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the analyst pointed out.

In May 2017, pro-Islamic State militants took over Marawi city on Mindanao island in the southern Philippines, laying siege to the city for five months before government forces regained control.

At least 1,200 people  mostly militants  were killed. Much of the city was ruined during the battle between IS-linked gunmen and Philippine government forces. The takeover was the most serious assault by IS in Southeast Asia to date, and left governments across the region unsettled.

There are too many security forces there. I dont think they will be as big as they were two or three years ago, Jones said, referring to Central Sulawesi.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra welcomes Princess Ubolratana as they arrive for the wedding of Thaksins youngest daughter at a hotel in Hong Kong, March 22, 2019.

Updated at 5:01 p.m. ET on 2019-03-25

Exiled politician Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday slammed Thailands election even as his pro-democracy party and the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party (PPP) claimed that each had mandates to form a ruling coalition government.

Thaksins Pheu Thai party based this claim on Election Commission results showing it had won the largest number of seats in the lower house, while the PPP pointed to its lead in the popular vote.

This is a terrible, and sad, moment for my country, Thaksin wrote in an opinion piece in the New York Times that blasted Thailands junta.

The polls were the first nationwide vote held since the military overthrew Thaksins sister, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, in a coup nearly five years ago. Thaksin, a former PM, was himself deposed by military force in 2006.

People in office are supposed to come and go while the system remains. This military government is ready to destroy the system simply to keep its people in power, Thaksin said in his op-ed article.

Pheu Thai had won 137 of the 350 contested seats in the lower House of Representatives and PPP, which supports Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, had taken 122, according to election results announced Monday. Both were scrambling to form coalitions with the three other major winners, Future Forward (84), Democrat (52) and Bhumjaithai (51).

The figures combine directly elected seats and 150 party list seats, which BenarNews has calculated based on a mathematical formula devised by the junta that gives parties credit for total votes received (see graphic). The Election Commission said it would officially announce the party list MPs in early May.

In addition, the 250 members of the Senate, who are being hand-picked by the junta, will join the lower chamber in electing the next prime minister. The senators have yet to be announced.

Because of the way they are selected, most senators are expected to vote for Prayuth, giving him a boost toward the 376 votes (one more than half the 500 in the House combined with 250 in the Senate) needed to become prime minister. In previous elections, the Senate was not involved in the election of the prime minister so only 251 votes in the House were needed.

Sudarat Keyuraphan, who leads Pheu Thai, said she was ready to lead.

As the party that was given the biggest mandate by the people, we will further gather the seats to form a government. As weve said before, the party that won the most seats in the lower house should be the one to form the government, she said.

She questioned the election results.

There were many irregularities in this election so these are the things that need to be solved and to be made clear, she said. Otherwise, it will not get international credibility and pose suspicion to Thai people.

Palang Pracharat Party leader Uttama Savanayana (left) walks into a press conference in Bangkok, March 25, 2019. (AP)

Coalition discussions

PPP leader Uttama Savanayana, on the other hand, pointed to the vote total. His party received 7.7 million to Pheu Thai's 7.2 million, according to the EC tally of 95 percent of the vote.



 Palang Pracharat Party got the most votes in this election. From now on, we will discuss with like-minded parties who share the ideology and policy to form a government,  he said.

A Thai analyst said PPP was more likely to establish a working coalition that would give Prayuth enough support to continue leading the country.

Bhumjaithai Party and the Democrat Party lean toward Palang Pracharat, who is ready for negotiation. It is hard for Pheu Thai to form a coalition, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the political science faculty at Ubon Ratchathani University.

The leader of the Future Forward Party, meanwhile, said he was open to working with another party seeking a return to democracy.

We are willing to form a coalition with the party that got the most seats in the election, with conditions, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said in an apparent reference to Pheu Thai.

His conditions focus on amending the constitution, including revoking section 279 that allows the National Council for Peace and Order (the juntas official name) to maintain power by turning its orders into permanent laws even after a new government takes over. Future Forward also calls for reforms to the military to make it democratic.

Sudarat expressed a similar willingness to work with leaders of other parties.

We will stick to the same stance to not side with parties that favor prolonging the juntas power. There have been some parties who have made that clear, she said.

The Democrat Party's top official, former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, announced his resignation from the leadership post on Sunday as results showed that the nations oldest political party did worse than expected. The party has said it could support the junta government, but not Prayuth.

In 2014, then-Gen. Prayuth led the coup that overthrew the government of Yingluck, who was elected in 2011. Having taken over as prime minister, Prayuth is seeking to be elected to the post.

Election results questioned

In his New York Times column, Thaksin challenged Prayuths efforts to remain in power.

The junta appointed the election commission and has interfered with the work of what are supposed to be independent agencies and institutions. It wrote a new, very tricky and self-serving constitution, he wrote. Thailand cant seem to change its outdated criminal laws or even car-registration regulations, but it rewrites its constitution often.

More than anything, Thailand should have a government that reflects the will of the people, not the will of the junta.

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) representative in Thailand also questioned the validity of the election.

From the start, this election gave very little hope to be considered as something credible, free and fair because fundamental freedoms that are required for the conduct of free and fair vote was not there, HRW senior researcher Sunai Phasuk said. The junta maintained their restrictions on fundamental freedoms particularly the freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

Sadly there is no public confidence in Thailand at this point with the Election Commission, he said. They were appointed through junta selected lawmakers so the status of impartiality has been questioned from the beginning.

A day after votes were cast as the nations political leaders were discussing efforts to take control of the government, a university student said he wanted to see Thailand improve.

Im not hopeless. I believe one day the good political ideologies will change the country for the better, student Panawat Nuthawej said.
If you have a comment or opinion concerning the matters discussed in this report, or if I may be of assistance to you at any time, please feel free to call your legislative office in Columbia (734-2936); or my office in Pineville (843-567-4386).
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

A shower is possible early. Mostly cloudy early, then afternoon sunshine. High 57F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.
Much to our pleasure we got many positive responses following the publication of our series, thinking with dementia. Some of these responses suggested novel directions in which we could think with dementia. We asked the writers to extend their stories, and invited some more authors to contribute. And so the stories continue!

While much of the research that gave rise to the fourteen stories of the previous collection was conducted in the Netherlands, the new stories take us to Japan and India, and to new themes and questions. They let us venture into medical archives and into an apartment full of sticky notes; they take us along on a discovery by looking at a photograph of a shell, and into the kitchen, with rice steaming, and vegetables frying in a pan. How can we think with dementia when it comes to living with pain, about the self as extended, as a way to stay out of prison, and about veracity? And could there be a poetics of dementia?

By way of invitation, we would like to encourage our readers to become writers in this series by posting their thoughts and stories in the response boxes at the bottom of this page. We look forward to thinking with dementia, with you.

____

Annelieke Driessen conducted ethnographic research in three nursing homes in the Netherlands as part of her PhD project in the Anthropology of Care Research Group at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Annelieke is currently working as a Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. As part of the research team involved in the Forms of Care project, she studies active non-interventions as a form of care at the end of life. She edited Thinking with Dementia, along with Kristine Krause, Jeannette Pols and Emily Yates-Doerr.

This post contributes to the series, Thinking with dementia.

Read the next post in the series here.

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For Immediate Release, March 25, 2019



Contact: Alex Gutierrez, local fisherman, (409) 443-7299, AlexGH53@yahoo.com

Steve Jones, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 305-3866, sjones@biologicaldiversity.org

Nancy Bui, (512) 844-9417, Justice for Formosa Victims, nancy@vietnameseamerican.org

Travis London, Rise St. James, (225) 264-9527, travislondonsr@yahoo.com Formosa Plastics Pollution of Texas Waterways Hit by Civil Trial, Protests VICTORIA, Texas Fishermen, community leaders and activists spoke out against Formosa Plastics pollution of Texas waterways today as a federal civil trial of the company began here. During a kayak tour of waterways surrounding Formosas Point Comfort plastics plant on Saturday and a courthouse press conference, the company was criticized for environmental injustices here and around the world. Formosa faces Clean Water Act fines of up to $184 million in the citizen lawsuit filed by local former shrimper Diane Wilson and San Antonio Bay Estuarine Waterkeeper. They documented plastic pollution of Cox Creek and Lavaca Bay from Formosas plant over the past three years. Texas fined Formosa about $122,000 for the pollution and ordered a cleanup, but large quantities of plastic pellets are still found in the water and along the shoreline (photos and video available upon request).



Formosa must be held accountable for polluting our waterways with plastic over so many years. This companys disregard for marine life, fisheries and coastal communities cant go unpunished, said Alex Gutierrez, a local oysterman familiar with plastic pollution in Lavaca Bay. The rampant plastic pollution here is a warning to other communities considering approving these large plastics plants. Among the large group of supporters who came for the trial were Louisiana residents fighting Formosas plan for a massive plastics plant in St. James Parish and Vietnamese-American groups outraged about Formosa polluting Texas waterways and a 2016 chemical spill from Formosas steel plant in Vietnam that poisoned marine life. We urge Formosa to stop dumping pollutants into the Lavaca waterways and rightfully compensate the victims suffering from the toxic disaster in Central Vietnam and to put policies in place to protect life and nature, said Nancy Bui, head of Justice for Formosa Victims. Rise St. James, Louisiana Bucket Brigade and other groups from Louisiana strongly oppose Formosas decision to build its next ethane cracker plant  which uses fracked natural gas to produce cheap plastic  adjacent to an African American community known as Cancer Alley for industrial pollution and associated public health problems. The groups are planning a four-day march through St. James and surrounding parishes starting April 4 to protest Formosa and call for environmental justice. We need to stop Formosa. I do not want them to move into St James or anywhere in Louisiana, said Travis London from Donaldsonville, La., near Formosas proposed plant. Weve already got too much pollution here. But now we got a coalition of people from around the world who came here to go against you and say, Formosa, game over. London, Bui, and dozens of other activists demonstrated outside the Formosa Plastics plant in Point Comfort, Texas, on Saturday afternoon, chanting and giving speeches. Formosa and other petrochemical companies plan to increase plastic production by 40 percent over the next decade, proposing dozens of new plastic plants along the Gulf Coast and in the Rust Belt. That increase is driven by an oversupply of fracked natural gas, the feedstock for ethane cracker and other plastic-producing plants. Its disgusting to see how much Formosa Plastics has polluted Texas waterways that flow in to the Gulf of Mexico. Plastic pollution ends up in our oceans, our seafood and ourselves, said Steve Jones with the Center for Biological Diversity, which participated in this weekends actions here. We need to break the cycle of turning fracked natural gas into throwaway plastics if were going to address climate change and the ocean plastic pollution crisis. Plastic waste in waterways and oceans doesnt break down for decades, attaching itself to environmental toxins as it travels throughout the food web, often infesting seafood. Images and video from todays press conference and this weekends actions available upon request to sjones@biologicaldiversity.org.
TB champions from states shared their stories of overcoming the stigma of being a TB patient

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare commemorated the World TB Day with a function to mark the occasion, and reiterated the commitment to eliminating TB in the country by 2025.

Preeti Sudan, Health Secretary presided over the function. She stressed on the importance of more sensitive and responsive doctors, paramedics, frontline health workers and community partners, while dealing with TB patients.

The systems of care for TB patients should be patient centric, and sympathetic to their wellbeing, she emphasised.

She stated that India has been able to free of Polio, Yaws, MNTE due to the sturdy health systems, especially at the primary healthcare levels. She stated that partnerships with all stakeholders hold the key to making India TB-free.

She led the participants of the event to take a pledge to unite together to contribute and support towards making India TB free.

Various presentations made at the event highlighted the key changes introduced in the policy landscape of TB in the country.

India is now closest ever to covering all TB cases with 21.5 lakh new TB patients notified in 2018. With the aim of universal access to free diagnostics and treatment services, path breaking policy changes have been introduced. Universal drug susceptibility testing has been rolled out, shorter and newer treatment regimen has been expanded countrywide. India is moving towards an injection free regimen.

TB champions from states shared their stories of overcoming the stigma of being a TB patient and motivating other patients to undergo the treatment. A special issue on TB of the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis and a toolkit on Patient Provider Support Agency were also unveiled at the function.

Also present at the event were Sanjeeva Kumar, Additional Secretary & Director General (RNTCP & NACP), and senior officers of the Ministry, representatives from WHO and other development partners, community support organisations.
Whys BioPharma BREAKING R&D SHACKLES?

The Indian industry bore witness to biotech companies collaborating with vaccine manufacturers, vaccine technologies being transferred, licenses to manufacture several drugs granted to pharma companies, among other notable developments. These collaborations and partnerships have furthered R&D, commercialisation and distribution of several critical drugs throughout 2021. However, key barriers to R&D-based innovation still persist in the Indian pharma market that needs to be sorted out soon. We shall take a closer look at the industry quest to realise even more, swift innovations and fewer hindrances.
Building on last year's runaway success at the prestigious Liberty Radio Awards, Joburg's hottest station, Hot 91.9FM, has scooped a staggering 21 nominations for the 2019 awards setting a record for the most nominations by any radio station in one year.

The Touching 100 Lives campaign in honour of what would have been Madibas 100th birthday in July of 2018.



The Teddython in celebration of Hots 4th birthday in November last year, where together with the community and advertisers, Hot 91.9FM collected over R2m in 12 hours for its CSI arm, Hot Cares.



The famous and much  loved Christmas Wish in December with Jeremy Mansfield.



The Hot Squad initiative, which assists in keeping the Hot 91.9FM community safe as well as providing skills development and employment.

Simon Parkinson



Afternoon Drive Show



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Jeremy Mansfield



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Hot 91.9FM Touching 100 Lives



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Hot Sport - John Walland



Hot 91.9FM Mansfield in the Morning - William Scott and Sam Cowen



Hot 91.9FM Mansfield in the Morning - Simon Hill



Daytime Show



Hot 91.9FM - The Mark Pilgrim Show



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Hot 91.9FM - Gladys Sithole



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Hot 91.9FM - Touching 100 Lives in Honour of Madibas 100th Birthday



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Hot 91.9FM - Easy Sunday with Bunny



The Hot team thanks the Liberty Radio Awards judging panel for acknowledging Hot 91.9FM and our amazing family at the station. Lets keep our fingers crossed for the awards evening on 13 April!





Managing Director, Lloyd Madurai, enthused, We are humbled by these 21 Liberty Radio Award nominations. When we launched Hot 91.9FM four years ago we set out to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us and while doing this, have some fun on the radio. We feel like winners already as we remain number 1 in the hearts of this community and it really is our fantastic listeners who make this radio dream possible.The station is incredibly proud of the four nominations for Hot Cares, their on-going community initiative, which is the main focus of the radio station. Hot 91.9FM is a non-profit company, and it is through the generosity of the community that the station is able to continue to assist those in need.The spirit of Hot 91.9FM has always been to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us and together we continue to do this. We dont do these community initiatives for the awards, however we are grateful to be acknowledged for the work we do and maybe this will also encourage other radio stations to get more involved in serving their communities, said Madurai.Hot 91.9FMs has been nominated in the Community Projects and Events category for:On the nomination of Bunny Majaja for Best Weekend Radio Show, Madurai added, I am thrilled to see Bunny Majaja has been nominated in this category for her Sunday 9am-12pm show Easy Sundays with Bunny. Bunny is a graduate of the Hot 91.9FM Radio Training Academy and I am so proud to see how Bunny has developed into one of SAs most professional radio stars. We will continue to see more great talent coming out of our Radio Training Academy within the next few years and they will continue to be mentored by the great DJs we have on air at Hot 91.9FM.Hot 91.9FMs 21 Liberty Radio Awards nominations are:
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A bill to appropriate $2 million to help fund the design and construction of a permanent memorial and museum dedicated to the Pulse massacre cleared its first hurdle in the Florida House last week after a favorable recommendation from the Transportation & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee.

Holly Raschein, a Republican representing Monroe County, filed the bill (HB 3583). Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando), a gay man, is a co-sponsor.

This was an unfortunate piece of our states history, Rep. Rascheinsaid. I was happy and honored to be the sponsor of this.

The vote was 8-0. Six Republicans voted in favor.

This was a fantastic showing of bipartisanship, she said. It was just the right thing to do.

According to the appropriations project request form, the funds would be used to build a permanent memorial and museum honoring all affected by the June 12, 2016 tragedy at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando.

The money would go to the onePULSE Foundation, who would oversee the project. In October the foundation was awarded up to $10 million in hotel-tax revenues by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to fund the memorial and museum.

The Tourism Development Tax funding is a significant step in fulfilling onePULSEs mission to create a sanctuary of hope which honors all those affected by the tragedy at Pulse Nightclub, reads a press release announcing the funding from the County.

Democratic State Sen. Linda Stewart, whose district includes the Pulse Nightclub, told Florida Politicsin November shes had discussions with the Senate president on including $1 million for the memorial in its 2019 appropriations.

Stewart also filed a bill to create a speciality license plate paying tribute to Pulse. The license plate would include the words Orlando United. The proceeds of the plate would go to the onePULSE Foundation, the Mental Health Association of Central Florida, and the Two Spirit Health Services.

Last year former Gov. Rick Scott signed into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, which also included $1 million to build a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Parkland school shooting.

Theres been a tremendous focus on Parkland, as there should be, Rascheinsaid. But we should memorialize and remember the lives lost at Pulse as well.
(WB) An assistant principal at a West Virginia high school has been fired following a November 2018 incident in which he demanded a transgender student use a urinal in front of him.

The Harrison County Board of Education on Tuesday voted not to renew Lee Livengoods contract for another year.

Livengood had been the assistant principal at Liberty High School in Harrison County.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which created a petition that called for Livengoods firing, says Livengood followed 15-year-old Michael Critchfield into the boys bathroom, prevented him from leaving the bathroom, and urged him to use a urinal to prove that he was male.

Livengood also apparently yelled, Im not going to lie: You freak me out at Critchfield.

Critchfield told INTO, Grindrs now defunct online publication, the incident was terrifying.

At the end of the day, all I want is to feel welcome and safe in my school, he continued.

The incident received national press coverage, leading the school district to place Livengood on a brief leave of absence. Critchfield received an apology from Livengood that stated in its entirety: I am deeply sorry for raising my voice while in the bathroom on 11/27/18. I promise it wont happen again.

After Livengood returned to work, he continued monitoring Critchfield during lunch hours.

The ACLUs petition garnered more than 1,100 signatures, and over 40 individuals attended the recent board meeting at which Livengoods contract was ended.

Loree Stark, legal director of the ACLU of West Virginia, told the Washington Blade the ACLU is now hoping to help Harrison County Schools adopt trans-inclusive policies. The ACLU in early January held a meeting with representatives at Harrison County Schools about such policies.

We had thought that the meeting went fairly well at the time, Stark said.

But the school representatives insisted parents and guardians always had to be involved in cases relating to trans students.

Thats a bad idea if a kid is not in a supportive home environment, and a lot of kids arent, Stark said.

Now that the school board has voted to end Livengoods career in the district, Stark is hopeful that Harrison County Schools will implement policies that do not involve parental notification.

Were going to reach out again, Stark said. I do think there is maybe at least now some willingness to make this a better, more supportive environment for Michael and students like Michael.

But its really important that if they do this, they do it in the right way, he added. We dont want to make it worse for kids. We want to make it better.

On whether Critchfield and his family will take legal action against Harrison County Schools for the urinal incident and resulting inaction, Stark said, Theyre considering all their options.
A Japanese Company Sells Jars of Honey Complete With Dead Giant Hornets Pulse oi-Syeda Farah Noor

With research going on about what is the best edible item on this planet to eat, it is beetles and other insects that top the list of most nutritional food for the coming generations.

But what happens when you are asked to consume honey that has a dead hornet in it?

Well, check out this bizarre practice of a company that is selling "Honey with Hornets!"

The Hornets Are Drowned In The Honey Jars! According to reports, the giant Japanese hornets are apparently placed inside the jar while they are still alive. The hornets are believed to be left to drown in the sweet liquid. Hornets Are Known To Be The Natural Enemies Of Bees! As per the company's explanation on using hornet in their honey jars, the hornets are known to be the natural enemies of bees and they are captured alive by the beekeepers. They are used as macabre decorations for the company's honey jars. The Hornets Are Believed To Be Healthy! The company further claims that apart from using the hornet for the decorative purpose, the essences from dead hornets leak into the honey. As a result it makes the honey healthier and more delicious. The Precautions On The Labels Reveal As per the website's description, the company warns the consumers that they shouldn't actually eat the insect and instead just eat the honey it drowned in. On the other hand, if you wish to preserve the hornet as a souvenir, you can do it by dipping it in alcohol. What do you think of this bizarre practice? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 18:07 [IST]
(WB) Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Tuesday said he will issue an executive order that will ban so-called conversion therapy for minors in the U.S. commonwealth.

It remains unclear when Rossello will issue the order, but he told reporters during a press conference that conversion therapy has zero scientific basis and causes significant damage.

As a father, as a scientist and as the governor for everyone in Puerto Rico, I firmly believe that the idea that there are people in our society who need treatment because of their gender identity or whom they love is not only absurd, it is harmful to so many children and young adults who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, said Rossello in a press release that his office released on Wednesday.

Members of the New Progressive Party, a pro-statehood party that Rossello chairs, on Monday blocked a vote in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives on a bill that would have banned conversion therapy for minors on the island. Latino Rebels reported two Puerto Rican lawmakers  Reps. Jorge Navarro and Juan Oscar Morales  told a local newspaper they support conversion therapy.

Conversion therapies are inhumane and intend to strip the human being of their dignity, tweeted San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on Wednesday. Love is love. It is a simple concept. Our countrymen from the LGBTT community love, period. And love will always, always win over hate: Always.

Las terapias de conversion son inhumanas y pretenden despojar al ser humano de su dignidad. Amor es amor. Es un concepto sencillo. Los compatriotas de la comunidad LGBTT aman punto. Y el amor siempre siempre le gana al odio:SIEMPRE.  Carmen Yulin Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) March 20, 2019

Maryland and D.C. are among the jurisdictions in the mainland U.S. that ban conversion therapy for minors.

Homophobia, transphobia and conservative social and religious attitudes persist in Puerto Rico, even though the islands nondiscrimination and hate crimes law includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Activists with whom the Washington Blade has spoken say LGBTI Puerto Ricans and people with HIV/AIDS are even more vulnerable to discrimination and violence after Hurricane Maria devastated the island on Sept. 20, 2017.
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Sophie Lewis '21 and Aine Lawlor '21

Poverty and Homelessness in our Community was the name of the trip, led by sophomores Sophie Lewis and Aine Lawlor. Its really easy to be isolated at Bowdoin and not interact with the greater Brunswick and Portland communities, and we think its important that we give back to the community where Bowdoin is located, said Lawlor, a government and legal studies major who plans to attend law school.

Lawlor and Lewis, along with eight other students, gathered in the dining room of the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP), a nonprofit located just yards from the Brunswick campus, offering healthy food to those in need. They were about to get to work cleaning the kitchen after a busy lunchtime. This is a great way to serve, said Lewis, and to expose more students to the needs of some local residents."

The visit to MCHPP was just one part of the trip, which collaborated with a variety of service groups in the area. Before arriving here midweek, they had visited homeless shelters in both the Brunswick and Portland communities. For example, they began the week serving in the soup kitchen at Preble Street Resource Center, a day shelter in Maines largest city; the students also worked with those providing legal help and public health assistance to those affected by poverty.

Weve already spent some time with the Volunteer Lawyers Project, which provides free legal advice to low-income Mainers, said Lawlor, and on Friday were going to court in Portland to observe some PFA [protection from abuse] hearings.

The group also spent time with the Portland Public Health Division, including a spell with child health nurses. During their free time, students have been sharing reflections and having conversations about what they are learning.
Destination Uwajimaya

Everyone in Seattle knows Uwajimaya, a mainstay of the citys famous marketplace for three generations. To see the family-owned business survive and thrive, president and CEO Denise Moriguchi 98 must balance its remarkable history with necessary change.

Uwajimaya calls to people from across the city. International students from the University of Washington come down to pick up frozen dumplings. Elderly couples are bused in on Tuesday mornings and stand in the aisles sifting intently through fruit. Young men with flashy pants pick out salmon fillets. It calls to people from across the Puget Sound. Pink-haired teenagers from Puyallup and Aberdeen, dressed in fuzzy boots and anime T-shirts, travel like pilgrims to stand outside the Japanese bookstore. On a school day, field trips release middle school students into the aisles, where they fan out like fish on a reef. They come back to their chaperones bearing Ramune, a fluorescent Japanese soda.

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Denise and her father, Tomio, who was the CEO throughout her childhood. A self-described Asian food and gift market (although the company dabbles in wholesale and real estate), Uwajimayas flagship retail store sits on the border between downtown Seattle and the Chinatown-International District. Its one of those businesses thats become an institution, symbolic of an entire neighborhood. But, as Denise Moriguchi 98, Uwajimayas president and CEO, is quick to point out, that doesnt mean the business can rest on its laurels. Moriguchi is the third generation of her family to run Uwajimayashe took over the role in 2017, when her aunt retiredand she finds herself guiding the company through a period of massive regional upheaval, as the tech boom pulls in tens of thousands of high-paid workers. My family has always been a proponent of growing the International District. Weve said, lets respect its past, but make it somewhere everyone can enjoy. She says that the most difficult part of the learning process hasnt necessarily been adapting to the changing city; its been figuring out how to steer a family business.

I have a long history to think about. Whenever you make changes, it can seem like youre putting a piece of that history away.

Since taking over, Moriguchi has overseen two major expansions of Uwajimaya. The first, the redevelopment of an historic apartment complex a block north of the flagship store, is the culmination of a longtime goal to bring new residents and vibrancy into the International District. The second expansion is a newer conceptKai Market, a store in the heart of the high-tech South Lake Union neighborhood. Kai Market is a place to test out new strategies. Its much smaller than the flagship store, or any of the other Uwajimaya grocery stores scattered around the area. Its geared less toward grocery shoppers and more toward the twenty- to thirty-something set seeking complete meals. Kai sells a lot of poke (a sashimi and rice bowl), a cashier tells me, and not much fruit. One of the impetuses for giving the new store a name that is easier to pronounce than Uwajimaya, Moriguchi says, came from watching an interview on TV of former Seattle Seahawks player Michael Bennett, who replied when asked what he liked to make his kids for dinner, Wagyu steak from Ujimama. Bennetts mispronunciation is a testament to Uwajimayas brand strength, that you immediately knew exactly what store he meantwhat else could it be? But Moriguchi, who has spent much of her professional life in branding and marketing, winces when she tells the story. It is a really hard name to pronounce, she says, and that might make it harder to appeal to new Seattleites. (As it happens, figuring out the correct pronunciationoo-wah-gee-my-yuhis a Seattle tradition. People have been asking for pronunciation advice since the early days of the Internet, and even many in the International District call it Wajimaya. Its named for the Japanese town of Uwajima, where founder Fujimatsu Moriguchi, Denises grandfather, learned his tradeYa means store in Japanese.) Denise explains that Kai Market is meant to be an introduction to Uwajimaya. Its a different concept, so we wanted to brand it differently. To give it an Asian influence, but making it approachable to everyone. Eventually, she says, the changes at the new store will ripple back to the old one.



Were working on a remodel of the main store, she says. We want to modernize its look and feel, which means updating both the offerings and the experience of shopping itself. Were finding that people want more instant things. Take Japanese foods for New Years. There are many different foods with different meanings, but making them is laborious. People want to support traditions, but they want things to be more convenient. Convenience isnt enough, thoughshe wants to give people a reason to come into the store. The other component of modernization, she tells me, is education. You have a whole aisle of sauce, but how will someone know the difference between, say, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce? You could buy a jar of soy sauce from Amazon, but we can help you learn about it. We want to make shopping something fun, something to look forward to. Im not a disinterested observer in this story: I grew up visiting the flagship store. It was a treat, somewhere with a bookstore full of Japanese comics and mochi ice cream and a food court with bahn mi and loco moco. If you needed it, and couldnt find it elsewhere, it was there. My grandparents once scoured the city looking for Jerusalem artichokesa vegetable normally eaten by homesteaders freezing to death on the plains of North Dakotaand, after visiting every store in our neighborhood, gave Uwajimaya a call. Uwajimayas produce department not only had it, they set aside an entire case to be picked up that day. But I dont want to give the sense that Uwajimaya was a place to tour the exotic. It was a place that introduced me to living in a city of immigrants. While I read about early Chinese theater in the Wing Luke Museum and visited the Panama Hotel to witness furniture left behind by interned families, at Uwajimaya, I had my own experiences. I ate dragonfruit and Filipino candy and shopped for Japanese office supplies, and those things became part of my city and my home. As Uwajimaya changes, I wonder if it could lose some of that power. In other neighborhoods, development has had a way of scouring away texture, and I wondered if modernizing the store also meant compromising. The question is on Moriguchis mind, too. Thats the thing I struggle with every day, she told me. Were always going to be an Asian store, and most people in this area are fortunatetheyre open to flavors from everywhere. But fresh salmon is fresh salmon. I dont want us to be Whole Foods, but I also dont want to shut people out.

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The storefront of the original Tacoma location, circa 1940. She also suggested that my question might be based on a misread of the business. Since the 1960s, Uwajimaya has introduced Asian products to a wide audience. My push is to educate, to bring people into the store. We want to share the culture with everyone. You can read the changes, like I did initially, as a dilution of the business, or you can read it as fidelity to its core business model: to appeal across cultures. The story of the Moriguchi family has almost mythic qualities to it. Denises grandfather, Fujimatsu, reportedly smuggled himself into Washington from Japan as a young man. He and his wife, Sadako, settled in Tacoma, where they opened a small business selling Japanese snacks to immigrants building the Northwests infrastructure. At first, his target audience was Japanese laborers working in fisheries, mining, and timber, said Denise. Her grandparents were successful because they were able to sell a taste of home to those workers, and their family and business grew. As the United States entered the Second World War, Japanese Americans on the West Coast were forced from their homes by the military, and the Moriguchi family was relocated to an internment camp at Tule Lake. At the end of the war, many Japanese families went east to avoid lingering racism, but the Moriguchi family returned to the Northwest and reopened Uwajimaya. There, they helped rebuild the Japanese business community, offering loans and work to their neighbors. The reputation became, If you go to Uwajimaya, they will help you, Denises father said.

Id go to the store with my dad as a kid, and while he worked, Id just hang out. My grandma worked in the deli, and I had friends I would go bother. I felt very comfortable just traipsing around the store. By the 1960s, the company had become successful enough to open a booth at the Worlds Fair. The fair, nominally a science exposition, also exposed Seattle to its own gastronomic diversity. There, Uwajimaya found a new audience. It was a turning point for [Fujimatsu], I think. He realized he wanted to move beyond the Japanese community, says Denise. Although Fujimatsu died during the summer of the fair, his vision has shaped the course of the business ever since. Uwajimaya has spent the last sixty years expanding and seeking out new audiences. As much as anything else, its that forward momentum that defines the business. Thats a lesson that Moriguchi picked up through a childhood in the store. I may have visited Uwajimaya as a child, but she grew up there. Her father, Tomio, was CEO throughout her childhood, and her entire family worked in the store. Shes told reporters about her memories of holiday events, pounding mochi for New Years, but the day-to-day rhythm of the store also left an impression. When she thinks about running the company, her fathers example is always close at hand. My dads always been a modelthe way he led, the way hed work alongside his employees. Id always see him picking up trash and pushing carts. No job too big or too small. Now I make my own daughter do that. For Moriguchi, respecting her familys history is as much about how the business is runan emphasis on customer service, approachability, and innovationas it is about its cultural role in the International District.

How to Order Poke: Choose a grain on the bottom, choose a fish in the middle, put some sesame over the top. Part of her job is making sure that the next generation learns the same lessons that she did. I have two kids who are three and six, and we want to make sure that they feel like theyre part of the business. Even just being around the store, and being involved in the Christmas events. They may not end up working in the business, but its important that they know what it means to be part of this. Kai Market, the newest addition, sits just on the edge of the main Amazon campus, tucked between developments with names like Ascent and Sprout. The store, not much larger than a corner grocery, blends in smoothly with the neighborhood: high ceilings, exposed ductwork, iron beams painted matte black. Its got a sleek, curated feel, accented by old staples in the window: boxes of Pocky, the Japanese biscuit-sticks, six-packs of Sapporo beer. Designing the store was another question of balance, she says. She wanted to match the feel of the neighborhood but also wanted to bring things that were uniquely Uwajimaya. The space is arranged around a long deli counter that offers Uwajimayas lunchtime staples: poke, barbecued pork, hum bao. On the front of the counter is a poster: How to Order Poke. (The instructions are pretty simple: Choose a grain on the bottom, choose a fish in the middle, put some sesame over the top. The surprise is that you can get poke over wonton nachos.) The first time I stepped inside, I was alone except for an elderly woman lobbing questions over the poke bar: You make this fresh? Every day? Every day, they reassured her, and she went on her way with a bowl of fish. I picked out an ice-cream bar shaped like a fish and approached a cashier. I asked if it was always this quiet. He looked up at me with wide eyes. Another cashier looked over and laughed. Oh no. You should see it at lunch. Theres a line out the door from eleven forty-five to one oclock, every day.

VIDEO

The Uwajimaya Story: From Internment to Entrepreneur

(PBS Borders & Heritage Series)

So, the next week, I went back for lunch. The lunch rush begins with a trickle just before noon, as promised, and swells to a torrent in minutes. The food clearly has power: I watched a couple walk in, shake their heads at the line, and then take their place in it anyway. I asked Moriguchi how shed ended up at Bowdoin, why shed left a city where her family was so deeply rooted. As it happens, she and I went to the same high school, the kind of West Coast prep school that models itself after ivy-covered East Coast boarding schools. It was, we agreed, a place that made it seem like the East Coast was the goal. I dont think I even looked at schools in Washington or California, she told me. The East Coast had so much historyall these old, beautiful campuses. It felt like this revered place for education. When she left Seattle for Maine, the city felt like it was just over the edge of the map. The only thing people knew about it was [the band] Nirvana, she said. First year, I met a guy who was so disappointed that I didnt wear flannels. Watching Seattle find its place on the map could be part of why Moriguchi feels the push to modernize Uwajimaya so acutely. I asked if she found herself worrying about the changes shes seenSeattle is full of hand-wringing with various levels of justifiability. Not exactly, she told me, although she sees why others might.

The fact that Amazon is here, and Microsoft, means we have a different set of customers. That has brought an opportunity for us. Seattle has changed, we have to acknowledge that.

I bring this up because thats not the dynamic to which weve returned. The surprising thing about moving back to Seattle, Moriguchi told me, was finding that the city had become a destination. I have so many friends whove moved here. She came back because the Northwest always felt like home. Part of going to the East Coast was being able to find my own identity. Here, someone always knows your father, your aunt, your cousin. But your roots are real, and especially when I had my daughter, I wanted her to be around her cousins. Growing up in Seattle is a big part of your identity, even if you dont realize it.
The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation will host a co-housing workshop Saturday to help Brandonites begin to plan on effectively living independently as they grow older.

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The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation will host a co-housing workshop Saturday to help Brandonites begin to plan on effectively living independently as they grow older.

A form of collaborative housing, co-housing allows residents to take an active role in the design and operation of their neighbourhoods to ensure the area meets their needs based on an aging in place strategy, Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation executive director Carly Gasparini said.

"Its for people who are starting to think very seriously about retirement and what their plan is for not only their housing ... but also about planning for all of the pieces that surround your needs in housing," Gasparini said.

The workshop is geared toward an audience that is 50 years or older and is an opportunity to learn about co-housing and how to start a project in the city.

"Its about living in your own home, independently for as long as you can, as long as you are healthy and able to do so," Gasparini said. "Thats what co-housing is, one option to do that."

Typically built privately, co-housing units are not a replacement for 24-hour care.

To Gasparinis knowledge, there are no co-housing developments in Brandon.

The movement is gaining popularity across North America, especially in Vancouver.

"More and more people are starting to consider their aging plan as a whole strategy," Gasparini said.

One of the ways to begin creating a co-housing area is for those who sell their home later in life to use the generated equity to purchase a new home that can grow in tandem with their evolving needs as they age.

Instead of moving into a rental, they can then move into a shared living environment that incorporates all of ones needs, allowing them to age in place.

In these living spaces, owners typically have private separate units designed based on their requirements, paired with communal spaces where residents can gather together.

"What youre committing to in living in this space is taking care of each other," Gasparini said. "This is very communal living that you have committed to and there would be this expectation that you would participate in that communal living."

The units bring together friends, relatives and interested parties to create a co-housing community that then works together to bring the creation to life.

An effective way to maintain the quality of life by planning ahead, the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation workshop focuses on the areas to think about and presents solutions and implementations for those interested in co-housing.

"This is a blueprint on how we start that conversation here in Brandon," Gasparini said.

The workshop  a collaboration between Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, Seniors for Seniors, Daughter on Call and Harvey Douglas of the Westman Co-op Board  takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Seniors For Seniors (311 Park St. East). The cost to attend the session is $25. To register for the event, Gasparini can be reached by phone at 204-761-6962 or via email at director@bnrc.ca.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
VICTORIA - British Columbia is changing the province's tax structure for liquefied natural gas projects with Finance Minister Carole James saying the government is aiming to encourage more development through a natural gas tax credit.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Finance Minister Carole James arrives to deliver the budget speech as she waves to people in the gallery at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Tuesday, February 19, 2018. British Columbia is changing the province's tax structure for liquefied natural gas projects, aiming to encourage more development through a natural gas tax credit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VICTORIA - British Columbia is changing the province's tax structure for liquefied natural gas projects with Finance Minister Carole James saying the government is aiming to encourage more development through a natural gas tax credit.

James introduced legislation Monday that she said meets the objectives set out a year ago by Premier John Horgan in a policy framework.

"British Columbians are counting on us to attract LNG investment that meets strict conditions: delivering jobs and financial benefits to B.C., creating economic partnerships with Indigenous peoples, and protecting our clean air, land and water," she said in a statement. "This legislation completes the process of creating a fiscal framework that invites investment while supporting those conditions."

Under the changes, the government would amend the Income Tax Act to implement the tax credit for LNG development. It would also repeal the Liquefied Natural Gas Income Tax Act, which it says created barriers for investment and left the province open to footing the bill for special industry tax and regulatory protections.

However, the Green party said the government's actions are hypocritical because they stray from its CleanBC plan to reduce carbon pollution.

In October, LNG Canada announced plans for a $40-billion project in Kitimat.

The government said the tax changes it is making will provide the fiscal framework needed for the project, which is expected to create 10,000 construction jobs and up to 950 permanent jobs in the processing terminal.

The new tax credit would go in effect on Jan. 1, 2020, to companies that qualify for it. It would be calculated at three per cent of the cost of natural gas and could be used to reduce B.C.'s corporate income tax rate from 12 to nine per cent.

The Finance Ministry said the previous LNG income tax was removed because it created uncertainty and risk to investors but the natural gas tax credit has been retained to encourage companies to pay provincial corporate income taxes. It said qualifying corporations would be those with a principal business involving oil and gas exploration, development, refining marketing or liquefaction of natural gas.

Green party Leader Andrew Weaver said in a statement the government's actions are pulling the province in two different directions.

"Continuing to push for LNG development is short sighted and works directly against CleanBC objectives," he said.

"After years of criticizing the B.C. Liberals for their generous giveaway of our natural gas resources, the B.C. NDP have taken the giveaway to a whole new level. The legislation brought forward by this province is a generational sellout."

Weaver, who is the lead author of four United Nations intergovernmental climate change reports, said investments in renewable energy infrastructure would invite innovative industries to the province.

Peter McCartney of the Wilderness Committee also criticized the legislation for not aligning with the CleanBC plan.

"Premier Horgan is talking out of both sides of his mouth on climate change," McCartney said.

"British Columbians are all doing their part to cut carbon pollution while at the same time he's giving $6 billion in tax breaks and subsidies to construct the most polluting project in the province."

The Business Council of British Columbia, meanwhile, backed the government's approach, saying the changes will allow the province to compete in LNG markets around the world.

"If we as a province are purposeful and apply this same competitive lens to all our natural resource, technology and energy export sectors we can become the low carbon supplier of choice globally," Greg D'Avignon, the council's president and CEO, said in a news release.

"The resulting economic growth will create higher wage jobs, stronger communities and more government revenues to support the quality of life and services British Columbians expect."
OTTAWA - The websites Canadians use to file their taxes online were offline for most of Monday as a result of what the Canada Revenue Agency called a "computer hardware issue."

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Canada Revenue Agency headquarters in Ottawa is shown on November 4, 2011. The Canada Revenue Agency says its online services have gone offline and isn't providing a timeline for their return. The agency is apologizing in a tweet for the cut in services this morning, saying officials are looking into the problem. Some Twitter users responding online note the agency's services appear to have been down since last night. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - The websites Canadians use to file their taxes online were offline for most of Monday as a result of what the Canada Revenue Agency called a "computer hardware issue."

The agency had to issue a blanket apology, along with multiple individual ones on Twitter, as the cut in services prevented Canadians from filing their taxes online for much of the business day.

By early evening, the agency was tweeting its gratitude for the patience of Canadians, saying the hardware issue had been fixed and services were back up and running again.

The agency first notified the public Monday morning that its website wasn't working, although some online users reported that tax-filing services had become inaccessible as early as Sunday night.

The outage, which the agency chalked up to technical issues, affected a number of CRA services.

The "My Account," "My Business Account" and "Represent a Client" features were unavailable, along with online services to file income tax returns, report address changes or update direct deposit information. Mobile apps, too  including one to check on benefit payments  were offline.

The services are used heavily at this time of year for Canadians filing their taxes.

Work to fix the problem roped in Shared Services Canada, the federal government's centralized information technology shop, as a statement from the agency said officials were doing everything possible to get the sites restored.

The deadline to pay any taxes owing is April 30.

The shutdown wasn't the first time that services have gone offline for the CRA during tax season.

In 2017, the agency took down its tax filing service as a precaution after a breach at Statistics Canada raised concerns about vulnerabilities with the CRA system.

Three years prior, the CRA system was shut down in 2014 after officials found a digital breach of its systems.
OTTAWA - Global Affairs Canada says consular officials in China paid a visit Monday to detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig.

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In this image made from a video taken on March 28, 2018, North East Asia senior adviser Michael Kovrig speaks during an interview in Hong Kong. Global Affairs Canada says its consular officials in China were allowed a visit with detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig today. It is the fifth time Kovrig is receiving a consular visit since he was detained by Chinese authorities in early December but the first since he and fellow detainee Michael Spavor were charged with stealing state secrets two weeks ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo

OTTAWA - Global Affairs Canada says consular officials in China paid a visit Monday to detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig.

It is the fifth time Kovrig has received a consular visit since he was detained by Chinese authorities in early December, but the first since an anonymous report in Chinese state media accused him and fellow detainee Michael Spavor of stealing state secrets.

Spavor has received four consular visits thus far.

The two have not had access to lawyers, nor been formally charged. They receive one visit from Canadian officials a month.

The Canadian government says their detentions are arbitrary and warns Canadians travelling to China to do so with a "high degree of caution" because of the arbitrary application of local laws.

Canada is calling for the immediate release of both men.

Canadian officials have complained the two men are being held in retaliation for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou under an extradition request from the United States.

Global Affairs notes the number of countries who back Canada's position on the matter including the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Spain and Denmark as well as NATO and the European Union.

Consular visits typically include assessing the well-being of the men, trying to get them medical attention if needed and helping them communicate with loved ones.

Because of privacy laws, no specifics about the visit can be made public.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said Kovrig and Spavor had been charged with stealing state secrets.
EDMONTON - The last legal restrictions on Omar Khadr were lifted Monday when an Alberta judge ruled that a war crimes sentence for the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner has expired.

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EDMONTON - The last legal restrictions on Omar Khadr were lifted Monday when an Alberta judge ruled that a war crimes sentence for the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner has expired.

"I'm really happy with the decision today," Khadr said outside Edmonton's courthouse.

"It's been a while, but I'm happy it's here. Right now I'm just going to focus on recovering and not worrying about having to go back to prison or just struggling."

Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr leaves court in Edmonton on Monday March 25, 2019. A judge ruled Monday that Omar Khadr has completed his sentence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

The ruling means Khadr can apply for a passport as well as travel and visit freely.

"There's nothing further for him to serve," said his lawyer Nathan Whitling. "We don't anticipate any further legal proceedings in the matter."

Khadr was sentenced to eight years in 2010 by a American military court for alleged acts committed in Afghanistan when he was 15 years old. That sentence  which the Supreme Court of Canada ruled would be a youth sentence  would have ended last October had Khadr remained in custody.

But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadr's appeal of his military conviction in the United States.

A photo of Omar Khadr, taken before he was imprisioned in 2002. THE CANADIAN PRESS / HANDOUT

Court of Queen's Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau ruled that the youth crimes legislation allowed her to consider time he spent on bail as part of his sentence.

"The bail order must be considered in context," she said.

"I order that Mr. Khadr be placed under a conditional sentence for one day, which I consider to be served."

Faint sobs from Khadr's supporters could be heard in court after Moreau's judgment.

Omar Khadr speaks outside court in Edmonton on Thursday, December 13, 2018. An Alberta judge is expected to rule today on whether a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Khadr should be declared expired.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Khadr has appealed the U.S. sentence. His lawyers say the military commission that issued it has been widely discredited.

Whitling had argued that the appeal hasn't moved forward at all and it would be unfair to hold that against his client.

Lawyers for the Crown wanted Khadr to serve some time on conditional release in the community.

Khadr is also the defendant in a civil lawsuit by the family of the soldier he is alleged to have killed. A U.S. court has already ruled in favour of the family, who are trying to have the $134-million judgment served against Khadr in Canada.

Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr leaves court in Edmonton on Monday March 25, 2019. A judge ruled Monday that Omar Khadr has completed his sentence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Khadr spent years in U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay after he was captured and accused of tossing a grenade that killed special forces soldier Christopher Speer at a militant compound in Afghanistan in 2001.

Since he was released on bail, Khadr has lived in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., without incident. The court had eased some of his initial bail conditions, but several had remained. Moreau's ruling on Monday lifts them.

Khadr could not have access to a Canadian passport and was banned from unsupervised communication with his sister, who lives in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. He also had to notify his bail supervisor before leaving Alberta.

Khadr's case has ignited divisive debate among Canadians over terrorism, human rights and the rule of law since it was revealed in 2017 that the federal government settled a lawsuit filed by him for a reported $10.5 million.

The payout followed a 2010 ruling by Canada's Supreme Court that Khadr's charter rights were violated at Guantanamo and that Canadian officials contributed to that violation.

 Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Tamara Taggart speak to supporters at a Liberal nomination event in Vancouver, B.C., on Sunday March 24, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ben Nelms

Five stories in the news for Monday, March 25



TRUDEAU DELIVERS CAMPAIGN STYLE SPEECH AT NOMINATION EVENT

Justin Trudeau delivered a campaign-style speech in Vancouver-Kingsway riding last night as he introduced former TV news anchor Tamara Taggart as the riding's Liberal candidate in the fall federal election. The prime minister went after Andrew Scheer, saying the Conservative Party leader "doesn't get" that the way to grow the country and the economy is by investing in people and communities. He also accused Sheer of hoping to continue the policies of former prime minister Stephen Harper by giving tax breaks to the wealthy while cutting programs for the middle and lower classes.



JUDGE TO RULE ON OMAR KHADR'S SENTENCE

An Alberta judge is expected to rule today on whether a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr should be declared expired. The eight-year sentence imposed in 2010 would've ended last October had Khadr remained in custody. But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadr's appeal of his military conviction. Khadr's case has ignited divisive debate among Canadians over terrorism, human rights and the rule of law since it was revealed in 2017 that Ottawa settled a lawsuit filed by him for a reported $10.5 million.



FORMER AFGHANISTAN HOSTAGE BOYLE FACES TRIAL

Former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle is slated to be in Ontario court today to face trial on several assault charges. Boyle and his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, were taken hostage in 2012 by a Taliban-linked group while on a backpacking trip. The couple were freed by Pakistani forces in October 2017, along with the three children they had in captivity. Boyle was arrested by Ottawa police in December that year and charged with offences including assault, sexual assault, unlawful confinement and causing someone to take a noxious substance.



ELDERLY CANADIAN COUPLE FOUND DEAD IN FLORIDA

Police in Florida have launched a double homicide investigation after an elderly Canadian couple was found dead in their mobile home on Friday. The Broward County Sheriff's Office says neighbours of Marc and Rita Gagne discovered the couple's bodies in their home in Pompano Beach, north of Ft. Lauderdale. The neighbours had become worried after not seeing the couple for a few days, and entered through an unlocked door to discover what police called a gruesome scene.



INQUEST INTO FATAL STAGE COLLAPSE TO START

An inquest begins today into the fatal stage collapse at a Radiohead concert in Toronto nearly seven years ago. The band's drum technician, Scott Johnson, was killed when a massive structure crashed down on him on June 16, 2012  just hours before Radiohead was set to take the stage at Downsview Park. Charges in the case were stayed because the case took too long to get to trial. The inquest, which is expected to hear from roughly 25 witnesses, will examine the circumstances around Johnson's death, but will not assign blame.



ALSO IN THE NEWS:

 The Nova Scotia Nurses' Union holds a news conference in Dartmouth to discuss escalating concerns voiced by nurses across the province.

 People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier delivers an update on the selection of candidates for the next election.

 What's expected to be the largest donation ever will be made to the University of Toronto today.

 Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks in Calgary about the 2019 budget at an event hosted by the Economic Club of Canada.


A woman who escaped violence and human trafficking, and helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong, has arrived in Canada with her daughter after being granted refugee status.

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Asylum seekers from left, Vanessa Mae Rodel and daughter Keana, Nadeeka Dilrukshi Nonis and her son Dinath stand during a press conference outside the building of Hong Kong's immigration department in Hong Kong, Monday, May 15, 2017. A woman who helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong is coming with her daughter to Canada after being granted refugee status. Their lawyer Robert Tibbo said in a statement Monday that Vanessa Rodel and her daughter Keana will arrive in Toronto tonight following Canada's acceptance of their 2016 refugee application. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Vincent Yu

A woman who escaped violence and human trafficking, and helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong, has arrived in Canada with her daughter after being granted refugee status.

Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana arrived in Toronto on Monday before travelling to Montreal, where they will settle in an apartment provided to them by a non-profit group that filed her 2016 asylum application.

Rodel said as soon as the plane lifted off, she felt as though she could relax and begin to think of her new life in Canada.

"I feel so great and I feel like I'm free," she said after arriving at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.

Her lawyer, Robert Tibbo, said Rodel's arrival in Canada is the "first victory" in a saga that began in 2013. Rodel was part of a group that became known as Snowden's "Guardian Angels." They helped the fugitive at Tibbo's request in 2013, when the whistleblower fled the United States to Hong Kong after leaking classified information about the U.S. National Security Administration.

Five other people in the "Angels" group represented by Tibbo  three adults and two children  remain in Hong Kong. They fled Sri Lanka years ago, and their applications for asylum in Hong Kong have been rejected.

Rodel said she her thoughts are with those who remain in Hong Kong who also helped Snowden.

Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana talk to media after arriving at Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto on Monday, March 25, 2019. A woman who escaped violence and human trafficking and helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong is coming with her daughter to Canada after being granted refugee status, her lawyer said Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

"I'm happy, but I'm also sad because they are still left behind," she said. "They are still stuck for many years in Hong Kong. They have so many troubles in their lives. ... I'm hoping they also can come to Canada and (have) a better life."

Tibbo urged the federal government to intercede and bring the remaining refugees to Canada.

"We are, though, very concerned that the other families have been left behind and we would like to see Mr. Trudeau and his government take necessary steps to decide the cases now," he said.

Snowden's leaks revealed to the world the global reach of the vast surveillance network of the U.S. and its allies. Snowden, who is still represented by Tibbo, is now in Moscow and is wanted in the United States on charges related to the leaks. The seven "Angels" gained notoriety in 2016 when their existence was revealed in Oliver Stone's film "Snowden," and Tibbo said they have since faced political persecution in Hong Kong.

Tibbo, originally from Montreal, and three Montreal-based lawyers set up a group to raise money for his clients who helped shelter the political fugitive. They filed asylum applications on their behalf, and collected about $350,000 for their expenses in Hong Kong and in Canada, should they all arrive in the city as privately sponsored refugees.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was asked about the case Monday in Washington, where she was meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

"For the private refugees, it's a quasi-judicial process  it's not a political process," Freeland said. "And we can't comment on personal cases."

Tibbo said Rodel and her daughter's asylum applications were clear cut.

"There really wasn't a debate there," he said. "And for the other families, all I can say is that their cases aren't decided yet."

Tibbo said Rodel fled gender-based persecution and human trafficking in the Philippines before she fled to Hong Kong. She and her daughter were accepted by Canada as refugees in January 2019. Her legal team kept their status secret until Monday.

"We wanted to make sure the wheels of the plane lifted off the ground," Tibbo said.

The other asylum seekers are a couple from Sri Lanka named Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Paththini, and their two young children. The fifth is Ajit Kumara, a Sri Lankan soldier who deserted the military.

Aside from the individual reasons they fled Sri Lanka and the Philippines, Tibbo said all of the so-called angels "have a separate refugee claim based on political opinion, stemming from their association and their assistance to Mr. Snowden in 2013."

Snowden tweeted about Rodel and her daughter on Monday.

"Thank you to all those in Canada and around the world who have made this possible," he wrote in French. "After so many years, the first of the families who helped me is free and has a future. But the work is not over  with solidarity and compassion, Canada can save them all."

Tibbo said Snowden was charged with three counts of theft of data under the U.S. Espionage Act.

 with files from Shawn Jeffords
OTTAWA  Disagreement over appointing a Manitoba judge as chief justice of the Supreme Court has emerged as another potential friction point between former attorney general Judy Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Press has learned.

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Jody Wilson-Raybould appears at the House of Commons Justice Committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. Jody Wilson-Raybould recommended in 2017 that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominate a conservative Manitoba judge to be chief justice of the Supreme Court, even though he wasn't a sitting member of the top court and had been a vocal critic of its activism on Charter of Rights issues, The Canadian Press has learned. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA  Disagreement over appointing a Manitoba judge as chief justice of the Supreme Court has emerged as another potential friction point between former attorney general Judy Wilson-Raybould and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Press has learned.

Wilson-Raybould recommended in 2017 that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau nominate Glenn Joyal, chief justice for Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench, and who has been a vocal critic of the Supreme Court's activism on Charter of Rights issues, The Canadian Press has learned.

Well-placed sources say the former justice ministers choice for chief justice was a moment of "significant disagreement" with Trudeau, who has touted the Liberals as "the party of the charter" and whose late father, Pierre Trudeau, spearheaded the drive to enshrine the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the Constitution in 1982.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal discussions about a Supreme Court appointment, which are typically considered highly confidential.

For her part, Wilson-Raybould said Monday "there was no conflict between the PM and myself."

In an email, she characterized the matter as part of the normal process of appointing a Supreme Court justice, which involves "typically CONFIDENTIAL conversations and communications  back and forths between the PM and the AG (attorney general) on potential candidates for appointment."

She said she's "not at liberty to comment" on the "veracity" of what the sources said occurred, adding, "Commentary/reporting in this regard with respect to a SCC appointment(s) could compromise the integrity of the appointments process and potentially sitting justices."

The issue suggests Trudeau may have had reasons unrelated to the SNC-Lavalin affair for moving Wilson-Raybould out of the prestigious Justice portfolio earlier this year  a cabinet shuffle that touched off a full-blown political crisis for the governing Liberals.

Wilson-Raybould has said she believes she was moved to Veterans Affairs as punishment for refusing to intervene to stop a criminal prosecution of the Montreal engineering giant on bribery charges related to contracts in Libya. Trudeau has denied the SNC matter had anything to do with the decision.

She resigned a month later amid allegations she was improperly pressured by the Prime Ministers Office to interfere in the SNC-Lavalin case, triggering a furor that has engulfed the Trudeau government ever since. The PMO refused to comment on the story Monday.

The issue, the sources say, arose after Beverley McLachlin announced in June 2017 her decision to retire that December after 28 years on the high court, including 17 as chief justice.

Her retirement meant the government would have to choose a new chief justice and find another bilingual judge from western or northern Canada to sit on the nine-member bench.

Trudeau created an independent, non-partisan advisory board, headed by former Conservative prime minister Kim Campbell, to identify qualified candidates to fill the western/northern vacancy and submit a short list of three to five names for consideration.

According to the sources, one of the names on the eventual list was Glenn Joyal, who had been appointed in 2011 by former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper as chief justice of Manitobas Court of Queens Bench.

Wilson-Raybould then sent Trudeau a 60-plus-page memo arguing that Joyal should not only be added to the top court but should be named chief justice as well.

Only once before in Canadian history  in 1906, when Sir Wilfrid Laurier appointed his justice minister to the top judicial job  has a prime minister chosen a chief justice who was not already sitting on the Supreme Court.

Wilson-Rayboulds pick puzzled Trudeau but he became disturbed after doing some research into Joyals views on the charter, the sources said.

Joyal had criticized the judiciary for broadly interpreting charter rights and expanding them to apply to things not explicitly mentioned in the charter or, in his view, intended by provincial premiers when they agreed to enshrine a charter in the Constitution.

The Supreme Courts liberal interpretation has led to things like legalization of same-sex marriage, the right of women to choose to have an abortion and the legalization of medical assistance in dying, among other things  developments Trudeau has celebrated.

In a January 2017 speech to the Canadian Constitution Foundations Law and Freedom Conference, Joyal echoed conservative arguments that the top court has usurped the supremacy of elected legislatures to determine social policy.

The charter, Joyal argued, was the result of a compromise between Pierre Trudeau and premiers, most of whom had originally opposed inclusion of a charter in the Constitution. The compromise was intended to maintain a balance between the judiciary and the legislative branch of government, with provisions allowing governments to limit or override rights altogether in some circumstances.

Since then, judicial interpretation of the charter has ignored the intentions of the drafters and "led without question to a level of judicial potency that was not anticipated back in 1982," Joyal said in the speech, a video of which is available on the foundation's website. That, in turn, has resulted in a "less potent and less influential legislative branch that seldom has the final word."

"With the 'constitutionalizing' of more and more political and social issues into fundamental rights, the Canadian judiciary has all but removed those issues, in a fairly permanent way, from the realm of future civic engagement and future political debate," he said.

Joyal was particularly critical of the Supreme Courts interpretation of section 7 of the charter  the section which guarantees everyone the right to life, liberty and security of the person and under which the top court struck down Canadas abortion law and the prohibition on medically assisted death.

The courts liberal interpretation of that section "has become, particularly in recent years, the single most fertile source for the discovery of new rights and the de facto constitutionalization of political and social issues," he said.

Trudeau rejected Wilson-Rayboulds advice. He ended up appointing Sheila Martin, a judge on the appeal courts of Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, to fill the vacant western Canadian seat on the bench. Sitting Supreme Court Justice Richard Wagner was elevated to the role of chief justice.

Shortly after Trudeau told Wilson-Raybould he did not support her choice, the sources said Joyal withdrew his name from consideration.

In a statement Monday, Joyal makes no mention of the former minister, saying he submitted an application for consideration for the Supreme Court in 2017, only to be forced to withdraw his name for personal reasons related to his wife's health.

"I fear that someone is using my previous candidacy to the Supreme Court of Canada to further an agenda unrelated to the appointment process," Joyal said. "This is wrong."

Wilson-Rayboulds advocacy of Joyal for the top judicial job may not come as a total surprise to some Liberals, whove privately noted what they consider her conservative, restrictive approach to charter rights in a number of bills, including those dealing with assisted dying, impaired driving and genetic discrimination.

Jane Philpott, as health minister at the time, was jointly responsible with Wilson-Raybould for the assisted dying legislation. She quit the cabinet earlier this month in solidarity with Wilson-Raybould, saying she no longer had confidence in the governments handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair.
MAPLE RIDGE, B.C. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted efforts by the Liberal government to help first-time homebuyers put more down on their mortgages during a visit to a region of the country Monday that is facing a housing squeeze.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens while being introduced before a post-budget housing announcement at a townhouse development in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Monday March 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MAPLE RIDGE, B.C. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted efforts by the Liberal government to help first-time homebuyers put more down on their mortgages during a visit to a region of the country Monday that is facing a housing squeeze.

In its budget last week, the government introduced measures that would allow Ottawa to pick up a portion of new homebuyers' mortgage costs and it increased the amount they can borrow from their retirement savings for a down payment.

Housing has emerged as a major issue for many Canadians, especially young people who are trying to get into the real-estate market at a time when prices are soaring in some major cities.

During a visit to Maple Ridge, B.C., Trudeau said the budget contains measures to help first-time buyers by allowing them to withdraw $35,000 from their RRSPs, up from $25,000, to help lower their borrowing costs.

It also brings in a means-tested incentive that would see the government pick up part of the costs of the mortgages of those eligible for the program to lower their monthly payments.

Trudeau said housing is also a concern for parents who are worried their adult children won't be able to live in the neighbourhoods where they grew up.

"Owning a house is a big achievement. It's where you raise a family and set down roots. But far too many young people are worried that they won't be able to reach that dream. Housing prices in the Lower Mainland are some of the highest in the country and rising."

Trudeau said the government has also tried to spur new building and keep prices from rising through its national housing strategy to help increase supply.

"We just can't treat the symptoms of sky-high housing prices," he added. "We have to deal with the causes as well. When there aren't enough properties on the market, more people are competing for the same places, which forces the costs up for buyers and renters."

Last Tuesday's budget also included $10 billion more for a program to fund the construction of new rental units  the third time the Liberals have expanded the program, which aims to create 42,500 units over 10 years and now carries a $13.75-billion price tag.

As well, Trudeau said Ottawa is helping the Canada Revenue Agency go after tax fraud and money laundering, which have also been blamed for driving up housing prices in British Columbia.

Trudeau later visited Vancouver Island where a byelection has been set for May 6 in the riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith. The prime minister strolled Nanaimo's harbourfront with Liberal candidate Michelle Corfield, stopping to shake hands and speak with people as they went.

The byelection was called after New Democrat Sheila Malcolmson stepped down from her seat in the House of Commons to successfully run for a seat in the provincial legislature.

Bob Chamberlin, a long-serving chief councillor of a First Nation based on Gilford Island in the Broughton Archipelago off northeastern Vancouver Island, has said he intends to seek the NDP candidacy in Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

Paul Manly, a researcher, filmmaker and communications specialist, is running for the Green party. He finished fourth in the riding in the 2015 general election, earning almost 20 per cent of the vote.

The Conservatives have selected financial manager John Hirst to run in the riding while Jennifer Clarke, who lost the nomination to Hirst, will represent the new People's Party of Canada, led by Quebec MP Maxime Bernier.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the federal government aims to create 14,000 new housing units and that it is spending $50 billion over 10 years on the program.
Passengers scheduled to fly from Cork and Shannon to the US east coast with Norwegian Air International next week will now travel from Dublin Airport after Boeing's 737 Max aircraft were grounded, the airline has said.

Norwegian said in response to the suspension of Boeing 737 Max planes by European aviation authorities, which are used on its Cork and Shannon routes to the US, it would transport passengers by bus to Dublin, where they will fly on different Boeing aircraft.

The affected flights are from Shannon from April 1-10, while Cork flights from April 2-9 are included.

The airline said it had offered passengers the chance to rebook or receive a full refund free of charge if they no longer wish to travel.

The airline is also combining flights and reallocating aircraft within its own network to keep cancellations to a minimum and minimise inconvenience for its customers," Norwegian said.

The firm said it was "actively working on more permanent measures" to operate normal services from April 11.

The return of the Cork and Shannon flights for the summer schedule from April to October had been uncertain following the worldwide grounding of 737 Max planes in the aftermath of two fatal crashes in five months, plunging Boeing into crisis.

A Lion Air crash in October killed 189 off the Java Sea near Indonesia, and an Ethiopian Airlines crash this month killed 157.

Cork Airport said it "welcomed clarity on the situation regarding the first four flights in April and Norwegians ongoing efforts to find a more permanent solution to operate normal direct services from April 11".

Boeing has invited 200 pilots, technical leaders and regulators to an information session this week that will detail how it plans to tackle the crisis, the firm said.

A spokesman for Shannon Airport said it "regrets any inconvenience caused to passengers due to this temporary measure as a result of the suspension of Boeing 737 Max operations by European aviation authorities".

"We look forward to the resumption of our nine weekly services at the earliest opportunity and will remain in contact with the airline in the interim," the spokesman added.

Measures being taken include software changes and more pilot training for the 737 Max, it is believed.

Meanwhile, Cork Airport opened a new airport control centre and office suite to help cope with passenger growth.

Airport police control, airport duty managers and the airside management unit have all been relocated to The Hub, which features a bank of CCTV monitors covering the airport campus, and other airport systems, consolidating the airports management teams in one modern purpose-built facility.

An estimated 2.6m passengers are expected to travel through the airport this year, a predicted 8% increase on last year.

Airport managing director Niall MacCarthy said the investment is needed to match the forecasted growth.
Members of former billionaire businessman Sean Quinn's family want permission to vary a freezing order on their accounts so they can pay lawyers working for them in their ongoing action against Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC), the Commercial Court has heard.

The case, initiated in 2011, is currently being heard by Mr Justice Garrett Simons and may last months.

In that action, the Quinns dispute any liability for share pledges and guarantees related to loans of some 2.34bn advanced by IBRC's predecessor, Anglo Irish Bank, to Quinn companies.

A separate case by IBRC against various Quinn family members and other parties, alleging a conspiracy to strip some 455m assets from Quinn International Property Group (IPG) companies in several countries, is due to be heard after the loans liability action.

In 2012, the Commercial Court imposed freezing orders on the Quinn bank accounts. Since then they have had to make application to the court to vary those orders to allow for living expenses and legal fees to be paid out.

Today, Ross Alyward BL, for the Quinns, said he wished to apply to the court next week to vary the freezing order to enable his clients provide security over a property and to draw down a loan of 250,000stg to facilitate their continued involvement in the main loan liability proceedings.

It was an urgent application given the ongoing nature of those proceedings and the fact that an invoice has come from their solicitor, he said.

Barry O'Donnell SC, for IBRC, opposed the application. He said his client will seek to apply to the court for "substantial reassessment" of the variations already made to the freezing orders.

This was in the light of new information disclosed in relation to the case against two Dubai firms, Senat FZC and Senat Legal Consultancy, which IBRC says are central to the alleged IPG asset-stripping conspiracy.

Mr Justice Robert Haughton said the Quinn application and the IBRC application should be heard together because they related to available resources in the freezing order case.

He adjourned the matter for a week.
A. Larry Ross Communications Expands Team to Meet Growing Needs of Faith-based & Humanitarian Organizations

Agency Announces New Executive Team Structure and Creation of a Digital Account Division



A. Larry Ross Communications

March 25, 2019 NEWS PROVIDED BYMarch 25, 2019

CARROLLTON, Texas, March 25, 2019 / Standard Newswire / -- Marking 25 years of serving faith-based and humanitarian leaders and organizations, A. Larry Ross Communications, an award-winning, Dallas-based full-service public relations agency, has restructured its executive team and created a new digital account division in order to better serve the growing needs of its clients and the ever-changing media platforms and marketplace priorities.

Transitioning from the role of President, A. Larry Ross will now lead the company as Founder and CEO, working alongside his wife, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President Autumn Ross. Vice President of Account Services Kristin Cole will assume the role of President, and Vice President of Operations Kerri Ridenour will become Chief Operating Officer.

Additionally, Katie Martin will lead the Agency's digital media services as Digital Account Manager, and Karoline Ott joins the team as Content Coordinator.

"For the past 25 years, A. Larry Ross Communications has remained steadfast in our commitment to excellence in crafting crossover strategy, conveying relevant messaging and clarifying client stories in the context of traditional news values," said Larry Ross. "This restructuring and expansion solidifies our place as a multi-generational firm uniquely positioned to increase the influence of faith-based and humanitarian leaders as well as the impact and media reach of organizations working for God and the Common Good."

A. Larry Ross Communications is the oldest and most respected PR firm serving faith-based and humanitarian organizations, leaders, churches, authors, academic institutions, films and causes. The Agency specializes in utilizing innovative communications resources to meet the media relations, digital communications and crisis management needs of its clients.

"A. Larry Ross Communications has been known for excellence, service and results since its founding 25 years ago," said Cole. "I'm honored to work alongside Larry, Autumn and Kerri to lead the agency as we expand and grow to serve clients in even better ways."

Cole joined A. Larry Ross Communications in 2006 as an Account Executive. She became Manager of Account Services in 2009 before assuming the role of Vice President of Account Services. During her tenure, Cole has served a number of high-profile clients, such as Pastor Rick and Kay Warren and Saddleback Church; Anne Graham Lotz; Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and NHCLC; Christine Caine; and Dr. Albert R. Mohler. She holds a bachelor's degree in communication arts from Union University and currently serves on the Union University Board of Regents and as co-chair of the Public Relations Society of America Dallas Chapter Awards and Honors Committee.

In her role as President, Cole will provide strategic leadership to the agency account team, consult on crisis communications and reputation management projects, and lead the company's vision and mission.

Ridenour has worked with A. Larry Ross Communications for more than 20 years, first as a consultant specializing in the areas of operations, human resources and strategic planning. She permanently joined the agency in May of 2006. She is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and also holds the SHRM-CP designation.

Prior to joining the Agency, Ridenour was president of The Bask Group, Inc., a Dallas-based consulting firm specializing in operations, human resources, strategic planning and compliance. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor's of fine arts degree from the University of South Dakota.

As Chief Operating Officer, Ridenour will lead the Agency's new business acquisitions and day-to-day operations as well as utilize her human resources expertise and certifications to consult on client crisis communications projects.

Martin joined A. Larry Ross Communication in 2013 and served as an account executive, providing public relations strategy, media representation and communications support to a wide variety of clients. In her new role as digital account manager, she leads the agency's digital public relations team, assisting clients in strategizing and implementing comprehensive and effective social and digital campaigns to maximize awareness and engagement and multiply clients' online reach. Martin holds a bachelor's degree in public relations and new media from Baylor University.

Ott recently graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a bachelor's degree in public relations and a minor in Spanish. As content coordinator, she draws from her background in creative and social media writing to assist the agency in producing quality and innovative work.

About A. Larry Ross Communications

Larry and Autumn Ross founded A. Larry Ross Communications in 1994 to provide crossover communications at the intersection of faith and culture. What began with one client  Rev. Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Associations  has today served hundreds of leaders and organizations across the globe. For more information, visit alarryross.com

CONTACT Melany Ethridge, 972-267-1111

SOURCE A. Larry Ross Communications

Related Links
Seventeenth-century Cork couples had to lodge expensive insurance policies of up to 200,000 with their local bishop before they were legally cleared to tie the knot, newly-digitised documents show.

Thousands of the so-called Cork marriage bond documents, dating from 1673 to 1750, show couples signing bonds ranging from 40 to 200 but in some cases, up to a whopping 1,000, to ensure their marriage could legally proceed.

The equivalent cost today would range from 8,000 to 40,000, but in some cases up to a staggering 202,000.

The bonds, lodged with the then Bishop of Cork and Ross, were to prove that the parties to the marriage werent committing adultery or marrying a relative. They had to be submitted to the bishop before he granted the marriage license and it was held as a guarantee that there was no reason why the couple could not wed.

The bond itself contained names of the people proposing the marriage, the person who joined the bond with the bridegroom, and the parish and names of relatives of the couple.

Couples pledged to forfeit the money if it turned out they were related or if they were due to marry another person.

The original documents were among a vast trove of genealogical treasures which were lost in a devastating fire at the public records office (PRO) in Dublin in June 1922, during the Irish Civil War.

The PRO housed a massive collection of genealogical documents including Irish census returns, originals wills from the 16th century, and more than 1,000 Church of Ireland parish registers filled with baptism, marriage and burial records.

Apart from a few fragments, the Census returns of 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were destroyed in the blaze, along with more than half of all the Church of Ireland registers deposited there after 1869. All pre-1900 documents from the legal courts were lost, as were local government records for the same period.

However, it was common practice to create indexes to the wider records, indexes which were often held in different locations, or published.

Herbert Webb Gilman visited the PRO in the 1890s, read through the marriage bonds records and created an index to the collection, publishing it in 1896-97. The historical significance of this and other such indexes increased substantially when the original documents were destroyed in the 1922 fire, and are now the only evidence of the marriages which occurred at the time.

Ancestry.ie, which has now digitised almost 12,000 of these bonds, says the large sums of money in the documents underlined the serious nature of the oath.

Accounts of several interesting cases appear in the records, including a bond of 1,000 from the Curraheen area, west of Cork city, which was sealed and dated by John Gillman of Curraheen and Anthony Codd of Rathcony on June 28, 1679.

The bond, for the just and full sum of one thousand pounds sterling current money of England, secured the right for John Gillman to marry Mary St Leger, daughter of Hayeard St Leger of Rathcony.

The bond, which allowed John and Mary to solemnize matrimony, also stated the couple had promised they were not involved in any prior contract of marriage with another and had the consent of both parents and friends to the marriage.

Another document shows a bond of 500 in Mallow, in north Cork, sealed by Francis Brettridge of Mallow and James Weekes of Cork City on September 22, 1890. This bond secured the marriage by canon law and forbid anything that would impede the marriage of Francis Brettridge to Mary Gillman, from the parish of Brinney.

The bond records are available to view at the National Archive of Ireland and now online at ancestry.ie, on a free 14-day trial, or for around 18-a-month subscription thereafter.
A three-year-old boy has been seriously injured in a hit-and-run in Cork city.

The boy was struck by a car at Castle Meadows off Skehard Road shortly before 4pm.

The car involved failed to remain at the scene.

The young boy was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where his condition is understood to be serious

The scene of the incident was preserved and is currently being examined by Garda forensic collision investigators.

Investigating gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them and are particularly appealing to motorists with dash cams who were driving in the Skehard Road and Castle Meadows area between 3.30pm and 4.30pm to contact them.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station on 021-4522000 or the Garda Confidential Line (1800) 666111.
The Business Minister is encouraging firms to ensure they have enough cashflow for Brexit.

Heather Humphreys is encouraging them to apply for the Government's Brexit Loan Scheme.
A care assistant at a care home who allegedly struck a male patient with a mop brush, dislocating the mans shoulder, has lost her claim for unfair dismissal.

In the incident, the care assistant is alleged to have struck the patient with the mop brush and physically restrained him by the wrists on November 30, 2017.

The incident was reported the following day and on December 8, 2017, the care homes Safety Committee recommended that the care assistant be reassigned to an alternative department pending a review of the incident.

The care home appointed two independent investigators to investigate, and eight people, including the care assistant, were interviewed.

The investigation concluded that an incident took place between the patient and the care assistant which led to the patient sustaining a dislocated shoulder.

The homes Disciplinary Panel concluded that the workers actions were a serious breach and amounted to serious/gross misconduct.

As a result, the care worker was informed on June 20, 2018, that her employment was terminated with effect from that date.

The worker appealed the dismissal internally and, on August 30 last, the dismissal decision was upheld.

The care assistant sued for unfair dismissal and at a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) hearing into the case, she stated that she was wrongly accused in relation to the incident.

The care assistant told the hearing that the patient in question had challenging behaviour.

The care assistant stated that on the morning of November 30, 2017, the patient had gone on an outing and when he returned, the care assistant took him to his room.

According to WRC Adjudication Officer Rosaleen Glackin, the care worker then outlined a series of events involving other employees including an agency worker.

The woman denied that she hit the patient with the mop while cleaning his room.

In her findings, Ms Glackin found that on the basis of the evidence and her own questioning at the hearing: I do not recommend in favour of the complainant in relation to the dispute and do not find that she was unfairly dismissed.
Double lung transplant warrior Orla Tinsley who is back in hospital after a health setback has thanked the public for their get well wishes and support.

Last December she has celebrated her first year since her life-saving operation and over the weekend she celebrated turning 32 years of age in enforced medical isolation.

The Cystic Fibrosis campaigner, who now lives in New York city in the United States, took to Twitter on Sunday night to say: Thanks for all the messages of support and get well messages. EMTs, ER and transplant team were on hand. Im in a New York hospital.

Over the weekend she revealed she was ill again. Thankful to finally get a bed today. Thankful to those who worked hard for me to get it.

Thankful treatment is working and will be well soon. Thankful for all the people who wished me happy birthday.

Best birthday card from @louisemakeup ! Thank you everyone for all your love and support and messages. Luckily the awesome EMT, ER, surgical and transplant teams nyphospital were on hand https://t.co/OfS4m3qvvR  Orla Tinsley (@orlatinsley) March 24, 2019

Prior to a bed being found for her at the hospital she revealed that she had been in an ER cubicle for three days.

Construction has just begun on the floor above my ER cubicle. They are drilling loudly. It is my third day in the ER.

She added: "In better isolation room now. Grateful to patient services for support. Surprised at how often I had to repeat, transplant patients need isolation. You are always your best advocate.

The young woman received scores of messages hoping that she gets better and to wish her a happy birthday.

One tweet read: Happy Birthday Orla from a fellow double lung transplant recipient. The struggle is real but you got this! Keep on keepin on Orla.

Another added: Hope you get to celebrate your birthday out of hospital soon Orlathe warrior woman can defeat any challenge.

Cystic Fibrosis is a lifelong genetically inherited disease that mainly affects the lungs and the digestive system.

The Kildare-born journalist has been at the forefront of the fight to improve awareness and services has written extensively on the subject.

Her campaign work was instrumental in the opening of a dedicated CF unit in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin.

Ms Tinsley featured in a documentary on RTE last September which followed her journey and experiences of living everyday life with the condition both in Ireland and in New York where she is studying at Columbia University.

The documentary, Orla Tinsley: Warrior, was filmed over 14 months and documented her failing health, the excruciating six false alarms, and the lucky seventh transplant call which arrived at the 11th hour, just in time to give her a new chance at life.

While on life support at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, the Kildare woman still allowed the camera crew to document the distress, the disappointment, and the life-changing surgery.

She shared the moments of elation and devastation to raise awareness about organ donation, transplants, and Cystic Fibrosis. Ms Tinsley has yet to be allowed by medics to return to Ireland for health reasons although she is hoping to make a trip in September.

Following the documentary, hundreds of people took to social media to praise her resilience.

Some 650 families going through similar experiences right now awaiting organ donation according to the Irish Kidney Association.
Update 13:40: Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said that the State has a responsibility to bring Irish Isil bride Lisa Smith home to her native country.

Speaking at Cork Airport the Tanaiste indicated that the Government owes a duty of care to the 37-year-old Louth woman and her child.

The former soldier with the Defence Forces told CNN that she is "living in a prison" and "wants to go home."

Ms Smith left Dundalk for Syria four years ago and married an Isil sympathiser who subsequently died. She had served with the Defence Forces in Ireland for ten years.

In the interview she said that people should realise that "all the people here are not terrorists. I want to go home." When asked asked if she feared prosecution and being sent to prison if returned home she stated that she was already in a form of prison.

"I know they'd strip me of my passport, and I wouldn't travel and I would be watched, but prison? I don't know. I'm already in prison."

Mr Coveney described the case of Ms Smith as "unusual" as "it involves a young child and a mother, both of them Irish citizens in a warzone, in a camp that was linked to some partners and children of ISIS fighters, controlled largely by Kurds."

He said that it was more complicated than most consular cases would be, to put it mildly, but emphasised that "we do have a responsibility here as a State."

Simon Coveney

"Like all Irish people we want to look after them and bring them home if they want to come home. We have a responsibility towards her and in particular her daughter, and we will try to follow through on this responsibility and find a way to bring her home. "

He added that part of the problem is that this is a former war zone and it isn't easy to access.

"She also doesn't have the capacity to communicate easily from where she is and we haven't had direct contact with her. She has in the past contacted her family. We are in close contact with her family and keeping them informed."

The Minister for Foreign Affairs added there is a meeting scheduled between his department, the Department of Defence and the Department of Justice to co ordinate a Government response in relation to how to assist Ms Smith.

'I'm already in prison': Lisa Smith tells US news report she wants 'to go home'

-By Digital Desk staff

Lisa Smith

Lisa Smith, the Irish woman who went to Syria is 2015 and married an ISIS fighter, has told a US news report that she wants to come home to Ireland.ome.

CNN's Connect The World travelled to a camp where so-called "Isis brides" are being held.

Reporter Jomana Karadsheh Scott said she spoke to a woman who did not give her name "but she has been identified by Irish media as Muslim covert Lisa Smith".

The woman, who speaks in an Irish accent and appears to be former member of the Irish Defence Forces Smith, told CNN's Jomana Karadsheh Scott: "I think that people should just realise that all the people here are not terrorists."

The Dundalk widow is in the camp with her two-year-old child.

"I want to go home," she said.

When asked about the prospect of being prosecuted, she said: "I know they'd strip me of my passport. And I wouldn't travel and I'd be watched.....but...I'm already in prison (in the camp)."

Even if they put me in prison at home, its better than being here, a Canadian citizen tells @JomanaCNN who gets rare access to #SDF-controlled camps where more than 1,000 foreign #ISIS fighters are stranded as their home countries seem reluctant to take them back. #Syria pic.twitter.com/FKxCXzUDp3  Connect the World (@CNNConnect) March 24, 2019

Earlier this month, Defence Minister Paul Kehoe said Lisa Smith, 37, will

Read More:

The Taoiseach added that Ms Smith

Read More:

Leo Varadkar said: "Going to Syria or going to live in what was called Islamic State is not in itself an offence or a crime. So we will need to carry out an investigation.

"I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes there. But its very possible that she wasnt a combatant, for example.

"We really need to get to the bottom of the facts here, to carry out a security assessment to see if the Syrian authorities want to carry out a prosecution or not.

"But ultimately this is an Irish citizen and we dont believe that removing an Irish citizens citizenship from her or her family, rendering them stateless, would be either the right or compassionate thing to do."
The Child and Family Agency has offered an assurance that any Irish child placed in a British care placement will not be affected by Brexit, in the event of no deal being struck.

The most recent data published by Tusla showed that as of the end of last year 22 Irish children were in out-of-state placements, the vast majority of which are understood to be in the United Kingdom.

The issue was raised last year in the context of comments by the president of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, who asked the general solicitor for wards of court to write to the HSE in relation to steps it is taking to ensure the continuation of care placements for vulnerable Irish citizens placed in UK facilities post-Brexit, including those traumatised by sexual abuse.

While many Irish children are placed in overseas facilities by the High Court following application by Tusla, those placed in the St Andrew's Healthcare specialist service in Northampton are processed using mental health legislation.

With plans for Brexit in flux, Tusla said it is satisfied that Irish children will not be affected.

All children placed out of State are currently placed under both EU Regulations and the Hague Convention (1980 & 1996) and relevant legislation in that context," a Tusla spokesman said.

"Even in the event of a 'no deal' scenario where EU Regulations may no longer apply, both Ireland and the UK will continue to be signatories to the Hague convention.

"It is through the Central Authority in both jurisdictions, under the provision of this legislation, that application for out of State placements are and can be facilitated.

Tusla continues to hold full statutory and regulatory responsibility for these children and placement are made only in exceptional needs based circumstances with the expressed intent of returning children to care within the Irish State or to support reunification home.

"Additionally, Tusla will be ensuring a Data Sharing Agreement is in place with all that all contracted services in the UK with the required model clauses to ensure that they are compliant with our standards on GDPR.

"In this context, there should be no legal or data protection impediments to ensure the effective placement of children abroad where in exceptional circumstances this is required."

Tusla has said it hopes to evolve domestic services so that no Irish child has to be placed overseas.
A county Kilkenny father who repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped his young daughter has been jailed for 13 years.

The victim, who was aged between seven and 13 years old at the time of the offences, told the Central Criminal Court her father had abused her so often she could not remember how many times it happened.

The court heard the abuse took place at locations including the man's parent's home, at his own home, and at a wake.

The 43-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect his daughter's identity, was convicted by a jury following a six-day trial last month of three counts of sexual assault and nine counts of anal rape on dates between 2008 and 2014.

Ms Justice Tara Burns noted that the young woman had been distraught, recounting details and putting words on matters she could not express while giving evidence at the trial.

She said though she accepted the man had an alcohol dependency, it was clear he was capable of manipulating and controlling his daughter for his own disgusting sexual gratification.

Ms Justice Burns told the man she hoped he had listened to his daughter's heartbreaking victim impact statement, in which the young woman described feeling like she was dead.

The judge told him that his daughter should have been treasured and loved as a child and was now in early adulthood facing a life with these intrusive thoughts. The judge said:

You might find it within yourself to express some remorse.

She said the offences were of the most serious kind and imposed a 15-year sentence with the final two years suspended for that period.

Earlier, a local detective garda told Paul Carroll SC, prosecuting, that the abuse began in the summer before the girl's communion when her father would push his penis against her anal area. The abuse later progressed to anal rape.

The court heard the man would tell the child he loved her during the abuse and that she was treated as a favourite by him, being bought things that her siblings were not, and given money.

The girl would, on some occasions, ask for the abuse to stop and remembered feeling pain.

She made a complaint to gardai in 2015 but her father denied the allegations, saying his daughter was not telling the truth and blaming him for a family issue.

In her victim impact statement, the teenager outlined that being treated as a favourite made her feel horrible and confused. She said she had loved the man even when she was being abused.

She outlined difficulties she has in relationships and in school as a result of the abuse. She said she felt bad because he is in prison and doesn't want anything bad to happen to him.

Not a day goes by when I don't think about what he did to me, she told the court in her statement. She said she hated what the man did to her but did not want to hate him.

Kathleen Leader SC, defending, said the man had suffered a number of tragedies in his family as a teenager and had started drinking and taking drugs.

The court heard he had practically not had a sober day since then.

She said the man was someone with an unenviable past. Counsel said the man had been treated by a psychiatrist in the past but did not follow up on outpatient treatment, reverting to using drink and drugs.
A man in his 50s has been released without charge after being arrested in connection with an incident in Strokestown, County Roscommon.

A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Landmark Summit Survey Reveals Encouraging Signs for Christian School Movement As Leaders Commit to Innovate



Photo: Christian educators who attended the Global Christian Schools Leadership Summit (GCSLS) are optimistic about the future of private Christian schools. They cite enrollment, cultural relevance, and diversity as their top three priorities in 2019.

NEWS PROVIDED BYMarch 25, 2019

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 25, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- Three out of every four Christian school leaders report they are more optimistic about the future of Christian education after a landmark summit to address challenges in an era of "seismic" cultural change, according to survey results released today.



A poll of participants at the 2019 Global Christian School Leadership Summit (GCSLS, www.gcsls.org) in San Antonio, Texas, surveyed more than 700 Christian school administrators and teachers from dozens of countries  and produced eye-opening results.



While 73 percent of respondents reported being "more encouraged" about the future of the Christian school movement, education leaders from around the world highlighted key issues they say private Christian schools must tackle if they're to remain relevant and continue to attract students.



Citing enrollment, cultural relevance, and diversity as the top three priorities facing Christian schools in 2019, leaders at the summit voiced their resolve to ensure Christian schools continue to focus on providing a distinctive, faith-based education in an increasingly pluralistic and post-religious culture.



"This summit has been a tremendous encouragement for all of us in the private Christian school movement, helping Christian educators focus on our shared mission to educate and raise a generation of young people with a passion for God," GCSLS chairperson Lynn Swaner, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at ACSI, said. "With seismic shifts taking place in their communities and across the world, Christian educators are willing to confront the difficult issues and engage the culture, believing the most influential days of Christian education are yet to come."



According to the GCSLS survey, current issues of greatest importance for Christian schools are:

Keeping Christian education and spiritual nurture front and center (76 percent)



Equipping students and schools to engage the culture (63.8 percent)



Marketing challenge to ensure viability and sustainability of the Christian school movement (50.88 percent).



Educating students from diverse backgrounds and forming authentic community (41.2 percent)

Educators at the summit stressed the need for Christian schools to stay true to a biblical worldview in cultural settings often apathetic or hostile towards the Christian faith. They also pledged their commitment to innovation in order to equip students to use technology for Christ-honoring causes.



"We're very encouraged by the direction Christian schools are moving," said Swaner, adding that the summit was a shot-in-the-arm of encouragement for 1,000-plus Christian educators and the eight sponsoring associations representing more than 25,000 Christian schools and six million students worldwide. Of those polled at the summit Jan. 30-Feb.1, 100 percent said they would put lessons learned at the summit into practice.



About GCSLS

The biennial Global Christian Schools Leadership Summit (GCSLS, www.gcsls.org) is the foremost gathering of Christian education leaders worldwide. GCSLS is co-sponsored by eight Christian school associations: Association of Christian Schools International (www.acsi.org), Christian Schools International (www.csionline.org/), Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (www.cesaschools.org). National Christian School Association (www.nationalchristian.org), Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools (www.sbacs.org), Association of Christian Teachers and Schools (www.actsschools.org), International Christian Accrediting Association (www.icaa.oruef.org), and Christian Schools Australia (www.csa.edu.au).



SOURCE Global Christian School Leadership Summit



CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, 972-567-7660, gwooding@inchristcommunications.com


A young woman has given evidence of taking what she thought was her last breath, as the teenager she met online tried to "choke the life" out of her before slashing her neck with a knife and leaving her for dead.

She was reading her victim impact statement at his sentence hearing for her attempted murder, saying she felt that the then 15-year-old was frustrated with himself for not having killed her.

You destroyed my life, she said through tears from the witness box of the Central Criminal Court today.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had tried to murder the woman he met on social media, after suggesting they take a selfie at the waters edge in Dun Laoghaire. There, he choked her to unconsciousness and then slashed her neck with a knife.

Gardai later found a book of drawings in his bedroom, containing a sketch of someone being cut up with a knife. The words, serial killer, had been written on another page.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to murder the woman on December 23, 2017, at Sea Front, Queens Road, Dun Laoghaire. The 16-year-old was accompanied to court by his parents, who sat beside him in the area of the room reserved for accused people.

Detective Garda Daniel Treacy told Paul Burns SC, prosecuting, that the accused had met his victim on the Whisper social media app.

He was 15 years old at the time, and his victim was 25. However, he told her that he was 19. They exchanged ordinary photographs to confirm that they were real people.

He asked her to participate in a threesome but she declined, and made it clear that she wasnt interested in any form of a sexual relationship.

He disclosed his name and certain family details and that he was attending psychiatrists for therapy, him having depression, suicidal and intrusive thoughts.

He told her that he couldnt commit to girls.

Its like being a psychopath. You just dont feel it, he wrote, saying he was feeling it for the first time.

He stated that he hadnt developed feelings for anyone and hadnt had a crush on anyone.

They arranged to meet in Dun Laoghaire on 23rd December, with him saying he would bring her to a secret spot.

She jokingly said it sounded like he was going to murder her. He replied that he didnt think he could murder her.

They met at the entrance to Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre shortly after noon that day and walked to York Road, where the accused asked her to go into a vacant house. She declined.

It was boarded up anyway, so he suggested another abandoned house. She again said no.

They walked to the promenade and he suggested going into the old disused baths. She declined.

At his request, they went down to the waters edge to take a selfie, testified D Gda Treacy.

She was facing out to sea when he grabbed her from behind in a neck lock. He then moved in front of her and started choking her with his right hand while brandishing a knife in his left hand.

She raised her hand to defend herself and suffered significant lacerations as a result. He told her to stop screaming in a calm and controlled voice.

She passed out due to the stranglehold. When she came around, she was lying on the ground near the waters edge, her hand was bleeding and there was blood around her head. Her clothes had been cut.

She managed to get to her feet and take a few steps but collapsed. Walkers noticed her and came to her assistance. She was unable to speak, very pale, her lips had gone blue and the walkers thought she going to die.

She was taken to to St Vincent's Hospital, where she was found to have a 10cm-deep midline neck laceration, which penetrated her trachea.

She also had a wound to her thumb along with one to her right arm, which was consistent with a defensive stab injury. She had a fast heart rate and low blood pressure, consistent with significant blood loss. She had other symptoms that showed she probably had blood in her lungs.

She had to be put into a medically-induced coma and underwent emergency surgery.

Although she was unable to speak that day, she managed to speak with assistance the following day. She showed gardai the communications shed had with the accused and indicated that the person in the photos was her attacker.

Through examination of her phone, found in her handbag at the scene, gardai were able to identify the attacker as the accused. They searched his home the following day.

When they entered his bedroom, he stated: This is about the stabbing of that girl in Dun Laoghaire. I haven't got the knife. I threw it in the ocean.

The gardai seized a Leinster rugby backpack and a coat, both with suspected blood staining on them. They also seized a book of drawings, produced to the witness in court.

It contained various writings and sketches, including an entry from December 17, showing someone being cut up with a knife. There was also a written entry on a date in November 2017, where there was reference to a therapist, along with the words, serial killer might also be self deprecator might also be self praiser.

He was arrested and taken to Dun Laoghaire Garda Station, where he exercised his right to silence throughout his five interviews.

The Whisper app had been deleted off his phone around midnight on Christmas Eve; the blood on his backpack matched that of his victim.

There was a huge amount of pooling of congealed blood, so it was reckoned she was there a while before she came round, said the detective of the victim, who lives in south Dublin with her family.

Her attacker also lived with his family in South Dublin. His school attendance had been sporadic, possibly due to mental health issues, confirmed the detective.

'How do you talk to someone who has no experience of being that close to death?'

The young woman then entered the witness box to deliver a highly emotional victim impact statement, much of which was directed at her attacker, who was sitting nearby.

It detailed the slash wound across her neck, which went 75% of the way through her windpipe, damaged her voice box and left scarring. Tendons in her hand were also severed while she was unconscious.

She began to cry when asked to read about the psychological effects the crime had on her. She said that she was now a different person, who struggled to trust others and was afraid of teenage boys.

She asked:

I have sought professional help but how do you talk to someone who has no experience of being that close to death?

She no longer goes out much, feeling that people are looking at her neck scar.

She said the events of that day had "destroyed my life".

My happiness has been taken as the last time I met (him) he was strangling me, held a knife to my face. I remember him calmly whispering stop screaming, stop screaming, she said.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I took what I thought was going to be my last breath as he choked the life out of me, she continued. I remember telling you Im sorry. I was apologising to you for you trying to kill me.

This, she said, she could not understand.

She recalled:

After you repeatedly stabbed me, I woke on the seafront in Dun Laoghaire with sea crashing against the rocks and the noise of seagulls squawking in the blue sky above my head.This dream was comfortable until I realised it was reality and I was alive in a pool of my own blood.

She described being wet and cold with blood, and could see the inner parts of her hand.

I felt really sick from the sight of flesh, she said. You had left me for dead.

She said that she had tried to cry for help but nothing came out.

I knew I couldnt be seen where I was lying and knew I had to get out of there to survive, she explained. I walked up to higher ground as I was determined not to die.

She said that her body had struggled to walk up the path.

It was difficult maintaining my breathing after getting stabbed in the neck, she said.

She had soon collapsed from blood loss and was later told that she had lost four litres.

Only for him, you would have succeeded in my death, she said of the passer-by, who had found her.

When I could not speak, I put my hand to my neck and I realised there was a gap in my neck, she explained.

On the brink of death, she remained calm as I did not wish to die.

She had tried to tell the gardai her attackers name but was powerless without her speech. She was panicked by the fact that she could cough through her neck with her mouth closed.

I debated whether I was going to die because my body couldn't bear the physical trauma anymore, she recalled. Thank God I lost consciousness after this.

She said that showing the gardai the picture of her attacker had led to a cry of anguish from her.

I was also tormented knowing my life nearly ended in your cruel hands, she said.

When they told me your age, my head spiralled in confusion, trying to understand how someone your age could have such evil intentions.

She had also cried in fear of not waking up again, while in hospital.

I knew you were so far away yet I could still feel your presence grabbing me from behind, frustrated at yourself for not actually killing me, she said.

The scars you inflicted on my neck and hand will forever be a reminder of your demonic actions, she said.

She noted the number of times that he had tried to lure her to isolated locations that day in order to fulfill your urges.

Your persistence down at the waters edge showed how determined you were to have me dead, she said.

She recalled crying when she saw the damage to her thumb.

I struggled to understand why it was necessary to stab my hand while I was unconscious. You destroyed my life, she sobbed.

She said that, although she felt lucky to be alive, she was not prepared for the flashbacks.

Going to the sea triggered it all again, your rough arms around me trying to take my life, she said. Why did you cut my throat and thumb when I was out cold and unconscious? You have taken my life and happiness and everything that goes with it.

She said that her injuries would remind her of her attacker for the rest of her days. However, she was looking forward to the day she would be free of the tortures of her mind and past.

All I can do is trust and believe, because the thought of this lasting for the rest of my life is intolerable, she concluded.

Mr Justice Michael White commended her for the tremendous courage she had shown in reading the statement herself.

He then adjourned the case until April 12, when he will make formal orders in relation to psychiatric or psychological reports.
Josh van der Fliers season looks to be over after confirmation that the Leinster and Ireland flanker has had surgery on a groin injury and will miss the next 12 weeks.

The luckless Dubliner suffered the injury during the recent Six Nations clash against France and it is a case of deja vu given his season came to an abrupt halt last time around with a cruciate ligament injury suffered against the same opposition in Paris.
By Delana Isles

HON. SEAN Astwood has refuted allegations that he is in cahoots with the owners of Las Brisas resort to "kick locals off of the beach in Chalk Sound.





Allegations appeared this week on social media that the elected member for the Five Cays, South Dock and Chalk Sound had made assurances to the resort owner that he would contact the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR).





The aim of which was to remove a young, local businessman from offering his services of private jet ski and other water related services to guests of the hotel.





On Wednesday (March 20), Astwood addressed the claims, stating this issue, among many others, was indeed raised in a Chalk Sound community WhatsApp group, of which he is a part.





He said there are issues of people trying to sell alcohol and or drugs to tourists, allegations of illegal operations on various beaches in Chalk Sound, and people risking injury by crossing the street to access Taylor Bay beach near a blind curve.





"Over the weekend I visited and witnessed persons crossing the street close to the blind curve and the parking situation on the curve.





"Therefore I recognised the need for regulations to be enforced for the safety of persons utilising, and for the protection of those operating legally on the beach. This is why I referred the issue to DECR.





He noted that members of the Chalk Sound WhatsApp group include senior police officers, former premier Rufus Ewing, the wife of the leader of the Opposition, PNP member Hon. Josephine Connolly, and former PNP candidates Rachel Taylor and Dameko Dean.





"I only mentioned these persons to demonstrate how the allegations that I am cutting a side deal with the owner of Las Brisas in this open forum is ridiculous.





"This deviousness speaks to the levels some persons would stoop to further their political agenda.





"In this case they have the electorate for fools because the chat consists of PDMs, PNPs, Independents, and persons who are not eligible to vote.





"It is a shame that persons would screenshot selected portions of the discussion.





The deputy premier further called on the person who revealed part of the groups discussion on the issue, to reveal the entire conversation.





"I will continue to perform my role as the MP for Five Cays, South Dock, and Chalk Sound as long as the electorate will have me.





"I will continue to respond to residents issues and queries in the Chalk Sound WhatsApp group and/or directly.





"The person(s) behind the misleading screenshots will not prevail in their attempt to stop me from dealing with the issues facing my constituency, Astwood stated.




Latest: MPs have approved the amended Government motion allowing Parliament to seize control of the Commons agenda to hold a series of indicative votes by 327 votes to 300, majority 27.

The MPs dramatically seized control of the Brexit agenda from Theresa May  potentially paving the way for a softer deal that keeps the UK closer to Brussels.

Minutes earlier, the Commons voted by 329 to 302  a majority of 27  for a cross-party amendment to enable MPs to stage a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Ministers deal.

Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator, said: Parliament takes control. An opportunity to build a cross-party cooperation leading to an enhanced political declaration & a closer future relationship! #Brexit

Parliament takes control. An opportunity to build a cross-party cooperation leading to an enhanced political declaration & a closer future relationship! #Brexithttps://t.co/4NhRkeGQ72  Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) March 25, 2019

The vote came as pro-EU ministers Richard Harrington and Alistair Burt announced they were quitting the Government.

Mr Harrington, a Business Minister, accused the Government of playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Britain in its handling of Brexit.

The result is another humiliation for Mrs May, who earlier warned MPs not to overturn the balance of our democratic institutions which means the Government normally controls business of the House.

No Government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is

She made clear she would not feel bound by the result of any indicative votes  which could include a softer Norway-style deal, or a second referendum.

No Government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is, she said.

So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House. But I do commit to engaging constructively with this process.- Press Association

Update (10:35pm): MPs have narrowly rejected a backbench amendment to allow the Commons to have a vote if the UK is seven days away from leaving the EU without a deal by 314 votes to 311, majority three.

Update (10:15pm): MPs have approved a cross-party Brexit amendment which allows Parliament to seize control of the Commons agenda to hold a series of indicative votes by 329 votes to 302, majority 27.

A total of 30 Conservative MPs were listed as having voted in favour of Oliver Letwins amendment, according to the division list.

An analysis of the division list showed Tory former minister Ed Vaizey voted both for and against the amendment, which is regarded as a formal abstention.

Pro-EU business minister Richard Harrington resigned ahead of the key vote.

This evening I wrote to the PM to offer her my resignation pic.twitter.com/Z0QU5lbeJ1  Richard Harrington (@Richard4Watford) March 25, 2019

Mr Harrington said he resigned because he believed the Governments approach to Brexit was playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country.

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt and Health Minister Steve Brine have also resigned, UK government sources said.

Earlier (6:04pm): Three Brexit amendments selected for consideration in Commons

Commons Speaker John Bercow has selected three amendments for consideration as MPs debate the latest Brexit next steps motion.

The amendments selected are:

Amendment D, Labours proposal which calls on the Government to provide parliamentary time to debate a range of Brexit options, including Labours own plan, the Common Market 2.0 proposals, a customs union and a second referendum

Amendment A, the cross-party amendment put forward by Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grieve and Hilary Benn and signed by 109 MPs from all parties, to allow Parliament to seize control of the agenda in the House of Commons on Wednesday to hold a series of indicative votes to establish whether there is a majority for any Brexit outcome

Amendment F, tabled by Labour former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett, to require Parliament to be given an opportunity in the week before a mooted no-deal Brexit to vote on whether the Government should go ahead and take the UK out of the EU or seek a further extension to negotiations

Earlier: May seeks to build bridges with MPs doing difficult jobs over Brexit

Theresa May has struck a conciliatory tone with MPs as she sought to repair the damage done by her Downing Street statement on Brexit.

The British Prime Minister used a Commons appearance to acknowledge they were doing difficult jobs as they wrestled with Brexit.

It was a markedly different approach to last weeks Downing Street statement, in which she blamed MPs for failing to implement the result of the 2016 EU referendum and told frustrated voters: I am on your side.

Pro-EU Tory Sam Gyimah, who quit as a minister over her deal, described her remarks at Number 10 as toxic and a low blow.

The Prime Minister needs to win over MPs if she is to have any chance of overturning the 149-vote defeat suffered by her Brexit deal.

I expressed my frustration with our collective failure to take a decision, but I know that many members across this House are frustrated too. We all have difficult jobs to do

Speaking in the Commons, she stopped short of apologising for her remarks, but admitted they were made in frustration.

She said: This is the first chance I have had to address the House since my remarks last Wednesday evening.

I expressed my frustration with our collective failure to take a decision, but I know that many members across this House are frustrated too.

We all have difficult jobs to do.

People on all sides of the debate hold passionate views and I respect those differences.

I would also like to thank all of those colleagues that have supported the deal so far, and those that have taken the time to meet with me to discuss their concerns.

Earlier: May: There is 'not sufficient support' for third meaningful vote

Prime Minister Theresa May has told the House of Commons that there is still not sufficient support to bring her Withdrawal Agreement back for a third meaningful vote.

Mrs May told the Commons that the Government will oppose Sir Oliver Letwins amendment to pave the way for indicative votes on Brexit, but if it fails ministers will provide their own mechanism for them to take place.

Guy Verhofstadt, the Brexit Coordinator for the European Parliament, reacted to the news on Twitter.

"Time is running out," he said. "A disastrous no-deal Brexit is more likely than ever. It is now up to the UK Parliament to deliver a cross-party majority for a positive future EU-UK relationship. The door of the [European Parliament] remains open to a closer relationship."

Time is running out. A disastrous no-deal #Brexit is more likely than ever. It is now up to the UK Parliament to deliver a cross-party majority for a positive future EU-UK relationship. The door of the @Europarl_EN remains open to a closer relationship. https://t.co/C2Ruz8ZGwX  Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) March 25, 2019

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, responding to Theresa Mays latest update to the Commons, said: The Governments approach to Brexit has now become a national embarrassment.

After two years of failure, broken promise after broken promise, the Prime Minister finally accepted the inevitable last week and voted to extend Article 50 and went to Brussels to negotiate.

Last weeks summit represented another negotiating failure for the Prime Minister  her proposals were rejected and new terms were imposed on her.

May and Corbyn have 'frank and comprehensive exchange of views' as Brexit talks continue

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn had a frank and comprehensive exchange of views in talks on Brexit, Labour said.

The meeting was also attended by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and Chief Whip Julian Smith and their opposite numbers Sir Keir Starmer and Nick Brown.

A Labour Party spokesman said: Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May met for over an hour in Parliament and had a frank and comprehensive exchange of views.

Jeremy Corbyn made clear there was no basis for bringing back the meaningful vote on Theresa Mays deal for a third time

The Labour leader did not accept the Prime Ministers suggestion that the Withdrawal Agreement could be separated from the Political Declaration.

Earlier: Theresa May fails to make Brexit breakthrough with DUP

A phone call between Theresa May and DUP leader Arlene Foster failed to provide the breakthrough the Prime Minister needs as she seeks to win support for her deal.

The 10 DUP MPs have opposed the Withdrawal Agreement in the two previous votes on it.

A DUP spokesman said the partys position remains unchanged.

Mrs Mays official spokesman said that a Cabinet meeting earlier today discussed the outcome of last weeks EU summit and the content of the statement the PM was due to give to the Commons later on Monday. It is understood that the question of Mrs Mays future was not raised.

The sense I took from the Prime Minister and the Cabinet this morning was of a determination to do whatever it takes to get a deal, so the UK can leave the EU as soon as possible, the spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing.

There is a real sense amongst the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of just wanting to get on with this and deliver for the British people.

The PMs spokesman added Mrs May had concerns about the constitutional implications of the amendment tabled by Sir Oliver Letwin which would give Parliament control of the agenda in the Commons.

The Prime Minister has previously said that tying the Governments hands in this way by seeking to commandeer the order paper would have far-reaching implications for the way in which the UK is governed and the balance of powers and responsibilities in our democratic institutions, said Mrs Mays spokesman.

The spokesman was unable to give any date either for a possible third meaningful vote on Mrs Mays plan in the Commons or for the tabling of the secondary legislation required to remove the Brexit date of March 29 from the statute book.

Earlier: MP who tweeted it was 'all over' for Theresa May says Tories must unite

Theresa Mays former policy adviser George Freeman, who on Saturday tweeted that it was all over for the prime minister, has played down talk that there were plans for a coup against her.

I dont think there was ever a coup. There are many of us in the backbench party very frustrated that the Cabinet is completely split and briefing against each other," he said.

If they cant unite behind Theresa May, then they should have the guts to find somebody they can unite behind. Brexit is like the Death Star of politics. I always feared it would be like this. Its destroying and soaking up all the Prime Ministers room for manoeuvre and political goodwill. I was simply saying if thats where we are, if the price we have to pay is to change to get a solution to this, then so be it.

Ive never known this country so divided, so angry and in such a dangerous state. I think were close to civil unrest. This is not politics as normal.

I think one of the extraordinary things about Brexit is its made spectators of all of us. Im an elected representative of 76,000 people and I dont know whats going on.

Meanwhile, cabinet ministers have begun leaving Number 10 after a meeting with the Prime Minister.

- Press Association
A no-deal Brexit on April 12 is becoming "increasingly likely", the European Commission has warned.

The warning came as Theresa May addressed senior ministers at a special meeting of Cabinet ahead of a historic week of crunch votes in the House of Commons which could shape the outcome of Brexit.

Mrs May is facing a battle to hold on to power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit, while some of her own backbenchers openly discuss her removal as Prime Minister.

In its statement, the European Commission said it had completed its preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, but warned it would nonetheless cause "significant disruption for citizens and businesses".

If it crashes out without a deal on April 12, the UK will not benefit from a transition period to new arrangements, but will immediately be subject to checks and tariffs on its exports to the EU, while "significant delays" can be expected at the borders, said officials.

Following an oral statement from the PM updating them on the decision reached at last week's EU summit to extend the Brexit negotiation period beyond March 29, MPs are due to vote on a proposal to force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to her Withdrawal Agreement.

Defeat for the Government on Monday night over the plan - tabled in an amendment by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn - would be a further humiliation for Mrs May.

The proposal seeks to pave the way for a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government.

Sir Oliver acknowledged that any votes would be advisory rather than binding on the Government and it may take several rounds of voting before a majority is found for any of the options - if one can be found at all.

He said Mrs May "hasn't been able to get a majority and we don't know what she could get a majority for, so once we find that out there is a way forward, in principle, and then the next thing would be for the Prime Minister to take that forward and for the Government to implement it".

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today: "None of us know whether it will work."

Tory backbencher Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the influential Conservative 1922 Committee, said Theresa May should set out her plans to quit in order to get her Brexit deal through.

"Clearly a number of people do not want the Prime Minister anywhere near the next phase of negotiations, which is the future trading relationship between ourselves and the EU," he told Today.

He said there should be an "orderly" process to replace the Prime Minister, with a full leadership contest rather than an interim successor.

And Mrs May's former Downing Street director of communications, Katie Perrior, said it was time for the Prime Minister to announce her departure date to get her Brexit deal through.

Writing in The Times Red Box, Ms Perrior said: "Maybe it's time to stop finding scapegoats and admit that Theresa May and her lack of leadership has made a bad situation worse.

"With great sadness, it's time for her to swap her departure date in return for the deal. It's the least she can do."

But International Trade Secretary Liam Fox insisted that Mrs May was respected by the public, despite calls for her to go from MPs.

What I was finding from real voters was people spontaneously saying: 'I don't understand how Theresa May puts up with the pressure, she is a great public servant, her resilience is amazing'," Dr Fox told Today.

"There seems to me to be a bigger disconnect now between Westminster and what is happening out in the country than ever before."

He said Tory Eurosceptics had to accept that MPs would block a no-deal Brexit.

"For a lot of my colleagues, I think they still believe there is a route to no-deal," said Dr Fox. "I have come to the conclusion some time ago that was unlikely given the House of Commons that we have.

"I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position."

On Sunday, Mrs May held "lengthy" talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis at her country residence Chequers to discuss whether there is sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her deal.

But Mr Johnson claimed the Government had "chickened out" of delivering Brexit this week.

And he signalled his belief in the need for a change of leadership by asking in an article in the Daily Telegraph: "Can we really go on with a negotiating team that has so resoundingly failed?"

If Mrs May cannot deliver "convincing proofs" of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last, he said she should "drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides - Remainers and Leavers - now believe are sensible," wrote the former foreign secretary.

"Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now - without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels - let my people go."

Meanwhile, The Sun newspaper used its front page on Monday to urge Mrs May to promise to resign in order to win support for her deal from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

"Unlike so many she has determinedly respected the will of the Leave majority... She must now take the next principled step - and show she is not just another craven politician determined to cling to power," it said.

- Press Association
Westpac's bottom line could take a hit of about $580 million in the first half, analysts predict, after the lender announced a new wave of compensation payments and flagged further such payouts in its financial advice arm.

The country's second-largest bank on Monday said it would take a $260 million provision for refunding customers in its financial advice, consumer and business banking arms, when it hands down its half-year results in May.

About half the costs relate to Westpac's financial advice business. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Other banks' profits are also tipped to be bogged down by remediation costs, after the royal commission pushed banks to review and fix up any past problems with how customer were treated.

About half the costs disclosed by Westpac related to its financial advice business, which the bank last week said it would sell, and the remainder was for issues in its consumer and business banking divisions.
The specter of Boeing's chief rival was constant. Airbus had been delivering more jets than Boeing for several years. And losing the American account would have been gutting, costing the manufacturer billions in lost sales and potentially thousands of jobs. "They weren't going to stand by and let Airbus steal market share," said Mike Renzelmann, an engineer who retired in 2016 from Boeing's flight control team on the 737 Max. Airbus had long been dismissed as a genuine rival by Boeing. Credit:Bloomberg Dismissing a rival Boeing didn't seem bothered at first by the A320neo, the fuel-efficient plane that Airbus announced in 2010.

At a meeting in January 2011, James F. Albaugh, the chief executive of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, told employees that Airbus would probably go over budget creating a plane that carriers didn't really want, according to a recording of the meeting reviewed by The Times. Albaugh boasted that carriers were already paying more for Boeing's single-aisle jet than the Airbus version. He didn't see the need to strike now  Boeing could wait until the end of the decade to produce a new plane from scratch, the executive said. Loading "I don't think we need to get too spun up over the fact that they're making some sales," he said. For decades, Airbus was barely on Boeing's radar. A consortium started in 1970 by several European countries, it was slow to compete globally. Boeing, founded in 1916, dominated the passenger-jet market with its 737 midsize jet and the 747 jumbo jet.

Then came John Leahy, an American who rose through the ranks to become the chief Airbus salesman in 1994. Leahy was relentless. Once, the chief executive of an airline got sick just as a deal was about to close. Leahy travelled to the man's house, and the executive signed the papers while wearing his bathrobe. "Boeing thought we were a flash in the pan," Leahy said. "But I thought there was no reason we couldn't have 50 per cent of the market." Leahy scored a major coup in 1999 when JetBlue decided to launch with a fleet composed entirely of Airbus A320s. In the years that followed, more low-cost carriers around the world, like easyJet, placed big orders, too. Airbus had pulled ahead of Boeing by 2005. "Boeing has struggled with the development work needed to take the company into the 21st century," Tim Clark, president of Emirates, the Dubai airline, said that year. Airbus, he said, "has been braver, more brazen."

In 2008, Airbus delivered 483 airplanes, while Boeing delivered just 375. Three years later at the Paris Air Show, Airbus took orders for 730 aircraft, worth some $US72.2 billion ($102 billion), with its new fuel-efficient version dominating. "Boeing was just completely arrogant in dismissing the viability of the A320," said Scott Hamilton, managing director of the Leeham Co., an aviation consulting firm. Loading As American considered placing its largest-ever aircraft order exclusively with Airbus in the spring of 2011, executives at the carrier initially didn't believe Boeing thought that the threat was real, according to a person involved with the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Airbus had a team camped out in a suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, near American's headquarters. Leahy traveled to Dallas and dined with the American chief, Arpey, at the Mansion on Turtle Creek, a five-star hotel. Boeing visited less frequently, according to several people involved in the sales process.

With American pondering which planes to buy, Boeing made a business decision. A former senior Boeing official said the company opted to build the Max because it would be far quicker, easier and cheaper than starting from scratch, and would provide almost as much fuel savings for airlines. Eventually, American decided to make deals with both Boeing and Airbus, buying hundreds of jets from each. Arpey called McNerney again, this time reading from a script to carefully calibrate his words. First, he congratulated the Boeing chief on the deal, according to the person with knowledge of the discussions. Then he broke the news that American would also place an order with Airbus. 'Pressure cooker' Inside Boeing, the race was on. Roughly six months after the project's launch, engineers were already documenting the differences between the Max and its predecessor, meaning they already had preliminary designs for the Max  a fast turnaround, according to an engineer who worked on the project. "The timeline was extremely compressed," the engineer said. "It was go, go, go."

One former designer on the team working on flight controls for the Max said the group had at times produced 16 technical drawings a week, double the normal rate. "They basically said, 'We need something now,'" the designer said. A technician who assembles wiring on the Max said that in the first months of development, rushed designers were delivering sloppy blueprints to him. He was told that the instructions for the wiring would be cleaned up later in the process, he said. With long-time customer American Airlines on the verge of signing a deal with Airbus, Boeing acted fast. Credit:AP His internal assembly designs for the Max, he said, still include omissions today, such as not specifying which tools to use to install a certain wire, a situation that could lead to a faulty connection. Normally such blueprints include intricate instructions. Despite the intense atmosphere, current and former employees said, they felt during the project that Boeing's internal quality checks ensured the aircraft was safe.

In a statement, Boeing said: "The Max program launched in 2011. It was offered to customers in September 2012. Firm configuration of the airplane was achieved in July 2013. The first completed 737 Max 8 rolled out of the Renton factory in November 2015." The company added, "A multiyear process could hardly be considered rushed." At the heart of Boeing's push was a focus on creating a plane that was essentially the same as earlier 737 models, important for getting the jet certified quickly. It would also help limit the training that pilots would need, cutting down costs for airlines. Rick Ludtke, an engineer who helped design the 737 Max cockpit and spent 19 years at Boeing, said the company had set a ground rule for engineers: Limit changes to hopefully avert a requirement that pilots spend time training in a flight simulator before flying the Max. "Any designs we created could not drive any new training that required a simulator," Ludtke said.

"That was a first." When upgrading the cockpit with a digital display, he said, his team wanted to redesign the layout of information to give pilots more data that were easier to read. But that might have required new pilot training. Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg. Credit:Bloomberg So instead, they simply re-created the decades-old gauges on the screen. "We just went from an analog presentation to a digital presentation," Ludtke said. "There was so much opportunity to make big jumps, but the training differences held us back." "This program was a much more intense pressure cooker than I've ever been in," he added.

"The company was trying to avoid costs and trying to contain the level of change. They wanted the minimum change to simplify the training differences, minimum change to reduce costs, and to get it done quickly." Boeing said in a statement that the 2011 decision to build the Max had beaten out other options, including developing a new airplane. "The decision had to offer the best value to customers, including operating economics as well as timing, which was clearly a strong factor," the company said. "Safety is our highest priority as we design, build and support our airplanes." A cascade of changes Months before Boeing's announcement of the Max, the commercial airplanes executive, Albaugh, critiqued the decision by Airbus to refit the A320 with bigger engines, which could alter the aerodynamics and require big changes to the plane.

"It's going to be a design change that will ripple through the airplane," Albaugh said in the meeting with employees. "I think they'll find it more challenging than they think it will be," he told them. "When they get done, they'll have an airplane that might be as good as the Next Generation 737," a plane that Boeing had launched in 1997. Loading But a main selling point of the new A320 was its fuel-efficient engines. To match Airbus, Boeing needed to mount the Max with its own larger and powerful new engines. Just as Albaugh had predicted for Airbus, the decision created a cascade of changes. The bigger engines altered the aerodynamics of the plane, making it more likely to pitch up in some circumstances.

To offset that possibility, Boeing added the new software in the Max, known as MCAS, which would automatically push the nose down if it sensed the plane pointing up at a dangerous angle. The goal was to avoid a stall. Because the system was supposed to work in the background, Boeing believed it didn't need to brief pilots on it, and regulators agreed. Pilots weren't required to train in simulators. The push for automation was a philosophical shift for Boeing, which for decades wanted to keep pilots in control of the planes as much as possible. Airbus, by comparison, tended to embrace technology, putting computers in control. Pilots who preferred the American manufacturer even had a saying: "If it's not Boeing, I'm not going." The 737 MAXes are produced in Renton, Washington. Credit:Bloomberg The new software system is now a focus of investigators who are trying to determine what went wrong in the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air tragedy in Indonesia. A leading theory in the Lion Air crash is that the system was receiving bad data from a faulty sensor, triggering an unrecoverable nose dive. All 737 Max jets around the world are grounded, and Boeing has given no estimate of when they might return to flight. In Renton, Washington, where the 737 Max is produced in a 1.1-million-square-foot plant, the mere possibility that Boeing engineering contributed to the crashes has cast a pall over the factory. After the Lion Air crash, Boeing offered trauma counselling to engineers who had worked on the plane.

"People in my group are devastated by this," said Renzelmann, the former Boeing technical engineer. "It's a heavy burden." In a statement, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said he had spent time in Renton recently and "saw firsthand the pride our people feel in their work and the pain we're all experiencing in light of these tragedies." Boeing is working on an update to MCAS software. The company was meeting with carriers over the weekend to discuss the update, which is expected to roll out by April. It also intends to make a previously optional safety indicator in its cockpit standard in new Max jets. The business is increasingly under pressure as airlines reconsider their orders and ask for compensation. But work in Renton is continuing apace. Boeing now makes a record 52 Maxes a month, and aims to reach 57 by April. As fuselages and plane skeletons continued to chug into the factory by train this past week, crews worked around the clock to make thousands more.
PATIENTS with heart problems who require cardiology services will now have easy access to it through a visiting consultant programme at the TCI hospital.





The announcement was made on Friday, March 8, at the Cheshire Hall, Providenciales, medical facility.





The new development will provide in-country access to cardiology medical care that was previously only available under the Treatment Abroad Programme (TAP).





Under the Visiting Consultant Programme, medical expertise from all over the world in various specialties will visit the island on a periodic basis to deliver services in outpatient clinics and carry out procedures which are not permanently available in-country.





Visiting consultant cardiologist, Himanshu Shukla MD will deliver adult cardiology non-invasive programmes, specifically, echocardiography rhythm monitoring and consultations at a tertiary care level.





Statistics from the hospital show that cardiology and ophthalmology, which deals with eyes and vision, are the two most frequently required medical services under the Treatment Abroad

Programme.





As such, the introduction of in-country cardiology care is expected to reduce the Governments

expenditure and the need for patients to travel abroad.





Those who require cardiology services will be identified by the hospitals internal medicine physician to ensure the referral is clinically necessary.





The service will be delivered on a quarterly basis with clinics ranging from seven to 10 days, based on patient volume.





New technology

The hospital announced an innovative technology under the programme as an alternative to the traditional Holter monitor that measures and records a patients heart activity.





A stick-on Zio patch empowers patients to maintain a clean, uninterrupted signal with minimal effort or disruption to their lifestyle.





The miniature device also gives the assurance of reliable data with a clear and comprehensive look into a patients heart rhythm over longer periods for more appropriate diagnosis.





There are also no wires to manage, batteries to charge or leads to reconnect.





Cindy Durham, a cardiology patient and nurse at the hospital was used to demonstrate the technology during the press briefing.





The first visiting consultant cardiology clinic was held last week with overwhelming positive feedback from patients.





Dr Shukla, who conducted the clinic stated that the technology is also more customised to the patient population, suitable for local climatic conditions, cost effective and has minimal hardware.





A portal ultrasound has also been used during the consultant visits, which is another expansion of the hospitals current capacity.





Dr Shukla stated that building a cardiology programme is advantageous to the territory.





He said based on population demographics and steady growth, anyone could experience a cardiology issue at some point.





"It is an unfortunate, but a realistic statistic. An increase in diabetes and renal health-related conditions across the community can precipitate heart related issues for persons.





"Therefore, appropriate screening, management and counselling for patients early in the process is invaluable, he said.





He also believes that the transition and growth of the programme will be successful in the long term since the infrastructure and platform have already been provided.





Also in attendance was chief executive officer of InterHealth Canada at TCI Hospital, Daniel Carriere.





Carriere said: "It is great that we can bring this type of talent to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Dr Shuklas credentials, experience and qualifications are impeccable and we are very fortunate to have a person of this calibre providing services.





He said this is another example of bringing services close to home, which is always great for patients and their families.





"We are always open and willing to work with Ministry of Health - TCI Government in exploring avenues that will ease the burden on government budgets.





"We recognise that healthcare is expensive by nature, and anything that the organisation can do to lessen the cost and continue to improve services for our patients is something we are interested in doing.





Treatment abroad

Interim chief executive officer of the National Health Insurance Board, Dr Terese Maitland, said that to date most patients who require cardiology tests and procedures, ranging from non-urgent to life-threatening emergencies, are treated outside of the TCI under the auspices of the Treatment Abroad Programme.





This programme is managed by the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP).





Statistics show that cardiology-related referrals rank second in the total number, account for about 12 percent of treatment abroad referrals and a substantially larger percentage in terms of cost, Dr Maitland revealed.





"NHIP is excited about this endeavour, which is anticipated to be more accessible to a broader cross-section of our valuable clients and beneficiaries, facilitate prevention and early detection whilst simultaneously being cost effective and allowing us to stretch our health care dollars, he added.





Chief of medical services, Dr Denise Braithwaite-Tennant also welcomed the new service.





"Cardiovascular disease is prevalent in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is very important for us to support primary healthcare in preventive measures to reduce the impact on secondary and tertiary care interventions.





She stated that Dr Shukla has also graciously funded 10 Zio patches for local patients to kick start the programme.





"We are very appreciative of healthcare providers who view their expertise as a means of delivering a philanthropic service, as opposed to strictly focusing on the bottom line.





"The introduction of paediatric patients to the cardiology programme requires the creation of a business case, which is currently under creation. Our next iteration is to include paediatric patients.





Dr Braithwaite-Tennant stated that while Dr Shuklas first clinic visit was held in Providenciales due to patient numbers, this does not eliminate the prospects for future visits to Grand Turk.





Minister of Health Edwin Astwood also brought brief remarks on the new services.





"The introduction of the programme is very commendable as we are moving in the right direction.





"We are extremely happy to see this state-of-the-art technology being introduced in the Turks and Caicos Islands...




AGL's dominance of the electricity sector after it bought up two former NSW government coal-fired power plants allowed it to lift market-wide wholesale prices to the tune of $3 billion a year when another rival producer closed.

The 2014 privatisation of the Liddell and Bayswater plants in the Hunter Valley means AGL generates 29 per cent of the electricity in the National Electricity Market. That oversized share allowed it to push up prices by holding back supply once Victoria's Hazelwood plant shut in March 2017, a report by the Victoria Energy Policy Centre has found.

AGL's Liddell power station (foreground) with the cooling towers of the firm's sister plant, Bayswater - both bought from the NSW government in 2014. Credit:Peter Morris

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor seized on the report on Monday, saying it revealed "price gouging of a massive scale" and added weight to demands by the Morrison government for Labor to back its "big stick" legislation aimed at curtailing the pricing power of big energy companies.

The report by Bruce Mountain and Steven Percy found residential consumers have had to pay $200 more a year on average in the wake of Hazelwood's closure. It said the "main factor" was "AGL's exercise of market power at its Bayswater and Liddell power stations".
A company inspired by Melbourne's coffee scene has become Australia's newest tech unicorn, with real-time payments platform firm Airwallex, founded by university students, hitting the $1 billion valuation mark.

The inspiration for the fintech platform, which co-founders Jack Zhang and Max Li started out of a Melbourne specialty coffee shop, came in 2015 when Zhang and Li struggled to buy coffee cups and labels for their cafe Tukk & Co in Melbourne's Docklands.

Jack Zhang is the co-founder and chief executive of Airwallex which is Australia's newest tech unicorn. Credit:Paul Jeffers

"We were importing a lot of stuff from Hong Kong and China and other places because we wanted to do it really well and cost-effectively," Zhang says.

"When we were making a payment using the traditional methods of either a bank or Western Union, the cost could be through the roof, we are talking a couple of per cent and using multiple intermediaries."
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was the most loved book of 2019.

In an era of Trump and terror, climate change and catastrophe, readers more than ever are seeking refuge between the covers of life-affirming novels, according to the Dymocks list of our 101 favourite books for 2019.

This trend towards uplifting literature  dubbed UpLit by the book industry  is one of the major themes in the list, published today.

Dymocks' Kate Mayor defined UpLit as "a story with a protagonist that has to go through a level of darkness to reach an ultimately redeeming end".

Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine  the ultimate UpLit novel, according to Ms Mayor  has been voted most-loved book of the year in a poll involving 11,500 Australians.
The gamble paid off ushering in something of a career renaissance for McElhinney with small-screen roles as Nene King in Paper Giants: Magazine Wars, Gina Rinehart in House of Hancock, the no-nonsense Matron Frances Bolton in Love Child and most recently as part of suburban drama Bad Mothers. She also notched up a string of Logie nominations.

While McElhinney had been a familiar face on the theatre scene with credits at Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company, it was the insurance ads that made her famous to the public at large. Initially, however, McElhinney had reservations that signing on as Rhonda in a big-budget commercial could put a damper on future acting opportunities. "The thing that I most feared would happen, didn't happen," says McElhinney. "I was worried I wouldn't be able to work as an actor, but I made a financial decision to do it, I guess."

Despite the advertisements ending in 2014, McElhinney still gets pulled up "at least once a week" by fans querying where Ketut is. "It's not that great when I'm walking with my husband," says the actor, laughing.

Mandy McElhinney's husband has become accustomed to playing second fiddle to her fictional love interest Ketut. As the endearing Rhonda in the virally successful series of AAMI commercials, the nation became hooked on her romance with the Balinese waiter.

McElhinney thinks the advertisement worked as a springboard for her, rather than leading to the curse of typecasting, because she'd already earned her stripes. "Enough people working in the industry knew I could act, they knew I wasn't just the Rhonda person. I'd already made those connections, but maybe the networks saw that I was more commercially viable. It worked out really well, so I don't at all regret it."

Her latest role is a plum one, starring in the upcoming Australian premiere of Mosquitoes, the ambitious and intelligent play from celebrated British writer Lucy Kirkwood. Set in 2008, it's about two sisters  Alice, played by Jacqueline McKenzie, a scientist searching for the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider, while McElhinney plays her polar opposite Jenny, who is more likely to place her faith in horoscopes or online conspiracy theories than peer-reviewed research. The pair are brought together after a tragedy. "The family drama is couched within this world of exploring grander themes of the universe and astrophysics," says McElhinney.

While Mosquitoes might delve into particle physics, McElhinney says non-science buffs won't need a bridging course to understand the show. "As soon as you start talking science, I can feel people switching off. But it's exciting science, it's sexy science. It's about how are we all here, what are we all here for, the connections between science and the search for God. It's those big questions."

McKenzie was a late addition to the play, after Anita Hegh withdrew from the production. "Jacqui was actually in America at the time and she dropped everything to come, which we're so grateful for," says McElhinney, who shared the stage with McKenzie in 2011 for In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play.

"Romper Stomper I probably first watched her in and was absolutely in awe. She's one of our national treasures, so it's an absolute joy to be in a room with her. She's a very smart, dedicated, generous and amazing actor." She pauses briefly before cheekily adding one more reason she's delighted McKenzie will be her onstage sister. "And we're both redheads!"
Light rail will be given traffic priority Credit:Jamila Toderas

Those mornings are getting a little on the brisk side, aren't they? But it's not quite time to dust off the old puffer jacket - we should be in for a very pleasant, sunny day with an expected top of 22 degrees.

Light rail vehicles will be given priority between Gungahlin and the city, a move likely to make crossing Northbourne Avenue at peak hour more difficult still.

But Professor of Transport at the University of Sydney David Levinson said people on foot and bike should get longer to cross, giving cars shorter times on a green light.

He says crossing lights in the ACT are timed against pedestrians.

Jasper Lindell and Steve Evans have the story here.

Ready for takeoff: Canberra drone base gets the green light
Back in the day, I remember food offerings at the Australian National University meaning a chiko roll at the union in between lectures, a stop at Dollys on the way home from the city late at night and a Sunday roast of indiscriminate meat in the Bruce Hall dining room.

Sure, its been 30 odd years since I was an undergraduate student, but on a recent visit to campus I was amazed to find out just how much has changed.

Culinary consultant Damian Brabender and general manager Suranga Abeygunasekara in the new Union Bar. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

Lets start at the ANU Union, on Rimmer Street, close to Barry Drive. The multi-million dollar redevelopment of Union Court will open its doors on March 28. The iconic Union Bar is now a stylish venue, with steel, brick and timber features, two light-filled courtyards, and a food courtish area where several food vendors will sell everything from fried chicken to bao, baked treats and sandwiches and even healthy breakfast options.

But it wont be standard fare as Damian Brabender, 2017s Australian Hospitality Association Chef of the Year, executive chef of the award-winning Otis Dining Hall, a man who's fed the Royal family in London, has come on board as the culinary consultant for the Union.
For a long time scientists thought they knew what these 558-million year old sea creatures looked like, but new research has painted a different picture.

Australian National University Research School of Earth Sciences researcher Ilya Bobrovskiy said he and his colleagues discovered what was once thought to be the entire Dickinsonia fossil, was more likely their "skeleton" - an impression of their more resilient tissue.

Australian National University Research School of Earth Sciences researcher Ilya Bobrovskiy. Credit:Jamila Toderas

"It helps us know what they didn't look like and it will change the way we look at them," Mr Bobrovskiy said.

Dickinsonia is a genus of the Ediacara biota, strange sea creatures which lived on the seafloor 541 to 571 million years ago.
A Canberra jury in an alleged sexual assault trial has been discharged after a juror disobeyed the judge's directions and Googled what happens when a jury is split 11 to 1.

The court also heard it was possible a juror had Googled strangulation, a key issue in the case.

The man on trial has been charged with committing an act of indecency and an act of indecency in the third degree, as well as three counts of suffocation, choking and a threat to kill.

He had pleaded not guilty.

The trial was due to enter its fourth day in the ACT Supreme Court on Monday with final addresses from the prosecution and defence and the judges summing up.
THE GOVERNMENT has approved some $685,806 to be taken from the contingency fund to continue the work of the Royal TCI Police Force, Her Majestys Prison and repatriation efforts.





This was revealed during a meeting of the Appropriations Committee on Monday (March 18).





The approved money is in addition to what was already budgeted for these agencies for the 2018-2019 financial year, and as such they form part of the supplementary budget.





Presenting the first supplementary estimates for the fiscal year, was Doug Parnell, chairman of the Appropriations Committee.





Parnell stated that the estimates before the committee began with contingency warrant number one.





This was additional funding for repatriation cost at $500,000 for the Deputy Premiers Office and Ministry of Border Control and Employment Services.





Contingency warrant number two is for additional funding for prison rations and discharge allowance and the Ministry of Home Affairs, while contingency warrant number three was for additional funding for repairs to the police building.





The Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill elected member also noted that the Contingency Fund is now set at $3,514,194 out of a budget of $4.2 million.





Parnell disclosed that $500,000 of the money taken from the fund will go to the Border Control Department to continue their repatriation of illegal migrants programme.





"We learned that the Immigration Department, and by extension the Ministry of Border Control and Employment was challenged and encountered daily with illegal migrants activities, whether

it was through vessels, over stayers and persons engaged without the proper work permit.





"These were ongoing critical concerns. We learned that this has widespread implications as it is generally associated with human trafficking and smuggling, the illegal arms and illicit trade with adverse social and economic impact, the member said.





He also revealed that four more sloops arrived in 2018 than in 2017, 615 more illegal migrants were apprehended in 2018 than in the previous year.





Parnell also disclosed that the cost to house detainees until they are repatriated is costing the territory $1,221 every three days that persons are detained.





He said these figures reflect a 292 percent increase in costs for 2018 over 2017.





Meanwhile, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force was allocated $65,806 to repair the roof of the Samuel Williams building in Providenciales which suffered severe damage during hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.





Her Majestys Prison will receive $120,000, $114,000 of which will be used to purchase food for the prison and the remaining $6,000 for discharge allowances paid to inmates upon completion of their sentences.




Transport Canberra has revealed exactly how light rail vehicles will be given priority between Gungahlin and the city, a move likely to make crossing Northbourne Avenue at peak hour more difficult.

The light rail control system, which collects GPS location data from light rail vehicles, sends requests to the traffic light system to either hold the green light to allow the light rail vehicle to pass or switch to a green light out of phase.

Light rail will be given traffic priority Credit:Jamila Toderas

After the light rail vehicle has passed, the traffic light system returns to normal operation.

Drivers' exasperation, though, comes as one of the country's top experts on traffic systems says crossing lights in the ACT are timed against pedestrians.
The ACT Planning and Land Authority has approved Wing's plans for a household delivery drone hangar in Mitchell, marking another milestone in the tech company's bid to launch its world-first operation in Canberra's north.

Artist impression of drone delivery company Wing\'s proposed Mitchell headquarters

Wing has been given the green light to redevelop an existing warehouse on Vicars Street as a base for its fleet of delivery drones, which it hopes to launch into Gungahlin, Harrison, Franklin, Palmerston and Crace by the middle of the year.

The $1.1 million refurbishment will include an alteration of the warehouse's facade, reduction in the size of an existing store room, construction of a new pump and installation of "additional site services".

The base would include food preparation areas for businesses delivering their products as part the service, and be staffed by about 24 employees.
The Herald reports that Australian universities are holding off on registering Confucius Institutes under the new foreign influence transparency scheme. The scheme is designed to list for public scrutiny the lawful activities of bodies trying to exercise influence in Australia on behalf of foreign governments.

Universities have complied by registering American studies centres that receive funding from Washington on the grounds that they engage in political discussion. If Confucius Institutes have not been registered, despite being substantially funded from Beijing, it may be because they are thought to confine their activities to "culture and language". No politics.

There are Confucius Institutes at 13 Australian universities but none are registering under the new foreign influence transparency scheme. Credit:Bryan O'Brien

In fact, there is no boundary between politics and what passes for culture in contemporary China. The Cultural Revolution, a violent political movement that ripped China apart in the late sixties, was not called a "cultural" revolution for nothing.

A bitter struggle over power and policy was waged in the cultural realm on the understanding that parties wanting to influence or command a government must first control what is said about them through a countrys education, media and cultural institutions. Politics as we know it, involving opposition, debate and negotiation, gave way to the politics of controlling universities, media, and culture.
Ruth Dobson on May 14, 1974, shortly before she left Australia take up her post as Ambassador to Denmark Credit:Staff photographer Miss Dobson has served in Geneva, Wellington and Manila, and three times as a member of Australian delegations to the United Nations General Assembly. For 18 months - "one of the most interesting periods of my life" - she was seconded to the household of the Governor-General of Australia, then Lord Casey. She speaks French and some Spanish and German and has become reasonably fluent in Greek during her three years as counsellor of the embassy in Athens. Miss Dobson is today only one of 35 women diplomats in the Australian foreign service, of whom 20 are currently serving overseas.

Terms Why so few? Because, while the diplomatic service can offer "a most rewarding and interesting and fascinating life" for a woman, she must also accept the written and unwritten terms that go with the job. When you are continuously being posted abroad, you cannot settle down with a husband and children. Ruth Dobson, Australian diplomat Like abandoning the idea of combining diplomacy with marriage and children and home.

And getting used to the idea that in the diplomatic service, a woman has generally to be better than equal. There may be equality of opportunity, she said, but it goes with inequality of the dedication required. "If you, as a woman, are adopting a profession such as medicine or law, you can combine it with marriage and home life. "The nature of diplomacy precludes that. When you are continuously being posted abroad, you cannot settle down with a husband and children." What Miss Dobson calls the inescapable marriage barrier is based on the simple fact that most men work.

Even if a woman diplomat's husband had a job he could do abroad, the chances are that the labour laws of the country to which she was posted would prevent him from doing so. And if a woman diplomat's husband was a diplomat too, it would be unlikely that they could be posted to the same mission at the same time. "That's why so few women last in this profession. To stay, one one must accept this limitation as part of the deal," Miss Dobson said. This, in turn, was one explanation of why a woman diplomat had to be better than equal. A man had his wife to help him with his social duties. A woman diplomat must be her own hostess, too, combining the roles of diplomat and diplomat's wife. Advantages

Miss Dobson said she had seldom encountered actual sex discrimination. "People think of you not as a woman, but as the representative of your country, and I have never, so far as I know, not been invited to a reception because I am a woman. One is accepted as a colleague." Also, she said "the natural courtesy of man towards woman is especially marked in a profession historically courteous." There were occasional advantages, too, in being a woman in a man's world. The woman diplomat was the rarer bird - "I have found, when attending international conferences, that I have received invitations that a male colleague might not have received simply because of the shortage of women." Opportunity

Loading Miss Dobson said that "of course" she believed in equal opportunity for women. But she did not believe "aggressive demonstration" was the best way of achieving it. She was careful to point out that while she was Australia's first woman career diplomat to be appointed ambassador, she was not Australia's first woman head of mission. She wanted to pay her tribute to Dame Annabelle Rankin, the High Commissioner in New Zealand. How did she feel about her new post? "Very happy, of course, and I hope I shall be able to fulfil my responsibilities adequately."
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) risks collapse and more providers will be forced to stop offering services as the sector faces market failure, Australias peak disability services body has warned.

The National Disability Services (NDS) raised serious concerns on Tuesday over endemic flaws that could jeopardise the scheme, leaving half a million Australians without crucial disability services.

An image from the National Disability Services' media campaign launched on Tuesday. Credit:NDS

The NDS has been a staunch supporter of the NDIS from its inception. But a week before the federal budget, the group representing roughly 1000 non-government providers launched a media campaign urging the government to fix the schemes broken pricing model and cut its untenable red tape to head-off market failure.

We need to nip these issues in the bud before providers collapse and the people who rely on the scheme are left without the care they need," NDS acting CEO David Moody said.
"If you do not stop your staff from oppressing me, then I will personally execute you in public," Hraichie wrote.

The threat was detailed in a May 2016 letter addressed to the prison boss and handed to Goulburn Supermax prison staff.

Bourhan Hraichie also threatened to kill NSW Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin in public by cutting off his head.

A teenage prison inmate who carved an Islamic State slogan into the forehead of a fellow prisoner while in a NSW jail later threatened to turn the state's prisons "into slaughter houses" after claiming to have turned his victim "into an Islamic State sketch pad".

"If I have to take out every one of your employees at head office just to honour my word then with Allah as my witness I will."

The now 21-year-old Sydney man faced a sentencing hearing before the NSW Supreme Court on Monday over a series of offences, including discussing plans in October 2015 to shoot police on the steps of Bankstown police station on or about Anzac Day 2016 and to film the attack.

He has pleaded guilty to four charges, including doing an act in preparation for a terrorist act, causing grievous bodily harm and wounding with intent to murder.

While Hraichie was in jail for stealing and break-and-enter offences in April 2016, prison staff confiscated a handwritten document titled "The Book of Jihad" and other written material supporting the planned terror attack, which he later called off because his associates planned to travel to fight in the Middle East instead.

Justice Peter Johnson suppressed the release of the jihadist material, and the recording and transcript of Hraichie's September 2016 interview with the Australian Federal Police, which are now court exhibits, over fears they could be used to inspire not only attacks by Islamic extremists but also members of the far right following the Christchurch massacre.
A French backpacker who had booked into a Bondi Beach hostel with a shared bathroom had just stepped out of the shower when she noticed what appeared to be a hidden camera in a deodorant stick.

The 27-year-old tourist found the device in a toiletry bag on the sink around 10pm on Monday night, and took photos of it before calling police.

Police arrested the man who was sharing the space with her, a tourist from Hong Kong, in the Lamrock Avenue hostel.

The 36-year-old man will face court after police allege the remnants of a smashed camera were found when he was searched.

Upon searching hard drives and other storage devices in the man's possession, police allegedly found more discreetly filmed videos of women in private acts.
We dont envy NSW Labor general secretary Kaila Murnain who now has to preside over a difficult leadership contest while a federal election rolls on in the background.

It's not like the party is spoilt for choice.

Labor leader Bill Shorten was enraged by Michael Daleys Asians with PhDs remarks and told him so on Sunday. Yesterday, while the two men were not directly in touch, it was made clear there was no way Daley could remain leader during the federal election campaign.

Labor MPs Chris Minns and Jodi McKay preparing to take the big jump to become NSW Labor leaders. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit:

What does that say about any desire for him to return?
Airline advertisements accused of making light of sexual exploitation in Thailand have been removed from all Brisbane City Council buses.

A recent AirAsia advertising campaign ran a slogan saying "Get off in Thailand" in large type above the words "Fly direct from Brisbane to Bangkok".

The council bus was spotted carrying the "inappropriate" advertisement across Brisbane. Credit:Collective Shout

National regulator Ad Standards said while it had not received any complaints about the advertisement on the bus, it had received one complaint about the same advertisement on a billboard.

The same ad is still on a billboard at Brisbane Airport, however the airport tweeted on Monday afternoon that it was being removed as a priority.
The brutal conflict led to the deaths of millions. Mr Lukongas parents escaped with their five children to Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania, one of the largest camps on Earth, which houses an estimated 150,000 people. Refugees at the Nyarugusu camp in western Tanzania. Credit:Reuters The fashion designer's mother gave birth to him and four more children in the camp. They lived there for 15 years before immigrating to Australia in 2011. For me, I consider myself lucky because I was not born in Congo, so I missed the whole war. My parents had no choice but to leave the place, there were massacres happening, he said.

Some of the stories I hear from my family, the things they saw  it is really scary stuff. In the Congo, Mr Lukonga's older brother had seen soldiers walking down the street carrying amputated body parts, hooked onto spears, over their shoulders. You would be playing with your friend and then a few days later they would be gone. He has witnessed all of those kind of things, bodies on the ground  I may have had hard times in the refugee camp but I consider myself lucky I never had to see that, Mr Lukonga said. He was spared the atrocities of civil war but life in the camp was far from easy.

The first  and only  meal of the day was served at 8pm. Salomon Lukonga with his sibilings at the Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania. We would go to school with no food then go home and there was hardly anything there. School started at 1pm so you already spent seven hours hungry, he said. Being hungry is not something you get used to just because you have felt it for years. Every single day is the same, every day it hits you. There was not enough medication for everyone, so you would see kids your age die from preventable diseases. You would be playing with your friend and then a few days later they would be gone.

Those memories pushed Mr Lukonga to start his label, to use his new-found privilege to help his people back home. I just want to use my past experiences to create something beautiful. It was really tough growing up in the refugee camp but it is a blessing being in a place like this and now I am in Australia I can do something to help. His first collection launched in November 2018, with 30 per cent of all profits going directly to AusCongo Network, a not-for-profit organisation committed to reducing poverty in the Congo. The Congolese people, my people, they love their fashion and they love to look good, so I have always liked fashion.
By Delana Isles

CANADIAN national and local attorney Peter Karam is currently being questioned about his alleged role in a money laundering scheme from Argentina to the Turks and Caicos Islands.





Earlier this week, reports surfaced online from media outlets in Argentina that Judge Claudio Bonadio had ordered the arrest of three lawyers, an accountant and an investor from Miami and the TCI.





The case involves the sale of 16 US properties owned by the late Daniel Munoz, his wife Carolina Pochetti and his presumptive partners, and their re-investment in the Turks and Caicos Islands.





Munoz is the former private secretary of Nestor Kirchner (an Argentine politician who served as President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007).





Shortly after the news broke, the Weekly News learnt that Karam was being questioned by investigators.





The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force or the Financial Services Commission have since not said anything on the case.





On Thursday (March 21), Karams law firm Karam, Missick and Traube issued a press statement confirming reports that he was being questioned in connection with the Argentine case.





The firm said Karam strongly denied "any wrongdoing whatsoever in relation to the allegations brought forward in the investigation.





"Karam is cooperating fully with authorities to provide the necessary investigative assistance, and this underscores his commitment to ensure that the truth and accuracy of the allegations is cast into the light.





Karam was directly quoted as saying: "High standards and a commitment to compliance and integrity is always maintained; this is my confidence as I cooperate with the investigation.





Argentina media reports

The case involves $70 million that was allegedly washed in foreign countries by Munoz and his partners.





Reports are that a significant portion of that money was laundered in the Turks and Caicos Islands.





According to Argentine media company Infobae, judicial sources revealed to them that the court is seeking information from Jorge De la Hoz, Miami accountant of Munoz, and lawyers Anthony D'Anniello and Peter Michael Karam.





DAnniello and Karam are alleged to be the ones behind the operation in Turks and Caicos Islands, and were said to be in Argentina between July 12 and 14, 2016, to have a meeting with another lawyer Miguel Angel Plo, who is the long time attorney of Munozs widow.





The arrest warrants came after the widow Pochetti revealed to authorities that part of the illegal money is invested in the TCI, the report said.





D'Anniello was listed in an Interpol notification under the "fugitive in a criminal process sign.





The Interpol notification read: "It is attributed to him having intervened fraudulently in shaping the legal, corporate and banking structure that worked at least between May 2010 and 2017, both in the Argentine Republic and transnationally, dedicated to the realisation of different maneuvers - in particular the application of funds of illicit origin to the realisation of real estate investments in order to give legal appearance to part of the illicit money obtained by the late Hector Daniel Munoz as a result of related criminal activities with the illicit association commanded by the deceased Nestor Carlos Kirchner and Cristina Elisabet Fernandez.





An arrest warrant was also issued for a fourth suspect Charles Serfaty, a Miami lawyer from the Biscayne Boulevard area, whom Pochetti described in her testimony to prosecutors as the most honest person in this entire "scrapping process.





To the list is added Isaac Esparza Hidalgo, a Mexican from Monterrey who, in exchange for covering gambling debts for the cousin of Munozs widow, is alleged to have signed some papers that made him a nominal owner of the companies that bought land in the TCI to build a hotel emporium that never came to fruition.





The money laundering payroll is completed by Sean Sullivan, an investor in charge of the hotel complex that was to carry out the work, but who allegedly would have kept the money of Munozs relatives.





The role of Miguel Angel Plo was key in the framework, media reports stated.





Argentine prosecutors learned from Pochetti and Carlos Gellert (another repentant in the case) that a significant part of the $70 million illegally obtained by Munoz was invested in the TCI, while he was the private secretary of Kirchner and the primary recipient of bribes for public work.





According to the report, both witnesses revealed that the final destination of the money is an endeavour under construction in Providenciales.





Pochetti revealed that they decided to invest in the real estate project after a meeting in which her lawyer, who is also detained for the case, participated.





Pochetti and other people involved in the cause visited many luxury resorts in Providenciales.





She then came to know the luxurious Amanyara Resort and allegedly invested part of the ill-gotten millions in Providenciales, not far from the resort.





The report added that the investment was made with two companies called Marble Hill and Wood Haven, created by order of Pochetti and Gellert.





The Argentina Financial Information Unit (which combats money laundering) intervened in the case through its contacts with sister agency the TCI Financial Services Commission.





The money that was allegedly obtained illegally by Munoz was said to be invested in several phases, the report continued.





While Kirchner was alive, investments were allegedly made in Argentina, and after the former presidents death, investments were then allegedly made in the United States.





After the Panama Papers and the death of Munoz, those investments were dismantled; among those were apartments in the Plaza Hotel in New York.





The money then allegedly moved until it reached the Turks and Caicos Islands, the report stated.





The judge in the case is currently trying to determine if Pochettis revelations to prosecutors are true.




Dr Young said the fact there had been such a cluster of measles cases in the first three months of the year meant the state had dodged a bullet up until now by having no secondary infections.

Other than contracting the disease from a known case the man could have contracted it from a previously undiagnosed person, but Dr Young said that was unlikely because measles was so virulent people almost always sought medical attention when they contracted it.

Measles is still infectious up to 30 minutes after an infected person leaves a room, so its possible this person has shared some airspace with an infected person and we havent uncovered that yet, she said.

There were just three cases of measles in Queensland at this time last year, and 14 cases total in 2018, all of which also came from people travelling to countries where measles was an endemic disease.

Early in March, there were two cases in two weeks in south-east Queensland, after one patient visited the Redlands area and another flew to Brisbane on an Emirates flight, leading to a warning for everyone on that plane as well as the Brisbane hotel where the person stayed.
Four members of a well-known, successful harness racing family have been identified as the victims of what has been described as a "one in 10,000" "freak accident" at Redcliffe Paceway on Sunday.

Lara Whitaker, 2, was in a critical but stable condition with head injuries while mother Joedy, father Gary and her one-year-old brother were also hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Whitaker family (left to right): Lara (2), Gary (39), Joedy (39) and their one-year-old son. Credit:Facebook

Police said one of the gates attached to the starting vehicle did not retract and hit spectators watching on the side of the track at the paceway, north of Brisbane, just before 7pm.

Marburg Pacing Association secretary Denis Smith said the "shock and horror" incident was broadcast live on Sky television.
The parents of two brothers pulled unconscious from a backyard pool north of Brisbane have pleaded for privacy as the children cling to life in hospital.

Emergency services were called to the near-drownings in Morayfield about 4.30pm on Monday involving the children, aged 16 months and 2 years.

On Tuesday morning, they remained in critical condition in the Queensland Children's Hospital intensive care unit in Brisbane.

"We would like to thank everyone who has helped and cared for our boys, including the police, emergency services and the hospital teams," the family said in a statement.
Dick Dale, a California-based musician and surfer whose rumbling and percussive guitar work drew inspiration from the thundering force of ocean waves, earning him the title "king of surf guitar", has died aged 81.

With his Fender Stratocaster guitar, Dale said he attempted to mimic the surging ocean sounds and the energy of the big cats he raised for more than three decades. I try to get the feeling of coming off a 10-foot wave combined with the scream of a jaguar  and it becomes a roller coaster of sound, he once told the Vancouver Sun.

Dick Dale, known as "The King of the Surf Guitar", performs at B.B. King Blues Club in New York, 2007. Credit:AP

In the early 1960s, as youngsters flocked to Newport Beach, California, to master surfing, they spent their evenings dancing to Dales band, the Del-Tones, at the Rendezvous Ballroom on the Balboa Peninsula, where his audience numbered into the thousands.

Dales 1961 song Lets Go Trippin is generally considered the first recorded surf instrumental. But Misirlou (1962), a rocked-up Eastern Mediterranean folk song, proved even more influential. The recording was revived in the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction.
GPS devices have turned a tiny rural intersection on the way to the Great Ocean Road into a high-risk crash zone.

A crash on the Australia Day long weekend left a man with spinal injuries after two cars collided at the intersection of Birregurra-Forrest and Colac-Lorne roads in rural Victoria.

Aerial shot of the intersection at Birregurra-Forrest and Colac-Lorne roads {at Deepdene Road} in Birregurra. The site of several car crashes including one where a man died. Credit: JOE ARMAO

It followed a horror spate in December 2017 that left one man dead and saw 12 people airlifted to hospital suffering serious or critical injuries.

On Monday Chinese national Yadong Pan, 28, was jailed for at least two years after admitting he careered through a stop sign at close to 100km/h and struck another car, killing Geelong driver George Hullo on Boxing Day that year.
Ministers' advisers should come under greater scrutiny and public service leaders should be re-empowered to give frank advice as the nation pursues a new reform agenda, ex-Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Terry Moran has said.

The former top public servant, who led the Prime Minister's Department between 2008 and 2011 and now chairs the Centre for Policy Development, also called for an end to the "obsession with the contracted state".

Mr Moran, in an oration honouring businessman, politician and humanitarian Jim Carlton at the University of Melbourne on Monday, said the public service would need rebuilding for a third wave of reform following the post-World War II nation-building era, and the economic and social reform agenda starting in the 1980s.

Former secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Terry Moran. Credit:James Davies

He hoped the major review of the federal bureaucracy led by businessman David Thodey would end the "obsession" with outsourcing government work and called for several sweeping reforms to the public service growing transparency and public trust.
Supporters of the Coalition government's plans to move public service jobs from Canberra have sounded a note of caution in backing the next decentralisation project.

The relocation of 76 Murray-Darling Basin Authority positions to the bush should not drain its ACT office of policy expertise and disrupt its work managing Australia's largest river system, farming and irrigation peak bodies have said.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority is moving 76 jobs into towns on the river system. Credit:Justin McManus

Industry groups have welcomed the Coalition's decision to relocate public servants from the national capital to Mildura, Murray Bridge, Griffith, and Goondiwindi, saying it would bring the agency closer to people affected by its work.

However the support of some for the plan came with a warning to consult staff and make the relocations smooth.
New public service roles have been announced in marginal seats across the country, but so far there isn't much love for Canberra.

A week after the Coalition government pledged it would move 76 jobs at the Murray Darling Basin Authority outside of Canberra, new analysis shows Labor's public service jobs promises have mostly been made in marginal electorates.

Labor has announced it will add an extra 1200 jobs in the Department of Human Services if its wins the election, with the largest section of jobs to be in Townsville in the ultra-marginal seat of Herbert, which Labor's Cathy O'Toole won from the Liberal National Party by just 37 votes.

Of the 760 jobs that have already been announced around the country, 540 have been pledged in marginal seats, while the others have been promised to safe Labor electorates. Almost 300 jobs have been promised in seats the party hopes to win from the government.
Scott Morrison as immigration minister proposed a multibillion-dollar program to build new mass detention facilities in Australia for asylum seekers who were living in the community on bridging visas, according to multiple informed sources.

Mr Morrison asked the Abbott government's expenditure review committee in early 2014 for $9 billion to $10 billion over the four-year budget forward estimates to finance the plan, the sources said.

Then-Immigration Minister Scott Morrison in January 2014. Credit:Andrew Meares

There were about 30,000 people in that situation in Australia at the time, and possibly subject to detention under the proposal. Not all would necessarily be detained at once, according to people familiar with the proposal.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told the Herald and The Age that Mr Morrison said he had no recollection of such a proposal.
Senior Liberals are disowning the party's hard-right vice-president Teena McQueen following her train wreck performance on the ABC's Q&A program.

It can also be revealed that the Liberal Party's most senior officials, including president Nick Greiner, had twice requested that she cease going on Sky's right-wing, after-dark programs. But she refused, saying the money she received to appear in her capacity as a party official was too much to relinquish, according to sources familiar with the conversation.

On Monday, Ms McQueen doubled down on boosting her media profile by appearing on Q&A.

During a debate about the line between free speech and hate speech in the wake of the Christchurch attack, and Senator Fraser Anning's comments attributing blame to Muslim victims, Ms McQueen said the "worst hate speech" she'd heard "recently" had been from Greens leader Richard Di Natale.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Great Wall Motor (GWM) gained total operation revenue of RMB99.23 billion in 2018 with a slight year-on-year drop of 1.92%, according to the annual report released by the automaker on March 22. Its net profit attributable to shareholders climbed 3.58% over a year ago to around RMB5.21 billion.Basic earnings per share were RMB0.57, higher than RMB0.55 for 2017. Besides, gross profit margin was decreased by 1.40 percentage points compared with the previous year to 17.5%.

According to the annual report, the group's principal products are pick-up trucks, SUVs and sedans. Moreover, it also engages in the production and sale of major automotive parts and components used in the above mentioned products. During 2018, GWM sales volume of automobile were 1,043,707 units, remaining basically the same as that of the former year. However, the sales proportion of new products with relatively higher selling prices continued to rise.

Last year, the automaker introduced more new models. With respect to the Haval brand, GWM, in the first half of the year, launched the Haval H4, which enriched the product matrix of Haval H series. In the second half of the year, the group released the Haval F5 and the Haval F7 under its brand new F series. Regarding the WEY brand, the group rolled out the first plug-in hybrid vehicle P8 and the VV6, further increasing the sales volume of the WEY brand.

Additionally, the automaker announced the debut of the new energy vehicle (NEV) brand ORA. Two all-electric car models, the "iQ" and the "R1" were launched under this NEV brand. By the end of 2018, the group completed the overall planning of its four major brands, namely, "Haval", "WEY", "Great Wall Pickup" and "ORA".

GWM also obtained some achievements by working with domestic and overseas information technology giants. In March 18, the 5G-supported self-driving technology jointly developed by GWM, China Mobile and Huawei passed the test conducted in the automaker's Xushui proving ground. The response made by the vehicle was within milliseconds. In addition, the auto company carried out strategic cooperation with Baidu on four major aspects, namely, vehicle intelligent network, self-driving, ride-sharing and big data. In November, the group's National Intelligent Connected Vehicles and Smart Mobility (Beijing-Hebei) Demonstration Zone was initiated. The automaker said the zone's closed proving ground is China's first high-speed circuit that can test LTE-V2X connectivity and communication. It is also the first closed proving ground with simulated urban road layouts that deploy 5G network.
By Olivia Rose

PROGRESSIVE National Party (PNP) leader Washington Misick was barred from appearing in a scheduled interview on the Governments radio station, according to his party.





Misick, who was recently re-elected as leader of the Opposition, was slated to speak on Friday, March 15, on Radio Turks and Caicos (RTC).





The Opposition Leader was subsequently notified that the popular radio talk show Expressions had been cancelled that day because of "orders from above.





In a statement posted on the PNPs Facebook page, the party said the show was cancelled "as per instructions by the Government.





"This act is contrary to RTCs ordinance and we will pursue redress through established process, the party statement said.





The cancellation came mere days after Misick claimed that Beaches parent company Sandals Resorts International owe a whopping $164 million in taxes - not the $26 million that the Government had said.





The Weekly News reached out to Misick who declined to comment on the issue until further consultation with his counsel.





According to the TCI Broadcasting Ordinance, denying any political party or its members airtime to discuss varying political matters is in direct contravention to the law.




Niall Blair, the deputy NSW Nationals leader and Primary Industries Minister, has warned that public ill-feeling towards politicians has made it increasingly difficult for them to do their jobs.

Mr Blair, who announced late on Sunday his intention to head to the backbench after the Berejiklian government was returned to office, said personal "angst and aggression" had taken its toll on him and his family.

Niall Blair will step aside from ministerial roles in the newly-elected Coalition government. Credit:James Brickwood

The 41 year-old upper house MP had overseen some of the most contentious issues, such as water theft and fish kills on the Darling River, native vegetation changes and the drought.

There have been people that have stepped over the line," Mr Blair told the Herald. "If every decision gets made from Sydney because people cant turn up [out of safety issues] thats a pretty sad indictment on where were heading.
After NSW Labor leader Michael Daleys woeful performance during the state election and his decision to stand aside so he can recontest the leadership ballot, attention has turned to the other possible contenders. The two frontrunners are MPs Jodi McKay and Chris Minns.

Jodi McKay

A leading Labor light: Jodi McKay. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Ms McKay has twice the parliamentary experience of her Labor colleague Mr Minns. She worked as a journalist before winning the seat of Newcastle in 2007 and entering parliament at the age of 37.

She sat on a handful of committees before she became the minister of small business, tourism and science during the last four tumultuous years of the Labor government.
Bangkok: Cambodia faces a serious blow to its economy as the European Union investigates the government's deteriorating human rights record and considers revoking a special trading deal with the country.

For 17 years, Cambodia has benefited from preferential access to the European Union, a major trading partner, under a program called Everything but Arms, which allows what the bloc calls "vulnerable developing countries" to pay fewer or no duties on all their exports to the bloc, except weapons and ammunition. The trading deal has contributed to a period of rapid economic growth in Cambodia.

But the program stipulates that countries meet international norms of human rights and democracy. Instead, Cambodia has engaged in one of its harshest waves of repression in recent years, actions that have prompted the European Union to consider ejecting the country from the program.

Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen delivers a speech in Kampong Speu province, south of Phnom Penh, at a ceremony to mark construction of the country's first expressway. Credit:AP

The bloc has said that the Cambodian government has engaged in "serious and systematic violations of core human rights and labour rights", and in February it set in motion an 18-month process that could lead to the suspension of Cambodia's preferential status under the Everything but Arms program.
London: Passengers on a British Airways flight from London to Dusseldorf, Germany, were left bewildered on Monday when their plane landed in Scotland by mistake.

A passenger aircraft, operated by British Airways. Credit:Bloomberg

A blunder with paperwork seems to have been the problem: British Airways said a German company that had chartered the plane, WDL Aviation, had submitted the wrong route to air traffic controllers.

"We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed," British Airways said in a statement.

The flight, BA3271, which took off from London City Airport, did not seem to have been in any danger; because of the incorrect paperwork, the crew  including the pilot  and air traffic controllers had all apparently believed that Edinburgh was the plane's intended destination.
London: The UK parliament has seized control of Brexit from the May government and will hold an extraordinary session on Wednesday to choose between possible outcomes such as another referendum, a no-deal Brexit or even cancelling Brexit altogether.

The government fiercely opposed the House of Commons vote on Monday night to take control, warning it would set a dangerous constitutional precedent. The government traditionally runs business in the House of Commons, deciding when and what debates and votes occur.

[It] would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions, Prime Minister Theresa May said.

Another Conservative called it a constitutional revolution that the House of Commons will come to regret.
"As a young man, my hope of making a future has been killed," said one of the organisers, Amin Abed, 30, from Jabaliya. Loading Hamas has since responded to the widespread criticism of its crackdown with statements blaming rival political forces for the unrest and apologising for its heavy-handed response. In a statement last week, Hamas expressed "regret for any psychological or material harm inflicted on any Palestinian citizens" and called for its security forces to compensate victims. The protest movement appears to have sprung out of frustration with new taxes imposed by Hamas on food and cigarettes, compounding the usual misery of electricity cuts, poverty and unemployment. Gaza's economy was already crippled by more than a decade of tough restrictions on the movement of people and goods imposed by Israel, with Egypt's help, citing security grounds. Hamas' rival, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, has also taken punitive measures against Gaza, including slashing the salaries of its employees there. As conditions in Gaza have become desperate for many, Hamas has been seemingly more focused on its military buildup and fight against Israel than on the bread-and-butter needs of its people.

Nobody goes hungry in Hamas, said Abu Oun's father, an unemployed ambulance driver who asked not to be identified. He described Hamas officials driving jeeps, barbecuing chicken and sending their children to private schools while he could not even give his children pocket money or pay his son's university fees. The protests began March 14 in Jabaliya and spread as far as Rafah in the south. Activists promoted the protests via Facebook under slogans like "The revolt of the hungry,""Down with price hikes" and "We want to live". "We did not march to overthrow Hamas," Abed, the organiser from Jabaliya, who is now on the run, said in a telephone interview, "but only demanded of those ruling us to ease the burdens of daily life." He had already been arrested and detained for five days in February for trying to organise earlier protests. During his detention this month he said he was handcuffed, blindfolded, beaten for three days and left with a broken tooth. Hamas accused the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah, of orchestrating the protests in a "vicious scheme" to create chaos and insecurity to harm the armed struggle against Israel.

Gaza's Health Ministry, which has assiduously reported on the nearly 200 Palestinians killed and thousands wounded by Israeli troops during often-violent protests along the fence dividing Gaza from Israel, has not reported the number injured by Hamas in quelling the protests. No deaths have been reported. Loading Journalists and photographers were barred from covering the Gaza protests and human rights workers were among those beaten and detained, though grainy cellphone video documented some of the violence. The Hamas police raided the home of a journalist, Osama al-Kahlout, who had shot photographs of the protests. Two members of the Independent Commission for Human Rights, a Palestinian watchdog group, were in his house at the time, taking testimony. The pair were forced into the street, beaten with batons and punched by dozens of security officers, according to their organisation. Al-Kahlout was detained. Taif al-Bhaisi, 20, a citizen-journalist for the Gaza-based Sharq news agency, began livestreaming the protests near her home in the Deir al-Balah refugee camp in central Gaza, then ran into her house after Hamas forces began attacking the protesters. There, she continued filming with her mobile phone.

The next day Hamas forces raided her house, assaulted young and old and broke the arm of one woman, she said. About five masked Hamas officers tried to confiscate her phone and beat her with batons, breaking her arm, she said. Photos of her with her arm in a splint were widely circulated among Gaza residents, prompting outrage. Novelist and Fatah spokesman Atef Abu Saif was transferred to a hospital in Ramallah in the West Bank, apparently having been severely beaten and suffering from a fractured skull and broken hands and legs. The crackdown drew international condemnation from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations special envoy for the Middle East peace process, Nickolay Mladenov. "Hamas authorities routinely arrest and torture peaceful critics and opponents with impunity," Human Rights Watch said. "They're following the same script in the latest crackdown." Hamas issued apologetic messages in English and Arabic on its social media platforms, calling on human rights organisations to continue their good work and affirming the Palestinians'"right to peaceful demonstration and to freedom of expression."
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will cut short his visit to Washington after six people were wounded and a house near Tel Aviv was destroyed in a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli police said the rocket hit the house in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, about 5.20am on Monday.

Police officers inspect the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel, on Monday. Credit:AP

The sounds of air raid sirens woke residents, sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. The sound of an explosion followed.

The Israeli military said it identified a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip.
New York: Special Counsel Robert Mueller's verdict that there was no collusion between Donald Trump's campaign and Russia has delivered the US President one of the best days of his presidency.

Mueller's central finding is devastating news for American progressives, many of whom became overly invested in the idea that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin worked together to steal the 2016 US election.

Many American progressives became overly invested in the idea that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin worked together to steal the 2016 election. Credit:AP

But his failure to reach a definitive finding on the question of obstruction of justice has denied Americans the chance to move past their partisan differences and agree on at least one core fact: their President is not a crook.

The topline findings of the Mueller probe were revealed in a four-page summary released by Trump's Attorney-General William Barr on Sunday afternoon local time.
The impeachment of Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States, died on Sunday in Washington with the release of the four-page summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report.

For the 675 days of the work of the Special Counsel, there were two paramount issues to examine for criminal conduct. First, did the Trump campaign criminally conspire with Russia  either the government or its operatives  to corrupt the 2016 presidential election?

If anyone could find the answer to that, it would be Mueller. Indeed, the top officials of the Trump campaign who would have had direct knowledge of such a conspiracy  Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman; Rick Gates, deputy campaign chairman and Manaforts business partner; and Michael Flynn, the foreign policy advisor  are all in or going to jail.

Mueller was able to learn enough about what happened that when any of them lied to the FBI, Mueller knew it. Which means he knew the truth. Therefore, on the collusion issue, if Mueller could not show that such a conspiracy existed, then it can be said, with confidence, that there was no such conspiracy. According to Attorney-General William Barr's summary, Mueller found no conspiracy.
Caracas: Russian aircraft have arrived in Caracas as part of military cooperation between the two allies, a Venezuelan official said Sunday.

Russian military officials are visiting to discuss equipment maintenance and training, and strategy, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

In December, Russia sent two Tu-160 strategic bombers to Venezuela for several days in a demonstration of support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has rejected demands from the United States and dozens of other countries that he resign.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during an anti-imperialist rally for peace in Caracas on Saturday. Credit:AP

Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site, showed the flight path Saturday of what it listed as a Russian air force plane, apparently headed to Caracas while flying across the Caribbean. The Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet had flown from Moscow via Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad.
By Delana Isles

THE PLANNING Department will soon be engaging the public as they work towards creating more specific development standards for buildings between seven and 12 storeys.





The Government announced last week that the department has proposed amendments to Section 3.5.2 and table 3.8 of the Development Manual.





The proposal was drafted as a result of recent changes to the setbacks and height requirements to accommodate 12 storey developments.





In light of this, members of the public are invited to view a copy of the proposed amendments at the Department of Planning, Providenciales, Emily House, Leeward Highway and at South Base, Grand Turk.





The electronic copies can be accessed on the Government website at www.gov.tc.





A public consultation will then be held on Tuesday, March 26, at 5.30pm at the Conference Room, Department of Planning, Emily House, Providenciales and at the Conference Room, South Base, Grand Turk at 5.30pm.





People are also invited to submitted written comments to the department at their email address - [email protected] or drop off at any of their locations during workings hours before March 25.





Proposed amendments

In considering the need to have more specific development standards in relation to the heights and setback requirements, the Planning Department proposes the following modifications to the Development Manual:





Section 3.5.2 amended (setbacks)





Section 3.5.2 of the development manual is amended in paragraph (b) (coastal development) by deleting the first paragraph of subparagraph (iii) and substituting the following "(iii) The setback for buildings of 11 and 12 storeys measured from the vegetation line is minimum of 200 feet.





The setback for buildings from eight storeys up to 10 storeys measured from the vegetation line is 150 feet.





The setback for buildings of six and seven storeys measured from the vegetation line is 130 feet.





The minimum setback for buildings five storeys or less measured from the vegetation line is 100 feet, and the minimum setback for all type of buildings in iron-shore coastal areas shall be a minimum of 60 feet.





Section 3.5.3 is amended (Building height)

Section 3.5.3 of the Development Manual is amended by deleting paragraph (c) and substituting the following "(c) Apartments, condominiums and hotels.





For apartments, condominiums and hotels, the allowable maximum height of the building is 12 storeys up to a maximum height of 150 feet, provided that no habitable floors shall be allowed above 135 feet.





Any building consisting of 11 and 12 storeys shall not exceed the maximum height of 150 feet.





In order to qualify for the construction of buildings of 11 and 12 storeys, the entire acreage of the plot must not be less than five acres.





Any building eight to 10 storeys shall not exceed the maximum height of 125 feet, provided that no habitable floors shall be allowed above 110 feet.





In order to qualify for the construction of buildings eight to 10 storeys, the entire acreage of the plot must not be less than 3.5 acres.





Any building consisting of six and seven storeys shall not exceed the maximum height of 90 feet, provided that no habitable floors shall be allowed above 80 feet.





Any building five storeys or less, shall not exceed the maximum height of 65 feet, provided that no habitable floors shall be allowed above 55 feet.





Buildings from eight storeys up to 12 storey building shall only be allowed on coastal parcels tourism related development zone at Grace Bay, the Bight and Turtle Cove.





From Emerald Point to the Turtle Cove, bounded by parcel 60901/28 to the East and parcel 60713/250 on the West;





And on coastal parcels, which are located on the northern coastline of North West Point specifically parcels (60101/6, 7, 8, 17, 33,38, 39; 60000/75, 77, 79; 60000/138  155; 60000/617 and 60006/618).





Meanwhile, the development manual is also amended by deleting Table 3.8 and substituting it with building setback distances being measured from the furthest projection of the proposed buildings, including any roof overhang, stairway, balcony, window projection or veranda.





Setback distances required between buildings: One and two storeys is 25 feet; three to seven storeys is 35 feet; and eight to 12 storeys is 45 feet.




Latest News ANZ makes another rate hike New highest fixed among Big Four as 40pts added to 4 and 5 year rates

UBank sets cheapest ever advertised variable rate Despite widespread rises, digital lender slashes 20pts for lowest ever advertised variable rate

A big four bank has today announced that its cash earnings in first half 2019 have been reduced by an estimated $260m due to its customer remediation programs.

Westpac revealed that the cash earnings of customer remediation provisions for the full year of 2017 and the full year of 2018 were $118m and $281m respectively, so the newly released figure shows a sharp increase.

Westpac announced that the key remediation items include:

 Customer refunds associated with certain ongoing advice service fees charged by the groups salaried financial planners

 Refunds for certain consumer and business customers that had interest only loans that did not automatically switch to principal and interest loans when required

Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer said, As part of our get it right put it right initiative we are determined to fix these issues and stop these errors occurring again. We will continue to review our products and services to ensure they deliver the right outcomes for customers, and if necessary, make further provisions.

Westpac will commence remediation in the groups second half 2019 for customers of authorised representatives still operating under BT Financial Groups licences.

Work is also underway to determine the extent of the services provided by authorised representatives who are no longer operating under BTFGs licences, including those who have left the industry.

According to a statement from the bank, this remediation program is more challenging, because many of the authorised representatives files have been difficult to access.

In relation to this issue, Westpac released the following information:

 Total fees received by authorised representatives in 2008 to 2018 were approximately $966m

 Within this total, fees received from customers by authorised representatives still operating under BTFGs licences in the period 2008 to 2018 were approximately $437m

 For customers of authorised representatives, Westpac has not yet been able to finalise a reliable estimate of the proportion of fees that may need to be refunded

 Interest on refunded fees and additional costs to implement this program will also need to be considered when determining any remediation provisions
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Hes signing off.

The leader of the Brooklyn Heights Association will step down after almost four years on the job by the end of June, according to a sudden announcement by the organization.

The storied civic groups executive director Peter Bray will leave his post to commit more time to a serious health issue within his family, association reps said in a statement released late Friday evening.

The Brooklyn Heights Association announces, with much regret, that it has begun a search for a new Executive Director to replace Peter Bray, who will be leaving his post at the end of June to attend to a serious health issue within his family, the release read.

Bray has been at the helm of the organization during some of its most high-profile battles, such as its opposition to the citys planned reconstruction of the beleaguered Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the closure of the prison complex on Rikers Island, which is slated to see the move of some 1,400 inmates to the House of Detention in Boerum Hill, and numerous landmarking efforts in the historical nabe.

He joined the civic group in the summer of 2015 after more than two decades of working for affordable housing and access to credit unions in the Bronx.

The Park Sloper has also worked for years with his local neighborhood civic group the Park Slope Civic Council, where he remains active to this day.

He decided to take the helm of the Heights organization due to its long track record of advocating for the historic neighborhood since its inception in 1910.

It has this incredibly storied history, in many respects its the premier neighborhood association in New York City, he told this paper.

The association claims to have convinced Robert Moses to reroute the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway from going through the Heights to its perimeter overlooking the East River in the 1940s.

It also championed the designation of the neighborhood as the citys first Historic District in 1965, and advocated for the establishment of Brooklyn Bridge Park during the 2000s.

Most recently, the association has been on the forefront of grass-roots efforts to dissuade the Department of Transportation from its plan, which it announced last September, to repair the Brooklyn-Queens Expressways triple-cantilever by constructing a six-lane highway along the beloved Promenade on the top level of the crumbling structure.

The group partnered with architect Marc Wouters to offer an alternative plan to construct a parallel roadway along the hilly mounds of Brooklyn Bridge Park, which would spare the scenic walkway.

The department has since told community leaders it is reconsidering its plans given the numerous alternatives that have recently emerged, including a plan by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer to build a park along some of the roadway, a reported scheme to turn it into a three-level park inspired by Manhattans High Line, or Council Speaker Corey Johnsons idea to tear down the triple-cantilever altogether.

The reconstruction and the jail relocation will remain top on the list for Brays remaining three months at the organization, he said, adding that the roadway in particular will dominate the associations mission long after he leaves.

The BQE is unquestionably going to be our priority, not only for the next several months but also several months after that, Bray said.

The civic honcho will leave his position to focus more on health issues within his family, which he said have worsened in recent months.

My number one priority is to focus on the health needs of my family, Bray said. Its something weve been dealing with a number of years but it has gotten worse over the last few months.

But the community organizer is not going to hang up his activism hat just yet, and will stay active in the community after he leaves the job, he said.

Advocacy on a grass roots level is part of my DNA as a person and I fully anticipate that Ill be active in a number of volunteer causes for many years to come, he said.

Reach reporter Kevin Duggan at (718) 2602511 or by e-mail at kdugg an@cn gloca l.com . Follow him on Twitter @kduggan16.
Jet Airways Ltd Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal have quit the board of the cash-strapped airline, the airline said on Monday as it closes in on a rescue deal led by state-run banks. The banks, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will convert their debt into equity and take a controlling stake in the airline for a token sum of 1 rupee ($0.0145), Jet said in a statement to the stock exchanges after a meeting of its board.

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Digital Editor
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
The development of never-ending wireless internet connections has made business accessible throughout the world. Because of that, the demand for Wi-Fi has risen exponentially overtime. According to a report by an agency, it is projected double-digit growth for 2019 and estimates that the number of internet users will reach 627 million by the end of this year.

India is now adding close to 10 million daily active internet users every month, the highest rate of addition to the internet community anywhere in the world. A significant portion of these users are business owners who have learned the power of connecting with customers and colleagues digitally.

A wireless network is the key component to any small and midsized businesses. They speed up significant regular jobs which include sending email from a mobile phone, offering customer help while employees are away from their counter, and maintain track of shipments and record from the stockroom floor. The present digital age looks to improve work processes; Wi-Fi is turning better on a regular basis.

As a small business owner, these are likely to be an issue that you identify with, which means you could also be unaware of a solution that could mean saying bye bye to their bad Wi-Fi; namely mesh technology. A mesh Wi-Fi system, such as the NETGEAR Orbi Pro, uses a router and one or more satellites to extend high-speed Wi-Fi coverage to the far reaches of your office. The Orbi Pro router and Orbi satellite transfer data to one another via a dedicated high-throughput wireless backhaul using patented Fastlane3 technology, creating a Wi-Fi blanket that covers up to 10,000 square feet with high-performance AC3000 (3Gbps) Wi-Fi. Employees and customers simply connect to the Orbi Pro router or Orbi satellite that offers the strongest signal; this is seamless and all happens automatically, ensuring everyone has fast, reliable access, no matter where in the office they are working.

Whether its for staff or for customers, the business importance of reliable, high-performance Wi-Fi is clear. So, if youre one of the businesses that need to combat bad Wi-Fi, a NETGEAR Orbi Pro mesh Wi-Fi system could be the solution youre looking for.

Top 5 tips for better business Wi-Fi

Find and eradicate Wi-Fi dead spots:

Its likely that some locations in your office or business premises will have a weaker Wi-Fi signal than others, and possibly some areas may have no signal at all (a dead spot). A full Wi-Fi site-survey will reveal these problem spots, but small businesses can also use tools such as the NETGEAR WiFi Analytics app to locate areas with poor signal strength or crowded Wi-Fi channels. You can use this data to place a Wi-Fi mesh extender or NETGEAR Orbi Pro mesh Wi-Fi System, to extend signals to all areas of your office.

Place your router optimally:

As hinted above, the placement of your Wi-Fi router can dramatically affect the strength of the coverage in different areas of the business, so the location of your router and satellites needs careful consideration. Avoid corners and windows, which will mean a large percentage of the signal is absorbed or beamed out into open space, and avoid placement inside cupboards, especially metal cupboards, as this will seriously reduce signal strength. Instead aim for a central placement or ceiling location, so that the signal is not obstructed or wasted in areas where your workers are not located. You can even strategically place an Orbi Satellite to provide coverage to a customer area to ensure a good signal.

Create multiple Wi-Fi networks:

Network admins, employees and customers all need different levels of access, so separate your Wi-Fi networks into admin (owner), and employee and guest networks. Even better, create a guest portal to offer customers free Wi-Fi internet, without allowing them access to the rest of your network. This also provides marketing opportunities, such as immediately re-directing customers to webpages with deals or offers.

Ensure your router is secure:

Regularly check and update your routers firmware to ensure your device is protected against recent vulnerabilities that could threaten your networks security. Also, ensure your Wi-Fi networks use the stronger WPA or WPA2 security protocols and avoid the more easily hackable WEP standard.

Use the latest Wi-Fi technologies:

Congestion and interference can be a major problem if all of your employees connect to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. This is especially the case if neighboring businesses are also using 2.4GHz networks, which may be operating on channels that overlap with the one used by your router. Upgrading to 802.11ac or better Wi-Fi, and ensuring features such as MU-MIMO and Beam forming are enabled on your router will lead to faster speeds and less congestion. Another benefit is that if all your staff can use the 5GHz band then you can dedicate the more widely compatible 2.4GHz network solely for customer Wi-Fi, helping to ensure an optimal experience.
Naresh Goyal, a former ticketing agent who went on to build one of Indias biggest airlines, has stepped down as chairman of cash-strapped Jet Airways India Ltd. after caving in to pressure from creditors. Jets board approved the resignation of Goyal, 69, and his wife Anita, the second biggest full-service airline in India said in a filing on Monday.

Banks, which will get 114 million new shares in the company, will provide the carrier with immediate funding of as much as Rs 15 billion in debt. The resignation marks the end of an era as Goyal, once ranked as one of ...
(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc is set to offer over $3 billion to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters. Uber's offer could be unveiled during the early part of this week, a third source added. Uber will pay $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes, which will be convertible into Uber shares at a price equal to $55 per share, Bloomberg had earlier reported, citing a term-sheet. Careem declined comment while Uber did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters to comment. Uber has been ...
When her black feature-phone buzzed with news of a pregnant woman going into labour, Damsari Ozre rushed to finish as much housework as she could before leaving to attend to the birth. The 29-year-old is an ASHA (accredited social health activist--a community health worker under the National Rural Health Mission) in Velgaon, a village in Palghar tehsil, Thane district, 95 km from Mumbai, Indias financial capital.

Ozre is used to spending four to five hours a day at work, away from home, but this can rise to upto 24 hours when there is a baby on the way. In addition, she must ...
Corporate affairs secretary Injeti Srinivas on Monday favoured the UK model of bankruptcy in the case of individuals. He said there should be a process of even loan waiver in certain cases.

At a CII event, Srinivas was of the opinion that individuals undergoing resolution under the bankruptcy law should be allowed a fresh start and the loan should be waived in case it is small. He added that relief must be given based on income levels, assets and possession of dwellings, among others. He said that such an approach is recommended as a large number of borrowers has ...
Thailands first general election since a military coup five years ago was thrown into disarray on Monday as two opposition parties alleged cheating and the election commission said it could be weeks until the make-up of parliament becomes clear. Confusion over the outcome of Sunday's election raised the spectre of a protracted struggle to form a government, spoiling hopes of a clear cut result that could have ended 15 years of political turmoil in Southeast Asia's second largest economy. Both the pro-army party seeking to keep coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as ...
US President Donald Trump's blunt-force use of tariffs in pursuing his "America First" trade agenda has angered many, from company executives to allied governments and members of both parties of Congress. But there's one effort which has drawn broad support from those who oppose him on almost everything else - his push to force Beijing to change what are widely viewed as China's market-distorting trade and subsidy practices. As U.S.-China talks to end a trade war reach their endgame, politicians, executives and foreign diplomats are urging Trump and his team ...
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Government-owned Air India on Monday decided to withdraw boarding passes with advertisements of Vibrant Gujarat.

Shashi Kant, a former Director General of Police from police, had complained that the airline his boarding pass carried pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Vibrant Gujarat campaign after the Model Code of Conduct had come into effect before the general elections.

"I wonder why we are wasting public money on this," he said in a tweet.

The boarding passes were printed during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, which was held in January.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Attorney General William Barr is "not a neutral observer," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, after Barr revealed that Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find either US President Donald Trump or his associates guilty of conspiring with the Russians to influence the 2016 Presidential elections.

Pelosi, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, further demanded the release of Mueller's complete report regarding Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections.

"Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers. The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the President on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," the joint statement released by the Democratic leaders outlined.

"Given Mr Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," the leaders said, slamming Barr.

They also dismissed Trump's claim of being completely exonerated.

"And most obviously, for the President to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," Pelosi and Schumer said.

"Congress requires the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work, including oversight and legislating to address any issues the Mueller report may raise. The American people have a right to know," they lastly highlighted.

This comes after Barr submitted his principal conclusions from Mueller's 22-month long investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 elections, which saw Trump take charge as President.

While Mueller has stated that Trump and his associates did not conspire with the Russians, he has not completely exonerated the US President. The Special Counsel did not "make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" in his report, according to Barr.

"The Special Counsel's decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime," Barr's summary stated.

Announcing that the Department of Justice will not be pursuing a case against Trump, Barr said: "After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offence."

While the US President and top Republican leaders have welcomed Barr's summary of the Mueller report, several Democratic leaders, including Pelosi, have alleged discrepancies and called for transparency.

In fact, the Chairman of the US House Committee on the Judiciary, Jerrold Nadler, announced that he would be calling Barr to testify in front of the committee in the "near future".

"In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future," he tweeted.

The 22-month long Mueller investigation - the final report of which was submitted to Barr on Friday - interviewed about 500 witnesses and obtained more than 3,500 subpoenas and warrants of various types. 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence were also made as part of the massive investigations.

While there are no further indictments, the investigation saw charges being filed against 37 defendants, seven guilty pleas and one conviction.

Meanwhile, Barr has said that process to release further information from Mueller's report has begun at the Department of Justice. He also added that Special Counsel Mueller would be involved in the scrubbing of the report for releasing it to the public.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini on Monday filed her nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura parliamentary constituency.

Malini is the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from the seat.

Before filing her nomination, she offered prayers at the Banke Bihari Temple here. She was accompanied by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"With the blessings of Shri Banke Bihari ji, I am going to file my nomination. I am very confident that the people of my constituency and the party are with me," she said.

She said: "I want re-election because I wish to remain connected with the masses of Mathura."

Later addressing a public rally, she said: "A lot of development works are happening in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I too want to be a part of it. That is why I am recontesting the election from here."

On March 21, Malini had thanked Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for choosing her to contest the 2019 LS polls from Mathura seat again and promised to work hard to bring development in the area.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP state unit spokesman Altaf Thakur on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Conference (NC) candidate from Baramulla parliamentary constituency Muhammad Akbar Lone for raising pro-Pakistan slogan.

In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state, he sought the disqualification of Lone stating that he had resorted to "ultimate disrespect" by raising pro-Pakistan slogans. He said that his comments have also "has hurt the sentiments of people of not only Jammu and Kashmir but of the entire India."

Thakur also requested the CEO to take a serious note of the matter to maintain peace and harmony in the state and disqualify him from contesting the poll from Baramulla on the basis of videos available on social media.

While addressing a rally in Kupwara on Monday, Lone had said that he will abuse those who hurl abuses at Pakistan.

"The other side of this is a Muslim country. It should remain prosperous and successful. Our friendship with them should intensify. India and Pakistan should have a friendship with each other and I am an admirer of this friendship. If anyone will abuse them once, I will abuse him ten times from here," he had said.

In February last year, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed a ruckus with Lone raising pro-Pakistan slogans in response to BJP's slogans against the neighbouring country.

In December 2017, Lone had courted controversy by claiming that the BJP and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) leaders eat beef and pork together.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Defence Ministry on Monday rejected media reports in connection with extension of non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) to the central armed forces of the country.

"Certain section of media is attempting to generate motivated controversy on the NFFU/NFU for Armed Forces while the case is still subjudice in the Apex Court. The targeting of Government officials ascribing false statements to them with an intent to pressurise them is highly condemnable," a missive from the Ministry said.

"In case of complicated policies with long term and wider consequences, there may be times when agreement is not easy to build not only between two parties but also within a party, such cases are debated for merit in judicial Courts as per the law of the land. This process must not be attempted to be highjacked by publically targeting the reputation of individuals discharging their duties as the authorised representatives of one side, GoI in this case," it added.

The ministry said in the instant case, the recourse to judicial review was taken as per the existing policies and at the decision of the GoI. Certain facts have been twisted and misrepresented in media with the purpose of misleading uniformed community and the general public.

"One, the Central Pay Commission has been incorrectly quoted to have recommended NFFU/ NFU for the Armed Forces. Two, there has been no attempt to malign the uniformed community or quote them as staying in 'palatial houses' as the hardships faced by military fraternity are well known and deeply respected by everyone including those in the Governmen," the statement said.

"The counsel of GoI has only read out the recommendations of the 7th CPC as the argument of the case in the Apex Court. Three, the originators of smearing campaign have not spared even a uniformed veteran representing GoI in judicial matters but who has no connection with the instant case. Four, the delay is not at the behest of the Government but because of the Apex Court asking the Governmen to serve the notices to remaining petitioners so that they can also be heard," it added.

This comes after the central government on March 13 opposed in the Supreme Court an Armed Forces' Tribunal order asking it to NFFU to the central armed forces.

The NFFU was introduced from January 1, 2006, under the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations to offset financial loss faced by other central government services for lack of promotional avenues in comparison to the IAS. Over the years it has been extended to 53 group A services.

It has also been extended to IPS and IFS officers under the government's orders. Under the scheme those who lose out on promotions are knocked up to the next pay grade to financially compensate.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his "bluff" promise to provide a minimum income guarantee scheme to India's poor stating that a party who allegedly rode to power on its 'Gareebi Hatao' (eradicate poverty) slogan had no right to make such assurances.

Jaitley also said that Indira Gandhi believed in 'redistribution of poverty' and not its eradication.

"Indira Gandhi won the election in 1971 in the name of 'Gareebi Hatao' but she didn't take necessary steps to eradicate poverty," the Union Finance Minister said at press conference here.

"She did not believe in expanding the economy, she did not believe in the generation of wealth, she only believed in redistribution of poverty," Jaitley said.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier on Monday promised minimum guaranteed income of Rs 12,000 per month to the 20 per cent of the poorest families of the country if his party comes to power. It will implement a "ground-breaking" Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), under which 20 per cent of the poorest families of the country will be entitled to up to Rs 72,000 per year, he said.

"The history of the Congress party is that in the name of eradicating poverty they have done political business. Their history is not of removing poverty, not of floating schemes for its eradication but rather of deceiving people in name of removing poverty," said Jaitley.

The Union Finance Minister also said that Congress which spoke against the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is now promising it to give money to the poor through DBT.

"You questioned the DBT scheme and now you have decided that you will transfer the money through it. When your government was there you the money followed the channel, from centre to state, from state to district, from district to tehsil fand from Tehsil to Gram Panchayat. A small percentage only reached farmers," said Jaitley.

He said that Congress has misled the country on the issue of poverty for 590 years.

"You have misled the country on the issue of poverty for 50 years. Even after giving that slogan (Gareebi Hatao) if today you think that 20 per cent people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country," said Arun Jaitley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Finding a sustainable solution to the turnaround of Jet Airways has been receiving the attention of all stakeholders to enable the airline to restore normalcy to its level of operations, said Jet Airways in a statement on Monday evening.

As part of the proposed solution, the Board of Directors of Jet Airways, which met on Monday, approved "the conversion of rupee one of lenders' debt into equity by the issuance of 11.4 crore equity shares, in accordance with the RBI Circular of 12th February 2018."

"As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will provide immediate interim funding support of Rs 1,500 crore to Jet Airways. The company will also engage with payment intermediaries for the release of trapped cash. The airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner," said the statement.

"The move will see Jet Airways re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft back into its network, helping renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended, which will help restore normalcy of operations, aiding the airline's long term transformation to continue expansion and to regain its position as a global player," it further read.

Jet Airways further said, "An Interim Management Committee (IMC) has been constituted to oversee the overall financial and operational performance of the airline under the overall supervision of the Board of Directors with the support of McKinsey and Co."

"The airline's robust and long-term operating plan focuses on revenue enhancement and cost optimisation as the fundamental pillars of building a healthy, growing and durable airline. The plan addresses a cross-section of areas in addition to an operating plan, which takes advantage of the airline's fleet, its resources, slots, and its network," the statement said.

Naresh Goyal, who stepped down as Jet Airways Chairman on Monday, said: "For me, the 22,000 employees are my own family, as dear to me as Nivaan, Namrata and my wife Neeta, and no sacrifice is too big for me to safeguard the interest of Jet Airways and the families of the 22,000 employees."

"For the sake of my family of 22,000 employees and their respective families I have today taken the step of stepping down from the Board of Jet Airways. I became the Chairman on 1st April, 1992 and my family is behind me and with me in this decision and I hope you will support my decision too. I will miss you one and all," he said.

"Two nominees of promoter--Naresh Goyal and Anita Goyal--besides one nominee of Etihad Airways will step down from the board," the statement said.

"An interim management committee at the instructions of lenders will manage and monitor daily operations and cash flow of the airline," said the statement.

According to the statement issued by Kuldeep Sharma, vice president--Global Compliance and Company Secretary, "the bidding process will be initiated by lenders for sale/issue of shares to the new investor (s)," and the "process is expected to be completed in June quarter" of the current financial year.

The airline has over one billion dollars in debt and has to repay money to banks, lessors of planes and suppliers besides clearing pending salaries to its pilots.Jet has been suffering bruising competition from low-cost airlines, fluctuating crude prices and a weak rupee.

On March 20 this year, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar had said that the resolution plan is almost ready and it will not involve a bailout for any individual.

At the same time, talks with Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad to secure a rescue deal are still on, he said adding there is also a possibility of bringing in another investor.

"We believe Jet Airways is a good aviation property and it is in every body's interest that it continues to fly," Kumar had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's father Nand Kumar Baghel on Monday expressed his willingness to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nand Kumar Baghel is not a member of any political party.

Addressing reporters outside the Congress headquarters here, he said," I want to contest election against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If Congress gives me a ticket, I will contest to defeat him and make Rahul Gandhi the next Prime Minister of India."

Terming Prime Minister as "dictator", he said," He (Modi) has made false promises to the country. Congress should field me against him."

"Congress party should not ally with regional parties and if the alliance happens, it should happen only on condition that Rahul Gandhi will be the next Prime Minister," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is once again set to contest general elections from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, the seat from which he won in 2014 polls.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in seven phases.

The counting of votes will be done on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police arrested a person who worked on the direction of Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Director General Police Intelligence Umesh Mishra said on Monday.

"Muhammed Parvez has been arrested and presented him before the city magistrate from where he has been sent to four days police remand," he said.

Mishra further said, "In the initial inquiry, it has been found that accused Muhammed Parvez was connected with his handler in Pakistan. He has visited Pakistan 17 times in 18 years."

"He also cheated people by taking their passports, photos, and money to get them visa of Pakistan from the embassy in New Delhi. He used these documents to get SIM cards," he said.

Earlier, NIA had arrested him for anti- activities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is contesting on 22 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra out of 48, released its manifesto named 'Aao Milkar Desh Banaye' here on Monday ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The focus of the manifesto was on the relationship with Pakistan, saying it will open talks with Pakistan while also insisting discussions on the issue of terrorism. "We will open talks with Pakistan during which we will insist on discussing terrorism," read the manifesto.

While releasing the manifesto, NCP general secretary DP Tripathi said: "It is necessary to strengthen our stand in global circumstances. Hence, the pathway of talks should never be closed. I don't say dialogues will immediately resolve the situation, but it'll lessen the problems".

Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi-led Government on its foreign policy, the manifesto stated: "It is important to at least continue working relations with Pakistan as we have with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives. The reason for the crisis in foreign policy is due to the current Government moving away from the principles set up by our founding Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. We will follow the Panchsheel philosophy which has worked for us well".

On the issue of security, NCP manifesto said: "Our endeavour will be to bring the youth into the mainstream and thereby prevent them from falling prey to radicalisation. Stern action will be taken against those engaged in radicalising youth. This declaration has been made in the view of Jammu and Kashmir and a prolonged turmoil situation there."

"The NDA Government, in five years, has failed miserably to contain terrorism. In these five years of NDA rule, there have been three terror attacks on military and paramilitary forces and no one is held accountable" the manifesto added.

Apart from core traditional issues like farmers' distress, unemployment and job losses, issues like foreign policy, security and defence also got a considerable space in the manifesto.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission has provided the facility of postal ballot to Kashmiri migrants for the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Earlier postal ballot facility was not available for Kashmiri migrant and they have to go to special polling centres in Delhi and Jammu for casting their votes.

"Election Commission has provided the facility of postal ballot to Kashmiri migrants. Now they would be able to cast their votes in the elections held in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies by means of the postal ballot. Three Lok Sabha Constituencies will go to poll in Jammu and Kashmir," said BD Ram, Chief Election Officer, Uttar Pradesh.

"Earlier postal ballot was not available for Kashmiri Migrant they have to go to special polling centres in Delhi and Jammu for casting their votes," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir will vote for the Lok Sabha Elections in five phases - April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police have detained at least seven people, including a Nikah Khwan (marriage officiator), allegedly involved in the abduction, forced conversion from Hinduism to Islam, and underage marriage of two minor Hindu girls.

Members of civil society also gathered outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday to protest against the alleged abduction and forced conversion of two Hindu girls to Islam.

Dawn reported that the two minor Hindu sisters, namely Reena and Raveena, belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, were abducted from their home in Daharki taluka of Ghotki district in Sindh on the occasion of Holi last week (March 21).

During the demonstration, the protestors reminded the Sindh government of the Child Marriage Restraint Act, passed in 2014, which states that the minimum age of marriage is 18 years and making a person younger than that age marry is a punishable offence.

The protestors criticised the Sindh police for not taking appropriate action into the matter and demanded that the girls should be returned safely to their homes. On Sunday, the two girls approached a court in Bahawalpur seeking protection.

The incident came to light after the girls' father and brother revealed the details in videos that went viral on social media. In a separate video, however, the girls can be seen saying that they accepted Islam out of their own free will.

"Reena and Raveena whose videos on social media show them embracing Islam are only 16 and 14 years of age and thus too young to be married," the protestors said. "There is also another video of their poor father helplessly beating himself outside a police station, begging the police to do something. The girls had recently lost their mother and their father is also not doing well," they added.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday asked for an "immediate" probe in the case of abduction and forced conversion of two Hindu girls.

On the same day, India shared its concerns through an official note to Pakistan Foreign office over the incident, said sources.

India has asked that suitable remedial action is taken by the Pakistan government to protect and promote safety, security, and welfare of its own citizens, especially from the minority communities.

Pakistan Human rights activists have further claimed that this is another case of forced conversion and abduction, which are becoming increasingly common in the southern region of Sindh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police on Monday seized Rs 1.6 crore in cash from an SUV car during vehicle checking.

Talking to ANI, District Magistrate Abhay Singh said: "Police seized Rs 1.6 crore from the SUV Scorpio car of Uttar Pradesh. Further investigation is on. We have informed the Income Tax Department too."

He said the cash was seized from near Khurja police station in Mundakhera, Bulandshahr.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned till April 8 the hearing on the bail application of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is undergoing life imprisonment in one of the cases related to 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

On March 15, a bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer had adjourned the hearing on the bail application till March 25.

In January, Kumar, a three-time MP, had moved the court challenging his conviction. The court had issued the notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seeking its response on the plea.

On December 17 last year, the Delhi High Court convicted Kumar reversing a verdict of the trial court in the killing of five members of a family in Raj Nagar and the torching of a gurdwara in Delhi on November 1, 1984, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

Two weeks after the order, he surrendered before a Karkardooma district court.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking a direction from the court to the Election Commission to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the last year's plea filed by former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh and environmentalist Shaivika Agrawal.

The plea stated that holding such events violated the Commission's norms and was detrimental to the environment.

It said that road shows and bike rallies held during election period causes air and noise pollution and also result in traffic jams which cause inconvenience to the general public.

The top court's ruling comes ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha elections, which is beginning from April 11 and will be held in seven phases. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) president Sharad Yadav on Monday accused Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh of abusing his Constitutional post by allegedly making political comments.

Referring to Singh's statement where he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's return to power in the ensuing Lok Sabha poll was important for the nation, Yadav said: "Governor is not a representative of any political party. It is a Constitutional post."

"I have been in for the last 40 years but I never saw the post of Governor being misused in this way. I am telling from day one that our Constitution is in danger. One who is occupying a Constitutional post and making such statements is unfortunate," he said.

Earlier in the day, Singh said that as a party worker he 'genuinely" wanted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, which are going to be held from April 11 to May 19, in seven phases.

"As a worker of BJP, I genuinely want the party to win. We want that once again Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister of India. It is important for the nation and society that Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again," he said.

Singh, who previously served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1991-1992, was appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan in 2014. A Governor is considered to be a neutral post and the person occupying the office does not side with any particular political party.

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Bihar Police on Monday arrested two suspected terrorists affiliated with Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBN) in Patna.

The arrest has been made by the Anti-Terrorism Squad team of Bihar Police.

The accused have been identified as Khairul Mandal and Abu Sultan.

"Many suspicious documents related to the security forces posted in Jammu after the Pulwama attack have been recovered from the arrested. Both the men are said to be active members of Bangladesh's banned militant outfit Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Islamic State Bangladesh" police said in a statement.

Posters of ISIS, documents related to other terrorist organisations and other incriminating documents were also recovered from their possession, police said.

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Four people died after an AC bus caught fire at the Agra-Lucknow expressway in the wee hours of Monday.

The ill-fated bus was travelling from Delhi's Anand Vihar to Lucknow, police informed.

Om Prakash, assistant superintendent of police (ASP), Mainpuri said, "Around 1 am in the night a bus caught fire at Firozabad- Mainpuri border near the 76th milestone. The bus had four passengers and three staff members out of which two passengers and one staff was saved while four others have died."

Police also said that further action is being initiated in the accident.

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YSR Congress Party leader YS Sharmila on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party and actor Pawan Kalyan for being silent on the murder of her uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy, calling it a "secret pact."

"This is the secret pact between them. Why did they remain silent on the issue of a third-party investigation into the murder of my uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy," asked Sharmila while addressing media persons at the YSRCP office here.

Taking a jibe at TDP, she said: "Amaravati is a major scam from which the TDP supremo and other leaders were benefited. All that Chandrababu has to show today is 3D graphics and designs from Singapore planners because he thinks our architects and engineers were not competent enough."

"Naidu has pushed back the state by 25 years during his term. He promised loan waivers as the very first assurance to be carried out, but did not deliver on it," she said.

She further accused Naidu of slashing the loan figures from Rs 87,000 crore to around Rs 24,000 crore to hide his failure.

"He promised to complete the project in three years. The estimated cost of the project was hiked from Rs 14, 000 crore to more than Rs 60,000 crore," she said.

She also mentioned that TDP failed to attract big Information Technology (IT) giants to the state, as they had promised to the people.

She also lambasted at Naidu for making a series of U-turns over the issue of Special Category Status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh.

"He had earlier threatened those who demanded SCS to the state and had even arrested Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Visakhapatnam airport when he had gone to stage a protest," she said.

The election to 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to be held on April 11 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

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Bharat Forge Ltd is quoting at Rs 486.85, down 1.57% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The stock tumbled 30.36% in last one year as compared to a 11.88% rally in NIFTY and a 23.76% fall in the Nifty Auto index.

Bharat Forge Ltd fell for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at 486.85, down 1.57% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 1.07% on the day, quoting at 11333.85. The Sensex is at 37741.42, down 1.11%.Bharat Forge Ltd has eased around 3.83% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Forge Ltd is a constituent, has eased around 1.95% in last one month and is currently quoting at 8336.6, down 1.22% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 14.97 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 18.83 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark March futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 487.6, down 1.55% on the day. Bharat Forge Ltd tumbled 30.36% in last one year as compared to a 11.88% rally in NIFTY and a 23.76% fall in the Nifty Auto index.

The PE of the stock is 24.69 based on TTM earnings ending December 18.

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Bharti Airtel announced new ISO call charges for Bangladesh and Nepal as part of its endeavour to simplify tariffs and add to customer convenience.

The new ISO call charges, which are currently available to Airtel prepaid mobile users, are the most affordable in the industry and eliminate the need for buying additional ISO packs to make calls to Bangladesh and Nepal.

Airtel mobile customers can now enjoy the most competitive ISO tariffs with their regular recharge packs and bundles.

Calls to Bangladesh will now be charged at only Rs 2.99/minute (versus Rs. 12/minute earlier) representing a reduction of 75%. Calls to Nepal will now be charged at Rs 7.99/minute (versus Rs 13 earlier) representing a reduction of appx. 40%.

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FinTech has the potential to reshape the financial services and financial inclusion landscape in India in fundamental ways, noted the RBI governor Shaktikanta Das in a speech today. It can reduce costs and improve access and quality of financial services. FinTech stands for financial technology and describes technologically enabled financial innovations. From 'start-ups' to 'big-techs' to established financial institutions, all the key players are harnessing this technological edge along the financial services' value chain to provide agile, efficient and differentiated experiences to the end-user.

A recent global survey ranks India second in terms of FinTech adoption, with an adoption rate of 52%. It is reported that there are as many as 1218 FinTech firms operating in India which have created a large number of jobs. They are also generating a healthy appetite for investment. The Reserve Bank has over the years encouraged greater use of electronic payments so as to achieve a "less-cash" society. The objective has been to provide a payment system that combines the attributes of safety, security, enhanced convenience and accessibility, leveraging technological solutions that enable faster processing. Affordability, interoperability, and customer awareness and protection have also been other focus areas.

Banks have been the traditional gateway to payment services. However, with the fast pace of technological changes, this domain is no longer the monopoly of banks. Non-bank entities are cooperating as well as competing with banks, either as technology service providers to banks or by directly providing retail electronic payment services. The regulatory framework has also encouraged this enhanced participation of non-bank entities in the payments domain.

The NEFT system handled 195 crore transactions valued at around Rs.172 lakh crore in 2017-18 growing by 4.9 times in terms of volume and 5.9 times in terms in terms of value over the previous five years. Similarly, the number of transactions carried out through credit and debit cards in 2017-18 was 141 crore and 334 crore, respectively. Prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) recorded a volume of about 346 crore transactions, valued at Rs.1.4 lakh crore. Thus, the total card payments, in volume terms, stood at 52% of the total retail payments during the year 2017-18.

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Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian sub-continent.

The proposed grant of Rs 9.13 crore will be utilized to train scholars in Orientology and prepare a bibliography of relevant academic texts in the field.

The grant will also help to create a centralized information cell through descriptive cataloguing of manuscripts, collection and publishing of inscriptions, and outlining the history of the collected information, enabled by a team of specialists.

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Key benchmark indices ended with sharp losses on weak global stocks. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, lost 355.70 points or 0.93% at 37,808.91. The Nifty 50 index lost 102.65 points or 0.9% at 11,354.25. The Sensex settled below the psychological 38,000 level after sliding below that level in early trade.

Trading for the week began on a subdued note as domestic stocks dropped in early trade on negative Asian stocks. Stocks traded with weakness in morning trade. Weakness persisted on the bourses till afternoon trade. Key indices hit fresh intraday low in mid-afternoon trade on fresh selling in index pivotals. Stocks cut losses in late trade.

Selling was broad based. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index fell 1.06%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 1.16%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 792 shares rose and 1883 shares fell. A total of 194 shares were unchanged.

L&T dropped 1.18%. L&T Construction, the construction arm of L&T, was awarded large contracts for its Buildings and Factories and Water and Effluent Treatment businesses. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Infosys fell 1.23%. Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian subcontinent. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Infosys said it will invest $10 million in US-based artificial intelligence-focussed venture capital fund, The House Fund II. The transaction is expected to be completed before the first quarter of the financial year 2019-2020. Minority holding in the proposed transaction will not exceed 20% of the total fund size. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

NTPC rose 1.23%. NTPC sad that Unit-3 of 250 MW of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project (3 X 250 MW) will be declared on commercial operation with effect from 26 March 2019. With this, the commercial capacity of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project, NTPC and NTPC group would become 750 MW, 45065 MW and 52206 MW respectively. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories rose 0.44%. Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced that the audit of research and development facility of Aurigene Discovery Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary, situated at Miyapur, Hyderabad by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), completed on 21 March 2019. No FDA 483 was issued at the end of inspection. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Overseas, European and Asian markets edged lower Monday, amid rising worries of an impending recession in the U.S. US stocks closed sharply lower Friday, after a downbeat round of economic data in Europe and the US stoked global growth fears while a closely watched measure of the yield curve inverted for the first time since 2007, triggering recession worries.

Meanwhile, at a pivotal European Council summit where meetings overran dramatically, the European Union offered the U.K. a two-pronged plan to extend Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. The U.K. will be offered a delay until May 22, if MPs approve the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had negotiated. If not, the EU will support a shorter delay, to April 12 to formulate a new plan.

The flash PMI figure for the eurozone in March showed that the preliminary Markit PMI Composite figure, seasonally adjusted, was 51.3, below the February figure of 51.9.

According to the flash reading of IHS Markit's purchasing manager's index, the manufacturing index fell to 52.5 in March from 53 in February. US wholesale inventories rose 1.2% in January after a revised estimate of a 1.1% increase in December, the Commerce Department said.

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Key benchmark indices extended fall and hit fresh intraday low in early afternoon trade. At 12:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 414.96 points or 1.09% at 37,749.65. The Nifty 50 index was down 119.95 points or 1.05% at 11,336.95. Shares of state-run oil marketing companies gained. Negative Asian stocks weighed on sentiment.

The Sensex was currently trading below the psychological 38,000 level after sliding below that level in early trade. Trading for the week began on a subdued note as domestic stocks dropped in early trade on negative Asian stocks. Stocks traded with weakness in morning trade. Weakness persisted on the bourses in mid-morning trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.96%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 1.09%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 633 shares rose and 1755 shares fell. A total of 133 shares were unchanged.

L&T dropped 1.32%. L&T Construction, the construction arm of L&T, was awarded large contracts for its Buildings and Factories and Water and Effluent Treatment businesses. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Shares of state-run oil marketing companies rose after crude oil futures declined in the international commodity market. HPCL (up 1.92%), Indian Oil Corporation (up 2.01%) and BPCL (up 0.54%) edged higher.

Lower crude oil prices could reduce under-recoveries of public sector oil marketing companies (PSU OMCs) on domestic sale of LPG and kerosene at controlled prices. The government has already freed pricing of petrol and diesel.

In the global commodities markets, Brent for May 2018 settlement was down 46 cents at $66.57 a barrel. The contract fell 83 cents, or 1.22% to settle at $67.03 a barrel during the previous trading session.

The Ramco Cements rose 0.21%. The Ramco Cements has subscribed to the rights issue offer of Ramco Industrial and Technology Services and has acquired 45 lakh shares of Rs 10 each at par on 21 March 2019. Consequent to the acquisition, the shareholding of the company in Ramco Industrial and Technology Services is 94.12%. Hence Ramco Industrial and Technology Services would be the subsidiary company of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Overseas, Asian markets plummeted Monday, amid heightened recession worries. U.S. stocks closed sharply lower Friday, after a downbeat round of economic data in Europe and the U.S. stoked global growth fears while a closely watched measure of the yield curve inverted for the first time since 2007, triggering recession worries.

According to the flash reading of IHS Markit's purchasing manager's index, the manufacturing index fell to 52.5 in March from 53 in February. U.S. wholesale inventories rose 1.2% in January after a revised estimate of a 1.1% increase in December, the Commerce Department said.

In Europe, at a pivotal European Council summit where meetings overran dramatically, the European Union offered the U.K. a two-pronged plan to extend Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. The U.K. will be offered a delay until May 22, if MPs approve the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had negotiated. If not, the EU will support a shorter delay, to April 12 to formulate a new plan.

The flash PMI figure for the eurozone in March showed that the preliminary Markit PMI Composite figure, seasonally adjusted, was 51.3, below the February figure of 51.9.

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Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could rise 3.50 points at the opening bell.

Overseas, Asian markets plummeted Monday, amid heightened recession worries. U.S. stocks closed sharply lower Friday, after a downbeat round of economic data in Europe and the U.S. stoked global growth fears while a closely watched measure of the yield curve inverted for the first time since 2007, triggering recession worries.

According to the flash reading of IHS Markit's purchasing manager's index, the manufacturing index fell to 52.5 in March from 53 in February. U.S. wholesale inventories rose 1.2% in January after a revised estimate of a 1.1% increase in December, the Commerce Department said.

In Europe, at a pivotal European Council summit where meetings overran dramatically, the European Union offered the U.K. a two-pronged plan to extend Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. The U.K. will be offered a delay until May 22, if MPs approve the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had negotiated. If not, the EU will support a shorter delay, to April 12 to formulate a new plan.

The flash PMI figure for the eurozone in March showed that the preliminary Markit PMI Composite figure, seasonally adjusted, was 51.3, below the February figure of 51.9.

Back home,the Sensex snapped an eight-day rising streak on Friday amid profit booking by investors. The Nifty ended below the 11,500 mark after moving above and below that mark in intraday trade. The Sensex fell 222.14 points or 0.58% to settle at 38,164.61. The Nifty 50 index fell 64.15 points or 0.56% to settle at 11,456.90.

The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1,374.57 crore on Friday, 22 March 2019, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 675.37 crore on Friday, 22 March 2019, as per provisional data.

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Trading for the week began on a subdued note as domestic stocks dropped in early trade on negative Asian stocks. At 9:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 304.05 points or 0.8% at 37,860.56. The Nifty 50 index was down 89 points or 0.78% at 11,367.90. The Sensex dropped below the psychological 38,000 in early trade.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.82%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.76%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 397 shares rose and 1014 shares fell. A total of 71 shares were unchanged.

Overseas, Asian markets plummeted Monday, amid heightened recession worries. U.S. stocks closed sharply lower Friday, after a downbeat round of economic data in Europe and the U.S. stoked global growth fears while a closely watched measure of the yield curve inverted for the first time since 2007, triggering recession worries.

According to the flash reading of IHS Markit's purchasing manager's index, the manufacturing index fell to 52.5 in March from 53 in February. U.S. wholesale inventories rose 1.2% in January after a revised estimate of a 1.1% increase in December, the Commerce Department said.

In Europe, at a pivotal European Council summit where meetings overran dramatically, the European Union offered the U.K. a two-pronged plan to extend Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. The U.K. will be offered a delay until May 22, if MPs approve the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had negotiated. If not, the EU will support a shorter delay, to April 12 to formulate a new plan.

The flash PMI figure for the eurozone in March showed that the preliminary Markit PMI Composite figure, seasonally adjusted, was 51.3, below the February figure of 51.9.

Back home, Infosys shed 0.59%. Infosys said it will invest $10 million in US-based artificial intelligence-focussed venture capital fund, The House Fund II. The transaction is expected to be completed before the first quarter of the financial year 2019-2020. Minority holding in the proposed transaction will not exceed 20% of the total fund size. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

State Bank of India (SBI) dropped 1.41%. SBI announced that its board approved extension of validity period for raising equity capital of upto Rs 20,000 crore from market by way of FPO/QIP/preferential allotment/rights issue/any other mode or a combination of these till 31 March 2020. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

In a separate announcement, SBI's board approved allotment of 12,513 non-convertible, taxable, perpetual, subordinated, unsecured basel III compliant additional tier 1 bonds, for inclusion in additional tier 1 capital of the bank, in the nature of debentures of face value of Rs. 10 lakh each, at par, bearing coupon of 9,45% p.a. payable annually with call option after 5 years or any anniversary date thereafter, aggregating to Rs. 1251.30 crore to the bond subscribers on 22 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories fell 0.32%. Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced that the audit of research and development facility of Aurigene Discovery Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary, situated at Miyapur, Hyderabad by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), completed on 21 March 2019. No FDA 483 was issued at the end of inspection. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

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Key indices hit fresh intraday low in mid-afternoon trade on fresh selling in index pivotals. At 14:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 473.30 points or 1.24% at 37,691.31. The Nifty 50 index was down 137.90 points or 1.2% at 11,319. Weak global stocks weighed on the sentiment.

The Sensex was currently trading below the psychological 38,000 level after sliding below that level in early trade. Trading for the week began on a subdued note as domestic stocks dropped in early trade on negative Asian stocks. Stocks traded with weakness in morning trade. Weakness persisted on the bourses in afternoon trade.

Selling was broad based. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 1.2%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 1.29%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 649 shares rose and 1921 shares fell. A total of 163 shares were unchanged.

Infosys fell 1.04%. Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian subcontinent. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Infosys said it will invest $10 million in US-based artificial intelligence-focussed venture capital fund, The House Fund II. The transaction is expected to be completed before the first quarter of the financial year 2019-2020. Minority holding in the proposed transaction will not exceed 20% of the total fund size. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

NTPC rose 1.45%. NTPC sad that Unit-3 of 250 MW of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project (3 X 250 MW) will be declared on commercial operation with effect from 26 March 2019. With this, the commercial capacity of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Project, NTPC and NTPC group would become 750 MW, 45065 MW and 52206 MW respectively. The announcement was made during market hours today, 25 March 2019.

Overseas, European and Asian markets plummeted Monday, amid rising worries of an impending recession in the U.S. US stocks closed sharply lower Friday, after a downbeat round of economic data in Europe and the US stoked global growth fears while a closely watched measure of the yield curve inverted for the first time since 2007, triggering recession worries.

Meanwhile, at a pivotal European Council summit where meetings overran dramatically, the European Union offered the U.K. a two-pronged plan to extend Brexit beyond the March 29 deadline. The U.K. will be offered a delay until May 22, if MPs approve the deal Prime Minister Theresa May had negotiated. If not, the EU will support a shorter delay, to April 12 to formulate a new plan.

The flash PMI figure for the eurozone in March showed that the preliminary Markit PMI Composite figure, seasonally adjusted, was 51.3, below the February figure of 51.9.

According to the flash reading of IHS Markit's purchasing manager's index, the manufacturing index fell to 52.5 in March from 53 in February. US wholesale inventories rose 1.2% in January after a revised estimate of a 1.1% increase in December, the Commerce Department said.

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TTK Prestige announced that its board will meet on 29 March 2019 to recommend issue of bonus shares, subject to the approval of shareholders. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Max India announced that its board appointed Analjit Singh as a non-executive director and chairman on the board with effect from 1 April 2019. Rahul Khosla, chairman and non-executive director of the company, will step down from the board of directors of the company effective closure of business hours on 31 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Dr Reddy's Laboratories announced that the audit of research and development facility of Aurigene Discovery Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary, situated at Miyapur, Hyderabad by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), completed on 21 March 2019. No FDA 483 was issued at the end of inspection. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

State Bank of India (SBI) announced that its board approved extension of validity period for raising equity capital of upto Rs 20,000 crore from market by way of FPO/QIP/preferential allotment/rights issue/any other mode or a combination of these till 31 March 2020. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

In a separate announcement, SBI's board approved allotment of 12,513 non-convertible, taxable, perpetual, subordinated, unsecured basel lll compliant additional tier 1 bonds, for inclusion in additional tier 1 capital of the bank, in the nature of debentures of face value of Rs. 10 lakh each, at par, bearing coupon of 9,45% p.a. payable annually with call option after 5 years or any anniversary date thereafter, aggregating to Rs. 1251.30 crore to the bond subscribers on 22 March 2019. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Infosys said it will invest $10 million in US-based artificial intelligence-focussed venture capital fund, The House Fund II. The transaction is expected to be completed before the first quarter of the financial year 2019-2020. Minority holding in the proposed transaction will not exceed 20% of the total fund size. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

The Ramco Cements has subscribed to the rights issue offer of Ramco Industrial and Technology Services and has acquired 45 lakh shares of Rs 10 each at par on 21 March 2019. Consequent to the acquisition, the shareholding of the company in Ramco Industrial and Technology Services is 94.12%. Hence Ramco Industrial and Technology Services would be the subsidiary company of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

International Paper APPM announced that there will be outage (maintenance) from 25 March 2019 to 30 March 2019 (both days inclusive) in the manufacturing facility located in Rajahmundry, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. The estimated loss of production will be around 500 tons per day. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 22 March 2019.

Insecticides (India) announced that its subsidiary, OAT & IIL India Laboratories, will inaugurate factory at Chopanki (Rajasthan) on 25 March 2019, for commercial production of agrochemical. This facility has capacity to manufacture 1100 KL per annum of Sodium Paranitrophenolate 3.0 SL. The announcement was made on Saturday, 23 March 2019.

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Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa on Monday formally inducted four US-made advanced multi-mission all-weather Chinook helicopters at Air Force Station 12 Wing here.

Two hangars and logistics facilities were created here for the Chinook helicopters.

Each Chinook helicopter, manufactured by US aerospace major Boeing, has a payload capacity of about 10 tonne which is a major boost to India's strategic airlift capability.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) received its first CH-47F (I) Chinook on February 10 at the Mundra port in Gujarat.

The Chinook will be used to move troops, artillery, ammunition, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. Besides, they can be used for medical evacuation.

"Our country faces a multitude of security challenges and we require a vertical-airlift capability for a very diversified terrain. The Chinook will give the IAF a quantum leap to transport cargo to precarious high-altitude locations," Dhanoa told reporters after the induction ceremony.

He said the Chinooks were procured with India specific enhancements to increase their flexibility for heli-lift operations like search, rescue operations and air ambulance.

The aircraft is all-weather capable and state-of-the-art night vision goggles will permit all operations even at night, he informed.

"Although we have been operating the medium lift Mi-17 and heavy lift Mi-26 helicopters, the Chinook, with its operating ceiling of 20,000 feet, will redefine heli-lift not only in operations like inter-valley transport of troops, airlifting artillery guns and heavy under slung loads for the Border Roads Organisation, but also for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to far-flung crisis hit areas," he said.

A confident Dhanoa added that the IAF's expertise would enable it to exploit the machine's potential in a manner that will make it a game changer in heli-lift operations.

India had signed a deal with the US in September 2015 for 15 Chinook helicopters at an outlay of Rs 8,845 crore.

Salil Gupte, India head of Boeing, said the Chinooks were delivered ahead of the scheduled time.

The IAF had sent 15 pilots and 15 engineers to the US in 2018 for training on the Chinooks.

According to Boeing, the Chinook had an unsurpassed ability to deliver heavy payloads to high altitudes, and is eminently suitable for operations in the high Himalayas.

The aircraft was battle-tested in diverse, extreme conditions throughout the world, and had proven capability to operate in the wide range of conditions that typify the Indian subcontinent, it added.

--IANS

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Days before the Lok Sabha election dates were announced, the government paved the way for Adani Power Limited (APL) to set up India's first power sector special economic zone (SEZ) by amending guidelines.

With the amendment to power-related guidelines for SEZ by the Ministry of Commerce earlier this year, APL is set to build a power-specific SEZ over 425 hectares in Jharkhand's Godda district, the existing site for its coal-fired thermal power plant.

Adani Power got the go-ahead from the SEZs board of approval on February 25, a month after the Commerce Ministry prompted the amendment in January. With the SEZ status, it would now enjoy duty waiver, tax exemptions and faster clearances.

As per the memorandum of understanding signed between APL and Bangladesh in August 2015, two months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Dhaka, the plant will supply most generated power, about 1,600 megawatt (MW), to the neighbouring country.

For the power-deficient India, electricity export had been restricted to public sector companies like the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Power Trading Corporation (PTC).

Thus, APL's proposal was rejected the first time when it was submitted in February 2018.

The Commerce Ministry's standing guideline of February 16, 2016 stated: "No single standalone power plant will be permitted to be set up in an SEZ in which there would be no other units."

But in December 2018, the Ministry proposed to amend the February 2016 guideline, highlighting a Power Ministry provision that allowed Indian generating stations supplying electricity exclusively to neighbouring countries to build independent transmission system.

The Commerce Ministry argued exclusive export of electricity from SEZs could not be envisaged at the time it had drafted the February 2016 guideline and, hence, it needs to be amended. The SEZs board of approval cleared the amendment on January 9, 2019.

As for Jharkhand's energy policy that requires all power projects to supply 25 per cent of the electricity generated in the state, state officials believed with the SEZ status it has gone beyond the state's purview and the state was less likely to oppose it.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Apple is expected to launch a slew of new products at its Cupertino headquarters in California on Monday, including a Netflix competitor, a revamped news service and a subscription-based gaming offering.

The event, to be hosted at the Steve Jobs theatre on campus, will herald a new era for the iPhone maker as it enters the fast-growing global content streaming market.

"Apple has been looping a video from the theatre, teasing its focus on television," reports The Verge.

The livestreaming video is stylised to look like a television set, and has been switching between a handful of different angles of the Steve Jobs theatre.

Apple has invested over $1 billion into making new content and the streaming service is set to compete with the giants including Amazon, Netflix and Hulu.

"The company is building a new content store focused on offering bundles with cable services like HBO, Showtime and Starz. Put more simply, Apple may be looking to disrupt cable TV by essentially becoming a cable TV provider," adds the report.

Apple has been working on developing original content like "Amazing Stories" by Steven Spielberg; crime show "Are You Sleeping?" produced by Reese Witherspoon and starring Octavia Spencer; "Calls" which is an adaptation of a French short-form series; "Central Park" which is an animated musical comedy from Loren Bouchard and "Defending Jacob" -- a thriller adapted from William Landay's novel, starring Chris Evans, among others.

According to TechCrunch, another Apple project is "Shantaram" -- a series based on the novel by Gregory David Robert, about a man who escapes from an Australian prison and ends up in Bombay (now Mumbai).

There is also an untitled M. Night Shyamalan series and untitled Oprah Winfrey projects, among others.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North East India Development Party (NEIDP) candidate Ashang Kasar on Monday said that he was asked by an armed group to withdraw his candidature from the reserved Outer Manipur seat.

Kasar is the first politician in Manipur to receive such a threat.

However, the NEIDP and Kasar said that there is no question of yielding to the pressure of the group. They did not name the group.

Kasar said: "The group had asked me not to contest in the ticket of the NEIDP since it is a Meitei centric political party. However, I will contest the elections under this party's banner."

He said the NEIDP is one party that will bridge the gap between the hills and the valley people.

The group seems to have taken the step based on wrong information, he added.

N. Samarjit, President of the NEIDP said: "Our party holds the group in high esteem. It was quite unexpected that such an interference shall come. However, there is no question of backing out now."

Meanwhile, several candidates filed their nomination papers on Monday. The state goes to the polls on April 11 and 18 to elect two Lok Sabha MPs.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday demanded arrest of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for creating hatred against Muslims by calling Congress leader Imran Masood a relative of Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar.

Owaisi said the Election Commission should get the UP Chief Minister booked and arrested under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code.

Addressing an election meeting on Monday night, Owaisi said Yogi was linking Imran Masood to Masood Azhar because of the Muslim name.

Imran Masood is Congress candidate from Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency for a fourth term, also urged the Election Commission to remove Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh for making an appeal to people to vote for Narendra Modi.

"I want to ask Kalyan Singh, are you a governor or a political leader. If you have some respect for Constitution, you should resign," he said.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief also slammed Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani for his statement that if BJP doesn't win the elections, Pakistan will win. He said the parties trying to defeat Modi so that India became successful and democracy was strengthened.

"This fight is to protect India's composite culture and brotherhood in which the central government failed."

Owaisi said at an election meeting two days ago he had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should own up responsibility for failing to prevent terror attack at Pulwama in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.

"I had asked if he had eaten biryani and slept. As usual TV channels reported that I used word 'bade ki biryani' (beef biryani). Modi's 'chamche' on social media asked me don't you know he doesn't eat meat. I don't know. How do I know. Had I gone to his house to see. He may not eat. That's his choice."

Stating that chowkidar should be 'zimmedar'(responsible), Owaisi said he should explain how 50 kg RDX was brought under his nose.

The MIM leader poked fun at Modi for promoting sale of T-shirts and other merchandise as part of 'mein bhi chowkidar' campaign.

"Parents want to see children in good positions but he is asking them to wear T-shirts of chowkidar," he said.

Owaisi slammed Modi for providing Rs 1,500 crore from State Bank of India (SBI) to Jet Airways and said it was another instance to prove that he is favouring the rich. He wondered how Modi could offer the funding without approval from the cabinet. "This is public money not anybody's baap ki jagir," he said.

He alleged that BJP leaders and a NCP leader used to stay as guests at Naresh Goyal's house in London.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A day after Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee described as "baseless" the allegations that his wife Rujira was caught at the Kolkata airport for carrying gold, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday approached the Election Commission (EC) demanding the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner be held "responsible" for the alleged police interference, if "prima facie any such incident happened".

The BJP also lodged a complaint before the EC against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for alleged violation of model code of conduct.

In a letter to the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the BJP said: "There has been serious allegations that wife of a very influential leader of the ruling party of the state was intercepted with unauthorised gold on March 16, 2019 while returning from Thailand.

"It was alleged the local police interfered in the discharge of duty of the Customs authorities within the premises of the international airport at Dumdum for the release of the passenger and the unlawful material."

The BJP also said Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh "should be held responsible if prima facie any such incident happened".

According to the BJP, the Customs authorities reportedly filed an official complaint on the incident at the airport police station on March 22.

"If this complaint is a fact, then the said police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh should be shifted from his post immediately, otherwise normal investigation will not be possible at all," the BJP said in the letter.

Refuting the charges against his wife, Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had said on Sunday he was "open to any form of investigation" to unearth the truth.

According to Banerjee, Rujira had also filed a police complaint on March 16 against the way she was "harassed and heckled" by the Customs officials, which was later converted into an FIR as per a court directive following a preliminary enquiry.

BJP leader Mukul Roy said they have submitted a CD to the commission about the chief minister making a promise to a group after the model code of conduct came into being.

"We have submitted a CD where she was promising something to a group though instructing them to say that the promises were made before the implementation of model code of conduct. This is a violation, " Roy alleged.

Slamming the CEO, West Bengal, and his officials, Roy also alleged, " I have never seen a more deaf and dumb official. People's perception is that officials of CEO office have somehow or the other been managed by local administration."

There has been a "mockery of democracy" going on in the state, he said.

--IANS

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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pilots from the three American carriers that fly the Boeing 737 MAX planes tested software changes developed by the company to a key stabilisation system, a media report said on Monday.

The changes are intended to decrease the chances of triggering the Manoeuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) which is believed to have played a role in the Lion Air crash last October that killed 157 people, informed sources told CNN on Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said there were similarities between that crash and the second 737 MAX crash of the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 on March 10 that killing all 189 people on board.

Pilots and training officials from Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines met Boeing officials on Saturday to review the software changes in the Seattle area, where the model is assembled, according to the sources.

At the gathering, pilots from the three American carriers, plus two smaller non-US airlines, ran simulated flights designed to mimic the situation that brought down the Lion Air flight, using the current and updated software.

Each pilot using the flight simulator landed the plane safely, the person said.

In the simulations with the current MCAS software, the test pilots used existing procedures to disable the system, while test flights using the new software required less intervention from the pilots, the person said.

The updated software designed by Boeing uses input from two sensors on the nose of the plane, instead of one, and is designed to not trigger the MCAS system repeatedly, which is believed to have pitched the Lion Air plane's nose down so sharply that the pilots' attempts to regain control were futile.

In a statement on Sunday, Boeing called the meeting a "productive session" and said that they had invited more than 200 pilots and technicians, as well as regulators, to an informational session at the company's production facility in Renton, Washington, on Wednesday.

"This is part of our ongoing effort to share more details about our plan for supporting the safe return of the 737 MAX to commercial service," Boeing said.

"We had a productive session this past Saturday and plan to reach all current and many future MAX operators and their home regulators. At the same time, we continue to work closely with our customers and regulators on software and training updates for the 737 MAX."

But the FAA is not expected to allow the dozens of 737 MAX planes it grounded back into the air until it learns more about the causes of the Ethiopian Air crash, CNN reported.

Data from the flight data and cockpit voice recorders is being analyzed in Ethiopia.

US air carriers would like to see the plane return to the sky. American, which has 24 MAX aircraft in its fleet, and Southwest, which has 34, agree with union statements that their pilots are trained well enough to deal with the incidents that the Lion Air pilots encountered.

American alone is cancelling dozens of flights a day as a result of the grounding of the MAX aircraft.

On Sunday, the airline said in a statement that the cancellations would continue through April 24, resulting in 90 flights grounded every day.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's second moon mission Chandrayaan 2, scheduled for launch in April, would be carrying a NASA science probe, the media reported.

Chandrayaan 2 will carry NASA-owned laser retroreflector arrays that allow scientists to make precise measurements of the distance to the Moon, the US space agency officials said, during the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held in Texas, the space.com reported.

Besides Chandrayaan 2, the science instruments will also be flying to the Moon aboard the Israeli lander Beresheet, due to touch down April 11.

"We're trying to populate the entire surface with as many laser reflector arrays as we can possibly get there," Lori Glaze, Acting Director of the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate was quoted as saying.

Glaze did not provide a timeline for the partnership's creation.

"We were asked rather quickly if there was anything we wanted to contribute to that lander, and we were successful in roughly a two-week time period to come up with an agreement on it," said Steve Clarke, the deputy associate administrator for exploration within the Science Mission Directorate.

Retroreflectors are essentially sophisticated mirrors. Scientists on Earth can shoot them with lasers and study the light that is reflected back. That signal can help pinpoint precisely where the lander is, which scientists can use to calculate its -- and the Moon's -- distance from Earth.

The 3,890-kg Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft, to be launched onboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mk-3, will orbit around the Moon to study its conditions and collect data of its topography, mineralogy and exosphere.

The Rs 800-crore Chandrayaan-2 mission comes a decade after the maiden mission Chandrayaan-1 was launched on October 22, 2008 from India's only spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

The lander has been named "Vikram" as a tribute to the pioneer of India's space programme and former ISRO chairman (1963-71) Vikram Sarabhai.

When Chandrayaan-2's rover lands on the Moon, India will become the fifth country in the world to achieve the feat after Soviet Union in 1959, the US in 1969, China in December 2013, and Israel in 2019.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The death toll in a chemical plant explosion in China's Jiangsu province increased to 78 on Monday as rescue workers found 14 more bodies, authorities said.

The bodies were found in a search of 2 square kilometers area around the blast site, Cao Lubao, mayor of Yancheng, said.

Of the victims, 56 have been identified, Xinhua news agency reported. Of the 28 missing persons reported previously, 25 have been confirmed dead and three alive.

The explosion on March 21 was triggered by a fire that broke out in the plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. Ltd., in Xiangshui county, Yancheng.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Monday welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanging greetings amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Beijing also said that it wanted peace between the South Asian nations and was willing to play a "constructive" role to help them resolve their issues.

Last week, Modi extended greetings to Khan on the eve of Pakistan's National Day, saying it was time for the people of the sub-continent to work together for a democratic, peaceful, progressive and prosperous region, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.

Khan responded on Twitter, telling Modi that it was time "to begin a comprehensive dialogue with India to address and resolve all issues, especially the central issue of Kashmir, and forge a new relationship based on peace and prosperity for all our people".

The Indian government had described the message by Modi as a customary one.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Monday: "We noted relevant reports and we welcome the goodwill sent out to each other by both Indian and Pakistani leaders. We support the two sides in maintaining engagement and improve their relations, stabilise the situations and resolve their differences.

"China will continue to play a constructive role to this end."

India and Pakistan almost went to war after the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF troopers. The attack was claimed by the Pakistani-based terror outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

After the attack, the Indian Air Force struck JeM camps in Balakot, Pakistan, which was followed by Pakistan's jets' attempt to attack Indian bases, leading to a dog fight between their planes.

Asked what he meant by the word "constructive", and whether there was a shift in China's position on the India-Pakistan issue as earlier this month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Beijing was willing to mediate between them, Geng did not elaborate.

"China's position on the issue of India-Pakistan relations is consistent. These two nations are important South Asian countries, and we hope they will resolve issues through dialogue and consultation. China hopes to stay in friendly relations with both of them and we will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the peace talks between these two countries," Geng added.

China publicly maintains a "neutral" stance on the Jammu and Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan, but its diplomats and state media have often suggested Beijing's mediation.

India opposes any third party intervention in the issue.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Graffiti referencing to the March 15 Christchurch attacks that killed 50 Muslim worshippers, was discovered at a California mosque after a possible arson, authorities said.

The fire started at around 3.30 a.m. on Sunday at the Dar Ul Arqam mosque.

Escondido Police Department Lt. Chris Lick has not revealed what the graffiti said, but said that local and federal authorities were investigating the incident as a hate crime, NBC News reported.

No suspects had been identified, while one person was injured, Lick said.

He added that worshippers staying at the mosque overnight extinguished the blaze, which caused minor damage to the building's facade.

A member of the local Muslim community, Yusef Miller, told NBC that the fire and graffiti has left worshippers on edge.

The Dar Ul Arqam mosque opened four years ago.

The Christchurch attack was carried out by a lone gunman at two mosques.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress on Monday night named its Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda as the party candidate to contest from the high-profile Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency on April 18.

"The central election committee has approved the candidature of Krishna Byre Gowda as Congress candidate for the ensuing general election to the Lok Sabha from Bangalore North parliamentary constituency in Karnataka," said the party in a statement from New Delhi, quoting the panel's in-charge and party general secretary Mukul Wasnik.

The 45-year-old Gowda is the Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the ruling JD-S-Congress coalition government since May 2018.

He is a legislator in the state assembly from Byatarayanapura segment in the city's northwest area.

Gowda will take on Union Minister and sitting Lok Sabha member D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who won the prestigious seat in the 2014 general elections.

The party named Byre Gowda to contest from Bangalore North a day after the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) surrendered it in the absence of a winning candidate.

As part of the seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Congress will contest in 21 Lok Sabha seats, instead of 20, and the JD-S in seven, instead of eight.

Congress general secretary and party's state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal said his party was thankful to JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and the JD-S for the gesture to give up the Bangalore North seat in his party's favour.

"Together let us all reclaim democracy," Venugopal tweeted.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant any interim relief to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Vadra has challenged a money laundering case brought against him.

A division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Vinod Goel asked the Centre and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file response on Vadra and his close associate Manoj Arora's plea challenging certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court has also asked Vadra to file an affidavit explaining maintainability of his plea and listed the matter for further hearing on May 2.

The trial court which on March 19 extended Vadra's interim protection from arrest till March 25, will hear his anticipatory bail plea post lunch.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned him in the case several times. The agency has also requested the trial court to dismiss his anticipatory bail as it may require his custodial interrogation in the case.

The case relates to ownership of 1.9 million pounds overseas assets by Vadra. It pertains to undisclosed foreign assets and entities to evade tax.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met on Monday to discuss and give a final shape to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections that kicks off on April 11.

Party leaders were also expected to discuss whether or not Congress President Rahul Gandhi should contest from a second seat in one of the southern states.

The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party. It is meeting for the second time in less than two weeks.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday sentenced a retired police official to four-year jail in the 2007 attack on the office of Tamil news daily Dinakaran that left three people dead.

Retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rajaram was sentenced to imprisonment for dereliction of duties.

On March 21, the court sentenced nine to life imprisonment and seven others to five-year jail terms in the case.

The high court verdict came on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the lower court acquitted all the accused.

The high court also ordered the state government to pay Rs 5,00,000 compensation to the families of Gopinath, Vinod and Muthuramalingan -- the three Dinakaran staffers who were killed in the attack.

Among those sentenced to life is V.P. Pandi, also known as 'Attack Pandi', a supporter of former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri, who was expelled from the DMK some years back.

In a 2007 survey published by Dinakaran on the preferred successor to late DMK President M. Karunanidhi, Alagiri was ranked below Stalin.

Angry Alagiri supporters attacked the newspaper's office in Madurai with petrol bombs.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission has sought a report from the North 24 Parganas district election officer in the controversy surrounding Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Naroola allegedly trying to stonewall Customs officials from checking her baggage at the Kolkata airport last week, an official said here on Monday.

"We have sought a factual report from the district election officer of North 24 Parganas in the matter," Additional Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal Sanjay Basu said.

Banerjee has described as "baseless" allegations that his wife was caught at the Kolkata airport carrying gold in her check-in baggage.

On Banerjee's comment that "fake news" about the incident was released on online portals and some Opposition leaders tweeted about it, Basu said, "Our social media team is also looking into the issue."

The police and Income Tax officials have so far seized about Rs 6.42 crore unaccounted money and confiscated 4.4 lakh litres of liquor, he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five British parties have urged the government to end arms sales to Saudi Arabia, saying it has contributed to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

The letter to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was signed by leaders of the Labour party, the Scottish National party, the Liberal Democrats, the Plaid Cymru and the Green party, the Guardian reported on Monday.

In the letter, the opposition leaders said it was shameful that the UK government had not used all means at its disposal to pressurise Saudi Arabia "to abide by basic human rights laws".

It said Germany, Spain, Denmark, Canada, the US Congress, the UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament have all called for a suspension of arms sales on this basis.

"It is morally reprehensible that the UK government is not only not considering changing its policy, but is actively lobbying other foreign governments, as it did with Germany, to resume arms sales to Saudi Arabia," the letter said.

They described Saudi behaviour in Yemen as reckless and barbaric, saying all arms sales for use in the country should be suspended pending an independent investigation into Saudi conduct in the war.

Despite British claims of leverage over Riyadh, there was no evidence that Saudi behaviour has been restrained, it said.

UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths is due in London this week to discuss his efforts to enforce outline agreements on redeployment of forces in Hodeidah, the strategic Red Sea port that lies at the heart of the conflict between the Saudi-backed Yemen government and the Iran-supported Houthi rebels.

The Saudis and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are, meanwhile, putting pressure on the UN to declare that the Houthis have failed to comply with agreements reached in Stockholm, in effect declaring that the outline deal is dead. Such a move would lead to the UAE forces restarting their attack on Hodeidah.

Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that children in Yemen continued to be killed and maimed at an alarming rate, despite the three-month-old truce in Hodeidah.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Newly appointed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday invited journalists as well as party workers to write essays about their memories of the late Manohar Parrikar, which would be published by the state government in the form of a book dedicated to the former Defence Minister.

"We are publishing a book which will be a collection of Parrikar's thoughts. We will be sourcing his old pictures and articles for this too. Write down your memories about him. I am also urging my journalist friends to write and submit it to the Information (and Publicity) department," Sawant said, while addressing a party function in Panaji.

The Chief Minister also said that Parrikar should not just be known as a person who was responsible for creating a lot of infrastructure but also as a man with a vision and ideas.

Parrikar died on March 17 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

"His ideas should reach to every school. He should not just be remembered for the infrastructure he created," Sawant said.

"He wanted people to live for Goa and for India. His thoughts need to percolate to everyone," the Chief Minister said.

Parrikar had served as Goa Chief Minister four times and was the Defence Minister from 2014-2017.

--IANS

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The question that appeared before most of Corporate India on monday is: how has Jet Airways managed to remain afloat until turbulence hit it hard forcing its once formidable owner Naresh Goyal to be a minority shareholder in his erstwhile company?

In 26 years of existence, it survived a number of rough patches but manged to come out of the troubled water, but thus far only.

Jet Airways is troubled by debt, unpaid salaries and a grounded fleet whose rentals have not been paid. As the government steps in to keep it going through bankers cum-owners, the question is: how did it manage for most of these years?

After the monopoly to the State-owned carriers to operate as scheduled airlines ended, Jet Airways started full-fledged operations. Through the Open Skies policy of 1992, which called for liberalisation of commercial aviation, Jet until 2015-16 paid among the highest salaries, spending Rs 67.04 lakh annually, on each of its pilots.

The promised free-market environment for the airline industry saw other private players such as ModiLuft, Air Sahara and East-West Airlines. While ModiLuft and East-West ceased operations in 1996, Jet acquired Air Sahara in 2007 as Sahara went bust.

Jet grew in the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2004, change in government policy for private carriers came when the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to allow "eligible" Indian scheduled carriers to operate on international routes.

"Only Indian scheduled carriers with a minimum of five years continuous operations and having minimum of 20 aircraft in their fleet will be allowed to operate on international routes," read the official statement issued on December 29, 2004. Jet fitted the brief and benefited immensely from the policy till 2016 when it was scrapped.

In 2003-04, Jet Airways enjoyed a domestic passenger market share of 44 per cent, but gradually, the airline started ceding the ground it had once won from Air India. By 2005-06, Jet's market share fell to 36 per cent and the following year, while still being the leader, Jet's standalone market share fell to 27.7 per cent.

As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data for February 2019, at a market share of 10 per cent, Jet Airways had dropped to the fourth place, behind IndiGo (43.4%), SpiceJet (13.7%) and Air India (domestic, 12.8%).

Before that over the years, Goyal also bonded well across the international aviation community, managing to leverage some of these during times of trouble. One such relationship was with the Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways, which, aided by relaxed FDI rules, picked up stakes in Jet.

Goyal owned a majority 51 per cent stake in the airline, with Etihad holding another 24 per cent, both of which now stand at half respectively.

But it all went with bad management and tight competition.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jet Airways crisis could eventually head towards insolvency if the creditors fail to reach a consensus on a resolution plan, a senior official said on Monday.

"The creditors and the debtors are in discussion. That's the best process. If there is a good outcome of these negotiations between the creditors and the corporate debtor, then that's better than dragging it to insolvency. But if that's the only option left (going to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code -IBC- process), then the bankers will have to take a call at that stage," Corporate Affairs secretary Injeti Srinivas said at an industry chamber CII event here on insolvency.

"IBC is a possibility for Jet Airways if the creditors cannot agree on a resolution plan", he said.

State-run State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar last week had said airlines being a service industry should not be brought under insolvency.

"For service industry , resolutions under IBC is near impossible and means grounding the airline " he had said, making it clear Jet Airways was not heading towards the National Company Law Tribunal's (NCLT) insolvency process as the lenders fear that would only make it impossible to recover any dues.

"So we will try till such time, and we have not reached the point where we can give up..IBC is the last option in recovery process", he said.

Meanwhile the Jet Airways board will meet on Monday to seek the resignations of its founder Naresh Goyal and his wife, before lenders move in to inject funds and take management of the ailing airline which has been forced to ground many of its planes owing to non-payment of dues to the lessors. Its pilots have also not been paid for several months.

According to sources, as per a plan devised, The lenders will take over the airline for the time being and try to provide some comfort in terms of paying the salaries.

"Jet promoters need to exit before new promoters are roped in, and a clean deal is needed to sell Jet Airways", a source said.

The full service carrier has a debt of Rs 9,000 crore owed to banks.

"Airline is a service industry and IBC is the last option here as under under IBC resolution for airline is nealry impossiblea. IBC means that we are grounding the airline,

SBI is the lead lender of a consortium that has extended loans to Jet Airways.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The lenders-intitiated resolution plan for Jet Airways will begin shortly and and is expected to be completed in the June quarter, the company said on Monday.

"As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will provide an immediate interim funding support of Rs 1,500 crore to Jet Airways. The company will also engage with payment intermediaries for release of trapped cash," the company said in a BSE filing.

"The airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner. The move will see Jet Airways re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft back into its network, helping renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended, which will help restore normalcy of operations, aiding the airline's long-term transformation to continue expansion and to regain its position as a global player."

The company said that with the "conversion of Re 1 of lenders' debt into equity by the issuance of 11.4 crore equity shares" the consortium of Indian lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will become the majority shareholders of Jet Airways.

"As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will also begin the process of sale or issue of shares to new investors which is expected to be completed in the June quarter," Jet said in a statement.

In addition, the move will see Jet Airways re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft back into its network, helping renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended, which will help restore normalcy of operations.

An interim management committee has been constituted to oversee the overall financial and operational performance of the airline under the overall supervision of the Board of Directors with the support of McKinsey and Co.

On Monday , Jet announced the resignation of promoter, Naresh Goyal, Anita Goyal, and Kevin Knight, nominee director of Etihad Airways from their positions on the company's board.

However, the two nominees of the erstwhile promoter Naresh Goyal will remain on the board and one nominee of Etihad Airways will continue on the Board. Two lender nominees will be inducted to its board, subject to the receipt of requisite approvals.

Jet Airways in a statement said as part of the resolution plan, the lenders will provide an immediate interim funding support of Rs 1,500 crore to Jet Airways.

The company will also engage with payment intermediaries for release of trapped cash. The airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner.

Naresh Goyal, the outgoing chairman of Jet Airways, said: "No sacrifice is too big for me to safeguard the interest of Jet Airways and the families of the 22,000 employees."

Goyal said his decision to step down from the board is "for the sake of my family of 22,000 employees and their respective families".

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jet Airways Board met here on Monday to decide on ways to procure interim funding and on the future role with the financially troubled airline of its promoter and founder Naresh Goyal.

"This is an emergency Board meet. It is ongoing. The main agenda is to get interim funding," an airline source here said.

"Goyal's future role in the Board might also come up. His exit is one of the pre-conditions set by bankers led by SBI."

According to industry estimates, Jet's total debt is around Rs 8,000 crore. The company urgently needs funding to maintain whatever is left of its market share, even as the full-service carrier's pilots and crew are said to be approaching other airlines for employment.

The pilots, along with engineers and other highly critical segments of employees, have not been paid salaries from January 1, and have received only 12.5 per cent of their December pay.

"Nearly all of us have financial responsibilities. We fear that a sudden collapse of the airline might be imminent. We need our dues to be paid by March 31 and a clear roadmap for our company," National Aviator's Guild Vice President Asim Valiani had told IANS here on Friday.

"We have decided that either the management lets us know about the progress of the resolution plan and the future of the company by March 31, or we will refrain from flying duties."

The apparent jostle of pilots to get out of Jet Airways comes, even as the airline's lessors have offered 50 of its Boeing aircraft to SpiceJet.

Aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that Jet Airways has only 41 aircraft in its fleet for operations, out of around 120 planes and that there may be further reduction in the fleet size and the number of flights.

Finance Ministry sources in New Delhi said on Friday that the lenders of Jet Airways are in the process of securing "substantial stake" in the ailing airline to try and revive it to a manageable state, before selling it to new promoters.

On an immediate basis, lenders are expected to give Rs 750 crore to Jet Airways, which would come by pledging the airline's stake in Jet Privilege with banks. Sources said the Punjab National Bank (PNB) could be the lender in question.

Etihad was also to infuse Rs 1,600-1,900 crore for a stake of 24.9 per cent, just below the 25 per cent threshold to avoid an open offer. Lenders are expected to infuse Rs 1,000 crore and take 29.5 per cent stake, according to banking sources.

In February, Jet's shareholders had approved the Bank-led Provisional Resolution Plan (BLPRP), as part of which, public sector lenders will become the largest equity owners of the airline, virtually making it a nationalised carrier.

The shareholders' approval came after Jet Airways Board approved the BLPRP on February 14.

"The BLPRP currently estimates a funding gap of Rs 8,500 crore (including proposed repayment of aircraft debt of Rs 1,700 crore) to be met by appropriate mix of equity infusion, debt restructuring, sale and leaseback or refinancing of aircraft, among other things," the company said in a regulatory filing to the BSE on February 14.

As part of a provisional resolution plan, the airline's Board has agreed to allot 11.4 crore shares at an aggregate value of Re 1 to the lenders' consortium led by the State Bank of India, according to the airline.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Popular actor and Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, will campaign for her Trinamool Congress in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Trinamool has fielded eight-time Congress MP Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal as its candidate in the Andaman and Nicobar constituency.

"We have formed a political alliance (with MNM). Our candidate in the Andamans is Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal. Kamal Haasan has extended his support to us and he will go there on April 6 to address a public meeting," Banerjee said after her meeting with the south Indian actor at the state secretariat, Nabanna here.

"From our party, state Minister Sujit Bose and other leaders will also be there. It is a good opportunity for the people of Bengal and Tamil Nadu to work together. Especially, someone like Kamal Haasan has very good credentials... not just as a politician but also as an actor. Everybody knows his name. His idea of rendering service to the people is very good and unique. We are grateful to him for his initiative," she said.

Haasan himself said the focus of his meeting with Banerjee has been the Andaman and Nicobar Lok Sabha seat. However, he refused to comment on whether his party will be a part of the anti-BJP alliance in the coming polls.

"Right now the focus of the discussion (with Banerjee) is the Andamans. I am a small regional party. So I am thinking about my region and Bengal because I love Bengal. We will take things forward step by step," he said.

--IANS

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Congress leader Karti P. Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Monday filed his nomination papers to contest from Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu.

State party leaders rallied around Karti Chidambaram after former Union Minister E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, who had also sought to contest from Sivaganga, opposed his candidature.

Speaking to reporters here, state Congress chief K.S. Alagiri said one cannot say Karti Chidambaram was nominated due to some pressure as the party's leadership cannot be pressurised.

He said all those who are dissatisfied with the party's decision can voice their views in a decent manner and can also convey them to the party high command.

Upset at not being nominated for the seat, Natchiappan told reporters that the people do not like the Chidambarams as they have not done anything for the Sivaganga constituency.

He also alleged that P. Chidambaram had scuttled any party post being given to him after Natchiappan had defeated him in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls.

In 1999 elections, Natchiappan, the Congress candidate, defeated P. Chidambaram who had contested on behalf of the Tamil Maanila Congress.

However, the elder Chidambaram won from Sivaganga in 2004 and 2009 as the Congress candidate.

In 2014 elections, Karti Chidambaram lost to the AIADMK's P.R. Senthilnathan.

Meanwhile a special court in New Delhi on Monday extended, till April 26, the interim protection from arrest for the Chidambarams in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

This is the third time in a month that the court has extended the protection.

The court had issued a similar order on February 18, extending the protection till March 8 which was later extended till March 25.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing how Karti Chidambaram got clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father was the Union Finance Minister.

The ED on October 25, 2018, had filed a chargesheet naming him and a few others in the case.

Last July, the CBI had filed another chargesheet against 18 persons.

--IANS

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A group of Kashmiri Hindus has welcomed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's decision to ban Yasin Malik-led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and extended its support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Lok Sabha elections.

"We appreciate the stand of the Modi government and welcome the acknowledgement of genocide of Kashmiri Hindus by the Union Home Secretary. This strengthens our belief and will propel us to work harder for getting back what is rightfully ours with dignity," according to a release by KP4Modi initiative Convenor Rohit Kachroo.

As per the group, #KP4Modi and #WarkarModiSarkar have been trending hashtags with more than one lakh social media impressions, with the support of non-Kashmiri groups.

Community activist and psychiatrist Shafalica Bhan Kotwal said the Modi government was talking and listening to Kashmiri Hindus. "As long as there is Modi, we have hope. This is our only chance to be heard in the corridors of power," the release quoted her as saying.

"In 1990, when we were literally on roads, thrown out of our homes, the only governments that helped us were the BJP-led or in alliance with them. We also need more than jobs from them and they are the only ones providing it," it said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ancy Ali, a 25-year-old student from Kerala who was one of the 50 people killed in the March 15 Christchurch mosques attacks in New Zealand, was buried near here on Monday.

The body arrived at the Kochi International Airport earlier in the day and was taken to her husband's home.

It was then moved to a community hall at Kodungalloor for people to pay their last respects and was then taken for burial.

Ancy was pursuing her post-graduation in Christchurch and was living with her husband Abdul Nassar.

The couple migrated to New Zealand last year.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fifty rare species of birds worth over 20 million dirhams ($5 million) were killed when a farm in Abu Dhabi was struck by lightning, the media reported on Monday.

According to the farm's owner, the birds had won many trophies in competitions and were priceless, reports the Khaleej Times.

One of the birds was worth more than 10 million dirhams, he added.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said the Lok Sabha elections will be a fight between the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said people have made up their mind to oust Modi. "If Modi as he claims is the chowkidar, the people are the thanedar. And the thanedar will punish the chowkidar for his failures and wrong doings," he said.

According to Yadav, the Opposition Grand Alliance -- of the RJD, Congress, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) -- has a clear edge over the BJP-led NDA in Bihar. "Our support base is intact and the people will back us."

Under the Grand Alliance's seat sharing pact in Bihar, the RJD will contest 20 and the Congress 9 of the state's total 40 Lok Sabha seats. The smaller parties share the remaining 11 constituencies -- with the RLSP fielding candidates in 5, and HAM and VIP in 3 each.

The RJD will give one seat from its own quota to the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML).

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 22, FAW Volkswagen officially launched its third sub-brand Jetta in Chengdu and three new models under the new brandthe VA3 sedan, the VS5 SUV and the VS7 SUV were unveiled at the same time.

Designed by a team from Volkswagen's German headquarters, the Jetta cars are manufactured at FAW Volkswagen's plant in Chengdu. The MQB platform-based VS5, positioned as an A-segment SUV model, will hit the market first in September this year. Launched in 2010, the MQB is Volkswagen's strategy for shared modular design construction of its transverse, front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout automobile and is applied in all car brands operated by the German auto giant.

Apart from the VS5, the other Jetta-branded models will also be manufactured in Volkswagen's globally shared technologies, platform and quality standards.

FAW-Volkswagen also does a lot of preparations to ensure a smooth development of the new car brand. For instance, the automaker has built a multi-functional laboratory for the technology and product introduction. Besides, the joint ventures automobile proving ground located in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province, will support the vehicle R&D in the testing procedure prior to the mass production.

The car brand's blooming growth cannot be realized without an outstanding marketing group. An independent marketing team with over 200 staff members will be created by FAW-Volkswagen to strive for a favorable market share.
The apex body of churches in Mizoram has urged churches across the state to hold mass on April 5 or 6 for the peaceful conduct of the April 11 Lok Sabha vote, a church leader said, here on Monday.

The Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC) is the apex body of 16 churches in the state. Of the Mizoram's 1.1 million population (as per the census 2011), 87 per cent are Christians, belonging to various denominations, mostly Presbyterian in North and Baptists in South.

MKHC Chairman Rev. Lalhmingthanga said it has appealed all members to pray for peaceful conduct of polls and to vote a candidate who would give priority to safety of Mizoram, its people and their religion.

"Prayers in churches across the state would be held either on April 5 or April 6, depending on the convenience of local churches," the MKHC Chairman said.

It also appealed political parties to refrain from offering money, engaging militants, using threats or cheating and help voters cast votes freely or without any pressure.

"The political parties or groups should not campaign on ethnic lines or in a manner that could affect unity among various sections of society and churches. Political parties, groups or individuals should not engage in mudslinging and abusive remarks to avoid violence and hatred," the MKHC said in a statement.

The MKHC has on many occasions acted as mediator between the state government and the civil society or student units in case of a dispute or differences.

Elections to Mizoram's lone Lok Sabha seat and by-elections to Aizawl West-1 Assembly seat will be held on April 11. The by-election was necessitated after Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) legislator Lalduhoma vacated the seat to retain Serchhip constituency.

Around 7,84,405 electorates are eligible to exercise their franchise. Women again outnumbered men in Mizoram. Of the total voters, 4,02,408 are women and 3,81,991 men.

There are six third gender voters.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Special Counsel Robert Mueller who investigated Russian interference in US President Donald Trump's 2016 election has concluded that there was no collusion between him or his campaign and Moscow, according to a summary of the report released by Attorney General William Barr.

While the probe found that Moscow had meddled in the 2016 election, the "investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities", Barr said in the summary he said to Congress on Sunday afternoon.

Trump declared that it was a complete exoneration and said the probe was an "illegal take down that failed".

On another key matter, if Trump had tried to obstruct justice by interfering with investigations into Russian interference, Barr's summary of Mueller's report was less certain. He said that in this regard Mueller's "report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

He added that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein found the evidence "not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offence".

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him", Barr's summary said.

The summary of the report was unlikely to quell the controversy over Russia's interference and Trump campaign's role that has divided the nation.

The White House and Trump' supporters exulted that it was an exoneration of the president, whose legitimacy was attacked for two years, but his opponents were questioning if the wording was ambiguous.

"The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the US", his Spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

However, the Democrat head of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, asserted that there were "very concerning discrepancies" and "Mueller did not exonerate the President". He added that he would be calling Barr to testify before the Congressional panel.

The Democrats demanded the entire report be published and threatened to use Congressional powers to acquire the full report and supporting documents. Legally, the Special Counsel's report is submitted to the attorney general who has the power to withhold it or release only parts of it. Trump has also supported its release.

Before deciding its release Barr will have to determine if there are any matters of national security that has to be blacked out. Mueller's investigation conducted away from public view interviewed more than 500 witnesses, executed 500 search warrants and issued 2,800 subpoenas (demands of appearance of production of documents) over 22 months.

Five important members of the Trump team, including campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, his personal lawyer Michael Cohen and former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, have been convicted as a result of the Mueller probe on various charges, some of lying during investigations and some like tax and financial fraud unrelated to the Russian link.

The Mueller investigation was definite that there was Russian interference in the election, but in an insidious and indirect manner.

Barr said that Mueller found two main Russian efforts to influence the election.

"The first involved attempts by a Russian organisation, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the US designed to sow social discord", his summary said.

The other was Russian government hacking of the computers and emails of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, and disseminating the information through WikiLeaks and other sources.

Barr noted that Mueller brought criminal charges against several Russian citizens and entities in connection with these activities.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korea restored some personnel to an inter-Korean liaison office in its border city of Kaesong on Monday, South Korea's Unification Ministry said, just three days after Pyongyang withdrew all its staff from there.

Four or five North Korean officials returned to the office earlier in the day and held a meeting with their South Korean counterparts, Yonhap News Agency quoted a Ministry official as saying.

"The North Koreans said that they came down (to the liaison office) to take their shift as usual.

"Accordingly, the representatives of liaison officers (of the two Koreas) held a meeting in the morning and plan to operate (the office) as usual," the official said.

"They said that the North's commitment remains unchanged for the liaison office to carry out projects in line with the North-South joint declarations," he said, apparently referring to the agreements that their leaders reached in their three summits last year.

The official however, cautioned that it remains to be seen whether the operation of the liaison office has fully returned to normal as the number of North Korea officials sent there is just half of the ordinary level.

Earlier Monday, South Korea also sent its officials to the liaison office, hoping to normalise the communication line as soon as possible and keep pushing for planned projects with North Korea, such as video reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

On March 22, North Korea abruptly pulled its staff from the liaison office, saying that the decision was based on an order from "higher-ups". It did not provide clear reasons for the withdrawal.

The two Koreas opened the office last September to foster their cross-border exchanges and reduce tensions by keeping a communications channel open at all times.

It was a follow-up to an agreement their leaders reached in April.

They agreed to hold a weekly meeting between the office's co-heads to discuss pending issues, but since the breakdown of last month's summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, no such meetings have been held, though Seoul has insisted that there were no problems in communication with Pyongyang.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his visit to the US on Monday, hours after a rocket launched from Gaza struck a house outside Tel Aviv, injuring seven people.

"In light of the security events I decided to cut short my visit to the US," Netanyahu said, adding that he would fly back immediately after meeting President Donald Trump "in the coming hours", The New York Times reported.

The rocket launched from Gaza struck the house at 5.20 a.m. on Monday, the Israel Defence Forces said on Twitter.

In a statement, Netanyahu called the strike, in which two children were injured, a "criminal attack".

Netanyahu was expected to address a policy conference organised by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, known as Aipac, on Tuesday in Washington. His appearance at the conference has now been cancelled.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The home that was hit was in the pastoral community of Mishmeret, about 20 miles north of Tel Aviv.

On Sunday, sirens had started blaring in several Israeli locations adjacent to the Palestinian enclave after some 300 grenades and explosives were launched against the Israel-Gaza barrier by young Palestinians forming part of the "Night Confusion Units" that participated in the so-called Great March of Return, Efe news reported.

One Palestinian died and three others were wounded by Israeli gunfire during riots that took place on Saturday night, according to the Palestinian ministry of health.

On March 30, Palestinians in Gaza will celebrate the 'March of the Million' to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the beginning of the Great March of Return, which demands an end to the blockade imposed by Israel on the Strip and claims the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland in what is now the Israeli state.

Over the past year, more than 260 Palestinians have died in clashes with the Israeli army and about 29,000 have been provided medical care, 40 percent of them for gunshot wounds, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The process of filing nominations for all the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand going to the polls in the first phase on April 11 ended on Monday amid steady rainfall.

The scrutiny of the nominations will be done on March 26 while the last date for withdrawing nominations is March 28, top officials in the state electoral office said.

Meanwhile, morning showers failed to dampen the spirit of the candidates who were busy campaigning full steam in the state.

However, the helicopters of some top leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress could not take off due to bad weather. As a result, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and a few top Congress leaders could not crisscross the length and breadth of the state.

In rain-drenched Dehradun, most of the candidates including state Congress President Pritam Singh, filed their nominations for the Tehri seat. "The rain failed to dampen our spirits. The Congress will win all the five seats in Uttarakhand," said Singh, who will face Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah of the BJP, who filed her nomination on Friday.

In Rudrapur in Udham Singh Nagar district, Congress General Secretary Harish Rawat filed his nomination for the Nainital seat. He also organised a rally in the town where he accused the Central government of failing to improve the conditions of the farmers.

Rawat is pitted against state BJP President Ajay Bhatt, who also filed his nomination for the Nainital seat on Monday.

Ajay Tamta of the BJP and Pradeep Tamta of the Congress filed their nominations for the Almora constituency. This contest is being billed as a fight between two Tamtas, both of whom had defeated each other once in the past.

In Haridwar, former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank of the BJP filed his nomination. Chief Minister Rawat was also present at an election rally in the city to drum up support for the party.

Congress candidate Manish Khanduri, son of former BJP Chief Minister B.C. Khanduri, filed his nomination for the Pauri seat where he is pitted against Tirath Singh Rawat, National Secretary of the BJP.

The Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), a prominent regional party, also fielded five candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.

Similarly, the Bahujan Samaj Party-Samajwadi Party combine too fielded five candidates. While the BSP will contest four seats, the SP will fight from Pauri.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of Indian workers in Kuwait has soared over 889,000, the highest amongst all other expat workers in this Arab country, media reports said.

The figure was revealed on Sunday by the Central Administration of Statistics, the Arab Times reported citing the Al-Qabas daily.

The Indians were followed by Egyptians at 484,000 and Bangladeshis at 271,000.

The statistics confirmed that the total household employment at the end of the third quarter of last year was 689,000, an increase of about 9,000 compared to the end of 2017.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Public Relations and Information Department and official spokesperson of the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), Aseel Al-Mazyad, said that "Kuwait is keen to protect the labour rights of all, citizens and expatriates".

She pointed out that many expat workers were affected by their lack of familiarity with the provisions of the law and their rights, especially with respect to pregnant women and the leave they can obtain, stressing that the PAM is committed to applying the law immediately upon receiving a complaint from the worker.

Four nationalities - Indian, Filipino, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan - account for 89 per cent of total domestic or private sector employment in Kuwait.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Obese boys and girls are likely to enter puberty at an early age, which can result in stunted growth or depression, finds a new study.

The study showed total body obesity and excess belly fat in boys aged four-seven years were associated with greater odds of starting puberty before age nine.

"With the increase in childhood obesity worldwide, there has been an advance in the age at which puberty begins in girls. But in boys the evidence has been controversial," said lead researcher, Maria Veronica Mericq, Professor from the University of Chile.

The study that will be presented at the ongoing ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, the US.

For the study, the researchers included 527 Chilean boys.

Among boys aged five or six, those with obesity had nearly 2.7 times the odds of starting puberty early. Whereas those with excess belly fat had almost 6.4 higher odds of puberty before age nine, said Mericq.

She said excess belly fat more closely related to fat mass, because a higher BMI may reflected increased muscle, especially in athletes.

Precocious or early puberty has been linked to possible problems, including stunted growth, emotional-social problems like increased risks of depression and substance abuse.

In addition, in boys, it could lead to higher incidence of testicular cancer in adulthood, said Mericq.

Controlling the obesity epidemic in children could be useful in decreasing these risks, Mericq noted.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 200 farmers have filed nominations in Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana to protest the failure of the state and Central governments to ensure better remunerative process for their produce.

Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K. Chandrashekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha is seeking re-election from the seat.

On the last day of filing of nominations on Monday, dozens of turmeric and red sorghum farmers were seen standing in the queue outside the office of Returning Officer to submit their nomination papers as Independent candidates.

With farmers from various parts of Nizamabad and Jagtiyal districts descending on Nizamabad town to file nominations, police erected barricades, deployed additional force and imposed prohibitory orders around the office of the District Collector.

Some sugarcane farmers also filed the nominations. The farmers said their action was to highlight their demand for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and also to voice their angst over the failure of both the Central and state governments to come to their rescue.

Earlier, P. Raja Reddy, a farmers' leader, had stated that 1,000 farmers will enter the fray from Nizamabad constituency to lodge their protest.

He said the farmers were demanding MSP of Rs 15,000 per quintal against Rs 5,000 they were getting now. They have long been demanding setting up of a turmeric board in Nizamabad.

The exact number of farmers who submitted their nomination papers will be known later.

Addressing an election rally last week, Chandrashekhar Rao had assured farmers that the government would address their issues.

Earlier, Kavitha said that the TRS raised the demand for setting up National Turmeric Board in Parliament. "We will continue to raise the demand till the Centre comes forward to fulfil it," she said.

She alleged that Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were provoking farmers to file nominations.

Addressing an election rally, she said 1,000 farmers should file nominations from the Varanasi and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are contesting to draw the country's attention to the problems of farmers, especially with respect to poor remunerative prices.

--IANS

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is credited with single-handedly leading the Congress to a stunning victory in BJP's bastion of Chhattisgarh, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime was a "big let-down" for people who have now great expectations from the Congress.

The Congress would throw up a surprise results in April-May parliamentary polls across the country, he said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to deliver, he failed to keep his prime poll promises such as providing employment, weeding out black money and dealing with farm distress. His entire regime was a big let-down," the 57-year-old Baghel told IANS in an interview.

"The Congress handed a humiliating defeat to the BJP in the November assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, where it was in power for 15 years. Now the saffron party will meet the same fate in parliamentary polls in my state as well as at the national level."

Baghel said the BJP, which had been winning 10 out of the state's total 11 seats in past two elections, would not even open its account in the mineral-rich state this time.

"Congress was written off in the Assembly polls in November... everybody was saying the BJP would be surely winning for the fourth time but then the results came as a shocker for political pundits as Congress walked away with record 68 seats (in the 90-member house). I believe the parliamentary polls will produce similar results in Chhattisgarh and elsewhere in the country," he said.

Baghel, who belongs to the OBC community which makes up half of the state's over 2.55 crore population, also described Congress President Rahul Gandhi "an immensely talented person who is perfectly able to lead the country as the next Prime Minister".

Swept to power on the promises of farm loan waivers and imposing total prohibition in the state, where excise collections contribute heavily to state's GDP, he reiterated his commitment of strongly dealing with agrarian distress, which he described as "a legacy of 15-year-long misrule of corrupt BJP regime led by Dr Raman Singh".

"I waived Rs 6,100 crore farm loan within hours of taking oath as Chief Minister on December 17, 2018, the minimum support price on per quintal paddy procurement has been raised to a record Rs 2,500 and I will definitely go for total prohibition in the state but only after taking people into confidence," he said.

He strongly rejected accusations that his Congress government would go "soft" on the Maoists and slow down offensives against them.

"This is entirely untrue, troopers will carry on anti-Naxal (Maoist) drive vigorously but I will not allow anyone to harass innocent civilians in name of Naxal operations. Chhattisgarh government will strive to win confidence of people in Naxal-hit areas," Baghel said.

He said his government was committed to the welfare of tribals in the conflict zone and that the state government listens to them.

(Sujeet Kumar can be contacted at sujeet.k@ians.in)

--IANS

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"Better employment opportunities" is the top priority of Indian voters and they are unsatisfied with the government's below average performance, reveals a survey conducted by election watchdog - the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

The survey, released on Monday, said the government's performance score on the top 10 voters' priorities is below average.

The other top two voters' priorities, "better healthcare" and "drinking water" were also rated as below average.

"This evidently indicates that the voters are unsatisfied with the government's performance. The government needs to prioritise and invest more particularly in these sectors," it said.

"On better employment opportunities, which is the top priority among voters, the performance of the government has been rated as one of the worst (2.15 on a scale of 5)."

The ADR conducted the survey between October 2018 and December 2018 covering 534 Lok Sabha constituencies, in which 2,73,487 voters spread among various demographics participated.

The three main objectives of this survey were to identify voters' priorities on specific governance issues, voters' ratings of the government's performance on those issues, and factors affecting voting behaviour.

"It is quite clear from the top 10 voters' priorities that Indian voters' prioritise -- employment and basic amenities (such as healthcare, drinking water, better roads) -- lie above all governance issues (including terrorism and strong defence/military)," it said.

"This indisputably is a result of prevailing governance deficit in these sectors that is causing deprivation to the average Indian voter besides also leading to the denial of their fundamental rights such as right to live with human dignity as embodied in the Article-21 of the Constitution."

It is important for the government to ensure basic services to all sections of the society for inclusive and equitable development, it added.

As per the survey, "better employment opportunities" (46.80 per cent), "better health care" (34.60 per cent) and "drinking water" (30.50 per cent) are the top three voters' priorities at the all India level, followed by 'better roads' (28.34 per cent) and 'better public transport' (27.35 per cent).

Agricultural related governance issues featured predominantly as "availability of water for agriculture" (26.40 per cent) that was ranked sixth, followed by "agriculture loan availability" (25.62 per cent), "higher price realisation for farm products" (25.41 per cent), and :agriculture subsidy for seeds and fertilsers" (25.06 per cent).

The ADR said it is a matter of serious concern that for none of the 31 listed voters' priorities, the performance of the government was rated as average or above average.

The worst performance of the government, as rated by the voters, was on the issues of encroachment of public lands, lakes, and terrorism, training for jobs, strong defence and military, eradication of corruption, lower food prices for consumers and mining and quarrying.

It said "better employment opportunities", and "better healthcare centres" were among the top priorities last year as well.

Out of the 32 states and union territories, in 29 of them, voters have given below average ratings to the government for its performance on all top 3 voters' priorities at the state level.

This is with the exception of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry.

In most socio-economically backward states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh better employment opportunities is the foremost voters' priority, as per the survey.

Drinking water is the topmost voters' priority in Odisha, Karnataka and Daman and Diu.

--IANS

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Chhattisgarh Police probe into a Rs 50 crore misappropriation case and other irregularities at D.K.S. Super Speciality Hospital may spell trouble for Punit Gupta, son-in-law of former Chief Minister Raman Singh.

The police is reportedly collecting evidences against Gupta on the basis of a departmental probe.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif told IANS on Monday a probe is on against Gupta on the basis of complaint filed by K.K. Sahare, superintendent of the hospital.

"Sahare in his complaint has cited lapses in the probe report conducted by the government. The police is collecting documents pertaining to irregularities in the report," Arif said.

Meanwhile, fearing that Gupta may flee the country, chief of the Congress medicare cell Rakesh Gupta has demanded confiscation of his passport. He has also submitted his complaint to the SSP.

"I have received a complaint in this regard and taking the necessary actions," Arif said.

Raman Singh's son-in-law Gupta is facing allegations of financial irregularities while heading the Dau Kalyan Singh Sarkari Super Speciality Hospital. The irregularities include procurements without approval, preparing fake audit report and misappropriation of Rs 50 crore.

--IANS

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A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader was shot dead in Loni town of of Ghaziabad district on Monday in a suspected fallout of a property dispute, police said.

Shabbir Hussain Zaidi, who took voluntary retirement from the UP Police where he was a sub-inspector to join the party, was on a morning walk in Uttaranchal residential colony when waiting assailants opened fire at him.

He was rushed to the GTB hospital in Delhi where doctors declared him dead.

Loni Border SHO Shailendra Pratap Singh said that "the incident seems to be linked with a property dispute since Zaidi was engaged in property dealing business".

--IANS

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Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday termed the Congress's election promise to provide 25 crore poor people yearly financial assistance of Rs 72,000 a "bluff announcement", noting that the sum is "less than two-thirds" of the existing Direct Benefit Transfer provided by the Narendra Modi government.

Jaitley's remarks came hours after Congress President Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually under the minimum income guarantee scheme if his party comes to power.

The BJP leader took a swipe at the Congress through his Facebook blog post as well as a media briefing.

Taking into account the total amount of subsidies provided by the government, Jaitley claimed that Rs 5.34 lakh crore was already being distributed to the poor.

"In addition to the above, Rs 5.34 lakh crore, there are several other schemes which provide several thousands of crores more to the poor. If the Congress party's announcement is tested on simple arithmetic, Rs 72,000 for five crore families works out to be Rs 3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what is being given - a bluff announcement," Jaitley told media.

He accused the Congress of misleading the country on the issue of poverty for 50 years. "Even after giving that slogan (garibi hatao), if today you think that 20 per cent of the people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country."

In its blog, he said: "No political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress party. It gave people of India slogans and very little resources to implement them. However, PM Narendra Modi ji has already given the poor what Congress promises."

Jaitley said that Nehruvian model stagnated growth and Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 and just redistributed poverty. "The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance and economic model of the Congress party."

Today, he said, most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000 month.

"The minimum starting salary in government after the 7th CPC (Central Pay Commission) is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act) payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42 per cent.

"In the last five years, the government, headed by PM Narendra Modi introduced DBT through banks. Besides subsidies for food, fertilizer, kerosene, 55 Ministries handed over subsidies to the poor through the DBT which was enabled by Aadhaar," he said.

Of loan waivers by the Congress, Jaitley said the party made the promise in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka but in most places, it remains unfulfilled.

--IANS

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Retired Justice of the Madras and Calcutta High Court C.S. Karnan, 63, on Monday filed his nomination papers to contest from Chennai Central Lok Sabha constituency.

He filed his papers as a candidate of Anti Corruption Dynamic Party (ACDP) floated by him last year.

Karnan was the first sitting judge to be convicted for contempt of court. He underwent a six-month prison sentence after his retirement in June 2017.

In his affidavit, Karnan has shown an income of Rs 19,77,610 for the fiscal 2018-19 down from Rs 27,09,480 in 2017-18.

The total movable and immovable assets in his name are worth Rs 13,00,000 and Rs 38,50,000, respectively.

The total movable assets in the names of his wife and two dependants are worth Rs 56,00,000.

"My party has fielded 35 candidates across the country, whereas AIADMK and DMK have not crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry yet," Karnan told IANS.

He also said that he has declared himself as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

"Why not AIADMK or DMK declare some one amongst themselves as a Prime Ministerial candidate?" he said.

--IANS

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The Madras High Court bench in Madurai on Monday sentenced a retired police official to four years imprisonment in the 2007 Dinakaran newspaper burning case which had left three persons dead.

The court sentenced retired police official Rajaram for dereliction of his duties.

The court on March 21 awarded life imprisonment to nine people convicted in the case.

The court also sentenced seven other accused to five-year jail terms and said Rajaram should appear before the court on Monday for his sentencing.

The High Court's verdict came on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the lower court acquitted all the accused.

The High Court also ordered the state government to pay a compensation of Rs 500,000 to the families of the three employees of Dinakaran daily - Gopinath, Vinod and Muthuramalingan - who were killed in the attack.

Amongst the accused sentenced for life is V.P. Pandi also known as 'Attack Pandi', a supporter of former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri, who was expelled from the DMK some years back.

In 2007, the Dinakaran daily published a survey report on who would be the preferred successor of late DMK President M. Karunanidhi.

As per the survey, Alagiri was ranked, below Stalin, which angered the former's supporters who attacked the daily's office in Madurai with petrol bombs, resulting in a fire and the death of three employees.

--IANS

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After being hounded for over two years by accusations that he treasonously colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election, US President Donald Trump has won an exoneration after an arduous investigation and his opposition has received a setback.

But any reprieve is only temporary and the Democratic Party's leaders were unmoved by the summary of the finding of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe released by Attorney General William Barr on Sunday afternoon and vowed to continue their own Congressional investigations of Trump.

After Barr released the summary in letters to Congressional leaders, Trump told the media that the probe and the Russian collusion charges were an "an illegal take-down that failed" and called for a probe of "the other side".

With the Russia probe behind him, Trump may see an opportunity to navigate the treacherous political waters without the dark cloud of impeachment dogging him in the 20 months before the presidential election.

The Democratic Party's Congressional leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier on Sunday on a CBS TV talk show: "We are not focused on impeachment". And the Mueller findings did not rise to the bar set by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that there should be "something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan" for an impeachment.

Trump may be able to regain some his standing to focus on pressing issues like the China trade negotiations and the North Korean nuclear stalemate.

He can claim a victory and the Democrats appear to have suffered a setback because of their singular over-reliance on the Russia-Trump collusion theory to bring him down in their rage after Hillary Clinton's stunning defeat in the 2016 elections.

After 22 months of investigations involving 500 witnesses, examination of thousands of pages of documents, and 500 search warrants, Mueller has ruled out Trump's or his campaign's involvement with Moscow.

Trump gloated in an email to supporters: "NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION - COMPLETE EXONERATION".

But most Democrats are unconvinced about the clean chit and have demanded the release of the full report hoping to find material to continue their pursuit of Trump.

"A short letter from Trump's hand-picked Attorney General is not sufficient," Senator Kamala Harris tweeted.

Mueller has given them ammunition to continue their attacks on another front: Trump did not get an exoneration on a key allegation that he had tried to obstruct the investigations into Russian interference, which would be a crime. With a note of ambiguity, Barr said that in this regard Mueller's "report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him".

The Mueller investigation also produced collateral damage to Trump's reputation by association as five key members of his team, including campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, his personal lawyer Michael Cohen and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, have been convicted - but only on charges like lying during investigations and tax and financial fraud unrelated to the Russian link-- as result of information unearthed during the probe.

If these prosecutions were meant to pressure them to testify that there were Russian links, they did not work.

Mueller also established that Russia interfered in the elections through a campaign of disinformation and social media manipulation to "sow social discord", and by hacking Clinton's and Democratic Party's computers and email and publicising damaging information.

Of the legal action launched against 34 individuals and entities during the probe, some involved Russians.

The action now shifts to Congress and federal and state prosecutor's offices where elements from the Mueller investigation may be used.

Having wrested control of the House of Representatives in November mid-term elections, the Democrats are poised to launch investigations by several committees into various aspects of Trump's businesses, campaign, conduct and foreign involvement. Many of the panels have demanded that Trump officials preserve documents they may require.

Federal prosecutors in New York are looking into Trump's property deals and whether his swearing-in gala received illegal foreign contributions, and possibly into actions by his family members. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating loans from Deutsche Bank to Trump's enterprises and has taken action against the Trump charitable foundation.

There are also personal civil cases pending against him in several places.

When Trump spoke of the "take-down" that failed and said "the other side" should be probed, he was speaking to the deep-seated fears among his supporters that a well-entrenched establishment - the Washington "swamp" as Trump has called it - was conspiring to overthrow him.

Trump supporters in Congress like Devin Nunes have said that there was an orchestrated campaign within the administration of former President Barack Obama and within the Federal Bureau of Investigation against Trump.

This they say started with a dossier on Trump compiled by Christopher Steele, who had worked for the British intelligence service, and was partially paid for by the Clinton campaign through a US private investigation company. It was shared among politicians and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

They also allege there were various leaks of information damaging to the Trump campaign by officials.

Another sore point for them was the decision during the last days of the Obama administration to not take action against Clinton for using a private email server for classified information in violation of rules.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)

--IANS

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Russian military personnel landed on Sunday in Venezuela, capturing the attention of the political scene in the Latin American nation on a day on which President Nicolas Maduro and his challenger and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido stayed silent and out of the public eye.

Opposition lawmaker Williams Davila told Efe that two Russian military aircraft with about 100 military personnel landed at Maiquetia airport, the country's main air hub, which serves Caracas, in what he called a "serious" incident.

"It's strange that a Russian mission's coming here completely against the provisions established in the national Constitution. No (military) mission may arrive in Venezuela if it doesn't have the authority of the National Assembly or Parliament," Davila said in a telephone conversation with Efe.

The Venezuelan Parliament is controlled by the opposition and Guaido is the head of that body.

Davila said he had no knowledge of what the Russians were doing in the country, but he insisted that their presence constitutes a "violation of Venezuelan sovereignty."

"And the Venezuelan military are keeping quiet," he added.

On Sunday morning, several local media outlets reported the presence of two Russian-flagged military aircraft at Maiquetia, but only one of them now remains at the terminal.

The Venezuelan lawmaker said that Parliament will take into account this "penetration by foreign forces into Venezuela" during its next session and that he had sent a message to the Chamber's defence committee asking that an investigation be launched.

The Venezuelan Information Ministry did not respond immediately to a request by EFE to clarify the motives for the visit by the Russian military personnel.

The Maduro regime and Russia last December said that they would begin "discussions on combined efforts" to raise the defence capabilities of the South American country to repel "possible attacks."

At that time, a squadron of Russian military planes, including two Tu-160 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons, participated in joint military exercises with Venezuelan forces.

Russia is one of Maduro's biggest allies, backing him publicly against the challenge from Guaido, who on Jan. 23 proclaimed himself interim president and was shortly thereafter recognized by more than 50 nations, including the United States, as Venezuela's legitimate leader.

On Sunday, both Maduro and Guaido maintained their silence and stayed out of the public eye, although it was made known that the latter on Saturday had held a video-conference with leaders of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

In a statement released on Sunday, the Caribbean bloc said that the meeting came after the decision by the organisation to help facilitate a peaceful solution to Venezuela's ongoing political, economic and social crisis.

Some of those participating in the video-conference were Jamaican Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, her Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Dennis Moses, Caricom General Secretary Irwin LaRocque and St. Kitts and Nevis Foreign Minister Mark Brantley.

In their statement, the participants called the video-conference with Guaido a significant first step and said that the meeting served to give them a better understanding of Guaido's point of view on how to move forward in the search for peaceful solutions.

They also said that similar meetings will be held in the near future.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Samajwadi Party on Monday took pot shots at the Congress over reports that its President Rahul Gandhi could fight the Lok Sabha polls from another seat in addition to his traditional Amethi, as it announced support for Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

"We are getting reports that the Congress President is likely to contest the poll from another state like Karnataka or Kerala besides being in fray from his seat Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. This is the real picture of the Congress's organisational strength in Uttar Pradesh," Samajwadi Party national Vice President Kiranmoy Nanda said here.

Nanda said the SP decided to go for a tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party while leaving only two seats - Amethi and Raebareli - for the Congress in the light of its experience in the 2017 assembly polls in the state.

The SP and the Congress had then tied up, but their alliance came a cropper at the hustings, with the Bharatiya Janata Party romping to victory.

"We have left two seats for the Congress. For the Rashtriya Lok Dal, we have left three seats. But the Congress has decided to contest 73 seats in the state. We would like them to put up a good fight," he said at a media meet.

Uttar Pradesh has 80 seats - the largest number among all states.

Nanda exuded confidence that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance will sweep UP and stop the march of the BJP. "Our alliance will bag over 60 seats as it reflects the aspirations of the masses," he said.

Turning to West Bengal, where he was a long-time minister in the Left Front government, Nanda said his party, with its limited influence in the state, would back Banerjee, "who is the only force in the state that can defeat the BJP".

He said the SP would organise rallies in support of the Trinamool in the eastern state.

--IANS

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The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Law Commission on a PIL stating that the sentence under special laws covering terrorism, separatism and corruption should be consecutive and not concurrent.

The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta, issued the notice on the PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking the sentence for offences under the special laws dealing with terrorism, separatism, corruption, unlawful activities, money laundering, black money and fugitive economic offenders should run consecutively -- one after the other -- and not concurrently.

The laws under which the petitioner has contended this that more than one sentence should be served consecutively, include the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.

Upadhyay has contended his PIL was rooted in April 30, 2016, calling for a more stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act with increased jail-term by the Vice-Chairman of the special investigation team (SIT) on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat, but the government is yet to act on it.

The petitioner has contended that the injury caused to the public because of corruption, black money generation and benami transactions badly affected the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 -- the right to health, shelter, water, justice, development and livelihood.

Upadhyay has cited the instances of overseas jurisdictions where convicts under special laws were sentenced to long years of incarceration.

Citing examples, the petitioner said Terry Nichols was sentenced to 161 consecutive life-terms without parole for killing 161 Americans; Abdulla Barghouti was sentenced to 67 life-terms plus 5,200 years in prison for killing 66 Israelis; Gary Ridgway was sentenced to 49 life-terms plus 480 years in prison for killing 71 prostitutes.

Similarly, Loi Khac Nguyen was sentenced to 49 consecutive life-terms without parole for kidnapping 35 Americans; Martin Bryant was sentenced to 35 life-terms plus 1,035 years in prison for killing 35 Australians.

The petitioner further contended that India could not move forward without clean and transparent governance, for which corruption-free society was a basic requirement.

"There is no country in the top 50 of the Human Development Index, which has significant amount of corruption and money laundering," the petitioner said, pointing out that there was a "correlation between welfare state with apposite attention to education and public health and the absence of corruption and money laundering."

"It is the obligation of the state to take steps to curb black money generation", the petitioner said.

--IANS

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The turn of events for the cash-strapped Jet Airways has put the spotlight on the now 12 per cent partner Etihad's next move, and whether it wants to stay with the airline with an interim management now and later with new owners after four months.

A consortium of lenders led by the SBI has put in Rs 1,500 crore immediate funding by acquiring 51 per cent stake in the company through issue of Rs 11.4 crore fresh shares.

This has led to the stake of promoter Naresh Goyal coming down to 25 per cent from 50 per cent, while Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, which had a 24 per cent stake in the carrier, came down to 12 per cent.

SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar told a TV channel: "It (the new owner) could be financial investor, it could be an airline...including Naresh Goyal himself or Etihad. No body is barred from bidding or taking over the airline as per the rule," he said.

Sources said Etihad wanted to exit even in the current stage with Naresh Goyal on board and it had expressed its views to the current caretaker owner SBI. Etihad is learnt to be keen on selling its stake by selling out to the bank a few days ago. But recently SBI chairman Kumar said the decision of Etihad is not conclusive.

As a result, the stake of Naresh Goyal will come down to 25 per cent from 50 per cent, while that of Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, which was 24 per cent in the carrier, came down to 12 per cent.

A bidding process will be initiated by lenders for sale to new investor(s). The process expected to be completed in June .

Jet Airways' founder and chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal have stepped down from the board of the ailing airline following reduction in their stake to 25 per cent as per the resolution plan formulated by SBI-led domestic lenders.

After weeks of speculation and uncertainties over the future course of Jet Airways, which has grounded over 80 planes due to financial woes, approved constitution of an interim management committee to manage and monitor the daily operations and cash flow.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday stated in a Delhi court that investigations had established that Rs 300 crore were received as kickbacks from Swiss aerospace firm Pilatus, allegedly linked to Sanjay Bhandari, a close associate of Robert Vadra.

The ED stated this while opposing anticipatory bail plea of Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, and his aide Manoj Arora in a case related to Vadra's ownership of overseas assets worth 1.9 million pounds and entities to evade tax.

The ED told Special Judge Arvind Kumar it has established the money trail of kickbacks, received from the deal between Pilatus and Samsung, during the UPA government.

The court listed the matter for March 27 and extended the interim protection from arrest to Vadra and Arora till the next hearing.

In a related development, the ED opposed Vadra's plea challenging certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case against him in the Delhi High Court.

Refusing any interim relief to Vadra, the Delhi High Court had asked the Centre and the ED to file their responses on Vadra's plea.

The ED said Vadra's plea was an abuse of the process of law and alleged he had wilfully suppressed material facts.

The high court has also asked Vadra to file a response on the ED affidavit and listed the matter for hearing on May 2.

The ED has questioned Vadra several times in the case. It has requested the trial court to dismiss his bail plea as it may require his custodial interrogation in the case.

--IANS

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Delhi power distribution company (discom) BSES, here on Monday, urged its 40 lakh plus consumers to "switch off" electric appliances during Earth Hour on March 30, to show their concern for the

According to the company, consumers should show their concern for by switching off electrical appliances and non-essential lighting fixtures for one hour starting 8.30 p.m. (local time) on Saturday.

In this, Delhi citizens will be joining their over a billon counterparts in Mumbai, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Rome and many other cities in over 180 countries, BSES said in a statement.

Earth Hour 2019 will also be the platform for the "Give Up to Give Back" movement, encouraging millions of Indians to give up wasteful practices, habits and lifestyles to give back to the planet that makes life possible.

Commenting on the importance of sustainable planet, a BSES spokesperson said: "As conscientious corporate citizens of India, we also urges consumers to look towards the sun and join our over 1,500 other BSES roof-top consumers in harnessing the power of sun."

The BSES sister discoms, BRPL and BYPL, will also switch off all non-essential lights at their over 400 offices, spread across 950 sq.kms, during the appointed hour (8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.)," the statement said.

Last year, BSES saved 183 MW in Delhi's total contribution of 305 MW during Earth Hour, it added.

--IANS

bc/pcj

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi power distribution company (discom) BSES on Monday urged its over 40 lakh consumers to "switch off" their electric appliances during Earth Hour on March 30, 2019, to show their concern for the

According to the company, consumers should show their concern for the by switching off their electrical appliances and non-essential lighting fixtures for one hour starting 8.30 p.m (local time) on Saturday. In this, Delhi citizens will be joining their over a billon counterparts in Mumbai, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Rome, among many other cities in over 180 countries, a statement said.

The company further said that Earth Hour 2019 will also be the platform that launches the "Give Up to Give Back" movement, encouraging millions of Indians to give up wasteful practices, habits and lifestyles to give back to the planet that makes life possible.

Commenting on the importance of a sustainable planet, a BSES spokesperson said: "As conscientious corporate citizens of Delhi, BSES urges its consumers to opt for paper-less bills, thus giving up paper waste."

The BSES sister discoms "BRPL and BYPL will also switch off all non-essential lights at their over 400 offices, spread across an area of around 950 sq.kms, during the appointed hour (8.30 to 9.30 pm) on March 30," the statement said.

Last year, BSES saved 183 MW in Delhi's total contribution of 305 MW during Earth Hour, it added.

--IANS

bc/nir

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The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Bihar Police on Monday arrested two suspected Bangladeshi nationals here, police said.

Additional Director General of Police, headquarters, Kundan Krishnan said that an ATS team arrested two suspected Bangladeshi nationals near the Patna Railway junction.

"Some documents and other papers were recovered from them. The police will verify the papers and will begin investigations into the case," Krishnan said.

--IANS

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The US sailed two ships through the Taiwan Strait, in an operation that comes as top officials from President Donald Trump's administration prepare to travel to Beijing for high-level trade talks.

The US Navy destroyer, the USS Curtis Wilbur, and the US Coast Guard cutter, USCGC Bertholf, "conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit March 24-25 in accordance with international law", the Navy's Seventh fleet said in a statement on Sunday.

"The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," Cdr. Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Navy's Seventh Fleet, told CNN.

The US also sailed two ships through the strait in February and January.

The approximately 110-mile-wide strait, which separates China and Taiwan, is seen as a potential geopolitical flashpoint should Beijing ever seek to take the island of Taiwan by force.

The transit also comes the day after the White House announced that US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin would travel to China in an effort to resolve a long running trade dispute.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Gauhati High Court on Monday gave a clean chit to Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain in a rape case, after the victim decided to withdraw complaint.

The complainant had last year lodged an FIR accusing Gohain of sexually molesting her and her sister-in-law on the pretext of getting them jobs.

The clean chit will allow Gohain to bargain for a BJP ticket from Nowgong, the Lok Sabha seat he has retained since 1999.

Gohain had recently said he would not contest polls until the court cleared his name in the case.

Although Gohain lobbied hard for the ticket to his wife Reeta Gohain, the party leadership has almost finalised the name of BJP legislator from Nowgong Sadar constituency Rupak Sarmah for the Nowgong Lok Sabha constituency.

The BJP has announced candidates for 10 of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, so far.

The three-phased polls for Assam are due on April 11, 18 and 23.

--IANS

ah/rtp/pcj

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Bollywood personalities like Anupam Kher, Shekhar Kapur and R. Madhavan have urged people to exercise their right to vote as it helps in ensuring a government the citizen needs and deserves.

Modi, on Twitter had "appealed" to several actors to "tell fellow Indians to vote in large numbers in the upcoming elections."

Anupam replied: "Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the compassion with which you work for our country. Yes! It is through our vote we ensure a government we need and we deserve. So my fellow Indians! Please vote in the coming elections to keep the flag of our democracy flying."

Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur wrote that the Constitution of India has given each citizen of India the Fundamental Right to vote.

He added: "But with Rights come responsibilities. Each one of us must exercise our right to vote. It's the least you and I can do to uphold the principles of our great Nation."

Actor R. Madhavan says he supports Modi for strengthening the democracy in India.

"Sir.Your unrelenting passion for strengthening Democracy in this country, is totally and completely supported by me and it will not just be an honour and privilege, but my ardent duty to assist you in this endeavour. Thank you for personally reminding us," he wrote.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.

--IANS

dc/bc

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There is a strange uncertainty before the coming general election. Political pundits are hedging their bets by not declaring an outright victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There is also no visible traction for the Opposition which has failed to come together on a single platform.

This could well be a peoples election because political parties do not seem to be calling the shots. The only certainty for the ruling party is that it would be difficult to repeat its performance of 2014 when it won 282 seats in the Lok Sabha. When ...
As many as 12,000 cases have been filed since the implementation of the and setting of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), a senior government official said Monday.

Asserting that the Insolvency and Code (IBC) should be the last resort, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said the NCLT has been very expeditious in disposing cases related to insolvency.

"In some of the NCLTs, the number of cases filed and the number of cases disposed off are almost the same. That means you are almost current," he noted.

Cases under the code can be taken up only after approval from the tribunal, which has benches in different parts of the country.

Srinivas said that personal insolvency should be approached carefully and in a planned manner.

"The issue of personal insolvency is an important dimension, which we have to address at the earliest.

ALSO READ: IBBI notifies mechanism for issuing regulations under insolvency law

"Today, we have approximately Rs 77 lakh crore as outstanding non-food credit. Out of this, industry accounts for about Rs 26 lakh crore and the services sector accounts for about Rs 21 lakh crore. These two put together accounts for Rs 48 lakh crore. It is 70 per cent of non-food credit outstanding. We are left with 30 per cent which we need to address now," Srinivas said.

According to him, there are two routes for personal insolvency -- one is followed by process and the second one is a fresh start.

ALSO READ: How insolvency is reshaping steel

A fresh start or a waiver or a waiver of a loan should be considered for debtors based on certain criteria such as income levels and assets, he said.

Speaking at a conference organised by industry body CII and British High Commission, Srinivas said that since the commencement of the Code and setting up of the NCLT, 12,000 cases have been filed.

"(Around) 4,500 cases have been settled before resolution to a settlement amount of almost Rs 2 lakh crore. 1,500 cases have been admitted... 6,000 cases are waiting in queue," he added.

The IBC provides for time-bound resolution of stressed assets.

To a query on long time taken in resolving certain cases under the IBC, Srinivas observed that it would not be fair to say that cases have been lingering on.

"May be these large cases have taken more than 270 days and some may be double of that but if you look at the size of that loan and the quantum of recovery, it is still an extraordinary sort of result.

"In (the case of) Essar, more than Rs 42,000 crore would be (recovered). That is a very big sum and involves some many creditors... I think for such very large cases, there would be some amount of litigation and one year or little over one year for such a large case to be settled is not too long," he said on the sidelines of the event.

Further, he said the time taken for resolution of large cases is not too long, especially when it is compared with the average of four-and-a-half years which has been taking prior to the IBC.

"The repayment behaviour of poor persons is much better than the repayment behaviour of richer people because they know their livelihood would come to an end if they default...," Srinivas said.

Insolvency and Board of India (IBBI) Chairman said the challenge before the Committee of Creditors (CoC) is the ability to recognise and distinguish between a company, which is potentially viable and unviable, then design a feasible resolution plan, while ensuring the firm's value does not get further eroded in the process.

The CoC should be willing to restructure its liability and delay liquidation if the company has the potential to be restored to health. However, the rescue plan should be confined only to viable companies, he said at the conference, according to a release issued by the CII.

Noting that cross-border insolvency is still work in progress, Srinivas said that UNCITRAL provides for enough flexibility to have carve outs.

"It is under the consideration of the government and very soon Parliament might also approve it," he added.

Established in 1966, UNCITRAL is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly of the UN with the general mandate to further the progressive harmonisation and unification of the law of international trade, as per its website.

The UNCITRAL Model Law has been adopted in more than 40 countries.

The model law deals with four major principles of cross-border insolvency, including direct access to foreign insolvency professionals and foreign creditors to participate in or commence domestic insolvency proceedings against a defaulting debtor.

On the sidelines of the conference, Srinivas said that having insolvency counsellor is a very good idea. "We should look at it seriously. You should have an option for the counsellor to sort it out. Some mediation process should be there," he added.
Twelve Indian Air Force pilots and as many flight engineers underwent a special training in the US to operate Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, which were inducted into the IAF on Monday.

The first four of the 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters, which were ordered from Boeing in September 2015, were commissioned into the IAF's 126 Helicopter Unit (HU) at a ceremony held here.

After inducting the helicopters, IAF chief B S Dhanoa said induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way the Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet.

Senior IAF officers present at the event said the combination of Mi-26 chopper and Chinooks in a single unit will give the 126 HU an unmatched air mobility capability never replicated anywhere in the world, directly contributing to the operational preparedness and potential of the Indian armed forces.

IAF pilot Anupam Yadav, who underwent the special training in the US for flying the chopper, said, "This is the first tandem rotor helicopter inducted into the Air Force, its flying characteristics were new for us. For this, experienced pilots of Boeing helped us, they had operational exposure as they had been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq."



The helicopter can carry out military operations not only during the day but at night too.

"Primary use for which we have got training is cargo and load transport. In cargo, the chopper can carry load up to 11 tonne in forward areas, artillery guns, bulldozers, road building equipment, all these things it can carry underslung (suspended from the underside of the chopper)," Yadav told PTI.

The helicopter is capable of transporting 54 troops at a time and take the Army artillery guns right up to forward post in an assembled state, he said.

"The aircraft's ceiling altitude is 6 km (nearly 20,000 feet), but will depend on factors like temperature, etc," he said.

"Helicopters in India have tail rotor configuration, but it (Chinook which has tandem rotor) requires different kind of input during initial hours of flying," Yadav said.

The Chinook, twin-engine, tandem rotor, is multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

The all-weather capable aircraft can also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Supreme Court judge Justice Sanjiv Khanna Monday once again recused himself from hearing the appeal of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who has challenged the Delhi High Court verdict sentencing him to life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

On February 25, Justice Khanna had recused himself from hearing Kumar's appeal when he was sitting in a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

The matter came up for hearing on Monday before a bench of Justices S A Bobde and Sanjiv Khanna.

The bench said the case would now come up for hearing after two weeks.

The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1 and 2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

Anti-Sikh riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.

73-year-old Kumar had surrendered before a trial court here on December 31, 2018, to serve the sentence in pursuance of the high court's December 17 judgment awarding him life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life".

After his conviction in the case, Kumar had resigned from the Congress party.

The CBI has recently told the apex court that Kumar's plea seeking bail in the matter should be dismissed as he has a "large political clout" and is capable of "influencing or terrorising" witnesses in the case pending against him.

It has told the court that fair trial in the pending case would not be possible if Kumar is granted bail.

The top court had earlier admitted Kumar's appeal for hearing and had also issued notice to the CBI on his bail plea seeking its response.

The high court had convicted and sentenced Kumar to spend the remainder of his life in jail for the offences of criminal conspiracy and abetment in commission of crimes of murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of communal harmony and defiling and destruction of a Gurdwara.

It had also upheld the conviction and varying sentences awarded by a trial court to five others former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and ex-MLAs Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions".

It had said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency.

The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man and a woman have been arrested at the Delhi airport by Customs officials for allegedly trying to smuggle into the country gold valuing around Rs 31.57 lakh.

The duo, said to be relatives, were intercepted upon their arrival from Dubai on Sunday, a statement issued by the customs department said.

A baggage search of the passengers resulted in the recovery of gold in paste form and four gold bangles, total weighing 982 grams, it said.

The gold items have been seized and the duo arrested, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two people were killed and five others critically injured Monday in an explosion at an illegal fire crackers manufacturing unit in Gullipalle in Visakhapatnam district.

The five were members of the same family.

It was the second such explosion in the same unit.

In May 2012, three persons were burnt alive and two others were injured in an explosion at the unit.

Police said the explosion occurred at around 10.45 AM while the workers were preparing the firecrackers.

Under the impact of the blast, the tin roof of the shed, made with iron sheets, caved in, police said.

All the injured were admitted to the KG Hospital in Visakhapatnam, where two people succumbed to their injuries, police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Anakapalle, S V D Prasada Rao said investigation revealed that the factory owner had obtained a license for the unit, which was valid up to 2013.

After expiry of the license, he applied for it again in his brother's name and it was pending with the various departments, Rao added.

The unit owner has been arrested and a case registered against him under Section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 3 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act, the DSP said.

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A 53-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing a relative of former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin last month over a property dispute in Bihar, police said on Monday.

The accused Mohammad Qayyum, a resident of Siwan district in Bihar used to run a mobile shop and had been absconding since the incident.

Police arrested Qayyum on March 22 after they received a tip off that he had taken shelter at Batla House in Delhi.

Yusuf, a relative of gangster turned politician Mohammad Shahabuddin was brutally killed by Mohammad Kaif, Raunak, Islam, Maqbool, Sandeep and Qayyum on February 1.

Owing to the property dispute with Qayyum, family members of both the parties had several altercation in the past.

"Qayyum along with the other four accused hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Yusuf," said Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).

Qayyum along with Kaif, Raunak, Islam, Maqbool and Sandeep, visited Yusuf's house on the night of February 1 and asked him to accompany them to a party, Deo said.

They took Yusuf to a secluded place in Siwan, shot him and dumped his body near a mosque.

Since then, Qayyum has been absconding from Bihar and had taken shelter in Batla House, police said adding that efforts are on to nab the other accused.

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At least seven people, including a man who assisted in solemnising the wedding of two teenage Hindu girls after their alleged abduction and forced conversions, have been detained in Pakistan, amid reports that the victims approached a court seeking protection.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage.

On March 20, the girls' family lodged a First Information Report against their alleged forced conversion to Islam.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a probe into the incident after the two separate videos started doing rounds on social media.

Citing police, Dawn reported that several raids were conducted on Sunday night in Punjab's Rahim Yar Khan district - where it was believed the girls were taken from Ghotki - and arrested the Nikah Khwan who solemnised their marriages, a leader of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, and some relatives of the two men who had married the two girls.

The detained suspects were handed over to Sindh police, it added.

Superintendent of Police Farrukh Lanjhar, who paid a visit to the girls' father Sunday night, said that action was being taken on all available information to recover the girls.

According to Geo TV, the girls have approached a court in Bahawalpur in Punjab province seeking protection.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his party's agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

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Altogether eight candidates including the BJP nominee filed their papers for the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat on Monday, the last date for filling of nominations, officials said.

Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats - Outer Manipur and Inner Manipur. Election to the Outer Manipur seat will be held on April 11 and for Inner Manipur on April 18.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh accompanied the BJP candidate H Shokhopao popularly known as Benjamin Mate when he went to file his nomation papers on Monday.

Manipur Congress president Gaikhangam accompanied the party's candidate K James when he went to file his nomination papers for the Outer Manipur seat on Monday.

The Naga People's Front (NPF), National People's Party (NPP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), North East India Development Party (NEIDP), Janata Dal United and an Independent candidate also filed their nominations on Monday, officials said.

Scrutiny for of the nominations will be carried out on Tuesday, they added.

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The Aam Aadmi Party has sought an explanation from Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over the recent media report of fall in Delhi metro ridership following fare hikes, claiming that the move has led to increase of pollution and impacted the economically weaker sections of the society.

According to a recent media report, the average daily ridership of the Delhi metro has dropped by over 3 lakh.

Reacting to it, the AAP has sought an explanation from Puri, alleging that apart from directly affecting the revenues of Delhi Metro, the fare hike has also forced the metro commuters to switch to other modes of transport "which is causing an increase in the air pollution levels in Delhi."



"Higher Metro tariffs also directly affect the travel pattern of the economically weaker sections of the society," the AAP said in a statement.

"The Aam Aadmi Party would like to know from the Union Minister of State for Urban Development Hardeep Singh Puri, who is these days taking a keen interest in of Delhi, what is his response to the fact that following the twin Metro hike in 2017, average daily Metro ridership has fallen by over three lakh daily?" the party said.

The AAP questioned the official BJP stand on the metro fare hike.

"Can any of the seven BJP MPs from Delhi show a single letter they had written to the central government opposing the Metro fare hike? Can any BJP MP show a single speech/statement they had given in the Parliament or outside against this anti-people decision?Does the Delhi BJP endorse the statement of Mr Hardeep Singh Puri that fare hike was mandatory?" the AAP asked.

The AAP said it will make Delhi Metro fare hike by the BJP's central government an issue for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and will tell the people of Delhi that the seven MPs elected by them in 2014 fully deceived them.

Earlier, the state BJP had said that the Delhi government has a 50 per cent stake in DMRC and there can be no fare hike without its consent.

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A boarding pass issued by Air with pictures of Prime Minister and Chief Minister has come under criticism, days after the PM's photo on railway tickets created a furore.

The said the passes featuring the photographs, which were third-party advertisements, would be withdrawn if they are found to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

Former Punjab DGP Shashi Kant on Monday tweeted a photograph of his boarding pass issued at the airport, questioning how pictures of the two leaders could be on it.



At airport today March 25th, 2019.

My Air Boarding Pass, prominently flashes Narendra Modi, "Vibrant Gujrat" & Picture of boarding pass is below.

Wonder why we are wasting public money on this Election Commission, which doesn't see, hears or speak... pic.twitter.com/7t49cNIlAR  Shashi Kant IPS (@shashikantips54) March 25, 2019

"At airport today March 25th, 2019. My Air Boarding Pass, prominently flashes Narendra Modi, "Vibrant Gujrat" & Picture of boarding pass is below. Wonder why we are wasting public money on this Election Commission, which doesn't see, hear or speak...," he tweeted.

spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said the boarding passes seemed to be one printed during the Vibrant Summit held in January and the photographs were part of the advertisement from 'third parties'.

"The rolls seem to be the ones left over from the boarding passes printed during the Vibrant Summit and the photos are third-party advertisements. It has nothing to do with

"However, we are scrutinising if third-party ads fall within the purview of the Model Code of Conduct. If they do, these will be withdrawn. These boarding passes are not just for Gujarat, but are in use across India,"Kumar said.

On March 20, tickets with photos of the prime minister were withdrawn by the railways after the complained to the about them.

The railways had also said that it was a third-party ad and leftover from a pack of tickets printed a year earlier. The transporter had instructed zones to withdraw the tickets.
Former Union minister P Chidambaram Monday accused the CBI before a Delhi court of harassing him by repeatedly seeking dates to advance arguments on his anticipatory bail plea in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Special Judge O P Saini extended till April 26 the interim protection from arrest granted to the senior Congress leader and his son Karti after their counsel told the court that the CBI be given whatever time it wanted but arguments should start on the next date of hearing.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal for the father-son duo claimed that CBI has failed to disclose any information to prove the allegations against the Chidambarams in the case, filed by the CBI and the ED.

"This is harassment of the highest order and how many times will CBI do this," Sibal said.

CBI claimed non-cooperation by the Chidambarams and sought three weeks from the court to advance arguments on the ground that further investigation was required.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

The Congress leader had earlier also accused the two agencies of "delaying" the cases and had sought an early hearing on the bail pleas as well as the charge sheet filed in the cases.

The father-son duo had approached the court through advocates P K Dubey and Arshdeep Singh seeking anticipatory bail, claiming that they were afraid of arrest in both the cases being probed by the ED and the CBI.

Their protection from arrest has been extended from time to time.

The CBI had earlier informed the court that the Centre has granted sanction to prosecute five people, including serving and former bureaucrats, accused in the case including the Chidambarams.

CBI had on November 16 last year informed the court that similar nod was procured for Chidambaram. There are 18 accused in the case.

Chidambaram and Karti were named in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the case on July 19 last year.

CBI is probing how Chidambaram, when finance minister in 2006, granted FIPB approval to a foreign firm, when only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was empowered to do it.

CBI and ED, in their replies to the anticipatory bail pleas, had told the court that custodial interrogation of both the accused was required since various new materials have surfaced after filing of the charge sheet, alleging that they were not cooperating in the probe.

The father-son duo had denied the allegations of both the agencies that they were evasive and non-cooperative during the probe in the case.

They have come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

In the charge sheet filed earlier in the case against former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi Maran and others, the CBI alleged that Chidambaram granted FIPB approval in March 2006 to Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis.

The Maran brothers and the other accused named in the CBI charge sheet were discharged by the special court, which said the agency had failed to produce any material against them to proceed with the trial.

The ED is also probing a separate money laundering case in the Aircel-Maxis matter, in which the Chidambarams have been questioned by the agency and their anticipatory bail is pending.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With an eye on China, Australia and India will hold a major naval exercise next month, focussing on anti-submarine warfare, as part of efforts to ramp up bilateral naval cooperation in the strategic Indian Ocean region.

The third instalment of the 'AUSINDEX' exercise will be held off the coast of Vishakhapatnam from April 2 to 16 and will see the largest Australian defence forces group deployment in India, an Australian diplomatic source said.

The exercise will be a complex one and will be focussed on anti-submarine warfare. An Indian submarine will be involved in the exercise, the source said.

Over 1,000 Australian defence personnel, HMAS Canberra (landing helicopter dock), Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessel, and two frigates -- HMAS Newcastle and HMAS Parramatta -- will take part in the exercise.

Another interesting feature of the exercise will be the deployment of Australian personnel on Indian ships and vice versa. Also, P8I and P8 maritime patrol aircraft will be involved in the exercise.

The area of the exercise will be within 200 miles of Vishakhapatnam.

Asked about the Quad grouping comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, not being upgraded, another Australian diplomatic source said the Quad should be allowed to be evolved on its own.

"Quad needs to be given space to find its own feet. If we try to push Quad too far too fast, we actually risk undoing the relationships we are building through it," the source said.

The source said Australia not being included in the U.S.-India-Japan MALABAR multilateral exercise was not a reflection of the bilateral cooperation between India and Australia in the defence sector.

The strategic ties were growing and the defence collaboration is on an upswing between Australia and India, the source said.

A logistics agreement, on the lines of Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) that the US and India signed last year, would go a long way in further strengthening Indo-Australia defence ties, the source said.

Engagement with India, one of Australia's key strategic partners in the Indian Ocean region, will be the cornerstone for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE19) with a number of high-level activities to be conducted to showcase the breadth and depth of the bilateral relationship, the Australian diplomatic source said.

China's growing presence in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific region has been a matter of concern for other regional naval powers such as India, Australia, and the US.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
) An Australian-Indian film project titled "A Bride of Aravan" has managed to raise over USD 7,000 on a crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar by an Australian government supported MATCH Lab initiative.

The film is set to be shot in Puducherry next month during the annual Aravan festival by director duo Lesley Branagan and Yatra Srinivassan after the funding is over.

Australian screenwriter John O'Brien has co-written the short romantic drama which will be screened on Australian media outlets, ABC and SBS.

''You work on short films partly for a little bit of money, but mostly for a passion for the actual project," O'Brien told ABC.

''But the other thing of course, is that it's so wonderful to have a project which you've worked on actually happen. So few projects in the film world, in the television world, ever actually see the light of day,'' he added.

Starring Tamil actor Vinu Karthick, the film promises to offer inspiration for Tamil youths to find ways in which their modern aspirations can be realised, without overtly upsetting traditional expectations.

"We've been consulting with local transgender people, and a couple of them have agreed to play the roles," Branagan said.

"We do have a lot more collaboration (with them) in the coming weeks."



Branagan hopes the film will find an international audience through film festivals and online platforms.

"There is independent Tamil cinema, but mainstream Tamil cinema generally is only taken up by a Tamil audience. I feel this is a bit of a rare film, in that it is aiming to appeal to both Tamil and international audiences, while being a short film. Hopefully, it will get onto different types of platforms," she said.

The film has been developed over four years by co-directors Lesley and Srinivassan, who collaborated previously on documentary film "Womanpower" in 2003.

The project had received a small seed grant from Australia-India Institute in 2016, which enabled research and and intensive script development with dedicated scriptwriters.

The film's Kickstarter page read that the project had reached the fundraising goal, supported by the MATCH Lab's dollar-for-dollar funding, but it was eyeing to raise another USD 2,000 in the next seven days.

MATCH Lab is an initiative of the Creative Partnerships Australia, a not-for-profit organisation supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Comunications and the Arts.

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Union minister Nitin Gadkari Monday filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on April 11.

Gadkari, who had defeated Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) in the 2014 elections by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes, said he will win with a bigger margin this time around.

"This time, I will win with a bigger margin. People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years. Our government did more than (was promised) in the poll manifesto," Gadkari told reporters.

The BJP veteran was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination.

"Your support and love is the biggest strength for us," Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said Gadkari will register a "historic win" from Nagpur.

"He will create a record in Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding that the "BJP-Shiv Sena combine would win 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, sitting MP from Ramtek (SC) seat, also filed his nomination for the Ramtek seat.

Nana Patole of Congress, who will take on Gadkari in Nagpur, and former IAS officer Kishor Gajbhiye, pitted against Tumane from Ramtek, also filed their nominations later in the day.

Patole claimed Nagpur and Ramtek seats were Congress bastions, and said he would defeat Gadkari comfortably.

State Congress chief Ashok Chavan filed his nomination from the Nanded constituency.

He was accompanied by NCP leader Kamal Kishore Kadam on the occasion.

Chavan, the sitting MP from Nanded, exuded confidence that the Congress will emerge victorious in the country winning seats "in big numbers".

He claimed that the present atmosphere was against the BJP.

"People are fed up. Farmers, students, unemployed and traders are fed up with the government. The (BJP-led) government has not kept its promises. Hence, there will definitely be a change in guard," Chavan claimed.

Chavan is pitted against Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Chikhlikar, the latter contesting on a BJP ticket.

Another senior Maharashtra Congress leader, Manikrao Thakre, filed his papers from the Yavatmal constituency.

Meanwhile, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, who has formed the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi along with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, filed nomination from Solapur seat.

He will take on Congress veteran Sushil Kumar Shinde there. The seat is held by BJP's Sharad Bansode, who defeated Shinde in the 2014 polls by a margin of 1.49 lakh votes.

Ambedkar accused Shinde of not protecting interests of backward class communities from the constituency.

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The BJP Monday asked the Election Commission of India to stop Jammu and Kashmir Assembly's former Speaker and National Conference candidate from Baramulla, Mohmmad Akbar Lone, from contesting the polls for allegedly raising "pro-Pakistan slogans" at one of his poll campaign rallies.

The state unit of the BJP raised the demand for cancellation of Lone's candidature and sought registration of a criminal case against him on charges of sedition.

The party also sought an apology from NC chief Farooq Abdullah for the "anti-national" act of his party candidate.

Lone on Saturday allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans at a rally in Kupwara district and called Pakistan "his Muslim nation on the other side." He also threatened to abuse anyone who abuses Pakistan.

"We condemn NC candidate for Baramulla parliamentary constituency Mohammad Akbar Lone for raising 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans during an election rally. We appeal to Election Commission of India (ECI) to cancel candidature of Lone and initiate action against him", BJP General Secretary & Incharge Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha constituency Yudhvir Sethi said.

Sethi said last year also Lone, the former NC MLA, had shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans in the Legislative Assembly.

"We demand that he should be booked under charges of sedition and Farooq Abdullah should tender an apology and clear NC's stand over it", he said.

The BJP leader said both PDP and NC have blood of young Kashmiri boys on their hands.

Had these "tried, tested and failed" organisations concentrated on welfare of youth, Jammu and Kashmir would have been on the path of progress like any other state, he charged.

Condemning Lone's statement, he said such leaders don't let Kashmir progress and misguide youth.

Talking to reporters here, BJP state spokesperson on Kashmir Affairs, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo also appealed to the ECI to initiate action against Lone.

His slogans like "Pakistan Zindabad" are tantamount to violating the atmosphere of the state and are aimed at derailment of the whole election process, Chrungoo said.

"It is also a conspiracy to polarize the people of the state on communal lines. We condemn such slogans and anti-national stance taken by the NC candidate.

"His justifying the slogans is also adding insult to the injury. It is strange to note that a person who has remained the constitutional head of the legislature in the State Assembly and who has taken an oath on the Constitution of India will succumb to such a level," Chrungoo added.

National Conference and PDP are competing with each other to make it sure that each of them is a "bigger secessionist", he alleged.

It may be recalled that on February 10, 2018, Lone, had also raised pro-Pakistan slogans in the Assembly after BJP members condemned the neighbouring country over the terror attack on the Sunjwan Army camp.

While NC is silent this time, the party then had distanced itself from his slogans, which came even as the operation to flush out terrorists from the Sunjwan camp was underway.

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The upcoming Lok Sabha election is a battle for an united India in which the people will oust the Modi government and the ruling BJP will become "Bharatiya Joker party" as most of its candidates would lose their seats, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee Monday said.

He also accused the BJP of "fuelling riots" in the country and in the state.

"This (LS poll) is a battle for an united India. This is a battle to save the culture and heritage of the country, which BJP is trying to destroy," Banerjee, who is the nephew of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said at a rally at South 24 parganas district.

"The people of this country will oust the Modi government after the elections. The BJP will turn into Bharatiya Joker Party after the polls as most of its candidates would loose," he said.

The coming Lok Sabha poll is a battle between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save the country from the BJP's divisive politics, Banerjee said.

Keeping up his attack of the BJP, he said "Just ahead of elections it will talk of religion. But what about the promise of Rs 15 lakh (made by Modi) in every bank account ? What about the promise of two crore jobs and others made in 2014 ? The people of this country will oust BJP," the TMC MP said.

Attacking CPI(M) and Congress of trying to divide the minority votes in the country, he said the CPI(M) and Congress are trying to help BJP in Bengal.

"When Afrazul (a daily labourer from Malda) was killed in Rajasthan by goons of BJP it was TMC which had hit the streets protesting against it. Only TMC is fighting against BJP in Bengal," he said.

Afrazul Khan, a migrant construction worker was killed in Rajasthan in December 2017. His killing was recorded in a mobile and went viral on the social media after being posted by the alleged killer Shambhu Lal Regar.

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The Mizoram BJP unit president John V Hluna Monday said the party would contest the lone Lok Sabha seat in the state but would support the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) nominee in the byelection to the Aizawl West I Assembly constituency.

Hluna, however, said that there was no electoral alliance or talks with the Mizo National Front but the BJP decided to support the MNF nominee in the Assembly byelection as the MNF is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

BJP nominee Nirupam Chakma and People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) candidate TBC Lalvenchhunga filed nominations for the Lok Sabha seat on Monday.

Ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) nominee C Lalrosanga, Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress party combine sponsored Independent nominee Lalnghinglova Hmar and two other Independent candidates - Lalhriatrenga Chhangte and Lalthlamuani had filed nominations for the Lok Sabha seat last week.

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The body of a 26-year-old Pakistani who was among 50 worshippers killed during attacks on mosques in New Zealand has arrived at an airport in the southern port city of Karachi.

Syed Areeb Ahmed was among nine Pakistanis who were killed on March 15 when a white supremacist shot people inside two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

On Monday, his sobbing father Syed Ayaz Ahmed, family members and government officials received his body.

Ahmed was an only son who had immigrated to New Zealand for work, according to his uncle Muhammad Muzaffar Khan.

Last week, Pakistan observed a day of mourning for the victims and honored another Pakistani, Naeem Rashid, who died along with his son after trying to tackle the gunman.

New Zealand's prime minister has announced a top-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the massacre of 50 people in two Christchurch mosques.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country's highest form of investigation, a royal commission of inquiry, was appropriate for "matters of the gravest public importance." Her Cabinet had previously agreed on holding an inquiry, but had not decided what kind of investigation would be held.

She said the Cabinet agreed Monday a royal commission of inquiry "will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack." An Australian white supremacist has been charged with murder for the March 15 attacks.

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A United Airlines Boeing 787-900 jet was diverted to the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Monday after reports of smoke coming from the cockpit, a local official told AFP.

The US aircraft flying 256 passengers from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, touched down safely at La Tontouta airport in New Caledonia's capital Noumea.

"The passengers are disembarking calmly," said the official from the local Chamber of Commerce which runs the airport.

"It seems that there was some smoke coming out of the cockpit." An Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on March 10 led to the global grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

It followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October that left 189 dead, which raised major concerns about the safety certification of the 737 MAX 8 model.

The Nouvelles-Caledoniennes (Caledonian News) website reported that oxygen masks automatically dropped down in the cabin of the United Airlines plane.

The local RRB radio station said no one was hurt and all the passengers would spend the night in Noumea, 2,700 kilometres (1,650 miles) northeast of Melbourne.

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A Brazilian judge on Monday ordered the release of ex-president Michel Temer, days after the former leader was detained on allegations of being the leader of a "criminal organization."



The preventative detention of Temer, the 78-year-old predecessor of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, had no legal justification, judge Antonio Ivan Athie said in the ruling.

Athie extended the release order to former mines and energy minister Moreira Franco, who was also arrested Thursday along with several other people.

"I am not against the so-called Car Wash (investigation)," Athie said.

"I want to see our country free from the corruption that plagues it. However, without consitutional guarantees, guaranteed to all...there is no legitimacy in the fight against this plague.

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A British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in Germany landed in the Scotish capital Edinburgh by mistake, after the flight paperwork was submitted incorrectly, a media report said on Monday.

The passengers only realised the error when the plane landed and the "welcome to Edinburgh" announcement was made.

The flight has now been redirected and landed in Dusseldorf, BA says. German firm WDL Aviation ran the flight for BA as part of a leasing deal, the BBC reported.

BA said it was working with WDL to find out why it filed the wrong flight plan.

"We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually," BA said in a statement.

The airline declined to say how many passengers were affected by the mistake.

BA say the pilot wasn't lost at any point, but because the paperwork said Edinburgh, air traffic control allowed the flight to take that route.

The plane took off from London City Airport.

Sophie Cooke, a 24-year-old management consultant, who travels from London To Dusseldorf each week for work, said when the pilot first made the announcement that the plane was about to land in Edinburgh everyone assumed it was a joke. She asked the cabin crew if they were joking.

The pilot then asked passengers to raise their hands if they wanted to go to Dusseldorf.

Everyone raised their hands.

"The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened. He said it had never happened before and that the crew was trying to work out what we could do."



Sophie said the plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours, before flying onto Dusseldorf.

"It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," she said.

Passengers complained about the error on Twitter, with one person called Son Tran saying it felt "like an honest mistake".

BA responded saying it did not "currently have any information" as to why the flight had gone to the wrong place.

The airline said its customer service team in Dusseldorf had met all the passengers on arrival and would follow up with them "in due course".

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Accused of presiding over an unprecedented national humiliation in her chaotic handling of Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May has all but lost control of her party and her government.

The Conservative leader has in the past won praise for her determination and ability to survive what has often felt like one long political crisis since the 2016 referendum vote to leave the European Union.

But her approach to the endgame, refusing to accept MPs' opposition to her divorce deal and agreeing to delay Brexit to try for a third time to get it through, has prompted frustration and anger on all sides.

Ministers from both the pro- and anti-Brexit camps in her cabinet have in recent weeks joined scores of Conservative MPs in defying the government in parliamentary votes.

And this weekend, after yet another bruising Brussels summit for the prime minister, British newspapers were full of moves by her colleagues to oust her.

In an editorial, Conservative-supporting Spectator magazine suggested May was the "worst prime minister in our history".

It condemned her "lack of imagination, inability to lead a team or solve complex problems" -- although it also accused the ruling party itself for failing to find a better leader.

May's former director of communications, Katie Perrior, wrote in The Times newspaper that the prime minister was "a passenger at the time when the country needed a rally driver".

She backed a suggestion made by some MPs that May offer to quit if parliament backs her divorce deal, allowing someone else to lead the next stage of the EU negotiations.

The top selling The Sun tabloid also embraced this plan, praising May's "remarkable resilience in the face of repeated humiliations, but saying it was 'time to move on'."



"She has lost the backing of much of the country and now her party," the paper said.

May took office after the 2016 referendum, and despite having campaigned to stay in the EU, embraced the cause with the mantra "Brexit means Brexit".

Her promise to leave the EU's institutions and end free movement of workers delighted eurosceptic MPs, but caused dismay among many pro-Europeans.

The splits in her Conservative party became a serious problem after a disastrous snap election in June 2017, when May lost her parliamentary majority.

She was forced to strike a deal with Northern Ireland's pro-Brexit Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), and since then has struggled to keep her party and its allies together.

Naturally reserved and reliant on her husband Philip and a few close aides, May often says she is just quietly "getting on with the job".

But in the last election, she struggled to engage with voters and was dubbed the "Maybot" after churning out the same answers and speeches over and over again.

May's legacy from her previous role as interior minister has also been called into question in recent months, with growing criticism of her crackdown on irregular migration.

However, May has been written off before.

She has survived the resignations of a string of high-profile Brexit supporters, notably former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, and has endured constant sniping from MPs on the sidelines.

She won a leadership challenge within her own party in December, a victory that made her immune from a similar challenge for a year, even if she had to promise to quit before the next scheduled election in 2022.

As a result, it is not clear how MPs might depose her now if she refuses to quit.

May's critics are deeply divided, and their inability to unite behind a rival candidate has foiled previous attempted coups.

Her finance minister, Philip Hammond, condemned any talk of replacing May as "self-indulgent", warning that the problem remained what to do about Brexit.

"This is not about the prime minister or any other individual, this is about the future of our country," he said.

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A Bahujan Samaj Party worker was shot dead by unidentified men in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district on Wednesday morning, police said.

Shabbir Zaidi, who was a former constable and now is a property dealer, was out for a morning walk in Uttaranchal Vihar colony of Loni town when the incident happened around 6.15 am, a police officer said.

Two men, who were waiting for Zaidi inside a car, came outside and physically assaulted him. The assailants pumped six bullets into his head and stomach, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Neeraj Kumar Jadaun said.

Zaidi was rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared him "brought dead". Prima facie, it seems to be matter of property dispute, Jadaun said.

Five empty cartridges have been recovered from the spot. The assailants have used 32 and 9-mm pistols. The CCTV footage of the area has been obtained and an investigation is on, the officer added.

Zaidi had taken voluntary retirement from the post of the head constable in 2003. In 2006, he had contested as an Independent for the post of the Loni municipal chairman.

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India's role in finding the unmarked grave of Gandhian-era teenage freedom fighter Valliamma Munusamy Moodliar was recalled as a new bust



of her was unveiled in a public park in the mainly Indian township of Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Saturday.

The bust, funded by community contributions, was the fourth installed in as many years after repeated vandalism at the park.

Moodliar, a South African Tamil girl, was 10 years of age when she joined Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi.

She died at the age of 16 in 1914 after being released from prison.

She was jailed by the Britishers for her fight against apartheid.

During an event held here, several people brought into limelight the contributions made by Moodaliar towards the freedom struggle.

As we all know Valliamma Moodliar lived and died for justice and freedom for all in our country, giving her life at just 16 as she marched alongside Gandhi in protest at discriminatory laws, succumbing to illness while imprisoned, but refusing early release because of this," Nadas Pillay from the Valliamma Social Justice Interim Committee (VSJIC) said.

Internationally renowned legal expert Yasmin Sooka, who was the chief guest, recalled how Gandhi had written about meeting Moodliar when she was seriously ill and told him that she did not mind dying in prison for the cause.

We know from the stories of our grandmothers that Indian women, barring a few, have largely been written out of the early struggle in South Africa for dignity and justice in the 20th century, Sooka said.

She said that the Indian community in South Africa has much to thank their womenfolk for for the valuable and crucial role that they played towards the liberation of their people.

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The told the Supreme Court Monday that it can allot a common symbol of "pressure cooker" to an individual but not to an unregistered group led by former leader TTV and in

told the apex court that the EC stand would force the candidates of AMMK party led by him to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on different symbols.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Dhinakaran, as to when is the last date of filing nominations for Lok Sabha polls.

Sibal replied that the last date of filing of nomination is Tuesday itself and if the party is not allotted the symbol its candidates will have to contest on different symbols.

He said that candidates of rival parties will win by default if a common symbol of 'pressure cooker' is not given to them.

The bench then asked the EC official to apprise it as to why a common symbol was not given to the AMMK party.

The official said that as per the rules a common symbol cannot be given to the AMMK party which was not a registered political party.

He said the election process has already started and it would be difficult to allot a common symbol.

"Where is your reply. You cannot just read from a piece of paper and say it cannot be given. Where are the reasons," the bench said.

The official replied that court had not asked the poll panel to file its reply.

The bench, which was visibly unsatisfied with the reply of poll panel official perused the March 15 order and said that court has issued notice to the EC.

"We have issued notice, Why did you not file a detailed reply to their plea. Shall we invite the to file a reply. You file the affidavit in the course of the day. We will hear the case tomorrow," the bench said.

On March 15, the apex court had agreed to hear a plea of and Sasikala challenging a Delhi High Court order granting the 'two leaves' symbol to a faction led by Chief Minister E K Palaniswami.

The court had issued notice to the on the limited plea of Dhinakaran that they be allowed to use 'pressure cooker' as a common symbol.

At the outset, Dhinakaran faction had claimed that EC is not giving them a common symbol despite a direction from the apex court to allot "pressure cooker' as a common symbol to the party.

On February 28, the high court had dismissed the pleas of Dhinakaran and Sasikala challenging the EC order granting the 'AIADMK' name and the 'two leaves' symbol to the faction led by the chief minister, saying the figures showed the Palaniswami-led group "enjoyed a clear majority".

It had upheld the EC decision of November 23, 2017, saying none of the grounds of challenge raised by the Dhinakaran-Sasikala faction were made out and there was "no infirmity" in the poll panel's order allotting the party name and symbol to the group led by Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam.

After the high court order was pronounced, Dhinakaran and Sasikala had urged the court to direct the EC not to allot the 'pressure cooker' symbol to anyone during the next 15 days so that they have time to move the apex court and seek an appropriate relief from there.

The EC, thereafter, had agreed not to allot the 'pressure cooker' symbol to anyone for next 15 days in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Dhinakaran had floated Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) after he and Sasikala were expelled from the Palaniswami-led

The symbol issue has been lingering since April 2017 and the verdict came as a shot in the arm for the Palanisami-led ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The EC in March 2017 had given the 'hat' symbol to the Sasikala-Dhinakaran group after it froze the use of the 'two leaves' symbol to which the group led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam had also staked claim.

The Palaniswami-Panneerselvam faction had at the same time been granted the 'electric pole' symbol.

However, on November 23, 2017, the poll panel had ruled in favour of the Palaniswami-Panneerselvam faction by allotting the 'two leaves' symbol to them.

The symbol issue has been lingering since April 2017 in the aftermath of the announcement of the bypoll to Radha Krishnan Nagar constituency in Tamil Nadu following the death of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in December 2016.

Earlier, rival factions led by Sasikala and Panneerselvam had staked claim over the symbol. Palaniswami was then in the Sasikala camp. Later, a large number of legislators led by Palaniswami revolted against Sasikala.
The Centre has constituted a tribunal headed by a Delhi High Court judge to decide whether there is sufficient cause for declaring Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir as an unlawful association.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on March 23 issued a notification which states that Justice Mukta Gupta would head the tribunal set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Justice Gupta is presently heading another tribunal set up under UAPA to ascertain whether there was sufficient cause to extend the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as an unlawful association.

The tribunal's proceedings with regard to the ban on SIMI commenced on February 28 and is ongoing.

As the proceedings against SIMI commenced, the same day, the Centre banned Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir for five years under the anti-terror law on grounds that it was "in close touch" with militant outfits and is expected to "escalate secessionist movement" in the state.

The government in its February 28 notification banning JeI said it was of the opinion that the Jamaat is "in close touch with militant outfits" and is supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.

It said the outfit claims "secession of a part of the Indian territory from the union" and supporting terrorist and separatist groups fighting for this purpose.

The action came following the February 14 terrorist attack in Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

There have been allegations in the past that the group was a political outfit of banned terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen but the group has denied.

The outfit, which was formed in 1945 as a chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and separated in 1953 due to differences over political ideology with the parent body, was banned in 1990.

The previous ban lapsed in 1995 and since then it has never been invoked again.

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China is trying to establish a "new world media order" to prevent and counter criticism, a project that threatens press freedom globally, watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warned in a report released Monday.

Communist authorities in China strictly control the flow of information to citizens, including through the "Great Firewall" which blocks access to websites and content deemed inappropriate by the state.

But the bid to regulate information is not limited to China, and RSF said Beijing is "exporting" its methods of censorship and control of information to other countries.

"Through its embassies and its network of Chinese culture-and-language Confucius Institutes, China no longer hesitates to harass and intimidate in order to impose its 'ideologically correct' vocabulary and cover up the darker chapters in its history," according to the report.

Beijing's methods to exert influence beyond its borders include "lavishing money on modernising its international TV broadcasting, investing in foreign media outlets, buying vast amounts of advertising in the international media, and inviting journalists from all over the world on all-expense-paid trips visits to China", RSF said.

"The Chinese government has made headway in shaping a more favourable public opinion of itself worldwide, through soft power and common political and business interest," said Lo Shih-hung, communications professor at Taiwan's National Chung Cheng University.

"The results are quite evident... Many countries... are reluctant to ask China too many hard questions or pressure the Chinese government."



The RSF report also detailed what it called a "trojan horse policy", under which Beijing routinely buys advertorials in prestigious international newspapers -- including The Wall Street Journal, Le Figaro and the Daily Telegraph.

Written entirely by teams from state-owned media, the watchdog said, these supplements carry official Chinese messages for foreign readers.

"The new world media order which the Chinese authorities are promoting around the world is against journalism," said Cedric Alviani of RSF's East Asia Bureau.

"It is a new media order which the journalist works for the state not for the citizen."



The watchdog's report said the Chinese campaign "poses a direct threat not only to the media but also to democracies".

China was ranked 176 out of 180 countries in RSF's 2018 World Press Freedom index.

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China on Monday welcomed the goodwill messages exchanged by Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan on the occasion of Pakistan National Day, saying it will play a constructive role and supports resolving the differences between the two nations through dialogue and consultations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on the occasion of Pakistan Day on March 23, saying : "It was time for the people of the sub-continent to work together for a democratic, peaceful, progressive and prosperous region, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence".

Welcoming Modi's greeting, Khan in a tweet said: "As we celebrate Pakistan Day I believe it is time to begin a comprehensive dialogue with India to address & resolve all issues, esp the central issue of Kashmir, & forge a new relationship based on peace & prosperity for all our people".

Modi's message to Khan in the came in the midst of severe strain in ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following the Pulwama attack and the subsequent air strikes by India on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot.

China welcomed the goodwqill message sent out to each other by Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan.

We noted the relevant reports. We welcome the goodwill (messages) sent out to each other by India and Pakistani leaders. We support the two sides in maintaining engagement and improve of their relations, stabilise the situation and resolve their differences. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end, Geng Shuang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, told a media briefing here.

Answering a question whether China recalibrated its position on India-Pakistan to mediate between the two countries to resolve the differences, he said that China's position on India and Pakistan relations is consistent.

China's position on India and Pakistan relations is consistent. These two countries are important South Asian countries, and we hope they will resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation. China hopes to stay in friendly relations with both of them and we will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the peace talks between these two countries, he said.

Following the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, China called for restraint between the two countries and sent its Vice Foreign Minister, Kong Kong Xuanyou, to Pakistan for talks with the Pakistani leaders.

Also, the India-Pakistan tension arising out of the Pulwama terrorist attack became the focal point of the first strategic dialogue between Pakistan Foreign Minister Shan Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here on March 19 during which Wang had commended the restraint shown by Pakistan in the recent tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Recently, China for the fourth time blocked a bid in the United Nations Security Council to designate the Pakistan-based chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by putting a technical hold on the proposal, a move India termed as disappointing.

The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead and raised tensions between India and Pakistan.

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council was moved by France, the UK and the US on February 27.

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The BJP Monday alleged that the AIUDF fielding candidates in only three seats proved that it has a secret understanding with the

minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a former Congressman who is seen as number two in the BJP government in the state, also claimed that the two parties are "protectors of illegal Bangladeshis".

He said the Citizenship (Amendment) is not the only election issue for the BJP in

"It is very clear that the and the AIUDF have an understanding for seats. Former chief minister wants to ensure that his son retains the Kaliabor constituency and the AIUDF has not put up a candidate there," he added.

The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has so far announced three candidates with sitting MPs Badruddin Ajmal, the party chief, from Dhubri and Radheshyam Biswas from Karimganj (SC) constituencies. Barpeta's sitting MP Sirajuddin Ajmal has opted out due to ill health and he has been replaced by Hafiz Rafiqul Islam.

"The battle lines have been drawn with the and the AIUDF on one side protecting the interests of the illegal Bangladeshis and we, on the other, are protecting the interests of the indigenous Assamese people", claimed Sarma.

The Congress denied that it has any poll understanding with the AIUDF.

In 2014, the BJP won seven out of 14 seats in Assam, the Congress and the AIUDF had three MPs each and one member was an Independent.

The three-phase hustings in will be held on April 11, 18 and 23, while the results will be announced on May 23 along with the rest of the country.

Sarma asserted that the Citizenship (Amendment) is not the only issue for the BJP and there are Balakot air strike, development of infrastructure and many more.

The convenor of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the regional platform of the NDA, was addressing a press conference after a of the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) movement joined the saffron party here.

The Bill, which sought to provide provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, triggered a huge protest in Assam and other Northeastern states. The indigenous people were apprehensive that if the bill was enacted, they would lose their identity and livelihood.

Though the bill is going to lapse in June, BJP president had said the party will bring it back, if voted to power.

Ashwini Chetia, a former of the All Assam Tai Ahom Students Union (AATASU) joined the BJP here.

The AATASU was one of the 70 organisations that was protesting against the bill. Chetia resigned from the organisation recently.

"While being in the BJP, I will be able to work better for the indigenous people of Assam," Chetia said.

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Veteran Communist leader S Sudhakar Reddy is disappointed the opposition unity against the BJP has not happened to the "desired levels" in the Lok Sabha elections and said the Congress should have been far more accommodating towards partners on seat-sharing.

Expectations in the opposition camp were high a couple of months ago of a broad alliance against the Amit Shah-led party, and Reddy now regretted that such a scenario did not materialise for the general elections.

"Yes, a little disappointment to some extent," the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) told PTI, referring to opposition's failure to strike alliance in states such as Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal where the Congress is fighting separately.

"We expected most of these things (broad opposition unity) to be materialised but with different political parties taking a narrow outlook of electoral tactics, it did not happen," he said.

So, it's a little disadvantageous (to parties ranged against the BJP), according to him.

He, however, said the opposition is hopeful that the anti-BJP parties would get majority in the Lok Sabha elections.

"There is a possibility in the post-election period, all of them (who are fighting separately in the polls) will come together," Reddy claimed.

He disagreed with a view that multi-cornered contests benefit the BJP, saying the people would vote for the strongest party which can defeat the Amit Shah-led outfit.

On what went wrong in West Bengal, where the Congress and the Left Front failed to forge an alliance, Reddy said: "Our people (Left Front) are saying that they (the Congress) demanded more seats than they deserve".

He said the Left Front offered the Congress four seats seats, where it had won in 2014, and also those where it had come in the second place.

"Even one or two of our (Left Front) seats we were ready to concede but they wanted seats where they got three per cent...four per cent vote also," Reddy said.

Instead of looking at the national scene, the Congress gave too much freedom to state units, he said, adding that the Rahul Gandhi-led party should have been "more accommodating, more large-hearted" towards its partners in different states.

He appealed to the RJD-led opposition alliance in Bihar, 'mahgathbandhan', to withdraw their candidate in Begusarai constituency and support CPI nominee Kanhaiya Kumar.

The CPI on Sunday announced the name of former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar as its candidate from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat, where he would take on Union minister Giriraj Singh in a triangular contest with the RJD.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi unit of Congress party is vertically divided over any alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, with the leadership leaving the decision to party president Rahul Gandhi.

According to sources, Gandhi held a meeting with all top leaders of the Delhi Congress and discussed the issue with them once again, after having earlier decided to go it alone in Delhi.

Sources said four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely -- favoured an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance, they said.

After airing their views to the Congress president, the party leadership in Delhi left the final decision on Rahul Gandhi.

When asked in this regard, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said whether or not there will be any alliance in Delhi, "We will know soon".

"As on today, no such call has been taken. What will happen in three hours or two days, I cannot today predict.

"That is a leadership call that has to be taken by the Party and they will take so. Qua Haryana and Punjab, it seems unlikely. I can only say that much," he told reporters.

Surjewala claimed that the BJP has lost 14 allies since 2014 and the Congress has already finalised its alliances in several states.

The rethink on the Congress alliance with AAP in Delhi has come after intervention of opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, who is asking both the parties to come together to unitedly defeat the BJP.

The section led by Dikshit is vehemently opposing the alliance, while that led by AICC general secretary P C Chacko is in favour of a tie-up. The party has already decided to go alone in Delhi, but a rethink is on keeping political considerations in mind.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and other leaders of the unit Monday discussed the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the city at a meeting with party chief Rahul Gandhi.

The opinion remained divided on the issue and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take the final call on it in the larger interest of the party, a participant of the meeting said.

Sources said four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely -- favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.

"AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress P C Chacko also handed over signed letters of 12 district Congress presidents, leaders of the party and councillors in three municipal corporation, in favour of the alliance, to Gandhi," they said.

Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents, Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf, maintained their stand against the alliance, sources said.

Chacko told PTI that Gandhi will now take a call on the pre-poll tie up with the AAP.

"He will convey the decision to me, whenever he takes it," Chacko said, without giving any deadline for the announcement on the alliance.

The AAP has been seeking an alliance with the Congress in Delhi but the grand old party has not made its stand clear on the possible tie-up.

However, after getting no clear response from the Congress, the AAP declared its last candidate in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, with a senior leader saying the announcement was made on seeing the Congress's "irresponsible and indecisive" attitude towards the alliance.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had also said that internal surveys have indicated that the party is capable of winning all seven seats in Delhi on its own and does not require an alliance with the Congress in the national capital.

However, both parties had last Tuesday made fresh efforts with the help of NCP chief Sharad Pawar to forge an alliance in Delhi.

Sources said the AAP had last week made a fresh bid to forge an alliance with the Congress in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, while demanding five seats in the national capital.

However, shortly after the meeting, Kejriwal said that the Congress had refused to form an alliance with the AAP in Delhi and the two parties were not in talks with each other.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court on Monday summoned lawyer Gautam Khaitan, his wife Ritu and two companies - Ismax and Windfor - following a charge sheet filed by in a case.

Special judge Arvind Kumar has summoned the four accused on May 4 after the agency filed the charge sheet against them earlier in the day alleging and possession of

The criminal case under the Prevention of Act (PMLA) was filed on the basis of another case lodged by the Income Tax Department against Khaitan under section 51 of the (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
The Rajasthan Police Monday arrested a 42-year-old man from Delhi for allegedly spying for Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, officials said.

Mohammed Parvez was already arrested by the NIA for anti-national activities and was in judicial custody since 2017. He was brought here on Monday for interrogation, following which the state police arrested him, Additional Director General (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said.

Parvez allegedly honey-trapped Indian Army soldiers through fake identity to collect confidential and strategic information and passed those to the ISI, which gave him financial support, the officer said.

During questioning Pervez revealed that he was in contact with ISI handlers and had travelled to Pakistan 17 times in the last 18 years, he said.

ISI gave all necessary support for passing confidential information, Mishra added.

Pervez got mobile SIM cards on photo and identity card copy of people on assurance of quick visa formalities done at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Conniving with SIM card retailers, he got the numbers activated to share information with his handlers, the officer said.

Parvez was presented before a Jaipur court, which sent him to a four-day police custody, Mishra said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his grandson Nikhil, Union Minister Sadananda Gowda and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily were among109 candidates who filed their nominations Monday for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 18.

A total of 148 nominations were received from 109 candidates Monday, poll officials said, adding that cumulative nominations filed so far stood at 231 from 181 candidates.

While Deve Gowda filed his nomination from Tumkur, his grandson and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy filed his papers from the JD(S) bastion of Mandya.

Sadananda Gowda and Moily filed their nominations from their sitting seats of Bangalore North and Chikkaballapura.

Tuesday being the last day for filing nominations for the first phase of polling on April 18, most of the candidates filed their nominations on Monday.

Deve Gowda filed his nomination from Tumkur as the ruling alliance candidate, but will have to face a rebel candidate from alliance partner Congress.

Defying the electoral arrangement between the coalition partners under which Tumkur was allotted to JD(S), sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanumegowda filed his papers.

He is upset as he is only Congress sitting members of Lok Sabha from the state who have been denied a ticket.

K N Rajanna, another Congress leader and former MLA, also filed his nomination Monday from Tumkur as an independent.

85 year-old Gowda submitted his papers at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Tumkur in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara of Congress and other leaders.

Gowda, who gave Hassan Lok Sabha seat he has been representing to his other grandson Prajwal Revanna, chose Tumkur over Bangalore North seat.

BJP has fielded G S Basavaraj from Tumkur.

Nikhil filed his papers at Mandya, where a large number of party workers had gathered, in what was seen as a show of strength against independent candidate and multi lingual actress Sumalatha.

He filed his nomination in the presence of his uncle and PWD Minister H D Revanna, mother Anitha, an MLA and Minister D K Shivakumar from Congress.

Later addressing the gathering, Kumaraswamy hit out at Sumalatha, who has BJP's support, questioning her contribution to Mandya, while Nikhil vowed to work for the people.

Nikhil's candidacy has been opposed by many,who see it as dynasty being imposed on Mandya by the Gowda family, who hail from Hassan, at the cost of loyal party workers.

Many Congress workers, upset over their party's decision to cede the seat to JD(S), have also extended support to Sumalatha, widow of actor turned politician Ambareesh, who had represented Mandya as MP from the grand old party in the past.

Sumalatha was denied a ticket by the Congress, citing coalition compulsions, as JD(S) had a sitting MP there.

If Muddahanumegowda contests from Tumkur as a rebel, it will add to the Congress-JD(S) coalition woes as the alliance is facing backlash at several places, including Mandya and Hassan, with party workers unhappy with the seat arrangements.

For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to BJP and win more number of seats,it is crucial for Congress to transfer its votes to JD(S), and vice-versa, including Mandya.

Among others who filed their nominations Monday were BJP's sitting MPs Prathap Simha (Mysore) and Nalin Kumar Kateel (Dakshina Kannada) and former MLA Bachche Gowda (Chikkaballapura), Muniswamy (Kolar) and A Manju (Hassan).

Manju,who filed his nomination in the presence of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa had joined BJP, irked over Congress' decision to cede Hassan to its coalition partner JD(S).

He was earlier with BJP before joining Congress and becoming Minister in the previous Siddaramaiah led government and again returning to the saffron party.

Among those from Congress who filed nominations were Dhruvanarayana (Chamarajanagar), Rizwan Arshad (Bangalore Central), Mithun Rai (Dakshina Kannada), B N Chandrappa (Chitradurga), Vijayshankar (Mysore), K H Muniyappa (Kolar).

Pramod Madhwaraj, a former Congress Minister, filed his nomination from Udupi-Chikmagalur on a JD(S) ticket, as per the arrangement between both parties.

Karnataka will go for polls in two phases, 14 constituencies each, on April 18 and 23.

The last date for filing of nominations for the first phase is on March 26. Scrutiny will take place on March 27 and the last date for withdrawal is March 29.

For the second phase polls on April 23, notification will be issued on March 28.

The last date for filing nominations is April 4. Scrutiny will take place on April 5 and the last day for withdrawal is April 8.

Counting of votes and announcement of results for both phases will be on May 23.

While BJP is yet to announce its candidates for Bangalore South and Bangalore Rural for the first phase.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The DMK Monday announced it was suspending well-known actor and senior party leader Radharavi for his alleged misogynistic remarks against popular South Indian actor Nayantara.

His remarks at an event had created a furore, with actor Taapsee Pannu and director Vignesh Shivan hitting out at him. A video purportedly showing Radharavi making the remarks had gone viral.

DMK president MK Stalin said the party was a movement that protected women's rights and that the actor's comments were not acceptable to it.

In a tweet, he uploaded party general secretary K Anbazhagan's statement that Radharavi was being "suspended" for bringing disrepute to the DMK.

The statement was carried in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli.'



"Radharavi is being suspended from all party posts, including the primary membership, for violating the party discipline and bringing disrepute to it," Anbazhagan said.

Stalin said such indiscipline from partymen will not be tolerated.

"The remarks by Radharavi, who belongs to the DMK which protects women's rights, about women artistes is not acceptable. It is strongly condemnable," he said.

"Partymen should express opinions in a dignified manner and action will be taken against those violating it," he warned.

Shivan, said to be a close friend of Nayantara, had raised the issue on Twitter, tagging Stalin and DMK MP Kanimozhi and sought action against the "crass and sexist" Radharavi.

He said both Stalin and Kanimozhi had "vociferously" spoken against the Pollachi sexual harassment case and asked "why dont you take stringent action against" the actor too.

Pannu also hit out at the senior actor, saying his remarks were "disgusting".

"This is disgusting beyond words. Who asked him about casting pre-requisites and is he the president of character certificate association? This comes for one of the strongest actresses of the industry (Nayantara), I can only wonder what he might have to say about others," she tweeted.

Nayantara, who has acted with top South Indian stars including Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith Kumar, is also known for featuring in women-centred themes like 'Aram' and 'Kolamavu Kokila.'



She had also starred with Telugu star Balakrishna as Seetha in 'Sri Ramarajyam,' a reel depiction of The Ramayana.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The DMK Monday announced it was suspending well-known actor and senior party leader Radharavi for his alleged misogynistic remarks against popular South Indian actor Nayanthara.

Radharavi's remarks at an event had created a furore, with actors Kamal Haasan and Taapsee Pannu and director Vignesh Shivan hitting out at him. A video purportedly showing Radharavi making the remarks had gone viral.

While Radharavi expressed regret for his remarks, Nayanthara lashed out, alleging he was trying to hog limelight with such "cheap" comments.

In a press statement, which the actress herself acknowledged, Nayanthara thanked DMK president M K Stalin for suspending the actor from the party.

Haasan, founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam party, said it was the responsibility of the cinema industry to treat women professionals with respect.

The South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA) also condemned Radharavi's statement, saying this was not the first time he was making remarks with "double meaning" at a public event.

It virtually warned Radharavi of 'non-cooperation' in the future if he repeated such utterances.

Stalin said the DMK was a movement that protected women's rights and Radharavi's comments were not acceptable to it.

In a tweet, he uploaded party general secretary K Anbazhagan's statement that Radharavi was being 'suspended' for bringing disrepute to the DMK. The statement was carried in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli.'



"Radharavi is being suspended from all party posts, including the primary membership, for violating the party discipline and bringing disrepute to it," he said.

Stalin said such indiscipline from partymen will not be tolerated.

"The remarks by Radharavi, who belongs to the DMK which protects women's rights, about women artistes is not acceptable. It is strongly condemnable," he said.

"Partymen should express opinions in a dignified manner and action will be taken against those violating it," Stalin warned.

Nayanthara, a professional for nearly 15 years, has a good fan following in the south, especially in Tamil Nadu.

In her response, she sought to remind Radharavi and the likes "they were also given birth by a woman" and thanked Stalin for his party's disciplinary action against the actor.

"First and foremost, it is my bounden duty to place on record my sincere thanks and deepest appreciation to the president of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Thiru M K Stalin, for swiftly taking action against misogynistic speeches of Radharavi," she said.

"At the outset, I would like to remind Radharavi and the likes of misogynists like him that they were also given birth by a woman. By demeaning the status of women and passing sexist remarks, these retarded men get a feeling of machismo," she said.

Nayanthara said she was "terribly sorry" for the way they treat women in an opinionated way and empathised with twomen living in "families of these macho men".

Radharavi should have led the younger generation by example, but has chosen to be "a misogynist role model," she said, adding that women were asserting their due place in this era of meritocracy.

"When actors like Radharavi fall out of business and become irrelevant, they tend to rely on cheap popularity tactics in order to grab some limelight," Nayanthara said.

She expressed concern over the actor receiving applause for such remarks and said with such audience, such misogyny will continue.

"I would like to strongly register my condemnation and protest against derogatory speeches made by Radharavi against women and children in general and me in specific," she said.

She asked SIAA to set up an Internal Complaints Committee as per Supreme Court order and "commence an internal inquiry as per Vishakha guidelines".

Meanwhile, Radharavi expressed regret for his remarks. He said he would have "been reprimanded", especially by the media itself at the event, if he had said something wrong.

"To Nayanthara and Vignesh (Shivan), I express regret. Because it is a matter of anguish that it (his remarks) has affected them...they hail from my cinema industry," he told Tamil TV channel Puthiya Thalaimurai.

Haasan said it was the duty of every man to treat women with respect, adding that it was "regrettable' to see Radharavi make such remarks.

"She (Nayanthara) is a woman and belongs to our industry. We have the first responsibility to treat her with respect," he told reporters. He also lauded DMK for suspending Radharavi.

Shivan, said to be a close friend of Nayanthara, had raised the issue on Twitter, tagging Stalin and Kanimozhi, and sought action against "crass and sexist" Radharavi.

He said both Stalin and DMK leader Kanimozhi had "vociferously" spoken against the Pollachi sexual harassment case and asked "why don't you take stringent action against" the actor too.

Nayanthara, who has acted with top South Indian stars, including Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith Kumar, is also known for featuring in women-centric themes like 'Aram' and 'Kolamavu Kokila'.

She had also starred with Telugu star Balakrishna as Seetha in 'Sri Ramarajyam,' a reel depiction of The Ramayana.

SIAA chief M Nasser said the latter has been making such remarks for long in public fora, including cinema events, and that "you have made it a routine affair to belittle women".

Such "lowly utterances" would not only belittle his stature, but also erode public confidence in the film industry, Nasser said and expressed hope Radharavi would desist from making such remarks again.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Chief Electoral Office on Monday said it was awaiting a reply from the makers of a biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled to be released on April 5, after it felt that the film violated the model code of conduct.

East Delhi Returning Officer K Mahesh, had on March 20, suo motu issued notices to the production house and music company behind the film "PM Narendra Modi" and two leading newspapers for publishing advertisements of the film.

Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Ranbir Singh said the concerned parties have been given time till March 30 to respond.

He said the broad position is that any political advertisement circulated on electronic media or social media has to be pre-certified by the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee.

"If any pre-certified political or surrogate advertisement is circulated, it is violation of model code of conduct. Whosever has done it is given an opportunity to explain their stand," the official said.

The returning officer also suggested that the of India (ECI) could form guidelines for political films released during elections.

"We are looking into it. We will send the recommendations to the poll body," Singh said.
Robert Vadra Monday claimed before a Delhi court that ED has been leaking details of his interrogation to the media to "embarrass" and "humiliate" him on account of a "political vendetta", a charge strongly denied by the probe agency.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar, who extended Vadra's interim protection against arrest till March 27 in a money laundering case, was told by the counsel for the brother-in law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi that every question and answer of the interrogation has been leaked to the media with some ulterior motive.

This showed that the Enforcement Directorate's probe was meant to "embarrass" and "humiliate" Vadra on account of a "political vendetta" and the agency was guided by the "lust for custody", said senior advocates A M Singhvi and K T S Tulsi appearing for Vadra.

ED's counsel D P Singh countered the submission vehemently saying, "They talked about agency's 'lust for custody'. It is their 'lust for money' which has led to our 'lust for custody'".

At the outset of the hearing on the anticipatory bail plea of Vadra, Tulsi claimed that even the raid conducted on the businessman's house to obtain documents was "illegal" and moreover, Vadra has not misused the liberty granted to him.

The ED case relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds. The property is allegedly owned by Vadra.

The court also extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Manoj Arora, Vadra's close aide and an accused in the case, till the next date of hearing - March 27.

ED opposed Vadra's bail plea saying he has been given sufficient opportunity to come out with some proof against the allegations levelled against him by the agency but so far, he has failed to do so.

It further said that the offence was about the money coming as kickbacks, as direct payments to bank accounts.

It alleged that the case involved payment of Rs 300 crore in a defence deal and USD 10 million received in a petroleum deal.

ED's counsel submitted that he requires more time to conclude his arguments and to present certain details before the court.

The court had on March 19 extended his interim protection from arrest till March 25 after the ED had alleged that he was not cooperating and sought his custodial interrogation.

ED had told the court that there was reasonable apprehension that Vadra being a highly influential person would tamper with the evidence and hamper the investigation.

In his anticipatory bail plea, Vadra has alleged that he was being subjected to "unwarranted, unjustified and malicious criminal prosecution which on the face of it is completely politically motivated and is being carried out for reasons other than those prescribed under law".

The ED had also alleged that Arora, an employee of Vadra's Skylight Hospitality LLP, was a key person in the case and he was aware of the latter's overseas undeclared assets and was instrumental in arranging funds.

It told the court earlier that it lodged the money laundering case against Arora after his role came up during the probe of another case by the Income Tax Department under the newly enacted Black Money Act and tax law against absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.

It alleged that the London-based property was bought by Bhandari for GBP 1.9 million and sold in 2010 for the same amount despite incurring additional expenses of approximately GBP 65,900 on its renovation.

"This gives credence to the fact that Bhandari was not the actual owner of the property but it was beneficially owned by Vadra who was incurring expenditure on the renovation of this property," the ED had told the court.

ED said it has received information about various new properties in London which allegedly belong to Vadra, including two houses of five and four million pounds each and six other flats.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The EU announced Monday it has completed its preparations for Britain crashing out of the bloc without a divorce accord, as fears of a chaotic "no-deal" grow.

"As it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal on 12 April, the European Commission has today completed its 'no-deal' preparations," the commission, the bloc's executive arm, said.

The gloomily worded statement, just days after Brussels agreed to postpone from its previous March 29 deadline, piled fresh pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May as she gathered her cabinet to discuss the way forward.

Unless British lawmakers approve a withdrawal agreement to ease the country out of the bloc, EU rules and agreements built up over 46 years of membership will cease to apply overnight, threatening havoc in almost every domain of life.

May has been seeking to rally support for her twice-rejected deal, but there is speculation that if she fails, she could allow MPs to vote on what happens next.

The commission outlined measures in 13 key areas, from rules on flying and road transport to travel regulations, fishing rights and banking -- while stressing that they would only reduce the disruption, not prevent it altogether.



"The EU's contingency measures will not -- and cannot -- mitigate the overall impact of a 'no-deal' scenario, nor do they in any way compensate for the lack of preparedness or replicate the full benefits of EU membership," the commission statements said.

"These proposals are temporary in nature, limited in scope and will be adopted unilaterally by the EU. They are not 'mini-deals' and have not been negotiated with the UK."





This last sentence is aimed at the numerous supporters in the British parliament who have sought to argue that the contingency measures would mean a no-deal exit would not be as bad as many fear.

Under no deal, the EU will immediately apply its rules at the border with the UK -- including customs checks, food safety inspections and verification of EU standards -- leading to long delays at busy crossing points such as Channel ports and the Channel Tunnel.



An EU official confirmed that Brussels would insist on checks being performed on goods moving across the land border between British-ruled Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

"We are working very closely with Irish authorities to try and perform controls away from the border if at all possible," the official said.

The Irish border has been a major sticking point in negotiations, with both sides keen to stress they want to avoid a "hard" border with physical customs infrastructure to keep trade flowing and prevent a return to the sectarian violence that dogged Northern Ireland for decades.

The EU official said that under no-deal "there would of course be disruption on cross border trade and supply chains", but that they were trying to find a way to make the checks the least intrusive they can.

EU citizens worried or confused by the prospect of no deal Brexit can call a free hotline from anywhere in the bloc, with information available in any official EU language.

No-deal Brexit will bring huge disruption for travellers, the commission warned.



British citizens travelling to the EU will be limited to 90-day stays and would immediately be subject to tighter passport checks -- including possibly being asked to prove the purpose of their visit and that they have enough money to support themselves.

The European health insurance card, which allows EU citizens to access medical treatment across the bloc, will no longer be available to Britons, who are advised to take out insurance if they travel.

British driving licences will no longer be automatically recognised across the EU, with individual countries applying their own rules for "third country" permits -- meaning Britons may need to carry driving licences in Europe.

EU "pet passports" will no longer apply to British animal-lovers, who will have to provide documentary proof their pets are microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.
(SBI) Monday said that it expects investors or buyer for the cash-strapped by the end of May and promoter has option of increasing his stake in the beleaguered airline to beyond 25 per cent in the future.

Consortium of lender led by the has agreed to put in Rs 1,500 crore immediate funding by acquiring 51 per cent stake in the company through issue of Rs 11.4 crore fresh shares.

As a result, the stake of promoter will come down to 25 per cent from 50 per cent, while Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways, which had a 24 per cent stake in the carrier, came down to 12 per cent.

Bidding process to be initiated by lenders for sale to new investor(s), the process expected to be completed in June quarter as per the resolution plan.

"June is too late. My expectation is 31st May...market is open for everyone whosoever wants to come in. There will be expression of interest which will be given by April 9 and binding bid by April 30," Chairman Rajnish Kumar told CNBC TV18.

"It could be financial investor, it could be airline...including himself or Etihad. No body is barred from bidding or taking over the airline as per the rule," he said.

Founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal will step down from the board of the ailing airline following reduction in their stake to 25 per cent as per the resolution plan formulated by SBI-led domestic lenders.

After weeks of speculations and uncertainties over the future course of Jet Airways, which has grounded over 80 planes due to financial woes, approved constitution of an Interim Management Committee to manage and monitor the daily operations and cash flow of the company.
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A delegation of experts from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) arrived here on Monday to review whether Pakistan has made enough progress on global standards against financial crimes to warrant its exclusion from the watchdog's grey list.

The Paris-based global body is working to curb terrorism financing and money laundering and has asked Pakistan to reassess the operation of banned terrorist outfits in the country. Pakistan is under intense international pressure to rein in terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) after the Pulwama terror attack.

In June last year, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had placed Pakistan on the grey list of countries whose domestic laws are considered weak to tackle the challenges of money laundering and terrorism financing.

The delegation of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG), a group linked to the FATF, comprises of senior officials including Ian Collins of New Scotland Yard, James Prussing of Department of the Treasury United States and Ashraf Abdulla of Financial Intelligence Unit Maldives, the Geo reported.

Other experts are Boby Wahyu Hernawan of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance, Gong Jingyan of People's Bank of China, Mustafa Necmeddin of Turkey's Ministry of Justice, Deputy Director Muhammad Al-Rashdan and Deputy Director, Shannon Rutherford, the report said.

The experts will meet officials this week to see progress to warrant Pakistan's exclusion from the watchdog's grey list, the Dawn reported.

The meetings will start on Tuesday and will end on Thursday, Finance Ministry's spokesman, Dr Khaqan H Najeeb, said.

He said the APG assessment team would meet officials from the State Bank of Pakistan, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Election Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, National Counter Terrorism Authority, law enforcement agencies and counter terrorism departments.

In response to a question, he said the experts from the ministries and other key institutions would get an opportunity to explain and convince the assessors about Pakistan's performance.

The country has taken certain steps since the February 18-22 meetings with FATF functionaries to comply with latest instructions to meet various deadlines in order to avoid being included in a blacklist.

It declared as high risk all the eight entities and related elements specifically named by FATF as threats to the global financial system.

Achieving 27 targets under a 10-point action plan has now become a top priority for the Imran Khan-led government.

Pakistan has written to FATF President Marshall Billingslea to appoint any other member as co-chair of the Asia-Pacific's Joint Group, in place of India, to ensure that the FATF review process is fair, unbiased and objective.

The Joint Group is a sub-body of the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) of the APG. Pakistan is a member of the APG and its case is being presented before the FATF by the APG.

India's Financial Intelligence Unit's (FIU) director general is the co-chair of the Joint Group.

As the FATF meetings were in progress in February, the government had announced a ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FiF) to partially address the concerns raised by India that Pakistan supported these and six other similar organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), or at least considered them low-risk entities, and then declared them high risk ones.

Under the high risk category, the government is required to start monitoring and re-examining the groups' activities and profiles under heightened security checks at all layers of legal, administrative, investigative and financial regimes, the Dawn reported.

All these entities are now subject to greater scrutiny by all agencies and institutions of the state regarding their activities starting from registration to operations and from fund collection to bank accounts and issuance of transactions.

The government has so far fined six banks and started investigations against 109 bankers for opening fake' bank accounts.

About 8,707 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) were issued last year by the Financial Monitoring Unit, showing almost 57 per cent growth over the 5,548 STRs issued in 2017.

About 1,100 STRs were issued in January and February this year alone. Smuggled currency and jewellery worth more than Rs20 billion were confiscated between July and Jan 31, up 66 per cent from Rs12bn a year ago.

Memorandums of understanding are being signed with the UK, Qatar, the UAE and Australia for sharing of intelligence, the paper said.

Pakistan is also trying to improve coordination among different agencies of the government through centralised software, the paper reported.

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Religare Enterprises Limited (REL) Monday said the amount involved in the alleged issuance and redemption of preference shares during 2008-16 depend on the current investigations and outcome of judicial proceedings.

The legal case is between Daiichi Sankyo and Malvinder Mohan Singh & others for stay of redemption of 15,00,000 (13.66 per cent) non-convertible preference shares issued by Religare Enterprises.

Complaint is already filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs seeking investigation into various suspicious transactions undertaken at Religare Enterprises and its subsidiaries.

A complaint is also lodged with the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police against Malvinder Mohan Singh, Shivinder Mohan Singh, Sunil Godhwani and others for various offences, including cheating, criminal breach of trust and forgery.

On the nature of fraud and its estimated impact on the company, Reliagre said the "Alleged issuance and redemption of preference shares relates the listed entity (Religare) back to the years 2008 and 2016 for which impact depends upon the outcome of findings of the various ongoing investigations as well as the directions of judicial authorities with whom the matters are sub-judice".

REL will continue to cooperate with and render necessary assistance in the ongoing investigations in the matter, it added.

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A former aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and an accused in the 1993 JJ shootout case Monday died in Jaslok Hospital in south Mumbai, medical authorities said.

Shakeel Ahmed Sheikh, also known as Lambu Shakeel, was suffering from a heart ailment, a hospital official said.

Details of his ailment and death would be released later in an official statement from the hospital, the official added.

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Former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Monday moved the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order asking the police to register an FIR against him and others for allegedly fabricating documents in a nearly two-decade old case.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta said that the matter will be listed for hearing on March 29.

The counsel appearing for Kumar mentioned the matter before the bench for urgent listing saying that high court had ordered forthwith registration of the FIR and conclusion of investigation within two months.

"The matter will be taken up on Friday," the bench said.

On March 13, a division bench of the high court dismissed the appeals against the June 26, 2006 order of a single judge bench which had directed the police to lodge an FIR against Kumar and then CBI officer Vinod Kumar Pandey.

"On June 26, 2006, the writ Court had directed for registration of FIR and proceed with the investigation immediately and conclude it within two months. This order has not been given effect to till now. Accordingly, we direct for registration of the FIR forthwith and conclude the investigation within a period of two months as directed by the writ court," the division bench had said in its order.

The case pertains to the period when Kumar was posted as a joint director in the CBI and relates to alleged fabrication of documents of a case.

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Thailand's election was marred by "irregularities" and "rigged" to ensure the military retain their political grip on the kingdom, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra told AFP in an interview on Monday.

"Everyone knows in Thailand, everyone international that observed the election in Thailand, knows that (there) is irregularities," he told AFP in English.

"What we call, we should call, rigged elections is there. It's not good for Thailand.

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Former Union minister Sukh Ram Monday rejoined the Congress along with his grandson Aashray Sharma ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, with the party's saying his entry would boost its poll prospects in Himachal Pradesh.

"For me, it is like home-coming," said 93-year-old Sukh Ram who returned for the second time to the Congress which he had last left ahead of the 2017 assembly elections to join the BJP.

The Congress had sacked him in 1997 following his conviction in the telecom scam which occurred when he was a Union minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government, but he returned in 2004.

The development has led to speculation on the fate of Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma, who is a cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in Himachal Pradesh.

S tate BJP president Satpal Singh Satti told PTI: "It is up to Anil Sharma whether to remain as HP minister or quit. He should make his stand clear."



Sources said Anil Sharma's son Aashray could be the party's choice for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Sukh Ram has represented the seat thrice in the past.

Former Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh have also represented the seat in the past. Pratibha had unsuccessfully contested from the constituency in 2014.

Sukh Ram met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence before announcing his return to the Congress in the presence of party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who does not share a great equation with Sukh Ram, was conspicuous by his absence at the event.

Surjewala said Sukh Ram has returned to the Congress, as the party is in "his heart, thoughts and religion".

Attacking BJP, Surjewala said senior leaders like L K Advani and Shanta Kumar were sidelined and denied tickets by the party, but the Congress seeks the blessings of the elderly.

"He has decided to return to the Congress and support the party to make Rahul Gandhi the country's prime minister. He will use all his strength to further strengthen the party," he said.

Sukh Ram said, "For me, it is like home-coming. I will be 93 soon, I have come back to my house. I have spent my entire political life in the Congress. I have won 13 elections from my constituency. My family has won 17 elections and this speaks for itself."



The former Union minister alleged the BJP has "ignored those who made it win elections more than a dozen times".

"With Sukh Ram ji's entry, I am sure the party will be strengthened and will benefit from his experience," state AICC in-charge Rajni Patil said.

The BJP has renominated its sitting MP Ramswaroop Sharma from the Mandi seat, the home district of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma was part of the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government in the state from 2012-17, but joined the BJP before the last state assembly elections.

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Four people, including a child, were killed in the early hours of Monday when a Uttar Pradesh roadways bus on its way to Lucknow from Delhi burst into flames after hitting a divider on the Lucknow Agra Expressway, police said.

The double-decker bus caught fire near Methepur village at around 2 am, they said.

The bus caught fire after it dashed into the divider as its driver attempted to avoid hitting a vehicle overtaking it, police said, adding that the bus conductor, Israr, and three others were charred to death.

District Magistrate Pramod Kumar Upadhyay and the Superintendent of Police Ajai Shanker Rai rushed to the spot and rescue operations were started.

Four persons, including a child, were charred to death and their age could not be ascertained, SP Rai told PTI.

Three others have suffered burn injuries and they were given medical aid and are out of danger, he said.

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Union minister Nitin Gadkari Monday filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on April 11.

Gadkari, who had defeated Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) in the 2014 elections by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes, said he will win with a bigger margin this time around.

"This time, I will win with a bigger margin. People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years. Our government did more than (was promised in) the poll manifesto," Gadkari told reporters.

The BJP veteran was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination.

"Your support and love is the biggest strength for us," Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said Gadkari will register a "historic win" from Nagpur. "He will create a record in Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding the BJP-Shiv Sena combine would win 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, sitting MP from Ramtek (SC) seat, also filed his nomination for the Ramtek seat.

Nana Patole of Congress, who will take on Gadkari in Nagpur, and former IAS officer Kishor Gajbhiye, pitted against Tumane from Ramtek, are expected to file nominations later Monday.

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The police in Goa have been put on alert over a possible attack on Israeli tourists visiting the state to avenge shootings at Christchurch mosques in New Zealand over a week ago, a senior official said Monday.

The alert has been issued after receiving inputs from central intelligence agencies, he said.

"We have kept a strict vigil around the areas which are frequented by Israelis after the Christchurch mosques attack in New Zealand," said the senior police official said.

Security has been stepped up around places frequented by Israelis following inputs from central intelligence agencies about possible revenge attack on them, he said.

The official said Goa is among several states which have been put on alert to thwart any attack on Israelis.

At least 50 people were killed in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15.

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A day after BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Monday said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who "ate biryani" there and sent a "love letter" to his counterpart in the neighbouring country.

The senior Congress leader also slammed Modi for the "neglect" shown to the veterans in the BJP.

"It was Modi who wrote a love letter to Pakistan Prime Minister. He went to eat biryani and enjoyed birthday there, but accusing us," Gogoi said at a press conference here.

The three-time chief minister was referring to a query on BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav's comment on Sunday that the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if they contest from there as the opposition party is "banking only on the neighbouring country and lies."



"It was Congress government which bifurcated Pakistan and created two nations. These comments by BJP are nothing but just an attempt to deviate public attention from the real issues - jobs crisis, farmers distress, corruption and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in our accounts," Gogoi said.

He further denied any secret understanding between Congress and the perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF as alleged by Madhav.

The veteran Congress leader expressed sadness over denial of ticket to former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who has been replaced by BJP President Amit Shah in Gandhinagar seat.

"Advani had huge contribution in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government coming to power, but today he is neglected in his own party in a very pathetic way. Not only him, but the entire old-guard like Arun Shourie and others are neglected. They are intelligent people and Modi does not like intelligent people around him," Gogoi said.

He alleged that the Modi government has "failed" on all fronts and has "not fulfilled" a single promise made to people in 2014.

"Our fight is not against the person Modi, but against his divisive, communal and economical policies. This election is a big challenge for democracy," he added.

Talking about denial of Lok Sabha ticket to his former party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma at the last moment by BJP, Gogoi said: "It is an insult to him. First, the name was included and then deleted. Amit Shah must have given consent, but Modi objected to Himanta."



The Congress leader alleged that a "cold war" is going on between Sarma and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also "failed" in delivering anything positive in the state.

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As battles acute financial woes, a senior government official Monday said a "good outcome" from the negotiations between the creditors and the company would be better than moving for proceedings under the law.

"I think creditors and the debtor are in discussion. That is the best process," Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said.

He was responding to a query on whether is a fit case to be referred under the and Code (IBC).

"If there is a good outcome from the negotiations between the creditors and the corporate debtor, then that is better than dragging into .. but if that (insolvency) is only option left at that stage, then bankers will take a call," he noted.

The cash-strapped airline, which has been operating for over 25 years, is looking to restructure its debt, estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore, as well as raise fresh funds.

Lenders of the crisis-hit are likely to acquire a substantial stake in the carrier till a new promoter is roped in, sources said last week.

Noting that the IBC is the last resort, Srinivas said that if there is inherent capacity for a company to bounce back, then it is best for members of the company and the creditors to try and see how it can be resolved.

"If there is no agreement between the creditors and shareholders, then you will have to look at other possibilities, including that of the IBC," he said.

He was replying to a query regarding Jet Airways on the sidelines of a conference organised by industry body CII.

In afternoon trade, shares of Jet Airways rose nearly three per cent to Rs 232.35 on the BSE.
Giving up chairmanship after more than 26 years, embattled Jet Airways' founder Naresh Goyal Monday quit as a board member, with the lenders taking control of the cockpit and deciding to infuse Rs 1,500 crore immediately into the ailing airline.

Struggling to stay afloat amid a debt burden of over Rs 8,000 crore, the board of the country's first private full service carrier also approved conversion of banks' debt into equity and induction of nominee directors of the lenders, who would become majority stakeholders.

Expressing happiness over the lenders' decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India needs more aircraft and airlines, "otherwise air fares would rise".

"Banks have kept self interest in mind by trying to keep it as a going entity so that they can recover their dues," he said in the national capital hours after the airline's board cleared the debt resolution plan.

Bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty over the future of the cash-strapped carrier, the board has approved immediate fund infusion of up to Rs 1,500 crore by lenders as well as conversion of debt into equity.

Naresh Goyal, his wife Anita Goyal and Etihad Airways' nominee director Kevin Knight have quit the board.

Gulf carrier Etihad, a strategic partner, holds 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways while Naresh Goyal has a shareholding of 51 per cent.

Post rejig, Goyal's stake would come down to 25 per cent while that of Etihad would reduce to 12 per cent.

The consortium of Indian lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), would become the majority shareholders of Jet Airways, the airline said in a statement.

The airline said two nominees of the promoter and one nominee of Etihad Airways would continue on the board, which would also see induction of two people nominated by the lenders.

SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said Naresh Goyal would be eligible to bid for the airline when the lenders auction it next month.

The board approved conversion of "Re 1 of lenders' debt into equity by the issuance of 11.4 crore equity shares", in accordance with RBI circular issued on February 12, 2018.

As per that circular, lenders have to start resolution process under the insolvency law if a borrower fails to repay in 180 days after the first default.

Shares of Jet Airways, which has been operating for over 25 years, zoomed 15.5 per cent on Monday after reports of Naresh Goyal's exit poured in. The official announcement about the revamp came soon after the markets closed.

"The company will also engage with payment intermediaries for release of trapped cash. The airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner.

"The move will see Jet Airways re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft back into its network, helping renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended, which will help restore normalcy of operations," it noted.

Financial crunch has forced the airline to ground more than 80 of its total 119 planes. At least 54 aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of lease rentals.

An Interim Management Committee (IMC) has been constituted to oversee the overall financial and operational performance of the airline. The panel would be under the overall supervision of the board of directors with the support of McKinsey & Co.

"As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will also begin the process of sale / issue of shares to new investors which is expected to be completed in the June quarter," the statement said.

Naresh Goyal, who became chairman of the company in April 1992, said no sacrifice is too big for him to safeguard the interest of the airline and the families of its 22,000 employees.

In a letter to employees, Goyal said the decision to step down from the board is not the end of the journey but the start of a brand new chapter.

Approval of the debt-recast plan will put the carrier on a "sounder and sustainable" financial footing, he said.

Against the backdrop of salary payments being delayed, the airline said the promoter and all stakeholders "remain fully committed to ensure deferred salaries and dues to external vendors and aircraft lessors are cleared on priority in the foreseeable future".

SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said, "Today is indeed a sad day for Indian aviation".

"By launching a truly world class airline, Naresh and Anita Goyal made India proud. This is also a wake-up call for Indian policy makers. We urgently need to address structural challenges that make India's airlines uncompetitive to airlines around the world," Singh said



According to Jet Airways, the board unanimously and unequivocally lauded Goyal's vision in giving birth to the iconic brand and also averred that he has always been way ahead of the times.

The board also appreciated Goyal's sterling role in IATA, resulting in the innumerable airline codeshare partnerships he built for the airline.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is a grouping of around 290 airlines, including Jet Airways.

"The board also took particular and deeply grateful cognisance of the Chairman's noble, large-hearted self-sacrifice in graciously stepping down from all that he held dear for the sake of the 22,000 employees of the company," the statement said.

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Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals (GSFC) has received green nod for expansion of its fertiliser unit in the state that will entail an investment of about Rs 8.75 crore, according to an official document.

The state-owned firm has proposed adding an ammonium sulphate production unit with a capacity of 1,46,000 tonnes per annum at Fertiliser Nagar in Vadodara district.

The GSFC's proposal was first vetted by a green panel Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) constituted by the union ministry. Based on its recommendation, it gave clearance (EC) to the project.

The proposed expansion will cost about Rs 8.75 crore and is likely to provide employment to 70 people directly and indirectly, as per the EC certificate despatched to the GSFC.

The green nod to the project is subject to compliance to certain conditions.

The shares of GSFC were trading down 2.89 per cent at Rs 99.30 apiece on the BSE.

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After Brazil and Australia, Central American country Guatemala Monday dragged India into the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute settlement mechanism alleging that New Delhi's sugar subsidies to farmers are inconsistent with global trade rules.

Guatemala has sought consultations with India under the rules and procedures governing the settlement of disputes of the Geneva-based 164-member WTO.

They have filed dispute under certain articles of WTO's Agreement on Agriculture, Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 with respect to "domestic support measures maintained by India in favour of producers of sugarcane and sugar, and export subsidies for sugarcane and sugar," according to a communication by the WTO, which was submitted by Guatemala.

It said that India maintains various domestic support measures in favour of sugarcane and sugar producers, such as a system of administered prices for sugar cane which operates at the federal level through the Fair and Remunerative Price; a minimum selling price for sugar; and additional measures that provide financial assistance to sugarcane producers which include production subsidies to mills to offset sugarcane price arrears, and subsidies to maintain buffer stocks.

In addition to domestic support measures, India provides export subsidies for sugarcane and sugar which take the form of subsidies provided to sugar mills contingent on compliance with minimum indicative export quotas, as well as subsidies to sugar mills for internal transport, freight, handling and other charges to facilitate export freight support for exports, the communication added.

"Guatemala considers that the measures identified...appear to be inconsistent" with certain articles of the "Agreement on Agriculture because they provide product-specific domestic support for sugarcane in excess of the 10 per cent de minimis level.

"Guatemala notes that India did not schedule domestic support reduction commitments" and "India's domestic support measures may not exceed the 10 per cent de minimis level," the communication said.

The Central American country also said that it looks forward to receiving India's reply to the present request to fix a mutually convenient date for consultations with a view towards resolving this dispute.

Seeking consultation is the first step of dispute settlement process. If the two nations are not able to reach a mutually agreed solution through consultation, India may request for a WTO dispute settlement panel to review the matter.

Earlier this month, Brazil joined Australia to lodge a formal complaint against India, the world's second-largest sugar producer, with the WTO alleging that India's continued sugar subsidies to farmers have led to a "glut" and "depressed" global prices.

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A Hamas official denied Israel's accusation that it was behind Monday's rocket strike north of Tel Aviv which wounded seven Israelis and led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to vow a strong response.

"No one from the resistance movements, including Hamas, has an interest in firing rockets from the Gaza Strip towards the enemy," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, evoking the possibility that it may have been caused by "bad weather".

He added that the same message had been delivered to Egypt, which has acted as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

Israel's army said the rocket was fired by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, from the Rafah area in the south of the enclave.

It hit a house located in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres north of Tel Aviv, police said.

The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres from Rafah to hit the house.

Rocket fire from Gaza at that distance is rare.

Netanyahu said he was cutting short a trip to Washington due to the incident while Israel's army sent reinforcements to the Gaza area.

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Telecom operators will have to continue providing hard copies of telephone bills to their subscribers without any cost as a default option, sector regulator said Monday.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of (Trai) said telecom operators could send electronic copies of the bills to consumers only after their explicit consent.

"The current provision of providing hard copy of the bill free of cost as default option as per present provisions shall continue," said after reviewing provisions for sending printed bills to postpaid subscribers.

The regulator, however, said if any customer opts for receipt of the bill through e-mail instead of hard copy, the service providers can supply the same after obtaining explicit consent from the consumers.

In an Open House Discussion in February, telecom operators pleaded to for changing the default option of sending hard copy of the bill to consumers to e-bill citing reasons such as environmental concern, cost savings, timely bill delivery, and claiming that 90 per cent of postpaid subscribers have opted for paperless option.

The regulator after the discussion with all the interested parties realised that half of the country's population is not e-literate and the paper industry in is not forest-based but engages around 5 lakh farmers from whom more than 90 per cent of the industry's wood requirement is sourced.

The stakeholders also argued that in default e-bill option, the onus of printing the bill will shift to subscribers as many of them will need its hard copy in cases including claiming input credit of the goods and services tax.
The Bombay High Court Monday began hearing the Maharashtra government's plea seeking confirmation of the death sentence given to Ankur Panwar, the convict in the Preeti Rathi acid attack case.

Panwar (25) was sentenced to death by a special court, the first instance of death penalty being awarded by a court in the country in a case of acid attack.

Rathi, a 23-year-old nurse, who was to join the Indian Navy hospital in the city, succumbed to injuries following an acid attack in May 2015 by Panwar, who was stalking her.

On May 2, 2015, as Rathi got off at Bandra Terminus here from a train coming from Delhi, Panwar flung a bottle containing sulphuric acid on her face.

Rathi lost her vision and sustained severe injuries in the attack and died on June 1 due to multiple organ failure in the Bombay Hospital.

On Monday, Panwar argued, through his counsels, in the high court that he should not have been given the death penalty since the prosecution in the case did not have a reliable case.

He argued that while the prosecution relied mainly on the statements of eye witnesses and some relatives of the victim, it was apparent that some of these statements were incorrect and had been "tailor made" to suit the prosecution's case.

The defence team alleged that police had also failed to take any fingerprints from the bottle which held the acid, and therefore, had no forensic evidence linking Panwar to the crime.

The arguments in the case are likely to continue Tuesday.

As per the prosecution, Panwar, who had followed Rathi to Mumbai from Delhi on the same train, had attacked her as he was jealous of her success, and because she had rejected his marriage proposal.

Police had initially arrested one Pawan Kumar Gahalon, Rathi's neighbour in Delhi, but he was let off as evidence against him could not be found.

The case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch following an order of the Bombay High Court.

The Crime Branch arrested Panear relying primarily on statements of eye witnesses, including those of Rathi's father, her uncle, and two other passengers.

All four witnesses had also sustained injuries in the attack.

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The Allahabad High Court on Monday cancelled the bail of former MLA Tajendra Sagar alias Yogendra Sagar and directed him to surrender before the police by April 1, failing which he would be arrested immediately.

The former lawmaker was allegedly involved in a 2008 gang rape case and an FIR was lodged against him at Bilsi Police Station of Badaun district.

The order was passed by Justice Sudhir Agarwal after a bail cancellation application was filed by the father of the rape victim.

It was alleged in the FIR that on April 23, 2008, the victim was on her way to her college to appear for an examination when she was allegedly kidnapped by the MLA with the help of one Neeraj Sharma.

The girl was drugged and moved to many places while being allegedly gangraped by the MLA and the other accused.

In the application it was alleged that ultimately, Sagar surrendered in May 2014 and was granted bail within three days.

It was also alleged by the applicant that after granting of bail, the accused did not appear before the court because of which the trial of the is still pending.

After going through the record, the court found that despite non-bailable warrant issued by the court, the former MLA remained absconding and the police could not arrest him.

It was only in March 2014, after the High Court directed high-ranked police officers to either appear before it or arrest the accused, that Sagar surrendered.

"However, even after five years since the former MLA was released on bail, trial of the case could not be completed and it is a fit case of misuse of bail," the court observed as it cancelled the bail.

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The Madras High Court Monday rescinded a recent direction by its Madurai Bench asking the Election Commission to disenfranchise people living on encroached lands notified as water bodies.

A bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad concurred with the submission of the Election Commission (EC) that there was no constitutional bar on street dwellers or people residing on such water bodies in exercising their franchise.

It modified the January 28 order of a division bench which had directed the EC to ensure that no person shall henceforth be included in the voters list if the residence claimed by such person was in any land notified as water body in the revenue records.

The bench of justices Manikumar and Prasad was allowing a modification petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

"As rightly contended by Niranjan Rajagopalan, the standing counsel for the EC, there is no constitutional or statutory prohibition for the street dwellers or the persons residing on water bodies to exercise their franchise in the general elections. It is well settled that Right to vote is a constitutional Right," the bench said.

Clause VIII of Para 8 of the January 28 order of the division bench rescinded, the order said.

In his modification plea, the CEO submitted the Representation of People Act (RPA) 1950 provided for the procedure for preparation of Electoral Rolls and matters such as procedure of inclusion, removal, appeal and issue of voter ID Cards.

The Right to Vote being a constitutional right, persons generally residing under a tree or even on the pavement which was identifiable are entitled to be registered as voter provided they are ordinarily resident of the area, the CEO said.

Considering the law as laid down in the Constitution, various acts and the instructions of EC, there cannot be any direction as claimed by the petitioner (before Madurai bench) to prevent those residing on water bodies by encroaching them from being included as a voter, the CEO said.

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Healthcare experts from India and the UK gathered for a first-of-its-kind conference in Birmingham to explore opportunities emerging after the Indian government's Ayushman Bharat initiative.

The conference, which was organised at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham by the Indian High Commission in the UK, Consulate General of India in Birmingham and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) last week, brought together around 120 experts to deliberate upon workforce challenges and analyse the scale of exchange possible in the field of healthcare.

Jacqui Smith, Chair of UHB Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, set the tone of the conference by emphasising on "mutually beneficial" partnerships on offer for India and the UK in the sector.

The University Hospitals Bristol (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust is a National Health Service foundation trust in the UK.

"The current Indian government has put a strong emphasis on healthcare for all Indians and this has already led to new research and development in healthcare initiatives," said Andy Street, the Mayor of West Midlands.

"There couldn't be a better time for us to explore synergies and potential partnerships between India and the West Midlands on life sciences," he said, in reference to the key focus area of life sciences.

The Indian high commissioner to the UK, Ruchi Ghanashyam, said India and the UK must work together to address current challenges faced by both economies.

"India has been able to provide world class medical treatments at one of the most competitive prices," she said, adding that India's traditional systems of medicines had a lot to offer the world.

The National Health Authority of India (NHAI) laid out the various facets of Ayushman Bharat, described as the one of world's largest government-funded healthcare insurance schemes which is expected to benefit over half a billion people.

NHAI CEO Indu Bhushan said the initiative was a "game-changer", which offers public and private sector international healthcare organisations a chance to collaborate in the field. The collective bargaining power of 500 million people will drive demand for high quality healthcare from both private and government providers, he noted.

DS Rana, Chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, said his institution was keen to partner with British counterparts to address the challenge of shortage of skilled manpower in both countries.

The India-UK Healthcare Conference, backed by the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS), also explored opportunities for British companies to invest in India to tap into the "healthcare revolution" in the country, where the size of the industry is expected to grow to USD 280 billion by 2020.

"The NHS is well placed to play a crucial role in strengthening global health systems. The education and training the NHS is able to offer will offer countries such as India a great opportunity to develop a skilled workforce, which is able to meet the needs of not only individual professional aspiration, but also the needs of the healthcare system," said Prof Kiran Patel, Medical Director, NHS England West Midlands.

"Indians form the single largest group among foreign-origin healthcare professionals serving in the NHS. No doubt, they can become the catalyst for taking UK-India collaboration to another level," said Consul General of India in Birmingham Aman Puri, who also revealed that the conference is likely to become an annual feature in the city's calendar.

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Hotel Leelaventure is seeking shareholders' nod to sell four hotels, including one in the national capital, and other assets to Canadian investment fund Brookfield Asset Management for Rs 3,950 crore.

In a regulatory filing Monday, the company said it is seeking approval for special resolutions from its shareholders through postal ballots to sell the different hotels.

As per the postal ballot notice, the company said its board has approved selling The Leela Palace, New Delhi together with all its assets and liabilities as a going concern, on a 'slump sale' basis, to an Indian subsidiary of BSREP Ill India Ballet Pte Ltd (Brookfield) for a lumpsum consideration of Rs 1,705 crore.

Similarly, the board has also approved selling of the company's Bengaluru hotel undertaking as a going concern on a 'slump sale' basis to Brookfield for a lumpsum consideration of Rs 1,000 crore.

The company further said its Chennai hotel will be sold to the same buyer in a similar manner for a lumpsum consideration of Rs 675 crore.

The Udaipur hotel undertaking will also be sold for a lumpsum consideration of Rs 320 crore.

Further, Hotel Leelaventure said the board has approved sale of its hotel operations undertaking pertaining to hotel management operations together with all its assets and liabilities for Rs 135 crore.

Moreover, the board has given its nod to sell the company's entire shareholding in Leela Palaces and Resorts Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary that owns property and holds licences for the development of a hotel in Agra, for Rs 115 crore.

The voting by shareholders will commence on March 26 and end on April 24 and the result will be declared on April 26, the filing said.

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In a bid to reach out to prospective voters, especially first-timers in Haryana, catchy slogans have been printed on the admit cards issued to over seven lakh students appearing in the secondary and senior secondary examination of the State Board of School

"Theslogan 'Loktantar ke Imtihaan Ki Tayaari, Vote Banana Pehli Zimevaari' has been printed on the admit cards issued to 7,65,549 students who are appearing in the secondary and senior secondary examination 2019 of Board of School Haryana and Open School, to convey the message to the prospective and first-time voters to get their voters' card made," Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Rajeev Ranjan said here.

"Haryana has become the first state in the country to reach out to the new voters in this innovative manner," he said.

Ranjan was presiding over a review meeting in connection with the Lok Sabha polls, which will be held for all the 10 seats in Haryana, on May 12, an official release said.

It was also informed in the meeting that for the first time voters in the state, employees who are drawing their salary from the state exchequer would be appealed through SMS about becoming a voter and to exercise their voting rights.

He said for the Lok Sabha polls for 10 seats in Haryana, the eligible citizens who are 18 years old or above as on January 1 this year could get their voters card made till April 12 this year up to 3 pm.

Ranjan directed the officers that the message of getting the new votes made should be displayed in the premises of all educational institutions.

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India-born former managing director of management consultancy firm McKinsey, Rajat Gupta, who spent 19 months in prison on insider trading conviction, feels he has been "wronged" but that it was his "destiny" to go to prison.

Gupta, 70, now looks back at the tough years as time of "learning and reflection".

"I am not angry. As I write in the book, I feel I have been wronged, Gupta told PTI in an interview here.

Gupta has penned his memoir 'Mind Without Fear', which tells of his dramatic rise to the top of the corporate world in America and then his fall after being charged in 2012 in one of the largest insider trading cases in the US.

He says he feels the real culprits of the financial crisis were not held accountable and the prosecutors went after him.

"I clearly understand some of the reasons why, (it) explains the underbelly of the justice system and its misaligned incentives for various players in it. The result is that unfortunately they could not get any of the real culprits of the financial crisis but landed on someone like me which doesn't make any sense to me but that was the result, he said.

He emphasizes that during the financial crisis, the only thing that was done was that the banks were fined billions of dollars after they admitted wrongdoing.

"There was clearly bad procedures, even fraud. They did it only at the institutional level. Human beings work in these places. Somebody did the fraud, somebody did the bad things," he said.

He added that the institutions don't do wrong automatically "so wouldn't that been the first priority to find the culprits who did it. The average person in America suffered a lot, they lost their pensions, they lost their jobs, there was a huge uncertainty. There was a huge price to be paid by the average American and nobody was held accountable."



Gupta, a former director of Goldman Sachs, says that overall he feels that "perhaps it was my destiny to go to prison, just the sign of the times, the circumstances and when it was prosecuted, the mood of the country and so on."



He stresses that through all the years since his conviction on insider trading, he has "fought hard" to correct the wrong every step of the way.

"And that is the philosophy of the Karmayoga and the Bhagwat Gita. You just do the right thing and you do it with the right intentions and you don't worry about the outcomes. I lost every battle but in many ways I feel very good that I fought, he said.

Gupta looks back at the years since his insider trading conviction "as tremendous years of learning and reflection" and says he has become in many ways a better person. "I don't hold any sense of bitterness with anybody. I have forgiven everybody. I feel quite at peace with myself, he said.

He will be discussing his book on Thursday at a book launch event organized by the Indo-American Arta Council (IAAC).

In January this year, Gupta had suffered a setback when the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rejected his bid to throw out his 2012 insider-trading conviction, affirming a lower court's ruling in the case.

Gupta had been arguing that he served time in jail for conduct that is not criminal even though the government lacked evidence to show he "received even a penny" for passing confidential boardroom information to now jailed hedge-fund manager Raj Rajaratnam.

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A helicopter of the Indian Air Force is putting out a devastating fire that broke out in a garbage dumping yard near here, sources in the IAF said Monday.

The blaze occurred Sunday evening, and went out of control in spite of over 20 fire-tenders trying to douse the flames.

So, the district administration sought the service of the Mi017 V5 helicopter for aerial spraying of water which is underway with the use of Bambi buckets, the sources said.

The Bambi bucket carried by helicopter can carry a maximum of 3,500 litres of water at a time which can be replenished with water from any water body with a depth of just two metres.

The aerial firefighting operation by the IAF is being carried out in close coordination with the local authorities, including the police, they said.

Meanwhile, nearly 30 fire-tenders are on the job to extinguish the fire, sources in the city Corporation said.

The area was totally enveloped in thick smoke emanating from the yard, as the garbage in nearly 15 acres of the yard was burning along with the solid waste.

A few residents alleged that the Corporation authorities for deliberately causing the fire as they could not remove the garbage piling up on a daily basis in the yard.

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Four Chinook heavy-lift helicopters made in the US were inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) here on Monday.

After inducting the helicopters, IAF chief B S Dhanoa said induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way the Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet.

The first four of the 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters, which were ordered from Boeing in September 2015, were commissioned into the IAF's 126 Helicopter Unit (HU) at a ceremony held here.

The Chinook, twin-engine, tandem rotor, is multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting troops, artillery, equipment and fuel.

The helicopter can carry out military operations not only during the day but at night too.

Speaking at the function here, Dhanoa said, "Our country faces a multitude of security challenges, we require vertical lift capability across a very diversified terrain."



"The IAF operates from bases which are from sea level to very high altitude advance landing grounds. The helicopter will give the IAF quantum leap in terms of ability to transport cargo to precarious high altitude locations. The aircraft is one of its best in its category," he said.

The all-weather capable aircraft can also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.

"It is a red-letter day for the Air Force as we are inducting the Chinook helicopters which gives us a tremendous capability, primarily in the inter-valley troop transfer. In inter-valley troop transfer, what is very important is ability to operate from high altitudes to take acclimatized troops from one valley to another valley," he said while interacting with reporters here.

Asked about Pakistan Air Force chief Mujahid Anwar Khan Saturday leading a fly-past at the Pakistan Day joint military parade in Islamabad, Dhanoa quipped, "The Pakistan Air Force chief was flying from rear cockpit, just look from where he was flying."



Citing an example about how Chinooks can be helpful in non-military roles, he said, "After the floods which occurred in Uttarakhand earlier and natural disaster in other hilly areas, there is a requirement to lift heavy loads, especially re-construction equipment so that we can open roads and communication can be re-established.""The helicopter is not only with the Air Force for the military role, it is a national asset," he said.

Named after the courageous American-Indian tribes, the aircraft outperforms in its mobility, agility, flexibility and endurance, the IAF chief said.

He said all the 15 Chinook helicopters will not be stationed at Chandigarh Air Force Station's 12 Wing as another unit of heavy-lift choppers will be created in Dinjan (Assam).

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command Air Marshal R Nambiar, Major General Robin Fontes from the US, Boeing India head Salil Gupte and Haryana's Director General of Police Manoj Yadava were among others present on the occasion.

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India has moved up two places to rank 76th on a global energy transition index, which has ranked 115 economies on how well they are able to balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability.

remains on the top on this annual list compiled by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF) and is followed by Switzerland and Norway in the top three, as per its latest report released on Monday.

The WEF said energy systems have globally become less affordable and less environmentally sustainable than they were five years ago, though access to energy has improved with less than 1 billion now living without access to electricity.

It said India is amongst the countries with high pollution levels and has a relatively high CO2 intensity in its energy system.

"Despite this, India has made significant strides to improve energy access in recent years, and currently scores well in the area of regulation and political commitment towards energy transition," the WEF said.

It suggested there was a ground for optimism regarding India despite the current outdated energy system not being ready for transition, because an enabling environment is being built to support future transition.

While India has scored low in terms of system performance (ranking 97 and 86, respectively), it ranks considerably higher when it comes to readiness (45 and 61, respectively). Overall, India has moved up two places from 78th last year.

China is ranked even lower than India at 82nd position, though it ranks very high at seventh place in the world for regulation and political commitment.

Despite its low ranking, India is the second best in the BRICS block of emerging economies, with Brazil being the best at 46th place globally. However, India is the only amongst the five economies to improve its rank since last year.

Among major economies, the UK is ranked 7th, Singapore 13th, Germany 17th, Japan 18th and the US 27th.

Within Asia, Malaysia is ranked highest at 31st, Sri Lanka is 60th, Bangladesh 90th and Nepal 93rd.

The WEF said its index considers both the current state of the countries' energy system and their structural readiness to adapt to future energy needs.

Small economies have achieved higher scores on readiness, with the UK being the only G7 economy in the top 10.

The biggest challenge facing attempts to future proof global energy is the lack of readiness among the world's largest emitters. The 10 countries that score the highest in terms of readiness account for a mere 2.6 per cent of global annual emissions, the study found.

"The world's transition to secure, affordable and sustainable energy has stagnated, with little or no progress achieved in the past five years," it said.

Across 115 economies, more people than ever before now have access to energy. However, this is offset by reduced affordability and almost no progress in making energy systems environmentally sustainable, the WEF said, while calling for urgent action on the part of policy makers and business to safeguard energy development for future generations.

It said continued use of coal for power generation in Asia, increasing commodity prices and slower-than-needed improvements in energy intensity have contributed to this year's stagnation in performance.

The 'transition readiness' component of the index has taken into account six individual indicators: capital and investment, regulation and political commitment, institutions and governance, institutions and innovative business environment, human capital and consumer participation, and energy system structure.

The WEF said fossil fuels' share of total primary energy supply at 81 per cent has been constant over the past three decades.

Also, the global CO2 emissions are expected to have increased by more than 2 per cent in 2018, the highest since 2014.

Consumption of coal increased in 2018, after declining for three consecutive years.

While the US has made progress in reducing the use of coal in power generation, it slipped in the rankings by four places reflecting concerns about the affordability of energy to households, and regulatory uncertainty on environmental sustainability.
India regards Israel as a "reliable" defence and security partner" and there is a growing cooperation between the two nations on issues like counter-terrorism, the Indian envoy here has said.

Indian Ambassador to the United States, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, participating in a panel discussion on India-Israel relationship at the annual AIPAC2019 Conference highlighted the tremendous progress made over the past 27 years of bilateral diplomatic relations in the areas of defence, agriculture, high-technology and water management.

Shringla said that India regards Israel as "a reliable defense and security partner" and that there is growing convergence of views and cooperation on issues such as counter-terrorism, based on a shared perception of the global threats of terrorism, radicalism and fundamentalism.

He noted that India-Israel relations witnessed a marked upswing in the last five years with a number of unprecedented high-level exchanges, including the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. Modi was the first ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel.

Shringla said Jews had always found a safe homeland in India.

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Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of IT company Infosys, has proposed grant of Rs 9.13 crore for Pune-based Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) for five years to strengthen research activities in Orientology, the study of Ancient cultures of the Asian subcontinent.

Under the agreement signed with BORI, Infosys Foundation has proposed a grant of Rs 9.13 crore that will be utilised to train scholars in Orientology and prepare a bibliography of relevant academic texts in the field, Infosys Foundation said in a statement.

"The study of ancient texts holds great importance in society today as it forms a means to better understand both our past as well as our present. Our partnership with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute aims to support the field of Orientology through the provision of the necessary tools and resources," Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty said in the statement.

The discovery and preservation of these texts will ensure that Indological research continues to grow and thrive as an academic field in our country, she said.

The grant will also help to create a centralised information cell through descriptive cataloguing of manuscripts, collection and publishing of inscriptions and outlining the history of the collected information, enabled by a team of specialists, the statement said.

A pro-maratha outfit had vandalised BORI in 2004 after a foreign author James Laine in his controversial book on Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji cited name of some researchers at the institute for helping him in writing the book.

The Infosys Foundation will establish two chairs at the institute, The Infosys Foundation Chair of Orientology and the Karnataka Chair of Orientology, for eminent scholars of Orientology, the statement said.

Two visiting scholars renowned in any area of Orientology will also be invited for a term of two to six months, as part of this grant, and will be known as Infosys scholars.

Through this grant, the institute will appoint four visiting fellows for visits of one week to one month, who will be referred to as 'Infosys Fellows', and also make provisions for two principal investigators, six research assistants, one helper and one design artist for various activities that will be conducted by the institute.

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British satellite operator Inmarsat on Monday agreed to a $3.4 billion cash takeover from a consortium of investment funds.

The bid for the London-listed telecommunications group was pitched at $7.21 per share, consortium bid-vehicle Triton Bidco said in a statement.

"Triton Bidco believes that the satellite sector is attractive," said a statement from the consortium, which comprises private equity groups Apax and Warburg Pincus, as well as Canadian pension funds CPPIB and OTPP.

"Triton Bidco believes that integrated satellite operators with scale like Inmarsat are well positioned as network provision becomes more complex." The consortium also saw "considerable potential for Inmarsat's in-flight connectivity business in commercial aviation", it added.

Inmarsat provides satellite services for high-speed transmission of data by telephone, email, video and the internet to government agencies and global corporations.

The company rose to prominence in 2014 after its raw data was used in the unsuccessful search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

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Indian Navy's frontline corvette INS Kadmatt reached Malaysian archipelago Langkawi on Monday to participate in the 15th edition of Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, LIMA-19, the Navy said.

Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, and the Chief of Naval Staff designate, would lead the Indian delegation and attend various engagements as part of LIMA 19, the Navy said in a statement.

The ship would participate in numerous activities planned as part of LIMA 19 for seven days at Langkawi, including the International Fleet Review (IFR) by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, maritime and air demonstration, and sea exercises with 29 other participating navies.

INS Kadmatt is an indigenous stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette and was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 2016. The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and machinery and is also designed to embark the Seaking anti-submarine helicopter.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Enovate, the premium car brand founded by Chinese EV startup Dearcc, officially commenced the construction of its new energy vehicle (NEV) on March 20, according to local media outlets.

Covering an area of 500mu (around 333,333 square meters) and involving a total investment of RMB5.1 billion, the new NEV plant will be equipped with welding, painting, assembly workshops and necessary production auxiliary facilities. It will have an annual capacity of 60,000 NEVs with a predicted output of over RMB13 billion after being put into operation.

Enovate, formally launched by Dearcc in last November, has already showed off its first mass-produced model dubbed ME7, an all-electric mid-sized SUV. The startup will start to accept the ME7's orders at Shanghai Auto 2019 next month and plans to deliver the vehicles in the second half of the year.

In the next five years, the EV brand will reportedly roll out 8 all-new models, including 2 sedans, 5 SUVs and 1 MPV model and is ambitious to reach a total sales volume of 360,000 vehicles by 2025.

Dearcc has changed its company name to "Enovate Automobile Technology Group Co.,Ltd" from "Zhejiang Dearcc Automobile Technology Co.,Ltd" on March 11, according to the record from China's National Enterprise Credit Information Public System.
By Trend:

Sharg Ulduzu OJSC, Azerbaijans wine-making plant located in Shamkir district, plans to export its products to Japan, Head of the company Asgar Alyrzayev told Trend.

He said that this opportunity may appear this year through the companys participation in the upcoming exhibition in that country.

"We are constantly looking for potential partners abroad, we expect to find buyers in those countries where we participate in exhibitions, showing our products at international forums," he noted. "This year we are going to showcase our products at the exhibition to be held in Tokyo, and we hope to find new partners there."

He added that the company supplies its products to the markets of Russia and China.

"Unfortunately, our plans with deliveries to Mongolia didnt succeed, we couldnt agree on a number of issues related to logistics," he said.

He noted that the companys products have an international certificate ISO:22000, a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents, as well as a hygiene certificate issued by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of Azerbaijans Ministry of Healthcare.

The company uses the latest technology. Modern German and Italian equipment is installed at the plant.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Monday said it along with its partner Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) has won an oil block in Abu Dhabi, where the two will invest USD 170 million.

IOC-BPRL won the block in Abu Dhabi's first-ever competitive bid round.

"IOC and BPRL, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), acting jointly as a consortium through Urja Bharat Pte Ltd have been awarded 100 per cent stake in the Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1 Concession," it said in a regulatory filing.

The Concession has been awarded by the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government, where participation of the Indian consortium is through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

IOC and BPRL hold 50 per cent each in Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

"The Indian consortium will make an investment of USD 170 million for the exploration activities," it said.

The Concession award is for 35 years with the effective date of March 24, 2019.

The concession agreement was signed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, IOC Chairman Sanjiv Singh, and BPCL Chairman and Managing Director Duraiswamy Rajkumar.

"Onshore Block 1 covers an area of 6,162 square kilometres around Ruwais field and includes already discovered but undeveloped fields," the filing said. "The present transaction marks the entry of IOC as joint operator in the highly prospective UAE region and is consistent with its strategic objective of adding high-quality exploration and production (E&P) assets to its existing upstream portfolio."



The UAE is the world's seventh-largest oil producer, with about 96 per cent of its reserves within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Onshore Block 1 is located in the Al Dhafra region around Ruwais City and the refining complex, including the coastal region to the west. There are two existing undeveloped oil and gas fields in the area, named Ruwais and Mirfa, which will be appraised by the consortium.

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The general insurers will have to provide details about crop insurance claims to farmers in vernacular languages, apart from Hindi and English, regulator Irdai has said.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) said it has been receiving various complaints and suggestions in respect of crop insurance claims.

Irdai, in a circular, said there is a need for effective implementation of crop insurance schemes.

Insurance companies should put in place a robust system to register all the requests of individuals loss assessment, and if an individual loss assessment is rejected, a written rejection letter mentioning the reason should be sent to insured, Irdai said.

"Insurers should ensure that all call centres/toll-free numbers responses should be available in state's official language other than Hindi and English. Wesbites of insurers should disclose crop insurance related details in the vernacular language for the benefit of farmers," it said.

Among others, widespread awareness programmes should be conducted for educating farmers on scheme guidelines, claim settlement process and grievance redressal process, it further said.

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Israel's military launched strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the army and witnesses said, hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house and wounded seven Israelis.

Witnesses and a security source in Gaza told AFP there had been at least two strikes on a site belonging to Hamas's military wing in the west of the Gaza Strip.

Details were not yet clear on the strikes.

Israel's military said in a statement it "has begun striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip." The strikes began around the same time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington.

Netanyahu had earlier vowed a strong response to the rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv in a rare long-distance strike.

The house was destroyed and seven Israelis were lightly wounded from burns and shrapnel.

The flare-up comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

Israel blamed Hamas for the rocket, but a Hamas source denied the Islamist movement, which rules the Palestinian enclave, was behind it. Netanyahu planned to cut short his Washington visit due to the security situation and return home after meeting Trump.

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Israel launched strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Monday hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house near Tel Aviv and wounded seven people, leading to fears of a severe escalation.

The retaliatory strikes were begun around the same time as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington, with explosions rocking areas of the Gaza Strip and balls of fire rising into the sky.

In comments from the White House, Netanyahu said "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression," while Trump spoke of Israel's "right to defend itself."



Netanyahu said he would return home after meeting Trump, cancelling an address to pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual conference on Tuesday.

The flare-up comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

A security source in Gaza said there had been a range of strikes in various locations across the enclave.

One destroyed a building in Gaza City that Israel alleged was a secret headquarters for Hamas security and intelligence.

Residents of Gaza said the building was known to house the Hamas-linked Multasim insurance company.

Hamas's interior security office in Gaza City was also hit.

So far there have been no reports of any casualties in Gaza.

"If there is any violation of the red lines by the occupation, our people will not surrender and the resistance is able to deter it," Hamas leader Ismail Haniya said.

Earlier Monday, a rocket from Gaza hit a house in Israel in a rare long-distance strike.

Israel's army said the rocket was fired by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, from the Rafah area.

A Hamas official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, denied the group was behind the rocket, evoking the possibility it was caused by "bad weather".

The official said the same message had been passed to Egypt, which has acted as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

But Israel warned of a firm response and announced it was sending two additional brigades to reinforce the Gaza area and carrying out a limited call up of reservists.

Israeli roads near the Gaza Strip were closed and farming activities in the area were halted.

Israel also closed its people and goods crossings with the blockaded Gaza Strip and reduced the zone in the Mediterranean it allows for Palestinian fishermen off the enclave, a statement said.

The Israeli house hit was located in the community of Mishmeret, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv, police said.

The rocket would have had to travel some 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rafah to reach the area.

Rocket fire from Gaza at that distance is rare.

The hospital treating the wounded said seven Israelis were injured lightly by burns and shrapnel, including three children.

One of the wounded was a six-month-old child and six of them were members of the same British-Israeli family.

The house was destroyed in the wake of the rocket and subsequent fire, with burnt wood, a children's toy and other debris piled at the site.

Police spokesman Ami Ben David said air raid sirens wailed at around 5:15 am and the home's residents made their way to a safe room, possibly saving their lives.

The rocket crashed through the roof and then exploded when it hit the floor, he said.

The flare-up comes after mounting tensions in recent weeks.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008, and Netanyahu is believed to want to avoid another one with unpredictable results ahead of the elections.

But he faces a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief Benny Gantz and came under pressure to react firmly.

Gantz asked on Twitter, referring to corruption allegations against Netanyahu, whether the prime minister would "finally focus on the security of the citizens of Israel instead of dealing only with his legal concerns." In a speech to AIPAC on Monday, Gantz commended Netanyahu's decision to return to Israel and said he would do the same later in the day.

Monday's rocket followed another rare one on March 14 in which two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Tel Aviv.

No damage or injuries were caused, but Israel responded to that and further rocket fire by hitting what it said were around 100 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.

Four Palestinians were reported wounded in those strikes.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied they were behind the March 14 rocket fire towards Tel Aviv, raising the possibility they were launched by fringe groups.

Israel's military said they were launched by Hamas, but later Israeli media reported the army's preliminary assessment was that they had been fired by mistake during maintenance work.

The reports were a sign Israel was seeking to calm tensions. The military refused to comment on them at the time.

Saturday also marks the first anniversary of Palestinian protests and clashes along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel.

An informal truce between Hamas and Israel had led to relative calm along the border, but recent weeks have seen another uptick in violence.

Netanyahu's visit to the United States included Trump's formal recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

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Farmers in a nondescript hamlet on the outskirts of Jammu harvested their crop prematurely to pave the way for the venue of a mega rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their village on March 28.

A number of smallholders jointly harvested their wheat crop spread across several hectares of land in Malpur hamlet of Jammu district over the last two days.

"We are so happy that Modiji is coming to our village. It will become famous after his visit. We do not want to lose this opportunity and offered our farmland for the venue of his rally. The nearby ground set aside for his rally earlier does not have much space," a farmer, Kalu Ram, said.

He said the smallholders offered their land for the rally by "speedily harvesting semi-ripe wheat crop", which was to be harvested towards April-end.

"We could not have harvested several hectares of farmland by ourselves, so many villagers came forward to help. The village will go down in history once Modi ji arrives here," another farmer, Daleep Kumar, said.

The farmers said crop can be harvested next year, but "Modiji may not come to the hamlet in the future. We do not want to miss out on this opportunity".

Prime Minister Modi will address a mega rally in the village on March 28, BJP national vice-president and in-charge for the state, Avinash Rai Khanna, told reporters here.

Two sitting MPs -- Jugal Kishore Sharma and Union minister Jitendra Singh -- are seeking re-election from Jammu and Udhampur constituencies, which will go to polls on April 11 and April 18 respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shares of Jet Airways zoomed 15.5 per cent Monday with its founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepping down from the crisis-hit airline's board.

The stock jumped 12.69 per cent to close at Rs 254.50 on the BSE. During the day, it rose sharply by 17.77 per cent to Rs 266.

On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), shares zoomed 15.46 per cent to close at Rs 261 apiece.

On the traded volume front, 33.60 lakh shares were traded on the BSE and over 4 crore shares on the NSE during the day.

Naresh Goyal and his wife will resign from the board of the airline, according to a regulatory filing.

The decision was taken at the airline's board meeting held in Mumbai Monday.

While the airline made an official announcement about the board's decisions after the markets closed, reports have been doing the rounds since morning that Goyal would be stepping down from the board.

In the filing to the stock exchanges, Jet Airways said Naresh Goyal, Anita Goyal and one nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC would step down from the board.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is a strategic partner with 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways.

Naresh Goyal would also cease to be the chairman, the filing said.

Jet Airways, which has been operating for more than 25 years, is grappling with financial crunch and is also looking to raise fresh funds.

The airline has suspended operations on at least 14 international routes till the end of April and over 80 planes are on the ground. As many as 54 aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of lease rentals.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's military has said for the first time that JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used in retaliation to India's pre-emptive strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot as it once again denied that US-made F-16 jets were involved in the attack.

Referring to the aerial dogfight with the Indian Air Force jets after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India later.

"The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not - because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne - now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise," Ghafoor told Russian agency Sputnik International.

A day after Pakistan's attempt to retaliate the IAF's air strikes at the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, the Indian armed forces displayed parts of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by an F-16, which fell in Indian territory. New Delhi had also underlined that electronic signatures captured by Indian radars had established the use of F-16 for the offensive.

The US State Department announced that it was seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential use of American-made F-16 jets against India in violation of the end-user agreement.

The Pakistani General noted that Islamabad was discussing the use of its JF-17 with the US citing "friendly relations" with Washington, stressing, however, that the country would use whatever it deemed necessary if it came to "legitimate self-defence."



He said Pakistan only wanted to tell India that it has the capability to hit back. He said Pakistan has the footage of the operation.

At the time of the attack, the media reports said that the PAF military aircraft that shot down the Mig-21 Bison was JF-17 Thunder Block II multirole fighter jet.

"Proud to announce, I was project director for JF-17 Thunder program jointly produced by Pakistan and China during the tenure of General Pervez Musharraf," retired PAF Air Marshall Shahid Latif said at the time.

"Today, same jets targeted and shot down Indian Jets which entered Pakistani Airspace," he said soon after the attack last month.

Ghafoor said that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a deterrence tool to prevent wars in the region.

"Pakistan holds the position that this capability eliminates the possibility of conventional war. No sane country having this capability would talk about using it," Ghafoor was quoted as saying by the Russian agency.

He said Pakistan would take steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms but only if India does the same.

Ghafoor said Pakistan would welcome every effort, including that of Russia, which can bring peace in the region.

On military cooperation with Russia, Ghafoor said Pakistan is negotiating defence industry cooperation with Moscow in the areas of aviation, air defence systems and anti-tank missiles.

Pakistan's defence ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

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Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar alleged on Monday that the varsity students forcibly entered his house and confined his wife inside for several hours.

Seven students have been on a hunger strike since last week in protest against the online system of entrance exam that will be implemented from this academic session.

According to sources, students from Left outfits went to the vice-chancellor's residence to demand an audience with him since he had not been meeting them. When they went to meet him last week, he offered them sweets rather than addressing their concerns,



On Monday evening, the students allegedly barged inside Kumar's residence while he was away and surrounded his wife. Police were called in and the wives of other university professors rescued her, a professor said.

Kumar's wife was rushed to a hospital as she was in a state of trauma.

"This evening few hundred students forcibly broke into my JNU residence and confined my wife inside home for several hours while I was away in a meeting. Is it the way to protest? Terrorosing (sic) a lonely lady at home?" Kumar asked on Twitter.

A student from a Left outfit rejected the allegation and said a group of students had gone to meet the vice-chancellor, but they were allegedly manhandled by the security personnel.

"We had gone to his residence to meet the V-C. We were manhandled by security personnel and many students have sustained injuries, including JNUSU president N Sai Balaji," the student said.

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Engineering firm KPTL Monday said its arm Kalpataru Power Transmission Sweden AB has signed an agreement to acquire 85 per cent equity stake in Linjemontage i Grastorp AB for USD 24 million.

The acquisition of Linjemontage is in-line with the KPTL's stated objective of growth and greater geographical presence in stable and growing markets with focus on core power transmission segment, a Kalpataru Power Transmission statement said.

According to the statement, the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019-20.

The Linjemontage i Grastorp AB was founded in 1993. It specialises in power supply solutions and services for electricity networks up to voltage range of 400 kv.

It has a profitable track record. The company has presence in Sweden and Norway with an order book of around SEK (Swedish Krona) 710 million (around USD 77 million) as on date, the company said.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sanjay Dalmia, Executive Director, KPTL said in the statement, "This acquisition has been carried out on grounds of strategic fit both to capture local market opportunity and to help us in expanding our presence in Nordic countries where we have no former presence. This strategic acquisition will also help the KPTL with greater access to technology and EPC (engineering construction and procurement) capability to take turnkey projects in Nordic countries and Europe".

KPTL is one of the largest and fastest growing specialised EPC companies in India engaged in various segment including power transmission & distribution, oil & gas pipeline and railways.

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Karti Chidambaram, son of Congress leader P Chidambaram Monday filed his nomination to contest from Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency and slammed the BJP-led Centre for 'imposing Hindi, Hindu and Hindutva' and 'ignoring' the interests of Tamil Nadu.

People of not only Tamil Nadu, but across the country want to dislodge the "fascist" BJP regime at the Centre, he told reporters after filing his papers here.

Congress Legislature Party leader K R Ramasamy, senior DMK leader and former Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments K R Periakaruppan were among those who accompanied Karti Chidambaram.

To a question on the delay in announcing the candidate for Sivaganga, he said "there was no delay."



The Congress on Sunday released its ninth list of 10 candidates for the Lok Sabha election, fielding Karti Chidambaram from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu.

Karti declined to comment to a question on former union minister E M Sudarsana Natchiappan's comment that his father prevented his growth in the Congress.

A former union minister of State for commerce and industry, Natchiappan had alleged that Chidambaram prevented him from becoming not only the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president, but also a Minister at the Centre for about nine years (since UPA assumed power in 2004).

"If elected, I will bring large private investments and facilitate setting up of industries suitable for this region and job creation is my first duty," he said.

To a question, he said his party loved the Tamil people and alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was fascist.

He said the BJP government was not bothered about the Tamil people and alleged that it was keen only in imposing "Hindi, Hindu and Hindutva."



On BJP leader H Raja, (who too filed his nomination to contest from here), caiming that Congress would use its "money power," he said "Our election spend will be within the parameters fixed by the Election Commission.

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Kuwait-based Burgan Bank has appointed Fadel Abdullah as chief corporate banking officer after obtaining the approval of the Central Bank of Kuwait as of March 5.



Abdullah provides strategic direction and leadership to the corporate banking group including corporate operations, cash management, financial analysis, and projects engineering. He will ensure short- and long-term revenue growth and profitability.



Raed Al-Haqhaq, chief executive officer of Burgan Bank -Kuwait said: I would like to congratulate Mr. Fadel Abdullah on his role as the Chief Corporate Banking Officer. He has served with us for more than two decades and has proven to be an extremely capable leader, and a highly respected figure in our industry. Given his long record of exemplary experience in corporate banking, we are confident he will steer the bank to greater achievements, in line with our strategic vision. I look forward to working with him in this capacity and wish him every success.



Leveraging my robust expertise and long experience in the corporate banking division, I will strive to maintain the banks position as one of the leading financial groups in the region, said Fadel Abdullah. As a progressive financial institution that thrives on new banking solutions, innovation, and specialized banking services to deliver excellence for our customers, I look forward to raising the bar with the duties entrusted to me.



Abdullah has extensive experience spanning over 25 years in the banking industry. He joined Burgan Bank in 1998 and has held different leadership positions since. He holds a Bachelor of Science majoring in Mathematics from Kuwait University.  TradeArabia News Service
At least 10 properties of a Jammu and Kashmir-based businessman, an Islamabad house of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and a host of immovable assets of separatists have been identified by security agencies for attachment in multiple terror financing cases, officials said Monday.

The 10 properties of Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, currently in Delhi's Tihar jail in a terror funding case probed by the NIA, and Salahuddin's house in a prime location in the Pakistan's capital city are under the scanner of the agencies.

The federal probe agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, the National Investigation Agency and the Income Tax Department will soon initiate steps for attaching them under various criminal laws by approaching the international bodies concerned, a security official said.

Watali's properties include a single storyed house at Chhanpora in Srinagar, land at Trison City, Narbal in Srinagar, a single storyed house at Handwara, eight kanal land at Nagrota in Jammu and an under construction nursing home in Srinagar district.

The businessman's Gurgaon house has already been attached by the ED under the PMLA.

Among the other accused whose assets have been identified include one two storyed house of Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, situated at Naseem Bagh in Hazratbal tehsil, and a two storyed house of Mohammad Akbar Khanday on a 2.5 kanal land at Shalteng in Srinagar.

A two storyed house of Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal located at Hamza Colony, Kenihama in Srinagar and a two storyed house of Bashir Ahmad Bhat alias Peer Saifullah at Chadoora, Srinagar are also on the list.

The identification of the properties was part of the continuing crackdown on terror financiers by security agencies over the few months.

Security agencies have already identified 13 people, including Hizbul Mujahideen founder Syed Salahuddin, Hurriyat leaders and businessmen, who are allegedly providing funds to terrorists and stone pelters at the behest of Pakistan spy agency ISI.

The Centre has started seizing properties belonging to terror financers in a big way.

Funds were provided to the leadership of Kashmir-based terrorist groups for misguiding, motivating and recruiting local youths to militant ranks, another official said.

Operational activities of terror groups, including attacks on security forces, camps and convoys, are also being financed, the official said, adding money obtained through these channels are being used by major secessionist formations, especially the Hurriyat Conference.

These funds are used for maintaining Hurriyat's top leadership and a massive propaganda machinery to arouse disaffection among the people of Jammu and Kashmir against the Centre.

They are also being utilised to spread false information through media contacts, newspapers and social media.

The official said these are in turn used to instigate and lure misguided youths to resort to anti-India activities, violent street protests and stone pelting on security forces at encounter sites.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kremlin on Monday reiterated its denial that Moscow interfered in the 2016 US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found there was no conclusive evidence of Russian meddling.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists he had not seen the report but Russsias's "principled position on this matter is well known: our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kremlin on Monday reiterated denials that Moscow interfered in the 2016 US presidential election after Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report found conclusive evidence of Russian meddling.

Moscow called reports of Russian interference "malicious slander", while analysts said the conclusions of the probe were unlikely to improve bilateral ties.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists he had not seen the report but Russia's "principled position on this matter is well known: our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States."



Peskov insisted "the accusations of interference... that are still being made against Russia, we as before consider to be baseless." Mueller's nearly two-year investigation found Russia carried out a coordinated campaign of disinformation and hacked emails from Hillary Clinton's election team. The report however did not find that Donald Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow.

In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry said that Mueller's report "simply could not have been different." The United States has expended "colossal efforts" and a significant amount of taxpayers' money to "refute an obvious falsehood," the ministry said.

Moscow said it hoped Washington would eventually acknowledge that reports of Russian meddling were nothing but "malicious slander" conjured up for use in Washington's power struggles.

"And probably then we will be able to close the door on this matter," the foreign ministry said.

Pro-Kremlin lawmakers hailed the report as vindicating both Russia and Trump, but were cautious on whether this would prompt a revival in relations.

The report's findings "are a disgrace for the US and its political elite," senator Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter.

"There's a chance to start a lot again from zero in our relations, but whether Trump will take the risk is still under question. We, of course, are ready," Konstantin Kosachev, foreign affairs committee chair in the upper house of parliament, wrote on Facebook.

The foreign affairs chief in the lower house, Leonid Slutsky, told journalists the report's findings "are hardly capable of changing anything immediately in the dialogue between Russia and the US," RIA Novosti state agency reported.

Analysts said it was early to say whether the result of the probe would change much for ties between Moscow and Washington.

"Most likely relations will not change," said Pavel Sharikov, a senior research fellow at the Institute for USA and Canada Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"An escalation is quite likely," he told AFP, noting that both Democrats and Republicans backed sanctions against Russia.

"I believe it is premature to say that the conclusion of the Mueller report will positively affect Russian-US ties," Sharikov said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lebanon on Monday said a US decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights violates international law and undermines the prospects for peace.

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a border area seized from Syria in 1967.

In a statement carried by the NNA state agency, the Lebanese foreign ministry said the move "violates all the rules of international law" and "undermines any effort to reach a just peace".

"The Golan Heights are Syrian Arab land, no decision can change this, and no country can revisit history by transferring ownership of land from one country to another," it said.

The ministry said attempts by Israel to expand its territory by way of "force and aggression" would only isolate the Jewish state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition "historic" and said the Golan Heights, which are still claimed by Syria, would remain permanently under Israeli control.

The Syrian government said Washington's recognition of Israeli claims over the Golan was a blatant attack on its sovereignty.

Russia warned of a "new wave" of tensions in the Middle East after the US Golan move.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the Golan on Wednesday during a meeting on renewing the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed between Israel and Syria in the Golan, known as UNDOF.

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The ministry and the of India (RBI) on Monday said liquidity situation of the is comfortable and it will be boosted further by Rs 35,000 crore through the window.

Liquidity situation is comfortable now, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary told reporters here.

Asked about the new tool of arrangement by the RBI to infuse liquidity, Garg said it is a "sound move (by the RBI)".

According to a senior official of the RBI, the liquidity position in the system is comfortable and the central is constantly monitoring the situation in the system.

"At the moment, I don't think there is any issue with regard to liquidity in the market. If some people are not getting financing then it is probably because of their balance sheet problem," the official said.

The auction announced by the RBI, earlier in March, will infuse Rs 35,000 crore in domestic liquidity on Tuesday, the official said.

The auction of $5 billion for a tenure of three years will be conducted on Tuesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for increased cooperation between the European Union and China, at a time of growing nervousness over Beijing's massive investments on the continent.

Speaking at the Elysee Palace following talks with Xi, Macron called for a "strong Europe-China partnership", adding that this must be based on "strong multilateralism" and "fair and balanced" trade.

Xi's, for his part, stressed that "a united and prosperous Europe fits in with our vision of a multipolar world".

"China will always back European integration and its development," he added in a statement to the press.

The statements followed the signing of a dozen of deals on nuclear power, cultural exchanges, clean energy, and a huge contract which will see China buy 290 Airbus A320s and 10 A350 airliners from Europe's Airbus conglomerate.

The order, originally for 184 A320s for 13 Chinese airlines, was first announced during Macron's state visit to China in January 2018.

All the deals, including one on French exports to China of frozen chicken, amount to a total of some USD 40 billion.

Monday's talks come a day ahead of another meeting in Paris, this time between Macron, Xi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore "points of convergence" between the two trading giants.

An EU-China summit will take place in Brussels next month.

Earlier on his trip, Xi visited Italy, which became the first G7 state to sign up to China's vast "New Silk Road" infrastructure project that has sparked unease in the US and the European Union.

Macron also announced that France and China will cooperate on a number of investment projects in some of the countries providing stepping stones on this new Silk Road.

Monday morning, Macron and Xi had met at the Arc de Triomphe where they placed a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, notably to honour the 140,000 Chinese workers who contributed to the World War I efforts in France.

Talks at the Elysee Palace later touched on issues such as climate change, cooperation and business deals, officials in the French presidency said.

Monday evening Macron was to host a state dinner for Xi with some 200 guests, including the French actor Alain Delon, who is widely known in China.

In an interview with the Nice-Matin newspaper after hosting Xi at a dinner on the French Riviera, Macron had suggested that the joint talks "would allow us to establish a common definition for a new international order".

Xi arrived in France on Sunday from Italy, whose government's involvement in the New Silk Road project comes despite misgivings over the huge venture by other European nations wary of China's growing influence.

Xi insisted the project -- a massive undertaking to link Asia to Europe -- will be a two-way street of investment and trade.

EU Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger in a newspaper interview Sunday expressed "concern that in Italy and other European countries, infrastructure of strategic importance like power networks, high speed rail lines or harbours are no longer in European but in Chinese hands."



German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also voiced concern in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

"In a world with giants like China, Russia or our partners in the United States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU," he said.

"And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent."



Xi's visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to deepen EU ties with China while pushing back against Beijing's growing global clout.

Europe's distrust of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is poised to become the dominant player in next-generation 5G mobile technology worldwide, is emblematic of the increasingly rocky relationship.

The US is pressuring European allies not to use Huawei technology, saying it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on sensitive communications. France has so far not ruled out using Huawei technology.

As well as addressing commercial cooperation and strategic issues with Xi, Macron has also been urged to deal with the case of Meng Hongwei, Chinese former head of the France-based Interpol police agency.

Meng's wife has had no of her husband since his arrest in China nearly six months ago. It emerged Sunday she had written to Macron asking him to bring up his disappearance with Xi.

Meng is believed to be facing corruption charges.

Despite the many sources of friction, France wants to engage China as a closer partner as Washington makes a pointed withdrawal from global affairs under Trump's "America First" policy.

For example, Macron may seek more Chinese support for the French-backed G5 Sahel force fighting Islamist extremists in Western Africa, French presidential aides said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of criminals fired four rounds from two pistols at staff manning a toll plaza on the Satara-Pune Highway in the early hours of Monday, police said.

The incident happened around 1am at Anewadi toll plaza, when the criminals, travelling in a Maruti Swift car, picked up a quarrel after being asked to pay toll, said an official.

Anewadi toll plaza is around 18 kilometres from Satara and over 90 kilometres from Pune.

"On being asked to pay the toll, an altercation took place. The driver waited for two more cars, carrying his accomplices, to arrive. Once they came, ten men attacked toll plaza staff and fired four rounds from two pistols. No one sustained bullet injuries," the official informed.

A stone thrown at a toll booth staff, identified as Vishal Raje (30), left him injured, he added.

He said CCTV footage of the incident revealed that the criminals were part of the Balu Chorghe gang active in Pune and surrounding areas.

"We have registered a case. Two empty and two live bullets have been recovered from the spot," the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The husband of an NCP corporator was Monday hacked to death in Maharashtra's Beed district allegedly by a mob which suspected he was helping members of the Shikalgar community in a kidnapping case, police said.

Pandurang Gaikwad (50) was attacked with swords, sickles and sticks in Phule Nagar area of Parli-Vaijnath town in the district, over 470 kilometres from here, an official said.

"Gaikwad sustained serious injuries in the attack in the early hours of Monday. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival," the official said.

Police said the attack might be a fallout of the kidnapping of a 16-year-old boy four months ago allegedly by members of the Shikalgar community as the minor was in love with a girl from that community.

A kidnapping case was registered at the time with Purna police station, and the boy's body was found a few days later, enraging local residents and kin, an official said.

"The mob, which included the mother of the kidnapped minor boy, attacked Gaikwad suspecting he was helping the Shikalgar community members in the kidnapping case," said Inspector Balasaheb Pawar of Sambhajinagar police station.

He said 11 people, including two women, attacked and killed Gaikwad, five of whom have been arrested and charged with murder.

Efforts are on to nab the rest of the accused, he added.

The Shikalgar community is spread across the state and are traditionally engaged in making and sharpening weapons made from iron.

The community's name is derived from an Arabic word for sharpening.

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Deepika Padukone on Monday unveiled her look from upcoming film "Chhapaak", in which she plays the role of an acid attack survivor, and the actor said the character will remain special for her forever.

The 33-year-old actor also announced that the Meghna Gulzar-directed film will release on January 10 next year.

"A character that will stay with me forever...#Malti Shoot begins today! Releasing-10th January, 2020," Deepika posted on her social media accounts alongside the picture of her look from the film.

The movie, which is based on the life of acid attack survivor and activist Laxmi Agarwal, is also Deepika's debut production venture.

In 2005, while Laxmi was waiting at a bus stop in Delhi, she was attacked by an assailant, a man twice her age, known to her family and an unlikely suitor whose advances she had declined.

The movie also features actor Vikrant Massey.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday hit out at BJP without naming it for allegedly dividing people along religious lines and even labelling those who differ from it as "Pakistanis".

She called upon the people to maintain communal harmony and amity and have faith in all religions to ensure peace and progress in the country.

"Enmity has reached the extent where if somebody speaks against a certain party he becomes a Pakistani," Banerjee, a strong critic of the saffron party, said at a function.

"We want neither enmity, nor hatred. We want peace and progress to take forward the nation. We don't want any division among the people on the basis of religion," she said.

Religion teaches people how to live in harmony with believers of all religious faiths and not to divide the country based on differences in belief, Banerjee added.

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Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a seminar today (March 25) which familiarised professionals with the practical tips on managing letters of credit as well as key benefits of using such international trade documentary credit.



The seminar, entitled Documentary Credits Operations, Legal and Technical, was attended by international sales professionals, shipping and logistics managers, trade finance bankers, legal advisors for international business, and business development executives involved in export and import business.



Presentations, led by Vincent OBrien, international trade finance practitioner and Executive Committee Member of the ICC Banking Commission and director of the Institute of International Banking Law and Practice (IIBlP), Washington, USA, discussed the latest developments in international trade, financing issues and major legal, technical and operational issues to facilitate safe international trade, tips on negotiating terms and conditions, as well as the benefits of using documentary letters of credit and standby letters of credit.



During the workshop, OBrien briefed participants on the most effective steps of agreeing the terms and conditions of international trade documentary credit, and highlighted international standards, guidelines and case studies related to managing letters of credit.



Today, international traders are experiencing unprecedented challenges. We have increased trade tensions, trade barriers, increasing sanctions and disputes. All of these challenges have technical and legal implications for the parties involved, said OBrien.



He noted that the seminar aimed to offer valuable insights, practical tips and case studies to enhance their awareness of key processes related to managing letters of credit, adding that participants were also informed about key challenges and methods that can be used to manage and minimise associated risks.



Jehad Kazim, director of Legal Services, Dubai Chamber said: "We are always keen to support the business community in Dubai and keep companies and professionals informed about important tools such as letters of credit, and encourage businesses to adopt practices in line with international standards in order to improve operations and performance.  TradeArabia News Service
A man wanted in over two dozen robbery cases was arrested here following a gunfight with police on Monday night, officials said.

While Tazim Hasan was arrested, his two associates managed to flee during the encounter in Transport Nagar, under Phase III police station area, the police said.

"Hasan carried a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head. He was wanted since October 2018. He was injured in an encounter with the police tonight," Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibha Krishna said.

Hasan, along with his associates, was wanted in 25 cases of robbery and loot in Delhi-National Capital Region, the SSP added.

A firearm, along with ammunition, was seized from him, the police said.

The gunfight ensued after a police team asked the motorcycle-borne accused to stop for checking. Instead of stopping, they opened fire on the police team, which retaliated, officials said.

Tazim sustained bullet injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BSP supremo Mayawati Monday hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over rising cane arrears to farmers, asking why it cannot act tough against the erring sugar mill owners.

"How can the UP sugarcane farmers be happy and prosperous when their arrears amount to Rs. 10 thousand crores ? This is a matter to ponder on. Anti-farmers and pro-capitalist BJP government need not make wrong claims," Mayawati said in a tweet.

"Why is BJP not acting tough against the mill owners like the BSP government and getting all the arrears of the farmers cleared?" she asked.

On Sunday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over unpaid dues of sugarcane farmers and alleged that 'chowkidars' (watchmen) were only working for the rich and are not bothered about the poor.

She had also shared a media report on Twitter that claimed the dues of sugarcane farmers had crossed Rs 10,000 crore in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An alleged member of the Mewat gang, carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was arrested in Dwarka, police said Monday.

The accused was identified as Munnu Khan (30), a resident of Palwal district in Haryana. He was involved in more than 50 cases of cattle theft, vehicle theft and opening fire in public place, they said.

Based on a tip-off, police laid a trap near the Dhoolsiras Chowk, Dwarka Bamnoli crossing at 9.40 pm, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

Police intercepted a car and signalled its driver to stop the vehicle. Khan opened fire at police officials and tried to escape from the spot but he was overpowered by the policemen and arrested, the DCP said.

During interrogation, he told police that the gang mostly use truck or pickup vehicles in the crime as they can be filled with heavy iron girders and bumpers to damage police vehicles.

One country-made pistol with two live cartridges and one car were seized, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The 500-year-old wounds of the Spanish conquest were ripped open afresh on Monday when Mexico's president urged Spain and the Vatican to apologize for their "abuses" -- a request Madrid said it "firmly rejects."



President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist, reopened the debate over Spain's centuries of dominance in the New World with a video posted to social media, urging Spanish King Felipe VI and Pope Francis to apologize for the conquest and the rights violations committed in its aftermath.

"I have sent a letter to the king of Spain and another to the pope calling for a full account of the abuses and urging them to apologize to the indigenous peoples (of Mexico) for the violations of what we now call their human rights," Lopez Obrador, 65, said in the video, filmed at the ruins of the indigenous city of Comalcalco.

"There were massacres and oppression. The so-called conquest was waged with the sword and the cross. They built their churches on top of the (indigenous) temples," he said.

"The time has come to reconcile. But let us ask forgiveness first." Spain's reaction was swift and unequivocal.

"The government of Spain deeply regrets that the letter the Mexican president sent to his majesty the king, whose contents we firmly reject, has been made public," it said in a statement.

"The arrival, 500 years ago, of Spaniards to present Mexican territory cannot be judged in the light of contemporary considerations," it said.

"Our two brother nations have always known how to read our shared past without anger and with a constructive perspective, as free peoples with a shared history and extraordinary influence."



Lopez Obrador took office in December after a landslide election win that represented a firm break with Mexico's traditional political parties.

A folksy populist, he pulls no punches in going after traditional elites -- but had so far cultivated cordial relations with Spain, including during a visit to Mexico City by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez earlier this year. Lopez Obrador made the remarks during a visit to his native Tabasco state, in southern Mexico.

He was later due to visit the nearby city of Centla. On March 14, 1519, the site was the scene of one of the first battles between Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and the indigenous peoples of the land now known as Mexico.

With the help of horses, swords, guns and smallpox -- all unknown in the New World at the time -- Cortes led an army of less than 1,000 men to defeat the Aztec empire, the start of 300 years of Spanish rule over Mexico.

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National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Monday asserted that the principal task ahead of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is to protect the state's special status.

He stressed that his party has fielded suitable candidates on all the Lok Sabha seats in the valley who will ensure that the voice of people is heard in Parliament.

"Keeping in view the herculean task of putting up a strong front in protecting state's special constitutional status, the party has fielded most suitable candidates from the three parliamentary constituencies of Kashmir," Abdullah said.

He was addressing rallies in Beerwah and Kunzar areas of Budgam and Baramulla districts of the state.

The NC candidate for Anantnag seat is a legal luminary Justice (retired) Hassnain Masudi whose pronounced judgments and articles reveal his legal acumen and dedication while Mohammad Akbar Lone, a former advocate, is candidate from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, he said.

"For Srinagar, we could not think of anybody other than Farooq Abdullah. A four time chief minister, he has been representing state in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha many a times in the past as well," he said.

"To have a person of his national standing representing state in Lok Sabha will benefit the interests of state," he added.

The former chief minister lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for berating and belittling the mandate of people given to them in 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

"Nowadays we hear PDP president Mehbooba Mufti saying that she will never join hands with BJP. How should we believe her?," he said.

"Previously she sought mandate of people at the pretext of keeping BJP out, but what followed was an apt case of political opportunism," he added.

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The Nationalist Congress Party on Monday released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, promising complete loan waiver for small and middle income farmers and resumption of talks with Pakistan.

Releasing the manifesto at the party office here, NCP general secretary and chief spokesperson D P Tripathi said the party's endeavour will be to bring radicalised youth of Kashmir Valley into the mainstream and take stern action against those involved in 'brainwashing' them.

The Sharad Pawar-led party is contesting on 20 seats in Maharashtra, one each in Laskhadweep, Bihar, Odisha, Meghalaya and Manipur.

"According to figures from various organisations working in rural areas, over 90,000 people have committed suicide in the hinterland, of which majority are farmers. We will provide a complete loan waiver to the small and medium income farmers," Tripathi said.

The party manifesto was also released in Mumbai.

Tripathi said resumption of talks, especially on terrorism, with Pakistan was essential for betterment of ties between the two countries.

When asked how will the party implement its manifesto when it is contesting in not more than 30 seats in the



545-member Lok Sabha, the NCP leader exuded confidence that the party will be a part of the next non-BJP government and influence policy-making.

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Filing of nominations for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana came to a close Monday.

State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said as per initial figures, a total of 699 nominations had been filed for the 17 constituencies in the state as of Monday evening.

The final tally may go up as the process of compilation was on, he told reporters here.

The scrutiny would take place Tuesday and the last date for withdrawal is March 28.

The process of filing nominations began on March 18.

State Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy (from Nalgonda), AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi (Hyderabad), former union minister Renuka Choudhary (Khammam), TRS MP K Kavitha (Nizamabad), daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, are among the prominent candidates who have filed their nominations.

The ruling TRS is going it alone in the Lok Sabha polls and it has fielded candidates in all the 17 constituencies.

Though TRS is contesting the Hyderabad seat, it has been publicly supporting its ally Owaisi, who is pitching for TRS' victory in remaining 16 constituencies.

The main opposition Congress is going it alone and fielded nominees in all the seats.

AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana RC Khuntia appealed to TDP, CPI and other opposition parties to support the Congress in constituencies where they are not in the fray.

Significantly, TDP on Monday decided not to field candidates in Telangana in the Lok Sabha elections, a first since its formation in 1982.

Congress had requested the regional party's support, TDP sources said.

BJP is also contesting the polls on its own. It has denied ticket to its sitting MP and former union minister Bandaru Dattatreya.

The CPI-M and CPI are contesting two seats each.

Protesting alleged failure of Centre and the state government in ensuring remunerative prices for their produce, turmeric farmers in Nizamabad region have filed nominations in large numbers.

Some have already filed nominations, a farmers' leader said. The target was to file 1,000 nominations, he had said.

According to the CEO, as many as 245 nominations were received in Nizamabad till Monday.

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Nearly 700 nominations have been filed for the April 11 Lok Sabha elections in Telangana with Nizambad constituency alone accounting for around one-third of them as the process for filing of papers came to a close Monday.

Over 200 tumeric and 'jowar' (sorghum) farmers in Nizamabad filed the nominations in the constituency protesting the "failure" of the Centre and the state government to ensure remunerative prices for their produce.

Ruling TRS nominee and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha is among the contestants in the constituency.

The farmers have entered the poll fray in large numbers to highlight their plight, a farmers' leader said.

They had earlier said their target was to file 1,000 nominations.

P Praveen Kumar, one of the farmers who filed his paper Monday, said around 230 ryots have entered the fray.

State Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said as per initial figures, a total of 699 nominations, including 245 in Nizambad, had been filed for the 17 constituencies in the state as of Monday evening.

The final tally may go up as the process of compilation was on, he told reporters here.

The scrutiny would take place Tuesday and the last date for withdrawal is March 28.

The process of filing nominations began on March 18.

State Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy (from Nalgonda), AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi (Hyderabad) and former union minister Renuka Choudhary (Khammam) are among the prominent prominent candidates who have filed their papers.

The youngest state in the country is set for a triangular contest with the ruling TRS, which scored a thumping win in December 2018 assembly elections, the main opposition Congress and the BJP fighting the polls on their own.

Though the TRS has filed nominations for all 17 seats, including Hyderabad, it has been publicly supporting its ally Owaisi, who is pitching for the ruling party's victory in remaining 16 constituencies.

Congress and BJP have fielded nominees in all the seats.

AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana RC Khuntia appealed to TDP, CPI and other opposition parties to support the Congress in constituencies where they are not in the fray.

Significantly, TDP on Monday decided not to field candidates in Telangana in the Lok Sabha elections, a first since its formation in 1982.

Congress had requested the regional party's support, TDP sources said.

BJP has denied ticket to its sitting MP and former union minister Bandaru Dattatreya.

The CPI-M and CPI are contesting two seats each.

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Anees Bazmee known for making massy entertainers like "No Entry", "Welcome", "Singh is Kinng" and "Ready" is happy with the love audience have for comedies, but says it is sad that the genre is still considered "brainless" by the critics.

Many of Bazmee's films have done well at the box-office but they have not won critical acclaim and the director said it is disheartening when his films are not given due importance.

"I have written films across all genre but comedy is the toughest genre. I want to entertain audience. There is lot of hardwork that goes into making comedy films. Critics call it brainless but it definitely needs a lot of brain to write a comedy," Bazmee told PTI.

The director, who mostly has an ensemble cast in his films, believes making a multistarrer may look like an easy success formula, but it is hard to manage a big cast with stars.

"I never start a project thinking I want to make the film with many stars. My films are larger than life. I end up writing multiple characters but everyone has important role in my films. Like 'Welcome' is a film of not only Akshay Kumar but also of Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal, Katrina Kaif, Mallika Sherawat, Feroz Khan sahab," he added.

Bazmee is currently shooting in London for "Pagalpanti" featuring John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Pulkit Samrat, Ileana D'Cruz, Kriti Kharbanda and others.

"As the title suggest, this film is full of madness, there is action, comedy, romance, songs, it is a high dose commercial entertainer," he said.

Post this film, the director will start working on on Kartik Aaryan's romantic movie.

"My last love story film was 'Pyaar Toh Hona Hee Tha' and this will be pure love story. He (Kartik) is very excited."



Bazmee's one of the most awaited film has been the sequel of "No Entry" and the director refused to share details regarding the cast.

The 2005 hit comedy film had Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Lara Dutta, Esha Deol Bipasha Basu in the lead.

"Our producer Boney Kapoor ji can talk about the cast. I have written a script and have given it to him. It is a beautiful film, it is a cult film. This script is too good. I dont know about the actors. Nothing is decided about the film, shoot and all," he said.

Responding to rumours that Salman is no longer going to be part of the sequel, Bazmee said, he was not aware about it.

"I don't talk about dates and finance. I narrated him the story sometime back and he had liked it. The matter is between Boney ji and Salman."



Meanwhile Bazmee revealed there are plans to make sequel of his 2017 blockbuster hit "Mubarkaan".

"We want to make it but at the moment we do not have a good story," he said.

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday ordered an independent judicial inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks on March 15.

Ardern said a royal commission -- the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law -- was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world.

"It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to how this act of terrorism occurred and how we could have stopped it," she told reporters.

New Zealand's spy agencies have faced criticism in the wake of the attack for concentrating on the threat from Islamic extremism.

Instead, the victims were all Muslims and the massacre was allegedly carried out by a white supremacist fixated on the belief that there was an Islamist plot to "invade" Western countries.

"One question we need to answer is whether or not we could or should have known more," Ardern said.

"New Zealand is not a surveillance state ... but questions need to be answered." Ardern ruled out New Zealand re-introducing the death penalty for accused gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was arrested minutes after the attack on the mosques and has been charged with murder.

She said details of the royal commission were being finalised, but it would be comprehensive and would report in a timely manner.

It will cover the activities of intelligence services, police, customs, immigration and any other relevant government agencies in the lead-up to the attack.

The gunman livestreamed the attack online, although New Zealand has outlawed the footage as "objectionable content".

Ardern reiterated her believe it should not be aired.

"That video should not be shared. That is harmful content," she said when questioned about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showing excerpts of the footage at campaign rallies for local elections this month.

Erdogan had angered both Wellington and Canberra with campaign rhetoric about anti-Muslim Australians and New Zealanders being sent back in "coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a World War I battle.

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UAE-based Lootah Real Estate Development has announced the timely completion and handover of its latest project, the W10 Warehouses, part of Senaeyat, a pre-built modern industrial manufacturing developmentin Dubai.



Located at Dubai Investment Park, the emerging real estate hub, W10 Warehouses will feature a series of prime warehouses, which include 24/7 maintenance and security systems, sufficient loading and unloading spaces and wide parking areas.



One of the regions prominent modern real estate developers, Lootah Real Estate said the warehouses, which are spread over a total area of 54,836 sq ft, offer 10 individual warehouse units ranging from 4,425 to 6,027 sq ft in size, plus 25 feet high buildings.



Speaking at the W10 Warehouses handover ceremony, Executive Director Saleh Abdullah Lootah said: "We recognise the growing demand for working spaces, and we at Lootah Real-Estate Development aim to accommodate these requirements and provide cost-effective options for businesses without compromising excellence."



Earlier this year Lootah Real Estate Development signed a long term agreement with Dubai Industrial Park, one of the largest industrial hubs in the region and a member of Tecom Group, to establish Senaeyat, a pre-built modern industrial manufacturing development in the Park.



"This agreement with Dubai Industrial Park signifies an important step of Lootah Real Estate Development in entering the industrial market segment," stated Lootah.



"With a strategically located and fully integrated destination such as Dubai Industrial Park, our developments will meet the growing demands for quality industrial units and support the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that a long-awaited trip to China will take place next week, but had been shortened in the wake of the Christchurch mosque killings.

Ardern said she would travel to Beijing on Sunday then hold a full day of meetings Monday with the leaders of New Zealand's largest trading partner, including President Xi Jinping, before returning home the next day.

She said she did not want to spend too long away from New Zealand as it continues to mourn the March 15 shootings at two Christchurch mosques that claimed 50 lives.

"It was originally intended to be a longer visit, including a business delegation, but under the circumstances that did not seem appropriate to be away for longer," she told reporters.

It will be Ardern's first visit to China since she was elected in late 2017 -- an unusually long wait for the leader of a nation that signed a pioneering free-trade deal with Beijing in 2008.

There were fears that Beijing had postponed the trip amid strained relations after New Zealand's intelligence agency last November halted plans for Chinese-owned Huawei to participate in a proposed 5G network, citing "significant security risks".

Ardern has repeatedly played down the Huawei spat and did not directly address it on Monday.

"This is an important visit, New Zealand places a high priority on our relationship with China," she said.

"I look forward to our ongoing engagement." She said discussion items would include upgrading the bilateral free trade deal and combatting climate change.

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A newly-wed couple's suicide pact here has resulted in the man dying of poisoning and the woman battling for life in a hospital here, police said Monday.

Gumanpura police station in-charge Manoj Kumar Sikarwal said 25-year-old Khushpreet Singh and his wife Jyoti, 22, consumed poison early Monday morning in a joint suicide pact at their rented accommodation at Kotri area of Kota.

Following the act, the couple was rushed to Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital as soon as the landlord and other neighbours came to know of the extreme step taken by them.

The man died during the treatment, while the woman has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital in a critical condition.

The man belonged to Jawahar Colony in Faridabad while the woman is a native of Lakheri town in Bundi district, said the police official, adding the two had been married for barely six months.

The police recovered a suicide note from the victim's residence in which they said they were taking the extreme step out of their own free will and no one else should be held responsible for it.

The police also found an empty poison vile in their room.

The police said the two had earlier been studying at Kota where they met each other and fell in love. They got married last year.

The man had taken up a private job while the woman was pursuing a paramedical course of nursing, the police said.

The couple's parents have been informed of the tragedy, the police official said.

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Robert Mueller's investigation did not find sufficient evidence to establish that US President Donald Trump or any of his aides coordinated with Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 election, Attorney General William Barr has said as he summarised the key findings from the special counsel's historic probe that has cast a dark shadow over the presidency for nearly two years.

In a four-page letter to top lawmakers on Sunday, Barr highlighted two sections of Mueller's report -- Russia's efforts to affect the 2016 presidential election and whether the president obstructed justice.

The long-awaited report was submitted on Friday to Barr, who pored over the document before handing a summary to Congress.

Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey and other actions throughout the probe raised concerns about the president trying to end the investigation.

Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating Moscow's determined effort to sabotage the last presidential election, found no conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote in the letter to lawmakers.

Mueller's team drew no conclusions about whether Trump illegally obstructed justice, Barr said, so he made his own decision. The attorney general and his deputy, Rod J Rosenstein, determined that the special counsel's investigators had insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed that offense.

Barr cautioned that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" on the obstruction of justice issue.

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," the attorney general said.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," Barr said, adding Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

The release of the findings was a significant political victory for Trump who described it as a "complete and total exoneration".

Terming the allegation of collusion "the most ridiculous thing ever", Trump said, "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest it's a shame that your president had to go through this."



Trump had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of "witch hunt".

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," Trump said.

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," he said.

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of Mueller's investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections. Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

While the president and his allies saw vindication in Barr's letter, Democrats questioned how Barr came to his conclusions and called for more information from Mueller's report. Citing "concerning discrepancies", House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said he planned to call the attorney general to testify.

Barr's letter could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Mueller's full report will be made public. Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsel's investigative files.

Barr's letter said that his "goal and intent" was to release as much of the Mueller report as possible, but warned that some of the report was based on grand jury material that "by law cannot be made public".

Barr planned at a later date to send lawmakers the detailed summary of Mueller's full report that the attorney general is required under law to deliver to Capitol Hill.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the president's stand.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

"As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country," she said.

Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been "completely and fully vindicated" by Mueller's report.

"Nevertheless, Democrats took us on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years, alleging wrongdoing where there was none," he claimed.

"So distraught and blindsided by the results of the 2016 elections, Democrats lied to the American people continually, hoping to undo the legitimate election of President Trump," Parscale said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Attorney General William Barr has said Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find proof that Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections, following which the US president claimed "complete and total exoneration".

In his four-page letter to the Congress on Sunday, which was later made public, Brar however said that "while this (Mueller's) report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" and sets out evidence on "both sides of the question".

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," the attorney general said.

Mueller, in his report, "did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction", Barr told the lawmakers.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," Barr said, adding Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

In the letter, he also said the Department of Justice has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.

"After reviewing the special counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense," the letter read.

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," it said, adding, "the report identifies no actions that, in our judgement, constitute obstructive conduct."



The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of the Mueller investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections. Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

"It was complete and total exoneration," the president told reporters in Florida as he was returning from Mar-a-Lago to Washington DC.

Terming the allegation of collusion "the most ridiculous thing ever", Trump said, "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest it's a shame that your president had to go through this."



He had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of "witch hunt", while asserting that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians.

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," Trump said.

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," he said, adding "It's a complete exoneration."



White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the president's stand.

"The special counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General (Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States," she said.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

"As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country," she said.

Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been "completely and fully vindicated" by Mueller's report.

"After issuing 2,800 subpoenas and 500 search warrants, interviewing 500 witnesses, employing 40 FBI agents and 19 lawyers, and spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, Robert Mueller concluded unequivocally, 'the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.' Moreover, the attorney general and the deputy attorney general determined that there was no evidence of obstruction of justice," Parscale said.

"Nevertheless, Democrats took us on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years, alleging wrongdoing where there was none," he claimed.

"So distraught and blindsided by the results of the 2016 elections, Democrats lied to the American people continually, hoping to undo the legitimate election of President Trump," Parscale said.

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North Korea has returned its staff to an inter-Korean liaison office, Seoul said Monday, just days after unilaterally withdrawing from the joint facility.

"Some of the North Korean staff members are working at the South-North Joint Liaison Office starting from today," the unification ministry said in a statement.

The office in the Northern city of Kaesong was opened in September as the two Koreas knitted closer ties, but the North pulled its staff out last week without explanation.

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Boys with obesity, or excess belly fat, enter puberty at an earlier age than average, scientists have found.

Researchers from the University of Chile conducted the study on 527 Chilean boys ages four to seven years.

They found that both total body obesity and central obesity, or excess belly fat, were associated with greater odds of starting puberty before age nine.

"With the increase in childhood obesity worldwide, there has been an advance in the age at which puberty begins in girls," said Maria Veronica Mericq, the lead investigator of the study.

"However, in boys the evidence has been controversial," said Mericq.

Some studies have found that obesity delayed puberty, whereas another study showed that only overweight but not obesity induced earlier puberty in boys.

Early puberty -- called precocious puberty -- is linked to possible problems including stunted growth and emotional-social problems, researchers said.

The team found that the prevalence of total obesity increased with age, from 22 per cent of boys ages 6 to 7 years to 28.6 per cent at 11.4 years, the average age at onset of puberty for this group.

Central obesity also increased in that timeframe, from 11.8 per cent to 17.4 per cent.

Precocious puberty reportedly occurred in 45 boys, or nine per cent. Total obesity and central obesity from ages four to seven raised the odds of early puberty compared with having a healthy weight.

For instance, among boys age five or six, those with obesity had nearly 2.7 times the odds of starting puberty early, and those with central obesity had almost 6.4 higher odds of puberty before age nine, Mericq said.

She explained that central obesity more closely relates to fat mass, because a higher BMI may reflect increased muscle, especially in athletes.

"Early puberty might increase the risk of behaviour problems and in boys could be related to a higher incidence of testicular cancer in adulthood," Mericq said.

"Our results suggest that controlling the obesity epidemic in children could be useful in decreasing these risks," he said.

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A 20-year-old man was arrested on Monday in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Greater Noida last week, police said.

The accused, Sachin, is a resident of Kambakshpur in Noida and works as a private contractor, the police said.

He, along with four others, had abducted, raped and robbed the woman of her jewellery near her residence in Greater Noida's Knowledge Park area last Friday.

Station House Officer Arvind Pathak said Sachin has been booked under section 376D (gangrape) of the Indian Penal Code, among others.

The remaining suspects have been identified and searches were underway to nab them, he said.

The woman was asleep in a cowshed near her residence when the five accused reached there and took her to a nearby field where they took turns to rape her, the SHO said.

Some locals, who heard her cries, rushed to the spot but the accused had fled by then, Pathak said.

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AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pulwama attack and asked whether he "slept after eating beef biryani" while 40 CRPF men died.

Asaduddin's younger brother and party legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi too targeted Modi over his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign and said if the prime minister wished to be a watchman, he would offer him a security guard's cap and a whistle.

Addressing an election campaign here Saturday, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin highlighted Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) detected the presence of around 300 "active" mobile phones at the training camp site struck by IAF jets in Pakistan's Balakot.

"I want to ask Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Modi that if NTRO can watch about 300 cell phones in Balakot then sitting in Delhi were you not able to see how 50 kg RDX was brought in Pulwama," Asaduddin questioned.

"...right under your nose 50 kg RDX was transported in Pulwama. Were you not able to see it? Were you sleeping? Did you eat biryani. May be you had beef biryani and slept. Here our 40 people died," he added.

On February 14, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed and several were injured in a terrorist attack in south Kashmir's Pulwama.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akbaruddin, who represents Chandrayangutta constituency in Old City, and is known for hurling 'chaiwala' jibes at Modi, mocked the prime minister's chowkidar campaign.

"I am surprised at 'Modi Bhakts' and those who vote Modi. Sometimes Modi becomes chaiwala and sometimes fakir," he said.

"I want to tell Narendra Modi you were a 'chaiwala' and the public made you the prime minister but now you are saying you are chowkidar. Whose chowkidar? I am not on social media. A friend of mine showed about chowkidar Narendra Modi, chowkidar Amit Shah written on twitter," he added.

"Why chowkidar only on twitter? Put chowkidar on Aadhar card, voter card and also passport of Narendra Modi,"Akbaruddin said.

In the run-up to the general election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign with Modi along with all senior ministers and party leaders, including president Amit Shah, prefixing the word "chowkidar" to their Twitter handles.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Pakistan government on Monday approved a proposal to establish a corridor that will allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth, an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to a media report.

The Sharda Peeth corridor, when opened, will be the second religious tract after Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan-controlled territory that will connect the two neighbouring nations.

India had already sent a proposal to Pakistan to open the temple corridor, the Express Tribune reported quoting sources in Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"After Kartarpur, a piece of big news is in the offing for Hindus. Some of the government officials will visit the area and will later submit a report to the prime minister," the sources said.

Established in 237 BC during the reign of Ashoka, the 5,000-year-old Sharada Peeth is an abandoned temple and ancient centre of learning dedicated to the Hindu goddess of learning. Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE, Sharada Peeth was one of the foremost temple universities of the Indian subcontinent.

It is also one of the three famous holy sites for Kashmiri Pandits, the other two being the Martand Sun Temple in Anantnag and the Amarnath temple.

Kashmiri Pandit organisations have been demanding opening of the Sharda Peeth corridor for many years now.

"Pakistan has decided to open the Sharda temple.
The Pakistan government on Monday approved a proposal to establish a corridor that will allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth, an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to a media report.

The Sharda Peeth corridor, when opened, will be the second religious tract after Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan-controlled territory that will connect the two neighbouring nations.

India had already sent a proposal to Pakistan to open the temple corridor, the Express Tribune reported quoting sources in Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"After Kartarpur, a piece of big is in the offing for Hindus. Some of the government officials will visit the area and will later submit a report to the prime minister," the sources said.

When asked to comment on the development, official sources in New Delhi said India had made this request several times as part of the Composite Dialogue between India and Pakistan. The proposal was made keeping in mind the wishes and the religious sentiments of the people, they said.

Established in 237 B.C. during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, the 5,000-year-old Sharada Peeth is an abandoned temple and ancient centre of learning dedicated to the Hindu goddess of learning. Between the 6th and 12th centuries C.E, Sharada Peeth was one of the foremost temple universities of the Indian subcontinent.

It is also one of the three famous holy sites for Kashmiri Pandits, the other two being the Martand Sun Temple in Anantnag and the Amarnath temple.

Kashmiri Pandit organisations have been demanding opening of the Sharda Peeth corridor for many years now.

"Pakistan has decided to open the Sharda temple.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UAE is on the trajectory to become one of the worlds leaders in creating a knowledge society and a knowledge-based economy, said Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance.



He was addressing the audience on the second day of the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai,, the annual Varkey Foundation event that celebrates inspirational teaching and which works to ensure that every child has access to a good education.



Sheikh Nahyan said: Our interactions with accomplished world thinkers and leaders will help support our national goals. They make us more efficient and they help us reach our potential.



The second day of the forum commenced with renowned popular science author and Harvard professor Steven Pinker giving his analysis on behavioural characteristics, followed by Syrian child Twitter activist Bana Al-Abed revealing the psychology behind her world attention-grabbing tweets she sent during the 2016 period her home city of Aleppo was under bombardment.



Professor Pinker, a Canadian-American cognitive psychologist, linguist, and author who was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, discussed how human beings had a tendency to be unreasonable.



As a cognitive psychologist, I would be the first to acknowledge that human beings on their own are not particularly reasonable. As a species, we are likely to generalise from anecdotes, we reason from stereotypes, we seek evidence that confirms our beliefs - while dismissing evidence that disconfirms them - and were all overconfident about our knowledge, our wisdom and our rectitude, he said.



However, the Harvard professor, who has won plaudits for his work on the computational theory of mind and for his advocacy of evolutionary psychology, stated his belief that human society was progressing in many ways, with one of the most important being that we are becoming more and more intelligent.



One of the most incredible, astonishing, difficult to believe examples of progress is that we are getting smarter. This is true. In a well-documented phenomenon known as the Flynn effect, IQ scores have increased all over the world by three points a decade. This is the result of the spread of health and education, of the increased use of visual symbols in everyday life and of the trickle-down of technical, abstract and scientific concepts from universities that are putting technology in everyday life, he added.



Bana Al-Abed then took to the stage to discuss the Twitter messages that made her famous. The Syrian nine-year-old drew worldwide attention during the siege of Aleppo in 2016, with her communications on the social media platform revealing the stark reality of what it was like for a young child to live under constant bombardment. Revealing her love for the fictional character Harry Potter because he loved and took care of his friends, Bana also described who her real life heroes were.



My hero is someone who teaches me who teaches me to be brave and who believes in me to change the world. Its my mother. My heroes are children who are suffering from hunger and cold. My heroes are children who are dying from war. My heroes are children who are struggling to live their lives, she said.



Highlighting the worst aspects of the airstrikes and the devastation, hunger and displacement that the Syrian conflict caused her community in her al-Bab district of eastern Aleppo, Bana said that it was the loss of her friends that was the hardest thing for her to bear.



The death of children is my biggest problem. I wish someone could do something. I wish my friend Yasmin would be here right now. What did she do to deserve to die? She was only a child  every child deserves to live in peace, she said.  TradeArabia News Service
Pakistan, facing acute financial woes, will soon reach an agreement with the IMF on a bailout plan after the global lender revised its stand, Finance Minister Asad Umar on Monday.

Cash-strapped Pakistan is seeking USD 8 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy.

While speaking to journalists here, Umar said Pakistan had not changed its stance in talks with the IMF. He added that the IMF had revised their stance and "the gap" between the IMF and Pakistan had decreased.

Pakistan will reach an agreement soon with the IMF, Dawn newspaper quoted Umar as saying.

He said the new IMF mission chief is to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday for an introductory visit.

Earlier, media reports said the IMF has proposed tough conditions for a bailout package.

With the generous Chinese assistance, Pakistan has so far received a total of USD 9.1 billion in financial aid packages from friendly countries during the current fiscal year.

While China has pumped-in USD 4.1 billion, Pakistan has got USD 3 billion from Saudi Arabia and USD 2 billion from United Arab Emirates (UAE).

On March 16, Umar had hinted that bailout package talks with the IMF are in their final stages and the government will have further negotiations with the newly appointed IMF mission chief before reaching an agreement.

"Pakistan has come closer to reaching an agreement with the IMF as the differences between Pakistan and the IMF over a possible bailout package have decreased," he had said.

The finance minister had said that a deal would materialise only after a detailed discussion with the IMF mission chief.

He said that no final amount for the bailout package had been decided so far, as negotiations were still underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major relief to a Pakistani national living in India for over 50 years, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs told the Bombay High Court Monday that he will be granted Indian citizenship within 10 days.

Asif Karadia, whose parents are of Indian origin, had approached the HC in December 2016 when his previous long-term visa (LTV) expired and the authorities refused to extend the visa unless he produced a Pakistani passport.

Following much litigation and several orders of the court, the ministry finally confirmed before a bench of justices A S Oka and M S Sanklecha on Monday that Karadia will be granted Indian citizenship.

The bench accepted the statement as an undertaking given by the ministry under oath, and disposed of Karadia's petition.

Karadia (53) had approached the HC through his counsels Ashish Mehta and Sujay Kantawala after his LTV expired and a deportation notice was issued against him.

Karadia told the HC that he did not have a Pakistani passport or any other valid identity documents issued by the government of the neighbouring country.

The petitioner said though he was born in Karachi, he was brought to India by his mother when he was a just a few days old and has stayed in Mumbai ever since.

His father and mother were born in Gujarat before the Partition, and his wife and three children are all Indian citizens, according to the petition.

Karadia said he had been living in India, earning a living by working at a local restaurant, paying taxes and had Indian ID proofs such as an Aadhaar card, a ration card, a PAN card and even a voter ID card, but no passport.

His citizenship application too has been pending before the government for over seven years.

He, thus, urged the court to ensure the deportation notice against him was stayed, and his LTV extended till the government decides on his citizenship application.

In 2016, another HC bench had denied him any interim relief, observing that even if a person was entitled to an Indian citizenship, he or she could not "at any given time, be authorised to reside in the country without valid papers".

However, in January 2017, the court observed that Karadia's case was "unique" and in an interim order, directed the Maharashtra government and the Centre to not take any coercive action against him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
D-Chowk, a prominent town square in Pakistan's national capital often used for political rallies and public gatherings that was closed for a month following the Indo-Pak tensions, will be opened to traffic this week, according to a media report.

The D- Chowk, which was one of the busiest intersections here, was shut after the tensions escalated between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Kashmir which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

After the suicide attack, India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. In the operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for suicide attacks were killed



The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial confrontation and captured an Indian pilot, who was handed over to India later.

A joint session of parliament was called the very next day after the incident and the security of the Red Zone was increased from level III to level V, which is called red alert'. It was decided to close D-Chowk, and later Radio Pakistan Chowk was also closed because of VIP movement, a senior Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration official was quoted as saying the Dawn paper.

Another reason the D-Chowk and the Radio Pakistan chowk were closed because of the police personnel deployed there were sent to other areas and for VIP security.

The Pakistani official said that the D-Chowk will be opened this week.

It has been decided in principle to open D-Chowk during the current week, the official said.

Officials said that the D-Chowk was considered to be opened for the road traffic before. However, a decision was taken by the administration to delay it due to the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on March 23.

D-Chowk used to be one of the busiest intersections in the capital, but was closed off in 2007 when then president Gen Pervez Musharraf announced a state of emergency.

It was reopened a number of times for short periods, including for the National Day parade in March 2008, and was also the site of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's 2014 protests.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hamza Shafqaat said that D-Chowk was closed after tensions escalated with India because the capital's security alert level was increased.

That red alert continued because of VIP movement and the road could not be opened. We will be able to open D-Chowk once the level of security drops from V to III again, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday proposed three options for Pervez Musharraf to record his statement in the treason case against him and said that it would intervene if the special court fails to record the former military dictator's testimony.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, said Musharraf's trial will be conducted under any and all circumstances as it expressed annoyance at his continued absence from the hearing.

Justice Khosa said "sometimes Musharraf goes to the hospital and sometimes to his house. After the last hearing, we were sure that he would be admitted to the hospital, he said, adding that it seems his car takes wrong turns while coming to court".

Musharraf, 75, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, is facing the high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment.

"One option is that Musharraf should either appear in the next hearing. The second option is Musharraf should record his statement via a video link and as a third option, Musharraf's lawyer Salman Safdar should answer on his behalf," said Chief Justice Khosa.

Khosa said the former president used to show fists but cautioned that he shouldn't show the court one.

Khosa asked what could be done if the accused was not appearing in the court.

"Is the court helpless if an accused in not appearing deliberately in the court, said the Justice Khosa.

Musharraf's lawyer, however, rejected all the options and said that the defendant was too ill to answer questions via video link or in person.

Last week, Musharraf was admitted to a hospital in Dubai after suffering a reaction from a rare disease that has weakened his nervous system.

The prosecution lawyer pointed out that the court also has the option of sending a commission to question the former president.

Hearing this, Justice Khosa said: "He [Musharraf] will reach the hospital before the commission gets to him. His doctors are not even going to let the commission meet him."



During the hearing, the court was informed that the government had previously tried to bring Musharraf back to the country through extradition and Interpol. "We were unable to succeed on both occasions," said the deputy attorney general.

The court said the special court handling the treason case would decide on how the statement should be recorded.

"If that court cannot decide upon this in the next hearing on March 28, the Supreme Court will make the decision," the chief justice said.

The court adjourned the hearing until April 1.

The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief general (retd) Musharraf in 2013 over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

The trial has not seen much progress since Musharraf left went to Dubai in March 2016. He has not returned since.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan Monday claimed that Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik has already become a member of the 'Majboor Sarkar' club comprising Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee and others.

"Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee want a 'Majboor' (helpless) government at the Centre. Patnaik also wants a similar government," Pradhan said while accompanying the BJP Bargarh Lok Sabha candidate Suresh Pujari for filing his nomination papers for the seat.

Pradhan said this referring to a Patnaik's statement where the BJD president had claimed that no national party would be able to win majority in Lok Sabha this time.

"The BJD will have decisive role to play in formation of the next government at the Centre," Patnaik had said while formally launching his party's poll campaign at a rally in Nayagarh on Sunday.

Stating that the country required a 'Majboot' (strong) and decisive government, Pradhan claimed that only Narendra Modi can give befitting reply to Pakistan and ensure uplift of poor people.

Alleging that Rahul Gandhi and others have been attempting to foil establishment of a strong and decisive government at the Centre, Pradhan said: "The Chief Minister has also joined the group that want a 'Majboor' government."



Pradhan also ridiculed Patnaik's claim of the Biju Janata Dal winning all the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

"The people have Odisha have this time decided to establish a strong government headed by Narendra Modi. Therefore, BJP will get maximum Lok Sabha seats in the state," the Union Minister said.

The ruling BJD in 2014 elections had won 20 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha while BJP could get only one Parliamentary seat in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP-led NDA's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections is set to gain momentum in Bihar, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rallies next week in Jamui and Gaya parliamentary constituencies.

While Modi's visit is scheduled on April 2, BJP president Amit Shah will be holding election meetings at Aurangabad and Nawada on March 29, said a release issued by the party's state headquarters here on Monday.

The four constituencies to be covered by Shah and Modi go to polls in the first-phase filing of nominations for which the deadline ended earlier in the day, and where votes will be cast on April 11.

Notably, among the four seats, only Aurangabad is being contested by the BJP with sitting MP Sushil Kumar Singh seeking re-election.

Gaya, from where Hari Manjhi is the sitting BJP MP, has gone to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) this time and the party has fielded Vijay Manjhi.

Jamui, a reserved constituency, is held by LJP's Chirag Paswan, who is once again in the fray as the NDA candidate.

Nawada currently represented by firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh has been given to the LJP, which has fielded mafia don-turned-politician Suraj Bhan Singh's brother Chandan Kumar. The BJP had won 22 out of 28 seats it had contested in 2014 in the state, where the total number is 40.

While the party had put up its best-ever electoral performance, riding the Modi wave, the NDA's combined tally stood at 31, including six seats won by the LJP and three by Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP.

The RLSP quit the NDA a couple of months ago and joined the 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance).

The BJP has ceded five of its sitting seats to the JD(U), choosing to contest 17 this time, while the alliance partner, which had won only two when it fought alone five years ago, is fielding candidates in an equal number of constituencies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Monday said that the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) led by Netra Bikram Chand 'Biplav' would be brought into the political mainstream by April 13, amid intensifying crackdown on the outlawed party.

"The group would be brought into political mainstream politically if possible and if not even by putting 'the phony comrade' behind bars," Oli said while addressing the Parliamentary Party Meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party in Kathmandu.

He said there is no other option available for the Biplav-led group other than to join peaceful

"Come to the political mainstream or face action," Oli said as he warned that all the leaders and the cadres of the outlawed party will be in jail before April 14.

His warning comes ahead of the Nepal Investment Forum that is taking place in Kathmandu from March 29-30. The government has stepped up measures to contain the activities of the outlawed CPN-Biplav ahead of the upcoming investment meet.

Police have arrested two senior leaders of the Biplav party including Bheri-Karnali incharge of the party Dhanaraj Shahi. Shahi was arrested along with arms and ammunition from Kalkot district in western Nepal on Monday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday attacked the BJP over the plight of 'shiksha mitras' or contractual teachers in Uttar Pradesh, alleging the ruling party leaders are busy marketing T-shirts instead of attending to those suffering.

Hundreds of 'shiksha mitras' have been protesting and pressing for better pay and appointment as assistant teachers in the state.

"The hard work of Uttar Pradesh's 'shiksha mitras' is insulted everyday. Scores of sufferers committed suicide. Those who took to the streets to protest were beaten with lathis, National Security Act was registered against them," the AICC incharge Uttar Pradesh East tweeted.

"BJP leaders are busy marketing T-shirts, I wish they had paid attention to those suffering," she claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Samajwadi Party Monday said reports suggesting that Congress president Rahul Gandhi might contest from another seat besides Amethi reflect the "real picture" of that party's strength in Uttar Pradesh.

The SP with its limited strength in West Bengal will extend its support to Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in its fight to politically wipe out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, SP vice-president Kiranmoy Nanda said.

"We have left two seats for Congress in Uttar Pradesh and three seats for Rashtriya Lok Dal (of Chaudhary Ajit Singh). But the Congress has decided to fight in 73 seats of the state. We would like them to put up a good fight," Nanda said while addressing a press conference here.

At 80, Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of Lok Sabha seats polling for which will take place in seven phases.

"We have heard that Congress president, apart from his seat of Amethi in UP would also contest election in other states such as Karnataka or Kerala. This shows the real picture of Congress's organisational strength in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

Defending the decision to leave only two seats for the Congress in UP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Nanda said in the 2017 state assembly polls, his party had forged an alliance with the Congress but it had failed to make any impact.

The Samajwadi Party has entered into a pre-poll alliance with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), besides the RLD.

"The SP-BSP-RLD alliance will sweep UP. BJP's march will be halted in the state this time. Our alliance (SP-BSP), which is a result of demand of the masses will win more than 60 seats in UP," he claimed.

"In West Bengal we will extend our support to Mamata Banerjee-led TMC in her fight against BJP as she is the most credible secular force against BJP in Bengal," Nanda added.

"Only Mamata Banerjee can defeat BJP in West Bengal. That is why we will hold rallies in TMC's support in the state," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a big poll promise that he described as a "groundbreaking" measure to end poverty, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday said 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as a minimum income.

Making the announcement at a press conference here, Gandhi said, "The time for change has come". Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme, he claimed, terming it is a "final assault" to eradicate poverty in the country.

"The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country," he said.

"I promise that there will be justice for the poor. The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to poorest of the poor category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually," he said.

The Congress chief termed it a "historic day", saying the Congress had launched its final assault on poverty on the day.

"5 crore of the poorest families in India, will receive Rs 72,000 Per Year. #NyayForIndia is our dream and our pledge. The time for change has come," he later said on Twitter.

Gandhi made the scheme public soon after discussing it at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which had met at the AICC headquarters to discuss and give final shape to the party's manifesto.

The Congress chief said the party has studied the fiscal implications of the scheme and has consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising it.

"This is a historic scheme which has not happened anywhere in the world. It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme," he said.

"It will be a fiscally prudent scheme," he said, adding that if voted to power the Congress will identify such families who lived below the poverty mark.

Gandhi said the scheme is part of the party's plan to ensure minimum income guarantee to every person in the country.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of giving money to the rich and not the poor, Gandhi alleged that poor people have suffered in the last five years and "we are going to provide justice to them".

"If Narendra Modi can give money to the rich people in the country, then Congress can give the poor this money," he said.

"Narendra Modi is creating two Indias in the country and we will not allow two Indias and will be only one India. There will be no two Indias," he said.

Asked where the money will come from and whether it will affect the economy, he claimed there is enough money in India and the Congress guarantees that 20 per cent poorest families will be given Rs 72,000 per year.

"The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually in their bank accounts.

"Remember that in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, I had promised that in 10 days farmers will be given a loan waiver. I am promising you today that justice will be done. Scheme will be on a phase basis. First a pilot project will be run then scheme will run," he said.

Gandhi claimed that everyday your money is being taken and "we will show you what is happening. We have been studying this for the last 4-5 months".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Omani Authority for Partnership for Development (OAPFD) has signed a cooperation agreement with Oman Cables Industry (OCI) to enhance the in-country value (ICV) and develop Omani youth.



The agreement aims to support youth training programmes and raise the efficiency of the national manpower. It aims at enhancing the cooperation between the government and private sector for bridging the skill gap, said a statement.



Under terms of the agreement, two training programmes will be implemented over the next five years, it said.



The first training programme will be held in cooperation with the Prysmian Group, a leading cable and electric power manufacturer. This programme targets to provide international exposure to 15 Omani youth.



The second programme is the National Youth Development Programme which aims to provide training and experience within and outside Oman targeting 50 Omani youth.



The training programmes are aimed at providing the Omani youth technical training courses in the world's leading factories and rich experience in the field of manufacturing industries.



Dr Dhafir Al Shanfari, chief executive officer, OAPFD, said: The training and qualification of national cadres is a strategic objective present in all our projects and we are pleased today with this partnership with Oman Cables Company to implement two training programmes aimed at developing the skills of the Omani youth and providing them with all the necessary knowledge and functional expertise to suit the needs of the labour market in the private sector.



The National Youth Development Program has started already and has been announced recently and we have received a number of applications for this programme, he added.



Ali Al Habaj, chief executive officer, OCI, said: We welcome this cooperation between us and OAPFD, to support the institutional integration between the government and private sector for development of national strategic objectives.



We are pleased to implement these training programmes which come as part of the commitment of our company towards the corporate social responsibility and the sustainable growth and development of Omani youth, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
In a big-bang poll promise, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that Rs 72,000 per year will be given as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, if his party is voted to power in Lok Sabha polls, and asserted it will be the final assault on poverty.

Addressing a press conference here, Gandhi said 20 per cent or five crore families belonging to the poorest category with monthly income less than



Rs 12,000 would come under the scheme.

"This is a ground breaking idea. It is a historic day for India and the final assault on poverty is beginning. We will wipe out poverty from the country," he said, adding that the scheme was finalised after thorough consultations with renowned economists and experts.

However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley described the poll promise as a "bluff announcement", saying no other political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades in the name of poverty. He said the Congress has given to the people many slogans but very little resources to implement its election promises.

Hitting back at Jaitley, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it was shameful that he was opposing the scheme while waiving loans for the rich and alleged suited-booted BJP has always treated India's poor with disdain.

The scheme comes as a sequel to the minimum income guarantee scheme announced by Gandhi a few days ago, while campaigning at a poll rally. The scheme is a major poll promise made by the Congress in a bid to woo poor voters with an aim to improve the party's prospects in Lok Sabha polls.

Gandhi said families which are earning less than Rs 12,000 a month will get the remaining amount to provide minimum income to them. He said each family will get up to a maximum of Rs 72,000 per annum.

"The Congress party guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to poorest of the poor category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually, to help provide them minimum income of Rs 12,000 per month," Gandhi said, adding that details of the scheme would be unveiled in the coming few days.

"'Nyay' (justice) For India is our dream and our pledge. The time for change has come," he later said on Twitter.

Gandhi made the scheme public soon after it was given a go-ahead by the Congress Working Committee, that had met at the AICC headquarters to give final shape to the party's manifesto, to be released soon.

The Congress chief said the party has studied the fiscal implications of the scheme and consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising it.

"This is a historic scheme which has not happened anywhere in the world. It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme," he said, adding "it will be a fiscally prudent move.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of giving money to the rich and not the poor, Gandhi alleged that poor people have suffered in the last five years and "we are going to provide justice to them".

Asked how they expect to mop up resources and whether it will affect the economy, he said there is enough money in India and the Congress party guarantees that 20 per cent poorest families will be given Rs 72,000 per year directly into their bank accounts.

"If Narendra Modi can give money to the richest people in the country, then the Congress party can give money to the poorest in the country. Narendra Modi is creating two Indias and we will not allow two Indias and will be only one India," he said.

"I am promising you today that justice will be done. Scheme will be on a phase basis. First a pilot project will be run then scheme will run," he said.

"The fiscal repercussions of this have been analyzed. This money is perfectly available. This scheme is perfectly doable. We are going to deliver this scheme," he said.

Congress general secretray Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also tweeted on the issue, saying there is going to be a big assault on poverty as the Congress has come up with a minimum income plan.

"We have consulted economists, this is doable, and we will adhere to fiscal discipline," former finance minister P Chidambaram.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said his party was not surprised that the BJP is opposing the scheme as they are "fundamentally against policies which benefit the marginalised and poor".

Modiji & @arunjaitley have happily waived off ?3.17 Lakh Cr for a handful of corny friends! Shameful that they oppose World's Biggest Anti-Poverty Scheme- #NyayForIndia meant for 20% of India i.e 5 Cr families, Surjewala tweeted.

Meanwhile, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said Rahul Gandhi's promise of providing Rs 72,000 annually to five crore families will create strong incentives against work and bust fiscal discipline.

"True to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will bust fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented," Kumar said in a tweet.

Kumar also said the Congress party had promised 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971, 'One Rank One Pension' in 2008, food security in 2013 to win elections, but could not fulfil any of those.

The "same unfortunate fate" awaits the populist and opportunistic promise of minimum income guarantee, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Rajasthan Tuesday for a day during which he is slated to address two poll campaign rallies, besides a meeting of his party workers.

Gandhi would be addressing rallies in Suratgarh town of Sriganganagar district and Bundi district headquarters with the same name.

He will later address his party workers at Ramlila Maidan in Jaipur.

"Preparations for the meetings have been completed for Gandhi's visit to the state, a party leader said.

The workers' meet would be attended by shortlisted booth-level activists from all 200 assembly segments of the state.

This is Gandhi's first visit to the state for poll campaigning in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Rajasthan, which has 25 Lok Sabha seats, will go to polls in two phases.

Elections on 13 seats will be held on April 29 and on remaining 12 seats on May 6.

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on Monday said he will be meeting heads of later this week to understand their issues and concerns.

As many as seven have commenced their operations.

He also said that guidelines on regulatory sandbox will be issued in the next two months to promote in the country.

A sandbox approach means experimenting and learning before finally adopting a technology or system. This approach helps in containing the impact of failures.
US President Donald Trump on Monday asserted that the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report would not bother him at all and the decision to make the report public lies with the Justice Department.

The report by Mueller, a former FBI director, is a nearly two-year investigation into the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.

Trump on Sunday claimed victory after a summary of the report, submitted to the Congress, found no conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

Opposition Democratic party, which has been alleging that Russian interference helped Trump win his presidency, are demanding that the report be made public.

"It wouldn't bother me at all," Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he wanted the complete report to be released.

He said it is up to Attorney General William Barr to decide whether to release the full report.

Trump says he is glad that Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling is over and wishes it could have gone quicker. "We can never let this happen to another president again," he said.

Earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders also said the President would have no problem with the release of the Mueller report



"I don't think the president has any problem with it. He's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out because he knows exactly what did and what didn't happen and now frankly the rest of America knows," Sanders said on NBC's Today show.

Though Mueller found no evidence of Trump or his campaign conspiring with a Russian effort to influence the election in his favour, he stopped short of exonerating the president of obstruction of justice.

Attorney General Barr, however, concluded that there was insufficient evidence to bring obstruction of justice charges against Trump.

Sanders said the Americans know "there was no collusion, they know there was no obstruction and it's a complete and total exoneration of the president.

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As "The Tashkent Files", a film which revolves around the mysterious death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, is all set to be released in the midst of the Lok Sabha polls, director Vivek Agnihotri says it is the right time to bring it to the public.

The film is an addition to the long list of political movies set to be released ahead on the Lok Sabha polls this year after "Uri: The Surgical Strike", "The Accidental Prime Minister" and "Thackeray". It will be followed up with "PM Narendra Modi".

Asked if the timing of the film coinciding with the political fervour was intentional, Agnihotri said, "Yes, that's why we decided to release the film now. Is it a crime? I'm being honest when I say this because the current mood of the public is connected to this issue... We want the film to be watched by as many Indians as possible."



"After this 'Kalank' will release, then you would watch the song-and-dance. When it's the time to romance in the monsoons, go and watch Karan Johar's films. As of now, you watch a film on Lal Bahadur Shastri. Only one party will benefit from this film, 'India wing' - neither Right wing nor Left wing," the filmmaker told reporters here.

He was speaking on the sidelines of "The Taskent Files" trailer launch.

Also present at the event were cast members Pallavi Joshi and Sweta Basu Prasad, and members of the former PM's family - Sunil Shastri, son of Shastri and Sanjay Nath Singh, maternal grandson of Shastri.

Sunil Shastri, who was 15 when Shastri passed away, said he believes his father was "killed" and his death was not a natural one.

Sanjay Nath Singh echoed the sentiment, saying it was strange why there was no record regarding Shastri's death and why was autopsy not ordered by the then government.

"YB Chavan, the then defence minister said a white lie about Shastriji's death in the Parliament," he claimed.

Asked if the late PM was betrayed by the Congress and if the family would like to send a message to the party, Sunil Shastri chose not to answer.

Sanjay Nath Singh, however, said it would be "difficult to point the needle of suspicion even today whether it's a dynast or a political party".

"I'm an apolitical person belonging to a political party. There might be dots, which refer to it, they are unconnected dots, and with these unconnected dots, you can't come to a conclusion.

"And that is what I feel, we should search only for the truth, which will come out with the declassification of the files. That's the demand that we'll have to make. With the film, everything will come into public domain. Once that happens, then we can pinpoint who did it," Singh said.

Also starring Naseeruddin Shah, Mithun Chakraborty, Mandira Bedi, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak and Rajesh Sharma, the film is slated to hit the screens on April 12.

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A suspected robber has been arrested after an encounter here on Monday, police said.

The encounter occurred around noon when two persons were fleeing after snatching a gold chain of a woman near an intersection at Sihani, an officer said



The police were informed about two bike-borne robbers snatching a gold necklace. The police intercepted the duo in Lohia Nagar. An encounter followed, in which a constable and one of the robbers were injured. Both of them were rushed to a hospital, the officer said.

The accused, Ajay, has 20 criminal cases against him. His accomplice managed to escape, but will be nabbed soon, the officer added.

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The Enforcement Directorate Monday opposed Robert Vadra's plea seeking quashing of a money laundering case in which he was questioned by the probe agency, saying it was not maintainable as he "wilfully suppressed" material facts from the court.

The ED contended that the plea of Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, was an abuse of process of law.

When he feared that "law will catch him, he challenged the PMLA provisions", it added.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Vinod Goel asked the probe agency to file its response in the form of an affidavit regarding the maintainability of two separate but similar petitions by Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora within two weeks.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 2.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED and the Centre, raised objection over the maintainability of the two petitions and said no relief should be granted to them.

"Let me file an affidavit to show that the petitioners (Vadra and Arora) are in suppression and not interested to reach to the root of the matter," the law officer argued.

ED, also represented by advocates D P Singh and Amit Mahajan, said Vadra has not approached the court with clean hands and there is suppression of the most crucial and material facts by him.

The ED case relates to allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds. The property is allegedly owned by Vadra.

Vadra, represented through senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has also sought that various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, be declared unconstitutional.

The bench asked as to why they have approached the high court when the Supreme Court is seized of various pleas challenging certain provisions of the PMLA, including its power to arrest and the burden of proof.

To this, Singhvi said he has challenged six provisions of the PMLA here while the Supreme Court is only hearing the challenge on two of the provisions.

Vadra has sought in his plea that Sections 3 (offence of money laundering), 17 (search and seizure), 19 (power to arrest), 24 (burden of proof), 44 (offences triable by special courts) and 50 (powers of authorities regarding summons, production of documents and to give evidence, etc) of the PMLA be declared ultra vires or unconstitutional.

He has contended that since these provisions constitute the main parts of the Act, the entire legislation was liable to be struck down on the grounds of being unconstitutional.

On Vadra's application seeking direction to the agency to not take any coercive step against him till the pendency of his quashing petition, the bench said he has already been granted interim protection by the trial court.

The bench was informed that pleas by Vadra and Arora seeking anticipatory bail are listed for hearing before a trial court, which later on Monday extended Vadra's interim protection from arrest till March 27.

Mehta also argued in the petition Vadra has not made any reference to the investigation going on here which is under the jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court and he has mainly referred to the probe in Rajasthan land case which is not the subject matter of this FIR.

"The petitioners are fully aware as to for what they were being investigated here but they suppressed the facts in the petition," he said.

The bench asked the ED to hand over a copy of the FIR to the counsel for Vadra and Arora who claimed they were not given the document earlier.

However, the ED told the court that the FIR copy was already part of the trial court record and therefore, accessible by the petitioners.

Vadra had said in his petition that while it is permissible for the investigating agencies to conduct further probe, the sweeping investigation power does not warrant subjecting a citizen each time to a fresh investigation in respect of the same incident giving rise to one or more cognisable offences.

The plea had said that multiple investigations have been held in "abuse of statutory power of investigation and therefore second or successive FIRs filed in connection with the same or connected cognisable offence alleged to have been committed in the course of the same transaction pursuant to the first FIR is liable to be quashed".

The petition added that despite the investigation in the land deals in Rajasthan and Haryana by various probe agencies, nothing was found against Vadra and his firms.

"However, in order to harass and humiliate the petitioner, another ECIR (enforcement case information report) was registered into the same deals. It was in this wake of the matter that Rajasthan High Court directed that no coercive steps will be taken against the petitioner (Vadra)," the petition had said.

It had said, "another ECIR was registered with regard to the same assets in India and abroad which were subject matter of the FIRs and earlier ECIR registered by the Respondent (ED) at Jaipur. The investigation into the subject ECIR also was to be done on the basis of same documents which had already been supplied.

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A rocket hit a house in a community north of Tel Aviv and caused it to catch fire on Monday, wounding five Israelis, police and medics said.

Israel's army had earlier reported a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel but a spokeswoman could not comment further for now.

The house hit was located in the community of Mishmeret, police said. Medics said they were treating one Israeli with moderate wounds and four others injured lightly.

Mishmeret is more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Gaza Strip and rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave at that distance is rare.

It would be sure to draw an Israeli response, risking another escalation between the two sides after mounting tensions in recent weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington, where he is due to meet US President Donald Trump later Monday.

The rocket fire comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.

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Four gunmen looted Rs 14.29 lakh from two employees of an LPG agency in Bihar's Bhagalpur district Monday, police said.

The incident occurred at a place under Vishwavidyalaya police station limit when the two employees of the agency were going on a two-wheeler to deposit the cash in a nationalised bank.

Four men in two motorbikes intercepted them, snatched the bag containing the money at gun point and fled, police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajvansh Singh said an FIR has been lodged in this regard and efforts are on to arrest the culprits.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday hailed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's proposal of Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income to India's poorest families as a "path-breaking" initiative.

"The Congress is completely focused on constructive policies in sharp contrast to the BJP's destructive and disruptive game-plan for the Lok Sabha elections," Singh said in a statement.

Instead of finding faults in the scheme, the Congress leader suggested, the Bharatiya Janata Party should concentrate on answering what they had done in the past five years.

"With one stroke, Rahul has brought hope into the lives of the country's poorest of the poor and exposed the Narendra Modi government's failure to reach out to the 250 million (25 crore) people who would benefit from the Congress president's proposed minimum income guarantee scheme, which is a path-breaking initiative," he said.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi said 20-per cent families in the 'poorest of the poor' category would be given Rs 72,000 each annually as a minimum income, a big poll promise described him as a "groundbreaking" measure to end poverty.

"Instead of wasting time in countering the Bharatiya Janata Party's negative poll propaganda, Rahul is wholeheartedly focusing on figuring out ways of addressing the basic problems of the people of India, who have suffered abominably under the Modi government," Singh said.

"While the Modi government is busy politicising the defence forces and trying to take credit for the recent IAF strikes across the LoC, the Congress, led by Rahul, is engaged in exploring ways to alleviate the sufferings of the people," the chief minister said.

The Congress leader lashed out at the BJP for allegedly failing to deliver on any of its promises, including employment for youth and doubling of the farmers' income, over the past five years.

Singh accused the BJP of politicising the defence forces for electoral gains, alleging that it was being done to cover up the failures of the Modi government on all fronts.

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Interserve Group, a leading British construction company, said it has secured a 7-million ($9.2 million) contract from UAE-based Enaba Hospitality for the design, build and refurbishment of the 255-room Movenpick Hotel and Apartments in Dubai.



The contract will be delivered by Interserves subsidiary, Khansaheb, one of the leading construction and facilities management companies in the UAE, said a statement from the UK-based company.



In partnership with Interserve, Khansaheb will provide whole-life sustainable solutions for construction and infrastructure projects from initial business case, through design, procurement and delivery into ongoing aftercare.



The scope of work includes upgradation of the existing guestrooms, suites and corridors in the 15-year-old hotel and ensuring compliance with the latest regulations in Dubai. The project is expected to be delivered this September.



As part of the revamp deal, Khansaheb will carry out significant mechanical and electrical work including the replacement of all air conditioning, guestroom management systems, lighting and sanitary ware.



It will also advise the client of any other critical repairs or replacement works that may be required to be incorporated into the current scope. The project also calls for replacement of all furniture, fittings and equipment, which will be procured through local manufacturers and suppliers, said the statenment.



Jonathan Eveleigh, the group business development manager at Khansaheb, said: "We are delighted to be working on this prestigious project with Enaba Hospitality. Given our experience and expertise in construction and facilities management across the Middle East, this is a key opportunity for us to demonstrate our capabilities in delivering best-in-class construction solutions to our customers."



"The leisure sector in the Middle East is attracting significant investment and is a key strategic area for Interserve. This project will allow us to build on our strong track record and to generate value for Enaba Hospitality," stated Eveleigh.



Interserve, an international support services, construction and equipment group headquartered in Berkshire, boasts consolidated revenues of 2.9 billion ($3.84 billion) and a workforce of 68,000 people worldwide.-TradeArabia News Service
Moscow said it feared "a new wave of tensions" in the Middle East following the decision by Washington to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, which are claimed by Russian ally Syria.

The comments come after US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation in recognition of Israeli claims over the Golan Heights, a border area seized from Syria in 1967.

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the move "ignores all international procedures" and would "only aggravate the situation".

"Unfortunately, this could drive a new wave of tensions in the Middle East region," Zakharova said in a radio broadcast, according to Russian agencies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meeting Trump at the White House on Monday, called the recognition "historic" and said the Golan Heights would remain permanently under Israeli control.

The move, which breaks with decades of international consensus, drew criticism from the Syrian government, which called it a "blatant attack" on its sovereignty.

Russian Foreign Secretary Sergei Lavrov said the US decision leads to "a gross violation of international law, blocks the resolution of the Syrian crisis and aggravates the situation in all the Middle East," he said during a telephone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to his ministry.

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Two Saudi sisters marooned in Hong Kong have arrived in a safe third country after securing humanitarian visas, their law firm said on Monday, ending a months-long ordeal as they sought sanctuary from an abusive family.

The siblings -- the latest example of Saudi women escaping the ultra-conservative kingdom only to find themselves stranded in foreign cities -- said they were "thrilled" their story had a "happy ending" after making a public appeal for their safety.

The young women, aged 20 and 18, said they made a break from an abusive family during a holiday in Sri Lanka last September with the intention of heading for Australia, but they only made it as far as Hong Kong.

The pair -- who use the aliases Reem and Rawan -- said they were intercepted at the airport by Saudi consular officials and their air tickets cancelled. Fearful they might be abducted, they entered Hong Kong as visitors but later had their passports revoked, leaving them stranded in the semiautonomous Chinese city.

The sisters, who had previously said they lived in constant fear of being found by Saudi authorities and their family while in Hong Kong, were finally able to leave the city late last week after being granted "emergency humanitarian visas" and start new lives in another country, their law firm said.

A video posted on the firm's Facebook page showed the sisters jumping around excitedly as they departed Hong Kong airport.

"We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to re-start our lives free of violence and oppression. We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations," Reem and Rawan said in a statement.

"We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women," they added.

Their lawyer Michael Vidler did not disclose their new location "to ensure their future security", saying no further details would be provided, including on the application process and their new lives.

Vidler said the sisters would not give interviews again, but thanked local and international media for their support.

The two women last month told AFP that chronic physical abuse by male family members prompted them to flee. They said they had also renounced Islam, a crime technically punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Their testimony cannot be independently verified and Saudi authorities have yet to comment on their allegations.

Lynn Maalouf, Middle East research director at Amnesty International, said the sisters "showed immense courage and took huge risks to escape the repeated abuse by their male relatives".

"The sisters must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back," she added.

Many Saudi women who flee overseas have spoken to media and rights groups of persuasive and coercive tactics used by Saudi officials and family members to pursue those who escape.

At the beginning of the year, 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun drew global attention with her dramatic escape from an allegedly abusive family, gaining refugee status in Canada.

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The Supreme Court Monday asked the Kerala government to move the high court for seeking modification in the order relating to the entry of devotees into the Sabarimala temple.

The Kerala High Court had passed a slew of directions with regard to entry of devotees to the hill-top shrine and had also set aside "all unilateral restrictions imposed by Police" to deal with the issue.

The state government had moved the apex court challenging the directions issued by the high court saying that they were contrary to the spirit of the five-judge Constitution bench that had allowed entry of all women into the temple.

"Having heard counsel for the petitioners and upon perusing the relevant material, we are not inclined to interfere. However, the petitioners may seek modification /alteration of the order passed by the High Court by filing an appropriate application before the High Court. With the aforesaid liberty, the special leave petitions are dismissed," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.

The bench also dismissed the plea seeking transfer of all pending petitions from the high court to the apex court on the issue pertaining to the Sabarimala dispute.

Various parties had approached the high court seeking various reliefs after a major controversy, in favour and against the apex court's decision, had engulfed the state.

Advocate G Prakash, appearing for the Kerala government, said that as many as 32 petitions were filed in the high court, most of which were intended to stall the implementation of the main judgment due to which the state had moved the petition seeking transfer of all the pleas to the apex court.

However, as the top court has already reserved order on the review petitions in the Sabarimala case, the state did not wish to press the petitions. Moreover, only nine petitions are pending with the high court presently, he said.

The top court also dismissed a PIL challenging hike in bus fare of the Kerala State Road Transport from Nilakkal to Pamba and also sought a bus service from Pamba to Sabarimala.

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The Supreme Court Monday directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that public places, including hilly areas, are not defaced by slogans and advertisements by political parties.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta expressed dissatisfaction over the reply filed by the state government in the matter and said it has not acted in a "responsible manner".

"As the state has failed to act...we direct the state government to ensure that there is no disfigurement of public places," the bench said.

It directed authorities to ensure that political parties do not disfigure such public places by pasting photographs of leaders and by writing slogans.

Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for the state government, submitted that PIL petitioner, a charitable trust 'In Defence of Environment and Animals', can approach a committee formed by the Madras High Court and put forth its grievances to it.

Earlier also, the apex court had told the Tamil Nadu government that defacement of public places cannot be allowed by political parties with advertisements and slogans.

It had asked the state government to inform about the steps taken regarding prevention of defacement of natural resources like hills, mountains, rocks and public places.

The apex court had on January 11 issued notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on the plea seeking to restrain political parties from erecting digital banners on roadside across the state.

The court had asked as to why the plea should not be kept open, enabling the Madras High Court to monitor the developments in the case.

The plea sought preventing encroachments via religious symbols and political graffiti, advertisements by private parties on natural resources like mountains, hills, hillocks, avenue trees and on national and state highways.

The Madras High Court had on December 19 last year issued an interim order restraining political parties from putting up digital banners on roadside unless the state government and local bodies came out with a clear undertaking that the rules and various orders passed by the court would be strictly implemented and no violation would take place.

The court while passing the orders had said such banners distracted the road users, especially two-wheeler riders, and obstructed pedestrians.

The high court had expressed displeasure over the unjustified reasons given by authorities in the past five years for failing to implement court orders regarding unauthorised banners.

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The Supreme Court Monday refused to entertain a petition filed by a former DGP of Uttar Pradesh and an environmentalist seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

"We are not inclined to entertain this," a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta told advocate Virag Gupta, who was appearing for petitioners Vikram Singh and environmentalist Shaivika Agrawal.

Singh, a former Director General of Police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh, and Agrawal had said in their plea that roadshows and bike rallies violate the ECI's instructions and cause damage to the environment.

The petitioners had said that roadshows and bike rallies during the election period cause air, noise pollution and traffic jams, which result in inconvenience to the general public.

The plea had said that instructions issued by the ECI with regard to roadshows and political processions mandate that vehicles must be registered and a convoy cannot have more than 10 vehicles.

As per the ECI's instructions, it added, two convoys must maintain a distance of at least 200 metres, more than half of the road cannot be covered and the number of vehicles and people joining the roadshow has to be intimated to the authorities in advance.

"However, the said instructions have remained on paper and are being violated with impunity by all political parties," the plea had said.

It had claimed that modified vehicles, often called "raths", are being used in these roadshows but they are in contravention to several rules, including the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.

The plea had also said VVIPs are vulnerable to terrorist attacks while campaigning in such 'raths' and roadshows are also a threat to their security.

"The nation has already lost a former prime minister due to a terrorist attack at a political rally. A former prime minister of Pakistan was also shot dead when she was standing through the sunroof of her vehicle in a political roadshow," it had said.

The plea had sought a direction to the poll panel to not allow roadshows during elections.

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The Supreme Court Monday said it would hear on March 28 a plea filed by DMK seeking direction to the Election Commission (EC) for holding by-elections in three vacant assembly seats in Tamil Nadu.

The matter was mentioned for early hearing before a bench of Justices S A Bobde and Sanjiv Khanna.

The bench was told by the counsel appearing for DMK that the matter has been listed for hearing on April 8 but since the by-polls for other vacant 18 assembly seats was scheduled to be held on April 18, it should be heard as early as possible.

"List on March 28," the bench said.

On March 15, the apex court had asked the EC to respond to DMK's plea.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is seeking by-polls for Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi assembly constituencies.

The DMK counsel earlier told the court that there are 21 vacant assembly seats in the Tamil Nadu but the poll panel has notified by-polls for only 18 seats.

The lawyer had said that by-polls on 18 seats are scheduled to be held on April 18 along with the Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The ECI's counsel had said that as per his instructions, by-polls for three seats were not announced as some election petitions were pending in the Madras High Court.

DMK has also made a representation to the poll panel for holding by-polls to the three vacant seats.

Tamil Nadu's Chief Electoral Officer had earlier said that by-polls are not scheduled for the Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi constituencies as election petitions are pending in the Madras High Court.

The Ottapidaram constituency is represented by disqualified AIADMK MLA Sundararaj, while Aravakurichi is represented by Senthil Balaji, an AIADMK legislator who is now with the DMK.

Thiruparankundram legislator A K Bose died last year.

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The Supreme Court Monday said that bail plea of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was sentenced to life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, will be heard on April 8 after Justice Sanjiv Khanna once again recused himself from hearing the matter.

On February 25, Justice Khanna had recused himself from hearing Kumar's plea when he was sitting in a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

73-year-old Kumar has also challenged in the top court the Delhi High Court's December 17 last year verdict awarding him life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life" in the case.

The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1 and 2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

Anti-Sikh riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.

Kumar's application seeking bail in the case came up for hearing on Monday before a bench comprising Justices S A Bobde and Sanjiv Khanna.

"List the instant application for bail on April 8 before a bench of which one of us (Sanjiv Khanna, J) is not a member," the bench said in its order.

Kumar had surrendered before a trial court here on December 31, 2018, to serve the sentence in pursuance of the high court's December 17 verdict.

After his conviction in the case, Kumar had resigned from the Congress party.

The CBI has recently told the apex court that Kumar's plea seeking bail in the case should be dismissed as he has a "large political clout" and is capable of "influencing or terrorising" witnesses in the case pending against him.

It has told the court that fair trial in the pending case would not be possible if Kumar is granted bail.

The top court had earlier admitted Kumar's appeal for hearing and had also issued notice to the CBI on his bail plea seeking its response.

The high court had convicted and sentenced Kumar to spend the remainder of his life in jail for the offences of criminal conspiracy and abetment in commission of crimes of murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of communal harmony and defiling and destruction of a Gurdwara.

It had also upheld the conviction and varying sentences awarded by a trial court to five others former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and ex-MLAs Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar.

In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions".

It had said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency.

The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP and the Shiv Sena have swept the Palghar Municipal Council elections in Maharashtra, results for which were announced Monday.

The saffron parties have won 21 out of total 28 seats.

The Nationalist Congress Party's Ujjwala Kale was elected as the president of the council by voters directly.

The post of the president was earlier held by the Sena.

The elections were held Sunday for a total of 28 seats of councillors.

While the Sena won 14 seats, the BJP grabbed 7 seats, the NCP 2, and rest five seats went to Independents (Sena rebels).

It was the first elections for the council after Palghar district was carved out from Thane district in August 2014.

A total of 90 candidates had contested the elections.

Out of total 47,850 eligible voters, 32,531 voters had exercised their franchise.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP Monday expelled one of its senior Lucknow-based leaders after he dubbed the party's top leadership as "Gujarati thugs" and asked if the BJP has chosen a 'pradhan mantri' (prime minister) or a prachar mantri (advertisement minister).

While attacking the BJP's top leadership in a series of tweets, the party's former spokesperson I P Singh also hailed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from Azamgarh and offered him his residence for use as his poll campaign office.

"I P Singh has been expelled from the party for six years on directions of the BJP state president," said a party release here.

The expulsion followed after Singh attacked the BJP leadership in a series of tweets from his official Twitter account having a prefix "usuldaar" (principled) to his name.

"I belong to a principled 'kshatriya' family. Two Gujarati thugs have been befooling Hindi-speaking people for the last five years after capturing the country's Hindi heartland, while we are silent," he said in one of his tweets Friday.

"Our UP is six times bigger than Gujarat with an economy of Rs five lakh crore against Gujarat's Rs one lakh 15 thousand crore," said Singh, adding, in such a situation what would they eat and what development would they cause.

In another tweet, he said, "Have we elected a 'pradhan mantri' or 'prachar mantri'? Does the country's prime minister look good selling t-shirt and tea cup?"



"The BJP has been a party which made its place in the people's hearts through its ideology. It's impossible to 'produce' workers with missed calls and T-shirts," he added.

An Azamgarh native, Singh had on Sunday also welcomed Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from there and offered his house to be used as his election office.

"The people of eastern UP are overjoyed and the youths here are excited after the announcement of Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from Poorvanchal. It heralds an end of the of caste and religion," said Singh.

Reacting to his expulsion, Singh tweeted further, "I have come to know from the media friends that I have been expelled from the party for six years."



"I had given my three decades to the party. Even speaking truth is a crime in the party which has lost its internal democracy," he added.

"Forgive me Narendra Modi ji! I could not have work as your chowkidar (watchman) with a strap on my eyes," he added.

Singh had last year reportedly written to BJP president Amit Shah to replace Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh with him as the BJP candidate from Lok Sabha in the 2019 general elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
/ -- Himachal-based Shoolini University, which now figures among the top five universities in the country to file patents, has resolved to encourage research and be the number one among all institutions in the country in the field of patents. The university conducted a two-day workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Research and Development (R&D) to discuss the ways to achieve its target to be among the top 200 global universities of the world by 2022.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/792680/Shoolini_University_Logo.jpg )



The faculty and students of Shoolini University have so far filed 270 patents and set the target to file 300 patents by the end of March. Filing patents involves preliminary investigations by authorised agencies into the exclusivity and viability of the patents filed.

Talking to the media here, Vice Chancellor Prof PK Khosla said, "The university was already on the right track as it has an 'H' index of 44 in terms of citation. He said the two-day workshop, which was attended by top luminaries from across the country, discussed about how to raise the standards of research in the next three years."



The Chief Guest and Guest of Honour for the opening day was Dr. A Mukhopadhyay from Department of Science and Technology, Delhi and Mr. D C Rana, Member Secretary, HIMCOSTE. Mr Shashi Dharan, Incharge, HP Patent Information Center, HIMCOSTE conducted a talk on the topic overview of IPR with special reference to Geographical Indications. Another workshop on Prior Art Search and Patent Drafting by Mr. Somitra Kumar, Advocate and Patent Attorney, Delhi, was conducted.

Prof Khosla said, "In order to increase the number of granted patents, we should identify 10 patents for examination and for these the codal formalities need to be done on priority basis."



He also said, "That to enhance the visibility and perception in global and national ranking, we should strengthen the commercialisation part. Earlier the Welcome Address was delivered by Dr. Reena V Saini, IPR Cell Coordinator, Shoolini University."



The second session focused on the research, development and other parameters vis-a-vis the plan to reach global standards in the next three years. Dr. RS Paroda, Former DG of ICAR; Dr. RC Mahajan, Emeritus Prof., PGI, Chandigarh; Dr. A Mukhopadhyay, department of science and technology, Delhi; and Dr. Suman Bala Beri of Panjab University were the chairpersons of the event.

This session was based on the comparison between NIRF rankings and the international rankings and why the Times Higher Education Ranking System suits Shooloni. Also, the detailed methodologies of all the three ranking systems were discussed. The chairperson for the session was Dr. RC Mahajan and the co-chairperson was Dr. Anuradha Sourirajan.

A major highlight of this session was the three major points that need to be kept in mind for the next three years i.e., perception, research and income of industry.

The workshop resolved to focus on research publications in SCOPUS listed journals with high impact factors. It set the target of 800 publications in the next three years so as to become eligible to compete for Times Higher Education (THE) rankings and to put focus on research with foreign collaborations, among a host of other resolutions.

Later a panel discussion was carried by Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla followed by the action plan for Shoolini on five parameters i.e. teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income. Dr. Saurabh Kulshreshta, Dean Research and Development, Shoolini University, presented a vote of thanks.

About Shoolini University:



Set up in 2009, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences is a research-driven private university with full-recognition from the UGC. A leading university of India, it is recognised for its focus on innovation, quality placements, and world-class faculty. Nestled in the lower Himalayas, the university has received accreditation from NAAC and it is ranked by the NIRF.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jannah Hotels & Resorts in the UAE will be taking part in this year's Earth Hour, a global initiative to conserve energy and raise climate change awareness.



Earth Hour, spearheaded by the World Wildlife Fund, encourages participants to turn off all non-essential lights for one hour in a symbolic action to raise awareness about environmental issues around the world.



This year, Earth Hour will be observed on March 30th from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm across the UAE.



All Jannah Hotels & Resorts properties together with resident guests will engage in this years Earth Hour theme #Connect2Earth by creating a symbolic 60 minute of earth hour and beyond. Jannah Hotels & Resorts will use candlelight in the hotel lobbies across all properties. Hotel guests will be encouraged to contribute to this initiative by switching off all lights as well as any power devices for one hour, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, to honour the occasion.



Richard Haddad, CEO of Jannah Burj Al Sarab Hotel, said: Jannah Hotels & Resorts participates in Earth Hour every year to spread global awareness about energy conservation. It is our social responsibility as a leading hospitality brand to understand the consequences of our actions and its effect on our environment.



It is time we overcome malpractices which possess a threat to the atmosphere to minimise further damage for the future generations, hence, it is in our best interest to limit our energy consumption this year by reducing the use of water and electricity and recycle eco-friendly products added Haddad, commenting on the Earth Hour initiative. - TradeArabia News Service


A person wielding a gun killed five people in northern China before being arrested by police, local authorities said Monday.

Police seized bullets from the suspect, who was wounded in the incident, said local officials from Kailu district in Tongliao -- a city in northern China's Inner Mongolia region -- citing a police statement.

The shooting happened at around 3.30pm (0730 GMT) and the case is under investigation, according to a statement posted on the local government's official Twitter-like Weibo account.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Singapore is the preferred partner of Indian states which are looking for collaborations for developing infrastructure, new cities, urban solutions and renewal, skills development and logistics facilities, Indian ambassador to Singapore Jawed Ashraf said on Monday.

There are at least half a dozen Indian states actively engaged with Singapore. Over 180 business executives participated at the "Doing Business with Indian States: Opportunities and Way Forward.

"The areas of strength for Singapore are precisely the areas in which states are looking for opportunities for collaboration," Ashraf said.

"There is a natural match in many ways between what Singapore brings in terms of unique value propositions and what the state governments require," Jawed Ashraf underlined.

He highlighted a number of Singapore companies that have advanced experience in working in different states, including Ascendas-Singbridge, Sembcorp, Meinhardt and YCH.

These companies have developed the kind of experience and expertise it takes to work in different environment in each state, he pointed out.

The High Commissioner highlighted India's growth story and transformation as also opportunities that are widely known in the country.

"Business chambers and companies now increasingly focus on individual states, especially because of the size and diversity of India. That is why Singapore chambers and even government agencies increasingly focus on specific states," said Jawed Ashraf.

He outlined the role of states in India's economic development, growing autonomy of states in promoting attracting investments and creating jobs, the new spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism, centre's support for states and steps states are taking to improve ease of doing business in states.

In 2018, over 180 Singapore companies were engaged in various sectors to grow their business in India, added Tan Soon Kim, assistant chief executive officer of Enterprise Singapore, a state agency promoting Singapore businesses globally.

"This is an exciting time to be in India as the US$2.3 trillion economy growing 7 per cent annually. India is poised to become one of the largest growth engines in the world," he told the conference.

Tan urged Singapore companies to explore opportunities in three sectors in India consumer, urban solutions and manufacturing.

He pointed out that the growing middle class in India is driving the consumer economy while the urban solutions segment seeks the whole chain of smart technologies and manufacturing being driven by international manufacturers.

The conference featured presentations by states and by Invest India on facilitating business at state levels.

The conference was jointly organized by the High Commission of India in Singapore, NITI Aayog, Enterprise Singapore, Asia Competitive Institute at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Institute of South Asian Studies and Invest India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Multi-lingual film actress Sumalatha, contesting as an independent from Mandya Lok Sabha seat against Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil, Monday alleged there was a threat to her life and requested the Election Commission to provide her security.

She also alleged that her phones were being tapped and that she had spotted some police personnel frequently moving around near her residence.

Sumalatha called on the Chief Electoral Officer Monday and complained about the alleged gross violations of the model code of conduct in Mandya and the threat to her life.

The CEO then asked her to give the complaint in writing.

Later, speaking to reporters, Sumalatha,widow of popular Kannada film actor-turned-politician Ambareesh, said Mandya has become a high profile and sensitive Lok Sabha seat as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son is contesting from there.

The actress said she once confronted the police personnel and questioned them, but they could not give clear cut answers on why they were there.

They were even clicking pictures of visitors to her residence, she said.

"I have requested them (election commission) to provide me security as I feel there is a threat to my life and people are also giving me information.

My phones are also being tapped. They are aggressively misusing the official machinery," Sumalatha alleged.

The actress cited the example of actor Darshan whose house at Rajarajeshwarinagar in the city was stoned a few days ago when he was not at home, as he had extended support to her.

Earlier in the day, the actress called on BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa.

The party has extended its supportto Sumalatha by not fielding a candidate.

"I came here to express my thanks to Yeddyurappa for supporting me by not fielding a candidate. They voluntarily offered me support without any conditions, for which I am grateful to them," she said.

Speaking after meeting the actress, Yeddyurappa alleged that the chief minister has created an atmosphere of fear in Mandya.

"Sumalatha told me what's going on in Mandya. The Chief Minister has created an atmosphere of fear in Mandya, but the people there have made up their minds to ensure Sumalatha's victory," Yeddyurappa said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Drug major Sun Pharma Monday said it has received one observation from the US health regulator for its Baska manufacturing facility in Gujarat.

In a regulatory filing, the Mumbai-based company said the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted a pre-approval inspection (PAI) of Baska facility from January 28 to February 5, 2019.

"At the conclusion of the inspection, the USFDA issued a Form 483, with one observation for which the company has submitted the response," it added.

The Baska injectibles plant had recently filed for approvals to sell its products in the US, which is currently Sun Pharma's biggest market. The manufacturing plant is located near the company's Halol plant which is already facing regulatory issues from the US health regulator.

Sun Pharma shares closed 1.9 per cent down at Rs 464.10 apiece on the BSE.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Syrian government said that Washington's recognition Monday of Israeli claims over the Golan Heights were a blatant attack on its sovereignty.

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, a border area seized from Syria in 1967.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the recognition "historic" and said the Golan Heights, which are still claimed by Syria, would remain permanently under Israeli control.

The move, which breaks with decades of international consensus, drew criticism from the Syrian government.

"In a blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, the president of the US has recognised the annexation of the Syrian Golan," a foreign ministry source said, according to state agency SANA.

"Trump does not have the right and the legal authority to legitimise the occupation," he said.

The unnamed source also said the unlimited support the US gives to Israel makes Washington the prime enemy of the Arabs, according to SANA.

Russia on Monday warned of a "new wave" of tensions in the Middle East after the US Golan move.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Vinod Tawde Monday said the Congress is in a shambles in the state and also hit out at NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his statements against the party and the Modi government.

He said instead of pointing fingers at the BJP, Pawar should ask the Congress why its government did not act in the aftermath of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai.

"The state Congress is in a shambles. The party is pressing its leaders to contest the Lok Sabha election, but many of them are reluctant," he said while talking to reporters here.

Tawde slammed Pawar over his statements against the BJP and the Modi government.

Pawar, a former defence minister, had Sunday said the BJP was trying to seek political gains from jawans' sacrifices.

The former Union minister had also sought to know if IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman can be brought back from Pakistan, then why can't Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is facing espionage charges in the neighbouring country.

Taking a swipe at Modi, Pawar had said if the PM possessed a "56 inch chest", he should bring back Jadhav, a former Navy officer jailed in Pakistan.

Hitting back at Pawar, Tawde said, "It was him who doubted the authenticity of the (surgical) strike carried out by our jawans.

"He should know that Kulbhushan Jadhav was sentenced to death but it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who took the case to the International Court of Justice and stopped the Pakistani government from hanging Jadhav."



The BJP leader sought to know why the Congress-led UPA government, of which Pawar was a prominent member, did not act against Pakistan after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

"Defence officials had sought permission from the UPA government to carry out surgical strike post 26/11 but Dr Manmohan Singh's government chose not to act.

"Pawar should ask his political ally (Congress) about it instead of pointing fingers at us," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: For the first time since its formation in 1982, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would not be fielding candidates in Telangana in the Lok Sabha elections.

"We are not contesting in Telangana in the Lok Sabha elections," a senior TDP leader told PTI.

The TRS has always tried to make sure that the TDP does not exist as a party in the state, he alleged.

It may be recalled that a large number of TDP leaders have switched over to the TRS in recent years which has weakened the party substantially.

The latest to join TRS was TDP politburo member Nama Nageswara Rao who would have been the party candidate from Khammam constituency.

Rao who joined the TRS last week, is now its nominee from Khammam in the parliamentary polls.

TDP, the ruling party in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has been opposing the BJP since its exit from the NDA on denial of special status to the state and other issues.

The TDP leader said the party has in principle agreed to the Congress's request for support in the Lok Sabha elections.

"... they (Congress) have sought our support. In principle, we have agreed," he said.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia Sunday appealed to TDP and other opposition parties to support Congress where they have not fielded candidates.

"The AICC has decided to contest all the 17 seats. We have no formal alliance with any party in the state-level. For those seats where TJS, TDP, CPI and CPI(M) and others have not fielded candidates, we appeal to them to extend support to the Congress nominees," he had told reporters Sunday.

TDP had been a formidable force in Telangana but it ceded ground to the ruling TRS.

The TDP had contested the Assembly elections in Telangana in December last as part of an alliance with the Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS).

TDP and Congress secured two and 19 seats respectively in the 119-member House. The CPI and TJS drew a blank.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
/ -- Tejas Networks (BSE: 540595) (NSE: TEJASNET) today announced it has appointed Mr. C.B Bhave as an Independent Director and Mr. Arnob Roy as an Executive Director who will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), with effect from March 25, 2019, based on the recommendations of the Nominations and Remunerations Committee. With these additions, the Board now has three Independent Directors out of a total of six Directors.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/840248/Tejas_Networks_Ltd_Logo.jpg)



Mr C.B Bhave served as the Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), India's capital market regulator, from 2008 to 2011, prior to which he was the Chairman and Managing Director of National Securities Depositories Limited (NSDL) from its inception in 1996 till 2008. Mr Bhave, a 1975 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, worked with the Central and State Governments in various capacities and roles and has won several awards from the Government of Maharashtra for his outstanding work in the area of family welfare and excellence in administration.

On his appointment, Mr Bhave said, "While India has seen many successes in ICT services sector there is a need as well as an opportunity for us to build deep-technology, global product companies from India. Tejas Networks has built world-class telecom and data networking products and they have all the ingredients to become a strong global player. It is my pleasure to be a part of Tejas Networks Board and I look forward to contributing to the team's vision".

Mr. Arnob Roy, who has been with the company since inception and served as President Optical Products, has now been designated as the Chief Operating Officer of the company. Mr. Roy has over 30 years of high-technology industry experience in research & development, operations and sales. He holds a Master of Science Degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (USA) and a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Mr. V. Balakrishnan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tejas Networks said, "I am delighted to welcome Mr. C.B Bhave to our Board. We will immensely benefit from his intellect, insights and rich experience in business and corporate governance. I am also delighted to welcome Mr. Arnob Roy to our Board. Arnob has made significant contributions to the company since inception and we look forward to leveraging his operational experience and track record in steering Tejas forward. I believe that with these additions to the Board, Tejas is well positioned to become a strong global telecom and networking products company".

About Tejas Networks Limited



Tejas Networks designs, develops and sells high-performance and cost-competitive networking products to telecommunications service providers, internet service providers, utilities, defence and government entities in over 70 countries. Tejas products utilize programmable, software-defined hardware architecture with a common software code-base that delivers seamless upgrades of new features and technology standards. Tejas Networks is ranked among top-10 suppliers in the global optical aggregation segment and has filed over 349 patents.

For more information, visit Tejas Networks at http://www.tejasnetworks.com



SAFE HARBOUR



Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements due to risks or uncertainties associated with our expectations with respect to, but not limited to, our ability to successfully implement our strategy and our growth and expansion plans, technological changes, our exposure to market risks, general economic and political conditions in India which have an impact on our business activities or investments, changes in the laws and regulations that apply to the industry in which the Company operates. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thailand's election results were due Monday, with the junta appearing poised to hold on to power in a vote that saw its main rival diminished but vaulted a new pro-democracy force into the kingdom's

Sunday's poll -- seen as a referendum on the military -- was the first since a 2014 coup, and was held under new rules written by the junta to ease its transformation into a civilian government.

Despite that, analysts had not expected the army-linked Phalang Pracharat party to win the popular vote, given mounting anger at junta rule and the enduring popularity of Pheu Thai -- the party of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

But Thai is unpredictable, and as preliminary results trickled in Sunday, Phalang Pracharat -- with coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister -- clung to the lead, racking up more than 7.6 million votes with 93 percent of ballots tallied.

"This will give them... popular legitimacy and more credibility," Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, told AFP.

Phalang Pracharat had nearly half a million more votes than Pheu Thai, despite the track record of Thaksin whose parties have won every vote since 2001, drawing on loyalty from the rural and urban poor.

Prayut's party is on track to cobble together the 126 votes in the lower house it needs for a parliamentary majority, in combination with a 250-seat upper house Senate that is appointed by the junta.

The Bangkok Post, Thailand's main English-language newspaper, splashed "Prayut return 'likely'" across its front page on Monday.

The poll pitted a royalist junta and its allies against the election-winning machine of billionaire-turned-politician Thaksin and featured an unpredictable wave of millions of first-time voters.

As the results came in, dismay rippled out across the pro-democracy camp, with prospects diminishing of an anti-junta coalition squeezing into power.

The Election Commission unexpectedly postponed the release of fuller results until Monday afternoon, including the number of lower house seats won by each party. The Election Commission has said it will finalise the results by May 9.

But questions quickly began to percolate on social media over an election that saw a massive 1.9 million ballots invalidated, setting the stage for disputes.

Turnout was a tepid 64 percent, much lower than forecasts.

Election night was full of surprises, with the new, youth-focused Future Forward party led by telegenic billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit taking more than five million votes, which could make it Thailand's third-biggest party.

And on the eve of the poll, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn issued a cryptic statement urging people to support "good" leaders against those who create "chaos."



Another royal command in February torpedoed the candidacy of the king's elder sister Princess Ubolratana for prime minister via a party linked to Thaksin.

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup, and has lived in self-exile since 2008. The administration of his sister Yingluck was also the victim of a 2014 power grab by the military.

The Shinawatra-aligned Pheu Thai party has vowed to accept the results but said it needed more "clarity" on the outcome before it took a stance.

The army and its allies in the Bangkok elite loathe the Shinawatras, accusing the clan of toxifying Thai and society with money, nepotism and graft.

The Shinawatras say they have simply recognised the economic and democratic aspirations of Thailand's majority.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday admitted that she did not have enough support to get her EU divorce bill through the House of Commons in a third vote and called on British lawmakers to reconsider their stand in order to avert a no-deal by the April 12 extension date.

In a statement to formally update Parliament on her European Council meeting last week where the EU agreed to a short delay to the March 29 deadline, the British premier said she remained committed to "guarantee Brexit" even if it isn't as initially planned for this Friday and would continue to lobby MPs to get the support required for another vote on the withdrawal agreement agreed with the (EU).

"It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third Meaningful Vote," May told the Commons.

"I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee If we cannot, the government made a commitment that we would work across the House to find a majority on a way forward," she said.

The British PM confirmed that her Conservative Party MPs would be whipped to vote against an amendment tabled by fellow Tory MP Oliver Letwin, to wrest control of parliamentary proceedings away from the government to hold indicative votes on alternatives to Theres May's Brexit plan already rejected twice before by the Commons with huge margins over the controversial Irish backstop clause.



ALSO READ: UK ministers back Theresa May on Brexit as media reports plan to oust her

"I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes...No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," May said, promising to "engage constructively" over the indicative votes but without any commitment on backing any particular alternative.

She warned that the UK would have to seek a longer delay to Brexit and be forced to participate in European Parliament elections on May 23 if the Commons did not approve her withdrawal agreement for a third time this week as a "compromise".

She said: "I hope we can all agree, we are now at the moment of decision. And in doing so we must confront the reality of the hard choices before us.

"Unless this House agrees to it, No Deal will not happen. No Brexit must not happen. And a slow Brexit which extends Article 50 beyond 22nd May, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together."





May's Parliament statement came soon after she summoned her Cabinet for an emergency meeting, following a weekend dominated by rumours of plots and coups by both pro and anti Brexit wings of her Conservative party.

It marked the beginning of yet another hectic week in Westminster, where MPs will try and gather support for one of many options, including a second referendum or even revoking Article 50 and reversing Brexit altogether.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attacked the government, branding May's approach over Brexit as a "national embarrassment".



ALSO READ: Theresa May faces pressure from her own party to step down to save Brexit

"It is time for Parliament to take control," he said, confirming that the Labour Party would be backing the Letwin amendment which takes power to control business in the House of Commons away from the government on Wednesday, to allow MPs to put forward business motions relating to Brexit.

While the default position remains the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal unless an agreement is passed through Parliament, May told MPs that the government has laid the necessary statutory instrument changing the Brexit date in the Commons on Monday.

However, effectively the Brexit date has already changed under law with the EU legislation delaying the deadline last week. If British MPs fail to pass the statutory instrument, it would create some "legal uncertainty" but it would not change the internationally-recognised Brexit date, which is now set as April 12 -- with an offer of a further extension until May 22 if the withdrawal agreement clears the Commons hurdle in a third vote this week.

Meanwhile the European Commission released a comprehensive document detailing its no-deal "preparedness", stating that it is "increasingly likely" that the UK could leave the 28-member bloc without a deal on April 12.

"In such a scenario, the UK's relations with the EU would be governed by general public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation," an EU statement said.
Saudi Arabia is gearing up for the launch of the Global Aviation Summit, which will take place from April 1-2 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh.



The summit, which will be held under the patronage of King Salman, will highlight the pivotal role the kingdom plays in the air transport industry, both at a regional and international level.



The summit is being hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and will be attended by several transport ministers, head of civil aviation authorities and specialists in international and regional organisations dealing with the aviation sector.



The summit will review the plans of the civil aviation sector in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and will also provide an opportunity to exchange information and expertise related to the aviation industry. It will also provide a chance to highlight the participation of women in civil aviation and their contributions in developing this vital sector.



The summit is a platform to discuss best international practices, the most important of which are safety and security, environmental protection and innovation in aviation technology. - TradeArabia News Service


Punjab legislator and Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Monday launched his election campaign for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat and said he has accepted the challenge to contest from here "to end feudal of the Badal family".

Khaira launched his campaign with a roadshow from Mansa to Bathinda and said he was confident of winning the Bathinda seat with a huge vote margin.

The polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats from Punjab will be held on May 19.

"I accepted the challenge to contest the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat to defeat sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is a symbol of feudal of the Badal family. My aim was to build a fight against feudalism and family and end feudal politics of the Badal family," Khaira told reporters.

He blamed the previous Akali Dal-led regime in Punjab of "nepotism and rampant corruption".

"Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and incumbent Capt Amarinder Singh, both represent the same feudal mindset. Both are helping each other to rule in Punjab turn by turn," Khaira alleged.

Khaira, the former AAP leader, had recently said that he would contest from Bathinda constituency, which is presently represented by Union minister and SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Khaira, who formed the PEP after quitting the AAP in January, had challenged Harsimrat Kaur Badal for an open debate to discuss the burning issues of the state.

The PEP president's candidature was announced by former AAP leader and Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi, who is a member of the Punjab Democratic Alliance.

The PDA comprises of the PEP, Bahujan Samaj Party, Lok Insaaf Party, Gandhi-led Punjab Manch, Communist Party of India and the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India.

Hitting out at Parkash Singh Badal, Khaira said, "He was the chief minister for 10 continuous years, but he failed to resolve problems of people."



"Drugs, unemployment, poverty and sufferings of peasantry were core issues, but nothing was done to tackle these," he said.

"The condition of common people mainly the farmers of Mansa and Bathinda districts was deplorable. The highest number of farmer suicides are reported from Mansa and Bathinda districts," he alleged.

He claimed that Harsimrat Kaur Badal had failed to set up any major industry in the Malwa region though she was food processing minister at the Centre.

"She failed to take up issues of Punjab farmers and rising unemployment with the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre," he alleged.

Khaira claimed that the people of Punjab were fed up with the SAD-BJP alliance and the present Congress government in the state.

He said his party will provide a better alternative to the people of the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump would have no problem with the release of the Mueller report into Russia's meddling in the 2016 US election, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday.

"I don't think the president has any problem with it," Sanders said on NBC's Today show. "He's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out because he knows exactly what did and what didn't happen and now frankly the rest of America knows.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights and told the visiting Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that his country has "absolute right" to self defence.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognized by the international community. Trump's move reversed more than a half-century of the US policy over the issue.

"The United States recognizes Israel's absolute right to defend itself. The despicable attack this morning demonstrates a significant security challenges that Israel faces every single day. And today I am taking historic action to promote Israel's ability to defend itself and really to have a very powerful, very strong national security which they're entitled to add," Trump said at a White House signing ceremony.

Trump was referring to the rocket attack by Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, on Tel Aviv in which seven Israelis, including two children, were injured.

In the presence of Netanyahu, Trump signed the presidential proclamation recognising Israel's sovereign right over the Golan Heights.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran, and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continued to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel. Any possible future peace agreement must accounted for Israel's need to defend itself from Syria, Iran and other regional threats. We do not want to see another attack like the one suffered this morning, North of Tel Aviv, Trump said.

In view of the attack, Netanyahu cut short his visit to the US.

Terming the Golan declaration "a long time in the making", Trump said, "It should have taken place many decades ago."



Meanwhile, Netanyahu praised Trump saying he has shown consistently incredible support for Israel's right to self-defense. "When we exercise that self defense, you never flinched. You have always been there, including today" he said.

"Your decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is so historic," Netanyahu told Trump.

"Your recognition is a twofold act of historic justice. Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war of self-defense, and the Jewish people's roots in the Golan go back thousands of years," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkey on Monday denounced US President Donald Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights as an "election gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump's decision to proclaim that the Golan Heights -- captured from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 -- belongs to Israel hands a significant diplomatic victory to Netanyahu before April 9 elections.

The Israeli premier is facing an unexpectedly tough challenge from centrist Benny Gantz.

"Trump's signing is virtually an election gift to Netanyahu who is in difficulty ahead of elections," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a speech in the southern province of Antalya.

"Whatever you do for (Netanyahu) -- who even divides his own people, who bombs in Gaza today as you can see -- for this tyrant, there will be no advantages. America's efforts are in vain," Cavusoglu said in televised remarks.

Israel launched strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Monday hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house near Tel Aviv and wounded seven people.

It is not the first time Turkey has lambasted Trump over his policy towards Israel. In 2017, Ankara repeatedly criticised the US president over his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

About 20,000 Israeli settlers live in the Golan, which overlooks Syrian territory. The annexing of the area has never been recognised by the international community.

Cavusoglu said Turkey would "do whatever is necessary until the end" and work with the global community against "one-sided decisions" which disregard international law.

Turkey-Israel relations are strained, especially after a recent war of words between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, and Netanyahu.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US and Russia clashed publicly over Venezuela on Monday, raising geopolitical stakes over the oil-producing nation after Moscow sent dozens of soldiers to Caracas amid what it alleged was a budding "coup."



US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned his counterpart Sergei Lavrov over the phone that "the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela."



The tense conversation came after Russia sent two planes reportedly carrying around 100 soldiers and 35 tons of military equipment to Venezuela's main airport outside Caracas on Saturday.

One independent Venezuelan journalist, Javier Mayorca, reported that the deployment also included General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, a top official who heads the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces.

Although Russian state agency Sputnik described the troop arrival as a movement to "fulfill technical military contracts," the development unsettled Washington, which has thrown its weight behind opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president against President Nicolas Maduro.

"The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido," Pompeo said, according to his office.

Lavrov said in a statement he had complained of "attempts by Washington to organise a coup d'etat in Venezuela" during his conversation with Pompeo.

Such moves "constitute violations of the UN charter and undisguised interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state," it said.

Russia and China are the main allies of Venezuela. Both have lent billions of dollars to the oil-rich South American country, propping up Maduro's cash-strapped government.

Russia previously signaled its support for Maduro by sending two Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela last December to take part in a military exercise.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has a record of ordering his military -- or paramilitary -- forces into several theaters to challenge US strategies, notably in Syria and Ukraine.

US moves against Caracas have ratcheted up in recent weeks, with President Donald Trump warning that "all options" -- implicitly including US military intervention -- were being considered.

Maduro on Saturday accused Washington of using frozen Venezuelan funds to bankroll a plot to assassinate him.

"We have dismantled a plan organized personally by the diabolical puppet to kill me," Maduro told thousands of supporters in Caracas, referring to Guaido.

His government gave details of the alleged plot on state television, with Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez saying "hitmen" from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras had been recruited "using big sums of money" and sent to Colombia ahead of missions into Venezuela to carry out "targeted assassinations" and "sabotage."



Rodriguez accused Guaido's chief of staff, Roberto Marrero, of receiving money from the United States and being a key organizer of the alleged operation.

Marrero, a 49-year-old lawyer, was arrested on Thursday in his Caracas home, triggering an outcry and demands that he be immediately released by the US, the European Union and major Latin American countries that recognize Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.

Rodriguez played recordings he said were from WhatsApp conversations between Marrero and Guaido in which he said they discussed using Venezuelan funds blocked by US sanctions to finance armed groups with the support of Colombian President Ivan Duque.

The accusations were repeated shortly afterward by Maduro as he addressed a crowd of thousands of supporters in the capital.

According to his government, the United States has seized $30 billion is Venezuelan assets, including money in bank accounts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's bottling partner Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL) Monday said it has received nod from the for its proposal to acquire franchise rights of the foods and snacks major in southern and western

The (CCI) in its meeting held on March 22 considered and approved the proposed acquisition, VBL said in a regulatory filing.

In February, VBL had announced its plans to acquire franchise rights of in southern and western regions.

The company's board had approved entering into a binding agreement with India Holdings to acquire franchise rights in the two regions for a national bottling, sales and distribution footprint in seven states and five Union territories (UTs).

Upon completion of the acquisition, VBL will be a franchise of PepsiCo beverages business across 27 states and seven UTs, it had said.

In January 2018, VBL had entered into a pact with PepsiCo to sell and distribute the latter's entire Tropicana range of juices along with Gatorade and Quaker Value-Added Dairy in North and

VBL already held manufacturing, sales and distribution rights for Tropicana Slice and Tropicana Frutz in the two regions.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Monday said a renewed focus on rural health care is needed, adding more needs to be done to ensure health security to India's vast population.

Naidu cautioned that the quality of healthcare being delivered cannot be determined by the price being paid.

He was delivering the 13th Convocation address of Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences, a deemed university, at Loni in Ahmednagar district.

Naidu also suggested a mandatory rural service of three years for doctors before their first promotion.

He congratulated the 437 graduates who were presented degrees at the convocation and expressed delight that a large number of graduates who won awards and medals for excellence were women. "There is no tool for development more effective than women empowerment," he said.

Opining that the youth of India would determine its future, the Vice President quoted United Nations Population Funds report which said the window of demographic dividend opportunity in India would be available for five decades from 2005-06 to 2055-56, longer than any other country.

"The working age group 15-59 years accounts for 62.5 per cent of Indias population. This immense advantage can create the space needed to increase investments in enhancing human capabilities, which, in turn, can have a positive influence on growth and development in the time to come," he said.

Naidu said urban areas had four times as many medical practitioners compared to rural areas. This rural-urban divide had to be addressed on war footing, he added. The Ram Rajya cannot be achieved without attaining Gram Rajya, he said.

Expressing concern over the rising costs of providing medical services, Naidu said the integration of technological innovation with healthcare delivery will certainly help in lower healthcare delivery costs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Western India Automobile Association (WIAA), Asia's premier motoring institution, will hold the annual WIAA-Womens Rally at the Aamby Valley on April 7 as part of International Womens Day celebrations.

The registration process has already started from the WIAA office at Churchgate in south Mumbai and has received a good response, an Association office-bearer said.

"The goal of the annual women's rally is to advocate legislation and policies regarding women's rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, worker's rights, girl child education, sexual harassment and tolerance," said Nitin Dossa, Executive Chairman of WIAA.

"Today's woman is no longer a dependent soul. She is independent and self-reliant in every respect and is capable of doing everything. Let us recognise the importance of their existence and motivate them for the future achievements.

"Our experience shows that all such events have become extremely successful and popular and a matter of keen interest for all automobile owners. The event is sponsored by many organisations and individuals who are hardcore automobile lovers," Dossa said.

WIAA is celebrating the centenary year in 2019. It is affiliated to the Federation Internationale De L'Automobile.

"Our mission and values are to bring awareness in the society about road safety, reduce life threats caused by road accidents and to train, update and educate drivers to be more cautious," he said.

WIAA President Viveck Goenka said an interesting feature of the rally is that every single person involved in it will be a woman, be it the organisers, marshals and officials.

"We are trying to have policewomen for the event as well. The participants will not be allowed (to seek help from) husbands/boyfriends/male children/brothers," Goenka said.

The rally is presented by JK Tyres in association with Aamby Valley city and Omkar 1973.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's proposed visit to Ayodhya, the BJP Monday took a dig at her and asked if she would "say sorry" there for her party "putting hurdles" in building the Ram temple.

"Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take the pious Saryu river waters in her hand there and atone the sins committed by the Congress in Ayodhya?" asked UP BJP spokesperson Chandrmohan.

The newly-appointed Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh is slated to visit Ayodhya on March 27.

"Will she say sorry for the hurdles created by the Congress in construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya?" he elaborated further.

Chandramohan claimed the devotees of Lord Ram and the people of Ayodhya want to know how come the general secretary of the party which has been doubting the existence of Ram setu is visiting Ayodhya -- the birthplace of Lord Ram.

"Her (Vadra's) visit to Ayodhya will become more relevant if she expels Kapil Sibal from the party before embarking on the tour," he said.

Sibal had sought the deferment of the adjudication of the title suit on Ayodhya land dispute in the Supreme Court beyond the 2019 general elections.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US-based Xylem is eyeing the water metering business in India and in talks with various municipal corporations and civic bodies, a company official said on Monday.

Citing global studies, the company said over 50 per cent of supplied water from civic bodies gets wasted, and ground water levels in most Indian cities are depleting.

"We are targeting the wastage of non-revenue water (NRW), which is huge in India. At present, we are working with Larsen & Toubro for installing water meters in the Pune municipal corporation area," said Amit Vaidya, Director-India, Strategic Customer Team.

He said NRW is the part of supplied water that is not billed by municipal corporations for raising revenue.

Vaidya said schemes like AMRUT and similar ones funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other multilateral agencies would give a boost to the smart water distribution network across the country.

Quoting a study by the NITI Aayog, he said that 60 crore Indians are facing extreme water stress, and about two lakh people die every year, owing to inadequate access to safe water.

Twenty-one cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2020, Vaidya added, quoting the study.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British cruise ship Sapphire Princess docked at Salalah Port on Sunday (March 24), carrying 2,624 passengers onboard from different nationalities, said a report.



The ships passengers toured important archeological and historic landmarks in the Governorate of Dhofar, and visited the beaches and the traditional markets in Salalah, Oman Daily Observer reported.



The cruise ship came from Dubai Port and will head to Aqaba Port in Jordan as part of its tour programme to several ports around the world, it said.
A youth surrendered before a court here Monday in connection with the assault on the brother of a 19-year-old woman, who was allegedly sexually harassed at nearby Pollachi.

Mani alias Manivanan, wanted by police in connection with the assault case, surrendered before Chief Judicial Magistrate S Nagarajan who remanded him to judicial custody till April 8.

Already, four people had been arrested in the case and a hunt was on for Mani.

They had allegedly beaten up the woman's brother for lodging a police complaint about the sexual harassment by a four-member gang on February 12.

The gang had allegedly tried to strip the woman inside a car near Pollachi, recorded the act and blackmailed her using the visuals.

The victim, who managed to free herself, lodged a complaint with police.

As reports emerged that the gang had sexually harassed many more young women and blackmailed them, the state government ordered a CB-CID probe and later transferred it to the CBI.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has dismissed rumours that 19-year-old rising star Jadon Sancho is set for a move back to Manchester.

English youngster Sancho has flourished since joining Dortmund from Manchester City two years ago, and recently signed a contract extension which keeps him at the German club until 2022.

Yet Sancho, who picked up an assist in England's 5-0 thrashing of the Czech Republic on Friday, has been repeatedly linked with a return to the Premier League.

A recent report in The Sun alleged that Sancho's agent was in talks with Manchester United, but Dortmund boss Zorc dismissed the rumours as "irrelevant".

"I have no knowledge (of the talks), but it is also completely irrelevant," Zorc told Bild.

In a recent interview with the same newspaper, Zorc admitted that it would be hard for Dortmund to hold on to Sancho long-term, but insisted that the youngster would remain at Dortmund next season.

"I can't put a price tag around Jadon's neck but I can say that even the biggest clubs in the world struggle to afford him at the moment," said Zorc.

"Jadon will be playing at Borussia Dortmund next season. But it is obvious that the interest in him will keep growing, especially from English clubs. He will not end his career in Dortmund, that much is true.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Boeing Co said it invited more than 200 airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an information session on Wednesday as it looks to return the 737 MAX to commercial service. The meeting is a sign that Boeing's planned software patch is nearing completion, though it will still need regulatory approval. Over the weekend, Ethiopian Airlines executives had questioned whether Boeing had told pilots enough about "aggressive" software that pushes the plane's nose down, a focus of investigation into a deadly crash in Ethiopia this month that led to the global ...
Cash-strapped Jet Airways on Monday said its board has approved conversion of lenders' debt into equity shares and other proposals, which was required for the ongoing debt restructuring and resolution plan.

"As part of the proposed solution, the Board of Directors of Jet Airways today approved the conversion of Rs 1 of lenders' debt into equity by the issuance of 11.4 crore equity shares, in accordance with the RBI directives," Jet Airways said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Following this development, the consortium of Indian lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will become the majority shareholders of Jet Airways.

Making its biggest management shuffle in company history, the board approved resignation of promoter Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal and Kevin Knight, nominee director of Etihad Airways, from their positions on the company's board.

Meanwhile, the two nominees of the Promoter and one nominee of Etihad Airways will continue on the Board. Adding to it, two lender nominees will be inducted to its Board, subject to the receipt of requisite approvals.

As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will provide an immediate interim funding support of Rs 1,500 crore to Jet Airways, it said, adding that the company will also engage with payment intermediaries for release of trapped cash.

Also Read: Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal, wife Anita Goyal resign from board of cash-strapped airline

"The airline will leverage the funding to partly clear pending dues towards lessors, vendors, creditors and employees in a phased manner. The move will see Jet Airways re-deploy several of its grounded aircraft back into its network, helping renew many of the routes it had temporarily suspended, which will help restore normalcy of operations, aiding the airline's long term transformation to continue expansion and to regain its position as a global player," Jet Airways said.

The board also approved constitution of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee the overall financial and operational performance of the airline under the overall supervision of the Board of Directors with the support of McKinsey & Co.

Also Read: Jet Airways shares zoom 18% as Chairman Naresh Goyal exits

As part of the resolution plan, the lenders will also begin the process of sale/ issue of shares to new investors which is expected to be completed in the June quarter, it added.

Commenting on the development, Naresh Goyal said, "For me, the 22,000 employees are my own family, as dear to me as Nivaan, Namrata and my wife Neeta, and no sacrifice is too big for me to safeguard the interest of Jet Airways and the families of the 22,000 employees. For the sake of my family of 22,000 employees and their respective families I have today taken the step of stepping down from the Board of Jet Airways. I became the Chairman on1stApril, 1992 and my family is behind me and with me in this decision and I hope you will support my decision too. I will miss you one and all. Thank you for your brilliant dedication and loyalty down the years. I am proud of you and wish you all a great future ahead with our Jet Airways!"

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar
Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal will resign from the board of Jet Airways, 25 years after establishing the airline, a report said. Last week, the State Bank of India, which is leading the bank-led resolution plan for Jet, had asked them as well as two more directors to step down from their positions on the company's board. The decision could be formally announced later today.

The consortium of banks, led by SBI, may invoke the entire 51 per cent stake of Naresh Goyal in the airline, said a report by The Economic Times. Following this, the lenders will start looking for a new buyer in the coming weeks.

Former SBI managing director and ex-Jet Airways director Srinivasan Vishvanathan might be invited to join the top leadership of the company, the report added. Vishvanathan was on the Jet's board as an Independent Director for three years till August 2018. The lenders might even ask former SBI Chairman and ex CVC Commissioner Janaki Ballabh to take a seat at the Jet board, the daily further reported.

ALSO READ: SBI asks Naresh Goyal, his wife, two directors to step down from Jet Airways board as airline's financial woes deepen

Meanwhile, Etihad may remain on Jet's board for now, but its 24 per cent equity stake in the airline is expected to be diluted over the course of time. Afterwards one of the two Etihad nominees will exit the Jet board, the ET report said.

Goyal is presently in London and could address around 23,000 Jet employees upon his exit from there, the report said. In his absence, Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube is expected to be at the helm of the beleaguered airlines.

With Goyal's exit, lenders of Jet Airways are likely to pick up a substantial stake in the debt-laden airline till a new promoter is roped in. The process of getting a new promoter on board is likely to take another two to three months. Once that is done, the banks are expected to offload their stakes.

The SBI-led consortium of lenders is working on a resolution plan for the cash-strapped Jet Airways for the last five months. The full service carrier has a debt burden of more than Rs 8,200 crore and needs to make repayments worth up to Rs 1,700 crore by March end.

ALSO READ: Jet Airways' lenders may acquire substantial stake in airline till new promoters come in: report

Edited by Vivek Punj
In a bid to tap millennials and new Internet users from beyond top cities, online classifieds player OLX is changing on all fronts. It has unveiled a new brand identity as part of a global brand reform and introduced a major upgrade of its app and web experience in India.

"OLX has introduced many new features towards improving user safety and AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) integration for enhanced user experience," the company said in a press release.

According to the company, the new brand is designed to reflect a new phase of the company where it will provide users more services and opportunities to make the best choices for their business, lifestyle and family.

Earlier in the month, OLX had appointed its former Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer in India, Sushil Kumar, as general manager for the country.

"We thought about what our consumers want and not just our current consumers. If we really want to be 3X, 2X to what we are today in the next 12-20 months, then what is that segment we are not serving? We assessed what we need to do as a product and as a brand to relate better to these customers," Kumar told Business Today. "We realised we need to revamp both product and brand because a lot of young users are not able to relate to OLX," he added.

The company has introduced a new tagline, "Set Hai", as part of the new brand identity, apart from a new logo; this will be accompanied by an advertising campaign across television, print and digital media in seven regional languages.

As part of its app revamp, the users will experience more customised and personalised newsfeeds and be able to see posts from different locations and not just posts near them.

"More filters are being introduced while posting so that the content on the website is more credible. The new platform now better enables users to report offensive and spam content. In addition, there are real-time security tips for buyers & sellers in the chat experience," said the company. "With the new voice messaging feature, users can quickly speak to prospective buyers/sellers without leaving the platform or sharing phone numbers, thereby ensuring privacy of personal details," it added.

The company is also making efforts to tap new users of Internet in India which are coming from beyond the top cities. "Post Jio, the way Internet users are growing, if we want to capture that we again need to think where we are positioned today and where we want to go in future," Kumar said.

The company plans to use ML and AI capabilities to make the platform simpler for new users. OLX claims to have 50 million monthly active users in the country and plans to rope in more millennials and small town users.

Kumar says they are mulling best ways to attract new audience on their platforms and experimenting with voice and video solutions. "What the exact solution will look like, we are in the phase of understanding and exploring," he said. The company is exploring more categories which can be offered on its platform and ways in which better experience can be offered in the present categories.

OLX is also diversifying its business. It recently acquired online hiring marketplace Aasanjobs and entered the offline retail space through OLX Cash My Car. The company has opened 50 Cash My Car stores so far where users can sell their used cars.

Kumar says OLX is going to focus on bringing convenience in categories such as cars and jobs and simplicity in categories like goods, electronics and furniture.

Also read: Ola gets a breather in Karnataka; agrees to pay Rs 15 lakh penalty for non-compliance of licence norms

Also read: Varun Beverages gets CCI approval to acquire PepsiCo's franchise rights
PepsiCo India's bottling partner Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL) on Monday said it has received Competition Commission of India (CCI) approval for the proposed acquisition of franchise rights in South and West regions from PepsiCo India. The company, however, did not disclose financial details of the proposed acquisitions.

"The Competition Commission of India (CCI), in its meeting held on March 22, considered and approved the above-mentioned proposed acquisition under sub section (1) of Section 31 of the Competition Act, 2002," VBL said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Following the completion of these acquisitions, Varun Beverages will be a franchise of PepsiCo beverages business across 27 states and seven Union Territories (UTs).

On February 18, the board of directors of the company had approved its intent to enter into a binding agreement with PepsiCo to acquire franchise rights in South and West regions from PepsiCo for a national bottling, sales and distribution footprint in 7 states and 5 Union Territories.

Earlier this month, the company commenced trial production at its Green field facility in Punjab for Tropicana juices, dairy based products, carbonated beverages and Aquafina wafer. Spread over 41 acres in Pathankot district of Punjab, it will be the first fully backward integrated facility in India to manufacture the complete range of above products at a single location, the company had said.

Following the announcement, shares of company were trading at Rs 799.35 apiece, down 1.25 per cent, against previous close level of 809.45 on the BSE. In the volatile trade so far, it touched an intra-day high and low of Rs 819.75 and Rs 790.10, respectively.

Also Read: Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal, wife Anita Goyal resign from board of cash-strapped airline

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has promised to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of India's poorest families if Congress comes to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The scheme will benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals directly, according to Gandhi. "After doing all the calculations several times, we have found that this scheme is fiscally possible," Gandhi said while addressing a press conference today. Gandhi said that the Congress would implement the scheme in a phased manner and it would benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals. Gandhi did not go into the details, but claimed the scheme was possible to execute. Gandhi confidently said Congress would remove poverty from the country with the new scheme if it came to power.

BusinessToday.In analysis of Rahul Gandhi's announcement:

Allotting Rs 72,000 per annum to 5 crore families would translate into a burden of Rs 3.60 lakh crore on the exchequer and amounts to around 13 per cent of the Rs 27,84,200 crore budgeted expenditure for 2019-20.

This figure of Rs 3.60 lakh crore is slightly more than the entire corpus of funds Narendra Modi has set aside for centrally sponsored schemes in 2019-20. The Narendra Modi government has laid down budgetary allocation of Rs 3. 27 lakh crore for the Centre-sponsored programmes during the next fiscal.

It will be about 2 per cent of the total GDP of India. This means that either India will have to go back on its fiscal discipline path, or find resources by curtailing other welfare measures.

Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress has studied the financial implications of the scheme and has consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising the scheme.

Earlier today, the Congress Working Committee met to finalise the manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The manifesto is being framed by a committee headed by P Chidambaram.

Follow BusinessToday.In live blog for more updates about the scheme:

07:45pm: FM Arun Jaitley says, referring to the Congress party, "You have misled the country on issue of poverty for 50 years. Even after giving that slogan (garibi hatao) if today you think that 20% people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country."

07:44pm: "The latest announcement of the Congress party if tested on simple arithmetic then Rs 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress party - a bluff announcement," said FM Jaitley.

07:43pm: Arun Jaitley: Today most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000/ month. The minimum starting salary in govt after the 7th CPC is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42%.

07:35pm: FM Jaitley says: Nehruvian model stagnated growth. Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 & just redistributed poverty. The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance & economic model of the Congress Party.

Nehruvian model stagnated growth. Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 & just redistributed poverty. The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance & economic model of the Congress Party. - Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) March 25, 2019

07:30pm: "Indira ji won election in 1971 on 'gareebi hatao' but she didn't take the necessary steps to remove poverty. She did not believe in increased productivity, she did not believe in generation of wealth, she only believed in redistribution of poverty," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

06:00pm: Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) slams Rahul Gandhi for his Rs 72,000 promise. "It is deeply regretted that Mr Gandhi forgot to announce the source of such a whopping fund and it makes us to believe that this burden will fall on tax payers, if his party comes to power. It is a declaration which has been made without applying any mind just for greed of votes. It's ironic that loan waiver, other freebies burden always falls on the section that pays tax and gets nothing in return. It has become a fashion to impose all burden on tax payers for fulfilling unrealistic declarations. Mr Gandhi has become an expert in making high but lofty declarations," said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

05:20pm: "Congress gave CM seat to us even when we won 37 seats. With support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi we formed government here. I'll campaign everywhere in state. I'll also go to Andhra, Chandrababu Naidu also invited me. We're secular parties, wherever required I'll go," says HD Deve Gowda.

05:05pm: "The work that PM Modi has done for women empowerment and his thoughts towards women, is evident. He has put women in leading portfolios, he has also worked extensively for the 'divyangs'," said Paralympian Deepa Malik.

Also read: Rahul Gandhi's Rs 72,000 per annum promise to the poor is doable; here's how

05:00pm: "Rahul Gandhi suggested us to give Tumkur to JD(S), after joint discussions. We obeyed the decision. We didn't expect that Deve Gowda ji would decide to contest from here, so it's a great news for us. I assure people of Tumkur will make sure he wins," says Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara.

04:55pm: Kamal Haasan said that the meeting with West Bengal CM was 'excellent'.

Kamal Haasan, Makkal Needhi Maiam after meeting West Bengal CM: Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman). pic.twitter.com/gaZSj3TLQZ - ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

04:50pm: Former Union Minister Sukh Ram and his grandson Aashray Sharma join Congress. They had also met party President Rahul Gandhi earlier today.

04:45pm: Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik files nomination for the Bijepur assembly constituency at the Padampur Sub Collector office in Bargarh. He had earlier filed his nomination for the Hinjili assembly constituency: ANI.

04:35pm: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan meets Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah: ANI.

04:27 pm: A delegation of Conrgress leaders including Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kapil Sibal, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi will approach the Election Commission today over the biopic of PM Narendra Modi.

04:20 pm: Paralympian Deepa Malik and INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat join Bharatiya Janata Party.
In what is being seen as a major boost for the investigating agencies, the CBI special court on Monday allowed Rajiv Saxena to turn approver in the AgustaWestland case, reported news agency ANI.

Rajiv Saxena, who was arrested in the Rs 3,600-crore Choppergate scandal, had sought to become an approver in his statement recorded during court proceedings.

He could reveal big names who received bribe money in the acquisition of AgustaWestland choppers for VVIPs.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier told the Patiala House Court that it had no objection if Saxena became a witness in the AgustaWestland case. It had told the court that Saxena was responsible for establishing a route to deliver the bribe money allegedly paid to defence officials and politicians.

Also Read: AgustaWestland case: ED attaches Christian Michel's ex-wife property worth Rs 5.83 crore in Paris

Saxena, a Dubai-based businessman was deported from Dubai on January 31 this year. This was the second high-profile arrest in the case after Christian Michel, a British arms dealer and middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper deal, who was arrested in the UAE and then extradited to India in December 2018.

Last week, the ED had attached property worth Rs 5.83 crore in Paris, which reportedly belong to alleged middleman Christian Michel's ex-wife Valerie Michel.

The CBI, in its charge-sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi's Rs 72,000 per annum promise to the poor is doable; here's how
South Africa: South Africa bids farewell to Cuban engineers

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete has bid farewell to 15 Cuban engineers after four years of service in the countrys water sector.

The Cuban engineers, including technicians and water scientists, arrived in South Africa in 2015 as part of a bilateral agreement to help with their technical expertise in South Africas water sector.

The group was part of the 35 engineers that were deployed in various clusters of the Department of Water and Sanitation throughout the country. Twenty of them returned to Cuba when their contract expired in June 2018.

The Cuban experts were on a four-year contract signed between the department and the Institute of Cuban National Resources four years ago. The contract was signed by the late Minister Edna Molewa during her tenure as the departments Minister and Cuban First Deputy President, Ines Maria Chapman Waugh.

Speaking to the departing group during a send-off ceremony held in Pretoria on Sunday, Tshwete said South Africa was profoundly grateful for their services in the country.

What youve done for our country is not different from what you did in Angola. You were always there in the hour of need, Tshwete said.

She also noted that the Cubans came to fight in defence of democracy, even though they were not obliged to.

Speaking on behalf of the departing Cubans, engineer Eduardo Loriga said the group was leaving South Africa with a heavy heart.

It feels like we are South Africans now. South Africa has become our second home. We will continue to retain our relations with this country and its beautiful people, Loriga said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday termed Rahul Gandhi's promise of minimum income support to the 20 per cent of the poorest in the country as the "biggest bluff". He said no political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress Party.

"It gave people of India slogans and very little resources to implement them, but PM Modi has already given the poor what Congress promises," said Arun Jaitley.

Earlier today, Congress president Rahul Gandhi promised to give Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of India's poorest families if his party came to power at the Centre. The scheme seems to be a direct challenge to the Modi government's direct benefit transfer of Rs 6,000 per annum to farmers.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi's Rs 72,000 per annum promise to the poor is doable; here's how

"The latest announcement of the Congress Party if tested on simple arithmetic then Rs 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress Party - A bluff announcement," Jaitley said.

Taking a jibe at Congress' promise of minimum income support of Rs 12,000 per month, FM said that today most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000 month. "The minimum starting salary in government after the 7th CPC is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42 per cent."

Showcasing achievements of his government, Jaitley said that in the last 5 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) through banks. "Besides subsidies for food, fertilizer, kerosene, 55 Ministries handed over subsidies to the poor through the DBT which was enabled by AADHAAR."

Transfer through DBT means the subsidy amount would be directly transferred to the beneficiaries' bank accounts instead of providing it through government offices.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: Traders association slams Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his 'unrealistic' Rs 72,000 per annum promise
The Indian Air Force inducted four CH-47 Chinook choppers on Monday. The heavy-lift choppers were inducted by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa in Chandigarh. The Chinook choppers will be used for various military purposes including deploying of troops and machinery at high-altitude locations along the India-Pakistan border.

India bought 15 of these heavy-lift choppers at a cost of $1.5 billion. The entire fleet of 15 Chinooks is expected to be inducted in the air force by March 2020. The second batch of Chinooks will arrive in Assam's Dinjan as per schedule.

The induction of these heavy-lift choppers is going to be a big boost for the Indian air force as not only is the Chinook highly manoeuvrable, it can also be operated at any time and in all-weather. Additionally, these choppers are suitable for operation in tough, dense terrain.

"The induction of the CH-47F(I) Chinooks is an asset to the Indian Air Force's airlift capabilities. This modern, multi-mission-capable, heavy-lift transport helicopter will enhance our heli-lift capability across all types of terrain to full effect," said Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa.

"With its advanced capabilities and versatility, we are confident that the CH-47F(I) Chinook will be an important asset to the Indian Air Force. Boeing remains committed to working closely with India to support the modernization of its armed forces and fulfil the country's current and future security goals," added Michael Koch, Vice President, India, Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

What can the Chinooks do?

The CH-47 Chinook choppers are multi-mission heavy-lift transport helicopters. They will be used to transport troops, artillery, supplies, equipment on the battlefield, ammunition and even barrier materials.

Along with military operations, the Chinook choppers can also be used for disaster relief, search and recovery operations, medical evacuation, fire-fighting and civil development.

Moreover, the choppers will help lift the M-777 ultra-light howitzers of the Indian armed forces.

What are the features of Chinook choppers?

The Chinook choppers can carry a maximum payload of 11 tonnes and 45 troops. Additionally, it can carry underslung load of up to 10 tonnes.

It also has a fully-integrated digital cockpit management system, along with Common Aviation Architecture and advanced cargo-handling capabilities.

Where else is the Chinook used across the world?

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined helicopter developed by US company Vertol and developed by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. The Chinook is used by the armed forces of more than 19 countries including the UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Italy, Australia, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece along with the US Army, US Army Reserve and the National Guard.

What was the Chinook deal?

India had signed two deals - one for the Chinook heavy-lift chopper and one for the Apache attack chopper - in 2015-16. The Ministry of Defence had finalised the deal with Boeing for production as well as training and support of the fifteen Chinook helicopters in September 2015. The first batch of IAF pilots began their training to fly the Chinook in the US in October last year. The Apaches will be supplied by the beginning of September this year at the Pathankot airbase.

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The Opposition grand alliance in Jharkhand on Sunday announced their seat-sharing formula among the Congress, the JMM, the JVM (Prajatantrik) and the RJD for the 14 Lok Sabha seats

"The Congress will contest in seven seats, while the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will contest four and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik-JVM) two. The maha gathbandhan has left Palamau seat to the RJD," state Congress president Ajoy Kumar said at a press conference here.

Along with the state Congress president, JMM chief Shibu Soren, JMM's working president Hemant Soren and JVM president Babulal Marandi were present in the press conference, while there was no representation from the RJD.

In a separate media briefing Rashtriya Janata Dal state general secretary Sanjay Singh Yadav said the party did not accept the seat-sharing formula, which was decided in the absence of them.

"Our stand is clear. We will contest from Palamau and Chatra. If not given, then we will decide to field candidates in other seats," Yadav said.

He alleged the Congress, JMM and the JVM announced the seat-sharing formula unilaterally without the RJD's consent.

Asked whether the state unit would talk to RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav over the issue, the general secretary said he could not comment on this

As per the seat adjustments, the Congress will contest from Ranchi, Khunti (ST), Lohardaga (ST), Singhbhum (ST), Hazaribagh, Dhanbad and Chatra, while the JMM will field candidates from Dumka (ST), Rajmahal (ST), Giridih and Jamshedpur. The JVM will contest from Godda and Koderma seats.

Kumar said the grand alliance has left Palamau seat to the party and believed that the RJD would accept the seat-sharing formula to unseat the BJP government.

He reiterated that the Opposition had decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of the Congress, while the leadership would fight the assembly election under JMM working president Hemant Soren.

The four-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state will start on April 29.
The Samajwadi Party Sunday said its president Akhilesh Yadav will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, presently represented by his father and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The party, which has announced the names of 20 Lok Sabha candidates till date - 19 from Uttar Pradesh and one from Madhya Pradesh, also decided Sunday to field its senior leader Azam Khan from Rampur.

Seventy-nine-year-old SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was nominated earlier to fight from the "safe seat" of Mainpuri this time.

The SP founder who was left out by the party from its list of 40 "star campaigners" Saturday, meanwhile, was included in it Sunday after the omission caused a flutter in political circles, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ruing the omission and terming it as an "irony."

Mulayam Singh's younger brother Shivpal Yadav, who has floated a new political outfit, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), following differences with his nephew Akhilesh Yadav, too reacted to the omission saying the SP founder has been "ignored" by the party.

The party's list of 40 "star campaigners", sent to the Election Commission Saturday, had no mention of the SP patriarch's name in it.

But the SP revised the list Sunday and mentioned Mulayam Singh's name on the top of it before sending it to the poll panel.

The revised list signed by senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav also carried the names of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, senior party leaders Azam Khan, Dimple Yadav and Jaya Bachchan among others.

Ram Gopal Yadav too was enlisted as one of the "star campaigners."

The SP had been announcing its candidates for various seats in ones and twos after releasing the first list on March 8, nominating its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri seat, besides a few others.

The socialist stalwart presently represents Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency, which he had won in 2014 elections along with Mainpuri seat, which he had represented thrice earlier in 1996, 2004 and 2009.

Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav, who is presently a second-term Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj, will be contesting to retain her present seat.

The other prominent party leaders whose candidatures have been declared include Akhilesh Yadav's cousins, Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav.

Dharmendra Yadav, a third-term MP from Badaun and the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav's elder brother Abhay Ram Yadav, too will be contesting to retain his present seat.

So will be Dimple Yadav, the son of SP patriarch's cousin Ram Gopal Yadav. Dimple Yadav is a first-time MP from Firozabad.

The Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal have forged a pre-poll alliance led by BSP chief Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh for the April-May general elections.

While the Samajwadi Party is slated to contest 37 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP, the BSP will fight on 38 seats and the RLD on three.

The UP tripartite alliance has left two seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli for the Congress. The seven-phase general elections in the state is to start from April 11 and will last till May 19.

The Samajwadi Party and the BSP will hold a series of joint rallies for the Lok Sabha polls, with the first one slated for April 7 at Deoband in Saharanpur district of the state. It will be addressed by all three chiefs of the tripartite alliance - Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Ajit Singh.

There will be several other joint rallies in the state with all the three parties' chiefs slated to address them together.
Days after a special court in Mumbai granted permission to the Income Tax Department to auction 68 paintings owned by Nirav Modi and his shell firm Camelot Enterprises, the fugitive diamantaire's firm has sent a legal notice to the revenue department against the three-day auction calling it unlawful.

The book value of 68 paintings is Rs 57.72 crore and the three-day auction is slated to start from March 27.

Income tax department has seized 173 paintings as part of its probe to recover dues of Rs 95.91 crore from Nirav Modi- prime accused behind the Rs 13,000-crore PNB scam.

"The Saffronart online art catalogue lists 68 artwork due for auction, overlooking that only 19 works from the 68 artworks belongs to the company," read the legal notice sent through Camelot's law firm India Law Alliance Advocates. "In the circumstances, the purported auction is unlawful and liable to be cancelled forthwith."

However, the Enforcement Directorate believes that Modi and Camelot are the beneficial owners of these paintings.

ALSO READ: PNB scam: Mehul Choksi moves plea, says can't come to India

Last week, hours after Modi was arrested in London by the Scotland Yard, the tax department had approached the court to allow it to auction 68 paintings out of the entire lot seized and the court gave its nod on the basis of the ED's 'no objection' as the assets had been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to officials, the remaining paintings were to be auctioned by the ED later.

According to a report by The Economic Times, Camelot's legal notice added that the sole director of the company Hemant Dahyalal Bhatt was in judicial custody and all the books, papers, records of the company have been seized by the statutory authorities and the premises of the company have been sealed.

"In the circumstances, the purported tax assessment proceedings and tax recovery notice of February 5... are prima-facie invalid and liable to be declared otiose," the notice stated.

The public auction is slated to start tomorrow evening in Mumbai according to the Saffronart website and the catalogue lists paintings by some of the most celebrated Indian painters, including Jogen Chowdhury, Raja Ravi Varma, VS Gaitonde, FN Souza, Akbar Padamsee and Bhupen Khakhar, as well as a selection of "contemporary Chinese paintings".

"If the amount to be realised by sale is satisfied by the sale of a portion of the property, the sale shall be immediately stopped with respect to the remainder," read the Proclamation of Sale issued by the Office of the Tax Recovery Officer, Central-3, Mumbai on March 7.

ALSO READ: Here's why it was not a 'Happy' Holi for Nirav Modi in England's most overcrowded jail

"The sale will also be stopped if before any lot is knocked down, the arrears mentioned in the said certificate, interest payable under Section 220(2) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and costs (including the costs of the sale) are tendered to the officer conducting the sale or proof is given to his satisfaction that the amount of such arrears, interest and costs has been paid to the undersigned," it had added.

Given that the tax recovery officer has the power to auction assets of assesses in default, experts say that this move by Modi to stall the auction may prove futile.

"However, the claim of the law firm would survive to the extent for 19 paintings which belong to the assessee and not 68 which are put up for auction," senior chartered accountant Dilip Lakhani told The Economic Times.

Meanwhile, Modi is currently lodged in the Wandsworth prison -- considered one of England's most overcrowded jails - where he will remain till March 29, when the next hearing will take place at the Westminster Magistrates Court. The hearing is expected to be presided over by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, the same judge who had ordered the extradition of Kingfisher Airlines' promoter Vijay Mallya to India last December.

Edited by Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal with PTI inputs
Irked over the continuous delay in getting the possession of flats, a section of homebuyers in Noida and Greater Noida have decided to go for NOTA instead of any candidate in the Lok Sabha Elections slated to begin next month.

Voters can press None of the Above (NOTA) button in electronic voting machines to express their disapproval of the candidates in a vote list.

The registered umbrella body of Noida Extension Flat Owners and Members Association (NEFOMA) has launched the 'No Home, No Vote' drive to manifest their displeasure with their elected representatives, state and central governments, the body told PTI.

Noida and Greater Noida are part of the Gautam Buddh Nagar parliamentary constituency which constitute over 22.5 lakh votes. Out of over five lakh new electorate who has enrolled since 2014, a major chunk comprises flat buyers, according to the district administration.

Also Read: NBCC, Suraksha bid to acquire Jaypee Infratech, finish stalled projects in Noida

"The flat buyers in Greater Noida west have not got the flats even after the assurance from the prime minister. (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath constituted three ministerial committees but those also did not help. Hence our association has started today the 'No Home, No Vote' drive from Rudra Projects in Greater Noida," NEFOMA president Annu Khan said in a statement.

"Buyers say there is no difference between the previous governments and the present government. No leader comes to the support of the flat buyers hence the flat buyers have decided they will vote for NOTA." Khan further stated.

He also complained that the concerns of flat buyers have been lingering for around 10 years now. The buyers have from time to time taken up their grievances with the successive governments (Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and now the BJP) but none of them helped.

Also Read: Developers in North and West India staring at defaults

"For years, the elected representatives have not come to resolve the flat buyers' problems and are now campaigning in residential societies just before the polls," he alleged.

Khan also affirmed that the NEFOMA which was founded in 2010 has a network of 20,000 to 25,000 flat buyers and indirectly links around a lakh people in Noida, Greater Noida and adjoining Ghaziabad. He said that the body has linked aggrieved flat buyers of major projects like Unitech, Amrapali, Jaypee and around 50 smaller ones across Delhi-NCR.

"We are reaching out to our network via different Facebook and WhatsApp groups that we have for various building projects for this campaign," he told told the news agency.

Voting for the Lok Sabha seats is due on April 11 in Noida and Greater Noida marking the first leg of the seven-phased elections.
On Monday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that the party would give Rs 72,000 per annum to 20% of India's poorest families if they come to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. According to Gandhi, the scheme would directly benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals. However, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) believes that the one section of people this scheme will be detrimental to are the taxpayers. The association released a strongly-worded statement slamming the Congress president for its "unrealistic declaration".

"It is deeply regretted that Mr Gandhi forgot to announce the source of such a whopping fund and it makes us to believe that this burden will fall on taxpayers, if his party comes to power. It is a declaration which has been made without applying any mind just for the greed of votes. It's ironic that loan waiver, other freebies burden always fall on the section that pays tax and gets nothing in return. It has become a fashion to impose all burden on taxpayers for fulfilling unrealistic declarations. Mr Gandhi has become an expert in making high but lofty declarations," said CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

The association went on to say that perhaps paying taxes has become akin to sinning. The CAIT Secretary General said that taxpayers continue to pay taxes without any hope of dignity, security or benefits, while leaders like Rahul Gandhi continue to hand over taxpayers' money to the underprivileged class.

While addressing a press conference, the Congress leader said, "After doing all the calculations several times, we have found that this scheme is fiscally possible." He added that the scheme would be implemented in phases, adding that the party would remove poverty from the country if it came to power.

Allotting Rs 72,000 per annum to 5 crore families means a burden of Rs 3.60 lakh crore on the exchequer. This amounts to 13% of the Rs 27,84,200 crore budgeted expenditure for 2019-20 and is about 2% of India's total GDP. If this comes to force, then either India will have to follow its fiscal discipline path or find resources by trimming other welfare measures.

However, Rahul Gandhi said that this scheme was finalised only after the party studied its financial implications and consulted economists and experts.

Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2019 Live: Rahul Gandhi promises Rs 72,000 per annum to India's poorest if Congress wins polls

Also read: Rahul Gandhi's Rs 72,000 per annum promise to the poor is doable; here's how
The roads leading to the Multan Airport were put on lockdown and flights were suspended after reports of firing and explosions, news agency ANI reported. The report further said that a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was also issued on Monday morning for Multan International Airport.

"This Multan bound flight is not going towards Multan. Different social media accounts are claiming that sounds of heavy firing in Multan Airport Area can be heard. No confirmations," Pakistani journalist Ahmad Noorani tweeted on Monday.

"This is confirmed that there is some problem and some kind of incident has taken place but there is nothing like attack. Roads leading to Multan Airport are closed," he wrote in another tweet.

However, further inputs claim that a minor incident occurred at the Multan airport and has been dealt with. Another Pakistani journalist Faizan Lakhani tweeted later that a small aircraft had caught fire, but nothing was confirmed as of yet.

Further details about the exact nature of the emergency are still awaited.

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Shares of state-owned oil marketing companies, IOC and BPCL, soared between 1-3 per cent on Monday after Consortium of Indian oil refiners acquired 100 per cent stake in Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1.

Marking an entry into the highly prospective UAE region, Indian consortium led by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (Indian Oil) and Bharat Petro Resources Limited (BPRL), a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), secured an exploration rights for an onshore block Concession.

The present transaction marks entry of lndian Oil as joint operator in the highly prospective UAE region and is consistent with its strategic objective of adding high quality E&P assets to its existing upstream portfolio.

Boosted by the development, shares of Indian Oil Corporation gained as much as 3.41 per cent and touched an intra-day high of Rs 162.05 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange, against previous close price of Rs 156.70.

On the National Stock Exchange, the stocks of the company were trading at Rs 161.15 apiece, up 2.61 per cent. It touched an intra-day high and low of Rs 162.20 and Rs 155, respectively.

In a similar trend, shares of BPCL were trading marginally higher at Rs 380.65 as compared to the previous close of Rs. 379.65. During the day's trade so far, the stock hit an intraday high and low of Rs 385.20 and Rs 375.10.

"The Concession has been awarded by the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government, where participation of the Indian Consortium is through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Urja Bharat Pte Limited, which comprises of Indian Oil : 50%, BPRL: 50%," IOC said in a filing to the BSE.

The company informed the exchange that Indian Consortium will make an investment of USD 170 million for the exploration activities. This award is part of Abu Dhabi's first-ever competitive block bid round.

The Concession award is for a term of 35 years with the effective date being 24th March, 2019, which was signed on 24th March 2019 between ADNOC and Indian Consortium, it added.

Onshore Block 1 covers an area of 6,162 sq. km. around Ruwais field and includes already discovered but undeveloped fields, the company said.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar

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25 Mar 2019, 4:16 PM

Bill Gates lauds Azim Premji for philanthropy,says his contribution will make a tremendous impact

Bill Gates has lauded Indian billionaire Azim Premji for his philanthropic activities and charitable contribution to the society. Considered as a source of inspiration for philanthropists across the world, Gates took to Twitter to acknowledge Wipro chairman Azim Premji's continued commitment to philanthropy. "I'm inspired by Azim Premji's continued commitment to philanthropy. His latest contribution will make a tremendous impact," Gates tweeted.

With the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019 just a few days away, political parties are busy announcing candidates for the polls so they can start campaigning on the ground. While the BJP announced its sixth list of 48 candidates on Saturday, the Congress came out with its eighth list comprising 38 candidates.

Ola cabs will run their business as usual, says Karnataka Minister

Two days after Karnataka Transport Department revoked the licence of Ola, Priyank Kharge, the social welfare minister in the state, tweeted that app-based cab aggregator will run their business as usual from today.Earlier this week, Karnataka government had issued a notice to suspend Ola's licence for six months for violating government rules by running motorcycle taxis which are not allowed for safety reasons.

Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications Enterprises pledges 12.50 cr shares of RCom with IndusInd Bank

Debt-ridden Reliance Communications Enterprises has pledged 4.52 per cent of its holding in Reliance Communications (RCom) amounting to 12.50 crore shares with private sector lender IndusInd Bank, according to a PTI report.With the fresh pledge on March 22, the total pledged shares by RCE now stands at 9.37 per cent of total share capital or 25.90 crore shares, it reported.

Logistics firm Delhivery raises $413 million in SoftBank-led funding round

Logistics company Delhivery Sunday said it has raised more than USD 400 million (Rs 2,766.82 crore) in a financing round led by the SoftBank Vision Fund. Carlyle and Fosun, both existing investors in Delhivery, have also participated in this round of financing, the company said in a statement.

Karambir Singh's appointment as next Navy Chief: Modi govt overlooks seniority again

After General Bipin Rawat's appointment as the Army Chief in 2016, the government has again overlooked seniority as a criterion while appointing Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, the second senior-most officer in the Navy, as the next Navy Chief. Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, who has superseded Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, will take over from Admiral Sunil Lanba who is retiring on May 31. Vice Admiral Bimal Verma is currently serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The government is believed to have picked the "most suitable officer" for the top job.
The Reliance Jio-induced pains for the telecom sector will continue with the industry slated to report decline in revenue for the third consecutive year, a report said Monday.

However, there is room for a "minor recovery" in the upcoming fiscal year 2019-20, the report by domestic rating agency Icra Ratings said.

The intense competition after the launch of Jio has continued and the pricing pressure manifested in "severe deterioration in the financial performance, marked by decline in revenues, lower profitability (even losses for some telcos) and low cash generation", it said.

After the 11 percent decline in revenues in FY18 to Rs 2.1 lakh crore, the industry topline is expected to further decline by 7 percent in FY19, the agency said, adding it expects a 6 percent growth in FY20.

From a profitability perspective, it said the operating profit decline is expected to narrow to 18 percent in FY19 from the 21 percent decline in the previous fiscal, the agency said, adding the same is expected to go up by 20 percent in FY20.

"FY20 can witness the benefits of higher data usage, and a relatively more consolidated and stable industry structure resulting in some pricing discipline," its sector head and vice president Harsh Jagnani said.

He, however, was quick to add that the improvement in performance comes on a low base and despite the increase, it will still be lower than the peak in FY16.

In FY20, operators will be bolstered by the planned deleveraging initiatives to the tune of Rs 90,000-1 lakh crore, it said.

The overall debt for the sector will come down to Rs 4.3 lakh crore in end FY20 from the Rs 4.75 lakh crore expected in March 2019, it said.

Based on the December quarter trends, it said the decline in ARPU (average revenue per user) has been arrested and the incumbent operators are looking for triggers of upward movement, with some operators implementing minimum recharge plans.

The Government also stands to lose out in the process as non-tax revenues earned by it in terms of license fee and spectrum usage charges will go down, the agency said.

These two revenue lines declined by 24 percent in FY18 and are expected to decline further in FY19, Icra said, estimating the non-tax revenues from the sector to be in the range of Rs 35,000-40,000 crore per year in FY19 and FY20.

Also Read: Naresh Goyal's resignation a wake-up call for policymakers, says SpiceJet chief Ajay Singh
Ireland began the search for a new central bank governor after Philip Lane was appointed on Friday to the European Central Bank's executive board by European Union leaders.

The confirmation of Lane as the ECB's new chief economist, widely expected, will cut short his seven-year term at home at the halfway point. He is due to take up his position in Frankfurt on June 1.

His successor will also sit on the ECB's Governing Council, the first time Ireland will have two rate setters. Candidates have until April 5 to apply, the finance department said in a statement.

Lane was chosen from a list of 100 potential candidates when the department hired executive recruiters to carry out a similar national and international search in 2015. The successful candidate is picked by the government.

One of Lane's two deputies at the bank, Sharon Donnery, is well positioned having narrowly lost out in the race to head the ECB's supervisory arm last year, winning plaudits from Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe in the process.

Robert Watt, who heads Ireland's department of public expenditure and has worked closely with Donohoe, was the bookmakers' favourite for the role last time before Lane emerged from a shortlist of four.

Andrew McDowell, a vice-president at the European Investment Bank and chief economic advisor to the Irish prime minister until 2016, has also been mentioned in senior political circles as a possible replacement, the Times Ireland newspaper reported last month.

McDowell, Watt and Donnery - through a spokeswoman for the central bank - declined to comment.

Lane took charge when an economic recovery was firmly in train after an international bailout a decade ago. His successor will take on an economy either on the verge of overheating or facing another major economic challenge, if neighbouring Britain leaves the European Union without a deal to smooth the transition.

"Philip is an outstanding economist, and has made an important contribution over the last four years as Governor of the Central Bank," Donohoe said in a statement, expressing his delight at Lane's appointment to such "a prestigious position". (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
Government officials and Danish executives gathered for the opening of the Eurasian pig farm in 2017. Photo: DFD

If theres an ideal place for raising pigs in China, Mingshui county in the northern hinterland of Heilongjiang province is it. Four and a half hours by road north of Harbin, the area offers perfect geographic and biological conditions, just like the Midwest of the U.S., according to Bjarne Pedersen, a Danish farm-design expert.

This is where a Chinese-Danish partnership set out to create a showcase pig farm back in 2016. They aimed to introduce Denmarks advanced pig-raising technology and farm management practices to China. Investors backed by the provincial governments of Heilongjiang and Zhejiang on the coast far to the east joined with Denmarks sovereign wealth fund in the project.

Today, the dream has turned into a ghastly nightmare. Chinas outbreak of African swine fever led to the annihilation of all 73,000 pigs on the partnerships Eurasian pig farm, operated by Heilongjiang Eurasian Animal Husbandry Co. Ltd. Investors were left with losses of more than 100 million yuan ($14.9 million).

It is the biggest death toll recorded on a single pig farm in the African swine fever epidemic that hit China since last year, according to Chinas Ministry of Agriculture. The disaster led to allegations that Chinese workers failed to comply with advanced protocols designed to prevent such widespread infections. It resulted in the departure of most of the partnerships Danish experts, a lawsuit over service fee payments and the punishment of several Mingshui officials.

The Eurasian pig farm represents one battle lost in Chinas protracted war against the pig epidemic since the first case was reported in Shenyang last August. In the worlds largest pork producing and consuming nation, nearly 1 million pigs have died or been slaughtered because of the disease as of mid-March, according to official data. Remote Hainan, Xinjiang and Tibet are the only regions in the mainland free of the disease.

The highly contagious virus, though not harmful to humans, is lethal for pigs. There is no cure or vaccine, so the most effective means of controlling outbreaks is to kill pigs that may have been exposed to the virus.

The en masse death of pigs raises questions of why and how the disease can spread so rapidly even at star farms like Eurasian, which are supposed to be equipped with the highest biosafety standards.

Loss of control

Pig deaths started to rise at the Eurasian farm in mid-November, several workers at Eurasian told Caixin. Given the scale of the farm, though, the mortality rate didnt seem extraordinary, they said.

At first, no one thought about the African swine fever, one worker said.

The first case of suspected African swine fever was reported by the farms veterinarian to management on Dec. 17, another worker said. The farm quickly treated the herd with a vaccine for the less deadly classical swine fever before the case could be confirmed.

One week later, the disease suddenly exploded with more than 300 pig deaths in one night, on Dec. 24, according to another worker at the farm. As of Dec. 29, when Eurasian reported the infection to authorities, 3,766 pigs were dead of the disease. In early January Eurasian slaughtered the rest of the herd over several days.

A Eurasian executive said the pig farm had tightened controls on accessibility to pig houses and stepped up disinfection efforts after Chinas first swine fever case was reported. But officials at the agriculture ministry in January put the blame on Eurasian for disinfection flaws that allowed the virus to spread across the farm through pig transport vehicles and workers.

Yu Kangzhen, vice minister of agriculture, at a Jan. 8 conference sharply criticized Eurasian for its operation of the pig farm and said disagreements between the farms Chinese and foreign managers hindered its disease-control efforts.

Several Eurasian sources argued that the pig farms biosafety control outperformed that of most counterparts in China but were rendered ineffective in the face of the severe epidemic.

But some Danish executives at Eurasian said the designated disinfection procedures for workers at the pig farm were not strictly followed and disagreements mounted between Chinese and Danish executives regarding the farms construction and equipment standards.

Paulo Inacio, a former farm manager of Eurasian who was in charge of the farms initial design, told Caixin that flaws in details such as minor changes in the construction of the storage for pig carcasses may have contributed to the spread of the disease.

Ive seen workers repeatedly violate rules or skip required procedures as they insisted on doing things based on their understanding, Inacio said. He quit the farm in August.

It is a real pity as it could have the opportunity to become a great project, said Pedersen, the general manager of DFD, a Danish farm-design company hired by Eurasian to provide technological support.

A checkpoint at the main road entering the Eurasian pig farm. Photo: Caixin

Devils in details

With a 700 million yuan initial investment, Eurasian pig farm covers 180 hectares with facilities from pig raising to feed production and meat processing. In April 2017, Eurasians shareholders adopted a plan provided by DFD to build the farm with the highest biosafety standards, equivalent to those set in Europe.

Under the plan, the Eurasian pig farm would impose strict disinfection and hygiene requirements for all workers and vehicles. For example, all people and vehicles were to pass through two checkpoints and disinfection centers before entering the pig farm, and only a small group of people were to be allowed access to the pig houses, and then only after strict hygiene procedures.

However, most of the rules were not implemented, according to Inacio and several other sources.

The second checkpoint was not installed until the fall of 2018, and many rural workers in the pig houses refused to follow the hygiene rules, Inacio said. Delayed construction also posed risks to the pigs as construction workers entered the farm without following the hygiene procedures, he said.

Not until November 2018 did Eurasian have its first resident veterinarian despite years of demanding one, according to Inacio. A Chinese manager said the farm had made great efforts to hire a veterinarian but was unable to find a qualified one who was willing to work in an area as small and remote as Mingshui.

Many production conditions written in the contract were not strictly followed, Pedersen said. But we had no power to address and correct that, he said. Cultural differences and language barriers caused obstacles in communication between Chinese and foreign managers at the farm, he said.

After the outbreak of African swine fever, most of the Danish executives left Eurasian, local people said. DFD has filed a lawsuit against Heilongjiang Eurasian in Denmark for delayed payments of 170,000 euros of service fees, according to Pedersen.

Several Mingshui officials were punished by the agricultural ministry for the Eurasian crisis. The pig farm has remained closed for disinfection, Caixin learned.

Outside Mingshui, China still faces great challenges in containing the disease. A recent report by Xinhu Futures Co. estimated that the African swine fever has reduced the number of pigs in China by 30% and would expand the loss to 50%.

In 2018, Chinas pig farms produced 690 million animals, official data showed. Foreign experts have widely estimated that about 20% of Chinas herd has been affected by the disease, according to Pedersen.

Some experts predicted that the disease is likely to be controlled this summer but turn even worse next winter due to seasonal factors.

The African swine fever will have significant impacts on Chinas national economy as the pork industry generates 1.6 trillion yuan of value each year and may affect related industries worth 3 trillion yuan, said Chen Huanchun, a professor at Huazhong Agricultural University in Hubei province.

A previous version of the story used the incorrect name for the disease that has affected Chinese pig farms. It is African swine fever, not flu.

Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com)
March 25, 2019  Ottawa, Ontario  Department of Finance Canada

Today, Finance Minister Bill Morneau issued the following statement regarding Indigenous economic participation in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project:

"Since re-initiating Phase III consultations on the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion Project (the Project), the Government of Canada has heard interest from Indigenous groups in participating economically in the Project, including through equity and revenue sharing. The Government welcomes the interest, and hopes to engage on that topic, in the event that the Government decides to approve the Project. This was communicated to Indigenous groups involved in the consultation process earlier this month.

"Our Government's focus remains on the continuing Phase III consultations that are actively underway with over 117 Indigenous groups that are potentially impacted by the Project.

"In the event of the Governor in Council making a decision to approve the Project, we would be committed to exploring the possibilities of Indigenous economic participation in the Project with Indigenous groups, should that be of interest.

"We have proposed that the exploratory discussions be guided by the following principles:

That the potentially impacted Indigenous communities could have an opportunity for meaningful economic participation in the Project;

That the participation of Indigenous groups could help the economic development of their communities in keeping with the spirit of reconciliation;

That the Government invested in the Trans Mountain Corporation to benefit all Canadians; and,

That the Project would be built and operated on a commercial basis.

"The Department of Finance would lead exploration of this topic. Our Government has been clear that no relationship is more important to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoplesone based on respect, cooperation, partnership and the recognition of rights."
Major high-rise office projects accommodating more tech tenants and greater commercial investment volume are scheduled to commence soon in Toronto and Vancouver.

Leading developers Allied Properties REIT and Westbank have announced that the construction of the office towers  which are predicted to reshape these markets downtown areas  will pave the way for greater tech industry presence in Canadas largest markets.

Tech companies have been cited by observers like Marcus & Millichap as a major pillar of stability form the office property sector.

In Toronto, the 264-metre, 1.7-million-square-foot Union Centre building will be built near Union Station.

[Union Centre] is a sign of what Toronto is becoming, Westbank chief executive Ian Gillespie told The Globe and Mail. The city isnt just about finance any more. Its about everything: tech, culture and a variety of other pursuits.

Read more: Commercial property market heavily leans upon tech companies

In Vancouver, Allied Properties REIT and Westbank will be erecting a 500,000 sq. ft. tower beside BC Place. This project is expected to become one of the citys largest office buildings so far.

Techs influence in Canadian commercial real estate has been predicted to grow even stronger in the near future, with major players like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon likely spending billions in office expansions and hire tens of thousands of new workers over the next few years.
A 10-year agreement cemented between the governments of Canada and Alberta will give rise to more affordable housing units in the province over the next decade.

The deal involves the investment of $678 million in the renewal and expansion of Albertas low-cost housing, with both governments contributing $339 million each for the long-term funding.

The agreement  which will greatly support Albertas initiatives concerning housing repair, construction, and affordability  comes in addition to the more than $638 million in existing 10-year federal housing investments in Alberta, coursed through the Social Housing Agreement.

The Liberal administration has invested almost $510 million in Albertas housing since November 2015. The oil industry crashes of recent years have hit the provinces home buyers and consumers particularly hard.

Read more: Oil sector recovery propelling Western Canadas rental homes

The new agreement marks the beginning of a partnership that will be supported by long-term and predictable funding starting April 1, 2019, the governments stated in the announcement.

Albertas first Affordable Housing Strategy was launched in 2017 with the goal of building and renewing 4,100 units, and that goal is about to be achieved and exceeded. This new agreement means Alberta can continue our bold approach to address the housing needs of Albertans, Alberta Minister of Seniors and Housing Lori Sigurdson said.
news, latest-news

Canberra construction behemoth Geocon has again stepped in to help Empire Global deliver a project, this time the former Air Towers in Gungahlin. The 14-storey, 270-unit development costing $140 million has been rebadged The Establishment. Construction will start in October on the corner of Gozzard and Swain streets and take two years to finish. It follows Geocon also teaming up with Empire Global to complete the former Jardine, now Aspen, development in Tuggeranong when Empire signalled it would not be able to meet its previous construction deadlines. Unlike Jardine, where purchasers off the plan had their contracts rescinded and deposits returned so the development could start afresh, Air Towers aka The Establishment had not yet been released so did not have existing buyers, a spokeswoman said. Concerns about the height of the former Air Towers had seen the development cut from 26 to 18 storeys. A Geocon spokeswoman said under the new guise of The Establishment, the project would now be 14 storeys. She said the project had development approval. Geocon managing director Nick Georgalis is unabashed in the company's desire to reach all corners of the ACT and "transform the skyline" as it goes. Gungahlin was ripe for development, the second-fastest growing region in Australia and growing at five times the rest of Australia, he said. With the unprecedented demand we are seeing with Aspen, we have decided to fast track this release to meet the market demand," he said. "We have an ambitious vision to transform Canberras skyline and that extends to all of our town centres like Gungahlin. "The Establishment will see us bring our signature precinct living and luxurious amenities to an up-and-coming area. "With this development weve added a fresh new edge including our first ever outdoor gym." A drawcard of the development will be its proximity to stage one of Canberra's new light rail system. It also includes 750 square metres of residential amenity - including a rooftop lap pool, the outdoor cinema and gym - and 500 square metres of commercial/retail space. Empire chief executive Tomislav Simunic praised Geocon for its "reputation of delivering amenity-rich units". "Were proud to be partnering with leading developer Geocon, to bring this development with inner-city standards of living to the suburbs, Mr Simunic said. The Establishment will offer a selection of one, two- and three-bedroom apartments "inspired by Chicagos industrial warehouse scene". It will be also be the only development in Gungahlin to offer a pizza shop, cafe, bar and barber located in the plaza below. Apartments will start from $299,900.

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news, crime

The day Olga Edwards took her own life, five months after her former partner murdered their children, Jack, 15, and Jennifer, 13, Natasha Stott Despoja was having lunch with Rosie Batty. It was such a positive lunch, says Stott Despoja, the founding chair of Our Watch, a national organisation dedicated to driving cultural and attitudinal change to prevent violence against women and their children. I was marvelling at Rosies will to bring about change and her desire for good to come from Lukes murder. She seemed optimistic about the progress made in preventing family violence and was looking towards new opportunities to make a difference to Australia. I got back to the hotel and heard the news and got a text from Rosie, another wasted life  but so very understandable, she said, and I just felt this weight of this poor woman, of both of them. The police said it was as good as murder: he destroyed her life, he was abusive to her, he killed their children, all of us struggle to comprehend what kind of man does that, but then for her, the unimaginable pain and horror of her life. In 2016 Stott Despoja left her position as Australias ambassador for women and girls. There are people I have met and things I've seen in the last few years that have shaken me, she said then. It seems not a lot has changed. Stott Despoja, the youngest woman to enter parliament, serving as a senator from 1995 to 2008, has been a lifelong advocate for gender equality. Now shes written a book On Violence, the latest installment, in Melbourne University Press challenging On  series - little books on big ideas. Its not an easy read but it's a book everyone should read. While were all aware of the statistics, or we think we are, seeing them in black and white, on the page, is startling still. Worldwide, more than one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some way," she writes. "Every 10 minutes, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl dies as a result of violence. Child marriage affects about 14 million girls every year, robbing them of both their childhood and a future in which they can unlock their full potential. The use of rape as a tactic of war in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, the trafficking of women into sexual slavery and domestic servitude, sexual violence against internally displaced women and girls, the kidnapping of schoolgirls in parts of Africa, attacks on girls for simply having the determination to catch a bus to school, the daily horror of domestic and family violence in countries of the Pacific, including South Asia and Australia - these are but a few examples of the patterns of gender-based violence around the globe. Little wonder the World Health Organisation describes violence against women as an epidemic. In Australia, I call it a national emergency. During October 2018, Australia experienced a record death toll of women when 11 women were murdered in 27 days. Police get called to one domestic violence matter every two minutes: thats 657 times a day. One in four women in Australia has experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and every week, on average, a woman is killed. Most of these murders take place in the home, and they are often the final brutal act after a long history of violence. Of the women who experience violence, more than half have children in their care. Stott Despoja spoke at the National Press Club in November 2013, with former Victorian chief commissioner of police Ken Lay. Ken said imagine each week an Australian is murdered at a train station. It would be a front-page news story in each of our capital cities  our public response isnt at all like we imagined it would be if those victims died not in their family rooms but at train stations. She says community awareness is an important part of primary prevention. But not just awareness of the death toll or statistics but people understanding they have a role to play, that this is a whole of community mission, little things that all of us do or say every day make a difference. Obviously, ultimately, we want perpetrators to stop being violent, there's a very clear role that certain men can play, but there are other things we can all do. Every time you laugh at a sexist joke, it may not result in violence but it helps create expectations of women's roles in society, it helps create a society that is not exactly ethical and equal and most importantly respectful. Everyone can pitch in and we can play different roles  everyone can do something that leads to a society that's more respectful. Stott Despoja, who, while in politics, had bricks thrown through her office window and a bullet left on the doorstep of her family home, has received backlash since the book was released. For me to be surprised is very unusual, I've been dealing with backlash for most of adult life, but some of the nasty comments that have been thrown since the book came out, the aggressive tone, the visceral tone of some men towards me, has been sometimes frightening and it is alarming. What I have learned is that when you do talk about issues in a raw and honest terms you do face backlash  but its surprised me that Ive felt debilitated by some of the negativity. But she wrote the book to start a conversation. We often see seemingly trivial issues  such as a slip-up at a Bunnings sausage sizzle  generate more public engagement and policy response than the scourge of violence against women, she writes. We need to do more. We all need to do something. On Violence, by Natasha Stott Despoja, Melbourne University Press, $14.99. Natasha Stott Despoja, in conversation with Lieutenant General David Morrison, on her new book On Violence. March 27, 6.30pm. Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU. anu.edu.au/events

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U.S. officials have exchanged views with representatives of Russia and China on the current status of the Afghan peace process, the State Department says. In a statement on March 22, the department said representatives met in Washington on March 21-22 and discussed common efforts to bring peace, prosperity, and security to Afghanistan. They underscored their respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, as well as Afghanistans right to make its own political, security, and economic decisions, the statement added.

Gandhara RFE/RL reports in its article U.S. Exchanges Views On Afghanistan With Russia, China, EU that the three countries agreed to hold further discussions on the issue and that the exact dates and sites for such talks were to be decided.



The statement did not list which officials were involved in the discussions, although on March 20, the State Department announced that the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, would meet with officials from Russia and China on the matter.



That statement said Zamir Kabulov, Russia's presidential envoy to Afghanistan; Deng Xijun, his Chinese counterpart; and Roland Kobia, the EU's special envoy, would be part of the briefing.



Russian state-run TASS news agency said Kabulov attended the talks in Washington. And, simultaneously but separately, the State Department said Khalilzad had held consultations with Kobia, although it was not clear if the talks were together with the other diplomats or bilateral.

Khalilzad and Kobia agreed that bringing an end to Afghanistans war and achieving peace must be the key objective, and that violence should cease, the statement said. "Both sides underscored their respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan," it said, adding that the United States and EU "encourage all countries to support the current peace process, inclusive intra-Afghan talks, and lasting development and reconstruction in Afghanistan.



The government in Kabul is fighting against Taliban extremists, who are attempting to reclaim control of the Afghan government. The Taliban controlled the Afghan government before being driven from power in 2001 by a U.S.-led invasion after it refused to end support for Al-Qaeda terrorists following the September 11 terror attacks in the United States. Taliban leaders, who took control in 1996, imposed a harsh form of Islamic law that denied education and work to women and girls as they cracked down on other social activities.



They were accused by international groups of human rights violations, causing concerns among more-moderate Afghans about their participation in any future government.The U.S. military has some 12,000 troops in Afghanistan, mostly serving in training and advisory roles, but President Donald Trump has indicated a desire to reduce U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and withdraw American forces.



Khalilzad has held several rounds of peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar, but the Western-backed government in Kabul has been absent from the negotiations, with the militant group insisting it will not engage with a Western "puppet."
news, latest-news

Bangkok: Thailand's main opposition party and Human Rights Watch have questioned the credibility of Thailand's stunning election result, which has put military junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha in the box seat to retain the prime ministership. And the results in Thailand's first election in eight years, which was held on Sunday, are also being questioned by social media users who have pointed to polling irregularities, allegations of vote buying and a large number of votes - more than 1.7 million - being ruled invalid. Thailand's Electoral Commission had been due to announce an unofficial count of 95 per cent of the vote on Sunday evening, but that was pushed back to 2pm Bangkok time (6pm AEDT) on Monday. With 93 per cent of the vote counted by Monday morning, Bangkok time, Prayut's Palang Pracharat party was forecast to win 121 seats in the 500 member lower house. The main opposition party Pheu Thai looked to have captured about 130 seats, well below expectations. Under Thailand's complicated new electoral system, the 500 member lower house and 250 member senate - which is hand-picked by the military junta - selects the prime minister. In effect, this means Prayut's Palang Pracharat only needs to win 126 seats lower house seats to secure the prime ministership. Pre-election polls had tipped his Palang Pracharat could win as few as 60 seats - far less than it appears to have won. Even if Palang Pracharat falls short of 126 seats, it looks likely it will form an alliance with the Bhumjaithai Party, which looked set to win 51 seats, and the royalist Democrats, who won just 53 of the 100 seats they had targeted and saw their leader, former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva quit. Pheu Thai Party spokesperson Ladawan Wongsriwong said on Monday that his party was considering whether to submit complaints to the Election Commission. "There is suspicion about extra ballots where the number of ballots was higher than the number of voters in some districts," he said . "There is also suspicion about reports of vote-buying." Human Rights Watch's Thailand researcher Sunai Phasuk said the organisation was receiving complaints about "irregularities in the vote count and tabulation ... which seems to favour Palang Pracharat [Prayut's party]". "The complaints we have received are about the vote count being higher than the number of eligible voters in some constituencies," he said. "Last night people went to bed with either [opposition parties] Pheu Thai or Future Forward in the lead [in specific seats] but woke up to find Palang Pracharat in the lead position  and the numbers simply don't add up. "We expect the Electoral Commission to take these allegations seriously and come up with a professional, serious inquiry into these complaints." Voter participation in the poll was about 67 per cent  down from 70 per cent in 2011, and well down on a forecast turn-out of up to 85 per cent. Thai-language hashtags that translated as "Election Commission screw-up" and "cheating the election" were trending at numbers one and three on Twitter in Thailand. The Australian National University's Thailand expert, Professor Greg Raymond, said it was important not to rush to conclusions about vote buying or poll rigging taking place. However, he added "there are some worrying cases coming to light that have the potential to undermine confidence in the result". At a minimum, Prayut looks set to lead a minority government in the lower house of parliament. This opens up the prospect of more political instability in the days and weeks ahead as the former general cannot rely on the hand-picked 250 senators to stave off censure or no confidence motions. This election is the first since 2001 in which a party aligned with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has not claimed a big majority in the parliament. The Future Forward Party, a new group led by charismatic 40-year-old billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and who opposed the military regime, was on track to claim a strong 81 seats in its first showing. In an interview with Bloomberg, Thanathorn warned the results mean "there might be another election, there might be another military intervention." "Everything is still on the table." with wires

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Fire has broken out at the onshore Kalamkas oilfield in Kazakhstan's Mangistau province today, the countrys emergencies committee said.

The fire was reported at 07:10am local time (04:10am MSK). It covered 900 square meters.

14 people and 4 vehicles were involved in extinguishing the fire. There are no victims or casualties, Sputnik Kazakhstan reported.

The field is operated by the MangistauMunaiGas company.
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

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U.S. justice department special counsel Robert Mueller has concluded that U.S. Donald Trump and his presidential campaign did not collude with Russia in an attempt to influence the 2016 election result.

In a letter to Congress following the end of a 22-month probe that consumed Washington, U.S. attorney-general William Barr said Mueller "did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or co-ordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election."

"The special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it does not exonerate him, Barr wrote in his four-page letter.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement declaring it a victory for the White House.

"The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States," Sanders said.

"No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total exoneration,"Trump tweeted on Sunday. "It was just announced there was no collusion with Russia . . . There was no obstruction," Trump told media on the tarmac. "It was a complete and total exoneration. It's a shame that our country had to go through this . . . This was an illegal takedown that failed."

Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani said that Muellers report into Russian interference in the 2016 election was more positive than he had anticipated, based on the summary of the report released on Sunday.

"Its better than I expected," Reuters cited Giuliani as saying.

Trumps eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said that Barrs summary of Muellers report proves what those of us with sane minds have known all along, there was zero collusion with Russia.

"Sadly, instead of apologizing for needlessly destabilizing the country in a transparent attempt to delegitimize the 2016 election, its clear that the Collusion Truthers in the media and the Democrat Party are only going to double down on their sick and twisted conspiracy theories moving forward, Bloomberg cited Trump Jr. as saying.

U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr said that Attorney General William Barr should release as much of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report as possible.

In a statement, Burr also said his committee would complete its remaining interviews and issue its reports "in the coming weeks and months" on Russian election interference.

Director of the Institute of Political Studies Sergei Markov, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that this report still does not mean that the topic of pressure on Trump with the 'Russian interference' is closed. "Everybody knew that there was no collusion. The Russian issue was promoted, first, in order not to let Trump win, and then to achieve his impeachment," he recalled.

"Before the election, the topic was used to have a legal basis for a wiretap of Trumps election headquarters. That is, it was a falsification from the very beginning. After the election, Republicans needed artificial pretexts to remove Trump from power. In the near future, most likely, emphasis will be placed on the fact that Trump obstructed justice in order to suspend the investigation of the 'Russian interference', although this is also a lie," Sergey Markov expects.

"For Russia, the Muller report may promise some improvement in the international situation. The official fact that Trump did not have collusion with Russia gives the U.S. president more opportunities to act on the Russian direction in a positive way. Previously, such a possibility was largely blocked for him, so now, at least, there is a chance to resume the negotiation process. On the other hand, we know that the opponents of improving Russian-American relations will surely come up with something else," the director of the Institute of Political Studies concluded.
Photo: The Canadian Press Omar Khadr speaks outside court in Edmonton on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

UPDATE 8:40 a.m.

An Alberta judge has ruled that a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr has expired.

ORIGINAL 5:41 a.m.

An Alberta judge is expected to rule today on whether a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr should be declared expired.

The eight-year sentence imposed in 2010 would have ended last October had Khadr remained in custody.

But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadr's appeal of his military conviction.

Khadr's lawyer Nathan Whitling has told an Edmonton court that Khadr has served more than seven years in custody and on bail.

His application asks the judge to place Khadr under conditional supervision for one day then declare his sentence served.

The Crown has argued Khadr should serve the remainder of his sentence in the community.

Whitling says the appeal of the sentence in the United States hasn't moved forward at all and it would be unfair to use that against him.

Whitling has also argued that the military commission that sentenced Khadr has been widely discredited by legal experts.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled the punishment handed Khadr for alleged acts committed in Afghanistan when he was 15 years old was to be a youth sentence.

One hurdle Khadr must overcome is proving that the Alberta court has jurisdiction.

The international treaty under which he was transferred to Canada from Guantanamo Bay could be interpreted as precluding such a review. If that view prevails, his application asks the judge to declare that part of the treaty unconstitutional.

Khadr spent years in U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay after he was captured and accused of tossing a grenade that killed special forces soldier Christopher Speer at a militant compound in Afghanistan in 2001.

Since his release on bail, Khadr has lived in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., without incident. The court has eased some of his initial bail conditions, but several remain in place.

Those conditions include not having access to a Canadian passport, a ban on unsupervised communication with his sister who lives in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, and a requirement to notify his bail supervisor before leaving Alberta.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is keeping up the pressure on the Trump administration, warning that Canada's support for the updated North American trade pact may hinge on the U.S. lifting tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Freeland, who met Monday in Washington with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, says many Canadians have serious questions about ratifying the new NAFTA as long as those tariffs are still in place.

Freeland says she told President Donald Trump's trade czar that Canadians want the U.S. tariffs and Canada's retaliatory measures removed before the countries move forward with the approval of the agreement, also known as the USMCA.

In addition to being ratified in Mexico and Canada, the deal must make its way through Congress as part of a process that experts predict will take until late summer to run its course.

Freeland was in the U.S. capital to meet with Lighthizer as well as other lawmakers, including Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the new chair of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on trade.

She calls the tariffs  which the U.S. justifies on national security grounds  illegal and absurd, saying they make even less sense now that the new NAFTA agreement has been signed by all three countries.

"I also made the point to Ambassador Lighthizer that the existence of these tariffs, for many Canadians, raises some serious questions about NAFTA ratification," Freeland said following Monday's meeting.

"I have heard from a lot of Canadians that they would be really troubled by Canada moving forward with ratification while the tariffs are still in place. I think to Canadians it just doesn't make sense."
Photos: Jorge Cousillas / El Ojo Nautico  Pablo Volker & Sergio Mehl (Scorpion / 1D) scored 5 bullets out of 8 races this weekend to grab the first place overall on a local Regatta. Conditions were 8 to 10 knots flat Northern but a bit shifty on Saturday, 1 to 2 trapeze. And Sunday was a full offshore blown out from the South West, super gusty and challenging conditions which left half of the fleet ashore.

Only the most experienced crews raced the second day. Many rookies participating, with the long time crews getting new boats the second hand market is offering great alternatives once more to enter the Class.

This was the cycle that make the F18 World wide fleet strong, and we are happy to see a renewed interest in the Class, from the old guard due to new boats/ devels / DS sails and on newcomers discovering the Catracing realm, many former Laser sailors among them.

The stars of this regatta were Federico Reim & Nico Aragones (Scorpion / 1D). Fede had not been racing F18s for a while and recently got Mischas 2017 WC Scorpion. First time on the boat and thanks to key help of Nico Aragones (F18 Arg Champ x2 / N15 Coach) they managed to take on the local established crews both days. Impressive performance that puts pressure to the old guard towards Costa Brava Worlds in July.

Top 8 crews with even performances for the Scorpions & Phantoms, all equipped with 1D DS mainsails. Quite competitive fleet for the most experienced sailors and we expect some more top crews coming from Santa Fe for next regatta with two more Phantoms and another Scorpion.

The local fleet will continue to target Costa Brava as key event, last year there were some equipment issues for the Arg crews and Sarasota Worlds had a crazy week on conditions, same for all of course, but it was a tough Worlds where the Pro Greeks prevailed followed by two local US crews.

Costa Brava 2018 Europeans delivered one of the best events the Class has seen, and the org was awarded with the 2019 Worlds. 5 Arg crews already registered, and Im happy to see many Australians going for it, an Aussie charge led by Burvill & Puttman excellent results last years Euros & Worlds on their 100% Aussie Edge / Nxt Gen Sails platform.

Still the Class management has not implemented any economical help for those organizing containers to attend European events, and I think the Australians deserve support on their efforts.

The Arg crews will charter this time around.

Goodall Design is offering charters, contact them at goodalldesign.net/index.php/about-us/contact-us

Brett Burvill is offering Edges too, contact him at www.windrushyachts.com.au/contact-us

For Scorpions let us know and will get you one.

100 teams already registered for Costa Brava 2019 Worlds, check entry list and official web at: cvballena-alegre.sailti.com/en/default/races/race-inscriptions/text/f18-world-championship-2019-en

Results for this weekend Arg racing. Below a video from Sunday, just to show some windward mark takes, poor quality on the zoom used, informative only:
Grigol Vashadze was elected as a chairman of the United National Movement. The voting has been held yesterday at the 8th Congress of the party. 364 delegates voted in favor of Grigol Vashadze, one voted against and one abstained.

Former President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili addressed the party members via the internet, Sputnik Georgia reported.

The voting process was conducted through a new method. The delegates used a mobile voting app.
Ecocem proposes capital restructure and dividend payment

25 March 2019

Irish cement producer Ecocem is preparing to pay out large dividends, reports the Irish Times. Shareholders at Ecocem are likely to recieve healthy dividends after the group proposed to restructure its capital to allow it pay a dividend of up to EUR5m.



The directors said the proposed reduction in Ecocem's capital would create a distributable reserve "to allow for the prospect of the payment of dividends in future," as long as the company can afford it.



At the end of December, the directors declared, Ecocem Materials had total assets of EUR46m and liabilities of EUR6.5m.

Published under
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline company expects to receive approval from Danish authorities for a 180-km stretch of the pipeline under the Baltic Sea in time to finish the pipeline by the end of 2019 as planned, Nord Stream 2 spokesman Jens Mueller said.

The spokesman noted there was "good reason" to believe Danish authorities would process a second proposal submitted by the project in August 2018 within eight to 12 months, allowing the pipeline to be finished on schedule.

According to him, even if the Danes acted late in the year, the company could bring in additional ships to lay the pipeline. The spokesman noted that two ships now working off the coast of Sweden were completing about 6 km a day, adding that at that rate, the Danish segment could be completed in a month.

"There is good reason to assume that we will receive this approval at a timepoint when we can complete this construction in an uncomplicated manner," Reuters cited the spokesman as saying.
Armenian and Georgian Prime Ministers Nikol Pashinyan and Mamuka Bakhtadze held an informal meeting yesterday in the village of Yenokavan in the Tavush province bordering Georgia, according to the Armenian PM's press office.

The sides discussed various issues of Georgian-Armenian relations and touched upon other topics of mutual interest as well.

Pashinyan and Bakhtadze expressed confidence that "the furtherance of cooperation will promote multifaceted exchanges between the two neighboring and friendly states in a number of areas," Agenda.ge reported.

It was the second informal meeting between the Georgian and Armenian prime ministers. The first such meeting was held on January 15 in Georgia's town of Bolnisi.
Units from Russias Airborne Troops are participating in an extensive military drill in Crimea, Russia's Defense Ministry press service reported.

The exercise features more than 1,500 paratroopers, more than 300 military cargo aircraft and army helicopters, as well as the Black Sea Fleets large amphibious landing craft.

Over the course of the exercise "the regiments will practice the combined redeployment of troops over large distances in the least time possible." "Military personnel and equipment will be air-dropped from cargo aircraft onto a few landing sites," the Defense Ministry added.

"One of the most spectacular parts of the drill will feature the landing of the air assault regiments from watercraft to seize and destroy simulated enemy control points and training camps for illegally armed combatants," TASS cited the press service as saying.
A fire destroyed an Ooltewah home Sunday afternoon.

At 4:20 pm, a 911 call was made reporting a house fire at 6430 Paw Paw Trail.

Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded and arrived on the scene confirming fire through the roof. Tri-Community VFD requested a Mutual Aid response for additional manpower. Highway 58 VFD and Chattanooga Fire Department responded to the fire. Bradley County Fire Rescue and East Ridge Fire Department stood by at Tri-Communitys District for any additional emergency calls. Hamilton County Marine Rescue responded for rehab.

Once firefighters confirmed everyone was out of the home, firefighters entered the structure to extinguish the fire.

Moments later, firefighters were ordered to evacuate the home due to the unstable roofline and partial collapse. Firefighters moved to a defensive attack to get the fire under control.

No injuries were reported but HCEMS was on the scene to any potential injuries to firefighters.

Tri-Community Asst. Chief Danny Hague reported the house is a total loss and damages are estimated at $350,000.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and will be under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office.
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann issued the following statement on Special Counsel Robert Muellers report:

Today we learned what myself, and a majority of the American people, have known all along: there was no collusion. For over two years, Democrats have perpetuated a false narrative, lied to their constituents, and left a stain on our nations history.

"The Mueller investigation was completed thoroughly and is now over. Rather than continuing their mudslinging tactics that have proven to bear no fruit, I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to abandon their divisive rhetoric and get back to legislating for the good of our country.

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement regarding today's letter from Attorney General Bill Barr to Congress on Special Counsel Mueller's report:

After two years of thorough investigation, led by a team of 19 lawyers and 40 FBI employees, costing over $25 million in taxpayer dollars, Special Counsel Robert Muellers conclusions confirm that President Trumps campaign did not collude with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Attorney General Bill Barr, in a jointly reached conclusion with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, determined the evidence from the Special Counsel report was not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

Attorney General Barr is to be commended for his quick release of the findings to Congress as well as his commitment to continue reviewing the matter further with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Russias efforts to rig our elections and interfere with Americas democracy is a dangerous threat to our nation. I trust the Special Counsels findings will help us understand how we can prevent this threat moving forward.


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Blog Birding #400 Birders in the northern part of North America are starting to see the arrival of spring in the form of Red-winged Blackbirds. Kent MacFarland of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies Blog celebrates their raucous return and what it means about the changing climate. Getting her start in 1960, Kathleen Anderson recorded spring phenology on her 100-acre property just south of Boston for over 50 years. Everyday she recorded bird arrivals, plants flowering, butterflies emerging and frogs singing. She wasnt systematic in her efforts, but year after year she paid attention on her walks or while sitting on the back porch and noted each observation in her diary. Increasingly wet springs, themselves a result of climate change, cause problems for cavity nesting birds like Tree Swallows, as recently summarized at Phys.org. Established in 1975 by Raleigh Robertson at the Queens University Biological Station (QUBS) north of Kingston, a box-nesting population of tree swallows has provided long-term data sets that a number of Queens researchers have used. In her most recent study, Dr. Bonier and Cox have determined rainy springs are linked to poor nestling growth in this species. As birding becomes more popular, we are increasingly aware that that growth isnt occurring across every demographic. But as Glenn Nelson reports at Yes Magazine, a number of black birders are hoping to change that. Not too many people saw the value of birding in the projects, Adams says. But when theyre migrating, birds dont say, Oh no, those are the projects, Im going to go to Central Park. I got to eat, I got to rest, and I got to find a mate. So whatever habitat is suitable to doing those things, I got to find it. Ecosystems dont stop according to neighborhoods. More spring updates (the bird blogosphere is full of them this week) from Minnesota birder Laura Erickson at For the Birds. Things are beginning to happen up in the north country. I was hoping to see owls and the last winter birds. No owls for me yesterdayBald Eagle, Northern Harrier, and Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks were the order of the day. Unbroken sun and temperatures reaching 50 degrees provided ideal conditions for them to circle on thermals. Once hawks clear Lake Superior, they scatter, so I didnt see anything like the numbers Frank Nicoletti, John Richardson, and others have been counting in Duluth on West Skyline Road since March 1. (You can keep up with their counts at hawkridge.org .) On March 21, they counted 1,076 Bald Eaglesa record for a single dayas well as 38 Golden Eagles. As of the 23rd, theyve counted a total of 3,847 raptors this month, over 3,500 of them Bald Eagles. And in California as well, as Steve Tucker reports at Bourbon, Bastards, and Birds. Shorebirds are extremely hard in my 5MR, but at least I have gulls! A great many gulls. Shitloads of gulls on good days, about 98% of which are California, Herring, Glaucous-winged, Herring X Glaucous-winged and Iceland. Like last winter, Ive spent a lot of time combing through flocks in the hopes of finding a proper rarity. Photographed at Almaden Lakeagainwhich is turning out to be more interesting than I thought it was.
A large-scale strike of Georgias social workers has been underway since the morning across the country.

Protesters demand better working conditions in and more efficient and timely services from Georgia's Social Service Agency for the individuals it is responsible for.

The Open Society Georgia Foundation has expressed support for the workers and states that their demands serve to improve the social protection system in Georgia.

According to the foundation, the working conditions of those working in the system are especially alarming. It added that the government is obliged to ensure safe and proper working conditions for them. It calls upon the government and parliament to take the social workers demands into consideration, Agenda.ge reported.

The social workers announced the strike after a five-hour meeting at the Health Ministry on March 20. The protesters and Health Ministry agreed to only two demands out of a total of 22.

Social workers are protesting in Tbilisi, Batumi, Telavi, Kutaisi and other cities.
Arnold Memorial Elementary host Literacy Bingo Night for Grades 3-4 on Monday, 5:30-7:00 pm. Students and families are invited to play games for a chance to win books for your home library. For more information contact Marcia Wallace, 423-472-2241, mwallace@clevelandschools.org.



Mayfield Elementary hosts Creative Discovery Museum Health Night on Tuesday, 5:30-7:00 pm. Families concoct a healthy recipe, are grossed out by their bodily functions and assess their well-being. Families have fun together while exploring healthy habits. For more information contact Randall Stephens, 423-472-4541, rstephens@clevelandschools.org.



Blythe-Bower Elementary hosts the Mix 104.1 Morning Radio Show on Thursday, 7:00-9:00 am. Students and teachers will be interviewed and perform for the live radio audience. For more information contact Prisavia Croft, 423-479-5121, pcroft@clevelandschools.org.



Kindergarten Registration is Friday 1:00-7:00 pm and Saturday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at Cleveland High School. All incoming kindergarten students attending a school in Cleveland City for the 2019-2020 school year, and parents of these students, should come to Raider Arena located at Cleveland High School, 850 Raider Drive on either one of the registration dates above. To be eligible for kindergarten in 2019-2020, your child must be five (5) years of age on or before August 15, 2019. Click here for more information.



Arnold Memorial Elementary will host the Great Strides Mini-Walk on Friday to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Students and staff will participate in fun activities and competitions all week to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research. For more information contact Mike Chai, 423-472-2241, mchai@clevelandschools.org.



Yates Primary and Ross Elementary host Raider Run on Friday. Students have been running in increments of 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 3/4 mile, and 1 mile during PE classes this year working toward the goal of an accumulated 25.2 miles. On Friday, students will run the final mile for a total of 26.2 miles over the year. Students receive donations for each lap completed from family, friends and neighbors. All funds raised support school programs.



Blythe-Bower hosts the Bobcat Boogie Color Run 5K on Friday, 6:00 pm at the Cleveland Greenway Pavilion. This 5K and 1-mile fun run along with a silent auction are open to the entire community. Click here for more information or contact Amanda Matson, amatson@clevelandschools.org.



Arnold Memorial presents Willy Wonka Jr. on Friday, 7:00 pm and Saturday, 2:00 pm in the Arnold Theater. Admission is free for Arnold students, $5/adults and $2/children. Concessions will be available for purchase; all proceeds go toward future productions. The show is made possible by a grant from the Allied Arts Council of Cleveland. Click here for more information. The Arnold PTO will also have a Student Artwork Sale at both performances. Please come to check out and purchase some beautiful student artwork and help support the PTO!





Parent Conferences:
1964 The Tribute will come to the Tivoli Theatre on Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $38 and $28 (plus applicable fees) and available here on Friday on 10 a.m.

Review for 1964 The Tribute:

Since the early eighties, 1964The Tribute has been thrilling audiences around the globe by taking them on journey through a quintessential moment in music history that will live forever.

Over 20 years of researching and performing have made 1964 masters of their craft. They are hailed by critics and fans alike as THE most authentic and endearing Beatles tribute.which has earned them the distinction from Rolling Stone magazine as the Best Beatles Tribute on Earth.

1964 recreates an early 60s live Beatle concert with period instruments, clothing, hairstyles, and onstage banter with an accuracy that is unmatched.
The League of Women Voters of Chattanooga has been awarded a grant from the LWV US to the LWV Chattanooga that aims to engage high school, community college, and/or vocational school students in the electoral process.

In just a matter of weeks, and with the cooperation of a number of those schools, the league has been able to register 249 seniors to vote, so far, with more anticipated registrations to come.

The 2019 Youth Voter Registration Project has been active since 2010 and is one of several core voter registration programs for LWV. This year 60 leagues from around the country are recipients of the grant, the largest year ever.

The grant requires the LWV Chattanooga to schedule voter registration activities at 10 local Hamilton County school classrooms. Members emphasize the importance of every single vote

to listening students by using the example of Hamilton County Commissioner Katherlyn Getter who won her seat by 15 votes.

Young people are an increasingly influential part of the electorate. In 2016, Americans under 30 represented almost a quarter of the overall American electorate, yet nearly half did not vote.

Exit polling has shown that young people participate in significantly larger numbers when they are directly contacted by an organization or have the opportunity to interact with candidates for office. We believe the key to democracy is an enlightened public, said Sharon Alexander,

co-president of the league. We all have a stake in the future, particularly young people.

Efforts to engage young people are supported by the League of Women Voters Education Fund.

The League encourages people to register, obtain photo IDs, and participate in the democratic process. No one should feel disenfranchised, everybody should count, everyone should be represented by government, said Teresa Garland, the leagues voter chairperson.
At Community Choices Workshops held this March at local YFD centers, students from Orchard Knob Elementary and Hardy Elementary shared their ideas for Area 3. A "Build-a-Block" exercise explored the potential for six focus areas identified by the community at the January 26th public meeting. Top issues identified by the students were safe streets and pedestrian ways with crosswalks and more sidewalks. They also envisioned park enhancements, such as water features and trees. The Area 3 Workshops and a complimentary survey cover the following topics:

Commercial Centers

Housing Options

New Development & Job s

Parks, Greenways & Open Space

Transportation

Workshop participants also asked questions about the basic area plan process and the RPA staff responded by noting some key points:



Why is Public Input Important?

Identifies the preferences of the people who live and work in Area 3 .

Establishes goals and a shared vision for the community.

Fosters community "ownership" of the Area Plan once it is adopted.

What does an Area Plan do?

Identifies natural resources and places with unique community character that should be preserved.

Lays out a vision for new commercial centers, housing, major employers, transportation, parks and greenways;

Influences City investments in public infrastructure.

Informs City decisions about rezoning.

The RPA staff said, We need to get as many people participating as we can. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to take the Survey if you live, work or have a business in this area." (See the Area 3 boundary map at chcrpa.org) "You may pick up a paper copy at your local Area 3 YFD Recreation Center or take the Survey on-line at the RPA website - chcrpa.org. Remember you don't need to be an expert and if you only have time to answer questions for one or two survey components, that is still helpful. If you complete all five survey components, you'll be registered to win a $75 Amazon gift card or a 30-day CARTA bus pass." (Drawing to be held in April per contest rules posted on-line.) In the survey, each topic is prefaced with a background summary on urban design, placemaking and key community elements that participants may find useful.

As of March 22, a total of 483 surveys had been completed. The Community Choices Survey is open until March 31. The staff reminds participants who take the paper version, they must return the completed survey to one of the YFD Recreation Centers in Area 3 or mail it to the Regional Planning Agency, 1250 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402, by March 31. Spanish language versions are also available on-line or by contacting the RPA office. Contact the RPA for more information at 423-643-5901 or email pglaser@chattanooga.gov
The Helen Ross McNabb Center will host a free community event on Friday, April 5 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Coolidge Park Stage to bring awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month.



A community information fair will begin at 3 p.m. and will provide child abuse prevention information and resources. Attendees are encouraged to wear royal blue, the designated color of child abuse prevention, and will be given pinwheels, which are considered the symbol of hope for children impacted by abuse. The event is intended to unite people in support of child abuse prevention and to demonstrate the communitys commitment to protecting children in East Tennessee. There is no registration required for this free event, and everyone is invited to attend.



A short program will kick off the prevention walk at 3:30 p.m., where there will be a story about overcoming child abuse. The walk will begin following the program.



Prevention is key, said Gayle Lodato, senior director of Greater Chattanooga Area services for Helen Ross McNabb Center. Every day we work to strengthen families through early intervention and prevention programs. The negative effects of child abuse can last far into adulthood and education and prevention programs can increase a childs likelihood of being healthy, happy and abuse free.

For more information about this event, contact Jessica Hill at jessica.hill@mcnabb.org or 865-599-5836.
The Messiah in the Passover presentation, a vivid and exciting demonstration showing how Jesus fulfilled the ancient feast of Passover, will be held on April 5, at 7 p.m. at New Covenant Fellowship Church, 1326 North Moore Road.

Messiah in the Passover will be conducted by Rich Freeman of Chosen People Ministries.

Chosen People Ministries is an over one hundred-year-old mission that was founded in 1894 by Leopold Cohn, a Hungarian rabbi who came to believe that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Hebrew Scriptures.

From humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, Chosen People Ministries has grown into a worldwide ministry to the Jew first and to the Gentile.

Messiah in the Passover begins with the traditional Passover Seder table-complete with all the articles of this important Jewish celebration. The speaker will explain the symbolic meanings of the various items of the Passover feast and highlight their relationship to the Last Supper that Messiah celebrated with the disciples, giving special emphasis on the redemptive significance of the crucifixion.

Messiah in the Passover gives the Christian community insight into Jewish traditions so that the Jewish roots of Christianity can be better understood. This program also helps the Jewish and Christian communities understand their common heritage.

This meeting is open to the public and New Covenant Fellowship Church would like to invite the Christian as well as the Jewish community to attend. For more information, call 423 899-8001.
Chris Hemsworth is an actor best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The role of God of Thunder is played opposite Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the God of Mischief. Hemsworth is also fairly well known for playing the huntsman in the 2012 film, Snow White and the Huntsman.

Fans everywhere have fallen in love with Hemsworths portrayal of Thor. Theyve watched him since 2011, but, unfortunately, Thors time is coming to an end. Chris Hemsworth (along with several other key Marvel characters) has announced that he will be retiring from his role as Thor in the MCU and will be moving on to other things. He has even hinted that he may give up acting altogether in the somewhat near future  although this hasnt been confirmed.

But now that hes giving up his most iconic role, what does the future hold for the Australian actor? Whats next for Chris Hemsworth? Heres what we know.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

While fans everywhere are sad that Chris Hemsworth is retiring as Thor, they will get one last chance to see him reprise the role. Avengers: Endgame will be released to theaters on April 26, 2019. In this fourth franchise movie, the remaining members of the Avengers must band together to defeat Thanos and undo his unraveling of the universe that rendered half of humanity out of existence.

Many will be sad to know that Chris Hemsworth is not the only actor retiring his Marvel role after Avengers: Endgame. This will also be the last movie for Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye). Other roles (such as Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury) are still up in the air.

Men in Black: International (2019)

Yes, there is a new Men in Black movie coming out, and Chris Hemsworth will be starring in it alongside Tessa Thompson and Liam Neeson. The film will be released to theaters this summer, on June 14. When it does, Men in Black: International will be the first in the franchise seen by this current generation. Its predecessor, Men in Black III, was released seven years ago in 2012.

According to IMDB, the men in black have always protected the earth but now they must face their biggest threat yet. What could possibly be that bad? A mole in the Men in Black organization. Hemsworth has quite the legacy to live up to, with the original films starring the iconic actor, Will Smith. Were sure that Chris Hemsworth is up to the task, although he will most certainly bring a different approach to the film franchise series than his predecessor.

Dhaka (2019)

This film is about an Indian businessman whose son has been kidnapped. To help get him back, the man hires a mercenary. While the film has no definitive release date or complete casting list yet, Chris Hemsworth has been confirmed in one of the leading roles of Dhaka.

A Netflix original movie, Dhaka will show Hemsworth in the role of mercenary Tyler Rake. The character is a broken man with nothing to lose, harboring a death wish that makes an already deadly mission near impossible.

Untitled Hulk Hogan Biopic

This film was just announced, so theres no word on when itll hit theaters  but this promises to be quite the fitting role for Chris Hemsworth. The film will tell the story of wrestler Hulk Hogan (born Terry Bollea), with Hemsworth in the title role. No other casting details have been confirmed yet, but fans can continue to watch for them in the coming year.
There are some Beatles numbers that no one can dispute, starting with the bands record 19 No. 1 albums. The same goes for the bands unprecedented (and still unmatched) 20 No. 1 singles. Elvis Presley (the King himself) never scored so many hits.

When you remember the bands recording career lasted just seven years, the numbers loom even larger. Whats also amazing is the equal weight John Lennon and Paul McCartney carried while together in The Beatles.

The Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo claimed credit for 19 of those 20 tracks. (George Harrison had the remaining one.) If you count the number of chart-topping hits John sang the lead on, youll get eight on his own and 10 counting leads shared with Paul. Thats exactly half.

However, McCartney can boast a small edge in No. 1 hits on which he claimed lead-vocal duties.

Paul sang lead on 10 Beatles tracks that topped the Billboard charts.

The Beatles, Members of the Order of the British Empire, 1968 | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Looking at the list of Beatles Billboard hits, you start right at the top with Hey Jude, the bands biggest hit. Pauls soaring vocal work kept this track on the charts for 19 weeks in 1968. (It held No. 1 for nine weeks.)

Let It Be (1970) was Pauls No. 1 hit that stayed on the charts for 14 weeks. We Can Work It Out (1966) and Get Back (1969) count as two more tracks with Paul on lead vocals that rank among the Fab Fours biggest hits.

Yesterday (1965), Hello Goodbye (1967), The Long and Winding Road (1970), Penny Lane (1967), Cant Buy Me Love (1964), and Paperback Writer (1966) all go in Pauls corner as well. Altogether, it makes 10 chart-topping hits with him on lead vocals.

But that doesnt end the count. Paul also shared lead vocals with John on 1964s Love Me Do and She Loves You. So he has primary or co-lead singing duties on 12 of the 20 No. 1 Beatles songs.

Paul also has 9 No. 1 singles as a solo artist.

Portland, Oregon: Paul McCartney speaks at press conference held after Beatles performance in Portland. | Getty Images

Once The Beatles went their separate ways, Paul didnt fare much worse on the Billboard charts. He scored his first No. 1 single in 1971 with Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey and another eight through the 70s and into the early 80s.

His final chart-topper, 1983s Say Say Say, was a collaboration with Michael Jackson. But that doesnt mean Paul stopped producing or charting records. In 2018, he actually reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (for albums) with Egypt Station.

It had been 36 years for Paul between No. 1 albums, but it doesnt seem to matter. At the age of 76, he continues working and touring to get the music to his fans in 2019.

Apparently, thats the Beatles way. Ringo Starr (now 78) was touring Japan in March 2019 with his sights set on North America in August. You can tell these guys the music is already immortal, but we doubt theyd believe you.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hopes Georgia can soon be welcomed into NATO, and praises the progress achieved by the country.

"Georgia will become a NATO member," Stoltenberg stated during a joint press conference with Georgia's Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze at the Georgian governments administration building today. He underlined that it is only up to Georgia and NATO to make decisions about cooperation and partnership.

"It is the NATO principle that each nation has the sovereign right to make its own decisions. Each nation has the right to choose its future. When we are ready, Georgia will become a NATO member and only NATO and Georgia and no third country will make the decision," the NATO chief noted.

Stoltenberg stressed that Georgia has achieved big progress and the country should continue reforms in the defence, judiciary and other fields to comply with NATO standards.

"I urge you to continue work and use all the opportunities [available] to become a NATO member," Agenda.ge cited Stoltenberg as saying.
Jordan Peeles second horror movie Us, currently boasting a 94% critics score on rotten tomatoes, has proved that this man is not a one movie wonder. The master at interweaving bated breath terror sequences with social commentary and satirical surprises has officially gone from Comedy Central alumn to horror aficionado.

Jordan Peele and Lupita Nyongo Photo by Brian Stukes/Getty Images

Peeles horror movies do not rely on horror as the foundation; meaning, horror is not the captivating element. The captivating element is his ability to harness the viewers need to see and question his underlying message.



Peele relies on horror as a means of execution, a means of augmentation. The horror genre works to bring the depths of his social commentary into greater focus, forcing viewers to see the harshness of our reality.

Peele chooses horror as a means of communication, as opposed to a method of storytelling. The scary moments do not tell the story that matters; their subtext does. The subtext paints the picture Peele wishes to portray, while the horror overlay moves the plot forward in tandem.

The question is, how does the mastermind come up with his ideas in the first place? What does Peeles creative process entail? He sat down with MTV Newss Josh Horowitz to discuss how he brings an idea to life.



Jordan Peele discusses listening to himself and the story behind the Doppelgangers in Us movie



Jordan Peele told MTV News:



The first thing I do when Im trying to come up with a movie is I listen to myself, so listen to my emotion. What makes me scared? This idea of the doppelganger came up because Ive been afraid of the idea of seeing myself since I was younger. I would literally picture myself across the subway platform, as a kid growing up in New York City, it was a fun, sort of titillating fear, but it was primal. I hadnt intellectualized it or hadnt really thought about it, but its sort of always been present MTV News

While Jordan Peele didnt reveal the juicy details of the great depths he travels to conjure every scene, its clear that he relies on past experience, personal fears, and instincts. It sounds like hes doing what all the advice columns say to do: use what you know. And hes excelling as a result.



Jordan Peele goes on to discuss the benefit of idyllic landscapes, and why he sees suburban, peaceful settings as inherently eerier (when compared to common creepy cellars or dark city streets).



Defying a viewers expectations when it comes to horror, a beachfront setting reminds audiences that danger does not only exist at night, nor does it solely survive in an urban location.



Whats up next for Jordan Peele?



As many already know, Jordan Peele is the man behind the soon-to-be-released Twilight Zone reboot. Serving as the shows narrator, Peele will attempt to recreate, likely with a modern and Peele-esque satirical twist  the Rob Serling sci-fi spectacular that opened to great success decades ago. The Twilight Zone is currently filming and is scheduled to premiere later in 2019.



What a way to end opening weekend! Ive felt the support all around (woweee New York Times this week!) and am grateful for this moment.



Im having so much fun and looks like many of you had a scary good time at the theater this weekend too.  pic.twitter.com/483bz6VtG1  Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) March 24, 2019

Jordan Peele will also serve as a voice in Wendell and Wild alongside Keegan-Michael Key. Seeing these two work together again will definitely be a treat for those who have been following Peele since his early days. Wendell and Wild will follow two demon brothers who face off against a nun and a pair of goth teens, according to IMDb.



With Wendell and Wild in pre-production and The Twilight Zone reboot fast approaching, Jordan Peeles career is at an all-time high, and fans cant wait to see what he has in store next.
Comedian-turned-horror-extraordinaire Jordan Peele has been making headlines for his cutting-edge horror films in recent years. However, just because he became adept at giving viewers hair-raising experiences doesnt mean he is now immune to horror movies himself. Curious to know which films scare Jordan Peele the most? Read on below to see what he has to say.

Jordan Peele | ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Jordan Peele and his horror works

Jordan Peele made his mark on the film industry in 2017 with the release of Get Out, a rather frightening movie about an African-American man who discovers a dark secret within his white girlfriends family. It was a groundbreaking masterpiece that Peele wrote, produced, and directed. He won numerous award for the movies eerily suspenseful plot as well as its commentary on race relations in the United States.

In March 2019, Jordan Peeles second horror film, Us, was released. Like Get Out, this one stars black actors as the main cast and involves the characters discovering something terrifying while visiting a strange location.

Jordan Peele also has another horror movie in the works to be released this year  Abruptio. The independent film follows a guy down on his luck who wakes to find an explosive device has been implanted in his neck. It is performed entirely by puppets.

But his forte does not only lie in films. Peele is currently on the production team of a couple of hair-raising television shows as well. The Twilight Zone is a 2019 reboot of the 1959 classic and should be released in April.

There is also Lovecraft Country, which is based on a novel published in 2016 about racism during the Jim Crow era. It will be broadcast on HBO, though currently has no planned release date yet.

Which horror movies scare Jordan Peele the most?

It might be surprising for some to hear that Jordan still gets scared from time to time.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Peele revealed that the first horror film to have made an impact on him was the 1986 movie The Fly. He recalled it being so scary and so inappropriate for his age back then, but he did understand what was going on. In fact, when he finished watching The Fly, he became less scared than he was before watching.

Jordan Peele also shared that his favorite low-budget horror movie is The Critters, a 1986 film about little furry aliens overtaking a farm. In retrospect, its fairly bad, Peele said, but it gave me a wrong sort of feeling. Those little things were so mischievous and so evil.

However, his favorite villain would have to be Michael Myers in the slasher series Halloween: Hes not even evil, hes just curious. You know you cant talk him out of whatever he wants to do. Peele also revealed that Michael Myers famous head tilt is what adds to his creepiness.

As for the eeriest movie soundtrack, Jordan Peele is a fan of the music from the 1984 horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. It just gets me. Its so creepy, he shared.

Horror elements that Peele enjoys

When it comes to the making of a scary movie, though, Peele has a few elements that he finds more terrifying than others. For example, instead of horror films taking place in old, run-down houses that are obviously haunted, he prefers for them to be in otherwise idyllic locations like the Overlook Hotel in the famous 1980 movie The Shining.

Additionally, Jordan Peele also likes it when the weapons used are everyday objects, such as a nail gun, hammer, or pitchfork. [Theres] something about that thats a perfect horror trope, Peele said.
The Motivation behind the suburban settings in Us and Get Out.

In both Jordan Peeles horror triumphs  Us and Get Out the action does not unfold in go-to horror locales (bustling cities fraught with crime or basement cellars featuring flickering lights), but out in the open. In broad daylight. In a suburban town. Mayhem breaks loose in your good Christian neighborhood.

Jordan Peele | Photo by JB Lacroix/Getty Images

So, what is it about these setting that Jordan Peele finds so provocative? Why did he choose a serene beachfront in Us and an upper-middle-class dwelling in Get Out?

Jordan Peele sat down with MTV News Josh Horowitz to discuss his motivation behind these decisions. Peele explained why he feels these settings are superior.



Jordan Peele was inspired by The Stepford Wives, Jaws, and The Shining for Us and Get Out



Peele told MTV News:



Horror movies thattake place in dark, dusty, muddy houses or basements, its kind of like meh. But, the horror movies that take place in idyllic environments  The Stepford Wives, The Jawss, even The Shining  the horror you can get from delight and places that are supposed to be vacation, I think that theyre eerier, scarier. Theres a more satirical horror to them. But also, they kind of give their audience their cake and they get to eat it too. They get to kind of go own an adventure. A vacationSo, thats my style.



Peele  focusing on the satirical element, as well as the eeriness associated with an environment thats supposed to bring peace  reminds viewers that horror is not confined to an innately dangerous location. But rather, it exists out in the open. His approach is closer to the truth; thus, his horror movies conjure a subdued fear that many of us tend to suppress: any setting can bring about chaos. Dont assume your safe in the daylight.



Jordan Peele discusses the idea of the other in Us movie



*Minor thematic/revelatory spoilers ahead*



In Us, it becomes obvious, definitely by the end, that the film is an elaborate allegory, highlighting the human tendency to separate ourselves into groups  us vs. them. While questioning the idea of other and our innate drive to assume those within our group are good, and those outside of it are bad, the film reaches a height that many horror movies fail to achieve. Its subtextual strength makes this movie one of the greatest horror accomplishments in years.



Speaking on the concept of other and the relationship between the 2016 election and the movie, Jordan Peele stated:



I didnt set out to make a movie about a post-Trump America, but its not an accident thatmy fears were surrounding this sense of us as a collective, our demons. Certainly I, at a certain point, decided to use United States imagery, fromwhether its the genocide of the Native American people or our xenophobia and privilege. But, however you define us, in order for you to have us, theres got to be themIn its core, what this movie is about, is, we will value our own however we see fit more than well value the other.

MTV News

Jordan Peeles genius comes from his ability to take socially relevant topics, and fashion a commentary in the form of horror. While many horror movie creators set out to do the same, few succeed. He happens to be one that does.

If you have yet to see Jordan Peeles Usand identify as a horror movie buff, its time to get on over to the theatre. This one simultaneously keeps you at the edge of your seat, while beckoning you to question society and where the world is today, as opposed to where you would like to believe it is.
Us, since hitting the silver screen on March 22, has garnered widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike. While many have found themselves typing Us movie explained into the google search bar  and watching one or multiple video walkthroughs  the movie, in short, is a horrifying allegory that questions the human tendency to draw lines between ourselves: us vs. them. While this by no means covers the gamut of social analysis at play in Jordan Peeles new movie, it gets at the big picture.

Lupita Nyongo and Pamela Silva | Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Universal Pictures

Lupita Nyongo stars as Adelaide Wilson, and her tethered self Red (who is part of a civilization that exists underground). If you have yet to see the movie, this may confuse you; however, as the trailer insinuates, Adelaide and her family soon discover that they all possess doppelgangers out to kill them.

Lupita Nyongo sat down for an interview to discuss Us, Black Panther, and 12 Years a Slave with BBC Radio 1. When asked the adjectives she would use to describe Jordan Peeles Us, Lupita Nyongo chose these six words:

Terrifying Suspenseful Funny Funky Weird Lingering

For anyone who has seen Get Out, Us captures that same sense of eeriness, and while that sense of discomfort lingers heavily over the entire movie, it is cut with brief moments of funky and weird comic relief.



Lupita Nyongo on working with Jordan Peele



Lupita Nyongo goes on to explain Jordan Peeles directing style, as well as his approach to disclosing information. When asked about working alongside Peele, Nyongo stated:



Jordans open, and he is very generous with information, and Im the kind of actor where the more I know, the more confident and able I am to do my job. And so, I would often ask him what things meant and he would share. But still, when I watched the film, I got on the phone and was like woah, what did that mean?

BBC Radio 1

Lupita Nyongo, whether due to all of the questions she asked or her sheer degree of acting prowess, gives a chilling performance as both Adelaide and Red. Shes got the maniacal laugh down to a T, and the protective motherly instinct is on lock. Watching her in this film is a joy and her performance will continue to haunt you the following day.



Whats up next for Lupita Nyongo?



Lupita Nyongo has been taking Hollywood by storm since winning an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave, which also happened to be her first nomination. Lupita Nyongo is set to star in Star Wars: Episode IX later this year, reprising her role as Maz Kanata.



Nyongo will also appear in the films 355 and The Killer; however, both are currently still in pre-production. In 355, Nyongo will star alongside Penelope Cruz and Jessica Chastain as an international agent. While not much is known about The Killer, John Woo is set to direct the film (an English remake of the original hitman-themed movie), according to IMDb. Woo is most recognized for his work on Mission: Impossible II and Face/Off starring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta.

As Lupita Nyongo fans await Star Wars, Jordan Peele lovers are greatly anticipating the horror masterminds The Twilight Zone reboot, which is currently filming. Jordan Peele will serve as a director, writer, and narrator on the series. Given his knack for unsettling stories, this revamp is destined to be a hit.
Meghan Markle is just a few short weeks away from becoming a mom for the first time, and the Duchess of Sussex seems to have everything in order. Though Markle and Prince Harry have yet to move into their new sprawling estate Frogmore Cottage, Markle is already on maternity leave getting things in order for Baby Sussexs grand debut.

Since Markle was born and raised by her mother, Doria Ragland, in sunny Los Angeles the duchess California upbringing will undoubtedly influence how she raises Baby Sussex.

How will Meghan Markles California upbringing influence Baby Sussex?

Since she first stepped into the royal spotlight, Meghan Markle has been known to blend royal traditions with her own modern flair. From her glamorous wardrobe pieces to her choice in patronages, and splitting from the Cambridge household its clear that Markle does things her own way.

Now that Markle is set to welcome her first child into the world, her non-royal upbringing with influence how she and Prince Harry raise Baby Sussex. According to People, her California roots are coming through in each of the decisions made about the royal baby. An insider told People,

Shes being mindful of what she puts in her body and on her skin and even her at-home cleaning supplies. Shes hyperaware of what shes using. Shes looking for natural things. She eats cleaner, and shell probably make her own baby food. Its going to be clean living for this baby.

Inside Baby Sussexs modern nursery

To bring her vision of Baby Sussexs nursery to life, Meghan Markle used a mood board (which is very LA if you ask us.) The nursery was decorated by Vicky Charles, the design director of Soho Farmhouse..

Royal insider Katie Nicholl told Vanity Fair, Dont expect to see any baby pink or baby blue. Apparently, its going to be a monochrome palettewhites and grays, Im told, will be the color theme for baby Sussexs nursery. The nursery will be painted with eco-friendly vegan paint that is eucalyptus-infused. From Markles fashion choices we know that she loves color as well she and the prince may decide to add bold pops of color to the room like rugs and pillows once the little one is born.

Though Baby Sussexs nursery is mostly Markles modern California vision, Prince Harry also added his own special touches including top-of-the-line cameras, security windows, and a state-of-the-art stereo system.

How will Meghan Markle parent Baby Sussex?

Meghan Markles mother, Doria Ragland, is also moving to the U.K. for a while to help Prince Harry and Meghan Markle adjust to life with Baby Sussex. Ragland is a former social and avid yogi who has inspired Markle throughout her life.

Were certain that her California upbringing, her mothers guidance, and watching Duchess Kate Middleton and Prince William will allow Markle to find her own groove when it comes to parenting. Markles new home will also enable her to get a slice of her non-royal life back when Baby Sussex is born.

A source told HELLO!, Harry and Meghan will have plenty of privacy as Frogmore Cottage is located in the Home Park, which is off limits to the public. This means they can enjoy country walks, with Meghan able to push her buggy around the park without being snapped by photographers or members of the public.

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Princes Harry and William have grown up in the spotlight, each becoming their own person before our eyes. However, they both still have similarities. Attribute it to being brothers or not, they both did the same major thing before proposing to their significant others. Keep reading to learn what the brothers did before putting a ring on it.

Age difference



Princes William and Harry are only two years apart. Naturally, they grew up being close to one another, especially after the death of their mother, Princess Diana. While there may or may not have been a recent split between the two royals, they had a close relationship as children and well into adulthood.

Prince Harry and Prince William| Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markles relationship



Youd have to be living under a literal rock not to know about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The two began their romance back in the summer of 2016. They managed to keep their relationship to themselves for nearly six months. Markle and Harry got engaged after about a year-and-a-half of dating, got married in one of the biggest events of 2018, and are now expecting a baby together known as Baby Sussex  in late April 2019.



Prince William and Kate Middletons relationship

Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in 2011 at Westminster Abbey with the world watching. The couple met during their freshman year of college and dated for a number of years before getting engaged in Kenya. Today, they have three children together and are pros at being working royals.



What Prince William did before proposing



Both Prince William and Prince Harry acknowledged their girlfriends in public before proposing. They defended their significant others after the media reportedly behaved unkindly.



The first instance happened in 2007 when Prince William and Middleton were still pretty early in their relationship. At the time they were still boyfriend-girlfriend. The couple wouldnt get engaged for another three years, in the fall of 2010.



On January 9, 2007, Middletons 25th birthday, paparazzi camped outside of Middletons Chelsea home. When she left for work, they surrounded her, asking her if she and William were engaged. The incident caused Prince William to release a statement to the press, which has since been highlighted in a 2011 documentary, according to Express.



Prince William is very unhappy at the paparazzi harassment of his girlfriend. He wants, more than anything, for it to stop, a spokesperson for Prince William said at the time, according to New Idea.



The spokesperson continued. Miss Middleton should, like any other private individual, be able to go about her everyday business without this kind of intrusion. The situation is proving unbearable for all those concerned, they added.

What Prince Harry did before proposing

Prince Harry similarly acknowledged his girlfriend, now the Duchess of Sussex, in a statement directed at the media. On November 8, 2016, after his relationship with Markle went public, the prince issued a statement to the media like his older brother did years earlier.



Harrys statement, a practically unheard of move by a member of the royal family, attempted to protect Markle from the wave of abuse and harassment she had been experiencing. The statement cited racial undertones, and outright sexism and racism.



The statement went on to say reporters attempted to enter Markles home illegally and that substantial bribes were made to her ex-boyfriend for information on Markle.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markles new family home is almost ready! After months of renovations, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to move into Frogmore Cottage (which is located just down the road from Windsor Castle) ahead of their firstborns arrival. According to reports, said renovations cost Queen Elizabeth a pretty penny. Thats right  Her Majesty foot the bill for the project and it reportedly set her back around $3 million.



Take a closer look at the Frogmore Cottage renovations, including its most recent $65,000 upgrade, ahead.



Frogmore Cottage renovation



Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Much like many of their other royal residences, Frogmore Cottage was a gift from Queen Elizabeth. The estate home was originally used as housing for Windsor Castle staff and, therefore, split into five separate units. To turn it into Prince Harry and Meghan Markles dream family home, the couple had to enlist contractors to knock walls down and renovate many facets of the structure.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs new home is much bigger than their current two-bedroom abode at Kensington Palace. Some reports suggest the home has 10 rooms and others say its less than that. According to Page Six, the home has five bedrooms. Nonetheless, Prince Harry and Meghan Markles new home is complete with a master bedroom, gym and yoga studio, nursery for Baby Sussex, and a guest room for Meghan Markles mother, Doria Ragland. On top of that, it likely includes an office so that the duke and duchess can get work down from home.



Like any renovation, the Frogmore Cottage update has had its ups and downs. One issue the couple have faced it the aircraft noise from the nearby Heathrow Airport. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex allegedly opted for $65,000 soundproofing to diffuse the racket. According to The Mirror, 14 flights pass by the home every half hour  many of which are just one mile above the home (some come as close as 1,800 feet). To soundproof their home, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly using triple-glazed windows, which can not only reduce noise but also prevent heat loss  something they will need during the cooler months.



In addition to the soundproofing windows, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have allegedly also spent around $66,000 on a green energy unit. The eco-friendly unit will supply Frogmore Cottage with heat and hot water as well as electricity.



How does Queen Elizabeth afford it?



Queen Elizabeth receives income in a few ways, including the Sovereign Grant, a sum of money funded by British taxpayers. And, according to the reports, she used money from the grant to cover costs for the Frogmore Cottage renovation.



That said, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had to chip in for some changes. Said changes are unknown, but its likely that the queens money only covered structural renovations  which is what the Sovereign Grant is for  and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex covered the more cosmetic changes.



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The British Royal Family is experiencing a massive shakeup. Since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry first publicly acknowledged their romance all eyes and ears have been on the royal family in a way that hasnt been seen since Prince Charles wed Princess Diana in 1981. Not only has the stunning American duchess evolved the way royals are seen in the 21st century Markle and Prince Harry have also begun establishing themselves away from the old stuffy traditions that have kept the royals on a tight leash.

Now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have split their household from Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton Queen Elizabeth is keeping a sharp and close eye on the royal parents-to-be.

Why is Queen Elizabeth keeping a close eye on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?

Though Queen Elizabeth has approved of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spreading their wings within reason, shes keen on keeping a close watch over them. According to Daily Mail, the queen has hired back Sir Christopher Geidt as her Permanent Lord in Waiting. Geidt was previously the queens private secretary, but he resigned after an alleged palace coup two years ago.

Now, Queen Elizabeth has hired Sir. Geidt back for a very special project. After, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tried to set up their household, completely independent from Buckingham Palace the queen wants to make sure that someone has their eyes on the royal couple at all time. Geidt will also serve as Queens Commonwealth Trust, which means he will be working closely with the duke and duchess who serve as the organizations president and vice president, respectively.

A courtier told Daily Mail, Her Majesty values Lord Geidts wise counsel. This new role gives him a formal status again. This was all part of the plan to introduce the Duchess to royal life. Lord Geidt will be Her Majestys eyes and ears.

Why did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ask to form their own royal court?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have officially split their household from Kate Middleton and Prince William but they wanted to take things a step further. An insider told the Sunday Times,

They wanted their household to be entirely independent of Buckingham Palace, but were told no. There is an institutional structure that doesnt allow that kind of independence. The feeling is that its good to have the Sussexes under the jurisdiction of Buckingham Palace, so they cant just go off and do their own thing.

Apparently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted to further a global Sussex brand. They wanted to stand apart from Buckingham Palace to pursue their humanitarian and philanthropic efforts on their own accord. However, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles shot them down.

How will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry deal with Queen Elizabeth keeping a close eye on them?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry obviouysly have a lot of respect for Queen Elizabeth. However, they are also both headstrong. As a source close to the royal family explained, Harry and Meghan are intent on doing things their own way. One way or the other, they will get what they want.

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Sutton Foster is a triple threat meaning she can sing, dance, and act. She has Tony Awards (two to be exact) to prove it. Learn about her career and net worth ahead.



Early years



Born Sutton Lenore Foster on March 18, 1975 in Statesboro, Georgia, the triple threat starred in a local production of Annie at the age of 10, according to Biography.



She and her family moved to Michigan where she attended Troy High School, which she left because she got a role in The Will Rogers Follies. She later got her diploma via a correspondence course.



Broadway



Fosters career skyrocketed when she landed the lead role in Thoroughly Modern Millie. The production moved to Broadway in 2002 earning Foster a Tony Award, according to IMDb.



She went on to star in Little Women in 2005, then The Drowsy Chaperone in 2006, and Shrek The Musical in 2009.

Playing the role of Jo March in Little Women made the Tony Awards nominating committee take notice. Foster received another Tony nomination. Her work in Shrek The Musical earned her yet another Tony nomination.

Sutton Foster | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Foster won her second Tony Award in 2011 for Anything Goes.



To date, Foster has been nominated for a total of six Tony Awards. Shes tied with Bernadette Peters for the second highest number of musical performance nominations. Chita Rivera holds the top spot with eight nominations and has held first place for more than two decades.



Other roles



Foster has also been successful off the Broadway stage. Shes starred in the series, Younger, since 2015. Foster plays Liza, a 40-year-old woman struggling to find a job after being out of the working world for years. She pretends to be a twenty-something to land a job. Foster stars in the show opposite Miriam Shor and Hilary Duff.

Foster starred in Amy Sherman-Palladinos short-lived Bunheads series on Freeform. While the series only lasted a short while, Fosters performance earned her a Grace Allen Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Breakthrough Role.



Foster worked with Sherman-Palladino in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. She played the character, Violet. Foster found herself working with Sherman-Palladino again on the Amazon original series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, where she sang I Enjoy Being a Girl in two episodes.

Fosters other credits include The Good Wife, Into the Dark, Instinct, Elementary, Psych, and Royal Pains among others.



Whats next for Foster?



Foster will star in the Broadway production of The Music Man opposite Hugh Jackman, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Music Man will mark her return to the Broadway stage after six years.



What is Sutton Fosters net worth?



Fosters net worth is estimated to be approximately $4 million according to Celeb Net Worth and Celebrity Net Worth.



While her net worth may be debatable, one thing is for sure. She makes more money than her male co-stars on Younger. Her fellow cast member on the show, Nico Tortorella, told TooFab, The women on this show are paid more than the men are and I think thats a step in the right direction.



I think that we represent a piece of the future that I want to live in, Tortorella added.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are one of the cutest couples around! Everyone can agree they are perfect for each other, and they couldnt be more smitten with each other. When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex look at each other, you can see the love in their eyes, proving they are meant to be together.

For many months during their relationship, the world was officially on ring watch, waiting for the exciting announcement to come that Meghan and Harry were engaged. While it seems that everyone knew early on that the couple was meant to be, one question still remains. When did Prince Harry know that he wanted to spend forever with Meghan Markle?

Meghan Markle is the one for Prince Harry | Kirsty Wigglesworth  Pool/Getty Images

When did their relationship start?

Harry and Meghans relationship began when they were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. They met up in London for a drink in order to get acquainted and immediately planned a second date shortly after. It wasnt long before Meghan and Harry headed to Botswana, where they enjoyed some time getting to know each other while having some private time together. Soon, they were officially a couple, and one was rarely seen without the other. Each time they made an appearance, they were adorably holding hands and looking more connected than ever before.

How did Meghan and Harry make it work?

With Meghan living in Toronto, Canada, and Harry living all the way over in London, it seems that it would have been difficult for them to see each other as often as they would like. At the time, Meghan couldnt relocate because she was still starring in the television show that put her on the map, the legal drama Suits. Harry, of course, needed to be in London for his royal duties. In order to make their relationship work, the couple promised they would never go more than two weeks without seeing each other. Harry made time to visit Meghan on the set of Suits, and Meghan flew to London whenever her schedule allowed in order to see her prince.

Their trip to Jamaica

A few months into their relationship, Harry and Meghan traveled to Jamaica for three days to attend the wedding of a close friend. The other guests at the wedding, who knew Harry extremely well, said they had never seen him so happy. He couldnt take his eyes off of Meghan, and the two had a wonderful time during the trip. All of their friends seemed to realize just how serious the relationship was. They all agreed that Meghan was the perfect person for Harry to be with, and all of his friends warmly welcomed her into their inner circle.

When did Harry realize that he wanted to marry Meghan?

Harry and Meghan truly have a fairy tale relationship, down to the fact that Harry knew he wanted to spend his life with Meghan the first time they met! They connected so well on that first date, and realized just how much they had in common and enjoyed each others company. Harry knew that Meghan was extremely special, and he also knew that he would fall completely in love.

His predictions were spot on, as Meghan felt the same way about him. It was after only 16 months that the announcement came that Meghan and Harry planned to get married. They said I do in May 2018, and the rest is history! With the couple currently expecting their first child, it seems that the future only holds bright things for the Duke and Duchess!
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope that Turkmenistan will take advantage of new possibilities of exporting gas to the West in connection with the recent determination of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the newspaper 'Neutral Turkmenistan' reports.

In a congratulatory letter on the occasion of Nowruz addressed to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the U.S. leader stressed that on these solemn days many people in the U.S. and around the world celebrate the holiday of renewal and revival.

Trump noted that the people of the U.S. and its business circles continue to look for new directions to strengthen economic cooperation with Turkmenistan.
How are men and women persecuted differently for their faith in Christ? Expert explains 24 March, 2019 by Samuel Smith/CP , |

A new report from the Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors USA details differences in how men and women are persecuted for their faith in Christ.

Helene Fisher, a gender persecution specialist with Open Doors USA, who co-authored the new report on gender-specific religious persecution, testified on a panel before the United Nations NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief last week where she outlined the findings from the new report.

Open Doors is an international non-profit that works in over 60 countries to advocate some of the world's most persecuted communities.

Although Christian persecution across the globe seems to be ever-increasing, Fisher explained that there are "completely different manners" in which men and women are persecuted.

"We characterize the persecution of men as being focused and severe and visible," Fisher told The Christian Post in an interview. "And the persecution of women continues to be complex and hidden."

In most cases, persecution occurs along the lines of how it will negatively impact their roles in society. For women, Fisher stated, persecution often revolves around the idea of ruining their sexual purity. Meanwhile, men tend to suffer from forms of economic harassment that can impact their place in society.

Men and women both suffer from societal shaming and shunning.

Women

The three most common points of persecution for women are a sexual attack, forced marriage, and rape, according to Fisher.

Since there is great value place in many societies around a girl's purity, "targeted rapes" of girls are often used to bring shame to a certain family.

Targeted rapes

In the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List, the most common trend in the gender-specific persecution of Christians is the "targeted" raping of women solely for the purpose of bringing shame upon their families and community.

"When they are sexually assaulted, there is a shame that is brought upon them in society's views. And they are therefore viewed as tainted, having no future and their family also lose this honor," Fisher explained. "And sometimes their whole Christian community is seen as less valuable, less pure."

According to the Open Doors report, the prospects of survival for the whole "tainted" family are compromised when shunned in a society "where every aspect of life is communal."

In some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, it is a "mortal sin" to bring shame to a family. The shaming process can often lead a family into financial vulnerability.

Forced marriage

Fifty-seven percent of the 49 countries reported on the Open Doors 2019 World Watch List who provided reports on the gender-specific persecution of women cited forced marriage as an issue in their nation. No countries reported forced marriage as an issue for men.

The problem exists in places such as North Africa, the Middle East and Asia where young Christian girls can be lured into a relationship where the "lines between abduction and seduction with intent are blurred."

Christian women are reported to have been lured or abducted by terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram. The girls are often used as sex slaves, breeders or militia wives.

Christian girls are also often abducted by men from the majority religion in society and forced into a marriage without their families' consent.

In some cases, Open Doors warns, girls will eventually blame themselves and make fewer efforts to escape "because of the perceived loss of honor and reputation due to the sexual assault committed against her."

The report finds some state laws make forced marriage more easily practicable in the case of converts. In places like Pakistan, abductors of girls will threaten families if they try to get authorities involved to rescue their daughters. In some cases, family members are killed trying to rescue their loved ones.

While there are many cases in which Christian girls and women have been abducted and forced into marriage, girls and women who convert to Christianity can often be forced into marriages by their own families.

"Forced marriage is used by a family whose daughter has decided on her own through some kind of exposure to Christianity, maybe via satellite or a friend somewhere or maybe she's had a vision she has turned to Jesus and her family has found out," Fisher explained. "[They will] marry her to somebody from the mainstream religion, and then it becomes more or less his problem to make sure that she adheres to the mainstream religion."

Denial of custody

In many places where national, tribal or religious laws permit spouses to remove a Christian convert from the home, women face the risk of forced divorce and losing custody of their children if they convert to Christianity.

While this dilemma can face both men and women who convert to Christianity, it appears to be a more common occurrence for women, according to Open Doors' reporting.

"Forced divorce is a seriously dissuasive element to conversion, which is also provoked by family honor; often (but not exclusively) the husband's family honor," the report reads.

Fisher explained persecution against Christian females is often done with impunity in some countries and states.

While conditions for women in general in many places around the world, things are even more tough for minority women in a lot of these cultures because it "blends in" and is "part of the societal and cultural practice."

"They don't see anything wrong with what they're doing. And their society around doesn't see anything wrong," Fisher told CP. "What they're doing is simply viewed as the way of life and viewed in some respects as saving a Christian from Christianity."

Men

Christian men are subject to various forms of abuse and persecution for their faith.

Among them are economic harassment, forced military duty, torture, imprisonment, shunning and shaming.

Economic harassment

Economic harassment is the top form of religious persecution for men, according to Open Doors, which had over 46 respondent countries provide details on the gender-specific persecution of men.

Economic pressure is often used to try to get Christian men to renounce their faith in Christ.

According to the report, 34 of the 46 countries say that economic harassment was used to put pressure on Christian men and converts.

Additionally, six countries were reported as having issued fines as a form of economic pressure on Christian men.

Male converts to Christianity in some countries are often prevented from getting and retaining gainful employment. In many cases, such economic pressure hits immediately upon a man's conversion.

In Nepal, according to an Open Doors researcher there, Christian men feel forced to migrate to new cities, live under a new identity and are economically deprived during their first phases of persecuted life.

"After being persecuted, the family often suffers through a reduced income as the men and boys are severely beaten and socially ostracized," the researcher stated.

Read more from "How are men and women persecuted differently for their faith in Christ? Expert explains" on The Christian Post.
When your child is struggling with suicidal thoughts, simply 'more faith' isn't the answer Christian Post Contributor | 25 March, 2019 by Sheryl Lynn

Kelly Rosati has four adopted children. Three of them have a serious mental illness. And one thing she doesn't like to hear is that her problems would be solved if her faith was stronger.

"This idea that as Christians, if we were just spiritual enough, that somehow Christianity teaches we wouldn't experience these things  I've seen so many people suffer and have their faith crumble because of those lies," Rosati said in an interview with Saddleback Church co-founder Kay Warren this week.

After Rosati and her husband, John, were unable to have their own children, the couple began the adoption journey through the foster care system.

Several of her children were born addicted to drugs or exposed to alcohol in utero, she said. Among her four children, three have dealt with suicidality. One has bipolar disorder and another has schizophrenia.

Her children have been in and out of emergency rooms and residential psychiatric care facilities. One, the youngest, is currently at a residential facility.

It's not exactly what she and her husband pictured when they first decided to grow their family through adoption.

"We wanted to create this family for these kids who didn't have one. We were going to watch 'VeggieTales' and do all the Christian things," said Rosati, who is vice president of community outreach at Focus on the Family. "Instead, our lives have been full of hospitals, psychiatric wards, and the police and a lot of bad cuss words.

"There's a grieving that comes from losing what you imagine."

The first time signs of mental illness emerged was when one of her children was in middle school. The child was violent, had extreme mood swings and almost complete debilitation.

"We were completely undone. We had no idea what was happening, what to do," Rosati recalled. "We were going day to day in complete survival mode."

That child had very serious bipolar disorder and sometimes expressed the desire to commit suicide.

"When our child would weep in my arms and express thoughts of not wanting to be alive, what I felt was pure terror. On my inside, it was a terror like I had never known and a despairing and a franticness," the mother described.

Rosati described life as hell.

And Kay Warren, wife of Pastor Rick Warren, agreed, having had one of her own children struggle with mental illness and eventually take his own life.

"How hellish it is to have a child that you love with your entire heart and that you have done everything that you know to do, have sought all the mental health help, all the medication help, all the therapy help, all the prayers that you've prayed, all the Bible verse believing you've done, all the on the face crying in the night for your child, and still know they are facing an illness that will eat them alive if something doesn't happen," Warren said.

"I call that living on the edge of hell."

Warren's son, Matthew, was around 12 when she realized that he was having suicidal thoughts. He had already been diagnosed with depression at age 7.

"I tucked him into bed and in the quiet ... as I'm getting ready to walk out ... he asked me if I would kill him and put him out of his misery," Warren recalled, completely heartbroken to hear those words coming out of her child's mouth.

Matthew ended up dying by suicide at age 27 in 2013.

Warren said she had lived in denial for a long time, thinking her son would eventually outgrow his depression and become "normal." But it never happened.

Both Warren and Rosati recognized that many Christians are suspicious of or hesitant to seek help through therapy or a psychiatric clinic. They're also afraid of being judged as a bad parent if they try to get mental health help for their children.

"I want to say: none of that matters," Rosati stressed as she encouraged parents to get the help they need.

The first time she and her husband decided to get residential treatment for one of their children some six years ago, Rosati felt like "the world was coming to an end" and she was scared about making the wrong decision.

But after four straight years of daily violence from their child, including holes in the wall and blood drawn, they decided they could not continue that way. They had other children they needed to take care of as well.

The day she dropped her child off at the residential treatment, she sobbed and even had to drive to the mountains of Colorado to be alone in a hotel room because of how "undone" she felt by everything.

"I felt almost incapable of functioning," Rosati said.

But she wants parents to know that resources such as residential treatment are "incredible blessings that exist in the community to help the kids who are really sick and who need more help than we can get them at home."

Read more from "When your child is struggling with suicidal thoughts, simply 'more faith' isn't the answer" on The Christian Post.
Romanian and Honduran officials announced on Sunday that they would be moving their Israeli embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

According to The Times of Israel, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference that she  taking cues from the United States  would be moving the Romanian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

As Dancila stood on stage at the AIPAC conference she noted the longevity of the relationship between Israel and Romania saying, Last year, Romania celebrated 70 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations with the State of Israel.

This is an undeniable historical and diplomatic fact, she added.

Dancila also emphasized Romanias commitment to protecting the continued peace dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians as well as her commitment  as the president of the council of the European Union  to forge closer relationships between Israel and the rest of the EU.

Dancila then announced the big move, saying that like Donald Trump moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, so would she.

The Prime Minister said, As we all know, President Donald Trump opened the Embassy of the United States in Jerusalem. This admirable and brave step impressed me, my government and the Romanian people.

She continued, Moving the American embassy is emblematic and it proves the powerful connection of values and interests between the American people and the Israeli people."

Dancila said this move launched an international process of reflection, causing leaders from around the world to contemplate moving their embassies too.

"In fact, the Romanian government initiated the process of evaluating the opportunity of moving the Romanian embassy to Jerusalem, she added.

This is why I am pleased to announce today in front of this AIPAC audience that after the finalization of this analysis, with all the constitutional actors involved in the decision-making process and in full consensus that I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government that I run will move our embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, Dancila proclaimed.

According to CBN News, Honduran leaders echoed Dancilas sentiments at the conference by announcing that they too would be moving their embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

As Christian Headlines previously reported, after the United States made the move in 2018, Australian and Brazilian leaders announced similar intentions. According to CBN News, the Czech Republic is also considering moving their embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the near future.

Photo courtesy: Josh Appel/Unsplash
The United Kingdom has denied asylum to an Iranian Christian convert, saying that Christianity isnt a peaceful religion.

According to The Washington Examiner, the U.K.s Home Office, which oversees immigration and passports, rejected a mans application for asylum, saying the applicants claim that Christianity is peaceful is inconsistent with the Bible.

The Home Office said in its denial letter that books of the Bible such as Leviticus, Exodus, Matthew and Revelation are filled with imagery of revenge, destruction, death and violence.

These examples are inconsistent with your claim that you converted to Christianity after discovering it is a peaceful religion, as opposed to Islam which contains violence, rage and revenge, the letter says.

A legal expert told The Examiner that its likely that this decision is more anti-asylum than anti-Christian.

"The Home Office is notorious for coming up with any reason they can to refuse asylum and this looks like a particularly creative example, but not necessarily a systemic outbreak of anti-Christian sentiment in the department, legal expert Conor James said.

In an opinion column for The Examiner, Becket Adams said there seems to be a trend in the U.K. of government officials taking explicitly anti-Christian positions.

Adams pointed to an investigation in Britain where police are looking into a Roman Catholic reporter who allegedly misgendered a transgendered person.

What Im trying to say is: If youre a Christian living in the U.K., now might be a really good time to think about emigrating to the land of the free and the home of the brave, where the biggest nuisance for people of faith is an overabundance of options for worship.

The U.K. isnt the only country accused of an anti-Christian agenda. In Sweden, Micael Grenholm writes in an opinion column for The Christian Post, that Swedish government officials have been deporting Christians seeking asylum to countries such as Afghanistan.

Swedish authorities motivate these human rights abuses by claiming that the asylum seekers arent real Christians, Grenholm said.

Photo courtesy: Sabrina Mazzeo/Unsplash
A preschool director in Kentucky helped calm her students during a tornado by leading them in Jesus Loves Me and He's Got the Whole World in His Hands.

The twister ripped the roof off the building, but everyone survived.

Michelle Rushing, the director of Mt. Zion Baptist Day Care in McCracken County, told the West Kentucky Star that after she learned of a tornado warning on March 14 at 9:10 a.m., she immediately moved her 40 students to a safer area.

She could hear the tornado destroying the churchs building. She led the children in songs like Jesus Loves Me and He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, according to the West Kentucky Star.

McCracken County Sheriff Matt Carter credited God for the preschoolers survival.

The almighty hand of God has provided safety to our community, Carter told the West Kentucky Star. The destruction path is approximately five miles long. There are approximately three homes that are devastated but no injuries, and also there is approximately a half dozen other homes that have sustained minor to moderate damage.

This could have been an extremely high fatality rate, Carter added, and were very fortunate and blessed to only report one minor injury.

Wes Conner, senior pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, said the congregation will recover.

Church is not a building, church is the people, he told Nashvilles Fox 17. Buildings can be rebuilt, and frankly God is going to get us through this. God is going to give us great vision for the future. We as a church family -- we are going to rally together.

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.

Photo courtesy: Nikolas Noonan/Unsplash
Last week, the San Antonio City Council agreed 6-4 to exclude Chick-fil-A from the airports food and retail contract.

San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior, said District 1 City Councilman Robert Trevino according to the Washington Times.

Chick-fil-A had not heard about the motion until after the contracts approval. We agree with [councilmember Trevino] that everyone is and should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A, the company said in a statement to Fox News. We have a fundamental code of conduct at Chick-fil-A: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We would still welcome the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the city council and plan to reach out to them.

Ted Cruz fired back at the council member with a Tweet that called the motion ridiculous, according to the Houston Chronicle. "San Antonio City Council voted to ban @ChickfilA from the airport bc the company gave to...the Fellowship of Christian Athletes & the Salvation Army?!? the tweet continued.

The details of this story are even worse. San Antonio City Council voted to ban @ChickfilA from the airport bc the company gave to...the Fellowship of Christian Athletes & the Salvation Army?!? Thats ridiculous. And not Texas. #LeftistIntolerance https://t.co/ApTnlpS2E0  Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 23, 2019

Earlier this month, ThinkProgress, an American news site, released a report saying, the Chick-fil-A Foundation gave more than $1.8 million to a trio of groups with a record of anti-LGBTQ discrimination. These groups were the Salvation Army, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Paul Anderson Youth Home.

WPTV reported that Rider University, a private university in New Jersey, was also sucked into the controversy when they rejected a Chick-fil-A on campus, despite the majority of the student bodys request.

A statement from the school said, Chick-fil-A was removed as one of the options based on the company's record widely perceived to be in opposition to the LGBTQ+ community.

It continued, We understand that some may view the decision as being just another form of exclusion. We want to be clear that this was not the spirit in which the decision was made. We fully acknowledge an organizations right to hold these beliefs, just as we acknowledge the right for individuals in our community and elsewhere to also personally hold the same beliefs.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Tom Pennington/Stringer
Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.Yes, its beginning to look a lot like Christmaswhich, for many of us, feels like a rush into chaos. Celebrating Advent during this season slows us down and helps our hearts and minds be reoriented around the coming of Christ.
Govt takes bold measures to ensure safety of finance system Updated: 09:54 - 25/03/2019

There were 1,181 peoples credit funds operating in 57 cities and provinces by the end of June last year__Photo: VNA

Poorly-performing State-owned peoples credit funds  a type of credit institution focusing on people in rural areas to help them escape poverty and avoid dependence on loan sharks  will be merged, acquired or dissolved to ensure the safety of the countrys finance and banking system.The plan was part of a directive released last week by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to enhance the operational effectiveness of the countrys peoples credit funds with an aim to meet targets set in the Governments project on restructuring credit institutions in association with the settlement of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the 2016-20 period.The move was made as there are still several poorly-performing peoples credit funds in some locations, which were having an adverse impact on the safety and development of peoples credit funds in particular as well as the finance and banking sectors in general.However, Phuc also noted the bold measures must be implemented prudently to ensure legitimate interests of depositors and maintain the stability and safety of the finance and banking system.Under the directive, PM Phuc instructed the State Bank of Vietnam to enhance the supervision as well as assessment and classification of the funds so that measures can be taken to deal with subpar performance according to the Governments scheme on strengthening and developing the system of peoples credit funds until 2020.He also asked relevant ministries and agencies in cities and provinces nationwide to implement measures to restructure the funds according to the project on restructuring credit institutions.Specifically, they must continue to improve and strengthen the safety and effectiveness of the existing peoples credit funds as well as creating new ones in rural areas.The Government has focused on the establishment of peoples credit funds, especially in remote and rural areas, which lack access to banking services.The funds help mobilize capital and lending to people in rural areas, contributing to the eradication of hunger, reduction in poverty and dependence on loan sharks.According to the SBVs report, there were 1,181 peoples credit funds operating in 57 cities and provinces by the end of June last year. The funds provided services for nearly 1.6 million customers.-
Breakthrough actors share how miraculous true story of a boys resurrection impacted their lives

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WINNIPEG, Canada  Hollywood actors starring in the upcoming film "Breakthrough" said they were moved to tears and felt like they had been given a gift when they first read the script.

After being rescued from an icy lake, John Smith was pronounced dead at a hospital after doctors were unable to resuscitate him. But John's mother was determined not to give up on her son, and she prayed and cried out to God that her child would be brought back to life, and he was.

When I was given the gift of even reading the script I was so moved by it," Chrissy Metz, who plays Joyce Smith, John's mother in the film, told The Christian Post in a recent interview on the movie set in Canada. "Because we're all looking for something greater than ourselves, and we're all trying to figure it out and do the best we can in the process.

"I've had some hardships myself," Metz said, "obviously not to this degree, but things that were really trying. And the only thing that sort of kept me going was my faith.

"Breakthrough" tells the miraculous account of Joyce and John Smith, a mother and son who rely on the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit during one of life's most tragic moments. Chrissy Metz (This is Us) plays the role of Joyce Smith and actor Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama) plays her husband. Marcel Ruiz (One Day at a Time) portrays her son, John, who was pronounced dead for 45 minutes until God answered the desperate mothers prayer.

Fifteen-year-old Marcel Ruiz said the script actually brought him to tears.

"I had to do the big speech where just after the accident he realizes what everyone did for him, prayed for him  that was really powerful," Ruiz said. "I liked how the whole community came together. After that, I read the whole script and it was the first time I read something and I cried."

Josh Lucas, who plays John Smiths on-screen father, Brian Smith, said he tapped into his real-life role as a father for his part in the film.

"I think anyone who has a child, this is one of the most terrifying, painful things you can go through. In this case, it ends so extraordinary and sad in such a beautiful way, Lucas explained.

"It's also a script and a story that genuinely gave me goosebumps and as I described it to myself, and my son, who's 5 years old, and the people around me in my life, it's a story that people thought was just so beautiful and people are very excited about it, he said.

When asked by CP about the importance of sharing positive stories at a time when people are inundated with news reports of mass shootings, terror attacks and natural disasters, Lucas noted that there have been high and low moments all throughout history, and life can be hard.

To be a human being can be a trying experience," he said. "So the idea that we have, particularly works of fiction, works of fact, true stories like this that give you a real boost in the ability to believe in the miracle and the sense of human beings being connected that puts out something into the world that feels very good. And it's very inspiring. That's a wonderful thing to be asked to be a part of.

Playing the part of John Smith, who many believe to be a modern-day miracle, Ruiz said that learning about the story could buoy the faith of younger generations.

"I feel that the audience, they're going to be very inspired with the message of just never giving up, Ruiz told CP. Sometimes people forget about that and especially when they see this movie, you wouldn't think it was a true story of how perfectly it came out.

He continued: "John and his family, they're believers and at that age, you don't really know yet what you believe, you're still growing up and learning and John learned a lot from his parents and that's why, after the accident, he changed into just caring more about every little moment and being thankful for everything. He's going to be a future pastor, that's pretty cool.

The cast also includes Mike Colter as Tommy Shine, hip-hop artist Lecrae, and Topher Grace, who's best known for his role in the comedy series "That '70s Show." He plays Pastor Jason Noble who helps the grieving family through the ordeal.

"Breakthrough" was directed by Roxann Dawson ("House of Cards," "Scandal," "The Americans," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). DeVon Franklin ("Miracles from Heaven") produced the film and was determined to retell the Smiths' story just as it happened.

The 20th Century Fox movie is based on Joyce Smith's book The Impossible and was adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte ("Seven Pounds").

"Breakthrough" will be in theaters nationwide on April 17.
Most Protestant pastors see school as 'negative influence' on spiritual formation

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A majority of Protestant pastors and half of Catholic priests believe school is a negative influence on a childs spiritual development, according to a new report by the Barna Group.

Barna partnered with a religious think tank named Cardus to interview 650 Protestant and Catholic church leaders last year about spiritual development among youth.

Respondents were asked to rank certain entities regarding whether they had a positive or negative influence on a child's spiritual development. The categories were parents/family, church, school, peers/friends, Christian community, and culture/society.

According to their findings released Tuesday, 65 percent of Protestant respondents and 50 percent of Catholic respondents viewed school as a negative influence on a child's spiritual development.

In fact, schools are ranked alongside a childs friends and peers as primarily negative influences  a view held by 61 percent of Protestant leaders and 65 percent of Catholic leaders, said Barna.

In some cases, the perceived negative influence of a childs school or friend group outweighs a perceived positive influence by double.

Barna noted that Catholic priests were more likely than Protestant pastors to view school as having a positive influence on a child's spiritual development.

This denominational gap could be explained by the prevalence of Catholic school education and the possibility that Catholic priests are assessing the influence of a religious school education, explained Barna.

While school ranked high on the negative influence side, culture/society was ranked the worst, with 94 percent of surveyed Protestant pastors and 92 percent of surveyed Catholic priests saying that culture/society had a negative influence on a child's spiritual development.

Ray Pennings, Cardus executive vice president, said in a statement released Tuesday that schools, especially Christian academic institutions, must play an important role in the spiritual development of children.

Church and family life are important in the spiritual formation of young adults, but our research reinforces that schools play an important role too, said Pennings.

Church leaders, parents, and educators must understand the positive influence of Christian schooling on spiritual formation and work together to ensure that these schooling options are genuinely available for as many families as possible.

In research released in January 2018, Cardus found that Generation X and millennial-aged adults who attended evangelical Protestant schools were more likely to read the Bible, attend worship, and pray than their peers who attended public schools.

The 2018 report drew from the 2011 and 2014 Cardus Education Surveys for the United States and the CES for Canada taken in 2012 and 2016.

"Our findings show strong effects of EP schooling on various religious and spiritual outcomes in young adulthood, and these effects hold up after controlling for family-background and demographic variables, including religion of parents," noted the study from last year.
After devastating cyclone, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi look to God

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Ten days after Cyclone Idai left at least 750 dead and more than 100,000 scrounging for survival in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi on southeast Africas Indian Ocean coast, government officials and others turned to God for comfort in worship services on Sunday.

Mozambiques death toll rose to 446 from 417, a government official told Reuters Sunday. U.N. agencies suggested between 154 and 259 people died from the cyclone in Zimbabwe and another 56 in Malawi.

President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe told his country during a service at the Methodist Church in Mabelreign, Harare on Sunday that the death toll was rising and could reach 200.

"Some citizens were swept away to Mozambique and because of the decomposing state of their bodies, we have agreed that they be buried in Mozambique. Some could have been washed away to the ocean," he said according to 24 News. Mnangagwa declared two days of mourning for the victims and told his countrymen that it is in times like these people should look to God.

"As people, we do not know anything. We only get to know something after it would have occurred but God knows everything, even things to come in future. Job lost all his children and wealth but he never turned away from God, he said.

"We should accept this although it is difficult, even for me. Sometimes we ask God why He allows such things to happen and also if He still exists. We cannot direct God but we just accept what He has done. Let us pray and seek God when we still can as disaster can come anytime and in different forms. We are all sinners and we should all go to Jesus when we are still alive," he continued.

In Mozambique, even as the death toll continued rising on Sunday, worshippers gathered at ravaged churches in the devastated port of Beira where the category 2 storm made landfall.

We asked Jesus to protect us, so that this does not happen again, one Christian woman, Maria Domingas, 60, who survived trees crashing into her house and water filling her bedroom, told Reuters.

About 150 members of the evangelical Universal Church in Beira gathered for worship on the patio of their church despite significant damage to their building including the loss of their roof.

You can see the strength in their eyes, their 36-year-old pastor, known as Junior said. From today, we are looking forward.

Only with God can we move forward, Rosa Manuel, 59, a church member who lost a house she had built to rent said.

Government officials in Mozambique said the cyclone had affected 531,000 people and 110,000 people are living in makeshift camps.

At the service in Zimbabwe, the Methodist Church general secretary, Reverend Jimmy Dube said it was the role of the church to step in during times of grief. "The victims have received food, clothing drugs and all the material things but the church should assist them to come to terms with the grief, so that they do not collapse inside, Dube said.

"People are trying to come to terms with the grief and anger. They are asking God why this happened and why He remained silent and never alerted them. Some are even asking is there [a] God while others ask God why people have perished through floods when He had made a covenant that He will not destroy humanity through floods, he continued. "We do not have answers. Today is an important day as it allows healing. We cannot continue as if nothing has happened. We have come together to express our grief and God will heal us of the trauma. The church should help us to pick up the broken pieces."
Benny Hinn shoots down rumor he was hospitalized, dances to show hes doing well

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Controversial televangelist and "faith healer" Benny Hinn shot down a rumor Sunday that he was hospitalized after supporters as far away as Africa urged prayers for him.

Family, lets all stand in AGREEMENT & extend prayers for Pastor Benny Hinn this very moment! Pls do it now! #PrayerforPastorBennyHinn#HealingLord#DivineTouch#RightNowLord, Prophet Bernard Taylor of Ghana tweeted on Sunday morning as news of the supposed faith healers alleged need for healing spread on social media.

By late Sunday evening however, Hinns ministry team quickly began dismissing it.

You may have seen a rumor circulating online that Pastor Benny is in the ICU. We assure you this is absolutely false. Pastor Benny is not ill. He is doing very well and looking forward to tomorrow night's LIVE broadcast, an initial post on his Facebook post said about the rumor.

Hinn appeared in a Facebook Live broadcast himself shortly after the statement from his team to address the rumor.

Tell all my wonderful partners and friends Im doing good. Theres a rumor going out that I am in the hospital. Its not true. You see me? Im doing marvelous, Hinn said in the video with a quick wiggle of his body.

Somebody put something on Facebook this morning or yesterday telling people Im in the hospital, [there is] something wrong with me. Not me. Maybe its another Benny Hinn that I dont know about, he declared before asking his supporters get the message out that he is doing fine.

Let people know Im really doing great. God has been so good to me, he said.

About four years ago Hinn was admitted to Orange County Medical Center in California with heart trouble.

After treatment, he declared that his heart was strong.

"God is faithful. My heart is strong. I have no heart damage. My arteries are not blocked. There is no arterial damage. The AFib is being treated effectively, and my rapid heart rate has reduced considerably. I'm feeling stronger every day. The prognosis is good for a speedy and complete recuperation, and I am so glad to be heading home," Hinn told The Christian Post in a statement at the time.

Hinn's team also revealed he has been battling atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, which refers to a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat, for more than 20 years. The condition can result in the heart beating too fast, too slow or just irregularly altogether. If the problem goes unnoticed it unfortunately can lead to increased risk of stroke, chest pain or heart failure.

Hinn's nephew, Costi Hinn, is getting ready to release a highly anticipated book this summer criticizing the prosperity gospel and his uncles hand in it called, God, Greed, and the (Prosperity) Gospel: How Truth Overwhelms a Life Built on Lies.

For this project, the plan is to invest back into the people who are buying the book in some big ways. In just the first month since pre-orders began, 100 books were donated to The Central Africa Baptist College and Seminary to support pastors who are training for ministry. Africa is one of the most plagued countries in the world when it comes to prosperity theology, Costi Hinn wrote in a blog post last month.

Plans are in place to give away thousands of dollars in books in resources to those who pre-order in the coming months as well as pastors around the world, he added.
Christian genocide in Nigeria: 5 facts you need to know

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Hundreds of lives have been lost and hundreds of homes have been burned since the start of 2019, raising questions again about the truth behind the violence occurring between Fulani Muslim herdsmen and predominantly Christian farmers in Nigerias Middle Belt.

While conflicts between nomadic herdsmen and farmers in the Middle Belt date back decades, theres been a noticeable increase in deadly massacres across several states in the Middle Belt of Nigeria since January 2018, where people were slaughtered and communities razed.

In addition to the seemingly countless numbers of people killed, it has been estimated that as many as 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes by the communal violence.

Whats happening in the Middle Belt of Nigeria can be confusing for onlookers outside the country because of the fact that there are competing narratives.

One narrative labels the Fulani attacks against Christian farmers a genocide perpetrated by radicalized Islamic herders looking to drive out Christians from their homes.

A second narrative paints the killings as being part of a years-old conflict exacerbated by several factors, including increased Fulani herdsmen migration due to the Boko Haram insurgency and the desertification in the north.

In the following pages are five key facts you need to know about the Fulani conflict in Nigeria.

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Cornell Univ. disinvites black Christian pro-life speaker because she believes in biblical marriage

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A Christian speaker was disinvited from defending the pro-life position in a debate at Cornell University after it was discovered that she holds the historic Christian view on sexuality and marriage.

Organizers of the debate at the Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York, likened her views to support of slavery and the Holocaust.

Jannique Stewart, who is African American and a pro-life speaker with Life Training Institute was invited earlier this year to participate in a debate next month at Cornell University's Political Union, "regarding the fact that abortion is a moral wrong," she noted in a Saturday Facebook post.

The group withdrew the invitation upon finding out that she was an outspoken defender of marriage as between one man and one woman and biblical sexuality. Her presence and participation had been officially approved and was on track to proceed until she was asked to submit a bio and those who invited her started researching her background.

"It was explained to me that having someone on campus who believed the way I did was tantamount to allowing a racist to speak who held pro-slavery and pro-holocaust views!" Stewart explained, outraged.

"I was also told that their concern was that many of the students would be offended by my beliefs and would not be able to focus or listen to my speech."

She elaborated that when they were asked to reconsider because they were overtly discriminating and disinviting her over her conservative perspective, they reconsidered and decided that they would not rescind their invitation. They, however, suggested that it would be better for another speaker to come in her stead who did not share her views about marriage.

But then the CPU did disinvite her a second time, after she told them she would plan on showing up and speaking after they said they would not disinvite her. This time, however, their decision to disinvite her was final, she was informed.

"They made it again clear that because of my outspoken beliefs, and how it would be perceived by the students. More and more Universities are censoring Conservative Christian voices in an effort to silence dissent and spare any possible offense. Unbelievable! The First Amendment supports Freedom of Speech not Freedom From Speech," Stewart wrote on Facebook.

Stewart explained in a statement to PJ Media Saturday that her ministry, Love Protects, focuses on a range of issues related to sexuality, including sexual abstinence until marriage and opposition to pornography, and a pro-life stance, among other things.

Robert P. George, professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University, has risen to Stewart's defense.

"So here we are. Evidently, no Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Eastern Orthodox Christian, Orthodox Jew, or Muslim, who believes what his or her tradition of faith teaches about sex and marriage is permitted to engage in debate at the Cornell Political Union," George wrote on his Facebook page Saturday.

"Even someone who, following thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Musonius Rufus, Xenophanes, and Plutarch, holds to traditional morality on philosophical grounds without the benefit of scriptural revelation, is ineligible to be a debater. If Plato or Aristotle were around today, they would be barred. Think about that for a second."

He added: "Among the most appalling practices of the contemporary left is its attempt to secure its position on sex and marriage by stigmatizing anyone who dissents from it as a 'bigot' or 'hater'  the equivalent of a racist  and thus excluding them and shutting down all debate. We're seeing this all over the country. It is a sin against the House of Intellect. The bullies who commit it need to be stood up to. Their victims need to refuse to be intimidated. And all men and women of goodwill need to stand with them.

"Where oh where are the old fashioned, honorable liberals?"
Gang member tried to commit suicide before he was transformed by God in an instant

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Emeal E.Z. Zwayne was once a troubled teen and gang member who attempted suicide in front of his own family  but his life radically transformed after a chance encounter when the Bible instantaneously changed his heart. Years later, hes a dynamic speaker who has executive produced Christian films and reached millions of people with the gospel.

Zwayne, president of California-based Christian ministry Living Waters, has a fascinating life story. He was born in Lebanon in 1975, but his life nearly ended well before his birth.

READ ALSO: Want to Know How to Answer Atheists? Check This Out

Abortion is illegal in Lebanon, but Zwaynes mother had received two abortions prior to his conception with a doctors permission. She planned to seek a third abortion when she became pregnant with Zwayne, but then her doctor suddenly refused.

As she sat in the doctors office that day literally waiting to end my life, the doctor just looked over at her  and just simply said to her, Im not going to let you do this one, Zwayne recently told PureFlix.coms Pure Talk. I almost didnt make it.

Now, Zwayne is a well-known Christian leader who has gone on to make influential films, including the popular 180 movie streaming at PureFlix.com, which combats abortion. Watch him describe his stunning personal story below:

Zwayne is slated to be a central fixture in the PureFlix.com sponsored Answering Atheist conference (April 17-21) this Easter at the Ark Encounter attraction in Williamstown, Kentucky. Its a conference that promises four days of solid biblical teaching to equip you to stand confidently on Gods word.

Its perhaps most fascinating to juxtapose Zwaynes stature as a respected Christian leader with his past life as a young and troubled gang member. Zwayne hit some major snags in his teen years after immigrating to the U.S. with his family in 1980.

READ ALSO: Inside the Incredible Story Behind Lifesize Replica of Noahs Ark

Before I turned 16, I had already been kicked out of two high schools, I had become a gang member with the Crips and I had attempted to commit suicide in front of my own family, Zwayne said. But on a divine August evening in 1991, God reached down his hand into time and space, grabbed a hold of the heart of this wretched sinner, opened my eyes to the truth of the gospel and radically transformed my life.

He said the life-altering moment came after a friend invited him to a Christian outreach and he truly heard the gospel for the first time.

God just opened my eyes, he said, calling it an instantaneous radical transformation. I was a brand new creation.

Within just five years, Zwayne went to a Christian university, got ordained, got married and started a family  all by the age of 21.

In addition to sharing his story, Zwayne told Pure Talk of his excitement over the upcoming Answering Atheist conference, noting that hes hoping to reach non-believers. Many atheists will be in the area where the conference is being held for a secular conference of their own.

READ ALSO: Apologist Breaks Down Why 'Atheism is So Attractive' to Some

Atheists, I think sometimes, get a misconception about where biblical Christians stand in relation to them, he said. We love atheists, we care about atheists.

Zwayne will be speaking at the Good Friday service as well as during a dedicated session at the Answering Atheist conference, as he plans to share the heart of the gospel message.

We were touched and healed by the savior  we want others to know that love, he said, noting that the conference will help equip Christians. Value impacts behavior. When we value eternity, when we value the souls of men and women, when we understand that eternity is real, we value our God and his glory and what hes called us to do as his people and really get it, well begin to invest in those areas.

This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free, one-month trial here.

Billy Hallowell, author of "The Armageddon Code," has contributed to TheBlaze, the Washington Post, Human Events, the Daily Caller, Mediaite, and the Huffington Post, among other news sites. Through journalism, media, public speaking appearances, and the blogosphere, Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade.
Michigan bars Christian adoption agencies from refusing LGBT couples after legal settlement

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Adoption and foster care agencies in Michigan who contract with the state can no longer refuse to place children with qualified same-sex parents over religious reasons thanks to a legal settlement Friday that some fear will put faith-based agencies out of business.

Democrat Attorney General Dana Nessel and the two same-sex couples represented by the American Civil Liberties Union came to a legal agreement that a 2015 law allowing religious-based adoption agencies to refuse adoption services to same-sex couples violates federal discrimination laws.

The agreement settled a federal complaint filed in 2017 after the couples were refused service by St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services.

Discrimination in the provision of foster care case management and adoption services is illegal, no matter the rationale, Nessel said in a statement. Limiting the opportunity for a child to be adopted or fostered by a loving home not only goes against the states goal of finding a home for every child, it is a direct violation of the contract every child placing agency enters into with the state.

Under its nondiscrimination provision, agencies looking to partner with the state cannot turn away or refuse a same-sex couple or individual who is suitable to foster or adopt a child.

Agencies that violate such a provision could have their contracts terminated.

A summary of the agreement states that when an adoption or foster agency accepts a referral of a child for foster or adoption care from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, its legal protection ensuring its right to refuse to work with same-sex couples because of deeply-held religious beliefs no longer applies to the agencys provision of these services to the accepted child or individual.

In a summary of the agreement, it was claimed that Title IVE-funded programs prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. It should be noted, however, that sexual orientation and gender identity are not protected classes in federal civil rights law and there is a push right now among Democrats in Congress to pass a law that would make those protected classes.

The ACLU, a far-left nonprofit advocacy group, celebrated the settlement.

We are thrilled that the state of Michigan has committed to ensuring that all of the agencies it hires to find families for children in state custody comply with its non-discrimination requirements so that children do not lose out on families to care for them, Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, said in a statement.

Our children need every family that is willing and able to provide them with a loving home. When agencies choose to accept taxpayer dollars to provide public child welfare services, they must put the needs of the children first.

Critics fear that the settlement could force faith-based adoption agencies to close.

Lori Windham, senior counsel at the nonprofit religious freedom law firm Becket, which is representing St. Vincent Catholic Charities, argues that Nessel and the ACLU are working to stop the state from working with faith-based adoption agencies.

The result of that will be tragic. Thousands of children will be kept from finding the loving homes they deserve, Windham explained. This settlement violates the state law protecting religious adoption agencies. This harms children and families waiting for forever homes and limits access for couples who chose to partner with those agencies."

The agreement was also criticized by Republican Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.

Dana Nessel has shown us that she cares little for the Constitution and even less for the vulnerable population of children in need of forever homes, Shirkey wrote in a statement.

Nessels actions make it clear that she sought the office of attorney general to further her own personal political agenda. The legislature wrote and passed a law regarding adoption practices in Michigan to both protect religious freedom and guard against discrimination.

Shirkey stated that faith-based adoption agencies comprise at least 25 percent of the licensed agencies in the state. He fears that the new agreement will put an end to those organizations.

As a result, there will be fewer advocates working to place children in loving homes, he contended. Nessels apparent disregard for the laws of our state, the Constitution, and the well-being of thousands of children is an affront to all citizens.

In a tweet, the Michigan Catholic Conference argued that the settlement does nothing to protect the thousands of children in foster care looking for loving homes.

As such, it is highly unlikely this is the last chapter of the story.

The legal settlement was signed after Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an anti-discrimination directive earlier this year that does not include a religious exemption for faith-based groups who contract with the state. A directive signed by previous Republican Gov. Rick Snyder included a religious exemption for state contractors.

The settlement also comes as faith-based foster and adoption agencies in other states have either had to close down or change their policies because of state or local government rules barring refusal based on religious reasons.

A Chrisitan adoption agency in New York appeared in court last month for a lawsuit against the state of New York over an ultimatum last year to either change its policy forbidding placement with same-sex couples or no longer be able to provide adoption services.

Also in upstate New York, Catholic Charities of Buffalo ended its adoption and fosters services last August over conflicts with the state and local nondiscrimination policies.

Bethany Christian Services of Greater Delaware Valley changed its policies last year to allow for children to be placed with same-sex couples after the Philadelphia city government stopped placing foster children with BCS and Catholic Social Services because of their stances against gay adoption.

Instead of changing its policy, Catholic Social Services filed a lawsuit. However, it was not victorious in federal court.

In years past, faith-based adoption and foster care agencies in states such as Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Washington, D.C., have had to halt their adoption services over policies on gay adoption.
Not. Guilty. Move. On! 5 conservative Christian reactions to the Mueller report

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Last Friday, special counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr, concluding an extensive and closely watched investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

On Sunday, Attorney General Barr released a four-page letter to Congress summarizing the report, which noted that there will be no more indictments and further, there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Regarding the obstruction of justice accusation against Trump, Barr quoted the report, saying the investigation "does not exonerate" Trump.

The Trump-appointed attorney general added that the evidence found was not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Here are five reactions from notable conservative Christians about the findings of the Mueller report. They include longtime Trump supporters as well as critics of the president.

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Robert V. Finley, evangelist and notable champion of foreign missions, dies at 96

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Robert Van Eaton Finley, an evangelist who founded the prominent foreign missions organization Christian Aid Mission, passed away at age 96.

The Charlottesville, Virginia-based Christian Aid Mission released a statement on Friday confirming the death of their founder.

Finley is fondly remembered by missionaries worldwide for his life and work, his books, articles, and his teaching. He believed that it is the supreme responsibility of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ to plant and build His church among all nations, stated the organization.

Resham Raj Poudel, the leader of an indigenous ministry in Nepal, was quoted in the statement as noting that one of the things he liked about Finleys work was that he trusts us.

Christian Aid Mission is the first ministry I know to support independent gospel ministries with prayer and finances to help them fulfill their work, stated Poudel.

This made it possible for us to grow in the vision that the Lord has given us. The result is that many churches are being planted around the world.

A native of Albemarle County, Virginia, Finley became an evangelist for Youth for Christ and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship soon after graduating from the University of Virginia in 1944.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Finley preached at dozens of schools and hundreds of churches both in the United States and abroad, and had shared stages with the Reverend Billy Graham.

In 1953, Finley founded International Students, Inc., from which the Assisting Indigenous Developments division, later renamed Christian Aid Mission, came from. Finley also founded the Overseas Students Mission.

Finleys missionary work focused on indigenous populations abroad, drawing from the evangelists experiences preaching in Asia.

The example of the Apostle Paul stood out to me, stated Finley in comments posted on Christian Aid Missions website.

He left his native Cilicia and went as a foreign student at the feet of Gamaliel in Jerusalem. While there God called him to return to Asia as an apostle to his own people. As I read more about missionaries in the Bible, I noticed they were nearly all native to the people they reached.

Finley is survived by his wife, Cynthia Finley, two daughters, Deborah Finley Arcieri and Ruth Finley Cassidy, three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and two sisters.
Russia investigation complete, Mueller attends same church Trump attended last week

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Special Counsel and former FBI director Robert Mueller was spotted attending worship at the church near the White House that President Donald Trump and his wife attended last week.

Last Friday, Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr, concluding an extensive and closely watched investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Mueller and his wife Ann went to services on Sunday at St. Johns Episcopal Church of Lafayette Square, a congregation that traces its roots to the early nineteenth century.

Mueller was raised Presbyterian, but was married in The Episcopal Church. According to getreligion.org in a 2017 article, in the past he has been a regular attendee of St. Johns.

For more than two years, Mueller oversaw an independent investigation that looked into questions of whether President Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election and obstructed justice.

Attorney General Barr released a four-page summary to the House and Senate Sunday, explaining that there would be no more indictments and that there was no evidence of collusion.

On the obstruction of justice accusation leveled against Trump, Barr quoted the report directly saying the investigation "does not exonerate" Trump. But, the attorney general appointed by Trump in December concluded, the evidence was not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

Last week, on St. Patricks Day, President Trump and his wife Melania attended St. Johns Church. They were officially greeted by interim rector the Rev. W. Bruce McPherson.

Trump rarely attends regular worship services. According to Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs, Trump does occasionally attend holiday services at Bethesda-by-the-Sea when hes at Mar-a-Lago.

St. Johns held its first worship service in 1816 and is known as the Church of the Presidents, as the church stakes claim to having had every president beginning with James Madison attend worship there at least once.

St. Johns sanctuary has a pew, known as Pew 54 or The Presidents Pew, which is specifically reserved for the commander in chief.
Slain missionary John Chau to be honored at All Nations fundraising event

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Slain American missionary John Chau will be honored at an annual fundraising event in April hosted by the mission agency from which he received training.

All Nations North America will host a fundraising event called Further Together at Shoal Creek Community Church on April 5 in the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri, in which attendees will sing a song in Chaus honor and pray for the people on North Sentinel Island.

While 250 people normally attend the All Nations annual fundraiser, the executive director, Joshua Johnson, told The Christian Post that they are expecting as many as 400 people to attend this years event.

This is an annual event we have done for many years but this year we are calling it Further Together, Johnson explained. We are working to be able to know that the entire body of Christ needs to be activated with the gifts that God has given them to be able to make disciples of all nations and to make this Great Commission completed within our lifetime.

Chau, a 26-year-old missionary from Washington state and a graduate of Oral Roberts University, was killed in November 2018 while trying to evangelize to the highly isolated tribe on North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal.

Chaus death garnered media attention worldwide with many questioning the methods in which Chau went about his mission to the island.

Some questioned whether it's appropriate for a missionary like Chau to engage one of the last remaining people groups that are almost entirely isolated from the outside world, while others praised Chaus desire to risk death to bring the Gospel to the unreached people group.

During the upcoming All Nations fundraising event, about five minutes will be reserved for those in attendance to sing a song written by an All Nations staff member honoring Chau. Following the song, there will be a devoted time of prayer for the salvation of the North Sentinelese people.

The staff member wrote a beautiful song about John and the North Sentinelese people worshiping around the throne of God in Heaven, which we know will happen one day, Johnson explained.

Revelation does say that every tribe, tongue, and nation are all worshiping around the throne. That is the hope. We will have a prayer time for the North Sentinelese that God will show up in the midst of them.

The keynote speaker at the fundraiser will be Jaime Saint, the grandson of Nate Saint, a missionary killed alongside Jim Elliott and three others while trying to evangelize to an unreached tribe in Ecuador in 1956.

Johnson explained that Saint has a powerful story of redemption to tell that centers around the man who killed his father. After Nate Saint and the others were killed, Saints sister and Jim Elliotts wife went back to Ecuador and led that very same tribe to Christ.

In fact, the man who killed Nate Saint  a man named Mintaye  became the very man who baptized Nate Saints son years later.

Saints legacy as a missionary family is very inspiring and hopeful to us as a group that lost John Chau recently, Johnson explained. [I]t is a beautiful story of redemption and something that we hope we see with the North Sentinelese. That is our prayer  to see redemption and hope in the midst of this tragedy that we have faced.

Jaime Saint runs an organization called ITEC, an indigenous training and equipment center that helps to train indigenous followers of Christ to share the love of Christ with their own people groups worldwide.

As for All Nations, its mission is to see Jesus worshiped by all the people of the Earth.

All Nations North America is based in Kansas City and has about 90 missionaries in 23 countries. Through international affiliates, All Nations has as many as 300 missionaries in 30 countries.

Although it's based in Kansas, the organization has three international training centers spread throughout the world.

According to the Joshua Project, there are over 7,000 unreached people groups. Unreached groups are defined as communities where there is no indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group without outside assistance.

All Nations seeks to bring the Gospel to neglected people groups. According to Johnson, neglected people groups are communities where there isnt a church actively seeking out unreached people. Some of those neglected groups, he said, might be considered a reached place but one that has no Gospel work happening in those areas.

We have seen that the percentage of Jesus followers has actually decreased with population growth, Johnson detailed. But the only places where disciple-making efforts increase greater than population growth are where church-planting movements or disciple-making movements have been united and catalyzed in that region.

Although All Nations will honor Chau at its fundraising event, the organization maintains that it is not using Johns death as a means to raise money.

The [event] isnt a memorial for John but it is a point to say that John did love and obey Jesus. We are all called to do the same, Johnson explained. He is an example for all of us that we can follow.

As there was much contention within Chaus family over his choice to become a missionary, All Nations could not disclose if Chaus family will or wont be in attendance for the fundraiser.

Chau reached out to All Nations about two years ago to share his desire to bring the Gospel to the North Sentinelese people. According to Pam Arlund, a member of All Nations international leadership team, Chau received training from All Nations while he prepared for the mission on the Island.

While many criticized Chaus mission on grounds that the Indian government barred people from going to North Sentinel and other inhabited Andaman islands, Arlund defended Chaus mission by stating that the Indian government had lifted its Restricted Area Permit on North Sentinel and a number of other inhabited islands.

However, the Indian governments Andaman Island tourism webpage states that visiting to tribal reserved areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is prohibited.
AG Barr's Russia investigation report letter: 3 key points

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Attorney General William Barr described the main findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The Russia investigation concluded Friday when Mueller submitted his final report to Barr, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in December and confirmed last month. Barr's four page letter was delivered Sunday to the leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees.

Barr writes that he will release the report after his department determines what parts should be redacted to comply with a law against making grand jury testimony public.

Here are three key findings in Mueller's report, according to Barr.

1. No more indictments

All indictments and convictions have been publicly disclosed and there will be no further indictments.

The investigation that Trump has often called a "witch hunt" concluded with indictments or guilty pleas of 34 people and three companies. This includes five close Trump associates, including campaign manager Paul Manafort, who admitted to wrongdoing.

According to Barr, "The report does not recommend any further indictments, nor did the Special Counsel obtain any sealed indictments that have yet to be made public."

2. No collusion

Russia did engage in covert activities to influence the 2016 election, including hacking the DNC and Clinton campaign computers, but Trump did not collude with Russia, according to Barr's description of the Mueller report.

Barr writes that, "the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

3. No conclusion on obstruction

The report leaves open the question of whether Trump is guilty of obstructing justice during the investigation. According to Barr, Mueller's report lays out the facts, both pro and con, on the question of obstruction, leaving the Justice Department or Congress (in case of impeachment) to decide. Quoting the report, Barr writes that it "does not exonerate" Trump on the question of obstruction.

Barr adds that his office concluded the evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

This conclusion, Barr continues, is based partly on the fact that there was no evidence of collusion, writing, "while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction."
Boy, 5, fatally crushed by granite table top at Texas church

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The Harris County Sheriffs Office is still trying to determine how a 5-year-old boy managed to topple over a granite table top that crushed him to death as he played at a church in Houston, Texas, on Thursday night.

According to news station KPRC the tragedy occurred at about 9:30 p.m. at the Signs and Wonders Apostolic Outreach Ministries led by Apostle Dwayne McCarty and Prophetess Schantel McCarty in north Harris County.

In a statement to The Christian Post Friday, the Harrison County Sheriffs Office said when they arrived on the scene they were told that the 5-year-old boy was inside a room playing by himself when tragedy struck.

A large granite top fell on top of him. The 5-year-old was transported by ground to Memorial Hermann where he was pronounced deceased. Homicide [detectives] are trying to determine how he managed to topple over the table onto his person, the statement said.

It is unclear how many people were at the church when the incident took place.

Senior leaders at Signs and Wonders Apostolic Outreach Ministries did not respond to requests for comment Friday. However, a member of the church told CP that it was a different church that was meeting in the church building on Thursday night.

That was not a part of our church services. That was a totally separate church and organization, she said.

When asked if Signs and Wonders Apostolic Outreach Ministries owned the building, she replied No, and suggested she would try to find out the name of the church that was meeting in the building.

Thats not us, she insisted.

According to ABC 13, the table that killed the boy, whose identity is being withheld by police, was not bolted down. A parishioner told the network that the table, which was reportedly made by a church member, takes a couple people to lift it. They also expressed shock that it toppled over. About six years ago, Apostle McCarty launched an unsuccessful campaign to raise $15,000 on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo to help fund an ambitious plan to create a mix-used income generating church project that would include a 24 hour childrens day care and community center.

It is our mission to be an Apostolic Church, commissioned by God to walk in the prophetic anointing. We are to train, equip, and empower men and women through the inspired word of God, and to build strong ministry teams within the five fold i.e. The apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers. We are snatching the blindfolds of Satan off of the eyes of Gods people, and setting the captives free from bondage through the work of the Holy Spirit, he wrote in introducing his church.

We believe in the word of God where it says to train up a child the way they should go, and that when they get older they will not depart from it. It is our vision to have a 24-hour Christian day care that would eliminate the stress of parents working over night or late hours. This day care would specialize in teaching life skills, education through computer rooms, as well as train them through the word of God, he said.
Pastor convicted in historic hack-based insider trading gets 5 years in prison, ordered to pay $14.4M

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Vitaly Korchevsky, a former hedge fund manager and pastor was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay more than $14 million in forfeiture for his role in what the FBI billed as the largest known computer hacking and securities fraud scheme.

Todays sentence sends a powerful message that, no matter how sophisticated or novel the scheme, cybercriminals and traders who steal information from U.S. companies and undermine the integrity of our financial markets will be held accountable for their actions, Richard P. Donoghue, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement Thursday.

Korchevsky, 53, who once served as pastor of the Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church in Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in a federal court in Brooklyn Thursday by U.S. District Judge Raymond J. Dearie.

Last summer he was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and computer intrusion, conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of securities fraud. In addition to being ordered to pay $14.4 million in forfeiture, the former pastor was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine.

His co-defendant in the case, Vladislay Khalupsky, 48, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for the same charges in January.

Korchevsky and Khalupsky will now pay the price for using their experience as traders to generate millions of dollars in unlawful trades based on hacked information, Donoghue said.

Despite his protestations of innocence, Korchevsky, who was also a former Morgan Stanley vice president, was convicted after it was proven by investigators that he profited at least $14 million from 2010 to 2015 by trading securities on information he got from earnings reports and other market-moving announcements stolen by Ukrainian hackers before they were released publicly.

The pastor and his co-conspirators used the information from the stolen earnings reports to make trades generating approximately $30 million in illegal profits.

When he was first arrested he insisted to his congregants that his heart was "clean before the Lord."

Following his conviction after a four-week trial, his lawyer, Steven Brill, told Bloomberg that the verdict left the pastor's family in tears.

"Although we respect the verdict, we disagree with it, and are disappointed. But the fight continues, and we look forward to availing ourselves of all legal options going forward," he said.

None of those options were strong enough to keep him out of prison.

The Secret Service remains committed to aggressively investigating and pursuing those responsible for cyber-enabled financial crimes, said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York field office, David E. Beach, in the news release from the Department of Justice.

The sentence today is testament to the Secret Services commitment to building strong partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement and represents a win against those who chose to threaten the financial infrastructure of the United States, he added.
Trump signs executive order denying funds to universities that stifle free speech

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President Trump signed an executive order Thursday stating that federal research grants will be withheld from colleges and universities that are hostile to free speech.

The move comes on the heels of a promise the president made at CPAC, the nation's largest conservative political conference earlier this month, that he would act on what many consider a growing problem of the suppression of ideas on U.S. college campuses.

"Were here to take historic action to defend American students and American values," the president said at the White House signing ceremony, surrounded by conservative students whose free speech had been stifled on their college campuses.

"Theyve been under siege," he said of those standing up for free speech, particularly those challenging far-left views.

He continued, "Under the guise of speech codes, safe spaces and trigger warnings, these universities have tried to restrict free thought, impose total conformity and shut down the voices of great young Americans like those here today."

"We will not stand idly by and allow public institutions to violate their students' constitutional rights," Trump said, adding that if a college or university does not allow students to speak they will be denied funding.

"It's that simple," he said.

Crystallizing the hostility toward conservative students on university campuses was the recent assault of Hayden Williams, a student activist with Turning Point USA, who was working as a recruiter for the organization on the campus of University of California at Berkeley.

In a scuffle that was caught on video and went viral online, Zachary Greenberg cursed at and punched Williams in the face on Feb. 19, giving him a black eye.

Police arrested Greenburg, who is not a Berkeley student, on March 1, and he is now facing charges.

Williams was present for the signing ceremony Thursday.

According to Inside Higher Ed, the order directs federal agencies to make sure that universities are abiding by requirements already on the books, but it does not detail how the enforcement of the order is to be implemented.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, said the executive order was a "solution in search of a problem."

"It is neither needed nor desirable, and could lead to unwanted federal micromanagement of the cutting-edge research that is critical to our nation's continued vitality and global leadership," Mitchell said.

Yet the College Republican National Committee praised the move.

"College campuses are ground zero in the campaign by the liberal left to shut down conservative dissent," said Chandler Thornton, CRNC chairman, in an interview with Politico.

"President Trump's executive order is critically needed because college and university bureaucrats have absolutely failed to protect free speech on campus."

Stanley Kurtz, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, noted that almost every campus already has a "never-enforced rule against shout-downs."

"Whats going to happen when a school refuses to discipline a manifest violation of that rule? Kurtz asked in his National Review blog. "Shout-downs arent exactly secret. Youre likely to catch the next one on a viral video. Even if regulators would prefer to do nothing, inaction in the face of video evidence will be difficult."

Thus, he stressed, the Trump administration's move sets in motion a new, important dynamic on campus.

"The administration will either actively enforce the new rule, or be publicly attacked by its base for refusing to do so in the face of obvious violations. In many  perhaps most  cases, university offices of legal counsel will remove unconstitutional policies well before regulators even act," he said.

Public universities applying for federal grants would have to show they are in compliance with the First Amendment, which already applies to them; private universities, however, have more flexibility in limiting speech, but would have to commit to their own institutional rules, Fox News reported Thursday.
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While I was flying home from Israel yesterday, US Attorney General William Barr released his summary of Special Counsel Robert S. Muellers two-year-long investigation into President Trump and his aides.

The summary addressed the question America has been asking for the last 676 days: Did the president, or anyone working for him, conspire with Russia to influence the 2016 election in his favor? Further, did he or those working on his behalf attempt to obstruct federal investigations into this matter?

The significance of the Mueller report is enormous. If the special counsel determined that such collusion or obstruction took place, the ramifications for our democracy would be foundational and tragic.

What the report tells us

Mr. Muellers report was presented to the US attorney general, who in turn issued his summary. He noted that the special counsel employed nineteen lawyers who were assisted by approximately forty FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff. The special counsel issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly five hundred search warrants, and interviewed approximately five hundred witnesses.

The special counsels investigation determined that a Russian organization known as the Internet Research Agency attempted to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the US with the aim of interfering with the election.

It also found that Russian government actors successfully hacked into computers and obtained emails from persons affiliated with the Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations, and publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries.

However, Mr. Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

With regard to obstructing the investigation, the special counsel did not draw a conclusionone way or the otheras to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, Mr. Mueller sets out evidence on both sides of the question and states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

This decision leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime. Attorney General Barr, in consultation with other officials, determined that the evidence developed during the Special Counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

A threat that should concern every American

The essence of fallen human nature is the enthronement of self. It is seeking what is best for me at the expense of what is best for you.

Russian actors obviously felt it was in their personal and/or national best interests to interfere in our democratic process. Last year, the Mueller investigation charged twenty-five Russian intelligence operatives and social media manipulation experts. The final report makes clear their intent to influence the 2016 election.

This is a threat that should concern every American. Our right and ability to elect our leaders is foundational to our democracy. If foreign countries and actors can influence our votes and elections, our democracy is imperiled.

Closer to home, the responses we are seeing to Mr. Barrs report are predictably partisan.

Republican leaders are claiming total vindication for the president. Congressional Democrats are calling for the attorney general to turn over all files related to the investigation; a co-founder of a Democratic support organization wrote on Twitter that Mr. Barrs summary is pure propaganda.

It is unlikely that the Mueller report will change many minds. As the New York Times notes, Opinions have hardened over time, with many Americans already convinced they knew the answers before Mr. Mueller submitted his conclusions.

Three biblical responses

As Christians respond to this controversial issue, it is vital that we resist the temptation to put our political beliefs ahead of our public witness.

The special counsels report could help or hinder the spread of Gods kingdom in a variety of ways, but few of them relate directly to the president, Congress, or Russia. Gods plans for our country already took into account the findings of the report. He knew the truth long before Mr. Mueller did, and he knows what will continue to come from the proceedings.

Our Father is now calling on his children to reflect his character. Whether you are a supporter or a critic of the president and his administration, it is vital that you respond in ways that glorify our Lord and draw people to him.

Scripture prescribes three priorities in this regard.

One: We should respect the authority of the offices our leaders hold.

Pauls injunction was clear: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God (Romans 13:1).

Do your words regarding the president and other elected leaders respect their offices and authority?

Two: We should pray for our leaders.

Paul instructed us: I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions (1 Timothy 2:12).

When last did you pray for our president and other leaders?

Three: We should hold our leaders accountable to biblical character.

Jesus told his apostles, If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35). After washing his disciples feet, our Lord taught them, If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet (John 13:14).

Are you praying for our leaders to be biblical servants?

Are you modeling such behavior for our culture?

As I often note, winning arguments is less important than winning souls. Frederick Faber was right: Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning. As a result, in a culture so riven with partisan vitriol, the words of seventeenth-century English churchman Thomas Fuller are remarkably relevant: Kindness is the noblest weapon to conquer with.

How will you use it today?

Originally posted at Denison Forum.
Trans group activist drops police complaint against Christian for 'misgendering' adult child

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A transgender rights activist who reported a British Christian journalist to the police for "misgendering" her teenage child has withdrawn her complaint.

Susie Green, who leads the transgender advocacy group Mermaids, decided to drop her complaint against Caroline Farrow, a Catholic commentator and writer for the U.K. Catholic Herald, because the media coverage, she said, was misrepresenting what had happened, the Guardian reported Wednesday.

If I had continued my complaint then [Farrow] would have continued to have a platform to spread misinformation about what actually happened, Green said in an interview on BBC2's Victoria Derbyshire program.

Being involved in an investigation would have meant that I couldnt talk.

Surrey police contacted Farrow earlier this week and asked her to present herself at the station for an interrogation on caution over tweets she wrote about Green and her 20-year-old child, a biological male who identifies as female and goes by the name "Jackie."

The police were investigating whether she had violated the Malicious Communications Act, which makes it a crime "to send messages that are indecent or grossly offensive, threatening, or contain information which is false or believed to be false, if the purpose for sending it is to cause distress or anxiety."

Farrow said Tuesday that she did not remember what her tweets said, but noted that she likely said "son" or used male pronouns. The only thing that the police told her was that she was being interviewed for "misgendering."

The Catholic journalist told The Christian Post in a Tuesday interview that she "may have said something about her taking her son abroad for surgery. Which is true. She did. But I guess she is baulking about him being called a son. But at what point did he become a daughter? Because surely at the point she took him to be castrated he was a boy."

Her tweets, which were from October 2018 and shared on the Mermaids website, said that Green was in violation of the Samaritan policy about how suicide is discussed in the media, and asserted that what she did do her male child  taking him overseas to have his penis inverted and his testicles surgically removed  was illegal, and that she had sterilized and mutilated him.

"Susie Green may feel that giving her son off-label illegal medication aged 11 and drastic surgery was the path of least harm in her circumstances but she shouldn't project and impose it on other vulnerable kids as best practice" another one of Farrow's tweets read.

"I think it's time everyone called out Susie Green and Mermaids' policy out for what it is. Child abuse," yet another read.

Green went on to argue Wednesday that "people misgender my daughter online, that wasnt uncommon. What was uncommon was that this was a journalist who had a public platform, who used that to send very malicious and nasty messages.

"They were allegations of serious misconduct and vile and spiteful personal attacks. The content was not about misgendering and it is unfortunate that so much of the media has fallen for the incorrect claim that they were."

She added: "In essence, the public discussion about this issue has been wrongly directed."

When asked by the BBC if she thought the alleged "hate crime" Farrow committed is an urgent life-or-death topic, Green said she didn't believe any hate should stand and that the harm done by communications online is "absolutely immense."

"Saying that Jackie before surgery is male and should be referred to as a boy is completely wrong and goes against the Equality Act 2010," Green asserted.

Green and Farrow appeared on ITV's "Good Morning Britain" to debate transgender policy as it relates to Girl Guides, the English equivalent of Girl Scouts, in September.

During the interview, Farrow argued the position that single-sex spaces such as changing rooms in children's schools and in other places of public accommodation should be maintained. She added that, among other things, females do not have penises.
Christian mother sues primary school over LGBT Pride event

A Christian mother is taking legal action against a London primary school after she says it failed to take her complaint against an LGBT Pride event seriously.

Izzy Montague is one of several parents who complained after their children were allegedly forced to take part in a gay Pride event held at Heavers Farm Primary School in south-east London last June.

She claims that she was treated dismissively and victimised after complaining about the nature of the event and the school's policy of not allowing parents to opt their children out.

Mrs Montague has now launched a formal legal challenge against the school and Croydon Council alleging breach of her parental rights, victimisation and harassment by the school.

A separate complaint lodged against the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds, asks him to "use his authority to remedy the pervasive nature of LGBT proselytism within Heavers Farm Primary School".

Mrs Montague said: "After I complained about my young child being forced to take place in an event that goes against our Christian beliefs, the school's attitude towards me changed completely. I know other parents who are afraid to speak up because of how the school has treated me.

"It was like being bullied. They stopped treating me like any other parent but were antagonistic towards me. I believe that they retaliated against me by unreasonably excluding me from the premises, victimising my child and not taking my safeguarding concerns seriously.

"I wasn't even trying to stop the Pride event. I just wanted my child to receive an education, rather than indoctrination."

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Mrs Montague's legal challenge said her case demonstrated the importance of protecting the 'opt out' rights of parents.

"The dismissiveness shown to Izzy and many other parents when they raised concerns will only be multiplied if the government proceeds with plans to take away these freedoms," she said.

Heavers Farm Primary School did not respond to a request for comment.
'Let my people go' - Boris Johnson tells Theresa May to 'channel Moses' to end Brexit furore

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson was looking to the Bible for inspiration this week to end the row over Britain's exit from the European Union.

Pro-Brexit Mr Johnson said in his weekly Daily Telegraph column that after "bottling it completely", Mrs May should lead the UK out of the EU now and without a backstop if necessary.

"We have blinked. We have baulked. We have bottled it completely. We have now undergone the humiliation of allowing the EU to decide the date on which we may make our own departure. It is the EU that is now insisting that Parliament must vote  for a third time!  on its Carthaginian terms, if we are to be permitted to leave on May 22," wrote an indignant Mr Johnson.

He continued: "If she cannot give that evidence of change, she should drop the deal, go back to Brussels, and set out the terms that so many on both sides  Remainers and Leavers  now believe are sensible.

"Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free-trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now  without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  LET MY PEOPLE GO."

It comes after a stormy week for Mrs May, who is fighting for her premiership after losing two votes on her deal in Parliament.

She held emergency talks with Mr Johnson and other Brexit hardliners including Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis at Chequers on Sunday.

The talks addressed whether there was "sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week", said a Downing Street spokesman.

The Chequers meeting was held a day after over a million people marched through central London demanding a second referendum.

A petition calling on the Government to revoke Article 50 has also gone viral in the last few days, amassing over 5 million signatures.

Mr Johnson's tweet was met with ridicule on Twitter.

Cant believe Boris Johnson gets a front page splash for quoting from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat when I know all of Cats off by heart and the Telegraph wont even publish my letters. https://t.co/D5pUxhLC9D  James Chalmers (@ProfChalmers) March 24, 2019

Boris Johnson seems to have forgotten that once Moses people were let go they spent the next 40 years wandering in the wilderness, searching for the promised land... pic.twitter.com/zNe3VPCYPl  Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) March 25, 2019
Should we really never name the Christchurch killer?

In the aftermath of the appalling killings at two Christchurch mosques, the Prime Minister of New Zealand has won plaudits around the world for her handling of the tragedy.

It has been quite right to praise Jacinda Ardern. She has led her country with dignity, compassion and decisiveness in the wake of the tragic events which left 50 people dead and many others injured.

Who can forget the clear empathy she showed as she met some of those affected? And who could fault her desire to toughen up New Zealand's gun ownership laws to try and prevent such a terrible massacre ever happening again?

She also promised to cover the funeral costs of those who were killed. We can all agree her leadership has been inspiring.

But there is just one thing, also widely applauded, which perhaps we should just stop to think about for a moment. And that is Jacinda Ardern's pledge that she would never utter the name of the gunman.

She told her Parliament: 'He sought many things from his act of terror, but one was notoriety; that is why you will never hear me mention his name.'

On first hearing, this sounds eminently wise and reasonable. After all, it is the names of those who were killed which, quite rightly, should be remembered first and foremost. And why would we want to give any publicity to the man who carried out this wicked and repugnant act?

But I wonder. In general terms, the precedent for 'denying the oxygen of publicity' to terrorists has not worked out too well. That phrase, of course, was coined by UK Premier Margaret Thatcher when she sought to have the voices of various Northern Irish terrorists banned from British airwaves. In practice, it somehow seemed, perversely perhaps, to glamorise their notoriety, rather than obscure it.

However, there are two much more significant reasons why we might just pause and wonder about this specific aspect of Jacinda Ardern's approach, while rightly lauding her wider handling of the tragedy. The first is simply the argument that in denying people their name, we dehumanise them, which of course is exactly how the killer regarded those in the Christchurch mosques. And part of the strength of western style democracy is the dignity it is supposed to give to everyone  everyone  regardless of who they are.

One of the reasons this system of government partly feels more fragile than it used to in current times is because of the persistent 'othering' or dehumanising of people, whether on social media or in political debate. It seems to me we do well to avoid that.

And, secondly, from a Christian perspective, names are really important. Those long lists of genealogies in the Bible are not just thrown in there to fill up the space. Among other reasons, they are there to show that the ordinary people, the insignificant people, the otherwise nameless masses, do matter; they matter to a God who knows them all by name and who says he knows every human being by name.

More than that, names remind us that each and every human being is made in the image of the God who reveals himself by name. Thus each individual has innate value, however flawed or sinful they might be  whatever wicked acts they might carry out. People may do all sorts of truly horrific things, and the original beauty of the image of God may be left shattered, foul-smelling and disfigured within them  but in this life, there is always the possibility of redemption.

The Christchurch massacre was vile. Nothing, of course, could ever, ever justify it. Nonetheless, the gospel remains true for the killer as much as all of us. After all, if we know our Bibles we will know that none of us qualify on merit to start with, however 'good' we may or may not have been. As the famous hymn puts it: 'The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.'

This possibility of redemption stands true even for wicked and evil gunmen. Even the Christchurch killer, for whom we should pray: Brenton Tarrant.

David Baker is a former daily newspaper journalist now working as an Anglican minister in Sussex, England. Find him on Twitter @Baker_David_A
Trade and tariff uncertainty is a mounting burden for Texas' economy as the state's exports reach record levels.

Tariffs on electronic components, steel and aluminum, as well as the not-yet-ratified U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, are putting pressure on the future of Texas manufacturing and the state's overall economy, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas wrote in a quarterly report on the Southwest Economy.

Texas accounts for 19 percent of U.S. exports, and the state's growth rate of exports has nearly double that of the nation since 2000. In more recent years since the shale revolution and increased activity in West Texas' Permian Basin, manufacturing exports in the state took off -- last year the industry accounted for 78.5 percent of Texas' exports; petroleum and coal products was the state's largest manufacturing export sector, representing $55.7 billion.

Economists wrote that the state's comparative advantage in the global market is under question as shifting trade and tariff regulations threaten to increase costs for many of these leading export sectors, such as petroleum and coal products, computer and electronic products and chemicals.

Tariffs on steel and aluminum that were imposed in March, "directly disrupt" Texas manufacturing, economists wrote. And, tariffs that involve electronic components imported from China make it harder for Texas to compete for market share against Japan, Korea and Singapore, which may use the same electronics supply chain but without a tariff.

More requests for waivers from steel tariffs have come from Texas than any other state, accounting for about one in every five requests, with 90 percent of those coming from companies in the Houston area, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

"The future direction of Texas manufacturing exports hinges on trade policy," Jesus Canas, a senior business economist, and Stephanie Gullo, a research analyst, wrote.

RELATED: Texas companies requested most steel tariff waivers of any state

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which was a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, is cause for concern in Texas as well, they wrote. Though still awaiting approval by Congress, the agreement as it stands proposes stricter rules of origin for the automotive sector and higher wage requirements. These together will likely raise costs and reduce the competitiveness of motor vehicle parts, wrote Canas and Gullo.
The closure of a portion of the Houston Ship Channel in the aftermath of the days-long Deer Park chemical fire could cost the petroleum and petrochemical sectors an estimated $1 billion in direct and indirect costs and lost revenues, experts said.

Shutting down a major chunk of the Port of Houston for a few days means cutting off access to the biggest port in the nation in terms of foreign tonnage, shipping out petroleum, chemicals, plastics and countless other products in container terminals while receiving large volumes of crude oil and massive container cargo ships.

A few days of closures typically equates to about $500 million in direct costs in delayed shipments and lost supply chain materials for thousands of impacted companies, said Maria Burns, director of the University of Houston's logistics and transportation program. Another $500 million is estimated to be incurred in indirect expenses from rerouted and canceled shipments and vessel traffic worldwide, she said.

"This is a very busy port and a very busy part of the world," Burns said, noting the Port of Houston's importance for the global chemicals, plastics, oil and gas industries.

RELATED: Some vessels now moving through closed waterway caused by ITC spill

The port began slowly moving some ships through Monday after being closed for three days. The vessels are being decontaminated as they move through the roughly seven-mile portion of the Houston Ship Channel near the Lynchburg Ferry, extending from Tucker Bayou, where the severely damaged Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility is located, to Houston Ship Channel light 116.

"The Houston Ship Channel is extremely efficient. It's the miracle of transportation," Burns said. "When everything works perfectly, no one notices. But when there's a major accident, it ripples all over."

This is becoming more true than ever with roughly 80 percent of the nation's growth in the petrochemical and petroleum sectors occurring along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast, she added.

As of Monday morning, the Houston Pilots reported 31 ships waiting to move into or past the affected area, and 31 ships were waiting to depart.
PETE MAROVICH, STR / NYT

WASHINGTON - Senators are expected to vote this week on a resolution regarding the Green New Deal, a Democratic proposal to tackle climate change through an unprecedented uptick in government spending on clean energy.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is looking to use the vote as an opportunity to highlight many Democrats' unwilling to commit to such a large undertaking, which was proposed by upstart freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y.
The face of Latin America's cartels is changing as more women are rising up in leadership and taking on roles in drug trafficking and assassination.

Known as "Las Flakas" (Skinny Girls), young women are taking up lives of crime, becoming effective agents for the cartels' causes. Since the chance of being assassinated is great, the title of "La Flaka" has been passed from one female to another.

HOW IT WORKS: This is how drug cartels get American guns into Mexico

The Daily Beast named the first "La Flaca" as Veronica Mireya Moreno Carreon, who worked for Los Zetas and was arrested in 2011. The second was Nancy Manriquez Quintanar, who was also arrested in 2011.

The most recent to make headlines was Joselyn Alejandra Nino, who was found dismembered and stuffed in an ice chest along the US-Mexico border in April of 2015. The Gulf Cartel assassin's chopped up body was found along with another dismembered woman and a decapitated man in the back of a truck.

She made headlines after a photo of her toting an assault rifle with a smile went viral months before her murder.

Facebook screenshots

Nino's death has been credited to La Gladys of the Zetas Cartel, who remains "at large terrorizing the communities of northern Mexico," Fox News reported.

TEXAS CARTEL TIES: Lubbock woman goes to prison for ties to Sinaloa Cartel

"They are ideal killers; young, beautiful and reckless," Andrew Chesnut, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, told Fox News. "By keeping a low profile they avoid suspicion where men doing the same job would quickly find themselves in trouble."

Chesnut continued to explain that the young female assassins work their way up to become killers - beginning as low-level lookout workers or prostitutes. Some others are recruited in prison or were born into cartel families.

"There's an inextricable link between sex and death in the culture of these female killers," Chesnut told Fox News. "In seeking to be the most desired by the narco men, they seek also to be the most brutal among their group of peers. It's gone as far as having them worship the image of Saint Death in their own likenesses, dressed in lingerie."

Last year, another female killer known as "La Peque" (the little one) claimed to have had intercourse with beheaded corpses and bathed in and drank their blood. The 29-year -old member of the Sinaloa Cartel is currently in prison in Baja California Sur.

DRUG MIGRATION: DEA maps show where drug cartels hold sway in Texas, U.S.

Melisa Margarita Calderon Ojeda, known as "La China", is another former assassin who is currently locked up in a Baja California Sur prison for homicide. She and her ex-partner, Eduardo Martin Alvarado "El Kumi," were ordered to kill another rival assassin, but they accidentally killed his father instead, according to reports.

Though not an official assassin, Ann Marie Hernandez, known as "La Muneca," was another leading female cartel member who was arrested in 2015 for drug smuggling and bribery charges. She and her ex-husband Daniel Ledezma smuggled thousands of kilograms of cocaine through an El Paso border crossing where he worked.

To see these and other female assassins who have made a name for themselves for their ruthlessness, click through the gallery above. And continue clicking to see the other inside photos that have been leaked through the years of the world of cartel men and women.
"Us" is a jumble of ideas, and they aren't clear ideas. People will see in it what they like, and they will give it an intellectual coherence it doesn't possess. But, really, the thing to like best about "Us" is its messiness. Writer-director Jordan Peele throws a lot at his audience in this one, perhaps as a way of concealing his film's true meaning from himself.

This is a more-serious work than his previous film, "Get Out," and it's a surprising departure. "Get Out," though enjoyable, was almost too obvious in its intention, too transparent in its thinking. "Us" is wonderfully confused, a horror film that taps into unconscious terrors, within the audience and probably within the filmmaker, as well.

Lupita Nyong'o  she's terrific in this  plays an upper-middle class wife and mother who, as a young girl, had something very weird happen to her. Inside a haunted house along the Santa Cruz boardwalk, she ran into her doppelganger. Instead of dismissing the incident as a hallucination or a mirror effect, she still thinks about it 30 years later. All the same, when her husband (Winston Duke) insists on taking the whole family for a long Santa Cruz weekend, she goes along with it, despite misgivings.

Peele takes his time in these early scenes. He rolls it out slowly, introducing the couple's bickering friends, Kitty (Elisabeth Moss) and Josh (Tim Heidecker). Kitty reveals that, like John at the bar in the old Billy Joel song, she believes she could have been a movie star. It takes a special kind of an actress who can say that and seem completely ridiculous, without us remembering, until later, that it's an actual movie star saying the line.

And then the long night begins. Adelaide (Nyong'o) tells her husband that her uneasiness has become unbearable, that they and their two kids need to pack up and leave immediately. But it's too late. The doppelgangers are standing outside the house  one for father, one for mother, one for sister, one for brother.

A word about the doppelgangers. They're not monsters. They're human. They live underground, and they're described as shadow people. The implication is that everyone has one. And these shadow people are not nice. They're feral. They're wild, animalistic, irrational. And their voices are terrifying. Nyong'o and Peele come up with a voice for Adelaide's doppelganger; a heaving, scraping, breathless sound that chills the blood.

As for what happens next, that's best left discovered in the watching. But just knowing this much, it's clear that Peele has hit on something that has wide metaphorical application. Some will insist on seeing "Us" as a movie about the American underclass. Peele probably wants people to think that, because at one point, Adelaide's doppelganger says, "We are America."

But that's Peele playing to the crowd, trying to give critics and audiences a hook, some notion that there's a higher social purpose behind the proceedings. But if you think it through, that interpretation doesn't make complete sense. It's good as an allusion, as an echo of a thought, but only that. Obviously, not every successful person has an unsuccessful doppelganger living in torment. Even if you take that to mean that every successful person has someone similar living in misery, that has no impact even as metaphor.

More Information *** Review "Us" Rated: R for violence/terror, and language Length: 116 minutes **** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Poor See More Collapse

The doppelganger idea can also be looked it in psychiatric terms, that the doppelganger is the id, the wild, suppressed part of the self that lives underground, unseen. And again, that's a nice idea to have floating around the movie, but it doesn't quite line up allegorically, because the id is an unconscious motivator of human behavior, not something completely separate from the self.

Adelaide is Peele's main character, the one that expresses his viewpoint and that, for all intents and purposes, is him within the story. And so, at one point, he has Adelaide go underground, into the tunnels. He has her, in a sense, penetrate the unconscious world, which is depicted as unreal, a pristine and barren place populated by fat and contented rabbits. It's a brilliant sequence, in which she ultimately must do battle with herself.

So, "Us" is not about America, though it is, a little; and it's not about the unconscious, though it's slightly that, too. What it's really about is a newly and phenomenally successful artist contemplating his own American story. It's about the guilt that comes with success, as well as the horror that it might have gone another way and the fear that it could still go away.

Last time, Peele made a movie about the country. This time he made a movie about himself, and it's even better.
March 11

At 11:20 a.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to the Bellaire Post Office on Bellaire Boulevard regarding a dog bite upon a postal worker occurring at 4530 Braeburn Drive. While delivering the mail, a small white dog ran out the door and bit the worker on the right ankle, breaking the skin.

March 12

At 4:15 p.m., Officer Trujillo was dispatched to the 5300 block of Huisache Street in reference to an abandoned vehicle that had been placed on a 72 hour notice with the City of Bellaire Police Department. After further investigation it was determined the vehicle had been stolen in the City of Houston.

At 2 p.m., Officer Jenkins was dispatched to the 800 block of North Second Street to meet the reportee concerning a burglary of a building. The reportee stated that they are selling their house and had it listed with a realtor. The victim had a Honda dirt bike stored in the garage because she was unable to move it. The last time the reportee was at the house the attached garage was locked. When she returned to the garage the side door was unlocked and the motorcycle was stolen.

At 4:55 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 5400 block of Bellaire Boulevard when he observed a silver Nissan in front of him with expired registration. Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and found the driver was driving with a suspended driver license and without proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid-enhanced. The suspect was transported to the Bellaire Jail without incident.

March 13

At 12:51 a.m., Officer Younger located the defendant passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle in the 6400 block of IH 610 East Service Road. The defendant was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated at the completion of the investigation.

At 1:38 p.m., Officer Schwausch was working stationary traffic in the U-Turn of the 6700 block of the IH 610 West Service Road when he observed a blue Nissan with expired registration. Officer Schwausch waved for the vehicle to stop as it approached him and it drove around him. The Nissan stopped when it struck the vehicle in front of it. The suspect refused to obey instructions given to him by officers, and resisted while being detained. A small amount of marijuana was also found in the suspect vehicle. The driver was arrested for interfering with duties of a public servant and was transported to the Bellaire Jail without incident. Officer Rocha and Officer Lysack assisted with this incident.

At 4:38 p.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Department Lobby to meet with a reportee in reference to a theft in the 5400 block of Braeburn Drive. Upon arrival, Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated concert tickets were purchased online through craigslist. The victim stated the concert tickets were invalid.

March 14

At 10:56 a.m., Officer D.Rocha was dispatched to the 4300 block of Betty Street in reference to a family disturbance. A Lysack and T. Quimby also arrived to assist Ofc Rocha on this scene. It was found both parties were arguing and fighting. Harris County Assistant District Attorney declined assault charges on either party (mutually combative). Boyfriend was arrested for public intoxication and three confirmed outstanding warrants from the Houston Police Department.

At 12:53 p.m., Officer Quimby was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Department in reference to an identity theft in the 100 block of Ferndale. Officer Quimby arrived about 12:55 p.m. and met with the victim, who stated an unknown person used her name and social security number to obtain an account with Direct Energy.

At 3:59 p.m., Sgt. D Kerr was dispatched to 5100 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to an assault that had just occurred. Kerr was advised the suspect was a B/M in green clothing with a red suitcase. The suspect had just spit in the face of the victim at the transit center. After obtaining the information about what happened, the area was searched but the suspect was not located.

March 15

At 11 a.m., Officer C. Barber was dispatched to the police department to meet with victims regarding identity theft in the 4600 block of Pine Street. An unknown person attempted to file false tax information using the victims identifying information. The attempts were thwarted by the Internal Revenue Services internal protocols.

At 2:18 p.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to the Bellaire Police Department Lobby in reference to an identity theft in the 5700 block of Innsbruck Street. Upon arrival, Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated an unknown suspect filed an income tax return using her personal identifying information.

March 16

At 2:05 a.m., Officer Younger initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to maintain a single lane of traffic at 8600 IH 610 Southbound. The traffic stop investigation revealed the driver to be driving while intoxicated and in possession of cocaine. The driver was placed into custody and processed without incident. Officer Younger was assisted in this investigation by Officer Guerra.

March 17

At 1:19 a.m., Bellaire Police Department received a call on a possible drunk driver fleeing an accident they were involved in. Officer Younger responded and located the defendants vehicle which was being followed by the victim. Officer Younger initiated a traffic stop on the defendants vehicle at 5300 Gulfton St. and conducted a traffic stop investigation. The defendant was found to be intoxicated and was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated. Officer Guerra assisted with this investigation.

At 2:33 p.m., Officer D. Norman was dispatched to an animal bite that occurred in the 5600 block of Whitehaven Drive.
Ronnie Killen's restaurant empire, which has a sizable following for its command of steaks, barbecue and burgers, is growing again. The pitmaster who put Pearland on the nation's barbecue map with Killen's Barbecue, teased on social media Sunday that the former Hickory Hollow space at 101 Heights would be a good place for the next Killen's venture.

And so it shall. Killen announced Monday he has signed a lease with Braun Enterprises which purchased the longtime barbecue and chicken-fried steak restaurant from owner Tony Riedel last August. Killen said he is picking up his keys today and beginning work to transform the much-loved Hickory Hollow  which served its last meal in January  into a new restaurant called, simply, Killen's. It will be Killen's first restaurant inside the Loop in Houston.

"It will be upscale comfort foods. Sort of the best of what we do at our other restaurants," said the owner of Killen's Steakhouse, Killen's Barbecue, Killen's Burgers and Killen's TMX, all in Pearland, and Killen's STQ in Houston.

BBQ STATE OF MIND: Listen to Ronnie Killen talk about opening Killen's Barbecue

The menu will include chicken-fried steak, naturally, but also a variety of the foods that have made the Killen's brands so popular: fried chicken, fried shrimp, burgers, steaks, seafood, barbecue beef ribs and brisket, and a smattering of Tex-Mex favorites. Customers should also expect to see dishes such as meatloaf, cornbread, biscuits, and more "Americana food" and "Southern Texas cuisine," Killen said.

The deal to take over the Hickory Hollow space has been in the works for months, Killen said, adding that he actually wanted to buy the property. But Braun has offered him a five-year lease with the option to purchase after, he said. It was a deal he could get behind.

"If you look at the location with all the construction  in 10 to 20 years it's going to be a goldmine there," Killen said.

Nostalgia also played a role in wanting to move into Hickory Hollow. He said he remembers the restaurant from his childhood and that the low-slung building reminds him of his original steakhouse in Pearland.

Killen has been busy lately. In late December he opened Killen's TMX, a restaurant serving regional Mexican food and Tex-Mex classics using his famed barbecue. He also is readying the opening of a new Killen's Steakhouse in the Woodlands, in the former Bob's Steak & Chop House, 1700 Research Dr. in Shenandoah. That steakhouse is set to open in April.

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Expect the new Killen's in Houston to open within four months.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.
An elementary school teacher in the Katy Independent School District generally has 22 students in the classroom while their junior high and high school counterparts typically have a student/teacher ratio of about 23 to 1.

To keep that ratio in the fast-growing school district, Katy ISD officials told school board members they need to hire several hundred more teachers and support staff just to keep up with growth that comes from regularly adding new school campuses.

Brian Schuss, the districts assistant superintendent for human resources, recommended the board hire 382 what he referred to as campus staffing units and 153 campus support personnel. The figure is based on enrollment growth of about 2,800 students in the district, up from 2,600 the year before.

He said opening two new campuses in Katy ISD this year is a major reason for the urgent need for new teachers and support personnel.

Its a significant increase in staffing over last year, Schuss said. When you put that all together, it can be a considerable amount of staff. I think we have a good plan.

RELATED: Katy ISD loses hundreds of teachers in three years

Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski said the districts primary staffing focus is on teachers.

We run pretty lean or as lean as we can be administratively, he told trustees. Most of the ads that we do put into personnel are those campus-based positions and specifically teachers and para-educators who get into the classroom to support those kids.

The request also include positions for 64 additional teachers and 83 support staff in Katy ISDs special education department. District officials are projecting to have about 10,500 Katy ISD students enrolled in special education courses at the end of the 2018-19 school year and more than 10,900 by the start of the following year.

The new positions are to help relieve our current teachers who are experiencing higher than normal caseloads, said Gwen Coffey, Katy ISDs director of special education compliance. We want to ensure that were providing students with those quality interventions and strategies.

Katy ISD contacts some special education personnel through the Harris County Department of Education but in many cases, Coffey said, that is not the most cost-effective solution.

2019 RANKING: Best Houston area school districts for teachers in 2019

In the majority of these positions that we have looked at, it is overwhelming more expensive to do that through contracted services than to hire them, Coffey said.

The explosive growth in Katy ISD is one reason for the increase in the number of students being admitted into special education classes. But parents are becoming increasingly more aware about the programs offered in the district, which Coffey said was a very positive development.

Were getting a lot more early childhood referrals and getting students into that pipeline for early intervention services, she said.

mike.glenn@chron.com
Bunker Hill

3/17/19 at 0345 Hours. 100 Block of Harrisburg. Public Intoxication (x2). MVPD officer while on patrol observed a vehicle parked in a residential area occupied by 2 subjects. As the officer began to investigate the situation, he located 2 heavily intoxicated male subjects inside of the vehicle. One was subject was passed out and the other suspect was unable to care for himself or his friend. Both males were then placed under arrest and booked into the MVPD jail for Public Intoxication and the vehicle was towed away from the area.

3/19/19 at 0245 Hours. 12100 Block of Tara. Burglary of a Motor Vehicle. The victim was awoken by his dogs who were barking. The victim looked outside where he observed a male subject inside of his pickup truck. The suspect then observed the victim and fled from the area on foot. Upon arrival to the area the officers found that the victims truck had been entered and rummaged through. The area was checked however the suspect was not located. There were no signs of forced entry and the victim believed that he may have accidently left the vehicle unlocked. Information was gathered and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

3/20/19 at 0315 Hours. 100 Block of Carolane Trail. Criminal Trespass. A resident notified MVPD of 2 unknown persons in his backyard. The victim had confronted the 2 individuals who then jumped a fence and fled the area. The same 2 suspects were also most likely the same subjects who had fled from officers approximately an hour earlier form a location in Hedwig Village. The area was searched by officers and a police K9, however no one was located.

3/21/19 at 0030 Hours. 200 Block of Gessner. Theft. (Porch Pirates). Victim reported that at approximately 1445 hours on this date, a package was delivered to her home and left on the front porch. Video surveillance showed that a Hispanic male approximately 18-25 years old wearing sunglasses, a black polo shirt and black slacks took the packager from the porch. The video did not show any vehicle or additional suspects. Information was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

3/21/19 at 1745 Hours. 1170-0 Block of Wendover. Theft (Porch Pirates). Victim reported that she was expecting packages to be delivered to her home on this date. Upon checking her porch, she located a empty yellow envelope on her porch. A reviewed of video surveillance showed that at 1215 FedEx had delivered packages. While to driver was leaving the packages, a white SUV can be seen driving by. As soon as the FedEx truck leaves the white SUV returns. A Hispanic male exits the SUV with a yellow envelope in his hand he walks up to the package and takes the packages leaving the yellow envelope. The suspect then flees in the white SUV. It appears the SUV was following the FedEx truck. Information was obtained and provided to detectives for their investigation.

Piney Point

3/18/19 at 1115 Hours. 600 Block of Piney Point Road. Fraud. The victim reported that she received information from her bank of fraudulent activity occurring on her checking account. Electronic transfers had been made to accounts that she did not authorize. Information about the accounts was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

3/19/19 at 1000 Hours. 400 block of Oak Lane. Theft/Fraud. The victim reported that he had just started received multiple fraud alert notifications from his credit card monitoring company and realized that he did not have his wallet. He had left his wallet in his vehicle and when he went to check for it he could not locate it. It is believed that sometime during the day someone had taken it from his car. Several of his credit cards were being attempted to be used at various locations around Houston. It is unknown where and when the wallet was taken. Information about the credit card usage was obtained and provided to detectives for their follow up investigation.

Hunters Creek

3/20/19 at 2030 Hours. 600 Hunters Grove. Theft. The victim reported that a male subject accompanied by a female, along with 2 children had come to their home offering to perform some work on their vehicle. The victim agreed the have the subject work on his car which he did do. Upon completing the tasks, he asked to wash his hands. The subject was allowed to use a kitchen sink. Soon after he left it was discovered that a ring that had been left near the sink was missing. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male approximately 62 Tall. The suspect and his family were in a gold colored mini-van of an unknown make. Information was obtained and provided to detectives. Nearby residences were contacted to see if any other homes had been contacted by the suspects. The investigation is on-going.
As discussions continued over Bunker Hill Villages future with the Village Fire Department, Chief David Foster voiced concerns for the safety of the citys citizens, who could lose their fire and emergency services in roughly nine months.

During the monthly fire commission meeting at the Hedwig Village city hall on Thursday, March 21, Foster cautioned the Bunker Hill representatives in the room that they were getting down to the wire.

You guys have like nine months left to resolve this issue, and you cannot start a fire department in nine months: its impossible. You may be able to hire an EMS (Emergency Medical Services) service in nine months, Foster said. I am very concerned about your residents paying the penalty for this decision.

He also said his Tier 1 departments average response times over the past two months were far below national standards and that he didnt see a reason for the conflict that started last summer.

Five minutes and 2 seconds. Thats pretty good, and thats from when the Memorial Villages Police pick up the phone until we get someone on the scene, and youre getting the ALS (Advanced Life Support) on the scene in less than 6 minutes: 5 minutes and 36 seconds, Foster said. Thats a paramedic on the scene in 5 minutes 36 seconds. The national standard for that is 10 minutes and 30 seconds. I dont understand the problem.

Much of the meeting revolved around a non-binding letter of intent sent to Bunker Hill earlier in the week, ahead of its council meeting. Signing the letter would be a step toward the department providing four years of services to the city starting on Jan. 1, 2020, and would give the city an opportunity to opt back into the department beginning Jan. 1, 2024. If an agreement is not reached, the VFD would stop services to Bunker Hill at the end of this year.

Bunker Hill Alternate Fire Commissioner Bert Rosenbaum said the Bunker Hill council wanted some clarifications regarding the letter. First, he said they wanted to define explicitly the agreement term as four years. Muecke, Hedwig Village mayor and alternate fire commissioner, confirmed the agreement would be a four-year term.

When Rosenbaum asked about using the interlocal agreement that is now in place sans changes, Muecke said that was to keep the payment schedules for department funds as they currently are.

Rosenbaum also wanted to know what specific obligations or liabilities could be required of the city, including the pension fund. He said they would like to have the amended interlocal agreement six months before Bunker Hill needs to give notice whether it wanted to re-enter the VFD. In response, Muecke said the liabilities can change for a variety of reasons and that while Bunker Hill benefited from the service, the funds would be required. Muecke added that the deadline for Bunker Hill to give notice of whether it wanted to rejoin the fire department had been moved up from July 1, 2022, to May 1, 2022, in order that the departments budget could be planned based on the decision.

Rosenbaum asked if Bunker Hill decides not to re-enter the department, would its distribution amounts still be available to the city? Allen Carpenter, Spring Valley Village council member and fire commissioner, said the five Villages currently in the department agree that it needs to specifically state in the interlocal that anyone who is a participating city, once the moneys in, the moneys in. It belongs to the fire department.

Rosenbaum suggested discussing department expenditures that could arise during the four-year agreement and pitched the idea of the VFD extending services to Bunker Hill by one more year through 2020 to get some issues and details ironed out. Carpenter said he was not comfortable with extending a services just another year but wants to see that Bunker Hill is committed to becoming and staying a part of the department.

Zeb Nash, the chairman of the VFD commissioners, said he hopes the six Memorial Villages can soon come to an agreement that will protect Bunker Hills residents.

What I would like to say to you, Bert, and the residents of Bunker Hill Village is that the five cities that currently make up the fire district have consistently said in open meetings that we didnt want to see Bunker Hill leave the fire department, Nash said. Weve also said in open sessions that we would not withhold services from Bunker Hill as we are going through this discussion about Bunker Hill leaving because we owe it to those citizens who have been excellent participants in this department for over 40 years, to provide them with the services they have come to expect.

He ended by saying member of the fire commission just want to serve the residents of the Memorial Villages and that a relationship going forward with Bunker Hill must be grounded in trust.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
School bomb threats cause anxiety and disrupt learning within the school community, especially since they are reoccurring more often.

Harris County Department of Educations Center for Safe and Secure Schools (CSSS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are hosting a free series of trainings with a 2019 Safety Series: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure. The workshops dealing with the awareness, prevention and planning for potential campus threats are presented by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Explosives Specialist Bill Shockley.

Immediately following Columbine, schools across the nation experienced spikes in bomb threats and related incidents.

As schools continue to build upon safety strategies, the threat of bombs must factor into that education, said Ecomet Burley, director of the Center for Safe and Secure Schools. These trainings are critical for district and campus personnel.

A 2015 national study of more than 800 violent school bomb threat and shooting threats took research to a higher level by collecting original data and dissecting critical trends and patterns. It was revealed that more than 70 percent of the threats involved shooting and/or bomb threats. Thirty percent of these schools were evacuated, and 10 percent closed, oftentimes unnecessarily doing so, revealing a need for school threat assessment training.

These introductory courses provide an understanding of how to identify and respond to an improvised explosive device threat and protective measures to mitigate an IED threat. Various IED devices are examined and discussed.

The first training, Bombing Prevention Awareness, is scheduled for Thursday, March 28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6005 Westview, Houston, TX 77055. Register for the workshop at https://bit.ly/2NQdDAt.

The second training, Protective Measures Course, will be held April 11 at 6005 Westview, Houston, TX 77055. Register for the workshop at https://bit.ly/2SS9XPE.

Two other advance workshop trainings will be held later in the year: Threat Management Planning and IED Search Procedures Course are planned on June 25 and July 23, respectively. For more information contact school safety and security specialist Janice Owolabi at jowolabi@hcde-texas.org.
One mower. One blower. One weed eater.

And a $3,500 credit account with John Deere.

Before Sergio Martinez, 46, of Sergios Landscaping in Conroe stood humbled before 400 people to accept the award for the Conroe Chamber of Commerces Small Business of the Year in January, he had to push for success from the ground up.

It was me with a mower on the back of my truck, it came out like a crazy idea, Martinez said on Friday as he recalled the roots of his business and his family thinking he was joking when he told him his plan.

It turned out to be alright, I guess, he added with a laugh.

Originally from Mexico, Martinez has lived in Conroe for about 30 years. He graduated from Conroe High School in 1992. His family worked in the landscaping industry for generations, but one day, while working, he had the idea to take it to the next level.

The certified landscaping company that has now served Montgomery County for nearly 20 years started out without a business plan and only about 30 accounts.

While he juggled his previous job at first, he had to ultimately make a decision and chose to quit a year after starting the company to fully commit to his plan. And, most importantly, he said, he focused on hiring the right people, and people who could help him in the areas he was not as familiar with, such as an accountant, a computer technician and an attorney as his business grew.

Its a constant challenge every day, he said. It was challenging the first three years trying to produce profitable income to support my family at the time, but after the third year the company became profitable and professional. We dont look back any more, we keep moving forward.

Today, Martinez is licensed in horticulture, irrigation, and designing and he said Sergios Landscaping is one of the largest landscaping companies in Montgomery County with three full-time office employees for accounting, schedule coordinating, and a general manager among 25 total employees. He also recently finished his second year to be the president of the Gulf Coast Houston Irrigation Association.

The landscaping industry is actually to beautify each business and each house, Martinez said noting it can also help protect the environment and assist with water conservation. It is really, really important for homeowner especially to be able to go home after a hard day of work. They go home and they want to be able to enjoy their back yard  that is their relaxing space.

Montgomery resident Karen Koerner said Sergios Landscaping has cared for her Bentwater homes property since 2012 and that Martinez always makes sure the design includes flowers and plants for each season, event the winter. She described him as the undercover boss who went to work with the crew and who even dug a ditch to help address a drainage issue.

The yard changes every season and there is always something in bloom, Koerner said. Thats unusual to have somebody that doesnt mind getting his hands dirty he comes out prepared to help the crew if he needs to. Im glad the Chamber is honoring him.

Chamber President Brian Bondi presented the Small Business Award, which recognizes a business that has less than 50 employees that has contributed to growth of the chamber but also made an impact on the community.

Promising quality landscaping services and delivering are two different things except when it comes to Sergios, Chamber Brian Bondi said. Martinez has built his business on hard-work, dedication to excellence and building relationships with his clients. From lawn care to landscape design to irrigation and repair Sergios Landscaping embodies what it means to be involved, give back and promote our organization.

Its an award that Martinez said he did not expect to receive.

Its kind of overwhelming, sometimes you work so hard on everyday stuff that you dont realize how we impact the community, Martinez said. The most rewarding thing is to have my staff there, my kids, and my wife. That was amazing.

For those who may be considering starting a business of their own one day, Martinez offered a piece of advice.

They have to be committed and have to be honest, Martinez said. Honesty will bring you a long way.

mellsworth@hcnonline.com
After two years, 2,800 subpoenas, 1,000 search warrants and interviews, tens of millions of dollars, and unfettered freedom to follow every path, Special Counsel Robert Mueller reported there was no collusion between Russia and President Trumps campaign.

None. Zero. Nada. In fact, he concluded not a single American conspired or coordinated with Russia despite multiple offers. Turns out the entire accusation Democrats and the liberal media tried to desperately sell the American people is completely false  an embarrassing, credibility-shattering invention.

Democrats owe the American people an apology. As importantly, they need to stop wasting even more time on their Trump-hating rush to impeachment and begin working with Republicans to tackle the serious challenges facing America. But will they?

* * *

In 2016 President Obama said there was no answer to bringing manufacturing jobs back to hard-working Americans  not unless we had a magic wand.

Boy, was he wrong. While manufacturing jobs shrunk under Obama, they have grown by over 450,000 under President Trump. Blue collar employment is surging, paychecks are growing, and thanks to Republican tax reform and balanced regulations, America is now enjoying a new era of manufacturing rebirth.

We are seeing that growth here at home. A few weeks ago I toured two new manufacturing plants in East Texas that created 100 new jobs with nearly $100 million of investment in the local community. Last week I toured Packers Plus Energy Services in Tomball, Martin Marietta and Century Asphalt in the Navasota Industrial Park, and Eagle Pressure Control in Grimes County.

Together, these local companies are seeing strong growth, investing millions in new technology to stay competitive, hiring new workers, and expanding their markets. And each of them are proud to be part of their communities.

Unfortunately, too many in Washington and on the presidential campaign trail are trying to return to the slow-growth, America-cant-compete days of the disappointing Obama economy by raising taxes and imposing more mandates and regulation on Main Street America. They dont understand theres no magic wand. Just get Washington out of the way of Americas job creators - theyll do the rest.

* * *

More good news for our local veterans. Last week I toured the new 3,850-square-foot dental facility at the Conroe VA Outpatient Clinic that I worked together with the Houston VA to bring about. Now our veterans have the convenience of visiting this new facility for dental care instead of having to make the long trip to downtown Houston.

For all our veterans have done to protect our freedoms, this is a small way to repay our thanks.

* * *

As a GOP leader in charge of passing the new modern United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, I head to the White House this week to meet with President Trump. Theres a lot at stake  especially for Texas  and its vital that Democrats work with us to pass this important new agreement.

Congressman Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, represents District 8.
METRO officials told the Bellaire city council on Monday, March 18, that as the Houston area keeps growing, its residents will need to use bus services, light rails and High Occupancy Vehicle lanes more in order to avoid future gridlock.

Cindy Siegel, second vice-chair of the METRO board of directors and former Bellaire mayor, said as part of METRONext, METRO has held about 200 meetings in communities across Houston and Harris County, offering information and hearing feedback with the goal of putting a bond measure for improving transit before voters in November.

Siegel described the current traffic situation and how much worse it could get as experts predict the equivalent of Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Arlington and Corpus Christis populations is predicted to move to the Houston area.

Think about being stuck in rush hour our traffic on 610 by The Galleria or trying to get home if you work downtown or trying to get to the airport because youre trying to catch a plane. Or imagine if youre just sitting at home, and theres an accident on 610 Loop - and we all know how the traffic pours off of the Loop and through Bellaire, she said So Im sure Im making everyones blood pressure starting to rise, but now imagine in 20 years the population in the Houston metro is going to double.

Siegel said the Moving Forward Plan addresses, Where are we going to be in the next 20 years, and where do we need to go with the ultimate goal being moving more people to more places, more reliable and faster?

Priya Zachariah, METRO manager for regional and long range planning, said the transit plan would offer more connections and an improved experience for the customer while leaving the door open to using future technology. She discussed its major components.

First, she said the current light rail would be extended in places, including to N. Shepherd from the red line, to William P. Hobby Airport from the purple and green lines and to the downtown Harris County courthouse from the green and purple lines.

Zachariah mentioned a number of Bus Rapid Transit projects. The main one that would affect Bellaire is a southward extension from Uptown BRT that is already under construction. She said it would head down Westpark to a proposed Gulfton transit center that would take the place of the current downtown Bellaire center, a move that she said would benefit the community further west that tends to use public transit more often.

The plan would also build eight park and ride lots and seven transit centers as well as improve traffic flow for HOV lanes allowing more two-way traffic at all hours, Zachariah said.

She said METRO also plans to implement BOOST (Bus Operation Optimized System Treatments) to makes services faster and more reliable in certain highly traveled corridors through methods such as consolidating stops and signal coordination.

According to Zachariah, the $7 billion proposed plan is projected to double the passenger trips on the transit system and lessen traffic on area roads by 1 million vehicle miles each day.

Three takeaway points Siegel emphasized were that property and sales taxes would not go up because of the plan, the general mobility funds that Bellaire presently gets back of the citys sales tax dollars would continue through 2040 and if voters approve the plan, the downtown Bellaire transit center would be relocated further west toward Chimney Rock.

Siegel said with mertropolitan Houstons projected rapid growth in the coming years will impact everyone who lives here and that steps need to be taken now to prepare for the coming traffic situation.

For anyone who sits in Bellaire today and says I dont ride the bus, I dont use the HOV lane, I dont, you know, I dont do park and ride, I dont do the train, Im here to tell you if we dont do something, in 20 years, its going to be gridlock, Siegel said. And what does that mean? It means our economys going to suffer, our quality of life is going to suffer. So I encourage all of you to give your input.

Zachariah said METRO hopes to put a final plan before its board in July, ahead of a November bond election.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
March 15

At 1:36 p.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 6300 block of Brompton in reference to a theft case.

An officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6700 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, it was found that the driver provided a false/fictitious name and date of birth. He was subsequently arrested for Failure to Identify Fugitive from Justice.

March 16

An officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 5300-5500 block of Buffalo Speedway. The vehicle then parked in the 3200 block of Nottingham and the driver was observed urinating in a public place. An investigatory stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver (Bianca Horstman) was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated.

At 9:03 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the Houston Police Department, in regards to a prisoner, who had outstanding warrants with the City of West University Place. The prisoner was taken into custody and transported to the West University Place Jail, where the prisoner was booked in, without incident.

At 4:23 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 4100 block of Bissonnet in reference to a minor accident.

March 17

An officer was dispatched to the 2700 block of Talbott for a report of Identity Theft.

March 18

An officer was dispatched to the 5300 block of Kirby in regards to a forgery.

March 19

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to take custody of a subject (Jeremy Kelley) from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office who had outstanding warrants with our city.

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to an assault family violence incident. The officer met with the victim and a report was generated.

At 4:25 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regard to a walk-in report of identity theft.

An officer was dispatched to the Harris County Jail facility to pick up a subject (LaRachel Ligon) who had two open warrants out of the City of West University Place Police Department. Upon arrival the Officer took care and custody of the subject who was transported to the West University Place Police Department Jail without incident.

March 20

An Officer was dispatched to the 11000 block of S Sam Houston Pkwy E in reference to a subject with outstanding warrants with our agency. The subject (Nikaela Jackson) was taken into custody and transported to our jail facility without incident.

Officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of Bissonnet in reference to a Burglary of a building that already occurred.

An Officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound with defective brake lights in the 6400 block of Buffalo Speedway. The Officer initiated a traffic stop and upon further investigation, it was discovered that the driver was in possession of an illegal drug. The driver was given the opportunity to participate in the states diversion program.

March 21

At 12:08 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to an identity theft that already occurred.

An officer observed a vehicle traveling above the posted speed limit, northbound, in the 5600 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated.
Revenues in the Katy Independent School Districts general fund are expected to jump by nearly $60 million for the 2019-20 school year but the district is also faced with rising expenses and questions about state school finance reform efforts being undertaken by the Texas legislature, officials said.

During the March 18 Katy ISD Board of Trustees work study meeting, Chris Smith, the districts chief financial officer laid out how much money the district can expect next year along with how much money it will have to spend to educate more than 80,000 students in the fast-growing school district.

If you drive around any of the major thoroughfares, you see businesses going up and houses going up, Smith said.

Assuming property taxes rise by about 6 percent, the district should take in about $773 million - a combination of sources including tax revenue and state and federal funding. That figure is up from just over $715 million in the 2018-2019 school year.

District officials are estimating they will have to pay out more than $750 million in expenditures next year with more than 88 percent of that figure dedicated to salary and benefits. For instance, the district is budgeting about $8 million strictly for substitute teachers in 2019-20.

We are very labor-intensive when it comes to supervising children in this business, Smith told the trustees.

He said the district would be able to continue operating without going into a deficit if pressed to pass a budget right now.

It wouldnt be something that would make me do backflips over, but it would be something I could live with, Smith said.

Up until a few years ago, the state was picking up about 50 percent of the cost to educate the students of Texas. Now, its less than 40 percent. School district officials throughout the state are closely watching the events unfolding in Austin about school finance reform in the ongoing 86th legislative session. Smith said he was struck by House Speak Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, stocking the shelves in the legislative members lounge with Styrofoam cups inscribed with The Time is Now on school financial reform.

I do think theres a commitment to fund public education, but to what level is still unknown, he said. How it affects Katy ISD is still unknown.

The already-passed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1 appropriations bills will provide funding for a 3-percent cost of living increase for Texas teachers. But, Smith said Texas legislators want to do more.

Thats good for the children of the state, he said.

Smith had concerns about Senate Bill 3, which funds salary increases for teachers and librarians but not for other school employees, such as custodians and office staff along with the nurses and counselors whose pay is linked to that of teachers. SB3 also funds the teacher-librarian $5,000 pay increase for only two years after which it would be up to the local school districts to continue paying.

Im not sure its a great thing for all of public ed, he said. Its not guaranteed to be around in a couple of years. When it goes away, could we afford to sustain a pay raise of that kind? I dont know. Under current law, no.

One of the selling point for HB 3 was 4 cent tax reduction expected to provide about $3 billion in tax relief to Texas taxpayers. But, it also results in the state doing away with funding like $3 million for the districts Gifted and Talented program.

Well still spend money on Gifted and Talented, you bet. We just wont get (state) money for it, Smith said.

Katy ISD trustee Rebecca Fox said it was important for local residents to contact their representatives in Austin regarding their concerns over the state school funding debate.

They dont want to hear from (school board members), they want to hear from tax payers, Fox said. We have to speak up. We cannot sit idly by and do nothing.

mike.glenn@chron.com
Conroe ISD is already Montgomery Countys largest employer, but the district is hosting an event soon looking to fill even more positions.

The districts annual professional job fair, during which human resources employees advertise and fill positions for the upcoming school year, is to take place from 9 a.m. to noon April 6 at Grand Oaks High School.

Paula Green, the districts human resources assistant director, said many positions are open not only due to resignations or retirements, but largely because of student growth.

With a new elementary school opening up, Suchma Elementary, we have needs there. Grand Oaks High School is also opening its 11th grade this year, Green said. We are a district continually growing every school year. With that, allocations are added to accommodate that growth.

During the fair, applicants can meet and talk with campus personnel representatives for positions such as teachers, counselors, librarians, special education instructors and registered nurses. For out-of-district candidates looking to join the administrative team, interviews are to begin at 7:15 a.m. prior to the fair, in addition to interviews for bilingual teacher candidates.

Those looking for positions with the districts transportation, police, child nutrition or maintenance departments are directed to search the current job postings online.

Green said the district typically hires about 500 professionals between now and the beginning of the fall semester, but between 1,200 and 1,400 people typically attend this job fair event.

Chris Corson, the districts recruiting and retention specialist, recommended that applicants bring several copies of their resumes with them.

Also, create a strategy ahead of time by looking at the website that has maps of where our campuses are located, job postings and a district map. That will help create a strategy for the day, Corson said.

Looking for a job? Register online for the Conroe ISD job fair. While there are to be areas set up for day-of registration, the district prefers that participants complete an application online prior to the fair. See More Collapse

As a universal priority, Green said the districts goal is to ensure it is providing the best instruction to meet student needs. To do this, human resources employees examine campus and demographic needs.

Ultimately, were looking to hire good teachers for the campus and good teachers for our district. Were looking for who can best meet the needs of studentsits all about the quality instruction that can be provided, Green said.

At this event, theres usually a mix of candidates, including new teachers and even professionals who come from out of state to be considered for the various positions.

We look forward to this every year. Its a great opportunity for us to share with the community about who and what Conroe ISD is and find good candidates to fill open positions to work with our children, Green said.

jane.stueckemann@chron.com
Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables deputies raided a New Caney home Wednesday night and found $9,000 in cash and some drugs.

Joshua Guadalupe Camposano, 19, was arrested and charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, a first-degree felony, and money laundering, a jail felony, according to jail records. Ariel Marie Garza, 21, was also arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, according to court records.

Precinct 4 deputies executing a search warrant obtained through tips and surveillance found the cash and drugs at Camposanos home. Deputies seized three rolls of cash consisting of $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000. They also found 21 grams of cocaine, 67 grams of ecstasy and 136 grams of Xanax, or 136 grams, according to Precinct 4 Constables Office spokesman Lt. Jim Slack.

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Garza bailed out of the Montgomery County Jail. As of Monday afternoon, Camposano was being held and had no bond set.

Camposano was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 2018 and pleaded guilty to evading arrest in February, according to court records.

jose.gonzalez@chron.com

twitter.com/jrgzztx
Faith In Practices special 25th anniversary womens luncheon Women of Faith will be held Thursday, April 25, at 10:30 a.m. at the Hotel ZaZa-Houston Museum District (5071 Main St. in Houston).

This event will celebrate the women of Guatemala and will raise funds to provide vital medical, surgical, and dental care provided by Faith In Practice volunteer teams to these women and their families.

Living in extreme poverty, the women of Guatemala consistently radiate a deep and abiding faith. This luncheon will celebrate this faith which never fails to humble Faith In Practice volunteers.

Dr. Patricia Brock and Donna Lewis, both longtime supporters of Faith In Practice, are co-chairing this special event.

Lewis has been involved with Faith In Practice for nearly 20 years, in a variety of ways, bringing unstoppable energy and joy. Her husband, Norman, has served as Board Chair, as well as board member and business consultant.

When asked to describe her experience with Faith In Practice, Lewis said, The word love describes my experiences with Faith In Practice  the love of the people doing the work and the love of the people receiving the gifts of the work, which is the love of God for his people, at work!

Brock was present in Faith In Practices earliest days and has a heart for Faith In Practice and medical mission, working in this arena tirelessly in Houston and the world throughout her career.

Brock said, The work Faith in Practice has done in Guatemala has been a precious gift to the people of Guatemala. Pattys work has been a precious gift to the world.

Speaking at the event will be Dr. Mary Neal and Dr. Barry Siller, both of whom serve on Faith In Practice teams. They will share their personal stories of women of faith witnessed firsthand in Guatemala.

Neal and Siller will be joined by special guest and speaker Dra. Patty Baiza, who has been serving her people faithfully through Faith In Practice for 25 years. Patty, who will travel from Guatemala for this event, is a leader in Faith In Practice cancer screening, traditional birth attendant, and cancer case management programs.

Attendees of the luncheon will have the opportunity to purchase unique Guatemalan artisan items from the Mercado, as well as the chance to win specially selected silent auction items and raffle prizes. Proceeds will support the life-changing medical mission of Faith In Practice in Guatemala.

For information regarding tickets or tables, visit faithinpractice.org/womensluncheon, email events@faithinpractice.org, or contact Candace Strickland at 713-484-5555. Space is limited. Please register by April 5. Must be present to win raffle.

This year, through Faith In Practice, more than 1,300 U.S. volunteers will join 1,000 Guatemalan volunteers to serve 25,000 impoverished people in Guatemala. For the past 14 consecutive years, Faith In Practice has been awarded Four Stars by Charity Navigator, a distinction that highlights the efficiency, transparency, integrity, and compassion of the organization and places it in the top 1 percent of charities rated for fiscal responsibility.

For more information about Faith In Practice, please visit faithinpractice.org.
A ten-time felon was arrested Sunday after he allegedly beat his girlfriend and sparked a SWAT standoff in southwest Houston, according to police.

The woman was battered and choked, but will survive the injuries, while her boyfriend is expected to face charges for aggravated assault and burglary of a residence.

Houston police initially responded to the 10100 block of South Gessner around 1 p.m. for a report of criminal mischief underway. But when they showed up to the scene in Braeburn, they found a repeat felon holed up in an apartment, refusing to come out.

"He had beaten his girlfriend pretty severely," said SWAT Commander Larry Baimbridge. "She had cuts and bruises and it looked like she'd been choked."

It all started earlier in the day, when the man believed his girlfriend had taken some money and sparked a dispute that was "probably drug-related," Baimbridge said.

Also from Keri Blakinger on HoustonChronicle.com: Gerald Goines, the HPD officer at the center of a botched drug raid, retires

The woman fled into a neighbor's apartment, and her boyfriend busted out the window to track her down and allegedly assault her.

When police arrived, he ran back across the parking lot and into his own apartment. He refused to come out, so the officers called in SWAT. The tactical team surrounded the apartment and eventually broke through the sliding glass door in the back.

At that point, police took the man into custody without any further issues and no one else was injured.

Paramedics treated his girlfriend, but didn't take her to the hospital and her injuries were not life-threatening, Baimbridge said.

"However," he added, "it seems like there's amnesia going around. Seems like everybody seems to forget a lot of things."

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Crews continued to remove chemicals from several fire-damaged storage tanks at the Intercontinental Terminals Co.s Deer Park site Monday as the U.S. Coast Guard worked to re-open the Houston Ship Channel.

Eight days after a fire began at the Deer Park facility and damaged 11 80,000-gallon tanks filled with flammable petroleum products, ITC Incident Commander Brent Weber said crews had drained five tanks completely and were working to empty another three.

Two tanks that had contained pyrolysis gasoline have been emptied and secured, Weber said, while two others containing pyrolysis gasoline and toluene should be emptied later Monday.

Moving the chemicals that contain benzene, a known carcinogen, continues to be a top priority, Weber said.

Every day that we move that product, we are reducing the risk profile of this entire area, he said.

The ship channel was opened to daylight traffic at 2:21 p.m. The San Jacinto River had been partially reopened between 9 a.m. and noon.

Coast Guard Captain Kevin Oditt said a tanker ship was permitted to leave the Ship Channel Sunday, and Coast Guard members observed no oil on the vessels hull, a key criterion for reopening the channel. Oditt said the Coast Guard would allow an inbound tanker on Monday, and watch for signs of contaminants on that vessel.

About 1.3 million gallons, or 30,952 barrels, of an oily water mixture had been removed from the channel as of late Sunday, according to ITC officials. About 34 vessels were working in the channel, and 19 more were set to arrive, fewer than the 70 vessels the Coast Guard anticipated on Sunday.

Portions of the Ship Channel have been closed since Friday, when a containment wall breach at ITC allowed an unknown amount of chemicals and fire-suppressing foam to spill into the waterway.

Area schools that had been closed in the wake of the incident reopened on Monday.

The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality on Saturday reported finding nine toxins in hazardous concentrations in a ditch adjacent to the tank farm, which flows into the channel.

TCEQ on Monday published preliminary test results of water samples taken last Tuesday through Thursday that showed toxins repeatedly exceeded healthy concentrations around the ITC facility.

Tuesday samples showed four toxins exceeded healthy limits in Tucker Bayou near the Dow Bridge and at Tidal Road, and that three toxins topped recommended limits along Tidal Road at Gate 13.

Wednesday samples taken at the confluence of Tucker Bayou and Buffalo Bayou showed three toxins exceeded healthy levels inside the containment booms and that two  xylenes and benzene  also seeped past the booms at unsafe levels.

Toxins found outside the containment boom in a Thursday sample tested within recommended levels, and all three samples taken upstream in Tucker Bayou showed no unsafe concentrations.

No water samples taken after the wall breach on Friday have been published, however, and Bob Stokes of the Galveston Bay Foundation noted that TCEQs Protective Concentration Level for benzene in surface water is 581 micrograms per liter while the federal Environmental Protection Agencys standard is more stringent: 16 to 58 micrograms per liter.

Those numbers outside the boom are troubling, Stokes said, citing Wednesdays recorded benzene concentration of 854 micrograms per liter.

Stokes group has been conducting water tests independently, and detected 46 micrograms of benzene per liter downstream near Lynchburg on Saturday.

Its an indicator of product leaving the site, but its very difficult to figure out what the short-term impacts from that might be, he said. Its not good for the health of things in the bay, but again, hopefully, the impacts are limited.

Volatile organic compounds like benzene evaporate out of surface water fairly quickly, Stokes said, but chemicals in firefighting foam can linger. Stokes said his partners at Texas A&M had not finished analyzing water samples for firefighting chemicals Monday.

Some of the 27,000 feet of boom that have been deployed in the area are around oyster beds in Burnett Bay, on the east side of the river just south of Lynchburg, but Stokes said it is too early to raise alarms about the local seafood industry.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, which can close oyster beds or ban the possession of fish from certain waters when pollution makes eating seafood too risky, has not yet seen the need to intervene in the wake of the ITC fire, spokesman Chris Van Deusen said. The department long has advised residents not to eat fish out of the ship channel, Van Deusen noted, but that recommendation has not been adjusted since the blaze.

Its certainly something were looking at, he said. It will remain to be seen what kind of additional sampling will need to be done.

At Hillmans Seafood Market, a wholesale and retail shop for shrimp, oysters and other products in Dickinson, co-owner Mike Morris said the water was green and customers were still buying Gulf shrimp.

Everything Im seeing in the bayous and bays are live, vibrant; fish are spawning, the water is green, the tides look good, Morris said. Were quite a bit south, so were not seeing any kind of effect from it here, but I dont know what its going to be long term. Im hoping and praying its nothing.

At Thompsons Fish Camp on the east side of Galveston Bay in Baytown, Debbie Thompson still plans to open for the summer season on Friday and expects her usual flow of customers.

Im doing fine, she said. With all these plants around us, who knows whats already in the water anyway? If they shut me down they shut me down, but other than that Im going to be open.

Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton said he recognizes how important it is to reopen the channel.

Its costing a lot of money per hour, he said.

The immediate concern, however, is to make sure the ITC plant in Deer Park is safe for employees and the surrounding community, Mouton said. More than 1,100 federal, state and local first responders, agency workers and contractors have been involved in the firefighting and clean-up efforts, ITC officials said.

The Environmental Protection agency additionally reported no detections of volatile organic chemicals that would trigger public health warnings, on-site coordinator Adam Adams said.

ITC received about 1,600 claims inquiries as of Friday, according to company officials.

A family, who lives in Denver Harbor, accused the company in a lawsuit of negligence on Monday, saying ITC failed to properly store chemicals at the facility, to have "adequate procedures in place" to keep the community safe during a catastrophic event or "provide the public accurate information on the chemicals being released."

"Unfortunately, ITC failed in doing its job to protect the community," said attorney Benny Agosto Jr. during a media briefing at the downtown law firm. "What we see is that not only was the fire preventable, then the fire continued."

A company spokeswoman on Monday night said ITC could not comment on pending litigation.

Staff writers Mike Morris and Brooke Lewis contributed reporting.

zach.despart@chron.com

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
Wealth has a strong bearing on how safe your community is, according to a recent study.

The new numbers from SafeWise, a research company specializing in home security and safety products, use federal crime data to calculate a safety ranking of the most populous cities and suburbs in Texas.

The ranking also includes median income levels, and there appears to be a strong link between wealth and safety rating.

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The safest Texas communities ranking is dominated by wealthy affluent suburbs, mostly near Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas, with small populations.

SafeWise used data from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's Unified Crime Reporting Program from 2017, the most recent available, to formulate their rankings.

SafeWise reports that the population threshold for the study was based on the state's median city population. For Texas, cities with populations above 5,000 were considered for the study, according to SafeWise.

The company then calculated how many instances of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) there were per one thousand residents. They also used property crime reports to determine the final rankings.

Click through the gallery to see the 20 most dangerous cities in Texas.
Sofia Swenson, a friendly six-year-old, said she lived in Spain once. She may have learned some Spanish there, but now she can recite a list of Spanish words that she knows on the spot.

That ability is a result of her Spanish dual immersion class at All Nations Community School, and comes despite that she is surrounded by the English language on a daily basis now.

Nicole Puig, the language coordinator at All Nations Community School, said parents wanting their children to learn different languages is an idea that is on the rise as people see its value.

More and more people in the United States are recognizing that language is so important, Puig said. Parents with younger kids dont automatically accept that English only is going to be OK for their child.

With students in grades kindergarten through seventh grade, the private international school is focused on families who are interested in exposing their children to a variety of cultures and languages. The school opened last August with 14 students and rent their school building from Congregation Beth Shalom of The Woodlands along Shadowbend Place.

All students at all grade levels have Spanish every day as a class, just like they have math or science, Puig said.

The school started out with songs, games and role-playing activities to introduce the language to the younger children, many of whom are beginners, and have incorporated more reading and spelling lessons as the year has gone on. The older group of children, which includes more advanced speakers, are taught Spanish in the context of other subject areas like language arts or social studies.

The idea with immersion is that youre not just talking at (the students). There has to be structured support. Im not slowing down my speech or babying anything Im saying, but at the beginning of the year they had more visuals, Puig said. Its all about that scaffolding to understand vocabulary and context.

More dual immersion: Dual language program to begin at Woodlands-area school this fall

Puig has a lengthy background in language arts, having taught four different languages at both private and public institutions and she holds a doctorate degree in romance studies from Cornell University.

The Villager visited one class at the school on a day when younger students were working on coloring the Cuban flag. For the vast majority of the class, Puig speaks to the students only in Spanish, asking them things such as what color the star on the flag should be.

Theres a fairly strong cultural component. Youre learning about the places that use the language. Weve talked about different places, geography, culture and food. Those things are memorable, Puig said. I dont give a lecture about salsa music and the history, we get up and dancethey have a connection with it.

Through these classes, Puig said shes seen students grow to take pride in their language abilities. Kids such as Sofia may not have wanted to speak Spanish at the beginning of the year, but now boast about the phrases they can say.

Next year, the school plans to expand their dual immersion Spanish curriculum. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will have blocks of language arts, science and social studies classes taught in Spanish some days and English other days, while students in sixth and seventh grades will continue the daily immersion classes.

The schools director, Christina Callaway, said one of the schools goals is to have their students be proficient in another language by the time they graduate.

Thats part of what we believe as a school. It takes some time to get there, but we want to do as much as possible with the resources we have, Callaway said.

jane.stueckemann@chron.com
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  A New Mexico archbishop is renewing his call for Catholics to stop worshipping the skeleton folk saint known as La Santa Muerte, or "Our Lady of Holy Death," saying he fears some mistakenly believe the Grim Reaper-like figure is a Roman Catholic Church-sanctioned saint.

Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester recently told The Associated Press he believes some Catholics may be fooled into venerating Santa Muerte even though the focus on death runs counter to the church's teachings.

'POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA:' Flight attendant with DACA released after a month in detention, at HoustonChronicle.com

"It's really wrong," Wester said. "I think in part, it's (because) people are looking and searching. It's a symptom of a search looking for answers."

But the devotion to death is not in line with the church's teachings, Wester said, and Santa Muerte is misleading to people.

"Our devotion is to the God of life," Wester said.

Popular in Mexico and sometimes linked to drug cartels, La Santa Muerte in recent years has found a diverse following north of the border: immigrant small-business owners, artists, gay activists and the poor, among others  many of them non-Latinos and not all involved with organized religion. Shrines and statues of the skeleton figure  typically depicted wearing a black nun's robe and holding a scythe  can be found in New Mexico, California, Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere.

People pray to Santa Muerte for all manner of otherworldly help, from fending off wrongdoing and exacting revenge to landing better jobs and stopping lovers from cheating. Others seek her protection for their drug shipments and to ward off law enforcement.

Wester is one of only a handful of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops who have denounced Santa Muerte. In 2017, he joined El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz and San Angelo Bishop Michael Sis in Texas in urging Catholics to avoid honoring to the folk saint.

Sis said La Santa Muerte is "spiritually dangerous" and has no link to Catholicism. "It should be completely avoided. It is a perversion of devotion to the saints," Sis said.

But so far no other high-ranking Catholic church officials have publicly criticized the worshipping of Santa Muerte, according to Andrew Chesnut, author of "Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint" and Bishop Walter F. Sullivan chair in Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

"In Latin America, church officials rebuke Santa Muerte almost weekly," Chesnut said.

Chesnut said he believes U.S. Catholic officials have been reluctant to aggressively attack Santa Muerte because of their focus on defending migrants' rights and concerns about portraying Mexican immigrants as "dangerous and all connected to drug trafficking."

___

Contreras is a member of The Associated Press' race and ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras
This coming May 19th the D-Day Squadron will depart from Waterbury-Oxford Airport just three miles north of Oxford, Connecticut on the first leg of their journey to Europe to take part in the Daks over Normandy event celebrating the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. As most readers will know by now from our previous reporting, the D-Day Squadron will consist of sixteen or so Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports, some of which actually participated in D-Day itself. They will join a number of other similar aircraft gathered from across Europe for this significant remembrance. The American C-47s will participate in Daks Over Duxford (June 2-5) and Daks Over Normandy (June 5-9).

In the buildup to their May 19th departure, there will be a number of events taking place at and around Waterbury-Oxford Airport that the public can witness or take part in. While the details are still being finalized, we do know that the event will be open to the public starting from Tuesday May 14th. There will be a small entrance fee, of course, which will help subsidize the massive undertaking being made. On Saturday May 18th, the C-47s are planning to perform a massed flyover down the Hudson river which will circle around the statue of Liberty and then head back to Oxford.

On the journey to Europe, the D-Day Squadron will travel together on what is referred to as the Blue Spruce Route. This flight plan traverses the North Atlantic, allowing for fuel stops and guidance from ground-based navigational aids from points located along the route. Each staging site was selected due to its history as an active airfield during World War II. It is very likely that some of the aircraft will have flown to/from these locations during their service careers, and even during WWII itself.

The Squadron will depart from Oxford, Connecticut (KOXC); stop to refuel in Goose Bay Airport (CYYR) in Newfoundland, Canada; refuel at Narsarsuaq Airport (BGBW) in southern Greenland; refuel at Reykjavik Airport (BIRK) in Iceland; and refuel a final time at Prestwick Airport (EPIK) on the Western coast of Scotland.

The fleet will then make the next leg of this epic trip with a jaunt to Duxford Airfield (EGSU) north of London where they will position themselves with the entire international C-47 fleet for the final leg to Caen-Carpiquet Airport (LFRK) in Normandy, France as part of the Daks Over Normandy event on June 6, 2019.

Please join the D-Day Squadron to help secure necessary survival equipment and purchase the fuel that will get these aircraft and their crews safely to this extraordinary historic event. Make your donation today!

To stay up to speed with this event, visit the D-Day Squadrons Facebook event page or their event page on their website.
By Mar. 24, 2019

Currently representatives from over 55 businesses and 20 four-year universities will be on campus to talk with attendees about job plans for the future and transfer opportunities for WKCTC students. Employers will share about part-time, full-time, and temporary job opportunities as well as available internships. Those attending the fair should bring several copies of their resume to distribute and dress professionally.





The fair, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by WKCTC's Career Services Office. Resume assistance is available through the office, which is located in the Anderson Technical Building, Room 100.





For more information, contact Marlo Rhodes in the WKCTC Career Services office, at marlo.rhodes@kctcs.edu or 270-534-3293.



PADUCAH - West Kentucky Community and Technical College will host its annual Job, Career and Transfer Fair for WKCTC students and alumni as well as community members Thursday, March 28 from 10 am - 1 pm in the Anderson Technical Building.
End of January I talked about what the USA is up to in Venezuela. The Venezuelan issue was a bad move on the US partWhat I said was not what was being plastered all over the western news and it was not what western leaders in the US want to hear. Russia and China back Venezuela because it is the right thing to do

Yes you heard me

The US is wrong about Venezuela and has been wrong a hundred times about almost any country they have tried to and did mess with. It seems that we in the USA like to be wrong and or we like to simply lie about our true desires

At least in Venezuela we said we wanted a coup, but we lied about why!

As a past self-declared beacon of righteousness, we look really overabundant with iniquitousness right now

My article below on WtR

Now officially comes the Russian military and come it will, also the weapons for defense.Remember that Russia tried to deny at the time I wrote my first article, that no one militarily has been sent to Venezuela.

I said that was wrong

CARACAS (Sputnik)  A group of Russian military personnel have arrived in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas to take part in consultations with countrys officials on defence industry cooperation, a diplomatic source in Caracas told Sputnik.

Source: Russian Military Officials Arrive in Venezuela for Defence Talks  Source  Sputnik International

The USA has once again stepped over a red line with Russia and Russia will now prepare for war. That war will happen if The US does not heed the warning shots over her bow

Now Russia has made it clear that S-300 is available for defense of Venezuela

Following the major weekend development of Moscow unambiguously asserting its red line concerning potential US military intervention in Venezuela, for which Russia sent a military transport plane filled with Russian troops which landed in Caracas Saturday, new satellite images reveal a major deployment of S-300 air defense missile systems to a key airbase south of Caracas.

Source: Venezuela Military Deploys S-300 Missiles Following Russian Troop Arrival | Zero Hedge

Warning shots are being fired

Now China has also said that they will not stand for what the US is doing to Venezuela. The Chinese and Russians have lots of financial and resources to protect and contrary to western opinion, Maduro is not half as bad as what western leaders do to their own people/peasants.I suspect that if we were to look closely  the Chinese are already in Venezuela somewhere with their special/informational/teaching forces

Oh, by the way!

Russia and now I understand that China, have been sending weaponry for several months now and training of weapons and whatnot has begun (That grapevine is rarely wrong!)

The Western Empire of Disrespect has again tried to destroy a good country, a country that just wants to get along

Why?

WtR

PS: Ouch, they will hate this articleHello DC!

PSS: See below, US lies in full swing.yet it tells me that I am correct that Russian military is in Venezuela

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the situation in Venezuela, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said on Monday in a readout of a phone conversation between the two leaders. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today, March 25 on the situation in Venezuela, Palladino said. During the conversation, Pompeo told Lavrov that the United State would not stand by with respec

Source: US Wont Stand Idly By as Russia Exacerbates Tensions in Venezuela  Pompeo  Sputnik International

Once again: USA not invitedRussia invited
Houston police homicide detectives hope the public can help identify a cross-eyed man accused of gunning down two people outside a bar early March 9.

The gunfire erupted around 2:20 a.m. that Saturday outside the Mi Tavenera bar in the 1400 block of Collingsworth, police said. Jose Lopez, 53, and another man were sitting in a truck in the parking lot when the suspect opened fire.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and found Lopez dead with several gunshot wounds while the other man was found lying next to the truck with a gunshot wound to his head. He was rushed to LBJ General Hospital nearby but later died, Houston police said.

Both victims were not immediately identified by police, although the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences identified Lopez.

HOMICIDE ARREST: Veteran HPD officer held in wife's slaying

An eyewitness helped Houston Police Department homicide detectives develop a sketch of the suspect. He was wearing a Sherwin Williams T-shirt at the time of the shooting.

He's described as a Hispanic male in his late 30s to early 40s, according to police. He is cross-eyed and stands about 6 feet tall.

Another person was with the suspect during the shooting, although police said he was only described as having "milky" eyes.

Anyone with information is urged to call HPD's homicide detectives at 713-308-3600 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
Environmental recovery operations continued over the weekend at the Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility, after a series of setbacks Friday appeared to slow the cleanup effort.

ITC officials noted "significant progress" over the weekend, allowing the surroundings school districts to resume classes on Monday.

The fire started March 17 and burned for three days before it was extinguished last Wednesday. Elevated benzene readings around the plant Thursday forced shelter-in-place orders and school closures.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: One week later: 'Significant progress' made in clean-up effort at Deer Park plant

On Friday, a containment wall breached around the tank farm and sent foam and other volatile compounds into a drainage ditch that leads to the Houston Ship Channel. Parts of the facility also re-ignited, but those smaller fire were quickly extinguished.

On Saturday, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reported nine toxins in the drainage ditch that leads to the ship channel. However, the company said it has yet to complete the analyses of the sample taken from Tucker Bayou, the Ship Channel and Galveston Bar, according to earlier reports in the Houston Chronicle.

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently working to remove the chemicals that spilled into the ship channel. They removed an estimated 60,000 gallons of watery-oil product from the waterway, and most of the remaining product has been contained within booms in Tucker Bayou, according to earlier reports in the Chronicle.

The coast guard is still trying to partially re-open the ship channel, which has been closed since Friday. It's still unclear how much chemicals leaked from the site. Currently, 34 vessels, including 15 skimmers, and conducting cleanup efforts in the waterway.

ITC's latest press release, issued Sunday night, said the coast guard opened the San Jacinto River for a period of time to allow vessel traffic through the ship channel.

Meanwhile, at the plant that was burning most of last week, ITC crews are still working to pump the remaining chemicals from the tanks, which held flammable compounds including gasoline blends, xylene, naphtha and pyrolysis gasoline.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.
Around-the-world expedition by Russias tall ships dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic by the Bellingshausen-Lazarev expedition

The year 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic by the expedition led by Fabian Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. In honour of this event, plans are now underway to organise an around-the-world expedition of the tall ships Pallada, Sedov and Krusenstern in 2019-2020.

The south polar expedition consisting of two sloops-of-war, the Vostok, commanded by Fabian Bellingshausen, and the Mirny, commanded by Mikhail Lazarev, left Kronstadt in 1819 and discovered the Antarctic on 28 January 1820. In 1821, the ships returned to Kronstadt. They stayed at sea for 751 days and covered over 92,000 km. In addition to the Antarctic, the expedition discovered 29 islands and one coral reef. The Russian sailors conducted scientific research, including oceanographic research. The signed directive endorses an around-the-world expedition of the tall ships Pallada, Sedov and Krusenstern, which belong to the Federal Agency for Fishery, in honour of the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic by the Bellingshausen-Lazarev expedition.

The expedition is planned to start at the end of 2019 when the ships set sail from their respective ports: the Pallada from Vladivostok, the Sedov from Kronstadt and the Krusenstern from Kaliningrad. Thus, the expedition will consist of the Sedov and the Pallada sailing around the world and the Krusenstern taking a transatlantic voyage. Most of the places and ports the ships will call on were discovered by the Russians during their expeditions around the world.

Milestone events during the expedition will be the meetings of the three ships in the Atlantic Ocean on the Ushuaia (Argentina)-Cape Town (South Africa) leg, in the area of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (the UK), where the Palladas itinerary will reach its nearest point to the Antarctic.The Palladas voyage will start in Vladivostok in November 2019 and last until June 2020. The ships goal is to approach the Antarctic as close as possible.

The Sedovs voyage will start in Kronstadt in December 2019 and will be over in Kaliningrad in December 2020. This ships goal is to carry out a transatlantic passage to the appointed place and then sail together with the Pallada frigate, after which it will continue solo sailing. After the leg dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic (as far as the port of Cape Town in South Africa) the ship will start the second stage of the expedition dedicated to the 75th anniversary of victory in WWII. The Sedov will sail across the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. Reaching the Atlantic Ocean through the Panama Canal, it will continue sailing with the aim of visiting places associated with the most important events of WWII.The Krusensterns voyage will start in Kaliningrad in December 2019 and will come to an end in September 2020. The ships task is to carry out a transatlantic passage to the appointed meeting place and then sail together with the Pallada. It will continue alone to the Black Sea and call on the Russian ports of Sevastopol, Novorossiysk, Yalta and Sochi. After completing the first stage of the expedition and meeting with the other two tall ships near the island of South Georgia (the UK), the Krusenstern will continue its voyage dedicated to the 75th anniversary of victory in WWII, calling on the ports of hero-cities, cities of military glory and European ports with memorials to those who perished in the war against Nazism.

Photo exhibitions dedicated to commemorative dates in Russian history will be arranged aboard the tall ships during the expedition. There will also be meetings with representatives of the foreign public and Russians living abroad.A special organising committee will oversee preparing for and carrying out of the expedition.
Jack Welch quotes were the rage among hard-charging business leaders of the 1990s This is one of my favorites: "The difference between winning and losing is how the men and women of our company view change as it comes at them."

In 1997, Welch was referring to preparing for and responding to the anticipated radical changes on the horizon. Digital transformation had begun, but no one called it that. It was mainly about faster desktops and this new thing called the internet.

The aspiration of every future-focused leader could be summarized with the words my wife shared upon our marriage: Randy, Ill never ask you to change. I do expect that you will continually adapt.

A few of you are going to write that one down for use later.

Does the current environment make simply adapting to change a quaint relic from a more relaxed time? Or, does how you view change still determine the difference between winning and losing?

The answer is an unqualified It depends.

The case for not waiting on change

Its easy to look back on the days when our cheese was being moved and our icebergs were melting with nostalgia. Change was constant but manageable. A big year was a few major projects implemented while doing your real job.

Today, anticipating and adapting to change are the minimum expectations. Technology powers every aspect of the business. Waiting for change is now guarantees playing catch up with your competitor.

The best leaders dont wait for change. They pursue it. Active innovation and improvement are the difference between excellence and irrelevance.

The mentality that winning and losing is about pursuing rather than merely adapting to change should be second nature at this point. Even Welch believed that simply adapting to change wasnt enough back in 1997. The data shows that leaders are still waiting rather than taking the proactive approach of pursuit.

The 2018 Artificial Intelligence Technology Business Guide published by Globant shows that despite all the hype around Artificial Intelligence, less than half of CEOs are actually involved in conversations about how to use it. More important, only 22% of CIOs and 24% of CTOs are involved in those conversations.

Likewise, another 2018 Globant study reports that just 31% of senior-level staff uses voice-activated technology at work even though 45% of them do so in their personal lives. Voice-activated tech has completely transformed the customer experience. Doesnt it make sense that companies would pursue this change to power the internal experience, too?

Louis Hernandez, CEO of the private equity firm Black Dragon Capital, explained to me that it is easy for companies and even entire industries to equate their current value to their past success. As he says, The massive availability of information and choice create higher expectations for continuously pursuing change.

Okay, that sounds great, but how?

This is a good time to mention that I have no financial relationship with either Black Dragon Capital or the company Hernandez led to a turnaround and resurgence, Avid Technology.

The biggest barrier to the active pursuit of change, according to Hernandez, is capturing the hearts and minds of employees. To be successful, you have to convince them that their value isnt based on their heritage.

Citing his experience at Avid, Hernandez explained that the companys long-term success with legacy products resulted in devoting an inordinate amount of resources to products that were the least relevant to its customers.

CIOs and CTOs take the same approach with internal processes. Are you, for instance, continuing to support legacy email, CRM, or collaboration tools that require more work than they are worth for the benefit received?

For Hernandez, the solution was to focus the energy outward. Avid talked with 200 of its largest clients to determine how their current products alleviated a pain point or provided a competitive advantage.

This exercise isnt for the faint of heart. You are likely to find that your internal and external customers have a pain point that your traditional ways of operating dont alleviate. It will feel like, as Hernandez points out, that they want a different type of transportation when you thought they simply needed better spark plugs to power their existing vehicle.

A marketing companys reputation and livelihood depends on bringing new solutions to clients and not allowing their ideas to become stale or outdated.

In many ways, internal technology operations are no different. Your internal clients are looking for ways to make their jobs faster, better, cheaper, and/or friendlier. You become their strategic partner when you pursue change in the form of new solutions rather than waiting to adapt.

CompleteSpectrum, another company with which I have no financial connection, provides branding and marketing services to private equity portfolio companies. I spoke with Matt Stein, the companys CMO, about how he keeps his team pursuing change.

Stein told me that he has worked to make pursuing change part of the companys DNA. You have to make this a core part of your companys habits, just as you might do with providing employee feedback, regular team meetings, or anything else that is important to you.

Stein does this by formally carving out time for key staff to explore whats new and work through the benefits it can bring, as well as the cost equations that come with it.

Essentially, you have to place time to pursue change on the schedule as a primary value driver, says Stein.

This is where your leadership comes in. Your partners in the businessand the employees on your teamare looking for you to lead them to the next change that makes success easier. They need your courage to protect the space required to proactively pursue change.

The case for resisting change

The examples of companies waiting too long to change are endless. Blockbuster believed it didnt need to move quicker toward offering DVDs by mail. Xerox didnt change quickly enough to overcome the threat posed by Canon copiers. Motorola didnt respond to Nokias advances in the mobile phone market until it was too late to catch up.

The list of failed change is equally impressive. Those stories, however, dont readily support the current narrative that new ideas should be pursued in the name of innovation.

Steve Jobs once said, Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.

Even Jobs didnt get it right all of the time. Does anyone remember the Apple Newton?

Therein lies the problem. For every Google Maps that creates positive change there is a Google Lively that should have never been pursued.

Yes, there are times when a change is simply ahead of its time or provides the foundation for something else. The Segway didnt revolutionize personal travel as predicted, but the technology has made its way into some amazing upgrades for wheel chairs.

We have reached the point where the volume and velocity of new possibilities makes resistingor at least temporarily ignoringchange a viable option. I asked Louis Hernandez and Matt Stein for their ideas on deciding when a potential change should be ignored. They shared three questions that will help you decide.

1. Does the change move you toward your current strategic goals?

Stein pointed out that it is easy to be enamored by a new idea and lose sight of the size and impact of a change.

Too many companies get excited about, pay for, implement, or even attempt to utilize new technology without understanding how it truly moves the needle on their strategic goals, says Stein. Its not every day that new marketing technology, for instance, comes along thats a game changer. Most new technology products are iterative versions of the same tried and true solutions.

There is an expense of time, resources, and focus for even the smallest changes. When you consider the total cost of a change, there are times when it makes business sense to say no.

Your IT governance process helps make decisions on the bigger and/or most visible changes. It is time to seek a greater level of strategic alignment for projects that typically dont require governance approval, too. That means teaching and empowering your staff to say no to change when appropriate. Opportunity is everywhere at every level of the organization. Even a change that appears inconsequential requires resources that might be best used elsewhere.

2. Does the change solve an important problem for your customer?

On the surface, this is an extension of the previous point. You have to assume that your customer believes that a request is important at the time it is made. The decision then is based on who decides the definition of important. Thats where you have to be willing to listen, learn, and when necessary, say no to change that doesnt move the organization forward.

Hernandez takes this question a step further. He believes that IT leaders should be proactive in understanding the businessIncluding its goals and challengesand bringing solutions forward for consideration.

3. Is the change consistent with your guiding principles and values?

Facebook has been plagued with mishandled privacy issues for months. In December 2018, the company was found to be granting user-data access to companies such as Microsoft, Spotify, and Netflix.

This makes perfect sense from a purely financial perspective, and it is just one more action that creates mistrust and suspicion.

A solution to missteps like this, according to Hernandez, is to have a clear set of guidelines and values that provide the boundaries for what is and isnt acceptable change.

There are clear cut rules that provide obvious answers, and there are those changes that fall somewhere in the middle. He advocates for supporting the rules with guide posts that enable staff to surface difficult decisions for further analysis and discussion.

Change continues to be a priority for every future-focused leader. Its just that change has changed in the 22 years since Jack Welch defined it as the key to winning and losing in the marketplace. Adapting and anticipating are the minimum. Going forward you must consider two additional options when looking at changepursuing and ignoring.
In 2014, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, an advocacy group focused on addressing misogyny and gender imparity in the publishing world, launched a new section on its website called Reports from the Field. The section, a precursor to the Shitty Media Men list, was meant to serve as a platform for women in the literary world to share accounts of sexual assault, harassment, and coercion. Some of the pieces could be anonymous; none would be paid.

Perhaps, as a result of this column, the world of literature will strive to be as progressive as it purports to be, Lynn Melnick, who launched Reports from the Field, wrote in an inaugural post. Together we can build a community strong enough and courageous enough to call out sexism and misogyny as we see it.

ICYMI: I wrote a story that became a legend. Then I discovered it wasnt true.

Melnick, a former VIDA executive board member, had been frustrated by the lack of reporting on sexual misconduct in her field. There were whisper networks, and we all knew who the bad actors were, but no one was talking about them publicly, she recalls now. On the site, Melnick recounted a few first-hand experiences with sexism, then invited contributionsessays, screenshots, whateverto the section. In four years, Reports from the Field published 64 essays from survivors who felt compelled to do the same.

Then, last September, came a surprising turn: VIDA halted the publication of an essay to Reports from the Fielda decision revealed by Hannah Cohen, the author of the piece, who recounted her experience on December 4, in Entropy magazine, a literary journal. Imagine being so close to telling your truth, only for the opportunity to be pulled out from underneath you, she wrote.

Cohen, a poet, had come to learn that another poetpublished in The Journal, a well-respected literary magazine of the Ohio State Universityhad made racist and transphobic remarks. Cohen reached out to the managing editor of The Journal to report the offensive behavior; in response, The Journal removed the poets work from its website and issued an apology. A month later, however, The Journal re-published the poets work and, Cohen learned, its legal team released her name to the poet. (The Journal tells CJR via email that Cohens information was forwarded in compliance with open records laws that Ohio State University is bound to follow; of the poem itself, The Journal stated, The staff quickly learned that as a state entity the journal was legally obliged to return to its site the inoffensive poem it had accepted.) Soon, Cohen received threats on Twitter and vicious trolling from the poet and supporters. That experience became the basis of the piece she planned to write for Reports from the Field.

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ICYMI: Heads up! A group journalists are quoting arent who they appear to be.

Reports from the Field, as Cohen understood, was a platform for people in the literary world to call out their abusers, and VIDA staff exercised little editorial control over contributors essays. I felt that they understood me and had my back, KC Trommer, a poet based in Queens, says of her experience writing for the section. Being able to speak publicly through a platform that I trust about what happened to me was incredibly empowering and I was glad to be able to warn others, Emily ONeill, another poet, agrees. Many pieces were re-published from personal blogs; the VIDA site states that the essays are authored and edited independently from VIDA and VIDA Review, solely by their respective writers. Sarah Clark, A VIDA executive board member, tells CJR, We want to make sure that the pieces we are publishing are the pieces that survivors want to be publishing and a lot of that has meant to step back as an editor.

When Cohen submitted her piece to Reports from the Field, she discussed with Clark how to publish it responsibly. We had mutually decided that we would not name the person to avoid getting into legal trouble, Cohen says. Throughout the editing process, which lasted four months, Cohen recalls, Clark was sympathetic. A day before Cohens publishing date, however, she received an email that VIDA had to hold her piece. Two weeks later, Cohen checked in. She was told that VIDA decided not to publish it due to a conflict of interest.

I was angry, Cohen says. With no explanation about what the supposed conflict of interest was from either Clark or VIDA, she sent her piece to Entropy.

When VIDA wouldnt run Hannah Cohens piece (later run on Entropy) due to a conflict of interest, I pretty much gave up on the idea of them as a safe literary space, Kolleen Carney Hoepfner, a poet and Reports from the Field contributor, says. I have no idea whats going on at VIDA or Reports from the Field.

Our decision to suspend RFTF is not cause for alarm, but rather an important precaution at a very difficult time. VIDA will only offer this platform when we can once again guarantee the safety of all our contributors.  VIDA (@VIDA_lit) December 11, 2018

Soon, criticism on social media ensued. On Twitter, VIDA shared a message that Reports from the field was on temporary hiatus. A few days later, Cohen received an email from VIDA apologizing and detailing the reasons for not publishing her piece: One of VIDAs former Board members is a faculty member at OSU and a graduate advisor to a student at The Journal named in the Reports from the Field, editors wrote. (The message was shared with CJR.) VIDAs legal advisors were consulted, and they indicated that VIDA could be opening itself up for lawsuits, not only with regard to this piece but all Reports from the Fields. A week later, VIDA announced on Twitter that Reports from the Field was suspended because of unforeseen circumstances and legal concerns.

In an emailed statement, Clark told CJR that VIDA is now revisiting some of its policies, and that Reports from the Field will return. While we feel weve been successful with our policies and practices and the work Reports from the Field has accomplished, she wrote. We feel its important to inventory, test, and fine tune our methodologies so we can best serve our audience, contributors, and the literary world.

Melnick, who left VIDA in October, launched #saferlit, a social-media campaign that encourages people to have meaningful conversations that will help free literary workplaces of sexual harassment and abuse. She says that recently, her attention has shifted toward analyzing the systemic causes behind sexual violence, beyond the naming and shaming of perpetrators. She also hopes to use #saferlit as a platform for developing a practical resource guide for survivors and go beyond call out culture. I believe that recalling your experience can be very helpful and often healing in some ways, but its like ripping a Band-Aid and doesnt really solve a problem, she says. I think I was very naive when I was thinking that, oh, Ill name the problem and there wont be a problem.

Clark acknowledged that, for VIDA, failure to evolve as an organization that deals with gender and social justice would undermine their sense of purpose. Almost all of us have a story, she says. But people who arent women or binary simply dont believe that these incidents occur with the frequency they do.

ICYMI: Not the best look for the New York Times

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Zainab Sultan is a former CJR Delacorte Fellow. Follow her on Twitter @ZainabSultan.
Spring is here, and soon the chirping of migrating birds will be joined by the buzzing of bees. What better time to talk about the phrase hive off?

Dont be surprised or disappointed if you havent heard of the term. But what does it mean? See if you can figure it out from these examples.

ICYMI: The difference between protest and dissent

From India: Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio) has got a nod from the National Company Law Tribunal to hive off its fibre and tower businesses into two separate units.

From South Africa: South African hotelier and casino operator Tsogo Sun said on Friday it will proceed with its plan to hive off and separately list its hotel business.

From Ireland: The original grounds were hived off in the 1990s when developer Paddy Kelly, purchased Rockville and substantially developed new homes at the rear of the property.

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From Australia: New York-based hedge fund Snow Park is actively pushing for aged care group Japara to hive off as much as $400 million in property assets.

From The New York Times: Even as Europe now struggles to forge a common policy toward Chinas economic advance, Beijing has managed to hive off deal after deal in Europe.

Okay, it has something to do with separation.

To understand it better, lets talk a little about beekeeping. Each hive can have only one queen. When a hive gets overcrowded, the worker bees start to create new queens, so the original queen usually takes off with a bunch of the bees and starts her own hive elsewhere.

That sounds a lot like hiving off, with one hitch: Beekeepers dont use the term.

As the above examples indicate, it is chiefly British. Merriam-Webster describes it thusly: to break away from or as if from a group : become separate. As an intransitive verb, it means to remove from a group or to assign (assets, responsibilities, etc.) to another.

Being a British term, you might expect a lot of news articles to mention that Britain is trying to hive off from the European Union, or Brexit. Except that they dont: Hive off is used primarily in a business sense, akin to what we mean when we say spin off.

The Times, though, was using it to mean that China grabbed for itself many deals in Europe. Thats an unusual usage.

The Oxford English Dictionary has another explanation for hive off: To swarm off like bees.

Heres another tenuous connection to spring: The person first known to have used the expression hive off was Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the designers of Central Park, where the bees are returning. Before he became a park designer, Olmsted traveled the South, writing about slavery under the byline Yeoman in The New York Times. In a collection of his writings published in 1856, Journey in the Seaboard Slave States, with Remarks on Their Economy, Olmsted described the crowd at a slave auction. As one auction ended with no sales, he wrote, someone else called to the crowd: This way gentlementhis way! was heard from a voice outside, and the company immediately hived off to the second establishment.

He was using it in the sense of swarm off like bees. By the early 20th century, though, that usage was all but dead, and hive off meant to split or separate.

Theres a third definition for hive off: withdraw (money) and move into a different location, often secretly and with dishonest intentions. That one is seems even rarer today than the swarming sense; the only recent one we could find was about moving drugs, not money: Corrupt employees can also hive off medicines from the legitimate supply chain to chemists, clinics or hospitals.

Hive off is unusual enough that it doesnt appear in Websters New World College Dictionary, the one favored by the Associated Press and many news outlets, though it is in other American dictionaries. That means journalists in the United States should use it sparingly, if at all.

Thats a real buzzkill.

ICYMI: How we got the terms postlude, prelude, and interlude

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Merrill Perlman managed copy desks across the newsroom at the New York Times, where she worked for twenty-five years. Follow her on Twitter at @meperl.
It finally happened. On Friday, after several false alarms, the Mueller report droppedsort of. While we havent seen the report itself, on Sunday, Attorney General William Barr provided just a four-page summary of the special counsels report. According to Barr, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded that no one from Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. The report does not conclude that the president committed a crime on the issue of obstruction, but also does not exonerate him. (Trump has already, of course, gone ahead and declared that he had been completely exonerated.)

Pundits on both sides of the aisle didnt hesitate to point fingers at the media for hyping the report. Over the weekend, Fox News hosts blasted the likes of CNN and MSNBC for their coverage. CNN, MSNBC, and the mainstream media have lied to the the American for 2 plus years, Sean Hannity tweeted Sunday. Now they will be held accountable. National Reviews Rich Lowry echoed the sentiment. The 3 biggest losers from the Mueller report in order  the media, the media, the media, he tweeted. These sentiments were repeated by the presidents family. CNN, MSNBC, BuzzFeed and the rest of the mainstream media have been part of non-stop conspiracy theories, Donald Trump Jr. said in a statement Sunday, urging honest journalists within the media to have the courage to hold these now fully debunked truthers accountable.

ICYMI: Heads up journalists! A group is going around deceiving journalists

Some on the left have shared these sentimentsspecifically those who have long expressed skepticism of the Trump-Russia story. Rolling Stone writer and author Matt Taibbi published a widely shared excerpt from his new book over the weekend, in which he pilloried the press for paying too much attention to the Mueller probe and Russiagate. Meanwhile, Glenn Greenwald used Taibbis excerpt to gloat. Anyway, if youre an MSNBC vieweror reader of liberal sites on the internetyou were fed a steady stream of conspiratorial bullshit that completely warped your view of the world, all while they purposely excluded anyone who questioned their fraud & profited off your fears, he tweeted.

Meanwhile, mainstream outlets are focusing on the fact that Mueller couldnt decide whether Trump obstructed justice, and have defended their coverage. The New York Timess Dean Baquet told The Washington Post: Im comfortable with our coverage. It is never our job to determine illegality, but to expose the actions of people in power. And thats what we and others have done and will continue to do. And Esquires Ryan Lizza said: Contra a lot of commentary: given the issues, stakes, and seriousness with which special counsel treated all of this, the medias coverage of Russia-Trump connection and possible obstruction over the last two years was somewhere between about right and not quite aggressive enough.

The press gave the Mueller probe tons of space in the public imagination for two years. Moving forward, theyre likely to use that same energy on other parts of the investigation, focusing on the dozen other investigations, many based in New York, pertaining to the special counsels investigation of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign. Its easy to acknowledge the role the press has had in playing into the mystery of the Mueller report the past two years; its harder to actually change course.

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ICYMI: The Washington Post publishes problematic op-ed

In more post-Mueller news:

CJRs Andrew McCormick spoke with reporters in the Department of Justice press room about the process of covering the Mueller report.

All of the damning stories about Trump tangentially related to the investigationStormy Daniels, the Trump Tower meeting, Michael Cohen, Paul Manaforthave led us to become desensitized to Trump instead of letting him die a death of a thousand cuts, The Daily Beasts Matt Lewis writes .

The Atlantics Franklin Foer offered a rebuttal to Taibbi. Mueller has apparently endorsed the fundamental underlying case emanating from the intelligence community: The Russians were actively working to secure Trumps victory

CJRs Digital Editor Nausicaa Renner wrote on Friday about the stakes of the Mueller report for the media.

Other notable stories:

Executives from Group Nine Media and Refinery29 are mulling the idea of merging their respective media companies, Business Insiders Lucia Moses reports.

Over at Slate, Justin Peters profiles comedian Joe Rogan and analyzes his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience . For the past two years, Rogans podcast has been the second most downloaded podcast on iTunes, and has become something of a platform for freethinkers who dont like the left.

Writing for the Times , John Herrman talks about the digital amplification of death in the wake of the Christchurch mosque killings, and the internets endless appetite for death video.

Once it was unimaginable that workers at publications like the Chicago Tribune and The New Yorker would form unions, but today, it seems like nearly every major newsroom has formed or is forming a union. What has prompted the recent wave of digital news unionization efforts? According to a new paper from Nieman Reports by Steven Greenhouse:  This generation is tired of hearing that this industry requires martyrdom, that it requires that you suck it up, that you accept low wages and long hours.

This week, Apple is expected to become the latest giant to join the wave of tech companies infiltrating Hollywood, with plans to launch a new Apple TV offering, featuring apps and channels; original content plans; and a subscription news service.

For much of the past year, Trump has been constrained by a ruling from a federal judge who said it was unconstitutional for a president to block users on Twitter. This week, lawyers for the president will urge an appeals court in Manhattan to overturn that ruling, arguing that his account is personal and not government-controlled.

Mediums Mollie Leavitt talks to CEO of Civil Media Foundation Vivian Schiller, who helms the non-profit foundation associated with the blockchain-backed Civil newsrooms. Civil is an experiment, Schiller said . Its possible it wont work, I hope it does. But for someone to question our motives, I take that very personally.

ICYMI: BuzzFeed and the digital media meltdown

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Maya Kosoff is a freelance reporter based in New York City. She's written for Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, Allure, and Business Insider.
A lawyer who faked flood damage, a bodyshop owner who reported accidents that never happened and motorists who filed claims for crashes that occurred before they bought auto insurance policies were among the people who were arrested or convicted for scamming property and casualty insurers.

Lawyers Behaving Badly

In New Jersey, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced Friday that 63-year-old Neal Pomper of Highland Park was found guilty of one count of insurance fraud. Prosecutors say Pomper submitted a fake invoice from a home remodeling company when filing a $14,000 insurance claim for flood damage to his home and office. He faces a prison term of up to five years when sentenced in New Brunswick Superior Court.

Pomper was the second lawyer to face a Middlesex County judge for insurance fraud that week. Richard Zuvich of Metchen was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison for a combination of charges involving theft and insurance fraud.

Zuvich admitted that he negotiated a settlement for a house that burned down without bothering to tell the owner, his client, and stole the settlement money. In a separate case, he admitted that he pocketed the proceeds of a house sale, which belonged to a client.

Zuvich was ordered to pay $310,000 restitution to the victim in addition to serving two consecutive five-year prison terms.

One Way to Drum Up Business

Down in Texas, and Austin-area body shop owner was sentenced to 10 years of probation after Texas Department of Insurance investigators found he had reported wrecks that never took place and damaged vehicles to increase insurance payouts.

The scam lasted about five years, during which Elias Zapata changed the body shops name several times to avoid bad reviews, the department said.

Zapata pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony in February. He was sentenced March 13 to probation and ordered to repay more than $76,000.

Better Late than Never?

In North Carolina, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrest of two people who failed claims for auto wrecks that had happened before their insurance was in effect.

Madalena Carroll Nisi, 52, of Denver, was arrested last week for felony insurance fraud. Nisis vehicle was involved in a wreck last Nov. 30 at approximately 12:37 p.m. She called Geico only 13 minutes later to reinstate her lapsed coverage, investigators say. Then she filed a claim, saying the wreck occurred at 1 p.m. on that date, which happened to be 10 minutes after she reinstated her policy.

Nisi was ordered to appear in Lincoln County District Court on April 5.

Terrell Deon-Ellis Johnson of Charlotte is accused of a similar misdeed.

The Insurance Departments Investigations Division says bought an auto insurance policy from National General Insurance Co. the afternoon of Dec. 12. The next day, he filed a claim seeking $10,498 for damages. Investigators say his vehicle had been in a wreck the evening before he purchased a policy.

Johnson, 41, was charged March 13 with felony attempting to obtain property by false pretense. He was ordered to appear in Mecklenburg County District Court on April 8.

Time and Again

Georgia insurance fraud investigators found themselves with three repeat customers last week. The Muscogee County District Attorneys Office on Tuessday charged 25-year old Devonta Waddy, 24-year-old Kamesha Lockett, and 26-year-old Rodney Locket, all of Columbus, on insurance fraud and theft by deception charges.

At the time they were arrested, the three were out on bond after being arrested in June 2017 for alleged staging auto accidents. Investigators say the latest arrest involves vehicle identification numbers, but the Insurance Department did not give specifics.

Authorities are seeking three more suspects for their role in the alleged insurance fraud scheme, the department said.

Why Face the Music?

Washington state fraud investigators are growing impatient with accused fraudster Manolo Carrillo. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler put the 35d-year-old Pasco resident on the states insurance fraud most wanted list last week after he twice failed to appear on felony counts of filing a false insurance claim.

The state Attorney Generals Office filed charges against Carrillo after an investigation revealed that Carrillo had filed homeowner insurance claims with Allstate and American Family Insurance for burglaries that did not occur, the Insurance Department said. He filed a $40,000 claim with Allstate in June 2016 and a $14,000 claim with American Family in September 2016.
White Rock signs A$30M Earn-In and Joint Venture Option Agreement with Sandfire



Joint Venture Agreement Signed with Sandfire Resources

Ballarat, Mar 25, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - White Rock Minerals Limited ( ASX:WRM ) (White Rock) and Sandfire Resources NL ( ASX:SFR ) (Sandfire) have joined forces to fund the exploration and development for new high-grade zinc and precious metals volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits at Red Mountain in central Alaska (Red Mountain Project). There are already two high grade deposits at the project with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 12.9% ZnEq for 1.1Mt of contained zinc equivalent.Highlights- White Rock has signed an Earn-In and Joint Venture Option Agreement to permit Sandfire to farm-in to its interests in the Red Mountain Project including high grade zinc-rich VMS mineralisation at the Dry Creek and West Tundra deposits and the newly discovered Hunter prospect.- Sandfire can earn up to 51% of White Rock's interest in its Red Mountain Zinc-Silver-Lead-Gold-Copper Project by spending A$20M on exploration over four years (Stage One).- As a part of Stage One, a minimum of A$6M is required to be spent on the project in Year One (2019).- Sandfire can then elect to increase its interest in the Red Mountain Project to 70% by sole-funding a further A$10M and by delivering a pre-feasibility study with an Ore Reserve within a further two years.- White Rock can then elect to contribute its percentage share of expenditure to retain its 30% interest.- The Red Mountain Project includes a 475km2 tenement package covering numerous historic VMS prospects with little modern exploration, providing Sandfire and White Rock with a large strategic footprint over a potential new VMS district.MD & CEO Matt Gill said "White Rock welcomes Sandfire as a joint venture partner that shares White Rock's vision for the exploration and development of our exciting Red Mountain Project.Securing a high-quality partner with world leading expertise in the exploration and development of base metals projects is a strong endorsement to the quality and potential of our globally significant high-grade zinc VMS Red Mountain Project.It is significant for White Rock shareholders that the terms of the Agreement with Sandfire provide a funding pathway to advance the Red Mountain Project through exploration to the point of advanced development studies and allow White Rock to retain a 30% interest in any project development at the point when the economics of a project are well defined by a Pre-Feasibility Study.The prospectivity of the Red Mountain Project was well illustrated by last year's field season activities that included drill hole results returning in excess of 17% zinc, 6% lead, 1,000 g/t silver, 6 g/t gold and 1.5% copper and the discovery of new massive sulphide mineralisation at the Hunter prospect. The 2019 field season promises more exciting results with plans for a modern airborne EM survey, ahead of a 24-man field camp being established with surface crews completing mapping, geochem sampling, CSAMT geophysics and drilling.We look forward to working with our strategic partner Sandfire and progressing this highly prospective project with the commencement of this program and the subsequent news flow that will result."Earn-In and Joint Venture Option AgreementWhite Rock has entered into an Earn-In and Joint Venture Option Agreement (Agreement) with Sandfire. This Agreement relates to the parties' previously announced proposed joint venture (Joint Venture) for the exploration and development of the Red Mountain Project.Sandfire's Joint Venture funding obligations under the Agreement are structured across four stages as previously announced and include an option to spend a minimum of A$20M over four years to earn 51%, with a minimum contribution of A$6M in 2019. The key terms of the Joint Venture are set out below.Joint Venture StructureThe Joint Venture will be incorporated and operated through a USA organised limited liability company ("LLC"). A wholly owned subsidiary of Sandfire will initially hold a 15% membership interest in the LLC in exchange for the commitment to provide the Minimum Contribution (approximately A$6M - see below) and a wholly owned subsidiary of White Rock will hold the remaining 85% membership interest, in exchange for procuring that the Red Mountain Project assets are transferred into the LLC. The Manager of the LLC will be appointed by White Rock during the first year of the Option period and thereafter by Sandfire. The Manager is entitled to a Management Fee.Key Terms of the Joint VentureSandfire's Joint Venture funding obligations under the Agreement are structured across four stages:- Stage 1 - Initial ContributionUnder the terms of the Agreement, Sandfire is granted an option to acquire (through its subsidiary) a 51% interest in the LLC (Option), in consideration for providing funding to the LLC totalling US$14.4 million (approx. A$20 million) over four years (Initial Contribution), with a minimum contribution by Sandfire of US$4.32 million (approx. A$6 million) in Year One (Minimum Contribution). The Option expires on the fourth anniversary of the date of the Agreement.Sandfire may withdraw from the Joint Venture at any time before the expiry of the Option period on four months' notice, provided it has funded the Minimum Contribution and complied with other obligations in the Agreement. If Sandfire gives a notice of withdrawal after 29 February 2020, it must contribute US$2.16 million (A$3M) (in addition to the Minimum Contribution) prior to withdrawing from the Joint Venture. If Sandfire does not exercise the Option, it will forfeit its entire interest in the LLC.After funding the Initial Contribution, Sandfire may elect to exercise its Option to acquire a 51% membership interest in the LLC.Stage 2 - Pre-Feasibility StudyIn order to complete Stage 2, the Manager is required to deliver a pre-feasibility study for the Red Mountain Project and Sandfire must contribute an additional US$7.2 million (approx. A$10 million) in funds to the LLC over a two-year period. Subject to Sandfire funding and completing Stage 2 it will earn an additional 19% in the LLC, bringing its total membership interest to 70%.Should Sandfire elect to withdraw from the Agreement during Stage 2, then it shall retain a 51% membership interest, which shall be subject to dilution.Stage 3 - Definitive Feasibility StudyStage 3 commences upon Sandfire completing Stage 2 and continues until the Manager delivers a definitive feasibility study (DFS). During Stage 3, White Rock may elect to contribute its percentage share (i.e. 30%) of expenditure. If White Rock elects not to contribute, Sandfire is required to sole fund Stage 3 expenditure and will earn an additional 10% interest in the LLC (bringing its total interest to 80%).Should Sandfire elect to withdraw from the Agreement during Stage 3, then it shall retain a 70% membership interest, which shall be subject to dilution.Stage 4 - DevelopmentStage 4 commences upon the approval of the DFS by the Management Committee and continues through development to commencement of commercial production. During Stage 4, White Rock may elect to contribute its percentage share of expenditure (based on its percentage interest in the LLC at that time). If White Rock does not elect to contribute, Sandfire will be required to sole fund Stage 4 expenditure for an additional 10% interest in the LLC (bringing its total interest to 90%, assuming White Rock did not contribute during Stage 3) and White Rock must repay 10% of the total development expenditure to Sandfire from 65% of its share of the project cash flow. Alternatively, the parties may cooperate in seeking project financing for the Stage 4 expenditure.The Agreement includes customary covenants, warranties and indemnities given by both parties, as well as customary provisions relating to (among other things) the management of the LLC, the granting of security over each party's interests, dilution of interests, force majeure, winding up of the LLC and consequences of default by a party.About Sandfire Resources NL:- Sandfire is a leading Australian copper producer which operates the high-grade DeGrussa Copper-Gold Mine, located 900km north of Perth in Western Australia. Sandfire has a growing portfolio of exploration interests and joint ventures in highly prospective mineral provinces around Australia and overseas. Further details can be found on Sandfire's website www.sandfire.com.au.To view the release with tables and figures, please visit:About White Rock Minerals Ltd

White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX:WRM) (OTCMKTS:WRMCF) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade zinc - silver - gold - lead VMS deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 609g/t AgEq / 13% ZnEq. The Company is also exploring its recently discovered large intrusion related gold anomaly at Last Chance, also located in the Tintina gold belt of Alaska, home to multi-million gold ounce deposits like Pogo, Fort Knox and the Donlin Project. The Company also has the Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, which is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver on an approved mining lease, and with a Gold First PFS and JORC Reserve.
New Jersey sued a California ghost gun company that ships partly assembled firearms kits to buyers who can avoid background checks simply by building the untraceable weapons at home.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal claims in a lawsuit filed Friday that U.S. Patriot Armory sold a kit for an AR-15 assault rifle to an undercover agent after receiving a cease-and-desist letter to halt sales in New Jersey. Grewal called it the first suit brought by a state against such a company.

With the specter of mass shootings looming over schools, places of worship, and other public spaces, the need to promote both public safety and law enforcement safety has never been more urgent, Grewal, a Democrat, said in the complaint in state court in Newark, New Jersey.

Ghost guns, legal in most states, amplify the threat of gun violence because they lack serial numbers and can be easily assembled by terrorists, fugitives and felons who are otherwise barred from buying firearms, Grewal said. New Jersey banned ghost guns last year and secured agreements from 15 companies to halt sales there, Grewal said in a statement.

The suit seeks a court order barring Apple Valley, California-based U.S. Patriot from selling ghost-gun kits or parts in New Jersey and forcing the company to disclose on its website that such sales are illegal in the state. Residents face as many as five years in prison for buying firearm parts with the intent to build a ghost gun, and 10 years if its an assault rifle, Grewal said.

A message left with U.S. Patriot Armory seeking comment wasnt immediately returned.

Legally purchased AR-15 assault rifles or similar military-style weapons have been used in some of the deadliest mass shootings, including the massacres at two mosques in New Zealand last week and shootings in the U.S. such as at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last year.

The companys website features a variety of parts for AR-15 rifles and other popular guns. It links to U.S. Patriots Instagram page, where a recent post says U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, wants to rip away the Second Amendment.

Grewal alleges U.S. Patriot sold the kit illegally in February. He also says the company falsely told buyers that the guns were legal to purchase and failed to disclose that they were exposing themselves to criminal liability.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy in November signed a bill broadening one of the nations toughest gun laws by banning untraceable firearms, including those manufactured on three-dimensional printers.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.
Some vessels will be allowed to enter a tributary to the Houston Ship Channel this morning but more than 60 ships remain stranded by the closure of the main waterway as a result of a cloud of cancer-causing benzene from an onshore tank fire.

The San Jacinto River tributary will be opened intermittently for some tug and barge traffic, Jay Schroeder, a Coast Guard spokesman, said on Monday. The main channel wont reopen until the U.S. Coast Guard verifies the benzene has dissipated and oily runoff from the regions worst chemical disaster in 14 years poses no threat to vessels or their crews.

Oil refiners, chemical manufacturers and grain exporters in Houstons eastern suburbs have been cut off from Gulf of Mexico shipping as the unfolding Intercontinental Terminals Co. calamity enters its second week.

ITC achieved a significant milestone Sunday in emptying more than half a million gallons of toxic liquid from an onshore tank wrecked in the four-day blaze that erupted March 17 and sent a mile-high plume of black smoke skyward.

The Coast Guard plans to move a test vessel through the channels 2-mile-long no-go zone to determine whether ship traffic can resume without disrupting efforts to skim gasoline ingredients that spilled into the waterway, Lieutenant Commander Jason Toczko said on Sunday. He declined to estimate when the channel will reopen or specify when the test vessel will launch.

The channel, which isnt a source of drinking water for Houston or its suburbs, connects the regions dense warren of refineries, chemical processors and fertilizer warehouses to the rest of the world via Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Dozens of major companies rely on the waterway to receive crude oil and other raw materials, and to send out finished products such as fuel and livestock feed.

LyondellBasell Industries N.V.s Channelview and Bayport chemical facilities are experiencing constrained barge and vessel logistics because of the closure but are operating, spokesman Chevalier Gray said in an email. The company is evaluating the events effect on production.

ITC crews finally drained about 13,000 barrels (546,000 gallons) of a benzene-laced refining byproduct called pygas from a charred tank after two earlier unsuccessful attempts, Brent Weber, the companys incident commander, said during a media briefing Sunday.

Tank 80-7

ITC said Monday in a statement its still pumping out the contents of 80-7 and one other tank, and is preparing to do the same with two others.

Clearing the tank  numbered 80-7 on the facility map  would be a significant achievement for ITC because it allows crews access to other damaged tanks still holding dangerous chemicals they need to drain to eliminate the danger of new fires. A 2-foot (0.6-meter) deep pool of chemicals on the ground around the damaged tanks was reduced to 2 inches by Sunday morning.

Benzene levels in the air over suburban Deer Park and neighboring communities remained below harmful levels, said Adam Adams of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Trust Not There

That was a far cry from late last week, when readings of the pollutant linked to leukemia and other forms of cancer shut entire towns, triggered panic and sent 1,000 people to a pop-up medical clinic.

Residents remain on edge, wondering whats next and when normal life will return. For many Houstonians, its the worst industrial disaster since the 2005 explosion at BP Plcs Texas City refinery that killed 15.

Theres more tanks in there. Is it going to reignite? Its very uncertain, said Mercy Reyna, 50, whos been suffering from headaches, eye discomfort and chest tightness. The trust is not there. We feel like were not being told the truth of whats going on.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit accusing ITC of violating clean-air laws. Meanwhile, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said it will be investigating the disaster.

Siphoning Gasoline

Dan Lowe, 52, sought treatment for eye and throat irritation. After ruling out strep throat and influenza, his doctor ordered blood tests to check for signs of benzene exposure. Lowe, who passed through Deer Park several times last week while driving for Uber, is awaiting the results.

We used to siphon gasoline as teenagers and it felt like that, he said of the pain in his throat. It was stupid, but you dont forget that taste.

County officials said they have no plans for now to stand up an ad-hoc medical clinic that was open for three days in Deer Park. Anyone with symptoms was urged to contact their doctor or call 911.

Ive been here most of my adult life, and this is the scariest Ive seen it.
HONOLULU  Honolulus police commission has approved hiring a lawyer to represent a retired chief in a federal case that accuses him of using police resources to frame a relative.

Commissioner Steve Levinson says they approved the request Wednesday.

Former chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, are indicted on corrupted-related charges. Prosecutors say they used police resources to frame her uncle for the theft of their mailbox in an attempt to cover up financial fraud that funded the couples lavish lifestyle.

Its not clear how the decision will affect the federal taxpayer-funded lawyer the ex-chief already has. A hearing is scheduled for Friday.

The commission rejected a second request for a lawyer to represent Kealoha in a case focusing on bank fraud, identity theft and other charges.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- E.J. Gaines is returning to the Buffalo Bills after spending the 2018 season with the Browns. Gaines is signing a one-year deal with Buffalo. He spent the 2017 season with the Bills.

Gaines spent his first two seasons in the league with the Rams playing under former Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. He reunited with Williams last season and offered valuable depth to the Browns secondary. He took over at cornerback after Terrance Mitchell suffered a broken wrist against the Raiders and helped stabilize the position.

Concussions ended Gaines season early. He was placed on injured reserve in November after suffering two concussions in three weeks. He played six games for the Browns and intercepted one pass.
MEDINA, Ohio -- The City of Medina has received all of its proposals for its planned parking deck on the former site of the Masonic Temple, adjacent to City Hall.

City Engineer Patrick Patton said the next step in the process is to score each proposal before making a recommendation to City Council on which one to choose.

The city had three design-build firms send two-part proposals -- a technical proposal and a cost proposal. Patton said that on April 4, a committee comprised of Patton, City Council President John Coyne, Community Development Director Jonathan Mendel, local architect Chip Klinkenberg and Leslie Trades, a member of the Historic Preservation Board, will score the technical proposals.

Patton said the cost proposals wont be opened until the following day.

"You want the group to be unbiased, not knowing what's the most expensive or least expensive, Patton said. They're there to score it as presented."

All technical proposal scoring will happen on April 4, with set times to interview each firm about its proposal. Each proposal will be scored on multiple categories, adding up to 100 points. Then, the following morning, the cost proposals will be scored on the cost per parking spot. The lowest amount will get 100 points, then the other two bids will have their scores based on that scale.

The three firms waiting to be scored are CPS Construction Group from Cheswick, Pa., The Ruhlin Co. in Sharon Center and Mike Coates Construction Co. in Niles, Ohio.

Patton said the highest-scoring proposal will be recommended to City Council.

He said each proposal was asked to provide parking spaces for at least 200 vehicles, fit in the available space and come in under the $3.8 million budget. Other than that, the design teams were free to decide the best way to use the space.

The city has received a $1 million grant from the state to help fund the project.

"The idea is to use their expertise to come up with the most efficient design, Patton said.

He said the parking garage will sit on half of the current parking lot attached to City Hall and take up most of the parking lot along East Liberty Street, as well as the grass field in between.

An adjacent 80-foot-wide lot on East Liberty will be designated for the city to try to develop as commercial or residential property, he said.

While it had been discussed as a potential part of the plans, Patton said the city decided against requiring that the parking structure connect to any new building that may go on East Liberty.

"We discussed that and in the end decided that it wasn't a good idea to try and require them to connect to each other, Patton said.

Patton said the project is slated to start construction in May and finish in December. He said while the construction is ongoing, parking at City Hall will be limited, and city employees and visitors will have to use other public parking near City Hall.
AVON LAKE, Ohio -- The Breakwall Food and Spirits bar and restaurant has been on the northern end of Lear Road in Avon Lake since 2013, but soon will be moving to the corner of Moore and Walker roads and expanding.

Avon Lake Economic Development Director Ted Esborn said the new site for The Breakwall has had a big question mark on it for some time.

There have been tumultuous years at that space, he said. We have struggled to find an establishment that is a good fit.

There was a bar in the space for a few years, as well as a very short-lived Mexican restaurant.

Now we have a home-grown business, The Breakwall, that developed a following in a small space and now they are taking the big step. It seems to be a good fit for everyone, said Esborn. "Theyve developed a good customer base and they are sort of bursting at the seams on Lear Road. Their new space will be almost double, going from about 2,500 square feet to about 4,500 square feet.

Esborn said they go into it with a lot of support from the community, as well as a very large menu that people really like.

The new location is in what is known in the city as the Drug Mart Plaza at 33382 Walker Road.

When Drug Mart was concerned about the move because they had seen other bars in the location that didnt work out very well, Esborn was able to reassure them that The Breakwall is a different proposition.

After talking to the police chief, said Esborn, I was able to tell them these folks have been peaceful citizens from a public safety standpoint. They also have been very active with the city, supporting our Business Expo, our Shop Local program in November and providing gift bags to auction off at city events.

In addition, Esborn noted, We have our job growth incentive program each year, and they have often been recipients of those awards.

The Breakwall is a family-owned business. A grand opening date for the move has not yet been announced, but you can be sure Esborn and Mayor Greg Zilka will be there with giant scissors and a big red ribbon.
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio -- Simple assault, Interstate 271: A Riverdale, Ill., man, 48, was arrested shortly after 12:30 a.m. March 18 following an assault that occurred along the northbound exit to Cedar and Brainard roads, in which he allegedly attacked a Canton man, 38. No weapons were used.

Larceny (theft), Chagrin Boulevard: Police responded to the parking lot of the Cleveland Racquet Club around 10 p.m. March 13 for a reported disturbance involving an unidentified man and a Northfield woman, who had her $300 Jeep key fob taken.

Stolen property, Bolingbrook Road: A resident came to the police station on March 12 to report that a diamond ring and a Rolex watch had been stolen from his home. No further details were available.

Theft (shoplifting), Pinetree Road: Police received a report from the loss prevention staff at Heinens Grocery on March 14 that two bottles of wine -- Veuve and Muet Rose Imperial -- had been stolen three days prior.

Possession of marijuana, Lander Road: Police stopped a Warrensville Heights man, 24, late on March 21 for driving with one working headlight, then found a small amount of marijuana, for which he was cited.

Found property, Pinetree Road: While conducting a premises check of North Plaza on March 14, an officer found a wallet on a window ledge at Block Brothers containing some cash and a library card. Relatives in the city were notified.

Warrant served, Shaker Boulevard: A McKean, Pa., man, 51, came to the police station on the evening of March 9 to turn himself in on a Pepper Pike warrant.

Fraud, Kersdale Road: A woman came to the police station on March 19 to report fraudulent credit card activity.

School bus (load-discharge passenger rules), Gates Mills Boulevard: The Orange City School District emailed a violation form to police on March 21 after someone had passed a school bus that was stopped and flashing its red lights the previous day around 4 p.m.

If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page.
MEDINA, Ohio -- Kip Erwin, 37, graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in communications and marketing, and worked in sales for most of his adult life. But he said that during the last 10 years, he had been struggling to balance his work with a drug addiction.

A year and a half ago, his daughter was born -- which he said was the catalyst for him to get clean.

Once she was born, I absolutely committed to making a change in the way I was living, Erwin said.

Erwin is one of many people recovering from addiction who take classes at Serenite Restaurant in Medina. Serenite is a recovery and culinary institute that is part of the Recovery Center of Medina County, providing a culinary arts education to people in the recovery community.

The restaurant is celebrating its one-year anniversary March 28.

Erwin was living in Cathys House -- a place where recovering addicts can live between a halfway house and living on their own -- when Serenite was being built across the street. Erwin was having trouble finding a job in the corporate world because of a drug-related felony, and had heard about Edwins, Serenites sister restaurant with a similar goal.

"I was really excited to try and get my foot in the door here, he said.

He got into classes at Serenite last July and has since graduated. He is in the process of becoming a state-certified peer mentor, and will become the assistant manager at both Serenite and the Recovery Center.

Im going to continue to be here, which is great for my recovery, Erwin said. Im immersed in a culture of recovery, and thats so important to me as I continue on."

Michael Flaherty has been recently promoted to CEO and executive director at the Recovery Center and restaurant. He was formerly the general manager of the restaurant, and took on the role as the restaurants founder, Brandon Chrostowski, moved out of the role.

Flaherty was with Chrostowski when Edwins was started, and was the assistant general manager when that restaurant opened in Cleveland. He came back to his hometown of Medina to become the general manager of Serenite last year.

When Serenite first opened, people in the Medina community were unsure about its effect on the community. A year later, Flaherty said the restaurant has started to calm those concerns with its results.

Weve had a lot of people support us, as well, that have wanted to go out there and spread the good news, if you will, FLaherty said. People are seeing that, regardless of where they stood at the onset, theyre seeing that theres a lot of real good happening here.

Flaherty said his goals for Serenite and the Recovery Centers second year is to solidify the recovery center by working with other recovery organizations in the community.

I think we can do something really special in the community here in terms of recovery, he said. "Medina, much like the rest of Ohio and the nation, theres been times where its been hit very hard with the opiate and methamphetamines and all of that. The special thing about the community is that were all really trying to get ahead of it and do what we can together as a community.

Serenite is currently open for dinner Monday through Saturday and for brunch on Sundays. Flaherty said the restaurant is working on being open for lunch, perhaps by April 15.
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- The Jenkins Place Senior Center has scheduled its next workshop targeting older adults who suffer from chronic pain, which is defined as pain lasting six months or more from a variety of causes.

Its an issue that we think is prevalent in seniors, Programs Coordinator Rachel OMalley said. We feel like there are a lot of them that might be dealing with chronic pain.

This is an evidence-based program developed at Stanford University that will help them manage pain through things like nutrition, exercising and new treatments, as well as communication with family, friends and doctors, she said.

The six-week, no-cost Chronic Pain Self-Management (CPSM) workshop -- which takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays April 1 through May 6 at the Bagley Road venue -- is designed to help seniors feel better, improve their quality of life and get back to doing the things they love, as well as learn a safe, no-impact exercise program that increases strength, endurance and flexibility.

In addition, they also learn about nutrition; managing medications; decision-making; communicating with family, friends and doctors; and evaluating new treatments. Seniors will receive an exercise CD and a copy of the book Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain.

The workshop is presented by the Fairhill Partners, which connects people to opportunities for lifelong learning, intergenerational relationships and successful aging. The nonprofit was the group behind last falls A Matter of Balance program at the Jenkins Place Senior Center.

We had a great turnout for A Matter of Balance, with about 15 to 18 seniors each week, OMalley said. They learned exercises they can do every day at home to help with their balance and decrease the likelihood of falling. Some of them have continued to do things to help their balance, like come to our Tai Chi class every week or do the exercises at home to keep working on their balance.

We had people that I havent seen in the center before, so I was excited about that. Were trying to reach more groups of seniors in the area and get programs that interest different people.

Not only did Olmsted Falls senior Sandy Binder participate in A Matter of Balance, shes looking forward to the CPSM workshop.

With A Matter of Balance, we learned things like getting out of the tub and up off the floor safely, said Binder, 76. We were all able to share with each other and not feel judged.

Instructors were very knowledgeable. Some people really improved their balance by the end of the class. I would absolutely take another class through Fairhill Partners.

OMalley is optimistic that the CPSM workshop will be a success, which is why shes already planning additional programming. This includes a return of A Matter of Balance in June, followed by Chronic Disease Self Management and Aging Mastery workshops in the fall.

Working with Fairhill Partners is wonderful, OMalley said. Its a win-win. Theres no charge, and its informative and educational. Overall, its a great thing.
ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- One World in Rocky River hosted a 40th anniversary fundraiser called Global Eats on March 20. The non-profit, fair trade store operates with over 50 developing countries with men and women, abled and disabled, who are earning a fair wage for their handcrafted goods, according to One Worlds manager, Laura Potter-Sadowski.

Each of our products are labeled with the country of origin. Tags often explain the origin and more information about the organization or artisan it came from or was made by, she said.

For Global Eats, she continued, our mission for this event in particular was to partner with Local Abundance Kitchen to share their local mission with our own supporters, as well as reach new supporters through this exciting dining experience.

"We pride ourselves at One World Shop on promoting other cultures and engaging our community through education, so this seemed like a natural fit. Guests were able to mingle with each other, as well as the refugee women who cooked the meals, learn about the dishes they made and about their experiences here in Cleveland.

Refugees from Local Abundance Kitchen prepared small plates highlighting food from their homelands. Global Eats, which raised about $2,000 and benefited both nonprofits, was held in M Bakery and Catering on Detroit Road. M Bakery is the catering arm of Sweet Melissa restaurant in Rocky River.

One World opened in Lakewood in 1979. Potter-Sadowski explained the original vision for the store. There were a group of passionate individuals at the Lakewood Presbyterian Church with the idea of an alternative Christmas fair. It grew and became a storefront -- a place to bring in handcrafted, fair trade and locally made goods in support of ethical shopping and sustainability as an alternative to commercial shopping.

As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, she noted, One World guarantees that all artisans are paid a fair wage, work in safe environments, that children are not forced to labor in sweatshops and that items are produced in an environmentally friendly manner, many being made with recycled materials.

(The anniversary event) went really well, said Potter-Sadowski. We had a great turnout of shop supporters, supporters of Local Abundance and some community partners. This was our first time doing this type of event and using the M Bakery space.

"I really appreciated the mix of supporters and the stories they shared as to why they came or why they are supporting art or refugees. One of our guests even brought photos of a trip to Nepal in the 1980s and shared them with a Nepalese woman, said Potter-Sadowski.

There was a pop-up store at the event so that people could see whats new in the store for spring, including floral chiffon tunics from India (about $60) African baskets ($20 to $70, depending on size) and a variety of saris from India used to wrap jewelry and beads.

From May 15-19, One World will be having a Fair Trade Rug Event featuring more than 300 hand-knotted, fair trade rugs made by adults from Pakistan.

It is a beautiful event that serves as a fundraiser for the store, as well as the organization Bunyaad," Pottter-Sadowski said. "We hope to celebrate our 40th anniversary with more events such as this, engaging others and sharing the traditions, foods and experiences of the cultures we represent.

One World is located at 19321 Detroit Road. For more information, call 440-333-7709 or email the store at manager@oneworldshopcle.org.
AVON LAKE, Ohio -- Poly One in Avon Lake is considering a major expansion, thanks to a tax abatement incentive from the city. The potential project involves the creation of a new research and development center on the Poly One campus at its global headquarters at 33587 Walker Road.

Poly One is a global provider of specialized polymer materials and services. The company has operations in thermoplastic compounds, specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, thermoplastic resin distribution and vinyl resins.

Avon Lake Economic Development Director Ted Esborn said Poly One is considering the project that, with a property tax abatement of 100 percent on a new building for 15 years, would be a total investment of more than $25 million.

Their new building would range in size from 80,000 to 100,000 square feet, said Esborn. They would create 28 new jobs over five years -- scientists and engineers, high-paying jobs. They would also move about 68 people from elsewhere to the facility.

Esborn noted that the property tax abatement was passed unanimously by the Avon Lake Board of Education due to the work the city and the school district have done together.

The tax abatement will be very productive for the schools when the abatement is over and the value of the building comes online. It will also provide a great learning opportunity for the schools. Poly One and the schools are discussing the possibilities for internships," Esborn said.

Esborn went on to discuss more benefits to the city because of the project.

First there is the income tax benefit, said Esborn. Over the first five years of the facility, those 28 jobs are projected to create a five-year total of $125,000 in new revenue to Avon Lake, and likely about $42,000 per year after that.

Second, there is the investment benefit. The project is estimated to be a $24.6 million investment by PolyOne into its Avon Lake campus. PolyOne has always been a tremendous corporate citizen in Avon Lake and this facility would strengthen and deepen its presence here -- putting roots down even further in this community, he said.

"Finally, there is the research and development benefit. This project would see invention, experimentation, innovation and discovery at a PolyOne building in Avon Lake.

"The research and development benefit is something that the Avon Lake schools are very interested in, because of the opportunities to expose students to science at work. And the city is very interested, because research and development can attract other businesses that want to partner with Poly One or take advantage of some of the technology in the new facility.

If the project moves forward, said Esborn, construction could begin soon, with completion in the spring of 2020.
LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- A regular meeting of the Westshore Council of Governments was held March 13 in Lakewood to review issues and plans for its member communities. The meeting is held monthly and includes mayors from Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted and Westlake. This month, the Westlake and North Olmsted mayors were absent.

Among the issues the mayors discussed:

 Gas tax increase proposals in Columbus -- The Ohio Senate has proposed an 18-cent increase in the state gas tax, while the Ohio House of Representatives has proposed a 10-cent increase. Rocky River Mayor Pam Bobst said she thinks the increase is an investment, not a tax. Lakewood Mayor Larry Summers concurred, saying he thinks the concept of an investment gets lost in the debate. Fairview Park Mayor Eileen Patton expressed concern about how an increase could hurt the average person who works hard every day.

 Bobst was at a Medina County meeting regarding water going from Lake Erie through Avon to Medina. Summers is concerned about who would police the effort and what environmental impact there would be. Bobst said that with flow monitoring, it could be done, but finances are a concern and she questioned who would actually coordinate the project.

 A Land Bank meeting took place on March 29 in Columbus with Ohio and federal Environmental Protection Agency representatives attending. Summers also attended.

 The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission has a meeting coming up in which they will select a new director.

 A solid waste district plan was discussed, as well as waste water treatment involving the City of Cleveland. Bobst will be attending a meeting representing the WCOG. Summers said a case needs to be made from WCOG to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson regarding fees.

 Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar led a discussion on health care and wellness for city employees. A focal point, Koomar said, is engaging employees in wellness efforts and linking them to a primary care doctor so that they would be less likely to use an urgent care center. Summers said cities need to make sure employees are participating so their health doesnt get worse. He said of the 1,200 employees of the City of Lakewood, about 600 are not using the preventative measures. Bobst said spouses can be utilized successfully as navigators for better results. Patton said quite a few of their employees use telemedicine. She has tried it for some prescriptions and found it to be good -- but only for certain things. It is an incredible cost savings, she said. Bobst said it is all about a citys commitment to its employees. She also noted that Rocky River has a benefits committee and that a recent increase to employees was absorbed by the city.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Prosecutors dropped murder and other charges against a Cleveland man set for trial on murder charges in a 2017 shooting outside a bar on the grounds that the man accused of the killing was defending himself.

Joshua Walker walked into a Cuyahoga County courtroom Monday expecting prosecutors and defense attorneys to begin the process of selecting a jury that would decide his fate. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Andrew Santoli told Common Pleas Judge John ODonnell that the state no longer wanted to pursue charges against him.

The dismissal came days before a gun-rights bill that state legislators passed in December was set to become law, and abruptly ended an ongoing legal conundrum facing lawyers and ODonnell of how to handle Walkers case when the law governing how self-defense cases are handled was set to change in what would have been the middle of his trial.

Prosecutor Michael OMalley signed off on the dismissal after reviewing surveillance video of the shooting and reviewing the new law, which would have given the presumption of self-defense to Walker, his office said in a statement.

This case involved an unprovoked physical attack by the deceased on the defendant that resulted in his shooting death, OMalleys spokesman, Tyler Sinclair, said in the statement.

Walker, who had spent 200 days in the troubled Cuyahoga County Jail, faced charges of murder, voluntary manslaughter, felonious assault and weapons charges that, if convicted, could have put him in prison for life for shooting Aaron Mason on Oct. 25, 2017 outside the Westender Tavern. He maintained that the shooting was a matter of self defense.

Walkers lawyer, Jeff Richardson, said in an interview with cleveland.com Monday that Santoli and the prosecutors office came the correct conclusion.

I think that this issue with the flux of the law really forced us to take a hard look at what the facts were, and that based on the evidence, I think they did the right thing, Richardson said.

In response to a follow-up question asking why prosecutors charged Walker in the first place if the office determined he was the victim of an unprovoked physical attack," Ryan Miday, OMalleys director of communications, said prosecutors asked a grand jury in October 2018 to indict Walker before they reviewed the video of the shooting that occurred a year earlier. Miday could not say Monday night why the video was not made available to the prosecutors.

The shooting

High-definition surveillance cameras mounted inside and outside the bar on Lorain Avenue near West 117th Street captured the moments leading up to the shooting, the fatal gunfire and the aftermath.

Mason put on a pair of gloves and walked up to Walker, who was seated alone at the bar. Walker turned to face Mason, who punched Walkers face.

Mason continued hurling punches at Walker as the two wrestled their way out the bars front door in a flurry of flailing arms. Walker pulled a pistol from his pants during the struggle and, after Mason threw Walker to the ground and got on top of him, Walker fired three shots from close range into Masons body. Mason dropped the ground and doubled over, and Walker ran from the scene and dropped his cellphone in the process.

Cleveland police obtained an arrest warrant in November 2017 charging Walker with murder. Walker had returned to his previous address in Phoenix after the shooting. Police there arrested him in September. He was extradited back to Cleveland in October and prosecutors obtained an indictment charging him with murder a week later.

The shooting happened 14 months after Cleveland City Councilwoman Dona Brady tried to get the bar shut down after some 60 police incidents at the bar in a two-year span that included three shootings and several brawls, some of which left patrons and bar employees bloodied.

A court sided with the citys nuisance complaint and the bar was shuttered shortly after the fatal shooting.

The current law

Walker was charged under Ohios current laws, which state that a person who uses deadly force is required to prove that they were justified in using that force. They have to convince police, prosecutors or a jury that they had reasonable fear of serious bodily harm when they opened fire, did not start the confrontation or do anything to escalate it, and, if possible, tried to retreat from the threat.

Ohio is the only state in the country that puts the burden of proof on the shooter to defend themselves against charges.

Ohio lawmakers gained national attention at the end of 2018 when they flirted with passing a so-called stand your grand provision in a broader gun-rights bill that would have stripped the states gun owners of a duty to retreat before resorting to deadly force. The provision was removed in committee at the last minute.

The resulting law that both the House and Senate chambers ratified, House Bill 228, shifted the burden in shootings. Under the new law, police and prosecutors would have to show that the shooter didnt have reason to use deadly force.

The law also doesnt change Ohios castle doctrine, which allows gun owners to use force in their homes or vehicles to defend themselves against intruders.

The new law is set to take effect on Thursday.

What to do with Walker?

Walker and Richardson refused to enter into any plea bargain negotiations with prosecutors and were determined to take the case to trial.

As Mondays trial date approached, so too did the scheduled change in the states self-defense law. That left attorneys to wrestle with the question of whether it would be fair to apply standards that the legislature had determined needed to be changed to a case.

Richardson asked ODonnell to delay the start of trial so he could determine how to handle the changing of the law. ODonnell rejected his request.

Richardson argued in a late-Sunday court filing that, regardless of the date change, there was nothing to keep ODonnell from applying the new standard to Walkers trial and instructing jurors that prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Walker did not act in self-defense.

ODonnell on Monday told Richardson and Santoli that he intended to apply the new standard to Walkers case. Santoli asked ODonnell to continue the trial. When ODonnell rejected his request, prosecutors dismissed the charge.

Walker was on probation on a federal drug charge out of Arizona and will remain in custody until that matter is settled, Richardson said.

OMalleys office said federal prosecutors are considering whether to pursue gun charges against Walker.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  It took two mistakes for the FBI and other law enforcement to identify a group of hackers in Romania behind sophisticated malware programs that victimized thousands of people, a federal prosecutor told a jury Monday.

The cybercriminals known as the Bayrob Group did a good job masking their identities, Justice Department senior counsel Brian Levine said Monday during opening statements at a trial in federal court in Cleveland. Their cautiousness allowed them to get away with it for nine years as they ripped off people in Ohio, the United States and the world to the tune of millions of dollars, Levine said.

Bogdan Nicolescu, Tiberiu Danet and Radu Miclaus  the three men the FBI accused of being involved  were arrested in Bucharest, Romanias capital city, in September 2016 and brought to the U.S. that December on a 21-count indictment.

Nicolescu, a 36-year-old whom prosecutors say led the operation, and Miclaus began both men face prison time if a jury convicts them on charges ranging from wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors said in 2016 that victims lost at least $4 millions through sophisticated schemes that resulted in 11 million malicious emails sent to unsuspecting recipients.

The jury was selected Monday, followed by opening statements and testimony in Chief U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughans courtroom.

Danet pleaded guilty in November to eight counts and is expected to testify against his co-defendants.

Levine, who works in the Justice Departments computer crime and intellectual property section in Washington, said Nicolescu went by the online handle MasterFraud and that Miclaus was Minolta9797.

The group stole credit card numbers, email addresses and website login information from the hacked computers, he said. Stolen email addresses then received spam messages with malicious attachments that were disguised as, say, a Western Union document, the prosecutor explained.

At its height, the Bayrob group controlled a botnet, or a group of computers infected and controlled to send and receive spam messages, that was 400,000 computers strong, Levine said. The computers were infected several ways, including one where the men posted ads on eBay that claimed to sell cars.

When prospective customers sent messages with questions, the Bayrob Group sent pictures in return, Levine said. Those pictures contained malware that allowed the hackers to take over the recipients computer.

Once inside, they redirected users a fake eBay page they controlled. When buyers wired money, it went to bank accounts for so-called money mules" that were unwittingly part of the scheme. Buyers never got their cars. Some lost tens of thousands of dollars and all they got was infected with a virus, Levine said.

About 50 residents of Northeast Ohio were defrauded by the group as part of the eBay scheme, the FBI said in 2016. Agents got involved after a woman in Perry, a small village in Lake County, said in 2007 that she lost just under $10,000 through what she thought was a car purchase, Levine said.

Money deposited in U.S. bank accounts was wired to accounts in Europe and, eventually, put into accounts the Bayrob Group controlled.

With such a sophisticated scheme, the mistakes that took them down were actually quite simple, Levine said.

He said the men used America Online and that Miclaus accidentally logged in one day in 2013 with his personal account, instead of the one used in the scheme. As a result, AOL linked the two accounts to the same internet service provider address, Levine said.

The second one was in 2015, when Dinet traveled to Miami to visit friends. While going through customs at the airport, the FBI covertly seized his cellphone and, acting on a search warrant, reviewed it. There they found messages between the three defendants chatting about the computer programs at the heart of the case.

Levine also said three email accounts the men used to discuss the scheme went silent after their arrests. He told the jury that the evidence are like puzzle pieces that can be put together to show a complete picture of the crimes the group committed.

Nicolescus attorney Michael Goldberg, however, said some of those pieces are going to be straight-up lies and wont fit.

He said there was no physical link between the data seized by feds, the handle MasterFraud and his client. While he doesnt contest the scheme happened, he said his client, who lived with Miclaus, had nothing to do with it.

Goldberg said the government wants the jury to take an ocean of data and make you look at it through a pinhole.

Michael OShea, Miclaus lawyer, cautioned the jury to weigh all of the charges individually and said the evidence does not show his client is guilty.

The trial is expected to last up to three weeks.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  The mother of an Academy Tavern cook killed during a fight at the Cleveland restaurant said her son was a loving, family-oriented man with a passion for cooking.

Michael Reese planned to pursue his dream of attending culinary school before the 23-year-old was stabbed to death Saturday night at the popular watering hole on Larchmere Boulevard at East 128th Street, his mother Pamela Woodall said.

He didnt deserve that. He was a good boy, Woodall said Monday during an interview at her familys Cleveland home. He was so loving and caring.

Investigators said Reese suffered the fatal stab wound during a fight with two of his co-workers. Two men have been arrested, but court records show they have not yet been charged in the case. Investigators have not yet told his mother what caused fight.

Known to his family and friends as Mikey, he loved his family and always made time for each of his relatives. He spent mornings watching TV news with his mother before she went to work.

He worked at Academy Tavern for three years where he specialized in grilling. He liked to experiment in the kitchen. He also had a habit of leaving behind a mess; Woodall joked that his favorite dish to cook was anything that could dirty up every pot.

The kitchen was a mess when he left, she said.

He also loved music, and he spent much of his free time writing and recording rap songs in his familys home.

Woodall said her son never got into trouble, and always made her proud of him.

It was like he never wanted to fail me, she said. He never wanted me to be disappointed in him.

Family and friends gathered Sunday night for a small vigil outside Academy Tavern, but are working to plan a larger vigil that will be held sometime soon, Woodall said.

Investigators said a 27-year-old man and a 23-year-old man argued with Reese about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the restaurants kitchen. The argument spilled out to the parking lot and got physical.

The 27-year-old man suffered a cut to his leg during the incident, and was arrested at the scene, police said. The 24-year-old man ran away after the stabbing, but returned to the restaurant and was also taken into custody, police said.

Balloons adorned a pole outside the Academy Tavern on Monday, and Reeses name was written in chalk on the sidewalk by the restaurant. Academy Taverns owner could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While most Ohio students plan to spend Spring break in on the beach or at other vacation spots, six students from St. Ignatius High School are preparing to spend their time helping asylum seekers in Nogales, Mexico.

Augie Pacetti, of the schools campus ministry, will lead the group into the twin cities of Nogales in Arizona and Mexico in late March to help the Jesuit priests working with the thousands of refugees, mostly from Central America, seeking asylum in the United States.

The priests are part of the Kino Border Initiative, a group of priests, nuns and volunteers from six Catholic groups in the two countries that provide food, shelter and comfort to families fleeing murderous assaults by gangs, poverty and political turmoil.

The students will leave March 27 and work with volunteer groups through April 3.

They will work at El Comedor, in Nogales, Mexico, where Jesuits and volunteers feed hundreds of families every day as they wait for their chance to apply for asylum in the United States," said Pacetti. "The people come here for meals, but it is much more than that, its a triage place for many social services.

Joseph Mian, a junior at the high school, is one of the six scheduled for the trip.

I wanted to see for myself what is going on down there, I want to talk to the people and hear their stories and help anyway I can, he said. Im half-Hispanic myself, so I will be helping people that look like me."

Mian and the others were inspired to take the trip by the group of eight students, now seniors, that went last year. The students have been spreading the word of their experiences and set up a display at the high school, a wall covered with photos and objects they gathered.

The students from last years trip warn the boys preparing to leave at the end of the month that they are likely to see things and hear stories that could change their lives.

Jude Horning helped prepare meals at El Comedor and talked to the people waiting their turn to tell their stories to American officials.

Ill never forget a woman who was there with her three young children, he said. They were from Guatemala where a gang approached her and gave her a choice that no one should have to face. They wanted her to give them her five-year-old son to raise in the gang. They said if she would not, they would take the boy and one of her young daughters as well.

Facing a Sophies Choice which she could not make, the woman took her family and fled her country.

She said they have chased her all the way to the border, Horning said. She was very frightened and so were her children. I dont know whatever happened to them, whether they were given asylum or not. It was a horrible situation and made me grateful I never faced anything like that. In our country, we complain about going into the military at 18, but thats nothing like what these people go through.

The wall was there, but there were openings between the metal slats, said John Wilberg. People would actually have picnics separated by the wall, passing food back and forth through the slats.

The students who will travel to Nogales this year will see a very different border.

Since the 2018 trip, the wall has become more impenetrable. A thick, steel, grate now covers the lower half of the 24-foot high wall, preventing people from reaching through the four-inch gaps. Two rows of dangerous concertina wire was put on the top of the wall. Even with the changes, people could still stand on either side of the wall and touch fingertips and talk. That changed in February when the army installed row upon row of the barbed wire from the top to the bottom of the wall, over the vehement objections of local officials.

They were also surprised that once the wall ended, there was little to prevent people from crossing into the United States through the desert. The wall extends about eight miles through Nogales and then stops.

We were surprised to see the wall replaced by a small, wire fence we could step over, said Pacetti. This is one of the areas that people use to cross into the United States. We found all kinds of things including shoes made of shag carpet (used to avoid leaving footprints that could be tracked), water bottles and clothing.

The students walked the path that many have gone before, through the oppressively hot desert, where shade was almost as hard to find as water.

The students brought home a pair of the carpet shoes which is part of the display at the school.

Sam Hoag recalled the chilling sight coyotes waiting around the border crossing, offering to transport refugees through the desert into the United States  for a price.

Its a trip that has become more dangerous in recent years as the U. S. Border Patrol has increased its vigilance in the Sonoma desert near the border. Pima County Sheriffs officials tell of finding the remains of more than 100 people a year in the desert as well as many living people who are ready to surrender to authorities and be returned to Mexico. Another surprise was the reaction of people on the American side of the border, mostly ranchers, who were tolerant of the trespassers.

We were in a community west of Nogales and we talked to the people there, said Horning. In contrast to what we heard (on news reports), most of the people we talked to were sympathetic. They said they didnt mind the migrants crossing their ranches. They werent thrilled about it, but they didnt mind.

The students noted that while it is inviting to climb over the wire fence into the desert, it could be a death sentence.

The desert is dangerous, especially for families, and many never make it, said Wilberg.

This year the students will have one new interaction that former students were unable to arrange  interviews with representatives of the Border Patrol.

The patrol agreed to talk to us this year, said Pacetti. It will be interesting to hear that side of the situation.

Once the students return they will take action, as students have in previous years. They will speak about their mission and encourage people to write their representatives in Washington and Columbus to work to fix the situation. Last year they wrote dozens of letters to politicians.

We ask them to create humane, workable immigration laws that benefit everyone, on both sides of the border, said John Wilberg. We think its something that needs to be done.
THORNVILLE, Ohio -- A new touring music festival, Disrupt, will stop by Thornville, Ohios Legend Valley park on July 13 for a day full of music. Tickets to the fest go on sale on March 29 at 10 a.m. on LiveNation and Ticketmaster.

The music festival, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink, features a lineup full of emo and rock heavy hitters: The Used, Thrice, Circa Survive, Sum 41, Atreyu, Sleeping With Sirens and more.

The fest, which features bands similar to past Vans Warped Tour lineups, may help fill a gap in cities that arent featuring a Warped Tour 25th anniversary festival event. (Cleveland will host a Warped Tour concert event on June 8.)

Disrupt will tour through 25 cities in the U.S. this summer. You can find more information about Disrupt music festival at its website.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you were worried about losing Viacom networks like BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon from your DirecTV or U-verse subscription, you can rest easy.

The companies avoided a blackout by striking a deal early Monday that will keep those channels on both AT&T-owned services.

We are pleased to announce a renewed Viacom-AT&T contract that includes continued carriage of Viacom services across multiple AT&T platforms and products, the two media conglomerates said in a joint statement. The deal also brings AT&T customers more choice and improved value for Viacom content. We expect to announce additional details in the near future.

Still not certain: whether or not Viacom networks would return to AT&Ts DirecTV Now streaming service. While those channels are still available in grandfathered plans, they are missing from DirectTV Nows new packages, unveiled two weeks ago. Viacom channels are currently available on only two of the major live TV streaming services, Sling and Philo.

The deal ends a public feud in which Viacom accused AT&T, which owns Viacom rival TimeWarner, of price gouging and favoring its own content by strong arming the competition. AT&T fired back by saying Viacoms channels are no longer popular.
DOVER, Delaware  The body of a 29-year-old U.S. soldier from Ohio killed in Afghanistan on Friday has arrived back in the U.S., according to reports.

Spc. Joseph Collette, of Lancaster, was one of two U.S. soldiers killed during combat operations in Kunduz Province, WCMH Channel 4 reports. Sgt. 1st Class Will D. Lindsay, 33, of Cortez, Colorado, also was killed.

According to 10tv.com, Collette joined the Army in 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan in December.

Collette was assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion, 71st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group, and Lindsay was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Both were based at Fort Carson, Colorado.

The 71st Ordnance Group ... is deeply saddened by the loss of Spc. Joseph P. Collette. We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends, Col. David K. Green, commander of 71st Ordnance Group, said in a statement, the Associated Press reports.

Four U.S. soldiers have been killed this year in Afghanistan, WCMH reports. There are about 14,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered that U.S. and Ohio flags in front of the state capitol and at public buildings and grounds in Fairfield County be flown at half-staff in honor of Collette, Fox 28 reports.

Funeral services have not yet been announced.
















The declaration of freedom in several different countries from slavery and colonization is celebrated every year. The fourth of July sparks with fireworks in the USA and in other countries, other dates in relation are filled with a flag raising and an outcry for freedom.

There are different political systems practiced in different parts of the world. But the most common and gives rights to the people is democracy -- A government for by people, for the people and of the people. This is the supposed idea behind the presidency, the House of Representatives and the whole group of political leaders in the United States. Yet, as Americans, were bounded by the constitution, held captive by policies and manhandled by the ones who swore to uphold our freedom.

The rate of leaders gambling with the state of affairs of their country for their own personal gain seems to be increasing day after day. Look at how many leaders in the U.S. have had publicized sexual scandals against themselves? It begs the question if democracy is really an indication of freedom or force.

After four years, civilians and citizens voluntarily go to voting polls to cast their votes to introduce new government into the system. But these political leaders are the best raised by political parties.

At this point, past scandals are buried deep and acts of corruption swept under the rug. The public is led to pick the lesser evil of the bunch of evils. Young minds are immature and are silenced, not given the opportunity to express their views on this system and given the opportunity to lead. The older men with worn out minds that have nothing to lose take the seat of power.

There is this beast in disguise as the democratic system. Once the people are continually being mistreated and the policies practice nepotism and favoritism towards a particular elite group and the minority are silenced, democracy has lost its hold as a government for the people.

A government that prioritizes personal gain over the middle class and poor in any state or country does not practice democracy. Where are the laws implemented to ensure these political leaders in the sit of power conform to every promise listed in their manifesto? The millions who die daily in all part of the world ignored by the government add to the injustice.

Several leaders have turned the army into their own personal assassination group. The acts of embezzlement and misdemeanors done because of the "power of democracy" threatens the state of affairs in each country.

We call it democracy but it destroys the core of our existence dragging us to deal with laws unfavorable to the masses. Their excuse? "It is for the greater good." The greater good to let millions die in hunger and desperation to save the other many millions.

The multi-party systems in Africa and Asia, are essentially schemes with large multinational corporations. Together they form collusive arrangements aimed at oppressing and exploiting local populations and the United States turns a blind eye to them as long as these collusions are friendly to the American political-military-industrial complex.

The votes which are said to count, do not count. The level of rigging both in a manual system and electronic system is so high, it's disconcerting. But as long as life goes on, poverty might reign still the citizens will persist and strive to conquer the system.

Democracy is not freedom in its current operation. It is a ploy for force under a ruse of hypocrisy. Who chooses the candidates for the U.S. presidency? What is the process to appoint these proposed candidates for political posts?

Four years after four years, poverty never dies. The economy is shaky. Still the rich become richer and the less privileged remain the same. We need, a reconstruction of the democratic system to raise the voice of the people. This would be a democratic system where peaceful protests do not involve the army and tear gas and arrests to free speech leader. This would be a democratic system where the voice of the people are loud and rule over ideologies and pain. Real freedom is needed now more than ever, real freedom not a beast in disguise.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  The Ohio Senate passed a bill last week that would allow small employers to see parts of their workers health care claims.

Senate Bill 9 is meant to help employers with fewer than 100 workers when they shop for health insurance. Small groups that buy insurance together would also be allowed to see claims data.

The information would help them understand their employees health care costs to enhance their bargaining position with insurance companies, said Sen. Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican who is sponsoring the measure.

Larger employers and groups, Huffman said, tend to have a stronger negotiating position with heath care plans.

Claims information will be redacted, Huffman said. In other words, the private information of individuals will not be disclosed.

The Ohio Association of Health Plans, which represents the states large insurers, opposed a similar bill last year because it said the legislation would violate federal health care privacy law. Even with certain information redacted, such as a persons name, an employer may be able to identify people through information on the claims data, said the associations CEO Miranda Motter. Last years bill passed the Senate but didnt get to the House floor.

This year, Motter said it supported some changes that were made to the legislation.

Changes included a clarification to the bill that information must be disclosed in the aggregate rather than by individuals, and a requirement that the data generally exclude employees and their families prognoses and diagnoses, she said.

However, Holly Pendell of the National MS Society said there are not enough safeguards to protect patients privacy.

If you find out one of your employees has had an infusion in the last 30 days that cost tens of thousands of dollars, it might not be hard to figure out what employee had that day off, she said. "A quick comparison with HR records would identify that individual.

Pendell said her organization prefers that the bill not allow insurance companies to disclose specific dates when costs were incurred, but instead show that the costs were incurred in the last 30 days. She also doesnt think prescriptions should be identified by name, but rather indicate a specialty prescription was filled.

SB 9 now heads to the House.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Though Ohio is considered a swing state in presidential elections, none of its 16 congressional seats has changed political hands since a 2012 congressional district remap by the states Republicans cemented their partys 12-to-4 seat advantage.

The U.S. Supreme Court will review the constitutionality of stacking the electoral deck through gerrymandering on Tuesday when it considers similar redistricting cases from Maryland and North Carolina.

The manipulation of district lines is the manipulation of elections, says Common Cause Ohio Executive Director Catherine Turcer, who is traveling to Washington in hopes of witnessing the arguments. All voters are hurt when district lines are unfair. This is about diluting voting power. If you know you are a 50-50 state, you can tell the vote has been manipulated when 75 percent of the congressional seats are held by one party."

When Maryland last redrew its congressional seats, the states Democrats tweaked their geography to transfer one of the states two Republican seats to their party. North Carolinas Republicans drew the lines so the GOP would have 10 seats and Democrats would control 3 in a state where nearly half of the 2018 congressional vote went to Democratic candidates.

As in Ohio, legislators who controlled those states during the remaps used packing and cracking techniques to secure their partisan edge. Legislative cartographers packed the bulk of their opponents voters into the fewest possible districts, and put the rest into districts the mapmaking party controlled overwhelmingly enough that the other partys voters couldnt sway the general election outcome.

Organizations and individuals challenging the rigged maps argue they violate the Constitution by essentially taking away voters ability to select candidates in a general election. A legal brief that Common Cause filed says North Carolinas map violates the Constitutions First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause and its Elections Clause.

A brief from the League of Women Voters argues that if the Supreme Court doesnt stop gerrymandering, plans of the sort implemented in North Carolina will be the wave of the future.

In the 2020 cycle and beyond, both parties will emulateor exceedits abuses, openly entrenching themselves in power using the full array of modern mapmaking technologies, the brief says. This is not a future a Court that values the political responsiveness at the heart of the democratic process should countenance.

Lawyers for the states whose maps were challenged say the nations founders wanted politically accountable state legislatures to draw congressional lines, not the judiciary. The state of Ohio signed onto a legal brief that agrees with them. That brief argues that court intervention "invites judges to choose the winners and losers in both redistricting and in the state legislatures based on the judges own political leanings.

It invites openly partisan policy battles in the courtroom. Such battles will expose every state to litigation under a legal standard so indeterminate that any party that loses in the legislature has a plausible chance of overriding that policy decision in the courts, says the brief signed by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The Constitution does not support, let alone compel, this result.

A bipartisan group of Congress members that includes Toledo Democrat Marcy Kaptur filed a legal brief that urges the Court to crack down on gerrymandering. Kaptur represented the Toledo area for decades until the last remap stretched her district along Lake Erie to include Democratic parts of the Cleveland area that were previously represented by Dennis Kucinich. She defeated Kucinich in a primary to represent the district.

Kapturs group blames partisan gerrymandering for much of the dysfunction that plagues the U.S. House of Representatives, as artificially drawn safe" districts make general elections less competitive and give party insiders, or small groups of base primary voters, much greater influence than the general electorate in picking their representatives. They argue this makes legislators more responsive to party insiders, and makes it harder to achieve bipartisan compromise in Congress. A judicial crackdown on the worst partisan gerrymanders will allow the political process to begin to correct itself, their brief says.

The premise of extreme partisan gerrymandering is that politicians choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives, the brief says. That stands on its head the framers understanding that the House was to be the institution most directly connected to and representative of the people themselves.

The courts decision could affect states like Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin that are facing lawsuits over similar remaps, and shape the composition of Congress in upcoming decades.

Although Ohio passed a ballot initiative last year that created a new bipartisan procedure for drawing district lines after the next census, its current map is being challenged in a Cincinnati federal court. The outcome of that case - and the congressional maps the state will use during the 2020 election - could be be altered by the upcoming Supreme Court decision, says Ohio State University election law expert Daniel Tokaji.

Tokaji declined to speculate on how the case will be decided, but he predicted that Justice Brett Kavanaugh will be under particular scrutiny because he hasnt previously considered any gerrymandering cases.

The fact that the court decided to hear a pair of cases that challenge the validity of maps drawn by both major political parties makes Turcer hopeful the Supreme Court might be ready to weigh in on the gerrymandering issue this year after declining to address it previously.

That suggests they know manipulation of lines affects Republican and Democratic voters, says Turcer. It dilutes the ability to believe in representational democracy.
















If youve been following the vaping market, youd know that the United States seems to loathe the electronic cigarette market. In stark contrast, the UK is all about vaping and publicly encourages it through Public Health England, the health arm of the UK government.

The United States

Its really no surprise to see the US policy on vaping. For starters, the Big Tobacco lobby has an incredible amount of power within the US government. They essentially shape policy on all things related to tobacco products. And yes  some of you are surely saying, well, e-cigarettes arent exactly smoking products. You would be correct in that statement, scientifically speaking. However, the Big Tobacco lobby has so much power that they have essentially baited the FDA into labeling them as such. Furthermore, the United States economy was essentially supported by the tobacco crop. It was the driving revenue behind the USs economic growth. So, getting rid of tobacco completely in America is not so simple, millions of deaths be damned!

The United Kingdom

On the other hand, we see a type of socialist-style government of sorts. The NHS is in an immense amount of debt. Smoking related illnesses contribute to this debt to the tune of 2.7 billion. If you think thats a lot, well then consider that the overall total cost on UK taxpayers from smoking related illnesses costs them 14 billion. The structure of the UKs insurance is very different from how the US system works.

The Great Difference

This alone shows the truth. When we peel back the special interest groups and the money behind it, and look at it from a debt point of view, we clearly see the downsides of tobacco. The UK was very quick to realize this. Because of this, we now see not only the UK government but various non-biased/non-profit groups in the UK such as ASH UK and Cancer Research UK come out in favour of vaping. Its not just that they come out in favour; they are actively telling the citizens of the UK to make the switch from tobacco to vaping, as it will be better for public health.

Its because of this that we see the electronic cigarette market in the UK thriving. Companies like V2Cigs are doing phenomenally well, while their US counterparts have suffered or have even been shut down (as was the case of Green Smoke by the Big Tobacco company who bought them out).

Where Does Canada Stand?

Luckily, we have not followed the path of our southern neighbour. While America is known for many good things, their policy with regards to vaping is clearly warped. Canada has actually taken a logical approach to vaping  enforcing healthy regulations while enabling adults to still purchase products they like.

America would be wise to take the same approach as their closest allies in this department. While the loss of tax revenue would hurt, millions of lives would be saved.
Editors Note: Since 2009, Omidyar Network has supported more than 90 education partners across Africa, India, Latin America, and the United States. One of its focus areas is equitable ed-tech. Today, Omidyar Networks Eliza Erikson and Erin Simmons discuss how countries can learn from each other at the systems level in delivering equitable ed-tech. You can read more about their lessons learned in their new report, Scaling Access & Impact: Realizing the Power of EdTech .

In countries around the world, technology is playing an increasingly important role in education systems, schools, and at home. For instance, in Chile, teachers are trying out tablet-based software to help learners with disabilities thrive. Chinese parents eagerly spend their money on mobile apps that virtually connect their children to quality tutors across the country. In Indonesia, students use their phones to learn just as much as they use them to connect with friends. Meanwhile in the U.S., laptops are as common a sight in classrooms as paper and pencil.

But as any teacher or parent can tell you, technology cannot solve all of the problems plaguing education. There are 250 million learners around the world who have finished their schooling but still cant read or write and who lack the future-ready skills to succeed in school and life.

However, we believe that education technology (or ed-tech, as the space is known) has strategic advantages that help level the playing field for a range of learners whom the current system neglects. But for countries and schools to unlock such advantages, there needs to be a robust ecosystem in place dedicated to what we call equitable ed-tech using technology to improve education for all children, regardless of income or location.

How to build a robust ecosystem?

That question was at the heart of Omidyar Networks new report, Scaling Access & Impact: Realizing the Power of EdTech . Working with RTI International, researchers dug deep into how four countries (Chile, China, Indonesia, and the U.S.) have built the technology infrastructure and ecosystem capacity needed to activate the power of ed-tech. The goal was to highlight what worked best in each country to build a model that other countries could use to help make equitable ed-tech a tool for improving education.

Through interviews with more than 100 teachers, school administrators, policymakers, philanthropists, and ed-tech entrepreneurs, we found that while each country was very different, common threads were necessary to weave together an ed-tech ecosystem that is both scalable and sustainable. Its not enough to serve one classroom of children; ed-tech must help students across a wide variety of schools.

And its not enough to put computers in the classroom and leave. There must be investments in leadership and teacher training, as well as alignment of vision and efforts across multiple sectors. Any effort has to grow and be sustainable over the long run.

Key drivers can scale and sustain the ecosystem.

When we talk about ecosystems in this context, were talking about the multiple actorsincluding government bodies, educators, innovators, investors, and philanthropiesthat need to align to create an environment where equitable ed-tech can thrive.

We found that the key drivers to create such an ecosystem are:



A vibrant marketplace for education innovations and ed-tech entrepreneurs

A technology infrastructure to support the distribution and use of ed-tech

A bold ed-tech policy that is backed by legislation and fair funding

Committed leaders and educators at every level who have the skill and passion to bring this vision to life

These key drivers work best when they work together.

In Indonesia, for example, strong investment in country-wide mobile technology infrastructure not only connected millions of consumers to the internet, it also provided a cost-efficient distribution channel well suited for ed-tech entrepreneurs. In the U.S., cross-sector coalitions, advocacy groups, and think tanks were able to build upstream capacity, paving the way for successful implementation of federal legislation and funding for ed-tech.

Within the four broad categories, there are specific components that will help countries succeed. For example, when it comes to building viable business models for ed-tech entrepreneurs, there has to be a simple way for users to select products that meet their needs. To enable a strong infrastructure, a country needs universal access to the internet and affordable, reliable school-specific networks. To align the ecosystem, the government needs to document a bold vision in policy.

Not every country is going to excel at each of the 16 points. In fact, none of the countries we studied did. Chile, for example, falls short in available private capital for new business ventures. In China, there is still a huge discrepancy between technology use in the cities versus in rural areas. In all four of the countries we studied, no one had great success building platforms to help users know which technology products are the most effective.

Models can inspire action and encourage collaboration.

But the model can help guide countries as they build out their ed-tech ecosystems by suggesting ways to get started and activate partners. By bringing disparate players together with a common understanding of what the ecosystem is hoping to accomplish, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and educators will be better positioned to create equitable ed-tech that will help students across the education spectrum.

Ed-tech has the exciting potential to transform learning experiences for students in every corner of the globe. We encourage countries to take a holistic, ecosystem approach to deliver on the promise to prepare future citizens for a global, ever-changing society.

For more information on this report or to gain access to future reports in the series, please email EdTech@omidyar.com .

Follow Heather , the Center for Global Education , and Omidyar Network on Twitter.

Images used with permission of the Omidyar Network.








A new wave of mine expansions happening in Nunavut is expected to bring along with it a lot of jobs and economic spinoffs says a report on CTVNews.

"Inuit are very eager and wanting to participate in the economy," said P.J. Akeeagok of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. The associationhad just in recent times, signed an agreement with a mining company that has a billion-dollar expansion proposal before northern regulators. The mining company, Baffinland's Mary River mine on the northern end of Baffin Island is considered one of the richest iron deposits in the world.

In addition to the above, a Quebec-based company, Agnico-Eagle has started pouring gold at its new mine near Rankin Inlet, the company is also developing another deposit nearby. These two projects are said to represent about $1.6 billion in investment since 2017. Agnico-Eagle is expected to hire new employees for this project.

"We're going to get close to 700 people by the end of the year," said Dominique Girard, the company's vice-president for Nunavut.

Northern employers have always had a hard time living up to their promises of increased jobs.

Agnico-Eagle made promises to improve Inuit employment levels by 50% but has only succeeded in achieving 37%. Baffinland also has a similar target, however, only about three hundred of its one thousand two hundred employees and contractors are Inuit. Sometimes the level goes as low as 14%.

The article quotes a study commissioned for the environmental group Oceans North which concluded that the gap between Baffinland's targets and its actual employment would amount to about $1 billion in lost wages for Inuit over the life of the mine. The study states that this would be especially so if the proposed expansion resulted in increased production before more Inuit could be trained.

"What is the case for massive expansion of the mine before the labour market can keep up with it?" asked Chris Debicki of Oceans North. "The rapid scaling up of this mine, as proposed, will not maximize Indigenous benefits."

But Akeeagok and Gabriel Karlik another member of the Kivalliq Inuit Association quoted on CTVNews say strengthened promises of education and training will get local people into the workforce.

"The Kivalliq Inuit Association is working with stakeholders, including Agnico-Eagle, to ensure that Inuit are in a position to take advantage of available opportunities in training and upskill development," said Karlik.

Baffinland also ran a five-day program about work issues which focused on managing finances and the strains that work can put on families. In the program, recruits are made to sit in a classroom and observe current employees.

"That helps long term with retention," said Baffinland vice-president Grant Goddard.

Agnico-Eagle, on the other hand, has established a work and training approach that helps Inuit to progress along a career path of operating complex machinery.

"All of our entry-level positions are 100 percent Inuit," Girard said. "But when we get into semi-skilled or skilled, this is where we're having more difficulty."

"We'd like to develop more leaders," he said. "We'd like to have our mine managed by Inuit."
One of Wall Street's biggest bulls suggests the latest market pullback is no fluke.

Federated Investors' Phil Orlando believes the 2019 rally is increasingly vulnerable to a setback that could reach into the second quarter. Yet, he contends it's no reason for investors to hunker down.

"You're up about 20 percent from Christmas Eve's bottom. We're probably due for some consolidation," the firm's chief equity strategist said Thursday on CNBC's "Futures Now."

That forecast appeared to be taking shape on Friday when the Dow fell 460 points 1.77 percent, and the posted its worst day since January 3.

According to Refinitiv Tradeweb data, the spread between the 3-month Treasury bill and the 10-year note rate turned negative  albeit temporarily  for the first time since 2007. The move sparked recession jitters while weaker than expected overseas data fed into global growth worries.

However, Orlando told "Futures Now" on Friday he doubts these are the catalysts that'll carry the sell-off.

He cites ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations and the first quarter earnings reports, which could turn negative on a year-over-year basis, as the longer-term potential drivers for a pullback.

"In a worst case scenario... we move back into that 2600 neighborhood depending on how bad the earnings are, and how slopping the guidance is," he said. "I don't think it's going to be a disaster. I don't think we're going to retest the Christmas Eve bottoms."

Orlando, who has $460 billion in assets under management, has a 3100 year-end price target on the S&P 500  an 11 percent gain from current levels. According to Orlando, the more typical scenario is the S&P tests the old 2800 resistance level, and then regains its footing. The S&P closed at 2800.71 on Friday.
Mike Lynch, once hailed as Britain's answer to Bill Gates, faces Hewlett-Packard (HP) in London's High Court on Monday in a multi-billion dollar showdown over the U.S. technology company's 2011 purchase of the Autonomy software business he founded.

The case is part of a dispute between HP and Lynch lasting more than six years over who is to blame for the disastrous deal, which ended up costing the Silicon Valley stalwart's shareholders billions of dollars.

HP is seeking damages of around $5 billion from Lynch and his former colleague Sushovan Hussain, alleging that they inflated the value of Autonomy before selling the big data firm, whose software searches and organizes unstructured information, such as telephone conversations.

Lynch has denied the allegations and said the failure of the $11 billion acquisition was down to HP's mismanagement.

The 53-year-old, whose doctoral thesis is one of the most consulted at Cambridge University, is counter-suing for more than $160 million for loss and damage caused by HP's actions.

Autonomy was supposed to be the centerpiece of a plan to transform HP from a PC and printer maker into a software-focused enterprise services firm, a shift successfully undertaken by IBM in the previous two decades.

Lynch has been engaged in a war of words with HP ever since he was fired by former HP CEO Meg Whitman in 2012 less than a year after the deal was completed.

The entrepreneur has maintained his standing in the British tech scene by investing in a string of new companies and through membership of bodies such as the Royal Society.

However, the stakes in the dispute escalated in November when Lynch and Stephen Chamberlain, another former Autonomy executive, were indicted for wire fraud in the United States, a charge that carries a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment.

An amended indictment filed on Friday added charges against both men, including a securities fraud count against Lynch that could subject him to a 25-year prison term.

Lynch has stepped down from his government advisory role and from Royal Society committees. Hussain was found guilty in a related case in April 2018, but has not yet been sentenced.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., questions Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a Senate Banking Committee hearing in Dirksen Building titled Domestic and International Policy Update, on May 18, 2017.

About 14,000 more families would pay taxes on estates worth over $7 million. That would finance 3 million new affordable housing units for low-income families.

The 75,000 richest families would pay a 2 percent tax on the value of their wealth above $50 million; the 900 families worth more than $1 billion would pay another 1 percent. That would finance child care and early childhood education for 12 million kids under 5  free of charge for families below 200 percent of the poverty line.

Workers would gain more clout by acquiring the power to elect 40 percent of large corporate boards. Consumers would face technology behemoths a little smaller than today. Corporations could not wield influence by hiring ex-lawmakers and Cabinet members to lobby the government on their behalf.

Each of these proposals from Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren would be difficult to enact, at best. Each would arouse fierce opposition from those who would pay the bill, including the economic titans of Wall Street.

If enacted, the plans could fail to achieve their goals, or backfire through unintended consequences. One rival Democrat, former business executive and House member John Delaney of Maryland, says the Massachusetts senator's wealth tax may not even be constitutional.

Taken together, however, Warren's plans represent what many financially squeezed voters say they want: a clear and comprehensive accounting of how a would-be president would reduce their burdens.

Read more: Beto O'Rourke has talent, but he's facing new challenges on the 2020 campaign trail

In practice, voters respond to specific proposals less than personal charisma or simple familiarity. That explains why Warren lags behind opponents such as Beto O'Rourke of Texas, who recently joined the contest, in national polling, fundraising and media attention.

Yet a 2020 debate about average families' struggles to get ahead plays to Warren's strengths as a bankruptcy scholar, consumer advocate and second-term senator. While O'Rourke has only begun fashioning a campaign agenda, Warren has set the pace for the field on detailed policy ideas.

She started last year while cruising toward re-election to a second Senate term. Warren took aim at two ways fellow Democrats say the economic system is "rigged" against average families.

Her "Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act" proposed an array of steps to constrain corporate influence over the White House, Congress and the courts. In addition to unprecedented limits on lobbying, Warren proposed new government posts to investigate ethics violations and to help members of the public influence rule-making by federal agencies.

Her "Accountable Capitalism Act" outlined steps to counter the erosion of workers' influence resulting from declining rates of unionization. While empowering workers to elect board members of corporations with revenue exceeding $1 billion, it would discourage financial maneuvers to reward those at the top; the plan would bar executives from selling company shares within three years of a stock buyback.

More recently, Warren targeted the concentration of corporate power, which some Democratic economists argue harms consumers and small businesses alike. Piggybacking on anger over Russia's 2016 election interference, she proposed breaking up tech giants Facebook, Google and Amazon to regulate them as "platform utilities."

Her housing and child-care proposals promise more concrete benefits. Both target impediments to advancement for individual families and the overall economy.

Warren's housing proposal would spend $50 billion annually to help local governments ease the shortage of affordable residences and help families make down payments. Moody's Analytics concluded that the plan, financed by Warren's estate tax increase, would add 3 million new affordable units and create 1.4 million jobs within 10 years.

Her child-care plan would offer federally subsidized care and early education for all children up to age 5. Middle-class families would pay no more than 7 percent of their incomes; those earning less than twice the poverty level would pay nothing.

Affordable child care for infants helps parents enter the labor force. Expansion of early education for 3- to 4-year-olds, economists agree, can enhance skills and productivity of future workers.

Moody's calculated that Warren's plan would boost the number of children receiving early care and education from 6.8 million today to 12 million in 10 years. The typical family's child-care costs would decline by 17 percent to less than $6,000 annually.

The program would cost: $700 million. That's just over one-fourth of the $2.7 trillion over 10 years Warren estimates her "wealth tax" would raise.

On paper, at least, that leaves $2 trillion for Warren to spend on proposals she hasn't yet announced. Her challenge: attracting the attention of Democratic voters as much as O'Rourke has by jumping up on the counters of coffee shops.
An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019.

Boeing said it invited airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an informational session in Renton, Washington on Wednesday, as part of an effort to share details about the plan to support the return of the 737 Max to commercial service.

"We continue to work closely with our customers and regulators on software and training updates for the 737 MAX," Boeing added.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks in Parliament, following the vote on Brexit in London, Britain, March 13, 2019, in this screen grab taken from video.

The U.K. is no longer expected to leave the EU on Friday, as British lawmakers remain at odds over how to leave the bloc.

So when will Brexit happen? Here are the next important dates in the U.K.'s process of withdrawing from the EU.

Tuesday, March 26

Theresa May is chairing a new cabinet meeting, after another blow in the House of Commons on Monday. Parliament voted to seize control of Brexit's timetable and test support for alternative options. This is likely to trigger "indicative votes," the process that would allow lawmakers to hold votes that test out different Brexit options without following their own party's view.

Furthermore, U.K. lawmakers are no longer having a third vote on May's deal  formally called the withdrawal agreement, after the prime minister said Monday that there was not enough support for another vote.

The EU agreed to give an extension to the Brexit process but with some caveats. If British MPs were to approve the agreement this week, then Brexit could be extended until May 22. Otherwise, the U.K. has until April 12 to leave the EU.

Wednesday, March 26

Parliamentarians could start the indicative votes they voted for on Monday evening.

Friday, March 29

U.K. law is still ready for a departure this Friday. So the House of Commons needs to decide until when it's going to extend its EU membership and then update the current law.

Friday, April 12

If U.K. lawmakers fail to reach a compromise then this will be the day of a no-deal Brexit. This would mean the U.K. would stop being a member of the EU overnight, without any deal or transition period  a scenario that would bring massive uncertainty for businesses, citizens and markets.

The reason it's this date relates to the upcoming EU elections at its Parliament, due in late May. Under law this is the deadline by which the U.K. needs to inform the EU whether it wants to hold European Parliament elections itself, even though it's leaving the bloc.
An Airbus A320 of British Airways airline takes off from the Toulouse-Blagnac airport, near Toulouse, on October 19, 2017.

The flight on Monday seemed to go perfectly well, until passengers realized that their plane had landed in both the wrong city and the wrong country.

The British Airways flight from London City Airport was supposed to head to Duesseldorf, Germany, but ended up in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.

The airline said Monday the problem started when an incorrect flight plan was filed by WDL Aviation, which operated the flight on behalf of British Airways. Officials say the pilot followed the flight plan for Edinburgh, and that air traffic control officials also were following the same flight plan and saw nothing amiss.

WDL aviation said it was trying to determine the cause of the "obviously unfortunate mix-up."

The flight was refuelled and set off again, this time directly to Duesseldorf.
Mark Machin, president and chief executive officer of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) Cole Burston | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Canada's national pension fund invests for the long-term, its CEO told CNBC on Sunday, and he named trends that are helping to guide its decision-making. "We're trying to go deep on certain areas where we see long-term trends and try to identify the best parts of those themes to invest in, companies to invest in, to express that view," Mark Machin, president and CEO of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, told CNBC's Martin Soong at the China Development Forum in Beijing. Machin picked several themes that the fund  one of the world's largest, with nearly $370 billion of assets under management  is betting on.

New retail, or what Machin referred to as "Retail 4.0," is one sector that the long-term investment fund is watching. "We're substantial investors in Alibaba, which we were pre-IPO and post-IPO. We've also invested in funds alongside them that are specializing in new retail, as well as Meituan Dianping," he said.

Chinese food delivery app Meituan Dianping listed in Hong Kong last September. Some analysts are not as bullish about the tech firm, with one predicting more than 30 percent downside for the stock.

Self-driving automobiles

The pension fund, which invests on behalf of more than 20 million Canadians, is looking at electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as sensor companies. "We've invested in companies like Zoox, which is an autonomous taxi company based on the (U.S.) West Coast," Machin said. California-based Zoox received approval in December to provide driverless ride services for public passengers. The privately held company last week became the target of a lawsuit from Tesla, which claims Zoox "absconded" with proprietary information related to "warehousing, logistics, and inventory control operations," according to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Zoox declined to comment on the suit.

Shifting demographics

There will be more retirees than children in the U.S. by 2035, according to the Census Bureau. That demographic shift is one theme the fund has been investing in, said Machin. He added that aging baby boomers often want to "go see the world" when they reach retirement. "One of the best ways that Americans want to go see the world is go to Europe and go on a river cruise ... So we invested in a company called Viking Cruises, which is the leading provider of river cruises, and some other cruises, in Europe and increasingly around the world," Machin added. Privately held Viking Cruises operates the vessel Viking Sky, which was evacuated over the weekend after suffering engine failure in stormy waters.

Rise of the middle class
The possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a deal in place can be ruled out, according to a senior Credit Suisse banker. There's no appetite among the electorate  as well as the members of the U.K. parliament  for a so-called no-deal Brexit, Andrew Garthwaite, global head of equity strategy at Credit Suisse, said on Monday. "It seems extremely unlikely we get a no-deal Brexit. The closest we can get to that is the Malthouse compromise on the Northern Irish backstop, which is looking for a technological solution," he told CNBC's Nancy Hungerford at the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong. "It is a deal, with a no-deal Brexit." The so-called Malthouse compromise is a Brexit plan that addresses the border separating Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland  it is an important and contentious part of the negotiations with the EU.

Currently, there are no customs or regulatory checks on goods passing between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K. Due to the EU's single market and customs union arrangements, people, goods and services can easily cross the border, with both nations following a similar set of rules and regulations. There are, however, fears on all sides that Britain's departure from the EU could lead to an increase in safety checks, delays and surveillance at the crossing points on the island. EU leaders have warned that the U.K. has one final opportunity to leave the bloc in an orderly fashion, after agreeing to delay the departure date beyond March 29. Markets will likely rally if a Brexit deal can pass the British Parliament. "In the U.K., around three-quarters of earnings come from overseas. So, if sterling goes up, the market will underperform," Garthwaite said, adding that he is overweight on U.K. equities in dollar terms.

Recession fears

In recent sessions, global markets have tumbled amid fears that a recession is on the horizon. That happened following an inversion of part of the U.S. Treasury yield curve, which is considered an important economic downturn indicator. An inverted yield curve happens when long-term debt with the same credit quality has a lower yield  or earnings from an investment over a given period  than its short-term counterpart.
The Asia Pacific CEO of Credit Suisse is bullish on Asia's growth.

"I'm very excited about the region ... the entrepreneurs are very resilient, the people are resilient  hardworking, and I think that's the biggest asset that the region has to continue to grow," Helman Sitohang told CNBC at the Credit Suisse Asian investment Conference in Hong Kong on Monday.

"One thing which is very exciting about the region is the ability to adapt, to really adjust to the changes etc., and then come back," Sitohang said. "The region has resilience of the people, the resilience of the entrepreneurs, to adapt."

He says the region's adaptability is why so many entrepreneurs have been flocking to its shores. According to Sitohang, Asia is home to the highest number of entrepreneurs.

Asked if there were opportunities for Asia in the ongoing trade conflict between the U.S. and China, Sitohang said: "In every shift of resources, there's always somebody that will benefit."

He said Southeast Asia would likely be a beneficiary.

"I don't think it's a loss for China either as well, because China obviously has other parts that they can contribute and also adapt, and the country has amazingly been able to continue to grow at a strong pace," Sitohang added.
Silicon Valley insiders will likely play a bigger role than ever in ensuring the security of presidential campaigns in 2020, joining established D.C. consulting firms and other bipartisan groups trying to lock down campaign communications and neutralize misinformation.

Former Facebook chief security officer Alex Stamos has already given some advice to 2020 Democratic presidential campaigns, he told CNBC via email: Lock down your campaign staff's identities and use a professional service to manage data on cloud servers. Build security from the ground up, he suggested, and don't give too many team members access to deeper technology operations.

"I fully expect U.S. adversaries to get involved in the primary, and one way to do so would be via stealing email, internal documents or spying on confidential communications," Stamos said. "I've been trying to be helpful to multiple Democratic campaigns, and right now my focus is on helping them get their campaign technology stacks set up in a secure manner."

Stamos' advice indicates presidential contenders from 2020 are largely trying to address what they knew went wrong in 2016. Inside campaigns, that includes fixing insecure email and curbing staffers who have too much access to the most sensitive information. Outside the campaigns, that means focusing on managing the proliferation of influential trolls on the internet and social media, which in 2016 was largely driven by Russia, according to the Justice Department.

"Democratic campaigns are building teams to monitor and respond to trolling online. This isn't a technical role, more like the next level of social media monitoring they already do," Stamos said. "All of the campaigns are building up their IT systems and staff and I'm hoping they will do so with security in mind."

Democratic campaigns and organizations have also sought help from security firms to prepare for potential new threats.

Companies such as CrowdStrike, which was one of the first respondents to the hacking incidents within Clinton's campaign in 2016, and FireEye have already been tapped by political committees in advance of 2020. They've been holding high-level conversations with campaign leaders, according to people familiar with the campaigns. The companies declined to say whether they were working directly with Democrats.
An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is setting up a committee to review how the Federal Aviation Administration approves new aircraft, as scrutiny mounts on popular Boeing planes that were involved in two fatal crashes in less than five months, the DOT said on Monday.

The committee's findings and recommendations will be presented to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and to the FAA's administrator, the DOT said.

Lawmakers and the Trump administration are ramping up scrutiny of the Boeing's 737 Max aircraft, following the crash of an that model of plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines shortly after takeoff on on March 10, killing all 157 people on board.

The U.S. on March 13 joined dozens of other countries in grounding the Boeing 737 Max in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. The suspension forced some carriers that have recently added the planes to their fleets to cancel scores of flights a day.

Investigators have said that the Ethiopian Airlines crash showed "clear similarities" with Lion Air Flight 610, which plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia in October at a similar stage in the flight.

Investigators in the Lion Air crash have indicated that pilots were battling an automatic anti-stall system that Boeing added to the planes before they debuted in 2017. That system pushes the nose of the plane downward if the plane's sensor signals it is in a stall. Pilots said they were not aware of the software until after the Lion Air crash.

Boeing is currently readying a fix to the software that would prevent it from repeatedly pushing down the nose of the plane, employ data from an additional sensor, among other changes. The manufacturer plans to brief pilots and regulators on its plan on Wednesday. Boeing is also preparing changes for pilot training and manuals for the Max.

"Safety is the number one priority of the Department, and this review by leading outside experts will help determine if improvements can be made to the FAA aircraft certification process," Chao said in a release.

The DOT is seeking members for the committee and accepting nominations via email. Interim co-chairs include former Delta Air Lines pilot and ex-president of the Air Line Pilots Association Lee Moak and retired Air Force Gen. Darren McDew, the former head of the U.S. Transportation Command.

Boeing said it was "looking forward" to working with the committee. "Safety is our top priority when we design, build, deliver and maintain Boeing aircraft," it said in a statement. "Boeing has been engaged with the DOT, FAA, our airline customers as well as other aviation community partners for decades to make flying the world's safest mode of transportation."

Boeing shares closed up 2.3 percent at $370.46, but have shed close to 16 percent so far this month.
A box of Eli Lilly & Co. Humalog brand insulin delivery devices are arranged for a photograph at a pharmacy in Princeton, Illinois.

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly pulled the curtain back on the confidential pricing structure for one of its blockbuster drugs Monday, disclosing for the first time what it charges wholesalers versus what many patients typically pay.

The company's list prices for its popular insulin injection Humalog, versus what most patients are charged after insurance company rebates and other discounts, highlight the disparity in prices between uninsured and insured patients. The move is also a pre-emptive one as the Trump administration and Congress pressure drugmakers for more transparency and to lower drug costs.

The "net price" patients actually pay for Eli Lilly's insulin fell by 8.1 percent to $135 a patient per month in 2018 from $147 in 2014, the company said in a shareholder report released Monday. The net price is the total paid after factoring in rebates and discounts. The insulin's average list price before the discounts rose 51.9 percent to $594 per patient each month.

"We believe that the additional information disclosed ... will provide greater transparency into the significant rebates and discounts we provide to payers and other supply chain entities for this important medicine," the company said in a statement to CNBC.

The report comes after the Senate Finance Committee, led by Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., launched an investigation into rising insulin prices, writing to Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, asking them why the cost of the nearly 100-year-old medication had rapidly risen.

High drug costs have become a rare bipartisan issue with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle demanding something be done. President Donald Trump has made lowering prices one of the key issues of his administration. Democrats are jockeying to prove they can lead reform.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 30 million Americans have diabetes. The annual cost of insulin for people with Type 1 diabetes in the U.S. nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016 to $5,700 from $2,900.

Drugmakers argue these prices are simply the price that's advertised, not what consumers actually pay. But people without insurance may be forced to pay upfront, sometimes leaving them with a mountain of debt.

Drug companies have blamed pharmacy benefit managers, sometimes called middlemen, for the sticker shock some patients see at the counter. Drugmakers argue that PBMs should pass the rebates negotiated with manufactures along to patients.

The Trump administration earlier this year proposed a rule to end the industry-wide system of rebates, a change that Lilly and other pharmaceutical companies welcomed.

Earlier this month, Eli Lilly announced plans to sell a half-price version of Humalog. The rebranded product called Insulin Lispro would be $137.35 per vial. Humalog, which makes $3 billion in annual sales, will remain available, Eli Lilly said.

Eli Lilly, with a market cap of more than more than $132 billion, has seen its share rise 67.7 percent over a 12-month period. The stock is up more than 10 percent this year.

--Reuters contributed to this report.
CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Tewolde Gebremariam makes a speech during an event organized by Ethiopian Airlines to mark the International Women's Day at Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 8, 2019.

The chief executive of Ethiopian airlines has said his company "believes in Boeing," despite a tragic crash just over two weeks ago.

A Boeing 737 Max 8 plane killed all 157 people on board on March 10 just minutes into its flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi.

Questions over the Boeing plane have arisen amid similarities with the crash of a Lion Air 737 Max plane in Indonesia last October that killed 189 people.

"Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years," Tewolde Gebremariam wrote in a statement Monday.

The executive added that he did not want to yet speculate on the cause of the Ethiopian crash but said the investigation was well underway and he expected to discover the truth.

Gebremariam also defended his airline's training procedure, noting that Ethiopian pilots who flew the 737 Max 8 were fully trained on a service bulletin issued by Boeing and the Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the USA Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).
Hostess Brands and Nutella-owner Ferrero are competing as front-runners to buy Kellogg's Keebler, Famous Amos and fruit snacks businesses, in a deal that could value the brands at roughly $1.5 billion, people familiar with the situation tell CNBC.

The deal talks come as Hostess and Ferrero look to take advantage of a shakeup across the food industry. Big Food companies are shedding brands that were neglected in favor of focusing on moneymakers. Companies like Hostess and Ferrero are placing a bet they can revive those brands with proper investment and focus.

Both Hostess and Ferrero put in final offers for the cookie and fruit snacks brands on Thursday. Other brands up for sale include Murray and Mother's cookies and Stretch Island fruit snacks. While other buyers are still in contention, the two are viewed as front-runners, the people said. Any deal is still more than a week away, they said.

Hostess, which has a market capitalization of $1.2 billion, is considering acquiring the Keebler cookie business through a "Reverse Morris Trust," said the people. The Reverse Morris Trust or RMT is an unusual deal structure that allows for a tax-efficient combination of two similarly sized companies.

The talks come as food companies including Kellogg, Campbell and Kraft Heinz are paring back their portfolios to focus resources on brands the companies can revive. Sales growth has stalled across the industry, and food giants are pouring more targeted efforts into fending off upstart on-trend competitors like Kind Bar and Beanitos chips. Simple scale and cost efficiencies are no longer the goal for Big Food brands.

"We need to make strategic choices about our business and these brands have had difficulty competing for resources and investments within our portfolio," Kellogg CEO Steve Cahillane said in a statement last year, when announcing the planned divestitures.

Shares of Kellogg, which has a market capitalization of $19.5 billion, have fallen 11 percent over the past year. Kellogg executives have pointed to Pringles, Cheez-Its and Rice Krispies Treats as brands it can revive with innovation and single-serve options.

Other Big Food brands potentially up for grabs include Kraft Heinz's Maxwell House coffee and Breakstone's cottage cheese business, which CNBC has reported the ketchup giant is considering selling. General Mills and Conagra have also said they are considering divestitures.

Kellogg competitor Campbell Soup is nearing the end of another cookie deal.



In its efforts to slim its portfolio, Campbell is selling its U.S. fresh food and international business, including Australian cookie and biscuit business Arnott's. The international unit, valued at roughly $3 billion, received final offers last week, people tell CNBC. Oreo-owner Mondelez is seen as a front-runner for the business, they said, cautioning Mondelez still faces competition from other companies, as well as potential anti-trust concerns.

Kellogg acquired Keebler in 2001 for $4.4 billion. At the time, part of its draw was the cookie brand's "direct-store delivery" platform, through which employees place the company's own products in stores, rather than ship from warehouses. So-called DSD gives a food company more control over ensuring proper display in grocery and convenience stores. But as in-store sales of products like cookies have fallen, it is less economical. Kellogg has since dropped DSD distribution.
Since leaving Goldman Sachs last year, Harvey Schwartz has entertained a number of career options. Wells Fargo CEO isn't one of them.

Contrary to reports that circulated a week ago, the former president and co-chief operating officer at Goldman has not interviewed for the Wells position, according to two people close to Schwartz who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"He has been approached by numberous companies both public and private," one of the people said. Schwartz is eager to dismiss reports that he interviewed for the Wells position as the reports come almost a year to the day since he announced he was leaving Goldman.

His departure came after he lost out on a well-publicized race for the top Goldman job to David Solomon, succeeding Lloyd Blankfein.

Since then, Schwartz has hit the speaker's circuit, traveling from California to China and wherever "he can make the most difference and impact," one of the sources said. The speaking engagements have been with "people across business, philanthropy, public policy" as well as with young people at colleges including Rutgers in New Jersey and Shenzhen University in China's Guandong province.

Schwartz's spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Goldman's share price was around a peak when Schwartz's departure was announced and has been a downward slide since, falling about 23 percent over the past year.

Wells Fargo officials shot down the Schwartz speculation in a statement last week and declined further comment Monday.

Wells is the fourth-largest bank by assets but has suffered a succession of crises following disclosures that employees created millions of accounts for customers without their knowledge. The bank board has stuck by current CEO Tim Sloan amid the controversies, though he has taken substantial criticism from members of Congress and the bank has sustained scorn from its regulators at the Federal Reserve.
Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger and Bill Gates attend a product launch in Beijing, China for BYD, the electric battery, car, and solar energy company in which Munger long ago led an investment for Berkshire Hathaway. VCG | Getty Images

Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, is for many people the first source to consult when it comes to the development of an investing philosophy. The billionaire investor has has never shied away from sharing his views with the public, either  and not only when it comes to stock market value. Issues of politics, social policy, ethics and simply making money the right way are themes that Buffett has returned to many times. But one place where Buffett has always drawn the line is making clear his personal views have no place in how he runs Berkshire Hathaway for shareholders. He may be for more taxes on the super-rich, but that doesn't mean he is against a tax break that helps a Berkshire business. He isn't going to tell a company he owns how to respond to calls for more corporate support for gun control, an issue that came up at least year's Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting. "I don't believe in imposing my political opinions on the activities of our businesses," Buffett said. On one issue of rising social and investing importance, Buffett is still making many trade-offs: climate change. Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Buffett's large utility conglomerate, owns western utility PacifiCorp, which has a sizable fleet of coal power plants. Berkshire's Burlington Northern railroad ships a lot of coal, too. But the Berkshire utility company also is one of the biggest wind energy producers in the U.S. through its MidAmerican Energy utility affiliate based in Iowa, while its NV Energy in Nevada is increasing its renewable generation from 24 percent to a percentage in the high 40s by 2023, mostly using geothermal and solar power. Berkshire's largest business of all is insurance, which in recent years has seen massive claims related to natural disasters.

Climate risks, and public concerns, are increasing

Just take one weather issue that has been linked to climate change: wildfires. Insurers paid out $4.2 billion for insured losses caused by California wildfires in 2016, according to a report by A.M. Best. In 2017, insured losses from U.S. wildfires ballooned to $16 billion  the first year globally that fire losses surpassed $10 billion, according to Aon Benfield. AON Benfield's preliminary estimate for 2018 is that the record level of claims above $10 billion is going to be repeated. "These risks are real," said Mindy Lubber, CEO of Ceres, a nonprofit organization that works with institutional investors on sustainability. "Whether it an insurance company paying out in Houston for hurricanes or a small insurer like Merced [Property & Casualty] going out of business in California because of wildfires."

Michael John Ramirez hugs his wife Charlie Ramirez after they recover her keepsake bracelet which held a sentimental value as they recover items from the rubble of their destroyed home, after the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 15, 2018. Marcus Yam | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway  an entire generation of Americans who have been made wealthy by Buffett's investing genius  should consider his words on the issue and how well-protected their stock holding will be into the future. Berkshire shareholders have overwhelmingly rejected 13 climate-related proxy proposals brought up for a vote at recent Berkshire Hathaway annual meetings, with no single measure ever receiving more than 12 percent of support dating back to 2004, according to Morningstar/FundVotes data  there have been six proposals in the past three years. At the 2016 Berkshire annual meeting, the eminent climate scientist and former NASA official James Hansen was among the shareholders who made an appeal to Buffett. Buffett was not dogmatic or ideological, but rejected the plea not as a matter of climate denial but his sense of current business reality. "The issue before the shareholders is not how I feel about whether climate change is real. ... I don't think you and I have any difference in the fact that it's important that climate change  you know, since it's something where there is a point of no return  if we are on the course that you think is certain and I think is probable, that it's a terribly important subject." For most of his life Buffett has taken a provincial view of investing, focused almost exclusively on the U.S., and in that sense, many of the changes being wrought by climate change around the globe may not directly bear on his holdings. But right now, Buffett's home state of Nebraska is experiencing record flooding. Omaha, his lifelong hometown, which has averaged 1.99 inches of rain in March over the past four decades, according to the National Weather Service, had 2.68 inches of rain this March. The past three Marches all have been above the average, though there is no clear longer-term pattern in the data back to 1981. Using data from NWS going back to 1871, the average mean precipitation in Omaha for the month of March is 1.62 inches. More rainfall is a likely consequence of climate change, according to the most recent National Climate Assessment  as many as 25 U.S. states are expected to experience significant flooding this spring. But don't expect Buffett to rush to a climate change judgment. Buffett summed up his rejection of climate proposals succinctly at the 2014 Berkshire annual meeting: "I don't think in making an investment decision on Berkshire Hathaway, or most companies  virtually all of the companies I can think of  that climate change should be a factor in the decision-making process."

Right-hand man Munger chooses words less carefully

Berkshire vice chairman Charlie Munger has been less subtle, taking a tone on climate that once led Buffett to respond to his comments in front of shareholders by saying, "We don't want to start a political rally." At the 2015 meeting, Munger said: "I don't think it's totally clear what the effects of global warming will be on extremes of weather. I think there's a lot of guesswork in that field and a lot of people who like howling about calamities that are by no means sure, like a crazy ideology. Not that global warming isn't happening, just you can get so excited and make crazy extrapolations that are not necessarily correct."

I think it is the kind of question that deserves lots of attention. ... We do have one planet, and we ought to pay a lot of attention to what's going on. Warren Buffett chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

A year later Munger had more to say about shareholder proposals: "We're asked, as a corporation, to take a public stance on very complicated issues. We've got crime in the cities. We've got 100  we've got 1,000  complicated issues that are very material to our civilization. And if we spend our time in the meeting taking public stands on all of them, I think it would be quite counterproductive. And I don't like the fact that the people that constantly present this issue never discuss any solution, except reducing consumption of fossil fuels. So there are geo-engineering possibilities that nobody's willing to talk about, and I think that's asinine, so put me down as not welcoming." Buffett's less blunt, but equally important, views on climate change have been offered at Berkshire annual meetings and in interviews with CNBC over the years. Here are five key points he has made.

1. Coal is not disappearing anytime soon.

Buffett has faced concerns about owning a railroad that carries coal, but he does not see the coal business and renewable energy as "either/or" choices for him to make. He sees Berkshire being in both businesses in the years ahead. He said: "If you own a railroad carrying a lot of coal it will carry a lot of coal for a long period, a very long period. We will continue to develop alternative sources of energy and continue to use coal in our coal generation plants until a utility commission under which we operate tell us we should do something different. We are happy to carry the coal, but we are a common carrier. We might have loved to turn away chlorine or ammonia because of dangers of carrying it that we can't get compensated for, but we are a common carrier and by law required to carry the freight offered to us."

2. Annual insurance pricing is not climate-sensitive.

Berkshire's insurance subsidiary Geico took its single-largest loss in history from Superstorm Sandy, a $490 million loss due to claims on more than 46,000 flooded vehicles. Other insurance companies have created models for climate change. Buffett simply does not see it. "I get all these questions from people who tell me they want me to fill out lots of forms about how will affect our insurance business," Buffett told Berkshire shareholders in 2015. "It just doesn't operate in that time period." He told Hansen in 2016, "We're not denying climate change is an incredibly important subject. We're not denying its existence. But it will not hurt our insurance business, and it's immaterial compared to other things that could affect our insurance business." Property and casualty, Berkshire's primary insurance business, is priced annually, unlike life insurance where a company is setting a price for decades into the future. And Buffett has said that is the key: "I see nothing that tells me on a yearly basis that global warming is something that should cause me to change my prices a lot, or even a small amount."

A wind farm managed by Berkshire Hathaway Energy in Marshalltown, Iowa. Iowa, Kansas and the country of Denmark are the world's three leading producers of wind energy. Timothy Fadek | Bloomberg | Getty Images

3. One bad storm year, or even a few, doesn't change history ... or probabilities.

In a 2016 interview with CNBC, Buffett was asked about recent hurricane patterns and climate risk. That was during a stretch of years that had been the longest multi-year period in history dating back to the 1800s without a category 3 landfall by a hurricane in the U.S. in Florida. The very next year, in 2017, category 4 Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida. In 2018, Hurricane Michael, another category 4 storm, made landfall in Florida, and that was the first year that two category 4-plus storms (Harvey in Texas) had made landfall in the continental U.S. within a single hurricane season. But Buffett was unmoved and used a gambler's analogy to explain why his insurance businesses doesn't set rates based on any short-term pattern. "If two 12s come up in a row, it doesn't mean the probability of a 12 coming up in any year has increased." In a January 2018 interview with CNBC, Buffett referenced those U.S. hurricane records dating back to the early 1800s and how the pattern of landfalls "looks awfully random."

4. Property owners in low-lying areas should be worried.

Berkshire is a major player in the real estate market, with both a homebuilding and mortgage business (as well as significant holdings in many of America's biggest bank stocks that offer mortgages). In real estate, Buffett expresses one of his few financial fears about climate change. At the 2016 meeting, Buffett said, "I think you'll have a reasonable time to move, but I would say, if you're making a 50-year investment in low-lying properties, it's probably a mistake. I actually said you may  as a homeowner in a low-lying area  you may wish to consider moving. And I would say that if you expect to be there for 10 years or so, I don't think I would consider moving. But if I thought I was making a 100-year investment, I don't think I would make it."

5. Worry more about running out of oil than moving away from it.
Italy's former prime minister doesn't approve of the current government's newly inked partnership with China, calling the decision "unwise" during a conversation with CNBC Monday. "Politically, geopolitically, I deem (it) really unwise from the Italian government to take such a decision without coordination with the European Union and our allies," Paolo Gentiloni, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2018, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." "Europe is showing its divisions toward China, and this is not something that will strengthen our position even on trade." The Italian government stirred up fresh controversy over the weekend as it officially agreed to join China's massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the first Group of 7 country to do so. Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Rome saw a total of 29 deals signed, altogether worth 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion). They were focused on agricultural, finance and energy sectors, and opened up new access to the Chinese market for major Italian energy and engineering firms.

Gentiloni, who himself visited China in 2017 to discuss the Belt and Road initiative with Beijing's leadership, echoed the analyses of many observers who described the deals signed as largely symbolic and not an economic paradigm shift for Italy. "The agreements signed in Italy are not so relevant from an economic point of view," he said. "We will not change the mood of our economy with these agreements, and my guess is that perhaps we will not even change the balance of trade between Italy and China, which is unfortunately a balance of deficit on the Italian side." But politically, he stressed, "I am worried that we are not showing EU unity, and for this reason I think that the MOU (memorandum of understanding) that was signed from the Italian government was not a wise decision." Gentiloni is a founding member of Italy's Democratic party, whose stances are largely described as a social democratic, center-left and Europeanist. Italy is currently led by a euroskeptic coalition whose largest parties are the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement and the right-wing Lega party.

'Italy is not an African country'

Western critics warn of Chinese debt traps and describe the initiative as a ploy to expand geopolitical and strategic influence, while Beijing pursues links to Europe and Africa via South Asia and the Middle East to expedite and increase the export of Chinese goods. German foreign minister Heiko Maas criticized Italy's decision on Sunday, telling local media: "If some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent." Still, in defense of his country, Gentiloni dismissed concerns that Italy would become economically beholden to China in the way that some African and South Asian nations have. "Italy is not an African country  We will not have a Chinese invasion after these agreements," he said, pointing out that Italy has less Chinese inward investment than the U.K. or Germany. "We have to be very cautious especially in issues connected to security, telecommunications, but I don't think these agreements economically will change much in the framework we have."

Indeed, Italy is not an African country  it has a higher debt-to-GDP ratio and far lower growth than most countries on the African continent. Its economy dipped into recession at the end of last year, and the deadly collapse of its Genoa Bridge last August cast a stark spotlight on its dire need for infrastructure investment.

China and 5G: Avoiding 'dangerous situations'
Shares in Japan sold off sharply on Monday as investors grappled with concerns over the global economy.

The Nikkei 225 plunged 3.01 percent to close at 20,977.11, as shares of index heavyweights Softbank Group and Fanuc plummeted 5.01 percent and 3.84 percent, respectively. The Topix index also fell 2.45 percent to finish its trading day at 1,577.41.

That followed a sell-off on Wall Street Friday, as an inverted yield curve stoked fears that an economic recession is on the horizon. Disappointing economic data released Friday out of Europe, coupled with an economic downgrade by the Federal Reserve, added to those concerns.

The spread between the 3-month Treasury bill and the 10-year note turned negative on Friday  the first time in more than a decade. Investors consider this to be a signal that a recession may be coming soon.

At present, the central bank balance sheets among the G3 economies  the U.S., Japan and the European Union  are "bloated," they said. As a result, the difference in yield between holding a long-term bond versus a series of short-term debt was suppressed.

"However, this should not detract from the fact that the slowdown across the developed markets is deepening. While the US economy still seems to be on firm footing, guarding against downside risks has become the Fed's main priority (as opposed to policy normalisation). The Fed's dovish pivot over the past few months should help to cushion slowdown risks," they said.

Bank shares in Tokyo struggled on Monday, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group falling more than 3 percent and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group declining 2.91 percent.
The Chinese government would have taken a tougher stance on trade with the U.S. if it thought Robert Mueller's investigation was any real risk to Donald Trump's presidency, veteran fund manager Mark Mobius told CNBC on Monday.

China "probably has done all the numbers and they realize it would be very difficult to impeach the president," the co-founder of Mobius Capital Partners said on "Squawk Box."

"If there was a possibility of him being impeached, then of course there would be a different situation" on trade.

Attorney General William Barr on Sunday released a summary of Mueller's findings in the Russia investigation and Trump's 2016 campaign. Barr said Mueller did not find sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice, or that his campaign coordinated with Russia's efforts to influence the election. U.S. stock futures initially rose after the news but struggled during Monday's session to hold those gains.

The conclusion of Muller's investigation lifts a cloud that has loomed over Trump's presidency. In response to the findings, Trump took a victory lap on Twitter, saying, "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!"

Barr specifically noted that Mueller did not exonerate Trump.

Mueller's report comes amid a high stakes economic battle between China and the U.S., which initially centered on the American trade deficit with China.

The White House said the president is sending U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to Beijing on Thursday to continue U.S. talks with China as the two sides approach the finish line on a deal.

Mobius, who has more than four decades of experience in emerging markets, said he doesn't expect Mueller's findings to have an impact on Trump. Mobius has previous said he agreed with Trump "completely" when it comes to China and its trade deficit with the U.S.
Tom Udall, a Democrat from New Mexico, announced Monday he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2020.

The two-term senator said in a statement that although he is confident he could win a third term, he will not run again next year because "the worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent."

Udall's announcement creates uncertainty about a Democratic seat in the Senate, in which Democrats are already in the minority. However, a Republican hasn't won a Senate seat in New Mexico since the 2002 election of former Sen. Pete Domenici.

The top spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee suggested that Udall was retiring because of the Democrats' "lurch toward socialism," an increasingly familiar line of attack ahead of 2020.

"The people of New Mexico deserve a Senator who will fight for more jobs, lower taxes, and safer communities and we look forward to fielding a strong candidate in the New Mexico Senate race," the NRSC said in a statement.

Republicans hold a 53-47 edge in the Senate, where there will be 34 seats up for grabs in 2020.

Udall said that without the distraction of another campaign he can now help "reverse the damage done to our planet, end the scourge of war, and to stop this president's assault on our democracy and our communities."

Udall said he isn't retiring from politics and that he plans to find new ways to serve New Mexico once he finishes his time in the Senate.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that Udall is "a class act in every way" and will be "greatly missed" in the Senate. Schumer said Udall's efforts during his time in the Senate have been "invaluable."

"He is principled, smart, and hardworking and when he gets up to speak, every senator  Democrat and Republican  already knows how well-thought-out and sincere his remarks will be," Schumer said.

Udall serves on five Senate committees: Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Commerce, Indian Affairs and Rules and Administration. Before he was elected to the Senate, he represented the 3rd Congressional District of New Mexico in the House of Representatives.

Udall's office did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for additional comment.
BERLIN, GERMANY - MARCH 23: Protesters rally against proposed upload filters that they claim will restrict Internet freedom on March 23, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Germany last weekend to challenge a new European Union copyright law set to be passed this week.

The protesters, marching under the slogan "Save your Internet," fear the EU Copyright Directive, which aims to modernize copyright rules for the digital era, could lead to online censorship and restrict freedom of speech.

AP, citing local German media, said 40,000 people marched in protest of the law in Munich on Saturday. Other protests in Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Berlin included more than one thousand attendees according to the events' Facebook pages.

European lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the final text of the directive Tuesday.

The news rules aim to protect artists, publishers and news outlets by putting limitations on big tech companies that distribute content. One controversial proposal would give news publications the ability to negotiate commercial licenses with platforms like Google News in order to post their articles.
WASHINGTON  An underwater drone armed with a nuclear warhead is slated to join Russia's arsenal no earlier than 2027, people familiar with a U.S. intelligence assessment told CNBC.

In November, the Kremlin carried out the 11th and last-known test of the nuclear-powered weapon, dubbed "Poseidon," which can navigate autonomously and travel continuously after launching from a submarine.

"What we are basically dealing with is a Russian submarine, that is difficult to detect, launching a drone, that is difficult to target, equipped with a nuclear warhead," said one person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "The Russians have ambitions of using the nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered autonomous underwater vehicle as a retaliation device if their legacy nuclear weapon launch capability is neutralized during war."

While the strategic nuclear weapon is expected to join the Kremlin's arsenal as early as eight years from now, the Russians have yet to successfully test the system's nuclear propulsion heart, which guarantees the device's everlasting power.

Russian state media has previously announced that the Russian navy will place at least 30 Poseidon drones on combat duty. The U.S. Navy does not have a similar weapon.

The underwater drone was one of the six weapons Russian President Vladimir Putin bragged about during a national address in March 2018. Of those weapons, CNBC learned that two of them, a hypersonic glide vehicle and an air-launched cruise missile, will be ready for war by 2020.

The hypersonic glide vehicle, dubbed Avangard, is designed to sit atop an intercontinental ballistic missile. Once launched, it uses aerodynamic forces to sail on top of the atmosphere.

Previous intelligence reports, which were curated last spring, calculate that Avangard is likely to achieve operational capability by 2020, a significant step that would enable the Kremlin to surpass the U.S. and China in this regard.

The air-launched cruise missile dubbed "Kinzhal," which means "dagger" in Russian, has been tested at least three times and was mounted and launched 12 times from a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet. Additionally, work is underway to mount the weapon on a strategic bomber.

Last week, CNBC reported that nearly 20 of these Russian missiles were recently moved to a military testing site, signaling another milestone for the Kremlin's hypersonic weapons program.
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:

Biogen  The drugmaker announced a new $5 billion share repurchase program, in addition to the $1.7 billion remaining under a prior authorization. That follows the stock's plunge last week, following the decision to end a late stage study of an Alzheimer's treatment that did not produce the desired results.

Viacom  Viacom and AT&T reached a new agreement to keep Viacom channels on AT&T platforms like DirecTV and U-Verse. The two sides had agreed to continue contract negotiations past a Friday night deadline.

Boeing  Boeing hosted teams from three U.S. airlines over the weekend to review a software upgrade for the grounded 737 MAX fleet, and is planning a Wednesday information session for pilots, technical leaders, and regulators as it moves to return the jet to service after two fatal crashes over the past few months.

Fiat Chrysler  Fiat Chrysler rebuffed a merger approach from Peugeot parent PSA Group earlier this year, according to The Wall Street Journal. The FT reports, however, that the company's chairman, John Elkann, is making a renewed push to team up with another automaker.

Deutsche Bank  Deutsche Bank and German rival Commerzbank have hit a snag in their merger talks, according to The Wall Street Journal, with the fate of Deutsche Bank's U.S. operations among the contentious issues.

Thermo Fisher Scientific  Thermo Fisher is buying privately held Brammer Bio for $1.7 billion to expand the lab equipment maker's presence in the gene therapy field.

Winnebago  The recreational vehicle maker earned an adjusted 68 cents per share for its fiscal second quarter, 10 cents a share above estimates. Revenue was short of Wall Street forecasts, however, and Winnebago said market conditions have been challenging over the past six months. The company said it is optimistic that conditions are improving.

Eli Lilly  Lilly said the price it has been paid for its popular Humalog insulin dropped to an average of $135 per month per patient in 2018, down from $147 in 2014. The information was released amid increased scrutiny for Lilly and other pharmaceutical companies over prescription drug prices.

Apple  Apple is set to unveil new video and news services today at an event at its California headquarters.

Allergan  Allergan said it would split its chairman and chief executive roles, but not until its next leadership change. Activist investor Appaloosa has been pushing for an immediate split of the two roles.

Avaya  Avaya is considering a buyout offer from a private-equity firm, whose identity could not be learned. The offer values the telecom equipment and software maker at more than $5 billion or more than $20 per share.

Nu Skin Enterprises  Nu Skin was downgraded to "sell" from "hold" at Stifel Nicolaus, which expressed concerns about regulatory risk in the China market for the health products maker.

Tesla  Registration data suggests that Tesla sales may have slumped, according to The New York Times. Separately, RBC Capital lowered its price target on the stock to $210 from $245 while maintaining an "underperform" rating, citing sagging demand.

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to show that Winnebago earned an adjusted 68 cents per share for its fiscal second quarter, 10 cents a share above estimates.
The U.S. Air Force has sent six B-52 long-range bombers to the United Kingdom for a series of training activities over Europe. The aircraft and over 450 airmen arrived at Royal Air Force base Fairford on March 14 from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress (Picture source: US Air Force)

NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu welcomed the deployment, saying: This is a routine deployment, but it shows that the US nuclear umbrella protects Europe and demonstrates the unique capabilities the US could bring to Europe in a crisis. The B-52 deployment is yet another sign that the United States is strongly committed to NATO.

The United States has deployed strategic bombers in Europe at least once a year since 2014. Since then, all three US bomber variants  the B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers  have deployed to Fairford airbase for exercises with European NATO Allies, including to Exercise Baltops and Exercise Sabre Strike.

Four B-52s "conducted flights to several places in Europe, including to the Norwegian Sea, the Baltic Sea/Estonia and the Mediterranean Sea/Greece," the Air Force said.

B-52 bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and RAF Fairford have also conducted "simultaneous theater familiarization training in the Indo-Pacific and Europe" as bombers "flew north to an area east of the Kamchatka Peninsula," near Russia.



The U.S. Strategic Command oversees the United States strategic and nuclear deterrent, including B-52 deployments. Forces assigned to the Command are on watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deter strategic attacks against the U.S. and NATO allies.



The B-52 has been in use with the US Air Force since the 1950s and can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons.
The Supreme Court on Monday turned back a company locked in a secretive fight against Robert Mueller just days after the special counsel concluded his probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In a brief order, the court said it would not review a decision by a federal appeals court in Washington that ordered the company, owned by an unknown foreign government, to comply with a subpoena or face a mounting daily fine, believed to be greater than $2 million at this point.

The legal battle stretches back to July, when a grand jury in Washington subpoenaed the company for information. The company sought to dismiss the subpoena, but was rejected twice in court before the Supreme Court looked at the matter.

In January, Chief Justice John Roberts declined to halt the daily fines as the court continued to review the case.

The dispute is believed to be the only time the nation's top court has weighed in on an element of Mueller's inquiry. That inquiry wrapped up last week.

Attorney General William Barr on Sunday told lawmakers in a four-page letter that Mueller did not find evidence of collusion between the president's campaign and Russia. Barr said there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute Trump for obstruction.

It takes four justices to agree to review a case. While justices' votes are not listed on the order, the company failed to secure that number, at least.

The case gained attention thanks in part to the unusual precautions taken to ensure the secrecy of those involved. Prosecutors working for the special counsel were not named in public documents until last month. Before that, Mueller was only believed to be involved because of comments overheard in a D.C. courthouse.

At one point, security personnel cleared an entire floor of reporters to preserve the identities of those involved in a hearing related to the case.

As a legal matter, the case concerned whether the company is immune to certain criminal penalties under the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

In written arguments, attorneys for the unnamed company argued that the appeals court decision to enforce the subpoena, if left standing, would "throw international law into disarray."

But the Justice Department retorted that the company was not immune, and argued that accepting the company's position would allow foreign-owned companies to "flagrantly violate criminal laws."

The special counsel's office declined to comment.
Supporters of Thai opposition party, Pheu Thai, at a political rally in Bangkok the general election on March 24.

It's "quite likely" that Thailand's next government will be formed through a coalition, a senior government official told CNBC on Monday, as initial tallies came following Sunday's long-awaited election after five years of military rule.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, a security advisor to Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, said that officials in the pro-military Palang Pracharat Party and Pheu Thai Party  linked to self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra  are in discussions and also "talking to all parties."

Speaking to CNBC's Sri Jegarajah in Bangkok, Panitan said: "It seems quite likely that the next government will be a coalition party between one big party and maybe two important, medium-sized parties."

The vote is shaping up as a contest between three groups:

A pro-military camp that includes the Palang Pracharat Party  led by current cabinet members in the military regime.

An anti-military group that comprises the Pheu Thai Party and the newly founded Future Forward Party.

Parties that are neutral or undecided about how they will align themselves.

The last group includes the Bhumjaithai Party, whose vote is said to be crucial to swinging the election's final outcome.

Panitan, who is also a professor at the Chulalongkorn University, said: "It seems quite likely that Bhumjaithai will be a decisive force."

"The final analysis is whoever gains the majority of the seats will form the government," he added, "so Bhumjaithai will be very hard at work today and over the next few days to make sure that they coordinate and communicate with all supporters."

His comments come as Thailand's Election Commission reported the numbers on Monday with 94 percent of votes counted: Palang Pracharat was leading the popular vote with 7.69 million votes, while the Pheu Thai Party was next with 7.23 million votes.

The numbers released were for the popular vote, but those do not reflect parliamentary seats won. Pheu Thai could still take the lion's share of those, because of its concentrated popularity in the north and northeast of the country.

The ruling junta repeatedly postponed general elections after it overthrew an elected government in 2014.

The Sunday vote will determine 500 members of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Thailand's legislative branch. The junta will appoint the 250-member Senate, or the upper house.

None of the parties are expected to single-handedly win enough seats in the House to form a government. Therefore, the 250 appointed senators will join their colleagues in the House to select the next prime minister to lead the next government.

Based on a Reuters tally of partial results of the 350 constituency seats contested on Sunday, Pheu Thai was on track to win at least 129 and Palang Pracharat at least 102.

 CNBC's Yen Nee Lee and Reuters contributed to this report.
A party linked to Thailand's military led the popular vote after most ballots had been counted from Sunday's general election, the country's first since a 2014 coup, giving it a surprise advantage over anti-junta parties hoping to make a comeback.

Unofficial results will be announced on Monday afternoon, so it is still not certain that the Palang Pracharat party backing junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha will have enough lower house of parliament seats for him to stay on as prime minister.

Pheu Thai, a party linked to the self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra whose loyalists have won every election since 2001, fell short of expectations that it would outdistance the military's proxy party. However, it still looked likely to have the largest share of parliament seats.

The strong showing by the pro-junta party dismayed voters who had hoped the poll would loosen the grip that traditional elites and the military have long held on power in a country that has one of the highest measures of inequality in the world.

Many took to social media to voice their suspicions about the results of an election which critics had said was skewed in favor of the military from the outset.

Thai-language hashtags that translated as "Election Commission screw-up" and "cheating the election" were trending at numbers one and three on Twitter in Thailand.

Many tweets referred to inconsistencies between the numbers for voter turnout and ballots cast in some parliamentary constituencies, and some questioned the overall turnout of less than 70 percent, which was much lower than expected.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as he departs following the Friends of Ireland Luncheon in honor of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, March 14, 2019.

President Donald Trump has reason to celebrate the Mueller report's core conclusions. Given facts previously disclosed, they were as good as he could have hoped for.

That doesn't make those conclusions, as a measure of Trump's conduct, good. The brief summary released by Attorney General William Barr shows Mueller found evidence the president sought to obstruct justice in the investigation of Russian interference on his behalf in the 2016 election, if not enough to prosecute him.

More significantly, Barr's summary does not address why Trump and numerous associates, during and after the campaign, sought to conceal their interactions with various Russian actors  about a Moscow real estate project, an offer of dirt on Hillary Clinton, economic sanctions imposed by President Barack Obama. It does not address Trump's willingness to accept Vladimir Putin's word over that of U.S. intelligence agencies, and his no-aides-present talks with the Russian leader.

Those omissions relate to the counterintelligence portion of the probe Mueller inherited as special counsel after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. Beyond prosecutable crimes, counterintelligence investigators look for whether their subject has been compromised by a foreign power to the detriment of U.S. national security. If Mueller reached conclusions about that regarding Trump and Russia, he has not disclosed them.

Nor is Trump clear of legal jeopardy. He has been implicated, though not charged, in campaign finance felonies to which his former lawyer Michael Cohen has pleaded guilty.

City, state and federal prosecutors in New York continue investigating his business, charitable foundation and inauguration. In addition to Cohen, Trump's former campaign manager, deputy campaign manager and national security adviser, among others, have confessed to crimes.

Yet few legal analysts have expected the president to be prosecuted on any criminal charges during his term. The Justice Department has for decades accepted that, as a matter of constitutional law, he could not be.

Thus the real significance of Mueller's conclusions lies in the realm of politics. Trump and his GOP allies in Congress have avoided their worst-case scenarios.

Trump has repeatedly and emphatically insisted that his campaign did not collude with Russia in 2016. The failure of Mueller  a dogged investigator of impeccable integrity  to legally establish otherwise provides powerful backup for his claim.

That in turn reassures GOP lawmakers that they can justify continued backing for a president who remains overwhelmingly popular among rank-and-file Republicans, if not the broader public. The prospect of bipartisan cooperation on any stage of an impeachment process has become vanishingly small.

Congressional Democrats immediately complained about how Barr translated Mueller's conclusions into the four-page letter released publicly over the weekend. While noting that the special counsel "does not exonerate" Trump of obstruction of justice, Barr declared himself that no prosecutable case exists even if the Justice Department believed it could indict a sitting president.

But if they believe otherwise, Democrats still have the ability to act using the power they won last November when they recaptured the House. They have initiated multiple investigations of Trump's finances and his use of power.

Democrats soon will obtain and make public the Mueller report itself, absent whatever the Justice Department deems classified on legal or national security grounds. They can summon Barr to press him on his classification decisions and his legal reasoning on obstruction.

They can mine evidence the special counsel gathered on Trump's 2016 actions beyond the confines of cooperation with "the Russian government" that Barr noted in his public summary. They can summon Mueller to explain his interpretation of the evidence.

The absence of bipartisan support heightens the risk of attempting to impeach Trump. But that option remains open for Democrats to pursue if they consider it justified.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vows Democrats will neither pursue nor avoid that step for political reasons. As the 2020 campaign for the White House and Congress accelerates, her commitment to decide the impeachment question without regard to politics now faces a test.
As if the ultimate direction of Brexit was not enough for Brits to contend with, now speculation is mounting that British Prime Minister Theresa May could resign  throwing the whole process into further doubt.

May met her closest ministers Monday morning and is expected to update the House of Commons on her Brexit strategy in the afternoon, amid continuing turbulence and confusion over the U.K.'s departure from the EU.

There have been reports in various U.K. media outlets that May is facing another mutiny within her own party.

On Sunday, May met with influential Brexiteers in her Conservative Party and, according to some reports, gave her word that she would give a date for her resignation in return for their support in a third possible vote on her Brexit deal, formally known as the "Withdrawal Agreement." Whether a third vote will even take place this week remains up in the air as it's doubtful that there's enough support to pass the deal.

Downing Street refused to comment on speculation over May's political future although pressure is rising on her both inside euroskeptic circles and outside. The widely-read tabloid newspaper The Sun, which has previously supported May, used its front page on Monday to urge the prime minister to quit, with the headline "Time's Up, Theresa."

The paper said while she had "shown courage" in office, she was facing "fresh pressure" and that "the PM is being urged to vow she'll resign in a last-ditch bid to convince Brexiteers they should back her deal in the Commons this week."

Sun Tweet:

Several senior ministers said Monday they do not want May to resign, casting doubts over the rumored coup. Nonetheless, her position remains "fragile," according to Constantine Fraser, a European political research analyst at TS Lombard.

"Despite her Cabinet seemingly abandoning an attempt at a coup over the weekend, May's position is still extremely fragile," he said in comments emailed to CNBC.

"For now, what she has in her favor is that time is short, there is little agreement in the (Conservative) party as to who should replace her, and it not obvious what difference a change of prime minister would make to the country's immediate predicament. For her rivals, she also makes a convenient scapegoat for the failings of the Withdrawal Agreement."
A new round of trade talks between American and Chinese officials could help bring an end to the global trade war, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew told CNBC on Monday, but resolving the remaining sticking points will be a rocky process.

The world's two largest economies have imposed tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of one another's goods over the past year, battering financial markets and souring business and consumer sentiment.

Negotiations between Washington and Beijing have taken longer-than-expected, with officials at times making contradictory comments on their progress.

"I suspect there are some more bumps in the road ahead as the most difficult issues get worked out," Lew told CNBC's Martin Soong at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Monday.

"There is no reason they shouldn't be able to make progress so that you get something done in the window (But) I don't think it will resolve all issues for all time."

"I think regardless of the language used to describe the agreement, there will still be core issues for the two countries to work through The job is not to get it done once and for all, it is to keep making progress," Lew said.
President Donald Trump prior to his departure from the White House March 22, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Special counsel Robert Mueller dominated headlines for 22 months. He may continue to do so, even now that his investigation has concluded.

President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign plans to keep talking about the conclusions reached by the former FBI director until November 2020, nearly 600 days away, a spokesperson for the campaign told CNBC on Monday.

"In addition to the President's undeniable record of success for the American people, rest assured that you will be hearing about the Democrats' collusion and obstruction lies and President Trump's full vindication between now and Election Day," Kayleigh McEnany, the campaign's national press secretary, said in an email.

The announcement comes as the president makes a dramatic turnaround on his attitude toward the special counsel, whose investigation the president once called a "disgrace to our Nation."

Over the weekend, Attorney General William Barr told lawmakers that Mueller did not find evidence that the president or his team conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election. On Monday, Trump told reporters that he believed Mueller acted honorably.

Trump's eagerness to talk about Mueller stands out in comparison to his potential opponents. The wide field of Democratic contenders has been unified on avoiding Russian interference as a central aspect of their campaigns while calling for Mueller's findings to be made public.

Trump Mueller tweet

Trump tweet

Policy is also on the minds of Democratic voters in key early states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. At town halls, nearly three-quarters of the questions that get asked are about policy, according to Michael Starr Hopkins, a spokesperson for John Delaney, a moderate who has been crisscrossing the early states as a declared candidate since 2017.

"Sixty to 70 percent [of questions] are about health care, mental health, guns," Hopkins said in an interview.

A focus on policy is a solid strategy, according to Larry Sabato, a top elections analyst who directs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

"On policy Democrats have a wide choice of subjects that would give a favorable contrast with Trump  climate change, health care, and economic fairness, just to mention three," Sabato said in an email.

Sabato said that it was unlikely that the Mueller probe would figure prominently in the 2020 election  and especially unlikely that it will affect the vote. As usual, he said, the outcome will depend on factors that neither Democrats nor Republicans control, with economic issues at the fore.

But that won't stop Trump, with some help from Republicans on the hill, from continuing to talk about Mueller.

Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, who chairs the influential Judiciary Committee, made that clear in a press conference Monday in which he praised Mueller's work but pledged to unpack "the other side of the story."

Graham was referring to the origins of the FBI investigation that Mueller took over  Republicans have alleged impropriety regarding the information that was used to obtain warrants  as well as the probe into former Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton's handling of classified materials.

"The FISA warrant, the Clinton campaign, the counterintelligence investigation have pretty much been swept under the rug except for by a few Republicans in the House," Graham told reporters. "Those days are over."
A national ban on bump stocks is set to go into effect Tuesday, even as one of the gun-rights groups fighting the ban moved Monday to appeal the regulation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We still feel that the regulation is a factual misreading of the statute, and that ultimately we will be vindicated on it," said Michael Hammond, the legislative counsel for Gun Owners of America.

In December, the Department of Justice announced it would administratively ban the devices used to make semi-automatic rifles fire continuously like machine guns. At the time, the government estimated more than 500,000 of the bump stock devices had been sold.

Bump stocks were used in 2017 by the gunman who fired more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition at Las Vegas concertgoers and killed 58 people in the nation's deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Following the mass shooting, the administration began a review of the bump stocks and President Donald Trump expressed his support for banning the devices last year.

The U.S. government said those in possession of the bump stocks have the option to destroy the devices or turn them in to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to DOJ, the new regulation by ATF bans "all devices that turn legal weapons into machine guns."

The federal government isn't offering any compensation for owners of the bump stocks, although at least one state stepped in with a buy back program. Regardless, those who are still in possession of the devices could be subject to felony charges.

In Washington State, residents who own bump stocks can earn $150 for every device they turn in to the state police. As of Monday morning, at least 916 of the bump stocks had been turned in for money, according to Chris Loftis, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol.

Lawsuits seeking to halt the federal ban were filed in several states, including Washington, Ohio, Utah and Michigan.

Gun Owners of America has opposed congressional attempts to pass restrictions on the bump stocks. The group also joined other plaintiffs seeking to block the Trump administration's ban.

On Monday, a federal court in Cincinnati denied the group's request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the rule from going into effect. After the Ohio court's ruling, Hammond said the group moved to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Hammond called the Trump administration's bump stock ban "sort of weird in that it's saying that a piece of plastic is a 'machine gun.' I think the court also needs to take into consideration that if the piece of plastic is a machine gun, the AR-15 is also a machine gun."

Last month, a federal district court judge in Washington state upheld the administration's proposed ban on bump stocks. Also, last week a federal judge in Utah rebuffed an attempt by a gun organization in the state to block the regulations from taking effect.

"The strongest and best solution is for our Congressional leaders to classify bump stocks as illegal machine guns once and for all, so that our communities are no longer at risk from these destructive devices," said Max Samis, a spokesperson for the Brady group, a gun control advocacy organization.
President Donald Trump Carlos Barria | Reuters

President Donald Trump will throw himself fully into his battle to overhaul U.S. trade deals this week with special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation  mostly  behind him. The president won the White House in large part by pledging to crack down on foreign trade abuses and rework international agreements to boost U.S. manufacturing and protect American workers. The conclusion of Mueller's probe  and the Justice Department's decision not to charge the president with obstruction of justice  comes at a pivotal time in Trump's push to follow through on a campaign priority ahead of his 2020 re-election bid. Trump will try to rework U.S. trade relationships on more than one front in the coming weeks and months. He not only aims to strike a new deal with China, but also wants Congress to ratify a revised North American trade deal. A flurry of activity on the trade front starts this week: Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and undisclosed members of Congress in Washington on Monday. She led her country in talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement, which the U.S., Canada and Mexico agreed to do last year. They hope their legislatures will ratify the deal  dubbed by Trump the United States Mexico Canada Agreement  in the coming months.

Trump is set to meet with lawmakers Tuesday about trade issues.

The House Ways and Means Committee's trade subcommittee will hold a hearing Tuesday titled, "Trade and Labor: Creating and Enforcing Rules to Benefit American Workers." Concerns about protections for workers have led to some resistance to the USMCA deal within the Democratic-held House.

Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin head to Beijing on Thursday to continue talks toward a trade deal with China. Trump has touted progress toward an agreement with the world's second largest economy, which could end a potentially devastating trade conflict. The sides still need to hash out some of the finer points of a deal, such as how much China will increase its buying of U.S. goods, how the U.S. will stop Chinese intellectual property theft and how quickly the Trump administration will lift tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods.

A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Liu He will then come to Washington for more discussions starting April 3.

Trump is also deciding whether to impose tariffs on European cars. The Commerce Department sent a confidential report to the president last month that was expected to recommend duties on national security grounds. Some Senate Republicans who opposed previous tariffs levied using a national security justification have started to line up against the potential auto tariffs.

Trump has railed against China, Mexico and Canada's trade practices for years and sees the criticism as a central part of his political appeal. He now stands closer than ever to reworking trade relationships with all three countries as he looks for signature policy achievements to promote on the 2020 campaign trail.

Trump in a stronger position

Some trade policy observers believe the end of Mueller's probe  and Barr's letter saying the special counsel concluded that the Trump campaign did not collude with Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election  put Trump in a stronger position in talks with China. Of course, the president will still face some legal questions moving forward: Democrats continue to push for the release of Mueller's full report, while probes both inside and outside of Congress are still looking into Trump's administration and businesses. Potential pitfalls await the president on every front of his trade policy push. The U.S. and China still have a long way to go toward agreeing to a deal  and Beijing appears unlikely to meet some of the Trump administration's demands. Trump, who is fixated on reducing the U.S. trade deficit with China, wants Beijing to buy "double or triple" the $1.2 trillion in U.S. products it previously offered to purchase. It is also unclear how fully China will address U.S. concerns about intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers. Bipartisan lawmakers including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have cited the issues as the most important points in the China talks, and have signaled they could resist a deal that does adequately address them. Republican senators such as Marco Rubio, R-Fla., have been vocal about cracking down on Chinese trade abuses. Trump also said last week that he could leave tariffs on China in place for a "substantial period of time," even after the world's two largest economies reach an agreement. Reports have indicated that China threatened to pull back on certain concessions if the U.S. did not remove tariffs as part of a deal.

NAFTA 2.0 concerns

At the same time, Congress has started to scrutinize the terms of Trump's North American trade deal revisions. The House hearing Tuesday will try to assess how effective the U.S. has been in enforcing previous trade agreements, said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat who leads the Ways and Means Committee's trade subcommittee. Blumenauer told CNBC that he has "some reservations" about a provision that would shield pharmaceutical companies making certain drugs from competition for 10 years, among other concerns lawmakers have about the deal. "These are areas that we want to zero in on," he said. "There are questions about labor enforcement, questions about environmental protections." "I want to find out if NAFTA 2.0 is any better" than the original deal, he added. The agreement went into effect in 1994. While Trump has pushed for swift ratification of the agreement, Blumenauer said the timeline for Congress to approve an agreement is "fluid." He noted that House Democrats are "not going to be bound" by "artificial deadlines." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  who will play a large role in deciding whether the agreement can get through Congress  has also expressed skepticism about it.

A growing battle with the EU
President Donald Trump's resounding triumph in the Russia collusion investigation is set to reverberate into policy, with the most likely first impact the looming trade negotiations with China.

With the release of a summary of Robert Mueller's report on his two-year investigation, a previously reeling Trump no longer looks as desperate for a policy win of any sort.

"It sure looked a month ago like he really badly needed a victory. I thought he would take virtually anything on trade," said Greg Valliere, chief U.S. policy strategist at AGF and an expert on the political ramifications on financial markets. "Now that he's got this victory, it makes him less desperate for a deal. Maybe he can get a little tougher on the Chinese."

The timing couldn't be better for Trump.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer are off to China this week to continue negotiations over multiple trade-related issues. The two sides have been at loggerheads and involved in a tit-for-tat tariff battle that has been suspended while the negotiations continue.

Financial markets have been nervous over the progress of talks, and Wall Street largely has been hoping the issues could be resolved by the end of the month.

However, the potential that Trump could feel emboldened by the apparent conclusion from the Mueller report that the president's campaign did not collude with Russia might delay progress with China.

"Although it is too early to tell, the developments are likely to increase the stickiness of the administration's policies for the foreseeable future," Ed Mills, public policy analyst at Raymond James, said in a note. "This may serve to lengthen the runway for the completion of a deal with greater concessions from China."

The Mueller report and the China negotiations were thought to represent two of the key unknowns for corporate executives and investors. After 2018 saw the best economic growth of the expansion that began in mid-2009, 2019 started off with a high level of uncertainty, particularly over the effects that slowdowns in Europe and China will have on the U.S.

With an election year right around the corner, Trump also will need to shore up his base, much of which exists in the heartland and among the farmers who have taken a substantial hit from the China tensions. China also has suffered by losing a key market for its exports.

"Both sides have incentives to reach an agreement," wrote Tom Block, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors. "China's economy has been slipping and an end to mounting US tariffs would be a significant boost. For the US, all roads for a Trump 2020 victory lead through a solid red farm belt."

Those looking for a resolution, however, may have to be patient.

"For people who were hoping for a quick trade deal, prospects have slipped that we'll get anything done quickly," Valliere said. "This could drag on a little bit more than the market had anticipated."
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President Donald Trump on Monday accused unidentified opponents of doing "treasonous things against our country" and responded affirmatively to a question from reporters about whether Robert Mueller "acted honorably" in his investigation.

The report found no evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to interfere with the 2016 election but did not make a determination as to whether Trump obstructed justice.

"Do you think Robert Mueller acted honorably?" a reporter could be heard asking Trump during a White House event Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Yes, he did," Trump replied.

The apparent about face comes after nearly two years of consistent attacks by the president on the special counsel.

During the joint appearance with Netanyahu, Trump answered another question about Mueller in the Oval Office.

Asked whether the Mueller probe turned out to "not be a witch hunt after all," Trump replied, "It lasted a long time, we're glad that it's over, and it was 100 percent the way it should've been. I wish it could've gotten done a lot sooner, a lot quicker."

After briefly praising Mueller, Trump then turned to the subject of his adversaries, whom he did not name but whom he accused of doing "treasonous things against our country."

"There are a lot of people out there who have done some very, very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country," Trump said. "Hopefully people that have done such harm to our country, we've gone through a period of really bad things happening, those people will certainly be looked at.

"I've been looking at them for a long time. And I'm saying, why haven't they been looked at? They lied to Congress, many of them, you know who they are. They've done so many evil things," Trump said.

It was not immediately clear to whom the president was referring. His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in November 2018 to making false statements to Congress about the timeline of Trump's business dealings in Russia.

"It was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing," Trump continued. "We can never let this happen to another president again."

Mueller submitted a final report to Attorney General William Barr on Friday, and on Sunday, Barr sent a letter to Congress that outlined the principal findings of the 2-year-long investigation into Russia's attack on the 2016 presidential election.

The Barr letter quoted Mueller's report as saying, "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

Mueller also probed whether Trump's alleged attempts to interfere in the FBI's investigation of members of his administration, and later to pressure Justice Department officials into closing the special counsel probe, amounted to the crime of obstruction of justice.

But the special counsel decided "not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement" on this evidence, Barr wrote, and instead to leave the final decision of whether Trump's actions met a prosecutorial standard up to Barr, a recently confirmed Trump appointee.

Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, another Trump appointee, together determined that no, Trump's actions did not meet the threshold for criminal obstruction of justice.

Following the release of Barr's letter, Trump and his allies claimed the president had been totally vindicated in his longtime denials that he obstructed justice or that his campaign colluded with Russia.

This was not a completely accurate reading of Mueller's findings, however. According to Barr, "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."
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Great way to wake up on Monday morning, especially if you own an ASUS machine.

Kaspersky just published a teaser for a more thorough explanation to come in two weeks at the Kaspersky Security Analysts Summit in Singapore. Its quite an eye-opener.

Apparently somebody broke into the ASUS update servers, and swapped out a valid software/firmware update with one of their own. The bogus update looked like the genuine thing, with a valid certificate, and its size matched the originals size. As a result, the bad update stayed on ASUSs servers for a long time.

How bad is it? Kaspersky isnt handing out many details, but the teaser (which reads like a PR release) is quite compelling. Kaspersky calls it Operation ShadowHammer

The goal of the attack was to surgically target an unknown pool of users, which were identified by their network adapters MAC addresses. To achieve this, the attackers had hardcoded a list of MAC addresses in the trojanized samples and this list was used to identify the actual intended targets of this massive operation.

Kaspersky notified ASUS of the malware on Jan. 31.

According to our statistics, more than 57,000 users of Kaspersky Labs products have installed the backdoored utility, but we estimate it was distributed to about 1 million people total.

Sounds bad enough, but theres yet another teaser on the tail end of the original teaser:

While investigating this attack, we found out that the same techniques were used against software from three other vendors.

Not a breath of which three other vendors are involved.

Bottom line: Unless you have an ASUS machine with one of the 600 hard-coded network adapter MAC addresses, theres nothing to worry about. As for the three other vendors, who knows?

You can file this away in the same bucket with Spectre, Meltdown and other Glitter Glam malware. Its great theater, and sure to draw lots of attention, but in the end unless youre defending state secrets, nuclear launch codes or weighty bitcoin wallets, it doesnt mean much.

PR release - check

Catchy name - check

Commercial tie-in - check

Custom logo - not yet

Were following the spectacle on AskWoody.
India's lightest warplane Tejas to debut at LIMA'19 Malaysia

India-minted lightest warplane Tejas is all set to participate in aerial displays at Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition or LIMA'19 in Malaysia.

This will the first time that Indian Air Force's indigenous supersonic Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) Tejas will make an appearance in LIMA'19 that will see the participation of more than 555 companies from 36 countries including Turkey, Russia, UK, China, France and Germany.

Indian Air Force's indigenous supersonic Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) Tejas. Photo courtesy: Indian Air Force

"Indian Air Force is participating in the Maritime Aero Expo for the first time, during which it will showcase its indigenously developed LCA fighter aircraft. The team departed from Air Force Station Kalaikunda for Langkawi on 22 March via Yangon, Myanmar," a statement from defence ministry here said.

"Participation of IAF in LIMA-2019 will provide an opportunity to air-warriors to interact with their Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) counterparts and foster close relationship between the two services. This will serve as a foundation for any future interaction with the Malaysian Air Force. It will also provide an opportunity to RMAF to assess the capabilities of LCA," the statement added.

#DidYouKnow : Indias indigenous supersonic Light Combat Aircraft(LCA)-Tejas & the worlds lightest supersonic fighter which has already joined IAF, is for the 1st time taking part in aerial displays during 05 day Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition.#LIMA19 pic.twitter.com/56xC4TJUTh  Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 24, 2019

The IAF contingent consists of two LCAs, one C-130J Super Hercules and one Ilyushin IL-76 along with 27 officers, 42 air-warriors and 11 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) personnel.

The five day event dedicated to the maritime and aerospace defence and commercial industry at a scenic resort of 99-island Langkawi archipelago at north-western coast of Malaysia, is billed the largest air show in the Asia Pacific region.

According to the reports, Pakistan pulled out its light combat fighter JF-17 Thunder from the show, which some speculate because India decided to showcase its Tejas aircraft at Langkawi. The pullout follows recent military escalation between two countries in Kashmir which saw IAF bombing terror camps in Pakistan in response to a suicide blast in Pulwama in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops. Both sides lost a fighter plane each in the dogfight. Pakistan had also pulled out its 3rd generation JF-17 form the Bahrain International Airshow in 2016 where India sent its 4th Generation Tejas for the first time.

Sneakpeak of D-2 opening ceremony rehearsal! Dont forget to put #LIMA19 ! pic.twitter.com/OKOxXSTP2c  #LIMA19 (@LimaExhibition) March 24, 2019

Debut of Tejas at LIMA'19 is significant as Malaysian air force is scouting for a light combat fighter and India, Pakistan, Russian are said to be in the race. Pakistan has already showcased its JF-17, jointly developed with China, at Pakistan Day Parade in Islamabad on 23 March where Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was invited as Chief Guest.

"HAL Tejas from the Indian Air Force who will be making its maiden appearance at LIMA`19 will also perform for daily air show together with Jupiter from Indonesia and the Royal Malaysian Air Force," an official statement from LIMA'19 organiser here said.

The 15th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2019 will be held at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) and the Resorts World Langkawi. It will feature defence and commercial, maritime and aerospace, shipbuilding and ship repair, civil aviation, manufacturers, airport equipment and services, training and simulation, helicopters, safety and security equipment as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Ongoing rehearsal for Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2019 LIMA'19. Photo courtesy: Royal Malaysian Navy

The organisers say this years show will be bigger and better than the previous editions and 109 percent of the floor space has already been taken up.

The Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre will showcase exhibits, conferences, seminars and talks, business meetings with highlights being the daily air show and aircraft static display. Foreign ships will be anchored at Star Cruise Jetty Terminal at Resorts World Langkawi and will engage in maritime demonstrations and static display of assets.
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Brexit 1) May defies calls to name departure date

to speak publicly about its contents but it is understood that they asked Mrs May to set out a timetable for her departure.  The Times

Frank Chequers summit where the Prime Minister held the line  Daily Telegraph

Squabbling plotters save May  The Times

Ministers rally behind leader  FT

She faces her Cabinet  The Scotsman

Gove and Lidington deny plans to step up as replacement  Daily Telegraph

Emergency plan to evacuate the Prime Minister over health fears  The Sun

Theresa May has resisted pressure to set a date for her departure in return for support for her EU divorce deal after a threatened cabinet coup fizzled out. After meeting prominent Brexiteers at Chequers yesterday, the prime minister is instead expected to allow parliament to move towards a softer exit from the European Union. The strategy is designed to scare hard Brexiteers into line and steer them towards her deal while seeing off an attempt by MPs to seize control of Commons business. Mrs May summoned Boris Johnson, Iain Duncan Smith, Dominic Raab, Steve Baker, David Davis and Jacob Rees-Mogg for one last effort to persuade them to support her deal. Downing Street would say only that it was a lengthy meeting. The Brexiteers declined

Holdouts:

Brexiteers say departure date is price of their support for the deal  The Sun

Leave-backing MPs pile on the pressure  The Guardian

Prime Minister endures, but struggles to win over rebels  FT

Sturgeon says May is effectively out of power  The Scotsman

Editorial:

May must go to save her deal  The Sun

>Yesterday:

Brexit 2) Barclay warns that voting for a soft Brexit could lead to an election

Voting for a softer Brexit could lead to a general election, the Brexit Secretary has warned as MPs prepare to vote for a series of indicative votes this week. Stephen Barclay said rejecting Theresa Mays deal while also taking no deal off the table could result in the Conservative party breaking its manifesto promises. Indicative votes allow MPs to decide on a series of options designed to see what can command a majority in Parliament. Supporters of the plan believe it could provide a way out of the current political deadlock. Mr Barclay said the risk of a general election increases if the Commons goes down this path. Although the vote itself would not be binding, he said Parliament choosing a different Brexit option would potentially collide with fundamental commitments the Government has given in their manifesto. On Monday an amendment tabled by a cross-party group of MPs, led by Hilary Benn and Sir Oliver Letwin, will aim to pave the way for indicative votes.  Daily Telegraph

Brexiteers wont support a Government u-turn, minister says  The Sun

Johnson brands Government chicken  Daily Telegraph

and demands assurances the Prime Minister wont fight another election  Daily Mail

Its my deal or soft Brexit, says May  Daily Express

Labour could fight snap election promising second vote  The Guardian

May warned failure to introduce hundreds of policies will harm poll prospects  Daily Telegraph

Comment:

May has abandoned constitutional precedent by extending Article 50  Martin Howe QC, Daily Telegraph

A no-deal Brexit remains highly likely  Wolfgang Munchau, FT

Why I fear we may see French-style civil unrest  Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Mail

Black Wednesday shows how Brexit would be a release for the economy  Roger Bootle, Daily Telegraph

>Today: Paul Bew in Comment: Merkel has let alternatives to the backstop out of a bottle. So theres no putting them back in.

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: We take note of people choosing to march, but what matters is 17.4 million at the ballot box, Barclay argues

Brexit 3) Hammond backs vote on a second referendum

Philip Hammond added to the pressure on Theresa May yesterday to allow votes on an alternative to her Brexit deal. The chancellor said that MPs should have the right to vote on the perfectly coherent option of putting the Brexit question back to the public in a second referendum, saying that people were desperate for a way forward. Options for a softer Brexit include the UK committing to join a customs union and remaining in most of the single market



Sandbach calls for pro-EU entryism into the Conservative Party  The Sun

Field is first Tory MP to back revoking Article 50  Politics Home

Starmer increases pressure on Corbyn over second vote  The Times

May fights for life as MPs consider indicative votes  Daily Express

Petition to revoke Article 50 passes five million signatures  The Times

Fears set alarm bells ringing for financial services  FT

He also distanced himself from Mrs Mays opposition to a second referendum, saying it was a perfectly coherent proposition in a further sign that her red lines are being washed away in the effort to avoid a no-deal exit on April 12, the deadline set by the 27 nations remaining in the EU for the UK to agree a way forward if MPs do not vote to support Mrs Mays deal this week.  The Times

Comment:

The only way forward is to come out of the EU now  Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph

How a knockout contest could break this shameful deadlock  Ken Clarke and Helen Goodman, Times Red Box

The week Parliament takes back control of Brexit  Nick Boles, FT

As a former Commons clerk, I think these votes would be terrible idea  Eliot Wilson, Times Red Box

Why Norway Plus gives the UK space to sort out this mess  Yanis Varoufakis, Daily Telegraph

Revocation doesnt reduce the chances of a Scottish referendum  Lesley Riddoch, The Scotsman

>Today: Nicky Morgan MPs column: Indicative votes. If the Commons cant reach a Brexit decision, beware a second referendum.

>Yesterday:

Charles Moore: Whatever happens, Lidington is not the man to succeed May

David Lidington is being touted as the right caretaker Prime Minister to succeed Theresa May suddenly and soon. I have known him slightly for more than 40 years, from Cambridge University days. He is a moderate, intelligent person, who would be a competent member of any British Cabinet. But Mr Lidington is also an unrepentant Remainer. His role in the recent Brexit contests has not been that of peacemaker, but of trying  mostly successfully  to persuade Mrs May to stick with the Remain side of her Cabinet from which she comes. He has largely succeeded. It was he who protected the recent Cabinet rebels  Amber Rudd, Greg Clark, David Mundell and David Gauke  the week before last. They defied the government whip by abstaining on a no-deal motion. As a result, a parliamentary vote to prevent no deal was passed. Thus they helped the Government disintegrate and break its promise to the electorate. So if Mr Lidington becomes caretaker, of what would he take most care? Not of government unity; certainly not of delivering Brexit. He would be busy advancing the cause of the six or seven members of the Cabinet, led by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, who are trying to frustrate it. How would that bring peace and harmony?  Daily Telegraph

Gove may yet rise from the dead to replace the Prime Minister  Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun

Its a shootout between him and Lidington  Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail

A caretaker is the only hope of stability  Jane Merrick, Times Red Box

Mays time is up, she must make way for a successor  Matthew dAncona, The Guardian

Why she would find it unbearable to leave Downing Street  Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail

Why its time for May to name the date  Katie Perrior, Times Red Box

Johnson is charming, but hed make a pointless Prime Minister  Clare Foges, The Times

>Yesterday: Video: WATCH: Duncan Smith  The leadership must be chosen by Party members, not in a stitch-up by a cabal

Cleverly denies institutional Islamophobia as Tory councillors reinstated

More than a dozen Conservative councillors who were suspended over posting Islamophobic or racist content online  with some describing Saudis as sand peasants and sharing material comparing Asian people to dogs  have had their membership quietly reinstated, a Guardian investigation has found. The chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum, Mohammed Amin, called on the party to publish a set of formal disciplinary processes after the Guardian found 15 examples of politicians who posted content that was deemed objectionable. The findings come amid growing concerns over the Conservative partys attitude to reports of Islamophobia in a febrile wider climate, with the number of hate crimes against Muslims reported to have risen by 593% in the week after the attack on two New Zealand mosques James Cleverly, the deputy Tory chairman, has said he disagrees deeply with claims from within the party that it is institutionally Islamophobic.  The Guardian

>Today: ToryDiary: The Conservatives and anti-Muslim prejudice. A role for the Extremism Commissioner.

DUP MP wins applause for saying Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth

DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has told the Fine Gael party conference he would like to see Ireland join the Commonwealth. Sir Jeffrey received a round of applause when he mentioned the idea in Co Wexford on Saturday. This wont get agreement with everyone here, he said The Republic of Ireland was a member of the Commonwealth until April 1949 when The Republic of Ireland Act 1948, came into force, severing all formal ties with the British Crown. The idea of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth has been prominently supported by Fine Gael Senator Frank Feighan, who Sir Jeffrey referenced a number of times. Mr Feighan argues membership would promote Irelands values on a global stage and strengthen economic relations internationally.The event, hosted by Young Fine Gael, brought Sir Jeffrey as well as Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and SDLP MLA Claire Hanna to discuss north-south relations.  News Letter

Why the Democratic Unionists hard Brexit stance is popular with voters  FT

Varadkar rules out coalition with toxic Sinn Fein  News Letter

Liberal Democrats divided as leadership hopeful reveals she assaulted an ex

Trump claims total exoneration over Mueller

A Lib Dem leader hopeful has revealed that she was detained by police after slapping her ex-boyfriend in a fight. In a shock admission yesterday the Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran confessed she lashed out after getting into a row with her former partner. Her revelations shocked and divided the party  with some praising her as brave while others demanded she stand down. The 36-year-old wrote in a statement online she was coming clean about the domestic violence incident in response to rumours that had been circulating about an incident at a party conference in Glasgow Others said her admission should force her to reconsider running altogether, and some called on her to quit as an MP too.  The Sun

Donald Trump and his campaign team were cleared yesterday of conspiring or co-ordinating with Russia to swing the 2016 presidential election after an inquiry that hung over him for two years. The long-awaited report by Robert Mueller made no judgment on whether President Trump obstructed justice but William Barr, the US attorney-general, said in a letter to Congress that Mr Trump would not face any charges. Mr Mueller, 74, found that Russia sought to influence the election through misinformation pumped out on social media by a troll farm based in St Petersburg and by stealing and releasing emails from senior Democrats. However, his central findings, released in a summary by Mr Barr yesterday, were given an unequivocal reception by Mr Trump, who had called the inquiry a witch-hunt. No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! a triumphant Mr Trump tweeted.  The Times

Investigation finds no collusion between the President and Russia  FT

Attorney-Generals summary of the findings  The Times

News in Brief:
John Bald is a former Ofsted inspector and has written two books on the history of writing and spelling. He is Chairman of the Conservative Education Society.

To Great Yarmouth Charter Academy to keep a long-standing promise to visit Barry Smith, whose innovative and dynamic approach to a school in deep trouble continues to make headlines. From my observation of Barrys teaching at Michaela, his forthright talk to the Conservative Education Society, and the schools Ofsted report on behaviour, I expected to be impressed. I was not prepared to be astonished.

Two beautiful seventeenth-century statues of a poor boy and girl at the entrance set the tone  there is a strong tradition of education in the town, reflected in the adjacent display of the smart school uniform, with its rather strange badge  a combination of a lion and a fish. Reception is bright, immaculate, and decorated with a display of tributes from visitors that continues right along the corridor. Staff are happy and friendly to visiting parents. I meet the caretaker, delighted at no longer fighting a losing battle against vandalism, and a cover supervisor, who can now work without fear of insult and violence. Ive not met such spontaneous expressions of support and appreciation of a headteacher in my forty-six years in education.

He arrives a few minutes late and we set off at a brisk pace, greeting each pupil and member of staff as we pass  quick eye contact, smile, Good morning sir,  Barry calls pupils sir or ladies as well as staff. No-one is ignored. I compliment him on his suit, and he shows me the label  Gieves and Hawkes. He says Same as Prince Charles. I tell the pupils that its nice to have money and nice things. I want them to have jobs they enjoy and that will give them this. My mother would always say, No good being poor and looking poor.

First stop is Fadilla Bettahars French class, who are using past, present, and future tenses in answer to her questions after just a term and a half of French. Bettahar has worked with Barry at Michaela, where she had a notice on her door informing pupils that Vous netes pas ici pour massacrer la langue de Moliere. And indeed they dont, using simple French sentences with accurate pronunciation and understanding. M. Forgeron (French for Smith) does not have them stand up when he enters the room, but sits quietly at the front, joining in at an appropriate moment in a way that creates common ground with the teacher, without pulling rank.

Unlike Sir Michael Wilshaw, he does not see himself, and is not seen, as a sergeant-major. Discipline  removing eye make-up for girls  has a light touch. It can look nice, but its not for school, says Smith, mentioning a detention that evening if they dont accept his offer of immediate help from a female teacher in removing it. He makes jokes against himself in a way that enlists his own personality as a teaching aid. It is raining heavily, and upper and lower schools gather in two halls for wet break, in the same friendly and relaxed atmosphere that Id seen at Michaela. The pupils are happy to talk to me, and, like the staff, are full of unprompted praise for Smith, who has stopped the bullying that had made their lives a misery. Pupils with special needs, including one who has recently joined the school after being made homeless, are particularly keen on this, and on the opportunities they now have for learning.

I did not hear a raised voice during my visit, except for the loud recitation of poems learned by heart as pupils moved between classes. These include Ozymandias, If, Henry Vs speech before Harfleur and, most enthusiastically of all, William Ernest Henleys Invictus, which embodies the Charter spirit more than any other. Staff join in with enthusiasm, including a member of the caretaking staff, working hard on the Henry V speech. The point is not to instil imperialism, but to extend language, much as nursery rhymes do with pre-school children. Staff at GYCA understand language as the foundation of literacy, and pupils in all classes learn to speak clearly, confidently, and in complete sentences. Incomplete sentences are rephrased by teachers and practised.

Coastal towns are not easy places in which live and work. Recruitment and retention of skilled staff is difficult, although we can hope that, once word gets around that this is a school with real professional opportunities for teachers who really know, and want to teach, their subject, this will change. Barry is currently looking for a head of maths, and, if I were qualified and forty years younger, Id be knocking his door down. Metaphorically, of course.

In the afternoon, I visited Great Yarmouth Primary Academy, which had an inadequate rating from Ofsted immediately before Christmas, citing, among other weaknesses, persistent disruption to lessons. Expecting the worst, I was once again astonished. The headteacher, who, with his deputy, had taken up his position in January, had, in eight weeks, established exactly the same atmosphere as at Charter, with the same emphasis on behaviour and politeness  greetings and handshakes  throughout the building. In only one class had the teacher to use agreed procedures to re-set it, to establish the behaviour that would enable him to teach and the children to learn. The teaching I saw was focused on clear explanations to pupils, who sat facing the teacher rather than each other, with new vocabulary repeated and practised so that it did not wash over them. Children reading in the library were calm and focused. Happy teachers, happy pupils, learning restored. William Ernest Henley would have understood.
Bruce Newsome is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of California, Berkeley. This piece was originally published on the Conservative Woman.

Failing to get her own way by mendacity, Theresa May is now evading the law and the legislature.

She is executing personal diktats and international agreements outside of consultation or ratification by Parliament, outside of consultation with even her own Cabinet, outside of precedent, without due process, and contrary to statutes. She is acting unconstitutionally and unlawfully.

The law she is now evading is the EU Withdrawal Act of June 2018. It is an act of many parts, but more on those later. One part effectively ratifies the international commitment that May triggered in March 2017 by petitioning to leave the EU under Article 50 of the EU constitution (the Treaty on European Union). Since Article 50 provides for two years between petition and separation, Britain is scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March at midnight Brussels time (2300 hours British time). The EU Withdrawal Act effectively ratifies that timing.

Unfortunately, that timing is not fixed internationally, because Article 50 allows for the petitioner to extend or revoke.

This has enabled the EU and May to be two-faced. Their proposed Withdrawal Agreement is supposed to come into effect upon nominal separation, as a transition to a final deal, although they marketed transition itself as a deal and an orderly Brexit. In fact, it weakens Britains rights without reducing its obligations, for at least two years, and gives the EU a veto on when Britain can leave. To pressure the recalcitrant, they pretended that: it must be accepted before the clock runs out, it cannot be renegotiated, and a bad deal is better than no deal.

Yet when a bad deal failed to get ratified, they agreed more time. Late on Thursday 21 March, the European Council agreed Mays request to extend Article 50. Outrageously, May and the mainstream media presented a fait accompli  blithely ignoring the constitutional and legislative hurdles.

First, May should have sought Parliaments ratification, as a matter of courtesy, if not law. A week prior, Parliament supported Mays motions: not to leave the EU without a deal; to extend Article 50s clock by another three months to implement her deal, and to extend indefinitely, if her deal were rejected. These were indicative votes  they did not count as laws or as amendments to any laws.

Moreover, the EUs and Parliaments expectations of the schedule do not match. On 14 March, Parliament indicated an extension to 30 June if her Withdrawal Agreement were approved, or indefinitely if not approved (whose advocates indicated privately that their intent was for two years).

On 21 March, the European Council granted an extension until 22 May if her WA were approved, or until 12 April if her WA were rejected. The EU chose the latter date to punish Britain with the costs of lodging participation in European elections.

Thus, we have at least four reasons for May to seek ratification of her agreement of 21 March:

The EUs schedule does not match what Parliament indicated; The EUs schedule no longer matches the EU Withdrawal Acts; The EU Withdrawal Act ratifies a Brexit day that she triggered, but which she now wants to change; At least one form of extension would involve unplanned participation in European elections.

Alas, May has not motioned any ratification. Moreover, she has made no arrangements to consult Parliament, or even to consult her Cabinet. (This is now a habit: she did not consult when she wrote to the EU the previous week to request extension.)

On Friday, the morning after her agreement with the EU Council, Theresa May instructed Britains representative in Brussels to write formally with the nations agreement to the extension. Meanwhile, she wrote to Members of Parliament that the Council agreed that if the House approves the Withdrawal Agreement next week then the date of our departure will be extended to 22 May or 12 April if the House doesnt approve her WA. She made no mention of the EU Withdrawal Act.

She offered MPs four options:

Leave with no deal on 12 April; Leave on 22 May with her WA approved; Request by 12 April another extension (of undefined period, but certainly beyond participation in EU elections at the end of May); Revoke Article 50 (Britain would never leave).

May gives no hint that the law must change to validate any of these options. This is my legal opinion, and I am glad to see that Martin Howe QC agrees.

Of course, plenty of Remainers can be found to say that international agreement trumps national law, and thence that May has no need to consult Parliament on what she has agreed with the EU Council. I disagree, but, hypothetically, even if they were correct, I would still expect May to seek Parliaments approval, in order to reconcile executive and legislature on the next step in a bitter journey towards the greatest change in Britains constitution since at least 1975.

Her clear intent in her letter is to motion her proposed Withdrawal Agreement a third time  presumably today, Monday. I regard this too as unconstitutional. As John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, ruled on Monday the week before, she should not keep re-presenting unchanged motions. She surely plans to pretend that her proposal has changed because the EU agreed to extend Article 50, but her Withdrawal Agreement has not changed. It should not be re-presented. She needs to motion a new option for the British-EU relationship after Brexit, or let Britain leave on 29 March without a deal.

This gets me back to Brexit day. Whether or not she gets her Withdrawal Agreement approved, she clearly assumes that Article 50 has been extended, but an international agreement without amending domestic law would misalign Brexit day and exit day, both of which are legislated for midnight 29 March.

Exit day is a typically misleading term that Parliament passed in the EU Withdrawal Act. It is the day on which the Act would: repeal the law that took Britain into the EUs predecessor (the European Communities Act 1972), carry forward some components of that act, retain some laws enacted by the EU since, allow for two years in which to correct those retained laws, and end the jurisdiction of EU courts. Amendments passed in 2019 have used exit day to schedule other legal changes, including trade agreements, tariffs, business competition, business enterprise, and energy products.

If Parliament were to fail to amend exit day, all those lawful changes would occur at midnight on 29 March. Even if we were to accept, hypothetically, that Mays say-so is sufficient to extend Brexit day without amending the Act, exit day would be in breach of the extended period of Britains membership of the EU.

The EU Withdrawal Act provided for both Brexit day and exit day on 29 March, just to conform with Article 50, whose timing is an artefact of Mays personal actions as premier (the timing has no other justification  she wasted the first eight months of her premiership procrastinating).

Unless Parliament repeals or amends the Act, both Brexit day and exit day will occur on 29 March. Even if we were to accept the Remainer opinion that Brexit day has been extended by international agreement alone, Brexit day would jump out of alignment from exit day.

Of course, Parliament could choose to repeal or amend the Act  it takes just a Statutory Instrument. However, legislation takes time, and Parliament has only five working days before Brexit. Normally, Statutory Instruments are debated in committees, Commons, and Lords over weeks to years. They could be expedited over days, and May has proved that she can bounce the Commons into voting on Brexit motions without due consideration. Nevertheless, any such ambition can be delayed by maladministration, the unpredictable Speaker, and filibusters.

That is why May is acting as if no Statutory Instrument is necessary: she is hoping that her non-constitutionality wont be noticed by the public or even Parliamentarians, who are surprisingly ignorant of the British constitution and international relations, as we have seen over nearly three sorry years of procrastination, indecision, misleads, and U-turns.

May might insist that urgency trumps legislation; the Remainer-dominated Parliament might act executively for itself; the EU has normalised the enforcement of only convenient interpretations.

However, the Remainers extra-constitutionality serves Brexiteers too. If Remainers dont need to follow the law for Brexit on 29 March, then Brexiteers can repudiate Mays stupid and unratified agreements with the EU.

The EU could sue Britain in the EUs own court for a breach of international agreement, but that would just confirm the case for Britain to regain its national sovereignty  and the best way to do that is to confirm the EU Withdrawal Acts repeal of EU jurisdiction.
Lord Bew of Donegore is a crossbench peer, a former Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, and is Professor of Irish Politics at Queens University, Belfast.

Does the long tedious and unhappy story of the Irish backstop have one last twist? Last week, the terms of the debate began to change. Frightened by the prospect of a no-deal Brexit, Angela Merkel instructed Michel Barnier to consider a fall back plan to uphold the Good Friday Agreement.

Merkel has some form on this. In January, she held a lengthy phone conversation with Leo Varadkar in which she stressed her concerns on the Irish protocol. But this time she has clearly gone a step further. On Saturday, the Irish Times reported that the European Commission and the Republic of Ireland had begun discussions in this new context. The Irish government has reacted with visible nervousness and a determination to downplay such news.

Poor old backstop! It was initially hailed by both the UK and EU governments as the only way to save the Good Friday Agreement and a soft border in Ireland. It has now decidedly lost that status.

The shift began with the British Government. In January, David Lidington was still prepared to insist that the back-stop and the Good Friday Agreement were locked together in a harmonious fit. In February, Karen Bradley was still prepared to say the same thing. However, in the face of a mounting tide of empirical evidence that this was not the case, the Governments position began to shift in March.

It now said that it might be necessary to disapply the provisions of the backstop in order to protect the prior agreement  namely the Good Friday Agreement. Indeed, it argued that such a conflict might create the context in which the UK might exit the back-stop altogether on the basis of an appeal to international law.

But it really is something when a significant part of the EU leadership joins the list of backstop agnostics. For 18 months or more, the EU and the Irish government have insisted that the backstop alone could preserve the Good Friday Agreement. This was the only true religion.

Now we discover that there may indeed be another possibility worthy of discussion. Of course, this exploration was inspired by the fear of a no-deal exit  one which may well recede. However, once aired and publicised in this way, the new thinking cannot simply be put back in the box.

The Government has an immediate responsibility to offer its help in this matter. After all, the current Republic of Ireland-EU discussions cannot produce solutions without UK cooperation. At the moment, these discussions are, to use the Chinese phrase, like the sound of one hand clapping. The UK could contribute a lot to such discussions. The Governments early and revealing refusal to contemplate taking the advice of very senior European customs officials has come to an end. The war against experts is, in that sense, over. We can share their advice  which insists that a frictionless border can be created within two years.

There will still, of course, be smuggling illegality, and therefore a threat to the Single Market  and talk about intelligence-led policing along the border in line with our own and the Irish governments strong support for United Nations Security Council resolution 1371. This would also be in line with Sajid Javids new Security Bill. It should be possible to involve in those Northern Irish officials with knowledge of the facts on the ground who were engaged in dialogue with Dublin in the early months of Brexit before it was decided that these matters could only be dealt with at the Brussels level.

It may be time to look again at the mapping exercise which underlined the backstop. At its conclusion and in the protocol itself, it was claimed that the EU context was significant for North/South cooperation. There is likely to be truth in this. But precisely how significant? It is obvious that large areas of North/South cooperation under the 1998 agreement  in health, education and agriculture, for example, have no particular EU context. Indeed, the provisions of the backstop steal away from the working functions of the Good Friday Agreement on animal and food safety, and place them under the aegis of a new back-stop bureaucracy.

Most important of all in the short term is the effect of Merkels instruction to Barnier about the UK parliament. The possibility of passing a third Meaningful Vote has been receding for several days. At first sight, it has to be reduced by this new twist in the tale.

Is there really possible to ask Parliament to contort itself  to tear its heart out, some might say  to pass a Withdrawal Agreement based on back-stop provisions which a significant part of the EU leadership regards as conceivably unnecessary? It might be that one way out is to add a two year time limit to the backstop and seek the EUs agreement. Stability of trade in Europe would be guaranteed for almost four years, and tens of thousands of jobs all over the continent would be saved at a stroke.

Another beneficiary, ironically, would be Varadkar. The rural bourgeoisie which is the life blood of his party has always been alarmed by talk of breaking with the British market for Irish agriculture. Traditionally, this has been the rhetoric of Fine Gaels opponents, but now that party is led by a leader who sometimes gives the impression of regarding the agricultural section in a rather distant way. Varadkars poll numbers are not impressive recently particularly among farmers, who are perhaps less concerned about the border and the Good Friday Agreement than he is. The polls say that 43 per cent of the Irish people want a compromise with Britain. If he were to be a party to such a compromise his numbers would likely go up not down.
Six years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories.

Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts.

Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters.

To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented.

         

Homes England  Board Member

We are the Governments housing accelerator with a mandate to use our land, money, powers and influence to increase the pace, scale and quality of new homes being built in areas of the greatest demand, creating great places to live across the country. We have an ambitious growth programme in place. Over the next few years, we will invest more than 27bn to help meet the Governments ambition to deliver 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s. We also operate as a mortgage lender through the delivery of our Help to Buy product. We are working to build a different kind of public service. We must be bold, creative and think big to make a true difference to one of the most defining issues of our time. We now seek to appoint four commercial leaders to join our dynamic and ambitious Board at a critical time of our evolution.

Time: ~24 hours per month.

Remuneration: 25,000 per annum.

Closes: 26 March

         

Crown Prosecution Service  Community Accountability Forum Co-Chair



The Community Accountability Forum (CAF) is one of the CPS utilises to engage with external stakeholders from the voluntary community sector, academia and across government. This ensures that equality, fairness and inclusion are at the heart of what we deliver and that we continue to work to build confidence and understanding of the work of the CPS among all our communities. This is an exciting opportunity to Co-Chair the CAF with our Chief Executive and help shape and drive the inclusion and community engagement agenda at the Crown Prosecution Service.

Time: 5-10 meetings per annum.

Remuneration: 250 per meeting.

Closes: 28 March

         

Parole Board  Non-Executive Director



Non-Executive Committee Members have corporate responsibility to ensure the Parole Board complies with any statutory or administrative requirements for the use of public funds and ensure high standards of corporate governance are observed at all times. In the role they: prepare for, attend and contribute to Management Committee meetings; support the Parole Board in the provision of clear, strong and visible leadership; support the Parole Board to fulfil its statutory functions effectively whilst maintaining its independence and its status as a court-like body; support the Management Committee in ensuring that it takes appropriate account of guidance provided by the Minister responsible or sponsor department

Time: 12-15 days per annum.

Remuneration: 300 per diem plus travel and subsistence expenses.

Closes: 01 April

         

Sport England  Trustees

We are keen to recruit new people to strengthen and broaden the skills of the Board to drive Sport England forward. As a member of the Board you will share responsibility for the overall direction, vision and strategy of Sport England. We are looking for candidates who can bring innovative ideas, enthusiasm for our values, and excellent judgment to help deliver our objectives. You will be prepared to assist our organisation in taking on any future challenges and play a key role in our success. The successful candidates will have held a position of responsibility in either the public, voluntary or private sectors and will have ability, at a senior level, in one or more of the following areas

Time: At least seven meetings per annum.

Remuneration: 218 per diem plus reasonable expenses.

Closes: 10 April

         

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs  Members

Do you want to play a leading role in advising the Government on a range of issues relating to drug misuse? The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is one of the most important expert advisory non-departmental public bodies in Government. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 the ACMD has a statutory duty to keep drug misuse in the United Kingdom under review, and to advise the Government on measures for preventing misuse and the resulting health and social problems. The ACMD is also a statutory consultee under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. As a member of the ACMD, you will contribute towards the development and delivery of independent and expert advice to Government.

Time: 10-15 days per annum.

Remuneration: Travel expenses.

Closes: 16 April

         

Department for Transport  General Aviation Champion

Ensuring the department is able to effectively take into account the specific needs of the GA sector by: collating and distilling for the Minister the views of the private and commercial General Aviation sectors (the GA sector) on the impacts of policies of relevance to them, indicating how much support various propositions have across the sector and where that support is located; undertaking visits and holding meetings with GA stakeholders wishing to make a case to the government for policy change or stability and to summarise for the Minister the features and findings of these events; assisting the GA sector in prioritising its concerns, setting them out in detail and with rigour and putting them into a wider context of government policy; [and] working with the GA sector to help it to present its position to a range of relevant government departments and to capitalise on interactions with and feedback offered by those departments.

Time: Two days per month.

Remuneration: 350 per diem.

Closes: 19 April

         

Financial Reporting Council  Chair/Deputy Chair

The mission of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is to promote transparency and integrity in business. These are cornerstones to generating public trust and confidence in UK business and help attract investment in successful companies that provide jobs, create prosperity and generate economic growth. The FRC sets the UK Corporate Governance & Stewardship Codes which aim to make investors more accountable to their clients and beneficiaries. The FRC also sets standards for accounting, auditing and actuarial work. As the UKs independent regulator and Competent Authority for Audit it monitors, and takes action where necessary, to promote the quality of corporate reporting and audit. It also operates independent enforcement arrangements for accountants and actuaries..

Time: 3 days per week.

Remuneration: 150,000 per annum

Closes: 22 April

         

Ministry of Defence  Defence Board Member (NED)

The Secretary of State for Defence is seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Board Member to join the Board of the Ministry of Defence. The successful candidate will work with the rest of the Defence Board to support Ministers in setting the strategic direction of the Department, whilst also supporting and challenging the senior management team on the delivery of policy objectives. Non-Executive Board Members are expected to provide independent scrutiny for the department, support good governance and advise on policy matters and cross-government initiatives.

Time: 15-20 days per annum.

Remuneration: 15,000 per annum

Closes: 26 April

         

Defence Equipment & Support  Chair

DE&S is an arms length body of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). We are at the leading edge of defence procurement operating across sectors, with a civilian and military workforce of around 11,400 in the UK and abroad. We manage a vast range of complex projects to buy and support the equipment and services that the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force need to operate effectively. We deliver major commercial projects for Government; negotiating deals with FTSE 100 companies and equivalents, and spent 13.5 billion last financial year for our armed forces customers. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the board of an organisation which plays a critical role in maintaining national security, whilst delivering some of the most complex projects and programmes in the world in a fast paced and challenging environment.

Time: 2-3 days per week.

Remuneration: 150,000 per annum

Closes: 29 April
Sir Oliver Letwin ended his speech with a story about an earlier occasion when Britain appeared to be heading for a cliff edge. The Governor of the Bank of England warned that in his view the lenders were about to go on strike and we would have a meltdown.

That was just after the general election of 2010, in which no party gained a majority. Letwin later discovered that the cleverest people in the civil service had examined whether, if this happened, it would be possible to form a coalition government, and had concluded it would be absolutely impossible  it could not be done.

Yet the politicians held talks, and within five days there was a coalition government. What brilliant administrators regarded as a logical impossibility was actually quite straightforward for politicians who accepted the need for compromise.

And he thinks that although the Government should have set out two years ago to discover what form of Brexit could command a majority in the Commons, it is not too late to do so in the next few days, for politicians understand how to accommodate the essential arguments of the other side.

Letwin insisted, as he spoke for his amendment, that he is not proposing some kind of massive constitutional revolution. He pointed out that the standing order under which the Government determines Commons business only dates from 1906, so is not part of our ancient constitution, and is in any case not applied on Fridays, when Private Members Bills are debated.

So Letwin is not, as he put it, a revolutionary. He is actually something much more alarming: an optimist. He believes that with good will and energy, the Brexit problem is soluble.

And he will go on voting for Theresa Mays deal, whether it comes back three times, four times or to infinity, because I think its OK.

David Lidington, on the front bench, who had opened for the Government, gave a broad smile. Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, nodded emphatically. Neither of them looked as if they regarded Letwin as a dangerous revolutionary. They reckoned they could do business with him.

Kenneth Clarke intervened to warn of the danger that in the indicative votes proposed under the Letwin amendment we wont produce a majority for anything, and said the single transferable vote is the best way of steering people to one conclusion.

Letwin reckoned it was important to vote on all the different options which command the support of a substantial body of MPs at the same time, in order to eliminate attempts to game the system.

While Letwin spoke, a spirit of perfect harmony reigned across the Chamber, with Yvette Cooper, Helen Goodman and other Labour members intervening to make constructive points.

And the same spirit of harmony prevailed earlier, at least for most of the time, as Lidington made his opening speech. Only Sir William Cash, and on the Labour benches Kate Hoey, grew exercised about the lawful authority, as Cash put it, for the statutory instrument which will change the date on which the country leaves the EU, in order to bring British law into line with European law.

The Speaker, John Bercow, ruled that EU law trumps UK national law, a point of which everyone is aware, though he refused to rule off the top of his head on more arcane matters.

But here, one felt, was a glimpse of what the whole argument is actually about. Why should EU law trump UK law? And when will this stop being the case?
Imagine for a moment that Theresa May had a lifelong record of support for neo-nazi extremists  terrorists, even. That she had attended a wreath-laying ceremony in America in honour of say, Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma bomber, in the manner of Jeremy Corbyn turning up at one that commemorated the Black September murderers of Israeli athletes from their Olympic team in 1972.

Andrew Murray is a far-left adviser to Corbyns office who has been accused of interfering with anti-semitism complaints. Now go on to suppose that the Prime Ministers office was embroiled in a row about whether it had or hadnt interfered with allegations about anti-Muslim prejudice and hatred among party members  that Sheridan Westlake, for example, or Keelan Carr had been dragged into the row.

Or imagine again that Philip Hammond had praised Combat 18 in his earlier years, and once said that he would like to go back to the 1980s and assassinate Michael Foot. Like Corbyn, John McDonnell, the Chancellors opposite number, has a long history of praise for terrorists  though, being smarter and savvier, he has put more distance between his past and present self.

These invented parallels are very rough. But they do help to explain why claims of anti-Muslim prejudice and hatred among Conservative Party members havent surged on to the nations TV screens and into most of the papers. Nor have they gained the social media projection that anti-semitism within the Labour Party has done.

To date, they have been largely confined to the usual suspects  the Guardian, the Independent. Sayeeda Warsi cannot get the lift-off for her campaign that she is striving for. The reason for this is that a journalistic consensus has emerged about the Conservatives and anti-Muslim prejudice, which is that it isnt happening on the same scale as anti-semitism within Labour.

For that reason, Downing Street and CCHQs instinct will be to tough out the stories about right-wing people and anti-Muslim hatred which now drip reguarly into the left-of-centre media. Some of them are Conservative activists. Some dont seem to be. Some of the former have their party membership removed, some dont, some are expelled and then readmitted.

There is a steady trickle of claims rather than a flood. Number Ten is preoccupied by Brexit and that issue also grips CCHQ. It has to deal with a mass of Associations up in arms about Britains now planned non-depature from the EU this Friday. Plus the local elections. E-mails of complaint about alleged anti-Muslim incidents among Party members went unanswered.

Just as Downing Street didnt have expertise on Northern Ireland in the autumn of 2017, and thus became ensnared in the backstop, so we suspect that Party, broadly, has no sure means of unpicking the tangle of Islam, prejudice, multiculturalism, racism, extremism, integration and Islamism that is the sum of the issues concerned. Which explains why it made a mess of handling the Boris Johnson burka row.

As in CCHQ, so in Parliament. It is significant that the Minister for Countering Extremism, Susan Williams, and the Minister for Faith, Nick Bourne, are peers. There is nothing wrong with either of them. But the upper house is not the cockpit of political action in Britain: that is the Commons. There has been a tendency to shove these tricky briefs away from people that we elect.

There is no shortage of Conservative MPs who work tirelessly to get to know, and to represent, the views of the diverse people and interests in their constituencies. That is not the same thing as taking a big interest in Islam or Islamism. There will be a vague but powerful feeling that the whole business is trouble: shades of the Satanic Verses and the Danish cartoons.

So no wonder that CCHQ is hunkering down, trying to ride out the complaints, and hoping that the whole business will go away. It wont. The drip of complaints is steady  which suggests that the efforts to find the relevant material is well-financed and resourced. There will be more material of the very nasty kind that has already been unearthed.

The issues are more complex than it would suggest. This site has consistently argued that there is a difference between Islam, one of the three great Abrahamic religions, and Islamism  which, at its most benign, leans towards treating people not on the basis of equal citizenship but on that of religious practice; and which, at its worst, shades into extremism and terror.

Furthermore, the two, though different, are linked. There are forms of Islam about which people should be phobic  a statement also true of forms of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and so on. However, it is the first that poses the biggest public policy challenge, given the struggle within Islam itself over its future. Hence 7/7, the murder of Lee Rigby, the Manchester atrocity  and so on.

Some of the campaigners for an inquiry into Tory anti-Muslim prejudice want a lot more than anti-Muslim Conservative members kicked out of the Party. They want in effect to do the kicking themselves  to appoint advisers and consultants to any internal Party enquiry; to discourage the identification of Islamism as a motivating factor in extremism and terrorism; to muzzle media outlets who do so.

Our take is both that an inquiry is needed, to establish just how much anti-Muslim prejudice and hatred there is among Party members, and that CCHQ doesnt have the capacity to handle such a probe. The last of appointing an enquiry with advisers linked to the Muslim Brotherhood or the Jamaat-e-Islami would be worse than the first.

So for what its worth, this site encourages Sara Khan, the Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism, to hold an investigation into racial and religious prejudice among all the main parties, and to make recommendations. We believe that anyone looking at the evidence impartially would swiftly conclude that the Conservative problem is real, fairly small  and a lot less sizeable than Labours.

But we could be wrong. Which is why some independent person or body should have a look. The bulk of Khans work to date seems to be massing evidence about extremism which will be published before the summer. Putting the political parties under the magnifying glass would be a natural extension of it.
80%

Website 387987.info uses latest and advanced technologies like: Php. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 22881 bytes (22.34 kb uncompressed).

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One in six people are aged 1019 years.

Mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people aged 1019 years

Half of all mental health conditions start by 14 years of age but most cases are undetected and untreated.

Globally, depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in 1519 year olds.

Among the many challenges India faces, the most underappreciated is the ongoing mental health crisis. Mental illness is actually Indias ticking bomb. An estimated 56 million Indians suffer from depression, and 38 million from anxiety disorders. For those who suffer from mental illness, life can seem like a terrible prison from which there is no hope of escape; they are left forlorn and abandoned, stigmatized, shunned and misunderstood. The intensity of mental disorders is particularly worrying in the adolescents. Half of all mental illness starts by the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds.The pathetic state of mental health care in the country coupled with governments apathy is a cause of great concern. A plausible reason is the sheer scale of the problem. Hence, nobody wants to discuss the elephant in the room. However, the nation cannot afford to ignore the stark reality. There are only about 43 mental hospitals in the country, and most of them are in disarray.Six states, mainly in the northern and eastern regions with a combined population of 56 million people, do not have a single mental hospital. Most government-run mental hospitals lack essential infrastructure, treatment facilities and have a sickening ambience. Visiting private clinics and sustaining the treatment, which is usually a long, drawn-out affair, is an expensive proposition for most families.The Key factsfacts:The consequences of not addressing adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults. Mental health promotion and prevention are key to helping adolescents thrive.According to a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare report, India faces a treatment gap of 50-70 percent for mental health care. The government data highlights the dismal number of mental healthcare professionals in India; 3,800 psychiatrists and just 898 clinical psychologists. A large number of them are situated in urban areas. WHO reports that there are only three psychiatrists per million people in India, while in other Commonwealth countries, the ratio is 5.6 psychiatrists for the same. By this estimate, India is short of 66,200 psychiatrists.Mental health care accounts for 0.16 percent of the total Union Health Budget, which is less than that of Bangladesh, which spends 0.44 percent. A developed nations expenditure on the same amounts to an average of 4 percent. India must find better ways to parlay its impressive economic growth into faster progress in this critical area as maintaining an ignorant stance on the issue will not help in its resolve.A survey conducted by the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in collaboration with WHO across 11 centres in the country, involving 3,000 people from each city found that 95 percent of those with mental-health problems remain deprived of treatment due to stigma, shame and getting shunned from societies. Three age groups are particularly vulnerable to depression: pregnant or post-partum women, the youth and the elderly.With resources tight an effective method for successfully tackling mental illness is a major expansion of online psychiatric resources such as virtual clinics and web-based psychotherapies. The economic consequences of poor mental health are quite significant. The cognitive symptoms of depression like difficulties in concentrating, making decisions and remembering cause significant impairment in work function and productivity.A World Economic Forum-Harvard School of Public Health study estimated that the cumulative global impact of mental disorders in terms of lost economic output will amount to $16.3 trillion between 2011 and 2030. In India, mental illness is estimated to cost $1.03 trillion (22 percent of the economic output) during 2012-2030. Estimates suggest that by 2025,38.1m years of healthy life will be lost to mental illness in India (23% increase).The fact is that poor mental health is just as bad as or maybe even worse than any kind of physical injury. Left untreated, it can lead to debilitating, life-altering conditions. Medical science has progressed enough to be able to cure, or at least control, nearly all of the mental-health problems with a combination of drugs, therapy and community support. Individuals can lead fulfilling and productive lives while performing day-to-day activities such as going to school, raising a family and pursuing a career.Although mental illness is experienced by a significant portion of the population, it is still seen as a taboo. Depression is so deeply stigmatised that people adopt enforced silence and social isolation. In villages, there are dreadful, recorded cases of patients being locked up in homes during the day, being tied to trees or even being flogged to exorcise evil spirits.Stories of extreme barbarity abound in tribal cultures. In some societies, family honour is so paramount that the notion of seeking psychiatric help more regularly is considered to be anathema to them. Recognition and acknowledgement, rather than denial and ignorance are the need of the hour.Many a time, mental-health problems are either looked down upon or trivialised. These man-made barriers deprive people of their dignity. We need to shift the paradigm of how we view and address mental illness at a systemic level. Tragically, support networks for the mentally ill are woefully inadequate. There is an urgent need for an ambience of empathy, awareness and acceptance of these people so that prejudices dissipate and patients are able to overcome the stigma and shame.Indias Mental Health Care Act is a very progressive legislation, and is the equivalent of a bill of rights for people with mental disorders. Fundamentally, the Act treats mental disorders on the same plane -- as physical health problems thus stripping it of all stigmatizations.Mental health issues get the same priority as physical disorders Conceptually, it transforms the focus of mental health legislations from supposedly protecting society and families by relegating people with mental disorders to second-class citizens, to emphasizing the provision of affordable and quality care, financed by the government, through the primary care systemThere have been some encouraging innovations in India, led by voluntary organisations that are both impactful and replicable. Dr Vikram Patel, who is a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and co-founder of the Goa-based mental health research non-profit Sangath, has been at the forefront of community mental health programmes in central India.It deploys health workers, some with no background in mental health. The mission tasks community-based workers to provide low intensity psychosocial interventions and raise mental health awareness and provide psychological first-aid. Since they are drawn from the same community, they are able to empathise with the patients. The next stage consists of mental health professionals. The programme uses Primary Health Centres for screening people with mental illnesses.According to Patel, mental-health support workers can be trained at a modest cost. Given the limited availability of mental-health professionals, such first-aid approaches can be suitably and successfully adapted to community needs with limited resources. The senior therapists can be given basic training in general medicine, psychology, psychiatry, psychopharmacology, social work and patient management.His model envisages the involvement of primary care based counsellors and community based workers to reduce the burden of depression in the population. There is no longer any doubt about whether community health workers can be trained and supervised to deliver clinically effective psychosocial interventions.The challenge before us now is how to go beyond pilots and research studies and scale these innovations up in routine health care. Involvement of the social, health and education sectors in comprehensive, integrated, evidence-based programmes for the mental health of young people is vital for strneghtening the overall healthcare framework at the grassroots level.Mental healthcare initiatives are presently focused on a narrow biomedical approach that tends to ignore socio-cultural contexts.Community mental-health services can offer a mix of clinical, psychological and social services to people with severe, moderate and mild mental illnesses. Also, counselling can make a profound difference and build resilience to cope with despair.Providing psychoeducation to the patients families can also help. Unfortunately, in recent decades, academic psychologists have largely forsaken psychoanalysis and made themselves over as biologists. There is need for strengthening the cadre of behavioral health therapists.Prevention must begin with people being made aware of the early warning signs and symptoms of mental illness. Parents and teachers can help build life skills of children and adolescents to help them cope with everyday challenges at home and at school. Psychosocial support can be provided in schools and other community settings.Training for health workers to enable them to detect and manage mental health disorders can be put in place, improved or expanded. Such programmes should also cover peers, parents and teachers so that they know how to support their friends, children and students overcome mental stress and neurotic problems. There is a need for more open discussion and dialogue on this subject with the general public, and not just experts .this can help create a more inclusive environment for people with mental illness.Lewis Carroll very succinctly summed up the plight of todays human beings in the conversation between the Queen and Alice in her classic "Alice in Wonderland". Heres the paraphrase: Alice tells the queen that one has to run at the top of ones speed to excel in a competitive race. The queen disagrees and we see the essence of competitive existence when she tells Alice that in her country one has to do all the running at the top most speed to retain ones position. But if you want to get somewhere you have to run twice as fast. This is the paradox. Everyone wants to go somewhere. But they dont know where. This is the reason for the growing incidence of depression in society.With simple yet effective steps, we can turn the situation around and build a more accommodating environment for those struggling with mental distress.---
Since its opening (and simultaneously closing) weekend, the tiny school play has gotten a lot of buzz on social media, with many celebs coming out of the woodwork demanding a chance to see Teen Alien with their own eyes. Of course, since the Alien franchise is now under the ownership of the Mouse, thanks to the recent Disney/Fox merger, we're more likely to see an actual Xenomorph than the full play on YouTube.

North Bergen High School "Make one dollar in profits off this, we dare you" -- Disney

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So what's next for the drama club? Aside from just coming in next week and writing "Alien$" on his chalkboard, Cuervo has a few ideas. He and the club are also not opposed to performing an encore of the production, with the caveat that "it would definitely need to be a bigger venue." And if that quote's not also a soft tease for a 2020 North Bergen High adaption of Jaws, we'll be sorely disappointed.
By Tony Monfiletto, the executive director of Future Focused Education

Educators and policymakers spend a lot of time asking, How can we better serve our students? We hold convenings, we compile data, we collect surveys and evaluations. But how often do we ask the real experts: the students themselves?

Based on our current education system, its clear we havent been listening deeply enough. Thats why Future Focused Education and the Assessment for Learning Project created a touring student-voice exhibit. The If You Ask Me... gallery is an interactive, augmented reality experience that brings student interviews to life through any smartphone. It is the culmination of a 1,000-mile road trip, visiting eight districts across New Mexico and interviewing over 45 students. We asked students directly: How do you learn best? and What would you change if you were in charge?

If You Ask Lily from Future Focused Education on Vimeo.

What Did They Say?

The student interviews surprised and delighted us. We heard from 3rd grader Ben Malden, who said, School would be more fun if we played more math games and 12th grader Lily Camunez, who said, When all the students are really engaged, its a room full of energy that wants to learn.

Their responses troubled us, too. Twelfth grader Jacob Gutierrez said, We learn for tests now instead of learning for knowledge. Eighth grader Akeyleah Riddle said, In my 6th grade math class, my teacher had us do worksheets all day. I didnt want to go to that class ever.

These students came from all over the state, from the most rural counties to urban centers, from charter and traditional schools alike. But the unifying thread was easy to find. Their voices were resounding and clear: standardized testing is stifling.

Sometimes I get really nervous even if I have studied my heart out the night before [the test], said 10th grader Rocio Castaneda Garcia. I feel like my self-esteem goes down.

Glenna Voigt, a W.K. Kellogg fellow and New Mexico public education commissioner, conducted the interviews. Students spoke keenly to the schoolwide anxieties triggered by standardized testing, she said . I was moved to hear how much they yearn for creativity in the classroom.

If You Ask Ben from Future Focused Education on Vimeo.

Why Now?

As New Mexico begins amending ESSA, revamping school grading , and increasing teacher salaries , were making strides to change a very broken education system. But in order for change to truly take hold, we have to keep the needs of students at the center.

Thats why we created the If You Ask Me... exhibitto bring the students voices into spaces like the New Mexico state Capitol and the states public education department. As we travel with the gallery to convenings of superintendents, principals, and legislators, we see that focusing on student voice noticeably changes the conversation.

Dr. Veronica Garcia, the superintendent of the Santa Fe public schools, told us, When we see this exhibit, were reminded how it felt to be students ourselves and of moments when we saw our students struggle. It really keeps us focused on what our students want and need.

If You Ask Akeyleah from Future Focused Education on Vimeo.

What Do They Want?

As educators and policymakers, many of us have spent a long time inside the system. Our vision can get clouded by standard practice and tradition. Asking the students directly brings us back to ground level. Their ideas are fresh, inventive, and earnest.

They asked for more collaboration, hands-on projects, research, and presentations. Students described what it takes to get them thinking on their feet, learning deeper, and retaining knowledge. They spoke of feeling a new level of self-confidence from giving a presentation that they wouldnt have experienced from simply taking a standardized test.

I was struck by the thoughtfulness of their answers and the adamance in their voices, said Voigt. They all spoke of a future for education that would be inclusive of student learning differences, not something forced upon them where they needed to fit or fail.

Whats Next?

Over the last decades, weve been missing out on these voicesvoices with worthy opinions, ideas, and solutions. Thousands of students have been overlooked, thought of more as problems to be solved rather than assets to be nurtured. Our work at Future Focused is to remodel education so schools respond to and cultivate 21st-century students.

As we forge ahead toward a more innovative, equitable, and personalized education system, we must continue to question who are the students were serving and what really matters to them.

How do we find out? We ask.

Photo courtesy of Future Focused Education: The collection of interviews from students across New Mexico comes alive in augmented reality at the If You Ask Me... Gallery Tour stop at the New Mexico state Capitol.
The Bible commands believers to rejoice in all circumstances.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thess. 5:16-18, ESV).

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds (James 1:2).

Its clear that Christians should not allow the pains of life to steal our joy in God. We should embrace the brokenness in the world with a hopeful confidence. Thats true and biblical. But do you know how to get there?

I find that most Christians strongly believe that a joyful response should characterize their suffering. But they dont know how to reconcile their deep questions, honest struggles, and nagging doubts with the command to give thanks in all circumstances. The gap between their internal struggles and what they believe can feel like the Grand Canyon of a faith crisis.

The result is often two extremes. On the one hand Ive seen people fake their way through pain. They tell people, Im fine, when nothing could be further from the truth. On the other hand, the enemy can use this struggle to cause them to doubt either the substance of their faith or even the legitimacy of Christianity. Somethings missing.



The Language of Lament

Like a few pieces missing in a puzzle, adding the language of lament completes the picture. This historic minor key language creates a pathway to praise. It bridges the gap between a hard life and trusting in Gods sovereignty. Lament is a divinely-given liturgy for processing our pain so that we can rejoice.

Lament is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. It is not only how Christians grieve; its the way Christians praise God through their sorrows. Lament is a pathway to praise when life gets hard.

The Psalms are full of laments. Over a third of the official song-book of Gods people uses this minor-key language to wrestle honestly with the complicated contours of pain. The journey, however, does more than struggle. Laments use the honest rehearsing of grief in order to deepen our confidence in Gods grace.

Most laments include four key elements. They are not always in a linear order since laments are poetic and musical expressions. But there is a pattern that can not only be observed, but can also be practiced when rejoicing always feels far away. The elements of lament are 1) turning to God in prayer, 2) bringing our complaints, 3) asking boldly, and 4) choosing to trust (or praise).

The Psalms, however, are not the only place where lament is sung. Throughout the history of Gods people, theyve used this historic prayer language when dark clouds rolled in. The entire book of Lamentations mourns over the destruction of Jerusalem. And yet Jeremiah refuses to allow his heart to crumble.

The thought of my suffering and homelessness

is bitter beyond words.

I will never forget this awful time,

as I grieve over my loss.

Yet I still dare to hope

when I remember this:

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease. (Lamentations 3:19-22, NLT)

Lament enters the complicated space of deep disappointment and lingering hurt. And it boldly reaffirms the trustworthiness of God. Its a helpful and life-giving language that transforms our pains into platforms of praise instead of pits of despair.



Learning to Lament

Unfortunately, I dont know many contemporary Christians who know how to lament. Our celebratory singing, while not wrong, doesnt usually lead us through our sorrows. It just drowns out the struggles with invitations to rejoice. But embracing joy without wrestling with tough questions can feel incomplete  even fake.

We need to learn how to lament so that we can truly rejoice. Let me briefly highlight the four elements of lament so that the next time grief enters your world, youll know how to walk the path toward trusting praise.



Turn to God

Unfortunately, pain creates a strong temptation to give God the silent treatment. Confusion, exhaustion and disappointment can cause us to retreat from the one who knows our sorrows. Even worse, the poisonous mist of bitterness or anger can sweep in, creating a fog of unbelief.

Lament talks to God about our pain even if its messy. It takes faith to lament. Silence is easier but unhealthy. Lament draws upon what we believe, and it talks to God as we walk through hardship. Consider the gut-level honesty of Psalm 77.

I cry aloud to God,

aloud to God, and he will hear me.

In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

When I remember God, I moan;

when I meditate, my spirit faints (Psalm 77:1-3, ESV).

Even though comfort feels distant and God seems far away, the Psalmist reaches out to God. Laments invite us to do the same  to keep crying out in prayer through the ups and downs of hardship.



Biblical Complaining

The second step in lament is candidly talking to God about what is wrong. Biblical complaint vocalizes circumstances and feelings that do not seem to fit with Gods character or his purposes. While the Psalmist knows God is in control, there are times when it feels as if hes not. When it seems that Gods purposes arent loving, lament invites us to talk to God about it.

Instead of stuffing our struggles, lament gives us permission to verbalize the tension. Psalm 13 begins this way. The Psalmist wrestles with why God isnt doing more.

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul

and have sorrow in my heart all the day?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? (Psalm 13:1-3, ESV).

Biblical complaining is not venting your sinful anger toward God. Its merely telling God about your struggles. And the more honest we can be, the sooner we are able to move to the next element.



Ask Boldly

Christians lament because the events of life seem to be incompatible with Gods promises. Lament not only acknowledges this tension, but it invites struggling believers to keep calling upon God to act. But lament seeks more than relief; it yearns for God to bring the deliverance that fits with his character. Godly lamenters keep asking even when the answer is delayed.

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;

light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,

lest my enemy say, I have prevailed over him,

lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken (Psalm 13:3-4, ESV).

Lament affirms the applicability of Gods promises by asking again and again for divine help. In so doing, these requests become hopeful reminders of what God can do. Asking boldly serves to strengthen our resolve to not give up. But it also encourages us to embrace the destination of all lament: trusting praise.



Trust God

Renewed confidence in Gods trustworthiness is the destination of all laments. Turning, complaining, and asking lead here. Laments help us through suffering by directing our hearts to make the choice  often daily  to trust in Gods purposes that are hidden behind the pain. In this way, laments are some of the most theologically informed activities of the Christian life.

Laments lead us through our sorrows so that we can trust God and praise him. This is how Psalm 13 concludes. Notice the pivot on the word but and the direct decision to trust, rejoice, and sing.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me (Psalm 13:5-6, ESV).

It is a powerful ending to a blunt and honest Psalm. Every lament is designed to become this kind of pathway to praise. This minor-key song expresses the full range of human emotions so that we draw the right conclusion: hard is hard, but hard is not bad.



Conduit for Praise

Once you learn the language of lament, you can begin to understand what was happening in the past. Ive had many conversations with tear-filled people as lament explained their messy journey. Still others felt relieved because they wondered if they were being sinful because of the complicated emotions they battled. Lament gave them a voice and a process for their pain.

Lament can become a conduit for our praise. We can lead our sorrows, fears, and doubts through this historical prayer form. Our prayer times can mirror the inspired struggles in the Psalms. We can offer our own prayers using the turn, complain, ask, and trust process. There are over forty Psalms that reflect this sorrow-to-praise language. We should take heart that the Bible gives us this quantity of songs to sing.

Knowing you should rejoice without understanding the path can be disheartening  even leading to despair. Laments provide the way for moving through loss to hope. And by learning this language, we receive the grace God provides through this minor-key melody. We can discover a path to praise when lament is the song we sing.

Mark Vroegop (MDiv, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor of College Park Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a conference speaker, a trustee of Cedarville University, and the author of Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament.

Photo credit: GettyImages/m-gucci
More than 15 million Americans had their identity stolen last year. Do you know anyone who has suffered through the victimization, then agonized more as they struggled to reclaim their identity?

Odds are you do! We hope it wasn't you.

Because of this digital epidemic, we conducted an exclusive MoneyTips Google survey in 2018 to see how many people knew identity theft victims, and the results were astonishing. We asked:

Using weighted averages, barely more than 1 in 4 (26.1%) didn't know a single identity theft victim. Nearly 6 in 10 knew between 1 and 5 victims. 6.3% admitted knowing between 6 and 10 victims, while more than 1 in 12 (8.7%) knew 11 victims or more!

Says Professor Steve Weisman, who teaches White Collar Crime at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, "These figures are disturbing, but not surprising. Identity theft is a huge problem with the question being when you will become a victim of identity theft rather than if you will become a victim of identity theft."

"Wow!" exclaims Greg Scott, an IT professional who wants to reform the credit reporting system. "I know two peoples' stories in detail, published on my blog. I know bits and pieces of several others. And I had a small taste of it first-hand.

"I'd love to see a survey of victims and quantify how many hours and how many years it takes to recover. In the identity theft stories I know about, cleaning up the mess is a full-time job that pays $0 and lasts years. Victims find themselves guilty until proven innocent, and the only case I know of where law-enforcement lifted a finger to help was with Sarah Palin back in 2008. People who aren't celebrities are typically on their own and up against an entire underground criminal syndicate."

We also asked more than 900 respondents about their own fears of identity theft:

The most popular answer chosen was "Yes, but what can I do about it?" with 41.4% of the vote. MoneyTips members know there are many ways to combat identity theft. You could freeze your credit, or you could try credit monitoring.

A little more than 1 in 3 (36.6%) answered "Not really," but they should be. By the time they find out their credit information is being used by a thief, it could cost them a lot of time and money to straighten out the situation.

More than 1 in 10 (10.5%) admitted that these identity theft fears kept them up at night. A slightly higher percentage selected, "No idea, what's the dark web?" For those not in the know, the dark web is an intentionally hidden part of the web that is not accessible by standard search engines or browsers that can harbor criminal activity such as the selling of personal financial data... including yours.

Says Professor Weisman, author of Identity Theft Alert, "There are a number of simple steps that people can do to protect themselves from identity theft such as putting a credit freeze on their credit reports at each of the major credit reporting agencies including the little known National Consumer Telecommunications and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), which is used by the major phone service providers before opening phone service contracts." The good news is that a new federal law permits people to freeze and unfreeze their credit at no charge.

Adds Scott, himself a victim of identity theft, "We can do some things both individually and collectively about identity theft. The individual things are well-documented, and all are around vigilance and education. Collectively, we should put pressure on the credit reporting industry to reform. It's insane that anyone who knows my Social Security Number can impersonate me. There are lots of proposals to fix that problem, including mine, and we need to put a group together representing consumers, creditors, and the credit reporting industry with a short timeline to define real credit reporting standards for everyone to adopt. We can build a system that protects consumers against identity theft if we decide we want it badly enough."

The credit reporting system may change, but not today. In the meantime, the more you know about identity theft, the better off you'll be. And the better you'll sleep at night!

Protect your credit  protect your identity  protect yourself with a free MoneyTips trial.

For more of our exclusive data and insights, visit MoneyTips Identity Protection Survey Findings.

Photo iStockphoto.com/tsvibrav
WASHINGTON  Connecticut Democratic lawmakers are pushing for release of the full report of special counsel Robert Mueller.

But they are also looking toward other investigative avenues involving President Donald Trump, mindful that Democrats face potential voter blowback if their probes appear to be purely partisan.

The president is far from out of the woods, said Rep. Jim Himes, a member of two House committees  Financial Services and Intelligence  that will pursue investigations involving Trump.

Even so, Himes said, we also need to make progress for the American people on jobs, retirement and health care.

Mueller last Friday delivered a long-awaited report on his nearly two-year probe of Trump 2016 campaign connections to Russia.

In a four-page summary delivered Sunday to Congress, Attorney General William Barr wrote that Mueller had concluded that Trump and his staff did not conspire with Russia to help Trump beat Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

But on the question of whether Trump obstructed justice to thwart investigators, Barr quotes Mueller as saying: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Barrs interpretation

Barr said he and Rod Rosenstein, who supervised the Mueller probe before Barr won Senate confirmation last month, decided not to pursue an obstruction case, which would have been based primarily on Trump firing then-FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, then telling a television interviewer that he was bothered by this Russia thing.

As a private lawyer, Barr last year wrote a memo in which he argued that the president cannot be charged with obstruction for actions that are within his powers as chief of the executive branch. He called Muellers inquiry fatally misconceived.

Why should we accept an interpretation of the Mueller report by an attorney general who was appointed by the president for his hostility to the investigation? Sen. Chris Murphy said Monday during a roundtable on gun violence at New Britain High School. Maybe Barr is right, maybe hes wrong, but thats up to Congress to decide.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, himself a former Connecticut state attorney general and U.S. attorney, also cast doubt on whether Barr can be trusted to correctly interpret the Mueller report.

Barr is a Trump appointee, he said. What is necessary is for the American people to see the full report with all the underlying facts and evidence  and not just the Barr summary or some other abridged version.

Proposed change

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday called for passage of legislation that would require full release of the Mueller report. Blumenthal introduced such a resolution in January with a Republican co-sponsor, Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. It would require release of any special counsel report to Congress and the public when an investigation is complete, or the counsel resigns or is fired.

Blumenthal on Monday said release of the Mueller report is key.

No intelligent reaction is possible without the Mueller report and the underlying facts and evidence, he said.

Among the issues not addressed so far is why Mueller did not compel the president to answer questions under oath. After negotiations with Trumps lawyers, Mueller agreed to let the White House answer written questions in place of an interview.

Since criminal intent is a part of any obstruction inquiry, direct questioning of Trump would have been a necessary step to determine whether charges were warranted, Blumenthal said.

The American people want transparency, he said, noting that Trump himself on Monday said release of the report wouldnt bother me at all.

During a meeting Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump portrayed himself as victim of a probe he frequently denounced as a witch hunt.

In apparent reference to Democrats, Trump said that those people are to be looked at.

Theyve done so many evil things, he said. It was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing. We can never let this happen to another president again.

Himes said: Its fair to say the president has been cleared on the part about conspiracy with Russians. I always said a Hollywood ending, with suitcases changing hands, was unlikely.

The House Financial Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee will continue to probe different aspects of Trumps financial entanglements and his conduct in office. Among them: The role of Deutsche Bank in financing various Trump projects and whether Trump has benefited financially as president, for instance, through his Washington hotel near the White House used as a virtual watering hole by foreign officials and business executives seeking to cozy up to Trump.

But ultimately, Democrats run the risk of losing public support if they focus too heavily on Trump and not enough on the needs of everyday Americans.

I dont give Democrats and A-plus for the last three months on kitchen-table issues, said Himes, a centrist and former chairman of the center-leaning New Democrat Coalition.

dan@hearstdc.com
HARTFORD  After a few collaborative tweaks, Chief States Attorney Kevin Kane announced Monday his support of a bill that would require his office to annually provide all arrest and sentencing data for public view. The bill would also allow defendants to have legal representation during parole revocation hearings.

Kane told members of the Judiciary Committee during a public hearing that he supports a revised version of the bill that was crafted with input from the Judicial Branch, the Office of Policy and Management, the Chief Public Defenders Office, and the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union.

Its a good bill and it gets us to a good place, Kane said before qualifying that hell need additional resources in the form more technology staff to deal with a Case Management System his office hopes to pilot this summer.

If that helps us get the resources we need, thats a great thing, Kane said of the bill.

The first aspect of SB 880 would require the Division of Criminal Justice to gather all information on arrests and sentencings including the demographics of the defendants, the number of continuances and pre-trial proceedings, information on plea agreements, and the number of trials.

The second would provide legal counsel through the states public defender system to all sentenced defendants who are facing parole revocation.

Had a similar law been in effect two decades ago, Tracie Bernardi said, she would have had a chance to receive a life-altering sentence reduction.

Bernardi, who now works in call support for Community Health Resources in Manchester, served 23 years of a 30-year sentence for felony murder. She was released in 2015.

She was 19 years old when she was involved in a Waterbury gang beating of another woman that turned deadly, she said. Even though she didnt personally kill the woman, she participated, which led to the felony murder charge.

They stack the charges up against you, so they told me I was facing 160 years if I went to trial, she said. Bernardi felt she had no choice but to take a plea agreement for a 30-year prison sentence. She then found out she wasnt allowed a sentence modification, which the prosecutor, Waterbury States Attorney John Connolly, noted in his files that were uncovered after his 2012 death.

Everything was veiled, the 45-year-old prison reform activist said. If there was more transparency and it was known what was going, it might have been different. Right now you cant see how many people are trying to get their sentences modified. Any bill that requires transparency helps.

Bernardi was among the dozens of people who showed up to support the bill from the CT ACLUs Smart Justice campaign. While the ACLU is in favor of the bill, Smart Justice campaign field organizer Gus Marks-Hamilton, who spoke for the group at the hearing, pointed out that more transparency in juvenile matters is needed.

There is a lack of data about how youth are treated in the system and how and why juveniles end up in regular criminal court, Marks-Hamilton told the committee.

The bill, which was suggested by Gov. Ned Lamont, currently does not require the Division of Criminal Justice to include information on juvenile arrests.

The new version of the bill that Kane supports shortened the laundry list of information the Division is required to supply. The original version of the bill included items such as the amount of time people were spending incarcerated during pre-trial proceedings and whether the defendant utilized a professional bondsman.

Kane and the Connecticut Association of Prosecutors also cautioned that while greater transparency is the goal of the bill, in most cases, a cursory review of the data would not tell the whole story of an arrest.

The association, which represents the states 248 prosecutors, opposes the release of plea bargaining information, citing concerns that the public doesnt know what factors play a role in the process including the strength of a case and the impact of the crime on victims.

It is very important to realize that while data is very helpful for some purposes, it can also lead to misleading and erroneous conclusions if it is analyzed out of context or superficially, Kane said in his testimony. Bail recommendations, plea offers, sentence recommendations and indeed, even the decision whether or not to charge are based on many different but important factors such as quality and strength of the evidence, availability of witnesses at the time the case is to be tried, original history of the defendant, and impact of the conduct on a victim. Justice and fairness must be based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case.
HARTFORD  Advocates for making voting easier are pushing for a bill calling for Connecticut to join at least 16 other states in legislatively adopting Automatic Voter Registration.

Automatic Voter Registration was implemented administratively through the Department of Motor Vehicles in 2016 and since then a record number of individuals submitted new voters registrations. However, the agreement with the DMV is limited in its scope because it only captures voters who are also drivers.

The legislation the General Administration and Elections Committee debated Monday would expand registration efforts to allow other state agencies to participate.

Advocates said it would also streamline what historically have been chaotic Election Day cycles in the state, especially during very heavy turnouts which was the case in the 2016 presidential election and the 2018 mid-term elections.

Its a good bill, Common Cause in Connecticut Executive Director Cheri Quickmire said in an interview right before the start of the public hearing.

She said which agencies would be eligible to be part of the registration program is something that would still need to be worked out. But she thought adding state colleges and universities would be likely be a good addition. Working through the college system would be a way to get a lot of our young people engaged, she said.

Quickmire said one benefit of the bill is it might stem the flood of same-day registrations that have plagued the state in certain cities in the recent elections - notably New Haven and Mansfield - where many college students have come to the polls to register to vote on Election Day.

That surge in last minute registrations has caused big lines at some polling places in those communities. In some cases, specifically in New Haven, many voters had to wait hours to vote. Some frustrated by waiting so long, gave up and went home.

Theres no question that Connecticuts elections need to be modernized, and we can achieve that by passing AVR, Quickmire said.  Its a common-sense step thats been implemented in states across the country, one that is a critical to modernizing our government, improving our elections processes, and ensuring up-to-date voter rolls.

But there is bound to be some opposition, right?

In 2016, Republicans were critical of the AVR agreement Merrill struck with the DMV, which was under pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice.

This isnt a partisan issue - its a pragmatic one, Quickmire said. As it expands the right to vote, AVR is an opportunity to reduce data entry for poll workers, so they can focus on running our elections seamlessly. It saves time and money.

There was no testimony on the Connecticut General Assembly website uploaded in opposition to the concept.

Both Quickmire and and another advocate, Connecticut Citizen Action Group Director Tom Swan said they werent sure whether there would be opposition to the bill.

Hopefully not, Swan said. After all voting is traditionally a bipartisan issue.

Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, said he hadnt looked at the bill closely enough, yet to say whether he would be for or against it.

I will say this, Sampson said, however. I do think there is an element of personal responsibility involved when it comes to voting, adding that he wanted to reserve the right to review any language allowing automatic registration before committing himself one way or another on the bill.

Swan said passing AVR is a no-brainer.

He said it would increase voter turnout and save money in the process.

Swan reasoned that if there was less people registering at the polls in the last minute run-up to an election, then there would no longer be the need to bring in additional staff, especially in bigger cities, to handle the number of late registrants.

Swan and Quickmire said another added benefit of the bill is that it would the cash-starved state save a few bucks on elections.

By moving from paper to electronic methods, AVR eliminates the costs of provisional ballots, costly paper transactions, and manual data entry, they said. While there is a small initial startup cost for AVR, long-term savings will be achieved after implementation, both claimed.
BRIDGEPORT  Isiah Coco Thomas appeared confident right up until his victim arrived in Superior Court.

Thomas, 29, had asked for a trial confident that the man he allegedly shot five times last year, 46-year-old Shawn Thompson, wouldnt show up in court to testify against him because Thompson had four outstanding arrest warrants.

But on the first day of trial Thompson, saying he wanted to turn his life around, appeared at the Fairfield County Courthouse.

With a change of heart, Thomas agreed to plead guilty to the charge of first-degree assault, said Senior Assistant States Attorney Joseph Harry.

Our case against him (Thomas) became much better, the prosecutor said on Monday.

Thomas faces eight years in prison when he is sentenced May 10.

On May 9, 2018, Thompson was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital suffering from five gunshot wounds.

Questioned by police in the hospital, they said he told them, Coco shot me, it was Coco.

Thompson told police detectives he had stopped at a store on Orchard Street to buy some looseys (cigarettes) when Thomas jumped into the passenger seat of his car.

He ordered Thompson to drive to Brooks Street and then tried to rob Thompson at gunpoint, police said. They said Thompson managed to get out of the car and run but not before Thomas fired numerous shots at him.

Since the shooting, four warrants were issued for Thompson charging him with third-degree larceny, second-degree forgery, failure to appear in court, violation of probation and violation of a protective order for unrelated crimes.

Thompson was arrested on the warrants.
BRIDGEPORT  The Health Improvement Alliance, formerly the Primary Care Action Group, will sponsor a community forum from 6 to 8 p.m. April 4 in the Center for Cancer Care Hawley Conference Room at St. Vincents Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport.

Part of the groups 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment, the purpose of the forum is to review local health and well-being needs identified in the recent CT DataHaven Wellbeing Survey and Greater Bridgeport community conversations as well as discuss and gather input on Community Health Improvement Plans and implementation strategies identified for 2019 through 2022. In the last community health needs assessment in 2016, spotlighted issues included cardiovascular disease and diabetes, obesity, mental health, substance abuse, and access to care.
The Kansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday asked state officials to investigate after a black man was detained by police while moving into his home, then allegedly harassed for weeks and blocked by the police chief from filing a racial bias complaint with the department.

Karle Robinson, a 61-year-old Marine veteran, was held at gunpoint and handcuffed in August as he was carrying a television out of a rented moving van into the home he had bought a month earlier in Tonganoxie, about 30 miles west of Kansas City.

Id like to see those cops and that chief lose their jobs because this was uncalled for  this is strictly racial profiling, Robinson told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

He added that if he were white we wouldnt even be having this conversation right now.

The ACLU of Kansas said in a news release that it was a case of moving while black and that the organization asked Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to investigate the matter or refer the groups complaint to the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training. The attorney generals office said in an emailed statement that it has reviewed the ACLUs letter and forwarded it to the commission in accordance with Kansas law.

Mr. Robinson believes his detention was motivated by his race rather than a reasonable suspicion that he was committing a burglary, Lauren Bonds, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas, said in the groups release. It also appears that the Chief of Police prevented Mr. Robinson from filing a credible, legitimate complaint and that is not in compliance with reporting and intake standards. He must not interfere with citizens registering complaints.

The incident involving Robinson is one of the latest examples of situations in which law enforcement officers have had encounters or confrontations with African-Americans over their own belongings. In the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, city officials approved a $1.25 million settlement with a black man who sued after police tackled him and arrested him for stealing a car that turned out to be his own.

Tonganoxie Police Chief Greg Lawson said in an emailed statement that the department has fully cooperated with Robinson and the ACLU regarding inquiries into the incident.

We believe that the ACLUs correspondence to the Attorney Generals Office contains multiple accusations that are inaccurate, Lawson said, without elaborating. He added that the department will cooperate with the attorney general or commission if an investigation is deemed warranted.

The chief said the safety of people who live in the town and those visiting it is important to the department, and the officers and other staff have all pledged to serve the community with honor and the highest degree of professionalism.

The town of 5,400 in northeastern Kansas is 97 percent white, census figures show.

In a letter dated Thursday to the attorney generals office, the ACLU said police had also stopped Robinson hours earlier while he was driving to the home and gave him a warning citation. Robinson and the ACLU say it was for not having the rental vans headlights turned on.

According to the letter, Robinson arrived at the home shortly after midnight on Aug. 19 and made numerous trips in and out of the house carrying items from the moving van parked outside. Robinson contends an officer passed his house five or six times over the course of two hours.

Around 2:30 a.m. as he was carrying in his TV, the last item out of the moving van, Robinson was approached by an officer who pulled into the driveway. During the incident, which was captured on police body camera, the officer drew his gun and told Robinson to put down the TV.

I just bought this house, said Robinson, who followed the officers order about the TV.

You just bought this house and youre moving in at 4 in the morning? the officer said.

Robinson told the officer he had paperwork inside the home that would prove he was the owner.

The officer asked Robinson to walk toward the house and put his hands on his head. He then handcuffed Robinson.

Once backup arrived, the officer and a second officer entered the home, brought out the paperwork and took the handcuffs off Robinson. The officers helped Robinson carry the TV in the house after he asked them to.

Police told Robinson there had been a string of burglaries in the area. An officer can be heard on the body camera video apologizing to Robinson and saying, If you look at the situation, I think, I think you get it. The officers thanked Robinson for his cooperation.

Robinson, who is retired and volunteers as a radio DJ at a Kansas City radio station, told the AP on Thursday that he considered it a half-hearted apology.

But I mean, that is not the point. It shouldnt have happened in the first place, he said.

The ACLU contends that public records show no reported burglaries in the area. And for weeks after the incident, according to Robinson, Tonganoxie police frequently patrolled around his block, parked their squad cars directly across the street almost every evening and on one occasion followed him from his home for more than 7 miles (11 kilometers) until he reached the highway. He claimed that Lawson, the police chief, also stopped him in October from filing a racial bias complaint about the Aug. 19 incident and the police presence afterward, which Robinson said amounted to surveillance.

He said the harassment stopped after he complained to The Kansas City Star.

Each of these incidents would be concerning had they been alleged independently, the ACLU said in the letter to the attorney generals office. Together, they suggest a pervasive culture of racial bias and systemic process failure within the Tonganoxie Police Department.
A National Guard camp in East Lyme that for decades has been named for the sitting governor will be renamed in honor of Medal of Honor recipient Col. Robert Nett.

As a lieutenant in the Philippines during World War II. Nett - a New Haven native - spearheaded an attack against a Japanese stronghold despite suffering multiple wounds, leading his company to the capture of a vital strong point, according to his Medal of Honor Citation.

For years, Camp Niantic, a National Guard training site for units from Connecticut and other states, was named for the sitting governor. The camp was known as Camp Meskill, Camp Grasso, Camp O;Neill and yes, Camp Rowland.

In 2010, the General Assembly passed a bill permanently naming it Camp Niantic.

Efforts to name the camp in honor of Nett had previously failed in the General Assembly. In July 2017, some veterans called it a slap in the face to for Connecticuts most decorated war veteran.

Veterans pointed out that another Connecticut-native veteran awarded the Medal of Honor, Lt. Lee Jack Hartell, has a camp named for him in Windsor Locks. Although Camp Hartell has been named as such for over four decades, Public Act No. 18-21, An Act Honoring Connecticut National Guard Medal of Honor Recipients, will make it official for the Guards Windsor Locks-based facility.

Hartell, who lived and enlisted in Danbury, was a soldier in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Aug. 27, 1951.

According to his Medal of Honor Citation, Hartell continued to radio for artillery fire, despite already suffering a wound to his hand and an enemy onslaught closing in on his position. His actions stemmed the enemy attack and enabled friendly forces to fight off the advance and maintain their strategic stronghold.

Then Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Malloy signed the act into law in 2018 with an effective date of March 25, 2019 when Medal of Honor Day is celebrated nationally.

On Monday morning, there will be a rededication of Camp Hartell in Windsor Locks and at 3 p.m,. a renaming ceremony at Camp Nett at Niantic.

Maj. Gen. Fran Evon, the Adjutant General and commanding officer of the Connecticut National Guard, said these men embodied the bravery and patriotism this nations freedom was built upon. From this moment forward, two of our largest facilities will bear the names of true American heroes. It is the least we can do to pay tribute to two of Connecticut's greatest sons.
Monica Dipres

There's a non-scientific statistic that nine out of 10 entrepreneurs had a Lamborghini poster on their bedroom wall as kids. Ever since the Italian supercar manufacturer dropped the iconic Countach in 1974, the brand has been synonymous with raw power, jaw-dropping design and professional success.

Now the company is flipping the script once again with the release of an entirely brand-new vehicle: the Urus. Heralded as the first "super SUV," the 650-horsepower beast maintains all the trappings of a Lamborghini -- but now it can accomodate five passengers, travel offroad and even handle all your luggage. (Try squeezing more than a wallet into a Countach.)
TORRINGTON  Owen Quinn, executive director of the United Way of Northwest Connecticut, and his team of tax assistance volunteers, are offering their services through April 11.

This change is only possible because of the expanded number of volunteers we were able to recruit this year. And because of those volunteers, we were able to have close to a dozen of them become certified at the advanced level, giving them advance certification to become quality reviewers, said Quinn. The new system means an initial tax return once completed by a VITA volunteer is immediately referred to a quality review that reviews the return for accuracy and completeness and is then filed with the IRS before the customer leave the VITA site. 
Welcome to episode 10 of The CUInsight Experience podcast. Hosted by Randy Smith, co-founder and publisher of CUInsight.com. A few weeks ago, I was registering for this years CO-OP THINK conference (see below for a special discount code for listeners of the podcast), and was chatting about how amazing the event is and what a treat it would be to have a conversation with Samantha Paxson about her audacity to create this event over a decade ago. I immediately invited her onto the show, she accepted, and here we are!

Sam is the Chief Experience Officer for CO-OP Financial Services and the founder of CO-OP Think. For the first ten years of her career, she worked in strategic and marketing consulting for sport, luxury, automotive, and hotel brands. These brands, she explains, were all about innovation and standing out. When she came to the credit union industry, she noticed how conservative and cautious it was in comparison. Sam wondered where leaders in the industry got new ideas and inspiration, and she started CO-OP Think to fill that need.

If youre not familiar with the conference, you might be amazed with the history of incredible guests, from Cory Booker to Gary Vaynerchuk to Michael Phelps. She looks for people who have had the audacity to have a crazy idea, go against the status quo, and make a huge difference. In our conversation today, shell chat today about how these guests expertise and experiences apply to the world of credit unions.

Well also talk about the changes that Sam has seen in credit unions, as well as what she expects to see in the relatively near future. Shell also talk about what she says so often that her team can finish her sentence, the greatest strength on her team, the evolution of her leadership style, and one of the most powerful life lessons she has learned. Dont miss this episode that I hope will inspire you, too, to have the audacity to think big!

Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher

How to find Sam:

Samantha Paxson

Chief Experience Officer of CO-OP Financial Services

samantha.smythpaxson@co-opfs.org

www.co-opfs.org

Twitter | Linkedin

Show notes from this episode:

This is pretty cool: As a special thank you for listening to this podcast, CO-OP is pleased to offer 25% off of the registration rate for THINK 19. Join hundreds of credit unions in beautiful Miami Beach, Florida May 6-9 for the premier thought leadership event of our industry. Register here (use promo code: GRAND19).

Past CO-OP Think headliners mentioned on the podcast: Cory Booker, Randi Zuckerberg, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps

The Forbes article of Sams that Simon Sinek shared with his followers (read it!): Human Up: Why Human Leadership Skills Are Critical In A Digital Age by Samantha Paxson

Favorite album of all time: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac

Book mentioned: Why Good Girls Dont Get Ahead But Gutsy Girls Do by Kate White

Shout-out to previous guests mentioned: Jill and Chuck. You can find all past episodes here.

In This Episode:

[00:03]  Randy welcomes listeners to the episode and introduces todays guest, Samantha Paxson.

[01:19]  We hear about some of the topics that Randy and Sam will chat about in todays episode.

[03:05]  What motivated Sam to imagine and start a completely different, new conference?

[05:10]  Randy draws out and elaborates on a couple of the points that Sam has been talking about, specifically where she gets her insight.

[06:30]  Sam talks more about where she came up with the audacity to bring in the amazing guests shes had at the conference, and whether there was instant buy-in to her idea.

[09:20]  Is there a person who Sam still cant believe that she got to come speak?

[12:55]  Sam has a whole list of people she would like to have at the conference in the future, she explains, and lists a few.

[15:07]  Has there been a big change over the last 12 years of the conference? What can people look forward to this year?

[19:28]  Sam chats about what she feels proud of after the THINK conference, and what she feels like she could have done better.

[21:38]  Are there long-held beliefs about credit unions that Sam thinks will change in the next year or so?

[24:30]  We learn about what it was about credit unions that inspired Sam to build a career at CO-OP.

[26:16]  We hear about the biggest change in credit unions that Sam has seen over the past 14 years.

[30:42]  Sam shares her thoughts on whether human integration has changed in the past decade because of technology.

[32:53]  Does Sam think that her leadership style has grown in her over time, or was it always there and constant?

[34:20]  Sam talks about the greatest strengths in her co-op team as a whole.

[36:21]  Is there something that Sam has said to her team so many times that they can finish her sentence?

[37:56]  We learn about some things that Sam isnt good at.

[39:18]  Sam shares a powerful life lesson that she finds herself referring back to over and over again.

[41:07]  What does Sam do to break through the frustrating times when she runs into a wall?

[42:49]  We learn about what Sam does to recharge, and what work/life balance looks like for her.

[43:55]  We move onto the rapid-fire questions, starting with whether Sam has any daily routines without which her day feels off.

[45:04]  When was the first time that Sam got into (memorable) trouble?

[45:44]  Whats the best album of all time?

[46:21]  Is there a book that Sam has given away or recommended a lot over the course of her life?

[47:59]  As Sam has gotten older, what has become more important to her? Has anything gotten less important?

[49:05]  When Sam hears the word success, who is the first person who comes to mind?

[50:35]  Does Sam have any asks of listeners, or any final thoughts?

[51:22]  Whats the best way for listeners to get in touch with Sam with any additional questions?
Scientologists carry out 70 Dublin clean-ups, getting mixed response

City council report praises groups efforts but tactics are questioned by anti-cult organisation

The Irish Tiems/March 23, 2019

By Dan Griffin

The Church of Scientology has carried out more than 70 community clean-ups at various locations around Dublin over the past year in co-ordination with local councils.



Dublin City Councils Central Area Committee revealed recently that a community group called A Way to Happiness contacted it seeking to carry out a clean-up in the Guild Street area of the north inner city, including around Sheriff Street Bridge, on March 2nd. The area is one of the most deprived parts of the capital.



They cut back heavy buddleia and cleared hard-to-reach areas. Their efforts to improve the bridge and its environs have enhanced the area greatly, the council said in a public domain report.



However, the action has been condemned by the anti-cult group, Dialogue Ireland, who warned that public clean-ups are a common tactic used by cult-like organisations to normalise their presence in local communities



Similar tactics were employed in Ireland in the past by the Unification Church, commonly known as The Moonies, said the organisations Mike Garde.



Scientology have been doing this for a while. Theyre trying to build bridges into the community so they can become identified with positivity.

He compared it to Scientologys recent anti-drug campaigns and the efforts of its affiliated association Narconon to set up a controversial drug treatment centre in a Co Meath village.



Clean-ups like this can almost present them in a favourable light amongst county council officials, Mr Garde added.

Science fiction

The Way to Happiness is the title of a 1980 pamphlet by science fiction author and Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, which lists 21 moral commandments. Hubbard founded the church in 1953. The US and Spain are among the countries that recognise it as a religion, while other governments have declared it a cult.



In 2016 the Church of Scientology launched a National Affairs Office on Merrion Square in Dublin. In October 2017 it opened its European base at a large church and community centre in Firhouse, Dublin.



Responding to queries from The Irish Times, Dublin City Council said its Central Area Office was first contacted in 2017 by A Way to Happiness. They informed us that they were Scientologists and that they were interested in carrying out a clean-up of the areas around the lifting bridge over the Royal Canal on Sheriff Street Upper.



The usual assistance, as with other groups or community clean ups, was offered to them and hence were supplied with gloves, litter pickers, bags. When the clean-up was completed. Dublin City Council collected and removed all the bags.

Encourages

Asked whether any other religious groups seek permission to carry out clean-ups, the council said it encourages all community, residential, business and environmental groups to get involved in community clean-ups.



The Church of Scientology said too many people leave the job of cleaning community areas to the council.



The Church of Scientology has always encouraged people, no matter whether they are members or not, to take care of their environment, a spokeswoman said. Our volunteers have done more than 70 clean-ups at different locations around Dublin over the last year in co-ordination with the respective councils.



She added that The Way to Happiness encourages people to safeguard and improve their environment and is used by groups and individuals around the world to bring about moral values in a fun and cool manner.

To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.
CultNews101.com: news, links, resources. Cults101.org: resources about cults, cultic groups, abusive relationships, movements, religions, political organizations and related topics. CultMediation.com: offers resources designed to help thoughtful families and friends understand and respond to the complexity of a loved ones cult involvement. Intervention101.com: to help families and friends understand and effectively respond to the complexity of a loved one's cult involvement. CultRecovery101.com: assists group members and their families make the sometimes difficult transition from coercion to renewed individual choice.
STORY LINK Pound Sterling US Dollar (GBP/USD) Exchange Rate Flat on No-Deal Brexit and US Recession Fears

Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) Exchange Rate Muted as UK Increasingly Likely to Leave EU Without a Deal

US Dollar (USD) Flat on Fears of US Recession

Earlier: Sterling (GBP) Slips as PM Accused of Chickening Out

Pound US Dollar Outlook: Will Rising US House Prices Cause the GBP/USD Exchange Rate Fall?

Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues:

The Pound Sterling US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate was left muted following disappointing US data and the pairing is currently trading at an inter-bank rate of $1.3202.Februarys Chicago Fed National Activity Index slipped further, from an upwardly revised -0.25 to -0.29.This also added to the growing fears of a US recession that likely caused the Greenback to slide against the Pound.Meanwhile, the European Commission has put more pressure on Sterling today, as they warned the UK is increasingly likely to leave the European Union without a deal.Despite this, the Pound continue to claw back losses from earlier this morning with the pairing left muted.Fears of a potential US recession increased over the last few days, however this morning the Pound (GBP) continued to slip against the US Dollar (USD).However, this likely weighed on the US Dollar later during Mondays session, leaving the GBP/USD exchange rate flat.Another part of the US yield curve inverted, and when this happened in the past a recession has always followed.Commenting on this, Martin Farrer of the Guardian said:Adding to the fears of a more widespread global downturn, manufacturing output data from Germany on Friday showed a contraction for the third straight month.In response, US 10-year treasury yields slipped below the three-month rate for the first time since 2007 as nervous investors ploughed their money into the safe haven of bonds rather than riskier assets such as shares.This so-called inversion of the bond yield curve  where long-term rates fall below short-term  has predicted every recession for the past 60 years.This morning, Sterling (GBP) was weighed down by Brexit pessimism as there were calls for Theresa Mays resignation and suggestions that if she set a date it could boost support for her withdrawal agreement.The Prime Minister spent Sunday holding crisis meetings with fellow Conservative MPs as she made further attempts to gain support for her Brexit deal.However, it is unclear how successful these meetings were, as it was only revealed that MPs had discussed whether there was sufficient support to bring her deal forward for a third vote.MP Boris Johnson who attended these crisis meetings said the government had chickened out of delivering Brexit.He added that the Prime Minister needed to set out convincing proofs to show her next phase of negotiations would be different.In the Telegraph, Johnson wrote:It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  let my people go.Later today, Parliament will debate an amendable motion on Brexit proposed by Sir Oliver Letwin, which could cause the Pound (GBP) to rise against the US Dollar (USD).If this amendment is passed, on Wednesday it would provide the House of Commons with time to debate various options on how to proceed, which may provide Sterling with an upswing of support.Looking ahead to Tuesday, Januarys US Housing Price Index is due to be released, which may cause the US Dollar (USD) to rise against the Pound (GBP).If house prices increase by 0.3% as expected in January the Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate could fall.

International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements.

TAGS: Pound Dollar Forecasts
Pine Grill Classic title could springboard Somerset's season

The Pine Grill Roundball Classic is in its 10th edition after a year hiatus because of COVID. A great local tournament opens the HS basketball season.
Dear Editor:

It is amazing how law-enforcement officials so excited about giving illegal, undocumented immigrants municipal ID cards and New York drivers licenses.

It sends a message to illegal immigrants that the United States is not serious about enforcing immigration laws.

So I ask Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa: What is next? Are you going to give them pistol permits?

Richard Cantwell Sr.

Saugerties, N.Y.
(ANSA) - Rome, March 25 - Italian unions in the air-transport sector are conducting a four-hour strike on Monday, calling for a "national contract as a minimum" for companies operating in Italian airports.

Alitalia cancelled 95 flights on Monday, but implemented a plan for same-day rerouting of affected passengers.

Air Italy is on strike for 24 hours.


Since Goves excoriating analysis of Corbyns shortcomings, there has been serious talk among Tory MPs that he should be installed as a caretaker Prime Minister if Theresa May loses the confidence of her Cabinet

After Michael Gove made a barnstorming Commons speech two months ago, utterly destroying Jeremy Corbyns claim that he could be a competent Prime Minister, he received an unexpected congratulatory message.

It was a text from David Cameron who praised the Environment Secretary for the best speech of his parliamentary career.

The message was unexpected because the former Tory prime minister had hardly uttered a civil word to Gove, once a close friend, since he joined the Leave side in the 2016 referendum.

Since Goves excoriating analysis of Corbyns shortcomings, there has been serious talk among Tory MPs that he should be installed as a caretaker Prime Minister if Theresa May loses the confidence of her Cabinet.

And the rumour machine about Gove doing just that has now gone into overdrive with a number of Cabinet ministers making no secret of their wish for him to be installed as a transitional PM.

But hes not the only one. There has also been persistent talk about David Lidington, the Cabinet Office minister and de facto deputy Prime Minister, stepping in.

So who would it be if Theresa May fell? And what would the implications be?

Lidingtons influence behind the scenes cannot be overstated. He chairs ten Cabinet committees including three related to Brexit.

Unlike Gove, Lidington has never expressed any interest in the top job or given any indication that he would run for it not least because he doesnt have any significant supporters  or enemies  among Tory backbenchers.

Hes got no enemies because hes never been seen as a threat, said one influential Tory last night.

Even if he did step in as a transitional PM, Lidington would be unlikely to take part in a subsequent leadership election, making him more palatable as a caretaker to more ambitious long-term contenders such as Boris Johnson.

Almost on cue, Lidington said yesterday: If theres one thing working closely with the Prime Minister does, its to cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task.

Even if he did step in as a transitional PM, Lidington would be unlikely to take part in a subsequent leadership election, making him more palatable as a caretaker to more ambitious long-term contenders such as Boris Johnson

While Goves installation as stand-in PM might alarm Remainers, the idea of Lidington taking over would equally upset the Brexiteers. An ardent Europhile, he was appalled by the referendum result. He has a long pedigree as an EU cheerleader. He served as Minister for Europe, clocking up a record six years until the referendum in 2016. In his Resignation Honours list, Cameron made Lidington a CBE for services to Europe.

If brains count for anything, Lidington, 62, the MP for Aylesbury since 1992, should be heading for Number 10. He not only captained his Cambridge University college Sidney Sussex to victory in University Challenge in 1978, he also made history by leading them to victory again in University Challenge Reunited in 2002.

The huge winning margin of 375-185 over 1968 winners Keele left Jeremy Paxman, the question master, speechless in admiration. Stephen Fry, presenting the winning trophy, hailed Lidington as now the second most famous MP from Sidney Sussex, after Oliver Cromwell. While Lidington has been an MP longer than Oxford-educated Gove, 51, the latter has more heavyweight ministerial experience.

He joined the Cabinet in 2010 as Education Secretary, hes served as Justice Secretary, the Chief Whip and is now Environment Secretary.

Lidington, in contrast, joined the Cabinet in 2016 as Leader of the Commons and was briefly Justice Secretary before becoming Cabinet Office minister in January 2018.

In the most recent ConservativeHome league table of who party members want to be the next leader Gove had moved into third place behind former foreign secretary Johnson and former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab. Lidington was in 18th place.

The bookmakers, however, who often call political contests better than the opinion pollsters, have now cut the odds on Gove, making him 5-1 joint favourite with Boris. If Gove moved temporarily into 10 Downing Street it would mark an extraordinary political comeback.

His career was at a low ebb after he dramatically withdrew support from Boris in the 2016 Tory leadership contest only hours before he was due to make his opening speech. Sacked in the first May reshuffle and bluntly told to learn about loyalty, he was brought back into the Cabinet one year later.

Since his return Gove has been a loyal and articulate advocate of Mays withdrawal deal, even though in private he has expressed serious misgivings.

As speculation intensifies over the threat to May, the Remainers backing Lidington argue that he will be seen as a steady bank manager figure who will unite the party.

Gove they argue is the opposite. A brilliant orator, with impeccable Brexit credentials, but a man who has the potential for explosive misjudgements such as his knifing of Johnson. Cordite versus the bank manager, said one commentator last night.

If Lidington becomes caretaker, Boris will still have high hopes of being the next elected Tory leader.

If Gove crosses the threshold of Number 10 he would have a three-month trial run to demonstrate whether hes up to it or not.

It may be then that Boris could never prise Gove out of the job he so covets  and believes he was cheated of by Gove three years ago.
Baptiste fans were treated to a dramatic, action-packed finale tonight which saw the detective's own son turn on him and hold a gun to his mother's head.

Fans were gripped as clues unravelled and questions from last week's nail-biting episode were finally answered.

During the hour-long BBC One show, Baptiste, played by Tcheky Karyo, discovers his own son had been working with the Romanian gang and is the reason the assassin knew where to look for Edward Stratton's ex-wife.

The drama climaxes with Martha Horchner (Barbara Sarafian) finding her criminal son, who has been on the run for two months, but she's sold him out to the police.

When officers make their move, Niels pulls a gun out and holds it to his mother's head.

When Niels is confronted by police and Baptiste he holds a gun to his mother's head

After shooting his mother, Niels shoots at Baptiste and the detective falls to the floor

Viewers were left reeling after the tense scene and high-impact episode. One person said: 'If we werent fully concentrating before, we definitely are now'

She rustles around in her handbag and during the chaos, Niels pulls the trigger killing her before he shoots at Baptiste, his own father.

Baptiste survives the attack and is seen talking to Edward Stratton, (Tom Hollander) on a beach in England two months after the dramatic events.

Viewers were left reeling after the tense scene and high-impact episode. One person said: 'That was a cracking finale. Loved the car chase scene and what a twist! Hopefully there will be another series #baptiste.'

After an early car crash one tweet read: 'If we werent fully concentrating before, we definitely are now.'

After the episode another added: '#baptiste was an emotional rollercoaster! Feel exhausted after watching that. But it was brilliant. Incredible drama.'

Another said: 'Last episode and we finally have exciting scenes before the 50 minutes mark.'

The episode started with Edward trying to get information out of his ex-wife's assassin, who was bleeding out.

Martha tracks down her son, pictured, after he's been in hiding for two months and he explains he agreed to work for the Romanian gang after getting his cancer diagnosis, thinking 'why not go down in flames'

The first tense scene came shortly after when Baptiste and Genevieve Taylor, the British liaison officer, were smacked into by another car

After showing him a picture of a 15-year-old girl named Christina and being told to find Kim Vogel, Stratton left and headed back to Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, Baptiste went to speak to his son Niels - whose mother Martha only told him about his father in last week's episode.

The detective explained how he received a phone call while in England with Stratton's ex-wife and that he believes this is how the assassin knew their location.

When he put these claims to Martha, accusing her of passing on the location information to the Romanian gang, she laughed.

Baptiste and Genevieve are hit during a high speed chase on the streets of Amsterdam

The first tense scene came shortly after when Baptiste and Genevieve Taylor, the British liaison officer, were smacked into by another car.

A high-speed chase ended with the four-by-four getting away and police cars filling the streets of Amsterdam.

The pair then examined CCTV evidence and realised that Niels, Martha and the detective's son, was speaking to Constantin - who fell from a balcony last week - on the same day Stratton's ex was killed.

It hits Baptiste that it his own son is the one who has betrayed him and traced Stratton's ex-wife's location.

During the episode Baptiste, right, looks at CCTV which reveals Niels, left, on the phone to Constantin, who died in last weeks episode, just before he entered a bathroom

After becoming suspicious of his son, Baptiste searches his apartment and finds multiple phones and sim cards

When they confront Martha about their discovery she refuses to believe them, and takes them to his apartment.

While they're searching - and find evidence of his connection to the gang - Martha warns her son he's in danger, giving him time to flee.

Meanwhile Stratton visits Kim's partner Greg, and is given a box containing names, dates and information linked to the Romanian gang.

Kim's partner Greg reveals that he was given a box containing numbers and names linked to the Romanian gang

Dozens of girls are rescued during a raid, but not the teenager Stratton was searching for. One girl says Christina was sold for 750 euros

Stratton and Baptiste, pictured, are seen on a beach two months after the dramatic shoot out

He believes this to be an insurance policy, and later shares it with Baptiste.

Near the end of the emotive episode, Genevieve calls Baptiste to tell him its all over, and that Niels has a 'number on his head' as the Romanians are after him.

Baptiste and Stratton are then seen two months in the future on a beach in England.

It is revealed that although dozens of girls were rescued during a raid, Christina was not one of them. Another girl saved revealed that the 15-year-old was sold for 750 euros.
A mother-of-two whose premature baby was born weighing just 1lb has told how the little girl defied the odds - despite being told she had a 10 per cent chance of survival.

Francesca Wood, 30, from Canterbury, was 26 weeks (six-and-a-half months) pregnant when she woke up in a pool of blood and was told her daughter had to be delivered immediately.

But Baby Eden amazed doctors when she pulled through after weeks of medical care - and she is now a happy, healthy two-year-old.

'It was so frightening to be surrounded by so many doctors and to be giving birth three months prematurely,' Francesca recalled. 'I had no option but to trust them to save my daughter.'

'She was delivered by emergency C-section weighing just one tiny pound and the anaesthetist took photos of her born for me, in case she didn't survive.'

After Eden, pictured after being born, was delivered at just 26 weeks (just over six months) she was put in an incubator and hooked up to a ventilator

Francesca, pictured with Eden, was already in hospital when she started bleeding as she has antisynthetase syndrome, a rare inflammatory muscle disease

Now two-years-old Eden, pictured, is healthy and her mother said people would never know she was so tiny as a newborn. The youngster

Miraculously though, Eden is fighting fit with no health problems - something Francesca thought she might never see.

'My first thought was how I would tell my son Oakley that he would never meet his sister,' said the mother-of-two. 'He had been so excited to become a big brother.'

Francesca was told her baby had to be delivered immediately and was rushed into theatre where 20 medical professionals were there to attend to her.

'I wasn't allowed to hold her and only got to touch her hand quickly before she was whisked off to NICU,' she explained.

Baby Eden, pictured as a newborn, only weighed 1lb when she entered the world but she has miraculously defied all odds to survive after weeks of medical care in hospital

An anaesthetist took photos of 1lb Eden being pulled from the womb so that Francesca could keep them, in case her baby didn't survive

The day Francesca started bleeding, she was already at St Thomas' Hospital in London after being admitted at 21 weeks pregnant.

She was diagnosed with antisynthetase syndrome after having her eldest child, Oakley, a rare inflammatory muscle disease.

'While pregnant with Eden, the condition I have was making me short of breath and causing muscle weakness,' she explained.

'I was admitted and put on bed rest so I could be monitored closely. I was told I wasn't going anywhere until the baby was born.'

Mother-of-two Francesca, pictured with Eden, had to wait one week before she could hold her daughter

Little Eden, pictured as a newborn, was only the size of a syringe when she was born and had to remain in hospital

She continued: 'At 26 weeks, I woke up feeling warm and the sheets were wet. At first I thought I'd wet myself but when I pulled back the sheets and saw a pool of blood, I started panicking. I was sure I was losing Eden.'

'I was devastated. Especially because she felt like a miracle to me already. I had previously been told it was extremely unlikely I would have any more kids after Oakley, because I'd had one fallopian tube removed and the other was blocked.'

'It had always been a dream of mine to have a big family, so when I fell pregnant by chance with her I was over the moon.'

Francesca, who is no longer with the fathers of her children, has praised her seven-year-old son Oakley for being her rock throughout her latest pregnancy.

The little girl, pictured with her big brother Oakley, was born three months early and came home four weeks before her due date when she was 4lbs

Francesca, pictured, had one fallopian tube removed after having her son and didn't think she'd be able to have more children. She said having Eden 'felt like a miracle'

'Oakley couldn't wait to meet his baby sister,' she said. 'He was always saying "Mummy let me feel your tummy" and played music for her, choosing songs and putting a headphone on my bellybutton. He was in love with her before she was even born.'

After Eden was delivered by emergency C-section, she was put in an incubator and hooked up to a ventilator, while her mother was sent to ICU herself.

'I spent a night in the ICU for monitoring as I had lost a lot of blood and the epidural had punctured my spine,' she explained.

'I kept saying to everyone, "All I want is to see my baby." It was an agonising two days before I finally got to meet my princess.'

Francesca said Oakley, pictured with Eden once she got older, wants to play with her sister all the time and that they connected straight away

Francesca said that the first few days with Eden, pictured, were difficult and had to be taken 'hour by hour'

Oakley 'adores' his baby sister, pictured together, and Eden is like any happy and healthy toddler now

Francesca was taken to the NICU in Evelina London Children's Hospital, where Eden was being cared for.

'She may have been tiny but she was so perfect,' she said. 'The doctors said she had a 90 per cent chance of dying because her lungs were not nearly as matured as they should have been. But as the seconds, minutes and hours ticked by, Eden proved us all wrong.'

'I can't thank the staff at the Evelina enough. I owe the team of doctors and nurses there for saving my daughter's life.'

When Eden was one week old, Francesca held her for the first time.

'She was placed on me, skin-to-skin, and it was a feeling like no other,' said the proud mum. 'It was like holding a baby animal. She was very fragile and was attached to lots of wires.'

'I was so in love but constantly worried about getting too emotionally attached, in case the worst happened.'

She added: 'At the beginning, it wasn't even a case of take each day as it comes, we had to take it hour by hour. Things could change by the second and she sometimes stopped breathing. I learnt to rub her tummy to get her breathing again.'

Baby Eden, pictured, has surprised everybody by overcoming every obstacle she's faced. Pictured, flashing a smile to the camera

When she was born, doctors said that Eden, pictured, had a 90% chance of dying because her lungs were not nearly as matured as they should have been

'She continued to get stronger and none of us could believe how well she was doing. Amazingly, she came home four weeks before her due date when she was 4lbs.'

From the moment Oakley and Eden met, they developed a strong bond as brother and sister.

'When Oakley met her, they connected straightaway and he wanted to do everything with her,' she explained. 'He helped feed her, change her nappies and he also wanted to play with her all the time.'

'Oakley adores his sister and I find myself worrying more about my son than I do my daughter  she is a real fighter and been through so much already, I know she can deal with anything!'

Francesca, pictured, said she's determined to be healthy so that she can watch her children grow up together

Francesca said that when Eden was born it was a very 'tense and rocky time' but that she's looking forward to the future with her two children, pictured

Eden, pictured as a baby, was cared for in NICU in Evelina London Children's Hospital

Francesca will never forget what she and two-year-old Eden went through, and says that no one would ever guess her daughter was born three months early.

'Eden has defied the doctors her whole short life,' she explained. 'With regards to her development, you would never think she was only half-cooked when she was born, or that she had been through such a traumatic start to life. She is a happy, crazy beautiful and funny little soul.'

'When I look back at the newborn photos of her, I remember how scared I felt. It was a very tense and rocky time, especially with the medical teams telling me her percentage of survival was next to none.

'Yet she defied all odds and made each step look easy. It will always amaze me how she managed to survive.'

'I am not as healthy as I'd like to be and often struggle with my muscle disease, but I am determined to stay around to watch her and Oakley grow up together.'
A 72-year-old woman proudly showed off her new 'do after having her hair dyed for the first time as part of her dramatic ambush makeover  and Today anchor Hoda Kotb couldn't help but notice that they shared an uncanny resemblance.

Donna Hill, a teacher from Carmichael, California, was in New York City for the first time while enjoying a girls' trip with her family. After dedicating her life to helping others, she was plucked from the Today plaza on Thursday for some much-deserved primping and pampering.

'I've never had my hair colored,' and I think that would be really fun,' Donna told Today style expert Jill Martin, adding that she would also like to 'look young' and 'absolutely thin.'

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Then and wow! Donna Hill, a 72-year-old from Carmichael, California, received an ambush makeover on the Today show Thursday. She looked stunning when she stepped on stage

Goals: The teacher was in New York City for the first time for a girls' getaway, and she told Today fashion expert Jill Martin (far right) that she wanted to 'look young' and 'absolutely thin'

Donna was joined by her sisters Joy and Lynne as well as their niece-in-law Stacey who couldn't wait to see her transformation.

The school teacher looked like a Hollywood star when she stepped on stage with a dramatic flourish, stopping to strike a pose for the cameras.

Her family was stunned when they removed their eye masks and saw her new look for the first time.

'That's not Donna!' one of her sister's said in shock.

Donna was just as surprised when she turned around and looked at herself in the mirror for the first time since her transformation.

Center of attention: The school teacher looked like a Hollywood star when she stepped on stage with a dramatic flourish, stopping to strike a pose for the cameras

Jaws actually dropped: Donna's niece-in-law (left) and sisters (right) were stunned by her transformation

And she wasn't the only one who was in for a surprise.

When Hoda, 54, saw her reflection next to Donna's, she realized that they shared an uncanny resemblance now that the teacher was sporting a similarly colored 'do.

'Oh my God! We look the same, exactly,' Hoda gushed.

Meanwhile, Donna's sister thought her sibling could easily pass for her daughter now that she was all glammed up.

Donna was so excited that she jumped in to discuss her new hair before realizing that celebrity hairstylist Louis Licari was about to explain what he had done to achieve the look.

How about that: Today host Hoda Kotb, 54, couldn't help but notice that they shared an uncanny resemblance. 'Oh my God! We look the same, exactly,' she gushed

Beautiful: Donna admitted that she had never dyed her hair before, so celebrity hairstylist Louis Licari washed the gray away and gave her golden highlights

'What Donna was going to say [was] she never colored her hair,' he joked. 'Today was her first time ever, so what I did is I washed that gray away.'

Her light brown bob was 'fluffed' up, and he added pretty face-framing highlights to really make her color pop.

Jill, meanwhile, dressed Donna in a navy and white patterned tunic and matching plaza plants, topping off the look with white tassel earrings.

Jen Penn, 31, from Milan, Michigan, also received an ambush makeover on Thursday morning's show.

The gym teacher was New York City celebrating her grandmother's 80th birthday, and she admitted she was in dire need of a new hair color because she couldn't afford to color her dark roots.

Incredible transformation: Jen Penn, 31, from Milan, Michigan, also received a makeover on Thursday. She was all smiles when she stepped on state to show off her new look

Family: Jen was joined by her grandmother Christine, aunt Lisa, mom Laurie, and sister Sarah, and all four of them were in awe of her new look

'I have two kids: one's four and one's one. I have two jobs and a side job,' she explained.

Jen was joined by her grandmother Christine, aunt Lisa, mom Laurie, and sister Sarah, and all four of them were in awe of her new look.

'I didn't expect that,' she said when she turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

Meredith Vieira, who was filling in for Kathie Lee Gifford that day, noted that Jen was a beautiful woman to begin with.

'She is beautiful, but her hair color, unfortunately, wasn't,' Louis said, and Jen couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh.

Stunned: 'I didn't expect that,' she said when she turned around to look at herself in the mirror

New 'do: To fix Jen's color, Louis said he had to re-tone it, re-color it, and work in darker shades. As for her cut, she was given soft layers, which were curled into waves

'She made her hair like Ariel, so she had to pre-bleach it to make it bright red, but the red faded out, so it was like a yellowy-orange,' he explained.

In order to fix it, Louis said he had to re-tone it, re-color it, and work in darker colors to transform her two-tone locks into a flattering copper-color.

As for her cut, she was given soft layers, which were curled into waves.

Jill swapped Jen's gym clothes for a stylish leather jacket, skinny jeans, and trendy leopard flats.

The stylist completed the look with a pair of gold drop earrings that peeked out from underneath her hair.
(ANSA) - Milan, March 25 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Monday he would meet 13-year-old Egyptian terror bus boy hero Ramy Shehata "away from the media glare" after raising eyebrows with his refusal of the boy's request for Italian citizenship.

Shehata hid his phone from an Italian-Senegalese bus driver who hijacked the vehicle with 51 kids aboard and doused it with petrol before eventually torching it after they had been rescued by the police Shehata called last week.

Salvini has refused to consider a change to citizenship laws to allow a 'ius soli' (law of the soil) concession for foreign children born in Italy.

Salvini said he would meet Shehata and his family "but away from the TV cameras".

He said the citizenship request was being considered but a ius soli law was not on the government agenda.

Salvini denied he had been a "bully" to the boy by saying he "should get himself elected if he wants to change the law".

Shehata appeared on Italian TV Sunday night along with another boy hero from the terror bus, Adam El Hamami, 12.

Both said they wanted to be Carabinieri when they grow up.


A high profile private investigator has revealed the cheating case that has shocked her the most in her career

Julia Hartley Moore works on numerous surveillance jobs a year and spoke to The Project in New Zealand about one that has stuck with her due to its 'high levels of betrayal'.

'One of the worst cases was a guy who was married to a really wealthy girl and ended up with this amazing business and this lovely home,' she told the program.

'[Despite this] he set his lover up about four doors away from his family and she was way younger than him and she had a child. This went on for years.'

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Julia Hartley Moore works on numerous surveillance jobs a year and spoke to The Project in New Zealand about one in particular that has stuck with her due to its high levels of betrayal

Although this man had been set up with an incredible life he couldn't help but seek a mistress on the side.

With the money his family was earning he would pay for the needs of his mistress and her child, such as the house and the bills, to 'manipulate' them.

'He would go home, have dinner with his children and his wife and then he would say to his wife he had business to attend to or maybe an overseas trip,' she said.

'But he would actually go and spend the night with his lover.'

Julia told FEMAIL that her company had been monitoring the husband on and off for a long period of time.

This was because each time they would present the information they found to the wife he would make her think she was wrong.

'He was a master manipulator. He's got the ability of a cult leader to change facts, he manipulated her every time and she would accept everything he said,' Julia said.

Neither woman knew about each other and it got to the point where he proposed to the mistress and told her he wanted to start a new life overseas with her and her son.

'He would go home, have dinner with his children and his wife and then he would say to his wife he had business to attend to or maybe an overseas trip,' she said

What are signs your partner is cheating? - Small behavioural changes - Phone and credit bills go missing - Staying back at work more often - Travelling or going out more - They put uncharacteristic distance down to being 'stressed at work' - They get defensive when you ask about what they were doing Advertisement

'This information came about as we noticed that she had a for sale sign in her car window so one of my investigators met up with her under the guise that they were going to buy the car,' she said.

'She said her and her fiance were going overseas which was why she was selling the car.

'Of course this was shocking to us as we knew he was still married and had no intention of leaving his wife.'

The mistress had been told by the man that he had separated from his wife and soon the divorce was going to be finalised.

'He was a master manipulator. He's got the ability of a cult leader to change facts, he manipulated her every time and she would accept everything he said,' Julia said

He was paying for everything so that she would think it was a relationship and because he travelled so much he was able to use that as an excuse for both of them

Eventually the wife became suspicious but would often ignore their findings.

'I can't tell you how many times she found out, we would give her the evidence and he would then say things like "someone is trying to destroy us" and "they just want our money",' Julia said.

'He would then move the mistress around to different apartments so no one was getting suspicious.

'When I get a female ring me up and say they have a feeling about their partner, 9/10 times it's true.

'At the end of the day there was nothing more we could do if that wasn't enough to sort it out.'

Unfortunately to this day the wife and the mistress are still both with this man and Julia said 94 per cent of women stay even if they have refutable evidence.

This being said, the wife clearly didn't find out what she wanted as she has now gone to another investigation service and the husband has hired his own personal investigator to keep track of his mistress.

'It goes to show we want to believe the person we love.'

Although this case may be shocking to many people, Julia told The Project it would surprise the general public how common it is.

Neither woman knew about each other. It got to the point where he proposed to the mistress and told her he wanted to start a new life overseas with her and her son

'You would be surprised as to how often the other woman is so close to the matrimonial home and how men, I hate to say it, take the lover into the matrimonial home and into the bed,' she said.

Often when people call Julia to monitor their partner they're not always sure what it is they want her to look for.

Despite this, Julia said the niggling feeling that has made them pick up the phone often results in something being uncovered.

'When I get a female ring me up and say they have a feeling about their partner, 9/10 times it's true,' she said.

'Men take a little bit longer to get there, women are more intuitive and follow that gut instinct more.'

The biggest problem Julia comes across in relationships is the lack of respect and trust.

'Trust is like virginity, you only lose it once. If you don't have it you don't have a relationship,' she said.
A bulimic student who sought help for an eating disorder claims her doctor laughed in her face and insisted she was 'not thin enough' to have the illness.

Nikki Strong has struggled with an eating disorder for the past eight years, but said she had always felt 'too guilty and ashamed' to seek help.

Earlier this year, the 22-year-old, from Saratoga, New South Wales, reached out to her usual doctor for help as her bulimia intensified.

'I revealed to him that for the past eight years I'd been struggling with an eating disorder and that I could feel myself slipping into a really dark place,' she said.

Nikki Strong, 22, has struggled with an eating disorder for the past eight years but said she had always felt 'too guilty and ashamed' to seek help

'I explained that I wanted to get help before things got worse.

'As soon as I said it, he started laughing like I'd just told him a joke that he thought was hilarious.'

According to Nikki he said 'you don't look like you have an eating disorder!' before pointing at her body and saying 'you're not too big, but you're not too slim either'.

Nikki, who wears a dress size 8 to 10, claims she was left horrified after he allegedly laughed in her face when she told him the reason for her visit.

But earlier this year, the 22-year-old, from Saratoga, New South Wales, Australia, reached out to her usual doctor for help as her bulimia intensified

'As soon as I said it, he started laughing like I'd just told him a joke that he thought was hilarious,' she said

She also claims the doctor  whom she had been seeing for three years - examined her body before telling her she did not look like she had an eating disorder because she was 'not too slim'.

Nikki, who is currently studying for a master's degree in counselling, said that she had been struggling with an eating disorder for the past eight years.

'I started noticing some red flags earlier this year and I knew I needed to get some mental help,' she said.

'I went to my doctor knowing what I needed. He is my regular doctor and I'd gone to him before about anxiety without any issues.'

Nikki, who wears a dress size 8 to 10, claims she was left horrified after he allegedly laughed in her face when she told him the reason for her visit

What are the warning signs of bulimia? - Frequent changes in weight - Fainting or dizziness - Feeling tired and not sleeping well - Preoccupation with eating, food, body shape and weight - Sensitivity to comments relating to food, weight, body shape and or exercise - Low-self-esteem and feelings of shame - Depression, anxiety or irritability - Extreme body dissatisfaction Source: The Butterfly Foundation Advertisement

She told her doctor that she needed a mental health plan but it was when she told him what kind of plan she was after that Nikki said he started laughing.

'My heart just sank. I felt so ashamed of myself as I knew I was not underweight,' she said.

'I became so acutely aware of my body and I felt enormously fat in that moment. I felt like a complete failure, like I couldn't even get my eating disorder right.

'I knew that what he was saying was wrong, but in that moment, I just felt helpless and couldn't bring myself to say anything.

'I just shut down, answered the questions that I had to answer, got my mental health plan and got out of there.

'As soon as I left his office I burst into tears. It was horrible.'

According to Nikki he said 'you don't look like you have an eating disorder!' before pointing at her body and saying 'you're not too big, but you're not too slim either'

'My heart just sank. I felt so ashamed of myself as I knew I was not underweight,' she said

Nikki said the traumatising ordeal exacerbated her eating disorder and revealed that for a split-second she considered trying to become underweight so that her doctor would take her concerns seriously.

But thankfully, the young woman came to her senses and instead called her psychologist to tell her about what had happened.

Nikki said her psychologist was 'appalled' at her alleged doctor's actions.

Nikki said the traumatising ordeal exacerbated her eating disorder and revealed that for a split-second she considered trying to become underweight so that her doctor would take her concerns seriously

'It felt like he was judging my body. Not only that what I was saying was laughable but the way I looked was laughable,' Nikki said.

'He was basically saying I wasn't thin enough to feel this way, that I'm not thin enough to have an eating disorder.

'I told my psychologist and she was appalled. She told me that for him to even make a comment about my weight was completely inappropriate.

'She backed me up 100 per cent, which really helped after what had happened.'

Nikki said her psychologist was 'appalled' at her alleged doctor's actions

Nikki said she has since moved past the incident and is currently in the process of undergoing a mental health assessment to get help for her eating disorder.

She asserted that she would not go back to that doctor.

The brave young woman also posted about the harrowing experience on her popular Instagram page where it racked up over 20,000 'likes'  and said it was full of comments from people who had experienced the same thing.

'It felt like he was judging my body. Not only that what I was saying was laughable but the way I looked was laughable,' Nikki said

The brave young woman also posted about the harrowing experience on her popular Instagram page where it racked up over 20,000 'likes'

'I certainly wouldn't go back to him after this. There are loads of good doctors out there who want to help and this was just a bad experience,' she said.

'There is already so much stigma and shame surrounding mental health and eating disorders.

'Any doctor who encounters a patient with an eating disorder needs to make them feel heard, understood and validated.

'I'm still very much struggling, but I haven't let this experience derail me.

'I know that with the proper help I can beat this and I'm feeling positive for the future.'

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, visit The Butterfly Foundation.
A woman who was kidnapped twice by a family friend and has shared her story on Netflix show Abducted in Plain Sight has said she was 'one of the lucky ones.'

Jan Broberg, now 56, from Santa Clara, Utah, was abducted when she was only 12 and 14 years old by paedophile Robert 'B' Berchtold.

However in an interview on Lorraine today, Jan revealed that she considers herself 'one of the lucky ones' compared to other abuse and kidnap survivors.

Appearing live via satellite from Las Vegas, Jan said: 'I've done plenty of therapy. I had a wonderful twelve years with wonderful parents.

Jan Broberg, now 56, from Utah, spoke on Lorraine today and said she believes she was 'one of the lucky ones' compared to other abuse and kidnap survivors

Jan, pictured with abuser Robert Berchtold in 1974, was kidnapped twice at the age of 12 and 14. The first time she was taken, Jan was missing for five weeks before being found in Mexico

'I was one of the lucky ones that I think had all the right pieces in order to heal from that horrible abuse.'

In the 1970s, Jan was groomed by her neighbour Berchtold, who abused her more than 200 times.

He kidnapped twice, starting in 1974, under a cover story that Jan was an alien who had to procreate with him to save a faraway planet.

He also seduced both of her parents and subsequently blackmailed them to escape proper justice for his crimes.

Both her parents were close to Berchtold and did not report her missing for five days after she was first abducted at age 12 for fear of upsetting the predator's wife Gail.

Jan's mother Mary Ann, now 80, had an eight-month affair with Berchtold after her daughter's first kidnapping, while her father Robert, who died last November aged 81, admitted he had once masturbated Berchtold in his car.

They also allowed Berchtold to regularly take teenage Jan out and let him sleep in her bedroom several nights a week after he convinced them it was part of a therapy program to overcome the abuse he claimed he suffered as a child.

Today Jan told Lorraine Kelly that she believes her parents are 'guiltless' in the saga, but added that 'it takes something to forgive the people in your life that you might have felt let down by'.

Jan explained how she still 'thinks about him [Berchtold] quite often' as she had learned to 'love him like a father.'

Jan, pictured now, said she still thinks about Berchtold sometimes as she 'loved him like a father' when she was growing up

Berchtold, pictured with Jan in 1973, was close with the Brobergs' and the two families used to spent a lot of time together. Jan said she does not blame her parents for what happened

She said: 'He became like a father to me, he did all the right things to build that love and trust.

'If something had happened to my parents they probably would have signed paper work to say "hey you guys raise our children". His wife and five kids were our best friends.'

As a result of the revelations in the Netflix documentary, retired social worker Mary Ann had to take down her social media profiles  telling DailyMailTV she has been bombarded with a mixture of sympathy and abuse.

Jan said her mother has spent years wracked with guilt over what happened and attempted to use her career as a social worker to make up for her mistakes.

Jan said: 'They suffered and have suffered their whole lives with guilt that they did those things.

'My mother placed hundreds of children in good foster homes and did hundreds of adoptions. She tried to make up for her mistakes by helping others.'

Jan's mother Mary Ann, now 80 and pictured with the family when Jan (top right) was a young girl, had an eight-month affair with Berchtold after her daughter's first kidnapping and Jan's father Robert, once masturbated Berchtold in his car

Berchtold came into the Brobergs' lives in 1972 when he moved to Pocatello, Idaho, with his family and began attending the same Mormon church as her parents.

Jan said the two families quickly became close, and Berchtold would often talk about alien abductions  a subject he would later use to 'brainwash' her.

The first time she was taken, Jan was missing for five weeks and was eventually found by the FBI in Mazatlan, Mexico.

But after she returned home, her parents signed affidavits saying Berchtold had their permission to take their daughter away, fearing the 'dirty laundry' about Robert's sexual encounter with Berchtold would come out.

When their daughter went missing a second time in 1974, they waited two weeks before calling authorities.

Berchtold continued to abuse Jan until she was 16 and later went on to rape and sexually assault four more girls.

In 1986, he served time in jail after being convicted of the rape of his final victim but was released after just a year for good behavior.

In 2003, Jan was forced to take out a restraining order against him after he showed up to a talk she was giving at Dixie State University in St George, Utah.

She saw him for the final time when the case went to court in 2004. A year later, in 2005, Berchtold  fearful of going back to jail - committed suicide.
Queen Mathilde of Belgium showcased her spring wardrobe as she joined husband King Philippe for a visit to South Korea today.

During a busy day of engagements, Belgium's royal couple visited Seoul's Korea Furniture Museum, and took part in a tea traditional ceremony.

The duo - who have children Princess Elisabeth, 17, Prince Emmanuel, 13, Prince Gabriel, 15, and Princess Eleonore, 10 - sat at a table, decorated with stunning canary-yellow flowers, as they sipped on cups of tea.

They were joined by fellow guests as they kicked off their four-day visit by sipping on a pot of tea in a tradition dating back to the seventh century.

Queen Mathilde, 46, and King Philippe, 58, strolled along hand in hand as they visited the Korea Furniture Museum earlier today after landing in Seoul

The Belgian royals sipped on a cup of tea as part of a tea ceremony during their visit in South Korea today

The couple threw themselves into the traditions during the visit to the museum today as they ditched their footwear and sat on cushions on their outing

Earlier in the day the husband and wife ditched their footwear to sit on the floor at the museum.

The pair were pictured sitting on cushions at the tourist site, before they ventured outside into the courtyard for a picture.

The couple beamed with joy as they made their way to the compound in Seongbuk. The pair were seen strolling into the venue hand in hand.

The Belgian royals put on a colourful display for the outing, as Mathilde stunned in a floral printed coat, with pastel hues.

Mathilde stunned in her botanical-printed coat designed in pastel shades, which she layered over a cream dress

Mathilde paid attention to detail as she colour coordinated her accessories with her coat. The royal opted for a duck egg blue clutch bag for her outing to match the pastel shades on her printed jacket

After a 10 hour flight the couple made their first set of public appearances and visited the Kora Furniture Museum and tea ceremony in the Gung-chae

The couple ditched their shoes and sat on a plinth as they observed the artwork behind them. The couple were all smiles during their visit, with Mathilde beaming with joy as she sat beside her husband

Mathilde's ornate design was worn over a nude coloured ensemble, which onlookers were able to steal a glimpse of as the draped neckline was visible through the v-neck cut of the jacket.

The queen consort paid attention to detail as she colour coordinated her accessories with the pastel shades on her jacket.

She clasped onto a pale blue clutch bag, and adorned a matching pair of cream patent heels.

While her spouse sported a black two piece suit, crisp white shirt, while his candy pink patterned tie brought a pop of colour to his outfit.

Mathilde and Philippe were joined at the table, which was ornately decorated with yellow flowers, by other guests as they sipped on tea

Mathilde and Philippe were all smiles as they took part in the tea ceremony earlier today, with Mathilde unable to take her eyes off the task at hand

The couple exchanged a secretive few words with one another as they sat at the table and sipped on their beverage during the ceremony

Mathilde and Philippe explored the museum and observed the various displays, which included clothing, and footwear, as well as a mannequin wearing a royal blue patterned dress, during their visit

The couple posed for a picture outside the museum on the first day of their four-leg trip to South Korea, which will come to an end on Thursday

The couple put their shoes back on and posed for a picture in the courtyard together. Philippe braced for the cold wore a black pea coat over his two piece suit

The Belgian royals met with a string of faces on the first day of their visit, and will continue to meet with more significant figures as their tour continues

Mathilde kept her make-up natural looking, with a touch of blusher and a nude/pink lipstick, while her hair was styled in her signature blow dry

Mathilde's neutral dress was concealer under her printed coat, which fell to just above her knee

Their first day has already proved to be a busy one as the pair touched down in Seoul, before they were escorted to their accomodation.

Following their arrival the pair received their second ceremonial welcome at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, before they made their way to the museum.

Philippe and Mathilde are enjoying fleeting visit to South Korea this week, which is set to last just four days, and will fly back to Belgium on Thursday 28 March.

During their trip the couple are set to have a busy schedule, with a string of meetings and ceremonies booked in.

They will meet with the President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jaw-in, before Philippe received an honorary citizenship at the City hall in another official ceremony.
High street shops have been accused of posing a risk to 'public health' by selling clothes in the same dress size with as much as 8in difference in the waist measurements.

So-called 'vanity sizing' is not only confusing for customers but could also be making women overweight as they do not realise their true size, campaigners say.

While size 10 dresses in Dorothy Perkins and Topshop measure as little as 24 inches at the waist, size 10 skirts from other retailers can go up to as much as 32 inches, a new investigation by journalists has found.

The sizing discrepancy across eight of the UK's most popular women's stores is staggering; in some, a size 10 has a waistline of 32 inches - in fact closer to a size 14 to 16.

Campaigners say vanity sizing - where shops makes their sizes bigger to flatter customers - is causing shoppers to think they are far slimmer than they are, leading them to put off maintaining a healthy weight.

Vanity sizing? In Topshop - traditionally popular with teenage girls - a green midi dress had a 24 inch waist, but this denim jumpsuit in the same size (pictured) was 30 inches

Tam Fry, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said the issue was doing little to aid public health.

He said: 'Regrettably vanity sizing has been in vogue for some time as manufacturers and retailers fight to keep their customers happy.

'The tragedy is that it works, with millions of women still fooled into believing they are keeping their shape when they are not.

'Statistics show that some 60 per cent are no longer a healthy weight and though the sizing ploy may help their self-esteem in the shop, it does nothing to help their long-term health.'

When measured this week, clothing favourites including Zara, H&M, Miss Selfridge, M&S, Whistles and Topshop showed a huge disparity between their size 10 dresses, trousers and skirts.

A v-neck floral dress from high street favourite H&M. Its size 10 dress was among the smallest with a modest 26in waist - campaigners have called the phenomenon 'vanity sizing'

Across the eight stores, most size 10 items had average waist measurements of between 28 and 30 inches - the equivalent of a European size medium - but some were shockingly out.

In Topshop - traditionally popular with teenage girls - a green midi dress had a 24 inch waist, but a denim jumpsuit in the same size was 30 inches.

At Reiss, many dresses have a 26 inch waist, but trousers and skirts run as large as 30 inches for size 10s.

Meanwhile at Whistles, there was a six-inch difference between size 10s, with dresses coming in at 24 inches and trousers at 30 inches.

And at teen favourite Miss Selfridge, there was a four-inch disparity with some size 10s 26 inches and others 30 inches.

Branding expert Marcel Knobil, founder of Superbrands, said the disparity in sizing across stores has left women frustrated, self-conscious and confused.

'Unfortunately many brands are pandering to customers to make them feel as slimline as possible,' he said.

A size 10 dress from Miss Selfridge with the smallest measurements out of all the garments analysed in the study, with just a 24in waist - some brands went up to 32in

'This leads to different sizes across different shops which can be very confusing to customers.

'The whole issue of size is an extremely sensitive one and brands have encouraged a real doubt and frustration among women.'

Sizes are supposed to be standardised across Europe, but in reality shops have no legal requirement to comply.

A European medium should now come in between 29.3 inches and 31.4 inches - a far cry from even 20 years ago when that waist size would have been considered large.

There is British Standard for women's clothing sizes, created in 1982 by the British Standards Institution, which gives measurements for sizes 8 to 32 - however there are still anomalies among different brands.

According to that, a UK size 10 should have a waist of between 25.1 inches and 26.7 inches.

Research in 2004 found that women's waistlines had ballooned six inches from the last time the nation was measured in 1951.

The Department of Trade and Industry used high-tech body scanners to take 130 measurements from 11,000 people, 50 years after the last full-scale sizing survey.

At Whistles, there was a six-inch difference between size 10s, with dresses coming in at 24 inches and trousers at 30 inches. This size 10 confetti heart frill skirt had a 28in waist

While the average 1950s woman was two inches shorter at 5ft 2in, her chest and hips were 1.5in slimmer at 37 inches and 39 inches.

But the difference in her waist was worrying - in 1951 the average was 27.5, but by 2004 it was 34 inches.

The NHS states that anyone with a waist larger than 31.5 inches should try and lose weight to avoid cancer, diabetes and heart disease, while it labels a 34 inch waist 'very high risk.'

Then, Miss Average was a size 12, but today's female is edging towards a size 16.

A spokeswoman for the British Standards Institution said: 'Many retailers size their clothes according to their customer base, for example if the clientele is older they may be shorter. People prefer to fit into a 12 than a 14 so retailers like to please.'

And she added: 'As body sizes have gotten bigger so have dress sizes.'

Of all the shops tested, H&M had the greatest consistency in sizing, after they vowed to overhaul their measurements last year.

Two dresses and a pair of trousers from the store had an accurate waist measurement of 26' while another pair of trousers was just two inches bigger at 28 inches.

The retailer had previously come under fire from consumers who claimed their sizes were far too small.

As body sizes have gotten bigger so have dress sizes

Last July, they pledged to re-evaluate their sizing guides to better reflect the average woman.

Almost six in ten (57 per cent) English women are now overweight or obese.

Back in June, an investigation by Barclaycard found that British shoppers returned 7 billion of purchases each year, with 40 per cent blaming inaccurate clothing measurements.

A spokeswoman for the London College of Fashion said: 'The problem is that women's sizing really isn't official or uniformed - it's a marketing technique.

'It all varies depending on the brand and the age group they wish to target.'

A spokesman for H&M said: 'We are pleased that the findings of this investigation found H&M sizing to be the most consistent on the high street.

'Following customer feedback, in 2018 we took steps to change our womenswear measurements to be in line with UK sizing - for example the previous measurements and fit of a size 12 are now the measurements of a size 10.

'We hope our customers feel encouraged that we have listened to their valuable feedback.'

All retailers have been contacted for comment.
The Duchess of Sussex has earned the nickname Me-gain among Kensington Palace staff, according to Tatler.

Meghan, 37, is understood to have rubbed some courtiers up the wrong way, with insiders previously revealing she had been dubbed 'Duchess Difficult'.

Now, in a new report published in the May edition of Tatler, another unflattering nickname has been suggested: 'Me-gain'.

The Duchess of Sussex has earned the nickname Me-Gain thanks to her ambitious attitude, according to Tatler. Pictured, Meghan during a visit to Canada House in London this month

The name is even said to be used by members of her own staff at Kensington Palace.

Recalling the vicious attacks Sarah Ferguson was subject to after marrying into the Royal Family, the article reads: 'Meghan has seen nothing like that  even though staff at Kensington Palace are now calling her "Me-Gain".'

Kensington Palace has disputed similar reports surrounding the Duchess' relationship with her staff on a number of previous occasions.

The Duchess of Sussex, who is due to give birth to her first child in the coming weeks, has been dogged by reports of a demanding nature and relentless work ethic that has proved problematic for aides.

She has been linked to a number of personnel resignations, including personal assistant Melissa Toubati, who is said to have handed in her notice last year because the work had become 'too much'.

Other reports also claimed that Prince Harry's wife was responsible for three royal aides quitting, after she 'shook up the household with 5am emails'

A source close to the matter said at the time: 'Her job was highly pressurised and in the end it became too much.

'She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.'

And earlier this month it was announced Amy Pickerill, who was appointed as Meghans assistant private secretary just last year, is to leave her post after the couple move to Frogmore Cottage inWindsor this month.

A new article in Tatler magazine, which assess how The Duchess has changed since she married Prince Harry has claimed that staff at Kensington Palace are now calling The Duchess of Sussex Me-Gain

The move is a shock as Amy was handpicked to work for Meghan and was tipped to succeed Samantha Cohen, who is due to step down as the Duchesss private secretary after 17 years with the Royal Family.

It is understood that Amy will be leaving the Royal Household altogether and moving overseas.

She has played an important role in introducing Meghan to royal life, organising charity projects such as the cookbook the Duchess published to help families affected by the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Just last week royal author Anna Pasternak said about the Duchess, who is believed to be giving birth next month: 'I think what Meghan's got to realise is she cannot live life in the royal family like an A-list Hollywood star.

'Within the monarchy it requires a very different set of behaviour.'

'You cannot have it all. You cannot have your freedom and this privilege... It's not a fairytale. Recognise that and live with the consequences.'

Kensington Palace declined to comment.

Read the full feature in the May issue of Tatler, available on digital download and newsstands on Thursday 28th March.
It has been one of the Prime Minister's only allies during the most turbulent month of her premiership: a safety blanket - or body armour - that she has donned again and again ahead of political tussles in London, Brussels and Strasbourg.

Indeed Theresa May, 62, has worn the same 825 coat - known as a 'twofer' as it's designed to look like two different pieces together - on no fewer than 16 days since the start of the month. Twelve, including today, have been in the last fortnight.

She also owns the coat in black and was seen wearing it in October last year.

But while Mrs May is known for her keen interest in fashion - she famously said she would take Vogue as her Desert Island Discs luxury - and has won praise for statement pieces like her tartan suit and leopard print pumps, the sky blue coat marks a rare style miss.

The coat, from Italian brand Herno, is still available to buy just at Mrs May's favourite boutique in Henley, Oxfordshire - just a stone's throw from her Maidenhead constituency - suggesting voters haven't been rushing to replicate the PM's style.

Today, London: Theresa May wears her 'lucky' 825 blue coat as she leaves 10 Downing Street earlier today. The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of her cabinet amid reports of an attempted coup by colleagues over her handling of Brexit

24 March, Maidenhead: Prime Minister Theresa May donned the jacket after attending a church service near her Maidenhead constituency yesterday

22 March, Brussels: Mrs May donned the sky blue coat over a purple coat as she left the British Residence in Brussels to return to the UK last Friday

21 March, Brussels: Theresa May leaves Downing Street ahead of the EU summit in Brussels

20 March, London: Mrs May leaves Downing Street ahead of Prime Minister's Questions

18 March, London: Once again dressed in the coat, Mrs May leaves Downing Street

17 March, Maidenhead: Arriving at church near Maidenhead with husband Philip

15 March, London: Recording her video message for the people of New Zealand following the terror attack in Christchurch

It is a far cry from the shopping frenzy typically sparked by the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex, whose outfits can sell out in minutes thanks to the power of the 'Kate effect' and the 'Meghan effect'.

The long wool blend coat, most recently seen on the Prime Minister today, is a simple shape with padded cuffs, single breasted button fastening and lapel collar.

The padded inner layering can also be removed to leave the Prime Minister with just the blue wool coat.

It also features a funnel neck, cropped sleeves, a quilted lining, a detachable neck and sleeve panels for added layering insulation.

Speaking to FEMAIL, celebrity stylist Lucas Armitage noted the Prime Minister is often spotted in the coat at 'crucial moments'.

'Light blue is often said to denote themes of trust, stability and wisdom dues to its infinity with the colour of the sky,' he said.

'This may be why Theresa grabs for this modern zip-through style at critical moments of her leadership.'

14 March, London: Theresa May leaves Downing Street for the House of Commons

13 March, London: The Prime Minister leaves No 10 in an almost identical outfit

12 March, London: Once again Mrs May leaves No 10 dressed in the same blue coat

11 March, Strasbourg: The PM sported the coat when she met Jean-Claude Juncker for last-ditch talks in a failed bid to win support for her Brexit deal in Strasbourg two weeks ago

He continued: 'For me the coat says a lot about what she currently feeling, the silhouette and style is unfussy and functional and the zip through the middle totally practical.

'Its a style that says its here to do exactly what it needs to do - essentially something she hopes to mirror in her important next few days.'

He added: 'The colour for me is the critical factor its optimistic and hopeful whilst shows her the wearer as all the attributes we know Blue is said to evoke.'

10 March, Maidenhead: Theresa and Philip May arrive for a church service in Maidenhead

6 March, London: Carrying a folder, Theresa May leaves No 10 for Prime Minister's Questions

4 March, Salisbury: Mrs May marks with local Conservative Party MP John Glen following a visit to the city to mark one year since the nerve agent attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal

3 March, Maidenhead: Mr and Mrs May leave a church service in Maidenhead

The Prime Minister appears to be such a fan of the collarless coat, she even has it in black.

She was seen wearing the alternate colour version as she left Downing Street in London, before heading to the House of Commons to hear the Budget from Chancellor Philip Hammond in October last year.

The coat is made by the Italian company Herno, which was founded in 1948 and first started by making raincoats to suit the humid climate around Lake Maggiore.

October 2018, London: Mrs May opted for the black version of her coat as she left Downing Street before heading to the House of Commons to hear the Budget on October 29, 2018
The trend of gins being infused with exciting ingredients does not seem to be stopping any time soon, with Aldi planning to launch a special bottle of glittery gin that tastes like parma violet.

The new shimmering gin looks like it could be a hit with fans of the classic Parma Violets hard candy. However, theyll have to wait a few weeks because Aldis newest drink won't hit shelves until April 26th. A 50cl bottle of The Infusionist Small Batch violet gin will cost just 9.99.

Aldi is joining a party that already appears to be in full swing, with several liqueur makers including Whitley Neill , Zymurgorium and Alfred Button offering their own versions of a parma violet infused gin.

The German family-owned store will release its violet-infused spirit at the end of next month

A 70cl bottle of Whitley Neill Parma Violet Gin is selling for 20 on Asdas website, while a 70cl bottle of JJ Whitley Violet Gin is available to buy from B&M for 14.99.

Aldi has built up a reputation as the go-to shop for gin, scooping the gold medal for Best Gin at the International Spirits Challenge in 2018 for its 9.99 Oliver Cromwell London Dry Ginretaining the award, having also won it in 2017.

The gin industry as a whole has skyrocketed in recent years, with sales of the spirit in the UK increasing by a staggering 254 per cent in the last ten years, as more and more people under the age of 35 pick the powerful spirit as their alcohol of choice.

As sales increases, so did variations of gin, including Aldis latest violet offering. Just weeks ago, a new South African gin called Ibhu Indlovu was being promoted, which promised earthy tones and African flavours. Its unique ingredientelephant dung.

For Valentines Day, Asda released a special raspberry and rose flavoured gin liqueur. That joined Asdas other gin offerings including a rhubarb and ginger gin, a strawberry gin, and a grapefruit and elderflower gin liqueur.

Aldis own gin selection shows the shop is no shrinking violet when it comes to experimenting with flavours. Its violet-flavoured gin will sit alongside a Seville orange and Persian lime gin, a gingerbread gin and even a chilli and ginger flavoured gin.
Fashion retailer Zara has sparked a heated debate over the representation of children within the fashion industry, after their latest campaign was labelled 'inappropriate' by many social media users.

The Spanish brand took to Instagram to share photos of their new kidswear range with their audiences last weekend.

Photographed by Fabien Baron, the campaign features a young girl dressed in a puffy sleeved dress standing by the ocean - as well as modelling the design while sat on a bed.

However, the advert didn't have the effect Zara was hoping for and instead received a flood of negative comments on Instagram, which forced them to remove the images - and one British mother took to Mumsnet to debate the campaign further.

Spanish fashion brand Zara has received a flood of negative comments over its new children's campaign (pictured) photographed by Fabien Baron

In another image, the campaign shows the young model standing next to the ocean

A British mother continued the debate over Zara's choice of images on Mumsnet, explaining that she thinks the campaign is inappropriate for a young girl

Speaking under the handle 'ASauvignonADay', the anonymous woman shared a selection of the deleted images and asked others if they similarly felt uncomfortable with them.

She wrote: 'Personally, I don't like it. I think the poses and whole thing is inappropriate for a young girl.'

A stream of responses agreed with the mother and accused the brand of dressing the child model as an adult.

'Creepy. Very strange choices. The third one is the worst, but even the first one has a strange pose for a child,' wrote one, while another penned:

'It's adult styling and designed to make her look not like a young child but like an object of attraction. It's bad enough they do that to women ALL the time but wrong to do it to a child.'

A flood of comments labelled Zara's campaign as 'creepy' and argued children should be pictured in a brighter, more fun way - reflective of their age

A third added: 'Don't like it. Especially the last photo where she sort of has her dress pulled up between her legs.'

Many of the comments particularly focused on the third image shared by Zara, which shows the child model sat on a bed staring directly into the camera lens.

Accusing the brand of sexualising the child, one angry person vented: 'It's too adult and serious, even without the pretty sexualised third photo. Kids are supposed to be playing, laughing, loving life! I hate these sorts of kids photoshoots.

Another commented: 'First two I was thinking I could see why people wouldn't like this, but it's not pushing my buttons. The third one is definitely dodgy though. Ewww,' while a further wrote:

'Ewwww. Definitely not a good way to advertise the dress. Children's shots should be fun and bright as children should be - not that weird moody posing and as others have said definitely to grown up poses.'

Others confessed they don't think the campaign is inappropriate except the third image - which shows the model sat on a bed

Others were less convinced that the campaign was inappropriate but confessed it doesn't encourage them to shop at Zara.

A user speaking under the handle 'TellerTuesday4EVA' wrote: 'Well it's bloody awful (the dress and style of advert) but I don't think it's enough to make me uncomfortable. Can't see why they thought it made a good advertising campaign though.'

'Looks depressing and bleak. Doesn't make me want to buy those clothes. I see nothing wrong with it though? Other than it being a bit of a c*** advert lol,' wrote one, while a third added:

'I mean maybe if you were mid to late teens you might want to look moody and ethereal... but not this young? Who is this actually aimed at? Kids won't look at it at all and mums will just be a bit disturbed by it. I don't think it's sexually inappropriate, it's just really bad advertising that's missed it's target audience.'

Mail Online contacted Zara for comment.
A volunteer cop in New York City has revealed how she has gone from living in a homeless shelter to attending Harvard University after being accepted into the prestigious college last year.

Athena Capo-Battaglia, 18, and her mother moved into a homeless shelter in Jamaica, Queens, two years ago. They were struggling to pay rent after her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and her grandmother died.

'I felt I had to get into college because this is not where I want to stay,' she told the New York Daily News. 'I was like, "OK, this is one way that I can get out and maybe in the future get a good job."'

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Inspiration: Athena Capo-Battaglia (left), an 18-year-old NYPD auxiliary cop, went from living in a homeless shelter with her mom to attending Harvard University

As a student at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Athena had a 4.0 GPA and was the captain of the gymnastics team. The famed school was attended by the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Al Pacino, and Ansel Elgort.

Not only did Athena apply to college while living a shelter, but she also joined the NYPD's auxiliary police program in which she received training on how to help maintain public safety.

Athena explained that she 'thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know people and experience the outside world more' while also gaining a real understanding of what the police do.

The teen was attending high school in Manhattan while training twice a week with the program, which teaches volunteers New York State Penal Law, self-defense tactics, CPR and first aid, and patrol techniques.

Last March, Athena was riding the train home when she found out that she had been accepted into Harvard University.

'I called my friend, and I just screamed, "Oh my God, I got into Harvard!"' she recalled. 'It was really exciting. I wanted to see if I could get in. Im used to challenging myself. Thats what I had to do my whole life.'

Another success: The teen learned she was accepted into Harvard last March, a month before she graduated from the auxiliary police as class valedictorian

Role model: Athena currently lives on Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and plans on going into the field of neuroscience

Athena said her mom was also 'superexcited' and 'superproud' of her accomplishment, which has put her on a life-changing path.

A month after learning she was headed to Harvard, the student graduated from the auxiliary police as class valedictorian. She and 100 other college-bound high school students were awarded $1,000 scholarships from the mayor's office.

Athena currently lives on Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and plans on going into the field of neuroscience. In addition to attending classes full time, she also has a job at a local cafe.

When she is on breaks from school, she continues to live with her mom at the shelter and volunteer with the NYPD; she also told the New York Daily News that she may even consider joining the NYPD full-time after graduation.

'It depends on what jobs I decide will suit me the best. I definitely plan to continue in auxiliary. My experiences here have been really great,' she said.

'I never really feel like the struggle is over,' she added. 'Its definitely rewarding to give back.'

Athena and her mother are just a few of the thousands of homeless families who are living in shelters in New York City.

Amazing: When she is on breaks from school, she continues to live with her mom at the shelter and volunteer with the NYPD

In January, there were 63,839 homeless people and 15,492 families in New York City shelters each night, according to the Coalition for the Homeless.

Athena opened up about her experience living in a shelter during an interview with Metrofocus in November, admitting she was initially scared when she and her mom entered the shelter system because she 'didn't know what to expect.'

'It was a lot better [than I expected]. It was very clean. There weren't roaches. The people were nice  most of them. I didn't really run into any problems,' she said.

Athena explained that 'a lot of people that do go into shelters are families,' noting that the family shelters are not as bad as people would expect.

'People there are trying to get jobs,' she said. 'They don't want to be stuck there. They're not lazy. Its just circumstances didn't line up for them.'

The student said she has been open with her friends about living in a shelter, but she understands why some teens choose to keep that information to themselves.

'I have friends that I definitely trust, so I have told them, but I think it really depends who you are surrounded by. My high school had a lot of people that were very accepting, like, a lot of artists,' she said.

'I didn't really have a problem, but I have met other people that just the high school they went to they didn't feel as comfortable sharing that information, so none of their friends know about it, but for me, personally, it wasn't too much of a problem.'
Designer Zac Posen has shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the wedding dress he designed for Princess Eugenie.

Princess Eugenie, 29, wore the stunning peach-hued gown to her evening reception last October, after opting for a white low-back dress by Peter Pilotto for her church wedding to Jack Brooksbank, 33.

And on Sunday, American fashion designer Zac posted an unseen photo of the wedding dress fitting, paying tribute to Eugenie, who he described as possessing 'natural elegance and a heart of gold'.

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On Sunday American fashion designer Zac Posen posted a photo of Eugenie's wedding dress fitting, describing the Princess as possessing 'natural elegance and a heart of gold'

Paying tribute to the royal before wishing her a happy birthday, Zac wrote alongside the picture: 'Every now and then you meet somebody who just knocks your socks off.'

The candid photo shows Eugenie wearing her hair in the relaxed side-parting she was seen with on the wedding day, and smiling as she glances towards the designer.

Meanwhile Posen is seen kneeling down behind her as he holds her veil, beaming up at the Princess.

And paying tribute to the royal before wishing her a happy birthday, Zac wrote alongside the picture: 'Every now and then you meet somebody who just knocks your socks off.'

'This last year I got to know a young lady who possessed natural elegance, a heart of gold and sophisticated humor.

'My studio and I had the honor (and the best time) collaborating with her on her special gown. Best of all she is dedicated to using her privilege to help our world and its people with her project The Anti-slavery collective'.

Meanwhile Eugenie posted a picture of the wedding reception to her own Instagram account, admitting: 'My 28th year was the best one yet. Now to being 29...Thank you for all the birthday wishes.'

Eugenie posted a picture of the wedding reception last October to her own Instagram account on her birthday yesterdat. She is pictured with Jack Brooksbank wearing the Zac Posen dress

In a birthday message on Sunday, Eugenie wrote: 'My 28th year was the best one yet. Now to being 29...Thank you for all the birthday wishes.'

Last October Princess Eugenie married tequila executive Jack Brooksbank in a lavish ceremony at St. George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, who is ninth in line to the British throne, wore two dresses on the lavish day, where security reportedly cost 2million alone.

Eugenie arrived at the church wearing a V-neck dress made from a jacquard of silk, cotton and viscose blend by British designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, estimated at 200,000, and a diamond and emerald encrusted tiara.

Her bridal gown, designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, was created with a low back at Eugenies request to show a long scar from a procedure to correct scoliosis  curvature of the spine  when she was 12.

Arriving at the evening reception, Eugenie changed into a blush-coloured evening gown inspired by Grace Kelly in the 1955 film To Catch a Thief, which is currently on display alongside her first wedding dress at Windsor Castle.

The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, attended the wedding, along with other senior royals.

Jack proposed to Eugenie during a holiday trip to Nicaragua in Central America, seven years after they first met.
Children as young as nine are being admitted to hospital with severe disorders caused by cannabis, figures reveal.

More than 3,400 patients under the age of 19 were admitted last year because of mental and behavioural illnesses triggered by the drug.

Doctors are seeing a whole new generation with serious problems, who are increasingly buying cannabis via social media websites.

James Hamilton, pictured aged 11 with his retired teacher mum Janie, became addicted to cannabis when he was 14 years old and developed psychosis and depression

James died in July 2015 after refusing treatment for his testicular cancer

NHS figures show that admissions for disorders caused by the drug among under-19s have risen by 38 per cent since 2013/14, and by 10 per cent in the past year alone.

While boys account for the majority of cases, girls are catching up.

And the figures underestimate the scale of the problem because they count only those patients who were so unwell they were admitted on to a ward or specialist unit.

The revelations came as evidence mounts over the harm caused by super-strong skunk forms of cannabis that are widely available in Britain.

Last week a major study in the Lancet Psychiatry journal revealed that potent forms of the drug increased the risk of psychotic disorders five-fold. A shocking 30 per cent of new cases of psychosis in London are linked to skunk cannabis, the Kings College London researchers found.

A study published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry last week found that more potent forms of the drug are linked to a five-fold increase in psychotic disorders

Experts  and teenagers themselves  say cannabis has become much more accessible in recent years through Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

Dealers are openly advertising on the websites. Many display photos of cannabis bagged up and ready to post.

Many children believe cannabis is safer than alcohol, as well as being easier to get because they dont need ID to buy it.

Cannabis is linked to severe mental illnesses including psychosis, where patients have hallucinations and delusionary thoughts, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety attacks.

Paul North, who worked for drug treatment services in York and Leeds and is now a director at independent think-tank Volteface, said: The ease by which young people can get drugs has increased massively.

Social media is without doubt one of the most common ways to procure drugs. Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook  they are very easy to [use to] buy and sell drugs. There are loads of different accounts that you can start following which will constantly put drugs up for sale.

For the police, its an absolute nightmare and they just havent got the resources.

If you think about historically how kids got drugs in the 60s, 70s and 80s, youve got to hang around and find a drug dealer. Youve got to go in a house and get to know them. What you can do now is just get them on Instagram and get them to post them to you or show up at your house.

NHS Digital figures obtained by the Daily Mail show there were 3,414 admissions for mental and behavioural disorders caused by cannabis for the under-19s in 2017/18'

Dr Niall Campbell, a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital in London, which treats NHS patients, added: We are seeing a whole new generation of teenagers, and those in their early 20s, being admitted as emergencies with paranoid psychoses linked to cannabis use.

They believe they are being watched, followed and listened to 24 hours a day by unknown pursuers who mean to harm or kill them. This can lead to violent, or sometimes suicidal, behaviour as they flee imagined pursuers.

There is this ongoing urban myth that smoking cannabis is harmless, and may be beneficial. Many people see cannabis as something that helps you chill  a drug that, unlike alcohol and cigarettes, might even be good for your mental health. Statistics tell the opposite.

NHS Digital figures obtained by the Daily Mail show there were 3,414 admissions for mental and behavioural disorders caused by cannabis for the under-19s in 2017/18. This included two involving children aged nine or under.

Ian Hamilton, a senior lecturer in mental health services at the University of York, said: No matter where you are... cannabis is much easier to access than alcohol.

The Home Office has legalised cannabis for medicinal use and that message has been quite verbal to young people. Theres a message that cannabis is benign and harmless.

Dr Derek Tracy, a psychiatrist at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in south-east London, has started seeing more young people with cannabis-related problems over the past three or four years.

He said: While most people still get cannabis from their friends, theres been a move to social media platforms like Snapchat. I think it is changing the marketplace.

The figures show that admissions for girls under 19 have risen by 43 per cent in the four years from 2014 to 2018, against a 34 per cent increase in boys. It comes amid a long-running debate over whether the UK should legalise cannabis for recreational use, following Canada and some US states.

Supporters  including former Conservative leader William Hague, former Lib Dems leader Nick Clegg and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson  say the war on the drug has been irreversibly lost. But opponents, including NHS England head Simon Stevens, argue that legalising cannabis would increase the rates of serious mental illnesses.

Some critics say the drug has been decriminalised by stealth by the police, with the number of prosecutions for possession falling by a fifth in two years.

A Government spokesman said: The Government continues to invest in programmes that have a positive impact on young people, giving them the confidence and resilience to resist drugs.

The Wards are full of Lives Wrecked by this Evil Drug

By Dr Max Pemberton for the Daily Mail

Walk on to any mental health ward as I have and you will be confronted with the tragic victims of our lackadaisical attitude towards cannabis.

There is mounting evidence to show the drug is having a horrific effect on the young, not least the Mails disturbing story today. A third of psychosis cases in London are the result of smoking skunk, according to research. Another study by Oxford University showed it increases the risk of depression in teenagers by 40 per cent.

They join the hundreds of other studies which show that, far from being the harmless substance campaigners would have us believe, cannabis is a dangerous, damaging intoxicant that has a profound effect on the structure and function of the brain.

Walk on to any mental health ward as I have and you will be confronted with the tragic victims of our lackadaisical attitude towards cannabis

Cannabis is particularly dangerous to the developing brains of young people and yet this group is the most likely to experiment with the drug. It has been proved beyond doubt that cannabis use is associated with depression, anxiety, psychosis and avolition, or poor motivation.

It is a bitter irony that, just as we as a society are becoming more understanding about mental illness and showing greater concern and awareness, a drug which is directly responsible for destroying peoples mental health is being allowed to become so widespread. Particularly frustrating are the smug, ageing, liberal types who smoked the drug through the 60s, 70s and 80s and claim that, because theyre still here, it must be fine. They fail to realise that not only did plenty of people not make it through the 60s and 70s unscathed, but also that the super-strong skunk cannabis on the streets today is entirely different to what it was 15, let alone 30, years ago.

Yet bizarrely, the police are taking an increasingly relaxed view of it. We dont enforce the law on cannabis, which means parents who are bravely trying to steer their children away from it are unsupported by the criminal justice system. I remember visiting the home of a young man whose parents had become concerned about his mental health. With his family waiting nervously in the lounge downstairs, I walked tentatively up the stairs and pushed the bedroom door open to find him cowering in the corner, the carpet peppered with hundreds of cigarette burn marks, and pieces of paper torn from newspapers covering the floor.

Cannabis is particularly dangerous to the developing brains of young people and yet this group is the most likely to experiment with the drug

He was convinced the devil had possessed him and demons were telling him to kill himself. In the end, he was sectioned and sent to psychiatric hospital, another broken mind to join the many who have been lost to this drug.

His parents both agreed that soon after taking his GCSEs he began to change. He started using skunk and rarely came out of his room. It was only a matter of time before he ended up in hospital.

The wards are littered with similar examples of lives wrecked, sometimes for a short time, sometimes permanently. I have seen dozens of people who have become psychotic using cannabis, and the number has increased recently as the stronger forms have become more widely available.

The lives ruined by cannabis arent on display for everyone to see because theyre locked away in mental hospitals.
A cocaine addict hooked on the drug for 25 years has shared graphic images of the impact the illegal drug had on his body.

Ian Higginson, from Wythenshawe near Manchester, spent almost 400-a-week on cocaine after becoming addicted in his late teens - and would snort on average around eight grams of the drug every seven days.

The 44-year-old said the years of abuse 'destroyed' his nose and caused 'lumps of flesh' to fall off.

Though, Mr Higginson has now been clean for almost a year. He opened up about his addiction in a Facebook post.

Ian Higginson, from Wythenshawe near Manchester, spent almost 400-a-week on the drug, after becoming addicted in his late teens (pictured left, his nose during his habit, and right, four months clean)

He wrote: 'Cocaine has done me absolutely no favours at all... it's only once you stop that you see it for yourself.'

Mr Higginson revealed how he became a slave to the drug, putting it before friends, family - and even himself.

'My addiction started properly when I moved down south,' he told The Manchester Evening News.

He became an air steward and often flew long haul to the Caribbean, where he said cocaine was 'everywhere'.

Mr Higginson revealed that is when his addiction started to consume him. He described himself as being a 'complete slave to it'.

He added: 'When I was in the UK, I'd spend my days off working the doors as a bouncer, earning more cash, taking cocaine while working to keep me awake.

'I was spending three, four hundred pounds a week on it, easy, sometimes even 1,000.

'I'd set up a few businesses which were successful, but all the money from them went on drugs.

Mr Higginson has now been clean for almost a year. He opened up about his addiction in a Facebook post (pictured with his girlfriend Emma)

HOW CAN COCAINE DAMAGE THE NOSE? Cocaine powder is 'snorted' into the nostrils, and although it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, the drug also causes the blood vessels in the lining of the nose passages to shrink. Shortly after use, the blood vessels widen again, and the red, runny stuffed-up nose of the recent user can be a telltale sign. Repeated cocaine use leads to loss of blood supply to the septum (the thin bony dividing wall between the nostrils) which becomes damaged, leaving a hole between the two nose passages. The bridge of the nose may even collapse. Advertisement

'When my mum died she left me her house, it was worth 160,000 - I spent at least half of that cash on cocaine.'

After five-and-a-half years, Mr Higginson changed careers and took a job in an office. But the drugs didn't stop.

'I was a functional user,' he added. 'I'd go to work every day as normal and then I'd come home and sniff cocaine. It just became the norm.

'As my financial situation improved, the more coke I'd buy. Things got out of control and I couldn't stop.'

Mr Higginson's addiction to cocaine, which saw him using 8g of the drug each week, saw him hospitalised in 2016. He said: 'When I blew my nose lumps of flesh would come out.

'I was disgusting. The pain was so bad, but I'd still put coke up it to try and stop it.

'I ended up really poorly in hospital, they said it was a brain infection and thought there may be cancer, but my nose was too badly destroyed to tell if it was carcinogenic or not.'

He underwent two biopsies and his nose collapsed. He found out he had an allergy to cocaine, and it was preventing his nose from healing properly.

Despite this, Mr Higginson kept using. He said: 'It got to the point I knew I couldn't keep doing what I was doing, so I checked myself into rehab.

'I was there for about a month, and managed to stay clean for another month when I came out.'

However, on a night out he picked up a bag of the drug that had fallen onto the floor from another person's pocket in a takeaway shop.

Mr Higginson said: 'I put my foot over it, then when he left I picked it up, took it home and snorted it.

'The temptation was too much. I could say no when it wasn't around, but put it in front of me and I just didn't have the willpower.'

It took several more years after this for Mr Higginson to finally kick the habit. He found himself in a very dark place, and knew it had to stop.

'I'd had enough,' he added. 'I was sick of being skint, sick of putting cocaine before everyone else.

'Sick of being out with people and just wanting to come home and sniff coke on my own in my own little world that didn't exist, all alone, with no self-respect.

'I reminded myself of all the reasons why I shouldn't be doing it, how I felt when I wasn't taking it. I've been clean now since June last year.

'I've got no love for it, no craving, I've been in rooms with people doing it and I've just walked out. I'm not going back there.'

Mr Higginson is now working for a funeral planning company, and is in a happy relationship with his girlfriend Emma.

The pair had been on and off for nine years - and each time they split because of his drug use.

He said: 'I feel amazing now. I am happy. In the past I have always felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled.

'If I had a good day it was an excuse to take cocaine, if I had a bad day it was an excuse to take cocaine.

'But now If I have a good day I have had a good day, if it's bad then that's just life. It's like I have just reset myself.'

Mr Higginson's eye-opening post has been shared hundreds of times, and he said he's had a really positive response from it.

He said: 'It is helping me to help other people. My addiction was like a jail sentence and since I've been clean I feel like I have been released.

'There are so many people out there who are themselves or know someone affected by cocaine use, it is that wide of a problem.

'I just want to give something back so that people can see if I can do it, so can they. Even if it helps just one person, it will be worth it.'
Transgender men are still fertile enough to get pregnant after a year of hormone therapy, scientists claim.

Women transitioning to become men often take testosterone therapy to help them grow body hair and change their body shape.

This reduces how much female sex hormone, oestrogen, is in the body - but the ovaries may still be working after a year of the treatment, research has found.

The scientists said they could even work 'to a degree that may allow reproduction' but didn't indicate how long it could take for the ovaries to shut down.

A 28-year-old trans man from Texas recently revealed his own shock when he became pregnant after living as a man for more than six years.

Trans men who transitioned from being a woman may still be able to get pregnant even a year after taking testosterone injections, scientists say (stock image)

Researchers from Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center in Israel studied 52 trans men who had testosterone injections.

Using complete results from 32 of them, all of whom were aged between 17 and 40, they found their female hormones remained in the fertile range for women.

'Our research shows for the first time that after one year of testosterone treatment, ovary function is preserved to a degree that may allow reproduction,' said the study's lead investigator, Yona Greenman.

'This information is important for transgender men and their partners who desire to have their own children.'

The testosterone injections reduced the participants' levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), which signals how many eggs a woman has.

But for the first year the trans men still had enough of the hormone to signal they were fertile enough to get pregnant.

It is not clear what their AMH readings were, but between 1ng/ml and 3ng/ml is considered normal, according to the Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey.

Less than 0.6ng/ml is considered 'low' and could impact fertility.

Only men who haven't had sex-change surgery would still be able to get pregnant, and they'd have to conceive the normal way  through vaginal sex with a biological man.

The researchers admit their study was small, with useable data from only 32 people, but said scientific studies of this kind are rare.

They revealed their findings at the Endocrine Society's annual conference in New Orleans on Saturday.

The British Government doesn't know how many transgender people are in the UK, but estimates the figure is between 200,000 and 500,000  up to 0.75 per cent of the population.

Research published last year revealed men changing into women may also have a hard time getting hormones under control using medicine alone.

Boston University scientists found most trans women couldn't reduce their testosterone to female levels with drugs.

A study of 98 trans women, published in the journal Endocrine Practice, found only a quarter had managed to get their testosterone levels into a female range.

The same proportion hadn't been managed any 'signficant suppression' of their male hormones at all.
Breathing in polluted air could damage the fertility of men by reducing how much sperm they produce.

Tests on mice showed those exposed to toxic air had lower counts and worse quality sperm compared to those who had inhaled clean air since birth.

The study looked at particulate matter (PM), tiny particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the blood stream.

It adds to the growing evidence against air pollution and its effect on our health, including the reproductive and respiratory systems.

Tests on mice by Sao Paulo University showed that those exposed to toxic air had sperm of lower quantity and quality in comparison to mice who had breathed clean air since birth

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 15 per cent of the global population has difficulty with fertility.

And male infertility accounts for about half of those problems, according to global estimates.

Researchers at Sao Paulo University, Brazil, looked at four groups of mice. One was exposed to PM2.5 before and after birth until adulthood.

The second group was exposed only during their time in the womb and the third group was exposed after birth from weaning until adulthood.

The fourth group was exposed only to filtered air.

The team, led by Dr Elain Costa, analysed the testes of the mice and their production of sperm when they had become adults.

The mice that had been exposed to toxic air had deterioration in the seminigerous tubes - where sperm is produced in the testes.

The mice that breathed only PM2.5 after birth seemed to be the most harmed, the study found.

The exposure to PM2.5 led to changes in the levels of genes related to testicular cell function.

Dr Costa said these changes are epigenetic, which means they are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence but when a gene is switched on or off.

She believes it to be the first time research has demonstrated that exposure to air pollution impairs production of sperm through epigenetics.

'These findings provide more evidence that governments need to implement public policies to control air pollution in big cities,' Dr Costa said.

'Infertility rates are increasing around the world, and air pollution may be one of the main factors.'

PM2.5 is a fine particle with diameters that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller, making a human hair, at about 70 micrometers in diameter, 30 times larger, or more.

PM2.5 is known to disrupt the endocrine system, involved in reproduction, sleep and metabolism.

It could also harm the function of the genitals. A study published in February suggested men who live on main roads are more likely to have difficulty getting an erection due to exposure to pollution.

Toxic fumes reduced blood flow to the genitals, tests on rats showed, putting them at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.

Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including premature death in people with heart or lung disease, heart problems and respiratory problems.

The findings of the latest study, which are not yet peer-reviewed, will be presented at the Endocrine Society conference in New Orleans today.
Inactivity is killing nearly 70,000 people in the UK every year, a study has found.

Experts warn Britain runs on a 'sitting-based economy' in which the vast majority of working adults spend their days bound to a desk.

Some 30 per cent of us spend at least six hours a day seated during the week.

But tellingly, at the weekend this figure goes up to 37 per cent, suggesting we are even lazier in our leisure time.

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast warned that so much sedentary behaviour is causing thousands of cases of heart disease, type two diabetes, cancer and even death.

The academics, writing in the BMJ Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, calculated the NHS is spending 762million a year dealing with the consequences of people lounging around.

Studies have shown that spending large parts of the day sitting down increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and death and is a burden on health services

They said people who spend the much of their day planted in one place have an 88 per cent increased risk of type two diabetes, a 14 per cent increased risk of heart disease and a 25 per cent increased risk of an early death.

The risks of lung cancer go up by 27 per cent, bowel cancer by 30 per cent and womb cancer by 28 per cent.

They calculated that one in nine of all deaths seen in the UK every year - 69,276 in 2016/17 alone - are linked to sedentary behaviour.

Study leader Leonie Heron from the Centre of Public Health at Queen's University Belfast, said: 'We know that spending large parts of the day sitting down increases the risk of a number of illnesses including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

'This research has enabled us to put a figure on this, demonstrating the huge cost this has on the NHS and highlights the pressing need to address this issue to both reduce the financial cost and improve population health.

'Our research showed that sedentary behaviour contributed to almost 70,000 lives lost in 2016.

SITTING FOR TOO LONG IS NOT AS BAD AS SMOKING Sitting for too long is not as bad as smoking, researchers declared in November in hope of debunking the widespread myth. Evidence has already shown inhaling tobacco smoke boosts the risk of premature death from any cause by around 180 per cent. However, studies show the heightened risk of an early grave from excessive sitting - more than eight hours a day - is 20 per cent, at most. Epidemiologists at the University of South Australia, led by Dr Terry Boyle, warned the two are simply not comparable. Advertisement

'This could have been avoided if sedentary behaviour was eliminated in the UK.'

Her team calculated too much sitting was linked to 17 per cent of all cases of type two diabetes, five per cent of heart disease, seven per cent of lung cancer, nine per cent of bowel cancer and eight per cent of womb cancer.

Health officials are particularly worried about the millions of inactive middle-aged people who continuously put their busy lives ahead of the needs of their health.

They have repeatedly warned that Britain is the midst of an 'inactivity epidemic' - with poor health awaiting many of those who do no exercise at all.

Dr Mike Brannan, national lead for physical activity at Public Health England said: 'Even if you are physically active, sitting for long periods of time damages your health and greatly increase your risks of a broad range of health conditions.

'People should sit less and move more. But there are many situations in life - such as workplaces and care settings - where sitting is inevitable, so it is important to take regular breaks by standing or moving around.'

Experts are divided on exactly what it is about prolonged sitting that is so harmful.

Some think it is simply a lack of exercise that does the damage.

But others believe the very act of being still and not moving your muscles for hours at a time can be dangerous in the long term - even if you go to the gym every evening.

Dr Gavin Sandercock, director of research at the University of Essex, said Britain now runs on a 'a sitting-based economy'.

'The move from manufacturing to a predominantly service-based industry means that people sitting at desks are now the backbone of the UK economy.'

But he added: 'You actually have to reduce sitting time by several hours each day to see noticeable improvements in health.

'In contrast - getting people to be more physically active has much bigger effects.'

Professor Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow, said: 'People should not worry about sitting down at work if that's what they have to do.

'The better message to communicate is people should aim to accumulate more activity commuting to their works or during their evenings.

'Even adding an extra 1,000 steps per day is a reachable target for most if they feel they are not getting enough activity.'
Taking estrogen after gender-affirming surgery improves brain connections key to memory, learning and emotion in transgender women, a new study finds.

Not only does this suggest that trans women should keep up hormone therapy post-op, it also underscores the deep connection between hormones and brain connectivity.

After having bottom surgery, removing the testicles, trans women experience the same symptoms that post-menopausal women do, such as hot flashes and night sweats.

The discovery, made by scientists at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and at the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil, suggests that estrogen therapy may benefit the brains of trans women and post-menopausal women alike.

Taking estrogen improves connections between the part of the brain that sorts sensory information and those responsible for emotions, memory, motor skills and more

As research advances, we are discovering more and more how central hormones are to many physical processes - and how interconnected these systems are.

The hormone or endocrine system plays a key role in instigating everything from how we process food to how stress effects the body and even our heartbeats.

And the new research sheds light on how sex hormones affect the brain, too.

For trans women, gender-affirming surgery can do wonders to dispel lifelong dysphoria, in turn improving mental health and overall quality of life.

As the trans community and trans issues are finally becoming more socially accepted, doctors have seen a swell in the number of people seeking and having gender-affirming operations.

In the case of trans women, a complete transition means removing the testicles and penis - and with them the production center for male hormones.

Prior to surgery, many trans women take estrogen - in addition to testosterone blockers and progesterones, in many cases - to encourage their transition.

These hormones have a four-part effect on trans women's bodies and minds.

An infusion of estrogen, coupled with falling testosterone levels, can alter the way a trans woman senses and feels things, redistribute fat, trigger breast growth, change the skin, may trigger the emotional roller coaster of simulated puberty, change hair growth, sex organs and sexuality and more.

There are two categories of fairly clear but poorly understood effects of hormone therapy's effects on the brain: the quick change in how women perceive sensory information and in the emotional changes that some trans women experience.

But the new study reveals one of the mechanisms that may be at play - namely, communication between brain regions through the thalamus.

The researchers recruited 18 transgender women who had undergone complete transition surgeries, including the removal of testicles, stopping their male hormone production.

They all went off the estrogen therapies they'd taken before surgery for a month, were given MRIs to asses their brain activity, then resumed estrogen.

After another two months (60 days), they underwent another MRI.

The researchers saw that, while the women were on estrogen, a region of the brain called the thalamus was much more active.

The thalamus is the reception center and interpreter for sensory information, sorting it into categories - audio, visual, tactile, taste-related - and sending it to the appropriate portions of the brain for processing.

Sitting just beneath the thalamus, the hypothalamus is considered the link and mediator between the endocrine, or hormonal system, and the central nervous system (including the brain).

But more recent research suggests an even more complex relationship between hormones - estrogen in particular - and the brain.

Namely, as the Canadian and Brazilian research team reports, higher estrogen levels encourage connection and communication between the thalamus and brain regions the dictate our fine motor skills, learning, emotions and sensory perception.

This may explain the common reports of things 'feeling different.'

'We found taking estradiol' - an estrogen replacement - 'strengthened the thalamus' role as a 'relay station' for sensory and motor information in the brain,' the study authors said.

Their findings also support the recommendation that, even after completing surgical transition, trans women continue to take estrogen.

'Our study suggests they should continue taking estradiol not only to feminize their bodies or to avoid the symptoms related to the absence of sex hormones, but also to prevent the weakening of brain connectivity between brain regions of clinical relevance,' said study study co-author Dr Tayane Muniz Fighera, of the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Since post-menopausal women have the same symptoms and challenges when their bodies stop producing estrogen, this work suggests that hormone therapy may help protect them against the cognitive symptoms of menopause, like brain fog, too.

'This finding is a great advance for the neuroendocrinology sciences,' said lead researcher Dr Maiko Abel Schneider of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
It is good news for older people fearing their memory is not as sharp as it once was.

Scientists now believe humans keep growing new brain cells all the way into our nineties.

The hippocampus, or memory centre of the brain, shrinks as we age, helping to cause forgetfulness.

The loss of brain cells may be the reason some older people start entering rooms only to have forgotten the reason they walked in. But there is now hope that this decline may not be inevitable.

The hippocampus, or memory centre of the brain, shrinks as we age, helping to cause forgetfulness (stock)

While some experts believe we stop growing memory brain cells after childhood, the new study suggests the brain regenerates well into someone's twilight years.

Researchers found evidence of growing brain cells in the hippocampus of people aged 43 to 97.

Interestingly, people with Alzheimer's disease had fewer new brain cells, even in the early stages of the disease, before other brain changes emerged.

The effect on growing brain cells could give doctors an earlier test to detect Alzheimer's in people before they show symptoms.

Dr Maria Llorens-Martin, who led the study from the Molecular Biology Centre (CBMSO) in Spain, said: 'These results suggest that when people lose brain cells in old age, they might be able to generate new ones to replace them. That opens the possibility of generating new memories using new brain cells.

'If we are able to confirm these findings in living patients, this could pave the way in the future for an earlier test to detect Alzheimer's disease, a drug to treat it or healthy lifestyle advice.

'We know that exercise can increase new brain cells in rodents so it may do the same in humans.'

A study last year concluded that new brain cells, or neurons, in the memory region of the brain either do not exist or are extremely rare in adults.

Its authors, from the University of Southern California in San Francisco, said these brain cells 'decline' in children, and are 'undetectable' by the time we become adults.

But the Spanish authors of the new study say proteins produced by growing brain cells may previously have been 'hidden' from scientists after mixing with preserving chemicals in brain banks.

The majority of brain cells we need are in the brain when we are born. But researchers still found 'thousands' of apparently young brain cells in the memory centres of 13 healthy people aged 43 to 87.

These were detected by sending antibodies to find the proteins, which are oval for older brain cells and longer in shape for younger ones.

The surprising finding from the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, came from looking at the brains of another 45 people aged 52 to 97 at various stages of Alzheimer's disease when they died.

Their brains showed fewer growing brain cells, suggesting the memory-robbing disease stops new brain cells from forming or surviving. This could in future lead to a new drug to reverse memory loss in people with dementia.

The change in immature brain cells was worse in people with end-stage Alzheimers.

But it was found even in people with very early-stage Alzheimers, before the plaques and tangles of protein usually used to diagnose the disease.

That could mean a new test for dementia which picks it up earlier in the brain.
Pregnant women who work night shifts are nearly a third more likely to suffer a miscarriage, a study has found.

Working two or more night shifts the previous week raised the risk by 32 per cent, according to a study of 20,000 women.

And Danish researchers now warn the more night shifts worked, the higher the chance of losing a baby.

Scientists fear too much light exposure during the night disrupts the body's internal clock and cause levels of melatonin to drop.

Pregnant women who work night shifts are nearly a third more likely to suffer a miscarriage, scientists have warned

Melatonin is a hormone that preserves the function of the placenta and is crucial in securing a successful pregnancy.

The study adds to previous findings, but is the first to quantify the amount of night shifts involved in the increased miscarriage risk.

The researchers at the Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen said it could have implications for the hours women work during pregnancy.

Scientists led by Dr Luise Moelenberg Begtrup analysed the working lives of more than 22,744 expecting women from five different regions over six years.

The study focused on women working in the public sector, including hospitals.

Almost half of the women worked nine night shifts throughout their pregnancy and 2,000 - eight per cent - of the women suffered a miscarriage.

A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks, according to the NHS, but this study only studied miscarriages up until week 22.

After week eight of pregnancy, pregnant women who worked two or more night shifts the previous week had a 32 per cent higher risk of miscarriage compared to women who did not work any night shifts that week.

It was also discovered that the risk of miscarriage increased the more night shifts worked.

Researchers are yet to determine a direct cause, and point out that the data on miscarriages, particularly early miscarriages, were incomplete.

RISK OF A MISCARRIAGE SPIKES TO 54% FOR OVER-45s The risk of suffering a miscarriage soars for older mothers, a study suggests. A study published in the British Medical Journal found miscarriage rates are lowest among women aged 25 to 29, at 10 per cent. It rises slightly to 11 per cent among women in their early 30s and to 17 per cent among women aged 35 to 39. The risk of miscarriage then spikes to 32 per cent among those in their early 40s and 54 per cent over the age of 45. The research, by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, involved 420,000 women who became pregant between 2009 and 2013. They also found a strong recurrent risk of miscarriage - with a woman who had already suffered one miscarriage having a 50 per cent increased risk of a repeat. After two, the risk doubled, and after three consecutive miscarriages, the risk was four times greater. Previous pregnancy complications also predicted a higher risk of miscarriage. The number of older mothers has increased in recent decades, as more women concentrate on their career first and turn to family later. Advertisement

But they suspect women being exposed to light during the night time could be an important contributing factor.

Light exposure during the night can disrupt a woman's circadian rhythm which decreases the release of melatonin.

Dr Moelenberg Begtrup said: 'Studies in humans have found lower levels of melatonin mediated by exposure to light at night and with no full catch-up during the day among night workers.

'Melatonin is primarily synthesised in the pineal gland but also in peripheral organs such as the placenta and ovaries.

'It plays a role in preserving the optimal function of the placenta and experimental studies have demonstrated the importance of tightly regulated circadian rhythms, in which melatonin also has a pivotal role, in the maintenance of successful pregnancies.'

Previous studies have suggested pregnant women face a greater risk of miscarriage if they work night shifts, but they have been based on self-reported shift work.

For this study, published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the authors accessed payroll data and linked that with data from Danish national registers on births and admissions to hospital for miscarriage.

Dr Begtrup said the results are of importance because 14 per cent of pregnant women work at least one night shift a month.

She said: 'The study corroborates earlier findings that night work during pregnancy may confer an increased risk of miscarriage and it indicates a lowest observed threshold level of two night shifts per week.

'The new knowledge has relevance for working pregnant women as well as their employers, physicians and midwifes.

'Moreover, the results could have implications for national occupational health regulations.'
Just a month after beginning her freshman year at Cornell University, Marlee Pincus began coughing non-stop.

A flu had been going around the campus in Ithaca, New York, so Pincus, then 17, assumed she had picked it up as well.

But the cough only worsened, and she developed a fever and chills.

In October, she was taken to urgent care , who had her was rushed to the hospital after worrying test results, reported student-run newspaper The Cornell Daily Sun.

Pincus, now 18, was diagnosed the same day with leukemia, a blood cancer, and learned she was going to have to put on college on hold so she could enter intense chemotherapy treatment for the next two years.

The teenager says the diagnosis has given her a 'new perspective on life' and she's even raised more than $20,000 for leukemia research.

Marlee Pincus, 18 (left and right), began coughing a few weeks into her freshman year at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in September 2018. She attributed the cough to a flu that had been going around campus

Pincus's friends improved as she got worse, but she thought it was maybe just stress from her classes. Pictured: Pincus in the hospital

Pincus recalled how the first few weeks of her college experience were just as she imagined it would be.

'I was meeting so many interesting people, learning new things, eating unhealthy foods, and staying up very late...typical college stuff,' she wrote in a blog post for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

In September, Pincus and several of her friends fell ill, which attributed to a flu that was going around.

But as her friends recovered, she got worse - but thought it was maybe just stress from her classes.

'My mom noticed I was extremely pale and decided to take me to urgent care,' Pincus told The Sun. 'They drew blood and then received a critical values call from the lab.'

Her white blood cell count was high and her levels of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, were low, which was concerning.

She was rushed to Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey and diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

ALL is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells called lymphocytes.

Pincus's mother took her to urgent care when her cough worsened. After worrying test results, staff had her transferred to Hackensack Hospital in New Jersey, where Pincus (left and right, during chemotherapy) was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

ALL is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature white blood cells called lymphocytes. It accounts for less than half of one percent of all cancers in the US. Pictured: Pincus, right

They crowd out normal white blood cells, causing the body to have a harder time fighting infections.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, easy bruising, frequent bleeding and chronic infections.

'Acute' means the disease as a chance of quickly spreading throughout the body meaning that early treatment is vital, including chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 6,000 people are expected to be diagnosed in 2019 and about 1,500 will die from it.

However, ALL is a very rare cancer and accounts for less than half of one percent of all cancers in the US.

'Hearing you have cancer is one of the scariest feelings,' Pincus wrote. 'Your first thought is: "Am I going to die?"'

But Pincus's doctors have told her that about 90 percent of patients are cured of the type of cancer she has, according to a Facebook post.

College would have to be put on hold, however, because for the next two-and-a-half years, she will need to undergo chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Doctors told her that for the next two-and-a-half years, she will need to undergo chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City (pictured)

For her eighteenth birthday, Pincus raised more than $20,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Pictured: Pincus in the hospital on her birthday

For her eighteenth birthday in October, Pincus decide to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

'In the Jewish religion, the number 18 is called "chai" and it means "life",' she told The Sun. 'Since I was turning 18, I decided to ask for donations in multiples of 18.'

The teen aimed to raise $1,800 in 18 days. By the time the fundraiser ended, she raised more than $20,000.

She's also created a Facebook page called Marlee Kickin Leuk's Butt on which she raises awareness for ALL and provides updates on her condition.

'Although I never thought I would be here, I am willing to take this opportunity to self-explore and gain a new perspective on life,' Pincus said. 'This is something I can carry with me forever.'

Israel: army starts striking Gaza after rocket Spokesman, Hamas terror sites targeted

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 25 - The Israeli army has started striking Gaza, retaliating for a rocket attack on Monday morning, Israel's military has said. ''Hamas terror targets'' were the objective of the strike, a military spokesman said.



Local sources in the Gaza Strip reported explosions.



(ANSAmed)
We are in the age of Snapchat and Instagram, the filtered selfie - and the Brazilian butt lift.

The unbelievable booties of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian West and Nicki Minaj have helped to inspire and drive a 19 percent increase in the dangerous Brazilian butt lift in just the last year.

And cosmetic procedures as a whole are up by 163 percent since 2000, according to new data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Some experts suggest that the hyper-flattering filters social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat offer are actually creating their own dysmorphia among millennials who ask plastic surgeons to retouch them in real life.

Others say that notion is little more than a marketing seed planted by surgeons looking to drum up their own businesses and social media cache.

Regardless, more and more women are going under the knife to get a over-sized butt - and it has the ASPS worried as the number of fatalities from the operation creeps up, too.

Even Kim Kardashian West uses soft-focused Snapchat filters to make her face look flawless, a trend some doctors say is driving dysmorphia and plastic surgery

The progressive 1920s ushered in the short skirt. The grim Great Depression brought back long looks for the 1930s.

And now that bodies are nearly as modifiable as the clothes we wear, trends come and go in the cosmetic surgery world too - and savvy surgeons keep a close eye on the changes.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) released its latest data on procedures earlier this month.

Boob jobs and liposuction still lead the way - with 313,735 and 258,558 procedures performed last year, respectively - but some surgeries have surged and even appeared in recent years.

According to the new statistics, there were eight procedures that were done so seldom in 2000, there aren't even enough data to estimate how much the operations have increased since.

Two of those procedures involve the butt.

Jennifer Lopez was one of the earliest celebrities known for her butt, and her figure may have helped to start a trend that is now influencing plastic surgery

Kim Kardashian West insists her ever-growing backside is real, but surgeons can recreate the look, and did, an estimated 24,000 times last year

But while butt implants fell out of fashion between 2017 and 2018, Brazilian butt lifts, actually called buttock augmentations with fat grafting, have just grown more popular - probably.

'Twenty years ago, all I was doing was taking fat out of buttocks,' says Dr Alan Perry.

'Then we had the Kardashian year and [people] decided enormous buttocks were a good idea,' says the New York- and New Jersey-based plastic surgeon.

Dr Perry refuses to perform the procedure, as he says most plastic surgeons do.

In fact, the ASPS issued an 'urgent warning' against the procedure last year.

The association estimated that the death rate for Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) may be as high as one in every 3,000 - higher than any other aesthetic procedure.

BBLs turn deadly due to fat embolisms.

'Because the size of the leg muscles that travel up to the buttock are is enormous, so it's very easy to inject fat' - liposuctioned from another part of the body and injected back into the patient's butt - 'into the vein,' explains Dr Perry.

From a vein, the fat can travel to the lungs or brain and cause obstructions, cutting off oxygen or triggering a stroke.

'The ASPS has acknowledged that there is no way to do the procedure safely,' Dr Perry adds.

Kylie Jenner swears her full lips and face structure are just the product of good makeup and, in this case, a Snapchat filter

That didn't stop 24,099 people from getting the dangerous procedure last year, according to the new ASPS estimates.

Overall, cosmetic surgeries saw a modest one percent increase between 2017 and 2018.

Minimally invasive procedures - like Botox, chemical peels and collagen fillers - increased slight more in the last year, at two percent, though since 2000 the rate of these procedures more than tripled (a 228 percent increase).

And cosmetic procedures on the whole increased by 163 percent.

Dr Matthew Schulman told the New York Post that the sharp increases are driven by 'Snapchat dysmorphia,' a term he came up with to describe patients, typically young women, who come into his office with a filtered picture of themselves, asking to be made to look that way permanently.

Dr Schulman, incidentally, also calls himself the 'Snapchat Surgeon' filming patient's butt lifts, tummy tucks and boob jobs live on the popular social media platform.

For his part, Dr Perry calls bull on Snapchat dysmorphia.

'I think that's a plastic surgeon-created phenomenon,' he says.

'That doesn't happen in the real world.'

The truth may be somewhere in the middle. There have been a few reports of the 'phenomenon' in the media, including from Dr Schulman, Dr Michelle Yagoda and one from British plastic surgeon Dr Tijion Esho, who told The Independent that a patient asked him to make her identical to her filtered selfie, a request he 'politely declined,' according to an article in the journal Cureus.

some plastic surgeons insist that Snapchat dysmorphia isn't real - but Instagram is a treasure trove of videos of women being injected in the image of other images

And then there is the Instagram account @Botoxvideos, which includes side-by-side images of Kylie Jenner, asking commenters what they think she's had done (Jenner insists the answer is 'nothing').

The account also has rather eerie videos of women holding up their smartphones displaying pictures of the bone structure they want as a doctor's hand appears, injecting fillers until their faces have changed accordingly.

Certainly, psychologists have suggested that social media and filters stoke insecurities because they portray life through filters and curated snapshots in such a way that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy.

Dr Perry says that a psychologist's assistance is what patients that walk in asking to be made into the image of a celebrity - or even their filtered selves - needs.

'It's a big red flag when someone says I want to look like Bieber or Marilyn Monroe,' he says.

'That's not what we should be doing as plastic surgeons. Those people will never be made happy and it's not a normal thing to really want to look exactly like a celebrity.'
Cannabis-related emergency room visits tripled in one Colorado hospital after legalization, a new study finds.

Around 3,300 ER visits at an Aurora clinic were related to marijuana in 2012, but a new study found that figure shot up to nearly 10,000 in 2016.

Researchers found there was a particularly sharp increase for the rates of hospitalization following visits associated with edible pot compared to inhalable pot.

The team, from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, believes that not only will ER visits increase as marijuana becomes more widely available and used in the state, but that its findings suggest edible cannabis products may be more toxic that marijuana that is smoked or vaped.

A new study from the University of Colorado School of Medicine found that cannabis-related ER visits tripled in one hospital after legalization from about 3,300 patients in 2012 to nearly 10,000 in 2016 (file image)

'I take care of patients who come in for cannabis-attributable visits.' Dr Andrew Monte, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado Denver, told DailyMail.com.

'Generally, we were feeling that edibles were causing a number of visits and we wanted to put some data behind this.'

For the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the team looked at patients who visited the ER at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital between 2012 and 2016.

They found that there was a three-fold increase in cannabis-associated visits during this time period.

About 3,300 patients visited the ER in 2012, when just medical marijuana was legal - but this shot up to nearly 10,000 in 2016, after both medical and recreational pot were legalized.

'It's like with increased drug availability, if there's a new blood pressure medicine on the market, we will see more adverse events,' Dr Monte said.

'And with 30 percent of Coloradans using marijuana in the last month, there will be more ER visits.'

However, he admits he was not not expecting the number to increase as much as it did.

The most common reason for ER visits was gastrointestinal symptoms including cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, which is characterized by severe bouts of vomiting in chronic marijuana users.

Intoxication was the second most common reason and the third most common was acute psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety or psychosis that needs immediate treatment.

Visits due to edible marijuana exposure made up nearly 11 percent between 2014 and 2016.

Researchers say they were surprised by this because edible cannabis accounted for a mere 0.32 percent of total cannabis sales (in kilograms of THC) in the state during this period.

The team also found the rate of hospitalization after ER visits was higher for edible cannabis at about 33 percent compared to inhalable cannabis at around 19 percent.

When users smoke or vape pot, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the psychoactive compound responsible for the euphoric, 'high' feeling often associated with it - is inhaled in the lungs and quickly enters the body.

Therefore, the effects are felt rather quickly and last between two and three hours.

But, when marijuana is eaten in edible form, THC is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and liver, according to American Addiction Centers.

It can take between 30 and 90 minutes for the effects to reach the brain, which means it could be less potent, but last longer - between four and six hours.

'We need to start to asking ourselves if it makes sense for cannabis edibles to be in the recreational marketplace,' Dr Monte said.

'If someone is having pot recreationally, they want to get high right away. Edible pot takes a longer time for effects to kick in, it lasts longer and it raises risk of someone ending up in the ED.

'The caveat is it's great for medical purposes.'

In an accompanying editorial by Dr Nora Volkow and Dr Ruben Baler from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, they note the slow rate at which THC is absorbed when it is in edible form.

'These findings also underscore the urgent need for greater oversight of manufacturing practices, labeling standards, and quality control of cannabis products marketed to the public,' they wrote.

American Addiction Centers also states that the liver can 'change' THC into a stronger strain.

Drs Volkow and Dr Baler in their editorial say users may not resume edible doses and, because there are so many products out there, over-consumption.

'This can be compounded by inaccurate labeling of cannabinoid content (THC or cannabidiol [CBD]) in edible products,' they wrote.

They also called for more research into the beneficial and negative effects of THC and CBD depending on how it's consumed, how many doses are consumed, and the sex, age and body mass index of the user.
Britain's largest specialist wine retailer, Majestic Wine, is set to shut down a number of shops and rebrand as its online brand, Naked Wines, as part of a 'transformation' plan announced today.

Majestic, which has 210 stores in the UK and two in France, did not specify how many shops will close, but boss Rowan Gormley said they will try to minimise job losses by moving staff to the Naked brand.

Majestic bought Naked Wines in 2015 for 70million, and since then it has been trying to grow its online business and outside of the UK as Britain readies to exit from the European Union.

Store closures: Majestic will rebrand as its online business, Naked Wines

It has been stockpiling imported wine to try to make sure it can get customers their chosen tipple.

Today it said its online business Naked is where it will 'focus all of our capital', accelerating investment in the brand by an extra 6million per year, on top of the current 20million.

Gormley said: 'It is clear that Naked Wines has the potential for strong sustainable growth, and we will deliver the best results for our shareholders, customers, people and suppliers by focusing all our energies on delivering that potential.

'We also believe that a transformed Majestic business does have the potential to be a long-term winner, but that we risk not maximising the potential of Naked if we try to do both.

'Where we have no choice but to close stores we will aim to minimise job losses by migration into Naked.'

Majestic also said they will sell some assets and review their dividend policy as part of the transformation plan. It will take a largely non-cash restructuring charge of up to 10million this year, with further pain in 2020.

Majestic, just like other retailers, has been struggling with competition from online rivals and discounters like Lidl And Aldi.

It swung from a 3.1million profit to a 152,000 loss in its most recent half-year results, which battered shares.

But despite gloom in the retail sector, sales over the Christmas period were up more than 6 per cent on the previous year.

Majestic has been stockpiling imported wine to try to make sure it can get customers their chosen tipple amid fears of a no-deal Brexit

In its first half of this year, it made sales of 229.1million. Today it reiterated it was on track to make 500million in sales this year and adjusted profit before tax of about 11.1million.

Majestic said it currently makes 45 per cent of its sales online and 20 per cent abroad, where there's 'significant growth potential' mostly thanks to its US business.

Majestic shares fell 9 per cent to 245p in morning trading. They are down about 35 per cent over the past year.
It has been a tough six months for backers of The Restaurant Group in the run-up to and following its 550million acquisition of Wagamama.

Worries over the strain the deal may have placed on the balance sheet have driven the share price down 100p, or 46 per cent.

But as Mark Irvine-Fortescue at City broker Stifel pointed out, transformational bolt-ons such as Wagamama rarely come along at the perfect time, or, indeed, at the ideal price.

He reckons the shares will recover, but this relies on a hiccup-free welding together of the popular noodle chain to TRG's existing Frankie & Benny's and Chiquito operation, as well as realising the planned synergies from the merger.

The Restaurant Group paid 550m for noodle chain Wagamama driving the share price down 100p, or 46 per cent

Irvine-Fortescue is a fan of the 'oversold' stock, which he reckons is worth 170p. Yesterday it was off another 2.1 per cent, or 2.5p, at 115.4p.

The Stifel abacus rattler, newly installed at the broker, took a closer look at TRG as part of a deep dive into the hospitality sector.

He also likes pub groups Fuller, Smith & Turner (off 0.9 per cent, or 10p, at 1135p) and Young & Co (down 2 per cent, or 32.5p, at 1610p), believing them to be more than 'sleepy family businesses'.

'With market caps similar to Marston's, and a supportive industry backdrop, we believe they should be on more investors' radar,' the analyst said.

Stock Watch - iEnergizer Shares in outsourcing specialist iEnergizer soared 22.5 per cent, or 27.5p, to 150p after it said it expected operating profits to be significantly ahead of market expectations. It performed strongly in the second half of its year as it focused on higher-margin work from both existing and new clients. The firm specialises in building contact centres and administration hubs in the healthcare, gaming and publishing industries, and manages a 12,000-strong team.

Wetherspoon, down 2 per cent, or 27p, at 1293p, is rated a 'sell' by Irvine-Fortescue, as it is 'now trading at its peak valuation'.

Turning to the wider market, it was a fairly dour day as the FTSE 100 succumbed to the same jitters that haunted Asia's main markets earlier on  namely, fears over global growth with a soupcon of the Brexit collywobbles for good measure. The index of blue-chip shares ended the session 30.01 points lower at 7177.58.

Goldman Sachs yesterday issued its update on its equity strategy. In this dense 16-pager, it pointed out that in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, returns had been 'flat and skinny'.

Its strategy team reckons the best shares to buy are those in businesses generating boat-loads of cash that are therefore able to make bumper dividend payments.

A quick scan reveals publisher Pearson (off 2.8 per cent, or 23.4p, at 825.8p) is top of the dividend charts along with Russia-focused Evraz (up 0.1 per cent, or 0.4p, at 594.8p).

Possibly offering a more sustainable income stream are the likes of Vodafone (down 1.8 per cent, or 2.58p, at 141.68p), BHP (up 1 per cent, or 12.4p, at 1772.6p), Aviva (up 0.2 per cent, or 0.9p, at 409p), HSBC (up 0.2 per cent, or 1.2p, at 614.2p) and British American Tobacco (off 0.4 per cent, or 13p, at 3073.5p).

Elsewhere, shares in Wood Group tumbled 7.6 per cent, or 41.6p, to 504p after the London arm of the American investment bank Jefferies downgraded stock in the oilfield services specialist to 'underperform', describing last week's prelims as below par and 'messy'.

There wasn't too much cheer among the tiddlers, as kiosk and display group Space And People tumbled 17.2 per cent, or 2.5p, to 12p after it reduced its full-year dividend for 2018 by two-thirds on the back of disappointing results.

Among the risers, Pantheon Resources was a big climber after a test at its Alkaid well in Alaska recorded results ahead of expectations, sending shares gushing up 34.6 per cent, or 5.96p, to 23.2p.

There was also good news as Ovoca Bio confirmed its BP-101 treatment for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women had met its primary and secondary endpoints in a phase 3 clinical trial, with shares jumping 3.7 per cent, or 0.25p, to 7p in response.
Bosses at British satellite firm Inmarsat have backed a 2.6billion takeover that will see it fall into foreign hands.

Inmarsats board said the deal with the Triton consortium would give it more certainty as it pumps investment into the fastest-growing parts of its business.

The consortium has promised to keep the company based in the UK and to maintain spending on research and development.

Approval: Inmarsat's board said the deal with the Triton consortium would give it more certainty as it pumps investment into the fastest-growing parts of its business

But the deal is expected to face scrutiny from the Government, with critics warning it puts yet another British tech pioneer into foreign hands.

It also marks a U-turn by Inmarsats board, after chief executive Rupert Pearce previously insisted the company was better off on its own.

However, in an announcement yesterday, Inmarsats board urged shareholders to back the deal. It added: Implementation of the existing strategy would continue to generate significant value for shareholders as an independent company.

However, there are risks involved in what is a long-term, capital-intensive strategy. The offer from the consortium would allow Inmarsat shareholders the opportunity to realise the value of their holdings at a material premium.

The announcement sent shares in Inmarsat surging 9.6 per cent, or 48.8p, to 555p  higher than the Triton offer of 546p per share.

The Triton consortium includes UK group Apax, US-based Warburg Pincus, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board.

It said it was partly attracted to Inmarsat because of its burgeoning aviation business, which provides in-flight broadband on planes.

The consortium said: Triton believes the satellite sector is attractive, with unique characteristics. It is well positioned for growth.

Triton also sees considerable potential for Inmarsats in-flight connectivity business in commercial aviation.

The companies would aim to put the Inmarsat takeover to a shareholder vote by May 31.

So far, only top shareholder Lansdowne Partners, which owns 11pc, has declared in favour of the deal.

Inmarsat operates 13 satellites and half its business comes from the maritime sector, where it provides tracking and communication services to ships and planes. However its shares have been laid low by growing competition.
Two of Britains biggest firms have resisted pressure to cut their bosses lucrative pension schemes.

John Fallon of publisher Pearson was handed 206,000 in retirement payments last year, equal to 26 per cent of his 795,000 base salary.

And Warren East of engine maker Rolls-Royce was given 236,000 towards his pension, or 25 per cent of his 944,000 salary.

Warren East of engine maker Rolls-Royce was given 236,000 towards his pension while John Fallon of publisher Pearson was handed 206,000 in retirement payments last year

Both firms fall foul of Investment Association guidelines which state bosses should not get payments of more than 24 per cent.

Fallon is also a member of Pearsons final salary scheme, meaning he is already entitled to a separate guaranteed income of 105,884 a year for life when he retires.

In total the 56-year-old was paid 3.1million last year, up from 1.8million a year earlier.

Pearson said there would be no change to Fallons pension arrangement this year, although it will monitor the situation.

East, 57, was handed total pay of 3.9million last year at Rolls  up from 2.3million a year earlier.

The firm said it will not change its pension policy this year but added that it is considering the implications of the IA guidelines, leaving the door open to future changes.

Chief executive pension pay is under the spotlight at present because bosses are often in special schemes not open to ordinary workers.

At Rolls, the youngest workers get company contributions equal to 6 per cent of their salary although the firm is going to significantly increase this in 2021.

At Pearson, contributions start at 5 per cent.

Meanwhile, Centrica and British Land are both cutting pension contributions for their bosses to meet the new IA recommendations.

Other firms reviewing their lucrative payouts include energy network National Grid, plumbing business Ferguson and equipment rental group Ashtead.
Pay row: Lloyds chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio with wife Ana

Lloyds bosses will be hauled to Parliament to explain to MPs why they gave chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio a pay rise which more than made up for a cut to his pension.

With investors demanding a crackdown on lavish retirement schemes, the High Street bank slashed pension payments to Horta-Osorio from 46 per cent of his salary to 33 per cent, reducing the perk by 154,000 a year, while increasing his salary and benefits by 175,000.

Critics have branded the move a stealth pay rise which goes against the spirit of a crackdown on lucrative executive pensions.

The work and pensions committee plans to investigate the huge payments to FTSE 100 bosses, and will ask Lloyds to explain its actions.

Committee chairman Frank Field, an independent MP, said: 'We will be asking companies to account for themselves when they submit evidence to our review.'

Horta-Osorio's pension falls foul of Investment Association guidelines which say a chief executive should get payments towards their retirement equal to no more than 24 per cent of their base salary.

In 2018 the banker's pension package was among the Footsie's most lucrative, at 46 per cent of his 1.2million base salary, or 573,000 in total.

He has now agreed to slash this to 33 per cent or 419,000 in a bid to placate critics  154,000 less.

But at the same time, the 55-year-old is getting a 25,000 annual rise in his base salary, while the amount he gets in fixed share payments each year is being boosted by 150,000 to 1.1million.

Lloyds claims the fixed share increase is because regulation known as ring-fencing means he is now looking after a more complicated organisation.

But all the large lenders have been through ring-fencing and Lloyds is the only one to have given its boss a pay rise as a result.

Lloyds made a profit of 6billion last year, up 13 per cent on 2017.

Horta-Osorio  who oversaw the bank's return to private sector ownership following its bailout by taxpayers during the financial crisis was paid 6.3million in total, more than any other bank boss in the Footsie.

Labour MP John Mann, a member of the Treasury select committee, said: 'This pay increase is completely inappropriate and should be abandoned.

'It looks like Lloyds is simply shifting the numbers around so it can carry on paying its boss a disproportionate sum.

'Not only is this against the spirit of efforts to reduce pension payments, it also takes Lloyds' investors, staff and customers for fools.'

The IA pension guidelines are meant to bring chief executives' retirement payments in line with the rest of their staff. At Lloyds, most workers get a maximum of 13pc of their salary towards their pensions.

The bank is one of as many as 54 Footsie firms which pay pension contributions to their bosses of 25 per cent or more.

While he would not comment on the specifics at Lloyds, the IA's stewardship director Andrew Ninian said: 'The guidance has been clear  we don't expect compensation to be paid. We will look at individual cases on a case by case basis.'
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's 'sovereign right' over the Golan Heights alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

Trump said the announcement would assist Israel with its defense, hanging the declaration on a 'despicable' rocket attack on a Tel Aviv home early Monday morning.

'This was a long time in the making. Should have taken place many decades ago,' the president said as he signed the document.

Before the leaders left the room, Netanyahu told the president, who doesn't consume alcohol, that he brought him a case of the 'finest wine' that he hoped he would accept.

The foreign leader joked that the gift could spark an 'investigation'  in a brazen reference to both their political scandals. 'I hope they don't open an investigation on it,' he said laughing.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's 'sovereign right' over the Golan Heights alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House

President Donald Trump embraces Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Vice President Mike Pence looks on, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House

TWO PEAS IN A POD: The leaders met afterwards in the Oval Office for expanded talks

President Trump wrapped his arms around Israel's prime minister as he threw open the doors to the White House to Netanyahu hours after he was cleared of criminal allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice.

He expressed condolences for the Hamas attack that wounded seven people.

'We do not want to see another attack like the one that was suffered,' he said at a hastily-arranged signing ceremony in the Diplomatic Reception room of the White House.

The U.S. president described the American-Israeli relationship as a 'powerful one' as talked from behind a podium about the defense and non-defense actions his administration has taken to support the allied nation.

'We will confront the poison of anti-Semitism through our words and more importantly our actions,' he said.

Netanyahu said Trump is a 'dear friend' of Israel who has 'always been there,' including today.

'Israel will not tolerate this, and I will not tolerate this, and as we speak, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanted aggression to this wanton aggression,' Netanyahu said of the attack. 'I have a simple message to Israel's enemies: we will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state.'

The Golan Heights are 690 square miles straddling between Israel and Syria; Israel won the territory and others from Syria in 1967 during the Six-Day War

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 during the Six-Day War. The area's 690 square miles today are a buffer zone between the two nations.

The United Nations weeks later called on Israel to withdraw from the territory, and from the West Bank and Gaza in a resolution that also declared that Israel had the same right as Arab states 'to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.'

Israel instead enacted a law that effectively annexed the western two-thirds of the Golan Heights in 1981 following years of squabbling over the resolution.

The UN Security Council then passed a resolution declaring 'that the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.'

Last week the U.S. president said he was breaking with the multi-national group on the issue. He followed through the pledge Monday during Netanyahu's truncated visit.

Trump was supposed to host Netanyahu at the White House again on Tuesday. The Israeli PM said he would cut his visit short as Israel mobilized against Hamas in response to the rocket launch.

'Before I go it was so kind of you to invite me here, it was so important for me to come to the White House,' said Netanyahu, who is leaving the U.S. on Monday now.

Netanyahu's visit came amid a partisan political fight over the findings of the special counsel investigation alleged collusion between Trump's associates and Russia in the last presidential election.

The dust had just begun to settle for Trump, who no longer has the threat of the government probe looming over him.

For Netanyahu, however, legal and political fights that will determine his future as prime minister were just beginning.

The Israeli leader has to stand for reelection in two weeks, and Israel's attorney general said last month that he intends to indict Netanyahu on corruption charges. A pre-indictment hearing was subsequently delayed until after the April 9 election.

Netanyahu called the indictment threat 'blood libel' and the investigation into gifts he took an 'unprecedented witch hunt,' borrowing on a term Trump used to describe government probes into his associates and his alleged obstruction of justice.

President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu walk to the Oval Office along the West Wing colonnade

Like Trump, he claims he's being harassed by government enemies. 'If it not Bibi  there's no investigation,' he's said

His administration is accused of making regulatory changes to Israel's telcom industry specifically designed to benefit Bezeq, the parent company of news website Walla, in exchange for positive coverage of the embattled prime minister.

Netanyahu and Bezeq's prime shareholder, Shaul Elovitch engaged in a 'bribe-based relationship,' an Israeli police investigation determined. Elovitch and his family are also on notice that they may be charged.

The politician who's on his second stint as prime minister  having held the position once prior to the decade-long monopoly he's seeking to extend  has previously been accused by police of violating bribery laws. Twice. He has never been charged.

If successful at winning a fourth consecutive term in next month's election, Netanyahu, 69, will become Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

Trump's dogged support for Netanyahu, and an abashedly pro-Israel foreign policy, has given the Likud party prime minister a lifeline.

Defending Netanyahu at a Feb. 28 press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, the same day the Israeli attorney general said he'd seek to formally press charges, the American president said, 'He's done a great job as prime minister. He's tough, he's smart, he's strong.'

Barack Obama avoided Netanyahu weeks before the 2015 election in Israel, on the grounds that a White House welcome could provide fodder for Netanyahu's reelection campaign.

The Israeli prime minister addressed the U.S. Congress, instead, during an almost annual trip to Washington to speak at the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee conference.

Obama was accused of snubbing Netanyahu, whom he was never particularly close to.

President Trump's pronouncement last week that the U.S. would recognize Israel's sovereignty in the Golan Heights region and his decision to host Netanyahu at the White House twice while he's in Washington have, comparatively, exacted allegations of favoritism on his behalf for the under-siege leader.

The alliance could prove helpful for Trump when his name his on the ballot next fall.

He's claimed repeatedly in recent week that his political opponents are 'anti-Israel' and 'anti-Jewish' amid a battle over rhetoric considered to be anti-Semitic.

Trump renewed the charge on Friday as he spoke to DailyMail.com at the White House before he departed in Marine One.

The president called Democratic presidential candidates who succumbed to pressure from progressives a disgrace over their decision to sit out AIPAC.

He's not attending the conference, either, but he's being represented by both the vice president and America's top diplomat.

Trump has plenty of other pro-Israel actions to point in 2020, as well.

His first trip aboard as president, in May of 2017, included a stop in Jerusalem, He stopped decades of dodging by U.S. lawmakers when he uprooted the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv and declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel. The U.S. pulled out of an international nuclear agreement with Iran and reimposed back-breaking sanctions on the enemy of Israel last fall.

The president's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, whom he tasked with putting together an indefinitely delayed Middle East peace plan, has likewise known Netanyahu since he he was a child. The Israeli leader once slept in Kushner's bed, briefly displacing the teen, during a visit to the states.

At a Feb. 2017 press conference with Trump at the White House, weeks after the novice politician's swearing in as the 45th President of the United States, Netanyahu teased Kushner, whom he acknowledged knowing since he was a tyke.

'I've known the president and I've known his family and his team for a long time,' he added, 'and there is no greater supporter of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump. I think we should put that to rest.'

Trump told the visiting leader during the news conference: 'Your perseverance in the face of hostility, your open democracy in the face of violence, and your success in the face of tall odds is truly inspirational.'

One of Trump's outstanding promises, as it pertains to Israel, is a Middle Eastern peace accord. Each year of his administration it has been delayed, and Trump was not optimistic on Monday that one could be reached.

He suggested deal is not possible until Hamas stops firing rockets at Israeli civilians.

'The despicable attack this morning demonstrates the significant security challenges that Israel faces every single day,' Trump said. 'And today I am taking historic action to promote Israel's ability to defend itself.'

Trump indicated February that his administration would not consent to facilitating talks until the Palestinians say 'the right things' about America. He said aid to the West Bank and Gaza would would also restart then.
The death toll from a massacre in a central Malian village rose to 134 dead, the U.N. said, as new video emerged Sunday showing victims strewn on the ground amid the burning remains of their homes.

An ethnic Dogon militia already blamed for scores of attacks in central Mali over the past year attacked an ethnic Peuhl village just before dawn on Saturday, according to witnesses.

Among the victims in Ogossogou village were pregnant women, small children and the elderly, according to a Peuhl group known as Tabital Pulaaku.

The scene after a violent attack which left at least 134 people dead and dozens more wounded

Graphic video obtained by The Associated Press shows the aftermath of Saturday's attack, with many victims burned inside their homes.

A small child's body is covered with a piece of fabric, and at one point an ID card is shown covered with blood.

In the capital of Bamako, visiting U.N. Security Council President Francois Delattre, condemned the killings as an 'unspeakable attack' late Saturday.

At least 55 people were wounded and the U.N. mission in Mali said it was 'working to ensure the wounded were evacuated.'

According to witnesses the attack was carried out by the ethnic Dogon militia who descended on Ogossogou village, Mali, early Saturday March 23

A burning vehicle is seen in a village after the attack in Ogossagou, Mali

In New York, the U.N. secretary-general condemned the attack and called on the Malian authorities to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Islamic extremists were ousted from urban centers in northern Mali during a 2013 French-led military operation.

The jihadists scattered throughout the rural areas, regrouped and began launching numerous attacks against the Malian military and the U.N. mission.

Since 2015, extremism has edged all the way to central Mali where it has exacerbated tensions between the Dogon and Peuhl groups.

Francois Delattre, the president of the U.N. Security Council who spoke in Mali's capital on Saturday, condemned the massacre as an 'unspeakable attack'. A victim is pictured

Members of the Dogon group accuse the Peulhs of supporting these jihadists linked to violent groups in the country's north and beyond.

Peulhs have in turn accused the Dogon of supporting the Malian army in its effort to stamp out extremism.

In December, Human Rights Watch had warned that 'militia killings of civilians in central and northern Mali are spiraling out of control.'

On Thursday, French and British chiefs of staff took part in a joint visit to Mali to show their common strategic vision facing the challenges in West Africa

The group said the ethnic Dogon militia known as Dan Na Ambassagou and its leader had been linked to many of the atrocities and called for Malian authorities to prosecute the perpetrators.

Mali's Dogon country with its dramatic cliff landscapes and world renowned traditional art once drew tourists from Europe and beyond who hiked through the region's villages with local guides.

The region, though, has been destabilized in recent years along with much of central Mali.
A teacher who gives away most of his earnings has been handed a prize for the world's best teacher.

Peter Tabichi won the $1 million (760,000) Global Teacher Prize for 2019 on Saturday.

The maths and physics teacher, who works at a secondary school in a remote village in Kenya's Rift Valley, gives away 80 per cent of his monthly income to the poor, organisers said.

He received the prize at a ceremony in Dubai hosted by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman.

The 39-year-old educator was praised for his achievements in the deprived school with crowded classes and few text books.

Peter Tabichi (centre) in Dubai holding up the trophy for world's best teacher which comes with a prize of $1 million. It was presented to him by Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman (left)

Kenyan teacher Peter Tabichi (right) wipes away tears of joy at being crowned the world's best teacher as actor Hugh Jackman watches on

Tabichi, or Brother Peter as he is also known, said: 'It's not all about money. Every day in Africa we turn a new page and a new chapter... This prize does not recognise me but recognises this great continent's young people. I am only here because of what my students have achieved.

'This prize gives them a chance. It tells the world that they can do anything,' he added after beating nine finalists from around the world to claim the award.

As Tabichi was handed the trophy by the Hollywood actor, he wiped away tears of joy at scooping the prize.

The teacher is a Franciscan monk - a member of the Catholic religious order founded by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century.

Tabichi, teaches at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani village, in a remote, semi-arid part of Kenya's Rift Valley, where drought and famine are frequent and many children are orphaned.

Tabichi celebrating scooping the world's best teacher prize in Dubai on Saturday. He was said to give away 80 per cent of his wages to poor people

Tabichi in Dubai holding up the trophy for the Global Teacher Prize Hollywood as he celebrates with actor Hugh Jackman (left)

The Dubai-based Varkey Foundation, which organises the event and handed out the prize for the fifth time, praised Tabichi's 'dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his students' talent'.

All this combined, it said in a statement, 'has led his poorly-resource school in remote rural Kenya to emerge victorious after taking on the country's best schools in national science competitions'.

He said 'science is the way to go' for the children's futures after collecting his award.

Around 95 per cent of the school's pupils 'hail from poor families, almost a third are orphans or have only one parent, and many go without food at home,' the statement added.

Kenya's Rift Valley, where Tabichi works, is often hit by drought and famine and he has to work with crowded classes and few text books

'Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, dropping out early from school, young marriages and suicide are common.'

To get to school, some students have to walk seven kilometres (four miles) along roads that become impassable during the rainy season.

The school, with a student-teacher ration of 58 to 1, has only one desktop computer for the pupils and poor internet, but despite that Tabichi 'uses ICT in 80 per cent of his lessons to engage students', the foundation said.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulated Tabichi in a video message, saying 'your story is the story of Africa, a young continent bursting with talent'.
Israel: media, army closes areas around Gaza Gaza militias, we will strike again if Israel attacks

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 25 - The Israeli army has started closing areas around the Gaza Strip after a rocket launched this morning from Gaza hit a home north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven people, local media report, claiming soldiers were seen closing border zones.



In a statement, the army confirmed that the roads and areas next to the security barrier with the strip were cordoned off, but did not provide any details on plans to declare certain military zones sealed off. Farming in areas next to the barrier were also halted. The army has requested to follow instructions given by the military for the time deemed necessary by security forces.



The measures come after supplementary troops were deployed on Monday morning at the border with Gaza: two land battalions and tanks while a small intelligence contingent was summoned for the Iron Dome, the anti-missile defense system.



''All targets in Israel can be hit by the fire of the armed resistance'', said the 'Joint operations room' gathering several Palestinian militias based in Gaza - including Hamas and the Islamic Jihad - warning it could respond to an Israeli attack.



In a statement, the group also spoke about an Egyptian attempt to prevent an escalation. Similar warnings were also made by two armed Salafite groups, the Saif al-Islam Brigades and the Mujahedin battalions.



The population in Gaza is following the latest developments on the ground, reportedly expecting imminent Israeli intervention after a rocket was launched against Israel. Some radio stations, including al-Quds of the Islamic Jihad and the broadcaster of the Popular Front, cancelled their regular programs and offered updates.



Some Gaza residents are also following the situation on Facebook, where many messages full of anxiety have been posted.



A cartoon made by Hamas has also been circulating online today, showing a Palestinian fighter who is impassive in the midst of Israeli rockets. So far Hamas authorities have kept quiet and the interior ministry has not given specific instructions to the population in case of an emergency.(ANSAmed).




Two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow.

A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday.

That comes three months after the two nations held military exercises on Venezuelan soil that President Nicolas Maduro called a sign of strengthening relations, but which Washington criticized as Russian encroachment in the region.

Two Russian air force planes reportedly landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying Russian defense official Vasily Tonkoshkurov (left) and nearly 100 troops, in a sign of strengthening ties between Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro (right) and Russia

Reporter Javier Mayorca wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the first plane carried Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, adding the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of material.

An Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane left for Caracas on Friday from Russian military airport Chkalovsky, stopping along the way in Syria, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The cargo plane left Caracas on Sunday afternoon, according to Adsbexchange, another flight-tracking site.

The flights carried officials who arrived to 'exchange consultations,' wrote Russian government-owned news agency Sputnik, which quoted an unnamed source at the Russian embassy.

'Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character,' Sputnik quoted the source as saying.

A Russian Ilyushin IL-62 was said to have landed at the Venezuelan airport Saturday (stock)

An Antonov AN-124 was also said to have landed at the Venezuelan airport

A Reuters witness saw what appeared to be the passenger jet at the Maiquetia airport on Sunday.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Russia's Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry did not reply to messages seeking comment. The Kremlin spokesman also did not reply to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has levied crippling sanctions on the OPEC nation's oil industry in efforts to push Maduro from power and has called on Venezuelan military leaders to abandon him. Maduro has denounced the sanctions as U.S. interventionism and has won diplomatic backing from Russia and China.

In December, two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for Maduro's socialist government that infuriated Washington.

Maduro on Wednesday said Russia would send medicine 'next week' to Venezuela, without describing how it would arrive, adding that Moscow in February had sent some 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Venezuela in February had blocked a convoy carrying humanitarian aid for the crisis-stricken country that was coordinated with the team of opposition leader Juan Guaido, including supplies provided by the United States, from entering via the border with Colombia.
Australia's population needs to more than double in the next three decades because 'growth is healthy', according to a planning expert.

Currently growing twice the rate as the US, UK and even China, Australia would be home to 60 million people by 2050 if Dr Shane Geha had his way.

He wants Australia's population to double in his lifetime and described the alternative of no growth as 'extremely problematic.'

One planning expert wants Australia's population to double in the next three decades (pictured is Melbourne)

'The idea of a growing population and a growing Australia and a growing economy is good for everyone,' Mr Geha told 60 Minutes reporter Liam Bartlett on Sunday night's program.

Australia's population reached 25 million in August last year and is predicted to reach 26 million within two years as the number of immigrants continues to soar.

Dr Geha's comments aired just days after the federal government announced its proposal to cap immigrants numbers at 160,000 per year.

That would drop the average annual intake from 190,000 if it goes ahead.

Dr Shane Geha (pictured) says a bigger population would result in better infrastructure

Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith doesn't believe the federal government's proposed cap goes far enough.

The 1986 Australian of the Year wants migration rates slashed by more than half to preserve quality of life and reduce congestion in the capital cities.

Also appearing on 60 Minutes, Mr Smith expressed concern about the affect a rapidly growing population will have on Australia.

Dr Geha believes Sydney's (pictured) population could be double than it currently is

But Dr Geha argued the great cities of the world need a population of at least seven or eight million.

He believes slowing down immigration isn't the right way to go and will result in stagnation in growth, not be able to fund existing services and having to borrow or tax more - both of which aren't electorally palatable.

Dr Geha also argued a growing population would result in better infrastructure and used the proposed Sydney to Melbourne fast train as an example.

Former Australian of the Year Dick Smith (pictured) said the continual development of infrastructure and increasing congestion was decreasing quality of life for Australians

'Should happen tomorrow but can't happen,' Dr Geha said.

'It's the $20 billion exercise with only four and five million people to support the business case. Now if you had eight and 10 million people, you would have the fast train tomorrow.'

Federal population minister Alan Tudge told the program diverting new migrants to where jobs are available in regional areas could be a solution.
A doctor has offered to fly nearly 4,000km to provide free pill testing to revellers at a major music festival following a spate of overdose deaths.

Dr David Caldicott will travel from Canberra to Darwin to test pills at the BASSINTHEGRASS music festival, provided the Northern Territory government gives him the green light.

Dr Caldicott's organisation, Pill Testing Australia, wants to provide its pilot testing program to any Australian state open to the idea.

Dr Caldicott's organisation, Pill Testing Australia, wants to provide their pilot pill testing program to any Australian state open to the idea

'Colleagues have been speaking with the NT Government and there has been encouraging noises, but in the end, it basically comes down to plucking low-hanging fruit and agreeing to have a pilot,' Dr Caldicott said to NT News.

Six Australians have died since September last year as a result of taking illicit drugs at music festivals, but many Australian state and territory governments have ruled out introducing pill testing.



Dr David Caldicott will travel nearly 4,000km from Canberra to Darwin to pill test at BASSINTHEGRASS if the Northern Territory Government lets him

Dr Cardicott has been an advocate for pill testing in Australia for nearly 20 years after watching a young man die from a drug overdose that he believed was preventable.

'The great myth about pill testing is just that we're just telling people what's in their pills,' Dr Caldicott said.

'The reality is that we know it works very well in stopping people from taking drugs - or at least changes the way they take drugs so that they don't end up in the hospital.'

Five Australians have died since September last year as a result of taking illicit drugs at music festivals but many Australian state and territory governments have ruled out introducing pill testing

A survey into party drugs found that more than 11 per cent of people aged between 20 to 29 years old and 7 per cent of 18 to 19 years old had taken illicit drugs in the previous 12 months.

According to research into ecstasy users, 70 per cent of these pills were taken at clubs, festivals and dance parties.

Pill testing research conducted in Austria found that 50 per cent of people who had their pills tested said the results affected their decision to take them.

Two-thirds of pill takers said the results of the pill test convinced them to not consume the drug and warn their friends in cases of negative results.

The arguments against pill testing, used by governments, was that it gave de facto approval to an illegal activity; and that different people tolerate drugs at different levels so pill testing risks providing a green light to people who were at greater risk.
Donald Trump's re-election campaign lost no time in capitalizing on Sunday's bombshell news that the Robert Mueller probe largely cleared the president with a fundraising campaign that hinted at investigating his political enemies.

In text messages to millions of supporters, a nationwide 'NO COLLUSION OR OBSTRUCTION' fundraising email blast and an aggressive video message, the Trump 2020 team issued a call for financial revenge against Democrats who made hay for 22 months while the president twisted in the wind.

'NO COLLUSION & COMPLETE EXONERATION!' read one text message, complete with a link to a fundraising Web page. 'Dems raised millions off a lie. Now we FIGHT BACK! Donate in the NEXT HOUR & it'll be QUADRUPLED.'

And a YouTube video that quickly racked up thousands of views made a case that Democrats 'hyped collusion with no evidence.'

It encouraged viewers to text the word 'WITCHHUNT,' a favorite Trump epithet for the Russia probe, to a campaign number.

Hours after the U.S. attorney general told Congress that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe had cleared President Donald Trump of Russia collusion allegations, his campaign's fundraising machine kicked into high gear

One fundraising email had Trump telling his would-be donors that 'it's time to investigate' Democrats who had made his last two years a roiling ocean of political acid

Nothing in the video asks for a donation, but the campaign is building what insiders call the largest-ever private database of voters' cell phone numbers, to be used later for fundraising and pre-election messaging.

In a letter to leaders of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, Attorney General William Barr wrote that the special counsel's investigation found no evidence the campaign colluded with Russia  a claim the president's opponents began publicly making before he took office.

The Trump campaign focused on five prominent Democrats whose TV appearances have included accusations that Mueller's team found were untrue.

Trump's text-message list got this triumphant plea for cash on Sunday

'The evidence is pretty clear that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians,' Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal told MSNBC's audience in February 2018.

The Trump campaign's ad replays the video and stamps 'WRONG' over his face, complete with a game-show buzzer sound effect.

'I think there's plenty of evidence of collusion or conspiracy in plain sight,' House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said on 'Face the Nation' in August.

The Trump 2020 campaign issued a video that blamed prominent Democrats for fomenting a 'hoax,' and showed five of them saying things Mueller determined were untrue

'The evidence is pretty clear that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians,' Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal told MSNBC's audience in February 2018

'I think there's plenty of evidence of collusion or conspiracy in plain sight,' House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said on 'Face the Nation' in August

He gets the same red-stamp treatement.

It happens, too, to California Rep. Swalwell, who said in March 2018 that 'we saw strong evidence of collusion' in a House Intelligence Committee probe.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler of New York triggered the Trump buzzer for telling MSNBC in October 2017 that 'we know there was collusion with people in the campaign.'

And Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez was buzzed for his April 2018 claim, in unfriendly Fox News Channel territory, that there was 'a mountain of evidence of collusion between the campaign and the Russians.'

Special Counsel Robert Mueller delivered his report to Attorney General William Barr on Friday; Barr gave congressional leaders a summary of its findings 48 hours later, raising cheers at the White House

Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is building a gigantic database of self-selected supporters' cell phone numbers for future fundraising and pre-election messages

The email came later, as cable TV pundits were dissecting the day's special-counsel wind sprints.

'After more than 2 YEARS, and $25 MILLION taxpayer dollars spent, the Mueller Report proves what I have been saying since Day One,' says the money-bomb ask, signed by the president.

'Democrats worked with the Fake News Media for 2 years orchestrating this Nasty Witch Hunt to use our government as a weapon to take away the votes of 63 MILLION Americans.'

Potential donors who scroll past the click-to-give buttons read a hint at what may be the president's next move.

'You voted for REAL CHANGE in 2016, and they were TERRIFIED of the people taking the country back,' the fundraising email reads.

'Now Its time to INVESTIGATE THEM!'
Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the Mueller probe sketches out the multi-faceted Russian effort to hack Democratic emails to try to influence the 2016 election.

The coordinated effort that U.S. intelligence determined was directed by the Kremlin constituted 'crimes,' as Barr noted, and resulted in Mueller's indictment of 13 Russians.

The Russian election attack was at the heart of why Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller in the first place.

It also coincided with repeated public statements Trump made during the campaign encouraging better ties with Russia  and a series of lies and omissions told by Trump associates about a sequence of Russia contacts that were uncovered throughout the course of Trump's improbable campaign.

Attorney William Barr's letter describes Russia's effort to influence the 2016 election and notes the indictment of 13 Russians charged with crimes. But it notes the Mueller investigation did not 'find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts'

The series of events left many Democrats and some investigators convinced that Trump or his subordinates may have been in on the extraordinary effort to try to disrupt the U.S. presidential election.

After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May of 2017, it was reported earlier this year, the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump was working for Russia.

The Barr letter includes an unequivocal assessment over whether there was in fact 'coordination' with the Russians.

'The Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign,' Barr wrote.

In brief comments at the White House Sunday, Trump said: 'I just want to tell you that America is the greatest place on Earth'

Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not 'find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government' efforts to influence the election, according to Attorney General William Barr

Attorney General William Barr described the outlines of the Russia investigation in his letter to Congress

As Mueller's earlier indictment of 13 Russian national reveals, the St. Petersburg-based Russian troll farm engaged in a variety of tactics to try to influence the election. These included inflammatory Facebook posts targeting specific slices of the American electorate, including African American voters.

Russian trolls amplified these messages on Twitter. One hashtag linked to the effort urged voters to 'Grow a spine and vote Jill Stein'  an effort to siphon off votes from Clinton and put them in the Green Party candidate's column.

Many of the posts disparaged Hillary Clinton and sought to undermine Trust in her from traditionally Democratic voters.

On the hacking side, the Russian-backed effort was able to use a spear-fishing tactic to obtain years' worth of emails from Clinton campaign chair John Podesta. Those emails made their way to WikiLeaks, which dropped them during key moments of the campaign for maximum impact.

Other emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee fanned a split among Bernie Sanders supporters and Democratic Party members, and resulted in DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz's resignation hours before the start of her party's political convention.

Former campaign adviser for President Donald Trump, Roger Stone arrives at Federal Court, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, in Washington. Stone was arrested in the special counsel's Russia investigation and was charged with lying to Congress and obstructing the probe. However he was not charged with conspiring with Russia despite an investigative focus on his communications with WikiLeaks

In this file photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018, a view of a Business center, believed to be the location of the new "troll farm" in St. Petersburg, Russia

Prosecutors say the Kremlin was behind the hacking effort to influence the U.S. presidential election

The Podesta emails provoked a stream of media reports about internal Clinton conflicts in the final days of the campaign.

During the course of the Mueller probe, several Trump associates, including former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn and foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, lied to investigators about their foreign contacts. Others linked to Trump, including former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, failed to disclose Russia contacts on their initial disclosure forms. The omissions fueled speculation that there could be still more contacts yet to be unearthed.

Investigators spent months probing longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone over his electronic communications, including his claims about having information about forthcoming WikiLeaks dumps of Clinton information.

Hackers obtained emails from Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, as well as other Democratic Party emails

But when Stone was indicted, it was for witness tampering, lying investigators, and other alleged crimes  not for conspiring with Russians.

Investigators also sought to untangle a 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians and learned about Michael Cohen's talks about a Trump Moscow tower project. The existence of which was not known until Trump was in office. The meeting was attended by Donald Trump Jr., former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as by a Russian lawyer linked to the Kremlin.

It was set up after the offer of potential dirt on Hillary Clinton. In another revelation that came out as a result of the probe, longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's communications revealed he was in talks with Russians about a potential Trump tower project in Moscow through the summer of 2016. But the project fizzled.

According to Barr's letter: 'The report outlines the Russian effort to influence the election and documents crimes committed by persons associated with the Russian government in connection with those efforts.'

'The report further explains that a primary consideration for the Special Counsel's investigation was whether any Americans  including individuals associated with the Trump campaign  joined the Russian conspiracies to influence the election, which would be a federal crime.'

Then, in a key line, Barr wrote: 'The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As the report states: "[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

The fact that Mueller didn't prove Trump or his associates engaged in what is commonly referred to collusion also had a bearing on Mueller's decision not to make a determination one way or the other on obstruction of justice.

'In making this determination, we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, and that, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction Barr wrote.'

The Russians sought to boost Trump and drive down turnout among potential Hillary Clinton supporters

Other ads targeted conservatives and particular regions

Online activity focused on police violence against blacks

The report identifies a Russian focus on targeting black voters

If Trump didn't coordinate or conspire with the Russians, it made it less likely that he would have fired FBI Director James Comey or taken other actions in order to cover up such a crime, Barr was arguing.

In brief comments at the White House Sunday, Trump said: 'I just want to tell you that America is the greatest place on Earth. The greatest place on Earth.

The Mueller report as summarized by Barr determined there were two main Russian efforts to influence the election.

'The first involved attempts by a Russian organization, the Internet Research Agency (IRA), to conduct disinformation and social media operations in the United States designed to sow social discord, eventually with the aim of interfering with the election. As noted above, the Special Counsel did not find that any U.S. person or Trump campaign official or associate conspired or knowingly coordinated with the IRA in its efforts, although the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals and entities in connection with these activities,' he wrote.

'The second element involved the Russian government's efforts to conduct computer hacking operations designed to gather and disseminate information to influence the election. The Special Counsel found that Russian government actors successfully hacked into computers and obtained emails from persons affiliated with the Clinton campaign and Democratic Party organizations, and publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks,' Barr continued.

Mueller's probe obtained eight convictions

'Based on these activities, the Special Counsel brought criminal charges against a number of Russian military officers for conspiring to hack into computers in the United States for purposes of influencing the election. But as noted above; the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple. offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.'
A man was left devastated after being slammed with overdue animal registration fees two years after his beloved dog died.

Gold Coast man Wes Pope was heartbroken when his Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Braxton died from congenital heart disease in 2016.

Mr Pope had only forked out $117 for a three-year registration a year before Braxton died.

Braxton (pictured), a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, died from congenital heart disease in 2016

Gold Coast man Wes Pope (pictured with one of his dogs) was heartbroken when his Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Braxton died in 2016

Mr Pope told Daily Mail Australia despite Braxton being on medication for his illness, he had been optimistic the pooch would live another three years.

After the 14-year old pup died, Mr Pope said he contacted the council to inform them of his passing and asked for a partial refund for the registration.

'They basically said no, no refund and it's just bad luck,' he said.

Then Mr Pope was dealt another blow just last month, when a letter arrived saying his animal registration was overdue.

'I was just a bit bewildered, he died September 2016, (the fees) would've been due June 2018  they are issuing it six months overdue.'

Mr Pope said he was upset when he got the letter from the council as he always pays his fees on time.

He said the council needs to do a better job at record keeping.

After the 14-year old pup died, Mr Pope said he contacted the council to inform them of his passing and asked for a partial refund for the registration

Mr Pope was dealt another blow just last month, when a letter arrived saying his animal registration was overdue

A Gold Coast Council City spokesman said there was no record of Mr Pope contacting the council in 2016 notifying them of Braxton's death.

He said as there was no record a renewal notice was issued automatically.

'We are sorry to hear of the dog's passing.

'Our policy is that if an animal dies, we will refund the remaining funds but we need owners to make contact with Council and complete supporting paperwork.'

He said Mr Pope will be offered a refund for the registration with proof of death.
The company controlling the National Broadband Network has issued a warning to customers about scammers impersonating the company.

The advice, issued by NBN Co on Monday morning, follows an 84 per cent increase in enquiries about suspected scams made to the wholesaler's contact centre since October 2018.

About 28 per cent of those calls came from residents in New South Wales, 24 per cent from Victoria and 19 per cent from Queensland.

The company controlling the National Broadband Network has issued a warning to customers to be vigilant about scammers impersonating the company (stock)

NBN Co's Chief Security Officer, Darren Kane said customers needed to be vigilant about how they correspond with their internet provider.

'With nearly three in four homes and businesses now able to connect to the nbn access network, it's vital people understand the steps involved in making the switch, including how and when NBN Co and retailers will communicate with customers,' he said.

'It's important to remember the key point of contact for Australians connecting to the nbn access network will always be their preferred phone and internet service provider.

'This is because NBN Co is a wholesale-only company and does not sell services directly to the public.'

He said people looking to make the switch needed to be aware it is not done automatically and they need to contact their provider by phone.

NBN Co's Chief Security Officer, Darren Kane said customers needed to be vigilant about how they correspond with their internet provider

'We urge residents and businesses to be vigilant of callers claiming to be from NBN Co requesting personal or financial information,' he said.

'We will never make unsolicited calls or door knock to sell broadband services to the public.'

He also said it was important consumers knew that they never request remote access to computer and will never 'make unsolicited requests for payment or financial information'.

'Protect yourself by verifying who are you are talking to. If in doubt, hang up and call your retail service provider customer service centre to check if the call is legitimate,' Mr Kane said.
Victoria police have launched a desperate search for a teenage boy who mysteriously vanished after leaving a friend's home.

Joshua Glynn was last seen at a friend's house in Werribee, southwest of Melbourne, around 11am on Sunday.

The 16-year-old has not been in touch with his family since he vanished almost 24 hours ago.

Joshua Glynn (pictured) , 16, was last seen at a friend's house in Werribee around 11am on Sunday

His worried family have described the disappearance as 'out of character' for Joshua.

Both his relatives and police are concerned for his welfare given his age.

The state police are now appealing for public assistance to help locate the missing teenager.

Joshua is described as Caucasian in appearance with brown hair and a thin build.

He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, black jeans and black converse shoes.

He also has a BMX bike.

Although it's unclear as to whether he was in possession of the bike at the time of his disappearance.

Anyone who sees Joshua or has information on his current whereabouts is urged to contact Werribee Police Station.
Police are investigating a suspected arson attack at a Southern California mosque after they discovered a note at the scene referencing the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand.

Nobody was hurt, and members of the Islamic Center of Escondido were able to extinguish the small blaze before firefighters around 3.15am, officials said.

The incident was being investigated as arson and a possible hate crime, said police in the city about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego.

A note was found in the parking lot referencing the shootings this month that killed 50 people at mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, police Lt. Chris Lick said.

The Islamic Center of Escondido (above) in Southern California may have been the target of arson, according to authorities

The building suffered minor damage caused by a fire before dawn on Sunday

The fire was extinguished by members of the mosque congregation, but authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime

He did not elaborate about the contents of the note.

Investigators did not release information about a suspect.

The fire caused minor damage to the building's exterior, KGTV-TV reported.

Seven people were inside the mosque at the time of the fire, police told the KNSD-TV station.

They were able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived on the scene, KNSD reported.

'There are people who sleep there overnight,' member Yusef Miller said.

'They heard the sounds, they smelled some funny smells, and there was a letter saying something connecting to New Zealand at the same time. So, this made everybody especially on edge.'

Yusuf Miller, a member of the local Muslim community in Escondido, posted a message on his Facebook page as well as a photo of the damage

The Escondido mosque was created four years ago and serves several hundred people in the city of about 143,000 residents, Miller said.

He told KNSD that worshippers are undeterred.

'We won't stop praying,' Miller said. 'We won't stop gathering.'

Dustin Craun, the head of the Council of American-Islamic Relations in San Diego, said his civil rights group stands with the mosque.

'It is disturbing enough that some sick individual would attempt to burn a house of worship to the ground, but referencing the slayings in New Zealand is beyond the pale,' he said in a statement.

Authorities say a note was found at the mosque referencing the March 15 massacres in Christchurch, New Zealand. The image above shows a wounded victim being loaded into an ambulance after the shooting in Christchurch on March 15

'While the majority of humanity has responded to the tragedy to draw closer to one another and refute hatred, a violent and hate-filled minority seeks further divisions.

'We are grateful that someone was inside the mosque and was able to act quickly to put the fire out.

'We ask anyone with information to come forward and contact the Escondido Police Department.

'We stand in solidarity with our community members who attend the Islamic Center of Escondido.'
he rodents appeared to have been cut open ans stitched along their stomachs

Criminals stuffed drugs and mobile phones into dead rats in an attempt to smuggle the contraband into a prison, it has emerged.

In the first recorded case of its kind, staff discovered three rats just inside the perimeter fence at HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset.

They appeared to have been stitched along their stomachs so the officers opened them, finding five mobile phones and chargers, three SIM cards, cigarette papers and drugs including spice and cannabis.

GRAPHIC CONTENT: Criminals stuffed drugs and mobile phones into dead rats in an attempt to smuggle the contraband into a prison, it has emerged

The Ministry of Justice said the rats were thrown over the prison fence by organised criminals working with an offender on the inside.

Prisons are trying to stem the flow of illegal phones as they can be used to facilitate more crime  but in the 12 months to March 2018, 10,643 mobile phones were found in prisons in England and Wales, up 15 per cent from the previous year.
TEL AVIV - An Israeli Army spokesperson said Monday that the army has decided to send more troops to the border with Gaza, including two ground battalions and a tank, following a missile launch that hit a house in Israel and wounded seven people.



A small intelligence contingent was also called for Iron Dome, the anti-missile defense system.



The spokesperson said Hamas was responsible for the missile attack from one of the group's launch pads.



"We consider Hamas responsible for everything that happens in Gaza," the spokesperson said, adding that the launch pad is located in Rafah, in southern Gaza, 120 km from the site of the missile's impact in Israel.



General Kamil Abu Rukun, Israeli coordinator for government activity in the territories, closed Israeli border crossings at Erez (people) and Kerem Shalom (merchandise), until further notice.



The area of the fishing zone off Gaza has also been reduced.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to return early from his visit to the United States.



He called the episode a "criminal attack against Israel to which we will react with all our strength".



"Given the security situation, I decided to cut short my visit to the United States," Netanyahu said.



"In a few hours I will see Trump, and then immediately after I will return to Israel to follow the situation up close".
A pizza lover came very close to losing his entire house deposit after the envelope containing nearly $20,000 cash slipped out of his pocket unnoticed at a takeaway restaurant.

The man and his friend were picking up a pizza in Melbourne's west when the money slipped out.

The dough would have been gone for good if not for the pizza shop's owner, Shakir Arafath, who came to the rescue and dished out some goodwill.

A man came very close to losing his entire house deposit after keeping the cash in his back pocket and it falling out in a pizza restaurant

Footage showed the delivery driver for Pizza Tabrabane in Tarneit on Friday night saw the wad of cash lying on the floor next to the door.

He kept the money safe without pocketing a slice for himself.

He handed the cash to the store's owner Mr Arafath who returned the money to the two men when they came back to the store 20 minutes later.

The men counted the money and the entire $19,500 was there.

'Even $20,000 or $200, money is money, it's someone's money,' Mr Arafath said.
A primary school has been forced to ban fast food to stop parents from delivering McDonald's and KFC meals to their children at lunchtime.

Canley Vale Public School in Sydney's west recently posted to Facebook asking parents to stop feeding students unhealthy food.

Principal Ben Matthews said parents should provide their kids with a packed lunch or to order from the school canteen.

A primary school has been forced to ban fast food to stop parents from delivering McDonald's (left) and KFC (right) meals to their children at lunchtime (stock images)

A parent of a Canley Vale Public School (pictured) student said 'the kids love' fast food

'Lately a significant number of parents have been delivering fast food to the school for their child's lunch. This includes McDonalds, KFC etc,' Mr Matthews wrote on social media.

'Please note that as of today we are no longer accepting these deliveries.'

A parent of a Canley Vale student said 'the kids love' fast food.

'McDonald's is commercial junk and shouldn't be at school,' the parent told the Daily Telegraph.

Parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson said parents had a responsibility to provide their children with a healthy lunch.

'This doesn't seem like it in the interest of the children at all,' he said.

'Lately a significant number of parents have been delivering fast food to the school for their child's lunch,' Mr Matthews wrote in a note (pictured) to parents on Facebook

Nutritionist Joel Ferren said parents should be providing their children with packed lunches including sandwiches, salads, fruit, vegetables, eggs and yoghurt.

A New South Wales Department of Education spokesman said students were advised about making healthy choices at school.

'Canley Vale Public School promotes healthy eating and active lifestyles. As such, it has requested parents not deliver fast food to the school,' the spokesman said.
Three-quarters of the genes are linked to intelligence, the scientists found

The discovery follows work at the Centre For Cognitive Ageing in Edinburgh

The 'golden genes' are said to affect intelligence and even the immune system

Wealth and success may be less to do with hard work or luck and more to do with DNA, it seems.

An analysis of 286,000 Britons showed that the genetic make-up of those who earned over 100,000 differed from those on low incomes.

A scan pointed to 24 golden genes that affect intelligence, the immune system, and the strength of muscles and heart  and so can make the difference between economic success and poverty.

An analysis of 286,000 Britons showed that the genetic make-up of those who earned over 100,000 differed from those on low incomes [File photo]

The discovery follows work at the Centre For Cognitive Ageing in Edinburgh.

Three-quarters of the genes are linked to intelligence, the scientists found.

But physical attributes also affect the chances of being wealthy and some of these may be inherited.

Genetic variants associated with higher income correlate with a genetic predisposition for greater intelligence, a longer lifespan, better physical and mental health, fewer feelings of tiredness, having fewer children and better living conditions, the researchers say in a paper which is yet to be published.
Here is a timeline of significant developments in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether President Donald Trump's campaign conspired with Moscow.

2017

May 9: President Trump fires FBI Director James Comey and days later Trump attributed the dismissal to 'this Russia thing.'

May 17 - U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appoints former FBI Director Mueller as a special counsel to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 election and to look into any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and people associated with Republican Trump's campaign.

June 15 - Mueller is investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice, the Washington Post reports.

October 30 - Veteran Republican political operative and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who worked for the campaign for five pivotal months in 2016, is indicted on charges of conspiracy against the United States and money laundering as is his business partner Rick Gates, who also worked for Trump's campaign.

- Former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos pleads guilty to a charge of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials.

December 1 - Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser for less than a month who also had a prominent campaign role, pleads guilty to the charge of lying to the FBI about his discussions in 2016 with the Russian ambassador to Washington.

2018

February 16 - Federal grand jury indicts 13 Russians and three firms, including a Russian government propaganda arm called the Internet Research Agency, accusing them of tampering to support Trump and disparage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The accused 'had a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election' according to the court document filed by Mueller.

- An American, Richard Pinedo, pleads guilty to identity fraud for selling bank account numbers after being accused by prosecutors of helping Russians launder money, buy Facebook ads and pay for campaign rally supplies. Pinedo was not associated with the Trump campaign.

February 22 - Manafort and Gates are charged with financial crimes, including bank fraud, in Virginia.

February 23 - Gates pleads guilty to conspiracy against the United States and lying to investigators. He agrees to cooperate and testify against Manafort at trial.

April 3 - Alex van der Zwaan, the Dutch son-in-law of one of Russia's richest men, is sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $20,000 for lying to Mueller's investigators, becoming the first person sentenced in the probe.

April 9 - FBI agents raid home, hotel room and office of Trump's personal lawyer and self-described 'fixer' Michael Cohen.

April 12 - Rosenstein tells Trump that he is not a target in Mueller's probe.

April 19 - Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Trump supporter in the election campaign, joins Trump's personal legal team.

June 8 - Mueller charges a Russian-Ukrainian man, Konstantin Kilimnik, a Manafort business partner whom prosecutors say had ties to Russian intelligence, with witness tampering.

July 13 - Federal grand jury indicts 12 Russian military intelligence officers on charges of hacking Democratic Party computer networks in 2016 and staged releases of documents. Russia, which denies interfering in the election, says there is no evidence that the 12 are linked to spying or hacking.

July 16 - In Helsinki after the first summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump publicly contradicts U.S. intelligence agencies that concluded Moscow had interfered in the 2016 election with a campaign of hacking and propaganda. Trump touts Putin's 'extremely strong and powerful' denial of meddling. He calls the Mueller inquiry a 'rigged witch hunt' on Twitter.

August 21 - A trial jury in Virginia finds Manafort guilty of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account.

- Cohen, in a case brought by U.S. prosecutors in New York, pleads guilty to tax fraud and campaign finance law violations. Cohen is subsequently interviewed by Mueller's team.

August 31 - Samuel Patten, an American business partner of Kilimnik, pleads guilty to unregistered lobbying for pro-Kremlin political party in Ukraine.

September 14 - Manafort pleads guilty to two conspiracy counts and signs a cooperation agreement with Mueller's prosecutors.

November 6  Democrats gain control of the House in the elections, positioning the party to control panels with oversight authority of the Justice Department.

November 8 - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns at Trump's request. He had recused himself from overseeing the Mueller inquiry because of his contacts with the Russian ambassador as a Trump campaign official. Trump appoints Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, a critic of the Mueller probe, as acting attorney general.

November 20 - Giuliani says Trump submitted written answers to questions from Mueller, as the president avoids a face-to-face interview with the special counsel.

November 27-28 - Prosecutors say Manafort breached his plea deal by lying to investigators, which Manafort denies. Trump says he has not ruled out granting Manafort a presidential pardon.

November 28 - Giuliani says Trump told investigators he was not aware ahead of time of a meeting in Trump Tower in New York between several campaign officials and Russians in June 2016.

November 29 - Cohen pleads guilty in the Mueller investigation to lying to Congress about the length of discussions in 2016 on plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. 'I made these misstatements to be consistent with individual 1's political messaging and out of loyalty to individual 1,' says Cohen, who previously identified 'individual 1' as Trump.

- The president criticizes Cohen as a liar and 'weak person.'

December 12 - Two developments highlight growing political and legal risks for Trump: Cohen sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including orchestrating hush payments to women in violation of campaign laws before the election; American Media Inc, publisher of National Enquirer tabloid, strikes deal to avoid charges over its role in one of two hush payments. Publisher admits payment was aimed at influencing the 2016 election, contradicting Trump's statements.

December 16  President Trump tweets that Michael Cohen 'became a "Rat"'  using lingo associated with the mob for those who testify against higher-ups

2019

January 25 - Longtime Trump associate and self-proclaimed political 'dirty trickster' Roger Stone charged and arrested at his home in Florida. Stone is accused of lying to Congress about statements suggesting he may have had advance knowledge of plans by Wikileaks to release Democratic Party campaign emails that U.S. officials say were stolen by Russia.

February 21 - U.S. judge tightens gag order on Stone, whose Instagram account posted a photo of the judge and the image of crosshairs next to it.

February 22 - Manhattan district attorney's office is pursuing New York state criminal charges against Manafort whether or not he receives a pardon from Trump on federal crimes, a person familiar with the matter says. Trump cannot issue pardons for state convictions.

February 24 - Senior Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Schiff says Democrats will subpoena Mueller's final report on his investigation if it is not given to Congress by the Justice Department, and will sue the Trump administration and call on Mueller to testify to Congress if necessary.

February 27 - Cohen tells U.S. House Oversight Committee Trump is a 'racist,' a 'con man' and a 'cheat' who knew in advance about a release of emails by WikiLeaks in 2016 aimed at hurting rival Clinton. Trump directed negotiations for a real estate project in Moscow during the campaign even as he publicly said he had no business interests in Russia, Cohen testifies.

Cohen also testifies that he 'never asked for, nor would I accept' a pardon from Trump, forcing his lawyer to issue a clarifying statement that Cohen 'could have been clearer' and standing by statement Cohen didn't 'personally' ask for a pardon.

March 7 - Manafort is sentenced in the Virginia case to almost four years in prison. The judge also ordered Manafort to pay a fine of $50,000 and restitution of just over $24 million.

March 13 - Manafort is sentenced to about 3-1/2 more years in prison in the Washington case, bringing his total prison sentence in the two special counsel cases to 7-1/2 years.

- On the same day, the Manhattan district attorney announces a separate indictment charging Manafort with residential mortgage fraud and other New York state crimes, which unlike the federal charges cannot be erased by a presidential pardon.

March 22 - Mueller submits his confidential report on the findings of his investigation to U.S. Attorney General William Barr.

March 24 - Barr releases a summary of Mueller's report, saying the investigation did not find evidence that Trump or his associates broke the law during the campaign. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders says the summary is a complete exoneration of Trump.

March 29  After facing a backlash from Democratic critics, Barr tells Congress the report is nearly 400 pages long and that he will make a the report public, stating: 'Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own.' He writes that he is working on redactions including of material that could harm 'reputational interests of peripheral third parties.'

April 3  Democratic-run House Judiciary Committee votes to subpoena the full Mueller report.

April 9  Barr tells Congress he is reviewing FBI conduct that began the Mueller probe.

April 11  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is arrested in Britain on charges of conspiracy to hack U.S. government computers in 2010. The initial charge does not mention Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

April 18  Attorney General William Barr makes public a redacted version of the Mueller report, according to the Justice Department.
A nursery school has boosted children's play  by getting rid of all their toys.

Staff say the 'back to basics' experiment has stimulated creativity among the children, improved their communication and decluttered the rooms.

And they are calling for the 'amazing' month-long trial, which is coming to an end, to be made permanent.

The nursery's head Matt Caldwell said he was inspired by similar schemes in Germany which replaced plastic toys with everyday items such as bottle tops, egg boxes, corks, pine cones and pots.

The children do not seem to be missing their toys as they sit and play in cardboard boxes

He started the trial after talking to staff and parents at Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in Bristol, which has 230 children aged two to four and special education needs classes for children up to seven.

He admitted that in the beginning 'some of the kids were asking for their toys back', but said: 'The others haven't missed it as much as the staff thought they would.'

He added: 'It is all about getting back to basics and proving you don't need lots of shiny, expensive, electronic, plastic things to have fun and be a child.

Girl at Ilminster Avenue Nursery School in Bristol explores a household kettle instead of a conventional toy

They have been given old pots and pans, keys, bits of wood and old electronic items to play with instead

'People have noticed more communication between children, more socialising, more creativity.

'When you strip away everything you see what children's imagination genuinely looks like.'

Mr Caldwell said the backs of old electrical items such as computers had been taken off to help children understand how they work.

When asked which of the new 'toys' they liked best, he said: 'I don't think you can beat a good old cardboard box.'
An Australian family's relaxing holiday in Bali has turned to horror after the villa they were staying in flooded with water.

Sam Clatworthy and his family travelled from Queensland to Seminyak in Bali's south to stay at the luxury accommodation they booked through Airbnb.

However after the region was hit with torrential rain and a heavy storm overnight, the group were left wading in water throughout the villa.

Despite the stressful situation, the group still managed to kick back on the couch and relax with Bintang beers on the coffee table.

An Australian family's relaxing holiday in Bali has turned to horror after the villa they were staying in flooded with water up to their ankles

Despite the stressful situation, the group have still managed to kick back and relax with Bintang beers

'Heavy storms over night caused massive flash flooding through the streets,' Mr Clatworthy told Daily Mail Australia.

The entire downstairs area of their villa was completely flooded, with half a meter of water found throughout the floor.

'Happened while we were sleeping so first we knew about the flooding was when we woke up and put our feet in the ground,' he said.

Mr Clatworthy laughed off the hardship as he held up a 'welcome' sign while ankle-deep in the rainwater in the villa's living room.

'So a bit of rain last night...' Mr Clatworthy wrote to Facebook under the image.

'Anyone got some new accommodation?'

The group has had to move out of the villa down the road to a hotel nearby but were told by the owners they'd be fully refunded of the money they spent.

'Bit of a shock on our first night away,' he said.

Images show suitcases on top of tables and couches floating away as the water continues to rise

The overnight rains continued into the day, providing no respite.

'The street isn't like this, just our villa,' Mr Clatworthy said.

'Mate everything is floating away.'

They had to put all of their belongings on top of furniture strewn around the villa in an attempt not to ruin it.

Images show suitcases on top of tables and couches floating away as the water continues to rise.

Another woman who is also holidaying in Bali commented that the rain was so bad her yard and pool were a 'lake this morning'.
A North Carolina woman has been arrested for allegedly crashing her car into another vehicle while her two children were inside.

Kendra Kerry Boyd, 22, deliberately slammed her car into a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Philip Clapp on March 8, according to the McDowell County Sheriff's Office.

Lt David Marler said in a statement that officers were called to Oakdale Road in Old Fort in reference to a motor vehicle collision involving a domestic dispute over child custody issues.

North Carolina police said Kendra Kerry Boyd (pictured), 22, 'purposely' slammed her vehicle into a car that was driven by her ex-boyfriend, Philip Clapp

At the time, Marler learned that Boyd was 'driving recklessly and purposely crashed her vehicle' into Clapp's car, KTLA reports.

In Clapps vehicle were the couple's two-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.

Prior to the crash, they were going through a custody dispute over the children.

The children were not injured in the incident.

Boyd was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of child abuse.

She was also charged with careless and reckless driving. Boyd received a $20,000 bond.


Job interviews are tough enough as it is, let alone negotiating your salary with your potential new boss.

But an expert has revealed the fool-proof formula to getting the pay you want and deserve.

Getting the salary and employment benefits you're looking for is as simple as five steps which have been devised by Australian leadership and career expert Michelle Gibbings.

The author of 'Career Leap: How to reinvent and liberate your career' says that knowing how to ask for what you want is paramount, especially when it comes to the pay disparity between men and women.

Australian leadership and career expert Michelle Gibbings says that knowing how to ask for what you want is a critical skill

Doing your homework is first and foremost when it comes to getting your ideal pay and benefits, so you know whether your salary request is unrealistic or not.

'You need to know the going rates in the industry, so you can understand whether your salary package request is above or in line with the market', Ms Gibbings says.

Five tips for getting the salary you want 1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK - Know the going rates in the industry, so you understand if your salary request is realistic 2. SEEK LEVERAGE - Explain the value you'll bring to the role and why the company will benefit from hiring you 3. LOOK AT THE PACKAGE - Consider the whole package of benefits - not just salary - like annual leave, flexible hours etc. 4. ESTABLISH YOUR TRADE OFFS - This involves compromise and knowing what you're willing to give up 5. REMAIN EMOTIONALLY DETACHED - Mentally prepare yourself for the conversation, but remember if you're not flexible enough they could hire another candidate Advertisement

The expert recommends using The Fair Work Ombudsman and LinkedIn to find out salary ranges for various roles and professions, as well as what the going penalty rates are.

'It also helps to talk with people in the same industry or role, as well as professional membership bodies as they can provide insights into whats possible and reasonable,' Gibbings recommends.

The second phase is seeking leverage, which in layman's terms comes down to the basic concept of supply and demand; the more people who are available for a certain job drives wages down and vise versa.

'If there's a lot of people with the same technical and professional skills and demand is low, wages can be squeezed,' Ms Gibbings advises job seekers to get clear on the value you can bring to a role, and why the company will benefit from hiring you over someone else.

Establishing what you are willing to give up as part of the negotiation process prior to your interview is important

Ms Gibbings stresses that job seekers shouldn't only pay attention to dollar signs. 'Its not just about pay. When you are negotiating you need to consider the whole package.'

This means keeping in mind benefits like flexible working, annual leave, ability to get unpaid leave and other incentives like healthcare.

Michelle Gibbings who wrote the book 'Career Leap: How to reinvent and liberate your career' which holds fiver simple steps to negotiating your desired salary

The next step is something most workers are already skilled in: the art of compromise. This means knowing when to push and when to surrender.

According to Gibbings, it's hard to have a back-and-forth negotiation about your salary if you're not clear on your boundaries or what matters most to you.

Establishing what you are willing to give up as part of the negotiation process prior to your interview is important, 'for example, if you are negotiating working conditions you may be willing to trade off money for flexibility, or money for extra holidays.'

The final and most vital step to securing the salary you've always wanted comes down to not being afraid to ask for what you want.

Gibbings recommends remaining emotionally detached during the negotiations, 'try not to get too attached to your desired outcome as that could result in you looking inflexible during the process.'

Gibbings suggests practising slowing your mind down so that it doesn't over-react to unexpected comments during the conversation, in order to ask for what you want.

But, she warns that being too inflexible may cause your potential employer to hire another candidate if you don't budge enough.
Parents and pupils have branded a secondary schools decision to introduce unisex toilets with surveillance cameras inside as outrageous.

They have complained that children of all ages and genders are having to use the same toilets.

In addition, security cameras have been placed outside the cubicles in the communal areas of the toilets. Pupils claim the cameras face the cubicle doors.

Bucklers Mead Academy in Yeovil, Somerset, where unisex toilets have been installed with cameras

Parents whose children attend Bucklers Mead Academy in Yeovil, Somerset, say the move is a breach of privacy.

But staff at the school, rated good by Ofsted and attended by children aged 11 to 16, said the cameras were necessary because of vandalism.

One father said four students have already been excluded for damaging the cameras.

Four pupils including my son have been excluded, said the man, who did not want to be named. The school believes they broke the cameras.

We have been told the cameras have been put into the toilets for safety reasons because there have been fights and graffiti in the toilets. I dont care what has happened, there should not be cameras in the toilet area.

A woman whose daughter attends the school said the situation was wrong on so many levels. She added: Im absolutely disgusted that CCTV has been put in the toilets. This is a breach of privacy.

The school is not only facing backlash for its decision to install unisex bathrooms, but also for the cameras within them

A former pupil said: Its outrageous that students dont get a tiny bit of privacy. A student should be able to answer the call of nature without feeling like he or she is being watched.

Another parent, who did not wish to be identified told the local news website Somerset Live that children were mad and upset at the situation. The girls are worried about their safety and privacy, she said.

Pupils have voiced their discontent on social media. One claimed he had been excluded from classes as a result of his posts on Facebook.

The academy defended the unisex toilets, claiming the same style is now used by many schools. A spokesman denied a child had been suspended for social media posts, but refused to comment on whether or not the exclusion related to the camera or toilet cubicles.

He added: There has been some social media discussion suggesting we have CCTV which films inside the toilet cubicles. This is not the case  there are cameras in the communal places outside the cubicles in some areas of the academy.

This is due to the fact these areas have been used inappropriately by some students in the past. The damage they have caused is unacceptable.

These [single-use toilet cubicles] provide maximum privacy for students. They have full-length doors and sides. Most cubicles also have their own private wash-hand basin.
Matthew Luckhurst won an appeal to overturn his dismissal for giving a homeless person a feces sandwich, but still faces another indefinite suspension for a feces-related prank in a women's restroom

A police officer in Texas who had been fired after he gave a homeless person a sandwich full of feces and then had his dismissal overturned on a technicality is facing a torrent of abuse online.

San Antonio Police Officer Matthew Luckhurst somehow managed to keep his job after the disgusting incident which saw him pick up some dog poo, place it onto a piece of bread before placing the 'sandwich' in a Styrofoam container of a 'half-eaten meal' provided by a local religious group for the San Antonio. homeless.

Luckhurst placed it next to a sleeping homeless man who would ultimately wake, pick up the container looking at the contents, and possibly eating them.

Members of the public are not holding back in their criticism of the officer online.

'San Antonio cop Matthew Luckhurst is a #sick #f***!!!' wrote one. 'Should of been punished horrible person and should of been fired but thats SAPD for you no morals and no justice,' said another.

'Sick sick sick!!! Hes sworn to protect everyone! What a piece of garbage!! Why does he still have a badge? Disgraceful man' wrote another Twitter user.

'What a CRUEL & DISGUSTING human!' said another poster online. 'He seems to either have a fetish for poop or is mentally a 6 year old that never grew up. He shouldve been punished with eating his own feces sandwich.

Members of the public are not holding back in their criticism of the officer online

The overpass area in San Antonio, Texas, where the feces sandwich incident allegedly occurred in 2016 (file photo of the Interstate 35 overpass at West Houston Street)

The arbitrator ruled that the punishment for Matthew Luckhurst had been appropriate, but it fell outside the time limit for bringing such discipline onto an officer

The officer managed to keep his job after a date discrepancy led an arbitrator to overturn his dismissal enabling him to get off on a technicality arguing that the incident fell outside the window for allowing him to be indefinitely suspended, and an arbitrator agreed with him earlier this month, KSAT reported.

'The indefinite suspension is overturned due to the violation of the 180-days prohibition,' the arbitrator wrote in his decision based on the rule that Luckhurst's discipline fell outside of the time limit on punishing his behavior.

The arbitrator noted that while the suspension was overturned, the punishment was 'reasonable based on just cause for Luckhurst's action whether intentionally or grossly inappropriate, regarding the fecal sandwich being placed in a container close to a homeless person.'

Another bike officer reported that he told Luckhurst, a five-year veteran of the force, that he could not just leave the container next to the homeless person, and told him to go back and dispose of it.

The officer said he watched Luckhurst bike back and assumed that he threw it away, but it's not confirmed that he did.

Luckhurst was notified of his dismissal on October 28 of that year which fell within the 180-day window if the incident happened in May as originally believed, but the officer reviewed his medical records that would challenge the assumption.

According to his records, the officer had suffered an injury during a martial arts class that left him on light duty between April 6 and June 14, 2016, and would not have been able to ride his bicycle in May.

Witness and hearsay testimony in the record also provided vague or contradictory dates regarding the incident, there was no body cam or video footage to corroborate the date and authorities were unable to identify or locate the homeless man referenced.

His suspension was reduced to five days by the arbitrator for another incident where he failed to arrest another homeless person who had a warrant.

Another officer reported Luckhurst's actions to his supervisor in 2016, who then notified internal affairs of the shocking incident in July of that year. Officials said he had been assigned to downtown bike patrol before he was fired (file photo of police headquarters)

While he won this particular appeal, the former officer has yet another feces related claim he needs to address from 2016.

Luckhurst was given a second indefinite suspension in December of 2016 over an allegation that he and another male officer had defecated in a toilet assigned to women in the bike patrol office.

'The toilet was left unflushed by both officers intentionally,' the suspension document states.
Jerusalem: King of Jordan cancels trip to Romania Premier Dancila, Jerusalem embassy announcement was personal

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MARCH 25 - King Abdullah of Jordan has cancelled a trip to Romania, originally scheduled on Monday, after the announcement made by Romanian Premier Vorica Dancila that the country intends to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Jordanian Petra news agency reports. The king was expected to sign several bilateral agreements during the visit.



The statement made by the Social Democratic premier during an official visit to the United States was criticized by the conservative president, Klaus Iohannis. The premier, Iohannis was quoted as saying by local media, ''shows once again her ignorance in foreign policy. The desire to claim a decision that only belongs to the government, leads her to give public statements without a decision in that sense.



The decision to move the Romanian embassy - the president added - will only be made at the end of an analysis that is ongoing and with the positive opinion of all institutions''.



Premier Dancila's reaction arrived a few hours later: ''I did not say that I will move the embassy - she said - but that it is necessary to respect the Constitution and take all the necessary steps. The president only disappointed me because I had a correct approach, respecting the Constitution. I expressed the opinion that it is necessary to take this step, but it is a personal opinion'', said Dancila, as reported by the media in Bucarest. Romania holds the six-month-long rotating presidency of the European Council until June.



The EU position ''remains unvaried'' on the situation of Jerusalem, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has said after Dancila's statement. Mogherini's spokeswoman said ''we have seen the comments of the premier and president'' of Romania, refusing to comment. (ANSAmed).




An American couple who were aboard a cruise ship that was violently rocked by massive waves and 50mph wind gusts recalled the terror they experienced as walls of water engulfed the vessel just off the coast of Norway.

Rodney Horgen, 62, and Judy Lemieux, 66, of Deer River, Minnesota, were among several hundred passengers rescued from the Viking Sky, a 12-day luxury cruise along the Norwegian coast, on Saturday.

Passengers described conditions as comparable to 'being on the Titanic' and feared they would drown as the ship was tossed around the Norwegian Sea.

'I tried to grab her, but I just couldn't,' Horgen told the Star Tribune, recalling the moment his wife was being swept away by water that had inundated the inside of the seventh-floor restaurant.

Rodney Horgen and Judy Lemieux, two retired doctors from Minnesota, were aboard a Norwegian cruise ship that was caught in rough seas on Saturday

Horgen said his wife was swept up by sea water that crashed through the windows of the seventh-floor restaurant. They were one of the first passengers airlifted to safety

He said that the winds were so fierce that passengers on board believed the ship was about to turn on its side.

'The swells were hitting us broadside, just leaning the ship back and forth, almost to the point we thought it was going to tip,' Horgen said. 'People were getting tipped over in their chairs.'

Tables, utensils, and china were also being thrown about, Horgen added.

Some 20 people were injured before the ship stabilized and rescue forces were called to evacuate the passengers.

Lemieux said that a 6ft-tall wall of water barreled towards her through the window of the restaurant and sent her flying.

'There was a chair coming at me with the legs,' she recalled, 'And I thought it was going to take my eyes out. Then Rod grabbed me.'

The cruise liner was on its eighth day of the 12-day 'In Search of the Northern Lights' cruise

Passengers on board the Viking Sky wear life jackets as they wait to be evacuated on Saturday. As many as 1,300 passengers and crew were rescued from the disabled cruise ship by helicopter

Horgen and Lemieux were one of the first passengers to be evacuated by helicopter.

The retired doctors said it was difficult for them to accept being rescued before others.

'Probably one of the hardest things I had to do was walk through this hallway where people were just waiting there, thinking like "You are the ones who get to get off,'" said Horgen. 'That was hard for me and my wife. It brought tears to our eyes.'

The company which operates the ship, Viking Ocean Cruises, paid for the couple's stay at a hotel in Molde, Norway.

It also covered the costs of the flight back to Minnesota. The couple was also offered a free cruise in the future.

American David Hernandez (pictured) and his family were also airlifted to safety during the terrifying ordeal

Hernandez, who was on vacation with his parents and husband Ryan (pictured together), said it was a 'traumatic experience for all of us'

Pictured are Hernandez and his family waiting to be airlifted to safety during the ordeal

'There's a good chance we'll take the same cruise,' Horgen said. 'I'm confident in them.'

But his wife was not so sure.

'I think I need some more time to think about it,' Lemieux said.

The Horgens were among more than 400 people who had to be airlifted to safety after the cruise ship developed engine trouble in rough seas.

David Hernandez and his family were also airlifted to safety during the terrifying ordeal.

Hernandez, who was on vacation with his parents and husband Ryan, said it was a 'traumatic experience for all of us'.

Ambulance and red cross staff were ready and waiting on the dockside as the Sky approached

Tug boats and supply ships escorted the stricken craft towards the Norwegian port town

Horrifying photos have emerged which show the scale of the damage inside the vessel

'We are okay,' he told Good Morning America on Monday morning. 'We are trying to normalize.'

Hernandez said his group had been sitting at lunch, around 20 minutes before the general alarm sounded, when they realized something was wrong.

'The seas were really bad, and they were only getting worse,' he said.

'When we started sliding around the dining room and windows were flying open and glasses were breaking, that's when we knew this was serious and not something that was going to turn out well.'

Hernandez said he then left the dining room and down to the deck to find his husband when the power went out.

'We were comforting someone that got separated from his family, but there were a few times I was not 100 percent sure we were going to stay upright,' he said. 'It was terrifying.'

Hernandez said his husband saw someone get injured when they got hit by a huge wave after a door that led from the outside deck into the restaurant 'blew off its hinges'.

Furniture was thrown around and glass shattered when he engines died and the craft shuddered

One passenger said: 'We could see that we were getting blown in towards some rocks'

'When we were in our harness to get lifted off the ship and into the helicopter, that was when we were first able to breathe and feel safe,' he added. 'That was a weight that was lifted off us.'

But Hernandez said that the crew remained calm and 'kept everyone else calm'.

'I will tell you the crew aboard this vessel was amazing to us,' he said. 'They made sure we had food and water. I cannot say enough about the people that kept us as calm as we could be.'

'The Norwegian Coast Guard, the Norwegian Red Cross, I don't have words to say how amazing they've been.'

The Viking Sky sent a mayday at 2pm on Saturday and helicopter crews spent hours winching elderly passengers one by one from the deck as rescue ships and tugs went to aid the vessel.

Videos filmed by passengers show the ship rolling to an angle of almost 45 degrees, and water sluicing through communal areas inside the ship.

Roof panels are seen falling and striking passengers heads in the video from on board the ship

A picture from inside the listing cruise ship shows it tipping over to one side

The huge cruise liner rolled dramatically as its engines spluttered in 30ft waves off the coast

With three of four engines back up and running, the huge ship arrived safely into the Norwegian coastal town of Molde on Sunday.

Hans Vik, who heads the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway Police, told TV2: 'It was very nearly a disaster. The ship drifted to within 100 meters of running aground before they were able to restart one of the engines.'

'If they had run aground we would have faced a major disaster.'

American Jan Terbruegn said there was little time for panic after the order came to abandon ship.

He told Norwegian news outlet Dagbladet: 'We could see that we were getting blown in towards some rocks. That was the most frightening thing I think. But luckily that wasn't our destiny.'

Torstein Hagen, the billionaire owner of the cruise line, told Norwegian TV2 on Sunday: 'They've had a bit of a shocking experience. Most of our passengers are senior citizens...imagine what it's like to hang there on that wire.'

'It must be a terrible experience but they seem to have handled it very well.'

Twenty people were transported to hospitals after being airlifted from the ship. Three passengers were seriously injured, including a 90-year-old man and his 70-year-old spouse, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Rideshare customers across Australia are in for a treat as hundreds of cars gear up to be fitted out with mini-vending machines.

Start-up company Grabox has slowly been rolling out its in-car devices filled with food and condoms across Australia - creating more convenience for customers.

A selection of delicious snacks will be available in rideshare cars, such as Uber and GoCatch, in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT.

A selection of delicious and some nutritious snacks will be available in rideshare cars, such as Uber and GoCatch, in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT

Devices have already been installed in more than 300 cars across the country and more 1000 drivers have expressed interest in trialing the machines.

Grabox co-founder and Chief Operations Officer, Dhruv Kohli told Daily Mail Australia the machines will be available to a select group of drivers with a minimum 4.7 rating.

The machines come at no cost to the drivers and are refilled free of charge. Drivers can earn money through a commission on the products that are sold.

Sales boxes work through a cashless e-wallet service, meaning drivers and customers don't have to worry about cash, Mr Kohli said.

Devices have already been installed in more than 300 cars across the country and more 1000 drivers have expressed interest in trialing the machines

GRABOX PRICES: Skittles $2.99 Eclipse mints $2.99 Water 250ml $1.49 Coca-Cola 250ml $1.99 Extra Chewing Gum $1.99 M&M Minis $2.99 Mini Munch healthy snacks 99 cents Lucky nuts $1.49 Two-pack of condoms $2.89 Beef jerky stick $1.59 Source: Grabox Advertisement

The idea for the company came during a trip overseas. Mr Kohli said he had been in a rideshare vehicle that had snacks on offer.

'I asked (the driver) why he was doing this, he said it was for extra rating for customer experience.'

Mr Kohli said it didn't seem right that the snacks the money for the snacks for custoemrs was coming out of the drivers pocket, which is how the idea for Grabox was formed.

Ride Share Drivers Association of Australia President Rosalina Kariotakis told News Corp drivers were curious about the new device.

She said the idea seemed like it would benefit full-time drivers the most.

'It's great to be supporting an Australian company doing this when we don't have a local ride share service yet.'
Theresa May's government has 'bottled it completely' over Brexit according to Boris Johnson as she clings to power after holding crisis talks with her Brexit critics at Chequers yesterday.

During a three-hour meeting, Brexiteers Iain Duncan Smith and Jacob Rees-Mogg warned the Prime Minister she must set out a timetable for her departure to get her deal through the Commons.

Mrs May dug in, warning Eurosceptics including Mr Johnson and David Davis that if they refused to get behind her plan, MPs would force through a 'soft' Brexit.

But Mr Johnson, writing in The Telegraph, said the government had a 'chickened out' and 'bottled it completely' over Brexit.

Boris Johnson arrives at Chequers for a meeting with the Prime Minister. He wrote that the government has 'bottled it completely' over Brexit

Theresa May has warned Eurosceptics including Boris Johnson and David Davis that if they refused to get behind her plan, MPs would force through a 'soft' Brexit

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BREXIT THIS WEEK? WEDNESDAY: MPs HOLD INDICATIVE VOTES The Commons is set to hold a series of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives this week, most likely on Wednesday. The alternatives include a softer Brexit, a second referendum or leaving with No Deal. If one commands a majority, MPs will try to pressure Theresa May into adopting that option. But there is no binding way of making her do so. THURSDAY: MAY HOLDS A THIRD MEANINGFUL VOTE ON HER BREXIT DEAL May is likely to try and pass her Brexit deal a third time, after the EU offered a Brexit date of 22 May if she does so this week. The Prime Minister will use threats that MPs will take control and force a softer Brexit in an attempt to force Brexiteer rebels to finally back her. She may also offer them a date when she will quit in return for their support. Thursday is the most likely day for her vote, but there is a chance she won't hold it if she does not believe she'll win. FRIDAY: MPs TAKE CONTROL? If the PM loses a third vote on her deal, MPs and Remainer Cabinet ministers will try and force her towards a softer Brexit. Brexiteer MPs and Cabinet minister will conversely try and push her towards a No Deal exit from the EU. The most likely outcomes are: NO DEAL Theresa May is under no obligation to accept MPs favoured option for Brexit, and could take Britain out the EU without a deal on 12 April. She could remain as Prime Minister under this option. SOFTER BREXIT MPs could try and force May to negotiate a softer Brexit, but this will provoke outrage from Brexiteers. It does not necessarily mean a delay beyond a few months because Britain could still leave the EU under the withdrawal arrangement. SECOND REFERENDUM IF MPs vote for a second referendum either on Mays deal or a range of options, it is likely to mean a lengthy delay to Brexit. May has indicated she will step down if Brexit is delayed beyond June 30. Advertisement

He said: 'We are not leaving this Friday because the government has chickened out. For almost three years every Tory MP has chirruped the mantra that no deal would be better than a bad deal.

I believed that the government was sincere in making that claim, and I believed that the PM genuinely had the 29th of March inscribed in her heart.

I am afraid I misread the government. We have blinked. We have baulked. We have bottled it completely.

He urges Mrs May to channel the spirit of Moses and tell Brussels to let my people go.

Jacob Rees-Mogg took his son Peter to Chequers. He got a tour of Chequers while his father negotiated with the Prime Minister

Iain Duncan Smith arrived to the negotiations in his Morgan kit car

The meeting came hours after her de facto deputy David Lidington and Environment Secretary Michael Gove (pictured) were forced to deny claims that ministers planned to install one of them as a caretaker prime minister in a Cabinet coup

The Prime Minister is understood to have raised concerns privately that she does not want to set out a departure date unless it becomes clear that doing so will be enough to get her deal passed.

A source said: 'It's a bit of chicken and egg. She does not want to come out and say 'OK I will do it' and then it not go through. She needs to know the numbers are there.'

But Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson, writing on Twitter last night, has claimed there are rumours abound that Brexiteers at Chequers have got the PM's agreement to resign in return for their support for her deal.

Calls for a public inquiry A public inquiry could be held into Brexit, it has emerged. Civil servants, MPs, peers and business figures want a probe into the initial decision to call a referendum, the red lines drawn up by Theresa May and Britains negotiating strategy. Former civil service head Bob Kerslake called Brexit the biggest humiliation since Suez. The cross-party peer added: We do need to understand how on Earth we ended up where we have and it probably needs to go back to the decisions around holding a referendum and the way the question was framed. A senior Tory peer cited the inquiry into the Iraq war led by Sir John Chilcot, saying: We want our Chilcot. Advertisement

The meeting came hours after her de facto deputy David Lidington and Environment Secretary Michael Gove were forced to deny claims that ministers planned to install one of them as a caretaker prime minister in a Cabinet coup.

Yesterday afternoon Mrs May invited the pair to her country residence along with a group including former ministers and some of her staunchest Brexit critics.

She convened the meeting to discuss whether there was enough support from MPs to put her Withdrawal Agreement before the Commons for a third time this week.

Those present included former Brexit ministers Steve Baker and Dominic Raab, who both quit over her deal. Chief Whip Julian Smith, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and Mrs May's former deputy Damian Green also attended, along with Jacob Rees-Mogg, who brought his son, Peter, 12.

The Brexiteers present said there was no breakthrough at the meeting. A source added: 'It was the usual stuff, she gave the same old pitch as she has been giving about back me or it is going to be a softer Brexit.

'IDS and Jacob both said she should set out a timeline to go, but she gave no indication that she would. It was the same old lines. Sadly nothing has changed.'

The Brexiteers are said to have 'left disheartened by the lack of any effort to change course or to reach out in any way to try and get this deal through'.

On his way to the meeting, Mr Johnson drove on a public road without his seatbelt on  an offence that can incur a 500 fine.

Philip Hammond says MPs should discuss second referendum 'proposition' next week Philip Hammond said Mrs May's Brexit deal was his 'preferred way forward' but admitted: 'I'm realistic that we may not be able to get a majority' Philip Hammond has said a second EU referendum is a 'perfectly coherent proposition' as he urged MPs to decide on a 'compromise' Brexit deal if they cannot back Theresa May. The Chancellor said that 'one way or another' Parliament would this week be able to show what it wanted from Brexit, rather than constantly showing what it does not want. Mr Hammond told Sky's Ridge on Sunday that Mrs May's Brexit deal - already defeated twice by MPs - was his 'preferred way forward' but admitted: 'I'm realistic that we may not be able to get a majority'. 'One way or another Parliament is going to have the opportunity this week to decide what it is in favour of, and I hope that it will take that opportunity - if it can't get behind the Prime Minister's deal - to say clearly and unambiguously what it can get behind,' he added. But he warned that any alternative deal must be 'a variant that is deliverable, not some unicorn'. The Chancellor said Parliament would be given the chance to hold indicative votes on alternatives to Mrs May's Brexit deal this week. Tomorrow Parliament debates an amendable Government motion on the Brexit deal, which gives MPs a chance to put their favoured outcomes to a vote. And the day after an estimated one million people marched through London demanding a second referendum, Mr Hammond added: 'I'm not sure that there's a majority in Parliament for a second referendum but it's a perfectly coherent proposition. 'Many people will be strongly opposed to it, but it's a coherent proposition and it deserves to be considered along with the other proposals.' Advertisement

A witness said the former Foreign Secretary was not wearing it while on Missenden Road, which leads to Chequers in Buckinghamshire.

Yesterday, it was claimed that ministers planned to call on Mrs May to step aside in favour of a caretaker prime minister  either Mr Lidington or Mr Gove  at a Cabinet meeting this morning.

But the mooted coup appeared to have fizzled out last night after critics warned that both Tory MPs and the party's membership would not accept the Cabinet picking a leader without a contest.

One minister said: 'It couldn't work because it is insane. The voluntary party would not live with it. The idea that you could get Cabinet to unite around one candidate would be surprising and the idea that you could get the parliamentary party to rally behind one person is insane. It will not happen.'

Mr Gove and Mr Lidington appeared on television yesterday to restate their backing for the Prime Minister ahead of the Chequers meeting.

The Environment Secretary said it was 'not the time to change the captain of the ship', adding: 'We absolutely need to focus on making sure we get the maximum possible support for the Prime Minister and her deal.'

Mr Lidington said Mrs May was doing 'a fantastic job', adding: 'I don't think I've any wish to take over from the PM. One thing working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you of any shred of ambition to want to do that task. I have absolute admiration for the way she is going about it.'

Yesterday, Chancellor Philip Hammond warned those urging Mrs May to go that it wouldn't 'solve the problem'. 'To be talking about changing the players on the board, frankly, is self-indulgent at this time,' he told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

It came after Tory MP George Freeman, who had called for Mrs May to be replaced by Mr Gove, said yesterday it was 'all over for the PM', tweeting: 'She's done her best. But across the country you can see the anger.'

He was rebuked by Tory minister Justin Tomlinson, who replied: 'You should get off Twitter and knock on doors. The public are frustrated at factions who refuse to compromise. They sympathise that the PM is stuck in the middle.'

Eurosceptics on the backbenches also warned they would resist any move to put someone in place without them having a say.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: 'The idea of a Cabinet coup is appalling. If there is to be a leadership change it must be done by MPs and the membership in accordance with the rules  not by a Cabinet stitch-up.'
One of the frontrunners to replace Sir Vince Cable as Liberal Democrat leader has admitted she was detained by police after slapping her ex-boyfriend in a row at a party conference.

Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said she was charged over the incident, which began as an argument over a lost computer cable.

Scroll down for video

Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, revealed the story on Twitter

The MP said she had decided to share the story in response to 'swirling rumours' over the incident

The charges were later dropped after the fracas, which took place almost six years ago.

Miss Moran, 36, made the admission on Twitter in response to rumours that have begun to swirl.

Sir Vince, 75, announced earlier this month that he would step down as Lib Dem leader in May.

Ms Moran has previously been a vocal advocate for a People's Vote. Pictured: Ms Moran campaigning alongside Chuka Umunna and Caroline Lucas

It will lead to a hard-fought leadership battle. Miss Moran, the partys education spokesman, is believed to be a potential contender, as is current deputy leader Jo Swinson.

Writing on Twitter, Miss Moran wrote: I wanted to respond to rumours Ive been hearing over the last couple of weeks that have surfaced in relation to a previous relationship of mine.

My ex-boyfriend Richard has given permission for me to share our story. So here it is.

In 2013, Richard and I had a row at the autumn conference in Glasgow that initially began over a lost computer cable.

The relationship had come under enormous strain in preceding months and regrettably, it escalated and in the heat of the moment I slapped him because I felt threatened.

She has been linked with the top job after Sir Vince, 75, announced earlier this month that he would step down

We both recognise it wasnt our finest hour and were, both at the time and continue to be, grateful that the police mediated, and calmed things down.

Miss Moran is the first MP of Palestinian accent

She went on to say that she was initially charged because the law governing domestic disputes in Scotland dictates that all such cases should be handled by the courts, regardless of the circumstances.

Since... it was a weekend when no magistrate was available to adjudicate, we were both detained at the police station, she wrote.

I was initially charged in line with the zero-tolerance policy but then the charges were dropped and there was no case to answer

Miss Moran, who is the first British MP of Palestinian descent, said the relationship ended and six years have passed, adding: Breakups are rarely a moment you want to remember.

This was a personal moment and we have both moved on and forgiven each other for the events of that Saturday morning.
An alleged 'shape-shifter' rapist who pleaded guilty to raping women he met on Tinder will return to court tomorrow in an attempt to change his plea.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland, 44, of Melbourne's Moonee Ponds, lured his victims in with a variety of tall tales, they claim.

'One minute he's a lawyer, the next he's a pro snowboarder,' one woman said.

Hartland pleaded guilty to raping three woman and indecently assaulting a fourth in October, but he was released on bail.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal Hartland has made an application with the County Court of Victoria to change his pleas to not guilty on all counts.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland will return to court tomorrow in a bid to change his not guilty plea. If successful, he will then go to trial over several rape allegations

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland has been described as a 'shape shifter' who lured women in through the dating app Tinder before raping them. He has changed his mind about pleading guilty

The alleged attacks took place in Melbourne between 2014 and 2016, with Hartland allegedly using the dating app to meet the four women, where he called himself 'Dylan'.

It is understood that he currently uses the alias Glenn Potter and has a connection to a Melbourne church, which is believed to be funding his renewed legal fight.

Hartland's proposed change of heart has angered his alleged victims, who are still reeling after one of them took their own life last month.

The woman had been contacted by Hartland on snapchat while he was on bail, which saw him locked up last November.

Police alleged Hartland had called the woman a 'false accuser' and sent her a photo of her location.

He spent two months in jail before pleading guilty to the crime and being released in January with time already served.

He remains free in the community.

One of his alleged victims told Daily Mail Australia she was disgusted with not only Hartland's proposed change of plea, but the fact that he will likely remain free until his trial - if granted by the court.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had contacted detectives from the Family Violence Taskforce expressing her concerns.

'They need to remember that this taskforce put us in this position,' she said.

Hartland's arrest was among the first to come from the specialised taskforce.

'We have not been provided adequate protection from (Hartland) and one woman is now dead,' she said.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland in one of his many social media profiles. He is expected to apply to change his guilty pleas on rape charges to not guilty

The woman further claimed an associate of Hartland was behind the distribution of a long 'manifesto' written by the alleged rapist that had made its way into the hands of victims.

The manifesto was emailed to dozens of people in the days following the New Zealand massacre.

'All of you have a part and have had a part in my life over the last five years. Some of you, however, have seen what the truth looks like and have done nothing,' the document states.

'You have allowed your own selfish needs to go before justice and truth and therefore ignored the most basic of human rights. Fairness.'

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland as he appeared on social media. He was charged with rape and pleaded guilty last year, but is expected to make an application to overturn that decisionGlenn Antony Dylan Hartland

'Every one of you is responsible. Whether your seat is at the table at which we eat or the as a leader of society who creates and mandates what we believe and now follow you are wholly responsible for what happens next.'

Hartland signed-off on the manifesto with a bizarre tribute of love for his accusers.

'Whatever you decide know that I love you. I always tried to speak the truth, do the right thing, even at my lowest point and never have I ever so much as I have right now,' he wrote.

'I will not go quietly into the night without leaving this all unsaid. You are responsible, so be responsible and ensure this never happens again.'

While it remains unclear on exactly what grounds Hartland plans to launch his change of plea application, Daily Mail Australia believes it is likely to do with an argument of mental impairment.

During a hearing last year, a magistrate was told Hartland suffered anxiety and was bipolar.

The suggestion prompted Hartland to yell from the prison dock that he in fact had a borderline personality disorder.

Glenn Antony Dylan Hartland claimed he was a successful sportsman who had secured sponsorship. He was later charged with several rapes

His alleged crimes occurred across Melbourne, in the suburbs of South Yarra, Elwood, St Kilda and Prahran.

Hartland attracted the women by allegedly lying to them about himself and his name, before attacking them.



When the women laid charges against him, he claimed they were all lying.

'I am going to fight these charges,' he told A Current Affair shortly after his arrest.

'Whether it takes 18 months, or the rest of my life.'
A millionaire landlord is suing the police for 1m after claiming he was a victim of wrongful arrest.

Fergus Wilson, 70, and wife Judith became one of the UK's largest buy-to-let investors after snapping up hundreds of properties in Ashford and Maidstone in Kent - although they are currently in the process of selling off their property portfolio.

At the height of the couple's property empire, the former maths teachers owned just under 1,000 homes, mainly two and three bed properties, worth just under 200m.

Mr Wilson was arrested in May 2014 by Kent Police after one of his tenants claimed he 'made advances' towards her at her rented home in Maidstone, Kent.

Fergus Wilson, 70, is going to sue Kent Police for 1million after claiming he is the victim of a wrongful arrest

Millionaire landlord Mr Wilson was arrested in May 2014 by Kent Police for 11 hours after one of his tenants claimed he 'made advances' towards her in a rented home in Maidstone, Kent. (Pictured) Mr Wilson with his wife Judith

He was held in police custody for 11 hours and was on bail for four months before the case was dropped, and has now revealed that he is suing Kent Police for 1m for wrongful arrest.

Speaking last week, the multi-millionaire - who once stood for election as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent in 2016 - said: 'Not only did they not have any kind of corroborating evidence, I told them I had some business calls to make that afternoon and that there was money at stake.

'Many of these policemen probably think they can take people off the street and that it doesn't matter who you are, but that won't do with me.

Speaking last week, Mr Wilson said that he was arrested without any 'corroborating evidence' and that 'many of these policemen probably think they can take people off the street and that it doesn't matter who you are, but that won't do with me'

The landlord has previously hit the headlines after banning tenants from cooking curry in his properties and saying he would evict single mums with newborn babies

'You better have a good excuse or else you'll have to fork out a lot of money.

'Some days I don't make any money at all but some days it can be more than a million pounds.

'They'll probably try and give me a settlement for as little as possible, but I'm not short of money, I don't care if it goes to court or not.'

The landlord has previously hit the headlines after banning tenants from cooking curry in his properties and staying he would evict single mums with newborn babies, because rules meant he had to get boilers fixed within four days for tenants with newborns.

A spokesperson for Kent Police confirmed it had received a claim for compensation from Mr Wilson, adding: 'This matter is ongoing and therefore we are unable to make further comment at this time.'
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RAF officers and airmen held a photo of each of the 50 members of the great escape who died 75 years ago during yesterday's ceremony.

In 1944, 76 prisoners of war attempted to escape from a Nazi camp through tunnels they had painstakingly dug underground at Stalag Luft III.

Only three of the men managed to escape to safety, while 50 of the 73 who were recaptured were killed.

Each RAF Officer and Airman hold a single photo of each of the 50 Great Escape members that were killed upon capture. The British MOD report that personnel from the British Royal Air Force (RAF) have on March 24, 2019 marked 75 years since the Great Escape at two remembrance ceremonies in Poland, where the legendary escape took place

And those who died were remembered yesterday during a ceremony led by the Royal Air Force in Poland.

Many internees at the PoW camp were British airmen and the RAF took part in a flypast and formed a guard of honour alongside the Polish Air Force as part of the commemorations in Poland yesterday.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'Today marks 75 years since our prisoners of war performed one of the greatest and most complex escape operations of all time.

'We must never forget that in the fight for freedom, and in the hopes of liberating themselves and their comrades, 50 courageous lives were lost.

'Their bravery is a testament to the camaraderie and strength of the RAF, who worked tirelessly to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation.

British Chief of the Air Staff Sir Stephen Hillier (Left) and Lieutenant General Mika (Right) of the Polish Army laying wreaths at the memorial service

British Chief of the Air Staff Sir Stephen Hillier (left) and Lieutenant General Mika (right) of the Polish Army after laying wreaths at a memorial service held at the former site of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland, 24 March 2019, to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Great Escape

'Sadly, we are slowly losing our heroes of the Second World War, so it is more important than ever that we preserve their legacies by continuing to tell their stories.'

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, joined Air Commodore Charles Clarke, a PoW who was held at Stalag Luft III at the time of the escape, in a ceremony on the site of the camp which at the time was in Germany, but is now in Poland.

Relatives of those who escaped and Government representatives were also present at the commemorations, which included a remembrance service at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery, where 48 of those executed are buried.

Air Commodore Charles Clarke (back row, second right) with his Lancaster bomber crew in 1943. Mr Clare was speaking on Tuesday at the RAF Club in London

Many internees at the PoW camp were British airmen and the RAF took part in a flypast and formed a guard of honour alongside the Polish Air Force as part of the commemorations in Poland yesterday

Down the hatch: A photo taken by officials at the German camp show the inside of the narrow tunnel, named 'Harry', in 1944. Some 76 men made it out before the escape was rumbled by Nazi guards

The story of the Great Escape heroes, who gave their three tunnels the code names Tom, Dick and Harry, gained even more prominence in 1963 when it became the basis for a Hollywood film of the same name starring Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough.

A special screening by the RAF Benevolent Fund will be part of a commemorative event, The Great Escape With Dan Snow, hosted by the TV historian, which will be streamed to cinemas across the UK.

Last month Dick Churchill, the last surviving member of the 76-strong group who made it out of the camp, died aged 99.

The former squadron leader, who lived in Crediton, Devon, was one of the 73 recaptured by the Germans within three days of the breakout after Hitler became aware and ordered locals to search their land and buildings.

Earlier this month Second World War pilot Jack Lyon, who was in the Stalag Luft III camp after his bomber plane was struck by flak near Dusseldorf, died aged 101.

Mr Lyon, who was a flight lieutenant, was recruited by other prisoners to carry out surveillance of the compound, but the plot was discovered before he could make his own escape.

Each RAF officer holds a single photo of each of the 50 great escape members that were killed when captured

Making do: Stalag Luft III prisoners are seen walking past a watchtower around the perimeter of the camp in the winter months to keep fit and stay warm
An Alaska man has agreed to a plea deal that includes a promise to stop chasing stolen vehicles after being caught driving 60mph in a 25mph zone.

Officials said Floyd Hall, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of reckless endangerment resulting in a 30-day suspended sentence and a $500 fine, the Anchorage Daily News reported Saturday.

The terms of Hall's three-year probation sentence include a pledge to refrain from chasing anyone driving a suspected stolen vehicle, officials said.

In August 2017 he was caught chasing an apparently stolen truck at at 60mph in a 25mph the wrong way down a one-way street.

Floyd Hall at his court appearance on October 3, 2017. Hall pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment for an incident on August 31, 2017, during which he chased an apparently stolen truck at high speeds

The Alaska A-Team is a name of a group of citizens that take tips from social media to help track down and recover stolen automobiles

The newspaper reports that the vigilante can remain involved with a citizens' group calling itself the 'A-Team' that relies on tips from social media to recover stolen automobiles.

When Hall made a court appearance in October last year, a group wearing 'Let Floyd Go!' T-shirts showed their support for the Anchorage man as the city was undergoing a stolen car epidemic, according to KTUU.

'Obviously I feel Floyd should not have any charges brought against him and that if they are going to treat the criminals under SB 91 as lightly as they have, why should Floyd pay the price for helping our community?' said Scott Brown, a supporter who said his stolen car was recovered by Hall.

If Hall had not accepted the deal last Tuesday, two additional counts of reckless endangerment would have been added along with his reckless driving charge, his attorney Joshua Fink said.

Hall said that the A-Team group had reached out to the Anchorage Police Department regarding a partnership, but was turned down

'I just decided to end it, get it over with,' Hall said. 'Why waste taxpayers' money more?'

Hall's attorney said prosecutors initially requested that his client not be allowed to "chase, follow or otherwise pursue" suspected stolen vehicles during his probation, but agreed to scale it back to simply "chasing". The difference is the "high rate of speed,"' Fink said.

Anchorage Police Captain Sean Case believes that the kind of vigilantism engaged in by Hall's group may be harmful

'I think people have the right to maintain a safe and civil society,' said the attorney. 'Police don't have the exclusive right to that.'

'It's a burden off my shoulders in a way, but for three years I sort of have to dot my i's and cross my t's,' Hall said of accepting the deal.

He also said that the A-Team previously broached the possibility of a partnership with police without success.

Anchorage Police Capt. Sean Case said that while police appreciate information from the public and regularly partner with community watch groups, they draw a line when citizens might harm themselves by becoming involved with suspects.

'You don't know (a suspect's) criminal history, you don't know how violent they are, you don't know if they're armed,' Case said.

The prosecuting attorney declined to comment on Hall's case.
NSW Labor leader Michael Daley has announced that he is standing down from his position after a disastrous end to his election campaign.

Mr Daley revealed on Monday afternoon that he would resign and appoint Penny Sharpe as interim leader, ahead of a leadership spill after the federal election in May.

Kogarah MP Chris Minns has been touted as the top contender to take his position full-time.

Mr Daley was criticised for comments he made in the final week of the campaign suggesting Asians were taking Australian jobs.

He also failed to remember his own education policy during a televised debate, providing wildly inaccurate figures for how much he planned to spend on TAFE.

NSW Labor leader Michael Daley has announced that he is standing down from his position after a disastrous end to his election campaign

Kogarah MP Chris Minns has been touted as the top contender to take his position full-time

The ALP had earlier said Mr Daley would remain in his position until May.

'Labor party officers have resolved to hold the rank-and-file ballot for leader of the NSW parliamentary party after the 2019 federal election,' the ALP said in a statement on Monday.

'The NSW Labor party is on official campaign footing and is committed to the task of electing a (Bill) Shorten Labor government over the next seven weeks.'

A senior party source on Monday told AAP that head office was delaying the contest until after the federal election - expected in May - to limit any negative impact on the campaign.

Labor has directed NSW MPs to 'refrain from commenting on, or campaigning for, the (state) leadership prior to the federal election'.

The decision comes after Mr Daley and the Labor party conceded defeat in the state election on Saturday night.

More than 5.27 million people cast their vote in what was tipped to be one of the closest elections in decades, but in the end the Coalition led the way.

Mr Daley said despite the disappointing result, he would continue on as NSW Labor leader to a cheering crowd of about 200 at Coogee Bay Hotel.

'Sometimes we win them, and sometimes we lose them,' he said.

'But one thing never changes - our passion, our belief and our mission to make NSW and Australia a better place, and that is what we will continue to do.'

A senior party source on Monday told AAP that head office was delaying the contest until after the federal election - expected in May - to limit any negative impact on the campaign

Mr Daley became leader in November after Luke Foley was forced to resign but has since come under fire for comments he made in the lead up to the election.

Mr Daley struggled to answer simple questions about school and TAFE funding at a western Sydney People's Forum debate on Sky News.

During the live TV debate at Western Sydney University, he also struggled to name a dollar figure for school funding, even though Labor is vowing to match recommendations made in a landmark report by business leader David Gonski.

'I can't remember the exact figure,' Mr Daley said.

'I'll have a look at it. I just can't remember it off the top of my head.'

He then couldn't recall how much the Labor government would spend on TAFE vocational education.

'Ah, about, $3 billion on TAFE,' Mr Daley said.

A determined Michael Daley (pictured) vowed to stay put as NSW Labor Leader following the election loss on Sunday

Just before 10pm on Saturday, Mr Daley conceded defeat after calling Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) to congratulate her

The former corporate lawyer and Customs officer later confirmed his party would allocate $2.7 billion over four years to increase public school funding, and $64 million to TAFE.

The debacle came just days after it was revealed Mr Daley made comments on Asian immigration, where he said Asian immigrants were taking the jobs of young Australians.

'Our young children will flee and who are they being replaced with? They are being replaced by young people from typically Asia with PhDs,' he told a public function in Wentworth Falls in September when he was Labor's deputy leader.

'So there's a transformation happening in Sydney now where our kids are moving out and foreigners are moving in and taking their jobs.'

If Mr Minns challenges Mr Daley for the leadership of the NSW Labor party and wins, he would become the party's third state leader within five months.
Questions over whether New Zealand authorities could have prevented the Christchurch massacre will be answered when a royal commission commences, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.

Since the mosque attacks which killed 50 people ten days ago, questions have been asked about why the accused lone gunman wasn't flagged by security agencies in New Zealand or Australia.

Last week the government promised a probe would be held into the tragedy, but on Monday it was confirmed a royal commission will take place - the most serious form of investigation possible.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters announced at a media conference on Monday that a royal commission into the Christchurch massacre will be held

'While New Zealanders and Muslim communities around the world are both grieving and showing compassion, they are also quite rightly asking about how this terror attack was able to happen here,' Prime Minister Ardern told a press conference on Monday.

Part of the royal commission will focus on whether authorities were focused the right way, or if there were any clues that were overlooked.

Ms Ardern said the royal commission would focus on the events leading up to the attack, the countrys intelligence agencies and reviewing if they were focusing their resources 'appropriately'.

The response to the attack - carried out by accused Australian gunman Brenton Tarrant - will be investigated later.

'I absolutely accept that people want answers and they dont want to be left waiting a long time, but we equally have to allow the time for the inquiry to do the job properly. So we are weighing all of that up,' Ms Ardern said.

Intelligence agencies, police, customs and the immigration department will all be subject to investigation.

In the wake of the attack, New Zealand's two spy agencies have confirmed they were not keeping tabs on Tarrant.

Accused Australian gunman Brenton Tarrant (pictured getting arrested) is currently charged with one count of murder, and is expected to face more charges when he returns to court next week

The Australian-born white supremacist is known to have been involved with internet forums popular with right-wing extremists, and posted a chilling 74-page manifesto online in the lead up to the massacre.

He was also legally able to buy at least five guns that were used in the attack, after modifying them.

The minister in charge of New Zealand intelligence departments, Andrew Little, has denied suggestions authorities had not paid enough attention to far-right extremists, saying an increased focus had been put on white supremacy over the past year.

Tarrant has been transferred from Christchurch and is now believed to be held in a maximum-security prison in Auckland.

He's currently charged with one count of murder, and he is expected to face more charges when he returns to court next week.
BEIRUT - US-backed Kurdish Syrian forces have called for an international tribunal to try ISIS members, pan-Arab media reported on Monday, quoting leading members of the Syrian Democratic Forces led by the Syrian wing of the Kurdish PKK.
The cost of renting in Australia is steadily rising despite the property market's downward spiral.

A new report, published by rent.com.au, reveals every state and every major city, with the exception of Brisbane and Perth, recorded an increase in rental prices for February.

The most significant rise was in Hobart which saw a 4.2 per cent hike in the cost of renting, going from a median price of $365 to $450.

A new report into the cost of renting in Australia has been released and indicates that while the housing market crashes rent is still increasing with Hobart (pictured) the worst hit

The report, published by rent.com.au , outlines how every state and every major city with the exception of Brisbane and Perth recorded an increase in rental prices for February

'Nationally, there was a 2.2% rise in apartment values in February, which was driven upward by movement in Sydney (3.8%), Melbourne (2.3%), Adelaide (1.6%), Hobart (4.2%), Darwin (2.9%) and Canberra (3.3%),' the report stated.

Sydney has remained the most expensive city to live for renters.

Rent.com.au CEO Greg Bader said rental properties were staying on the market for longer.

'Some health leasing activity coming over from the January/February rush has increased demand, so renters will have needed to act fast to secure their rental of choice,' he said.

'This is good news  it shows landlords are taking heed of advice from their property managers and rental data to price their properties competitively from the start.'

Housing advocate at consumer group Choice, Patrick Veyret, told news.com.au landlords were taking advantage of renters who are unwilling to move house.

He said landlords and real estate agents understand the costs associated with moving, such as removalist fees and money for bond.

'Theyre likely to often increase the rent and know that people who rent will just accept it because they dont really have much bargaining power in this consumer arrangement,' he said.

'Nationally, there was a 2.2% rise in apartment values in February, which was driven upward by movement in Sydney (3.8%), Melbourne (2.3%), Adelaide (1.6%), Hobart (4.2%), Darwin (2.9%) and Canberra (3.3%),' the report stated

Mr Veyret is now leading calls for new policies to protect renters from 'excessive or unreasonable rent increases'.

As it stands it is on the renter to take their case to a tribunal if they feel the rental increase is excessive or unfair.

Mr Veyret would like to see this reversed and have landlords argue why rent should be increased.

He also advised renters to be aware that with the down turn in the property market they are in a better position than at other time to negotiate a fare rent price rise to avoid being ripped off.

'More people are putting houses on the market than selling them, and investors seem to be leaving the market, so as a tenant I think you can do pretty well if you negotiate,' he said.
Shane Felton Loomis, 46, of Thousand Oaks, was charged with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated

An attorney who is accused of driving drunk after he crashed into a tree in California killing his passenger, could face up to ten years in jail.

Shane Felton Loomis, a divorced 46-year-old lawyer from Thousand Oaks, has been charged with one count of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, according to the Ventura County District Attorneys Office.

He also faces a special allegation of having a blood alcohol content of .15 percent or higher, prosecutors said.

The charge stems from an incident that happened just before midnight on March 16 as Loomis was traveling when his car careered off the road before slamming into a tree and overturning.

Thousand Oaks police and Ventura County firefighters responded and both Loomis and his passenger, Amanda Gannon, were taken to a hospital.

Gannon, 38, of Canoga Park, was pronounced dead.

Loomis, a father, suffered moderate injuries, the Sheriffs Office said.

Loomis also faces a special allegation of a blood alcohol content of .15 percent or higher

Loomis was driving when the vehicle hit a tree and overturned. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment but his passenger, Amanda Gannon, 38, did not survive

Loomis was arrested Friday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and held on $50,000 bail.

He was released on bond early Saturday and was scheduled to return to court on April 9.

Loomis relationship with Gannon is unclear, but detectives believe the two might have been dating, Sgt. Dennis Sliva told KTLA.

The 46-year-old could face up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted as charged.

Loomis practiced law at the Westlake Village-based Loomis Law Firm, according to the State Bar of Californias website.
Scott Morrison has hinted at fast-tracking tax cuts for workers in the federal budget next week.

Amid mounting speculation his government will bring forward income tax cuts that have already been legislated, the prime minister said he always jumped at an opportunity to give people a break.

'My record is lowering taxes for Australians,' he said in Melbourne on Monday.

'We currently have $144 billion worth of tax relief for all working Australians in this country, and wherever I get the opportunity to give Australians further tax relief, I never miss the opportunity.'

Amid mounting speculation his government will bring forward income tax cuts that have already been legislated, the Scott Morrison said he always jumped at an opportunity to give people a break

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg at the weekend did not rule out further tax relief, saying only that the budget would frame the coalition's election pitch.

'The next election will be about what kind of nation Australians want over the next decade,' he told The Australian.

'On our side it is about balancing the books, growing the economy with more jobs and lower taxes.'

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg at the weekend did not rule out further tax relief, saying only that the budget would frame the coalition's election pitch

Senior Liberal Arthur Sinodinos on Sunday said tax cuts could help those with lower incomes until wage growth picks up.

Proposals from the ACTU and others to lift the minimum wage would deliver a pre-tax increase but a similar effect could happen through a 'proper tax cut for low and middle-income earners', he told the ABC's Insiders.

The government passed a personal tax cut package through parliament last June, with the first stage kicking in for the current financial year.

Further reductions are due in 2022 and 2024, leading to a single person on $30,000 ultimately getting a tax cut of $200 a year, while someone on an average wage of around $85,000 would get $540 and a $200,000-a-year salary earner would get $7225.

Senior Liberal Arthur Sinodinos on Sunday said tax cuts could help those with lower incomes until wage growth picks up

Labor has opposed the higher-income tax reductions and says it will give cuts of $350 to people earning $25,000 and up to $928 for people on $90,000 a year.

'All I know is that we are offering bigger, better, fairer tax cuts,' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Melbourne.

'If the government does more we'll have a look at it, if the nation can afford it.'

The budget will be handed down on April 2 and an election is expected in mid-May.
Deputy Peter Herrera of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office was shot multiple times on Friday during a traffic stop and died the following Sunday evening

A West Texas sheriff's deputy, who was critically wounded Friday in a shooting during a traffic stop, died on Sunday evening.

The El Paso County Sheriff's office confirmed the death of Deputy Peter Herrera in a statement on Facebook.

Authorities had said on Friday that they expected Herrera to survive the shooting because he was wearing a protective vest.

The suspected gunman, 27-year-old Facundo Chavez of El Paso, now is being charged with capital murder and the sheriff is requesting the death penalty in the case.

The shooting happened at 1.50am on March 22, after Deputy Herrera pulled over a vehicle for headlight and registration violations in San Elizario, Texas.

As Herrera approached the vehicle, Chavez allegedly got out and fired several shots at the deputy.

Unable to return fire, Herrera was struck several times in the attack, sustaining gunshot wounds to the body and the back of his head.

A sheriff's spokesperson said that the bullet narrowly missed Herrera's brain.

Facundo Chavez, 27, is facing a capital murder charge in the shooting death of Deputy Peter Herrera following a traffic stop on Friday night

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office posted a tribute to its Facebook page with Deputy Peter Herrera's badge number

Chavez and his passenger then fled the scene on foot, but were later found hiding in a shed two blocks from the area.

Investigators say the gun allegedly used to shoot Herrera was also recovered near the crime scene.

Both a man and woman were arrested, but Chavez, the driver, was charged, according to the El Paso Times. The woman was released by the authorities.

Deputy Peter Herrera, left, with his wife, Ashley Ernewayn, right. Herrera was shot on Friday during a traffic stop and died on Sunday evening

Ashley Ernewayn posted this tribute while her husband was hospitalized asking for prayers for Herrera before he died on Sunday

Sheriff Richard Wiles said that Chavez has a long criminal history, including a domestic violence investigation launched two days prior to the shooting that involved the woman passenger.

The suspected cop killer also had warrants on charges of delivering marijuana, criminal mischief and assaulting a family member.

A Facebook fundraiser for Deputy Herrera's wife, Ashley Ernewayn, has raised well over the $40,000 goal, and a separate GoFundMe page made to cover his hospital expenses raised more than $22,000 since Friday.
A two-year-old girl is fighting for her life after a freak accident that left her father and younger brother hospitalised.

The Whitaker family were standing on the sidelines at the Redcliffe Paceway, north of Brisbane, when they were struck by a metal boom gate on Sunday night.

The gate, attached to a pace vehicle at the harness event, failed to retract at the start of the race and struck the group as they watched on.

Two-year-old Lara suffered serious facial and abdominal injuries and was rushed to the Queensland Children's Hospital, where she remained in a critical condition on Monday.

The Whitaker family were injured at the Redcliffe paceway, north of Brisbane, on Sunday night (Pictured left Lara, two, dad Gary, mum Joedy, and Josh, one)

The incident involving the Whitaker family, who are understood to be heavily involved in the industry, has left many in the racing community shocked

Her one-year-old brother Josh was also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The pair spent Sunday night in the intensive care unit.

Their dad Gary has been discharged from hospital with a large cut to his head.

In a statement to the National Trot Guide, mum Joedy Whitaker thanked everyone for their 'lovely messages'.

The incident involving the Whitaker family, who are understood to be heavily involved in the industry, has left many in the racing community shocked.

The two-year-old was among four people from Kensington Grove injured at a paceway club in Redcliffe on Sunday night

A workplace health and safety investigation was underway to determine what went wrong.

Police are involved with the investigation.

The ambulance service said paramedics faced a chaotic scene when they arrived, but worked quickly to help the family.

The Redcliffe Harness Racing Club has praised on social media those who assisted.

'Our thoughts and love with those injured in the mobile incident,' the club posted on Facebook.

'Thanks to everyone who helped so quickly.'
Holiday makers are flocking to a little known destination in the Philippines with crystal clear water, white sand, and perfect weather.

Until Friday Australian travellers can book flights to the idyllic island of Cebu for as little as $208 from Sydney or Melbourne.

From here it's a short trip to another little known slice of paradise at the island of Siargao  both of which are untouched by the tourist crowds flocking to places like Bali.

Holiday makers are flocking to a little known destination in the Philippines with crystal clear water, white sand, and perfect weather

Until Friday Australian travellers can book flights to the idyllic island of Cebu for as little as $208 from Sydney or Melbourne

From here it's a short trip to another little known slice of paradise at the island of Siargao  both of which are untouched by the tourist crowds flocking to places like Bali

Recently highlighted by Channel 9s Travel Guides, the Philippines is a must-visit destination, with flights from Australia's east coast taking approximately 10 hours.

Cebu Pacific are offering savvy travellers cheap airfares until Friday as part of their Crazy Seat Sale.

From Cebu it's a short hop to other islands such as Siargao, often compared to a pre-tourist boom Thailand.

There's plenty of activities on offer in the Philippine islands including hopping aboard a banca boat with your mask and snorkel in hand to witness the spectacular sea life.

Cebu Pacific are offering savvy travellers cheap airfares until Friday as part of their Crazy Seat Sale

The best part is, from Cebu it's a short hop to other islands such as Siargao, often compared to a pre-tourist boom Thailand

There's plenty of activities on offer in the Philippine islands including hopping aboard a banca boat with your mask and snorkel in hand to witness the spectacular sea life

Sea turtles, colourful clown fish like the ones in Finding Nemo, and the spectacular sight of the sardine run are just some of the sights available to visitors.

All that snorkelling will work up an appetite so luckily the Philippines are a foodie's delight with the local cuisine sure to keep even picky eaters happy.

You can grab Filipino favourites straight from the table, including barbequed meats, rice, marinated milk fish, salted eggs, mangoes and more.

Sea turtles, colourful clown fish like the ones in Finding Nemo, and the spectacular sight of millions of sardines zig-zagging before your eyes in the sardine run are just some of the underwater sights to behold

All that snorkelling and island hopping will work up an appetite so luckily the Philippines are a foodie wonderland with the local cuisine sure to keep even the most picky eater happy

Although the great waters, beaches and food are all a part of Filipino culture, there's plenty more on offer as the island is shaped by its Spanish and American colonial heritage, which is perfectly demonstrated by the locals' hospitality and nature

The Philippines is also home to picture-perfect waterfalls with many to choose from including Inambakan Falls and Kawasan Falls.

There's also plenty more culture on offer as the island is shaped by its Spanish and American colonial heritage, demonstrated by the locals' hospitality and nature.

Accommodation is also a bargain with the Australian dollar currently buying 37 Philippine pesos.

To secure the $208 fare from Sydney / Melbourne (via Manila) to Cebu, you must book between Saturday 24th March 2019 and Friday 30th March 2019 for travel between 1st May 2019 and 30th September 2019.

Fares for the period can also be booked to Manila from Sydney / Melbourne for an even cheaper $169.

To book tickets visit www.cebupacificair.com and the latest seat sales can be also found on CEB's official Twitter (@CebuPacificAir) and Facebook pages.

To secure the $208 fare from Sydney/Melbourne (via Manila) to Cebu, you must book between Saturday 24th March 2019 and Friday 30th March 2019 for travel between 1st May 2019 and 30th September 2019

Siargao also features the famous Cloud 9 surfing area where pros from around the world surf

Accommodation is also a bargain with the Australian dollar currently buying 37 Philippine pesos
An undocumented migrant has been arrested for the murder of a mother-of-one from Oklahoma.

Ramon Hector Martine Ontiveros, 33, from Mexico, reportedly admitted shooting dead Paige Gomer, 28, on Thursday night.

He has since been charged with first-degree murder.

It is not clear if Ontiveros and Gomer knew each other.

'We are still actively involved in this investigation where an American citizen died in the hands of an illegal alien in Canadian County,' said Sheriff Chris West of Canadian County.

Ramon Hector Martine Ontiveros, 33, was charged with first degree murder of Paige Gomer

Investigators are pictured on the scene of the shooting on Thursday night in Canadian county

Courtesy of KFOR

While he was being transported to the Canadian County jail, officers said Ontiveros 'made admissions he was responsible for firing a weapon which resulted in Gomer's fatal gunshot wound,'

Ontiveros is being held with no bond, and an ICE detainer is in place.

Gomer's best friend, Sosha Christmas, has been remembering her.

Gomer, left, is being remembered by her best friend, Sosha Christmas, pictured right

'She always had your back always. She was just a phone call away,' said her friend Christmas

Gomer leaves behind a daughter. The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner is still investigating to pinpoint the exact cause of her death

'We were supposed to meet up and I just never got the time to,' said Christmas to KFOR. 'It just shows live everyday like your last. She would always help me through the worst times. She always had your back always. She was just a phone call away.'

Christmas said Gomer leaves behind a daughter.

'I sent people his mugshot and no one knows who he was,' said Christmas speaking about the alleged killer. 'I just hope he never gets out.

'I hope he never gets to see freedom again. I don't know who he is, but I hope he gets what he deserves.'

The Oklahoma State Medical Examiner is still investigating to pinpoint the exact cause of death.
'Chickenpox parties' are said to be on the rise again, but experts warn that the dangers of purposely infecting healthy children with the virus may outweigh the supposed benefits of doing so.

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin recently made headlines after revealing to WKCT that he and his wife had purposely exposed their five biological and four adopted children to chickenpox, all of who are unvaccinated.

'They got the chickenpox on purpose, because we found a neighbor that had it and I went and made sure every one of my kids was exposed to it, and they got it,' Bevin said.

Chickenpox parties are said to be on the rise again, almost 25 years after a vaccine was created. In the parties, parents purposely expose healthy children to infected children

Bevin went on to say that the kids were 'miserable for a few days' after succumbing to chickenpox, but that 'they all turned out fine.' It's unclear how old the children were when they were purposely infected.

The Republican governor's goal was supposedly to help his children gain immunity to the disease, a move that experts are warning against.

So-called chickenpox parties, where healthy kids were put into close proximity of infected children, were supposedly popular in the days before a vaccine became available in 1995.

Parents who participated in the pox parties then and now are said to believe that by ensuring that their kids got and then fought off the chickenpox when they were young, they wouldn't catch it when they were older and less able to get over it.

'[It is] incorrect that getting the natural disease is going to make your immunity stronger so you don't need a vaccine, which is a much safer option,' pediatrician Dr. Natasha Burgert told INSIDER, adding that 'People don't realize that the reason we made vaccines is because they can't kill kids.'

Experts say that exposing healthy children to those infected with chickenpox in a bid to help them gain immunity later in life is a gamble as the virus' severity is unpredictable (stock)

Republican governor Matt Bevin (center) recently made headlines for revealing that he had purposely had all nine of his children (pictured) infected with chickenpox from a neighbor's kid

Vaccines typically contain weakened or killed forms of disease microbes. When introduced into the body, the immune system recognizes the microbes and then destroys them, learning to do the same anytime those microbes reenter the body down the line.

As such, vaccines are seen as a safe way to boost the immune system, unlike exposing people to the virulent airborne version of the disease.

Burgert noted that it was a 'gamble' to purposefully infect even healthy children because the severity of chickenpox is 'impossible to predict.'

'Some kids will just get a few [chicken pox], some will die. You just don't know, so we vaccinate everyone [we can],' Burgert said.

The Centers for Disease Control agrees with that sentiment.

On its website, the CDC noted, 'Chickenpox can be serious and can lead to severe complications and death, even in healthy children. There is no way to tell in advance how severe your childs symptoms will be. So it is not worth taking the chance of exposing your child to someone with the disease. The best way to protect infants and children against chickenpox is to get them vaccinated.'

The apparently growing antivaxxer movement has gained more attention in recent years, particularly in the wake of measles outbreaks around the country over the past year.

Measles had previously been considered eliminated in the US in 2000, thanks to general measles vaccinations and corresponding herd immunity.

'Vaccines are a victim of their own success,' pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Murray told People. 'When we didnt have a chickenpox vaccine, parents would often decide to try to "get it over with," thinking that teens and adults often had a worse time with the illness. However, the person who has the best time with the illness is the one who never gets it.'
Ivanka Trump tweeted a quote from 19th century President Abraham Lincoln following the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

'Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.  Abraham Lincoln,' the first daughter tweeted Sunday afternoon.

Her tweet came hours after Mueller's report, according to the summary by US Attorney General William Barr, found no evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign conspired with Russia in the 2016 election.

Ivanka also retweeted a post that her father wrote on Sunday evening.

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Ivanka Trump tweeted a quote from 19th century President Abraham Lincoln following the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election

'Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.  Abraham Lincoln,' the first daughter tweeted Sunday afternoon

'No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION,' Trump wrote.

'KEEP AMERICA GREAT!'

Ivanka's brother, Eric Trump, also fired off a few tweets following the release of the report.

One of those tweets came in response to CNN's Jim Acosta who tweeted an excerpt from the report.

'Sad to see that you are upset by the fact that #POTUS and the Trump Campaign did NOT collude with Russia, despite the hoax @CNN has exploited for two years,' Eric tweeted at Acosta.

'What part of No American conspired or worked with Russia to influence the 2016 campaign is unclear?' he continued.

Ivanka's brother, Eric Trump, also fired off a few tweets following the release of the report. One of those tweets came in response to CNN's Jim Acosta who tweeted an excerpt from the report

Eric also demanded an apology from several media outlets in one tweet

And in another tweet, he shared a photo of his family hugging during the president's 2017 inauguration

The Trump family hugging during the president's inauguration on January 20, 2017

Eric also demanded an apology from several media outlets in one tweet and in another, he shared a photo of his family hugging during the president's 2017 inauguration.

Donald Trump Jr also chimed in on Twitter saying that he 'never thought I'd see the day where Democrats are visibly upset that the President of The United States DIDN'T collude with the Russians'.

In another tweet Don Jr wrote: '2 yrs of constant attacks, the largest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people, & what do we have? BOOMING economy.'

'Lowest ever unemployment for Blacks, Hispanics, & Women. Rising wages. Maybe Dems should cool it w the conspiracies & try working w @POTUS for ALL Americans,' he added.

One of his most notable tweets from Sunday saw him call out leftist Hillary Clinton supporters who are angry that the report found Trump and his associates not guilty of collusion.

'Before the media runs cover for the Dems 2 years of lies: note 19 leftist Hillary supporting lawyers, 40 FBI agents, +/- $50,000,000 spent, 2800 subpoenas, 500 witnesses, 500 search warrants, 230 communications records, 50 phone taps 13 foreign govt intel requests NO COLLUSION,' Don Jr wrote.

Mueller spent nearly two years investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 election.

It is a major political victory for Trump, who quickly hailed the announcement as 'complete and total exoneration'.

Donald Trump Jr also chimed in on Twitter saying that he 'never thought I'd see the day where Democrats are visibly upset that the President of The United States DIDN'T collude with the Russians'

In another tweet Don Jr wrote: '2 yrs of constant attacks, the largest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people, & what do we have? BOOMING economy'

One of his most notable tweets from Sunday saw him call out leftist Hillary Clinton supporters who are angry that the report found Trump and his associates not guilty of collusion

The long-awaited report into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to help Trump defeat his Democratic opponent, Clinton, marked a major milestone of his presidency as he prepares for his 2020 re-election battle.

But Democratic opponents made clear that it would not end their political assault against him.

Mueller himself did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law by interfering with the various probes into the 2016 election but presented his evidence to Barr to make a determination.

Many of Trump's opponents had accused the president of obstructing the Russia probe when he fired former FBI Director James Comey.

Barr and Rosenstein concluded that the evidence did not justify bringing obstruction charges, in part because there was no underlying crime.

'While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,' Barr quoted Mueller as writing in his report on the issue of possible obstruction of justice.

Barr made clear he had rejected that possibility of a criminal charge after reviewing the findings of an investigation that has long cast a pall over Trump's presidency.

US Rep Jerrold Nadler, Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said it 'seems like the Department of Justice is putting matters squarely in Congress' court'.

The letter from Attorney General William Barr to Congress on the conclusions reached by Mueller in the Russia probe

Mueller spent nearly two years investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 election. It is a major political victory for Trump, who quickly hailed the announcement as 'complete and total exoneration'

Nadler called for Barr to testify to Congress, citing 'very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department'.

'It's a shame that our country had to go through this,' Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida.

'This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebody's going to be looking at the other side.'

Barr's summary said Mueller found no evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, despite 'multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals' to help them.

The release of the summary is likely to ignite a new political fight in Washington as Democrats push for Barr to release the full report.

Trump has always denied collaborating with Moscow or obstructing justice and Russia says it did not interfere in the election.

US intelligence agencies concluded shortly before Trump took office in January 2017 that Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States.

The Department of Justice announced on Friday that Mueller had ended his investigation after bringing charges against 34 people, including Russian agents and former key allies of Trump, such as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

None of those charges; however, directly related to whether Trump's campaign worked with Moscow.
Bourhan Hraichie (pictured) was just 19 years old when he used a razor blade to etch 'e4e' meaning 'eye for an eye' into the forehead of Australian Army reservist

A radicalised inmate wrote a letter threatening to kill the NSW Corrective Services Commissioner if he didn't stop his staff "oppressing" the prisoner, saying "I will personally execute you in public".

Bourhan Hraichie also spoke about a planned attack on police, prepared in prison for an attack on correctional officers, and carved an Islamic State slogan into his cellmate's forehead, according to a statement of agreed facts tendered in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday.

The now 21-year-old faced a sentence hearing after pleading guilty to four charges including doing an act in preparation for a terrorist act, causing grievous bodily harm/wounding to a person with intent to murder and sending a document threatening death or grievous bodily harm.

In a letter sent one month after the heinous crime Hraichie (pictured) appeared unrepentant and proud of what he'd done

The fourth generation Lebanese-Australian landed himself in the country's highest security prison, Goulburn's SuperMax (pictured)

The facts say that before Hraichie entered custody on non-terror-related offences in 2015 he spoke about a plan to have police officers killed in Bankstown - either on the steps of the police station or after calling officers to the false report of a stolen car.

In prison, he wrote a document titled "The Book of Jihad" to provide inspiration for the plan, before it was abandoned and he started preparing to attack corrective services officers.

When Hraichie learned his cellmate was a former soldier, he attacked him by punching him, binding him with ropes he'd made out of bed sheets, whipping him with a cable and carving "E 4 E" - meaning "eye for an eye" - into his forehead with a razor.

It was after his transfer to another prison in 2016 that he wrote his threatening letter to prisons boss Peter Severin, referring in it to his "loyalty and affiliation with Islamic State", the agreed facts say.

In the image O'Keefe can be seen showing off the cuts he suffered on both his chest and neck

The 'e4e' carving on Michael O'Keefe's (forehead pictured) head stands for the Islamic State slogan 'an eye for an eye'

It's believed the now 21-year old (pictured) was radicalised as an impressionable teenager

He told police he wrote it because he was unhappy with his conditions in custody and he intended to carry out his threats.

In his AFP interview, Hraichie also praised the killer of Sydney police accountant Curtis Cheng as a "little lion" for the "fear he put in the hearts of Australia", and said that if he were out in the community, he would not hesitate in carrying out an attack.

Justice Peter Johnson on Monday issued non-publication orders over some of the evidence, including the recording and transcript of Hraichie's police interview, out of concern that it could be misused by Islamic State supporters and anti-Muslim extremists to urge and encourage action.

He said it was clear from "recent acts" that people with an anti-Muslim stance could use the material for their own purposes, and the use of propaganda in the name of Islamic State was also a real prospect.
Russia today waded into the Robert Mueller story arguing that his findings vindicated the Kremlins denials of collusion with the Trump campaign.

The allegations had been the 'conspiracy theories' of 'maniacs,' claimed Moscow.

The state media seized on the reports from Washington and in particular President Donald Trumps claim that the probe was an 'illegal takedown' and that he had been totally exonerated.

One headline from TASS news agency read: 'Muellers report confirms no collusion between Moscow and Trump campaign.'

While the Kremlin made clear it needed time before issuing an official comment, close Vladimir Putin ally Alexey Pushkov in a Twitter outpouring said: 'It was clear even BEFORE the Mueller report. From the very start it was biased, artificial, provocative, conspiratorial, designed-to-fuel-hatred towards the Trump campaign.

Russian state media felt vindicated by the initial conclusions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report which cleared President Trump of colluding with Russia. Trump (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) are seen above in Helsinki in July 2018

The Mueller Report concluded that Trump did not collude with the Russians, according to Attorney General William Barr. Mueller is seen above in Washington, D.C. on Sunday

Democrats have long accused Trump of conspiring with Russia to help defeat Hillary Clinton (above) in 2016

'Its second goal was to demonize Russia and prevent any U.S. moves towards better relations with Moscow.'

He hit back at U.S. criticism of Mueller that he had 'colluded with Putin'.

'There was a 'huge field for the new crazy conspiracy theories,' he said.

'Mueller did not find any evidence of Trumps secret deal with Moscow,' he said.

'But Democrats will keep shouting that the secret deal took place.

'Maniacs of conspiracy theories do not need facts  they need to escalate the tension and to score their points with it.

'It has already been stated that Trump influenced Mueller in some invisible way. Circus.'

He said: 'The mountain has labored and brought forth a tiny dead mouse.'

State-Controlled NTV channel ran no less than eight headlines on its website on the story.

One read: 'Mueller confirmed absence of secret deal between Moscow and Trumps campaign office.'

A report stressed: 'Trump is guilty of nothing, even according to Mueller.'

Prominence was also given to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's call for an investigation into the allegations against Trump.

Prominent Margarita Simonyan, editor in chief of Kremlin propaganda channel RT said: 'The fact that Mueller did not find any conspiracy is certainly good. For Trump.

'For us it makes completely no difference.

One headline from TASS news agency read: 'Muellers report confirms no collusion between Moscow and Trump campaign.' The city of Moscow is seen in the above stock image

'Because now they will say this: "There was no conspiracy, yet Russia still intervened With its own treacherous initiative."

'Keep watching.

Putins press secretary Dmitry Peskov said late on Sunday in Moscow: 'We have not read the report.'

Separately former FSB chief Nikolai Patrushev strongly attacks the US political system claiming flaws emerged because the president was not directly elected but chosen via an electoral college 'whose opinion often does not reflect the position of the majority of voters.'

Patrushev, one of Putins closest cronies and secretary of the shadowy Kremlin security council, said: 'The U.S.A. sustains the concept of their nation being unique.

'They think that the nations outside of the U.S. are second-rate. So anything goes when it comes to them.'
Police in Philadelphia released surveillance footage showing two men impersonating cops, abducting a woman, and then dropping her off at a police station.

The video, which was filmed this past Thursday, shows what police say are two Hispanic males wearing police style vests approaching a parked car with two people sitting inside.

The policemen are seen in the video ordering the man, 24, and woman, 25, out of the car at around 9:15pm on Thursday.

Surveillance footage released by Philadelphia police over the weekend shows two men allegedly impersonate cops while abducting a woman

The image above shows two men approaching a vehicle with a couple sitting inside on Thursday evening

One of the 'cops' is seen above taking one of the vehicle's occupants and detaining them

The impersonators then tied their hands with zip ties and forced the woman into the back of a car.

They took the woman to the 15th District police station in Philadelphia and dropped her off, authorities said.

The incident is now being investigated as a robbery and abduction, though authorities would not say what was stolen from the couple.

Neither of the victims were injured. Police are asking for the publics help in identifying the suspects.

The impersonators tied the couple's hands with zip tie. They then took the woman and put her in the back of their car

They took the woman to the 15th District police station in Philadelphia and dropped her off, authorities said
A Utah family have been left feeling 'trapped' in their own home after becoming the victim of extreme stalking.

Walt Gilmore's family in North Salt Lake has been the target since August of a stalker using phone calls and texts to send a parade of people to the home for plying legitimate services and illegal activities like drug sales and prostitution, the Deseret News reported Friday.

Up to 20 people per day arrive saying they were called to provide electrical, plumbing, tree-trimming, and towing services, according to Gilmore .

'These are good people, good hard-working people,' he said to KSL TV of the people being sent to his home. 'They're out a lot of time and money, but what can I tell them? Sorry, there's nothing here.'

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Walt Gilmore of North Salt Lake says his family has been receiving unwanted food deliveries, service calls and even people spying on them repeatedly since November due to a vindictive stalker

Others, however, were seeking less legal transactions.

'They have police records. Criminals. Felons. Active warrants for their arrests coming to my home. They're looking for drugs. They're offering prostitution,' Gilmore said. '

Adding to Gilmore's fears, people have been caught photographing his house, looking through his windows at night, and sitting in parked cars out front.

Gilmore's family members would then be contacted by the stalker with a description of what everyone is doing.

A sign placed on the Gilmore front lawn warns legitimate businesses that may have been sent to the house that they are likely the victims of the stalker as well

A manned police cruiser currently sits watch outside the house around the clock

'My wife is scared to death constantly. My other family members don't like to go outside because they don't know who's coming,' Gilmore said.

Gilmore believes his family knows who the stalker is, and they filed a civil stalking injunction against him, which they say he continues to ignore. Court records say the suspected stalker lives in Hawaii.

'A family member knows him but does not have any further interaction with this individual,' Gilmore said. 'And this is his way of getting back at our family because we don't want to have anything to do with him.'

Police are using voice recognition software for calls from the stalker that were previously recorded in an effort to positively identify him for criminal charges.

North Salt Lake Police Sgt. Mitch Gwillian calls what is happening to the Gilmore family 'stalking on steroids'

Meanwhile, a sign is now posted in his front yard explaining to potential service providers that they are likely victims of a prank, and that they should call the North Salt Lake Police to report it.

A police cruiser is also parked in front of the home around the clock.

'It's pretty vindictive in what they're doing,' North Salt Lake Police Sgt. Mitch Gwilliam said. 'Stalking is stalking. But this is stalking on steroids. It's pretty vicious.'

Police estimate the combined loss to companies is more than $20,000 in wages and uncollected fees.

As for when the family really does require services for the home, Gilmore said he will contact businesses that he has existing relationships with.
The Australian teen dubbed 'Egg Boy' after smashing an egg on Queensland Senator Fraser Anning's head has broken his silence for the first time since the incident.

Will Connolly, 17, from Melbourne, became a national icon last week after egging the right-wing politician over his comments on Muslim immigration moments after the Christchurch massacre.

In his first public appearance on Network 10's The Project on Monday night, Connolly weighed in on the incident admitting his actions were wrong, and even revealed he has been called 'Egg Boy' since high school.

'I understand what I did was not the right thing to do,' he told host Hamish MacDonald.

'However, this egg has united people and, you know, money has been raised, tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for those victims.'

Will Connolly, also known as 'Egg Boy' addressed the egging incident for the first time during an appearance on The Project on Monday night

The 17-year-old shot to internet fame after he was captured on video smashing an egg on Queensland Senator Fraser Anning's head in Melbourne on March 16

The controversial incident was captured on video at the Conservative National Party meeting in Moorabbin, Melbourne on March 16 and quickly went viral.

After the egging, Connolly was smacked in the face twice by Senator Anning and was tackled to the ground and put in a choke-hold by four of the senator's supporters.

The debacle led him to become an internet sensation overnight spawning thousands of memes, calls for him to be the next Prime Minister and free life-time entry to gigs by major Australian bands. A street artist in Melbourne even painted a mural in his honour.

Connolly's supporters also launched a GoFundMe page for his legal fees that has since raised nearly $80,000 - which he plans to donate to the families of the victims.

When asked about his new nickname, Connolly revealed 'Egg Boy' stems back to his time in high school.

'I just prefer Will, Egg Boy's getting pretty annoying, to be honest,' he said.

'Well funnily enough, I was actually called 'Egg Boy' before this happened as I'd eat boiled eggs at lunch and all the girls would be like "get away from me that reeks."'

The teen added that his newfound fame has been 'kinda embarrassing' and admitted he was not expecting Mr Anning to react the way he did.

Senator Fraser Anning later defended physically lashing out at the teenage boy who publicly egged him saying it's what 'most sensible people would do'

Connolly, 17, (pictured) was tackled to the ground after cracking an egg on Senator Anning in a press conference in Melbourne on Saturday and filmed it for the world to see

'I didn't expect him to react, I thought I was just going to walk out there. I didn't think this was going to blow up,' Connolly said.

'In fact, it's blown up completely out of proportion to the point it's kinda embarrassing because too much attention has actually been brought away from the real victims suffering, we should be focusing on them.'

When asked if he thought he deserved to be hit, Connolly replied: 'I can understand why some people reacted the way they did.'

He wouldn't explicitly apologise but admitted that there is never a good reason to 'physically attack anyone.'

Connolly revealed he does not know much about politics but described himself as 'pro-humanity.'





He said he had shown up to the event to see if Mr Anning could 'change his mind' but became 'empowered' to egg him after listening to his inflammatory comments.

'I thought the world should be supporting all those victims giving them love and passion and the senator released a statement which was pretty much divisive hate speech blaming the victims for the attack and I was just flat out disgusted,' he said.

The teen said his mum supported him standing up for his beliefs, but did not agree with how he did it.

Connolly said the whole thing was 'meant to be a few laughs' for his mates.

Last week, the embattled senator said during a press conference that he did not regret striking back at the boy.

'I turned around and defended myself, I think that's what most people, most sensible people would do,' he said during a radio interview.

When asked if he was bothered that the boy was receiving praise for his actions, Anning said: 'No, it doesn't worry me too much. People have their own opinions, they have the right to express them, they just don't have the right to attack you.

Twitter erupted with praise of Egg Boy with many creating 'fan art' to show they stand with the 17-year-old

The 17-year-old boy who smashed an egg on the back of Senator Fraser Anning's head has been honoured with an enormous mural in a Melbourne lane way

'I'm sure he will be [reprimanded], yeah. He needs to be, otherwise he'll grow up to be a person who'll do it again and again, probably. If he thinks he can get away with it.'

The boy admitted the attack was in response to Senator Anning's controversial tweet following the New Zealand mass shooting on Friday in which he linked Muslim immigration to violence in the country.

During the interview, Senator Anning said he did in fact condemn the shooting but maintained that countries with Muslim immigration have seen an increase of 'terrorist attacks' and violence.

'A lot of people have been listening to the left-wing media, in my press release I've utterly opposed any form of violence in the community and totally condemned the actions of the gunman,' he said.
Sackler Trust chairwoman Dame Theresa Sackler (pictured) said she recognised the pressure on UK institutions that had accepted the charity's money so had decided to 'temporarily pause new giving'

The controversial Sackler Trust has suspended all new philanthropic giving as the family's pharmaceutical firm faces hundreds of lawsuits over its alleged role in the US opioid crisis.

The Sackler Trust is run by the Sackler family, members of which own Purdue Pharma, a company selling the prescription painkiller OxyContin.

Earlier this month, a 1 million donation to the National Portrait Gallery was cancelled after an outcry, and shortly afterwards the Tate also announced it would reject donations.

The trust has now said all philanthropic giving will temporarily cease so the issue 'will not be a distraction for institutions that are applying for grants'.

Commitments that have already been made will be honoured.

Sackler Trust chairwoman Dame Theresa Sackler said in a statement issued on behalf of the trustees: 'I am deeply saddened by the addiction crisis in America and support the actions Purdue Pharma is taking to help tackle the situation, whilst still rejecting the false allegations made against the company and several members of the Sackler family.

'The current press attention that these legal cases in the United States is generating has created immense pressure on the scientific, medical, educational and arts institutions here in the UK, large and small, that I am so proud to support.

'This attention is distracting them from the important work that they do.

'The trustees of the Sackler Trust have taken the difficult decision to temporarily pause all new philanthropic giving, while still honouring existing commitments.

'I remain fully committed to all the causes the Sackler Trust supports, but at this moment it is the better course for the Trust to halt all new giving until we can be confident that it will not be a distraction for institutions that are applying for grants.'

Tate (Tate Modern is pictured), which has previously accepted millions from the Sackler Trust, recently said it is 'not minded' to accept any further funding in the wake of the allegations

The National Portrait Gallery in London (pictured) has also given up funds from the Sackler family

Since 2010, the Sackler Trust claims to have donated more than 60 million in support of medical science, healthcare, education and the arts in the UK.

OxyContin is a time-released opioid that was introduced in 1996.

Lawsuits against Purdue Pharma allege that the company, based in Stamford, Connecticut, sold OxyContin as a drug with a low chance of triggering addictions, despite knowing this to be not true.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2017 opioids were involved in nearly 48,000 deaths.

US President Donald Trump has declared the US opioid crisis a 'national shame' and a public health emergency.

Purdue, which denies wrongdoing, has said that its products were approved by federal regulators and prescribed by doctors.

Purdue Pharma is the maker of the prescription opioid painkiller OxyContin (pictured)

The Sackler Trust, alongside the Mortimer and Theresa Sackler Foundation, has supported arts institutions across London, including the National Theatre, the Royal Opera House and Shakespeare's Globe.

The family's links to the opioid industry recently sparked criticism from members of the art world, who have urged galleries to refuse money from the trust.

Critics include American artist Nan Goldin, 65, who threatened to boycott the National Portrait Gallery if it accepted the 1million donation.

She told the Observer in February: 'My message is for all institutions everywhere, which are taking Sackler money.

'They are not going [to be able to] continue to operate 'business as usual'.. People are pushing back and, if they want to maintain their standing as cultural institutions, they have to listen.'
A pet owner has been left heartbroken after her missing dog was handed into a shelter and given away to another family when she couldn't pick it up within seven days.

Amy Burfield, 40, was notified by the Christchurch, City Council's Bromley animal shelter that her 7-year-old dog, Charlie Brown, had been handed in by an anonymous person on February 8.

However, she was left gobsmacked when just ten days later, her dog was given away to a new family with no possibility of ever getting him back.

Seven-year-old Charlie Brown (pictured) was given away to a new family after his owner, Amy Burfield, couldn't afford the $183 fee to pick him up from a New Zealand animal shelter

The Maltese spoodle had ran away from Ms Burfield's cousin's home in Waltham on February 8 but was later found wandering the streets and taken to the shelter.

His chip was scanned and the shelter soon contacted Ms Burfield, telling her they had her dog - but she'd need to pay a $183 fee.

Ms Burfield told the shelter she didn't have the money at that time and she'd have to wait until she could pick him up.

The shelter told her they could keep the dog at the shelter until she came up with the money - but 10 days later, she was shocked to be told that her dog had been given away.

'I was not given any warning, any notice, that he would be rehomed. When I said, 'there must be something I can do', I was told 'you are not the dog's owner',' Ms Burfield told Stuff.

'We are heartbroken. He's a lovely dog.'

Ms Burfield said she was told by the shelter that the dog would be kept there and for an additional $10 a day, he would be fed and looked after.

The dog had ran away from Ms Burfield's home in Waltham in Christchurch and after he was founded and handed into the shelter - he was given away just ten days later to a new family

When pleading with the shelter, she was told the new owners were not willing to bring him back.

'I know he's in a good home with a nice family but we are still very upset. It's not the family's fault, it's the council's fault, they should let people know what is happening to their pets,' she said.

The Christchurch council's website currently reads that dog impound fees begin at $50 and increase $10 each day the animal is not collected.

It also states that the dogs are held at the premises for seven days while trying to locate the owner but if the animal isn't claimed by the seventh day - the council then legally holds full ownership.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Christchurch Council animal shelter for comment.
Snowtown serial killer Robert Joe Wagner says 'there's no point' showing remorse for the murders of 10 people because any apology he makes would not be taken seriously.

Wagner, 47, represented himself before the South Australian Supreme Court on Monday in his bid to have a non-parole period set on his life sentence.

Relatives of his victims are opposed to any possible release, fearing he may kill again.

After Wagner listed cases where a non-parole period has been granted, including that of Truro killer James Miller, Justice Greg Parker asked him 'you're not suggesting that you've shown contrition, remorse?'

Snowtown serial killer Robert Joe Wagner (pictured handcuffed) has represented himself in a bid to have a non-parole period set on his life sentence

He is serving 10 life sentences over a killing spree in which he stored bodies in barrels at a bank building (pictured)

Wagner said any suggestion of remorse would be dismissed as disingenuous.

'So there's no point in me saying I'm sorry or I feel remorse for what I've done,' he said from the dock.

Since 1999, Wagner has been serving 10 life sentences over the infamous 'bodies-in-the-barrels' killing spree.

The ringleader in the murders, John Justin Bunting, is similarly serving life without parole.

South Australian victims' rights commissioner Bronwyn Killmier told the court Wagner's application was 'a slap in the face' for families affected.

'The prisoner has stated that the setting of a non-parole period would assist his mental wellbeing, but it would not help the mental wellbeing of the people suffering because of his actions,' lawyer Noah Redmond told the court, as Ms Killmier sat in the gallery

'It is, in fact, abhorrent to them that he might be given an opportunity to be released.'

Wagner said from the dock: 'So there's no point in me saying I'm sorry or I feel remorse for what I've done'

Wagner is serving ten consecutive life sentences without parole for his role in the 1999 murders (pictured are three of his victims)

Mr Redmond said the victims had suffered lasting effects as a result of Wagner's crimes, and take some comfort knowing he will never be released.

'They do not believe that Wagner has reformed, rehabilitated or demonstrated remorse,' he said.

'In fact, a number of the victims believe that he is not finished and if released, he will kill again.'

Prosecutor Carmen Matteo said Wagner's crimes were 'of unparalleled seriousness' and urged Justice Parker to dismiss the application.

The serial killings were exposed in 1999 when police found eight dismembered bodies in acid-filled barrels in the vault of a disused bank at Snowtown, north of Adelaide.

Police found eight dismembered bodies in acid-filled barrels in the vault of a disused bank at Snowtown

Two more bodies were found buried in a backyard at suburban Salisbury North while detectives later linked two further deaths to Bunting and Wagner.

After a trial lasting 170 days, Bunting was found guilty of 11 murders with Wagner jailed over 10 of the deaths.

Two other men, Mark Ray Haydon and James Spyridon Vlassakis, are also behind bars over the killings; Vlassakis after pleading guilty to four murders and Haydon for helping Wagner and Bunting dispose of the bodies.

Justice Parker reserved his decision until a date to be set.
TV viewers were left 'outraged', 'hurt' and 'frustrated' last night by a show dedicated to finding the country's favourite crisps.

Britain's Favourite Crisps aired on Channel 5 last night and sparked fury online as watchers branded the results 'absolutely sickening' and a 's***show'.

Dubbed 'a national disgrace', the programme ranked Walkers, Doritos and Pringles as the top three, leaving Monster Munch fans threatening to call Ofcom.

Writing on Twitter, one watcher described the show's voters 'absolute filth' due to the fact that Space Raiders didn't make the cut.

A show dedicated to finding the nation's favourite crisps sparked outrage online last night as viewers passionately disagreed with the outcome (pictured below)

Channel 5 ranked Britain's favourite crisps in this pyramid formation, with Doritos, Pringles and Walkers dominating the list

Viewers were so outraged over the divisive show that they threatened to call broadcast regulator OFCOM and branded the programme 'fake'

Another asked: 'What sort of monster votes Pringles or Doritos as their favourite crisps?'

And @rachelpallett97 had similar concerns, tweeting: 'Joe's gone to bed p***ed off because French Fries weren't on the Nation's Favourite Crisps.'

Others were left questioning the state of popular culture itself given that two hours of airtime had been dedicated to the topic.

Channel 5's The Nation's Favourite Crisps last night outraged viewers, as snack lovers branded the voters 'absolute filth'

@AndyGilder said: 'Channel 5 devoting two hours to Britain's Favourite Crisps. Because if we're politically and morally bankrupt, we may as well be culturally bankrupt too.'

The very integrity of the show was called into question, as one viewer concluded that the only way that Monster Munch couldn't have made the top three was if the programme was 'making sh** up'.

Airing the day after about a million people marched in London to demand a 'People's Vote', snack-lovers were left demanding 'a second referendum' on crisps as they vented their anger online.

Jack Stirling wrote: 'Skips not even in the top 20. What's the actual point? Shows how f***ed democracy is in this country.'

The show's makers split the crisps that made the list into four tiers, with Walkers Pringles and Doritos landing in the prestigious 'God Tier'.

Even the accuracy of the show was a subject of ire online, as the inclusion of certain snacks was called into question

The programme split the crisps into tiers, with Doritos, Pringles and Walkers coming out on top, much to the consternation of Channel 5's audience

The second rung, confusingly called the 'Top Tier' featured McCoy's, Kettle, Tyrells and Sensations.

A 'Mid Tier' featured Hula Hoops, Monster Munch, Quavers, Wotsits and Chipsticks. The lowest rung, named 'Don't Come Anywhere Near Me With These', comprised Squares, Nik Naks and Salt n' Shake.

Also included in that tier was Mini Cheddars - which led some to brand the show inaccurate, because it is a baked snack. The programme will be repeated on Channel 5 at 11.10pm on Friday.
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Theresa May today shelved plans for a third vote on her Brexit deal, hours after a new push to force it through the Commons was quickly rebuffed by the DUP.

The Prime Minister addressed the Commons this afternoon and admitted 'as things stand there is not sufficient support' to hold a fresh vote on her deal, quashing speculation that it would happen tomorrow.

She faces a move by rebel MPs who want to pass a motion in just a few minutes time to seize control of Brexit - giving them the power to hold a vote on Wednesday letting the Commons select its favorite Brexit option in so-called 'indicative votes'.

The PM vowed to whip against the motion proposed by Remainer rebel MP Oliver Letwin and also said she could ignore MPs' preferences if they try to force her to adopt a softer Brexit.

But she offered to hold indicative votes on government time in an effort to head-off the rebellion  meaning the votes would do ahead but rebel MPs would not be in control of the process.

That tactic looked like it could work this evening, with lead plotter Nick Boles suggesting support was slipping away from his motion.

Mr May's ministers have also again suggested that they could call a general election rather than be forced into a soft exit from the EU against their manifesto promises, despite a recent opinion poll suggesting just 12 per cent of the public back a new vote.

As it stands, Britain is due to leave the EU on May 22 if May's Brexit deal passes a vote before Friday. She can still bring the vote back on Thursday, and will be hoping the prospect of a softer Brexit will bring Brexiteer MPs and the DUP onboard. If her deal is not passed before Friday, Britain is due to leave the EU on April 12.

But the Prime Minister today appeared to rule out a No Deal exit on April 12 by telling the Commons: 'Unless this house agrees to it, No Deal will not happen.'

Tory MP Crispin Blunt then confronted Mrs May and said taking No Deal off the table was the 'final torpedo' to her deal and 'the most shameful surrender of any British leader since Singapore in 1942'.

MPs have already voted to rule out No Deal under any circumstances and leaks from the Cabinet suggest that ministers are still threatening to call an election if MPs try to force a soft Brexit because that option would contradict their manifesto pledges.

Mrs May made the humbling admission about her vote being axed as she faced the Commons today hours before MPs are set to vote to start taking control away of Brexit from her in a series of indicative votes tonight.

She said: 'It is with great regret that I have to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote. I continue to have discussions with colleagues to build support so that we can bring the vote forward this week and guarantee Brexit'.

Theresa May has admitted in the Commons today that No Deal will not happen without Parliament saying so - but insists that her deal is the best deal even though she doesn't have the support to bring it back for a third time

Mrs May leaving the House of Commons tonight after addressing rebellious MPs who will vote later tonight on whether to try to wrestle control of Brexit away from the Government

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BREXIT THIS WEEK? LIKELY TO HAPPEN TUESDAY: MAY CONTINUES HER BATTLE FOR SUPPORT FOR HER BREXIT DEAL Tuesday had been touted as a possible day for the third coming of the meaningful vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal, following heavy defeats in January and just a fortnight ago. But the DUP, whose support is key if she has any chance of getting it through the Commons, kiboshed that idea earlier and she announced it would not happen tomorrow. With no sign that the Prime Minister is prepared to abandon the plan it means she is likely to spend the day trying to hammer out a deal with anyone receptive - if they exist. LIKELY TO HAPPEN WEDNESDAY: MPs HOLD INDICATIVE VOTES The Commons is set to vote tonight to let MPs take control of Brexit. They are likely to hold a series of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives this week, most likely on Wednesday. The alternatives include a softer Brexit, a second referendum or leaving with No Deal. If one commands a majority, MPs will try to pressure Theresa May into adopting that option. But there is no binding way of making her do so. If the Commons votes against taking control in tonight's vote Mrs May said she will make Government time available for some similar votes - which could be on Wednesday. Though some MPs remain sceptical. COULD STILL HAPPEN THURSDAY: MAY HOLDS A THIRD MEANINGFUL VOTE ON HER BREXIT DEAL May is likely to try and pass her Brexit deal a third time, after the EU offered a Brexit date of 22 May if she does so this week. The Prime Minister will use threats that MPs will take control and force a softer Brexit in an attempt to force Brexiteer rebels to finally back her. She may also offer them a date when she will quit in return for their support. Thursday is the most likely day for her vote, but there is a chance she won't hold it if she still does not believe she'll win. FRIDAY: MPs TAKE CONTROL? If the PM loses a third vote on her deal, MPs and Remainer Cabinet ministers will try and force her towards a softer Brexit. Brexiteer MPs and Cabinet minister will conversely try and push her towards a No Deal exit from the EU. Minister have also claimed that they could call an election if MPs try to force them into a soft Brexit. How this pans out will depend on the result of the votes tonight and on Wednesday. Advertisement

Theresa May enters Parliament with Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay ahead of her statement updating the Commons on her Brexit strategy. Michael Gove has denied he would want to take over from Mrs May before a cabinet meeting where she touted holding her vote again, which appeared to please Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom as she left 10 Downing Street

These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit

The seven options for Brexit Theresa May will present to MPs The seven Brexit options MPs may get to choose from: :: Theresa May's Brexit deal - The Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with Brussels that has already been rejected by MPs twice. :: Revoke Article 50 - The cancellation of the UK's notice to Brussels that it would leave the EU, which was given almost two years ago. :: Second referendum - Another national poll of voters to check whether they still want to leave the EU. :: The PM's deal plus customs union - Labour's Brexit plan, which would prevent Britain being able to strike its own trade deals. :: The PM's deal plus customs union plus single market - An even 'softer' Brexit plan, also known as 'Common Market 2.0' or 'Norway Plus', that would include keeping freedom of movement of people. :: Free Trade Agreement - A trade deal between Great Britain and the EU, but excluding Northern Ireland, which would create a customs border in the Irish Sea. :: No Deal - The country would leave the EU without striking an agreement with Brussels. Advertisement

Speaker John Bercow this afternoon confirmed that he had chosen Sir Oliver's amendment to go to a vote.

He also chose amendments tabled by Jeremy Corbyn, calling for indicative votes in Government time; and by Dame Margaret Beckett, which would seek to block a no-deal Brexit unless MPs vote for it.

Mrs May had earlier told the Commons that the Government will oppose Sir Oliver's amendment tonight paving the way for indicative votes on Brexit on Wednesday. Despite May's opposition, Letwin's amendment is still likely to a pass after it was narrowly defeated by two votes last week.

The indicative votes will let MPs back a range of options including a softer Brexit, a second referendum and No Deal - but in practice the Commons is likely to back a softer Brexit.

After ruling out a third vote on her deal tomorrow, Theresa May told MPs she could not guarantee that she would commit to implementing anything they voted for in an indicative process because they could involve an 'outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU'.

She added: 'No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is. So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House, but I do commit to engaging constructively with this process'.

The Prime Minister said the 'default outcome' remained leaving without a deal and said: 'The alternative is to pursue a different form of Brexit or a second referendum.

'But the bottom line remains: if the House does not approve the Withdrawal Agreement this week and is not prepared to countenance leaving without a deal, we would have to seek a longer extension.'

That would mean holding European elections and would mean 'we will not have been able to guarantee Brexit'.

Setting out the choices facing MPs, Theresa May said: 'Unless this House agrees to it, no-deal will not happen.

'No Brexit must not happen. And a slow Brexit, which extends Article 50 beyond May 22, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together.'

She said her deal was a compromise which respected both sides of the argument and 'if this House can back it we can be out of the European Union in less than two months'.

Confirming that the Government will oppose the Letwin amendment, Mrs May she said it would set an 'unwelcome precedent which would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions'.

No one wants another election! Only 12 PER CENT of the public say they want to go to the polls - but ministers say they WILL call one if MPs try to force a soft Brexit Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay leaving Downing Street with Theresa May today after cabinet, at which he is said to have again floated the idea of holding a General Election The Government is prepared to pull the plug and force a General Election if MPs try to seize control of Brexit and make it softer than Theresa May's deal. Ministers including Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay are said to have raised the prospect if Parliament votes this evening to wrestle control of the withdrawal process. The Commons will tonight vote on a series of amendments to a Government motion that would pave the way to so-called indicative votes taking place on Wednesday. These would allow MPs to show what sort of Brexit they wish to push through if a majority cannot be found for Mrs May's twice-defeated deal. The talk of forcing a General Election come despite an Opinium poll from two months ago finding that only 12 per cent of Britons would welcome another one, just two years after the last resulted in a hung Parliament. Mr Barclay reportedly repeated at Cabinet today warnings he gave on television yesterday. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show he said that if the Commons took control of the order paper and votes for a different outcome, it would 'potentially collide with fundamental commitments the Government has given in their manifesto', though he said the vote itself would 'not be binding'. Explaining the scenario, he said: 'What Parliament has done is vote for a number of contradictory things so we would need to untangle that but ultimately, at its logical conclusion, the risk of a general election increases because you potentially have a situation where Parliament is instructing the executive to do something that is counter to what it was elected to do.' International Trade Secretary Liam Fox this morning gave a stark warning to MPs, telling BBC Radio 4's Today: 'I was elected, as 80 per cent of members were, to respect the referendum and leave the European Union. 'I was also elected on a manifesto that specifically said no single market and no customs union. 'That, for Conservative MPs who are honouring the manifesto, limits their room for manoeuvre. The former hardline Brexiteer turned May loyalist added that the prospect of a longer Brexit delay meaning participation in May's European Elections would 'unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters'. 'I'm not sure that there are many people in the House of Commons who would fancy that particular meeting with voters,' he said. 'It would unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters and I think that the major parties will do what they can to avoid having to fight those European elections. 'There is nothing in politics like a little bit of self-interest to concentrate the minds, and I think, as we get towards that date, increasingly my colleagues will have to decide which of the limited options they want to follow.' He urged MPs to back Mrs May's deal, warning: 'For a lot of my colleagues, I think they still believe there is a route to no deal. I have come to the conclusion some time ago that was unlikely given the House of Commons that we have. 'I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position.' Advertisement

However she said the Government would provide time to allow MPs to debate and vote on the alternatives to her deal.

'It will be for this House to put forward options for consideration and to determine the procedure by which they do so,' she said.

'However I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes.'

To jeers from the opposition, she added: 'I think it's important that nobody would want to support an option which contradicted the manifesto on which they stood for election to this House.

'MPs elected to this House at this time have a duty to respect the result of the referendum that took place in 2016 and attempts to stop that result being put into place or attempts to change the result of that referendum are not respecting the voters and not respecting our democracy.'

Mrs Mays spokesman later denied No Deal was off the table.

He said: The point the PM was making is that the House has voted against No Deal and will take every opportunity to seek to stop it.

He said Mrs May continued to want her deal to pass and that No Deal was still the default option in law.

Asked if the offer of Government time meant accepting the rebel plan, a No 10 spokesman said it was no more than fulfilling our commitment  meaning the Letwin amendment is still likely to pass tonight.

Mrs May caused fury among the DUP for claiming No Deal preparations had been made in Northern Ireland because it has no devolved executive.

A No 10 spokesman insisted it was not a tactic but a statement of facts.

The Prime Minister is keen to offer a final vote to stop MPs taking charge of the UK's departure from the EU with Parliament ready to push Britain towards a softer Brexit or a second referendum.

But a phone call between Mrs May and DUP leader Arlene Foster at lunchtime failed to provide the breakthrough the Prime Minister needs as she seeks to win support for her deal.

The 10 DUP MPs have opposed the Withdrawal Agreement in the two previous votes on it and a party spokesman said the party's 'position remains unchanged'.

And in a sign of strained relationship the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds appeared to be shaking with rage as he accused Theresa May of a 'fundamental lack of preparation' for No Deal.

He said the Government had known for 'considerable time' the UK was due to leave the EU on March 29 - but still wanted an extension for a fortnight.

He said: 'What will change in 2 weeks?' before savaging her for agreeing to the Irish backstop 'when it is the thing that bedevils her agreement' and Ireland and the EU say the Northern Irish border will remain open in the event of a No Deal.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson then told Mrs May: 'When are you going to stop using Northern Ireland as an excuse? We will not be used in any scare tactics to boost this through.'

This afternoon Mrs May met Jeremy Corbyn for a 'frank and comprehensive exchange of views' on Brexit - but the Labour leader rejected the idea that she would be willing to split her Brexit deal into two parts in bid to win their support.

Responding to Theresa May's latest update to the Commons, Mr Corbyn told the Commons: 'The Government's approach to Brexit has now become a national embarrassment.

'After two years of failure, broken promise after broken promise, the Prime Minister finally accepted the inevitable last week and voted to extend Article 50 and went to Brussels to negotiate.

'Last week's summit represented another negotiating failure for the Prime Minister - her proposals were rejected and new terms were imposed on her.'

Mr Corbyn criticised last week's 'wholly inappropriate' Downing Street speech by the Prime Minister, arguing she should not have tried to 'pit the people against MPs'.

He added: 'In a climate of heightened emotions where MPs on all sides have received threats and intimidation, I hope the Prime Minister will further reflect and think again about making what I believe to be such dangerous and irresponsible statements.

'Every step of the way along this process the Government has refused to reach out, refused to listen and refused to find a consensus that can represent the views of the whole country, not just the Conservative Party.'

Brexiteer MPs including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg could still back Mrs May's deal but have indicated she would have to promise to quit afterwards to secure their backing.

Today the Prime Minister faced her fractured Cabinet days after they tried to oust her in a failed coup that was sunk within 24 hours this weekend.

She told ministers she wanted to hold another vote on her deal - but despite rumours about her future no ministers mentioned the prospect of her resignation.

Describing the two-hour meeting her official spokesman said: 'There was a determination at Cabinet to do whatever it takes to get a deal so the UK can leave as soon as possible. There is a sense from the PM and Cabinet to get on with this.'

MPs are holding a vote tonight scheduling so-called indicative votes for Wednesday. Under these plan MPs would vote on their favoured Brexit option, which is likely to be a softer Brexit, and try to force the PM to adopt it.

May could also use the prospect of a softer Brexit as leverage to compel Brexiteer MPs to back her deal before Friday and secure Britain's exit from the EU on May 22.

Under the terms of the Brexit delay offered by Brussels on Thursday, Britain will leave the EU on May 22 if the PM wins a vote on her deal and April 12 if she does not.

The April 12 deadline raises the prospect of a No Deal Brexit or another lengthy delay to Brexit that would see the UK participate in EU elections. The government also again raised the prospect that Theresa May could call a general election if MPs try to force her into a softer Brexit that contradicts her manifesto promises.

At the weekend Brexiteers confronted the PM in an attempt to get her to agree a departure date in return for their backing of her deal, and Boris Johnson wrote today that PM had 'bottled' Brexit by not leaving without a deal on Friday.

Cabinet ministers also tried to oust her and replace her with a 'caretaker PM'  but the plot fell apart when their apparent candidates David Liddington and Michael Gove both said they did not want the job.

If Mrs May's deal fails for a third time, she is expected agree to a series of votes on the seven Brexit options MPs have to choose from: The PM's deal, No Deal, a second referendum, Labour's preferred customs union deal, a Norway-plus EEA deal, a Canada-plus free trade deal or revoking Article 50 and staying in the EU.

Brexiteers accused her of 'declaring war' because the series of votes would give control to Parliament, where the majority of MPs are remainers who want the softest possible Brexit or no Brexit at all.

Today International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said claims that the Brexit deal would be agreed by MPs if Theresa May pledged to quit is a 'supposition'.

He said: 'It's simply not enough to say that if we throw the Prime Minister overboard things will be alright because it really won't change anything'.

Dr Fox said the threat of fighting European elections after failing to deliver Brexit could convince them to back Mrs May's deal, because MPs act out of 'self-interest'.

He said: 'There is a hard deadline coming up, which is the 11th of April. If we have not decided by then to leave with a deal then we will have to pass the legislation for Britain to fight in the European elections in May. I'm not sure there are many people in the House of Commons who fancy that particular meeting with voters. I think it would unleash a torrent of pent up frustration from voters and the major parties will do what they can to avoid fighting those elections. There's nothing in politics like a bit of self-interest to concentrate the minds'.

Dr Fox today insisted that Mrs May was respected by the public, despite calls for her to go from her own party.

'What I was finding from real voters was people spontaneously saying 'I don't understand how Theresa May puts up with the pressure, she is a great public servant, her resilience is amazing',' Dr Fox told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'There seems to me to be a bigger disconnect now between Westminster and what is happening out in the country than ever before.'

He said Tory Eurosceptics had to accept that MPs would block a no-deal Brexit.

'For a lot of my colleagues, I think they still believe there is a route to no deal. I have come to the conclusion some time ago that was unlikely given the House of Commons that we have.

'I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position.'

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox leaves a crunch cabinet meeting today after saying that getting rid of the PM would not guarantee that her deal would go through

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State for Defence Gavin Williamson and Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairn(left to right) leave Downing Street

Mrs May's cabinet is split because of a rift between Brexiteers including Penny Mordaunt and Remainers such as Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd, pictured arriving for today's cabinet meeting

Tory backbencher Nigel Evans, a joint executive secretary of the influential Conservative 1922 Committee, said Theresa May should set out her plans to quit in order to get her Brexit deal through.

'Clearly a number of people do not want the Prime Minister anywhere near the next phase of negotiations, which is the future trading relationship between ourselves and the EU,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today.

He said there should be an 'orderly' process to replace the Prime Minister, with a full leadership contest rather than an interim successor.

Theresa May's former Downing Street director of communications, Katie Perrior, said it was time for the Prime Minister to announce her departure date to get her Brexit deal through.

Writing in The Times Red Box, Ms Perrior said: 'Maybe it's time to stop finding scapegoats and admit that Theresa May and her lack of leadership has made a bad situation worse.

'With great sadness, it's time for her to swap her departure date in return for the deal. It's the least she can do.'

Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen told Sky News that Theresa May 'certainly doesn't have the confidence of the Cabinet, and of Conservative members across the country'.

He added: 'We are not going to get Brexit through this Parliament. This Parliament is packed out with MPs who really back Remain.

'The only way we are going to get Brexit is a change of leader to someone who actually believes in Brexit and can express that to the country'.

One of Mrs May's ministers last night said he would vote to revoke Article 50 and cancel the entire Brexit process if it became an option in Parliament.

Foreign Office minister Mark Field said that if the PM's deal is defeated, and there are then indicative votes in the Commons, 'I would choose to revoke Article 50'. He added on BBC Radio 4: 'I recognise that may not be the popular option'.

At the start of another crunch week in Westminster, the Commons is due to vote on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement.

The European Commission has also released a warning that 'it is increasingly likely that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union without a deal on April 12'.

In a statement, the Commission said it had completed its preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, which it said would cause 'significant disruption for citizens and businesses' and 'significant delays' at borders.

'In such a scenario, the UK's relations with the EU would be governed by general international public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation,' said the statement released in Brussels.

'The EU will be required to immediately apply its rules and tariffs at its borders with the UK. This includes checks and controls for customs, sanitary and phytosanitary standards and verification of compliance with EU norms.

'Despite the considerable preparations of the member states' customs authorities, these controls could cause significant delays at the border. UK entities would also cease to be eligible to receive EU grants and to participate in EU procurement procedures under current terms.

'Similarly, UK citizens will no longer be citizens of the European Union. They will be subject to additional checks when crossing borders into the European Union.

'Again, member states have made considerable preparations at ports and airports to ensure that these checks are done as efficiently as possible, but they may nevertheless cause delays.'

The seven amendments that MPs will vote on tonight Parliament debates an amendable 'next steps' Government motion on the Brexit deal, which gives MPs a chance to put their favoured Brexit outcomes to a vote. Mrs May's effective deputy David Lidington promised to introduce this for MPs if Mrs May failed to get her deal through by last week. MPs have put forward seven amendments for tonight, with Speaker John Bercow expected to choose up to four of them for votes. Letwin amendment This cross-party plan, backed by Sir Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grieve and Hilary Benn, seeks to pave the way for a series of 'indicative votes' in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government. Cooper amendment Labour MP Yvette Cooper's amendment rejects a no-deal Brexit and demands the Government sets out by the end of Thursday how it will ensure the UK does not crash out of the EU on April 12 without a Withdrawal Agreement, if the PM's plan is rejected again. Tory MPs Sir Oliver Letwin and Dame Caroline Spelman are among the signatories. Labour amendment Jeremy Corbyn's party has tabled an amendment instructing the Government to provide parliamentary time this week so MPs can find a majority for an alternative to the PM's Brexit plan. They say the other options could include Labour's plan, a customs union, second referendum or a Common Market 2.0. TIGs amendment The Independent Group are joined by Liberal Democrats and some Labour MPs in calling for the Prime Minister to immediately make the 'necessary preparations' for a second referendum. Beckett amendment Labour MP Dame Margaret Beckett's amendment seeks to make the Government move a motion on whether the Commons approves the UK leaving without a deal and on whether there should be an extension to Article 50 if Britain comes within seven days of crashing out. Quince amendment Backed by prominent Brexiteers from across the House, Tory Will Quince's amendment simply seeks to reaffirm Parliament's 'commitment to honour the result of the referendum that the UK should leave the European Union'. Liberal Democrats amendment With support from members of the Independent Group, the Lib Dem amendment calls for a two-year extension to Article 50 to hold a second referendum on whether to leave the EU under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement or to stay a member. Advertisement

Sajid Javid arrives at No 10 Downing Street followed by Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes

Education Secretary Damian Hinds and was followed into Downing Street by Business Secretary Greg Clark, one of the remainer ministers in the cabinet

Secretary of State for Housing James Brokenshire and Conservative Party Chairman Brandon Lewis were driven to today's cabinet meeting

The day started badly for May when Boris Johnson said she had 'bottled it completely' over Brexit after meeting her for crisis talks with fellow Brexiteers at Chequers on Sunday.

During a three-hour meeting, Brexiteers Iain Duncan Smith and Jacob Rees-Mogg warned the Prime Minister she must set out a timetable for her departure to get her deal through the Commons.

Mrs May dug in, warning Eurosceptics including Mr Johnson and David Davis that if they refused to get behind her plan, MPs would force through a 'soft' Brexit.

But Mr Johnson, writing in The Telegraph, said the government had a 'chickened out' and 'bottled it completely' over Brexit.

He said: 'We are not leaving this Friday because the government has chickened out. For almost three years every Tory MP has chirruped the mantra that no deal would be better than a bad deal.

'I believed that the government was sincere in making that claim, and I believed that the PM genuinely had the 29th of March inscribed in her heart.

'I am afraid I misread the government. We have blinked. We have baulked. We have bottled it completely.'

He urges Mrs May to 'channel the spirit of Moses' and 'tell Brussels' to 'let my people go.'

Jacob Rees Mogg and his son arrive at Chequers for a meeting with the Prime Minister

Iain Duncan Smith arrived in a flashy soft-topped Morgan sports car at Chequers, while Dominic Raab opted for a more conventional vehicle

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker, an ultra-Brexiteer, made the short drive from his High Wycombe constituency, with David Lidington driving over from Aylesbury, having earlier denied having any desire to replace Mrs May

Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis was driven into Chequers, as was Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who earlier said he was fully behind the Prime Minister

The DUP pours cold water on May's hopes for third vote on her Brexit deal despite Boris Johnson's hint that he COULD back it if she agrees to quit The DUP insisted its position on the Brexit deal was 'unchanged' today after last-minute talks between Theresa May and Arlene Foster. The Prime Minister is desperate an 11th hour U-turn from the DUP to support the deal at a third vote in a bid to finally win Commons approval. But a phone call after today's Cabinet yielded no progress. A DUP spokesman said the party's 'position is unchanged'. Mrs May has said she will only call a third vote if she thinks she can win. The last hope is to win over Tory Brexiteer rebels. Boris Johnson appeared to hint today his price is the PM's resignation - but even that may not bring back enough support. The PM could also try to win over Labour MPs by promising them a say on the negotiating terms for the future trade deal. This compromise would anger Tory Brexiteers - potentially undermining her other tactics. Theresa May faces a final scramble to save her deal today knowing she must win over her DUP allies to stand any chance of victory Mrs May must overturn the 149-vote loss on March 12 this week to meet an agreement with the EU that Brexit should happen on May 22. But failure to win new support risks pushing the margin back out toward the record-breaking 230-vote defeat from January. Mr Johnson appeared to outline his price for support in his Telegraph column today. He said: 'Can we really go on with a negotiating team that has so resoundingly failed?' He said if Mrs May cannot deliver 'convincing proofs' of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last, he said she should 'drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides'. Outlining his plan - rejected repeatedly by Brussels - Mr Johnson said: 'Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now - without the backstop. 'It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels - let my people go.' The Prime Minister's hopes appear bleak after DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds (file) launched a fierce attack on her on Friday Mrs May's other hope is to win over Tory Brexiteer rebels. Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday leaving Chequers) appeared to hint today his price is the PM's resignation - but even that may not bring back enough support On Friday, Mr Dodds accused Mrs May of 'capitulating' to the EU. In a signal his party were not shifting toward the deal, he said: 'Nothing has changed as far as the Withdrawal Agreement is concerned. 'We will not accept any deal which poses a long-term risk to the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom.' Mrs May's hopes of winning them over appear to turn on a so-called 'Stormont Lock. This is a mechanism which would give the Northern Ireland Assembly a veto over any future divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government has already promised to give the Northern Ireland institutions a strong role in the operation of the backstop. Persuading the DUP will require the idea to spelt out in practice. Advertisement

The Prime Minister is understood to have raised concerns privately that she does not want to set out a departure date unless it becomes clear that doing so will be enough to get her deal passed.

Calls for a public inquiry A public inquiry could be held into Brexit, it has emerged. Civil servants, MPs, peers and business figures want a probe into the initial decision to call a referendum, the red lines drawn up by Theresa May and Britain's negotiating strategy. Former civil service head Bob Kerslake called Brexit 'the biggest humiliation since Suez'. The cross-party peer added: 'We do need to understand how on Earth we ended up where we have and it probably needs to go back to the decisions around holding a referendum and the way the question was framed.' A senior Tory peer cited the inquiry into the Iraq war led by Sir John Chilcot, saying: 'We want our Chilcot.' Advertisement

A source said: 'It's a bit of chicken and egg. She does not want to come out and say 'OK I will do it' and then it not go through. She needs to know the numbers are there.'

But Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson, writing on Twitter last night, has claimed there are rumours abound that Brexiteers at Chequers have got the PM's agreement to resign in return for their support for her deal.

The meeting came hours after her de facto deputy David Lidington and Environment Secretary Michael Gove were forced to deny claims that ministers planned to install one of them as a caretaker prime minister in a Cabinet coup.

Yesterday afternoon Mrs May invited the pair to her country residence along with a group including former ministers and some of her staunchest Brexit critics.

She convened the meeting to discuss whether there was enough support from MPs to put her Withdrawal Agreement before the Commons for a third time this week.

Those present included former Brexit ministers Steve Baker and Dominic Raab, who both quit over her deal. Chief Whip Julian Smith, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay, Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and Mrs May's former deputy Damian Green also attended, along with Jacob Rees-Mogg, who brought his son, Peter, 12.

The Brexiteers present said there was no breakthrough at the meeting. A source added: 'It was the usual stuff, she gave the same old pitch as she has been giving about back me or it is going to be a softer Brexit.

'IDS and Jacob both said she should set out a timeline to go, but she gave no indication that she would. It was the same old lines. Sadly nothing has changed.'

The Brexiteers are said to have 'left disheartened by the lack of any effort to change course or to reach out in any way to try and get this deal through'.

What happens next in the battle for control of Brexit? How MPs will try to seize control of Britain's departure from the EU this week This is your guide to what happens next: Will May be forced out by her Cabinet? The immediate risk appears to have receded since rumours of a Cabinet coup spread like wildfire over the weekend. There is no procedural way to remove her - but a public withdrawal of political support would finish the PM. What was agreed at the EU summit last week? EU leaders have approved a two-part delay to Brexit following late night talks. Brexit is set to be delayed until April 12 whatever happens next week, giving the UK an extra two weeks. If MPs pass the Brexit deal before then, the extension will run until May 22. What does it mean? The immediate risk of the UK leaving without a deal on Friday, March 29, is effectively over - subject to a change in UK law but this should be a formality. Brexiteers will still believe they can secure a No Deal exit on April 12 while Remainers will see it as an opportunity to lock in a much longer delay. When will MPs next have a say? Tonight. There is currently due to be another debate on Brexit 'next steps' that will mean a series of votes from 10pm. The debate has to be held by law because of the second defeat of the deal last week. This is not the third vote on the deal but a repeat of the debates held on January 29, February 14 and February 28 after the deal was crushed the first time. There will likely be votes on several proposals including a second referendum, revoking Article 50 and a soft Brexit. There will be another attempt by some MPs to seize control of the Commons agenda to try and change the law to shape Brexit. Will there be a third vote on the deal and when will it be? Mrs May says yes and says it will be this week. Most currently expect it to be held tomorrow night but this is not fixed. Thursday is also under consideration. Can she win? It looks unlikely. The prospect of No Deal on April 12 will encourage Brexiteers they should vote down the deal a third time. There is currently little sign the DUP are being won over by a political offensive behind the scenes. Mrs May also alienated Labour MPs with her angry speech on Wednesday night. It seems possible she could end up losing the third vote by a bigger margin than the 149 votes she lost the second one. What if she does win? If the PM manages a great escape, then Britain will be on track to leave on May 22. The Government will move quickly to get the necessary laws in place. What if she loses? The EU has made clear that if the deal goes down a third time, Britain must come back with a plan in time for the new deadline of April 12. Most urgently, a decision will have to be made on whether the UK takes part in European Parliament elections on May 23. If it does not, there will be No Deal - and Mrs May says electing MEPs would be the wrong thing to do. However, there is still a majority of MPs in Parliament against No Deal so the choice could be taken away from the PM. If elections are agreed in the UK there will probably be a new EU summit around April 10 to approve a much longer extension - perhaps to the end of 2019 or even longer. The UK will have to have a new plan for what to do with the time as Brussels has made clear it cannot keep going over the same deal. Will MPs vote on other options? Probably. Tonight's vote could setup a full-blown 'indicative vote' that would set all the options against each other. A defeated Government could stage the same procedure. There are claims the Government would put up seven options: Mrs May's Deal, No Deal, Revoking Article 50, a Second Referendum, a Customs Union soft Brexit deal, an even softer Customs Union and Single Market deal, and a Canada-style Free Trade Agreement deal. The idea would be to find what kind of Brexit might be supported by Parliament or if there is none, see if there is support for a new public vote. Will May resign? Nobody knows. No Prime Minister has ever soaked up so much humiliation and carried on and yet Mrs May is still in Downing Street. She suggested last week she would not accept a long delay beyond June 30, seen by many as a hint she would resign if it had to happen. A third defeat for the deal this week would also provoke huge calls for her to resign. A move to No Deal could also see some Tory MPs join with Labour to force the Government out with a vote of no confidence. What happens to Brexit if May goes or the Government collapses? It is hard to know. Even with a tweak to the law to change the date, Brexit will still happen with No Deal on April 12 if other choices keep being rejected. But we also know there is a majority of MPs against a No Deal Brexit. It is possible there are enough Tory MPs prepared to remove the Government to stop No Deal by installing a Corbyn government ahead of a snap election. Only the Government can bring forward the necessary change in the law to change the Brexit date. What is Labour's position? Labour says no deal must be stopped - but also says it will not vote for Mrs May's deal. It wanted a three month delay to renegotiate the political declaration on the final UK-EU relationship but this would require it form a Government more or less immediately. Were it to do so, it would try pass the divorce deal attached to a new political declaration that said the final relationship would be based on a permanent customs union. It has passed no comment on the actual proposed delay. Will there have to be a new election or a referendum? This falls into the anything is possible category. Parliament is deadlocked and has been for months - which suggests an election is necessary. And yet the governing Tory party clearly has little idea what it would put to the country or who would lead it into an election. An election can be forced without the consent of the Tories but it is very difficult. Similarly, it is far from clear there are the votes for a referendum in the Commons. The idea was crushed last week because Labour did not vote for it. Will Brexit ever happen? Almost three years after the referendum, this depends entirely on your view of events. The law says it will but there are enough MPs to at least change the date if given the chance to do so. It could now happen on April 12 or May 22. Or it could be delayed much further. Advertisement

On his way to the meeting, Mr Johnson drove on a public road without his seatbelt on  an offence that can incur a 500 fine.

A witness said the former Foreign Secretary was not wearing it while on Missenden Road, which leads to Chequers in Buckinghamshire.

Yesterday, Oliver Letwin also acknowledged that the Commons may not unite around any of the available options in Wednesday's indicative votes.

Sir Oliver acknowledged that any votes would be advisory rather than binding on the Government and it may take several rounds of voting before a majority is found for any of the options - if one can be found at all.

He said Mrs May 'hasn't been able to get a majority and we don't know what she could get a majority for, so once we find that out there is a way forward, in principle, and then the next thing would be for the Prime Minister to take that forward and for the Government to implement it'.

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'None of us know whether it will work.'

Asked if it was possible that all options were rejected, he said: 'Of course I have to accept that. I can't predict... what Parliament will do.'

But Mr Hammond, the Chancellor, said it was right that the Commons should have its say on options such as a second referendum or staying in the customs union. The Cabinet is deeply divided between ministers who want a No Deal Brexit if Mrs May's plan is rejected and those who believe it should be avoided by moving towards a 'soft' Brexit or a long delay.

Mr Hammond suggested yesterday that he would be open to a softer Brexit or even another referendum.

Speaking on the Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme on Sky News, he said: 'We've got to address the question of what type of Brexit is acceptable to Parliament, what type of way forward Parliament can agree on so we can avoid what would be an economic catastrophe of a No Deal exit and also what would be a very big challenge to confidence in our political system if we didn't exit at all. The Prime Minister's deal is my preferred way forward, but I'm realistic that we may not be able to get a majority for the Prime Minister's deal and if that is the case then Parliament will have to decide not just what it's against, but what it is for.'

Asked if he could back the country remaining in a customs union, Mr Hammond said he would not want No Deal or to revoke Article 50, the formal process for leaving the EU.

But he added: 'Beyond that, I want to see a compromise and the essence of compromise is that nobody gets everything they want.

'I'm not sure there's a majority in Parliament for a second referendum but it's a perfectly coherent proposition. It deserves to be considered.'

Tory MP Nick Boles, who has led calls for a Norway-style Brexit with Britain in the common market with a customs arrangement to ensure frictionless trade, dismissed any early election. He tweeted: 'This is nonsense. The PM cannot call a general election whenever she feels. She would need the backing of two-thirds of MPs. No way most Tory MPs are voting for an early election.'

But some Eurosceptics supported holding a general election to prevent a softer Brexit. Tory MP Simon Clarke said: 'Better that, surely, than being reduced to the transmission mechanism for policies that are not our own and which fly in the face of promises on which we were elected.

'The Opposition is the least popular in living memory. I would far rather take my chances with the public having been thwarted by a Remain Parliament than having capitulated to it.'

Yesterday, it was claimed that ministers planned to call on Mrs May to step aside in favour of a caretaker prime minister  either Mr Lidington or Mr Gove  at a Cabinet meeting this morning.

But the mooted coup appeared to have fizzled out last night after critics warned that both Tory MPs and the party's membership would not accept the Cabinet picking a leader without a contest.

One minister said: 'It couldn't work because it is insane. The voluntary party would not live with it. The idea that you could get Cabinet to unite around one candidate would be surprising and the idea that you could get the parliamentary party to rally behind one person is insane. It will not happen.'

Mr Gove and Mr Lidington appeared on television yesterday to restate their backing for the Prime Minister ahead of the Chequers meeting.

The Environment Secretary said it was 'not the time to change the captain of the ship', adding: 'We absolutely need to focus on making sure we get the maximum possible support for the Prime Minister and her deal.'

Mr Lidington said Mrs May was doing 'a fantastic job', adding: 'I don't think I've any wish to take over from the PM. One thing working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you of any shred of ambition to want to do that task. I have absolute admiration for the way she is going about it.'

Yesterday, Chancellor Philip Hammond warned those urging Mrs May to go that it wouldn't 'solve the problem'. 'To be talking about changing the players on the board, frankly, is self-indulgent at this time,' he told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

It came after Tory MP George Freeman, who had called for Mrs May to be replaced by Mr Gove, said yesterday it was 'all over for the PM', tweeting: 'She's done her best. But across the country you can see the anger.'

He was rebuked by Tory minister Justin Tomlinson, who replied: 'You should get off Twitter and knock on doors. The public are frustrated at factions who refuse to compromise. They sympathise that the PM is stuck in the middle.'

Eurosceptics on the backbenches also warned they would resist any move to put someone in place without them having a say.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: 'The idea of a Cabinet coup is appalling. If there is to be a leadership change it must be done by MPs and the membership in accordance with the rules  not by a Cabinet stitch-up.'

A second referendum has 'never been a preference' for Labour, insists Corbyn's allies as party splits on Brexit flare up AGAIN after 'one million-strong' People's Vote march

Labour's splits on Brexit were laid bare again today as Shami Chakrabarti (pictured today in Westminster) insisted a second referendum had 'never been our preference'

Labour's splits on Brexit were laid bare again today as Shami Chakrabarti insisted a second referendum had 'never been our preference'.

The shadow attorney general and ally of Jeremy Corbyn said the idea of a public vote was 'one of a menu of options' but not one she backed.

Mr Corbyn snubbed a central London protest march demanding a second referendum of up to one million people on Saturday. Lady Chakrabarti said he 'has other places to be' when asked why he did not appear.

In stark contrast, his deputy Tom Watson turned up and addressed the crowd from the podium.

Lady Chakrabarti's intervention irritated pro-referendum Labour MPs today, with Barry Sheerman insisting the party should be represented on the airwaves by an 'elected' politician instead of the appointed Baroness.

Lady Chakrabarti told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'It has never been our preference but since last autumn it has been one of a menu of options for breaking the deadlock.

'And if that's what it takes to break a deadlock in Parliament then so be it.

'I have no doubt that it will be one of a menu of options that MPs ought to be able to discuss and vote on this week.'

She said Mr Watson was 'an elected Member of Parliament so he is allowed to be rather more enthusiastic than me'.

Asked about party leader Jeremy Corbyn's views, she said his job was to 'desperately try to bring people together' from both sides of the Brexit divide.

Asked if Labour MPs would be given a free vote on the Brexit options, she said 'we have to find a way to allow people to coalesce'.

The shadow attorney general and ally of Jeremy Corbyn (pictured leaving home today) said the idea of a public vote was 'one of a menu of options' but not one she backed

In stark contrast, his deputy Tom Watson turned up and addressed the crowd from the podium (pictured)

Lady Chakrabarti's intervention irritated pro-referendum Labour MPs today, with Barry Sheerman insisting the party should be represented on the airwaves by an 'elected' politician instead of the appointed Baroness.

But she added 'we also are a democratic party and there was a conference motion last autumn and before that there was a general election manifesto' setting out party policy.

Addressing the crowd on Saturday, Mr Watson urged the Prime Minister to 'let the people take control'.

'At every turn we have been ignored,' he said. 'At every stage Theresa May has doubled down rather than reaching out.

'She has made it impossible for anyone who cares about jobs, about solidarity at home and abroad, about friendship across borders and between communities to support this Brexit.'

Addressing Mrs May directly, he called on her to 'look out [of] your window' to see 'this magnificent crowd today'.

He added: 'Prime Minister, you've lost control of this process, you're plunging the country into chaos, let the people take control.'

Mr Corbyn spent Saturday in Morecambe, making a speech to Labour North West activists.
A naked passenger has tried to board a plane claiming it made him more 'aerodynamic'.

The 38-year-old was filmed at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow without any clothes on surrounded by police.

One passenger told Russian Ren TV: 'He shouted that he was naked because clothing impairs the aerodynamics of the body. He flies with more agility when undressed.'

A 38-year-old man tries to board a plane without any clothes on at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow

The unnamed man was later arrested before boarding the Ural Airlines flight, according to The Moscow Times.

He passed through check-in with his clothes on before stripping off and running stark naked across the bridge towards the plane.

Witnesses said the man, from Yakutsk in east Siberia, did not appear drunk.

He was later seen still naked handcuffed on the floor with police standing around him.

Witnesses did not believe the unnamed man from east Siberia was drunk when he stripped off after check-in

Police detained the man and put him in handcuffs while he remained naked with officers standing over him

The Interior Ministry's press office said: 'After the police had detained the offender, he was taken to the airport's medical room and then was hospitalised in a medical facility.

The video shows the man sitting cross-legged with five policeman standing over him.

He then turns around and stretches out his legs, leaning back against the wall as he remains in handcuffs.
A Catholic mother who was reported to police after she called a transgender woman 'he' in a tweet has spoken of her fear she would become a legal test case.

Caroline Farrow was told she was under investigation for using the wrong pronoun for charity chief Susie Green's 23-year-old daughter, who had gender reassignment surgery in Thailand at the age of 16. Surrey Police later dropped the probe.

Mrs Farrow today told Good Morning Britain of her shock after police came to her home. 'I was terrified, I was shaking, I couldn't breathe, the room was spinning,' she said. 'I thought they would try and make a test case out of me.'

Jackie Green (right) had a sex change after turning 16. She is the daughter of Susie Green (left) who appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside Caroline Farrow last year

Jackie (seen on the right with Susie) had gender reassignment surgery in Thailand on her 16th birthday because in the UK the minimum age limit is 18

Miss Farrow, a writer for Catholic journals, took issue with Miss Green, who is chief executive of the transgender children's charity Mermaids, after the pair clashed on a previous episode of Good Morning Britain.

The campaigner's transgender daughter Jackie Green was born Jack before becoming one of the youngest people in the world to undergo sex-change surgery.

Mrs Farrow's tweets, posted in October, referred to Jackie as 'him' and said Miss Green's charity was promoting child abuse. Mrs Farrow was subsequently told by a police officer the posts risked being an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.

But today she denied any malicious intent, telling Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: 'I wasn't targeting Susie Green's child. I made those tweets ten days after the original debate and I hadn't tagged her in. I wasn't tweeting at her, I was tweeting about her.

'Susie Green is a public figure who runs a lobby group which has access to Westminster and influences public policy in this country.

'If Susie Green was a private individual I would not have said a word. But she uses her child as advocacy for her lobby position.'

When challenged about whether she is being too personal and hurtful in her views, Mrs Farrow said: 'The thing is, the truth is the truth...on this issue we need to tell the truth. It's not about [being hurtful].'

Mrs Farrow's tweets, posted in October, referred to Jackie as 'him' and said Miss Green's charity was promoting child abuse

What is the Malicious Communications Act? The Malicious Communications Act prohibits the posting of material which is grossly offensive or threatening, false or believed to be false, if it is sent with the intent to cause distress or anxiety. Sentences for those found guilty under this act can be up to two years. In 2012, guidance was given to prosecutors which stated cases should not where what is posted is 'not obviously beyond what could conceivably be tolerable or acceptable in a diverse society which upholds and respects freedom of expression'. The guidelines stated: 'In line with the free-speech, no prosecution should be brought unless it can be shown on its own facts and merits to be both necessary and proportionate.' Advertisement

The case sparked a row over whether police should be spending time examining tweets rather than pumping more resources into tackling violence and theft.

Mrs Farrow wrote in October: 'What Susie Green did to her own son is illegal. She mutilated him by having him castrated and rendered sterile while he was a child

'Susie Green may feel that giving her son off label illegal medication aged 11 and drastic surgery was the path of least harm in her circumstances but she shouldn't project and impose it on other vulnerable kids as best practice.

'But as Posie Parker found out when you criticise Susie Green for castrating her 16-year-old son, she writes pages of cant (sic) describing her journey and reporting you to the police for hurting her feelings.

'I think it's time everyone called out Susie Green and Mermaids policy out for what it is. Child abuse.'

Mrs Farrow today told Good Morning Britain of her shock after police came to her home. 'I was terrified, I was shaking,' she said

Miss Green (left) and Mrs Farrow appearing on GMB on September 25. Her tweets were posted 10 days after

Jackie Green (pictured above) appeared on This Morning in 2012 to discuss her place at the Miss England finals

A spokesman for the Mermaid Trust last night said Jackie was 'deeply upset' by Mrs Farrow's comments by the reference to her as being mutilated, castrated and sterilised.

He said: 'These statements are, and are intended to be, as hurtful as possible. Jackie is distressed at the assertion that this was something that was somehow done 'to her'.

'The only people deliberately doing anything 'to her' are the online trolls using the most abusive language about her. She would like the online abuse to stop.

'By 16, she had undertaken extensive psychological assessment from independent experts before she was cleared for, and undertook, gender reassignment surgery. Her competency and full knowledge of all the implications was clear.
A United Airlines Boeing 787-900 jet heading from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, had to make an emergency landing on Monday after reports of smoke coming from the cockpit.

The US aircraft flying 256 passengers touched down safely at La Tontouta airport in New Caledonia's capital Noumea.

'The passengers are disembarking calmly,' said the official from the local Chamber of Commerce which runs the airport.

'It seems that there was some smoke coming out of the cockpit.'

Passenger Juan Mundel took photos during the emergency landing at La Tontouta airport in New Caledonia's capital Noumea, after a United Airlines Boeing 787-900 jet heading from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, had to make an emergency landing on Monday

According to the local RRB radio station, no one was hurt and all the passengers (pictured) would spend the night in Noumea, 2,700 kilometres (1,650 miles) northeast of Melbourne

Pictures show the aircraft as it makes its emergency landing. Passenger Juan Mundel told DailyMail.com: 'There was smoke and we landed in about 30 minutes. It was a smooth landing'

Passenger Juan Mundel told DailyMail.com: 'There was smoke and we landed in about 30 minutes. It was a smooth landing.

'People at New Caledonia were awesome, there were four to five fire cars ready and ambulances.'

It comes after an Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on March 10 led to the global grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

It had to make an emergency landing on Monday after reports of smoke coming from the cockpit (file photo of a Boeing aircraft)

This followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October that left 189 dead, which raised major concerns about the safety certification of the 737 MAX 8 model.

The Nouvelles-Caledoniennes (Caledonian News) website reported that oxygen masks automatically dropped down in the cabin of the United Airlines plane.

According to the local RRB radio station, no one was hurt and all the passengers would spend the night in Noumea, 2,700 kilometres (1,650 miles) northeast of Melbourne.
A woman was allegedly gang-raped by three members of staff at an Indian hospital while she was being treated in intensive care.

The woman's husband alleged she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, where she was given an injection and sedated.

She was then gang-raped by three men, her husband told police, according to the New Indian Express.

Swati Maliwal, head of the Delhi government's Commission for Women, during a protest against rape and violence against women in New Delhi earlier this month after it was claimed at least six women were raped every day in the Indian capital

The alleged victim was said to have breathing problems and was being treated in the ICU at the medical facility on Sunday.

Police said CCTV cameras of the ICU were switched off at the time of the alleged attack.

Senior police officer, Harimohan Singh told the news agency ANI: 'The woman was admitted to the hospital with breathing problem.

'She has alleged that she was gang-raped by hospital staff on Sunday.'

Four men and a woman have been arrested and are being questioned by officers, police added.

Last week a 12-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by her brothers and uncle before being strangled and beheaded in Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier this month students took to the streets in protest in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu after a number of videos showing sexual assaults on college girls were posted online.

Women's rights campaigners demanded police investigate the assaults and provide protection for the victims, many of whom have since been identified through the video clips.

Swati Maliwal, head of the Delhi government's Commission for Women, said at least six women were raped every day in the Indian capital on New Delhi.
Amanda Knox reveals she will 'face her fears' and return to Italy where she was convicted and then cleared of murdering her British roommate 12 years ago.

Ms Knox, 31, was speaking at the True Crime festival in New York telling the audience she wanted to help her healing process by returning to Perugia, Italy.

The American was convicted, but later cleared, of the murder of her British roommate Meredith Kercher, following years of legal battles in Perugia, Italy.

Ms Knox and her then boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, spent four years in an Italian prison and eight years on trial before finally being exonerated by the Italian Supreme Court in 2015.

Amanda Knox is escorted by Italian officers from Perugia's court after a hearing in September 2008

Murder scene: The house is pictured in November, 2007, shortly after Ms Kercher's body was found in her bedroom

Ms Knox, as reported by the Sun, said: 'It's very scary and every day you need to face up to something new that is terrifying but I've been lucky and I am healing.

'I have an amazing family and friends and an incredible support network. But you have got to face up to your fears alone if you want to heal and I know the main thing that still terrifies me most is returning to Italy.

'It's something I know I have to do and I will do it but it really does scare me.'

Ms Kercher was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the house where she had been renting a room.

Meredith Kercher, 21, was found semi-naked with her throat cut at the house in Perugia in 2007

The body of Ms Kercher, a 21-year-old exchange student, was found by police in the house she shared with Ms Knox and three other women on November 2, 2007.

Officers discovered her throat was slashed and she had been sexually assaulted.

Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito were arrested, accused of killing Ms Kercher in a sex-game-gone wrong and later convicted of murder and sexual assault in 2009.

The couple maintained their innocence, insisting that they had spent the evening together at Mr Sollecito's home watching a film, smoking marijuana and being intimate.

Two years later, the Perugia Court of Appeal acquitted the pair of the more serious charges, but upheld Ms Knox's conviction for malicious accusation.

After three years in custody, Ms Knox was released and left Italy for the United States.

Ms Knox challenged the malicious conviction, but the Court of Cassation quashed her acquittal in 2013 and referred the case back to the Assize Court of Appeal.

That court re-sentenced her to more than 28 years in prison for complicity in sexual assault and murder, and three years for malicious accusation.

Ms Kercher's American roommate Amanda Knox was found guilty of her murder in 2009, and spent more than four years in jail before finally being officially exonerated in 2015

Ms Knox launched another appeal, and in 2015 she and Mr Sollecito were acquitted of sexual assault and murder by Italy's highest court, but Ms Knox was not cleared of the malicious accusation charge.

Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivorian, is serving a 16-year sentence for Ms Kercher's murder.

Guede was tried separately in a fast-track procedure and in October 2008 was found guilty of the sexual assault and murder of Kercher.
A controversial Christian politician has lost a court fight with his equally religious sister over claims she tried to get their frail mother to change her 360,000 will, and to 'turn her against him'.

Christian Peoples Alliance leader Sidney Cordle MBE claimed his elder sister Rosemary Foss made a 'positive and deliberate attempt to turn his mother against him' during her final years.

Their mother Peggy Cordle, 93, who was also a committed Christian, died in 2016 leaving a 300,000 house in The Drive, Hailsham, East Sussex and around 60,000 in cash.

In her will, she gave her home to Mrs Foss, 65, who cared for her in her final years, Judge John Hand QC told Central London County Court - while her money was split two thirds to Mr Cordle and one third to his sister.

Controversial Christian politician Sidney Cordle has lost a court fight with his equally religious sister, Rosemary Foss, over claims she tried to get their frail mother to change her 360,000 will, and to 'turn her against him'. Above, Mr Cordle with his wife, Olubukola, and 93-year-old mother, Peggy Cordle

Peggy Cordle, also a committed Christian, died in 2016 leaving a 300,000 house (pictured) in The Drive, Hailsham, East Sussex and around 60,000 in cash. In her will, she gave her home to Mrs Foss, 65, who cared for her in her final years, Judge John Hand QC told Central London County Court - while her money was split two thirds to Mr Cordle and one third to his sister

Mr Cordle challenged his sister to explain why she had ended up with a new car which he said was paid for by their mother. He also queried the installation of solar panels at his mother's home, which he claimed only his sister would benefit from. Above, Rosemary Foss with Peggy

But the religious siblings later clashed in court, as Mr Cordle, of Belvedere, Kent, tried to get his sister removed as joint executor of Peggy's will.

Mr Cordle, 63, who has been leader of the CPA since 2012 and hit the news in 2014 over his comments on gay marriage, claimed Mrs Foss was no longer fit to act as executor.

Representing himself, he claimed his older sister 'manipulated' their mother and even used the old lady's cash for her own benefit.

He can no longer work with his sibling, he said, claiming that 'the administration of his mother's estate has come to a standstill'.

But Judge Hand has now thrown Mr Cordle's case out, handing victory to his sister.

Mr Cordle, who has been in politics for 40 years, previously served as a city councillor in Sheffield and has also run for Parliament.

His party has taken a tough stand on marriage, abortion and protecting persecuted Christians overseas.

He hit the headlines back in 2014 due to his strong and outspoken views on gay marriage legislation.

Sidney Cordle, 63, claimed in his recent court battle that Mrs Foss was no longer fit to act as executor. He has been leader of the Christian Peoples Alliance since 2012, and hit the news in 2014 over his comments on gay marriage. Above, Mr Cordle outside court, with an assistant

His sister, Rosemary, is an equally fervent Christian and heavily involved in charitable works overseas.

After a highly-charged four-day trial, Judge Hand flatly rejected his claims against Mrs Foss, and refused to strip away her role as executor.

The judge accepted that their mother was increasingly frail in her last years, but pointed out that in 2015 Peggy's GP had confirmed she was 'still capable of managing her own affairs'.

And although Mr Cordle said his mother became 'secretive' about her finances in her old age, the judge commented, 'That may be so but that was her prerogative'.

Mrs Foss had lived with and looked after her mother in her twilight years, the court heard, and the two were very close.

'Both of them had a strong religious faith and relied on God to guide the decisions they made on a daily basis,' he added.

What is the Christian Peoples Alliance? The Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) is a Christian democratic political party. It was established in its present form in 1999, having grown out of a cross-party advocacy group called the Movement for Christian Democracy. Mr Cordle has been its leader since 2012. He hit the headlines in 2014 due to his strong and outspoken views on gay marriage legislation. In the 2017 General Election, its manifesto included policies against same-sex marriage and abortion. According to the CPA website: 'The Christian Party Alliance seeks to demonstrate God's love and God's holiness and truth in the political world. 'Our core values are promoting marriage and family stability, upholding the sanctity of life from conception until natural death, supporting persecuted Christians worldwide and caring for the poor and needy. 'In this way, we believe we are proclaiming the Lordship of Christ.' Advertisement

'But nothing Rosemary did comes anywhere near to amounting to undue influence,'the judge found.

Mr Cordle challenged his sister to explain why she had ended up with a new car which he said was paid for by their mother.

He also queried the installation of solar panels at his mother's home, which he claimed only his sister would benefit from.

There was also evidence that his sister had 'attempted to get their mother to change her will', said Mr Cordle - a claim which was turned down in court.

'His complaint was that he suspected his sister had taken to controlling their late mother's financial affairs and had used her money for her own benefit,' the judge explained.

'He says his sister has always been motivated by a determination to reduce the amount of money in the estate to which he might be entitled,' the judge explained.

Mrs Foss had ended up inheriting a house 'enhanced by the addition of solar panels', her brother claimed.

'But there is absolutely no realistic basis for suggesting that she misconducted herself in respect of these matters,' the judge noted.

Mrs Foss, who quoted the Bible against her brother in support of her case, insisted there was no reason to remove her as executor of their mother's estate.

And she challenged Mr Cordle to account for a loan of 17,000 his mother had made to him in 2011, which he claimed Peggy had 'forgiven'.

Some of the cash had also been repaid, the court heard.

Judge Hand ruled against Mr Cordle on the loan and told the court: 'I reject his evidence, in my judgment the loan is still outstanding'.

Nor was there any reason to dismiss Mrs Foss as executor, he found.

At one point, Mrs Foss had claimed 40,000 compensation from her mother's estate for 'the time spent by her in caring for her mother in the years before her death'.

She partly justified her claim with a passage from St Luke's Gospel which reads: 'a workman is worthy of his wages'.

But she later withdrew her application.

Judge Hand, rejecting Mr Cordle's case, said of Mrs Foss: 'She and her husband regard God's law as paramount but I don't regard that as a basis for removing her as executor'.

Mr Cordle was refused permission to appeal.
A growing number of 'one-man' Sharia councils are leading to discrimination against women, an Islamic scholar has warned.

An independent review into Sharia councils raised the issue of discrimination last year as Islamic law grants men the right to divorce by simply declaring their marriage is over - whereas a woman must gain a scholar's permission to divorce her husband.

Khola Hasan, scholar at east London's Islamic Sharia Council, told The Times that there are 'good Sharia councils' but some 'could do a lot better'.

She said: 'I have heard stories of women made to go back to abusive husbands. These complaints mainly relate to one-man [operations].

Khola Hasan, scholar at east London's Islamic Sharia Council, said there are 'good Sharia councils' but some 'could do a lot better'

'It may be an imam of a mosque or a madrassa teacher who considers himself to be of a scholarly disposition who announces to the local community, "I am a Sharia scholar and if you have problems, come to me." '

As many as 85 Sharia councils, which offer rulings and advice on Islamic law, were operating in the UK according to the review - which was commissioned by the Home Office.

Ms Hasan added that some councils are operating in houses and in the back rooms of shops, along with some councils which operate entirely through post.

The scholar added that women have visited her Sharia council in order to 'redress' rulings of one-man operations, and she has written to 'these so-called Sharia councils' telling them their practice is against Islamic law.

Ms Hasan said people must be aware that good Sharia councils 'are few and far between' and have websites, trained people and are open and honest.

The Islamic Sharia Council's website explains that the council formed in 1982, in the Jami'a Mosque of Birmingham, where 'representatives of ten leading Islamic centres' met and 'decided to establish the first Islamic Shariah Council for the United Kingdom'.

It adds: 'The Islamic Sharia Council was formed to solve the matrimonial problems of Muslims living in the United Kingdom in the light of Islamic family law.

'The Council comprises of members from all of the major schools of Islamic legal thought (madhab) and is widely accepted as an authoritative body with regards to Islamic law.'

Pictured: Sheikh Haitham Al-Haddad speaking with two female divorce applicants in east London

'This was not just the first shariah council in Britain but in the whole of Europe as well,' the website claims.

It states the council's objective was 'not just to guide the Muslims in matters of their religion and to issue fatwas when needed, but also to create a bench of ulama [the learned ones] who would function as Qadis [magistrate/judge in a Sharia court] in matters such as matrimonial disputes that were referred to them'.

Ms Hasan told the Times the Islamic Sharia Council insisted that men follow 'formal' written procedure for a divorce rather than simply declaring the marriage to be finished.

The council's website states that '80% of all letters received by the Council are related to matrimonial problems faced by Muslims in the UK' and 'the remaining are related to people asking for Islamic injunctions (fatawa) pertaining to their daily lives.'

The website adds that the 'majority of matrimonial disputes are initiated by women who are seeking a divorce from their husbands'.

In January the Council of Europe named Britain in a resolution highlighting how Sharia law conflicts with universal human rights.

The 47-nation body, which oversees the European Convention on Human Rights, adopted a measure which raises concerns about the role of Sharia councils in family matters.

It also said it was 'greatly concerned' that Sharia is applied either officially or unofficially in member states.

The Council warned that Sharia councils operate in the UK without 'transparency or accountability', but Ms Hasan told the Times they did not publish rulings as clients wanted details 'kept private and confidential'.
A toddler and a young child are fighting for their lives after they pulled unconscious from a suburban home's backyard pool.

Paramedics were called to a home in Morayfield in the Moreton Bay Region, Queensland at around 4.30pm on Monday.

The two children, a two-year-old girl and a 16-month-old, were believed to be found at the bottom of the Michael Avenue residence's pool.

A toddler and a young child are in a critical condition after being pulled unconscious from a suburban home's pool

Paramedic gear is seen sitting next to the pool where the children were found under water

After emergency services were called, The Critical Care Paramedics and High Acuity Response Unit performed CPR on the the children before being rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

One has been taken to Queensland Childrens Hospital, while the other was taken to Caboolture Hospital.

Police are currently still at the scene and are investigating along with the Child Protection Unit into what exactly happened.

Police remain on the scene, along with officers from the Child Protection Unit, as authorities work to determine the circumstances that led up to the children being in the pool.

The two children, a two-year-old girl and a 16-month-old, were believed to be found at the bottom of the Michael Avenue residence's (pictured) pool
A former member of the Irish air force who fled to Syria to become an ISIS bride is begging to be allowed home - even if she faces prison.

Lisa Smith, 37, 'was a party girl who enjoyed a good time' before she went through a bad breakup, converted to Islam and became radicalised, friends say.

By 2013 she had converted to Islam in Dundalk where she apparently began attending the local mosque and bringing much younger relatives along for the worship.

ISIS: Stranded and rejected westerners Even if they put me in prison at home, its better than being here. CNN gets rare access to Syrian camps where more than 1,000 foreign fighters remain stranded as their home countries seem reluctant to take them back. Posted by CNN Connect the World on Sunday, March 24, 2019

Former life: Lisa Smith (circled) as an Irish soldier, accompanying then-Irish premier Bertie Ahern (left), in a picture taken at an aerodrome near Dublin in 2008

Her Facebook page is also said to have undergone a transformation, from 'cute animal' photos to pictures of her wearing a veil and posts appearing to praise jihadists.

Speaking to Extra.ie, Carol or 'Karimah' Duffy said she had tried to keep Smith from turning to radicalism.

The Muslim community in Ireland had 'strongly rejected' her extremism, she said, adding that she would have reported her if she had known the extent of her radicalisation.

Another friend told The Sun: 'She was a party girl in the sense that she enjoyed going out, drinking and having a good time.

Lisa Smith, pictured left at the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter in recent days, and right before she fled Ireland to join ISIS, is pleading to return home and says prison in Ireland could be no worse than life at the camp

'She was really sound, a really nice girl and someone who was always there for her friends.

'She started suffering from depression after a bad break-up and she was introduced to Islam by a close associate. She really got into it and became really radicalised.'

Later she reportedly described Western culture as 'dirty' saying that her friends had been 'brainwashed' into standing by it.

Smith is believed to have left Ireland in 2013 or 2014, apparently travelling to Bizerte in Tunisia where she met her husband.

By 2016 photos from Syria had appeared on her Facebook page and rumours that she had travelled there via Turkey had reached her friends in Dundalk.

At the height of its power the Islamic State's 'caliphate' stretched from Baghdad in Iraq all the way across north eastern Syria in the west

But now Smith has lost her husband and is living in the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter.

She fled the terror group's last holdout in Baghouz and is one of hundreds of women and children at the camp.

Speaking to CNN, she said not everyone at al-Hol was a 'terrorist' and said prison in Ireland would be no worse than her life in Syria - as the Irish government confirmed it was trying to bring her home.

She said: 'I think that people should just realise that all the people here are not terrorists. I want to go home.

'I know they'd strip me of my passport stuff, and I wouldn't travel and I'd be watched, but prisons? I don't know. I'm already in prison.'

Smith was one of hundreds to flee Baghouz as ISIS lost its grip on its final patch of territory in eastern Syria.

Irish authorities have been drawing up plans to rescue the former soldier, originally from Dundalk, the Sunday Mirror reported.

Speaking today, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney told RTE that Irish officials were meeting this afternoon to co-ordinate a response.

He said: 'We want to look after Irish people and bring them home if they want to come home.

'Of course, there's heightened concern because there's a two-year-old girl involved in this as well.

'This is an unusual case because of her background in the last number of years, but the Taoiseach and I have made it very clear - she's an Irish citizen.

'She's the responsibility of Ireland, and we have a responsibility towards her and in particular her daughter, and we will try to follow through on our responsibility and find a way to bring her home.'

The Irish government had not yet been able to establish direct contact but had been speaking to her family, he said.

A source told the newspaper about the possible rescue, saying: 'The bottom line is she is an Irish citizen with a child in a very volatile, war-torn area.

'She's in a very vulnerable position and a decision has been made to bring her home.'

Smith is one of hundreds of ISIS refugees at the camp (pictured) who have fled the terror group as the last jihadi fighters were cleared out of Baghouz

Smith is one of hundreds of women and children to have fled Baghouz, the terror group's last holdout in Syria. The wreckage of Baghouz is pictured yesterday

As a member of the Irish military Smith had flown around the world, and in 2008 was pictured on a trip with then-Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

This month a former friend of Smith in Dundalk said Irish police had been guarding the town's Muslim community in the wake of the Christchurch shootings.

Ms Duffy said Islamophobic thugs had recently made the link between Smith and Dundalk after the New Zealand terror attack, saying she had 'packets of rashers thrown at my house'.

Current Irish PM Leo Varadkar has previously said stripping Smith of her citizenship was not the 'right or compassionate thing to do'.

Lisa Smith's plea to return home comes in the wake of the UK row over teenage ISIS bride Shamima Begum (pictured) who had her British citizenship removed

The Irish government's language comes in contrast to British ministers' refusal to allow teenage ISIS bride Shamima Begum to return home.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid revoked Begum's passport after she said she wished to return to the UK with her newborn son, having already lost two children.

The weeks-old boy later died in a camp in northern Syria, with reports suggesting he had suffered from breathing difficulties.

Ms Begum, from Bethnal Green in east London, was 15 when she and two other schoolgirls went to join the terror group in February 2015.

Aged 19 and heavily pregnant, she resurfaced in a refugee camp last month and said she wanted to return to Britain as the self-styled caliphate collapsed.

International law forbids nations from making people stateless by revoking their only citizenship.

But British officials appear to believe that Ms Begum, who is of Bangladeshi heritage, holds dual citizenship and can therefore have her British nationality removed.

Under the 1981 British Nationality Act, any Briton can be deprived of their citizenship if it is 'conducive to the public good' - and they do not become stateless as a result.
A pensioner with a pacemaker for his heart condition has told how he used a pitchfork to fight off a giant wild Siberian tiger.

Vitaly Saidov was naked in his sauna in eastern Russia when he heard a commotion in his cow shed.

He threw on a gown and ran to see a tiger attacking one of his cows.

'I was washing myself when I heard growls and moans, and realised that something bad was happening,' he said.

'The sounds were coming from the shed.

'I threw on a dressing gown and rushed to open the shed door.

'It was a messy sight with blood everywhere - and a tiger killing a cow.

Pension Vitaly Saidov has killed a Siberian tiger that was trying to eat his cow, after fending off the animal with a pitchfork

The rare big cat was later described as being about 15 years old and 'toothless'

'I grabbed a pitchfork and tried to strike the tiger on his back to scare him away.'

The pitchfork helped save the cow and gave Mr Saidov time to escape and grab his gun in his house, even though the tiger 'lashed at me'.

Male Siberian tigers are the largest big cats in the world, and generally eat wild boar, lynx and bear.

He ran into the house 'pulling my gun out and screaming "Tiger!" to my wife.

'It was a messy sight with blood everywhere - and a tiger killing a cow' said Mr Saidov as he opened the door to his shed to find to two animals

He then grabbed a pitchfork and tried to strike the tiger on his back to scare him away, giving the cow time to escape

'I shot once in the air, it didn't work. Then the second bullet hit the tiger in the head and killed him.'

Later he told the Rossiya 1 channel that he didn't aim to shoot it dead.

As the tiger apparently went for him, he pulled out his gun and shot it through the head

'I ran here thinking I'll shoot there in the corner to scare the tiger away,' he said.

'But as I got there the tiger left the cow and rushed towards me, what could I do?

'As soon as the cow moved its head, I shot.'

The Siberian or Amur tiger is highly endangered with only around 550 animals surviving in the wild.

Jail sentences can be imposed by Russian courts for killing these rare big cats which were almost poached to extinction.

But officials in Khabarovsk region say Mr Saidov will not be prosecuted for shooting the beast which was over 15 years old and almost toothless.

'He used the gun lawfully while defending himself and his family,' said Oleg Egorushkin, deputy head of the region's Wildlife Conservation department.

'This was an elderly animal over 15 years old, he was almost toothless.

'The tiger acted as if he came to the village to die.'

Prosecutors have said Mr Saidov will not face any charges for killing the animal, which can mean a jail term

The pensioner runs a smallholding with two bulls and three cows and has a heart condition which requires him to have a pacemaker

The Siberian Times reported that the pensioner - who runs a smallholding with two bulls and three cows - 'has a disability pension due to heart issues which led to him having a pacemaker fitted.'

His wife Svetlana said: 'There was no way the tiger would have run away, he was about to start eating the cow, no tiger would leave its prey.'

'I got such a shock when it happened.

'I heard heart-rending cries and then he stormed into the house, screaming: 'Help me, a tiger is in the shed!'

'But how on earth could I help?

'Our daughter was in the house with our grandson. It was an awful night.'

These rare tigers have made a significant recovery in recent years but are still seen as highly endangered.

'There was no way the tiger would have run away, he was about to start eating the cow, no tiger would leave its prey,' said his wife Svetlana
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The death toll from a massive explosion last week at a pesticide plant in eastern China has risen to 78 as the rescue operation wraps up today.

More than two dozen of people remain missing and hundreds of people are still hospitalised, among whom 13 are critically injured and 66 are seriously injured, according to the local government in a latest social media statement.

Over the weekend, firefighters pulled a man alive from the rubble 40 hours after the massive explosion flattened the Chenjianggang Industrial Plant in eastern China.

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Aerial view of the core area of Tianjiayi chemical plant at an industrial park of Xiangshui county in eastern China March 23

The explosion occurred at 2:48pm last Thursday at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in Yancheng city, leaving at least 78 dead

More than two dozen of people remained missing and hundreds of people are still hospitalised, according to the government

Firefighters work on the rubble of the pesticide plant on March 24, three days after the blast rocked the small eastern city

Over the weekend, firefighters pulled a man alive from the rubble in a nearby factory - 40 hours after the massive explosion

The explosion occurred at 2:48pm last Thursday at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in Yancheng city, Jiangsu province on China's eastern coast. The factory, run by the Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co., has a long history of safety violation.

Windows in buildings as far as about six kilometres (four miles) away were blown out by the force of the explosion, which caused a magnitude 2.2 seismic shock.

The blast, which took place in a city about a three-hour drive from Shanghai, was one of China's worst industrial accidents in recent years.

Aerial pictures showed the wrecked industry park seemed like a wasteland after fires burnt through it overnight.

Windows in buildings as far as four miles away were blown out by the force of the explosion, which 'triggered an earthquake'

Rescuers search for missing people at the site of the explosion, one of China's worst industrial accidents in recent years

Rescuers get disinfected at the site. Excessive chemicals have been detected in waterways after the blast 'on a windy day'

Twenty-eight people are still missing, according to the Yancheng Propaganda Bureau which posts latest updates online

Tents from the Red Cross Society of China are set up on March 23 after an explosion happened at Xiangshui county

Twenty-eight people are still missing as of today, according to the Yancheng Propaganda Bureau which posts latest updates of the accident on its official account on Twitter-like Weibo.

In addition, 566 people are being treated in hospital.

On Saturday morning, firefighters at the Yancheng Xiangshui Fire Brigade rescued a man from the debris about 40 hours after the deadly blast.

The survivor, said to be around 40 years old, had been trapped at a nearby chemical factory which had also been destroyed in the blast, it is reported.

China's state broadcaster CCTV released the footage showing the man being transferred to paramedics. The station said he was conscious while being rescued and was immediately taken to the hospital.

Aerial pictures showed the wrecked industry park seemed like a wasteland after fires burnt through it overnight

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on a state visit to Italy last week, demanded 'all-out efforts' to find and rescue victims

The explosion has damaged houses in the industry park as well as the nearby Nanhe Town, Chengjiagang Town in Yancheng

The government are set to demolish 89 houses seriously damaged and will arrange new accommodation for the residents

The local authority is also due to access the safety of 893 other houses that have sustained 'normal damage' during the blast

Air quality remained within a safe range, but excessive chemical levels were still detected in the local waterways today

China News claimed the explosion was caused by a chemical called benzene, citing a worker at the emergency call centre

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on a state visit to Italy at the time of the accident, demanded 'all-out efforts' to find and rescue victims, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

'Relief work must be well done to maintain social stability. Meanwhile, environmental monitoring and early warning should be strengthened to prevent environmental pollution as well as secondary disasters,' the report quoted Xi as saying.

The explosion has damaged houses in the industry park as well as the nearby Nanhe Town, Chengjiagang Town.

The government are set to demolish 89 houses which have been seriously damaged and will arrange the residents to move into new accommodation.

The local authority is also due to access the safety of 893 other houses that sustain 'normal damage'.

Exposure to benzene, which is colourless and odourless, could cause major health issues in humans, according to WHO

The local weather condition was said to be windy, which helped the smoke, dust and potentially hazardous chemicals spread

The local government said 3,500 medical workers at 16 hospitals and 90 ambulances were mobilised to treat the injured

More than 130 victims underwent emergency surgery within 24 hours and 64 medical experts were dispatched to the scene

Air quality remained within a safe range, the local government reported. But excessive chemical levels were still detected in the local waterways today, especially the ammonia nitrogen value which were 111 times higher than the limit.

Authorities are yet to confirm the chemicals stored in the factory.

In an earlier report, China News claimed the explosion was caused by a liquid compound called benzene, citing a worker at the emergency call centre.

Exposure to benzene, which is colourless and odourless, could cause major health issues in humans, including cancer, according to WHO.

The local weather condition was said to be windy, which helped the smoke, dust and potentially hazardous chemicals spread.

Nearly 1,000 firefighters were sent to the site to search for survivors after the toxic blast last Thursday afternoon in Yancheng

A worker, named Hu, is seen bandaged at a hospital after he was injured during the explosion at the pesticide plant

Hundreds of people are still hospitalised, among whom 13 are critically injured and 66 are seriously injured, government says

The government has again pledged stricter safely controls.

Public anger over safety standards has grown in China over industrial accidents, ranging from mining disasters to factory fires, that have marred three decades of swift economic growth.

The official Xinhua news agency said China would strengthen the control and management of dangerous chemicals, and conduct risk assessments for all chemical industry parks.

'Relief work must be well done to maintain social stability. Meanwhile, environmental monitoring and early warning should be strengthened to prevent environmental pollution as well as secondary disasters,' Chinese President Xi Jinping urged

Local officials need to learn the lessons of a recent series of industrial accidents to preserve lives and property, Xi said

The cause of the blast was under investigation and people responsible for operations at the plant have been 'under control

China experiences frequent industrial accidents despite orders from the central government to improve safety at factories

Among the worst accidents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173

'Authorities at all levels should inspect enterprises that are involved in nitration manufacturing and storage to make sure they comply with regulations on dangerous chemicals,' Xinhua said, citing a statement from the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Despite repeated government pledges to tighten safety, disasters have hit chemical plants in particular, with 23 people killed in November in a series of blasts during the delivery of a flammable gas at a chemical maker.

In 2015, 165 people were killed in explosions at a chemical warehouse in the northern city of Tianjin, one of the world's busiest ports, which is not far from the capital, Beijing.
A truck driver has died in a horror crash after his vehicle collided with another truck and smashed through a fence on a country road.

The 55-year-old was travelling along Bacchus Marsh road, west of Melbourne, on Monday when he was hit by the trailer of a truck travelling in the opposite direction.

The driver's truck veered off the road and went through a fence before crashing into a milking shed.

The driver's body was flung from the cabin of the truck after colliding with the shed.

A truck driver has died after his vehicle collided with another truck on a Melbourne road on Monday

The driver was travelling along Bacchus Marsh road when he was hit by the trailer of a truck travelling in the opposite direction

Police believe he died from the initial impact and are speaking to the 50-year-old driver of the other truck in a bid to find out what caused the collision.

'There's no indication of steering, input or braking at that stage there so it may be the result that the driver was already deceased,' Detective Sergeant Paul Lineham told Yahoo 7.

Residents who live in a home just metres away from the paddock the truck smashed into are lucky to be alive, according to police.

The death toll on Melbourne roads this year has reached 77 which is almost 50 per cent more than this time last year.
The wife of the former Interpol president who disappeared in China had written to French President Emmanuel Macron to ask for his help on the eve of an official visit by his counterpart Xi Jinping.

Grace Meng told France 24 she had not heard from her husband Meng Hongwei since he travelled to China from France, where Interpol is based, in late September. China has said it is investigating Meng for corruption and wrongdoing.

In a letter to the Elysee Palace dated March 21, a copy of which has been seen by AFP, Grace Meng 'asks to know where (her husband) is and how he is.'

Meng, also a vice public security minister, disappeared in September while on a visit to China from France. His wife, Grace, has been appealing for information about her husband

Grace Meng (pictured above on October 8 in Lyon, France), the wife of missing Interpol President Meng Hongwei, has written to French President Emmanuel Macron to ask for his help on the eve of an official visit by his counterpart Xi Jinping

'I demand Mr Meng be allowed to receive visits from his lawyers and that they be allowed to assist him,' she said in her letter to Macron.

'For my family, as for others going through similar tests, I urge France, which is respected and listened to the world over for its values and attachment to human rights, to bear this message to the meeting with President Xi Jinping,' she added.

'I hope the president can help Mr Meng and his family, to protect our fundamental human rights,' she said in the France 24 interview broadcast on Sunday evening.

China's foreign ministry declined to comment.

Grace Meng has remained in the French city of Lyon, where Interpol is based, since her husband Meng Hongwei disappeared last September during a visit to China. He resigned from the international police agency by letter on October 7 and it was later revealed he had been arrested.

Macron hosted Xi at a private dinner on the French Riviera on Sunday night, ahead of a working meeting in Paris on Monday

A journalist holds Grace Meng's mobile phone, showing what she says is the last message exchanged with her husband: a text reading 'wait for my call' followed by a knife emoji

She also feared the Chinese authorities wanted to kidnap her family.

'They have no bottom-line. Even if I am in France, they want to kidnap me and my children,' she said.

Meng, 65, was appointed president of the global police cooperation agency in late 2016, part of a broader Chinese effort to gain leadership positions in key international organizations.

He was last heard from on September 25 as he left Lyon for China, when he sent his wife a social media message telling her to 'wait for my call,' and then a knife emoji signifying danger.

Grace Meng later reported he was missing, and after several days without news Interpol said it had received a short message from Meng saying he was resigning.

South Korean Kim Jong-yang took over from Meng at Interpol in November for a two-year term.

Meng Hongwei disappeared in September while on a visit to China from France, where Interpol is based. He has been expelled from Chinas top political advisory board

Meng's wife says he is the victim of a 'forced disappearance,' adding she and her family have received no information or legal advice as to his fate.

In January she said she had been threatened and would apply for political asylum in France, telling French media her Chinese phone and internet accounts had been blocked.

Chinese authorities can hold suspects in secret for six months without either informing their family or allowing access to a lawyer.

Under Xi, China has been engaged in a sweeping crackdown on official corruption. Chinese authorities said several days after Meng's arrest that the vice minister was being investigated for bribery.

Macron hosted Xi at a private dinner on the French Riviera on Sunday night, ahead of a working meeting in Paris on Monday.

Grace Meng said her husband was 'devoted to the motherland'.

'He was well-known for his reformist views', she said in the interview.
San Diego police used genetic genealogy to solve a homicide case that remained a mystery for 40 years.

Barbara Becker's bloodied body was found by her two young sons, seven and nine, when they returned home from school one Wednesday in March 1979.

She was 37-years-old when she was killed in her La Jolla home and police announced Thursday that they have identified her killer - 40 years to the day.

They called in the help of the FBI's investigative genealogy team to use the sleuthing method to come up with the suspect, named as Paul Jean Chartrand.

Barbara Becker's bloodied body was found by her two young sons, seven and nine in 1979

Mrs Becker put up 'a tremendous fight for her life', her attacker's blood was at the scene. Detectives use DNA of a suspect to try match it with a relative who has uploaded theirs to a public database in the hope that genealogists are able to match it and generate leads.

Chartrand died 24 years ago, police did not say how he died or how old he was.

His naming marks the first time that San Diego police have publicly identified a suspected killer after tracing him using the method.

It also marks the third time that authorities in the region have closed a case after following leads that came from using genetic genealogy.

Mrs Becker put up 'a tremendous fight for her life', her attacker's blood was at the scene

San Diego police homicide Lt. Matt Dobbs said in a written statement Thursday that detectives on the case are 'grateful the case is solved'.

'However,' he added, 'It is tempered by the fact it took 40 years to give Barbara Becker's family the answers they deserved, and that Chartrand was able to avoid justice for 16 years after Barbara Becker's murder.'

The lieutenant added that the family of both the victim have requested privacy and the Chartrands offered 'their condolences' to the Beckers.

Genetic genealogy Genetic genealogy is the use of DNA testing in combination with traditional genealogical and historical records. Genetic genealogy involves the use of genealogical DNA testing together with documentary evidence to infer the relationship between individuals. Source Advertisement

Last October, San Diego police investigators and the district attorneys office reached out to the FBI's investigative genealogy team for help solve the cold case.

The Chartrand family were cooperative when investigators found a distant relative of Paul Jean Chartrand in a public database, they worked it backwards to identify the family.

With this method he was identified as the owner of the blood at the scene of the homicide.

Police can only access public databases of DNA, the largest of which has 1.2 million DNA profiles where users intentionally uploaded their data.

Since late last year, police in San Diego county have used the method to identify publicly the suspects in two cold cases - the 2006 stabbing death of Scott Martinez in La Mesa, and the 2007 beating death of Jodine Serrin in Carlsbad.
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Intrepid divers have been swarmed by a massive herd of playful sea lions off the coast of Canada.

Dutch photographer Joost van Uffelen, 34, and his girlfriend Sandy van de Water swam with the group of Steller sea lions off the coast of Hornby Island in Canada's Salish Sea.

The couple said the bold and curious creatures, the largest type of sea lions, 'used them as chew toys' but they were not afraid during the experience.

Joost van Uffelen and his girlfriend (pictured) are swarmed by a crowd of playful sea lions while freediving off the coast of Canada

Sandy van de Water plays with the raft of sea lions in a camouflage wetsuit. Her boyfriend Joost van Uffelen has previously won a National Geographic photography prize for his underwater shots

The Dutch photographer caught the stunning images by Hornby Island in Canada's Salish Sea with the Steller sea lions, the largest species of the mammal

Mr van Uffelen, who has won a National Geographic Frans Lanting prize for a picture of dancing sea lions, said: 'Sea lions are probably the most interactive animals to spend time in the water with, but nothing could really prepare us for the Steller sea lions in this location.

'Freediving with these sea lions was one of the best experiences we have had while freediving so far.

'Stellers are bold, curious and the most playful sea lions we ever dived with.

The couple said the sea lions 'used them as chew toys' and were attracted to their wetsuits. The Dutch photographer said they have freedived with other species of sea lions previously but they have never been as playful before

The couple travel around the world freediving to find the perfect underwater shots of creatures from the deep

Mr van Uffelen said: 'Freediving with these sea lions was one of the best experiences we have had while freediving so far'

Sea lions have been known to attack people but these playful creatures only wanted to play in the water with the two divers

'We have freedived with Californian, South American and Galapagos sea lions before, but nothing really compares.

'We don't really know why they were so interactive.

'It could be their size, or their tendency to 'gang up' and investigate in big groups, or just their curious nature.

'They were using us as chew-toys, which, because of their size and teeth, could be quite intimidating, but it was only playful behaviour.

'In the process we learned that some freedive suits can withstand sea lion teeth better than others.

'Combining the close interaction with a big group of big animals and doing this while holding our breath made this a very exciting experience.'

The couple say they don't know why the sea lions were much more interactive than they had ever experienced before

Dutch photographer Joost van Uffelen, 34, and his girlfriend have freedived with Californian, South American and Galapagos sea lions before

A colony of Steller sea lions congregate by Hornby Island in British Columbia. The mammals were unusually interactive with the freedivers

They said: 'In the process we learned that some freedive suits can withstand sea lion teeth better than others', with Sandy's camouflage wetsuit particularly attractive to the sea lions
Jason Kingsley from Oxford dresses up as a knight to demonstrate jousting and weapons

From Monday to Friday, he is a millionaire computer games boss whose company is behind the likes of Aliens vs Predator, Sniper Elite and Judge Dredd.

But at the weekends, Jason Kingsley from Oxford goes back in time to the medieval age by dressing up as a knight to demonstrate jousting and weapons.

And the 54-year-old developer's videos have proven to be an unlikely hit on YouTube, gaining more views in a month than the celebrity vlogger Zoella.

Mr Kingsley, whose partner is descended from Japanese samurai and was named an OBE for services to the British economy in 2012, owns 15 horses and four suits of armour plus weapons from poleaxes to longbows on his farm.

He said producing the videos for his Modern History TV channel helps him unwind - with the most popular clip having been seen three million times.

Mr Kingsley, who co-founded Rebellion Developments in 1992, told The Times: 'It puts my brain into neutral. It's positive for the business having that time off.

Kingsley smashing a fake skull with a replica medieval sword in a video shot in April last year

Mr Kingsley has been involved in jousting re-enactments at castles and stately homes for more than ten years, but only started his TV channel 18 months ago

Mr Kingsley was named an OBE for services to the British economy in 2012. He is seen with a Warhammer award (left) and riding a tractor - a rather more modern steed - on the right

'It's a sort of time-travelling. We are physiologically exactly the same as these people so you put on the clothes, get on a horse, it allows you to go back in time.'

He added that each single suit of plate armour takes multiple fittings and tens of thousands of pounds to create over two years  'very similar to medieval times'.

Mr Kingsley has been involved in jousting re-enactments at castles and stately homes for more than ten years, but only started his TV channel 18 months ago.

It gained three million views in a month  faster than Zoella's 1.2million  and his most recent one last week was titled: 'Is the sword more important than the horse?'

In this, he rode a Lusitano gelding called Warlord as he investigated 'the basics of distance and sword use from horseback and how to get the best strike at speed'.

Mr Kingsley previously told the Guardian: 'There's a general rule that once you get into this area of enthusiasm, it's not possible to have too much kit.

'I've spent many hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years on my armour and kit. I live by the chivalric code. The idea is that even though you're a big strong man with armour and a sword, and you can kill people, you don't have to do that.'

He is also chairman of The Independent Games Developers Association and his Oxford-based company is behind comic book series such as 2000 AD.

Mr Kingsley, who co-founded Rebellion Developments, only started his channel 18 months ago

Mr Kingsley said producing the videos for his Modern History TV channel helps him unwind

The unlikely YouTube stars and the British big-hitters The Pasta Grannies: Food writer Vicky Bennison, 59, runs The Pasta Grannies, or nonnes, which started four years ago when she jetted to her second home in Italy from south London. The Grannies, some in their nineties, want to preserve the traditional recipes and share them with the world as increasing numbers of young Italians opt for dried pasta and ready made sauce over making it from scratch. They have more than 379,000 subscribers. The Pasta Grannies features Italian women sharing traditional techniques with their viewers The Korean Grandma: Park Makrye, 72, has earned herself celebrity status in her home country for her hilarious videos, documenting her day-to-day life as a fashion-forward pensioner who is fighting off the risk of dementia daily. Posting under the moniker Korea Grandma, she shares everything from her top make-up tips to her colourful adventures abroad. She is now sitting pretty with 787,675 subscribers. Park Makrye, 72, has earned herself celebrity status dispatching beauty tips as The Korean Grandma Knitting Tips By Judy: Judy Graham, who is now in her 80s, began online tutorials about knitting after complaining to her son it was a myth that older people did not know how to use technology. Her lessons are short and simple, and attract an audience that spans the age range. She has more than 50,000 subscribers. Judy Graham, who is now in her 80s, began online tutorials about knitting after complaining to her son it was a myth that older people did not know how to use technology And Britain's top YouTube stars... PewDiePie: Felix Kjellberg, known as PewDiePie, is the world's most successful YouTuber, with a spectacular 91,242,230 subscribers. Both of his parents, Johanna and Ulf Kjellberg, are successful Chief Executives of their respective companies in Sweden, although he lives in Brighton. His career has not been without controversy, however, and he has previously earned blacklash for including racist and antisemitic messages in his videos. Felix Kjellberg, known as PewDiePie, is the world's most successful YouTuber, with a spectacular 91,242,230 subscribers Zoella: Zoe Elizabeth Sugg, 28, goes by the YouTube name Zoella, and has made millions from her videos. She is the older sister of Joe Sugg, who is also a YouTuber and internet personality known on YouTube as ThatcherJoe. Her channel has more than 11,840,000 subscribers. Zoella lives in a Brighton mansion with boyfriend and fellow YouTube star Alfie Deyes, pictured together. The couple frequently offer fans a look inside the property on social media KSI: KSI is a 25-year-old British gamer, comedy vlogger and rapper whose videos have 4.4billion views whose real name is Olajide William 'JJ' Olatunj recently fought Logan Paul, 23, in Manchester Arena. KSI, which stands for knowledge, strength, integrity, first arrived on the YouTube scene in 2009 and won NME Award for Vlogger of the Year in 2016. He has upwards of 20million subscribers. KSI, which stands for knowledge, strength, integrity, first arrived on the YouTube scene in 2009 and won NME Award for Vlogger of the Year in 2016. He is seen on Good Morning Britain on March 20 Advertisement

Mr Kingsley and his brother Chris set up Rebellion in 1992, and it now turns over more than 25million a year.

The company, which is still wholly owned by the two brothers, has released several best-selling titles including Rogue Trooper and Sniper Elite.

It also publishes novels and owns 2000 AD, a popular comic book series.

He know uses the chivalric code of conduct to govern how he runs his company, telling The BBC in 2017: 'What the code comes down to is try to be a decent person... and there are three parts - bravery, honesty and kindness.

'In business the need to be brave is obvious; the ability to charge forward and seize the opportunity, and do the best that you can with it.

'It is also about exploring new territories and seeking out new markets. It is an essential component in being a leader.'

Mr Kingsley riding a horse-drawn carriage on during one of the videos on his YouTube channel

Mr Kingsley owns 15 horses and four suits of armour plus weapons from poleaxes to longbows on his farm
Uri Geller today explained his theory that he got Theresa May into Number 10 by taking her into his garage and using a spoon that once belonged to Winston Churchill to 'bombard' her with telepathic energy.

He told Good Morning Britain: 'I've known Theresa May for over 21 years, I lived in the same village as she still does, Sonning. She visited my home, I took her to my garage, I pointed at a spoon that belonged to Winston Churchill and bombarded her saying "she will be Prime Minister" and she laughed. Now she is.'

But the self-proclaimed psychic now plans to turn against the Prime Minister and use the 'power of my mind', and the help of millions of fellow Remainers, to mount a telepathic attack on Mrs May aimed at forcing her to hold a second referendum.

Uri Geller shared this image of Theresa May outside his garage in Sonning, Berkshire, in March. It is unclear when exactly they met

Geller admitted that many 'sceptics' didn't believe in his powers but nonetheless described his plans to keep Britain within the EU.

'This is my plan, to all of you, who are with me. I'm not a prophet, and I'm not a guru, but I believe that with the power of my mind, if we concentrate together with me at 11.11am and pm every morning... think the following "Theresa, bring us to a second vote, go to a second referendum".'

Geller, who currently lives in Israel, said he has a British passport and 'cares passionately' about the country's future.

'My mother comes from Sigmund Freud's family and 35 years ago she persuaded me to leave New York and come to England,' he said. 'I lived in the UK for longer than anywhere else.

'I care passionately about the UK. If Brexit goes, if the deal is done, you know the recession, economic recession, the UK will be isolated from not only Europe but the entire world.'

Geller said he accepted his plan could fail because he is 'just a human' but urged other Remainers to give it a try.

'I have the power, let's do this, we don't have time. Remember, there are more than five million signatures on the petition this morning. I love you.'

Geller today told GMB he plans to turn against the Prime Minister and use the 'power of my mind' to mount a telepathic attack on Mrs May aimed at forcing her to hold a second referendum

Mrs May with her husband, Philip, leaving church in her Maidenhead constituency on March 24

Later, Geller appeared on This Morning and addressed Mrs May directly, saying: 'You are powerful, stay strong and give us a second vote.'

Asked if he behaving unethically, he said: 'Well it may be loosely unethical but I care very much about this.'

Geller rose to fame in the 1970s with an act based around his apparent psychic powers and telepathy skills, which were even tested by the CIA.

He is best known for his trademark spoon-bending trick.

He owns a 1976 Fleetwood Brougham Cadillac which he turned into an artwork by riveting 2,000 spoons to its body panels.

Many of the spoons formerly belonged to famous people, including Napoleon, John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, the Dalai Lama and Gandhi. Gellers website describes the vehicle as priceless.
Germany will become two 'parallel societies' if it does not demand integration from migrants, an expert has warned.

Professor Horst Opaschowski said Germany had 'become a country of immigration overnight' and said the refugee issue was likely to occupy German society for the next 20 years.

Mr Opaschowski, who describes himself as a 'futurologist' and political consultant, said the refugees and migrants who have arrived in Germany in recent years were likely to remain there.

Writing in Bild, he said the German government had to do 'everything possible' to ensure integration.

Germany will become two 'parallel societies' if it does not demand integration from migrants, Professor Horst Opaschowski (pictured) has warned

He said he did not regard immigration as a bad thing in itself but called for more 'honesty' from political leaders.

The number of asylum applications, at more than 150,000 a year, was 'as many as a whole city,' the professor said.

He wrote: 'Germany has become a country of immigrants in the middle of Europe overnight. Immigration will change Germany - but it's not yet clear how.

'But if the state doesn't do everything possible to integrate migrants and demand integration from them, the project will fail.

'There is a danger that two parallel societies will come about.'

Going on to write about poverty and standard of living, he called for a 'vision' for Germany equivalent to John F. Kennedy's dream of landing on the Moon.

It has also emerged that only 35 per cent of migrants arriving in Germany are eligible for asylum.

The decision by German Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured in Brussels last week) to open her country's doors to migrants has sparked a backlash in the country

Hans-Eckhard Sommer, the head of the government office for migrants and refugees, said 'too many people come without a valid asylum reason'.

Almost two-thirds of the 162,000 applications processed last year were accepted, he said.

The wave of immigration into Germany has provoked a huge backlash and sparked the greatest challenge of Angela Merkel's 13-year reign in Berlin.

Tensions over Merkel's 2015 decision to open Germany's doors to a million asylum seekers have helped the anti-migrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party rise to prominence.

The tension has been greatest in the former East Germany where unemployment is still higher than that in the West, almost 30 years since the Berlin Wall came down.

Merkel has said she will not seek a fifth term, meaning she will leave office in 2021 at the latest.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has spoken about her decision to wear a hijab in solidarity with the Muslim community in the wake of the Christchurch shooting.

The New Zealand leader appeared in an emotional interview with host Waleed Aly on The Project on Monday night where she weighed in on the aftermath of the attack and its impact on the community.

Ms Ardern was asked about her decision to don a black headscarf as she comforted victims' families - an image that has since become 'iconic.'

'I've gave it really little thought, it was so obvious to me that it would be the appropriate thing to do,' she said.

'What I underestimated was that it gave people a sense of security. It didn't occur to me for a moment that there would be those women in the community who felt unsafe, wearing, so obviously, their faith.

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Ms Ardern said the decision to wear a hijab 'was so obvious to me that it would be the appropriate thing to do'

The image of the prime minister wearing a black hijab while comforting the families of Christchurch victims has been seen as 'iconic'

'So if in wearing the hijab as I did, gave them a sense of security to continue to practice their faith, then I'm very pleased I did it.

'My job is to make people feel safe, the idea that people currently do not I find deeply distressing and it's my job to bring that sense of security back.'

Ms Ardern spoke on how the nation has been forced to come to terms with the fact that such a crime could take place in a country known for its inclusivity and peacefulness.

And while New Zealand is known for those values, she acknowledged that the country still has issues it must work on.

'The values of tolerance and inclusion and peace - those are New Zealand values. That is not to say there are not pockets of ideology that are counter to our values - that we as a nation utterly reject - but we would be naive to think we're the only country in the world that didn't have pockets of that,' she said.

'You'll hear New Zealanders reflect the fact that what happened here was not an act by a New Zealand citizen, but that does not mean that there are not things we need to address here, we do. And that's the bigger project.'

Ms Ardern spoke on how the nation has been forced to come to terms with the fact that such a crime could take place in a country known for its inclusivity and peacefulness

While New Zealand is known for its peaceful values, she acknowledged that the country still has issues it must work on

When asked about her reaction towards learning the alleged perpetrator was Australian, Ms Ardern replied: 'That was news that did take some time for me to process.'

She added: 'But again, I think that New Zealanders are reflecting on the fact that it was not one of us because in part it helps them process what has happened here. But they do not point it out in an attempt to blame. That is not the reason why it's raised.'

Ms Ardern said that New Zealand has been 'deliberate' in labelling the shooting as a 'terrorist attack' against the Muslim community.

The New Zealand leader appeared in an emotional interview with host Waleed Aly on The Project on Monday night where she weighed in on the aftermath of the attack and its impact on the community

'We will keep being deliberate in our language because the Muslim community here themselves have called this out as an act of violent extremism and we as a nation reject violent extremism in all its forms,' she said.

Aly's first encounter with the New Zealand leader was in stark contrast to his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison last Thursday.

Tensions had reached boiling point onscreen on when Mr Morrison and Aly spoke about comments the politician allegedly made about using anti-Muslim sentiment to win points with voters during a shadow cabinet meeting in 2010.

On Monday, Ms Ardern and Aly shared a warm embraced while she called the journalist's emotional remarks on The Project 'incredible.'

The prime minister also gave a message to her neighbours across the ditch, thanking them for their support.

'To Australia I just say, thank you. Thank you for the solidarity and the support. We're family, we're absolutely family and so we've felt their support acutely. And the message I've been sharing with every global leader is our job is to share love and support for our Muslim communities around the world.'
A Swedish soldier was run over and killed by a tank during a joint military exercise with UK and US forces.

He was killed in the country's north during joint international 'war games' when he was run over by a battle tank, the Swedish armed forces said today.

The military said a 'serious accident' occurred in the early hours of Monday outside the town of Overkalix.

The soldier, who is from the Jamtland region in Sweden, died in the accident involving a combat vehicle of the CV90 model just before 1am on Monday, according to the Swedish Armed Forces.

A camouflaged tracked carrier next to a snowdrift during the Northern Wind exercise conducted by Swedish Army with allied armies, in the north-east of Sweden last Friday

The gunner on a camouflaged tracked carrier shooting his .50 machine gun during the Northern Wind exercise (file photo)

Emergency services were called but he could not be revived.

According to Swedish media, nine soldiers were involved in the accident, but no other members of the military taking part in the manoeuvres were reported as injured.

'One person is confirmed dead after being hit by a Combat Vehicle 90. No other people injured,' the armed forces said in a statement.

Some 10,000 soldiers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, the US and Britain are taking part in the Northern Wind exercises from March 18 to 27, aimed at training in the cold winter climate.

Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that investigations by the defence forces, the police and the National Accident Investigation Board have been launched.

A Swedish Combat Vehicle 9040A similar to the tank involved in the fatal accident (file photo)

A female tank driver looks out of her vehicle during the Northern Wind exercise last week

He added: 'Our thoughts go to the person who has put their life at risk and to their relatives. It is once again a reminder that the armed forces cannot work with certainty.'

The Northern Wind aims to help Sweden and its neighbours carry out combat situations in winter warfare.

Sweden runs the annual military exercises to boost their capabilities and to conduct joint combat operations.

No personnel from foreign countries are thought to have been present during the fatal accident.
A mother and daughter were rescued from the wreckage of a car crash after police used an app that can find people anywhere in the world using just three words.

Valerie Hawkett, 33, was left disoriented after losing control of her Ford Fiesta while driving round a sharp bend in Somerset last October.

Ms Hawkett's vehicle went flying over a hedge and landed on its side in a field.

Her four-year-old daughter Tegan was in the back and the worried mother called the police to come to her aid - but was so shocked by the accident she didn't know where she was.

Valerie Hawkett, 33, pictured with her daughter Tegan, now five, were rescued with the help of What 3 Words

Ms Hawkett lost control of her Ford Fiesta in Somerset last October and was left disoriented after her vehicle landed on its side in a field

Officers were able to find their way to Valerie in the field - after texting her the link to a website called What 3 Words.

It opens on all devices and is able to find the exact position of any location on Earth -using just three words.

The company, which has secured 43.5million in investments so far, now generates revenue by charging businesses for high usage of its service, but remains free to use for most people.

The geocoding system has divided the planet into 57 trillion 3-metre by 3-metre squares, assigning each square a three-word 'address' by converting complex GPS coordinates.

The site uses shorter, more common words for built-up areas and more obscure references for remote locations such as Siberia and the middle of the ocean.

It told Ms Hawkett the three word grid she was in - 'weekend foggy earphones' - which directed police to a road near a field on the A36 heading out of Norton St Philip, Somerset.

Ms Hawkett called police but could not remember where she was, so officers texted her the link to What 3 Words - which generated the address 'weekend foggy earphones'

The pair were then rescued by police - who found their location by entering the three-word address into the website, providing the location

Other combinations of the possible five quadrillion combinations include 'snows funny burglars', 'conga menswear clattered' and 'grumble joke tech'.

Valerie, from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, said: 'It was absolutely brilliant. It's really, really good.

'I was so disoriented after the crash that I didn't know where I was.

'I could have been in that field all day, if it hadn't been for the three-word location.'

Ms Hawkett told how she was taking her daughter, who is now five, to a swimming lesson near Norton St Philip.

What 3 Words divides the planet into 57 trillion 3x3 metre squares, each of which is assigned three English words (pictured here is Nelson's Column, 'this fantastic notes')

The number of distinct words needed to cover the planet is 38,485 - the cube root of 57 trillion (pictured here is the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, 'showed crush stir')

What 3 Words texting service is currently used by around 60 per cent of police forces across the UK (pictured: Stonehenge, 'released rural petal')

She said: 'It's a road I drive every week - but it was really wet weather.

'I was going round a really sharp bend, and I had slowed down, but I just lost control.

'The car fully took off from the road and went up and over a bush, and landed in a field.'

Ms Hawkett said her car landed on its side, with the only means of escape being through the back passenger-side door.

She said: 'The only thing holding me in my seat was my seatbelt. But I managed to get that undone and get me and my daughter out through the back door.'

She added that she suffered from minor whiplash and her daughter suffered a bruised elbow - but they were otherwise uninjured.

Pictured is the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, 'agreed flash brand'

Pictured: The Statue of Liberty, known of What 3 Words as 'planet inches most'

Mount Rushmore, 'upkeep barrier essence', pictured on the What 3 Words website

'I called the police after we got out the car, and I could hear their car driving up and down the road on the other side of the hedge, but they couldn't find me,' Valerie said.

'I was trying to send them my location via Google Maps from my iPhone. But then they texted me the web address for What3Words.

'After that they managed to find me straight away. It was really good. I never even knew about it.'

Ms Hawkett and Tegan were taken to Royal United Hospital in Bath to be checked over - but were released shortly after.

What 3 Words texting service is currently used by around 60 per cent of police forces across the UK.

It allows call handlers to send an SMS that contains a link to the What3words browser map site, in just one tap.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police told MailOnline: 'I can confirm that Avon and Somerset Police used What3Words to locate a woman whose car had left the A36 near Norton St Philip at about 9.40am on 13 October 2018.

'The single-vehicle collision ended with the car in a field and not visible from the road. The app enabled officers to find the woman and her daughter.'
A husband's last dying wish for his ashes to be scattered with the remains of his beloved dog has been ruined after a horror mix-up by a crematorium.

Melbourne woman Kimberley Ogden said her late husband Phil had formed a strong bond with their mastiff ridgeback, Hallie, after both were struck down by illness.

The pair bravely battled their illnesses together for years before passing away within days of each other.

When Ms Ogden received the ashes of her late husband from Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries in Springvale, she mixed them with Hailie's in honour of their friendship.

But in a horrifying twist, Ms Odgen received a call from the cemetery a week later informing her that the ashes she was given belonged to a complete stranger.

Phil and Hallie the dog both passed away within days of each other after being struck down by illness - Phil's dying wish was to have his remains mixed in with their beloved dogs

'When I freaked out on the telephone, she was concerned and said 'you haven't sprinkled them have you?','Ms Odgen told A Current Affair.

'I said 'No, I haven't. But I have poured our beloved dog in with what I thought was Phil!'.

Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust's (SMCT) Chief Operating Officer Angela Uilderks soon released a statement stating that the embarrassing bungle was a result of an 'employee breaching our protocols.'

'It's absolutely despicable,' the widow said.

'It's not okay to treat people like this. It's not okay to get something that's high risk and so emotionally charged, to get it wrong.'

Hallie the mastiff ridgeback died after a tumour was discovered in her nose - Phil died soon after

SMCT said the manager responsible for the devastating mix-up no was no longer employed by the company and an independent audit had been established.

The company claimed to have retrieved both the dog and Phil's ashes and successfully separated them as the two ashes both had different granular textures.

The dog's ashes were returned home and she was was given Phil's correct ashes soon after.

However, Ms Odgen still remains skeptical that the remains are actually his and says she won't be combining them again.
Two charred puppies were rescued from a burning field in Thailand after locals set fire to dead trees.

Firefighters were battling the flames when they noticed two little dogs were struggling to escape the inferno in Nakhon Ratchasima, in the north east of the country last Friday afternoon.

The men then jumped across the fence running into the burning woods and carried the two-month-old pups out.

The canines emerged coughing and spluttering with burned black fur.

One of the puppies rescued by firefighters from a burning field in Thailand. After being washed the brown dog (pictured) was found to be scalded across more than 20 per cent of his body

Charred: The white puppy (pictured) was found to be in a healthy condition after being cleaned by rescuers

Rescuers washed them and found the white puppy was in a healthy condition while the brown one was scalded and burned across more than 20 per cent of his body.

Noppachai Klin-sungnoen, the chief of Nakhon Ratchasima's Forest Fire Control Division, said that the rescue team were delighted to find the pooches and save them in time.

He said: 'It was possible that these puppies had been living around the area before a fire.

'They might not have been able to run from the burning forest up to the road because it was too high for them.

'I didn't know if there were more puppies in there. If there were more, then they might be already burned to death. But we were still glad to save these two.'

Firefighters and animal welfare rescuers cleaned and treated the two puppies after they were rescued from the flaming field

The blaze in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, was started by locals who set fire to dead trees

Safe at last: Firefighters rushed into the burning woods to save the two small dogs (one pictured moments after being rescued with his tongue out) from the inferno

Unfortunately, the mother was not seen in the area and is believed to have perished in the flames.

Officers provided basic first aid to the puppies before sending them both to vets.

The white puppy has been adopted while the injured one is still under the care of the vet, waiting to fully recover.

It is believed that their siblings could also have been killed.

Fire chief Noppachai said that the fire was caused by villagers who were trying to clear dead trees from the patch of land.

He said: 'It took more than five hours to stop the fire which came from the piles of dead branches miles away from the road. The burning has destroyed 20 acres of the natural field.

'I wish people could stop burning the forest as there are many innocent lives lost and affected by the fire.'
A driver in China has survived unscathed after his car broke down on a highway and was rear-ended by a fast lorry shortly after.

The motorist had just abandoned his car and climbed over the crash barrier when the huge truck crashed straight into his white vehicle.

The 18-year-old driver was driving a rental electric car which ran out of battery on the expressway, according to local reports.

The truck approaches the car as the driver calls the police for help by the crash barrier in China

The heavy goods swipes the car away and out of camera shot as the driver escapes in terror

The heart-stopping moment was captured by a surveillance camera along the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway in Zhejiang Province, according to traffic police.

The driver was calling the traffic police for help when the accident occurred last Wednesday near the city of Jiaxing, said Jiaxing Highway Traffic Police.

During the phone call, which lasted around one minute, officers advised the driver to turn on his hazard lights and place an emergency triangle roughly 150 metres (492 feet) behind the car.

They also advised him to immediately leave the site and go to the other side of the crash barrier. The driver did so about five seconds before the potentially fatal crash took place.

The lorry driver had been driving nearly seven hours without a break, local traffic police said

The rental electric car, completely wrecked after the accident, had run out of battery halfway

Surveillance footage released by the police shows the driver speaking on the phone with traffic police as his car is stranded on the hard shoulder.

He steps away from the broken-down car and climbs to the other side of the crash barrier as advised by the authorities on the phone.

Seconds later, the heavy goods vehicle slams into the back of the electric car, swiping it away and out of camera shot as the young driver escapes in terror.

According to Zhejiang Highway Traffic Police, the lorry driver had been driving nearly seven hours without a break before the accident.

The white car's driver, 18-year-old Li, is not allowed to drive on a highway unaccompanied

The authority said the lorry driver broke the traffic law and should bear the full responsibility of the accident.

The lucky driver has been identified as 18-year-old Li by Urban Express.

The local newspaper said the teenage driver had just received his driving license and was still in his learner phase.

According to the Chinese traffic law, a driver is not allowed to drive on motorways unaccompanied during the learner's phase.

It is said that Li wanted to push his luck, therefore he rented an electric car and drove onto the Shanghai-bound expressway, only for it to run out of battery and break down halfway.

It remains unclear if Li would receive any punishment for his behaviour.
A video of a secondary school teacher in north China leading hundreds of students in a salsa dance routine has taken the internet by storm.

The PE teacher, Zhang Guannan, was filmed leading all 400 students of a school in Pingliang, Gansu province on the playground in an impressive synchronised dance routine to Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee's hit song, Dura.

The bold teacher said he thought the cool dance moves and the infectious track could add more fun to the students' daily exercise routine, Chinese media reported.

The PE teacher, Zhang Guannan, was filmed leading all 400 students of a school in Pingliang, Gansu province on the playground in an impressive synchronised dance routine to Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee's hit song, 'Dura'

The bold teacher said he thought the cool dance moves and the infectious track could add more fun to the students' daily exercise routine, Chinese media reported

The new dance routine at the school has replaced the government-imposed broadcast callisthenics programme, a short workout that has been a requirement at every primary, middle and secondary school in China since 1951.

The rigid routine, which involves students stretching, jumping and bending under recorded instructions, aims to improve strength, agility and flexibility.

'Under the influence of social media and the internet, many students find the traditional callisthenics programme really tedious and boring,' Zhang told Beijing News.

He came across Daddy Yankee's viral dance challenge on the internet, and thought the summery Spanish-language dancehall track was 'perfect' for his students.

The PE teacher came across Daddy Yankee's viral dance challenge on the internet, and thought the summery Spanish-language dancehall track was 'perfect' for his students

Zhang said he choreographed the dance based on the videos online and taught his students the moves over the course of two weeks

After the song was released in mid-January 2018, the #DuraChallenge quickly became a viral sensation across the world, including in China, where people shared their best moves to the song on social media.

Zhang said he choreographed the dance based on the videos online and taught his students the moves over the course of two weeks.

Footage filmed on Friday shows the energetic teacher and his students, all lined up in their blue school uniform, smiling from ear-to-ear and shaking their bodies in perfect sync to the beat of the upbeat track.

The video quickly went viral on Chinese social media, with a Weibo topic page titled '400 students in viral dance routine' gathering more than one million views.

'I'd rather do this routine than any of the traditional callisthenics exercises,' one comment read. 'I wish I got to do this when I was in school.'

The video quickly went viral on Chinese social media, with a Weibo topic page titled '400 students in viral dance routine' gathering more than one million views

After the song was released in January 2018, the #DuraChallenge quickly became a viral sensation in China, where people shared their best moves to the song on social media

Zhang also believed that activities like the Dura dance could help eliminate any generation gap between instructors and young students. Above, students dancing in their blue uniforms

'It looks really cool! What a great teacher,' one user said.

'When I was in secondary school, students had to learn Tai Chi! I wish we learned dancing instead,' another said.

'What a great way to get students to be more active. That looks a lot of fun!' one user said.

'Our younger generation of students enjoy more upbeat and happier tempos, perhaps something that's more "in style",' Zhang told reporters. 'The dance was really cool and students would get their exercise for the day.'

'At first, some of the students were reluctant to learn the moves,' he said. 'But after several lessons, they were having a lot of fun.'

Zhang also believed that activities like the Dura dance could help eliminate any generation gap between instructors and young students.

In January, a primary school principal in Linyi country, Shanxi province also became an internet celebrity after leading 700 students in a synchronised 'ghost shuffle routine'.

'It's inevitable that a generation gap exists between us and our students - but it's important for educators to come up with creative ways to bridge the gap,' he said.

'That will make it easier for us to step into our children's world and understand them.'

'Education must evolve to fit the needs of modern society,' he stressed. 'At the same time, we must strike a balance between progressive elements and maintaining traditional teaching methods and ideas.'

In January, a primary school principal in Linyi country, Shanxi province also became an internet celebrity after leading 700 students in a synchronised 'ghost shuffle routine'.

By incorporating the dance, which incorporates contemporary jazz steps with heel, toe and arm movements,' the princpal of the Xi Guan Primary School thought the activity would better encourage students to get active instead of 'being glued to their mobile phones.'
A man cut his foot off and threw it away after performing a DIY amputation at home, sparking a mistaken murder probe when a dog found the body part.

Vladimir Tverdokhleb, 62, chopped his right foot off with a kitchen knife after he developed dry gangrene and noticed a horrible smell.

According to local media he sliced it off without taking any painkillers before his wife Tatiana, who said the couple did not have enough money for an amputation in hospital, threw it on a rubbish pile nearby.

But the stinking foot attracted a nearby dog, in the village of Okhtyrka in north-eastern Ukraine, who found it and brought it to its home.

Vladimir Tverdokhleb (pictured after the amputation), 62, chopped his right foot off with a kitchen knife after he developed dry gangrene and noticed a horrible smell

Vladimir Tverdokhleb, pictured left, after his DIY amputation, cut the foot off before his wife Tatiana, right, threw it on a nearby rubbish pile

A neighbour, a pensioner called Irina who owns the dog, spotted the foot in her courtyard.

She said: 'It [the dog] brought something black and was about to eat it. I became curious and approached to look at it.

'At first I could not make what was it. Then I saw toes and nails and realised it was a human body part. I felt sick.

'I cannot even describe how terrified I was at that moment.'

The old lady chased the dog away and reported the find to the police.

Fearing a murder, police officers started searching the area trying to find any other missing body parts.

Okhtyrka Police chief Ruslan Kladko said: 'We suspected that there might have been a corpse in the area. We searched rubbish dumps and abandoned houses but found nothing.'

Pensioner Irina, pictured, received a fright when her dog picked the foot up from a rubbish pile and brought it home

Tatiana is pictured near the couple's home in north-eastern Ukraine. She said the couple could not afford hospital treatment

Meanwhile Tverdokhleb started experiencing complications after his DIY amputation.

His wife called an ambulance and he was taken to hospital. Doctors diagnosed him with inflammation to his right leg, saying that it was caused by his DIY amputation.

Okhtyrka Regional Hospital head surgeon Vitaly Stetsenko said: 'The man was hospitalised after he cut his foot off on his own.

'He told us that on March 18 he cut his right foot off with a kitchen knife. Apparently the foot rotted and he managed to cut it off.

'He still needs surgery and further treatment as his right leg is still infected with gangrene.'

After police determined that Tverdokhleb was the 'owner' of the foot, they closed the investigation.

Ruslan Kladko, the police chief, whose officers suspected a murder after finding the foot and looked for other missing body parts

He reportedly started having health problems last year after stepping on a nail and piercing his right foot.

He did not seek medical help, thinking that his wound would heal, but ended up with gangrene.

His wife Tatiana told local media that her husband decided to cut the foot off because the couple did not have enough money to pay for treatment in the hospital.

She said: 'We did not have money to pay for hospital. He [her husband] decided to cut the foot on his own as it was black and had a horrible stench.'

Now, after the story made headlines in Ukrainian media, Vladimir Tverdokhleb is receiving medical treatment for free, it has been reported. Doctors say he will be be better soon.
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The Israeli military has pounded targets in Gaza and destroyed the Hamas leader's office after a rocket attack on an Israeli home early this morning.

Hamas' radio station confirmed that an Israeli airstrike demolished the offices of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who went into hiding earlier on Monday following a devastating Hamas strike wounded seven Israelis.

The airstrike took place moments after Israel fired a pair of warning shots at the office, a tactic that Israel uses to get people to evacuate targeted buildings.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

In a written statement earlier Monday, Haniyeh said the Palestinian people 'will not surrender' and its militant factions 'will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.'

Fire and smoke below above buildings in Gaza City during reported Israeli strikes today

Israel's military launched strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip today, the army and witnesses said, hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house and wounded seven Israelis

The reported strikes rained down as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington

Witnesses and a security source in Gaza said there had been at least two strikes on a site belonging to Hamas's military wing in the west of the Gaza Strip.

The reported strikes rained down as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump in Washington. Netanyahu declared his men were 'responding forcefully' to 'wanton aggression.'

Before strikes began, Major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades were mobilised and there was a limited drafting of reserves.

The rare long-distance missile was fired from the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Monday, 'demolishing' a house in central Israel and wounding seven people, according to reports.

The family home in Mishmeret, north of Tel Aviv, was left in ruins, with tiles, broken furniture and debris scattered about. A shattered baby's crib lay among the rubble and two family dogs died in the explosion.

'I nearly lost my family,' said Robert Wolf, grandfather of the injured residents. 'If we hadn't gotten to the bomb shelter in time, I would now be burying all my family.'

Israel believe it was a self-manufactured rocket made by Gaza's rulers Hamas, and had a range of about 75 miles.

A Hamas official denied the group was behind the rocket, suggesting it was caused by 'bad weather'.

Maj Lifshitz said the rocket was fired from a launching pad in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

The attack has prompted Netanyahu to cut short his trip to Washington DC. 'As we speak, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression,' Netanyahu said at the White House. 'Israel will not tolerate this, I will not tolerate this,' Netanyahu said

Trump expressed condolences for the rocket attack and said that the United States backs Israel's 'right to defend itself'

Netanyahu said: 'There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully,' he said. 'In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward'

An eruption of flame and smoke as Israel's military launched strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip today, the army and witnesses said, hours after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit a house and wounded seven Israelis

A ball of fire lights the sky above a building believed to house the offices of Hamas chief in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, during Israeli strikes on the Gaza City today

Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground

An Israeli police sapper surveys the rubble following the reported Hamas strike on a house to the north of Tel Aviv

Smoke billows into the horizon over the southern Gaza strip today as Israel rained down strikes on Hamas positions in retaliation

Benjamin Netanyahu (left) was meeting with President Donald Trump (centre) and Vice President Mike Pence in Washington today as strikes hit Hamas targets in Gaza

The attack has prompted Netanyahu to cut short his trip to Washington DC.

'As we speak, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression,' Netanyahu said at the White House.

'Israel will not tolerate this, I will not tolerate this,' Netanyahu said.

Trump expressed condolences for the rocket attack and said that the United States backs Israel's 'right to defend itself.'

The military quickly mobilized troops and called up reserves, setting the stage for a potential major conflagration shortly before Israel's upcoming elections.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall in the farming community of Mishmeret, including two women who were moderately wounded.

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

Israeli warplanes carry out a fresh wave of airstrikes across the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday

Red flames flash from buildings in Gaza as Israel unleashed powerful strikes on Gaza City on Monday

Israeli warplanes could be seen in the skies over Gaza carrying out fearsome strikes on targets in Gaza today

A plume of black smoke rises above buildings in Rafah, southern Gaza, after Netanyahu declared his men were 'responding forcefully' to 'wanton aggression'

Israeli officials said the self-manufactured rocket was fired from a launching pad in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah, and had a range of about 75 miles (officials search the home today)

Robert Wolf stands inside his house after it was hit by a rocket in the village of Mishmeret, north of Tel Aviv

The sounds of air raid sirens had jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5am, sending many to their bomb shelters.

'It's a miracle that nobody got killed,' said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene.

Netanyahu held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel and cancelled a planned address to the AIPAC conference.

'There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully,' he said. 'In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.'

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground.

Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises.

Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

Wolf said: 'If we hadn't gotten to the bomb shelter in time, I would now be burying all my family'

Trump next to Netanyahu during a ceremony to sign a proclamation recognising Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights today

A view of the damage at a house that suffered a direct hit from a missile reportedly fired by Gaza rulers Hamas in the early hours of this morning

Israeli police inspect the site after a rare long-distance improvised Hamas rocket was said to have destroyed the home, injuring seven occupants and killing two family dogs

Israeli troops close a road in the southern Kibbutz of Mefalsim near the border with Gaza earlier today

Seven people were wounded in the attack, and two dogs belonging to the family died

Monday's attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel's densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be moving toward another confrontation. But Gaza's Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidently and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack, but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire.

A possible trigger could have been a prison riot late Sunday when Hamas-affiliated prisoners stabbed an Israeli guard in the neck in southern Israel.

Israeli guards moved in to subdue the rioters, wounding about a dozen prisoners, three of them seriously. In a statement, Hamas called for an end to the crackdown.

'We do not yet have a full understanding of who exactly ordered the firing of the rocket,' said Eran Lerman, a former deputy director at Israel's National Security Council.

'It's a miracle that nobody got killed,' said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene

'But clearly this is no longer something that can be explained away as a mistake or a technical failure.'

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, a militant Palestinian group that seeks Israel's destruction and possesses a large arsenal of rockets and missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel.

The territory is home to other Palestinian militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also has a rocket arsenal.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the group seized power in the strip in 2007. Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war in 2014. Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for all fire coming out of the coastal territory.

The outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days. Netanyahu, who also served as defense minister, is locked in a tight fight for re-election and has faced heavy criticism from his opponents for what they say has been an ineffective response to Gaza militants.

'The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable,' his chief challenger, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter on Monday.
Five people died after three shooting incidents broke out in China's Inner Mongolia region today.

The Kailu county public security bureau in Tongliao city said an individual shot and killed five people at about 3:30pm local time before being apprehended by police about an hour later.

The first shooting happened at the Nan'er water plant, where two people were shot dead, according to a photo of a police statement circulating on social media. Various news agencies in China have verified the statement.

Video footage released by Beijing News shows a man lying on the ground beside an orange vehicle outside a row of shops as police officers secure the area with crime scene tape

Police investigating one of the crime scenes where a shooting took place in Kailu county today

About 20 minutes later, a second shooting broke out at a shop and two other people died, according to the police statement verified by Beijing News.

The third and last incident occurred at about 4:20pm at a mall selling furniture and construction materials, where one person was shot dead.

The statement identified a male suspect from Kailu, surnamed Liang. The gun and bullets were seized from him, but the bureau did not say whether anyone else was injured. Investigations are being conducted.

The statement identified a male suspect from Kailu, surnamed Liang. The gun and bullets were seized from him, but the bureau did not say whether anyone else was injured

The shooting happened in Kailu County in the city of Tongliao in eastern Inner Mongolia today

Video footage released by Beijing News shows a man lying on the ground beside an orange vehicle outside a row of shops as police officers secure the area with crime scene tape. Several ambulances were also at the scene.

Gun crime is rare in China, where private firearm ownership is almost entirely forbidden.

Civilians are not allowed to possess any firearms, but guns can be purchased on the black market through online dealers.

Regulations introduced in 2014 mandate that police officers carry guns - a change after decades in which Chinese police were unarmed.

The Kailu county public security bureau in Tongliao (above) said an individual shot and killed five people at about 3:30pm local time before being apprehended by police

Gunpolicy.org, a project of the Sydney School of Public Health that tracks gun ownership worldwide, estimates that there are 3.6 guns for every 100 civilians in China last year.

Also last year, the number of reported gun-related crime was down by more than 80 per cent compared with 2012, according to the Ministry of Public Security cited by China Daily.

In August, four people were killed by a gunman during a personal dispute in Shanggao county, East China's Jiangxi province. The suspect, Kuang Yulin was shot dead by police after he refused to surrender following a nationwide manhunt.
Shoppers today backed Tesco's decision to only sell 45 types of fruit and veg loose in a trial aiming to reduce plastic pollution.

Under the scheme at two stores, Britain's biggest supermarket will only sell fresh produce including apples, onions and mushrooms unpackaged.

It hopes to extend the initiative to all of its supermarkets in a move that could prevent the production of millions of plastic bags and punnets.

Mark Eliades, a Tesco shopper in Watford today, said: 'I am 100 per cent behind this idea. I have to smile when I see people picking up bananas and putting them in plastic bags'

The changes at the Watford and Swindon stores come as customers become increasingly aware of the harm caused by plastic packaging that cannot be recycled.

Tesco said it would closely monitor each of the 45 products to see if the move increased food waste - and shoppers in Watford gave their backing to the news.

Lindsey Nicholson said: 'It's got to be a good thing and it's coming at the right time, because people are now getting into the habit of recycling and thinking much more about it.'

Jean Chattergee added: 'To know there is a store taking steps to reduce plastic packaging would make me use it. I am quite happy to pick up loose items and put them in a paper bag or my own bags.

'People have just got to make sure they are organised when they go shopping and that they have the bags for life for putting fruit and veg in.'

Laura Thomas was out shopping with her baby daughter Marlie

Dhaval Pandya said: 'It's a brilliant idea and I'm fully behind it. I try and think carefully now about the whole issue when I go shopping.'

And Tina Mohar said 'It's a great idea. Anything that cuts down the packaging you end up with when you go shopping is a good idea. I always take my own bags with me. Let's face it, the packaging can be ridiculous these days and just fills up the house.'

Mark Eliades said: 'I am 100 per cent behind this idea. We have to do something. I have to smile when I see people picking up bananas and putting them in plastic bags.

'You want to tell them that a banana has its own packaging, and why do I need a plastic bag for a few parsnips?

'I am an outdoors type of person so am regularly out fishing and it's so upsetting when you see the amount of plastic and rubbish floating by on the water.'

Dave Mason and his wife Pamela emerged from the store with shopping for their son who has just moved to Britain. Mr Mason said: 'I think it's a good idea'

Laura Thomas, who was out shopping with her baby daughter Marlie, said: 'As a new mother, I find myself thinking more and more about what sort of world my daughter is growing up into.

'I am more than aware that we have to look after it and do what we can for her generation. Anything that reduces the plastic you come away with from a supermarket has got to be a good thing.'

Dave Mason and his wife Pamela emerged from the store with shopping for their son who has just moved to Britain. The couple live in Malta but came over to the UK to help their son with the move.

Mr Mason said: 'I think it's a good idea. We brought our own plastic bags today to the store and brought nothing out with us. Back home in Malta, we do what we can to reduce waste packaging.

'If you can reduce the packaging that goes around fresh food, it's got to be an excellent move and we support it completely.'

Jean Chattergee said: 'To know there is a store taking steps to reduce plastic packaging would make me use it. I am quite happy to pick up loose items and put them in a paper bag or my own bags.

The Tesco initiative, which follows similar trials by Marks & Spencer and Iceland, is significant because it is the UK's biggest supermarket chain.

Free filtered drinking water at Pret a Manger as backlash continues against plastic bottles Hundreds of Pret a Manger outlets are to offer free filtered drinking water to customers as part of the growing backlash against plastic bottles. The idea is that anyone can use water fountains set up in some 250 of the company's outlets across the country, even if they are not making a purchase. The company believes the initiative will reduce the need for millions of throwaway plastic bottles which end up as litter, are buried in landfill or burned for energy. The move is a victory for the Daily Mail's 'Turn the Tide on Plastic' campaign and part of a growing backlash against the pollution and waste associated with plastic bottles and packaging. An estimated 35 million plastic bottles are sold in UK every day, however fewer than 60 per cent are recycled and as many as 700,000 plastic bottles fuel a tide of litter per day. There is research suggesting that one in three people  34 per cent  feel embarrassed or reluctant to ask for a drinking water refill in an establishment where they have not made a purchase. Strangely, one in five still feel uncomfortable asking even when they had made a purchase. However, bosses at Pret say they want to make clear to the public that they are very welcome to use the water fountains without spending anything. Advertisement

Other national chains, such as Morrisons and Waitrose, are moving in the same direction by, for example, doing away with plastic packaging in favour of paper bags or other recyclable materials.

The changes come in response to a backlash from shoppers who have been alerted to the harm caused by plastic packaging to the environment.

At the same time, many are angry that supermarkets are pumping out huge amounts of plastic packaging that ends up in bins and cannot be recycled. As a result, it ends up in landfill or is burned for energy.

Tesco is actively removing a 45 packaged foods from stores in Watford and Swindon, where these same products are sold loose and customers can pick their own from the shelves.

This returns to a more traditional type of selling fresh produce which harks back to the way greengrocers operate.

A Tesco spokesman said: 'Customers will see fruit and veg including varieties of apples, mushrooms, peppers, onions, bananas and avocados free from their packaging.'

Historically, supermarkets have defended their use of packaging on the basis it is claimed to protect fresh produce and so reduces food waste.

Tesco said it will be surveying shoppers in the stores to help understand the reaction to the trial. It will also be closely monitoring each of the products to see if there is an increase in food waste.

The chain's director of quality, Sarah Bradbury, said: 'We want to remove as much plastic as we can from our products, only using what is necessary to protect and preserve our food.

'We hope this trial proves popular with customers. We'll be keeping a close eye on the results, including any impact on food waste.

'Whatever happens, we're going to keep reducing the amount of packaging we use and ensure everything on our shelves is fully recyclable.'

Dhaval Pandya said: 'It's a brilliant idea and I'm fully behind it. I try and think carefully now about the whole issue when I go shopping'

In January, Marks & Spencer announced a trial that involves selling 90 lines of fruit and vegetables sold loose, rather than in packaging, at a store in Tolworth, south west London.

It also committed to launching additional lines of loose produce and more sustainable alternatives to plastic in every UK store, which could save 580 tonnes of plastic waste over two years alone.

It is also replacing plastic produce bags with paper ones and is phasing out plastic barcode stickers in favour of eco-friendly alternatives.

The loose produce range not only includes hard fruit and veg like potatoes and bananas, but also more perishable items such as soft fruits and berries, which are sold in compostable punnets.

Tina Mohar said: 'Let's face it, the packaging can be ridiculous these days and just fills up the house'

To support the trial, M&S has introduced trained greengrocers. In addition to helping customers pick and weigh their products, they will provide tips on how best to preserve fresh produce and prevent food waste at home.

Head of Food Sustainability at M&S, Louise Nicholls, said: 'We know our customers want to play their part in cutting out plastic, while as a business our goal is to become zero-waste by 2025.

'That's why we're working hard to reduce the amount of plastic packaging we use without compromising on food quality and contributing to waste.

'Bringing back the traditional greengrocer will play a key part in educating our customers. Our plan is to create long-term impact in the future.'

The changes at the stores in Watford (pictured today) and Swindon come as customers become increasingly aware of the harm caused by plastic packaging that cannot be recycled

Iceland has brought back greengrocer style displays in a trial at one of its larger concept stores, The Food Warehouse, in North Liverpool. Some 35 produce lines are being sold loose.

The same Iceland store is running a trial on selling 27 produce lines in plastic-free packaging such as see-through films created from plant origin cellulose, compostable punnets and nets, and paper bags.

Managing director at Iceland, Richard Walker, said: 'Over 12 million tonnes of plastic enters the world's oceans every year and the retail industry can no longer ignore the plastics tidal wave which is coming our way.

'We all have a part to play in tackling the issue and Iceland is constantly looking for ways to reduce its own plastic footprint.'
Alex Pandolfo, 64, was diagnosed four years ago with early-onset Alzheimer's disease

A an academic with dementia plans to travel to a Swiss clinic to end his own life.

Alex Pandolfo, 64, was diagnosed four years ago with early-onset Alzheimer's disease - the most common form of dementia - and told he has five to six years to live.

He has been given the 'green light' after signing up for an 'assisted voluntary death' (AVD) in Basel, Switzerland.

The trip will cost him roughly 10,000 including flights, accommodation and the fee paid to Lifecircle, a centre set up by former Dignitas employee Dr Erika Preisig.

Mr Pandolfo lives in Lancaster and lectured in education at the town's university after winning a scholarship to Oxford and working as a trade union activist.

He now struggles to read and write coherently, keep track of time or hold conversations, and is unable to drive.

Mr Pandolfo, who is unmarried and has no children, is desperate to avoid meeting a similar fate as his father Vincent - whom he cared for for five years, watching him slowly wither as vascular dementia took his life.

Mr Pandolfo said: 'I love life. I value my life. I don't value how it will end.

Pictured: A letter from Lifecircle in Switzerland confirming Alex Pandolfo's 'green light' for assisted death

'Most people aren't afraid of dying - it's the way of dying.

'I've always been quite pragmatic.'

Mr Pandolfo set out how, upon arrival at the village of Liestal, he will be assessed by doctors to confirm he has 'capacity' to end his own life, and on the day of his assisted death, he must sign documents for the Swiss authorities.

Then, he will be hooked up to an intravenous drip with saline water only, before he is given the chance to take his own life medically.

To comply with Swiss legislation, Lifecircle will film Alex during his interviews with the doctors and throughout his assisted death.

Copies of the footage will then be handed to police afterwards.

Before he is able to administer the lethal drugs, Alex will have to state his name and date of birth to the cameras as well as a description of where he is, why he is there and that he understands the consequences of his actions.

Upon administering the drugs, Alex will lose consciousness within one or two minutes, and die a few minutes later.

His mother Mary and two sisters are supportive of his decision, as are his partner Poppy and cousin Maria who will likely come with him to Switzerland.

Poppy and Maria will play no part in Mr Pandolfo's preparations or they could leave themselves open to prosecution.

Alex, right, on holiday in Blackpool in the 50s with his sisters Gina, left, Anita, middle and father Vincent

If his dementia symptoms deteriorate too far, he won't be able to demonstrate capacity to end his own life.

'I thought the end of 2018 or the start of 2019 would be about right,' he said.

'But I've ended up putting it back twelve months, which I didn't expect.

'There has been some deterioration [in his Alzheimer's symptoms], but I've been working on coping strategies.

'If I'm the same as I am now [at the end of this year], I will put it back again.

'I'm in no rush to go, I'm not suicidal.

'Suicide, in general, tends to be an act of desperation.

Assisted suicide Assisted suicide remains a criminal offence in the UK, carrying a maximum jail sentence of 14 years. Under Swiss law, patients with dementia are permitted to take their own lives as long as they can prove 'capacity' to make the decision. If their symptoms have progressed too far, the clinic will refuse to assist the suicide. In 2015, the House of Commons rejected a bill to allow terminally ill people to request assistance with ending their life if they had less than six months to live. At least three Britons have faced a police investigation after returning from a loved one's assisted death at a Dignitas clinic, although no-one has been prosecuted. Assisted dying is legal in Germany and the Netherlands, and in a number of US states including California and Oregon. The UK is still governed by the Suicide Act 1961 which states that assisted suicide is punishable by 14 years in prison. Advertisement

'My dying process has started a lot earlier than I would have liked.

'All I want is a certain degree of assistance with that death so I don't have to suffer.'

Research published by Zurich University in 2014 suggests one person a fortnight travels from the UK to Switzerland to take their own life.

Mr Pandolfo, the son of a coal miner, was born into a working class Irish-Italian family in 1954 and attended a catholic school before he was kicked out at age 14.

By age 16 he had saved up enough, after working with his father, to visit Spain on holiday, and continued his travels in the Canary Islands, Morocco, India and Sri Lanka before moving to Lancaster for a university teaching job in 1992.

In 2000, his father Vincent was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and then developed vascular dementia.

Mr Pandolfo moved back to New Moston to care for his father as he 'became the antithesis of everything he had ever been'.

He describes his father going from a gentle and kind man to becoming 'violent, abusive, extremely lewd' and 'incontinent'.

'If I'd known a doctor, if I would've got hold of the right medication and killed him straight away,' Mr Pandolfo said.

'I would sooner have done that and gone to prison.

'I did everything I possibly could for him, he had the best possible care, but I still feel guilty.'

Vincent also forgot who his son was while he was in the house, thinking he was a burglar, Mr Pandolfo said, adding that he was 'glad' when his father died from sepsis 14 years ago.

The Italian side of Alex' family - one brother died on the Arandora Star that sunk in 1940

Last week the Royal College of Physicians ended its 13-year opposition to the idea of helping terminally ill patients die and adopted a neutral position.

The campaign group Care Not Killing opposes a change in the current assisted suicide and euthanasia laws, describing them as 'clear and right.'

Setting out their position the group says a change in the law 'would place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others', that requests for euthanasia are 'extremely rare if people are properly cared for' and that 'safeguards' against abuse would not work and instead activists would force incremental extension of candidates.

The group says the number of British people travelling abroad to commit assisted suicide or euthanasia is very small compared to numbers in countries that have legalised assisted suicide or euthanasia and that public opinion polls showing support are 'easily manipulated'.

In a statement, Sally Copley, director of policy, public affairs and campaigns at the Alzheimer's Society said: 'Any debate around assisted dying and dementia should reflect that everyone's experience of dementia is unique, and the voices and views of people with dementia should be at its heart.

'Equally important is to take into account the specific challenges facing people with dementia - including their capacity to make decisions, which can change over time.

'Everyone with dementia has the right to have their wishes respected, and to be involved in their care right up to end of life.

'Above all, we need to ensure that people with dementia's final days are made as comfortable as possible through compassionate and properly funded care.'
Ricky Gervais boosted his company's earnings by more than 3million in the last year alone, it has been revealed.

The creator of The Office and Extras boosted his income with multi-million pound Netflix deals for Humanity and After Life.

He is currently starring in the poignant series After Life, a life-affirming portrait of grief seen through the eyes of Gervais's protagonist Tony, which has been lauded by viewers and critics alike.

The 57-year-old comedian, who produced, wrote and directed the smash-hit drama, earned his company some 3.2million in the last year alone.

Ricky Gervais (Tony) alongside Penelope Wilton (Anne) in After Life

The comedian (pictured with his wife, bestselling novelist Jane Fallon, in September 2016) has been lauded for the life-affirming series

Black comedy After Life has won rave reviews for Gervais's portrayal of local newspaper reporter Tony Johnson, who struggles to come to terms with the death of his beloved wife Lisa.

The six-part series sees him reunited with his Extras co-star co-starred Ashley Jensen alongside a host of stars including Kerry Godliman as Lisa, and Roisin Conaty as a sex worker.

Following After Life's debut on Netflix earlier this month, Gervais was universally praised for the show.

And taking to Facebook, the 57-year-old comic writer confirmed he was deep in the throngs of a follow-up instalment of the heart-wrenching drama, adding that he'd 'never had a reaction like it.'

In 2018, the retained profits for Derek Productions Limited, the company owned by Gervais, soared from 800,000 to 2.4 million, accounts reveal.

Red Lion 100 Limited went up 1.3 million to 4.4 million and funds in Red Lion 99 LLP went up by 400,000 to 3.6 million, with a further 100,000 increase from three other companies, which are now together worth 1.6 million.

That figure does not include the 1.5 million dividend the star paid himself last year according to figures for his company Derek Productions Limited.

He was hit with corporation tax bills totalling nearly 700,000 from two of the companies.

Gervais starred in, directed and produced the six-episode series After Life

The black comedy on Netflix follows Tony's struggle as he forges friendships in the wake of his wife's death

After Life has won rave reviews for Gervais's portrayal of local newspaper reporter Tony Johnson, who struggles to come to terms with the death of his beloved wife Lisa (pictured together)

Gervais rose to fame 18 years ago when The Office propelled him to a worldwide audience.

He lives in a mansion in Hampstead, north London which is worth more than 11 million and boosted his income when The Office was reworked for America and ran for eight years and more than 200 episodes.

A financial expert said: 'The accounts show an almost a 50% increase in the value of his companies. He obviously came from a financially healthy position, but 2018 was clearly a big step up.'
The first black woman to lead a city police department in Virginia said Monday that she was forced out, calling herself 'no quitter' and accusing a small group of officers of 'bias and acts of systemic racism, discriminatory practices and abuse of authority.'

Tonya Chapman released a four-page statement a week after her abrupt resignation. It says her attempts to change the culture consistently were met with resistance from some people within the Portsmouth Police Department, some of whom 'quite frankly did not like taking direction from an African American female.'

Despite working closely with the city manager during her three-year tenure, Chapman says the city manager made her resign 'under duress' and without warning.

City Manager L. Pettis Patton did not immediately return calls Monday seeking comment.

Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman in the City Council Chambers in Portsmouth, Virginia. Chapman released a four-page statement early Monday, March 25, 2019, a week after she abruptly resigned from the Portsmouth Police Department

'There will be no comment as this is a personnel matter,' said Dana Woodson, a spokesperson for the city.

City Councilor Elizabeth Psimas said in an email that council members can't comment on city employee personnel matters.

Chapman said the city manager told her that if she signed a pre-written resignation letter, she would receive two months of severance pay, but if she did not, she would be terminated. She said she is asking the city to extend her severance pay to six months and to give her a positive letter of recommendation.

Portsmouth, with a population of nearly 100,000 people, is about 52 percent black. Home to a large Navy medical center and a sprawling shipyard, it sits across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk and is a short drive to the Atlantic Coast.

Chapman said she could not provide additional information about her forced resignation but suggested it was driven by 'members of a highly influential fraternal organization' who had tried unsuccessfully for more than two years to generate a vote of 'no confidence' in her.

She said some of those people were recently disciplined for policy violations.

Sgt. Matthew Crutcher, president of the Portsmouth Fraternal Order of Police, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Chapman said she knew running the police department would be a challenge but became acutely aware of racial tensions within the ranks after a former officer was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2015 shooting of a black man.

Officer Stephen Rankin shot and killed William Chapman II outside a Walmart. The 18-year-old was unarmed and had been suspected of shoplifting.

Rankin, who is white, claimed self-defense, saying Chapman knocked away his stun gun and charged at him.

'Having been a member of two other law enforcement agencies, I have never witnessed the degree of bias and acts of systemic racism, discriminatory practices and abuse of authority in all of my almost 30-year career in law enforcement and public safety,' she wrote.

She said she is reluctant to speak publicly about what she witnessed 'out of concern for public safety,' but said she is willing to share specific information with the 'appropriate government entity.'

James Boyd, president of the Portsmouth chapter of the NAACP, said his group will respond at a 6 p.m. Monday news conference. Last week, Boyd said Chapman is the latest victim of what he calls a systemically racist police force.

Chapman's statement also included a list of crime reduction statistics and community engagement initiatives during her tenure.
Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani demanded to know Monday who was responsible for promoting the 'cockamamie' theory that the president conspired with Russians to steal the 2016 election and then tried to obstruct a federal investigation into his actions.

'The question now is: If there was no evidence of collusion  three investigations, no evidence of collusion  who made it up? It had to come from somewhere. It just didn't come out of thin air,' Giuliani said in a 'Fox & Friends' interview.

'I want to know who did it, who paid for it, who fueled it. Because the person who did it, and the group that did it, knows it's untrue  because they invented it.'

Giuliani spoke a day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller reported that the 'collusion' theory was unfounded.

Rudy Giuliani, the personal attorney to Donald Trump, said Monday that he wants to know who was responsible for funding and fueling a conspiracy theory about the president colluding with Russians to swing the 2016 election

Trump and the White House celebrated a vindication on Monday after Special Counsel Robert Mueller determined that no Americans at all colluded with Russia

Trump, he claimed, 'has been absolved, vindicated, exonerated, you pick the word.'

And now, Giuliani said, the pendulum could swing in the direction of probing the president's adversaries who applied pressure inside the Justice Department.

In an editorial Monday, The Wall Street Journal concluded that 'someone may have conned the FBI into one of the great dirty tricks in American political history.'

'Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!' Giuliani responded to a live reading of that line. 'And you're going to find out, believe me, who it was.'

Giuliani said that he wants Democrats and pundits who claimed for two years that Trump stole his election to 'have the decency to say, "I was wrong. I made a mistake"'

He offered no hints, saying only that 'we're still working on it. I've got some theories and there's a lot more than theories going on.'

'Just pay attention,' Giuliani said. 'I think we are in a era of a real Justice Department, where just because you have a "D" after your name Democrat, you know  or "Clinton" or something like that, you still can be held to account.

He also said of a long list of Democrats who have insisted the president and his 2016 campaign colluded with the Kremlin: 'If they are decent people they will now apologize.'

Asked if that would happen in the light of Mueller's conclusions, he replied: 'I think they are shameless. I have seen them already ignore it.'

'You would think they would have the decency to say, "I was wrong. I made a mistake",' Giuliani added.

'He didn't do any of this. The man is an innocent man,' he said of the president.

'To see him go through this was horrible, just as a friend,' he added. 'To see him go through it as the President of the United States really broke my heart as a patriot.'
The DUP insisted its position on the Brexit deal was 'unchanged' today after last-minute talks between Theresa May and Arlene Foster.

The Prime Minister is desperate an 11th hour U-turn from the DUP to support the deal at a third vote in a bid to finally win Commons approval.

But a phone call after today's Cabinet yielded no progress. A DUP spokesman said the party's 'position is unchanged'.

Mrs May has said she will only call a third vote if she thinks she can win.

The last hope is to win over Tory Brexiteer rebels. Boris Johnson appeared to hint today his price is the PM's resignation - but even that may not bring back enough support.

The PM could also try to win over Labour MPs by promising them a say on the negotiating terms for the future trade deal. This compromise would anger Tory Brexiteers - potentially undermining her other tactics.

Theresa May faces a final scramble to save her deal today knowing she must win over her DUP allies to stand any chance of victory

Mrs May must overturn the 149-vote loss on March 12 this week to meet an agreement with the EU that Brexit should happen on May 22.

But failure to win new support risks pushing the margin back out toward the record-breaking 230-vote defeat from January.

Mr Johnson appeared to outline his price for support in his Telegraph column today.

He said: 'Can we really go on with a negotiating team that has so resoundingly failed?'

He said if Mrs May cannot deliver 'convincing proofs' of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last, he said she should 'drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides'.

Outlining his plan - rejected repeatedly by Brussels - Mr Johnson said: 'Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now - without the backstop.

'It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels - let my people go.'

The Prime Minister's hopes appear bleak after DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds (file) launched a fierce attack on her on Friday

Mrs May's other hope is to win over Tory Brexiteer rebels. Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday leaving Chequers) appeared to hint today his price is the PM's resignation - but even that may not bring back enough support

On Friday, Mr Dodds accused Mrs May of 'capitulating' to the EU.

In a signal his party were not shifting toward the deal, he said: 'Nothing has changed as far as the Withdrawal Agreement is concerned.

'We will not accept any deal which poses a long-term risk to the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom.'

Mrs May's hopes of winning them over appear to turn on a so-called 'Stormont Lock. This is a mechanism which would give the Northern Ireland Assembly a veto over any future divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Government has already promised to give the Northern Ireland institutions a strong role in the operation of the backstop. Persuading the DUP will require the idea to spelt out in practice.
A system for making lorries queue along Kent's motorways is being tested today, as new government plans reveal motorists will be blocked from using the M26 completely if tailbacks from Dover become too bad after Brexit.

The routes HGVs will take in the event of congestion raise the shocking prospect of dozens of Kent towns being practically cut off, behind a wall of queuing lorries on main arterial roads.

Today as a test, HGVs are using the coastbound stretch of the M20 between junctions 8 for Maidstone and 9 for Ashford.

A contraflow is in place so all other traffic uses the northbound carriageway. There are two lanes in each direction and a 50 mile per hour speed limit.

Today the southbound carriageway of the M20 was taken over by HGVs and a 50mph contraflow on the other side was all that was available to car traffic

If lengthier customs checks at Dover post-Brexit cause tailbacks along Kent's roads from the 10,000 lorries a day which pass through the port, Operation Brock will be activated

It is a test of contingency plans known as Operation Brock, which will manage the estimated 10,000 lorries a day which pass through the port of Dover if traffic jams are caused by lengthier customs checks after Brexit.

If 'phase 1' of Brock has to be activated, lorries will queue at the Port of Dover.

If Dover, which has space for 1700 HGVs, runs out of room, up to 2500 lorries will queue along the southbound carriageway of the M20, with normal traffic directed to a contraflow.

If tailbacks grow greater still, lorries heading south will be redirected to Manston Airport, which has room for 6000 HGVs, in eastern Kent near Margate.

They would then head south to Dover as traffic permitted, along the A256, creating a wall of traffic which could leave the road unusable for local motorists in dozens of towns including Margate, Ramsgate, Sandwich, and Deal.

Phase four of Operation Broak, which kicks in if Dover, the M20, and Manston all fill up with lorries, calls for the M26 to be closed to westbound traffic - meaning car drivers will face a circuitous detour around the M20 and M25.

That area is already a traffic blackspot due to its proximity to the Dartford Crossing.

Former Defence Secretary, Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon, told MailOnline: 'Shutting the M26 is the wrong answer. It will only further paralyse the M25 and M20.

'The result will also mean traffic jams night and day on the A25, the key alternative west-east route; at least five schools on or close by the A25 in my constituency will be directly affected.

'The M26 can only hold a thousand lorries: it's the wrong answer. Freight traffic needs to be regulated much further back, before it even enters the M25.'

Contingency plans are being made for more than 10,000 heavy goods vehicles to be parked in Kent in the event that longer customs checks cause massive tailbacks

Operation Brock - traffic levels will be monitored and road signs will direct drivers Phase Vehicles 7.5 tonnes

or more going to Dover Vehicles 7.5 tonnes

or more going to

Eurotunnel All other traffic

including car traffic 1

Use A20 Dover Traffic Access Protocol (TAP) Use any available route Drivers can ONLY use OUTSIDE lane of COASTBOUND A20 2 Must use M20 J8-9 coastbound carriageway Must use M20 J8-9 coastbound carriageway Drivers should use CONTRAFLOW between M20 J8 and J9 3 Must use Manston/A256 TAP Must use M20 J8-9 coastbound carriageway Drivers should use CONTRAFLOW between M20 J8 and J9 4 Must use Manston/A256 TAP Must use M26 and only proceed to M20 J8-9 when directed Drivers MUST AVOID M26

and should use contraflow between M20 J8 and J9

Highways England said it wants to make sure Operation Brock is ready before the UK leaves the EU, which is expected to happen on either April 12 or May 22, depending on whether MPs back the Prime Minister's Brexit deal this week.

A spokeswoman for the Road Haulage Association said: 'Highways England originally planned to implement Operation Brock as a Brexit contingency. The RHA is therefore mystified as to why, considering the fact that Brexit is now over two weeks away, Brock has already been activated.

'Kent motorists have recently had to contend with a multitude of roadworks on the M2 and M20, often with full closures of both routes, some simultaneously.

'We think that Highways England's approach is inflexible and needs to change to take account of the prevailing situation.

'As things stand, Kent businesses and residents have to adapt their working patterns to accommodate Highways England plans. This is an outdated concept and must change.

'The key word here is "temporary". Brock was never intended to replace Operation Stack - put in place as a temporary contingency measure for when cross Channel services fail - but to alleviate congestion as a result of new border crossing processes post-Brexit.

'It's vital that the tens of thousands of trucks and other vehicles that use this route every day get an indication as to how long this current "temporary" situation is due to last.'

Heidi Skinner, a policy and public affairs manager at the Freight Transport Association, based in Tunbridge Wells, told Kent Live that lorry businesses will take the the contraflow system in their stride - but are more concerned about what Britain's future relationship with Europe will look like.

She said: 'We need more clarity around customs procedures and border readiness - all of these things - to ensure freight flows as seamlessly and frictionlessly as it does today.'

This latest map from Highways England shows how, if needs be, lorry traffic will take over the southbound carriageway of the M20, the whole of the M26, and the A256 in rural Kent

Last year Road Haulage Association chief executive Richard Burnett warned traffic jams of that length would mean trips became unprofitable - and asked where truckers would go to the toilet along miles and miles of motorway.

He said: 'Last year 2.6million trucks passed through the port of Dover with another 1.6million travelling to mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel and their passage through borders has been frictionless.

'If border controls include full customs procedures, with each truck taking potentially, 45 minutes to check, the number of HGVs caught up in the resulting tailbacks will be massive.'
Disgraced Cardinal George Pell's current cell in isolation is squeezed in between the notorious Bourke Street killer and two brothers accused of plotting a terror attack.

The convicted child abuser spends 23 hours a day in his cell in protective custody at the Melbourne Assessment Prison in west Melbourne.

Bourke Street mass murderer, James Gargasoulas, currently resides in the cell next to him, and spends his days tormenting other inmates, a source from the prison told The Herald Sun.

Disgraced Cardinal George Pell's current cell in isolation is squeezed in between the notorious Bourke Street killer and two brothers accused of plotting a terror attack

'Gargasoulas is very verbose, particularly at night. He talks under the door and eggs people on. He's an agitator  he tries to rile people up,' the source said.

Gargasoulas went on a rampage through Melbourne's Bourke Street on January 20, 2017, murdering six people and injuring dozens more.

He was sentenced to life in prison, with a non parole period of 46 years.

Brothers Ertunc, 30, and 26-year-old Samed Eriklioglu are also in the block.

The duo are accused of plotting a mass terror attack in Melbourne, along with their alleged accomplice, 21-year-old Hanifi Halis.

Gargasoulas (centre) went on a rampage through Melbourne's Bourke Street on January 20, 2017, murdering six people and injuring dozens more

They were arrested in November 2018 after they allegedly tried to buy a black market semi-automatic rifle.

Police allege they were hoping to obtain more before going on a rampage through the streets.

Pell is expected to be transferred to a more permanent facility, where he will serve his six year sentence for the historic sexual abuse of two choirboys in 1996, while he was the archbishop of Melbourne.

Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat is reportedly the facility Pell will be moved to, where he may undertake the non-compulsory sex offenders rehabilitation program.

Brothers Ertunc, 30 (right), and 26-year-old Samed Eriklioglu (left) are also in the block

The facility is known to house vulnerable inmates, including corrupt former police officers and sex offenders.

Given Pell's age, now 77, and his ailing health, he is considered an at-risk prisoner.

'He's an old man with a lot of health issues. He has serious heart and mobility issues... He should be in a better environment so if his health deteriorates, he can be transferred to hospital,' the prison source said.

His crime - the rape and molestation of a 13-year-old boy, and abuse of another - was described by Chief Judge Paul Kidd as 'breathtakingly arrogant' during sentencing.

Judge Kidd acknowledged Pell may die in jail and, if he ever walks free, will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life.

Pell is expected to appeal his sentence on June 5 and June 6.
Senior Republicans led by Lindsey Graham are demanding the release of the full Mueller report after the Russia probe found no evidence of collusion.

While the Democrats want to know whether there is evidence of obstruction of justice, the Republicans are furious over up to $35million wasted in taxpayer funds.

Attorney General William Barr's summary of Robert Mueller's investigation revealed on Sunday it found no evidence the President's campaign 'conspired or coordinated' with the Kremlin.

Senator Graham said he wanted 'as much transparency as possible' on the findings which have animated Democrats because Barr said the President was not exonerated.

Senator Lindsey Graham during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this month

Special Counsel Robert Mueller walks past the White House, after attending St. John's Episcopal Church on Sunday

Graham's fellow Republican, Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, wrote: 'The report cost a lot of taxpayer money, & the American people have heard so many rumors, so much spin & innuendo about its contents.

'Americans deserve to know the contents, & I trust them to draw their own conclusions.'

The cost of the probe so far has been slated at $25million, though the last six months of the investigation could bring that total up to $35million.

But others Republicans were more derisory of the work carried out by the counterintelligence team and were less interested in its contents.

House Republican Whip Steve Scalise tweeted: 'The only collusion was between Democrats and many in the media who peddled this lie because they continue to refuse to accept the results of the 2016 election. #WitchHunt'

Senator John Cornyn from Texas echoed those sentiments, saying that the report amounted to nothing more than a 'political harassment' campaign.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four-page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start.

That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments.

The resolution also could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice.

President Trump gives a thumbs up as he arrives back at the White House from Mar-a-Lago on Sunday afternoon

Attorney General William Barr (left) and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made the joint decision not to charge the president with obstruction of justice

Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out 'evidence on both sides of the question' and stated that 'while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.'

This leaves open an opportunity for the Democrats to have their own lawyers look into the findings and many Republicans are preparing to fight fire with fire.
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Parts of Britain could be hotter than the likes of Ibiza and Rome this week as temperatures soar to 64F (18C).

Lengthy spells of sunshine are expected this week amid settled conditions, with the Met Office backing a warmer-than-usual next few months - and conditions also forecast to beat those in Barcelona on Friday.

Today will be dry and bright day for most areas with spells of clouds and sunshine, although there will also be a brisk west to north westerly breeze and possibly showers in northern and areas and along the North Sea coastline.

Morning sunshine and rising temperatures bring a spring look to West Bay on the Dorset coast today

Two people walk their dogs today at West Bay on the Dorset coast, made famous by ITV crime drama Broadchurch

Mark Beecham removes rogue varieties from daffodil fields at the family-run Taylors Bulbs in Holbeach in Lincolnshire today

At Taylors Bulbs in Holbeach in Lincolnshire, pictured today, more than 35 million bulbs are planted every year

It will be a cold night tonight with mostly light winds which will allow for patches of mist or fog to develop, even some frost in places. Scotland will see cloudier weather with patchy rain over parts of the Highlands.

Met Office forecaster Nicky Maxey told MailOnline this afternoon: 'We've got a high pressure system building across the UK this week, so a fairly settled period of weather.

Temperatures will soar to 64F (18C) in Britain by Friday

'We could see temperatures certainly in the south by Wednesday or Thursday of 17C or 18C in isolated spots, the mid-teens further up and low teens as you get further north.

'Certainly a settled period, but that high pressure moves out of the way as we go into the weekend and the start of next week, which is allowing the systems to come in from the west.

'We'll see a return at the start of April of more unsettled conditions. As we go through the weekend we'll see some blustery conditions for the north and the weather front coming in there will push down across the country.

'Those conditions will start moving further south and temperatures will return to around average for the time of year. As we go through April, we'll see some more unsettled, wetter interludes - but some more drier, settled periods as well.'

Tomorrow will be a mostly dry and fine day with lengthy spells of sunshine and blue skies, but there will also be plenty of patchy cloud. It will also be breezy across northern areas of Scotland with mostly light rain.

The weather on Wednesday and Thursday will be mostly dry with sunny spells and patchy cloud. However it will be breezy in the north with occasional light rain. Temperatures on Friday could then get up to 64F (18C) in London.

This would be warmer than Ibiza and Rome (both 17C) and Barcelona (15C). Looking further ahead, the Met Office said a warmer-than-average March to May is five times more likely than much cooler conditions.

'Well above average' temperatures over spring  a category which includes 2011 and 2017's hottest springs since records began - is a 50 per cent probability, compared to 10 per cent for 'well below average' temperatures.

The three-month forecast said: 'For March-May, above-average temperatures are more likely than below-average. The probability UK average temperatures will fall into the warmest of our five categories is 50 per cent.

'The coldest category is 10 per cent. Some long-range prediction systems indicate an increased chance of high pressure to the south of the UK.'

The highest temperature in the UK yesterday was the 59.2F (15.1C) recorded at St James's Park in London.
Security cameras have captured the disturbing moment a teenager was carried semi-conscious from a nightclub after she claimed she was injected with a date-rape drug.

Shayna Karniewicz was celebrating her 18th birthday at Universal Bar in Northbridge, Perth, on Friday just after 11.20pm when she said she felt a sharp prick on her arm.

Her sister said that Ms Karniewicz woke up paralysed on the bathroom floor moments later surrounded by friends, unable to speak or move and with a puncture mark.

Footage shows the teenager being rushed out of the nightclub while holding onto a security guard for support before an ambulance arrives.

Ms Karniewicz is convinced a stranger stabbed her arm with a needle filled with a drug such as Rohypnol or GHB just seconds after she arrived at the nightclub.

Shayna Karniewicz (pictured) was celebrating her birthday at the Universal Bar in Northbridge, Perth, on Friday when the alleged incident occurred

The semi-conscious 18-year-old was carried from the bathroom by staff before the owner called paramedics

Her sister Miki, who was the one that found her slumped on the floor after passing out, described the aftermath of the incident in a detailed Facebook post.

'Shay started to feel numb and her eyes started shaking. The staff and manager came in and called the ambulance,' she wrote.

'We stood her up with her arm around me and as she went to take a step she passed out cold hitting her head on the tiles, not regaining consciousness for 30 seconds.

'We carried her out the back and sat her down where we waited for an ambulance. She had to be held up by two people. One holding her head, one holding her body straight.'

Close friend Hannah Hoddy, who also watched the distressing incident unfold, told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Karniewicz's eyes were 'rolling around in her head'.

'There were punctures in her arm that started to bleed,' Ms Hoddy said.

'I was absolutely terrified, I couldn't think how Shayna was feeling, but we had to crack as many jokes as we could to keep her awake because her eyes kept shutting on us.'

Friends found Ms Karniewicz collapsed on the bathroom floor and was taken to hospital for tests which found no alcohol or drugs in her system (pictured right in hospital bed, and puncture marks on her arm left)

Hannah Hoddy (pictured) spoke candidly with Daily Mail Australia about how the celebratory evening ended in turmoil

Ms Karniewicz spent eight hours at Royal Perth Hospital recovering and undergoing tests as doctors tried to find out what had made her apparently suffer temporary paralysis.

According to 9 News, initial toxicology reports have come back negative with no traces of alcohol or drugs found in her system.

CCTV footage from inside the nightclub tracks Ms Karniewicz's movements for 90 seconds before she made her way into the toilets.

Bizarrely, no one can be seen making obvious contact with the teenager as she made her way through the crowded dancefloor with her friends in tow.

Ms Karniewicz, who suffers from epilepsy, is standing by her story.

Universal Bar owners are continuing to investigate the incident and police have downplayed suggestions of a 'serial attacker' in the area after two other people were taken to hospital complaining about similar incidents.

CCTV footage from inside the nightclub tracked Ms Karniewicz's movements (centre) before she made her way to the toilets. Bizarrely, no one can be seen making obvious contact with her

Calm before the storm: Shayna (left) was celebrating her 18th birthday with her sister (right) and friends (centre)
The governing body of the Jehovah's Witness Christian denomination has been accused of maintaining a secret database of child molesters within the group and failing to share that information with law enforcement agencies.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which serves as the head of the Jehovah's Witness organization, has reportedly paid millions of dollars in court fines and settlements over the years rather than unseal its files containing the names and addresses of the accused.

According to the organization's official website, there are more than 8.57 million people who identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses around the world, including approximately 1.5million in the US.

The governing body of the Jehovah's Witness Christian sect has been accused of keeping a secret list of members accused of child sex abuse

The allegations against the religious group were first outlined in a bombshell report published in The Atlantic on Friday.

According to the magazine, the Watchtower in 1997 sent a survey to its 10,883 US Kingdom Halls seeking information about members of the community accused of sexual abuse.

The survey was composed of a dozen questions, including how the Jehovah's Witness community viewed the alleged abusers, whether the abuse was a one-time occurrence or part of a pattern, and how widely known the abuse was?

The responses were mailed back to the Watchtower in special blue envelopes and scanned into Microsoft SharePoint, but never shared with the police, The Atlantic reported.

In 2014, an attorney defending the Watchtower against a lawsuit filed by an alleged victim of child sex abuse said that the organization received 775 blue envelopes between 1997 and 2001.

According to some estimates, the number of alleged Jehovah's Witness child molesters listed in the secret database could range from 18,000 to 23,000.

A representative of The Watchtower, however, told The Atlantic that number was considerably lower' than the 23,000 figure.

The article in The Atlantic explains that the Watchtower has a 'two-witness rule' derived from the Bible, which dictates that no Jehovah's Witness can be accused of committing a sin, including child molestation, without two credible witnesses who could corroborate the accusation, unless the alleged perpetrator makes a confession.

But as critics of the Christian sect point out, child abuse is seldom committed in front of witnesses.

This is not the first time that the Jehovah's Witness community has been accused of covering up child sexual abuse.

Last year, a jury ruled that the sect must pay $35million to a 21-year-old woman who claimed that the church's national organization, the Watchtower, ordered Montana clergy members not to report her sexual abuse as a child at the hands of a congregation member.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which serves as the head of the Jehovah's Witness organization, has paid millions of dollars in court fines and settlements over the years rather than unseal its files

The Office of Public Information at the World Headquarters of Jehovahs Witnesses responded to the verdict by stating: 'Jehovahs Witnesses abhor child abuse and strive to protect children from such acts. Watchtower is pursuing appellate review.'

The plaintiff in the case and her older relative claimed that another family member sexually abused them in the 1990s and 2000s.

The women said they reported the abuse to church elders, who handled the matter internally after consulting the Watchtower.

The elders expelled the abuser from the congregation in 2004 then reinstated him the next year, the lawsuit states, and the abuse of the girl who is now 21 continued.

The lawsuit claimed the local and national Jehovahs Witnesses organizations were negligent and violated a Montana law that requires them to report abuse to outside authorities.

Attorneys for the Jehovahs Witnesses said in court filings that Montana law exempts elders from reporting 'internal ecclesiastical proceedings on a congregation members serious sin.'

In 2012, former Jehovah's Witness Candace Conti was awarded $28million at trial after claiming that a man she was teamed up with to proselytize door-to-door beginning when she was nine years old sexually abused her for about two years.

Conti, now 33 years old, said when she reported the abuse to the elders in her community in California, they dismissed her because she did not have a witness to back up her claims.

During the lawsuit, the elders admitted that they knew the accused man had a history of molestation before they paired him up with Conti.

The Watchtower later appealed the jury verdict and the judge reduced the judgement to less than $3million.

Around the time Conti received the jury verdict, another former Jehovah's Witness Jose Lopez filed his own lawsuit against the Watchtower, accusing the organization of covering up his sexual abuse at the hands of his mentor, Gonzalo Campos, in 1986 when the plaintiff was seven years old.

Lopez claimed in his complaint that when his mother reported the molestation to the elders, they promised to handle it internally and told them not to report it to the police.

Campos was allowed to remain in the church and later became an elder. In 2010, however, he fled to Mexico and reportedly confessed to molesting Lopez and other boys.

It was during the Lopez trial that the Watchtower attorney revealed that 775 envelopes containing the filled-out surveys about molestation allegations were mailed back to the organization.

The Watchtower, however, refused to turn over the list of accused molesters, and the the trial ended with a $13.5million jury verdict in Lopez's favor.

The verdict, however, was overturned on appeal and Lopez ultimately accepted an undisclosed settlement.

In 2016, Lopez's former attorney, now representing another person accusing Gonzalo Campos of sexual abuse, again demanded that the church hand over the list of names.

The Atlantic reported that the Watchtower once again refused to comply and was slapped with $2million worth of court fines before settling with the new plaintiff out of court.

In the US, the Watchtower's handling of allegations of sexual abuse so far has faced no scrutiny by law enforcement officials.

However, in Australia, where the Jehovah's Witness community boasts 1.2million members, a royal commission in 2016 found that the sect failed to report more than 1,000 accused molesters since the 1950s.
The Republican party's 'Jexodus' push to convince Democratic Jews to turn their backs on their party is being led by a young Maxim swimsuit model and former figure skater who worked on Trump's 2016 campaign.

Elizabeth Pipko, the 23-year-old face of the Jexodus movement, was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month when President Trump started tweeting about the concept.

Pipko describes herself as 'international model, Trump 2016 campaign staffer, poet, patriot and fiercely proud millennial Jew', according to the website set up to promote the Jexodus movement.

She has 159,000 Instagram followers and regularly posts photos of her modeling swimsuits and lingerie. In recent weeks, she has regularly shared photos from her December wedding at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

Elizabeth Pipko, the 23-year-old face of the Jexodus movement, was thrust into the spotlight earlier this month when President Trump started tweeting about her concept

Pipko (far right) and her husband Darren Centinello (right) are pictured at a Christmas gathering in the White House with the Trumps in December 2017

The Jexodus concept that catapulted Pipko's name into headlines is an effort by Republicans to lure Jews from the Democratic Party.

Pipko appeared on Fox & Friends earlier this month to talk about Jexodus and accused Democrats of failing to properly condemn the growing anti-Jewish sentiment in their party.

'There's antisemitism in the Democratic Party,' she said. 'They can hide it, they can do whatever they want. They failed to condemn it, and now it's there. It's time.'

Speaking of the name 'Jexodus', Pipko said: 'Obviously it's a play on Exodus, but we left Egypt and now we're leaving the Democratic Party.'

The concept was rebranded last week to The Exodus Movement. It is being funded by Pipko's newly formed Red Sea Rising social welfare organization.

Pipko told the New York Times at the weekend that she has 'kind of said goodbye' to her modeling career as she launches herself into the movement.

Her LinkedIn page still lists her as a model with Wilhelmina Models and says she was a professional figure skater for 10 years.

Pipko and her husband, Darren Centinello, married at Trump's Mar-a-Lago in December. Trump was invited but couldn't attend because the ceremony was held just before the government shutdown

Pipko's husband is part of Trump's campaign team and works on digital and social media outreach/strategy for the 2020 race. She is pictured wearing a MAGA hat during her December wedding

Pipko, above with her husband at the White House, describes herself as 'international model, Trump 2016 campaign staffer, poet, patriot and fiercely proud millennial Jew'

Pipko, who attended Harvard Extension School, said she took a year off from studying to train for the Olympics but an injury she obtained when she was 15 eventually stopped her.

She has also written to self-published poetry books - Sweet 16 and About You.

Pipko was born and raised in New York and is the granddaughter of Russian-born Jewish painter Marc Klionsky.

'There's a lot that I've done that's very far from politics. I'm also 23 years old. I'm very O.K. with having to prove myself, and I'm excited to show people that I am very serious,' she told the New York Times of people who may doubt her.

Pipko revealed earlier this year that she kept it secret that she was volunteering from Trump's 2016 campaign because she feared it would damage her career.

She started volunteering for the campaign and within two months she was hired as a national volunteer services coordinator for the data team and paid $4,000 a month.

Pipko's husband, Darren Centinello, is part of Trump's campaign team and works on digital and social media outreach/strategy for the 2020 race.

The couple were married at Trump's Mar-a-Lago in December. Trump was invited but couldn't attend because the ceremony was held just before the government shutdown.

Pipko revealed earlier this year that she kept it secret that she was volunteering from Trump's 2016 campaign because she feared it would damage her career

Pipko has posted various photos of herself inside the White House with her husband since Trump became president

Pipko appeared on Fox & Friends earlier this month to talk about Jexodus and accused Democrats of failing to properly condemn the growing anti-Jewish sentiment in their party

President Donald Trump tweeted encouragement to American Jews who want to flee the Democratic Party following Pipko's appearance on Fox

Photos on their social media accounts show Pipko posing in her wedding dress while wearing a MAGA hat. She previously said their invitations were red hats that read 'Make Marriage Great Again'.

As for the Jexodus movement that has raised her profile in recent weeks, Pipko said she plans to target 'persuadable Jews' in Florida, Pennsylvannia, Ohio, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan and Minnesota.

'We're obviously super-realistic and aware that overwhelmingly, the Jewish people have supported Democrats over the years,' Pipko said. 'I love a challenge.'

In the 2016 presidential elections, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton scored 71 percent of the Jewish vote to Trump's 24 percent.

Trump himself has promoted Pipko's Jexodus movement by saying that Republicans are 'waiting with open arms' for Jews if they want to leave the Democratic party.

In a tweet after Pipko's appearance on Fox, Trump tweeted: 'The 'Jexodus' movement encourages Jewish people to leave the Democrat Party. Total disrespect! Republicans are waiting with open arms. Remember Jerusalem (U.S. Embassy) and the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal!'

Trump's decision to give the group so much publicity comes as Republicans try and take advantage of turmoil in the Democratic Party over recent comments by a congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, that some saw as anti-Semitic.
A driver in California was killed after his vehicle plunged 500 feet off a cliff, authorities said.

Emergency crews were called to Ridgecrest Boulevard in Mount Tamalpais State Park, Marin County, northwest of San Francisco, after a hiker reported that a four-door sedan had driven off the side of the road.

The motorist - who was the sole occupant - was airlifted to the roadway and pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday at around 10.30am.

A driver in California was killed after his vehicle plunged 500 feet off a cliff, authorities said

Marin County fire battalion chief Bret McTigue told KTVU the heavily-damaged vehicle overturned and the engine was thrown from the car.

A spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Marin said: The area where the collision occurred is a busy hiking area, as well as a very popular route for cyclists to ride, especially on nice weekends.

Out of an abundance of caution a CHP helicopter responded to the scene and assisted with a search to ensure there were no other individuals that were struck by the errant vehicle.

Authorities said the drivers name is not being released at this time as the Marin County Coroner needs to notify the next of kin.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation and any toxicology will not be known for some time, according to CHP Marin.
Ofcom ruled that George Galloway did not offer due impartiality in his broadcast on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

George Galloway breached broadcasting rules after failing to be impartial in a discussion about alleged anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, a watchdog has found.

The former Bradford West MP's TalkRadio platform could now face sanctions including the shortening or revoking of its licence after Ofcom found Mr Galloway 'failed to give due weight to a sufficiently wide range of views'.

Hosting phone-ins on the Labour anti-Semitism allegations, Mr Galloway was found to have claimed the controversy was a simply a way to attack Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and received broad support for his view.

Ofcom received complaints about Galloway's shows on July 27 and August 6 2018, prompting an investigation into due impartiality.

Mr Galloway said in the introduction to his July 27 show last year: 'Jeremy Corbyn has this week been the victim of a crazed, unhinged assault by the agents of the powerful.

'A frenzied attack to destroy him for fear that he might win. The proximate method is the exploitation of deep-seated Jewish fear. Literally summoning up the demons of Nazism against Britain's finest anti-fascist.'

He added later: 'A pig that is the British media and political class that is frightening Jewish schoolgirls in London on a giant Goebbellian lie that Jeremy Corbyn not only hates Jews but that the existential future, the existence of Jewish life in Britain, is threatened by this mild-mannered geography teacher in his woolly jumper.'

Mr Galloway said in the introduction to his July 27 show last year: 'Jeremy Corbyn has this week been the victim of a crazed, unhinged assault by the agents of the powerful'

When he received a dissenting opinion in a text, the host called the sender an 'ignorant woman', and branded another listener who disagreed with him as a 'rag picker'.

TalkRadio could now face sanctions, which may include a fine of up to 250,000, in light of the fact that Galloway has been found in breach of the rules multiple times on the station.

Galloway's show has previously breached impartiality rules with comments that aired after the Salisbury poisoning involving Yulia and Sergei Skripal.

Ofcom investigated a complaint that the programme, broadcast on March 16, contained 'biased and unbalanced views' about the response of the UK and Russian governments to the poisoning.

Mr Galloway was found in breach on two counts over the Corbyn material. In addition to a previous broadcast on the Salisbury poisoning case, Mr Galloway has been found in breach of the rules by Ofcom three times.

A TalkRadio spokesperson said: 'You expect robust opinions from George Galloway, but we accept that on this occasion he crossed the line. As a station we understand the need for dissenting voices with a range of counter-opinions.'

A spokesman for Ofcom said: 'Our investigation found that these phone-in programmes breached our due impartiality rules. They failed to give due weight to a sufficiently wide range of views on allegations of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.

'We are minded to consider imposing a statutory sanction for these breaches. The Licensee now has an opportunity to make representations to us, which we'll consider before proceeding further.'

Mr Galloway was found in breach on two counts over the Corbyn material. In addition to a previous broadcast on the Salisbury poisoning case, Mr Galloway has been found in breach of the rules by Ofcom three times

The watchdog found that while it was legitimate to broadcast programmes in support of Corbyn, principles of balance had to be maintained.

Ofcom said it is concerned that Galloway continues to 'express pride' in his broadcasts despite their content breaching rules.

On three occasions, when the audience contributions opposed his own views position, Galloway joked that the listeners who had sent in their dissenting messages were in Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.

Mr Galloway told Ofcom it should be 'investigated for this quite scandalous waste of public money purchased by a single complainant', claiming that the regulator 'toe the Israel-lobby line', accusing them of being 'deeply prejudiced' against Palestinians, Press Gazette reported.

Mr Galloway also said the regulator was trying to silence the 'only presenter on British radio and television' who defends Jeremy Corbyn.
An Ohio man has been arrested for beating up a 17-year-old after he allegedly found him molesting a five-year-old boy.

Richard Adams, 20, was charged with felony assault following an incident in the Cleveland suburb of Eastlake on Thursday.

'I was doing laundry and I walked out and there was the 17-year-old who had a five-year-old's pants down to his ankles and he had the five-year-old's penis inside of his mouth,' he told Cleveland19.

Adams said he got the alleged molester away from the child, who said the teen had 'touched him right there' the night before as well, and yelled out for someone else in the home to call the police.

He then flew into a rage and began attacking the 17-year-old.

'I kinda blacked out,' Adams told Fox8. 'I wanted to help the young boy and that was all I was thinking about was getting it stopped.'

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Richard Adams, 20, has been charged with felony assault after he beat up a 17-year-old he allegedly found molesting a five-year-old boy in Eastlake, Ohio, on Thursday. Adams said he 'snapped' when he saw the unidentified teen with the toddler's 'penis inside of his mouth', telling Fox8: 'I kinda blacked out. All I was thinking about was getting it stopped'

Adams later shared a video of the teen's bloodied face on Facebook. It has since been deleted.

'I do feel sorry for the video. I should not have posted that and I do feel remorseful for the video situation,' the vigilante said.

'I want everyone to stop all the child offenders and predators that are out there. I don't want no child to have to go through that,' he added, noting that he himself is expecting a child soon.

Adams, who is currently out on $5,000 bond and has no prior criminal record, said the only thing worrying him now is the idea that the felony charge will prevent him from seeing his own child's birth.

Adams (above in his mugshot) is currently out on $5,000 bail awaiting a court date on a second-degree felony assault charge

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to raise money for Adams' legal fees has raked in over $28,700 in two days.

His uncle, Jeff Cook, wrote in the description: 'Ricky blacked out as flash backs from his childhood were hitting him.

'He now faces a felony of the second degree carrying two-eight years in prison. He needs lake counties best to defend him. Anything will help him.'

The Eastlake Police Department has said an investigation is ongoing.

The alleged molester, who is not named because he is a minor, has been charged with rape.

It is unclear whether Adams knew him or the young victim.

Eastlake Police shared an update about the case on Facebook Sunday, noting that they have received numerous phone calls and emails from people expressing frustration with Adams' arrest.

'We truly understand the interest, passion and concerns with this type of case,' the post says.

'It has been processed by the court and will continue to go through the system. Most of the people within our police departments, courts and the entire justice system have families of their own and the men and women are diligently working to ensure that everything is done correctly so that justice is served.

'To attack people within the system to achieve a certain outcome is not what justice is about. We appreciate the impact that this story has had on the community and beyond but we expect people to be civil in expressing their disagreement and/or support of what has and will take place.'
A masseuse stamped on a customer allegedly leaving her with a broken leg and 'permanently disabled'.

Pranom Tiengtrong visited the therapist, who calls himself 'Dr Happy', after suffering months of leg pain.

But the 46-year-old claims the massage left her in tears and she suffering from a broken femur and dislocated ankle.

The mother-of-one claims she has been left permanently disabled after being given the rough Thai massage in December last year and needs a wheelchair to get around.

Dr Happy, whose real name is Kiattisak Chaiwimon, can be seen in a video of the treatment standing on her small legs, then aggressively yanking her across the matt.

'Dr Happy' performing his 'walking massage' on Pranom Tiengtrong at his parlour in Rayong, Thailand

The customer claims she was left with a broken femur and dislocated ankle after being roughly yanked and stomped on by Kiattisak Chaiwimon

She was asked to lie down for an hour while the masseuse was seen to stamp on both of her legs.

Kiattisak was seen on video continuing to do the massage even though the customer had cried out in pain and asked him to stop.

Ms Tiengtrong, who works as a food seller, contacted police this month in Rayong, Thailand, to take action against the 21-year-old masseur after he allegedly ignored her requests for help.

She said she has been left with a permanent disability.

Ms Tiengtrong said: 'I thought it was going to be a normal massage, with kneading and squeezing the muscles. I was a little confused when he asked me to lie down on the ground.'

The customer said that after the massage she felt that the part of the body that received treatment was getting worse.

She went to the hospital where medics performed x-rays and found that her thighbone was broken and her left angle was fractured and dislodged from the joint.

Ms Tiengtrong said she went to the home of 'Dr Happy' for the therapy.

Ms Tiengtrong said she was 'confused' when the masseuse asked her lie on the ground and he started standing on her. She is pictured using crutches to walk

Ms Tiengtrong reported the Dr Happy masseuse to the police after claiming she suffered a permanent disability

She added: 'I could not stand for a long time because my leg would be unbearably painful. It really affected my job - I could not cook or sell the food anymore. I had no income and my husband already left me because of that.'

Her neighbours have since been trying to contact the masseur as they held him responsible for her injuries but he was always unreachable, so they reported him to the police.

Ms Tiengtrong said she has been unable to afford medical costs of around 130,000 baht (3,125) to treat the injury.

The massage worker was eventually found at his home last Wednesday by Rayong Provincial Health officers.

He said he studied the 'walking massage' from a respected parlour and that he was 'famous in the neighbourhood' for his massage.

Ms Tiengtrong said she needs help from her family after being roughly treated by masseuse Kiattisak Chaiwimon

Pranom Tiengtrong had gone to see the masseuse to treat pain in her legs but said was left in a wheelchair

Kiattisak, who claimed to have treated thousands of customers, said: 'I remembered her coming to me and telling me that she had terrible pain around her hips. I touched her bone and knew immediately that her hips were slipped out of a joint.'

When being asked about the cause of Ms Tiengtrong's bone fractures, he said that he might have stepped on her too hard.

'I tried to adjust the bones into the right place by treading repeatedly on her thighs.

She cried in pain for many time but I told her to hang on because I felt the bones were almost connected to the joint. I didn't realise that she cried because her bones were broken', he added.

The masseur has now been fined for opening a medical facility without the correct license as he was not a registered traditional medic and his house was also not a licensed massage shop.
The White House claimed Monday that the president 'wants full transparency' in the special counsel investigation and would be 'more than happy' to see the attorney general release Robert Mueller's entire report.

'I don't think the president has any problem with it,' press secretary Sarah Sanders said on 'Today' on NBC News. 'He's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out because he knows exactly what did and what didn't happen and now frankly the rest of America knows.'

Asked by DailyMail.com if the White House's call for transparency extends to President Trump's written answers to the special counsel's questions, Sanders said he would leave the decision to Attorney General William Barr.

She said Trump has 'been clear about what he thinks should take place' but has said he will let Barr make his own determination. 'At the same time, we have to protect the office of the presidency,' she said.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway claimed that Trump's answers are not 'particularly relevant' as she answered the same question.

'Because he was responding to questions that it turns out weren't particularly relevant or important to anything,' she said. 'There's no collusion, no obstructive conduct, no conspiracy, no indictments, nobody named Trump indicted.'

The White House claimed Monday that the president 'wants full transparency' in the special counsel investigation and would be 'more than happy' to see the attorney general release Robert Mueller's entire report

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway blitzed the morning shows on Monday. They spoke to White House reporters, as well

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway claimed that Trump's answers are not 'particularly relevant' as she answered a question from DailyMail.com

Appearing on Fox News immediately prior, Conway had advocated for the release of the FISA warrants obtained to spy on Trump associates in the Russian election meddling case.

'Let's see everything that attended to the FISA warrant. Let's see all the communications happening at the top levels of the FBI during the Obama Administration, and getting that 'insurance policy,' deriding the Trump voters and the rest of us as filthy Walmart shoppers and all of the other slights, all the snark and bark from the elitist intellectual snobs. Let's see it. Let's let it all hang out.'

His advisers' enthusiasm for a public accounting of the probe that Trump incessantly slammed as a 'witch hunt' does not extend to the president's written answers to the special counsel in lieu of an interview.

Conway told reporters at the White House afterward 'that is really up to the attorney general' to decide what to release. 'You can't just abracadabra your way into what's into the report.

She blasted the probe as a 'fishing expedition' and others like it as 'hoaxes and witch hunts.'

'You never really know when they're gonna end, and you never really know what's gonna happen next,' she said.

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the president, said Monday that it would be 'very inappropriate' for DOJ to release 'confidential' communications between the president and Mueller.

'Well, that would not be a position that I would want, to just make a statement where we would release confidential communications that took place between the President of the United States and the Department of Justice or the special counsel's office,' Sekulow told CNN on 'New Day' on Monday morning.

He said, 'As a lawyer, you don't waive privileges and you don't waive investigative detail absent either a court order or an agreement between the parties. And you'd have to weigh a lot of factors there on how that affects other presidencies.'

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the president, said Monday that it would be 'very inappropriate' for DOJ to release 'confidential' communications between the president and Mueller

Sekulow also said that the release of the answers will 'be a decision' that Barr makes 'but I've some strong opinions about that.'

Democrats are demanding the entire report and the underlying evidence and documents be turned over to Congress. That would include the president's written responses to questions from the special counsel.

Barr has committed to releasing as much as he can but he did not promise Sunday to go further than that.

Conway said she was surprised that so many people entangled in the probe want everything to come come, considering how many of them could be found out to be leakers.

'The failure to find obstruction means that no obstruction was written into the report for a reason. But let's not forget where that came from. That came from leaks and accusations, I believe that started with Jim Comey, leaking to lots of folks, saying that he specifically leaked information hoping that it would draw an investigation.'

Sanders said the White House is confident that Barr, who she insisted has not given the White House any lead time on his decisions, will do the right thing for the country.

'This attorney general is going to make the best decision for America,' she said on Fox News.

Trump said last week that he wants the report to come out. He's seen here talking to reporters on the tarmac on Sunday evening before a flight back to D.C.

Conway mocked a tweet former FBI director James Comey sent of himself standing among the redwoods in California, saying it was 'self-aggrandizing' and he doesn't deserve a 'hero's welcome' or a book tour

Democrats were meanwhile demanding that Barr and Mueller come before Congress to explain their conclusion that Trump didn't obstruct justice.

The White House countered on Monday and said that everyone who was 'involved in the process of trying to take down the president' testify under oath.

The failure to find obstruction means that no obstruction was written into the report for a reason. But let's not forget where that came from. That came from leaks and accusations, I believe that started with Jim Comey, leaking to lots of folks, saying that he specifically leaked information hoping that it would draw an investigation,' Kellyanne Conway told reporters.

She mocked a tweet former FBI director James Comey sent of himself standing among the redwoods in California, saying it was 'self-aggrandizing' and he doesn't deserve a 'hero's welcome' or a book tour.

'But maybe well have to hear from him again. Maybe he should go get a lawyer. Maybe he should be brought in,' she said. 'Maybe he should be asked what happened again under oath.'

Sanders said that Comey, as well as and former intel chiefs from the Obama administration should be held accountable.

I think any of the people that were involved in the process of trying to take down the president,' she told reporters. The fact that they spent two years trying to delegitimize the presidents victory in 2016 is disgusting, and there are a lot of people that should answer questions.'

She said, If Congress is so gung-ho to call people up to the Hill, the list I would start with are Comey, Clapper, Brennan and other people in the FBI who perpetuated this absurd lie and this absurd idea that the President of the United States was somehow a foreign agent and colluding with another government.

Lets not forget that all of this interference in the election took place under the Obama administration. They knew about it, and they did nothing to stop it.




John Murphy (pictured outside court today) egged Jeremy Corbyn while shouting 'respect the vote' during a meeting in Islington

This is the moment a Brexit supporter yelled 'respect the vote' then smashed an egg onto Jeremy Corbyn's head while he sat with his wife at a community event.

John Murphy, 31, was today jailed for 28 days after admitting assault on the Labour leader in his Islington North constituency.

Shocking images emerged this afternoon showing Murphy attack Mr Corbyn from behind.

Mr Corbyn said the attack left his wife, who was also present, 'stressed and distressed'.

He added that it prompted his team to increase security measures, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard today.

Murphy, of Whetstone, north-west London, admitted the assault this morning.

He was warned by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot that he may be jailed for assault by beating in order to send a clear message that 'attacks on MPs must stop'. This afternoon he was jailed for 28 days.

Prosecutor Kevin Christie said Mr Corbyn was with Labour shadow home secretary Diane Abbott at the Muslim Welfare Centre in north London after visiting the Finsbury Park Mosque on March 3, less than a week after Labour announced it would support a second referendum on EU membership.

Mr Corbyn took off his shoes and sat down next to his wife Laura Alvarez and a group of people who seemed to be 'in great spirits'.

'Suddenly, he felt a strike to the right side of his forehead and then realised someone had reached over his right shoulder and struck him,' Mr Christie said. 'As he was struck he heard a male voice shouting 'respect the vote'.'

This is the moment that John Murphy crept up behind Jeremy Corbyn and smashed an egg on the side of his face

The Brexiteer can be seen crushing an egg on the Labour leader's face during a charity event

Mr Corbyn had left the room to wash himself when he realised he had been struck by an egg. Murphy continued to shout 'respect the vote' while being restrained by staff.

Mr Corbyn, who was largely uninjured but left with a red mark, noted Murphy's face was 'contorted' with rage and he appeared 'very aggressive'.

Mr Corbyn described the effects of the assault in his Islington North constituency in a victim impact statement.

He said he 'was very shocked and surprised' by the 'completely unprovoked and threatening' assault.

'My wife Laura was sitting beside me and often feels very stressed on my behalf and became extremely distressed at this event,' he added. 'She has been in a sense of shock for the past few days after this.'

Following the attack, he said, the Labour leader increased his security and added the incident had left his family 'very stressed and distressed'.

Jeremy Corbyn (left, and, right, during his visit to the Islamic centre) had an egg smashed against his head

Remain-supporting politicians have spoken about heightened tensions turning into abuse and violence, with independent MP Anna Soubry saying she has been targeted by 'very, very serious' death threats.

Labour's Lloyd Russell-Moyle said a man shouting 'traitors' grappled with him and grabbed his glasses on the streets of Brighton in an attempted assault.

Prime Minister Theresa May has faced heavy criticism from MPs, who accused her of whipping up tensions and putting them at risk of physical attack after she blamed them for delaying Brexit in a Downing Street speech.

The attack on Corbyn came about a week after the party announced it would support a second referendum.

Ms Arbuthnot warned she is considering a short prison sentence for Murphy, who had been equipped with four further eggs.

'This is a public servant and attacks on MPs must stop. The message must go out - this must stop,' she said.

Malik Aldeiri, defending, said Mr Corbyn's statement was 'slightly over egged in the sense that Mr Corbyn himself hasn't suffered any impact', with the main concerns being from his family. Murphy was bailed until later in the day when he may be sentenced.

Murphy, a freelance events promoter who lives with his parents, Whetstone, will also spend a year on licence.

Mr Aldeiri blamed Murphy's 'frustration and anger borne out of the political situation we find ourselves in'.

'He felt he was making a statement. He believes his civil rights were violated and this was a demonstration by him against what he says is a failure by Parliament to adhere to his democratic vote,' he added.
Meghan Markle's brother is being evicted from his home for non-payment of rent, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Thomas Markle was accused of failing to pay threemonths of rent on the bungalow in Grants Pass, Oregon, where he lives with his fiancee Darlene Blount.

The rent for the property is $1,500 a month meaning that Markle had allegedly fallen $4,500, including late fees.

During a court hearing his exasperated landlord Paul Walter said that Markle had given him 'empty promises' that he would pay up.

Walter, who is married to 1960s Hammer horror actress Yutte Stensgaard, the former wife of actor Tony Curtis, also begged a judge to give him his money back.

Under the court approved settlement Markle, 52, and Blount, 37, must leave the $287,000 bungalow by the end of the day on April 5th.

Meghan Markle's brother Thomas Markle Jr is being evicted along with his fiancee Darlene Blount for non payment of rent, DailyMail.com can reveal

The 52-year-old was accused of failing to pay three months of rent on the bungalow (pictured) in Grants Pass, Oregon. The market rate for the property is $1,500 a month meaning that Markle had allegedly owes $4,500

Speaking to DailyMail.com Walter, who runs online news service News With Views, said that Markle owed him $4,500 for the rent in January, February and March.

Walter said: 'Thomas Markle is a freeloader and doesn't pay his rent.

'He's always been late and it was always a week late or a day late. I shouldn't have rented to him in the first place'.

Walter said that he did not know that Markle had a famous sister when he rented to him, but he does now.

During a court hearing his exasperated landlord Paul Walter (pictured) said that Markle had given him 'empty promises' that he would pay up

He said: 'That last time we inspected the house was a year ago and it looked alright. I hope he didn't damage the house.

'Markle has signed the agreement to vacate by the 5th of April and I hope he does. If not we will get the sheriff to evict him'.

Markle's attorney Max Whittington did not return calls for comment.

The episode is the latest brush with the courts for Markle and Blount, who have both been arrested for assaulting each other and have a tempestuous relationship.

It will cause yet more embarrassment for Meghan, who is married to Prince Harry, ahead of the birth of their first child which is expected next month.

Markle is Meghan's half brother and they share the same father, Thomas Markle Sr, 73.

He has been living in the property for around a year after moving there from a cabin in the woods where he and Blount had been holed up.

The property has a large living and kitchen area and two bedrooms and when Markle moved in he saw it as a chance for him and Blount to make a new start for themselves.

But court documents show that dream appears to have ended for Markle, who makes his living as a glazier.

On February 8, the couple were given a 72 hour notice to pay up or vacate the home (pictured)

Under the court approved settlement Markle and Blount, 37, must leave the $287,000 bungalow by the end of the day on April 5th (pictured)

The judge told the two parties to talk to 'work something out' which they appear to have done because the trial did not take place and they came to a settlement. Under the terms of the agreement Walter was ordered to pay $83 costs and Markle had to pay $84.50. It does not appear that Markle or Blount were ordered to pay back the rent they owe

Among the documents is the stipulated judgement signed by attorneys for both parties which says Markle and Blount will leave by 11.59pm on April 5.

Markle initially fought back against his landlord and in a response to the eviction notice he wrote that it was illegal because an 'incorrect amount of money [was] demanded in notice'.

He claimed that the 'notice was served unlawfully' and objected to being asked to pay a late fee.

In another response Markle said that a letter about the rent for December was 'confusing'.

Both Markle and Blount were served with a Residential Eviction Notice from the Josephine County Sheriff's office.

The document states: 'Notice to tenants: read these papers carefully, your landlord wants to evict you!'

On February 8, the couple were given a 72 hour notice to pay up or vacate the home.

That led to a hearing on March 4 at the Josephine County Court where the judge asked both parties if they wanted a trial.

Markle said that Walter is 'reasonable enough to talk to' but Walter sounded angry and said he did not want to speak with him.

Walter said: 'We just want them out, they haven't paid February rent'.

The last time Markle was in court was this January for when he was arrested for a DUI after appearing 'visibly intoxicated', according to an Oregon State Police report. His rap sheet includes an incident in January 2017 when he was arrested for threatening Blount with a gun

Markle initially fought back against his landlord and in a response to the eviction notice he wrote that it was illegal because 'incorrect amount of money [was] demanded in notice'. He claimed that the 'notice was served unlawfully' and objected to being asked to pay a late fee

In another response Markle said that a letter about the rent for December was 'confusing'

The judge said to Markle that 'essentially they're evicting you, they want you out'.

Markle responded that he would need 'at least two weeks to get out due to health problems'.

At the end of the five minute hearing Walter said: 'How do we get paid for the months that he owes me?'

The judge said he would have to sue him to get the money and suggested he file a small claims case.

An exasperated Walter said: 'I've never been in this position. We tried to work it out with him before but all we got were empty promises'.

The judge said that he can 'appreciate the frustration' on Walter's behalf and the 'frustration with the system'.

The judge told the two parties to talk to 'work something out' which they appear to have done because the trial did not take place and they came to a settlement.

Under the terms of the agreement Walter was ordered to pay $83 costs and Markle had to pay $84.50.

It does not appear that Markle or Blount were ordered to pay back the rent they owe.

The last time Markle was in court was this January for when he was arrested for a DUI after appearing 'visibly intoxicated', according to an Oregon State Police report.

It will cause yet more embarrassment for Meghan, who is married to Prince Harry, ahead of the birth of their first child which is expected next month

His rap sheet includes an incident in January 2017 when he was arrested for threatening Blount with a gun.

An official police log of the incident, which spelled his name wrong, said: '[Markle] and Blount got into an argument.

'In his drunken state [Markle] grabbed a gun and pressed it to Blount's head in an attempt to get her to leave.'

Blount called 911 after locking herself in the bathroom for safety.

On New Year's Eve in 2017, Blount was arrested for fourth degree assault for allegedly beating Markle up.

He later claimed he had inflicted the injuries himself and paid her $1,000 bail.

Then in July last year Blount was arrested again for assault after yet another fight in which she gave Markle a black eye.

After that episode the couple said they had quit drinking in the hopes they could save their relationship.

Markle's relationship with Meghan has been nonexistent for years and last April he wrote an open letter to Prince Harry saying his sister was 'obviously not the right woman for you'.

But he soon changed his tune and said their wedding the next month could 'bring our family closer together' - he did not get an invite.


An Australian woman who left the country to join ISIS in Syria has revealed she doesn't regret living under the Islamic State and has no plans to return to home.

Janai Safar, 24, vowed never to return to Australia where she says there are 'naked women on the streets' and she could face ten years in jail.

The mother-of-one, who was a nursing student in Sydney before leaving the country in 2015, was tracked down and interviewed by The Australian on Monday in Kurdish refugee camp Roj in northern Syria.

She told the publication she refuses to raise her son, two-year-old Uthman, in a non-Islamic country and fears he could be taken away from her if she returned.

'It was my decision to come here to go away from where women are naked on the street. I don't want my son to be raised around that,' she said.

'I don't regret coming to Syria. I don't regret living under Islamic State.'

Janai Safar, 24, who was once a student in Sydney, has vowed never to return to Australia where she says there are 'naked women on the street' and she could face ten years in jail

The mother-of-one, who was a nursing student in Sydney before leaving the country in 2015, lives in the Kurdish refugee camp, Roj. Pictured above is another Syrian refugee camp

She insisted she never trained or fought but simply acted as a housewife to her jihadi husband - but fears she will be jailed if she ever came back to Australia.

Ms Safar explained she and her cousin, who she only identified as Aylam, met their husbands in Raqqa between 2015 and 2017.

They made the decision to join the jihadi group after watching material online and 'studying' together and then fled without telling their families.

The two women are believed to have ties to ISIS commanders who were accused of plotting a bomb attack on an Australian flight in 2017.





Ms Safar revealed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade interviewed her on the two men's involvement in the alleged plot which she said was 'not true.'

She claimed her husband had never spoken about violence or terrorism, but said he did own weapons - as did 'everyone.'

She did not go into further detail other than saying he was a Lebanese Australian who had died in a car crash a year ago.

Ms Safar revealed she, her cousin, and her cousin's husband left the Islamic State after they were told to leave Raqqa during an attack in 2017.

They were caught by Kurdish officials and put in a refugee camp, while her cousin's husband faces the death sentence in Baghdad.

When her husband was caught, Ms Safar said her cousin was sent back to the Islamic State for an exchange, and now believes she was killed in a bombing.

Ms Safar's father, Samer, who described ISIS members as 'crazy,' said his daughter is 'stubborn' but 'kind-hearted'.

He said he has asked her to come home and she has refused.

'She doesnt want to show shes fallen. But at the end of the day Australia is her country,' he told The Australian.

Ms Safar appears to be one of the few defiant jihadi brides who have chosen to stay as part of the Islamic State, while others have expressed regret in joining.

Lisa Smith, a former Irish soldier who fled her country to become an ISIS bride revealed she wanted to return home this month.

Ms Safar appears to be one of the few defiant jihadi brides who have chosen to stay as part of the Islamic State, while others have expressed regret in joining. Former life: Lisa Smith (circled) as an Irish soldier, left her country to join the Islamic State but is now begging to return home

Lisa Smith, pictured left at the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter in recent days, and right before she fled Ireland to join ISIS, is pleading to return home and says prison in Ireland could be no worse than life at the camp

The 37-year-old lost her husband and is currently living in the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria with her two-year-old daughter.

She fled the terror group's last holdout in Baghouz and is one of hundreds of women and children at the camp.

Teenage jihadi bride Zehra Duman, who fled Melbourne to fight with the Islamic State in Syria in 2014, is now begging to come home, claiming her two children have the right to be treated like any other 'normal kids' in Australia.

At the time Duman told Daily Mail Australia: 'All you have to know is that the next time I will ever step into Australia, is when we come and make it a part of the Islamic State bi'thnillah.

In an interview with an American humanitarian worker, a woman who refused to confirm her identity but is believed to be Duman said: 'I want to go back to my country.

'I think everybody's asking for that because I'm an Australian citizen.'

Teenage bride Zehra Duman left Melbourne aged 19 to join the terror group in 2014. She was recently believed to be in a Syrian refugee camp, desperate to come home. Pictured: the woman thought to be Duman alongside aid workers

In an interview (pictured) with an American humanitarian worker, a woman who refused to confirm her identity but is believed to be Duman said: 'I want to go back to my country'

The mother-of-two young children said she understood Australians would be angry with her but insisted: 'My kids have a right to be treated like normal kids.'

The defeat of ISIS last year has displaced thousands of jihadi brides, many of whom are now in refugee camps in Syria.

Hundreds of babies have died and the woman said her two-year-old son and six-month-old daughter are sick and malnourished.

'I have no money, I'm not allowed to have money, they don't give us food here and they don't let us contact our families,' she said in a video at Al Hawl refugee camp that was sent to the ABC.

'I understand the anger that they have towards a lot of us here, but the kids don't need to suffer.'

The woman, 24, claimed she has been trying to leave ISIS for two years but could not because she had no money and would get killed if she were caught.

Duman, a former student at Isik College Keysborough, hit headlines in Australia when she fled in 2014 to marry Mahmoud Abullatif, a former Melbourne party boy-turned Muslim extremist.

Her father, Davut Duman, said his daughter, who became a successful ISIS recruiter, had been 'brainwashed' and that he desperately wanted her home.

In 2015, a Twitter account believed to be run by Duman under the name Umm Abdullatif showed pictures (above) of ISIS women carrying assault rifles and standing next to luxury cars

In one of her tweets, Duman boasted about her and American jihadi brides being thirty for Australian and American blood

In one photo (above) women reclined against a clean white BMW M5, wielding machine guns and dressed from head to toe in black Islamic dress

When Abullatif died in battle five weeks after their wedding, Duman remarried and had two children with her second husband who also later died.

In 2015, a Twitter account believed to be run by her under the name Umm Abdullatif showed pictures of ISIS women carrying assault rifles and standing next to luxury cars.

In one tweet, Duman said: 'US + Australia, how does it feel that all 5 of us were born n raised in your lands, & now here thirsty for ur blood?'

Photographs posted to a Twitter account believed to be hers showed several women standing under an Islamic State flag.

They reclined against a clean white BMW M5, wielding machine guns and dressed from head to toe in black Islamic dress.

In one tweet, Duman said: 'US + Australia, how does it feel that all 5 of us were born n raised in your lands, & now here thirsty for ur blood?'

Another image of five women standing under an Islamic State flag was captioned: 'Can't mess with my clique. From the land down under, to the land of Khilafah. Thats the Aussie spirit.'
So it was all fake news

The entire two-year Russia collusion frenzy was based on an absolute falsehood that Donald Trump and his team had colluded with Russians to fix the 2016 election.

Its hard to imagine a worse thing to say about someone than that they betrayed their country, that they were traitors to their own people.

Yet that was the charge levelled at Trump in an obsessively unrelenting campaign to bring him down as President.

Today, he stands completely vindicated.

The long-awaited report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller sensationally cleared Trump of any collusion.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller leaves church on Sunday, just hours before a summary of his report - two years in the making - was released to the public

After an intensive investigation, Mueller concluded that neither the President nor any of his campaign team conspired with any Russians to interfere with the election.

Trump is jubilant, understandably.

But whilst I am pleased for him that he was finally exonerated of a high crime I never thought he could possibly have committed, my overwhelming feeling today is one of fury that he had to endure such a disgraceful, deceitful and concerted attack on his presidency based on nothing but a fervent desire to destroy him and his family.

Make no mistake, this was a Get Trump mission driven by a collection of people who just couldnt stomach the thought that he won the White House.

The Democrats, led by the demented Adam Schiff, screamed COLLUSION! so often Im amazed their larynxes didnt explode.

But at least they had an obvious political motive for wanting Trump gone.

Trump faced the cameras on Sunday as he took a victory lap on hearing the news he had been exonerated of any collusion charges

What is far worse is the way so many mainstream US media networks, newspapers and individual journalists fuelled the fake frenzy.

They let all the normal rules of balanced reporting fly out the window as they competed with each other over who could land the biggest Pulitzer prize-winning Trump/Russia sucker punch that would KO the President they loathe.

Only it turned out they were all punching thin air.

There was no collusion.

None.

Nada.

And today, all the people whove spent the past two years telling the world Trumps going down for Russia collusion look very stupid and have their reputations for impartiality irrevocably ruined.

Once revered newspapers like The New York Times and Washington Post are effectively finished as credible purveyors of fair and balanced news.

Their sustained, often viciously partisan Russiagate coverage has been dictated not by any higher purpose journalistic rigour but by commercial greed: the more they hammer the President, the more copies they sell and website clicks they attract, and the more money they make.

And the Trumps a traitor narrative has been their biggest money-spinner.

The Times has seen subscriptions and profits skyrocket since it erupted and has boasted about its success ad nauseam - but at what cost to its integrity?

Meanwhile, on the internet, websites have behaved like they were back in the unregulated, unlicensed wild west.

Buzzfeed, keen to show the world its a serious news organisation and not a trivia-led click-baiting gossip sheet, recklessly published the infamous dossier from ex-British spy Christopher Steele and Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson that claimed among other outlandish things that Trump paid prostitutes to urinate on him in a Moscow hotel room.

This revelation was designed to humiliate Trump personally, and also to infer that Vladimir Putins intelligence operatives had tapes of the incident, which is why Trump was so badly compromised by Russia.

It was also untrue.

I wrote at the time that most of the dossier  commissioned by the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democrats - sounded like nonsense, and sure enough all the more lurid revelations have never been proven.

Yet that terrible journalistic decision to run a completely unverified document full of obvious bullsh*t poured a million tons of fuel onto the small Russia collusion fire burning slowly away in Washington and turned it into a furnace that threatened to engulf and destroy the Trump presidency.

The first page of the letter released on Sunday that summarized Mueller's findings - that Trump was not guilty of collusion

Cable TV news has arguably been even worse than the press, feeding off every tiny scrap of unsubstantiated Russia-related gossip to drive headlines and ratings.

CNN anchors like Anderson Cooper cant hide their sneering disdain for Trump, which is entirely their prerogative.

But when, like Cooper, that disdain compels you to spend night after night, month after month, devoting almost your entire news show to what has turned out to be a fake news story, your reputation as an unbiased, fair-minded journalist is finished.

Why should any CNN viewer ever trust the likes of Cooper again given how badly hes burned himself on this bogus Russia collusion story?

At MSNBC, hugely popular anchors like Rachel Maddow pumped out the Russia line with increasingly intense, emotional nightly detail, convincing themselves and their viewers in the process that they were exposing the new Watergate.

But they werent.

They were just exposing their own bias and news-judgement-twisting hatred of Trump.

Late night hosts, too, all eagerly embraced the Russia collusion line, led by Stephen Colbert who turned round his ailing Late Late Shows ratings fortunes by making it a Trump-whacking forum featuring the constant subliminal message, Dont worry folks, Muellers coming for him!

Ironically, Fox News, which is routinely attacked by the left in America for its often undeniably slavish support for Trump, emerges with by far the most credit on this story.

Their much-vilified prime time anchors Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson have repeatedly picked apart and rubbished the Russia collusion claims - and they were right.

The collective impact of all this hysteria was that 95% of Americas media was actively colluding - oh the irony! - to turn the false Russia collusion story into a presidency-ending scandal.

As Rolling Stones Matt Taibbi wrote in an excoriating attack, it has been this media generations equivalent of the WMD fiasco that led to the Iraq War being fought on an entirely bogus pretext, aided and abetted by a woefully supine and deluded media.

Taibbi said: As a purely journalistic exercise, WMD was a pimple compared to Russiagate. The sheer scale of the errors and exaggerations this time dwarfs the last mess. Worse, its led to most journalists adopting a radical change in mission. Weve become side-choosers, obliterating the concept of the press as an independent institution whose primary role is sorting fact and fiction.

Exactly.

As for other big losers in all this, the list is long and illustrious:

Hillary Clinton, who never got over being beaten by a candidate with zero political experience, has been shrieking away ever since about Trump colluding with Russians in the desperate hope it would be proven true and she should rise again in glory as the true winner in 2016.

Today, she just looks an even bigger loser.

And what about the FBI, supposedly the very byword of discretion and unimpeachable integrity?

The bureaus former boss turned self-aggrandising secret-revealing lawman celebrity James Comey posted a moody photo of himself in woodland on Sunday and the caption: So many questions..

James Comey posted a cryptic tweet in the hours after Mueller report summary release - a photograph of himself in woodland with the caption 'so many questions'

Yes, there are  like: What the hell was the FBI doing on Comeys watch while Russia was aggressively hacking away to try to fix the last election?

The shocking answer is that they were more fixated with trying to stop Trump becoming President and wrecking his presidency if he did.

There should now be a proper investigation into Comeys role in forcing the Mueller investigation into life in the first place, by leaking misinformation to the media when there was no hard evidence to support any collusion.

Such a new probe should also examine how Comeys FBI colleagues like Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page, Bruce Ohr and Peter Strzok all conspired to compromise the democratically elected president of the United States.

They are all heavily implicated in numerous acts of alleged crimes involving the misuse of the dodgy Steele dossier, which they used as an excuse to get FISA warrants to spy on an associate of Trumps campaign, without any mention of Hillary and the Democrats financing it.

Their treachery, and Trump-hating motivation for it, is all there in their own words.

Strzok texted Page, his secret lover, before the 2016 election, and after he had just helped get Hillary off the email scandal rap, to say a newly-opened FBI investigation against Trump was an insurance policy against him in case he won.

McCabe, who succeeded Comey as FBI Director, confirmed to CBS after his own departure that he not only launched a counter-intelligence operation against President Trump, but also discussed with FBI colleagues whether it was possible to remove him from office using the 25th Amendment.

What the hell were all these FBI agents, who took an oath to serve the President, doing by plotting against him in such a disgraceful way?

The full scale of their behaviour must be properly investigated and those involved, if proven to have acted illegally, should be jailed.

And then, of course, weve got the Trump-bashing liberal celebrities whove been hollering COLLUSION for two years and more recently been salivating on social media about the Presidents impending day of reckoning at the hands of their hero, Mueller.

Today, this preening, posturing collection of ridiculous Hollywood creatures from Bette Midler, Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler to Alyssa Milano, Rob Reiner and George Takei have all been left in a state of shock, distress and denial  unable to believe that their knight in shining armour didnt just spare their target but exonerated him.

Of all the many terrible things about this Russia collusion farce, the worst is the open, excited craving by so many Americans to WANT to believe their President was a corrupt agent of a foreign enemy, and their undisguised disappointment now it turns out he wasnt.

Celebrities including actress Alyssa milano, left, and late night host Stephen Colbert, right, have been partuclarly vocal about wanting to see Trump proven to be corrupt

This scandal has exposed many of Americas politicians, journalists and celebrities for the hysterical Trump-deranged fools that they have become.

By obsessing about the fake saga of Russia collusion, they have done immeasurable harm to their country and their own reputations.

Trump is no angel, and faces other investigations that may or may not uncover bad stuff. That remains to be seen.

But on Russia, he has been absolutely consistent in repeatedly crying NO COLLUSION, and hes called the probe a witch hunt more than 170 times.

He was right: there was NO collusion, and it WAS a witch-hunt.

The result of this appalling episode in modern American history is that Trump emerges vindicated, emboldened and with a massive stick to beat his many critics in the 2020 election campaign.

And his opponents have once again shown their horrible tendency to believe their supposed moral superiority justifies anything they do, however venal.

I can see him now on the stump, declaring: I delivered on defeating ISIS, I delivered on the economy - and I crushed the fake news attempt to destroy me on Russia collusion.

Its a powerful vote-winning cocktail.

I tweeted last year that my bet was Mueller would find no collusion.

Today, I bet that Trump, if nothing serious emerges in any other investigation, will now be re-elected President  and his enemies will have only themselves to blame.
A homeless man launched a vicious, unprovoked attack on a stranger as she walked past him on a street in Colombia.

CCTV captured the shocking moment Luis Angel Ballen, 29, charged at the woman, knocking her to the ground before he repeatedly punched and kicked her.

A security camera from a nearby business filmed the woman, believed to be a college student, walking along the street in Neiva, Huila on Saturday.

From nowhere, Ballen bulldozes the woman, knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing to the ground.

Luis Angel Ballen (center) was arrested after he appeared in a video attacking a woman on a street in Neiva, a city in south central Colombia

CCTV footage shows Luis Angel Ballen (right) as he approaches his victim before launching an unprovoked attack

Police arrested Ballen, 29, after footage of the vicious attack emerged on Saturday

As the stunned woman tries to get up, Ballen repeatedly kicks her back down onto the sidewalk.

He then rains punches down on the defenseless woman's head and pulls her hair as she cowers against a wall.

The distressing footage shows Ballen beat the woman with around 30 blows.

A previous attack victim said Luis Angel Ballen (left) would get angry and physically harm people if his panhandling requests were rejected

The victim (right) managed to get up and run across the street moments after Ballen (left) beat her down

The Neiva Metropolitan Police admitted Ballen to the Neiva University Hospital where he's undergone a psychiatric evaluation

Incredibly, the woman manages to get to her feet as Ballen pauses for a moment, staring his alleged victim down before walking away.

The woman was able to flee across the street.

As a fleet of vehicles approach the scene, the homeless man starts is seen wandering off before getting into a shouting match with a motorcyclist.

The Neiva Metropolitan Police were able to identify Ballen after the viral video was brought to their attention and arrested him.

Ballen, who has allegedly attacked other women, is currently being held at Neiva University Hospital where he has undergone a psychiatric evaluation as the police awaits for the victim to come forward and file an official report.

A victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Colombian newspaper Diario de Huila that Ballen allegedly became upset whenever residents rejected his panhandling requests.

The attack comes amid a spate of similar assaults on women in the Candido Leguizamo neighborhood.
A trio of powerful House Democratic committee chairmen is blasting Attorney General William Barr for reaching his conclusion not to charge President Trump with obstruction just 48 hours after receiving the Mueller report.

The lawmakers are calling the Barr letter 'far from the '"total exoneration"' claimed by Trump  and point to 'shortcomings' in the letter to demand both that Barr come and testify and that he release the report and its evidence to Congress for review.

'These shortcomings in today's letter are the very reason our nation has a system of separation of powers. We cannot simply rely on what may be a partisan interpretation of facts uncovered during the course of a 22-month review of possible wrongdoing by the President,' said the letter.

Attorney General William Barr decided along with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein not to charge President Trump with obstruction. He made the decision within 48-hours of getting the Mueller report, which listed facts on both sides of the issu

The chairmen, each of whom is conducting his own probe of Trump-related inquiries, request that Barr testify before the Judiciary Committee  which would give lawmakers the chance to question him about the decisions undergirding his letter, which shocked Washington by revealing that Mueller did not find that anyone associated with the Trump campaign 'conspired or coordinated with the Russian government.'

House Judiciary Chairman Jerold Nadler, House Intelligence chair Adam Schiff, and House Oversight chair Elijah Cummings issued the letter.

Legal observers have been parsing the letter, noting that Barr's use of the term 'Russian government' would not necessarily apply to WikiLeaks, who Barr notes received emails hacked by Russia.

It also wouldn't apply to Natalia Veselnetskaya, the Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower in 2016 after the promise of 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton.

The letter questions's Barr's 'objectivity' in the matter.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and two other chairs calling on William Barr to testify about his decisions

'America is the greatest place on earth,' President Trump said Sunday upon his return to the White House

Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made the joint decision not to charge the president with obstruction of justice

Robert Mueller attended church near the White House on Sunday

'Far from the 'total exoneration' claimed by the President, the Mueller report expressly does not exonerate the President. Instead, it 'sets out evidence on both sides of the question' of obstruction-including the evidence that President Trump attempted to obstruct justice,' the chairmen write.

Barr's letter, which notably did not reach a conclusion on whether or not Trump should be prosecuted for potential obstruction, raised new questions for how a series of Demoratic probes would proceed.

Major committees have already been gearing up probes of Trump's business, foreign contacts, and role in hush payments to women, amid increasing pressure from rank-and-file members for impeachment.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) jointed in the effort

House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) is probing a range of White House issues, including security clearances for Trump family members

Now, they must contend with a summary of a report that at least states Trump's camp did not engage in a conspiracy with Russia to hack the elections.

The letter indicates that at least one area of the Judiciary panel's inquiry will be how Barr  who was nominated after penning a letter bashing Mueller's obstruction theory  handled his own role.

'It is unacceptable that, after Special Counsel Mueller spent 22 months meticulously uncovering this evidence, Attorney General Barr made a decision not to charge the President in under 48 hours,' they write.

'The Attorney General did so without even interviewing the President. His unsolicited, open memorandum to the Department of Justice, suggesting that the obstruction investigation was 'fatally misconceived,' calls into question his objectivity on this point in particular,' they added.

Nadler tweeted: 'Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Barr took two days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ'

Rep. Jerry Nadler tweeted that the House Judiciary Committee which he chairs will be calling Barr to testify

Barr's letter states that Mueller did not uncover evidence Trump or his advisors 'conspired with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.' The letter also notes that Russian government hackers disseminated information through WikiLeaks, founded by Julian Assange (above)

Barr's letter did not mention Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who met with key Trump campaign officials

On Russian interference, they wrote: 'Although we have confidence that Special Counsel Mueller made the right prosecutorial judgement ... notwithstanding the very public evidence of Trump campaign contact with and willingness to receive support from Russian agents  it will be vital for the country and the Congress to evaluate the full body of evidence collected by the Special Counsel, including all information gathered of a counterintelligence nature.'

They noted that Barr's four-page summary revealed only a fraction of what Mueller produced. It includes quotations that are merely sentence fragments  not sentences.

'The only information the Congress and the American people have received regarding this investigation is the Attorney General's own work product. The Special Counsel's Report should be allowed to speak for itself, and Congress must have the opportunity to evaluate the underlying evidence,' they added.

They pointed to a 420-0 House vote calling for the release of the full report.

Mueller investigation by the numbers Employed 19 lawyers Worked with team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff Issued more than 2,800 subpoenas Executed nearly 500 search warrants Obtained more than 230 orders for communication records Issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers Made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence Interviewed approximately 500 witnesses Advertisement

'The Attorney General must release the report and the underlying evidence in full, and appear before the House Judiciary Committee to answer our questions without delay.'

On obstruction of justice, Barr notes that Mueller sets out evidence 'on both sides' without drawing a conclusion of whether the conduct constitutes obstruction.

'The Special Counsel's decision to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime,' wrote Barr  without stating whether Mueller affirmatively said the attorney general should make the decision. Mueller, by failing to reach a conclusion, also could in effect have let it up to Congress to decide.

Barr, in his letter, wrote that he was 'mindful' of public interest in the matter. He said his 'goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsel's report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Department policies.'

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler announced on Twitter Sunday that his committee would be calling Barr before them to explain how he reached the conclusion Trump should not be charged.

'Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ,' Nadler wrote.

'In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future,' he added.
Saudi Arabia is on course for a record number of beheadings and crucifixions in 2019 if their executions continue at the present rate.

The desert kingdom has already executed 43 people in the first three months of this year  the most recent being a Syrian man who was put to death on March 13th for smuggling amphetamine pills.

If this rate continues, 172 will have been put to death by the end of the year  more than ever before.

So far, 21 people have been beheaded for drugs offences. But other crimes which carry the death penalty include adultery, renouncing Islam, treason, espionage, burglary as well as murder, terrorism, rape or espionage.

Executions in Saudi Arabia generally entail a public beheading in the morning, and can also include crucifixion for display of the body

Mounds erected in a public square in Abha, Saudi Arabia ready for the public execution of seven men. The number of killings in the desert kingdom has increased rapidly since 2017

Despite an upward trend in the number of executions since 2000, Saudi Arabia is still in third place behind China and Iran, where between 249 and 285 people respectively were executed in 2018. In 4th and 5th place are Iraq and Pakistan.

The figures were compiled by human rights groups such as Death Penalty Worldwide, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Reprieve said that there had been nearly 700 executions in Saudi Arabia since 2014, averaging 13 a month

Figures released in December by the watchdog, Reprieve, showed that executions doubled in Saudi Arabia under the new ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The number of people put to death between June 2017  when MBS came to power  and March 2018 was 133, compared to just 67 in the preceding eight months before he was installed.

Nearly half of those were poor migrants, mostly from South Asia, who had been coerced into smuggling drugs.

Reprieve said that there had been nearly 700 executions in Saudi Arabia since 2014, averaging 13 a month.

In January 2016, 47 were killed in one day across 12 different provinces after being convicted of terrorism offences.

This was Saudi Arabias largest mass execution since 1980, when 63 rebels were put to death for seizing Meccas Grand Mosque.

In 2015 the authorities in Riyadh advertised for eight new executioners because it couldnt keep up with the rising number of death sentences.

Authorities in capital Riyadh advertised for eight new executioners because it couldnt keep up with the rising number of death sentences

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured with Donald Trump in the Oval Office) has overseen a rapid increase in the number of executions since the star of his rule

It asked for no specific skills but said the job included executing a judgement of death.

Nearly 40 per cent (58 people) of those executed last year were convicted of drugs offences, with 77 per cent of them being foreign nationals.

These are typically poor migrant workers, coerced into smuggling drugs in their intestines, said Reprieve.

In October, Saudi Arabia an Indonesian maid, Tuti Tursilawati, without either her family or the Indonesian authorities even being told.

Former-Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Al Saud was removed from office and lost his place in line to the throne in 2017, and is believed to confined to his palace in the capital Riyadh

She had been found guilty in June 2011 of killing her Saudi employer, but claimed she had acted in self-defence after he tried to rape her.

Yesterday it emerged that a Saudi royal adviser sacked for being behind the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was not among those on trial for the killing.

Saud al-Qahtani was said to have ordered the killing over Skype with the words: Bring me the head of the dog.

But sources said he was not among 11 people now on trial, who face the death penalty if convicted.

Royal adviser Saud al-Qahtani, who was said to be behind killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is not among the 11 people now on trial for the murder and could face the death penalty if convicted
Officials at Wake Forest University have condemned a racist Instagram post that suggested the North Carolina school build a wall to separate it from a nearby historically black college.

An Instagram post on Friday endorsed a candidate for student body president, saying 'he wants to build a wall between Wake and Winston-Salem State and he'll make them pay for it.'

The author of the post also quipped that the candidate will cut the prices on beer pitchers at a local bar.

This racist Instagram post suggested that Wake Forest University build a wall to separate it from Winston-Salem State

Established in 1892, Winston-Salem State University is a historically black public research university

That's ostensibly a reference to President Donald Trump's campaign promise to build a wall on the southern border financed by Mexico to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the US.

Wake Forest University President Nathan Hatch condemned the post for being 'deeply offensive and unacceptable'

Established in 1892, Winston-Salem State is one of 101 historically black colleges and universities in the US.

Wake Forest has confirmed that the student endorsed is not actually running for office, and did not participate in the posting, reported Winston-Salem Journal.

Wake Forest University President Nathan Hatch called the post 'deeply offensive and unacceptable,' even if intended as parody of a 'national issue.'

'The impact on the community is widespread and harmful, regardless of the original intent,' Hatch's statement read.

The university president went on to write that he has reached out to Winston-Salem State University Chancellor Elwood Robinson, whom he characterized as a 'dear friend,' to express his concern about the posting.

'The message disparaged an institution whose values and mission we embrace and with whom we are building increased collaboration that brings our communities together,' Hatch continued.

President Hatch released this statement addressing the controversy surrounding the post

The university president said Wake Forest's dean of students is leading the investigation into the posting.

Critics on Saturday took to Twitter to express their dismay at the message in the Instagram post, with the Wake Forest University Anti-Racism Coalition tweeting: '@PresidentHatch the parody of a national issue to which you refer is a racist dog whistle deployed to embolden white supremacy. The author of the post knew what they were doing. Call racism by its name #wfuzerotolerance.'
A passenger travelling on a domestic flight in China caused a disruption when he sat in a crew member's seat and refused to move.

The man was travelling on the Air China flight CA1226 from Guilin, Guangxi to Beijing on Sunday night when he deliberately sat in the wrong seat and was filmed bickering with flight attendants and other passengers.

Earlier media reports quoting witnesses said the incident directly caused a delay of two hours. However, the airline issued a statement today saying that the man returned to his assigned seat after 10 minutes and the delay was caused by 'air traffic control and weather problems' instead.

The man was travelling on the Air China flight CA1226 from Guilin, Guangxi to Beijing on Sunday night when he deliberately sat in the wrong seat and was filmed bickering with flight attendants and other passengers

Footage filmed by a witness and shared on Chinese microblogging site Weibo shows the unruly passenger arguing with flight staff and other people, refusing to budge.

'You should follow the seat number on your ticket, do you understand?' another fellow passenger on the plane was heard saying to him.

'You are jeopardising all of our safety,' another man was heard saying.

In the statement released today, Air China said the incident occurred as the flight was waiting for take-off.

'Flight CA1226 was scheduled to take off at 21:40. Due to air traffic control and weather problems, the flight took off on March 25 00:20 after a delay,' Air China said (file photo)

Footage filmed by a witness and shared on Chinese microblogging site Weibo shows the unruly passenger arguing with flight staff and other people, refusing to budge

'A passenger occupied a crew member's seat in the front row. Following the crew and other passenger's advice, the passenger returned to his own seat. The entire incident lasted less than 10 minutes,' the statement on Weibo read.

'Flight CA1226 was scheduled to take off at 21:40. Due to air traffic control and weather problems, the flight took off at 00:20 on March 25 after a delay,' it added.

The flight arrived safely in Beijing at 2:39am, the airline said, before reminding passengers to be courteous and follow public transport rules and regulations.

News about 'seat thieves' who refuse to sit in their assigned seats on crowded trains and who are rude to staff have previously gone viral on social media, igniting national anger.

News about 'seat thieves' who refuse to sit in their assigned seats on crowded trains and who are rude to staff have previously gone viral on social media, igniting national anger (file photo)

Last August, a man on a high-speed train from Jinan, Shandong province to Beijing refused to vacate a seat that had been assigned to another woman, prompting a storm of criticism from internet users, who disclosed his ID card and full name online.

Just a month later, a woman caused chaos on a train from Shanghai to Fuyang, Anhui province when she threw water at other passengers during an argument over the wrong seat she was in.

In another incident, another passenger who refused to leave a window seat on a train from Yongzhou, Hunan to Shenzhen, Guangdong was barred from taking trains for 180 days and fined 200 yuan (23).

According to CCTV in January, officers investigated 2,856 cases of disruption of public order on the rail system and detained 452 train travellers.

Such 'seat robbing' offences could affect a person's social credit score in China.

The system, which rates people based on their daily behaviour, can disqualify people with poor ratings from flying or booking certain classes of travel on trains.
Police are hunting for a man caught on video brazenly groping a woman repeatedly on a street in Brooklyn.

Surveillance footage recorded on the morning of March 10 shows the attacker slapping the 30-year-old woman on the buttocks and grabbing at her breasts.

She tries to shove him away before crossing the street as he continues his determined pursuit.

The woman, who has not been named, ultimately manages to strike him hard enough with her umbrella that he runs away. Police said she did not sustain any injuries.

New York City police are hunting for a man caught on video brazenly groping a woman on a street in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn on the morning of March 10

Surveillance video shows the attacker repeatedly slapping the 30-year-old woman on the buttocks and grabbing at her breasts. She eventually escaped by hitting him with her umbrella

Detectives have requested the public's help in identifying the suspect who is still on the loose more than two weeks after the incident.

He was described a black or Hispanic adult male with a goatee. He was last seen wearing black pants, black Nike sneakers, and a black hooded jacket with a multi-colored design on the back.

The incident occurred near Livonia and Rockaway Avenue in Brownsville.

It did not appear that there were any witnesses.

Anyone with information is urged to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Detectives asked the public for help in identifying the attacker who is still on the loose more than two weeks after the incident. He was described as a black or Hispanic adult with a goatee
As the dust settled Monday on the Mueller probe's final curtain-closing, Republicans in Washington swung from defense to offense, calling for new deep-dives into a cast of characters who started and fueled the lengthy Russia-conspiracy chase.

A day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller exonerated President Trump from claims that he colluded with Russia to win his election, his spokespersons, lawyers and partisan advocates blanketed the airwaves and the Internet with demands for Obama administration officials and Justice Department insiders to face their own scrutiny.

'If we're all serious about getting to the truth and not just scoring political points,' a senior White House official told DailyMail.com on Monday, 'you really have to be willing to investigate the investigators after something this far-reaching falls apart.'

Senior Trump aides Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Sanders blanketed the airwaves Monday morning with similar recommendations. Conway called for Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff to resign.

But James Comey, James Clapper, John Brennan, Loretta Lynch, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page and other current and former government officials went from heroes to potential villains in the blink of a political news cycle when South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham spoke to the press.

President Donald Trump's White House swung into offense mode on Monday after Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded there was no campaign collusion with Russians; a senior official said that 'if we're all serious about getting to the truth and not just scoring political points, you really have to be willing to investigate the investigators'

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that he will use her position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to probe who was responsible for advancing the Trump-Russia narrative

Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch (left), former FBI Director James Comey (center) and former CIA Director John Brennan (right) are all under new scrutiny after the collapse of the Democrat-favored narrative that President Donald Trump colluded with Russians to swing the 2016 election

Graham vowed in a press conference that he would use his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee to peel apart the layers of the 22-month Mueller probe and what preceded it.

That, he said, includes the uncorroborated, Democrat-funded dossier of anti-Trump research that led the Justice Department to dig into alleged Trump-Russia ties, and the DOJ's use of its contents to get a surveillance warrant on Trump a campaign adviser.

'The FISA warrant issued against Carter Page based on a dossier prepared by Christopher Steele is at a minimum disturbing,' said Graham, a staunch Trump ally. 'Whether or not it's illegal, I don't yet know, so I'm going to get answers to this.'

'If no one else cares, it seems to me Republicans do, and thats sad  "f the shoe were on the other foot it would be front page news all over the world,' he said.

Graham also vowed to dig into an infamous June 2016 airport tarmac meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Lynch, then President Barack Obama's attorney general.

Clinton and Lynch have both denied discussing the counterintelligence investigation that targeted Hillary Clinton at the time. But then-FBI Director Comey announced just a week later that he had refused to recommend criminally prosecuting Mrs. Clinton for mishandling classified information on her private email server.

The mood in Washington was summed up Monday by an editorial written 430 miles away and published in the Boston Herald.

'The Mueller report is in. The president is vindicated. Now it is time to investigate the investigators,' the editorial read.

'Democrats and the media will show little interest in such an investigation but that is of no matter. History will outlive the activists on CNN and it is our responsibility to shed light on the motives behind the machinations to undermine a duly elected president.'

Rudy Giuliani, the personal attorney to Donald Trump, said Monday that he wants to know who was responsible for funding and fueling a conspiracy theory about the president colluding with Russians to swing the 2016 election

House speaker Nancy Pelosi's office responded Monday afternoon to Conway's demand that Schiff should resign.

'Chairman Schiff has done an outstanding job and that's the reason why he's subject to these ridiculous attacks,' spokeswoman Ashley Etienne said in a statement.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Trump backer whose daughter is the president's White House press secretary, laid out a theory that could dominate headlines for months.

'There WAS a CONSPIRACY, a COVER-UP, and attempted COUP,' he tweeted.

'It was done by Comey, McCabe, Ohr, Clapper, Brennan, Rice, Strzok, Page, Yates, et al. None of those ppl are in @realDonaldTrump world. Not ONE. Hold them accountable for abuse of power. No one should be above the law.'

Obama-era officials who are playing defense against the White House after Mueller ruled out 'collusion' Former FBI Director James Comey Comeys conduct in both his handling of the Clinton email scandal and the Russia probe has already come under scrutiny by House Republican investigators. Now, with the delivery of the Mueller report, Comey could is facing a new pressure to explain his decisions. President Trump cited Comeys conduct in the email probe as the reason he fired the longtime FBI official early in his presidency. Comey had himself announced in July 2016 the decision not to prosecute Clinton, even as he chided her for carelessness in her emails. After his firing, Comey delivered riveting testimony to Congress about what he took as pressure from Trump to ease off prosecution of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Now, Judiciary Chairman Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wants to pursue the matter further. Why did he take over the investigation in July, make a statement that she did a lot of bad things but not quite a crime. That did affect this election, said Graham on Monday. Former CIA Director John Brennan Brennan cast off his normally tight-lipped persona to become one of President Trumps fiercest critics after he ended his tenure. In one example, he retweeted Trump in January, writing: Your cabal of unprincipled, unethical, dishonest, and sycophantic cronies is being methodically brought to justice. We all know where this trail leads. If your utter incompetence is not enough to run you out of office, your increasingly obvious political corruption surely will. He predicted the Mueller probe could ensnare Trump family members. He predicted, incorrectly, that Mueller would bring additional indictments dealing with criminal conspiracy. Former FBI agent Peter Strzok Strzok was fired as one of the lead investigators on the Russia probe after his anti-Trump text exchanges with lover Lisa Page were revealed. After his texts were first uncovered during the course of an inspector generals probe, Strzok was transferred to another position in human resources. When he was fired, Trump tweeted: Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI  finally. In one infamous August 2016 text to Page, Strzok wrote about Pages apparent contention in a meeting that there was no way Trump would get elected. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before 40, he said. Republicans pointed to the email as signal of partisan origins of the probe, and cast the comment as a plan to keep Trump from becoming president. Strzok denied that interpretation, and defenders noted Strzok could have just been defending the need to open a counterintelligence probe even of someone unlikely to win. Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page Page was a high-level FBI lawyer who advised former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Like Strzok, she worked on both the Hillary Clinton email probe and the Russia probe. She resigned her post amid the inquiry into messages she exchanged with Strzok. In one piece of newly-revealed information, she told Congress the Obama Justice Department told investigators not to charge Clinton with gross negligence over her emails. 'We neither had sufficient evidence to charge gross negligence, nor had it ever been done, because the Department viewed it as constitutionally vague Page told a joint committee investigating the prosecutorial decisions. She said investigators had studied it because there was potential for the charge. Former senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr Ohr came under scrutiny for his role in the transmission of information from the Steele dossier to the FBI. Ohr is a senior Justice Department official who had prior professional contacts going back years with former British Intelligence officer Christopher Steele. Steele famously authored what became known as the dossier about Russia contacts to Trump officials as well as unproven salacious allegations about the candidate. Ohr had a specialty that focused on organized and international crime. In addition, Ohr testified that he took additional information that was gathered by his wife, Nellie Ohr, who worked for Fusion GPS political intelligence firm. He told investigators she gave him a memory stick containing information she gathered on Russian figures. Trump has regularly attacked Ohr as a disgrace on Twitter. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Clapper had early insights into the origins of the Russia probe. When he left office after the Obama administration, he took a job as a CNN commentator, and became a fierce critic of President Trumps. Clapper, along with Brennan and others, who ended up on a list the White House compiled of officials whose security clearances would be revoked. The White House said it was to target people who made baseless accusations or had monetized their public service. "I think this is just a very, very petty thing to do, Clapper said afterward. GOP critics blasted his testimony had given to Congress about warrantless surveillance, claiming he may have perjured himself. Clapper denied at a 2013 Senate hearing that the NSA was not wittingly collecting information on millions of Americans. No, sir  Not wittingly, Clapper responded. Advertisement

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani demanded on 'Fox & Friends' to know exactly who was responsible for promoting the 'cockamamie' theory that the president conspired with Russians to steal the 2016 election and then tried to obstruct a federal investigation into his actions.

'If there was no evidence of collusion  three investigations, no evidence of collusion  who made it up? It had to come from somewhere. It just didn't come out of thin air,' Giuliani fumed.

'I want to know who did it, who paid for it, who fueled it. Because the person who did it, and the group that did it, knows it's untrue  because they invented it.'

Giuliani said the president's adversaries, the same group that applied pressure inside the Justice Department, will soon have a reckoning.

In an editorial Monday, The Wall Street Journal concluded that 'someone may have conned the FBI into one of the great dirty tricks in American political history.'

'Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!' Giuliani responded to a live reading of that line. 'And you're going to find out, believe me, who it was.'

It's Graham who may be best positioned to break Washington's inertia and launch an investigation designed as a counterweight to House Democrats' efforts to keep the themes of Mueller's probe alive.

Mueller investigation by the numbers Employed 19 lawyers Worked with team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff Issued more than 2,800 subpoenas Executed nearly 500 search warrants Obtained more than 230 orders for communication records Issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers Made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence Interviewed approximately 500 witnesses Advertisement

Anti-Trump collusion among Justice Department insiders the president inherited in 2017 has 'pretty much been swept under the rug except by a few Republicans,' Graham said. 'Those days are over.'

'What role did the dossier play?' he asked, saying he wants to know it if was 'the primary source' that launched the Justice Department's Russia-related intelligence-gathering scramble.

'I want to know the role Comey played in this,' he declared.

Graham had sent a warning to the FBI chief who Trump fired in May 2017, after Comey tweeted a photo of himself looking up at a forest full of tall trees and captioned the picture: 'So many questions.'

'Could not agree more,' Graham replied. 'See you soon.'

'I was sort of like, "What was the whole forest thing about?"' he said Monday.

In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Council, Vice President Mike Pence stayed away from talk of recriminations in a more high-minded victory lap -- but did throw a jab over 'reckless accusations by many Democrats and members of the media.'

'Make no mistake about it, my fellow Americans, this was a total vindication of the President of the United States and our campaign, and it should be welcomed by every American,' he said.
This is the first picture of the 'generous' shopkeeper who was stabbed to death in a bungled robbery on Sunday morning.

The victim, named by police as Ravi Katharkamar, 54, was killed at his shop in Pinner, north west London.

Shop landlord Kirit Dodiya, 49, said Mr Katharkamar was 'always smiling' and a 'gentleman'.

He said: 'He was a top guy. I would see him inside the shop. We manage other shops on the road.

The victim, named by police as Ravi Katharkamar, 54, was killed at his shop in Pinner, north west London

'I spoke to him a few times and he was a gentleman.

'It was such a shock for me personally, I spoke to him on Friday.

'He was always smiling, always. You would walk into the shop and he would offer you something always.

'We want to give a tribute ourselves and send flowers.'

Mr Katharkamar used to worship at the Vel Murugan Hindu Temple in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Head priest at the temple Sundar Rasiah said: 'Ravi would come in and pray every Friday morning. 'He was a very generous man, he donated 1,200 of his own money to fund a statue of the deity Bhairavar.

'He had a wife - Vignarani - and two sons and lived in Watford. 'I don't know the events of yesterday morning but we are devastated at his loss. He will be missed by everyone here.'

CCTV footage has revealed the last moments of a father-of-two newsagent worker before he was stabbed to death in a robbery.

It is unknown whether either man was the killer, but locals say the driver of the white car was definitely 'friendly and polite' Ravi.

A neighbour's security camera captured a man arriving at the shop at around 5.30am in a white car, with neighbours identifying the vehicle as Ravi's.

Minutes later another man can be seen 'staggering' through the area in another direction, while another car is also seen arriving with the driver seen walking out of shot before returning to the vehicle and leaving.

Police say the robbery 'escalated' and it is believed the offender stole a till, which may have been discarded in the area.

Locals say the shop, Marsh Food and Wine, has been targeted twice before, with the most recent incident six months ago.

The possible last sighting of the newsagent captured on camera as he arrived to open up his shop before he was fatally stabbed inside

Flowers and tributes have been left at the scene today while forensic officers continue to perform fingertip searches.

A cordon remains at the scene, with a white and yellow evidence tent still up.

Gareth Cox, 42, who lives above the scene, said he found the footage on his CCTV camera after waking up to find a forensic tent outside his flat.

The brewery owner said: 'I woke up at 7am to find the whole road cordoned off, a couple of ambulances and a very large police presence.

'Someone was staggering along at half five, the footage is grainy, but you can see him stumbling along the pavement.

'It looks like it must have happened close by perhaps - he come out of one of the houses - this took place opposite the synagogue.'

He added: 'Just before the man was stumbling a car, I think it's a Prius, pulled up, a man got out and he walked the other way.

'It was the guy from the news agents. The car was his and he always parked outside.

He added: 'They were hit by armed men two years ago, there was police and forensics everywhere.

'Why they would target that place I don't know. It's a newsagent that sells party supplies.'

Another local newsagent said: 'Ravi's shop was broken into in the middle of the night before. They came for his cigarettes.

'Nobody was hurt. The police were called. It was six months ago.'

Speaking at the police cordon, another neighbour confirmed that the car was owner by the victim.

She said: 'That was his car. He would drive it to the shop each time he was in.'

Neighbour Kediga Mohammed Ali added: 'Whenever he was inside the shop that car was outside.'

A man knifed to death at a newsagent in north west London has been named as father-of-two Ravi, 54, and described as a 'friendly and polite' man

It comes amid another night of bloodshed in the capital with six more people stabbed overnight from Saturday to Sunday

Residents have spoken of their shock after their local newsagent was killed.

A number of appeals have been also launched online by locals to raise money for his grieving family.

One organiser, Kristina Bennett, 31, said: 'He was always friendly and polite.

'Pinner is a lovely place to live with a great community, and I am hopeful that everyone will pull together to help the family in whatever way they can.'

Another appeal by the Pinner Parents group was set up to 'pour all of our disbelief and sadness into something useful'.

The introduction for their GoFundMe appeal said: 'The murder on our doorsteps yesterday was utterly senseless and totally tragic. While we are seeing an epidemic of violent crime in this country, for it to happen so close to home is hard to ignore.'

One woman said: 'I have lived here for 46 years, I know the area very well, it's lovely - all kinds of people are here and it's peaceful.

'I would go into that shop each week to pay my newspaper bill.

'When I do I speak to the owner, he has always been a very private person, but last week he began to open up.

Scotland Yard said the shop's till was stolen and may have been discarded by the suspect, while detectives are appealing for witnesses who saw a black Vauxhall Astra driven away at speed immediately after the stabbing

'He told me how much he loves the Netherlands and how he used to live there, in Amsterdam.

'And I was told about his work with the tulips, he was so excited to talk about it, he just wouldn't stop.

Another newsagent said: 'I know the previous owner, Kan Balarajah, he owned the shop when it was a Post Office.

'It changed hands again last summer. What happened is terrible. '

Another local, 62, said: 'I collected my parcels from the shop. Ravi was the nicest man, so sweet.

'He was lovely and a part of the community. He had glasses, I would see him behind the counter.

'It's appalling what happened. He left behind two children. Everyone here is very concerned.'

Officers were called to the scene in Marsh Road at around 6am but the victim was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later.

Scotland Yard said the shop's till was stolen and may have been discarded by the suspect, while detectives are appealing for witnesses who saw a black Vauxhall Astra driven away at speed immediately after the stabbing.

No arrests have been made and detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command have been informed.

Norman Stevenson, a Conservative councillor for Pinner, said: 'I am shocked to hear what's happened here this morning. Pinner is a fairly prosperous, leafy suburb.

'A very safe part of the world. It's a real shock this has happened. There are only rumours at the moment about who the victim is. I have just been asking the police but they can't release any information.

'It's very unfortunate. We wouldn't expect it to happen. We don't expect this to happen in a typical leafy suburb.'

One resident described Pinner as 'lovely' but said she was not shocked by the news as such incidents are 'happening in all areas'.

A section of Marsh Road in Pinner, pictured, remains cordoned off today

Mary MacNamara, who has lived in the area for four years, said: 'We all see what's going on generally and it (such crime) seems to be happening in all areas.

'It's happening every day. Nobody does anything about it. The Government are doing nothing about it. All they do is fight about Brexit.'

Speaking yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Stancombe said: 'I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around Marsh Lane this morning and saw anything of interest to contact police.

'This was a violent robbery that has escalated, resulting in the murder of a man.

'It appears the till was stolen from the shop during this robbery and this may have been discarded by the suspect. If you have come across this, we want to hear from you.

'I am particularly keen to hear from anyone who saw a black Vauxhall Astra that was driven away at speed south down Cecil Park immediately after the attack.

'We think that car was parked in Cecil Park prior to the murder - if you saw this, or have any other information that could help us progress this investigation, I would urge you to get in contact.'

Police are asking anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

The stabbing is the 29th to be classed as a homicide in London so far this year.

On Friday night, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death outside a block of flats.

Police arrived just after 10.30pm to reports of a fight and found a teenage boy dying in the street.

Paramedics battled in vain and the teen was pronounced dead at the scene in Isleworth, west London.

Another murder investigation has been launched and no arrests have yet been made.

Police arrest eight people after a man 'in his 30s' was stabbed to death following a 'disturbance' on a leafy suburban road Six men and two women have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death during a 'disturbance' on a leafy suburban street, police have said. Avon and Somerset Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of the man, aged in his 30s. The force received a report of a disturbance at a property on Merlin Drive in Wells, Somerset, involving a number of people at 4.25pm on Saturday. One of the men died of his injuries at the scene and his next of kin have been informed. Avon and Somerset Police received a report of a disturbance at a property on Merlin Drive in Wells, Somerset, (pictured today) involving a number of people at 4.25pm on Saturday The injuries sustained by the other man, also in his 30s, are not life threatening or life changing but he remains in hospital for medical treatment. A force spokesman said: 'Armed officers were deployed to the scene and assisted their patrol colleagues with carrying out a number of arrests. 'The police helicopter was also used in the operation. 'In total, six men and two women, all from the Somerset area, were detained in connection with the incident and currently remain in police custody.' A post-mortem examination of the man who died and formal identification will be arranged 'in due course', he said. Officers attended the scene and found two men with knife wounds on nearby Wookey Hole Road. One of the men died of his injuries . The scene is pictured today Specially trained officers will be providing support to the man's family. Detective Inspector Alistair Hammett, senior investigating officer, said a full investigation was being carried out into the 'very tragic incident'. 'I appreciate this incident will shock local residents and we are increasing patrols in the area to provide reassurance,' he said. 'At this stage, we believe this to be an isolated incident involving people known to each other. 'A large cordon is in place around the Merlin Drive area and there will be a continuing police presence at the scene for some time while we carry out our enquiries.' Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 101 giving the log 760 of March 25, or anonymously through Crimestoppers. Advertisement

Earlier this month, Nathaniel Armstrong, the cousin of Good Morning Britain weatherman Alex Beresford, was knifed to death in Fulham.

He was murdered outside a property on the same street that Crimewatch presenter Jill Dando was shot dead outside her home 20 years ago.

Jodie Chesney, in Harold Hill, east London, and Yousef Makki, in Greater Manchester, both 17, were stabbed to death during one violence-filled weekend earlier this month.

It comes as Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced a 100million funding package to tackle Britain's knife crime crisis.
Michael Leon Curry, 51, - who dubbed himself the 'Night Stalker' - was charged a week ago with murder in the 1986 strangulation of 59-year-old Wilda Wilkinson in her Bangor home. He is pictured above last week in court

A man who allegedly confessed four times to killing a nurse three decades ago in Michigan and wrote on Facebook that he had never killed anyone who didn't deserve it has only just been arrested over the cold case slaying.

Michael Leon Curry, 51, - who dubbed himself the 'Night Stalker' - was charged a week ago with murder in the 1986 strangulation of 59-year-old Wilda Wilkinson in her Bangor home.

A state police investigator testified this month that Curry had confessed four times in the late 1980s to breaking into Wilkinson's home and strangling her but he was never charged.

The police testimony that was given to obtain Curry's recent arrest warrant was only released last week.

Curry was first named as a suspect when Wilkinson's daughter found the nurse dead in her home in on July 29, 1986 when she failed to show up for her shift at the local hospital.

Authorities declined to press charges against him because they said they didn't have enough evidence.

Bangor Police Detective Sergeant Kyle Gorham told the court this month that Curry had actually confessed to a cellmate, confessed in interviews with police and even wrote a letter to a detective admitting his involvement between 1986 and 1989.

Curry was first named as a suspect when Wilda Wilkinson's daughter found the nurse dead in her home in on July 29, 1986 when she failed to show up for her shift at the local hospital

Curry was questioned early on in the murder investigation and was arrested on an unrelated charge. While he was detained on the unrelated charge, Curry allegedly told his cellmate that he had killed Wilkinson.

The cellmate contacted now-retired Bagor Police Lt. Tim Wydick to report Curry's alleged confession. He gave police a handwritten note dated December 28, 1986 in which Curry had allegedly confessed.

In a subsequent interviews with police, Curry allegedly confessed twice to killing the victim.

Curry allegedly confessed again in December 1989 after he was arrested for beating his roommate nearly to death.

Wydick received an anonymous letter a day later stating: 'Almost 41 months have passed, 1,233 days since that fatal hot and humid July night'. It was the exact time since Wilkinson was murdered.

The letter also included details about the crime, including that Wilkinson was found without her underwear.

Detectives later found that Curry's fingerprints were allegedly found on the letter.

A state police investigator testified this month that Curry had confessed four times in the late 1980s to breaking into Wilkinson's home and strangling her but he was never charged

Curry went on to serve a 20 year prison sentence for beating his roommate and he was released in 2017.

Authorities reopened the cold case investigation last year and started monitoring Curry's Facebook after he was released.

According to court documents, Curry posted in June last year: 'I am no angel. If I get p***ed I kill' and 'I have never killed anyone who did not  who didnt deserve it.' The posts have since been deleted.

Detectives exhumed Wilkinson's body in October and performed an autopsy before Curry was arrested last week in California and charged with murder.

Wydick, the retired detective, told WOOD-TV last week that he had handed over everything to the prosecutor at the time but no arrest warrant was ever issued.

'A lot of people didnt believe (his confession) at the time,' Wydick said.

'People thought he was trying to get attention.'

Wydick said he believed Curry had given a more detailed confession recently that tied him to the crime.

The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the case.
Paedophile rapist driving instructor Martyn Rees, 37, from Stoke on Trent

A predatory driving instructor has been found guilty of a years-long campaign of sexual abuse against his students which included the rape of a child.

Martyn Rees, 37, of Stoke-on-Trent, either pleaded guilty to, or was found guilty of, a sickening string of 20 sexual offences.

The driving instructor, 37, abused eight victims over a three year period and was only caught after a 14-year-old girl bravely came forward to make an allegation of rape against him.

At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Friday Rees was found guilty of rape, two counts of sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, two counts of attempted sexual assault, six counts of making indecent photographs of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

Additionally, he pleaded guilty to assault by penetration, two counts of sexual assault, four counts of making indecent photographs of a child and two counts of cannabis possession at an earlier hearing.

The eight victims were aged between 14 and 25 at the time of the offences, which took place Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire and Manchester between February 2015 and March 2018.

Rees was arrested on 8 March 2018 following reports that a 14-year-old girl had been raped in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Police released him on conditional bail but a subsequent examination of his mobile phone revealed indecent images of children and led to the identification of further victims.

Rees was rearrested on March 15, and then arrested and charged on May 31 after forensic examination of his phone.

Rees leaving court. He 'spent years abusing his position as a trusted driving instructor' to commit offences against learner drivers, Stoke on Trent court heard.

Staffordshire Police said he had not been able to operate as a driving instructor - on either a paid or unpaid basis - since March 2018.

Detective Inspector Simon Caton, of the force's Child Protection and Exploitation Team, said: 'Rees has spent years abusing his position as a trusted driving instructor to commit sexual offences against his pupils.

'He also sexually assaulted a vulnerable 14-year-old girl, following a chance encounter with her.'

'I would urge anyone who has been a victim of such crimes to come forward and report this to us, we will listen and you and your families will be supported by specially-trained detectives and social workers.

'If you are or have been a victim or you are worried about something, and you don't feel ready to talk to the police, please speak to someone you trust.'

Tamina Greaves, from the CPS, said after the conviction: 'This was a distressing case where the offender has abused his position as a driving instructor to sexually prowl on young females.

'He was found to be in possession of extreme pornography, indecent images of children and his internet search history revealed his sexual interest in children.

'There were also 29 clips of Rees covertly recording intimate body parts of young female driving students. I would like to commend the bravery of the victims in coming forward.'

Rees has been remanded and will be sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court at a date to be set.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in Venezuela and violating the United Nations charter.

Lavrov said in a statement he had complained of 'attempts by Washington to organize a coup d'etat in Venezuela' during a phone call with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, amid a dispute over Russian military assistance for the crisis-hit country.

Earlier on Monday, Pompeo said Russia was worsening tensions over the South American country through its military presence and warned that Washington will not 'stand idly by'.

It comes after two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday accused Russia of worsening tensions over Venezuela through its military presence and warned that Washington will not 'stand idly' (pictured in March 2019)

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured in March 2019) has accused the United States of trying to organize a coup in Venezuela and violating the United Nations charter, the foreign ministry said

Pompeo told Lavrov that 'the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela,' the State Department said in a statement.

A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday.

The State Department statement did not refer to the arrival of the Russian passenger jet and a military cargo plane, although it condemned Russian military support for the 'illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro.'

During the call with Lavrov, Pompeo urged Moscow to join the United States and regional countries in backing opposition leader Juan Guaido and cease what he called its 'unconstructive behavior'.

It comes after two Russian air force planes reportedly landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying Russian defense official Vasily Tonkoshkurov (left) and nearly 100 troops, in a sign of strengthening ties between Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro (right) and Russia

Russia has warned the United States and neighbors against a military intervention in Venezuela.

Earlier this year the two nations held military exercises on Venezuelan soil that President Nicolas Maduro called a sign of strengthening relations, but which Washington criticized as Russian encroachment in the region.

Reporter Javier Mayorca wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the first plane carried Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, adding the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of material.

An Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane left for Caracas on Friday from Russian military airport Chkalovsky, stopping along the way in Syria, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The cargo plane left Caracas on Sunday afternoon, according to Adsbexchange, another flight-tracking site.

A Russian Ilyushin IL-62 was said to have landed at the Venezuelan airport Saturday (stock photo)

An Antonov AN-124 was also said to have landed at the Venezuelan airport

The flights carried officials who arrived to 'exchange consultations,' wrote Russian government-owned news agency Sputnik, which quoted an unnamed source at the Russian embassy.

'Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character,' Sputnik quoted the source as saying.

A Reuters witness saw what appeared to be the passenger jet at the Maiquetia airport on Sunday.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Russia's Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry did not reply to messages seeking comment. The Kremlin spokesman also did not reply to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has levied crippling sanctions on the OPEC nation's oil industry in efforts to push Maduro from power and has called on Venezuelan military leaders to abandon him. Maduro has denounced the sanctions as U.S. interventionism and has won diplomatic backing from Russia and China.

In December, two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for Maduro's socialist government that infuriated Washington.

Maduro on Wednesday said Russia would send medicine 'next week' to Venezuela, without describing how it would arrive, adding that Moscow in February had sent some 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Venezuela in February had blocked a convoy carrying humanitarian aid for the crisis-stricken country that was coordinated with the team of opposition leader Juan Guaido, including supplies provided by the United States, from entering via the border with Colombia.
A British ex-pat has cheated death after his home in Israel was destroyed by a rocket in the early hours of today.

Robert Wolf and his family narrowly avoided being caught in the explosion as they ran for their bomb shelter in Mishmeret to the north of Tel Aviv.

The rocket, fired from the Gaza Strip, 'demolished' the family home in central Israel and wounded seven people.

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'If we had not gotten to the bomb shelter in time, I would now be burying all my family,' said Mr Wolf, the British ex-pat living with his family in the home that was destroyed by the rocket

'If we had not gotten to the bomb shelter in time, I would now be burying all my family,' said Mr Wolf, who immigrated to Israel from England with his wife Susan.

'That is two grandchildren, one 5 months old, one 2 years old. That would be my third child, with his wife, my wife, myself and my youngest daughter.

Israeli military have said that it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles, believed to have been made by Gaza's rulers Hamas.

A view of the damage at a house that suffered a direct hit from a missile reportedly fired by Gaza rulers Hamas in the early hours of this morning

Robert Wolf stands inside the wreckage of his home that was hit by a rocket earlier today. He criticised for 'blowing out their chests' and claiming to be keeping citizens safe

A Hamas official denied the group was behind the rocket, suggesting it was caused by bad weather.

Homeowner Mr Wolf criticised politicians for 'game playing' and 'blowing out their chests' instead of dealing with protracted conflicts between Israel and Hamas.

'This is the real price, and I just paid it and I nearly lost my family,' he told the Jerusalem Post.

A 5-month-old and 2-year-old were among those with injuries following the explosion at the home at Mishmeret to the north of Tel Aviv

'This is the real price, and I just paid it and I nearly lost my family,' he said to journalists outside his home

Israeli officials said the self-manufactured rocket was fired from a launching pad in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah, and had a range of about 75 miles.

'They would all have been dead if we didn't do what we had been supposed to do.'

The Israeli military have mobilised troops along the Gaza border and are calling up reserves after following the attack, setting the stage for a potential major conflagration shortly before Israel's upcoming elections.

The attack prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington DC.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people, believed to be the family members, in the farming community of Mishmeret, including two women who were moderately wounded.

Israeli troops close a road in the southern Kibbutz of Mefalsim near the border with Gaza earlier today

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds. Two family dogs died in the explosion.

The sounds of air raid sirens had jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5 am, sending many to their bomb shelters.

'It's a miracle that nobody got killed,' said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene.

The rocket strike ripped most of the home's roof off. The family had evacuated to a bomb shelter after the air raid alarm was raised at 5am this morning

Responders inspecting the damaged house after it was hit by a rocket, and caused it to catch fire

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) cut short his trip to Washington DC, where he was meeting with President Donald Trump

Netanyahu, in Washington to meet President Donald Trump, held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel and cancelled a planned address to the AIPAC conference.

'There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully,' he said. 'In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward.'

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders have apparently gone underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises.

Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

Netanyahu quickly said he would be cancelling the rest of his US trip and returning home. He faces a tense re-election campaign next month

Seven people were wounded in the attack, and two dogs belonging to the family died

Monday's attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel's densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be moving toward another confrontation. But Gaza's Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidently and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack, but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire.

A possible trigger could have been a prison riot late Sunday when Hamas-affiliated prisoners stabbed an Israeli guard in the neck in southern Israel. Israeli guards moved in to subdue the rioters, wounding about a dozen prisoners, three of them seriously. In a statement, Hamas called for an end to the crackdown.

'We do not yet have a full understanding of who exactly ordered the firing of the rocket,' said Eran Lerman, a former deputy director at Israel's National Security Council.

'It's a miracle that nobody got killed,' said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene

'But clearly this is no longer something that can be explained away as a mistake or a technical failure.'

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, a militant Palestinian group that seeks Israel's destruction and possesses a large arsenal of rockets and missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel.

The territory is home to other Palestinian militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also has a rocket arsenal.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the group seized power in the strip in 2007. Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war in 2014. Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for all fire coming out of the coastal territory.

The outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days. Netanyahu, who also served as defense minister, is locked in a tight fight for re-election and has faced heavy criticism from his opponents for what they say has been an ineffective response to Gaza militants.

'The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable,' his chief challenger, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter on Monday.
An inmate detained at a Maryland jail reportedly sliced off his own penis using a razor over the weekend.

The incident took place at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds on Saturday.

Corrections officers made the grisly discovery at around 3pm during a shift change and summoned paramedics.

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An inmate at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds, Maryland, on Saturday sliced off his own penis with a razor

The injured man, who has not been identified, was rushed to a hospital in northern Virginia that specializes in traumatic limb reattachment, as WJLA first reported.

As of late Monday morning, his condition remained unknown.

DailyMail.com reached out to the correctional facility seeking comment on the incident.

The inmate, who was said to have been be suffering from mental health problems, was booked into the 1,028-bed jail last month on charges of second-degree assault and resisting arrest.

The inmate was booked into the 1,028-bed jail last month on charges of second-degree assault and resisting arrest (a cell at the jail pictured)

The Montgomery County Correctional Facility takes in male and female inmates who are either in a pre-trial status of serving sentences of up to 18 months

Last year, two inmates at the jail committed suicide by hanging in separate incidents.

The Montgomery County Correctional Facility takes in male and female inmates who are either in a pre-trial status of serving sentences of up to 18 months.

'Progressive, and comprehensive correctional services are provided to all inmates covering substance abuse, mental health issues, cognitive behavioral modification, basic education, life skills, and work force preparation,' the jail's official website declares.
The Government today discussed forcing a General Election if MPs try to seize control of Brexit and make it softer than Theresa May's deal.

Ministers including Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay are said to have raised the prospect at Cabinet this morning ahead of a Parliamentary votes this evening to wrestle control of the withdrawal process.

The Commons will tonight vote on a series of amendments to a Government motion that would pave the way to so-called indicative votes taking place on Wednesday.

These would allow MPs to show what sort of Brexit they wish to push through if a majority cannot be found for Mrs May's twice-defeated deal.

The talk of forcing a General Election come despite an Opinium poll from two months ago finding that only 12 per cent of Britons would welcome another one, just two years after the last resulted in a hung Parliament.

Mr Barclay reportedly repeated at Cabinet today warnings he gave on television yesterday.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show he said that if the Commons took control of the order paper and votes for a different outcome, it would 'potentially collide with fundamental commitments the Government has given in their manifesto', though he said the vote itself would 'not be binding'.

Explaining the scenario, he said: 'What Parliament has done is vote for a number of contradictory things so we would need to untangle that but ultimately, at its logical conclusion, the risk of a general election increases because you potentially have a situation where Parliament is instructing the executive to do something that is counter to what it was elected to do.'

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay leaving Downing Street with Theresa May today after cabinet, at which he is said to have again floated the idea of holding a General Election

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox this morning gave a stark warning to MPs, telling BBC Radio 4's Today: 'I was elected, as 80 per cent of members were, to respect the referendum and leave the European Union.

'I was also elected on a manifesto that specifically said no single market and no customs union.

'That, for Conservative MPs who are honouring the manifesto, limits their room for manoeuvre.

The former hardline Brexiteer turned May loyalist added that the prospect of a longer Brexit delay meaning participation in May's European Elections would 'unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters'.

'I'm not sure that there are many people in the House of Commons who would fancy that particular meeting with voters,' he said.

'It would unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters and I think that the major parties will do what they can to avoid having to fight those European elections.

'There is nothing in politics like a little bit of self-interest to concentrate the minds, and I think, as we get towards that date, increasingly my colleagues will have to decide which of the limited options they want to follow.'

Liam Fox today warned that delaying Brexitand participation in May's European Elections would 'unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters'

He urged MPs to back Mrs May's deal, warning: 'For a lot of my colleagues, I think they still believe there is a route to no deal. I have come to the conclusion some time ago that was unlikely given the House of Commons that we have.

'I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position.'

Theresa May today shelved plans for a third vote on her Brexit deal because of a lack of support in the Commons after the DUP and Brexiteers refused the Prime Minister's plea for help.

She told the Commons: 'It is with great regret that I have to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote. I continue to have discussions to build support so that we can bring the vote forward this week and guarantee Brexit.'

And in an attempt to repair the damage done to relations with MPs by her Downing Street statement last week, she said: 'I expressed my frustration with our collective failure to take a decision. But I know that many members across this House are frustrated too and we all have difficult jobs to do'.

Mrs May also told the Commons that the Government will oppose Sir Oliver Letwin's amendment tonight paving the way for indicative votes on Brexit.

Theresa May has admitted in the Commons today that No Deal will not happen without Parliament saying so - but insists that her deal is the best deal even though she doesn't have the support to bring it back for a third time

Theresa May delivers a statement in the Commons today as she ruled out a third vote on her deal because of a lack of support

But she admitted that if it fails ministers will provide their own mechanism for these to take place, which will delight remainers pushing for a softer Brexit or no Brexit at all.

And in a move that will infuriate Brexiteers the Prime Minister admitted: 'Unless this house agrees to it, No Deal will not happen' - but insisted it is still the 'default' if MPs continue to block her EU divorce.

After ruling out a third vote on her deal Theresa May told MPs she could not guarantee that she would commit to implementing anything they voted for in an indicative process because they could involve an 'outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU'.

She added: 'No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is. So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House, but I do commit to engaging constructively with this process'.

These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit
This is the horrifying moment a speeding car lost control and plowed into vehicles stopped on the shoulder of a highway where police were investigating a crash just minutes earlier.

A Volkswagen Vento almost rear-ends a vehicle after making an illegal lane switch. While trying to prevent crashing into the car's rear bumper, the driver of the Volkswagen suddenly loses control.

A CCTV camera overlooking the General Paz Highway in Buenos Aires, Argentina, shows the Volkswagen swerve across the highway into the path of oncoming traffic.

A CCTV camera shows the moment a Volkswagen Vento (circled in red) is about to crash into a median guardrail on a Argentine road before it dove straight into the shoulder of the highway and crashed into a police truck and a vehicle that was parked in front of it

A Volkswagen Vento (circled in red) hits a guardrails moments before it slid across the highway lanes and collided with parked vehicles while police officers were investigating a prior accident

The car out of control vehicle (circled in red) would then smash head-on into the shoulder lane. Five civilians and two police officers were taken to local hospital for treatment. Another two people were treated at on- site

A CCTV camera shows the moment a Volkswagen Vento dives straight into a highway shoulder lane in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where cops were investigating a prior accident. The Volkswagen crashed into a police truck and a vehicle that was parked in front of it

A Volkswagen Vento is destroyed after its driver lost control while trying to avoid hitting another car. It instead crashed into a guardrail before colliding with two vehicles that were stationed on a shoulder lane

A Toyota Corolla (left) suffered extensive damage moments after it had been involved in a separate accident

The out-of-control car then smashes head-on into the shoulder lane where police officers were probing an earlier collision between a Ford Ka and a Toyota Corolla.

The reckless Volkswagen crashes into the police truck as well as the Toyota it was parked behind, littering the lanes with debris.

Several people are spotted in the video jumping over a guardrail and running for safety.

Four people were found lying on the pavement as a result of the crash, which occurred on Saturday night.

Paramedics transferred five civilians and two police officers to Pirovano Hospital where they were treated for their injuries. Two people were also treated at the site of the crash and released.
The father of a six-year-old girl killed in the Sandy Hook massacre has been found dead from an apparent suicide.

Police said the body of Jeremy Richman was found in his Connecticut office building on Monday morning.

The 49-year-old's daughter Avielle Richman was among those killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre.

Police said they were called to the Edmond Town Hall where Richman has an office at about 7am on Monday to investigate reports of a suicide.

Richman - who was a mental health advocate - was dead when first responders arrived, police said.

Jeremy Richman, 49, (right) was found dead from an apparent suicide at his Connecticut office on Monday. Richman and his wife Jennifer Hensel (left) lost their six-year-old daughter Avielle Richman (center) in the Sandy Hook massacre

'The death appears to be a suicide, but police will not disclose the method or any other details of the death, only to state the death does not to appear to be suspicious,' Newtown Police said in a statement.

Richman had two more children with his wife Jennifer Hensel after their daughter Avielle was killed.

Richman's body was taken to the Connecticut State Medical Examiner's office to undergo an autopsy.

'This is a heart breaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police department's prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time,' Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said.

Richman founded and ran the Avielle Foundation - a violence prevention charity - with his wife Jennifer Hensel in the wake of their daughter's death.

The Avielle Foundation was created within months of the tragedy with the goal of reducing violence and to conduct brain research to determine what leads to violence.

For Richman, the work became a full-time pursuit and he gave up his job as a researcher at the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim to dedicate himself to the foundation.

Police said the body of Jeremy Richman was found in his Connecticut office building on Monday morning. His daughter Avielle Richman was among those killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre

Police said they were called to the Edmond Town Hall where Richman has an office at about 7am on Monday to investigate reports of a suicide. The hall is pictured above during a memorial for the Sandy Hook victims

Their foundation provides grants for projects on topics including the effects that abuse, neglect and adversity have on the brain and the links between behavior and biochemistry.

Richman was the keynote speaker at the 2019 Violence Summit just last week at the FAU Brain Institute at Florida Atlantic University.

Richman and Hensel were honored for their advocacy by the psychiatry department at the Yale School of Medicine in 2016.

'The brain is just another organ and you don't have to be a neuroscientist to recognize that it can be healthy, it can be unhealthy, and that you need to feel comfortable advocating for your own brain health and the brain health of your loved ones,' Richman said back in 2016.

'We feel that the failure to do that led in large part to the tragedy at Sandy Hook.'

Richman and Hensel were among a group of Sandy Hook parents suing InfoWars host Alex Jones for calling the 2012 massacre a hoax on his show.

Richman founded and ran the Avielle Foundation - a violence prevention charity - with his wife Jennifer Hensel in honor of their daughter's death. They are pictured above just one month after the Sandy Hook massacre

The Avielle Foundation was created within months of the couple losing their daughter with the goal of reducing violence

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who has lobbied for stricter gun laws since the shooting, tweeted on Monday that he devastated about Richman's death

The lawsuit filed in Connecticut say that Jones' comments on Infowars have tormented them and subjected them to harassment and death threats by his followers.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who has lobbied for stricter gun laws since the shooting, tweeted on Monday that he devastated about Richman's death.

'My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brains violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundations latest amazing work,' Murphy said.

Richman's death is the third suicide in a week that is related to school shooting massacres.

Sydney Aiello, who survived the Florida shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year, died by suicide last week.

The teenager, who graduated last year, had been diagnosed with PTSD.

A second student at the same school died on Saturday in what police said was an apparent suicide. That student has not been identified publicly.

Richman's daughter Avielle was among the 20 children shot dead when a gunman stormed Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15, 2012

TWO PARKLAND MASSACRE SURVIVORS DIE BY SUICIDE: Two students at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have taken their own lives in just one week. Sydney Aiello, who survived the massacre last year, died by suicide last week. The teenager, who graduated from the school last year, had been diagnosed with PTSD. Sydney's family said she had suffered from 'survivor's guilt' after losing her best friend Meadow Pollack in the shooting that left 17 students and staff dead. Sydney Aiello, who graduated from Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year, took her own life last week after her family said she suffered from survivor's guilt A second student at the same school died on Saturday night in what police said was an apparent suicide. That student, who was a sophomore, has not been identified publicly. Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky said Monday that community leaders, government officials, parents, police and others held an emergency meeting after the second student killed himself over the weekend. The February 14, 2018, shooting at the 3,200-student school killed 14 students and three staff members and wounded 17 others. Some students have begun counting the two suicides among the victims of the shooting. Advertisement

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.

For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.

For confidential support in Australia LIFELINE: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.au or Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467




Bethenny Frankel began crying just minutes into her custody hearing with ex-husband Jason Hoppy as she revealed how he would taunt her on FaceTime.

Both Frankel and Hoppy were back at Manhattan's Supreme Court on Monday for what has become an ugly battle over their eight-year-old daughter Bryn.

Frankel was accompanied by boyfriend Paul Bernon, who has been by Frankel's side for the court hearings.

The Real Housewives of New York Star is fighting for sole custody and sole decision making of their daughter. Hoppy wants the couple to continue sharing joint custody.

Bethenny Frankel and her ex-husband Jason Hoppy were back in court for their ongoing - and ugly - custody hearing in Manhattan on Monday morning

Frankel's attorney Ronnie Schindel played a 2015 FaceTime call in which she said Hoppy refused to let her speak to Bryn, despite the fact that it was Mother Day's weekend and their daughter's birthday weekend.

'The circumstances were I was trying to FaceTime Bryn, and as I have experienced every day, Jason was using it as a tool to harass me and assault me,' Frankel told the court, according to Radar.

In the FaceTime, Frankel can be heard asking Hoppy if she can 'talk to Bryn for a sec'.

'No, keep recording me, keep recording me, you lost your privilege when you began recording me,' Hoppy responds.

Frankel said Hoppy would use the FaceTime calls to 'taunt' and 'abuse' her.

'Just basic torture and taunting every day,' she continue, revealing he would often appear 'shirtless' or 'without clothes', which made her feel uncomfortable.

Frankel said Hoppy's behavior had a 'dramatic affect' on her relationship with Bryn as she dealt with his endless and daily emotional abuse.

Hoppy came to court on Monday dressed in a black suit, which he paired with a navy blue tie

Frankel had the support of boyfriend Paul Benson, who has stood by her side throughout the trial this month

It was only when Hoppy was arrested for harassing her in January 2017 that she said she realized just how much his behavior was affecting her emotional state.

'Until something stops, you don't realize how traumatic and damaging it is,' she said while crying on the stand.

'When that person is arrested, you're sleeping better, you're not stressed. You're physically more psychologically healthy. You're not a wreck all the time.'

'It's like you can have a slightly normal life and you're more connected with Bryn because you're not in a panic about what will happen with the emails.'

Frankel told the court that she wanted 'more physical time' with her daughter and said she was asking for 'ultimate-decision making' so that she wouldn't have to email with Hoppy, which she has claimed is his main outlet of abuse, about everything.

The couple sat together as the hearing broke for lunch and spoke to Frankel's legal team

The pair looked deep in conversation following Frankel's emotional morning of testimony

'Decision making has been impossible and tedious and not a collaborative or rational or reasonable process,' she said. 'And the decisions, the minor decisions, go on with email and bogged down in anger, and we can't get anything minor done.'

'And now Bryn is getting to the age, that as she gets older there is the physical, and medical. We have to be rational and reasonable and have good judgement. Jason will make decisions about how he would hurt me. If I say black, he will say white.'

Emotions were similarly high during Frankel's last hearing as she sobbed on the witness stand and described how Hoppy turned her life into a 'torture chamber' and tormented her for six-and-a-half years after she asked for a divorce.

Frankel described in detail the 'thousands' of 'abusive' text messages, emails, and phone calls Hoppy has bombarded her with since they split in 2012.

The reality star said that she was once so scared of Hoppy that she put a padlock on her bedroom door when he refused to leave their apartment after she asked for a divorce.

Frankel had spent the morning recounting to the court about how Hoppy would 'abuse' her with taunting shirtless FaceTime calls

Frankel said that Hoppy had dramatically affected her relationship with their daughter Bryn

'I was helpless, I had no way out. I knew what he was doing was illegal. I knew I was being abused,' the tearful Real Housewives of New York City star said at the start of her testimony.

'I pleaded, begged, emailed, to please stop harassing and abusing me.'

Frankel said that Hoppy warned her after she asked for a divorce that 'this is war'.

'If you leave me you are dead to me,' Frankel said Hoppy told her. 'I want nothing to do with you. I'm going to destroy you. I'm going to ruin your life.'

Frankel said she had told Hoppy that she wanted to co-parent harmoniously, and even one day be friends who could share holiday dinners or vacations together. But she claims he only reiterated that he wanted revenge.

'I'm going to destroy your life,' Frankel said he told her. 'I'm going to have you and your publicist on the floor crying.'

Frankel arrived in court on Monday bundled up for the early morning March chill in a black peacoat, black pants, and a black top

The only flash of color from her outfit came from a white collar peeking underneath the black top, as well as her red flats

Frankel said life soon became a 'torture chamber' and 'outright mayhem' at the Tribeca apartment that she had bought for them.

She claimed that Hoppy would lay in their marital bed and just stare at her face until she had to call friends and beg them to help her get him out of the bed.

Describing the state he left the home in, Frankel described 'rotting food in the refrigerator and 'dishes piled to the top' of the sink.

'He would go to the bathroom in the toilets and wouldn't flush them. He would whistle and sing and slam doors,' she continued. 'He did everything he completely and possibly could to torture me.'

Frankel also recalled how her ex-husband and his father would walk around the house in their underwear and that he would often invite friends to stay for days on end.

Frankel is fighting Hoppy not only for sole custody of the couple's eight-year-old daughter Bryn, but also for sole decision making

Hoppy wants the couple to continue sharing joint custody of their eight-year-old daughter

'I begged, pleaded, asked Jason to please leave. He refused,' she said.

Frankel said Hoppy would lock her dog Cookie into the storage room for hours and leave negative press clippings about her around the house where she could find them.

When she tried to throw them away, Frankel said Hoppy would dig them out of the trash and put them back.

Among the more disturbing anecdotes Frankel gave was one in which she described Hoppy drawing a picture of her beloved dog Cookie and leaving it in Bryn's lunchbox for her to find just a day after the pup died. It was signed 'Dad'.

Eventually, Frankel moved out. The abuse, she said, then became worse 'but different' via a steady stream of emails and text messages.

Frankel arrived at Manhattan's Supreme Court on Monday morning dressed almost entirely in black as she prepared to take the stand once again

Frankel said she would 'shudder' every time she saw an email from Hoppy, and that the 'vast majority' of the messages were 'abusive'.

'It was like a visceral reaction every time I looked at my phone and saw his name,' she said.

'I'm trying to be a mom, run a business, keep myself together. It scared me, made me feel helpless, hopeless, and alone.'

In 2014, two years after she asked for a divorce, Frankel agreed to a custody agreement with Hoppy that allowed him to have two phone calls per day with Bryn.

Hoppy, she said, used the mandated phone calls as a new opportunity to harass her and try to turn their daughter against her.

'Phone calls were Jason's new tool in his arsenal to abuse me,' Frankel said.

'The majority of phone calls and FaceTimes were Jason staring into the phone, sometimes in his underwear. He'd say "You lost.'''

'It was way worse than the emails and texts,' Frankel continued. 'Having a child in the car with me, or him, while Jason is abusing me, is bad for Bryn.'

Frankel and Hopper married in March 2010, two months before their child was born. They are pictured here in 2012 just months before they split

Hoppy's defense team tried to stop recordings of the phone calls from being played in the courtroom, but their request was denied by the judge.

Although Bryn now has a phone of her own, Frankel said she has a hard time getting hold of her daughter when Bryn is with Hoppy.

But Frankel said she will sometimes receive up to 10 emails over the span of a weekend from Hoppy's assistant demanding that she facilitate a call between him and Bryn when their daughter is staying with her.

'It's a new pocket, it's a new way for Jason to poke at me, send excessive emails at me,' she said. 'It makes me feel like this is endless, helpless, sad, nervous, stressed.'

Frankel said Hoppy told her he would 'stop at nothing' to ruin her life and was threatening and verbally assaulting as well, whether they were at one of Bryn's doctor appointments or even at the school yard.

'If I would be giving her a big hug, he'd say I was desperate and pathetic. He's say I looked ugly and old. He'd laugh and whistle,' she said.

Frankel also described the incident in which Hoppy was arrested for harassment at her daughter's school in 2017.

The couple were often filmed enjoying vacations and parenting Bryn during their two seasons of Bethenny Ever After (pictured in 2012)

The reality star was attending Bryn's recital with her late ex-boyfriend Dennis Shields when Hoppy appeared unannounced.

'I see how you want to do this. You can get 10 lawyers and you can't stop me. You've been warned. There's nothing you can do to stop me,' Frankel recalled him saying.

Frankel said Hoppy then turned to Shields and called her 'pure evil'.

'We had settled custody, finances. It was supposed to be time to co-parent,' she said. 'He ramped it up and took it to another level.'

Frankel couldn't hold back tears as she said it reached a 'fever pitch'.

'I was afraid for my safety. My daughter was steps away and he was threatening me in front of people at the school. I didn't know what he was capable of,' she continued.

Frankel went to the police and Hoppy was arrested. An order of protection was issued that had since expired, and Frankel said she now makes minimal face to face contact with her ex-husband.

'I'm not comfortable in Jason's presence,' she said. 'It's very contentious. We're not in a good place, even in the courtroom.'

Hoppy and Frankel met while she was filming the second series of the show. They married in 2010 while she was pregnant with Bryn. In 2012, Frankel told Hoppy that their marriage was over.
A Lithuanian man who duped Google and Facebook into transferring over $100 million into accounts he controlled pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Wednesday.

Evaldas Rimasauskas, 50, of Vilnius, Lithuania, entered the plea in federal court in Manhattan, where Judge George B. Daniels set a July 24 sentencing date.

The charge could carry as many as 30 years in prison and a fine of as much as $1 million or twice the crime's proceeds.

The plea deal he reached with prosecutors said Rimasauskas faces almost certain deportation once he finishes serving his time behind bars.

Rimasauskas was extradited in August 2017 to New York from Lithuania after his arrest there in March 2017. He has been detained ever since.

Lithuanian Evaldas Rimasauskas, 50, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to wire fraud charges in connection with conning Facebook and Google out of a combined $100million between 2013 and 2016. Rimasauskas is shown on May 12, 2017 in district court in Vilnius, before being extradited to the US

By impersonating a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Rimasauskas was able to con Google and Facebook out of $100million in a phishing scam that involved sending emails to employees at the companies and asking them to wire money.

According to court documents, Google sent over $23 million and Facebook nearly $100 million to bank accounts controlled by Rimasauskas.

Google, of Mountain View, California, has said it has recouped its money. Facebook, of Menlo Park, California, has said it recovered most of its money.

In a news release, US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said Rimasauskas devised 'a blatant scheme to fleece US companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe.'

'Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a US prison,' Berman said.

By impersonating a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Rimasauskas was able to con Google and Facebook out of $100million in a phishing scam that involved sending emails to employees at the companies and asking them to wire money

According to court documents, Google sent over $23 million and Facebook nearly $100 million to bank accounts controlled by Rimasauskas. Google, of Mountain View, California, has said it has recouped its money. Facebook, of Menlo Park, California, has said it recovered most of its money

In court, Rimasauskas said he carried out the scheme from October 2013 to October 2016.

Prosecutors said he created a company in Latvia that bore the same name as an Asian-based computer hardware manufacturer, Quanta, and then sent fraudulent phishing emails to Google and Facebook to steer money to his accounts that were supposed to go to the legitimate hardware company.

Quanta, with a market capitalization of $8.4 billion, is a supplier of servers and other hardware to major technology companies. It is part of the Open Compute Project, an initiative launched by Facebook Inc to share server design technology. In 2011 Amazon.com Inc outsourced the assembly of its Kindle Fire tablet to Quanta.

In a statement to Reuters in March of 2017, Quanta spokesperson Carol Hu said the company had been 'impersonated' as part of the fraud.

'Quanta did not suffer from any financial harm from this incident,' she said, calling the matter 'unfortunate.'

Once the money arrived in the fraudulent accounts set up by Rimasauskas, he transferred funds to bank accounts in Latvia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary and Hong Kong, prosecutors said.

He then used forged invoices, contracts and letters to make it appear that executives at Facebook and Google had authorized the transactions, the government said.

'I fully understand these actions were fraudulent,' Rimasauskas told Daniels through an interpreter.

Rimasauskas has a construction engineering degree and was working at a construction business in Lithuania prior to his arrest, his attorney previously said.

According to his plea agreement, Rimasauskas has agreed to forfeit $49.7 million, including money in financial accounts in Cyprus and Latvia.

The plea agreement also recommends that he be sent to prison for at least nine years.
A former communist militant has admitted four murders carried out in the 1970s that were part of a failed bid to spark a far-left revolution in Italy.

Cesare Battisti confessed to killing a police officer, a prison guard and a butcher as well as being involved in a fourth murder weeks after he was jailed in Italy for the killings.

He escaped from an Italian prison in 1981 while awaiting trial on four counts of murder allegedly committed when he was a member of the Armed Proletarians for Communism.

Battisti fled from his home in Brazil earlier this year, where he had been living since 2004, after authorities signed his extradition order.

He admitted all the charges brought against him 'in four murder cases' during Italy's so-called 'Years of Lead', Milan prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media on Monday.

Cesare Battisti escorted by Italian Police officers after stepping off a plane coming from Bolivia and chartered by Italian authorities in January

The former Italian communist was extradited from Bolivia to Italy earlier this year over his role in four murders in Italy in the 1970s

The 64-year-old also reportedly admitted that armed revolution was wrong, Nobili said.

Jailed in 1979 for belonging to the armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later and spent nearly four decades on the run.

An international police operation eventually tracked him down wearing multiple disguises and arrested him in Bolivia in January, before he was extradited to Italy.

Battisti was sentenced to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard, for taking part in the murder of a butcher and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair.

Nobili, who questioned Battisti at a high-security prison in Sardinia for nine hours over the weekend, said it had 'felt like I was watching the liberation of someone who was initially embarrassed, troubled'.

'I realise the bad I have done and apologise to the families', Nobili quoted Battisti as saying.

Italian militant Cesare Battisti escorted by police to the headquarters of the Federal Police in Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil, after a federal judge ordered his detention

Battisti leaving prison after the decision by the Supreme Court to reject the extradition demanded by the Italian government in 2011

The murdered policeman's brother Maurizio Campagna said 'apologies now seem out of place'.

'I think his lawyer is advising him so he can have his sentence lowered', Campagna told Italy's Sky TG24 television.

Battisti is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough '41-bis' prison regime usually applied to Mafia members.

Battisti admitted the killings 'little by little... not as a flood', Nobili said.

'The armed struggle prevented the development of a cultural, social and political revolution which, from the events of '68, would have been absolutely positive', Nobili quoted Battisti as saying.

After his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels.

In 2004, he skipped bail in France where, like many other far-left Italian militants, he had taken refuge.

This photo released by police showing 20 different Cesare Battisti photo-snaps

He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree - later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court - in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome.

But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers.

In video footage released by the Italian Police, Battisti could be seen walking in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee.

Italy's Years of Lead was a decade of violent turmoil which began in the late 1960s and saw dozens of deadly attacks by hardline leftwing and rightwing groups.

During his election campaign, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro vowed that if elected he would 'immediately' send Battisti back to Italy.

Battisti had filed for asylum without receiving any response from authorities.

He had been hoping to find favour with Bolivia's left-wing President Evo Morales after saying in his asylum request he had been forced to quit Brazil due to 'the ominous coincidence' that Italy and Brazil were both now run by 'far-right' governments.

Battisti, who has a five-year-old Brazilian son, in 2017 said he would face 'torture' and death if he were ever to be sent back to Italy.

Italian authorities are still hunting 30 'terrorists' on the run abroad, 27 from the left and three from the right.

Fourteen of those being sought are believed to be in France.
Sen. Lindsey Graham is vowing to get answers on the origins of the infamous and unverified Golden Showers dossier used to obtain a FISA warrant on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

'Whether or not it's illegal I don't yet know. So I'm going to get answers to this. If no one else cares, it seems to be Republicans do,' Graham said Monday at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol building.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee outlined a bevy of investigations he plans to start in the wake of the findings from special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russia's role in the 2016 election.

Sen. Lindsey Graham is vowing to get answers on the origins of the infamous and unverified Golden Showers dossier

The dossier, written by former British spy Christopher Steele (left), was used in part to obtain a FISA warrant on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page (right)

The Steele dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele and paid for by Fusion GPS - research firm that also did work for the Democratic National Committee, offered unverified allegations Trump was vulnerable to blackmail from Russia and had engaged with 'golden showers' with prostitutes during a 2013 trip to Moscow for the Miss Universe pageant.

But it was also used in part to obtain a warrant on Carter Page, a petroleum industry consultant who became a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign.

Trump and his allies have long claimed that FBI surveillance of Page was a done through a tainted FISA warrant that relied on the Steele dossier.

Graham vowed to find out how Steele was hired to do the research job and how much money he received from Democrats to do it.

He said he's also like to bring Steele before his committee to testify.

'I'd like for him to come if he would,' Graham said.

Graham, who was scheduled to talk to Attorney General William Barr at noon Monday, said he'd like the attorney general to appoint a special counsel to look into the FISA warrant process just as Robert Mueller examined the role Russia played in the 2016 election.

'I'd like to find somebody like a Mr. Mueller who could look into the FISA warrants,' the Republican senator from South Carolina.

Graham complained the FISA warrant could have been used as a way for the FBI to open a counter-intelligence investigation of Trump's campaign.

In July of 2016, the FBI launched a counterintelligence investigation into possible links between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.

Graham vowed to 'look at whether or not the FISA warrant process was abused for political purposes, whether or not a counter intelligence investigation was opened up regarding the Trump campaign as a back door to spy on the campaign.'

He added: 'I still to this day am at a loss to explain why nobody went to President Trump to tell him there may be some people in your orbit that are connected to the Russians and working with the Russians.'

'How did it fail and break down here? Was it a ruse to get into the Trump campaign? I don't know, but I'm going to try to find out,' Graham said.

Graham also said he would use his power as the chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee to bring former FBI James Comey before his panel for questioning.

'The FISA warrant application, four different occasions. What role did the dossier play? Was it the primary source of the information given to the court? Was it supplemental? Was it outcome determinative. I want to know the role that Comey played in the process,' he said.

'When it comes to the FISA warrant, the Clinton campaign, the counter intelligence investigation, it's pretty much been swept under the rug except by a few Republicans,' Graham said. 'Those days are over.'

Graham also wants to talk to former FBI director James Comey

Graham laid out his investigatory plans after the release of findings from special counsel Robert Mueller (above)

In July, the FBI released its FISA warrant on Page that showed the federal agents sought permission to surveil him one month before the 2016 election because, they allege, he had been recruited by the Russian government.

Carter has denied being a spy and has not been charged with any crimes.

The released documents from the FBI included an October 2016 application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to wiretap Page as well as three 90-day renewal applications.

The first three applications were signed by then-FBI Director James Comey, and the fourth by his deputy Andrew McCabe, after Trump fired Comey in May 2017.

Federal authorities used both the Steele dossier and a Newsweek article in their argument to the FISA court to authorize a surveillance warrant for Page, Fox News reported.

As for the Steele dossier, in April 2016, attorney Marc Elias hired Fusion GPS to investigate Trump on behalf of Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Elias was with the firm Perkins Coie. The DNC and Clinton paid the firm as their lawyer of record and the firm hired and paid Fusion GPS as part of its work for the Democrats.

Fusion GPS subcontracted with Steele to do some of the investigatory work on Trump.

Steele then wrote his infamous dossier, which he, on his own, passed along a copy to American and British intelligence agencies as he was worried about the national security implications.
The body of a man has been recovered from a lake in Hyde Park in what the police are describing as an unexplained death.

Officers attended the central London park at 5.43am today after it was reported that there was a body in The Serpentine lake.

The Met and London Ambulance Service pulled the body from the water and a cordon is in place, My London reports. More to follow.
'Savage' rapist Zakarya Etarghi (pictured) has been given a life sentence with a minimum of 18 years

'Savage' rapist Zakarya Etarghi has been given a life sentence with a minimum of 18 years after shattering his victim's skull and leaving her for dead near a children's play park.

The 24-year-old attacked a woman in her 50s at a public park in Leicester, East Midlands, after a cocaine and alcohol binge.

Today he was jailed at Leicester Crown Court after being convicted of rape and attempted murder on March 7.

Etarghi, of no fixed address, left the woman with life-threatening injuries from which she is still recovering after the attack on August 3 last year.

He claimed that he and the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had drunk cider together and he left her in the park unhurt.

Building site worker Etarghi attacked his 'vulnerable' victim and left her with horrific life-changing injuries including a 'shattered' skull and bleeding to the brain.

Etarghi raped his victim near a children's play area and the shattered her skull. Police are pictured at the scene in the aftermath of the attack

But a member of the public found her with head injuries at the park following what prosecutor William Harbage QC previously told the jury was a 'brutal' and 'appalling' assault.

The 24-year-old fled the scene after the attack, in Highfields, Leicester, and travelled 60 miles to Stoke-on-Trent where he laid low for two weeks.

During that time he switched phones and sent WhatsApp messages to friends that read, 'I just can't see it, today's the day I get nicked', and 'I'm looking at 10 to 20' - which prosecutors said was a reference to the number of years in prison he thought he could be sentenced to.

He was eventually tracked down, arrested and charged with rape and attempted murder.

Despite the evidence against him, Etarghi, who was born in Sudan, denied the offences  saying someone else must have carried out the attack.

The jury unanimously convicted Etarghi after Leicestershire Police recovered his DNA from the scene.

Pictured: The children's play ground is cordoned off after 'savage' rapist Zakarya Etarghi left a woman for dead there

Judge Nicholas Dean QC said his victim was 'lucky to be alive' after being 'attacked in a most brutal way' when she met Etarghi in the playground  with evidence suggesting a weapon of some kind had been used.

He added: 'It was only good fortune that led to her being found in the park by a passer-by.

'Had there been any more delay it is likely that she would have died. As it was, it is clear that her life hung by a thread for quite some time whilst she endured the extensive medical treatment required to save her life and to effect her, partial, recovery.'

The judge said he had 'no hesitation' in concluding Etarghi was a 'dangerous offender' who was responsible for 'controlled and extreme brutality and physical violence of a most callous and horrifying type.'

The court heard a resident found her unconscious and naked from the waist down at around 4.40am after the attack, suffering from multiple injuries.

Police tape cordons off the children's play area after Etarghi raped a woman in her 50s following an alcohol and cocaine binge

She was rushed to hospital  but 'miraculously' survived after undergoing life-saving surgery and is still recovering.

Speaking in a victim impact statement, the victim said: 'If I could describe the last few months, I would say they have been hell.

'It is like something out of a horror film. It's like something you see on the news that happens to other people.

'I no longer feel safe walking to and from my home, especially late at night. I constantly worry something is going to happen.'

The woman is still recovering from her injuries. Detective Inspector Mark Sinski told the Leicester Mercury there is little doubt that she would have died were it not for the extensive medical treatment she received.
President Donald Trump accused his enemies of 'evil' acts on Monday, calling some of their actions 'treasonous' and demanding accountability for people who promoted the now-disproven idea that he colluded with Russians to steal his election victory.

Trump included former FBI Director James Comey and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, saying they should be forced to testify about the special counsel probe.

'There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country,' Trump said, claiming that 'they lied to Congress, and many of them you know who they are. They've done so many evil things.'

As the dust settled Monday on the lengthy Russia probe's final curtain-closing, other Republicans in Washington swung from defense to offense too, calling for new deep-dives into a cast of characters who started and fueled the lengthy Russia-conspiracy chase.

A day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller exonerated President Trump from claims that he colluded with the Kremlin, his spokespersons, lawyers and congressional allies blanketed the airwaves and the Internet with demands for Obama administration officials and Justice Department insiders to face their own scrutiny.

'If we're all serious about getting to the truth and not just scoring political points,' a senior White House official told DailyMail.com on Monday, 'you really have to be willing to investigate the investigators after something this far-reaching falls apart.'

President Donald Trump accused his enemies of 'evil' acts on Monday and demanded they be held accountable

Trump suggested former FBI director James Comey and ex-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be forced to testify on the special counsel probe. He indicated he doesn't mean Robert Mueller, who acted honorably

The president conceded Monday that he doesn't believe Mueller personally acted in bad faith, despite nearly two years of demonizing the special counsel as the ringmaster of a 'witch hunt' who was hobbled by conflicts of interest.

He told a reporter asking if Mueller acted honorably, 'Yes he did.'

The White House claimed Monday that the president 'wants full transparency' in the investigation's wake and would be 'more than happy' to see the attorney general release Mueller's entire report.

'I don't think the president has any problem with it,' press secretary Sarah Sanders said on the 'Today' show. 'He's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out because he knows exactly what did and what didn't happen and now frankly the rest of America knows.'

Asked by DailyMail.com if the White House's call for transparency extends to President Trump's written answers to the special counsel's questions, Sanders said he would leave the decision to Attorney General William Barr.

She said Trump has 'been clear about what he thinks should take place' but has said he will let Barr make his own determination. 'At the same time, we have to protect the office of the presidency,' she said.

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway claimed that Trump's answers are not 'particularly relevant' as she answered the same question.

'Because he was responding to questions that it turns out weren't particularly relevant or important to anything,' she said. 'There's no collusion, no obstructive conduct, no conspiracy, no indictments, nobody named Trump indicted.'

The White House claimed Monday that the president 'wants full transparency' in the special counsel investigation and would be 'more than happy' to see the attorney general release Robert Mueller's entire report

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway blitzed the morning shows on Monday. They spoke to White House reporters, as well

Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway claimed that Trump's answers are not 'particularly relevant' as she answered a question from DailyMail.com

Conway said during a Fox News interview that Justice Department disclosures should include everything that led to the intrusive surveillance warrants obtained to spy on Trump associates before and after the 2016 election.

'Let's see everything that attended to the FISA warrant. Let's see all the communications happening at the top levels of the FBI during the Obama Administration, and getting that "insurance policy," deriding the Trump voters and the rest of us as filthy Walmart shoppers and all of the other slights, all the snark and bark from the elitist intellectual snobs. Let's see it. Let's let it all hang out,' she said.

But that enthusiasm, she said, does not extend to releasing the written answers that the president sent the special counsel in lieu of a face-to-face grilling.

'That is really up to the attorney general,' she said. 'You can't just abracadabra your way into what's into the report.'

She blasted the probe as a 'fishing expedition' and others like it as 'hoaxes and witch hunts.'

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the president, said Monday that it would be 'very inappropriate' for DOJ to release 'confidential' communications between the president and Mueller.

'That would not be a position that I would want, to just make a statement where we would release confidential communications that took place between the President of the United States and the Department of Justice or the special counsel's office,' Sekulow told CNN Monday morning on 'New Day.'

Democrats in Congress are demanding to examine the entire Mueller report and his underlying evidence, and all related documents. That would include the president's written responses to questions from the special counsel.

Barr has committed only to releasing as much as he can, consistent with federal law.

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for the president, said Monday that it would be 'very inappropriate' for DOJ to release 'confidential' communications between the president and Mueller

Conway suggested that some Democrats could come to regret their calls for transparency if Mueller uncovered evidence that their leaks to reporters drove some of the frenzy related to claims Trump obstructed justice.

'Let's not forget where that came from. That came from leaks and accusations, I believe that started with Jim Comey, leaking to lots of folks, saying that he specifically leaked information hoping that it would draw an investigation,' she cautioned.

'Maybe well have to hear from him again,' Conway taunted. 'Maybe he should go get a lawyer. Maybe he should be brought in. Maybe he should be asked what happened again, under oath.'

Sanders said the White House is confident that Barr, who she insisted has not given the White House any lead time on his decisions, will do the right thing for the country.

'This attorney general is going to make the best decision for America,' she said on Fox News.

Trump said last week that he wants the report to come out. He's seen here talking to reporters on the tarmac on Sunday evening before a flight back to D.C.

She also said Comey and other Obama administration officials should be held to a high standard.

That includes 'any of the people that were involved in the process of trying to take down the president,' she told reporters.

'The fact that they spent two years trying to delegitimize the presidents victory in 2016 is disgusting, and there are a lot of people that should answer questions.'

'If Congress is so gung-ho to call people up to the Hill, the list I would start with are Comey, Clapper, Brennan and other people in the FBI who perpetuated this absurd lie and this absurd idea that the President of the United States was somehow a foreign agent and colluding with another government.'

'Lets not forget that all of this interference in the election took place under the Obama administration. They knew about it, and they did nothing to stop it,' Sanders said.

President Donald Trump's White House swung into offense mode on Monday after Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded there was no campaign collusion with Russians; a senior official said that 'if we're all serious about getting to the truth and not just scoring political points, you really have to be willing to investigate the investigators'

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that he will use her position as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee to probe who was responsible for advancing the Trump-Russia narrative

Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch (left), former FBI Director James Comey (center) and former CIA Director John Brennan (right) are all under new scrutiny after the collapse of the Democrat-favored narrative that President Donald Trump colluded with Russians to swing the 2016 election

Conway raised eyebrows in her Fox News interview on Monday by calling for Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff to resign.

And James Comey, James Clapper, John Brennan, Loretta Lynch, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page and other current and former government officials went from heroes to potential villains in the blink of a political news cycle when South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham spoke to the press.

Graham vowed in a press conference that he would use his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee to peel apart the layers of the 22-month Mueller probe and what preceded it.

That, he said, includes the uncorroborated, Democrat-funded dossier of anti-Trump research that led the Justice Department to dig into alleged Trump-Russia ties, and the DOJ's use of its contents to get a surveillance warrant on Trump a campaign adviser.

'The FISA warrant issued against Carter Page based on a dossier prepared by Christopher Steele is at a minimum disturbing,' said Graham, a staunch Trump ally. 'Whether or not it's illegal, I don't yet know, so I'm going to get answers to this.'

'If no one else cares, it seems to me Republicans do, and thats sad  "f the shoe were on the other foot it would be front page news all over the world,' he said.

Graham also vowed to dig into an infamous June 2016 airport tarmac meeting between former President Bill Clinton and Lynch, then President Barack Obama's attorney general.

Clinton and Lynch have both denied discussing the counterintelligence investigation that targeted Hillary Clinton at the time. But then-FBI Director Comey announced just a week later that he had refused to recommend criminally prosecuting Mrs. Clinton for mishandling classified information on her private email server.

The mood in Washington was summed up Monday by an editorial written 430 miles away and published in the Boston Herald.

'The Mueller report is in. The president is vindicated. Now it is time to investigate the investigators,' the editorial read.

'Democrats and the media will show little interest in such an investigation but that is of no matter. History will outlive the activists on CNN and it is our responsibility to shed light on the motives behind the machinations to undermine a duly elected president.'

Rudy Giuliani, the personal attorney to Donald Trump, said Monday that he wants to know who was responsible for funding and fueling a conspiracy theory about the president colluding with Russians to swing the 2016 election

House speaker Nancy Pelosi's office responded Monday afternoon to Conway's demand that Schiff should resign.

'Chairman Schiff has done an outstanding job and that's the reason why he's subject to these ridiculous attacks,' spokeswoman Ashley Etienne said in a statement.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Trump backer whose daughter is the president's White House press secretary, laid out a theory that could dominate headlines for months.

'There WAS a CONSPIRACY, a COVER-UP, and attempted COUP,' he tweeted.

'It was done by Comey, McCabe, Ohr, Clapper, Brennan, Rice, Strzok, Page, Yates, et al. None of those ppl are in @realDonaldTrump world. Not ONE. Hold them accountable for abuse of power. No one should be above the law.'

Obama-era officials who are playing defense against the White House after Mueller ruled out 'collusion' Former FBI Director James Comey Comeys conduct in both his handling of the Clinton email scandal and the Russia probe has already come under scrutiny by House Republican investigators. Now, with the delivery of the Mueller report, Comey could is facing a new pressure to explain his decisions. President Trump cited Comeys conduct in the email probe as the reason he fired the longtime FBI official early in his presidency. Comey had himself announced in July 2016 the decision not to prosecute Clinton, even as he chided her for carelessness in her emails. After his firing, Comey delivered riveting testimony to Congress about what he took as pressure from Trump to ease off prosecution of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Now, Judiciary Chairman Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wants to pursue the matter further. Why did he take over the investigation in July, make a statement that she did a lot of bad things but not quite a crime. That did affect this election, said Graham on Monday. Former CIA Director John Brennan Brennan cast off his normally tight-lipped persona to become one of President Trumps fiercest critics after he ended his tenure. In one example, he retweeted Trump in January, writing: Your cabal of unprincipled, unethical, dishonest, and sycophantic cronies is being methodically brought to justice. We all know where this trail leads. If your utter incompetence is not enough to run you out of office, your increasingly obvious political corruption surely will. He predicted the Mueller probe could ensnare Trump family members. He predicted, incorrectly, that Mueller would bring additional indictments dealing with criminal conspiracy. Former FBI agent Peter Strzok Strzok was fired as one of the lead investigators on the Russia probe after his anti-Trump text exchanges with lover Lisa Page were revealed. After his texts were first uncovered during the course of an inspector generals probe, Strzok was transferred to another position in human resources. When he was fired, Trump tweeted: Agent Peter Strzok was just fired from the FBI  finally. In one infamous August 2016 text to Page, Strzok wrote about Pages apparent contention in a meeting that there was no way Trump would get elected. Its like an insurance policy in the unlikely event you die before 40, he said. Republicans pointed to the email as signal of partisan origins of the probe, and cast the comment as a plan to keep Trump from becoming president. Strzok denied that interpretation, and defenders noted Strzok could have just been defending the need to open a counterintelligence probe even of someone unlikely to win. Former FBI lawyer Lisa Page Page was a high-level FBI lawyer who advised former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Like Strzok, she worked on both the Hillary Clinton email probe and the Russia probe. She resigned her post amid the inquiry into messages she exchanged with Strzok. In one piece of newly-revealed information, she told Congress the Obama Justice Department told investigators not to charge Clinton with gross negligence over her emails. 'We neither had sufficient evidence to charge gross negligence, nor had it ever been done, because the Department viewed it as constitutionally vague Page told a joint committee investigating the prosecutorial decisions. She said investigators had studied it because there was potential for the charge. Former senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr Ohr came under scrutiny for his role in the transmission of information from the Steele dossier to the FBI. Ohr is a senior Justice Department official who had prior professional contacts going back years with former British Intelligence officer Christopher Steele. Steele famously authored what became known as the dossier about Russia contacts to Trump officials as well as unproven salacious allegations about the candidate. Ohr had a specialty that focused on organized and international crime. In addition, Ohr testified that he took additional information that was gathered by his wife, Nellie Ohr, who worked for Fusion GPS political intelligence firm. He told investigators she gave him a memory stick containing information she gathered on Russian figures. Trump has regularly attacked Ohr as a disgrace on Twitter. Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper Clapper had early insights into the origins of the Russia probe. When he left office after the Obama administration, he took a job as a CNN commentator, and became a fierce critic of President Trumps. Clapper, along with Brennan and others, who ended up on a list the White House compiled of officials whose security clearances would be revoked. The White House said it was to target people who made baseless accusations or had monetized their public service. "I think this is just a very, very petty thing to do, Clapper said afterward. GOP critics blasted his testimony had given to Congress about warrantless surveillance, claiming he may have perjured himself. Clapper denied at a 2013 Senate hearing that the NSA was not wittingly collecting information on millions of Americans. No, sir  Not wittingly, Clapper responded. Advertisement

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani demanded on 'Fox & Friends' to know exactly who was responsible for promoting the 'cockamamie' theory that the president conspired with Russians to steal the 2016 election and then tried to obstruct a federal investigation into his actions.

'If there was no evidence of collusion  three investigations, no evidence of collusion  who made it up? It had to come from somewhere. It just didn't come out of thin air,' Giuliani fumed.

'I want to know who did it, who paid for it, who fueled it. Because the person who did it, and the group that did it, knows it's untrue  because they invented it.'

Giuliani said the president's adversaries, the same group that applied pressure inside the Justice Department, will soon have a reckoning.

In an editorial Monday, The Wall Street Journal concluded that 'someone may have conned the FBI into one of the great dirty tricks in American political history.'

'Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!' Giuliani responded to a live reading of that line. 'And you're going to find out, believe me, who it was.'

It's Graham who may be best positioned to break Washington's inertia and launch an investigation designed as a counterweight to House Democrats' efforts to keep the themes of Mueller's probe alive.

Mueller investigation by the numbers Employed 19 lawyers Worked with team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and other professional staff Issued more than 2,800 subpoenas Executed nearly 500 search warrants Obtained more than 230 orders for communication records Issued almost 50 orders authorizing use of pen registers Made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence Interviewed approximately 500 witnesses Advertisement

Anti-Trump collusion among Justice Department insiders the president inherited in 2017 has 'pretty much been swept under the rug except by a few Republicans,' Graham said. 'Those days are over.'

'What role did the dossier play?' he asked, saying he wants to know it if was 'the primary source' that launched the Justice Department's Russia-related intelligence-gathering scramble.

'I want to know the role Comey played in this,' he declared.

Graham had sent a warning to the FBI chief who Trump fired in May 2017, after Comey tweeted a photo of himself looking up at a forest full of tall trees and captioned the picture: 'So many questions.'

'Could not agree more,' Graham replied. 'See you soon.'

'I was sort of like, "What was the whole forest thing about?"' he said Monday.

In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Council, Vice President Mike Pence stayed away from talk of recriminations in a more high-minded victory lap -- but did throw a jab over 'reckless accusations by many Democrats and members of the media.'

'Make no mistake about it, my fellow Americans, this was a total vindication of the President of the United States and our campaign, and it should be welcomed by every American,' he said.
A British entrepreneur 'committed a deliberate fraud over a sustained period of time' to artificially inflate the value of his software company by billions of dollars ahead of its sale, the High Court has heard.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) - which bought Mike Lynch's Cambridge-based firm Autonomy for 11.1 billion US dollars (8.4 billion) in 2011 - claims he and former chief financial officer Sushovan Hussain 'artificially inflated Autonomy's reported revenues, revenue growth and gross margins'.

The American technology giant is suing Mr Lynch and Hussain for around five billion US dollars (3.8 billion) in what is believed to be the UK's biggest civil fraud trial.

Mike Lynch leaving the High Court today. He is getting sued by Hewlett-Packard for fraud

The two men deny the claims and Mr Lynch has launched a counter-claim for at least 125 million dollars (95 million) in damages against HP for 'a series of false, misleading and unfair public statements' about his alleged responsibility for supposed accounting irregularities and misrepresentations at Autonomy.

The 53-year-old, from Suffolk, argues that, at the time of the sale, Autonomy was an 'innovative technology company and a success story' and that HP 'botched the purchase of Autonomy and destroyed the company'.

At the start of a nine-month trial in London on Monday, the High Court heard that HP announced an 8.8 billion US dollar (6.7 billion) writedown of Autonomy's value just over a year after its acquisition of the company - which it said was because it had found 'serious accounting improprieties'.

Outlining the case for HP, Laurence Rabinowitz QC said Mr Lynch and Hussain had knowingly caused Autonomy to 'engage in a programme of widespread and systematic fraudulent' accounting practices ahead of the sale.

The barrister said Autonomy had been 'meeting its revenue and revenue growth targets by simply buying and selling third party hardware, without any connection to Autonomy software'.

He added that the firm also used 'a variety of other fraudulent devices' to either accelerate revenue or to invent revenue that never existed in the first place.

Mr Rabinowitz told the court: 'Once these fraudulent practices are stripped away, it becomes clear that, in truth, the Autonomy group was experiencing little growth and was falling consistently short of market expectations.'

He said there was 'no real doubt but that Autonomy engaged in the improper transactions and false accounting alleged', and there was 'no question but that Mr Hussain was one of the architects and chief implementers of the fraud'.

Former Autonomy chief financial officer Sushovan Hussain is also being sued by HP. The company says he was the 'one of the architects' of the alleged fraud

HP had to write down three-quarters of Autonomy's value a little over a year after buying the company

Mr Rabinowitz said the main issue in the trial is the question of Mr Lynch's 'knowledge (of) and involvement in the fraud'.

In a written opening running to 894 pages, he said Mr Lynch was 'a controlling and demanding individual, who took a close interest in the progress of individual deals and sales generally', and it was 'inconceivable' that he was unaware of the fraudulent practices.

Mr Rabinowitz pointed to an email sent by Mr Lynch to the senior management team in relation to a proposed transaction which was in jeopardy, in which Mr Lynch stated: 'If there is any problem I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT IN A F****** MILLISECOND from all of you.'

The barrister added: 'This is not the stance of a statesman viewing the business from 10,000 feet.'

Mr Lynch arriving at the trial. He claims that the case 'distils down to a dispute over differences between UK and US accounting systems'

Mr Rabinowitz also referred to another email sent by Mr Lynch to a sales representative in August 2010, which read: 'You ever send me an email like this again AFTER the event and you are f****** toast, I swear if I could squeeze down a telephone line to California you would get to know directly how the f*** I feel about this.'

Robert Miles QC, representing Mr Lynch, said in written submissions that when HP bought Autonomy the company was 'highly profitable' and 'had a bright future'.

Mr Miles argued that HP 'mishandled the acquisition', adding: 'Even the announcement of the bid was poorly managed, as it coincided with the announcement by HP of poor trading results, deteriorating prospects and the closure (or potential disposal) of significant parts of its business.'

He said that, as a result of 'various failings', HP's 'planned synergies were never achieved'.

He also submitted that HP had previously calculated that Autonomy could be worth as much as 50 billion US dollars once integrated into its company.

In a statement ahead of the hearing, a spokesman for Mr Lynch - who was present in court on Monday - said there was 'no fraud at Autonomy' and that the case 'distils down to a dispute over differences between UK and US accounting systems'.

The spokesman added: 'The real story is that HP, after a history of failed acquisitions, botched the purchase of Autonomy and destroyed the company, seeking to blame others. Mike will not be a scapegoat for their failures.'

In separate criminal proceedings in the US, Mr Lynch faces 17 charges of securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy in a federal court over the sale of Autonomy and, if found guilty, could face up to 25 years in jail.

Hussain was convicted last April in the US of wire fraud and other crimes related to Autonomy's sale and is due to be sentenced in May, but is expected to appeal against his conviction.

The High Court hearing before Mr Justice Hildyard, which is due to finish in December at the earliest, continues.
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Rebel MPs seized control of the Commons from ministers last night, adding a new element of chaos to the Brexit endgame.

A cross party group coordinated by Tory Oliver Letwin and Labour's Yvette Cooper won a vote that will mean MPs dictate what the Commons debates and votes on tomorrow.

The exact rules of the process will be hammered out today but it appears there will be a first round tomorrow to set out the options and then actual votes on Monday night to find MPs' favourite.

MPs are set to use 'pink slips' to vote via ballot box on the various options. It will streamline the process - meaning MPs will not have to repeatedly march through the lobbies - and allow all options to be voted on at once.

It is a dramatic change for how MPs normally vote, which is to say yes or no to a question, not to compare options.

The move is constitutionally unprecedented. MPs will set out their own options after resisting Government plans to set up its votes on seven options - the existing deal, cancelling Brexit altogether, a new referendum, a Norway-style soft Brexit, a Canada-style hard Brexit, a UK-EU customs union or No Deal.

The moves leave wide open the kind of Brexit Britain might try to navigate.

But Mrs May has already warned she may not be able to deliver on what MPs want. She said the plan should be compatible with party manifestos at the last election and must be negotiable with the EU.

It all comes against a backdrop of furious rumours Mrs May is on the brink of being ousted by her Cabinet. The risks appear to have receded this morning after weekend claims ministers were poised - but despite there being no procedural way to remove her a public withdrawal of political support would finish her.

This is your guide to what happens next:

What happened last night?

MPs have finally done what they have threatened to do for months: Seized control of the Commons agenda so they can stage their own debates and votes on Brexit. It is constitutionally unprecedented.

What does it mean?

This will only become clear in the coming hours but in the first instance it means rebel-controlled debates on Wednesday about indicative votes on a possible Brexit solution.

It will mean the Commons directly voting on a range of options more expansive than Mrs May's deal or No Deal for the first time. The conclusions will not be legally binding but be politically significant.

The exact rules of the process will be hammered out today but it appears likely there will be a first round tomorrow to set out the options and then actual votes on Monday night to find MPs' favourite.

MPs are set to use 'pink slips' to vote via ballot box on the various options. It will streamline the process - meaning MPs will not have to repeatedly march through the lobbies - and allow all options to be voted on at once.

Has it ever been done before?

No. A similar process was attempted in 2003 to assess options for Lords reform. MPs used their normal voting procedure to say yes or no to seven options and rejected all seven.

What kind of Brexit will MPs vote for?

Nobody knows for sure. The assumption of most people in Westminster is Parliament would vote for a much softer Brexit than that on offer by Mrs May. This would likely mean staying in the EU Customs Union and Single Market.

Brussels has said it would accept this in the right circumstances but it would break most of Mrs May's red lines - the ability to strike trade deals, to escape the European Court and almost certainly free movement of people.

Will May be forced out by her Cabinet?

The immediate risk appears to have receded since rumours of a Cabinet coup spread like wildfire over the weekend. There is no procedural way to remove her - but a public withdrawal of political support would finish the PM.

What was agreed at the EU summit last week?

EU leaders have approved a two-part delay to Brexit following late night talks.

Brexit is set to be delayed until April 12 whatever happens next week, giving the UK an extra two weeks.

If MPs pass the Brexit deal before then, the extension will run until May 22.

What does it mean?

The immediate risk of the UK leaving without a deal on Friday, March 29, is effectively over - subject to a change in UK law but this should be a formality.

Brexiteers will still believe they can secure a No Deal exit on April 12 while Remainers will see it as an opportunity to lock in a much longer delay.

Will there be a third vote on the deal and when will it be?

Mrs May says she will only have one if she can win this time - but is still working on it. Most currently expect it to be held tomorrow night but this is not fixed. Thursday is also under consideration.

Can she win?

It looks unlikely. The prospect of No Deal on April 12 will encourage Brexiteers they should vote down the deal a third time.

There is currently little sign the DUP are being won over by a political offensive behind the scenes.

Mrs May also alienated Labour MPs with her angry speech on Wednesday night.

It seems possible she could end up losing the third vote by a bigger margin than the 149 votes she lost the second one.

What if she does win?

If the PM manages a great escape, then Britain will be on track to leave on May 22. The Government will move quickly to get the necessary laws in place.

What if she loses?

The EU has made clear that if the deal goes down a third time, Britain must come back with a plan in time for the new deadline of April 12.

Most urgently, a decision will have to be made on whether the UK takes part in European Parliament elections on May 23. If it does not, there will be No Deal - and Mrs May says electing MEPs would be the wrong thing to do.

However, there is still a majority of MPs in Parliament against No Deal so the choice could be taken away from the PM.

If elections are agreed in the UK there will probably be a new EU summit around April 10 to approve a much longer extension - perhaps to the end of 2019 or even longer.

The UK will have to have a new plan for what to do with the time as Brussels has made clear it cannot keep going over the same deal.

Will MPs vote on other options?

Probably. Tonight's vote could setup a full-blown 'indicative vote' that would set all the options against each other. A defeated Government could stage the same procedure.

There are claims the Government would put up seven options: Mrs May's Deal, No Deal, Revoking Article 50, a Second Referendum, a Customs Union soft Brexit deal, an even softer Customs Union and Single Market deal, and a Canada-style Free Trade Agreement deal.

The idea would be to find what kind of Brexit might be supported by Parliament or if there is none, see if there is support for a new public vote.

Will May resign?

Nobody knows. No Prime Minister has ever soaked up so much humiliation and carried on and yet Mrs May is still in Downing Street.

She suggested last week she would not accept a long delay beyond June 30, seen by many as a hint she would resign if it had to happen.

A third defeat for the deal this week would also provoke huge calls for her to resign.

A move to No Deal could also see some Tory MPs join with Labour to force the Government out with a vote of no confidence.

What happens to Brexit if May goes or the Government collapses?

It is hard to know. Even with a tweak to the law to change the date, Brexit will still happen with No Deal on April 12 if other choices keep being rejected.

But we also know there is a majority of MPs against a No Deal Brexit. It is possible there are enough Tory MPs prepared to remove the Government to stop No Deal by installing a Corbyn government ahead of a snap election.

Only the Government can bring forward the necessary change in the law to change the Brexit date.

What is Labour's position?

Labour says no deal must be stopped - but also says it will not vote for Mrs May's deal.

It wanted a three month delay to renegotiate the political declaration on the final UK-EU relationship but this would require it form a Government more or less immediately.

Were it to do so, it would try pass the divorce deal attached to a new political declaration that said the final relationship would be based on a permanent customs union.

It has passed no comment on the actual proposed delay.

Will there have to be a new election or a referendum?

This falls into the anything is possible category. Parliament is deadlocked and has been for months - which suggests an election is necessary.

And yet the governing Tory party clearly has little idea what it would put to the country or who would lead it into an election. An election can be forced without the consent of the Tories but it is very difficult.

Similarly, it is far from clear there are the votes for a referendum in the Commons. The idea was crushed last week because Labour did not vote for it.

Will Brexit ever happen?

Almost three years after the referendum, this depends entirely on your view of events. The law says it will but there are enough MPs to at least change the date if given the chance to do so.

It could now happen on April 12 or May 22. Or it could be delayed much further.
Tragic loss: Haley McManus, 15, died on Sunday after accidentally shooting herself during target practice

A 15-year-old girl from Iowa has died after she accidentally shot herself at a gun club on an outing with her father, officials said.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, deputies and medics were called around 10.40am on Sunday to the Tri-State Gun Club outside Montrose, a community about 80 miles south of Iowa City.

The emergency crews found Haley Elizabeth McManus suffering from a single gunshot wound.

The girl was taken to Fort Madison Community Hospital and was later transferred to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinic where she succumbed to her injuries.

Sheriff Stacy Weber said on Monday that Haley was accompanied by her father and that both were target shooting.

Haley was at the Tri-State Gun Club outside Montrose, Iowa, with her father when the deadly accident occurred

Haley lived in Fort Madison and attended Fort Madison High School, where the principal said that she was would often go to the gun range with her dad

Weber's office said the incident is being treated as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. No crime or negligence is suspected.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday to determine McManus' exact cause of death.

The teen lived in nearby Fort Madison and attended Fort Madison High School.

'It's our understanding, that this was kind of a regular thing for her and her dad to go out to the range,' Principal Greg Smith told Pen City Current on Monday.

As news of the tragedy spread, family and friends took to Facebook to express their condolences to Haley's mother.
A thug who viciously assaulted the daughter of a property empire heiress in her luxury home has been jailed for 21 months.

Antonio Henry, 29, punched and kicked Chloe Pidgley, 26, in the face during the sickening attack in Earl's Court, west London, on 18 June last year.

He also slammed a door on her hand as she tried to flee the intruder, leaving her with two broken fingers.

Antonio Henry, 29, punched and kicked Chloe Pidgley, 26, in the face during the sickening attack in Earl's Court, west London , on 18 June last year

Chloe Pidgley, 26, was beaten around the head with a radiator at her London flat. Her attacker threatened to return with acid during the incident in Kensington

Henry then threatened to come back and carry out an acid attack.

The granddaughter of Berkeley Homes founder Tony Pidgley was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Judge Hannah Duncan jailed Henry for 21 months after he admitted assault and criminal damage at Isleworth Crown Court.

Ms Pidgley, who was in court to see Henry sentenced, broke down in tears as the judge passed the sentence.

Tony Pidgley is the founder of the famous property developer Berkeley Homes and thought to be worth a staggering 310million

Her mother, Denize Hewitt, had revealed that her receptionist daughter called for help mid-attack, telling The Sun: 'She screamed down the phone'

Henry has a long history of convictions dating back to 2003 mainly for offences of violence including assault causing actual bodily harm.

His record also includes offences of battery, harassment, threatening words and behaviour and conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Henry, of Gunnersbury Avenue, Ealing, admitted assault occasioning actual body harm and criminal damage.

He was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Henry, of Gunnersbury Avenue, Ealing, admitted assault occasioning actual body harm and criminal damage

Both Chloe and her model sister, Chantelle, reportedly received a 'coming of age' sum of 1million each

A restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Pidgley was also issued.

Her mother, Denize Hewitt, had revealed that her receptionist daughter called for help mid-attack, telling The Sun: 'She screamed down the phone.

'I dialled 999. I thought she would be dead.'

A Met spokesman had said at the time: 'Police were called at 20:05hrs on Monday, 18 June to a residential address in Warwick Road, Kensington and Chelsea, following reports of a female resident having been assaulted.

'Officers attended with LAS [London Ambulance Service] colleagues.

'The victim had been at home at the time; after hearing a smash, she went to her bedroom and discovered a 29-year-old male, who was known to her, had broken into the premises.

'The male then attacked the victim before fleeing the scene.

'The victim was conveyed to a central London hospital where her injuries were deemed not life-threatening or life-changing.

Tony Pidgley is the founder of the famous property developer Berkeley Homes and thought to be worth a staggering 310million.

Both Chloe and her model sister, Chantelle, reportedly received a 'coming of age' sum of 1million each.
A 40-year-old woman is alleged to have impersonated a child that went missing at the age of two in 1981.

Heidi Robinson, from Moreton in the Wirral, is accused of posing as Katrice Lee, who vanished on her second birthday in Paderborn, Germany.

The toddler disappeared during a family shopping trip with her family at a NAAFI store near the British Army base, where her father, Richard Lee, was serving.

Pictured, left: Katrice as a toddler before she vanished in Germany. Pictured, right: How police believe Katrice would look if she is alive today

Mr Lee, 70, from Hartlepool, said on Twitter that someone had been impersonating his daughter for the past 12 months and that a woman will appear in court.

He Tweeted: 'Just to update people,for the past 12 months my family has had to endure an individual pretending to be KATRICE my missing daughter, after a lengthy process the individual will appear in court shortly. I unfortunately cannot say anymore,but will update you as and when.xx'

Me Lee tweeted: 'Just to update people,for the past 12 months my family has had to endure an individual pretending to be KATRICE my missing daughter'

A woman reportedly changed her name to Katrice Lee on Facebook, used an image of the youngster and sent a friend request to her sister Natasha, according to the Hartlepool Mail.

The paper said police had launched an investigation into the matter in August last year, but officers did not name a suspect at the time.

Mr Lee told the paper: 'This individual assumed the identity of Katrice and changed her name to Katrice on Facebook which in itself is upsetting. Were absolutely appalled that she has done this to the family.

'Can you imagine your sister has been missing for 37 years and you see a friend request on Facebook, you open it and you see a picture of your sister asking to be your friend?'

Police told Mr Lee at the time that the woman had agreed to a DNA test after she used a profile picture featuring Mr Lee holding Natasha. The banner picture allegedly showed Katrice, her mother Sharon, and Natasha.

Merseyside Police said that Ms Robinson will appear before Wirral Magistrates on May 1.

The force said: 'Robinson will next appear at Wirral Magistrates Court on Wednesday 1 May.'

Mr Lee has been critical of the Royal Military Police's initial investigation into his daughter's disappearance and vowed in 2018 to 'fight for my daughter to the end'.

He said, during the initial investigation, border guards were not informed when Katrice disappeared, statements from shop workers were not taken until six weeks later and information about an eye condition Katrice had was not made known.

A section of bank of the River Alme, in northern Germany, was excavated as part of the renewed investigations, but nothing was found. Returning to the site during the excavations, Mr Lee said: 'It's a killer, absolutely a killer. It's a return to my nightmare'

Last year a section of bank of the River Alme, in northern Germany, was excavated as part of the renewed investigations, but nothing was found.

It followed a reanalysis of evidence gathered during the original investigation, which pinpointed the river as an area of interest.

The 68-year-old welcomed the search but said it should have been done years ago.

He said ahead of the excavations: 'We've just got to do this. I don't want them to find anything, but honestly, I am struggling. It's a killer, absolutely a killer. It's a return to my nightmare.'

Katrice Lee (pictured, left) disappeared on her second birthday in Paderborn, Germany and Mr Lee (right) said on social media that someone has been impersonating his daughter

He added: 'I feel bitterly angry and will never forgive the RMP for what they've put my family through. I will fight for my daughter until the end.'

He said his now ex-wife Sharon - Katrice's mother - and other daughter Natasha, 43, were unable to make the trip to Germany.

Sharon said the toddler was 'gone in a matter of seconds'. She added: 'It's living a nightmare that you never wake up from.

'Nearly 37 years ago we became members of an exclusive club we didn't ask for membership of  we became parents of a missing daughter. I would dearly love to be able to revoke that membership.'

The case was reopened in 2000 and led to the arrest of a former soldier. But he was released without charge and the case closed again after three years.

There were further inquiries in 2012 when Royal Military Police chiefs admitted mistakes were made during the initial investigation.
The 24-year-old man accused of killing a reputed New York mob boss had recently been influenced by right-wing conspiracy websites, his lawyer claims.

Anthony Comello has been accused of killing Gambino mob boss Franceso 'Franky Boy' Cali.

He was officially charged on Monday with murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon for a loaded firearm.

Comello has been ordered to be held without bail and is being kept in protective custody due to serious threats to his life in prison.

He is expected to plead not guilty when he is formally indicted on April 3.

Anthony Comello, the 24-year-old man accused of killing a reputed New York mob boss had recently been influenced by right-wing conspiracy websites, his lawyer claims. Comello is pictured here in court last week showing off pro-Trump scribbles on his hand

He had scrawled 'MAGA forever' on his hand, along with 'United We Stand MAGA' and 'Patriots In Charge', indicating he was influenced by discredited far-right conspiracy theory QAnon

For his first court appearance last week, Comello had scribbled 'MAGA Forever', a reference to Donald Trump's 'Make America Great Again' slogan, on his hand.

Comello was charged on Monday with murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon in the death of Gambino crime family boss Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali

He also had scrawled 'United We Stand MAGA' and 'Patriots In Charge', seeming to indicate he was influenced by QAnon - a discredited far-right conspiracy theory alleging a secret plot by so-called 'deep state' operatives against Trump and his supporters.

During Monday's hearing, attorney Robert Gottlieb said Comello's family attributes his behavior changes to 'hate spewed throughout the internet'.

'His family and friends recognized and picked up significant changes in him over the past few months,' Gottlieb told the New York Post.

'Something clearly went wrong. It's not just an attorney saying that, the people who know him - who love him - will be the source of that information.'

'Something dramatically happened to him that certainly seems to have been affected by the hate that is spewed throughout the internet.'

Last week it was revealed that Comello had a secret Instagram account on which he posted extreme right-wing messages and memes.

During Monday's hearing, attorney Robert Gottlieb said Comello's family attributes his behavior changes to 'hate spewed throughout the internet'. Comello is pictured here in court last week

Comello's lawyer claimed 'something dramatically happened to him' that he said was 'affected by the hate that is spewed throughout the internet'

Comello 'used to post crazy things about politics and Trump and Democrats,' a source told the Post.

The Instagram page was created under the handle 'realamericasvoice_'.

Gambino crime family boss Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali (above) was murdered outside his Staten Island home on March 13

One Instagram post included the Reichsadler, or 'imperial eagle,' which was used during the Nazi period.

The post reads: 'Infidel of freedom, infidels of the free world...Dems=demons go down on all counts.'

Another post showed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wearing a symbol that supposedly represents 'evil fascism.'

There are also truther conspiracy theories which allege that the September 11, 2001 attacks were orchestrated by the Bush administration.

Another Instagram post depicts Michelle Obama, the former first lady, as a man dancing with 'wife,' Barack Obama, whose head is photoshopped onto her body.

One meme shows a group of prominent Democrats, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Eric Holder, and others in jail for 'treason' since 'Russia collusion is a proven lie.'

Last week it was revealed that Comello had a secret Instagram account on which he posted extreme right-wing messages and memes

The page included extreme messages denouncing illegal immigrants and Democrats. It also included memes claiming there was a conspiracy to bring down President Trump

The above meme found on the Instagram page shows extreme messages denouncing Democratic members of Congress and liberal activist Linda Sarsour

The Instagram post also shows messages denouncing illegal immigrants, socialism, and taxes.

Comello first drew the attention of police after he bizarrely tried to make a 'citizen's arrest' of prominent Democratic figures including Pelosi, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep Adam Schiff, and Rep Maxine Waters.

'There was an incident at the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan where he showed up [on February 21] asking to make a citizen's arrest of a number of elected officials,' NYPD Deputy Commissioner John Miller told the Post.

Miller said that Comello 'blamed Nancy Pelosi and all kinds of other people for stealing the election'.

One Instagram post included the Reichsadler, or 'imperial eagle,' which was used during the Nazi period. The post reads: 'Infidel of freedom, infidels of the free world...Dems=demons go down on all counts'

The day after he showed up at the courthouse, Miller said Comello went to Gracie Mansion, the mayor's official residence in Manhattan, in an attempt to arrest de Blasio.

Friends told the New York Times that Comello believed in far-right wing conspiracy theories and had an OxyContin habit that made him aggressive when he was high.

Sources have said that Comello killed Cali, 53, because the mob boss said the 24-year-old wasn't good enough to date his niece.

Comello allegedly drove to Cali's Staten Island home on March 13 and backed his pickup truck into the mobster's Cadillac Escalade, knocking off the license plate.

Surveillance footage captured Comello ringing Cali's doorbell. The two walked outside and Comello picked up the license plate to give it to Cali.

He then allegedly pulled out a pistol and shot Cali 10 times before fleeing the scene. Authorities said they found Comello's fingerprints on the license plate.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation has a tangled web of roots that go back to an earlier FBI counterintelligence investigation of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign, and ended with the delivery of his final report Sunday to Attorney General William Barr.

But the event that sparked the $25 million, 22-month probe was a concern from federal officials that there was a tie between Trump's campaign and hacked emails from Democrats that appeared on Wikileaks.

The kickoff began when WikiLeaks released hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign manager John Podesta in July 2016.

After that event, an Australian diplomat based in London tipped off American authorities that a Trump campaign official, George Papadopoulos, had told him a few months earlier that the Russians had the stolen emails.

Concerned the Trump's campaign had been infiltrated by foreign agents, the FBI began its probe, allegedly securing the help of a Cambridge professor to meet with some of Trump's advisers.

The Justice Department secured warrants from a secret court that handles foreign intelligence cases, giving it permission to spy on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page past the point of the November election.

President Donald Trump

Attorney General William Barr (left) and Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right)

A portion of a phishing email sent to a Hillary Clinton campaign official that helped Russians hack her campaign

A turning point came when President Trump fired FBI James Comey on May 9, 2017. He later asked a friend to leak details from his memos of meetings with Trump, to a friendly reporter, in the hope that it would lead to the appointment of a special counsel.

Democrats were outraged and started a special counsel drumbeat. With Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the sidelines because he had been a foreign policy adviser to Trump's campaign, his deputy Rod Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller to the job eight days later.

Mueller's investigation was the subject of numerous news reports, which depicted a colorful cast of characters who wormed their way into Trump's campaign and put the new administration on the defensive.

In the end, Mueller concluded that neither President Trump nor his campaign colluded with Russians in order to improve his chances of beating Democrat Hilary Clinton.

The special counsel did not draw a conclusion 'one way or the other' on whether the president obstructed justice, according to the findings, but left that decision to Attorney General William Barr, who decided not to pursue them.

The findings brought together a myriad of threads that have drawn in the president, members of his family and some of his campaign team.

The collusion and obstruction investigation became a tangled web of names, dates and events that Mueller and his team had to sort through to come to their conclusions.

With Mueller's report in the hands of the Justice Department and Barr's summary of his findings made public, the domino effect of each adviser's move and Trump's counter move that got the prosecutors's attention has become clearer.

Here's a look at the different events that were in play and how they fit into the overall Mueller investigation.

TRUMP TOWER MEETING

In June 2016, Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russia lawyer who claimed to have information on Clinton.

It was likely looked at by Mueller's team as to whether the Trump campaign used it to collude with Russia and whether the president was involved due to his help in drafting a statement about the meeting.

After The New York Times broke the news of the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. gave the newspaper a statement that said the gathering was about an adoption program.

His statement did not address whether the presidential campaign was discussed.

The Russian lawyer at the meeting, Natalia Veselnitskaya, has led a multipronged attack against the Magnitsky Act, an American law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers and championed by financier Bill Browder.

The Magnitsky Act so enraged Putin he retaliated by halting American adoptions of Russian children.

In his statement to The Times about the meeting, Donald Trump Jr. said: 'It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up.'

He added: 'I was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person I would be meeting with beforehand.'

But later the existence of an email chain was reported, which contained information setting up the meeting and revealed that Veselnitskaya was said to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya attended the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting

Donald Trump Jr leaving Trump Tower in December 2016

In the email exchange, Trump Jr. was told via an intermediary that the 'high level' information he would be offered about Clinton was 'part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump' and would be 'highly useful for your father.'

Trump Jr. wrote back: 'If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer.'

The president's son posted the entire email exchange on Twitter after The New York Times informed him they had the emails and were going to publish them.

The emails were sent to Trump Jr via Rob Goldstone, a music publicist who represented Emin Agalarov, whose father, Aras Agalarov, is a major real estate developer close to Putin and who bought rights to the 2013 Miss Universe pageant that took place in Moscow and which Trump attended.

As to Trump Jr.'s original statement that the meeting was about adoptions, numerous White House aides and lawyers for the president denied that Trump had been involved in drafting his son's statement.

Jay Sekulow, one of the president's attorneys, said in 2017 that 'the president was not involved in the drafting of that statement.'

But in July of last year, The Washington Post reported it was President Trump who personally dictated Trump Jr's original statement to The Times, writing that it was about adoption.

HACKED DEMOCRATIC EMAILS RELEASED BY WIKILEAKS

Adding to the questions about Russia's role in 2016, five days after the June meeting in Trump Tower, The Washington Post reported that hackers thought to be associated with the Russians had penetrated the computer systems of the Democratic National Committee and stolen internal records a few months earlier.

The next day, Guccifer 2.0, an online persona the U.S. government has concluded was Russian-controlled, released a first trove of DNC documents.

WikiLeaks dumped a much larger cache of internal DNC emails on July 22, 2016, as the Democratic National Convention opened, causing internal party dissension that led party chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to resign.

Roger Stone

Roger Stone was charged as part of Mueller's and his case surrounds conversations he may have had with Wikileaks about the leaks.

Questions arose as to whether Stone had advance knowledge of the hack and, if so, did he share it with Trump, to whom he's been a longtime adviser.

Stone previously acknowledged having had brief exchanges with both WikiLeaks and Guccifer 2.0, but maintains that he never had advance knowledge about the emails' release.

Mueller's office revealed for the first time in February that it was in the possession of evidence that Stone communicated with WikiLeaks regarding the release of hacked Democratic Party emails.

During the presidential campaign, Stone publicly bragged about having 'backchannel communications' with Julian Assange and, in multiple occasions, appeared to predict the WikiLeaks releases.

Since then, Stone has walked back those claims.

He said his claims were exaggerations based on public information, as well as tips from New York radio host Randy Credico.

In February, Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen told a House committee he heard Stone tell then-candidate Trump about illicit campaign contacts with WikiLeaks.

'Mr. Stone told Mr. Trump that he had just gotten off the phone with Julian Assange and that Mr. Assange told Mr. Stone that, within a couple of days, there would be a massive dump of emails that would damage Hillary Clinton's campaign,' Cohen told the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Stone denied the conversation took place.

TRUMP TWEETS AGAINST JEFF SESSIONS

President Trump repeatedly vented against Jeff Sessions after the then-Attorney General recused himself from overseeing the special counsel's investigation.

Trump railed against his own appointed and one of his earliest supporters, complaining repeatedly he wouldn't have hired Sessions for the job if he knew he'd recuse himself.

The public pressure he put on Sessions and reported mullings he was considering firing his attorney general over it, led to questions over whether the president was trying to use the power of his office to influence the investigation and obstruct justice.

Among Sessions' first acts in office was to recuse himself from the probe. As a former Trump campaign adviser, legal ethics prohibited him from overseeing an investigation in which he might become a witness.

Trump has said both publicly and privately that the attorney general should have told him in advance that as a former campaign adviser himself, he would be ethically barred from overseeing the probe.

Jeff Sessions

The president told The New York Times in a July 2017 interview that 'Sessions should have never recused himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job and I would have picked somebody else.'

'How do you take the job and then recuse himself?' he asked then, adding: 'It's extremely unfair  and that's a mild word  to the president.'

Months earlier, according to a report in The New York Times, Trump had pointedly asked Sessions to reverse himself.

The attorney general refused.

Sessions, when he was a senator from Alabama, was one of Trump's earliest supporters on Capitol Hill - loyalty that earned him the top spot at the Justice Department.

But the two men's relationship soured when Sessions recused himself from oversight of the Russia probe.

Sessions announced his recusal in March 2017, citing a recommendation from the ethics office at the Justice Department.

'They said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation,' Sessions said at the time.

Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign and did not disclose that to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his January confirmation hearing.

Sessions left the Justice Department after the 2018 midterm election.

MICHAEL FLYNN

Former FBI director James Comey's claims that President Trump asked him to ease off a federal investigation of then-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and his meetings with Russian officials.

'I took it as a direction,' he told a Senate committee last June.

If the president used his power to direct a federal investigation, it could have qualified as obstruction of justice.

Michael Flynn

James Comey

Comey testified before Congress in June 2017 that the president asked him for 'loyalty' and to let go an investigation into Flynn over his Russia contacts.

But he stopped short of describing a conversation as obstruction of justice.

'General Flynn at that point of time was in legal jeopardy. There was an open FBI criminal investigation of his statements in connection with the Russian contacts and the contacts themselves,' Comey said.

'I don't think it's for me to say whether the conversation I had with the president was an effort to obstruct. I took it as a very disturbing thing, very concerning. But that's a conclusion I'm sure the special counsel will work towards, to try and understand what the intention was there, and whether that's an offense,' he said.

Flynn admitted he lied to federal authorities about the content of calls with then-Russian ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.

GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS

In September, former Trump campaign foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos was sentenced to two weeks in jail Friday for lying to the FBI during the Russia probe.

He became the the first member of Trump's campaign team to be sentenced in Mueller's investigation.

Among the things Papadopoulos lied about to FBI agents under questioning was his contact with Maltese London-based professor Joseph Mifsud, who said the Russians had 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton.

George Papadopoulos and his wife Simona Mangiante

This was examined by Mueller as another opportunity to see if there was collusion between Trump's team and Moscow.

Papadopoulos made contacts with a mysterious professor, Joseph Mifsud, who claimed Kremlin links and introduced him to other ostensibly well-connected Russians, including an alleged niece of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Papadopoulos suggested to the Trump campaign team that Trump and Putin should meet and pursued it.

At a breakfast on April 26, 2016, in London, Mifsud told Papadopoulos that people in Moscow had 'dirt' on Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton - information Papadopoulos later shared with the campaign.

In May of 2016 - also in London - Papadopoulos told the top Australian diplomat to the United Kingdom, Alexander Downer, that Russia was in possession of emails relating to Clinton.

In July, after the DNC hacking had become public, the Australians told U.S. authorities about Papadopoulos's comment, leading the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into Trump's campaign in July of 2016.

Cambridge professor Stefan Halper was an FBI informant who approached Trump campaign advisers Carter Page, George Papadopoulos and Sam Clovis about any potential ties to Russia.

TRUMP CALLS FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO BE FIRED

In August President Donald Trump demanded - for a second time - senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr be fired.

Trump had repeatedly targeted Ohr, whose wife Nellie Ohr worked at Fusion GPS, the company which commissioned the infamous and unverified Steele dossier during the presidential campaign.

Ohr was also in contact with former British spy Christopher Steele.

Bruce Ohr

Ohr had passed along Steele's information to the FBI, even after the bureau had terminated its formal relationship with Steele over the spy's leaks about their work to the media.

Ohr is an expert on the Russian mafia and organized crime, work that brought him into contact with Steele, who specialized in Russia when he worked as a spy.

The two men met in 2007, when Steele still worked for MI-6 and Ohr was investigating Russian crime syndicates.

Steele went on to investigate ties between Trump and Russia for the research firm, Fusion GPS.

THE STEELE DOSSIER

Fusion GPS commissioned Steele to write a dossier on President Trump.

The unverified document alleged the Russians have information they could use to blackmail the president, including an allegation - which Trump has denied - that he hired 'a number of prostitutes to perform a 'golden showers' (urination) show in front of him' when he was in Moscow for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

The dossier's existence has a twisted history.

Christopher Steele

In April 2016, attorney Marc Elias hired Fusion GPS to investigate Trump on behalf of Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

Elias was with the firm Perkins Coie. The DNC and Clinton paid the firm as their lawyer of record and the firm hired and paid Fusion GPS as part of its work for the Democrats.

Fusion GPS subcontracted with Steele to do some of the investigatory work on Trump.

Steele then wrote his infamous dossier, which he, on his own, passed along a copy to American and British intelligence agencies as he was worried about the national security implications.

CARTER PAGE

The Steele dossier was also used in part to obtain a warrant on Carter Page, a petroleum industry consultant who became a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign.

In July, the FBI released its FISA warrant on Page that showed the federal agents sought permission to surveil him one month before the 2016 election because, they allege, he had been recruited by the Russian government.

Carter Page

Carter has denied being a spy and has not been charged with any crimes.

The released documents from the FBI included an October 2016 application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to wiretap Page as well as three 90-day renewal applications.

The first three applications were signed by then-FBI Director James Comey, and the fourth by his deputy Andrew McCabe, after Trump fired Comey in May 2017.
The slain officer has been named as John P. Rivera (pictured above)

A young Chicago off-duty police officer was gunned down in a parked car on Saturday in what police are describing as race-related revenge.

The man was looking for a Hispanic person to attack after a confrontation at a fast-food restaurant, the city's police chief said Monday.

'I guess he settled for the first Hispanic he saw,' Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.

Murder charges have been filed in the weekend slaying of John Rivera.

The 23-year-old was repeatedly shot while sitting in a car with friends, including his girlfriend, after visiting a pizza bar early Saturday in Chicago's River North area.

The alleged gunman, Menelik Jackson, 24, of South Holland, is charged with first degree murder, along with Jovan Battle, 32, of Chicago. They were scheduled to appear in court Monday. It wasn't known if they have lawyers yet who could comment.

Battle was a co-conspirator, police said.

A second man remains in critical condition after being shot in the chest and arm.

This combination of March 2019 booking photos released by the Chicago Police Department shows Menelik Jackson, left, and Jovan Battle right. They are charged with murder

Johnson said Jackson had tried to become a police officer in 2017, which he described as 'disgusting.'

He said Jackson, who is black, was looking for revenge after a dispute with Hispanic men on a party bus at a nearby Rock 'N' Roll McDonald's.

The men on the bus were making fun of Jackson and the other man, police said.

An hour later, around 3:30 a.m., shots were fired into the parked car where Rivera was sitting. No words were spoken, according to police.

Police believe the suspect thought Rivera and those in the car were part of the group on the party bus.

Police say the suspect was looking for a Hispanic person to attack after a confrontation at a fast-food restaurant. Rivera (pictured above) was off-duty at the time when he was shot

Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson speaks during a press conference at CPD Headquarters on Monday

A photo has emerged showing officers using Rivera's handcuffs when taking Jackson into custody, as reported by ABC News

Rivera shielded his girlfriend when shots were fired, police said.

He was just weeks away from his second anniversary as a police officer.

A photo has emerged showing officers using Rivera's handcuffs when taking Jackson into custody, as reported by ABC News.

'John's a sweetheart. He's an angel,' said friend Jennifer Navarro, 23. 'Why would someone just want to take his life away like that? He had a whole life ahead of him.'
A distant cousin of Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone has been tragically killed in an horrific car crash in Ukraine.

Viktoria Kravchenko, 33, was a passenger in a BMW X6 involved in a high speed accident collision with a parked Hyundai Sonata before exploding in a fireball when it hit a pylon carrying a power cable.

The driver of the car Shamil Gajdzhiev, 22, was also killed.

The dead woman was the daughter of Odessa businessman Valery Kravchenko, 66, who was found by the actor's mother, astrologer Jackie Stallone, 97, when traced the family's roots to the former Soviet Union.

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Viktoria Kravchenko, 33, was killed in the crash in Odessa, Ukraine after her car exploded in a fireball

She was distantly related to Hollywood movie star Sylvester Stallone, who starred in the Rocky franchise

A picture shows mother-of-two Viktoria - burned alive in the crash horror - with her father and Jackie Stallone.

Back in the Soviet era, the astrologer was helped in tracing Viktoria's father by last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s during a trip to Moscow on the back of her son's success in Rocky IV.

When Gorbachev introduced limited market reforms, Kravchenko had set up the first privately owned petrol filling station in the entire Soviet Union.

On Gorbachev's direct orders, his Soviet-era KGB were deployed to trace her roots after she had met the political at his official residence.

The secret service established a remarkable family connection.

Kravchenko's paternal grandmother, Yevdokia, was a blood relative of Sylvester Stallone's maternal great-grandmother who had changed her name to Rose Labofish  an Anglicised version of her original Russian name  when she arrived in the United States in 1888.

She was a passenger in a BMW X6 involved in a high speed accident collision with a parked Hyundai Sonata

Reports in Ukraine said that the BMW and a Porsche were 'street racing' ahead of the accident

Kravchenko was summoned to the KGB offices in Odessa where he was introduced to Jackie, who said simply: 'Hello Valery, how are you? It looks like you are the only living relation of our family.'

He later introduced the actor's mother to his daughter Viktoria who tragically died on Sunday night.

In 2009 Viktoria - then working as a director in one of her tycoon father's companies - said: 'I am very proud to discover that we are related to Sylvester Stallone.

'When I first found out, I was in shock and my friends couldn't believe it either.

'Years ago I noticed how my dad looks similar to Sylvester, especially his eyes.

'I remember saying it to Dad at the time, but he just laughed.

'Jackie was such fun to meet in person.

'Before she came I thought she would be like any American, with zero sense of humour, but she gave me some great tips on where to travel and to shop, and we chatted just as girlfriends.

'Despite her age, she is so energetic and active.'

Valery Kravchenko with daughter Viktoria, who was killed in the horror car crash

Kravchenko, a multi-millionaire, admitted a decade ago: 'I thought it was a joke at first (about the family link to Stallone).

'The last thought in my mind was that I would be meeting Sylvester Stallone's mother.

'But then I realised that she and the man from the secret services were perfectly serious.

'I couldn't take it in all at once. We went out on to the street together and I kept chatting to her. I understood from her that I was a long lost nephew or cousin.'

Reports in Ukraine said that the BMW and a Porsche were 'street racing' ahead of the accident.

A spokesman for the former Soviet leader said: 'Mrs Stallone and Mr Gorbachev have met before and Mr Gorbachev has assisted in her efforts to trace her family.'

Of his links to Odessa, the actor said: 'I am intrigued about my Russian roots and I look forward to travelling to Odessa.

'My mother has told me all about what she has discovered and the people she has met.

'My character, all my genes, I feel them coming from my mother's side, rather than from my Italian father.

'So thanks to Odessa.'

Shamil Gajdzhiev, who died with Viktoria, was the brother of boxer Ramil Gadzhiev.
Judge Rhonda Loo (above) barred a Hawaii man from drinking Pepsi during his four-year probation for stealing a car

A Hawaii man has been ordered not to drink his favorite soft drink during four years of probation for a car theft conviction after he told a judge that refraining from Pepsi made him realize that he had done wrong.

Judge Rhonda Loo imposed the restriction last week while sentencing 21-year-old Christopher Montilliano Jr, The Maui News reported Saturday.

Montilliano lied to police when he was arrested with the car in Maui last June, Loo said in court.

Montilliano, a resident of Kahului, told officers that his cousin had allowed him to drive the car and that he was on his way to buy soft drinks.

The judge issued the order for him to not drink Pepsi for four years after he told her it was his favorite soft drink.

'It's the Pepsi deprivation syndrome,' she said.

Montilliano spent seven days in jail following his arrest.

During that time, he learned the importance of complying with the law, defense attorney Josh James said in court.

'I'm not going to steal cars anymore,' Montilliano told the judge.

'I don't want to be in jail no more.'

Christopher Montilliano Jr, 21, of Kahului, Hawaii, told the judge that after his arrest, he spent a week in jail and was deprived of Pepsi. It w

'Ive heard a lot of people addicted to meth. Ive heard a lot of people addicted to alcohol,' Loo said.

'This is the first time Ive heard of a Coca-Cola addiction. Im sure the soda didnt make you steal the vehicle.'

Loo also sentenced Montilliano to 100 hours of community service and a $100 fine.

He had pleaded no contest to charges of unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and driving without a license.
A sixth grade student has been arrested and charged with terroristic threats and acts related to multiple bomb threats in Georgia.

The child, who lives in the care of a grandmother according to Fox News, is accused of using his middle's school's Wi-Fi to make bomb threats to five different schools in Spalding County.

'The student's life is the perfect storm for bad behavior,' Spalding County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. 'He will be held accountable but will also receive other forms of help.'

The boy has been charged with 12 counts of terroristic threats and acts and eight counts of disorderly conduct in connection with two sets of threats made on March 12 and 18.

A Georgia sixth grader has been accused of using the Wi-Fi at Rehoboth Road Middle School (pictured) to make multiple bomb threats over Instagram

Authorities said the child used a cell phone to access the school's Wi-Fi and post bomb threats on Instagram.

The boy is also said to have hacked into another student's Instagram profile and posted a threat against himself, to make it appear as though he was a victim.

The grandmother is said by authorities to have been kept in the dark by the boy about the entire incident.

'She had no knowledge that her grandson had a phone and did not know he was accessing social media,' sheriff's deputies said in a release.

Authorities said he used a phone to access the school's Wi-Fi and post a bomb threat online on March 12, causing both his school and Spalding High School (pictured) to be evacuated

He's also accused of making a second round of threats on March 18, leading to evacuation of both of those schools, plus Kennedy Road Middle School (pictured), Cowan Road Middle and Griffin High School

The grandmother who cares for the boy is said by authorities to have been kept in the dark by the boy about the entire incident, not knowing the child had a phone or was accessing social media. Cowan Road Middle School (pictured) was evacuated due to a bomb threat on March 18

The Rehoboth Road Middle School student is accused of making threats on March 12, causing the evacuation of both his school and Spalding High School.

He's also accused of making a second round of threats on March 18, leading to evacuation of both of those schools, plus Kennedy Road Middle School, Cowan Road Middle and Griffin High School.

In addition to facing a juvenile court hearing, the child has been suspended from the Spalding County school system.
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An exhibition on the Duke of Wellington's time in India opens in London Saturday, shedding light on formative years before he defeated French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo.

Between 1796 and 1804, as the young Arthur Wellesley, he helped overthrow the Tipu Sultan and masterminded victory in the Battle of Assaye.

A decade later he defeated Napoleon, paving the way for a century of relative peace in Europe and a time of vast British imperial expansion.

An exhibition on the Duke of Wellington's time in India opens in London Saturday, shedding light on formative years before he defeated French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo. Above: Josephine Oxley, keeper of the Wellington collection, holds the sword that was presented to the Duke in Calcutta in 1803

Between 1796 and 1804, as the young Arthur Wellesley, Wellington helped overthrow the Tipu Sultan and masterminded victory in the Battle of Assaye in 1803. The Deccan Dinner Service will be on public display for the first time

It includes cutlery which was taken from Napoleon's carriage after his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815

The exhibition includes books from the library that, aged 27, Wellington took with him on his six-month voyage to India. Above: The title page of the 1765 book, 'The Works of Jonathan Swift'

The collection includes a dinner service commemorating his leadership in India that was later supplemented with cutlery taken from Napoleon's carriage.

It also includes books from the 200-volume travelling library that, aged 27, he took with him for the six-month voyage to India in a bid to broaden his education, having finished his studies early.

Charles Wellesley, 73, the ninth and current Duke of Wellington, said his great-great-great grandfather's time in India set the stage for defeating Napoleon.

Wellington went to India in a bid to broaden his education, having finished his studies early. Above: The Deccan Dinner service gets a polishing ahead of its appearance at the 'Young Wellington in India' exhibition at the Waterloo Gallery

The Battle of Waterloo stopped Napoleon's European advance and sent the emperor into exile for a second and final time

The silver Deccan Dinner Service is still used by the Wellington family. Josephine Oxley, keeper of the Wellington Collection, said the India years allowed the Duke to become 'skilled at negotations'

She said it was, ''a time when he learned to meld the military and the political, and became skilled at negotiations with the locals. 'It's a really interesting period of his life'

'It was very, very formative... There is no doubt that he learnt a great deal in India,' he said on Monday.

'Napoleon underestimated Wellington and the reason for this exhibition is to show how important in Wellington's life was his period in India.'

The exhibition features swords, paintings and the Deccan Dinner Service, a vast silver gilt service bought by Wellington's fellow officers in the Deccan region of India as a mark of their appreciation.

The cutlery for the service, which carries Napoloeon's imperial crest, was taken from him after Waterloo and is still used by the family.

Fit for a Duke: The service was bought by Wellington's fellow officers in India's Deccan region as a mark of appreciation of him

The exhibition will also feature a vast array of paintings, shown adorning the walls above at the Waterloo Gallery

Charles Wellesley, 73, the ninth and current Duke of Wellington, said his great-great-great grandfather's time in India set the stage for defeating Napoleon. 'It was very, very formative... There is no doubt that he learnt a great deal in India,' he said. 'Napoleon underestimated Wellington and the reason for this exhibition is to show how important in Wellington's life was his period in India,' he added. Right: The older Wellington, shown aged 26 while in the 33rd Regiment, painted circa 1795
This is the shocking moment a journalist is racially abused by a pensioner in a busy London street in broad daylight - and then bravely questions his behaviour.

In the appalling footage, the elderly male repeatedly calls a man 'a black b******' and orders him to leave the UK.

He is seen shouting at his victim and telling him: 'F**k off! You don't belong here! I was born here!'

The elderly male repeatedly calls journalist Selassie Mungz, 27, 'a black b******' and orders him to leave the UK

The disturbing incident took place on Green Street in Newham, east London, at around 3pm on Thursday.

Selassie Mungz, 27, was the victim of the vile abuse and recorded the incident as it unfolded.

In the clip, Mr Mungz is seen calling out the pensioner for his racist language.

Mr Mungz - who is from Newham and of African descent - first saw the pensioner shouting racial abuse at some Asian people on the street.

But as soon as the pensioner saw Mr Mungz, he began to aim the racial abuse at him instead.

The incident took place on Green Street in Newham, east London, at around 3pm on Thursday

It was at this point that Mr Mungz decided to document the disgusting attack and started filming on his phone.

The video begins with Mr Mungz questioning the assailant about his racist language.

Mr Mungz asks 'You said something racist though?'

But the pensioner replies: 'So what?'

Mr Mungz says 'you d**khead' and the pair have a heated exchange.

This prompts the elderly man to launch into a vile, racist attack, saying: 'F**k off you black d**khead'

Mr Mungz decided record the attack and started filming on his mobile phone. The video begins with him questioning the elderly man about his racist language

The attack continues and the pensioner starts yelling at Mr Mungz again.

As he smokes a cigarette and downs a soft drink, the assailant yells: 'I don't care what you think! You black b******!'

Mr Mungz responds 'Well I'm a black b****** in your country. There's nothing you can do about it'

To which, the pensioner screams at Mr Mungz: 'Well f**k off then! You don't belong here! I was f**king born here! You f**king work c**t!'

Mr Mungz mimics him saying 'awww he was born here. Awww.'

But as he smokes a cigarette and downs a soft drink, the assailant yells: 'I don't care what you think! You black b******!'

The pensioner walks away and shouts at Mr Mungz to 'F**k off!'

Mr Mungz says 'Bye' as the assailant strolls off and the video ends.

Mr Mungz - who is a journalist based in east London - described his shock at the pensioner's abuse and how he called him out on his racist language.

He said: 'I was initially shocked by the language he used as non-one was doing anything about it so I decided to embarrass him so that he would get the message that being racist isn't going to slide. Especially in such a diverse area as Upton Park [in Newham].

'My initial reaction was to record it as people always deny these sorts of things happen.'

'I have encountered racial abuse before - near the same area to be honest from an elderly lady but I made nothing of that but I've seen growing amounts of racial tension in my area and I know many are experiencing the same thing across the country.'
A controversial Canadian academic had his Cambridge fellowship withdrawn after posing next to a man in an 'I'm a proud Islamophobe' t-shirt.

Jordan Peterson, a psychology professor, was offered a two-month visiting fellowship at Cambridge University.

It was revoked last week after Dr Peterson was pictured posing with a man wearing an anti-Islam t-shirt last year on February 18 while on his 12 Rules for Life Tour in Auckland, New Zealand, as reported by Varsity.

The phrase emblazoned on the front of the t-shirt of what is thought to be a Peterson fan says 'I'm a proud Islamaphobe.' (sic)

Apart from misspelling 'Islamaphobe', which is actually spelt Islamophobe, the t-shirt also lists a number of other offensive statements about Islam.

It was later revoked after Dr Peterson was pictured posing with a man wearing an anti-Islam t-shirt last year on February 18 while on his 12 Rules for Life Tour in Auckland, New Zealand

Cambridge University Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen J Toope, confirmed in a statement the offer to Dr Peterson was rescinded.

He said: 'Visiting fellowships are a courtesy extended to some academics from other institutions. They are unpaid, and are frequently awarded by our Faculties and Departments.

'They allow the visiting fellow to make use of University libraries, to attend Faculty or Departmental seminars, and to engage in research  though not to engage in lecturing or other teaching.

Cambridge University Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen J Toope, confirmed in a statement the offer to Dr Peterson was rescinded.

'In this case, I understand the offer of a visiting fellowship for Professor Peterson was considered by the Research Committee of the Universitys Faculty of Divinity in the normal way, and was granted on an academic basis.

'Early last week, the Faculty became aware of a photograph of Professor Peterson posing with his arm around a man wearing a T-shirt that clearly bore the slogan Im a proud Islamophobe.

'The casual endorsement by association of this message was thought to be antithetical to the work of a Faculty that prides itself in the advancement of inter-faith understanding.

'As a consequence of this, the Facultys Research Committee reviewed its original decision to award a visiting fellowship and concluded that the offer should be rescinded.

'As is normal, neither the decision to invite Professor Peterson, nor to rescind the invitation, were brought to the attention of the senior leadership team until after they had been made.

Dr Peterson criticised the decision, calling it 'ill-informed' and 'ignorant.'

He is best known to UK viewers after an interview with Channel 4's Cathy Newman who challenged him on his views about the gender pay gap.

The psychology expert has been dubbed the 'professor against political correctness' due to his views about freedom of speech and the campus culture wars.
South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg has surged to third place in a new Iowa poll, making strides in a crowded field in the key primary state.

The 37-year-old Iraq and Afghanistan vet jumped to earn 11 per cent support in the latest Emerson poll of Democratic presidential candidates in Iowa. He trailed two vastly better known candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden, who hasn't yet entered the race, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Back in January, Buttigieg didn't even register in the poll, scoring 0 per cent. California Sen. Kamala Harris, who was at 18 per cent in January, saw her support drop to 10 per cent in the latest Emerson poll.

In that poll, Sanders, who hadn't declared his candidacy at the time, was at 15 per cent.

South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg has surged to third place in a new Iowa poll, scoring 11 per cent

Although South Bend's population barely tops 100,000, Buttigieg finds himself ahead of several senators with national contsituencies.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren was at 9 per cent, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker scored 6 per cent, and former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke was at 5 per cent in the poll.

Spencer Kimball, who directed the poll, called the showing by the politician who goes by 'Mayor Pete' was the 'biggest surprise' in the survey.

'Last week we saw him inching up in our national poll, and now he's in double digits in Iowa, America is going to be asking who is 'Mayor Pete'?' he said.

Buttigieg got a burst of publicity off a strong performance in a CNN town hall. His campaign said he raised $600,000 after his performance.

At 37, Buttigieg is the youngest candidate in the Democratic race. The two poll leaders are in their 70s

Buttigieg, the South Bend mayor, led numerous senators and governors in the poll

Former Vice President Joe Biden has not yet announced his intentions to run

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., saw his support in Iowa rise from the previous poll from January

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., saw her support drop from January

In one notable moment, he blasted Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for his support for Trump despite the Stormy Daniels saga.

'How would he allow himself to become the cheerleader for the porn star presidency? Is it that he stopped believing in scripture when he started believing Donald Trump?' Buttigieg asked. 'I don't know. I don't know.'

His unusual bio and Midwestern roots give him give him selling points in Iowa, where caucus-goers expect to get to know candidates through personal encounters.

Buttigieg is a Rhodes scholar who earned a degree from Harvard University, and serves as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserves.

The son of academics at He served in Afghanistan vet who is mayor of South Bend and taught himself Norwegian.

If elected Buttigieg would be the first gay president.
The trial began this week for former Afghanistan hostage Joshua Boyle who is accused of repeatedly assaulting his wife after they were finally freed.

Boyle faces 19 charges, including sexual assault, assault, and unlawful confinement. He has pleaded not guilty to all 19 charges.

He is expected to claim in court that his estranged spouse consented to the 'physical, sexual, and emotional' abuse after the trauma of her kidnapping.

A partial gag order was lifted as the trial started Monday, revealing that all but one of the 19 charges relate to his American wife, Caitlan Coleman of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania.

The other victim in the case has not been named in accordance with a legally mandated publication ban.

Joshua Boyle is seen above arriving at court in Ottawa on Monday. He faces 19 charges that range from assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement

Boyle is seen left with his father, Patrick Boyle, as they arrive at the court in Ottawa on Monday

Prosecutors said they expect Boyle's attorneys to argue that the alleged victim, Boyle's estranged spouse Caitlan Coleman (seen above with her infant daughter in this undated file photo), may have consented to the abuse

Prosecutors in Ontario said in court on Monday that they expect Boyle's lawyers will argue that Coleman agreed to the abuse and domination to which she was subjected to, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham told the judge, Ontario Court Justice Peter Doody, whether Boyle's argument 'accords with common sense and human experience.'

Coleman's experience may be unusual, Cunningham said, but it falls within the range of normal human behavior for victims of trauma.

'It will still be for your honor to decide if Ms. Coleman is a truthful witness,' she told the judge.

Coleman is due to take the witness stand on Wednesday. Her testimony is expected to take three days, according to the prosecutor.

Boyle, his American wife Caitlan and their three children were freed in October in Pakistan. They are pictured above with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau following their release

Boyle and his wife were abducted in 2012 by a Taliban-linked militant group while on a backpacking trip in Afghanistan

Pakistani troops rescued the family in an operation October 11 aimed at their captors from the Taliban-linked Haqqani group

Coleman's lawyer on Monday surprised observers when he told the court that his client wished to lift the ban on publication of her name as one of the victims.

The court agreed to Coleman's request.

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 in 2017 by Pakistani forces.

Boyle was arrested in December that year.

In late January, Boyle was determined fit to stand trial - though he was transferred from prison to a secure mental health facility for further assessment and psychiatric treatment.
One Nation officials have been secretly recorded asking American pro-gun groups for millions of dollars to help the party relax gun control in Australia.

The party's Queensland leader Steve Dickson and founder Pauline Hanson's chief-of-staff James Ashby travelled to the U.S. on a fundraising mission in September last year.

Mr Dickson was filmed describing gun control as a 'poison' and saying his party could 'change Australia' if it were given money.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described their alleged soliciting of foreign donations as 'abhorrent'.

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In a chat with the One Nation team in their hotel lobby, Mr Ashby (pictured) is thought to be heard saying that US$20 million in donations to One Nation from US pro-gun lobbyists would give them parliamentary influence in Australia

In the meeting in their hotel, Mr Dickson (pictured) described gun control as a 'poison' and said his party could 'change Australia' if it were given money

Mr Ashby (left), Mr Dickson (centre) and undercover reporter Mr Muller (right) on one of their trips to the US

The pair met with the powerful National Rifle Association and also representatives of Koch Industries, an American company whose founders have donated millions to conservative causes.

One Nation's bid for funding: A transcript In a chat in their hotel lobby, Mr Dickson, Mr Ashby and undercover reporter Mr Muller discussed how much money they would need to influence Australian politics. Dickson: 'If we could get that sort of money, imagine, we could change Australia.' Muller: 'If One Nation could get $10 million...' Ashby: '...You would pick up eight Senate seats.' Dickson: 'I mean, that guarantees you the balance of power, you'd have the whole Government by the balls.' Source: Al-Jazeera Advertisement

Before that meeting, Mr Ashby was recorded saying he was going to ask for $20million.

One Nation wanted their overseas mission to be kept secret and Mr Ashby said if people found out 'it'll f*****g rock the boat.'

The secret recordings suggested Senator Hanson was aware of the visit but decided not to go herself, saying she was focused on campaigning in Australia.

But the party was exposed by undercover reporter Rodger Muller working for Qatari news network Al-Jazeera.

Over the course of three years, Mr Muller posed as the founder of a fake lobby group called Gun Rights Australia.

He became friendly with NRA and One Nation officials, arranged meetings between them and secretly filmed them.

A documentary about Mr Muller's investigation which aired on Monday shows a meeting with the NRA in Washington, DC in September 2018.

Mr Dickson told NRA officials that gun control is a 'poison' spreading throughout the world.

This image from one of the trips to the US shows Mr Dickson pointing a gun at a gun show

He said Australian gun law is important in the context of a global battle for gun rights.

'If we don't change things, people are going to be looking at Australia and go 'Well, it's OK for them to go down the path of not having guns, it's OK for them to go down that politically-correct path',' he said.

'And it's like a poison - it will poison us all unless we stop it.'

He said that with donations One Nation could win more seats in the upper and lower houses and hold the balance of power.

'We get the balance of power, very simply that means that we have the testicles of the Government in our hand at every given stage,' Mr Dickson said.

'And guns, in the scheme of things, are still going to be the be-all and end-all.'

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and undercover report Rodger Muller, posing as Gun Rights Australia president and founder, meet in Queensland in December 2018

One Nation's Queensland leader Steve Dickson (left) and Chief of Staff James Ashby (right) in Washington, DC, with undercover reporter Rodger Muller (centre) in September 2018

Undercover reporter Rodger Muller posing as Gun Rights Australia president at the 2016 NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky

In a chat in their hotel lobby, Mr Dickson, Mr Muller and Mr Ashby discussed how much money they would need to influence Australian politics.

Mr Ashby is heard saying that $US20 million in donations to One Nation from US pro-gun lobbyists would give them parliamentary influence in Australia.

'If you had 20 [$US20 million], you would own the Lower House and the Upper House,' the recording states.

'If we can get that sort of money, imagine, we can change Australia,' Mr Dickson said.

On the way to the meeting with Koch Industries, Mr Muller asked how much the pair wanted in donations.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson and media advisor James Ashby in August 2018

He said: 'If we get to a point where we can talk about figures, what sort of number are you guys thinking?'

Mr Dickson replied: 'I'm thinking 10 [million]' before Mr Ashby said: 'No, I was thinking 20.'

During the meeting, Mr Dickson said One Nation could 'change the voting system' if his party secured donations.

'It's going to get down to money at the end of the day,' he said.

'We can change the voting system in our country, the way people operate, if we've got the money to do it.

'The ingredients are there, we just don't have the petrol to put in the engine.

'So whatever you can do would be fantastic.'

Mr Morrison described the contents of the video as 'abhorrent', adding he wasn't interested in getting One Nation preferences

Mr Morrison described the contents of the video as 'abhorrent', adding the activity alleged was illegal.

'We have reports that One Nation officials basically sought to sell Australia's gun laws to the highest bidders to a foreign buyer,' he told reporters on Tuesday.

'If you're ever wondering why you shouldn't be voting One Nation, there's a pretty good reason.'

The Prime Minister hinted the government didn't want to do a preference deal with One Nation, but stopped short of vowing to put the party last on how-to-vote cards.

'I'm not interested in getting One Nation's preferences. I'm interested in getting their primary vote. And I separate One Nation voters from the One Nation party,' he said.

Both One Nation and the NRA declined to respond to Al Jazeera about its investigation and documentary.

Mr Dickson (pictured) said that with donations One Nation could win more seats in the upper and lower houses and hold the balance of power

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (centre) and her two party Senate candidates for the next federal election Malcolm Roberts (right) and Steve Dickson (left) speak to the media in 2018

One Nation responded on Tuesday with a statement calling for Al Jazeera's reporting to be investigated.

'Al Jazeera are a state owned propaganda arm of the Qatari government that supports Islamic extremist groups and are not a legitimate media organisation,' the statement read.

'One Nation was invited by Rodger Muller, who has now been outed as a foreign agent working for Al Jazeera to meet with the NRA, American business leaders and attend the Congressional Sportsman's Dinner.

'One Nation has asked Al Jazeera to show complete transparency and release the full context of conversations.

'The matter has been referred to ASIO and the Australian Federal Police due to concerns of foreign interference into Australian politics in the lead up to the imminent federal election.'

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham called Senator Hanson to front the cameras on Tuesday to explain the 'sickening' reports.

'She should explain whether or not she was truly seeking an amazing $20million in foreign donations to One Nation,' he told ABC's Radio National.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is seen with chief of staff James Ashby (left) in Rockhampton in 2017

Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweeted on Tuesday: 'Australia's gun laws are world's best thanks to (former Prime Minister) John Howard & we will not be changing them.'

He said the idea of rolling back Australia's gun laws seemed remarkable in the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre two weeks ago, in which a lone shooter allegedly motivated by right-wing extremism killed 50 people at two mosques.

The meetings came not long before legislation cleared federal parliament in November banning foreign donations.

There is no evidence any money was given to One Nation from foreign donors.

Al Jazeera's two-part documentary will be shown on the ABC on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Australia has had strict gun laws banning almost all automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns since the Port Arthur massacre which killed 35 in 1996.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison Tweeted on Tuesday: 'Australia's gun laws are world's best thanks to (former Prime Minister) John Howard & we will not be changing them.'

In January, One Nation New South Wales leader Mark Latham (pictured) said in an interview with Daily Mail Australia he would not support the relaxation of gun laws

In January, One Nation's New South Wales leader Mark Latham said in an interview with Daily Mail Australia he would not support the relaxation of gun laws.

'I support the Howard gun laws which followed the Port Arthur massacre for the common sense reason that they worked,' he said.

'We haven't had a public massacre, a public gun massacre in Australia, since Port Arthur. Touch wood. We're not the United States.

'We're not going down that path. Those laws work.'

Mr Latham, who has been elected to the NSW upper house for an eight-year term, said he didn't want U.S.-style gun laws in Australia, when asked about sharing the balance of power with the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party.

'I can tell you as a parent it's reassuring to know when the kids school, unlike the United States, there's a very good chance they come home, it's almost a certainty they come home safely. Same in shopping centres,' he said.

'And the other worry we have from a One Nation perspective, you relax gun laws and a terrorist gets hold of automatic weapons through a shopping centre, that's something that's got to be avoided at all costs. Don't change laws that are working.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Steve Dickson and James Ashby for comment.
President Donald Trump's reelection campaign is taking its fight against Russia 'collusion' critics to the airwaves, pushing TV producers not to host prominent Democrats who talked up conspiracy charges that didn't pan out.

The effort, revealed in a memo by Trump's campaign communications director, urged by TV producers to keep in mind guests who he claims made 'outlandish' and 'false claims,' and cites Attorney General Bill Barr's summary of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's findings.

Communications Director Tim Murtaugh's letter singles out two powerful committee chairs  Reps. Jerold Nadler and Adam Schiff  as well as Rep. Eric Swalwell of the House Intelligence Committee and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

The Trump campaign fired off a letter to TV producers urging them not to book guests who have made 'outlandish' claims

It also lists former CIA Director John Brennan, a favorite target of President Trump's.

All are a staple of TV bookers and are unlikely to be blacklisted by the campaign's request.

Nevertheless, the Trump camp compiled statements from each that says the guests should be asked about if and when they appear. The memo was reported by Axios.

Blumenthal stated on MSNBC that the 'evidence is pretty clear that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.'

Schiff, the House Intelligence chair, is now a top target of Team Trump, and was mocked by Donald Trump Jr. as 'Adam #fullofSchiff' Sunday. The campaign flagged a Schiff comment that there was evidence of collusion or conspiracy 'in plain sight.'

Barr's letter summarizing the Mueller report's findings states: 'The Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign,' Barr wrote.

The letter points out times when prominent Democrats predicted the Mueller report would show collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians

House Judiciary Chairman Nadler is demanding the full Mueller report to evaluate Attorney General Barr's statements about it

The campaign wants Rep. Eric Swalwell to be kept off the airwaves for saying his panel saw 'strong evidence of collusion'

The Trump campaign wrote TV bookers about the 'credibility' of certain guests

Notably, the citation refers to the 'Russian government'  terminology that might not include WikiLeaks or other non-governmental Russians, possibly even including the Kremlin-linked lawyer who met with top Trump officials in Trump Tower. It also cites 'multiple offers' from the Russian-affiliated people to help the Trump camp.

Nadler, who like Schiff is conducting his own probe, did not signal an intent to back down, and is demanding Barr testify and release the full Mueller report to Congress.

Brennan cast off his normally tight-lipped persona to become one of President Trump's fiercest critics after he ended his tenure.

In one example, he retweeted Trump in January, writing: 'Your cabal of unprincipled, unethical, dishonest, and sycophantic cronies is being methodically brought to justice. We all know where this trail leads.'

During media appearances, Brennan predicted the Mueller probe could ensnare Trump family members. He also predicted incorrectly, that Mueller would bring additional indictments dealing with criminal conspiracy.

An in one startling comment, he declared Trump's press conference in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin was 'nothing short of treasonous.' Trump did not challenge Putin's denial of election interference at the event. Barr's letter describes the Russian interference in the election as an established fact.

The Trump release quotes Brennan as standing by his treason statement.

Inside the White House, leading the charge against Schiff was counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, who herself has been the subject of media criticism for some of her claims in TV interviews  including her use of the phrase 'alternative facts.'
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MPs wrestled control of Brexit from the hands of Theresa May tonight, voting to hold a series of votes that could determine how - if at all - the UK leaves the European Union.

The Commons voted by 329 votes to 302 - a majority of 27 - to approve an amendment brought by Tory ex-minister Sir Oliver Letwin allowing it to take control of business on Wednesday from the Government.

This will allow MPs to select their favorite Brexit option in so-called 'indicative votes', which are likely to include soft Brexit options and the possibility of remaining in the European Union.

Three ministers were among 29 Tory rebels who defied the Prime Minister and backed the amendment.

Minutes before the vote Watford's Richard Harrington quit as an energy minister in order to support the Letwin plan, accusing the Government of 'playing roulette' with people's lives.

He was followed by Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and health minister Steve Brine.

Other high profile Tories to rebel included former ministers Ken Clarke, Nicky Morgan, Justine Greening, Andrew Mitchell, Sam Gyimah, Damian Green, Alberto Costa and Dominic Grieve, plus Damian Collins, chairman of the Culture Committee.

Theresa May indicated in the Commons earlier today that she would allocate Government time for indicative votes if the Letwin Amendment was defeated

The defeated Prime Minister photographed leaving the Palace of Westminster tonight after enduring yet another torrid day over Brexit

The historic moment the Government lost the Letwin amendment by 329 votes to 302, a whopping majority of 27 for the rebels. The last time a similar vote was held a fortnight ago it lost by two votes

Sir Oliver's move to give MPs control over the path to Brexit attracted cross-party support and won by a convincing margin in the Commons to heap fresh pressure on Theresa May

Energy minister Richard Harrington quit to vote for the rebel amendment, sending a letter to the Prime Minister accusing her Government of 'playing roulette' with people's lives

The Tories who rebelled against Theresa May Twenty nine Tories including three ministers rebelled against the whip tonight to hand Theresa May a devastating defeat. They were: They were: Guto Bebb

Richard Benyon

Nick Boles

Steve Brine (minister)

Alistair Burt (minister)

Kenneth Clarke

Damian Collins

Alberto Costa

Jonathan Djanogly

George Freeman

Damian Green

Justine Greening

Dominic Grieve

Sam Gyimah

Richard Harrington (minister)

Joseph Johnson

Phillip Lee

Jeremy Lefroy

Oliver Letwin

Paul Masterton

Andrew Mitchell

Nicky Morgan

Robert Neill

Sarah Newton

Mark Pawsey

Antoinette Sandbach

Nicholas Soames

Caroline Spelman

John Stevenson

Edward Vaizey (voted twice to abstain) Advertisement

The Government later lost the main motion by 327 votes to 300, the same margin.

It came after MPs had narrowly rejected a backbench amendment brought by Dame Margaret Beckett to allow the Commons to have a vote if the UK is seven days away from leaving the EU without a deal, by 314 votes to 311, a majority of three.

Pro-Europe Tory MP Nick Boles, who backed the indicative votes amendment, told the BBC: 'It is a much better victory than any of us had dared hope.'

Mr Boles added: 'We will be relying on the Government to reflect Parliament's wishes.

'If, ultimately, the Government refuses to listen to what Parliament has voted for then we will look to bring forward a Bill, pass an Act of Parliament that will require the Government to reflect Parliament's wishes in its new negotiating mandate.'

Fellow Tory rebel Guto Bebb said: 'The scale of the Government's defeat and the principled resignations of ministers Richard Harrington, Alistair Burt and Steve Brine tonight are more nails in the coffin of a Brexit deal that very few in the country or Parliament have ever wanted.

'The Prime Minister has now lost control of this process.

'What is needed now in this national emergency is not more posturing or playing roulette with people's lives but to give Parliament the time and space needed to work out what Brexit means, as well as begin preparing for important democratic elections to the European Parliament.'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also welcomed the result, hailing the fact the House had now 'taken control'.

He said: 'This Government has been an abject failure and this House must now find a solution...

'This House must also consider whether any deal should be put to the people for a confirmatory vote.

'Where this Government has failed, this House must, and I believe will, succeed.'

Tory former minister Ed Vaizey voted both for and against Sir Oliver's amendment, which is regarded as a formal abstention.

Brexiteer Tory backbencher Andrew Bridgen said it was time for Theresa May to quit.

The North West Leicestershire MP told Sky News: 'I think we were expecting the Government to be defeated on the Letwin amendment.

'But I think the size of the defeat and the fact that three Government ministers resigned will have been a great disappointment to the Government this evening.

'I think we are going to end up with a general election before the end of this year, probably in the summer.

'What I want to see now is the Prime Minister to stand down, let us have a new leader of the Conservative Party, and then I think we need to go to the country and get a majority so we can actually deliver Brexit.'

Eight Brexiteer Labour MPs rebelled to vote against Sir Oliver's amendment, according to the division list.

They were: Kevin Barron, Ronnie Campbell, Rosie Cooper, Caroline Flint , Stephen Hepburn, Kate Hoey, John Mann and Graham Stringer.

The Prime Minister had earlier told the Commons she would set aside Government time for votes if the amendment was defeated, in a bid to head off the rebellion.

She addressed the Commons this afternoon and admitted 'as things stand there is not sufficient support' to hold a fresh vote on her deal, quashing speculation that it would happen tomorrow.

The seven options for Brexit Theresa May will present to MPs The seven Brexit options MPs may get to choose from: :: Theresa May's Brexit deal - The Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with Brussels that has already been rejected by MPs twice. :: Revoke Article 50 - The cancellation of the UK's notice to Brussels that it would leave the EU, which was given almost two years ago. :: Second referendum - Another national poll of voters to check whether they still want to leave the EU. :: The PM's deal plus customs union - Labour's Brexit plan, which would prevent Britain being able to strike its own trade deals. :: The PM's deal plus customs union plus single market - An even 'softer' Brexit plan, also known as 'Common Market 2.0' or 'Norway Plus', that would include keeping freedom of movement of people. :: Free Trade Agreement - A trade deal between Great Britain and the EU, but excluding Northern Ireland, which would create a customs border in the Irish Sea. :: No Deal - The country would leave the EU without striking an agreement with Brussels. Advertisement

She faces a move by rebel MPs who want to pass a motion in just a few minutes time to seize control of Brexit - giving them the power to hold a vote on Wednesday letting the Commons select its favorite Brexit option in so-called 'indicative votes'.

The PM vowed to whip against the motion proposed by Remainer rebel MP Oliver Letwin and also said she could ignore MPs' preferences if they try to force her to adopt a softer Brexit.

But she offered to hold indicative votes on government time in an effort to head-off the rebellion  meaning the votes would do ahead but rebel MPs would not be in control of the process.

After ruling out a third vote on her deal tomorrow, Theresa May told MPs this afternoon she could not guarantee that she would commit to implementing anything they voted for in an indicative process because they could involve an 'outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU'.

She added: 'No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is. So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House, but I do commit to engaging constructively with this process'.

The Prime Minister said the 'default outcome' remained leaving without a deal and said: 'The alternative is to pursue a different form of Brexit or a second referendum.

'But the bottom line remains: if the House does not approve the Withdrawal Agreement this week and is not prepared to countenance leaving without a deal, we would have to seek a longer extension.'

That would mean holding European elections and would mean 'we will not have been able to guarantee Brexit'.

These are the seven options for Brexit MPs could vote on this week if Mrs May is forced towards a softer Brexit

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO BREXIT THIS WEEK? LIKELY TO HAPPEN WEDNESDAY: MPs HOLD INDICATIVE VOTES The Commons is set to hold a series of indicative votes on Brexit alternatives this week, most likely on Wednesday. The alternatives include a softer Brexit, a second referendum or leaving with No Deal. If one commands a majority, MPs will try to pressure Theresa May into adopting that option. But there is no binding way of making her do so. LIKELY TO HAPPEN BY THURSDAY: MAY HOLDS A THIRD MEANINGFUL VOTE ON HER BREXIT DEAL May is likely to try and pass her Brexit deal a third time, after the EU offered a Brexit date of 22 May if she does so this week. The Prime Minister will use threats that MPs will take control and force a softer Brexit in an attempt to force Brexiteer rebels to finally back her. She may also offer them a date when she will quit in return for their support. Thursday is the most likely day for her vote, but there is a chance she won't hold it if she does not believe she'll win. FRIDAY: MPs TAKE CONTROL? If the PM loses a third vote on her deal, MPs and Remainer Cabinet ministers will try and force her towards a softer Brexit. Brexiteer MPs and Cabinet minister will conversely try and push her towards a No Deal exit from the EU. The most likely outcomes are: NO DEAL Theresa May is under no obligation to accept MPs favoured option for Brexit, and could take Britain out the EU without a deal on 12 April. She could remain as Prime Minister under this option. SOFTER BREXIT MPs could try and force May to negotiate a softer Brexit, but this will provoke outrage from Brexiteers. It does not necessarily mean a delay beyond a few months because Britain could still leave the EU under the withdrawal arrangement. SECOND REFERENDUM IF MPs vote for a second referendum either on May's deal or a range of options, it is likely to mean a lengthy delay to Brexit. May has indicated she will step down if Brexit is delayed beyond June 30. Advertisement

Setting out the choices facing MPs, Theresa May said: 'Unless this House agrees to it, no-deal will not happen.

'No Brexit must not happen. And a slow Brexit, which extends Article 50 beyond May 22, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together.'

She said her deal was a compromise which respected both sides of the argument and 'if this House can back it we can be out of the European Union in less than two months'.

Confirming that the Government would oppose the Letwin amendment, Mrs May she said it would set an 'unwelcome precedent which would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions'.

However she said the Government would provide time to allow MPs to debate and vote on the alternatives to her deal.

No one wants another election! Only 12 PER CENT of the public say they want to go to the polls - but ministers say they WILL call one if MPs try to force a soft Brexit Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay leaving Downing Street with Theresa May today after cabinet, at which he is said to have again floated the idea of holding a General Election The Government is prepared to pull the plug and force a General Election if MPs try to seize control of Brexit and make it softer than Theresa May's deal. Ministers including Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay are said to have raised the prospect if Parliament votes this evening to wrestle control of the withdrawal process. The Commons will tonight vote on a series of amendments to a Government motion that would pave the way to so-called indicative votes taking place on Wednesday. These would allow MPs to show what sort of Brexit they wish to push through if a majority cannot be found for Mrs May's twice-defeated deal. The talk of forcing a General Election come despite an Opinium poll from two months ago finding that only 12 per cent of Britons would welcome another one, just two years after the last resulted in a hung Parliament. Mr Barclay reportedly repeated at Cabinet today warnings he gave on television yesterday. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show he said that if the Commons took control of the order paper and votes for a different outcome, it would 'potentially collide with fundamental commitments the Government has given in their manifesto', though he said the vote itself would 'not be binding'. Explaining the scenario, he said: 'What Parliament has done is vote for a number of contradictory things so we would need to untangle that but ultimately, at its logical conclusion, the risk of a general election increases because you potentially have a situation where Parliament is instructing the executive to do something that is counter to what it was elected to do.' International Trade Secretary Liam Fox this morning gave a stark warning to MPs, telling BBC Radio 4's Today: 'I was elected, as 80 per cent of members were, to respect the referendum and leave the European Union. 'I was also elected on a manifesto that specifically said no single market and no customs union. 'That, for Conservative MPs who are honouring the manifesto, limits their room for manoeuvre. The former hardline Brexiteer turned May loyalist added that the prospect of a longer Brexit delay meaning participation in May's European Elections would 'unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters'. 'I'm not sure that there are many people in the House of Commons who would fancy that particular meeting with voters,' he said. 'It would unleash a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters and I think that the major parties will do what they can to avoid having to fight those European elections. 'There is nothing in politics like a little bit of self-interest to concentrate the minds, and I think, as we get towards that date, increasingly my colleagues will have to decide which of the limited options they want to follow.' He urged MPs to back Mrs May's deal, warning: 'For a lot of my colleagues, I think they still believe there is a route to no deal. I have come to the conclusion some time ago that was unlikely given the House of Commons that we have. 'I think we will see today that there is a mood in the House of Commons to stop us leaving without a deal, even if that means no Brexit. I think that is a constitutionally disastrous position.' Advertisement

'It will be for this House to put forward options for consideration and to determine the procedure by which they do so,' she said.

'However I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes.'

To jeers from the opposition, she added: 'I think it's important that nobody would want to support an option which contradicted the manifesto on which they stood for election to this House.

'MPs elected to this House at this time have a duty to respect the result of the referendum that took place in 2016 and attempts to stop that result being put into place or attempts to change the result of that referendum are not respecting the voters and not respecting our democracy.'

Mrs May's spokesman later denied No Deal was off the table.

He said: 'The point the PM was making is that the House has voted against No Deal and will take every opportunity to seek to stop it.'

He said Mrs May continued to want her deal to pass and that No Deal was still the default option in law.

Asked if the offer of 'Government time' meant accepting the rebel plan, a No 10 spokesman said it was no more than 'fulfilling our commitment'  meaning the Letwin amendment is still likely to pass tonight.

Mrs May caused fury among the DUP for claiming No Deal preparations had been made in Northern Ireland because it has no devolved executive.

A No 10 spokesman insisted it was 'not a tactic' but a 'statement of facts'.

The Prime Minister is keen to offer a final vote to stop MPs taking charge of the UK's departure from the EU with Parliament ready to push Britain towards a softer Brexit or a second referendum.

But a phone call between Mrs May and DUP leader Arlene Foster at lunchtime failed to provide the breakthrough the Prime Minister needs as she seeks to win support for her deal.

The 10 DUP MPs have opposed the Withdrawal Agreement in the two previous votes on it and a party spokesman said the party's 'position remains unchanged'.

And in a sign of strained relationship the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds appeared to be shaking with rage as he accused Theresa May of a 'fundamental lack of preparation' for No Deal.

He said the Government had known for 'considerable time' the UK was due to leave the EU on March 29 - but still wanted an extension for a fortnight.

He said: 'What will change in 2 weeks?' before savaging her for agreeing to the Irish backstop 'when it is the thing that bedevils her agreement' and Ireland and the EU say the Northern Irish border will remain open in the event of a No Deal.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson then told Mrs May: 'When are you going to stop using Northern Ireland as an excuse? We will not be used in any scare tactics to boost this through.'

This afternoon Mrs May met Jeremy Corbyn for a 'frank and comprehensive exchange of views' on Brexit - but the Labour leader rejected the idea that she would be willing to split her Brexit deal into two parts in bid to win their support.

Responding to Theresa May's latest update to the Commons, Mr Corbyn told the Commons: 'The Government's approach to Brexit has now become a national embarrassment.

'After two years of failure, broken promise after broken promise, the Prime Minister finally accepted the inevitable last week and voted to extend Article 50 and went to Brussels to negotiate.

'Last week's summit represented another negotiating failure for the Prime Minister - her proposals were rejected and new terms were imposed on her.'

Mr Corbyn criticised last week's 'wholly inappropriate' Downing Street speech by the Prime Minister, arguing she should not have tried to 'pit the people against MPs'.

He added: 'In a climate of heightened emotions where MPs on all sides have received threats and intimidation, I hope the Prime Minister will further reflect and think again about making what I believe to be such dangerous and irresponsible statements.

'Every step of the way along this process the Government has refused to reach out, refused to listen and refused to find a consensus that can represent the views of the whole country, not just the Conservative Party.'

Brexiteer MPs including Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg could still back Mrs May's deal but have indicated she would have to promise to quit afterwards to secure their backing.

Today the Prime Minister faced her fractured Cabinet days after they tried to oust her in a failed coup that was sunk within 24 hours this weekend.

She told ministers she wanted to hold another vote on her deal - but despite rumours about her future no ministers mentioned the prospect of her resignation.

Describing the two-hour meeting her official spokesman said: 'There was a determination at Cabinet to do whatever it takes to get a deal so the UK can leave as soon as possible. There is a sense from the PM and Cabinet to get on with this.'
This is cell 101 in the notorious Georgian jail where speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has spent the past nine weeks shamelessly trying to dodge facing justice in Britain.

The 31-year-old fugitive was locked up in the maximum-security Gldani prison after blocking earlier attempts to extradite him in January.

But he might be holed up there for just three more days, after finally dropping his fight against surrendering to the UK in court today.

This is cell 101 in the notorious Georgian jail where speedboat killer Jack Shepherd has spent the past nine weeks

Jack Shepherd, 31, was sentenced to six years in his absence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown, 24, in 2015. He escaped to Georgia during his trial

Shepherd has spent 62 days in the small cell which he shares with two others, sleeping on the bottom bunk of a metal bed.

His cell number echoes Room 101  the torture chamber in George Orwells classic novel 1984. But Shepherds surroundings are a little more homely.

A pile of books  including one on philosophy  is stacked on a makeshift shelf he has assembled using a small plank of wood propped up on a radiator. His belongings include a packet of tea, toiletries and photographs pinned on freshly-painted walls.

Shepherd shares the cell with two inmates and has access to a TV and a stack of books

Sources say that the newly refurbished cell is one of the best in the notorious Gldani prison

Shepherds bed consists of a mattress and thin blanket, and there is a sheet hung up to block out light from the cells curtainless window.

While the surroundings may not immediately look inviting, sources say it is one of the more recently-refurbished rooms in the jail in the capital Tbilisi and a big improvement on older, grimmer cells which hold up to eight inmates.

His cell number is 101 - the same as the torture chamber in George Orwell's 1984

His lawyer Mariam Kublashvili said: He has no complaints. He has access to an English menu and literature. He loves books.

Married Shepherd was sentenced to six years in his absence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown, 24, when his speedboat overturned on the Thames on a champagne-fuelled first date in 2015.

The new father abandoned his wife and young child to abscond before his trial last year and tried to start a new life in the former Soviet republic.

Following a Mail campaign, Shepherd eventually handed himself in to Georgian police on January 23 after ten months on the run.

His legal team has confirmed that Shepherd is expected to formally agree to extradition at a hearing in Tbilisi this morning. When he returns to Britain, on top of the six years for manslaughter, he may face charges for absconding  punishable with a further years jail.

The Crown Prosecution Service could also charge him with grievous bodily harm  for allegedly glassing a barman days before he fled, which could result in up to seven more years behind bars.
The New York restaurant dishwasher who was arrested for assaulting an elderly woman riding the subway was handed over to police by his own co-workers.

Marc Gomez, 36, was arrested on Saturday for repeatedly punching and kicking a 78-year-old woman riding a Bronx train on March 10, in an attack all caught on video.

Footage of the vicious assault was shared by police this weekend and racked up 13million views in an attempt to identify him.

Gomez worked as a dishwasher at the acclaimed Tribeca restaurant Frenchette and was immediately recognized in the viral video by his co-workers, leading the eatery owner to call the cops.

'I called the police immediately and gave them his name and address,' a restaurant source said to the New York Post on Monday.

Co-workers of Marc Gomez, the 36-year-old who was arrested for attacking an elderly woman in a viral video, set him up for arrest on Saturday at the Tribeca restaurant Frenchette. He was apprehended still in his white kitchen uniform after he showed up for work as the dishwasher

Gomez was arrested on Saturday at Frenchette, the Tribeca restaurant where he worked as a dishwasher. His co-workers recognized him in the viral video of the subway attack and the restaurant owner reported him to police

'We wanted to make sure we did everything the right way and he was picked up as quickly as possible,' a restaurant source said on handing Gomez over to police

'We wanted to make sure we did everything the right way and he was picked up as quickly as possible,' the source added.

Police first went to Gomez' home address but didn't find him there. Then detectives arrived to the restaurant, which has been awarded the esteemed James Beard 2019 award, on Saturday morning to apprehend him while he was at work.

The source says that the entire restaurant worked carefully to make sure Gomez didn't expect a police ambush.

'There were not many staff in the kitchen at that time, he was one of the first there, and we made sure not to spook him,' the source said.

Thanks to the staff's ploy, detectives were able to arrest Gomez without any trouble.

'The detectives arrested him in the kitchen dish-washing area and took him away, still wearing his kitchen whites,' the source said.

Gomez was arrested on Saturday, identified as the man behind the shocking attacking of an elderly woman riding on a Bronx bound train on March 10

Gomez was charged with felony assault after the horrific video was posted to Twitter and quickly went viral, where he's seen repeatedly punching and kicking the woman in the face

In a heartbreaking image, the woman is seen holding her head and appears to be crying. She suffered from bleeding and swelling with cuts to the face and received medical treatment

Following the incident, Frenchette changed its hiring policy to amp up the background and reference check process for dishwashers, who typically don't undergo the same kind of background checks senior staffers go through.

A restaurant spokesman added that Frenchette wants to extend a helping hand to the victim and a free meal.

'We are extremely worried about his victim, who we are told is a retired kindergarten teacher, and we would like to offer her any help we can, at the very least a free meal at the restaurant. But we dont know how to contact her, so we are asking for the public's help,' he said to the outlet.

Gomez was apprehended on Saturday for the brutal assault of the elderly woman on the Bronx train earlier this month, but had a track record of prior assaults as well.

He was arrested in November, stopped on the Cross Bronx Expressway by police who found a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun plus ammo in his car, cops say.

He also has old, sealed arrests for assault, gun possession, and marijuana possession, sources said to the Post.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot O'Shea tweeted photo grabs of the man as police worked to identify him

NYPD shared the assailant's image on Friday asking for tips on his identity. By Saturday they announced Gomez had been apprehended and was in police custody

For the viral subway attack he was charged with felony assault and was ordered to be held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Gomez' lawyer and fiancee Asia (she has not released her last name) claim that the elderly woman had been taunting him as he rode on the train with Asia and her young daughter.

Asia says that she was riding the train with Gomez and her 11-year-old daughter when the woman started yelling at them screaming 'Ill stab you and your wife and your child'.

When the stabbing threats escalated to killing, the couple saw the woman allegedly had something in her hand, leading Gomez to launch the assault.

On Saturday police announced Gomez' arrest and stated that the unidentified victim was treated for her injuries in a hospital and released and is receiving proper care.

A former neighbor of the woman told the Post that she is mentally ill and has threatened three people in the past with a knife.

They said she is a retired kindergarten teacher who had moved out of the residence three or four years ago.

'She was just mentally ill,' they said. 'She wasn't paying rent. She threatened at least three co-opers with a knife. She used to call the fire department, cops, all the time.'
Two women were held at a Brazilian airport this weekend as they attempted to board separate Africa-bound flights with almost 14 kilos of cocaine smuggled in their luggage, authorities said.

Agents with Brazil's Federal Revenue Ministry were alerted by a K-9 unit at Sao PauloGuarulhos International Airport, in Cumbica, Sao Paulo on Saturday night.

A Brazilian woman, who was expecting to take a flight to Lagos, Nigeria, was caught with a suitcase containing 16 pair of New Balance sneakers with 3.4 kilos of cocaine placed underneath the insoles.

The unit of drug sniffing dogs also foiled another female drug trafficking suspect's attempt at boarding a flight to Africa on Sunday night.

Drug sniffing dogs at an airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, busted two women on Saturday and Sunday night trying to board international flights with cocaine hidden inside 16 pairs of sneakers and four framed paintings

On Sunday, agents with the Brazilian Federal Revenue Ministry were alerted by their K-9 unit of a Brazilian woman who had 3.4 kilos of cocaine hidden under the insoles of 16 pairs of sneakers

The Nigerian national was apprehended while trying to smuggle 10 kilos of cocaine, authorities said.

The white powder was carefully spread inside four framed paintings.

The women, whose names were not released by the Federal Revenue Ministry, were transferred to the custody of the Federal Police at airport.

The drug bust comes just a week after four people were arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine to Africa, according to Brazilian news outlet G1.

A Nigerian woman attempted to board a flight to Africa with four framed paintings which concealed 10 kilos of cocaine on Sunday

A Thai woman was apprehended when she was found carrying two suitcases loaded with 160 bracelets that hid almost six kilos of cocaine. Her final destination was the Republic of Guinea.

Another woman from Nigeria, who headed to Ethiopia, was nabbed with a carry-on bag with 4.7 kilos of the drug concealed inside 159 packages of chocolates and three pairs shoes.

Agents also caught Kenyan woman, whose finale destination was Burundi, with almost two kilos of cocaine hidden inside three jackets.
Trigeminal neuralgia  sudden and extreme facial pain  can be crippling. Jeff Axe, 59, a retired chemical company worker, had surgery to cure it, as he tells Eimear O'Hagan.

The patient

Grateful: Jeff Axe was delighted by the results

One morning in early 2013, I happened to touch my chin and suddenly felt a sharp, stabbing sensation to the right side of my head. It was as if Id had an electric shock.

The same thing happened a few days later, while I was shaving  the pain striking when the razor came into contact with my upper lip area. It went in an instant and was like someone was poking my head with a hot needle.

Within a few weeks, the pain began to occur when I spoke louder than normal, but subsided when I stopped talking.

As it came and went so quickly, I didnt take anything for the pain, but I was concerned enough to see my GP.

He told me I was displaying classic symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia  caused by the compression of the trigeminal nerve that carries messages to do with sensation and movement around the face.

He said the compression was likely caused by an artery pressing on the nerve. He prescribed carbamazepine, which calms nerve activity. I took it daily  as many as four tablets a day during bad episodes.

When I had an attack, which was three or four times a year, the pills would dull the pain and it would quickly subside, though the medication did sometimes make me feel drowsy.

But, in October 2017, my pain became far more severe and the drugs were no longer working. Anything that involved using my jaw  talking, laughing was a real problem.

Brushing my teeth in particular became nightmarish. The right side of my face would throb  I could only stand it for 20 seconds and would scream in agony, gripping the sink for support. It felt like someone was twisting a knife into my head.

Mr Axe, a retired chemical company worker, had surgery to cure it. He said eating and drinking became agonising

Eating and drinking became agonising, too. It would take me an hour to eat a bowl of cereal, and I lost weight. Windy weather was a trigger. And, just a few words into a conversation, Id have to stop because the pain was overwhelming.

Within a few weeks, I was in agony day and night. Along with the stabbing pain to the side of my head, I also had a severe headache concentrated on the right side of my face.

I was exhausted and I would sit alone downstairs, rather than toss and turn in bed next to my wife, Lavinia.

My GP increased the dosage of carbamazepine and prescribed two other drugs. I was taking 16 tablets a day, but nothing was working.

Using my private health insurance, I saw a neurologist, who recommended surgery with Kenan Deniz.

An MRI revealed that my trigeminal nerve had indeed been impinged by an artery. When I saw the images, I couldnt believe how entwined they were  like two snakes wrapped around one another.

Mr Deniz explained that the path blood vessels take through the brain varies from person to person. In short, I was just unlucky.

He said he could perform microvascular decompression, drilling into my skull and moving the artery. He would then cushion the nerve with Teflon. There was an 80 per cent chance the operation would be successful  so I jumped at the chance. I had my three-hour operation last April.

Afterwards, it took a few hours for me to be lucid enough to realise I wasnt in any pain. I could talk and laugh and even ate a chicken sandwich that evening. It felt incredibly surreal.

The next morning, I was very emotional when I brushed my teeth for a full two minutes  such an everyday thing, but it meant so much to me.

Three days later, I was discharged with just a small wound behind my ear. Within days, I was out shopping with Lavinia and catching up with friends. It was wonderful.

Trigeminal neuralgia sucks the joy out of everyday life. Im so grateful there was an operation that cured me so quickly.

The surgeon

Kenan Deniz is a consultant neurosurgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital.

Trigeminal neuralgia affects around ten in 100,000 people in the UK every year and is very debilitating. The pain, which radiates into the head and face, usually on one side, can be so extreme and unrelenting that there have sadly been cases of patients taking their own lives.

The trigeminal nerve comes out of the brain at the base of the skull, and separates into three branches, which supply sensation to different parts of the face.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF MICROVASCULAR DECOMPRESSION SURGERY? There is a 5 per cent risk of cerebral fluid leaking out of the entry wound, which can lead to meningitis. A 3 per cent risk of stroke during the procedure. Less than a 1 per cent risk of facial weakness or hearing deterioration on the side of the head being operated on. Erlick Pereira, a consultant neurosurgeon at St Georges University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Lecturer at St George's, University of London, says: This is a complex procedure, but the risks  while significant  are low. It has to be performed at a neurosurgical unit, of which there are fewer than 30 across the UK. Advertisement

Trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by a tumour pressing on the nerve, but, more commonly, its due to a pulsating artery supplying blood to the brain.

As I explained to Jeff, its believed that what causes some people to be afflicted comes down to the journey their vascular vessels take through the brain.

If an artery is positioned too close to the nerve and moves even very slightly, that can be enough to cause the compression and resulting pain.

For some, anti-epileptic drugs such as carbamazepine can be effective, but there are patients for whom it works well for a period before they build up a tolerance to the drug.

For these patients, we offer microvascular decompression surgery, which offers a high chance of a cure. Its not a new procedure, but Ive found that, particularly at GP level, there isnt a lot of awareness of it, which means people can suffer for longer than necessary.

When Jeff first came to me, he could barely speak. He had to keep pausing and bracing himself against the pain.

Under general anaesthetic, I make a small incision in the scalp behind the ear on the affected side. I remove a 50p size disc of the skull to expose the dura mater, the leathery layer separating brain from skull.

I then locate the trigeminal nerve at the back of the head, using a powerful microscope and a binocular-type eye piece.

I work in spaces a few millimetres in size  a wrong move could cause serious damage (the trigeminal nerve is only around 5mm wide and the vessel impinging it is even smaller).

In Jeffs case, I knew from the MRI that the problem was an artery impinging on the nerve, so I carefully moved it away and then used a 2mm piece of Teflon to create a protective barrier around the nerve.

Its extremely rare that the condition returns: if it does, its because the Teflon has moved or another artery has touched the nerve. I have only ever performed one revision.

To see Jeff talking and eating pain-free within hours of the operation was very satisfying.

The procedure costs around 9,000 privately and to the NHS.
The judge presiding over a key lawsuit relating to pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, has died.

US District Court Judge Robert Sweet, who is based in Manhattan, died on Sunday. He was 96 years old.

Sweet, who ruled on cases through the last few months, was assigned to a lawsuit that emerged 10 years ago following Epsteins controversial plea deal, according to Politico.

At the time, he pleaded guilty to two prostitution-related offenses.

Sweet oversaw the lawsuit that involved alleged sex slave Virginia Giuffre (now Roberts) against Epstein-friend Ghislaine Maxwell, who Giuffre has accused of aiding Epstein, 66, in sex trafficking.

Giuffre and other victims waived their right to sue Epstein in exchange for settlements.

Manhattan-based US District Court Judge Robert Sweet (pictured in August 2018), who presided over a key lawsuit relating to pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, died on Sunday. He was 96 years old

Sweet, who ruled on cases through the last few months, was assigned to a lawsuit that emerged 10 years ago following Epsteins (left and right) controversial plea deal

Maxwell and two others going only by 'John Doe' and 'J. Doe' argue that keeping the documents sealed, or at least covering up names and personal information of other people not named as a party in the lawsuit, is necessary to protect people 'whose privacy and reputations may be jeopardized,' according to court documents obtained by DailyMail.com.

Former federal prosecutor Nick Lewin on behalf of a 'John Doe,' and Washington-based gender equality attorney Kerrie Campbell on behalf of a 'J. Doe,' have now joined Maxwell in fighting to keep whatever is stated in those documents a secret.

According to Lewin, Sweet described the documents as including 'a range of allegations of sexual acts involving Plaintiff [Giuffre] and non-parties to this litigation, some famous, some not,' as well as 'the identities of non-parties who either allegedly engaged in sexual acts with Plaintiff or who allegedly facilitated such act[s].'

Sweet said about the case: 'This defamation action from its inception in September 2015 to its settlement in May 2017 has been bitterly contested and difficult to administer because of the truth or falsity of the allegations concerning the intimate, sexual, and private conduct of the parties and of third persons, some prominent, some private.'

Lewin is now arguing that to make the documents public as a whole 'will almost certainly disclose... allegations that may be the product of false statements or, perhaps, simply mistake, confusion, or failing memories of events alleged to have occurred over a decade and half ago.'

Campbell said her client, J. Doe, is 'objecting to public disclosure of specific content pertaining to Doe to protect compelling personal privacy interests'.

The filing was initially kept private by Judge Sweet with the understanding that they would become public at the time of trial, according to Giuffre's attorney.

But there never was, and never will be a trial, because the lawsuit was settled in May of 2017.

It was three other parties seeking to make the documents public that resulted in Judge Sweet ruling they should remain private, Politico reported.

Harvard law professor and former Epstein lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who is now a prominent Trump defender, along with filmmaker and far-right social media personality Mike Cernovich, and the Miami Herald, each asked the judge to unseal the filings.

Sweet oversaw the lawsuit that involved alleged sex slave Virginia Giuffre (now Roberts) against Epstein-friend Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured with Epstein), who Giuffre has accused of aiding Epstein, 66, in sex trafficking

The documents were filed in alleged sex slave Virginia Giuffre's (pictured in 2011) lawsuit against Maxwell, which was settled in May of 2017

Dershowitz said he wanted the records made public to discredit allegations made by two women that he had sex with them at Epsteins direction, which Dershowitz has denied.

Cernovich argued for the release because he said the continued secrecy has undermined efforts to expose sexual trafficking by the wealthiest Americans.

The Miami Herald asked the judge to make all records pertaining to the case public for inclusion in reporting on Epstein, which was published without the documents last year.

After Judge Sweet denied all three requests, a panel of three judges on New York's US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard arguments in favor of unlocking whatever secrets were contained within the files.

Giuffre has stated that redacting information like names, social security numbers and the like of third parties would not be difficult and so it should not be an argument against releasing the documents.

'Ms. Giuffre wants the summary judgment materials unsealed to demonstrate that she was sexually trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to their powerful friends, both in this country and overseas,' Giuffre's filing reads.

The judge's death has added to the drawn-out legal saga and efforts to unseal those secret details.

Last week, it was revealed that two anonymous individuals are fighting to keep the details related to the Epstein's sex crime scandal from ever becoming public, citing their own privacy concerns.

An appeals court has indicated it would make filings from the case with lurid details about Epstein's sex acts, and those of others, public, after the trial court judge refused to do so.

Giuffre, however, argues the documents 'should be immediately unsealed,' stating that '[m]ost of the materials do nothing more than demonstrate her [Maxwell's] role as a lynchpin in an international sex trafficking organization'.

Three other parties have joined Giuffre in arguing for the release of the documents, including the Miami Herald.

Epstein has been accused by alleged victims of bringing at least 40 underage girls to his Palm Beach, Florida, mansion for sexual encounters.

Authorities said he had female fixers who would look for suitable girls, some local and others recruited from Eastern Europe and other parts of the world.

Epstein took a controversial plea deal in 2008 which allowed him to avoid federal charges by pleading guilty to a lesser, single state charge of soliciting an underage girl for prostitution.

Giuffre (now Roberts) is pictured holding a photo of herself at age 16, when she says Palm Beach multimillionaire Epstein began abusing her sexually

Now, Giuffre is fighting to unseal documents which she said 'prove the truth' that she was sex trafficked by Epstein with the help of Maxwell.

Giuffre's attorney has said documents, which are part of a motion for summary judgment in her 2017 settled lawsuit against Epstein's alleged right-hand woman, are focused solely on Maxwell, and not on other individuals, so privacy concerns are not an issue.

A motion for summary judgment is a motion for the court to decide a case before a trial ever begins. It generally will include what one party considers to be the facts of the case, and the other party will have a chance to respond with his or her own version of the truth.

'The summary judgment filings focused solely on whether Ms. Maxwell was an essential co-conspirator in Epstein's international sex trafficking organization,' the filing read.

'It may be "embarrassing" for Ms. Maxwell to have the world know the scope of her involvement in the trafficking of underage girls intentionally for sexual purposes. But her involvement in a criminal enterprise does not remotely approach legitimate ground for sealing.'

Giuffre argues that all personally identifying information of anyone besides Maxwell can be removed from the documents before they are made public.

Meanwhile, in a separate lawsuit brought by alleged victims of Epstein, US District Judge Kenneth Marra ruled in February that federal prosecutors in Florida violated the rights of victims by secretly reaching a non-prosecution agreement with Epstein related to the accusations that he sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.

The plea deal that Jeffrey Epstein agreed to back in 2008 saved the accused child rapist from having to register as a sex offender in 31 of 50 states.

The Washington Post reports that the victim who Epstein admitted to soliciting for prostitution was not the 14-year-old girl who first reported the millionaire money manager, but rather another girl, 16, whose age was left blank on court documents.

That victim's age means that Epstein did not have to register as a sex offender in states like New Mexico, where he owns a 7,600-acre property called Zorro Ranch, and allows him to be classified as a low risk offender in the US Virgin Islands, which is currently his primary residence.

Marra said in a 33-page decision that victims of Epstein should have been consulted under federal law about the deal. Marra stopped short of invalidating the non-prosecution agreement but asked prosecutors and victims' lawyers to recommend how to move forward.

'While the government spent untold hours negotiating the terms and implications of the (agreement) with Epstein's attorneys, scant information was shared with victims,' Marra wrote. 'Instead, the victims were told to be '"patient" while the investigation proceeded.'

The law, Marra added, 'lends itself to only one interpretation; namely, that victims should be notified of significant events resulting in resolution of their case without a trial.'

'They were cutting a plea deal. It wasnt a prosecution,' said attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represented the 14-year-old girl who alerted police.

'They had a grab bag of 40 girls to choose from.'

He then revealed that he and his client believed they had been the victim referenced in the plea deal.

'Its unbelievably upsetting,' said Kuvin. 'The rug has been swiped out from under the one girl who was brave enough to come forward and break this thing.'

Epstein reached the deal in 2008 with then-Miami US Attorney Alexander Acosta's office to end the federal probe that could have landed him in prison for life.

Epstein instead pleaded guilty to lesser state charges, spent 13 months in prison, registered as a sex offender and paid financial settlements to alleged victims.
A Hong Kong tourist has been charged with installing a hidden camera in a deodorant stick to film his female roommate in their shared bathroom at a Bondi Beach hostel.

Police said a female French backpacker, 27, booked into the hostel at the popular Sydney beach on Sunday, where she was allocated a room with an ensuite shared with a man unknown to her.

The woman had finished showering on Monday night when she spotted a toiletry bag on the basin, with what appeared to be a small camera allegedly hidden within a deodorant stick.

A French tourist allegedly discovered a hidden camera in a shared hostel bathroom while staying in popular tourist hotspot Bondi Beach (stock image)

She took photos of the device before contacting police, who attended the Lamrock Avenue hostel, where they arrested a Hong Kong man, 36, who was holidaying in Sydney.

Police alleged the remnants of a smashed camera were found while the man was being searched.

Police also searched his belongings and allegedly found numerous hard drives and storage devices which allegedly contained further videos of women discreetly filmed in private acts.

The man was charged with installing a device, adapting a building to observe or film other and possession of surveillance devices intended for unlawful use.

He was refused bail and was scheduled to face Waverley Local Court on Tuesday.
A trove of Aztec sacrifices discovered in downtown Mexico City could lead archaeologists to the most tantalising find yet - an Aztec emperor's tomb.

The sacrificial offerings include richly adorned jaguar dressed as a warrior and a young boy, dressed to resemble the Aztec war god and solar deity.

A set of flint knives elaborately decorated with mother of pearl and precious stones have also been recovered from the partially explored tomb.

Experts say it was once located in front of the temple where the earliest historical accounts describe the final resting place of Aztec kings, including Ahuitzotl.

Ahuitzotl, who reigned between 1486 and 1502 AD, was one of the greatest generals of the ancient Americas, according to historical records.

If confirmed as a royal burial this would mark a historical first since no such site has yet been found - despite decades of digging.

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A trove of Aztec sacrifices including a richly adorned jaguar dressed as a warrior and recently discovered in downtown Mexico City could lead archaeologists to the most tantalising find yet - an Aztec emperor's tomb. Tomas Cruz, an archaeologist, works at the site

The offerings were deposited by Aztec priests over five centuries ago in a circular, ritual platform once located in front of the temple where the earliest historical accounts describe the final resting place of Aztec kings. This image shows the bones of a sacrificed young boy

The artefacts were discovered off the steps of the Aztec's holiest temple during the reign of the empire's most powerful ruler.

The offerings were deposited by Aztec priests over five centuries ago in a circular, ritual platform.

The jaguar offering, found in a large rectangular stone box in what would have been the centre of the circular platform, has stirred particular excitement.

Only about one-tenth of the box's contents has been excavated, but already a wide array of artefacts has been found near the top.

That includes a spear thrower and a carved wooden disk placed on the feline's back that was the emblem of the Aztec patron deity Huitzilopochtli, the war and sun god.

A layer of aquatic offerings placed on top of the west-facing jaguar have also been identified

That includes a large amount of shells, bright red starfish and coral that likely represented the watery underworld the Aztecs believed the sun travelled through at night before emerging in the east to begin a new day.

'We have enormous expectations right now,' lead archaeologist Leonardo Lopez Lujan told Reuters.

'As we go deeper we think we'll continue finding very rich objects.'

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE AZTEC KING AHUITZOTL? Ahuitzotl was an Aztec ruler who reigned between 1486 and 1502 AD. He was one of the greatest generals of the ancient Americas, according to historical records He left to his nephew, Montezuma, an enlarged and consolidated empire which had been ruthlessly terrorised into submissive acceptance of Aztec rule. With huge building projects and victories celebrated by mass sacrifices of captured enemies to honour the gods, the reign of Ahuitzotl was the Aztec Golden Age. Ahuitzotl is known primarily for having occasioned the greatest orgy of in Aztec history. In 1487 he decided to dedicate his new temple at Tenochtitlan. The ceremonies, lasting four days, consisted of prisoners of war forming four lines, each one extending over three miles. As the captives were marched up to the altar, priests and Aztec nobles, including Ahuitzotl, had the honour of cutting open their chests and tearing out their hearts. Although actual numbers remain in dispute, as many as 20,000 prisoners may have been killed this way, while guests from the conquered provinces were asked to watch. Ahuitzotl was later killed when he hit his head on a stone lintel trying to escape the great flood that devastated Tenochtitlan in 1503. Advertisement

A roseate spoonbill, a pink bird from the flamingo family, has also been found in the offering.

It was associated with warriors and rulers, and thought to represent their spirits in their descent into the underworld.

'There's an enormous amount of coral that's blocking what we can see below,' said archaeologist Miguel Baez, part of the team excavating the offerings at the base of the temple, known today as the Templo Mayor, located just off Mexico City's bustling Zocalo plaza.

The Templo Mayor would have been as high as a 15-story pyramid before it was razed along with the rest of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan after the 1521 Spanish conquest of Mexico.

Expanded by each Aztec king, the shrine was believed to be at the center of the universe and was crowned with two smaller temples, one on the north side dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc and one on the south to Huitzilopochtil.

The latest offerings all align with the southern temple.

The sacrificial offerings also include a young boy, dressed to resemble the Aztec war god and solar deity, and a set of flint knives elaborately decorated with mother of pearl and precious stones (pictured)

The jaguar offering, found in a large rectangular stone box in what would have been the centre of the circular platform, has stirred particular excitement. This image shows the partially explored box

Only about one-tenth of the box's contents has been excavated, but already a wide array of artefacts has been found near the top. This image shows the partially excavated box

Several decades after the conquest, chroniclers detailed the burial rites of three Aztec kings, all brothers who ruled from 1469 to 1502.

According to these accounts, the rulers' cremated remains were deposited with luxurious offerings and the hearts of sacrificed slaves in or near the circular platform.

In 2006, a massive monolith of the Aztec earth goddess was discovered nearby with an inscription corresponding to the year 1502, which is when the empire's greatest ruler and the last of the brothers, Ahuitzotl, died.

Elizabeth Boone, an ancient Mexico specialist at Tulane University, notes that Ahuitzotl's death would have been marked with lavish memorizing and that the jaguar may represent the king as a fearless warrior.

'You could have Ahuitzotl in that box,' she said.

None of these details have been reported before and such a discovery would mark a first since no Aztec royal burial has yet been found despite decades of digging. Archaeologists Miguel Baez (L) and Antonio Marin work at the site

If confirmed as a royal burial this would mark a historical first since no such site has yet been found - despite decades of digging. Archaeologist Antonio Marin examining the finds

The artefacts were discovered off the steps of the Aztec's holiest temple during the reign of the empire's most powerful ruler. This image shows a closeup of archaeologist Antonio Marin examining the finds

A smaller stone box next to the jaguar offering containing a top layer of copal bars, used by Aztec priests for incense, has also been identified, though it too has only been partially excavated as both were only opened earlier this year.

Next to it another stone box has been found containing 21 flint knives decorated to resemble warriors, including the same war god disk but made of mother of pearl, as well as a miniature wooden spear thrower and shield.

Finally, an adjacent circular offering holds an approximately 9-year-old sacrificed boy found with a wooden war god disk, a jade bead necklace and wings made from hawk bones and attached to his shoulders.

Like the jaguar, the boy likely had his heart torn out as part of a ritual sacrifice, though further tests will need to be conducted to confirm the theory.

The offerings also speak to the geographic reach of the Aztecs, a warrior society like ancient Sparta that conquered neighboring kingdoms to acquire tribute.

The starfish came from the Pacific Ocean, for example, while the jade was brought from Central America near present-day Honduras.

'The offerings provide a window not only into the (Aztecs) sacred world, but also their economic lives,' said Frances Berdan, an Aztec scholar at California State University, San Bernardino.

Meticulous sifting through the latest offerings is expected to continue for at least several more months, though practical hardships weigh on the archaeologists.

Mexico's new government has cut the project's budget by 20 percent this year, according to several archaeologists who work on the excavation, and nearly all members of the 25-person team have not been paid since December.
Giacomo Casanova claimed to have had sex with so many women his name became shorthand for promiscuity.

But he may have been lying, scientists say, because they can find no proof he ever had gonorrhoea.

The Italian adventurer wrote in his memoirs about his ongoing suffering with the sexually transmitted infection.

And researchers said if he had slept with 122 women, as he claimed, he would have been very likely to have caught it.

When they tested for bacteria in the handwritten pages of his memoir, however, they could find no traces of the STI.

That suggests he either treated the infection so well he erased any trace of it or he exaggerated his sexual conquests.

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Giacomo Casanova (pictured) wrote in his memoirs about his ongoing suffering with the sexually transmitted infection. And researchers said if he had slept with 122 women, as he claimed, he would have been very likely to have caught it

Scientists from The Polytechnic University of Milan in Italy tried to separate proteins based on their weight using a technique called electrophoresis, which involves passing a small electrical current through a specialist gel.

Chemical tests conducted by Pier Giorgio Righetti, a global leader in this field, and his team looked for races of gonorrhoea bacteria on the pages of Casanova's original manuscript.

But they could find no evidence of the disease, only the medication he may have used to treat it, The Times reports.

The technique has previously been used to detect evidence of kidney disease and morphine on Russian author Mikhail Bulgakovs manuscript for his classic work the Master and Margarita.

Scientists used chemical tests on the pages of Casanova's original manuscript to try and find traces of gonorrhoea bacteria. But they could find no evidence of the disease, only the medication he may have used to treat it

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT CASANOVA? Born in Venice in 1725 and dismissed as a sickly imbecile during the first eight years of his life. He defied his parents' lack of expectation in him and rose to become an intellectual man. Destined in his youth for a high-flown career in the church, Casanova gave it up to become a soldier, a gambler, an adventurer, a businessman, an author and a con-man - and most of all to pursue the fair sex. He had lost his virginity at the age of 16 in the arms of two sisters who, far from being reluctant to be seduced, threw themselves at him. At just under 6ft tall, he is believed to have been an attractive man, with swarthy skin and a mane of dark curls. In bed, he made sure the women he made love to enjoyed themselves as much as he did, claiming that their pleasure made up four-fifths of his own. More than two centuries after Casanova's death, his name is still a synonym for every playboy philanderer. He was the eldest of six children to a woman who was widowed in her mid-20s and struggled to cope with her expanding family. Much of what we know about Casanova comes from his memoir, Histoire De Ma Vie (pictured) He was sent on his ninth birthday to the city of Padua and never lived wit his mother again. It is said his abandonment issues stemmed from this and laid the foundations for his womanising ways. He was subsequently left broken-hearted by his first love, a nun known only as M.M., as Casanova named her in Histoire De Ma Vie, the memoir he wrote during his poverty-stricken old age. Casanova fell deeply in love with M. M and became her devoted slave for two years. She, on the other hand, always put the needs of he other lover, French Ambassador Francois de Bernis, before his. She would even coax Casanova into putting on a display of sexual fireworks for the benefit of the voyeur. Desperate for love, yet unable to accept it when it was presented to him on a plate, he proved a soft touch to manipulative women. Money poured through his generous fingers into their open palms. Trapped by poverty, he spent his last 13 years working as a librarian in a remote corner of Bohemia. He had lost everything through his craving for women's approval: his money, his independence, his freedom to roam and even his looks. Advertisement

Venice-born Casanova, who lived in the 1700s, said he had suffered with the illness at least four times.

Gleb Zilberstein has examined the claims some 230 years after the book was written between 1789 and 1798.

He said Casanova was 'either very well cured or he was a healthy man and an imaginative librarian.'

The tests did, however, find traces of a chemical called mercury sulphide, a poisonous compound which was used to try and control  but not cure  gonorrhoea at the time.

And Mr Zilberstein suggests this chemical may have destroyed Casanova's mental health.

He said: 'Mercury compounds can lead to mental disorders. In the last years of his life, Casanova was contemplating suicide.

'Probably the cause was a mental disorder due to the use of drugs based on mercury.'

Gonorrhoea, which can cause life-threatening blood infections if left untreated, has been recorded in people since as far back as the 12th Century.

Treatments were rudimentary and probably ineffective  such as using heavy metals  until the 1900s when antibiotics were invented.

Although Mr Zilberstein said he doesn't know whether or not to believe Casanova's claims of dozens of sexual partners, he said it would have been likely he caught gonorrhoea if he did.

The paper, which is set to be published in the journal Electrophoresis, added: 'When Casanova visited Madrid, it was stated that even nuns in convents were affected by this venereal disease.'
Humans' search for inhabitable planets beyond Earth may get a new contender after NASA announced plans to embark on a 'low-cost' expedition to Neptune's largest moon, Triton.

The journey, revealed at a recent Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas, would send a small spacecraft named Trident to explore the moon in search of conditions conducive for human life.

'The time is now to do this mission,' Louise Prockter, director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston and the principal investigator of the proposed mission said in a New York Times report.

During a prior mission by NASA's Voyager 2 in 1989, a flyby caught glimpses of Neptune's moon which have intrigued scientists ever since.

'The time is now to do it at a low cost,' Prockter said. 'And we will investigate whether it is a habitable world, which is of huge importance.'

Triton has piqued the interest of both NASA and astronomers around the world for exhibiting what are commonly understood to be the precursors for life.

Among the key factors separating Triton from other planetary objects in the Milky Way Galaxy according to scientists, is what has been hypothesized to be vast underground oceans running beneath the moon's icy mantle.

Despite Triton's extremely cold temperature, the water on the moon is thought to be kept liquid by the presence of ammonia which would lower the freezing point.

Additionally, according to recent research by NASA, the surface of Triton also contains organic compounds called 'Tholins' which are believed to be chemical precursors to life.

NASA's trip to Triton would mark the first time since 1989 when the agency's Voyager 2 spacecraft grabbed glimpses during a flyby.

According to a New York Times report, the mission to Triton will be formally presented to NASA later this month and will compete for funding among other projects in the agency's Discovery Program.

Underground oceans are thought to swell beneath Triton's icey exterior.

While Triton has been the most recent planetary object to attract interest from explorers with their sights set on our solar system and beyond, it is still far from being the front runner for human colonization.

In recent years, Mars in particular has garnered increasingly serious interest from NASA and even privately owned aerospace companies seeking a viable alternative to Earth.

Arguably the bustiest proposal has come from CEO of the electric car company Tesla, Elon Musk, whose private aerospace comapny, SpaceX, continues to fund prototypes of spacecraft and more.

SpaceX says its plans to launch its first craft to Mars in 2022.
The film will also take a leap and see Irrfans daughter going to the US for higher education.

The film is now looking globally as there are many students across the globe who go to the US for higher education and English is not their first language.

The Hindi Medium sequel is now going to be called English Medium. The film will also take a leap and see Irrfans daughter going to the US for higher education. And, hence there was a requirement for a new title that will also help the film address the international audience.

Hindi Medium 2 was just a working title. So once the script was locked, the makers decided to keep the title according to the subject. The film now has a time and a country leap, and there will be people of other ethnicities as well. Since the film is now based in the US, it will duly be called English Medium, informs a source.

The film is now looking globally as there are many students across the globe who go to the US for higher education and English is not their first language. The film will not just address the issues of Hindi medium students in the US but also those of the students from other countries who face trouble fitting into a system where English is the primary spoken language. Keeping that in mind, director Saket Chaudhary, who helmed the first instalment, has been replaced by Homi Adajania who has directed English-language films like Being Cyrus and Finding Fanny besides Cocktail, adds the source.

The actress to be cast opposite Irrfan as his wife is still under finalisation and will be from the bank of actresses already signed up by the producers.

Sanskriti Media
It's official: you can now add smoothie-making to the increasingly long list of tasks commandeered by robots.

A one-armed autonomous robot designed by California-based startup Blendid was recently rolled out at the University of San Francisco and is capable of making a dozen different blended drinks in about two minutes, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Customers of Blendid's smoothie robot are able to order on their mobile device via the company's app, or at one of several tablet kiosks nearby.

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An autonomous robot arm is automating the smoothie world, blending customers drinks in 2 minutes or less. The one-armed robot designed by California-base startup Blendid was recently rolled out at the University of San Francisco

WHAT IS BLENDID? Blendid is an automated smoothie-making robot that can whip up an array of drinks in 2 minutes or less. After being unveiled last year, the system was recently introduced to University of San Francisco's campus. On other college campuses, food delivery robots have also taken customers by storm. Star Technologies and FedEx are among the companies making their foray into the world of automated delivery. Advertisement

Customization is built into its system, according to Blendid.

Using the ordering app or tablet, patrons of the robot kiosk are able to choose which elements they may want more or less of.

For the customer, the price of cutting-edge automation comes at a relatively low cost, with Blendid charging about $6 for each drink.

On Blendid's end, however, expenses are a little. One machine costs $70,000 to build according to the report.

While the technology may be cutting edge by most consumers' standards, in San Francisco, the convenience of autonomously crafted and served food is a certified trend.

Cafe X, an automated coffee machine capable of making multiple drink sizes and styles of coffee, has already unveiled two different machines in the city.

Likewise, similar robots have cropped up that are capable of making chopped salads and pizza.

In the world of food delivery, robots have been of particular intrigue.

Drinks at the machine can be ordered via mobile app or by a kiosk nearby. Customization, the company says, is built in.

This year, a fleet of 25 four-wheeled delivery robots were let loose on George Mason University campus in Virginia where they were deployed to deliver food to the school's 40,000 students.

Bots, developed by Starship Technolgies, expanded this week offering the same service to students at the Northern Arizona University.

Patrons of the robot delivery service are charge a $1.99 delivery fee and typically receive their food in about 15-minutes. (No more than 20 lbs. per delivery, says the company)

Additionally, last month FedEx unveiled an early model of its delivery robots which it plans to use to deliver customers' pizza and other goods.

According to a report from the Washington Post, FedEx will partner with the likes of Pizza Hut, Walgreen's, Walmart and more.


A major Greenland glacier that was one of the fastest shrinking ice and snow masses on Earth is growing again, a new NASA study finds.

The Jakobshavn (YA-cob-shawv-en) glacier around 2012 was retreating about 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) and thinning nearly 130 feet (almost 40 meters) annually.

But it started growing again at about the same rate in the past two years, according to a study in Monday's Nature Geoscience.

Study authors and outside scientists think this is temporary.

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Patches of bare land at the Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland are shown. The major glacier that was one of the fastest shrinking ice and snow masses on Earth is growing again, a new NASA study finds

'That was kind of a surprise. We kind of got used to a runaway system,' said Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland ice and climate scientist Jason Box.

'The good news is that it's a reminder that it's not necessarily going that fast. But it is going.'

Box, who wasn't part of the study, said Jakobshavn is 'arguably the most important Greenland glacier because it discharges the most ice in the northern hemisphere. For all of Greenland, it is king.'

A natural cyclical cooling of North Atlantic waters likely caused the glacier to reverse course, said study lead author Ala Khazendar, a NASA glaciologist on the Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) project.

Khazendar and colleagues say this coincides with a flip of the North Atlantic Oscillation - a natural and temporary cooling and warming of parts of the ocean that is like a distant cousin to El Nino in the Pacific.

The water in Disko Bay, where Jakobshavn hits the ocean, is about 3.6 degrees cooler (2 degrees Celsius) than a few years ago, study authors said.

While this is 'good news' on a temporary basis, this is bad news on the long term because it tells scientists that ocean temperature is a bigger player in glacier retreats and advances than previously thought, said NASA climate scientist Josh Willis, a study co-author.

Over the decades the water has been and will be warming from man-made climate change, he said, noting that about 90 percent of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases goes into the oceans.

'In the long run we'll probably have to raise our predictions of sea level rise again,' Willis said.

Think of the ocean temperatures near Greenland like an escalator that's rising slowly from global warming, Khazendar said. But the natural North Atlantic Oscillation sometimes is like jumping down a few steps or jumping up a few steps.

HOW IS GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING GLACIAL RETREAT? Global warming is causing the temperatures all around the world to increase. This is particularly prominent at latitudes nearer the poles. Rising temperatures, permafrost, glaciers and ice sheets are all struggling to stay in tact in the face of the warmer climate. As temperatures have risen to more than a degree above pre-industrial levels, ice continues melt. For example, melting ice on the Greenland ice sheet is producing 'meltwater lakes', which then contribute further to the melting. This positive feedback loop is also found on glaciers atop mountains. Many of these have been frozen since the last ice age and researchers are seeing considerable retreat. Some animal and plant species rely heavily on the cold conditions that the glaciers provide and are migrating to higher altitudes to find suitable habitat. This is putting severe strain on the ecosystems as more animals and more species are living in an ever-shrinking region. On top of the environmental pressure, the lack of ice on mountains is vastly increasing the risks of landslides and volcanic eruptions. The phenomena is found in several mountain ranges around the world. It has also been seen in regions of Antarctica. Advertisement

The water can get cooler and have effects, but in the long run it is getting warmer and the melting will be worse, he said.

Four outside scientists said the study and results make sense.

University of Washington ice scientist Ian Joughin, who wasn't part of the study and predicted such a change seven years ago, said it would be a 'grave mistake' to interpret the latest data as contradicting climate change science.

What's happening, Joughin said, is 'to a large extent, a temporary blip. Downturns do occur in the stock market, but overall the long term trajectory is up. This is really the same thing.'
Whales use the same ocean highways as their ancestors millions of years ago.

The giant mammals migrate huge distances around the world over the course of the year to feed in cool waters while travelling south to breed in warmer regions.

Chemical evidence stored inside fossilised barnacles showed that the migrations have remained similar over millennia.

It is thought the movement patterns originated five million years ago when oceans began having wildly different properties depending on proximity to the equator.

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Pictured is a Pleistocene-aged fossil whale barnacle from the eastern Pacific Coast. Chemical evidence stored inside fossilised barnacles showed that the migrations have remained similar over millennia

Ancient barnacles hitched a ride on large baleen whales, a group which includes humpback and grey whales.

Study leader Larry Taylor, from the Smithsonian tropical research institute (STRI) and a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley, said: 'Most modern [baleen] whales undertake annual migrations that allow them to feed in cool, seasonally productive, high-latitude waters in summer before returning to warm, tropical waters where they breed in winter.

'In the northeast Pacific, migration routes span from breeding areas in Central America, Mexico, and Hawaii to feeding areas in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and California Current system.'

He says the behaviour and traits of these animals is linked to the way oceans developed to have short-term fluctuations.

'During the Pliocene and Pleistocene the world's oceans became characterised by increasingly strong seasonal upwelling and patchy productivity distributions, and long-distance migrations are thought to have first become selectively favoured at this time,' he added.

Proving this hypothesis and determining a start point of whale migration habits remained difficult as little evidence remains of the long-ago giants.

He said: 'Instead of looking for clues to migration patterns from the whale's bones, we used hitch-hiking whale barnacles instead.'

Co-author Dr Aaron O'Dea added: 'Whale barnacles are usually species specific - one species of barnacle on one type of whale.

'This gives the barnacle several advantages - a safe surface to live on, a free ride to some of the richest waters in the world and a chance to meet up with others when the whales get together to mate.'

Ancient barnacles hitched a ride on large baleen whales - including humpback and grey whales

As whale barnacles grow, their shells record the conditions by taking up oxygen isotopes from the water.

By carefully reading the unique isotope signatures left in the shells, the barnacles can reveal the water bodies the barnacle passed through, helping reconstruct the whale's movements over time.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looked at a number of fossil and modern whale barnacles from the Pacific coast of Panama and California.

The study provided evidence that the oxygen isotope composition of modern whale barnacle shells reliably records migration pathways.

The analysis of fossil whale barnacle shells from three Pleistocene localities also showed they displayed isotope profiles similar to those of modern specimens.

Mr Taylor said: 'The signals we found in the fossil barnacles showed us quite clearly that ancient humpback and grey whales were undertaking journeys very similar to those that these whales make today.

'It seems like the summer-breeding and winter-feeding migrations have been an integral part of the way of life of these whales for hundreds of thousands of years.'

Co-author Associate Professor Seth Finnegan at UC Berkeley added: 'We want to push the technique further back in time and across different whale populations.

'Hunting for fossil whale barnacles is easier than whales, and they provide a wealth of information waiting to be uncovered.'

The findings also suggest the Pacific coast of Panama has served a meeting point for several whale subpopulations for at least 270,000 years, according to the authors.
A meteor that blazed across southern Ural Mountain range in February 2013 was the largest recorded meteor strike in more than a century, after the Tunguska event of 1908.

More than 1,600 people were injured by the shock wave from the explosion, estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs, as it landed near the city of Chelyabinsk.

The fireball measuring 18 meters across, screamed into Earth's atmosphere at 41,600 mph.

Much of the meteor landed in a local lake called Chebarkul.

Other than the latest find, scientists have already uncovered more than 12 pieces from Lake Chebarkul since the February 15 incident. However, only five of them turned out being real.

What did they find in the meteorites?

Analysis of recovered Chelyabinsk meteorites revealed an unusual form of jadeite entombed inside glassy materials known as shock veins, which form after rock crashes, melts and re-solidifies.

By calculating the rate at which the jadeite must have solidified, the team were able to determine that the asteroid formed after a collision.

Jadeite, which is one of the minerals in the gemstone jade, forms only under extreme pressure and high temperature.

The form of jadeite found in the Chelyabinsk meteorites indicates that the asteroid's parent body hit another asteroid that was at least 150 metres (490ft) in diameter.
While waiting for a taxi in Leeds the Scot was punched and later went to hospital

He watched Liverpool beat Milan in a legends match before returning to Leeds

Former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister was attacked on Saturday night

Former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister was reportedly attacked on Saturday night in Leeds city centre just hours after watching a legends match at Anfield.

The 54-year-old was in the crowd as a star-studded Liverpool team won 3-2 against a crop of AC Milan greats in a charity match.

Afterwards the Scot, who now works as assistant manager to Saturday's match-winner Steven Gerrard at Rangers, returned to Leeds with his wife Hayley, 40.

Liverpool legend Gary McAllister at Anfield hours before being attacked in Leeds on Saturday

McAllister and his partner were waiting for a taxi in Leeds when he was assaulted, according to The Sun.

It is claimed that McAllister fell to the floor after being punched in the face and that his wife fought to pull the attacker off him, suffering a wrist injury in the process.

The Sun report that local police took McAllister to Leeds General Infirmary  where he needed at least 10 stitches in his top lip  after the attacker fled the scene.

McAllister and his wife are both said to have given a statement to police.

He is quoted by The Sun as saying: 'It's in the hands of the police.'
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Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) has taken delivery of its very first Airbus A380 - and it has a smiley Hawaiian-themed sea turtle livery.

The new A380 will enter service on May 24, travelling between Tokyo's Narita Airport and Honolulu, Hawaii. Its livery is called 'flying honu', with honu being a Hawaiian term of endearment used towards the sea turtle, which is a sacred creature in Hawaii.

The aircraft, which is one of three on order by ANA and boasts first class suites with privacy doors, was officially handed over during a ceremony last week at the Airbus factory in Toulouse.

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The brand new A380, with a smiley sea turtle livery, that has been officially handed over to Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) at the Airbus factory in Toulouse

The upper deck of the plane will have eight first class seats with sliding privacy doors. Pictured is a rendering of the suite

Located at the back of the plane is a 'multi-purpose' room, rendering pictured, where parents can tend to their babies and mothers can breastfeed, or where passengers can change clothes or freshen their make-up

It has been designed to provide maximum comfort for up to 520 passengers on this route with its 'premium layout seating'.

The upper deck is home to eight first class private suites that come with 32 inch TV screens, wardrobes and several power outlets.

There are also 56 business class seats, which convert to fully flat beds, and 73 premium economy seats in the upper deck.

The first class seats on board ANA's new A380 will come with 32 inch TV screens, wardrobes and several power outlets

Shinya Katanozka, president and CEO of ANA Holdings, said: 'We will commit all three of our Airbus A380s to the Tokyo-Honolulu route with the goal of introducing a new level of luxury service to our passengers flying ANA on the number one resort route for Japanese travellers'

The main deck will have 383 economy class seats, including 60 couch seats.

Each couch comprises three or four seats, with passengers able to lie on the seats by folding up the leg rests.

In addition to expanded passenger space, ANA says the aircraft 'offers heightened internet options' as well as other advanced in-flight features.

These include a colourful lighting scheme in the cabin, said to be reminiscent of Hawaiian sunrises, starry skies, and rainbows.

The main deck of the brand new aircraft will have 383 economy class seats, including 60 couch seats, pictured

Each couch, pictured, comprises three or four seats, with passengers able to lie on the seats by folding up the leg rests

Meanwhile, located at the back of the plane is a 'multi-purpose' room, where parents can tend to their babies and mothers can breastfeed, or where passengers can change clothes or freshen their make-up.

Shinya Katanozka, president and CEO of ANA Holdings, said: 'We will commit all three of our Airbus A380s to the Tokyo-Honolulu route with the goal of introducing a new level of luxury service to our passengers flying ANA on the number one resort route for Japanese travellers.

'We believe the A380 will become a game changer for ANA and will enable us to increase our market share by doubling the number of seats connecting Honolulu and Tokyo by 2020.

'The Flying Honu is designed to offer unprecedented comfort and convenience and a world of new possibilities to ANA passengers, something that would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the Airbus and Rolls-Royce teams working closely with the dedicated professionals at ANA.'

There will be 73 premium economy seats, pictured, in the upper deck. The A380 will fly between Tokyo's Narita Airport and Hawaii

The cabin will have a colourful lighting scheme, said to be reminiscent of Hawaiian sunrises, starry skies, and rainbows

Airbus CEO Thomas Enders added: 'Airbus is proud to deliver this beautiful and iconic aircraft to ANA. Offering unrivalled levels of passenger comfort, the A380 will enable ANA to increase its capacity on the busy route to Hawaii with maximum efficiency.

'We are confident that the aircraft will be highly successful in service with ANA and are committed to providing full support to the airline all along the way.'

A second A380 plane will boast a Hawaiian Ocean Emerald Green livery.

The brand new aircraft takes off from Toulouse in France, headed for Japan. ANA has another two A380s on order

Despite the grand reveal of the new aircraft, the A380 model has never turned a profit for Airbus and sales have slowed dramatically as airlines now favour smaller, more nimble planes.

Critics of the A380 argue the double-deckers are too large, leaving airlines with an impossible task of filling seats for commercial flights.

Airbus announced the 'painful' decision to scrap the A380 after Emirates, its biggest customer, slashed its orders by about a quarter.

Airbus will produce 14 more of the planes for Emirates and another two for ANA.
British Airways passengers have spoken of their shock after boarding a plane to Dusseldorf - that ended up in Edinburgh.

The flight, BA3271, set off from London City airport at 7.47am today and was supposed to head east to Germany.

But the pilot on the service - operated by Germany-based WDL Aviation on a 'wet lease' arrangement with BA - was given a flight plan that directed him to the Scottish capital and he touched down there at 9am.

British Airways passengers on board a leased WDL Aviation-operated flight from London City Airport to Dusseldorf ended up in Edinburgh after the pilot of the aircraft was given the wrong flight plan

Passengers on board the service only realised they were at the wrong destination after the plane landed and a 'welcome to Edinburgh' announcement was made.

Some on board took to Twitter to complain about the very unexpected diversion.

One passenger, called Son Tran, tweeted BA to ask: 'Can you please explain how can my morning flight taking off from LCY to Dusseldorf land in Edinburgh?

'While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery... #BA3271.'

Mr Tran then followed up his first tweet with more information about the flight: 'This feels like an honest mistake rather than a diversion. The crew was convinced of the Edinburgh flight path from the get-go...'

Another passenger, Chris McGrillen, added: 'The first announcement the crew made about the destination was as we were coming in to land. Boarding passes weren't checked.

'Given this flight is operated by a third party (WDL) BA clearly needs to specify best practices (a 'Welcome to your flight to Edinburgh') for 3rd parties.'

Several of the passengers who were on board the plane took to Twitter to complain about the unexpected diversion

After the unplanned stop in Scotland, the plane refuelled and set off from Edinburgh at 10.30am on its second attempt to reach Dusseldorf.

Amused Twitter user Irwell Johnson commented in support of BA introducing 'mystery' plane tickets as a permanent feature: 'I think it would be fab if you could buy a mystery lottery plane ticket.

'A weekend return, hand luggage only. You only find out where you're going when you get there. cool.'

Others worried they couldn't count on their planned flights to Edinburgh reaching the destination.

Tamsin Birch tweeted: 'Flying BA to Edinburgh at the weekend. REALLY want to go to Edinburgh. Im sure Dusseldorf is lovely and all, but Edinburgh is where I wish to be.'

A view of the unique geography of Edinburgh with seven golf courses visible to pilots on the approach to the airport

The view on the approach to Dusseldorf Airport near to the Rhine River, notably different to Edinburgh (above)

British Airways told MailOnline Travel: 'We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed.

'We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.'

A spokesman for WDL Aviation added: 'We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.

After the unplanned stop in Scotland, the plane refuelled and set off from Edinburgh, pictured, at 10.30am on its second attempt to reach Dusseldorf

'At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.'

Meanwhile a spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said: 'We're a welcoming airport that is always happy to greet visitors from all over the world to our fantastic city, but this was a surprise for us as well as them!

'We were happy to work with the various teams across the airport to help make the trip to Edinburgh a pleasurable, albeit short, one.'

The passengers on BA3271 eventually landed safely in Dusseldorf, pictured

I said I wanted a Bratwurst, not a battered Mars bar! How Dusseldorf and Edinburgh differ as cities Dusseldorf They like: sausages Population: 628,459 Average price of meal for two: 42.83 (3 courses) Price of Domestic Beer: 2.57 (0.5 liter draught) Cigarettes 20 Pack: 5.48 (Marlboro) Golf courses: 12 Average Monthly Net Salary: 2,050.62 (after tax) Landmarks: Konigsallee, Rhine Tower, Schloss Benrath Edinburgh They like: sausages in batter Population: 530,741 Average price of meal for two: 52.50 (3 courses) Price of Domestic Beer: 4.00 (0.5 liter draught) Cigarettes 20 Pack:10.00 (Marlboro)

Golf courses: 21 (at least) Average Monthly Net Salary: 1,945.35 (after tax) Landmarks: Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Arthur's Seat Sources: worldpopulationreview, Numbeo Advertisement




Pop legend Ronan Keating has revealed his plans to settle in Australia full-time with wife Storm and their one-year-old son Cooper.

The Boyzone star told New Idea he and his spouse of two years want to put down roots in Sydney - where Storm, 37, began her TV producing career.

The former X Factor Australia host, 42, is set to wow Sydney's International Convention Centre next week when his famous band embark on their farewell tour Down Under.

Putting down roots: Pop legend Ronan Keating has revealed he plans to settle Down Under full-time with wife Storm (pictured together) and their one-year-old son Cooper

Ronan said he was looking forward to returning to the Harbour City.

'I can't wait to get back ... Storm and I just love it. It's such a special place and so important to us,' he gushed.

'At some stage in my life I'll settle down in Sydney for an amount of time.'

The Irish crooner and his bandmates start their bittersweet tour, which follows the release of their seventh and final studio album Thank You & Goodnight, on Saturday.

Ronan - who has been with the iconic band since he was 16 - said he wanted to ensure their swansong performances went off without a hitch.

'I'm singing 24 songs every night. It's a huge commitment and it's a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, but it's the last time we're doing it so I want to do it right,' the 42-year-old said.

Farewell: Ronan - who has been with the iconic band since he was 16 - said he wanted to ensure their swansong performances went off without a hitch

Ronan is a proud father to Jack, 20, Missy, 17, and Ali, 13, who he shares with ex-wife Yvonne Connolly.

But Storm has taken on the role of stepmother to his children from the previous relationship.

'I feel very complete as a man, as a person. I'm very lucky to have found Storm,' he told New Idea in October.

Family: The Boyzone star said he and his wife of two years wanted to settle down in Sydney - where Storm, 37, began her TV producing career (pictured with son Cooper)

The couple married in a spectacular wedding overlooking the Scottish coast in 2015, with Ed Sheeran entertaining guests at the reception.

They tied the knot in front of 170 guests, many of which had flown in from Ireland and Australia.

Ronan has turned his talents to presenting in recent years - filling in as a guest host on British radio station Magic FM before taking on a full-time role in 2017.
She has been ultra-protective when it comes to publicizing her two children she shares with Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin.

But on Sunday, Gwyneth Paltrow broke with her usual protocol and shared a rare photo of herself with look-a-like daughter Apple Martin on Instagram.

The picturesque selfie was taken as the pair were riding a ski lift up a mountain.

Picturesque: Gwyneth Paltrow shared a rare picture of look-a-like daughter Apple Martin as the pair take a ride on a ski lift up a mountain

With the beautiful snow-filled horizon in the background, the actress flashed a big beaming smile snuggled next to her 14-year old daughter.

The Avengers star bundled up for the occasion in a navy blue hooded jacket and had her long blonde tresses pulled back into a ponytail.

Showing a flare for mystery, Apple wore reflective googles that covered part of her face and a white helmet for the ride up the mountain.

She followed her mother's lead and also donned a navy blue hooded jacket for the day on the ski slopes.

Rare glimpse: It appears the last time the actress posted a picture of Apple was in recognition to National Daughters Day in September 2018

Mother's love: The Avengers star also shared a snap of her mini-me daughter on her 14th birthday on May 14, 2018

Paltrow rarely posts photos of Apple of her two kids on social media.

It appears the last time she gave a glimpse of Apple to her 5.2 million followers was back on September 26, 2018, in recognition of National Daughters Day.

'Happy #nationaldaughtersday Apple Martin, it's like i conjured you from a dream, you make my life,' Paltrow captioned the sweet snap.

Four months earlier, the Los Angeles native posted a shot of her daughter on her 14th, May 14, 2018.

'Happy birthday, my darling girl,' Paltrow wrote in the caption.

'You make everyday feel like Christmas morning. You are the most vibrant, hilarious, twirling all over the place, beautiful (inside and out) young woman. You are an amazing thinker and an incredible songwriter. Thanks for still hanging out with me, even though you are 14.'

Apple was the first child for Paltrow and her ex-husband. They also co-parent a 12-year old son named Moses.

The former couple, who were married about 10-years, finalized their divorce in July 2016.

Paltrow has since married producer Brad Falchuk in September 2018.
Brittany Murphy played the role of ugly duckling turned into beautiful swan, Tai Frasier, in the 1995 movie, Clueless.

And after tragically passing away in 2009 in an 'accidental death' from a combination of pneumonia, anemia and multiple-drug intoxication, her former cast members are now remembering the star.

Speaking during a reunion panel at the Chicago Comic, star Alicia Silverstone could only speak kind words of the actress, revealing she was 'blown away' by her audition.

Remembering the good times: Alicia Silverstone couldn't help but praise and gush over her late Clueless co-star Brittany Murphy on Saturday, revealing she was 'blown away' by her audition

'I had to tell Amy [Heckerling] [writer/director] just in case she didn't know that Brittany Murphy was the one that had to play the part, she was so good,' she said.

She recalled: 'I love when she says, "You're a virgin who can't drive". It's just one of my favorite moments of the whole movie. It's just, her face scrunches up so good.'

Co-star Paul Rudd also shared his love for Brittany, adding even her off-screen personality was beautiful.

Impressed: 'I had to tell Amy [Heckerling] [writer/director] just in case she didn't know that Brittany Murphy was the one that had to play the part, she was so good'

Rise to fame: Murphy played the role of ugly duckling turned into beautiful swan, Tai Frasier, in the 1995 movie, Clueless; seen in December 2009

'She was a sweet person too. She was... she was just always so smiley. And sweet.'

Tai's on-screen love interest, Travis Birkenstock - played by Breckin Meyer, also praised the young star as well.

'Ridiculously talented. Like, you see Tai, and then you watch 8 Mile, and you're like, "That's the same person?".'

Altogether again: The Clueless cast all got together for a reunion in Chicago on Saturday (pictured L-R: Clare Kramer, Donald Faison, Paul Rudd, Alicia Silverstone and Breckin Meyer)

A hit: Clueless stared Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy and Stacey Dash in the coming of age film

So much love: 'Such a sweet reunion last night at dinner with my pal #PaulRudd. I love this guy! I mean he ordered vegan for both of us....Swoon'

Alicia later took to her social media accounts to pose for photos with her former co-stars.

Cuddling up to her on-screen step-brother, Paul Rudd, she said she 'loved him'.

'Such a sweet reunion last night at dinner with my pal #PaulRudd. I love this guy! I mean he ordered vegan for both of us....Swoon.'

Clueless, which is loosely based on Jane Austen's Emma, was released in 1995 and was described as a 'sleeper hit' due to it's slow success.

But, the film's theatrical run saw it gross over $56 million and went on to be made into a stage adaptation, as well as a book and TV series.
It is to be noted that Ajay runs his own VFX studio and is pretty up-to-date when it comes to technology.

Special effects have taken a toll again. Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior, based on the life of Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare, has been postponed to next year. The film was earlier slated to release later this year but actor-producer Ajay Devgn wanted better special effects to be made for the film and has therefore decided to move the release to next year.

It is to be noted that Ajay runs his own VFX studio and is pretty up-to-date when it comes to technology.

The film is primarily based on the battle of Sinhagad. There was a fort called Pratapgad, which Tanaji won for Shivaji Maharaj but lost his life in the bargain. Hence, the fort was renamed as Sinhagad, because Shivaji said, Gad aala, but simha gela (We got the fort, but lost the lion). Ajay wanted the VFX to be upgraded. He was not too enthused by what he saw even though it was a pretty decent job. Today we have international companies coming in with their big releases and the quality of the VFX output is very important. Films like Manikarnika, 2.0 and Ajays Total Dhamaal too were postponed because the makers needed upgradation on the VFX, informs our source.

The film has also been moved keeping in mind the Ajay Devgn film festival happening in the next two years when the actor will have eight releases.

Taanaji went on the floors in September last year. The film directed by Om Raut and co-starring Saif Ali Khan will now release on January 10.

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She enjoys matching with her little princess.

And on Sunday, Kim Kardashian suited up in a snakeskin print ensemble as she stepped out for a church service in Los Angeles, part of which was hosted by husband Kanye West.

The reality TV vet was joined by daughter North, whom she proudly styled in a similar snakeskin print ensemble.

Her look: On Sunday, Kim Kardashian West, 38, suited up in a snakeskin print ensemble, as she stepped out for a church service in Los Angeles, part of which was hosted by husband Kanye

The mother-of-four stayed true to her '90s style obsession, when she suited up in a boxy jacket and tiny shades.

Kim wore her long, raven-haired locks down and pin straight.

Daughter North, five, in a matching long-sleeve top and short sets. The cute little one completed her trendy outfit with a purple bow and black boots.

Matching like mom: Daughter North, five, in a matching long-sleeve top and short sets. The cute little one completed her trendy outfit with a purple bow and black boots

Accessorized: North's hair was styled in a high ponytail, complete with a purple bow

Her new frequent: Recently, Kim has been attending a Sunday meeting in a hidden away area in the hills of Los Angeles

Recently, Kim has been attending a Sunday meeting in a hidden away area in the hills of Los Angeles.

Music is led by her musician husband Kanye. Many times, his choir performs renditions of his own songs, which do not have a Christian connotation to them, thus making his performance more about himself, versus God.

The event, which has included stars like DMX taking the stage to preach, has been attended by the Hollywood elite including Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Courtney Love.

His own thing: Music is led by her musician husband Kanye. Many times, his choir performs renditions of his own songs, which do not have a Christian connotation to them, thus making his performance more about himself, versus God

The weekly attendance is a new pathway for Kim, who usually attends a service at least once a year on Easter.

Kim has been open about her church donations in the past, one of which mom Kris Jenner helped star.

'There's a charity that I work with a lot, The Dream Foundation, and my mom has helped create a church [in Calabasas], so we help fund that,' she told E! in 2011.

The star also said she donated 10% of her yearly income to the church as well.

'Whatever it [annual income] is, I give 10 percent away to the church,' she says. 'Every year, absolutely.'
They're Australia's 'most hated' couple.

And Jessika Power, 26, and Dan Webb, 35, seem to be making the most of their newfound infamy.

The 'cheating' pair behaved like rock stars while doing press rounds on Monday, as they made not one but three different outfit changes.

Dressed to impress: Jessika Power and Dan Webb (centre) changed into three different outfits in one day during a press tour in Sydney on Monday. They wore near-matching outfits for their radio interviews with Kyle and Jackie O and Fitzy and Wippa (pictured)

The duo wore near-matching outfits as they arrived at KIIS studios in Sydney followed by Nova, with Jess sporting white trousers and a bandeau top while Dan wore white jeans and a purple shirt.

Next up was the Today show, where aspiring Instagram model Jess changed into a glamorous fitted sleeveless blue dress.

Meanwhile, Gold Coast car broker Dan looked sharp in a blue blazer, white shirt and blue pants.

Outfit change: On the Today show, aspiring Instagram model Jess (right) changed into a glamorous fitted sleeveless blue dress. Meanwhile, Gold Coast car broker Dan looked sharp in a blue blazer, white shirt and blue pants

The final stop for the attention-loving pair was Today Extra, where Jess got changed again into a figure-hugging yellow dress, while Dan donned a white shirt with tight black pants.

The public fascination with Jess and Dan stems from their 'affair', which was finally revealed to their co-stars on Married at First Sight on Sunday.

The pair confessed to 'cheating' on their spouses and Jessika's 'husband', Mick Gould, 31, was reduced to tears while Dan's 'wife', Tamara Joy, 30, also broke down.

Fresh look: The final stop for the attention-loving pair was Today Extra, where Jess got changed again into a figure-hugging yellow dress, while Dan wore a white shirt with tight black pants

Viewers were further outraged after the experts allowed Jessika and Dan to stay on the show and attempt to make their relationship work.

The decision angered several other participants in the experiment.

The experts' controversial decision upset viewers and a Change.org petition was launched to ban MAFS from Channel Nine altogether.

Confession: The public fascination with Jess and Dan stems from their 'affair', which was finally revealed to their co-stars on Married at First Sight on Sunday

By Monday morning, more at least 10,000 people had signed the petition.

The hashtag 'boycottMAFS' also quickly began to gain traction on Twitter on Sunday after the scenes aired.
Grant Denyer has revealed he will not be hosting Dancing with the Stars on Monday night after he suffered a bulging disc from a DIY home project on Saturday.

The Gold Logie award winner, who has been anchoring the Channel 10 reboot with Amanda Keller, broke the news on his 2Day FM breakfast radio show on Monday.

'It was a weird little thing. To be honest it looked like I was in a calendar shoot for RM Williams,' Grant, 41, joked to his co-hosts, Ed Kavalee and Ash London during a phone conversation.

'I was slamming away with a huge sledgehammer and away it went!' Grant Denyer (right) has revealed he will not be hosting Dancing with the Stars on Monday night after he suffered a bulging disc from a DIY home project on Saturday. Pictured alongside his DWTS co-star Amanda Keller (left)

'I was down the paddock mate with my Akubra on, my flannos' (flannelette shirt), just slamming away on a star picket with a huge sledgehammer and twang - away it went,' Grant said.

The comedian, Ed attempted to clarify Grant's DIY injury, asking: 'So you were trying to hammer something into the ground with a mallet?'

To which Grant responded: 'Yes. I'm trying to grow some trees and these trees need to be held up by posts.'

Grant went on to reveal he won't be able to host DWTS on Monday evening because he 'can't quite stand or sit for long enough.'

'I was down the paddock mate with my Akubra on, my flannos' (flannelette shirt), just slamming away on a star picket with a huge sledgehammer and twang - away it went,' Grant (pictured) shared details about his DIY injury during his 2Day FM breakfast show on Monday

However Grant revealed he will return to co-host the Sydney breakfast radio show in the next 'couple of days' once he has recovered.

Earlier in the phone conversation, Grant's wife Chezzi Denyer said the former Family Feud host was admitted to hospital on Saturday afternoon.

'He's got a bulging disc. It's quite low down so the problem is when he moves from standing to sitting - he can't get comfortable,' she explained.

'There were a few flashbacks there! Especially after they gave him Morphine': Grant's wife, Chezzi Denyer (left) conceded her husband's latest accident has given her 'flashbacks' of Grant's (right) previous injuries

Chezzi conceded her husband's latest accident has given her 'flashbacks' of Grant's previous injuries.

'In hospital... yeah there were a few flashbacks there! Especially after they gave him Morphine,' she admitted to the radio hosts.

Grant recently opened up about the hallucinations he suffered while recovering from a car accident back in 2008.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia last week Grant said: 'I remember I could never distinguish my dreams from reality - or turns out, my nightmares which I was having every night.'

'I wasn't prepared for the side effects': Grant (pictured) shared details about terrifying hallucinations he suffered while recovering from a car accident

Tough times: Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia last week, Grant said: 'I remember I could never distinguish my dreams from reality - or turns out, my nightmares which I was having every night'

The new Gumtree Cars ambassador continued: 'Often the hardest part of an injury is the rehabilitation. And the medication that a hospital can put you on, often you're not prepared for the side effects.'

Despite a difficult time in hospital, Grant said he's made a full recovery and feeling better than ever.

'It really was an uncomfortable and scary experience, but thankfully I'm 100 per cent and all good now,' he said.
Following increasing speculation about the return of the highly-anticipated drama Baptiste, show bosses have confirmed they are planning on bringing back the saga for a second series.

Preparations are reportedly underway to renew the BBC One drama for another series after its open-ended series finale on Saturday night, according to The Express.

Since taking to our screens, the captivating drama set in the criminal underworld of Amsterdam's red light district and starring Tcheky Karyo, 65, as detective Julien Baptiste, has kept viewers on the edge of their seats.

A return of Baptiste: Following increasing speculation about the return of the highly-anticipated drama Baptiste, show creators are planning on bringing back the hit

However, after its dramatic yet open-ended finale on Saturday, viewers were left with the hope of another installment of the gripping tale.

Earlier this month a BBC spokesperson confirmed that the first episode of Baptiste had reached 4.6 million viewers which equated to 23.9 per cent of the overall audience.

The drama's creators and brothers Jack and Harry Williams recently described their hopes for another series.

The told Express.co.uk: 'We definitely want to do more Baptiste.

'I think in writing [Baptiste] we had some ideas about where he might go and in future series, well tell a complete trilogy.

'This is the beginning with a bigger arc for Julien and new characters. Yes, I think this is where he lives now.'

The gripping saga: The dramatic yet open-ended finale on Saturday left viewers with the hope of another installment

On a rampage: The series finale saw the detective's own son turn on him and hold a gun to his mother's head

During the series finale, fans were treated to a dramatic ending which saw the detective's own son turn on him and hold a gun to his mother's head.

The gripping tale came to a close with French detective Julian Baptiste changing his mind about his decision to retire.

Earlier during the series, fans were also left reeling after it was revealed Niels Horchner was the secret lovechild of the detective and his ex-girlfriend and police chief Martha Horchner during an explosive episode.

Secret lovechild: During one explosive episode it was revealed that Niels Horchner was the secret lovechild of the detective and his ex-girlfriend and police chief Martha Horchner

While the heart-pumping drama has achieved much success, it was unable to beat record breaking figures of The Bodyguard in 2018 which hit a whopping 10.4 million viewers on the weekend it launched.

Now with Baptiste's show creators hinting to a new lease of life for the French detective, avid fans can now watch out for the saga to return to their screens.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
Red is clearly her color, so it's only fitting that she wear it head to toe.

And on Friday, Ginnifer Goodwin looked fabulous as she stepped out at the PaleyFest panel The Twilight Zone.

The mother-of-two was styled in a long-sleeve, red jumpsuit complete with lace detailing.

Beautiful: On Friday, Ginnifer Goodwin, 40, looked fabulous as she stepped out at the PaleyFest panel for The Twilight Zone

Ginnifer added a pair of trendy pumps to her look, and skipped out on accessories.

The 40-year-old, known for her short hair, switched up her look with a nearly-shoulder length style.

The Once Upon A Time star highlighted her colored eyes with dramatic lashes, which she paired with a soft neutral lip.

Her outfit of the day: The mother-of-two was styled in a long-sleeve, red jumpsuit complete with lace detailing

Beauty: The Once Upon A Time star highlighted her colored eyes with dramatic lashes, which she paired with a soft neutral lip

Glowing: Twilight Zone executive producer Audrey Chon dressed up her baby bump in a Pink Floyd T-shirt and a black blazer

The PaleyFest event paired two of televisions latest reboots - The Twilight Zone and Star Trek: Discovery - together for one panel.

Star Trek: Discovery, based on the late 1960's version, and is set to air on Amazon Prime.

Meanwhile, the newest version of The Twilight Zone, based on the late '50s-early '60s version, is set to premiere on the streaming service from CBS, CBS All Access.

Having fun: Star Trek star Doug Jones, 58, gave a playful expression while on the blue carpet

Big night: Executive producer Simon Kinberg, 45, stepped out to celebrate his show, The Twilight Zone

Trendy: Twilight star Sanaa Lathan, 47, looked stylish in a white satin dress layered underneath a black leather blazer, while DeWanda Wise, 34, rocked a unique, colorful dress that fit perfectly for spring. Mary Chieffo, 26, kept warm in a grey dress and dark pants

Twilight star Sanaa Lathan, 47, looked stylish in a white satin dress layered underneath a black leather blazer.

Star Trek star Doug Jones, 58, gave a playful expression while on the blue carpet.

Wilson Cruz, 45, layered a white T-shirt underneath a red pantsuit.

Coordinating: Steven Yeun, 35, sported a casual maroon suit, while Sonequa Martin-Green, 34, looked great in a satin, striped jumpsuit

Pretty: Taissa Farmiga, 24,tucked in a black top into a classic animal print skirt. The young actress topped off her look with dark liner and a bold red lip

Looking sharp: Twilight Zone EP Win Rosenfeld dressed up his sweater and skinny jeans look with a black blazer, while Ike Barinholtz, 42, showed off New York-inspired style with a tan blazer. Comedian Tig Notaro, 48, paired a set of plaid pants with a black dress shirt

Jordan Peele, known for films Get Out and Us, will be doing the voice over for the newest version of The Twilight Zone.

Adam Scott, 45, will star as the lead in The Twilight Zone remake, alongside Sanaa Lathan.

Meanwhile, Ginnifer Goodwin will also be starring in the Twilight Zone remake, but her role is unknown.

His big night: Jordan Peele, known for films Get Out and Us, will be doing the voice over for the newest version of The Twilight Zone

Leaving Parks behind! Adam Scott, 45, will star as the lead in The Twilight Zone remake, alongside Sanaa Lathan
They're the fiercely private couple who made their romance official in November.

And it seems Australian actor Joel Edgerton, 44, is still going strong with his Vogue fashion director girlfriend, Christine Centenera.

In a rare public sighting, the lovebirds were seen going for a swim at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Saturday morning.

It's going swimmingly! Joel Edgerton and his girlfriend Christine Centenera were spotted at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Saturday morning

Stripping down to their swimwear, the genetically-blessed duo looked in relaxed spirits as they went for a swim together.

Christine, who is known for her sense of style, flaunted her slender physique in a daring swimsuit with black and white stripes.

The one-piece featured a plunging scoop neckline and high-cut design that highlighted her toned thighs.

Hot couple alert! The genetically-blessed duo looked in relaxed spirits as they went for a swim

Oh so chic! Christine, who is known for her sense of style, flaunted her slender physique in a daring swimsuit with black and white stripes

Feeling fresh! Showcasing her flawless complexion, Christine went makeup free for the outing

Feels good to be home! Meanwhile, LA-based Joel made the most of Sydney's warm autumn weather by stripping down to a pair of patterned boardshorts

Showcasing her flawless complexion, Christine went makeup free for the occasion and styled her shoulder-length hair loosely.

Meanwhile, LA-based Joel made the most of Sydney's warm autumn weather by stripping down to a pair of patterned boardshorts.

The filmmaker, who recently hinted that he wanted to move back to Australia permanently, also wore several woven bracelets.

Daring: Christine's swimsuit featured a high-cut design that highlighted her toned thighs

Hands off approach! Unlike many other couples in the spotlight, Christine and Joel are not known for being overly affectionate in public - and Saturday was no exception

Unlike many other couples in the spotlight, Christine and Joel are not known for being overly affectionate in public - and Saturday was no exception.

While they appeared to share a lively conversation, they did not kiss or cuddle in front of other beachgoers.

After emerging from the ocean together, Joel and Christine swiftly picked up their belongings and wrapped themselves in towels.

Well, she is a fashion guru! Christine accessorised with several white hoop earrings

Hanging loose! Christine styled her should-length brunette hair loosely

Just in case! Christine kept an emergency hair-band wrapped around her wrist

Later, Joel was seen darting off to a local cafe, before returning with a takeaway beverage for his ladylove.

The low-key couple then carried their belongings down the sand before making their way home together.

The pair first sparked romance rumours last year, when they were pictured hugging in Sydney. Not long after, they were spotted having dinner together in London.

Roots: Joel is based in LA but often flies to his Australian homeland to visit friends and family

Brr! At one stage, Joel looked a little chilly as he waded through the shallow water

Just the two of us! The low-key couple were seen chatting on the sand as they dressed together

In mid-February this year, Joel stepped out to support Christine at her Wardrobe.NYC concept store opening in New York City.

The Loving star recently told The Daily Telegraph that he plans to spend more time in his native Australia in the future.

'My focus next is about what I can make at home so that I can celebrate two of my favourite things: being at home and making stuff so that I am not always away,' he said.

Always stylish! After her ocean swim, Christine wrapped up in a black and white beach towel that perfectly matched her swimsuit

You shouldn't have! Joel was seen quickly darting off to a local cafe, before returning with a takeaway beverage for his ladylove
Jacqueline Jossa has spoken out against internet trolls who have sent her cruel comments about her appearance and personal life.

The actress, 26, took to Instagram and shared a video where she revealed she turned off comments on her pictures due to abusive messages she received.

She said: 'You might have noticed that I have turned the comments off on my pictures.

Honest: Jacqueline Jossa has spoken out against internet trolls who have sent her cruel comments about her appearance and personal life

'Sometimes all the comments and what people say to me gets to me a little bit too much. Im not ashamed to admit that I don't like reading horrible stuff about myself.'

Jacqueline added that people are not subjected to insults by strangers on the street so she doesn't understand why it happens online.

She said: 'You dont get constant different people coming up to you on the street saying "youve put on weight, you were so much better looking when you didnt have kids or when you first came on to Eastenders", or, "youve gone downhill, no wonder your husband doesnt wanna be with you", and stuff like that.

'I get that on a daily basis and it does hurt, everything that people say to me hurts and its not nice.'

Trolls: The actress, 26, took to Instagram and shared a video where she revealed she turned off comments on her pictures due to abusive messages she received

The EastEnders star said she did not like the idea of her children growing up in a world where people send each other abusive messages online.

She said: 'We are not in a great world. I've got children and I don't want them to grow up in this scary place. I've just turned it off because I don't want to hear it.

'There are certain aspects of my life that I dont want to talk about. I dont want to be told Im fat and ugly, okay?'

She said: 'You might have noticed that I have turned the comments off on my pictures

She added: 'Sometimes all the comments and what people say to me gets to me a little bit too much. Im not ashamed to admit that I don't like reading horrible stuff about myself'

Family: Jacqueline added that people are not subjected to insults by strangers on the street so she doesn't understand why it happens online

It comes after it was said Jacqueline was fuming after reports surfaced claiming her husband Dan Osborne shared a kiss with Love Island's Alexandra Cane earlier this month, which both of them denied.

The beauty decided to take a break this week when she jetted off on a well-deserved getaway to the Culloden Estate and Spa in Bangor, Ireland.

In pictures obtained by The Sun, the EastEnders actress was seen arriving at London City Airport with her suitcases to hand with a friend.

The glamorous mum-of-two left her children Mia and Ella in the care of their father and her husband Dan while she took some much needed respite time.

Dan relished in the extra time with his children as he whisked the girls and his son Teddy, whom he shares with his ex Megan, to Legoland in Windsor.
He broke down in tears after his 'wife' Jessika Power admitted to 'cheating' on him during Sunday's episode of Married at First Sight.

But on Monday, Mick Gould, 31, looked relieved to be back in Brisbane as he moves on with his life after the show.

The Gympie-based plasterer smiled as he picked up breakfast on his way to work and a source told Daily Mail Australia that he's feeling a mixture of emotions.

Moving on! Married at First Sight's Mick Gould looked relieved to be back home in Brisbane on Monday as he picked up breakfast on his way to work after Sunday's dramatic episode

'He is feeling relieved that he can move on from the show,' the insider said.

'He is very disenchanted with how it was all just for ratings as opposed to his best interests at heart.'

The hobby farm owner looked relaxed in paint-splattered work clothes and boots as he tucked into a meat pie.

Tucking in: The Gympie plasterer tucked into a breakfast roll and soft drink

His calm demeanour was a stark contrast to how he was during Sunday's commitment ceremony on MAFS.

During the episode, Mick's 'wife' Jessika, 26, confessed to having an 'affair' with another 'groom', Dan Webb, 35, which reduced Mick to tears.

'I've f***ing wasted my time. Unbelievable. To think at one stage I actually bloody liked you,' Mick fumed.

Smitten: Meanwhile, as Mick stepped out on a solo outing,his 'ex' Jessika Power flaunted her romance with Dan Webb, 35, on the same day during a press tour in Sydney

'Now this all makes sense. You dragged me here and made me look like an idiot and go f***ing mental so you could play footsie with him and bloody flirt with him. You are a selfish brat. You spoilt b***h!'

Dan's 'wife' Tamara Joy, 30, was equally as furious and at one point, broke down in tears.

'You're a liar. Everybody convinced me to stay and now I feel like a complete f***head!' she screamed.

Furious: Mick blasted Jess after she confessed to cheating with Dan. 'Now this all makes sense. You dragged me here and made me look like an idiot and go f***ing mental so you could play footsie with him and bloody flirt with him. You are a selfish brat. You spoilt b***h!' he yelled

'I don't care that you were together. It's the lying, the manipulating, not only to me but to everybody, its bulls**t. We're adults. Grow the f**k up. Seriously. If that's how you felt, speak to me about it.'

Despite the scandal, the relationship experts allowed Jess and Dan to stay in the experiment which sparked outrage among viewers.

The experts' controversial decision upset viewers and a Change.org petition was launched to ban MAFS from Channel Nine altogether.

By Monday morning, more than 10,000 people had signed the petition.
She's earned an army of devoted followers during her controversial appearance on Married at First Sight.

And now Jessika Power has revealed an 'obsessed' male fan has gone so far as to tattoo her face on his body.

'I had someone tattoo my face on himself,' the blonde, 27, admitted on Monday's Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'It's very dark!' MAFS Jessika Power revealed on the Kyle & Jackie O Show on Monday that an 'obsessed' fan has a tattoo of her face on his body

Jessica described the design as a 'a big picture of me in a nuns outfit with my big fake lips'.

She said: 'It's a very dark little thing going on there.'

Kyle and Jackie O shared a photograph of the tattoo on their Instagram page on Monday, and the design depicts Jessika in a nun's outfit with blood coming out of her nose. The word 'sinners' is scrawled across the bottom of the inking.

It comes after the blonde fell victim to terrifying death threats on Instagram in the wake of her scandalous affair withe Daniel Webb on Married At First Sight, sparking security fears.

Unsettled: Jessika appeared shaken after revealing the details of the tattoo on the radio program

During an interview with Fitzy & Wippa on Monday, she said: 'I wake up to a flurry of inboxes. Most of the time, people are like, "I hope you get a noose and hang it around your neck and video it. You're a disgrace to humankind".'

Jessika explained that she blocks most of the abusive DMs, but she does read some of them after being tricked into believing they are messages of support.

'I don't generally read it, I normally go "decline all",' she added.

Scandal! For weeks, Jessika and Dan (pictured) were involved in an illicit romance on Married At First Sight behind their partners' backs. The whole affair was exposed on Sunday's episode, when Jessika announced during the commitment ceremony that she was dating Dan

'But these people are quite sneaky, they write "lots of love" at the end of [the message] so you open it thinking it's nice and then it's horrible!'

Jessika sensationally announced during Sunday night's commitment ceremony that she had been embarking on an affair with Dan, 35, behind their partner's back.

She was 'married' to Mick Gould on the show while Dan was matched with Tamara Joy.

And despite leaving their respective 'spouses' in floods of tears over their betrayal, the duo were permitted to remain in the experiment as a new 'married couple.'
It was the final commitment ceremony of Australia's most controversial social experiment.

And while the rest of the Married At First Sight stars dressed up for the occasion, true blue Gympie plasterer Mick Gould not only opted to wear thongs, but removed them halfway through the show.

Fans took to Twitter to praise the 31-year-old for the hilarious move.

'At this point he can't even be bothered to wear shoes!': Married At First Sight fans praised lovable groom Mick Gould for taking off his thongs during Sunday's commitment ceremony and going barefoot

One fan Tweeted, 'Mick just showing up in shorts, a casual shirt and thongs when everyone else is dressed up is my favourite thing. How could you not love Mick?'

Another joked, 'At this point Mick cant even be bothered wearing shoes.'

While the farmer may have started the evening on the front foot, it wasn't long before the tension got the better of him when 'wife' Jessika confessed her feelings for co-star Daniel Webb.

Breaking down in tears, Mick furiously branded Jess a 'selfish, spoilt brat' after she revealed she'd been meeting up with Daniel behind his back in Sunday night's commitment ceremony.

He started sobbing when the 27-year-old Instagram model admitted to feeling 'giddy' when she was around Daniel, muttering: 'Ive f**king wasted my time. Unbelievable. To think at one stage I actually bloody liked you.'

Not bothered! Another joked, 'At this point Mick cant even be bothered wearing shoes'

Iconic: Fans couldn't get enough of Mick's hilarious move

Lovable: Mick has become a lovable character on the show and viewers have sided with him after his wife Jessika Power 'cheated' on him with Daniel Webb

Bless him: One fan Tweeted, 'Mick just showing up in shorts, a casual shirt and thongs when everyone else is dressed up is my favourite thing. How could you not love Mick?'

In the same explosive episode, Mick caused a stir on social media by writing 'leave' 19 times on his card at the commitment ceremony.

It was his dedication to scrawling the word repeatedly on his card in a manic fashion that had fans taking to Twitter in droves to make hilarious memes and comments about the situation.

One person Tweeted sarcastically: 'Looking at Mick's card I can't quite tell if he wants to stay or leave. Just not clear enough'.

Does this mean he wants to stay? Fans also flooded Twitter with hilarious memes and comments when Mick wrote 'leave' 19 times on his card at the commitment ceremony

Another fan wrote: 'He wrote leave 10,000 times. One for every level of horrible Jess is'.

Yet another viewer at home Tweeted: 'Haha at Mick writing LEAVE a million times on the page'.

After unsuccessfully trying to leave 'wife' Jessika for three weeks in a row, Mick finally exited the show on Sunday night.

But the Queensland farmer was forced to desperately scribble 'leave' 19 times on his decision card, hoping Jessika would finally agree to end their 'marriage'.

Enough! Mick broke down during the controversial episode, snapping at wife Jessika, 'Ive f**king wasted my time. Unbelievable. To think at one stage I actually bloody liked you', when he found out about her affair with Daniel

'I've made it abundantly clear to Jess that I don't want to be with her and I don't want to be her friend,' Mick said of his 'wife,' who has since moved on with fellow 'groom' Daniel.

Despite the scandal, the relationship experts allowed Jess and Daniel to stay in the experiment which sparked outrage among viewers.

The experts' controversial decision upset viewers and a Change.org petition was launched to ban MAFS from Channel Nine altogether.

By Monday morning, more than 10,000 people had signed the petition.

Married At First Sight continues Monday 7.30pm on Channel Nine
Her body was returned at the Kochi airport early on Monday.

Ansi Alibava, 25, was the first of at least five Indians shot dead by a white supremacist in New Zealand on March 15 to be repatriated. (Photo: AFP)

New Delhi: The body of a student from Kerala killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks was returned today to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies.

Ansi Alibava, 25, was the first of at least five Indians shot dead by a white supremacist in New Zealand on March 15 to be repatriated.

Her body was returned at the Kochi airport early on Monday, an AFP photographer present said.

The family planned to hold a funeral ceremony for the masters student in their nearby hometown of Kodungallur.

Ansi Alibava was praying at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch with her husband, Abdul Nazer, when the Australian gunman opened fire on worshippers, killing 43.

Another seven were murdered at a separate mosque when the shooter later turned his weapon on Muslims there in the worst violence of its kind ever seen in New Zealand.

Some families have opted for burials in Christchurch itself, where a national remembrance service for the victims will be held on Friday, two weeks after the tragedy that shocked the world.

Born into a middle-class family in Kerala's Kodungallur, Ms Alibava started supporting her family after her father died five years ago in Saudi Arabia where he had been working.

She took thousands of dollars in loans to fund her studies in business agriculture at Christchurch's Lincoln University.

Ansi Alibava's cousin, P.H. Niyas, told AFP the dedicated student was soon to finish her studies.

"She had gone there last year, the course was due to finish by April. There was to be a six-month training (course) after which she was to return home by December," said Niyas.

Ms Alibava also worked part-time at a supermarket with her husband Nazer, who she married two years ago.

On March 15, they went to the Al Noor Mosque and sat separately in the men and women's sections.

When gunfire broke out, Abdul Nazer managed to flee through an emergency exit but his wife did not make it.

When he returned to look for her, Mr Nazer found his young wife motionless and face down, according to Indian media reports.

He was officially informed of her death 24 hours after the massacre.

Another Indian family who lost relatives in the attack opted for burial in Christchurch.

Father and son Asif Vora and Rameez Vora hailed from Gujarat, and were visiting family in New Zealand when they were killed.

"They decided to perform the last rites there itself," a community leader, Zuber Goplani, told AFP.

The body of another victim also from Gujarat, Maheboob Khokhar, was expected to be returned to India this week, his family said.
Channel Seven appears to have subscribed to the 'sex sells' business model once again this week.

The network is gaining a reputation for broadcasting risque content at lunchtime.

On Monday, it aired another raunchy midday movie about one woman's real-life Fifty Shades of Grey experience.

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Sex sells! Channel Seven airs raunchy midday movie about one woman's real-life Fifty Shades of Grey experience after months of broadcasting risque content. Pictured: a scene from The Secret Sex Life Of A Single Mom (2014) that was broadcast between 12-2pm on Channel Seven

The Secret Sex Life Of A Single Mom (2014) screened in the 12pm weekday time slot.

It follows a mother-of-two, Delaine (played by Ashley Jones), who explores her sexual liberation through online dating after divorcing her verbally and emotionally abusive husband.

While the film no doubt raises eyebrows with its nudity and swearing, the broadcast is unlikely to upset industry watchdogs.

Under the existing Code of Practice for Australian free-to-air television, any material classified M can be aired on school days between 12pm and 3pm.

Interestingly, the tele-movie is based on a true story about Delaine Moore, a mother-of-three from Calgary, Canada.

She penned a book titled, The Secret Sex Life of a Single Mom about her X-rated escapades that involved going to a sex club and being handcuffed in a California hotel room by a stranger she met online.

Hot mama: The Secret Sex Life Of A Single Mom (2014) screened in the 12pm weekday time slot and follows a mother-of-two, Delaine (pictured) who explores her sexual liberation through online dating after divorcing her verbally and emotionally abusive husband

In November last year, the Seven Network aired another racy movie, this time broadcasting the 2016 Lifetime film Manson's Lost Girls.

It adds to the list of racy films Seven has screened during a midday weekday time slot in recent months, after it aired Borderline back in early November.

Manson's Lost Girls follows Linda, a young woman who is lured into notorious serial killer Charles Manson's cult during the 1960s.

Shortly after arriving at the Spahn Ranch hippie commune, Linda meets Tex, another one of Manson's followers.

Here we go again! Channel Seven aired another raunchy midday movie in November last year. Pictured: A scene from Manson's Lost Girls (2016) that was broadcast between 12pm and 2pm

Racy: Manson's Lost Girls follows Linda, a young woman who is lured into notorious serial killer Charles Manson's cult during the 1960s. In one scene, she has sex with male cult member Tex

Hot and steamy: The Lifetime movie is just one of many similarly risque films the network has shown in recent months during the 12pm weekday time slot

And it's not long before Linda and Tex end up in the bedroom.

They enjoy a steamy sex session, before curling up in bed together and discussing their shared enthusiasm for the teachings of Manson.

'He knows stuff about the world, about life, about what it means, why we're really here...He's full of love,' Tex tells the seemingly naive Linda.

Despite airing in the middle of the day, the film does not appear to have breached the commercial television Code of Practice.

Loophole? Despite airing in the middle of the day, Manson's Lost Girls does not appear to breach the commercial television Code of Practice

Manson's Lost Girls stars MacKenzie Mauzy as Linda.

The 30-year-old actress is known for her roles in films such as Into the Woods and Girls' Night Out.

It also stars Christian Madsen as Tex while Jeff Ward plays the enigmatic Manson.
Married At First Sight's Jessika Power and Dan Webb wasted no time getting intimate following the end of their respective 'marriages' on Sunday night.

After refraining from having sex during their 'affair' out of respect to their partners, the couple slept together for the first time during Monday's episode.

During a romantic night in a Sydney hotel, Dan, 35, declared he'd been 'fighting urges' before climbing on top of Jessika, 27, in bed.

'I've been fighting urges' MAFS' Dan Webb and Jessika Power got X-rated during Monday's episode as they slept together for the first time

'I've been fighting urges to obviously be with Jess from day one,' said Dan, before stripping down to his underwear and joining his girlfriend in the dimly lit room.

'So I'm definitely getting intimate with Jess tonight to top off a perfect day.'

The muscle-clad hunk then mounted the blonde beauty, who attempted to pull a doona over them as they started kissing.

No more Mick Gould or Tamara Joy in the way! After refraining from having sex during their 'affair' out of respect to their partners, the couple finally got it on

'I've been fighting urges to obviously be with Jess from day one,' said Dan, before stripping down to his underwear and joining his girlfriend in the dimly lit Sydney hotel room

Before heading to bed, the couple had spent the day sailing around Sydney Harbour before Dan surprised his lover with a night in a hotel.

'Dan is the guy that really keeps on giving,' boasted Jessika.

'He has really pulled out all of the stops today. Where has this guy come from? I don't think I have ever had a man ever do this stuff for me.'

What a gent! Before heading to bed, the couple had spent the day sailing around Sydney Harbour before Dan surprised his lover with a night in a hotel

A preview for Tuesday's episode later revealed the couple did indeed consummate their relationship.

'We are so connected on an emotional level,' grinned Dan, the morning after.

'You could say it was making love not having sex, definitely.'

Married At First Sight continues Tuesday 7.30pm on Channel Nine

'You could say it was making love not having sex, definitely': A preview for Tuesday's episode later revealed the couple did indeed consummate their relationship




Jessika Power has taken a stab at fellow Married At First Sight 'cheater' Sam Ball after he sensationally claimed that his 'affair' with Ines Basic was staged.

Speaking to HIT105s Stav, Abby and Matt on Monday, the feisty blonde accused Sam of throwing Ines under the bus and urged him to 'own' his mistakes.

'Sam did her (Ines) dirty, so everything she's saying is the absolute truth and Sam is just doing a dirty. I dont know why. Maybe hes embarrassed, maybe hes not coping with the hate too much,' she said.

'Own your mistakes!' Jessika Power (left) slammed fellow 'cheater' Sam Ball (right) during an interview with HIT105s Stav, Abby and Matt on Monday

'But own your mistakes! Dan and I are owning our mistakes and were owning our wrongdoings. Hes not doing that,' Jessika lamented.

'Hes putting it back on acting and he's putting it back on producers and hes saying this didnt happen and that didnt happen. Just own it Sam!' she added.

Days earlier, aspiring actor Sam told Fitzy & Wippa that elements of his 'affair' with Ines Basic were scripted by producers.

'Dan and I are owning our mistakes and were owning our wrong-doings': Jessika (right) insisted that she and Dan (left) made the right decision to accept the blame for their 'affair', and encouraged Sam to do the same

In his first radio interview in months, the 26-year-old tradesman revealed he was told what to say during the pair's secret rendezvous.

Sam claimed that after repeating the producers' suggested lines, situations would naturally 'progress' towards a storyline.

This extraordinary admission appears to prove that Ines and Sam's 'affair' would not have happened without behind-the-scenes intervention.

Storyline exposed! Days earlier, aspiring actor Sam (right) told Fitzy & Wippa that elements of his 'affair' with Ines Basic (left) were scripted by producers

'It was definitely pushed and manipulated': Sam (pictured) claimed that after repeating the producers' suggested lines, situations would naturally 'progress' towards a storyline

Of course, in the program's final edit, the relationship was shown developing naturally as both contestants found themselves in unhappy marriages.

'It was definitely pushed and manipulated. Like the whole show, we all know it's not completely real,' Sam said, adding that he and Ines never even had sex.

Casting further doubt on the rumours, Sam said he and Ines wore microphones the entire time, with a camera crew waiting outside.

Ines responded to Sam's claims hours later, sharing a screenshot of a Daily Mail Australia article about the interview, alongside the caption: 'Yeah, producers made you [perform a sex act] for four hours, hun. Yeah OK.'
Married At First Sight's Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli clashed over the future of their relationship on Monday night.

With the social experiment nearing an end, the uncertainly ahead filled Martha, 30, with doubts, which she confessed to her 'husband'.

'I don't know if we're strong enough for this,' said Martha, while reminding Michael, 27, that the couple live interstate in the real world.

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'I don't know if we're strong enough for this' MAFS' Martha Kalifatidis (right) and Michael Brunelli (left) clashed over the future of their 'marriage' on Monday as he questioned her commitment to him

Away from the show, Martha works a makeup artist in Sydney's Bondi, while Michael works as a full-time PE teacher in Melbourne.

'My problem is out of the experiment, what's going to happen? We live interstate and that's the only thing I'm scared about,' explained Martha.

'These are the things that are going to test us and I feel like we haven't truly been tested yet.'

'Out of the experiment, what's going to happen? We live interstate and that's the only thing I'm scared about,' explained Martha, who lives in Sydney, to Melbourne-based Michael

'Things will change, but I'm focused on the positives': The beauty then grew frustrated with Michael failing to see a problem, and remaining optimistic about their future

The beauty then grew frustrated with Michael failing to see a problem, and remaining optimistic about their future.

'Things will change, but I'm focused on the positives,' said Michael.

Continuing their discussion, Martha added: 'When you go back to work you're going to be working full time and you can't just come and see me.

'The reality of it is babe, it's not f***ing fun when you don't live with your husband.'

Too much! Michael was angry at Martha's comments, hitting back, 'If you're not confident and don't think that feelings can develop because we live in different states, what are we doing?'

Becoming angry himself, Michael snapped: 'If you're not confident and don't think that feelings can develop because we live in different states, what are we doing?'

Martha responded: 'Deep down, in my heart of hearts, I do trust you completely and I do have hope and I do have hope, and I believe it can work.'

But speaking to producers afterwards, it appeared she still had doubts.

'I don't know if he understands what we're getting into?' she concluded.

'Long distance is hard, full stop.'

Married At First Sight continues Tuesday 7.30pm on Channel Nine
She's only the second woman to be appointed chair of the ABC, but Ita Buttrose said she was more concerned about ageism when she accepted the prestigious position.

In an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly this month, the 77-year-old media mogul said she hopes her new appointment will inspire other older women.

'I hope my recent appointment as chair of the ABC will encourage other older women to realise there are still mountains to climb and you shouldn't put a blinker on yourself,' she told the publication.

Boss lady: She's only the second woman to be appointed chair of the ABC, but Ita Buttrose said she was more concerned about ageism when she accepted the prestigious position. Pictured at the press conference announcing her appointment in Sydney in February

'I always say to people, don't put blinkers on yourself. Don't put blinkers on when you're a young woman, but you shouldn't put them on when you're older either.

'Just because you're older doesn't mean you're not accomplished. It doesn't mean you can't achieve. You've got to believe in yourself.'

In February, it was announced Ita had signed a five-year contract as chair of the ABC following a long and illustrious career in the Australia media.

'I hope my recent appointment as chair of the ABC will encourage other older women to realise there are still mountains to climb,' she told The Australian Women's Weekly. Pictured at the AO Inspirational Series Brunch in Melbourne in January

She is only the second woman to be chosen for the position, after Dame Leonie Kramer in 1982.

And after defying gender stereotypes time and time again throughout her career, Ita believes her latest role proves people shouldn't be limited by age either.

The former editor has been vocal in the past about ageism, saying she believes Australia needs to revise its attitude towards the ageing population.

Standing confident: 'Just because you're older doesn't mean you're not accomplished. It doesn't mean you can't achieve. You've got to believe in yourself,' she said. Pictured at the launch of the Australia Day program in Sydney in January 2014

In a 2014 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Ita said older Australians should be revered by the greater working community.

'Given our ageing population and declining welfare purse, we should be encouraging mature age workers to stay in the workforce, not precluding them, and valuing them for the knowledge, wisdom and experience they can bring to the workplace,' she said at the time.

'It's time we stopped thinking that life stops at 65 and recognise that older people make an important contribution to our society.'
Married At First Sight's 'cheating' pair Jessika Power 27, and Daniel Webb, 35, were controversially allowed to re-enter the show as a couple during Sunday's episode.

Now, the MAFS lovebirds have raised some serious questions about whether they're continuing their TV journey for love or fame.

On Monday, the Perth model and the Gold Coast single dad were caught getting into a car with paparazzo Liam Mendes after their Channel Nine television appearance in Sydney.

In it for love...or fame? MAFS couple Jessika Power (right) and Daniel Webb (left) are busted hastily getting into a car with paparazzo Liam Mendes after morning TV appearance in Sydney

The reality TV couple were busted loading their stuff into the car of the 23-year-old Sydney snapper, who previously had an unsuccessful AVO launched against him by Michelle Bridges.

Jess and Dan followed an unusual route after an appearance at Nine Honey's studios, leaving the premises by taxi and travelling to the Mantra hotel in Sydney's Chatswood.

According to an onlooker, the couple then backtracked to the Meriton Suites, North Sydney and 'hid in the lobby' before being escorted by staff to Liam's car.

Spotted! Jess, clad in a skin-tight baby blue dress, was seen sitting in a silver vehicle with Liam while her beau, Dan loaded his suitcase into the boot

Busted! Things took a turn when Liam, who was seated in the driver's seat, turned around and spotted another photographer capturing photographs of him with the MAFS stars

The great escape: Seconds later, Jess and Dan were seen hastily fleeing the car and the loading dock with their belongings

See ya! Jess was pictured promptly shutting the car door while her boyfriend, Dan, who wore a white button-up shirt and jeans, was seen waving goodbye to Liam

Jess, clad in a skin-tight baby blue dress, was seen sitting in a silver vehicle with Liam while her beau, Dan loaded his suitcase into the boot.

Things took a turn when Liam, who was seated in the driver's seat, turned around and spotted another photographer capturing photos of him with the MAFS stars.

Seconds later, Jess and Dan were seen hastily fleeing the car and the loading dock with their belongings.

Welcome: After being spotted, the pair made their way into the foyer of the Meriton hotel in Sydney

Hotel hang outs: Jess and Dan were seen together in the Meriton foyer in Sydney on Monday

Waiting: Jess and Dan were seen outside the lifts with a hotel staffer on Monday

Smitten: Jess was seen grabbing Dan's muscular arm as they waited outside the lift at the Meriton suites

Tender touch: Dan then grabbed Jess' arm while they waited in the foyer

Loved-up: Jess and Dan continued to put on an amorous display in Meriton hotel foyer on Monday

Jess was pictured promptly shutting the car door while her boyfriend, Dan, who wore a white button-up shirt and jeans, was seen waving goodbye to Liam.

The lovebirds then proceeded to make their way back into the foyer of the Meriton.

Soon after, the couple jumped into a taxi and hastily travelled back to the Mantra, where they are currently staying while in Sydney.

Beaming in blue! Jess, clad in a skin-tight baby blue dress was in high spirits

Couple: Jess and Dan were seen walking alongside each other in Sydney on Monday

Accessories: Jess was seen holding her smartphone and a trendy handbag as she strut through Sydney

Nine represent: Jess and Dan were seen leaving the Channel Nine studios with a Nine logo umbrella

Channel Nine HQ: Jess and Dan pictured outside the Channel Nine HQ in Sydney on Monday

Together: Jessica walked under the open Channel Nine branded umbrella alongside her beau, Dan

Confident: The blonde bombshell looked every inch the rising star as she confidently flicked her flaxen-haired tousled waves to the side while stepping out of the vehicle

Nailed it: The blonde reality TV star was seen closing the car door with aplomb

Posing: The Perth model showed off her slim figure in a skin-tight blue dress

The blonde bombshell looked every inch the rising star during the sighting as she confidently flicked her flaxen-haired tousled waves to the side.

During Sunday's episode of MAFS, 'cheating' couple Jessika and Dan were sensationally allowed to re-enter the experiment together as a new couple.

Because of the distance between them (Jessika is based in Perth, while Dan lives on the Gold Coast) they said that they needed to stay on the show to get to know each other properly.

Historic: During Sunday's episode of MAFS, 'cheating' couple Jessika and Dan were sensationally allowed to re-enter the experiment together

Shock result: The relationship experts told Jessika and Dan they could remain in the experiment. Meanwhile their betrayed spouses, Mick Gould and Tamara Joy, left the program in tears

After holding crisis talks, the relationship experts John Aiken, Mel Schilling and Trisha Stratford told Jessika and Dan they could remain in the experiment.

Meanwhile, their betrayed spouses, Mick Gould and Tamara Joy, left the program in tears.

However, the MAFS couple later said they 'don't care' what anyone thinks of them.

Speaking about the backlash, Jessika, 27, told TV WEEK on Monday: 'I don't really care. With anything we go through, as long as we have each other's backs, it doesn't matter. We know what happened and how we feel. That's all that's important to us.'

Married At First Sight continues Monday at 7:30pm on Channel Nine
Married at First Sight's Cyrell Paule has spoken out after she was pictured kissing Love Island Australia's Eden Dally in Sydney.

The smooch between the pair was revealed in photos published by New Idea on Monday, and the 29-year-old told fans to 'settle down' about the hook up.

Taking to Instagram Stories on Monday, the fiery bride wrote: 'Yeah we had dinner and yeah I kissed him'.

'I didn't steal him and he wasn't married so settle down': Married at First Sight's Cyrell Paule (pictured) spoke out in an Instagram post on Monday after she was caught on a steamy date with Love Island's Eden Dally

She went on: 'But I didn't steal him and he wasn't married so settle down'.

Cyrell may have been referring to talk that Eden was linked to her rival Jessika Power in recent weeks.

Last month, Eden was rumoured to be dating Jessika, when the pair were pictured cuddling up on Instagram, however, the 26-year-old denied romance rumours.

'This is ridiculous! Me and Eden are not together, we are friends,' Jessika told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

Romance? Cyrell was pictured kissing Eden Dally (pictured) in Sydney. Taking to Instagram Stories on Monday, the fiery bride wrote: 'Yeah we had dinner and yeah I kissed him. But I didn't steal him and he wasn't married so settle down'

Rumour mill: Last month, Eden was rumoured to be dating Cyrell's rival Jessika Power (left)

Fiery 'bride' Cyrell, who recently split with 'husband' Nic Jovanovic on the show, put on an amorous display with Eden after a date at Milky Lane, earlier this month.

A source told the magazine that the pair met at Jules Robinson's 37th birthday in Double Bay and then spent time together a few days later.

'They could barely keep their hands off each other,' a source said.

'They rushed out of the restaurant and couldn't stop kissing on the street. They looked like they were in a rush to get home.'

Over: Cyrell's frisky night out comes one week after she and her 'husband' Nic Jovanovic, 28, (right) ended their marriage during the commitment ceremony on MAFS

Messy split: Eden previously dated his Love Island Australia co-star, Erin Barnett (right), however they split in September after three months of dating

Another insider claimed Cyrell, 29, has 'had an attraction to Eden ever since she saw him on Love Island last year'.

Cyrell's frisky night out comes one week after she and her 'husband' Nic, 28, ended their 'marriage' during the commitment ceremony on MAFS.

Eden previously dated his Love Island Australia co-star, Erin Barnett, however they split in September after three months of dating.

Another one bites the dust: More recently, he ended his brief romance with Imogen Anthony's best friend, Katie Lewis, last month.
They are BFFs and joined The Only Way Is Essex cast together in 2016.

So it's no wonder Courtney Green, 23, and her BFF Chloe Meadows, 26, shared throwback bikini-clad snaps from their Thailand getaway with the TOWIE cast on Sunday.

In a sultry snap, Courtney exhibited her incredible curves in a nude semi-sheer bikini and she sexily readjusted her revealing briefs while she knelt on the seat.

Sheer delight: TOWIE's Courtney Green slipped into a revealing nude bikini in Thailand snap as bikini-clad BFF Chloe Meadows posted sizzling throwback photo shared on Sunday

A colourful gem encrusted headband pulled her brunette straight locks back and two pendants hung around her neck.

Against a backdrop of tropical palm trees, the TOWIE bombshell smouldered as she looked into the camera lens through her round sunglasses.

Of her throwback snap, she wrote: 'A bikini kinda life.'

Co-star Chloe slipped into a scarlet bikini embellished with shells stitched into the straps of the bra and briefs for a beach vibe.

The reality star fussed over her looks as she ran her hand through her golden mane while she posed for the sunny snap.

She's sensational: Co-star Chloe slipped into a scarlet bikini embellished with shells stitched into the straps of the bra and briefs

She captioned the post: 'Life is better in a bikini. wearing my favs.'

The snaps were from the duo's time Thailand where they filmed explosive scenes with their fellow remaining TOWIE cast members.

BFFs Courtney and Chloe joined the reality series in 2016 so no doubt they were both happy to be kept on by TV bosses.

However, fans were already riled when TOWIE introduced eight newcomers to the show as they urged the producers to bring back the original cast.

Stunning: TOWIE's Courtney had been filling her Instagram account with throwbacks from her sunny getaway in Thailand

Before Chloe jet off to shoot the dramatic scenes on the beach, she had a cosy chat with MailOnline about her own experience of online trolling.

She urged keyboard warriors to think again before insulting someone, especially just because theyre in the public eye.

The blonde admitted she had experienced social anxiety due to being attacked over storylines on the ITVBe show.

She explained: It causes anxiety, really bad anxiety. Last series when we were having a bad time on the show and were being called bullies, I was getting so much hate, I couldnt even keep up.

Abs-olutely amazing: The reality star was in her element as she posed under the scorching sunshine, while she was on her own she was out in Thailand with the TOWIE cast

Lucky: Chloe survived the mass TOWIE cull which saw cast members including Kady McDermott, Myles Barnett and Amber Turner dropped from the show

Id go to Tescos and look around and think, I wonder if that person hates me, I wonder if that person has commented online.

Despite developing a thick skin, Courtney admitted she has even missed meals because she has found it difficult to brush off comments from trolls.

She said: Its difficult, especially [for] the younger girls coming onto the show, theyre obviously going to be scrutinised, it is hard to deal with.

Fantastic! She was in Thailand filming The Only Way Is Essex with the star-studded cast including the four newbies

Even still, when I get comments calling me "short and dumpy" or "fat", I dont eat that day.

Their words are all the more meaningful in light of news of Love Island star Mike Thalassitis tragic death aged just 26.

Metropolitan Police confirmed that he was found hanged near his Edmonton home on Saturday morning.
She was dubbed 'the most Parisian of Londoners' when she was named the face of L'Oreal Professionnel last January.

And Alexa Chung oozed French girl glamour on Sunday night as she turned out to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the brand at Le Carrousel du Louvre in Paris.

The British model, 35, was a guest of honour at La French Art of Hair Coloring event, showing off the glossy shoulder-length bob that's made her everyone's favourite haircare 'inspo' for the last 10 years.

Party dress: L'Oreal Professionnel ambassador Alexa Chung attended the 110th anniversary of the brand at Le Carrousel du Louvre in Paris on Sunday night

Alexa wore a strapless puffball that perfectly framed her signature long bob, leaving her neckline bare for extra emphasis on the locks.

Paired with black tights and dainty sandals, the prom-style dress was cut off with fringing to reveal her never-ending model legs.

Commonly known as the original London 'It girl,' Alexa was chosen to represent haircare brand L'Oreal Professionnel Paris last January.

Hair we care about: Alexa was showing off her signature long bob hairstyle

Parisian chic: Her strapless puffball dress was paired with tights and dainty black sandals

'Alexa is one of the most recognisable style icons of her generation,' said LOreal Professionnels international general manager Marion Brunet at the time.

'She is the most Parisian of Londoners, and her effortlessly chic style strongly resonates with LOreal Professionnels fashion and Parisian anchorage.'

Alexa continues to keep her hand in with modelling, despite establishing herself as a bona fide fashion designer, not long ago.

Last month, the former T4 television presenter put on the second London Fashion Week show for her eponymous designer label.

Photo-ready: Alexa proved that she's always photoshoot ready, inside the haircare event

Model muse: Alexa was named the face of L'Oreal Professionnel last January

After showcasing her autumn/winter 2019 collection, Alexa said that she now felt 'comfier' as managing director of the brand she launched two years ago.

'I was really trying to get it right,' she told Vogue about her debut, 'To play by the rules and understand the industry.'

Her first collection was inspired by the airport departure lounge but now she's a little more realistic with her budget.

'As we grow and mature as a business, its important not to put ourselves under undue pressure if its not worth it. Im still running a biz - we cant pretend we have access to millions of dollars.'

Guest of honour: Inside the event, Alexa was pictured with President of L'Oreal Jean-Paul Agon
Johnny Depp's legal battle with his former lawyers has been pushed back in order to provide more time to submit testimonies and "unwind the actor's tangled affairs."

The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 55, was due to face legal firm Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman - who he is suing for $30 million - in court on May 6.

A Los Angeles judge has now changed the trial date to now begin on September 16 because both parties have been fighting over documents that need to be submitted and there are still outstanding depositions.

Delay: Johnny Depp's legal battle with his former lawyers has been pushed back in order to provide more time to "unwind the actor's tangled affairs"

The judge warned both sides could have moved quicker and have caused the case to drag on by engaging in "a great deal of finger-pointing concerning whose fault it is", The Blast reports.

The company had raised issues over documents and information they claim Depp had failed to supply, and while the judge ordered the star to give more detailed answers to a number of questions, he denied some of the firm's demands.

The judge noted: This case requires the parties to unwind the tangled affairs of Plaintiff Depp, his various entities, and his lawyers, going back several years.

Legal battle: The Pirates of the Caribbean star, 55, was due to face legal firm Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman - who he is suing for $30 million - in court on May 6

Plaintiff's inclination to incorporate by reference and tell Defendant Firm to, in essence, figure it out, is understandable.

However, the very number of parties and issues present in this case calls for a more meticulous approach. Although shorthand references are easier, they are by necessity less clear.

Depp has accused the company of conspiring with his former business managers, The Management Group (TMG), to cheat him out of millions, blaming his lawyers for allegedly failing to alert him to their actions, despite knowing what was going on.

Waiting game: A Los Angeles judge has now changed the trial date to now begin on September 16 because both parties have been fighting over documents that need to be submitted and there are still outstanding depositions

His lawyer, Adam Waldman, told The Blast: Bloom is accused among other things of a failure to supervise the fraudulent activity of the Mandel Brothers/TMG, Mr. Depp's former business managers who are under multiple federal criminal investigations and whose offices were raided by the FBI in June 2017.

Judge Green agreed to move their trial from May to September, and ruled that Bloom is entitled to Mandel's sealed documents.

He also slammed the company for their behaviour during Johnny's divorce from Amber Heard, who accused her ex-husband of being abusive during their marriage.

He added: Part of Bloom's defence is that he did a good job on Mr. Depp's divorce. But the facts are these: some of Mr. Depp's legal dream team of five Hollywood lawyers reviewed the entire surveillance video library taken of Ms. Heard, her friends, Elon Musk and others captured by 24 surveillance cameras in the Eastern Columbia Building and the 87 surveillance videos that these lawyers set aside.

Controversy: Depp has also has filed a $50million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, 32, in which he claims her accusations of domestic abuse were an 'elaborate hoax'

Then Mr. Depp's lawyers took sworn declarations from multiple eyewitnesses. Some on Mr. Depp's legal team secretly represented Elon Musk. Some of Mr. Depp's legal team then hid for nearly three years this exculpatory evidence from Mr. Depp that disproved the malicious hoax perpetrated against him by Amber Heard.

The firm have denied all allegations of wrongdoing and insisted they never conspired against the actor.

They went on to file a countersuit, accusing Depp of causing his own damages due to his own misconduct and negligence, and filed a countersuit, claiming he hadn't paid them for months, despite them continuing to work for them.

The actor denied owing any money, claiming he had paid tens of millions over the years and argued the firm are barred from trying to collect unpaid dues because they never signed an official retainer, describing their agreement as "illegal".

Depp has also has filed a $50million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, 32, in which he claims her accusations of domestic abuse were an 'elaborate hoax'

It rumbles on: Johnny Depp believes he has multiple witnesses who can prove Amber Heard's domestic abuse allegations are false amid his $50m defamation lawsuit (pictured in 2016)

His legal team have apparently interviewed a number people under oath, who all claimed they saw no visible injuries on the Danish Girl star when they interacted with her following an alleged altercation.

In transcripts obtained by The Blast, four employees and one neighbour from the couple's former apartment building were deposed and asked about any sign of abuse they may have seen between the pair and all insisted there were none.

Trinity Esparaza, who owns the building's concierge services company, encountered the actress a number of times following an alleged incident on May 21, including two days afterwards, when she did not see any visible injuries to Amber's face or body.

But she noted on May 27 - the day the Aquaman star filed for a temporary restraining order and accused her then-husband of spousal abuse - that she was sporting a 'red cut underneath her right eye and red marks by her eye.'

Something to say: The latest news comes after Johnny accused Amber of starting a relationship with Elon Musk just a month after they married in 2015

After seeing pictures which were released when Amber filed for the order against Johnny, Trinity went back and reviewed security footage from the building because she suspected the allegations were 'false' as the 'time didn't add up' and she had seen the actress 'several times' without marks on her face.

Security guard Alex Romero also admitted he had serious doubts about Amber's account because he had seen her a number of times during the week and saw nothing to suggest the actress had been 'punched by anyone' or had anything thrown at her.

He added: 'I saw the pictures and the next day I saw her. I was like come on, really. I couldn't believe. When I saw her in person, I didn't see anything.'

Happier times: In transcripts obtained by The Blast, four employees and one neighbour from the couple's former apartment building were deposed and asked about any sign of abuse they may have seen between the pair and all insisted there were none. (pictured in 2014)

Two other employees, including the building's general manager Brandon Patterson - also testified they had seen the actress multiple times after the alleged assault and was seen 'without bruises, cuts, redness, swelling or any other injuries to her face'.

And the couple's neighbour, Isaac Baruch - who has been friends with the Black Mass actor for 37 years - told how he saw Amber the morning after the alleged fight and claims she shouted: 'He hit me! He threw a phone and hit me!'

While the actress 'stretched her neck' to show him her alleged injuries, he didn't see anything and though he saw her mark-free throughout the week, on May 27, there were visible marks on her.

Johnny's attorney has also provided 87 different pieces of recorded video, taken from different cameras before and after the alleged incident.

Abuse: In May 2016 Heard said that Depp had been 'verbally and physically' abusive towards her. Images emerged at the time (above) showing Heard with a bruised eye and face

Amber's lawyer has branded the lawsuit 'frivolous' and insisted his client won't be silenced.

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard for comment.

The latest news comes after Johnny accused Amber of starting a relationship with Elon Musk just a month after they married in 2015.

In the lawsuit obtained by People, the actor alleged that Heard would receive 'late night' visits from Musk while Depp was out of the country filming.

Depp also claims that the Tesla founder was allowed into the couple's Los Angeles home on the same night Heard 'presented her battered face to the public'.

Heard and Depp separated in May 2016.

According to People, a representative for Musk claims that 'Elon and Amber didnt start seeing each other until May 2016'.

'Their relationship didnt become romantic until some time later,' the representative said.

Heards attorney, Eric M. George said in a statement to the magazine: 'This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depps repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard.

'She will not be silenced. Mr. Depps actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior.'

Last December, Heard wrote an article for the Washington Post in which she said she had received death threats and lost out on work after accusing Depp of domestic abuse.

'The op-ed's clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser is categorically and demonstrably false,' Depp's lawsuit states.

'Mr Depp never abused Ms Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016.

'They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms Heard and advance her career.'

The lawsuit goes on to say that the allegations made by Heard against Depp were refuted by 'two separate responding police officers, a litany of neutral third-party witnesses, and 87 newly obtained surveillance camera videos'.

'Ms Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse, she is a perpetrator,' the lawsuit states.

The Aquaman actress filed for divorce from the Pirates of the Caribbean star in May 2016 stating that he had been 'verbally and physically' abusive towards her.

Their divorce was finalized in January 2017, with Heard later donating a portion of her $7million divorce settlement to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

They were married for 15 months before she filed for divorce.

Images emerged at the time showing Heard with a bruised eye and face. She claimed Depp threw a phone at her face and struck her in their home.

Depp has long denied the allegations and has instead claimed that his ex-wife repeatedly violently attacked and severely injured him.

In the defamation lawsuit, Depp claims Heard threw a glass vodka bottle at him and caused the bones in the tip of his right middle finger to shatter.

He claims the incident occurred one month into their marriage and resulted in him having to have his finger 'surgically reattached'.

'Ms Heard then disseminated false accounts of this incident, casting Mr Depp as the perpetrator of his own injury'.

Depp claims in the lawsuit that he was dropped from Pirates of the Caribbean just four days after Heard's op-ed was published in the Washington Post.

'Ms Heard also knew that her elaborate hoax worked: as a result of her false allegations against Mr Depp, Ms Heard became a darling of the #MeToo movement, was the first actress named a Human Rights Champion of the United Nations Human Rights Office, was appointed ambassador on womens rights at the American Civil Liberties Union, and was hired by LOreal Paris as its global spokesperson.'
The AIUDF, which has threatened to contest five more seats including Nagaon, Mangaldoi and even Koliabor may help the BJP candidate.

Guwahati: Bogged down by indifferent response of the Congress, the All-India United Democrsatic Front, led by veteran Muslim leader Badruddin Ajmal, while announcing candidates for three of its existing seats on Sunday threatened to field candidates on all the seats if the Congress doesnt come out with an understanding.

Clarifying that he was making this appeal to stop the BJP from taking advantage of division in secular votes, Mr Ajmal said that across all the constituencies AIUDF has two lakh to 2.5 lakh votes, which is very crucial in determining the outcome of the constituency.

We are eager to help if the Congress really wants our help. We can sacrifice anything, even our electoral prospect, to stop the BJP, said Mr Ajmal, who will be contesting the election again from the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat.

The veteran Muslim leader, who can swing decisively in Barpeta, Nagaon, Mangaldoi and even Koliabor constituencies, said that he has forgotten what Mr Gogoi said about him and is ready for a new relationship. Former CM Tarun Gogoi had attacked Mr Ajmal in the 2011 Assembly polls saying, who is Ajmal.

The AIUDF has announced candidates for three seats. Mr Ajmal will seek re-election from Dhubri. Also, AIUDFs sitting MP Radheshyam Biswas will seek re-election from Karimganj seat.

For Barpeta seat, the party has dropped sitting MP Sirajudin Ajmal and given ticket to Hafiz Rafiqul Islam.

Informing that the party has decided candidates for five more seats, Mr Ajmal said that his party may consider not to field candidates on remaining five seats if the Congress comes out with an understanding.

The Congress, however, alleged that the BJP and AIUDF have tactical understanding. The BJP is also making counter allegation that the Congress and AIUDF has tacit understanding. The Congress has decided to contest all the 14 seats in Assam.

If insiders are to be believed both BJP and Congress wanted to have a secret understanding with AIUDF in selection of candidate on some seats but AIUDF chose to avoid that situation as it holds a lot of risks as Muslims are said to have been abandoning the AIUDF to flock near the Congress in a bid to prevent the split of the Muslim vote.

Sources said that Congress had several rounds of meeting with AIUDF chief but failed to reach to any consensus. The AIUDF, which has threatened to contest five more seats including Nagaon, Mangaldoi and even Koliabor may help the BJP candidate. The division of Muslim votes is bound to swing the final outcome on these seats, said the political observers.
She courts the attention of her 5,3m followers with a slew of bikini snaps from her glorious getaways over the year.

And Vicky Pattison flooded Instagram with snaps from her spa break at Seaham Hall, in Durham with her mother Caroll and sister Laura Adamson over the weekend.

The smiling former Geordie Shore star, 31, looked striking in a spotty swimsuit as she stretched out her impressive figure out on the outdoors sofa while enjoying an early Mother's Day celebration.

Sensational in spots: Vicky Pattison caught the eye in a spotty swimsuit before she joined her mum and sister in the pool during their relaxing spa weekend over the weekend

Completely relaxed, Vicky ditched her heavy make-up in favour of showing off her natural good looks.

Later, the TV personality slipped into a second swimming costume as she posed with her mum and sister in the pool while they splashed around during their spa break.

Making the most of their chilled out weekend, the trio enjoyed prosecco on ice in their room while they donned dressing robes.

The former Ex On The Beach star hailed her relatives as 'precious' who make her 'truly happy' and have always been there for her.

Cosy: The personality slipped into a second swimming costume as she posed with her mother Caroll and sister Laura Adamson in the pool while they splashed around during their spa break

Bubbly! Making the most of their chilled out weekend, the trio enjoyed prosecco on ice in their room

In the lengthy caption, she said: 'Spend as much time as you can with your family  as one day you will either say "I wish I had" or "Im glad I did." My time in Newcastle is never enough but when Im there I make the most of it.

'As a family and as a friendship group we have suffered too much loss this last year and subsequently I promised myself I would spend my precious spare time with people who truly make me happy and who have always been there for me.'

Vicky, who split from her 'cheating' ex-fiance John Noble last year, said she had given 'too much of myself to people who didn't deserve it' as she lauded her family.

Good together: The trio posed in their dressing robes as they enjoyed their holiday

'Love you with all my tiny heart': Vicky enjoyed a spa weekend with her mother Caroll Pattison at Seaham Hall in Durham

The reality star gushed time with her 'beautiful mother and incredible sister is never wasted' when she praised them for being strong, independent women.

She added: 'Rather than exhausting myself with large groups of people who really are only their for the ride or disappear when times get hard or things get tough.

'Ive given too much of myself to people who didnt deserve it  but Im working on it. Time spent with my beautiful mother and incredible sister is never wasted.

'Youre both brave, strong, independent and impressive and I am proud of you everyday. THANKYOU for a lovely weekend.'

Candid: This comes after Vicky shared an 'honest' make-up free selfie on Friday while lying in bed with her dark locks scraped back off her face

In another snap, the mother-daughter duo posed on the edge of a swimming pool and the reality star looked as radiant as ever as she went make-up free.

A message on Instagram read: 'Brought me beautiful mother and wonderful sister to @seahamhall for an early mothers day spa weekend!

'I dont say it enough but I love you both... with all my tiny heart!!! Im so lucky to have you!' she continued to gush.

Glam: Vicky typically litters her social media pages with glamorous selfies from her idyllic trips abroad and glitzy events, offering an idealistic view of her life

The heartfelt message, which has since received more than 7,000 likes, left her admiring fans filled with emotion.

The snap comes a day after the reality star revealed she was disappointed with the 'unrealistic' construction of her life on her Instagram page and vowed to her followers that she would change her ways by posting a more realistic view of her life.

Proving she was a woman of her word, alongside the lengthy post, Vicky shared an 'honest' make-up free selfie lying in bed with her dark locks scraped back off her face.

Fun in the sun: However the reality star vowed to her followers that she would change her ways and claimed she would post a more realistic view of her life in future

Her caption read: 'I was scrolling through my Instagram earlier (vapid I know) and I was disappointed with what I saw. It was awash with glossy images, campaign pictures and ads. Just my made up face and perfectly styled hair staring back at me.

'Dont get me wrong- I like to post pictures like that, every now and then its lovely to see how nice you can look when youve made a real effort (or in my case a whole team of people have made an effort) with your appearance.

'And makeup, hair extensions, tan and nails are a big part of who I am- but they arent my reality- not most of the time anyway.

'Unless Im filming, shooting or at an event I wear gym gear, I will not wear a scrap of make up, my hair will be up in a little bun and I am more often than not a bit spotty and pale and usually pulling a silly face.

'This is me.. it seems as though I havent been honest with Instagram and you all recently and for that I apologise- its easy to get bogged down trying to compete with the unrealistic images of perfection that saturate social media- but its not real... this however is...

Beach body: Vicky decided to shake up her Instagram page after reviewing her 'unrealistic' images

'I hope you accept this offering of my big moon face by way of an apology- I always strive to be honest on here and it seems I have let it slip. But I promise it wont happen again.

'Ive missed my moon face- I like it just as much as the one with all the makeup on- maybe a bit more actually as I can rub my eyes on this one. Have a wonderful weekend everyone... And be kind and honest to each other and yourselves, on social media and in real life.'

Some of Vicky's most recent glamorous shots were taken during a sun-drenched trip to Dubai, having enjoyed a romantic city break with her new boyfriend Ercan Ramadan weeks earlier.

The couple, who have only been dating for a few weeks, retreated away to Budapest, Hungary, for their first mini-break since going public as an item recently.
Kim Kardashian has finally admitted that she is Team 'Naomi forever'.

Speaking on claims that she has consistently copied some of supermodel Naomi Campbell's most famous catwalk looks, Kim finally paid homage to an icon.

Posing in the same silk dress that Naomi once wore on the Gianni Versace Fall 1996 runway, Kim tagged Naomi on Instagram and wrote: 'Naomi Forever'.

Confirmed: Kim Kardashian appeared to confirm that she has been taking inspiration from fashion icon Naomi Campbell when she captioned a shot of herself in a copycat look 'Naomi Forever'

Spitting image: Kim captioned the post 'Naomi forever' with an emoji love heart as she continued to copy and be inspired by the supermodel's historic catwalk looks (R)

It was the confirmation fans needed that The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star had been taking inspiration from the model all along.

Kim was sharing a montage of snaps from Chance The Rapper's wedding at The Resort at Pelican Hill, at the weekend.



The outfit was the latest in a string of noteworthy looks that seemed suspiciously similar to those in Naomi's back catalogue.

Kim seemed to have gone to great lengths to imitate the supermodel's looks as she styled her raven locks in a high ponytail in the same fashion as Naomi.

She's amazing: Kim Kardashian slipped into a vintage Versace dress in throwback snaps from Chance The Rappers wedding after she and Kanye West arrived LATE

Leggy lady: Kim drew attention to her lithe legs in the thigh-split of her dress and strappy golden stilettos as she sat back on the impressive staircase

Breathtaking photographs showed model Naomi sashaying down the catwalk in the same lilac and blue dress 23 years ago.

After noticing Kim's habit, Twitter user Rashida Renee tweeted: 'Once is an accident. Twice is coincidence. Three times is a pattern'.

Before that, at the start of March, Kim had posed in an Azzedine Alaia bodysuit, just like the one Naomi wore in 1991.

In December 2018, the TV star attended a Broadway event wearing a metallic Versace dress just like the one Naomi wore in 2015 for the Fragrance Foundation Awards.

Colourful: Elsewhere at the bash, the mother was a striking contrast to her love as she donned a purple dress with green applique while Kanye wore a black shirt and trousers

Dolled up: The reality star queen went to great lengths to imitate the supermodel's looks as she styled her raven locks in a high ponytail in the same fashion as Naomi

The brunette was actually recycling the dress as she revealed at the time she bought it in 1998.

Also in December, Kim copied Naomi's thigh-skimming sparkly Versace look that the model wore to the 1997 MTV Awards.

It prompted inevitable speculation that there was a collaboration in the works between Naomi and Kim, though now it just seems like some old fashion 'fan girling'.

Kim's latest get up seems to be her favourite, since she flooded her Instagram with new pictures of sexy slip dress on Monday.

Loving the look: Kim copied Campbell's 1991 look from the Azzedine Alaia catwalk as she posed in Paris last week

She had been in striking contrast to her husband Kanye West in her purple dress with green applique while Kanye wore a black shirt and trousers.

The power couple broke etiquette after rolling up late to Chance The Rapper's wedding to longtime love Kirsten Corley on Saturday afternoon.

The pair arrived after the bride and were instructed to watch from the sidelines to avoid disrupting the nuptials; they were eventually escorted to their seats.

Rapper Kanye met then-upcoming artist Chance at the Made In America festival, in Los Angeles five years ago in 2014.

Chance revealed Kanye was the rapper's 'number one fan'. He wrote of their meeting: 'Anyone who knows me knows how big of a moment this was for me. I've been his biggest fan since 04 and I'm pretty sure I'm still his #1 fan.'

Copy cat: In December 2018 Kim attended an event wearing a metallic Versace dress just like the one Naomi wore in 2015 for the Fragrance Foundation Awards

Their friendship flourished; Kanye dubbed Chance 'one of the most talented new young artists' at the Ottawa Bluesfest in July 2015, according to The Fader.

Chance married his childhood sweetheart Kirsten in a romantic ceremony; they go way back, having first met aged nine but they didn't meet again until almost a decade later.

'It was a romantic ceremony and a string quartet played as they entered,' a source told E! news of the day. 'In the middle of the ceremony, their little daughter Kensli ran up and Chance picked her up and held her. It was very sweet and loving to watch.'
She's the actress turned model who never puts a foot wrong on the red carpet.

And Sarah Ellen perfected her sartorial choices at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Resort '20 preliminary schedule launch in Sydney on Monday.

The 22-year-old ex Neighbours star showed off her leggy figure in a navy sequinned frock, as she posed for photos with boyfriend Caleb Jackson.

Simply stunning! Sarah Ellen, 22, showed off her leggy figure as she attended the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia preliminary schedule launch in Sydney on Monday, with boyfriend Caleb Jackson

Sarah teamed her thigh-skimming dress with silver pointy-toe heels and a black and gold Prada shoulder bag.

Her highlighted tresses were styled in relaxed waves and fell loosely around her face and shoulders.

Sarah finished off the look with a matte foundation, bold brows, lashings of mascara and a glossy pink lip.

Trim and terrific: The former Neighbours star wore a navy sequinned frock, teamed with silver pointy-toe heels

Designer style: Sarah added an extra touch of glamour in the form of a black and gold Prada shoulder bag

The IMG-represented model posed for photos in front of the media wall with her musician beau.

Caleb revealed a glimpse of his chest tattoos with his black dress shirt slightly unbuttoned, and tucked into black trousers.

He added a black leather belt, boots and tied his long locks back off his face.

Sarah took to Instagram Stories later on in the night, sharing a photo of the pair packing on the PDA.

Beauty: The model and blogger styled her highlighted tresses in relaxed waves, which framed her face and shoulders

Picture-perfect: Sarah's makeup palette consisted of a matte complexion, bold brows, lashings of mascara and a glossy pink lip

In the picture, Caleb is seated on a wooden stool and Sarah perches herself on his lap.

Caleb wraps one arm around her slender waist and plants a kiss on her cheek as she takes a mirror selfie.

Sarah sparked engagement rumours in January this year when she flashed a diamond ring on her wedding finger, while out in Sydney's Paddington.

The notoriously-private beauty did not respond to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia at the time.
She's the clairvoyant who shot to fame after appearing on The Real Housewives of Melbourne.

And Jackie Gillies has revealed her special gift led her not only to a new career but the love of her life.

The 37-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday that a voice in her head led her to Ben Gillies, who is now her husband.

'I listened, because I always do': In an interview with Tuesday's edition of The Daily Telegraph, Real Housewives of Melbourne star Jackie Gillies (right) revealed a voice inside her head led her to Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies (left) who she then married

She told the paper that she was invited to a party in Sydney's Bondi by an acquaintance but initially refused to go.

'I've settled in with a bottle of red and all of a sudden I hear this voice say "Go to Bondi". I listened, because I always do,' she said.

It was at that party she reconnected with Ben, 39, who she had already met at a music course years before as a teenager, and at first found him 'w**kery'.

Love awaits! the professional psychic tells the paper that she was invited to a party in Sydney's Bondi by an acquaintance but initially refused to go until a voice told her to. Pictured: Ben and Jackie Gillies

Fate: 'I've settled in with a bottle of red and all of a sudden I hear this voice say "Go to Bondi". I listened, because I always do,' she said. Pictured: Ben and Jackie Gillies

The Silverchair drummer also felt the meeting was a sign, Jackie told the publication.

'He said he wasnt going to come because this girl just called him out of the blue but there was something inside him telling him to go,' she added.

That fateful meeting occurred in 2010 and they were married that very same year, celebrating their eight-year anniversary last year.

The couple tied the knot in 2010 two months after Ben proposed, with Jackie previously telling Daily Mail Australia he popped the question just two days after they shared their first kiss.

Bonded: It was at that party she reconnected with Ben, 39, who she had already met at a music course years before, and at first found him 'w**kery'. Pictured: Ben and Jackie Gillies

Worked out! That fateful meeting occurred in 2010 and they were married that very same year, celebrating their eight-year anniversary last year. Pictured: Ben and Jackie Gillies

The Croatia-born beauty recently revealed that she and Ben are determined to start a family as soon as possible.

Speaking to Who magazine she said: 'I am feeling older,' she said. 'I don't want to leave it for too much later because the older you get the harder it does get.'

She went on to reveal that Ben had actually said he wanted to have children 'seven years ago' but the plan was put on hold until she was ready.

The beauty added: 'I work every day and I wanted to be there for my children and not feel guilty.'
She spent her Sunday morning at her regular church service with her family in Los Angeles.

But less than 24 hours later, Kim Kardashian was arriving in Paris, rocking the same snakeskin ensemble as she was spotted in the day before.

Kim hid any sign of tiredness after her long flight behind shades as she arrived at her city base on Monday morning.

Hectic schedule: Kim Kardashian was pictured arriving in Paris on Monday, rocking the same snakeskin ensemble as she was spotted in at church in Los Angeles the day before

The mother-of-three stayed true to her '90s style obsession, when she suited up in a boxy jacket and matching trousers, topped off with coordinating boots.

With her dark locks styled into a poker straight style, the fashion fan was looking immaculate considering her busy 24 hours.

It's Kim's second trip to Paris in a month, after she hit the Fashion Week shows at the beginning of March.

Long flight: Kim hid any sign of tiredness after her long flight behind shades as she arrived at her city base on Monday morning

The busy star was seen on Sunday morning enjoying her now regular church meeting in a hidden away area in the hills of Los Angeles.

Kim matched her eldest daughter North, five , who looked adorable in her snakeskin outfit as she danced along to the music.

Music is led by her musician husband Kanye, who launched the service on January 6, with the choir often seen performing renditions of his own songs.

Snakeskin: The mother-of-three stayed true to her '90s style obsession, when she suited up in a boxy jacket and matching trousers, topped off with coordinating boots

Back in Paris: It's Kim's second trip to Paris in a month, after she hit the Fashion Week shows at the beginning of the month

The event, which has included stars like DMX taking the stage to preach, has been attended by the Hollywood elite including Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Courtney Love.

But the latest service was interrupted when at least two LAPD officers were called to investigate 'noise complaints from neighbors.'

Sources on the scene of the location-hopping, invite-only Christian service on Sunday reported that after the cops arrived, 'celebrities started leaving.'

Wow factor: With her dark locks styled into a poker straight style, the fashion fan was looking immaculate considering her busy 24 hours

Grand entrance: Kim was travelling solo, leaving husband Kanye and their three children North, Saint and Chicago back home in Los Angeles

Time for some shopping: Kim was later seen at the Hermes store in Paris for a spot of shopping

VIP treatment: The star, who was robbed at gunpoint in Paris in 2016, was surrounded by security as she went about her business

The noise stemmed from the 21-time Grammy winner's large gospel choir and band all outfitted in the same grey sweatsuit, which was likely from his Yeezy label.

Kim is keeping busy with family and work ahead of the birth of her fourth child via surrogate in May.

Kanye meanwhile has been recording his long-delayed ninth studio album Yandhi.

Found some thing you like? One of Kim's team was seen carrying a distinctive orange Hermes bag out of the store

No rest for the busy: Kim didn't waste a moment, hitting Paris' designer boutiques shortly after arriving in the style capital

Making the outfit work: Hours before her trip to Paris, Kim was seen in the same outfit as she attended her now regular church service on the outskirts of LA
She's portraying fossil collector Mary Anning in the upcoming film Ammonite.

And Kate Winslet was the embodiment of the 19th century paleontologist as she wrapped up on the beach at Charmouth in Dorset on Monday with co-star Saoirse Ronan.

The Titanic actress, 43, clad her trim frame into a time-appropriate blue gingham dress complete with ruffled white collar.

New role: Kate Winslet was the embodiment of the 19th century paleontologist as she wrapped up on the beach at Charmouth in Dorset on Monday

She paired the outfit with sturdy black shoes while making sure she was protected against the wind with a blue sweater.

Kate's shoulder-length hair was styled into a middle parting and neat bun at the nape of her neck.

In between filming the actress and her co-star Saoirse Ronan stopped for a chat.

Ammonite: The Titanic actress, 43, clad her trim frame into a time-appropriate blue gingham dress complete with ruffled white collar before taking a break with co-star Saoirse Ronan

Style: She paired the outfit with sturdy black shoes while making sure she was protected against the wind with a blue sweater

Saoirse, 24, who is playing the role of Mary's reported lover Frances Bell, was transported back to the 1800s with her choice of outfit.

She donned a full-length gown in a mixture of green and beige hues with zig-zag patterns and off-the-shoulder detailing.

The Lady Bird actress had her hair styled into a high bun typical of the period with plenty of free curls around her face.

Period drama: Kate's shoulder-length hair was styled into a middle parting and neat bun at the nape of her neck

Keeping warm: In between filming the actress and her co-star Saoirse Ronan stopped for a chat

Despite Saoirse playing the role Anne's ;nursemaid', the film has come under fire for it's lesbian romance.

Barbara Anning, a distant niece who still lives near the Jurassic Coast where the fossil hunter made many discoveries, said there was no proof she was ever in a same-sex relationship.

Ms Anning, of Axminster, said: 'The lesbian storyline is pure Hollywood as far as I know and there was no suggestion that she was a lesbian at all. That's just what they do I suppose.'

Co-stars: Saoirse, 24, who is playing the role of Mary's reported lover Frances Bell, was transported back to the 1800's with her choice of outfit

Dressed up: She donned a full-length gown in a mixture of green and beige hues with zig-zag patterns and off-the-shoulder detailing

Anning's niece had previously written on an online forum: 'I do not believe there is any evidence to back up portraying her as a gay woman... I believe Mary Anning was abused because she was poor, uneducated and a woman. Is that not enough?'

Experts and fans of her work are also upset, claiming Miss Anning, who never married or had children, was 'interesting enough' without needing her life to be spiced up.

A fan society dedicated to the fossil finder called Mary Anning Rocks also objected to the plotline, including Harvard University geologist Bretton Carter, who said: 'I have mixed feelings about this movie.

Mane attraction: The Lady Bird actress had her hair styled into a high bun typical of the period with plenty of free curls around her face

Historical: Despite Saoirse playing the role Anne's ;nursemaid', the film has come under fire for it's lesbian romance

'Being gay, I'm all about the inclusion of LGBTQ characters, but I feel like Mary Anning is an interesting enough person as she is, they didn't have to throw in same-sex affair with her (as it has no known historical basis).'

Experts and fans of her work are also upset, claiming Miss Anning, who never married or had children, was 'interesting enough' without needing her life to be spiced up.

A fan society dedicated to the fossil finder called Mary Anning Rocks also objected to the plotline, including Harvard University geologist Bretton Carter, who said: 'I have mixed feelings about this movie.

Speaking out: Barbara Anning, a distant niece who still lives near the Jurassic Coast where the fossil hunter made many discoveries, said there was no proof she was ever in a same-sex relationship

Unimpressed: Ms Anning, of Axminster, said: 'The lesbian storyline is pure Hollywood as far as I know and there was no suggestion that she was a lesbian at all. That's just what they do I suppose'

'Being gay, I'm all about the inclusion of LGBTQ characters, but I feel like Mary Anning is an interesting enough person as she is, they didn't have to throw in same-sex affair with her (as it has no known historical basis).'

A spokesperson for the society added they would 'love Mary even more' if there was evidence she was gay, but hoped the director Francis Lee would treat her story with respect

The spokesperson said: 'We are all hoping the press has exaggerated the Mary being gay part! Francis Lee is an amazing writer/director, I doubt contrived gay scenes are his thing! I hope that wouldn't wash with a straight-talking, gay pig farmer from the Pennines!

'But don't get us wrong, if there was proof Mary, a working class, Victorian, self-educated powerhouse was also a lesbian we'd love her, even more.'

Unhappy: She previously said: 'I believe Mary Anning was abused because she was poor, uneducated and a woman. Is that not enough?'

History: Experts and fans of her work are also upset, claiming Miss Anning, who never married or had children, was 'interesting enough' without needing her life to be spiced up

Slammed: Some on Facebook, including Harvard geologist Bretton Carter, have also criticised the film for adding the plot without historical basis

False? There is apparently no evidence that Anning, pictured, ever had a same-sex relationship

Anning is known for making major discoveries in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs at Lyme Regis and Charmouth.

Her work contributed to important changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life.

However, due to being a woman, she was prevented form joining the Geological Society of London and did not receive full credit for her findings.

It is also thought she was the inspiration for the 1908 tongue-twister 'She sells seashells on the seashore' by Terry Sullivan.

The plot centres around the famous paleontologist, who becomes involved with a young woman sent to convalesce by the sea.

Drama: The plot centres around the famous paleontologist, who becomes involved with a young woman sent to convalesce by the sea
That drama surrounding his latest storyline was forgotten as Coronation Street star Simon Gregson enjoyed a quiet pint during a break between scenes on Monday.

The actor, best known for his role as Steve McDonald, paid a visit to the Docklands Pub in Manchesters Media City, a stones throw from the long-running soap-operas Salford Quays home.

Gregson, 44, was joined by friends while occupying an outdoor table, where he downed a Guinness and smoked a cigarette while enjoying the unseasonably warm weather.

Welcome break: That drama surrounding his latest storyline was forgotten as Coronation Street star Simon Gregson enjoyed a quiet pint during a break between scenes in Manchester on Monday afternoon

Somewhat inevitably the actor was soon recognised by passing fans, and he was happy to oblige their various requests for selfies.

With temperatures steadily rising Gregson looked relaxed in a T-shirt and tinted Aviator sunglasses while posing for a handful of snaps.

The show regular was taking a short break from the set just days after he was targeted by thieves while filming scenes for an explosive new armed robbery plot.

Here we go: Somewhat inevitably the actor was soon recognised by passing fans, and he was happy to oblige their various requests for selfies

Say cheese: With temperatures steadily rising Gregson looked relaxed in a T-shirt and tinted Aviator sunglasses while posing for a handful of snaps

The unusual incident, which took place at midday on Friday, occurred as the new scenes were filmed on location in Bolton.

The latest storyline sees Steve embroiled in more trouble after he unwittingly becomes a getaway driver following an armed robbery.

But as the scenes were being filmed, opportunistic thieves targeted a nearby storage unit base - making off with a storage generator.

Down the hatch: The show regular was taking a short break from the Coronation Street set just days after he was targeted by thieves while filming scenes for a new armed robbery plot

In good company: Gregson was joined by friends while occupying an outdoor table, where he downed a Guinness and smoked a cigarette

An ITV spokeswoman told The Mirror: 'We can confirm a small domestic generator was stolen during a low-level opportunistic theft from the unit base of filming today for Coronation Street whilst the crew were on location in Bolton.'

The film's cast and crew weren't at the unit base when the alleged theft took place, and filming is reported to have been unaffected.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'Greater Manchester Police were yesterday called to reports of a suspected armed robbery at around 11.30am.'

Drama: His character Steve McDonald is set to find himself in serious danger as he's abducted and threatened at knife point

In hot water: The calamitous character will unwittingly become a getaway driver after picking up an armed robber in his cab

Spoiler pictures for the ITV soap reveal that things are set to get worse for cab driver Steve as his dangerous passenger, called Dave, turns violent.

Images from scenes filmed last week show the two characters in a dark, grotty alleyway with Steve appearing to beg for his life.

As he cautiously exits his cab, Steve is seen trying to calm the newcomer who is wielding a large kitchen knife, although the outcome is unknown.

The new scenes are set to air on May 17.
Age is but a number for Keri Russell.

The stunning actress was spotted in a sophisticated look outside of GMA studios in New York City on Monday where she was promoting her newest project.

Over the weekend the Felicity star celebrated her 43rd birthday.

Youthful! Keri Russell looked stunning as she stepped out in New York City on Monday to promote Burn This, her Broadway debut

Russell is out doing press ahead of making her Broadway debut in Burn This, opposite Adam Driver.

Keri looked youthful as she stepped out in the Big Apple wearing a cream toned pencil dress that featured a dramatic black bow and cream rosette at the neck.

The Americans actress paired the sleek look with a simple black blazer that she kept perched on her shoulders in an effortless fashion that left her slim arms free to wave to fans.

At a petite five foot four inches, Keri managed to look much taller with the assistance of some leg-lengthening black pumps.

Style star: The beauty was ravishing in a cream toned pencil dress that featured a dramatic black bow and cream rosette at the neck

Sophistication! The mother of three kept her accessories simple with a pair of black high heel pumps and a simple crocodile clutch

New chapter: After wrapping up a successful run on the Russian spy drama The Americans, Keri is making a transition to the stage in her Broadway debut

Keri's signature curls were softened into long waves and she embraced spring with a pop of an orangey-red lipstick.

After wrapping up a successful run on the Russian spy drama The Americans, Keri is making a transition to the stage in her Broadway debut.

'It was too big of an adventure to pass up,' she said during her appearance on GMA.

On stage: Keri and Adam Driver star in Burn This which centers around two characters who come together while grieving a mysterious death

The play centers around a mysterious death which brings together two unlikely strangers.

Burn This began previews earlier this month and officially opens April 16.

On stage Keri teams up with Girls star Adam Driver.

Twice is nice! Keri and Adam are also starring in Star Wars: Episode IX, the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, which hits theaters this Christmas

Coincidentally the pair are also starring together in Star Wars: Episode IX, the final chapter of the Star Wars saga, which hits theaters this Christmas.

During her interview on GMA Russell said that the experience of filming Episode IX was 'so cool' and her 11-year-old son agrees.

'Not a thing I have done [professionally] interests him,' the mother of three quipped. 'But, this he thinks is cool.'
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She was subjected to a cruel fat-shaming attack by a beach vendor while enjoying her Barbados holiday last week.

But Olivia Buckland got the last laugh as she showed off her fantastic figure while slipping into a flirty leopard print thong bikini while soaking up the Caribbean sun with her husband Alex Bowen on Monday.

The Love Island star, 25, paraded her stunning curves in the skimpy two-piece, which featured red frill detailing a daringly high cut at the back.

Fun in the sun: Olivia Buckland got the last laugh as she showed off her fantastic figure while slipping into a flirty leopard print thong bikini while soaking up the Caribbean sun with her husband Alex Bowen in Barbados on Monday

The television personality wore her short blonde locks tied back from her face and she opted for low-key make-up to showcase her distinctive features.

Olivia - who shot to fame alongside Alex, 26, on the 2017 series of the ITV2 reality show - showed off her collection of bold tattoos while relaxing poolside for the day.

The Instagram starlet accessorised with circular shades while posing up a storm for photographs shot by her former scaffolder husband.

Alex seemed to have work on his mind, despite being on holiday, and appeared engrossed in his laptop while the coupled chatted away.

Wild thing: The Love Island star, 25, paraded her stunning curves in the skimpy two-piece, which featured red frill detailing a daringly high cut at the back

Plenty to smile about: The television personality wore her short blonde locks tied back from her face and she opted for low-key make-up to showcase her distinctive features, while Alex snapped photographs of her

Tat's the way to do it! Olivia - who shot to fame alongside Alex, 26, on the 2017 series of the ITV2 reality show - showed off her collection of bold tattoos while relaxing poolside for the day

Olivia continued to parade her stunning curves on Instagram in a defiant display as she basked in the Barbados sun.

Joined by her husband Alex, the beauty slipped into a pale pink bandeau bikini as she lounged by the pool in snaps posted over the weekend.

The two-piece accentuated Olivia's ample assets with beaded detailing at the bust, while the tie-string bottoms made the most of her shapely derriere.

Safety first: Olivia ensured she didn't burn during their day soaking up the sun, by applying SPF allover her body

Work and play: While Olivia topped up her sun lotion, Alex worked on his laptop

Loving life: Olivia wasn't shy about posing for Alex, who was hard at work behind the camera's lens

Set-up: The couple were armed with a professional camera and a laptop to ensure all of their photographs were backed up

Relishing in the sunny climes, the reality starlet enjoyed a spot of pampering as she donned a face mask.

Olivia's morning by the pool comes after her great snorkelling expedition with Alex on Sunday.

Slipping into a sunshine yellow bikini, Olivia looked like she was having the time of her life.

As the boat took to the waters, the reality beauty couldn't resist getting the camera out to pose with Alex who displayed his rippling muscles in a black pair of board shorts.

Oh dear! Olivia suffered a nip-slip as she lay back on her sun-lounger applying SPF

Tattooed beauty: The Love Island beauty's heavily tattooed body was on display in the skimpy bikini

The pair could hardly contain their delight as they witnessed a bale of turtles swim past them.

Despite being on the holiday of a lifetime, Olivia was left shell-shocked when a beach vendor told her she had put on weight.

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, she wrote angrily: 'Wowwww so one of the guys who runs the jet skis out here just thought it fine to tell me I had put on weight & that I needed to watch myself.'

Howdy! Olivia's cowgirl tattoo could be seen in all it's glory, as could her colourful skull-and-rose inking

Peachy: Olivia displayed her peachy derriere in the animal print thong bikini

Staying organised: Olivia packed the SPF away into her bag after re-applying the lotion to her body

The Instagram sensation said she tried to laugh off the cruel remarks as she made a joke at her own expense about 'married life' but the beach vendor made another dig.

She wrote: 'I tried to laugh it off saying "married life" and he continued to say I needed to just be careful & go back to what I was. CHEERS 4 THAT.'

Olivia admitted she was left mortified by his cutting comments as she spiraled into a furious social media tirade.

Commanding attention: Olivia ensured she didn't go unnoticed whilst clad in her eye-catching swimwear set

Boyfriends of Instagram: Alex turned photographer during their day in the sunshine as Olivia posed for fun snaps

Safe in the sun: Olivia ensured her skin was well protected from harmful UV rays as she regularly re-applied SPF

Oops! Whilst applying sun lotion to her body, the reality star suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction

The reality star told how she was 'so shocked' she walked away from the beach vendor when she updated her fans with a follow-up tweet.

'Wish I had gave him a good earful but I was so shocked I walked away.

'oh well. Sometimes life will show you these kind of people & you just gotta take a breath & turn the other cheek, my apparent bigger a** cheek at that.'

Holiday time: The reality TV personality has been keeping her Instagram followers up to date on her holiday with numerous posts

During her time on the island, the Love Island star has been showing off the rewards of her fitness labours in a slew of different swimming costumes.

Before she jetted off on holiday, Olivia had a cosy chat with MailOnline about how her husband Alex has motivated her to be healthier as they work out together.

She told us: 'Everyone thinks when you're married you let yourself go, but me and Alex have gotten quite into the gym and being healthy.'

The television personality chatted about how marriage has brought her even closer to Alex as she praised her love for being 'really caring' and 'noticing things'.

Talking more about her marriage, Olivia also said: 'I don't feel any different now that we're married. If anything, we feel closer.'

Pretty in pink: Olivia slipped into a pale pink bandeau bikini as she lounged by the pool, capturing the image with a mirror selfie before heading out for the day

Amazing: The pair could hardly contain their delight as they witnessed a bale of turtles swim past them
E4 bosses have reportedly decide to cancel the wrap party for the 2019 series of Celebs Go Dating out of respect for Mike Thalassitis, who took his own life earlier this month.

Insiders have said the dating show, which Mike appeared on in 2018, feel it would be inappropriate to celebrate so soon after the reality star's passing.

Mike's ex girlfriend Megan McKenna appeared in this year's series, while he was also good friends with one of the show's other stars Sam Thompson.

Star: E4 bosses have reportedly decided to cancel the wrap party for the 2019 series of Celebs Go Dating out of respect for Mike Thalassitis, who took his own life earlier this month

Sam and Mike remained friends after growing close during filming for the 2018 series, with Sam joining the show again this year after failing to find love.

Mike meanwhile began a seven month romance with TOWIE star Megan after starring in the show last year.

Kerry Katona revealed in her new! magazine column that the wrap party, which was due to take place last week, had been delayed in the wake of Mike's death at the age of 26.

Cancelled: Insiders have said the dating show feel it would be inappropriate to celebrate the show, which Mike appeared on in 2018, and which his ex Megan McKenna starred in this series

She wrote: 'The Celebs Go Dating wrap party was postponed last week in the wake of what happened. Obviously Megan McKenna wouldn't be there, and I know Sam Thompson's devastated. It just feels like the whole thing wouldn't be appropriate right now.'

Mike was honoured during the March 17 finale of Celebs Go Dating, just a day after the 26-year-olds death was announced, leaving fans in tears.

The E4 dating show paid tribute by dedicating the episode to the reality TV star.

Alumni: Mike, who found fame on Love Island, starred on Celebs Go Dating alongside other household names such as Talia Storm, Gemma Collins, Ollie Locke and Sam Thompson

After the show concluded and the credit rolled, a photo of the star appeared on the screen alongside the words : 'In memory of Mike Thalassitis 1993-2019.'

Mike was found dead on March 16 in Edmonton, North London, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.

It has been suggested that Mike was at the time struggling to come to terms with the death of his grandmother and had recently been dealing with debt.

Tribute: Celebs Go Dating honoured Mike during last Sunday's finale episode, just a day after the 26-year-olds death was announced

The reality TV star had moved in with the 94-year-old after her deteriorating health meant she needed a full time carer.

It was also reported that Mike had been dealing with huge debts in the months leading up to his tragic death after overextending himself with a party lifestyle.

Meanwhile Mike's final reality TV appearance on MTV's Ex On The Beach has been scrapped in the wake of his death.

In a statement released to MailOnline on Wednesday, MTV said: 'We were very sad to hear the tragic news about Mike Thalassitis and our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Heartbreaking: Prior to the show airing, bosses made a statement on Twitter

'Last year, Mike took part in filming for the next series of Ex on the Beach, which was due to air on MTV later in the year.

'In light of the news of Mikes death, we have decided not to broadcast the planned tenth season of the show.'

Mike finished filming the series last September, with hopes of finding love after his split from Megan, who appeared on the same dating show in 2015.

For confidential help and support please contact Samaritans for free on 116 123
Ms Gandhi cited report stating sugarcane farmers dues crossed Rs 10,000 crore.

New Delhi: Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -led government in Uttar Pradesh, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said these chowkidars (watchmen) are only working for the rich and are not bothered about the poor.

Ms Gandhi attacked the Uttar Pradesh government, citing a media report on Twitter that claimed the dues of sugarcane farmers had crossed Rs 10,000 crore in the state.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was quick to rebut Ms Gandhis claim, and asked where were the farmers well-wishers during 2012-17, when they faced starvation.

The families of sugarcane farmers toil day and night but the Uttar Pradesh government does not even take the responsibility of paying their dues, said Ms Gandhi.

She added that The figure, Rs 10,000 crore of farmers dues means everything, including their childrens education, food, health, and the next produce comes to a standstill. These chowkidars only work for the rich and do not care about the poor.

Ms Gandhi was recently appointed as the Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East.

All the BJP leaders in the country had recently followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi in adding chowkidar to their Twitter handles, after Mr Modi claimed that he was a chowkidar (watchman) of the country and would not allow any wrongdoing.

Replying to Ms Gandhis comments, Mr Adityanath said, When our government was formed, the pending cane dues were around Rs 57,800 crore. The amount was bigger than the budgets of many of the states, but we paid it.

Attacking the previous governments, Mr Adityanath said, In the previous regimes of the SP and BSP, nothing was done for the sugarcane farmers and as a result, they died of starvation (bhukhmari).

Seeking to put the records straight, Mr Adityanath said, The sugarcane cultivation area in the state has increased by 22 per cent to 28 lakh hectare, and a number of closed sugar mills have been restarted. The farmers are happy (khushaal) now.
After partying it up in Los Angeles on Friday, Jordyn Woods was seen landing in London on Monday.

The clothing designer was spotted at the London Heathrow Airport as she prepared for her new eyelash line's launch.

The ex friend of Kylie Jenner, however, seemed to be a bit of a diva as she made her mother Elizabeth Woods push their large suitcases as Jordyn carried only a small Dior purse.

Taking off: Jordyn Woods, 21, wore all grey as she made her way through the airport in London on Monday

Diva move? The beauty made her mother Elizabeth Woods push their very large suitcases

Wearing a fur laced coat with the hood pulled up, Jordyn rocked an upscale athleisure outfit while walking through the terminal.

Elizabeth does it all for Jordyn, as she also serves as her manager.

With Woods' eyelash brand, Eylure, launching soon, the beauty headed to London to celebrate.

She shared her travel plans on Instagram prior to her departure saying, 'I am so excited to come to London next week to celebrate my @eylureofficial lash collection launching exclusively in @superdrug. All three lashes will be available in stores on the 25th of March!'

As she traveled, she was seen wearing a sweat suit designed by Naked Wardrobe with a long grey Sami Miro Vintage coat over it that was lined with fur.

Ready for work: Jordyn shared her excitement in being in London ahead of her busy eyelash line launch day

Comfort first: Wearing matching grey sweats and a tight shirt, Jordyn kept it comfortable as she sat through the long plane ride

On her feet she donned Off-White high top sneakers and carried a mid-sized black and grey Dior duffel on her arm.

The model kept her sunglasses on indoors and walked with a water bottle and her cell phone in hand.

Jordyn's business trip comes after heavy speculation that Kylie, 21, is hoping to leave her friendship with the bombshell in the past and move on.

The make-up mogul allegedly still isn't speaking to Jordyn since the cheating incident between Jordyn and Tristan Thompson, 28, and wants to draw a line on their relationship.

Jordyn poured her heart out in a Red Table Talk interview with Jade Pinkett Smith last month, denying she had cheated with Tristan.

Side by side: Khloe shares an 11-month-old daughter called True with Tristan, who had a cheating scandal go public last year less than 48 hours before the baby was born

The Cleveland Cavaliers player shares baby True, 11 months, with Kylie's sister Khloe Kardashan, 34, who has reportedly been left devastated by the claims.

Kylie wasn't buying her childhood friend's apology, however, and the public denial supposedly annoyed her even more.

TMZ reports that Kylie has asked Jordyn to come and pick up her stuff from her guest house in a bid to cut ties.

A source claims that while Kylie might consider being 'amicable' in future, their days of being best friends are over for good.
Three new posters from Spider-Man: Far From Home were released on Monday morning.

Spider-Man is seen in three locations in Europe: Berlin, Germany, Venice, Italy, and London, England. Tom Holland is returning as the title character for the new film, which will be released in the UK on July 3 and in the US on July 5.

Also in the cast is with Jake Gyllenhaal as the villain Mysterio, Zendaya as MJ, Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes/Vulture, Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury and Marisa Tomei as Aunt May.

London calling: Three new posters from Spider-Man: Far From Home were released on Monday morning

Far From Home means that Peter and his friends are not in the US - they have taken a school trip to Europe.

While abroad, he is recruited by Nick Fury to team up with Mysterio to battle the Elementals.

Filming began in July 2018 in England, the Czech Republic, Venice, and the New York metropolitan area, before wrapping in October 2018.

The film is set to be the sequel to the 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming and is directed by Jon Watts, written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.

Berlin anyone? Spider-Man is seen in three locations in Europe: Berlin, Germany, Venice, Italy, and London, England

Holland has already moved on to his next project. He is reuniting with the Russo brothers to star in Cherry.

The actor is set to star in the adaptation of Nico Walker's 2018 based-on-truth novel, which Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo secured the rights to last year.

The tome tells the true story of the author, a former army medic who returned from war in Iraq with un-diagnosed PTSD, fell into opioid addiction and began robbing banks.

Walker was caught in 2011 and is scheduled to be released in 2020.

Venice for fun: Tom Holland is returning as the title character for the new film, which will be released on July 5

Jessica Goldberg wrote the adaptation while Joe and Anthony will produce for their AGBO studio.

Tom, 22, will return to the screen in the highly anticipated Avengers: Endgame which will be released on April 26 and Spider-Man: Far From Home due on July 5 and Marvel Studios previously announced that won't announce any upcoming films until both the movies have been released.

Kevin Feige - President of Marvel Studios - has confirmed that although there is a 'tremendous amount of potential' for characters and storylines in the MCU, fans will have to wait until after Tom's second standalone Spider-Man film hits cinemas.

Feige previously said: 'As we've been doing for years, we aren't going to announce anything post-'Avengers: Endgame' or 'Spider-Man' until post-'Endgame' and 'Spider-Man'.

'As you know as a fan, there's a tremendous amount of potential and a tremendous amount of additional characters and storylines and groups of characters that we're going to keep playing with.

She had a smaller part: Zendaya was not used enough in Homecoming

He did this too: Holland was also seen as Spider-Man in the 2016 film Captain America

'And again, that's a testament to Marvel and to the amount of storylines and characters and amazing, amazing runs that have been in the Marvel comics.'

Meanwhile, Zendaya showed off her Tommy Hilfiger collaboration, TommyXZendaya, in a runway show at Paris Fashion Week over the weekend and admitted the size-inclusive show still feels like a 'dream'.

The Greatest Showman star shared a collection of images on Instagram featuring the likes of Grace Jones, Debra Shaw, Pat Cleveland, Veronica Webb, Beverly Johnson, and Beverly Peele, all of whom walked in her show alongside younger stars such as Winnie Harlow and Jourdan Dunn.

Her other career: Zendaya attended Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring 2019 : TommyXZendaya on March 2, 2019 in Paris, France

She loves it: Here the beauty stood in front of her big billboard in Paris

She captioned the post: 'I'm still not truly convinced the other night really happened, cause that's how dreams feel. Our show was a celebration and appreciation for all of the iconic women who fearlessly pioneered and opened doors that are the very reason I'm able to exist in this space.

'So to every woman on that stage and the many others who weren't, we love you, we see you and we thank you. (sic)'

The actress debuted her collection - which is available from size 4 to 24 - at Paris's Theatre du Champs Elysees with a runway that was filled exclusively with models of colour.

Speaking backstage at the show said: 'I want to make a show inspired by the women who made it possible for me to be in the position where I am now. Honestly, I just wanted to say 'thank you' to them through this show.

'I said to Tommy, 'If we do a show, this is what it needs to be about.' And Tommy said, 'Great. Go for it.' And he actually meant it. I mean, look.'
Megan Barton Hanson has shared a flirty message with fellow Love Island star Charlie Frederick on Instagram.

The pair recently spent time together on a night out at Raffles nightclub in Chelsea in February and now have been exchanging messages online.

Charlie, 24, shared a shirtless snap of himself taken on a recent trip to Bali on Instagram with Megan, 25, leaving a comment saying: 'Ello' along with a set of eye emojis.

Caught her eye: Megan Barton Hanson has shared a flirty message with fellow Love Island star Charlie Frederick on Instagram

Charlie appeared to appreciate the comment and replied with a high-five and a fire emoji.

Before heading off on his trip, Charlie shared a photo of himself and Megan looking cosy in the nightclub where they were joined by fellow Love Islander Samira Mighty.

He wrote alongside it: 'See you later London, I'm off to Bali for a month.'

Charlie was the first to leave the Love Island villa last summer after he was partnered with Hayley Hughes.

Hitting back: It comes after Megan said she would rather 's**t in her own hand and clap' than reunite with her ex-boyfriend Wes Nelson on Instagram on Monday

He previously told The Sun Online that he fancied Megan, saying: 'Megan's a gorgeous girl. Shes actually really nice and easy to get on with, so whats not to like?'

He added: 'We actually get on really well, but I felt that I wanted to give Hayley a really good chance but you know, I didnt really put it on Megan much.

'So I feel like if I did, then I probably wouldve come out successful.'

It comes after Megan said she would rather 's**t in her own hand and clap' than reunite with her ex-boyfriend Wes Nelson on Instagram on Monday.

Pals: Charlie recently shared a photo of himself and Megan looking cosy in the nightclub where they were joined by fellow Love Islander Samira Mighty

The Love Island star, 25, was branded 'savage' when she firmly ruled out any hopes for reconciliation after she was asked by a fan if she would ever reignite their romance.

Megan and Wes, 21, split back in January, with the Dancing on Ice hunk now reportedly dating Instagram model Lissy Roddy, 24.

Uploading a summery snap in a white floral co-ord, Megan's feathers were ruffled when more people were commenting if she would get back with Wes rather than praising her outfit.

Replying to one fan who asked if she would get back together with Wes, she bluntly wrote: 'I would rather s**t in my own hand and clap'.

Megan was then inundated with comments from her 1.9million followers, with some branding her reply as 'savage, brutal' and 'priceless'.

Savage: The Love Island star, 25, was branded 'savage' when she firmly ruled out any hopes for reconciliation with Wes when asked if she would reignite the romance by a fan

Ouch: Replying to one fan who asked if she would get back together with Wes, she bluntly wrote: 'I would rather s**t in my own hand and clap'

Her curt feelings towards Wes comes just three days after he was was spotted for the first time with his rumoured love interest Lissy.

The Dancing On Ice star and the Instagram model enjoyed a low-key date, in Manchester on Friday after claims they've been hanging out a lot in recent weeks.

Sources shared with MailOnline that the duo have been enjoying hanging out together in the early stages of dating.

New flame: Megan and Wes, 21, split back in January, with the Dancing on Ice hunk now reportedly dating Instagram model Lissy Roddy (pictured), 24

They said: 'They are just enjoying spending time together at present and isn't as serious yet as boyfriend and girlfriend.'

The pair have grown 'inseparable' after first meeting at a fashion party in Dublin, and until now have kept their relationship under wraps, according to The Sun.

It comes amid claims that Wes 'kissed' a mystery brunette while on a night out in Manchester last week, despite ex Megan claiming he vowed to give her his 'undivided attention.'

Not single anymore? Love Island star Wes has reportedly found love again, two months after his split from Megan Barton Hanson (pictured in London, January 2019)

The source claimed that Wes met Lissy  real name Alicia  at the party thrown by Nasty Gal, with his co-star Josh Denzel acting as wing man for the encounter.

They added: 'Wes is having a really good time getting to know Lissy, they've been on some nice dates and they've been hanging out, going on shopping trips together and chilling at home.

'Lissy's the reason Wes was so adamant he wouldn't be getting back with Megan. She is absolutely stunning and he's one very happy man.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Wes Nelson and Alicia Roddy for further comment.

Megan and Wes split in January six months after first meeting in the Love Island villa, which itself sparked a furore as their coupling left his former partner Laura Anderson heartbroken.

Their split came after Megan was embroiled in a so-called 'feud' with his Dancing On Ice professional partner Vanessa Bauer, claiming on social media she tactically split from her own partner as a publicity stunt.

Feud: Megan and Wes split amid her ongoing battle with his Dancing On Ice professional partner Vanessa Bauer (pictured last week)
Total Bellas' Nikki Bella finally confirmed her long-rumored romance with her 2017 Dancing With the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, by going Instagram official on Monday.

'Well after that season finale!' the 35-year-old reality star - who boasts 16.1M social media followers - wrote.

'I'll be talking about this Wednesday [on The Bellas Podcast].'

'Well after that season finale!' Total Bellas' Nikki Bella finally confirmed her long-rumored romance with her 2017 Dancing With the Stars partner, Artem Chigvintsev, by going Instagram official on Monday

Surprised? The 35-year-old reality star unveiled the Russian 36-year-old as her not-so-secret boyfriend by hopping on the back of his Ducati during Sunday night's Total Bellas finale

The San Diego native officially unveiled the Russian 36-year-old as her not-so-secret boyfriend by hopping on the back of his Ducati during Sunday night's Total Bellas fourth season finale.

Hours before it aired, Nikki (born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace) Insta-storied a sneak peek of her bearded beau while attending Scottsdale Fashion Week at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort in Arizona.

Bella and Chigvintsev didn't become an item during the 25th season of the ABC competition because she was still engaged to fiance John Cena until April 15 of last year.

Collectively known by fans as 'Team Smackdown' - the coy couple were eliminated in the seventh week of the 25th season.

Sipping wine: Hours before it aired, the San Diego native Insta-storied a sneak peek of her bearded beau while attending Scottsdale Fashion Week in Arizona

Kissing both her men: Bella and Chigvintsev (L) didn't become an item during the ABC competition because she was still engaged to fiance John Cena (R) until April 15 of last year (pictured October 23, 2017)

'Team Smackdown': The coy couple were eliminated in the seventh week of the 25th season (pictured in 2017)

Back on January 3, Us Weekly reported that Nikki and Artem had already been 'dating for a while.'

'I just feel like this free spirit. Truly like a butterfly out of her cage. I don't know. I have this new level of excitement. I'm just having a lot of fun,' the licensed real estate agent gushed on Sunday.

'And I feel like, the first time ever, I'm focusing on me. It's crazy. I never in my life would've thought that, like, I would've had a lot in common with a Russian. I'm ready to really explore new things and people and just really see what certain chemistries are all about.'

Not shocking: Back on January 3, Us Weekly reported that Nikki and Artem had already been 'dating for a while' (pictured in 2017)

The licensed real estate agent gushed on Sunday: 'I have this new level of excitement. I'm just having a lot of fun...It's crazy. I never in my life would've thought that, like, I would've had a lot in common with a Russian' (pictured March 6)

It's official: The Soviet-born hoofer became a naturalized American citizen in 2014, and he divorced his previous dance partner Giselle Peacock in 2005 after one year of marriage

The Soviet-born hoofer became a naturalized American citizen in 2014, and he divorced his previous dance partner Giselle Peacock in 2005 after one year of marriage.

The two-time WWE Divas Champion's romantic update came the same day she announced her retirement from the sport after 12 years.

'[The European WWE tour] was good but I just feel like I'm too old for that travel,' Bella said Sunday.

'I'm too old': The two-time WWE Divas Champion's romantic update came the same day she announced her retirement from the sport after 12 years (pictured in 2017)

Classes range $399-$799: Chigvintsev (R) will next kick off Pro Dance Camp's A Day of Dancing tour beginning this Saturday at the Peaches Dance and Music Orlando in Florida

'The travel was really, really rough, so, I realized, I was like, "Why am I doing this? I don't feel good." The girls are doing amazing things over there. I really am ready to hang up the jersey, like I can say it fully.'

The Drop the Mic loser plans on focusing on her fashion brand, saying: 'I'm ready to take Nikki Bella into a different direction. Here's to closing one chapter and the next one opening.'

Meanwhile, Chigvintsev will next kick off Pro Dance Camp's A Day of Dancing tour - where classes range $399-$799 - beginning this Saturday at the Peaches Dance and Music Orlando in Florida.
She has been on the social scene since arriving in Paris.

And Uma Thurman cut a solitary figure when she went about her day-to-day life exploring the picturesque nooks of Paris, in France on Monday.

Feeling the chill, the Kill Bill actress, 48, donned a shirt and a cardigan as well as a blue coat when she enjoyed a brisk walk in the French capital.

Kill(Bill)-er style: Uma Thurman went casual in distressed jeans and a chic shirt as she breezed through streets of Paris, in France on Monday

Prowling around the city on her own, Uma tottered about in a pair of leopard print heels which gave her height a bit of elevation.

The actress breezed through the streets in an effortlessly casual ensemble, complete with a pair of cut-off distressed jeans.

Temperatures were at a steady 12 degrees in Paris but Uma added rectangular sunglasses incase there was any sunshine.

Kill(Bill)-ing it: Feeling the chill, the Kill Bill actress, 48, donned a shirt and a cardigan as well as a blue coat when she enjoyed a brisk walk in the French capital

Uma has been on the showbiz scene since arriving in the bustling city as she made an appearance at the Place Vendome reopening of the Boucheron original house.

She took to social media to share a snap and she wrote: 'Beautiful night in Place Vendome reopening of Boucheron original house with the ever graceful Francois-Henri and Salma.'

The following night, Uma enjoyed a glittering fashion show in the city of love where she was joined by two close friends.

Kill(Bill)-er looks: The actress breezed through the streets in an effortlessly casual ensemble, complete with a pair of cut-off distressed jeans

She wrote: 'Here with Roberta and Maya in Paris. Thank you Mr. Armani for a wonderful show. You are truly spectacular.'

Uma is starring in new Netflix horror series Chambers which will be airing on the streaming service from April 26.

Chambers tells the story of a woman who survives a heart transplant and begins to develop different personality traits.

Walk on the wild side: Prowling around the city on her own, Uma tottered about in a pair of leopard print heels which gave her height a bit of elevation

Spine-tingling fear arises when she begins to uncover the truth about her donor's sudden death in tense scenes.

Uma was previously married to French financier Arpad Busson, and the pair welcomed daughter Luna in 2012 before their split in April 2014.

The Kill Bill star was also married to Gary Oldman for two years back in 1990, and actor Ethan Hawke in 1998. She and Ethan share two children - daughter Maya, 19, and son Levon, 15.

Head-turning arrival: Temperatures were at a steady 12 degrees in Paris but Uma added rectangular sunglasses incase there was any sunshine

Uma was one of many actresses who spoke out against film producer Harvey Winestein in the wake of numerous sexual assault allegations.

During an appearance on The Late Show With Seth Meyers, show host Seth congratulated Uma on her essay in The New York Times in which she detailed her claims against the disgraced film producer.

She said: 'Well, you've got to be a citizen and you can't leave people alone holding the bag of truth by themselves. Theres no one I wish to get due process more than him.'

How exciting! Uma is starring in new Netflix horror series Chambers which will be airing on the streaming service from April 26

She alleged in her article that the producer first made sexual advances towards her in a Parisian hotel room, before later attacking her again in London.

She wrote: 'It was such a bat to the head. He pushed me down. He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things.

'But he didn't actually put his back into it and force me. You're like an animal wriggling away, like a lizard. I was doing anything I could to get the train back on the track. My track. Not his track.'

Social butterfly: Uma has been on the showbiz scene since arriving in the bustling city as she made an appearance at the Place Vendome reopening of the Boucheron original house
She ruled the runway for more than two decades before turning her attention to TV.

And Heidi Klum caught the eye with her dramatic gelled hairdo at the amFAR Gala in Hong Kong on Monday.

Hitting the red carpet with fiance Tom Kaulitz, the supermodel, 45, showed off her slicked-back spiral shaped side partings as she posed up a storm for the cameras.

Interesting look: Heidi Klum caught the eye with her dramatic gelled hairdo at the amFAR Gala in Hong Kong on Monday

Heidi looked effortlessly chic in a black floor-length silk slip dress with thin straps, which had a fishnet panel on the neckline.

She added height to her supermodel frame with a pair of black barely-there heeled sandals, a sparkly clutch bag and a collection of silver and emerald diamond necklaces, which she teamed with matching earrings.

Heidi styled her blonde locks into a dramatic sweptback and gelled hairdo, she added a slick of glamorous red-carpet ready make-up.

Glam: Hitting the red carpet with fiance Tom Kaulitz, the supermodel, 45, showed off her slicked-back spiral shaped side partings as she posed up a storm for the cameras

Wow: Heidi looked effortlessly chic in a black floor-length silk slip dress

Gorgeous: She added height to her supermodel frame with a pair of black barely-there heeled sandals

Loved-up: The couple confirmed their engagement earlier this year, after going public with their relationship in May last year

Glitzy: The event was quite the star-studded turnout with the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Alexander Skarsgard, Pharrell Williams and his wife Helen Lasichanh also attending

The modelling legend was joined by her fiance Tom, 29, on the red carpet who looked dapper in a black collarless suit, he swept back his long brunette locks into a loose bun.

The event was quite the star-studded turnout with the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Alexander Skarsgard, Pharrell Williams and his wife Helen Lasichanh also attending.

The couple confirmed their engagement earlier this year, after going public with their relationship in May last year.

Quirky: The supermodel styled her blonde locks into a dramatic sweptback and gelled hairdo

And Heidi has admitted that her four children Helene, 14, Henry, 14, son Johan, 12, and Lou, 9, 'can't wait for the wedding' as they love their rocker stepfather-to-be, 29.

Heidi met Tom on set of Germany's Next Top Model, and Tom popped the question on December 24 with a dark-stone engagement ring.

Heidi is 16 years older than the Tokio Hotel guitarist, and, of their wedding, she told ET last month: 'We're two Germans, it will be very organised and on time. Very, very much on time and very organised.'

Heidi shares her eldest daughter with her ex partner Flavio Briatore, who she split from soon after announcing her pregnancy.

While she shares her three other children with ex husband Seal, who she married in 2004 before the pair finalised their divorce in 2014.

Mwah!: The German musician looked dapper in a black collarless suit, he swept back his long brunette locks into a loose bun

On the move: On Tuesday morning, Heidi and Tom made their way to the airport in Hong Kong
It's an upcoming miniseries based on the 1994 smash hit film of the same name.

And production of Four Weddings and a Funeral was in full swing on Monday as a star of Mindy Kaling's new Hulu show was spotted working hard on set in central London.

Rebecca Rittenhouse, 30, who plays Ainsley in the series, cut a glamorous figure as she walked along a busy street in a chic long-sleeved black dress with a statement pearl buckle.

New era: Production of Four Weddings and a Funeral was in full swing on Monday as a star of Mindy Kaling's new Hulu show was spotted working hard on set in London

The actress paired the classic look with a bold fuchsia duster coat and stylish black stiletto heels.

The screen star, who previously starred in The Mindy Project, also carried a compact off white bag as she strolled down the open set.

The miniseries, produced by Mindy Kaling, revolves around four American friends - Maya (Nathalie Emmanuel), Craig (Brandon Mychal Smith), Ainsley and Duffy (John Reynolds), who reunited at a wedding in London.

It was revealed late last year that Four Weddings and a Funeral star Andie MacDowell, 60, will have a guest star role in the series inspired by the 1994 British film of the same name.

Star: Rebecca Rittenhouse, 30, who plays Ainsley in the series, cut a glamorous figure as she walked along a busy street in a chic long-sleeved black dress with a statement pearl buckle

Poised: The actress, who previously starred in The Mindy Project, also carried a compact off white bag as she strolled down the open set

According to Page Six, the actress will take on the role of a new character in the Hulu limited series, which is heading to the streaming service in 2019.

Andie will join Game Of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays the mystery lead Maya and replaces original choice Jessica Williams.

The actress is set to play Ainsley's mother Mrs Howard, who will appear in the series intermittently as the cast try to weather a year of romance and heartbreak.

Written and produced by Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton, the original film's director Richard Curtis will act as an executive producer, while the series will star Zoe Boyle, Jennie Jacques, Harish Pate land Guz Khan.

Upcoming: The miniseries is inspired by the 1994 British filmof the same name and is expected to air later this year

She's back! It was revealed late last year that Four Weddings and a Funeral star Andie MacDowell, 60, will have a guest star role in the series (pictured in character with Hugh Grant)

The original 90s movie followed lovable Englishman Charles (Hugh Grant), and his unlucky in love pals, as he became smitten with American beauty Carrie (Andie) when he meets her at a wedding he is best man for.

Despite spending the night together, he thinks she's not interested when she returns to the States and they don't see each other again until the second wedding.

There, she introduces him to her fiance, a wealthy politician, though the pair do end up spending another night together despite the revelation.

Though they seem destined to remain apart they continue to bump into one another at a handful of nuptials and one funeral.

It is only at Charles' wedding to Henrietta aka 'Duck Face' that he comes to realise he is actually in love with Carrie.

Four Weddings And A Funeral was also given a re-boot for Comic Relief earlier this month.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidmans adopted daughter Isabella has credited the Church of Scientology for providing the missing piece in her life after undertaking extensive training to become an auditor.

In an email initially shared with London based Scientologists and subsequently published on Scientology blog The Underground Bunker, the 26-year old claimed she was drowning in problems before qualifying for the role.

Reflecting on her training, she wrote: 'It turned out it was exactly what I needed. I dragged out the testing and correction, just made it through the drilling and then finally began my auditing adventure, and wow, I wasnt prepared. This IS what I had been searching for. The missing piece.'

Confession: Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidmans daughter Isabella has credited the Church of Scientology for providing the missing piece in her life after undertaking extensive training to become an auditor

The qualification now means Isabella, who lives in the English capital with husband Max Parker, is able to guide others through the process - a question and answer session that involves using a rudimentary lie detector, referred to as an e-meter, to rid new members of negativity.

'Its a few melt downs and running to the bathroom to have a mini episode, but it is worth everything because you will get through. This is a gift to yourself and so many others,' she advised others of the training required to be an auditor.

'It doesnt matter if you arent going to be an auditor or arent going to join staff. If you are going to make it as a being for the long run you NEED this. Thats the truth.... So stop messing around and get going.'

parents: Hollywood stars Tom and Nicole adopted Isabella and her younger brother Connor, also a Scientologist, following their marriage on December 24 1990

Hollywood stars Cruise and Kidman adopted Isabella in 1992 and her younger brother Connor, also a practicing Scientologist, three year later.

Both would go on to live with devout Scientologist Cruise following his divorce from the Australian star, who he met while filming Days Of Thunder, in 2001 after 11-years marriage.

And Isabella credited her father, full name Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, her aunt Cass Mapother and various members of the church for helping through a series of issues as she undertook her training.

'Thank you to my Dad for everything,' she wrote. 'To Cass. To Tash. I would have drowned in my own problems if you hadnt been there to sup me or get me through the preliminaries.'

Old times: Tom and Nicole walk through Central park with an infant Isabella. She would go on to live with her father following their divorce in 2001

Tony Ortega, who originally shared the email online, told Sun Online that getting a young high-profile member like Isabella to actively promote Scientology is a huge coup for the Church.

'I have never seen a celeb (even a minor one) do a promo for 'training' - the work to become an auditor,' he explained.

'This not only shows that she's dedicated to the church, it reinforces that Tom is fully on board, and it suggests to rank-and-file members that the famous members are behind Scientology leader (David) Miscavige and they should be too.

'Now that she's trained as an auditor, she'll be able to do the questioning involved in auditing, which means, she'll be helping others plumb the depths of their pasts to discover the secrets that are holding them back.'

Devout: Cruise has been a devout Scientologist since being introduced to the religion in 1990 through his first wife, Mimi Rogers

While Isabella remains close to her father, her relationship with Kidman is said to be strained amid claims that her dedication to Scientology drove a wedge between them.

Speaking about her relationship with her children in 2018, the actress told Who: 'They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, its my job to love them.

'And I am an example of that tolerance and thats what I believe  that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and Im open here.'

She added: 'I think thats so important because if that is taken away from a child, to sever that in any child, in any relationship, in any family  I believe its wrong. So thats our job as a parent, to always offer unconditional love.'
Hailie Mathers is soaking up the sun on a 'much needed vacay.'

The 23-year-old daughter of rapper Eminem, flaunted her fit physique on Instagram Sunday in a bikini clad snap.

Earlier, the young influencer shared an airport bound snap explaining that she was heading off somewhere exotic for a little rest and relaxation.

Aloha! Hailie Mathers, the daughter of Eminem, was soaking up the sun in a set of new ab-flaunting bikini snaps on social media on Sunday

'Aloha,' Hailie captioned some bikini snaps, leading her 1.4 million fans to assume she is in Hawaii.

In the images, Mathers is perched on a lounge chair on the balcony of her hotel room wearing a trendy sunshine yellow bikini.

Fitness is clearly a priority for the rapper's daughter, as she showcased her rock hard six-pack ab muscles.

Hailie sizzled in a pair of tiny bikini bottoms and a knotted bikini top with off-the-shoulder sleeves.

Wow! The 23-year-old flaunted her sculpted abs in a trendy yellow bikini while perched in a lounge chair

Her brunette tresses were wavy and down and the starlet tucked a local flower behind one ear.

Before her flight, Hailie snapped a photo with her luggage in a black bodycon dress and a denim jacket.

She shared the snap on social media while promoting a new app.

R & R: Mathers said on social media that she was 'taking some much needed vacay time'

Her caption read: 'taking some much needed vacay time & just in time to share some of my outfit details since ive just started using the liketoknow.it app!'

Hailie is the daughter of Marshal Mathers, better known as Eminiem, and his two-time estranged ex wife Kim.

For years the hip hop mogul featured lyrics in several songs about his young daughter, so she has been well known to his fans since she was a baby.

Famous fam: Hailie is the daughter of rap mogul Eminem and the pair are 'very close'

The twenty-something beauty and her rapper father are still 'very close.'

Mathers graduated from Michigan State University last Spring and graduated with a psychology degree.

Hailie told DailyMail.com at the time she was thinking of becoming a social media influencer and was particularly interested in the beauty industry.

It seems she has gone down that road, regularly sharing curated content on her Instagram page from fashion posts to work out routines.
90 Day Fiance stars Karine, 23, and Paul Staehle, 35, have welcomed their first child, a son.

According to Us Weekly, the TV star added to their family on Friday at 3:20 pm in Manaus, Brazil. They chose to name the bundle of joy Pierre Martins Staehle.

This comes after she suffered two miscarriages.

Bundle of joy! 90 Day Fiance stars Karine, 23, and Paul Staehle, 35, have welcomed their first child, a son named Pierre Martins Staehle

'I'm very happy, very excited,' Paul told the publication.

'I'm also very nervous and want to do everything the best that I can and do everything right. Everyone keeps asking how it feels to be a dad.

'Anyone can make a baby, but going through the day-to-day process of being a father is going to be a new experience.'

The first-time father continued: 'I'm very happy, very honored and very privileged and I want to make sure I do my absolute best for Pierre.'

Taking it seriously! 'I'm also very nervous and want to do everything the best that I can and do everything right. Everyone keeps asking how it feels to be a dad. Anyone can make a baby, but going through the day-to-day process of being a father is going to be a new experience'

Rainbow baby: But it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the couple, with the Brazilian native suffering from two miscarriages before welcoming the newborn

Karine also mentioned to the publication that although she still feels weak, she was recovering well.

Pierre arrived at 6.9 pounds and 19.7 inches, and according to his mom, he's very calm and breastfeeding well.

But it hasn't been all smooth sailing for the couple, with the Brazilian native suffering from two miscarriages before welcoming the newborn.

The pair first encountered a miscarriage very early on in their pregnancy, with Paul telling Us last year that they 'weren't really that attached'.

Husband and wife: Although barely able to both communicate in the same language, Paul and Karine got married in November 2017

Hasn't been easy: The Kentucky native and his wife's second loss was documented on the TLC show, in which he added left her in 'denial' (pregnant with Pierre)

The Kentucky native and his wife's second loss was documented on the TLC show, in which he added left her in 'denial.'

And while the pair are currently in a bubble of pure joy and happiness after the birth of their rainbow baby, it's taken Paul some time to come to terms with Pierre's name.

Speaking to the publication in November, he said he wasn't happy with the name starting with P, as the initials would be: 'PMS'.

'She doesn't get why it's bad,' he said, adding: 'It's not gonna be good. I was bullied all my life. It's not good initials.'
While bidding adieu to the BJP, Mr Sinha said that the party high-command disrespected the senior leaders of the party.

Patna: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied ticket from Patna Sahib, leader Shatrughan Sinha on Sunday said that the party could take away his seat but not the love of people for him.

Mr Sinha said, In spite of repeated snubs, the only reason why I stayed in the BJP is because of my loyalty. I had vowed I will not move until I was told to. But now it is the time to make the move.

Asserting his decision to contest from Patna Sahib, Mr Sinha said, The BJP is fielding a dear friend of mine Ravi Shankar Prasad in my place from my constituency. But I will be contesting elections from my constituency itself. I thank people of Bihar for the love and support they offered for years, as Ive always emerged victorious from there. But now we will know whom the public actually voted for, the party or me.

Mr Sinha asserted that by the grace of God he would win from Patna. You can take away my seat, but you cant take away the love of my people from me. However, I have no ill-will towards Ravi Shankar Prasad. He is an old friend of mine and I wish him all the best. May the best man win, he added.

While bidding adieu to the BJP, Mr Sinha said that the party high-command disrespected the senior leaders of the party. Look at how they behaved with respected Yashwant Sinha; they virtually pushed him out of the party. L.K. Advani, who was sidelined for years, has retired from elections at the same time, when Ive finally moved out of the BJP. The party could have shown some grace towards the great leader Mr Advani, by offering a seat to his daughter Pratibha or son Jayant from his electoral constituency.

However, Mr Sinha ref-used to divulge the political party he plans to join. But it is being rumoured that he has been chosen by the Congress. In a few days you will come to know. I want to thank all the leaders of Opposition, Mamta Bannerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Laloo Yadav, for standing by me.
Monday night saw the long-awaited double McQueen wedding as Mercedes McQueen prepared to tie the knot with childhood sweetheart Sylver McQueen, while her mum Myra McQueen was set to head down the aisle with Sally St Claire.

But as ever with soap's most notorious family, things never go according to plan.

While a delighted Mercedes marrried Sylver in what was her seventh wedding, it was tears at the alter for Myra and Sally.

Finally: Monday night saw the long-awaited double McQueen wedding as Mercedes McQueen prepared to tie the knot with childhood sweetheart Sylver McQueen

The day started off with Mercedes (Jennifer Metcalfe) hauled up in the Loft playing Scrabble with her bitter ex Liam (Jude Monk McGowan), who had been blackmailing her into calling off the nuptials or he would report Sylver (David Tag) to the police for attacking him.

As Liam tried to convince his ex that she craved wild, lustful nights with him over her betrothed, it was the wake-up call Mercedes finally needed.

Confirming that her heart lay with Sylver, she slammed the drug dealer for being a poison in her life and insisted that whether he called the police or not, she'd wait for Sylver as long as it takes.

With Mercedes having stormed out, Liam was left to lick his wounds and broke down in tears over his lost love.

Seventh time lucky: While Mercedes ecstatically tied the knot with Sylver in what was her seventh wedding, it was tears at the alter for Myra and Sally

Shock: Myra (Nicole Barber Lane) was stunned to see the arrival of DJ Steve Scaramouch, whom she had kissed the week previous

Meanwhile, as Myra (Nicole Barber Lane) enjoyed a drink outside The Dog with Nana (Diane Langton), she was stunned to see the arrival of DJ Steve Scaramouch, whom she had kissed the week previous.

Horrified that her fiancee Sally (Annie Wallace) would learn the truth of her adultery after unwittingly booking the DJ for the wedding, Myra retreated to the toilets, convinced the day was ruined.

Wedding officiant Scott Drinkwell (Ross Adams) and Nana headed into the toilets to comfort her and convinced her that what Sally didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

The duo assured a sobbing Myra that they'd pay Steve to leave and that she should put the kiss behind her and marry Sally.

Hidden truth: Wedding officiant Scott Drinkwell (Ross Adams) and Nana headed into the toilets to comfort her and convinced her that what Sally didn't know wouldn't hurt her

Secret heartbreak: But what the group didn't know was that a devastated Sally was in the next cubicle and had overheard the whole thing

He's back! Later at the wedding, there were tears for a happy reason as John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) returned for a brief appearance via video message

But what the group didn't know was that a devastated Sally was in the next cubicle and had overheard the whole thing.

Later at the wedding, there were tears for a happy reason as John Paul McQueen (James Sutton) returned for a brief appearance via video message and told how he couldn't be happier that his parents were finally back together after all these years.

The moving message left Sally emotional and she decided that she did want to marry Myra after all.

Mercedes and Sylver then tied the knot first, with Mercedes hoping that this wedding would be seventh time lucky.

Not happy: But as everyone cheered for the happy couple, it was clear to see that Sally was visibly upset

It's over: Sally then stood up and declared she didn't even know who Myra was anymore and fled the ceremony in tears

But as everyone cheered for the happy couple, it was clear to see that Sally was visibly upset.

Myra then excitedly got up next for her turn and revealed to the congregation how happy she was before reaching for her love's hand.

However, Sally then stood up and declared she didn't even know who Myra was anymore and fled the ceremony in tears.

Myra then proceeded to follow her, with Sally then revealing that she knew all about the illicit kiss with Steve.

Jilted: Sally called the wedding off as she believed that Myra only wanted a big wedding rather than wanting to marry a woman

The McQueen matriarch then begged Sally for another chance and inisisted that she wanted to be with Sally.

But unconvinced, Sally called the wedding off as she believed that Myra only wanted a big wedding rather than wanting to marry a woman.

Will Myra be able to win Sally around? And will Liam let Mercedes and Sylver live happily ever after?

Hollyoaks continues weekdays at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look episodes airing at 7pm on E4.
She is known for playing the formidable family matriarch, Eleanor Young, in Crazy Rich Asians.

But former Bond girl Michelle Yeoh, 56, displayed her more delicate side as she returned to the city were her career was launched.

Displaying a mint billowing gown with an embellished netted overlay, the actress looked sensational as she showed off her toned physique at the amfAR fundraising gala in Hong Kong on March 25.

Stunning: Crazy Rich Asians matriarch Michelle Yeoh, 56, displayed her more delicate side as she returned to the city were her career was launched

As the actress walked across the emerald carpet, she displayed her age-defying figure with a full-length low cut dress and a sky blue belt around her slim waist.

The Malaysian actress let her brunette tresses rest gently on her shoulders as she posed in front of the camera's at the annual black tie event.

The natural beauty paired the look with a chunky white watch, an emerald bracelet and dazzling earings.

Looking as radiant as ever, the former Miss Malaysia and amfAR Ambassador completed her look with a touch of rouge on her cheeks and a swipe of mascara to her lashes.

Natural beauty: The former Bond girl flaunted her slender physique in a mint billowing gown with an embellished netted overlay

Glamorous: The Hollywood actress looked sensational as she showed off her toned physique at the amfAR fundraising Gala in Hong Kong on March 25

The event, which is now in its fifth year, sees stars come together to help raise money for HIV and AIDS research.

This year the gala honored Hong Kong businessman and renowned entrepreneur and Adrian Cheng who is the executive director of company New World Development.

The actress first hit the public eye after winning the Miss Malaysia title at the age of 20 in 1983.

Smile for the cameras! The former Miss Malaysia displayed her age-defying figure with a full-length low cut dress

Looking good: The natural beauty let her brunette tresses rest gently on her shoulders as she waved for the cameras

Looking good: Dazzling the crowd with her slender figure, the actress completed her look with a chunky watch and emerald bracelet

Smile! Michelle stunned the crowd with her full-length gown and radiant look at the black tie event

Posing for the cameras: The event sees stars come together to help raise money for HIV and AIDS research

Dazzling: The actress first rose to fame after winning the Miss Malaysia title at the age of 20 in 1983

On stage: Michelle was later spotted speaking at the annual event which is now in its fifth year

The star then turned her talents to acting when she hit the screens alongside Pierce Brosnan in the James Bond classic Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997.

Last year, the Hollywood star, who always plays the fierce matriarch Eleanor Young in Crazy Rich Asians, praised the drama's success and shared how she would not endorse Asian stereotypes on screen.

In an interview with Stellar magazine she said: 'I will not endorse any stereotypical cliches of what an Asian woman should be.'
Keanu Reeves was back on a bus 25 years after the release of mega-hit action movie Speed.

But luckily he didn't have to keep the MPH over 50.

The 54-year-old actor was stranded in Bakersfield, California after his Los Angeles-bound United Airlines plane was forced to take an emergency landing from San Francisco over the weekend.

Back on the bus: Keanu Reeves was stranded in Bakersfield, California after his Los Angeles-bound United Airlines plane was forced to take an emergency landing from San Francisco over the weekend

Pop quiz hot shot! No doubt many fans will remember that the A-lister starred opposite Sandra Bullock in mega-hit action flick Speed 25 years ago in 1994

No doubt the blow of inconvenient travel was softened due to being in the situation with an A-lister as many took to social media to document their wholesome interactions.

One of the passengers named Amir Blum was lucky enough to take a picture with the actor at a bus station.

The fan posted the snap on Twitter with the caption: 'That time when your flight out from #GDC almost crashes and you have to emergency land in a remote airport but at least Keanu Reeves is having as bad a day as you are.'

Keep it over 50: Another passenger recorded a few videos of the 54-year-old actor's delightful interactions with fellow stranded passengers which were posted on the Twitter account @keanusgf

'If you want to hit the road': Keanu could be seen and heard kindly explaining the situation at the airport to other passengers

'Keanu sortin' it out (he's gorgeous btw)': There was another video featuring Keanu explaining the situation to others

Another passenger recorded a few videos of Keanu's delightful interactions with fellow stranded passengers which were posted on the Twitter account @keanusgf.

The video had 'we might be riding a bus w/Keanu... he chose to stay and wait. (Ignore the footwear).'

Keanu could be seen and heard kindly explaining the situation at the airport to other passengers as he said: 'People who can unload the bags won't be here for three hours.

'The vans will be here in an hour so if you want to hit the road and deal with your bags later or deal with customer service and get it delivered later. Maybe.'

'It's the ninth most populous city in California': Perhaps the cutest moment of all came inside of the van as Keanu decided to read aloud some facts about the city of Bakersfield from his phone

'It's been a long day for all of us': Their journey with Keanu ended in the parking lot of a Carl's Jr., presumably in Los Angeles as he walked toward the restaurant

There was another video featuring Keanu explaining the situation to others which was captioned: 'Keanu sortin' it out (he's gorgeous btw)'

Perhaps the cutest moment of all came inside of the van as Keanu decided to read aloud some facts about the city of Bakersfield from his phone.

The star could be heard saying: 'It's population is around 380,000 making it the ninth most populous city in California and the 52nd most populous city in the nation.'

He then pulled out his phone again to amuse his fellow passengers with some 'Bakersfield sounds' as he played country music from the city off of YouTube.

Bill and Ted return: Keanu and Alex Winter confirmed last week that a third 'Bill & Ted' movie is on the way

When one of the first stranded travelers was dropped off, Reeves politely extended his hand to shake his as he said: 'pleasure to meet you.'

Their journey with Keanu ended in the parking lot of a Carl's Jr., presumably in Los Angeles as he walked toward the restaurant in the video captioned: 'It's been a long day for all of us.'

As for what happened with the plane, United Airlines gave Yahoo! a statement which read: 'SkyWest Flight 5223, operating as United Express from San Francisco to Burbank on Saturday, March 23, diverted to Bakersfield due to a mechanical indication.

'The flight landed safely without incident in Bakersfield. Passengers deplaned normally at the gate and were then transported via ground transportation to Burbank.'

Thanking the fans: The pair then thanked fans for repeatedly demanding a third film

Be excellent: The film is scheduled for release in summer 2020, 28 years after the second installment of the saga, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey'

Aside from another bus ride from hell, Keanu is keeping the 90s nostalgia going as he and co-star Alex Winter confirmed last week that a third Bill & Ted movie is on the way.

The pair will reprise their titular roles as Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted (Theodore) Logan in Bill & Ted Face the Music this summer, with the film scheduled for release in summer 2020, 28 years after the second installment of the saga, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey'

The actors announced the news in a brief video standing in front of Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl, where Alex said, 'we'll never play.'

Galaxy Quest filmmaker Dean Parisot will direct from a script written by previous Bill & Ted writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.

On Monday, the official Bill & Ted Face The Music Twitter confirmed that William Sadler would be returning to the franchise as the Grim Reaper.

Keanu has been keeping busy as he will star opposite Halle Berry in the highly-anticipated John Wick 3: Parabellum, hitting theaters on May 17.
She landed in the French capital just hours after attending her husband Kanye West's church service in Los Angeles, California.

And Kim Kardashian proved there's no rest for the wicked as she stepped out for dinner at upscale restaurant Ferdi in Paris on Monday afternoon.

The TV personality, 38, ensured all eyes were on her as she slipped into a sparkling grey unitard, which highlighted her curvaceous figure.

Busy bee: Kim Kardashian proved there's no rest for the wicked as she stepped out for dinner at upscale restaurant Ferdi in Paris on Monday afternoon

Make-up mogul Kim mixed glamour with comfort as she teamed her daring ensemble with a chunky cable-knit maxi coat.

Making the streets her runway, the reality star commanded attention as she boosted her physique in a pair of bedazzled strappy heels.

The mother-of-three appeared to borrow hair tips from supermodel Naomi Campbell as she styled her brunette tresses in a poker straight fashion.

Wow-factor! The TV personality, 38, ensured all eyes were on her as she slipped into a sparkling grey bodysuit, which highlighted her curvaceous figure

Striking appearance: Make-up mogul Kim mixed glamour with comfort as she teamed her daring ensemble with a chunky cable-knit maxi coat

Standing tall: Making the streets her runway, the reality star commanded attention as she boosted her physique in a pair of bedazzled strappy heels

Sleek: The mother-of-three appeared to borrow hair tips from supermodel Naomi Campbell as she styled her brunette tresses in a poker straight fashion

Displaying her naturally glowing complexion, Kim opted for light strokes of neutral-toned make-up, and accessorised with quirky rectangle-framed sunglasses.

It's Kim's second trip to Paris in a month, after she hit the Fashion Week shows at the beginning of March.

The busy star was seen on Sunday morning enjoying her now regular church meeting in a hidden away area in the hills of Los Angeles.

Kim matched her eldest daughter North, five , who looked adorable in her snakeskin outfit as she danced along to the music.

Radiant: Displaying her naturally glowing complexion, Kim opted for light strokes of neutral-toned make-up

All in the details: The raven-haired beauty accessorised with quirky rectangle-framed sunglasses

Centre of attention: Kim proved to be a fan favourite as excited locals stopped to take selfies with the star

Globe-trotter: It's Kim's second trip to Paris in a month, after she hit the Fashion Week shows at the beginning of March

Music is led by her musician husband Kanye, 41, who launched the service on January 6, with the choir often seen performing renditions of his own songs.

The event, which has included stars like DMX taking the stage to preach, has been attended by the Hollywood elite including Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Courtney Love.

But the latest service was interrupted when at least two LAPD officers were called to investigate 'noise complaints from neighbors.'

Sources on the scene of the location-hopping, invite-only Christian service on Sunday reported that after the cops arrived, 'celebrities started leaving.'

She's amazing: Kim looked sensational as she elevated her height with towering white heels

Sheer delight: The Keeping Up With The Kardashian star wore her raven-coloured tresses in a straight style

On the move: Kim was impossible to miss in her twinkling ensemble as she graced the streets of Paris

Making the outfit work: Hours before her trip to Paris, Kim was seen in the same outfit as she attended her now regular church service on the outskirts of LA

Matching: Kim coordinated with her eldest daughter North, five, who rocked her own snakeskin look as she danced with her pals at the service, run by dad Kanye

The noise stemmed from the 21-time Grammy winner's large gospel choir and band all outfitted in the same grey sweatsuit, which was likely from his Yeezy label.

Kim is keeping busy with family and work ahead of the birth of her fourth child via surrogate in May.

Kanye meanwhile has been recording his long-delayed ninth studio album Yandhi.
Whitney Port dressed down with no makeup on as she grabbed groceries in Los Angeles on Monday.

The 34-year-old television personality was with her husband Tim Rosenman, who was an associate producer on The City, and their one-year-old son Sonny.

This comes after she wrapped season one of The Hills reboot with Heidi Montag, Audrina Patridge and Mischa Barton.

A family affair: Whitney Port, 34, dressed down as she grabbed groceries with her family in Los Angeles on Monday

The reality TV star stepped out in grey joggers, black and pink sneakers and a blue crew neck under a denim jacket.

She carried two cell phones in her hands while simultaneously balancing her drink.

Little Sonny, whose hair has grown long, was carried by Whitney's husband of three years.

Denim diva: The former reality star stepped out in grey joggers, black and pink sneakers and a blue crew neck

She just returned from a trip to Mexico.

The fashion designer rang in her 34th birthday in Los Cabos along with the rest of her family.

The trio stayed in a lavish suite at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso that was decorated with colorful balloons and inflatable silver letters that spelled Happy Birthday.

Happy birthday! Whitney rang in her 34th birthday in Los Cabos, Mexico with her family and shared snaps of her sun soaked holiday on social media

The Hills alum welcomed her first child in 2017.

Two years earlier, the blonde and her man said 'I do' in 2015 in Palm Springs, CA.

Their recent warm weathered R&R was much needed, as the family's life is about to get far more hectic with The Hills: New Beginnings premiering this spring.

Whitney appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine in March with her Hills reboot co-stars.

The women looked flirty as they blew kisses in the camera and threw their arms into the air while in a convertible car.

The Hills: New Beginnings premieres April 15.
She was embroidered in a furious argument with her brief flame Sam Mucklow in the series' premiere earlier this month.

But Shelby Tribble appeared to put the drama behind her as she attended The Only Way Is Essex's photocall at Sheesh restaurant in Chigwell on Monday evening.

Accompanied by co-stars Chloe Meadows and Clelia Theodorou, the model, 26, caught the eye in a metallic gold bandage dress, which accentuated her envy-inducing frame.

Stunning: Shelby Tribble appeared to put her recent romance woes behind her as she attended The Only Way Is Essex's photocall at Sheesh restaurant in Chigwell on Monday

The former Miss Great Britain upped the style ante as she enhanced her height in a pair of sparkling strappy heels.

Exuding glamour with her striking accessories, the TV personality complemented her ensemble with shimmery dangle earrings, a selection of bangles and a chain-strap watch.

The reality star intensified her beauty with full-on glamorous make-up and styled her chocolate brown tresses into loose waves.

In good company: The model, 26, was accompanied by co-stars Chloe Meadows (L) and Clelia Theodorou (R)

Standing tall: The former Miss Great Britain upped the style ante as she enhanced her height in a pair of sparkling strappy heels

She's got it! Exuding glamour with her striking accessories, the TV personality complemented her ensemble with shimmery dangle earrings, a selection of bangles and a chain-strap watch

Wow-factor! Former barmaid Chloe, 26, commanded attention with her strapless draped dressm putting her lean legs on full display

Looking good: She added to her figure in a pair of barely-there black heels, and completed her look with silver hooped earrings and a matching necklace

Glamour: Serving as a striking contrast to her bright blue eyes, Chloe sported orange-tinted eyeshadow and wore her locks in 50s style curls (pictured with BFF Courtney Green)

Former barmaid Chloe, 26, commanded attention with her strapless draped dressm putting her lean legs on full display.

She added to her figure in a pair of barely-there black heels, and completed her look with silver hooped earrings and a matching necklace.

Serving as a striking contrast to her bright blue eyes, Chloe sported orange-tinted eyeshadow and wore her locks in 50s style curls.

Clelia, 24, put her best fashion foot forward as she went braless in a bronze slip dress, teamed with cream heels.

Standing out: Clelia, 24, put her best fashion foot forward as she went braless in a bronze slip dress, teamed with cream heels

Commanding attention: The brunette ensured focus remained on her outfit as she opted for minimal accessorises, and dressed her lengthy locks into loose waves

Starry: TV star Courtney, 23, dared to go bold in a deeply-plunging bra underneath her black blazer

Footwear choice: In a similar fashion to pal Chloe, the former junior PA enhanced her height in strappy heels

The brunette ensured focus remained on her outfit as she opted for minimal accessorises, and dressed her lengthy locks into loose waves.

The new cast members of the ITVBe series also turned heads as they joined the show's veteran stars on the evening.

Leading the way was new main cast member Demi Sims, 22, who attended the event with her older sister Chloe, 37.

Demi looked in high spirits as she turned out for the event in a black PVC dress with a link lined detail and plunging neckline.

Work it: Clelia and Shelby knew how to work their best angles as they posed up a storm

Girl gang: Clelia, Shelby, Courtney and Chloe all posed for a group photo together

Glamorous: Chloe and Courtney looked sensational as they led the glamour at the reality star-studded event

Support: Axed castmembers James Lock, 32, and Yazmin Oukhellou, 25, rocked up to support their former co-stars

Bold: The reality star turned heads in a cleavage-baring gold and black patterned jumpsuit

Loved-up: The couple shared a kiss as they took to the red carpet

Stylish: Keeping up with his girlfriend's appearance, James looked dapper in a black jacket, t-shirt and skinny jeans

Happy: The duo appeared in good spirits as they put on a cosy display at the event

Here comes the boys: Tommy Mallet (left) and Liam Gatsby (right) appeared in great spirits at the event

Adding height to her frame with a pair of black strappy heels, she let her blonde locks hang loose down her shoulders for the event.

Chloe looked nothing short of sensational in a black faux leather mini-dress which she paired with a belt and lime green heels.

Joining them was Kelsey Stratford, who previously described herself as single and not looking to settle down anytime soon.

The 18-year-old cut a stylish figure in an off the shoulder champagne crop top and matching skirt.

Party: The new cast members of TOWIE turned heads as they joined the show's veteran stars for the show's press night, including Chloe Sims' sister Demi

Newbie: Leading the way was Chloe, 37, and her younger sister, 22, who has become a main cast member of the show

Outfit: Demi turned out for the event in a black PVC dress with a link lined detail and plunging neckline

Love is in the air: She stepped out with her love interest Sam Mucklow, following his bitter spat with Shelby

All black: The Sims sisters joined Georgia Kousoulou, who sported a pair of leather shorts and a clingy black vest

Pop of colour: Chloe looked nothing short of sensational in a black faux leather mini-dress which she paired with a belt and lime green heels

Sweet: Chloe and Dan posed with her sister Demi amid their budding romance

Love declaration: Chloe declared her love for Dan on Sunday's episode of TOWIE as she admitted that she would 'marry him right now'

Chloe Ross turned heads at the bash in a black long-sleeved mini-skirt with a plunging neckline and tassel embellishment.

Showing off her bronzed hue, the 26-year-old styled her locks into loose curls and accessorised with a black handbag.

Fellow newbie Chloe Brockett turned up the glamour when she arrived at the event in a black gown with a plunging neckline and a matching cape.

Glamorous: Georgia looked sensational in an all-black ensemble as she added a slick of red lipstick

Dapper: Pete Wicks cut a suave figure as he sported a black suit and a white T-shirt

Cheeky: The Celebs Go Dating star, 30, beamed with delight as he winked at a pal in the distance

Star-studded: Bobby Norris flashed a beaming smile as he posed for the cameras

Newbie: Demi was also joined at the bash by Chloe Ross, another new addition to the show

Outfit: Chloe turned heads at the bash in a black long-sleeved mini-skirt with a plunging neckline and tassel embellishment

Ensemble: Showing off her bronzed hue, the 26-year-old styled her locks into loose curls and accessorised with a black handbag

Another pair of new faces who attended the event were close friends Ella Wise and Joey Turner.

Ella, 18, donned a black, long-sleeved mini-dress, adding height to her frame with a pair of heels.

Adding a touch of glamour to her look with a striking red lip, she accessorised with a shimmering clutch bag.

Joey looked dapper in a black blazer with a diamond embellishment which he paired with a black shirt and matching trousers.

Stylish: Another pair of new faces who attended the event were close friends Ella Wise and Joey Turner

The new stars of the show divided opinion among viewers when the show kicked off its 24th series earlier this month.

Taking to Twitter, viewers hit out at the changes, with several deeming the newcomers 'too young'.

'WTF is with all these kids on #TOWIE @ITVBe,' ranted one person.

While another moaned: 'Noooooo I dont like these new people on #Towie just keep the originals!'

'What the f**k has happened to #towie ?.. bring back the ogs or just stop filming', ranted a third watcher.

Style: Joining her was Kelsey Stratford who previously described herself as single and not looking to settle down anytime soon

Look: Fellow newbie Chloe Brockett turned up the glamour when she arrived at the event in a black gown with a plunging neckline and a matching cape

Head turner: Ella donned a black, long-sleeved mini-dress, adding height to her frame with a pair of heels

With another adding: 'hmmmmm dont know how I feel about this series already bring the old cast back!! #TOWIE.'

However, the new stars did impress some viewers at home, with many praising the decision to bring in some fresh faces.

'Unpopular opinion but I really like the newbies, feel like everyones getting to old and I cant relate #TOWIE,' declared one fan.

Red carpet: Joey looked dapper in a black blazer with a diamond embellishment which he paired with a black shirt and matching trousers

Ateendees: Demi and Chloe looked in high spirits as they walked arm-in-arm to the event

Dapper: Tom McDonnell, Jayden Beales and Harry Lee all turned out at the swanky restaurant to celebrate the show's new series

Fashion: Chloe and Clare Brockett looked effortlessly stylish as they posed alongside Kelsey

Change: The newbies replaced axed stars including Dan Edgar's ex Amber Turner, Myles Barnett and his Love Island girlfriend Kady McDermott as well as Adam Oukhellou

While another commented: 'I dont usually like new #TOWIE cast members straight away but I LOVE the newbies already, I also dont see the fascination with sam mucklow? How are these beautiful women so gutted over him, @Shelby_Tribble is STUNNING I dont even get why she entertained him in the 1st place.'

The newbies replaced axed stars including Dan's ex Amber Turner, Myles Barnett and his Love Island girlfriend Kady McDermott as well as Adam Oukhellou.

TOWIE continues Sundays at 9pm on ITVBe.
Constance Wu isn't the sweet Rachel Chu from Crazy Rich Asians anymore.

The beauty is now playing a less classy lady opposite Jennifer Lopez and Cardi B in the new film Hustlers.

On Monday the actress was seen filming a scene in New York City where she had blood splattered all over her tiny white crop top.

Who's that: Constance Wu, 37, was spotted filming for her upcoming movie Hustlers, in New York on Monday

The 37-year-old got into character looking ready for action in green cargo pants complete with chains and metallic gold boots.

She wore tacky looking jewelry with smears of blood running down her white crop top and fully showing stomach as she rushed down a flight of stairs.

Starring in the upcoming heist film with Constance are a handful of other big time names.

In action: Motioning to the Hustler's crew, Constance prepared to film another take on Monday

Chains galore: Constance donned a chain belt and necklace paired with large silver hoop earrings

Lopez, 49, not only has a big role, but she is also producing along with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas as well as Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

Also in the film are Cardi, Riverdale's Lili Reinhart, Julia Styles and Keke Palmer.

This will be the Invasion of Privacy rapper's first feature film.

Fitting with its' name, Hustlers is based on a New York Magazine article about real-life strippers who fancied themselves as modern-day Robin Hoods.

Cardi was a stripper prior to her chart-topping music career.

Stunning: Constance was seen arriving on set in a cab

Relaxed: She put on a robe as she arrived on set

Red-dy for her close-up: She looked fantastic as always

Interesting: She held a binder with pictures in it

Earlier this week, the Fresh Off The Boat star was also on set for the highly anticipated flick, this time dressed in ripped black leggings and comfy gray knit boots.

Her hair featured a set of severe bangs with some red-dyed streaks, and she had a pair of fake eyelashes pasted on for the film role.

In the movie, fans will watch as Candace's character, bands together with other former strip club employees to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients, according to Collider.

Stars! J Lo and Cardi B be headliners for the project which follows a real life story published by New York Magazine

Kicking off! Production on Hustlers will begin later this week. (left to right Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Julia Stiles)

The film is written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, who also wrote Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist in 2008 and wrote and directed 2012's Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World.

Though she's about to start out on another major film project, Constance is still a fixture on the ABC comedy Fresh Off The Boat, based on author and Chef Eddie Huang's memoir of the same name about his life as the son of Taiwanese immigrants living in Washington, D.C.

She stars as Jessica Huang, Eddie's no nonsense Republican mother.

The series, which is currently airing its fifth season, celebrated hitting the coveted 100 episode mark in late February.

Constance was joined by her co-stars in Los Angeles as they partied with a special Fresh Off The Boat-themed cake.
Channel 10 has shared an exciting first look trailer for the upcoming eleventh season of MasterChef Australia.

The promo clip shows returning judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris mentoring a new group of contestants.

Foot critic Matt says in a voiceover: 'Just getting that one apron with that big black logo on it, that's the key to your dreams.'

It's back! Channel 10 has shared an exciting first look trailer for the upcoming eleventh season of MasterChef Australia

Gary then adds: 'There's this incredible place, this is where dreams are made.'

Later, contestants are seen running around the MasterChef kitchen whipping up delicious dishes as This Is Me from The Greatest Showman plays in the background.

One amateur chef admits he applied for the show because he doesn't want to live with any 'regrets'.

Wow! Contestants are seen running around the MasterChef kitchen whipping up some delicious dishes

Coming soon: MasterChef Australia believed to be returning to screens in April or early May

'I don't want to get old and look back and have regrets, "I should have tried this, I should have given this a go",' he says.

As reported by TV Tonight, MasterChef Australia believed to be returning to screens in April or early May.

British culinary queen Nigella Lawson, 59, will also appear as a guest judge.

Making a comeback: British culinary queen Nigella Lawson, 59, will appear as a guest judge

Nigella was in Australia in February on a speaking tour, so it's possible she filmed her cameo around this time.

Billie McKay, a previous winner of the show, is likewise set to return to the franchise as a mentor to the contestants.

Former runners-up, Poh Ling Yeow and Matt Sinclair, have confirmed their involvement, too.
She's the Australian supermodel who is known for her down-to-earth personality.

And Megan Gale, 43, proved she's a fun mum when she and her AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson spent the weekend enjoying a Slip N Slide with her eldest child River, four.

Taking to Instagram Stories on Sunday, Megan shared a series of videos of herself, Shaun and River taking turns sliding down the plastic tarp, which was set up in the backyard of their Melbourne mansion.

'So Riv tried his first slip and slide,' Megan wrote next to a video of her son diving onto the slide.

'Then Mama thought shed' add some soap for extra slip BAD IDEA. My technique is not what it used to be,' the raven-haired beauty continued, sharing a video of herself toppling over on the slippery surface.

'So then goggles were introduced due to my #mumfail,' she added, uploading a video of a goggle-clad River attempting the slide as shirtless Shaun watched from afar.

Family fun! Megan Gale, 43, proved she's a fun mum when she and her AFL star fiance Shaun Hampson spent the weekend enjoying a Slip N Slide with her eldest child River, four

'My technique is not what it used to be!' Taking to Instagram Stories on Sunday, Megan shared a series of videos of herself, Shaun and River taking turns sliding down the plastic tarp

Megan continued to document the fun experience by sharing footage of her muscle-bound beau covering himself in soap before flawlessly executing a dive down the slide.

'OK now you're just showing off,' mused the model, adding an eye roll emoji to her caption.

Not featured in the videos was Megan and Shaun's one-year-old daughter Rosie.

Fail! Little River was later seen wearing a pair of goggles as his father watched on lovingly

'OK now you're just showing off': Megan continued to document the fun experience by sharing footage of her muscle-bound beau covering himself in soap before flawlessly executing a dive down the slide

In June 2018, eight months after welcoming daughter Rosie May Dee, the couple announced they had decided not to have any more children.

In a candid post shared to Instagram, the model said that while they're both on the same page, she's struggling with the idea of not having another baby.

'Being pregnant and giving birth is such an incredible experience and an absolute gift that I'll admit... I'm finding it a little challenging to get my head (& heart) around the fact that this is it.'
She returned to the Los Angeles party scene on Friday as she kept a low profile after rocking the Kardashian-Jenner world by hooking up with Tristan Thompson.

And Jordyn Woods is enjoying some post-controversy stardom across the pond.

The 21-year-old Good American model certainly got plenty of attention as she left dinner at hotspot Sushi Samba in the Notting Hill district of London on monday night.

Golden girl: Jordyn Woods ertainly got plenty of attention as she left dinner at hotspot Sushi Samba in the Notting Hill district of London on monday night

Jordyn looked absolutely gorgeous in a gold mini dress as she turned heads on the outing with her mother Elizabeth.

The former BFF of Kylie Jenner sauntered out of the Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian restaurant in a pair of strappy gold heels.

She completed the look with a brown leather trench coat while she accessorized with a matching $2,340 monogrammed Louis Vuitton boite chapeau souple bag.

Stunner: The 21-year-old model looked absolutely gorgeous in a gold mini dress as she turned heads on the outing with her mother Elizabeth

Turning heads: The former BFF of Kylie Jenner sauntered out of the Japanese, Peruvian, and Brazilian restaurant in a pair of strappy gold heels

Shimmering: As if the dress and shoes weren't gold enough, Jordyn added large hoop earrings and a Cartier Love bracelet

She completed the look with a brown leather trench coat while she accessorized with a matching $2,340 monogrammed Louis Vuitton boite chapeau souple bag

Just the two of us: She was joined by her mother Elizabeth Woods

As if the dress and shoes weren't gold enough, Jordyn added large hoop earrings and a Cartier Love bracelet.

Her brunette tresses were worn down flowing over her shoulders as she accentuated her natural looks with complementary make-up topped off with a swipe of shiny pink lip.

No doubt she was proud of the stylish look as she took to Instagram to share two galleries of her outfit.

Building a brand: A fan asked to take a photo with her and Jordyn happily obliged

Good spirits: No doubt she was excited about her newfound fame as she smiled before hopping into a pick-up vehicle

Wrap it up: Jordyn kept her jacket open to show off her fab figure

Good spirit: She had a huge smile on her face

Lovely lady: Jordyn looked very stylish on the outing

Pals: A friend gave her a big hug

Showing off: No doubt she was proud of the stylish look as she took to Instagram to share two galleries of her outfit

Rocking it: Jordyn proudly posted for the social media snaps

Looking good: Her brunette tresses were worn down flowing over her shoulders as she accentuated her natural looks with complementary make-up topped off with a swipe of shiny pink lip

Jordyn is in London Town to celebrate the launch of her own range of false lashes as she is selling a three lash set that includes Summer Heir, LA Baby, and Beach Please lashes.

This comes just days after she returned to the party scene in style on Friday night, donning a skin-baring ensemble for a night out at West Hollywood hotspot Craigs.

The model rocked a plunging top and a minuscule mini skirt for her return to the public eye.

She's back! This came just days after Jordyn returned to the party scene in style on Friday night, donning a skin-baring ensemble for a night out at West Hollywood hotspot Craigs

The raven-haired beauty went braless beneath her black top, which revealed plenty of Jordyn's cleavage.

The cropped top also gave a glimpse of the top of her stockings, which peeked out above a tiny miniskirt.

Woods wore her hair in a bob with bangs, and the highlight of her impeccable makeup was a dab of nude lip.

The BFF of billionaire Kylie Jenner gave a discreet thumbs up as she entered the upscale Los Angeles eatery.

Taking the plunge: The 21-year-old Good American model rocked a plunging top and a minuscule mini skirt for her return to the public eye

Back in black: The raven-haired beauty went braless beneath her black top, which revealed plenty of Jordyn's cleavage

Peep show: The cropped top also gave a glimpse of the top of her stockings, which peeked out above a tiny miniskirt

Woods is preparing to jet off to London in the wake of her cheating scandal with Khloe Kardashian's now ex Tristan Thompson.

The model, 21, took to her Instagram platform on Friday to tell her followers that she will soon be in the British capital to promote her new Eylure lash collection with Superdrug.

It seems like Jordyn will be attempting to give her former best friend Kylie Jenner some time to think things through, as it's been reported by TMZ that the billionaire is 'so over their friendship' and 'determined to move on'.

Broken relationship: Kylie Jenner [right] allegedly still isn't speaking to Jordyn since the cheating incident and wants to draw a line on their relationship. Seen in August 2018

The make-up mogul allegedly still isn't speaking to Jordyn since the incident and wants to draw a line on their relationship.

Jordyn poured her heart out in a Red Table Talk interview with Jade Pinkett Smith last month, denying she had cheated with Tristan.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player shares baby True, 11 months, with Kylie's sister Khloe, who has reportedly been left devastated by the claims.

Kylie wasn't buying her childhood friend's apology, however, and the public denial supposedly annoyed her even more.

TMZ reports that Kylie has asked Jordyn to come and pick up her stuff from her guest house in a bid to cut ties.

A source claims that while Kylie might consider being 'amicable' in future, their days of being best friends are over for good.
The insider said that Mr Thackeray would continuously hold meetings with district presidents today and tomorrow over the same issue.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray held a meeting with core party leaders where the strategy to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena candidates in the Lok Sabha election in order to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not get a second term was discussed. The MNS chief asked party workers to propagate the failures of the Modi government in the state with facts and figures.

MNS state leader and spokesperson Anil Shidore told The Asian Age on Sunday that Mr Thackeray had directed them to consolidate data of the failure of the Modi government and inform the people about it before the election in order to ensure that the BJP is defeated. In addition to this, the party will campaign against the BJP's allies, he said.

An MNS insider said that the meeting was held at Krishna Kunj on Saturday. Leaders such as Bala Nandgaonkar, Avinash Abhyankar, Nitin Sardesai, Shirish Sawant, Sandeep Deshpande, Abhinash Jadhav and Anil Shidore among others had attended the meeting.

The insider said that Mr Thackeray would continuously hold meetings with district presidents today and tomorrow over the same issue. Directions have also been issued to taluka presidents and village presidents to campaign against the current regime.

The party will hold its first rally in the backdrop of the looming general election, which will be addressed by Mr Thackeray, at Shivaji Park, Dadar on April 6.

The leader said that although the party was not contesting the election for the first time since its inception, it would campaign against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
First things first: we were promised SEVEN new cast members and we are only delivered a paltry FOUR in this first episode of season 17.

Having said that, by the end of it, four is probably enough. Especially when we see the pair theyve saved for next week...

Anyway: If you werent aware, there is a French girl amongst the new cast. In order to assert her dominance, Sophie has donned a red beret so she can walk across a bridge in it and make things crystal clear that she is the AE (Alpha European) of the cast.

Made In Chelsea's back! And a DNA-themed twist of fate lands James in hot water on Monday night's debut episode of the new series

Meanwhile, French woman Maeva (not Binchy) is arriving in London, checking herself into a posh hotel and making sure EVERYONE knows she is foreign. A merci here, a bonjour there. A voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir to the hotel receptionist.

Turns out this girl is Miles ex who he lived with for three years and talked about marriage and kids with. Even though they are both literally 21 or whatever. As Miles explains to James at the Bluebird (after greeting him as if theyve not seen each other for 17 months despite always being at the gym together on Instagram Stories) Maeva likes to get in the bath and invite Miles over to pop her cork.

Its just sex though, he explains. Thats what YOU think Miles. As the words spill from his mouth, Maeva is on the phone to her mama, telling her that she is very happy and cant wait to tell Miles that she is moving to London. We know she is saying this because subtitles are provided, which is something we never get when Mark Francis is having a rant in Italian on the phone...

Angus (new) goes to a bar to order two Bloody Marys. Habbs happens to be there too and has previously ordered three Bloody Marys. The barman is passing Habbs said trio of Bloody Marys and Angus thinks that theyre his. We learn three things from this:

Angus thinks that cocktails are pre-made under bars, ready to be handed out immediately to thirsty patrons.

Drama ahead: Meanwhile, Miles is faced with his very own Liaisons Dangereuses

Angus thinks Habbs was just loitering at the bar, without purpose, which never happens on Made In Chelsea.

Angus cant count.

This is, in fact, a Meet Cute. Girl orders drinks at bar, Boy tries to steal drinks from Girl, Girl says no no no and goes off to sit with her friends while Boy does a suits you sir face as he checks her out.

Angus is then joined by Amelia, who is the standout star of the new people. More on her later... In the meantime, Angus tells her that he has been hooking up with his mentor at university and that she is grading his latest essay. If that doesnt get boys enrolling at Bournemouth Uni then nothing will.

Question: what is a mentor? Isnt it like someone in the third year who shows you around in Freshers Week? Why is she grading his papers? Who does this woman think she damn well is?

Ooh la la! James is inviting Eliza to Paris, unbeknownst to poor clever Verity

Why isnt she romancing someone her own age?

At a genetics class (sure, why not) Jamie and Mytton meet Verity, who is very clever and knows phrases like DNA methylation. This interests Jamie enough to introduce himself and start prying into her personal life within seconds. We then learn she is dating James. It was a stretch but we got there in the end.

Meanwhile, James is inviting Eliza to Paris, unbeknownst to poor clever Verity. Eliza is straddling a scooter when this takes place, just FYI. She also makes James pinky promise to swear to her he will honour his Paris invitation which is a sure fire way to get that invite revoked.

The aforementioned Amelia, it transpires, is another ex of Miles. Only shes not pouring champagne over her jewellery in the bath. Shes far more appealing because she has, you know, a personality. Nonetheless, Miles ghosted her back in the day. She bumps into him at a bar and tells him not to do that to girls because its mean. Oh Amelia, we heart you. Miles then suggests they go to brunch which he then doesnt turn up to the next day. Because of Maeva and her wet skin!

Cheap date: James spent all his money on the Eurostar fare to France and so doesnt take Eliza for dinner, just sits her with a bottle of plonk by a river

Eliza tells Melissa that she doesnt take herself too serious and nor does James. She means James doesnt take himself too seriously but we at home know he doesnt take her seriously either.

Before we know it, James has whisked her away to Paris. Why is it called the City of Love? she ponders, wishing she had her scooter with her to ride up the Champs Elysees. Dont know, James answers. Great, thanks.

Finally we get to see Maeva and Miles chatting together. For a couple who supposedly have incredible sex and were together for three years, there would be more chemistry between a racoon and a beaver if they were battling over half a piece of dried up trout.

Also, Maeva is terrible at English. She says: I think we should just enjoy what we are having and dont think about what can happened. Back to school for you my dear!

Sealed with a kiss: The duo lock lips in front of the Seine in one particularly cliched scene

James spent all his money on the Eurostar fare to France and so doesnt take Eliza for dinner, just sits her with a bottle of plonk by a river. There, they discuss the politics of texting on the dating game, with Eliza claiming she likes it when men dont reply to her texts for days. Wait til youre 30, sweetheart, and get back to us on whether youre still a fan of that, yeah?

Sophies party is a lavish affair, but the only guest thats really made an effort with the theme is Eliza who has turned up as Melanie Griffiths circa 1983.

Maeva rocks up, I more-than-suspect uninvited by Sophie. Off she trots to the bar. Can I have a glass of Martini? she asks. Bless. Its just Can I have a Martini? babes. Its here that she meets Amelia and learns of her and Miles lustful past. You dont like me, you just like my ass! says Maeva to Miles. Lets really just not go there everyone. Please!

James is busy bragging about how he flies a plane and promising Eliza a ride in it when Verity arrives (also uninvited by Sophie, the actual birthday girl) and asks James what the ruddy Nora hes playing at! Apparently James took HER to Paris and gave her a quick fly in his plane too. AND he PHONED Verity within seconds of de-boarding the Eurostar after the trip to France with Eliza. Understandably, Verity storms off. Inexplicably, Eliza doesnt...
Geri Horner chose Mel B as her Spice Girls bandmate she'd most like to 'sh*g' during an unearthed interview with MTV.

During the interview, Ginger Spice was asked who she would like to sh*g or marry in the group.

She responded: 'I probably want to marry Emma and sh*g Mel B. She's the top...are you allowed to say sh*g on MTV?'

Clip: Geri Horner chose Mel B as her Spice Girls bandmate she'd most like to 'sh*g' during an unearthed interview with MTV (pictured in 1997)

Asked what parts of her bandmates she would like to have for herself, Geri said she would like Victoria's legs and Mel C's 'physicality', referring to her love of fitness.

The Spice Girls tour is still set to go ahead despite Geri, 46, reportedly being furious with Mel, 43, after claiming they slept together.

An insider told The Sun that Geri is upset over what her band mate said during her Piers Morgan: Life Stories interview and it has 'done damage' to their friendship.

While recording an episode of Piers Morgans Life Stories, Mel told the host that the passionate encounter just happened.

Flashback: During the interview, Ginger Spice was asked who she would like to sh*g or marry in the group (pictured in 2013)

She responded: 'I probably want to marry Emma and sh*g Mel B. She's the top...are you allowed to say sh*g on MTV?' (pictured in 1997)

She said of Geri, who married Formula 1 racing team boss Christian Horner in 2015: She is going to hate me for this because she is all posh with her country house and her husband, but its a fact.

'But it wasnt a thing, it just happened and we just giggled at it and that was it.

When pressed for more details about their relationship, Mel, said: Oh stop it, you pervert, before eventually asserting they did sleep together.

In the audience, their bandmate Mel C  whose full name is Melanie Chisholm  said: This is all new to me.

Angry: The Spice Girls tour is still set to go ahead despite Geri reportedly being furious with Mel after claiming they slept together (pictured in 2010)

Mel B added: I have said it now. All done. She is going to kill me.

An insider told the publication that Mel and Geri are 'divided' after her comments, which is made worse by both of them viewing themselves as the 'boss' of the group.

They said: 'The gigs will go ahead whatever happens, but those two couldnt be more divided and both see themselves as the boss. Everyone involved is braced for some epic arguments once theyre back together.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative for the Spice Girls for comment.

Tension: An insider said Mel and Geri are 'divided' after her comments, which is made worse by both of them viewing themselves as the 'boss' of the group (pictured in 2012)

The pair were thought to have had a rocky relationship after Geri unexpectedly quit the band in 1998, with Mel previously saying in a TV interview: 'We fought like cats and dogs. '

The Spice Girls tour is reportedly set to earn the bandmates 2.2million each.

Victoria Beckham is the only one not joining the reunion, which will end at Wembley Stadium in June  21 years after they performed at the venue as part of their Spice World tour.
It's been over four years since she last appeared in a film, but Eva Mendes has been busy designing her own line of clothing in the meantime.

The 45-year-old actress was spotted stopping by a bookstore and grabbing some takeout while out and about in Los Angeles on Monday.

She took the opportunity to show off a timeless striped dress from her own label that she previously displayed this month.

Classic fashion: Eva Mends, 45, was spotted stopping by a bookstore and grabbing some takeout while showing off a striped dress from her own clothing label in Los Angeles on Monday

The summery dress gave the already gorgeous actress an air of classic Hollywood elegance.

The white dress, the Hannah Stripe Poplin Shirtdress from New York & Company's Eva Mendes Collection, was adorned with primary color stripes of red, yellow and blue, and was belted with a long blue sash.

The 5ft6in We Own The Night star ramped up the movie idol look with some tortoiseshell cat-eye sunglasses and white open-toe sandals.

Her flowing auburn hair was gracefully styled down over her shoulders.

Plugging her label: The white dress, the Hannah Stripe Poplin Shirtdress from New York & Company's Eva Mendes Collection, was adorned with primary color stripes of red, yellow and blue, and was belted with a long blue sash

Matinee idol: The 5ft6in We Own The Night star ramped up the movie idol look with some tortoiseshell cat-eye sunglasses and white open-toe sandals

The Holy Motors actress had a relaxing time out on the sunny day.

After taking one of her daughters out to a place to create, she stopped at a bookstore to peruse some reading material.

She also had some time to stroll around the city, and ended the day by picking up some takeout to bring home.

On March 15, the wife of Ryan Gosling had the same elegant dress on for an interview with Extra.

Eva surprised shoppers checking out her collection at a New York & Company branch in Burbank, California, and revealed she'd return to making films  but only with a special someone.

In response to which director or actor could pull her out of her hiatus, she instantly replied, 'Ryan Gosling.'

A favorite: On March 15, the wife of Ryan Gosling had the same elegant dress on for an interview with Extra

Where it all started: Eva and her partner Ryan Gosling, 38, first met while filming 2012's The Place Beyond The Pines

The couple first met while filming 2012's The Place Beyond The Pines, and her most recent screen credit was Ryan Gosling's first (and so far only) directorial effort, 2014's Lost River.

It didn't sound like she's intentionally left the acting life, though, as she suggested projects needed to be impressive enough to lure her in.

'I'm excited to go back to work, it's just not, like, I'm dying to do a movie again, so it has to be something really special,' she explained.

Her favorite collaborator: Eva's most recent screen credit was in Ryan's first (and so far only) directorial effort, 2014's Lost River; pictured in 2013

Drawing from the past: Eva took inspiration for her clothing from photos of her grandmother in 1920s Cuba. She is seen here wearing the same dress earlier this month

Eva also explained the family ties that inspired her clothing label.

'My grandmother  who I never met, who we named our little girl after, Amada  we have some beautiful photographs of her from '20s Cuba,' she said. 'So I take a lot of inspiration from her and the jewelry she wore, the dresses she loved, a headpiece, and that's where I get my inspiration from.'

In addition to their youngest daughter, two-year-old Amada, she and her longtime partner share an older daughter, four-year-old Esmeralda.
Made In Chelsea returned and started its seventeenth series with something none of us expected to see.

No. Not a new character who was black or Asian.

Not that radical.

Nor anyone else whod represent the diversity of modern-day London.

Just two of its stars discussing Epigenetics!

Almost as surprising, right?

Newcomers: Made In Chelsea returned and started its seventeenth series with something none of us expected to see

Particularly as they werent Mark-Francis Vandelli and Victoria Fashion-Cadaver, the only cast members whod read more books with words than pictures.

The fact that the pair discussing attending an Epigenetics lecture were Alex Mytton and Jamie Laing illustrated how MiC had decided to try and revive its fading brand by taking the show in a completely different direction: by making it more intelligent.

Well, by introducing seven new characters that added intelligence at least.

Not difficult admittedly (one of them wasnt even blonde - another big step forward for the show).

Rosi Mai Walden, for example, had done History of Art at the Courtauld and now moved on to law.

Amelia Miss might have sounded like a femme fatale in a Martin Amis novel but she went to Richmond, the American International University in London, and Eliza Batten studied Anthropology at Durham.

Odd: The fact that the pair discussing attending an Epigenetics lecture were Alex Mytton and Jamie Laing illustrated how MiC had decided to try and revive its fading brand by taking the show in a completely different direction: by making it more intelligent

Newcomers: Amelia Miss sounded like a femme fatale in a Martin Amis novel

Maeva DAscanio meanwhile was French  so inherently an intellectual/existentialist.

Sadly for reasons best known to itself, Episode One of Season 17 still showed four of the debutantes (Maeva, Eliza, Amelia, and Verity Bowditch) being roundly humiliated. And by two of MiCs dullest, dumbest, idiots too (James Taylor and Miles Nazaire).

Verity had a Biomedical Science degree from Kings College London, not to mention a keen interest in Epigenetics, judging by her presence at the lecture in Belgravias Caledonian Club.

It seemed the days of Louise Thompson and Stephanie Whatever-Her-Name-Was messing about doing Doga (yoga for dogs) were long gone when Verity asked the genetics expert: Is there a difference between the effect of DNA methylation and histone methylation?

Scorned: Verity didnt realise her boyfrend James Taylor was cheating on her either - by taking Eliza Batten to Paris

The fact that she had such a basic gap in her knowledge was just the first sign that academic intelligence didnt preclude the same old MiC stories.

Verity didnt realise her boyfrend James Taylor was cheating on her either - by taking Eliza Batten to Paris.

This was despite the fact hed posted photos of the date on Instagram, and it was in the script.

Luckily for Verity, by pure coincidence, Jamie and Mytton happened to be attending the lecture and were able to tell her.

Eliza for her part inevitably didnt know James was going out Verity or that, despite maintaining their date was unprecedented, he had taken Verity up the Eiffel Tower too.

Amelia and Maeva also suffered the ignominy of finding out Miles had been playing them off against each other (as it were).

Maeva was the latest in a long line of MiC characters that had moved to London in order to break up with someone she was not really going out with.

Its good to see you, she said when they were re-united for a meal that never came.

Awkward: Eliza for her part inevitably didnt know James was going out Verity or that, despite maintaining their date was unprecedented, he had taken Verity up the Eiffel Tower too

Yeah I know! grinned Miles as if he were 12, before bursting out laughing when she asked: have you been a good boy?

It was not what youd call a great sign. Gradually, as she heard Miles lies about Amelia, Maeva realised: I think I care more about you than you care about me! You can see that our relationship does not properly exist!

The silly posh English boy continued to snub the Europeans desperate entreaties for some sign of commitment.

Maeva and Miles were basically Made In Chelseas perfect metaphor for Brexit.

Comic relief: Thankfully Jamie and Alex were still around

These were the highlights from Season 17 Episode One

BEST TRADITIONAL GREETING

Waddup !

- Jamie Laing opens the show with the word that MiC cast members have used through the ages (17 series although it feels like 117)

WORST TRADITIONAL MIC EUPHEMISM

Was there any bonking?

- Angus wastes no time (one minute) before using the hideously dated term that you only ever hear on this show

BEST MINOR DETAIL

At school I was distracted by girls.

You went to an all-boys school!

- Alex Mytton points out the inconvenient truth to Jamie Laing

WORST CAREER-ENDING EMBARRASSMENT

Thank you very much for having me here today to talk about Epigenetics. The first question is obviously: what is Epigenetics?

- DNA expert/lecturer at The Caledonian Club, when the real first question was: what the **** are you doing appearing on Made In Chelsea?

BIGGEST WASTE OF A PRIVATE EDUCATION

You never fail to amaze me! What is this?!

- James shows he is easily amazed until Eliza informs him: its a scooter

MOST MELODRAMMATIC EXAGGERATION

It ended brutally

- Amelias term for the way Miles eventually stopped replying to her texts

MOST SINISTER PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE USE OF THE THIRD PERSON

It was tough at the time but were over it

- Amelia reassures Miles shes forgiven him but might still break in and stab him in his bed

LEAST DIPLOMATIC CONFESSION

Are you a game-player?

I think its unfortunate in this day and age the way youre a game player with people you dont like. If I dont like someone, Ill lead them on!

- James gets his date in Paris with Eliza off to a great start

MOST APPROPRIATE VENUE

Tramp

- the nightclub for Sophies birthday party

MOST SCATHING COMPLIMENT

She is so sweet

- Habbs immediately realises that Maeva is now the most glamorous super-fox on the show

LEAST SCATHNG INSULT

You called her after Paris! That is so s**t. That was a really special day for me. Then youve just gone and done a poo on it!

- Elizas savage denunciation of James

MOST ACCURATE ADMISSION (male)

I like you so why do you keep stringing me along!?

Cos its easy!

- James breaks it to Verity not-very-gently

MOST APPROPRIATE ADMISSION (female)

Im sure you can understand I feel a bit of an idiot

- Eliza realises you has joined the right show
Bullets have left unmistakable scars on Masjid al Noor but they haven't stopped a New Zealand Muslim community returning to reclaim their mosque.

The floral tributes grew outside the New Zealand mosque, even on Saturday morning, a week and a day after 50 people were slaughtered in an attack that tore through a community.

Christchurch police lifted the cordon and the Muslim community was allowed to return inside for the first time since the attack during Friday prayers last week.

Many of those who died lost their lives in Masjid al Noor. Many were injured there too.

The return was conflicting. Some found peace in knowing those who died had been martyred, taken while in their place of worship.

Others struggled with knowing so many of their friends had been killed there.

Inside it was silent. Not just during prayers but from the moment the barefoot worshippers stepped onto the shiny white tiles and a new grey mat at the front door.

Some paused to reflect.

It was there that Haji-Daoud Nabi had uttered his final words - "Hello, brother" to welcome the gunman inside.

Blood-soaked carpet has been ripped up and will be buried.

New carpet is still to come, but contractors volunteering their time have re-plastered and there's an overwhelming sign of fresh paint throughout.

But there are still signs of work to be done. Scars remain.

There's an unmistakeable bullet mark on the door to the women's prayer room, which remains closed.

Instead women and men prayed together but separately in the main hall.

"If a door is closed it is closed for a reason. Please leave it that way," volunteers told small groups of 15 at a time who were allowed in to pray and reflect for five minutes at a time.

One of the first to step inside was Rehanna Ali who described feeing a "very deep peace".

But Mohamed Safeer Mohamed Ismail felt "broken" as he returned to the mosque near his home, where he often prays with his wife and son

When he was six years old, more than 140 Muslim men and boys were massacred in four mosques in the Sri Lankan town Kattankudy, including two only a short distance from his home.

"That time I felt it, but I was small. But this has actually broken me," he said.

He was running late on Friday and was 50 metres down the road when shots were fired and men ran from the gate.

"The brothers jumped into my car. They said 'there's shooting inside'," he said.

"I got very scared and upset."

He, like most who returned on Saturday, knew many of the victims.

"It was so silent," he said of his return to the scene.

"It's not easy to come out from that (tragedy)."

The mosque wasn't just open for people to pray, but for people to observe and reflect and many beyond regular attendees were welcomed.

Jordanian Crown Prince El Hassan bin Talal laid flowers after praying inside.

Many non-Muslims were also welcomed inside.

Among them was Helen Zarod, a therapist who specialises in race-related issues on holiday from the UK.

"You've got to strike the balance between being voyeuristic and trying to be at one in solidarity with the people," she said.

"But that's obviously what they want."
Bill Shorten says it is "deeply frustrating" and "disturbing" that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again shown footage of the Christchurch mosque massacre.

The opposition leader said while he understood "there were some domestic politics being played out" the coming Turkish election was "no excuse for disrespecting our Anzacs."

"It's not on, it's not appropriate and it's not the basis of the relationship that we've had really since the end of the first world war with the government of Turkey," he said.

The footage was apparently shown at a rally only hours after New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Mr Erdogan in Turkey on Friday.

Asked if he had raised issue about the shooter's footage being shown by the Turkish president as part of a nationalist video, Mr Peters told reporters "I didn't ask that question because I felt I did not have to ask it because they are not doing it anymore".

The Australian government is still reviewing travel advice, which currently advises a "high degree of caution" for Turkey ahead of Anzac Day services in Gallipoli after Mr Erdogan's provocative comments.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is "no one-trick pony" and he's sure she'll have a "great day" - but he failed to join her at a polling booth on election day.

But at least the state Liberal leader had her federal counterpart in Sydney on Saturday.

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten didn't make the trip to NSW this weekend to back state opposition leader Michael Daley, who's had a tough final week on the hustings.

Mr Shorten was in Tasmania and said there was no need for him to be in Sydney because "there's not much more you can do to sort out the voting" on polling day.

"It's in the hands of the voters and we'll find out at some point after 6pm who's running the state government in NSW," he told reporters in Forth.

Mr Shorten added that at least he'd spoken at NSW Labor's campaign launch a few weeks ago. Mr Morrison attended the Liberals' launch but wasn't asked to address the party faithful.

The prime minister, who lives in Sydney, and his daughter, Lily, wore Cronulla Sharks caps when they met voters at Sylvania Heights Public School.

Asked why he wasn't with Ms Berejiklian on Saturday he told reporters: "I've spoken to Gladys today I've wished her well and I think she's going to have a great day."

"I'm just here at my local electorate where you'd expect me to be," he said.

"Gladys has shown great discipline and strong leadership, which is how she runs the government, which is why she deserves the support of the people of NSW.

"She's no one-trick pony."

The man Mr Morrison deposed, former PM Malcolm Turnbull, was in Coogee supporting Liberal MP MP Bruce Notley-Smith at a polling booth.

The electorate takes in part of the federal division of Wentworth, Mr Turnbull's former blue-ribbon Liberal seat that fell to independent Kerryn Phelps in the October by-election.

"It's so important to re-elect the Berejiklian government and Bruce Notley-Smith right here in Coogee," Mr Turnbull said in a video posted on Twitter on Saturday.
People in Buzi, a district of Beira, take shelter in a secondary school

The death toll from a powerful cyclone that pummelled swathes of southern African countries, flooding thousands of square kilometres, on Saturday surged past 600 as diseases stalked tens of thousands of survivors.

At least 417 people have died in Mozambique, according to government, bringing to 676 the total deaths when combined with those from neighbouring Zimbabwe.

Cyclone Idai smashed into the coast of central Mozambique on Friday last week, unleashing hurricane-force winds and rains that flooded the hinterland and drenched eastern Zimbabwe leaving a trail of destruction.

Relief and rescue efforts entered a second week in the central parts of the impoverished coountry.

The UN, warning of more suffering, stepped up calls for help in Mozambique as aid agencies struggle to assist tens of thousands of people battered by one of southern Africa's most powerful cyclones.

- 'Situation will get worse' -

Stranded: Flood victims gather on the roof of a house in Buzi

A week after the storm lashed Mozambique with winds of nearly 200 kilometres (120 miles) per hour, survivors are struggling in desperate conditions -- some still trapped on roof tops and those saved needing food and facing the risk of outbreaks of disease such as cholera.

"The situation will get worse before it gets better," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said Saturday.

"Aid agencies are barely beginning to see the scale of the damage," she adding that "entire villages have been submerged, buildings have been flattened, and schools and health care centers have been destroyed".

The storm wreaked an area about 3,000 square kilometres of land.

The World Food Programme late Friday night declared the flood crisis a level three emergency, putting it on a par with crises in Yemen, Syria and South Sudan.

"The designation will accelerate the massive operational scale-up now underway to assist victims of last weeks Category 4 cyclone and subsequent large-scale flooding that claimed countless lives and displaced at least 600,000 people," said WFP spokesman Herve Verhoosel.

"Now that the world is beginning to grasp the scale of devastation and despair," he said.

Desperation: Sacks of Chinese rice aid were looted from a warehouse in Beira on Wednesday

More than two million people have been affected in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and in Malawi where the storm started as a tropical depression causing flooding which killed 60 and displaced nearly a million people.

Hundreds are still missing in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

- 'Like Yemen, Syria' -

Humanitarian agencies are racing against the clock to help people, many of whom have not had a meal in days.

Poor sanitary conditions mean disease is now a real concern.

"Already, some cholera cases have been reported in (the port city of) Beira along with an increasing number of malaria infections among people trapped by the flooding," the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement.

Even some of those rescued and in shelters are in overcrowded conditions and poor hygiene places them at risk. UNICEF estimates at least a million children have been affected by the storm.

Aid group Doctors Without Borders said people were also at risk of respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

In Buzi, a small town that has reportedly "disappeared" under water, an AFP photographer saw people sleeping outside, under the rain and many coughing.

"There are lot of dead (people). We can't even count," said Otelea Jose, arriving by boat in Beira.

"We are living an unprecedented natural disaster. A disaster that only matches major disasters," said Lands and Environment Minister Celso Correia.

Districts west of Beira resemble an inland lake, and thousands of people are still trapped on roof tops.

- 'Unprecedented natural disaster' -

Although water levels are slowly going down, according to the government,the UN humanitarian agency warned of fresh flooding if more rains fall.

"The Zambezi (river) is essentially in flood currently, it's very high .. there is lot of rain in the highlands, the more that flows down to the Zambezi the more likely that is going to break its banks and we will have a second flooding emergency," said Sebastian Stampa, an OCHA coordinator.

Nearly 90,000 people are already in shelters in central Mozambique.

In Beira, businessman Ibraimo Masquine counted his blessings. "I can't believe I'm here. I was scared for my life," he said clearing debris from his factory, but he also said there was "no clean water to drink, no food".
Senior Conservative Party figures were urging May to recognise her weakened political position and leave the prime minister's post.

London: British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing intense pressure from within her own Cabinet on Sunday to step down over her handling of the Brexit process.

According to numerous UK media reports, disgruntled ministers and MPs are plotting to give her an ultimatum to resign as the price for backing her controversial withdrawal agreement in a third Parliament vote next week, a move which could even see her forced out to make way for a caretaker Prime Minister in the form of her deputy David Lidington.

Downing Street has dismissed reports of any such plot, with Lidington, Britains Minister for the Cabinet Office, stressing he is 100 per cent behind the Prime Minister.

This is not about the Prime Ministerchanging Prime Ministers wouldnt help, changing the party of government wouldnt help, said UK Chancellor Philip Hammond, calling on MPs to unite behind May.
Residents of McArthur River, a remote town in the Northern Territory, boarding an Australian military plane as authorities evacuate communities in the path of a powerful cyclone

A "very destructive" category 4 cyclone slammed into Australia's remote northern coast on Saturday, while a second, equally powerful storm bore down on the country's west.

Cyclone Trevor, pushing a big storm tide and packing winds of up to 250 kilometres per hour (150 mph), made landfall on the sparsely populated Northern Territory coast near the Gulf of Carpentaria town of Port McArthur, the Bureau of Meteorology reported.

The storm was downgraded to a category 3 shortly after making landfall, and was expected to weaken further as it travelled inland, though officials warned of heavy rains and flooding.

"There's a concern that flash flooding may occur," said emergency operations official Michael Hebb

The army and police had already evacuated most residents from outposts in Trevor's path, many of them indigenous communities, though a handful of locals remained behind, police said.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injures from the storm, but evacuated residents feared what they might find when they return home.

"We are only new to the area and the house we are in isn't going to sustain the expected winds that are predicted," said Port McArthur resident Emily Crawford, who evacuated to the regional capital, Darwin.

Even though the military evacuated most of the communities in the path of the cyclone, a handful of residents stayed behind

"This is the scariest thing I've ever been through, I've never lived through even a flooding event, let alone a cyclone of this nature, I hope all my friends and neighbours are safe," she told AFP.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said Trevor was driving a "very dangerous storm tide" along coastal regions and that heavy rainfall was expected to cause flooding across wide areas of the Northern Territory and neighbouring Queensland.

Meanwhile another category 4 cyclone, Veronica, was bearing down on the more heavily populated mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia state, where it was expected to make landfall late Saturday or Sunday.

A spokesman for the Western Australia branch of the BOM said Veronica was expected to slow down as it approached the coast near the mining centre of Port Hedland with the "potential for a very dangerous storm surge" at a time when tides are already near their high for the year.

He said the region, one of Australia's main mining areas, would experience 12 hours or more of "very destructive winds" and the possibility of "significant coastal inundation".

Australia's western coast usually sees three or four cyclones per year and emergency services said residents were well-prepared for the storm.
The yellow flag of the Syrian Democratic Forces flutters on a hilltop above the Islamic State group's last redoubt of Baghouz as the US-backed fighters proclaim the total elimination of its "caliphate"

Kurdish-led forces pronounced the death of the Islamic State group's nearly five-year-old "caliphate" Saturday after flushing out diehard jihadists from their very last bastion in eastern Syria.

"Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100 percent territorial defeat of ISIS," spokesman Mustefa Bali said in a statement.

He said the SDF had taken full control of Baghouz, a small village on the Euphrates where diehard jihadists made a bloody last stand.

Fighters from the US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance raised their yellow flag in Baghouz early Saturday to celebrate the landmark victory.
PARIS (AP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping received the full honors of a formal reception during a state visit to France on Monday that included attending the signing of a multi-billion dollar deal between European aircraft maker Airbus to China.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Xi's official visit was an "excellent signal" of the strength and reliability of relations between China and France. Appearing with the Chinese leader at the presidential Elysee Palace, Macron said the two countries want to build a "strong Euro-Chinese partnership, based on clear, strict and ambitious rules."

Xi, who plans to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Paris on Tuesday, said China "attaches great importance" to its relations with Europe.

European leaders want to increase trade with China, albeit on European terms, amid trade tensions between the United States and both China and the European Union.

The Airbus sale Xi saw finalized involves the sale of 300 airplanes. The China Aviation Supplies Holding Company has ordered 290 Airbus A320 and 10 Airbus A350, according to a statement from the French presidency.

The price was not specified. The sale is estimated to be worth 30 billion euros ($34 billion) at list prices, although buyers often secure discounts.

French President Emmanuel Macron, second from right, his wife Brigitte, right, welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping, second from left, and his wife Peng Liyuan, left, prior to a state dinner at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Monday, March 25, 2019. Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a 3-day state visit in France where he is expected to sign a series of bilateral and economic deals on energy, the food industry, transport and other sectors. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

"We are honored to support the growth of China's civil aviation with our leading aircraft families," said Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft. "Our expanding footprint in China demonstrates our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners."

Other major business deals on renewable energy and the food industry were signed Monday, in addition to bilateral agreements.

Both leaders agreed on a protocol allowing the French exports of chicken meat to China. The country opened its market to French beef products following Macron's January 2018 state visit to China.

French energy company EDF and the China Energy Investment Corporation signed a deal worth 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) to deliver two offshore wind farms in Chinese waters.

EDF chief executive Jean-Bernard Levy said the deal "consolidates EDF's foothold in China."

Macron said during his appearance alongside Xi that China and France share views on the importance of combating climate change, with green investments abroad making up part of the strategy.

Earlier in the day, the French leader welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liuan, at the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris. The French National Guard played the country's anthems. Both leaders laid a wreath at the Unknown Soldier from World War I whose tomb is under the monument.

On Monday night, the Chinese president was honored with a state dinner at the Elysee Palace. The guests included French actor Alain Delon, Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, French-Chinese painter Yan Pei-Ming and Chinese actress Gong Li.

Xi and Macron also confirmed the opening of a branch of the Pompidou Center, a modern art museum in Paris, in Shanghai this fall.

Xi started his trip to Europe last week, signing deals in Italy and heading to Monaco on Sunday to ink more. He arrived in France on Sunday evening where he had a private dinner with Macron in the resort town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.

French President Emmanuel Macron, 2nd left, his wife Brigitte Macron, left, Chinese President President Xi Jinping, second right and his wife Peng Liyuan, right, pose prior to a state dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Monday, March 25, 2019. Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a 3-day state visit in France where he is expected to sign a series of bilateral and economic deals on energy, the food industry, transport and other sectors. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

French President Emmanuel Macron, 2nd left, his wife Brigitte Macron, left, welcomes Chinese President President Xi Jinping prior to a state dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Monday, March 25, 2019. Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a 3-day state visit in France where he is expected to sign a series of bilateral and economic deals on energy, the food industry, transport and other sectors. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

French president's wife Brigitte Macron, right, and Chinese president's wife Peng Liyuan wave toi the crowd as they arrive to visit the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris as part of a state visit to France, Monday, March 25, 2019. The Chinese President is on a three-day state visit to France. (Martin Bureau/Pool Photo via AP)
Fugitive speedboat killer Jack Shepherd will appear in court in Georgia on Tuesday, where he is unlikely to fight extradition back to the UK.

The 31-year-old was sentenced to six years in jail in his absence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown, 24, on a champagne-fuelled first date when his speedboat overturned in the River Thames.

He went on the run while facing trial over the death of Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, who plunged into the icy water in December 2015.

Charlotte Brown died after a speedboat crash on the River Thames (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Shepherd is currently in prison in Tbilisi after handing himself in to the authorities last month.

His lawyer, Tariel Kakabadze, said Shepherd is likely to agree to extradition back to the UK, although a final decision will be made on Tuesday.

He said: He wants to participate in a UK court hearing. If he stays in Georgia he will not be able to. He wants to give information to the judges and be present in court.

Mr Kakabadze believes Shepherd could return to the UK as early as this week.

Web designer Shepherd, originally from Exeter, may seek certain reassurances before agreeing to the request, which was sent to the Georgian authorities by the Home Office, the lawyer suggested.

Shepherd has been given permission to appeal against his manslaughter conviction.
Over several years, a myth has been carefully manufactured that Hindu terror poses an existential threat to Indian Muslims, Christians and other minorities.

During the Congress-led UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments, this myth was given a label  saffron terror.

The crafting was meticulous.

The reported Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, Ishrat Jahan, killed by the Gujarat police, became a secular cause celebre. Websites sprang up describing her as an innocent college girl, murdered apparently on the orders of then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The narrative was smoothly taken up by certain co-opted media. In Parliament, Home Minister Shivraj Patil spoke darkly of Hindutva terrorism.

Over the elections, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has transformed into a publicly devout Hindu. (Photo: PTI)

P. Chidambaram, then finance minister, warned of the dangers of saffron terror. Terrorism, he reportedly said, had no religion  but it had a colour.

Rahul Gandhi showed an early predilection for backing such subverted narratives. He reportedly told a visiting American envoy, in a conversation leaked by Wikileaks, that rightwing terror was more dangerous to Indias integrity than Islamist terrorism.

In November 2008  as if to cruelly mock that assertion  LeT terrorists killed 166 people in two Mumbai hotels, a Jewish outreach centre and Mumbais largest railway station, over three and a half days of rampaging terror.

The acquittal of Swami Aseemanand and others in three cases of Hindu terror, including last week in the Samjhauta Express case, due to lack of evidence, demonstrates the sinister nature of the plot to paint Hindu terror as a threat to the idea of India.

By aligning its position with Pakistan, against the courts acquittal of Swami Aseemanand, the Congress has once again revealed where it stands on saffron terror  the wrong side of history.

Comments by Sam Pitroda, Congress president Rahul Gandhis senior advisor, apparently questioning the Jaish-e-Mohammeds role in the Pulwama terror attack and the efficacy of the IAFs Balakot air strikes, underscore deep faultlines in the Congress.

Watch my answer. @ANI What major flaws do you see in the current government claim that it has been delivering to the last men, whether it is direct transfer of money or Ujjvala Yojana OR health insurance for poor even direct subsidy Aadhaar card. Where do you see the red lines? pic.twitter.com/xEMa2yR8xe  Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) March 23, 2019

A cottage industry now exists that also promotes the bizarre position that "saffron terror" is different from Hindu terror  this is a direct fallout of the realisation by the Congress and its so-called secular bedfellows, such as the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Left, that conflating terrorism with Hinduism loses votes.

Hence, the painstaking effort to differentiate "saffron terror" from "Hindu terror".

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhis attempted transformation into an observant Hindu, praying at temples, paying homage to the holy Ganga and visiting sadhus, has been met with an understanding wink from the Congress faithful Muslim vote bank.

Muslims know which side Rahul is really on. His temple-love, they nudge each other, is to win elections. Dont worry about it. Hes our man.

The foreign media is puzzled by all this chicanery.

The Economist noted dolefully that the Congress is no longer secular. In a recent cover story on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it wrote: The BJPs main opponent, the Congress party, has largely dropped talk of secularism. Since winning the state of Madhya Pradesh in December, Congress has outdone the BJP on cow protection, budgeting millions to build shelters for retired cattle. Its national leader, Rahul Gandhi, now punctiliously visits temples.

It added unctuously: The rival visions confronting Indias 900 million voters have rarely been so sharply defined. Hindu nationalists regard India as a nation defined by its majority faith, much like Israel or indeed Pakistan. On the other side stand those who see Indias extraordinary diversity as a source of strength. For most of the countrys seven decades, multicoloured secular vision has prevailed. But the orange-clad Hindutva strain has grown even bolder. Under Mr Modi, the project to convert India into a fully fledged Hindu nation has moved ahead smartly.

PM Modi is often presented by foreign media as a 'Hindutva icon'. In fact, he hasn't pushed much of a 'Hindu agenda'. (Photo: PTI)

The Economists understanding of Indias complexity has never been particularly sophisticated.

Modi has, in fact, done less to drive the Hindutva agenda than both his detractors and benefactors expected. The Economist notes this without recognising, artlessly, how it contradicts its earlier argument on Modis Hindu nationalism  The demand to erect a Ram temple in Ayodhya has not progressed, either. The issue has been stalled in courts for decades. This has not helped Mr. Modis standing with the Hindu religious establishment. At this years Kumbh Mela, several senior religious figures seemed unhappy. They have been talking of nothing but Ram, Ram all these years, and now they ask us to stop? mutters Swaroopanand Saraswati, the head of two of Hinduisms most prestigious monasteries. Another high-ranking holy man, his forehead streaked with turmeric, complains that the BJP and RSS are trying to hijack the faith while doing little for issues such as protecting the sacred Ganges river.

Clearly, Modi isnt quite the Hindutva icon people expected  it shouldnt surprise anyone with, unlike The Economist, a passing knowledge of Indian politics.

During his more than a decade tenure as chief minister of Gujarat, Modi ran the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) out of the state, demolished temples that encroached on public spaces, and sent the VHPs fire-breathing president Praveen Togadia into near-oblivion.

* * *

Hinduism has more than one billion adherents worldwide. The other two major religions  Christianity and Islam  have respectively two billion and 1.6 billion followers globally.

Uniquely though, all but around 25 million (2.5%) of Hindus live in one country, India  that is a concentration level of 97.5% in one nation.

By contrast, Christians and Muslims are widely dispersed. The country with the largest concentration of Christians is the United States. But even its 300 million Christians make up only 15% of two billion Christians worldwide. Islam is even more dispersed. Saudi Arabia, the custodian of Islams holiest mosques in Mecca and Medina, has 33 million Muslims  just over 2% of 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide.

The reason, of course, is the sword and the gun.

Christianity proselytised with gunships, Islam with swords. As a result, the subcontinent, with nearly 600 Muslims in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, comprises nearly 40% of the worlds total Muslim population.

And Hinduism? It never proselytised. Its monks went to China, Cambodia, Indonesia and further east to share knowledge  not to convert. The great temples of Cambodia and Indonesia are testament to the benign influence of Hinduism.

The challenge for Indias one billion Hindus now is to embrace modernity, rise above caste that holds so many back, and make Hinduism the all-embracing mother religion it was always conceived to be.

Also Read: How the Opposition is helping Modi win a second term as Prime Minister
I have been writing a lot about the Pakistani army lately. I have written how the Pakistani army deals with dissenting journalists with an iron hand and also, how they are successful in influencing some of our own to sing to their tunes.

Today, I am going to talk about something that the Pakistani Deep State is most secretive about  and something that is unique about its army.

In most parts of the world, throughout history, an army is raised to protect the nation's borders and the citizens that live within them. But in Pakistan, the army has gone much beyond this brief, to a point of no return.

If you look at the 72-year-old history of the country, there seems to be a close competition between military dictatorships and democratically elected governments.

Pakistan's PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was deposed by the military  and hanged. General Zia Ul-Haq's military rule then saw Pakistan transformed. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Since its creation on 14 August 1947, Pakistan has spent 34 years under military dictatorship  and 38 years under a democratically elected government.

The military generals ruled Pakistan after three successful coups  1958 to 1971, 1977 to 1988 and from 1999 to 2008. Pakistan's history is littered with many other unsuccessful coups by the military where they were unable to overthrow the government.

The constant struggle between the military and civil administration seems to have come to a thaw after the appointment of Imran Khan as prime minister, who reportedly came to power because the army backed him up in the last general elections and apparently sabotaged the other prime ministerial candidates who stood against him.

So, it's an uneasy relationship between Imran Khan and the Army  and he knows that he is going to stay on the chair of the prime minister as long as the army wishes him to.

Uneasy lies that head: Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan occupies his chair at the will of the Pak Army. (Photo: Twitter)

Much has been written about the military history of Pakistan and how power was usurped by the army from its civilian governments whenever they declined to play ball with the army. But not much has been written about how the army completely broke the backbone of Pakistan's economy  and established themselves as the largest and most profitable business empire in Pakistan.

Yes, you read that right.

The Pakistani army took advantage of its authority and kept establishing businesses across Pakistan by reportedly eschewing competitors in the most unethical business competition the world is yet to know.

Today, Pakistan's army is the largest business conglomerate in Pakistan with more than 50 big business entities across Pakistan, most of whom are the largest in the country. Most of the businesses are run in the name of charitable organisations which are "dedicated to the nation" and directly operated by senior army generals.

Take, for example, the Fauji Foundation, which is one of the most diversified business conglomerates in entire south-east Asia with more than 25 companies (4 wholly owned and 21 associated companies, as per their own website). If you look at the top management of the company on their website, you get to see the below picture (attached as Fauji Foundation Management). Most of the corporate heads of this business empire are sitting (in the picture) neatly in their army fatigues, and those who aren't, are also commissioned officers in their armed forces.

The Fauji Foundation of Pakistan is a strong example of the army's clutch on businesses. (Photo: Website)

This picture describes the situation of every such company owned by the Pakistani military.

Today, Pakistan's army sells biscuits to sanitary napkins, power to fertilisers  all in the name of charity!

We now know that the Pak army is also aggressively expanding its business empire. News trickling in is that they are getting ready to dig gold in Baluchistan, a province where the common people are revolting against the aggressive abuse of its abundant natural resources and demanding independence from the Pakistani occupation. There are reports of large-scale human rights violations from Baluchistan almost every day.

Despite the fact that the Pakistan army is the largest business conglomerate in the country, it has one of the most opaque accounting systems in the whole world. There is no currently available data about how much is the worth of the Pakistan army's business ventures.

More than a decade back, in 2007, we had got some data from Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, a former researcher with the countrys naval forces, which estimated that the militarys net worth would be more than 20 billion, "split between $10bn in land and $10 in private military assets."

According to Dr Siddiqa, $10bn was roughly four times the total foreign direct investment generated by Islamabad in 2007.

She also found that the "army owns 12 per cent of the countrys land, its holdings being mostly fertile soil in eastern Punjab. Two-thirds of that land is in the hands of senior current and former officials, mostly brigadiers, major-generals and generals. The most senior 100 military officials are estimated to be worth, at the very least, 3.5 billion" (2007 estimates).

Dr Siddiqa's book was promptly banned by the army  all its copies were brought from the market and destroyed promptly. Dr Ayesha was reportedly threatened and hounded out of Pakistan by President Parvez Musharraf.

Dr Siddiqa, in the 2017 version of the book, freely uses the term called 'Milbus', which she illustrates as, "military capital that is used for the personal benefit of the military fraternity, especially the officer cadre, but is neither recorded nor part of the defence budget. No doubt Dr Siddiqa moved abroad when the second edition of the book released.

Nobody knows how much the Pakistani army is worth in 2019  but even a ballpark figure would put it over one trillion dollars. However, given the nature of its opaque accounting system and secretive wealth building, we will never know the actual worth of the Pakistan army.

It is not just speculation that this huge build-up of wealth has happened because the army has settled its companies firmly over Pakistan's natural resources and the finished products are being sold back to its citizens. Of course, the charitable nature of the companies also ensures that it receives all of the army contracts which are paid for by the government using Pakistan's honest tax payer's money and allocations from the Defense budget.

You might argue that an army which is this crazy rich and which is sucking out Pakistan's natural resources and selling it in the open market, might not need any Defense Budget.

It has so much money  why does it need more money?

Turns out, it needs money and badly so. So much so, about Pakistan's 21% of the total budget allocation (in 2018) is reportedly usurped by the Armed Forces and it amounts to $1.1 trillion!

Imagine the inflow of cash into its coffers.

For the Pakistan army, the cash is flowing in from everywhere  through its business ventures in the form of profit and through the civilian government in the form of Defence Allocation. Plus, there are other modes of income like joint ventures and investments.

Pakistan  right at this moment  is struggling with its economy.

They have no money to service its debts and its Prime Minister Imran Khan is going from country to country seeking funds to thwart an economic crisis. Even the World Bank has suggested Pakistan put a cap on its defence budgets.

This perhaps explains how when Pakistan doesn't have enough money to pay for its exports, the manner in which it is maintaining terrorist camps at such high costs. The answer is  Pakistan has no money but its army is cash-flush.

Pakistan is desperately poor. But its army is flush with cash. (Photo: Twitter)

But who's listening?

Pakistan is too busy trading barbs with India and turning a blind eye at its empty coffers  while its army is secretly filling their own.

Also Read: Making War: We must save the children imprisoned in Pakistan's jihadi-run madrassas
In the run-up to the July 2018 Pakistan elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  Imran Khan's political party  promised to stop the forcible conversion of Hindu girls to Islam.

Forcible conversion of Hindus, specially young girls, is one of Pakistans many ugly realities.

Having seen the disappearance of most religious minority groups across the country, Pakistan has witnessed most Hindus moving to Sindh. About 70 lakh Hindus stay in Pakistan  most are in Sindh. And it is in Sindh that women and girls are reportedly frequently abducted, converted and forced into marriages.

While this gross violation of human rights has been going on for some time, the matter again reared its head on Holi, March 21, when two minor Hindu sisters were allegedly kidnapped and forcibly married after being converted. The two girls, 13-year-old Raveena and 15-year-old Reena, were allegedly kidnapped by a group of influential men, from their home in Ghotki district, Sindh, on the eve of Holi.

The 13-year-old Raveena and 15-year-old Reena who were reportedly forcibly converted and married off. (Soure: Video grab)

As protests by the community grew, a video in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, was released. In another video, released a little later, the two sisters were shown claiming they had embraced Islam themselves and no one had forced them to convert or get married.

But what actually exposed Pakistan's lies on the treatment of minority communities was a video of the father of the two girls, sitting reportedly outside a police station, hitting himself in desperation, lacking official help and redress, and crying out for his daughters to be released. In a desperate bid, the man is seen saying that either his daughters be returned to him  or he be shot.

Father of Raveena and Reena Hindu girls who held protest at police station.You can kill me, I had the patience, but now I wont leave.I spoke to his son Shaman who said that Madam - we are not citizen of Pakistan. The police kept changing statements. pic.twitter.com/ODWfIalnyJ  Veengas (@VeengasJ) March 23, 2019

The desperation in the mans voice, seemingly left alone by the authorities to just fend for himself, is a look at the sordid reality of Imran Khans naya Pakistan  a place that has no place for religious minorities even as the Prime Minister brazenly gives India sermons on how to treat its minority groups.

In February, Imran Khan was, ironically enough, giving lectures on how India should treat its minority communities, even as Hindu minorities in his own country were crying for help. Khan said: "We will ensure minorities in Pakistan are treated as equal citizens with all rights and privileges  unlike how the Muslims are being treated in India as second-class citizens."

In his own country, Hindus are struggling to be recognised as human beings though.

The appalling abduction of the two young girls shows exactly that.

In Imran Khan's 'naya Pakistan', Hindu women are struggling to survive. (Source: PTI)

If Khan would bother taking a look at data, he would know that Pakistan is no country for Hindus.

In 1951, Pakistan had 15% Hindus  by 1998, that population had shrunk to 1.6%.

Professor Saswati Sarkar, an academic based in the United States of America, who has done detailed studies on Hindu persecution in the subcontinent, and its lack of reportage in the media, says: This decimation is the outcome of sustained legal and social discrimination ever since the creation of Pakistan. On the legal front, only Muslims are eligible for the position of President or Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Sharia court in Pakistan has promoted religiosity and strengthened fanatics.

While some attribute the dwindling Hindu population to a spate of conversions, others say that in the last 50 years, about 90% Hindus have left the country.

The Human Rights Commission in Pakistan reports that 20-25 young Hindu girls are apparently abducted and converted every month.

Bereft of hope for a dignified survival in Pakistan, Hindus are increasingly taking refuge abroad. The Pakistan Hindu Council estimates that about 5000 Hindus leave for India every year.

And it is for this reason that Indias foreign minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted:

I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on this. @IndiainPakistanTwo Hindu girls abducted on Holi eve in Pakistan's Sindh https://t.co/r4bTBSoy9d via @TOIWorld  Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 24, 2019

This was a tweet that Pakistans information minister Fawad Hussain found hard to digest. He replied:

Mam its Pakistin internal issue and rest assure its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated its Imran Khans Naya Pak where white color of our flag is equally dearer to us.I hope you ll act with same diligence when it comes to rights of Indian Minorities https://t.co/MQC1AnnmGR  Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 24, 2019

Swaraj was unsparing in her reply:

Mr.Minister @fawadchaudhry - I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad about the kidnapping and forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience. @IndiainPakistan  Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 24, 2019

As a responsible neighbour, India cannot keep its eyes closed and ears covered as a helpless minority group in Pakistan is persecuted in this manner for its religious identity.

Its not just Hindus. Christians too have been persecuted in Pakistan and its famous economist Atif Rahman Mian was removed from its top economic advisory council  simply because of his religious identity as an Ahmadi.

Why doesn't Imran Khan divert his attention from lecturing us in India to looking at the dismal situation in his own country?

India now must raise this issue across all global diplomatic forums to expose Pakistan and help save the lives of Hindu girls who live in fear of being abducted, converted and married off against their will.

This is not merely an issue of religious identity.

This is about human rights. And any proper country will stand up for that.

Also read: The missing Hindus in South Asia and a conspiracy of silence
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Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA engages in the traditional banking businesses of retail banking, asset management, private banking, and wholesale banking. It operates through the following segments: Spain, the United States, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and Rest of Eurasia. The Spain segment includes mainly the banking and insurance business that the group carries out in Spain. The United States segment consists of the financial business activity of BBVA USA in the country and the activity of the branch of BBVA SA in New York. The Mexico segment refers to banking and insurance businesses in this country as well as the activity of its branch in Houston. The Turkey segment reports the activity of Garanti BBVA group that is mainly carried out in this country and, to a lesser extent, in Romania and the Netherlands. The South America segment comprises of operations in n Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Rest of Eurasia segment includes the banking business activity carried out by the group in Europe and Asia, excluding Spain. The company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

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Prime Minister Prayuth is a breath away from reaching the crucial threshold of 126 seats in the lower house. The 250 senators were all appointed by the junta and will support its attempt to form a government. In the afternoon the final results.

Bangkok (AsiaNews / Agencies) - With 93% of votes cast, it seems inevitable that Prayuth Chan-ocha (photo) - current prime minister and sole candidate for the pro-military party Palang Pracharat - is the real winner of the first general elections since 2011. The election marks the return of the nation to democracy, almost five years after the seizure of power by the military junta.

According to the Bangkok Post, the Pheu Thai party - Palang Pracharat's main rival and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party - won 130 seats compared to the 120 in the Palang Pracharat. But the feedback from the popular vote sees the pro-military party in the lead, with 7.1 million votes compared to the 6.9 million of the Pheu Thai.

Exit polls suggest that Prayuth is a breath away from reaching the crucial threshold of 126 seats in the lower house (out of a total of 500), which will allow it to remain prime minister. The lower house is made up of the 350 winners in the electoral colleges and the 150 politicians nominated in the party lists. Prayuth will need the support of 376 members of the National Assembly (bicameral), but the 250 senators have all been appointed by the junta and will support its attempt to form a government.

The final results in the 350 seats were expected by 8 pm yesterday - three hours after the close of the vote - but were postponed to this afternoon. The results will be considered official only after the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, which will take place between May 4 and 6. The Prayuth government will remain in office until then.
Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products. It offers a range of cigarettes, fine cut and smokeless tobacco, papers, and cigars; and next generation product (NGP) portfolio, such as e-vapour products, as well as oral nicotine and heated tobacco products. The company sells its products under various brands, including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS, West, L&B, Bastos, Fine, Winston, News, Parker & Simpson, blu, Kool, Horizon, Jade, Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, Backwoods, Skruf, Golden Virginia, Rizla, and Knox in approximately 160 countries worldwide. It also provides logistics services that include the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. In addition, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; marketing of papers; restaurant business; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, advertising, and support management services. Further, it owns the trademarks; and retails its products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Bristol, the United Kingdom.

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According to analysts' consensus price target of $7.00, Planet 13 has a forecasted upside of 110.8% from its current price of $3.32.

Planet 13 has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.50, and is based on 1 buy rating, 1 hold rating, and no sell ratings.

5.0 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Planet 13 has received 71 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

Underperform Votes Planet 13 has received 16 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.)

Community Sentiment Planet 13 has received 81.61% outperform votes from our community.

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The alleged abduction and forced conversion of two Hindu girls to Islam rekindles India-Pakistan tensions. The video of the two underage women married off to two men in Pakistani Punjab was posted on social media. For CBCI secretary general, "religion does not admit force".

New Delhi (AsiaNews)  The Catholic Church "is against all conversions done by force or deception. At the same time, it defends the right of everyone to profess and spread their faith, said Mgr Theodore Mascarenhas, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

The prelates statement comes in the wake of the alleged abduction of two Hindu girls in the Pakistani province of Sindh, who were later forced to convert to Islam and marry two Muslim men. The issue has revived India-Pakistan tensions.

For Archbishop Mascarenhasm "freedom of religion is sacred". The incident involving the two girls has widened the rift between the two neighbours, already defined by religious differences  Hindu India vs Muslim Pakistan  which was the basis of the violent partition of the British Raj in 1947.

However, the territories in north-western British India were not divided along religious lines, sparking civil unrest and the exodus of millions of people who hurriedly abandoned their homes on either side of the new border. To this day, the conflict continues to shape life in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The abduction case came to light on Friday after Raveena (13) and Reena (15), sisters, were abducted by a group of influential Muslim men in Ghotki, a district in Sindh province. Their abduction occurred last Wednesday, on the eve of the Hindu festival of Holi (the festival of colours).

Right after they were seized, the young women were forcibly converted and married off in Rahim Yar Khan, in the Pakistani Punjab. The wedding ceremony (Nikah in Urdu), complete with a celebrating imam, was videotaped and posted on social media.

Indian authorities reacted promptly, first of all Indias External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who ordered the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad to start an investigation. On her Twitter profile, the minister condemned the illegal marriage of minors.

For his part, Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan had ordered a probe into the case.

Pakistans reassurances have not, however, stopped Ms Swarajs verbal fury. This only shows your guilty conscience, she wrote on Twitter, addressing Chaudhry directly.

Today, Pakistani media have reported that a man was arrested in Khanpur (Punjab). According to the police, he is the imam who signed the marriage contract.

Pakistani newspapers also report that the two teenagers turned to a court in Bahawalpur (Punjab) for protection.

"Everyone has the right to profess his or her religion, notes Mgr Mascarenhas. The choice must be free, never imposed by force or deception. The Catholic Church is very clear on this: religion does not admit force."
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Antofagasta plc, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the exploration, evaluation, development, and mining of copper properties in Chile and internationally. It operates through Los Pelambres, Centinela, Antucoya, ZaldAvar, Exploration and Evaluation, and Transport segments. The company explores for copper concentrates containing by-products, such as molybdenum, gold, and silver; and copper cathodes. It holds a 60% interest in the Los Pelambres mine; a 70% interest in the Centinela mine; a 50% interest in the ZaldAvar mine; and a 70% interest in the Antucoya mine located in Chile. The company also provides rail and road cargo, and other ancillary services. In addition, it offers rail and truck services to the mining industry in the Antofagasta Region. The company was incorporated in 1888 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Antofagasta plc is a subsidiary of Metalinvest Establishment.

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by Lucia Cheung

Pope Francis proclaimed the extraordinary missionary month for October 2019. In the first public talk, Fr. Gianni Criveller looks at the history of PIME missionaries. Other talks will be held from March to December.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  Three Catholic institutes in Hong Kong are working together to preserve the 20th century history of the local Church, and make it better known through a series of public talks and conferences.

The Centre for Catholic Studies of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Chinese diocesan weekly Kung Kao Po and the Diocesan Archives Office held their first public talk last Saturday on the History of the Catholic mission in Hong Kong.

Church historian Fr Gianni Criveller spoke about the origins of the missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Hong Kong, noting that they are not more important than others. As a member of the institute, he knows the subject well.

This said, most of the history of the local Church in the 20th century reflects the service provided by PIME missionaries.

That history begins however in 1858 with Fr Paolo Reina who was the first PIME missionary to set foot in Hong Kong. In 1868 the Hong Kong mission was established by the Foreign Missionaries of Milan (later called PIME). In 1969 Mgr Francis Hsu, became the first Chinese bishop of the city.

According to Fr Criveller, 212 PIME missionaries have served in the city up to now. In his talk, in addition to presenting the pictures of certain important missionaries and maps of their missionary routes, the clergyman divided PIME evangelization into three parts: the creation of Christian communities and parishes, education and training, and social services and charitable works.

Fr Criveller picked three significant episodes to highlight the history of the local mission: Mgr Enrico Valtorta, first bishop of Hong Kong and Defensor Civitatis during the war years (1939-1945); the release of Bishop Lorenzo Bianchi in Communist China on 17 October 1952; and the change of leadership (1967-1969), when Mgr Bianchi believed the local Church was mature enough to be run by the local clergy.

Several oral history interviews were presented during the public talk. These interviews are a contribution to the next book on the oral history of the Catholic clergy, nuns and the faithful. The text is designed to encourage readers to reflect on the social situation, the Church of Hong Kong, its services and the way to preserve Church history.

The monthly public talk will run from March to August, whilst next December the three institutes have scheduled a conference on the same theme  The History of the Church in Hong Kong in the 20th Century  at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

A member of the Centre for Catholic Studies explained that talks on the history of the mission are inspired by Pope Francis, who proclaimed October 2019 as the Extraordinary Missionary Month and the local diocese paid importance and has activities for it.

This special month will mark the centennial of Maximum Illud, the 1919 apostolic letter issued by Pope Benedict XV, which highlighted the importance and priorities of Catholic missions.

Picture 1: Fr Gianni Criveller explains that the missionaries who worked in China had to shave their heads under the rules of the Qing dynasty.

Picture 2: Fr Criveller shows the map of the Catholic mission in the early 20th century.
There is not enough analysis data for BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. 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At the request of the premier, the deputies voted for the dismissal of Nawfal Hammadi al-Sultan and his two deputies. Card Sako: reconstruction needs the help of the international community. Since the tragedy the city has been the scene of protests. The government fears losing control and a new jihadist rise as in 2014.

Mosul (AsiaNews) - The Iraqi parliament voted yesterday for the expulsion of the governor of Nineveh, considered the scapegoat for the tragedy of the Tigris river boat on March 21 that caused the death of 97 people, with at least 70 missing. The tragedy has raised popular indignation and invested the country's highest offices: the Iraqi president and the governor himself, who had rushed to the scene of the accident, had to leave the area to escape the ire of the citizens.

The Chaldean Church expresses its "solidarity" to the population of Mosul in a note shared with AsiaNews. It also adds its "heartfelt condolences" for the families of the victims. "On this occasion - writes Card Luis Raphael Sako - we ask all political, social and religious actors in the province to close ranks and strengthen the objectives of security and stability".

The patriarch's hope is that the tragedy will be an opportunity to revive the "reconstruction of the infrastructures and homes of citizens" in what was once the stronghold of the Islamic State in Iraq. This reconstruction, he believes, must make use of the contribution of the international community, because "this expensive operation exceeds the capabilities of the Iraqi state".

Previously, even Pope Francis had sent a telegram, signed by State Secretary card Pietro Parolin, to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities. The pontiff had expressed "closeness" to those who "mourn human losses", invoking "healing, strength and consolation" for the entire Iraqi nation.

Returning to the protest, a group of people threw stones and shoes (a gesture, the latter, considered a manifestation of contempt in Arab culture) against the car of the governor Nawfal Hammadi al-Sultan. To escape the crowd, the car accelerated and crashed into two people, one of whom had to resort to medical care in the hospital.

In response to the popular uprising, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked Parliament formally to remove al-Sultan from office. According to the law of the country, the assembly has the power to decide the dismissal of local administrators (including the governors) on the recommendation of the premier, in the case of particularly serious events. The two deputies were also fired along with the governor, complying with the request of the head of government.

In the letter sent to the deputies, Mahdi accused al-Sultan and his collaborators of negligence, failure to fulfill their duties and also spoke of evidence showing poor management of public funds and abuse of power. According to some local sources the boat carried five times more people than its maximum capacity.

The vessel, used for transporting people, was packed with families and tourists who were celebrating the Nowruz (Kurdish New Year) and was bound for the island of Umm Rabaen, a tourist town about 4 km north of the city center of Mosul. According to some footage, the ferry suddenly tilted to the right, took on water, and then capsized and was dragged downstream by the rushing waters of the river.

The tragedy of the ferry was the last, decisive episode that marked the ouster of al-Sultan, for over two years in the sights of the central government because suspected of corruption. In recent days Mosul has been the scene of daily protests by angry citizens. "The city must return to its usual life" underlines General Najim Abed al-Jabouri, one of the three men who make up the crisis unit wanted by the prime minister to govern the transition phase in the northern metropolis. "The hot spots of tension must be extinguished." He is echoed by his colleague Muzahim al-Khayat, rector of the city's university, according to whom "a clear message of transparency must be sent to the population: we are here for the people, otherwise we will end up losing the city as in 2014" with the rise of the jihadists of the Islamic State.
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. engages in the mining of copper, gold and molybdenum. It operates through the following segments: North America Copper Mines, South America Mining; Indonesia Mining, Molybdenum Mines, Rod and Refining, Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining and Corporate, Other and Eliminations. The North America Copper Mines segment operates open-pit copper mines in Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita and Miami in Arizona and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico. The South America Mining segment includes Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The Indonesia Mining segment handles the operations of Grasberg minerals district that produces copper concentrate that contains significant quantities of gold and silver. The Molybdenum Mines segment includes the Henderson underground mine and Climax open-pit mine, both in Colorado. The Rod and Refining segment consists of copper conversion facilities located in North America and includes a refinery, rod mills, and a specialty copper products facility. The Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining segment smelts and refines copper concentrate and markets refined copper and precious metals in slimes. The Corporate, Other and Eliminations segment

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Francis visits the Holy House. The profound bond between young people, the family, the sick and the home of Mary. He signs the Apostolic Exhortation fruit of the Synod dedicated to young people, entitled Christus vivit, Christ lives. "In the event of the Annunciation the dynamic of the vocation appears, expressed in the three moments that marked the Synod: 1) listening to God's Word-project; 2) discernment; 3) decision".

Loreto (AsiaNews) - There is a profound bond between young people, the family, the sick and the house of Mary, which was traditionally in Nazareth and in which Mary pronounced her 'yes', becoming the mother of Jesus.

On a pilgrimage to Loreto Pope Francis underlines that Mary was a young woman, and affirming in the house where Jesus' family lived, that "in the delicate situation of today's world, the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman assumes importance and an essential mission "and that" it is necessary to rediscover the Gods design for the family, to reaffirm its greatness and irreplaceability in the service of life and society ".

But Francis' visit to Loreto is particularly linked to young people. In fact, the Pope chose this place and today's feast of the Annunciation of the Lord to sign the Apostolic Exhortation fruit of the Synod dedicated to young people. "It is called - he said - Christus vivit - Christ lives . In the event of the Annunciation - he explained - the dynamic of the vocation appears, expressed in the three moments that marked the Synod: 1) listening to God's Word-project; 2) discernment; 3) decision ".

Arriving shortly after 9:00 am, at the Giovanni Paolo II Youth Center in Montorso, Francis immediately went to the sanctuary where at 9.45 he celebrated Mass inside the Holy House. At the end of the celebration, he signed the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation dedicated to young people.

The Pope then greeted the community of the Capuchin Friars and the cloistered nuns in the sacristy. Then in the sanctuary he greeted the sick and, having left the shrine's churchyard, he recited the Angelus and greeted those present, to whom he addressed a speech in which he noted that in Loreto, "an oasis of silence and pity, many come, from Italy and from all over the world, to draw strength and hope. I think in of young people, families, the sick .

"The Holy House is the home of the young, because here the Virgin Mary, the young woman full of grace, continues to speak to the new generations, accompanying each one in the search of their own vocation. This is why I wanted to sign the Apostolic Exhortation, fruit of the Synod dedicated to young people here. It is titled "Christus vivit - Christ lives". In the event of the Annunciation the dynamic of the vocation appears, expressed in the three moments that marked the Synod: 1) listening to God's Word-project; 2) discernment; 3) decision. The first moment, that of listening, is manifested by those words of the angel: "Do not fear Mary, [...] you will conceive a child, you will give birth to him and you will call him Jesus" (vv. 30-31). It is always God who takes the initiative to call to follow Him ". "The call to faith and to a coherent journey of Christian life or of special consecration is a discreet but strong disruption of God in the life of a young person, to offer them His love as a gift. We need to be ready and willing to listen and accept the voice of God, which is not recognized amid noise and agitation. His design on our personal and social life is not perceived if we stop at the superficial, but by descending to a deeper level, where moral and spiritual forces act. It is there that Mary invites the young to go deeper and fine-tune themselves to Gods action".

"The second moment of every vocation is discernment, expressed in the words of Mary:" How can this be? "(V. 34). Mary does not doubt; her question is not a lack of faith, on the contrary, she expresses her desire to discover the 'surprises' of God. She is attentive to welcoming all of God's demands in His plan for her life, to understand every aspect, so as to ensure a ensure her collaboration is both complete and responsible. It is the attitude proper to the disciple: every human collaboration with God's gratuitous initiative must be inspired by a deepening of ones own abilities and attitudes, conjugated with the awareness that it is always God who gives, to act. So too poverty and the smallness of those whom the Lord calls to follow Him on the way of the Gospel is transformed into the richness of the manifestation of the Lord and into the power of the Almighty .

"The decision is the third passage that characterizes every Christian vocation, and is made explicit by Mary's response to the angel:" May it be done to me according to your word "(v. 38). Her "yes" to God's plan of salvation, implemented through the Incarnation, is the giving of her entire life to Him. It is the 'yes' of complete trust and total openness to the will of God. Mary is the model of every vocation and the inspirer of every vocational ministry: young people who are in search or wonder about their future, can find in Mary She who helps them to discern God's plan for themselves and the strength to adhere to it ".

"The House of Mary is also the home of the family. In the delicate situation of today's world, the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman assumes an essential importance and mission. We need to rediscover Gods design for the family, to reaffirm its greatness and irreplaceability in the service of life and society. In the house of Nazareth, Mary lived the multiplicity of family relationships as a daughter, engaged, bride and mother. For this reason, every family, in its different components, finds a welcome here, an inspiration to live its own identity. The domestic experience of the Blessed Virgin indicates that family and young people cannot be two parallel sectors of the pastoral care of our communities, but they must walk closely together, because very often young people are what a family has given them during their growth" .

"The House of Mary is also the home of the sick. Here those who suffer in body and spirit find welcome, and the Mother brings the mercy of the Lord to all from generation to generation. Illness hurts the family and the sick must be welcomed into the family. And please do not fall into that culture of waste that today is proposed by the ideological colonizations that assail us. The home and family are the first to care for the sick in loving them, supporting them, encouraging them and caring for them. This is why the sanctuary of the Holy House is the symbol of every welcoming home and sanctuary of the sick. From here I send to you all, all over the world, my thoughts and affection and I tell you: you are at the center of Christ's work, because you concretely share and carry the Cross every day behind Him. Your suffering can become a decisive collaboration for the advent of the Kingdom of God ".

"Dear brothers and sisters! To you and to those who are linked to this Shrine, God, through Mary, I entrust a mission in our time: to bring the Gospel of peace and life to our often distracted contemporaries, preoccupied with earthly interests or immersed in a climate of spiritual aridity. There is a need for simple and wise people, humble and courageous, poor and generous. In short, people who, at Mary's school, welcome the Gospel without reserve in their lives. Thus, through the holiness of the people of God, witnesses to holiness in every state of life will continue to spread in Italy, in Europe and in the world, to renew the Church and animate society with the leaven of the Kingdom of God ".
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Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. 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Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc.,      ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics.
The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited.
iShares MSCI Thailand ETF's stock was trading at $63.83 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, THD shares have increased by 17.6% and is now trading at $75.07.

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iShares Edge MSCI USA Value Factor ETF's stock was trading at $69.62 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, VLUE shares have increased by 53.6% and is now trading at $106.97.

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Deutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany.

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The rocket pierced the Iron Dome defense system and hit a dwelling in the agricultural area of Mishmeret. The wounded include a 12-year-old girl, a 3-year-old child and a 6-month child. Netanyahu cuts the visit to the United States. His rival attacks: He has sent national security into "bankruptcy".

Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A long-range rocket launched from Gaza in the early hours of the morning hit a house on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, injuring at least six people. For the first time since the 2014 war, a missile from the Strip managed to pierce the Israeli "Iron Dome" defense system and hit a target in the country's most important economic and commercial city.

The missile hit a house in Mishmeret, an agricultural area north of Tel Aviv. Health sources confirm the wounding of six people, present inside the house at the time of the attack. They include a 12-year-old girl, a 3-year-old child and a 6-month child.

At the moment there are no official claims of the attack. The Israeli leadership blames Hamas, the Palestinian extremist group that controls the Strip. Following the incident, the leader of the movement in Gaza Yahnya Sinwar canceled the press conference scheduled today to retire to a safe place with the other Hamas leaders, pending the Israeli response.

On March 14, two rockets launched from Gaza fell near Tel Aviv, without causing any damage or injuries. In response, the Israeli army reacted with a "rain of missiles" on the Strip that hit several Hamas locations.

In a context of growing tensions, which erupted on March 30th in conjunction with the beginning of the "March of Return", Israel is approaching the general elections scheduled for April 9th. Outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on an official visit to the United States, where today US President Donald Trump will sign the order for recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Trump's move follows the previous choices of the Republican administration - a unilateral one in violation of international treaties - to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and order the transfer of the embassy.

Following the attack, Netanyahu decided to shorten his visit to the United States and return home soon after the meeting with the White House tenant. Commenting on the attack, the prime minister spoke of a "criminal" act against Israel "to which we will react with all our strength". "In a few hours I will see Trump - he added - and soon after I will return to Israel to follow the situation closely".

Immediate response of the main challenger in the vote, former general Benny Gantz at the head of the center coalition. In a note he accuses the Prime Minister of having sent "national security" into bankruptcy.

On the eve of the vote, any action and decision could be decisive in national public opinion.
USG Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells building materials worldwide. The company's Gypsum division manufactures and markets gypsum and related products to construct walls and ceilings of residential, nonresidential, and institutional buildings; and agricultural and industrial customers. This segment offers gypsum wallboards and compound portfolios, as well as corner beads, joint tapes, and plasters under the USG Sheetrock brand; glass mat sheathing portfolios under the Securock brand; construction plaster products under the Red Top, Imperial, Diamond, and Supremo brands; and lightweight gypsum panels under the USG Sheetrock brand, as well as ultralight panels, USG Sheetrock brand ecosmart panels, and industrial gypsum. Its Performance Materials division manufactures and markets products for interior and exterior building applications of residential and nonresidential buildings, as well as industrial applications. This segment provides cement boards, backer boards, shower systems, performance floorings, air barrier systems, roof board portfolios, and structural panels under the USG Durock, Fiberock, Levelrock, Securock, ExoAir, Securock, and USG brands. The company's Ceilings division manufactures and markets ceiling tiles under the Radar, Eclipse, Mars, and Halcyon brands; ceiling grids under the Donn, DX, Fineline, Centricitee, and Identitee DXI brands; specialty ceilings under the Curvatura, Compasso, Radians, Illusions, Multiples, Runways, Barz, Planx, Mirra, Corniche, Wallforms, and Parti brands; and acoustical drywall ceilings under the Ensemble brand. Its USG Boral Building Products division manufactures, distributes, and sells building products, mines raw gypsum, and sells natural and synthetic gypsum under the USG Boral Sheetrock, USG Boral NextGen, Elephant, Jayaboard, Durock, and Donn DX brands. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Valero Energy: AIR BP-PBF DEL PERU SAC, BELFAST STORAGE LTD, CANADIAN ULTRAMAR COMPANY, COLONNADE TEXAS INSURANCE COMPANY LLC, COLONNADE VERMONT INSURANCE COMPANY, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY LLC, DIAMOND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY OF CANADA INC., DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL HOLDINGS LLC, DIAMOND GREEN DIESEL LLC, DIAMOND K RANCH LLC, DIAMOND OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., DIAMOND SHAMROCK REFINING COMPANY L.P., DIAMOND UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., DSRM NATIONAL BANK, ENTERPRISE CLAIMS MANAGEMENT INC., GCP LOGISTICS COMPANY LLC, GOLDEN EAGLE ASSURANCE LIMITED, HAMMOND MAINLINE PIPELINE LLC, HUNTWAY REFINING COMPANY, MAINLINE PIPELINES LIMITED, MAPLE ETHANOL LTD., MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT GP LLC, MICHIGAN REDEVELOPMENT L.P., MRP PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, NECHES RIVER HOLDING CORP., NORCO METHANOL LLC, OCEANIC TANKERS AGENCY LIMITED, PARKWAY PIPELINE LLC, PENTA TANKS TERMINALS S.A., PI DOCK FACILITIES LLC, PICKARD PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, PORT ARTHUR COKER COMPANY L.P., PREMCOR USA INC., PROPERTY RESTORATION L.P., PURE BIOFUELS DEL PERU S.A.C., PURE BIOFUELS HOLDINGS L.P., Parkway Pipeline, Premcor, Pure Biofuels Del Peru, SABINE RIVER HOLDING CORP., SABINE RIVER LLC, SAINT BERNARD PROPERTIES COMPANY LLC, SUNBELT REFINING COMPANY L.P., THE PREMCOR PIPELINE CO., THE PREMCOR REFINING GROUP INC., THE SHAMROCK PIPE LINE CORPORATION, TRANSPORT MARITIME ST. LAURENT INC., ULTRAMAR ACCEPTANCE INC., ULTRAMAR ENERGY INC., ULTRAMAR INC., Ultramar Diamond Shamrock, V-TEX LOGISTICS LLC, VALERO (BARBADOS) SRL, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS GP LLC, VALERO (PERU) HOLDINGS LIMITED, VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO ARUBA ACQUISITION COMPANY I LTD., VALERO ARUBA FINANCE INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA HOLDING COMPANY N.V., VALERO ARUBA HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO ARUBA MAINTENANCE/OPERATIONS COMPANY N.V., VALERO BROWNSVILLE TERMINAL LLC, VALERO CANADA FINANCE INC., VALERO CANADA L.P., VALERO CAPITAL CORPORATION, VALERO CARIBBEAN SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO COKER CORPORATION ARUBA N.V., VALERO CUSTOMS & TRADE SERVICES INC., VALERO EAST BAY LLC, VALERO ENERGY (IRELAND) LIMITED, VALERO ENERGY ARUBA II COMPANY, VALERO ENERGY INC., VALERO ENERGY LTD, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS GP LLC, VALERO ENERGY PARTNERS LP, VALERO ENERGY UK LTD, VALERO ENTERPRISES INC., VALERO EQUITY SERVICES LTD, VALERO FINANCE L.P. I, VALERO FINANCE L.P. II, VALERO FINANCE L.P. III, VALERO FOREST CONTRIBUTION LLC, VALERO GRAIN MARKETING LLC, VALERO H2 PIPELINE COMPANY LLC, VALERO HOLDCO UK LTD, VALERO HOLDINGS INC., VALERO INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC., VALERO LIVE OAK LLC, VALERO LOGISTICS UK LTD, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY (PANAMA) LLC, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY COMPANY, VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPLY DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO MARKETING AND SUPPY INTERNATIONAL LTD., VALERO MARKETING IRELAND LIMITED, VALERO MKS LOGISTICS L.L.C., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEDERLAND COOPERATIEF U.A., VALERO NEW AMSTERDAM B.V., VALERO OMEGA COMPANY L.L.C., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONAL SERVICES DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO OPERATIONS SUPPORT LTD, VALERO PARTNERS CCTS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS EAST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS CORPUS WEST LLC, VALERO PARTNERS EP LLC, VALERO PARTNERS HOUSTON LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LOUISIANA LLC, VALERO PARTNERS LUCAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MCKEE LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS MERAUX LLC, VALERO PARTNERS NORTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS OPERATING CO. LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PAPS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS PORT ARTHUR LLC, VALERO PARTNERS SOUTH TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS TEXAS CITY LLC, VALERO PARTNERS THREE RIVERS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST MEMPHIS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WEST TEXAS LLC, VALERO PARTNERS WYNNEWOOD LLC, VALERO PAYMENT SERVICES COMPANY, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE LLC, VALERO PEMBROKESHIRE OIL TERMINAL LTD, VALERO PLAINS COMPANY LLC, VALERO POWER MARKETING LLC, VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL OPERATIONS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO RAIL PARTNERS LLC, VALERO REFINING AND MARKETING COMPANY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-ARUBA N.V., VALERO REFINING COMPANY-CALIFORNIA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-OKLAHOMA, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-MERAUX LLC, VALERO REFINING-NEW ORLEANS L.L.C., VALERO REFINING-TEXAS L.P., VALERO RENEWABLE FUELS COMPANY LLC, VALERO SECURITY SYSTEMS INC., VALERO SERVICES INC., VALERO SKELLYTOWN PIPELINE LLC, VALERO TEJAS COMPANY LLC, VALERO TERMINAL HOLDCO LTD, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, VALERO TERMINALING AND DISTRIBUTION DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., VALERO TEXAS POWER MARKETING INC., VALERO ULTRAMAR HOLDINGS INC., VALERO UNIT INVESTMENTS L.L.C., VALERO WEST WALES LLC, VRG PROPERTIES COMPANY, VTD PROPERTIES COMPANY, WARSHALL COMPANY LLC, and ZELIG COMMERCIAL INC..
Superior Energy Services, Inc. engages in the provision of oilfield services and equipment. It operates through the following segments: Drilling Products & Services, Onshore Completion & Workover Services, Production Services and Technical Solutions. The Drilling Products and Services segment provides downhole drilling tools and surface rentals. The Onshore Completion and Workover Services segment offers pressure pumping, fluid management and workover services. The Production Services segment gives intervention services. The Technical Solutions segment involves in the products and services that address customer-specific needs with applications, which typically require engineering, manufacturing or project planning. The company was founded by Terence E. Hall in 1989 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.

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New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit China from March 31 to April 1, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday.

The visit, at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, will be Ardern's first visit to China since she took office.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. [File Photo: IC]

During her visit, leaders of the two countries will exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, said the ministry.

China expects that the trip will help the two sides to increase mutual understanding and trust, expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields and inject new impetus into a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, said the ministry.
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The wage settlement agreement was signed between the company's management and the recognised union, United Union of Hyundai Employees, it added.

Chennai: Hyundai Motor India on Monday said it has signed a wage settlement agreement with the workers of its Chennai plant, under which the technicians will get an average salary increase of Rs 25,200 per month spread over three years.

The three-year wage settlement will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 2018 and will remain effective until March 2021, Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) said in a statement. The wage settlement agreement was signed between the company's management and the recognised union, United Union of Hyundai Employees, it added. As per the agreement, technicians will receive an average salary increase of Rs 25,200 per month.
Garuda Indonesia planned to cancel its order for 49 737 MAX jets citing a loss of passenger trust after the crashes. (Photo: AP)

Singapore: Boeing Co said it invited more than 200 global airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an information session on Wednesday as it looks to return the 737 MAX to commercial service.

The meeting is a sign that Boeings planned software patch is nearing completion, though it will still need regulatory approval.

Over the weekend, Ethiopian Airlines executives had questioned whether Boeing had told pilots enough about aggressive software that pushes the planes nose down, a focus of investigation into a deadly crash in Ethiopia this month that led to the global grounding of 737 MAX jets.

The informational session in Renton, Washington on Wednesday is part of a plan to reach all current and many future 737 MAX operators and their home regulators to discuss software and training updates to the jet, Boeing said in a statement.

Garuda Indonesia, which on Friday said it planned to cancel its order for 49 737 MAX jets citing a loss of passenger trust after the crashes, was invited to the briefing, CEO Ari Askhara told Reuters on Monday.

We were informed on Friday, but because it is short notice we cant send a pilot there, he said, adding the airline had requested a webinar with Boeing but that idea had been rejected.
Noting that the IBC is the last resort, Srinivas said that if there is inherent capacity for a company to bounce back, then it is best for members of the company and the creditors to try and see how it can be resolved.

New Delhi: As Jet Airways battles acute financial woes, a senior government official Monday said a "good outcome" from the negotiations between the creditors and the company would be better than moving for proceedings under the insolvency law.

"I think creditors and the debtor are in discussion. That is the best process," Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said. He was responding to a query on whether Jet Airways is a fit case to be referred under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). "If there is a good outcome from the negotiations between the creditors and the corporate debtor, then that is better than dragging into insolvency... but if that (insolvency) is only option left at that stage, then bankers will take a call," he noted.

The cash-strapped airline, which has been operating for over 25 years, is looking to restructure its debt, estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore, as well as raise fresh funds. Lenders of the crisis-hit Jet Airways are likely to acquire a substantial stake in the carrier till a new promoter is roped in, sources said last week.

Noting that the IBC is the last resort, Srinivas said that if there is inherent capacity for a company to bounce back, then it is best for members of the company and the creditors to try and see how it can be resolved.

"If there is no agreement between the creditors and shareholders, then you will have to look at other possibilities, including that of the IBC," Srinivas said. He was replying to a query regarding Jet Airways on the sidelines of a conference organised by industry body CII. In afternoon trade, shares of Jet Airways rose nearly three per cent to Rs 232.35 on the BSE.
Both BSNL and MTNL were unable to pay salaries to their employees for the month of February.

New Delhi: The Department of Telecom has asked state governments not to disconnect electricity connections of state-owned BSNL and MTNL on account of pending dues as they are providing strategic services for the upcoming elections, sources said.

BSNL has already cleared 90 per cent of its power dues and is expected to clear the rest in the next 15-20 days.

"A letter from the Department of Telecom has been sent to state chief secretaries requesting them to avoid disruption in MTNL and BSNL electricity connections because it is providing strategic support to state machineries for managing elections," an official told PTI.

When contacted, BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava said, "We have cleared 90 per cent of the dues for electricity connections. Now around Rs 250 crore is left, which will be cleared in next 15-20 days. There were some disconnections that took place but all of them have been restored now."

Status of MTNL could not be ascertained. Both BSNL and MTNL were unable to pay salaries to their employees for the month of February.

The government released pending dues of Rs 171 crore to cash-strapped MTNL for paying February salaries while BSNL has cleared salary dues of around Rs 850 crore from its internal accruals.

In the hyper-competitive telecom environment, both the public sector firms have approached the government for financial support and to resolve legacy issues, but the Centre is yet to take any final call.

MTNL, which operates only in Delhi and Mumbai, expects that asset monetisation and other measures can help in paring its debt of around Rs 19,000 crore.

BSNL, which has the lowest debt of Rs 14,000 crore among all telecom operators, has sought 4G spectrum across India through equity infusion of Rs 7,000 crore to help it compete in the market.

BSNL has 1.76 lakh employees across India, while MTNL has around 22,000. It is estimated that 16,000 MTNL employees and 50 per cent of BSNL staffers will retire in the next 5-6 years.
Onshore Block 1 covers an area of 6,162 square kilometres around Ruwais field and includes already discovered but undeveloped fields. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Monday said it along with its partner Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) has won an oil block in Abu Dhabi, where the two will invest USD 170 million.

IOC-BPRL won the block in Abu Dhabi's first-ever competitive bid round.

"IOC and BPRL, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), acting jointly as a consortium through Urja Bharat Pte Ltd have been awarded 100 per cent stake in the Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1 Concession," it said in a regulatory filing.

The Concession has been awarded by the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government, where participation of the Indian consortium is through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

IOC and BPRL hold 50 per cent each in Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

"The Indian consortium will make an investment of USD 170 million for the exploration activities," it said.

The Concession award is for 35 years with the effective date of March 24, 2019.

The concession agreement was signed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, IOC Chairman Sanjiv Singh, and BPCL Chairman and Managing Director Duraiswamy Rajkumar.

"Onshore Block 1 covers an area of 6,162 square kilometres around Ruwais field and includes already discovered but undeveloped fields," the filing said. "The present transaction marks the entry of IOC as joint operator in the highly prospective UAE region and is consistent with its strategic objective of adding high-quality exploration and production (E&P) assets to its existing upstream portfolio."

UAE is the world's seventh-largest oil producer, with about 96 per cent of its reserves within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Onshore Block 1 is located in the Al Dhafra region around Ruwais City and the refining complex, including the coastal region to the west. There are two existing undeveloped oil and gas fields in the area, named Ruwais and Mirfa, which will be appraised by the consortium.
Mumbai: Debt-laden Jet Airways Founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal, and his spouse Anita Goyal are going to quit from the board on Monday, according to ET Now.

The formal announcement on the Goyals exit is anticipated later today.

Jets moneylenders consortium may invoke the complete 51 per cent stake of Naresh Goyal within the airline, and begin searching for a new buyer within the coming weeks.

The current chief executive officer (CEO) Vinay Dube is anticipated to remain on board and bring Jet out of the current crisis.

Jet Airways burden with more than USD 1 billion of debt. It has deferred payments to banks, suppliers, pilots and lessors for months of which lessors have constrained the airline to ground as many as 40 planes.

Abu Dhabi's Eithad Airways, which owns a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways, is however reticent to provide interim funding of about 7 billion rupees (USD 99 million) to Jet Airways, the source said.

Jet Airways did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Uber has been preparing for an initial public offering, and its bankers have indicated that it could be valued at as much as USD 120 billion.

Uber Technologies Inc is set to offer over USD 3 billion to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters.

Ubers offer could be unveiled during the early part of this week, a third source added.

Uber will pay USD 1.4 billion in cash and USD 1.7 billion in convertible notes, which will be convertible into Uber shares at a price equal to USD 55 per share, Bloomberg had earlier reported, citing a term-sheet.

Careem declined comment while Uber did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters to comment.

Uber has been preparing for an initial public offering, and its bankers have indicated that it could be valued at as much as USD 120 billion.

The US-based global logistics and transportation company has been seeking new avenues of growth even as it faces severe competition in its core business of ride hailing from rivals like Lyft Inc.

The IPOs of Lyft and Uber represent a watershed for Silicon Valleys technology unicorns, which for years have snubbed the stock market in favor of raising capital privately, with investors happy to back their frothy valuations.
The scale of Pune implementation is large, comparable to anywhere in the world.

Kolkata: Sensus, an arm of the US-based Xylem Inc, a leading water technology provider, is gearing up to tap the large Indian market with its smart water metering devices, said Amit Vaidya, Director-India, Strategic Customer Team-EMEA & APAC, Xylem.

Xylem helps customers worldwide to transport, treat, test and efficiently use water in public utility, residential, commercial and agricultural settings with presence in 150 countries.

The company, which sees India as a strategic market and has been investing here for the last five years, is in talks with a number of civic bodies in different cities across the country. It is already collaborating with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to provide 2,75,000 smart water meters in the first phase over three years. The scale of Pune implementation is large, comparable to anywhere in the world. The project will ensure accurate data on billing, identify customer side leaks, manage their network and help reduce non-revenue water.

A recent NITI Aayog report, that drew data from 24 of the 29 states in India, has predicted that India's water crisis is only going to get worse. Nearly 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and about 2 lakh people die every year due to inadequate access to safe water. Also, 21 cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2020.

Water loss in India is estimated to be 40-50 per cent and Sensus is working towards bringing this down to 15 per cent over next couple of years, said Vaidya.
New Delhi: Mark your calendar as the trailer of Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif starrer Bharat is coming out in the third week of April.

The director of the film, Ali Abbas Zafar shared the news on his Twitter handle. Yes the trailer of @Bharat_TheFilm is locked , we are into final stages of post production , it will come out in 3rd week of April . This one is a very special film , Nervous , anxious & excited. May god bless us all, he wrote.

Yes the trailer of @Bharat_TheFilm is locked , we are into final stages of post production , it will come out in 3rd week of April . This one is a very special film , Nervous , anxious & excited  . May god bless us all .  ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) March 24, 2019

The filmmaker also revealed that the movie is in its final stages of post production. In January, the makers of 'Bharat' had unveiled the first teaser of the film. The one-minute and twenty-six-second teaser showed the 'Dabangg' actor in different avatars, narrating the story of his character's life.

Interestingly, even though the teaser introduced different shades of Salmans' characters, it did not reveal anything about Katrina's character. Previously Salman and Katrina were seen together in the films 'Ek Tha Tiger' and 'Tiger Zinda Hai.'

Katrina was roped in for the film after Priyanka Chopra decided to walk out. The upcoming film also starring Jackie Shroff and Sonali Kulkarni is a remake of the 2014 South Korean blockbuster 'Ode to My Father'.

According to reports, the 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor will be seen sporting five different looks in the film spanning 60 years, including a crucial part which will showcase the actor in his late 20s, looking much leaner and younger.

The film is Salman Khan's third collaboration with director Ali Abbas Zafar after the 2016's 'Sultan' and 2017's 'Tiger Zinda Hai.' It is slated to hit the big screens on Eid, this year.
Mumbai: She made a stunning debut with "Dangal", but Fatima Sana Shaikh says getting a perfect launch pad was not a cakewalk as people told her she did not have the "looks" of a heroine like Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif.

Fatima, who started her journey in the movies as a child actor with Kamal Haasan's 1997 film "Chachi 420", says the rejections shifted her focus from waiting for a conventional lead role to searching for a good character.

"I have been a child actor. I quit but making a comeback after that was difficult. I was not getting any work. People used to tell me I don't look like Deepika Padukone or Katrina Kaif. They said, since I didn't have the looks of a heroine, I should do whatever I'm offered. There have been many incidents where I was told that I was not good enough," Fatima told PTI in an interview.

The actor says her desire to perform in front of the camera was so strong that she did not pay heed to what people thought of her.

"I only had acting on my mind. The reason why I used to go for every audition was because I would get to perform in front of the camera, even if the set-up was small."

The success of Aamir Khan-starrer "Dangal", however, made things easier for Fatima as it gave her the option to choose.

"Before 'Dangal', I never had the chance to choose my projects. I even did 'Dangal' because that was my only option at that time. Every actor goes through this. That's how things function. But I am happy that post the film and especially after 'Thugs of Hindostan', I have the space to choose," she says.

Citing an example of Rajkummar Rao, her co-star from Anurag Basu's upcoming anthology, the actor says there is no formula for success.

"There is no single rule that applies to everyone. But now there are so many opportunities because of Netflix, Amazon and other platforms. Influx of different mediums has given actors a lot more options."

Fatima says even though her aim is to establish herself as a sought-after performer, she does not believe in planning "too much".

"Where I want to reach it might take two or maybe six years. But I am happy that at least I'm on my way. Before 'Thugs...' I was a very competitive person I would keep a check on who is wearing what and what they were doing. But I realised everybody has a different fate and there is no point in following anyone's journey," she adds.

The actor says like every artiste in the showbiz, she craves for the love of the audience, but believes it is close to impossible to be a "superstar" in the current times.

"The superstar era ended way back. After the 'Khans', I don't think we will ever have superstars. Now we all are accessible but earlier the stars were not. We could not search them on social media or follow their lives. We were able to connect with them through their films and interviews," she says.

Fatima adds the only way the actors of her generation could survive is by doing good work.

"The moment we do good work, we get appreciation and when we don't things go the other way. Actors like Deepika have been in the industry for so long, but it is now that people have realised she is a very good actor because of her choices.
Amidst allegations by some political parties that Nara Chandrababu Naidu is neglecting his younger brother (Naara Rohiths father) and family, the actor issued a media statement to clear the air.

Pedananna (Chandrababu Naidu) has turned the surname Nara into the states brand and he always works towards the development of the state. My father (Ramoorthy Naidu) and Pedananna are like Ram and Lakshman, but some people are accusing my family for their political interests. Our families are one and we are living together and there are no disputes between us, said Naara Rohith, adding that his family had donated most of the land and buildings to the government to run schools and Panchayat offices.

One person (Chandrababu) in our family is doing a great job for the development of our state, so we are all maintaining a distance from politics, he said while criticising Y.S. Jagan for making these statements. Being an MP, he slaps his own uncle, so how can he know about our family bond? We dont roam around courts and jails and he doesnt know about our family, vented the young actor.
Following actor Radha Ravis derogatory remarks against actress Nayanthara at the launch of her forthcoming film Kolaiyuthir Kaalamon, where he compared her to a woman of easy virtue, the DMK promptly suspended him for bringing disrepute to the party and defying party discipline.

Nayantharas fiance and filmmaker Vignesh Shivan slammed the actor for his crude speech in a series of posts on his social media handle, in which he tagged DMK chief M K Stalin and Kanimozhi.

@mkstalin sir & @KanimozhiDMK Madame, both respected leaders have voiced vociferously against Pollachi Sexual Harassment case. Please, why dont you take stringent action against male chauvinist, crass sexist & bully Mr. Radha Ravi? Kindly acknowledge and take action (sic), he tweeted.

DMK Party chief Stalin responded by saying that the party upholds the rights of women and that Ravis views about female movie actors are unacceptable. He also warned his party cadres and leaders from speaking ill about women.

Meanwhile, Vishal, Nadigar Sangam General Secretary and Tamil Film Producers Council President, who is currently shooting in Turkey for his upcoming film, condemned the veteran actor for his personal attack on Nayanthara while KJR Studios, which has made movies with the actress like Aramm and Airaa and distributed Viswasam, also issued a statement.

We sincerely condemn Mr #RadhaRavi and will not cast him in any of our films. We will strongly advise our associates and friends in the industry not to cast him either, they wrote.

Faced with heavy backlash from all quarters, Radha Ravi finally apologised for his comments, but argued that he had been misunderstood. He added that he was willing to meet Nayan and Vignesh in person to explain his stance and offered to quit the DMK if it was getting affected because of him.

Taapsee Pannu, who shared screen space with Nayan in Arrambam, spoke in support of the actress. This is disgusting beyond words. If this is how he is talking about one of the strongest actresses of the industry, I can only wonder what he might have to say about others, she said.

However, actor Siddharth chose to voice a different opinion on the subject, indirectly alluding that Nayanthara was silent during the #MeToo movement. He tweeted, I was shocked that my entire fraternity was either silent or cynical about the #MeToo movement. If you speak up only when your own are affected, its not called bravery.

Vignesh Shivan was quick to react and defended Nayan by putting out a statement tagging Siddharth. Ones silence on social media does not mean that they are not supporting an issue, he wrote, adding, Nayanthara has always stood for the safety and welfare of women.
Vatican City: Pope Francis on Saturday accepted the resignation of Chilean cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, who agreed to step down after being accused of covering up sexual abuse by priests, the Vatican said.

Ezzati, archbishop of Santiago, is the seventh senior Chilean church official to resign over a scandal, which the pope insists must be remedied. To date, 77-year-old Ezzati, the Catholic Church's highest official in Chile, has insisted he is innocent. He has promised to cooperate with the investigation into his activities, if the authorities first clear him.

"It's not enough for to say, 'You're an accomplice.' It needs to be proven. And I am going forward with my head held high," Ezzati said in a declaration to Chilean media. He presented his resignation to the pope in May 2018 along with all of Chile's 34 bishops. So far the pontiff has accepted seven of the resignations.

The latest move in the Vatican's attempts to deal with abuse within the higher echelons of the Roman Catholic Church comes just days after disgraced Australian cardinal George Pell received a jail term for sexually abusing two choirboys. Pell, formerly the Vatican number three, has maintained his innocence and says he plans to appeal his conviction on five offences including oral rape and molestation of the boys in 1996-1997.

The decision over Ezzati was made after Chile's court of appeal on Friday confirmed he would face trial for not calling out sexual abuse by three priests, one of whom was his close aide. Ezzati was made a bishop by Pope John Paul II in 1996. He served as the bishop for Santiago from 2010 and four years later Pope Francis made him a cardinal.

Born in Italy, Ezzati took Chilean nationality in 2006. But in January a parliamentary commission voted to strip him of that citizenship, a measure that still needs to be ratified by both legislative chambers. In announcing Ezzati's resignation, the Vatican on Saturday said the pope named bishop Celestino Aos Braco, who was serving in Copiapo, a city 800 kilometers (500 miles) north of the capital, as the apostolic administrator for the Santiago archdiocese. Aos Braco was one among the bishops who offered to resign in May.

Chile is one of the countries most caught up in the widening scandal of sexual wrongdoing by priests. The pope, who is Argentine, was accused of not taking appropriate steps after a controversial visit he made in January 2018. Afterwards, Francis listened more acutely to Chilean victims and made an apology before summoning all of Chile's bishops to the Vatican in May 2018 for discussions that led to their resignation letters.

One of the victims, Jaime Concha, told AFP that the ousting of Ezzati "is late... and not enough." The pope's action on Ezzati contrasted with his rejection last Monday of a resignation offered by French cardinal Philippe Barbarin, who was handed a six-month suspended jail sentence earlier this month for failing to report sex abuse by a priest under his authority.

Barbarin has appealed. Vatican-watchers noted that the matter related to Barbarin occurred under his predecessors and it was likely that the pope did not want to create a precedent even as he seeks to clean up historic scandals. The pontiff stated last month that "no abuse must ever be covered up, as has happened in the past" as the Church struggles to restore trust in its efforts to fight child abuse, given the slew of cases.

In October, Francis did, reluctantly, accept the resignation of US cardinal and Washington archbishop Donald Wuerl, accused of helping to cover up hundreds of child abuse cases in his former diocese. And in February the pontiff defrocked former cardinal American Theodore McCarrick, 88, who a Vatican court found guilty of sexually abusing a teenager 50 years ago. McCarrick became the first cardinal ever to be defrocked for sex abuse.
United Nations: India achieved an 84 per cent reduction in tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV by 2017, the highest recorded decline among over 20 nations and three years ahead of the 2020 deadline, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said.

Ahead of World Tuberculosis Day commemorated Sunday, UNAIDS is urging countries to step up action to meet the 2020 target of reducing TB deaths among people living with HIV by 75 per cent, as outlined in the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on Ending AIDS.

World Health Organisation estimates show that, globally, TB deaths among people living with HIV have fallen by 42 per cent since 2010, from 520,000 down to 300,000 in 2017. The estimates show that, by 2017, five low or middle-income countries achieved or exceeded the target of a 75 per cent reduction in TB deaths among people living with HIV, three years ahead of schedule.

India achieved the highest reduction at 84 per cent, followed by Eritrea (83 per cent, Djibouti (78 per cent) and Malawi (78 per cent). An additional 18 countries reduced TB deaths among people living with HIV by more than 50 per cent and are on track to achieve the target by the end of 2020, provided that scale-up of services is maintained.

However, the estimates also show that most countries are not on track and that deaths are rising in some regions and countries, UNAIDS said. "TB should be a disease of the past. It has been treatable and preventable for decades. Years of neglecting the rights of the world's poor to basic health care, food and shelter have let TB take hold and allowed resistance to build, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe said.

"People living with HIV are especially at risk. There is still a chance for many countries to meet the target, but we have to act now. It's time to end TB and AIDS, he said. Around 40 countries showed a rise in the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV between 2010 and 2017.

In eastern Europe and central Asia, the number of TB deaths among people living with HIV increased by 22 per cent between 2010 and 2017, with increases being seen in all but three countries in the region. UNAIDS said that the lack of progress in some countries is a clear indication that further efforts are needed to address the main challenges, including the need for equity and ensuring that vulnerable groups have access to integrated HIV and TB services.

"Although progress is mixed, we can see that the target can be met, and a large number of countries can get there if they act with urgency and use focused community-based approaches, Sidibe said. "I cannot stress enough how critical it is to integrate TB and HIV services so that people can be screened, tested, treated and offered prevention for both diseases, ideally under the same roof, by the same health worker and on the same day. This is an approach that we know saves lives," he added.

With less than two years to achieve the target, UNAIDS is urging all countries to step up action and partners to work together to ensure that all people affected by HIV and TB have access to effective prevention and treatment services. TB is the top infectious killer worldwide, claiming around 4,400 lives a day. TB also remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, causing one in three AIDS-related deaths. In 2017, 1.6 million people died from TB, including around 3,00,000 people living with HIV.
Washington: Those who eat later in the day should start having meals on time as the habit could contribute to weight gain, according to a new study.

The study was presented at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La. Previous studies have suggested that later timing of eating and sleeping are related to obesity, said lead author Adnin Zaman, M.D., of the University of Colorado in Denver, Colo.

"However, few studies have assessed both meal and sleep timing in adults with obesity, and it is not clear whether eating later in the day is associated with shorter sleep duration or higher body fat," she said.

The study used three types of technology to record participants' sleep, physical activity and eating patterns. "It has been challenging to apply sleep and circadian science to medicine due to a lack of methods for measuring daily patterns of human behaviour," said Zaman.

"We used a novel set of methods for simultaneous measurement of daily sleep, physical activity, and meal timing patterns that could be used to identify persons at risk for increased weight gain." she added.

The week long study included 31 overweight and obese adults with average age of 36. 90 per cent of them were women. They were enrolled in an ongoing weight loss trial comparing daily caloric restrictions to time restricted feeding, meaning they could only eat during certain hours of the day.

Participants wore an activPAL electronic device on their thigh. This device measured how much time they spent in physical and sedentary activities. They also wore an Actiwatch, which assesses sleep/wake patterns. Participants were asked to use a phone app called MealLogger to photograph and time stamp all meals and snacks throughout the day.

The researchers found out that on average, participants consumed food throughout an 11-hour time frame during the day and slept for about 7 hours a night. People who ate later in the day slept at a later time, but they slept for about the same amount of time as those who finished eating earlier. Later meal timing was associated with a higher body mass index as well as greater body fat.

"We used a novel set of methods to show that individuals with overweight or obesity may be eating later into the day," Zaman said. "These findings support our overall study, which will look at whether restricting the eating window to earlier on in the day will lower obesity risk."

"Given that wearable activity monitors and smartphones are now ubiquitous in our modern society, it may soon be possible to consider the timing of behaviours across 24 hours in how we approach the prevention and treatment of obesity," Zaman said.
New Delhi: Seaplane operations will soon be a reality in the four islands of Andamans with the opening of its bidding process, under an ambitious project to attract more tourists to the picturesque archipelago, officials said Sunday.

Seventeen islands in Andamans have also been identified for holistic development that includes building infrastructure to promote tourism. Bidding has been opened for seaplane operations at four locations in Andamans  Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Hut Bay and Long Island, under the UDAN Regional Connectivity Scheme of the Centre, a Home Ministry official told PTI.

With the civil works completed at Diglipur airport on the northern tip of Andamans, air operations by Andaman Airways are set to commence from June 2019. Additional airfields are being explored at Car Nicobar, Campbell Bay and in Port Blair, for a second airstrip, an official said.

Port Blair has already been declared as an authorised immigration check post for entry into or exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers. Paving the way for "Ease of Tourism", as many as 30 islands have been exempted from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime. The requirement of mandatory registration of foreigners arriving in the island within 24 hours of their entry has also been done away with.

The key sectors identified for the holistic development of Andaman and Nicobar Islands include infrastructure, tourism, green energy and skill development. To begin with five Islands of Avis, Long, Little Andaman, Smith and Ross, have been identified for the project and another 12 islands will be added later.

Improvement of connectivity has been given the top priority to promote tourism, the official said. Four tourism-based projects have been developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Requests for Qualification (RfQ) have been floated for projects in Long, Smith and Aves islands while Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance has also been obtained for these four projects including at Neil Island.

The lifeline of the Andamans, the Andaman Trunk Road, is all set to receive an upgrade following the grant of CRZ clearance in December 2018 for the Middle Strait Bridge, another official said. In principle approval has also been obtained for Chatham-Bambooflat bridge in Port Blair, in fulfilment of a long standing demand of the island residents.

A Detailed Project Report is being prepared for the proposed Phase-1 of the Andaman Marine Drive from Junglighat to Dundas Point. In addition, INR 270 crore has been earmarked for providing 100 per cent rural road connectivity in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the official said. Out of this, INR 100 crore has been released by the central government.

According to the data available with the Union Home Ministry, more than 16 lakh tourists have visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since 2015 till October 2018 to see the natural beauty, beaches, flora and fauna and historically-significant landmarks in and around the 38 inhabited islands out of the 572 islets.

The Andamans was in news last year in the wake of killing of John Allen Chau, 27, by members of the reclusive Sentinelese tribe in North Sentinel Island. The archipelago has been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least. The earlier archaeological evidence goes back some 2,200 years; however, the indications from genetic, cultural and linguistic isolation studies point to habitation going back 30,000 60,000 years, well into the Middle Palaeolithic, according to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tourism Department.
The woman was admitted to the hospital with a breathing problem. (Photo: Representational)

Meerut: A woman patient was allegedly gangraped by a group of staffers of a hospital following which five persons were detained, police said on Monday.

The woman was admitted to the hospital with a breathing problem. She has alleged that she was gang-raped by hospital staffers on Sunday, Circle Officer Harimohan Singh said.

Four men and a woman were detained, he said. They are being probed for their role in the case.

The victim's husband has alleged that she was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital where she was made unconscious by giving an injection after which she was gang-raped by three persons from the hospital staff.

An officer familiar with the investigation told ANI that CCTV cameras of the hospital were switched off at the time of the alleged incident.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and further investigation in the matter is underway.
All the staff and two kingpins have been arrested. Police seized Rs 80,000 in cash, two laptops, router, 34 wireless telephones, 42 mobile phones, 21 SIM cards. The police also froze a bank account containing Rs 6 lakh.

Hyderabad: A call centre (bpo) cheated about 600 people of around Rs 25 crore by offering non-existent loans for a fee. The firms employed 62 persons and reportedly called up 10,000 citizens, according to the cyber crime police who unearthed the racket.

All the staff and two kingpins have been arrested. Police seized Rs 80,000 in cash, two laptops, router, 34 wireless telephones, 42 mobile phones, 21 SIM cards. The police also froze a bank account containing Rs 6 lakh.

Police said Elite Connect Care, with branches at Panjagutta and Banjara Hills, with managers Asha Kumari and Rangaswamy Gopi recruited 60 tele-callers and other staff.

The accused used to provide the tele-callers data containing contact numbers of general public to be contacted. They would call up the numbers and offer them personal loans up to Rs 10 lakh at 6.5 per cent interest per annum.

Those interested were asked to send their Aadhaar and PAN card copies on Whatsapp number 7305798729.

Once that was done, the firm would ask for two months EMI.

Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar said, In the guise of transferring two months EMI from the savings account to the loan ledger for about 24 hours, they would collect the debit card and CVV numbers, card expiry date and OTP number from the customer.

The commissioner said that the companies would then transfer the money from the customers account to Just Dial PayU e-commerce merchant and from there to the bank accounts of the main accused. Police said that according to available information, the firm had obtained the debit card details and OTP numbers from about 600 customers and cheated them to the tune of about Rs 25 crore.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Congress president Rahul Gandhi expected to contest from Wayanad, BJP may take back the seat from BDJS. BJP state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai said in Kochi that the party will fight tooth and nail if Rahul Gandhi contests from Wayanad. There are efforts to bring in Union textiles minister Smriti Irani to contest against the Congress president in Wayanad.

Mr Pillai informed that the changed political scenario has already been appraised before the central leadership. The sentiments of the party workers and BJP district leadership in Wayanad would be informed before the central leadership as well as the BDJS leadership. I cannot rule out the possibility of taking back the Wayanad LS seat from the BDJS. If Rahul contests we will try to bring in his rival candidate in Amethi, Smriti Irani, he said .

BJP Wayanad district president A. P. Saji Sank-ar spoke to Sreedharan Pillai and has urged to field a formidable candidate in case Rahul Gandhi decides to contest from Wayanad.

BJP workers in Wayanad believe that a strong candidate should be fielded if the Congress president contests from here. I have not formally given a request in writing before Sreedharan Pillai. If Rahul Gandhi decides to contest, then the seat allocated to BDJS should be taken back by the BJP, said SajiSankar to DC.

BDJS has been considering Kerala Congress State organising secretary Anto Augustine for Wayanad constituency as an NDA-backed independent candidate. When DC spoke to Tushar Vellapally, BDJS president, on whether he would cede the seat, he maintained that it is difficult to comment on it without discussing it before the party forum.

We have not yet taken a decision to cede the allocated Wayanad seat to BJP. Let me first take it up before the state committee of the BDJS on Wednesday, when we are supposed to announce the candidates to the remaining four Lok Sabha seats, said Tushar.
Chandigarh: Twelve Indian Air Force pilots and as many flight engineers underwent a special training in the US to operate Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, which were inducted into the IAF on Monday.

The first four of the 15 CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopters, which were ordered from Boeing in September 2015, were commissioned into the IAFs 126 Helicopter Unit (HU) at a ceremony held in Chandigarh.

After inducting the helicopters, IAF chief B.S. Dhanoa said induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way the Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet.

Senior IAF officers present at the event said the combination of Mi-26 chopper and Chinooks in a single unit will give the 126 HU an unmatched air mobility capability never replicated anywhere in the world, directly contributing to the operational preparedness and potential of the Indian armed forces.

IAF pilot Anupam Yadav, who underwent the special training in the US for flying the chopper, said, This is the first tandem rotor helicopter inducted into the Air Force, its flying characteristics were new for us. For this, experienced pilots of Boeing helped us, they had operational exposure as they had been deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The helicopter can carry out military operations not only during the day but at night too.
Vijayawada: Eight-year-old Yashasvi Sai Mamillapalli has won the Little Miss Galaxy-2019 title in the 10th of the beauty and talent competition held in Bansko, of Bulgaria from March 16 to 23. There were 30 contestants from various parts of the globe competing for the title.

Yashasvi is the daughter of Avinash and Rajani Bodi of Nidamanuru and a Class III student of the Delhi Public School. According to her parents, Yashasvi showed her talent on the ramp in all the five rounds of the competitions.

Recently, Yamini Patibandla, a 6-year-old girl, made Vijayawada proud by winning in the World Rising Stars title at Georgia. Speaking to this newspaper, D la Valentina (India) director Valentina Mishra said that kids from AP are performing well on the international stage, showcasing their talent and beauty one after another.

Yashasvis mother Rajani Bodi, said: Its a proud moment for our family. We got recognition due to the talent of Yashasvi on the international stage with the Indian flag.

Rajani further informed that Yashasvi was invited by director Ela Mglablishvili from Georgia to participate in another talent show Prince of world show.

Aditya Vasudeva of Vizag has also been selected for the Best Princess and Prince contest to be held at Georgia in April along with Yashasvi.

Yashasvi said that she was happy becoming Miss Galaxy 2019 and hopes to perform more in coming days with the support of her parents and personality groomer.

All the delegates were shortlisted to be a part of Milan Kids Fashion Week in July and Yashasvi is also one of the four team members representing India.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former defence minister A.K. Antony during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, in New Delhi on Monday. (PTI)

New Delhi: Leaning on welfare economics in a bid to return to power in Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Monday announced its ambitious minimum inco-me guarantee scheme. or Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay), under which 20 per cent of the poorest families in India would be given an income support of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per annum, benefiting about five crore households, or about 25 crore family members.

Terming the scheme as historic even in the global context, Mr Gandhi said, It has been worked out that a total of five crore families or 25 crore individuals will directly benefit from the scheme.

It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme, he said.

The Congress president also said that an expert committee would be formed for implementation of the programme if the party is voted to power.

He said that the scheme would be the final assault on poverty and a kind of part II of the UPA governments flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or the Mgnrega.

Training his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Gandhi said, If PM Modi can give Rs 350,000 crore to Indias richest, then we can do the same for Indias poorest. Narendra Modi is creating two Indias in the country and we will not allow two Indias and will be only one India. There will be no two Indias, he said. Saying that the poor have suffered in the last five years, the Congress president said, We are going to provide justice to them. Nyay is likely to entail an annual expenditure of Rs 360,000 crore, which is six times the outlay for Mgnrega in 2018-19  Rs 55,000 crore.

Way back in 1938 when Subhash Chandra Bose was the party president, the AICC session in Haripura, Gujarat had discussed it and a separate committee to work out the contours had been formed under the leadership of none other than Late Prime Minister Jaw-aharlal Nehru. However, the rough and tumble of the Quit India Movement and later political happenings saw the matter getting buried. A good 80 years later though Mr Nehrus great grandson has now proposed one of the most ambitious welfare programmes of the world, they said.
Kadapa: Redeppagari Hymavathamma, wife of former minister Rajagopala Reddy from Lakkireddypalle, shrugs off the high temperatures and her age of 80 plus as she travels from village to village to campaign for the Telugu Desam in the Rayachoti Assembly segment in Kadapa district.

She appeals to the public to cast their vote for her son Ramesh Reddy, a Telugu Desam candidate for the Rayachoti segment.

Ms Hymavathamma comes from a well-known family in Vempalle. Her father served as panchayat sarpanch of Vempalle for several years. When she married Rajagopal Reddy, who was a building contractor then, her world was confined to her children and family  she has two sons, Mr Reddy Ramesh, who is the TD candidate, and Mr Srinivas Reddy, who is district president of Kadapa, and a daughter married to an IPS officer.

Ms Hymavathamma recalls that her husband entered politics in 1962 and contested the Lakkireddypalle Assembly seat. He was defeated by just 350 votes against Viswanatha Reddy. He won the next election and went on to win five more times. He was made a minister in the P.V. Narasimha Rao and N.T. Rama Rao Cabinets. When he was in politics, I did no electioneering, she said. I wanted both my sons to be IAS officers, but the elder, Ramesh, went into politics and contested and won in the 1999 Assembly elections.

After that Mr Ramesh Reddy was defeated three times. I am 80 plus years old. I must see my sons victory before breathing my last breath, she tells voters.

That determination has pushed her to visit all the villages in the constituency in the past one week. Since her husband had a very good reputation in rural areas of Rayachoti constituency, she is well received and people have promised to vote for her son.

When she entered a village in Ramapuram mandal, people gathered around and advised her not to visit surrounding villages in this heat but she just smiled and said, I never spare myself because of the temperature. I must visit the houses and urge people to vote for my son. It is very necessary for me.

This correspondent met the star campaigner for the TD in Rayachoti at Ramapuram village on Monday afternoon. She was confident of victory. Wherever I went I got a very good response. I am very confident that my Ramesh will win this election, says the doughty campaigner.

An interesting nugget of information about Ms Hymavathamma is that she gets a pension of Rs 25,000 every month but spends none of the money on herself. The whole amount is distributed to needy persons who approach her.
New Delhi: Leaning on welfare economics in a bid to return to power in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Monday announced its ambitious minimum income guarantee scheme or Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay), under which 20 per cent of the poorest families in India would be given an income support of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 per annum, benefiting about five crore households, or about 25 crore family members.

The scheme would be a part of the Congress manifesto which will be released on April 2 here.

The time for change has come, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi as he announced the scheme after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country, he said, adding each family that earns less than Rs 12,000 per month would be compensated with a maximum of up to Rs 6,000 per month.

The money would be transferred to the bank account of a woman family member.

Nyay is likely to entail an annual expenditure of Rs 360,000 crore.
On questioning, he was evasive and officials opened his baggage for further examination.

Chennai: Customs officials at the Chennai international airport seized a horned pit viper and other reptiles from a passenger from Bangkok on Monday morning. He was detained and further investigations are underway.

In February, officials had found a passenger trying to smuggle a leopard cub from Bangkok Airport sources said that on Monday, based on specific intelligence that wild animals were likely to be smuggled from Thailand, the officers of Customs Air Intelligence Unit went on a special alert at the customs arrival hall to catch the smugglers.

When they noticed a male passenger moving in a suspicious manner on Monday morning, they moved in. The passenger, identified as Mohammad Abdul Majeed, 22, of Chennai a student, had arrived from Bangkok by a Thai Airways flight.

On questioning, he was evasive and officials opened his baggage for further examination. They found nine plastic containers along with some chocolates, gift items and personal clothing. When the sweet boxes were opened the officers found some reptiles.

On questioning, he said he was to hand over the bag to someone outside the airport. To identify the reptile species, the AIU officials called the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) who identified five reptile species - a horned pit viper, two rhinoceros iguanas, the rock iguanas, 22 Egyptian tortoise, four blue-tongued skunks and and the green tree frogs.The horned pit viper is an African venomous snake for which there is no no anti-venom available in India.

The Egyptian tortoise is a critically endangered species and is endemic to Egypt and Libya. The wildlife species were seized under the provisions of Customs Act 1962 read with FT (D&R) Act. The passenger was detained. The wildlife will be sent back to Bangkok.
New Delhi: Disapproving of the Election Commissions firm stand that it cant increase the number of constituencies for physical verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Commission to give reasons on why it was not willing to have VVPAT tested in more than one polling station per Assembly segment.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the Commission to file an affidavit on this by 4 pm on Thursday. The Bench passed this order in a petition filed by Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu and 20 other political leaders who demanded that physical verification of VVPAT must be done for at least 50 per cent of polling stations.

In response to the courts direction on March 15, deputy election commissioner Sudip Jain was present in court. When the CJI asked Mr Jain, Will you (EC) be able to increase it? We would like you to increase it, Mr Jain said it was not necessary to increase it, and it was not required.

The CJI told Mr Jain, If you were so confident, why did you not introduce the VVPAT system on your own? Do you know how much opposition the court faced during the hearing on the introduction of VVPAT? No institution, including the judiciary, should insulate itself from suggestions and improvements.

Indicating to senior counsel Aryama Sundaram, who appeared for the Commission, that the court wanted to increase the VVPAT verification to more polling stations, the bench directed the Election Commission to file an affidavit setting out reasons why the physical verification of the VVPAT paper trail should not be extended to more than one polling station per Assembly segment.

The affidavit has to be filed by 4 pm on Thursday. The matter will now be heard on April 1.
The Indian Meteorology Department has predicted 3 to 4 degrees increase in temperature in many districts.

Thiruvananthapuram/Palakkad: There is no respite from the heatwave conditions in the state with more cases of sunstroke being reported from various places.

The heatstroke alert will continue till Thursday. The Indian Meteorology Department has predicted 3 to 4 degrees increase in temperature in many districts. The health department has made arrangements in hospitals for treating sunburn and sunstroke cases.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has asked online food delivery companies to ensure the protection of their employees.

The delivery boys travelling on two-wheelers should avoid black dress, it said and asked the companies to provide them rest time. The authorities have also instructed the traffic police to carry drinking water with them to avoid dehydration and use an umbrella for protection.

Shamili, 21, a sales executive at Pattancherry in Palakkad, who drove her scooter at noon on Monday, fainted due to sunburn. She was out in the open for an hour, according to officials at DMO office.

DMO K. P. Reetha said that such long exposure to sun at noon was risky. Two other incidents of sunburns were reported from Shornur and Thenkurissi on Monday, she added.

The victims were discharged from hospitals after first aid. On Monday and on March 15, the Integrated Rural Technology Centre (IRTC) at Mundur here had recorded 41 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature in Palakkad this summer. In 2016, Malampuzha had recorded the highest temperature of 41.6 degrees. In the past two weeks, 17 people in the district have suffered sunburns.
Kochi: The Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC) has given an ultimatum to its member Sr Lissy Vadakkel, one of the witnesses in the sexual assault case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, to leave the convent in Kerala and report to the provincial house in Vijayawada by March 31.

A letter dated March 23 sent by Sr Alphonsa Abraham, provincial superior of the congregation, says she can ask for an extension of one more month to continue her stay at the Jyothi Bhavan in Muvattupuzha to take care of her ailing mother. Sr Vadakkel had come to Kerala from Vijayawada to meet her and expressed fear for her life as she had testified against the bishop.

The letter says it has no basis as the bishop is far away from Vijayawada. It also denies the allegation that the congregation had asked her not to testify against him. I deny the testimonial given by Sister Lissy to media that I am against her giving statement against Bishop Franco. In the first place, I was unaware that she had given a statement under section 164 of CrPc. I have also not questioned Sister Lissys constitutional right to give such a declaration and will never discourage her from being the witness in the case, it says. Sr Abraham, however, says that the FCC does not want Sr Lissy to continue staying in Kerala as the trial of the case has not started.

The chargesheet in the case has not been filed, so once it is done, the competent judge will assess whether there are (sic) enough evidence to start the trial. When the trial begins, the competent authority will summon you in advance so that you can travel to give your testimony, says the provincial superior. She adds that Sr Lissys needs would be taken care of by her superiors once she returns to Vijayawada.
Her remark comes hours after Pakistani media reported that the Imran Khan-led country had given a green signal. (File Photo)

New Delhi: People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday reiterated her request to reopen Sharda Peeth, a temple across Line of Control (LoC), for Kashmiri Pandits.

Taking to Twitter, she said, Not too long ago I had written to PM imploring GoI to reopen Sharda Peeth, a temple across LoC for Kash Pandits. An initiative like this at a time when Indo - Pak tensions are at an all time high could help navigate the current impasse.

Her remark comes hours after Pakistani media reported that the Imran Khan-led country had given a green signal for the opening of Sharda Peeth Corridor.

In December last year, Mufti had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to get Sharda Peeth pilgrimage in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) opened for Kashmiri Pandits and other devotees.

In a letter to Prime Minister Modi, Mufti greeted him for opening Kartarpur corridor for the Sikh pilgrims and said that Sharda Peeth is a relic of Kashmir's glowing history and connects the people with their cultural and intellectual roots.

"For the Kashmiri Pandits, it is an important place of pilgrimage which was frequented by them till independence. Their urge to open it to pilgrimage has been projected ever since the reopening of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. Kartarpur has encouraged the Pandit community to see a possibility of the pilgrimage to Sharda Peeth in the same spirit and our belief is strengthened by the reported offer of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to allow it along with the pilgrimage to Katas Raj," Mufti stated in the letter.

The ancient temple of Sharda and the adjacent ruins of Sharda University lie in the Neelam Valley, which is located about 160 km from Muzaffarabad.
'See the irony! His own son has struck his name off the campaigners' list of the party to establish which he campaigned door to door along with his brother, wearing worn out slippers,' Adityanath said.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday rued the omission of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's name from the list of its "star campaigners", terming it as an "irony".

The SP patriarch had been left out of his party's list of 40 "star campaigners" Saturday, but was included in it Sunday after the omission caused a flutter in political circles.

"See the irony! His own son has struck his name off the campaigners' list of the party to establish which he campaigned door to door along with his brother, wearing worn out slippers," lamented Adityanath in his Tweet, without naming the 79-year-old socialist stalwart Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav.

"While mulling over the political capital earned by him, he (Mulayam) must be thinking: Poot kaput to kya dhan sanchay, poot saput to kya dhan sanchay? (What's the need to accumulate wealth if the son is undeserving one; and why to accumulate it when he is deserving one?)" he added tersely.

The chief minister also deprecated Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's step of forging a poll alliance with his father's arch rival Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, terming the coalition as one "aimed at usurping power".

"Aping Mughals to usurp power, he alienated his own uncle and even father and has gone on to sit in the laps of their arch rivals," said Adityanath without naming the SP chief. The chief minister also cautioned people to beware of such

"opportunists" and appealed to them to teach them a lesson in the upcoming general elections. "There is a rustic saying: 'Jo baap ka na hua, wo aapka kya hoga? (One who did not care for his father, how will he care for you?" said Adityanath, and hoped "the people will deliver such opportunist, power-hungry leaders an apt lesson during the upcoming elections.)"
The decision to contest from second seat emerged after the Congress Working Committee met for discussions. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: For the first time ever, Rahul Gandhi would contest a second seat from south India apart from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, according to NDTV.

The second seat could be from Kerala, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu.

The decision to contest from second seat emerged after the Congress Working Committee met for discussions. There is already a buzz about Keralas Wayanad.

According to party leaders, they feel Rahuls candidacy would increase Congresss prospects in that region.

Even DMK leader MK Stalin requested Gandhi to contest in Tamil Nadu.

Kerala and Karnataka are seen as the strongest options for Rahul Gandhi for now.

Some leaders said the Wayanad seat was offered to Congress chief after senior party leader Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy coul not come to an agreement on who should be fielded form there.

However, the BJP has scoffed at Gandhis plan and interpreted it as a sign of nervousness and an attempt to move away from Amethi, where the saffron party has pitched Union Minister Smriti Irani against him for the second time.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.
Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf maintained their stand against the alliance, sources said. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and other leaders of the unit on Monday discussed the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls in the city in a meeting with party chief Rahul Gandhi.

The opinion remained divided on the issue and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take a final call on it in the larger interest of the party, said a participant of the meeting.

Sources said four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.

"AICC in-charge of Delhi Congress PC Chacko also handed over signed letters of 12 district Congress presidents, leaders of the party and councilors in three municipal corporation, in favour of the alliance, to Gandhi," they said.

Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit and three working presidents Devender Yadav, Rajesh Lilothia, and Haroon Yusuf maintained their stand against the alliance, sources said. The AAP has been seeking an alliance with the Congress in Delhi but the grand old party has not made its stand clear on the possible tie-up.

However, after getting no clear response from the Congress, the AAP declared its last candidate in Delhi for the Lok Sabha polls, with a senior leader saying the announcement was made seeing the Congress' "irresponsible and indecisive" attitude towards the alliance.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had also said internal surveys have indicated that the AAP is capable of winning all seven seats in Delhi on its own and it does not require an alliance with the Congress in Delhi. However, the Congress and the AAP last Tuesday made fresh efforts with the help of NCP chief Sharad Pawar to forge an alliance in Delhi for the polls. Sources said last week AAP made a fresh bid to forge an alliance with the Congress in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, with the former demanding five seats in the national capital.

However, shortly after the meeting Kejriwal said that the Congress has refused to form an alliance with the AAP in Delhi and the two parties are not in talks with each other.

Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading.
'People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years,' said Gadkari (Photo: File)

Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari Monday filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on April 11.

Gadkari, who had defeated Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) in the 2014 elections by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes, said he will win with a bigger margin this time around.

"This time, I will win with a bigger margin. People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years. Our government did more than (was promised in) the poll manifesto," Gadkari told reporters.

The BJP veteran was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination.

"Your support and love is the biggest strength for us," Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said Gadkari will register a "historic win" from Nagpur. "He will create a record in Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding the BJP-Shiv Sena combine would win 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, sitting MP from Ramtek (SC) seat, also filed his nomination for the Ramtek seat.

Nana Patole of Congress, who will take on Gadkari in Nagpur, and former IAS officer Kishor Gajbhiye, pitted against Tumane from Ramtek, are expected to file nominations later Monday.
The decision was formally announced after Kamal Haasan met Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah on Monday. (File Photo)

Nabanna: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party floated by actor turned politician Kamal Haasan has forged an alliance with the TMC in Andaman and Nicobar islands for the Lok Sabha elections, which are just a few weeks away.

The decision was formally announced after Kamal Haasan met Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah on Monday.

The meeting was excellent. Makkal Needhi Maiam is in alliance with TMC for Andaman and we hope this special relationship will evolve in future, said Kamal Haasan.

I am going to campaign for their candidate in Andaman and I am going to Andaman for the same on April 6, he said. Andaman and Nicobar Islands has only one Lok Sabha constituency which represents the entire Union Territory.

Kamal Haasan's party had recently released its first list of 21 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The list did not include Haasan's name.

The MNM will contest all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the coming Parliamentary polls.

In Tamil Nadu, we have two opposition DMK and AIADMK. BJP is in alliance with AIADMK, so now we have three opposition in Tamil Nadu, said Haasan.

MNM was launched by Haasan on February 21 last year from his hometown of Rameswaram. As part of the launch of his political faction, Haasan toured Tamil Nadu extensively to interact with locals in different villages of Tamil Nadu.
Chennai: Ending `the suspense, Congress on Sunday evening announced Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram as its candidate for Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency.

Karti Chidambaram is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI in several cases, including one relating to Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving foreign funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore when his father was the Finance Minister. Even his international travel is limited. The Supreme Court had allowed Karti to travel abroad with certain conditions, including that he would not open or close any bank account abroad.

A Delhi court has extended till March 25 the interim protection to Karti from his arrest as well as that of his father in the Aircel-Maxis scam cases filed by the CBI and the ED.

His name was announced in the ninth Congress list on Sunday. He will take on BJP National secretary H Raja. The first list of candidates for Tamil Nadu, released after midnight on Saturday, announced eight candidates out of the nine seats allocated to the Congress for the Lok Sabha polls in the DMK alliance.

In 2014 he unsuccessfully contested from the Sivaganga constituency. Chidambaram had represented this seat seven times since 1984. Chidambaram won very narrowly in 2009 so much so Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to call him 'recounting minister.'

Earlier in the day, TNCC president. K. S. Alagiri told reporters that there was a delay in announcing the names in 40 constituencies across the country because AICC president Rahul Gandhi has taken a policy decision that not more than one person in a family should be given a position. And in these 40 constituencies, the kin of Congress leaders have given applications for tickets.

Alagiri said AICC leadership was discussing with the 40 Congress leaders about their kins' applications and a decision would be announced later in the day. It must be pointed out that in the top echelons of AICC, its president is Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka is serving as general secretary.
New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is contesting on 22 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra out of 48, released its manifesto named 'Aao Milkar Desh Banaye' here on Monday ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The focus of the manifesto was on the relationship with Pakistan, saying it will open talks with Pakistan while also insisting discussions on the issue of terrorism. "We will open talks with Pakistan during which we will insist on discussing terrorism," read the manifesto.

While releasing the manifesto, NCP general secretary DP Tripathi said: It is necessary to strengthen our stand in global circumstances. Hence, the pathway of talks should never be closed. I don't say dialogues will immediately resolve the situation, but it'll lessen the problems.

Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi-led Government on its foreign policy, the manifesto stated: "It is important to at least continue working relations with Pakistan as we have with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives. The reason for the crisis in foreign policy is due to the current Government moving away from the principles set up by our founding Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. We will follow the Panchsheel philosophy which has worked for us well".

On the issue of national security, NCP manifesto said: Our endeavour will be to bring the youth into the mainstream and thereby prevent them from falling prey to radicalisation. Stern action will be taken against those engaged in radicalising youth. This declaration has been made in the view of Jammu and Kashmir and a prolonged turmoil situation there.

"The NDA Government, in five years, has failed miserably to contain terrorism. In these five years of NDA rule, there have been three terror attacks on military and paramilitary forces and no one is held accountable" the manifesto added.

Apart from core traditional issues like farmers' distress, unemployment and job losses, issues like foreign policy, national security and defence also got a considerable space in the manifesto.
The development comes a day after a BJP delegation met the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer to complaint against Mr Kejriwal's alleged attempt to incite religious frenzy and communal tensions. (Photo: Twitter)

New Delhi: The AAP Sunday clarified that the picture of a man chasing the Nazi symbol with a broom shared by party supremo Arvind Kejriwal was an "attack" on German dictator Adolf Hitler and not intended to hurt Hindu sentiments.

The development comes a day after a BJP delegation met the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer to the complaint against Mr Kejriwal's alleged attempt to incite religious frenzy and communal tensions.

The opposition party claimed that the picture, shared by Mr Kejriwal on March 20, showed a man chase a "Hindu swastika" with a broom, the symbol of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The AAP, in a statement, alleged that the BJP was propagating a false narrative against the party by claiming that it had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.

The tweet was simply an attack on Hitler and his way of operating, the AAP said.

"The BJP should, first of all, understand the difference between Hindu and Nazi symbols," the party statement said.

It looks "very foolish" for the BJP, which claims to be a Hindu nationalist party, to claim the Nazi symbol as its own, it said.

"The BJP should apologise to Hindus for relating them with Germany's Hitler and for simply trying (to take) a cheap shot at the Delhi CM," the AAP said.

Mr Kejriwal on Saturday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using the tactics of Hitler to grab power.
Farmers at collectors office to file nominations for the Nizamabad constituency on Monday. (DC)

NIZAMABAD: As many as 242 farmers have filed their nomination papers from the Nizamabad parliamentary constituency, the highest number in the country in the first phase of general elections.

The farmers are using their nominations to highlight their plight over the lack of remunerative prices for turmeric, red jowar and sugarcane.

The constituency is represented by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who filed her nomination papers for contesting a second time. In addition, TRS MP D. Srinivass son Dharmapuri Arvind filed his papers as a BJP nominee and former MP Madhu Goud Yashki as a Congress candidate.

A large number of farmers wearing their distinctive green from the district and Jagtial queued up to file their papers at the collectorate. Police had clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 during the nominations process and personnel were deployed in force.

The farmers had to pay a security deposit of `25,000 each, which they collected from every household in their respective villages.

TRS leaders spent the last two days trying to convince the farmers not to enter the fray. A few farmers went back after this but others came forward and and filed their papers as planned.

Speaking to DC, Mr Raju, young farmer from Pipri in Armoor mandal, said their pleas for remunerative prices and constitution of a Turmeric Board had been ignored.

Why should we honour the word of the ruling party leaders at end of the nomination period, he asked. We are not depending on welfare.
TIRUPATI: In what can be understood to be an episode straight from Assembly Rowdy, a blockbuster movie with Tollywood senior actor Manchu Mohan Babu in the lead role, the thespian is likely to make his foray into politics. The actor owns a chain of educational institutions including an engineering college.

The firebrand hero enacted the role of Sivaji, an unemployed youth, who gets involved in local politics under inevitable circumstances. Later, he becomes an MLA, challenging his counterpart, who irks his father and family earlier.

The hero takes revenge on the villain by exposing all his felonious acts and finishes him off at the climax.

Now, the actor-turned-educationist seems to be repeating the movie plot in real life too.

What makes one believe that Mr Babu would plunge into politics is the tiff between him and ruling party over pending fee reimbursement to the students of the engineering college, run by Sri Vidyaniketan Group of Institutions, Tirupati, run by Mohan Babus family.

In the past one week, Mr Mohan Babu has been levelling serious allegations against the TD chief. Mr Babu was upset following charges against him that he had misused public funds and that records of his educational institutions show irregularities.

Political analysts said he might join the YSRC, as he has close ties with Y.S family, with his son Manchu Vishnu marrying Veronica, the cousin of YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

According to the party sources, the senior actor and former Rajya Sabha member is all set to join YSRC.

It is learnt that Manchu Mohan Babu will be meeting Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Lotus Pond on Tuesday to discuss about his joining the party.

The sources said that following the meeting with Mr Jagan, Mohan Babu will address the media at Park Hyatt Hotel to officially announce his joining the YSRC.

Though Mohan Babu cannot get any post right now, he may be nominated to the Rajya Sabha if YSRC comes to power in this election. TD founder N.T. Rama Rao nominated Mohan Babu to Rajya Sabha in the 90s. He, however, wasn't nominated again after the end of term by the TD government and that is why he holds a grudge against the present TD chief, said a YSRC leader.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu addresses a roadshow in Sullurpeta in Nellore district on Monday, as part of poll campaigning. (DECCAN CHRONICLE)

Nellore: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu assured people to develop Andhra Pradesh more than Telangana. He said that TS CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao was afraid seeing the ongoing development works in AP and conspiring to stall the process.

Mr Naidu addressed roadshows at Venkatagiri, Sullurpeta and Gudur in Nellore district and Kondepi in Prakasam district on Monday. He said that KCR was eyeing properties in AP and planning to rule AP indirectly, with the help of YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Jagan is also playing to the tunes of KCR.

Mr Naidu said that AP has to get Rs 1 lakh crore from Telangana. He said that he would not allow KCR to play politics in AP.

Further, he said that Jagan colluded with KCR and that PM Modi has been supporting them.

The CM said that no industrialist would dare to establish his unit or invest in AP if Jagan would come to power.

Mr Naidu said a number of cases, including those of CBI and ED, were pending against Jagan and appealed to the people to extend support to the TD for a stable government.

Taking potshot at former finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and YSRC Lok Sabha nominee for Ongole, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and YSRC nominee for Nellore Adala Prabhakar Reddy, he said the people should ask for a proper explanation for ditching the TD and joining the YSRC. He asked the people to teach a lesson to them in the polls.

At Sullurpeta, Mr Naidu said he would develop Sullurpeta region as Shanghai in China, as it has potential owing to the proximity to three ports and two international airports. He also promised to develop Pulicat Lake as an international tourist destination.

On the welfare programmes initiated by him, the CM said that the TD government is implementing more welfare programmes than neighbouring Telangana and Tamil Nadu. He promised to increase the old age pension to Rs 3,000 from the existing Rs 2,000.
Vijayawada: In a boost to N. Chandrababu Naidus efforts to return to power, several national leaders will join the Telugu Desam election campaign in the coming days.

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, former Union minister Arun Shourie and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav have confirmed their participation in the TDs campaigning in the coming days.

While Mr Farooq Abdullah will be accompanying Mr Naidu in his election meetings on Tuesday, Mr Kejriwal will address poll meetings in Vijayawada on Wednesday. Both Ms Banerjee and Mr Kejriwal will take part in the TDs canvassing at Vizag on March 28.

Mr Naidu has been making efforts to stitch an anti-BJP front at the Centre and brought several leaders of various parties ever since he severed ties with the BJP. The TD is finalising the schedule of other leaders.

It is learnt that Mr Naidu will also take part in the poll campaigning in other states in favour of friendly parties in the subsequent phases after the polls in AP on April 11 end.
RE:NEW Gathering to Host Thousands in Anticipation for CityFest East Texas with Andrew Palau this Fall

NEWS PROVIDED BY

March 25, 2019

TYLER, Texas, March 25, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- The RE:NEW Gathering on April 4 is expected to host thousands of people for a special night of inspiration, prayer, worship, and unity as more than 220 local churches prepare for a powerful season of outreach and service.

Led by international evangelist Andrew Palau, the event will also include award-winning band Passion Music and speaker and teacher Josh White.

The RE:NEW Gathering will be on April 4 at Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Highway in Tyler. The free event will start at 7 p.m. Free tickets can be reserved at www.cityfest.org/renew

With 230 churches already committed to support and serve the region of East Texas though CityFest, the RE:NEW Gathering will be the first of many events focused on bringing unity, partnership, and the Good News to East Texas.

"We know our challenges, our concerns, and our opportunities in this region," Elam Swann of Swann's Furniture & Design said. "Just think of what we can do and accomplish if we unite together as one Church body. I'm particularly excited about working with the Palau Association because my son made a decision for Jesus at a Palau event in 1999. I have seen what the team can do on a personal level and I want that experience for my East Texas neighbors."

The special season of outreach and service culminates this fall with CityFest East Texas with Andrew Palau on October 5-6, 2019 at Tyler City Square Downtown.

The festival is part of a larger, global effort to share the Good News with millions of individuals and thousands of cities.

To learn more about CityFest East Texas with Andrew Palau in Tyler, Texas, including a full schedule of events, visit www.cityfest.org

Learn more about the Luis Palau Association and their worldwide work at www.palau.org

About Andrew Palau: For more than 24 years Andrew Palau has played a key role in the ministry of the Luis Palau Association. He has been instrumental in building the LPA model for citywide outreach as an evangelist, director, and key team leader. He has guided campaigns, led church relations efforts, trained thousands of believers in friendship evangelism, and proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ in person to hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world through evangelistic campaigns. Andrew's festivals have brought him and the Palau Association in partnership with thousands of churches in cities throughout Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, and the United States of America. In addition to his father, evangelist Luis Palau, Andrew's own weekly radio broadcasts are heard by millions of people on thousands of radio outlets around the world. He is also the author of multiple books, including Secret Life of a Fool, a retelling of his personal journey to faith in Christ, and What is Christmas?, a groundbreaking evangelistic book published in China in 2012.

Media Contact:

Levi Park

503-614-1500

SOURCE Luis Palau Association

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Hyderabad: The Telangana Telugu Desam on Monday announced that it has taken a decision to stay away from Lok Sabha elections in the state. Telangana state TD president L. Ramana, in a press note on Monday, said that the decision was taken after discussing with party leaders and workers at all levels.

Mr Ramana called on the party cadre to work against the TRS and the BJP in the elections. He alleged that the TRS government in the state and the BJP government at the Centre were acting against the Constitution and encouraging defections. He also appealed to the the democratic forces to fight against both the parties.
Vijayawada: Transgender Tamanna Simhadri filed nomination on Monday for the Mangalagiri Assembly seat, from where minister for IT N. Lokesh is also contesting.

With Monday being the last day for filing nominations, many candidates thronged the office of the election officer.

Speaking to mediapersons after filing her nomination papers, as an independent, she dared minister Nara Lokesh to contest the polls by resigning to his MLC and minister posts, if he is confident of winning the seat. Tamanna said she was the first transgender in the state to contest the elections. She appealed to the voters in Mangalagiri constituency to support her and vote for her to enable her to serve them.

She said that she had submitted application seeking Jana Sena ticket to contest from Mangalagiri but that the party denied to issue it. So, I decided to contest as an independent, she said.

She predicted that TDs Nara Lokesh will get defeated in the elections.

She said that she was contesting the polls as no political party was giving importance to them. In such a case, transgenders need to be represented both in the Assembly and Parliament to get their problems resolved.
Vijayawada: Actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan said politics was not the future of either YSRC Chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy or Nara scion Lokesh alone but was for the future of the people.

Reacting sharply to the remarks made against him, at the poll campaign meetings in Guntur on Monday, he said he had come into politics for young people and wished to give them a bright future. He said he would bring a change from the streets of Guntur. A renewed political system would be brought and the Jana Sena would fight the corruption in any form, he said. He appealed to women to send him to the poll arena with their blessings so that he could come out with flying colours.

Stating that both YSRC and TD Lok Sabha candidates were not from Guntur, Mr Kalyan appealed to the voters to support Jana Sena Parliament candidate Bonaboyina Srinivas. He said Mr Srinivas was a local man and he would always be available.

Mr Kalyan said the TD had the habit of changing tack as per the situation. He asked why had TD MP from Guntur Galla Jayadev only raised his voice in the last sessions of Parliament on granting special category status and why did he not open his mouth when he had raised the issue at the Tirupati meeting.
Whatever may befall Theresa May this week, her vigorous performance, both in and out of Parliament, shows up the gross deficiencies of our own supposedly biggest democracy in the world. Where the British Prime Minister explains and urges, Narendra Modi delivers rabble-rousing orations or makes snide remarks about his opponents. Where Britains Tory MPs have presented their leader with an ultimatum, our ruling party politicians seek their leaders favour through sycophantic flattery and imitation.

The election campaign for the 17th Lok Sabha is obsessed with trivia and full of personal invective. At no time have Indians faced so many grave challenges demanding a concerted effort at reconstruction. Kashmir is again on the boil. Acrimony with Pakistan threatens Asia with nuclear annihilation. Falling employment, rising prices, corruption and agricultural distress warn that despite boasts of the worlds highest growth rate, the economy is either not doing well or its benefits are not equitably spread. Communal tension is mounting. Investment is declining as are exports. The surest sign of flagging confidence in the very idea of India, more and more Indians are anxious to shake Indias dust off their feet. Whereas only six to eight lakhs migrated annually up to 2011, a stupendous 17 million did so in 2017. Being cited in the Asian Development Banks Asian Economic Integration Report 2018, this figure could not be suppressed or massaged. Its a matter of pride that Indians are in such great demand globally, but its also a matter of shame and sorrow that so many presumably highly-trained young people should feel India has nothing to offer them.

No less worrying, the Rafale fighter jet deal controversy confirms the dreary truth that there is never a defence (or government) purchase without suspicions of corruption. The Bofors gun, submarine and helicopter deals were all tainted. Even when Ronald Reagans intervention ensured that Rajiv Gandhi was at last able to obtain a supercomputer (though not the ultra-sophisticated machine that he wanted), the manufacturer, Control Data Corporation, complained that the high-ranking Indian officials sent to the US to collect the machine demanded commission payments. With such dark forces at work, we dont know why Mr Narendra Modis government cancelled existing transfer of technology and work share agreements or why it didnt want the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, experienced in manufacturing aircraft, to make Rafale fighters. Curiously, too, although the government claims the new price is between nine per cent and 20 per cent cheaper, it still isnt buying the 126 aircraft that Dassault, the maker, had offered. The biggest mystery of all is that manufacture has been entrusted to Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence, which is without experience in this field.

These matters should cause public concern and be reflected in campaign speeches. Instead, we hear cheap cracks about Sam Pitrodas alleged lack of patriotism or wild allegations against traitors like Hamid Ansari, Naseeruddin Shah and Navjot Singh Sidhu. One political aspirant assures his followers that Pakistan and Tibet will be part of India by 2025; another sees some kind of victory in predicting that this election will be Indias last. Not that he can be blamed too much. Amit Shah, the BJP president who has replaced the respected veteran Lal Krishna Advani as the ruling partys Lok Sabha candidate from Gandhinagar in Gujarat, boasts that if the BJP wins this time, no one can throw us out in 50 years. Already regarded as the second most important man in the country (some even drop the second!), the burly 54-year-old Mr Shah with his habitual stubble is widely regarded as the 68-year-old Mr Modis potential successor.

There was a welcome break recently from the mud-slinging, braggadocio and fabricated news that pass for politics in India when Rahul Gandhi announced that the Congress would consider introducing a Right to Healthcare Act if it comes to power nationally. He promises to guarantee universal minimum healthcare facilities by raising national healthcare spending  which is now abysmally low  to 3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product and increasing the number of healthcare professionals. One only hopes that this reiteration of an old promise will mean more effective medical care than the present governments much publicised Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana, which is claimed to be the worlds biggest healthcare scheme. Just as the $27 billion Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan campaign, launched on October 2, 2014, has provided ample photo ops for a broom-in-hand Prime Minister without noticeably cleansing public places, the cashless and paperless healthcare system launched only six months ago clearly with an eye to the April-May elections has yet to make any impact.

True, the Congress is trying to introduce free healthcare in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where it came to power in December, but the disorganised national Opposition still recalls 1977 when the Janata Party was, as the saying goes, all chiefs and no Indians. Even if the various groupings led by Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and others, including the formidable satraps of the South, can cobble together a majority, Mr Gandhi, whose youth is his oldest tradition, may not lead it. Indeed, it might be better for the credibility of democracy in the Opposition ranks if he doesnt. As the editor of the Urdu weekly, Nai Dunya, Shahid Siddique, puts it, The 2019 battle is not to save the Gandhi family or the Congress Party, the battle is to save India and its future.

Similarly, the Brexit debate isnt about Ms May staying or going. As Donald Tusk, the European Council president, says, the UK has the choice of a deal, no-deal, a long extension or revoking Article 50, and staying on in the European Union. Whatever is decided will be in the national interest. Which is what democracy is all about.
Contrary to expectations, special counsel Robert Muellers report didnt find that Donald Trump had conspired with Russia to swing his election. While not exonerating the US President, the conclusions on the report, as drawn by attorney-general William Barr, have far-reaching implications politically for the United States. The A-G may be the chief law officer, but hes also a member of the executive branch, and his report to the US Congress claims Mr Trump may be in the clear in the strict legal sense. In fairness to him, however, Mr Barr states: While this report does not conclude the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Russias huge social media army could have worked overtime to try and get their favoured candidate elected through disinformation and may even have hacked Hillary Clintons personal emails in order to promote Mr Trumps candidature.

What the Mueller report may be saying is that Mr Trump isnt to blame for any of Russias actions even if it doesnt clear Mr Trump of obstruction of justice. The special counsel has said there would be no more indictments in the Russian poll interference probe. The Democrats face a huge setback as they may have banked on using an adverse report as the basis to seek the Presidents impeachment. Calls will go out to make the Mueller report public, even as a debate over its contents will rage on. It is, however, apparent that Mr Trump, his kin and aides may have got away with skirting on thin ice with regard to his campaign. There may be a huge chasm between what is legally allowed and what is morally right. But it is unlikely that such considerations have ever been dealt with seriously by a maverick campaigner who came into it as if the presidential election was a reality show, and ended up winning it.

The possibility of a successful Trump re-election campaign cant be ruled out, and that will be the crux of the issue haunting the Democrats and others around the world who have looked askance at Mr Trumps authoritarian rule. The lesson to learn is not to allow the depredations of people using online platforms and troll farms to influence elections, and India is one country that has already acted in this direction with appeals and directions to the Internet giants. Within America, this raises questions about the decision-making process in the justice department, but that is an issue for all democracies where the powers of the executive arm can extend to what its law officers may decide on matters like whether there was obstruction of justice, as suspected in Donald Trumps case. Mr Muellers report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved the matter of whether the incumbent US President committed an obstruction-of-justice offence while seven other defendants pleaded guilty.
After civil society protests in Pakistan over the abduction and forced conversion and marriage of two underage Hindu girls in Sindh recently, the Indian government swung into action, with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj sending a note verbale  the lowest level of diplomatic communication  to Pakistan to take remedial measures.

Not unexpectedly, this led to a Twitter spat with Pakistan information minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain jumping in to remind New Delhi of the condition of Indias minorities, saying the minorities were subjugated in India. He didnt fail to remind New Delhi that this was an internal matter of Pakistan, and the Imran Khan government had begun to get the matter investigated.

Both sides are evidently seeking to score propaganda points. With the Lok Sabha polls nearing, the government is trying to give the impression that its a protector of Hindu interests. In the ordinary way, an issue like the one which surfaced in Sindh could have been dealt with at the Indian high commission level in Islamabad.

Fortunately, In India, a democracy, the minorities have equal rights that are protected by the courts when transgressions take place, though its true that of late these have become fairly common. Pakistan, on the other hand, is a self-acknowledged Islamic state. Christian and Hindu minorities are routinely subjected to harassment by fanatical or political elements determined to make a statement. The Hindu minorities sometimes pay the price of poor India-Pakistan relations, as at present. However, in some pockets of Pakistan, friction is fairly routine. Fortunately, civil society shows enlightenment in both countries.
The US government says Huaweis 5G network could give Chinese security services a backdoor to spy on consumers, and has pressed European partners to shun it.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has found one country in Europe that isnt worried about Chinas growing global clout or its ambitions to dominate the future of technology: Monaco.

Xi visited the tiny Mediterranean principality Sunday as part of a European tour that is clouded by mixed feelings about how to engage with China and benefit from its trade  while setting limits on its appetite for greater economic and diplomatic influence.

Xis appearance alongside Monacos Prince Albert and Princess Charlene marked the first state visit by a Chinese president to the principality. The palace said Monaco is interested in increased trade and economic cooperation with China and boosting Chinas image in the principality.

Monaco last year clinched a deal with Chinese tech company Huawei to develop its 5G telecommunications network  a thorny issue for several European countries.

The US government says Huaweis 5G network could give Chinese security services a backdoor to spy on consumers, and has pressed European partners to shun it. Huawei says the fear is unfounded.

Monaco imposed exceptional security for the Chinese visitors: The entire Rocher  the nickname for the cliff that Monaco is perched on  was effectively shut down for the day.

Its the first time Ive seen this ... stores closed, windows shuttered, no one in the street, said Marc Bonafede, owner of Le Castelroc restaurant in front of the palace. He said he hadnt seen such heavy security even when Albert buried his father, Prince Rainier, or held his royal wedding to Charlene.

Monaco banned all flights in its airspace during Xis brief visit and any sailing in its waters or mooring in its luxury yacht-filled harbor.

The nearby French city of Nice, where Xi is spending the night, was similarly cordoned off. The Promenade des Anglais  the palm-lined beachside avenue that is the citys premier attraction  was closed to traffic all weekend. The promenade was targeted by a deadly extremist attack in 2016.

Outside the French resort town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, where Xi was dining Sunday night with French President Emmanuel Macron, a police boat patrolled throughout the day, and police divers worked to secure the area.

Xi will sign energy and other contracts with Macron on Monday, then meet in Paris on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The European Union is Chinas biggest trading partner, but many in Europe worry about unfair competition from Chinese companies that benefit from government financial backing.

Xi comes to Monaco and France from Italy, which just endorsed a vast Chinese transport infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative. Macron criticised Italys move, calling for a concerted European approach to China instead.

There is this bad European habit to have 28 different policies, with countries competing against each other to attract investment, a top French official said. We need to speak with a common voice if we want to exist. We have the same approach on the 5G issue: avoiding 28 different decisions.

France hasnt decided yet whether to let Huawei build its 5G networks but its likely to be a subject of discussions during the Chinese leaders visit.

Europe wants to increase trade with China but on European terms, especially amid US-China trade tensions. France also wants Chinas cooperation on climate diplomacy, in the face of US President Donald Trumps skepticism.

Human rights concerns in China seem a lesser concern now than when Chinese leaders visited Europe in the past, though Macrons office says the French leader will raise concerns about Chinas repression of Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang.

The US State Department says China has significantly intensified a campaign of mass detentions of minority Uighurs over the last year, with between 800,000 and 2 million people interned in camps that have drawn condemnation from across the world.

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Lenovo-owned Motorola has launched the Moto g7 and Motorola one in India. Commenting on the launch Motorola states that Since moto g redefined the Indian smartphone market in 2014, more and more consumers are interested in premium phones at affordable prices. Generation after generation, the brand remains focused on our main consumer commitment: offering phones that have the premium features you deserve, without sacrificing the quality, affordability and dependability you expect.

The brand goes on to add that because no two consumers are alike, Motorola understands their smartphone needs are also very different. Therefore, they are introducing smartphones that cater to your specific needs with better cameras, faster charging, improved processing speed and maximized displays. - new Moto g7 includes features that matter most to you at a remarkable price point of Rs 16,999, the Motorola one gives you the Android experience you love at just Rs 13,999.

Moto g7:

Capturing, creating, and sharing creative content has never been easier, thanks to the new Moto g7. Bring images and videos to life on an ultrawide 6.2-inch (15.7cm) Max Vision Full HD+ display with a u-design. The 12MP dual camera system is equipped with Portrait mode, Spot Color, Cinemagraph, Auto Smile Capture and Google Lens so you can unleash your creativity and interact with the world around you. 50% faster than the previous generation, the Moto g7 can tackle your most intensive creative tasks thanks to the Snapdragon 632 Mobile Platform. Its 15W TurboPower charger gives you 9 hours of power in just 15 minutes and all-day battery helps you power through the day. And with an upgraded, contoured Gorilla Glass design, it looks as great as it performs.

The Moto g7 comes equipped with exclusive Moto Experiences that make using your smartphone easier and more enjoyable. Newly redesigned One Button Nav replaces navigation buttons with one simple on-screen bar. Combined with Android 9.0 Pie, every swipe, tap, and hold works even better than before. Combined with all of your favourite Moto Experiences like Quick Capture, Fast Flashlight and Attentive Display, using your smartphone has never been easier.

Motorola one

With Motorolas second Android One smartphone for the Indian consumers, the brand gives you the Android experience you love, three years of security updates and let you do more with a smart camera thanks to Google Lens. Motorola is also giving you the latest software and AI-powered innovations from Google, right out of the box.

Capture lifes unexpected moments with Motorola ones advanced 13MP dual smart camera system and 8MP selfie camera. Always have that breathtaking sunset to look back on or highlight last nights festivities to elevate your Instagram with a photo using our portrait, cinemagraph, and time-lapse modes And with AI-powered Google Lens, you can interact with the world around you just by pointing your camera. Take a photo of a dog walking down the street and Google will find what breed it is. Longer battery life means no need to worry about losing your GPS directions when youre out and about. When your battery is low, charge up quickly with our 15W TurboPower charger for up to 6 hours of power in 20 minutes. The phones Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 2.0 GHz octa-core processor keeps your device performing at peak speeds, so it responds instantly to every tap, touch and swipe. A modern, curved glass body frames Motorola ones 5.9-inch (15 cm) 19:9 Max Vision display. Its the perfect size to channel your inner director and record your 4K videos, fit more on the page to read your favourite book, or take notes and multitask more easily with a split screen. And do all of this while using one hand.

Moto g7 and Motorola One will be available starting 25th March 2019 across leading mobile stores and on Flipkart in clear white and ceramic black variants. The 4GB/64GB Moto g7 is priced at Rs 16,999 while the Motorola One with the 4GB/64GB configuration is priced at Rs 13,999. Both smartphones will have a special launch offer where you can get a cashback of Rs 2,200 from Jio thats applicable on Rs 198 and Rs 299 plans.

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The Trump administration has levied crippling sanctions on the OPEC nation's oil industry in efforts to push Maduro from power. (Photo:AP)

Caracas: Two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow.

A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday.

That comes three months after the two nations held military exercises on Venezuelan soil that President Nicolas Maduro called a sign of strengthening relations, but which Washington criticized as Russian encroachment in the region.

Reporter Javier Mayorca wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the first plane carried Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, adding the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of material.

An Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane left for Caracas on Friday from Russian military airport Chkalovsky, stopping along the way in Syria, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.

The cargo plane left Caracas on Sunday afternoon, according to Adsbexchange, another flight-tracking site.

The flights carried officials who arrived to "exchange consultations," wrote Russian government-owned news agency Sputnik, which quoted an unnamed source at the Russian embassy.

"Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character," Sputnik quoted the source as saying.

A Reuters witness saw what appeared to be the passenger jet at the Maiquetia airport on Sunday.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Russia's Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry did not reply to messages seeking comment. The Kremlin spokesman also did not reply to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has levied crippling sanctions on the OPEC nation's oil industry in efforts to push Maduro from power and has called on Venezuelan military leaders to abandon him. Maduro has denounced the sanctions as US interventionism and has won diplomatic backing from Russia and China.

In December, two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for Maduro's socialist government that infuriated Washington.

Maduro on Wednesday said Russia would send medicine "next week" to Venezuela, without describing how it would arrive, adding that Moscow in February had sent some 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid.

Venezuela in February had blocked a convoy carrying humanitarian aid for the crisis-stricken country that was coordinated with the team of opposition leader Juan Guaido, including supplies provided by the United States, from entering via the border with Colombia.
The Department of Justice has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice. (Photo: File)

Washington: US Attorney General William Barr has said Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find proof that Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections, following which the US president claimed "complete and total exoneration".

In his four-page letter to the Congress on Sunday, which was later made public, Brar however said that "while this (Mueller's) report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" and sets out evidence on "both sides of the question".

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," the attorney general said.

Mueller, in his report, "did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction", Barr told the lawmakers.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," Barr said, adding Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

In the letter, he also said the Department of Justice has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.

"After reviewing the special counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense," the letter read.

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," it said, adding, "the report identifies no actions that, in our judgement, constitute obstructive conduct."

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of the Mueller investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections.

Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

"It was complete and total exoneration," the president told reporters in Florida as he was returning from Mar-a-Lago to Washington DC.

Terming the allegation of collusion "the most ridiculous thing ever", Trump said, "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest it's a shame that your president had to go through this.

" He had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of "witch hunt", while asserting that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians.

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," Trump said.

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," he said, adding "It's a complete exoneration.

" White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the president's stand.

"The special counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General (Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States," she said.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

"As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country," she said.

Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been "completely and fully vindicated" by Mueller's report.

"After issuing 2,800 subpoenas and 500 search warrants, interviewing 500 witnesses, employing 40 FBI agents and 19 lawyers, and spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, Robert Mueller concluded unequivocally, 'the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.'

Moreover, the attorney general and the deputy attorney general determined that there was no evidence of obstruction of justice," Parscale said.

"Nevertheless, Democrats took us on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years, alleging wrongdoing where there was none," he claimed.

"So distraught and blindsided by the results of the 2016 elections, Democrats lied to the American people continually, hoping to undo the legitimate election of President Trump," Parscale said.
In 2014, when the management of Bengaluru-based mid-tier IT services company Mindtree approached the management of engineering behemoth Larsen & Toubro, the latter didnt show any interest. Four and a half years later, in November 2018, when Cafe Coffee Day and its founder VG Siddhartha approached the same company to sell his 20.41% stake in Mindtree, with an aim to shed a portion of his debt, L&T found the synergies in the move.

What followed was an audacious hostile takeover bid by L&T, which has one of its subsidiaries  L&T Infotech  already operating in the space of IT services in India. As the company entered into an agreement to buy Siddharthas stake in the Bengaluru-based tech company, it quickly followed it up with two open offers aimed at garnering 66.41% stake in the company.

The management of Mindtree, which had been, according to the sources, interested in selling their stake in 2014, now started showing resistance to L&T. However, much of the companys resistance has been based on emotional appeal, rather than the business prudence.

At a presser last week, the founders of Mindtree came up with emotional questions, pitted against the bidder, rather than a counter-offer, which was being widely expected. The presser also saw the return of the companys star-founder Subroto Bagchi  who left his job with the Odisha government, with an aim to save the company, he founded along with others way back in 1999.

However, the founders of the company did announce that they will go ahead with the buyback plan they had proposed earlier, only to delay the decision on the same within 24 hours.

However, experts say any attempt of buyback by Mindtree will be a futile exercise.

Now its a closed door for them. Even if they announce the buyback, they will have to go back to the shareholders to get approval. So, it seems like a waste of an exercise, Shriram Subramanian, MD at InGovern Research Services, a proxy advisory services firm told DH.

Section 26 (2-d) of Substantial Acquisition of Shares & Takeover (SAST) Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) rules that upon the public announcement of an open offer, the board of the target company shall not implement any buyback of shares or affect any other change to the capital structure unless the approval of 75% of shareholders by a special resolution through postal ballot is obtained.

Some others like Amit Tandon of Institutional Investor Advisory Service (IiAS) also lashed out the Mindtree management for what he said they were using the companys money to hold on to their positions in the management.

Number game

Experts view aside, the number game suggests that it would be difficult for the Mindtree management to get through. In the case of buyback, they would need the approval of 75% of its shareholders. However, L&T has agreed to buy 20.41% of the shareholding in the company  leaving the company to negotiate with just 79.59% of its owners.

As of now, the companys management has claimed support of just 23.93% of the remaining 79.85% of the shareholders  which includes promoter group owning 13.32% stake and Singapore-based Nalanda Capital, which owns 10.61% stake in the company.

Even as market players are resting on the negotiating skills of L&Ts AM Naik, the financial feasibility of Mindtrees buyback offer is questionable. Right now the investors are divided into two camps. Plus you have to realise that AM Naik of L&T is far more astute in convincing people in what is good for the company. So that is why Mindtree held back, a market insider told DH.

Going by the pure fundamental numbers, Mindtrees cash reserves amounting to Rs 162 crore are a mere 5.1% of its net worth of Rs 3,165 crore as of December 2018. Also, in case of a buyback by Mindtree, it increases the stake of L&T in the Mindtree, in percentage terms.

A buyback of 5% of the companys shares would result in an increase in L&Ts holding in the company by 5.3%, while 10% buyback would increase it by 11.1%.

This is because the total number of outstanding shares comes down as a result of buyback. At the same time, if the promoter group doesnt tender shares their ownership will also go up to 14.03% from the current 13.32% in the case of 5% buyback of shares. In the case of 10% buyback, their shareholding will go up to 14.8%.

Also, to offer a better deal than L&Ts Rs 980 per share to its shareholders, Mindtree would need a bulk of the money. In case, the company wants to buyback 5% shares, it would need in excess of Rs 804 crore  five times of its cash reserves.

Impending merger

Although, for now, L&T has no plans to merge its subsidiary L&T Infotech  with Mindtree, advisories like Elara Capital and Motilal Oswal advise that a merger of the two companies will create a lot of synergies for the engineering behemoth.

According to a report put out by Elara Capital, the merger of Mindtree, with L&T Infotech is inevitable. We believe this will inevitably lead to a merger of LTI and Mindtree, as L&T is unlikely to retain two listed entities with complementary capabilities in the same industry, the report said.

The LTI-Mindtree combined entity will have trailing 12-months (TTM) revenue of $837 million in banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), $520 million in hi-tech & media and $554 million in manufacturing, retail, and CPG.

In the case of BFSI vertical, TechM has a TTM revenue worth $662 million, which is 21% lower than the TTM revenue of the combined entity.

Similarly, in the case of hi-tech and media verticals as well, TechM has a TTM revenue of $356 million, which is 31% lower than the combined entity. However, the transition is not going to be that smooth.

The hostile takeover bid might have an adverse impact on the clients of the company, according to analysts.

Risk to growth/relationship in one/multiple accounts cannot be completely ruled out, especially as the share of L&T starts to creep up and the promoters options start thinning out, market advisory Motilal Oswal said in a research note.

Some of Mindtrees top clients have had long-standing relationships with the company, and its founding leaders have been the face of the company, the report said. Top-10 clients contribute close to 44% of the IT companys revenues.

As Mindtree management is trying to resist L&T take-over, market observers across the spectrum are of the opinion that the deal will go through after a month of tug and war.
A yarn bank has been set up at the Mysore Powerloom Silk Manufacturers Cooperative Society on Avenue Road to benefit the states weavers.

The weavers are reeling under severe shortage and fluctuating prices of yarn. The new yarn bank comes as a huge relief for thousands of weavers in and around Bengaluru. The bank, regardless of the price rise in the open market and the menace of middlemen, ensures a steady supply of yarn to the weavers from southern Karnataka.

The bank, with aid from the Centre, will supply pure silk yarn and zari to weavers who subscribe. Currently, the weavers have to source yarn locally through agents and wholesalers.

It was a daunting task for weavers as the brokers rigged prices. Adding to the woes, rising costs of cotton and related petrochemicals left the prices fluctuating, explained M Lakshminarayana, president of the cooperative society.

The bank will purchase yarn at the wholesale rate from producers with a corpus instituted by the Centre and a special purpose vehicle (SPV). All the subscribing weavers will be provided yarn at reasonable rates to sustain production, he said. The power loom industry supplies about 60% of the cloth requirement at the national level. Karnataka has about 1,20,000 power looms weaving silk and cotton. Most power looms are based in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural and Tumakuru districts, with only a few in northern Karnataka.

While the bank, the first-of-its-kind in Karnataka, sources its yarn from various sources, art silk is imported from China.

Besides, a considerable quantity of yarn is procured from Surat and Mumbai too. Considering the requirement of silk saree weavers, yarn from traditional markets like Ramanagara and Channapatna are also procured.

According to the society, several weavers have already registered at the bank. They are now benefiting from a steady and timely supply of yarn.
His power struggle with Subhash Chandra Bose on leading the Congress movement for Independence and ideas to create a separate state of Pakistan may be among the factors that sky-rocketed Mahatma Gandhi's blood pressure.

The Father of the Nation's health records  released by Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday in a special issue of its journal  demonstrate how he suffered from high blood pressure through the better part of his life. In addition, he was grossly under-nourished with a body-weight of 46 kg and a body mass index of 17.1.

In March and April of 1939 when the Congress party was virtually split into two camps led by Gandhi and Bose, Mahatma's blood pressure varied from 170/110 (March 4) and 180/110 (March 5) to 160/100 (April 30).

On April 29, in a letter to Bose, he wrote, ...knowing how you and most of the members differ on fundamentals.. you are free to choose your own Committee. On the same day, the Bengal leader resigned from the post of Congress president after reading out Gandhi's letter at the AICC meeting held at Tirupati.

A year later, doctors looking after Mahatma's health recorded a blood pressure of 220/110 on February 19, 1940.

While the ICMR document doesn't provide any insight, it is to be noted that such a high BP was recorded a month before the Lahore session of All India Muslim League where then Bengal Prime Minister A K Fazlul Haq proposed a 'Pakistan Resolution' that was duly passed, putting the demand for a separate homeland for the Indian Muslims openly for the first time in black and white.

As per the health file of Gandhiji (1924-47), his blood pressure readings were as high as 194/130 and 220/110 (on Oct 26, 1937, and February 19, 1940. In between as well, his blood pressure readings were higher than normal and touched 170/110 and 180/105, says the ICMR journal that was published to commemorate 150 years of Mahatma's birth anniversary.

He depended on Sarpgandha (an Ayurvedic medicine and source of BP lowering drug reserpine) to control his blood pressure. He also suffered from malaria thrice and was operated for piles and appendicitis at the Sassoon General Hospital, Pune, ICMR director general Balram Bhargava told DH.

Bapu himself wrote about his Sarpagandha treatment to his personal physician Sushila Nayyar.

Despite having such high BP and poor BMI, the apostle of peace was able to continue with his workload possibly because of his daily routine of walking 18 km. During his campaign from 1913 to 1948, he walked around 79,000 km, which is equivalent to walking around the Earth twice, Bhargava said.

Unlike in the West, there's no tradition of making medical records of leaders public in India. But some of the medical records of world leaders do make interesting reading.

For instance, Dwight D Eisenhower had a blood pressure of 340. It is often being said that the World War-II may not have taken place had Eisenhower had normal blood pressure, said Bhargava, a former professor of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.
India is building a satellite tracking and data reception centre in Bhutan.

The ground station of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in Bhutan is likely to double up as a strategic asset for New Delhi, given its location between India and China.

Beijing has already set up an advanced satellite tracking centre and astronomical observatory at Ngari in Tibet Autonomous Region  about 125 kilometres away from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which serves as a de-facto border between India and China in the absence of a settled boundary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the construction of the ISRO's ground station in Bhutan would be completed soon. Space science is the new dimension of our cooperation (with Bhutan). I am happy that Ground Station being built by ISRO in Bhutan to reap the benefits of the South Asian Satellite is soon going to be completed, he told media-persons after a meeting with new Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

With the completion of this project, Bhutan will get help in tasks such as weather information, tele-medicine and disaster relief in the far flung areas of the country, said Modi.

The ISRO launched the South Asia Satellite on May 5, 2017. New Delhi bore the entire expenses for building and launching the satellite. Prime Minister, himself, had in 2014 mooted the idea of having a satellite for all the members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), so that India could share the benefits of its advances in space technologies with all its neighbours in South Asia. Pakistan stayed away from it although all other SAARC nations joined India in the project.

Though Modi said that the ISRO's ground station in Bhutan was intended to help the tiny nation take advantage of the South Asia Satellite, sources told the DH that it was part of India's countermeasures to China's advanced satellite tracking station in Tibet.

The facility set up by Chinese Government is so advanced that it could not only track satellites launched by India, but could also blind them, said sources in New Delhi.

India on Friday also pledged Rs 4500 crore as its assistance to Bhutan to support the tiny neighbouring nation's 12th five-year-plan for development. In Bhutans 12th five-year-plan, India will provide assistance of Rs 4500 crore. This contribution will be according to the needs and priorities of Bhutan, Prime Minister said. I have assured (Bhutanese) Prime Minister that as always India will play the role of a trusted partner and friend in the development of Bhutan.

Thimphu stood firmly with New Delhi during the 72-day-long face-off between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan in June-August, 2017.

Tshering is on his maiden visit to India after taking over as Prime Minister of Bhutan last month. He invited Modi for an early visit to Bhutan.

New Delhi and Thimphu on Friday also reached an agreement on the tariff of the electricity India would import from the newly-constructed 720 MW Mangde-Chhu Hydroelectric Plant in Bhutan.
A Twitter spat between Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and a Pakistani minister on Sunday further added to the ongoing chill in bilateral relations that nosedived since the Pulwama terror attack last month.

It all began with Sushma tweeting a news report on the abduction of two Hindu girls on the eve of Holi in Pakistan's Sindh province. I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on this, she commented.

The tweet received a prompt response from Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Ch Fawad Hussain. Mam its Pakistin internal issue and rest assure its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated. Its Imran Khans Naya Pak where white colour of our flag is equally dearer to us. I hope you will act with same diligence when it comes to rights of Indian Minorities (sic), he said.

Sushma countered immediately. Mr Minister  I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad about the kidnapping and forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience, she said, tagging the Pakistan minister and the Indian High Commission.

Sources said that cases of abduction of Hindu girls from the lower socio-economic strata are repeated in the districts of Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Umerkot in Sindh, close to the Indian border, from time to time, many of which go unreported.

These three districts  Mirpurkhas (33% Hindus), Tharparkar (36%) and Umerkot (49%)  contribute to the significant Hindu community in Sindh.

While a 2014 report from the Movement for Solidarity and Peace estimated that nearly 1,000 non-Muslim girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year, the issue had become a burning topic in the Sindh region in recent times due to an increasing wave of fundamentalism, as seen from the rise in the number of madrassas by various Islamic outfits preaching Salafi ideology  a religious-political ideology based on a belief in "physical" jihadism.

Hussain responded to Sushma's last comments with reference to the treatment meted out to Muslims in Gujarat and Jammu in the past.

Madam Minister I am happy that in the Indian administration we have people who care for minority rights in other countries. I sincerely hope that your conscience will allow you to stand up for minorities at home as well. Gujarat and Jammu must weigh heavily on your soul, he wrote.
Two plywood mills, an apple orchard, nursing home and several two-storeyed houses are among a number of properties identified as those who were suspected to be involved in terror funding in Kashmir valley, official sources said on Monday.

Majority of the properties identified belonged to businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, who is presently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail after National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in connection with terror funding cases.

Watali is suspected to be a hawala dealer, who was acting as one of the major financial conduits for Hurriyat leaders, and his posh bungalow in Haryana's Gurugram, near Delhi, was attached last week in a first such action against terror funding. He had allegedly received money from LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, Salahuddin, ISIS and the Pakistan High Commission here.

DH on Monday reported that Indian investigators have so far determined assets valued at around Rs seven crore as proceeds of terror funding crimes in Jammu and Kashmir and these belonged to 13 people, including Watali.

During a discreet inquiry, official sources said, investigators have found at least 11 locations in which Watali has properties either in his name or in the names of his wife or son. He is said to have a plywood mill and an apple orchard in Handwara and another plywood mill and a nursing home in Parimpora in Budgam district.

In one of the plots, Watali allegedly owned 12 semi-furnished houses of which four were sold. He also owned more than one house and agriculture land.

Altaf Ahmad Shah, the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat faction's Syed Ali Shah Geelani, is also under the agencies' radar and his two-storeyed building in Srinagar has been identified by the investigators. The house of Aftab Ahmad Shah, the spokesperson of Hurriyat (Mirwaiz faction) who was arrested on charges of terror funding, has also been identified.

The investigators have identified 13 people, including Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Sayeed and Hizbul Mujahideen founder Syed Salahuddin, as those behind terror funding in Kashmir valley.

According to investigators, these people have been found to be providing money to all major terrorist groups as also Hurriyat leaders, separatists and stone-pelters.

Funds were provided to take up campaigns to misguide, motivate and recruit local youth to terrorist ranks including from madrasas and mosques. Operational activities of terror groups are also being financed including attacks on Security forces personnel, camps and convoys, sources claimed.
State Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-161 of Swarthmore joined Pennsylvania Senate colleagues Katie Muth, D-44 of Royersford and Sen. Maria Collett, D-12 of Lower Gwynedd in announcing a new package of #MeToo bills that were introduced into both chambers of the state Legislature on Monday.

The General Assembly has a duty to be a leader in the fight against sexual harassment and assault, said Krueger. This legislation will protect members, staff and employees, and hold those who harm others accountable. It is past time for sexual harassment to be taken seriously in the Capitol and for reforms to create an environment where victims feel safe enough to come forward without fear of retribution.

Krueger said the identical bills introduced Monday  House Bill 1000 and Senate Bill 480  would act as an important first step to address those concerns.

The bills are similar to legislation Krueger introduced with broad bipartisan support in the last session, but that died in committee. They would enact several reforms, such as banning nondisclosure agreements that hide the names of members who harass staffers and placing a prohibition on using tax dollars to fund secretive settlement agreements.

Muth, an outspoken rape survivor, said there is an epidemic of sexual harassment across all industries, but elected officials should be held to a higher standard and leading by example.

This bill is the first step in a very necessary direction and its long overdue, she said. I think we have a mountain of momentum behind us to try to actually get this passed. It did pass unanimously federally in December of 2018, so this is not a partisan issue. It affects both sides of the aisle.

Kruger also said the bills are not a knee-jerk reaction designed to grab headlines, but represent the ninth draft of the legislation. She noted three women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against three state legislators since original versions of the bills were first introduced.

Republican state Rep. Brian Ellis, R-Butler County, resigned last week amid allegations that he drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in 2015. Attorneys for Ellis have denied the claims and he has not been charged criminally.

Fellow GOP state Rep. Nick Miccarelli, formerly representing the 162nd District, did not seek a sixth term after a former girlfriend leveled similar accusations against him last year. She later withdrew a criminal complaint and no charges were filed.

State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17 of Lower Merion, remains under an internal investigation by Senate Democrats for an alleged sexual assault on a 17-year-old girl in 1991. The allegations are too old to criminally prosecute, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.

I ask for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to co-sponsor this bill, work with stakeholders and listen to your constituents to advocate for these reforms, said Krueger. For those who have the power to decide which bills come up for a vote, please ensure that we get a fair hearing on this bill in both chambers and an up-or-down vote on the floor of the House and the Senate.
The real problem on university campuses isnt that there are too few government monitors enforcing Washingtons view of the First Amendment. It is that students, and apparently some faculty as well, do not understand or appreciate the First Amendment.

For instance, a 2017 poll by the Brookings Institution found that 40 percent of college students in America dont believe the First Amendment protects so-called hate speech. But, of course, it does. But because of this erroneous belief, in too many instances religious expression or political opinion is being labeled as hate.

The Founders included the freedom of speech as one of the five freedoms of the First Amendment, not to protect the type of speech that makes everyone comfortable to hear, but to protect what we are most likely not inclined to hear. Many people find certain opinions on race, sexuality, abortion or a variety of social or political issues abhorrent, but the Constitution grants them the right to express such things publicly, regardless of how uncomfortable it may make listeners.

So when President Trump issued an executive order Thursday with the intent to protect students from censorship and coercion on campuses nationwide, it was not without legitimate reason. Ignorance about the First Amendment has led some schools to outlaw what amounts to free inquiry and discussion of any viewpoint that offends majority  which most often translates to liberal  opinions.

But the presidents executive order is the wrong solution. It invites Washington to draw up rules that could end up just a different version of the same problem. Who would write the standards? Would anything not specifically enumerated in these be considered OK? Would these rules be enforced just as vigorously when liberal views were suppressed as they would when conservatives are silenced?

No, the First Amendment itself is the correct solution. It should be taught, appreciated and used as a defense. When speech rights are abridged, the courts should be the remedy, as they have been in the past. Washington could appropriately join in the defense of such legal challenges, as it already has on occasion.

Amid the many galling examples of university censorship, its worth noting that some schools have done things right.

Two years ago, conservative pundit Ben Shapiro gave a speech on the University of Utah campus. It attracted a predictable amount of protest and calls for the university to cancel the event. Instead, campus administrators allowed students to protest outside, and a beefed-up police presence kept the peace. Shapiro delivered his speech. The world didnt end.

The Founding Fathers were influenced by John Milton, a 17th-century British intellectual who said: Though all winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and falsehood grapple. Who ever knew truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?

The Founders understood that the best ideas often are found through unfettered exchanges. If something is offensive or wrong, people should be persuaded of this through evidence, counter-argument and debate. The best ideas will rise. The rest will fall. No one should fear speech.

President Trump has correctly enumerated a problem, but he has missed badly on the solution.

Teach the First Amendment. Defend it with vigor. Get more Americans to adopt it as part of their national DNA.
SALT LAKE CITY  Multiple employees from 21st Century Fox voiced frustration with how Disney handled the companys layoffs in the immediate aftermath of the new Fox-Disney deal.

Disney and 21st Century Fox closed their $71.3 billion deal on Wednesday morning. Disney CEO Bob Iger said that the company would hit the ground running as soon as the deal closes.

Thats exactly what happened. Variety reports: The ax fell at the film division with brutal efficiency, wiping away much of the senior leadership at Foxs marketing, distribution, and consumer products arms. Some staffers, who had been engaging in gallows humor for weeks, burst into tears when they received the word in one-on-one meetings with human resources reps that their positions were being terminated.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it was clear that hitting the ground running means, at least initially, lots of lost jobs.

Employee reactions: Multiple employees told The Hollywood Reporter that Disney hasnt been candid about who will be let go and when theyll lose their jobs.

Some employees told THR that they were told theyd receive two weeks of pay for every year that they served with a cap at two years total in severance pay. Disney employees remain unsure about what will happen in the future.

"We feel like we're the ones who have been acquired because the people at Fox know what their severance packages are, if they are going to get let go, and nobody at Disney knows anything. People are panicking  and rightfully so  because nobody is telling them anything, a Disney employee told THR.

Analysts guessed that between 4,000 and 10,000 people will be let go after the Disney-Fox deal. However, other estimates suggest closer to 3,000 people will lose their jobs, THR reported.

Executives: Some executives have been in ongoing discussions about their future since the deal between Fox and Disney was first announced, according to Variety.

Rivals: Companies who are rivaling Disney and Fox have monitored the decisions, too.
SALT LAKE CITY  Maybe youd never bribe a college official or pay someone else to take a college-placement test for your child, even if you had plenty of money.

But you could still be failing as an ethical role model if you encourage your teen to aggrandize his or her accomplishments or help too much with a college essay, according to a new report from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Issued by the Making Caring Common" project, the report is a rebuke to parents who may not do anything illegal in their quest to get their children into top-ranked colleges, but whose actions skirt propriety and contribute to systemic corruption. It calls on parents and high schools to work together to restore integrity to a badly tarnished system, saying that they powerfully shape the admissions process."

While it is essential that colleges take steps to reform the admissions process, high schools and parents have the largest impact on whether teens develop core ethical capacities, including a sense of responsibility for their communities, and suffer achievement-related stress, the report says.

Richard Weissbourd, director of Making Caring Common, said the allegations in Operation Varsity Blues, a nationwide cheating conspiracy revealed March 12, were shocking, but that the bigger issue is not illegal activity, but unethical behavior.

The scandal is mind-bogglingly immoral and dumb from my perspective. And its not really the problem, Weissbourd said.

Its a problem in the sense that its an awful thing, but (what the indicted parents did) is not common. What were writing about (in the report) is very common forms of behaviors, things that parents do that cross a line.

The report urges parents to do seven things to help improve the admissions process and to lessen the "fierce and debilitating" pressure that many teens face in communities where overemphasis on test scores and getting into a handful of elite colleges has taken precedence over figuring out what's best for the teen.

"It's perform, perform, perform," said Michael Roe, a high school principal in Riverside, California. Theyre in this big artificial hurry. Nobody can quite tell them why."

The report assigns jobs to both high schools and parents, including encouraging teens to be more authentic, ending "the community service Olympics" and paying close attention to one's "ethical GPS."

When 'right' is wrong

For the past several years, William Elenchin, chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology at St. Bonaventure University in New York, has asked his students what topic that theyd like to see him address in a book.

Every time, every class, the students would say stress, said Elenchin, whose book Rethinking Stress in an Age of Ease: A Field Manual for Students of All Ages was published in February.

Psychological and sociological research has well established that over the past 30, 40, 50 years, students are experiencing increasing levels of stress, Elenchin said. But research also tells us  common sense does as well  that since World War II, we as a culture are experiencing exponential gains in levels of comfort.

So we should be happier and less stressed, but as a society, to include students, were experiencing more stress, more symptoms of behavioral health issues.

Roe, the principal at Riverside Polytechnic High School in Riverside, California, believes he knows one of the reasons: Rising rates of anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder correspond with the rise of standardized tests in the U.S., with its attendant focus on scores over learning, he says.

Academic achievement and authentic learning are not the same thing, Roe said. We continue to say as a society that we value one thing, but we test the exact opposite.

Roe's school was working to address this problem before Making Caring Common's first report on the "madness" of college admissions was released three years ago. That report, called "Turning the Tide," focused on what colleges can do to redefine achievement, assess aspiring students' character and promote meaningful contributions to others and "engagement with the public good."

But although the report has been endorsed by admissions deans at nearly 200 colleges and universities  including some caught up in Operation Varsity Blues  there's been little meaningful change, the new report, "Turning the Tide II," says.

In fact, it says, "the trends in our country that sparked Turning the Tide have only become more troubling," among them incivility, bigotry and cynicism.

Its much more about whether you have these socio-emotional and ethical competencies  whether you are empathic and self-aware and able to work in groups and grateful and curious, engaged.  Richard Weissbourd, director of Making Caring Common

The latest report is the second of three and it was scheduled for release in April, but released weeks earlier to capitalize on public outrage over the scandal.

One positive thing that could come of it, educators say, is for the nation to examine how it created a system in which people would willingly cast aside their values so their children could attend a brand-name school, paying more for four years of education than many Americans pay for a house.

In its recommendations (called "guideposts") for high schools, Making Caring Common urges administrators, teachers and counselors to help combat the myth that students have to go to the right school to be successful. Aiming for schools at which only a small number of applicants get in (at Harvard and Stanford, for example, only about 5 percent of students who apply are admitted) can make students anxious and fearful of disappointing or shaming their parents, the report said.

In affluent communities, especially, too many kids are focusing on amassing really impressive resumes, and all the data are showing its really not about the number of achievements you have or how selective the college is, Weissbourd said.

Its much more about whether you have these socio-emotional and ethical competencies  whether you are empathic and self-aware and able to work in groups and grateful and curious, engaged. Those things in the long run turn out to be more important.

To take the focus off a handful of schools, parents should expose their children to graduates of colleges that are less selective but still offer exemplary education. They can avoid commercial rankings, talk to students about the flaws in the rating system and promote lesser-known schools.

Test overload

The report also takes on the problem of how teens are suffering from an overload of advanced courses while cramming their schedules full of extracurricular activities and community service projects that don't reflect the student's real interests, but instead are designed to dazzle on a resume.

Educators should consider drafting policies that advise a conservative approach to advanced placement classes and extracurricular activities, possibly even limiting the number that students can take, the report says.

The emphasis on test-taking  whether standardized assessments or Advanced Placement tests that award college credit  has created a system that revolves around scores, and cares less about what students are actually learning, Roe said. He recalls a conversation with a former student, who, when asked what she had learned from an Advanced Placement course, replied "how to take the test."

The emphasis on test-taking not only causes stress and anxiety in students, but it can cause parents to engage in unethical behavior like one exposed in the recent scandal: having a child fraudulently diagnosed as having a learning disability so that they qualify for extra time on tests.

This is not just a practice among the 33 parents named in Operation Varsity Blues. Mimi King, a Dallas mother of four, said she knows of people who have done this in her community.

But King  who currently has sons at the University of California and the University of Utah  said she believes that such blatant cheating, like the illegal activities alleged in the federal indictments, is not widespread. "I'd say it's the top 1 percent  or maybe I should say the bottom 1 percent," she said.

She also said there are parents who try to game the system and don't succeed.

Ive heard stories of parents around here who donate millions of dollars to a top school and their kids didnt get in," she said.

At Poly High in Riverside, Roe said he once sat down with the schools top 10 students and was disturbed by their levels of stress and anxiety. Kids share from their hearts that their heads are spinning, he said.

And it doesnt matter whether parents are pressuring their children out of love and concern for their success as adults or if its because they want to tell their friends they have a child at Yale or Stanford; the effect on children is the same.

If you ask parents, 'What are you more concerned with? Your child being a caring, empathetic individual or achieving at the highest level?' parents will tell you, thats ridiculous, I want both. But thats not what kids are hearing, Roe said. Nine out of 10 kids are hearing, I better achieve, or else.

In a "commitment letter" signed by 148 admissions deans who support Making Caring Common's goals, the deans promise to "consider students' applications holistically"  assessing not just grades and scores, but how the students might contribute to the school and society. They also pledge to take into account how students have served their families, such as working to contribute income or taking care of younger siblings. And they say that two or three extracurricular activities in high school should be sufficient.

If you ask parents, 'What are you more concerned with? Your child being a caring, empathetic individual or achieving at the highest level?' parents will tell you, thats ridiculous, I want both. But thats not what kids are hearing.  Michael Roe, a high school principal in Riverside, California

While putting forth a comprehensive strategy to reform college admissions, the report acknowledges the challenges in changing a system with many entrenched stakeholders. Some high school leaders and counselors who were provided with the report were openly skeptical that colleges will change, noting that some deans who signed the letter still say they expect applicants to have taken the most rigorous courses available.

Its also true that many colleges did not sign this letter, which means that students may in fact be disadvantaged in applying to these colleges, the report says. But regardless of any continuing resistance, the authors write that parents and educators should still take the high road, saying "even if admissions offices didnt weigh ethical character at all, educators and parents, as weve pointed out, have a fundamental responsibility to prioritize it in child-raising."

And Roe, who has four children ages 8 to 18, said the scandal may force the country to confront a system that he believes is hurting not just children in the lowest socioeconomic classes, but also those in the high and middle classes. He says we should "follow the money" and look critically at those who profit from the current system  such as companies that develop and administer tests and high-priced tutors and admissions counselors.

Roe also notes that people trying to scam the system have been around for decades. When he was in high school more than 25 years ago, Roe said he was at a volleyball tournament when someone approached him and said that for $1,200, he could get him a passing score on the SAT.

That kind of stuff has been happening forever, he said. These people just happened to get caught.
SALT LAKE CITY  Utah Republican members of Congress hailed special counsel Robert Mueller's conclusion Sunday that Donald Trump's presidential campaign didn't conspire with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.

Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, called it a "great day for America" in a tweet shortly after Attorney General William Barr sent a four-page summary of the nearly 2-year investigation to Congress.

Stewart said he wasn't surprised about the findings after the House Intelligence Committee, of which he is a member, did a "very, very thorough" investigation of its own.

"I just thought it was incredibly unlikely that Mr. Mueller would find things that we just didnt even see a hint of," he said in an interview.

Muellers investigation concluded without finding adequate evidence to show that officials with the Trump campaign aided Russian attempts to meddle in the election.

The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the special counsel wrote in his findings, according Barr's letter.

Stewart said it's "disappointing to me to see how many people seem to be disappointed and discouraged by this. I mean, for heaven sakes, this is good news whether you lean left or right, youre Republican, Democrat or independent."

"Its not good news for the American people to be told that their president potentially was colluding with Russia, and to have that cleared I think thats good for everyone," he said.

Democrats raised doubts about Barr's decision to not prosecute Trump for obstruction of justice just two days after receiving Mueller's report. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., intends to call Barr to testify before the panel.

Barr wrote that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence developed in the investigation is not sufficient enough to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.

The special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Barr wrote.

Trump, though, called the findings a "complete and total exoneration."

"This was an illegal takedown that failed, and hopefully somebody's going to be looking at the other side," he told reporters.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said it's "good news" that the special counsel concluded that neither the president nor his campaign colluded with the Russian government.

"The Mueller investigation, led by a person of such honor and integrity, has faithfully applied the rule of law despite accusations and fears to the contrary," Romney tweeted.

"It is now time for the country to move forward," he added.

Members of the Utah delegation continue to call for the full report to be made public.

Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, said how much of the report will be available to Congress is still evolving, but he continues to support full public disclosure and transparency to the extent the law will allow.

"I have always maintained that all sides should withhold judgment until the independent investigation has concluded and the results reviewed," he said in a statement. "If the Mueller report supports the conclusion that no additional criminal matters are unresolved, then it is time for the country and the Congress to move on.

Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, said he looks forward to reading the complete report as soon as possible.

"I remain consistent in my opinion that the American people should have the same opportunity as soon as possible so that we can put this period of doubt and division behind us and begin to restore faith in our institutions," he said in a statement.

Muellers report does not take a clear position on whether Trump obstructed justice.

For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leave unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction, Barr wrote in the letter to leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees.

Stewart said if the issue were a matter of law, Mueller's report would put the accusations against Trump to rest.

"But this is a political exercise more than it is anything else," he said. "It's very clear that the Democratic leadership and the Democratic Party want to keep this president under a cloud through the (2020) election."

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said he is "heartened" at the special counsel's conclusions.

"While I am pleased with the outcome of this investigation, I am all the more pleased to be able to now put these questions behind us and get on with the important duty of working for the American people without an overshadowing political distraction. America deserves our full attention," he said in a statement.

Mueller employed 19 lawyers and a team of 40 FBI agents to conducted the investigation, estimated to cost as much as $25 million. The special counsel issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, made 13 requests to foreign governments and interviewed about 500 witnesses.

Stewart said he supposes the expense and effort was worth it in the sense that allegations were made against the president and people deserved a full accounting of those allegations. But, he said, the accusations were made without any evidence.

"That bothers me quite a lot," he said.
SALT LAKE CITY  Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks collectively drew more than 10 million visitors in 2018, and even negative publicity over monument reductions by the Trump administration did not result in visitation decreases from 2017 to 2018 as some critics feared.

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument drew 982,993 visits in 2017, compared to visits to its reduced units of 1,157,916 last year, according to the Bureau of Land Management.

At land managed by the Monticello field office of the BLM in San Juan County where then-President Barack Obama designated the Bears Ears National Monument, it saw 403,179 visits in 2017, compared to 417,601 in 2018.

Obama designated Bears Ears at 1.35 million acres in 2016 and a little less than a year later, President Donald Trump slashed it by 85 percent and turned it into two distinct units in a move under legal challenge.

The federal agency estimates that the newly created Indian Creek saw 187,000 recreation visits in 2017 and Shash Jaa saw 37,000 recreation visits.

In fact, as the drive for monument designation in San Juan County ramped up, recreation visitation jumped 64 percent from 2013 to 2017, according to the BLM.

Lisa Bryant, BLM's Canyon Country spokeswoman, said visitation across southeastern Utah has steadily increased over the last 10 years. Indian Creek in particular, she added, accounts for nearly 70 percent of the recreation use in the Monticello office area. At Cedar Mesa, the hike to House on Fire accounts for much of the increased day use.

Visitation is booming elsewhere.

Bryce Canyon National Park, which has attracted more than 2 million visitors since 2016, once again enjoyed a record-setting year in 2018, drawing an additional 107,794 visitors. Altogether, 2,679,478 people stopped in to check out the largest area of hoodoo formations in the world.

Zion National Park once again hit the top 10 list for the nation's most-visited national parks, attracting just over 4.3 million visitors in 2018.

But its numbers were down slightly from 2018, with 184,779 fewer people walking through the entrance gates last year.

Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, Film and Global Branding, said there are a couple of reasons Zion visitation may have declined last year.

"Angels Landing was closed for several weeks due to rock slides. Other trails in the park were closed as well. In addition, we believe that news about crowding at Zion may have influenced reduced visitation," she said. "Meanwhile, state park visitation continues to increase while growth in national park visitation is growing at a slower rate."

The state tourism office, too, is trying to improve the visitor experience by distributing demand to state parks and other destinations.

"We are pleased that our marketing campaign has played a role in distributing demand to state parks instead of just national parks. It leads to a better experience for visitors and the local communities. "

Canyonlands National Park also experienced a slight decrease from year to year, with 2,822 fewer visitors from 2018 compared 2017.
SALT LAKE CITY  Even a casual perusal of social media nodes reflects that Traeger Grill's goal of creating a "more flavorful world" is one that's resonating with its rabid audience.

Earlier this month, following the company's release of a slate of updates to its wood pellet grills, as well as a new model, its enthusiastic audience jumped in with tens of thousands of posts and pictures of their own grilling successes on Traeger cookers.

Denny Bruce, Traeger's executive vice president of global sales and marketing, said while the company likely has the most advanced designs of any of its competitors, the focus has always been on what comes out of the grill as much was what goes into it.

"We arguably have the most technological products in the space," Bruce said. "But, it's all about what it creates. When individuals have this great output, creating amazing food on their Traeger  of course they want to share it."

Bruce said the company has revamped its product line for 2019 with updates to previous models as well as an entirely new entry, the Ironwood. While the ability to monitor and control the cookers via a Wi-Fi-enabled smarthpone app have now been extended beyond the top-end Timberline, Bruce said a new motor and augur, the apparatus that feeds the wood pellets into the firebox, have been completely redesigned and the result is significant.

The new "transmission," Bruce said, includes an upgraded, brushless 20-volt electric motor and single-piece direct auger that can feed pellets in at a variable rate, versus the old single-speed system, leading to "more consistent temperature control  and a reduction time-to-temperature by 30 percent."

The WiFIRE smartphone control system is also available with the new Ironwood grills as well as select models of the Pro series. The app not only allows users to monitor and make adjustments, remotely, to their cookers, but can also download recipes directly to the grill for a set-it-and-forget-it operation.

Traeger CEO Jeremy Andrus, a Utah tech veteran who previously helped turn headphone specialist SkullCandy from a boutique electronics company in Park City into a global player, said the 2019 revamps are helping propel pellet grilling to "the next level."

Traeger has been pushing the boundaries of outdoor cooking since its birth over 30 years ago, reinventing the way people around the world think about grilling through remarkable wood-fired taste and convenience, Andrus said in a statement. Were proud to take another huge leap forward today as we introduce game-changing D2 Direct Drive and WiFIRE technology that truly takes grilling to the next level, whether youre just starting out, or a seasoned pro.

While Traeger's history extends back decades to its launch in Mt. Angel, Oregon by the Traeger family, Andrus and investment partner Trilantic North America acquired the company, moved its headquarters to a new building in Sugar House and Andrus took over the helm as CEO in 2014. Since that time, heavy investment in product innovation and a multichannel marketing campaign has borne fruit, with annual revenues more than quintupling the $70 million yearly take the company was bringing in, pre-Andrus.

And, a path toward continued growth will likely be bolstered by the increasing popularity of pellet grilling over the more traditional methods using gas or charcoal.

While sales of gas grills are on the decline and charcoal-fired units have been seeing only moderate growth, according to data mined by Statista.com, sales of pellet grills are increasing at near double-digit rates. According to a Forbes piece from last year, Traeger is enjoying a 70 percent share of the outdoor cooking market, in spite of a host of new entries into the sector.

The Statista report noted in 2016, U.S. consumers spent nearly $1.5 billion on grills and barbecues, up some $300 million since 2009. Traeger products fall into the higher end of the market, with its top-end Timberline retailing for between $1,800 to $2,000, depending on features, but a no-frills Junior Elite can be had for about $400.

Andrus, a BYU graduate who also earned an MBA at Harvard Business School, told the Deseret News in an interview last year that the key to successful product development, be it focused on headphones or outdoor cookers, is staying focused on the end-user experience.

"When you look at Skullcandy and Traeger, other than the fact that theyre different products, the analogs are there," Andrus said. "Understanding who your consumer is and how you create innovative solutions that address their needs.

"That is the art in a consumer product business, because a consumer never tells you what their problem is. They dont know whats possible."
SALT LAKE CITY  Special counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not find any evidence that President Donald Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, the Justice Department said Sunday, according to the Associated Press.

Mueller did not come to a definitive conclusion about whether or not Trump obstructed justice, according to the department of justice.

Attorney General William Barr wrote in a four-page letter to Congress that quoted Muellers report that said it does not exonerate the president on obstruction. But, Barr wrote, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

Trump, who was in Florida at the time of Barrs letter, celebrated and said there was no collusion. He said the report showed there was no obstruction.

One hour after the release of a summary of the Mueller probe, the President falsely claimed it totally exonerated him.



The letter said there was no collusion, then noted "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." pic.twitter.com/NR5tN8lLj7  Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) March 24, 2019

Political pundits, media members and others responded to the reports principal findings on Twitter Sunday afternoon. Weve collected several of those to provide context to the report and the next steps.

Donald Trump spent 18 months running down an investigation that has given him, largely, what he wanted: A credible and well investigated report that he nor his campaign colluded with the Russians.  Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) March 24, 2019

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 24, 2019

Today went about as well for the president as it possibly could given everything, but imagine if he'd listened to advisers and not exposed himself to the potential obstruction charge to begin with. This likely would have been over ages ago and more definitively.  Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) March 24, 2019

The Russia collusion question seems settled & thats good news. Nobody wants a president who actively conspired with an enemy, which is far worse than passively benefiting from enemys interference, which Trump unquestionably did. System worked, despite awful behavior from Trump.  Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) March 24, 2019

Its amazing that Mueller left the decision on obstruction to an attorney general who criticized his investigation and a deputy attorney general whose memo was used to fire Comey. It may be defensible, but its amazing.  Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 24, 2019

Were all going to need a lot more information to understand this decision to essentially punt on the question of whether the president committed a crime. https://t.co/6fs1E3Ndou  John Avlon (@JohnAvlon) March 24, 2019

Folks, this is a total legal exoneration of the president. Congress will want to know more, of course. But the topline: No conspiracy, no obstruction.  Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 24, 2019

Context as you read: am told Special Counsel Robert Mueller was not consulted on this letter. This was the product of the Attorney General Bill Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, per DOJ official.  Laura Jarrett (@LauraAJarrett) March 24, 2019

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."



Everyone is going to see what they want to see with this one.  Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) March 24, 2019

The Mueller report summary:



- No collusion with Russians

- Evidence on both sides of obstruction question

- AG & DAG decided not enough to charge POTUS with obstruction



BOTTOM LINE: Liklihood POTUS is removed from office before Nov. 2020 all but nil  Kasie Hunt (@kasie) March 24, 2019

A good outcome:

1. The investigation was able to proceed lawfully to its conclusion.

2. Our president did not conspire with a hostile power to win his election.

3. The evidence in the report on obstruction by the president while in office will confirm he ought not be re-elected.  Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 24, 2019
MURRAY  Amanda Grow was due to deliver her fourth baby in just two weeks, but instead ended up fighting for her life  a life she still struggles to fully live even a year later.

"Going from relying on other people checking on you and regulating your care to relying on yourself is just such a profound, dramatic switch," the 34-year-old mother of four said Wednesday. "There were, and still are, times I wasn't quite sure how to take care of myself."

Researchers at Intermountain Medical Center, along with others throughout the country, want to make the transition to "normal life" better for survivors, or people they call "graduates" of the intensive care unit.

"The process of recovery from a life-threatening illness is a long, slow road with a lot of peril associated with it," said Dr. Samuel Brown, a pulmonary intensive care doctor and director of the Center for Humanizing Critical Care at Intermountain. "We could do a better job of addressing that."

The center is collaborating with the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, as well as hospitals in Baltimore, Nashville and Boston to study what health care providers can do to make life after a particularly traumatic hospitalization better and more "normal" for patients.

So many patients who experience the intensive care unit grow to depend on the health care teams that ultimately saved their lives. Yet, when they are discharged from the hospital and typically have little contact with any of those same medical professionals, they can feel abandoned.

"For many of us scientists and physicians and other clinicians in this area, there was a moment that we had in our careers when we suddenly felt in our souls the sense of abandonment that our patients had," Brown said. "Weve historically told ourselves the story that were the heroes, were the superheroes. We come in in our capes and run life support systems  we retrieve life from the jaws of death and we walk away."

He wants to do more for those people with whom an indelible bond is forged after they seemingly conquer death together.

"There's a sense of moral clarity that comes when you realize that the people you've saved are still struggling and the system isn't listening," Brown said. "We felt driven to try to walk with, in an ongoing way, patients and families."

While Grow isn't part of the ongoing, three-year study at Intermountain, she is the exact type of person who might benefit from it, as she faced a steep learning curve when she returned home after the intense trauma she experienced.

Grow, of Bountiful, had to dissolve the family business she had worked hard for years to build, learn to depend on numerous others for care, and has yet to regain mental and emotional stability stemming from her near-death experience that began with the emergency cesarean section to deliver her now 1-year-old son, Thayne.

She sometimes even feels guilty or confused about being alive and can barely recall the series of events that put her in the intensive care unit at Intermountain Medical Center for two weeks more than a year ago.

"In so many ways, other than some crazy scars, I am physically well," Grow said. "Mentally and emotionally, however, I'm forever changed."

After the emergency C-section, Grow unexpectedly experienced an amniotic embolism  a very rare but life-threatening complication of childbirth. Amniotic fluid spread throughout her body, triggering a disastrous series of events, including a necessarily massive blood transfusion of more than 75 units of blood and platelets. Typically, a person of similarly small stature might have seven or eight units in their whole body.

The intense bleeding and resulting transfusion caused her lungs and other organs to fail initially and Grow was placed on a ventilator to help her breathe "while her body figured out what it wanted to do," said Brown, who treated Grow in the intensive care unit.

"I was trapped in a nightmare I could not wake up from," Grow recalls. She spent six days strapped to a bed in a medically induced comatose state.

For a while, doctors didn't know if she would ever wake up.

But Brown, who specializes in lung injuries, said waking up is the easy part. Recovery and all the complications that come with it, he said, is where the real work begins for the patient  particularly patients with acute lung injury, which is the focus of the Intermountain study.

Acute lung injury and respiratory distress are especially devastating and can be caused by pneumonia, infection through blood and blunt force trauma. Brown said people who suffer from it are at high risk of coming back to the hospital after discharge.

"There's a host of ailments and injuries that happen as you're trying to keep a body alive so that the body can ultimately make a recovery," he said. "That kind of storm in the ICU leaves after-effects in a person's body that can take months, even years, to recover from."

"They almost died! And they're rebuilding a body and life after having almost died and it turns out they are very fragile," Brown said, adding that shock trauma caregivers across the country are working hard to cut down the readmission of patients who have already faced life-threatening conditions for other conditions that creep up during recovery.

"It's a very vulnerable group and it's a very vulnerable time of their lives," he said.

It will require proper and ongoing monitoring of medications, interventions during life-saving treatment to protect the brain, and, what local researchers at Intermountain are working on  organization and follow-through.

"We do a great job of getting people through the crisis, but a pretty poor job of supporting them through the long arc of recovery," Brown said.

While 80 percent of patients are eventually discharged alive from the intensive care unit, they face a high risk of developing complications like post-traumatic stress disorder (especially common if patients were on a respirator), problems with memory or strength, hospital readmission or even death.

Grow said she went home to kind and helpful family, friends and neighbors, as well as a newly renovated home. Her baby was released at the same time as she was, which was convenient, but also difficult at times.

And, even though everything was clean and new, Grow struggled to understand her limits. Her brain function was temporarily changed by the heavy drugs used for sedation and otherwise. She worried about becoming dependent, among other things.

"I think you don't even have time or space to mentally process what has happened to you while you are in the hospital," Grow said. "It really isn't until you get home that you even start to understand the gravity, the huge life event that happened, and all the ways it impacted you and your family."

Unlike most patients released from the intensive care unit, Grow had a nurse who routinely visited for wound care, but was helpful for other things as well. Grow appreciated the contact with someone who knew her plight.

Expectedly, the whole experience reshaped her life.

"I emerged as a person who could function in the world," Grow said. "But, I had to grieve the person that I was."

In some ways, that grieving will continue. She said she learned the hard way that "we don't control life or death. We don't have that much control over what really happens."

She's grateful doctors at Intermountain are concerned with the well-being of patients even after they are released from the hospital.

The United States Department of Defense is funding the study, as results may impact service members as well as civilians.
SALT LAKE CITY  Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of collusion between President Donald Trump and Russia in the 2016 presidential election, the Department of Justice said Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

Attorney General William Barr sent a letter to Congress explaining that Muellers report found Trumps campaign and its associates had not "coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in these efforts, The New York Times reports.

Notable figures issued statements about the reports findings in the immediate aftermath. Trump celebrated the outcome but did share resentment after the two-year investigation.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump will now let Barr decide whether to release the full report or not, according to The Associated Press.

In addition to these statements, a number of opinion writers for multiple news organizations wrote about what happens next and what the reports findings mean for Trump and the U.S.

USA Todays Chris Traux wrote that Barrs conclusion isnt good enough and that a constitutional battle looms over the Mueller report.

In the coming months, there is going to be a constitutional battle royal over making the report, especially this section, public.

Charles M. Blow of The New York Times wrote that Muellers report is bigger than Mueller and Trump.

The Mueller report is a cautionary tale. There are no magic bullets, no devastating facts, no pivotal events that can undo what Trump has wrought. Trumpism is bigger than Trump. It is a rebranding of a consistent and increasingly resurgent strand of white American anxiety about primacy, privilege and displacement.

Noah Bookbinder wrote for The New York Times that its time to release the whole Mueller report.

Now that Mr. Muellers investigation is complete (or nearly complete), the Department of Justice must formally reveal its findings to Congress and the American people, which have separate and enormously consequential responsibilities of their own. These responsibilities cannot be carried out fully without direct access to the material that is in the report.

The Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle wrote that Mueller is a real-life Atticus Finch.

Muellers report has not yet been published, and there will be more to say about it when more of it has been seen. Perhaps parts of it will remain secret for years, if not decades. But we can say that Mueller ran the tightest ship Washington has seen in a very long time, leakproof and diligent. And it appears he was more than fair to the president and the first family.

David Schoen wrote for Fox News that the Mueller report should be rejected and not believed because its flawed.

But whatever the report reveals, it is the product of a process and a special counsel team that were both fatally flawed from the beginning. As a result, the Mueller report should be rejected out of hand by every American who cares at all about the concept of fundamental fairness that our founders intended to be a primary guiding principle for our government officials.

Eric Wemple of The Washington Post wondered how long cable network news channels could talk about the report, even though they dont have it yet.

Its a big deal, marking the culmination of the central news story over nearly the last two years. Every single one of Muellers actions has drawn the most searing and protracted media attention, so much so that CNN at one point managed to anticipate one of the investigations targets; it arrived at the Florida home of Roger Stone in time to film a swarm of FBI agents descending on the longtime Trump confidants front lawn. So the completion and submission of the report is a big deal.

A big deal, that is, with no beef: Though news outlets have a document indicating that the report has been submitted, they dont have the report. Therefore, analysis time!

Margaret Sullivan of The Washington Post wrote that journalists should be proud of their Russia reporting.

I reckon that American citizens would have been far worse off if skilled reporters hadnt dug into the connections between Trumps associates  up to and including his son Don Jr.  and Russians. That reporting has not been invalidated.

Jeff Yang of CNN wrote that its time to let Americans see the entire Mueller report, too. He wrote that Barrs letter isnt enough.
WEST VALLEY CITY  West Valley police are trying to trace a gun that ended up in the hands of a teenage girl who accidentally shot her friend.

On Jan. 30, police were called to Jordan Valley Medical Center West Valley Campus, 3460 S. Pioneer Parkway, where a 16-year-old boy was being treated for a gunshot wound to his arm.

The boy at first told police he was accidentally shot by another teen while inside a vehicle parked at Woodledge Park, 5210 W. 4310 South. But the boy later admitted that his girlfriend, who was also in the car, was the one who shot him, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court.

The 16-year-old girl told police that she was handed the gun by a 15-year-old boy and then accidentally shot her boyfriend "when she pulled the trigger thinking the gun was unloaded," the affidavit states.

Investigators questioned the teens about where the gun came from. One told detectives he bought it from someone off Snapchat for $250, according to the warrant. Police searched the vehicle used to drive the teen the hospital, which was still in the hospital parking lot, and reported finding a Glock 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat.

A background check "revealed the firearm had been reported stolen in 2014 in West Valley City. A second firearm  was also located beneath the front passenger seat," the affidavit states.

The accidental shooting occurred just six days before another accidental shooting in West Valley City that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old boy.

Marquez Grajeda, 15, was shot in the head from close range and killed on Feb. 5 while inside a bedroom at a house at 1347 W. 2320 South. A 14-year-old boy who claimed that the shooting was an accident has been charged with manslaughter.

On March 18, Unified police were called to 5007 W. 5400 South in Kearns where Jerrad Jacobsen, 16, was shot and killed. The incident was originally thought to be an accidental shooting, but three days later, police returned to the house and arrested Jerrad's 15-year-old stepbrother.
SALT LAKE CITY  University of Utah law professor Erika George has been appointed the new director of the Obert C. and Grace A. Tanner Humanities Center.

George, the Samuel D. Thurman Professor of Law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law, will start July 1, when Robert Goldberg, professor of history, concludes his 13-year tenure as director.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, George also earned a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Chicago. While at Harvard, George was articles editor of the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review.

She also holds a masters degree in international relations from the University of Chicago.

Prior to joining the U., George was a law clerk for Judge William T. Hart on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; a litigation associate for law in Chicago and New York City. She has been as a fellow and later consultant to Human Rights Watch.

George said she is "truly honored to be entrusted with this new responsibility.

George worked closely with President Ruth Watkins as a leadership fellow for 2018-19 and, in that capacity, served on the presidents cabinet.

Erikas background and perspectives on issues central to the Tanner Humanities Centers mission make her the perfect fit for this role, Watkins said. Erika is a force for good and I have great confidence in her leadership and ability to collaborate across disciplines to expand the centers engagement and impact.

George is author of a book-length report for Human Rights Watch, Scared at School: Sexual Violence Against Girls in South African Schools, which received widespread media coverage in South Africa and internationally

She is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and is a member of the executive board of the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights. She serves as the 2019-20 Presidential Leadership Fellow and as interim director of the U.s Barbra and Norman Tanner Center for Human Rights.

George said Goldberg built the Tanner Humanities Center "into the strong pillar that it is today.

"I am eager to carry the important work of the center forward and to reach farther. I am especially excited to be an advocate for the humanities at a time when a full appreciation for our common humanity feels more important than ever. I look forward to cultivating community across campus and creating connections locally and globally for the U.," George said.

Stuart Culver, dean of the College of Humanities, thanked Goldberg for more than a decade of "extraordinary leadership."

His devoted labor and insightful leadership have enabled the center to elevate its profile and realize its mission at all levels. Under Georges leadership, we look forward to developing new interdisciplinary partnerships as the center continues to play a critical role advancing the intellectual life at the university and the community," Culver said.

Goldberg raised nearly $5 million to fund projects such as the Gateway to Learning Teacher Workshops, the World Leaders Lecture Forum, Professors off Campus Program and the Latter-day Saints Studies Initiative. In 2008, he was awarded the Rosenblatt Prize for Excellence, the U.s highest faculty accolade.

Goldberg brought writers, artists, world leaders and Latter-day Saints scholars to campus to cultivate lively and inclusive dialogue about the humanities.

Speakers have included Margaret Atwood, Tony Kushner, Spike Lee, Isabel Allende, Michael Chabon, Zadie Smith, Sandra Cisneros, Stanley Nelson, former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Shirin Ebadi of Iran, President of Colombia Cesar Gaviria, former President of Doctors Without Borders James Orbinski, Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard, former CIA Director John Brennan, former President of Mexico Vicente Fox, Richard Bushman, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, David Campbell and Kathleen Flake.

Goldberg said serving as director of the Tanner Humanities Center was "the capstone of my career."

During this time, we have developed programs that reveal humanities as the core of an intellectually healthy campus and community. The humanities teach us to be human. They inspire not only this world, but a better world, she said.

As director, George will oversee programs, operations, workshops and activities for fellows, development, marketing and communications and staff relations.
Jennifer Webster and her son Lincoln, 2, observe the animals in the shark tunnel at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium celebrated the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons observe jellyfish in the Antarctic exhibit at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Camila Espinzda, 7, and Lexi Wood, 8, watch the penguins swim at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Lexi Wood, 8, watches the penguins swim at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons walk through the shark tunnel at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons walk through the shark tunnel at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Jennifer Webster and her son Lincoln, 2, observe the animals in the shark tunnel at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons walk through the shark tunnel at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Patrons observe exotic animals while they walk through the Journey to South America exhibit at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons pet stingrays and small fish at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019.The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Patrons observe exotic animals while they walk through the Journey to South America exhibit at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News

Aquarium patrons observe penguins in the Antarctic exhibit at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper on Monday, March 25, 2019. The aquarium is marking the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Draper facility. Silas Walker, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY  A group of Utahns argued at the Utah Supreme Court on Monday that state lawmakers last year improperly disregarded voters in passing legislation to replace Proposition 2 legalizing medical marijuana.

Steve Maxfield, of Kanosh, told the justices that the Legislature in a special session called by the governor undid the voter-approved ballot initiative 48 hours after it took effect Dec. 1. He contends the initiative process has been rendered "meaningless" and the Legislature has "become the only game in town."

"Very clearly what the citizens wanted under Proposition 2  has been thrown out the window," he said.

Maxfield, who heads a group called The People's Right, and 52 others filed an emergency petition seeking to overturn the law and restore Proposition 2 as approved in November.

Daniel Newby, of Taylorsville, told the justices that the initiative process has "disintegrated" and the Legislature has "destroyed" the trust of the half-million people who voted for Proposition 2.

Maxfield, Newby and fellow petitioner Bart Grant, of Monroe  none of whom are attorneys  appeared confused at times by some of the justices' questions.

The justices seemed to back off them a bit, but went hard after attorneys for the governor's office and the Legislature.

Justice Deno Himonas asked what extraordinary circumstances existed for the Legislature to call a special session rather than wait until the general session to alter the initiative.

"This is the first time that the state would be faced with a medical marijuana law," said Stanford Purser, Utah deputy solicitor general. "To me, that's extraordinary. It's never happened before."

Justice Paige Petersen asked if there is anything citizens can do to protect an initiative from being changed by the Legislature.

"What can they do if they want it to stay intact in the way that they have passed it? Do they have any protection from the Legislature just changing it?"

Voters aren't being treated any worse than the legislators whose bills can be amended or repealed in the same session or in a special session, Purser said.

Petersen said she understands initiatives are the same as laws passed by the Legislature.

"But on the other hand, in the Utah Constitution legal voters have legislative power," she said. "If the Legislature can effectively change anything that the people pass, has that nullified that right? Is it essentially an empty power?"

Purser said the state constitution gives people the power to initiate legislation. "It says nothing about the initiative is sacrosanct, that it takes on some quasi-constitutional status that can't be amended," he said.

After the hearing, Libertas Institute President Connor Boyack, who played a key role in drafting Proposition 2 but also the compromise bill that the Utah Legislature passed, said he'd love to see the court restore the initiative.

"But even the petitioners were getting a little bit of air support from the justices in pressuring the state to answer these questions. We think at the end of the day they're going to recognize the Legislature can do precisely what they did and the (law) will stand," he said.

As Boyack talked to reporters, Maxfield accused him of "capitulating," igniting an impromptu 20-minute debate outside the courtroom.

Maxfield argued that citizen initiatives are not "advisory" and that they should take effect after voters pass them.

"We need to restrict the Legislature," he said. "They're going to do what they want. We try to play their game. We can form PACs. We can give them money, but we just gotta accept what they do, and that is wrong."

Boyack said 85 percent to 90 percent of Proposition 2 remained intact in the compromise bill. Had a compromised not been reached, medical marijuana supporters would have walked away with nothing, he said.

The People's Right originally came out as politically neutral on Proposition 2. But Maxfield said as he became involved with initiative backers, "it became painfully clear there has been a division over Prop. 2 and the patients that actually need it as was written knew that the Legislature was going to eviscerate it and take away that right."

Former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, brokered the compromise legislation through dozens of hours of private negotiations. Groups involved in those talks included the Utah Patients Coalition, the initiative campaign organizer that helped write Proposition 2; Libertas Institute and influential anti-Proposition 2 groups the Utah Medical Association and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which opposed the ballot measure.

Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, or TRUCE, and the Epilepsy Association of Utah sued Gov. Gary Herbert and Dr. Joseph Miner, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, in December seeking to invalidate the legislation.
UTAH STATE PRISON  Jill Goff admits she was "overwhelmed" by the thought of going before the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

She knew she would have to answer questions about what happened on the day she said she mistakenly put methadone in her 2-year-old son's sippy cup, resulting in his death and sickening two of her other children.

Goff, now 37, of Tooele  who failed to call paramedics right away and then failed to tell them what Aiden Laurel Goff had ingested  was convicted of child abuse homicide, a second-degree felony, and ordered to serve one to 15 years in the Utah State Prison.

Goff went before a member of the Board of Pardons and Parole last week for the first time. During the emotional hearing that lasted nearly an hour, Goff frequently teared up as she recalled discovering that Aiden had sipped methadone from his sippy cup on Jan. 31, 2014.

"I panicked," she said in a recording of the hearing.

Goff said she tried to make Aiden vomit to get the methadone out, and then gave him a bath before putting him in bed with herself to take a nap. It was her 13-year-old son who later discovered Aiden wasn't breathing and called 911.

When paramedics arrived and asked Goff if she knew of anything that Aiden may have ingested, she said she did not.

"I was scared. I was under the influence (of methamphetamine and methadone), she told the board.

"Honestly, I thought Aiden was fine. I thought the other kids were fine. Thats where my mind was. If I had any thought that anything was going to go wrong I would have called for help sooner. I didnt know that this was going to happen. If I would have thought, I would have done something sooner, she said in tears later in the hearing.

But when board vice chairwoman Carrie Cochran pointed out that Goff failed to tell paramedics the truth after they arrived, and then still failed to tell them her other children had also drank the methadone, Goff said she simply panicked and thought the state would take away her children.

"I dont know if anything I say can make anyone understand. I dont even understand. The drugs took over. The thoughts that were going through my mind, I just didnt want to lose my kids. But in the end I did, she said.

Over the course of the hearing, Goff talked about her long struggles with drug addiction and mental illness. Goff said she first used meth when she was 15. She later became addicted to prescription pain medication due to an injury. She tried to wean herself from the medication by using methadone. But she admitted to Cochran that she was getting a large amount of methadone for many years.

When asked how she thought years of drug use had affected her children, Goff said, "I think Ive been unfair to my kids, probably not giving them the time that they deserved. I tried to be the best mom that I could be given the circumstances."

When confronted by relatives about her problem, Goff said she would listen. "It would hurt," she said, "but the drugs would always come first."

Goff has also been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and borderline personality disorder. She said she has struggled with depression and anxiety for most of her life, including recently.

"This year Ive really struggled with the anniversary of Aidens death and anticipating the board hearing," she said.

Cochran noted that Goff had been on numerous medications since arriving in prison.

Cody Goff, Jill Goff's ex-husband, read a brief prepared statement during the hearing, saying his biggest concern moving forward is the safety of his children, both their emotional and physical well-being.

"I already lost one child by her and I will not risk that happening again, he told the board.

Cochran told Goff that whenever she is released from prison, she will most likely have a no-contact order, preventing her from contacting her ex-husband or their children without prior approval through attorneys. An emotional Goff said she recognized that when she gets out of prison it is "not likely" her kids will be in her life, and she admitted that hurts.

"Im still their mom," she said, but after a long pause, continued, "but I messed up. I did this and its my punishment. I just want them to be happy.

Since being in prison and undergoing many counseling sessions and therapy, Goff said she has learned she doesn't "need drugs to be happy," and has learned other coping skills such as meditation, keeping a journal, and opening up to others when she needs extra support.

She hopes to work in a methadone clinic when she is released from prison to help encourage mothers and other women that it's not worth it.

"I hate it, Goff said of methadone. "Im never touching methadone again. I dont need painkillers. I dont need them when Im in prison, I wont need them when Im out of prison.

The full five-member board will now vote on whether to grant parole or schedule another hearing.
SALT LAKE CITY  A nationwide search is underway for the next leader of Jordan School District after Superintendent Patrice Johnson notified the school board that she plans to retire effective July 1.

Johnson, who has led the district for eight years, was the first superintendent hired after the split of the Jordan District and the creation of the Canyons School District.

"She brought us through the district split and there were lots of hard feelings. So she's been great. She brought us through that and has been a great leader. She's leaving at a high point where things are running well," said school board vice president Tracy Miller, who is leading the search for Johnson's successor.

Johnson is the district's first woman leader and the first superintendent hired from outside the suburban school district. Johnson came to Utah from Clark County (Nevada) School District, where she was an associate superintendent.

"Morale was down. She's been a great cheerleader. She's very encouraging. She's very supportive and very warm and that's what the district needed. She's very well-liked," said Miller.

Working in Las Vegas helped prepare Johnson for the dynamics of Jordan School District, which has many young families and a rapidly growing school population. The district is in the process of opening another new high school next fall in Herriman along with four elementary schools. Enrollment has increased about 13 percent during Johnson's helm.

Her successor will inherit similar circumstances, Miller said.

The Jordan School District has 57 schools and 54,865 students, according to the district website.

One of the school board's highest priorities is investing in its educators, she said.

"We started out the salary wars in the state two years ago. It's something we're still focused on, being able to attract and retain high-quality teachers and also give them the support that they need," Miller said in an interview Monday.

The selection of the next superintendent has been a collaborative process that has involved parents, elected officials, community leaders and employee associations, she said. Community members were surveyed regarding the characteristics they would like to see in the district's next superintendent.

One of the things that ranked high was finding a person of integrity, character and high moral standing.

The community also indicated it wants a veteran educator to lead the district who "values and supports students and families and is inclusive and able to interact with the diversity of different populations and is able to create a welcoming environment," Miller said.

The board is also seeking someone who is "open to creative and innovative ideas and has the ability to evaluate those ideas," Miller said.

Applications will be accepted through April 8. Top candidates will be invited for interviews and the school board plans to announce the new superintendent at its meeting on May 28.
There is hardly a dearth of popular jodis in Bollywood. From Shah Rukh and Kajol to Amitabh and Rekha or Varun and Alia more recently. While all these actors have displayed great chemistry on-screen, there is one couple who burst into Bollywood like a Roman candle. We are talking about Akshay and Katrina.

Sadly, they did only a limited number of films where they were paired opposite each other before the news of their affair made a married Akshay stay away from her, the few films they did together made them quite the hit machine. Here are the ones we are talking about.

Namastey London





One of the most loved film of the duo, Namastey London has contributed a great deal to Katrinas loyal fan following. While Akshay was pitch perfect as the pind ka gabru jawan, Katrina showed real promise as the London bred Jasmeet or Jazz. The film collected about 52 crores and was declared a hit.

Singh Is Kingg





The biggest hit of this jodi, Singh Is Kingg was a superhit by every measure. The comedy, the songs, especially the magic of Teri Ore still lingers in the mind of every Bollywood fan. The movie collected a whopping 94 crores back in 2008 and still has quite a loyal fan following.

Welcome





The mad comedy caper by Anees Bazmee has a cult following of his own. While characters like Majnu Bhai and scenes like aloo lelo, kanda lelo is what made the film the masterpiece it is, the Akhshay Katrina factor also had a lot to do with its success. The film made a staggering 98 crores and is the most successful film of this jodi together.

De Dana Dan





Yet another comedy, De Dana Dan might not be a roaring hit like Singh is Kingg or Welcome, but it still managed to grab audiences mostly due to the Akshay Katrina factor. The film went on to make a comfortable 65 crores in India in 2009 which is decent even by todays standard.

Tees Maar Khan





Tees Maar Khan proved that the fans of this jodi will never let them down. Despite being heavily panned by critics and being one of the less successful films of these two hit machines both individually and together, it managed to collect about 82 crores in the country.
Actor Saleem Zaidi, who is seen in the show Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain produced by Benifer S. Kohli and Sanjay Kohli (Edit II), will be tying the knot with Delhi-based-girl Sahiba Zaidi on 8th April in Delhi. The actor says that the match is a culmination of an arranged set up, so much so that he hasnt even met his wife-to-be! I am getting married to Sahiba Zaidi from Delhi.

The wedding functions will continue for a week with many rituals and ceremonies. The wedding festivities will kickstart with a mayoon (haldi) ceremony, followed by a mehndi night. Then, the main wedding function will include a Nikah after which there will be a Walima(reception) on the 10th of April in Rampur. Finally, the celebrations will culminate with a chowthi ceremony on the fourth day after the Nikah which includes some fun rituals between the bride and the groom. It is a complete arranged match and we have never met, he says.





The actor says that he is lucky to have got the chance to meet his bride in this traditional manner. I am extremely happy that in today's times and despite being a part of the glamour world, I have decided to marry the girl chosen exclusively by my sisters. They have taken care of me in every possible way since my mother's untimely demise when I was quite small. Moreover, I want my friends, fans and well-wishers to bless me with all their love and support as I begin a new chapter in my life. They all are always in my heart and I am fortunate to have got so much respect and appreciation from all of them. I want them to continue loving and supporting me as they have always done, he says.

The actor is missing having his parents with him on this day. I will deeply and truly miss my father on this occasion, who I am sure, along with my mother, will be watching and showering me with blessings from heaven up above. It is with their blessings only that I have got an elder brother like Adeel Zaidi who is a father figure in my life, he says.
Czech search engine Seznam has demanded greater detail on Googles plans to introduce greater competition across the Android device ecosystem.

Reuters reported that within the Czech Republic, Seznam brings in as much advertising revenue as Google but has nonetheless been losing ground to the US tech giant for at least three years  a fact that the Czech company has complained about to the European Commission.

Seznam accuses Google of squeezing out its competitors by pre-loading Android devices with Google apps, in particular its search engine and browser. The European Commission has taken note; in July last year, it fined Google 4.3 billion for exploiting its market dominance.

Last week, Googles SVP of global affairs and chief legal officer Kent Walker addressed the concerns, stating that the company would ensure Android phone owners know about the wide choice of browsers and search engines available.

Michal Feix, former CEO of Seznam and currently a partner at a consultancy firm providing advice to the company, said: Time is running out, every day makes a difference. Seznam is losing market share because of Googles search engine installed by default on mobiles. [Googles solution] is probably the solution we are looking at but it depends on the details. Walkers blog lacked details.
Statement

Statement on recent attack in Mali

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Mali over the weekend. We strongly condemn the targeting of innocent civilians, including women & children and call on the Malian Authorities to act and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is important that accountability is delivered through a comprehensive investigation. Our deepest sympathies to the community who lost family and friends in this terrible incident of violence.

The Tanaiste stated:

"I condemn the violence against innocent civilians in central Mali over the weekend. I encourage the Government of Mali to redouble effort to ensure peace and stability in Central Mali and to protect vulnerable populations from such attacks. Those who perpetrate such terrible crimes must be brought to justice."
Brexit, Ireland and Europe at 27

Speech

Brexit, Ireland and Europe at 27

Institut Jacques Delors, Paris

Address by Simon Coveney TD,

Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

15 March 2019

Check against delivery

Thank you for the warm welcome.

And thank you for inviting me to speak today. Its certainly an interesting and important week for an Irish Foreign Minister to be speaking with our friends in Paris. Like us in Ireland, I know you have all been following closely developments in London.

Brexit has certainly brought home the need to speak out clearly about the real effects and benefits of membership of the EU. And the Jacques Delors Institute plays an important role promoting broader understanding of what the European Union really is, and the changes affecting Europe.

Brexit has been a particular challenge for Ireland given the nature and complexity of our relationship with the United Kingdom. It is no accident that the strengthened trust and close friendship between us, where we are co-guarantors of peace on our islands, coincided with the period of our common membership of the European Union.

From economy and trade, to education and research, through to the Northern Ireland peace process, the European Union has positively impacted our relationship with the United Kingdom in all areas.

This is why we view the impact of Brexit  especially a hard Brexit  with such concern.

This is also why the Withdrawal Agreement is of such importance. It represents the best way, the only way, to ensure an orderly withdrawal by the United Kingdom.

However, events this week underscore how fluid the situation in Westminster continues to be.

We profoundly regret the outcome of Tuesdays vote, rejecting the Withdrawal Agreement.

Subsequent votes have underlined Westminsters wish to avoid a no deal outcome. We share their determination on this.

However, Prime Minister May was right in her statement on Tuesday.

Choices are required and Westminster needs to make clear decisions, however difficult politically. That is the nature of such a profound change in a countrys direction - brought about by a decision to leave their home of over forty years.

On the European Union side we have done all that is possible to reach an agreement. As President Juncker said in Strasbourg on Monday, this is it. We cannot go any further. To do so would fundamentally undermine the European Union and Irelands core interests: to protect the peace process and to protect our Single Market.

Time is very short, but I believe that there is still time enough for sensible solutions.

The wider uncertainty does mean, however, that we all must continue to intensify our preparations for a no deal Brexit. Brexit will have negative consequences in all scenarios, but we are determined to be as ready as we can. In this, we are again working in tandem with our fellow Member States, including France.

Backstop

I would like to say a few words about the so-called backstop for Northern Ireland included in the withdrawal agreement.

From the outset, protecting the peace process, and the Good Friday Agreement, has been a key priority for Ireland.

Throughout the negotiations there has been strong understanding from our partners in the European Union of the need to address the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland.

North-South economic and social cooperation benefits people across the island. It has supported the development of an all-island economy, enhancing the prosperity of all.

It has underscored the peace process and the Good Friday Agreement. North and South, we have felt the benefits of this peace, in particular, through the open and invisible border that currently exists between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The backstop acts as an insurance policy, to ensure that this is not lost following Brexit. It protects the Good Friday Agreement, and the development of North-South economic and social cooperation that has benefited people across the island.

It is vitally important that politicians in Westminster understand the overwhelming wish across society in Northern Ireland not to return to the borders and division of times past. That the majority of businesses, farmers and political parties in Northern Ireland support the backstop.

That said, we hope it will never need to be used. We would like to see a broad, deep future relationship agreed with the United Kingdom, that will mean the backstop will not be needed. We share the European Unions commitment to explore alternative arrangements so that the backstop is never used, or would only apply temporarily if it ever needs to be used.

Ireland did not want Brexit, but we respect the decision of the British people. We have come to terms with the fact that the United Kingdom is leaving. But we certainly do not want a disorderly Brexit.

Ireland will be staying at the heart of the European Union. It is our home. We will work to construct a new and positive relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom, and we will build a strong and prosperous European Union.

Ironically, the soon-to-be departed British were among the principal architects of the Unions greatest achievement, the Single Market. They brought their free trade philosophy to the Union and helped create the tariff and barrier free access we enjoy today - which they have put in jeopardy for themselves by voting to leave.

We tend to forget that the creation of the single currency was part and parcel of the Single Market project, making it even easier to do business across the continent and helping to simplify the complicated administration of Common Agricultural Policy payments. No one has done more than Jacques Delors to complete the Single Market but, sadly, no one has received more abuse from the British tabloid newspapers for doing so.

Progress has been made in recent years in the delivery of a Banking Union and a Capital Markets Union, both of which will go a long way  once complete - in addressing shortcomings in the original design of the single currency. Likewise, we have made great progress in delivering the Digital Single Market.

Next week, the European Council will have an in-depth discussion on the Single Market ahead of preparations for the Unions Strategic Agenda for the next five years.

The Single Market has been the key driver behind our global competitiveness and it has delivered impressive results: robust growth, more jobs and higher welfare. Our new Strategic Agenda needs to ensure the Single Market continues to deliver for businesses, consumers, workers and citizens.

All of our policies should be fit for the digital era. We need to encourage the innovation that will allow European companies, especially small and medium enterprises and start-ups to scale-up and succeed in the global market.

But our fragmented services market is hampering productivity.

Services cost 11% more in the EU than in the United States.

Since 2008 growth in services in the US has risen by 82%; the figure across Europe is just 47%. At the same time, productivity in the European manufacturing sector has grown three times faster than in the European services sector.

This is happening at a time when the manufacturing and services sectors are becoming increasingly inter-twined since the manufacturing sector is relying increasingly on services as inputs.

Full implementation of the Services Directive would add 2% to the European Unions GDP. But the full potential of the Single Market in services is bigger again. A recent report by Copenhagen Economics has found that the cost of doing nothing about this is growing from year to year.

We need to catch up here with the United States and China. And we have an opportunity next week, at the European Council, to start shaping an agenda which will help us deliver the levels of growth and prosperity our citizens want - by re-committing to the completion of the Single Market in services.

Growth and prosperity are important because they help us to deliver the social Europe our citizens expect.

When we conducted out citizens dialogues in Ireland last year on the future of Europe, we found that the participants were eager to engage on a wide variety of issues. No one has put more energy into formulating ideas for the renewal of Europe than the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron.

The proposals he made in newspapers across Europe earlier this month are built around three pillars, namely freedom, protection and progress. These are concepts which resonate with Europeans everywhere.

In Ireland, participants in our citizens dialogues told us they want to be part of a Union that lives up to its values.

But there are alarming signs that our values are under some internal pressure in some Member States. Ireland, like France, believes in standing up for these values and in pressing others to do the same  in a respectful and well-informed, but still firm way.

Jacques Delors famously said that Europe needs a soul and I believe we can find its soul by honouring the values enshrined in the Treaties: democracy, the rule of law, and a society where pluralism and tolerance prevail. Ireland, like France and every other Member State, is bound by these commitments. The Union is founded on these values and respect for them is legally binding.

Our values can never be optional extras. I am convinced that the best way we can resist the populist temptation is to hold our politicians, especially those running for election to the European Parliament, to account, and to demand of them nothing short of full respect for the values set out in the Treaties.

After Brexit, France will be Irelands closest neighbour inside the European Union. We have longstanding political, cultural and economic ties. In October, Ireland became an Observer at la francophonie and tonight, I will be meeting the Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, to reiterate our thanks for the solidarity France has shown on Brexit. Minister Loiseau went as far as visiting the border herself, and there will be much on the broader European agenda for us to explore this evening.

Over the past 12 months I have also met the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian on numerous occasions in Paris, Brussels and Dublin to look at ways in which we can work even closer together to develop a common understanding of the challenges we face - such as the Middle East Peace Process, and a new political partnership between Europe and Africa that is worthy of its name.

Jean-Yves and I also have a shared interest in seeing the Celtic Interconnector become a reality. If built, the Celtic Interconnector will allow the movement of electricity between Ireland and France and, not surprisingly, the European Commission has designated it a Project of Common Interest. Jean-Yves and I certainly see it as a Project of Common Interest since it will involve, by coincidence, running a 600 kilometre cable across the sea between my county, Cork, and his region, Brittany.

There are many reasons for making it happen but, when it comes to fruition, I hope it will also be a tangible witness to a new spirit of cooperation between France and Ireland, and evidence of the benefits that can be shared through membership of the European Union.

Thank you.

| Next Item 
The new software is said to be tentatively approved and is said to enable pilots to gain more control over the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System.

Highlights:

Boeing is reportedly testing a software fix for its 737 Max planes.

The new patch is said to address the stall-prevention system failure issue.

The Federal Aviation Administration has tentatively approved sweeping software and pilot-training changes for Boeings 737 MAX jet, reports The Wall Street Journal. This means that the software fix could enable pilots to gain more control over the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS. A problem in the MCAS is believed to be the reason for the deadly Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that happened earlier this month and led to the grounding of the Boeings 737 MAX aircraft by about 50 countries, including India. The new feature could enable again flying the grounded aircraft.

As per the report, via The Verge, the software update will loosen the MCAS control so that it wont overpower other cockpit commands or misfire based on faulty readings from a single sensor. With the fix, the feature is said to activate once and only for a short duration in case there is an issue. While the update is said to be tentatively approved, it needs to go through flight testing and simulations before it is formally approved and could be issued in the next few weeks. Additionally, Boeing said that it will now include a warning light designed to warn pilots, which was previously part of an optional package that carriers could purchase.

Boeings 737 MAX planes were grounded worldwide after two consecutive fatal crashes happened in five months. The Lion Air crash in Indonesia happened in October, and earlier this month, another Boeing 737 MAX aircraft crashed near Bishoftu, Ethiopia. A total of 346 people lost their lives in the accident, which is said to be because of a fault in the MCAS that was introduced in the plane to address a stalling issue.

Related Reads:

Why is Boeing 737 MAX aircraft being banned worldwide: The technical details
HMD Global's India Country Head, Ajey Mehta said exports will only become viable if HMD Global starts manufacturing components in India.

Highlights:

HMD Global is in talks with Foxconn to export Nokia phones made in India.

The company plans to export to countries closer to India.

Exporting devices can only be viable if Nokia starts to manufacture components in India.

HMD Global, the brand that manufacturers Nokia smartphones plans to export Nokia units made in India. The company has reportedly initiated talks with Foxconn for exporting handsets manufactured in India. HMD Globals vice president and Country Head of India, Ajey Mehta, told Economic Times that the company is exploring options to export both feature phones and smartphones to other countries.

HMD Global plans to export India-made Nokia devices to all countries which are closer to India like Africa. Mehta said Nokia used to be a major exporting of devices from India back in its heydays. Since the company is now manufacturing almost its entire portfolio of devices in India, Mehta believes there is scope in exploring the option to export from India. By exporting en masse, HMD believes it can achieve a higher scale of local production and reduce overheads and other costs.

However, Mehta said exports will only become viable if HMD Global starts manufacturing components in India. The company is in talks with Foxconn to get component suppliers to India. The company presently manufactures the PCBs and assembles the units in India.

In just about two years, Nokia managed to become one of the top three feature phone makers in India with about 8.5-9 percent market share. The companys smartphones has around 3.5-5 percent market share in India. Mehta said HMD Global will attempt to break into the top three smartphone manufacturers in 2-4 years.

Related Read:

Here's how the Nokia 9 PureView uses five cameras in tandem to create a single shot with crazy amount of detail
The Moto G7 and the Motorola One smartphones will be available from March 25 for Rs 16,999 and Rs 13,999, respectively.

Highlights:

Motorola launches Moto G7 and Motorola One in India.

Both the phones are now available on Flipkart and leading offline stores.

The Moto G7 is available for Rs 16,999, and the Motorola One is priced at Rs 13,999.



Motorola has launched the Moto G7 and the Motorola One smartphones in India. While the Moto G7 is the second phone of the G7 Series of devices (after Moto G7 Power) to launch in the country, the Motorola One is the second Android One phone (Moto One Power was the first) from the Lenovo-owned brand. Both the smartphones will retail from Moto Hub stores, Large Format Retail chains, and mobile stores across the country. Those who want to buy the Moto G7 and Motorola one online can also pick them up from Flipkart.

Since Moto G redefined the Indian smartphone market in 2014, more and more consumers are interested in premium phones at affordable prices. Generation after generation, we remain focused on our main consumer commitment: offering phones that have the premium features you deserve, without sacrificing the quality, affordability and dependability you expect, the company said in a statement.

Moto G7 and Motorola One prices and launch offers:

Both the Moto G7 and the Motorola One will be available starting March 25 in clear white and ceramic black colours. The Moto G7 is priced at Rs 16,999, and the Motorola One will cost users Rs 13,999. As far as the launch offers are concerned, both the devices have a special launch offer under which Jio customers can get Rs 2200 cashback. In order to avail the cashback, the buyer needs to be a Jio Prime customer and perform a recharge of Rs 198 or Rs 299 to activate the offer. The cashback will be transferred back into their MyJio account in the form of 44 vouchers, each worth Rs 50. These vouchers can then be used one at a time to perform subsequent recharges worth Rs 198 or Rs 299, via the MyJio app.

Moto G7 specifications:

The Moto G7 features an ultrawide 6.2-inch Max Vision Full HD+ display with a waterdrop notch. Motorola is calling this a u-shaped design. The display has an aspect ratio of 19:9 and a resolution of 1080x2270 pixels. Under the hood, the phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, and Motorola claims that the device is 50 percent faster than the previous generation. The Moto G7 has 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card.

As for the camera, the phone has a 12MP + 5MP dual camera system equipped with features like Portrait mode, Spot Color, Cinemagraph, Auto Smile Capture and Google Lens integration. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.2 aperture. The phone is fitted with a 15W TurboPower charger which is claimed to deliver 9 hours of power in just 15 minutes. The Moto G7 comes equipped with exclusive Moto Experiences like Quick Capture, Fast Flashlight and Attentive Display. The phone runs on Android 9 Pie.

Motorola One specifications:

The Motorola One features a 5.9-inch Max Vision display offering a 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor clocked at 2.0 GHz, coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage. It offers a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and is backed by a 3,000mAh battery with 15W power adapter. The company claims that 20 minutes of charging gives a run-time of up to 6 hours.

For imaging, Motorola One is equipped a dual-rear camera setup with a 13MP and 2MP sensors, and there is an 8MP camera on the front. Since the phone is launched under Googles Android One programme, it will get security updates for three years. The phone runs Android 9 Pie and has AI-powered innovations from Google out-of-the-box.

Related Read:

Motorola One Vision leaked press render shows punch-hole display, 48MP camera
Market your business to decision makers around the Northwest




Subscriber content preview

MOUNT HOOD, Ore. (AP)  Mount Hood Meadows officials say they plan to build a new $15 million, 23,500 square-foot lodge on the southeast flank of Oregon's largest peak.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the new lodge, dubbed Sahale, will be next to Meadows' south lodge in the resort's existing base area. It's Meadows' first major commercial improvement since the ski and snowboard resort's south lodge expansion in 1999.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

By DAN FRIO

Edmunds

Chevrolet and Honda make popular small and large crossover SUVs but have long lacked a choice in the middle. Interestingly, both companies decided to fill that gap this year with new models that revive nameplates of the past: the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer and the 2019 Honda Passport.

Both the Blazer and the Passport will appeal to buyers for whom a compact SUV such as the Honda CR-V or Chevrolet Equinox is too small, yet a three-row crossover SUV such as the Chevrolet Traverse or Honda Pilot is too big. They're similar in many ways, yet they also have enough differences to pose an interesting choice for shoppers.





. . .
A Louth senator is calling on the Irish Government to introduce a four-day working week as a way to produce productivity.

Labour Employment spokesman, Ged Nash, who is based in Drogheda, told the Irish Mirror that a shorter working week should be explored because workers "are constantly expected to be on duty".

Ged Nash

A number of Irish trade unions, including Forsa, said that a reduced working week was a talking point in international debates about the future of week.

Senator Nash told the Irish Mirror: The world of work is changing rapidly and workers are increasingly being made feel like they need to be constantly available to their employers.

In order to make work more productive and to ensure family life and society benefits from advances in technology, I think it is timely that we examine how our working time laws at Irish and EU level can better serve workers and industry by providing workers with a better work-life balance.

With workers constantly being expected to be on, there is evidence to suggest that quality of work and productivity can suffer as a result.

Employees and employers dont benefit from this kind of practice.

Irish Trade Union Forsa and the TUC in the UK have called for research to be carried out into how a four-day working week would benefit workers and the economy.

The Labour Party is doing similar work in regards to this as we examine the challenges around the future of work.

As we move closer and closer to full employment, we have to look at the pressures on workers, especially younger workers and examine how our current laws can be changed to benefit workers, society and industry.

New Zealand firm Perpetual Guardian implemented a four-day working week last March as a two-month trial last March. The company reported a jump in productivity and said that there was a massive decrease in stress for their 240 employees.

The four-day working week has also recently been introduced by a number of larger companies and small businesses in London.
Lisa Smith, the Dundalk woman currently detained in a Syrian camp, has told a CNN journalist that she wants to come home.

Speaking with a distinct Dundalk accent and holding her young daughter in her arms the 37 year old explained: I think people should just realise that all the people here are not terrorists.

Initially refusing to give her name but stating that she was Irish and famous, she was later identified by Irish media.

Asked by the reporter if she was ready to face the possibility of prison she replied: I know they'd strip me of my passport and I wouldn't travel and I'd be watched kind of, but prison? I don't know. I'm already in prison.

Speaking to Morning Ireland the CNN reporter who interviewed Smith explained: She did not want to appear that she was speaking to our cameras, so we had to have our camera further away as I spoke with her.

[Her daughter] was born in the so called Islamic State. She also told us that before she arrived at the camp, family members were getting in touch with the Government trying to find out what happens to her next.

She might be interrogated, she might not be able to travel, but she's willing to take the chance, whatever it is. She just wants to get back home because she cannot stay in that camp forever.

During the weekend the Irish Sunday Mirror reported that meetings were taking place between the Defence Forces and the Department of Foreign Affairs to draw up a plan to bring Smith home.

Last week when questioned on the possibility of Smith returning home Taoiseach Leo Varadkar responded: Going to Syria or going to live in what was called Islamic State is not in itself an offence or a crime. So we will need to carry out an investigation. I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes there. But its very possible that wasnt a combatant.
Dundee expert to feature in CBBC documentary

Published On Mon 25 Mar 2019 by Dominic Glasgow

A University of Dundee researcher will star in a new CBBC documentary tonight.

Dr Paul OMahoney, a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant from Dundees School of Medicine, will feature in an episode of My Life: Into the Sun.

The programme shares the highs and lows of two young children, Alice Tyson from the UK and Thapelo Mothibe from South Africa, who both have the same rare skin disease.

During the programme, the girls who are afflicted with Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), a rare condition which means they are extremely sensitive to sunlight, travel to northern Norway to experience life outside together and search for a safe holiday retreat.

Dr OMahoney, an expert in photobiology and skin disease, was invited to join the girls to provide expert knowledge on XP, ultraviolet (UV) light and how it affects the pair.

Paul said, We are all sensitive to the sun to some degree but Alice and Thapelo have an increased risk of cancers because they lack the genes to repair the UV-damaged DNA in their cells. Those with XP are incredibly prone to skin cancers and even have to be careful in ambient UV light coming into their homes from windows and even lightbulbs, whereas the rest of us can mostly ignore that.

XP is super rare, affecting about 100 people in the UK, but its important to raise awareness of the condition. It is passed on genetically and sadly there is no cure, so its crucial to diagnose it early if symptoms become apparent in order to best manage the condition.

Part of the documentary takes place in the north of Norway because there is much less UV light than the UK for example, and although it is cold it might otherwise be a good setting for people suffering from XP to experience life outside.

Paul, who spends the majority of his time in the lab at the Scottish Photodynamic Therapy Centre in Ninewells Hospital, said it was the trip of a life time.

The girls got to experience dog-sledding and hunting for the aurorae borealis, he said.

Its not just a documentary about life with XP, it is also a documentary about their friendship. Both girls have such a hard time doing anything so it was amazing to see them laughing and playing together. Thapelo, who had never even seen snow before, was such a bundle of joy and has a really positive outlook on life.

It was fantastic to see them enjoy life outside and each others company. Its often easy for the majority of us to take for granted our skin so it is great to have been part of such a wonderful documentary.

My Life: Into the Sun will be aired on the CBBC channel on Monday 25th March at 5.30pm.

For media enquiries contact:

Jonathan Watson

Media Relations Officer

University of Dundee

Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN

Tel: +44 (0)1382 381489

Email: j.s.watson@dundee.ac.uk
Employee benefits, when implemented properly, are among the most effective ways to motivate staff and bring out the best in your people. Staff will eventually leave if theyre not valued or treated fairly. Companies that want to invest in their workers can use perks, such as flexible working arrangements and salary packaging, to show recognition and appreciation and ultimately retain staff.

Businesses that arent taking advantage of such perks are missing out. When staff are happy, their work ethics heighten, productivity increases and they contribute to building a better, thriving culture.

To drive the behaviour you want to see in your staff, here are the best employee benefits to help reward and retain your workforce.

Paid time off

Paid time off, such as loyalty, anniversary or birthday leave, is a top incentive to motivate staff. Paid time off or unlimited leave can be beneficial for both parties if its not abused. More leave increases productivity and promotes a healthier work-life balance.

Salary Packaging

Salary packaging, also referred to as salary sacrificing, is a smart way to save money and maximise tax benefits.

It works by changing the income structure of your employee to pay for approved benefits from pre-tax dollars. Some of these include rent/mortgage payments, superannuation, everyday expenses or holiday and travel. Staff will get more and its a tax-friendly way to boost their salary.

Tip: As the employer, its your responsibility to ensure any proposed salary packaging arrangements are aligned with ATO requirements and guidelines.

Flexible Working Arrangements

Traditional workdays are declining as flexible hours are the new normal. Whether it be working from home, reduced hours or changes in start/finish times, such arrangements have become increasingly important. Breaking away from 9-5 workdays is a benefit employees can push for if theyve been with the company for more than 12 months.

According to Hays, 89% of employers say flexible working options are crucial when it comes to staff attraction and retention. The integration of work-life for the two to coexist positively influences all areas of work, including loyalty, revenue growth, productivity, employee engagement and being accountable. Companies can use technology to make flexible working hours more accessible and transparent.

End of Year Bonuses

Employees can also be rewarded with annual bonuses. When managed strategically, bonuses give staff a reason to stay, offering recognition for hard work. Its a good way to reward employees for their contributions and bonuses can keep them motivated for the upcoming year.

Companies still using performance reviews should consider replacing these with career development plans. Theyre more likely to encourage development and can be used with training programs to improve staff performances and productivity.

Tip: There can be a lot of complications around bonuses. To avoid unfair distributions, bonuses should be structured properly.

Sick Pay

Extra paid sick leave is another paid time-off incentive. By law, all employers are to provide sick leave to staff. However, a contractual sick pay agreed on by employers can be more generous to support the overall running of the business. Staff without paid sick leave are more likely to work through their illness. But sick leave is vital for faster recovery and less mistakes.

Health and Wellbeing Programs

Mental health and wellbeing is a growing concern in the workforce. To help keep staff happy and healthy, consider offering health and wellbeing programs, including financial health, which is one of the leading causes of stress.

Australian employees lose an average of 6.9 hours of productive work per week due to stress-related illnesses, which can be minimised with a stronger management-led support network.

Other employee benefits to consider offering include:

Company car

Additional parental leave

Extra superannuation

Childcare payment contributions

Annual travel credit

Referral bonuses

When deciding what benefits matter most to your business, provide choice to your employees. People value the opportunity to choose; offering multiple benefits is always a more positive approach for employee retention.

Which staff incentives will you be implementing? Leave your comments below!

Author Bio
More and more small businesses are growing their brands using online platforms and building presence, following and revenue.

The power of social media was something not missed by these three small businesses in Victoria, who have been capitalising on the commercial opportunities that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms provide.

Bendigo Brittle, Peggy and Finn and Windella Farms are three shining examples of how social media can be used as a means to do business. These small businesses, very different from one another in their product offering, are all reaping the benefits of online content and generating strong interest in their products from their social media audiences.

Bendigo Brittle, established 18 months ago by Melbourne publicity dynamo turned confectioner Greta Donaldson, handmakes peanut-packed sweet toffee treats. The company tag line Gold for your gob is becoming well-known throughout Central Victoria as the brand continues to go from strength to strength since its inception.

Facebook has been and is one of the main drivers of Gretas business, which she uses primarily to run promotions and competitions that have a local focus. She has also used the platforms to direct customers to local stockists in the area which has helped not only grow her orders each month, but her customer pool. Greta says, Facebook allows me to connect directly and share my stories with hundreds of people each week.

Also originating from Victoria is Peggy and Finn, a unique and creative clothing brand, which was started by duo Oliver Parsons and Jarrod Craven who share a passion for creating high quality handcrafted pieces.

Oliver and Jarrod established the brand after searching for their own perfect groom & groomsmen attire and consequently identifying a gap in the market for unique mens accessories.

Online platforms have been instrumental to the growth of the Peggy and Finn brand; its an opportunity to showcase their products to likeminded people. According to Oliver and Jarrod, using the platforms has allowed them to grow a reasonable large following with minimal capital outlay.

A month after investing in targeted advertising on Facebook, they had managed triple their online sales and achieve a Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) of 6 times their ad spend.

The third Victoria based small business seeing the opportunity in social media is Windella Farms. The Windella Farm journey began in 2012 when owner, Sarah Mostyn, left behind a lifetime of city living for a tree change to Cohuna, North Central Victoria. Seven years later and Windella Farm is a fully-fledged boutique goat dairy producing a range of luxury handmade soap, bath & body products all crafted on-farm under the philosophy that natural is best.

Sarah uses online platforms to help connect with her followers who are located all over Australia, giving her business a nation-wide presence rather than just local. Through these platforms she updates her followers in real time on new product launches, events and where to find her at markets. The reach that social media platforms have provided has propelled the business into a well-known brand.
Given the prevalence of high-profile company data breaches that we are seeing today, including the recent incidents at Kathmandu and Landmark White, Charles Heunemann (Managing Director and VP Asia Pacific at Natterbox Limited) discusses the negative consequences that data breaches can bring to businesses.

We live in an age of cyberthreats, causing companies to implement tighter regulations to ensure that their customers vital data is safe and secure.

Last week, Kathmandu reported that the credit card details of their customers may have been stolen by an unidentified third party for over a month; this raises an alarming problem. Following similar breaches like those at British Airways and Ticketmaster last year, it was really only a matter of time before we saw similar breaches here in Australia.

Moreover, this reinforces the fact that merchant organisations should not retain or store card holder data, and in fact doing this can place their entire business at risk, as proven by these recent breaches. While Kathmandu havent yet revealed the technical details of the breach, it has been suggested that they were the victims of formjacking, where criminals can obtain not just credit card numbers and expiry dates, but also the CVV numbers, which are not permitted to be stored by merchants or payment gateways.

Australian credit card handling practices regularly fall short of PCI compliance and we need to make a strong effort to ensure that we comply with PCI best practice  the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS), and implement the right policies, practices and technologies across all customer touchpoints. This will enable customers to conduct transactions in-person, online and over the phone safely without putting businesses reputations and trust at risk.

On this note, in the last few weeks alone we have seen the reputational and financial fallout that can occur following the news that property valuation firm, LandMark White experienced a data breach which revealed loan details of over 100,000 customers and was reported to have resulted in board resignations and the CEO, Chris Coonan, to depart.

Its also worth noting that it is not only large enterprises that can be targeted as many SMBs also fall victim to data breaches and the fallout from this can be just as devastating to their business. This is why all organisations, regardless of size need to ensure that they reduce their exposure to the potential risk of storing payment information, regardless of whether it is collected online or over-the-phone.

Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) masking technology which allows buyers to enter their payment details while they are on the phone with the merchant are more robust and secure than online payment systems. This way companies be assured that they will be able to retain their customers trust.
South Africa: Major step for fight against femicide, GBV

This week will see another milestone in the fight against gender-based violence, with a declaration scheduled to be launched and the Booysens Magistrate Court set to open its doors of justice.

Government, together with various civil society organisations, will on Thursday, 28 March, host the Presidential launch of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Declaration and the opening of the Booysens Magistrate Court in Johannesburg.

The declaration is borne out of the National Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Summit that was held in November 2018.

The summit was jointly hosted by government, civil society and other role players, in an effort to find solutions to the scourge of GBV and femicide.

The state-of-the-art Booysens Magistrate Court offers a range of services and is fully equipped to support victims of gender-based violence and femicide.

The court has been built in Oakdene in the south of Johannesburg and will make it more convenient for local communities to access justice services. It will also alleviate the demand for justice services at the Johannesburg Magistrate Court.

The facility was built at a cost of just over R242 million to reinstate the Booysens Branch Court that was moved to the Johannesburg Magistrate Court due to inadequate facilities and increased matters on the court roll.

The court will render services, including:

A fully fledged Sexual Offences Court;

Family Law services such as maintenance, domestic violence, harassment and childrens court matters;

Small Claims Court services and

Civil and Criminal Court services  Regional and District.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Elderly Pro-Life Volunteer Brutally Assaulted by Planned Parenthood Supporter

PUBLIC INFORMATION RELEASE

NEWS PROVIDED BY

March 25, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2019 / Christian Newswire / -- An unknown assailant has repeatedly disrupted, harassed and attacked a peaceful, pro-life prayer vigil in San Francisco.

On Thursday, March 14, an 85-year-old pro-life advocate was the victim of a brutal attack outside a San Francisco Planned Parenthood facility. The pro-lifer was participating in a peaceful 40 Days for Life campaign when the assailant stole the victim's banner and viciously beat the victim ( see video ). The same assailant had assaulted the victim and another man just two days prior.

The elderly man tried to stop the theft of the banner by putting a stick holding the banner into the spokes of the bicycle. The perpetrator shoved the man to the ground and began violently and repeatedly kicking and threatening him.

The San Francisco 40 Days for Life team was victimized by the same man earlier in the week. On Tuesday, the perpetrator threw a sign, table and pro-life literature into the street. He knocked two men to the ground during that incident as well, including the same elderly pro-lifer he attacked again on Thursday.

The attacks were reported to law enforcement, and police officers took statements from the victims. It is not clear whether a formal investigation has been launched. Pro-lifers have not observed any additional law enforcement presence around the Planned Parenthood location since the initial attack.

Apparently, Planned Parenthood has video surveillance of the area where the attacks took place, but it has been initially reported that it is unwilling to release the video.

The attack is the latest in a string of violent assaults during peaceful pro-life vigils at Planned Parenthood and other abortion facilities across the nation. The new response to these peaceful vigils by the abortion industry and supporters is, apparently, to use threats and violence as a tool.

Life Legal is representing the elderly victim, who is in fear for his safety.

"The vicious attack against our elderly client is intolerable," said Allison Aranda, Life Legal Senior Counsel and former Prosecutor of the Year. "We will pursue all legal avenues to see that justice is served and that the freedom to speak freely on the public sidewalk without threat of physical violence is protected no matter the message. As a former prosecutor, I trust that the San Francisco District Attorney's office will pursue all legal charges against the perpetrator and bring him to justice."

"We are appalled by this brazen assault against an elderly man who was simply exercising his First Amendment rights on a public sidewalk," said Life Legal Executive Director Alexandra Snyder. "Life Legal will not sit by and allow the escalation of violence to continue, and we are working to ensure that pro-life advocates are protected and that perpetrators are brought to justice."

40 Days for Life President and CEO Shawn Carney stated, "While the 800,000 volunteers who participate in our peaceful prayer vigils around the world sign a statement of peace and have always been law-abiding, violence from abortion supporters has increased. The gentleman who was attacked will not be deterred nor will other volunteers be deterred from peacefully being a voice for the unborn as many in America advocate for late-term abortion and infanticide. The pro-life movement uses science, medical alternatives, and compassion to change hearts on this crucial issue. Planned Parenthood supporters have resorted to intimidation, insults, and violence. They have a long history of not granting dignity to the unborn, that now apparently applies to 85-year-old volunteers as well."

Matt Britton is General Counsel for 40 Days for Life and a four-term elected prosecutor. Upon learning of the attack, Britton said, "40 Days for Life will always support and defend its vigilant and peaceful prayer volunteers. As a former elected prosecutor, I have reviewed thousands of cases of violence, and anyone who would make such a brutal, vicious assault and robbery of an elderly, peaceful man should end up in the penitentiary where he can do no more harm. It is unconscionable that in the United States of America, law abiding citizens are not free to peacefully express their opinions without the fear of thugs like this. I hope that the great City of San Francisco, which has so many protests of all types, recognizes and protects this basic American principle of Freedom of Speech by investigating, apprehending and punishing this shameful assailant."

About Life Legal Defense Foundation

Life Legal was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information about the Life Legal Defense Foundation, visit www.lldf.org

Media Contact:

Alexandra Snyder

202-717-7371

SOURCE Life Legal Defense Foundation

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Climate change is having a grizzly effect on Mount Everest as melting snow and glaciers reveal some of the bodies of climbers who died trying to scale the world's highest peak.

"Due to the impact of climate change and global warming, snow and glaciers are fast melting and dead bodies are increasingly being exposed and discovered by climbers," former Nepal Mountaineering Association President Ang Tshering Sherpa told CNN in a March 21 report.

More than 200 people have died on Mount Everest since the first climbing death was recorded in 1922. Most of those bodies are believed to be buried beneath glaciers and snow, but now warmer temperatures are melting glaciers throughout the Himalayas, studies have shown.

A 2015 study found that ponds on Everest's Khumbu glacier, where the majority of bodies have been discovered recently, were growing larger and joining together. In 2017, a research team drilled the glacier, took its temperature and found it was warmer than they expected, BBC News reported.

Bodies have also been found near the Camp 4 area. In 2017, a hand emerged above the ground near Camp 1, and the body was removed.

"It's a very serious issue because it's increasingly common and affects our operations," Nepal National Mountain Guides Association official Sobit Kunwar told CNN. "We are really concerned about this because it's getting worse. We are trying to spread information about it so that there can be a coordinated way to deal with it."

Ang Tshering Sherpa said that his organization had brought down seven bodies since 2008.

Tenzeeng Sherpa, treasurer of the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association, said that the government had not taken any responsibility for finding a solution to the problem. However, officials with the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal (EOAN) told BBC News that Nepal's law required government agencies to be involved with handling bodies.

"This issue needs to be prioritised by both the government and the mountaineering industry," EOAN President Dambar Parajuli said. "If they can do it on the Tibet side of Everest, we can do it here as well."

It can cost between $40,000 to $80,000 to bring down dead bodies, experts told BBC News. It can also be dangerous. Ang Tshering Sherpa told CNN of one found at 8,700 meters (approximately 28,543 feet), near the peak.

"The body weighed 150 kilograms (approximately 330.7 pounds) and it had to be recovered from a difficult place at that altitude. It was a Herculean task," he said.

Ang Tshering Sherpa said that operators felt it was their duty to bring bodies down when they found them, but mountaineer Alan Arnette told BBC News that might not always be what the climber wanted.

"Most climbers like to be left on the mountains if they died," Arnette said. "So it would be deemed disrespectful to just remove them unless they need to be moved from the climbing route or their families want them."

While most people interviewed about the issue agreed that climate change was the main factor causing more bodies to be discovered, it was not the only reason. Some bodies are also exposed by the movement of the Khumbu Glacier.
Oil executives gathered for a conference laughed about their "unprecedented" access to Trump administration officials, according to a recording obtained by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting.

In the recording, taken at a June 2017 meeting of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) at a Ritz-Carlton in Southern California, members expressed excitement about one official in particular: David Bernhardt, who had been nominated that April to be deputy secretary at the Department of Interior (DOI). Bernhardt would be confirmed the following month.

"We know him very well, and we have direct access to him, have conversations with him about issues ranging from federal land access to endangered species, to a lot of issues," IPAA political director Dan Naatz said in the recording.

Bernhardt, who once acted as the association's lawyer, has risen even higher since the recording. He has been acting as interior secretary since former Secretary Ryan Zinke left amid various ethics investigations and has been nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the post permanently. He faces a confirmation hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee March 28.

In the recording, IPAA CEO Barry Russell spoke of work Bernhardt had done for the IPAA to lead a legal group challenging endangered species' rules. "Well, the guy that actually headed up that group is now the No. 2 at Interior," he said. "So that's worked out well." As deputy secretary, Bernhardt pushed to weaken endangered species protections by proposing to allow regulators to consider economic factors before listing species. As a lobbyist and lawyer, Bernhardt worked on behalf of around 40 clients, 18 of which were involved in energy. He has been referred to as a "walking conflict of interest" and carries a card with him reminding him of all the former clients he must recuse himself from dealing with directly at the DOI. However, a DOI spokesperson said he had not communicated with Naatz or Russell.

"Acting Secretary David Bernhardt has had no communication or contact with either Barry Russell or Dan Naatz," the spokesperson said in a statement reported by The Hill. In the recording, the IPAA didn't just express excitement about Bernhardt. Rather, they were thrilled by the pro-energy culture of the entire Trump team, which, they said, contrasted with the approach taken by the Obama administration. "It's really a new thing for us," Russell said. "For example, next week I'm invited to the White House to talk about tax code. Last week we were talking to Secretary Pruitt, and in about two weeks we have a meeting with Secretary Zinke. So we have unprecedented access to people that are in these positions who are trying to help us, which is great."

The laughter came when Russell described a meeting with then-U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Scott Pruitt, who has since resigned amidst various scandals. Here is the exchange, as transcribed by Reveal:

"Scott Pruitt, he came from Oklahoma, and we have a lot of friends in common and I thought that's what we were going to talk about, we did that for about three minutes," Russell said. "And then he started asking very technical questions about methane, about ozone  and if Scott Pruitt thought he was going to go deep nerd "



The audience began laughing.



"And what was really great is there was about four or five EPA staffers there, who were all like, 'Write that down, write that down,' all the way through this,'' Russell continued. "And when we left, I said that was just our overview."



The audience laughed again.



"So it's really a new world for us and very, very helpful."

While Pruitt and Zinke have since left the administration, this culture of access has had real environmental consequences. Of five items on a policy wish-list distributed at the meeting, four have been implemented by the DOI, Reveal reported. They are: A rollback of rules to protect water from fracking pollution A reversal of rules limiting methane releases by the oil industry A reversal of an Obama-era "no net loss" policy requiring oil companies to restore ecosystems as a condition of development permits An end to a long-standing policy of fining energy companies whose activities lead to the accidental deaths of migratory birds

Correction: An earlier version of this article said that David Bernhardt was deputy secretary at the DOI when the recording was taken in June of 2017. The article has been revised to indicate that the recording took place after his nomination in April 2017 and before his confirmation that July.


Beloved nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough will produce a new documentary for BBC One focused entirely on climate change, the network announced Friday.

The show, to be titled Climate ChangeThe Facts, will be a 60 minute documentary that will air in the spring, The Guardian reported. The news comes little more than a year after Attenborough helped raise the alarm about plastic pollution as part of his Blue Planet II BBC series.

"There is a real hunger from audiences to find out more about climate change and understand the facts," BBC's Director of Content Charlotte Moore told BBC News. "We have a trusted guide in Sir David Attenborough, who will be speaking to the challenging issues that it raises, and present an engaging and informative look at one of the biggest issues of our time." The documentary will show footage of the impacts of climate change and include interviews with climate scientists and meteorologists, who will explain how global warming has already influenced extreme weather events like the California wildfires of November 2018. The 92-year-old Attenborough, who made his first nature documentary series for TV 50 years ago, has increasingly spoken out on climate issues. He delivered the "People's Address" at the UN climate talks in December of last year and spoke with Britain's Prince William about the issue in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland this January. In that interview, Prince William asked Attenborough why he had held back from speaking out on environmental issues for much of his public career. Attenborough responded that when he started his career, he didn't think there was anyone "who thought that there was a danger that we might annihilate part of the natural world." "Now, of course, we are only to well aware that the whole of the natural world is at our disposal, as it were," he said in the interview. "We can do things accidentally that exterminate a whole area of the natural world and the species that live within it."
For K-12 leaders, asking whether education technology works isnt a good enough question. Its important to also drill down into details about what kind of technology youre considering, for what purpose, with which students, and under what circumstances.

In recent years, researchers have started building an evidence base robust enough to consider such angles. Now, a center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has taken a stab at summarizing what the field has learned.

We recognized that the hype and investment around ed tech has so far outpaced the rigorous research in terms of whats actually effective, said Vincent Quan, the senior policy manager at MITs Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Labs North America office, on why such a summary was needed now.

J-PAL North Americas new publication, Will Technology Transform Education for the Better? looks at evidence from 126 rigorous experimental studies, most of which involved randomized control trials. Here, Education Week highlights some of the key takeaways for K-12 administrators and policymakers.

For Quan, what makes the new report significant is its focus on only the most rigorous studies, all of which were conducted by independent third parties.

Such a big-picture review is extremely helpful in allowing us to step back and take stock, said Joseph South, the chief learning officer for the International Society for Technology in Education, or ISTE. It shows that we are making inroads, but have a long ways to go.

Still, the lessons to be drawn from the J-PAL North America review remain subject to debate.

Stanford professor and long-time ed-tech skeptic Larry Cuban, for example, said the conclusions support what hes been saying for three decades.

The results for students [are] paltry given the huge investment in dollars and time, Cuban said. For policymakers, practitioners, and parents, the takeaway from this report on technology studies is simple: Sharpen focus on the expertise and skills of teachers, not machines.

1. Expanding access isnt enough (and may even be harmful)

The J-PAL North America team put its top-level finding here pretty plainly:

Initiatives that expand access to computers and internet alone generally do not improve kindergarten to 12th grade students grades and test scores and may have adverse impacts on academic achievement, they wrote in the new report.

But there is some nuance that K-12 leaders should consider, Quan said in an interview.

For one, distributing hardware to students does seem to lead to improved proficiency using computers, which may have long-term benefits (in terms of workforce preparation, for example) that dont show up on standardized tests.

Widespread availability of digital devices is also necessary for providing access to some of the software programs and other technologies that research says are effective.

Furthermore, theres not necessarily a clear consensus in the field about what the research says about 1-to-1 digital device initiatives in particular. A previous meta-analyses of laptop-distribution initiatives by researchers at Michigan State University found significant positive benefits, for example. And new research, including a generally positive evaluation of the well-known 1-to-1 program in Mooresville, N.C., is starting to look at the impact of expanded technology access beyond the one or two years considered in most of the currently available studies. There are a lot of open questions on long-term impact, Quan acknowledged.

2. Beware of online-only courses

Take the human component out of classroom instruction at your own peril, the J-PAL North America researchers warned.

We found that relative to courses with some degree of face-to-face teaching, students taking online-only courses may experience negative learning outcomes, the report says.

That only partially jibes with other research about online learning.

A 2017 Education Week review, for example, found that evidence generally suggested that students enrolled in supplemental classes at virtual schools performed the same or better than counterparts who take the same classes in brick-and-mortar settings. Many of those studies may not have been rigorous enough to be included in the J-PAL North America analysis.

But research on full-time online charter schools and online credit-recovery programs has generally been much more negative.

It all leaves K-12 leaders to confront a thorny question: If your district cant offer a face-to-face class, should it still offer an online-only version?

Doing so does seem to expand access, Quan said. He noted one study in which a school that couldnt offer face-to-face 8th grade algebra offered the course online instead, leading to more students not only taking algebra, but going on to take other advanced math courses.

When there are unlimited resources and there can be a teacher in every single class, experimental evidence seems to suggest in-person is better, he said. But we also understand there are many constraints.

3. Adaptive math software holds enormous promise

The J-PAL North America researchers reviewed 30 rigorous third-party studies of computer-assisted learning programs that target instruction to each students particular skill level.

Twenty of the 30 reported statistically significant positive effects. Of those, 15 were focused on math.

Again, though, the results should be read with a careful eye.

Not all the studied software programs worked equally well, for example. Some had eye-popping positive results. Among them: SimCalc, an interactive math simulation for 7th and 8th graders, and a program called Cognitive Tutor, for helping students learn foundational algebra content.

But other programsincluding Cognitive Tutor-Geometry, the popular ST Math program, and the highly touted Teach to One approach to middle school mathshowed small or negative results.

In addition, the evidence for adaptive reading programs was far more limited, according to the report.

Quan and ISTEs South highlighted some key points for K-12 leaders to remember when making decisions in such a messy, incomplete landscape.

The field still knows very little about what specific mechanisms in a software programthe adaptive algorithms? the data provided to teachers? the computer-generated feedback for students?make it effective, Quan said.

And just because a software program worked in one context doesnt mean it will work in others, South cautioned.

No ed-tech solution stands alone, he said. It really depends on the specific environment.

4. Consider nudges'

Text and other technology-based messages to students and parents can be an affordable way to make a meaningful difference, the J-PAL North America team concluded.

In the early years, that could take the form of text messages with tips for parents about reading with their young children.

By middle school, it might mean providing parents with information about their childrens grades and attendance.

And by high school, it could be automated reminders and personalized support to help students complete tasks related to the college-application and financial-aid process.

Rigorous studies have yielded positive evidence on all three approachesand even more encouraging results in higher ed, the J-PAL North America team said.

Technology-based nudges that encourage specific, one-time actions  can have meaningful, if modest, impacts on a variety of education-related outcomes, often at low costs, their report says.

5. But be careful about social psychology nudges

Theres a growing push from researchers and ed-tech companies alike to explore prompts that seek to alter a students attitude or feelingsby encouraging a growth mindset in response to failure or struggle, for example.

This raises some problems, though.

One is that these prompts dont seem to be reliably effective, the J-PAL North America researchers determined.

Large-scale studies have consistently found that technology-enabled social-psychology nudges do not improve academic outcomes on average, the report concluded. Theres some reason to hope that students who start out further behind on subject matter may benefit more from such messages, but the research to date is far from certain.

In addition, such social-psychological nudges have raised big questions about privacy and consent. Last year, for example, Education Week reported on a study by global publisher Pearson in which it tested growth-mindset messages in a college-level computer science software programwithout first alerting participating students or institutions.

The experiment yielded generally disappointing results, while also sparking significant controversy about the ethics of Pearsons approach.
Assad regime never sought to regain Golan: Opposition

Israel occupied the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The Syrian regime has never attempted to regain the occupied Golan Heights from Israel, an opposition spokesman said Sunday.

"HE HAS SOLD THE GOLAN HEIGHTS TO ISRAEL UNDER A SECRET AGREEMENT"

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Naji Mustafa, spokesman for the opposition National Liberation Front (NLF), said the Syrian regime has used the Golan Heights issue to "suppress any potential uprisings in the country." "Regime leader Hafez Assad has sold the Golan Heights to Israel under a secret agreement," he claimed.

He said the current regime of regime leader Assad, who succeeded his father Hafez in ruling Syria, has never attempted to politically defend the Golan issue in international arenas. "The regime did not want to regain the Golan at any time," Mustafa said. "Rather, it used the issue as a 'foreign threat' against its people," he added.

On Thursday, Trump said it was time for the US to fully recognize Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel occupies roughly two-thirds of the wider Golan Heights as a de facto result of the conflict. It moved to formally annex the territory in 1981 an action unanimously rejected at the time by the UN Security Council. On Friday, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution opposing Israels continued occupation of the Golan Heights.
Gazans call release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel

According to estimates, more than 6,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons.

Scores of Palestinians staged a rally in the Gaza Strip on Monday in support of detainees in Israeli prisons.

"RESCUE PRISONERS FROM THE ISRAELI CRIMES"

Organized outside the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City, flag-waving protesters called for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. "We came to show support for our detainees as the [Israeli] occupation is stepping up its violations against them," Abdul Ghani Sharif, a protester, told Anadolu Agency. The occupation is attempting to break [the will] of the captives in prisons," he said, calling on the international community to intervene to "rescue prisoners from the Israeli crimes."

On Sunday, an Israeli force reportedly assaulted Palestinian detainees in the Negev prison, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society. There are around 1,300 Palestinians detainees in the Negev prison.

According to Palestinian figures, more than 6,000 Palestinians continue to languish in Israeli detention facilities, including parliament members, women and minors.
Great floods in Iran leave 11 dead

Hundreds of vehicles submerged by flooding in Shiraz.

Eleven people lost their lives and at least 35 others were injured by torrential flooding in Iran's south-central city of Shiraz.

EFFORTS REMAIN UNDERWAY TO FIND AND RESCUE SURVIVORS

The floods swept away vehicles, causing a number of casualties, Hossein Koolivand, head of Iran's Emergency Directorate, told state television. According to Koolivand, efforts remain underway to find and rescue survivors.

The Iranian Students News Agency quoted one security official as saying that more than 200 cars in Shiraz had been submerged by the flooding.
Greeks lash out at Muslim students

Muslim students wearing head scarfs that took part in the formal Greek Independence Day ceremonies have been threatened by Greek nationalists.

Muslim students have faced heavy racists comments and threats after the countrys national independence ceremonies.

RACIST COMMENTS

The images of the female students carrying Greek flags while wearing head scarfs have caused a number of racist insults among the Greek nationalists.

In the messages, its been mentioned of Theodoros Kolokotronis who was a Greek general and the pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence between 18211829 against the Ottoman Empire. Where are you Kolokotronis? Come and see the Islamist youth with their head scarfs holding our flag. messages said.

After the ceremonies, the Greek minister of national education made statements over the insulting reactions. Today, we celebrate one our most important days as a nation. But yet, we are facing with racism that we must be aware in the heart of Europe, he stated.
May urged to set her own exit date to get Brexit deal

Theresa May was under pressure on Monday to give a date for leaving office as the price to bring Brexit-supporting rebel lawmakers in her party behind her twice-defeated European Union divorce treaty.

At one of the most important junctures for the country in at least a generation, British politics was at fever pitch and, nearly three years since the 2016 referendum, it was still unclear how, when or if Brexit will ever take place.

With May humiliated and weakened, ministers lined up to insist she was still in charge and to deny a reported plot to demand she name a date to leave office at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

"TIME'S UP THERESA"

The Sun newspaper said in a front-page editorial that May must announce she will stand down as soon as her Brexit deal is approved and the United Kingdom has left the EU. Times up, Theresa, the newspaper said on its front page. The newspaper said her one chance of getting the deal approved by parliament was to name a date for her departure.

The Suns political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, said some ministers were urging May to pivot to a no-deal Brexit as the only way to survive in power. Mays deal was defeated by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on Jan. 15.

11 MINISTERS WANT MAY STAND DOWN

To get it passed, she must win over at least 75 MPs: dozens of rebels in her Conservative Party, some Labour MPs, and the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up her minority government. The Sunday Times reported 11 unidentified ministers agreed May should stand down, warning she has become a toxic and erratic figure whose judgment has gone haywire.

Brexit had been due to happen on March 29 before May secured a delay in talks with the EU. Now a departure date of May 22 will apply if parliament passes Mays deal. If she fails, Britain will have until April 12 to offer a new plan or decide to leave without a treaty. Some lawmakers have asked May to name her departure date as the price for supporting her deal.

Lawmakers are due on Monday to debate the governments next steps on Brexit, including the delayed exit date. They have proposed changes, or amendments, including one which seeks to wrest control of the process from the government in order to hold votes on alternative ways forward. Amendments are not legally binding, but do exert political pressure on May to change course.
Russia sends Venezuela military aid against US sanctions

Two Russian military planes landed in Venezuela's main airport on Saturday, reportedly carrying dozens of troops and large amounts of equipment.

Two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuelas main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow.

A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday.

MADURO HAD SAID THAT RUSSIA WOULD SEND MEDICINE

Reporter Javier Mayorca wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the first plane carried Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, adding the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of material. An Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane left for Caracas on Friday from Russian military airport Chkalovsky, stopping along the way in Syria.

Russia sends Venezuela military aid WATCH

Venezuela and Russia held joint military exercises in January, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticized US support for opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself interim president, as an interventionist.

In December, two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for Maduros socialist government that infuriated Washington.

Washington has led an international campaign to apply economic and diplomatic pressure on Maduro, including sanctioning the country's state-owned oil company and blacklisting Venezuelan officials who have remained loyal to him.

Maduro on Wednesday said Russia would send medicine next week to Venezuela, without describing how it would arrive, adding that Moscow in February had sent some 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid.




1. After legalization, Colorado hospital saw a 3-fold increase in cannabis-related ER visits

The observed proportion of cannabis-attributable ER visits with edible exposure was about 33 times higher than expected

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-2809

Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M19-0452

URLs go live when the embargo lifts

Following legalization of marijuana, Colorado has seen a steep increase in cannabis-related ER visits. In the timeframe between 2012 and 2016, inhalable cannabis resulted in a higher frequency of cannabis-attributable emergency department (ED) visits, although ED visits for acute psychiatric events and cardiovascular symptoms were more common use of edibles. Findings from an observational study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Increased availability and use of marijuana in Colorado has led to an increase in emergency department visits attributable to the drug. Cannabis is most often purchased in flower form for smoking, but anecdotal evidence suggests that edible cannabis products may more frequently contribute to ED visits and may be more toxic than inhalable products.

Researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine reviewed health records for 9,973 patients presenting to the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital ED from 2012 to 2016 to describe and compare visits related to edible and inhaled cannabis exposure. The researchers found a more than 3-fold increase in cannabis-associated ED visits over the time period, with visits due to edible exposure much higher than expected. Specifically, their analysis showed that, although 10.7 percent of ED visits were attributable to edible cannabis, only 0.32 percent of total cannabis sales (in kilograms of tetrahydrocannabinol [THC]) were for edible products. Therefore, compared to inhaled cannabis, the observed proportion of cannabis-attributable ED visits with edible exposure was about 33 times higher than expected. The authors also noted that psychiatric ED visits were more common following edible exposure than inhaled cannabis products.

The authors of an accompanying editorial from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health say that this research has important clinical and public health implications. They point out that the slow rate of absorption of orally ingested THC compared with inhalable THC makes it harder for users of edible cannabis to titrate the doses required to achieve the desired drug effects. In addition, the wide variety of innocuous looking edible preparations can lead to overconsumption. This can be compounded by inaccurate labeling of cannabinoid content in edible products. They suggest that future research into the effects of cannabis should focus on THC and CBD content, route of administration, doses consumed, sex, age, body mass index, and the medical conditions for which cannabis might be prescribed. They also suggest greater oversight of manufacturing practices, labeling standards, and quality control of cannabis products marketed to the public.

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Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the senior clinical author, Andrew A. Monte, MD, PhD, please contact Jessica Berry at Jessica.Berry@uchealth.org. To reach the authors of the editorial, please contact the NIDA press office at media@nida.nih.gov or 301-443-6245.

Also New in this issue:

Threshold Analysis as an Alternative to GRADE for Assessing Confidence in Guideline Recommendations Based on Network Meta-analyses

David M. Phillippo, MSc, BSc; Sofia Dias, PhD; Nicky J. Welton, PhD; Deborah M. Caldwell, PhD; Nichole Taske, PhD; and A.E. Ades, PhD

Research and Reporting Methods

Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-3542

Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M19-0754
WASHINGTON - Images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope document the formation of a Great Dark Spot on Neptune for the first time, report researchers in a new study.

Like Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Neptune's Great Dark Spots are storms that form from areas of high atmospheric pressure. In contrast, storms on Earth form around areas of low pressure.

Scientists have seen a total of six dark spots on Neptune over the years. Voyager 2 identified two storms in 1989. Since Hubble launched in 1990, it has viewed four more of these storms.

In the new study, planetary scientists analyzed Hubble's photos of the ice giant taken over the past several years and chronicled the growth of a new Great Dark Spot that became visible in 2018.

By studying companion clouds that showed up two years before the new Great Dark Spot, the researchers conclude dark spots originate much deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought.

The Hubble images also helped the researchers pinpoint how often Neptune gets dark spots and how long they last. The new findings give scientists insights on the inner workings of the poorly-understood ice giant planets but also have implications for studying exoplanets of similar size and composition.

"If you study the exoplanets and you want to understand how they work, you really need to understand our planets first," said Amy Simon, a planetary scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and lead author of the new study published today in AGU's journal Geophysical Research Letters. "We have so little information on Uranus and Neptune."

A history of dark spots

Scientists first saw a Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 1989, when NASA's Voyager 2 probe flew past the mysterious blue planet. As the spacecraft zoomed by, it snapped pictures of two giant storms brewing in Neptune's southern hemisphere. Scientists dubbed the storms "The Great Dark Spot" and "Dark Spot 2."

Just five years later, the Hubble Space Telescope took sharp images of Neptune that revealed both the Earth-sized Great Dark Spot and the smaller Dark Spot 2 had vanished.

"It was certainly a surprise," Simon said. "We were used to looking at Jupiter's Great Red Spot, which presumably had been there for more than a hundred years."

A new Great Dark Spot appeared on Neptune in 2018, nearly identical in size and shape to the one Voyager saw in 1989. Simon and her colleagues were analyzing Hubble images of a smaller dark spot that appeared in 2015 when they discovered small, bright white clouds in the region where the 2018 Great Dark Spot would later appear.

"We were so busy tracking this smaller storm from 2015, that we weren't necessarily expecting to see another big one so soon," Simon said.

The high-altitude clouds are made up of methane ice crystals, which give them their characteristic bright white color. Scientists suspect these methane clouds accompany the storms that form dark spots, hovering above them the way lenticular clouds cap tall mountains on Earth.

Lifespan of a spot

Simon and co-authors Michael Wong and Andrew Hsu at the University of California Berkeley tracked the methane clouds from 2016 to 2018. They found the clouds were brightest in 2016 and 2017, before the new Great Dark Spot became visible.

Computer models of Neptune's atmosphere have shown the deeper the storm, the brighter its companion clouds. That these white clouds appeared two years before the Great Dark Spot and that they lost some brightness when it became visible suggests dark spots may originate much deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought, according to the new study.

Simon, Wong and Hsu also used images from Hubble and Voyager 2 to pinpoint how long these storms last and how frequently they occur. They report in a second study published today in the Astronomical Journal that they suspect new storms crop up on Neptune every four to six years. Each storm may last up to six years, though two-year lifespans are more likely, according to the findings.

Dark versus Red

The new findings show how Neptune's Great Dark Spots differ from Jupiter's Great Red Spot. The Great Red Spot has been observed since at least 1830 and could be up to 350 years old. Thin jet streams on Jupiter keep the Great Red Spot from breaking apart and from changing latitude; it rotates around Jupiter but doesn't move north or south.

But Neptunian winds operate in much wider bands around the planet, so storms like the Great Dark Spot slowly drift across latitudes. These storms typically hover between westward equatorial wind jets and eastward-blowing currents in the higher latitudes before strong winds pull them apart.

Planetary scientists hope to next study changes in the shape of the vortex and wind speed in storms that form dark spots. "We have never directly measured winds within Neptune's dark vortices, but we estimate the wind speeds are in the ballpark of 328 feet (100 meters) per second, quite similar to wind speeds within Jupiter's Great Red Spot," said Wong. More frequent observations using Hubble will help paint a clearer picture of how storm systems on Neptune evolve, he said.

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Founded in 1919, AGU is a not-for-profit scientific society dedicated to advancing Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. We support 60,000 members, who reside in 135 countries, as well as our broader community, through high-quality scholarly publications, dynamic meetings, our dedication to science policy and science communications, and our commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, as well as many other innovative programs. AGU is home to the award-winning news publication Eos, the Thriving Earth Exchange, where scientists and community leaders work together to tackle local issues, and a headquarters building that represents Washington, D.C.'s first net zero energy commercial renovation. We are celebrating our Centennial in 2019. #AGU100

Notes for Journalists

This paper is freely available through April 30. Journalists and public information officers (PIOs) can download a PDF copy of the article by clicking on this link: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018GL080658

Journalists and PIOs may also request a copy of the final paper by emailing Lauren Lipuma at llipuma@agu.org. Please provide your name, the name of your publication, and your phone number.

Neither the paper nor this press release is under embargo.

Paper Title: "Formation of a new Great Dark Spot on Neptune in 2018"

Authors: Amy A. Simon: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S.A.;

Michael H. Wong, Andrew I. Hsu: University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.

AGU press contact:

Lauren Lipuma

+1 (202) 777-7396

llipuma@agu.org

Contact information for the researchers:

Amy Simon, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

+1 (301) 286-6738

amy.simon@nasa.gov
(Boston)--Researchers have identified a biomarker and a possible new therapy for melanoma.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is a protein that plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of the melanocyte (cells that make melanin) lineage, differentiation of normal and malignant melanocytes and the survival of melanoma cells.

"We have now detected the first useful chemical inhibitor of MITF," said corresponding author Rhoda Alani, MD, the Herbert Mescon Chair of Dermatology at Boston University School of Medicine.

While genetic mutations in human melanomas have been explored extensively over the past decade, the role of epigenetic alterations in melanoma development and progression has been less clearly defined.

The researchers found that inhibition of the epigenetic p300 Histone Acetyltransferase (HAT) enzyme prevents growth of human melanoma cells and cells with increased expression of MITF are most sensitive to this inhibition.

"When human melanoma cell lines were evaluated for growth effects using the chemical inhibitor of p300 HAT, the cell lines that were most sensitive to drug treatment were those that expressed high levels of MITF suggesting that MITF expression levels can predict melanoma sensitivity to such therapies," explained Alani, who also is chief of dermatology at Boston Medical Center.

According to the researchers, this inhibitor may have broad implications for the treatment of pigmented lesions in the skin and could potentially be used topically to treat hyperpigmentation.

They hope this study will provide an incentive to pursue additional epigenetic approaches to cancers, both as direct agents targeting specific cancers as well as adjuvant therapies to improve responses to cancer immunotherapies.

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In addition to Alani, Philip Cole, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at Harvard University is the other co-corresponding author.

These findings appear in the online journal Cancer Research.

Funding for this study was provided by Grant No R37GM62437 awarded by National Institutes of Health, a CTSA grant UL1TR001079 and FAMRI (Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute). A Jane Coffin Childs Fund postdoctoral fellowship and an ASA Medical Student Grant also provided support.

Editors Note: RMA is a cofounder and shareholder for Acylin Therapeutics Inc. which is developing p300/CBP HAT inhibitors. PAC is a cofounder, shareholder and paid consultant for Acylin Therapeutics Inc. which is developing p300/CBP HAT inhibitors. He is also a paid consultant for Abbvie Inc. which is pursuing the development of p300/CBP HAT inhibitors.
Police use of body-worn cameras is growing rapidly in the United States. New research that looked at 70 studies of body-worn cameras concludes that while officers and citizens generally support using the cameras, the devices may not have had significant or consistent effects on most measures of behavior by officers or citizens, or on citizens' views of the police.

The study, by researchers at George Mason University's (GMU) Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, appears in Criminology & Public Policy, a publication of the American Society of Criminology.

"Expectations and concerns surrounding body-worn cameras among police leaders and citizens have not yet been realized by and large in the ways anticipated by each," according to Cynthia Lum, professor of criminology, law, and society at GMU, who led the study. "It's likely that body-worn cameras alone will not be an easy panacea for improving police performance, accountability, and relationships with citizens."

Researchers examined 70 empirical studies of body-worn cameras published in the United States and globally through June 2018. The studies addressed the impact of body-worn cameras on officers' behavior and on officers' attitudes toward body-worn cameras, as well as the impact of the devices on citizens' behavior, and citizens' and communities' attitudes toward body-worn cameras. The studies also considered the impact of body-worn cameras on criminal investigations and on law enforcement organizations.

The researchers found that in general, officers seem supportive of body-worn cameras, especially as they gain more experience with them. However, the devices have not produced dramatic changes in police behavior, the study concludes. Other findings from the study:

Body-worn cameras seem to reduce complaints against officers, but it is unclear whether and to what degree these changes reflect citizens' reporting behaviors or improvements in officers' behavior or their interactions with citizens. It is also unclear if the devices improve citizens' satisfaction with police encounters, as might be expected if the cameras affected police behavior substantially.

Wearing body-worn cameras has not led to de-policing, also known as a "Ferguson effect" in which officers pull back from being productive in their duties. Cameras do not seem to discourage police contacts or officer-initiated activities, and arrests seem as likely to increase or decrease with use of the devices.

Citizens are also generally supportive of police using body-worn cameras, but it's unclear that their use improves citizens' views of police, their behaviors toward police officers, or their relationships with police.

"To maximize the positive impacts of body-worn cameras, we suggest more attention to the ways and contexts--organizational and community--in which the devices are most beneficial or harmful," notes Christopher S. Koper, associate professor of criminology, law, and society at GMU, who coauthored the study. "Attention should also be paid to how the cameras can be used in police training, management, and internal investigations to improve police performance, accountability, and legitimacy in the community."

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Summarized from Criminology & Public Policy, Research on Body-Worn Cameras: What We Know, What We Need to Know by Lum, C, Stoltz, M, Koper, CS, and Scherer, JA (George Mason University). Copyright 2019 The American Society of Criminology. All rights reserved.
A research team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has developed an innovative computational tool offering researchers an efficient method for detecting the different ways RNA is pieced together (spliced) when copied from DNA. Because variations in how RNA is spliced play crucial roles in many diseases, this new analytical tool will provide greater capabilities for discovering disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets, even from RNA-sequencing data sets with modest coverage.

Study leader Yi Xing, PhD, director of the Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine at CHOP, and first authors and PhD students Zijun Zhang and Zhicheng Pan report on their DARTS framework this week in Nature Methods. DARTS (Deep-learning Augmented RNA-seq analysis of Transcript Splicing) uses deep-learning based predictions to harness the wealth of information available in public datasets of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), thus allowing for new insights into alternative splicing.

"The conceptual innovation of DARTS is it provides a bridge from big data in the public domain to smaller data sets in focused studies with individual investigators," said Xing. "DARTS offers the ability to transform massive amounts of public RNA-seq data into a knowledge base, represented as a deep neural network, of how splicing is regulated. Using this computational framework, we can push that into any individual lab. This could be really useful and increase the efficiency of the experiment and enable new discoveries. With just 20 or 30 million RNA-seq reads, you can make educated guesses and inferences on things you were never able to see in the past."

Xing has a long-standing research focus on alternative splicing--the process by which information in DNA of a single gene is pieced together in different ways to generate different messenger RNA and protein products after gene transcription. Genes each generate an average of 10 or more such products, and sometimes as many as 38,000. Those variations in alternative splicing may cause disease, modify disease risk, or make a disease milder or worse.

Massively parallel RNA sequencing is now the standard technology researchers use to investigate alternative splicing. However, to accurately measure alternative splicing, the RNA sequencing experiments have to go very deep. The consensus view is that over 100 million sequences are needed for analyzing alternative splicing, but due to the high cost, most researchers cannot afford going this deep with their RNA sequencing experiments. Moreover, many medically important genes are not expressed at high levels. Even a deep RNA sequencing experiment cannot generate enough coverage on such genes, making it virtually impossible to measure the genes' alternative splicing patterns.

In the current study, Xing's team first drew on large-scale public-domain RNA sequencing data from sources such as the ENCODE Consortium, the international program launched by the National Human Genome Research Institute, to identify all the functional elements in the genome, including those acting at the level of RNA. Using these massive data sets, DARTS trains a deep neural network for predicting changes in alternative splicing. The model incorporates messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of 1,500 RNA binding proteins and 3,000 sequence features.

To allow researchers to use the deep learning model in their own studies, the deep neural network predictions are combined with actual RNA sequencing data generated on specific biological samples using a statistical framework called Bayesian hypothesis testing. Researchers can use this information in their individual labs to better characterize alternative splicing across different biological conditions.

The researchers applied DARTS to lung and prostate cancer cell lines to test its ability to predict splicing patterns in the cells. These cell lines are models for the transition from epithelial to mesenchymal cells--an important process in both embryonic development and cancer metastasis. By leveraging the deep learning predictions, DARTS discovered changes in alternative splicing patterns in numerous genes that escaped detection by conventional computational tools because these genes were expressed at low levels in the cells. The study team then performed experiments to validate these novel predictions. These new discoveries may allow scientists to better identify biomarkers and therapeutic targets of diseases.

"DARTS offers an exciting conceptual framework that we could adapt to other uses," added Xing. "For example, we might create a version that predicts alternative splicing in specific patient tissues." This could potentially improve diagnosis of rare diseases from a tissue biopsy, a useful technique for pediatric centers such as CHOP that often evaluate children with puzzling, undiagnosed disorders.

DARTS, Xing concluded, could enable scientists to discover more about the contributions of understudied genes that may not be expressed at high levels, but have important impacts on health and disease. "DARTS offers a new window into the dark matter of the transcriptome," he said.

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DARTS is broadly available to the scientific community at https://github.com/Xinglab/DARTS.

The National Institutes of Health provided funding support for this study (grants R01GM088342, R01GM117624, U01HG007912 and U01CA233074). Disclosure: Xing and study co-author Douglas L. Black of the University of California, Los Angeles, are scientific co-founders of the company Panorama Medicine. Panorama holds a non-exclusive license to the DARTS technology. Xing and co-author Zijun Zhang have filed a provisional patent application for DARTS.

Zijun Zhang et al, "Deep-learning augmented RNA-seq analysis of transcript splicing," Nature Methods, March 25, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-019-0351-9

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 564-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu
Indigenous peoples in Canada have high rates of psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, and these mental health issues are linked to income inequalities, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Suicide is a major cause of death among First Nations, Metis and Inuit people, with rates 2 to 3 times higher than in non-Indigenous Canadians.

"We found persistent and substantial income-related inequalities in psychological distress and suicidal behaviours among Indigenous peoples living off-reserve in Canada, including status First Nations, non-status First Nations, Metis and Inuit," says Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh, School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Of the 14 410 adults included in the study representing more than 600 000 Indigenous people in 2012, the rate of lifetime suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide during their life), was 16% for men and 22% for women, with rates for lifetime suicide attempts at 2% for men and 2.3% for women. Using a scale to measure psychological distress, the researchers found the score for men was 15.2 and 16.7 for women (with 10 indicating no distress and 50 indicating severe distress.)

Data came from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey conducted by Statistics Canada.

Poorer individuals disproportionately experienced higher psychological distress, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Food insecurity -- the uncertainty over having a regular, affordable source of nutritious food -- appeared to be a key factor explaining the higher rates of mental health issues among low-income Indigenous peoples. The authors suggest focusing on improving the social determinants of health, such as income, employment and food availability, to address mental health among poor Indigenous people.

"Policies designed to address food insecurity and income may help improve mental health outcomes among low-income Indigenous peoples living off-reserve," says Dr. Hajizadeh.

"Socioeconomic inequalities in psychological distress and suicidal behaviours among Indigenous peoples living off-reserve in Canada" is published March 25, 2019.

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March 25, 2019 -- The Chinese Famine of 1959-61 has been widely interpreted as an important contributor to later epidemics of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitis (T2DM, but in re-examining 17 related Chinese studies researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Leiden University Medical Center, found little evidence for this association. The paper is published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology.

"Most Chinese studies were limited in using appropriate age-balanced controls," said L. H. Lumey, MD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School. "Therefore, establishing a firm connection between prenatal famine and T2DM in future studies in China will require significant improvements in study design and execution."

To demonstrate the limitation in the Chinese studies, the researchers re-analyzed published data using several control groups. With age-balanced controls, no increases were seen in T2DM.

Lumey and colleagues further determined that studying just pre-famine births as controls could suggest a 'protective' effect of famine on later health outcomes. Studies from both the Dutch Famine and the Chinese Famine show that increased body size in adulthood has important implications for T2DM after prenatal famine exposure. "However our studies of the Dutch famine have not yet examined if changes in DNA methylation in individuals exposed during gestation could lead to 'intergenerational' effects, on the grandchildren, large enough to explain the increased obesity and hyperglycemia in China today," said Dr Bastiaan T. Heijmans of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

Because of limitations in study design and the original analyses of the Chinese studies it is an open question if the famine has significantly contributed to the current epidemic in China. And accordingly, it is also not yet possible to make firm statements regarding the long-term impact of direct exposure or the intergenerational impact of indirect exposure.

"The current T2DM epidemic in China represents an enormous public health challenge," noted Lumey. "Public health efforts for prevention and treatment should therefore focus now on well-established risk factors for overweight and obesity, especially the increased intake of energy dense foods and sedentary lifestyles that affect the entire population, regardless of early famine exposure."

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Co-authors are Chihua Li, Columbia Mailman School and Zhengzhou Central Hospital/ Zhengzhou University, Henan, China; Elmar W. Tobi, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health

Founded in 1922, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Columbia Mailman School is the third largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its over 450 multi-disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as preventing infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change & health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with over 1,300 graduate students from more than 40 nations pursuing a variety of master's and doctoral degree programs. The Columbia Mailman School is also home to numerous world-renowned research centers, including ICAP and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit http://www.mailman.columbia.edu.
A new study shows that damage inflicted on trees in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria was unprecedented in modern times, and suggests that more frequent big storms whipped up by a warming climate could permanently alter forests not only here, but across much of the Atlantic tropics. Biodiversity could suffer as result, and more carbon could be added to the atmosphere, say the authors. The study appears this week in the journal Nature Communications.

Hurricane Maria not only destroyed far more trees than any previously studied storm; big, old trees thought to be especially resistant to storms suffered the worst. Lead author Maria Uriarte, a faculty member of Columbia University's Earth Institute, said that because hurricanes are projected to intensify with warming climate, the damage probably presages more such events. "These hurricanes are going to kill more trees. They're going to break more trees. The factors that protected many trees in the past will no longer apply," she said. "Forests will become shorter and smaller, because they won't have time to regrow, and they will be less diverse."

When Maria hit Puerto Rico in October 2017, it came in as a Category 4, with winds up to 155 miles per hour and up to three feet of rain in places. Many trees were denuded of foliage, snapped in half or blown clear out of the ground. The strongest storm to hit the island since 1928, Maria killed or severely damaged an estimated 20 million to 40 million trees.

Uriarte, who has been monitoring tree growth and mortality across Puerto Rico for the past 15 years, returned soon after the hurricane and began documenting its effects. For the new study, she and two colleagues homed in on a 40-acre section of the El Yunque National Forest, near the capital of San Juan, that has been intensively monitored by multiple teams since 1990. This long-term monitoring allowed Uriarte and her colleagues to compare damage from Maria with that of past hurricanes, including 1989's Hurricane Hugo and 1998's Hurricane Georges--Category 3 storms, but the only things even close to Maria in recent times.

They found that Maria killed twice as many trees outright as previous storms, and broke more than three times as many trunks. Some species suffered much worse, with breakage rates up to 12 times those of previous storms. Alarmingly, these tended to be the slowest-growing, most valuable hardwoods that in the past were the most resilient to big storms: towering mahogany-like tabonucos with great crowns, prized for furniture and boat-building, and thick ausubos, whose wood is so dense it does not float in water. These and other big trees provide habitat for many birds and other creatures that smaller trees do not. About half of the trees with broken trunks will die within two to three years, said Uriarte.

However, a few species did well in all the storms, and one stood out: the common sierra palm, whose slender, flexible trunk bends with wind and quickly resprouts, grass-like, from its top if it loses foliage. Uriarte believes that the palms and a few pioneer species that can take root quickly and grow following storms may be the future of forests across the Atlantic tropics and subtropics. "This will yield lower statured and less diverse forests dominated by a few resistant species," she said.

Tropical cyclones derive their energy from ocean heat. Atlantic temperatures are already ascending, and models predict that by 2100, maximum sustained hurricane winds could increase by as much as 15 percent. Warmer air also carries more moisture, so rainfall could increase by up to 20 percent near storm centers. Both factors destroy trees; extreme winds do it directly, while rain saturates and destabilizes soil, encouraging uprooting. "The expected changes in hurricane winds and rainfall may have profound consequences for the long-term resilience of tropical forests in the North Atlantic basin," says the study.

The potential loss of many tree species could have cascading effects on forest wildlife and plants, say the researchers. This also would probably alter forests' growth dynamics, such that instead of soaking in more atmospheric carbon than they give off--which they currently do--the equation would reverse, and forests would become net emitters. This would be because the decay of felled trees would outweigh carbon taken in by any replacements. Along with palms, one species that probably would take over would be the fast-growing yagrumo, which shoots up quickly in sunny clearings created by big storms. But the yagrumo also is often the first to fall in storms, and so would just add to the problem. Thus, forests would help feed the very warming that is destroying them. Separate estimates suggest that trees killed or damaged by Hurricane Maria alone will release about 5.75 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere, or about 2.5 percent of the carbon taken up annually by all forests in the United States.

Edmund Tanner, a senior lecturer emeritus at the University of Cambridge who studies tropical trees but was not involved in the new research, said the study is important, because "it reports different, rather than just intensified, effects of strong versus weaker hurricanes." Tanner said the effects are "probably representative of huge areas of tropical lowland forest near sea coasts, some of which are likely to experience similar or worse damage in a warming world." Maria "was a Category 4 hurricane," noted Tanner. "There is a Category 5."

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The study was coauthored by two researchers who have long worked in the El Yunque forest: Jill Thompson, a plant ecologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the United Kingdom; and Jess K. Zimmerman, a professor at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. The research was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

BACKGROUND STORY/VIDEO ON THE RESEARCH: https://bit.ly/2G26igJ

SLIDESHOW OF HURRICANE DAMAGE: https://bit.ly/2QfRdgo

The paper is "Hurricane Maria Tripled Stem Breaks and Doubled Tree Mortality Relative to Other Major Storms," DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2

Scientist contact:

Maria Uriarte: mu2126@columbia.edu

More information: Kevin Krajick, Senior editor, science news, The Earth Institute

kkrajick@ei.columbia.edu 212-854-9729

The Earth Institute, Columbia University mobilizes the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainable earth. http://www.earth.columbia.edu.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- For young hellbenders, choosing the right home is more than a major life decision. Their survival can depend on it.

These aquatic salamanders, natives of streams in the Ozarks and Appalachia, spend most of their life in the shadowy crevice between the underside of a rock and a river bed, picking off crayfish and, occasionally, each other.

In the first study of young hellbenders' habitats, University of Florida ecology doctoral candidate Kirsten Hecht found that larvae tend to live under small rocks, progressively moving to larger rocks as they grow. Selecting a "just right" rock - too tiny for one's bigger neighbors - could help young hellbenders avoid getting ambushed and eaten, Hecht said.

The findings could inform and improve conservation efforts, as the salamanders are in rapid decline across their range, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation.

"The ultimate goal is to restore hellbender populations so that they're self-sustaining, but that's basically impossible until we have the right habitat in place for them to survive and reproduce," Hecht said. "We know very little about the habitats of young hellbenders. Having this information can help us start thinking about these factors as we restore streams."

Hellbenders begin life as larvae less than an inch long and grow into adults that measure up to 2.5 feet. For humans, this is roughly equivalent to an average-size baby growing to be more than 31 feet tall. The dramatic size difference between young and adult hellbenders can result in cannibalism, Hecht said.

"They'll eat almost anything they can fit in their mouths," she said.

Selecting habitats of varying sizes helps hellbenders avoid competing with one another and potentially reduces cannibalism, said Hecht, who also works in the Division of Herpetology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Her previous work showed that hellbenders also divide food resources, with larvae feeding on aquatic insects and adults eating crayfish and small fish.

While adults are often found under large boulders, little has been known about where young hellbenders shelter beyond a few anecdotal observations of larvae burrowing into gravel beds or hiding inside crevices in limestone.

Hecht and her collaborators gathered data on the homes of more than 200 hellbenders in the Little River of Tennessee, a sandstone environment where large amounts of sand make it difficult for larvae to bury into gravel.

Larvae, hellbenders about 5 inches long or smaller, lived under boulders averaging about 1.5 feet in length. Subadults, 5 to 11 inches long, tended to shelter under boulders a little over 2 feet long. Adults selected boulders with an average length of about 2.5 feet.

"It's like 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears,'" Hecht said. "They're sort of self-separating their average shelter size."

One decor preference Hecht noticed among hellbenders of all sizes? Coarse gravel flooring.

"People had previously looked at gravel and cobble but hadn't divided them into subcategories," she said. "What's neat about this is that it's not just gravel. It's this specific type of gravel. That's really important because it could relate to how much space and prey are available under the rock."

But Hecht cautioned against applying the study's findings to all streams, which can vary in geology and ecology.

"You can't necessarily take the results from this stream and assume they hold true for all streams," she said. "But you can recognize that rock and gravel size are having some type of impact. There are things we can do across the range, but the way they're implemented has to be locally determined."

Hecht said people can help protect hellbenders by leaving river rocks undisturbed; releasing hellbenders caught on fishing hooks or line; reporting hellbender sightings to a local Department of Natural Resources; and minimizing the use of pesticides and herbicides, which can affect water quality in streams.

"When you have a stream with healthy hellbenders, that means you also have good drinking water, a good trout stream - other things people tend to care about are doing well if hellbenders are doing well," she said.

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Michael Freake of Lee University, Max Nickerson of the Florida Museum and Phil Colclough of Zoo Knoxville also co-authored the study.
Boulder, Colo., USA: The largest delta plain in Earth's history formed along the northern coast of the supercontinent Pangea in the late Triassic. Its size out-scales modern counterparts by an order of magnitude, and approximates 1% of the total land area of the modern world. And although contenders are found in the rock record, no ancient counterpart exceeds the extent of the Triassic delta plain mapped in the subsurface Barents Sea either.

An important part of this study by, published in Geology, was to document and compare the size of the delta plain, but also to understand why it grew so large.

Aerially extensive 3-D seismic datasets and rock samples collected for petroleum exploration in the Barents Sea have revealed that delta plains covered the entire basin during the Triassic. Comparing the size of this delta plain to modern and -- more challenging -- ancient delta plains shows that the Triassic delta plains of the Barents Sea were the largest in Earth's history that has been preserved in the rock record. Its tremendous size accounts for nearly 1% of the land areas of the modern world, and was facilitated by a vast drainage area feeding sediments to a shallow basin were sediments accumulated.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

The largest delta plain in Earth's history

Tore Grane Klausen (tgk@petrolia.no), Bjorn Nyberg, and William Helland-Hansen. URL: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/569564/The-largest-delta-plain-in-Earths-history. Photo: From the field on Svalbard, showing an ancient channel extending into the Barents Sea. Photo courtesy Tore Grane Klausen.

GEOLOGY articles are online at http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/content/early/recent. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary articles by contacting Kea Giles at the e-mail address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOLOGY in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.

http://www.geosociety.org
Phenazines are widespread and chemically diverse bacterial natural products that can fulfil various biological functions. Like antibiotics, some derivatives kill bacteria; others are toxic to fungi and/or cancer cells. There are also derivatives that allow the bacteria to survive in an environment that is hostile to them, such as the human body. These virulence factors are often crucial for the bacteria to become pathogenic.

Biochemically, all phenazines are derived from simple basic structures, such as the phenazine-1,6-dicarboxylic acid or phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, whose biosynthesis is well understood. However, these initial structures can be drastically modified in the periphery so that a large number of phenazine derivatives are possible, several of which can indeed be found in different bacteria. The Molecular Biotechnology research group led by Professor Helge Bode has now succeeded in identifying new mechanisms that allow the bacteria to modify these simple basic structures, resulting in derivatives that act on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as on cells of higher organisms.

"Bacteria are able to determine which derivatives should be created using a central new aldehyde intermediate as well as the activation of a second biosynthetic gene cluster," explains Dr. Yi-Ming Shi, who investigated this system during a Humboldt scholarship. This means that bacteria use mechanisms for drug development similar to those used in pharmaceutical research, where new derivatives are produced using the same basic structures. Most likely the bacteria use the phenazines to kill other bacteria and fungi that are food competitors in their particular ecosystem. Using a strategy of creating many different kinds of derivatives, the bacteria are well equipped to counteract unknown competitors, as the cocktail of derivatives exhibits a wide range of biological activity.

"It would now be fascinating to find out how bacteria actually recognise which derivatives are required at a given time," states Helge Bode. "Either they produce only those derivatives that are actually required, or the bacteria keep an arsenal of derivatives so that they are prepared for any situation."

The group will therefore continue their research in this area. First results on the underlying regulation mechanisms that could also be used for biotechnical applications appear promising.

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Publication: Yi-Ming Shi, Alexander O. Brachmann, Margaretha Westphalen, Nick Neubacher, Nicholas J. Tobias, Helge B. Bode, Dual phenazine gene clusters enable diversification during biosynthesis. Nature Chemical Biology, 2019, 10.1038/s41589-019-0246-1.

A picture may be downloaded at: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/76883939

Caption: Examples of the phenazine cocktail produced by Xenorhabdus szentirmaii bacteria. Phenazines are not only bioactive, but also exhibit the colours depicted here. Credit: Dr. Yi-Ming Shi

Further information: Professor Helge B. Bode, Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty 15, Riedberg Campus, Tel.: +49 69 798-29557, h.bode@bio.uni-frankfurt.de.

Current news about science, teaching, and society can be found on GOETHE-UNI online (http://www.aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de)

Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre Frankfurt am Main. The university was founded in 1914 through private funding, primarily from Jewish sponsors, and has since produced pioneering achievements in the areas of social sciences, sociology and economics, medicine, quantum physics, brain research, and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a "foundation university". Today, it is one of the three largest universities in Germany. Together with the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Mainz, it is a partner in the inter-state strategic Rhine-Main University Alliance. Internet: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de

Publisher: The President of Goethe University Editor: Dr. Anne Hardy, Science Editor, PR & Communication Department, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Tel: -49 (0) 69 798-13035, Fax: +49 (0) 69 798-763 12531, hardy@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de.
Giant planets like Uranus and Neptune may contain much less free hydrogen than previously assumed. Researchers from the German Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) drove shock waves through two different types of plastic to reach the same temperatures and pressures present inside such planets, and observed the behavior using ultra-strong X-ray laser pulses. Unexpectedly, one of these plastics kept its crystalline structure even at the most extreme pressures reached. Since the icy giant interiors are made up of the same components as the plastic, planetary models may need to be partially reconsidered, as reported in the journal Scientific Reports (doi: 10.1038/s41598-019040782-5).

Carbon and hydrogen are among the most abundant elements in the universe, and are a major constituent of icy giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune. In the outer atmosphere, these atoms are found in the form of methane gas, but deeper inside the high pressure can lead to more complex hydrocarbon structures. Predicting the phases and structures that material takes at these conditions is one of the big questions of planetary research.

In order to better understand the structure of the ice giants, an international team led by the two HZDR researchers Dr. Nicholas Hartley and Dr. Dominik Kraus investigated two types of plastic in a laboratory experiment: polystyrene and polyethylene. These materials are similar in chemistry to the hydrocarbon inside the planets. At the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in the US, the scientists exposed the samples to conditions predicted to be present around ten thousand kilometers below the surface of Neptune and Uranus. At this depth, the pressure is almost as high as in the core of the earth and two million times higher than the atmospheric pressure on the earth's surface.

Reaching extremely high pressures

At such high pressures and temperatures, the only possible structure that the researchers expected was diamond, or that the samples would be melted. Instead, they observed stable hydrocarbon structures up to the highest pressures reached, but only for the polyethylene samples. "We were very surprised by this result," says Hartley. "We did not expect the different initial state to make such a big difference at such extreme conditions. It's only recently, with the development of brighter X-ray sources, that we're able to study these materials. We were the first to think that it might be possible - and it was."

Since the extreme conditions inside the ice giants on Earth can only be reached for a brief moment, the researchers need lightning-fast measurement methods. There are only a handful of ultrafast X-ray laser facilities worldwide, and time for measurements is rare and highly demanded. Kraus and Hartley were awarded a total of three twelve hour shifts for their experiments, and so had to use every minute to carry out as many measurement runs as possible. The actual moment where they shock the sample and probe with the X-ray laser takes only a few billionths of a second.

An unexpected structure appears

Even during the experiments, the researchers were able to recognize initial results: "We were very excited because, as hoped, polystyrene formed diamond-like structures of carbon. For polyethylene, however, we saw no diamonds for the conditions reached in this experiment. Instead, there was a new structure that we could not explain at first", Hartley recalls. By comparing the data with previous results at lower pressures, they identified it as a stable structure of polyethylene, which had been seen at five times lower pressure, and only at ambient temperatures.

The discovery of the research team demonstrates how important it is to better characterize the temperature and pressure conditions inside the ice giants, and the chemistry that these lead to, in order to understand their structure and physical properties. Models of Uranus and Neptune assume that the unusual magnetic fields of these planets may originate from free hydrogen, which these results could imply is less common than expected. In the future, the researchers want to use mixtures including oxygen, in order for their experiments to better match the chemistry inside the planets.

The researchers from HZDR were joined by scientists from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the Osaka University, the TU Dresden, the TU Darmstadt, the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of California in Berkeley, the University of Warwick, the European XFEL, LULI at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and the University Rostock.

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Publication:

N.J. Hartley, S. Brown, T.E. Cowan, E. Cunningham, T. Doppner, R.W. Falcone, L.B. Fletcher, S. Frydrych, E. Galtier, E.J. Gamboa, A. Laso Garcia, D.O. Gericke, S.H. Glenzer, E. Granados, P.A. Heimann, H.J. Lee, M.J. MacDonald, A.J. MacKinnon, E.E. McBride, I. Nam, P. Neumayer, A. Pak, A. Pelka, I. Prencipe, A. Ravasio, M. Rodel, K. Rohatsch, A.M. Saunders, M. Scholmerich, M. Schorner, A.K. Schuster, P. Sun, T. van Driel, J. Vorberger, D. Kraus: Evidence for crystalline structure in dynamically compressed polyethylene up to 200 GPa, in Scientific Reports, 2019 (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40782-5)

More information:

Dr. Nicholas Hartley

Institute of Radiation Physics at HZDR

Phone: +49 351 260-3634 | Email: n.hartley@hzdr.de

Media contact:

Simon Schmitt | Science editor

Phone: +49 351 260-3400 | Mobile: +49 175 874 2865 | Mail: s.schmitt@hzdr.de

Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf | Bautzner Landstr. 400 | 01328 Dresden / Germany | http://www.hzdr.de

The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) performs - as an independent German research center - research in the fields of energy, health, and matter. We focus on answering the following questions:

* How can energy and resources be utilized in an efficient, safe, and sustainable way?

* How can malignant tumors be more precisely visualized, characterized, and more effectively treated?

* How do matter and materials behave under the influence of strong fields and in smallest dimensions?

To help answer these research questions, HZDR operates large-scale facilities, which are also used by visiting researchers: the Ion Beam Center, the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory Dresden, and the ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources.

HZDR is a member of the Helmholtz Association and has five sites (Dresden, Freiberg, Grenoble, Leipzig, Schenefeld near Hamburg) with almost 1,200 members of staff, of whom about 500 are scientists, including 150 Ph.D. candidates.
Tokyo, Japan - A team at The University of Tokyo described in unprecedented detail the rare phenomenon called "liquid-to-liquid phase transitions" in a pure substance. By showing how a liquid made of just one type of molecule can switch between liquid and glassy states, this research may lead to a novel way to control the transport properties of a liquid.

Phase transitions are a familiar part of daily life. Whenever you see ice melting (solid to liquid), or steam coming from a teakettle (liquid to gas), you've just experienced a phase transition. However, the study of how one arrangement of molecules changes into another reveals complex details about the strength of their interactions. In conventional phase transitions, as with an iron bar melting into molten metal, added heat causes the atoms to vibrate so violently that they break free of their solid lattice arrangement and assume a liquid form. The team at The University of Tokyo studied a much rarer type of phase transition: from one liquid state to another. In this research, they found that, even without changing temperature, relatively free-flowing triphenyl phosphite could gradually vitrify into a glassy state, in which the molecules remain disordered but are much less mobile. The different phases were identifiable experimentally based on how quickly the molecules could relax after being perturbed.

"Contrary to intuition, there has been a growing body of experimental and theoretical evidence that even a single-component substance may have multiple liquid states," says lead author Hajime Tanaka. They found that the phase transition can occur in two very different ways. The first is called "nucleation and growth," a slow process that requires the emergence of one phase in the other overcoming a barrier to get started. The other type is spinodal decomposition, in which the transition can smoothly proceed without any barrier. The researchers also discovered a critical temperature, above which only nucleated growth could occur, but below this temperature, spinodal decomposition was possible.

"From the viewpoint of practicality, triphenyl phosphite may be one of the best systems for studying liquid-to-liquid transitions, since the transformation takes place at ambient pressure and moderate temperatures," says first author Ken-ichiro Murata. "Phase transitions, particularly those that involve a change from a liquid to a glassy state, are often used in the manufacturing of polymers. This research may greatly enhance our ability to optimize and control these processes."

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The article, "Link between molecular mobility and order parameter during liquid-liquid transition of a molecular liquid," was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences at: DOI:10.1073/pnas.1822016116.

About Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo

Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo is one of the largest university-attached research institutes in Japan.

More than 120 research laboratories, each headed by a faculty member, comprise IIS, with more than 1,000 members including approximately 300 staff and 700 students actively engaged in education and research. Our activities cover almost all the areas of engineering disciplines. Since its foundation in 1949, IIS has worked to bridge the huge gaps that exist between academic disciplines and real-world applications.
Scientists are constantly discovering new species.

A research team consisting of scientists from Kyoto University, Tokyo University of Science, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, and Tokyo Institute of Technology, report in the Journal of Virology the Medusavirus, a unique giant virus that gives pause to current theory on viral evolution.

The name Medusavirus was given for the effect this virus has on its host, Acanthamoeba castellanii. Once infected, the amoeba forms cysts, a phenomenon called encystment. This is a typical response to environments hostile to survival, and leaves the amoeba with a hard, protective covering. Perhaps it was not a coincidence then that Medusavirus was found in the hot springs in northern Japan, the first giant virus to have been isolated from a heated environment.

Along with the location of its discovery, Medusavirus holds a number of distinguishing features compared with other giant viruses. Its DNA codes for all five types of histones, the key proteins that help compact DNA within the nucleus. In fact, no other known virus has all five types. Further, Medusavirus encoded neither RNA polymerase nor DNA topoimerase II, whereas all other giant viruses encode at least one.

These features could explain why the replication of Medusavirus DNA begins and completes in the host nucleus to eventually fill the amoeba nucleus with viral DNA, which again is unlike other giant viruses.

Moreover, the morphology of the capsid surface was unique, in that it was covered with an extraordinary number of spherical-headed spikes. In addition, the amoeba genome encoded several capsid surface proteins.

The existence of histone genes in Medusavirus and capsid protein genes in amoeba suggest lateral gene transfer going both directions -- host-to-virus and virus-to-host.

Overall, the findings suggest that Medusavirus offers a new model for host-virus co-evolution and that the Medusavirus is a new family of large DNA viruses.

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The paper "Medusavirus, a novel large DNA virus discovered from hot spring water" appeared on 6 Feburary 2019 in Journal of Virology, with doi: 10.1128/JVI.02130-18

About Kyoto University

Kyoto University is one of Japan and Asia's premier research institutions, founded in 1897 and responsible for producing numerous Nobel laureates and winners of other prestigious international prizes. A broad curriculum across the arts and sciences at both undergraduate and graduate levels is complemented by numerous research centers, as well as facilities and offices around Japan and the world. For more information please see: http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en

Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech)

Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields ranging from materials science to biology, computer science, and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students per year, who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers in industry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of "monotsukuri," meaning "technical ingenuity and innovation," the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society through high-impact research. http://www.titech.ac.jp/english/

The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI)

Launched in 2012, ELSI is one of Japan's ambitious World Premiere International research centers, whose aim is to achieve progress in broadly inter-disciplinary scientific areas by inspiring the world's greatest minds to come to Japan and collaborate on the most challenging scientific problems. ELSI's primary aim is to address the origin and co-evolution of the Earth and life.

About WPI

The World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI) was launched in 2007 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to help build globally visible research centers in Japan. These institutes promote high research standards and outstanding research environments that attract frontline researchers from around the world. These centers are highly autonomous, allowing them to revolutionize conventional modes of research operation and administration in Japan.
By generating 3D images of bumblebees' compound eyes, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered how bumblebees differ in their vision. The results could contribute to increased knowledge about the pollination process - once researchers are able to determine which flowers different bees see easily, and which ones they find it harder to distinguish.

Researchers have previously known that large bees see better than smaller individuals, but it has been unclear why.

"We have investigated the compound eyes of buff-tailed bumblebees of various sizes. What field of view do they have and with what resolution do they see? Now we know how large flowers need to be for individuals of various sizes to spot them. We have found out why large bumblebees see small objects better", says Pierre Tichit, doctoral student at the Department of Biology at Lund University.

Together with Emily Baird, Gavin Taylor and colleagues from Germany and the UK, Pierre Tichit has developed a new method. Using computer-assisted tomography and very high-resolution imaging, the researchers succeeded in generating three-dimensional images of the bumblebees' compound eyes, showing how and what they see in various parts of their field of view.

The results show that large individuals see better than small ones in certain parts of their field of vision - more specifically, in front of them and slightly above them. This could make it easier for large bees to discover flowers at a distance as well as to find small flowers. It also becomes easier for them to see hanging flowers and blooms they need to access from below.

"Our results help us understand why pollination is adversely affected if plants with larger flowers disappear in an area dominated by smaller bees. It becomes possible to do something about it", says Emily Baird.

The next step is to use the method to compare vision in different species of bee.

"Bees are found all over the world, from the rainforest to the tundra. With our technology, we hope to be able to understand how their vision is adapted to the various environments they inhabit", concludes Pierre Tichit.

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Expert in complex engineering networks recognized by Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics for fundamental contributions to spatially distributed systems theory

Nader Motee, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics at Lehigh University's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, has been selected to receive a 2019 Best SICON Paper Prize, presented by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Activity Group on Control and Systems Theory (SIAG/CST).

The award recognizes "Sparsity and Spatial Localization Measures for Spatially Distributed Systems" as one of the two most outstanding papers published in the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization (SICON) in the three calendar years preceding the award year. Motee's work with co-author Qiyu Sun, a professor in the department of mathematics at the University of Central Florida, was published in 2017.

The prize committee cited the researchers for making "a fundamental contribution to spatially distributed systems theory, showing in particular that quadratically optimal state feedback controllers for spatially decaying systems are sparse and spatially localized."

"Our work is motivated by applications of an important family of spatially distributed systems where coupling between every two subsystems decays as a function of their (spatial) distance; for example, a team of robots communicating with each other in a spatial domain," says Motee. "Our results suggest that estimation and control design problems for this class of systems can be implemented in a localized and distributed fashion."

The research is based on work Motee conducted as an Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program awardee in 2013.

As the director of Lehigh's Distributed Control and Dynamical Systems Laboratory, Motee has attracted significant national attention for his work in developing data-driven algorithms to assess global performance, risk, and fragility features of various real-world networks, such as unmanned autonomous vehicles, distributed power grids, and socio-technical networks.

"The continued recognition of Professor Motee's work comes as no surprise," says John Coulter, professor and senior associate dean for research and operations at the Rossin College. "Since joining our faculty in 2011, he's continually pursued avenues of research--theoretical and experimental--that identify him as an innovator in the design, control, and optimization of distributed control and dynamical systems."

In 2015, Motee earned a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award. The following year, he was recognized with Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) for work proposing the development of a novel unified theory based on a general theory of systemic measures to increase understanding of performance and risk in large networks of autonomous systems.

Motee received his master's and doctoral degrees in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his undergraduate studies at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran.

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The SIAG/CST Best SICON Paper Prize will be presented at the 2019 SIAM Conference on Control and its Applications to be held June 19 to 21, 2019, in Chengdu, China, where Motee will deliver a prize plenary talk on this research.

Related Links:
The Belle II detector got off to a successful start in Japan. Since March 25, 2019, the instrument has been measuring the first particle collisions, which are generated in the modernized SuperKEKB accelerator. The new duo produces more than 50 times the number of collisions compared to its predecessor. The huge increase in evaluable data means that there is not a greater chance of finding out why there is an imbalance between matter and anti-matter in the Universe.

In the Belle II experiment, electrons and their anti-particles, the positrons, are brought to collision. This results in the generation of B mesons, couples consisting of a quark and an anti-quark. During earlier experiments (Belle and BaBar), scientists were able to observe that B mesons and anti-B mesons decay at different speeds (1).

This phenomenon is known as CP violation (2). It offers an orientation when it comes to the question of why the Universe contains almost no anti-matter - even though after the Big Bang, both forms of matter must have been present in equal quantities.

Will Belle II discover new physics?

"However, the asymmetry observed to date is too small to explain the lack of anti-matter," says Hans-Gunther Moser from the Max Planck Institute for Physics. "That's why we're looking for a more powerful mechanism that has remained unknown to date that would burst the boundaries of the 'standard model of particle physics' that has been used to date. However, to find this new physics and to provide statistical evidence for it, physicists must collect and evaluate far more data than they have done to date."

With this task in mind, the former KEK accelerator and Belle - which were operational from 1999 to 2010 - have been fully modernized. They are now being run under the names Belle II and SuperKEKB. The key new development is the 40-fold increase in luminosity, the number of particle collisions per area unit.

For this purpose, scientists and technicians have significantly reduced the profile of the particle beam; at the same time, it will be possible to double the number of shot particle bunches in the future. The probability that the particles might actually hit each other is thus considerably increased. In this way, scientists will have 50 times the amount of data available for evaluation in the future.

High-precision recording of particle tracks

However, the additional amount of data presents major challenges when it comes to the quality of the analysis provided by the detector. After the particle collision, the B mesons decay by just 0.1 millimeters on an average flight. This means that the detectors have to work very quickly and precisely. This is ensured by a highly sensitive pixel vertex detector, a large part of which was developed and built at the Max Planck Institute for Physics and the semiconductor laboratory of the Max Planck Society. The detector has 8 million pixels overall, and delivers 50,000 images per second.

"Several special technologies are built into the pixel vertex detector," Moser explains. "When new particle packages are fed into the SuperKEKB, which initially generates a very large background, we can blind the detector for about 1 microsecond. This means that non-relevant signals can be blocked out." Also, the detector sensors are no thicker than a human hair, with widths of just 75 micrometers. The physicists hope that in this way, they can prevent particles from being scattered while passing through matter.

The start of the measurement operation will mark the end of a major construction project. For nine years, scientists and engineers have been working on the conversion and modernization of the detector. The run that has now begun will continue until 1st July 2019. The SuperKEKB and Belle II will restart in October 2019 after a brief pause for maintenance.

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(1) In 2008, the Japanese professors Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa won the Nobel Prize for Physics for this discovery.

(2) Charge/Parity

(3) The pixel vertex detector was developed and built by 11 research institutions: Excellence Cluster Universe, DESY, Semiconductor Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Max-Planck Institute for Physics, Technical University of Munich, University of Bonn, Giessen University, University of Goettingen, Heidelberg University.

Charge/Parity

The pixel vertex detector was developed and built by 11 research institutions: Excellence Cluster Universe, DESY, Semiconductor Laboratory of the Max Planck Society, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Max-Planck Institute for Physics, Technical University of Munich, University of Bonn, Giessen University, University of Goettingen, Heidelberg University.

Contact:

Dr. Hans-Guenther Moser

Max Planck Institute for Physics

+49 89 32354-248

moser@mpp.mpg.de
Thierry Pecot, Ph.D., a researcher at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, received a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support his current research project about deep learning tools for imaging.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced $17 million in funding and its selection of 17 CZI Imaging Scientists -- engineers, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and biologists with expertise in technology development.

One of the recipients, Thierry Pecot, Ph.D., a researcher at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, says the $1.1 million, five-year grant will support his current research project to enable biologists to apply deep learning tools to their images.

"This is not possible for now as it requires skills most biologists do not have," says Pecot, who will be providing deep learning segmentation to researchers as part of Hollings Cancer Center's Translational Science Laboratory. He'll work closely with biologists to identify their needs to customize the development of a deep learning suite for segmentation at a large scale. This suite will then be extended to design software that biologists can run by themselves.

"I believe that biologists should be able to analyze their images as they are the subject experts. Bringing the best analysis tools to biologists, particularly deep learning tools, is a major challenge" Pecot says. "Like any other analysis application, once it has been developed to answer a biological question, it is important to design software with a simple interface that does not require expertise in applied mathematics so that biologists can take advantage of it."

Technology in the imaging field has evolved very rapidly, he says. In the last decade, three Nobel prizes in chemistry have been attributed to advances in imaging. Technical advances in imaging dramatically increased the resolution of light microscopy and electron microscopy, yet many of these new microscopes have not been commercialized, and software for analyzing these new kinds of data lags behind the advances made in hardware. Improved technological tools and increased interaction between technology experts and biologists will allow biomedical science to push forward even more quickly to cure disease.

"Since its appearance in 2012, deep learning has changed the conversation about artificial intelligence for image-based decision making. The application of deep learning to biological images is very promising and the range of applications is vast."

Pecot, who will be teaching a bimonthly tutorial about free software used to process biomedical images, is an engineer and applied mathematician, with expertise in bioimage informatics.

He has developed algorithms and analysis pipelines in the Icy suite of microscopy software, which is an open community platform for bioimage informatics for a variety of biological applications. Since he joined Hollings Cancer Center in 2016, he has been developing a deep learning framework for segmenting cell nuclei in microscopic images, which is used, among other applications, in a pipeline designed to profile tumor immune status.

Pecot wants to harness the power of discovery that imaging offers.

"Good health affects everyone. The amount of information contained in biological images is enormous," he says. "So far, we have only been using a very small portion of useful data that we can extract from images. It is consequently not a surprise to see that more and more studies coupling images and machine learning are used to answer clinical questions: patient screening, cancerous tissue detection and diagnosis."

Pecot is thrilled to have been selected as a CZI Imaging scientist and applauds the group's mission. CZI supports imaging scientists at centers across the nation, who are working at the interface among biology, microscopy hardware and imaging software to accelerate progress in the imaging field and enable biologists to leverage modern technology for microscopy data. This post explains more about the Imaging Scientists and their work.

CZI co-founder Priscilla Chan says microscopy is a critical tool that allows researchers to actually see biology and life happen instead of just inferring from disparate data points.

"Our hope is that microscopy will help scientists identify the causes and effects of diseases. We need to keep advancing these tools to make big breakthroughs in understanding disease," she says. "One of the ways we're helping to accelerate scientific progress is by creating connections that otherwise wouldn't have existed. It's our hope that by bringing together biologists, clinicians, and engineers, we can drive important advances in the field."

The recipients represent 17 imaging centers across the United States, including five medical imaging centers. Selected Imaging Scientists bring interdisciplinary expertise from fields such as engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology.

CZI Head of Science Cori Bargmann says to move the imaging field forward, scientists need better tools to view living systems and analyze the large amounts of data that result.

"That's why we're thrilled to support these expert Imaging Scientists. They innovate to develop new technologies, collaborate to bring those methods to a wide audience, and educate other scientists in new methods and best practices."

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Data from a landmark study of the world's longest migrating seabird reveals how overland migration is an integral part of their amazing journey.

Analysing the data from electronic tags retrieved from 47 Arctic Terns, the Newcastle University-led team has been able to characterise in unprecedented detail the route and stop-off points during this record-breaking bird's 90,000 km annual migration.

This includes:

An 8,000km, 24-day, non-stop flight over the Indian Ocean, feeding on the move

An overland detour from the Farne Irelands to the Irish Sea and over Ireland to the Atlantic

A short stay on the New Zealand coast before completing the final leg of their journey

A stop-off at Llangorse Lake, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, during their return journey in the Spring

Led by scientists at Newcastle University, UK, in collaboration with BBC's Springwatch and The National Trust, 53 adult birds nesting on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast were fitted with geolocators over a three year period.

Weighing just over 100 g the Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any bird, travelling all the way to Antarctica for the winter and back to the Farnes, which are owned and managed by the National Trust, to breed in the spring.

So far, 47 tags have been retrieved and the research team, led by Dr Chris Redfern of Newcastle University, are starting to analyse the data.

"Technology is revealing details of the movement and behaviour of these amazing birds in unprecedented detail," says Dr Redfern, whose initial findings in collaboration with Dr Richard Bevan are published today in the academic journal Ibis.

"Arctic Terns feed on surface fish and other marine animals so it has always been assumed they would migrate via a coastal route, down the North Sea and through the English Channel.

"But instead our data has shown their regular route is to travel overland across the UK to the Irish Sea and some are going even further crossing Ireland to the North Atlantic."

After that, it's a long hard trek south, down the coast of West Africa and then out across the Indian Ocean.

"Our data suggests their flight over the Indian Ocean is an 8,000 km long haul without a break, probably feeding on the move," says Dr Redfern. "For a bird that weighs less than an iPhone, that's an amazing feat.

"Many of the terns have gone even further, ending up around New Zealand before turning south towards the East Antarctic, finally arriving four months after leaving Northumberland.

"The scale of their migratory journey across featureless oceans is breath-taking! In that context, the UK land mass between the Irish Sea and the Farne Islands must be no obstacle at all to an Arctic Tern and the quickest route to their breeding colony."

The data also highlights key stop-off points off the coast of Lancashire and Wales in April and May as the Terns make their way back to the Farne Islands to breed. Dr Redfern, who carried out the study with Dr Richard Bevan and the Natural History Society of Northumbria, said the detailed picture of Arctic Tern migration patterns would help with future

conservation efforts.

"Understanding their behaviour in detail means we can start to build a picture of which areas are important feeding and breeding grounds."

Longest flight ever recorded

More than two thousand pairs of Arctic Terns breed on the Farne Islands. Sitting two miles off the coast of Northumberland, the islands are home to 87,000 pairs of seabird, including Puffin, Eider Duck and Shag. The National Trust has cared for the Farne Islands since 1925.

Previous studies have shown these birds are likely to return each year to the same few square metres of ground, making it an ideal environment to carry out year-to-year tracking studies with geolocators.

Earlier data from the study, featured on BBC Springwatch in 2016, showed that one bird had flown an estimated 96,000km (almost 60,000 miles) from its breeding grounds on the Farne Islands to its winter quarters in Antarctica.

The bird started its migration on 25/7/2015 reaching the tip of South Africa by 25/8/2015

It then moved into the Indian Ocean where it spent nearly all of October (7/10/2015-31/10/2015; 1st staging area - 35.4 S, 71.9 E)

After this it moved to its second staging area (60.6 S, 70.1 E) on the coast of Antarctica (3/11/2015 - 15/11/2015)

It then slowly made its way along the edge of the Antarctic continent until eventually ending up in the Weddell Sea (3/2/2016) where it stayed until 23/3/2016 (3rd staging area - 69.6 S, 25.3 W)

Finally, it moved up to the tip of South Africa (4/4/2016) and made its way along the west coast of Africa and arrived in the Farne Islands' area 4/5/2015

Over its lifetime the record-breaking tern could be flying as far as 3 million km between the Farne Islands and Antarctica, the equivalent of nearly four trips to the moon and back.

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Professor Sandra Myrna Diaz from Argentina has been awarded the Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science, an international research prize jointly awarded by the Royal Norwegian Society of Science and Letters (DKNVS) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

The award recognizes her biodiversity research, encompassing the diversity of all living organisms. The award winner receives NOK 1 million and a medal and diploma. The prize will be awarded during NTNU's The Big Challenge science and music festival in Trondheim on June 17.

"This is a wonderful surprise indeed. I feel deeply honoured," says Professor Diaz. Diaz is a well-known figure in the academic community and was a member of the UN's

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Diaz has also received numerous other awards.

"Sandra Diaz is a world-leading scientist in developing new interdisciplinary approaches that have helped us understand in a much deeper sense how humans not only benefit from nature, but also how human impacts shape the ecology and evolution of the living world," says Professor Thomas Elmqvist at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and member of the Scientific Committee for the Gunnerus Award.

"Understanding and managing these processes are the core of sustainable development and Professor Diaz's outstanding scientific contributions to deepen our understanding of sustainability are, and will continue to be, of profound importance."

Diaz is one of the most influential researchers in the development of theories and an understanding of biodiversity and the role it plays in sustainable development, perhaps especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. Diaz is among the one per cent most cited researchers in her area of study.

Among her various professional roles, she is a professor at the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina and a senior researcher at the Argentine Research Council CONICET.

Diaz specializes in biodiversity, ecosystem ecology and the role of plants, including how they are related to global environmental changes. In particular, she has provided key knowledge of plant ecology and biological diversity and how these are linked to land use and global change, for example.

Among her findings is that the particular combination of different organisms in an ecosystem, and the role they play, can tell us more about the ecosystem's functioning and benefits than just the number of species can.

Professor Diaz has recently contributed significantly to furthering an interdisciplinary approach to biodiversity, including collaboration with social scientists. Collaborative efforts with ecologists include building an international database of tens of thousands of plant species.

Diaz has led many research projects throughout the world. She founded and directs the research network Nucleus DiverSus for Research on Diversity and Sustainability, which carries out leading interdisciplinary research at the international level on sustainable development, ecosystems and biodiversity related to various socially relevant issues.

Earlier this year, the journal Nature ranked Diaz as one of five researchers to watch. She co-leads the Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and has made important contributions to the design of the platform. IPBES consists of hundreds of researchers from all over the world. Their task is to provide objective advice on biodiversity and ecosystems to politicians and other decision-makers.

It is difficult to overestimate her international role, and she stood out early as a clear contender to receive the 2019 Gunnerus Award.

According to Ida Bull, DKNVS president, a prize for sustainability research aligns well with the science society's traditions, where research on nature has been a key focus from the 18th century on.

"In our time, this research is more vital than ever. This year's prize winner has contributed significant knowledge of plant ecology and how plants' development interacts with global environmental change. Her research is promoting essential collaboration between ecologists and social scientists," she says.

NTNU's Rector Gunnar Bovim says the university contributes to the Gunnerus Award in Sustainability Science because sustainability is one of the greatest challenges of our time. "The prize winner has made important contributions to securing the future of our planet for generations to come. In this, we stand shoulder to shoulder with the young people who are so heavily involved in environmental issues in our time."

The jury's decision was unanimous, but one of the jury members abstained in the final round for reasons of impartiality.

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Physicists in the United States, Austria and Brazil have shown that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) can cause them to either divide into uniform segments or shatter into unpredictable splinters, depending on the frequency of the shaking.

"It's remarkable that the same quantum system can give rise to such different phenomena," said Rice University physicist Randy Hulet, co-author of a study about the work published online today in the journal Physical Review X. Hulet's lab conducted the study's experiments using lithium BECs, tiny clouds of ultracold atoms that march in lockstep as if they are a single entity, or matter wave. "The relationship between these states can teach us a great deal about complex quantum many-body phenomena."

The research was conducted in collaboration with physicists at Austria's Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and Brazil's University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos.

The experiments harken to Michael Faraday's 1831 discovery that patterns of ripples were created on the surface of a fluid in a bucket that was shaken vertically at certain critical frequencies. The patterns, known as Faraday waves, are similar to resonant modes created on drumheads and vibrating plates.

To investigate Faraday waves, the team confined BECs to a linear one-dimensional waveguide, resulting in a cigar-shaped BEC. The researchers then shook the BECs using a weak, slowly oscillating magnetic field to modulate the strength of interactions between atoms in the 1D waveguide. The Faraday pattern emerged when the frequency of modulation was tuned near a collective mode resonance.

But the team also noticed something unexpected: When the modulation was strong and the frequency was far below a Faraday resonance, the BEC broke into "grains" of varying size. Rice research scientist Jason Nguyen, lead co-author of the study, found the grain sizes were broadly distributed and persisted for times even longer than the modulation time.

"Granulation is usually a random process that is observed in solids such as breaking glass, or the pulverizing of a stone into grains of different sizes," said study co-author Axel Lode, who holds joint appointments at both TU Wien and the Wolfgang Pauli Institute at the University of Vienna.

Images of the quantum state of the BEC were identical in each Faraday wave experiment. But in the granulation experiments the pictures looked completely different each time, even though the experiments were performed under identical conditions.

Lode said the variation in the granulation experiments arose from quantum correlations -- complicated relationships between quantum particles that are difficult to describe mathematically.

"A theoretical description of the observations proved challenging because standard approaches were unable to reproduce the observations, particularly the broad distribution of grain sizes," Lode said. His team helped interpret the experimental results using a sophisticated theoretical method, and its implementation in software, which accounted for quantum fluctuations and correlations that typical theories do not address.

Hulet, Rice's Fayez Sarofim Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and a member of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM), said the results have important implications for investigations of turbulence in quantum fluids, an unsolved problem in physics.

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Additional co-authors include De Luo of Rice and Mario Tsatsos, Gustavo Telles and Vanderlei Bagnato, all of the University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos. The research was supported by the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation, the Austrian Science Foundation, the Vienna Science Research and Technology Fund and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation.

RCQM leverages global partnerships and the strengths of more than 20 Rice research groups to address questions related to quantum materials. RCQM is supported by Rice's offices of the Provost and the Vice Provost for Research, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences, the Brown School of Engineering, the Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology and the departments of Physics and Astronomy, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Materials Science and NanoEngineering.

Links:

atomcool.rice.edu

ultracold.org

rcqm.rice.edu

physics.rice.edu

naturalsciences.rice.edu

The DOI of the Physical Review X paper is: 10.1103/PhysRevx.9.011052

A copy of the paper is available at: https://journals.aps.org/prx/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevX.9.011052

High-resolution IMAGES are available for download at:

https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/03/0311_SHATTER-rhjndl18-lg-2kyqp0h.jpg

CAPTION: Rice University physicists (from left) Randy Hulet, Jason Nguyen and De Luo and colleagues in Austria and Brazil found that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates could cause them to either divide into uniform segments or shatter into unpredictable splinters, depending on the frequency of the shaking. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/03/0311_SHATTER-jn24-lb-1qbdb8c.jpg

CAPTION: Rice University research scientist Jason Nguyen found that Bose-Einstein condensates sometimes shattered like a glass or pulverized rock, producing different sizes and distributions of grains each time the experiment was conducted. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)

https://news.rice.edu/files/2019/03/0311_SHATTER-ScB3j-lg-1b3du57.jpg

CAPTION: Rice University physicists and colleagues in Austria and Brazil have shown that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates (top) can cause them to either divide into the uniform segments characteristic of Faraday waves (center) or shatter into unpredictable splinters (bottom). The frequency and amplitude of the shaking determines the outcome. (Image courtesy of Gustavo Telles/University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos and Jason Nguyen/Rice University)

Related research from Rice:

Ultracold atoms used to verify 1963 prediction about 1D electrons -- Sept. 4, 2018

http://news.rice.edu/2018/09/04/ultracold-atoms-used-to-verify-1963-prediction-about-1d-electrons/

Ultracold atom waves may shed light on rogue ocean killers -- April 28, 2017

http://news.rice.edu/2017/04/28/ultracold-atom-waves-may-shed-light-on-rogue-ocean-killers/

Simulating superconducting materials with ultracold atoms -- Feb. 23, 2015

http://news.rice.edu/2015/02/23/simulating-superconducting-materials-with-ultracold-atoms/

Ultracold disappearing act -- Nov. 2, 2014

http://news.rice.edu/2014/11/02/ultracold-disappearing-act/

One-dimensional window on superconductivity, magnetism -- Sept. 29, 2010

http://news.rice.edu/2010/09/29/one-dimensional-window-on-superconductivity-magnetism-2/

Rice physicists find reappearing quantum trios -- Dec. 11, 2009

http://news.rice.edu/2009/12/11/rice-physicists-find-reappearing-quantum-trios-2/

Rice awarded $5M for light-based crystal simulator -- Sept. 23, 2009

http://news.rice.edu/2009/09/23/rice-awarded-5m-for-light-based-crystal-simulator/

Ultracold test produces long-sought quantum mix -- Dec. 22, 2005

http://news.rice.edu/2005/12/22/ultracold-test-produces-long-sought-quantum-mix/

Rice physicists observe new 'atom wave' phenomena -- May 1, 2002

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-05/ru-rpo043002.php

This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations on Twitter @RiceUNews.

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 2 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Anticipatory Waivers of Consent for Pediatric Biobanking

Jane A. Hartsock, Peter H. Schwartz, Amy C. Waltz, and Mary A. Ott

Almost half of the approximately 900 biobanks operating in the United States contain biospecimens, like blood or DNA, collected from minors with the permission of their parents or legal guardians. But federal regulations provide insufficient guidance on how researchers can use samples from pediatric donors once they turn 18, and tracking them down to ask for consent can be impracticable, time-consuming, and prohibitively expensive. The authors propose that, for studies that don't involve greater risks than those found in daily life and meet other conditions, researchers could request a waiver that exempts them from having to obtain consent from participants at 18 if several conditions are met, including if those donors were over age 12 when they donated their biospecimen. These anticipatory waivers would be in line with evidence that many adolescents are developmentally capable of providing meaningful consent well before they reach legal adulthood. Hartsock, Schwartz, and Ott are at the Indiana University Center for Bioethics at the Indiana University School of Medicine; Waltz is at the Indiana University Human Subjects Office.

Case Study: U.S. Public Health Service STD Experiments in Guatemala (1946-1948) and Their Aftermath

Katye Spector-Bagdady and Paul A. Lombardo

More than 70 years after U.S. Public Health Service researchers conducted unethical experiments in Guatemala--intentionally exposing thousands of people to sexually transmitted diseases without informed consent and often with active deceit--no reparations have been given to still-living subjects or their relatives. This piece presents a case study of the experiments and the inadequate response to them by the entities that were directly involved. "While major regulatory systems were already in place by the time the experiments became publicly known, this case study demonstrates how far we still have to go to ensure that research subjects are protected throughout the lifecycle of research and in its aftermath," the authors write. Spector-Bagdady is the chief of the Research Ethics Service in the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School; Lombardo is a Regent's professor and the Bobby Lee Cook professor of law in the Center for Law, Health and Society at Georgia State University College of Law.

Also in this issue:

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For more information, contact:

Susan Gilbert

Director of Communications

The Hastings Center

gilberts@thehastingscenter.org

845-424-4040 x 244
As ancient ocean floors plunge over 1,000 km into the Earth's deep interior, they cause hot rock in the lower mantle to flow much more dynamically than previously thought, finds a new UCL-led study.

The discovery answers long-standing questions on the nature and mechanisms of mantle flow in the inaccessible part of deep Earth. This is key to understanding how quickly Earth is cooling, and the dynamic evolution of our planet and others in the solar system.

"We often picture the Earth's mantle as a liquid that flows but it isn't - it's a solid that moves very slowly over time. Traditionally, it's been thought that the flow of rock in Earth's lower mantle is sluggish until you hit the planet's core, with most dynamic action happening in the upper mantle which only goes to a depth of 660 km. We've shown this isn't the case after all in large regions deep beneath the South Pacific Rim and South America," explained lead author, Dr Ana Ferreira (UCL Earth Sciences and Universidade de Lisboa).

"Here, the same mechanism we see causing movement and deformation in the hot, pressurised rock in the upper mantle is also occurring in the lower mantle. If this increased activity is happening uniformly over the globe, Earth could be cooling more rapidly than we previously thought", added Dr Manuele Faccenda, Universita di Padova.

The study, published today in Nature Geoscience by researchers from UCL, Universidade de Lisboa, Universita di Padova, Kangwon National University and Tel Aviv University, provides evidence of dynamic movement in the Earth's lower mantle where ancient ocean floors are plunging towards the planet's core, crossing from the upper mantle (up to ~660 km below the crust) to the lower mantle (~660 - 1,200 km deep).

The team found that the deformation and increased flow in the lower mantle is likely due to the movement of defects in the crystal lattice of rocks in the deep Earth, a deformation mechanism called "dislocation creep", whose presence in the deep mantle has been the subject of debate.

The researchers used big data sets collected from seismic waves formed during earthquakes to probe what's happening deep in Earth's interior. The technique is well established and comparable to how radiation is used in CAT scans to see what's happening in the body.

"In a CAT scan, narrow beams of X-rays pass through the body to detectors opposite the source, building an image. Seismic waves pass through the Earth in much the same way and are detected by seismic stations on the opposite side of the planet to the earthquake epicentre, allowing us to build a picture of the structure of Earth's interior," explained Dr Sung-Joon Chang, Kangwon National University.

By combining 43 million seismic data measurements with dynamic computer simulations using the UK's supercomputing facilities HECToR, Archer and the Italian Galileo Computing Cluster, CINECA the researchers generated images to map how the Earth's mantle flows at depths of ~1,200 km beneath our feet.

They revealed increased mantle flow beneath the Western Pacific and South America where ancient ocean floors are plunging towards Earth's core over millions of years.

This approach of combining seismic data with geodynamic computer modelling can now be used to build detailed maps of how the whole mantle flows globally to see if dislocation creep is uniform at extreme depths.

The researchers also want to model how material moves up from the Earth's core to the surface, which together with this latest study, will help scientists better understand how our planet evolved into its present state.

"How mantle flows on Earth might control why there is life on our planet but not on other planets, such as Venus, which has a similar size and location in the solar system to Earth, but likely has a very different style of mantle flow. We can understand a lot about other planets from revealing the secrets of our own," concluded Dr Ferreira.

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The study was funded by the Leverhulme Trust, NERC, the Korea Meteorlogical Administration Research and Development Program, the Progetto di Ateneo FACCPTRAT12 granted by the Universita di Padova and by the ERC StG #758199 NEWTON.
PHOENIX - A cell phone app for pregnant women and new moms struggling with opioid addiction is helping them get to doctor appointments on time, chat online with counselors, message their physician and watch videos that teach them about changing their behavior.

"Pregnant and parenting women who are in the process of recovery have so many issues to deal with," said Maria Manriquez, MD, director of the Addiction Medicine curriculum and professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. "Even with coordinated care, such as medical homes, a huge gap exists. This is especially prevalent when part of the 'prescription' includes medication, obstetric and addiction medicine visits, counseling, support groups and learning new material such as cognitive behavioral therapy techniques."

iTether Technologies Inc. developed a digital care management platform that can be used via a smartphone app to improve care coordination and treatment of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). Dr. Manriquez is partnering with the company to enhance the platform specifically for pregnant women and new moms with SUD.

The app was among 10 first-round winners of a "Grand Challenge" created by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau to address opioid use disorder in pregnant women and new moms. The Health Resources and Services Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable.

Phase 1 winners received a share of a $100,000 cash prize and continue to Phase 2. The UA-iTether partnership will use its $10,000 grant to enhance content on the app and begin small-scale testing through August 2019. Grand Challenge entrants included multi-disciplinary teams of academics, health professionals, tech companies, as well as individuals and community groups.

Along with Dr. Manriquez, iTether Chief Clinical Officer Karen Burstein, PhD, is leading the project. iTether is a Phoenix-based provider of application development for behavior change services. Sean Gunderson, CEO and co-founder of iTether, said he believes the first step in the fight against substance abuse starts by transforming the way treatment is delivered to patients struggling with addiction.

Unique to the platform are personalized care plans, online education, telehealth access to clinicians and tracking of progress toward recovery.

"Care coordination and management, especially for pregnant women with substance-use disorder in rural communities, is essential to effective treatment and support," Dr. Burstein said. "Patient-centered care coordination originally was developed to improve the health outcomes of individuals with chronic conditions and/or multi-system involvement that frequently required interdisciplinary care. We are proposing to adapt the iTether care management system for use with both English- and Spanish-speaking women with substance use disorder and release it on a limited basis to patients under the care of Dr. Manriquez and her colleagues."

iTether's digital system of care management consists of a smartphone application for patients and a secure portal for clinicians that enables continuous communication with patients, and a comprehensive recovery program through which patients work on their health, sobriety and recovery. Currently, most patients attend class in person. Some of these sessions could be delivered through a streaming platform which would allow the classes to be taught from anywhere.

"Often, patients have transportation or child care limits that restrict reliable and quality care. It is not easy as a full-time parent, employee or student to make and keep appointments, especially when there is no coordination in timing of visits for someone with a chronic disorder," Dr. Manriquez said. "The prototype could benefit the community by setting guidelines and developing standards that help providers deliver consistent messaging to patients."

The iTether partnership is one example of how the medical school is working to combat the opioid epidemic. In September 2018, Dr. Manriquez received a $700,000 grant from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to begin a clinic for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder at Banner - University Medical Center's Women's Institute in Phoenix. Additionally, the funding will enable tele-mentoring and education for providers caring for these women.

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About the UA College of Medicine - Phoenix

Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to optimize health and health care in Arizona and beyond. By cultivating collaborative research locally and globally, the college accelerates discovery in a number of critical areas -- including cancer, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cardiovascular disease. Championed as a student-centric campus, the college has graduated 433 physicians, all of whom received exceptional training from nine clinical partners and 1,800 diverse faculty members. As the anchor to the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, which is projected to have an economic impact of $3.1 billion by 2025, the college prides itself on engaging with the community, fostering education, inclusion, access and advocacy. For more information, please visit phoenixmed.arizona.edu.
Barnacles that hitch rides on the backs of humpback and gray whales not only record details about the whales' yearly travels, they also retain this information after they become fossilized, helping scientists reconstruct the migrations of whale populations millions of years in the past, according to a new University of California, Berkeley, study.

Oxygen isotope ratios in barnacle shells change with ocean condition and allow scientists to chart the migration of the host whale, for example to warmer breeding grounds or colder feeding grounds. Now, marine paleobiologists led by UC Berkeley doctoral student Larry Taylor have discovered that barnacles retain this information even after they fall off the whale, sink to the ocean bottom, and become fossils."

As a result, the travels of fossilized barnacles can serve as a proxy for the peregrinations of whales in the distant past, like GPS trackers from the Pleistocene.

"One of the more exciting things about the paper, in my mind, is that we find evidence for migration in all of these ancient populations, from three different sites and time periods, but also from both humpback and gray whale lineages, indicating that these animals, which lived hundreds of thousands of years ago, were all undertaking migrations similar in extent to those of modern-day whales," Taylor said.

One surprise finding is that the coast of Panama has been a meeting ground for different subpopulations of humpback whales for at least 270,000 years and still is today. Whales visit Panama from as far away as Antarctica and the Gulf of Alaska.

This information about ancient migration will help scientists understand how migration patterns may have affected the evolution of whales over the past 3 to 5 million years, how these patterns changed with changing climate and help predict how today's whales will adapt to the rapid climate change happening today.

"We want to understand how malleable migratory behavior has been through time, how rapidly whales have adapted to previous climate changes, and see if this can give us some clues as to how they might respond to the current changes in Earth's climate," he said. "How will whales cope with that, how will the food base shift, how will the whales themselves respond?"

Taylor and his colleagues, senior author Seth Finnegan, a UC Berkeley associate professor of integrative biology, Aaron O'Dea of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and Timothy Bralower of Pennsylvania State University in University Park, will publish their findings this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Riding the whales

Barnacles are crustaceans, like crabs, lobsters and shrimp, that remain stuck in one place their whole lives, encased in a protective hard shell and sticking out their legs to snatch passing food. Most glue themselves to rocks, boats or pilings, but whale barnacles attach to a whale's skin by boring down into it. Some whales have been estimated to carry up to 1,000 pounds of barnacles, which are visible when they breech. Clusters of barnacles are used to identify individual whales.

"This gives the barnacle several advantages: a safe surface to live on, a free ride to some of the richest waters in the world and a chance to meet up with other (barnacles) when the whales get together to mate," O'Dea said.

Taylor's technique works because different species of whale barnacle hitch rides on different species of whale, so paleontologists can know, when they find a fossilized barnacle, which species it rode with. Normally, the barnacles stay with a whale between one and three years, until they fall or are brushed off, often at whale breeding grounds. At least 24 fossil assemblages of whale barnacles have been found around the world, Taylor said.

The new discovery means that the fossilized barnacles recovered at these sites can tell about ancient migrations of humpbacks, gray whales and perhaps other baleen whales (toothed whales, such as sperm whales, do not host many barnacles), potentially turning up previously unsuspected feeding and breeding areas.

The technique is based on measuring the oxygen isotopes in the calcium carbonate, or calcite, shell of the barnacle. The ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 goes up as the temperature drops. Since barnacles lengthen their shells by a few millimeters a month as they try to stay attached to whales in the face of the mammals' shedding skin, the composition of the new shell reflects the ocean temperature and general isotopic composition where it formed.

Taylor built on previous work showing that barnacles attached to living gray whales record a chemical signature of their migrations. He confirmed that the isotopic composition of the humpback whale barnacle (Coronula diadema) also tracks its environment today during the whales' yearly migration, showing monthly changes. He then demonstrated that fossilized barnacles from Panama and from the California coast could be analyzed similarly, and that they showed isotopic changes similar to that of today's whales."

This technique will be particularly valuable for studying prehistoric humpback populations, Taylor said, because the humpback was and is more cosmopolitan than the California gray whale, cruising widely through the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Scientists theorize that whale migration began as food sources became more scattered as the climate changed 5 million years ago. Modern Pacific whales migrate tens of thousands of miles annually, visiting several known feeding areas and returning to warm waters off Central and South America or Hawaii to breed.

"We plan to push this approach further back in time and across different whale populations," Finnegan said. "We hope that by analyzing other aspects of the geochemistry of the barnacles shells we might ultimately be able to figure out what areas different ancient whale populations were migrating to."

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This study was supported by the National Science Foundation (EAR 1325683), the National System of Investigators (SENACYT) in Panama, the Paleontological Society, the Geological Society of America, Sigma Xi and the University of California Museum of Paleontology.
The device could be used to rapidly diagnose genetic diseases or to evaluate the accuracy of gene-editing techniques

A team of engineers at the University of California, Berkeley and the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) of The Claremont Colleges combined CRISPR with electronic transistors made from graphene to create a new hand-held device that can detect specific genetic mutations in a matter of minutes.

The device, dubbed CRISPR-Chip, could be used to rapidly diagnose genetic diseases or to evaluate the accuracy of gene-editing techniques. The team used the device to identify genetic mutations in DNA samples from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.

"We have developed the first transistor that uses CRISPR to search your genome for potential mutations," said Kiana Aran, an assistant professor at KGI who conceived of the technology while a postdoctoral scholar in UC Berkeley bioengineering professor Irina Conboy's lab. "You just put your purified DNA sample on the chip, allow CRISPR to do the search and the graphene transistor reports the result of this search in minutes."

Aran is the senior author of a paper describing the device that appears online March 25 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Doctors and geneticists can now sequence DNA to pinpoint genetic mutations underlying a host of traits and conditions, and companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA even make these tests available to curious consumers.

But unlike most forms of genetic testing, including recently developed CRISPR-based diagnostic techniques, CRISPR-Chip uses nanoelectronics to detect genetic mutations in DNA samples without first "amplifying" or replicating the DNA segment of interest millions of times over through a time- and equipment-intensive process called polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. This means it could be used to perform genetic testing in a doctor's office or field work setting without having to send a sample off to a lab.

"CRISPR-Chip has the benefit that it is really point of care, it is one of the few things where you could really do it at the bedside if you had a good DNA sample," said Niren Murthy, professor of bioengineering at UC Berkeley and co-author of the paper. "Ultimately, you just need to take a person's cells, extract the DNA and mix it with the CRISPR-Chip and you will be able to tell if a certain DNA sequence is there or not. That could potentially lead to a true bedside assay for DNA."

Bypassing the bottleneck

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is famous for its ability to snip threads of DNA at precise locations like a pair of razor-sharp scissors, giving researchers unprecedented gene-editing capabilities. But for the Cas9 protein to accurately cut and paste genes, it first has to locate the exact spots in the DNA that it needs to cut.

For Cas9 to find a specific location on the genome, scientists must first equip it with a snippet of "guide RNA," a small piece of RNA whose bases are complementary to the DNA sequence of interest. The bulky protein first unzips the double-stranded DNA and scans through until it finds the sequence that matches the guide RNA, and then latches on.

To harness CRISPR's gene-targeting ability, the researchers took a deactivated Cas9 protein -- a variant of Cas9 that can find a specific location on DNA, but doesn't cut it -- and tethered it to transistors made of graphene. When the CRISPR complex finds the spot on the DNA that it is targeting, it binds to it and triggers a change in the electrical conductance of the graphene, which, in turn, changes the electrical characteristics of the transistor. These changes can be detected with a hand-held device developed by the team's industrial collaborators.

Graphene, built of a single atomic layer of carbon, is so electrically sensitive that it can detect a DNA sequence "hit" in a full-genome sample without PCR amplification.

"Graphene's super-sensitivity enabled us to detect the DNA searching activities of CRISPR," Aran said. "CRISPR brought the selectivity, graphene transistors brought the sensitivity and, together, we were able to do this PCR-free or amplification-free detection."

Aran hopes to soon "multiplex" the device, allowing doctors to plug in multiple guide RNAs at once to simultaneously detect a number of genetic mutations in minutes.

"Imagine a page with a lot of search boxes, in our case transistors, and you have your guide RNA information in these search boxes, and each of these transistors will do the search and report the result electronically," Aran said.

Rapid Diagnostics

To demonstrate CRISPR-Chip's sensitivity, the team used the device to detect two common genetic mutations in blood samples from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients.

Conboy, co-author of the paper, says CRISPR-Chip could be an especially useful device for DMD screening, as the severe muscle-wasting disease can be caused by mutations throughout the massive dystrophin gene -- one of the longest in the human genome -- and spotting mutations can be costly and time-consuming using PCR-based genetic testing.

"As a practice right now, boys who have DMD are typically not screened until we know that something is wrong, and then they undergo a genetic confirmation," said Conboy, who is also working on CRISPR-based treatments for DMD.

"With a digital device, you could design guide RNAs throughout the whole dystrophin gene, and then you could just screen the entire sequence of the gene in a matter of hours. You could screen parents, or even newborns, for the presence or absence of dystrophin mutations -- and then, if the mutation is found, therapy could be started early, before the disease has actually developed," Conboy said.

Rapid genetic testing could also be used to help doctors develop individualized treatment plans for their patients, Murthy said. For example, genetic variations make some people unresponsive to expensive blood thinners, like Plavix.

"If you have certain mutations or certain DNA sequences, that will very accurately predict how you will respond to certain drugs," Murthy said.

Finally, because the CRISPR-Chip can be used to monitor whether CRISPR binds to specific DNA sequences, it could also be used to test the effectiveness of CRISPR-based gene-editing techniques. For example, it could be used to verify that guide RNA sequences are designed correctly, Aran said.

"Combining modern nanoelectronics with modern biology opens a new door to get access to new biological information that was not accessible before," Aran said.

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Co-authors of the paper also include Reza Haijan, Sarah Balderston, Thanhtra Tran, Mandeep Sandhu and Mitre Athaiya of the Keck Graduate Institute; Tara Deboer, Jessy Etienne and Noreen Wauford of UC Berkeley: Jolie Nokes and Brett Goldsmith of Cardea Bio; Regis Peytavi of NanoSens Innovations and Jacobo Paredes of the University of Navarra.

This work was primarily supported by Keck Start-up funding to the Aran Lab, by the Rogers Family Foundation and by an Open Philanthropy Research Gift.
Scientists at The University of Manchester have joined forces with a major US Museum and European partners to explore an extraordinary Jurassic dinosaur site in the badlands of Wyoming, USA.

Scientists from The University of Manchester will be the academic leaders on the newly announced $27.5 million (20m) project to explore, research and eventually exhibit fossils from a recently discovered palaeontological site known as the 'Jurassic Mile'.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis will serve as the Mission Jurassic leader, with The University of Manchester's Prof. Phil Manning and Dr. Victoria Egerton as the lead scientists in the project. The team are partnering with The Natural History Museum in London and the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands. As a result, more than 100 scientists from three countries will join forces to work in the Morrison Formation of Wyoming to reveal new secrets from this enigmatic period of time.

Prof. Manning, Dr. Egerton and the team are calling the fossil-rich, mile-square plot of land, "The Jurassic Mile." There are four main quarries within the multi-level, 640-acre site that offer a diverse assemblage of Morrison Formation articulated and semi-articulated dinosaurs that has also yielded associated animals, fossil plants in addition to rarely associated dinosaur trackways of the Late Jurassic Period 150 million years ago.

"It is splendid that such an important site has been discovered at just the right time, as the science of paleontology is adapting existing and new imaging techniques to unpick the fossil remains of extinct life." said Prof Manning, "The imaging work that we undertake at Manchester is already world-leading and this is a great opportunity to develop this research with other world-class institutions."

Nearly 600 specimens, weighing more than six tons, have already been collected from this site over the past two years despite the fact that only a fraction of the site has been explored. Included in that are the bones of an 80-foot-long Brachiosaur and 90-foot-long Diplodocid, which have been discovered at the Jurassic Mile. A 6'6" sauropod (Brachiosaur) scapula (shoulder bone) and several jackets containing articulated bones are among the material collected during the 2018 field season. A 5'1" (1.5 metre) femur was revealed at the announcement in Indianapolis on March 25, 2019.

Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, President and CEO of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis stated, "We are bringing together an extraordinary international team for the first time that will critically analyze portions of the Morrison Formation in new ways." Patchen went on to say, "This project reflects a natural synergy between three world-renowned museums, their research scientists and highly-respected research universities, each providing unique elements to complete one of the most interesting chapters in the evolution of Earth."

Dr. Egerton from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science explained that, "The preservation quality and sheer amount of plants at the Jurassic Mile is extraordinary. During this period, there were no flowering plants and this site provides significant insight to what these giant animals ate and how they may have grown to be so large."

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis' is the world's largest children's museum. Its current Dinosphere exhibit has captivated more than 15 million visitors since it opened in 2004 and inspired new generations of explorers and scientists. There, visitors are introduced to some of the finest examples of past life including a rare mummified dinosaur named Leonardo. The first T. rex ever discovered with a wish bone (furcula) and a Gorgosaurus with a brain tumor (currently being studied by Prof. Manning and Dr. Egerton) are among other amazing fossils found there. A working Paleo Prep Lab at the museum allows visitors to touch real fossils while paleontologists work on real bones and learn the stories behind them.

The Natural History Museum was the founder of The Natural History Museum, ground-breaking palaeontologist Sir Richard Owen, who first coined the term 'dinosaur' meaning 'terrible lizard. The Natural History Museum Acting Director of Science Richard Herrington says: "The reports from the first excavations reveal it is an exceptional area for further scientific exploration - from the fossils already exposed, the quality of the discoveries so far and the existence of rarely-associated dinosaur trackways."

Prof. Anne Schulp from The Naturalis Biodiversity Center stated, "Typical dinosaurs of the Jurassic include well known creatures such as Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus. It would be marvelous if we could bring one of those impressive beasts to Naturalis,"

The Jurassic Mile project is already utilising cutting-edge science from the international team. The University of Manchester scientist will use the Stanford Synchrotron particle accelerator along with some of the most powerful computers on the planet, to help resurrect the Jurassic and unearth the lost world and forgotten lives of the Jurassic.

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Mission Jurassic, The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis $27.5 million project, would not be possible without the generosity of Lilly Endowment, which made a $9 million grant to support the project. The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis consistently creates exceptional learning experiences for children and their families, said Rob Smith, Lilly Endowments vice president for community development. This project promises to further that mission by significantly enhancing the museums iconic Dinosphere exhibit and fostering strong collaborations with world renowned scientists, museums and research universities.

Susie and Jack Sogard have also made extraordinary lead gifts to support this project. The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis Board of Trustees would also like to thank the museums official partnersRiley Childrens at Indiana University Health, Old National Bank and Ice Miller LLP. More funds will be needed to create extraordinary experiences resulting from the research and exploration and all institutions are actively fundraising to make that possible.
GPs will have a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the new Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) for Cancer, new research from the University of Surrey finds.

In the first study of its kind, published today in the British Journal of General Practice and funded by Cancer Research UK, researchers investigated public attitudes towards the new FDS for Cancer. Scheduled to be introduced in England next year, this new standard will give patients a diagnosis or all-clear for cancer within 28 days of referral with suspected cancer.

Conducting focus group sessions in Bradford and Guildford with participants who in the last six months had undergone diagnostic tests for cancer and received results, researchers identified a degree of scepticism amongst the groups about how the new standard would work. Many participants had experienced swift referrals for diagnostic testing but encountered a delay when receiving test results and were unsure about how the FDS would rectify this.

Concern existed amongst participants that the FDS may ultimately extend waiting times and could become more of a 'tick box' exercise, with one participant noting:

'So what happens is that as soon as 28 days appears anywhere that becomes the standard, rather than the last resort, so when suddenly you go, well we've got 28 days, we'll give them a ... we'll get in touch with them in three weeks' time [...].'

Participants also described a lack of transparency in the referral process and were apprehensive about getting lost in the system. This feeling was exacerbated by not knowing what to expect and/or being unable to draw upon past experiences due to inconsistency between one referral and the next.

Interestingly, researchers found that participants valued reassurance and support from their GP as highly as a speedy referral. A feeling of being listened to by a GP was found to be important to participants when being referred for diagnostic tests.

'Being listened to I think, so it's being heard and my GP was fine, has really really been... it was really quick, it couldn't have been quicker, but it was feeling... I suppose it's being listened to and then almost like being believed.'

Dr Katriina Whitaker, Reader in Cancer Care at the University of Surrey, said: "The new Faster Diagnosis Standard for Cancer is an important step in diagnosing cancer earlier and faster. However we have found that although patients value a speedy referral there are other factors that they regard as just as important.

"Simple steps such as informing patients about the diagnostic testing and referral processes and about time scales will help patients better prepare, both physically and emotionally, for the next phase. This will ultimately fall to GPs, who will need clear guidance so they are able to support their patients."

Dr Jodie Moffat from Cancer Research UK said: "We need to redouble our efforts to reduce the late stage diagnosis of cancer, so that more people survive their disease. Reducing late stage diagnosis of cancer requires action on a range of fronts, and we all have a part to play. Ensuring there's enough workforce in the system - whether that's in primary care or in hospitals - is vital to achieving our early diagnosis ambitions."

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(March 22, 2019) -- The UTSA Master of Architecture and the Master of Science in Architecture have been awarded a unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) designation by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. UTSA is now the only Texas institution--and one of few universities in the nation--to have STEM CIP Code 04.0902 for its M. Arch. and M.S. in Architecture programs.

The Classification of Instructional Programs or "CIP Code" is a government-developed designation for academic programs, according to the primary subject matter of the programs' content. CIP Codes help students identify areas of study with particular curricular emphases as well as programs that offer added benefits such as funding and visa status.

The new CIP Code will help UTSA recruit high-caliber students who want access to STEM-related architecture opportunities. It will also provide UTSA faculty members with the opportunity to compete for new types of research funding.

"Having both of our graduate programs recognized with the new STEM CIP Code will create a wide range of opportunities," said Sedef Doganer, professor and chair of the UTSA Department of Architecture. "This new STEM designation positions UTSA Architecture at the forefront of the discipline and will allow us to break new ground in preparing students for success through architectural research, education and practice."

The designation provides an additional 24 months of Optional Practice Training (OPT) for international students, with a total of 36 months of OPT employment after degree completion. This enhances opportunities for international students to secure work visas at the end of their educational journey.

The UTSA Department of Architecture has historically included STEM-related content in its program offerings. Additionally, many architecture faculty at UTSA conduct STEM-related research. As a result, UTSA's M. Arch. and M.S. in Architecture graduates are prepared to develop design intentions and ideas with sound, research-based solutions.

"UTSA has always employed an applied STEM approach to both our architectural education and our professional practice," said John Murphy, dean of the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning. "This new CIP Code is a validation of our efforts to differentiate our curriculum with a STEM emphasis."

Research and development are crucial in improving and developing key concepts related to sustainability and problem solving for the user groups architects serve. In addition to applying advanced technologies and sustainable principles to building design and construction, architects lead multidisciplinary teams of designers, engineers and consultants to effectively integrate building systems and improve the public health and welfare.

In July of 2018, the United States Congress passed the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technology Education (CTE) Act, making architecture an officially recognized STEM subject. The bi-partisan act will allow states to use federal funds to modernize the CTE curriculum, allowing for an increase in available funds for high-school-level architectural education. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) lobbied for the change for several years, in the meantime bringing design to K-12 students through special programs and activities. The bill formalizes these efforts.

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(San Antonio, March 25, 2019) -- Banglin Chen, Ph.D., a highly prolific chemistry researcher at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has been awarded the distinguished Humboldt Research Award. The award recognizes a researcher's entire achievements to date and is granted to academics whose fundamental discoveries, new theories and insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline, and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future.

Chen, the Dean's Distinguished Chair Professor of Chemistry, arrived at UTSA in 2009 and credits the warm weather, tenure position and a beautiful city of San Antonio as convincing his family to make the move. He was born in Zhejiang, China and studied in China and Singapore. He also worked with researchers Omar M. Yaghi at the University of Michigan, Stephen Lee at Cornell University and Andrew W. Maverick at Louisiana State University as a postdoctoral fellow (2000-2003) before joining the faculty at UT-Pan American in 2003.

Since arriving at UTSA, Chen has won a series of recognitions for his research. In 2011, he was ranked as one of the top 100 chemists over the past decade based on his citation impact factor. Each year, from 2014 to 2018, he was chosen as a highly cited researcher by Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics. He was also spotlighted in The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014-2018 by Thomson Reuters and is on the 2016 List of Most Cited Researchers in Materials Science and Engineering by Elsevier Scopus Data.

As a Humboldt recipient, Chen will visit several institutions in Germany this summer to initiate long-term collaborations with scientists in the nation, particularly Stefan Kaskel, whom he has known for 10 years. Kaskel, who is based at Technische Universitat Dresden, nominated Chen for the Humboldt Award and will serve as his Humboldt host professor.

Each morning, Chen awakes with excitement to work with his students at UTSA and make new discoveries.

"UTSA has given us the freedom and environment to fully develop our ongoing research, particularly through the Welch research grant," he said. "My colleagues, administrative staff and research officials, particularly Mary Riedel and Neal A. Guentzel, are very friendly and supportive."

Chen's work on gas storage, gas separation, photonics, sensing and heterogeneous catalysis has been published over 40,000 times in close to 300 peer-reviewed articles and books with citations. His work has been published in Science, Nature Materials, Nature Energy, Advanced Materials, Energy and Environmental Science and other top journals.

The chemist's current research goal is to develop membranes and to commercialize materials for large scale gas separations. For example, a material termed UTSA-280 [Ca(C4O4)(H2O)]xH2O can be straightforwardly synthesized at a large scale in water from sodium squarate and Ca(NO3)28*4H2O. This material is very stable in the air and under water moisture. It shows highly selective sieving separation for ethylene/ethane.

"Metal-organic frameworks are very promising materials for gas storage and gas separation at a lower energy and economic cost," said Chen.

Michael Doyle, the Rita and John Feik Distinguished University Chair in Medicinal Chemistry, has mentored Chen during their time together at UTSA.

"The importance of metal-organic frameworks is likely to be recognized by a Nobel Prize in the near future, and Professor Chen will be one of those in the pool of scientists who are the leaders in the development of this important technology," said Doyle. "His contributions are recognized nationally and internationally, and they bring a heightened visibility to the role taken by UTSA in advancing science and technology."

When Chen and Kaskel collaborate this summer, they will examine flexible metal-organic frameworks for gas separation and storage and for energy transformation.

In a nutshell, Chen's goal is to discover some basic chemistry and materials that can benefit society.

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Study shows importance of recognizing how motivation is impacted by different kinds of agreements

Toronto - Neighbouring fire departments often work together to improve outcomes and reduce the extra firefighters each would otherwise need to ensure enough coverage for all emergencies.

But a new study of U.S. fire departments has found improvements differ for property damage and personal injuries or deaths, depending on whether the collaborations were informal, formal, or based on formal contracts without any prior history of working together.

The differences rest on how these various agreements impact firefighters' intrinsic motivation -- what they are most motivated to do, which is to protect life over property -- says Anita McGahan, a professor of strategic management the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. She co-authored the study with Jay Horwitz, a Rotman post-doctoral fellow.

"Fire departments will go to the mat for each other to save lives," says Prof. McGahan, who is also the George E. Connell Chair in Organizations & Society at the Rotman School. "It's when you want that extra improvement to performance associated with saving property that you need a written contract."

That doesn't mean that saving property in the other department's jurisdiction is ignored. Data on collaborations among nearly 3,000 U.S. fire departments between 1999 and 2010 showed 340 fewer casualties -- a 1.7% cut -- and a $3.5 billion reduction in property damage -- a 30% improvement -- under informal agreements.

But property outcomes improved by 60% when departments with no history of collaboration went directly to formal cooperation contracts. Casualties, however, did not drop, suggesting the formal contract was superior for stimulating less intrinsically motivated performance, but not as good when it came to improving performance on a goal that firefighters were already motivated to achieve.

When departments adopted formal agreements following informal ones, they saw an additional 6% improvement in property loss over the initial 30%. But there was also a slight increase in casualties, again suggesting an impact on firefighters' inherent motivation to protect people.

The findings show that there are performance trade-offs when organizations choose to have formal policies that may conflict with employees' intrinsic motivations. Those policies can stimulate performance on organizational goals that employees are less intrinsically motivated to achieve. But, says Prof. McGahan, "you may also have a much more adverse and negative impact on your staff's motivation to meet other important goals than you initially anticipated."

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The study appears in the March 2019 issue of Strategic Management Journal.

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The Rotman School of Management is part of the University of Toronto, a global centre of research and teaching excellence at the heart of Canada's commercial capital. Rotman is a catalyst for transformative learning, insights and public engagement, bringing together diverse views and initiatives around a defining purpose: to create value for business and society. For more information, visit http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca

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MADISON - The shade of a single tree can provide welcome relief from the hot summer sun. But when that single tree is part of a small forest, it creates a profound cooling effect. According to a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, trees play a big role in keeping our towns and cities cool.

According to the study, the right amount of tree cover can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. And the effect is quite noticeable from neighborhood to neighborhood, even down to the scale of a single city block.

"We knew that cities are warmer than the surrounding countryside, but we found that temperatures vary just as much within cities. Keeping temperatures more comfortable on hot summer days can make a big difference for those of us who live and work there," says Monica Turner, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor in the department of Integrative Biology and a co-author of the study.

With climate change making extreme heat events more common each summer, city planners are working on how to prepare. Heat waves drive up energy demands and costs and can have big human health impacts. One potentially powerful tool, the study's authors say, are organisms that have been around long before human civilizations could appreciate their leafy benefits. And those trees may be the secret to keeping the places we live livable.

Essentially, says Turner, impervious surfaces - like roads, sidewalks and buildings - absorb heat from the sun during the day and slowly release that heat at night. Trees, on the other hand, not only shade those surfaces from the sun's rays, they also transpire, or release water into the air through their leaves, a process that cools things down.

To get the maximum benefit of this cooling service, the study found that tree canopy cover must exceed 40 percent. In other words, an aerial picture of a single city block would need to be nearly half-way covered by a leafy green network of branches and leaves.

Traditionally, says Carly Ziter, lead author of the paper, studies like these have tended to focus on what's known as the "urban heat island" effect. Those studies often use satellites to take ground surface temperature readings or measure air temperature within and outside the city. Studies have shown that developed, less vegetated cityscapes are much warmer than the rural lands around them. But this study, Ziter says, allowed researchers to look at temperatures on a much finer scale - down to the spaces "where we live our daily lives within the city."

It turns out, she says, that the "heat island" effect is more like what some scientists have called a "heat archipelago" - with smaller islands of heat in a city interspersed with cooler areas of shade.

To get data at that local scale, Ziter and her collaborators had to get creative with their sampling methods.

Satellite measurements of ground surface temperature don't really provide air temperature data, Ziter says, so they're "not getting you quite as close to what people are actually feeling."

But deploying enough air temperature sensors across town to get the fine-scale resolution they wanted was far too expensive. Research ongoing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison had temperature sensors strapped to 150 utility poles across the city and its surrounding countryside, but those sensors were often one mile or more apart - much too far to provide real-time data on temperatures in backyards and individual boulevards.

In the end, Ziter settled on a scaled down solution to her sampling problem. All she needed was one sensor and two wheels.

In the summer of 2016, it wasn't uncommon to see Ziter biking around the city of Madison with a small weather station strapped to the back of her bike. In all, she biked ten different transects of the city multiple times during different times of day. The sensor on her bike marked her location and took an air temperature reading every single second as she rode, resulting in real-time data every five meters.

All told, she estimates that she biked 400 to 500 miles and was "in very good shape" by the end of the study. She also racked up a massive amount of data that showed just how instrumental trees are in moderating heat in cities.

"Tree canopy cover can actually do more than offset the effects of impervious surfaces," Ziter says. During the day, "an equivalent amount of canopy cover can cool the air down more than pavement will warm it up."

The data show that forty percent canopy cover is the threshold required to trigger the large cooling effects that trees have to offer. The greatest amount of cooling happens once that threshold is crossed over the scale of a city block or larger.

"It's not really enough to just kind of go out and plant trees, we really need to think about how many we're planting and where we're planting them," she says. "We're not saying planting one tree does nothing, but you're going to have a bigger effect if you plant a tree and your neighbor plants a tree and their neighbor plants a tree."

To get the biggest "bang for their buck," Ziter says city planners should focus on bumping areas that are near the forty percent threshold over that mark by planting trees. But, she warns, it should be in places where people are active and live and not just in parks. Additionally, she says, "we don't want to abandon the lowest canopy areas of our city either," as those tend to be neighborhoods with lower income and marginalized communities. "We want to avoid advocating for policies that are simply 'rich get richer,'" she says.

Her results, Ziter says, point to the importance of urban landscaping and development in making neighborhoods more livable in the future. It is also a call for stakeholders to work together when it comes to their trees. It's not uncommon for "different people to be in charge of different spaces," she says. For example, the city may be in charge of planting trees along its streets, while the parks department oversees plantings in the parks and homeowners make decisions about their own private lots.

It's important that we start to get on the same page, Ziter says, because "the trees we plant now or the areas we pave now are going to be determining the temperatures of our cities in the next century."

From the town square to Times Square, if we want the places we live to be more comfortable and resilient in future climate scenarios, the Wisconsin researchers say, then someone is going to have to speak for the trees.

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-- Adam Hinterthuer, Hinterthuer@wisc.edu, 608-630-5737

This study was supported by the National Science Foundation, Long-term ecological research (DEB-1440297); the National Science Foundation, Water sustainability and climate (DEB-1038759); University of Wisconsin-Madison Vilas Trust (for MGT); National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada doctoral fellowship (to CZ).
More than a decade of research on the mda-7/IL-24 gene has shown that it helps to suppress a majority of cancer types, and now scientists are focusing on how the gene drives this process by influencing microRNAs. Published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the findings could potentially have implications beyond cancer for a variety of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases caused by the same microRNA-driven processes.

The study was led by Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., F.N.A.I., Thelma Newmeyer Corman Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center, chairman of the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics at VCU School of Medicine and director of the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM). The mda-7/IL-24 gene was originally discovered by Fisher, and he and his colleagues have since published a number of studies detailing how the gene can suppress cancer by directly influencing two important mediators of cell death known as apoptosis and toxic autophagy. They have also been developing mda-7/IL-24 viral gene therapies, purified protein treatments and T-cell-delivered therapies that take advantage of these processes to selectively kill cancer cells.

"MicroRNAs play decisive roles in a variety of diseases, including cancer. This study shows for the first time how mda-7/IL-24 influences an enzyme critical to microRNA processing, and it provides exciting clues as to how this process could be targeted therapeutically," says Fisher.

The researchers showed that mda-7/IL-24 reduces the expression of an enzyme called DICER, and this effect occurs only in cancer cells. DICER works to process microRNAs for specific cellular functions. In experiments involving prostate, breast and brain cancer cell lines and mouse models, overexpression of DICER was shown to rescue cancer cells from mda-7/IL-24-mediated cell death.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) was found to be a key mediator in this process. MITF regulates cellular responses to reactive oxygen species (ROS), a natural byproduct of the normal metabolism of oxygen and an important component in cell signaling. In times of cellular stress, ROS levels can increase dramatically and contribute to the development of disease. The scientists showed for the first time that mda-7/IL-24 down-regulates MITF, which, in turn, down-regulates DICER, the target of MITF.

Previous experiments showed a potent bystander effect where mda-7/IL-24 not only killed cancer cells at the primary tumor site but also in distant secondary tumors not directly targeted by the therapy. The bystander effect is mediated, at least in part, by the potent immune activating and anti-growth properties of mda-7/IL-24. These findings help explain why this bystander effect occurs.

"This is an exciting and previously unknown link between mda-7/IL-24 and ROS/MITF/DICER that we plan to continue exploring," says Fisher. "This research may open up new therapeutic targets, and monitoring the levels of these components could provide important biomarkers to help inform the effectiveness of mda-7/IL-24-based therapies."

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The present studies involve a close collaboration with Webster K. Cavenee, Ph.D., university professor at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California San Diego. Fisher also collaborated on this research with Devanand Sarkar, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., associate director for education and training, Harrison Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Cancer Research and member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center, professor in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics at the VCU School of Medicine and associate scientific director of cancer therapeutics at VIMM; Swadesh K. Das, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Molecular Genetics research program at Massey, VIMM member and assistant professor in the VCU Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; Luni Emdad, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., member of the Massey Cancer Molecular Genetics research program, VIMM member and assistant professor in the VCU Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; Anjan K. Pradhan, Ph.D., lead postdoctoral investigator, Praveen Bhoopathi, Ph.D., and Sarmistha Talukdar, Ph.D., all postdoctoral research scientists in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics; and Danielle Scheunemann, M.S. student in the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics.

This study was supported in part by VCU Massey Cancer Center's National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA016059, the National Foundation for Cancer Research, the VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine and the Genetics Enhancement Fund. Support was also provided by a Sponsored Research Agreement from InterLeukin Combinatorial Therapies to Emdad.
PULLMAN, Wash. - A Washington State University researcher says attractive businesswomen are considered less trustworthy, less truthful and more worthy of being fired than less attractive women. This "femme fatale effect," as she and a University of Colorado colleague call it, goes beyond a commonly accepted explanation that attractive women simply aren't seen as fitting in traditionally masculine roles. Rather, the effect taps into more primal feelings of sexual insecurity, jealousy and fear among both men and women.

"Highly attractive women can be perceived as dangerous and that matters when we are assessing things like how much we trust them and whether we believe that what they are saying is truthful," said Leah Sheppard, an assistant professor of management in the WSU Carson College of Business and lead author of a paper in the journal Sex Roles.

The myth of the femme fatale has been around since ancient Greece, when Homer's Odysseus was seduced by the goddess Circe and kept from his wife and home for a year. The ensuing list of man-eaters, vamps and dark-hearted sirens is long, from the smoldering Carmen of George Bizet's opera to the lethal leading ladies of film noir.

Despite decades of feminism and a growing awareness of gender stereotypes, the effect persists.

In fact, said Sheppard, "there's two dueling stereotypes here. You have the 'what is beautiful is good' stereotype, meaning that in general attractive people should fare better across their lifespan. We can say that that's generally true.

"It becomes more nuanced when we look at gender," she added. "For women there are certain contexts in which they don't seem to benefit from their beauty."

Sheppard and Stefanie Johnson, an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business, conducted six separate tests to reach their conclusion. They used images drawn from a Google images search for a "professional woman" and had participants in Amazon's Mechanical Turk, an online crowdsourcing platform, rate their attractiveness.

The first four studies asked participants to rate the truthfulness of women and men announcing layoffs in fictional news accounts. Regardless of their title or industry--executive or the traditionally feminine public relations professional, the masculine culture of tech firm or more feminine hospital--the attractive women were consistently considered less truthful than the non-attractive women. Because the results were independent of the women's role or industry, the "best fit" argument failed.

In the fifth study, the researchers used what's called a prime, a suggestion that puts participants into an emotional state that can color their perspective. They asked participants to think and write about a time when they felt secure in a relationship and certain that their romantic partner "was faithful and committed to them alone." This was called the "sexual security" prime. A second "general security" prime had them think and write about a time when they felt very good about themselves.

Those primed to feel sexually secure ended up thinking attractive women were as truthful as less attractive women.

The final study asked if participants thought the woman should be fired, and primed some participants to feel sexually secure, but others to feel sexually insecure. As with the fifth study, the sexually secure participants found both attractive and less attractive women were equally truthful. Participants primed to feel sexually insecure viewed the attractive women as less truthful, and therefore more deserving of termination.

Sheppard sees both evolutionary and social factors at work in the results.

Evolutionarily, women have used their attractiveness to get mates. They see more attractive women as competition and threats to steal their partner. Men, for their part, have been drawn to attractive women but worry that their attractiveness might make them unfaithful. Before the recent advent of the paternity test, they risked raising children that were not their own.

Socially, attractive women can use their looks to get advantages in the workplace, whether they deserve it or not. Both men and other women can find this unfair, said Sheppard, if not deceitful.

Sheppard said the femme fatale effect might be blunted if people were more conscious of the stereotypes they use, but people are often unwilling to acknowledge that they use stereotypes to begin with.

Unfairly or not, she said, much of the burden of addressing the problem falls on attractive women themselves, who she said can attempt to be more transparent.

"They're going to be challenged in terms of building trust," she said. "That's not to say that they can't do it. It's just that trust is probably going to form a bit more slowly."

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va.--Yanfang (Fanny) Ye, assistant professor of computer science and electrical engineering at West Virginia University, has been awarded a prestigious CAREER award from the National Science Foundation in support of her work to enhance the security of cyberspace. The award comes with $500,000 in funding over a five-year period.

As the Internet becomes increasingly ubiquitous, it offers a low-risk harbor for cybercrime and illegal activities such as hacking and online scams. Cybercrime is increasingly enabled by an online underground ecosystem that is made up of anonymous forums and so-called dark web platforms that allow cybercriminals to exchange knowledge and trade illicit products and services.

"To better protect the trust of legitimate institutions and users within cyberspace, and to disrupt or mitigate the harm of illegal markets, there is an urgent need to gain deep insights into the online underground ecosystem and understand its intricate relationships," Ye said. "The goal of this project is to design and develop an integrated computational framework for in-depth investigation of the online underground ecosystem in an effort to help secure cyberspace by producing data-driven interventions of cybercrimes."

To achieve this goal, Ye will first design methods and develop algorithmic and scalable techniques to automate the analysis of online underground markets. She will then develop a novel framework for cross-market user identification and profiling resulting in the design of an innovative model for structural analysis of cybercriminal social networks to gain deep insights into the organization and operation of cybercriminals in the ecosystem.

The broader impacts of this project include benefits to scientific communities and society as a whole by developing interventions into online crime to secure cyberspace for its users. The establishment of a cybersecurity lab through this project will enhance education and workforce training in cybersecurity. The project integrates research with education through curriculum development, the participation of underrepresented groups and student mentoring activities for WVU's newly established cybersecurity degree program.

Ye has extensive research and development experience in cybersecurity industry. Before joining WVU, she was the principal scientist in Comodo Security Solutions, Inc., a provider of computer software and SSL digital certificates in the U.S., and deputy director at Kingsoft Internet Security Corporation, the second biggest Internet security company in China. Ye proposed and developed cloud-based solutions for mining big data in the area of cybersecurity, especially for malware detection and adversarial machine learning. Her developed algorithms and systems have been incorporated into popular commercial cybersecurity products, including Comodo Internet Security and Kingsoft Antivirus that protect millions of users worldwide.

She received the prestigious AICS 2019 Challenge Problem Winner, the ACM SIGKDD 2017 Best Paper and Best Student Paper awards (Applied Data Science Track), the IEEE EISIC 2017 Best Paper Award and the 2017 New Researcher of the Year Award from the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Ye has brought in nearly $3 million in research funding from federal agencies in the past two years.

"Dr. Ye's experience, energy and vision have made her an exceptional educator and researcher," said Brian Woerner, chair of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. "Her work in artificial intelligence holds the potential to address both fundamental problems in malware detection, and more broadly, to enhance the quality of life for communities."

The NSF's Faculty Early Career Development, or CAREER, program supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. This is the ninth straight year that a member of the Statler College faculty has been selected to receive this honor.

"Dr. Ye is a rising superstar and very passionate faculty member in the Statler College who has very creative ideas," said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College. "She will be a leader in her field for years to come, and we are delighted she is working in this very important field."

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Monday, March 25, 2019

Sometimes one phone call can make a person think. Really think.

Thats what happened when Cathy Zhang, host of Engage America, a Chinese radio show, called and asked if I would agree to an interview about my new report, Why Companies Leave California. She wanted to know whether its findings might be useful to Chinas business interests.

I replied: Yes, they sure are.

Frankly, I also figured Id have an audience of millions of people. The program is part of the Sound of Hope Radio, the most listened-to network among Chinese expatriates throughout the United States and around the world. The network operates independently of the Chinese government, whose policies it has criticized, but can be heard via shortwave in China.

Part of my new out-of-California report addresses disinvestment events when companies relocate California facilities to China and Chinese-owned companies avoid California when locating new facilities in this country. It also examines California-related events in other nations.

Confucius

I should point out that years ago I had studied the life of Confucius (551  479 BC), Chinas most famous philosopher. I learned, thanks to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, that at one point, when he realized that his superiors were uninterested in his policies, Confucius left the country to find another state to which he could render his service.

I think that if Confucius lived in California today, he might do the same. Californias government is so unstable, and its policies among the most incomprehensible in the nation, that many companies and individuals are motivated to relocate to friendlier places.

Moreover, Confucius experienced life under an unstable government and perceived that the political institutions of his day had completely broken down. . (Many Californians can identify with that observation.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy noted that Confucius believed that a ruler should learn self-discipline, should govern his subjects by his own example, and should treat them with love and concern.."

Well, maybe love." is too much, but how about some concern? I dont know of a single California business owner or executive who can say with a straight face that politicians are concerned about their enterprise.

The Facts About Leaving California

The out-of-California report outlines the who, what, when, where and why more than 13,000 companies over a nine-year period moved facilities to other states and nations. The study discusses the leading countries, states and metropolitan areas that were selected to be the new homes for migrating Californians.

It also summarizes how Californias insensitivity to businesses motivates departures. Reasons include punitive laws and regulations, high taxes and an absurd legal environment that is excessively unfair to companies  even those who work conscientiously to respect all laws.

Conceiving a Better Future

Aiming high brings good fortune,." said Confucius.

Indeed, some California companies improved their fortunes by migrating offshore. In the 2008-2016 period, the nations gaining the most from California events were Mexico in the number one spot, followed by India, and in third place was China. Here are a few examples of work that went to China:

Mellanox Technologies Silicon Photonics, Inc. (formerly Kolura, Inc.) moved silicon photonics work out of Monterey Park, in Los Angeles County.

Fluke Corp. shifted manufacturing of laser tools from San Rafael, in Marin County.

Lumileds LLC, subsidiary of Royal Philips, moved LED lighting manufacturing out of San Jose, in Santa Clara County.

A number of years ago, China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd. cancelled plans to build a $1.5 billion aluminum manufacturing facility even though Southern California Edison offered substantial savings." for the project. A consultant noted that electricity costs were 50 percent higher than the second-most expensive state west of the Mississippi River.

Reshoring

A category receiving recent attention is reshoring  bringing back to the United States jobs that had previously been offshored.

According to the Reshoring Institute, California has a difficult time competing against other states when it comes to labor laws, property costs, wage rates, taxes and energy costs. Californias hostility to business is so well known that in many cases the state is completely bypassed during location searches. Californias reshoring ranking, at number 20, is far below the leading states of South Carolina, Tennessee and Michigan  all of which are smaller in size and population.

An example of a California company moving work back from China  but putting it in another state  is Elemental LED, a manufacturer of LED lighting. They moved their manufacturing from China, along with their headquarters from Emeryville, in Alameda County, to Reno, Nevada, where they consolidated everything.

Adverse Conduct

California politicians ought to give thought to other advice from Confucius, namely, When you are in public life, any lapse in conduct can bring disfavor.."

The laws and regulations that emerge from Californias political system show indecent conduct, which is why more companies and people will flee. If Confucius were still alive, he, too, might be packing his bags for a more wholesome environment  one where businesses and citizens are given the respect they deserve.

(Side note: Why I studied the life of Confucius. Some time ago I participated in the creation of a website that sells greeting cards and apparel that revolve around a cartoon character with a similar name  Computious. That website is here: Computious  The Everyday Sage of the Digital Age!)

Link for a summary of Why Companies Leave California.

Joseph Vranich is a site selection consultant providing location advisory services to corporations and small businesses. His motto is Helping Businesses Grow in Great Locations.." In recent years, he has discussed Californias difficult business environment with more than 100 economic development agencies located in North America and Europe. The name of his company is Spectrum Location Solutions LLC, but he also has been known as the Business Relocation Coach. If you found this posting useful, please forward it to a friend and subscribe to Joes blog here (see the top right-hand side of page; your email will not used for any marketing purposes whatsoever).

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Texas factories continued turning out more products in March even as some managers worried about slowing sales and the scarcity of workers, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas monthly survey of manufacturers.

The survey, conducted March 12-20, used responses from 121 manufacturers to measure indicators such as production, new orders, hours worked and prices received for finished goods.

While manufacturers remained optimistic about general business conditions in March, they were less so than in February.

OnExpressNews.com: Texas employers continued hiring streak in February

International sales have decreased, a chemical manufacturer wrote.

The transportation sector is slowing, for both cars and tractor trucks and trailers. The nation has enough of each, a metal manufacturer said. High-rise construction has slowed. The nation has enough tall buildings.

But a computer and electronic product manufacturer said sales were good.

We believe tax reform, global economic conditions and trade deals have impacted our business in a very positive way, the manufacturer said.

The production index, a key measure of manufacturing output, held fairly steady with Februarys.

Labor market measures pointed to continued employment growth and longer workweeks in March. About 22 percent of companies said they had brought on more workers, compared with 9 percent reporting layoffs.

Several employers said the shortage of job candidates was slowing them down.

Our inability to hire, train and bring on new people has become increasingly problematic, wrote a maker of fabricated metal products. We are starting to see customers pushing back on extended production times.

We need skilled workers, or even good unskilled workers and we will train, a machinery manufacturer said.

Monday's report came as Dallas Fed economists said continued tariffs and policy changes under the updated North American Free Trade Agreement could crimp Texas' standing as the nation's top exporter.

OnExpressNews.com: Texas importers see rotten tomatoes in claims of Mexican dumping

The states comparative advantage in the global marketplace has come under growing pressure, economists Jesus Canas and Stephanie Gullo wrote in the banks latest edition of Southwest Economy, a quarterly newsletter. A shift in U.S. trade and tariff regulations threatens to directly and indirectly contribute to increasing costs for many leading Texas export sectors.

Canas in an interview said he knew of one company with offices in the U.S. and Mexico that decided to bypass a Dallas sorting operation to avoid paying tariffs on Chinese imports. Instead, the company sorts its products in China and imports the components from Mexico.

You eliminated the guys in Dallas, he said. Thats what these manufacturing companies have to do in these kind of circumstances. They need to find that edge somehow.

Texas accounted for 19 percent of U.S. exports in 2018, ahead of California with a 10.7 percent share and New York with 4.9 percent share.

Of the approximately $260 billion in goods exported from Texas each year, 78.5 percent are manufactured goods. Oil and gas make up about 18 percent of the exports.

Mexico is the states top export market, receiving 34.8 percent of Texas goods such as computer and electronic products, petroleum and coal products and transportation equipment. Canada ranks second, followed by China.

Sharing a border with four of Mexicos most industrialized states has helped Texas export trade, the report noted. A change in the North American manufacturing relationship could diminish that relationship.

While not yet ratified, the negotiated U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, or USMCA, proposes stricter rules of origin for the automotive industry as well as higher wage requirements.

Thats brought uncertainty to companies in the automotive supply chains built up over the last 25 years under NAFTA. As an example, Canas said, a company might hold back on building an additional factory in the United States or Mexico.

If they are not sure whats going to happen to the North American manufacturing relationship over the next 20 years, then its hard for them to make a decision, he said.
Meetings: Most people hate them, but business requires them.

U.S. companies every year spend $400 billion on 55 million meetings a day, according to management surveys. The average executive will spend 16 years of their life in meetings by the time he or she retires.

Yet only one in four meetings ends with a decision.

Meetings have been identified as one of the most frustrating aspects of work, explained Steve Rogelberg, a business school professor and author of The Surprising Science of Meetings: How You Can Lead Your Team to Peak Performance.

(But) meetings are where organizational democracy can take place, so the elimination of meetings is a false solution. What we want to do is eliminate bad meetings, he told budding entrepreneurs at Station Houston, the start-up accelerator.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Business community needs accurate Census Bureau data

Rogelbergs research shows that the more people attend meetings, the more they feel fatigued at the end of the day. Goal-oriented people hate meetings the most because they think meetings distract from getting things done.

This frustration has led to experimentation. Meetings where people are forced to stand are just as good as meetings where people sit, and they take half the time. Groups that brainstorm in silence, writing down their ideas instead of talking over one another, generate twice as many ideas and are generally more creative, Rogelberg said.

Employee morale and engagement was highest when meetings were small, focused, democratic and infrequent. The best leaders behave like hosts and afterward survey participants seeking tips for improvement, Rogelberg said.

Leaders who see themselves as stewards of others time do things differently, he explained. They think more carefully about who should be there, they think about whether the meeting is even necessary and most importantly, they facilitate because they want to hear your voices.

Some companies have established parameters. Google limits meetings to 50 minutes, so people have time to use the restroom. Amazon has a rule that if two pizzas cannot feed everyone, the meeting has too many people.

Management consultants recommend taking your meeting to a whole new level.

We believe that music is one of the most powerful ways to unlock peoples human sides in these business meetings, Kim Christfort, managing director of the Deloitte Greenhouse Experience team, told me on the sidelines of the SXSW Interactive Conference in Austin. If we can get them to stop thinking with their logical brain and tap into that human brain, we can actually get them to partner differently.

Deloitte has experimented with using music to set the mood and tone of a meeting, creating custom playlists to provoke certain kinds of thinking. Deloitte facilitators also use an app to change the music as needed.

They can sense the needs in the moment, Christfort said. We also monitor energy levels, so if the group is getting too low, we can use music to bring that back up.

To help a team focus and refine their mission and strategy, Christfort brings in Cliff Goldmacher, a Nashville songwriter, to teach people how to explain their business with a verse and a chorus that executives must then perform.

So much of songwriting is refining your message, Goldmacher said. If we take a business concept, turn it into a metaphor and then use the tools of songwriting to refine the vision, it helps people think in a more holistic way about what they are trying to say and how to make this meaningful.

Business people are at first reluctant, but when Christfort and Goldmacher explain that the verse is the business narrative and the chorus is the point you want to drive home, it suddenly becomes fun.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Electricity and oil battle for future of transportation

Christfort said leaders who want more participation and creative thinking in a meeting should also have entry and exit music. Teams that dream up metaphors for their business goals better captures peoples imaginations.

Many readers will be rolling their eyes at these suggestions. But consider how your team would react if you warmly greeted them as they filed into the conference room with music playing.

Your employees would perk up and look at you suspiciously. Their brains would spin trying to figure out what is going on. They will pay much closer attention. In short, you would transform them from sullen drones into engaged participants.

Too often managers take for granted the most pedestrian aspects of the workplace, such as routine meetings. But these are the areas where a good leader can have the most profound impact. Make the mundane more interesting and watch morale and productivity rise.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

chris.tomlinson@chron.com

twitter.com/cltomlinson
Get your smoked brisket with a side of red beans and rice at a new restaurant that aims to blend classic Texas barbecue with Cajun flair on San Antonios Northeast Side.

Co-owner Daniel Antonio Jimenez said that he expects his 225 Urban Smoke restaurant to be open June 1 inside a shopping center at the intersection of Rittiman and Harry Wurzbach roads. Jimenez is partnering with fellow chef Samuel Ransom Jr. on the restaurant.

This will be the type of restaurant that San Antonio hasnt seen before, Jimenez said. Were not only hitting on barbecue, but well have all sorts of other food varieties, too.

Related: 5 things to eat and drink at San Antonio restaurants right now

Jimenez was a corporate chef at P.F. Changs for 15 years and developed the barbecue and Cajun menu while working food service for oil field crews in the Midland area with his Cookhouse Catering business the past few years. The Jimenez family used to own and operate the now-closed Old Heidelberg Restaurant on San Pedro Avenue.

The Urban Smoke menu is heavy on barbecue, featuring smoked brisket, chicken, pulled pork and pork ribs, but it also hits on items like Southern fried catfish, fish tacos, sandwiches and salads. There are also plans to feature homemade cakes and beignets for dessert.

On ExpressNews.com: How to control the fire temperature for grilling and smoking consistency

The smoking pit, which will burn a combination of mesquite and pecan wood, will be located behind the property. Jimenez said that Urban Smoke is being built with expansion in mind.

225 Urban Smoke, 1015 Rittiman Road, 210-625-0893. Facebook: 225UrbanSmoke

Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chucks Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com, or read his other coverage on our free site, mySA.com. | cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiver
Crews on Sunday continued to secure the Deer Park plant and surrounding waterways where officials reported that thousands of barrels of chemical product had been removed after a breached containment wall sent the hazardous materials sprawling into the Houston Ship Channel.

Officials at Intercontinental Terminals Co. said that theyve made significant progress after days of setbacks at the site. A fire that sparked last Sunday ravaged 11 tanks at the plant and sent Houston-area residents into a flurry over air and water quality as a result of flames and subsequent chemical releases.

We did make the transition in unified command back to a proactive mode, ITC incident commander Brent Weber said at a Sunday morning news conference. We are in a safe place as far as protecting our responders and protecting the community.

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In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency hasn't received any reports in the past 24 hours of excessive concentrations of chemicals in the air above one part per million.

The Environmental Defense Fund on Sunday released air sampling results on Sunday, however, that showed concentrations of benzene up to 495 parts per billion on Saturday near the fire site. The concentration is about .5 parts per million, below a count what would trigger public health warnings.

"Given the potential of exposure to high concentrations of benzene over multiple days, we are very concerned about the health and safety of residents living in the nearby communities," said Elena Craft, senior director for climate and health at the environmental advocacy group. "We urge everyone to be vigilant. Risk remains until these chemicals are fully contained."

Attention shifted to the Houston Ship Channel on Saturday, when The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reported that it found nine toxins in the drainage ditch that leads to the channel. The agency said on Saturday that it has yet to complete analyses of samples taken from Tucker Bayou, the Ship Channel and Galveston Bay.

U.S. Coast Guard officials said they're doubling and tripling down on removing chemicals from the waterway, which drives the economy of the region. An estimated 60,000 gallons of watery-oil product have been taken out of the channel, said Lt. Commander Jared Toczko of the US Coast Guard. Most of the remaining product has been contained within booms in Tucker Bayou.

The impacted area is a span of 2 nautical miles from Patricks Bayou to the Lynchburg ferry, Toczko said. Pockets of oil remain in parts of the 2-mile span.

Responders have deployed 27,000 feet of booms, which is triple the amount from Saturdays efforts. Oyster beds on the eastern side of the channel have also been boomed.

More than 70 vessels are skimming the area, Toczko said.

The Coast Guard is working to recover the oil pockets Tucker Bayou and partially reopen the ship channel, which closed Friday around noon, when the containment wall breached.

We want to be able to get the ship channel open but we dont want to take a step back, Toczko said.

The updates presented Sunday stood in contrast to ITCs previous press conferences, where they reported repeated roadblocks in the mitigation process. After the fire was extinguished on Wednesday, authorities had trouble removing product from the remaining tanks and worked to keep a protective foam layer intact on top of the spilled chemicals.

And on Friday, a containment wall breached around the tank farm, sending the foam and volatile compounds into an adjacent drainage ditch that leads to the Houston Ship Channel. Several tanks re-ignited, and the fire spread into the ditch, sending up a plume of black smoke for the third time that week. It was extinguished shortly after.

Crews have since removed more than 12,647 barrels of pyrolysis gasoline, or pygas, from one of the compromised tanks, according to officials at the Intercontinental Terminals Co. plant. The full amount has yet to be removed from the tank, as Weber said he estimated on Friday that about 20,000 barrels were in the holding area.

The tank includes a fixed roof on top and a floating roof inside. ITC removed all of the pygas above the floating roof, and the chemicals that remain are contained under the floating roof, Weber said.

ITC is working to remove the remaining chemicals from all of the tanks in the 15-block tank farm.

The next steps today over the next 24 hours is to methodically go after each tank, Weber said.

About 650 barrels of product have also been removed from the ditch as of 6:30 a.m. Sunday, ITC officials said. Oil surrounding the tanks damaged in the fire is now sitting at 2 inches, instead of the 2 feet reported Saturday.

Its unclear how much liquid leaked from the site. The tanks held flammable compounds, including gasoline blends, xylene, naptha and pyrolysis gasoline.

Were extremely happy with the progress that has occurred in the last 24 hours but yet I would say were still very cautious in regards to what needs to occur, Mayor Jerry Mouton said at a Sunday morning news conference.

NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.
Carson Riley knows firsthand how raising funds for medical research can save lives.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor that brought months of radiation treatments, hospital stays and medication that no one would want to be on.

Carson, 17, a junior at San Antonio Christian Academy High School, is still battling the disease but she hasnt let it stop her.

OnExpressNews.com: Mama Shirley leaves last impression upon San Antonio kids at The Children's Shelter

As strange as it sounds, I consider my illness as a blessing from God, because I found my purpose, she said, and that is to help others in their time of need.

Last week, classmates and faculty gathered as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society honored Carson with a $2,500 college scholarship for raising the most money for the nonprofits 2019 Students of the Year campaign.

She dedicated her drive to this years honored hero, Maddie Stanton, a leukemia survivor from Boerne.

The 20 San Antonio candidates raised $447,021 during the seven-week fundraising campaign. Carson and her six-member team raised $79,113; her goal was $65,000.

As part of the award, Carson will have the opportunity to designate a grant to a specific field of research, with updates on developments through the process.

Her team of close friends helped her spread the word about funding research for the most common cancer among children. She learned about the campaign from her friend Mackenzie Lint.

One of her team members brought knowledge from a cousin who had won a society campaign last year. Small businesses, a law firm, family and friends supported Carsons cause. Her team organized a two-day volleyball tournament on campus that raised more than $1,000.

When she felt drained of energy, she would think of how severely the disease had affected other patients and their loved ones, finding the resolve for one more appeal on their behalf.

Three days before the deadline, she came up short of reaching her goal. She mentioned her fundraising initiative to the school superintendent and the school put out an email about her work. Within an hour, donations from parents and faculty started rolling in for a total of $15,000, putting her well past her goal.

After the ceremony, Carson discussed her journey with the academys spokeswoman Tracy Smith Smith at a shaded picnic table on campus. She told the marketing and communications director that she couldnt say thank you enough to all of the parents, teachers and staff who donated.

As clusters of uniformed-clad students walked to the sun-lit cafeteria, Carson said she relied on her faith and her parents, John and Maribel Riley, who were always by her side. They were there when she came to terms that she might lose her eyesight in her left eye. After the first radiation treatment Carson said she regained some sight to the surprise of her doctors.

Joy of music

Music helped her through the life-changing ordeal, she added.

Melodies lifted her spirits during her stay at University Hospital, when she would play a piano in a waiting area, singing worship songs to the young patients on her floor. After a rough night of recovery at Texas Childrens Hospital, music spoke to her through a song that said, Lift your eyes, girl, and that everything was going to all right.

During the campaign, So Will I, a tune by Hillsong UNITED, affirmed her faith and kept her moving toward her goal.

OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio sportswriting legend remembered as caring friend

Smith said the teens fellow students and faculty rallied around Carson, learning they could make an impact beyond their school.

Knowing was a big motivating factor, not just for Carson and as a person, she said, but that they were contributing to something bigger than themselves. She is courageous and bold, and a different person with the second chance of life. Shes an example to the other students.

Carson said some childhood cancer survivors want to become doctors and nurses, but not her. She wants to work in the communications department of a nonprofit, to spread the word that after a diagnosis, no one has to walk their journey alone.

I want to share with them that I did this, she said, so can you.
Texas taxpayers investment in medical education is benefiting other states.

As medical writer Lauren Caruba recently reported, not all Texas medical school graduates have the opportunity to remain in state. Simply, there are not enough residencies to accommodate the growing number of doctors who finish their schooling and need the postgraduate residency to get licensed.

That means we are losing out on some the benefits that might be afforded by the $369 million  an average of $45,000 per student  the state spends on medical student training each year.

State lawmakers have increased funding for medical residencies to the tune of $53 million in 2015 and $97 million in the 2017, but it is still insufficient. The Texas Education Coordinating Boards Graduate Education Expansion program needs a continued infusion as the states medical programs expand.

In recent years, Texas has been fortunate to have new schools in the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas Rio Grande School of Medicine in Edinburg and the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine in San Antonio.

Additional medical schools are planned at Sam Houston State University, the University of North Texas Health Science Center and the University of Houston, bringing the number of medical schools in Texas to 14. Building more medical schools and graduating more students is not going to ease the doctor shortage in Texas if the graduates have nowhere in the state to complete their training.

Doctors tend to establish roots and set up practice in the communities where they do their residencies. The state only retains about 80 percent of the doctors it educates.

Texas is facing a doctor shortage in the coming decade. The Association of American Medical Colleges ranks Texas 47th among the states on physician-to-population ratio. The most critical need is for more primary care physicians. The Department of State Health Services predicts the state will have an unmet need for an additional 3,375 primary care physicians by 2030.

It is not a problem unique to Texas. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the country will face a shortage of 42,600 to 121,300 doctors by 2030.

For several decades starting in the late 1970s, inaccurate labor market forecasts told of a surplus of doctors. No need for expansion of medical school programs was seen. Now, with a growing population and a significant number of doctors reaching retirement age, the move is on to expand programs and train more physicians.

The funding at the state and federal level is not meeting the need for more residencies.

For the past two decades, there has been a cap on the number of residents funded by Medicare, which is one of the primary sources of their payment. Recent legislation introduced by U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., and John Katko, R-N.Y., would provide an additional 3,000 residency positions each year for the next five years, for a total of 15,000 residencies. It merits bipartisan support.

Residencies are not cheap. They cost about $100,000 a year per resident and can range from three to seven years. There is nothing optional about them.

If we are serious about addressing the critical need for more doctors, residency funding must remain a priority.
Croatia is seeking to secure year-round flights to the United States, namely from Zagreb, with scheduled services between the two countries set to resume this summer after 28 years, albeit on a seasonal basis, between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik. VisitUSA Croatia, a newly formed organisation dedicated to marketing the United States as a premier travel destination under the Brand USA federal umbrella group, says it is working on expanding flight connectivity between the two countries. "We are primarily looking to secure services between Zagreb and New York as this route would fuel travel between the two countries, however, at this point, we do not have any concrete announcements for a new year-round service. This will only happen if a number of stakeholders get involved in the project. Croatia is a regional tourism powerhouse and we must also use this advantage to position ourselves as a leader in outbound US travel for the entire region".





The Ambassador of the United States to Croatia, William Robert Kohorst, anticipates for new services to be launched between the two countries following American Airlines' arrival this summer. "This new nonstop service between the USA and Croatia sends a strong and positive message to the tourism sector. I am hopeful that all of the planned nonstop flights this summer will be full and that it will lead to the launch of new routes, which will in turn generate additional tourism and business exchange". The head of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Romana Vlasic, added, "We have been negotiating the Philadelphia service with American Airlines for years. Advanced bookings have so far been excellent and the Dubrovnik Tourism Board has launched a marketing campaign in the States".





The Croatian Minister for Tourism, Gari Capelli, previously said that seasonal flights between the United States and Croatia would launch first, before year-round operations could commence. The Ministry has launched an eight million euro project entitled "Positioning Croatia as an airline destination", with plans to double its budget next year. "The project aims to attract carriers from far away markets", Mr Cappelli said. The Croatian Embassy in Washington previously noted, "We will do all we can to spearhead and facilitate this effort, and achieve direct flights as soon as it is economically possible". On the other hand, Star Alliance-member United said in a statement, "We have not announced anything about the Croatian market, but were always looking for new opportunities. We will continue to offer flights to Croatia through our codeshare partners", while Delta said it currently has no plans to launch operations to the Croatian capital.
TRIP REPORT

INDEX

Written by Ozack



This is a trip I took from Narita Airport to Ljubljana on a nonstop ANA charter flight which was organised by Sakai Travel company. The nine day tour included Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. There were around 250 people travelling. My main point of interest was to visit the world heritage site Plitvice Lakes National Park, as well as Dubrovnik but the tour started in Slovenia where I really enjoyed Bled Lake.





We gathered at Narita Airport where all passengers were divided into twelve groups depending on what their tour included. There are various types of groups, including those travelling in business class, those on longer tours, shorter tours etc. I was in the orange group which included a six hour visit to Plitvice Lakes and three nights in Dubrovnik.









We were travelling on a B777 from Tokyo. Upon boarding, the captain informed us that our flight time would be around twelve hours. It is quite a long trip, but much better without having to make connections at other airports. There is a real fun atmosphere on board where, for example, passengers with their birthdays coming up get called out and receive some mini cakes. Quizzes are organised where we get to learn more about Slovenia and those that answer questions correctly get small gifts. The passenger announcements are also very humours.









After takeoff we were first offered a drink. Then the meal service started. We had a choice of Tandoori chicken and the other was a Japanese option. I had the chicken. The taste was so and so. I much preferred the red wine I had along with it.









Slovenian greetings were placed in various places on the plane, like for example the lavatories and galleys.









I watched a few movies and we were already over Russia when the second meal service began. There was no choice here and we were given some vegetables and steamed rice. It was neither good nor bad.









When we landed, we disembarked by the stairs. Passport control was quick and hassle free. Then our groups went their separate ways. My orange group did not stay in Ljubljana. We went straight to Bled. Others had few nights stay in Ljubljana.









The airport building in Ljubljana is very small. As we left the building there were people wearing folk costumes and playing music. There was an orchestra in front of the bus. Our bus then departed for Bled with 27 people.









Overall, nice experience and I preferred travelling this direct way then having to transfer through airports and worry about my luggage getting lost, as I had the experience when I travelled to Iceland the year before.




NEWTOWN  Jeremy Richmans dedication finally appeared to be paying off.

His crusade with other families of the Sandy Hook tragedy for gun control was getting support in the U.S. and Connecticut legislatures and it appeared they had Sandy Hook denier Alex Jones backed up against a wall in their lawsuits against him.

So his suicide early Monday morning in the stage area of Edmond Town Hall left many people who knew him devastated and puzzled.

The brain is a wondrous organ, and like other organs, it can be healthy and unhealthy. Its the organ that houses our memories, feelings and behaviors. Richardman, a neuroscientist, said at a conference in Washington State last year.

Richmans daughter, Avielle, was killed in the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook school.

Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel, are among the plaintiffs in a defamation suit against Jones.

From the beginning, we have said that Jones knowingly peddled false and malicious narratives in order to make money at the expense of the Sandy Hook families' grief, safety and security, said their lawyer, Joshua Koskoff.

He declined comment on Richmans death.

Jones recently hired controversial New Haven-based lawyer Norm Pattis to represent him in the Connecticut case.

Pattis released a statement Monday afternoon about Richmans death.

We note the tragic passing of Jeremy Richman with heavy hearts and profound sorrow, he said. Mr. Jones sends his condolences to Mr. Richmans family and wishes only for peace.

Pattis added that, Mr. Jones remains resolute in his defense of the underlying claims and will defend the lawsuit on its merits.

That was Monday. By his evening broadcast, Jones was singing a different tune, questioning if Richmans death had indeed been a suicide and suggesting it had something to do with the investigation into Russian election meddling.

I mean, is there going to be a police investigation? Are they going to look at the surveillance cameras? I mean, what happened to this guy? This whole Sandy Hook thing is, like, really getting even crazier, Jones said.

Speculating that Richman had been murdered, Jones suggested that his death may havebeen a false flag, an accusation he made about the Sandy Hook shooting itself.

Look, the good news of no collusion, the good news that Im not a Russian agent comes out, and now this happens right on time. Just amazing, he said.

Last week, Judge Barbara Bellis denied Jones lawyers request for a delay in handing over records to the plaintiffs, and Jones was ordered to provide sworn testimony on the case.

Bellis is allowing the plaintiffs lawyers to depose Jones and other defendants for a total of 19 hours.

Jones has said publicly that the Sandy Hook massacre, in which 20 children and six adults were killed, was completely fake. He has described the tragedy as a hoax and called the families paid actors.

Since the lawsuit was filed, however, his lawyers have confirmed their belief that the tragedy did, in fact, occur.

Children and educators were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, understandably scarring and causing extraordinary grief throughout the community, Jones lawyer argued in January while trying to get a venue change. People who have lived this close to such a horrific tragedy cannot be expected to think about it unemotionally, particularly when an attorney representing its victims is directly and falsely accusing third parties (in this case, defendants) of callously profiting from their grief.

The defamation lawsuits in Connecticut are separate from two lawsuits filed against Jones in Texas by parents of first-graders who were slain in the shooting.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Staff reporter Rob Ryser contributed to this story.
DERBY  The same building the city deemed unsafe earlier this month and considered demolishing until the owners lawyer stepped in is apparently still falling apart.

Michael Hillis, a local defense lawyer and principal in Derby Shores LLC, presented the city with a structural engineers report claiming the building was sound.

Last week some of the stucco fell off.

Sunday, the chimney collapsed, spewing brick and mortar onto Main Street shortly after 2 p.m.

Mayor Richard Dziekan met with his staff Monday to discuss what to do with the four-story building at 195 Main St. just across the street from the ongoing state demolition of four buildings.

Theres a big hole in the roof where the chimney had been, Dziekan said. Fortunately, no one got hurt, but I am told one of the pieces came close to hitting a car.

It was a firewatch working the state Department of Transportations demolition on the south side of Main Street that first noticed problems with 195 Main St.

They saw the chimney titling to a 45 degree angle, Dziekan said.

The firewatch worked from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. while the demolition of the four buildings was ongoing. The demolition, which is complete, is the first step in the states plan to widen Route 34/Main Street into four lanes beginning next year.

The mayor ordered a firewatch established for 195 Main St., which is near a bus stop. He also closed off the sidewalk around the building.

He also said the owners told him that they would be putting up scaffolding and netting while they repair the facade. However the mayor expressed concern that the damage from the fallen chimney that left a hole in the roof could mean further damage to the inside if the building is open to rain and wind.

Dziekan said the state Department of Transportation has been informed of Sundays damage.

Hillis had said Derby Shores LLC is suing MESA Underwriters Specialty Insurance Company of New Jersey in Milford Superior Court for failing to pay repairs to the roof for damage allegedly caused by heavy snow and strong winds during the blizzard that began Feb. 9, 2013.

MESA is challenging the claims. No hearings have been scheduled.

A message left at Hillis law office in New Haven early Monday morning was not immediately returned.
MILFORD  Silver Sands State Park was open Monday morning, but with extra security in place after fires there Tuesday and Sunday, the second of which was classified as arson.

While about a dozen people milled about the beach park, the scene of the first fire remained cordoned off, and the public was kept away from the location of the second.

State Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford, whose district includes the park, said she was told state Department of Energy and Environmental Protections officers would patrolling on Monday night, but also that the parks size makes it difficult to watch everything.

Mayor Ben Blake said the patrols were confirmed in a DEEP release, which also said Sundays fire was being investigated as an arson.

The cause of Tuesdays fire  a larger blaze that ignited three nearly completed buildings targeted for a Memorial Day weekend opening  has not been determined.

Sundays fire in two metal storage containers had been fairly simple to extinguish, said Anthony Fabrizi, battalion chief for Milford.

It was smaller in nature than the earlier fire, Fabrizi said Sunday.

The containers stored materials for the controversial $9.1 million project for a new concession building, restrooms, office and maintenance garage  including the buildings that were destroyed Tuesday.

Many in Milford have opposed the park upgrades and the bonding that made the project possible. In 2017, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy gained support for bonding for the project, then proposed cutting education funding for 85 affluent towns, including Milford.

Under investigation

Investigators have determined the Sunday morning fire in storage containers at Silver Sands State Park was intentionally set, DEEP said in a statement issued Sunday. Anyone with information is asked to call the Connecticut Arson Hotline at 1-800-84-ARSON. There is a $2,500 reward.

DEEP added in its statement that the second fire had not been linked to the first.

At this time there is no information concerning a connection between this mornings incident and last Tuesdays fire at the park that destroyed three buildings under construction. The investigation of last weeks fire is continuing. The park remains open to the public, but visitors are advised to heed signs marking areas that are closed to public access.

Rose said she has asked for a meeting with officials from DEEP and the state Department of Administrative Services.

Our citys emergency services usually are the first responders to any type of incident that takes place there, Rose said. I understand the contractor (Scopes Construction, of New Britain) still owns the buildings that were destroyed in the first fire. I want to know what kind of insurance is on those buildings. ... My goal is to protect the taxpayers.

She said she also asked for a printout of how many incidents Milfords emergency services have responded to at the state park in recent years.

Those calls come at a cost not just in taxpayer dollars but to the lives of our first responders, she said. I want to know how our calls compare to those in other cities where there are state parks.

Several messages left via email and voice mail with Lee Sawyer, a DEEP spokesperson on Monday were not immediately returned.

Blake said Silver Sands, with its lure of the sandbar leading to Charles Island has always been a popular destination.

But the sandbar has also been the cause of numerous incidents of stranded visitors requiring assistance from Milfords police, fire department and emergency medical technicians. Blake said there was even a rescue call made on March 9  the day of the citys St. Patricks Day parade.

Staff writer Jill Dion contributed to this report.
HARTFORD  A panel discussion called The Science of Vaccines was canceled late Monday when two Yale doctors pulled out of the event, which was also going to feature Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a lawyer who founded an anti-vaccine organization.

Kennedy already was scheduled to speak at a forum titled Should Vaccines Be Mandates? hosted by Reps. Anne Dauphinais, R-Danielson, Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, and Jack Hennessey, D-Bridgeport.

The intent of the forum, to share science, was overshadowed by the negative attention, Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, said in a Facebook post late Monday night announcing the cancelation of the Science of Vaccines forum.

Hennessy said that the doctors were scared to be on a panel with Kennedy because they just cant back up the facts.

Jillian Wood, executive director of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the forum was no longer going to serve the purpose of allowing lawmakers to ask difficult questions and get information.

We cannot convince true anti-vaccine people their information is wrong, Wood said. We can only answer questions about scientific truth.

She said its hard to have an honest discussion with people who arent going to be honest back.

Drs. Brett Lindenbach and Gene Shapiro were two of the four experts scheduled to appear on the canceled panel.

The cancellation didnt deter turnout at the other panel. Two rooms at the Legislative Office Building were filled with women and children Tuesday who came to hear Kennedy speak.

Were here because we have vaccine-injured children, Jen Kozek said.

Dauphinais said the most disappointing part of the day was that Yale bailed. She said lawmakers were looking forward to a two-sided conversation about vaccines and informed parental consent to vaccinate.

She said shes not sure what Elliott meant by negative attention.

Kennedy suggested that no vaccine has ever been safety tested.

None of them have been safety tested against a placebo, Kennedy said. That is criminal because nobody can say whether a vaccine is causing more harm than good.

Wood said its hard to believe in vaccine safety if you dont believe in the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has an Immunization Safety Office that identifies possible vaccine side effects and conducts studies to determine whether health problems are caused by vaccines.

Linda Niccolai, professor of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, said the bar for vaccine testing is very high and if you dont trust the CDC theres more than enough evidence from health organizations around the world.

Every vaccine goes through rigorous evaluation before and after its licensed for use, Niccolai said, adding that there is a vast body of research that has not confirmed any serious side-effect from vaccines in use today.

She said she hears claims about children who have been injured by vaccines, but there is no causal relationship between the injury and the vaccine.

Theres no evidence vaccines are causing those illnesses, she added.

At one point during the press conference Kennedy asked all the women in the room with vaccine-injured children to raise their hands.

Its the press and the Democratic Party that arent listening to women, Kennedy said to cheers from the crowd.

Kennedy apologized for Democratic leadership who have chosen to listen to pharmaceutical companies, instead of women who believe their children have been injured by vaccines.

The facts in this debate speak for themselves, Kennedy said.

He said theres a difference between the scientific establishment and established science. He told reporters that they have to learn to mistrust the CDC.

He equated censorship about vaccines with the Catholic churchs problem with pedophilia.

Today people in the press have to be guarded about persuading themselves that the CDC and the vaccine program are so important that we cant entertain criticism of it, Kennedy said. That was the mistake everybody made with the pedophile scandal  we cant talk about it because people will lose faith in this important institution.

House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, promised on March 13 that in the next 12 months the House would debate legislation to eliminate religious exemptions for vaccines.

Its not fair to a child with a compromised immune system to have to go to school with those children, Ritter said, referring to unvaccinated children. You have to fight for those folks.

He said theyre not saying a person shouldnt have a strongly held religious belief that prevents them from getting a vaccine. He said the removal of the exemption would simply mean that they couldnt enroll unvaccinated children in public schools.

Connecticuts immunization rates have dropped slightly.

In the 2012-13 school year, 97.1 percent of kindergarteners were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. In the 2017-18 school year that number dropped to 96.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of measles cases being tracked nationwide by the CDC jumped 30 percent last week  from 206 on March 11 to 268 on March 14.

Thus far in 2019, the CDC has documented measles in 15 states including Connecticut, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

There are currently outbreaks  defined as three or more cases  in six US jurisdictions: New Yorks Rockland County, New York City, and the states of Washington, Texas, Illinois, and California.
FAIRFIELD  Almost two months after the announcement that Superintendent Toni Jones was headed to Greenwich schools, the Fairfield Board of Education has hired a search firm to find their new chief of schools.

That would be Hazard, Young and Attea & Associates, an educational management firm that is no stranger to Fairfield.

That same firm was hired back in 2016 for another superintendent search that culminated with Jones appointment. The Illinois-headquartered firm conducted surveys and various open forums with residents  one of which was attended by only four people  as part of the search process in 2016.

A similar process is currently in the works for the coming months.

According to Board of Education member Jessica Gerber, there will be an online survey available to all Fairfield stakeholders from April 1-15. Around the same time, the consultant firm will conduct meetings with school staff, town officials and members of the public April 10-12.

As of press time, the times and locations for the meetings are yet to be determined.

The Board is focused on moving the search forward as quickly as possible; but we also want to allow time for all stakeholders to have an opportunity to be heard, Chairman of the education board Christine Vitale said. Community participation and input is vital to our completing a successful search.

In early May, Hazard, Young and Attea will present a leadership profile to the Board and, according to preliminary planning, will conduct interviews with potential candidates by June.

Finalist interviews are expected to be completed by the end of June according to Gerber.

The Board of Education voted 9-0 to appoint the company as the search firm responsible for assisting school officials find the next superintendent on March 12. The consulting fee for the search, according to Vitale, comes at $22,500.

The funding will come out of the Board of Education Dues and Fees line item, Vitale said.

A job post on the Hazard, Young and Attea & Associates page describes the Fairfield schools opening.

The Fairfield Public School District is seeking an outstanding educational leader. Prospective applicants should have evidence base skilled experience in inclusive communication, community building and financial acumen, the post reads.

According to an email Jones sent to parents in January, her last professional day with Fairfield schools will be June 30.

Jones has served as the Fairfield superintendent since September 2016; the educational board unanimously extended her contract to June 2020 in the summer of 2017.

The compensation package will be highly competitive, the job post said. Additional information, including the application deadline, will be forthcoming.

humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com
Michael Cummo / Hearst Connecticut Media

STAMFORD  A city woman was arrested early Monday morning for allegedly stabbing her husband in the back with a knife.

Sgt. Paul Guzda said Marissa Frantisak, 34, of Washington Boulevard, was charged with first-degree assault and two counts of risk of injury to a child because two children were in the apartment at the time of the assault. She is being held in lieu of a $50,000 court-appearance bond.
Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada.

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Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures and sells BMW vehicles and automotive components in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company offers minibuses under the JinBei, Renault, Haise, Grand Haise, and Granse brands, as well as multi-purpose vehicles under the Huasong brand. Its automotive components include moldings, seats, axles, safety and airbag systems, and interior decoration products, as well as engines for minibuses, sedans, sport utility vehicles, light duty trucks, etc. The company also provides BMW sport activity vehicles. In addition, it offers auto-financing services to customers and dealers. Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited has strategic partnerships and alliances with BMW, Toyota, Magna, Bosch, Continental, Delphi, TI Automotive, and Johnson Controls. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.

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Beef. Its Whats for Dinner. Millions have heard the slogan. Theyve also seen several decades worth of celebrities from Brett Favre to Beyonce donning iconic white mustaches during Got Milk? spots.

These culturally ubiquitous ad campaigns come from programs that collect funds from ranchers and farmers for investment into research and marketing intended to generate even more dollars in the long term.

Its called a checkoff, and Montana has its own for wheat and barley.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Ross Fitzgerald, R-Fairfield, will double the maximum cap on how much those grain farmers can be charged for the checkoff. Gov. Steve Bullock signed it into law last Wednesday.

Though the checkoff is little known outside agriculture circles, supporters say it helps keep Montana growers in the black  particularly amid global trade wars and a changing climate.

You always have to be ahead of the curve, otherwise youre going to be in the toilet, Fitzgerald said. The checkoff continues to be successful in putting more money in farmers pockets.

Supporters included the Montana Grain Growers Association, Montana Farm Bureau and Montana Farmers Union.

The Legislature created the checkoff in 1967 at the direction of farmers who wanted to spend their own money developing markets.

The assessment is voluntary, but fewer than a half-percent of growers traditionally request refunds. Fitzgerald said thats because of the programs track record, but also who actually controls the money.

Instead of bureaucrats, a seven-member board of farmers within the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee budgets checkoff proceeds, which equaled roughly $4 million last year. The board also raises or lowers the assessment.

However, since 2009 the checkoff has been at its ceiling: 2 cents per bushel of wheat grown and 3 cents per hundredweight of barley. Though the assessment has historically represented half a percent of the grains value, its now at about a third of a percent.

An increase to the checkoff capwhich has only happened in 1983 and 2003would provide farmers more flexibility in addressing ongoing priorities in the volatile farming world.

Much of the committees budget, $1.7 million, went toward wheat and barley research last year. Most of that money goes to Montana State University.

Why continue to improve crops that have been cultivated for thousands of years?

Its like asking Ford Motor Company Why do you keep trying to make better cars? MSU researcher Luther Talbert said. Its a competitive world.

Montana could stop trying to develop better crop varieties, but Idaho and North Dakota wouldnt.

In part, the checkoff funded Talberts research into what became Montanas most popular spring wheat variety. It also allowed a colleague next door to develop the states most common winter wheat variety.

Scientists arent just motivated by higher per-acre yields.

Facing extreme conditions with climate cycles, we need more research in drought and disease resistant crop varieties, Fitzgerald said during a recent committee hearing.

It can take a decade to develop a new product; the checkoff represents a stable funding source that doesnt ebb and flow with the Legislatures budgetary priorities.

That also makes the checkoff an effective marketing tool, according to Montana Wheat and Barley Committee Bureau Chief Collin Watters.

Eighty percent of wheat is exported to other countries.

Like research, Watters said developing new markets takes sustained, patient effort.

It takes trust and hard work with individuals and organizations in the market, he said. The process is decades and generations long.

Last year, the committee budgeted $1 million into market development.

Establishing new markets is especially necessary given economic uncertainty amid recent trade wars.

China, traditionally a significant market for Montana spring wheat, didnt purchase any last year due to tariffs slapped on the U.S. in retaliation to trade restrictions the Trump administration imposed on Chinese goods.

U.S. wheat sales to Japanthe largest American wheat importer of the last five yearsare also set to plummet.

The Trump administration decided against joining the massive trade agreement succeeding the Trans-Pacific Partnership, unlike Australia, Canada and Japan. The first two countries can therefore sell wheat to the third without markups, providing little reason for Japan to purchase the more expensive U.S. product.

So, Montana wheat needs somewhere else to go.

The committee pays for memberships to groups like the U.S. Wheat Associates, which has nine foreign offices that serve as headquarters to establish new markets.

The organization, and others, provide Treasure State growers an international presence that would be prohibitively expensive to establish themselves.

Watters said the committee doesnt yet have plans to raise the assessment. International politics have persuaded them to seek the option, however.

One of the reasons the growers have been supportive of the change is they see the trade issues going on right now, Watters said. Without the ability to sell products overseas, wed really be in tough shape.

Kevin Trevellyan is a graduate student at the University of Montana School of Journalism. His work has appeared at Montana Public Radio, Idaho Falls Post Register and other news outlets. His email is kevin.trevellyan@umconnect.umt.edu. The UM Legislative News Service is a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Newspaper Association, the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation.
Debates are intensifying at the Montana Legislature over the states management of North Americas largest land mammal: The American bison.

Some argue bison are a critical cultural, spiritual and historical resource. Others argue bison pose a threat to the health and well-being of cattle. Now, legislators are considering a number of bills that would decide where bison are allowed to graze, and which government entity gets to make that decision.

Rep. Tyson Runningwolf, D-Browning is carrying one of those bills. It would allow bison to be transferred from Yellowstone to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

Our beautiful state is embroiled in a management conundrum, Runningwolf said when he presented his bill in committee last week.

Bison populations were decimated in the early 1800s as Europeans moved west, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Native Americans had been hunting bison for centuries. Their hides and meat were staple resources for tribes, which became scarce when hunting bison became a sport for settlers rather than a necessity.

Bison were nearly extinct when a small herd was moved to Yellowstone National Park. The population revived.

In 2019, bison are confined to certain areas in the state. Some ranchers feel strongly about keeping bison in these areas because theyre carriers of brucellosis, a disease the affects bison, cattle, elk and humans. It can lead to high rates of abortion in cattle, bison and elk.

Brucellosis cost cattle ranchers billions of dollars in the last century, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Montana achieved brucellosis-free status in 2002.

Researchers have not been able to document a transmission of brucellosis from bison to cattle in the wild, although it is possible. According to the Department of Agriculture, more than 50 percent of bison in Yellowstone have tested positive for the disease.

A private organizations application for a bison grazing permit in central Montana has led to anxiety and fear of possible damages. Lawmakers are asking the federal government to deny the request.

Lawmakers Fight Bison Grazing Permit

House Joint Resolution 28 urges the federal Bureau of Land Management to deny American Prairie Reserves (APR) request for a year-round grazing permit that would cover land in Chouteau, Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips, and Valley Counties.

It passed the House 59-40 and was heard in a Senate committee last week.

The Bozeman-based conservation organization owns this land, and argues HJ 28 is an attack on private property rights. However, the lawmaker sponsoring the bill says he believes bison grazing will affect private property of ranches in the area.

Rep. Dan Bartel, R-Lewistown, is carrying the resolution and said its critical to the well-being of Montanas livestock and wildlife. Bartel said ranchers have implemented best practices for soil and grazing management, and that it would be counterproductive to allow this new grazing permit.

The United Property Owners of Montana, the Montana Stockgrowers Association, the Montana Farm Bureau Federation and the Montana Wool Growers Association support the resolution.

Former Montana Senator Ed Butcher from Winifred testified during the Senate committee hearing. He said he thinks APR wants to eliminate agriculture in the state.

This has nothing to do with property rights, it has to do with the future management of agriculture, Butcher said.

Proponents also expressed concerns about the reserves bison transmitting brucellosis to cattle.

Pete Geddes, vice president and chief external relations officer for APR, said the argument of brucellosis transmission is a red herring.

This is a matter of science, not opinion, Geddes said.

Geddes said APR gets domestic bison from Canada that are brucellosis free. The bison will be contained in a fenced area, and as for the grazing concerns, Geddes said, APR has developed a peer-reviewed bison management plan that will ensure grazing doesnt damage the land.

Geddes argues the resolution itself is oversteps government authority, and said as much in the bills hearing.

It is surely not lost on members of this committee that this resolution seeks to use the power of the state to attack the property rights and grazing privileges of a private entity doing business in Montana, Geddes said.

Before the resolution was debated on the House floor several weeks ago, this exact argument led to an emergency meeting of the House Rules Committee, which establishes how the lawmaking body will conduct business. Some argued the resolution set a bad precedent.

However, the committee ultimately decided the resolution could move forward.

It would not actually change state policy if passed.

A Seat At The Table

A bill passed by the House would give county governments some say in whether or not bison are moved around the state.

Rep. Joshua Kassmier, R-Fort Benton, is sponsoring House Bill 332 in an attempt to give local officials a seat at the table when it comes to deciding bison transfers into Montana.

The bill would require the Board of County Commissioners to first authorize any request from the Department of Livestock or the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks before wild bison are released into any county.

The ranchers are getting nervous. (American Prairie Reserve) is buying up a lot of ground, Kassmeir said.

Kassmeir said hes particularly worried the bison will overgraze the land. He said it takes years for grasses to regrow and that it makes it easier for noxious weeds to spread. Tribes would be exempt from the ordinance.

Whether or not this could affect the APR grazing permit is unclear because its bison are domestic.

The bill passed out of the House on a tight vote -- 56-41 in late February. It will move to the Senate Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation next.

Tribes Ask For Bison Transfers

Runningwolf, the representative from Browning, is asking for a state policy change with House Bill 478. It would revise laws related to transferring wild bison to tribal entities, allowing bison to be transferred from Yellowstone to tribal lands before the bison have received brucellosis-free certification. The Fort Peck tribes have built a quarantine facility on their land.

I am a descendant of buffalo hunters. Weve done it for thousands and thousands of years, and we knew how to manage them, Runningwolf told the House Agriculture Committee.

The Fort Peck Indian Reservations quarantine facility has received five new bison bulls from Yellowstone in February.

Runningwolf said bison are an economical, spiritual and cultural resource for Native Americans. And, he said, tribes will take them dead or alive, because they want the meat and hides. His bill would also require the Department of Livestock to donate bison carcasses to tribes or charity.

Majel Russell is legal counsel for the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. She talked to the committee about the historical significance of bison for natives. When bison were brought to near extinction in the 1800s, she said, it was part of an effort to wage war on Native Americans and push them off the land theyd been on for centuries.

By killing bison, Europeans expanding West were also killing off Natives food source.

It correlates with the attempt to exterminate the Indian people, Russell said.

Russell said that even though reservations are sovereign, the tribes are willing to working with state and federal officials to ease worries. The facility is located in the middle of the reservation and enclosed by fence.

Russell said theres no reason the transfer should not take place.

Again, farmers and ranchers disagree. Opponents included the Montana Stockgrowers Association, the Montana Farm Bureau and the Montana Farmers Union.

Chelcie Cargill, representing the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, said during testimony that bison pose a serious threat to the livestock industry.

This really has nothing to with tribal entities growing bison populations, it has everything to do with disease management, Cargill said.

Jay Bodner with the Montana Stockgrowers Association said the threat of disease is not only concerning if it affects cattle, but that the potential would hurt the states export of beef. He said he believes allowing for the transfer will cost the state millions of dollars in mitigation costs.

Runningwolf, a cattle rancher himself, disagrees with this assertion. He said demand for red meat is high, and thats not going to change. He said hes tired of the barriers reservations face and the implication that the tribes wont adequately manage the bison.

He said this a goal tribes have been working toward for a long time, but that there have been roadblocks.

I think were good neighbors, were strong conservationists, Runningwolf said.

Shaylee Ragar is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Newspaper Association, the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Shaylee can be reached at shaylee.ragar@umontana.edu.
As part of the training process, the students in the Sales Preparation class routinely ride their assigned colts in a variety of settings, including in the mountains in the Dillon, Mont. area.
by Randall Blakeslee | Bulls Correspondent | Mon, Mar 25th 2:44pm EDT

DeMar DeRozan shot 8-for-18 for 16 points, 11 dimes, and two blocks in Sunday's contest against the Celtics. It was a decent stat line for the all-star two-guard, but the night belonged to LaMarcus Aldridge and his 48 points performance.

Fantasy Impact:

It's the fantasy playoffs and DeRozan is barely performing at his ADP value in standard 9-category leagues. Thankfully, the Spurs had a four-game week. However, DeRozan did not record a single rebound or steal on Sunday and he only averaged 16 points per game over the past three. If you're in the finals, the Spurs only play three games this week and you're hoping he has his best week on the year.
DAMASCUS, Ohio  Cold Run Jerseys, of Salem; Lowmiller Farms, of Minerva; and Smith Vale Farm, of Homeworth, earned the top milk production awards at the Columbiana-Mahoning DHI awards banquet March 22.

All three dairy farms also earned statewide DHI Elite awards for all three components  milk, butterfat and protein  for 2018 production numbers in the top 5 percent of the state herds on test.

Lowmiller Farms received the top herd award for milk production, with an average of 32,668 pounds on 149 head. The Holstein herd also averaged 1,211 pounds of fat and 969 pounds of protein, milking three times a day.

Cold Run Jerseys, David and Jim Herron, earned the two counties top fat production award, at 1,377 pounds. The Herrons 300-head herd, which is ranked No. 1 in the state for the breed, also averaged production per cow of 1,377 pounds fat and 867 pounds protein, with an energy corrected milk average of 32,108 pounds, milking three times a day.

Smith Vale Farm received the top protein award, with an average production of 1,016 pounds. The 134-head Holstein herd also averaged 32,455 pounds of milk and 1,231 pounds butterfat, with an energy corrected milk average of 34,320 pounds to top the two counties.

Statewide, for energy corrected milk, Smith Vale Farm ranks fourth and Lowmiller Farms ranks sixth.

Russ Kiko Farms also earned state DHI Elite awards for its milk and protein production of 31,654 and 986 pounds, respectively, on 3x milking.

Nature View Farms, Jay Herron, earned an Elite award for protein production, at 739 pounds. The farm is ranked sixth in the state, among Jersey herds.

Energy corrected milk determines the amount of milk produced and adjusted to 3.5 percent fat and 3.2 percent protein, and makes it easier to compare all breeds productivity.

Doug Weaver earned both the most improved herd award, for an increase of 304 pounds, and the top quality herd award, with an average somatic cell count of 104,000.

Individual cow production

In the individual breed, individual cow production category, a cow in the Cold Run Jerseys herd produced 49,490 pounds (ECM).

Topping the Holstein production, was a cow in the herd of Whiteleather Farms with ECM of 47,026 pounds.

The top cow in the mixed breed classification was from Martig Farms, with milk production of 34,053 pounds. The top Brown Swiss was in the herd of Doug and Marty Dye, which produced 24,710 pounds, and the top Milking Shorthorn came from the Honey Creek Farms herd, producing 23,800 pounds.

The two counties partner to honor individual local milk producers who are members of the DHI Cooperative for Dairy Herd Improvement services and records.

Grim numbers

Ohio dairy cow enrollment (all breeds, both official and management test plans) in DHI, as of Jan. 1, 2019, was 105,471 head, in 589 herds, according to a report from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. Thats down from the 2018 average numbers of 113,000 cows (on test/month) on 618 herds.

And, according to a report from board member Elton Lowmiller, 2018 was a pretty tough year, with numbers down roughly 20,000 cows and 60 herds from the previous year.

Lowmiller also gave a rundown of individual herd sizes, nationally, that are on test and the size trend  a substantial drop in small and medium-sized herds, and an increase in large (1,000+ head) herds.

The bottom line, he said, were not really losing cows, were losing herds.

Earlier this year, the local DHI group presented two $750 scholarships, to Jarod Herron and Kelly Ginnetti.

In the directors election, Joel Smith and Austen Shoemaker were each re-elected two new terms on the board.
A West Yorkshire farmer has admitted he may quit farming after a large barn fire caused by a suspected arson attack nearly killed 150 sheep.

Fire crews were called at around 4pm on Wednesday (20 March) to a farm blaze in Old Lane, Ovenden.

The barn, which contained 150 pregnant ewes, was set on fire by 'mindless' arsonists, according to the farmer, Keith Midgley, who spoke to Halifax Courier.

However, no sheep were killed in the fire, but Mr Midgley and his family are left with costs running into the thousands.

Due to the severity of the incident, he is now considering walking away from a lifetime of farming.

He told the paper: We've had incidents over the years, with dogs attack sheep, thefts and vandalism, but never anything as bad as this.

It makes me want to say 'enough is enough, let's not bother any more'. I don't make a great living out of farming, I've always done it, I love it, but this feels like the last straw.

The incident follows news of an arson attack on a farm in Derbyshire in November 2018, which destroyed more than 3,000 bales.

Owners of the farm, E H Kinston and Son, posted a viral post on Facebook explaining how three thousand bales had been destroyed in an act of evil duty.

Meanwhile, a huge blaze thought to be an arson attack ripped through a farm building owned by James Dyson in December 2018.

The Head of Farming at Beeswax Dyson Farming, James Dyson's agricultural business, said on social media that 'mindless vandalism' caused the incident.
A Cumbria farmer who was found guilty of two charges of intentionally disturbing the nest of a pair of breeding ospreys has had his conviction quashed.

59-year-old Paul Barnes faced charges of intentionally or recklessly disturbing an osprey while it was on or near a nest containing its eggs or young in 2017.

He was alleged to have driven his tractor and trailer with a group of children close to the Bassenthwaite site in June 2017, scaring the birds of prey from their nest.

Ospreys are protected under the Country and Wildlife Act 1981, meaning it is an offence to disturb the bird on or near its nest.

However, the Lake District-based farmer has always strongly denied the two charges.

Despite this, Mr Barnes was convicted following a court trial in August 2018. He lodged an appeal.

But a judge at Carlisle Crown Court ruled on Friday 22 March 2019 that the incident was an 'agricultural disturbance' and not a crime.

Judge James Adkin said: An individual in authority told Mr Barnes to carry on farming as usual.

Observations had been undertaken of (nest) disturbances not wholly dissimilar to the current circumstances - in some cases arguably worse. They are characterised as agricultural disturbances and not criminal offences.

Combined with these features there has been a lamentable failure by the prosecution to adhere to the (legal document) disclosure regime, he said.

Mr Barnes - a farmer for 35 years - spoke of his joy after 'emerging from 18 months of turmoil' which had a 'massive impact on family life'.
Dairy farmers in Northern Ireland are 'strongly opposed' to Red Tractor's plans to introduce unannounced inspections, a farming union says.

Red Tractors new risk-based approach to farm inspections looks to improve the integrity of the assurance scheme.

Announced last year, it said it believes that changes are a 'vital component' in maintaining the trust of consumers and promoting high standards in food and farming.

But the Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) said there is an 'unjust view' that Northern Irish dairy farms struggle to meet the same standards as farms in Britain.

UFU deputy president, Victor Chestnutt has now called for 'uniformity' across the UK regions when it comes to inspections.

Red Tractor have heard first-hand the concerns of grassroots dairy farmers in Northern Ireland. We now want to work with them to see these issues addressed, he said.

Farmers largely support the concept of a farm quality assurance scheme but it must work for all parties. Unfortunately, many aspects of the new risk-based approach are problematic for farmers.

The UFU said dairy farmers are 'frustrated' with Red Tractors inspection process and that concerns raised with the farm quality assurance body have 'not been addressed to date'.

The new, tougher regime was in development last year and began in November 2018 for full roll-out across all farms this year.

Jim Moseley, CEO, Red Tractor Assurance said: We are constantly strengthening our standards in line with scientific advances and consumer demand.

We know shoppers are increasingly looking for more informed choice and simple signposts to traceable, safe and responsibly produced food, which is why we are looking to extend the remit of Red Tractor. Increasing confidence in Red Tractor and the entire UK food industry is vital, particularly as we approach Brexit.
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2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

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We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
Next Story : Heres Why A Hair Serum Is The Ultimate Style Product For Your Mane

When youre dating, it is natural that youd want to tell your friends about the details that matterhow you spent your last date, what he cooked for you, where youre planning your next holiday together, and so on. Or you may want to confide in them for new perspectives on dealing with tricky situations, which can, in turn, make you feel secure and confident about handling your relationship. However, there are some topics that should be strictly off-limits, no matter how close you are to your girl gang! Heres the lowdown.This one is a complete breach of trust. Whatever they may be, whether childhood traumas that he wants to overcome or an addiction hes trying to kickdont discuss it with your friends. Psychologist Manjula MK says, Working your way through a personal problem is never easy. If you tell your friends, and they start judging him, it will only make things worse. And if, by chance, it comes up in a conversation, your friends might unwittingly tend to offer well-meaning but sometimes not-very-sound advice. If you do need to talk, visit a counsellor or go to his parents, if you think it is something that they already know, or is okay for them to know. These include his insecurities, things that embarrass him or cause him discomfort, and things that you know for sure he doesnt want the outside world to know.Youre among the lucky few who can skip this point if you get along smoothly with your SOs parents. However, it is most likely that at some point or the other, youve experienced conflict with them. Remember though, when you discuss it outside the walls of your home, and portray them in poor light, youre washing dirty laundry in public. According to Bangalore-based psychologist Mandira Mathur, Dont forget that your partner loves and respects his parents. To talk about them behind his back is tantamount to betrayal. Take a step back and think about how you would feel if he discussed your parents in the same manner with his friends. If there is conflict that needs to be resolved, discuss and address it together.If your partner is having problems with his finances, has lost his job, or made some bad investments, work towards resolving the issue. By discussing it with your friends, not only are you letting him down publicly, but youre also making his vulnerabilities fodder for gossip. Urvashi Ram*, a 31-year-old software engineer says, My husband had to take a pay cut at work since they were downsizing and restructuring salaries, and we didnt know how we would cope and pay off our debts. It was a stressful phase, but I knew my husband didnt want it to become public knowledge, so I consciously refrained from discussing it with any of our friends. We went to an objective financial planner and consultant instead, who offered us practical tips to handle the situation, rather than pity or sympathy.While its alright to give them generic information about getting away for the weekend or purchasing new lingerie for your anniversary, oversharing every little detail of your sex life can be unsettling and embarrassing for your SO. Sex isnt a group event! What happens in your bedroom is private for good reason. When and how you and your partner get intimate should remain between you two. Sexual activity includes foreplay, sexting, sharing emails, fantasies, and so on. Again, think about whether you want him discussing it with his friends, and accord him the same courtesy as you expect, says Mathur.Tread this ground with great caution. If he has a poor opinion of your friends, its probably best not to bring it up with them. Hes told you what he thinks in confidence, which should not be broken. Otherwise, you will open up plenty of scope for grudges, and find yourself walking a tightrope trying to balance your relationship and friendships.These are not for public consumption. Fights between couples bring out some ugly sides of each person, and often things are said in the heat of the moment. Discussing this is going to give your friends a one-sided viewonly yours. The other reason to keep your fights to yourself is the fact that you need to resolve them on your own. Your friends arent in your relationship navigating the troubled waters for you, so stop running to them constantly to vent or for advice, says Manjula MK.While it is all well to keep some details of your relationship to yourself, if something is really bothering you about your partner, it may be wise to seek help from a close family member, expert, or counsellor. These issues include:- Signs of physical or verbal abuse- Substance abuse issues- Infidelity- Mood swings or mental health problems- Physical illnesses that need attention
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Lucifer On BookMyShow

As everyone knows, the advance booking for Lucifer has already begun and the movie has been listed on the popular ticket booking website BookMyShow and it has garnered over 38.1K interest so far.

One Among The Very Few Movies

It is quite a rarity as far as Malayalam movies are considered. Not many Malayalam movies have garnered these many interests on the booking website and now, here is Lucifer that continues to garner the interest.

After Odiyan

Odiyan, which was Mohanlal's previous big film to release in the theatres also had garnered the big interest of the audiences. Reportedly, the film had registered over 67K interest, which continues to be an all-time record as far as Malayalam movies are considered.

The Only Two Malayalam Movies

Interestingly, Lucifer and Odiyan are the only two Malayalam movies to have breached the 20K interests on BookMyShow. Now, it has to be seen whether Lucifer could go on to overtake Odiyan in terms of the number of interest on BookMyShow.
LONDON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Food banks operating in 57 countries around the world mitigate an estimated 10.54 billion kg of CO2-eq annually - equivalent to nearly 2.2 million passenger vehicles, according to the Waste not, Want Not - Toward Zero Hunger: Food Banks - A Green Solution to Hunger study. This newly released study focuses on the contributions of local food bank organizations in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

The report, published by The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), also found that the food bank networks of GFN, the European Food Banks Federation (FEBA) and Feeding America serve 62.5 million people and prevent approximately 2.68 million metric tons of safe, edible surplus food being wasted.

The study is released ahead of the Food Bank Leadership Institute (FBLI), a three-day conference in London on 25-27 March 2019, where Tesco CEO Dave Lewis will deliver the keynote address on food waste. The event, now in its 13th year, is an opportunity for food bank leaders to stay abreast of the latest trends and best practices in hunger relief, as well as accessing proven training and growth techniques.

GFN is also calling for food producers, retailers, and governments to adopt simplified label recommendations, as currently 20 percent1 of safe, edible food is wasted over confusion with "best by," "best before," "use by," and "sell by" dates on packages.

These measures should help improve the current paradox, where one-third of all food produced for human consumption (1.3 billion tonnes)2 is being lost or wasted, whilst one in nine people (821 million)3 go hungry.

Lisa Moon, GFN President and CEO, said; "The 'Waste Not, Want Not' report highlights the large-scale environmental and social impact of food banks, a community-based model that is positioned to address both the paradox of global hunger and food waste during a time when hunger rates are regrettably on the rise. This community-based approach must be considered as a pivotal, stop gap solution in the fight against hunger, alongside public policy change that addresses the root causes of poverty."

GFN is an international non-profit organization that creates and supports food banking organizations in 30 countries, which served more than 9 million people facing hunger last year. The organization and its partners play a vital role in redirecting surplus food to the hungry and reducing food insecurity in communities around the world.

Moon added; "Since its inception, the Food Bank Leadership Institute has supported community leaders from 60 countries to provide hunger relief through the recovery of wholesome, edible surpluses. Many are addressing emerging issues such as nutrition, rural hunger, and prepared food rescue while advocating for broader change in their communities."

Ben Pearman, Northern Europe Managing Director, General Mills, added; "Food waste is a major social, environmental and economic challenge, one which General Mills has made our mission to tackle. The Food Bank Leadership Institute is a unique event that brings together leaders from across the globe to address these concerns."

Dave Lewis, CEO, Tesco, said; "Globally more that 800 million people are going hungry whilst a third of all food never gets eaten. At Tesco, we're committed to ensuring no good food goes to waste and we're now donating over 300,000 meals of surplus food to over 7,000 charities and community groups each week working in partnership with FareShare. But we know there is more we can do - food banks play a crucial role in tackling global hunger and reducing food waste and today's Food Bank Leadership Institute is a great opportunity for food banks, retailers and other involved stakeholders to come together to share their experiences so we can collectively learn and maximise our impact."

FBLI, in cooperation with FEBA, is generously supported by Mission Partner, General Mills; Sustaining Partners, Brambles and H-E-B; and Supporting Partners, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Cargill, The DLA Piper Foundation, Ingredion and PIMCO.

Research for Waste not, Want Not - Toward Zero Hunger: Food Banks - A Green Solution to Hunger was made possible by Bank of America Charitable Foundation and Cargill.

Download Waste not, Want Not - Toward Zero Hunger: Food Banks - A Green Solution to Hunger here.

About Food Bank Leadership Institute 2019

Date: Monday 25 March - Wednesday 27 March 2019

Time: Registration opens 7:30am each day, with talks beginning at 9:00am on Monday 25 March and Wednesday 27 March, and 8:30am on Tuesday 26 March.

Location: Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London

About The Global FoodBanking Network

The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is an international non-profit organization based in Chicago, USA, that nourishes the world's hungry through launching and strengthening food banks in 30 countries. GFN focuses on combating hunger and preventing food waste by providing expertise, directing resources, sharing knowledge and developing connections that increase efficiency, ensure food safety and reach more people facing hunger. Last year, GFN member food banks rescued and redirected food to more than 9 million people facing hunger.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2018 proforma net sales of US $17.0 billion, including $1.3 billion from Blue Buffalo. In addition, General Mills' share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totalled U.S. $1.1 billion.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The UN Sustainable Development Goals were announced in 2012 as a call for action by all countries - poor, rich and middle-income - to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

GOAL 2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.

By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. GOAL 12.3 By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.

1 Waste and Resources Action Programme, Consumer Insight: Date Labels and Storage Guidance (Banbury: WRAP, 2010).

2 FAO, Global Food Losses and Food Waste: Extent, Causes and Prevention (Rome: FAO, 2011).

3 FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018: Building Climate Resilience for Food Security and Nutrition (Rome: FAO, 2018).

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/766483/The_Global_FoodBanking_Network_Logo.jpg
DUBAI, UAE, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubai's real estate market is witnessing an exciting development at the moment - one that tenants, landlords and investors can all look forward to with enthusiasm. Rightdoors.com, a one-of-its kind hybrid real estate portal, is promising a breath of fresh air by offering a commission-free experience for all those who wish to dabble in one of the region's fastest growing property markets. Rightdoors.com promises a flat rate of AED 999 from clients irrespective of the worth of the property. Renting and investing have now become easier as Dubai's real estate stands poised for further growth and development.

With Rightdoors.com, landlords can now list their property for free on all the top portals in Dubai and reach out to the maximum customers. As for tenants, they can delight in the lower costs and savings involved, as the mandatory 5% commission gets a hit and the real estate market becomes more accessible. Investors too, can rejoice, as consumer confidence increases and the market acquires a competitive edge.

Zeeshan Imran, founder & CEO, said: "Rightdoors.com was set up with the aim of making the renting process simpler and transparent for customers. Rather than be one among the many real estate players flooding the market, we wanted to distinguish ourselves with cutting-edge, industry defining services that change the way people perceive real estate. After extensive feedback from clients, landlords and tenants, we realized that a huge chunk of money is usually eaten up in commissions, making the total cost prohibitive. Therefore, we decided to do away with commissions and make the market attractive, cost-effective and customer-friendly. The portal, we believe, is a major step in this direction."

Tenants and landlords have lauded the professionalism and customer-focused approach of RightDoors.

"It was a great and hassle-free experience with them," said Mohammad Abdullah, a tenant. "They charged me only AED 999 as a fee, while the other agents asked for AED 3,500 for the same apartment from the same landlord. All the information that they gave was true, without misleading or twisted words and they helped me with all the procedures with the landlords as well as the local authorities," he added.

Mathew Lewis, a property owner, said: "I utilized the services of RightDoors Real Estate as a property owner, to find a tenant. I had already advertised the property myself earlier, but the response was slow. RightDoors spoke to me and explained how they would ensure that my property would always appear on top of all the search engines. I decided to give it a try, and they gave me a good tenant in less than a week! Their services to the tenant are for a fixed fee of AED 999 while they charge no commission to the landlord-this attracts both the parties and the process of striking a deal becomes faster. Their fees are low but their services are of a high standard. I would recommend the company to all property owners and tenants."

Amjad Amin, Real Estate Manager at Binghatti Developers had this to say: "RightDoors are very professional in rendering their services and have found us great tenants at all times."

The company, which had its finger on the market pulse, took advantage of the fact that there are no players in this particular aspect of real estate and therefore, no competition. "We now have the unique distinction of becoming the first company to launch this unique concept in the Dubai market. However, being a market first, the move is expected to bring in a fair share of controversy, with agents likely to accuse RightDoors of providing a flat fee services and gearing up to prevent any backlash or erosion of their business model," Imran added.

Rightdoors.com is a one-of-its-kind hybrid real estate company set up in 2018, with the aim of making property rentals a cost-effective and hassle-free process. With a unique business model of commission-free service, the company is already attracting a sizeable chunk of landlords and tenants, keen to get a fair deal in the market. Rightdoors.com promises to stay ahead of competition with an innovative approach and fresh business model.

For further information, please contact:

Bazil Arif Patel

0581582159

pr@rightdoors.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/840269/Right_Doors_Tenants.jpg
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2019) - TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FSE: TH8) ("TransCanna" or "the Company") recently signed definitive documents to purchase for US$15 million a 196,000 sq ft vertically integrated facility in northern California as announced on March 20, 2018. Included in the purchase is a total of 5.567 acres of land and institutional grade packaging and extraction equipment. The Company retained the services of an independent third-party business valuation firm (the "Firm") to determine the enterprise value of the proposed business to be conducted by the Company on the property. The Firm concluded with a valuation range of US$50 million - $75 million using two different valuation methods to reach their conclusion.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of this valuation and understand now that execution is the key," said Jim Pakulis, CEO of TransCanna. "Our business initiatives are very clear and we look forward to getting the facility operational in the months to come."

The total purchase price for the Property was US$15 million. The Company's CEO paid the seller a US$250,000 non-refundable deposit to secure the property, which has since been reimbursed by the Company, and the Company will pay an US$8 million down payment from the proceeds of the Company's over-subscribed brokered private placement once closed (see news releases dated February 20, 2019 and March 14, 2019). The seller of the building has agreed to a carry back note of US$6.750 million at 7% p.a. interest only for up to thirteen months, with an initial maturity date of October 15, 2019, subject to a six-month extension. See March 20th press release for additional terms.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com.

About TransCanna Holdings Inc.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a Canadian based company providing branding, transportation and distribution services, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries, to a range of industries including the cannabis marketplace.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.transcanna.com or email the Company at info@transcanna.com.

Media Contact

TransCanna@talkshopmedia.com

604-738-2220

On behalf of the Board of Directors

James Pakulis

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 609-6199

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: the expected purchase of the facility, the terms of the facility acquisition, the payment of finders fees in relation thereto, the ability of the Company to secure financing and the acquisition of appropriate licenses for the facility. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/43639
The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of the Company and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
SAPEC and its controlling shareholder, AgTech expert, acquire 31% of ALGAIA shares from Demeter & Cap Decisif

PARIS, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Algaia, S.A announced today the acquisition of about 31% of its shares by SAPEC sgps and its controlling shareholder, the Velge family, by purchasing of Demeter & Cap Decisif stakes.

Maabarot Products Ltd, SuperNova Invest and Algaia management maintain their respective stockholding positions.

Algaia SA is a well established global player in the field of specialty seaweed extracts benefiting from unique R&D and production capabilities. Last year, most of its revenues were generated in Food, Personal Care and Nutraceutical applications. Algaia owns a novel and proprietary technology allowing the Biorefinery of brown algae not only into Alginates but also in other valuable compounds such as Biostimulants for the crop nutrition industry. Algaia's facility is strategically located in Britany (France) next to abundant renewable fresh brown seaweed biomass, enabling the company to get sustainable and reliable supply. Algaia is today the world largest buyer of French seaweed, with about 40,000 tons being transformed every year in its Lannilis facility.

"The vast experience of Sapec group and Antoine Velge, his CEO and shareholder, will be extremely valuable to Algaia's development and Board of Directors," commented Eyal Shalmon, Algaia's Chairman of the Board. "Algaia is today uniquely positioned in the marine extract industry. The company benefits from outstanding, focused, R&D and production capabilities, able to co-extract multiple compounds out of the same natural marine raw material. Algaia offers today a large portfolio of algae based solutions for the Nutrition, Health, Cosmetic and Agriculture arenas. Maabarot Products Ltd, SuperNova Invest and Algaia management are all very pleased to welcome Antoine within the company's board of directors. We will establish together new ways to develop the company faster." Eyal added

Since the divestiture in 2016 of its Agro Business (Sapec Agro and Tradecorp) to Bridgepoint (Private Equity firm) for an enterprise value of over 450 million Euros, Sapec's shareholders successfully achieved a public repurchase process to make the group 100% privately owned. Since then, the company pursued a strategy to re-deploy its cash positions.

"Our investment in Algaia is part of an overall strategy to develop in businesses where we see significant growth opportunities," commented Antoine Velge, Sapec's CEO. "Algae based products correspond to multiple market demands, all looking for more natural and sustainable solutions. During the Due Diligence process, we were impressed by Algaia's vision, people, outstanding assets, innovation capabilities and execution drive. We share with Maabarot and SuperNova similar values and we are excited to start contributing to the company's development," Antoine added.

Details of the transaction were kept confidential.

"Both Demeter and Cap Decisif are very pleased with this transaction," said Eric Marty, Demeter VC's Managing Partner "We are particularly proud to have, together with Algaia's CEO and the other shareholders, brought the company from just a start-up to about 20 million & 100 employees scale in just less than 3 years. Over this first quarter of 2019, the company is recording strong double digit growth. Maabarot, SAPEC sgps & SuperNova are complementary and synergistic stakeholders. They will bring Algaia to a much larger dimension," added Eric.

About Algaia

Algaia is a fast-growing biomarine company headquartered in Lannilis, France, where its manufacturing facility is also located (near the second-largest harvested fresh seaweed biomass in continental Europe). Algaia benefits also from a state-of-the-art R&D center in Normandy and a commercial office in Paris. The company is ISO 9001-2015, FDA, FAMI QS and FSSC 22000 v4 certified. Its product lines are kosher and halal certified. The company is focused on marine ingredients, especially seaweed extracts and sells in more than 45 countries across the globe. For more details, please visit www.algaia.com

About Sapec sgps

Sapec sgps was founded in 1926 by the Velge family. The company began exploring pyrite mines in Portugal and in Spain. A few years later, it diversified its operations to the production of fertilisers, before expanding into the production and distribution of special crop protection products and specialty fertilisers, distribution of chemical products, land and port logistics and real estate, mostly in Portugal but also in Spain.

Today, Sapec sgps is 100% privately owned. It maintains its other activities, which are selectively developed and consolidated. Over its 90 years of operation, Sapec has always been able to adapt to the circumstances, seize the opportunities at hand, and develop its business portfolio to more promising and profitable sectors, while maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit and very strong family values.

For more details, please visit www.sapec.be

During Algaia Due Diligence and transaction process, Sapec sgps was advised by Nomos (Paris)

About Maabarot

Maabarot is a leading provider of Health and Nutrition products for the Human and Animal market. It was founded in 1963 and counts over 500 employees across the globe. The company is listed on Tel Aviv stock exchange. Maabarot's mission is to develop, manufacture and supply advanced nutrition & health products which are reliable, safe and improve the quality of life of its customers for the benefit of its employees, business partners and shareholders. For more detailed information, please visit www.maabarot.com

About Supernova Invest

Supernova Invest is an independent venture capital firm that has strong relationships with the CEA, one of the world's leading research organisations and with Amundi, the largest asset manager in Europe. Investments focus on companies developing disruptive innovations operating in the life sciences, energy & environment, industrial, microelectronics and digital sectors. Today, Supernova Invest manages or advises 5 funds totalling 250 million euros and has invested in more than a 100 start ups since 1999. Supernova Invest is based in France. The investment in Algaia was carried out with the fund Amorcage Technologique Investissement. For more, please visit http://supernovainvest.com/en/

For further information, please contact:

Algaia:

Fabrice Bohin, Algaia's CEO Tel: +33-6-75592599, fabrice.bohin@algaia.com

Media contact:

Liat Simha, NutriPR, Tel: +972-9-9742893 E-mail: liat@nutripr.com

Sapec:

Antonio Marques, Sapec's CFO Tel: +351-913-456-406, amarques@sapect.pt

SuperNova Invest:

Celia Hart, Managing Partner Life Science at SuperNova, Tel: +33-4-81092073 celia.hart@supernovainvest.com

Maabarot Products Ltd: Efrat Gilat, Maabarot Products' CEO, Tel: +972-9-8984101 efrat@maabarot.com

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/840445/Algaia_Sapec.jpg
The unique spatial big data platform and location AI platform integrate systems to unlock location data and create value through actionable insights

GeoSpock - the extreme-scale spatial big data integration company that provides analytics, builds insight, and enables predictions across space and time - today announced a new partnership with X-Locations the Japan-based location AI platform company.

The companies will be collaborating on a series of projects in Japan to raise awareness of the importance of location intelligence, as well as to demonstrate how and why we should be leveraging this data. The partnership will see X-Locations integrate GeoSpock's unique spatial big data platform which offers extreme geospatial scale and the hyper-efficient retrieval of data into their products to improve speed of query, increase scale capacity, and reduce cost.

Through the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, X-Locations accelerates the analysis and visualisation of big spatial data, enabling clients to make smarter decisions across multiple industries, including retail, real estate, manufacturing, and finance. GeoSpock's technology will enhance the capabilities of this location AI platform, enabling X-Locations to cater to the advanced needs of clients with benefits including improving machine learning capabilities, on-the-fly analytics, and the unlocking of untapped datasets to create value via actionable insights.

This partnership demonstrates the commitment of both GeoSpock and X-Locations to furthering next-generation location data analysis and to supporting companies looking to derive meaningful insights from extreme data across sectors including smart city, automotive, retail, media, telecoms, and mobility. As GeoSpock becomes more established in Japan, this partnership is also a testament to the company's rapid growth.

Richard Baker, CEO, GeoSpock, comments: "We are very excited to collaborate with X-Locations GeoSpock's first commercial partner in Japan to enhance its Location AI Platform and bring value to enterprise companies. X-Locations shares our commitment to raising awareness of the power held by location data for businesses across all sectors. We are thrilled to be combining our strengths to enhance key capabilities and address all market needs for our clients."

Kazusuke Obim, CEO, X-Location, comments: "GeoSpock's offering is very complementary to our own and the integration of its unique spatial big data platform to our technology will enhance our services hugely. Through our combined technologies, we will be able to analyse large amounts of geospatial data beyond a petabyte level and conduct rapid demand forecasting to better inform customers on their businesses. We look forward to working with GeoSpock and seeing what we will accomplish together."

About GeoSpock

GeoSpock provides analyticsbuildsinsightandenablespredictionsacross space and time. Its proprietary spatial big data platform visualises extreme amounts of contextual data in milliseconds and its architecture has the ability to analyse trillions of geospatial and temporal data points in sub-second response time. Conceived by Dr Steve Marsh while reading for his PhD in Computer Science at Cambridge University and founded as a business in 2013, GeoSpock is the future of big data management, providing extreme-scale, high volume-ingest, ease of use, and interactive results. Learn more at www.geospock.com or on Twitter @GeoSpock

About X-Locations

The mission is "to combine, visualize, and analyze various types of location information and spatial information in a meaningful way and make it available to anyone". Location Information we are developing and providing a new platform "Location AI Platform" based on the collection of big data and analysis and visualization technology using AI.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005315/en/

Contacts:

Media contact for GeoSpock

Sarah Redman

sarah@geospockpr.com

+44 203 642 1124
The European Investment Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

The European Investment Trust plc ("the Company")

The Company announces that on 22 March 2019 it purchased the following number of its ordinary shares of 25 pence each on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.

Ordinary Shares:

Date of purchase: 22 March 2019 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 9,000 Lowest price per share 801.56p Highest price per share 801.56p

The Company intends to cancel the purchased shares.

Following the above transaction, the Company has 40,432,769 ordinary shares in issue. Each of the Company's shares carries one vote. Accordingly, the total number of voting rights of the Company is 40,432,769.

25 March 2019

LEI: 213800QNN9EHZ4SC1R12

Enquiries:

Kenneth J Greig

Edinburgh Partners AIFM Limited

Tel: 0131 270 3800

The Company's registered office address is:

Beaufort House

51 New North Road

Exeter

EX4 4EP
13th Annual International Partnering Conference BIO-Europe Spring VIENNA

14th International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases (ADPD2019) LISBON

MADRID, SPAIN and CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2019 / Oryzon Genomics, S.A. (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a public clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging epigenetics to develop therapies in diseases with strong unmet medical need, announced today that the company will continue its institutional presence in several reputed international conferences in the upcoming weeks.

Directors of the company will participate at the 13th Annual International Partnering Conference BIO-Europe Spring that will be held in Vienna, Austria, at the Messe Wien Exhibition and Congress Center, from March 25 to 27. BIO-Europe Spring is an annual event specialized in partnering and licensing alliances in the pharmaceutical sector.

Dr. Roger Bullock, Oryzon's Medical Director and other directors of the company will also participate at the 14th International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and related neurological disorders (ADPD2019) that takes in place in Lisbon, Portugal, from March 26 to 31. Dr. Bullock will present a poster communication entitled "Etheral: Vafidemstat in Alzheimer's disease: design and baseline data" and an short oral presentation on Saturday, March 30, Auditorium V - SHORT ORAL SESSION 04.

About Oryzon

Founded in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon (ISIN Code: ES0167733015) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company considered as the European champion in Epigenetics. Oryzon has one of the strongest portfolios in the field. Oryzon's LSD1 program has rendered two compounds Vafidemstat and Iadademstat in clinical trials. In addition, Oryzon has ongoing programs for developing inhibitors against other epigenetic targets. Oryzon has a strong technological platform for biomarker identification and performs biomarker and target validation for a variety of malignant and neurodegenerative diseases. Oryzon has offices in Spain and the United States. For more information, visit www.oryzon.com

About Vafidemstat

Vafidemstat is an oral, brain penetrant drug that selectively inhibits LSD1 and MAOB. The molecule acts on several levels: it reduces cognitive impairment, memory loss and neuroinflammation, and at the same time has neuroprotective effects. In animal studies Vafidemstat not only restores memory but reduces the exacerbated aggressiveness of SAMP8 mice, a model for accelerated aging and Alzheimer's disease, to normal levels and also reduces social avoidance and enhances sociability in murine models. In addition, Vafidemstat exhibits fast, strong and durable efficacy in several preclinical models of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oryzon has already started Phase IIa clinical studies with Vafidemstat in patients with Relapse-Remitting and Secondary Progressive MS (SATEEN), in patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's disease (ETHERAL) and in aggressiveness in patients with different psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders (basket trial REIMAGINE).

About Iadademstat

Iadademstat (ORY-1001) is a small oral molecule, which acts as a highly selective inhibitor of the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 and has a powerful differentiating effect in hematologic cancers (See Maes et al., Cancer Cell 2018 Mar 12; 33 (3): 495-511.e12.doi: 10.1016 / j.ccell.2018.02.002.). A first Phase I/IIa clinical trial with Iadademstat in refractory and relapsed acute leukemia patients demonstrated the safety and good tolerability of the drug and preliminary signs of antileukemic activity, including a CRi. Beyond hematological cancers, the inhibition of LSD1 has been proposed as a valid therapeutic approach in some solid tumors such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), medulloblastoma and others. Oryon has recently started two Phase IIa clinical trials of Iadademstat in combination; the first one in combination with Azacitidine in elderly AML patients (ALICE study) and the second one in combination with platinum/etoposide in second line SCLC patients (CLEPSIDRA study).

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains, or may contain, forward-looking information and statements about Oryzon, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates" and similar expressions. Although Oryzon believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Oryzon shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Oryzon that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by Oryzon to the Spanish Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), which are accessible to the public. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and have not been reviewed by the auditors of Oryzon. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Oryzon or any of its members, directors, officers, employees or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. All forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to Oryzon on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, Oryzon does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Oryzon's securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of Oryzon's securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from Oryzon or the selling security holder, as applicable, that will contain detailed information about Oryzon and management, as well as financial statements.

US Contact: Spain: Oryzon: The Trout Group ATREVIA Emili Torrell Thomas Hoffmann Patricia Cobo/Idoia Revuelta BD Director +1 646 378 2932 +34 91 564 07 25 +34 93 515 13 13 thoffmann@troutgroup.com pcobo@atrevia.com

irevuelta@atrevia.com etorrell@oryzon.com

SOURCE: Oryzon Genomics, S.A.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540054/Oryzon-to-Present-at-Upcoming-International-Conferences
All the resolutions were adopted by shareholders

Regulatory News:

IMPLANET (Paris:ALIMP) (OTCQX:IMPZY) (Euronext Growth: ALIMP, FR0010458729, eligible for PEA-PME equity savings plans), a medical technology company specializing in vertebral and knee-surgery implants, is today announcing the results of voting at its Extraordinary General Meeting.

Implanet's shareholders adopted by a very substantial majority all the resolutions supported by the Board of Directors at the Company's Extraordinary General Meeting, which was held at its registered office, at the second time of calling, on March 25, 2019, with a quorum of 21.2%.

"We wish to thank our shareholders for the part they played at the General Meeting. Their support represents a token of their deep attachment to the Company and will help Implanet to navigate successfully through the next stages in its expansion", commented Ludovic Lastennet, Chief Executive Officer of Implanet.

All the documents related to the General Meeting can be downloaded from Implanet's website (https://www.Implanet-invest.com/assemblee-generale).

In addition, Implanet is reaffirming the eligibility of its shares for PEA-PME equity savings plans, in accordance with Decree no. 2014-283 of March 4, 2014, which lays down the eligibility criteria for the plans. Investors can continue to hold Implanet shares in their PEA-PME plans dedicated to investments in small and mid-cap stocks with the same tax benefits as offered by conventional PEA plans.

About Implanet

Founded in 2007, Implanet is a medical technology company that manufactures high-quality implants for orthopedic surgery. Its flagship product, the Jazz latest-generation implant, aims to treat spinal pathologies requiring vertebral fusion surgery. Protected by four families of international patents, Jazz has obtained 510(k) regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the CE mark. Implanet employs 38 staff and recorded 2018 sales of 6.7 million. For further information, please visit www.implanet.com. Based near Bordeaux in France, Implanet established a US subsidiary in Boston in 2013.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005596/en/

Contacts:

Implanet

Ludovic Lastennet, CEO

David Dieumegard, CFO

Tel.: +33(0)5 57 99 55 55

investors@implanet.com

NewCap

Investor Relations

Valentine Brouchot Pierre Laurent

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

implanet@newcap.eu

NewCap

Media Relations

Nicolas Merigeau

Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94

implanet@newcap.eu
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2019 / Kontrol Energy Corp. ( CSE: KNR , OTCQB: KNRLF , FSE: 1K8 ) (the "Company" or "Kontrol") and Toyota Tsusho Canada Inc. 'TTCI' are pleased to announce they have signed an agreement to implement Smart Factory technology solutions combining Kontrol's Internet of Things (IoT) hardware and software solutions with TTCI's existing production, operating improvement platforms, and power generation / HVAC products for the North American automobile and parts OEMs.

"We are pleased to enter a significant new vertical market opportunity with a strong global partner in TTCI," said Paul Ghezzi, CEO of Kontrol Energy Corp. "Working in partnership with a global industrial leader such as Toyota Tsusho also provides us with an opportunity to scale our technology solutions across a large potential global customer base."

"We selected Kontrol as our partner in the Smart Factory initiatives due to their extensive experience in developing technology solutions which integrate IoT hardware and software to create a smart environment to optimize operating efficiencies. This agreement with Kontrol will enable us to deliver production and energy efficiencies and give our customers a technology solution to drive down their costs and gain a competitive advantage,' commented Mr. Hidetoshi Tada, President of TTCI.

Under the agreement, Kontrol and TTCI intend to establish a joint venture company to provide technology solutions and services to OEMs in the automotive sector to optimize production and manage energy in real-time. A focus on optimizing production and energy management to improve operating efficiencies and reduce operating costs through digitization, real-time data analysis and machine learning will provide global OEMs with a compelling integrated solution. More specifically, Kontrol will design and provide monitoring software, quality assurance and technical support to TTCI and its customers, and design and install building automation systems and heating and ventilation equipment, while TTCI will procure customers, conduct engineering and installation and after-sales services with customers. The agreement does not prescribe specific timelines or milestones or revenues, but initial pilots are expected to begin in April 2019, with the goal of scaling the offering across North America in 2019. Any profits from the joint venture would be shared between Kontrol and TTCI on a pro rata basis based on services provided by each of Kontrol and TTCI. A more comprehensive news release will be issued once the pilot phase is complete and a definitive agreement is signed.

According to MarketsandMarkets.com, the smart factory market is expected to reach USD 358.01 Billion by 2023. Smart factory refers to various fully-integrated automation solutions adopted for manufacturing facilities. A fully optimized factory can provide a competitive advantage to OEMs seeking to reduce their overall operating costs and improve their profitability.

About Toyota Tsusho Corporation

TTCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho America, Inc. and operates with approximately $1 Billion in annual revenues. The ultimate parent company of TTCI is Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the trading affiliate of the Toyota Group of Companies. Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("TTC") was founded in 1948 as the trading company for the Toyota Group. Today, TTC is a highly diversified company with seven operating divisions and more than 1,000 subsidiaries and affiliated companies. The TTC group of companies engage in various business enterprises in more than 120 countries and employ approximately 58,000 members worldwide, all striving to contribute to the creation of prosperous societies.

About Kontrol Energy

Kontrol Energy Corp. (CSE: KNR) (OTCQB: KNRLF) (FSE: 1K8) is a leader in the energy efficiency sector through IoT, Cloud and SaaS technology. With a disciplined mergers and acquisition strategy, combined with organic growth, Kontrol Energy Corp. provides market-based energy solutions to our customers designed to reduce their overall cost of energy while providing a corresponding reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

Kontrol Energy was recently announced as the 7th fastest growing Startup in Canada by Canadian Business and Maclean's.

Additional information about Kontrol Energy Corp. can be found on its website at www.kontrolenergy.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com







For further information, contact us at admin@kontrolenergy.com Kontrol Energy Corp., 180 Jardin Drive, Unit 9, Vaughan, ON L4K 1X8 Tel: 905.766.0400, Toll free: 1.844.566.8123

Neither IIROC nor any stock exchange or other securities regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain information included in this press release, including information relating to expansion of the Company's acquisition targets into the US market; the intent to accelerate the Company's US sales and market presence as part of its strategic plan; the integration of the target(s) into Kontrol's existing businesses and technology across Kontrol's operating platform; strategic synergies to distribute smart building technologies and the opportunity to vertically integrate across a broader operating platform, Kontrol's anticipated growth in scale and revenue, including anticipated proforma 2019 revenue and EBITDA run rate, or revenue share price; the provision of solutions to customers to reduce overall energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions reductions, carbon reduction and monetization programs, other statements that express the expectations of management or estimates of future performance constitute "forward-looking statements". The forward-looking statements in this press release are presented for the purposes of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief are based on assumptions made in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. Such assumptions include, without limitation, that the target(s) will be successfully integrated into the Company and that its revenues and growth projections will be consistent and meet with the Company's expectations, that the revenue and EBITDA run rate of the target(s) and the Company's subsidiaries will be consistent with and meet the Company's expectations, that performance milestones will be achieved, that suitable businesses and technologies for acquisition and/or investment will be available, that such acquisitions and or investment transactions will be concluded, that sufficient capital will be available to the Company, that technology will be as effective as anticipated, that organic growth will occur, that the Company will succeed in completing its proposed financing, that all conditions precedent to the acquisition of the target(s) will be met within the required timeframes, and others. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, that the target(s) will not be successfully integrated or will not perform as expected, that the revenue and EBITDA run rate of the target and the company's subsidiaries will be less than expected, performance milestones will not be achieved, there being a lack of acquisition and investment opportunities or that such opportunities may not be concluded on reasonable terms, or at all, that sufficient capital and financing cannot be obtained on reasonable terms, or at all, that technologies and emission monitoring solutions will not prove as effective as expected that customers and potential customers will not be as accepting of the Company's (including the target's) product and service offering as expected. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as at the date hereof and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements or any forward-looking statements contained in any other documents whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities law.

SOURCE: Kontrol Energy Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/540073/Kontrol-Energy-and-Toyota-Tsusho-Canada-Inc-Announce-a-Smart-Factory-Strategic-Partnership-for-North-American-Markets
WALLIX (Euronext - ALLIX), European expert in the governance of privileged accounts, has today announced its designation as a "product leader" in the annual Leadership Compass 2019 report by the analyst firm KuppingerCole Analysts. For the second year running WALLIX has been recognized as a leading player in PAM[1] on the world market, and as the top European challenger among the current American "Market Leaders". This new report supports and confirms the development strategy announced by WALLIX in its "Ambition 21" plan to become a European leader in the cybersecurity market.

According to the report, "PAM has emerged as one of the most crucial IAM[2] technologies that have a direct relevance and impact on an organization's cybersecurity program. PAM has evolved into a set of crucial technologies for preventing security breaches and credential thefts. PAM today concerns Security and Risk Management leaders as well as Infrastructure and Operation (I&O) leaders across the industries for several security and operational benefits".

According to Anmol Singh, Lead Analyst at KuppingerCole and an expert in Privileged Access Management, "WALLIX has made significant progress over the last few years by executing on a well-laid innovative product roadmap." Organizations with common SAPM[3] and AAPM[4] needs with strong encryption and PSM[5] requirements should consider WALLIX Bastion on their shortlist".

The report ranks players and account management solutions according to 9 criteria: security, functionality, usability, integration, interoperability, innovation, market positioning, financial strength and the ecosystem. WALLIX was rated positive (5) and very positive (4) on all of these criteria.

"With our continued ability to innovate, we are proud to be nominated a second time as one of the Product Leaders by KuppingerCole Analysts," says Jean-Noel De Galzain, CEO of WALLIX. "As a European company, this report demonstrates the importance of having a solution that meets the functional needs of the marketplace, is simple and easy to implement, and can ensure efficient compliance for companies in highly regulated sectors. This is what has always driven us in the development of our solutions and today enables us to be selected and to support our customers in their digital transformation."

A free copy of KuppingerCole Analysts Leadership Compass for Privileged Access Management (PAM) is available on the WALLIX website: www.wallix.com

WALLIX will also be at the annual European Identity & Cloud Conference 2019 - Stand 1C1 in Munich, Germany May 14-17th.

ABOUT WALLIX

A software company providing cyber security solutions, WALLIX Group is a European specialist in privileged account governance.

In response to recent regulatory change (NIS/GDPR in Europe and OVIs in France) and the cyber security threats affecting all companies today, Bastion helps users protect their critical IT assets: data, servers, terminals and connected objects. It is the first market solution to have been awarded first-level security certification (CSPN) by France's National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and thus meet all of the criteria for regulatory compliance

WALLIX accompanies more than 770 companies and organizations on a day-to-day basis. Its solutions are marketed through a network of more than 160 resellers and trained and accredited integrators. Listed on Euronext under the code ALLIX, WALLIX Group is a leader on the PAM market with a strong presence throughout Europe and EMEA. Alain Afflelou, Dassault Aviation, Gulf Air, Maroc Telecom, McDonald's, Michelin, and PSA Peugeot-Citroen trust WALLIX to secure their information systems.

WALLIX Bastion was a winner at the 2016 Computing Security Awards and has been rated Best Buy by SC Magazine, as well as being named among the PAM leaders in the Product and Innovation categories of the KuppingerCole 2017 Leadership Compass report. The company is a member of Bpifrance Excellence, a champion of the Pole Systematic Paris Region cluster and a founding member of the Hexatrust grouping of cyber security companies. In 2017, WALLIX Group was included in Forbes France's Futur40 ranking of fastest-growing listed companies.

For more information, visit the WALLIX website at: www.wallix.com

About KuppingerCole

KuppingerCole, founded in 2004, is a global Analyst Company headquartered in Europe focusing on Information Security and Identity and Access Management (IAM). KuppingerCole stands for expertise, thought leadership, outstanding practical relevance, and a vendor-neutral view on the information security market segments, covering all relevant aspects like: Identity and Access Management (IAM), Governance & Auditing Tools, Cloud and Virtualization Security, Information Protection, Mobile as well as Software Security, System and Network Security, Security Monitoring, Analytics & Reporting, Governance, and Organization & Policies.

For further information, please contact clients@kuppingercole.com



ACTUS finance & communication

Investor Relations

Theo Martin

Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 75 / wallix@actus.fr



Financial Press Relations

Nicolas Bouchez

Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 74 / nbouchez@actus.fr

WALLIX

Edwige BROSSARD

Tel. +33 (0)1 81 70 16 03 / ebrossard@walllix.com

[1] Privileged Access Management

[2] Identity Access Management

[3] Shared Account Password Management

[4] Application to Application Password Management

[5] Privileged Session Management

------------------------



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The company remains committed to developing 5G ecosystem and bringing next generation of connectivity experience to consumers

DUBAI, UAE, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OPPO announced today that its first 5G smartphone has successfully passed 5G CE tests conducted by Sporton International Inc., a global inspection services authority, and was awarded a 5G CE certificate by CTC advanced GmbH. OPPO's 5G smartphone, which was showcased at MWC 2019, is also the first multi-frequency, multi-mode, and multi-EN-DC combination 5G smartphone to be approved by CTC. As an advocate and a pioneer in 5G technology, OPPO is accelerating the development of 5G smartphones to bring its first 5G smartphone to market in the first half of 2019.

As the Middle East region gears up to embrace 5G, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of 5G. OPPO remains committed to be one of the key contributors to the 5G ecosystem in the region and is helping shape the next generation of connectivity through contributions in research, software and hardware development, deep consumer insight and a robust ecosystem of strong industry partners. The company recently launched its "5G Landing Project" with several operator partners to accelerate the commercialization of 5G products and services worldwide.

Alen Wu, OPPO Global Vice President, Head of business overseas markets said, "This is another significant milestone in 5G development for OPPO. Through ongoing technological innovation, we have been preparing extensively for the realization of 5G smartphone commercialization. OPPO looks forward to continued cooperation with strong partners like Sporton that will enable consumers to get closer to 5G."

Mr. Ivan Xie, Chief of Operation and Engineering, Sporton International, Inc. said, "We were pleased to see OPPO's 5G smartphone perform exceptionally during the stringent tests. The results are a testament to OPPO's technological capability and great news for users and industry alike. Drawing on our rich experience in wireless communication, Sporton will continue to collaborate with OPPO to usher in the future of 5G connectivity."

An integral step towards the commercial launch of its 5G smartphone in Europe, OPPO's CE certification verifies that the OPPO 5G device is compliant with EU requirements essential for entering European markets in areas such as wireless, electromagnetic compatibility, health and safety. The phone maintains the advantages of the n78 band - such as more band combinations and wider bandwidth, which can be applied across a broader range of countries and regions.

To learn more about the future of 5G enablement, connect with OPPO during the upcoming 5G MENA 2019 summit taking place in Dubai, UAE, from April 7-9 at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. OPPO will be welcoming executives from across the region and internationally to engage in the summit's forums. OPPO is also supporting wider industry dialogue as a Platinum Sponsor of this year's event.

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smartphone brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of young, trend-setting and beauty, OPPO brings consumers delighted experience of digital life.

For the last 10 years, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating mobile photography technology breakthroughs. OPPO started the era of Selfie beautification, and was the first brand to launch smartphones with 5MP and 16MP front cameras. OPPO was also the first brand to introduce the motorized rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature and the 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology. OPPO's Selfie Expert F series launched in 2016 drove a Selfie trend in the smartphone industry.

In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number four smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. Today OPPO's business covers 40 countries and regions, and has 6 research centers worldwide, providing excellent smartphone photography experience to more and more young people around the world.

About OPPO MEA

In 2015, OPPO entered the Egyptian market. In 2016, OPPO set up its Middle East & Africa Sales Center in Cairo. The markets OPPO has entered in the Middle East and Africa include: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kenya and Nigeria. OPPO set up its factory in Algeria in 2017, which made OPPO the first Chinese brand setting up factory in North Africa. Now, the factory goes into production.

Based on the insights of local consumers in each country, OPPO MEA has started the progress of localization. And the localization includes all the perspectives towards each market - product localization, to further meet the core needs of users; marketing localization, to better communicate with local young customers; and team localization, to know our local consumers further and provide better service to the consumers.

Within the last year, OPPO has started to adjust its product line in the Middle East region specifically. This has included the launch of its flagship OPPO Find X smartphone and the introduction of the OPPO R Series. OPPO will continue to evolve its local product line to offer more premium series to young consumers in the region.




London, March 25, 2019

Today CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI) settled its offering of Euro 600,000,000 in principal amount of 1.75% notes due March 25, 2027, with an issue price of 98.597% of the principal amount, which was priced on March 20, 2019.

The notes have been issued by CNH Industrial Finance Europe S.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNH Industrial N.V., under the Euro Medium Term Note Programme guaranteed by CNH Industrial N.V. CNH Industrial Finance Europe S.A. intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for its general corporate purposes.

The notes have been admitted to listing on the Irish Stock Exchange.

MiFID II professionals/ECPs-only / No PRIIPs KID - Manufacturer target market (MIFID II product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as not available to retail in EEA.

The notes are only being offered and sold outside the United States to institutional investors that are not "U.S. persons" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act")) and have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws. The notes may not be offered or sold in the United States or to or for the account or benefit of "U.S. persons" absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereof.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or an offer of financial products or securities, nor shall there be any sale of these notes, in the United States or any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer or sale would be unlawful. No action has been or will be taken to permit a public offering of the notes in any jurisdiction.

The offering of the notes has not been cleared by the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa (CONSOB), pursuant to Italian securities legislation. Accordingly, the notes have not been and will not be offered, sold or delivered in Italy in a solicitation to the public (sollecitazione all'investimento), and the notes may only be offered, sold or delivered in Italy in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

In the Netherlands, this press release is directed only to qualified investors within the meaning of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht).

CNH IndustrialN.V.

Contacts:

Corporate Communications

Email: mediarelations@cnhind.com

Investor Relations

Email: investor.relations@cnhind.com

Attachment
Announces Annual General Meeting in Guernsey

Regulatory News:

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005815/en/

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today issued the PSH annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2018 which are now available on PSH's website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/financial-statements/.

PSH also announced that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM") will be held on Tuesday, 7 May 2019 at 10:00 a.m. BST at Royal Chambers in St. Peter Port, Guernsey. At the AGM, shareholders will consider the receipt of the annual report and the financial statements, the re-election of PSH's directors, and the reappointment and remuneration of PSH's auditor. Shareholders will also consider resolutions authorizing PSH to buy back shares and approving the disapplication of shareholders' pre-emption rights.

The specific resolutions can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting available on PSH's website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/notices-shareholders/.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

This is a disclosure according to Article 17 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation (Regulation 596/2014/EU).

The document will shortly be available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism website: http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/nsm

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005815/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact

Camarco

Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2019) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Jeffrey T. Dinwoodie has been appointed Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor for Market and Activities-Based Risk. Chairman Jay Clayton has created this senior officer position to manage and coordinate the agency's efforts to identify, monitor and respond to market risks-including activities-based risks-affecting the U.S. capital markets. Mr. Dinwoodie will serve as the Chairman's Deputy Representative to the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and as a primary liaison with respect to these matters to other federal regulatory agencies and international organizations. He will report directly to Chairman Clayton and will work closely with staff across the agency, including in the Divisions of Trading and Markets, Investment Management, and Economic and Risk Analysis, and the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, among others.

"I am delighted that Jeff will be serving in this role," said Chairman Clayton. "The U.S. and international financial markets of today are substantially different from those of the early 2000s. As markets evolve, market risks change, and new risks emerge. Our approach to identifying, monitoring, and responding to these risks should take into account this changing environment and the related need to draw on information and resources across the SEC and other regulators we work with-including through the FSOC, the FSB, and other organizations. I have worked closely with Jeff for nearly two years, and I have been continually impressed by the leadership and judgment he brings to bear on a broad range of areas. I look forward to working with him in this new important capacity."

"We have each worked with Jeff and are confident that his wide range of expertise makes him an excellent fit for this role. Jeff's responsibility to help coordinate the Commission's approach to market risk-including activities-based risk-along with our regulatory partners will benefit American investors and capital markets," said Dalia Blass, Director of the Division of Investment Management; Pete Driscoll, Director of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations; S.P. Kothari, Director of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis; and Brett Redfearn, Director of the Division of Trading and Markets.

Since joining the agency in June 2017, Mr. Dinwoodie has served as the lead advisor to Chairman Clayton on matters involving the Division of Trading and Markets, Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, Office of Municipal Securities, and Office of Credit Ratings, and has assisted on enforcement. He has managed and advised on key rulemaking and policy initiatives, including in the areas of exchange, ATS, and broker-dealer regulation; fixed income and equity market structure; distributed ledger technology and cryptocurrencies; derivatives; and clearance and settlement. He has also worked closely with the Office of General Counsel on various matters before the Commission.

Previously, Mr. Dinwoodie was an associate in the Financial Institutions Group at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. He advised banks, broker-dealers, clearinghouses, markets, rating agencies, and other financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory, transactional, and enforcement matters. Mr. Dinwoodie earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from American University and a B.S. from George Mason University.
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / March 25, 2019 / The U.S. Representative Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI-US) celebrated the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, with a dinner reception at the historic Mayflower Hotel on March 22nd.

The traditional 'Haftseen' marking the Nowruz holidays, an explosion of culture and color celebrating more than 3,000 years of Persian history



Several former senior U.S. officials called for a firm policy to counter the theocratic regime. Their calls were echoed by Iranian adherents of the NCRI, who declared their support for change in Iran. Members of the diplomatic corps and congressional staffers joined in the celebrations, as renowned violinist Christine Kharazian performed several classical and Iranian pieces, much to the delight of the overflowing audience.

A number of prominent speakers addressed the gathering of young and old, against the backdrop of an elaborate Haft Seen, a traditional symbol of the ancient Persian Nowruz festivities.

NCRI Foreign Affairs Committee member, Dr. Sofey Saidi, welcomed the guests, and said, "Nowruz literally means a New Day. And I hope this year, 1398, on the Persian calendar, would indeed mark a New Day in our fettered homeland, leading to a free and democratic Iran. And given the enduring year-long uprising, change to a better and brighter future for the Iranian people seems inevitable."

Dr. Sofey Saidi, welcoming the participants



Ms. Soona Samsami, NCRI's Washington representative, remarked that "Nowruz is an Iranian tradition that goes back thousands of years. It is meant to mark a new beginning, the advent of spring. It reflects a profound belief in the triumph of happiness over suffering, spring over the winter, and freedom over tyranny." Referring to the developments of the past year, she underscored the deadly impasse facing the mullahs as an indication "that another Nowruz is dawning" in Iran.

Ms. Soona Samsami, U.S. Representative of the NCRI delivering Nowruz greetings & assessing the situation in Iran



"The Resistance's network in different Iranian cities has expanded exponentially," Ms. Samsami explained, adding, "The linchpin of this expanding network are the resistance units taking shape, which Iranian youths have enthusiastically embraced. These resistance units have enabled the Iranian Resistance to ensure the continuation of the rebellion."

Ms. Samsami was followed by Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security and former Governor of Pennsylvania, who noted that "since the recent sustained internal rebellion in 160 cities, there have been 10,000 people arrested. The people in their own way are saying the situation is unacceptable and they want change

Tom Ridge, the first Secretary of Homeland Security and former Governor of Pennsylvania

"Yes, there needs to be an alternative, but not an alternative going back to the monarchy, and not an alternative embracing the system that exists today. The alternative has been broadly and eloquently and persistently expressed through the NCRI and Madame Rajavi and her 10-point Plan," said Gov. Ridge.

Ambassador Robert Joseph, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, described the "astonishing" and "impressive" dedication and commitment of the residents of the sprawling facility known as Ashraf 3, whom he met during his recent visit to Albania. "Today," he said, "we can celebrate with the confidence that a free Iran is on the horizon, that the rebirth of the great Persian nation is at hand The Iranian people today will continue to rise up to throw off this yoke of oppression. The 10-point Plan of the MEK and the NCRI point the way to freedom and to bringing that light to take away the darkness."

Ambassador Robert Joseph, former Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security

"Governor Ridge, Ambassador Blackwell and the other dignitaries know Madame Rajavi and the MEK. They spend time talking about the future of Iran, putting in hours and hours of their own time, dedicating themselves to the future of Iran just as the Iranian American community, the NCRI and the MEK in Paris, Albania, Washington and elsewhere are doing," Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr declared. "We stand for courage and for the search for the truth and ultimately for justice for the Iranian people," the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs emphasized.

Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield Jr, former Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs

Kenneth Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, stressed, "There is a new burst and a new energy and a new yearning for freedom in the country and I am so delighted to be a part of that push for freedom, along with my colleagues and friends at the NCRI and MEK. As we start a new year in this springtime, we are here to rededicate ourselves to supporting, to inspiring those who want a free and democratic Iran."

Kenneth Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission

"What has become clearer than ever over the last 12 months is that the Iranian people want change," former U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain and Deputy State Department Spokesman Adam Ereli noted. "The very simple fact of the matter is, the Iranian regime has lost its legitimacy among the people of Iran, and they know it. And they know that popular groups like NCRI and the MEK have that legitimacy, which is why they are committed to crushing you and silencing you and killing you. They know you are not going to go away. They know you have support. And they know their days are numbered."

Adam Ereli, former U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain and Deputy State Department Spokesman

Col. Wes Martin, former Senior Anti-terrorism and Force Protection Officer for all Coalition forces in Iraq, said: "There is evil in Iran and there are people doing something about it. The National Council of Resistance of Iran and the Mujahedin-e Khalq, you are doing something about it. You are truly the heroes, who have taken the fight to Tehran and you are going to see it through.

Col. Wes Martin, former Senior Anti-terrorism and Force Protection Officer for all Coalition forces in Iraq

"People look at what's been done at Ashraf 3 and they're amazed. I'm not amazed because I worked with them. I know what they can accomplish Residents of Liberty, residents of Ashraf, and Ashraf 3, you are the shining light in the darkness, and you are casting that light throughout the world. And the day will come when that light will extend throughout Iran," Col. Martin predicted.

LTC Leo McCloskey, former Commander of the Joint Inter Agency Task Force in Iraq, agreed: "They [MEK] have stood as a beacon of light wherever they go for the people of Iran. And those living in Iran now should know that they will always be around and always be there, anticipating the day that they can return to their great country."

LTC Leo McCloskey, former Commander of the Joint Inter Agency Task Force in Iraq

Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Executive Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore, said, "I am surrounded tonight by a bipartisan group of former senior U.S. officials, prominent academics, and statesmen from around the world who uniformly agree that there is no need to fear the prospect of regime change in Tehran," adding, "Never have I been more hopeful that the tide is turning and that Tehran's 40-year dictatorship can be replaced by a peaceful, inclusive, tolerant government that upholds human rights and gender equality and maintains positive relations with its neighbors."

Prof. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Executive Director, School of Public and International Affairs, University of Baltimore

"The fact that the Supreme Leader has attributed the mass protests to the MEK is a sign of the changing times," underscored Prof. Sheehan. "In this new year, we must say to Tehran's clerical rulers, with one voice, that their longstanding commitment to exporting fundamentalism and terrorism and their efforts to destabilize the Middle East will not be tolerated any longer. We must commit to paying attention to the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people."

Ambassador Joseph R. DeTrani, former Special Envoy for North Korea, stressed, "What you represent is freedom. What you represent is change for the people in Iran To see the theocracy doing what they're doing now, it's repulsive. It goes against the Iranian people, your history, your culture. So please continue the work you're doing, because you will succeed. You represent good. You represent the change that's necessary." Ambassador DeTrani added, "What you've been able to do to educate the United States as to what Iran was doing with their nuclear and missile programs, we owe you a great gratitude. So keep up the good work."

Ambassador Joseph R. DeTrani, former Special Envoy for North Korea

Prof. Raymond Tanter, Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University and former senior staff at the National Security Council, stated, "The U.S. Treasury Department designated 14 Iranian individuals and 17 entities associated with developing weapons of mass destruction most of these entities were outed, if you will, as a result of the work of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, to its credit."

Prof. Raymond Tanter, former senior staff at the National Security Council

"The protests come from the Iranian people," added Prof. Tanter. "Again, the National Council of Resistance of Iran's largest component, the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran, plays the main role in backstopping the demonstrations. The way forward is for President Trump to increase his support for the Iranian people as they seek regime change, so that the sanctions and the protests work hand-in-hand."

Professor Steven Schneebaum, who served as legal counsel for the MEK, said, "The struggle in which you and we are involved is not only an Iranian struggle; it is a human struggle. It is a struggle for human rights around the world, a struggle for freedom, a struggle for equality between men and women, equality of opportunity, a struggle for freedom from religious domination and a struggle for the freedom of speech, for the disposal of nuclear weapons, for the end of the use of government force, torture, and abuse of prisoners."

Professor Steven Schneebaum

Bruce McColm, the former Executive Director of Freedom House said, "The rebellion is so extensive that there's no functional institution that the regime can count on So, for this happy spring, I want to say I'm in solidarity with you You ought to be proud of yourselves, you've done a great job in the strength you show and the solidarity you show with your brothers and sisters abroad. And hopefully, hopefully we'll get to an Iran that is free and democratic."

Bruce McColm, former Executive Director of Freedom House

The Nowruz celebration concluded by another performance by Kharazian and her ensemble.

Christine Kharazian and her ensemble

https://youtu.be/9nHzLA8YtfY

https://youtu.be/dnQqs9-rOzw

https://youtu.be/OIA4FBGenio

These materials are being distributed by NCRI-US on behalf of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.

CONTACT:

202-747-7847

SOURCE: National Council of Resistance of Iran - U.S. Representative Office

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/535288/Hope-for-a-Democratic-Future-Praise-for-Resistance-Units-in-Iran-Calls-for-a-Firm-US-Policy-at-NCRI-USs-Nowruz-Reception
According to a regulatory filing, DLF has launched its QIP on Monday and the floor price has been fixed at Rs 193.01 per equity share.

New Delhi: Realty major DLF on Monday launched its QIP offer to raise over Rs 3,000 crore by selling 17.3 crore equity shares to qualified institutional investors.

With an aim to become a debt-free company, DLF had last year announced plans to issue up to 17.3 crore shares through qualified institutional placement (QIP) to raise funds and pre-pay loans.

According to a regulatory filing, DLF has launched its QIP on Monday and the floor price has been fixed at Rs 193.01 per equity share.

The company said that at its discretion it may offer a discount of up to 5 percent on the floor price in the QIP.

DLF's shares closed at Rs 189.40 on the BSE, down 3.49 percent.

This is the third major fund raising from DLF. In 2007, DLF raised close to Rs 9,200 crore through initial public offer (IPO). In 2013, the company had raised nearly Rs 1,900 crore through institutional placement programme.

The DLF's QIP comes close in the heels of successful launch of India's first Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), launched by Blackstone and Embassy to raise Rs 4,750 crore.

DLF's group CFO Ashok Tyagi had recently said that the QIP proceeds and further infusion of Rs 2,500 crore from promoters against the issue of warrants would help the company in significantly reducing the debt that stood at around Rs 7,200 crore as on 31 December, 2018.

DLF promoters K P Singh and family have already infused Rs 9,000 crore in the company and would pump in Rs 2,250 crore more.

The company made a preferential allotment of compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs) and warrants to the promoters against the infusion of funds.

As infusion of the fund by promoters will lead to an increase in their shareholdings beyond permissible limit of 75 per cent, the company plans to launch QIP and maintain minimum public shareholding of 25 percent in a listed entity.

In August 2017, the promoters had sold entire 40 percent stake in rental arm DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd (DCCDL) for Rs 11,900 crore and committed to infusing bulk of this amount in the company to cut net debt.

This deal included the sale of 33.34 percent stake in DCCDL to Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC for Rs 8,900 crore and buyback of remaining shares worth Rs 3,000 crore by DCCDL.

The deal concluded in December 2017. As a result, DLF stake in DCCDL increased to 66.66 percent stake from 60 percent, while GIC has a balance of 33.34 percent stake in the joint venture firm.
Early last week, Etihad had refused to participate in the debt-laden Jet Airways' rights issue or infuse fresh funds under the current terms and conditions of the resolution plan.

Etihad Airways now seems to be not as keen as it was earlier to infuse more funds into the debt-laden Jet Airways amid indications that the Abu Dhabi-based airline may even fully exit the Naresh Goyal-led airline, according to media reports.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Goyal and his wife Anita are expected to quit the board of the airline that they founded 25 years ago as the crisis in Jet Airways deepened due to a slew of reasons including grounding of flights, loan default and non-payment of salaries to employees.

Etihad's board will meet on 31 March to decide if it should make fresh fund infusion in Jet Airways or exit the airline that is struggling to keep itself afloat, Mint reported quoting two persons directly in the know of the development.

Etihad has laid down certain conditions, which includes removal of the Naresh Goyal group from the board altogether," one of the two people was quoted as saying in the report.

Goyal holds 51 percent stake in Jet Airways while the Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways has 24 percent in the airline.

On Friday, lenders of Jet Airways hinted at picking up a substantial stake in the debt-laden airline till a new promoter is roped in, sources were quoted as saying by PTI.

The process of getting a new promoter on board is likely to take another two to three months and once that happens, the banks would offload their stakes, they added.

The State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders is working on a resolution plan for the cash-strapped Jet Airways for the last five months.

On 20 March, lenders, led by the SBI, were trying to revive debt-ridden Jet Airways by a change in management as they feel collapse of the airline will not be good for consumers and competition, a source said, after the SBI chief Rajnish Kumar met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Kumar said the meeting was to apprise the government, which is an important stakeholder, about the happenings in what was once India's second-biggest airline, and not to discuss a bailout package.

He, however, emphatically stated that it was in the interest of the lenders and consumers to keep Jet Airways flying, and dragging the debt-ridden firm under bankruptcy proceedings is the last option.

Early last week, Etihad had refused to participate in the debt-laden Jet Airways' rights issue or infuse fresh funds under the current terms and conditions of the resolution plan.

As the crisis deepened, Jet Airways on Friday suspended operations on as many as 13 more international routes till end-April even as it grounded seven more planes due to non-payment of rentals, taking the number of such aircraft to 54.

Jet Airways has already suspended services on the Mumbai-Manchester route. Gasping for funds and no bailout on the horizon, the Naresh Goyal-controlled airline has now reduced its operations to one-fourth from over 600 daily flights earlier, with just one-third of its 119 fleet being operational.

 With inputs from agencies
As many as 12,000 cases have been filed since the implementation of the insolvency law and setting of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), a senior government official said on Monday

New Delhi: As many as 12,000 cases have been filed since the implementation of the insolvency law and setting of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), a senior government official said on Monday.

Asserting that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) should be the last resort, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said the NCLT has been very expeditious in disposing cases related to insolvency.

"In some of the NCLTs, the number of cases filed and the number of cases disposed off are almost the same. That means you are almost current," he noted.

Cases under the code can be taken up only after approval from the tribunal, which has benches in different parts of the country.

Srinivas said that personal insolvency should be approached carefully and in a planned manner.

"The issue of personal insolvency is an important dimension, which we have to address at the earliest.

"Today, we have approximately Rs 77 lakh crore as outstanding non-food credit. Out of this, industry accounts for about Rs 26 lakh crore and the services sector accounts for about Rs 21 lakh crore. These two put together accounts for Rs 48 lakh crore. It is 70 percent of non-food credit outstanding. We are left with 30 percent which we need to address now," Srinivas said.

According to him, there are two routes for personal insolvency -- one is insolvency process followed by bankruptcy process and the second one is a fresh start.

A fresh start or a waiver or a waiver of a loan should be considered for debtors based on certain criteria such as income levels and assets, he said.

Speaking at a conference organised by industry body CII and British High Commission, Srinivas said that since the commencement of the Code and setting up of the NCLT, 12,000 cases have been filed.

"(Around) 4,500 cases have been settled before a resolution to a settlement amount of almost Rs 2 lakh crore. 1,500 cases have been admitted... 6,000 cases are waiting in queue," he added.

The IBC provides for time-bound resolution of stressed assets.

To a query on the long time taken in resolving certain cases under the IBC, Srinivas observed that it would not be fair to say that cases have been lingering on.

"May be these large cases have taken more than 270 days and some may be double of that but if you look at the size of that loan and the quantum of recovery, it is still an extraordinary sort of result.

"In (the case of) Essar, more than Rs 42,000 crore would be (recovered). That is a very big sum and involves some many creditors... I think for such very large cases, there would be some amount of litigation and one year or little over one year for such a large case to be settled is not too long," he said on the sidelines of the event.

Further, he said the time taken for resolution of large cases is not too long, especially when it is compared with the average of four-and-a-half years which has been taking prior to the IBC.

"The repayment behaviour of poor persons is much better than the repayment behaviour of richer people because they know their livelihood would come to an end if they default...," Srinivas said.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) Chairman M S Sahoo said the challenge before the Committee of Creditors (CoC) is the ability to recognise and distinguish between a company, which is potentially viable and unviable, then design a feasible resolution plan, while ensuring the firm's value does not get further eroded in the process.

The CoC should be willing to restructure its liability and delay liquidation if the company has the potential to be restored to health. However, the rescue plan should be confined only to viable companies, he said at the conference, according to a release issued by the CII.

Noting that cross-border insolvency is still work in progress, Srinivas said that UNCITRAL provides for enough flexibility to have carve-outs.

"It is under the consideration of the government and very soon Parliament might also approve it," he added.

Established in 1966, UNCITRAL is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly of the UN with the general mandate to further the progressive harmonisation and unification of the law of international trade, as per its website.

The UNCITRAL Model Law has been adopted in more than 40 countries.

The model law deals with four major principles of cross-border insolvency, including direct access to foreign insolvency professionals and foreign creditors to participate in or commence domestic insolvency proceedings against a defaulting debtor.

On the sidelines of the conference, Srinivas said that having insolvency counsellor is a very good idea. "We should look at it seriously. You should have an option for the counsellor to sort it out. Some mediation process should be there," he added.
Goyal has reportedly agreed to cut his stake in the airline to 9.9 percent from earlier 51 percent. Airline's chief executive Vinay Dube is expected to stay on board

Jet Airways Ltd Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita stepped down from the board of the cash-strapped airline on Monday, media reports said.

The board of Jet Airways met in Mumbai on Monday to decide on ways to procure interim funding, said an IANS report. Goyal would also cease to be the chairman, according to a regulatory filing.

"Nearly all of us have financial responsibilities. We fear that a sudden collapse of the airline might be imminent. We need our dues to be paid by 31 March and a clear roadmap for our company," National Aviator's Guild Vice President Asim Valiani was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Goyal has reportedly agreed to cut his stake in the airline to 9.9 percent from the earlier 51 percent, CNBC-TV18 said. The airline's chief executive Vinay Dube is expected to stay on board.

In another #CNBCTV18Exclusive, sources have told @awnusharma that @jetairways' founding chairman Naresh Goyal has agreed to cut his stake in the airline to 9.9%. The board meeting is underway & CNBC-TV18 is awaiting a comment from the airline pic.twitter.com/fJTGQ2CFEU  CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) March 25, 2019

However, ET Now, citing unnamed sources, said Goyals stake will be cut to 25.5 percent from the current 51 percent, while Etihad Airways stake in the debt-laden carrier will also be halved to 12 percent to make room for the banks to take a controlling stake of 50.5 percent in the airline.

Shares of Jet Airways jumped over 15 percent after media report claiming Goyal has agreed to reduce his stake. Shares were up 15 percent or Rs 34.15 to Rs 260.

One nominee of Etihad will also step down from Jet Airways board, the airline said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. Lenders will infuse up to Rs 1,500 crore in Jet airways via debt instruments, it added.

Saddled with more than $1 billion in debt, Jet Airways is struggling to stay afloat. It has delayed payments to banks, suppliers, pilots and lessorssome of which have forced the airline to ground as many as 40 planes.

Meanwhile, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said a "good outcome" from the negotiations between the creditors and the company would be better than moving for proceedings under the insolvency law, a PTI report said.

"I think creditors and the debtor are in discussion. That is the best process," Srinivas said.

He was responding to a query on whether Jet Airways is a fit case to be referred under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

"If there is a good outcome from the negotiations between the creditors and the corporate debtor, then that is better than dragging into insolvency... but if that (insolvency) is only option left at that stage, then bankers will take a call," he noted.

The cash-strapped airline, which has been operating for over 25 years, is looking to restructure its debt, estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore, as well as raise fresh funds.

Lenders of the crisis-hit Jet Airways are likely to acquire a substantial stake in the carrier till a new promoter is roped in, sources said last week, a PTI report said.

Earlier, Jet Airways reported a net loss of Rs 587.77 crore for the third quarter of the current financial year versus a net profit of Rs 165.25 crore a year earlier. And the key input cost -- aircraft fuel expenses jumped 29.8 percent y-o-y to Rs 2,387.7 crore in the December 2018 quarter, and the resulting weak financial performance of the company.

The airlines had also highlighted its rather difficult financial position while declaring its December 2018 quarter results and it had pointed out the negative net worth of Rs 10,370 crore at the end of the third quarter of the current fiscal. A negative net worth of a company indicates a weak financial situation in which a companys liabilities exceed its assets plus shareholders equity.

With agency inputs
For SBI to say that it has to infuse equity into the nosediving Jet Airways amounts to the worst kind of mixing up of roles

At the height of the IL&FS crisis, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) swore that it could not possibly see its baby go down the chute. LIC, along with a few other public sector financial companies, was the promoter of IL&FS and therefore one could understand its emotional ties with it; but for State Bank of India (SBI) to say that it has to infuse equity into the nosediving Jet Airways in the interest of consumers and competition amounts to the worst kind of mixing up of roles.

For a lender, the first priority should be to nurse its loan portfolio and ensure there is no default. Already the airline has run a huge loan of Rs 8,500 crore and it has to pay to various creditors Rs 1,700 crore by the end of this month. Hence, the frenetic activity to find a knight in shining armor. It should be the lot of the major promotersNaresh Goyal, the original promoter with 51 percent stake and Etihad, the foreign strategic investor with 24 percent staketo don this role. But they have never seen eye to eye with each other.

In fact, Etihad wants Goyal to bring down his shareholding to 22 percent and exit from the helm before it can think in terms of upping its stakes to 49 percent as permitted by the extant FDI norms for the civil aviation sector. And Goyal in turn deeply resents Etihads intrusive role. Goyal should realise that one cannot have the cake and eat it too--- he cannot expect Etihad to pour in money, but keep quiet on the managerial front. He thus is gaming the system and the SBI-led consortium is falling a prey yet again in the murky saga of Indian public sector banks succumbing to political and other pressures.

Let the Competition Commission of India (CCI) worry about competition. It is none of its business to agonise over competition or lack of it on the aviation front should Jet Airways fade away from the scene. Just as it is none of its business to take up cudgels for fliers. The Consumer Protect Act would take care of their concerns. SBI should focus on recovering its loans. Period.

On conversion of debt into equity, SBI was to become a 15 percent stake holder in the sinking airline. And on top of this to commit a fresh Rs 1,700 crore for an undisclosed further equity stakes is sheer madness. The fig leaf of competition and consumer interest cannot cover this monumental folly.

The SBI says its rescue act would last just three months during which it hopes to find a new suitor to whom it would unload all the shares. Does it have a magic wand to do this? Or does it expect a new suitor or Etihad Airways not only to acquire its stakes but also to pay off its dues? The grim bottom line: is SBI by throwing good money after bad condemned to hold dud shares in eternity in the vain hope of someday recovering its dues by selling off the shares for a huge profit?

The SBIs reluctance to expose Jet to the full process of the no-nonsense Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) is born of the fear that it could entail a 50 percentage more haircut given the past experience. The NCLT under IBC believes in shock therapy---strip the existing promoters who have presided over the ruination of a company of their control and hand it over to a newcomer. So what if the newcomer laughs all his way to the bank so long as the existing promoter is hit where it hurts most. SBI should realise that even 50 percent recovery would be better in terms of time value of money vis-a-vis the interminable wait entailed in wishing for a nosediving airline to take wings afresh and start showing results including repayment of dues to creditors. Let SBI not delude itself.

SBI seems to have forgotten the bitter lessons it learnt from a similar conversion of debt into equity with another airline companyKingfisher Airlines Limited. History has repeated itself, but it is not going to result in a farce but another tragedy for the SBI. Or has it forgotten history, thus condemning itself to repeating it? Either way it should have known all along that equity stake is not a great honor nor is it a means to recouping its outstanding by sale of the shares in the market or to a strategic investor.

In 2011, SBI and ICICI Bank among others paid a whopping 60 percent premium over the then-prevailing market price of Kingfisher Airlines shares---about Rs 64 per share when the market quotation was about Rs 39. The group of banks thus came to control 23 percent equity in Kingfisher with SBI coming to own 5.6 percent and ICICI 5.3 percent on conversion of debt into equity but all have vaporised as future events have shownKingfisher has ceased to be a going-concern and its aircraft have been grounded.

(The writer is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan)
Jet Airways has been caught in a slew of issues including delayed payments to banks, suppliers and aircraft lessors besides payment to pilots and engineering staff.

As Jet Airways founder and chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita quit the airline's board and halved their stake to 25.5 percent from 51 percent, decks have been cleared for implementing the resolution plan for the crisis-hit airline.

The 25-year-old Jet Airways, which has a debt burden of more than Rs 8,200 crore, has been caught in a slew of issues including delayed payments to banks, suppliers and aircraft lessors besides payment to pilots and engineering staff.

The crisis has almost crippled the operations of the airline, which was forced to ground most of its aircraft due to non-payment of rent to the lessors. Besides, another trouble was looming after its pilots threatened to strike work from 1 April, if their salary dues were not cleared by 31 March.

As the airline was looking for more funds to keep it afloat, its strategic partner Etihad Airways, which now holds 24 percent stake in Jet Airways, indicated that it was not keen to infuse more funds into the debt-laden carrier unless the lenders offered a guarantee.

Curtailing flights operations

On Friday, Jet Airways suspended operations on as many as 13 more international routes till end-April even as it grounded seven more planes due to non-payment of rentals, taking the number of such aircraft to 54, said a PTI report.

Besides, the airline has also reduced frequencies on seven other overseas routes, mostly from Delhi and Mumbai, according to sources. Jet Airways has already suspended services on the Mumbai-Manchester route.

Gasping for funds and no bailout on the horizon, the Goyal-controlled airline has now reduced its operations to one-fourth from over 600 daily flights earlier, with just one-third of its 119 fleets being operational.

On 18 March, Jet Airways grounded its operations at Abu Dhabi Airport for an indefinite period, citing operational reasons.

Pilots threaten stir, seek govt intervention for salary

On Thursday, the pilots of the cash-strapped Jet Airways urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu to intervene and instruct the management to release their pending salaries.

While the airline is going through a tough financial phase, all employees except for pilots and engineers are getting paid on time, claimed the National Aviators Guild (NAG) in communication to Modi and Prabhu.

On 19 March, the umbrella body of the domestic pilots of Jet Airways threatened to stop flying from 1 April, if the resolution plan is delayed and salary dues are not cleared by the end of this month.

Rescue plan by state-run banks

The State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders has been working on a resolution plan for the cash-strapped Jet Airways for the last five months.

Lenders of Jet Airways are likely to pick up a substantial stake in the debt-laden airline till a new promoter is roped in, said a PTI report.

The process of getting a new promoter on board is likely to take another two to three months and once that happens, the banks would offload their stakes, sources said.

The lenders are trying to revive the carrier by change in management as they feel collapse of the airline would not be good for consumers as well as competition in the industry. They have also decided against taking the airline through insolvency process.

On 14 February, its board had approved a bank-led-resolution plan, whereby the SBI-consortium of lenders will become the largest shareholders in the airline and Goyal would exit the management as the chairman and board member.

Goyal writes to Jet Airways staff

On 18 March, Goyal sought to reassure the 16,000-strong staff of the efforts to restore the "much-needed stability" in its operations at the earliest.

Goyal, in a communication to employees also said talks with the airline's strategic partner Etihad Airways and SBI-led lenders are going on.

Goyal seeks interim fund of Rs 750 cr from Etihad

On 11 March, Goyal sought urgent funding of Rs 750 crore from its equity partner Etihad, citing "the very precarious" position of the airline following the lingering cash flow issues which got amplified after the forced grounding of over 50 of its planes.

In a letter to the Gulf-based carrier's group chief executive Tony Douglas, Goyal also said the airline has also secured the go-ahead from the aviation ministry to pledge its shares in JetPrivelege for securing the interim funding.

Goyal agrees to exit

On 28 February, Reuters reported that Goyal agreed to step down as chairman of the airlines board as the cash-strapped Indian carrier inched closer to securing a rescue deal.

In this regard, SBI had called an urgent meeting of lenders with Goyal and the domestic carrier's significant shareholder Douglas to discuss a way forward for the debt-laden airline.

Lessors pull out more planes

On 21 February, international lessors grounded more Jet Airways planes prior to potentially moving them out of India, as scepticism built whether a state-led bailout of the carrier could clear their dues on time, said a Reuters report.

Nine of Jet Airways planes were grounded by lessors, versus the four it reported in January, with AerCap Holdings NV and BOC Aviation Ltd among those who have pulled out planes, sources told Reuters.

Jet Airways logs net loss of Rs 588 cr in December quarter

On 14 February, Jet Airways reported a standalone net loss of Rs 587.77 crore for the third quarter ended 31 December. The company had posted a standalone net profit of Rs 165.25 crore in the same quarter previous fiscal, Jet Airways said in a regulatory filing.

The carrier said revenue from operations during the quarter under review stood at Rs 6,147.98 crore as against Rs 6,086.20 crore in the year-ago period.

Qatar Airline CEO rejects stake in Jet Airways

On 15 January, Qatar Airways would not buy a stake in Jet Airways as a substantial portion of the debt-laden Indian carrier is held by Etihad Airways, whose owner Abu Dhabi is an "enemy" of Qatar, its CEO Akbar al-Baker said.

Abu Dhabi is part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that cut ties with Qatar in 2017 over accusations of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges. The UAE, together with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have banned Qatar Airways since June, 2017 as part of the dispute.

"We would definitely look at it (Jet Airways) if a 24 percent stake was not held by Etihad," al-Baker told Reuters on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Mumbai. "How can I take a stake in an airline which is owned by our adversary?

Goyal's 'turnaround' man Kardassis quits

In December last year, Nikos Kardassis, the former CEO of Jet Airways, who made a come back to the carrier in an advisory role and was tasked to turnaround the cash-strapped airline, once again parted ways with it, said a PTI report.

The Greek-American aviation veteran in his third come back to the Goyal-controlled Jet Airways in May 2018 was roped-in to revive the fortunes of the full-service carrier following its dismal financial performance since January this year.

Jet Airways sacks employees

In November 2018, Jet Airways as one of the means to reduce cost with the carrier sacked 16 more employees. These employees were working as ground staff in Jet Airway's Kochi and Hyderabad offices, said a PTI report.

In October 2018, the airline had laid off 20 employees, including some senior-level executives from the in-flight services department. Prior to that, it reportedly had asked 15 managerial level employees from various departments including engineering, security and sales, to leave the company.

Jet Airways had been reducing staff since it announced the second consecutive quarterly loss in August. Job cuts stopped in September for a while, but have come back again this month.

Stops free meals in economy class

In September 2018, Jet Airways stopped free meals on its economy class from bookings done from 25 September. The unbundle plan covered the 'Economy Light' and 'Economy Deal' categories in the domestic sector, the airline said, adding, however, flyers will continue to get free beverages, including tea and coffee.

The move came two years after the airline introduced 'Fare Choices,' a flexible, tier-based, fare-choice system that helped flyers customise their travel needs by choosing their preferred fare.

 With inputs from agencies
Naresh, who is reportedly in London, may address all 23,000 employees of the crisis-hit Jet Airways from there, said the report.

Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita are expected to leave the board of the cash-strapped airline on Monday, said a media report.

Chief executive Vinay Dube is expected to stay on board the 25-year-old airline Goyal set up with his wife in 1993, according to ET Now television channel.

According to The Economic Times, the Goyals may announce their exit from the carrier formally later on Monday.

Goyal, who is reportedly in London, may address all 23,000 employees of the crisis-hit Jet Airways from there, said the report.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Goyal had agreed to step down as chairman and reduce his 51 percent stake in the airline.

The report also said that Jet Airways lenders may invoke Goyals entire stake in the airline, and start looking for a new buyer in the coming weeks.

Saddled with more than $1 billion of debt, Jet Airways is struggling to stay afloat. It has delayed payments to banks, suppliers, pilots and lessors  some of which have forced the airline to ground planes.

Jet Airways has survived a near-death experience once before; in 2013, Abu Dhabis Etihad Airways injected $600 million of capital for a 24 percent stake in the airline, three London Heathrow slots and a majority share in Jets frequent flyer programme. The infusion helped Jet Airways pare down debt and fight growing domestic competition.

Etihads stake is likely to be diluted in the near future, ET Now television channel reported.

Jet Airways was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters.

On Friday, Jet Airways had suspended operations on as many as 13 more international routes till end-April even as it grounded seven more planes due to non-payment of rentals, taking the number of such aircraft to 54, said a PTI report.

Besides, the airline also reduced frequencies on seven other overseas routes, mostly from Delhi and Mumbai, according to airline sources.

"... an additional seven aircraft including two planes of JetLite, have been grounded due to non-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors under their respective lease agreements," the airline said in a filing to the stock exchanges late evening on Friday.

The company said that as mentioned earlier, it is actively engaged with all its aircraft lessors and is regularly providing them with updates on the efforts taken to improve the liquidity.

On Thursday, a group of state-run banks wanted Goyal to reduce his stake in the carrier to 10 percent, said a Reuters report citing news channel CNBC-TV18.

Banks want Goyal to bring his stake down to 10 percent, below the 17 percent envisaged in the bank-led provisional resolution plan (BLPRP), sources told CNBC-TV18.

 With inputs from agencies
Shares of Jet Airways zoomed 15.5 percent on Monday with its founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepping down from the crisis-hit airline's board

New Delhi: Shares of Jet Airways zoomed 15.5 percent on Monday with its founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal stepping down from the crisis-hit airline's board.

The stock jumped 12.69 percent to close at Rs 254.50 on the BSE. During the day, it rose sharply by 17.77 percent to Rs 266.

On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), shares zoomed 15.46 percent to close at Rs 261 apiece.

On the traded volume front, 33.60 lakh shares were traded on the BSE and over 4 crore shares on the NSE during the day.

Naresh Goyal and his wife will resign from the board of the airline, according to a regulatory filing.

The decision was taken at the airline's board meeting held in Mumbai on Monday.

While the airline made an official announcement about the board's decisions after the markets closed, reports have been doing the rounds since morning that Goyal would be stepping down from the board.

In the filing to the stock exchanges, Jet Airways said Naresh Goyal, Anita Goyal and one nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC would step down from the board.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is a strategic partner with 24 percent stake in Jet Airways.

Naresh Goyal would also cease to be the chairman, the filing said.

Jet Airways, which has been operating for more than 25 years, is grappling with financial crunch and is also looking to raise fresh funds.

The airline has suspended operations on at least 14 international routes till the end of April and over 80 planes are on the ground. As many as 54 aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of lease rentals.
Naik said that it was not a hostile bid and claimed that L&T has done much more for its employees than Mindtree for theirs

Defending Larsen & Toubro's (L&T) bid to takeover Mindtree, the engineering conglomerate's chairman AM Naik has said that his firm was "open to talks with the IT services firm's founders to allay their concerns," a media report said.

In an interview with The Economic Times, Naik said that it was not a hostile bid and claimed that L&T has "done much more for its employees than Mindtree for theirs". Responding to the question of why L&T Group is so keen on acquiring Mindtree, he said it is a natural addition to L&T Infotech and L&T Technology Services to make the companies fairly sizable.

The board of Mindtree will meet on Tuesday (26 March, 2019) as it faces an Rs 10,800-crore hostile takeover bid from L&T.

The board of the IT company had met on 20 March too, but no decision was taken on the agenda item at handthe proposed buyback of equity sharesand the firm had informed the stock exchange that the meeting had been adjourned to a future date.

On 18 March, diversified L&T made an offer to buy up to 66 percent stake in Mindtree for around Rs 10,800 crorea move that the Mindtree promoters have vowed to oppose.

L&T entered into a deal to buy Cafe Coffee Day owner VG Siddhartha's 20.32 percent stake in Mindtree and also placed an order with brokers to pick up another 15 percent of the company shares from the open market. Further, the group would make an open offer to buy additional 31 percent stake in Mindtree.

Siddhartha was a director of Mindtree since 1999 and resigned in March 2018. He and Cafe Coffee Day group firms have 20.32 percent stake in Mindtree and that shareholding is to be acquired by L&T.

L&T had said it was not making any hostile takeover bid and that the deal was essentially triggered by Siddhartha offering to sell his shares.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai on 20 March, L&T Managing Director and CEO SN Subrahmanyan had said Siddhartha would have anyways sold the stake and instead of it going to private equity players he wanted a corporate house to step in.

"The senior management at Mindtree are good friends with us and are people of repute and we see a lot of positivity in going ahead with the deal. Mindtree will be run as an independent company, L&T will provide board oversight. We hope better sense and rationality will prevail," he had said.

On 19 March, Mindtree CEO and promoter Rostow Ravanan said the company's board would deliberate on the buyback or the open offer within the framework of the laws.

"Obviously there are laws - what the board can do and cannot do under the circumstances," he had said.

With PTI inputs
Rajat Gupta was most certainly powerful; given his professional pedigree and the high standards one would expect from his kind, his own admission of his loose tongue is as good as a confession.

The first thought that occurs on a Monday morning when leading Indian newspapers carry prominent interviews with Rajat Gupta is a simple question: Why is this man so suddenly accessible, so elaborate and so articulate? And the answer could be: He is compelled to discover a new career in public relations under duress and compulsion after serving a humiliating two-year prison term in the US, the land that made his dreams come true before turning a nightmare.

This much can be said: Gupta does not give up and prefers elegant denials and obfuscation of issues to having a change of heart that remains smartly hidden under expensive, well-cut business suits that match his groomed hair and chiselled jawline. Appearances matter a lot, and sound bites even more when you are trying to do the near-impossible task of winning sympathy and understanding after losing a tooth-and-nail battle to deny criminal charges of corporate irregularities. Gupta says the evidence in question was circumstantial and not substantial despite his conviction based on taped evidence.

Gupta is now back in the land where he was nurtured to sell his book, Mind Without Fear. But his accessibility is less about the book and more about a desperate need to salavage his reputation. He doesn't really need the money from its royalties.

The manner he has chosen to do that is rather unusual. He says he has "forgiven" Raj Rajaratnam, the Wall Street hedge fund manager of Sri Lankan origin he blurted out corporate secrets to while sitting on the board of Goldman Sachs, one of the world's biggest and most respected investment banks.

One would think Gupta would be looking to seek forgiveness from the shareholders and the corporate community he betrayed for letting out insider secrets that helped illegal share dealings, not offer a pardon to the man prosecutors proved was a partner in crime. But then, this is unrepentant Rajat Gupta. Sport a nice tie, and never say die.

There is much in the book, from what it appears, that would kindle the imagination of writers in Hollywood or thereabouts, at least for a compelling Netflix series. Gupta meets Rajaratnam in prison, and they reconcile on past demeanours. This would be maudlin were it not for the fact that Gupta is targeting the American judicial system and piling up innuendo on Preet Bharara, the Indian-origin federal prosecutor who completed the South Asian drama in the New World's courts.

Bharara, described once as "cocky and overreaching" does remind one of Mumbai's encounter cop Daya Nayak , who acquired dubious fame for targeting gangsters in controversial shootouts. But then, the white-collar attorney was meticulous in his vengeful style through which he proved that he was sworn to the system of justice in his adopted homeland: enough to blast the myth that South Asian camaraderie may result in a miscarriage of justice.

I am an orphan. Immigrant. Businessman. Leader. Philanthropist. Role model. Convicted felon," Gupta now says. But it is difficult to gloss over facts in a random pastiche of evocative imagery.

Gupta was pushing through his long trial to prove his innocence until evidence did him in. More important, Gupta could not have held the blue-chip positions he held as babe in the corporate woods of America. An IIT-an who went on to become the worldwide managing director of McKinsey, the awe-inspiring global strategy consulting firm, and as one whose boardroom aukaat (standing) was in the same league as the Davos first-listers, his admission that he was being loose-tongued in recorded conversations that sent him to prison is a little too rich. Remember, he co-founded the Indian School of Business (ISB).

Sometimes, media vitriol is not good enough to digest judicial cholesterol.

Gupta's tale holds lessons for all of us, perhaps. In understanding that a momentary lapse of reason can bring down life-long achievements. In knowing that a fine line divides trust and mistrust. In realising that sometimes, early repentance works better than belated realisations. In thinking that power is an obligation as much as a privilege.

The first duty of government is to protect the powerless from the powerful," said the code of ancient king Hammurabi, circa 1772 BCE, in one of the world's earliest known written legal codes. Rajat Gupta was most certainly powerful. Given his professional pedigree and the high standards one would expect from his kind, his own admission of his loose tongue is as good as a confession.

Wall Street is no abode of virtue. For every Gupta, there are men in blue with shades of grey who indulge in colourful acts of corporate transgression. Gupta points to wrongdoings that led to the global financial crisis that erupted in 2008 as he insinuates that his prosecution could have been linked to diverting attention from the crisis.

Some will certainly feel some pity for the man. It pays to recollect how some of his Indian friends took the initiative to defend his sagging reputation as the trials that eventually sent him to prison peaked. Some public relations can certainly apply soothing balm on stained reputations. Tell-all books can kindle debates and set new standards of conduct. To that extent, Gupta's new avatar can be useful to policy-makers, historians and corporate honchos alike. It would still be a good idea for him to say sorry. We haven't really heard anything that sounds remotely close to that.

(The writer is a senior journalist and commentator. He tweets as @madversity)
Fugitive businessman Hitesh Narendrabhai Patel, wanted in the Rs 8,100 crore bank fraud involving Sterling Biotech and Sandesara Group, was running benami entities to siphon off loans obtained from financial institutions.

New Delhi: Fugitive businessman Hitesh Narendrabhai Patel, wanted in the Rs 8,100 crore bank fraud involving Sterling Biotech and Sandesara Group, was running benami entities to siphon off loans obtained from financial institutions. The documents reviewed by Firstpost reveal Hitesh Patel, his wife Mayuri and his parents Narendra Patel and Jayashree were made directors and shareholders of several such firms by Sandesara group promoters, Nitin and Chetan Sandesara. Hitesh is brother of Dipti Sandesara, wife of Chetan Sandesara, who is also on the most wanted list of Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Hitesh was detained in Tirana, capital of Albania last week on the basis of Interpol's Red notice. Agate Chemicals Limited, controlled by Hitesh and his wife Mayuri Patel, was used to launder bank loan amount through manipulative trading with promoter companies. Hiteshs mother Jayashree also owns 28.49 percent share-holding in Agate Chemicals. Hitesh, his mother and wife are also shareholders in another benami company, American Biotech Limited. Mayuri has 20 percent holding in Eminence Trading Private Limited and Jash Distributors Private Limited.

Hitesh Patel, his parents and wife also controlled MAA Infrastructure Company Limited. Interestingly, an office assistant Shivshankar is the director of the company.

Mayuri is also listed as a shareholder in Panoramic Investment Private Limited though a majority of holding is vested with fugitives Nitin, Chetan and Dipti Sandesara.

Hitesh, along with his wife and father controls 12 percent holding in PMT Engineering Limited, whereas Nitin and Chetan Sandesara are listed as directors. The family also owns majority shares in Traub Automatic Private Limited and Vyom Enterprise Limited. Hitesh is also director of Avon Properties Private Limited and Shyamal Holding and Trading Limited. According to the documents, a total of 13 addresses in Mumbai, mostly residence of employees, were used as office address for all the benami companies.

The benami companies are divided into trading and engineering firms on the basis of whether they are used for bogus purchase or for showing addition to fixed assets. A substantial amount of money was transferred from one company to the other by way of cheques. A probe reveals that cheques were also obtained against cash payments, which indicates accommodation entries regularly passed through these benami companies, documents claimed, said an Enforcement official.

A senior official said money obtained through bank loans, invariably came back to the promoters group after traveling through benami entities, which has been described as circuitous transactions. Investigation reveals that bogus business transactions was used to show the spectacular growth of 10-fold increase in turnover and profits of the company to inflate its turnover.

The official said within a short period of 10 years from 2001 to 2010 the flagship company reported a turnover increase from Rs 160 crore to Rs 1,600 crore, reserves from Rs 178 crore in 2001 to Rs 2,444 crore by 2010 and loan funds also increased simultaneously.

The official providing a peek into the complex web of transactions said co-mingling of funds was meant to manipulate the books and launder the money. For example, he said, a group company Jang Priya Investment Private Limited made the first level of fund transfer to Sterling Biotech Limited. Then, from Sterling Biotech Limited, the funds are routed through benami entities, namely Turin Trading Private Limited, Shreeji Drug Pharma Private Limited and Lotus Glycol Limited. Subsequently, money was routed through four channelsfirst transaction is routed through Pearl Infrastructure Limited and reaches back to Jang Priya Investment Private Limited.

The second lot is routed through Flair Engineering Private Limitedanother benami entity to the group company, Sterling SEZ Private Limited and then reaches back to Jang Priya Investment. The third lot is routed to the benami company Sulabhya Engineering Private Limited and then to Sealord Dwellers Private Limited which finally reaches back to Jang Priya Investment. The fourth lot is routed through Flair Engineering to Natasha Investment Private Limited before finally reaching back to Jang Priya Investment Limited. This clearly indicate that these transactions camouflaged as trade were part of a larger scheme to launder money, the official further added.

Other relatives, Rajnikant Sandesara and Trupti Patel, were also made shareholders of several benami companies to launder public money obtained as bank loan. Trupti Patel has share-holding in Bally Trading Private Limited, Britney Trading Private Limited, Embio Trading Private Limited, Fame Engineering Private Limited, Gatsby Trading Private Limited, Jitlal Financial Services Private Limited, Likhit Finance Private Limited, Marut Apparels Private Limited, Nikhila Infrastructure Private Limited, Sealord Colonizers Private Limited, Sealord Dwellers Private Limited, Turin Trading Private Limited and Viel Insurance Services Private Limited.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) documents said through these bogus companies, purchase and sale of trading goods and capital assets have been shown with the sole purpose of inflating turnover and to claim depreciation. Substantial sums are found circulating within the Sandesara group by way of loans and advance from these benami entities, ED said.

Sources privy to the probe into layered transactions executed by Patel and Sandesara brothers said benami entities booked expenses in their own case and bearer cheques were issued in favour of third parties including employees and fictitious persons and all the benami entities banking transactions were handled in a centralised manner.

The accounting and audit of benami companies were carried out at Chawda Commercial Centre, Malad and Suvidhi Apartment, Goregaon (West) in a centralised manner by pooling in the funds and diverting it as per requirement. These benami entities were also used for internal cash generation through booking of bogus expenses and then issuance of third party bearer cheques to launder the money, sources said.
Gupta, a graduate from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and Harvard Business School, was the first ever Indian-born CEO of McKinsey.

Rajat Gupta, former head of McKinsey & Co has revealed the story of his fall from grace in his memoir Mind Without Fear to be published next week. In a slew of interviews to the media, Gupta has reiterated that he has not written the book to 'defend' himself or to 'relitigate' the case.

The memoir, he says, tells his side of the story 'in my own voice and what I went through and how I see the facts as I see them and I narrate them," he said, to CNBC-TV18

In 2012, a Manhattan federal jury found Gupta guilty of feeding tips about Goldman Sachs at the height of the 2008 financial crisis to hedge fund tycoon Raj Rajaratnam, his friend and business associate.

Gupta in a slew of interviews to the media clarifies his side of the story. He emphatically denies sharing any insider information with Rajaratanam. "If you read all the court proceedings, it was more circumstantial," he said in an interview to Livemint.

In fact, Judge Jed Rakoff, the man who sentenced Rajat Gupta to a "lenient" two years in prison made a pointed reference to the fact that even in the US, sentencing on insider trading is not based on the theory that someone made a loss or gain due to the actions of an insider (read the highlights of his judgment here).

He said in his judgment: "While insider trading may work a huge unfairness on innocent investors, Congress has never treated it as a fraud on investors, the Securities Exchange Commission has explicitly opposed any such legislation, and the Supreme Court has rejected any attempt to extend coverage of the securities fraud laws on such a theory...".

Gupta says he thought the loss of reputation would hurt him a lot but strangely it wasn't much, he said in an interview to The Hindu. He rues though that the loss of reputation would put stop to many things he could do [raise money for charity]. "You know, the reputational loss hurt less than I thought it would. I thought it would hurt a lot more, but it didnt. There are certain things I doubt I could do now because of the reputational loss," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Gupta, a graduate from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi and Harvard Business School, was the first ever Indian-born CEO of McKinsey. He is also a former director, Goldman Sachs Group Inc and served on the board of Procter and Gamble and been an adviser to the executive leadership of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Vikram Singh, a former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh, said in his petition that the roadshows and bike rallies violate EC's instructions and cause damage to the environment.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by a former DGP of Uttar Pradesh seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

"We are not inclined to entertain this," a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta told advocate Virag Gupta, who was appearing for petitioners Vikram Singh and Shaivika Agrawal.

Singh, a former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh, said in his petition that the roadshows and bike rallies violate EC's instructions and cause damage to the environment.
Today's top stories: Rahul Gandhi calls CWC meeting to finalise manifesto for Lok Sabha election, NCP likely to release manifesto, India asks US for access to details in relation to Pulwama probe, and more

Rahul Gandhi calls CWC meeting to give final shape to Congress manifesto

The top Congress leadership will on Monday discuss and give a final shape to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha election starting 11 April. Reportedly, the contents of the manifesto will be discussed at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at its headquarters at Akbar Road.

The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party and is chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Top Congress leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni and Anand Sharma, will be present at the meeting.

Former chief ministers Siddaramaiah, Oommen Chandy, Tarun Gogoi and Harish Rawat will attend the meeting. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia, who took charge last month as AICC general secretary Uttar Pradesh East and Uttar Pradesh West respectively, will also be present.

The party manifesto for the Lok Sabha election is being framed by a committee headed by P Chidambaram, which has some other members too.

NCP likely to release manifesto today

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is likely to release its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election on Monday, a day after the party sealed the seat-sharing deal with ally Congress in Maharashtra. NCP national general secretary DP Tripathi is scheduled to announce the manifesto at 3 pm on Monday, reports said.

On Saturday, the Congress- NCP alliance announced their seat-sharing pact, with the two parties agreeing to contest 26 and 22 seats respectively. Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar said, in a press conference, that 56 parties and organisations have come together to support the alliance to take on the BJP-Shiv Sena combine.

From its share of seats, the Congress will give Palghar seat to the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi and another undeclared seat to Raju Shetti's Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana. From its 22 seats, the NCP will leave Hatkanangle seat for Shetti, who is the sitting MP from there, and give another to Independent MLA Ravi Rana's Yuva Swabhiman Party.

Without naming any parties, Chavan and Pawar dubbed those who stayed away from the Congress-NCP alliance as the "B team of the BJP".

Virtual simcards were used in Pulwama terror attack, India to ask US for help

A request is to be sent to the US to seek details from a service provider of "virtual SIMs", which were used by the Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber behind the Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers. Piecing together elements revealed in the investigation into the site of the terror strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, PTI reported.

It was a fairly new modus operandi where terrorists across the border were using a "virtual SIM", generated by a service provider in the United States. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone. The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code generated by these networking sites is received on the smartphone and the user is ready. In case of Pulwama, Dar was in constant touch with the Jaish handler as well as Mudassir Khan using the same technology, the officials were quoted by PTI as saying.

IPL 2019 gets ready for battle royale as Rajasthan Royals host Kings XI Punjab

A royal battle is on the cards in IPL 2019 on Monday as Rajasthan Royals host Kings XI Punjab in Jaipur as both sides get their campaign underway. All eyes in the match will be on RR's Steve Smith who returns to the league after missing the previous edition due to the ball-tampering scandal. Important thing to remember is that RR has never lost to KXIP at home. The match will start at 8 pm.

Apples first major product event of 2019 to take place today

Apples first big product event of 2019 is taking place on Monday at 10.30 pm and this time, hardware products arent what the Cupertino-based giant will be focusing on. Apple is expected to unveil as many three new premium subscription services  one each for News, Entertainment and Gaming.
Barmer is reeling under what is claimed to be the severest drought of the decade as rains have evaded the district for the fifth consecutive year.

Editor's note: Rajasthans relationship with summer is not a pleasant one. The shortage of water in the region only adds to the misery of the people. Even before the onset of summer, over 5,000 villages in nine districts in Rajasthan  Barmer, Churu, Pali, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jodhpur, Hanumangarh and Nagaur were declared drought-affected by the state government. The drought in this area affects the economy of the region as employment options dry up and people start migrating to neighbouring states like Gujarat to survive. This five-part series will examine the reasons and problems related to one of the worst drought conditions in the region. This is the fourth part of the series.

***

Siwana, Barmer: Five-year-old Neetu Kumari (name changed) can recite the multiplication table of 1 and 2 with ease, she knows the English alphabet as well, but fumbles as she nears the end. L, N, M..noL, M, N, QIm not sure what comes next, she says.

By the time the English teacher at the government primary school in Siwana block of Barmer district in Rajasthan where Neetu was enrolled had completed the first few classes, Neetu had dropped out to earn a few extra bucks and was miles away plucking cotton along with the rest of her family in a field in Gujarat.

Apart from its obvious effects on farming, drought in western Rajasthan has also had another unexpected fallout -- forcing thousands of children to give up on their dreams of an education and do odd jobs to support their families.

Barmer is among the nine districts that were declared drought-affected by the Rajasthan government in February this year.

Many of Neetus classmates met a similar fate as her. According to estimates, 50 percent of children enrolled in government schools in Siwana in July 2018 had dropped out by the end of the year.

Most students enrolled in schools in Siwana and other drought-hit areas come from families that depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Scanty rainfall the last monsoon destroyed the Kharif crop forcing several families to migrate in search of employment opportunities. These mostly included the nomadic and tribal communities of Bhil, Garasia, Jogi, Swami, Kalbelia, Gadiya, Lohar, Mirasim, Nat and Bawariya.

Droughts and dropouts

Block Education Officer, Siwana, Hanumana Ram admits that a spike in the number of dropouts is usually seen in years that a natural calamity hits the district. In 2018, however, half of the students who had enrolled at the beginning of the academic session had dropped out by the end of the year.

Explaining the situation, Hanumana says, The drought not only creates a scarcity of food and fodder but also causes a rise in unemployment. In many cases, students have to leave their studies and do odd jobs to support their families. Some families also move to other states to earn a living.

Many students who quit studies to support families end up as workers in factories, construction sites or cotton fields.

According to Hanumana, enrollments for this year have also suffered because many families which left last year in the wake of the drought never came back. Generally, the enrollment of students rises each year. This year, only a marginal rise was seen in the number of new students.

Hanumanas claims of several families not returning to their native land is corroborated by data from village panchayats. Panchayats in villages of Meli, Dewandi, Ramneeya, Motisara in Siwana block have recorded a drastic dip in members.

Parched throats

Barmer is reeling under what is claimed to be the severest drought of the decade as rains have evaded the district for the fifth consecutive year. Apart from Barmer, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jallore, Jodhpur, Hanumangarh, Pali, Churu and Nagaur have also been declared drought-hit. The districts had recorded 25 percent less than normal rainfall from June to September.

Nearly 30 percent of Rajasthans total population that lives in these nine districts now has to contend with the shortage of water and fodder for cattle. Lakhs of farmers are reported to have lost half of their crop.

The government has announced that fodder depots would be opened and asked state officials to submit proposals for relief activities. For residents faced with parched throats and dry lands, relief is slow in coming.

As a Kharif farmer in Siwana puts it, We are yet to get compensation. Farming is hardly feasible here as rains have continued to disappoint us year after year. Many people have left to find jobs in other areas. With so many mouths to feed, all family members are expected to earn. Its all about survival right now.

In such a scenario, education for their children is a luxury many families can barely afford.

Numbers tell the tale

As rains play hide and seek, students have continued to drop out of schools in the drought-prone Barmer district. In the academic year 2014-2015, enrollment in primary schools in the district had declined by 33,904 students compared to 2013-2014. In 2016-17, 13,906 fewer students enrolled in primary schools than in 2015-2016.

In the adjoining Jalore district as well, 34,941 more students had enrolled in primary schools in 2013-2014 than in 2014-15. In 2015-16, 8,572 more students had enrolled in schools than in 2016-17.

The path to education: Long and broken

It is not just natural calamities that are to be blamed for children shying away from education, lack of infrastructure in the region has also dealt a blow. Local residents say that most villages do have primary schools but for higher secondary, a single school caters to a cluster of villages, forcing students to trek several kilometres, sometimes on kuccha roads. Girls end up bearing the brunt of this as parents are reluctant to let them travel long distances. This means that for several girl students primary education is the end of the road.

To boost girl education, the state government has opened a few residential schools for girls, but lack of awareness among residents has hampered the success of the initiative. Residents say that the problem can be solved only when residential schools are opened at the panchayat level. At present, residential schools are available only at the block level.

Some parents have displayed more determination to ensure education for their children despite repeated failures. For the past few years, Roopnath from Rakhi village in Siwana has been enrolling his two children in school at the beginning of the academic session. But by November, both of his kids quit, as yet another dry spell leaves their crop destroyed and Roopnath penniless.

Mukesh Sharma, a teacher at a government school in Siwana, says, Sometimes children take up work but dont drop out of school. They simply stop coming to class. If they do take exams, they fail, which further demotivates them, causing them to stop pursuing studies altogether.

Health in jeopardy

The impact of a long spell of drought may not be limited to childrens education but threatens their health as well. According to Kamlesh Chaudhary, chief medical officer, Barmer, free treatment is being provided to children to combat malnutrition and dehydration in all government hospitals in the district.

The author is a freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.
The family of 24-year-old, Sajad Ahmad Khan, whom Delhi Police claimed to have arrested on 21 February in connection with the Pulwama attack on 14 February claim they had gone missing from their rented home in Delhi since 16 February

Tral: The family of 24-year-old, Sajad Ahmad Khan, whom Delhi Police claimed to have arrested on 21 February in connection with the car-bomb explosion at Pulwama on 14 February  that killed at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel  and those of other six arrested youths had filed a report with the Jammu and Kashmir Police that they had gone missing from their rented home in Delhi since 16 February. In what the family says was an attempt to frame Sajad in the case, it said that he was already in the custody of the Delhi Police and that his involvement had been faked.

Six other youths from the Tral area of Pulwama, who were also detained on 16 February, have been released after a missing report was filed by their relatives with the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Awantipora. As per the application filed before the SDPO, it has been noted that the cell phones belonging to the seven persons, including Sajad, were switched off and they were unreachable.

Sajad, a shawl vendor, has been remanded to NIA custody by a Delhi Court till 29 March. Among those who have been released include a shawl dealer, Nisar Ahmad Shah, of Tral.

"We are requesting information about those who are mentioned in the application. These people have been going to Delhi every year in connection with their business. We, the family members, have often been enquiring after their well-being on the phone. But their phones have been switched off, due to which we are very perturbed. Now it is our request that we may be provided information about them," noted the application that was filed before the police.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Awantipora, Tahir Saleem, said that he was not aware about the missing report, but added that there was a case registered against Sajad by the Delhi Police after his arrest.

Sajad's father, Ghulam Nabi Khan, said after he couldn't reach out to his son, who since November last year, had been living in Delhi where he worked as a vendor, visited the National Capital nearly a week after they filed a missing report. He however said that he was not allowed to meet his son by the Delhi Police. His two other sons, 26-year old, Ishfaq Ahmad Khan, and 17-year old, Showkat Ahmad Khan, died during an encounter with the forces on 24 April and 29 October last year respectively.

Both belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which claimed the responsibility for the 14 February attack on the CRPF convoy.

He said that after the killing of his two sons he wanted Sajad to work in Delhi adding that "he has been framed as my two other sons were militants associated with JeM".

After his return on 19 March from Delhi, Ghulam Nabi came across reports that Sajad had been arrested by Delhi police on 21 February 21. "They are lying, he was already in the custody of the Delhi Police," he said, at his modest house in Handoora, Tral.

Family members of Nisar Ahmad Shah said that he was released from the police custody after his cousin, Bashir Ahmad Shah, and some other relatives approached the Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier to seek Nisar and his other brother's whereabouts.

"We initially thought that they may have been robbed by some people after the attacks on Kashmiris outside the state. We contacted the police here and Nisar and five other people were released a few days after their detention," he said.

Nisar said that he had been going to Delhi for several years during the winters to sell shawls through vendors and couldn't understand why he was detained. On 16 February, a large number of police personnel raided their rented house at Delhi to make the arrests. "We were whisked away by the personnel of the special cell of the Delhi Police and were released after three days. Our cell phones were also returned after three days. I have been going to Delhi for the shawl business since 1992 and this year, my other brother also accompanied me," he said.

Nisar said that after his detention he wouldn't go to Delhi in connection with his business. About Sajad, he said, he was working as a vendor with him and they would put up at a rented place before their arrest. "He was working with us and never went missing before his arrest on 16 February by the Delhi Police. We used to go out to sell shawls and return home in the evening," he said.
Rahul Gandhi's minimum income guarantee scheme is a bold, imaginative and socioeconomically prudent idea.

Rahul Gandhi's minimum income guarantee scheme, if it comes to fruition, will be the biggest in the world

In comparison to the Rs 6,000 per year for farmers that the Narendra Modi government had announced towards the end of his tenure, just ahead of the announcement of the election schedule, this is a bold, imaginative and socioeconomically prudent idea.

Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, wife Anita step down from board; shares of airline jump over 15%

Jet Airways Ltd Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita stepped down from the board of the cash-strapped airline on Monday, media reports said. Goyal has reportedly agreed to cut his stake in the airline to 9.9 percent from the earlier 51 percent.

Criminal collusion between Donald Trump, Russia ahead of 2016 election ruled out by Mueller probe; Democrats demand to see report

Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice, Attorney General William Barr declared.

Filmfare Awards 2019: Inclusion of Critics' Choice category doesn't hold water in times when content is the king

Amongst all the categories of the Filmfare Awards, the Critics Choice Award would by far be the most insulting, for the want of a more suitable word, category.

Parenting in the age of PUBG: Parents must lead by example, spend more time with kids

As a parent, with regular conditioning and by spending quality time with your kids, you can have a positive effect on your kids and be an instrumental force in helping them overcome IGD and gaming addition if they do have it.
The path to power runs through the finance ministry. If governments continue to misspend on defence even while signalling muscular foreign policies, the gap between intent and capability will continue to widen

With the surgical strikes of 2016, the months-long standoff with the Chinese Army in Doklam in 2017 and, most strikingly, the air attack on a Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan last month, Narendra Modis India has decisively signalled the importance of force in protecting its interests. The key unknown now is whether the countrys military capabilities match this intent. Now that the dust seems to be settling on Balakot, it is time for a singularly uncomfortable question: Why is it that, militarily, the aerial engagement of February 27th ended in a stalemate? The prevalent lay narrative in India always has been that of a manifestly weaker Pakistan which would face certain rout in event of any kinetic engagement. That proposition stands challenged after the events of last month.

To be fair, precise relationships between capabilities and combat outcomes are murky. That said, dominant military capabilities are a necessary  though by no means sufficient  condition for victory in war. And at the heart of the issue of military capabilities lies the question of financial allocations for defence, not just how much to spend but what to spend on (Graph 1).

In a democracy, how a government allocates resources for various national priorities  across and within different expenditure heads  is a political statement in itself. At the risk of mixing macro- and micro-economics, budgets are revealed preferences: given a countrys (projected) fiscal capacity any year, one can potentially construct an infinite number of them; a governments choice of one over the other reveals what it deems important, politically viable and expedient. This is where comparing budgets across different governments  as we have done here over 20 years, from NDA-I to UPA-I and II and, finally, on to NDA-II  becomes illustrative, to highlight contrasts.

STICKY FACTORS

But comparing budgets across years also reveals continuity and stickiness (to appropriate another term from microeconomics): persistent priorities, bureaucratic inertia, and presence of holy cows that governments of varying political persuasions take as givens. Absent a formal national security strategy  which India lacks  that tethers defence budgets to the evolving threat environment, these stickinesses persist, unchallenged. In the last 20 years, one such pattern has been the dominance of revenue over capital expenditure allocations  or to put it more bluntly, the preponderance of unproductive military allocations on salaries and such over productive ones as new weapons and platforms (Graph 9). Specifically, the Indian Armys pay and allowances and pensions now threaten to overwhelm the total Ministry of Defence (MoD) allocations (Graph 4).

Last year, the Indian Armys uniformed manpower strength stood at close to an astonishing 13 lakh soldiers. A product of disputed land borders as well as an intractable insurgency in Kashmir, through its sheer numbers the army has in recent years emerged as a political actor. First breaking into the scene with the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) agitation in the run-up to the general elections of 2014, with the appointment of General VK Singh  whose public skirmishes with the UPA-II government marked a new low in civil-military relations in the country  as a junior minister, the Modi governments tacit alliance with this powerful constituency seemed complete.

Matters werent really helped when the government started meddling in army promotions, appointing Lt General Bipin Rawat as chief out of turn. If the army preferred the BJP-led government (which recklessly promised to implement OROP as part of its 2014 campaign), Modis preference for Rawat over Lt Generals Praveen Bakshi and PM Hariz squared the circle on army politicisation.

But there is a deeper reason why the Modi government has been reluctant to take on the army  and why right-sizing it may prove to be impossible for any government in the future. It has to do with changing character of the Indian Army itself, with increased representation in its rank and file of electorally important states like Uttar Pradesh. Yale professor Steven Wilkinson, in his seminal 2015 study of the Indian military, noted that Uttar Pradesh provides 13 per cent of the Indian Army strength (2009 data). While a positive development in many ways  this corrects a historical over-representation of certain states like Punjab in the army  the rise of electorally key states such as UP as main hiring pools for the army also implies that any attempt to freeze recruitment will be politically very expensive there.

This is more so the case for the BJP. To wit, Modi cannot simultaneously project himself as a pro-military candidate in election rallies, say in UP, as well as embark on trimming the fat that threatens to choke the arteries of the Indian military apparatus, should he come back. And therein lies the fundamental paradox at the heart of Indian politics, when it comes to defence reforms: the only way any prime minister can really overturn the military is by not playing up his or her pro-military credentials for electoral purposes.

For once you have done so, your hands become tied in terms of any dramatic reforms that you may see the necessity of introducing in the future.

If electoral compulsions are one obstacle in reforming the Indian Army, Kashmir is the other. Counter-insurgency functions in that state continues to bleed the military and sap its limited resources (Graph 10). But the army has also cynically continued to tag a half front along with drumming up the traditionally nightmarish joint (two-front) threat from China and Pakistan  and by doing so protecting the lions share of budgetary allocations that it has become so used to since Independence. Privately, senior army officers now talk of a strategic role for the counter-insurgency (COIN) centred Rashtriya Rifles, meaning that they are now a frontline conventional force against Pakistan.

Under Rawat, this blurring of COIN and conventional military operations got etched into the armys doctrine and provide further justification for maintaining its current manpower strength. Ironically, revenue allocations for the armys ammunition purchases have wildly gyrated in the past 20 years (Graph 6). Successive governments have failed to realise that armies are as good  and as safe  as the firepower at their disposal.

LOW PRIORITY FOR MODERNISATION

To further see this predilection for man over machine, compare the Indian Armys pensions to what the Indian Air Force is allocated for purchasing new weapons and platforms (Graph 2). As videos of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman  pilot of an aging MiG-21 tasked with repelling superior F-16s  in Pakistani custody circulated over social media, the political class would have done itself a favour by asking: Should creature comforts of retired faujis matter roughly three times more than that of the safety of young pilots at the frontline of the nations defence?

A related point is the dwindling share of military modernisation in the defence budget. Last year, the money allocated to buying new weapons for the three services stood at a little more than a quarter of the defence budget. And this is where Modi  compared to Vajpayee has performed abysmally (Graph 3). While he has continued to play up his image as a man for the military  especially on the post-Balakot campaign trail  the statistical record shows that beyond rhetoric and theatrics, his commitment to military modernisation has been middling, gratingly contrasted to the UPA governments (Graph 7). But then again, people vote, weapons dont. In a country where defence policy remains, in the words of Brown professor Ashutosh Varshney, elite politics, rhetoric around muscle electorally matters more than substantial course corrections in the defence budget  something very few outside Delhi care about.

Lack of interest in defence policy among the political class has also implied that white elephants like the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), mandated with developing indigenous defence solutions, continue to command resources and consistently disappoint at the same time. As an example, witness the DRDOs Sisyphean quest to produce a main battle tank (Arjun) that would be unambiguously acceptable to the army (Graph 5). In a political system where defence policy is benignly neglected, the penalties for non-delivery from stakeholders are minimal.

NAVAL NEGLECT

The land-centric orientation of the Indian military  equally due to persistent threats as well as domestic politics, as discussed above  has had a deleterious impact on the navy, whose share of the defence budget remains the smallest. Despite early efforts by the Modi government to correct this situation, the capital-intensive navy remains neglected (Graph 8). Again, Modis rhetoric around the Indo-Pacific  and India as the heart and head of the Indian Ocean region, as the 2017 Joint Doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces put it  rings hollow considering extant budgetary priorities. Modi may have promised making India a leading power, not realising that no modern state has ever become so militarily without becoming a significant naval power. And this is not a matter of aspiration alone. As China continues to intrude into the Indian Ocean, Indias institutional neglect of the navy will prove very expensive in the future.

COSTLY RHETORIC?

Sixty years ago, American nuclear strategist Bernard Brodie quipped that strategy wears a dollar sign  something that India is yet to understand and internalise. While South Block continues to wax eloquent about its plans to raise Indias international profile as well as keep Pakistan (and in sotto voce, China) in check, they forget that Indias path to power runs through the North Block, home to the Ministry of Finance. If governments continue to misspend on defence  hobbled as it has been by multiple constraints as well as neglect  and yet signal muscular foreign policies, the gap between intent and capability will continue to widen, till the day of reckoning when it may be too late.

And this is where Modis legacy will prove problematic. Had he toned down his rhetoric around the military and gotten to the business of actually reforming it instead, India would have been far better off in the long run. Drawing on the massive political capital he enjoys, Modi ought to have put hard cash behind his words.

Abhijnan Rej is a New Delhi-based defence analyst
'We will show the (Narendra) Modi government how to treat minorities,' Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had vowed in December last year, reiterating his catchphrase, 'this is Naya Pakistan'.

"We will show the (Narendra) Modi government how to treat minorities," Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had vowed in December last year, reiterating his catchphrase, "this is Naya Pakistan". Imran's government parroted the same statement on Sunday  after promises to recover two Hindu girls who were reportedly abducted and forced to convert to Islam  but the words sounded hollow with the occurrence of same old atrocities against the minority communities.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnising the nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering nationwide outrage.

After Imran ordered a probe into the incident, authorities arrested the cleric who is suspected to have assisted in the marital contract. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a prominent Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, said he would present a resolution in the National Assembly in its next session demanding an end to forced conversions, PTI reported.

The draft resolution demands that the unfortunate incidents of kidnappings and forced conversions must be condemned unanimously by all the members of Parliament. "The bill against forced conversions which was unanimously passed by Sindh Assembly in 2016 and then reverted due to pressure of extremist elements, must be resurrected and passed in the Assembly on priority basis," says the draft resolution. The resolution would seek strict action against controversial religious elements for supporting such inhuman practice.

However, despite claims of immediate action against the perpetrators of the latest incident, several activists and journalists in India and Pakistan have criticised the Imran-led government for non-performance on one of its major poll planks ahead of the general elections in July 2018. Imran's election campaign had said his party's agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

Pakistan's 'terrified' minorities

Pervez Hoodbhoy, Pakistan-based nuclear physicist, praised New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern for her determined support for the Muslim minority community after the terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch. Highlighting the New Zealand government's "gold-plated standards" of compassion, Hoodbhoy writes in Dawn, "Their response to last weeks horrific mosque massacres in Christchurch was exemplary. Many countries need to learn from New Zealand, Pakistan more than most."

Detailing his criticism of the Pakistan governments' lack of response to crimes against minorities, the professor's examples span from the Asif Ali Zardari administration in 2010, to Imran's current government. No "public grief or outrage" was evident after simultaneous attacks on two Ahmadi worship places in Lahore in 2010. The incident had left at least 94 dead.

While then-Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif did not engage with the bereaved families of the victims at all, current Pakistan Muslim League-chief Nawaz Sharif had reportedly reached out to the Ahmadi communities by calling them "brothers and sisters"  but faced immediate flak from his own party, Hoodbhoy writes.

In an editorial titled 'Pakistan's terrified Christians'. Hoodbhoy also writes about how Christians, though not Pakistan's largest minority, have resorted to blending in, but to no avail. "Pakistans minorities live under the boot of the majority and know they cannot speak the truth," he concluded.

Some critics also pointed out the Pakistan Police's apathy in dealing with religious minorities, specifically based on their handling of the case of the Hindu girls. Over the weekend, two separate narratives developed about the incident, with a viral video of the girls being used to support the claim that they had converted to Islam of their own free will. However, a video of their family members debunking the claim was also released soom after.

However, Kamal Siddiqi writes in The Express Tribune that the police decided to take the former narrative as the truth "without their own investigation". "Without proper investigation, IG Sindh Syed Kaleem Imam took the stance that the two had not been abducted. This is shameful."

"The recent study cites evidence provided by numerous NGOs, journalists and academics which have shown that abductions and forced conversions are one of the most serious problems facing Hindu and Christian women and girls in Pakistan. Not surprisingly, the police often turn a blind eye to this thereby creating impunity for perpetrators," Siddiqi added.

He also brings to attention the bill that was brought drafted to curb forced conversions of Hindu and Christian girls in 2013, after demonstrations by political parties and civil society activists against the atrocity.

"In November 2016, the bill was passed unanimously by the Sindh Provincial Assembly. However, the Bill failed to make it into law as the then Governor, Saeed uz Zaman Siddiqui, returned it in January 2017. The bill was effectively blocked by mobilisation from various quarters," the author says.

However, Siddiqi attributes the action taken in the most recent case to Imran's decision-making. "This is shameful and needs to be called out. When will it have the guts to do the right thing? When will this injustice end?"

Despite his statements of support for minorities  whether Hindu, Christian, or members of the Ahmadi community  Indian journalists have pointed to Imran's reversal of his decision to hire Atif Milan, an economist, for his economic advisory council "only because he is an Ahmadi".

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. A majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in the Sindh province.

According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.

India's "two-faced" policy on minorities

Even though Imran's government in Pakistan is in the spotlight for the crime against the two Hindu girls, the Indian government's "two-faced" policy on atrocities against minorities has not gone unnoticed. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday demanded a report into the incident from the Indian envoy in Islamabad.

Swaraj's tweet was picked up by Pakistan's Information minister Fawad Chaudhry who said that it was an internal matter, adding "it was Imran Khan's Naya Pakistan". He tweeted, "Mam its Pakistin (sic) internal issue and rest assure its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated its Imran Khans Naya Pak where white color of our flag is equally dearer to us. I hope you ll act with same diligence when it comes to rights of Indian Minorities."

However, this editorial by The Telegraph, titled 'Government's two faces on minorities', observed how Swaraj's prompt statement on the incident threw into sharp contrast her government's silence on incidents of violence against religious minorities in India, the case in point being the daylight communal assault on a Muslim family in Gurugram on Holi.

"Sushmas initial tweet had already had the desired impact on her constituency, having been immediately welcomed by members of the Right-wing ecosystem," the editorial said adding that social media users were quick to point out the Narendra Modi government's silence on the incident in Gurugram.

"This isnt the first time that the Modi government has chosen to maintain a studied silence on attacks on minorities or socially disadvantaged communities in India. When it has spoken, it has usually done so after several days and its comments have tended to be tangential. Whenever such matters have been raised in Parliament, the governments stock reply has been that law and order is a state issue," the editorial said.

With inputs from agencies
Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were arrested by security forces from the outskirts of the city, police said. They were nabbed on Sunday.

Srinagar: Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were arrested by security forces from the outskirts of the city. They were nabbed on Sunday. "Three car-borne terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM were arrested by police and security forces at Lawaypora (on Srinagar-Baramulla road) based on a credible input," a police spokesperson was quoted by PTI as saying.

The spokesperson said ammunition, including live rounds, was seized from the terrorists identified as Rayees Hurrah, Shahid Bhat and Ishaq Lone.

On Saturday, reports said that India will request the US for details from a service provider of "virtual SIMs", which were used by the JeM suicide bomber behind the 14 February Pulwama attack and his Pakistan and Kashmir-based handlers.

Piecing together probe from the site of the terror strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, PTI reported.

At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed when Dar rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a paramilitary force bus at Pulwama in South Kashmir. India retaliated after the strike by bombing the Jaish terror group's hideout in Balakot in Pakistan. The terror attack led to an escalation of tension between India and Pakistan in the subsequent weeks.

With inputs from agencies
Seven JNU students have been on a hunger strike since last week in protest against the online system of entrance exam that will be implemented from this academic session.

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar alleged on Monday that the varsity students forcibly entered his house and confined his wife inside for several hours.

Seven students have been on a hunger strike since last week in protest against the online system of entrance exam that will be implemented from this academic session.

According to sources, students from Left outfits went to the vice-chancellor's residence to demand an audience with him since he had not been meeting them.

On Monday evening, the students allegedly barged inside Kumar's residence while he was away and surrounded his wife. Police were called in and the wives of other university professors rescued her, a professor said.

Kumar's wife was rushed to a hospital as she was in a state of trauma.

"This evening, a few hundred students forcibly broke into my JNU residence and confined my wife inside home for several hours while I was away in a meeting. Is it the way to protest? Terrorising a lonely lady at home?" Kumar asked on Twitter.

A student from a Left outfit rejected the allegation and said a group of students had gone to meet the vice-chancellor, but they were allegedly manhandled by the security personnel.

"We had gone to his residence to meet the V-C. We were manhandled by security personnel and many students have sustained injuries, including JNUSU president N Sai Balaji," the student said.
Preserving and protecting the Assamese Muslim identity and heritage seems to be a part of BJPs election rule book in Assam.

Preserving and protecting the Assamese Muslim identity and heritage seems to be a part of BJPs election rule book in Assam.

It is true that the BJP-ruled state government in Assam has officially launched a scheme to conduct a census of the Assamese Muslims in order to tag them along with the national development story while protecting the communitys cultural heritage.

The move is seen in sharp contrast with the partys declared policy in Uttar Pradesh to change the names of cities, roads and markets having Muslim names. The move to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj and Mughalsarai station as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay station recently, evoked a myriad of memes on the internet.

However, the BJPs electoral narrative has undergone a drastic shift in Assam, the largest northeastern state. Catering to the state's unique political culture informed by Assamese chauvinism, the BJP changes its lingo from 'mandir' and 'Mughals' to 'jaati' (Assamese identity) and 'maati' (land), and the protection of the same from immigrant Muslims from Bangladesh.

It is to be noted that the party tasted massive success in the 2016 Assembly election with this narrative. Emboldened by this success, BJP this time around aims at further deepening its presence in the society of native Muslims.

Assamese Muslims, who are broadly known as Goriyas, form a sizeable population of around 45 lakh. Their spiritual affiliations can be traced back to the 17th century Sufi poet Azaan Pir, who inspired symbiotic relationship among communities.

Apart from their rich cultural heritage comprising literature, music and liberal Islam, Assamese Muslims are mostly remembered for the valorous role of Goriya warriors in the historic battle of Saraighat against the Mughals, in which the Assamese army had a decisive victory.

The basic electoral objective here is to glorify the role of the Goriyas, resulting in rise of chauvinistic emotions.

No wonder Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his rallies hardly ever misses to remind the valour of Ahom General Lachit Borphukan and Bagh Hazarika (Ismail Siddiqui) who together defeated the Mughals in the battle of Saraighat in the year 1671.

In this unique political story woven by the BJP for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the combined strength of Assamese is the hero and the immigrant Muslims from Bangladesh are the villains.

Sonowal in a rally in the district of Lakhimpur recently said, We should never forget how Lachit Borphukan and Bagh Hazarika saved our land from the Mughals. We need to follow the same ideals of unity and brotherhood to save our land and identity.

In the 2016 Assembly election, 17 percent of the Goriyas voted for the BJP across the state as per our estimate. Only in Dharmapur Assembly constituency, in which BJPs candidate Chandramohan Patowary won the electoral battle to become the states transport minister, the party got 22,000 Assamese Muslim votes, said Nurul Haque, managing trustee, Goriya Studies and Development Foundation, an NGO that conducts research on the issues faced by the Assamese Muslim community.

Apart from Dharmapur, two other Assembly segments where Assamese Muslims played a decisive role are Hajo and Kamalpur. Both elected BJP-AGP alliance candidates in the 2016 Assembly polls.

The reason why many Assamese Muslims are opting for BJP is often attributed to the ever increasing clout of Bengali Muslims in the states politics.

Right from the days after India gained independence, Assamese Muslims hardly ever received due attention as minorities. The reason is that we are quite small in population size in comparison to that of the Bengali Muslims and are scattered across the state. Our political clout is limited by it, said Haque.

Significantly, more than one-third of Assams population is comprised of Muslims. It is widely believed that a vast majority of this population is constituted by both legal and illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Mominul Awwal, chairman of the Assam Minority Board, told Firstpost that out of nearly 1.30 crore Muslim population in Assam, approximately 45 lakhs are Assamese Muslims.

Similarly, there are nine Muslim-dominated districts in the state, but again, Assamese Muslims are not the majority in these districts.

There is a historical reason for this unique spread of the Assamese Muslim demography in the state, which is well explained by Ajad Ali, president of Baghsena, a civil society organisation that derives its nomenclature from historical Goriya warrior Bagh Hazarika (Ismail Siddiqui).

The Goriyas are a people who were actually Assamese outcasts and embraced Islam during various phases of history. Their villages are always adjacent to those of Assamese Hindus. Hence, the population is scattered everywhere across the state, he said.

He added that in contrast to this demographic pattern, immigrant Muslim population are found in large clusters of settlements.

These clusters easily get identified as minority areas and hence, most of the benefits meant for the minorities are directed to the immigrant population, said Haque.

Multi-sectoral development programme, administered by the ministry of minority affairs, for the development of identified minority concentration areas, provides funds to 11 districts out of 33 in Assam.

But there is a catch here. To be identified as a minority concentration area under this scheme, a block is required to have minimum 25 percent population belonging to minority community. This is a criteria which Assamese Muslims fail to meet, often due to their unique pattern of demographic spread, added Haque.

No wonder majority of the Assamese Muslims spread across the state remain deprived of benefits such as roads, hospitals, schools, scholarship.

On account of being spread across the state in small numbers, Assamese Muslims often fail to elect their own representatives.

To compensate for the lack of representatives, our government has taken the initiative to nominate Assamese Muslims in various boards and authorities, said Awwal.

But when reminded that simply nominating a selected bunch of Assamese Muslims to various bodies under Assam government hardly solves the problem caused by the lack of representation, he added, There are also talks going on to constitute an Upper House for the Assam Assembly. If this plan materialises, Assamese Muslims along with other unrepresented communities can certainly have representation.

The pain of being a minority group among minorities on account of lack of representation is felt widely across Assamese Muslim society.

When Bengali Muslim political leaders come to ask for votes during elections, they speak of Islamic unity. But we are abandoned just after elections are over, said Ali. He also said that massive aggression from Bangladesh has also resulted in shrinking of the cultural practices of the Assamese Muslims.

We believe in liberal Islam and follow many customs followed by Assamese Hindus. But due to immigration from Bangladesh, many of our mosques had Bengali Imams, which resulted in infusion of imported Islamic orthodoxy into our society and hence, resulted in wiping out of our unique cultural heritage, he added.

Goru Bihu  a festival observed in the spring season in which cows and bulls are bathed  is one of the customs which are no more practised by many Assamese Muslims due to infusion of this orthodoxy, he said.

Haque observed that presently, the Assamese Muslim community has taken special care to ensure that only Assamese Muslims are appointed as Imams in their mosques.

The pressure to appear more Muslim than an Assamese is also felt widely due to political and cultural aggression.

Goriyas dress like any other Assamese you come across. In a secular democracy, a Muslim in a typical Islamic attire weighs more in the eyes of the political class than a Muslim in a non-Islamic wear, he said.

Till 2006, there was no organisation that represented the demands of the Assamese Muslims. It was in that year that Assamese Muslims came up with an NGO named Goriya Moriya Desi Jatiya Parishad, under the leadership of Haque.

A year before this, Badruddin Ajmal, a Bengali Muslim Islamic leader, came up with a political party named All India United Democratic Front, targeting the vast constituency of Bengali Muslims.

We never wanted to assert our distinct identity before this, as we are Assamese to the core of our cultural ethos and we felt that the demands of the Assamese society as a whole are also our demands. But 2006 was the year in which we felt that our hopes and identities would be soon crushed down by the political assertion of the Bengali Muslims if we did not raise our voice, said Haque.

In the years to come, Ajmals political party would grow to become a formidable political force among Bengali Muslims. But it failed to make any mark in Assamese Muslim-dominated constituencies and he himself remained a leader among the Bengali Muslims only.

In 2016, when BJP launched its electoral campaign for the Assembly polls, announcing Badruddin Ajmal as its main enemy, many Assamese Muslims could immediately feel the connect.

There could be no time more opportune than the Budget Session of the Assam Assembly for the financial year 2019-20, held two months before the Lok Sabha polls, to send across a positive gesture to a constituency of prospective voters with a population size of 45 lakh.

In the Budget Session held two months back, state finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailed the role played by the indigenous Muslims of Assam in the social and economic progress of the state. He also said that the community, of late, has been facing an identity crisis and the developmental wave seems to have eluded them.

"It is high time that the state initiated a special and focused programme aimed at the all-round development of the community. We will establish a development corporation for the indigenous Muslims which will take up various programmes aimed at the holistic development of this section of society, including self-employment activities, provisioning banking linkages, etc," he had said.

The work to safeguard the interests of Goriyas are on, said Awwal.

The Assam accord provides for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Assamese Muslims are also entitled to it. But before such benefits are provided to them, a census is required to prevent benefits spilling over to bogus beneficiaries. The first round of talks with pressure groups to chalk out the terms of reference of the census is already over, he further said.

The move has certainly raised hopes among Assamese Muslims. Crackers were burst across the state when Sarma made announcement of the survey in the Assembly.

Ali said, We are not fighting for jobs, contracts or reservation. We are fighting for our identity. We are Assamese Muslims and want to be known to the world as same. Generations have passed without identity but we do not want our children to live without it. We want nothing but the government to give that identity to us.

Historically, the votes of Assamese Muslims are broadly shared by the Congress and the Asom Gana Parishad. It would be interesting to note how the move to protect the unique culture of Assamese Muslims pans out in the upcoming election.
Alt News, SM Hoax Slayer, Check4Spam and others are fast emerging as the go-to websites for fact-checking

The year was 2014. Social media adoption in the largest democracy, India, wasnt as prevalent as we know it today. It was, however, enough to be employed as a supplementary campaign tool for propelling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the biggest parliamentary victory in forty years.

But as we inch closer to the 17th Lok Sabha elections, the stakes are even higher. The number of internet users has more than doubled, mobile data prices have nosedived by a magnitude in thousands, capable smartphones can be purchased in less than $100, and most importantly, social media platforms are no longer harmless tools.

Dominated by a mobile-first audience, apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube have thrived and went on to replacing mainstream mediums as Indians primary source of information. Information that isnt always accurate and often tarnished with propaganda or simply a victim of the race for forwarding the most dramatic piece of content. And since some of them are sealed through a layer of end-to-end encryption, exponents have nothing short of an opaque megaphone at their disposal.

But just to put things into perspective, these are the active users on various social media platforms in India: WhatsApp has 200 mn, Facebook has 300 mn, Twitter has 35 mn, Instagram has 75 mn and YouTube has around 250 mn monthly active users.

In the past year or two, misinformation has disseminated exponentially throughout the country. It has led to virulent fallouts such as misleading mobsters into lynching more than thirty innocent people, tricking citizens into believing theres a tracking chip in the newly distributed denominations, and more.

Bracing for impact

While the tech giants scramble to mend their platforms most glaring shortcomings in a hope to avert being at the centre of another political controversy  this time involving a population of over a billion people (about 900 million of which are expected to vote), a group of fact-checking crusaders who have taken up the mantle of debunking the most influential hoaxes are gearing up to brace for impact.

Indias internet boom in 2015 spawned a spurt of fake news throughout the country. But while these behaviours were crippling Indias online environment, a series of advocates felt the absence of a filter. Since then, a multitude of fact-checking websites has emerged in India hoping to assuage the growing fake news culture, one conspiracy at a time.

Some simply began as a public service, whereas others extended their media arms to introduce a fact-checking platform.

Humble beginnings

I used to try and debunk the ones that came across to me. Then I decided to share my findings with the public as well, said Shammas Oliyath, an engineer who co-founded Check4Spam along with his friend, Bal Krishna Birla, while working as an IT professional in Bangalore.

Pratik Sinha, the founder of Alt News and Pankaj Jain of SM Hoax Slayer had similar beginnings as well. Jain, who runs a business during the day, switches to his hoax slayer role at night and goes through all the queries he has been forwarded by other people on WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook. Unlike Jain, however, Sinhas Alt News is powered by a small team of journalists and volunteers who produce stories as well as videos to reach out to a larger audience.

The process is straightforward. Sift through the most controversial false stories  sent either through social media platforms like WhatsApp or hotlines  research the proof to back their claims, and publish it on the website. Today, fact-checking websites like Check4Spam, Alt News, SM Hoax Slayer, Factly, Boom Live and more are debunking about half a dozen hoaxes every day.

From composed to chaos

With accessible and advancing technologies, however, tackling even a single scam often can be nothing short of a herculean task and consume hours of investigation.

These days, there are many videos coming up that are sort of untraceable. Even video forensics does not always result in anything. So, for instance, there have been two viral videos of the Ethiopian airlines crash. One is taken from outside showing that the plane is dropping down and one from inside of the cabin. So, I knew I had seen these videos before. I knew this wasn't right. But I was unable to find the source. So sometimes we work hard for hours and still no results come up, said SM Hoax Slayer's Jain in a phone interview.

Check4Spams Oliyath discussed a similar hurdle as well. He stated, For many posts, we have noticed a good amount of effort being applied to create them as well. Today, we believe that every political party has IT wings which work to generate posts, either to highlight their party or to belittle the other. In some cases, for example, Wikipedia articles are also updated to provide strength to the story that is being circulated.

Modern trickery, unfortunately, isnt the only challenge these websites have to deal with. Areas that suffer from poor literacy rates is where the majority of extreme consequences of unverified WhatsApp forwards have taken place  areas where the presence of online websites like Alt News or Check4Spam is non-existent.

The main challenge of fact-checking is that it has to reach the people falling for this misinformation. At this point of time, a lot of people in tier 2, tier 3 towns and rural areas are not able to be reached out to, even though we do a fact-check in both English and Hindi. We have an online presence, but if organisations who have other presences in print, for instance, get into fact-checking in an organised manner, then those people will be able to get the verified information, mentioned Sinha.

Preparing for a months-long ordeal

With the general elections looming over the horizon, fact-checking websites barely have any time to recalibrate or ponder on those fundamental issues. Jain from SM Hoax Slayer, for instance, has recruited a bunch of students from journalism schools to assist him in handling the forthcoming deluge. I have given them some training and they would be looking for fake news. I will be forwarding them on WhatsApp as well, which should cover most bases, he said.

Check4Spam, on the contrary, has been pushing a different approach for ensuring citizens dont fall prey to the provocative messages they receive on WhatsApp. The publication has built a rudimentary custom search engine based on Google which allows anyone to quickly look up existing fact-check articles on a specific topic. We strongly feel the best way to fight fake news is by educating the people to do their share of fact-checking before sharing anything with others, Oliyath added.

Factly, a data-driven publication which was also selected for the Google News Initiative program and operates in a couple of regional languages, is ramping up its team in anticipation of the misinformation influx. We are also doing a series of '100 Fact Checks' on the claims of the performance of this government and have also prepared a special section with stories related to election law, rules, funding etc. We are also doing a special show on elections as well, stated Rakesh Dubbudu who is one of the founders of Factly.

Of course, manual fact-checking can take you only so far. A few of these groups, therefore, are turning to technology. Check4Spam, for instance, is engineering a more efficient and user-friendly app for its Nokiye search engine. Its expected to have a bunch of additional options such as filters for locations, languages, what have you.

Alt News, on the other hand, is working on an app which will let users simply import a picture or video and learn whether its doctored. If the media is not yet in Alt News servers, it will be added to the pool for review and the user will eventually get a response. The app will be built on top of a perceptual hashing algorithm which will be capable of breaking down videos in their individual frames and comparing the outcomes screen by screen.

Moreover, a band of students from IIIT-Delhi has released an app titled WhatsFarzi. Through a string of image tampering networks, the app can verify pictures for authenticity.

To expand their reach, several fact-checking platforms such as Factly and Boom Live have also partnered with Facebook. What that entails essentially is rating pieces of content that they come across and are reported to them through various channels. That also includes reviewing the posts users report through the available options beside each of them.

What about the actions already taken by tech companies?

So with nearly every technology company taking strident steps for curbing fake news and the availability of these websites, is India at all ready for the elections? Depends on who you ask.

Steps that have been taken are very minimalistic. So no, we haven't really seen much difference in how people are sharing misinformation. They continue to share misinformation at a quick pace, argued Alt News Sinha.

Considering how it was a year or two back, I think people are less prone to believe anything that they come across, but there is more to catch up with. So the signs are good for a possibly less fake future, provided handling "deep fakes" or anything more to come in future, will find its place as well, commented Check4Spams Oliyath.

Theres no straight line to overcoming this quagmire the nation is in either. While holding sources accountable seems like an obvious answer, its hardly feasible since the countrys most active fake news medium, WhatsApp, is a messaging app and encrypted end-to-end. Indias political parties are said to have formed thousands of groups to make sure the new forward limit doesnt hamper their campaigns.

The foremost thing to do here is to disabuse yourself of the illusion that fake news will ever be eradicated as a whole. Most of the efforts executed by companies and fact-checking websites are towards suppressing them to a point where they dont cause destructive repercussions.

It has to be a multi-pronged approach, explained Sinha. One obviously is that the journalistic approach has to continue and more and more organisations have to take part in it. Secondly, social media companies have to figure out ways. Right now, they have partnerships with fact-checkers. But they (social media sites) need to use tech and need to reach more people who are foreign to misinformation. We live in a world where even 12-year kids are on WhatsApp. Theres so much information overload. Not just misinformation, but all kinds of misinformation. It has to be included in a curriculum so that kids can know how to deal with so much information and recognise misinformation.

Irrespective of which party ends up governing India for the next five years, its clear the next few months will be a grave juggling act for everyone. Be it the citizens, government, technology companies, or the fact-checking websites. The initiatives announced by social platforms have been largely ineffective and leave facile workarounds that are already being exploited. For now, it will come down to public awareness and how rapidly fact-checkers are able to quell misleading stories.

Factly co-founder Dubuddus closing remarks sum up the situation were in today, All the stakeholders are in it together, such as the government, platforms, media, civil society, citizens, academia and others.

The burden of the rampant proliferation of misinformation in India doesnt merely rest on these websites or tech companies shoulders. At its core, its a community mess which can only be curbed when the countrys citizens voluntarily take action and exercise caution themselves as well as urge others especially before passing on that unverified forward. Because were living a world where a viral forward is all thats necessary for someone to lose their life.

The author is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad. He tweets from @phonesoldier
While the Tehri dam drew praise from several quarters, those who gave up their homes to ensure the project could be a reality were pushed to the fringes.

Editor's Note: A network of 60 reporters set off across India to test the idea of development as it is experienced on the ground. Their brief: Use your mobile phone to record the impact of 120 key policy decisions on everyday life; what works, what doesn't and why; what can be done better and what should be done differently. Their findings  straight and raw from the ground  will be combined in this series, Elections on the Go, over a course of 100 days.

Read more articles from the series here

***

Tehri: The memory of Tehris iconic Clock Tower standing defiantly against the rising waters of the Bhagirathi river, which had engulfed most of the town by 2006, is still fresh in the minds of residents of Roulakot village in the district. Tehri dubi ge (Tehri has sunk)  most of the local newspapers had chosen that headline to mark the day when this part of Tehris glorious heritage finally went under, the residents remember.

At least 39 villages in the erstwhile capital of the princely state of Tehri Garhwal were completely submerged as the dam came into existence. The dam was approved in 1965 but work on the project started only in 1973. The highest dam in the country was built at a cost of Rs 8,000 crore and eyed a power generation capacity of 2,400 MW. The first phase of the dam was finished in 2006, the second phase in 2011 and the entire project was completed by 2012.

While the engineering marvel drew praise from several quarters, those who gave up their homes to ensure the project could be a reality were pushed to the fringes. On paper, the rehabilitation of residents of submerged villages was initiated in 1998. But this remained on paper only.

A team of the Geological Survey of India conducted a survey of 45 villages along the valleys of Bhagirathi and Bhilangana and found that these villages were sinking into the ground because of the increased water levels in the lake (by 2010, the water level recorded in Tehri lake, which spans 42 square kilometres, was 830 metres). This led to cracks appearing on the floors and walls of many houses. The team recommended rehabilitation of 415 families living in 17 villages under the Collateral Damage Policy of the state. These villages were in the danger zone and the instability of the slope increased the risks of landslides in the area. Soon after, the Uttarakhand government announced that the families would be relocated to villages in Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun, a proposal challenged in the High Court by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited (THDC), which had suggested that the families be relocated in Tehri itself. The matter is still in court.

Today, families in many villages say that the Tehri dam  a symbol of development for the outside world  is for them a painful, taunting reminder of days of yore as they are today struggling for basic amenities.

Isolated and forgotten

The Hanumant Rao committee set up in 1994 for effective rehabilitation of those displaced had recommended incentives such as free drinking water, subsidised electricity, reservation in state government jobs, a ring road to link villages around the dam and a bridge over the structure to boost connectivity. Many of the suggestions of the committee have been overlooked by successive governments, with several organisations in these villages protesting time and again for the recommendations of the committee to be implemented.

The guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Power have also not been followed. Those displaced are to be provided 100 units of electricity free for 10 years. The ministry recommends that 12 percent of the power generated from a hydel project should be given for free to the state government so that revenue generated from it can be spent on displaced families. The then Union Minister of Energy Sushil Kumar Shinde had even promised to increase the total percentage of free power for the rehabilitated. Revenue generated from an additional 1 percent of the electricity from the project is to be earmarked for a Local Area Development Fund. The fund was to provide a regular stream of income generation for infrastructure and welfare schemes in the area.

An official memorandum of the central government released in 2001 had held THDC liable to arrange money for the rehabilitation of people on a need basis. But officials at the rehabilitation office in New Tehri say they have not received a penny from THDC. Executive engineer at Directorate of Rehabilitation, Tehri, Subodh Maithani says that they last received Rs 40 crore for rehabilitation two years ago. No funds were released by the state government in 2018-19.

So not only have they failed to get these incentives, residents in villages around the lake say they have also lost basic facilities such as road connectivity. While the villages are a short boat ride from New Tehri, a road journey now takes anywhere between 8 and 10 hours. A few boats have fixed hours to ferry people for free from these villages thrice a day.

Roulakot is one such village accessible by boat. Shanti Devi, one of the residents, says that the fixed timing of boats has often led to crisis in cases of medical emergencies. And everyday life in the village is a struggle too. The residents fear for their lives as the lake swells up during monsoon. To go from one village to another, they have to climb down treacherous hills in tough weather to take the boat and then once again trek to reach their destination.

Getting daily provisions has also become an ordeal for the residents who add that they do not have enough agricultural land to grow crops or vegetables and depend on the nearest market to buy produce. Dhanpat Singh Bisht, a resident of Roulakot, says that one can reach the nearest market in Koti Colony in 25 minutes by boat while it is 65 kilometres by road. It is no wonder then that the residents compare their situation to Kala Pani, an informal name for a former jail on a remote island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The gram pradhan of Roulakot, Darvi Devi, says that the government had proposed a suspension bridge to provide accessibility to the village, but it has come to a naught. The 440 metre-long Dobra-Chanti bridge was approved in 2006. Despite Rs 130 crore being spent on the project touted as Asias longest bridge in the past few years, it is yet to see the light of day as it is caught in red-tapism. While Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prakash Pant assures that the bridge would be completed in the next financial year, the residents are unconvinced. They say that they have heard such promises several times.

We have even complained to the Directorate of Rehabilitation in New Tehri several times about the delay in the project, but it has fallen on deaf ears. We are being forced to live a secluded life, risking our lives on boats in the lake to reach the market and the hospital during the monsoons, Darvi Devi says.

Mahipal Singh Negi from the Tehri Bhoomi Visthapan Sangthan says that the lake has swallowed not just lands of people but their livelihood as well. Where are the vast pastures where people used to graze their animals? So many shops and livelihoods of traders were destroyed. People are jobless now, he says.

The majority of the residents were dependent on farming, fishing and cattle breeding for their income. Now, the waters where people used to fish are part of the dam and one needs a license to fish. Agricultural lands have been lost along with water bodies which acted as sources of irrigation. With little forest cover and fodder for livestock, even cattle breeding is not a lucrative alternative.

Executive engineer at Directorate of Rehabilitation, Tehri, Subodh Maithani, admits that people lost their livelihood after agricultural lands were submerged, but adds that those who were capable were given jobs in THDC commensurate with their abilities.

No land for this vote bank

Negi says that the money earned through power generation should be spent on the welfare of those displaced, but this hasnt happened. Successive governments have ignored our cause because this is not a sizeable vote bank for them, he says.

Many of the residents say that they are mulling a boycott of elections altogether. The five Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand, including Tehri, will go to polls on 11 April. BJP state vice-president Jyoti Gairola denies that the government has neglected the residents as they are not a large vote bank. Gairola says that rehabilitation is a long process and concerns of people would be addressed in due time. Finance minister Prakash Pant adds that the government is arranging funds and is committed to carrying out the rehabilitation in a phased manner. District panchayat president, Tehri, Sona Sajwan says that the government has not forgotten those displaced by the dam but the rehabilitation process has indeed been delayed.

Tehri MLA Dhan Singh Negi insists that 106 hectares of land in Rishikesh has been earmarked for rehabilitation of these 415 families and the proposal has been sent to the state government. But at the same time, the government also continues to actively endanger the lives of the people here. Vimal Bhai from Matu Jan Sangthan, an organisation working with displaced families, says that an agreement between the state and the Centre in 2017 dictates that the water level at Tehri lake would be kept under RL 825 metres. This would stop further sinking of land in nearby villages.

However, in October 2018, the state government issued a notification to fill the lake up to a level of RL 835 metres. According to Vimal Bhai, the decision was taken to meet the requirement of water for Kumbh in Haridwar.

The residents hope that the MP elected from the Tehri constituency in the upcoming elections would be more sympathetic to their cause. On 3 March this year, with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the state cabinet had waived pending water bills to the tune of Rs 70 crore of 10,000 families relocated from Tehri. A new committee has been set up to study whether it would be feasible to stop charging displaced families water bills completely.

(The author is a Dehradun-based freelance writer and a member 101Reporters)
Way back in 1971, Indira Gandhi rode to power at the Centre on a lofty Garibi Hatao (remove poverty) slogan. Forty-eight years later, her grandson and Congress president Rahul Gandhi has done something similar

Way back in 1971, Indira Gandhi rode to power at the Centre on a lofty Garibi Hatao (remove poverty) slogan. Forty-eight years later, her grandson and Congress president Rahul Gandhi has taken a leaf from the book of her winning formula to announce his own variant of the Garibi Hatao formula.

On the surface, Rahul's "final assault on poverty" and Rs 72,000 per year  Rs 6,000 a month to five crore families  is quite catchy and idealistic. It may interest a section of voters when they go out and vote in seven phases of the Lok Sabha election, starting 11 April.

Since any such promise made by the leader of a political party is based on the assumption that s/he will come to power and then fulfil the promise, the money he promises to spend on freebies has to come from the public exchequer and taxes collected from the public at large, not from party fund of the party in power, it is pertinent to raise some questions on this grand vote-catching idea. It is not to argue that public welfare schemes should not be the priority for an elected government, but the veracity of such announcements has to be probed. Further, it is also instructive to see how successive governments, particularly those representing the party that came up with the Garibi Hatao slogan have done so far.

Rahul's public announcement of his variant is, in a way, a tacit admission that the promise of removal of poverty in India made by his grandmother remained a mere election slogan. Indira became prime minister in January 1966, and while seeking a return to power in 1971, she came out with a catch phrase that demolished her rivals: "Woh kehte hain Indira hatao, main kehti hoon garibi hatao." She remained in power, except for a brief period of Janata rule 1977-79, till she was assassinated on 31 October, 1984.

Her son Rajiv succeeded her as prime minister and remained in office for the next five years. The Congress then had five years of the PV Narasimha Rao government and 10 years of Manmohan Singh. Since 1971, the Congress ruled the country for 31 years.

Incidentally, when she coined this slogan, her grandson Rahul must have been no older than seven months of age. Close to half a century later, Rahul believes that the same slogan will catapult him to power, from the party's worst-ever performance  the 44 seats the Congress won in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Going by a rough assumption of the 2011 Census data, one can say that over 75 percent of the Indian population was not born when Indira had coined that slogan and promised to eradicate poverty from Indian soil. Rahul incidentally talks about offering, through the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY), Rs 72,000 per year to 20 percent of the population, which in other words, is five crore families and 25 crore people.

The Congress president conveniently avoided going into details about from where he was going to get the resources for his programme. He has not made clear whether this money will be transferred to five crore people regardless of their employment status or whether this will be linked to some work.

Consider this: Rahul's promise will require an annual expenditure of Rs 3,60,00,00,00,00,000 (Rs three lakh and sixty thousand crore per year). This is more than the combined expenditure of some of the key ministries  Education, Health, Rural Development, Railways, Power including new and renewable energy, food and public distribution. These ministries essentially work for public welfare and developmental outreach concerning every citizen.

Rahul knows that to be put his promise to the test, he will need to become prime minister by defeating Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha election. That by itself is an uphill task. Till then, he has found a talking point for himself and his party.
The ordinance making the practice of instant 'triple talaq' a punishable offence was issued for the third time in less than a year on 21 February.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the constitutional validity of an ordinance which makes the practice of instant 'triple talaq' a punishable offence. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed a plea of a Kerala-based outfit and said it will not like to interfere.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance was first notified on September 19 last year, hours after the Union Cabinet had cleared it. Instant 'triple talaq', also known as 'talaq-e-biddat', is an instant divorce whereby a Muslim man can legally divorce his wife by pronouncing 'talaq' three times in one go.

The ordinance making the practice of instant 'triple talaq' a punishable offence was issued for the third time in less than a year on 21 February.
The Narendra Modi government has worked for national security, country's development and public welfare during its tenure, Union Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday.

Noida: The Narendra Modi government has worked for national security, country's development and public welfare during its tenure, Union Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday.

Addressing a 'Vijay Sankalp Sabha' (victory pledge meeting) of the BJP ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Swaraj also listed out the achievements of Cabinet colleague and party's Gautam Buddh Nagar candidate Mahesh Sharma.

"There is a principle of accountability in a democracy. It means, when you first reach out to people for votes, you make some promises to them. When you reach out to them again, you give them an account of your promises," the external affairs minister said.

Swaraj said to evaluate the work of any government, one should look at its commitment towards three important aspects  national security, country's development and public welfare. "On all these three accounts, I would say, our government has proved itself and these are the factors by which voters judge any government," she said.

"On the national security front, you saw we had surgical strikes after the Uri attack and the air strikes after the Pulwama attack," said Swaraj, who will not be contesting the Lok Sabha polls due to health reasons.

The Union minister said the Opposition has often criticised Modi for his foreign visits but it was due to such efforts that India could garner global support in the wake of terror attacks. She also lashed out at the previous Congress-led government over its handling of the situation after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Swaraj cited the release of Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan within two days of him being captured as a "diplomatic success" for the country.

The IAF officer was captured by Pakistan last month after his fighter aircraft was shot down in a dogfight. Earlier during the meeting, Swaraj heaped praises on Sharma, describing him as her younger brother.

"I am beginning my Lok Sabha 2019 election meetings from Noida today. I feel proud to be seeking votes for Mahesh," she said, listing his work as the Union culture minister and the local MP. She hailed development projects like the Noida-Greater Noida Metro and the upcoming international airport in the district's Jewar area, which is touted to be the country's biggest.

"One day this question may pop up on 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (popular TV quiz show) that which is the biggest airport in the country and then the people of this region can proudly say, it's Jewar," Swaraj said.
I have been fighting to this day that I am not an insider trader, that I do not fit the definition of an insider trader, says Rajat Gupta

Indian-American businessman Rajat Gupta, the first foreign-born person to hold the office of managing director at McKinsey & Company, was convicted for insider trading in June 2012. He was released in January 2016, and from house arrest in March later that year. Three years later, his book Mind Without Fear, published by Juggernaut Books, is going to be released.

In it, Gupta writes about how he was seen as a caricature of 'Wall Street greed', his state of mind while in prison, his days at college and how they shaped him, and his relationship with the company McKinsey, and Raj Rajaratnam. In this conversation with Firstpost, Gupta talks about how the book is a way to tell his story, and why he decided to write about the more personal aspects of his life.

It has been three years since you got out of prison. You have only now chosen to speak to the media. Has there been a process to this, to the way you contemplated coming back out? Why did you want to do this at all?

Let us put it this way, the primary purpose of this book is not to talk to the media. And in the very beginning of the book I talk about why I am writing it. Because it is about telling my story. Even if I take my name away, I think it is an interesting story. In that sense, I told myself, why not write this interesting story? It started in prison really, when a friend suggested I write this story. I found the process both difficult and cathartic.

In many ways, I wrote the book for myself. In many ways I want to write because I have mentored a lot of people, who felt let down by what happened; a lot of people who though they might not have met me, cared about me just as much. Saying it from my perspective, the intention behind this is not to re-litigate the case. I have already taken that as far as I could, and I lost. I dont look at talking to the media as a risk; risk of what, really. I just wanted to write a book that people could relate to. I thought it could be useful, my story.

You mention in a chapter that you were seen as a caricature of Wall Street greed. This is an impression that has taken over, owing to popular culture. How true or false is it on the inside?

It exists. If you think about the financial crisis, it was certainly driven by the greed of the bankers. But to characterise me as that caricature, I felt, was bizarre. If I were that greedy, I would have led a very different life. Not do the kind of things I have tried to do with global health, philanthropy and institutions. I have spent more than half my time on non-financial initiative, really.

The prosecutors made that part up, even though I gained no money in all of this. They had to, of course, explain why I would have done something like it. It simply doesnt add up. But we cant of course deny that not only was there Wall Street greed, but that none of the actual people behind it were caught or addressed.

You say in the book that the financial crisis was one crucial catalyst for a non-case, the other being your identity as that of an outsider, an Indian. Could this litigation have been different if it had taken place before the crisis?

I dont think there would even have been a case had the financial crisis not happened. There was no real evidence, as it was. They even tried me in absentia, a week before the Rajaratnam case, even though they waited years for it. It tells me they wanted to see what impact it would have on public opinion. It was a deliberate strategy, to try me when I could not even defend myself. I wasnt there, my lawyers could not object.

As for identity, I think there is a little bit of an issue, with the way immigrants are looked at. The idea that here is a successful immigrant, he must have done something wrong. Even the jury was consisted of one person who understood the business, the opinion of the rest would then naturally be coloured by this idea.

You mention a lot of candid, even personal details in the book, such as meeting your daughter in prison after she had had her first breakup. Why?

You know, I wanted the book to be authentic to be able to tell what I was feeling. It really hurt me to not be there for her when she was obviously going through a difficult time. She came to me in prison, crying. We talked for a few hours and then she left. I wasnt there for her that evening, or the next morning. It struck me, you know. Those were the things that I missed most. Not the part that I lived in a comfortable house, or that I was sleeping on terrible mattresses. It did not bother me. What bothered me was being unable to there for my daughters and my family.

A large part of the book is about your days at IIT, politics in college, even a few things about your father. What were you looking for in all of these aspects, when you looked back?

It makes you who you are. I write at length about a strike in the IIT. I was convinced by my own politics at the point. We were able to make some changes in the campus because of it. But I dont tell these stories because I think the results they achieved were important. For example, I tell the story of Walmart, one of the biggest clients that Mackenzie wanted. Eventually, I did get Walmart as a client, but to me the story was in the patience, the work I had to put in to get the client. The key here is not that I accomplished something, but that I kept trying, at times to even fail.

Your reticence, you admit, has played a significant role in your life, maybe even in the litigation for your defence. Has it been for good or bad, this reticence, considering you achieved success despite it?

I believe it is both ways. I was a bit of an introvert but I was also actively leading people from an early age. I was head of the student body in IIT, in my third year. Maybe it was culturally built in that I did not speak until spoken to, but I wasnt exactly laidback. I wasnt shy, but I was perhaps not loud either. I made it a point of expressing my differences.

As for the rise, perhaps the fact that I was a brown Indian was also attractive to the Americans. When I was stationed in Scandinavia, the people there were fascinated by the brown skin itself, because they had hardly seen men like me. By definition I was exotic. Also, at that time, there was a great reputation for the IITs and IIMs in America. It was automatically assumed, they were smart, regardless of whether they were or werent.

Which of the independent initiatives was the hardest to execute, and how can you get rich people to contribute  something not many have been able to, to the extent that you did?

In some ways the hardest was PHFI (Public Health Foundation in India). It struck me after a meeting with the Dean of the Harvard School for public health, who told me that if you really want to do something, start a school for public health. It got me thinking; clearly nothing could be done without the involvement of the government. So would be the private sector where we would raise money, so would be the many NGOs who look at health. I looked at building a coalition of these business leaders, representatives of the government and others.

It wasnt easy to do. It is a hard sell in the health ministry to say you will be part of this but cannot run it, or cannot interfere with it. It is always difficult to do that. For the private sector, the question is always why should I give money to this. I believe businesses work with the permission of society, and eventually, if you dont do your share, even businesses will go down.

The problem then is they all want to own it, control it, put their name on it. I was certain I didnt want to anyone to own it.

How do you get these people to pay anything then

I think it was my reputation back then. People believed if anyone could do it, it would be me.

Coming back to the book, when one reads through it, it is near impossible to believe a man of so much experience and know-how could admittedly make the mistakes he eventually did. Do you think about that as well?

Depends on what you mean by mistakes, I guess. I have been fighting to this day that I am not an insider trader, that I do not fit the definition of an insider trader. If the question is about making the mistake of giving insider information then the answer is 'No'.

But if the mistake is that I should have perhaps testified, or that I should have not associated with these people or not venture into the financial investing world that I did not know much about at the time, then, yes, there were mistakes.

Has the treatment by McKinsey hurt?

It hurt me the most. It was like a kick in the face. It was a firm I dedicated my life to building and expanding. Yes, it hurt.

You met Raj Rajaratnam again in prison. It is something you only briefly touch upon in the book. What did you two talk about? What did you feel when you saw him after years?

The discussion we first had was about his health. He wasnt looking good. He was a diabetic like I am. After that there were two hard parts to the discussion, and one part that I thanked him for. The hard part being, I still fail to understand why he did what he did. He was a very rich man. I trusted him, but he claimed he had the right to do with the Voyager fund as he pleased. I did make the point that I was there because of him. He is not the kind who would apologise, but he acknowledged it through his body language.

I thanked him for not testifying against me even after the government offered him five years off in exchange. That takes character. We spent our time playing bridge and chess.

Have you forgiven him?

Yes. I dont want to hold any anger against anyone. It is a lesson I learned from my father.
Tina Biswas on the characters of The Antagonists, writing about the political churning in Kolkata and her British style of humour

West Bengal had failed, however, because its people were too literate. Too many ideas, too many opinions, too many cavils and quibbles all around. The curse of the intellectual: all words, no action. Indeed, no action because of the sheer volume of words, which bore down on anything that even looked like alacrity.

Tina Biswas is not one to mince her words. Only a few pages into her latest work, The Antagonists, she engulfs the reader into the hard-hitting political situation in the state of West Bengal. Borrowing a touch of the brutal-but-effective storytelling of one of her favourites, VS Naipaul, it is not for her to be concerned about whether her writing is kind or not. She maintains that 'it's okay to stab a reader with words, and really make them feel something'.

There are moments of unconstrained frankness as well, especially when she writes about Devi, the chief minister of the state in the book, modelled on one of West Bengals most prominent political figures. One of the two epigraphs in The Antagonists is a line by Philip Roth: The candor stopped just where it should have begun'. Roths influence on her work results in unfiltered honesty, an unafraid and unfettered frankness'.

On the morning of 9 December, 2011, nearly a hundred people lost their lives in a fire set off by a short circuit at the Advanced Medical Research Institute (AMRI) Hospital in Dhakuria in West Bengal. Subsequently, the license of the posh seven-storey medical centre was revoked, lawsuits were filed, and those responsible came under scrutiny. Today, eight years later, some of the victims' families still await justice. Biswas novel, based on this tragedy, takes off in the aftermath of the incident as the hospitals board tries to instate some damage control while the newly appointed political leader vows to hold the culprits accountable.

A graduate in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford, Biswas based her second novel, The Red Road, on the rebellions and unrest caused by Naxalite uprisings in the 70s; she concluded that story with the Left Front government coming to power in the state.

The Antagonists was conceived a year after the AMRI tragedy  a year after the Left Front was ousted by the Trinamool Congress, making it, according to the author, prescient in predicting the situation in West Bengal. Her writing was underway when the Indian National Congress was in power, but ended when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took over the reins, taking the place of the Left Front as Trinamools arch-enemy".

In order to write this book, Biswas said, I simply thought: lets see what West Bengal looks like now after this massive change. Added to this are the fire at AMRI and the cases stuck in courts. The plot of the story is fueled further by the authors question: What if the chairman of the hospital, who is accused of being a murderer by the chief minister, is actually innocent?"

**

Biswas was raised in England. She spent her childhood in a small town in Yorkshire and currently resides in London. Several visits to India throughout her life changed what she thought of the country and its politics. However, she points out that it is not the country, but the commonalities of socio-economic status, education level, and parental background that shape a persons politics.

When asked about her perception of India, removed as she was from its everyday struggles, she responds with, What are 'everyday struggles'? Because Im pretty sure not everyone in India has the same 'everyday struggles'. Well, apart from the very superficial physical stuff, like dealing with monsoon rains.

Her writing tends towards the irreverent, she concedes, and her humour is more British than Indian in its dryness, but in spirit, she is not divided or caught between two worlds. Im a whole fused person, formed and influenced by many things, not just my ethnicity and the country I grew up in, she says.

The Antagonists is the story of two characters, Devi and Anil Thakur. Anil is the advisor to the chairman of the hospital, Sachin Lohia. Anil Thakur, like Biswas, is a PPE graduate from Oxford and a bright man, unlike Lohia's other advisors. Biswas shapes the narrative of her protagonists in a manner similar to her strong-minded analysis of the self, laying bare their fundamental nature'.

She also bases Devis conversations and her private thoughts on vociferous and passionate public figures, carving the personal from real-life incidents. If someone, through real life incidents, shows themselves to be tenacious, determined, idealistic and considerate on one hand, and then mercurial, vindictive, manipulative and rude on the other, it is then possible to construct the kind of background and childhood which might result in that kind of personality, she says, Perhaps not a stable, loving, supportive upbringing, in my mind.

And once you have coloured in the background, you can then imagine the person in their private space.

In her narrative, Biswas has also incorporated a much-discussed incident, elucidating Devis outburst in a news studio where she accuses many of those gathered of being Maoists and walks out in the middle of an interview. Without shrouding her characters in a cloak of empathy, she explains, "Before, if a journalist asked a pertinent question which a politician didnt like, a politician could try and deflect or give a vague answer, but they would never storm off  because it would reflect badly on them, and it would be unstatesmanlike."

"Well, theres no concern about that anymore, is there!"

The fourth estate is completely under siege at the moment, she adds, There has been a breakdown in norms between politicians and journalists. Quoting Thomas Jefferson, Biswas goes on, Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

Anil is nothing like what the author has seen of Indians graduating from Oxbridge or other Ivy League colleges, who choose to stay back in the UK or US after school. Biswas protagonist returns to Kolkata, and instead of leading a very cushy life, he decides to get involved in the cut and thrust of it all".

The author has previously written a strong, witty commentary of society and its very many norms in her book, Dancing With The Two-Headed Tigress. She has explored politics in the two works that followed, and is currently engaged in writing a story about a marriage. "Writing is a journey, you just have to see where it takes you, she said, The process is not quite as rational as you might think it is, its almost a bit mystical!

Tina Biswas' The Antagonists is published by Fingerprint!

Listen to Tina Biswas read this excerpt from her novel, The Antagonists
Rahul also said that five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced a Universal Basic Income scheme that will provide minimum income support of Rs 72,0000 annually to impoverished Indian families earning less than Rs 12,000 per month.

Addressing a press briefing, Rahul announced that the scheme will be made available to 20 percent of India's most poor families.

Rahul Gandhi: 5 crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world https://t.co/bYmKhUvqZO  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

"The Congress promises that 20 percent of India's poorest families will receive Rs 72,000 annually in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme," the Congress chief said.

Facing a tough opponent in Prime Minister Narendra Modi in general elections scheduled to be held from 11 April, Rahul said that the programme would benefit 250 million of a population of 1.3 billion.

Explaining the system, Rahul that the financial feasibility of the plan has been chalked out with economists and will be implemented once the Congress comes to power.

"The Narendra Modi government has been fooling all of you. India has the money, which can be distributed among the poor instead of giving it away to the rich," Rahul added.

Calling it an "extremely powerful and dynamic" idea, Rahul claimed that the scheme was the "final assault" on poverty.

"In the past five years, people had to suffer a lot. The Congress wants to give justice to the poor and eradicate poverty," Rahul said, adding that "such a well-thought scheme has not been launched by anyone in the world."

Rahul also said that five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme.

However, the ruling party dismissed the plan as an enticement on which Congress cannot deliver.

"The number of Indians below the poverty line had fallen to about 65 million, or 5 percent of the population, from 22 percent in 2011," the BJP said on social network Twitter after Gandhis news conference.

The BJP pledged direct cash support of 6,000 rupees a year for 120 million poor farmers and cut taxes for the middle class last month. It has also rolled out cheap health insurance for the poor.

With inputs from Reuters
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged people not to vote for 'liars' like the BJP and the Congress, saying they made 'false promises' on granting full statehood for the national capital.

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged people not to vote for "liars" like the BJP and the Congress, saying they made "false promises" on granting full statehood for the national capital.

Underlining how West Bengal votes for TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu votes AIADMK, Kejriwal said similarly the people of Delhi should also vote for the Aam Aadmi Party. "First step to support the full statehood in Delhi is by voting for us in the upcoming elections. We will fight for full statehood and get it within two years," he said at a public rally in Malviya Nagar.

"I have planned it all on how to give employment, good education and houses to the people of Delhi. I am an educated man having a real degree not a fake one," the chief minister said amid cheers from the public. "Do not vote for liars like the BJP and the Congress who made false promises on granting full statehood to the national capital," he said.

Kejriwal said people voted for Prime Minister Narendra Modi five years ago following which he said he became a "56-inch chest" man", and four years back when people voted for the AAP "we worked for them and made every person's chest in Delhi 59 inches".

Accusing the Centre of creating "hurdles" for Delhi's development, the chief minister claimed that he faced "several obstructions" at various stages to get clearances from the central government. The people of Delhi pay Rs 1.5 lakh crore Income Tax and receive only Rs 325 crore from the Centre, he claimed while addressing another rally at Trilokpuri.

"Why should we pay so much and get so less in return. What have Delhiites done to the central government to deserve this? Kejriwal asked. "Just for political enmity, PM Modi stopped the development work of the common man in Delhi. Last time you voted for him, but this time don't vote for him otherwise he would not let me work for development," he added.

The AAP is fighting the Lok Sabha election on the agenda of granting Delhi full statehood. It is contesting the polls with the slogan 'Poorna Rajya Banao Jhadu ka Button Dabao', telling people Delhi will get full statehood if they vote for the party. Elections to the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be held on 12 May.
By attacking Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is not only weakening the idea of Opposition unity but also sending confusing signals to voters

The BJP's campaign strategy is to turn the Lok Sabha election into a presidential contest and contrast the appeal of "decisive leadership" and "political stability" with the uncertainty of a hung Parliament, the race for leadership that such a situation may spring and the political instability of a coalition government devoid of a strong core. It stands to reason, therefore, the Oppositions gameplan would hinge around refuting the BJPs pitch, projecting a semblance of unity  at least not attack each other in public  and give the electorate enough reasons to consider that a coalition government, too, may bring political stability.

Mamata Banerjee, the wily, ambitious politician from West Bengal perhaps understood this dynamic way ahead of her peers in the Opposition. Her mega United India rally in Kolkata in January where she paraded leaders from 20 Opposition parties on stage, was a message to both the BJP and the electorate that unity of purpose might be enough to paper over the cracks of inherent contradictions. The rally was pure optics, but it created headlines and got the BJP talking. The fact that it became the subject of barbs from BJP leaders, including the prime minister, indicated that a purpose was served.

In terms of arithmetic, Opposition unity poses enough reasons for the BJP to worry. But the problem is elsewhere. Arun Jaitleys term  a coalition of rivals  to describe the grand alliance is derisive but not inaccurate. Regional parties that have national ambitions face a constant conflict between consolidating own positions, maximising own strengths for a better bargaining chip and arriving at an intra-alliance consensus. Often the tensions are so strong and position so intrinsically paradoxical that a consensus appears impossible.

This also happens because Opposition unity is incumbent on just one purpose  to oust Narendra Modi  and has no ideological, political or even strategic base. The parties also work at cross purposes. Some may prefer a hung Parliament to emerge as a kingmaker, some may want to emerge strongest to stake a claim for the prime ministers chair while some may find it easier to fish in troubled waters.

There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, but it is not a unidimensional power game either. Politics is also people, grassroots workers, cadres and local leaders. Many of these parties are faced with another tension  striking a tactical alliance with a regional rival to stave off the BJP threat and risk a backlash from own cadres. It is here that a leaders mettle is tested, tactical acumen is adjudged, and it becomes apparent whether the leader has it in her or him to turn challenges into opportunities.

If Rahul Gandhi fancies himself as a prime ministerial candidate and wants to resurrect Congress fortunes to the extent that it may form the nucleus of Opposition unity, then he must find a way to make the alliances work despite the contradictions and differences instead of highlighting the schisms or proving true Jaitleys contention that the mahamilawat gathbandhan unquestionably promises only political instability. Such non-ideological alliances have only lasted for a few months. That is the unambiguous lesson of history".

If that is the job of the Congress president, who appears to be Modis closest competitor for the top job (the distance between the two is huge though), then he is making a hash of it.

Instead of highlighting the reasons why the electorate should opt for mahagathbandhan candidates, Rahul is underscoring the reasons why voters should not do so. Instead of showcasing an image of strength and unity, the Congress president is underlining the chasms that lie beneath talks of grand alliance and stressing on the fragility of the concept.

In effect, Rahul is proving BJPs charge true and making Modi appear stronger in comparison. If this is Congresss political tactic  to campaign in favour of BJP  then Rahul is admirably discharging his duty.

In West Bengal, for instance, Congress is in a moribund state. Its influence that even in the best of times during the Left Front rule did not extend beyond a few pockets has diminished further under Trinamool Congress hegemony. The partys health is a mirror image of its condition elsewhere. Stronger candidates are walking over to the other side, existing leaders are ineffective, workers are demoralised and the party structure is in a shambles. There was some talk of an alliance with the Left to take on the TMC juggernaut, but all talks have now broken down. Congress has no influence left but the arrogance remains intact.

When Congresss future in the state is so bleak, it would have been understandable had Rahul held back his barbs against the TMC during his rallies in the state. Mamata is a vital cog in the grand alliance wheels. She brings to the table her guile and her party is expected to seal a sizeable chunk of the 42 Lok Sabha seats on offer. Keeping Mamata in good humour is crucial not just for Congress that hopes to tag along with regional chieftains to remain relevant, but also good optics for Opposition unity. It is not as if Rahul may set the Ganga afire with his speeches and magically transform Congress fortunes in Bengal.

We saw an extraordinary scene on Saturday. While addressing a rally in Malda Lok Sabha constituency that had elected former Congress leader, the late ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury eight straight times, Rahul let it rip against Mamata, comparing her to Modi.

Modiji and Mamatadi... both the leaders are running governments without consulting anyone. Dont you think there should be a peoples voice? posed Rahul. He said both leaders give never-ending speeches and only make false promises. Mamata did nothing for the poor farmers and unemployed youth, said the Congress president and accused the Bengal chief minister of running a dictatorial regime.

Only one person is running Bengal. She does not bother to consult anyone. She does what she wants to do.... Bengal is being run by just one person. She neither talks to anyone nor takes anybodys suggestion. She does whatever she feels like, said Rahul.

To rev up the cadres in an area where the party hopes to do well is one thing, and to attack openly the grand alliance lynchpin on her home ground is quite another. It not only weakens the idea of Opposition unity but sends confusing signals to voters who may find greater resonance with BJPs narrative that it is a coalition of bickering opportunists.

The TMC was not amused. Partha Chatterjee, the partys secretary general, made his impression of Rahuls political acumen quite clear.

I am surprised that Rahul Gandhi couldnt see any development in Bengal under the Mamata Banerjee government. His drawing a parallel with the preceding Left Front rule doesnt also reflect the reality. I thought that Rahul Gandhi has become mature and the development in Bengal wont miss his eyes. But I was proved wrong. Rahul remains as he was.

Down in the south, Kerala chief minister is equally unimpressed with the buzz that Rahul may contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Wayanad constituency along with his traditional bastion Amethi. Such an impression has gained ground in recent times and fueled speculation  led by BJPs charge  that the Congress is apprehensive about retaining the Amethi seat this time faced with a spirited challenge from Union minister Smriti Irani.

Vijayan, however, is of the opinion that Congress should drop the Wayanad idea because it sends all the wrong signals.

His (Rahuls) arrival in Kerala, I believe, is not going to have a major impact in the electoral battle. But, with this move, the Congress would be sending out a message that it is not the BJP they are fighting, but the LDF (Left Front). Congress needs to think what message they are trying to send out to the nation.

The Kerala chief ministers words and TMCs reaction to Rahuls rally in Bengal buttress the impression that Congress central leadership is clueless and rudderless about an electoral strategy. While the BJP appears focused and clear on its strategy, Congress is finding it difficult to come to terms with the laws of coalition politics, the reality of its political insignificance and its desire to resurrect the partys fortunes. Above all, Rahuls missteps bolster BJPs campaign pitch that grand alliance cannot be a viable alternative to Modi.
The BJP on Monday expelled one of its senior Lucknow-based leaders, IP Singh, after he dubbed the party's top leadership as 'Gujarati thugs' and asked if the BJP has chosen a 'pradhan mantri' (prime minister) or a 'prachar mantri' (advertisement minister).

Lucknow: The BJP on Monday expelled one of its senior Lucknow-based leaders after he dubbed the party's top leadership as "Gujarati thugs" and asked if the BJP has chosen a 'pradhan mantri' (prime minister) or a 'prachar mantri' (advertisement minister).

While attacking the BJP's top leadership in a series of tweets, the party's former spokesperson IP Singh also hailed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from Azamgarh and offered him his residence for use as his poll campaign office.

"IP Singh has been expelled from the party for six years on directions of the BJP state president," said a party release.

The expulsion followed after Singh attacked the BJP leadership in a series of tweets from his official Twitter account having a prefix "usuldaar" (principled) to his name.

"I belong to a principled 'kshatriya' family. Two Gujarati thugs have been befooling Hindi-speaking people for the last five years after capturing the country's Hindi heartland, while we are silent," he said in one of his tweets Friday.

"Our Uttar Pradesh is six times bigger than Gujarat with an economy of Rs 5 lakh crore against Gujarat's Rs 1.15 crore. What would they eat and what development would they cause?" said Sing.

In another tweet, he said, "Have we elected a 'pradhan mantri' or 'prachar mantri'? Does the country's prime minister look good selling t-shirt and tea cup?"

"The BJP has been a party which made its place in the people's hearts through its ideology. It's impossible to 'produce' workers with missed calls and t-shirts," he added.

An Azamgarh native, Singh had on Sunday also welcomed Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from there and offered his house to be used as his election office.

"The people of eastern Uttar Pradesh are overjoyed and the youths here are excited after the announcement of Akhilesh Yadav's candidature from Poorvanchal. It heralds an end of the politics of caste and religion," said Singh.

Reacting to his expulsion, Singh tweeted further, "I have come to know from the media friends that I have been expelled from the party for six years."

"I had given my three decades to the party. Even speaking truth is a crime in the party which has lost its internal democracy," he added.

"Forgive me, Narendra Modi ji! I could not have work as your chowkidar (watchman) with a strap on my eyes," he added.

Singh had in 2018 reportedly written to BJP president Amit Shah to replace Union home minister Rajnath Singh with him as the BJP candidate from Lok Sabha in the 2019 general election.
The Congress on Sunday hit back at Union Minister Arun Jaitley over his dynastic character attack and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP cannot use such non issues to hide the real issues

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday hit back at Union Minister Arun Jaitley over his "dynastic character" attack and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP cannot use such "non issues" to hide the "real issues". Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala in a statement accused the BJP of being a "hypocrite". He alleged that the "dynasty diversion" by Modi and Jaitley is aimed at drawing away the public's attention from issues of "job crisis, rural distress and failed economy".

Dubbing Jaitley as a "blog minister", the Congress spokesperson said his "incessant rants" are being used by the Modi government to hide their failures  unemployment, rural distress, mismanagement of economy and persecution of the weaker sections. "Modi and Arun Jaitley cannot hide behind daily blogs on non-issues in order to hide the real issues," Surjewala said. "The latest outburst of Arun Jaitley against the Congress party is an orchestrated PR gimmick and a cheap cover-up exercise for the colossal failures of the past five years," he said. Jaitley, earlier on Sunday, took a swipe at the Congress leadership in a blog post titled "Is the Congress Party Now Paying the Cost for its Dynastic Character?".

"Dynastic parties" succeed on the strength of some generations of the dynasty but sink with the others, the Union minister said in his post which came weeks before the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections beginning 11 April. "The Congress party has been out of power for five years. Its leaders and workers are accustomed to existing with the frills of office. They are staring at another defeat, and the seeming reason for this is the dynastic character of Congress party," Jaitley said in a tweet.

Surjewala said the Congress, with its 133-year-old rich history, does not require any certificates of approval from the likes of Modi and Jaitley on its contribution to nation building. "... those who destroyed 4.7 crore jobs in the last five years are preaching instead of introspecting," he said. Showing "a small mirror of truth" to the BJP, Surjewala cited examples of "dynasts" within the BJP. He named a number of such leaders whose fathers or elders held key positions in the BJP. "Family background is not the guarantee for political success. It is the people who have the power to accept and reject in the political arena," the Congress spokesperson said.

"It is the people of India who have elected the Congress party time and again and shall vote the Congress party again to power in 2019 Lok Sabha elections," Surjewala said. "Five state elections which the BJP lost were just a trailer, people of India shall show them the film on 23rd May 2019," he added.

Surjewala said India does not need a lecture "from forces who sided with the British against the Indian people in the struggle for freedom during the national movement". India does not need a lecture from people whose "ideological forefathers" were responsible for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi, he said. The Congress party is proud to have been elected by the people of India to reshape the nation's destiny for over five decades, he said.
Ram Madhav said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there as the opposition party is 'banking on lies' and the neighbouring country. Addressing a press conference, Madhav also claimed that the statements of the Congress leaders are retweeted more by the people of Pakistan than their counterparts in India.

Guwahati: BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav Sunday said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there as the opposition party is "banking on lies" and the neighbouring country. Addressing a press conference, Madhav also claimed that the statements of the Congress leaders are retweeted more by the people of Pakistan than their counterparts in India.

"Their comments are more retweeted and publicised by the people of the neighbouring country than our own. The Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there. This is the condition of our main opposition party," the BJP leader said.

"The Congress does not have any issue to really take on our government, our leader and our party. It is banking on lies and Pakistan," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Pointing out that the Congress is fighting a "clueless battle", Madhav said, "Nobody in the country is understanding what it wants to say and in which direction it wants to take the country. The people are also not understanding if the Congress is fighting for India or Pakistan."

Alleging that the Congress leaders are "doubting" the credentials of the Indian Army, the senior BJP leader said the opposition party was not only questioning the success of the BJP-led government, but also making "derogatory remarks" about the Army.

When asked about the allegation of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa allegedly paying a bribe of Rs 1,800 crore to top BJP leaders, Madhav said, "It is bogus news...the Congress has no issue today to confront us and it is only banking on lies."

Madhav claimed that the allegation was based on a handwritten slip recovered from the house of a Congress leader which claimed that the Karnataka BJP leader had distributed the money. "And when was it distributed? In 2011. Was Congress party sleeping then when they were in government? The slip was accessed from the house of a Congress leader," he added.

Ram Madhav brushed aside the possibility of the allegations of corruption levelled by the Congress and other opposition parties in the Rafale fighter jet deal, impacting the outcome of the upcoming polls.

"On the contrary, some good cartoons are being made on the Congress. All these negative campaigns of the Congress are useful for making good memes and cartoons in social media. Other than that, there is no impact on the public," he added.

The senior BJP leader claimed that a bigger "Modi wave" is prevailing in the entire country this time, in comparison to 2014.

"Conventional political wisdom says that a ruling party cannot create a wave. A wave is always created by the opposition. But Modi has broken convention many a times. The situation is such that a Modi wave has been formed when he himself is in power," he said.

Sounding confident that the BJP "alone" will get more seats than what it won in 2014, Madhav expressed hope that NDA alliance partners, mainly the Shiv Sena, the JD(U), partners in the Northeast, UP and the south, comprising almost 30 parties, would get a good number of seats.

"We will slowly move towards two-third majority this time," he added.

Taking a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Madhav said they were hearing only Modi slogans wherever they were going. "We are taking Modi's leadership and the report card of his five-year tenure to the people. "The people are very clear about the poll result, though it will be announced on 23 May, that NDA under Narendra Modi is coming back to power again," he added.
The Congress' decision to field Singh from Bhopal is a bold gamble which, in turn, has compelled the BJP to rethink its choice of candidate.

Is the Congress' decision to field party veteran Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal, a BJP stronghold for over three decades, a bold political move or a suicidal mission? This is a question that political pundits are presently asking. The saffron party has been invincible in the constituency since 1989.

The controversial leader may have preferred to contest from his home turf of Rajgarh instead. In a constituency where the difference between the vote shares of the BJP and Congress is massive, the decision comes as a surprise. The contest would be the biggest challenge of Singh's career. If he wins, his stature is sure to grow by several notches. If he loses, it might be the beginning of the end for him.

There is reason to believe that the Congress' move is a calculated one. The party may feel that given the shift in the political winds in the state after the Assembly elections, he could pull off a victory.

Here are some points about the political situation in Bhopal that merit attention.

Firstly, the results in three of the eight Assembly segments of the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency were encouraging for the Congress. The party won the Bhopal Madhya (Arif Masood), Bhopal Uttar (Arif Aqueel) and Bhopal Dakshin-Paschim (PC Sharma) constituencies with 53.20 percent, 58.77 percent and 49.14 percent vote shares respectively. In the remaining five seats, the BJP witnessed a dip in its margin.

Secondly, there is a significant Muslim vote bank in this constituency. Out of 20 lakh voters, nearly five lakh are Muslims.

Third, incumbent MP Alok Sanjar is a lesser-known candidate in comparison to past MPs such as Uma Bharti and Kailash Joshi, among others.

Fourthly, Singh, who has been the chief minister for two terms, is a tall leader in the party, and is the only one who can take up this challenge, due to his large network and following. He is considered more rooted to the state compared to chief minister Kamal Nath and another senior leader, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who had to face the "outsider" tag.

The attention Singh received during his Narmada Yatra is a case in point. One may like or dislike him, but he cant be ignored.

Bhopal-based veteran journalist LS Herdenia told Firstpost, Digvijay Singh, besides being a good strategist and poll manager, is a leader with a secular, pro-minority face. He will get an advantage from the three Assembly segments where Congress has won, as 70 percent of voters will vote in his favour. From the remaining five seats, he is expected to get 25-30 percent votes. Muslim votes will matter in his case. He has fair chances to win. However, it is a fact that he doesn't share a good rapport with a large number of government employees, who are not likely to vote for him."

The BJP can see hope in the general unpopularity of Singh. Many sections of the electorate may not have problems with the Congress, but they would not like him as a candidate.

In his two consecutive terms as Madhya Pradesh chief minister  from 1993 to 2003  the general quality of life deteriorated even for people in the top cities of the state. His tenure is remembered for the long hours of power cuts that it ushered in the state, affecting life and work in cities like Bhopal and Indore, to say nothing of the conditions in villages. During Singh's tenure, babies used to be delivered in hospitals in darkness, and summers were spent awake fighting mosquitoes and sweat as the power supply was erratic and limited even in big cities.

Roads were equally badly affected. While roads in rural areas practically disappeared, those in Indore and Bhopal were ridden with potholes. Besides high levels of corruption in various government-related works  a well-known phenomenon from his two terms  Singh is also remembered for having taken away the jobs of 28,000 daily wagers across the state. This is something that is still discussed in the streets of Bhopal.

Singh's image as an outspoken leader in favour of Muslims, and several of his controversial statements, have made him unpopular among a large section of the populace.

Another Bhopal-based journalist said, "A change of fortunes for the Congress in Bhopal seems unlikely despite Digvijaya Singhs candidature. In the last Lok Sabha election, the BJP had won this seat by a margin of 3.70 lakh votes. Barring 2004, when the voting percentage was low, the BJP has won this seat with a margin of over one lakh in every election since 1989. This was the case even when the Congress was in power at the Centre. Considering the demographics of the constituency, there is a possibility that polarisation may take place."

Singh has a chance if the BJP fields a local candidate, as the saffron party is a divided force in the state capital, the journalist added.

History of the constituency

In 1989, the BJP's Sushil Chandra Verma won the Bhopal constituency, and remained the MP for four consecutive terms. In 1999, former chief minister and Union minister in the present government Uma Bharti won by defeating Congress leader Suresh Pachouri. After that, former chief minister Kailash Joshi won twice, in 2004 and 2009.

The vote share of the BJP has always been much higher than that of the Congress in Bhopal. While incumbent MP Alok Sanjar got 63.19 percent votes in 2014, Congress candidate PC Sharma got only 30.39 percent votes.

In 2009 and 2004, the BJPs share was 50.95 percent and 65.41 percent respectively in comparison to Congress 41.06 percent and 29.77 percent.

The decision to field Singh from Bhopal is a bold gamble on the part of the Congress, which, in turn, has compelled the BJP to rethink its choice of candidate. The BJP had been considering Bhopal mayor Alok Sharma as its candidate; but given the recent turn of events, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans candidature is doing rounds.

Although the BJP lost the Assembly election, Chouhan enjoys great personal goodwill among the common people. The Muslim voters in this constituency consider him as a moderate saffron leader.
Gujarat tribal development minister Ganpat Vasava on Monday tapped into mythology  and controversy  by asking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to consume poison to check if he was indeed an 'avatar' of Lord Shiva as claimed by his party workers.

Ahmedabad: A Gujarat minister on Monday tapped into mythology  and controversy  by asking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to consume poison to check if he was indeed an 'avatar' of Lord Shiva as claimed by his party workers.

Addressing a gathering at Bardoli in Surat, Gujarat tribal development minister Ganpat Vasava said Rahul's "Shiva reincarnation" can be considered true only if he survives after having "500 grams of poison".

"People from the Congress claim Rahul Gandhi is an avatar of Lord Shiva. Now, since Lord Shiva used to consume poison to save people, I want Congress workers to make their leader drink 500 grams of poison," Vasava said.

"If he survives like Lord Shiva after consuming poison, we will all believe he is the true reincarnation of Lord Shiva" Vasava claimed.

The BJP minister's Shiva jibe incensed the Congress, which called it "extremely unfortunate" and reflective of that party's "true character", adding that it stemmed from the fear of poll defeat.

"Such comments about our leader are extremely unfortunate. This shows the true character of BJP and its leaders. They are making such statements out of frustration as they are seeing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls," Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

Vasava had earlier in March taken a swipe at the Congress over its demand for proof of India's 26 February Balakot air strike by suggesting that a camera-wielding party leader be tied to a fighter jet to record such aerial action in future.
An internal contest over seat-sharing in the Congress-led grand alliance in Jharkhand can throw a cordon of doubt over the oppositions ability and intention to rewrite the land rights acts that it has formed as part of the political narrative to challenge the BJP in the state

In 2016, Hemant Sorens Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Babulal Marandis Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) joined the peoples movements, which were launched against state-proposed amendments in key land rights acts such as the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, 1908, and Santhal Pargana Tenancy (SPT) Act, 1949. The reason behind their protests was that these acts allowed the government to easily transfer land for industrial use.

Considering the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013 had already been amended by the Centre, exempting the state government from conducting social impact assessment, taking consent of the affected people and ensuring food security, for certain infrastructure projects (listed under Section 10), the proposed amendments to CNT and SPT Acts by the BJP-led state government in Jharkhand had created speculation among its critics.

However, while the Jharkhand government sees social impact assessment and consent of affected people as an impediment to development, a section of the population in the poverty-stricken state  with a history of land grabbing and illegal mining  is resisting the attempts to dilute the portion of the acts which make seeking consent mandatory from gram sabhas.

These people's movements led by tribals, who comprise no less than 32 percent of the states population, are an important part of the opposition parties' political narrative, including the grand alliance, who are presenting themselves to the voters of Jharkhand as an alternative to the anti-land-rights policies of the BJP-led state government.

The grand alliance announced its seat-sharing formula on Sunday. Out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Congress is contesting on seven  Ranchi, Lohardaga, Khunti, West Singhbhum, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad and Chatra. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha will be fielding candidates from Dumka, Rajmahal, Giridih, Jamshedpur while Jharkhand Vikas Morcha will contest from Godda and Koderma. The RJD, also a member of the alliance, on the other hand, has been offered one seat  Palamu  against its demand for two seats (the second seat being Chatra). This has created discontent within the grand alliance with the RJD skipping the seat-sharing press conference on Sunday.

Could the grand old party have been a little more accommodating towards RJD? Palamu and Chatra border Bihar, and the population in the two constituencies comprises Bhumihars and Yadavs which is why the RJD wanted to contest on both seats. However, its bleak presence in the state Assembly has made it harder for the alliance to accommodate this request.

While the RJD is determined that the alliance accepts its demand for two seats (and field its candidates in both candidates with or without the alliance), Soren, says that the grand alliance will not field a candidate in Palamu even if the RJD is out of the alliance. "The RJD has been in alliance with us in the past and we wont field a JMM candidate on the RJD seat on Palamu, said Soren.

Meanwhile, the seat-sharing may have created another problem for the alliance, especially for former Jharkhand chief minister and JVM leader Babulal Marandi, with RJDs state unit chief Annapurna Devi joining the BJP. Speculations are rife that the former RJD leader might be the BJP candidate from Chatra or Koderma.

If Devi contests from Koderma, this election may become a battle for survival for Marandi, especially since Jharkhand Speaker Dinesh Oraon recently found the merger of 6 JVM MLAs into the BJP to be legal while rejecting the JVM's petition demanding their disqualification under the 10th schedule. Besides, the Koderma district falls under the North Chotanagpur division, the largest administrative division, which has more than 20 Vidhan Sabha constituencies.

For Soren, the bigger concern, however, is how the differences among the Opposition parties, including those in the grand alliance, may impact the people's movements in Jharkhand. He says that the bifurcation within the grand alliance is a disservice to the non-political people's movements that evolved around constitutional rights.

Soren says that he wanted the Left parties to be part of the alliance as well. The plan was to offer the Hazaribagh seat  which is now with the Congress  to the Left.

"I wanted the Left parties to be on board with the alliance and to form consensus among themselves but the demand for more seats in a state where there are only 14 Lok Sabha constituencies is difficult to meet," he shared.

The Left has multiple pockets of influence in Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Chatra and Koderma, given the coal mines and workers' movements. However, electorally, the Left is most relevant in Nirsa from where Arup Chatterjee of the Marxist Coordination Committee (MCC) is the sitting MLA.

The CPI (ML-Liberation) was not an alliance partner of the Left Front during the 2014 Lok Sabha election. The CPI's state unit secretary Bhubaneswar Mehta had won the Hazaribagh seat, defeating former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha. This is what had reportedly led JMMs Soren to reach out to D Raja to form an alliance back in 2004. Today, Left parties of varying relevance in Jharkhands politics couldnt come together in time to contest from even one seat. Which is why they have no representation in the recently announced seat share.

"People from different districts are raising the same issues and each party is promising to address them from their own platform and in their own way. A stronger, combined alternate narrative can benefit the state," said Soren.

In Jharkhand, where the unemployment rate is 3.1 percent as against the national rate of 2.7 percent (NITI Ayog data), a movement of rebellion like the pathalgadi took place last year. Munni Hansda from the Kathikund block of the Dumka district in Jharkhand led the agitation against the thermal power plant proposed to ensure there wasnt any violation of the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, 1949. Whereas, Albert Minj has been leading various rights movements in the Mahuadhar block of Jharkhands Latehar district against the proposed amendments to Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, 1908.

During the 2018 pathalgadi protests, Adivasi villages put up giant plaques declaring their gram sabha as the only sovereign authority. These two activists had told Firstpost that the responsibility of embracing grassroots movements within parliamentary democracy cannot lie only with the Left parties and a broader alternative must be envisioned.

In the context of peoples movements, internal contest over seat-sharing can throw a cordon of doubt over the oppositions ability and intention to rewrite the social contract.

Today, lack of unanimity, bifurcation of interests and clash of egos over seat-sharing is weakening the grand alliance.

"Those who are non-political and working for the interests of the people of the state can be disheartened by internal political calculations. It weakens the movement and becomes harder for them to view it from a political lens," Soren told Firstpost.
DMK president MK Stalin said the party was a movement that protected women's rights and that Radha Ravi's comments were not acceptable to it

Chennai: The DMK on Monday announced it was suspending well-known actor and senior party leader Radha Ravi for his alleged misogynistic remarks against popular South Indian actor Nayanthara.

His remarks at an event had created a furore, with actor Taapsee Pannu and director Vignesh Shivan hitting out at him. A video purportedly showing Radha Ravi making the remarks had gone viral.

DMK president MK Stalin said the party was a movement that protected women's rights and that the actor's comments were not acceptable to it. In a tweet, he uploaded party general secretary K Anbazhagan's statement that Radha Ravi was being "suspended" for bringing disrepute to the DMK.

The statement was carried in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli'.

"Radha Ravi is being suspended from all party posts, including the primary membership, for violating the party discipline and bringing disrepute to it," Anbazhagan said.

Stalin said such indiscipline from partymen will not be tolerated.

"The remarks by Radha Ravi, who belongs to the DMK which protects women's rights, about women artistes is not acceptable. It is strongly condemnable," he said.

"Partymen should express opinions in a dignified manner and action will be taken against those violating it," he warned.

Shivan, said to be a close friend of Nayanthara, had raised the issue on Twitter, tagging Stalin and DMK MP Kanimozhi and sought action against the "crass and sexist" Radharavi.

He said both Stalin and Kanimozhi had "vociferously" spoken against the Pollachi sexual harassment case and asked "why don't you take stringent action against" the actor too.

Pannu also hit out at the senior actor, saying his remarks were "disgusting".

"This is disgusting beyond words. Who asked him about casting pre-requisites and is he the president of character certificate association? This comes for one of the strongest actresses of the industry (Nayanthara), I can only wonder what he might have to say about others," she tweeted.

Nayanthara, who has acted with top South Indian stars including Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith Kumar, is also known for featuring in women-centred themes like 'Aram' and 'Kolamavu Kokila.' She had also starred with Telugu star Balakrishna as Seetha in 'Sri Ramarajyam,' a reel depiction of The Ramayana.
93-year-old Sukh Ram returned for the second time to the Congress, which he had last left ahead of the 2017 Assembly election to join the BJP. The Congress had sacked him in 1997 following his conviction in the telecom scam which occurred when he was a Union minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government, but he returned in 2004.

New Delhi: Former Union minister Sukh Ram on Monday rejoined the Congress along with his grandson Aashray Sharma ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, with the party's saying his entry would boost its poll prospects in Himachal Pradesh.

"For me, it is like homecoming," said 93-year-old Sukh Ram who returned for the second time to the Congress which he had last left ahead of the 2017 Assembly election to join the BJP.

The Congress had sacked him in 1997 following his conviction in the telecom scam which occurred when he was a Union minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government, but he returned in 2004.

The development has led to speculation on the fate of Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma, who is a cabinet minister in the BJP-led government in Himachal Pradesh.

State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti said, "It is up to Anil Sharma whether to remain a Himachal Pradesh minister or quit. He should make his stand clear."

Sources said Anil Sharma's son Aashray could be the party's choice for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Sukh Ram has represented the seat thrice in the past.

Former Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh have also represented the seat in the past. Pratibha had unsuccessfully contested from the constituency in 2014.

Sukh Ram met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence before announcing his return to the Congress in the presence of party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who does not share a great equation with Sukh Ram, was conspicuous by his absence at the event.

Surjewala said Sukh Ram has returned to the Congress, as the party is in "his heart, thoughts and religion".

Attacking BJP, Surjewala said senior leaders like LK Advani and Shanta Kumar were sidelined and denied tickets by the party, but the Congress seeks the blessings of the elderly.

"He has decided to return to the Congress and support the party to make Rahul Gandhi the country's prime minister. He will use all his strength to further strengthen the party," he said.

Sukh Ram said, "For me, it is like homecoming. I will be 93 soon, I have come back to my house. I have spent my entire political life in the Congress. I have won 13 elections from my constituency. My family has won 17 elections and this speaks for itself."

The former Union minister alleged the BJP has "ignored those who made it win elections more than a dozen times". "With Sukh Ram ji's entry, I am sure the party will be strengthened and will benefit from his experience," state AICC in-charge Rajni Patil said.

The BJP has renominated its sitting MP Ramswaroop Sharma from the Mandi seat, the home district of Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Sukh Ram's son Anil Sharma was part of the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government in the state from 2012-17, but joined the BJP before the last state assembly elections.
In contrast to the recent elections in Manipur, AFSPA takes a back seat as civil societies and families continue their decades-long wait for justice

Editor's Note: A network of 60 reporters set off across India to test the idea of development as it is experienced on the ground. Their brief: Use your mobile phone to record the impact of 120 key policy decisions on everyday life; what works, what doesn't and why; what can be done better and what should be done differently. Their findings  straight and raw from the ground  will be combined in this series, Elections on the Go, over a course of 100 days.

Read more articles from the series here

***

Imphal: When icons break, beliefs shatter. Irom Sharmila represented Manipurs isolated plight best till she gave up her 16-year fast to death protest. The spark for her long fast was kindled on 2 November, 2000, when two youths  17-year-old Tokpam Shantikumar and Sinam Chandramani Singh, 19, a national child bravery award recipient in 1988  were gunned down by paramilitary forces along with eight other civilians.

The two youths were waiting for a bus to attend their physics tuition class when a bomb targeting a three-truck convoy carrying Assam Rifles security personnel exploded a few metres away from the bus stand. The explosion reportedly injured two security personnel. Within an hour, a carnage followed as ten innocent civilians including the two teenagers were gunned down by paramilitary forces, stirring human rights struggle against Indian security forces, that continues to this day.

With the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in force throughout the state barring the Imphal Municipal area, with two army divisions stationed there, and close to 30 insurgency groups representing the different ethnic groups operating in the small state of just over 2.7 million people, what concerns the citizens the most is they be allowed to live their lives peacefully.

Sovereignty from India is no longer an issue even with many of Manipurs insurgent groups. In fact, two powerful tribal militant groups, the Zomi Reunification Organisation (ZRO) and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), that have a ceasefire agreement with the Centre have written to the BJP and its chief Amit Shah to field a candidate of their choice, HS Benjamin Mate, vice-president of BJP's Manipur unit, in the Outer Manipur seat, a reserved ST seat.

In its letter, KNO reminded BJP of the help it gave the party on making inroads into Manipur. Mate has been chosen as the BJP candidate from Manipur's outer parliamentary constituency.

Most Manipuris are haunted by the memory of their loved ones lost, senselessly in most cases, over the past two decades. But holding the security forces to account for past killings is not even on the political agenda this time around. Now, it's the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, that is at the forefront in campaign speeches.

Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Imphal in March, never brought up AFSPA and the BJP is also consciously mum about it. Perhaps, wisely so, since the BJP had promised in its manifesto released before the 2014 General Election to Lok Sabha about repealing AFSPA.

Ahead of the state Assembly election in 2017, it tempered down this promise to say that it will work towards creating an environment where AFSPA could be repealed. The BJP had then said it would file chargesheet in 1,528 fake encounter cases which had not been investigated. The CBI has issued at least four chargesheets but the Central and state governments are yet to grant sanction for even an investigation, let alone prosecution.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, speaking to media persons in November last year, said, "Manipur is a peaceful state now, but the countrys security must be a priority. The financial and arms supply by foreign countries cannot be ruled out."

A high-ranking state home department official said the government had taken the decision around that time to extend the term of AFSPA at least by a year on the basis of intelligence inputs from both central and state security forces. Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Meghachandra Keisham alleged that the NDA government allowed extra-judicial powers to Assam Rifles in several northeastern states under the CrPC in the aftermath of strong opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the region.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha this January about the repeal of AFSPA, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, said that at present there are no plans to withdraw the Act.

Presently, AFSPA, 1958 is operational in entire States of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur (except Imphal Municipal area), three districts - namely Tirap, Changlang and Longding of Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the eight police stations in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the State of Assam.

The notification declaring Manipur and Assam as 'disturbed areas' have been issued by the state governments. The State Government of Nagaland has not supported the extension of notification declaring Nagaland as disturbed area under AFSPA, 1958, he replied when asked which state governments were eager to see the act lifted from their areas.

Demands for scrapping the AFSPA have been going on for decades now, made infamous by the shocking protest in 2004 where a dozen women staged a nude protest against a brutal rape perpetrated by the army. In response to this, the Congress government had suspended AFSPA in seven Assembly segments in and around Imphal. But while incidents of human rights violations have been few in recent times, voters remember their past tragic losses. Human rights activists insist that they are not seeking compensation or vengeance but justice for all those killed in fake encounters.

And the only way they can get justice is the complete repeal of the AFSPA, they say.

The initiative for the withdrawal of AFSPA has to come from the state government, but neither the earlier Congress government nor the present BJP dispensation has raised the issue with the Centre.

"In Nagaland, the state cabinet took a decision and urged the Centre to remove AFSPA, argued Babloo Loitongbam, executive director of Human Right Alert, one of the two prominent human rights groups in Manipur which has been raising the issue of fake encounter deaths.

It is a different matter whether the Union government agrees to the proposal or not. The ground situation in Manipur does not require AFSPA. It is only a lack of political will. The present chief minister is proudly claiming that there are no more killings under his rule. The killings have stopped because HRA and EEVFAM (Extra-judicial Execution Victim Families Association) joined hands in moving the Supreme Court which came down heavily on the security forces, he informs.

Loitongbam is referring to a writ petition submitted in December 2012 before the Supreme Court of India which then appointed a special three-member commission to investigate six random cases of alleged extrajudicial executions from the over 1,500 cases detailed by petitioners. None of the victims in the six cases were found to have had any criminal antecedents nor were there any credible evidence to show that they had affiliations with any banned or unlawful organisations.

EEVFAMs general secretary Edina Yaikhom lost her husband in a fake encounter on 20 January, 2009. She vividly remembers to this day the chain of events that led to her husbands death.

"My husband went out with one of his friends on a scooter, said Edina.

Late in the evening, one of my husbands friends said my husband has been picked up by the police probably for not possessing his driving licence and other documents. A policeman, we knew, said he had heard over the wireless of an encounter having taken place. He advised us to go check at the mortuary if my husband was among those killed in the encounter.

"My family members later identified his body in the morgue from the clothes he wore.

"I thought my husband had succumbed to injuries after being beaten in police custody but the next day, local newspapers reported that two unidentified cadres of an underground outfit had been killed in an encounter with the police at Makhan village in Senapati district and that the police recovered an AK 56 rifle, hand grenade, mobile phones and a scooter from their possession. However, the underground outfit clarified the next day that the two people killed were not their cadres," she added.

Traumatised by her husband's death, Edina said she was paralysed in the left side of her body for two years. The human rights collective EEVFAM was subsequently formed on 11 July, 2009, seeking justice for many others like Edina whose family members were killed in fake encounters.

"Many women have been raped and killed, and there have been many forced disappearances under the Act between 1979 and 2012, said Edina, adding, Many families continue to suffer. It is not easy for us to just forget and move on.

Irom Sharmila went on a fast for 16 years. In other places, if someone fasts for ten days, one meets their demands, said Edina.

Why is the government not deliberating on repealing the Act? Other states like Tripura, Meghalaya have lifted it already and it has been lifted from many areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Regardless of whether the BJP or Congress is in power, our politicians are concerned only about amassing wealth. In the last 70 years, nothing has changed, Edina added.

The authors are Imphal and Bangalore-based freelance writers and members of 101Reporters
The SP patriarch had been left out of his party's list of 40 'star campaigners' on Saturday but was included in it Sunday after the omission caused a flutter in political circles

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday rued the omission of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's name from the list of its "star campaigners", terming it as an "irony". The SP patriarch had been left out of his party's list of 40 "star campaigners" on Saturday but was included in it Sunday after the omission caused a flutter in political circles.

"See the irony! His own son has struck his name off the campaigners' list of the party to establish which he campaigned door to door along with his brother, wearing worn out slippers," lamented Adityanath in his Tweet, without naming the 79-year-old socialist stalwart Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav.

"While mulling over the political capital earned by him, he (Mulayam) must be thinking: Poot kaput to kya dhan sanchay, poot saput to kya dhan sanchay? (What's the need to accumulate wealth if the son is undeserving one; and why to accumulate it when he is deserving one?" he added tersely.

The chief minister also deprecated Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's step of forging a poll alliance with his father's arch rival Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, terming the coalition as one "aimed at usurping power". "Aping Mughals to usurp power, he alienated his own uncle and even father and has gone on to sit in the laps of their arch rivals," said Adityanath without naming the SP chief. The chief minister also cautioned people to beware of such "opportunists" and appealed to them to teach them a lesson in the upcoming general elections.

"There is a rustic saying: 'Jo baap ka na hua, wo aapka kya hoga? (One who did not care for his father, how will he care for you?" said Adityanath, and hoped "the people will deliver such opportunist, power-hungry leaders an apt lesson during the upcoming elections."
NCP released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, promising complete loan waiver for small and middle income farmers and resumption of talks with Pakistan

New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party on Monday released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, promising complete loan waiver for small and middle income farmers and resumption of talks with Pakistan.

Releasing the manifesto at the party office here, NCP general secretary and chief spokesperson DP Tripathi said the party's endeavour will be to bring radicalised youth of Kashmir Valley into the mainstream and take stern action against those involved in 'brainwashing' them.

The Sharad Pawar-led party is contesting on 20 seats in Maharashtra, one each in Lakshadweep, Bihar, Odisha, Meghalaya and Manipur. "According to figures from various organisations working in rural areas, over 90,000 people have committed suicide in the hinterland, of which majority are farmers. We will provide a complete loan waiver to the small and medium income farmers," Tripathi said.

The party manifesto, which talked about carrying out structural reforms to drive sustainable agriculture, was also released in Mumbai. Tripathi said resumption of talks, especially on terrorism, with Pakistan was essential for betterment of ties between the two countries.

According to the manifesto, the new government will work to prevent Russians from getting too close to China and Pakistan by frequent high-level exchanges, and continue to expand ties with the United States. In regard to the defence sector, the party has assured to modernise the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and ordnance factories along with setting up an ex-servicemen commission.

Tripathi said the real challenge lay in reviving the economy post demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), adding priority will be given to achieve macro stability and create jobs.

Asked how will the party implement its manifesto when it is contesting not more than 30 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha, the NCP leader exuded confidence that the party will be a part of the next non-BJP government and influence policy-making.
The tweet and the resolution were meant to tell people that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was taking into consideration the request from party workers.

A tweet by Randeep Singh Surjewala and a resolution by Amethi district Congress unit could prove to be a huge public perception disaster for Congress party in the run up to the 2019 parliamentary election.

The tweet and the resolution were meant to tell people that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was taking into consideration the request from party workers for the Congress chief to contest from two seats  Amethi, perceived Gandhi family pocket borough in Uttar Pradesh, and Wayanad in Kerala. Their justification for this request was that since he is to become prime minister of the country towards the end of May 2019, he must be seen to be representing both north and south India.

Little did Congress strategists and close advisers of Nehru-Gandhi family realise that in the age of social media, a premature announcement of this kind, howsoever well-planned and coordinated, could boomerang in a matter of hours.

It turned out to be a full toss which Rahul's challenger in Amethi, Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, and BJP delightfully hit for a six. She tweeted in Hindi, saying Rahul was orchestrating an invite from various states because he had been rejected by the people of Amethi. On Saturday, #BhaagRahulBhaag was one of the top trends on Twitter.

Contesting elections from two seats by some senior leaders across party lines is an age-old practice. It does not usually invite so much public debate. But Rahuls case is different. One can say that Congress strategists erred with early publicity on the issue due to four reasons.

First, there is widespread public impression that this time around, Rahul Gandhi may find his going tough in Amethi. In the last parliamentary elections, Rahul's winning margin in 2014 had dipped to 1.07 lakh from 3.70 lakh in 2009. His voting percentage in 2014 had dipped as compared to 2004, when he had first contested from there.

Irani, who was sent to Amethi at the last minute, had succeeded in narrowing down his victory margin and raising BJP's vote share from negligible thousands to over three lakh votes. This was considered unthinkable in Amethi, a constituency which has served as Gandhi-Nehru familys backyard for the last 40 years, since the time Sanjay Gandhi first contested from there in 1980.

Since then, Rajeev Gandhi won three times, Gandhi family nominee Satish Sharma held it once, and Sonia Gandhi once before she vacated it for Rahul by shifting herself to neighbouring Raebareli, a seat long held by Indira Gandhi. Rahul has won it three consecutive times. But for the last five years, Irani has made a determined bid to make defeat the Congress president on his home turf.

Ground reports suggest that she was finding resonance with people, enough to cause some apprehension in the minds of the Congress leadership. Two other opponents who together secured over 82,000 anti-Rahul Gandhi votes  BSPs Dharmendra Pratap Singh and Kumar Vishwas (then with AAP)  would be contesting these elections.

Second, if Rahul does indeed decide to contest from Wayanad too, it will be an interesting choice. Wayanad would be a safe seat for him for the simple reason that its a constituency which has around 60 percent minority population  43 percent Muslim and 17 percent Christian. The social composition is such that Congress has been winning comfortably. Party nominee MI Shanavas won it in 2009 and 2014 but this seat is presently vacant as Shanavas died in November 2018.

It is a seat which Muslim League, second biggest constituent of UDF after Congress, has been demanding for a long time. If Rahul contests the election from Wayanad, he will naturally be supported by Muslim League against a fight where the principle opponent will be CPM-led Left Front, not BJP.

The move will be much-desired fodder for BJP to shape up its poll narrative against Rahul and raise it to a higher pitch in public rallies.

Congress' actions also come at a time when Rahul is trying to portray himself as a janeudhariShiv-bhakt Hindu. Even his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, now general secretary of Congress, began her campaign in UP from Sangam in Allahabad to Varanasi and did her share of temple-hopping. She is expected to begin her second phase of campaigning from Ayodhya. Wayanad and its social composition (Muslim-Christian majority) could be used by BJP against this strategy.

Third, by asking its Amethi district unit, which functions under direct supervision of Congress' first family, to issue a resolution, Congress made another mistake. A district unit making such a resolution is unprecedented. Moreover, adding that contesting from constituencies in north and south India was needed to show wider representation for a prime minister-in-making is naive. The party leaders perhaps forget that Manmohan Singh, prime minister for 10 years of Congress-led UPA, was a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam. He or Congress never considered a Lok Sabha seat for him. Singh had contested parliamentary election from South Delhi once and had lost it badly.

Fourth, the references of Indira and Sonia Gandhi in this regard is completely devoid of sense of history. The least that was expected from Congress was knowledge about their supreme leaders. Indira Gandhi had gone to Chikmaglur in Karnataka to contest a by-election in October 1978 after she had suffered ignominious defeat in Raebareli by Raj Narain in 1977. In 1975, she had imposed Emergency after Allahabad High Court ruled her election to Lok Sabha illegal. Instead of quitting, Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in June 1975 and remained in power till 1977.

Incidentally, the Chikmaglur by-election had happened in the immediate aftermath of a political blunder committed by Janata Party government, the arrest of Indira Gandhi in an alleged corruption case. Despite then prime minister Morarji Desais caution, the then home minister Charan Singh went for Indiras arrest. Rest is history.

Sonia Gandhi had gone to file her nomination from Bellary in Karnataka amid high drama and suspense in 1999 because the Congress leadership was apprehensive that the BJP may come up with some mischief in Raebareli on her maiden entry into electoral politics.
The Banaskantha constituency is located in the Banaskantha district, which has a population of 31,20,506 people as per Census 2011.

Located in the western region of the country, Gujarat is composed of 26 parliamentary and 182 Assembly constituencies. At present, the Bharatiya Janata Party holds all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The BJP formed the state government following the Vidhan Sabha election in 2017, where the saffron party won 99 seats, Congress 77, NCP one, Bharatiya Tribal Party two and Independent one seat(s). The BJP will seek to ensure their Assembly win-streak continues in the upcoming Lok Sabha election as well.

Polling to all Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on 23 April.

In a significant development on 21 March, BJP chief Amit Shah replaced veteran leader LK Advani as the Gandhinagar candidate.

Some of the major issues plaguing the state are farm distress and reservation for non-reserved caste categories. According to the Pocketbook of Agriculture Statistics 2017, published by the Union agriculture ministry, nearly 43 percent of the 39.31 lakh agricultural households in Gujarat are under debt. As per the report, 34.94 lakh households took crop loans and term loans, amounting to Rs 54,277 crore.

Among the backward communities in the state, Adivasis, who constitute 8.6 percent of Gujarats population are up in arms against the Narendra Modi government. Bharatmala, a highway project launched by Modi in October 2017, was suspended for now following protests by Adivasis and farmers from south to northeastern Gujarat.

Caste is also likely to play a crucial role in the upcoming election in the state. The Patidar agitation since 2015 and violence against Dalits has spurred the younger leaders from these communities to speak up make their demands heard.

Here is a detailed list of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state:

1. Kachchh Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 1

Total electors: 15,33,782 (as per 2014 estimates)

Female electors: 727439

Male electors: 8,06,343

Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes.

Delimited: Yes. It was earlier a de-reserved constituency before delimitation in 2008. Assembly segment Morbi was earlier part of Rajkot constituency till 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Abdasa, Mandvi, Bhuj, Anjar, Gandhidham (SC), Rapar, Morbi.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It has remained a BJP bastion since 1996. Veteran party leader Gadhavi Pushpadan Shambhudan was the MP till 2009. Poonam Vejibhai Jat won the seat in 2009. She was succeeded by BJPs Vinod Lakhamashi Chavda, who defeated Congress Dinesh Parmar by more than 2.3 lakh votes.

Demographics: It covers the entire Kachchh district and parts of Rajkot district. Though a Hindu majority district, Kachchh has a population of nearly 4.42 lakh Muslims. It has an SC population of 2,58,859 people.

2. Banaskantha Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 2

Total electors: 15,15,711

Female electors: 7,19,587

Male electors: 7,96,124

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Post-delimitation, the constituency extended to Tharad and Danta Assembly constituencies too.

Assembly constituencies: Vav, Tharad, Dhanera, Danta (ST), Palanpur, Deesa, Deodar.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Chaudhary Haribhai Parthibai won the seat in 1999 with 51.97 percent votes, beating Congress candidate BK Gadhvi. However, in 2004, Congress candidate Chavda Harsinhaji Pratapsinhaji clinched the seat. The seat remained with Congress in 2009 as well when Gadhvi Mukeshkumar Bheiravdanji became the MP, with a margin of more than 10,000 votes. However, BJP leader Chaudhary Haribhai Parthibhai won the 2013 bypoll and the 2014 General Election.

Demographics: The constituency is located in the Banaskantha district, which has a population of 31,20,506 people as per Census 2011. The region is famous for its rich mineral reserves such as marble, granite, limestone etc. It also receives regular funds under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.

3. Patan Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 3

Total electors: 16,28,641

Female electors: 7,82,446

Male electors: 8,46,195

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Till 2008, it was reserved for Scheduled Tribes but following the delimitation order, the constituency now falls the general category. Sami and Vagdod Assembly segments were dissolved.

Assembly constituencies: Vadgam (SC), Kankrej, Radhanpur, Chanasma, Patan, Sidhpur, Kheralu.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: In 1999, Congress leader Rashtrapal Pravinchandra Somabhai won the seat with 51.52 percent of the votes. Somabhai had to forfeit the sear in 2004 to former Patan MP and BJP candidate Kanodia Maheshkumar Mithabhai. In 2009, Congress Jagdish Thakore took over the seat but in 2014, BJP came to power again with Liladharbhai Khodaji Vaghela as its current MP. Vaghela was recently in the news for writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over farmers not receiving compensation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for crop loss.

Demographics: One of the politically sensitive regions, the constituency covers the entire Patan district, parts of Banaskantha and Mahesana districts. A Hindu majority region, Patan district is located in the northern part of the state and has a population of 13,43,734 people. Muslims comprise only 10.62 percent of the population, as per Census 2011. The district also includes the Assembly constituencies of two of the most prominent young anti-BJP faces in Gujarat  Congress MLA from Radhanpur Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani, independent MLA from Vadgam.

4. Mahesana Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 4

Total electors: 14,98,219

Female electors: 7,20,398

Male electors: 7,77,821

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Kadi was made a reserved Assembly constituency after delimitation.

Assembly constituencies: Unjha, Visnagar, Becharaji, Kadi (SC), Mahesana, Vijapur, Mansa.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Jayshreeben Kanubhai Patel has been holding the seat since 2009, defeating Congress candidate Jivabhai Ambalal Patel of the Congress on both occasions.

Demographics: Formerly known as Mehsana, the constituency is spread across a major part of Mahesana district and a small part of Gandhinagar district. Mahesana district has a population of 20,35,064, comprising 10,56,520 males and 9,78,544 females. Around 92.6 percent of the population comprises Hindus, while Muslims form 6.7 percent of the population. The district is a bastion of the Patidar community, especially the Kadva faction, to which Patidar leader Hardik Patel belongs. There is an estimated four lakh Kadva Patidars in Mahesana district, with Thakurs close to 3.5 lakh in number. OBCs and Dalits also have a sizeable presence but it is the Patidars who play a crucial role in deciding who wins from the constituency.

5. Sabarkantha Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 5

Total electors: 16,15,840

Female electors: 7,82,319

Male electors: 8,33,521

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Meghraj, the Assembly constituency which was held by Congress Shankersinh Vaghelas son, Mahendrasinh, was dissolved in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Himatnagar, Idar (SC), Khedbrahma (ST), Bhiloda (ST), Modasa, Bayad, Prantij.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Till 2009, the seat was a stronghold of the Congress party. However, in 2009, BJPs Chauhan Mahendrasinh defeated incumbent Congress MP Madhusudhan Mistry. In 2014, Dipsin Shankarsinh Rathod of the BJP trounced veteran Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela.

Demographics: It covers the entire Sabarkantha district. Located in the northeastern part of the state, the district has a population of 14,73,673 people as per Census 2011. Its sex ratio is 952 and the literacy rate stands at 65.57 percent. The district also receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.

6. Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 6

Total electors: 17,33,972

Female electors: 8,33,228

Male electors: 9,00,744

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Assembly segments Ellisbridge and Gandhinagar South (Gandhinagar was one Assembly seat before delimitation and has been divided into two) were excluded from the constituency in 2008. Assembly segments Kalol was included in the geographical area of the seat post-delimitation. Sanand and Ghatlodia are the newly created Assembly constituencies.

Assembly constituencies: Gandhinagar North, Kalol, Sanand, Ghatlodia, Vejalpur, Naranpura, Sabarmati.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Gandhinagar has been a BJP bastion since 1989, with veteran party leader LK Advani as its MP since 1998.

Demographics: It is spread across parts of Gandhinagar district. It has a population of 13,91,753 and a literacy rate of 74.04 percent as per Census 2011. It is a Hindu-majority region with 94.81 percent of the population following the region.

7. Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 7

Total electors: 16,01,832

Female electors: 7,49,067

Male electors: 8,52,765

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. It was created after the erstwhile Ahmedabad Lok Sabha constituency was dissolved in 2008. Vatva Assembly segment was created after the delimitation exercise.

Assembly constituencies: Dahegam, Gandhinagar South, Vatva, Nikol, Naroda, Thakkarbapa Nagar, Bapunagar.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJP has had an iron grip on the seat since 2009, when it was first held by Harin Pathak. In 2014, actor-politician Paresh Rawal defeated Congress Himmatsingh Prahladsingh Patel by a margin of 33.63 percent.

Demographics: The constituency is spread across parts of Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad districts. Ahmedabad district has a population of 72,14,225 people. It is also a Hindu-majority district with 83.7 percent following Hinduism. There is a sizeable population of diamond industry workers in this constituency. The Patidar agitation was at its peak in 2015 at Bapunagar. The area (Bapunagar) is considered communally sensitive with 20 percent from the Patel community, 28 percent Muslims and 18 percent OBCs.

8. Ahmedabad West Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 8

Total electors: 15,34,400

Female electors: 7,33,467

Male electors: 8,00,933

Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Castes.

Delimited: Yes. The constituency was created in 2008, diving the erstwhile Ahmedabad seat into two parts. Jamalpur Assembly segment was merged with Khadia.

Assembly constituencies: Ellisbridge, Amraiwadi, Dariapur, Jamalpur-Khadia, Maninagar, Danilimda (SC), Asarwa (SC).

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has been represented by BJPs Kirit P Solanki since 2009.

Demographics: The constituency is spread across parts of Ahmedabad district. 75.34 percent of the district population is literate. The region has a booming construction industry. It is a prominent political and commercial centre of the state.

9. Surendranagar Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 9

Total electors: 1656657

Female electors: 778912

Male electors: 877745

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. The assembly segments of Koli-dominated Viramgam and Dhandhuka were added to Surendranagar Lok Sabha constituency in 2008. The erstwhile Halvad Assembly segment was merged with Dhrangadhra. Wakaner segment was removed from the constituency.

Assembly constituencies: Viramgam, Dhandhuka, Dasad (SC), Limdi, Wadhwan, Chotila, Dhrangadhra.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has been alternating between the BJP and the Congress. In 1999, Congress leader Savshibhai Kanjibhai Makwana became the MP, before being ousted by BJPs Somabhai Gandabhai Koli Patel in 2004. In 2009, Congress leader Somabhai Gandalal Koli Patel won the polls. In 2014, BJP candidate Devajibhai Govindbhai Fatepara won the seat by a margin of 21.73 percent votes.

Demographics: The constituency covers the entire Surendranagar district and parts of Ahmedabad district. A Hindu majority district with a sizeable Koli population, Surendranagar has a total population of 17,56,268 people, as per Census 2011. The sex ratio is 930 and the literacy rate is 72.1 percent. Nearly 25 percent of Indias salt supply comes from the area. The district is also a textile hub.

10. Rajkot Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 10

Total electors: 16,55,717

Female electors: 7,90,957

Male electors: 8,64,760

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Wakaner Assembly segment, the earlier part of Surendranagar constituency, was added in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Tankara, Wankaner, Rajkot East, Rajkot West, Rajkot South, Rajkot Rural (SC), Jasdan.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has been with the BJP for the most part. Leuva Patel leader and BJP candidate Kathiriya Vallabhbhai Ramjibhai held the seat from 1996 to 2009. In 2009, Congress Kunvarjibhai Mohanbhai Bavaliya won the seat, defeating BJPs Kirankumar Valjibhai Bhalodia by more than 24,000 votes. However, in 2014, BJPs Kadva Patel candidate Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya clinched the seat but was dropped in the cabinet reshuffle in 2016.

Demographics: The constituency covers parts of Rajkot district. With a population of 38,04,558 people in the district, three communities in the constituency, including two sub-castes of Patels 'Kadva' (2 lakh voters), and 'Leuva' (2.75 lakh voters) and 'Koli' (2.35 lakh voters) community have remained decisive in the previous elections.

11. Porbandar Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 11

Total electors: 15,39,223

Female electors: 7,31,840

Male electors: 8,07,383

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Jetpur, Keshod and Gondal Assembly segments were included in the constituency in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Gondal, Jetpur, Dhoraji, Porbandar, Kutiyana, Manavadar, Keshod

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It has been a BJP stronghold since 1991, except in 2009 when Congress leader and former BJP man Vitthalbhai Hansrajbhai Radadiya defeated the BJP. However, in 2013, he rejoined BJP and won the 2013 bypolls. In 2014, he retained the seat, beating NCPs Kandhalbhai Sarmanbhai Jadeja.

Demographics: It is spread across parts of Porbandar, Junagadh and Rajkot districts. A Hindu-majority district, Porbandar has a population of 5,85,449 people as per Census 2011. It has a literacy rate of 67.24 percent. A total of 5.7 percent of the population comprises Muslims. The dominant caste with the most political clout is Mer. Brahmins, the fishing caste Khadwa, Thakkar and Dalits are the other important voting groups in the constituency.

12. Jamnagar Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 12

Total electors: 14,70,952

Female electors: 6,99,948

Male electors: 7,71,004

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Assembly segment Jamnagar North was created after delimitation in 2008. Assembly segment Jodiya was dissolved in the delimitation exercise.

Assembly constituencies: Kalavad (SC), Jamnagar Rural, Jamnagar North, Jamnagar South, Jamjodhpur, Khambalia, Dwarka.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Chandresh Patel has been in the seat since 1989 but lost the seat to Congress Ahir Vikrambhai Arjanbhai Madaam in 2004. Madaam retained the seat till 2014 when BJP candidate and Vikrambhais niece, Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam came to power in the constituency.

Demographics: The constituency covers the entire district of Jamnagar. A Hindu-dominant region, Jamnagar district has a population of 21,60,119 people, as per Census 2011. It is dominated by three major caste groups: two lakh Patels (including Kadva and Leuva voters), 1.16 lakh Ahirs, and about 1 lakh Satvara voters. Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who recently joined the Congress, has expressed his interest in contesting the election from this seat.

13. Junagadh Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 13

Total electors: 14,85,543

Female electors: 7,13,526

Male electors: 7,72,017

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Visavadar Assembly segment was reconstituted following delimitation in 2008. Manglor and Kodinar Assembly segments were also made part of Junagadh parliamentary constituency, while Maliya was dissolved and Keshod dropped in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Junagadh, Visavadar, Mangrol, Somnath, Talala, Kodinar (SC), Una

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJP has retained the seat since 2009. In 2009, Dinubhai Boghabhai Solanki was the MP and in 2014, Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasma of the BJP beat Bhimabhai Vansh Punjbhai of the Congress.

Demographics: The constituency covers nearly the entire district of Junagadh. With a population of 27,43,082, the economy of the district thrives on cement, agriculture and power industries. It also has a sizeable Muslim population of 3.35 lakh persons as per Census 2011.

14. Amreli Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 14

Total electors: 14,86,286

Female electors: 7,08,624

Male electors: 7,77,662

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Babra Assembly segment was scrapped in 2008

Assembly constituencies: Dhari, Amreli, Lathi, Savarkundla, Rajula, Mahuva, Gariadhar

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: It has been a BJP bastion since 1991 but four-time MP Dileep Sanghani lost the seat to Congress Virijbhai Thummar in 2004. Since 2009, Thummar has lost to BJPs Narainbhai Kachchadiya twice.

Demographics: The constituency covers the entire district of Amreli and parts of Bhavnagar district. Amreli district, with a total population of 15,14,190 people, it has nearly 99,000 Muslims living. Patels in Amreli are prosperous and mostly engaged in the diamond and textile industries. The seat is likely to see a Congress versus BJP fight in the upcoming general election.

15. Bhavnagar Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 15

Total electors: 15,94,531

Female electors: 7,59,960

Male electors: 8,34,571

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Ghogha Assembly segment was dissolved to create a new seat, Bhavnagar Rural in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Talaja, Palitana, Bhavnagar Rural, Bhavnagar East, Bhavnagar West, Gadhda (SC), Botad.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has been a BJP stronghold since 1991. BJPs Rajendrasinh Ghanshyamsinh Rana was at its helm from 1996 to 2014. In 2014, saffron party candidate Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shiyal became the first woman MP of the seat, defeating Congress Pravinbhai Jinabhai Rathod.

Demographics: The constituency covers almost the entire district of Bhavnagar. Located in southeastern Gujarat, in the Saurashtra peninsula, it has a population of 28,80,365 people in the district. Though it is a Hindu-majority state (91.39 percent), the Muslim population stands at 2.13 lakh. The seven Assembly constituencies of Bhavnagar district have around 16.26 lakh voters. The largest caste group in the district is the Koli Patels, an OBC community with nearly 3.91 lakh voters. With 1.61 lakh voters, Patidars form the second largest caste group, followed by non-Rajput Kshatriyas with 1.05 lakh voters.

16. Anand Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 16

Total electors: 14,96,857

Female electors: 7,15,739

Male electors: 7,81,120

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Sarsa Assembly seat was dissolved due to delimitation.

Assembly constituencies: Khambat, Borsad, Anklav, Umreth, Anand, Petlad, Sojitra.

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: BJPs Dipakbhai Chimanbhai Patel held the seat in 1999 but had to forfeit the seat to Congress leader Bharatsinh Madhavsinh Solanki in 2004, who held on to the seat for a decade. He lost to BJPs Dilip Patel in the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Demographics: It covers the entire Anand district. Famous for Amul and the milk revolution, the district has a population of 20,92,745 people. A Hindu-majority constituency, 85.95 percent of the population follows the religion. It has a literacy rate of 72.12 percent.

17. Kheda Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 17

Total electors: 15,99,476

Female electors: 7,66,244

Male electors: 8,33,232

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. The seat was created in 2008 after the delimitation exercise. Chaklasi and Kathala segments were dissolved.

Assembly constituencies: Daskroi, Dholka, Matar, Nadiad, Mahemdabad, Mahudha, Kapadvanj

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Dinsha J Patel of the Congress won the seat in 2009 but lost it to BJPs Devusinh Jesinghbhai Chauhan.

Demographics: The constituency is spread across parts of Ahmedabad and Kheda district. Kheda district has a population of 22,99,885 people, comprising 11,85,727 males and 11,14,158 females. It has a literacy rate of 82.65 percent. The region is also known for tobacco farmers.

18. Panchmahal Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 18

Total electors: 15,76,667

Female electors: 7,56,437

Male electors: 8,20,230

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. The seat was created in 2008. Godhra and Kapadvanj Lok Sabha constituencies were dissolved and most of the area under it was included under Panchmahal.

Assembly constituencies: Thasra, Balasinor, Lunawada, Shehra, Morva Hadaf (ST), Godhra, Kalol

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Post the 2002-Godhra riots, BJP has been in power in the constituency. Prabhatsinh Pratapsinh Chauhan has been the sitting BJP MP since 2009.

Demographics: It is spread across parts of Kheda and Panchmahal districts. Panchmahal district receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Located in the eastern part of Gujarat, the district has a population of 23,90,776 people. Though a Hindu majority region, the district has more than 1.58 lakh Muslims. In Godhra Assembly segment, more than 1/3 of the voters are Muslims. Granite and sandstone mining also contribute majorly to the local economy.

19. Dahod Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 19

Total electors: 14,11,756

Female electors: 6,99,581

Male electors: 7,12,184

Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Tribes.

Delimited: Yes. Previously known as Dohad, Dahod parliamentary constituency came into existence in 2008. Santrampur Assembly segment was also added to the constituency and the Limbi Assembly segment was dissolved.

Assembly constituencies: Santrampur (ST), Fatepura (ST), Jhalod (ST), Limkheda (ST), Dahod (ST), Garbada (ST), Devgadbaria

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Congress leader Prabha Kishor Taviad won the seat in 2009. However, she lost the 2014 General Election to Jasvantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor.

Demographics: It covers the entire Dahod district and a part of Panchmahal district. Panchmahal district receives funding under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. The economy of the Dahod district has a weak agricultural base, with barely any advancement in manufacturing or technology sectors. Located in the western region of the state, the Hindu-majority district has a population of 21,27,086 people, and just 66,356 people are Muslims.

20. Vadodara Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 20

Total electors: 16,38,321

Female electors: 7,89,244

Male electors: 8,49,077

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. It was earlier known as Baroda Lok Sabha constituency.

Assembly constituencies: Savli, Vaghodia, Vadodara City (SC), Sayajigunj, Akota, Raopura, Manjalpur

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: A BJP stronghold, Balkrishna Khanderao Shukla became the MP in 2009. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contested from the seat and defeated Congress Madhusudan Mistry with a margin of 49.86% votes. However, winning the Varanasi seat in Uttar Pradesh as well, Modi decided to vacate the Vadodara seat. In the subsequent bypoll, BJPs Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt became the Vadodara MP.

Demographics: The constituency is spread across parts of Vadodara district. With a population of 41,65,626 people and dominated by Hindus, the district has more than 3.85 lakh Muslims as per the Census 2011.

21. Chhota Udaipur Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 21

Total electors: 15,36,305

Female electors: 7,38,145

Male electors: 7,98,160

Reserved: Yes, for Scheduled Tribes.

Delimited: No

Assembly constituencies: Halol, Chhota Udaipur (ST), Jetpur (ST), Sankheda (ST), Dabhoi, Padra, Nandod (ST)

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: In 1999, BJPs Ramsinh Rathawa won the seat but lost it to Congress Naranbhai Rathwa in 2004. However, Ramsinh staged his comeback in 2009, defeating Naranbhai. The BJP MP has been the sitting MP since 2009.

Demographics: It is spread across parts of Vadodara, Panchmahal and Narmada districts. Vadodara district has a heavy ST population of 11,49,901 tribals. The Congress has decided to field Ranjit Rathwa, son of sitting MLA from Chhota Udaipur and senior Congress leader Mohansinh Rathwa, in this Lok Sabha seat.

22. Bharuch Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 22

Total electors: 14,17,548

Female electors: 6,82,687

Male electors: 7,34,861

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes

Assembly constituencies: Karjan, Dediapada (ST), Jambusar, Vagra, Jhagadia (ST), Bharuch, Ankleshwar

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: A BJP bastion, the sitting MP has been Mansukhbhai Vasava since 1999.

Demographics: It covers parts of Vadodara, Narmada and the entire Bharuch district. Bharuch district has a population of 15,51,019 persons and comprises 76.6 percent Hindus and 22.1 percent Muslims. The seat reportedly also has the highest number of Muslim voters in the state. Narmada district also receives under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.

23. Bardoli Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 23

Total electors: 16,14,106

Female electors: 7,84,458

Male electors: 8,29,648

Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Tribes.

Delimited: Yes. The Mandvi Lok Sabha constituency was dissolved in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Mangrol (ST), Mandvi (ST), Kamrej, Bardoli (SC), Mahuva (ST), Vyara (ST), Nizar (ST)

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: The seat has alternated between Congress and BJP since 2009. In 2009, Tusharbhai Amarsinhbhai Chaudhari held the seat which he had to forfeit to BJPs Parbhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava.

Demographics: A tribal-dominated constituency, it is spread across parts of Surat district. At least 70 percent of the total voters in Bardoli belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The voters are equally divided among Chaudharys, Gamits, Vasavas, and Halpatis. Muslims reportedly account for 6 percent of the votes while Dodhiya Patels and migrants account for 50,000 to 25,000 votes, respectively. The economy of the constituency thrives on the sugar industry.

24. Surat Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 24

Total electors: 14,84,068

Female electors: 6,80,239

Male electors: 8,03,829

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes. Assembly segment Varachha Road and Karanj were created after the 2008 delimitation.

Assembly constituencies: Olpad, Surat East, Surat North, Varachha Road, Karanj, Katargam, Surat West

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Though Congress has been trying to crack its way through, the constituency has been a BJP bastion since 1989. Veteran BJP leader Kashiram Rana was the sitting MP till 2009. BJPs Darshana Vikram Jardosh became the first female MP in the seat in 2009 and retained the seat in 2014 as well.

Demographics: The constituency covers parts of Surat district. It has a population of 60,81,322 persons as per Census 2011. The seat has also seen prominent political figures such as former prime minister Morarji Desai. Surats economy thrives on the production of diamonds and textiles.

25. Navsari Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 25

Total electors: 17,64,622

Female electors: 7,92,532

Male electors: 9,72,090

Reserved: No

Delimited: Yes, the seat was created following the delimitation in 2008. Majura Assembly seat also was created after delimitation in 2008.

Assembly constituencies: Limbayat, Udhna, Majura, Choryasi, Jalalpore, Navsari, Gandevi (ST)

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: Since the constituencys formation, BJPs Chandrakant Raghunath Patil had been the MP.

Demographics: It covers parts of Navsari and Surat districts. Navsari district has a population of 13,29,672, of which 6,39,659 people belong to the scheduled tribes. The region also produces cotton and other crops such as millet and maize.

26. Valsad Lok Sabha Constituency

Constituency number: 26

Total electors: 15,12,061

Female electors: 7,36,988

Male electors: 7,75,073

Reserved: Yes. For Scheduled Tribes.

Delimited: Yes. It was earlier known as Bulsar. Gandevi (ST) Assembly seat went to Navsari parliamentary constituency.

Assembly constituencies: Dangs (ST), Vansda (ST), Dharampur (ST), Valsad, Pardi, Kaprada (ST), Umbergaon (ST).

Results in last four Lok Sabha elections: In 1999, BJPs Manibhai Ramjibhai Chaudhari won the seat but lost it to Kishanbhai Veshtabhai Patel of the Congress in 2004, who retained it till 2014. In 2014, he forfeited the seat to BJPs KC Patel. This Lok Sabha constituency is a closely watched one, as it is believed that the party which wins the seat generally comes to power at the Centre.

Demographics: The constituency covers the entire Valsad and Dangs districts and a part of Navsari district. A total of 94 percent of the Dangs district comprises scheduled tribes while in the tribal population in Valsad district is close to 55 percent. One of the poorest districts in the country, Dangs is a beneficiary under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.
The TDP leader said the party has in principle agreed to the Congress's request for support in the Lok Sabha elections.

Hyderabad: For the first time since its formation in 1982, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would not be fielding candidates in Telangana for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held on 11 April.

"We are not contesting in Telangana in the Lok Sabha elections," a senior TDP leader told PTI.

"The TRS has always tried to make sure that the TDP does not exist as a party in the state," he alleged.

It may be recalled that a large number of TDP leaders have switched over to the TRS in recent years which has weakened the party substantially.

The latest to join TRS was TDP politburo member Nama Nageswara Rao who would have been the party candidate from Khammam constituency.

Nageswara Rao who joined the TRS last week, is now its nominee from Khammam in the parliamentary polls.

TDP, the ruling party in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, has been opposing the BJP since its exit from the NDA on denial of special status to the state and other issues.

The TDP leader said the party has in principle agreed to the Congress's request for support in the Lok Sabha elections.

"... they (Congress) have sought our support. In principle, we have agreed," he said.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of party affairs in Telangana RC Khuntia Sunday appealed to TDP and other Opposition parties to support Congress where they have not fielded candidates.

"The AICC has decided to contest all the 17 seats. We have no formal alliance with any party in the state-level. For those seats where TJS, TDP, CPI and CPM and others have not fielded candidates, we appeal to them to extend support to the Congress nominees," he had told reporters Sunday.

TDP had been a formidable force in Telangana but, it ceded ground to the ruling TRS. The TDP had contested the Assembly elections in

Telangana in December 2018, as part of an alliance with the Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS).

While TDP and Congress secured two and 19 seats respectively in the 119-member House, the CPI and TJS drew a blank.
Lok Sabha Election 2019; Model Code of Conduct Watch: The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to BJP's Chandigarh candidate Kirron Kher, seeking a reply after she shared a video on Twitter in which children were seen campaigning for her.

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However, Sharma deleted the post later, but said that he did not understand why was the poll body was so "allergic" to a person cheering the heroic act of its soldiers and rejoicing over an act of national honour. "The Election Commission is biased against nationalist leaders like me," he said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Delhi BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma for putting up two posters featuring him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Facebook. The Commission asked him to take down the post and give a reply by Thursday.

Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Pratapgarh Lok Sabha constituency in-charge Ashok Tripathi was among 68 booked for poll code violation on Wednesday. A case was registered against Tripathi, divisional president Ajay Pasi, Kamlesh Verma and 65 unnamed people at Lalganj Kotwali on Wednesday evening, police said. On Saturday, sector magistrate Pradip Kumar reached Verma Nagar crossing where an election meeting was going on without permission. The organisers failed to produce any document to establish they had permission for the meeting, the police said

According to UT administration, a complaint was received on the C-vigil app on Wednesday, following which the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) took cognizance and thereafter issued notices for convening the election meetings at government properties Community Center in Sector 29, Ram Darbar in community centre at Sector 37, Chandigarh.

Show cause notices were issued to BJP's Chandigarh chief Sanjay Tandon , four BJP councillors, two nominated councillors and three officials of the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh on Wednesday for violating the model code of conduct. The notice asked the officials to reply within 24 hours as to why disciplinary action may not be taken against them.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday asked the Election Commission to take action against Congress President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by making unverified allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ANI reported . Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, We have requested the EC to take action against Rahul Gandhi for levelling unverified allegations against Narendra Modi on Wednesday in Ahmedabad, when the Model Code of Conduct is already in effect."

Congress registered it's first complaint MCC violation complaint with the Election Commission on Thursday. In Maharashtra, the party gave a written complaint to the chief electoral officer against government advertisements still displayed outside state transport buses, bus stops and petrol pumps. Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that despite the MCC coming into force, ST buses, bus stops and petrol pumps among other public places were displaying government advertisements. He said that the commission should ask the government about it and register a case of violation, and wrote a letter to the Maharashtra chief electoral officer (CEO) Ashwani Kumar for the same.

In a letter, the Goa NSUI president has said, The NSUI, Goa writes to you demanding: ban of the movie in theatres in states during the 'election silence' period that is two days prior to the day of voting and ban of the movie in the Lok Sabha Constituency where the prime minister would be contesting.

The NSUI demands a ban on the movie 48 hours prior to voting which is known as election silence where a party is not allowed to promote or campaign.

The National Students' Union of India  Goa, the Congress party's student wing, on Friday urged the Election Commission to ban the release of the Narendra Modi biopic, alleging that the movie was propaganda by the BJP to influence voters during the Lok Sabha elections.

Das's photographs allegedly appear on posters of schemes like the mid-day meal. The party also told the newspaper that tablets distributed to teachers under the Gyansetu initiative have Das's photograph on display and alleged that this too was a violation of the model code of conduct.

The Aam Aadmi Party's East Singhbhum wing) has written to the deputy commissioner of the Election Commission, alleging that posters of Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das were seen inside school campuses in the district, reported Times of India .

The notice also stated that comments on other political parties had been visible on boards put up along the sides of the e-rickshaw.

The notice issued to her states she had displayed her name in a poster on an e-rickshaw on which she travelled across city, on 14 March, reported ANI.

An assistant returning officer of Vidhan Sabha constituency 25, Jagdish Lal, has issued a notice for violation of the Model Code of Conduct on the mayor of Haridwar Municipal Corporation, Anita Sharma, reported Daily Pioneer.

It is the duty of the EC to conduct a fair election and protect democracy. The threatening by Delhi Police is still continuing even after MCC has come into force. The Delhi Police is acting like BJPs goons. We have asked that it should be stopped, he added. They (call centre) are not doing something proxy. AAP has hired them. AAP has an agreement with them, Sisodia clarified.

An AAP delegation lead by Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia met EC officials urging them to suspend three Delhi Police officials whom he accused of working on behalf of BJP As per BJPs directions, names of 24 lakh voters were stuck off voter list. We launched a campaign to get their name re-registered in the voter list. Delhi Police acting on behest of BJP has been raiding the call centre with whose help we did this campaign, Sisodia said. Delhi police is threatening the owner of the call centre that if you work for AAP, we will make you fall in line, Sisodia claimed.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday complained about the alleged harassment of the owner of a call centre by the Delhi Police on the "behest of BJP." The call centre was alleged to be hired by AAP to "help people whose names were allegedly stuck off the voters' list," ANI reported.

On 17 March, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera had told ANI: "Whenever farmers of this country and unemployed youths ask tough questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he hides behind terrorists and Pakistans intelligence agency ISI."

On 16 March, Khera had said that 'Modi' stood for 'Masood, Osama, Dawood and ISI' during a television debate, a comment which the Congress leader is facing flak for.

BJP has appealed to the Election Commission to take appropriate action under penal laws and election laws, for allegedly violating the MCC.

Calling it a blatant violation of the MCC, the BJP in its letter said: "Such speech amounts to a violation of the MCC. The MCC Manual 2019 under Chapter 4 Clause 4.4 prescribes no criticism of other parties or their workers on the basis of unverified allegations or on distortions."

The BJP in its letter to the Chief Electoral officer has asserted that 'comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with dreaded terrorists is not only unparliamentary but defamatory and deplorable.'

The BJP in its complaint has claimed that Khera, during a news channel's event, had stated that 'Modi stands for Masood Azhar, Osama, Dawood and ISI.'

Since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect on 10 March, the Delhi Police has also seized 82 unlicensed weapons, 2,113 live cartridges, 16,495 litres of illicit liquor and 94.337 kilograms of drugs.

Also, four FIRs have been registered against political parties , including two against AAP and one against the BJP, for violating the Model Code of Conduct.

Chief Electoral Office of Delhi Ranbir Singh said 90,937 posters, hoardings and banners had been removed from across the city on Monday. He added that 235 FIRs had been registered under the Excise Act and 242 people had been arrested for violating the Act.

"In order to secure votes, Chief Minister Rao has used illegal means and made statements against the Hindus of this country. He tried his level best to flare up religious tension and instigate the people of other religions against Hindus," claimed the VHP in its memorandum.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has approached Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar for action against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by "defaming" Hindus during a public meeting. The group has handed over a memorandum to Kumar, in which it has claimed that KCR had made many derogatory and defamatory statements against Hindus and tried to flare up "religious tension".

Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu on Monday accused Palladam AIADMK MLA A Natarajan of violating the Model Code of Conduct by inspecting a number of developmental projects in his constituency. They raised the issue at the all-party meeting organised by the district administration at the collectorate in Tirupur. CPM Tirupur district executive member N Gopalakrishnan also presented photos as evidence at the meeting. The District Revenue Office said it has yet to recieve a complaint.

The Ranchi district administration on Monday filed a poll code violation case against Union minister Jayant Sinha, who is an MP from Hazaribag. The case was filed on a complaint by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha that wrote to Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer L Khiangte, claiming that Sinha has used the convocation ceremony at IIM-Ranchi to publicise the BJP government's achievements, in gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In order to put a check on the poll irregularities and other malfunctions ahead and during the Lok Sabha elections, a 24x7 control room was opened at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Bhubaneswar on Friday. The control room would monitor activities like poll irregularities, model code of conduct (MCC) violation, and other violations such as the distribution of illegal inducements, black money and hate speech. The CEO office has issued a number 0674-2395015 for this purpose. Based on these complaints, the control room will direct the concerned authorities which will then spring into action to check the violation, reports said.

However, state BJP president Jitu Vaghani dismissed the complaint and said that there was no violation of the code of conduct. "The chief minister has certain rights. Election campaigns are not allowed (from government buildings), but it is his residence. Chief Minister's security... everything has to be considered. We are meeting and having discussions at the CM residence. Campaign or speeches are not being done," he said, according to a DNA report .

"The CM's official residence is a government building. Political activities are not allowed there when the model code of conduct is in force. BJP's meetings of 17 and 18 March for selection of candidates (for Lok Sabha elections) at the chief minister's residence are a violation of the code of conduct," Balubhai Patel, chairman of Gujarat Congress' election coordination committee, said in a complaint to the state's Chief Electoral Officer S Murali Krishna. Following the complaint, the CEO office directed the Gandhinagar collector to look into the matter and to submit a report.

The Gujarat Congress on Monday complained to the election authorities that BJP had violated the model code of conduct by holding meetings of its parliamentary panels at the Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's official residence.

The highest number of 85 complaints were received from Pune, followed by Thane (61), Solapur (44), Mumbai suburban (40), Mumbai city (39) and Nagpur (26). Most of the complaints pertained to banners being put up without permission, the official said.

The Maharashtra Chief Electoral Office has received as many as 400 complaints of MCC violations through its cVIGIL app, an official said Wednesday. "The local team gets an alert once the complaint is lodged, and our people reach the spot and verify the details. If the complaint is valid, we record the details and initiate an inquiry," the official added.

"The very title of the book and its display on the election poster is an open declaration by the candidate that he is Hindu. This is a subtle attempt aimed at exploiting Hindu religious sentiments. This is a gross violation of election rules and the Model Code of Conduct. Significantly, the poster was published and publicised after the election notification," the BJP's complaint read.

The Kerala BJP on Tuesday complained to the Chief Electoral Officer in Thiruvananthapuram, claiming that the posters put up by the Congress related to MP Shashi Tharoor's book Why Am I A Hindu violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The saffron party claimed APP had burned the manifestos to attack the BJP on the issue of full statehood to Delhi. "AAP leaders violated the MCC by either not seeking permission for such events from the Election Commission, or they sought permission for election meetings from the EC and misused this permission to violate the MCC by burning BJP's manifesto," read the letter written by SN Verma, co-convener of Delhi BJP's legal department.

The Delhi BJP on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office in the city, seeking action against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for allegedly "indulging in violent acts" and violating the MCC. The BJP claimed AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had burned copies of its 2014 manifesto on 13 March.

The BJP leader claimed he had not made the music video, and that media houses had covered it while he was recording of the song, WION reported.

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu said, ''We are keeping a close watch on media and through the surveillance, we came to know of the election campaign song of Babul Supriyo... This is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. We have issued a showcause notice to Babul Supriyo. He has to reply to the notice within 48 hours."

The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a showcause notice to BJP leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo for violating the MCC. The notice is related to a campaign song, which Supriyo allegedly promoted on electronic media and social media sites without a media certification from the EC. The Trinamool Congress had also registered a complaint against the song with the EC

He said that they did so "by publicising materials in a bid to appeal to religious sentiments of voters."

Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday wrote to the chief electoral officer (CEO) or Kerala in order to "file a complaint in relation to the malicious attempt by BJP and the Sabarimala Karma Samithi to vitiate free and fair polls in Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency."

Earlier in March, a BJP delegation comprising Ravi Shankar Prasad, JP Nadda and others had urged the EC to declare Bengal as a super sensitive zone while expressing apprehensions that the ruling TMC government might not allow free and fair elections to be held in West Bengal.

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation comprising Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Chandan Mitra approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday to lodge a complaint against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The TMC claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modis photo was being published on railway tickets as part of a government scheme, which, the party said, was in violation of the MCC. It urged the poll body to ensure that the pictures were taken off rail tickets.

The Cubbon Park police have booked Praveen, Abhilash and Raj under various sections of the Representation of People's Act and also under the Karnataka Police Act.

In a complaint to the police on 19 March, a flying squad official for the 163 Vidhana Sabha constituency, stated that actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj had used a mike and campaigned for elections at a public rally held at the Mahatma Gandhi Circle near MG Road on 12 March. The rally was organised by one Praveen K and Abhilash CS under the banner Media and Freedom of Expression and it was a non-political programme. Several writers, artists and activists attended the programme where Prakash Raj used the mike and began to canvass seeking votes, Murthy stated in his complaint. A whatsapp video footage as evidence of Raj speaking on the mike was handed over to police. However, by the time the flying squad reached the spot, the programme was over and people had dispersed. Permission was taken to conduct a non-political programme but Raj used it as a platform canvassing for the election. This amounts to violation of the model code of conduct, Murthy said in his complaint.

Twenty-nine FIRs have been registered against various political parties in Delhi so far, including three each against the AAP and the BJP, for violating the model code of conduct, Delhi's chief electoral officer said on Wednesday. Special CEO Satnam Singh said that the poll body has also removed more than 1.8 lakh hoardings, banners and posters since the enforcement of model code of conduct. Of the three FIRs registered against the AAP, one is related to using auto rickshaw for election campaign, Singh said. In most of the 29 cases, FIRs were registered against political parties for defacing public property, he said. Singh said 91 FIRs have been registered and 112 people arrested under the Arms Act since March 12 while police have seized 99 unlicensed weapons from them. As many as 296 FIRs have been registered and 302 violators arrested under the Excise Act, PTI reported.

21 March, Thursday | Three FIRs each against AAP, BJP so far for violating MCC in Delhi; 29 against all political parties

Mallikarjun Utture, the Expenditure Observer appointed by the Central Election Commission for the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru parliamentary seat , said on Wednesday that government officers should immediately suo motu register a case if there was any violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Utture said that the officers should act in such cases without waiting for the public to lodge a complaint. The officers should maintain a tight vigil to see that there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct during campaigning by political parties. The different teams and squads appointed for election purposes should ensure that there was no effort being made to induce or influence the voters.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhis interaction with students of a womens college in Chennai did not violate the model code of conduct (MCC), though it has sought a report on his speech. Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo said local election officials have reported that there was no violation in terms of permission obtained by Stella Maris College for Women to host the interaction on 13 March. He said the District Electoral Officer (DEO) had informed him that there was permission for Rahul's event. So, there is no violation of the MCC. However, Sahoo sought further information on Rahul's speech. Have sought further information on what kind of speech was given... have asked the DEO to give a report based on the speech content, he said.

Speaking to reporters after a Congress delegation met the Election Commission on Monday, Kapil Sibal said, "We represented to the EC that there is a film being made on Narendra Modi, to be released just a few days before election. It's purpose is political. Three producers and actor belong to BJP; the director is involved in 'Vibrant Gujarat' (investors' summit). This is violative of all norms."

Earlier Banerjee had filed a complaint against Supriyo on 20 March for the circulation of false, unverified and distorted news criticising his family members. On 24 March, Supriyo made another defamatory statement in public, Banerjee cited in the letter.

In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Banerjee said that Supriyo has maligned his image by levelling false and unverified allegations against him. Banerjee alleged that Supriyo on 24 March made a public statement against him which was "vindictive, libelous, and defamatory."

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Civil Aviation , asking them why the pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not removed from rail tickets and Air India boarding passes even after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. They've been asked to submit a reply within three days to the commission.

The Odisha Congress on Monday filed a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state against BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Puri Sambit Patra alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The Odisha Pradesh Congress in its complaint said that Patra violated MCC by holding the idol of Lord Jagannath in his hand during an election rally.

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday sent a notice to four producers of the upcoming film ' PM Narendra Modi '. Congress and the CPM had complained to the commission about the film's release, saying it's being done with political intent. EC had earlier sent notices to two newspapers on 20 March over publishing 'PM Narendra Modi' film's poster for promotions

Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi and producer of film 'PM Narendra Modi', Sandeep Singh arrived at the Election Commission in Delhi on Thursday after complaints were filed over the release of the movie and ban of its trailer in light of the Model Code of Code (MCC) being in force ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

The EC committee headed by Deputy Election Commissioner in charge of the MCC division Sandeep Saxena came to the conclusion that Modi's speech did not violate the guidelines because "he did not mention the BJP, nor did he appeal for votes" in the duration of his address.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on 'Mission Shakti' did not violate the Model Code of Conduct, the Election Commission announced on Friday, even as the Opposition had accused the prime minister of violations and "publicity mongering".

Cups sporting Main Bhi Chowkidar ads, the prime minister's pet campaign unveiled just before elections, were spotted at a Shatapdi train today. Tea was served in these paper cups but these were later withdrawn after some passengers brought this to the notice of railway officials and pictures of it became viral on social media.

Ministry of Railways reacted to the controversy over tea being served in Shatabdi train in 'Main bhi Chowkidar' cups. The railway officials said that the incident happened today but the cups were immediately withdrawn. The ministry said that these are not procured from any political party and penal action will be taken against the contractor, and the railways supervisor.

The office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has shot off a letter to head of departments, saying the projects that actually started on the ground after obtaining all necessary permission, before the poll code came into force, can be continued.

The Delhi poll body has received several complaints about the AAP government departments and BJP-ruled MCDs starting work on projects before the model code of conduct came into force, but seeking formal approvals later.

He said as per the FIR, based on the complaint of Mansur Chak Block Development Officer-cum-flying squad magistrate Shatrughan Rajak, Kanhaiya had addressed a public meeting in a village on Thursday without obtaining prior permission for the same from the authorities.  PTI

The case was lodged at Mansur Chak police station of the district under relevant sections of the Representation of People Act, SHO Arvind Kumar said.

Former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar's Begusarai as a CPI candidate, was booked for violation of Model Code of Conduct.

"Jokes apart, Sanjaykaka Patil has done a good job here in Miraj by getting funds for development of roads, highways, railways and other infrastructure," he added. - PTI

When someone from the crowd asked what would he give them if they got Patil re-elected, he said, "You will get five lakh rupees or even more."

Addressing a joint gathering of the BJP, Shiv Sena and RPI (A) workers Wednesday, Deshmukh purportedly said it was not going to be easy to retain the Sangli Lok Sabha seat, where the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sanjaykaka Patil.

"After ascertaining the facts, a complaint was registered at Miraj and Bhilwadi police stations," the CEO's office said in a release.

The Election Commission had received a complaint about the comments made by Deshmukh in Miraj on 27 March, it said.

A case has been registered against Prithviraj Deshmukh, Sangli district unit chief of the BJP, for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct, the office of Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer said Saturday.

According to Babu, the chief minister has moved a civil suit in the high court in connection with the issue and has obtained an injunction against certain people from making such statements.- PTI

He alleged that Stalin and the DMK with an intention to cause disrepute, to defame, and damage the name and reputation of Chief Minister K Palaniswami has been circulating video clips, making allegations linking the chief minister to the Kodanad Estate murder and robbery case.

RM Babu Murugavel submitted that the code of conduct prohibits levelling false statements by any candidate or his agent or any other person in public domain.

A spokesperson of the ruling AIADMK has approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the State Chief Electoral Officer for taking action on a complaint against DMK chief M K Stalin for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

This comes after the BJP leader (Choubey) was caught on camera while having a verbal altercation with Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) KK Upadhyay after the official had stopped his convoy for allegedly violating MCC. Giving clarifications over the incident, Choubey said, "I abide by the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), as I'm not the kind of guy who goes against the rules. But, I would like to mention that these people are stopping me from doing 'Chowkidari'. I will keep on raising my voice against them."

Following a verbal altercation between Union Minister Ashwini Choubey and a government official over alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct, an FIR has been lodged against 150 people including Choubey. The FIR also names BJP leader Rana Pratap Singh and various other leaders. The said 150 accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 'assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty'.

Singh courted controversy last week when he told reporters in Aligarh on 23 March that everyone wants Modi to win and that its necessary for the country. Hum sabhi log BJP ke karyakarta hai aur iss naatey se hum zaroor chahengey ke BJP vijai ho. Sab chahengey ek baar phir sey kendra mein Modiji pradhanmantri banein. Modiji ka pradhanmantri banna ye desh ke liye avashyak hai, samaaj ke liye avashyak hai (We are all BJP workers, so we will want the BJP to win. Everyone will want Modi to become PM again. Modi becoming PM is necessary for the nation and society), he had said.

The Election Commission has found Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singhs remark that Narendra Modi should be re-elected as the Prime Minister violative of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and the commission will write to President Ram Nath Kovind to bring it to his notice, The Indian Express reported.

"Congress ke log aatankwadiyon ko biryani khilate they aur Modi ji ki sena aatankwadiyon ko goli aur gola deti hai (Congress would feed biryani to terrorists, while Modi's army gives them bullets and bombs). This is the difference. The Congress people use 'ji' to refer to Masood Azhar to encourage terrorism," Adityanath had said at an election rally in Ghaziabad on Sunday.

The Election Commission on Monday took cognizance of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yodi Adityanath referring to the Indian Army as 'Modi ji ki sena'. The district magistrate of Ghaziabad has been asked to furnish a report in this regard, a functionary said. The report will be submitted to the office of chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh which has sought the details after taking cognizance of media reports in this regard.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation complaint against BJP accusing it of advertising on commercial taxis in the run-up to the general elections. AAP has alleged that some public service vehicles are being used for political advertisement by BJP and were spotted plying in Delhi. It also mentioned that such advertisement was in violation of the Delhi Transport Policy. Delhi Transport policy also forbids political advertisement through any vehicle which is being used for transporting passengers, the letter reads. In its letter, AAP has also given the number and image of a car which it claims was spotted on 2 April, carrying an advertisement of the BJP in Delhi.

Meanwhile, the producers of PM Narendra Modi, which is slated for release on Friday, have already replied to the poll panel's notice to them on the Oppositions' complaint against the film.

Earlier, Opposition parties had alleged "political intent" in the release of the Vivek Oberoi-starrer and had complained to the poll watchdog, claiming that 'PM Narendra Modi' would serve as an advertisement for the BJP. Till Tuesday, the Election Commission had been awaiting the BJP's reply to a plea by Opposition parties seeking to prevent its screening amid the ongoing poll process. Since the complaint to the commission had mentioned BJP in it, its copy was sent to the party for its reply.

The Election Commission has given its approval for the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reports said . News18 reported sources as saying that the Election Commission has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide on whether to allow the release of 'PM Narendra Modi'.

CEO Krishna said he has directed collectors of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to inquire into the matter. "I have received that complaint. I have directed collectors of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts to conduct an inquiry into the matter," he said.

On Saturday, Shah had addressed a gathering near Sardar Patel's statue in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad before participating in a 4 km-long road show from Naranpura to Ghatlodia. He then left for Gandhinagar to file his nomination papers. In its complaint, the Congress alleged that despite knowing that three big hospitals with emergency and trauma care are situated close to the Sardar Patel statue, loudspeakers were used during Shah's rally at the venue. Such use of the loud speakers near the hospitals is a clear violation of the model code of conduct, the party said.

The Gujarat Congress on Tuesday lodged a complaint of model code violation against BJP chief and party's Gandhinagar nominee Amit Shah's rally cum roadshow on 30 March alleging that loudspeakers were used near hospitals. In its complaint sent to Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Murali Krishna through fax, the Opposition party demanded necessary action against Shah for "violating" the poll code.

The Election Commission had sought a response from the ministry on the 24-hour TV channel 'NaMo TV' based on a complaint filed by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

In its reply, the information and broadcasting ministry told the polling watchdog that NaMo TV is not a licensed channel but a direct-to-home (DTH) advertisement platform, reported India Today.

Hema, who is re-contesting elections from Mathura, held a public rally in the premises of a government school in Chaumuha on Tuesday.

Mathura DM SR Mishra told ANI that permission was granted to BJP MP Hema Malini to hold a public meeting but not at a govt school premises. He said that if a violation of model code of conduct is found, a FIR will be registered against the concerned persons and appropriate action will be taken.

4 April, Thursday | Hema Malini did not have permission to conduct public meeting at govt school, action will be taken: Mathura DM

The Congress had questioned the decision to run the address in full. EC had asked DD News for complete information on coverage of various political parties and prominent leaders to assess whether there was any truth in Congress allegations of preferential treatment to the ruling party.

In response to a notice from the Election Commission of India, DD News is learnt to have defended its decision to run Prime Minister Narendra Modis 1.24-hour public address  Main Bhi Chowkidar  in full on 31 March on the grounds of its high news value". According to The Economic Times' report , DD News, in its response, has said that that various other private TV channels also ran the address in its entirety due to the same reason.

When contacted for his reaction, Joshi said "it is for the Election Commission to decide on the matter."

He alleged that the report was deliberately released at this point of time just to benefit the ruling TRS.

In a complaint to the EC on 6 April, G Niranjan, Convener,Election Commission Coordination Committee of state Congress, said Chief Secretary S K Joshi and other officials released the report on 5 April, "just five days before the elections, which is against the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)."

The Congress in Telangana has requested the Election Commission to take action against the Chief Secretary and government officials for allegedly violating the model code of conduct for the 11 April Lok Sabha polls by releasing a report on the governments achievements.

Singh had filed his nomination earlier on Monday in the presence of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Jabalpur. The district administration also registered a First Information Report report against eight people in this regard.

Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and Jabalpur candidate Rakesh Singh has been issued a show-cause notice for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct. The notice was issued to Singh for allegedly taking more than five people to the returning officer's room while filing nomination.

Baghel, who also holds the post of state Congress president, reached the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Subrat Sahoo along with senior party leaders and handed over the written complaint.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Monday lodged a complaint of alleged poll code violation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making statements about the Army and surgical strikes during his public meeting held in Balod district of the state on 6 April.

9 April | Addressing first-time voters, Narendra Modi invokes Pulwama attack, Balakot air strikes at Latur rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct on Tuesday, by appealing to first-time voters in Maharashtras Latur to vote for the BJP government for carrying out the Balakot air strikes against Pakistan reportedly as a response to Pulwama terror attack that killed over 40 CRPF soldiers in February. Addressing a rally in Latur, where he shared the stage with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Modi urged first-time voters to exercise their franchise carefully. You will remember you first vote for all of your life. Would you dedicate your first vote to the brave soldiers who conducted the Balakot air strikes in Pakistan? Would your first vote honour the CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack? Modi said. Through a notification dated 9 March, the Election Commission (EC) had asked political parties to not use the armed forces for political advertisements or campaigns. The Armed Forces of a nation are the guardian of its frontiers, security and political system. They are apolitical and neutral stakeholders in a modern democracy. It is therefore necessary that political parties and leaders exercise great caution while making any reference to the armed forces in their political campaigns. The Commission is of the view that photographs of Chief of Army Staff or any other Defence personnel and photographs of functions of Defence Forces should not be associated with or used in any manner in advertisement/propaganda/campaigning or in any other manner in connection with elections by political parties and candidates, the EC had said in the notification. The prime minister had allegedly violated the MCC last month as well while addressing the nation after the successful completion of the A-SAT test by the DRDO.

The Meerut District Magistrate is expected to file a report on the matter by 11 am on Wednesday.

The BJP leader said Dalit-Muslim unity is impossible, and in Bareilly, he accused Mayawati of hurting Dalit sentiments with her call to Muslim voters at a rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. "Agar Congress, SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP ko Ali par vishwaas hai, toh humein bhi Bajrangbali par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali)," the BJP leader said at an election meeting in Meerut.

Attacking Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati for recently appealing to Muslims to vote for the Opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said now the Hindus have no option but to vote for the BJP.

The Election Commission has taken cognisance of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's remarks at Meerut on Tuesday, with which he seemed to suggest that Hindu and Muslim voters were in an Ali-Bajrangbali contest.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday sent a notice to Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao for violation of Model Code of Conduct over his derogatory remark against Hindus at a public rally in Karimnagar on 17 March, PTI reported. The Commission has produced his remarks in Telugu but did not give English translation of the same. "... the Commission is, prima facie, of the opinion that by making the aforesaid statement which has the potential of disturbing the harmony and aggravating existing differences between social and religious communities, and appealing to communal feelings, you have violated the ... the Model Code of Conduct," the notice served Tuesday said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is learned to have directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi to ensure that the contents of NaMo TV are pre-certified by the local media certification and monitoring committee. The EC has also asked the CEO to inform whether the political contents were at any time cleared by the certification committee. The commission has ruled that the channel which touted as BJPs purported advertising portal carried by DTH operators, should be subjected to content certification regime, like all other political advertisements during the poll code period.

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday stalled the release of PM Narendra Modi, a day before it was set to hit theatres. The election watchdog has ruled that no biopics can be released during elections as the political content in such movies "threaten level playing field".

District poll authorities issued her with a show cause notice. The Election Commission in Delhi is also examining the transcript of the minister's speech, which was condemned by the Congress.

In a controversial remark, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has told Muslims to vote for her as they will need her once the Lok Sabha elections are over. We are not Mahatma Gandhi's children that we keep giving and not get anything in return, she said in Sultanpur's Muslim-dominated Turabkhani area on Thursday.

A case registered against her under the 171-D and 171-F of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the Kopar Khairane police station. 58-year-old Mhatre had won the Belapur assembly seat on BJP ticket in the 2014 assembly election in Maharashtra.

A case was registered against BJP MLA Manda Mhatre for allegedly violating MCC. Mhatre was accused of flouting Election Commission's norms by requesting voters to cast their ballots twice in favour of Rajan Baburao Vichare, a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from Thane Lok Sabha constituency, while campaigning for him on 13 April.

BJP also complained against Congress spokesperson Sunil Kauthankar for allegedly violating MCC "while addressing a press conference, wherein he has grossly misinterpreted the statement of BJP national president Amit Shah and has tried to spread lies."

Goa BJP complained to the Election Commission (EC) against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by propagating fear-mongering among Christian and Muslim community at a public meeting. Kejriwal was in Goa on 13 April to address a public meeting at Margao in south Goa. "Arvind Kejriwal has blatantly violated MCC by way of inciting religious sentiments in his speech," read the letter. "Arvind Kejriwal has been reported to have made utterances such as 'Mob lynching taking place in the country under the guise of cattle theft is actually organised murder," said the complaint. "He also tried to propagate fear-mongering among the Christian and Muslim community by his utterance that 'Christian and Muslim will be driven into the sea under the guise of infiltrators," it read.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was seen visiting a temple on Tuesday morning, a day after the Election Commission  citing Article 324 of the Constitution  barred him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print and social media) in connection with the ongoing Lok Sabha election. He was handed a 72-hour ban for delivering a communal or hate speech during one of his rallies. Though the BJP leader did not defy the ban by participating in a poll campaign, he did violate the spirit of election by making a public visit to the temple.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Gujarat Ramesh Katara on Tuesday reportedly told villagers at a rally in Dahod constituency that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has installed cameras in polling booths and he will come to know who votes for whom in the Lok Sabha elections. Katara has been served a show-cause notice by the Dahod collector and district election officer VL Kharadi for his remarks and also notice by the Election Commission (EC) for violation of MCC.

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP has written to the Election Commission demanding an FIR against Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh and Waqar Rasool Wani for allegedly violating the model code of conduct, ANI reported.

The Election Commission has taken cognisance of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who died during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, met his untimely death due to bad karma, and ordered an enquiry into the same. Thakur on Friday had said that the former ATS met his unfortunate fate because he had "tortured" her during the investigation of the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A complaint was filed against the BJP candidate from Bhopal with the Madhya Pradesh EC hours after she made the controversial statement.

The poll panel pointed out that an FIR has already been lodged against him in Bihar's Kathiar under some sections of the penal code and section 123 of the Representation of the People Act.

The Punjab minister has been asked to respond within 24 hours, failing which the EC will take a decision without further reference to him.

The EC said prima facie he has violated provisions of the model code of conduct, election law and a Supreme Court direction asking politicians not to mix religion with political discourse while electioneering.

The Election Commission on Saturday issued a showcause notice to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his remarks in which he allegedly warned the Muslim community that efforts were on to divide their votes in Bihar.

Singhvi alleged the EC hesitates in taking action against one-two persons sitting on top posts. He said: "The EC listens to us. They act on our request. It is, however, unfortunate that the EC hesitates in taking action against one-two people sitting on tops posts of the country."

He also expressed his disappointment over the ECIs inaction on another complaint earlier submitted by the Congress against Modi for allegedly violating the MCC by citing the services at a rally in Maharashtra on 9 April. "It is very distressing and sad that the very credibility of an independent police force of the elections is at stake. We showed the EC a video of Modis campaigning. We have demanded a ban on him for 48 to 72 hours from campaigning, and also on Shah," he said.

A Congress delegation led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi met the Election Commission officials and sought action against Modi for holding a procession after casting his vote on Tuesday in Ahmedabad. They also requested the EC to act against Shah for repeatedly citing the services of armed forces in his election rallies. "The Prime Minister is violating the Model Code Conduct (MCC) shamelessly and advertently. He made political statements, held a procession after casting his votes today," Singhvi told reporters. The Congress spokesman said: "On Monday we had filed a written complaint to the EC that Modi would violate the Model Code of Conduct by holding a procession after casting his vote." Singhvi termed Modi as a "habitual, egregious and completely uncaring offender".

The Congress party on Tuesday sought to impose 48 to 72 hours ban on campaigning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The party has requested the ECI and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shailendra Kumar to take appropriate action against the three leaders under the rules and regulations governing MCC and relevant provisions of Representation of the People Act, 1951. BJP has further requested the ECI to debar Azad from campaigning for Congress in the country.

The BJP, in a complaint filed on Thursday, accused Waqar Rasool Wani, who was campaigning for Congress' candidate from Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency Vikramaditya Singh, of violating MCC by campaigning on polling day and requesting voters of a particular religion to vote for their party. In the audio clip, a copy of which has been sent to the ECI, Wani could be heard saying that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is currently campaigning in Kerala, called him up and directed him to appeal to the voters of the erstwhile Doda region belonging to particular community to cast their votes on communal lines, BJP claimed.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding FIR against Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh and an ex-MLA of Banihal town for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The Election Commission has taken cognisance of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who died during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, met his untimely death due to bad karma, and ordered an enquiry into the same. Thakur on Friday had said that the former ATS met his unfortunate fate because he had "tortured" her during the investigation of the 2008 Malegaon blast case. A complaint was filed against the BJP candidate from Bhopal with the Madhya Pradesh EC hours after she made the controversial statement.

The poll panel pointed out that an FIR has already been lodged against him in Bihar's Kathiar under some sections of the penal code and section 123 of the Representation of the People Act.

The Punjab minister has been asked to respond within 24 hours, failing which the EC will take a decision without further reference to him.

The EC said prima facie he has violated provisions of the model code of conduct, election law and a Supreme Court direction asking politicians not to mix religion with political discourse while electioneering.

The Election Commission on Saturday issued a showcause notice to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his remarks in which he allegedly warned the Muslim community that efforts were on to divide their votes in Bihar.

While addressing a rally in Jalna on Sunday, BJP leader Pankaja Munde said: "We did surgical strike after cowardly attack on our soldiers (by Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama). Some peole ask what was surgical strike and what's the evidence? I say we should've attached a bomb to Rahul Gandhi and should have sent him to another country. Then they would have understood."

The Election Commission found Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu guilty of violating model code of conduct for appealing for Muslim votes. It has banned him from campaigning for 72 hours.

Singhvi alleged the EC hesitates in taking action against one-two persons sitting on top posts. He said: "The EC listens to us. They act on our request. It is, however, unfortunate that the EC hesitates in taking action against one-two people sitting on tops posts of the country."

He also expressed his disappointment over the ECIs inaction on another complaint earlier submitted by the Congress against Modi for allegedly violating the MCC by citing the services at a rally in Maharashtra on 9 April. "It is very distressing and sad that the very credibility of an independent police force of the elections is at stake. We showed the EC a video of Modis campaigning. We have demanded a ban on him for 48 to 72 hours from campaigning, and also on Shah," he said.

A Congress delegation led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi met the Election Commission officials and sought action against Modi for holding a procession after casting his vote on Tuesday in Ahmedabad. They also requested the EC to act against Shah for repeatedly citing the services of armed forces in his election rallies. "The Prime Minister is violating the Model Code Conduct (MCC) shamelessly and advertently. He made political statements, held a procession after casting his votes today," Singhvi told reporters. The Congress spokesman said: "On Monday we had filed a written complaint to the EC that Modi would violate the Model Code of Conduct by holding a procession after casting his vote." Singhvi termed Modi as a "habitual, egregious and completely uncaring offender".

The Congress party on Tuesday sought to impose 48 to 72 hours ban on campaigning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Taking a jibe at the poll panel, he said the Congress is saddened to say that it seems that from the second word of Election Commission, 'C' has been dropped, and it has become "Election Omission" for the Modi-Shah duo.

"We have a right to approach the courts seeking action over model code violations... we can exercise that option... the mega policeman has turned a blind eye," Singhvi said, adding that silence can be construed as approval.

The two leaders have "cheated" on the issue of level playing field for all parties during elections and questioned the "silence of mega policeman" Election Commission (EC), Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged at a press conference.

Alleging that the Model Code of Conduct has become "Modi code of conduct", the Congress on Saturday questioned the EC's "silence" over poll code "violations" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and said it may approach courts to seek action against the duo.

Satti said that the alleged speech was circulated on social and print media by the Congress party workers who intended to malign and rapture of his image.

In his reply to Mandi District Electoral Officer, he said, "I was not having any political vendetta or intention against any of the workers or leaders of any of the political party/opponents. I never made any false, derogatory or inciting remarks, as alleged in the notice under reply. Moreover, the wording of my speech was taken otherwise by press correspondents," he added.

"Our leaders are sitting on the dais. If anyone dares to raise their finger, we would chop their hands off. We are not nincompoops. We are not a group of stupid people," Satti had said addressing a rally in Mandi on Wednesday.

Himachal Pradesh BJP president Satpal Singh Satti on Saturday replied to the Election Commission's notice over his "will chop off hands of those who point fingers at BJP leaders" remark and denied making any false, inciting or derogatory remark.

Kejriwal said even Pakistan wants to divide India and accused BJP of fulfilling Pakistans agenda. "The BJP is fulfilling Pakistan's agenda of dividing India," he added.

"Can it be done, is it possible. At least 20-25 crore people come from these religions. So I want to ask Amit Shah what is your plan. Are you going to throw all these people, throw them in the Pacific Ocean or would they be mob lynched? What will be done with all these people," Kejriwal had asked.

Quoting Shah's tweet, Kejriwal said this means the BJP's plan is to remove all religions except Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs from the country.

"He has made the highly provocative speech which has the tone and tenor to aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred between different religious communities, and thus violative of provisions of MCC. That such statements that have the undertone and propensity to polarize the elections" the BJP's letter to the EC said.

"Arvind Kejriwal with the sole intention of creating panic and mutual hatred between the communities made a deliberate and false statement. Kejriwal is trying to mislead the people of India by saying that BJP considers Muslims, Christians, Jains, Parsis and other minorities in India as infiltrators..," read the complaint.

Shah had in his tweet had said: "We will remove every single infiltrator from the country except Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs".

The BJP has written to Election Commission of India (EC) alleging that Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal had violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) with his statement related to a tweet by BJP president Amit Shah.

Kher later said she has sent her reply to the EC.

The EC had subsequently instructed that it should be ensured by all political parties and election officials that children are not involved in any election-related activity, as per the notice.

In the notice, it was mentioned that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in January, 2017 had requested the EC to ensure that children are not involved in any form with election-related activities, by either election officials or political parties.

"You have shared a video on your Twitter account which shows that children are being used for election campaign in your favour through slogan 'Vote for Kirron Kher' and 'Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar'," the notice issued on 3 May said.

However, in her reply, Kher said it was done "unintentionally", acknowledging that it was "wrong".

The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to BJP's Chandigarh candidate Kirron Kher, seeking a reply after she shared a video on Twitter in which children were seen campaigning for her.

Lok Sabha Election 2019; Model Code of Conduct Watch: The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice to BJP's Chandigarh candidate Kirron Kher, seeking a reply after she shared a video on Twitter in which children were seen campaigning for her.

However, in her reply, Kher said it was done "unintentionally", acknowledging that it was "wrong". The poll panel had asked the actor-turned-politician to reply within 24 hours.

"You have shared a video on your Twitter account which shows that children are being used for election campaign in your favour through slogan 'Vote for Kirron Kher' and 'Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar'," the notice issued on 3 May said.

Alleging that the Model Code of Conduct has become "Modi code of conduct", the Congress on Saturday questioned the EC's "silence" over poll code "violations" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, and said it may approach courts to seek action against the duo.

The two leaders have "cheated" on the issue of level playing field for all parties during elections and questioned the "silence of mega policeman" Election Commission (EC), Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged at a press conference.

The Congress party on Tuesday sought to impose 48 to 72 hours ban on campaigning by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

A Congress delegation led by Abhishek Manu Singhvi met the Election Commission officials and sought action against Modi for holding a procession after casting his vote on Tuesday in Ahmedabad. They also requested the EC to act against Shah for repeatedly citing the services of armed forces in his election rallies.

The Election Commission found Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu guilty of violating model code of conduct for appealing for Muslim votes. It has banned him from campaigning for 72 hours from 10 am on Tuesday.

BJP leader Pankaja Munde said on Monday that a bomb should be tied around Congress president Rahul Gandhi and sent to the neighbouring country for questioning surgical strikes.

While addressing a rally in Jalna on Sunday, Munde said: "We did surgical strike after cowardly attack on our soldiers (by Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama). Some peole ask what was surgical strike and what's the evidence? I say we should've attached a bomb to Rahul Gandhi and should have sent him to another country. Then they would have understood."

The Election Commission on Saturday issued a showcause notice to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his remarks in which he allegedly warned the Muslim community that efforts were on to divide their votes in Bihar.

The Election Commission has taken cognisance of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who died during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, met his untimely death due to bad karma, and ordered an enquiry into the same. Thakur on Friday had said that the former ATS met his unfortunate fate because he had "tortured" her during the investigation of the 2008 Malegaon blast case

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding FIR against Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh and an ex-MLA of Banihal town for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the state.

The BJP, in a complaint filed on Thursday, accused Waqar Rasool Wani, who was campaigning for Congress' candidate from Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency Vikramaditya Singh, of violating MCC by campaigning on polling day and requesting voters of a particular religion to vote for their party.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Gujarat Ramesh Katara on Tuesday reportedly told villagers at a rally in Dahod constituency that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has installed cameras in polling booths and he will come to know who votes for whom in the Lok Sabha elections. Katara has been served a show-cause notice by the Dahod collector and district election officer VL Kharadi for his remarks and also notice by the Election Commission (EC) for violation of MCC.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was seen visiting a temple on Tuesday morning, a day after the Election Commission  citing Article 324 of the Constitution  barred him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print and social media) in connection with the ongoing Lok Sabha election. He was handed a 72-hour ban for delivering a communal or hate speech during one of his rallies. Though the BJP leader did not defy the ban by participating in a poll campaign, he did violate the spirit of election by making a public visit to the temple.

Goa BJP complained to the Election Commission (EC) against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by propagating fear-mongering among Christian and Muslim community at a public meeting. Kejriwal was in Goa on 13 April to address a public meeting at Margao in south Goa, where, BJP alleged, the AAP leader said that "Christian and Muslim will be driven into the sea under the guise of infiltrators".

The Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) ordered an inquiry into an alleged hate speech given by a Christian priest against the BJP following a complaint from the party. A video of the priest from South Goa addressing some people inside a church had gone viral in which the priest, speaking in Konkani, is seen criticising the BJP, party president Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and late Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

A case was registered against BJP MLA Manda Mhatre for allegedly violating MCC. Mhatre was accused of flouting Election Commission's norms by requesting voters to cast their ballots twice in favour of Rajan Baburao Vichare, a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) from Thane Lok Sabha constituency, while campaigning for him on 13 April.

In a controversial remark, Union minister Maneka Gandhi has told Muslims to vote for her as they will need her once the Lok Sabha elections are over. We are not Mahatma Gandhi's children that we keep giving and not get anything in return, she said in Sultanpur's Muslim-dominated Turabkhani area on Thursday.

District poll authorities issued her with a show cause notice. The Election Commission in Delhi is also examining the transcript of the minister's speech, which was condemned by the Congress.

The Election Commission of India on Wednesday stalled the release of PM Narendra Modi, a day before it was set to hit theatres. The election watchdog has ruled that no biopics can be released during elections as the political content in such movies "threaten level playing field".

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh wrote to the Election Commission over the 'shockingly disgraceful' invocation of the Balakot air strikes and Pulwama terror attack during his speech in Maharashtra's Latur on 9 April.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is learned to have directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi to ensure that the contents of NaMo TV are pre-certified by the local media certification and monitoring committee. The EC has also asked the CEO to inform whether the political contents were at any time cleared by the certification committee. The commission has ruled that the channel which touted as BJPs purported advertising portal carried by DTH operators, should be subjected to content certification regime, like all other political advertisements during the poll code period.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday sent a notice to Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao for violation of Model Code of Conduct over his derogatory remark against Hindus at a public rally in Karimnagar on 17 March, ANI reported.

The commission also issued show cause notices to producers of two TV serials following allegations that the shows were violating the Model Code of Conduct by promoting various government schemes.

The Election Commission has taken cognizance of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's remarks at Meerut on Tuesday, with which he seemed to suggest that Hindu and Muslim voters were in an "Ali-Bajrangbali" contest. "If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali," the BJP leader said at an election meeting. The Meerut District Magistrate is expected to file a report on the matter by 11 am on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct on Tuesday, by appealing to first-time voters in Maharashtras Latur to vote for the BJP government for carrying out the Balakot air strikes against Pakistan reportedly as a response to Pulwama terror attack that killed over 40 CRPF soldiers.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel Monday lodged a complaint of alleged poll code violation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making statements about the Army and surgical strikes during his public meeting held in Balod district of the state on 6 April.

The Madhya Pradesh BJP chief and Jabalpur candidate Rakesh Singh has been issued a show cause notice for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The notice was for allegedly taking more than five people to the returning officer's room while filing his nomination.

The Tripura unit of the Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), seeking the immediate arrest of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for allegedly spreading communal hatred in the state.

A case was registered against BSP leader Omar Ali Khan and his supporters for violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) as they carried out a procession on the road without permission and misbehaved with the SDM.

In response to a notice from the Election Commission of India, DD News is learnt to have defended its decision to run Prime Minister Narendra Modis 1.24-hour public address  Main Bhi Chowkidar  in full on 31 March on the grounds of its high news value".

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chairperson and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar, on Thursday threatened to take action against the Election Commission of India (ECI) if his party is voted to power. While addressing a public gathering at Yavatmal, Ambedkar called the Election Commission biased and slammed the organisation for directing political parties to not talk about the terror attack in Pulwama.

The Congress had questioned the decision to run the address in full. EC had asked DD News for complete information on coverage of various political parties and prominent leaders to assess whether there was any truth in Congress allegations of preferential treatment to the ruling party.

The District Magistrate of Mathura has said that BJP MP Hema Malini did not have permission to conduct a public meeting at a government school and appropriate action would be taken in the matter if MCC violation is found. Hema, who is re-contesting elections from Mathura, held a public rally in the premises of a government school in Chaumuha on Tuesday.

In its reply to the Election Commission, the information and broadcasting ministry told the polling watchdog that NaMo TV is not a licensed channel but a direct-to-home (DTH) advertisement platform, reported India Today. The Election Commission has sought a response from the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry on the 24-hour TV channel 'NaMo TV' based on a complaint filed by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The Madhya Pradesh Election Commission has sent a notice to Congress for using the Rafale issue in poll advertisements as the matter is sub-judice. EC has ordered Congress to take down the six advertisements using Rafale issue as a campaign plank of the party, India Today reporte

The Gujarat Congress on Tuesday lodged a complaint of model code violation against BJP chief and party's Gandhinagar nominee Amit Shah's rally cum roadshow on 30 March alleging that loudspeakers were used near hospitals. In its complaint sent to Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Murali Krishna through fax, the Opposition party demanded necessary action against Shah for "violating" the poll code.

The Election Commission (EC) has given its approval for the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reports said. News18 reported sources as saying that the Election Commission has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to decide on whether to allow the release of 'PM Narendra Modi'.

Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday told the Election Commission that his comment son Congress' Nyay scheme were made in his personal capacity as an economist and should not be interpreted as Niti Aayogs stand on the Congress announcement. The Election Commission had pulled up Kumar for targeting Congress's minimum income guarantee scheme, NYAY during a media interview. Speaking to India Today, Kumar had said that the Congress has made the announcement only for the sake of winning the elections. "This is the worst kind of vote politics," he said.

BJP MP from Mathura Hema Malini, who is re-contesting elections from the seat, may face a case of MCC violation for holding a public rally in the premises of a government school in Chaumuha on Tuesday, The Times of India reported.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) filed a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation complaint against BJP accusing it of advertising on commercial taxis in the run-up to the general elections. AAP alleged that some public service vehicles are being used for political advertisement by BJP and were spotted plying in Delhi.

The Election Commission took cognizance of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yodi Adityanath referring to the Indian Army as 'Modi ji ki sena'. The district magistrate of Ghaziabad has been asked to furnish a report in this regard, a functionary said. The report will be submitted to the office of the chief electoral officer of Uttar Pradesh which has sought the details after taking cognizance of media reports in this regard.

A case was registered against Samajwadi Party's Badaun candidate Dharmendra Yadav and three others for allegedly violating the model code of conduct. Yadav had apparently used a convoy of cars for campaigning. A video of the incident had also gone viral on social media. A case was registered and the matter is being investigated further.

The Election Commission found Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singhs remark that Narendra Modi should be re-elected as the Prime Minister violative of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The commission will write to President Ram Nath Kovind to bring it to his notice, The Indian Express reported. Singh had courted controversy last week when he told reporters in Aligarh that everyone wants Modi to win and that its necessary for the country that he is re-elected.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was also served a notice by the Election Commission on Monday for his editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana in which he made reference to tampering of EVMs in Begusarai. Raut has been asked to give a clarification by 3 April to the notice issued by Mumbai District Election Officer Shivaji Jondhale.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wrote to the Election Commission on Monday complaining against the recently-launched "NaMo TV", asking the poll panel if political parties having TV channels was in adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party asked the EC if the BJP had sought approval for the launch of the channel, which has Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph on its logo and runs all his speeches.

Following a verbal altercation between Union Minister Ashwini Choubey and a government official over alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct, an FIR has been lodged against 150 people including Choubey. The FIR also names BJP leader Rana Pratap Singh and various other leaders. The said 150 accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 'assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty'.

A video had surfaced on Sunday purportedly showing Choubey, on the front seat of a vehicle, furiously reacting to the official who attempted to apprise the Union minister about Election Commission's order.

Former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar's Begusarai as a CPI candidate, was booked for violation of Model Code of Conduct.

Ministry of Railways reacted to the controversy over tea being served in Shatabdi train in 'Main bhi Chowkidar' cups. The railway officials said that the incident happened today but the cups were immediately withdrawn. The ministry said that these are not procured from any political party and penal action will be taken against the contractor, and the railways supervisor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on 'Mission Shakti' did not violate the Model Code of Conduct, the Election Commission announced on Friday, even as the Opposition had accused the prime minister of violations and "publicity mongering".

Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi and producer of film 'PM Narendra Modi', Sandeep Singh arrived at the Election Commission in Delhi on Thursday after complaints were filed over the release of the movie and ban of its trailer in light of the Model Code of Code (MCC) being in force ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday sent a notice to four producers of the upcoming film 'PM Narendra Modi'. Congress and the CPM had complained to the commission about the film's release, saying it's being done with political intent. EC had earlier sent notices to two newspapers on 20 March over publishing 'PM Narendra Modi' film's poster for promotions.

The Odisha Congress on Monday filed a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state against BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Puri Sambit Patra alleging a violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The Odisha Pradesh Congress in its complaint said that Patra violated MCC by holding the idol of Lord Jagannath in his hand during an election rally.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has written to the Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Civil Aviation, asking them why the pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were not removed from rail tickets and Air India boarding passes even after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. They've been asked to submit a reply within three days to the commission.

After a Congress delegation met the Election Commission on Monday, Kapil Sibal told reporters, "We represented to the Election Commission that there is a film being made on Narendra Modi, to be released just a few days before election. It's purpose is political. Three producers and actor belong to BJP; the director is involved in 'Vibrant Gujarat' (investors' summit). This is violative of all norms."

Karnataka Congress has asked the Election Commission to allow political parties to pre-view the biopic on Narendra Modi.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhis interaction with students of a womens college in Chennai did not violate the model code of conduct (MCC), though it has sought a report on his speech.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer against cabinet minister Vijay Inder Singla for allegedly influencing voters of Sangrur by misusing his official position. Cheema alleged Singla had violated the model code of conduct by trying to induce voters by sanctioning funds worth crores for the repair of government schools.

Actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj was booked by the Cubbon Park Police for violating the Model Code of Conduct as he was accused of using a mike and campaigning for elections at a public rally held at the Mahatma Gandhi Circle in Bangalore on 12 March.

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation comprising Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, and Chandan Mitra approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday to lodge a complaint against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modis photo was being published on railway tickets as part of a government scheme, which, the party said, was in violation of the MCC.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday wrote to the chief electoral officer (CEO) or Kerala in order to "file a complaint in relation to the malicious attempt by BJP and the Sabarimala Karma Samithi to vitiate free and fair polls in Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency."

He said that they did so "by publicising materials in a bid to appeal to religious sentiments of voters."

The Delhi BJP on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Office in the city, seeking action against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for allegedly "indulging in violent acts" and violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The BJP claimed AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had burned copies of its 2014 manifesto on 13 March.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India issued a showcause notice to BJP leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo for violating the MCC. The notice is related to a campaign song, which Supriyo allegedly promoted on electronic media and social media sites without a media certification from the EC. The Trinamool Congress had also registered a complaint against the song with the EC.

In Kerala, the BJP complained to the Chief Electoral Officer in Thiruvananthapuram, claiming that the posters put up by the Congress related to MP Shashi Tharoor's book Why Am I A Hindu violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Tharoor, however, claimed they were not election posters.

Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer S Murali Krishna has ordered an inquiry after the Congress, on Monday, filed a complaint alleging that the BJP had violated the MCC by holding a meeting of the party's state parliamentary board at Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's official residence. The Congress pointed out that the chief minister's official residence in Gandhinagar is a government property, and no political activity is permitted from a government premises when the poll code is in force.

meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) on Monday rescinded transfers ordered by the districts assistant commissioner in violation of the model code of conduct, after the state government questioned the reshuffle affected despite standing directions.

On the other hand, after last week's takedown notification to Facebook, the EC called all social media platforms including Google, Twitter, Whatsapp, ShareChat and Tiktok for a meet to discuss over their violative social media content, ad policy and response time over complaints on Tuesday. The meet comes in wake of confusion over ECs first takedown notice to Facebook regarding a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation on 13 March.

A delegation led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Election Commission Coordination Committee convenor G Niranjan complained to the CEO on MCC violation by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for inviting Congress leader and former home minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and her sons to his camp office on 13 March for deliberations and reportedly influencing them to joins TRS.

BJD accused BJP of violating the Model Code of Conduct by allegedly shifting the Railway Electrification Board unit from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru on 13 March after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates. Whereas, in order to put a check on the poll irregularities and other malfunctions ahead and during the Lok Sabha elections, a 24x7 control room was opened at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

BJPs Delhi unit wrote to the Election Commission to appoint special observers in mosques to prevent religion from influencing electoral outcomes. The BJP has squarely blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for polarising the voters on religious and caste lines and has stated that it is Arvind Kejriwal who has been delivering many inflammatory and baseless statements to polarise votes, especially in Muslim dominant areas.

The Ranchi district administration on Monday filed a case of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation against Union minister Jayant Sinha on a complaint by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. In its complaint to Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer L Khiangte, the party claimed that Sinha had used the convocation ceremony at IIM-Ranchi to publicise the BJP government's achievements, violating the poll code.

Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday filed a complaint against Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera for allegedly violating the MCC. In its complaint, the party claimed that Khera, during a news channel's event, had stated that 'Modi stands for Masood Azhar, Osama, Dawood and ISI.'

The Congress registered its first Model Code of Conduct violation complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday. In Maharashtra, the party gave a written complaint to the chief electoral officer against government advertisements still being displayed outside state transport buses, bus stops and petrol pumps.

Show cause notices were issued to BJP's Chandigarh chief Sanjay Tandon, four BJP councillors, two nominated councillors and three officials of the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh on Wednesday for violating the model code of conduct. The notice asked the officials to reply within 24 hours as to why disciplinary action may not be taken against them.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Nirjuli police under the supervision of Capital Complex Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo on Tuesday night seized Rs 15.6 lakh from undisclosed people for violation of the model code of conduct.

Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Pratapgarh Lok Sabha constituency in-charge Ashok Tripathi was among 68 booked for poll code violation on Wednesday.

The ECI on Wednesday issued a notice to BJP's Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra and Rajasthan Congress' General Secretary Sunil Sharma for putting up posters in different locations across Jaipur depicting various operations done by the Indian Armed forces along with their own photos. It also asked both the politicians to file a reply within three days.

The Commission on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to Delhi BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma for putting up two posters featuring him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Facebook. The Commission asked him to take down the post and give a reply by Thursday.

The Election Commission has asked all political parties to refrain from making reference to the armed forces during their campaign.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, hoardings and banners containing the photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were removed from petrol pumps in New Delhi on Tuesday following the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha elections.

ECI on 10 March, 2019 announced the dates of the seven-phase upcoming Lok Sabha election scheduled to begin on 11 April. The results will be announced on 23 May. The last polling date is 19 May. With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct kicked in the very same day.

The ECI referred to its December 2013 letter in which it had "called upon all political parties to advise their candidates and leaders to desist from displaying photographs of defence personnel or photographs functions involving defence personnel in advertisements".

More than 820 million citizens will cast their votes across India this year. The number of eligible voters has gone up by more than five times since the first General Election. Voter turnout has also increased from 46 percent in 1951-52 to 66 percent in 2014. In the last election held in 2014, there were roughly 815 million, but just 550 million exercised their right to vote. Lok Sabha Election 2019 will see over 1.5 crore first-time voters. These voters in the age group of 18-19 years constitute 1.66 percent of the total electorate. Two-thirds of Indians are under 35 years of age.
Nitin Gadkari was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination

Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on 11 April. Gadkari, who had defeated Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) in the 2014 elections by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes, said he will win with a bigger margin this time around.

"This time, I will win with a bigger margin. People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years. Our government did more than (was promised in) the poll manifesto," Gadkari told reporters.

The BJP veteran was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination.

"Your support and love is the biggest strength for us," Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said Gadkari will register a "historic win" from Nagpur. "He will create a record in Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding the BJP-Shiv Sena combine would win 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, sitting MP from Ramtek (SC) seat, also filed his nomination for the Ramtek seat. Nana Patole of Congress, who will take on Gadkari in Nagpur, and former IAS officer Kishor Gajbhiye, pitted against Tumane from Ramtek, are expected to file nominations later Monday.
Questioning Priyanka Gandhi's intention of visiting Ayodhya, BJP leader Mohsin Raza equated the Congress general secretary with a 'migratory Siberian bird'

Lucknow: Questioning Priyanka Gandhi's intention of visiting Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Mohsin Raza on Monday equated the Congress general secretary with a "migratory Siberian bird" and dubbed her campaign for the impending Lok Sabha polls a "picnic".

"Those who are questioning the existence of Lord Ram, what are they going to find in Ayodhya? They (Congress) did not go to Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. There was a 'deepotsav' event in Ayodhya. That was also not attended by them. They are going (to Ayodhya) as they have remembered Babur (Mughal ruler). They want to search for his remains there. So, Priyanka is a Siberian bird, who migrates from one place to another after seeing the weather conditions," Raza told ANI.

Priyanka is scheduled to start her three-day long campaign from 27 March and will offer prayers at the famous Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya, a source told ANI. The Congress leader will board a bus customised in the form of a rath and would cover Faizabad, Sultanpur, Amethi and Unnao parliamentary constituencies during the three-day long political campaign on roads.

During her campaign between 27 and 29 March, Priyanka is expected to stop at 32 points from Faizabad to Amethi, sources said. However, Congress has not made any official announcement of the programme. Taking a jibe at Priyanka's Ganga Yatra which culminated last week, Raza said, "Their boat and train yatras are nothing but just a picnic. There is nothing beyond this".

In her first major political campaign since taking up the post of Congress general secretary in the state, Priyanka had undertaken a 140-kilometre boat journey from Prayagraj to Varanasi.

Ever since she started her political campaigns in the state, Priyanka has already visited two significant temple towns of Uttar Pradesh - Varanasi and Prayagraj. Continuing his tirade against the Opposition, the BJP leader claimed that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Amethi earlier this month, all the 'chors' (thieves) went into hiding as they were afraid of the 'chowkidar' (watchman).

"When Modi ji came to Amethi, all the thieves went into hiding. They also tried to escape. But, this 'chowkidar' is so strong that wherever they go into hiding, they will be caught. They will not be given a chance to do 'chori' (robbery)," Raza further said.

Terming the BJP government as a 'majboot' (strong) government, Raza expressed confidence that the party will retain power and will better its tally. "Everyone in this country is now agreeing that the BJP is a 'majboot' government. We will perform even better than in 2014 and win again. Development has reached every nook and corner of the country and Modi ji will come to power again," he said.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led NDA secured a majority by winning 282 seats out of the 543 seats.

This year's Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May. Uttar Pradesh will vote in all the phases on 11, 18, 23 and 29 April and 6, 12 ans 19 May. The counting of votes will take place on 23 May. There are 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in the state.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP in Maharashtra Sunday kick-started its Lok Sabha poll campaign from Karad in Satara district with a blistering attack on the ruling BJP-Sena combine.

Mumbai: The Opposition alliance in Maharashtra led by the Congress and NCP on Sunday kick-started its Lok Sabha poll campaign from Karad in Satara district with a blistering attack on the ruling BJP-Sena combine. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Narendra Modi government was trying to make political gains from the valour and sacrifices of soldiers.

In a swipe at Modi, Pawar said if the prime minister possessed a "56 inch chest", he should bring back former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav who is jailed in Pakistan over alleged spying charges. "The jawans are willing to undergo any sacrifice for our country. But the current government is trying to make political gains from it," Pawar, a former Defence minister, said.

"If you really have a 56-inch chest, bring back Kulbhushan Jadhav," Pawar taunted Modi. Dwelling on poll mathematics, former chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said the BJP won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls because the Oppositions' votes got splintered.

"The BJP secured only 36% votes in 2014. The Opposition was divided then, but as they are united this time, I do not think Modi will be prime minister after 2019 general elections," Chavan said. Hitting out at Modi, Chavan said the prime minister was a "dictator" who had managed to complete only "28 percent" of his poll promises.

Pawar and Chavan, during their speeches, also raised the Rafale fighter jet purchase deal. While Pawar spoke of the government's reluctance to hold an inquiry into the allegations over the deal, Chavan dubbed it the "mother of all scams". The BJP-led Union government has routinely refuted these allegations and has claimed Rafale jets were being procured as per laid down rules.
Reuters

Tesla Inc filed a lawsuit on Thursday against a former engineer at the company, claiming he copied the source code for its Autopilot technology before joining a Chinese self-driving car startup in January.

The engineer, Guangzhi Cao, copied more than 300,000 files related to Autopilot source code as he prepared to join Chinas Xiaopeng Motors Technology Company Ltd, the Silicon Valley carmaker said in the lawsuit filed in a California court.

Separately, Tesla lawyers on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against four former employees and U.S. self-driving car startup Zoox Inc, alleging the employees stole proprietary information and trade secrets for developing warehousing, logistics and inventory control operations.

In a statement, Xiaopeng spokeswoman Marie Cheung said the company was not aware of Caos alleged misconduct and that the company has started an internal investigation on the matter.

The company fully respects any third-partys intellectual property rights and confidential information. The company has been complying and will comply [with] all applicable laws and regulations, she said in a statement.

Cao and Zoox could not immediately be reached for comment.

Tesla is building a vehicle assembly facility in Shanghai, putting it in direct competition with Xiaopeng and other Chinese companies in the worlds largest electric vehicle market.

Its Autopilot is a driver assistance system that handles some driving tasks and allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel, although the company stresses it still requires driver supervision and does not make the vehicle autonomous.

Cao's LinkedIn profile shows here he has been working with Xiaopeng since January as "head of perception."

Xiaopeng, which debuted an electric car in Las Vegas last year, counts Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Foxconn Technology Co Ltd among its investors.

The company, also known as Xpeng Motors, employs at least five former Tesla employees, the U.S. carmaker alleged in the lawsuit.

Apple Inc last year accused here one former employee of stealing trade secrets related to self-driving cars and joining Xiaopeng's U.S. subsidiary.

Several companies are racing to develop the technology required to make cars drive on their own and lawsuits against former employees have become common as firms strive to keep proprietary information in-house.

Alphabet Inc's Waymo self-driving vehicle unit took here Uber Technologies to court after a former employee stole thousands of confidential documents and became chief of Uber's self-driving car project. Uber later paid $245 million to settle the case.
Reuters

One of the main groups representing Muslims in France said on Monday it was suing Facebook and YouTube, accusing them of inciting violence by allowing the streaming of footage of the Christchurch massacre on their platforms.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) said the companies had disseminated material that encouraged terrorism and harmed the dignity of human beings. There was no immediate comment from either company.

The shooting at two mosques in New Zealand on 15 March, which killed 50 people, was live-streamed on Facebook for 17 minutes and then copied and shared on social media sites across the internet.

Facebook said it raced to remove hundreds of thousands of copies.

But a few hours after the attack, the footage could still be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as Facebook-owned Instagram and Whatsapp.

Abdallah Zekri, president of the CFCMs Islamophobia monitoring unit, said the organisation had launched a formal legal complaint against Facebook and YouTube in France.

Both companies have faced widespread criticism over the footage.

The chair of the US House Committee on Homeland Security wrote a letter last week to top executives of four major technology companies urging them to do a better job of removing violent political content.
Reuters

Uber Technologies Inc is set to offer over $3 billion to buy Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ, two sources familiar with the deal told Reuters.

Ubers offer could be unveiled during the early part of this week, a third source added.

Uber will pay $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes, which will be convertible into Uber shares at a price equal to $55 per share, Bloomberg had earlier reported, citing a term-sheet.

Careem declined to comment while Uber did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters to comment.

Uber has been preparing for an initial public offering, and its bankers have indicated that it could be valued at as much as $120 billion.

The US-based global logistics and transportation company has been seeking new avenues of growth even as it faces severe competition in its core business of ride-hailing from rivals like Lyft Inc.

The IPOs of Lyft and Uber represent a watershed for Silicon Valleys technology unicorns, which for years have snubbed the stock market in favour of raising capital privately, with investors happy to back their frothy valuations.
The Conversation

Earth is often in the firing line of fragments of asteroids and comets, most of which burn up tens of kilometres above our heads. But occasionally, something larger gets through.

Thats what happened off Russias east coast on December 18 last year. A giant explosion occurred above the Bering Sea when an asteroid some ten metres across detonated with an explosive amount of energy  ten times greater than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

So why didnt we see this asteroid coming? And why are we only hearing about its explosive arrival now?

Nobody saw it

Had the December explosion occurred near a city  as happened at Chelyabinsk in February 2013  we would have heard all about it at the time.

Plenty of people observed and captured the Chelyabinsk meteor explosion. But, since it happened in a remote part of the world, it went unremarked for more than three months, until details were unveiled at the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference recently based on NASAs collection of fireball data.

So where did this asteroid come from?

At risk from space debris

The Solar system is littered with material left over from the formation of the planets. Most of it is locked up in stable reservoirs  the Asteroid belt, the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud  far from Earth.

Those reservoirs continually leak objects into interplanetary space, injecting fresh debris into orbits that cross those of the planets. The inner Solar system is awash with debris, ranging from tiny flecks of dust to comets and asteroids many kilometres in diameter.

The vast majority of the debris that collides with Earth is utterly harmless, but our planet still bears the scars of collisions with much larger bodies.

The largest, most devastating impacts (like that which helped to kill the dinosaurs 65 million years ago) are the rarest. But smaller, more frequent collisions also pose a marked risk.

In 1908, in Tunguska, Siberia, a vast explosion leveled more than 2,000 square kilometres of forest. Due to the remote location, no deaths were recorded. Had the impact happened just two hours later, the city of St Petersburg could have been destroyed.

In 2013, it was a 10,000-tonne asteroid that detonated above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. More than 1,500 people were injured and around 7,000 buildings were damaged, but amazingly nobody was killed.

Were still trying to work out how often events like this happen. Our information on the frequency of the larger impacts is pretty limited, so estimates can vary dramatically.

Typically, people argue that Tunguska-sized impacts happen every few hundred years, but thats just based on a sample of one event. The truth is, we dont really know.

What can we do about it?

Over the past couple of decades, a concerted effort has been made to search for potentially hazardous objects that pose a threat before they hit Earth. The result is the identification of thousands of near-Earth asteroids upwards of a few metres across.

Once found, the orbits of those objects can be determined, and their paths predicted into the future, to see whether an impact is possible or even likely. The longer we can observe a given object, the better that prediction becomes.

But as we saw with Chelyabinsk in 2013, and again in December, were not there yet. While the catalogue of potentially hazardous objects continues to grow, many still remain undetected, waiting to catch us by surprise.

If we discover a collision is pending in the coming days, we can work out where and when the collision will happen. That happened for the first time in 2008 when astronomers discovered the tiny asteroid 2008 TC3, 19 hours before it hit Earths atmosphere over northern Sudan.

For impacts predicted with a longer lead time, it will be possible to work out whether the object is truly dangerous, or would merely produce a spectacular but harmless fireball (like 2008 TC3).

For any objects that truly pose a threat, the race will be on to deflect them  to turn a hit into a miss.

Searching the skies

Before we can quantify the threat an object poses, we first need to know that the object is there. But finding asteroids is hard.

Surveys scour the skies, looking for faint star-like points moving against the background stars. A bigger asteroid will reflect more sunlight, and therefore appear brighter in the sky - at a given distance from Earth.

As a result, the smaller the object, the closer it must be to Earth before we can spot it.

Objects the size of the Chelyabinsk and Bering Sea events (about 20 and 10 metres diameter, respectively) are tiny. They can only be spotted when passing very close to our planet. The vast majority of the time they are simply undetectable.

As a result, having impacts like these come out of the blue is really the norm, rather than the exception!

The Chelyabinsk impact is a great example. Moving on its orbit around the Sun, it approached us in the daylight sky - totally hidden in the Suns glare.

For larger objects, which impact much less frequently but would do far more damage, it is fair to expect we would receive some warning.

Why not move the asteroid?

While we need to keep searching for threatening objects, there is another way we could protect ourselves.

Missions such as Hayabusa, Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx have demonstrated the ability to travel to near-Earth asteroids, land on their surfaces, and move things around.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

From there, it is just a short hop to being able to deflect them  to change a potential collision into a near-miss.

Interestingly, ideas of asteroid deflection dovetail nicely with the possibility of asteroid mining.

The technology needed to extract material from an asteroid and send it back to Earth could equally be used to alter the orbit of that asteroid, moving it away from a potential collision with our planet.

Were not quite there yet, but for the first time in our history, we have the potential to truly control our own destiny.

Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Aeon

How can the law account for the value of complex, nonhuman entities such as rivers, lakes, forests and ecosystems? At a time of runaway climate change, when the Earths biosphere is on the brink of collapse and species extinctions are accelerating, this has become a vital question.

Some theorists argue that theres a clear historical precedent for what we should do, arising from the struggle for universal human rights. The law and discourse of human rights, commonly traced back to the Enlightenment, has held sway over the sections of the Western public for decades, if not centuries. Perhaps we should take the idea of 'the human' as a rights-bearer and extend it to the complex, nonhuman systems that we wish to protect, that we know are deserving of care and concern.

Tempting as it is, this move must be resisted. For one thing, human rights have proven to be exclusionary  even within our own species. Its emergence as a set of legal and moral norms betrays the fact that the white, European, male property-owner is the paradigm case of 'the human': others, historically, have had to fight even to be seen as fully capable of bearing rights.

International treaties have been required to address the rights of women, children, workers, LGBT people, indigenous communities and others, precisely because such minorities were marginalised by the abstract idea of the human of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Critics have also suggested that human rights norms are a Trojan horse for neo-imperialism, providing ideological cover for dubious humanitarian interventions and capitalist plundering. In theory, human rights are for all humans, but it turns out that some people are more human than others.

Yet maybe theres something to be salvaged from rights discourse all the same  if we can find a way to deploy the idea of 'rights' while decentring 'the human'. Perhaps we can find ways of understanding ourselves as entangled partners, and sometimes co-sufferers, with nonhuman animals, beings and systems in a more-than-human world, as the gender scholar Astrida Neimanis at the University of Sydney put it in an article in 2014.

Certain dangers lurk in using human rights to capture the interests of the nonhuman. First, its language and conceptual framing risk blunting attention to the distinctiveness and particularities of such dynamic beings. We risk only having respect for things insofar as they resemble human experience and characteristics.

Secondly, and just as important, is the related danger of diminishing our awareness of the human itself as a variegated mode of being in the world. This danger is already starkly present in the advent of corporate human rights, a development that has distorted the entire international human rights paradigm. At the heart of these developments is a legal conflation of the human and the person  a merger by which global capital can claim the mantle of humanity in ways that risk harming real, living people. The human right to health, for example, can be cast as a byproduct of big pharma protecting intellectual property monopolies; or the human right to food can be deployed as a justification for agribusiness companies to dominate global food supplies.

So, if we resist the idea of human rights for nonhumans, and we carefully distinguish between humanity and legal personhood, what is left standing?

There are already ways of thinking about rights that are sensitive to various beings and systems. In a seminal paper from 1972, the legal scholar Christopher Stone asked if trees should have standing  that is if they could claim the necessary status to mount claims at law. His response was to wonder if the law might award river rights to rivers, tree rights to trees, or ecosystem rights to ecosystems.

Yet I think its important to move beyond Stones suggestion, and inch closer to acknowledging the complexity and liveliness of the nonhuman by admitting the porousness of our own boundaries. Perhaps we should not extend outwards from ourselves, so much as question humanitys entitlement to act as a model. After all, it is a hubristic belief in our own singularity and exceptionalism thats partly responsible for destroying the planet. One thing seems certain: if the law is to respond to the multiple crises afflicting the Earth, and if rights are to be deployed, we need to get rid of the notion of a rights-bearer who is an active, willful human subject, set against a passive, acted-upon, nonhuman object. The law, in short, needs to develop a new framework in which the human is entangled and thrown in the midst of lively materiality  rather than assumed to be the masterful, knowing center, or the pivot around which everything else turns.

What might this kind of shift in understanding mean for the law and legal practice? It would certainly require courts to be open to a wider field of meaning-making. It would mean hearing from multiple communities (human and nonhuman) by relying on the best new science. It would also demand situated, a careful inquiry that examines the nuanced interactions making up the dynamics and relationships among the entities in question. Although the law is on the move, embracing the idea of nonhuman legal persons (such as rivers) and showing signs of a more materially sensitive, contextualized awareness, there are, as yet, no clear examples of cases and approaches as radical as is required. Some interesting thought-experiments and developments show promising directions, but there is more radical thinking to be done.

Some might object that such a decentred approach is likely to be more complex and challenging than relying on existing assumptions about the centrality of the human. Thats certainly true. But such engagement is preferable  more empirically faithful to whats there  than continuing to elevate the human as the ethical apex of the legal system. The human cannot continue to be the sole benchmark against which other beings must be measured in order to count.

In the predatory global order of the 21st century, it seems better not to deploy human rights as a blanket of protection for nonhuman animals and other beings and systems  precisely because such varied partners in the dance of life deserve their own types of entitlement. Thinking in these terms not only does justice to the nonhuman but could help us reimagine our own state of being in a richer and more open way. Given all that is at stake, nothing less than a radical restoring will do; and laws and rights  for too long tools of human privilege and exceptionalism  need to be re-imagined if they are to play a full role in human-nonhuman struggles for a future worth living.

Anna Grear

This essay is co-published with the Center for Humans and Nature as part of their Questions for a Resilient Future series: What happens when we see ourselves as separate from or as a part of nature? You are invited to read more responses to this question and share your own reflections at humansandnature.org.

This article was originally published at Aeon and has been republished under Creative Commons.
A British Airways plane flew by mistake from London to Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf in Germany on Monday

London: A British Airways plane flew by mistake from London to Edinburgh instead of Dusseldorf in Germany on Monday.

Passengers only found out about the mishap when the pilot said the plane was coming in to land in Edinburgh, which is around 500 miles (800 kilometres) from Dusseldorf.

After the crew realised the mistake, the plane was refuelled and flown to Dusseldorf, landing in Germany with a delay of more than three and a half hours.

"We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed," a spokesman said.

Twitter user Son Tran, who said he was on the plane, said, "While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery".

Another passenger, Sophie Cooke, told the BBC that the wait in Edinburgh "became very frustrating". "The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," Cooke said.
The facility involved in the explosion in China belonged to Tianjiayi Chemical, a firm with 195 employees established in 2007 that mainly produces raw chemical materials including anisole, a highly flammable compound

Beijing: The death toll from a chemical plant explosion in China rose to 78 on Monday, with hundreds still receiving medical treatment four days after one of the country's worst industrial accidents.

Thursday's explosion in Yancheng city, eastern Jiangsu province razed an industrial park and blew out the windows of surrounding homes.

More than 500 people are still in hospital, said local authorities on their official Twitter-like Weibo account.

Among them, 13 are critically injured and 66 are seriously injured, the statement said.

Out of the 28 people who were reported as missing on Saturday, 25 have been found dead and three successfully rescued, said city officials.

The city government said some 89 houses were damaged beyond repair and families were resettled after those structures had been demolished.

Classes at 10 schools damaged by the blast resumed on Monday morning, they added.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident and said an unspecified number of people were taken into police custody on Friday.

The facility involved in the explosion belonged to Tianjiayi Chemical, a firm with 195 employees established in 2007 that mainly produces raw chemical materials including anisole, a highly flammable compound.

Tianjiayi Chemical has a history of violating environmental regulations, according to online records from Yancheng city's environment and ecology bureau.

In 2015 and 2017, the firm was fined for violating rules on solid and water waste management.

Amid concerns of air and water pollution, the Yancheng city government has said that "pollution indicators are within the normal range" and that drinking water is "not affected".

Authorities said on Saturday they had also dammed a tributary to the nearby Xinfeng River to prevent any "outflow of sewage from the chemical industrial park."
US president Donald Trump declared on Sunday that he had been completely exonerated after his campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election, in a major boost for his re-election hopes.

Washington: US president Donald Trump declared on Sunday that he had been completely exonerated after his campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election, in a major boost for his re-election hopes.

The long-awaited final report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Moscow's election meddling concluded that no member or associate of the campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia in its plot to boost Trump in the vote more than two years ago.

While not completely absolving the president, Attorney General Bill Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the still-secret Mueller report cleared a dark cloud that had hung over the Trump's legitimacy since he took office in January 2017.

"There was no collusion with Russia. There was no obstruction. It was a complete and total exoneration," Trump said of Mueller's conclusions. "It's a shame that the country had to go through this," he added. "This was an illegal takedown that failed."

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Trump was "in a really good mood" and "very happy with how it all turned out." Gidley said the president watched television, talked to staff and made calls during his flight home from Florida.

No collusion with Russians

Summarizing Mueller's findings, Barr said no Trump campaign official was involved in Russian conspiracies in 2016 to hack Democratic computers and flood social media with disinformation to harm Trump's Democratic election rival Hillary Clinton.

He also said there were no new surprises coming from the Mueller team, which is disbanding  no further indictments being referred, and no sealed indictments outstanding. On the other hand, according to Barr's letter, Mueller clearly had some evidence to support an obstruction case, but was uncertain whether it was enough to support criminal charges.

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr cited Mueller as saying. Democrats in Congress are now certain to demand Mueller's underlying evidence and push to investigate further.

"It is unacceptable that, after Special Counsel Mueller spent 22 months meticulously uncovering this evidence, Attorney General Barr made a decision not to charge the President in under 48 hours," the Democratic chairs of the House Judiciary, Intelligence and Oversight committees said in a joint statement.

"His unsolicited, open memorandum to the Department of Justice, suggesting that the obstruction investigation was 'fatally misconceived,' calls into question his objectivity on this point in particular."

Door opened for strong 2020 bid

A major barrier for Trump's re-election in 2020 lifted just as a strong field of potential Democratic candidates was forming to select who would take him on. Trump for two years has labeled the investigation a "witch hunt," even as Mueller's team issued charges ranging from conspiracy to lying to investigators against 34 individuals.

Six of those were former insiders in Trump's circle, and five have been convicted, including Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen, his national security advisor Michael Flynn and his campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including, at Trump's alleged instruction, using campaign funds for hush payments to an adult film star who allegedly had an affair with Trump. And Manafort was imprisoned for 7.5 years, though mostly for crimes unrelated to the campaign.

The unending probe saw Trump frequently angrily attacking Mueller  one of the most respected members of Washington's judicial and prosecutorial elite  and at times appeared to throw his policy momentum off course.

For months, the White House worried that Mueller was honing in on Trump's family, including son Don Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as the president himself. And it also left questions in the minds of many of Trump's supporters, who will now likely unite around his declaration of "complete exoneration."

White House advisor Kellyanne Conway tweeted "congratulations" to her boss. "Today you won the 2016 election all over again. And got a gift for the 2020 election," she tweeted. "They'll never get you because they'll never 'get' you."

Investigations move to Congress

But the end of Mueller's operation did not leave Trump's White House in the clear. Democrats in Congress are already conducting some 17 investigations of the administration, spreading their net far more broadly than Mueller's relatively narrow mandate.

They want the full Mueller report and they are demanding the underlying evidence supporting his conclusions. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr's summary of the Mueller findings "raises as many questions as it answers."

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," they said.

Democrat Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that he would be calling Barr to testify in the near future " for the American people to know all the facts."
The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible

Lahore: At least seven people, including a man who assisted in solemnising the wedding of two teenage Hindu girls after their alleged abduction and forced conversions, have been detained in Pakistan, amid reports that the victims approached a court seeking protection.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage.

On 20 March, the girls' family lodged a First Information Report against their alleged forced conversion to Islam.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a probe into the incident after the two separate videos started doing rounds on social media.

Citing the police, Dawn reported that several raids were conducted on Sunday night in Punjab's Rahim Yar Khan district  where it was believed the girls were taken from Ghotki  and arrested the Nikah Khwan who solemnised their marriages, a leader of the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, and some relatives of the two men who had married the two girls.

The detained suspects were handed over to Sindh police, it added.

Superintendent of Police Farrukh Lanjhar, who paid a visit to the girls' father Sunday night, said that action was being taken on all available information to recover the girls.

According to Geo TV, the girls have approached a court in Bahawalpur in Punjab province seeking protection.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his party's agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

Pakistan Hindu Council chief and Member of National Assembly from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Ramesh Kumar Vankwani condemned the incident and demanded that the bill against forced conversion, which was unanimously passed by Sindh Assembly in 2016 and then reverted due to pressure of extremist elements, must be resurrected and passed in the Assembly on priority basis.

"All of those who are preaching hate under the cover of religion must be handled like banned religious organisations," he added.

Vankwani said he would present a resolution in the National Assembly in its next session demanding an end to forced conversions.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that the prime minister has ordered the Sindh and Punjab governments to devise a joint action plan in light of the incident, and to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province.

According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian court has ordered the arrest of a 27-year-old Syrian man suspected of taking part in beheadings in Syria as a member of Islamic State, Hungarian prosecutors said on Sunday. The man, previously identified by Hungarian authorities as F.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A Hungarian court has ordered the arrest of a 27-year-old Syrian man suspected of taking part in beheadings in Syria as a member of Islamic State, Hungarian prosecutors said on Sunday.

The man, previously identified by Hungarian authorities as F. Hassan, is suspected of executing about 20 people in 2016, all family members of a person in Homs city who refused to join Islamic State, prosecutors have said.

Based on a motion filed by Hungarian prosecutors, a Budapest court on Sunday ordered the arrest of the man for a month. Under Hungarian law, the man is suspected of murder committed as part of an act of terror and of preparations to commit an act of terror.

Hungarian state news agency MTI cited Hassan's lawyer, Laszlo Kelen, as saying that Hassan had asserted his innocence throughout his questioning as a suspect. Kelen was not immediately reachable for comment.

Hungarian authorities are also investigating Hassan's previous activities and connections in Europe, the Counter Terrorism Centre, a special police forces unit has said.

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Ardern said she would travel to Beijing on Sunday then hold a full day of meetings on Monday with the leaders of New Zealand's largest trading partner, including President Xi Jinping, before returning home the next day

Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday that a long-awaited trip to China will take place next week, but had been shortened in the wake of the Christchurch mosque killings. Ardern said she would travel to Beijing on Sunday then hold a full day of meetings on Monday with the leaders of New Zealand's largest trading partner, including President Xi Jinping, before returning home the next day.

She said she did not want to spend too long away from New Zealand as it continues to mourn the 15 March shootings at two Christchurch mosques that claimed 50 lives. "It was originally intended to be a longer visit, including a business delegation, but under the circumstances that did not seem appropriate to be away for longer," she told reporters.

It will be Ardern's first visit to China since she was elected in late 2017  an unusually long wait for the leader of a nation that signed a pioneering free-trade deal with Beijing in 2008. There were fears that Beijing had postponed the trip amid strained relations after New Zealand's intelligence agency last November halted plans for Chinese-owned Huawei to participate in a proposed 5G network, citing "significant security risks". Ardern has repeatedly played down the Huawei spat and did not directly address it on Monday.

"This is an important visit, New Zealand places a high priority on our relationship with China," she said. "I look forward to our ongoing engagement." She said discussion items would include upgrading the bilateral free trade deal and combatting climate change.
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita sacked and replaced two generals on Sunday after gunmen killed 134 Fulani herders in a surge of violence the insurgency-plagued country. The ethnic bloodshed took place just days after a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post killed at least 23 soldiers, both in Mali's central region. The army chief of staff General M'Bemba Moussa Keita was removed and replaced by General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, while chief of land forces General Abdrahamane Baby was replaced by Brigadier-General Keba Sangare.

BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita sacked and replaced two generals on Sunday after gunmen killed 134 Fulani herders in a surge of violence the insurgency-plagued country.

The ethnic bloodshed took place just days after a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post killed at least 23 soldiers, both in Mali's central region.

The army chief of staff General M'Bemba Moussa Keita was removed and replaced by General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, while chief of land forces General Abdrahamane Baby was replaced by Brigadier-General Keba Sangare.

(Reporting by Fadima Kontao; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Jacinda Ardern said a royal commission  the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law  was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world

Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday ordered an independent judicial inquiry into whether police and intelligence services could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks on 15 March.

Ardern said a royal commission  the most powerful judicial probe available under New Zealand law  was needed to find out how a single gunman was able to kill 50 people in an attack that shocked the world.

"It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to how this act of terrorism occurred and how we could have stopped it," she told reporters.

New Zealand's spy agencies have faced criticism in the wake of the attack for concentrating on the threat from Islamic extremism.

Instead, the victims were all Muslims and the massacre was allegedly carried out by a white supremacist fixated on the belief that there was an Islamist plot to "invade" Western countries.

"One question we need to answer is whether or not we could or should have known more," Ardern said.

"New Zealand is not a surveillance state...but questions need to be answered."

Ardern ruled out New Zealand re-introducing the death penalty for accused gunman Brenton Tarrant, 28, who was arrested minutes after the attack on the mosques and has been charged with murder.

She said details of the royal commission were being finalised, but it would be comprehensive and would report in a timely manner.

It will cover the activities of intelligence services, police, customs, immigration and any other relevant government agencies in the lead-up to the attack.

The gunman livestreamed the attack online, although New Zealand has outlawed the footage as "objectionable content".

Ardern reiterated her believe it should not be aired.

"That video should not be shared. That is harmful content," she said when questioned about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showing excerpts of the footage at campaign rallies for local elections this month.

Erdogan had angered both Wellington and Canberra with campaign rhetoric about anti-Muslim Australians and New Zealanders being sent back in "coffins" like their grandfathers at Gallipoli, a World War I battle.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters travelled to Istanbul to meet Erdogan and address an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Peters said OIC members were full of praise for the support New Zealand had offered its small, tight-knit Muslim community in the wake of the killings.

"A number of them were weeping and sobbing at the demonstration (of support) by non-Muslim New Zealand towards the Muslim victims," he told reporters.

"It was dramatic and I was told by countless ministers that they've never seen anything of that type."

The body of an Indian student killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks, meanwhile, was returned Monday to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies.

Ansi Alibava, 25, was the first of at least five Indians shot dead on March 15 to be repatriated.

The family planned to hold a funeral ceremony for the masters student in their nearby hometown of Kodungallur.
A note referencing the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand was found at the scene of a possible arson fire at a Southern California mosque, police said Sunday. Nobody was hurt, and members of the Islamic Center of Escondido were able to extinguish the small blaze before firefighters, officials said.

Escondido: A note referencing the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand was found at the scene of a possible arson fire at a Southern California mosque, police said Sunday.

Nobody was hurt, and members of the Islamic Center of Escondido were able to extinguish the small blaze before firefighters, officials said.

The incident was being investigated as arson and a possible hate crime, said police in the city about 48 kilometers north of downtown San Diego.

A note was found in the parking lot referencing the shootings this month that killed 50 people at mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, police Lt. Chris Lick said. He did not elaborate about the contents of the note.

Investigators did not release information about a suspect. The fire caused minor damage to the building's exterior.

Seven people were inside the mosque at the time of the fire, police told the KNSD TV station. They were able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived on the scene, KNSD reported.

"There are people who sleep there overnight," member Yusef Miller said. "They heard the sounds, they smelled some funny smells, and there was a letter saying something connecting to New Zealand at the same time. So, this made everybody especially on edge."

The Escondido mosque was created four years ago and serves several hundred people in the city of about 143,000 residents, Miller said.

He told KNSD that worshippers are undeterred. "We won't stop praying," Miller said. "We won't stop gathering."

Dustin Craun, the head of the Council of American-Islamic Relations in San Diego, said his civil rights group stands with the mosque.

"It is disturbing enough that some sick individual would attempt to burn a house of worship to the ground, but referencing the slayings in New Zealand is beyond the pale," he said in a statement.

"While the majority of humanity has responded to the tragedy to draw closer to one another and refute hatred, a violent and hate-filled minority seeks further divisions. We are grateful that someone was inside the mosque and was able to act quickly to put the fire out. We ask anyone with information to come forward and contact the Escondido Police Department. We stand in solidarity with our community members who attend the Islamic Center of Escondido."
Top congressional Democrats said Sunday it was 'urgent' that the full report on Russian interference in the 2016 US election be publicly released, stressing it does not exonerate Donald Trump.

Washington: Top congressional Democrats said Sunday it was "urgent" that the full report on Russian interference in the 2016 US election be publicly released, stressing it does not exonerate Donald Trump.

The president was quick to claim vindication by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report findings which, according to a summary by Attorney General Bill Barr, found that no Trump campaign official was involved in Russian conspiracies to interfere in the 2016 US election.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

Such a conclusion would no doubt blunt a key weapon for Democrats desperate to oust Trump in 2020.

But with the report declining to determine whether there was obstruction of justice by the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer escalated their demands for the full document's release.

"The fact that Special Counsel (Robert) Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," the Democratic pair said in a joint statement.

They also said Barr, nominated just months ago by Trump, is "not a neutral observer" in the process and that his summary of the report is not an objective determination about Mueller's findings.

The two Democrats also said Trump's declaration that the report is a complete exoneration of the president because it clears him of colluding with Russia "directly contradicts the words of Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility."

Congressional Democrats appeared stung by the failure of Mueller's report, after a 22-month investigation, to directly uncover presidential wrongdoing.

Several lawmakers including 2020 presidential hopefuls like senators Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker vented on Twitter, saying a mere summary by a Trump ally was insufficient.

"I don't want a summary of the Mueller report. I want the whole damn report," tweeted Bernie Sanders, a liberal senator in the 2020 race.

Several Democrats have called for Barr and Mueller to testify before Congress.

"Special Counsel Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president, and we must hear from AG Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts," said House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler.

His panel will call Barr to testify "in the near future," Nadler said.

With the Mueller probe running its course, the various congressional investigations into possible Trump team connections with Russia may enter the spotlight.

Nadler's committee is one of at least three pending congressional inquiries.

Earlier this month he launched the Democrats' most ambitious investigation yet into alleged obstruction of justice and abuse of office by Trump, targeting 81 individuals and entities.

The probe has already yielded more than 10,000 documents, ensuring that the probe carries on for several months or longer.

House Republican Liz Cheney hinted at the influence the Mueller's report findings will have on the presidential race, saying Americans "will long remember how wrong and irresponsible the Democrats have been."
By Karen Dillon KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - Record flooding along the Missouri River that left death and destruction in three Midwestern states appeared to have crested on Sunday in the Kansas City area without causing major damage and continued to move downstream, local officials said

By Karen Dillon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Reuters) - Record flooding along the Missouri River that left death and destruction in three Midwestern states appeared to have crested on Sunday in the Kansas City area without causing major damage and continued to move downstream, local officials said.

Although the surge had begun to recede in Kansas City, Missouri's largest city, a number of riverfront roads remained flooded and city residents were urged to conserve water to help utility crews cope with the deluge.

Officials of two small, Missouri waterfront communities just outside Kansas City, Riverside and Parkville, which had been bracing for flooding, said early on Sunday that the worst appeared to be over.

"The good news is the river has crested and is now dropping," the Riverside Fire Department said on Twitter.

Parkville, where high water was creeping to the edge of the scenic commercial district known for its antique shops, art galleries and restaurants, also said on Sunday that the river waters were starting to back away.

"All businesses open," the city declared on Twitter.

But the flooding still threatened Kansas City's drinking water. The KC Water utility issued a plea for conservation to its 170,000 customers "to help with ongoing treatment challenges created by current characteristics of the Missouri River."

The municipal water service issued an advisory on Saturday warning that the flooding had impaired its treatment of water, which it gets from the river, raising health risks for infants, the elderly and others with compromised immune systems.

Conserving water will ease pressure on an upriver wastewater treatment plant where crews were struggling to replace broken pumps submerged by floodwater, the utility said.

Although testing had shown excessive levels of turbidity, fine particles in the water that can carry bacteria, viruses and parasites, KC Water said late on Saturday that it "had not found any harmful bacterial organisms" in the water, which it said was safe for cooking and bathing.

Floods were unleashed last week after a "bomb cyclone" storm dumped torrential rains on hundreds of square miles of the snow-covered Plains.

No further precipitation is forecast for the area until midweek, when moderate rainfall is expected, National Weather Service Meteorologist Andrew Orrison said.

"I think at the worst what it will do is just prolong the gradual receding of the water levels across the various river basins throughout the Midwest," Orrison said by phone from the service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

By next month, however, melting snows further upstream in Minnesota and the Dakotas could trigger more flooding, he said.

The record flows had cascaded down the Missouri, the country's longest river, killing at least four people, drowning livestock and closing dozens of roads in Nebraska and Iowa. Property losses were estimated at more than $3 billion in those two states.

(Reporting by Karen Dillon; Additional reporting and writing by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May admitted that she did not have enough support to get her Brexit bill through the House of Commons in a third vote

London: UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday admitted that she did not have enough support to get her EU divorce bill through the House of Commons in a third vote and called on British lawmakers to reconsider their stand in order to avert a no-deal Brexit by the 12 April extension date.

In a statement to formally update Parliament on her European Council meeting last week where the EU agreed to a short delay to the March 29 Brexit deadline, the British premier said she remained committed to "guarantee Brexit" even if it isn't as initially planned for this Friday and would continue to lobby MPs to get the support required for another vote on the withdrawal agreement agreed with the European Union (EU).

"It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third Meaningful Vote," May told the Commons.

"I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee Brexit. If we cannot, the government made a commitment that we would work across the House to find a majority on a way forward," she said.

The British PM confirmed that her Conservative Party MPs would be whipped to vote against an amendment tabled by fellow Tory MP Oliver Letwin, to wrest control of parliamentary proceedings away from the government to hold indicative votes on alternatives to Theres May's Brexit plan  already rejected twice before by the Commons with huge margins over the controversial Irish backstop clause.

"I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes...No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," May said, promising to "engage constructively" over the indicative votes but without any commitment on backing any particular alternative.

She warned that the UK would have to seek a longer delay to Brexit and be forced to participate in European Parliament elections on 23 May if the Commons did not approve her withdrawal agreement for a third time this week as a "compromise".

She said, "I hope we can all agree, we are now at the moment of decision. And in doing so we must confront the reality of the hard choices before us. Unless this House agrees to it, No Deal will not happen. No Brexit must not happen. And a slow Brexit which extends Article 50 beyond 22 May, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together."

May's Parliament statement came soon after she summoned her Cabinet for an emergency meeting, following a weekend dominated by rumours of plots and coups by both pro and anti Brexit wings of her Conservative party. It marked the beginning of yet another hectic week in Westminster, where MPs will try and gather support for one of many options, including a second referendum or even revoking Article 50 and reversing Brexit altogether.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attacked the government, branding May's approach over Brexit as a "national embarrassment". "It is time for Parliament to take control," he said, confirming that the Labour Party would be backing the Letwin amendment  which takes power to control business in the House of Commons away from the government on Wednesday, to allow MPs to put forward business motions relating to Brexit.

While the default position remains the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal unless an agreement is passed through Parliament, May told MPs that the government has laid the necessary statutory instrument changing the Brexit date in the Commons on Monday.

However, effectively the Brexit date has already changed under international law with the EU legislation delaying the deadline last week. If British MPs fail to pass the statutory instrument, it would create some "legal uncertainty" but it would not change the internationally-recognised Brexit date, which is now set as 12 April - with an offer of a further extension until 22 May if the withdrawal agreement clears the Commons hurdle in a third vote this week.

Meanwhile the European Commission released a comprehensive document detailing its no-deal "preparedness", stating that it is "increasingly likely" that the UK could leave the 28-member bloc without a deal on 12 April. "In such a scenario, the UK's relations with the EU would be governed by general international public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation," an EU statement said.
Republicans welcomed the Robert Mueller report summary that cleared Trumps name, Democrats sought that the release of the full report

Attorney-General William Barrs summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report found no evidence to prove that US president Donald Trump conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 Presidential Election.

In a four-page letter from Barr summarising Muellers two-year investigation, it was said that evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offense. While Republicans welcomed the report summary that cleared Trumps name, Democrats sought that the need for transparency in this matter be fulfilled by releasing the full report.

The summary of the report said that Trump was not exonerated. The President, however, took to Twitter to say, "No collusion, no obstruction, complete and total exoneration." Its a shame that your president has had to go through this for - before I even got elected, it began, he said.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

Democrats and their liberal media allies for two years slandered President @realDonaldTrump for conspiring with Russia. It was all a malicious, preposterous lie given wall to wall media coverage despite zero evidence. This should never again happen to an American President.  Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 25, 2019

The farce that the Democrats & their media lackeys perpetrated on the American people for over 2 years should never be forgotten! The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia...  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 24, 2019

Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.  Abraham Lincoln  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 24, 2019

That awkward moment when another anti-Russian fake crumbles to dust.

Excuses, anyone? pic.twitter.com/dcQePEVAmD  Russian Embassy, UK (@RussianEmbassy) March 25, 2019

Congratulations @POTUS @realDonaldTrump Today you won the 2016 election all over again. And got a gift for the 2020 election. Theyll never get you because theyll never get you. #MuellerReport#NoCollusion#NoObstruction#Went2MichiganNotMoscow pic.twitter.com/gFqLLLb1fS  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) March 24, 2019

In light of the Mueller conclusion of no collusion between Trump campaign and Russians are @AdamSchiff, Brennan, Nadler and other Dems going to apologize for their now false claims of collusion. If they care about our country, they should be relieved they were wrong. Are they? https://t.co/28WFlguFCq  Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) March 25, 2019

"Attorney Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers. The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay. Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

The demand for the full report, not the summary, was raised by senators on both sides of the aisle, including Kamala Harris, Sean Maloney, Jerry Nadler, Bernie Sanders and Eric Salwell and others.

The Mueller report needs to be made public, the underlying investigative materials should be handed over to Congress, and Barr must testify. That is what transparency looks like. A short letter from Trump's hand-picked Attorney General is not sufficient.  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 24, 2019

Until we hear from Mueller, call it the Barr Report.  Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) March 25, 2019

Congress voted 420-0 to release the full Mueller report. Not a "summary" from his handpicked Attorney General. AG Barr, make the full report public. Immediately.  Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) March 24, 2019

I dont want a summary of the Mueller report. I want the whole damn report. https://t.co/VU1oNfBMK0  Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) March 24, 2019

From day one, Trump obstructed this investigation and refused to cooperate. Several of his top aides have been convicted in court. If Trumps AG wont hold him accountable for his crimes, its up to Congress to investigate. The ball is now squarely in our court. pic.twitter.com/RokrmxI7DT  Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) March 24, 2019

Mueller conducted twenty-two month investigation. He did not exonerate on Obstruction of Justice. But Trump-appointed AG takes only two days to clear Individual 1? Bill Barr must release entire #MuellerReport and testify before Congress. Immediately.  Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) March 24, 2019

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future.  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

The Special Counsel's investigation produced dozens of indictments + evidence POTUS may have engaged in obstruction of justice. This summary is insufficient. The American ppl must be given the chance to read the complete #MuellerReport as soon as possible. #ReleaseTheFullReport  Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) March 25, 2019

After reading the Attorney Generals four-page summary of the Special Counsels findings, Chairmen Nadler, Schiff and I reiterate our call for the release of the Special Counsels full and complete report and all underlying documents. See our statement: https://t.co/V4gU78f8uh  Elijah E. Cummings (@RepCummings) March 25, 2019

#MuellerReport confirms what Trump always said: no collusion. Despite wishes of some partisans, this is GOOD news. The bad news? We were misled & deceived by @repadamschiff @repjerrynadler @repswalwell Their lies should have repercussions. America deserves better.  Rep. Dan Crenshaw (@RepDanCrenshaw) March 25, 2019

This is the REAL conversation we need to have as a country. As horrific as this president is, he is a symptom of much deeper problems. Even foreign influence plays on natl wounds that we refuse to address: income inequality, racism, corruption,a willingness to excuse bigotry. https://t.co/wtebX4Tfld  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 24, 2019

With inputs from The Associated Press
TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller wants to bend British Prime Minister Theresa May's will against Brexit using mass-telepathy. From his home in Israel, Geller - who is also a British citizen and a former resident of May's Maidenhead constituency - wrote an open letter to the prime minister urging her to block Britain's exit from the European Union. Now he wants Britons to join him in twice-daily bursts of telepathy directed at the Conservative leader, in the hope of inspiring her to call a second Brexit referendum.

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller wants to bend British Prime Minister Theresa May's will against Brexit using mass-telepathy.

From his home in Israel, Geller - who is also a British citizen and a former resident of May's Maidenhead constituency - wrote an open letter to the prime minister urging her to block Britain's exit from the European Union.

Now he wants Britons to join him in twice-daily bursts of telepathy directed at the Conservative leader, in the hope of inspiring her to call a second Brexit referendum.

"Maybe I'm a bit too late but at least I'm trying my best to use my paranormal abilities, because I'm very concerned that Theresa May will step out of EU," Geller told Reuters.

"That would be tragic. It would be catastrophic, especially for young people. There'll be economic chaos. I'm calling it a catastrophe and I feel it ... call it extra-sensory perception."

Geller came to prominence in Britain with a series of appearances on prime time television when he pulled off stunts such as bending spoons, claiming the only force he used was the power of the mind.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
On Tuesday, Macron and Xi will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore 'points of convergence' ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month.

Beaulieu-Sur-Mer: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met for dinner in the south of France on Sunday ahead of official talks with the host leader seeking to forge a united European front to contend with Beijing's advances. Xi earlier arrived at the resort city of Nice accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan to be welcomed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and an honour guard.

Prior to meeting with Macron, Xi went to the nearby principality of Monaco, where he was received by Prince Albert II and where a government spokesman said bilateral talks would "address economic and environmental issues". Xi, who has made a priority of establishing China as a global player, travelled from Italy, whose government became the first G7 state to sign up to his landmark new "Silk Road" infrastructure project, a massive undertaking to join Asia to Europe. Washington and some EU states fear the huge project will give China too much sway. But Xi says it would be a two-way street of investment and trade. Germany criticised Rome over its participation in the new Silk Road project.

"In a world with giants like China, Russia or our partners in the United States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU. And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. The EU's German budget commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, told the Funke newspaper group that Europe should ensure it retains its autonomy and sovereignty when dealing with China. He expressed concern that already "infrastructure of strategic importance ... is no longer in European but in Chinese hands.

French Finance Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had remarked Friday that "Silk Road cooperation must go "in both directions." Amid tight security, the Chinese and French first couples enjoyed a private dinner at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, near Nice, overlooking the Mediterranean. They were due to have what a Chinese official termed "a deep exchange of views on Sino-French, Sino-European relations and international and issues of mutual interest." Xi's official visit to Paris on Monday will mark 55 years since Charles de Gaulle established diplomatic relations with Beijing.

A series of cooperation deals on nuclear power, aerospace and clean energy initiatives, some involving lucrative contracts, are expected to be signed. On Tuesday, Macron and Xi will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore "points of convergence" ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month. As well as addressing commercial cooperation and strategic issues with Xi, Macron has also been urged to deal with the case of Chinese former Interpol head Meng Hongwei.

Meng's wife has had no news of her husband since his arrest in China nearly six months ago and it emerged Sunday she has written to Marcon asking him to bring up his disappearance with Xi.

He is believed to be facing corruption charges. But Xi's visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to deepen EU ties with China while also pushing back against Beijing's growing global clout. Europe's distrust of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is poised to become the dominant player in next-generation 5G mobile technology worldwide, is emblematic of the increasingly rocky relationship. Monaco, which notably is eyeing a share of Chinese luxury tourism and has its own foreign policy, only last year signed an accord with Huawei to make the principality the first country entirely covered by the company's 5G mobile network by year end. Macron has lauded the EU's "awakening" to the challenges posed by China, which the bloc now labels a "rival" despite being Europe's biggest trading partner.

"The reality is that the world has changed significantly  China is not the country it once was, and we are dealing with a very major partner," a Macron aide said ahead of Xi's visit. The US is pressuring European allies to not use the Huawei technology, saying it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on sensitive communications. But France has not ruled out using Huawei gear. Beijing has accused Washington of trying to escalate President Donald Trump's trade battle with China.

Despite the many sources of friction, France wants to engage China as a closer partner as Washington makes a pointed withdrawal from global affairs under Trump's "America First" policy. For example, Macron may seek more Chinese support of the French-backed G5 Sahel force fighting Islamist extremists in Western Africa. China has been investing heavily in a diplomatic offensive across Africa, promising to help build infrastructure projects as part of the new Silk Road initiative. Aides say Macron will press Xi to ensure such projects are fair and explore the participation of French companies amid allegations the deals could load African countries with unsustainable debt.
News

ITC fire runoff not a big island concern, for now

jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/ The Daily News A plume of smoke from a fire burning at the Intercontinental Terminals Company in Deer Park trails across the horizon on Monday, March 18, 2019. The fire, which started Sunday morning, was visible from Galveston.

GALVESTON

As state agencies and environmental groups continue to test the Houston Ship Channel and parts of Galveston Bay for contaminants from the Intercontinental Terminals Co. tank fire in Deer Park, the threat those chemicals will have a direct effect on Galveston Island or its beaches is remote, experts say.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality reported Saturday it had found hazardous concentrations of some chemicals, including benzene, in a drainage ditch that carries water from the plant to the ship channel.

The chemicals apparently leaked into the ship channel Friday afternoon, after a containment wall at the plant failed, allowing a mix of chemicals and firefighting foam to leak into the channel.

Part of the Houston Ship Channel was closed Saturday, as cleanup crews worked to contain the leak. The nonprofit Galveston Bay Foundation last week also began taking samples of the water from the ship channel and Galveston Bay, said Bob Stokes, the foundations president.

While the leaks at the plant have sparked some fears  and social media jokes  that the chemicals would end up on Galveston Islands beaches, its unlikely local samples would show any contamination from the plant leak, Stokes said on Friday.

Thats because Galveston Bay is so large that any runoff would be diluted by the time it reached Galveston Island, he said.

Even if Houston discharged a whole bunch of sewage into the ship channel, it would not impact Galveston, Stokes said.

Thats not to say that local effects couldnt possibly be found in the Galveston area. Its possible, for instance, that fish in the area of the Houston Ship Channel could migrate farther south toward the island and later be found to have been contaminated, he said.

As of Sunday, there had been no new seafood consumption advisories issued because of the ITC fire.

Galveston Island is more than 30 miles from the Deer Park facility. Since the fire began on March 17, Galveston County officials have said they are monitoring the fire, but have had to do little else by way of reaction.

The Galveston Park Board of Trustees said Friday it was watching the news about the runoff into Galveston Bay.

Park Board officials and the Convention & Visitors Bureau are closely monitoring the runoff from the ITC fire and will keep tourists and visitors informed, park board spokeswoman Jaree Fortin said. We will be closely monitoring the shoreline and remain in close contact with the Galveston Bay Foundation, as well as the Coast Guard and state officials.
Sony has announced a new Nintendo Direct-like livestream called State of Play that will be able to update PlayStation fans about the next releases for the consoles, and more.

This new appointment airs in a few hours, more precisely on Monday, 25th March at 9pm GMT / 10pm CET / 2:00pm Pacific Time.

State of Play will give you updates and announcements from the world of PlayStation, said Sid Shuman, director  social media at SIEA.

Our first episode will showcase upcoming PS4 and PS VR software, including new trailers, new game announcements and new gameplay footage.

Sony notes that this is just the beginning as more episodes are planned to air throughout the year with more updates and announcements.

Later today well learn whether this is really going to be Nintendo Direct-like broadcasts or softer Inside Xbox-like episodes.

You can watch live on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook worldwide, and the VOD edition will be dropping shortly after the end of the episodes.
In a recent talk at GDC 2019, id Software has shed more light about how its relationship with Google was born.

The studio will be bringing DOOM Eternal from day one between later this year and early 2020 on Google Stadia, which was only possible after a lot of work and testing.

Senior Programmer Dustin Land shared that it took just three weeks of work, by at team of two, in order to bring 2016s DOOM on Stadia.

But, a first iteration of the streaming platform was all but convincing, as that lackluster version was lagging even on a local network. That was on September 2016.

Anyway, the following month of November, Google returned to id with a new release of the platform, and that was when things really changed.

Needless to say, it was a night and day difference, Land said.

We were stunned by how much things had improved It [only felt] like someone just forgot to enable game mode on the TV.

More recently, at the studio, id held a blind test between Stadia and local hardware to keep themselves honest and really drill down on eliminating perceivable differences in the play experience. They also wanted to demonstrate that Stadia could be superior to a local experience in certain eyes.

In that blind test, you could hardly tell what was local and what was remote, he revealed, which means quite a lot for gamers  if even devs themselves didnt note that difference between the two versions.

Have you given a look at how much bandwidth youll be required in order to run Google Stadia at your home? Its launching in 2019.

Source
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.
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  Four more candidates shared their advocacies and platforms on CNN Philippines recent senatorial forum: Labor Party Philippines Melchor Chavez and Shariff Albani as well as Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipinos RJ Javellana Jr. and Lady Ann Sahidulla.

Chavez is a print and radio journalist who hails from Cotabato City. He highlights that the land grabbing issue in the country is a problem that hell want to address once in Senate. Alabani, who is also from Mindanao, looks to unite Filipinos through establishing an interfaith department. Javellana, president of the Water for All Refund Movement and the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters, seeks to transfer the governance of public utilities to the State should he be senator. Sahidulla, who was a representative of Sulu Provinces 2nd congressional district, aims to focus her legislations on livelihood programs.

RJ Javellana, Jr. Photo by JL JAVIER

Shariff Albani. Photo by JL JAVIER

The senatorial bets were asked about their stand on several issues, such as the recent case of former Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales against the crimes of Chinese President Xi Jinping in relation to the South China Sea, which they brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Chavez says that he agrees with the filing of the communication. Talagang dapat kasuhan. Unang-una, yung ating teritoryo ay sa Pilipino, hindi sa mga Tsino, he says. Dapat tignan natin ang kapakanan ng ating bayan, hindi ng mga Tsino.

Lady Ann Sahidulla. Photo by JL JAVIER

Melchor Chavez. Photo by JL JAVIER

Meanwhile, Javellana thinks that this was a political move, questioning why del Rosario and Carpio-Morales did not raise this concern for when other countries try to invade our territories. Bakit noong panahon nang sumadsad ang barkong pandigma ng bansang Amerika sa isang lugar dito sa atin ay hindi nagreklamo ang mga indibidwal na ito? he asks. Dapat maging patas ang ating pagbibintang at tingin ko ang motibasyon ay politika.

Another issue that has been making the rounds online is on the latest statement of Sara Duterte where she said that honesty should be required of public officials but not of senatorial aspirants. When asked about this, Sahidulla and Albani both agreed with the Davao mayor while Javella and Chavez do not.

Before the discussions, CNN Philippines Life asked the senatorial bets a few rapid fire questions on why they want to become senator as well as the first thing theyll do should they win a Senate seat. Below are edited excerpts from the interview.

Photo by JL JAVIER

Shariff Albani

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is unang-una, gusto nating pagkaisahin ang sambayanang Pilipino because the Christians are disunited, the Muslims are disunited and we have two political parties in our country, the opposition and the administration so as a whole the Filipino people are disunited.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when nagsisilbi [ako] in the humanitarian [sector], not in the form of government.

The first bill I will file if elected is [gumawa] tayo ng batas na tinatawag na interfaith department because nakikita ko na the problem of the communities here in the Philippines is based on religion.

I want to become senator because we have 24 senators in our country, 21 in Luzon, 3 in Visayas, none in Mindanao. So there is no justice and equality in terms of national development. We need voices from Mindanao in order to establish an equal footing of justice and an equal footing of leadership.

A principle that I always live by is maintain ang tinatawag na high moral and spiritual values.

Photo by JL JAVIER

Melchor Chavez

The first thing Ill do if I win the elections is unang-una, yung land grabbing na sa tingin ko, 20 million of fixed titles ang naririto ngayon sa Pilipinas at dapat siguro ayusin natin  Sa aking pananaw eto na ang tamang panahon dahil matapang si presidente, at tatapangan ko pa para makuha natin ang kagustuhan ng tao. Ang adbokasiya na ito ay land for the landless, home for the homeless at saka food for every Filipino people.

I knew I was called to become a public servant pag nanalo tayo ... Eto lang ang [pagiging] senador ang gusto ko.

The first bill I will file if elected is yung sa land grabbing.

I want to become senator because I want to help people.

A principle that I always live by is no corruption, zero corruption.

Photo by JL JAVIER

RJ Javellana, Jr.

The first thing Ill do when elected is re-nationalization of public utilities.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when I filed my certificate of candidacy on Nov. 26, 2018.

The first bill I will file if elected is re-nationalization of public utilities.

I want to become senator because I want to serve the Filipino people.

A principle that I always live by is honesty.

Photo by JL JAVIER

Lady Ann Sahidulla

The first thing Ill do when elected is I will review first all the bills that [are] pending in the Senate.

I knew I was called to become a public servant when I became a mayor in the municipality of Tongkil, Sulu for three terms. It was really unexpected that I become the mayor of that municipality because I was not born in that municipality. But because of my achievements and the way I help the people, all of them called us, and [told] the mayor that they want the princess to be the next mayor of this municipality.

The first bill I will file if elected is more on livelihood [programs].

I want to become senator because I want to help the masses, the people who [are] always behind and I will really help them and focus on them.

A principle that I always live by is if we have unity, we can move mountains.
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Google VP Phil Harrison confirms Stadia won't support game downloads News oi-Karan Sharma Google VP Phil Harrison confirmed some details about the newly launched Google Stadia. All you need to know.

Google recently launched its new game streaming service Stadia at Game Developers Conference 2019. However, most of the details about support or pricing were kept in the mystery box at the time of launch. Google VP Phil Harrison has cleared some of the doubts from the Stadia because there is already too many confused about the streaming service. The very first thing he cleared that player will not be able to download and play Google Stadia games.

According to Harrison, the search giant is planning to make their own games, which makes it very clear that Google Stadia will have only exclusive games. For this Google has also appointed Jade Raymond as the VP. Just in case you don't know Raymond was the producer of first Assassin's Creed game. Google took this move to create original games for its Stadia.

"It was a conversation that I had with Google leadership before I joined the company. My point of view was in order to really deliver on the promise of this platform, we had to build our own games. We had to build our own experiences, and that was a very fundamental, strategic direction that we needed to move in," Google VP Phil Harrison told Gamespot in an interview.

In addition, Harrison has also said that they have a pricing model for Google Stadia but he can't reveal it now. The company has decided to maintain the secrecy on the pricing of the streaming service. Let's see when we will get to know about the exact pricing.

Initially, Google Stadia will be made available for countries like the US, UK, Europe, and Canada. However, we still don't know when the search giant is planning to bring this latest game streaming service in India.

Best Mobiles in India
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air is lighter than the MacBook Air: Launch on the 26th of March News oi-Vivek Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air is expected to come with 8th Gen Intel chipset

Xiaomi is all set to launch a new thin and light laptop, aka, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air on the 26th of March 2019, which is most likely to compete against Apple's MacBook Air 2018.

The company has officially teased some of the features of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air on the launch teaser. According to the teaser, the notebook weights at 1.07 KG, which makes it lighter than the Apple MacBook Air, which weights at 1.25 KG. Do note that, as of now, there is no information on the launch of the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air in India.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air features and specifications

The current generation Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air comes with 7th gen Core i3, i5 or the i7 processor with up to 16 GB of RAM. The entry-level model of the Mi Notebook Air retails in China for 3599 Yuan or Rs 35,500, and the refreshed model is also expected to come with a similar price tag.

Just like the previous generation notebook, the upcoming model will run on 64-bit Windows 10 OS with full support for Windows apps. As this is an "Air" series notebook, the device is most likely to feature a 12.5-inch and a 13.3-inch display with FHD+ resolution with minimal bezels across the display, similar to the MacBook Air.

Coming to the specifications of the upcoming Mi Notebook Air, the laptop is most likely to feature an 8th Gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 notebook grade (U series) chipset with at least 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD to offer faster boot speed and app opening speed.

In terms of overall design and aesthetics, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air is expected to mimic the Apple MacBook Air, sans the Apple logo at the front. Stay tuned to GizBot to know more about the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air launch.

Via

Best Mobiles in India
Mi 9 SE spotted on Xiaomi's global product page, launch imminent News oi-Karan Sharma Xiaomi Mi 9 SE expected to launch soon in the global market. All you need to know about the new smartphone.

Xiaomi launched its Mi 9 back in February this year, the company has also introduced the toned-down variant of the phone as Mi 9 SE exclusive in home country only. Now it seems that the smartphone manufacturer is also planning to make the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE in other markets as well. According to the latest report the phone is been spotted on Xiaomi's global product compliance database, which means that the company is aiming to launch the phone outside China.

However, do note that the company has not confirmed the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE in the global market. The smartphone was spotted running on the MIUI 10.2 Global Stable Build.

Just to recall the smartphone it was launched in China with 5.97-inch Full-HD+ display. The screen carries a water-drop notch with an aspect ratio of 18:9. Under the hood, the Mi 9 SE is powered by Snapdragon 712 SoC, clubbed with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

On the optical front, the Mi 9 SE offers a triple rear camera with the combination of 48-megapixel + 13-megapixel + 8-megapixel camera sensor with an LED flash. At the front, it houses a 20-megapixel camera sensor for selfies and video calls.

The smartphone also houses an in-display fingerprint sensor. It is fuelled by a 3,070mAh non-removable battery along with an 18W fast charging support. The smartphone is available in blue, violet, and black color options in the Chinese market. Let's see when the smartphone will arrive in the Indian smartphone market.

Source

Best Mobiles in India

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Vivo NEX S with pop-up selfie camera receiving stable Android 9 Pie update News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The Android Pie update for the Vivo NEX S smartphone weighs a total of 2.7GB in size.

Google announced its Android 9 Pie OS for the masses back in August 2018 and since then a number of smartphone manufacturers have pushed out the update for their respective smartphones. And with the Android Q beta making its way to Google Pixel smartphones, the other smartphone brands have also picked up the pace in rolling out the Android Pie update for their smartphones. While Nokia, Samsung, and others have been proactive recently in releasing the update, some other brands like Honor and others have also released the Android Pie update for their smartphones. Vivo has also released the Android Pie flavor recently to its flagship smartphone, i.e, the Vivo Nex S.

The Vivo Nex S is the company's last year premium offering which first introduced the pop-up selfie camera design. The smartphone ships with an Android 8.1 Oreo OS topped with Funtouch OS on its top. Now, the smartphone is finally receiving a stable Android Pie update. In addition to the Vivo Nex, Vivo X21 is also expected to receive the Android Pie update, however, there is no specific timeline available for the same.

The Android Pie stable update for the Vivo Nex S is released as an over-the-air update and it brings changes primarily to the UI of the smartphone. The update weighs a total of 2.7GB in size and the update notification should be available on all the Nex S smartphone gradually. In addition to the Android version, the latest update also upgrades the Funtouch OS build to 6.13.4. Besides, the update brings some new features and improves the overall performance of the smartphone.

As per the changelog, the Android Pie update for the Vivo NEX S smartphone introduces a new feature called Game Box. This feature will enable uninterrupted gameplay sessions without disturbing the users via calls and other notifications. Following the update, the Jovi AI assistant specifically designed for Vivo smartphones is also getting some modifications. The latest update will allow the assistant to support voice commands. Now, users can simply say 'action' followed by a command to perform any task. A new interface and support for cross-platform sharing have also been added. This will enable transferring files from iPhone as well. Apart from this, the update also brings support to add two audio devices to the Vivo NEX S smartphone at once.

via

Best Mobiles in India

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India to seek help from the US to track 'virtual SIMs' used during Pulwama terror attack News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The "virtual SIM" that the bomber was using is said to be made by a service provider based in the US.

On February 14, 2019, India saw one of the most harrowing terrorist attacks on its soil. The awful act carried out by the terrorists targeting a military convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district resulted in the death of 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel. This gruesome attack has been criticized all over the world and the fight against terrorism has also been strengthened.

NIA (National Investigation Agency) probed the attack which suggested that a car that carried over 300KG explosives was collided to the convoy by a suicide bomber. The inquiries revealed that a JeM which is a Pakistan-based militant group was the brains behind the attack. Now, some recent developments have revealed that the militants could have used "virtual SIMs" to carry out the attack in Pulwama.

As per a report from PTI, the Indian central security agencies along with the Jammu and Kashmir police had carried out searches in the areas close to the attack including an encounter site in Tral and some other locations. It was revealed that the suicide bomber had been in touch with the other militants from JeM before the strike was carried out using a "virtual SIM".

The "virtual SIM" that the bomber was using is said to be made by a service provider based in the US. The primary function of the virtual SIM is that a computer generates a telephone number using which a user can download applications of a service provider on their phone. The same number can be used for third-party instant messaging and social media apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram. The setup is complete when the user receives a verification code and completes the registration process on the aforementioned apps.

The Pulwama attack suicide bomber was in contact with Mudassir Khan, the Jaish handler using the virtual SIMs. The phone numbers that he used came with "+1" pre-fixed which is a code for MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) used in the United States.

Now, India has sent a request to the US in order to find out the details of the numbers that were in touch with the "Virtual SIM" used by the bomber. The security agencies over there will now try to look for the person who had paid for the SIM and will try to make the connections with the attack.

via

Best Mobiles in India
Airtel Online Store: Get Samsung Galaxy S10, iPhone XR, Google Pixel 3 and 3XL on EMI News oi-Priyanka Dua Airtel has also joined hands with Federal Bank, and Seynse Technologies for its Online Store.

Almost all telecom operators are coming up with new ways to attract users. Well, their latest antic is offering EMI options, Cashback and bundled plans for the newly launched smartphones.

So, we managed to compile a list of smartphones which can be purchased from Airtel Online Store wherein you can take advantage of all these offers.

Here are the details

Samsung Galaxy S10 Series

At present Bharti Airtel is providing instant financing, affordable down payments and EMIs on Galaxy S10 series. Customers can buy Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone with Airtel's built-in post-paid plans on EMIs which offer unlimited benefits like 100GB data, unlimited voice calling (Local+STD), free subscription to Amazon Prime for one year, and a free subscription to Netflix for 3 months worth Rs.1500.

Airtel has also joined hands with Federal Bank, and Seynse Technologies for its Online Store.

However buyers have to follow some procedures to buy this smartphone, first, they have to Log on to the online store and select the Samsung Galaxy device from the list second they have to check eligibility and get instant loan approvals. Make the down payment

iPhone XR on Airtel Online Store

Airtel's Online Store offers convenient EMI options that come with a built-in postpaid plan, which includes large dollops of data, unlimited calling, and bundled premium content.

Google Pixel 3 and 3XL Series

Customers can get these devices at affordable down payments starting just Rs. 17000 and EMIs that come with a built-in postpaid plan, which includes large dollops of data, unlimited calling, and bundled premium content.

In addition, buyers will get free Netflix subscription worth Rs. 1500 for 3months, 100 GB data/month with rollover, unlimited calling, local, STD and national roaming, free subscription to Amazon Prime for one year and free Airtel Secure subscription.

Best Mobiles in India

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UN chief welcomes establishment of inclusive government in Central African Republic

23 March 2019 - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the establishment in the Central African Republic (CAR) of a government in line with an early February peace deal struck with more than a dozen armed groups active in the country.

In a statement issued Saturday evening by a UN spokesperson, Mr. Guterres commended the leadership of the African Union, particularly in the successful conclusion of the consultations that were held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 18 to 20 March, with United Nations support on CAR.

This latest move towards a more inclusive Government in long-troubled CAR comes following the signing on 6 February in the capital, Bangui, of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation between the Government of CAR and 14 non-State armed groups.

CAR has been grappling with conflict since 2012, as fighting between the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia and the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition killed thousands and left two out of three civilians dependent on humanitarian aid.

In 2013, armed groups seized the capital and then President Francois Bozize was forced to flee. After a brief period of reduced violence in 2015, and elections held in 2016, fighting intensified again at the end of the year.

Peace talks had started on 24 January this year in Khartoum, Sudan, and lasted 10 days under the auspices of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR, led by the African Union with UN support.

In today's statement, the Secretary-General urged all signatories of the Political Agreement to adhere to its agreed principles, especially the rejection of violence and respect for human rights and human dignity.

"He further urges all signatories of the peace agreement to expedite its implementation," the statement said.

Mr. Guterres also reiterated the UN's commitment to assisting the CAR and called on "all partners" to continue to support the country's people and Government in their efforts to secure lasting peace.

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UN condemns 'unspeakable' attack that leaves scores dead in central Mali

23 March 2019 - The United Nations has strongly condemned the armed attack on a village in restive central Mali which reportedly left at least 134 people dead and dozens wounded early on Saturday.

"We condemn in the strongest terms this unspeakable attack," said Francois Delattre, France's UN Ambassador speaking as President of the UN Security Council at a press conference Saturday evening in the Malian capital, Bamako.

A Council delegation has been in the country since late last week as part of a mission to Africa's troubled Sahel region. The trip will wrap up tomorrow in Burkina Faso.

Located in Mali's central Mopti region, the village of Ogossou-Peulh was attacked on Saturday morning, reportedly by armed men dressed as traditional hunters.

Calling the attack an act of "unspeakable barbarity," Kakou Houadja Leon Adom, the Ambassador of Cote d'Ivoire to the UN and co-organizer with France and Germany of the Council's Mali visit, expressed condolences to the families of the victims , as well as to the people and the Government.

Meanwhile, a UN spokesperson said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "shocked and outraged" by reports that at least 134 civilians, including women and children, were killed and at least 55 had been injured in the attack.

"The Secretary-General condemns this act and calls on the Malian authorities to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice," according to a statement, which added that the UN chief expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, the Malian people and Government, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

The Secretary-General called on the Malian authorities to "redouble their efforts to bring back peace and stability to central Mali."

In a separate statement condemning the attack, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Head of UN integrated mission, MINUSMA, called for an end to the spiral of violence in Mali and reported that as part of the mission's civilian protection mandate, a rapid response force had been deployed to the scene. The mission was also working to ensure the wounded were evacuated to the nearby town of Sevare, he added.

"This unspeakable tragedyunfortunately reminds us that the challenges [in central Mali] are many," he said, calling on the Malian authorities to launch an investigation "so that justice is done and the perpetrators of this atrocity answer for their actions."

Deadly violence on the rise in Mopti region

The Mopti region has been the scene of deadly violence since the beginning of the year.

Last Sunday, the camp of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMAs) in the village of Dioura suffered an attack in which several of its soldiers were killed. On 26 February, 10 people from the Dogon community were killed in an attack on the village of Gondogourou. Further, on 1 January, 37 people were executed in the Fulani village of Kulogon by unidentified armed elements.

At the press conference, Ambassador Delattre recalled, in the context of a recent Security Council resolution extending MINUSMA until the end of June, that the question of central Mali was an integral part of the mandate of the UN peace operation.

"MINUSMA is to support the Malian State through the protection of civilians," he said in response to a question from a journalist.

The situation in central Mali was at the heart of the various meetings that members of the Security Council had in Bamako. "The unanimous message [we received] is that it is essential to break this negative dynamic between the different communities, and to do everything to try and recreate a virtuous circle," said Ambassador Delattre.

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Mueller Report Draws No Immediate Reaction From Moscow

By Igor Tsikhanenka March 24, 2019

It was late Saturday evening in Moscow and almost 24 hours since the news that special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his long-awaited report to the U.S. attorney general had reached Russia's capital. But both the Kremlin and the country's Foreign Ministry were quiet.

While no details of the inquiry were made public, a single commentary by an unnamed Justice Department official could be viewed in Moscow as a preliminary victory: Mueller and his team, investigating alleged collusion between Russia and President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign, did not recommend any further indictments.

Russian officials for months have been denying any interference in the U.S. elections, despite dozens of charges brought by Mueller and his team against 25 Russian nationals, mostly military officers and trolls, for their role in alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign.

The people VOA interviewed on the streets of Moscow seemed uninterested in Mueller himself and the line of work he does.

'It never happened'

And a few, who were familiar with the inquiry he had led, stood firmly by their government, denying Moscow's interference in the U.S. elections or any other malign activity abroad.

"We didn't need any such interference and it never happened," said one unnamed Moscovite to VOA. "Russia didn't have either desire or resources to influence the will of the American people," echoed another.

Independent experts are not surprised by such reaction by fellow countrymen.

"The majority will tell you that you have to deny everything by default. We are in the state of information war, and it's the right tactics," said Denis Volkov from Levada Center, a Russian independent polling organization.

Volkov has been studying public opinion in Russia for more than 10 years. He said that typically, at the beginning of surveys, Russians avoid answering questions about Moscow's malevolent behavior abroad by just saying "it could have been anyone."

The researcher said that with such responses people almost subconsciously repeat the ever-changing interpretation of Russia's involvement abroad by state-controlled TV.

"It's just like we [Russians] were rejecting the idea of Russian troops being in Crimea until Putin said, 'Yes, those were our soldiers.' But previously, he denied it," Volkov said.

Old grudges

Experts believe many Russians also tend to accept the government's interpretation of global events because of sociohistoric grudges stemming from lost glory.

The ongoing conflict between Moscow and the West doesn't help, either.

"I'd say it's almost some kind of envy toward a country that is No. 1. Because just recently, there was a parity and 30 years ago it all ended," Volkov said.

The head of the Russian International Affairs Council, Andrey Kortunov, disagrees with Volkov. By siding with the government on issues like this, Russians simply seek affirmation of their new place in the world today.

"I think for an average Russian it's a mechanism of attracting American attention. Russia means something and you cannot write it off. You cannot call it Upper Volta with missiles, or a gas station that pretends to be a country," Kortunov said.

But studies show that Russians are not the only people who accept the mainstream position for ultimate truth.

In a series of coordinated surveys conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Levada Center in Moscow, sociologists asked Americans and Russians a variety of questions on foreign policy. The results somewhat surprised them.

"It amused me quite a bit. The answers were mirror images of each other. The Russians said: 'It's not us, it's them who interferes in our affairs.' The exact opposite was true for the U.S.," Volkov said.

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Cambodia defends Chinese investment at expressway groundbreaking ceremony

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2019/3/24 21:13:42

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen refuted accusations that China's increasing investment in the country is "colonizing" it when he addressed the groundbreaking ceremony of a $2 billion Chinese-funded expressway on Friday.

The first expressway in Cambodia, which will cut the travel time between the capital Phnom Penh with the deep-sea port province of Preah Sihanouk from five hours to two and half, will not put the country in danger of being colonized, said Hun, who regularly praises China's no-strings-attached aid, compared with help from the US and Europe, according to AFP.

"We believe that it will be an important strategic road that will contribute to boosting Cambodia's economic growth," Hun said.

The accusation that China is colonizing Cambodia is absurd. Colonizing means looting resources, but China is investing in projects that will benefit local development, Gu Jiayun, an expert with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Infrastructure projects require more investment, consume long times and offer lower returns and receive less attention than they deserve," Gu said. "This is the reason why the US and European countries are not interested."

"The expressway project was overseen by the Cambodian government," Gu added. "The need to build the expressway came as early as 2006. China joined later with a build-operate-transfer model because the $2 billion cost exceeded Cambodia's debt plan, and no other country wanted to provide aid."

"In terms of funding for infrastructure, we welcome any country that's willing," said Sun Chanthol, Cambodia's minister for public works and transport. "But so far, only the Chinese are responding so generously," the New York Times reported last week.

Hun said that the "tremendous project," which will be built by the China Road and Bridge Corp, will increase logistics efficiency in the country and reduce the cost and time of moving goods, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Hun said China's progress has not only given direct benefits to the Chinese people but also provided advantages to other developing countries, especially those along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative, the report said.

"Some 90 percent of Cambodia's exports move through Preah Sihanouk, which puts huge transport pressure on the current road system, and the safety is not satisfactory," said Gu, who has driven several times on the current road.

"The current two-lane road is too narrow for such heavy cargo trucks, and it doesn't feel safe to drive on a road that has ditches on both sides," Gu said.

"China has already built seven bridges in Cambodia and they have proven beneficial to local economic development. So will the expressway," Gu added.

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Yemen takes control of some military positions in Asir

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 24, IRNA -- The Yemeni forces took control of some military positions belonging to Saudi mercenaries in Asir, southern Saudi Arabia and inflicted heavy damages on them.

According to Yemeni media 'Al-Masirah', a military source said that the Yemeni army and the popular committees have targeted Saudis' positions in Al Raboah, killing and injuring some of the Saudis.

Meanwhile, the Yemeni sniper units announced that they have killed 23 mercenaries, including two Saudi forces in Asir and Jizan.

Earlier, Member of Yemeni Ansarallah Movement political Bureau Ali Al-Qohom stressed that Yemen has not only been targeted by Arab-coalition, but an all-out war has been imposed by the US, Israel and the UK on the country.

He added that all Saudis' plots have so far been foiled.

Commenting on Stockholm peace talks, Al-Qohom said Yemen is eager to implement the agreement, but the enemy violated the truce.

He revealed Saudis, new movements in eastern Yemen, adding that Saudis are after changing the identity of Al Mahrah Province.

The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2451 to support the Stockholm Agreement on deployment of a team in order to facilitate monitoring and implementing the Agreement and establishing truce in important Yemeni ports.

The resolution mainly focuses on sending essential commodities to the Yemeni people, supporting the Stockholm Agreement, assigning the Secretary-General of the United Nations to implement it and observing the ceasefire.

The fourth round of Yemen peace talks kicked off in Stockholm, Sweden on December 6 with the attendance of UN and the government representatives. It agreed to establish truce in Yemeni ports of al-Hudaydah, al-Salif and Ayn Issa.

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies attacked Yemen in March 2015 to bring back to power the deposed president of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.

Since then, the invaders have committed horrible war crimes against Yemeni civilians.

9376**2050



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Trump claims liberation of all IS-controlled territory in Syria, Iraq

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:18, March 24, 2019

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Saturday the "liberation" of all territory controlled by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq, while vowing to remain vigilant until "it is finally defeated."

Trump said in a statement that the United States, together with its partners in Global Coalition to Defeat IS, has liberated "100 Percent of 'the caliphate.'"

"We will remain vigilant against ISIS (IS) by aligning global counterterrorism efforts to fight ISIS until it is finally defeated wherever it operates," the president added.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced Saturday the defeat of the IS militant group in eastern Syria.

The victory ended the IS rule that once spanned a third of Iraq and Syria.

The SDF, with the help of the U.S.-led coalition, has been fighting the IS group in the region of eastern bank of the Euphrates River since last September.

The IS emerged in Syria after the Syrian crisis began in 2011, after it was formed first in Iraq amid the U.S.-led invasion of the country.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group's leader, broke ties with al-Qaeda and renamed his group "the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" in 2013.

In 2014, the extremist group captured Raqqa Province in Syria and declared the establishment of a caliphate.

Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on Saturday called the liberation of the territory once held by IS in Iraq and Syria "a critical milestone," adding that the work "is far from complete."

"We will continue our work with the Global Coalition to deny ISIS safe haven anywhere in the world," Shanahan said in a statement.

Declaring victory over the IS, Trump announced in December the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, leading to the resignation of then Secretary of Defense James Mattis and wide opposition from home and abroad.

Last month, Trump announced a small fraction of U.S. forces would remain in Syria with troops from other countries. Currently, there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told the press on Friday that the territorial caliphate of IS had been eliminated in Syria, saying that the Pentagon confirmed this information. However, Russian media Sputnik reported on Friday, citing a Russian Foreign Ministry source, that Washington's statements about the complete liberation of Syria from IS were not convincing.

General Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command, said earlier this month that the operation against IS was far from over.

"Reduction of the physical caliphate is a monumental military accomplishment -- but the fight against ISIS and violent extremism is far from over and our mission remains the same," Votel said.

Following Shanahan's statement, Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement that the U.S. military remains committed to working closely with its coalition and regional partners to "ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS."

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who's visiting Lebanon, told reporters Saturday that work remains to be done to "make sure that radical Islamic terrorism doesn't continue to grow."

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Feature: Chinese-built infrastructure projects reshaping Kenya's transformation agenda

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:10, March 24, 2019

NAIVASHA, Kenya, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Modern infrastructure projects like roads, ports and railways that are either financed or built by China have injected vitality into the country's transformation agenda, senior officials and experts said.

Philip Mainga, acting managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation said that China's immense contribution to expansion and upgrading of transport infrastructure in Kenya has unleashed benefits to the economy and citizens.

"There is no doubt the infrastructure projects financed and developed by China are making huge impact in the country especially when you look at the ease of travel and employment opportunities," Mainga told Xinhua earlier this week.

He singled out phase one of the standard gauge railway (SGR) project that was launched on May 31, 2017 for ensuring there is seamless movement of people and cargo between the port city of Mombasa and the capital, Nairobi.

"The SGR phase one also created so many jobs and new opportunities for local entrepreneurs who supplied construction materials like cement, steel and sand," said Mainga.

He said that phase 2A of SGR whose implementation has entered the final stretch will stimulate commerce and investments in the Kenyan hinterland.

China has overtaken external lenders to become largest financier of infrastructure projects that have positioned Kenya as an unrivalled transport and logistics hub in the region.

The Africa Construction Trends launched by consultancy firm, Deloitte in December 2018 indicated that Kenya had the highest number of infrastructure projects financed by China across the eastern African region.

Maxwell Mengich, general manager for infrastructure development at Kenya Railways Corporation said that Chinese-built modern roads and railways have benefited local entrepreneurs besides enhancing linkages with regional trading partners.

"Kenya has benefited from infrastructure projects built by the Chinese and they range from job creation, faster movement of people and goods," said Mengich.

"The future prosperity of this country is dependent on interconnectivity and China is helping us achieve that goal," he added.

Kenyan investors hailed Chinese-built infrastructure projects saying they have stimulated economic growth and boosted the country's attractiveness as an investment destination.

"These infrastructure projects have changed the image of our country for the better and we are witnessing an improved investor confidence thanks to ease of travel," said Kamau Njuguna, a member of East African Chamber of Commerce.

Njuguna said that completion of phase 2A of SGR project that will link Nairobi to the resort town of Naivasha, will have positive impact on horticulture and tourism.

"The railway line will cut down on cost of travel from Nairobi to Naivasha and the benefits will be felt by horticulture farmers as well as local and foreign tourists," he told Xinhua.

Kenyan youth have acquired skills and gainful employment thanks to Chinese-funded infrastructure projects like the Standard Gauge Railway that is a critical component of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Boniface Musimba, a technician at phase 2A of SGR said that knowledge and skills transfer has become a defining feature of China-built infrastructure projects.

"The positive impacts of infrastructure projects financed by China include employment creation, transfer of skills and knowledge that will benefit us in the long-term," said Musimba.

Local communities too have gained from modern infrastructure projects financed by China thanks to reduced cost of travel and opening up of the hinterland.

John Mwathi, community leader based from a village near Naivasha town said phase 2A of the SGR project has transformed rural livelihoods through growth of small businesses.

"The value of our ancestral land has gone up since the construction of phase 2A of SGR phase began. Our youth have benefited from jobs and the contractor has assisted us to construct new classrooms and water pans," said Mwathi.

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US is mad because Hezbollah resists against its plots for region, Iran says

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 09:51PM

Iran has rejected as "provocative, meddlesome, and undiplomatic" the latest remarks made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo against the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.

In a statement on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi pointed to Pompeo's comments against Hezbollah, and lashed out at him for making such "rude and unwise" remarks and raising "baseless, false, hackneyed, and futile" claims and accusations against a major political and legal part of Lebanon while he was visiting the Arab country.

In his recent trip to Beirut, Pompeo expressed concern over the role of Hezbollah in the Arab country, saying that the Lebanese nation must pick a side.

"Lebanon and the Lebanese people face a choice: bravely move forward as an independent and proud nation or allow the dark ambitions of Iran and Hezbollah to dictate your future," he said during a joint news conference with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil on Friday.

Bassil, however, rejected Pompeo's comments, saying that "Hezbollah is a Lebanese party, not a terrorist group, and it enjoys a wide popular base."

In his Sunday comments, Qassemi said Hezbollah enjoys the popular backing of the majority of the Lebanese nation, and holds major seats in the country's government and parliament.

Qassemi said Tehran "totally understands the US' outrage over the praiseworthy performance and role of the resistance forces, the Hezbollah, and the wise people of the region, and all those who foiled the US' new colonialist and ominous plots in the region."

Such remarks and stances stem from the failure of Washington's destructive policies in the region, the Iranian spokesperson said.

They also "indicate the dissatisfaction and excessive outrage of the irrational rulers of the US over the popular solidarity and unity in Lebanon and the restoration of calm and stability in the Arab state, especially after the formation of its government," he added.

Qassemi pointed to Washington's long-lasting policy of intimidating regional governments, and said, "Now that it has failed to realize its ominous goals in the sensitive region of the Middle East, the US is resorting to the worn-out, hackneyed, and outdated trick of intimidating and threatening others in a bid to impose its hegemonic policies and behavior."

To do that, Washington not only tries to create a rift among other countries, but also levels groundless accusations against others, he added.

"While respecting the government and nation of Lebanon and the independent will of the country, Iran stresses that it will tap into all its capacities in order to promote solidarity and unity in Lebanon, and to reinforce bilateral ties with the country in issues that are in the interest of the Iranian and Lebanese people," Qassemi said.

Washington claims that the Lebanese resistance movement condones terrorism despite the fact that Hezbollah has been involved in a fierce fight against Takfiri terror groups, including Daesh and al-Nusra Front, thus preventing the spillover of the militancy gripping neighboring Syria into Lebanon.

Hezbollah has also supported the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-sponsored terrorists, who have been wreaking havoc in the Arab country since March 2011.

However, Washington has for long accused Hezbollah of being behind the 1983 bombing attack, in which 241 US Marines were killed.

In October, the administration of President Donald Trump imposed a new round of sanctions on the movement, targeting individuals and international organizations that do business with the group.

The sanctions legislation Trump signed is known as the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act 2018.

Hezbollah was founded in the 1980s following the Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon. The movement waged a long resistance campaign against Israeli forces and pushed them out of southern Lebanon in May 2000. Since then, the group has grown into a powerful military force. Israel also suffered a humiliating defeat from Hezbollah in the 2006 war.

Since its inception in 1985, the Lebanese resistance movement has been a thorn in the side of Israel and its foreign backers, including the United States.

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Wary of Iran's missiles, US strikes port deal with Oman

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 05:02PM

The United States has struck a strategic port deal with Oman in an attempt to get better access to the Persian Gulf region and avoid sending ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime choke point that Iran could easily block using its advanced missile arsenal.

The US embassy in Oman said in a statement on Sunday that the agreement granted the US access to facilities and ports in the towns of Duqm as well as in Salalah, which sit on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

It noted that the port deal "reaffirms the commitment of both countries to promoting mutual security goals."

The deal serves Oman's plans to develop Duqm, which was once just a fishing village 550 km (345 miles) south of capital Muscat. Oman has long sought to transform the port city into an industrial hub.

For the US, however, the deal serves a whole different agenda and tries to address growing concerns among top Pentagon officials about Iran's advancements in overcoming sanctions and diplomatic pressure by Washington to develop sophisticated missiles that can block the Hormuz.

An unnamed US official told Reuters that the deal improved the US military's access to ports that connect to a network of roads to the broader region.

"We used to operate on the assumption that we could just steam into the [Persian] Gulf," one US official said, adding, however, that "the quality and quantity of Iranian weapons raises concerns."

Last year, when US President Donald Trump threatened to drive Iran's oil exports to zero, Tehran warned that it would close down the Strait of Hormuz and stop all oil exports from the Persian Gulf region.

While the threat seems to have worked its magic by prompting the White House to issue waivers for Iran's main oil buyers, US military officials are worried that the current levels American military presence in the region cannot stop Iran from shutting down the crucial waterway.

In November, The Washington Post said US commanders worried that Iran could easily fulfill the task by using it robust arsenal of ballistic missiles and its ability to plant naval mines.

Back then the Pentagon officials were specifically critical of Trump's shifting priorities.

The Republican head of state thinks China and Russia pose the greatest threats to the US. He has ordered the Pentagon to move some of the American forces out of the Persian Gulf region and station them in bases across the Pacific region instead.

One unnamed US official noted that the new agreement with Oman would expand US military options in case of a real standoff in Hormuz.

"The port itself is very attractive and the geostrategic location is very attractive, again being outside the Strait of Hormuz," another official said, adding that Duqm was large enough turn around an aircraft carrier.

In late November, the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) warned that US bases in Afghanistan, the UAE, and Qatar as well as the US aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf were all within reach of Iranian missiles.

"The US bases around us are within our reach and are easy meat for us," IRGC Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said.

Competition with China

The deal also helps the US to push back against China's growing influence in the region.

Chinese firms once tried to invest up to $10.7 billion in Duqm in what was expected to be a commercial arrangement.

"It looks to me like the Chinese relationship here isn't as big as it appeared it was going to be a couple of years ago," the second US official said. "There's a section of the Duqm industrial zone that's been set aside for the Chinese ... and as far as I can tell so far they've done just about nothing."

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US airstrike kills 14 members of one family in Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 08:08AM

The United States has carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province after a fatal insider attack, leaving at least 14 civilians dead, mostly women and children.

A spokeswoman for the American military confirmed the Saturday airstrikes, but blamed the Taliban militant group for the civilian deaths.

"The Taliban were hiding in civilian homes and maneuvered in and out of compounds without any concern for the families living inside," said Sgt. 1st Class Debra Richardson.

The attack came a day after two US soldiers and four Afghan troops were killed during a joint operation in Gul Tepa, a district on the outskirts of Kunduz city.

According to the New York Times on Sunday, the latest episode began after an armored vehicle used by US troops broke down as they were heading to a security checkpoint.

When the soldiers got out to fix the vehicle, an Afghan soldier described by officials as a Taliban insider opened fire on them.

The US forces reportedly fired back at the assailant, "and Afghan soldiers stationed in a nearby outpost returned fire at them, not realizing what had happened," the newspaper quoted a local commander as saying.

Richardson said the Americans called in air raids, which killed 12 civilians and six soldiers.

Nangayalay, a local police commander in the area, said 14 members of a large refugee family were killed in one of the aerial attacks that hit their house.

The American bombs also hit the Afghan outpost, leaving between four and eight soldiers dead, according to varying estimates.

Safiullah Amiri, deputy head of the Kunduz provincial council, said four Afghan troops and 14 civilians lost their lives in the raids.

Local officials said at least eight children and four women were among those who lost their lives in the airstrikes.

Civilian casualties from aerial attacks conducted by US forces have surged across Afghanistan over the past few months.

The United States has recently stepped up its air raids in an attempt to exert pressure on the Taliban to accept a negotiated end to its 18-year insurgency.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan recorded 649 civilians casualties as a result of aerial attacks in the first nine months of last year, the highest number in any year since systematic recording began in 2009.

The Taliban's five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end in the wake of a US-led invasion in 2001, but the militant group still continues to attack government and civilian targets as well as foreign forces.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is now negotiating with the Taliban group, excluding the Kabul government.

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NATO Confirms Plans For $260 Million U.S. Storage Site In Poland

March 24, 2019

NATO has confirmed that it plans to establish a storage facility in Poland for U.S. military equipment, including armored vehicles, ammunition, and weapons to arm a full brigade.

A NATO official on March 23 told AFP that a report earlier by The Wall Street Journal that said the $260 million facility would be located in Powidz, some 200 kilometers west of Warsaw, was accurate.

The WSJ quoted NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg as saying work on the site will begin this summer and take two years to complete.

Since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Poland, the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia as well as other Eastern European states have expressed concerns about their security.

The United States has deployed and rotated troops in the region since the Ukraine crisis began in an effort to deter Russia. NATO has also increased its presence near Russia's borders.

Stoltenberg told the WSJ that the storage facility would help "underpin the increased U.S. presence in Poland."

Poland has been calling for more U.S. military personnel to be deployed on its territory, with Warsaw suggesting to U.S. President Donald Trump recently that he create a permanent base under the name "Fort Trump."

The NATO chief said the alliance will complete some 250 other infrastructure projects across Europe designed to increase the capacity of airports, harbors, railways, and roads to handle heavy equipment by 2021, the WSJ said.

Based on reporting by The Wall Street Journal and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-confirms-plans- for-260-million-u-s-storage-site- in-poland/29839005.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Romania Says It Will Move Its Embassy To Jerusalem

By RFE/RL March 24, 2019

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has announced that Bucharest will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Dancila made the announcement in Washington on March 24 at the annual policy conference of the main pro-Israel lobby group in the United States -- the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

"I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government that I run, will move our embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel," Dancila said.

"I can promise you this: Romania will remain the same loyal friend and the strongest European voice in support of the Jewish people and the state of Israel," she said.

Saeb Erekat, a senior official in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), criticized Romania over Dancila's announcement, calling the move a "blatant violation of Palestinian rights, international law, and UN resolutions."

Erekat said such moves contribute to "eliminating the two-state solution, the only way towards peace and stability in the whole region."

The "two-state solution" refers to a United Nations' plan of 1974 to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the creation of a future independent Palestinian state that exists alongside Israel "side by side within secure and recognized borders" based on pre-1967 borders.

However, the formal boundary line is still subject to dispute and negotiation -- with both Israel and the Palestinians claiming Jerusalem as their capital.

The United States became the first country to move its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, a decision made by President Donald Trump in late 2017 that reversed nearly seven decades of U.S. foreign policy on the issue.

The move was followed by Guatemala and Paraguay, although Paraguay has since moved its embassy back to Tel Aviv.

No European country has yet moved its embassy to Jerusalem -- although several have opened diplomatic presences there, including the Czech Republic, which has announced that it intends to relocate its embassy in the future.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez also told the AIPAC conference in Washington on March 24 that his country plans to "immediately open our official diplomatic mission" and "extend" the work of the Honduran Embassy to Jerusalem.

With reporting by AP and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-says-it- will-move-its-embassy-to- jerusalem/29839412.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Serbs Resume Protests Week After Invasion Of State TV Building

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service March 24, 2019

Thousands of Serbs took to the streets of Belgrade a week after demonstrators invaded and briefly occupied the state television building in protest against what they say is President Aleksandar Vucic's autocratic rule and biased media coverage of their demonstrations.

The protests on March 23 marked the 16th week of demonstrations against Vucic's rule in the capital and in dozens of other towns and cities.

Thousands of people rallied in front of the Serbian radio-television building, demanding greater media freedom.

They carried red roses and candles in memory of journalists who have been killed in Serbia over the past 30 years.

On March 16, dozens of demonstrators led by the far-right opposition politician Bosko Obradovic broke into the headquarters of state broadcaster RTS demanding to be allowed on the air to address the nation.

Their demand was not met and they were eventually driven out of the building by police, with at least 18 people being arrested. Some of the 18 spoke at the rally on March 23.

Most of the protesters are demanding Vucic's resignation, greater freedom of press, and fair elections.

But the protesters are a diverse group, with many pressing individual demands, and include leaders from the Alliance for Serbia, a loose grouping of about 30 parties and movements.

According to BalkanInsight, protest participants have over the past two years been made up of people from all sides of the political spectrum  liberals, right-wingers, pro-West, pro-Russia, and pro-Europe supporters.

Protest organizers have resisted attempts by some far-right opposition politicians to take control of the demonstrations.

Adding to the emotional aspect of the events, Serbia is set to mark the 20th anniversary of NATO's bombing of Belgrade on March 24.

Serbia lost control over its Kosovo province, which has since declared independence, after NATO forces' 1999 bombing campaign conducted to stop the killing and expulsion of Albanians by Serbian forces during a two-year counterinsurgency war.

After last week's assault on the media building, Vucic vowed to defend law and order across the country.

Speaking at the presidential headquarters in downtown Belgrade on March 17 as thousands of demonstrators rallied around the building for several hours demanding his resignation, Vucic refused to bow to the pressure and said: "I am not afraid."

"I'm their target as I seek Serbia's political consolidation and economic development," he said.

"There will be no more violence," Vucic said. "Serbia is a democratic country, a country of law and order, and Serbia will know how to respond."

The demonstrators chanted, "He is finished!" -- a slogan of the October 2000 popular uprising that led to the ouster of the late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

The weekly rallies began after unknown people beat up an opposition politician in November.

Protesters have been accusing Vucic of stifling democratic liberties, cracking down on political opponents, and controlling the media. He denies the accusations.

Long a nationalist, Vucic has attempted to remake himself as a pro-European Union reformer while seeking to maintain good relations with traditional ally Russia as well.

With reporting by AP, dpa, BalkanInsight, and Reuter

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-protests- vucic-alliance-belgrade-kosovo -nato/29838807.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump Claims 'Exoneration' -- Barr Says No 'Conspiracy' Found In Russia Probe

By RFE/RL March 23, 2019

U.S. Attorney General William Barr has told the country that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on his investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election states that the probe "did not establish that members" of President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

In a March 24 letter to Congress, which was also released to the public, Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence gathered by Mueller is "not sufficient to establish" that President Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice.

Trump quickly cast Barr's summary of Mueller's findings as a resounding victory on an issue that has riveted Americans and plagued his presidency from the beginning, calling the developments a "complete and total exoneration" and describing the special counsel's investigation as "an illegal take-down that failed."

In a tweet before making his remarks to reporters, Trump wrote: "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!"

However, Barr quoted Mueller's report as saying: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

That has led Democratic lawmakers to cry foul.

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

They also said that Barr, nominated just months ago by Trump, is "not a neutral observer" in the process and that his four-page letter about Mueller's report is not an objective summary about Mueller's findings.

Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives, also cited concerns about Barr's conclusions and said he would call Barr to testify before Congress.

"In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future," Nadler wrote on Twitter.

Nadler wrote that after Mueller's 22-month investigation, Barr "took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action" by the Department of Justice.

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a Democrat who is running for president in 2020, pointed out that lawmakers voted earlier this month for the release of the full Mueller report, not a summary from what she called Trump's "handpicked attorney general."

Several other Democratic presidential hopefuls also said Mueller's full report on Russian election interference and Trump must be made public.

Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey said the U.S. public "deserves the full report and findings" immediately, "not just the in-house summary from a Trump Administration official."

Mueller examined Russia's interference in the 2016 election, along with, as Barr's letter describes it, "allegations that members of Trump's presidential campaign, and others associated with it, conspired with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere."

Mueller also examined whether Trump or his associates unlawfully attempted to obstruct justice by trying to hinder the investigation.

His long-awaited report was delivered to Barr on March 22. On March 24 -- Sunday afternoon in Washington, D.C. -- Barr sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers with his outline of the "principal findings" of Mueller's investigation.

Over the course of his probe, Mueller indicted more than three dozen people and entities on various charges.

None of the charges have directly addressed the question of whether there was coordination between Trump's associates and Russian officials.

Barr said that that no further indictments were to come directly from the Mueller probe.

However, other jurisdictions could file charges related to offshoot issues from Mueller's investigation.

For example, the investigation led to the U.S. attorney for Manhattan charging Trump's longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, with various financial crimes.

Cohen ultimately pleaded guilty in exchange for his help with other investigations.

Barr, the Justice Department, Congress, and the White House all could play a role in deciding how much of Mueller's work should be made public.

Many lawmakers from both parties have said the entire report should be disclosed.

Democrats in the House of Representatives insist the White House should not be allowed to edit the findings or block details from being released and have threatened to issue subpoenas if necessary.

Nadler told CNN before Barr's letter was delivered that Trump has no legal right to seek to use "executive privilege to exclude parts of the report from the public."

In January 2017, the same month that Trump took office, the U.S. intelligence community said it had concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a hacking-and-propaganda campaign aimed at undermining the U.S. electoral process, discrediting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and eventually at improving Trump's chances in the November 2016 election.

Putin has denied Russia meddled in the election, despite substantial evidence including indictments handed down by Mueller's office. Trump has called Mueller's probe a "witch hunt" and vociferously denied that members of his campaign or other associates colluded with Russians in an attempt to sway the elction in his favor.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, The New York Times, dpa, and CNN

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-mueller- russia-report-barr-congress/29838392.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Mali Ethnic Genocide Sees Over 130 Muslims Killed in Ongoing Extremist Violence

Sputnik News

23:13 24.03.2019

More than 130 people were killed and dozens wounded Saturday in a Fulani village in Mali's Ogossagou-Peulh, according to the United Nations.

According to a United Nations report, the Fulani people  primarily Muslims in parts of West Africa, were attacked and killed by members of the Dogon tribe.

Dogon people are traditional hunters in northern Cote d'Ivoire, southeast Mali, and Burkina Faso. The Donzo Ton is one of several hunter fraternities in West Africa.

"The [UN] Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres] condemns this act and calls on the Malian authorities to swiftly investigate it and bring the perpetrators to justice," according to a statement, which added that the UN chief "expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, the Malian people and its government, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured," a UN spokesperson said, following reports that at least 134 civilians killed in the attack, according to a UN press release.

In addition, Guterres has urged Malian authorities to "redouble their efforts to bring peace and stability to central Mali."

Dogon hunters are part of the Bambara, which makes up the largest Mande people ethnic group in Mali.

Clashes between the Dogon and the Fulani over access to land and water have become more frequent over the last few months.

In addition, over the past few years, Mali has suffered a surge in violence, as a jihadist group led by Islamist preacher Amadou Kouffa from the the central Malian town of Mopti continues to exploit members from the Muslim Fulani community.

Kouffa's jihadist group, known as Katibat Macina  or the Macina Liberation Front  is affiliated with Ansar Dine, a militant Islamist group led by Iyad Ag Ghaly, one of the leaders of the Tuareg Rebellion, believed to have ties to Al-Qaeda.

Nomadic Tuareg tribes have attempted to gain control over the northern part of the country in recent years. In 2012, a Tuareg insurgency against the government prompted France, Mali's former colonizer, to intervene at the request of the country's authorities.

France's Operation Serval forced most of the rebels out; however, jihadists are still active in the northern territories, which are out of the control of the Malian government or French and UN forces, Sputnik previously reported.

 Sputnik

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Mueller Says Report Doesn't Conclude Trump Committed Crime - Nadler

Sputnik News

22:48 24.03.2019(updated 01:06 25.03.2019)

Chair of House of Representatives' Judiciary Committee Jerrold Nadler said that the US Justice Department sent to the Congress "a very brief letter" about the Mueller report.

The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, said that "the Special Counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him'". He also noted that the Department of Justice (DoJ) had "determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement".

According to Nadler, the "Special Counsel clearly and explicitly is not exonerating president".

Meanwhile, the DoJ stated that Mueller failed to note whether US President Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into his 2016 campaign. Based on the Mueller report, the US Attorney General William Barr asserted that there is not enough evidence of obstruction of the probe into his campaign, the department added. It also said that Trump's campaign team had nothing to do with hacking the US Democratic Party during the 2016 election campaign.

"The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired, or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," Barr said in a letter to Congress published by the DoJ on Sunday.

The DoJ noted that Mueller asserted that hackers linked to Russian authorities got access to computers and e-mails of Democrats during the 2016 election campaign. According to the department, Mueller also claims that there were two main Russian efforts to influence the election.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacted to the Mueller report's summary release by saying that the Kremlin had not seen the results of the investigation into alleged Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller has been investigating claims that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election, as well as allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign team and Moscow. Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in the election, stressing that the allegations were made as an excuse to defeat Trump's campaign opponent as well as deflect public attention from actual instances of electoral fraud and corruption.

Meanwhile, Mueller's work has led so far to criminal charges being filed against at least 34 people, including six individuals with close ties to the Trump administration. However, no charges filed as part of the investigation have centered on alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. Instead, several well-known legal and political figures have been found guilty of a variety of charges including financial fraud.

Trump broke Twitter silence as the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russia collusion came out, claiming that he was fully exonerated.

"No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!" the president tweeted on Sunday.

 Sputnik

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Indian Soldier Killed in Pakistan Firing in Jammu and Kashmir - Reports

Sputnik News

14:21 24.03.2019

The cross-border firing commenced in the Shahpur and Kerni areas of Poonch on Saturday and endured through the night, the Times of India reported citing authorities.

Pakistani troops fired at an Indian Army position on Sunday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district; as a result of the firing, one Indian soldier died, according to the Indian outlet.

"The soldier was critically injured in the firing. He succumbed to his injuries earlier today [Sunday]," the India Today reported citing its sources.

Relations between India and Pakistan have conventionally been considered tense due to the Kashmir territorial dispute, however, on 27 February, they almost reached breaking point, when the two states were close to outright war following a dogfight that involved Pakistani and Indian warplanes, according to reports.

Since the 1940s, Pakistan and India have fought three wars over the Kashmir region.

 Sputnik

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Over $30 Bln Stolen From Venezuela 'at Trump's Request' - Cabinet Minister

Sputnik News

11:15 24.03.2019(updated 15:14 24.03.2019)

The statement comes a few days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the US government of stealing $5 billion from the South American country  money that Maduro said has been earmarked for the manufacture of medicines.

Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez has lambasted the country's opposition for pocketing a billion dollars in government funds held in US banks.

"They have resorted to stealing the assets that Venezuela holds in different banks. This money is being confiscated at the request of the [US President Donald] Trump administration. Over $30 billion has been stolen in the past couple of months", he was cited as saying by the state channel VTV.

The statement followed President Nicolas Maduro blaming Washington for stealing from Venezuela "$5 billion allocated for the purchase of the main substances for the production of medicine in Venezuela and its delivery to hospital networks, pharmacies, and ambulance networks".

He insisted that US President Donald Trump was responsible for "the most criminal measure" against the Venezuelan people in order to subsequently say that the US authorities were ready to provide humanitarian assistance to the South American country.

Earlier this month, Maduro accused the Venezuelan opposition and US authorities of being eager to start a war for natural resources.

"No one should let themselves be fooled! The Venezuelan opposition and the US government do not want to help the country. On the contrary, they want to seize our natural resources. They want to unleash an 'oil war' to invade our homeland and rule here! But they will fail!" he tweeted.

Venezuela remains embroiled in a political crisis which escalated on 23 January, when the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself "interim president". Maduro described the move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

The US immediately recognised Guaido, after which some 50 other countries, including neighbouring Colombia, followed suit. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, and a number of other states have stated that they recognise Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president.

 Sputnik

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Israel Strikes Hamas Posts in Gaza in Response to Border Explosions - IDF

Sputnik News

11:02 24.03.2019(updated 11:04 24.03.2019)

Israel Defence Forces attacked two military posts of the Palestinian movement Hamas with drones on Sunday in the Gaza Strip in response to riots along the border of the seaside Palestinian enclave.

"In response to numerous explosive devices that were thrown and exploded in the area of the security fence during clashes at the border, the Israeli Air Force aircraft struck two Hamas observation posts in the southern part of the Gaza Strip," a military communique said.

Tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians near the Gaza border have been mounting since March 2018, which marked the beginning of the Great March of Return, a movement which sought to draw attention to Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes amid the creation of the state of Israel.

Palestinian sources claim that during this time, about 270 Palestinians have died and more than 25,000 have been injured in clashes with the Israeli military on the border.

In turn, Israeli authorities have been blaming Hamas for Gaza residents' aggressive actions toward Israel.

These protests were met with deadly force; an independent Commission of Inquiry, set up by the UN's Human Rights Council last year, said Israel killed 189 people and shot more than 6,100 others with live ammunition near the Gaza fence, according to The Guardian.

 Sputnik

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Indian Forces Shoot Down Pakistani Drone  Reports

Sputnik News

09:05 24.03.2019(updated 09:09 24.03.2019)

The Indian Air Force, army and paramilitary troops have remained on high alert after Indian intelligence warned about a possible deployment of armed drones along the Indian border earlier this week.

Officials said the UAV was near the Satrana and Jagdev border outposts in the area when it was spotted by Indian radar, which led to the "anti-aircraft guns opening up to prevent its ingress" further into Indian territory, according to The Times of India.

Over the last weeks, six Pakistani drones have entered the area. Earlier, the Indian Army shot down two Pakistani UAVs in the Sri Ganganagar area after they reportedly violated Indian airspace.

Recently, Indian troops have successfully repelled a Pakistani drone which returned to the country's airspace.

On 4 March, a Pakistani drone which tried to infiltrate in the Bikaner sector of Rajasthan was shot down by an air-to-air missile fired from an Indian Su-30 fighter jet.

Relations between New Delhi and Islamabad have been worse than usual recently because of the flare-up over the Kashmir territorial dispute. In February, India carried out an airstrike against what it claimed to be a terrorist base run by the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group in the Pakistani-controlled part of Kashmir, in retaliation for a deadly suicide attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy on 14 February. Pakistani jets struck back, striking military targets in India before being repelled by Indian warplanes.

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Venezuela's Maduro Announces Capture of Colombian Paramilitary Chief

Sputnik News

04:08 24.03.2019(updated 07:59 24.03.2019)

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has announced the capture of a Colombian paramilitary chief with alleged links to Juan Guaido, a self-proclaimed interim president backed by Colombia.

"We have captured the head of the Rastrojos gang in Carabobo state and he is giving testimony about who hired him and why he was brought to Venezuela," Maduro told his supporters in Caracas.

Maduro said Guaido's chief of staff Roberto Marrero had tipped off the authorities about the alleged paramilitary boss, leading to his arrest. Marrero was detained by Venezuelan intelligence agents on Thursday and is still in custody.

Maduro also accused US-backed Guaido whom he called a "diabolic puppet," of orchestrating a plot to kill him.

"The American imperialism wants to assassinate me. We have just foiled a plot that the diabolic puppet personally directed to kill me. We have proof, but they could not prevail," Maduro told his supporters.

Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said in a televised address that the plot involved smuggling Central American hitmen into Venezuela.

Maduro said that a Colombian paramilitary boss had been captured in Carabobo state after Guaido's detained associate Roberto Marrero provided the leads that helped locate him.

In January, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, backed by the United States, declared himself the interim president of Venezuela after disputing Maduro's re-election last May. Washington immediately endorsed Guaido, called on Maduro to step down and seized billions of dollars' worth of Venezuela's oil assets. Maduro has accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido as a puppet leader beholden to Washington. Russia, China and several others do not recognize Guaido's authority.

 Sputnik

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Taliban Said to Have Killed 65 Afghan Forces

By Ayaz Gul March 24, 2019

Officials in Afghanistan said Sunday ongoing fierce clashes with Taliban insurgents in southern Helmand province have killed dozens of government forces.

The fighting in the volatile Sangin district erupted after the Taliban launched a major predawn offensive on Saturday against several security outposts.

A provincial government spokesman, Omar Zwak, told VOA the attack "killed and wounded tens of security forces," but he gave no further details.

Senator Mohammed Hashim Alokozai, who is from Sangin and sits on the defense committee of the Afghan parliament, told VOA the insurgent attack killed at least 65 pro-government forces, including 48 Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel, and injured 38 others.

Alokozai said the military casualties occurred when the Taliban ambushed an ANA convoy that was heading to the conflict zone in Sangin to help push back the insurgents. The clashes were still continuing in the area, he added.

A Taliban spokesman said its forces overran two bases in Sangin and killed at least 52 soldiers.

The Defense Ministry in Kabul confirmed the fighting in the volatile southern district but said officials were still gathering battlefield details.

The Taliban has conducted big attacks in other Afghan provinces this month, killing dozens of police and soldiers. Clashes with the insurgents in northern Kunduz province on Friday also killed two American soldiers, according to the U.S. military.

Pro-government forces in Afghanistan have suffered heavy casualties in recent years while battling the Taliban. But Afghan officials have been barred from releasing battlefield casualty information to media since 2017.

President Ashraf Ghani revealed in January for the first time that more than 45,000 members of Afghanistan's security forces have been killed since he took office in September 2014.

The Taliban continues to stage major attacks against Afghan forces while it is engaged in a dialogue process with the United States to negotiate an end to the war. The two sides are due to reconvene later this month in Qatar to further discussions after having reached a preliminary draft agreement during 16 days of talks that concluded on March 12 in the Qatari capital of Doha.

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Thai Military-Backed Party in Lead in Thai Elections

By Luke Hunt March 24, 2019

Thais voted Sunday in an election called a return to democratic rule, but which has been widely criticized as an exercise designed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to entrench his military's stranglehold on power.

Counting began immediately after polls closed at 5 p.m.

Exit polls had indicated a strong showing for the Pheu Thai party of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra but initial officials results released Sunday had the military backed Phalang Pracharat party in the lead.

The campaign was marred by allegations of vote buying, however, complaints were few on polling day with election observers from Australia, Canada, the United States and the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations on hand.

Security was tight and opinions were mixed as about 52 million Thais voted. But the long shadow of the military is still having an impact, most of those willing to express an opinion declined to be identified.

Some were positive about the outcomes, particularly among the youth vote. A hotel receptionist said before voting, "I have my choice in my mind, it's good for me, I like it."

Another said she had faith in a political system guided by the military and Thailand's 20th constitution, written after 13 coups since 1932, "We are very confident with the election today, it is going to be democratic and fair to the society."

Others remained angry about the coup in 2014, which ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and installed General Prayut as head of a junta that curtailed civil liberties and banned political opposition.

"The coup is a really terrible thing that happened to our country. You can not say what you want or what you think, you can not protest because they will take you to the jail," she said.

Her sentiments were echoed by others who said it was wrong that Prayut and the military could dominate the political system and exert their influence to the point where they are widely expected to remain in control after this election.

"To answer whether to bring democracy back to Thailand is good or not; I won't say it's good," one middle-aged businessman said. "Everywhere in the world, in every country  even in America  you see how democracy works. Does it work for the country or the privileged few?"

Paul Chen, 80, was an exception. He spoke openly and said the elections were a step in the right direction and could provide a much needed boost for the economy, but noted the legal restrictions imposed by the junta.

"After today I think everything will be getting better," he said. "They have so many good political parties, about two or three, but I can not mention their name, it may be against the law."

Thais have cast votes for the 500-seat House of Representatives, while 250 members in the Senate will be appointed by the armed forces. A joint session of both houses will elect the next prime minister.

A key figure will be the overall popular vote. Pheu Thai, the party of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin  who was also ousted by a coup in 2006  are expected to poll well in the rural north.

Future Forward, led by the young entrepreneur Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, has been effective in attracting the youth vote with promises to end military conscription, and inclusive polices have endeared him to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The youth vote and the LGBT community number around seven million each. Combined, they share 25 percent of the total vote. But seat distribution and absolute military control of the Senate leaves General Prayut's Phalang Pracharat as the only likely clear winner.

"In Thailand today after five years of dictatorship, we see these rising expectations among voters. Social mobilization, political participation, people want change," said Paul Chambers, lecturer and special advisor on international affairs at Naresuan University, Phitsanulok.

"You know the last time there was a long period like this of dictatorship between elections, my gosh its maybe 30 years ago. So people really want change. Now the junta leaders are not stupid, they're certainly trying to corral and control."

During a panel discussion at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand Chambers said, "... you know you can't stay in power militarily forever, you have to change your legitimacy, somehow. And the best way to do that in the world today is to have a so-called democracy.

Election results are not expected to be ratified until late May.

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Thais Voting in First Election Since 2014 Coup

By Luke Hunt March 24, 2019

Thai voters are going to the polls Sunday for the first time in nearly five years.

Thailand's military junta took power in May 2014, when then-army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha led a coup that toppled the government.

Junta leader Prayuth said Sunday morning after voting, "I hope everyone helps each other by going to vote today as it's everyone's right."

Some 51 million Thais are eligible to vote.

Observers see the elections as a struggle between democracy and military rule.

Prayut has said that if he wins, voters would be returning his junta-led country to a "democracy."

The coup, Thailand's 13th since 1932, ousted then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and caused international outrage.

Observers say the chances of the Thai junta losing power at the ballot box appear remote.

Under a new constitution, the next Thai prime minister will be elected at a joint sitting of parliament. The 250 members of the Senate will all be appointed by the military, with political parties only contesting the 500 seats in the House of Representatives on Sunday.

That heavily favors Prayut, who is hoping to legitimize his leadership by standing for prime minister.

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance has expressed concerns over his leadership, citing a crackdown on press freedoms.

The Asian Network For Free Elections has warned of "inconsistencies and irregularities" in the lead-up to the poll.

The U.S. government has issued an advisory to its citizens, warning that travelers may encounter a heightened police and military presence throughout the country, particularly near polling stations.

The U.S. is urging its citizens to abide by Thai laws that prohibit criticism of the monarchy, avoid any election-related large gatherings and monitor international and Thai media before, during and after the elections.

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China, Italy sign BRI MoU to advance connectivity

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 08:45, March 24, 2019

ROME, March 23 (Xinhua) -- China and Italy signed here Saturday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the country.

The two sides welcome the signing of the intergovernmental MoU on jointly advancing the Belt and Road construction, said a joint communique issued by the two countries.

The two sides realize the huge potential of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in promoting connectivity, and stand ready to strengthen the alignment of the BRI and Trans-European Transport Networks and deepen the cooperation in ports, logistics, marine transportation and other areas, the communique said.

The two sides expressed willingness to join efforts under the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to advance connectivity in line with the AIIB's mission and functions.

More air links can be expected as the two sides agreed to facilitate airlines from each other to do business and ease the market access for them, according to the communique.

During his state visit to Italy from March 21 to 24, Xi held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on bilateral ties, as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

The communique said the two sides have agreed to advance China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit for win-win outcomes.

Actions will be taken to fully implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, it added.

The two sides reiterated their commitment to promote multilateralism and maintain the international system with the United Nations at its core. They agreed to oppose protectionism of any form, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, maintain the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s central role and jointly push for necessary reforms to the WTO.

The two sides agreed to work with each other on cooperation in fields such as environment and sustainable energy, agriculture, sustainable urbanization, health, aviation, space technology, infrastructure and transportation, according to the communique.

The two sides also expressed willingness to strengthen cultural cooperation that includes heritage protection and fight against relic trafficking, education cooperation that highlights language studies, judicial cooperation that involves extradition and anti-graft experience sharing, and law enforcement cooperation.

During Xi's visit, the two sides signed 19 intergovernmental bilateral cooperation documents, the communique said.

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Italy endorses China's new Silk Road plan despite US warnings

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:00AM

Italy has joined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an international infrastructure plan, dismissing calls from the United States to shun the project.

The endorsement makes Italy the first major Western power to back the initiative at a time of a grueling trade war between the United States and China.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio inked the memorandum of understanding on behalf of the Italian government during Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day visit to the European country.

Di Maio told reporters that although his country remained fully committed to its Western partners, it had to put Italy first when it came to commercial ties.

"This is a very important day for us, a day when Made-in-Italy has won, Italy has won and Italian companies have won," he added.

During Xi's visit, Italian companies also signed agreements with Chinese firms worth an initial 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion). The deputy prime minister said the contracts had a potential, future value of 20 billion euros.

The BRI plan, also known as the One Belt One Road project and championed by Xi, aims to link China by sea and land with Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, through an infrastructure network on the lines of the ancient Silk Road.

The US, which is currently engaged in a massive trade dispute with China, views the vast Asian country as a direct threat to its economic dominance and has expressed pessimism about Xi's infrastructure plan.

Earlier this month, Washington warned Italy against supporting the plan, denouncing it as a "vanity project."

Italy, determined to pull itself out of an economic recession that has gripped countries in southern Europe, has dismissed calls from Washington to shun the BRI.

Last year, US Vice President Mike Pence slammed China's BRI, arguing that Chinese funding of the infrastructure project was burdening developing nations with debt.

"The United States offers a better option. We don't drown our partners in a sea of debt," he further claimed. "We don't offer a constricting belt or a one-way road."

President Xi rejected US criticism of the project, saying it is not "a trap."

The administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed steep tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese products.

Since taking office, Trump has claimed that China's rise as an exporting powerhouse is hurting US workers and manufacturing.

Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods and threatened to target all Chinese exports to the US. Beijing has responded by imposing tariffs on $110 billion in US products.

Other trade partners of the US, including the European Union, Canada and Mexico, have also retaliated with tit-for-tat tariffs against American products.

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Suspected Daesh bomb attack hits northern Iraq, terrorists dead: Army

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 02:53PM

Iraq's army says three suspected Daesh Takfiri terrorists have died after blowing themselves up in northern Iraq but there were no casualties among government forces.

Army spokesman Yahya Rassoul said on Sunday that the incident occurred in a region near the Syrian border, where Daesh sleeper cells are believed to be present.

According to local officials, the suspects were killed as they were trying to attack troops in the village of Qayrawan, south of the mountainous region of Sinjar, which borders Syria.

The incident took place a day after Syrian Kurds pronounced the death of Daesh's nearly five-year-old "caliphate" after flushing out die-hard terrorists from their very last bastion in eastern Syria.

"Syrian Democratic Forces declare total elimination of so-called caliphate and 100 percent territorial defeat of ISIS," spokesman Mustefa Bali said in a statement on Saturday, using an alternate title for Daesh.

The Takfiri terrorist group unleashed a campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast areas of land in lightning attacks.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters then launched operations to eliminate the terror outfit and retake lost territory.

Shortly after the beginning of the terror campaign in Iraq, senior cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa calling on all Iraqi citizens to defend their country. Iraq finally declared the end of the anti-Daesh campaign in December 2017.

At Baghdad's request, Iran also provided military advisory assistance to Iraq in the course of its anti-Daesh operations.

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Looking for Election Boost, Israel's Netanyahu in US to Meet with Trump

By Ken Bredemeier March 24, 2019

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington looking for an electoral advantage from U.S. President Donald Trump's expected formal recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights.

Netanyahu, facing corruption charges and a tough re-election contest April 9, is meeting Monday with Trump at the White House and having dinner there on Tuesday, sandwiched around a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a major U.S. lobbying group for the Jewish state.

Trump said on Twitter last week that he would recognize the Israeli ownership of the Golan Heights, the territory to the northeast of Israel along the Syrian border that was seized by Israel from Syria in the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed in 1981.

Trump's stance breaks with long-standing U.S. policy and the international community, which considers the Golan Heights as Israeli-occupied, not a sovereign holding.

"President Trump will sign tomorrow in the presence of PM Netanyahu an order recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

Netanyahu is lagging in political surveys ahead of next month's election. His main rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, is speaking at the annual AIPAC convention on Monday, but only Netanyahu will be at the White House dinner on Tuesday.

Trump compared his decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as similar to that of his decision last year to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, another stance at odds with the international community. Israel claims Jerusalem as its eternal and indivisible capital, but the Palestinians have also staked a claim on Jerusalem as their capital in any eventual creation of a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu, in the run-up to the election, has stressed his friendship with Trump.

"Our alliance in recent years has never been stronger," the Israeli leader said last week as he met in Jerusalem with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "It is an unbreakable bond. It is based on shared values of liberty and democracy and shared interest to fight the enemies of democracy, the enemies of our way of life, the terrorists that prowl our airspace and our countries, and working together we have been able to achieve an enormous amount."

Trump's Golan Heights announcement came shortly after Pompeo visited the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites in Palestinian east Jerusalem, with Netanyahu, the first time such a high-ranking U.S. official had visited the site with an Israeli leader.

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Israel's PM to Meet Trump 3 Weeks Before Election

By Linda Gradstein March 24, 2019

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump this week in Washington. The meeting comes as Netanyahu's Likud party is lagging in opinion polls ahead of elections next month.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival, former chief of staff, Benny Gantz are speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee meeting this week in Washington.

But only Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump and attend a state dinner at the White House.

Trump announced a change in American policy on the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and later annexed. Trump tweeted last week that the United States recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the territory, and later explained in the move in an interview with Fox News Business. He compared it to his decision last year to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"I was inundated with calls from the leaders. Mostly the leaders saying, 'Please do not do it'. I did it. It has been done and it is fine. Golan Heights is the same thing ... This is sovereignty. This is security, regional security, so it is not about Netanyahu's re-election. No, I would not know about that," said Trump.

Netanyahu is facing a series of corruption allegations, and the latest opinion polls show the new Blue and White Party headed by Gant edging past Netanyahu's Likud.

The Israeli prime minister has stressed his close relationship with Trump, and he lauded close U.S.-Israel ties in a meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week.

"Our alliance in recent years has never been stronger," he said. "It is an unbreakable bond. It is based on shared values of liberty and democracy and shared interest to fight the enemies of democracy, the enemies of our way of life, the terrorists that prowl our airspace and our countries, and working together we have been able to achieve an enormous amount."

Netanyahu also thanked the United States for walking away from what he called the "disastrous" Iran nuclear deal.

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Kazakh Ex-Prime Minister Appointed Interim President's Top Aide

By RFE/RL's Kazakh Service March 24, 2019

Interim Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has appointed a recently dismissed prime minister to head his administration.

Nursultan Nazarbaev announced he was stepping down as president last week after ruling the energy-rich Central Asian country for nearly 30 years.

Toqaev, who will serve as interim president until a presidential election in April 2020, appointed Bakytzhan Sagintaev as his chief of staff on March 24. He replaces Asset Issekeshev.

Nazarbaev dismissed Sagintaev from the post of prime minister last month, citing his government's failure to raise living standards and diversify the economy away from the energy sector.

The 78-year-old Nazarbaev announced on March 19 he was stepping down as president.

He still, however, remains chairman for life of the Kazakh Security Council and chairman of the ruling Nur-Otan party.

On March 23, Toqaev signed a decree to rename the capital, Astana, Nur-Sultan in honor of Nazarbaev, after parliament approved the change.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakh-ex-prime- minister-appointed-interim-president-s -top-aide/29839220.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Pakistan Sees Nuclear Weapons as Deterrence Method, Rules Out Any Use - Army

Sputnik News

18:36 24.03.2019(updated 18:38 24.03.2019)

ISLAMABAD (Sputnik), Valentina Shvartsman - Pakistan is ruling out the possibility of using its nuclear weapons and sees them as more of deterrence tool to prevent actual wars, spokesman for the Pakistani Army Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor told Sputnik in an interview.

"Since we have gone overtly nuclear, as India also, in 1998, our stance is that this capability eliminates the possibility of conventional war between the two states. So that is to say, this is a weapon of deterrence and a political choice. No sane country having this capability would talk about using it," Ghafoor said.

The official noted that even though the protection of the country was of the utmost importance, it would be "insane" to discuss the use of nuclear weapons. He also pointed out Pakistan's will to takes steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms  but only if India does the same.

"Pakistan will undertake anything which is based on equality. You cannot tie the hands of Pakistan and keep India open. Anything that happens should happen for both countries," Ghafoor said.

On Cooperation With Russia

Pakistan is negotiating defence industry cooperation with Russia in the areas of aviation, air defense systems and anti-tank missiles, spokesman for the Asif Ghafoor told Sputnik in an interview.

"We are having the aviation, we are having the air defense, we are having the anti-tank domain, which we are negotiating. And that will be positive negotiations," Ghafoor said.

The spokesman declined to clarify which items were on the agenda of the talks, but noted that Pakistan was open to various offers.

"Nothing is out. Anything and everything, which is possible to be purchased by Pakistan, will be done," Ghafoor said.

The official further noted that Pakistan would welcome Russia's role in mediating the recently inflamed tensions between Pakistan and India."We would welcome any third-party mediation, which can bring peace in the region. And Russia is more than welcome," Ghafoor said.

According to the spokesman, Pakistan valued Russia's role in the Afghan settlement process and recognized Moscow's importance in regional processes.

"We greatly value the relevance and importance of Russia in the region, especially what role Russia has lately played toward the Afghan reconciliation Russia looks toward balance of power and multipolarity in the world. We value Russia's voice as the voice of reason, and we would love if Russia, being a powerful country, plays its role which enables bringing peace in South Asia and beyond. And we expect that Russia will do it, as the efforts in fact being undertaken by Russia are generating good results," Ghafoor said.

On Alleged Use of US-Made F-16

The senior official rejected India's claims that Pakistan used US-made F-16 to down Indian aircraft in late February, stating that PAC JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used instead.

"The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not  because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne  now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise," Ghafoor said.

He noted that Islamabad was discussing the use of its JF-17 with the United States citing "friendly relations" with Washington, stressing, however, that the country would use whatever it deemed necessary if it came to "legitimate self-defense."

The official also shared Pakistan's account of the events that preceded the dogfight on February 28. According to Ghafoor, the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure. Pakistan then, according to his words, decided to retaliate but chose not to threaten civilian lives.

"Next day, our Air Force, while staying within our own airspace, took four targets in India-occupied Kashmir Being a responsible country, we could have caused damage even to the military installations or human life But we had to show our will, capability and resolve. So what we did  we first chose the targets, and when the targets were locked by the aircraft, we shifted the point of impact to a safety distance where there was no infrastructure or human life, meaning thereby that we wanted to tell Indians that we had the capability to hit that military target, but in the entrust of the peace of the region we are only showing you our capability," Ghafoor said.

He added that Pakistan had the footage of this operation.

Earlier in March, media reported that the United States was looking into a possible violation of the terms of use of F-16 it supplied to Pakistan, as India claimed that the aircraft was used in the dogfight against Indian planes in late February.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated last month, after the Pakistani military shot down two Indian warplanes in the disputed region of Kashmir, responding to an earlier airstrike by Indian aircraft against what New Delhi said was a camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad group, considered terrorists by India and located on the Pakistani soil across the so-called Line of Control, separating India- and Pakistan- controlled areas of Kashmir.

The Indian airstrike came after a deadly attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad on the Indian paramilitary police force in Kashmir in mid-February. While India has accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a "direct hand" in the incident, Pakistan, in turn, has rejected the allegations.

 Sputnik

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Pakistan Deploys Chinese-Made Air Defences Near India's Border  Report

Sputnik News

08:40 24.03.2019

On Saturday, Pakistani President Arif Alvi chastised India for having what he described as an "irresponsible" attitude amid ongoing bilateral tensions, which escalated after an Indian Air Force raid on an alleged terrorist camp in Pakistan last month

A spate of Chinese-made medium-range air defence missiles have been deployed in several cities and military bases in Pakistan to prevent possible new strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the wake of its raid on an alleged terrorist camp in the Pakistani-controlled area of Kashmir in February, DNA news outlet cited intelligence reports as saying.

The air defences, which were reportedly deployed near India's border, include five LY-80 (HQ-16) surface-to-air missile units and IBIS-150 surveillance radar batteries "capable of tracking and destroying a variety of aerial targets at longer ranges flying at low and medium altitude".

Additionally, the Pakistani military reportedly deployed Chinese-made Rainbow CH-4 and CH-5 drones to conduct surveillance and potential strikes along the Kashmir Line of Control.

The development comes after Pakistani President Arif Alvi accused India of having an "irresponsible" attitude and praised Islamabad's immediate and effective response to what he described as "Indian aggression".

"After the Pulwama attack, India blamed Pakistan without any evidence. India did not adhere to international laws and violated Pakistan's airspace," Alvi said, referring to the 14 February attack on an Indian security convoy in the Indian-controlled area of Kashmir by Pakistan-based Islamist militants, which claimed the lives of at least 40 security personnel.

The suicide attack was followed by a 26 February IAF raid on an alleged terrorist camp run by the Pakistani-based jihadi outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed camp; a dogfight took place a day later between Indian and Pakistani warplanes.

In a separate development earlier this week, Beijing moved to support Islamabad against the backdrop of simmering Indian-Pakistani tensions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi underscored that "no matter how things change in the world and in the region, China will firmly support Pakistan in upholding its sovereign independence and territorial integrity and dignity".

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army kills 10 terrorists in NW Syria

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 24, IRNA -- The Syrian Arab Army on Sunday continued its military operations against terrorist groups in southern Idleb and northern Hama in response to their repeated violations of de-escalation zone agreement, inflicting losses upon them in personnel and equipment.

The army units destroyed dens of Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists, killed ten of them in the vicinity of Gergnaz in southern Idleb and destroyed weapons and ammunition were in their possession, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

In northern Hama, the reporter added, the army units carried out a precise operation on the direction of al-Nusra terrorists' movements in al-Karkat village, eliminating a number of terrorist groups and destroying their weapons and equipment.

Earlier, explosion of a land mine in Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria, had claimed the lives of 4 civilians and injured 36 others.

Meanwhile earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement called on the international community to join efforts in the urgent task of humanitarian demining operations in Syria.

'We call upon the international community to actively join the Russian-Syrian efforts in this direction and provide the appropriate financial and technical support,' the statement reads.

Such 'urgent and expeditious' efforts on a global scale would ultimately contribute to creating conditions for the return of millions of Syrians to their homes and the reconstruction of the country, the statement added.

Meanwhile earlier, UN reported that eight years since the war began, 12 million Syrians are either refugees or displaced inside Syria; adding up to around half the pre-war population.

"Around 70 percent of Syrian refugees live a razor-edge existence below the poverty line," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi in a joint statement, who recently visited Syria and Lebanon, where refugees make up a quarter of the population.

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Trump to recognize Israel's sovereignty over Golan on Monday: Israeli FM

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 05:34PM

US President Donald Trump will sign an order recognizing the Israeli regime's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz says.

In a post on his Twitter account on Sunday, Katz added that Trump would issue the decree on Monday in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

"President Trump will sign tomorrow in the presence of PM Netanyahu an order recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," the foreign minister said.

Trump said on Thursday that it was time to back what he described as the Israeli regime's "sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, a Syrian territory under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War.

"After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!" the US president wrote on Twitter.

Netanyahu has long pushed for such recognition and many analysts believe that Trump's Golan Heights announcement is a campaign gift ahead of Israel's legislative elections on April 9.

The prime minister faces an increasingly tough time ahead as his biggest political opponent overtakes him in popularity and as calls mount for him to resign over looming corruption charges that could effectively end his political career.

Ex-Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, head of the newly-formed center-left Blue and White political alliance, has both gained in popularity  past that of Netanyahu's  and urged the Israeli prime minister to resign.

The Arab League, Russia, Iran, Turkey and Iraq on Friday strongly warned the US after President Trump declared that he will recognize Syria's Golan Heights as Israeli territory, saying it violates international law. France said the same.

The strategic highlands have been under the Israeli occupation since 1967, but Trump's abrupt declaration brings the dispute to a boiling point.

Trump's decision is the latest major move in favor of Israel. In December 2017, he formally recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as the so-called capital of Israel and later moved the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city, which Palestinians view as the capital of their future state.

In a Sunday statement, a senior advisor to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the US president has only made the resistance front more resolute against the Israeli regime and its supporters.

Ali Akbar Velayati, who is also secretary general of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening, emphasized that the recognition of the "tyrannical occupation of the Golan Heights  which is aimed at making that regime feel secure, will undoubtedly add to regional problems and make the resistance front more resolute in fighting the Zionist regime and its supporters."

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Displaced Syrians Deny Claims that US Detains Them in Al-Tanf Camp

By Nisan Ahmado March 24, 2019

Internally displaced people at Rukban refugee camp in southeastern Syria are rejecting a claim by Russia and the Syrian regime that they are being used as human shields by the U.S. troops near al-Tanf military base.

Rukban refugee camp is located in a remote area in Syria's Homs governorate, near the strategic joint border with Jordan and Iraq. The makeshift camp is home to nearly 60,000 Syrians displaced from different areas of the country since the escalation of the country's civil war in 2014. About 16 kilometers from Rukban is a U.S. military base hosting about 200 American soldiers.

"The refugees in Rukban camp are suffering because of the Russian siege," Omar al-Homsi, a spokesperson for Rukban camp, told VOA.

Reiterating a statement from Rukban camp's political committee last week, al-Homsi accused the Syrian government and the Russian military of "trying to force refugees to evacuate the camp by preventing aid from going inside the camp."

The camp's political committee said several infants have died recently due to deteriorating health conditions at the camp.

Women and children

The United Nations refugee agency estimates about 80 percent of the Syrians settled there are women and children, many suffering from fatal diseases, and lack of food and basic services. The U.N. said it is ready to send aid trucks across the border from the Jordanian side to the camp, but said it has failed to obtain permission from the Syrian government in a timely manner.

The Syrian government and Russian military say delivering aid to the camp has been delayed mainly due to lack of security guarantees for relief workers entering the U.S.-controlled area.

Russian and Syrian government refugee coordination centers last week blamed U.S. forces for allegedly detaining the displaced Syrians in the camp. The centers claimed about 95 percent of the displaced people want to return to their homes due to poor conditions at the camp and the de-escalation of violence in other parts of Syria.

Rukban camp spokesman Al-Homsi told VOA that many frightened refugees wished to resettle in rebel-held areas in the north, but doing so was difficult because the Syrian forces are not willing to provide them a safe passage.

He said the Syrian government and the Russian military were embargoing the camp to force the refugees into reconciliation and to pressure U.S. troops to leave the nearby military base.

"Many people resorted to this desert area near al-Tanf base because they wanted to be protected from Russian and Syrian airstrikes," al-Homsi said.

Forced conscription

According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), many refugees in the camp fear arrest and forced conscription if they return to their homes in areas controlled by the government.

"There were Russian promises to the refugees who don't oppose (the) Bashar Assad regime to return back to their cities and villages without being arrested," Rami Abdulrahman, head of the observatory, told VOA. "But the refugees do not believe these promises because there were cases in the past when a number of refugees were arrested after they left Rukban camp."

The refugee camp, along with the U.S. base, falls within al-Tanf's 55-kilometer exclusion zone established in 2016 as part of the U.S.-backed coalition's effort to fight the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

The main rebel group in the area, Revolutionary Commando Army, currently maintains the security of the camp and provides safe passage to aid convoys. The group's fighters have for years protected the area from IS infiltration and Syrian regime attacks.

Maher Sulaiman al-Isa, a representative of the U.S.-backed group, told VOA that Russia and the Syrian regime are attempting to forcefully evacuate people from refugee camps and return them to their homes to demonstrate to the outside world that the war-torn country is going back to normalcy under the regime.

He said the embargo on the camp has tainted Syria's claim for a new beginning and its promises of a major reconstruction process.

"Russians are trying to get rid of the embarrassment that these camps are neglected by the Syrian regime," al-Isa told VOA "They are relentlessly asking the Syrian regime to find a solution for this camp, because it is located inside the Syrian territory."

US protection

Al-Isa said the U.S.-backed rebels in the zone and the refugees in the camp depend on U.S. protection against attacks by the Syrian regime and Iranian militias.

Last December, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria after IS is defeated. However, Trump in February decided to keep about 400 U.S. troops in Syria, 200 of these troops allegedly will be stationed in al-Tanf.

Al-Isa said the base's strategic location, which prevents Iran from gaining access to the Iraq-Syria-Jordan tri-border, in addition to humanitarian considerations, will likely encourage the U.S. to keep troops there for a while.

"We know that there is a debate around the withdrawal from al-Tanf, especially among the U.S. generals, and this is for strategic reasons to face the Iranian plans," al-Isa said, adding, "The withdrawal will be delayed from al-Tanf base for an indefinite time."

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Fight Against IS: The Price of Victory

By Heather Murdock March 24, 2019

In October 2016, Umm Aysha and her three children huddled on the ground outside a bombed-out shopping plaza with a crowd of other women, all wearing the black veils required by Islamic State militants.

They were on the outskirts of Mosul city in Iraq, fleeing a battle as Iraqi, Syrian and coalition forces pummeled IS across the region from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city and village to village. "Our house was bombed," she told VOA, explaining why she fled.

That battle subsided and bit by bit, IS lost the lands they captured over the previous three years. On Saturday, after five years of fighting, the militants lost their last sliver of land, a bombed out camp in Syria. What was once a self-proclaimed "Caliphate," occupying vast territories in Iraq and Syria and bent on the destruction, is now once again an elusive insurgency.

But besides broken hearts, homes and families, IS is leaving a new threat in its wake, said Badran Chiya Kurd, an advisor for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which declared the final victory. Militants are regrouping and hope to continue to attacks in Syria, Iraq and around the world, he said.

Recovery for now-destroyed former IS holdings, including major cities in both Syria and Iraq, will require political will, investment and education, according to Kurd. If cities and towns remain in shambles without services or economies to speak of, extremism will continue to thrive, no matter who is officially in charge, he said.

"If we don't get rid of the extremism, IS can come back at any time and destabilize our lands," he added, speaking on the phone from his office in Qameshli, Syria.

Over the last few months, SDF forces battled for Baghuz, the last IS stronghold. Militants fought bitterly as IS supporters poured into camps and prisons, often vowing that IS will rise again.

But even back in 2016, when IS's imminent demise was just becoming apparent in Mosul, Umm Aysha could see members of the group plotting their survival.

"There were two militants wearing veils among the women we came with," she whispered. "They were wearing makeup and everything."

Unveiled

The next time we saw Umm Aysha was only a few weeks later in November 2016, but we didn't recognize her at first. She had cast off the black full-body and face veil and replaced it with a pink headscarf and a smile.

She was at one of the camps housing displaced families in northern Iraq, and the weeks without bombings had been a relief. The camp was quickly filling up and others were opening across Iraq and Syria. Millions of people would flee their homes as the fighting continued.

"It's this one," she said, showing us the tent her family would make a home for the winter, despite the increasingly cold and rainy weather.

She didn't know then, that this tent would become her only home.

Over the course of the next 28 months, IS-held towns and cities fell to Iraqi, Syrian and coalition forces. Thousands of civilians were killed in airstrikes, and the bodies of militants were left strewn across the region.

In the final few months of fighting, many of the most devoted IS fighters finally surrendered after retreating for months or years with the group before their "last stand" in Baghuz.

Syrian camps and prisons are now packed with IS supporters, including thousands of foreigners--fighters, their wives and their children--from countries that are hesitating, and in some cases refusing, to take them back.

Many areas once occupied by IS have been rebuilt, but many have not. Locals whisper that they still fear IS and describe circumstances that lead to the rise of the group that are still present. The region remains unstable, poor and people often feel neglected by authorities.

"It was lucky we escaped early," Umm Aysha told VOA in late-February this year as the final battles raged on in Syria. We sat in a small space secluded by tarps and blankest outside her tent, as she held her youngest child. Aysha was born only six months before and has never lived outside a camp. "If we had stayed with IS, who knows what my children would be like?"

Future adults

Umm Aysha's older three children played in the sun, vying to pose for pictures. They were not in school for different reasons. Marwa is 12, and stays home to help with household chores. Nahida, is 4. "I don't have a backpack," she said, explaining why she doesn't go.

Mahmoud, 8, finds some of the children at school to be bullies and his mom fears the ones whose fathers were IS fighters could teach him extremist ideas.

"Of course they will grow up with the same ideologies as their fathers," she said. "I tell my children not to talk about these things."

At the al-Hol camp in Syria a week later, as IS was in the final throws of battle in Baghuz, children there said they were also not attending school. With about 62,000 new arrivals at the camp since December 4, 2018, the camp is in crisis, short of tents and other far more urgent supplies.

More than 90 percent of the newly-arrived people at al-Hol are women and children, and camp workers say they are nearly all related to IS. Several mothers told us they plan to raise their children to support the next generation of IS, and hope their sons will join the insurgency.

"My children are free to be fighters or not," said Umm Mohammed, a mother of five with her black veil fully covering her eyes. "But Islamic State was good." Like Umm Aysha, Umm Mohammed does not know when, how or if she will be able to move her children out of the camp.

And across the border in Iraq, Umm Aysha says although she fears IS will soon regroup, that is not the real reason she still lives in a camp, more than two years after she fled her home. She used to live in the suburbs of Mosul, but her neighborhood was destroyed and she doesn't have the money to rebuild.

"Where would we go back to?" she asked, shrugging.

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Tsai, DPP slam Kaohsiung mayor over meeting with China official

ROC Central News Agency

2019/03/23 21:35:14

Taipei and Macau, March 23 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Saturday slammed Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu () for his meeting with Beijing's top official in Hong Kong, warning it could be used by China to promote its "one country, two systems" formula for unification with Taiwan.

Tsai, who is currently in Palau on state visit, said it would be hard to rule out that Beijing was trying to create a "one country, two systems" atmosphere.

That is because the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LOCPG HK) is an institution that symbolizes the imposition of China's "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong, Tsai said.

The Kaohsiung mayor, who arrived in Hong Kong on Friday morning on the first leg of a seven-day tour that will also take him to Macau, Shenzhen and Xiamen, was invited to the liaison office by LOCPG HK Director Wang Zhimin () for a dinner reception.

Han, who was the first Taiwanese mayor to have visited the building in Hong Kong, did not respond directly to the criticism, but said, according to the Apple Daily, that he and Wang had a pleasant conversation and did not touch on sensitive issues.

He said they spoke on topics related to family, work and the futures of Hong Kong and Kaohsiung.

Aside from Tsai, other DPP members criticized the Kaohsiung mayor, who would be the opposition Kuomintang's most popular presidential candidate should he decide to run in 2020, according to recent opinion polls.

Secretary-General Lo Wen-jia () criticized the Kaohsiung mayor on his Facebook page, saying that while Han said his trip was to promote trade, he did not hesitate to meet with Wang at the liaison office immediately after a reception with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam ().

Anyone who searches LOCPG HK on Wikipedia will know that the institution is an organ of the Central People's Government and one that acts like an emperor over Hong Kong, Lo said.

Every pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong knows that the liaison office is the "devil" from China, he said, and questioned why Han would even venture into the building not knowing what it symbolizes.

In the eyes of the Communist Party, the "one country, two systems" formula means Beijing will always have the final say, whether you are pro-People's Republic of China or pro-Republic of China on Taiwan, Lo warned.

Several pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, notably Nathan Law (), also took issue with Han's visit with Wang, describing the meeting as "devil's trade" and that it revealed China was using its "sharp power" to infiltrate Taiwan.

Joshua Wong Chi-fung (), a Hong Kong student activist and politician who serves as secretary-general of pro-democracy party Demosisto, cautioned Han not to buy into the so-called "one country, two systems" and instead help preserve Taiwan's democracy and freedom.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), meanwhile, called on Han to provide information on his discussions with Chinese officials there and remain open about his itinerary.

MAC spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng () told CNA on Saturday that there are currently no rules forbidding city mayors or county chiefs from meeting with Chinese officials in Hong Kong or Macau, unless it involves the signing of a policy agreement, which only the central government is authorized to do.

"We hope the Kaohsiung City government will uphold the principle of equal dignity when interacting with officials there," he said.

In response, Han told reporters after arriving in Macau on Saturday that there was no way he would sell out Kaohsiung under the watchful eyes of his wife, the deputy mayor, and 10 other city councilors who are all accompanying him on the trip.

The trip is about selling fruit and vegetables, Han said, describing the MAC's remarks as sour grapes.

Speaking of his meeting with Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On (), Han said they talked mostly about business opportunities for Taiwanese agricultural products.

He also said they discussed opening direct flights between Kaohsiung and Macau only to realize later that direct flights already exist between the two destinations. He apologized for the mistake.

While there, Han secured deals for the export of agricultural and fishery products to Macau.

According to the Kaohsiung City government, a total of NT$730 million (US$23.6 million) in trade deals for Kaohsiung products were signed Saturday, consisting of 27 separate deals.

His visits to Hong Kong and Macau have brought a combined total of NT$3.4 billion in deals for Kaohsiung, city authorities said.

According to Hong Kong media reports, the Kaohsiung mayor also met with Macau Liaison Office Director Fu Ziying () during the day, and they later attended a dinner reception together at a local hotel restaurant known for hosting official high-level Chinese delegations.

The liaison office, officially known as the Central People's Government Liaison Office of the Macao Special Administrative Region, is China's representative office in Macau.

(By Miao Zong-han, Yeh Su-ping, Wen Kuei-hsiang, Stanley Cheung and Ko

Lin)

Enditem/ls

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Theresa May's allies rush to her support amid ouster plot reports

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 05:51PM

Members of British Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet are rushing to her defense following reports by several outlets that a group of minister have drawn up plans to topple her for chaotic handling of the country's exit from the European Union (EU).

The Sunday Times reported that at least 11 unidentified senior cabinet ministers had agreed that the embattled premier should stand down because she had turned into a toxic figure with a judgment that had "gone haywire."

The newspaper claimed that the rebelling cabinet ministers were going to confront May on Monday and would resign together if she refuses to resign.

According to the report, possible options to replace May as interim prime minister included Cabinet office minister David Lidington, who is widely viewed as her de-facto deputy. Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt were also high on the list, the report stated.

Lidington rejected the allegations and said he had no plans to succeed her. He commended May for her job so far.

"I don't think that I have any wish to take over from the PM, I think (she) is doing a fantastic job," Lidington told reporters outside his house. "One thing that working closely with the prime minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task."

Gove went on record on Sunday to express his full support for May, adding that it was a time for "cool heads" to focus on getting the premier's twice-rejected Brexit agreement approved in the House of Commons.

"I think it is not the time to change the captain of the ship, I think what we need to do is to chart the right course, and the prime minister has charted that right course by making sure that we have a deal that honors the referendum mandate," he said.

Finance minister Philip Hammond also dismissed the report and said ousting May was not the right thing to do given the current situation.

"Changing prime minister wouldn't help us," Hammond said. "To be talking about changing the players on the board, frankly, is self-indulgent at this time."

"I'm realistic that we may not be able to get a majority for the prime minister's (Brexit) deal and if that is the case then parliament will have to decide not just what it's against but what it is for," he said.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay said May's deal was the best option and urged people to support the prime minister.

"The government and the prime minister is in charge," he said.

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UK's secret war: British commandos wounded in Yemen

Iran Press TV

Sun Mar 24, 2019 05:02AM

A number of elite British commandos have sustained injuries in direct gunfights with Yemeni forces as part of what appears to be a secretive UK military campaign in Yemen, a new report says, adding a major twist to London's involvement in Saudi Arabia's deadly war against its impoverished southern neighbor.

The Mail on Sunday said it can reveal that at least five members of the UK's Special Boat Service (SBS) troops had suffered gunshot injuries in fierce clashes with members of the Houthi Ansarullah movement, who have been repelling the Saudi-led military invasion since March 2015.

The SBS personnel received treatment for leg and arm wounds in Yemen's northern Sa'ada province, where the report said around 30 elite British forces had been based.

The injured soldiers had been taken back to the UK to recover, the report added.

"The guys are fighting in inhospitable desert and mountainous terrain against highly committed and well-equipped Houthi rebels. The SBS's role is mainly training and mentoring but on occasions they have found themselves in firefights and some British troops have been shot," an SBS source told the Mail.

"In a contact a few weeks ago, a SBS guy was shot in the hand and another guy was shot in the leg. Their injuries were a reminder that this is a very dangerous assignment. Obviously nothing about the mission will be confirmed publicly by the Ministry of Defense unless a UK soldier is killed  they'd have to announce that."

The SBS teams deployed to Yemen include medics, translators and Forward Air Controllers (FACs), who are tasked with directing Saudi air support.

The SBS, a 200-strong force based at Poole in the British town of Dorset, is a maritime Special Forces unit that mainly recruits the Royal Marines. The force has been known for its operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently in Syria.

The revelation that British forces are fighting in Yemen came after Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster admitted that London had long been servicing UK-made fighter jets Saudi Arabia was using to indiscriminately bomb Yemeni people.

Lancaster told the parliament last Monday that Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF) was providing "engineering support" and "generic training" to Saudi Arabian military.

'UK engineers nearly died in Yemeni drone attack'

According to the new report, British engineers stationed at the King Khalid Air Base in the southwestern parts of the kingdom narrowly escaped a Yemeni drone attack.

The attack, carried out by a "suicide drone" that exploded on the runway, destroyed at least two of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF)'s UK-made Tornado fighter jets which were kept at the base for maintenance purposes.

The new report is expected to spark angry criticism from British politicians and activist groups that have long criticized London's support for Saudis over the course of what has been referred to by the UN as the world's biggest humanitarian crisis.

Andrew Mitchell, a British Member of Parliament the former secretary of state for international development, said the UK was "shamefully complicit" in Saudi Arabia's atrocities in Yemen.

He also urged the government of Prime Minister Theresa May to brief Parliament about the role of the British troops in the conflict.

This puts British soldiers on the same side as Saudi-funded Yemeni militias and foreign soldiers who have been recruited by Riyadh to fight the war on behalf of the Saudi military.

A former British serviceman who had returned from Yemen earlier this year said the Saudi-led coalition  which includes repressive regional regimes like Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - was paying money to recruit children as young as 13 as mercenaries.

"The tribal leaders accept payments from the Saudis and the UAE in return for youths aged 13 and 14 to bolster the front line. They are poorly armed and have no body armor," he said.

He said Riyadh was hiring mercenaries because Saudi soldiers didn't want to leave their air-conditioned shelters.

"They (the Saudi forces) don't want to be in Yemen at all," the former serviceman told the Mail.

Saudi Arabia began its deadly aggression against Yemen with a declared goal of destroying the Houthis and reinstating fugitive former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch Riyadh ally.

The UK, along with the US, seized on the opportunity and signed major arms deals with the oil-rich kingdom, while also providing it with target intelligence and personnel training throughout the conflict.

The UK has licensed over 4.7 billion worth of arms exports, including missiles and fighter jets, to Riyadh since the deadly conflict began in 2015. May has so far faced down calls for a ban on the weapons sales despite the growing humanitarian disaster.

To this day, despite international outrage, the UK continues to sell fighter jets, missile and smart bombs to Saudi Arabia as part of an ongoing plan to maintain military ties with repressive Arab regimes, which London counts on as a main source of income after leaving the European Union.

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May Calls Emergency Closed-Door Brexit Meeting in UK Country House - Source

Sputnik News

19:15 24.03.2019(updated 19:16 24.03.2019)

LONDON (Sputnik) - UK Prime Minister Theresa May is holding an emergency meeting at her Chequers country residence to discuss the Brexit crisis, a source close to the situation told Sputnik.

According to the source, the meeting will be conducted in a closed format and will be attended by a few ministers and a few members of the May's Conservative party.

UK media outlets have said that among those in attendance will be UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lidington, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay.

This comes after earlier in the day, the Sunday Times reported that May's cabinet was plotting to oust the prime minister and replace her with Deputy Prime Minister David Lidington amid growing tensions in the UK government over the uncertainty of an unsettled Brexit deal.

The UK-EU Brexit talks are in a stalemate as the UK parliament refused to support May's negotiated deal with the bloc. The European Union has agreed to grant the United Kingdom a delay to the original departure date of 29 March. The United Kingdom has until 22 May if its parliament passes the withdrawal deal next week, and until 12 April if it does not. At the same time, the European Union indicated it would not reopen negotiations on the deal agreed with the UK government.

 Sputnik

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Five British Commandos Injured in Secret Operations in Northern Yemen  Reports

Sputnik News

14:40 24.03.2019(updated 14:41 24.03.2019)

London was not previously thought to be directly involved in fighting in Yemen against the Houthi militia, even though it was known to have supplied arms and training support to Saudi Arabia for many decades.

Five British special forces troops from the Royal Navy's Special Boat Service (SBS) have been injured in firefights with Yemeni militia, the Mail on Sunday has reported, citing a SBS source.

"The guys are fighting in inhospitable desert and mountainous terrain against highly committed and well-equipped Houthi rebels. The SBS's role is mainly training and mentoring but on occasions they have found themselves in firefights and some British troops have been shot," the source, speaking to the Mail on condition of anonymity, said.

According to the source, injuries included a gunshot wound to one soldier's hands and a gunshot wound to another's leg, with the troops sent home to the UK to recover. "Obviously nothing about the mission will be confirmed publicly by the Ministry of Defence unless a UK soldier is killed they'd have to announce that," the source noted.

Up to 30 SBS troops are said to be based in the Sa'dah area of northern Yemen, with much of the province held by the Houthis militia, who took control of wide swatches of the southern Arabian country in 2015 after overthrowing the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in a popular uprising.

The UK's Ministry of Defence has not commented on the Mail on Sunday's report.

Saudi Arabia and a coalition of mostly Gulf-state allies, as well a small contingent of US and French forces and contractors from the Academi private military company have waged a military operation against the Houthi militias since March 2015. The conflict has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the country.

 Sputnik

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Eleven UK Cabinet Minsters Plan to Confront May, Demand She Step Down - Report

Sputnik News

03:44 24.03.2019(updated 08:07 24.03.2019)

Several cabinet ministers are reportedly planning to confront UK Prime Minister May on Monday and seek her resignation.

Eleven cabinet ministers are planning "a full blown cabinet coup" to "remove Theresa May as prime minister" the Sunday Times' political editor said.

The reporter also said that David Lidington, May's de-facto deputy, Environment Secretary Michael Gove or Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are among the contenders to become interim prime minister, according to the plan. He also quoted an unidentified minister as saying that Theresa May "will be gone in 10 days".

Earlier in the month, a Politico-Hanbury poll revealed that over half of UK voters want May to resign due to her failure to secure parliament's approval for the Brexit agreement she had negotiated with Brussels. May told Conservative lawmakers in December that she was going to resign before the next general election, slated for 2022. However, she has not set a date for her intended resignation.

On Friday, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that the possible departure of Theresa May from the post of UK Prime Minister would complicate the situation with Brexit.

Following discussions on Thursday evening in Brussels, heads of the EU member states identified two scenarios for postponing Brexit, which the United Kingdom has requested. The first would be an extension until May 22, provided the withdrawal agreement is approved by the UK parliament. Should lawmakers reject the deal, the deadline would only be moved until April 12. European Council President Donald Tusk said that April 12 was a key date with regard to whether or not the United Kingdom would participate in the elections to the European Parliament.

 Sputnik

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SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- REVA Medical, Inc. (ASX: RVA) (REVA or the Company) said today that it has secured a letter of commitment for up to $3 million of debt financing to fund operations on an interim basis. The funding will be made available by existing lenders to the Company. The funding is subject to the negotiation and execution of definitive agreements and a further announcement will be made once those agreements are executed.



The funding is to address the Companys immediate financial needs on an interim basis, but the Company remains in discussions about a broader restructure to address the Companys outstanding indebtedness and capital structure moving forward (and therefore its ability to continue operations and meet its business objectives). While those discussions are ongoing, the Company considers that it is appropriate for its securities to remain voluntarily suspended from trading and this announcement is not intended to lift the Companys voluntary suspension. At this stage, the Company expects that the voluntary suspension will continue until plans for a broader restructure are finalized and the Company is in a position to make an announcement to the ASX which the Company currently expects will occur by June 30, 2019.

C. Raymond Larkin, Jr, Chairman of the Board of REVA, said, "Following a comprehensive review with the assistance of our outside advisors, REVA has entered into an agreement with a group of existing debt and equity holders to fund the companys near-term operations. This funding helps to ensure REVA has sufficient time to pursue long-term financial solutions that serve the interests of our many constituentsincluding patients, customers, employees, creditors, and shareholders.

At this time, Reggie Groves has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board to pursue new opportunities. Jeff Anderson has been promoted to the role of President from that of Senior Vice President, Clinical & Regulatory Affairs. Jeff has been with REVA for twelve years overseeing all aspects of the clinical evaluation and regulatory approval of the Companys products as well as the commercial launch in several key markets. Additionally, Stephen Oesterle, MD will assume the role of Strategic Advisor to the Company and resign from the board of directors due to long standing commitments.

Said Dr. Oesterle, I have been involved with and have supported REVA from its earliest days because I steadfastly believe in the potential of REVAs unique products for the treatment of vascular disease. The Company will be announcing its three-year clinical data at the upcoming EuroPCR meeting. I look forward to seeing that data, and to investing my time and energy to continue to support the Company in a Strategic Advisory role.

About REVA Medical

REVA Medical is a medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of bioresorbable polymer technologies for vascular applications. The Companys products include the Fantom Encore and MOTIV bioresorbable vascular scaffolds for the treatment of coronary artery disease and below-the-knee peripheral artery disease, respectively. REVA is currently selling Fantom Encore in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and Turkey and is in the process of commercializing Fantom Encore in seven additional countries. REVA is based in San Diego, California.

Fantom, Fantom Encore, MOTIV, and Tyrocore are trademarks of REVA Medical, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains or may contain forward-looking statements that are based on management's beliefs, assumptions, and expectations and on information currently available to management. All statements that are not statements of historical fact, including those statements that address future operating plans or performance and events or developments that may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, such as those statements regarding the projections and timing surrounding commercial operations and sales, clinical trials, pipeline product development, and future financings. No undue reliance should be placed on forward-looking statements. Although management believes forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, including the risks and uncertainties that are described in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 7, 2018, and as updated in our periodic reports thereafter. Any forward-looking statements in this announcement speak only as of the date when made. REVA does not assume any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Investor & Media Enquiries: REVA Medical, Inc. Leigh Elkolli Chief Financial Officer +1 858-966-3018




Dutch English

Corbion to acquire Granotec do Brazil to drive further expansion in food ingredients in Latin America

Corbion today announced it has entered into an agreement with the shareholders of Granotec do Brazil to acquire full ownership of the company. Granotec do Brazil is a leading specialist in functional blends for the Brazilian bakery industry. The company is headquartered in Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil, employs around 120 staff and operates a production facility and a development center.

The cash purchase price for all shares of Granotec do Brazil is USD 45 million. The company in 2018 recorded sales of approximately USD 26 million and an EBITDA of USD 3.7 million. The acquisition will be financed from existing Corbion debt facilities, and will be integrated in Corbion's existing Brazilian organization. The completion of the transaction is still subject to customary approvals, which are expected in the first half of 2019.

One of the key growth drivers of Corbion's 'Creating Sustainable Growth'-strategy is expanding the bakery business geographically and extending the North American Bakery solution provider model into Latin America, and this acquisition perfectly fits in this ambition. Corbion CEO Tjerk de Ruiter commented: "We have seen a continued positive development of our business in Latin America, and this acquisition will provide us with a platform to serve our customers even better. Granotec do Brazil greatly complements Corbion's capabilities and geographical footprint to provide sustainable ingredient solutions in this region."



This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

For more information, please contact:

Analysts and investors:

Jeroen van Harten, Director Investor Relations

+31 (0)20 590 6293, +31 (0)6 21 577 086

Press:

Tanno Massar, Director Corporate Communications

+31 (0)20 590 6325, +31 (0)6 11589121

Background information:

Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid, lactic acid derivatives, and a leading company in emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins and algae ingredients. We develop sustainable ingredient solutions to improve the quality of life for people today and for future generations. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2018, Corbion generated annual sales of  897.2 million and had a workforce of 2,040 FTE. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information: www.corbion.com
English French

RESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE  PRESS RELEASE

NEOVACS REPORTS FULL-YEAR 2018 FINANCIAL RESULTS AND PROVIDES CORPORATE UPDATE





KEY OPINION LEADERS VALIDATE THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF IFN KINOID IN LUPUS TREATMENT FOLLOWING THE RESULTS OF THE PHASE IIB CLINICAL STUDY



SUCCESSFUL IN VIVO PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR ITS IL-4 / IL-13 KINOID A NEW THERAPEUTIC VACCINE TO TREAT MITE-INDUCED ASTHMA



PATENT REGISTERED IN EUROPE AND THE U.S. FOR IL-4 / IL-13 KINOID, CANDIDATE VACCINE IN THE TREATMENT OF ALLERGIES



FINANCIAL VISIBILITY BEYOND 12 MONTHS



NET LOSS REDUCTION BY  4M





Paris, March 25, 2019, 7:30 am CET  NEOVACS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNEV), a leader in active immunotherapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, provides today a corporate update and reports its financial results for the 12 months ended December 31, 2018, as approved by the Companys Board of Directors on March 22, 2019.

Miguel Sieler, CEO of Neovacs, said: " 2018 was marked by significant progress in our clinical and preclinical development programs. The results of the lupus phase IIb study1 have led international scientific experts to reaffirm the therapeutic potential of our flagship product, IFN kinoid, to treat lupus. At the same time, we announced very promising pre-clinical results with our product IL-4 / IL-13 Kinoid, a therapeutic vaccine candidate for allergies. This work has been supported by significant investments and mobilized our teams for the success of future milestones for society.

1 Press Release published July 3rd 2018: Neovacs announces the results of its phase iib study for IFN kinoid in the treatment of lupus which allows to proceed with the clinical development into phase III





KEY 2018 ACHIEVEMENTS

The results of its Phase IIb study for IFN kinoid in the treatment of lupus which permitted to proceed with the clinical development towards Phase III

The biological objective and three out of four clinical objectives were met:

Highly statistically significant efficacy in reduction of interferon signature

Lack of statistically significant clinical efficacy measured by BICLA1 score

Statistical trend on clinical efficacy measured by SRI-42 with reduction of steroid 5mg/day

Statistically significant clinical efficacy on the LLDAS3 score

Favorable safety profile of IFN Kinoid treatment

Biosense Global exercised its option as stipulated in the license agreement signed on February 2017 for a global value of up to 65 million euros. Biosense Global acquired exclusive rights to develop and commercialize IFN Kinoid for the treatment of Lupus in China

Continuation of the development of the IFN kinoid in South Korea with our partner Chong Kun Dang (CKD) pharmaceuticals on the basis of the licensing agreement signed in December 2015, for a potential overall value of 5M. This agreement covers the development and the commercialization of IFN Kinoid in South Korea for Lupus and Dermatomyositis indications.

Within this agreement both partners have agreed to prepare the filing for an ODD in South Korea, based on the results of the Phase IIb trial in Lupus with IFN Kinoid.

Neovacs had already received in 2016 an Investigational New Drug (IND) of South Korean Health authorities to include 5 investigational centers in its global Phase IIb trial for IFN Kinoid. Neovacs was able therefore to gain the support of Korean Opinion Leaders in Lupus for its innovative therapeutic approach and to include Korean patients in the study.

Neovacs and Centurion Pharma continue their collaboration in Lupus based on the results of the Phase IIb trial with IFN Kinoid Through this contract Centurion Pharma has acquired an exclusive commercial license for Turkey.

Successful in vivo Proof of Concept for its IL-4 / IL-13 Kinoid a new Therapeutic Vaccine to treat Mite-induced Asthma The IL-4 / IL-13 Kinoid, a therapeutic vaccine from Neovacs' innovative technology is designed to target allergic diseases such as asthma and food allergies. The results obtained in this preclinical study show that the vaccine is able to inhibit bronchoconstriction, and therefore to restore breathing capacity.

Financing secured from the ANR  The French National Research Agency  to develop the IL-4/IL-13 kinoid as an allergy treatment The AllergyVACS project aims to formulate Kinoid vaccines that neutralize the IL-4 and IL-13 cytokines, providing long-term protection against allergies. Neovacs issued a press release in December 2018 and filed a patent with the relevant authorities after obtaining preclinical proof of concept in an asthma model

Filing of a patent in Europe and the United States for its therapeutic vaccine candidate kinoid IL-4 / IL-13 for the treatment of allergies

Strengthened of intellectual property in U.S, Europe, Russia and Japan, as part of Neovacs international development strategy, its patent: Method for treating Interferon alpha related conditions, has been extended to cover U.S, Europe, Russia, Japan and Hong Kong from previously being awarded in China and Mexico. This reinforces the intellectual property portfolio of the IFN Kinoid vaccine until at least 2032, as well as the global protection of its technology platform and its applications.

Appointment of the Clinical Advisory board to design the Phase III study for IFN-k in lupus

This CAB under the Chairmanship of Pr Frederic Houssiau was held in Paris on the 11th of February 2019.

Appointments to the Executive Committee

Vincent Serra, PhD is appointed Chief Scientific Officer.

Valerie Salentey, Pharm D, is appointed Head of Regulatory Affairs





FULL-YEAR 2018 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Summary financial information

In 000s Euros December 31st 2018 December 31st 2017 Revenues 145 834 Operating Costs 13 225 19,163 of which R&D 10 591 16 475 Operating income/(loss) (13,080 ) (18,329 ) Financial results (473 ) (636 ) Operating income before tax (13,552 ) (18,965 ) Non recurring result (3 ) 105 Research tax credit (2,775 ) (4,022 ) Net income/(loss) (10,780 ) (14,838 )





KEY ELEMENTS OF THE FULL YEAR 2018 RESULTS

For the year ended December 31st 2018, Neovacs recorded an operating loss of 13.1 million compared to a loss of 18.3 million in 2017. This reduction in the operating loss (+5.2m) is in line with the development plan reflecting a 31% drop in operating costs following completion of the Phase IIb clinical study for which the results were announced on July 3rd 2018. Indeed, R&D expenditure of 10.6 million (which represents 80% of operating costs) were for the most part (62%) directed towards clinical development costs.

In parallel, the company continued to maintain strict control over SG&A costs. Administrative expenditure amounted to 2.6 million representing 20% of operating costs and headcount remained stable for the year at 25.

Financial results showed a small improvement (0.2 m) as a result of amortization of early bond redemption premiums.

At the net income level, Neovacs reduced the net loss by 4.1 million to 10.8 million compared to a loss of 14.9 million in 2017.





THE FINANCIAL SITUATION AS AT DECEMBER 31ST 2018

As at December 31st, 2018, the cash position amounted to 1.4 million compared to 5.1 million at the end of 2017. The cash consumption in 2018 was essentially attributable to the funding of the completion of key R&D programs such as delivering the results for the main Phase IIb study and the in vivo Proof of Concept for IL-4 / IL-13 Kinoid to treat asthma.

Since the beginning of 2019 however, the financial structure has been significantly reinforced by the:

2 million received from the drawdown against the equity financing line provided by Kepler Cheuvreux (Equity Line 3)

10 million convertible bond issuance spread over 24 months (Ornane  bond convertible into new or existing shares or refundable in cash) without warrants.

Based on R&D cost forecast, the company is financed for the next 12 months. These will focus on financing the progress of the patients already treated as part of the 5 year follow up program included in the protocol for the Phase IIb study and the potentially value creating Kinoid preclinical studies for Type 1 diabetes and allergies.

The full annual financial report for 2018 will be published and filed with the market authorities AMF on April 30th 2019. It will be available on the companys website (www.neovacs.fr)





About Neovacs

Listed on Euronext Growth Paris since 2010, Neovacs is today a leading biotechnology company focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform (Kinoids) with applications in autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases. On the basis of the companys proprietary technology for inducing a polyclonal immune response (covered by four patent families that potentially run until 2032) Neovacs is focusing its clinical development efforts on IFN-Kinoid, an immunotherapy being developed for the indication of lupus and dermatomyositis. Neovacs is also conducting preclinical development works on other therapeutic vaccines in the fields of auto-immune diseases, oncology, allergies and Type 1 diabetes. The goal of the Kinoid approach is to enable patients to have access to safe treatments with efficacy that is sustained in these life-long diseases. www.neovacs.fr







Contacts

NEOVACS  Corporate Communication & Investor Relations

Charlene Masson

+33 (0)1 53 10 93 00

cmasson@neovacs.com



NEWCAP- Press relations

Annie-Florence Loyer

+33 1 44 71 00 12 / + 33 6 88 20 35 59

afloyer@newcap.fr



Lea Jacquin

+33 1 44 71 20 41 / +33 6 58 14 84 66

ljacquin@newcap.fr



ORPHEON FINANCE

Financial Communication and Investor Relations

James Palmer

+33 7 60 92 77 74

j.palmer@orpheonfinance.com





Attachment




The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Announces Final Agenda for 2019 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mediterranean

WASHINGTON, D.C.  March 25, 2019

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the international advocacy organization representing the cell and gene therapy and broader advanced therapies sector, has released the final agenda for its inaugural 2019 Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mediterranean, being held from 23-25 April in Barcelona, Spain. Panels and discussions will focus on some of the key topics and issues facing the sector, including manufacturing, pricing and reimbursement, and the scientific, clinical, and regulatory landscape going forward.

The event, modeled on ARMs highly successful Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa, brings together the entire cell and gene therapy community from Europe and beyond. The program, which is expected to attract more than 250 attendees, will feature expert-led panels, extensive one-on-one partnering capabilities, exclusive networking opportunities, and 50+ dedicated presentations by the leading publicly traded and privately held companies in the space.

Janet Lambert, CEO of ARM, commented: Many gene and cell therapies originated in Europe, and it continues to be a key contributor to the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies sector. We are delighted to be hosting our inaugural Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mediterranean, in Barcelona.

Rapid advancement in the gene and cell therapy sector, with many products now on the market and many more in late stage clinical trials, has resulted in commercial challenges and regulatory hurdles that need to be addressed by stakeholders if we want to ensure that patients will be able to access these transformative therapies. With high-quality, high-profile speakers and panels now confirmed, we are expecting lively and informative discussions and debate.

Confirmed speakers include:

Guido Rasi, Director General, European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Matthew Durdy, Chief Business Officer, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

Dan Faga, Chief Business Officer, Spark Therapeutics

Alison Finger, Chief Commercial Officer, bluebird bio

Claire Foreman, Head of Acute Programs, National Health Service

Owen Marks, Country Lead, Rare Diseases, Pfizer

Pascal Touchon, SVP, Global Head of Cell and Gene Europe, Novartis

Luca Alberici, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer, MolMed

Miguel Forte, CEO, Zelluna Immunotherapy

Etienne Jousseaume, Head of Market Access, Cell and Gene Europe, Novartis

Jason Meyenburg, Chief Commercial Officer, Orchard Therapeutics

Usman Azam, President and CEO, Tmunity Therapeutics

Thomas Fellner, Ph.D., Head of Cell and Gene Therapy, Lonza

Joseph Tarnowski, Ph.D., SVP, Cell and Gene Therapy Platforms, Medicinal Science and Technology, R&D, GSK

Matthew Patterson, Chairman and CEO, Audentes Therapeutics; Chairman, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine

Amy DuRoss, Co-Founder and CEO, Vineti

Sven Kili, M.D., Principal, Sven Kili Consulting

Christopher Vann, Chief Operating Officer, Autolus Therapeutics

Rogerio Vivaldi, M.D., President and CEO, Sigilon Therapeutics

Ian Hudson, M.D., Chief Executive, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Katsuaki Ura, Deputy Director, Office of International Regulatory Affairs, Pharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Keith Thompson, CEO, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

2019 presenting companies include: Adaptimmune; Adverum Biotechnologies; AGTC; Andalusian Initiative for Advanced Therapies; Aspect Biosystems; Audentes Therapeutics; Avectas; Axovant Gene Therapies; Biostage; BioTime; bluebird bio; BlueRock Therapeutics; B-MoGen Biotechnologies; Bone Therapeutics; Caribou Biosciences; Cellerant Therapeutics; Chimeric Therapeutics; Cryoport; Cynata Therapeutics; DiscGenics; FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics; Genethon; Healios; Invitrx Therapeutics; Iovance Biotherapeutics; Kiadis Pharma; LogicBio Therapeutics; Longeveron; Lonza Pharma & Biotech; MaxCyte; MeiraGTx; MolMed; NAVAN Technologies; Orchard Therapeutics; Organovo; Oxford BioMedica; PDC*line Pharma; PolarityTE; Precision BioSciences; Promethera Biosciences; REGENXBIO; ReNeuron; Rexgenero; Sangamo Therapeutics; Seraxis; Sigilon Therapeutics; Spark Therapeutics; Terumo BCT; TikoMed; Tmunity Therapeutics; uniQure; VERIGRAFT; Vivet Therapeutics; and Zelluna Immunotherapy.

For full details on the agenda and further information about the event, please visit www.meetingonthemed.com

For members of the media interested in attending, please contact Lyndsey Scull at lscull@alliancerm.org

About the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is an international multi-stakeholder advocacy organization that promotes legislative, regulatory, and reimbursement initiatives necessary to facilitate access to life-giving advances in regenerative medicine worldwide. Founded in 2009, ARM works to increase public understanding of the field and its potential to transform human healthcare, providing business development and investor outreach services to support the growth of its 310+ member organizations worldwide. ARM represents the interests of therapeutic developers, academic research institutions, major medical centres, investors, and patient groups that comprise the broader regenerative medicine community and is the prominent international advocacy organization in this field.

ARM has 70+ members across 15 countries in Europe. ARM aims to work closely with European stakeholders, leveraging its membership to create a supportive commercial and regulatory environment to create better conditions for the development and commercialization of ATMPs in Europe; develop strong stakeholder support around proposed solutions to improve patient access to ATMPs; promote clear, predictable and efficient regulatory framework across Europe; and promote international convergence of key regulations and guidances.
March 25, 2019

Amsterdam, the Netherlands  Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced that it is expanding its radiology solutions portfolio with innovative teleradiology services, aimed at addressing the increasing shortage of radiologists, as well as the pressing need to improve access to precision diagnoses. Philips new telehealth services will build on its cloud-based radiology informatics portfolio of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA) solutions, combined with advanced analytics, visualization and workflow applications, to now also include advanced teleradiology viewing and reporting capabilities, on-call radiologist services, and related exam workflow enhancement applications.

Teleradiology involves the remote interpretation of patient images from medical imaging exams, such as CT, MR, and X-ray exams, by radiologists without needing them to be in the same location as the patient. It includes remotely storing, retrieving, viewing and analyzing medical images by clinical experts anywhere, so that patients can receive optimal treatment via their local caregivers, wherever they are. The global teleradiology market is among the fastest growing segments in the radiology and the clinical services outsourcing market, and is expected to be a sizable part of the imaging interpretation market within the next few years.

As health systems worldwide struggle with the ever increasing costs and shortage of care providers, teleradiology will be a key enabler to optimally use the available resources, and support radiology departments to improve the speed and accuracy of image interpretation, said Sham Sokka, business leader of Radiology Solutions at Philips. "We see imaging as a system and deliver innovation to support the needs of all the people behind the images by seamlessly integrating technology and data. Our new teleradiology services address a pressing need, while providing a strong platform for Philips future growth in the telehealth market.

Philips already provides the IT infrastructure for advanced telehealth solutions to improve collaboration among clinical care teams, and HealthSuite Digital Platform , a digital framework that connects consumers, patients and healthcare providers in a cloud-based ecosystem of devices, apps and tools.

Philips new teleradiology services build on the recent acquisition of the teleradiology platform of US-based Direct Radiology [1], that Philips plans to scale to support radiologists globally. This complements Philips organic innovation initiatives to expand its Radiology Solutions portfolio. The Direct Radiology business currently provides services for more than 300 hospitals, imaging centers, mobile imaging services, and doctors offices across the US.

[1] Philips has acquired Direct Radiologys teleradiology platform and business operations, including its employees. The medical practice part of Direct Radiology (the independent contractors physician group) will continue to operate independently through managed service agreements.

For further information, please contact:

Steve Klink

Philips Group Press Office

Tel.: +31 6 1088 8824

E-mail: steve.klink@philips.com



Ksenija Gonciarenko

Philips Investor Relations

Tel.: +31 20 5977055

E-mail: ksenija.gonciarenko@philips.com



About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter .

Forward-looking statements

This release contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Philips and certain of the plans and objectives of Philips with respect to these items. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements made about the strategy, estimates of sales growth, future EBITA, future developments in Philips organic business and the completion of acquisitions and divestments. By their nature, these statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances and there are many factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements.
Fort Collins, Colorado, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- No Barriers USA and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) announced the winners of the 2018 Global Impact Challenge, a year-long competition designed to inspire the best ideas from students to build a world free of stereotypes and discrimination. The goal of the Global Impact Challenge is to equip teachers with the tools necessary to help students dream big and break down diversity and inclusion barriers.



No Barriers unleashes the potential of educators and their students, giving them the mindset and tools to break through barriers and lead with purpose, said Andrea Delorey, No Barriers education director. This years teams designed amazing projects that address challenges in their community. Were grateful to Wells Fargo for helping make the challenge possible.



In June 2018, 20 middle and high school educators across the U.S. participated in a three-day training program. Following the training, the educators recruited diverse teams of students with and without disabilities. The teams followed an online curriculum designed to foster creativity and develop projects to address local diversity, accessibility and inclusion challenges.



The two first-place teams were awarded $5,000 to implement their projects and received an invitation to present their projects at the upcoming 2019 No Barriers Summit June 1315 in Lake Tahoe, California:

Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale, NY - A team of seven students led by teacher Brian McDonald focused on creating adaptive clothing items that are easily accessible, functional and comfortable for children with disabilities.

- A team of seven students led by teacher Brian McDonald focused on creating adaptive clothing items that are easily accessible, functional and comfortable for children with disabilities. State of Connecticut, Windsor, CT - A team of five students led by teacher Dennis Gallant focused on making popular destinations, such as zoos and museums, more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.

The two runner-up teams were awarded $1,000 to implement their projects:

Carrboro High School, Carrboro, NC - A team of nine students led by teacher Melissa Barry focused on sharing their authentic, diversity and inclusion experiences in a series of videos, presented in a documentary film festival, to bring the community together.

- A team of nine students led by teacher Melissa Barry focused on sharing their authentic, diversity and inclusion experiences in a series of videos, presented in a documentary film festival, to bring the community together. Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC - A team of 16 students led by teacher Angela Ballou focused on creating a buddy system that pairs middle school students of differing abilities to better understand one another and foster a more inclusive community.

Were continually amazed at the enthusiasm and creativity the teachers and students bring to the Challenge, said Kathy Martinez, head of Disability and Accessibility Strategy at Wells Fargo. With innovative ideas like these, the possibilities are endless for creating a more diverse and inclusive society for all.



View a video about the 2018 Global Impact Challenge Winners and to see the student reactions: https://youtu.be/bzFmilG4YoY (5 minutes)



Calling for applicants for the 2019 Global Impact Challenge



No Barriers and Wells Fargo are seeking 20 educators who serve middle or high school students from across the U.S. to participate in the 2019 Global Impact Challenge. Application deadline is April 1, 2019.

Learn more about this opportunity and apply Now 





###

About No Barriers

What barriers do you face? This question lies at the heart of our organization. Whether in our personal lives, at work, or in our communities, we all face challenges that can prevent us from reaching our full potential. At No Barriers, we believe that whats within you is stronger than whats in your way. No Barriers empowers people of all walks of life to overcome obstacles, live a life of purpose, and give back to the world, all through our ground-breaking curriculum, the No Barriers Life.



The No Barriers Youth program helps middle and high school youth develop through experiential learning, collaborative problem-solving, service learning, and field-based experiences. Educator-focused programs include professional development and curriculum resources.



Learn more about No Barriers at www.nobarriersusa.org



About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargos vision is to satisfy our customers financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,800 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 37 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 259,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortunes 2018 rankings of Americas largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

Attachment
Dublin, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Thailand Facilities Management Market, Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This analysis on the competitive FM market landscape in Thailand provides in-depth profiling of key market participants.



The study focuses on the core segments and market participants' positioning in each of the key end-user segments and maps out strategies adopted by each market participant from the aspects of service delivery, end-user focus, internationalization, sustainability, and future trends. This study was conducted in 2018, with 2017 as the base year.



Market Insights



The facility management (FM) landscape in Thailand is highly competitive and mature. The market is fragmented, with a high outsourcing rate to major multinational companies, and many local services for established end-user sectors.

However, a major multinational company, ISS Facility Service has disclosed its plan to stall its operations in the domestic market due to the company's restructuring strategy, which will be done by 2020. This will cause essential changes in the foreseeable future of the market.

Thailand is an attractive location for many foreign FM companies, especially because the capital is expanding and there are major coordinating projects going on between the country and its neighbors.



The market is expected to grow, with the increasing acceptance rate of outsourcing services spreading out of the central business district area in Bangkok and the government's plan to invest in infrastructure. On the other hand, the country is facing the major challenges of limited labor supply, political instability, and red tape and bureaucracy in business approach.

One of the most important factors to win contracts in the market is pricing. For a company to differentiate itself from the pricing competition, it has to adopt new technologies such as robotics and drones, which can also help alleviate the human capital issue.



Major participants can create opportunities by considering automation and employee training initiatives to improve the quality of operation and services. Moreover, as integrated facility management (IFM) services are projected to grow significantly, they should be highly promoted.

As the competition is very strong in the domestic landscape, service providers are recommended to enhance their businesses by forging relationships with customers through real-time information analytics and partnerships through acquisitions or joint ventures with clients.



Key Issues Addressed

Which are the key FM participants in Thailand and what are their market shares?

What are the adopted strategies and directions?

What are the technologies up for adoption in Thailand's FM market?

What are the growth opportunities for FM participants in Thailand?

What are the latest major partnerships among stakeholders in the market?

Companies Mentioned



Amata Facility Service Co. Ltd.

Angel Real Estate Consultancy

Ariva Hospitality Thailand Limited

ATALIAN Global Services Thailand Co. Ltd.

CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co. Ltd.

Comin Thai Engineering Solutions Co. Ltd.

G4S Security Services (Thailand) Limited

ISS Facility Service Co. Ltd.

PCS Security and Facility Services Ltd.

Phuket Guard Services Co. Ltd.

Plus Property Limited

PS Guard Holding

PSS Cleaning and Service Co. Ltd.

Sodexo (Thailand) Co. Ltd.

Topics Covered



1. Executive Summary

Key Findings

Key Questions This Study will Answer

2. FM Market in Thailand

Market Drivers and Restraints

Market Snapshot

Market Segmentation

3. Competitive Analysis

Market Share Assessment

Market Landscape Analysis

Competitive Analysis

4. Key Market Participant Profiles

PCS Security and Facility Services Ltd. - Overview

PCS Security and Facility Services Ltd. - Key End-user Segments

PCS Security and Facility Services Ltd. - Strategic Direction

ISS Facility Services Co. Ltd. - Overview

ISS Facility Services Co. Ltd. - Key End-user Segments

ISS Facility Services Co. Ltd. - Strategic Direction

G4S Security Services (Thailand) Limited - Overview

G4S Security Services (Thailand) Limited - Key End-user Segments

G4S Security Services (Thailand) Limited - Strategic Direction

Sodexo (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Overview

Sodexo (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Key End-user Segments

Sodexo (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Strategic Direction

CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Overview

CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Key End-user Segments

CB Richard Ellis (Thailand) Co. Ltd. - Strategic Direction

Plus Property Limited - Overview

Plus Property Limited - Key End-user Segments

Plus Property Limited - Strategic Direction

5. Mergers & Acquisitions

Mergers and Acquisitions

Sodexo (Thailand) Co. Ltd. and Amata Facility Service Co. Ltd.

ATALIAN Global Services Thailand Co. Ltd. and Phuket Guard Services Co. Ltd.

PCS Security and Facility Services Ltd. and Comin Thai Engineering Solutions Co. Ltd.

Angel Real Estate Consultancy and Ariva Hospitality Thailand Limited

ATALIAN Global Services Thailand Co. Ltd. and PSS Cleaning and Service Co. Ltd.

ATALIAN Global Services Thailand Co. Ltd. and PS Guard Holding

6. Growth Opportunities and Companies to Actions

Growth Opportunity 1: Integrated Solution Expansion

Growth Opportunity 2: Partnerships

Growth Opportunity 3: Real-time Analysis

Growth Opportunity 4: Robotic Technologies

Growth Opportunities and Future of FM

Strategic Imperatives for Success and Growth

7. The Last Word

3 Big Predictions

8. Appendix

List of Other Participants

List of Exhibits

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ffpwh5/thailand?w=12
English French

Strategic Financing Action Plan Underway

Whabouchi Construction Continues, Shawinigan to Focus on Detailed Engineering

Changes in the Construction Team

P1P Continues and Receives International Praise

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nemaska Lithium Inc. (the Corporation) (TSX: NMX) (OTCQX: NMKEF) (Frankfurt: N0T) today provides an update on the deployment of the overall Whabouchi project.

The past couple of weeks have allowed us to develop an action plan to enable a more efficient and prudent pursuit of our activities. Realistic, yet difficult decisions had to be made to increase control over our operations until additional financing is completed or other strategic alternatives are achieved. We do believe that we have the right partners to reach our goals, and our team is fully committed to the endeavour. Our eyes remain set on the ultimate goal of bringing this world-class project to commercial production, said Guy Bourassa, President and CEO of Nemaska Lithium.

Strategic Financing Action Plan

Clarksons Platou Securities and National Bank Financial have been mandated by the Corporation to lead a dual-track financing action plan. This plan is resulting from the analysis of equity raise and M&A opportunities to carry the project through the production stage at the mine and the electrochemical plant. This initiative is part of the review of strategic alternatives available to the Corporation which is currently underway with the assistance of the Special Committee comprised of independent members of the Board of Directors.

A New Pace for Construction Activities

In parallel with the financing action plan, the Corporation will be optimizing the use of cash on hand over the coming months. Important decisions have therefore been made. The Whabouchi mine construction pace will be adapted to start production in a timely fashion. As we await the arrival of the mine equipment fleet over the next few weeks, our mine management team is fully dedicated to site and pre-production activities. Concerning the Shawinigan commercial plant, detailed engineering continues as planned, while construction will be put on hold to resume once the additional financing is completed. Increasing the level of detailed engineering will normally contribute to reducing construction and commissioning risks for the commercial plant, in addition to bringing more certainty in the bidding process.

Changes in the Construction Team

Robert Beaulieu, Vice-President, Operations, is taking the helm of construction activities for both the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan electrochemical plant. He will be supported by Ronald Bougie, who is joining Nemaska Lithium today as Vice President, Engineering and Construction. Several other changes are being implemented to strenghten controls over management of the construction work, notably as regards the centralization of procurement and purchasing.

The Phase 1 Plant Continues to Impress Globally



Production of lithium salts and process enhancement for the commercial phase continue out of the Shawinigan demonstration plant. Lithium hydroxide deliveries to Johnson Matthey are ongoing, as more potential clients have requested lithium hydroxide monohydrate samples internationally. Thanks to the sustained and dedicated work of our production team, the outstanding quality of those samples has already been praised by high-profile end-users.

Conference Call

Nemaska Lithium will host a conference call today at 11 am EST. The Corporations President and CEO, Mr. Guy Bourassa, will discuss this mornings announcement. The call can be accessed at the following:

Online:

https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/i44237jv

Dial information:

US/CANADA Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (866) 353-6129

US/CANADA Participant International Dial-In Number: +1 (409) 217-8084

Conference ID: 6429639

About Nemaska Lithium

Nemaska Lithium Inc. is a developing chemical company whose activities will be vertically integrated, from spodumene mining to the commercialization of high-purity lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate. These lithium salts are mainly destined for the fast-growing lithium-ion battery market, which is driven by the increasing demand for electric vehicles and energy storage worldwide. With its products and processes, the Corporation intends to facilitate access to green energy, for the benefit of humanity.

The Corporation will be operating the Whabouchi mine in Quebec, Canada, one of the richest lithium spodumene deposits in the world, both in volume and grade. The spodumene concentrate produced at the Whabouchi mine will be processed at the Shawinigan plant using a unique membrane electrolysis process for which the Corporation holds several patents.

The Corporation is a member of the S&P/TSX SmallCap Index, S&P/TSX Global Mining Index, S&P/TSX Global Base Metals Index, S&P/TSX Equal Weight Global Base Metals Index, and the MSCI Canada Small Cap Index. For more information, visit www.nemaskalithium.com or twitter.com/Nemaska Lithium.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release including, but not limited to, those relating to preserve cash on hand, obtaining the additional capital required to enable the Corporation to complete construction, the estimated additional costs for completing the construction of the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan plant, the ability to meet funding and other conditions under the streaming agreement and the senior secured bonds, the expected unfolding of construction and commissioning as well as the anticipated start of production at the Whabouchi mine and Shawinigan plant sites, constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws and are based on expectations and projections as of the date of this press release. Certain important assumptions by the Corporation in making forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the obtaining of the additional capital required to fulfill the conditions precedent to receive the remaining proceeds from the project financing being the second tranche payment under the Streaming facility and the Bonds offering proceeds.

Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, without limitation, those related to (i) the ability of the Corporation to secure additional funds, including the ability of the Corporation to implement funding solutions to meet the revised budget and deliver the project according to the schedule, (ii) construction advancing on schedule at both the Whabouchi mine and the Shawinigan plant, (iii) the ability of the Corporation to meet funding and other conditions under the Streaming agreement and the senior secured bonds, (iv) the outcome of the evaluation of several options that would enable existing and new shareholders and project partners to provide funding, (v) the ability of the Corporation to complete the mine construction and the the Shawinigan facility (v) the interest from users for samples from the Phase 1 Plant, and (vi) generally, the above About Nemaska Lithium paragraph which essentially describes the Corporations outlook. Forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that additional funding or any other strategic alternatives can be available, that the Corporation will meet conditions under the streaming facility and the bonds and that the Whabouchi mine and/or the electrochemical plant in Shawinigan will be commissioned and will begin production, as future events could differ materially what is currently anticipated by the Corporation.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important risk factors and future events could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators of Canada including, but not limited to, the cautionary statements made in the Risk Factors section of the Corporations Annual Information Form dated October 10, 2018, and the Risk Exposure and Management section of the Corporations quarterly Management Discussion & Analysis. The Corporation cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive, and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Further information regarding Nemaska Lithium is available in the SEDAR database (www.sedar.com) and on the Corporations website at: www.nemaskalithium.com .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Victor Cantore

Investor Relations

514 831-3809

victor.cantore@nemaskalithium.com Wanda Cutler

Investor Relations

416 303-6460

wanda.cutler@nemaskalithium.com


SAN DIEGO, CA, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE  Generation Next Franchise Brands (OTCQB: VEND) announced today that its flagship subsidiary and premium, robotic soft serve franchise, Reis & Irvys, has begun general distribution of an updated software and firmware bundle for its robotic kiosks, known as Version 0.71. The company also announced that a further update, Software 0.72, is expected to be released in mid-April.

Version 0.71 was first beta tested on 61 kiosks before being approved for general release, and consists of both a firmware (low-level software that controls a devices specific hardware) and software update which together improve system stability and significantly improve the kiosks payment systems, among other fixes and improvements.

Franchisees who served as beta testers for the update reported positive results:



We are extremely happy that the Stoelting Firmware and 0.71 software version upgrades have apparently eliminated the HVB (High Voltage Board) issues we had been having at the Art Institute. We have been running two weeks solid now without an error.



Michael Bingham - Reis & Irvys Houston, TX



As you know, our first robot has been installed since October of last year and weve struggled through just about every issue that has been discussed in the portal. Im very pleased to report that after having upgraded to 0.71 as part of the beta test several weeks ago, the stability of our robot has tremendously improved. The HVB errors and payment issues have completely subsided. Thanks for all the hard work by you and your team to get us to this point, and especially to the support team who has spent countless hours helping us troubleshoot. We are looking forward to the future enhancements.



Ken Green  Reis & Irvys Columbus, OH



I had a good week on the new software and just completed the patch this morning. Overall, things look pretty good. The machine appears to be operating well and I didnt notice anything obvious with the operation. Portion sizes and consistency seem consistent and reliable. No HVB errors at all, either.



Craig Webb - Reis & Irvys Connecticut



Peter and I believe it is ready for release. We were having tons of trouble with HVB errors on some of our machines we operate and since updating they have become more stable. We also havent had the screens freeze on building your order, which we were plagued with. And issues with cash are much better.



Stuart Shapiro - Reis & Irvys Philadelphia



As far as the software updateit fixed the HVB errors that we were experiencing daily and we are all set right now. With the two machines we have had only one issue, which was the recharging error [] We updated the software on that one to the new one you provided, and it resolved that for now. Looks like that was what we needed!



Chelsea Meeks Reis & Irvys Indianapolis



Feature-focused Software update expected in mid-April

Generation Next and Reis & Irvys say they are planning on a consistent update cycle, with Version 0.72 of the Reis & Irvys software expected in mid-April. Unlike 0.71, which focused on stability and bug fixes, Version 0.72 is expected to be in large part a feature-focused update, according to Generation Next CEO, Nick Yates.

Based on franchisee feedback and demand, the next version of the software will focus primarily on networking and remote functionality, allowing franchisees to access the kiosk remotely, Yates said.

The company said that specific features expected in the mid-April release include:

The ability to add new flavors and toppings online.

Creating remote promotional codes.

A new screen allowing local health inspectors the ability to access product temperatures, cleaning cycles and sample size vends to evaluate the overall quality of the product.

New attract mode video to engage more customers - https://vimeo.com/315763052/71926a4089

Improved reporting and additional alerts allowing the operator to spend less time at the kiosk

Remote soft reset

There are some 200 Reis & Irvys kiosks currently installed nationwide, with some 300 premium locations currently secured and pending installation. Recent engineering and software improvements and a partnership with Stoelting Foodservice are helping to normalize and scale production and delivery of the companys robotic kiosks, the company said.

For more information, visit the Reis & Irvys website at www.reisandirvys.com or call Toll-Free (888) 902-7558.

Generation NEXT Website: www.gennextbrands.com

About Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc.



Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc., based in San Diego, California, is a publicly traded company on the OTC Markets trading under the symbol OTCBB: VEND. Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. is parent company to Reis and Irvy's, Inc. and Generation NEXT Vending Robots.

About Reis & Irvys, Inc.



Reis & Irvys, Inc. is a subsidiary franchise concept of Generation NEXT Franchise Brands, Inc. (VEND). Launched in early 2016, the revolutionary Reis & Irvys Vending Robot serves frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbets and gelatos, a choice of up to six custom toppings, and to customers within 60 seconds or less at the point of sale. The unique franchise opportunity has since established itself as a high-demand product and currently showcases a franchise network both domestically as well as internationally.

This information is not an earnings statement and is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for information purposes only. No Reis & Irvy's franchises will be sold to any resident of any state until the offering has been exempted from the requirements of, or duly registered in and declared effective by, such state and the required FDD (if any) has been delivered to the prospective franchisee before the sale in compliance with applicable law. Currently, the following states in the United States regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you reside in one of these states, or even if you reside elsewhere, you may have certain rights under applicable franchise laws or regulations.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning our future financial performance, including statements regarding: our ability to generate revenue and recognize deferred revenue; our ability to timely launch delivery and installation of our frozen yogurt robots; and our ability to grow our franchising and licensing divisions and launch our corporate-owned and direct sales platforms. The Company bases these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, estimates and projections about future events and the industry in which it operates using information currently available to it. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "propose," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "may," "estimates," variations of such words and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2018, our Quarterly Reports, and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Be advised that developments subsequent to this press release are likely to cause these statements to become outdated and the Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
IRVINE, CA, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, is pleased to announce the Company has expanded into the Canadian market with the formation of Cannabis Science Canada, Inc. Cannabis Science Canada Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cannabis Science Inc., and has already begun negotiations for Canadian land, licenses, and expansion capital.



Establishing a presence in Canada is strategically important for Cannabis Science! We can all see the immediate opportunity within its burgeoning cannabis medical industry, and its financial foray; the timing could not be better for us! stated Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, Cannabis Sciences President, CEO, and Co-founder. We currently have a number of very important research and drug-development initiatives underway in the U.S., Europe, South America, and in Sub-Saharan Africa. As we expand into Canada, the Company can leverage these opportunities in order to rapidly grow our business model in Canada and begin releasing our exciting product lines and our successful critical drug development programs for Ministry of Health approvals in Canada.

Cannabis Science has already held initial discussions with Canadian government and private-sector organizations to explore potential opportunities throughout Canada. As one of its initial steps, Cannabis Science has begun negotiating to acquire land and licenses through existing license holders for the cultivation of medical hemp and cannabis in Canada primarily to support the Companys research. These types of acquisitions will enable the company to fast track its product releases and drug-development programs in Canada.

I expect Canada to be an important market for Cannabis Science, added Mr. Dabney. In addition to a potential market to sell our products, we expect to conduct some of our research and drug-development activities in Canada fairly quickly. Additionally, as Canadians become more familiar with the Cannabis Science story, we hope to create opportunities for the Company to access Canadas capital markets for investments in Cannabis Science Canada, as well as Cannabis Science.

The Company will also explore the opportunity to export medical cannabis into Canada from various locations worldwide. Cannabis Science and its collaborators have applied to cultivate cannabis in Southern Africa and expect to secure approval in the coming weeks. Once approval has been granted, Cannabis Science will discuss potential contracts with authorized Canadian government and private sector importers. We have come to understand that there may have become a shortage of regulated inventory in Canada at this time, added Mr. Dabney. We believe that our approval to cultivate and export medical cannabis from Southern Africa is likely, and the opportunity to supply the Canadian market is significant.

Fortunately, Cannabis Science can apply its previous successful clinical research to date. CBIS and its collaborators have published two peer-reviewed research papers in the cancer research journal, Frontiers in Oncology:

Nanoparticle Drones to Target Lung Cancer with Radiosensitizers and Cannabinoids:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2017.00208/full

Enhancing the Therapeutic Efficacy of Cancer Treatment with Cannabinoids:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2018.00114/full

To help accomplish the Companys primary objective, CBIS recently launched the Cannabis Science Global Consortium as a framework and platform to cooperate and collaborate with stakeholders worldwide. The Cannabis Science Global Consortium links universities, foundations, corporations, and individuals to share research, ideas, and other relevant information, as well as to implement a cutting-edge research program to develop medicines and delivery mechanisms from bench-to-bedside.

In South Africa, Cannabis Science announced an exclusive partnership agreement with Elpasso Farms last year. Elpasso Farms is considered one of the most successful farms in South Africa.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cannabis Science and Elpasso Farms are collaborating to implement a phytomedicines initiative in South Africa. Specifically, the parties intend to establish research, development, cultivation, testing, manufacturing, and production facilities on Elpassos 1,000-acre site in Cullinan, South Africa. Additionally, in support of these activities, the Company and Elpasso Farms intend to establish the Pan-African Agriculture and Commerce University (PAACU). PAACU will specialize in agriculture, medicine, law, and business programs, and will offer a variety of certificate courses and conduct formal research programs using a variety of cannabinoids from associated indigenous plants. PAACU will be responsible for seed incubation, growing, and cultivating various indigenous plants, that will be overseen by Cannabis Science.

Our partnership with Elpasso Farms is breaking new ground for Cannabis Science and work has begun, stated Mr. Dabney. While we currently have a sponsored research program with one of the leading academic and research institutions in South Africa, this agreement with Elpasso Farms effectively establishes Cannabis Sciences operations in South Africa. As part of our broader African Initiative, this deal provides our company with an operational base in Southern Africa. We have already begun investing in improvements to Elpassos existing facilities and developing operational policies, procedures, and guidelines, in accordance with South African law.

Elpasso Farms is a well-established and thriving farm in South Africa. The 1,000-acre site is located in Cullinan, a small town approximately 30 kilometers east of Pretoria. The CEO of Elpasso Farms, Dr. Chitsunge, is one of South Africas most successful female farmers and an internationally acclaimed expert in agribusiness. Dr. Chitsunge is a facilitator of the Nigeria-South Africa Group on agriculture, and a global humanitarian campaigner. She belongs to various local and international bodies, including the Commonwealth Smart Partnership, Clinton Global Initiative, and African Heritage Society. Dr. Chitsunge currently serves as the Pan-African Parliaments Food Security Ambassador. The Pan-African Parliament is the legislative body of the African Union. General information on the Pan-African Parliament and the African Union can be viewed at https://au.int/en/organs/papand https://au.int/.

Cannabis Science intends to create a vertically integrated, international organization, through investing in the organic growth and development of the Companys operational capabilities, as well as through strategic acquisitions. Cannabis Science aims to control the development of its medicines from farm-to-bedside, and firmly establish the Company as a leader and recognized innovator in the market for cannabinoid-based medicines.

Cannabis Sciences primary objective is to research and develop U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved, cannabinoid-based medicine to fight a number of targeted critical ailments, including various Cancers, Neurological Conditions, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Sleep Deprivation, Chronic Pain, HIV/AIDS, Autism, Parkinsons Disease, Epilepsy, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and others. CBIS and its collaborators are well underway on a number of research projects targeting Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Chronic Pelvic Pain, and Oro-bucco-lingual Dyskinesias.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.





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HOUSTON, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Geologix Limited announces that it has secured a contract with Blue Eagle Lithium Inc. (OTCQB: BEAG) to provide a fully integrated asset management (IAM) system for its activities in both conventional brine and Petro-Lithium extraction.



Blue Eagle is a Lithium exploration company engaged in identifying, evaluating, and developing early-stage Lithium and rare earth metal exploration opportunities in North America. The Company's initial property is located in Railroad Valley, Nevada, a highly prospective green-fields Lithium brine target area that features many similarities to the nearby prolific Clayton Valley. Recent soil samples demonstrate encouraging concentrations, and the results have been included in the companys NI 43-101 Report.

This contract represents a desire by Geologix to take its best-in-class services to a wider audience. The Companys market-leading software, designed with the user at the forefront, is adaptable and scalable across all extractive industries. Geologix has historically supplied its software to a number of U.S. Oil and Gas companies, as well as the Minerals Management Service Federal agency.

About Geologix

Geologix is a leading technology and engineering application development company focused on providing innovative and reliable solutions for digital transformation for integrated operations in drilling, subsurface, production and pipeline. Geologix has worked with more than 200 customers in 60 countries worldwide. Its world-class, globally distributed team of geoscientists, engineers and software developers provide systems, tools and solutions to reduce cost, improve operations and streamline the flow of real-time data and information. Geologix provides users with a full package of technology, domain consulting, knowledge transfer, maintenance and support, with geoscientists, engineers and domain experts on call twenty-four hours a day. With offices in the UK, Houston, Jakarta and Delhi, Geologix ensures on-time, bespoke support, wherever you are.

For more information about Geologix, please contact info@geologix.com ,

or visit www.geologix.com .

For more information about Blue Eagle Lithium, please contact info@blueeaglelithium.com ,

or visit www.blueeaglelithium.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain "forward-looking" statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward looking-statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include such factors as uncertainty of consumer demand for the Company's products, as well as additional risks and uncertainties that are identified and described in the Company's SEC reports. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. The Company does not undertake, and it specifically disclaims, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, events or circumstances after the date of such statement.
DES MOINES, Iowa, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the nation copes with the impact of the ongoing opioid crisis, businesses also deal with the overall impact of opioid dependency from increased cost of health care delivery, increased litigation exposure, and $10 billion per year from absenteeism and presenteeism alone.



Factors such as lost productivity, increased workplace accidents, turnover and insurance claims, as well as the impact on employees and loved ones struggling with opioid dependency in their family have led to another level of damage done by this national health problem.



Opioid Clinical Management Inc. (OPCM) is working with companies to attack the opioid problem from a new angle: approach opioid abuse and overprescribing from the relationship between employers, health plans and the physicians prescribing opioids.

With a career in both medical data software development and substance abuse intervention, OPCM founder and CEO Mike Vasquez sees an uncharted area in using predictive analytics to review company employee case data to identify the costs where opioids are being overprescribed and intervene from a corporate perspective on the companys behalf.

We dont identify employees. We protect their privacyand their employers liability, said Vasquez. We identify patterns of dependency within their healthcare network. And we identify all the physicians who are, in most cases, unknowingly overprescribing those opioids. Thats the key to real change.

Through the development of proprietary predictive analytics and integrated case management, OPCMs new service, OpioidRX, allows large self-insured employer groups to identify employee dependency trends within a company or health plan group.

Based on that reporting, OPCM then confidentially approaches physicians who have been identified as overprescribing on the companys behalf. OPCM will work to provide education and encourage adoption of CDC best practices for prescribing opioids.

We work to make physicians aware of the real costs of opioid addiction and how our client companies or self-insured groups are adopting new guidelines to provide the safest, best options for their employees, said Vasquez. Our goal is a simple: Save money. Save lives.

About OPCM:

Opioid Clinical Management Inc. (OPCM) is an organization dedicated to dealing with the national opioid crisis by addressing and correcting overprescribing. Using patent-pending predictive analytics, along with company healthcare data, OPCMs OpioidRx service identifies patterns of opioid dependency within an organizations health care network. Rather than identify individual employees, OPCM identifies physicians who are overprescribing opioids and confidentially intervenes on a companys behalf, working with physicians and healthcare providers to adopt CDC best practices for prescribing opioids. For more information, visit www.opioidcm.com .

Media Contact

Dawn Buzynski, Executive Director of Public Relations

dbuzynski@strategicamerica.com, 515-453-2019
ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Each year, over 200,000 service members return to civilian life, creating a large pool of talent and experience often overlooked by employers seeking to add to their workforce. On Wednesday, April 24, the Maryland Chamber, as part of its Maryland Spotlight series, will bring together military personnel, employers, educational institutions and workforce development professionals to discuss ways to identify, attract and fill in-demand positions with qualified veterans.



The keynote speaker for the program will be Dr. Norvell Coots, President & CEO, Holy Cross Health. His topic is One Health Systems Approach to Supporting Our Veterans. He will explain the ways their Military and Veterans Health Program has benefited his companys business and community. As part of the program, Dr. Coots will talk about how the staff at Holy Cross Health is trained to help understand and respond to health concerns and challenges specific to the military community and their commitment to providing respectful and culturally competent health care services.

Many businesses often arent aware of how many veterans they employ. It is imperative to identify these employees and ensure their transition into the civilian workplace is successful and will yield positive results for businesses long-term. Maryland Spotlight: Veterans in the Workplace will address ways in which to recognize these individuals and equip your business with the resources to leverage veteran skill sets.

Registration for the April 24 event begins at noon at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD. The program starts at 1 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m. Christine Ross, President & CEO, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, will make opening remarks. Top speakers from the greater Maryland area will address crucial issues such as the array of benefits that come with hiring veterans; what civilian business professionals can learn from military ethos and mindset; success stories of businesses with programs and initiatives aimed at educating and hiring veterans; and resources and tools to assist with creating successful programs within firms.

Thank you to our sponsors, the Maryland Department of Commerce, Smartlink, Asplundh, and Alban CAT, who are helping to make this event possible.

For more information, a description of the panel topics and speakers, and to register, please log onto https://mdchamber.org/event/md-spotlight-veterans-in-the-workplace/ .

About the Maryland Chamber of Commerce: Founded in 1968, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan, business advocacy organization that works in the legislative, regulatory, and civic arenas as a catalyst for positive change in Maryland. Members gain access to high-level signature events, focused strategy sessions, and dynamic leadership, as well as a seat at the table for think-tank discussions with industry leaders and other influencers. Learn more at www.mdchamber.org .

Contact:

Boyle Public Affairs for Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Jim Boyle

571-213-3979

jim@boylepublicaffairs.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brixton Metals Corporation (TSXV: BBB) (OTCQB: BBBXF) (the Company or Brixton) is pleased to announce that it has been approved for trading of its Common Shares on the OTCQB Market, a U.S. trading platform that is operated by the OTC Markets Group in New York. Effective immediately, the Companys Shares will trade on the OTCQB under the symbol BBBXF. Previously, its Shares traded on the OTC under the symbol BXTMF. The Companys common shares will continue to trade on the TSX Venture under symbol BBB.



Brixton Metals wholly owns the advanced stage Hog Heaven project located in Montana, U.S.A.

Historical Hog Heaven Drilling Highlights

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Pb (%) Zn (%) AFR-79-5 106.68 124.97 18.29 4.51 745.71 4.46 0.27 0.18 AFR-79-5 106.68 304.8 198.1 0.87 153.91 0.58 0.17 0.14 AFR-80-24 89.92 134.11 44.20 1.07 72.63 1.42 0.53 0.21 AFR-80-9 56.39 214.88 158.50 0.64 152.52 0.12 0.45 0.46

Note: The Qualified Person (QP) for Brixton cannot verify the drill results reported in the tables above or the other technical information set out in this news release. The precise location of the drill cores from the program is presently unknown and they have not been inspected by the QP, and therefore Brixton has not undertaken any re-logging, resampling or check assays; however, Brixton has no reason to doubt the results and considers the results relevant and suitable for disclosure. Data from the above drill results are historical results and it is unknown what type of quality-control programs were performed at the time. The QP also advises that true width of the above results cannot be determined at this time.

The property is located in Flathead County, 55 miles south-southwest of the town of Kalispell, in the northwest portion of the state of Montana, USA. The property is easily accessible by driving 10 miles of gravel road from a highway. The Hog Heaven mine historically (1928  1975) produced 6.7M oz Ag at an average grade of 29 troy ounces of Ag per ton, 3,000 oz Au, 23M lbs Pb, 0.6M lbs Cu from 230,000 tons and an additional 49,700 tons grading 9.35 troy ounces of Ag per ton. The ore was shipped directly to smelters. The mine was operated by Anaconda from 1929 to 1946 and by a lessee from 1963 to 1975.

Several silver, gold and base metal mineralized zones occur as breccia and veins hosted by permeable units of volcaniclastic rocks. The high-sulphidation mineralization is accompanied by silicification of the host rocks. Silver is the metal of primary interest, although the gold and base metals are significant and may provide by-product revenues. The vertical zonation of the mineralization at the Main Mine shows an increase in pyrite grain size, copper and gold content with depth suggesting the presence of a porphyry system at depth. Since the production periods at least 722 drill holes for 57,498m meters have been drilled. Currently, the Hog Heaven project does not host a NI-43-101 compliant resource estimate as defined by the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves.

Mr. Sorin Posescu, P.Geo, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 standards and has reviewed and approved this news release.

About Brixton Metals Corporation

Brixton is a Canadian exploration and development company focused on the advancement of its gold and silver projects toward feasibility. Brixton wholly owns four exploration projects, the Thorn gold-silver and the Atlin goldfields projects located in NWBC, the Langis-Hudson Bay silver-cobalt-diamond project in Ontario and the Hog Heaven silver-gold-copper project in NW Montana, USA. The Company is actively seeking JV partners to advance one or more of its projects. Brixton Metals Corporation shares trade on the TSX-V under the ticker symbol BBB. For more information about Brixton please visit our website at www.brixtonmetals.com .

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Mr. Gary R. Thompson, Chairman and CEO

Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: info@brixtonmetals.com

For Investor Relations please contact Mitchell Smith

Tel: 604-630-9707 or email: mitchell.smith@brixtonmetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, and intend, statements that an action or event may, might, could, should, or will be taken or occur, including statements that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential size and expansion of a mineralized zone, proposed timing of exploration and development plans, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds, By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identified in the annual information form of the Company or other reports and filings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on managements beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.
KEENE, N.H., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire  Free Talk Live , an independently syndicated, issues-oriented talk radio program bringing diverse viewpoints to the table, is reaching across the ocean to help children in a small African village learn, grow and sustain themselves with the help of thousands of listeners.



Free Talk Live (FTL) is an open phones panel discussion with a variety of hosts including Mark Edge. FTL airs live, seven nights a week from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on nearly 200 radio stations . Show topic suggestions are actively solicited and voted on by users.

A growing supportive listening base of donors, along with matching contributors Cell411 , Bitcoin.com , and Shire Free Church, raised over $45,000 to construct the orphanage and another $35,000 to purchase farm land to help the orphanage become self-sustaining by growing crops and raising animals. Listeners are able to share in this amazing project by donating their choice of cryptocurrency to help fund the project through FTLs cryptocurrency tip jar .

All I want here is for young people to have the opportunity to build a better life for themselves, said Edge, who has been working in radio since 1999. Education is important. You cant have human freedom without humans and these kids need food. This is a way for these kids to get it  this is a better plan. Give them a fishing rod and let them catch their own fish.

Edge first learned of The Foundation of Hope Uganda from a chance encounter on Facebook when one of the Foundations ministers, Ndifuna Johnson, contacted him about helping to build an orphanage. After communicating with Johnson,online for several months and asking a friend who was going to be in Uganda to check out the Foundation, and enlisting the help of a local preacher, Kamua Saul, Edge said he was sold on becoming part of the worthwhile project.

I was willing to begin fundraising for a building once he showed they were committed, Edge says, referring to the thousands of clay bricks that Saul and others made in anticipation of the project. They did it piece by piece, fist the foundation, walls, second floor  bit by bit, over time. It looks great and can fit 40 kids. It also functions as a sort of community center for all the children in the village.

The Foundation is now in the process of securing a piece of land with funding provided by Free Talk Live donors and sponsors, Edge said, noting there is a misconception among many that libertarians are self-centered misers. This project is one of many instances that prove nothing could be further from the truth, he adds. Edge and FTL continue to support the Foundation along with its ministers, Ndifuna Johnson and Kamau Saul, in their quest to make lives better in Uganda.

About FreeTalkLive

Free Talk Live, the 27th most important talk show in America, is earning accolades as the next-generation of issues-oriented talk radio that anyone can take control of by simply participating in it. Produced from Keene, New Hampshire, by the Shire Free Church, show topics are liberty-friendly and can be found on over 175 radio stations .

To learn more about Free Talk Live, download a podcast or subscribe to its RSS feed, visit: https://www.freetalklive.com/ or contact Mark Edge at Mark@freetalklive.com

FreeTalkLive Contact

Mark Edge

Keene, New Hampshire

www.FreeTalkLive.com

Mark@FreeTalkLive.com

Corporate Communications Contact

CryptoCurrencyWire (CCW)

New York, New York

www.CryptoCurrencyWire.com

212.418.1217 Office

Editor@CryptoCurrencyWire.com


Orlando FL, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- George Skrbin has joined the Sentry Management, Inc. as the Senior Vice President, Western Region. In his new position, George will be accountable for the offices located in Phoenix Arizona, Denver and Boulder Colorado, Des Moines Iowa, Boise Idaho, St Charles and St. Louis Missouri, and Albuquerque New Mexico.

We are so pleased to have an accomplished veteran on board to further enhance the delivery of exceptional service to clients and residents living in our western operating states, said Bradley Pomp, Sentry President. George brings a great combination of understanding best practices in office operations. He also understands and strengthens the service culture we are building to become the best community management company in the country.

George has been working in the community association management industry for nearly 30 years. George started as a condo and homeowners association Community Manager with The Merit Companies in California. While working there, George took on progressively more responsible duties as the company grew to have nine offices, and ultimately served as the firms Chief Operating Officer. George then moved to the east coast to hold the titles of President and CEO of a management company in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida then Senior Vice President of a national management firm. Most recently, he has been Executive Vice President for Action Property Management located in Southern California. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Management from the University of Denver.

Being part of this leadership team is an honor for me. I am impressed in how Sentrys management team incorporates experienced professionals from the condominium and HOA management industry as well as other diverse businesses, George observes. It is also exciting for me to be in a company that is growing so rapidly and significantly upgrading technology and operations to become a true leader.

In his new role with Sentry Management, George is now located in Denver to be close to the offices in his Region. To learn more, go to https://www.SentryMgt.com.

Sentry Management is a full-service community management company. Sentrys business is the day-to-day operation of communities, homeowner associations and condominiums. Sentry is accredited as an AMO (Accredited Management Organization) by the Institute of Real Estate Management, providing independent evaluation that Sentry has one of the highest operating and financial standards in the industry. Sentry operates in dozens of localities in Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

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Dublin, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Biocompatibility Testing for Medical Devices" training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The medical device field is one of the most heavily regulated industries, for obvious reasons. Medical devices are an important tool in efforts to improve patient care and treatment outcomes. Learn how to achieve more successful biocompatibility testing outcomes by attending this seminar.



Biocompatibility testing is in the spotlight with regulatory bodies - especially with the recent release of the updated European MDRs and the FDA's Guidance document on ISO 10993-1. It is essential for medical device manufacturers to have an understanding of the current landscape for biocompatibility testing while keeping an eye on the future trends that will affect future requirements. This seminar will discuss the recent changes to regulatory documents and standards and how they will impact the overall biocompatibility assessment of medical devices.



Attendees will understand and apply ISO 10993-1 and the FDA Guidance on its use. They will know how to use the ISO documents to locate information that you need. Understand what tests to select and how to choose among various options.



By attending this seminar, attendees will get answers of these questions:

When is testing not the only option?

Understand how to apply Materials characterization, and more importantly learn how to use the information to understand biological safety?

Understand ISO 14971 and how to use it?

Learn how to use ISO 10993-1 as a tool for hazard identification?

Learn how to develop a program that guides your device on the regulatory path and reduces your time to market?

Practice how to execute your plan from development to completion and how to schedule and document the implementation of your biocompatibility plan?

Learning Objectives:



After completing this seminar, participants should be familiar with the full scope of ISO 10993-1, including the current version.



The topics covered will include:

Gain a deeper understanding of global regulatory expectations for biological safety.

Know how to review reports for accurate data and work with a laboratory when unexpected results are reported.

Understand evaluating complexities for drug/device combination devices.

Familiarization with calculating allowable limits for cancer, chemical mixtures, and assessment of unidentified chemicals.

Experience working application with real life examples to calculate allowable limits, experience testing errors and how to mitigate them, and then manage a device from concept to market clearance.

Gain knowledge on the principles of toxicology, FDA consensus standards, and Good Laboratory Practices.

Learn the difference between evaluation and testing. Recognize when testing is absolutely necessary and how to avoid unnecessary testing.

Areas Covered:



The areas that will be discussed in the seminar will include the following topics throughout the agenda:

History of ISO 19993-1

Overview of collateral standards, i.e., 10993-X

Risk based approach (for Biocompatibility)

Review of ISO 14971 Risk management file

Biocompatibility evaluation endpoints

Endpoint assessment vs. testing

Endpoint consideration: Test specific

Chemical testing: Extractables and Leachables

Toxicology assessment

Key Topics Covered:



Day 1



08.30 AM - 08.59 AM: Registration and Meet & Greet



09.00 AM - 10.00 AM:

Seminar outline

History of Biocompatibility testing

10.00 AM - 11.00 AM: ISO 10993-1

The general principles governing the biological evaluation of medical devices within a risk management process;

The general categorization of devices based on the nature and duration of their contact with the body;

The evaluation of existing relevant data from all sources;

The identification of gaps in the available data set on the basis of a risk analysis;

The identification of additional data sets necessary to analyse the biological safety of the medical device;

The assessment of the biological safety of the medical device.

11.00 AM - 12.00 PM: FDA & 10993-1

ODE Final Biocompatibility Guidance Use of ISO 10993-1 Biological evaluation of medical devices - Part 1: Evaluation and testing within a risk management process Published: June 16, 2016

12.00 PM - 01.00 PM: Lunch



01.00 PM - 02.00 PM: ISO 14971-Risk Assessment

Have risks been designed out if possible?

Have manufacturers shown that risks have been reduced as much as possible?

Have manufacturers conducted a risk benefit analysis for all risks?

Have residual risks been incorrectly reduced by warnings placed on IFUs or provided in training?

02.00 PM - 03.00 PM: Developing a Biological Safety Plan

Biological Safety: More than just Test Data

Leverage information that is known about the constituents of the device

Identify and characterize biological and toxicological hazards associated with the medical device product in an effort to characterize risk

Define a plan for ensuring biological safety

Explain how your company uses the requirements of ISO 109931:2003 to assure biological safety

03.00 PM - 04.00 PM: Chemical Testing: Extractables & Leachables

Regulators are concerned with substances migrating from different materials (polymers, metals, glass etc.) which patients may be exposed to through many different routes of administration.

Extractables studies

Leachables studies

Analytical Techniques for Extractables and Leachables

What do the results tell you?

04.00 PM - 04.30 PM: Good laboratory practices

What are they? How do they apply?

Day 2



08.30 AM - 10.00 AM: ISO 10993-17 Allowable Limits

Approach for setting tolerable intake (TI) values for chemical compounds released from medical device materials based on the method described in the standard

Practical advice is provided on how to derive both non-cancer and cancer-based TI values

10.00 PM - 12.00 PM: Biocompatibility Endpoints-Testing

Use of ISO 10993-1 and the FDA-modified matrix (Attachment A) to determine the relevant biocompatibility endpoints for an evaluation

General biocompatibility testing considerations, including test article preparation

Specific considerations for the following testing: cytotoxicity, sensitization, hemocompatibility, pyrogenicity, implantation, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and degradation assessments

Chemical assessment recommendations

Considerations for labeling devices as -free

12.00 PM - 12.30 PM: Seminar wrap up

For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qkn9g2/two_day_seminar?w=12

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Acumen Research and Consulting, a global provider of market research studies, in a recently published report titled Converting Paper Market (By Application: Newsprint, Hygiene Paper, Printing Paper, Writing Paper, Packaging, Others; By Pulp Type: Mechanical Wood Pulp, Semi-chemical Pulp, Chemical Wood Pulp, Non-Wood Pulp, Recycled Pulp; By Paper Type: Uncoated, Coated; By End Use: Packing & Wrapping, Food Service, Printing, Consumer Goods, Others) - Global Industry Analysis, Market Size, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018 - 2026.



LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global converting paper market size is anticipated to around USD 440.2 billion by 2026, this market is anticipated to grow with 2.2% CAGR during the forecast time period. The adoption of converting paper for industrial packaging which is expected to drive the growth of the global converting paper market.

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The rising adoption of digitalization is projected to decrease the demand for writing paper and printing paper. The replacement of paper with digital media and paperless communication can be a threat to the traditional paper market. The shifting trend from the printing and writing paper to packaging paper due to the development of the e-commerce industry and customer preference for converting paper packaging formats are some of the major factors boosting the demand for the converting paper globally. Digitalization is adversely affecting the printing and writing paper segments. Also with the help of digital tools, the converting paper, and packaging manufacturers are improving the customer services and manufacturing activities to guarantee better product quality, effective tracking information of dispatched goods, and appropriate customer support.

Also, the converting paper is broadly used in various applications such as packaging, wrapping, food service, printing, and others. This factor is expected to boost the growth of the global converting paper market. Moreover, the key manufacturers of converting paper are focused on entering into a partnership with other players in order to expand geographical presence. For instance, in February 2018, Canfor Corporation declared the launch of a new sawmill with an estimated investment of around US$ 120 Mn. Also, in October 2018, GP Pro introduced Paper Hot Cup, which is equipped with air pockets that insulate the hot beverage from the cup holders hands.

View Detail Information with Complete TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/converting-paper-market

The global converting paper market is segmented into the application, pulp type, paper type, end use, and region. On the basis of application, the global converting paper market is segmented into newsprint, hygiene paper, printing paper, writing paper, packaging, and others. On the basis of pulp type, the global converting paper market is segmented into mechanical wood pulp, semi-chemical pulp, chemical wood pulp, non-wood pulp, and recycled pulp. On the basis of paper type, the global converting paper market is segmented into uncoated and coated. On the basis of end use, the global converting paper market is segmented into packing & wrapping, food service, printing, consumer goods, and others. On the basis of the region, the global converting paper market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

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Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the global converting paper market followed by North America and Europe region. The market in the Asia Pacific is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period due to the upsurge in demand from various end-use industries such as automotive, textile, and packaging in developing countries, such as India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. The converting paper in North America region is anticipated to hold a significant share in the upcoming years. The demand for converting paper in North America is expected to increase at a significant pace in the coming years.

The prominent players operating in the global converting paper market are Georgia-Pacific LLC, International Paper Company, UPM-KymmeneOyj, Domtar Corporation, Verso Corporation, Burgo Group SPA, American Eagle Paper Mills, Catalyst Paper Corporation, Rolland Enterprises Inc., Finch Paper LLC, Stora Enso Oyj, Canfor Corporation, Clearwater Paper Corporation, P.H. Glatfelter Co., Mitsubishi Paper Mills Limited, BillerudKorsnas AB, Twin Rivers Paper Company Inc., Delta Paper Corp., Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Ltd., and Alberta Newsprint Company Ltd., etc. The demand for converting paper in North America region is expected to increase rapidly during the forecast period owing to the huge consumption of converting paper in printing, packaging and other applications. The converting paper market in the North America region is controlled by the large players and is moderately consolidated. The strategic initiatives commenced by the global players include partnerships, new product launch, acquisitions, and mergers.The research initiatives coupled with advanced technologies for manufacturing converting paper is expected to offer innovative packaging solutions that are predicted to offer opportunities for industry participants in the global converting paper market.

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Acumen Research and Consulting, a global provider of market research studies, in a recently published report titled Coating Resins Market (By Type: Acrylic, Epoxy, Alkyd, Vinyl, Polyurethane, Amino, Polyester, Others; By Technology: Solvent Based, UV Cured, Water Based, High Solids; By Application: Industrial Coatings, Automotive Coatings, Wood Coatings, Protective Coatings, Architectural Coatings, Marine Coatings) - Global Industry Analysis, Market Size, Opportunities and Forecast, 2018 - 2026.



LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global coating resins market size is anticipated to around USD 51.3 billion by 2026, this market is anticipated to grow with 5.0% CAGR during the forecast time period. The rapid expansion of the automotive industry is expected to drive the global coating resins market.

Free Download Sample Report Pages for Better understanding@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/1215

The increasing demand for coating resins in the industrial and automotive sector is expected to boost the global coating resins market. Several factors such as the rise in disposable income and environmental impact are the latest trends that are driving the overall coating industry. In turn, these factors are anticipated to boost the demand for coating resins market in the future. Coating resins are the polymer compounds that are used in the manufacturing coatings and paints. These innovative materials act as shielding layers for an extensive variety of substances and are completely used to provide resistance from corrosion, stain, and hardness. Coating resins are formulated by using various methods. The formulation can be both water based and solvent based. The method selected to manufacture the coating resins for a specific application depends on its specifications such as base material, coating purpose, and location etc. so that the properties such as viscosity, color, and consistency can be accustomed for effective application.

Resin coatings are the most ideal methods of positioning the protective coating layers across a wide range of applications such as automotive, construction, architecture, machinery, wood, marine, paper &pulp coatings, wood, and other industrial applications. The water-based polyurethane, alkyd, epoxy, and acrylic resin are mostly used in automobiles, and other industrial and anti-corrosion coatings. Coating Resins are commonly known as resin binders in the paint and coating industry. The synthetic resins are applied over wooden floors, metal surfaces, concrete porches, garages and help in developing durable, tough and beautiful surfaces. Textiles and food packaging also use coating resins for durable and high-quality products. Coating resins are further used in applications such as industrial plastics, packaging coatings, and consumer electronics.

View Detail Information with Complete TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/coating-resins-market

The global coating resins market is segmented into type, technology, application, and region. On the basis of type, the global coating resins market is segmented into acrylic, epoxy, alkyd, vinyl, polyurethane, amino, polyester, and others. On the basis of technology, the global coating resins market is segmented into solvent-based, UV cured, water-based and high solids. On the basis of application, the global coating resins market is segmented into industrial coatings, automotive coatings, wood coatings, protective coatings, architectural coatings, and marine coatings. On the basis of the region, the global coating resins market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

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Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the global coating resins market followed by North America and Europe region. Asia Pacific region is at the forefront in the global coating resins market owing to the huge presence of key manufacturer of coatings products that are produced from coating resins. The coating resins market in the North America region is expected to expand at a rapid pace in the coming years due to the noteworthy rise in the consumption of paints and coatings in the region. In North America and Europe region are the prominent consumers of coating resins in the global market. The coatings resins market in Europe and North America is estimated to grow at a slow pace during the forecast period owing to the established end-user industries and technologically advanced regions. The coating resins market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is expected to increase at a substantial pace during the forecast period.

The prominent players operating in the global coating resins market are Royal DSM N.V., Allenex Netherlands B.V., Lanxess, DIC Corporation, BASF SE, Arkema S.A, DosswDuPont, and Celanese Corporation, etc. The global coating resins market is led by large market players. The presence of large numbers of local players is making it highly competitive. The strategic initiatives commenced by global companies include partnerships, new product launch, acquisitions, and mergers. The R&D investments coupled with advanced coating technologies are expected to offer innovative coatings and paints solutions that are predicted to offer incremental growth opportunities for the key players in the global coating resins market.

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NEW ORLEANS, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors of pending deadlines in the following securities class action lawsuits:



CVS Health Corporation (CVS)

Class Period: 5/21/2015 - 2/20/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 26, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cvs/ .

The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC)

Class Period: 7/6/2015 - 2/21/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: April 25, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-khc/ .

CenturyLink, Inc. (CTL)

Class Period: 5/10/2018 - 3/4/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: May 6, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ctl/ .

Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (BPI)

Class Period: 3/8/2016 - 3/7/2019

Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: May 10, 2019

SECURITIES FRAUD

To learn more, visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-bpi/ .

If you purchased shares of the above companies and would like to discuss your legal rights 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, via email (Lewis.Kahn@KSFcounsel.com), or via the case links above.

If you wish to serve as a Lead Plaintiff in the class action, you must petition the Court on or before the Lead Plaintiff Motion deadline.

About

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, 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:
ATLANTA, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vacation Express is happy to be celebrating 5 years of non-stop flight service to the Caribbean. Over the past 5 years, Vacation Express introduced non-stop flights to Cancun, Punta Cana, Jamaica and the Bahamas. With all-inclusive vacation packages to these locations and surrounding popular areas like Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Puerto Plata and more, Vacation Express has become a go-to resource for Caribbean vacations.



The most popular destination to date is Punta Cana and they have made sure anyone who wants to visit has plenty of opportunities for an amazing vacation. Spring flights for 3- and 7-night trips departing Saturdays and for 4- and 7-night trips departing Tuesdays fly now through April 23, 2019 with summer flights for 6-night trips departing Saturdays May 25, 2019 through July 27, 2019. They also offer non=stop flights to Cancun for 6-night trips departing Sundays from June 9, 2019 through August 4, 2019 and to Jamaica for 6-night trips departing Mondays July 8, 2019 through August 5, 2019.

With crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches and tropical climates, the Caribbean is a dream destination for Pittsburgh vacationers. Adventurers can visit Mexican ruins and snorkel in Cancun, zipline over lush wildlife and swim with dolphins in Punta Cana or view the rare luminous lagoon in Jamaica. Those looking for a more relaxed vacation can lounge on beautiful beaches, go on boat tours with breathtaking sunset views and more. All-inclusive resorts from adults-only to family-friendly options, everyone in Pittsburgh is sure to find the perfect resort for their Caribbean escape.

We appreciate the loyalty of our Pittsburgh travelers, says Kevin Hernandez, Vice President of Sales and Digital Strategy. We want to continue to give them the highest quality vacations at the best prices to keep travelers experiencing the best of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Most travelers are taking advantage of vacation packages with air and all-inclusive resort stays, though travelers may opt to purchase airfare only for non-stop flights. Packages can be booked online at VACATIONEXPRESS.com, by calling 1-800-309-4717 or through a local travel agent.

About Vacation Express:

Based in Atlanta, Vacation Express, part of Sunwing Travel Group, is a tour operator specializing in quality, affordable vacation packages to over 30 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Costa Rica. Now in business for over 25 years, Vacation Express is one of the countrys largest and most trusted tour operators. Travelers looking for the most affordable, all-inclusive vacations may book Vacation Express exclusive, non-stop packages through their travel agent, directly by phone seven days a week at 1-800-309-4717 or online at VACATIONEXPRESS.com. Exclusive charter flights are operated by Sunwing Airlines, Allegiant Air, Swift Air, LLC., VivaAerobus, Miami Air International and Volaris. See Operator/Participant Agreement for details.

Additional Notes:. Vacation Express public charter flights are operated by Sunwing Airlines, Swift Air, LLC. and VivaAerobuss. See Operator/Participant Agreement for details. All flights subject to DOT approval.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vacationexpress

Twitter: www.twitter.com/vacationexpress

Instagram: www.instagram.com/vacationexpress

MEDIA CONTACT

Pamela Caltabiano | Public Relations Manager

pcaltabiano@vacationexpress.com | 800.309.4717 x3098

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a162344d-4ea5-4423-a8d3-a01c7c28d747




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V: PGE; US OTC: PGEZF; FSE: 5D32) (the Company or Group Ten) is pleased to provide an update on the Black LakeDrayton gold project, which adjoins the Goldlund and Goliath gold projects in the Rainy River district of northwest Ontario, Canada, including:



acquisition of new ground by direct staking to incorporate orientation entropy anomalies identified in recent geophysical modelling work;

completion of the earn-in on the last remaining claim block such that the Company now holds a 100% interest in the entire project, now approximately 13,733 hectares in size; and

results of exploration work completed in 2018, including the identification of pristine gold grains in surface till samples with a demonstrated correlation between the density of these grains and geophysical (orientation entropy) anomalies in a new target area with pervasive shallow overburden.

Completion of Earn-In, Additional Staking, and Resultant Land Position

Group Ten reports that it has completed the final share issuance per an agreement with NWT Copper Mines Ltd. (NWT), as announced March 3, 2014 and subsequently amended. The Company has now earned a 100% right and title to the NWT claims, subject to a royalty interest that includes a buy-down provision.

The NWT claims include the western extension of the Moretti Zone that, in addition to the Black Lake property now held by Group Ten, provides the Company with over 2.4 km of strike on the Moretti system. Historic bulk samples at the Moretti Zone averaged 14.1 and 18.6 g/t Au, and multiple historical geological samples ranged up to 1,212 g/t Au (historic data not independently verified by Group Ten).

The Company also reports that it has expanded the Black LakeDrayton claim block by 107 claims through direct staking, bringing the total project area to approximately 13,733 hectares. The latest ground was acquired to cover new targets developed through structural complexity modeling of previously acquired airborne magnetic (geophysical) survey data. Areas were prioritized for acquisition based on the correlation of known areas of gold mineralization, such as the Moretti Zone, with the new orientation entropy targets, and the results of the 2018 till samples collected from less-explored areas.

Structural complexity modelling is a new image analysis method for magnetic data that automatically maps lineaments and identifies geological structural complexity. Orientation entropy represents deviations of strike of lower order faults and ductile shear zones, and is visualized using heat maps. The methodology has been designed to exploit the known association of Archean gold deposits with zones of complex structure adjacent to major shear zones.1

As a result of this acquisition and completion of the final remaining earn-in, Group Ten holds a 100% interest in the entire Black LakeDrayton project, subject only to royalty interests on certain portions, which include buy-down provisions. Black LakeDrayton complements Group Tens core Stillwater West project with a large and highly prospective land position which is strategically located beside advanced-stage projects in a world-class high-grade gold district.

2018 Exploration Results

Group Ten is pleased to announce the presence of pristine gold grains in twenty of the sixty till samples collected during the 2018 field season. Fieldwork focused on surface till sampling in the central area of the Black LakeDrayton project. The program aimed to identify the presence of a proximal gold source within highly prospective and unexplored orientation entropy anomalies. As shown in Figure 1, the sample area was approximately 2.5 km long by 750 m wide and tested two orientation entropy anomalies. A correlation between gold found in till samples and the geophysical anomalies was observed, with the best samples being located down ice from the anomalies.

Figure 1  Five primary historic target areas and the area of 2018 till sampling program, shown with orientation entropy (OE) anomalies developed in 2018 over regional geology is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31ed6ff8-bd87-4d48-8ced-f09108cc2c88

Of the twenty gold-bearing till samples, five returned three or greater pristine grains and two returned nine pristine grains. Typically, these gold grains are silt-sized, visible, and have a mass of approximately 0.065 grams per grain. Pristine grains have not been transported far from their source, indicating a close source of mineralization. Gold grain analysis normalizes samples to gold grains per 10 kg of bulk sample  see Table 1 for highlights.

These positive results from the Companys first till sampling program on the project are very compelling given the extensive shallow ground cover in the region and the number of significant high-grade occurrences elsewhere on the property, as well as in the broader district, including New Golds Rainy River Mine, Treasury Metals Goliath project, and First Mining Golds Goldlund project. Till sampling of this type played a significant role in the discovery of the Rainy River deposit, which in turn brought attention to the entire district. New discoveries and expansion of existing resources are now ongoing in the belt, and the success of Group Tens inaugural till sampling program at Black LakeDrayton is a strong indication of the potential for high-grade gold in the immediate area.

The Company is now working to compile and prioritize targets, including:

20 historic showings (see Figure 1 for the five most advanced locations);

43 drill targets described in a property-wide targeting report announced July 27, 2017 (including three high-priority targets that require only minor ground-truthing prior to drilling); and

orientation entropy anomalies identified during the 2018/2019 geophysics survey, till sampling, and follow-up data studies.

Table 1 - Highlights of gold grain values for 2018 surface till samples

Sample Number Number of Visible Gold Grains Bulk weight (kg) Calculated Normalized Gold Grains per 10 kg Total Reshaped Modified Pristine Modified + Pristine 3217007 3 0 2 1 13.6 2.2 3217014 15 10 5 0 14.3 3.5 3217017 15 3 3 9 15.4 7.8 3217019 9 4 2 3 14.7 3.4 3217020 4 1 2 1 13.2 2.3 3217029 18 12 5 1 15.2 3.9 3217037 14 10 2 2 12.6 3.2 3217040 27 14 4 9 13.7 9.5 3217041 17 12 1 4 13.3 3.8 3217043 15 9 5 1 14.1 4.3 3217044 8 5 1 2 14.6 2.1 3217049 10 7 1 2 14.6 2.1 3217051 7 4 1 2 13.1 2.3 3217054 3 0 2 1 13.9 2.2 3217057 8 4 1 3 13.7 2.9

President and CEO Michael Rowley said, We are very pleased with the success of our first till sampling program at Black LakeDrayton, a method that has proven very successful historically in similar conditions and in related geology in the Sioux Lookout Deformation Zone, and in the broader Rainy River gold belt. Our results show potential for discovery of a high-grade gold system in a 15-kilometer-long area between the Moretti Zone high-grade historic bulk samples to the northeast and the Shaft target to the west that is historically underexplored because of pervasive shallow ground cover. We have also validated the use of orientation entropy anomalies in target generation and have expanded our land position based on these results. We look forward to further announcements including continued news flow from our flagship Stillwater West project in the very near term.

About the Black LakeDrayton Project

The Black LakeDrayton project has been consolidated by the Company in five parcels as four option deals plus direct staking. This has provided Group Ten with 100% ownership on more than 137 km2 and over 30 km of under-explored strike length in the AbramsMinnitaki Lake Archean greenstone belt, along the northern margin of the Wabigoon sub-province. This highly active gold belt is host to a number of well-known deposits including Goliath (Treasury Metals), Goldlund (First Mining Gold), and Rainy River (New Gold), all of which have seen substantial recent expansions. Since the development of New Golds Rainy River deposit, 10 Moz of gold has been discovered in the belt (Figure 2).

The Black LakeDrayton project includes a database with more than 20 historic occurrences, multiple high-grade bulk samples, and over 127 drill holes, in addition to geological, geochemical and geophysical data. Although 43% of past drill holes intercepted gold or copper mineralization, they did not adequately test the mineralized zones which are now better understood in the area. Much of the project remains untested, despite the success of neighbouring deposits with similar geology.

On a regional scale, the project is located in the AbramsMinnitaki Lake greenstone belt which is south of and parallel to the BirchUchi belt, another Archean greenstone belt that is home to a number of high-grade gold producers including Goldcorps Red Lake mine. Despite its proximity to the Red Lake area and the BirchUchi belt, the AbramsMinnitaki greenstone belt remained under-explored into the 1990s due to persistent ground cover and limited road access. In the past two decades, new roads and improved exploration techniques have led to the delineation of multiple multi-million-ounce high-grade gold reserves and resources on numerous projects in the belt.

Figure 2 - Rainy River Gold District and the Sioux Lookout Deformation Zone is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db7a3af5-d342-4b8b-b36f-218bc095323d

Management Change

The Company announces that Mr. Tim Thiessen has been appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for an interim period. Mr. Thiessen was CFO of Group Ten from May 2017 to September 2018 and the Company is glad to have him return to the role to replace Mr. Mathew Lee who has stepped down from the position in order to concentrate on his CFO roles with other listed companies.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Companys core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu project adjacent to SibanyeStillwaters high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the highly prospective Black LakeDrayton Gold project in the Rainy River district of northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinums Nickel Shaw (previously Wellgreen) deposit in Canadas Yukon Territory.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Email: info@grouptenmetals.com

Web: http://grouptenmetals.com

Phone: (604) 357 4790

Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Quality Control and Quality Assurance



Ms. Debbie James, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and she has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

For more information on structural complexity modeling see: http://www.cet.edu.au/research-projects/geophysics-integrated-data-analysis/projects/cet-grid-analysis-extension

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
New York, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Weyland Tech Inc. (OTCQX: WEYL) (Weyland or the Company), a global provider of mobile business applications, announced today that the outstanding litigation between the Company and a group of shareholders in Singapore, regarding ownership of approximately 3,500,000 shares of the Companys common stock, has been settled. As a result, all outstanding lawsuits and disputes previously reported in the Companys 10-Q and 10-K filings have been settled and the Company has no further material legal proceedings outstanding.



Brent Suen, Chief Executive Officer of Weyland, stated, We are pleased to have settled the differences between the Company and a group of shareholders in Singapore, and will endeavor, not only to mitigate outstanding concerns from other shareholders, but also to restore our public profile in Singapore and Southeast Asia that might have been stigmatized by the fact that we were involved in this litigation. Mr. Ravindran Ramasamy, a practicing lawyer and former Member of Singapores Parliament, has agreed to work with us, and utilize his extensive network and stature in the region, to assist in this process. We are happy to have him on board and look forward to his involvement.

In reaction to the settlement, Mr. Ravindran Ramasamy stated, "I am pleased to have resolved our differences and look forward to work with the company to improve our visibility and reputation in the ASEAN investment and business community."

About Weyland Tech Inc.:

Weyland Tech is a global provider of mobile business applications. The Company operates a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) software used on mobile smartphones. The PaaS platform offers a mobile presence to Small-to-Medium-Sized- Businesses (SMBs) in emerging markets, with partnerships on 3 continents and growing. The PaaS platform, offered in 14 languages with over 70 integrated modules, enables SMBs to create native mobile applications (apps) for Apples iOS and Google Android without technical knowledge or background, empowering SMBs to increase sales, reach more customers and promote their products and services in an easy, affordable and efficient manner.

About WIP/AtoZPay:

Weyland Indonesia Perkasa (WIP) / AtoZPay is an Indonesian Company that is held by Weyland Tech via both equity and contractual structures which comply with Indonesias foreign commercial ownership regulations. AtoZPay, an eWallet solution, is quickly becoming the adopted standard in Indonesia, the worlds 4th most populous nation, with a majority of consumers without bank accounts. A partnership with Finnet, Indonesias state-controlled company tasked with building and supporting banking and finance infrastructure nationwide, and a recently achieved banking license, creates the most robust solution for the unbanked in Indonesia. Weyland Tech owns 100% the eWallet software platform which powers AtozPay. In a liquidity event or outright exit via an acquisition, Weyland and its sub-holding (WAI) are entitled to 80% economic benefit.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward-looking statements including statements regarding: the continued growth of the e-commerce segment and the ability of the Company to continue its expansion into that segment; the ability of the Company to attract customers and partners and generate revenues; the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as believes, expects or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Companys periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements.
English Spanish

CANCUN, Mexico, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following a successful 2018/2019 winter season, NexusTours has announced their plans to expand operations across Jamaica in the coming months. The leading destination management company has just acquired 10 brand-new transportation units; comprising 4 Vans with 12 seats per unit, 4 Mini buses with 28 seats per unit, and 2 buses with 51 seats each, all fitted with air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. This new investment is also anticipated to create new opportunities for local employment with the company, that has its administrative office in Montego Bay, which will allow the process of providing more than 1,000 services and transport 10,000 visitors per month.



The addition of these new transport units reflects the destination management companys commitment to constantly evolve to support clients diversified needs and is expected to set the company apart in the local market.

Ruben Gutierrez, President Sunwing Destination Services/NexusTours, commented, We are always looking for ways to enhance our customers experience with us. Over recent months we have noticed that more customers are seeking to customize their vacation package with us  whether that may be through purchasing an excursion or upgrading their arrangements to include a private transfer. The addition of these extra vehicles will allow us be more responsive to their needs and offer additional value overall to their vacation experience.

About NexusTours

NexusTours is the leading destination management company in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and United States; with offices located in 19 countries and across 56 destinations. As local experts in the destinations they serve, NexusTours offers an extensive portfolio of accommodation options, including more than 16,000 hotels, transfer services (including shared, private and luxury options) from all airports and ports, over 4,000 excursions for travelers of all ages and interests and world-class customer service. Part of the Sunwing Travel Group, NexusTours provides destination services for a number of leading North American and European travel companies including Sunwing Vacations, Vacation Express and TUI Travel Group along with over 1,500 travel partners across Latin America, Mexico, North America and Europe.

About NexusCube

NexusTours has recently launched NexusCube; a one-stop shop where travel partners can find all kind of travel services provided by local experts, in the destinations they have customer support operations. The online platform includes options to select hotels, transfers, tours and excursions and gives immediate confirmations for all services booked. For more information on how to access the platform please visit https://corporate.nexustours.com/corporate/

Media Inquiries

Milagros Alfonzo

Communication Coordinator

NexusTours

malfonzo@nexustours.com

Pablo Gutierrez

Senior Corporate Director Strategy & Marketing

pgutierrez@nexustours.com





Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2bfba18d-3b43-47ab-ba19-16cd370a357f



http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fa3ce69-8833-45fa-a3af-56b847860c6f

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/54c85cbe-8d47-494f-97d6-31a625b92405
Lisle, IL, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AAIS (the American Association of Insurance Services), the only national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization governed by its member companies, has expanded its ground-breaking Cannabis Businessowners Policy (CannaBOP) program with a new filing in Colorado. After the success of CannaBOPs debut in California last year, AAIS is bringing the program to other jurisdictions that have legalized recreational use of marijuana, beginning with the well-established Colorado cannabis industry.



AAIS first introduced its premier cannabis program in California at the official request of the States Insurance Commissioner. As the largest cannabis market in the U.S., California presented an exciting opportunity for program testing and growth. Commenting on the program, former California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said, This first-of-its-kind Cannabis Businessowners Policy, or CannaBOP, program will make it easier for more insurers to enter the market and fill coverage gaps for cannabis businesses.



Like most standard businessowners programs, CannaBOP provides a package policy containing both property and liability coverage for qualifying cannabis dispensaries, storage facilities, distributors, processors, manufacturers, and private cannabis testing facilities and laboratories. The CannaBOP program comes fully supported with rules and loss costs. During development, AAIS partnered with Merlinos & Associates, Inc., the actuarial consulting group, to help analyze market exposures and develop rating guidelines specific to the cannabis industry.



AAIS is also working on several CannaBOP enhancements, including the addition of equipment breakdown, product recall, open use, special event, errors and omissions, motor truck cargo, warehouse liability, and commercial auto coverage endorsements. The program is open to additional customization and development targets at the request of AAIS Member companies.



It is AAISs mission to deliver CannaBOP and other cannabis-specific programs to insurers in all states with established cannabis markets. As the most experienced recreational market in the U.S., Colorado was a logical next step for CannaBOP. AAIS intends to develop similar programs for Alaska, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and more.



The Colorado CannaBOP program has a proposed effective date of August 1, 2019. For more information on program features, visit www2.aaisonline.com/cannabop.



ABOUT AAIS

Established in 1936, AAIS serves the Property & Casualty insurance industry as the only national nonprofit advisory organization governed by its member insurance carriers. AAIS delivers tailored advisory solutions including best-in-class policy forms, rating information and data management capabilities for commercial lines, inland marine, farm & agriculture and personal lines insurers. Its consultative approach, unrivaled customer service and modern technical capabilities underscore a focused commitment to the success of its members. AAIS also serves as the administrator of openIDL, the insurance industrys regulatory blockchain, providing unbiased governance within existing insurance regulatory frameworks. For more information about AAIS, please visit www.aaisonline.com.

Attachment
TORONTO, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alamos Gold Inc. (TSX: AGI; NYSE:AGI) (Alamos or the Company) plans to release its first quarter 2019 financial results after market close on Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Senior management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 11:00 am ET to discuss the results. The Company will also hold its 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the Annual Meeting) on Thursday, May 2, 2019.



The Company has also filed its annual information form and 2018 annual report on Form 40-F, including its audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, with the SEC on EDGAR as well as the Canadian securities authorities on SEDAR. These documents are also available at www.alamosgold.com and a hard copy will be provided to shareholders free-of-charge upon request.

Notice of First Quarter 2019 Results and Conference Call

The Company's senior management will host a conference call on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 11:00 am ET to discuss the first quarter 2019 results.

Participants may join the conference call by dialling (416) 340-2216 or (800) 273-9672 for calls within Canada and the United States, or via webcast at www.alamosgold.com .

A playback will be available until June 2, 2019 by dialling (905) 694-9451 or (800) 408-3053 within Canada and the United States. The pass code is 6574529#. The webcast will be archived at www.alamosgold.com .

Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

The Company will hold its Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 2, 2019 beginning at 4:00 pm ET at the TMX Gallery, 130 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario. Senior management will provide a general corporate update followed by an informal question-and-answer session. The record date for determining the holders of the Companys common shares who are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting was March 22, 2019.

About Alamos

Alamos is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer with diversified production from four operating mines in North America. This includes the Young-Davidson and Island Gold mines in northern Ontario, Canada and the Mulatos and El Chanate mines in Sonora State, Mexico. Additionally, the Company has a significant portfolio of development stage projects in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, and the United States. Alamos employs more than 1,700 people and is committed to the highest standards of sustainable development. The Companys shares are traded on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol AGI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Scott K. Parsons

Vice President, Investor Relations

(416) 368-9932 x 5439

All amounts are in United States dollars, unless otherwise stated.

The TSX and NYSE have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VANCOUVER, B.C., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Granite Creek Copper Ltd. (TSX.V: GCX) (Granite Creek or the Company) is pleased to announce the results of its Annual General Meeting (AGM or the Meeting) held at the Companys Vancouver head office on March 20, 2019. According to the scrutineers report 8,432,344 shares were voted at the Meeting, in person or by proxy, representing 31.35% of the 26,901,020 common shares outstanding on the February 12, 2019 record date for the Meeting.



The Companys shareholders voted unanimously to reappoint all directors of Granite Creeks board comprised of Timothy Johnson (Chairman and CEO) and independent directors Michael Rowley, Francois Lalonde and John Cumming. Shareholders also voted unanimously to approve the Companys Long-Term Incentive Plan and the appointment of the Companys auditor WDM Chartered Professional Accountants.

The Company also wishes to announce that, subsequent to the Meeting and effective immediately, Mr. Tim Thiessen has been appointed to the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for an interim period. Mr. Thiessen was previously with Metallic Group of Companies as CFO of Group Ten Metals from May 2017 to September 2018 and Metallic Minerals from September 2016 to September 2018. Granite Creek is pleased to have him step into the position to replace Mr. Mathew Lee who has stepped down in order to concentrate on his CFO roles with other listed companies.

Mr. Thiessen is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada with over 20 years of international accounting and finance experience, the last 15 years in the mining industry. His experience includes holding the position of Chief Financial Officer for a number of publicly-listed mineral companies including Aurcana Corporation, SnipGold Corp. (acquired by Seabridge Gold in 2016), Metallic Minerals Corp. and Group Ten Metals Inc. Prior to this, Mr. Thiessen spent 7 years as Vice President of Finance for TSX-listed Endeavour Financial, an advisory firm in the mining industry specializing in mergers and acquisitions and debt and equity financings. Mr. Thiessen was part of a team that spawned industry-leading companies such as Silver Wheaton, UrAsia Energy, Peak Gold and Coastal Energy Corp.

About Granite Creek Copper

Granite Creek is a Canadian copper-focused exploration company focused on the 100%-owned Stu Copper project located in the Yukons Carmacks Copper District which covers 111 square kilometres adjacent to Capstone Minings high-grade Minto Cu-Au-Ag Mine and Copper Norths advance stage Carmacks Cu-Au-Ag project. More information about the company and the Stu Copper property can be viewed on the Companys website at www.gcxcopper.com .

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading exploration companies with a portfolio of large, brownfields assets in established mining districts, adjacent to some of the industrys highest-grade producers. Member companies include Granite Creek Copper in the Yukons Carmacks copper district, Metallic Minerals in the Yukons Keno Hill Silver District, and Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-Ni-Cu district of Montana. Highly-experienced management and technical teams at the Metallic Group have expertise across the spectrum of resource exploration and project development from initial discoveries to advanced development, including a demonstrated commitment to community engagement and environmental best practices. Each Group is undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven historic mining districts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Timothy Johnson, President

Telephone: 1 (604) 235-1982

Toll Free: 1 (888) 361-3494

E-mail: info@gcxcopper.com

Website: www.gcxcopper.com

Metallic Group: www.metallicgroup.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
BRISTOL BOROUGH >> The Bristol Riverside Theatre (120 Radcliffe Street) brings back a holiday favorite and welcomes audiences home this holiday season. "An American Christmas Songbook," the theatres first concert in the theatre since 2019, gathers audiences December 9-19 for a heartwarming evening of favorite carols and songs performed by a cast of BRT favorites. Former BRT Artistic Director Keith...
LESS than a year after hitting the market, Mazda Australia has updated its diesel-only CX-8 large SUV with added equipment that also raises the seven-seaters pricing by as much as $1100 across the three-variant range.



Both front-wheel and all-wheel-drive Sport grades increase by $920, to $43,410 before on-road costs and $47,410 respectively, while the top-tier AWD Asaki jumps $1100 to $62,590.



However, buyers are now treated to G-Vectoring Control Plus, which can adjust engine torque based on steering and accelerator inputs for improved stability and handling, according to the Japanese brand.



Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring is now also standard  a near-$500 retrofit option for existing MZD infotainment systems  as well as tyre pressure monitoring.



The flagship Asaki variant also gains front seat cooling, a 7.0-inch TFT LCD driver display, a frameless rearview mirror, a tweaked overhead console and LED ambient lighting.



Outside, the updated CX-8 remains largely unchanged, barring the new LED number-plate lamp and wheel colours  Grey Metallic for the Sport grades 17-inch wheels and Brilliant Dark for the Asakis 19-inch hoops.



The cabin is also tweaked with new heating, ventilation and air-conditioner controls that, according to Mazda, positions switches in horizontal lines to create a sharp, minimalistic aesthetic.



All versions of the CX-8 are still powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.2-litre diesel engine that sends 140kW/450Nm to the road via a six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.



Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said the changes to the CX-8 will give the large SUV more appeal to buyers.



Mazda CX-8 diesel appeals to customers needing flexible space and the latest safety for their family but who dont want to compromise on style or special features, he said.



The 2019 upgrade adds more practicality and panache to Mazda CX-8 diesel, giving it a sharper edge in the large-SUV category as a desirable addition to our customers lives.



Since its local market introduction in June last year, Mazda Australia has sold 2050 units of the CX-8 to the end of February.



Mazda CX-8 pricing*

Sport FWD (a) $43,410 (+$920) Sport AWD (a) $47,410 (+$920) Asaki AWD (a) $62,590 (+$1100)

*Excludes on-road costs

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A regulator reflects on Mosque attacks

Following the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch the FSC toyed with cancelling its Navigating Regulation summit in the city. It chose to go ahead with the event and speaker, John Botica from the FMA provides a personal account of what happened.

Monday, March 25th 2019, 7:15AM

by John Botica

John Botica

On Tuesday night, while in Christchurch for the Navigating Regulation Summit with the Financial Services Council, I visited the Al-Noor mosque to pay my respects. The mosque was a 10 minute walk from our hotel. It was 8pm and dusk was just turning into nightfall. There was quite a large crowd, old, young , families, journalists ... gathered around the hundreds of flowers, messages and candles placed on the edge of the cordon. The air was full of the scent of flowers and an overwhelming sense of quiet and peace. Not a sound. Even as some read out messages, hugged their children, hugged each other, some weeping, an eerie sense of calm and quiet was somehow overwhelming.

I wandered down around the cordon following the edge of the park over the Riccarton Stream heading towards the mosque. The little wooden bridge over the stream was full of candles that glowed in the night. Many people are simply standing in silent prayer and reflection. The cordon through the park runs down the length of Deans Ave and is about 50 metres back from the roadside. There's a heavy contingent of armed police present. As we stop to reflect, six men in the field behind are praying. All you can hear is the gentle chanting of their prayer. It's just such a beautiful setting, it's so hard to think about what happened four days earlier.

As we wander back through the park, I notice a boy aged about seven with his mum and dad. They're talking to a policeman over the ribbon of the cordon. The boy hands the policeman a piece of birthday cake, today's his birthday. It was very touching.

I shared this story before delivering our speech the next morning. There were around 200 delegates.

Before the summit started, we asked Trisha Edmonds from ANZ to say a few words. Trisha quoted the from the Quran: "Show forgiveness, enjoin kindness, Avoid ignorance". We stood for a minute's silence.

We weren't sure if we should go to Christchurch and if we should cancel the summit. Richard Klipin from the FSC summed it up:

- The Christchurch Financial Services community is gathering. Part of our strength is our combined community and humanity.

- It is often in times of great sadness, shock and tragedy that the act of coming together as a community becomes a powerful affirmation of much that is good.

I'm glad we went.

John Botica is the Director of Market Engagement at the Financial Markets Authority.

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OMCs Rise After Crude Falls On Recession Concerns Business oi-Roshni Agarwal

In trade on Monday, the shares of oil marketing companies (OMCs) namely HPCL, IOC and BPCL rallied after oil dropped as recession concerns in the US again loomed. At 10:20 am, the brent crude was priced at $66.33 per barrel down by 42 cents, from their last close while WTI crude was at $58.60 per barrel down by 44 cents, from its previous close.

The drop in crude has come as concerns around recession outweighed the issues relating to production cut by OPEC countries and US sanctions on Venezuela and Iran.

IOCL shares surged in trade by as much as 3.18%, HPCL shares 1.86% and BPCL's stock price increased 1.58 % intraday on the NSE.

Also, it is to be noted that sentiments around recession gripped in after the Fed's recent bearish move, which sent the US treasury yield to its lowest since early 2018.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 13:00 [IST]
Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation.
Michigan will no longer financially support adoption and foster care agencies that refuse to work with same-sex couples and LGBTQ individuals because of religious beliefs under the terms of a settlement of a lawsuit negotiated by Attorney General Dana Nessel.The settlement, which was announced Friday, sets up a battle with the Republican-led Legislature, which passed a law in 2015 that allows adoptions agencies to refuse to work with members of the LGBTQ community.The terms of the settlement require that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services agrees to maintain nondiscriminatory provisions in its foster care and adoption agency contracts. It also calls for the department to enforce the nondiscrimination provisions by terminating contracts with agencies that either discriminate against same-sex couples or LGBTQ individuals who would otherwise qualify to become foster or adoptive parents or that refer them to other agencies.In exchange for the policy, the plaintiffs in the case -- Kristy and Dana Dumont of Lansing and Erin and Rebecca Busk-Sutton of Detroit -- have agreed to dismiss their claims and pay their own attorney fees and costs."We are so happy that for same-sex couples in Michigan who are interested in fostering or adopting, opening their hearts and homes to a child no longer comes with the risk of being subjected to the discrimination we experienced," the Dumonts said in a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed the case on behalf of the couples. "We are hopeful that this will mean more families for children, especially those who have been waiting years for a family to adopt them. And we can't wait to welcome one of those children into our family."In 2015, Republicans in the Michigan Legislature, voting mostly along party lines, passed a controversial bill that allows adoption and foster care agencies to cite religious convictions when refusing to work with same-sex couples who want to adopt or foster a child.The two couples filed a lawsuit in 2017 challenging the MDHHS contract with taxpayer-funded and state-contracted foster care and adoption agencies that refused to work with same-sex couples.The couples said they approached St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services to adopt children the agencies had accepted through referrals from MDHHS. They said the agencies refused to work with them.The state contracts with 59 private adoption and foster care agencies across the state and while the MDHHS wasn't able to say specifically how many don't work with same-sex couples or LGBTQ individuals, 20 of the agencies are affiliated with religious organizations.After the settlement was announced Friday, the Michigan Catholic Conference, the Lansing-based advocacy agency that serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan, tweeted, "The settlement announced today by the Attorney General in the Dumont/Lyon case does nothing to protect the thousands of children in foster care looking for loving homes. As such, it is highly unlikely this is the last chapter of the story."Lori Windham, an attorney with Becket, a Washington D.C.-based law firm that works on religious freedom cases, said the settlement violates Michigan law that protects religious adoption agencies."The Michigan AG and the ACLU are trying to stop the state from working with faith-based adoption agencies," she said in a statement. "The result of that will be tragic. Thousands of children will be kept from finding the loving homes they deserve."Nessel, the first lesbian to be elected to statewide office in Michigan, is most well-known for her representation of a Madison Heights same-sex couple, a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and led to the 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage.During her campaign for attorney general, standing up for the rights of the LGBTQ community was a major theme."Discrimination in the provision of foster care case management and adoption services is illegal, no matter the rationale," Nessel said in a statement. "Limiting the opportunity for a child to be adopted or fostered by a loving home not only goes against the state's goal of finding a home for every child, it is a direct violation of the contract every child-placing agency enters into with the state."The ACLU said the settlement was a victory for the 12,000 children in foster care in Michigan."Our children need every family that is willing and able to provide them with a loving home," said Leslie Cooper, deputy director of the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project. "When agencies choose to accept taxpayer dollars to provide public child welfare services, they must put the needs of the children first."But the settlement is sure to spark a backlash from Republicans in the Legislature, who argued that businesses, including adoption and foster care agencies, shouldn't be forced to conduct business in a way that violated their moral and religious beliefs.Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, blasted Nessel and the settlement."Dana Nessel has shown us that she cares little for the Constitution and even less for the vulnerable population of children in need of forever homes," he said."Nessel's actions make it clear that she sought the office of attorney general to further her own personal political agenda."He claimed that faith-based adoption agencies will have to stop operating in Michigan because of the lack of taxpayer-funded support.State Rep. James Lower, R-Cedar Lake, said the decision proves that the Legislature was right when it passed a bill late last year that would allow lawmakers to intervene in any case brought against the state. One of the reasons behind the bill was fear that Nessel would try to undo laws passed by Republicans. That bill was vetoed by former Gov. Rick Snyder."I'm just disappointed. This proves our point that the attorney general is unwilling to defend the laws in this state," he said, adding that he's sure the GOP caucus will talk about how to move beyond this one settlement. "We can still request to become a party to cases, but I think this one is over."Lower wasn't in the Legislature when the original bill passed in 2015, but he said he would have supported it."It made sense -- the situation puts these agencies in a tough situation because they have been able to refer couples to another agency that is willing to work with same-sex couples," he said. "But now, they'll have to choose to either not to help the kids or violate their religious beliefs."
New Jersey's government will move to create its own state-based health care exchange before next fall's enrollment period rather than continuing to rely on the federal government and its online marketplace, Healthcare.gov.Gov. Phil Murphy announced his administration's plans Friday morning, saying he has already sent a notice of intent letter to the federal government and the Department of Banking and Insurance about the state's plans to have its own exchange up and running by the fall 2020 enrollment period.The Democratic governor said the move to a state exchange would make health care in the state more "accessible, accountable and more responsive to consumers." He also said the switch would help protect state residents from efforts by the Trump administration to undermine the Obama-era Affordable Care Act."A New Jersey exchange will be a strong measure of independence at a time when the federal administration continues to undermine and weaken the federal marketplace," Murphy said during a news conference at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston."The right of every New Jerseyan to a health care policy worth more than just the paper it's printed on requires us to take these steps, and as we take each step, we'll prove the Affordable Care Act works," the governor added.Both the federal exchange and state-based exchanges are key components of the Affordable Care Act and its goal of expanding access to coverage. The online sites function as a one-stop location where consumers who don't receive health care from their workplace or federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid can shop for coverage, often with federal assistance to try to keep premiums affordable.Under the 2010 law, states had the option of creating their own exchanges or using the federal government's. New Jersey was among 39 states that opted for the latter. At the time, Republican Chris Christie was governor and he vetoed legislation approved by the Democratic-controlled state Legislature to create a state exchange, citing both his objections to the ACA and litigation challenging the law's constitutionality.Murphy took office last year and has aggressively tried to protect the Affordable Care Act by requiring the state to encourage and assist residents in enrolling in health care and by signing into law legislation to create New Jersey's own insurance mandate and reinsurance program. The mandate requires most residents to get health insurance or face a fine and the reinsurance program helps cover high-risk residents and their costliest claims.Both moves are credited with a 9 percent drop in the average price for health care plans sold on the state's individual market this year.Murphy believes creating a state-based exchange would allow the state to take additional steps to reduce consumer costs and combat Trump sabotage of the Obama law and its protections. States that run their own exchanges have more control over health plans and are able to offer a longer enrollment period and more assistance.During Trump's tenure, the enrollment period on the federal exchange has shrunk from three months to six weeks. The reduced window has coincided with reduced enrollment, but states with their own exchanges have fared better, officials said.States with their own exchanges also on average have less expensive premiums, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a think tank and foundation dedicated to health care policy.State-based marketplaces are able to charge slightly lower user fees to insurers that sell plans on their exchanges compared with the federal government, and those states also have the flexibility to offer more tailored plans.Massachusetts, which operates its own exchange, offers its own subsidized basic plan to low-income consumers that has no premiums, and New York allows year-round enrollment.Marlene Carride, New Jersey's Commissioner of the Department of Banking and Insurance, said the state plans to charge the same 3.5 percent insurer user fee imposed by the federal government in order to fund the creation of the state exchange. The fee is expected to generate about $50 million.Last month, Congressman Andy Kim, D-3rd of Bordentown Township, introduced federal legislation to provide additional financial help to states that choose to create their own exchanges. The bill, known as the SAVE Act, would authorize $200 million in funding for that purpose.Kim was not at the news conference, but he released a statement applauding Murphy's action."New Jersey families need immediate relief from the rising costs of health care. Establishing a state-based exchange is an important step in that direction," Kim said. "The first bill I introduced would provide our state with much-needed resources to help establish this exchange. Congress should take up this bipartisan effort immediately and provide the help New Jersey families need."In addition to keeping user-fees in New Jersey, Carride echoed Murphy's sentiment that leaving the federal exchange would provide a degree of protection for state residents who rely on the ACA for coverage."Because we operate on the federal exchange, we're subject to the whims of the Trump administration and are directly impacted by efforts to damage and destabilize the market," she said at Murphy's news conference. "We as a state should have the opportunity to respond to the needs of our residents, and in 2021 we will."In addition to the administrative actions, the governor also said he would call on the state Legislature to approve bills codifying many of the Affordable Care Act's most important components and protections, including its prohibition on insurers denying coverage for pre-existing conditions and its requirement that insurers allow parents to keep their children on their plans until they turn 26.Joining Murphy and Carride at St. Barnabas were several state lawmakers, including state Assemblyman Herb Conaway, D-7th of Delran.Conaway, who is chair of the Assembly Health Committee and the Legislature's only licensed physician, said ensuring access to health care was too important for the state to defer to the federal government."When policy in Washington can flip on a turn of a tweet, we understand how important it is in our state to protect what's vital: access to health care," said Conaway, who is also Burlington County's new director of public health. "We're going to protect it in the state of New Jersey and we're going to do it by sending less money to Washington."Health care advocates also cheered the proposed move to a state-based online marketplace, saying it would create opportunities for the state to implement "more innovative, affordable health care coverage options" and represents a step toward the goal of universal coverage for all New Jersey residents."Once again New Jersey has taken the lead in protecting its residents and responding to the disruptive policies coming out of Washington," said Maura Collinsgru, health care program director with the group, New Jersey Citizen Action. "We applaud Governor Murphy for championing these initiatives on the day before the ACA's 9th anniversary."
The owners of Purdue Pharma were sued in joint litigation this week by more than 500 cities and counties, from about two dozen states, for allegedly fueling the opioid crisis with deceptive marketing, adding to the massive legal pressure against the group that controls the Stamford-based company.Filed in federal court in New York, the complaint's accusations against eight Sackler family members parallel those in lawsuits recently filed by the attorneys general of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Purdue is not named as a defendant in the new case, but much of it focuses on Purdue's practices, including its alleged "false marketing tactics (that) created an overwhelming demand" for prescription opioids such as OxyContin and purported failure to report known over-prescribing doctors."Not only did the Sackler defendants create and aggressively market opioids for general and ubiquitous use, but the Sackler defendants knew about the dangers of prescription opioids and pushed to increase sales despite the devastating consequences of the public health crisis," the complaint said, in part.The Sacklers named in the lawsuit could not be immediately reached for comment. In previous statements, they have denied fraudulently marketing their company's opioids.In a statement, Purdue denied the allegations."This complaint is part of a continuing effort by contingency-fee counsel to single out Purdue, blame it for the entire opioid crisis in the United States and try the case in the court of public opinion rather than the justice system," the statement said, in part.The lawsuit's plaintiffs include cities and counties in states including Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia, as well as a number of Native American nations.No Connecticut cities or towns are plaintiffs in the new case.In total, more than 1,000 lawsuitshave been filed against Purdue. Massachusetts and Connecticut were the first two states to not only sue Purdue as a company, but also the Sacklers who control the firm.Last January, a Connecticut Superior Court judge dismissed a similar group of lawsuits that included complaints filed by the municipal governments of Bridgeport, New Haven, New Britain and Waterbury. Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury are challenging the decision in the state's Appellate Court.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales would not be deterred if the International Criminal Court (ICC) junks their communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The feisty Morales told CNN Philippines' The Source that they will just continue filing communications against Xi should their present bid be thrown out.

"The crime which the President, et al. of China is being lodged is a continuing crime, so that does not restrain us from filing a manifestation or communication to which we will attach additional evidence," she said Monday.

But for Del Rosario, he said that if their bid fails, then at least they brought up the abuses suffered by Filipinos.

"If it doesn't work, at least we brought to the fore the abuses there are being endured by our people for which we should be doing something," he said.

Del Rosario and Morales are accusing Xi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jinhua of crimes against humanity for Beijing's dredging and artificial island building in parts of South China Sea that falls within Philippine territory.

They said Beijing caused near-permanent environmental destruction which puts the livelihood of Filipino fishermen at risk.

But the Asian giant said it will snub the communication before the ICC, while President Rodrigo Duterte's administration insisted on its position that the country never became party to the Rome Statute  the international treaty that created the ICC.

Del Rosario and Morales said China can say anything about the communication they filed before the ICC, but the former Ombudsman added that should Xi continue snubbing the proceedings, he would be waiving his right for his side to be heard.

They are also unfazed by the fact that China is not a party to the Rome Statute, insisting that Chinese officials can be charged because the alleged crimes committed by Beijing occurred in the Philippines when it was a member of the ICC.

The Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC became effective on March 17. The former officials' communication was filed with the tribunal on March 15.

The two are appealing to the public for more support and would want the government to also join their cause.

"If no one takes the cudgels for them (fishermen), who will? We cannot just leave it at that. We have to assert our rights, including filing a communication before the ICC for the consideration of whether or not the President of China et al. are individually criminally liable," Morales said.

Aside from hoping for Xi's arrest, Morales and Del Rosario also want financial compensation for Filipino fishermen whose livelihood were affected by China's dredging and artificial-island building activities within the country's territory.
SPEED READ:

A National Association of State Chief Administrators survey shows that state government job postings rose 11 percent from 2013 to 2017.

Meanwhile, the number of people applying to state jobs dropped by 24 percent.

CAOs cited noncompetitive salaries, negative perceptions about public service and insufficient recruitment as reasons.

Obsolete Job Descriptions

Changing Recruitment Strategies

Improving the Application Process

At a time when the unemployment rate is a low 3.8 percent, the public sector is falling far behind in its desperate search for talented employees.Even though postings for state government jobs rose 11 percent from 2013 to 2017, the number of applicants for those jobs dropped by 24 percent, according to a study by the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA).The chief administrative officers (CAOs) who were surveyed blame this workforce dilemma on several issues: 85 percent said states can't offer salaries that are competitive with the private sector; 55 percent said there's a negative public perception about working for the government; and a third cited the lack of recruitment tools at their disposal as one of the biggest barriers to hiring."If governors, legislators and state chief administrators dont take action today, if they dont modernize job descriptions and change employee culture, the ultimate failure will be to the citizens," says Jamie Rodgers, deputy director of NASCA.The report compared the CAOs' responses to those of corporate executives. One of the big differences is that private-sector leaders had a much stronger understanding that jobs are changing and that job descriptions need to change with them."Many of the job descriptions in state government are based on compensation and classification schemes that are decades old," says Bill Kilmartin, state and local government industry lead at Accenture, a global services company that helped conduct the NASCA report. "The job descriptions themselves are tied to old skills and competencies that are not relevant nowadays."The report points out that one state -- unnamed -- still asks for the ability to operate an IBM Selectric typewriter, which was introduced in 1961, in widespread use in the 1970s and '80s, but is only used today as the answer to a trivia question about outdated technology.When job descriptions are obsolete, a recruitment effort is like building a house on a faulty foundation. Yet only 18 percent of CAOs said jobs and job descriptions had been "updated or modernized" to a "very large" or "large extent."Insufficient recruitment efforts exacerbate the problem."Governments have traditionally been focused on intake. Theyve got to do more outreach," says Shane Evangelist, CEO of NEOGOV, which provided state and local jobs data for the NASCA report.What can governments do to level the playing field?Play to their strengths. The public sector has several that are particularly important to millennial job seekers: an altruistic mission, a strong work-life balance, a flexible environment, and on-the-job training and career guidance.While many states haven't significantly altered their culture, some are adopting new recruitment approaches.Louisiana is now using social media to draw applicants and post online videos to explain why they should work in state government. Indiana created an unusual cabinet-level position that focuses on workforce development for both the private and public sectors, including local government. This increases the opportunities for all sectors to learn from each other."Employers as a whole need to look at how we hire differently," says Blair Milo, Indiana's first-ever secretary of career connections and talent.The state used to only reach out to college students who were thinking about what to major in and what to do after graduation. Now, it reaches out to them before they even get on campus."Theres a need to have greater engagement earlier with our students so that they have a better understanding of what the opportunities are," says Milo.California's Department of General Services has addressed one of the major problems cited in the NASCA report: the long delay between applying for a government job and getting a response. By cutting the steps in the hiring process from 89 to 14, the state drastically reduced the time it takes to hire someone from an average of 179 days to 65."We had too many approvals, so we streamlined the process. We cut it down by months," says Daniel Kim, director of the state's general services department.In Oregon, technology upgrades are helping the state recruit better. It replaced a three-decade-old application software with one that lets managers better analyze data. For instance, they can see which areas are getting the most and least applications and invest their resources accordingly. The new software also provides a more seamless online application process that people can do from their phones.All these changes are to achieve one goal, says Madeline Zike, the states chief human resources officer: "We are working hard at making the state of Oregon an employer of choice."
Pete Buttigieg can tell that things have changed.Buoyed by positive reviews for the South Bend mayor's performance at an hour-long CNN town hall earlier this month and a steady stream of well received appearances on TV, Buttigieg's 2020 presidential exploratory committee has felt a sustained surge of momentum over the past two weeks. The once little-known mayor is getting recognized across the country, while his committee has mapped out plans to double in size in the coming weeks as a steady stream of new donations flood to the 37-year-old Democrat.It's been an eye-opening experience for Buttigieg, a mild-mannered candidate who seems allergic to bragging."It's heady," Buttigieg said in an interview with CNN. "And it has happened very quickly."Buttigieg's fundraising still trails what is known about candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke, and he has yet to see a boost in national or state level polling, but the news has been welcomed by the mayor, who started the campaign with little to no national name recognition and significantly smaller crowds in key states."The good news is it means the more people that see our message, the more it resonates," he said. "Because what I said in the town hall is no different than what I've been saying all along, it's just that more people saw it."
Gov. Ned Lamont has asked state ethics officials for an official opinion on potential conflicts of interest for his wife, a highly successful venture capitalist.A Greenwich multimillionaire, Annie Lamont has been involved in millions of dollars worth of deals during her career in venture capital, where her firm helps provide funding to companies mainly in the areas of health care and financial technology.Prompted by Lamont's request, the Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board voted Thursday to move forward with writing a formal advisory opinion on any potential conflicts.Robert W. Clark, a former Superior Court judge who serves as general counsel in the governor's office, wrote a detailed letter to the board that sought advice on potential conflicts.Even though she is not elected, Annie Lamont is still considered to be a "public official" under the law and must abide by the ethics rules, officials said.As co-founder and executive managing member of a firm known as Oak HC/FT Management Company, LLC, Annie Lamont also oversees "certain general partnerships for private investment funds managed by Oak HC/FT," Clark wrote. Oak manages funds in about 30 portfolio companies.Although Clark said he believes a conflict is "highly unlikely to arise," he sought a formal opinion in writing to provide guidance in future circumstances."Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, the governor and Mrs. Lamont intend to take proactive measures to eliminate any possibility of a 'substantial conflict of interest' or a 'potential conflict of interest' in the case of Mrs. Lamont," Clark wrote the ethics board. "Specifically, Governor Lamont and Mrs. Lamont intend to proactively recuse themselves from taking any official action that directly and specifically involves Oak ... or any of their respective portfolio companies."As part of this move, Lamont will tell his budget office -- known as the Office of Policy and Management -- to avoid approving "any sole source contracts with any business on the recusal list" of Oak, he said.Clark wrote that both Lamonts "must abstain from taking official action on any matter that presents a substantial conflict for them, their immediate family or any associated business." A conflict means that they could "derive a monetary gain or suffer a direct monetary loss by reason of [their] official activity," Clark wrote.Ned Lamont is the first business owner to become governor in decades. But he sold his stake in the telecommunications company he founded before running for governor.In a November interview, Annie Lamont said she had already received dozens of messages from contacts all over the world who were eager to connect with the new administration."We're excited about leveraging that," she said. Asked about any potential ethical conflicts, she said, "we're going to be very careful and transparent about that."Clark outlined two scenarios of potential conflict, including getting involved in negotiations for a state contract. Currently, Oak and its companies do not have any state contracts."In the ordinary course of state business, neither the governor nor Mrs. Lamont would be involved in such contract negotiations, enter into any contracts on behalf of the state, or be responsible for their implementation or oversight," Clark wrote.The second scenario is if the state legislature passes any bills that would benefit Oak or its associated businesses. The standard in those cases is whether the legislature's action "accrues equally to all members of such profession, occupation or group" and that Oak does not benefit more than others, officials said.
If you ask former Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Stanford Blake, the hundreds of dollars in court fees convicted felons have to pay are not part of their sentence." In my opinion, court costs do not amount to a sentence," he said Thursday. But if you ask Pinellas Clerk of Courts Ken Burke, they're an integral part of someone's sentence in his county, right next to a prison sentence."How can it not be part of the sentence?" Burke said.Welcome to the new debate surrounding Amendment 4.What seemed like a simple amendment restoring the right to vote to nearly all felons who have completed their sentence has become wildly complicated in the Legislature. Republicans and Democrats -- and even judges and court clerks -- can't agree on what it means to complete someone's sentence. And court fees, which can total more than $1,000, are at the heart of the debate.Already, national figures like New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have dubbed it a "poll tax," and others have accused the Republican-controlled Legislature of keeping people from voting.The results could, indeed, keep hundreds of thousands of potential former felons off the voter rolls."This is an issue that would impact hundreds of thousands of people in the Tampa Bay area," said Neil Volz, political director for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which advocated for Amendment 4. "It is not as easy as folks think it is." Court fees are not to be confused with court fines and restitution, which many agree are considered part of someone's sentence.Fines are written into state law, but they're handed down by a judge when someone is convicted of a particular crime, such as drug trafficking, which carries a $50,000 fine. Restitution goes to pay back crime victims -- embezzle $20,000 from your boss, for example, and expect to have to pay it back in restitution. Fees, on the other hand, are mandatory under state laws and county ordinances, and therefore vary by county. Together, fees add up to hundreds of dollars.If you're convicted of a felony in Pinellas County, for example, you're going to pay at least $413 in fees, in the form of a crime prevention fee ($50), crimes compensation fund fee ($50), fine and forfeiture fund fee ($225), Crime Stoppers fee ($20), a teen court fee ($3) and a court costs fee ($65).That doesn't include two other fees you're likely to pay: a public defender application fee ($50) and a state attorney costs of prosecution fee ($100). The money goes to court clerks and state agencies. Those costs may seem small, but it can be a significant hurdle for many felons who already have trouble finding work after leaving prison."Suddenly, you're expecting people to pay upward of $1,000 in fines and fees that have nothing to do with punishment," Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos Martinez said. "It's just a way for the government to get money in their coffers."Two bills in the Florida's House and Senate would require former felons pay back all court-ordered fees before being eligible to vote. The House's version is broad, however, and could include fees never handed out during sentencing, such as interest payments owed to debt collectors if you fall back on your payments. But are they part of someone's sentence? Stanford Blake, the longtime chief administrative judge over Miami-Dade's criminal division, said he did not consider them as part of the sentences he handed out during his years on the bench."Restitution is one thing. Court costs and normal fees are thrown on as something else," he said. "In my opinion, if the person has done their time, and completed their probation, the sentence is complete."Lawmakers and some county clerks disagree, since the fees are applied at the same time as a sentence. Despite the consternation over fees, the combined costs of fines and restitution can be much more. Both the House and Senate bills require felons to pay back their fines and restitution. While supporters of Amendment 4 object to fees being required before the restoration of voting rights, they say they don't object to fines and restitution. Take all three together, and the result is likely to be lifetime voting bans for vast numbers of felons, who could spend decades slowly paying back insurmountable fines, restitution and fees while living crime-free lives.The Legislature should simply let felons vote after serving their prison, parole and probation sentences, but while paying back these costs, according to Julie Ebenstein, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project.Other states allow former felons to vote while they still owe costs associated with their crime, she said."The question is not whether they will pay the financial obligations they owe," Ebenstein said. "It's whether Amendment 4 allows the Legislature to disenfranchise people potentially for the rest of their life while they're paying down their obligations."So far, lawmakers appear unwilling to take that position. Amendment 4 allowed felons to get their voting rights back "upon completion of their sentences," and lawmakers are including restitution and fines as part of the sentence. In addition, lawmakers are adding court fees. But that interpretation is unconstitutional, according to Ashley Thomas, Florida director for the Fines and Fees Justice Center, a nonprofit created last pushing to reform costs within the justice system."The ability to vote should never be conditioned on your ability to pay a court cost," Thomas said.
Ronni Isenberg was away at college when one of her former neighbors stormed into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year and killed 17 people, including one of her friends.As she watched the aftermath of the tragedy unfold from Syracuse University in New York, feeling too far away from home, Isenberg immediately knew she had to join other Parkland, Fla., students in channeling her anger into political support for tougher gun laws.Last March, a month after the shooting, Isenberg flew from college to Washington to participate in the March for Our Lives demonstration on the Mall, organized by Parkland students. She made sure she was registered to vote in Florida and then encouraged her friends at Syracuse to also register.But Isenberg recently learned that her vote  as well as those of dozens of students from Parkland  was probably never counted.About 1 in 7 mail-in ballots submitted by college-age voters in Parkland were rejected or failed to arrive in time to be counted, according to an analysis. The findings are adding to questions about the reliability and fairness of the Florida electoral system, including its ballot signature requirement that became a flash point in the November recount between U.S. Sen Rick Scott (R) and the Democrat he ousted from office, Bill Nelson.We wanted to make a change and vote for change, Isenberg said. I should have had the right to vote, and my vote should have been counted.
The Promise of Google Fiber

Why Google Fiber Is Not the Future

Whats Next for Cities

Google Fiber stopped all services in Louisville, Ky., and left town last month. Meanwhile, the Internet companys efforts to bring its high-speed Internet service to places like Nashville, Tenn., and Raleigh, N.C., have also seemingly stumbled or stalled These recent troubles are all a far cry from as recently as five years ago, when Google Fibers success in markets as diverse as Austin, Texas, and Provo, Utah, seemed to foretell a bright future for high-speed Internet access across the country. Now, however, municipal broadband experts say that the cities need to look for other means to increase connectivity rates in their jurisdictions, including dark fiber installed by other companies, as well as infrastructure built by utility co-ops.Isaac Paxman, deputy mayor and public information officer of Provo, Utah, has nothing but good things to say about Google Fiber.Google Fiber is part of Alphabet Inc., much like the eponymous search engine with which it shares its name. Google Fiber launched in the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area with an announcement in 2011, followed by a network that first became available to residents in 2012. Google Fiber is, simply put, a lightning-fast form of online connectivity that brings gigabit Internet speeds to entire communities.After launching in Kansas City, the service next started taking customers in Austin, Texas, in 2014, followed by Provo, Utah; Salt Lake City; Charlotte, N.C; and Atlanta. Paxman said that the benefits of having Google Fiber in the Provo community have been two-fold.Beyond just the nuts and bolts of it, Paxman said, I think its elevated a little bit our sense of pride in who we are as a city.Google Fiber has essentially helped give residents in Provo access to unprecedented Internet speeds, while also lending a brand-name sense of tech savvy to a community thats many miles and a veritable lifestyle removed from the bleeding edge company in Silicon Valley. Provo now has 100 percent fiber availability in the city, a status that has helped it entice companies to set up shop there, Paxman said.With Google Fiber now leaving Louisville, losing momentum elsewhere and slowing the number of new cities it plans to set up in down to nil, however, some municipal broadband experts say that its time for communities to disregard the brand name and look to less heralded means of connecting their communities to high-speed Internet.Chris Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance , described cities like Austin, Kansas City and Provo as winners of "the Google lottery.There are plenty of obvious benefits to having Google Fiber come to your city, much as there are a lot of great things that can happen if you win the lottery. Winning the lottery, however, is not a sound plan for ones financial stability over the long term, and neither is waiting for Google Fiber to show up and take care of connectivity issues in your area, such as affordability and access. There are other private companies building fiber networks in cities, including AT&T and CenturyLink, but the difference with Google was that it promised connectivity to its network for 100 percent of a region, rather than just the areas where it made the most economic sense.Google Fiber, Mitchell said, was essentially the Internet giants efforts to create some tangential benefits for itself and its other products by ensuring that more residents across the country had high-speed Internet. It was never really designed to be a main line of business or profits for Google. This strategy, however, changed with the advent of new CFO Ruth Porat moving from Morgan Stanley to Google in 2015.What really happened was Google had a new CFO come in, Mitchell said, and that CFO was more interested in maximizing profits than the indirect benefits they got by spurring better broadband across the United States. Previously, Google recognized it was in its own long-term interests for everyone in the U.S. to have better broadband, because they would use online services more, but the new CFO I think saw more opportunities in artificial intelligence, driverless vehicles and stuff like that rather, than this bankshot to improve Googles value over time.As a result, the Google lottery has essentially ended, with no new cities to come and only slow expansion in the markets where Google Fiber already exists.The general sense, Mitchell said, is that the people who were driving this project have all been driven out of it. There are people who are still trying to do the best they can with it, but theres not a lot of energy toward new investment.The question then becomes what can a city like Louisville, or any of a thousand others across the country, do now that theyve missed the Google lottery.Craig Settles, another national broadband analyst, said government across the country needs to forget about Google, which may be a brand name that makes it easy to foster community buy-in but just isnt a practical or realistic choice.Settles sees a more realistic future in places like Botetourt County, Va., which he described in a recent report as being among the pacesetters of community broadband networks.Botetourt County, Settles said, took careful and realistic stock of the options available to them and built a plan from there.The main thing is they looked at it all differently, Settles said. They never entertained the issue of Google, because that wasnt part of the world they were working with, and I think thats what governments need to do.Part of this effort involves taking stock of fiber and other connectivity options that may be present in communities without government knowing or realizing.There are so many places across the country where people dont know theres fiber in the ground, Settles said, either because its been abandoned by a company that went out of business or because there were private companies involved that didnt have the responsibility to report to the city.This can be addressed by broadening the numbers of people involved in conversations about municipal broadband and bringing more stakeholders to the table. This, of course, sounds simple, but Settles said that in most areas, these sorts of expanded conversations have not been conducted.Many utility co-ops also have extant fiber in the ground and are starting to partner with municipalities to use it to give access to government and businesses. This may not have the flashy big name that something like Google does, but for many areas of the country, its an increasingly realistic means of fostering access to high-speed Internet, especially in rural areas where there is no profit-driven incentive for massive private Internet service providers to set up shop.
At What Cost?

New personal computers  $137,000

Mobile units  $79,000

Microsoft license fee increase  $85,000 annually

(TNS)  Two years ago Microsoft announced it was ending support in 2020 for its computer operating system Windows 7, causing problems for government entities and private business.Earlier this year, Lisa Cannon, director of the Information Technology Department for Madison County, Ind., informed the County Council the computers and mobile computers need to be replaced at an estimated cost of $800,000.While Madison County is looking at a one-time expense because of Microsofts switch to the Windows 10 operating platform, many surrounding counties phased in the transition over several years.Cannon said at one time the county budget included $100,000 to replace 100 computers.That was supposed to be in the budget every year, she said. The second year it was reduced to $50,000 and it was not funded in the third year.That would have allowed us to cycle new computers into the system every three or four years, Cannon said.In addition to the Microsoft changes, the state is making changes to the system used by the courts.Its impossible to upgrade the computers, she said. They have to be replaced.Cannon said the county and surrounding public safety agencies need 200 mobile computer terminals at a cost of $147,000.Each public safety agency will be responsible for the cost of their mobile computer terminals, she said.Cannon is exploring a three-year lease to purchase the new computers, increased memory and processing upgrades.The bottom line is security, Cannon said.She said Wednesday that to lease the new computers will cost $137,000 per year and $79,000 for the mobile units. After three years the county has the option of purchasing the equipment for $1.Microsoft is also changing the way it issues licenses for the software; that will cost the county an additional $85,000 starting in 2020.Were at their mercy, Cannon said of the Microsoft software.Delaware, Hamilton and Howard counties have all been gradually upgrading their computer equipment to cope with the Microsoft change for several years.Fortunately, we have been trying to keep up with the change, Jim Flook, IT director for Delaware County, said. We have been replacing equipment as we can and going to Windows 10.Flook said Delaware County tries to replace computers every three years.We worked to repurpose and upgrade to Windows 10, he said. We phased it in, including the mobile units.Flook said he wouldnt be surprised if Microsoft extended the timeline for support of the Windows 7 operating platform.You really cant wait, he said of an extension. They (Microsoft) got you.Jeremy Stevens, IT director in Howard County, said the county started a cycle of upgrading the software several years ago.We have a normal rotation schedule to refresh the computers, he said. That was the approach the county decided to take. We tried to find a balance between the need and the budget.Chris Mertens, IT director for Hamilton County, said the county has already made the transformation to Windows 10.We completed that project, he said. When Microsoft announced the timeline, we tried to be ahead of the curve.Mertens said Hamilton County has a four- to five-year replacement cycle for computers.We took our oldest units and upgraded to Windows 10, he said. We started when Microsoft published it was ending support for Microsoft 7.Estimated cost to replace all of the computers used by Madison County and 200 mobile units for public safety agencies: $800,000Proposal is a 3-year lease with an option for the county to buy the equipment for $1.Annual lease payment:
(TNS)  With the start of the next wildfire season getting closer each day, Californias utility sector is racing to upgrade its technological capabilities. The goal: making power lines less likely to cause more disasters.Utilities are looking to artificial intelligence, expanding the use of fire-watching cameras, and improving their ability to monitor for extremely dry and windy weather conditions. Theyre also trying to learn from the power companies and experts who are already ahead of the curve  but with climate change, it may not be enough to stem the fiery tide.Those were among the key themes that emerged as hundreds of utility representatives, academics, tech experts and others converged at California State University Sacramento on Wednesday and Thursday for the first wildfire technology summit convened by the California Public Utilities Commission.While the worst recent wildfires have been blamed on San Franciscos Pacific Gas and Electric Co., some of the most prominent voices at the conference came from Southern California.San Diego Gas & Electric underwent a major push to enhance its technology and wildfire prevention efforts after a series of major wildfires in 2007, Caroline Winn, the utilitys chief operating officer, said in a speech Wednesday. The fires, she said, were a game changer for the company.It wasnt easy to be the first California utility to take drastic steps such as intentionally turning off power lines when weather conditions threaten to spark wildfires, Winn said.We were making decisions at a time when people thought that we were wrong, she said. We knew deep down that we owe it to our customers, we owe it to our families, and we owe it to our communities to do whats right and be a safe operator of the power grid.  We took that tragedy, and we turned it into action.Winn said her company plans to strategically bury more power lines underground in high-risk fire areas and use an algorithm that can detect a fault on a line and turn it off before it hits the ground. The utility also plans to use artificial intelligence to marshal tens of millions of data points that help it respond to risky fire conditions, she said.One of the steps the San Diego utility has taken in recent years is using a network of high-definition, pan-tilt-zoom cameras that watch for new fires and help first responders react appropriately when they occur.The camera program, which originated in the Lake Tahoe area, is now a critical tool in the response to wildland blazes around San Diego, said Graham Kent, the director of the University of Nevada, Renos Nevada Seismological Laboratory. Kents lab runs the camera program, called AlertWildfire, in partnership with other universities.Its kind of like a ballet, Kent said at the conference. And what San Diego County has learned how to do is do that dance better than anybody.After the devastating October 2017 wildfires that tore through Wine Country and other Northern California regions, North Bay officials followed San Diegos lead and began building a fire network of their own. They started installing the cameras last year and now have a network of 16 in the greater North Bay area, some of which were funded by PG&E.PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy in January because of its looming liability from 2017 and 2018 wildfires, views the cameras as an important part of its fire prevention strategy in the future.The company intends to install 600 cameras throughout its 70,000-square-mile service area by 2022. A PG&E spokesman said the company will soon have 30 fire-watching cameras in the area it serves, which spans from Eureka to Bakersfield.PG&E is also planning to put about 1,300 new weather stations in place by 2022 and has 215 of them up and running now.Sumeet Singh, the vice president in charge of PG&Es community wildfire safety program, said on a panel Thursday that further technological advancements are needed as California utilities try to lessen the fire risk caused by their equipment in a changing climate.Singh said some of that work will require utilities to share more data with each other, a step they have historically been reluctant to take. He said the companies should look to the nuclear power sector, which he held up as a model for assessing risks in its equipment.They didnt get there overnight, Singh said. One of the ways they got there was by sharing the data, methodology, and doing it for the collective good of a safer industry. Thats really the opportunity we have.Technological improvements are badly needed because California regulators are already doing everything they can think of to prevent power lines from starting fires, said Elizaveta Malashenko, deputy executive director of safety and enforcement policy for the utilities commission.As the last two years have shown, its just not enough, Malashenko said at the conference Thursday. Were getting to this point where we as humans just cannot process the amount of information necessary to get us to the next stage of knowing what to do and how to address it.Utilities nationwide are also employing more conventional means to make their equipment safer and more resilient. Florida Power & Light is spending $100 million over the next three years to put more of its power lines underground, according to Manuel Miranda, the utilitys senior vice president of power delivery.We know it works during hurricanes, and I imagine it works really well here during the fires  or not causing fires, Miranda said at the conference.At the same time, utilities must also develop more of an ability to predict and get ahead of failures before they occur, he said.Adding to the urgency is the fact that experts say climate change is expected to increase the severity of droughts and elongate Californias natural fire season even further, thereby worsening wildland infernos no matter what.Even if we do all the good work that were trying to do to arrest climate change in parts of the world, were still going to have this kind of activity, said Thom Porter, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. And the likelihood that 2018 is the worst fire season in recorded history in California  its likely that thats going to change, too.
A new bill put forth by California Senator and 2020 presidential hopeful Kamala Harris would seek to make governments across the country smarter  albeit on a fairly small scale. The Digital Service Act would provide $15 million in annual seed grants to state and local governments, allowing them to develop their own discrete digital services teams of technologists dedicated to modernizing service delivery and bolstering IT infrastructure.These teams would be modeled off of the U.S. Digital Service , a federal technology unit within the Executive Office of the President that works on initiatives to digitize and streamline government services.Harris has called the USDS, which was created under the Obama administration, a "proven model for enabling smarter government." Under her legislation, the agency would see its annual funding quadrupled to $50 million.How would the bill affect state and local governments?Mark Raymond, CIO for the state of Connecticut, said he appreciated the idea behind the bill.At the highest level, its a good idea  any focus on improving how governments utilize digital services is appreciated, he said.However, the CIO said the fairly limited financial offer probably wouldnt go far for most governments.The relatively small amount of competitive dollars to state and local government has me wondering what the real impact is, he said of the legislation. If you think about the size of the country, [the question is] how do you leverage something like that in a sustainable way? If youre getting a relatively little amount and its a limited duration, its hard to actually hire employees  at least in Connecticut  for that period of time without a sustainable funding model.Digital talent is expensive and getting someone on board can take a substantial amount of time, he added. We are just in a situation where its hard to bring employees on board knowing that at the end of that period of time we might not be able to sustain them.The legislation has been endorsed by the Center for Democracy and Technology , a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that focuses on tech policy.Maurice Turner, a senior technologist for the center, said that financially speaking, the bill is a jumping off point.I think its a great start, he said. Having a locality  which could be a city or a county or a state  have access to anywhere between $200,000 to $2.5 million provides enough funding to get the team assembled and to work on something that can be measured [in] a relatively short period of time.Turner said that the legislation was more about proving that the model of the Digital Service works.That way the states and counties and local jurisdictions will see the value in having a relatively high return on their investment and then put more of their own money to grow the scope of the project, he said.The focus of the grants would be on accomplishing small projects, he added.This is not grant funding intended to, lets say, build out an entirely new piece of infrastructure, or to take on a more ambitious, multi-year project. This is really about how can a small team work together relatively quickly in order to make a small and measurable difference, Turner said.Kamala Harris has alternately been a friend and watchdog of the tech industry. Devising various legislative initiatives to limit the power of tech companies and protect consumer privacy, the senator has simultaneously accepted significant campaign contributions from prominent Silicon Valley organizations and figures.Political action committees for companies like Facebook, Google and Intel, for instance, contributed financially to her most recent Senate run, reports Politico
(TNS)  Downtown Spokane, Wash., businesses would get a rebate on security improvements to their properties, including the installation of surveillance cameras, under a measure being considered Monday by the Spokane City Council.The proposal, two years in the making, would encourage property owners to work with the Downtown Spokane Partnership and Spokane police to develop a plan to increase lighting and visibility in an effort to combat crime. A participating business would purchase the cameras or make suggested landscaping and architectural changes, then receive a dollar-for-dollar discount on the annual fee they pay to do business downtown.It rewards people for investing in safety practices downtown, said City Councilman Breean Beggs, who sponsored the legislation. It lets owners decide which is going to be the safest thing for their property.The plan has the backing of both City Council members representing downtown, as well as the partnership, which collects annual fees totaling more than $1 million to fund services that include street cleaning, event support and security. If the full City Council approves the plan, $26,000 will be made available to downtown property owners to support security efforts.Its what can we afford without compromising other services, said Mark Richard, president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership. Were going to really test this and see if it bears some fruit and is successful in enhancing the level of safety, as well as the resolution of crime.But Spokane City Councilwoman Kate Burke is raising questions about the necessity of more downtown cameras and if that money might be better spent on other efforts to address the perception of downtown as unsafe.I dont think cameras make a community safer, Burke said. They might add to a slight perception of safety.Beggs said he didnt believe the evidence showed that cameras prevented crime, but noted that they would be useful in identifying suspects and aiding investigations when crimes did occur. Both he and City Councilwoman Lori Kinnear said the legislation left the option of what security measures to take up to the property owner themselves.The camera is only one option for a business owner, Kinnear said. I would say that lighting is probably more of a deterrent than a camera.The proposal offers some examples of strategies known as crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) techniques that either the Downtown Spokane Partnership or Spokane police could provide to a property owner seeking assistance. One of two certified downtown ambassadors from the partnership, or a police officer, would provide options that the owner could choose from for reimbursement after an on-site visit. Suggestions include more lighting in cavernous entryways, trimming landscaping to improve sightlines, and cameras.Burke said she believed the legislation was designed with increasing downtown cameras in mind, noting that DSP initially approached the city two years ago with a plan to set aside money specifically for cameras. Under a city ordinance passed in 2013 as drone technology began to rise in popularity , the City Council must approve any surveillance equipment bought by a city department or agency, but not private citizens.It morphed into this CPTED thing, Burke said of the bill the council will consider. But I really think its a camera thing.Cameras are an accepted feature of the environmental design philosophy, Richard said. He acknowledged that DSP supported the installation of cameras, and he personally would like to see more synergy between police and private property owners on the availability of surveillance footage.Across the planet, you have cities and organizations like ours that have systems like this, that are filming activity on public spaces all the time, Richard said. We have them today in our parks, we have them in front of and hung on City Hall.Cameras also are in the pockets of every downtown visitor with a smartphone, Kinnear said.People who think theres a presumption of privacy downtown, that is false, she said. There is no privacy in downtown.City Councilman Mike Fagan, who has criticized the citys use of speed cameras in school zones , said the program was worth a try downtown, given the concerns about criminal behavior.The taxpayer is not shouldering the monetary burden of this, Fagan said. With this amount, $26,000, this seems to me like a pilot program. Lets see what kind of results we can get.Several private buildings downtown already feature cameras. Dru Hieber, owner of several pieces of property along whats known as the Bennett Block and the Parkade, has installed additional lighting and cameras on her properties, she said. Betsy Cowles, chairman of the Cowles Co. that owns River Park Square and The M Apartments, among many downtown real estate holdings, said its properties have had lights and cameras for years.The Cowles Co. also ownsOther properties are just starting to adopt exterior lighting and security improvements. Paul Mann, a managing partner in the redevelopment of the Ridpath for apartments, said he recently met with Richard and police about increasing visibility outside of the historic hotel to deter crime.In the public mind, this is still a vacant lot, and theyre treating it that way, Mann said. People dont realize its coming back to life.The Ridpath received assistance from the city when it was designated a project of citywide significance, Mann said. A portion of the roughly $107,000 the redevelopment received through the city program, which is funded through cash made available through the refinancing of city bonds in 2017, is dedicated to exterior lighting, Mann said, but could not be used for cameras.John Waite, owner of Aunties Bookstore and Merlyns Comic Books and More on Main Avenue, just bought a video alarm system for his comic book business. He said he would have taken advantage of the rebate program had it been available.We need all the help we can get in downtown, Waite said. He said that $26,000 figure would have to be larger in subsequent years because of the cost of camera equipment.Downtown boosters and business owners pushed back on the perception of downtown as dangerous, and actual crime statistics support that finding. The police departments CompStat reports , comparisons of reported crimes to historical data, show that property crime reports in the downtown core are down 23 percent this year compared to last year, fueled in large part by a drop in theft. Spokane did just experience a historically cold and snowy February, however, which can have a chilling effect on crime.Reports of downtown malicious mischief, which incorporate graffiti, broken windows and any other destruction of property, are also down this year compared to 2017 and 2018, according to numbers provided by the police department. Through the first three months of the past two years, reports of malicious mischief totaled 101 and 146, respectively. This year, there had been 60 such reports through March 16.Thats evidence the money property owners plan to spend on lights and cameras might be better spent on housing assistance, said Jennessa Magner, who said she has been couch-surfing for the past several months while helping clean units for other people receiving homeless assistance, and was sitting last week with a group of people outside The City Gate service center on Madison Street.I think its a waste of money, Magner said. There are other things that are way more beneficial.That includes supporting housing and buying cleaning and sanitary products for those seeking to transition out of homelessness, Magner said.Burke agreed.I would like to see case managers as a part of DSP to find people in need, and be able to link them to resources, Burke said. These should be trained people, social workers doing this work. I think that would be a really great use of our money.But Suzann Calvert said more cameras and lights would be a welcome addition downtown. Calvert was nursing a broken arm outside the House of Charity homeless shelter Friday afternoon, an injury she said was sustained in an assault that could have been prevented by better visibility near the shelter.If Im not doing anything Im not supposed to, then whats the matter? Calvert said. That only makes common sense.Beggs and Richard said the installation of cameras would not mean the type of round-the-clock surveillance that has caused concern in cities including Seattle and Chicago about the intersection of public safety and civil liberties. If police wanted access to camera footage, they still would have to request it from the property owner, or seek a warrant to compel someone to hand it over.These cameras will be owned and operated by the private building owner, Richard said. They will not be accessible by my team or the police department until they suspect that a crime has occurred.Hieber said that cameras and additional security should not be seen as a panacea. While shes added those features to her buildings downtown, she said calls for backup from Spokane police often go unanswered.Why invest in it unless the city will invest in the police to do the work that needs to be done to make our city safer? Hieber said.The Spokane City Council is scheduled to vote on the measure at its weekly meeting, Monday at 6 p.m. at Spokane City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
(TNS)  Sheriff's deputies across Midland County, Mich., will soon be operating with an updated camera system thanks to several grants gifted to the Midland County Sheriff's Office.Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson announced in a press release Friday that the Sheriff's Office has received two grants to assist in the purchase of new in-car and body-worn cameras to be used by road patrol deputies and correctional deputies working at the Midland County Jail."The current in-car camera system is over 20 years old, and is beginning to fail," Stephenson said. "The new system will integrate the in-car and body-worn cameras to capture one incident from several different vantage points."The Sheriff's Office will purchase 66 cameras  11 in-car cameras, 32 body cameras for correctional deputies and 23 body cameras for road deputies. The cameras will be manufactured by WatchGuard Technologies.The goal of the Sheriff's Office is to have the new camera systems in place by late summer 2019, Stephenson said.The first $15,000 grant came from TransCanada Charitable Foundation. A second grant from the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority was in the amount of $35,401.A request from the Sheriff's Office for additional funding  totaling $23,526  was unanimously approved by the Midland County Board of Commissioners this week, with the money to be taken from the general fund surplus.The new camera system is meant to assist in improving officer and community safety, transparency and accountability in encounters with citizens, the press release stated. The cameras will also be used in evidence collection for criminal proceedings and administrative investigations.
Q: A Francophile friend has suggested that phony is somehow related to faux. True or false?

A: False. Phony and faux are not related. However, false and faux come from the same Latin source.

The Oxford English Dictionary says phony (it uses the British spelling phoney) is probably a variant of fawney, an old slang term for a finger ring. The OED says fawney comes from faine, Irish for ring.

How, youre probably wondering, could the Irish word for a ring be the ultimate source of phony?

The missing link here is an old confidence game known by such terms as fawney dropping, going on the fawney, or the fawney rig. (A rig was a trick or swindle.)

In the second edition of A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1788), Francis Grose describes the scam this way:

Fawney Rig. A common fraud, thus practiced: A fellow drops a brass ring, double gilt, which he picks up before the party meant to be cheated, and to whom he disposes of it for less than its supposed, and ten times more than its real, value.

The earliest citation in the OED for the confidence game is from A View of Society and Manners in High and Low Life (1781), by George Parker: The Fawney rig.

And heres another example from Parkers book: There is a large shop in London where these kind of rings are sold, for the purpose of going on the Fawney.

The word phony showed up in the US in the late 19th century as an adjective meaning false: Many of the phony bookmakers in the ring had not enough play to keep them alive (from the Chicago Tribune, June 29, 1893).

The noun, meaning a false person or thing, showed up in the early 20th century. The first OED citation is from Six Ex-Tank Tales, a 1902 collection of sketches by Clarence Louis Cullen that originally appeared in the New York Sun:

If youse tinks fr a minnit dat youse is goin t git away wit a phony like dat wit me youse is got hay in yr hemp, dats wot. (The ex-tank, or ex-tankard, tales are supposedly told during deliberations of the Harlem Club of Former Alcoholic Degenerates.)

As for false and faux, both terms are derived from falsus, classical Latin for false. The term was originally fals in both Old English and Old French, but the French version was faux when English borrowed it in the 17th century as a synonym for false.

In this early OED example, from a late 10th-century glossary compiled by the Benedictine abbot lfric of Eynsham, false modifies penny in Old English: fals pening. In Anglo-Saxon times, a penny was a foreign coin.

The use of false was relatively rare in Old English, but expanded in Middle English after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, influenced by Old French and Anglo-Norman.

The dictionarys first example for faux used in English to mean false is from The Atheist (1684), a play by the English dramatist Thomas Otway: Let me never see day again, if yonder be not coming towards us the very Rascal I told thee of this Morning, our faux Atheist.

Faux was italicized in that citation, indicating that it was still considered foreign. Charlotte Bronte apparently felt the same way when she put it in quotation marks a century and a half later:

You have a faux air of Nebuchadnezzar in the fields about you, that is certain (from Jane Eyre, 1847).

It wasnt until the late 20th century, according to OED citations, that faux was being used in plain type: His creative talent is still obscured by his own faux-cynical statements (from the Times Literary Supplement, July 20, 1984).

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Media Advisory: At Genome Day, 400 kids will bring their DNA home in a necklace

BUFFALO, N.Y.  Hundreds of 8th-graders from Buffalo Public Schools will don laboratory gloves, spit in a cup and extract their very own DNA from the saliva during UBs annual Genome Day on March 26.

At the end of the workshop, students will bring their genetic material home in a clear vial attached to a necklace. The activity is a fun, hands-on way to introduce middle schoolers to concepts surrounding genomics and genetics.

Genome Day is a really exciting experience for the students, says Sandra K. Small, PhD, science education manager at UBs New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences (CBLS) and lead event organizer. They are able to extract and visualize their own DNA and take it home in a necklace. By engaging students in hands-on science in middle school, in a state-of-the-art health sciences building, were helping them to visualize themselves working in health sciences careers.

What: Genome Day 2019.

Where: The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences building at the corner of Main and High streets in Buffalo.

When: Tuesday, March 26.

9:45 a.m. : UB students and staff, most in the sciences and health sciences, will lead the 8th-graders in extracting their DNA and placing it in a vial. The middle school students will work in small groups, but each student will create their own personal vial  holding their very own DNA  to take home.





: UB students and staff, most in the sciences and health sciences, will lead the 8th-graders in extracting their DNA and placing it in a vial. The middle school students will work in small groups, but each student will create their own personal vial  holding their very own DNA  to take home. 11 a.m.: Buffalo Animal Adventures will give a short presentation to all attendees about the importance of genetic diversity in relation to preserving endangered species. The event will feature animals, with a ring-tailed lemur, eastern box turtle, Burmese python and chinchilla expected to be in attendance. (For this portion of the presentation, media are asked to photograph and film only the presenters, as not all students in attendance will have permission to be photographed.)

Who: About 400 8th-graders from Buffalo Public Schools are expected to attend.

Visuals: The process of isolating DNA includes a number of highly visual steps, and the DNA itself is visible as a web-like cluster of white organic material. See photos of last years event.

Media arrangements: Contact Julianna Fortain, marketing and special events coordinator with UBs Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships team, at jellis9@buffalo.edu or 716-881-7586. Fortain will be in the medical school lobby at Main and High streets starting at 9:30 a.m.

Sponsors: CBLS; the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo; UBs Genome, Environment and Microbiome (GEM) Community of Excellence; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Buffalo Public Schools.
Climate models should consider peoples perceptions of climate risk, UB expert says

Social science is a different domain from physical science, but it has something very valuable to offer when it comes to understanding the impact of human behavior on climate change. 

BUFFALO, N.Y.  How dangerous is climate change, and how are extreme events such as hurricanes and wildfires linked to rising temperatures?

Peoples perceptions of climate risks can influence societys willingness to take measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. And thats why climate models should take this aspect of human behavior into account when making predictions about future temperature increases and sea level rise, says Sara Metcalf, PhD, associate professor of geography in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences.

I would argue for a greater inclusion of social components in physical climate models, says Metcalf, an expert on modeling with a long-standing interest in environmental issues. There may be concern that including human behavior could increase the uncertainty of the models, but theres a case to be made that its worth doing this. We can gain insights about what the true possibilities are for humans to affect the course of climate change, and what collective actions people could take to do things to help the situation.

Metcalf has been working with colleagues across the U.S. over the past few years to link C-ROADS, an existing climate model, to a new social model theyve created to explore how the perceived dangers of climate change influence behavioral change.

The result, published in 2018 in Nature Climate Change, was an integrated model that shows how changes in greenhouse gas emissions could influence global temperature and the frequency of extreme events, and how these events could alter attitudes toward climate change, resulting in behavioral adjustments in greenhouse gas production.

The model suggests that appropriately attributing extreme events to climate change could have an important impact on peoples perceptions of climate risk  and on emissions. The model identified mitigation measures that are not easily reversed  such as installing solar panels or insulating homes  as good ways to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.

Metcalf has been involved as a co-organizer of a national working group on human risk perception and climate change thats further developing this social model of climate change. Improvements the researchers are discussing include refining the model to include regional perceptions of climate change, and how changes in behavior may alter regional emissions. (The current model focuses on global behavior and emissions.) The team is also exploring whether and how economic impacts should be included in climate modeling. The team members are continuing to collaborate virtually on these developments, and the working group met in person this January for its last official meeting under current funding.

Its been a very fruitful discussion, says Metcalf. Social science is a different domain from physical science, but it has something very valuable to offer when it comes to understanding the impact of human behavior on climate change. We know humans matter when it comes to climate change. So the question is: How much of that is worth representing in the model?

This interdisciplinary approach reflects Metcalfs background: She studied management and chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before going on to get a PhD in geography from the University of Illinois. Since she was a masters student at MIT, she has been interested in how social and physical sciences can work together to solve important problems.

The working group that Metcalf collaborates with is supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, affiliated with the University of Maryland, and the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, affiliated with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Both the center and institute receive funding from the National Science Foundation.

Metcalf says climate change will be a major part of her work for the foreseeable future. Other projects she has completed in this realm include a study that modeled how social influences could impact household evacuation behavior before a hurricane, focusing on the Florida Keys. That research was published in the journal Computers, Environment and Urban Systems.
A group of Dutch multinationalsFrieslandCampina, Heineken, Philips, DSM, Shell and Unileverall members of the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition (DSGC), will partner with A.P. Moller - Maersk to take a tangible step towards the decarbonization of ocean shipping.

A pilot project will test the use of up to 20% sustainable second-generation biofuels on a Triple-E ocean vessel. The Maersk Triple E-class container ships are very large container ships of more than 18,000 TEU. Maersk says that Triple E stands for Economy of scale, Energy efficiency and Environmentally improved.





First-generation Triple-E ship. Maersk is now introducing second-generation Triple-E ships.

The vessel will sail 25,000 nautical miles from Rotterdam to Shanghai and back on biofuel blends alonea worlds first at this scalesaving 1,5 million kilograms CO 2 and 20,000 kilograms of sulfur.

DSGC members and Maersk all agree that tackling harmful emissions related to shipping is urgently needed, and that cross-industry collaboration is required to develop, test and implement new solutions. The DSGC members, many of which are customers to Maersk, played a critical role. They initiated and sponsor the pilot. Shell, acts as the fuel supplier for the pilot, and Maersk plays the role as operating partner.

The biofuel used in this pilot is a second-generation biofuel, produced from waste sourcesin this case used cooking oil (UCOME oil). This biofuel is ISCC Certified, meaning that the whole chain is third-party certified. The power of biofuel is that it can to a certain extent replace / blended with conventional (fossil) fuels, without having to make big technical adaptations to the engines or require a complete new engine etc.

Sustainably sourced second-generation biofuels are just one possible solution for the decarbonization of ocean shipping. Longer term, breakthroughs in fuel and technical development (i.e. e-fuels) and the investment into commercial supply chains are needed to achieve significant emissions reductions.

DSGC companies join in action to contribute to the UN SDGs. With this initiative we focus on Climate Action (SDG 13). We have taken the initiative to partner with A.P. Moller - Maersk on this important effort. This pilot testing biofuel on a cross ocean shipping lane, marks an important step. However, many more innovations are urgently needed. These can only be successfully developed, tested and implemented in industry collaborations like this. Jan Peter Balkenende, Chair of the DSGC
Campus News

Communicators conference urges attendees to rethink how they tell UBs story

Karl Gude, director of the Media Sandbox at Michigan State University, talks about the use of infographics in his keynote address for the third annual professional development conference for UB communicators. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

By CORY NEALON

Youre supposed to read an infographic and feel smarter, not stupider. People love to feel smart because you broke it down for them. 

Developing new and innovative ways to share UBs story with the world was the theme of ReThink: Fresh ideas, new perspectives, the universitys third annual professional development conference for campus communicators.

The daylong event, organized by UBs senior communicators council, included more than 130 communicators, marketers, designers and other leaders from dozens of schools, department and units across UB. It built on past conference themes of promoting the university through its Here is How branding initiative and amplifying that message throughout the globe.

I think this is going to be our best conference to date, said John DellaContrada, interim vice president for communications.

He encouraged attendees to embrace the near constant change thats occurring in communications and other fields, noting that effective and timely communication is key to UBs success as a premier public research university.

Keynote speaker Karl Gude, director of the Media Sandbox at Michigan State University, previously ran the information graphics departments of the Associated Press, Newsweek magazine and other news organizations. He stressed the importance of creativity, collaboration and intellectual curiosity in becoming a better communicator.

He explained how infographics  graphical representations of information that feature maps, graphs, diagrams, drawings or text  can help organizations present information that stands out among the deluge of content circulating on the internet and elsewhere.

Youre supposed to read an infographic and feel smarter, not stupider, he said. People love to feel smart because you broke it down for them.

Gude also said organizations such as UB benefit from developing their own brand  everything from text that succinctly describes the organization to fonts and specific colors used online, in print products and other environments.

You have to come up with a rock-solid style book, he said, noting that cohesion in branding, marketing and communication efforts is essential to creating awareness of the organization and its main message points.

New to this years conference was a rapid-fire presentation session featuring communicators from across the university. Presenters were given five minutes to explain best practices from their communication efforts. Topics ranged from redesigning the universitys alumni magazine to celebrating UBs history and creating an engaging website.

The conference also included a mix of lectures and workshops. Among the topics addressed were "Communicating With Authenticity: Insights from Diversity Officers," "One Video Does not Fit All: Tips and Tricks for Making Videos that Matter," and "Building a Social Media Strategy: Best Practices to Make Your Content Soar."
Dennis Cardona is hoping his eco-friendly dry cleaning shop in Oxfords Quarry Walk will benefit future residents and patrons.

The local business owner is preparing to open an OXXO Care Cleaners location in April at the commercial center, 334 Center Rock Green, adding to the mix of services offered at the site.

With 18 years of experience in operating a service-based business in Oxford, Cardona said he felt that bring the dry-cleaning business to the Quarry Walks shopping district would be a good fit.

When I saw the retail site, the first thing that came to my mind was wheres the closest dry cleaners? he said.

OXXO, which began in 2001, has 51 franchises nationwide. The company touts a convenient model for customers in Oxford, with a 24-hour drop-off and pick-up for those who sign up for an account with the business.

Customers can drop off and collect their orders through an ATM-style conveyor belt system that Cardona said would eliminate the need to rush to pick up orders.

Aside from coming in to set up the account the first initial time, technically you never have to walk back into the cleaners if you didnt want to, he said.

OXXO also uses GreenEarth solvent, which Cardona said is a safer cleaning product than the widely used perchloroethylene, or PERC, which a panel from the National Academy of Sciences, a nonprofit society of scholars, claimed could cause cancer.

There are a lot of dry cleaners that use it because it is the best thing to get your stains out, but we do it with GreenEarth, which is the next best thing, Cardona said. In this day and age, the last thing you want to do is put on your clothes and not know what youre wearing or what kind of chemicals they are using.

The Oxxo locations will be one of two businesses that Cardona will have at Quarry Walk. He is also preparing to open a window treatment retail store.

Both operations will be joining a list of businesses at the commercial hub which already includes a grocery store and other retail. The $70 million town center project on more than 30 acres along Route 67 recently began building apartments on site.

Haynes Development, developers of the site, was recently approved to build 150 units of one- and two-bedroom apartments along with purchasable penthouses. The company has just started on the first building, slated for 78 units of luxury apartments.

Developers look to debut the apartments and luxury penthouses by the end of the year.

A 50,000-square-foot medical office space is also expected to open in March.

More openings are expected to follow in coming months, officials have said.

Several retailers and restaurants  like Sitting Duck Tavern, which will be opening its third location at Quarry Walk  are expected to open in the spring as well.

Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.com
Barr. Agbor Balla CIN Screen Capture

News of an attack on the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRADA), spread like a whirlwind this Monday, with many online journalist accusing the military for carrying out the attacks.



CHRADA's president, Agbor Balla, also received a similar call, informing him of an ongoing search in his office, in Buea. With Mondays being observed as ghost town, all over the North West and North West regions, it was difficult for many to verify, including the victim, Agbor Balla.

Contacted on phone ,he expressed worry over the said act and promised to issue a communique on the unauthorized search, after a visit to Buea.

However, a local television station, HiTV Buea, was at the scene in Bunduma, Buea, where they dispelled the rumours, staring police was loitering around the area, and carrying out their security mission, without infringing on the rights of the organization. The report insists, no police officer or forces of defense, has entered or attacked Balla's office.

In a recent tweet, Barrister Agbor Ballas organisation had reported that since the crisis began in 2016, the military has allegedly burnt down 176 villages. The report is blunt on military persecution of civilians in the Anglophone regions. It was feared that the move to search was an attempt to silent him. However, it all turnt out fake.

The activist and freedom fighter Abgor Balla, was arrested on 17 January 2017. Born on August 23, 1970, Barrister Balla was a leading member of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium (CACSC) which was subsequently, banned by government. Today and out of jail, thanks to a presidential pardon , he continues to call for peace, justice and serenity to return to Cameroon.
GREENWICH  A free course will be offered in Old Greenwich to extend education and support to parents of children with mental health conditions.

NAMI Southwest CT, the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, will hold its signature NAMI Basics course for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents under the age of 17 who live with mental health challenges.

NAMI Basics is a cost-free, six-session education program designed to teach participants how best to support their children at home, at school, and when getting medical care. Developed by NAMI, the course focuses on evidence-based practices most likely to produce positive outcomes as validated through clinical research.

The course will be taught by trained teachers from the local community who have lived experience.

Open to all residents in the Southwest Connecticut area, the course will meet from 9:15 to 11:45 a.m. on six consecutive Wednesdays, starting on April 24. Classes will be held at the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, 108 Sound Beach Ave., Old Greenwich.

The group setting of NAMI Basics provides a supportive environment for parents and caregivers to connect with others in similar circumstances. Participants will learn about mental health conditions and current treatments; they also will gain an overview of school and legal issues; public mental health care; and juvenile justice systems. Those who attend the course will learn how to manage crises, communicate effectively, and advocate for their childrens rights at school and in health care settings.

Those interested in registering for the course should call Mary at 203-536-9486, or Evan at 203-273-7226. Early registration is recommended.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nations largest grassroots, nonprofit organization aimed at improving quality of life for people living with mental illness and their families. For more information on NAMI Southwest CT, visit www.namisouthwestct.org.
File / Hearst Connecticut Media

GREENWICH  A 22-year-old Greenwich man was charged Friday with failure to appear in court, police said.

The arrest report said the man missed a court date in connection with charge of narcotics possession and interfering with a police investigation, from 2017. He turned himself in, and bail was set at $1,500.
NEWTOWN  The two communities are already linked in national violence prevention conversations after mass shootings in their schools, and on Monday, Newtown and Parkland, Fla., shared yet another tragic connection.

The towns are reeling from the suicides of people who lost loved ones or friends in the school massacres.

Jeremy Richman, 49, whose 6-year-old daughter, Avielle, was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, was found dead Monday after killing himself. It came just days after the suicides of two survivors of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Most people who experience trauma do not die by suicide, but it does increase their risk, said April Foreman, a psychologist on the board of directors for the American Association of Suicidology. Knowing someone who has died by suicide also heightens ones risk, she said.

We know this is a rare, but complex reaction to trauma, she said.

Little is known about what led Richman, 19-year-old Sydney Aiello or the unnamed sophomore in Parkland to kill themselves. In Aiellos case, however, her mother told CBS Miami that her daughter suffered from survivor's guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic experiences  like surviving a mass shooting or losing a child to one  can cause people to feel angry and hopeless, said Kate Mattias, executive director for the Connecticut chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, noting those feelings can lead to depression and suicide.

Very often when these kinds of circumstances happen, the people that remain sometimes feel survivors guilt, she said. So, Why my daughter and not me? Why my friend and not me? And that can lead them to be significantly depressed.

And losing a child no matter the circumstance is devastating for mental health, said Dr. Jorge Aquilar-Zanatta, a psychiatry specialist with Western Connecticut Health Network.

That is one of the most profound and difficult loss anyone can experience, he said. We really need to be careful and be mindful of how that can impact our own mental health and really be on top of our self-care.

Those who survive trauma might initially practice self-care, but falter years later, Aquilar-Zanatta said.

If were able to de-stigmatize psychiatric illness and really be mindful of the mental health well being, we can support each other and possibility reduce the horrible events like we saw (Monday,) he said.

Suicide contagion

More Information If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. See More Collapse

A concern that often arises after a suicide, especially one of a public figure or in a public location, is suicide contagion, where someone dies by suicide and then another imitates him or her. This is more common among youth than adults, said Tom Steen, of the Connecticut chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

But he said contagion is rare.

It usually happens when good practices are not employed when a child dies, Steen said. And thats when sometimes one, two or sometimes three other kids say, Look what she or he did. Im going to do the same thing.

It is also more likely when suicide is sensationalized, he said.

The idea of a suicide contagion concerned mental health advocates in the Danbury area last month after the suicide of 16-year-old Hailey Nailor, a Danbury High School student. It caused them to urge for a vigil not be held.

Experts know suicides can happen in clusters, but do not have a good understanding of why, Foreman said.

But Foreman said it impossible to know whether the suicides of the Parkland teens were a factor in Richmans death.

At the end of the day, if someone tells you they know why someone killed themselves, then they know something every scientist does not, Foreman said.

Steen doubts the suicides were connected.

Suicide is a symptom of something else going on in the persons life, especially an adult, he said. Something was going on and we dont know.

Seeking help

Zach Cartaya survived the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 and is now finance director for Rebels Project. The organization was founded by Columbine High School survivors after the shooting in Aurora to support people who experience similar traumas.

He, too, once considered suicide. Its because the trauma becomes so overwhelming, he said

Cartaya said he felt survivors guilt after the Sandy Hook tragedy as he thought about all the things he had done, like driving a car, that the elementary students would never get to experience. This guilt is isolating, but survivors must remember they are not alone, he said.

He urges survivors and others affected by mass shootings to seek professional help, something that took him years to do.

One of the things that I learned is that it really is a marathon, Cartaya said. You have to continue to work at it.

For the Newtown community and others who know someone who has died by suicide, it is important to pay attention to ones mental health, Foreman said.

Its the people of Newtown who must think about the public health issues and the well being of their citizens, Foreman said. These events are rare. Theyre difficult to understand and experts are ready and able to consult.

Steen learned of Richmans death while he was in Newtown giving a presentation on suicide prevention and gun safety at the National Shooting Sports Foundation in town. That organization and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partner to hold these trainings because the majority of gun deaths are from suicides.

As sad as the news was, it was a teachable moment because no one can predict suicide, just like you cant predict a volcano from erupting or an airplane from crashing, Steen said. The horror of it all is, its so preventable.

Those who are thinking about suicide or know people who need emotional support are encouraged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Cannabis software is a necessity for weed businesses navigating the complex regulations surrounding legalization. Out of a growing list of options, the following programs are setting the industry standard when it comes to seed to sale tracking.

Seed-to-sale tracking is exactly what the term implies -- complex cannabis laws mandate that weed businesses track their wares literally from seed to sale to prove they are not selling black market weed. Specifically, this means maintaining a database that traces products through cultivation, production, distribution and sale

But this goes beyond having a ledger of where a product has been: cannabis software for seed-to-sale tracking typically includes the following elements, among many others, real-time tracking for regulators; state approval at various steps; and lab test results.

It also typically contains tools for businesses to keep track of their products, the laws and generally keep their business in the black. These may consist of tax compliance tools, payroll and job boards.

Related: California Has a Serious Compliance Problem

Complex state regulations necessitate seed-to-sale tracking.

Cannabis isnt the only industry that requires intensive tracking -- everything consumable and regulated must follow specific health and safety protocol if its legally to be sold in stores. Food, beverages and drugs all require intense supply chain documentation.

Of course, things are a little more intense in the cannabis industry because weed is still illegal federally. People starting a cannabis dispensary have to make sure theyre prepared to abide by a series of state and even country-specific laws that are subject to change.

What distinguishes the cannabis software from the competition? There are myriad options when it comes to cannabis software today. The best programs have multiple capabilities for regulators and businesses alike. The cannabis software on this list is already in wide use across the industry and is both easy to use and comprehensive.

Wurk

Wurk offers high levels of customized for small, medium, and large businesses that want to follow complex regulations all while hiring key employees and keeping payroll and expenses under control. This cannabis software emphasizes the following capabilities all within their mobile-friendly UX:

Regulatory compliance and seed to sale tracking

Maximizing profits and minimizing costs

Hiring and keeping employees

Payroll and scheduling

The weed business has all sorts of considerations that don't typically apply to "normal" businesses but they do need to deal with hiring, payroll and scheduling like every company does. All of these capabilities are available through Wurks platform, along with in-depth software for regulatory compliance.

MJ Freeway

This cannabis software provides everything from seed to sale tracking to market forecasts for the industry. Specifically, their program can be tailored for different types of weed businesses, including vertically integrated businesses, dispensaries, delivery services, cannabis oil extractors and cultivators

MJ Freeway provides data that goes beyond seed-to-sale tracking. For instance, they can calculate customer retention rates, help businesses submit licenses and create long-term financial plans.

Related: Cryptocurrency and the Allure of a Cashless Cannabis Industry

BioTrackTHC

Tracking products a major part of running a legal weed business. Additionally, that data gives you great insight into how to grow a business based on which are the hottest cannabis products, for example.

BioTrachTHC has the capabilities to create comprehensive data reports and provides marketing support based on that data. Specifically, this cannabis software caters to cultivators, dispensaries requiring point-of-sale systems, manufacturers and processors.

BioTrachTHC can be customized for any region because it contains the requirements for every unique license within every state. It can also be integrated with Metrc.

Metrc

Tracking products seed-to-sale is tough for businesses and government agencies. According to their own estimates, Metrc has more than 20,000 users in Colorado. Since 2013, this cannabis software system has tracked at least five million plants. Metrcs capabilities include tracking chain of custody and credentials of parties involved; analyzing trends of businesses within the system; registry of businesses, buyers, physicians, strains and other product information; tracking plants, packages and harvest.

Metrc was implemented in 2013 in Colorado when regulators were first confronted with the challenge of regulating cannabis. Today, creating a record of licensed businesses and giving governments a full overview of everything from individual harvests to licenses is a key part of bringing cannabis products to the shelves.

Related: NBA Champion John Salley Talks About the 'Seed to Sale' Process for Cannabis Business

Trellis

This cannabis software helps businesses follow regulations while providing actionable business analytics by enabling cultivators to track their harvests through every step, including charting crop yields. Trellis software is designed for all types of cannabis businesses and has the following features:

A dashboard that displays cultivation, manufacturing and other updates in real time

Protected chain of custody records

Inventory tracking, including crop yields

Growers can survey trim yields to moisture levels.

Extractors can understand their cost per gram, no matter the process

Producers can track plants through every stage.

Trellis provides high levels of customization for various types of cannabis businesses and can create reports on each.

More cannabis software solutions are available all the time.

The challenge of following complex regulations is why supply chain manager is one of the most in-demand cannabis jobs right now. But luckily for weed entrepreneurs, there are more cannabis software options than ever.

Today, the best options on the market provide more than supply chain management. They can analyze market trends, help business owners cut expenses and simplify payroll and HR. No matter how challenging cannabis regulations can be, entrepreneurs are finding ways to stay within the law with innovative software.

Related:

Installing Right Automation Systems at the Workplace

Lines, Curves & Charts: The Power of Analytics in Education

What Makes AI the Flavour of 2019?



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
A Houston police sergeant was charged with murder Saturday after his wife was found shot to death in their Pearland home, according to enforcement officials.

Pearland police were called at noon Saturday to a house in the 1900 block of Canyon Creek Court, after a family member trying to get in contact with the victim found her dead inside the kitchen.

Hilario R. Hernandez, 56, was taken into custody hours later in Kingsville, southwest of Corpus Christi. Jodi Silva, a Houston Police Department spokeswoman, confirmed that Hernandez works for HPD.

Pearland ISD confirmed that Belinda Hernandez, the librarian at Shadycrest Elementary, died Saturday. The district will have extra counselors on campus Monday to help children cope.

"Please keep our Shadycrest family and the Hernandez family in your prayers," the statement said.

The couple had been married more than three decades and had two grown children.

"I was very happily married; I loved my children," Belinda Hernandez told the Chronicle in 2014, when she was featured in a story for fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher. "But I always had my one regret. I wished I had gone to college and become a teacher."

She returned to college in 2011 to make that dream a reality.

Investigators are now looking for surveillance video that could provide additional details, Pearland police spokesman Jason Wells said.

"We are going to conduct business as usual," Wells said. "The law is held accountable for everybody, actually more so for (officers)."

Police had not yet found anyone who heard gunshots. More than a dozen neighbors stood outside watching police investigate, with almost the entire dead-end block taped off by Pearland police.

They were shocked, describing the area as a quiet suburban neighborhood with no history of violence.

"They seemed like just everyday, normal people," said Lucretia Jeansonne, 64, who lives down the street.

She would wave at Hernandez when he drove by.

A longtime family friend of Belinda Hernandez, who wished to remain anonymous, told KTRK she last saw the woman Friday at school.

"Gave her a hug and you would have never known that anything was wrong. She seemed happy," she said.

Belinda Hernandez was considered to be a passionate educator.

"You could see it on her face, she loved doing what she did," the friend said.
NEW HAVEN  The city library has been encouraging discussion on a weighty issue: The state of American democracy today .

The ongoing series of presentations and civic discussions by Public Humanities at Yale invites a broad public of New Haven neighbors together to reflect upon the state of American democracy today, including widening inequality, polarization, eroding norms, divisive media, and failing institutions in addition to centuries-long traditions of resilience, dissent, and idealism in the face of injustice and imperfection.
His Grace,George Nkuo, during a ceremony at the Cathedral in Kumbo Facebook

The Bishop of Kumbo Diocese, His Grace, George Nkuo has called on Christians to avoid Diocesan pilgrimages as crime waves intensify in Kumbo, Bui Division of the North West region.

He made the call in an audio to the faithful, where he warned, there shall be no Diocesan pilgrimage. This comes as a surprise and disappointment to many Christians, following the importance of the Christian concept.

Since 2012, pilgrims used to gather at the grand stand in Ndu, Donga Mantung Division of the North West, and trek to a hill called Boyong. Christians all over the diocese pay utmost importance to the pilgrim, which is intended to draw Christians closer to God, thereby walking in His light. The first one in 2011, pulled over 3000 Christians and has in recent years assembled more pilgrims.

Road blocks, gun exchanges have maimed several activities in Kumbo and its environs, including the church. Catholic priests and Reverend sisters in Kumbo and have been kidnapped and threatened. Their lives are under threat from both camps.

As the Anglophone crisis intensified late 2018, many people have not been able to move out of Kumbo. Separatists have implanted explosives on some check points, created by them. They have sent back some civil servants who had dared to move out of the area. Life is said to be expensive these days, as consumers by at exuberant prices due to scarcity.

Bishop George Nkuo has instructed his diocesan congregation, to remain faithful to God's word. He consoled his people, whom to him are suffering deeply, due to the armed conflict, while condemning human rights violations being carried out by both parties.

He thanked individuals and groups, who have been assisting affected persons of the ongoing war in Kumbo, and called on Christians not to let their feelings of desolation and abandonment, blind their trust in God.
File / Hearst Connecticut Media

GREENWICH  A purported road-rage incident led to an arrest on assault and strangulation charges Friday night in the Byram section of town, police said.

Seth Bladimirsquy, 51, of Henry Street, was charged with assault, strangulation and disorderly conduct.
Released back in July 2017, the Samsung Galaxy Note FE had the tough task of patching up Samsungs reputation after the whole Note 7 disaster. While the days of exploding Note 7s are long gone, Samsung hasnt forgotten its Note FE users and rolled out an update to Android 9.0 Pie with OneUI on top.

As a reminder, the phone features the same design and specs as the ill-fated Note 7 with the main difference being the battery capacity, which was reduced to 3,200 mAh. Other highlights include the 5.7" QHD Super AMOLED display, 12MP OIS rear camera and Exynos 8890 chipset.

While not surprising, this move certainly proves that Samsung is capable of supporting its premium devices for more than two years. The Note FE originally shipped with Android 7.1.1 Nougat and this will mark the second major OS upgrade in its life cycle after.

It remains to be seen how the Note FE will handle the new firmware but judging by its solid internals, there shouldnt be any problems. The update is currently live in Saudi Arabia with other regions expected to receive the update soon.

Via
With an insurgence of gaming phones from the likes of Xiaomi, Razer, and Asus, vivo is looking to position itself among the leaders in the mobile gaming market. Today the company announced that it will partner Tencent Games to become the official sponsor of the 2019 PUBG MOBILE Club Open. Contestants will be using vivo phones for the tournament, which will feature players from ten regions across the globe. The Spring Split Global Finals will take place in July while the Fall Split Global Finals will conclude in December. The total prize pool is $2.5M.

We are excited to partner with Vivo, as they have a strong reputation in being innovative and putting the consumers needs first. This partnership is just the beginning, we want to continue building a strong portfolio of partnerships with industry-leading companies, such as Vivo, to provide the best mobile gaming experience possible. - Vincent Wang (Tencent Games)

PUBG MOBILE is already one of the top mobile games, it has 30 million active players and is part of the thriving eSports industry. Last years, PUBG MOBILE STAR CHALLENGE was watched by over 230 million viewers, and this years event is likely to surpass those figures.

Vivos IQOO will most likely be the device used in this years tournament. It features a 6.41 inch FHD+ display with the Snapdragon 855 paired with up to 12GB RAM. Other specs include an in-display fingerprint sensor, liquid cooling and a 4000 mAh battery with 44W fast charging support.

For vivo, this partnership showcases an approach to connect with the gaming audience and spread their brand name within the mobile gaming elite. If you feel like you have what it takes, you can register for the tournament on PUBG MOBILE's site

Source




Haiti - PetroCaribe : The former Senate President Desras, accuses the BRH





Following a correspondence of the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Litigation (CSC/CA) sent on March 14 to the Senate, informing him that the Upper House had also managed projects financed by PetroCaribe funds to the tune of 50 million, transferred to the bank account of the Senate in September 2012 and requesting explanations and all the documents relating to these projects https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27215-haiti-justice-the-csc-ca-reveals-that-the-senate-also-managed-petrocaribe-funds.html , the former Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras former President of the Senate at the time reacted strongly...



He argues that contrary to what the CSC/CA argued in his correspondence, the Senate never received the $50 million of which it is a question and accuses the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) of being responsible for this maneuver, being according to him, unable to provide explanations to the Court for certain disbursements... without further details to support the accusation...



He ensures that for the period 2008 to 2016, all disbursements were made on the basis of resolutions in the Council of Ministers and challenges to present as proof a copy of the resolution authorizing the Central Bank to transfer these 50 million from the Fund Petrocaribe on the bank account of the Senate.



He concluded by stating that if such a transfer of funds from the BRH to the Senate had existed, the CSC/CA would have seen it during the audit of the Upper House for the fiscal year 2011/2012, year for which the Senate got discharge.



Note that the final CSC/CA audit report on the use of PetroCaribe funds is expected to be submitted to the Senate next April.



Download the Partial Report on the management of the Petrocaribe Fund : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/PETROCARIBE-31-01-2019.pdf



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27215-haiti-justice-the-csc-ca-reveals-that-the-senate-also-managed-petrocaribe-funds.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-27177-haiti-justice-the-petrocaribe-case-in-the-hands-of-the-instruction-judge.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26812-haiti-flash-the-court-of-auditors-delivers-its-first-report-on-the-management-of-petrocaribe-funds.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26121-haiti-flash-everything-you-need-to-know-about-using-the-petrocaribe-fund.html



TB/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2019/03/24 | Source

"Doctor Prisoner" continues to attract the attention of the public and is rated quite highly even after just a few weeks of airing.

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The first episode of the KBS drama "Doctor Prisoner" began on the 20th.

The second episode on the 21st was even better than the first.

Namgoong Min plays Na Yi-je in "Doctor Prisoner", the best emergency medical expert in Taekang Hospital. He has no money and has no backup, but his amazing skills allowed him to survive in university hospital.

However, he was trying to save a disabled pregnant women who was in a car accident, but the hospital director's son Lee Jae-hwan got in his way and this caused him to lose his medical license.

To untangle the connections with people and money in the chaebol world, Na Yi-je signs up for a position as the director of a prison hospital. He uses Han So-geum for his political benefit, but he feels affection and betrayal for her at the same time.

On the other hand, he gets along well with Lee Jae-in, the team leader of judicial affairs at Taekang Hospital.

Na Yi-je made a deal with prisoners Oh Jung-hee and Kim Sang-choon by getting them reprieved.

"Doctor Prisoner" is a medical suspense drama about an ace doctor who gets kicked out of his hospital and becomes a prison doctor.
Celebrations of the 34th anniversary of Cameroon People Democratic Movement(CPDM), has come to an end in Cameroon, with most Elites of the party, carrying out philanthropic activities to mark the day. It was an occasion for sons and daughters of the Littoral region, to win over the hearts of sympathisers, as the country prepares to host the triple elections, this year.





The New Bell District Hospital today looks modernised, thanks to the efforts of the parliamentarian for Wouri South, Honourable Joseph Owona Kono, through his non-governmental organisation, Active Solidarity.

Apart from transforming the outer look of the said hospital, the MP provided equipment for the dentistry department, renovated toilets, and provided a computerised system of the hospitals activities, in order to keep data for future use.

The restitution ceremony of these works, took place at the hospital on Saturday March 23, on the heels of activities marking the CPDM anniversary, celebrated every 24th of March.

The hospital management committee, Mayor of Douala 2, Denise Fampou said the state of the hospital had been terrible especially to the increasing needs of patients. She thanked the MP for taking health as his priority while recalling that First Lady Chantal Biya has made several offers to the hospital in the past.

"This gift that we receive today, will definitely provide a suitable framework for all patients. You were not there yet, but the First Lady gave donations to this hospital, through African Synergies. The administration should make these donations available to you, commented Mayor Fambou

She was also responding to the Director of the hospital, who seemed to have little knowledge about the history of donations in his courtyard.

Dr. Albert Mambo Maka had earlier mentioned that the general hygiene of the hospital has improved, especially with the renovation of the toilets, the laying of slabs throughout the yard, new layers of paint on all buildings , the purchase of garbage cans, monthly rat control missions, and the creation of a health committee.

" In addition to these achievements, thanks to the Honorable Kono, we were able to obtain more than thirty beds, a panoramic dental exam, a dental chair, several air conditioners, several fans, stated Dr Maka.

Since 2017, Active Solidarity of Honourable Joseph Owona Kono, has undertaken the rehabilitation of the Newbell district hospital.

More than 3000 people live in Newbell, Douala. Theres an unexpected increase following the influx of persons from crisis hit regions in Cameroon.
Published on 2019/03/24 | Source

According to a corporate body called the Korean Women's Hotline (KWH), the club Burning Sun issue, which has brought about allegations of rape and prostitution, have made the following statement: "The creation and distribution of illegal videos and drugs, and the business of the huge and illegal sex industry uses rape culture in which men who violate women's bodies and sexuality, using them as tools, is being maintained and expanded with government power and alliance".

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According to the KWH, the late Jang Ja-yeon, the Kim Hak-eui case, and the Burning Sun issue have shown what rape culture in our society can lead to. "It is a lawless place where violence against women is rampant, with "sexual currency" for business, drug rapes, and the circulation of illegal films".

"Jung Joon-young's Kakao Talk chatroom was a space where they plotted and shared crimes against women". The KWH regulated them as 'a criminal group that regularly conducted and shared rape'.

Regarding their police ties, the KWH said, "The power of public authority is also part of a strong male cartel that sexually targets, exploits, and does not hesitate to commit violence against women".

Regarding the investigations, "Considering the fact that the police themselves are investigating the alleged collusion with the police and the prosecution's decision to suspend the case despite clear evidence in the past case of former Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-eui, it is hard to trust the prosecution's command of the investigation. The police and the prosecution should conduct a thorough investigation of cases at the risk of the organization's fate, severely punishing those involved and those responsible".

The KWH also claims, "All those who produce, consume and distribute illegal film must be punished severely".
Published on 2019/03/24 | Source

People wait in line outside a nightclub in the Hongik University area in Seoul on Sunday.

Chinese visitors are avoiding swanky nightclubs in Gangnam that had become something of a pilgrimage site for K-pop fans after a snowballing scandal swallowed up some of their idols.

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The scandal focused on a nightclub called Burning Sun, which was owned by Seungri of boy band Big Bang and which was allegedly a hotbed of drug abuse and sexual impropriety.

One 25-year-old Chinese woman said, "Rumors spread among Chinese women that people spike their drinks in Gangnam nightclubs and drag them over to tables with groups of male customers".

At one club in Seocho-dong that used to be popular with Chinese visitors on Monday night, all 50 guests were Korean, and the situation was the same at another 2 km away. The only foreigners were two Caucasian men.

Instead, the bars and restaurants of the lower-end but trendy Hongik University neighborhood in northwestern Seoul are getting the benefit. Around 100 Chinese people were spotted entering one club in the area in the space of just an hour on Sunday night. A staffer at the club said, "Nightclubs in Gangnam were all the rage until late last year, but now most people come here instead".

Meanwhile, police on Tuesday said a 26-year-old Chinese staffer using the alias Anna who was a sort of hostess at Burning Sun and suspected of peddling drugs there has tested positive for drugs.

Anna was in charge of enticing wealthy Chinese customers to the nightclub. But she told police that the Chinese guests brought their own drugs and hostesses just took them when offered. Anna was arrested for drug abuse last September, and since then wealthy Chinese guests have reportedly given the nightclub a wide berth.

One staffer in a Gangnam hotel said, "Since the scandal broke we have seen a decline in the number of Chinese guests, including VIPs".
Published on 2019/03/24 | Source

An investigator points at a spy camera hidden in a hair dryer holder at the National Police Agency in Seoul on Wednesday. /Yonhap

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A group of men have been arrested for secretly filming guests at love motels across the country.

The group are accused of installing tiny spy cameras in TV sets, electricity plugs and hair dryer holders in motel rooms since August last year and filming as many as 1,600 motel guests. They live-streamed the footage on a website.

Police said Wednesday that they arrested two men on charges of secretly filming and distributing video footage of motel guests having sex. Another two were booked for assisting them with the website.

The two arrested men, who ran an internet memory storage business together, plotted to film illegal video footage for money and started checking into dozens of motels in cities in Gyeongsang and Chungcheong provinces in August last year where they installed the mini spy cameras.

They then opened the peeping-Tom website in November and attracted 4,099 members in just three months. Non-paying customers were given access to sample clips, while paying customers got access to the live streams.

Ninety-seven customers bit and forked out around W7 million (US$1=W1,130). But one Internet user reported the website to police in December, and police arrested the two men in early March and shut down the website.

Police said that some 800 videos were filmed in the motels over the last seven months. "We have not detected any instances of the footage being distributed beyond the website", a police spokesman said. But it is quite likely that users downloaded the footage and distributed it. None of the victims appear to have complained to police so far.

Jung Seok-hwa of the National Police Agency said, "The cameras could be spotted if all of the lights were turned off in the room and a phone torch was shone on suspicious areas of the room, where it was reflected in the camera lenses and gave away their locations", but otherwise they were practically invisible.

Read this article in Korean
Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, said Friday he regrets voting for a bill sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, that would set up training for people providing health care on Indian reservations.

I voted for the bill and I, with all due respect to Jonathan, regret voting for the bill, and I have come to oppose the bill, Bachmeier said from Helena during a legislative teleconference in Havre.

House Bill 599 would create a two-year training for people providing medical assistance, medical care, home health care services, private-duty nursing services, dental services, physical therapy, mental health, clinical services, prescription drugs, dentures, prosthetic devices, eyeglasses and screenings. The bill would require the training to meet the standards of the federal certifying body, the Community Health Aide Program

Windy Boy said that the program allows Native American reservations to receive health aids and benefits which have been previously inaccessible to them.

There is a lot of misinformation, a lot of false information that is roaming around the halls here in Montana, especially in the Havre area, of what the bill does not do and what they are trying to do, Windy Boy said.

A similar bill was passed and has been active in the state of Alaska since the 1960s, he said. CHAP is a nationwide program and other states since the 1960s have adopted similar bills, he added.

This bill is not new, Windy Boy said. This has been in place in the United State.

Windy Boy said that the bill needs to be approved for the state to come into compliance with the CHAP program, so Montana would be in compliance with its standards.

The whole purpose of CHAP, he said, is to provide tribes with services which are not accessible to them due to a low number of medical providers. Dental care is a big part for tribal members, he said.

Bachmeier said a few things bother him about the bill, particularly the scope of practice.

This bill does not require tribes to participate in the national CHAP board, he said.

He said the fact that tribes participation in the national board would be optional is something that concerns him.

He sympathizes with the idea, he said. Tribes are in desperate need of aid on reservations, but removing participation from CHAP board could result in a variety of issues.

He said he is also concerned with the expansion of services that could be provided without the person certified having a medical degree.

Bachmeier said some language from the bill  An individual may, without obtaining a license under this title, provide health care services  concerns him because it could possibly mean uncertified people are able to practice.

He said he thinks the the bill flew through the transmittal period in the Legislature and the House did not have enough time for a full debate.

I do think that there is a way to approach this bill, Bachmeier said. But I am concerned with the way that this bill approaches the issue.

Windy Boy said that reservations already have aids for mental and behavioral health practicing. Dental aids, he said, are the last critical piece they need.

Dental aids would be able to reach out and work with tribal members who need dental care and get them into clinics for professional dental care, he said.

We are historically underserved with dentists due to (Indian Health Services) budget or dental programs, he said. Tribal health departments refer tribal members to outside dentists to alleviate backlogs that every tribal dental program suffers from.

Windy Boy said, for example, Rocky Boys Indian Reservation sends children to Helena for dental care because they do not have enough providers.

He added that the scope of practice and requirements are outlined in the bill.

This being labeled as low level, substandard training is bogus, he said. This is federal law and the only reason I bring this to state Legislature is to put the state Legislature process in sync with what federal law is.

He said that the concerns and issues about the bill are incorrect.

It may sound like the cart before the horse, but this is how we have to interact with the federal government Windy Boy said.

Windy Boy said that those who oppose the bill have accused him of trying to pass something which would hurt the Native American community, but that is not the case. He said he will continue to stand with those in his district and others in Montana and not back down from trying to pass his bill.

Bachmeier said that the lack of medical care is a big issue across Montana.

I understand what he is trying to do and I, personally, feel like this isnt the right way to approach the (issue), he said.

Windy Boy: Medicaid expansion likely to remain

Windy Boy said that after the hearing last week, he is sure the Medicaid bill, House Bill 425, introduced by Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, will pass.

He said it will most likely pass after having parts of the other bill, House Bill 658, introduced by Rep. Edward Buttrey, R-Great Falls, added to it.

Mary Caferros bill is going to pass, I know that, because they are trying to put the work requirement in the bill, Windy Boy said. Thats how things work here.

Bachmeier said that what he has heard from leadership is that it is too soon to tell. He added that it is possible nobody will know for sure what is going on with Medicaid until later in the legislative session.

I think that it is completely up in the air and I dont think anybody has a complete idea of what is going to happen, including everybody in leadership, he said.

He said that he supports Caferros bill as is, however, bills rarely pass as they are originally written.

Windy Boy and Bachmeier agreed that if Medicaid isnt broken there is no need to fix it.

Absentee ballot early counting expected to pass

Hill County Commissioner Mike Wendland said at the teleconference that he had some concerns with Senate Bill 162, which would allow election officials to count absentee ballots earlier. He said the bill greatly benefits areas with larger population, while possibly excluding smaller, more rural areas because of the voter requirements.

Sen. Roger Webb, R-Billings, sponsored the bill, which would allow election administrators to verify the validity of mail-in ballots up to three business days before Election Day and allow tabulation of certain ballots to begin a day before Election Day.

Election administrators now must wait until Election Day to handle the mail-in ballots.

Wendland said the requirements for the number of voters to be eligible could exclude smaller, more rural areas.

Bachmeier said that the bill will most likely be passed. He added that he is hoping there will be some amendments added to change voting requirement to include smaller communities.

I think well get it through, he said.

Bachmeier said that, to his knowledge, 12 counties in Montana count votes entirely by hand rather than using a voting machine. He said he wants to amend the bill so that is the requirement, whether a county has a machine to count votes, rather than the number of voters.

Wendland also said he is concerned that Secretary of State Corey Stapleton said the bill could increase voting fraud. He said the Hill County Clerk and Recorders Office is very conscious of fraud and is confident in the system they use to prevent it.

Bachmeier said that many Democrats and Republicans did not agree with the secretary of states concerns of voting fraud.

Many Democrats and Republicans alike left the committee hearing very disappointed with the secretary of states office and very disturbed with the secretary of states office. Very angry with them, Bachmeier said.

Bachmeier added that Director of Elections Dana Corson compared voting fraud to littering, saying voting fraud could be rampant in Montana but nobody cares enough to notice it.

So my argument is, if there is rampant voting fraud in Montana, why arent you doing your job? Bachmeier said.   I think what the real problem is that he was spreading fear mongering. There is no proof that there has been any voting tampering in our elections.

Im very proud of our clerk and recorders, Bachmeier said. Im very proud of our secure processes in the state of Montana and wildly disturbed with some of the comments from his office in that committee hearing. I was very offended, very upset.
Press release

School Administrators of Montana and the Montana Educational Technology Association  META  announced Friday that Havre Public Schools Senior Information Technology Director Kelly Veis, was selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2019 META Technologist of the Year at the fifth annual Montana Educational Technologists Associations METAtechED Spring Conference held March 18-19 in Helena.

Thes award was established to recognize the fine achievements and successes of Montana K-12 school technologists. META awards this honor to a technologist who has had a significant impact on the future technology readiness of their school district, who exhibits an exemplary level of collegiality and leadership and who displays the ability to create change within their district.

Veis is highly regarded with the Havre School District, the Hi-Line META region, and the Montana technology community as an expert in Infinite Campus. She is often sought out by other school districts for assistance and to help train individuals in using the student management system and has been a driving force in helping all users implement Infinite Campus to better serve the students of Havre Public Schools. Veis also manages the Havre School District website. This past summer the district website was 100 percent in compliance with The Americans With Disabilities Act.

There is no such thing as pretty good or close, Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson said in his nomination. Everything Kelly does, she does to the highest level possible and she is consistently seeking out ways to make our school district better.

Veis is an active member of META and has served as a co-director of the Hi-Line region since 2016. She hosts META regional meetings and provides a place for school technologists to discuss needs and brainstorm new ideas.

META is comprised of educational technologists united for the purpose of advocating for and supporting the visions, policies, practices, and funding for technology within all aspects of teaching, learning, and professional productivity and supporting the education of all Montana children.

META and the School Administrators of Montana members congratulate Veis for being selected to receive this award.
Editor,

The winter reading series at the Havre-Hill County Library was themed with the fascinating subject of birds. Rachel Rawn, library director, planned the theme and organized the books and speakers. The Friends of the Havre-Hill County Library, with support from Humanities Montana, sponsored the series.

The library made the books available before each discussion.

The series started with The Feather Thief by Kirk W. Johnson; the discussion was lead by Terri Hildebrand, a professor at Montana State University-Northern. Second in the series was Lets Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris; the discussion was led by Valerie Guyant, a professor at Northern. This book was followed by Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce; the discussion was led by Will Rawn, retired Northern professor. The last book was led by the author himself, Jim Robbins, The Wonder of Birds.

The Friends of the Havre-Hill County Library thank everyone involved in making this series successful. The birds series made for extraordinary discussions and an enlightening way to spend Thursday evenings at the library. The annual fundraisers such as the pie social and book sale sponsored by the Friends are what make programs like this possible. Check it out or join the Friends. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at noon with dues that are priced right.

The April meeting has been canceled. The Friends will meet on the third Thursday of May at noon; we will not meet in June, July and August. Call the Havre-Hill County Library at 265-2123 for the most recent information.

Friends of the Havre-Hill County Library
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  The Philippines' former top diplomat and the former Ombudsman denied that there is a political motive behind their filing of a communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"We are not politicians. We don't intend to drag in politics into our actions. This is not a political move. This is a move taken by private citizens who want to protect our marginalized fishermen," a feisty Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales told CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario also told The Source that they avoided adding politicians into their group that initiated the filing of a communication against Xi and other Chinese officials.

"We didn't want to politicize the effort that we are undertaking to help our people," Del Rosario said.

The two, who were appointed to their posts by former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, have called on ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to conduct a preliminary examination into China's actions in the South China Sea.

They said Beijing caused near-permanent environmental destruction which puts the livelihood of Filipino fishermen at risk.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the move was meant to produce a political outcome rather than a legal victory.

Guevarra clarified to CNN Philippines that his statement did not mean to paint Del Rosario and Morales' move in the ICC as a partisan action.

"'Political' is not the same as partisan, and ordinary acts which tend to influence the people's opinion on national issues and induce them to take a certain course of action are likewise political in character, without being partisan in its derogatory sense," he said in a text message.

Love for Xi?

In their communication, Del Rosario and Morales said they are taking the case straight to the ICC as the current climate in the Philippines is not conducive to any investigation or prosecution concerning the crimes allegedly committed by Beijing.

The two cited the "deferential attitude" and "love" of President Rodrigo Duterte to Xi in their communication to the ICC prosecutor.

"We saw that the government was unmoving in respect of this issue and we also saw that the ICC was on the verge of being withdrawn from the Philippines," Del Rosario said.

Morales said there is also no move on the part of the Philippines to file a case against Xi. She added that even if Xi were charged here, "the filing of a case and the proceedings have to be genuine."

Under the principle of complementarity, the ICC cannot dip its hands into cases that countries are able to probe and prosecute. If countries which are members of the ICC cannot do these, the international tribunal can step in.

CNN Philippines Senior Anchor and Correspondent Pinky Webb contributed to this report.
VOLUNTEERS are needed to help marshal the Remembrance parade in Wargrave.

Thames Valley Police says it will no longer provide traffic control for the event.

Hundreds of people take part in the annual parade, which is organised by the Wargrave branch of the Royal British Legion.

It travels through the village to St Marys Church on Remembrance Sunday.

All marshals are required to have a qualification in traffic management and the branch says it will send five volunteers on a one-day course. Any residents already with a qualification and who are willing to help are asked to make contact.

Last year, the Legion raised about 600 to hire a team of traffic marshals via a private company. But it says it is unlikely to be able to do this every year.

Chairman David Smith said: The parade is an essential feature of our village life which helps to remind us all of the importance of remembrance.

Many other towns and villages have already cancelled their parades  please do not allow Wargrave to be added to that list.

Anyone interested should call Mr Smith on 0118 940 4752 or David Butler on 0118 940 3707.
THE societys annual meeting was held on Tuesday, March 12 when the past year was reviewed, a new committee elected and details of the 2019-20 programme were given.

Following the formal part of the evening, society secretary Peter Delaney gave an illustrated presentation on the history of the Wargrave Village Festival.

Wargrave as a community has long held events for villagers to enjoy and take part in but it was in January 1974 that the then vicar, John Ratings, suggested the idea of a village festival in the parish magazine.

A meeting was called to: Explore the possibility of a village festival for 1975 centred on the church and Mill Green.

It will be a useful exercise to do something for village unity in the days when our country desperately needs a common aim and purpose.

Rev Canon Ratings idea was to unite the community and have fun together, whether from the big houses or Highfield Park, or anywhere in between.

All would be encouraged to take part, although many villagers thought he was crazy and that it would not work.

At about the same time the Wargrave Theatre Workshop was being formed and it was arranged that their presentation of Oliver! be part of the festival, along with a flower festival on the Saturday called Stalls on the Green followed by a ball in the evening and a concert in the church on the Sunday evening.

The subsequent issues of the magazine reported on the festival and even the weather picked up for those few days in early June.

The event showed a moderate profit, shared between the Theatre Workshop, the scouts, the flower arrangers, the guides, the Woodclyffe Hall, Woodclyffe Hostel, Crazies Hill village hall, Hare Hatch village hall and the church.

By July 1976 it was planned that there should be another village festival in June 1977 to mark the Queens silver jubilee.

A special newspaper, the Wargrave Times, was produced which included the festival programme and carried a message from the Queen that she hoped it would be a great success.

The range of events was greater, with the event lasting over two weeks. It was also judged a financial success and by October that year the question was being asked, When is the next festival? It was set to become a regular biennial event.

In 1979, new ideas included a best-dressed shop window competition, a horse show and gymkhana and a Miss Wargrave competition, although that year there was a disappointing response to the latter.

Veteran actor Robert Morley headed the parade in a horse-drawn carriage, then opened the festival fete.

The basic pattern was now set for future festivals  a Wargrave Theatre Workshop production over several evenings, a flower festival, concerts, sporting activities, an event for teenagers, a grand ball on the Friday of the last weekend and village fete on the following Saturday afternoon.

The festival queen event was run again in 1981 with much more success. It was won by Lizzie French who rode in the parade with Morley.

In 1983 there was lawn mower racing as well as another gymkhana and the festival parade was again led by Morley.

Various well-known local personalities have been involved at various times  Paul Daniels opened the fete, Mary Hopkin judged a knobbly knees contest and Peter Davison, then performing the part of veterinary surgeon Tristan Farnon in the BBCs All Creatures Great and Small, was one of the judges at a pet show.

In more recent times, each village festival has had a theme, reflected in the programme design, and many of the events are adapted to suit.

The Wargrave Local History Society has not only recorded the village festival but has also been actively involved with it.

Past events have included displays of historic photographs, historic village walks and antiques valuations.

For 2019, the theme is Thats Magic!, and the society is, of course, taking part again.

As Rev Canon Ratings said some years ago, the festival has gone from strength to strength and continues to bring all parts of the village together.

Our evening concluded with some film of the 1981 village festival and the audience recognised many familiar faces from 38 years ago.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 9, when members will visit Leander Club in Henley for a tour and to hear about its 200-year history.

On Tuesday, May 14, the subject will be Wargrave churchyard excavations, when the archaeologists who carried out the exploration in early 2018 will talk about what they found and what that shows about Wargrave and its inhabitants in centuries past.

Meetings are held in the meeting room at the Old Pavilion on the recreation ground off Recreation Road, starting at 8pm.

For more information, call Mr Delaney on 0118 940 3121 or visit www.wargrave

history.org.uk
AN Olympic champion rower, war hero and talented pianist... there was little Fred Kelly couldnt do.

Now a CD of music composed by the Sydney-born soldier is to be released more than 100 years after he died.

Kelly, a Henley Royal Regatta veteran who was killed at the Battle of the Somme, aged 35, wrote 36 pieces during his life, even revising some of the music while in the trenches. They included Elegy for Strings, written in memory of his friend, the poet Rupert Brooke, who died of sepsis from an infected mosquito bite off the coast of Greece in 1915.

A fund-raising campaign to release the compositions on CD has been started by Alex Wilson, a musician who hopes to perform and record them all in three days next month.

The Lost Piano Music of F S Kelly has already raised more than 4,000.

For more information or to donate, visit www.kickstarter.com/ projects/alexwilsonpianist/ the-lost-piano-music-of-fskelly
Cystic fibrosis campaigner Orla Tinsley is in hospital after suffering a health setback.

Last December she celebrated the first anniversary of her life-saving double-lung transplant, but over the weekend - her 32nd birthday - she was in enforced medical isolation.

The Kildare-born journalist, who now lives in New York, took to Twitter to say: "Thankful to finally get a bed today. Thankful treatment is working and will be well soon. Thankful for all the people who wished me happy birthday."

Before a hospital bed could be found for her, she said she spent three days in an ER cubicle.

"In better isolation room now. Surprised at how often I had to repeat, 'Transplant patients need isolation'," she wrote.

She received scores of messages wishing her a swift recovery, as well as a happy birthday.

One read: "Happy birthday Orla from a fellow double-lung transplant recipient. Keep on keepin' on, Orla."

Warrior

Another said: "Hope you get to celebrate your birthday out of hospital soon, Orla. The warrior woman can defeat any challenge."

Cystic fibrosis is a genetically inherited disease that mainly affects the lungs and digestive system.

Ms Tinsley has been at the forefront of the fight to improve awareness and services.

Her campaigning was instrumental in the opening of a dedicated CF unit at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.

Ms Tinsley featured in an RTE documentary that followed her living with the condition in Ireland and New York, her failing health and the transplant that arrived at the 11th hour.

While on life support at New York Presbyterian Hospital, she still allowed the cameras to document her distress and life-changing surgery.

Ms Tinsley has yet to be allowed by medics to return to Ireland for health reasons, though she is hoping to make a trip in September.
'Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers' reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges' (stock photo)

A cannabis user took a bag of the drug to a garda station to complain that it was "not of good quality".

Arthur Liwembe (33) was immediately arrested after he went to the station of his own accord and presented the cannabis to a garda on duty to say he was not happy with his purchase.

Judge John Hughes said Liwembe's behaviour was "illogical to say the least" and was indicative of a cannabis-induced "psychosis".

He adjourned the case for a probation report.

Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers' reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges.

Gda Ian Foley told Dublin District Court Liwembe went to Kilmainham Garda Station last July 10 and produced a bag of cannabis valued at 10.

He was searched and a box-cutter knife was found on him. The blade was for use in his work as a handyman, said defence solicitor Anne Fitzgibbon.

Aggressive

Gda Foley told Judge Hughes that he believed Liwembe was suffering from problems at the time.

"He said he had bought the drugs and believed them not to be of good quality and that was why he attended the garda station," Gda Foley said.

He was arrested on a later date when he returned, asked for the confiscated knife to be returned and became aggressive when this was refused.

Separately, Liwembe admitted repeatedly trespassing at an address where he used to live and work at Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore.

The court heard he got in without permission and damaged an internal door on one occasion.

Once, he was discovered in a bedroom and told gardai he was "just trying to sleep" and was under the "misapprehension that he still lived there".

The accused came here from Malawi in 2012 as a student nurse but his visa ran out and he applied for residency on the basis of having an Irish-born child, Ms Fitzgibbon said.

Liwembe had been using cannabis, which could lead to "transient psychotic symptoms", the lawyer added.

He was now off the drug.

Judge Hughes remanded him on continuing bail.
Leo Varadkar has examined the Brexit plans of Theresa May and opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he will work with Britain on Brexit, regardless of who is the country's prime minister.

Mr Varadkar was speaking on RTE's Week In Politics yesterday when he was pressed on rumours that Theresa May's position has become untenable within her cabinet, and that ministers are allegedly plotting to oust the embattled Conservative leader.

The Taoiseach said he believed Mrs May could deliver Brexit, but added that his Cabinet has ensured the British-Irish working relationship was not dependent on Mrs May alone.

Consumed

"I think she can continue, but one thing I know, is that I should not interfere in internal politics in the UK," he said.

"Whoever the prime minister is, we will work with that prime minister, we've made sure over the last two years we have very good links not just at prime minister-level and taoiseach-level, but also between [UK chancellor] Philip Hammond and Paschal Donohoe and so on.

"Whoever is prime minister we will work with them.

"It didn't have to be this bad, I think what's happened is the UK is now consumed with Brexit.

"Even after they leave, assuming they leave with a Withdrawal Agreement, they will spend two or three years consumed about what the future relationship is going to be like.

"We have to make sure we're not consumed and defined by it, and my job as Taoiseach is to make sure we limit any damage so we can get on with our ambitious plan for the future."

The Taoiseach also responded to reports that German leader Angela Merkel had pushed for a task force to deal with the border issue, which had put Ireland under pressure.

"I'm not under any pressure from Chancellor Merkel or anyone else on this issue," he said.

"What Chancellor Merkel or President Macron would do is ask reasonable questions. I'm not sure what people think happens at European Council meetings.

"We don't go to have dinner, we have robust engagements, hard questions are asked and answered and we come to a consensus position and stand by that position."

Mr Varadkar also took aim at Mrs May's political opponent, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

"Our Plan A is getting the Withdrawal Agreement ratified and that is still possible," he said.

"Plan B could involve UK changing position in the next couple of weeks - on the customs union, for example.

"Corbyn's customs union is cake-and-eat-it as well. It's a customs union but still with the ability to have state aids and so on."

Mr Varadkar was also asked about Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth after the idea was floated by a DUP MP at the Fine Gael party conference.

"It's not something that's on the agenda," he said.
'So much we want the public to know': Meritus COVID cases surge again
Each year, Susan Bernstein, Jewish Pavilion program director, travels to Guatemala to visit with Mayan women artisans who have been trained to use their skills in weaving, beading, and crocheting to produce beautiful Judaic products that include kippot, tallitot, challah covers, and mezuzah cases.

Fair Trade Values closely match Jewish ethics, making it a logical partnership for Bernstein, who sees her work with the Jewish Pavilion as a way to connect with Jewish residents in the Orlando area while educating and informing non-Jewish seniors, who might choose to attend Jewish Pavilion programs.

One of the Fair-Trade principles states that the artisan must receive a fair price for their product and receive payment in a timely manner. This is directly associated with the Jewish value of Linat Sachar-pay wages on time. In Deuteronomy 24:14-15 it states, "You shall not abuse a needy or destitute laborer, whether countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for his needs and his life depend on it."

For more information regarding Mayan Judaic products, please visit the following websites: http://www.mayanhands.org and http://www.mayaworks.org.
(JTA)-Though he may be one of France's best-known puppet makers, Michel Nedjar insists he does not really create the acclaimed and haunting figures that he calls his "Purim puppets."

A former tailor's apprentice whose life's work last week went on display at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Lille, Nedjar says he merely "exhumes" his puppets to reconnect to his brethren who were murdered in the Holocaust, to his lover and mentor who died of AIDS - and to his Jewish roots.

The talk of exhumation is no cryptic metaphor by Nedjar, whose 2005 exhibition titled "Purim Puppets" was featured for years at the Paris Museum of Jewish Arts and History.

He literally buries some of his puppets in the ground for long periods of time before digging up their decomposed remains. The process is a communion with many of his relatives shot dead by the Nazis and dumped into mass graves in his ancestral Poland.

"The Holocaust is something I carry within myself wherever I go, since I first learned of those graves" as a boy, Nedjar, 69, said in a 2016 documentary about his life titled "The Forbidden Areas of Michel Nedjar."

He doesn't bury all his puppets. Some live up to the title of his collection referencing Purim-the holiday of costumes and buffoonery, when Jews are encouraged to drink alcohol and rejoice. They include the colorful and sophisticated pinata-like objects that he was inspired to create while touring Central America, Southern Asia and beyond in the 1970s.

But the exhumed ones, with their hollowed-out, gaping eye sockets, earth-filled mouths and rotting beards, are the stuff of nightmares. And they are the reason that institutions like the Lille Metropolitan, which the Le Figaro daily has ranked among the seven best French museums outside Paris, are lining up to display the work of a tailor's apprentice with no formal education.

Nedjar's Sephardic father, an affluent tailor and textile merchant, and his Ashkenazi mother sought, like many parents of their generation, to insulate him from the horror that ended just two years before his birth, when a quarter of French Jews were exterminated along with much of European Jewry.

"Our parents did not want to talk to us about any of it," Nedjar says in the documentary, referring to his sister. "I remember them always laughing and smiling."

His only concern as a child, Nedjar recalls, was hiding from his parents that he liked to play with his sister's dolls-a preference he says was an early manifestation of his sexual orientation. So he would bury the forbidden playthings in his backyard.

Growing up privileged and happy, nothing prepared Nedjar for the 1956 documentary film "Night and Fog," which shocked the world by showing, for one of the first times in wide distribution, graphic footage from the concentration camps.

"It devastated me," Nedjar said. "I was one with the victims. There was a shot of a grave, and I entered that grave and I felt all those bodies around me."

Nedjar said he realized for the first time that had he been born just two years earlier, he also "would've been killed for being a Jew."

It was after watching the film at the age of 9 that Nedjar said he exhumed his doll for the first time as a therapeutic exercise.

"Exhuming that puppet was to exhume all those dead that were inside me now. It was too heavy, too painful," he said. "You can call it therapy, you can call it an attempt to reach the surface and breathe. That puppet saved me."

In a way, that puppet also made Nedjar a well-known artist in France. After displaying his buried Purim puppets he was able to present and sell his work at prestigious art galleries.

But it would take decades for Nedjar to transform that childhood experience into the inspiration behind his trademark technique.

A poor student who flunked high school, Nedjar was put to work at his father's atelier, where he completed a tailor's apprentice training. Then he started selling clothes and textiles with his maternal grandmother, who taught him Yiddish, at the main flea market in Paris. Back then, it was a heavily Jewish institution, with many Ashkenazi merchants.

Nedjar says it was good for his development as an artist.

One of the items in Michel Nedjar's exhibition titled 'Purim Puppets.'

"There was always schmattes lying around the house and at the market," he recalled, using the Yiddish word for rags. "I started working with it, sewing crazy clothes and designs from old curtains, which the hippies during the 1970s absolutely adored, so I was able to save money and travel the world."

In Mexico, Nedjar lived with the filmmaker Teo Hernandez, who would become Nedjar's great love and artistic mentor.

Upon leaving Mexico, Nedjar sank into an acute depression that worsened as many of his friends contracted the HIV virus that causes AIDS  the disease that in 1992 claimed Hernandez's life.

Bereaved, depressed and considering psychiatric treatment, Nedjar's mind circled back to the puppets he buried and exhumed as a child decades earlier to deal with his grief over the Holocaust.

"I told myself I needed to rescue myself with the puppets," he said. "I don't know why but I had this intuition."
PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain (JTA)-On this island south of Barcelona, Jews celebrate Purim these days pretty much as they do most anywhere else in Europe.

There's the reading of the Book of Esther at the small synagogue near the marina, followed by a costume party bringing together the different contingents of Palma's Jewish population of several hundred: unaffiliated Israeli families, retired British sun lovers, Sephardic locals and French businessmen, to name a few.

But only 50 years ago, Purim was the holiest day of the year-comparable to Yom Kippur-for this island's unique Jewish community. Persecuted for centuries during the Spanish Inquisition, the forcibly converted Jews of Mallorca had exploited their persecutors' relative ignorance of Purim to mourn their situation and sustain their faith and culture.

"Purim wasn't celebrated in Mallorca, it was sorrowfully observed in secret," said Rabbi Nissan Ben-Avraham, a Mallorca native from a family of chuetas-the local name for anusim, or those who were forcibly converted to Christianity during the Inquisition.

Celebrating any of the major Jewish holidays-including Passover, Sukkot and Shavuot  would have been too risky for chuetas, a minority that for centuries had been treated with suspicion and occasionally violence. Those holidays were too well-known and featured too many distinctive customs to be practiced safely.

But Purim was obscure enough to be observed undetected, according to Ben-Avraham, who had served until two years ago as the emissary to Mallorca for Shavei Israel, a group that helps those with Jewish ancestry reconnect to Judaism.

In previous centuries, a holiday that celebrates the Jews' triumph over people who conspired to annihilate them in fifth-century B.C. Persia was far less joyous than its carnival-like character today. Jews only began dressing up on Purim in the 16th century. Before that, the holiday's essence was primarily in the daylong Fast of Esther, which comes immediately before the actual holiday and is meant as a sign of gratitude to God for the survival of Jews in Persia.

The fast aligned comfortably with Lent, a 40-day period in early spring during which Catholics abstain from certain indulgences, including meat. Many Christians would fast on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, thereby providing a handy alibi for chuetas observing the Fast of Esther at around the same time, Ben-Avraham explained.

Some chuetas fasted on Purim as recently as 30 years ago, according to Dolores Forteza Rei, a member of the Memoria de la Carrer association that is dedicated to the preservation of chueta heritage. Her late father, Jose, began fasting on Purim in the 1930s upon his return to the island from the Spanish Civil War.

"He kept fasting on Purim right until he died," Forteza Rei said.

Chuetas today form a minority of about 15,000, very few of whom regard themselves as Jews. In the past, however, they had a deeper, emotional connection to the story of Purim and particularly to its protagonist Esther.

According to the story, Esther was called upon by her uncle to enter the harem of the Persian king Ahasuerus and foil his evil adviser's plan to annihilate the kingdom's Jews. Hiding her Jewish identity until the story's climax, Esther was defined as an "anusa" already in the 19th century by the Malbim, a rabbinic sage from what is now Ukraine.

"Of course we connect in a very powerful way to her story and character," said Iska bat Valls, a 60-year-old chueta who converted to Judaism several years ago. She is now an active member of Mallorca's tiny Jewish congregation of several dozen people.

For generations, the near-homophones Estelle and Stela were particularly popular first names for chueta girls as a tribute to the heroine.

Both Toni Pinya, a chueta who converted back to Judaism and is now a board member of the Jewish Community of Mallorca, and Rabbi Ben-Avraham recall getting beaten up and harassed at school in Palma as late at the 1960s by classmates who called them "Christ killers" and "dirty chuetas."

Pinya's parents were married in secret at dawn in the 1950s to avoid a riot because his father was a chueta, Pinya explained during an interview at the local synagogue.

A small space on the ground floor of a residential building next to a Thai massage parlor, the synagogue boasts a Star of David on its gate and a mezuzah on its front door.

Such recognizable features were unthinkable at the three secret synagogues where chuetas had practiced their Judaism discreetly for many years after the Inquisition. Located at the old center of Palma de Mallorca, the capital of the island of Mallorca, these synagogues no longer exist. One of them, located on a quiet alley so narrow that only small cars can negotiate it, is now a leather shop. Another is a church.

But after the fall of the pro-Catholic dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1975, anti-chueta sentiment declined and with it the need for secrecy around the Purim customs. By then, thousands of tourists to Mallorca had transformed the remote island into a European party capital, Forteza Rei said.

"Suddenly we were not the foreigners anymore. Being chueta became irrelevant. An anecdote," she said.

Pinya, a chef who also cooks for the synagogue, is one of dozens of chuetas who converted to Judaism over the past two decades.

Nowadays, "Purim is just a great attraction for unaffiliated Jews, especially the Israeli ones with children," said Dani Rotstein, a founder of the island's Limmud conference of Jewish learning.

A New Jersey native who specializes in video productions, Rotstein settled in Mallorca in 2014 and started the Limmud festival there last year.

Still, Purim resonates with Mallorca's Jews in much deeper ways than elsewhere, he said.

"It's not surprising, when you think about it," Rotstein said. "Many chuetas basically feel that this story is about their own lives."
Climate change?...

I received a report from the Environmental Defense Fund recently. It said in large red letters, WE ARE A PLANET IN DANGER!

I pass it on to you:

United Nation Secretary-General, ANTONIO GUTERRES said, This report by the worlds leading climate scientists is an ear-splitting wake-up call to the world. It confirms that climate change is running faster than we are, and we are running out of time.

And EDF president FRED KRUPP said, No single entity can mitigate climate change. We must build a global set of partnerships resolved to accelerate our transition to a clean energy future.

(I hope leaders of our planet listen to this warning and prepare. I am not so much worried for me as I am a senior citizen. But I have dear grandchildren, and what about their children? We must act starting yesterday... or at least now!)

Its getting worse...

Im referring to anti-Semitism. I repeat, I am a senior citizen, but I worry about my children, grandchildren, etc. Anti-Semitism is definitely on the rise. We must stop it NOW!

Switzerland is a beautiful country. I have had the pleasure of visiting there a few years back. But now, stories like this are beginning to happen:

A kosher butcher shop in Basel, Switzerland, fell victim to what local Jews are calling an anti-Semitic campaign of intimidation, according to a report by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In one of the attacks, unidentified perpetrators removed the letter J from the German-language word for Jewish from a shop sign, as well as two of the Hebrew-language letters from the word kosher. In another incident, the shops window display was shattered.

LEOPOLD STEFANSKY, the president of the Basel Jewish community, said the community is considering hiring a security firm and a video surveillance system, but it costs.

In 2016, the Swiss Interior Ministrys Service for the Fight Against Racism published a report saying that Switzerlands Jews need to pay for their own security, even though this is the responsibility of the government.

Following an outcry, a motion calling for the federal government to fund the security costs of Swiss Jews, estimated at about $450,000 annually, was adopted by the lower and upper chambers of the Swiss parliament and approved by the government.

Purim celebration...

I recently heard from spokesman LARRY OSKIN and pass it along:

Congregation Sinai will host their annual Purim Pizza Party celebration service starting on Friday, March 23 starting at 6 p.m. This service will be filled with entertaining music, special foods and a festive party celebration. There will be Purim pizzas, salads, drinks, schpiels, a Megillah reading and groggers for everyone. There will be prizes for the best Purim costumes.

Friday night Purim family services will begin at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to the services. Purim dinners will only be $5 per person and $10 for families. For further information, call 352-243-5353.

Congregation Sinai is located at 1200 West Broad Street, Groveland, Florida.

To RSVP for the Purim party, contact KAREN MILLER, 407-729-9823.

JCC 39ers Cinema Sundays...

The event begins at 2 p.m. in the JCC Seniors Lounge. The movie is The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Refreshments will be available.

JCC 39ers Meet & Mingle Mondays...

The event takes place at the JCC Seniors Lounger at 1 p.m. There will be an address by KEITH DVORCHIK.

Refreshments are included.

Dine Around Town...

On Thursday, March 28th, the JCC 39ers and all other JCC members are welcome to gather at The Breakfast Club, 745 Orienta Avenue #1061 in Altamonte Springs, at 1 p.m.

(No Calories? Im attending!)

Shout-Out...

Theres a new restaurant called the Metro Diner on State Road 436 in Casselberry Commons. One of the managers is KEVIN, a friendly and helpful person. Our server, KAY CARR, is absolutely the best at what she does... and is sweet, pleasant and friendly.

Also, I found out that we have something in common. Kay is an aspiring vocalist! Right now, as a server, she can sing the praises of the Metro Diner food! (And I will too!) Yum!!!!)

One for the road...

One day, as young Arnold is walking in the park with his friends, he comes across a white-haired old man sitting on a park bench reading a book.

Arnold loves books, so he goes over to the old man and asks, What are you reading, mister?

A history book, replies the old man.

Arnold quickly looks at the books cover and cant help noticing that its called, Making Love the Shmutzy Way. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Arnold says to the old man, But its a book about... about sex, isnt it?

Oy, youre right there, son, replies the old man looking rather sad. But its also a history book because unfortunately for me, sex is history.
(JTA)Every year before Purim, my inbox and social media fill up with dire exhortations from rabbis and yeshivas warning against the dangers of celebratory excessas if drunkenness on the holiday were something new.

In reality, the after-Purim regrets have been part of the discourse ever since Rabbah drunkenly attacked and inadvertently killed his dear friend Rabbi Zeira in the Talmud (dont worryhe was revived in the end). Rabbis and communal leaders across the religious spectrum have condemned drunken revelry on a holiday dedicated to excess and carousing, noting it often leads to harming life and limb. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of the Hasidic Chabad movement, outlawed more than four drinks at a time for anyone younger than 40.

But even before all of that, it turns out that the ancient Romanswho werent exactly known for their sobrietyattempted to control wild Purim parties as early as the year 408.

An unusual bit of the Theodosian Code (16.8.18) is apparently the first non-Jewish source to document the phenomenon of Purim parties that get out of hand. Specifically, the law prohibited Jews from burning Haman in effigy. For Jews, the practice of symbolically destroying the notorious villain of the book of Esther, the paradigm of anti-Semitism, was considered an aspect of the Purim commandment to erase the name of Amalek, Hamans Jew-hating ancestor.

The Romans werent especially discomfited by the idea of vicariously punishing enemies, or even maintaining fire safety. They were, however, concerned that drunken Jewish celebrants might use the opportunity to mock Christians by portraying Haman as a sacrilegious stand-in for Jesus. This is especially true because the favored method of representing Hamans death in the ancient world wasnt hanging by the neckhe was crucified on a wooden cross.

The biblical passage that literally describes Hamans hanging on a tree (Esther 7:10) was rendered as crucified in the ancient works of the Jewish historian Josephus, the early translations of the book of Esther into Greek (Septuagint) and Latin (Vulgate), and all through the Middle Ages in literary classics like Dantes Purgatory. Artistic representations also depicted Haman on the cross, such as the 15th-century Azor Masters and even by Michelangelo, who painted a muscular Haman on a cross on the Sistine Chapel.

Its not hard to imagine how public Purim execrations of Haman, conducted by an inebriated crowd of Jews, could easily be misperceived by Christian observers, especially if the effigy of Haman is bound to a wooden cross. In fact, only a few years after the law in the Theodosian Code was promulgated, a Church historian named Socrates Scholasticus tendentiously described an event that sounded very much like a drunken Purim celebration gone horribly wrong: In Inmestar, Syria, a group allegedly seized a Christian child, bound him to a cross and scourged him until he died.

Socrates Scholasticus is not especially reliable as a source for Jewish history, but as the historian Elliot Horowitz has demonstrated in his masterful studies of Purim violence, it didnt take much to convince Christian audiences that Jews were in fact bent on committing acts of horrific violence. From Inmestar to Norwich to Nazi Germany and beyond, the noxious lie of the blood libel continues to plague innocent Jewish communities. Its too awful to think that it might in some way be connected to misunderstood, misapprehended, harmless Purim festivities.

The blood libels were just that. But because the Christian majority was so quick to feel threatened by Jewish revelry, violent or just intemperate, it was better for the Jews own sake that they tone it down.

Some might be tempted to argue that drunken revelry is essential to the celebration and that non-Jewish viewers should develop a sense of humor about the holiday. Yet isnt that the same argument recently made by Bram De Baere, the designer of a carnival float in Aalst, Belgium, that depicted Jews in stereotypically ugly ways? De Baere told a Belgian newspaper that Carnival is a time when everyone and everything can be laughed at. If you were to forbid that, you would be attacking the DNA of Aalst at its core.

Not everything is fair game for mockery, even on Purim. True, theres a big difference between a tiny, relatively powerless community poking fun at the dominant people on one day of the year on the one hand, and the majority population using their position of power to demean a hapless minority on the other.

But I have to give this one to the Romans: The law of 408 wasnt anti-Purimit was anti-poor taste.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
(JNS)The student government at Columbia University rejected a referendum on Sunday night calling on the school to support the movement to boycott Israel.

After a four-hour intense meeting consisting of more than 150 onlookers, the Columbia College Student Council failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass the BDS proposal, similar to one in 2017 that also proved unsuccessful.

Students worked very hard to defeat this BDS campaign and should be commended for their work. Columbia/Barnard Hillel will continue to invest in connecting students to Israel, including the more than 200 who travel to Israel with Hillel annually. This continued investment has never been more important, its executive director, Brian Cohen, told JNS.

While I am relieved that the vote will be the end of BDS on campus for now, damage has been done: These votes polarize campus and contribute to a difficult environment for Jewish students, he said. I am proud of our students, who spoke so eloquently and passionately about Israel, the danger BDS poses both to Israelis and Palestinians, and the negative ways it impacts the campus community.

Ofir Dayan the president of Students Supporting Israel (SSI) Columbia, which was involved in the lobbying against the BDS resolution, called it a historic moment for the school.

Jewish and pro-Israel groups heralded the result.

A politically diverse coalition of students came together to oppose the discriminatory proposal, said Rena Nasar, StandWithUs managing director of campus affairs. They successfully argued that it failed to meet CCSCs requirement that referendum questions be fairly worded, feasible, and in adherence with the mission and policies of CCSC and Columbia College.

AMCHA Initiative director Tammi Rossman-Benjamin told JNS that we commend Columbia students for seeing through the BDS charade. Everyone knows these resolutions carry no weight. Their only purpose is to divide the campus, shut down legitimate discourse and debate, induce hate, and marginalize and ostracize those on campus who support, or are presumed to support, Israelnamely, the vast majority of Jewish students.

In fact, research demonstrates that the more BDS, the more anti-Semitism on campus, she continued. Kudos to Columbia for rejecting intolerant BDS.

The pro-Israel students at Columbia deserve enormous credit. They opposed this resolution with courage and confidence, Maccabee Task Force executive director David Brog told JNS. And they did so together as a community, despite organizational differences. They prove that the truth about Israel is still compelling, and that unity is still powerful.

He added that while the vote was closer than we would have liked, this victory in such a challenging environment should encourage pro-Israel students across the country.

While representatives for Bnai Brith breathed a sigh of relief, they also expressed caution.

While the vote appears on the surface to be a partial victory for those rejecting BDS, its only on a technicality that it wasnt adopted, the organization told JNS in a statement. That so many voted in favor of BDS speaks to the deeply troubling nature of pro-BDS activity on university campuses.

Masha Merkulova, founder and executive director of Club Z, told JNS, Columbias students proved once again that when it comes to BDS, being pro-active is what works. Having a strong presence of openly pro-Israel community, and normalizing Zionism as an inseparable part of Jewish identity is what will continue to make a difference on campuses across the country.
JERUSALEM (JTA)Diaspora Jews cant vote in Israeli elections.

Its been proposed and, so far, consistently shot down by Israeli lawmakers.

And, lets be honest, the average Israeli voter rarely, if ever, thinks about Diaspora Jews. And they base their votes on the same issues that voters in other countries dofor example, the economy, education, health care and security (OK, so the last one is more an Israeli thing).

So it should come as no surprise that most of the candidates in Israels national elections on April 9 are not really worried about having Diaspora Jewry on their agendas or their platforms.

But that isnt stopping one nongovernmental organization from trying.

Gesher is circulating a 30-second video clip in which nine young Diaspora Jews from communities around the world, including in Australia, Amsterdam, Spain and the United States, call on Israeli voters to Please ask Israeli politicians what they will do to connect Israel with Jews from all over the world. The video is subtitled and the question is repeated in Hebrew for said politicians.

The video includes the hashtag #VoteDiaspora.

It came out ahead of two incidents in Israel that highlight the disconnect between Israeli and Diaspora Jews: Violence at the Western Wall on Friday during a morning Rosh Chodesh prayer service that marked 30 years of such services by Women of the Wall, and the cancellation by Culture Minister Miri Regev of the lighting of a torch reserved for a representative of Diaspora Jewry during the ceremony on the eve of Yom Haatzmaut, Israels Independence Day.

Gesher is a 40-year-old NGO that has worked to bridge the gap between various segments of Israeli society. And in recent years it has also attempted to give Israeli opinion leaders an in-depth introduction to Diaspora Jewry.

Israeli journalist Tzvika Klein is an alumnus of a Gesher leadership program. Klein, who made aliyah from Chicago with his family as a child, was a natural fit for the program since he is the Jewish World reporter for the Hebrew-language Makor Rishon newspaper, spending his professional life reporting about Diaspora Jewry.

Its not ever going to be a subject that drives the elections, but were trying to make it something, he said of Diaspora Jewry issues, saying the campaign creates public discussion.

Klein says the 280 alumni of the Gesher programs that teach Israeli opinion leaders to appreciate Diaspora Jewry and take them for weeklong visits to those communities in the United States and the United Kingdom have embraced the #VoteDiaspora campaign, including sharing it on social media.

The political parties running in the upcoming elections have agreed to send representatives to a Gesher event next week that will see reporters, all alumni of the Diaspora programs, interview them about their stances on Diaspora Jewry. The heads of two of the parties  Rafi Peretz of Jewish Home and Tamar Zandberg of Meretz, will be among the representatives.

The State of Israel is the state of the entire Jewish people, and this calls for us to think also about the issue of Diaspora Jewry, Ilan Geal-Dor, CEO of Gesher, said in a statement. Without this help from Jews outside of Israel, we may not have survived. Without connections and partnerships, we have too much to lose.
Mohammed Shtayyeh (l) accepts the position of prime minister of the Palestinian Authority and the duty to appoint a new government by leader Mahmoud Abbas.

(The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs via JNS)-Two developments currently taking place in the Palestinian arena deserve our attention, and both of these are interlinked: the proposed new government in Ramallah and the situation at the Al-Aqsa plaza on the Temple Mount.

In Ramallah, P.A. leader Mahmoud Abbas has asked Mohammad Shtayyeh to form a new government, while on the Temple Mount, tensions continue to mount around the Golden Gate or "Gate of Mercy" (Sha'ar HaRachamim or Bab el Rahma).

Until Shtayyeh forms a government, Rami Hamdallah is still the acting prime minister of the P.A. It may still take some time for him to form a new government unless Abbas is ready to make a big compromise on the nature of this new administration.

First, who is Shtayyeh, and what does he stand for?

Like Hamdallah and Salam Fayyad before him, Shtayyeh comes from Nablus and is linked to the business community. Previously, he was president of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction,1 the leading economic institute in the Palestinian Authority. Unlike his predecessors, he is a senior Fatah official in the West Bank.

He is a promoter of the BDS movement, in favor of ending security coordination with the Israel Defense Forces and seeks to end the Paris Protocols that refer to a joint economy with Israel.

It is interesting to watch the extent to which these popular campaigns inside Fatah may reflect real life.

The Nablus connection

Shtayyeh's appointment indicates that the P.A. follows a tradition of nominating its prime ministers from Nablus to avoid alienating the north from its main body, which is centered in Ramallah.

In this respect, Hebron in the south appears to be lost.

According to Ramallah sources, Abbas was in no hurry to implement the decisions of the Fatah Central Committee to nominate a Fatah-controlled government, and he delayed doing so even after Hamdallah submitted his resignation. The timing of the decision came, according to sources, when he heard about progress in the talks in Cairo between Egypt and Hamas.

He therefore wanted to dissolve the government led by Hamdallah to set back any progress in Cairo.

Egypt, Hamas and Fatah

Egypt is not holding contacts with Hamas as a legitimate power, but on an ad hoc basis, and it insists to Hamas that Ramallah is the legal ruling authority. By dissolving the current and recognized Hamdallah government, any progress between Egypt and Hamas is blocked.

It is important to note that Hamas is also not in a hurry to renew its own "Gaza Committee," which was the actual government in Gaza, and they are waiting to see if a Fatah government will indeed be established in Ramallah.

Why would Hamas have any doubts about this?

Firstly, Shtayyeh is not a Fatah fighter. According to Palestinian criteria, to be considered a true Fatah fighter, one must spend time in an Israeli prison. With Shtayyeh, this is not the case.

At the very least, Shtayyeh may be expected to give Fatah senior officials leading positions in his new government. However, according to an interview he gave to RT, Shtayyeh does not appear to be thinking in this direction.2 Rather than referring to his new administration as a "Fatah government," he said that it would be "everybody's government."

Fatah's main concern now is that their senior officials be promoted to key positions that will reflect what will happen the "day after" Abbas.

If no Fatah senior figure is promoted in the government, it may mean that after the demise of Abbas, the "private sector" (meaning the business community) will take the reins of power rather than Fatah.

The reason why Abbas is not interested in promoting any of the "real Fatah" seniors is to avoid inflaming the succession struggle now.

Instead of a "Fatah government" as such, Abbas is more interested in a "PLO government" due to his struggle with Hamas over the legitimacy of the PLO's authority.

While Hamas derives its legitimacy from the 2006-07 elections and the Palestinian Legislative Council, the parliament that was elected then, Abbas wants to solidify the legitimacy of the historic PLO and to make it the legitimate source of the proposed new government.

Siding with 'terrorist' organizations?

But here lies the main problem, which is the inability of the P.A. chief to make the main compromise in forming this government.

The leading PLO organizations, including the Popular Front, the Democratic Front and Islamic Jihad, are aligned with Hamas rather than Ramallah. It is now taken for granted that they will not join Shtayyeh's new government, but will instead stay with the Hamas War Chamber.

It is expected that Shtayyeh will "open the door" to those organizations, which are "terrorist" according to every definition, thereby putting the continuation of world financial aid to Ramallah at risk.

Only tiny organizations, such as the once pro-Saddam Arab Front, are aligned with Abbas through financial subsidies, of course.

All of the above is linked to the Jerusalem issue. Ramallah wants to make to fight for Jerusalem the leading national struggle, while for Hamas, the central battle is along the borders. Abbas's aim is to attract the PLO organizations to join Ramallah at the expense of Gaza.
You can see it in their faces and hear it their voices, which come alive with passion as they speak about their 40-year commitment to the Greater Orlando Jewish community: Stuart and Jo Ann Farb derive pure joy out of the act of giving.

From the simple act of helping out a stranger to more formidable undertakings like shaping a community, the Farbs' approach to giving is rooted in a simple but powerful philosophy: Do the right thing.

The Farbs' long history of doing the right thing and giving back to the community-specifically their decades-long commitment to The Roth Family Jewish Community Center-has earned them a well-deserved moment in the spotlight as the top honorees at next week's J Ball gala at the Orlando Science Center.

"We often talk about giving your time, your talent, your treasure," said Keith Dvorchik, CEO of The Roth Family JCC. "Stuart and Jo Ann have given all three. We wouldn't have the type of community we do without leaders like them."

The Farbs' involvement as a couple with the JCC dates to the late 1970s, when the Maitland campus was poised to blossom from its humble origins as a single converted farmhouse to a complex that became the bustling hub of Jewish life in Central Florida.

The Farbs' children, Joel ("M.J."), Rebecca and David, attended the JCC's preschool and summer camp. Two of their grandchildren followed suit. Their two newest grandchildren, ages 6 months and 10 weeks, will attend the preschool in the near future. And there's little doubt that one day the Farbs' great-grandchildren will be regulars at the J as well.

Although they may be too young to fully appreciate it today, the Farbs' grandchildren have learned and grown and built friendships on a campus that Stuart was instrumental in shaping. As JCC president from 1991 to 1993, he helped to coordinate a major campus expansion that was well underway but, with a nation in recession and donors cutting back on charitable giving, was threatened by financial challenges. He served as a steady hand and kept the community focused on achieving its dream of a large, modern Jewish Community Campus. Just as important, he worked to help the JCC develop future leadership to ensure that the organization was prepared for the responsibilities that came with an expanded campus.

Stuart has also held various board and leadership roles in the community at Jewish organizations such as Temple Israel, Central Florida Hillel and the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando.

To see how important giving is to the Farbs, you need look no further than one of their first dates when both were students at the University of Florida. It was a chance encounter with a Salvation Army bell-ringer one November evening in Gainesville that Jo Ann said changed her life.

"We were poor college students. We had gone out to eat, and on the way out we walked past a bell-ringer," she recalled. "And Stuart being Jewish... the Salvation Army... it just didn't connect to me. But he walked over and put money in the kettle. And I was so impressed by his generosity."

He explained to Jo Ann that he believed tzedakah applies to everyone, not just Jews.

"I had never met anyone who was that willing to give, from his heart and from his pocketbook," she said. That's the moment that cemented their bond, one that has grown stronger through 47 years of marriage and the raising of a loving family.

Ask the Farbs' children what they cherish most, and they don't miss a beat: family. It is a value instilled in them-and reinforced to this day-by their parents. To Jo Ann, the idea of "family" applies not just to her blood relatives, but also to the larger Jewish community.

Jo Ann began her involvement with the JCC in 1979, when son Joel started nursery school in that original converted farmhouse. She immediately began making connections with other mothers. These connections, along with those she and Stuart made at their synagogue, were the roots of what Jo Ann calls their extended family. They are friendships she cherishes to this day.

Jo Ann describes The Roth Family JCC not as a place, but as an experience that encompasses family, community and a sense of history.

"We made friends with people who had children that were our children's age," she said. "In a way, we all grew up together, as parents... The coolest thing to me now is when I go to the J to pick up my grandchildren, I see my children's contemporaries with their children, and I see my contemporaries with their grandchildren. It's an amazing community-a circle that just keeps on growing and growing."

Both Stuart and Jo Ann are characteristically humble when the discussion turns to their being lauded at this year's J Ball.

"I am honored, I am humbled and I am appreciative," Stuart said, "but I would be foolish if I didn't think there were so many others out there who deserve it just as much as Jo Ann and I."

For the JCC's Dvorchik, the selection of the Farbs is not only deserved; it's personal.

"I was lucky enough to meet Jo Ann and Stuart through their Gator and Hillel connections," said Dvorchik, who previously served as CEO of UF's Hillel.

"A big part of my choosing to come to Orlando was based on knowing the community and knowing people like Jo Ann and Stuart were involved," Dvorchik said. "They are the cornerstone of our community, and we are all blessed to be able to call the Farbs our friends."

Stuart hopes this award shows other JCC supporters that gifts of all sizes really are appreciated and really do make a difference. And when it comes to talk of a legacy, he says it all hinges on the values we cherish most.

"Hopefully my legacy will be that he was a good man, a good father and a good grandfather... who always tried to do the right thing."

The Roth Family JCC will also be honoring Judy Galkin, a 33-year employee at the Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center, with the Harriet Weiss JCC Legacy Award. The award was established to celebrate the efforts of a dedicated individual who has paved the way for others and will leave a legacy for others to carry the torch.

Judy Galkin

"We are very fortunate this year to be able to put the spotlight on Stuart, Jo Ann and Judy-three truly extraordinary people whose good work is a permanent part of our JCC's rich history," Dvorchik said.

Tickets are still on sale for the March 27 gala and can be purchased online at orlandojcc.org/jball: $100 general admission; $75 for parents of JCC preschool students and seniors over 64; $36 for members of The Tribe young adults group (must have attended at least one Tribe event previously).

The ticketing page also has information about creating a personalized congratulatory message for this year's J Ball honorees. Those messages will be displayed on the main stage video screen throughout the J Ball.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (l) with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman on the Golan Heights, March 11, 2019.

(JNS)-After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Golan Heights this week together with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk set off a firestorm when he tweeted, "Like it or not, the Golan Heights are Syrian territory. Israel cannot give them up now given its legitimate security concerns. But to recognize Israel's annexation of territory that is not its own is to play with fire for partisan political purposes. No Arab state will accept it."

There is general consensus in Israel that the Golan Heights in Israel's north is essential to Israel's security, and that the region played an important role in Jewish history as well. Where that consensus ends is in regard to whether Israel can and should keep it.

Towards the end of the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Golan from the attacking Syrian army. In 1981, Israel's Knesset voted to apply Israeli law to the Golan Heights, but stopped short of formally annexing it. After 1967 and for the next 40 years, multiple attempts by a number of Israeli prime ministers to give the Golan Heights to Syria in exchange for peace ended in failure over Syrian refusal to cut ties with terror organizations and Iran.

Efraim Inbar, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told JNS that "international law recognizes acquisition of territory via defensive wars. In 1967, Syria was the aggressor."

Inbar noted that the Golan Heights has been in Israel's hands longer than it was ever in the hands of the Syrian state (from 1946).

Given the threat that Iran now poses in the region, as well as the fractured status of the Syrian regime after eight years of civil war, most Israelis view the region as essential to its security. On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces exposed a Hezbollah terror cell that was established in a border village in the Golan Heights.

"This morning, Israel exposed a Hezbollah terror network on the Golan Heights. Hezbollah is a terror organization. It's a proxy of Iran. It does Iran's bidding and this terror network is part of Iran's aggression against Israel," Netanyahu said in response.

During his tour, Graham demonstrated strong support for Israel's presence on the Golan Heights and promised to push for U.S. recognition of Israel's right to govern the region.

He told reporters: "There is no construct I can imagine now or any time in the future for the state of Israel to give the Golan up."

The senator added that he would ask U.S. President Donald Trump about recognizing the area.

"I will go back to the U.S. Senate, working with Senator [Ted] Cruz; I will start an effort to recognize the Golan as part of the State of Israel, now and forever," said Graham. "Because to give this territory up would be a strategic nightmare for the State of Israel..."

Companion resolutions calling on the United States to follow through with this recognition were introduced last month by Cruz, in addition to Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.).

Support for Israel's control over the Golan Heights also has bipartisan support, with top Democrats, such as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) calling for the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) also sent a letter to Trump in January, also calling for recognition of the Golan.

Additionally, the United States also changed its description of the Golan Heights from "Israeli-occupied" to "Israeli-controlled" in it annual global human-rights report released on Wednesday.

Gently mocking what he seemed to consider Indyk's apparent double standard, Inbar said, "I did not hear Indyk speaking about returning American territory in the West to Mexico." Inbar was referring to the disputed annexation in 1845 of the Republic of Texas by the U.S. Congress. Mexico refused to formally recognize its sovereignty.

'The status under international law'

Others, however, were less critical of Indyk.

Pnina Sharvit Baruch, a senior research fellow at the Israel Institute for National Security Studies, told JNS that she read Indyk's comments and said thought "he is right in his analysis."

Sharvit Baruch agreed with Indyk that the Golan "never belonged to Israel nor was it part of the [1947 U.N.] partition plan."

One Twitter user wrote in response to Indyk, "I beg to differ. UNSCR 242 says Israel has the right to 'secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.' The Golan is necessary to ensure Israel's security, and therefore its annexation by Israel is compatible with UNSC 242."

Israel's continued presence on the Golan Heights has long been recognized by America as essential for the Jewish state's security.

In a speech last year to the U.S. House of Representatives, Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, noted that in 1975, President Gerald Ford wrote a letter to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin with respect to the Syrian front: "The U.S. has not developed final position on the borders. Should it do so, it will give great weight to Israel's position that any peace agreement be predicated on Israel's remaining on the Golan Heights."

Gold emphasized that the commitment made in the Ford letter was renewed on a number of occasions, including by U.S. Secretaries of State James Baker and Warren Christopher.

Yet Sharvit Baruch noted that while Israeli legislation applies there because of the 1981 Golan Heights Law, "this does not change the status under international law."

Regardless of whether or not Graham will be successful in his efforts to attain U.S. recognition, Sharvit Baruch agreed that, due to the current security situation, "it is logical for Israel to keep the Golan under its control."
(JNS)-Caroline B. Glick, a senior columnist at Breitbart News, was the senior contributing and chief columnist for The Jerusalem Post until she decided to run for the Knesset in the upcoming April national elections.

Born in Houston, she grew up in Chicago and moved to Israel in 1991, two weeks after earning her bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University. She joined the Israel Defense Forces that summer and served as an officer for five-and-a-half years.

From 1994-1996, as an IDF captain, Glick served in the Defense Ministry as a core member of Israel's negotiating team with the Palestinians. In 1997 and 1998, she served as assistant foreign-policy adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In its Israeli Independence Day supplement in 2003, the Israeli newspaper Maariv named her the most prominent woman in Israel. In January of this year, she joined the New Right Party and is currently in the sixth position on the party's electoral list.

In an exclusive interview with the JNS, she spoke of her legislative agenda and of what she feels is the deception of the Blue and White Party, which pretends to be center-right, but is really the left.

Q: How are you transitioning from journalist to politician?

CG: Well, all beginnings are a bit hard, but I chose to be with the people who share my values and goals for this country, so it has not been too hard.

Q: Why was there a need to break away from Jewish Home and form a new party, New Right when Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennet were the heads of that party anyway?

CG: Jewish Home is a religious sectoral party. When Shaked and Bennett joined it, their vision was to end its appeal only to the national religious sector by widening its appeal from the national religious sector to include all of the Jews in Israel. It shouldn't be a party just of a limited community, but a voice that comes out of one community and speaks to the whole nation. At the end of day, they realized that a leopard can't change its spots; it remained a national religious party, and the ability to bring in new constituents to that party was stymied by the very nature of the party. They had hoped to change an institution and realized that the institution did not want to be changed. Even as leaders of that party, they were not able to accomplish to be a voice for all Jews.

Q: Isn't New Right another version of the Hatehiya Party of the 1980s, which also wanted to prove that it was a party for all Jews in Israel, religious and secular alike?

CG: On the surface, it may look that way, but Hatehiya was not good at politics. They weren't able to get any of their positions implemented, they weren't able to change the way things were done in Israel, and ultimately, they played a key role in Yitzhak Rabin's premiership and the Oslo process. This was because they did not understand the way politics works.

I think Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett are two leaders who have a very clear ideological vision for this country and core beliefs that they act upon. But at the same time, they understand that as ministers you have limited powers, and you have to use them judiciously in order to institute gradual change.

Q: You wrote that "the authority of the Knesset to promulgate laws has diminished. The combined forces of the attorney general and the justices of the Supreme Court have seized not only the power to abrogate laws and interfere with the legislative process, but to dictate laws through legal opinions and judgments and the elected officials must be empowered to challenge this legal fraternity." If elected, how do you plan to challenge this?

CG: There are a whole series of things that have to be done; it is a legislative agenda. I think one of the things we have to do is to reconsider a lot of the basic laws and see if they have to be amended. I think the Judiciary Basic Law has to be amended to constrain the power of the High Court of Justice and balance it to restore the democratic balance of power between the three branches of government. We have to legislate amendments to the laws regarding the operation of the institution of the Attorney General. Right now, you have legal advisers who think they get to decide what the government can do and what it can't do, what the Knesset can legislate and what not. That is a problem because they are seizing powers that belong to the Knesset and to the government, the executive and legal advisers to prevent policies from being formulated or adopted. They do the same thing with legislation. It is, therefore, very important to restore the power to legislate and to restore the power to determine policy to the elected officials and remove it from unelected attorneys.

Although there were drafts put forward by Justice Minister Shaked regarding the position of the Attorney General [Avichai Mandelblit] and the means of selecting him, all of those legislative initiatives were stymied by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who had veto power over all legislative initiatives relating to the legal fraternity and used it to protect them from checks and balances. We are seeking to build a big enough party that will have the sufficient power in the next Knesset to ensure that the right-wing bloc will have the sufficient votes to make these changes and restore the democratic balance of power.

Q: What will you do if you have another Moshe Kahlon in the next Knesset who will veto your initiatives?

CG: That is why we are all campaigning so hard in order to win enough votes to bring to bear our ideological vision, which is also shared by the Likud. But the Likud as the governing party governed from the position of its strongest coalition parties. So in 2009, Netanyahu formed a coalition with the Labor Party with Ehud Barak as defense minister, and much of our policies were dictated by the nature of the coalition, so you had a release of thousands of terrorists from jail, you had freezing of construction for Jews in Judea and Samaria, and you had the Bar-Ilan speech. A lot of that was a response to the Obama administration, but it had also to do with the nature of the coalition. The same thing happened in 2013 when the first person to join Netanyahu's government was Tzipi Livni. She was appointed justice minister, and led the talks with the Palestinians and was ready to give up everything.

Q: How do you explain the position of the Israeli left after seeing what happened following the disengagement from Gaza, after seeing what happened after Oslo. They are still advocating for a Palestinian state, and a massive withdrawal from Judea and Samaria. How do they rationalize this?

CG: Part of it is social; they are part of a herd, and in a herd you are not allowed to think independently; people who do get punished. It is similar to what Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon is doing now by joining Benny Gantz's party and is going back on all the promises he made to the voters of the Likud. He is supposedly right-wing, and yet he wants to prevent the public from having any significant say in the way the country is governed by joining a party that pledged from the outset that it's going to block all reform in the legal fraternity.

On the other hand, the reason the center-right is the largest bloc in Israel is because people have become very disenchanted with the sort of cultish, irrational positions of the left, whether on strategic or economic or social issues. It's all about just following the line of the tribe.

Q: You worked with Benjamin Netanyahu back in 1997-98. Did he change ideologically since then?

CG: I think Netanyahu is a better politician today than he was during his first term in office. As I said before, the Likud is the ruling party and rules by an alliance with coalition partners, and the senior partners he has are the ones that set the tone of the way things are run. That is why I joined the New Right, which is an ideological party very attuned to the people of Israel, and wants to be that senior partner in the coalition to ensure that this ship is being steered in the right direction.

Q: If Israel is such an important ally to the United States, why would you think it wants to weaken Israel by presenting a plan that calls for withdrawals from Judea and Samaria, which would eventually lead to a Palestinian state?

CG: I cannot speak for the United States, but I can say that the Trump administration as opposed to the Obama administration are people to whom you can talk to. You couldn't talk to people in the Obama administration. During Obama's tenure, his national security adviser, Susan Rice, would not speak to the Israelis; it is an extraordinary thing, but it is true. That is not the case with the Trump administration. If the plan will include withdrawals, then Israel can say no and tell the president we cannot give [the Palestinians] any land because it would only empower them against us. We must take the land we already have, Area C, and apply Israeli law to it, and that is the end of the discussion.

Q: Do you think that in order to maintain the alliance Netanyahu made with Arab states in the region, he would be ready to go along with the Trump plan as is being leaked-withdrawals from Judea and Samaria, a Palestinian state, etc.?

CG: The Arabs need Israel more than Israel needs them. Let's be clear about this: The reason the Saudis are acting in condominium with Israel is because they need us. We don't have to pay for that.

Q: If, as you say, the Trump administration is very friendly towards Israel, then surely as the plan is being formulated, Netanyahu is in the loop about it, and yet there are leaks that this plan contains big chunks of withdrawals. Does that mean this plan has Netanyahu's consent?

CG: That is exactly what our party is about. We are running a party that is going to ensure that we don't have a Palestinian state. You can see that during the past four years of the Likud government, there was no talk of Palestinian statehood. That is because the Bayit Hayehudi were partners and not the Labor Party.

Q: If you get elected and offered a ministerial position, which ministry would you choose?

CG: We are not talking about it, but if I was offered a ministerial position, obviously it would be in areas where I have expertise, like foreign affairs and defense, Diaspora relations, aliyah.
(JTA)-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival, Benny Gantz, will speak at the annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington ahead of national elections next month in Israel.

Gantz, whose new center-left Blue and White party is leading Netanyahu's Likud in the polls, will address the pro-Israel lobby's main session plenary on March 25.

Gantz, a former chief of staff of the Israeli military who heads Blue and White, will "use his speech to emphasize that after the election he will work to rebuild the relationship with American Jewry and ensure that Israel will once again enjoy the support of its friends across the spectrum in the United States," a party statement read.

AIPAC announced in late February that Netanyahu would appear at the conference in person this year. He has often spoken via satellite during his tenure in office. Netanyahu is scheduled to speak the day after Gantz.

Why it matters: Israeli politicians who are feted at AIPAC hope to signal to voters back home that they are suited to preserving the critical alliance with the United States and its Jewish community. Netanyahu has made his close relationship with the Trump administration a centerpiece of his re-election campaign, although his relations with a largely liberal and centrist community of American Jews have been strained.

AIPAC last month slammed a political maneuver by Netanyahu that they and others said would bring legitimacy to the far-right Jewish Power party, or Otzma Yehudit. Non-Orthodox Jews remain disappointed that his government hasn't made good on a deal to allow them to pray according to their customs at the Western Wall.

The conference comes two weeks before the April 9 elections, in which Netanyahu is facing a serious challenge from Gantz, Yair Lapid and Moshe Yaalon, whose parties make up Blue and White.

Meanwhile, Oded Revivi of the West Bank settlers Yesha Council also will appear on a panel discussing the legacy of the 1967 war-the first time a senior settlement leader has been invited to the conference.

Revivi told The Times of Israel that he has addressed AIPAC delegations that visit Israel over the last two years as his organization has worked to build a relationship with AIPAC.

AIPAC spokesman Marshall Wittmann told The Times of Israel that Revivi's appearance does not indicate a shift in the organization's position in support of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., also confirmed their participation in the conference, as did Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
An Israeli Iron Dome interceptor rocket flies above the Tel Aviv skyline as seen from a rooftop on July 17, 2014.

(JNS)-Last Thursday night's twin rocket attack on greater Tel Aviv from the Gaza Strip marks a dramatic escalation of the security situation that could prove to be highly costly for Hamas.

While it remains unclear at the time of this writing which terrorist organization is responsible for the rockets, the attacks represent a break from the past months of controlled escalation, a policy led by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

The symbolism involved in firing on Israel's largest metropolis and economic hub, causing many Israelis to hear air raid sirens and seek cover, and disrupting the routine in Tel Aviv, is a direct challenge to Israeli deterrence, which will likely spark a significant military retaliation by Israel.

Up to now, Hamas sought to use a limited degree of violence to pressure Israel into allowing more funds and goods into the Strip, to avoid an economic meltdown that could lead to an internal rebellion in Gaza. Hamas fears that such an implosion would jeopardize the existence and legitimacy of its hardline Islamist regime.

In what may or may not be a related event, earlier on Thursday hundreds of Gazan civilians did something remarkable and highly unusual, by holding a demonstration on the streets of Gaza to protest the impossible economic situation in Gaza. This was a protest directed against Hamas, and it was repressed by Hamas police. The images of Hamas police beating protesters is just the kind of thing that Sinwar is desperate to avoid, as it contradicts Hamas's entire image as the spearhead of the Palestinian struggle against Israel, instead positioning Hamas as the oppressor of Palestinians.

Hours after those scenes emerged from Gaza, media reports cited Gazan sources as speculating that Hamas may spark a new conflict with Israel to divert the pressure away from itself, and nip the protests in the bud.

But another possibility is that the second largest terror faction in Gaza, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is behind the rockets. PIJ is much like a man holding a grenade at a gas station-a reckless actor that is prepared to take extreme measures to challenge Hamas when it feels that Gaza's regime is going in the wrong direction.

PIJ, which has some 10,000 operatives and its own arsenal of ballistic rockets, is a direct Iranian proxy. It takes its orders from its overseas leader, the recently appointed Ziad Nakhleh, who resides in the organization's Damascus headquarters, and is extremely close to Tehran.

With Egyptian-led talks between Hamas and Israel over a long-term arrangement for Gaza reportedly making some progress, Iran and PIJ may have decided that the time has come to sabotage them, and light a match in a gas-filled room.

In recent days, Qatar injected an additional $5.5 million into Gaza, and in January, it transferred $15 million, with much of that money reportedly going to needy families, taking some pressure of Hamas.

Egyptian mediators were in Gaza at the time of the rocket attack on Thursday, seeking to promote more moves to stabilize Gaza. PIJ may have decided to throw a spanner in the works.

Yet another option is that a smaller Gazan faction decided to challenge Hamas by firing on Tel Aviv. The fact that Gaza is filled with smaller terror factions, some of them hostile to Hamas, makes the situation even more complex.

What is beyond doubt is that the pattern of recent months, involving Hamas-orchestrated low-level violence, has taken a radical and sudden new direction.

Israel likely to 'respond strongly'

According to former National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, Israel will certainly be looking to figure out who conducted the attack, but even if it does not find out for sure, it will respond strongly.

During a conference call organized by the Israel Project, Amidror was asked whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be swayed in his response by the upcoming elections. Amidror replied that "Netanyahu is sober enough and experienced enough that elections will not be a factor."

He added that the big majority of political forces in the Knesset will stand behind him when it comes to punishing Gaza's terrorist factions. "There is no real argument among the Jewish parties about the need to react," he said.

Asked if the attack can lead to war, Amidror acknowledged that this could happen, even though "it's not in our interest or in Hamas's interest. But in the past, it happened even when both sides did not have an interest, because the situation in Gaza was leading Hamas... to not make the right decision."

Israel's first priority, he said, is to figure out who fired the rockets because that organization should be on the receiving end of most of Israel's targeting.

"I think what is important is not to react from emotional side but from logical side. We have to calm down, learn the event, see who is responsible and then react based on conclusions and not do something that will ignite the whole area and that is not in our interests," stated Amidror.

The incident forms the first test for the new IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, who has already prioritized war readiness in the south, held drills and reportedly ordered the IDF Southern Command to refresh its battle plans.

In addition, earlier this week, the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate opened a new Targeting Center at the Glilot base north of Tel Aviv on the instructions of Kochavi.

The center will be the focus point of all units that need to know about enemy targets, during routine times and emergencies.

It will employ artificial intelligence to help the military acquire valuable enemy targets, and Kochavi told the center to prioritize "southern areas" (a reference to Gaza), "as part of an effort to improve readiness for fighting in the Gaza Strip."

This suggests that Kochavi will not be shocked by the rockets, and that he has already concluded long before the attack that Gaza is the most likely arena to escalate in the short-term future.
"Gratitude. Mindfulness. Community Engagement." These are just some of the merits, which Dr. Susan A. Bach, Ph.D., formerly the executive director of the Center for Leadership Development at Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business, has been imparting on her more than a dozen students enrolled in the two- to- four-year leadership program.

With an upcoming assignment on the theme of forgiveness, Bach brought in Orlando area author Yvonne David as an authority on the subject. David's award-winning book, "Out of the Apple Orchard" (Book 1 of a 4-part series), features forgiveness as a central theme (from a Jewish lens), emphasizing that the totality of our lives is not measured by our mistakes (or those of others). Her upcoming book, "The Night Sky Lined with Silver," Book 2 in The Apple Tree Series, focuses on life-learning lessons from challenging situations.

Leadership development workshops meet monthly and start with a "mindful breakfast," which the students have learned to facilitate. David was able to take part in this past month's "mindful breakfast," observing the thoughtful insights discussed by the students with guidance from Dr. Bach. Student Marilyne Polyne took a moment to appreciate the food on her plate, noting the value of assessing how each type of food "makes you feel." She remarked, "Staying mindful (in all aspects of life) allows you to make better decisions."

Adding to the conversation, the author commented, "Today, we are going to discover how making a difference through creative expression can break certain barriers for leadership development. It is my goal to enhance these good decisions and insights made throughout this session."

As David shared her book with the exquisite illustrations by international artist, Lyn Rodden, she commented, "What may seem like a simplistic children's book on the surface deals with the deeper themes of how to handle mistakes, being wronged, asking for and granting forgiveness, and making up for your wrongdoings. We are going to examine poignant examples and take the lessons learned in my book, 'Out of the Apple Orchard,' to help solve problems in our own lives. These are essential tools to pave the way towards leadership development."

David went on to summarize "Out of the Apple Orchard," a story which takes place in the fall of 1910 after the Bieman family moves to Mountaindale, a hamlet in the Catskills, from the Lower East Side of New York City. The move allows the ailing father to take advantage of the fresh mountain air. With Papa too sick to work and food a scarcity, a hungry 12-year-old Adam Bieman is tempted by the apples in the nearby Friedland orchard.

David shares, "This engaging American tale, interwoven with historical details

about the Catskills, captures the essence of the Jewish High Holidays. When trouble begins to multiply for Adam, can he learn to ask for forgiveness, make amends, and start anew?"

Rather than presenting through a "PowerPoint," David chose to interact with the students by sharing Rodden's pen and ink paintings. She stated, "In 1910 when the book was set, there were no computers, so I am going to go old-school and show each of you the illustration one-on-one." This individual and important face-to-face communication, interacting with each student, enhanced engagement. By helping the students share connections, everyone met the author in an up-close and personal way.

Engaging in a conversation with Holt School students, David shared the book's "central mistake" which is made when Adam pilfers apples from the orchard. She remarks, "Nobody likes to admit that they made a mistake. But it is not a sign of weakness. Nor is asking for help a sign of weakness."

To create connectivity to the situation, the students were divided into pairs to discuss mistakes of their own. Freshman Samantha Guillaume shared an incident from her middle school years when she wore "wedgie sandals" to school, because she was so excited by the prospect of having new, stylish shoes. Later, she suffered as she tripped in a classroom line, her ankles giving out from her poor choice of dress. While her "pridefulness" had gotten the better of her, she realized there was value in the requisite gym shoes. Guillaume commented, "The activities Yvonne David had us do has caused me to realize a lot of reflection I need to do with my own life."

The British-born author shared mistakes from her own life, amongst them struggling and failing English Literature A-Level in London, the equivalent of a first-year university course. At that time, she was feeling very poorly about her own self-worth. After moving to the States, David enrolled in the Hamilton Holt School at Rollins College at the right time in her life and earned a degree in English and Organizational Communication, graduating summa cum laude.

David shared the origin of her book series, explaining that the story of

the Bieman family came to her one night while unable to sleep. She arose in

the pre-dawn hours and put together an outline of the main character,

Adam Bieman. In her mind, he was wearing a cap and knickerbockers from the early 1900s. His thoughts and actions would become the cornerstone of a series that promoted the concept of problem-solving through storytelling, as well as sharing immigrant stories and life lessons from a Jewish lens.

The leadership students became passionate about the dilemma presented in the book. Honing their problem-solving skills, the students engaged in a conversation not only about "the mistake," but also about the value and importance of forgiveness. Initially, Farmer Friedland is quite angry about his loss of apples, especially after he falls from a ladder while trying to reach apples higher on the tree.

In the story, Adam seeks guidance from his rabbi, who suggests he ask the farmer for forgiveness three times. Eventually, Adam and the farmer reach an understanding, where Adam atones for his wrongdoing by picking apples for the injured farmer. "You see, if I held the anger in my heart, it would make me revengeful and unhappy. It would have made me sick, too. Like eating a bad apple," David quoted from her book.

Holt student Iris Rodriguez pointed out that Adam needed not only forgiveness from the farmer, but also forgiveness from his own-self. "Otherwise you are hurting yourself by constantly thinking about the moment." Students Rose "Gabby" Dorval and Allison Lessne discussed feelings of "empathy, self-reflection, and compassion." Another student, Frantz Timothee, felt deeply for both parties. He explained, he could empathize with the hungry child and the disappointed/angry farmer. He felt each side was deserving of reflection, as sometimes when we are wronged, we have outsized reactions.

Bach brought mindfulness back to the table. Commenting, "Often we live our lives in a rush. Taking a step back helps us break our life into a series of meaningful moments. Most situations evoke reactions. These quick reactions (like the farmer's anger) are driven by emotions rather than reason. Mindfulness allows us to pause and our reactions enhance our relationships and keep the lines of communications open."

For more information about The Apple Tree Series, visit http://www.appletreeseries.com or http://www.yvonnedavid.com

Pamela Ruben, a specialist on aging, is managing director of "Ruben Writes." She is a grant writer, teacher, life historian and author. Contact Pam at PamelaWritingTeacher@gmail.com.
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a Fatah Party insider who was educated abroad as prime minister.

Mohammad Shtayyeh, a longtime Abbas ally, was announced on Sunday as the new prime minister. He replaces Rami Hamdallah, who had been prime minister since 2014.

Shtayyeh, a member of the central committee of the Palestinian president's Fatah party, will form a new government.

An economist, Shtayyeh earned a PhD in development at Sussex University in Britain in the 1980s.

He served as a peace negotiator for the Palestinians with Israel in 1991 and again in 2013-14 and is a supporter of the two-state solution. He has also expressed criticism of the terror organization Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

His appointment comes after multiple attempts for reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas have failed. It is seen as an attempt to further isolate Hamas.

Hamas announced Sunday it will not recognize Shtayyeh's authority because, it reportedly said, he was appointed without national consensus.
WASHINGTON (JTA)President Donald Trump promoted on his Twitter feed a group founded by Republicans that hopes to draw young Jews away from the Democratic Party.

Jewish people are leaving the Democratic Party, Trump said Tuesday morning on his feed, quoting Elizabeth Pipko, a spokeswoman for Jexodus, who appeared the same morning on Fox and Friends on the Fox News network.

Jexodus was launched last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference by Jeff Ballabon, a Republican strategist who advised the Trump presidential campaign. Pipko, 23, is a former Trump campaign staffer.

In a news release announcing its launch, Jexodus wrote, We are proud Jewish Millennials tired of living in bondage to leftist politics. We reject the hypocrisy, anti-Americanism, and anti-Semitism of the rising far-left. Progressives, Democrats, and far too many old-school Jewish organizations take our support for granted. After all, were Jewish, and Jews vote for Democrats.

In the tweet he posted shortly after the Fox and Friends segment, Trump continued: We saw a lot of anti-Israel policies start under the Obama Administration, and it got worsts [sic] and worse. There is anti-Semitism in the Democratic Party. They dont care about Israel or the Jewish people. Elizabeth Pipko, Jexodus.

Trumps comments follow a controversy within the Democratic Party sparked by remarks by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., which were seen by Jewish Democrats as invoking anti-Semitic slander. Jewish Democratic leaders in the House led efforts to pass a resolution condemning the kinds of anti-Semitic tropes seen in Omars comments, although the resolution eventually was expanded, under pressure from party progressives, to include Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry.

On Tuesday, the Jewish Democratic Council of America posted on Facebook poll data from the last two presidential elections showing a decline in Jewish support for the Republican candidate.

President TrumpLets get the facts straight, the JDCA posted. Republicans have lost support among Jewish voters since youve been in office.

On the Jexodus web site, Pipko is described as an international model, Trump 2016 campaign staffer, poet, patriot, and fiercely proud millennial Jew.

She and her husband, Darren Centinello, a staffer on the 2020 Trump campaign, were married in December in an Orthodox Jewish ceremony at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. We invited the President but, unfortunately, it was just before the federal shutdown began, she told the New York Post last year, in an article about how she felt she had to hide her work for Trump to protect her modeling career. Our invitations were red hats that read Make Marriage Great Again, with a tag hanging off that listed all the wedding information.
Photo: Jeff Newhouse

An injured Vancouver climber was successfully rescued from Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park Saturday afternoon.

Officials with Penticton Search and Rescue scrambled a 12-person team to deal with the injured woman after receiving a call from the Provincial Emergency Co-Ordination Centre just after 4 p.m.

PENSAR sent out two rescue trucks with ground teams as well as a three-person helicopter long-line evacuation team.

"Two Pensar members hiked into the Skaha Bluffs to attend to a 30 year old female who was suffering from a suspected lower limb fracture while awaiting arrival of the helicopter evacuation," said duty manager Kelvin Hall.

"The subject was airlifted out of the Bluffs area to an awaiting ambulance where she transported to Penticton hospital for further medical care."

Prior to the arrival of PENSAR, other climbers in the area came to the aid of the victim.

Jeff Newhouse who was one of those in the area, told Castanet News he heard a large crack which sounded like a rock falling, followed by painful screaming.

"The crack we heard was her left fibula and tibia snapping," he said.

"We all helped to calm her down, splint her leg and keep her from going into shock while waiting for Search and Rescue to arrive."

He said SAR got to the woman about an hour after the accident.
(JNS)Hes done it again. After being called out for allegedly employing racist incitement against Israeli Arabs during election campaigns, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being attacked again for saying things that hurt the feelings of Israels non-Jewish citizens and offend the sensibilities of some Jews. This has led to renewed charges that he is guilty of denigrating Arabs and trashing the democratic nature of the state. But as with past claims, theres less to this allegation than the anguished criticism directed at Netanyahu would lead one to believe.

This latest kerfuffle stems from Netanyahus Likud Partys attack on its Blue and White Party rivals. Likud is asserting that the only way that Blue and White Party leader and former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz will be able to form a government, even if he finishes first, will be to reach out to Arab political parties. The shorthand for this argument is Bibi or Tibi, meaning that the real choice voters face is not between Netanyahu and Gantz, but between a government led by the incumbent or one that will include Ahmed Tibi, the leader of the Taal Party, which is running on a joint list this year with Hadash, the Israeli Communist Party.

This attack is part of the Likuds effort to portray Blue and White as leftists in centrist clothing, but the charge is pretty far-fetched. All four of the Arab parties, which ran on one Joint List in previous elections but have split into two for the April vote, have made it clear thatas has been their stated policy in the pastthey wont join any government formed by a Zionist political party. And Blue and White and every other party, other than the hard-left Meretz, have stated in turn that they wont invite Arab anti-Zionists or Communists into any coalition to govern Israel. Blue and White doesnt currently have a path to a majority coalition without doing the unthinkable unless current members of the Likud-led coalition defect to them.

This will be sorted out after the voters render their verdict on April 9. But the current controversy stems from the fact that some people have taken offense at Likuds mention of the facts of Israeli political life. Saying that its Bibi or Tibi is just another way of reminding everyone that while Arabs have full and equal rights, including voting and holding office, the unwritten law of Israeli politics is that Arab political parties will never be invited to join a governing coalition.

Some call that racist. Which is why Rotem Sela, a 35-year-old Israeli model and actress, and host of a popular reality-television show, took to Instagram to denounce Netanyahu for showing such disrespect to Tibi and those who vote for him by saying: What is the problem with the Arabs??? Dear god, there are also Arab citizens in this country. When the hell will someone in this government convey to the public that Israel is a state of all its citizens and that all people were created equal, and that even the Arabs and the Druze and the LGBTs andshockthe leftists are human.

This was elevated to a major political controversy because none other than the prime minister chose to respond to it.

Netanyahu used his own popular social-media account to say, Dear Rotem, an important correction: Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the nation-state law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish peopleand not anyone else. He went on to claim that a government led by Blue and White that included the Arab anti-Zionist parties would undercut the states security.

The blowback against Sela from Netanyahus supporters allowed her to claim that she was being intimidated from speaking up and prompted others, including Israeli actress and Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, to speak up in her defense. President Reuven Rivlin, a Likud member but also a bitter foe of Netanyahu, also weighed in with a veiled response to the prime minister in which he reminded the country that there are no secondhand citizens.

Rivlin is right about that, as is Sela when she says that non-Jewish citizens deserve respect.

But though it is considered impolite by some to point it out, Netanyahu is also right when he says it would be unthinkable for any government to include the Arab parties.

Thats not because they are Arabs, but because their avowed purpose is to change Israel from a Jewish state into one in which its Jewish character is no longer protected. The four Arab parties vary in character with Tibis and its rival Balad being secular anti-Zionists, while Raam is Islamist and Hadash is Communist. But all four reject the founding principles of Israel as accepted by Jewsbe they of the right, center or the left. While Selas claim that Israel is a state of all its citizens sounds harmless, the prime minister is correct when he says all citizens have equal rights, but that the states essential purpose is to guarantee the rights and the safety of the Jewish people first and foremost.

This shouldnt be controversial; that has been made clear in the countrys Declaration of Independence and its basic laws even before last years nation-state legislation was passed. This latest argument actually illustrates why that law was necessary.

A state of all its citizens is the goal of Arabs and others who want to eliminate the sole Jewish state on the planet. Anyone who embraces it is not opposing anti-Arab racism; they are, whether they understand it or not, backing anti-Zionism.

Thats why the claims that Netanyahu is fomenting racism are blatantly false. It may seem rude to say it, but Netanyahu, Gantz or any other person who could conceivably be Israels prime minister has no plans to include Arabs determined to undermine or destroy the state into the government. That isnt racist. Its common sense.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor in chief of JNSJewish News Syndicate. Follow him on Twitter at: @jonathans_tobin.
This past week we celebrated the holiday of Purim. It is a festive holiday because it commemorates the victory of the Jewish citizens of Persia over their fellow citizens who were given license by the kings decree to destroy the Jews in their midst.

How did it come about that the people of the Persian Empire, who peacefully lived side-by-side with their Jewish neighbors for many generations, suddenly were manipulated to follow the kings decree to vanquish their fellow citizens of the Jewish faith?

And a more poignant question is what led the king, who was pre-occupied with his own pleasures of the flesh and who reigned over a peaceful and apparently contented Persian society, to issue such a decree that clearly would endanger the stability of his kingdom?

The answer to both these questions is simple: a man named Haman. Haman was a highly ranked and power-hungry government official, who was the influential and trusted adviser to the king. From this high and trusted position and his quest for personal power, recognition and honor at any cost, he was able to manipulate the king with false representations to create suspicions in the kings mind that the Jews within the kingdom were disloyal, a threat to his reign, and needed to be eliminated.

Hamans plot to alienate and ultimately destroy the Jews was motivated, according to the biblical account in the Book of Esther, by his petty jealously of Mordechai who refused to bow down before him; and his subsequent humiliation when the king ironically decided to have Haman lead the procession to publicly honor Mordechai for foiling a plot to assassinate the king.

The intervention of Queen Esther on behalf of her people, who exposed Hamans treachery, persuaded the king to issue a second decree to permit the Jewish people to take up arms to successfully defend themselves.

In the history of the Jewish people there have been many Hamans down through the ages who have sought to alienate the Jewish people from the societies in which they have resided peacefully with their non-Jewish fellow citizens.

These Hamans have always disregarded the Jewish contributions to the welfare of the communities and nations in which they peaceably lived in order to satisfy their own petty jealousies, gain political advantage, blame the Jews for their own short-comings, and play out their own fears, insecurities and quest for power by seeking to alienate the Jews from the general population.

Today, the Hamans come in all genders and backgrounds disguised in more sophisticated costumes and roles. They masquerade as congressional representatives from Minnesota, Michigan, and New York. They take positions of leadership in organizations to fight oppression where they themselves become the oppressors. They cloak themselves in pseudo-respectability and try to hide their hatred of Jews in euphemisms and metaphors, which turn out to be the same old tropes of anti-Semitism.

They hide behind the shields of racial, ethnic and feminist victimhood to avoid criticism of their own prejudices, racism and ethnic misogyny. They use American freedom and democracy in an attempt to destroy American freedom and democracy. Social media has magnified the menace they represent.

These Hamans may have their day in the media and in the halls of Congress, but the American people are too smart, too devoted to the Constitution and to their heritage of freedom and fair play to follow these Hamans.

Just as the biblical Haman did not prevail and was hanged from the same gallows he prepared for the Jews; and just as the subsequent Hamans of history were defeated, these modern day Hamans of whatever gender and background, and whatever manifestations of hate they embrace, will be consumed by their own evil intentions.

In you wish to comment or respond you can reach me at melpearlman322@gmail.com. Please do so in a rational, thoughtful, respectful and civil manner.

Mel Pearlman holds B.S. & M.S. degrees in physics as well as a J.D. degree and initially came to Florida in 1966 to work on the Gemini and Apollo space programs. He has practiced law in Central Florida since 1972. He has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando; was a charter board member, first Vice President and pro-bono legal counsel of the Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida, as well as holding many other community leadership positions.
George Elliott is credited with saying, History repeats itself. Mark Twain sharply improved on it with his observation that history doesnt repeat itselfbut it does rhyme. No matter how much things may change, one constant always remains: the Hamans of the world, the Jew haters who seek to destroy, to murder and to bring to an end all Jews, from young to old, are somehow forever with us.

It was foretold in the Torah. In the first battle against Amalek, prototype of the anti-Semite throughout the ages, we are informed that although the Jews won the fight, Joshua only weakened our enemy. Amalek survived. He continues to plague us in many disguisesmasks which have become part of Purim ritual to remind us that people often conceal their true intentions under the guise of noble goals even as they plot the genocide of our people.

What happened in Shushan is the story of our people throughout the ages. It isnt just ancient Persia, the persecutions and the pogroms of the Middle Ages or even the Holocaust of the 20th century. Tragically it is the story once again of our own times. Not only Persia/Iran but sophisticated France, cultured England, educated Europe and the rest of the civilized world are again proving the truth of Elie Wiesels insight that the only thing we have learned from history is that we do not learn anything from history.

As we recall the Purim story once again, its warning of enemies who seek our destruction assumes such powerful relevance even here in the United States today.

Let me remind you a little bit about the Jews in Persia of old. When King Ahasuerus celebrated his ascent to the throne he threw a huge party to which all were invited. Jews were welcome guests. The drinking was in accord with peoples different faiths. In retrospect, a bill decrying hatred against any and all minority groups would almost certainly have passed in the Persian Congress. Yet it only took a short while for Haman to turn his strategy of genocide into national policy.

What was the key to Hamans success? His speech is recorded in the Megillah:

And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered and separate among the peoples throughout all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws differ from [those of] every people, and they do not keep the kings laws; it is [therefore] of no use for the king to let them be (Book of Esther 3:8).

The Jews have dual loyalty!

That is their crime. Ilhan Omar didnt invent the brilliant lie. Its always been Amaleks secret weapon. Hitler knew it. Stalin knew it. Read the Torah on the way in which Pharaoh was able to turn the Egyptians against the Hebrewsthe same Egyptians who had been saved by the wisdom of Josephand you will find the similar strategy:

He said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and stronger than we are. Get ready, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they increase, and a war befall us, and they join our enemies and wage war against us and depart from the land (Exodus 2:910).

Winston Churchill famously said, A lie gets halfway around the world before truth puts on its boots. The lie of Jewish dual loyalty is perpetuated by the Hamans of history even as Jews wherever they reside prove the truth of the promise given by God to Abraham that I will bless those who bless you.

Purim, happily, is not merely the story of anti-Semitism; it is the biblical record of a major victory over a nefarious anti-Semite. And perhaps the most ironic part of the story is a truth made famous these past few weeks by a contemporary Jew hater.

Ilhan Omar is right; Its all about the Benjamins.

For Omar the Benjamins, a reference to American hundred-dollar bills, was her despicable insinuation that Jews, as the forged Protocols of the Elders of Zion long ago put it, control the world behind the scenes with their money.

For the Book of Esther, the Benjamin was revealing to us at the outset that Mordechai was Ish Yemini, from the tribe of Benjamin. And why was that so significant? The rabbis explain that was the reason Mordechai was able to counter Hamans libel and to demonstrate to us throughout the ages how best to overcome our enemies.

While others bowed down to Haman, Mordechai refused. It was a trait he inherited genetically. The rabbis tell us that when Jacob met with his brother Esau he bowed down to him. According to some commentaries, it was a sin for which he would be held accountable. And 11 of Jacobs sons bowed down as well. Only Benjamin, who was not yet born, did not bow. And so Mordechai, a direct descendent of Benjamin, maintained the tradition of his ancestor.

The man who would not bow down to an enemy in humble submission is the one who encouraged Esther to similarly stand proudly and firmly, without embarrassment or fear, and speak up on behalf of our people. Who knows, he told her, if not for a time such as this have you been placed in this position of rulership.

Mordechai and Esther are the heroes of the Purim story because they refused to cower before those who sought to destroy our people. They spoke out against their Haman with all of their strength. Its all about the Benjamins and those who refuse to remain silent when enemies again plot the final solution for Israel and for our people.

Maybe it isnt a coincidence that all this is happening at the very time Jews around the world are celebrating Purim. History records not only the recurring story of anti-Semites and anti-Semitism. It also confirms the Divine intervention that has invariably assured our survival. And this miraclein the one biblical book in which Gods name isnt mentioned even onceis a miracle we desperately need today: The miracle of Jews, aware of the threat to their survival, who put aside their differences, united in the face of a common enemy, and collectively recognize that it mustve been for a time such as this that we are given the opportunity to partner with God.

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. He is the author of 19 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, A much sought after speaker, he is available as scholar in residence in your community. See his website at rabbibenjaminblech.com.
(JNS)On paper, the United Church of Christ should be well-equipped to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The UCC, a liberal Protestant denomination with 800,000 members and a little less than 5,000 churches in the United States, has said all the right things about the Jewish people, anti-Semitism and the type of things that need to happen in warring countries for peace to take place. In 1987, the denominations General Synod passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. And two years before that, the same body passed a resolution declaring the UCC to be a just peace church.

In this resolution, the General Synod made a number of faith proclamations that, if applied to the Arab-Israeli conflict, would give its members and peace activists the intellectual and theological grounding necessary to speak credible words of peace to both Israelis and Palestinians. Israelis and Palestinians might not like everything the churchs peace activists would have to say about the conflict, but if UCC leaders applied the proclamations in an honest and responsible manner, neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians would be able to dismiss the churchs pronouncements about the conflict. Nor would either side be able to say that the denomination is in their hip pocket.

But as it stands, very few Israelis or American Jews take much of anything the UCC says about the conflict seriously while the Palestinian Christians falsely portray the denomination as being part of the BDS movement, even though the churchs money managers still own stock in companies that were proscribed in a 2015 divestment resolution (which as it turns out, wasnt really a divestment resolution, but mere window dressing). The denominations leaders, staffers and peace activists regularly invoke the 1985 just peace resolution in their pronouncements about the conflict, but the church simply does not abide by its demands. It weighs in on the side of the Palestinians against Israel every time it opens its mouth about the conflict.

The 1985 just peace resolution declares that the church is a real countervailing power to those forces that divide, that perpetuate human enmity and injustice, and that destroy. It also calls on local churches to stand against social structures comfortable with violence and injustice.

But if you look through the resolutions passed by the denominations General Synod since the late 1960s, the denomination has said next to nothing about anti-Jewish and anti-Israel incitement broadcast by Arab and Muslim leaders over the past few decades.

In particular, the denominations General Synod has not said a word about the anti-Semitic incitement broadcast by Imams in Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Such incitement, which takes place under the custodianship of the Jordanian government and the leadership of the Palestinian Authority, is a violation of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, but the UCCs General Synod has said nothing about this violation of international law.

The 1985 resolution condemns all labeling of others as enemies and the creation of institutions that perpetuate enemy relations and affirms that nations should provide public education that portrays other nations fairly, breaking down enemy stereotypes and images.

If applied to the Israel-Palestine conflict, these passages would require a condemnation of the hate-filled textbooks, childrens television shows and Facebook images that encourage school-age Palestinians to view Jews as their eternal enemies. To be fair, one resolution put on the agenda of the 2007 General Synod did try to address this issue, but the UCCs board of directors effectively buried this resolution and the denominations staffers by putting it on a consent calendar for approval. Church staffers do not even list this resolution with the other resolutions about the conflict on the churchs website. In sum, the UCC has remained silent about Palestinian incitement.

The just peace resolution also declares that the state should be based on participatory consent and should be primarily responsible for developing justice and well-being, enforcing law, and minimizing violence in the process. This would seem to necessitate a critique of the Palestinian Authority and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, who has not held an election to affirm his legitimacy in more than a decade, but the UCCs General Synod has refrained from commenting on his corrupt, unaccountable and authoritarian rule.

This is a big deal. Polling data indicates that many Palestinians support a negotiated settlement with Israel, but because democratic institutions are non-existent in the West Bank and Gaza, rank-and-file Palestinians have no mechanism to make it happen. This is not a subject that peacemakers in the UCC or any other mainline denomination have addressed. When would-be peacemakers remain silent about Palestinian misdeeds while banging on about the things Israel does to protect its citizens, it promotes Jewish fears of isolation and fear.

By doing what it has done over the past few decades, the UCCs General Synod has made things worse, not better. In his most recent book, Catch-67: The Left, The Right, and the Legacy of the Six-Day War, Micah Goodman reports how Palestinian violence has activated an age-old Jewish fear in the Israelis subconscious.

Sadly enough, this is exactly what the UCCa self-declared just peace churchhas assisted in this process. By remaining silent about Palestinian misdeeds, it has provoked Jewish fear. And by placing all the blame for Palestinian suffering on Israel, it has affirmed Arab and Muslim feelings of humiliation even when the cause of such humiliation lies with Arab and Muslim leaders themselves. In doing these things, the UCCs General Synod has placed itself on the side of fear, anger and bloodshed.

Thats the wrong side of history to be on.

Dexter Van Zile is Christian media analyst for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA). His opinions are his own.
There are polls every day or two. You can see the latest at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2019_Israeli_legislative_election

They pretty much are showing a tie, or close to it between the center-left and the right.

Bibi is a sharp campaigner, managing to label his opponents the leftists, with the help of media and the Arabs. According to him, they are manufacturing stories that would incriminate him. Theres nothing wrong about accepting a few cigars or bottles of champagne from close friends.

Hes more articulatein both Hebrew and Englishthan his opponents, and seems to have convinced a substantial part of the population that his service is essential to the nation. Weve heard interviews with people who say that Bibi could get as many cigars and bottles of champagne as he wants; that hes working 24/7 for Israel, and thats whats important.

Its either Bibi or Tibi, according to one of his slogans.

Tibi is the head of one of the Arab parties, also an MD, and probably important in anything that the Blue and White Party of Gantz, Lapid, Yaalon, and Ashkenazi could do to form a government.

Assuming that materials gathered by the Legal Adviser to the Government will go to Bibis lawyers a day after the election, and that theyll have 3-4 months to get ready for hearings; another 3-4 months for hearings; and another 3-4 for the Legal Adviser to the Government to decide finally on indictments; then a year for a trial and appeals.

From what we hear, Bibi is planning to serve as prime minister through all of that.

So far, were hearing from ministers in his government that theyll stay with him at least until there is a final decision on an indictment. And from some Likud ministers the need for Likud to lead the country. That doesnt necessarily mean Bibi, but who can be sure.

Reports are that Bibi has support from religious Jews, many of whom are settlers in the West Bank, as well as from die hard Likudniks. The latter include individuals convinced that they are on the outside of a cluster that includes left wing Ashkenazi intellectuals who control the media, the police, and the prosecutors. That Bibi and key ministers in his government are allor nearly allAshkenazim doesnt seem to deter the thinking.

Weve heard from Likudniks who identify Bibi with King David, for his power and wisdom. Theres an element of the mystic that belies what we know about the cement that usually links politicians with their supporters.

Bibis campaign reminds us of his American friend, Donald Trump. Truth seems to have no weight. Gantz et al deny allegations that they would withdraw Jews from the West Bank and divide Jerusalem with the Arabs. Ahmad Tibi will not be quick to join with Gantz. But Bibis rhetoric continues, and is echoed in comments from supporters, that its either Bibi or Tibi that will be at the center of Israels government.

I hear from a number of Americans about an increase in anti-Semitism. Some link it to Bibi and whats perceived as a right-wing government unfriendly to Palestinians.

This is a shallow view, not taking account of Palestinian resistance to anything but all that they want. It also requires me to indicate, once again, that Palestinians are strongest outside this corner of the Middle East. No sane government can seem to function without support for a Palestinian State.

But what would it be? It isnt Bibi who has stood fast, but the majority of the Israeli population. Polls are showing the Jewish left, measured by Labor and Meretz, as getting about one tenth of the Knesset.

And would the Palestinian State include Gaza as well as parts of the West Bank?

Presently it doesnt seem that the two parts would agree to unite.

And East Jerusalem?

Would the worthies of the world force those Palestinians into an alliance with the West Bank, when most of them say that they prefer continuing their status with Israel?

Origins of anti-Semitism go back before the New Testament. Josephus provides an indication of it in the behavior of Greeks in Alexandria. The New Testament offers a basis of Christian anti-Semitism. Muslims gave expression to their own feelings throughout history. And now its merged with an opposition to what Israel is said to be doing to the Palestinians, far out of proportion to what other countries have expressed about minorities.

Here the Palestinians seem to be suffering from their own faults. Claiming rights of return to what refugees from 1948 and their descendants never knew. Many West Bankers and East Jerusalemites seem to have reached an accommodation, belied by the actions of religious and nationalist figures claiming leadership, with Arab governments providing support even while those same governments are cooperating with Israeloften against the same Muslim extremists who make trouble for Israel.

And in the West, leftists and rightists find Jews and Israel a convenient target, often not bothering to differentiate between Jew and Israeli.

Ilhan Omar has become a symbol of this, and represents a split within the American Democratic Party about support for Israel. A generation of immigration from the Middle East is making itself felt in Congress, with or without Bibi.

While Bibi plays to the mood created within Israel, claiming that those not voting for him will be voting to put Ahmad Tibi in government.

And with things heating up on both the Temple Mount and in Gaza, the Prime Minister-Defense Minister (one and the same) is in position to do something heroic to advance his position.

Recent polls indicate the Blue-White has peaked or is declining.

Gantz is not a powerful campaigner, and Ashkenazi has some problems in his background that have come to the fore. He cant seem to get away from the Harpaz-Barak issue. Moreover, the wide range of postures in Gantz-Lapid-Yaalon and Ashkenazi have left the party with little to offer other than opposition to Bibi as Prime Minister.

Two small right-of-center parties may end up being deal-makers or deal-breakers.

Moshe Feiglin has a long history on the extreme right of Israeli politics. Now his combination of wanting a Jewish state with extreme liberalism has attracted the crowd wanting access to marijuana And Moshe Kahlon may also find enough voters to move him over the line and into the Knesset. Both have expressed doubts about Netanyahu, as well as muddled support of his candidacy.

Most likely a rebellion within Likud would lead a race, but so far that seems unlikely. Netanyahus appeal remains strong, but perhaps not strong enough to end up with another term as Prime Minister.

Comments welcome. irashark@gmail.com

Ira Sharkansky (Emeritus), Dept. of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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Photo: The Canadian Press A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress of the principal conclusions reached by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, is shown Sunday, March 24, 2019 in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

The Justice Department declared Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's long investigation did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, setting off celebrations of vindication by Trump and his supporters. Mueller also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer.

In a four-page letter to Congress, Attorney General William Barr quoted Mueller's report as stating it "does not exonerate" the president on obstruction. Instead, Barr said, it "sets out evidence on both sides of the question."

Trump, in Florida, said the report proved "there was no collusion" as he has contended for many months. He also claimed it showed there was no obstruction and said it was a shame that he and the nation had to suffer through "an illegal takedown that failed."

Barr released his summary of Mueller's report Sunday afternoon. Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Trump for nearly two years.

But the broader fight is not over.

Congress' top Democrats, Chuck Schumer of New York in the Senate and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, put out a statement saying Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers, including about his own decision not to prosecute on possible obstruction.

"Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added.

The Justice Department summary sets up a battle between Barr and Democrats, who called for Mueller's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigation.

For Trump, Barr's report was a victory on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start: Did his campaign work with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton?

Still, Mueller's investigation left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey and drafting an incomplete explanation about his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. That left it to the attorney general to decide. After consulting with other department officials, Barr said he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, determined the evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence."

Barr, nominated to his job by Trump last fall, said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not based on whether a sitting president can be indicted.

Trump was at his Florida estate when lawmakers received the report. Barr's chief of staff called Emmet Flood, the lead White House lawyer on the investigation, to brief him on the findings shortly before he sent it to Congress.

Mueller's investigation ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Mueller submitted his report to Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department, which appointed him.

The House Judiciary Committee chairman said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see "all the underlying evidence."

Mueller "clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president, said Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. in a series of tweets, but Barr is telling "the American people that while the president is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ."

"There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work," Nadler tweeted

Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign co-ordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses.

However, Mueller was not able to interview Trump in person.

Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses.

In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trump's actions constituted a federal crime that prosecutors could prove in court.

Democrats are reminding that the House voted nearly unanimously, 420-0, to release the full Mueller report, which they say is more important now than ever. "This is about transparency and truth  and a 4 page summary from Trump's AG doesn't cut it," tweeted Rep. Mark Takano, D-Ca., the chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. "The American people deserve to see the whole thing."
Kuala Lumpur : India is hoping that its indigenously developed light combat aircraft Tejas will impress a global audience at Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA), in Malaysia, even as there is talk that the Malaysian government may be interested in procuring the planes for its air force.

In a high stakes sales pitch, two Tejas fighter jets have arrived here with a team of 50, and are ready to demonstrate the LCAs maneuverability and handling, along with aerobatics, in Langkawi, at the exhibition beginning March 26.

Talking to TOI, the defence attache at the Indian high commission in Kuala Lumpur, Aniruddh Chauhan said, Tejas has been shortlisted by Malaysia amongst other aircrafts like the China-Pakistan built JF-17, and South Koreas F/A-50 , but is perched comfortably as the favourite.

Reports in the local media, however, suggest that PM Mahathirs visit to Pakistan may throw a spanner in the works. Experts believe LIMAs projection on the global stage has increased correspondingly with Chinas growing presence in South China Sea. India has sent a delegation of 350 participants to LIMA 2019. India is also sending its secretary, defence production, for parleys with top brass of defence sector of Malaysia.

Source : TOI
Even as Afghans celebrated Navroz on March 21, their new year, there was a terrorist attack in Kabul that killed six people. This attack, like other, even more deadly attacks, comes in the background of the US and Taliban announcing that their peace talks have agreed on two of the four issues identified. These are the time table for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and a guarantee by the Taliban that Afghanistan would not allow any terrorists group threatening others to operate from its soil.

The fifth round of negotiations that lasted 16 days ended on March 12. The two pending issues are trickier. The first is a ceasefire agreement; and the other, an agreement on the composition of the future Afghan government. Even as Zalmay Khalilzad briefs special representatives of Russia, EU and others on his talks, the Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib was in Washington accusing Khalilzad of pushing his personal agenda. There were strong rumours in Afghan political circles in 2009 and 2014 that Khalilzad was pushing his own candidature. Afghans have a comfort level with dual citizenship borne out of years of refugee status, with Ashraf Ghani opting out of his US citizenship only in 2014, and not earlier when he was a minister.

Mohib was reflecting the views of not just Ghani, whose democratically legitimate government has been kept out of the negotiations, but of most of the political class. Khalilzad has periodically briefed Ghani, which was highlighted by the US State Department reacting to Mohibs public statement. In fact, Mohib was privately taken to the cleaners by US undersecretary Hale for questioning US policy.

The Afghans, meanwhile, have not been able to set their own house in order. The results of parliamentary elections held in October 2018 are still to be finalised. Ghani had to overhaul the entire election machinery but there is still no agreement of legal changes to ensure a free and fair election. Taking advantage of this confusion, the presidential elections scheduled for April 20 were first postponed to July 20, and have been further pushed to the end of September. While this has been interpreted to mean that it allows the flexibility to accommodate the Taliban in the event of a peace deal, the fact while the voting day has been postponed, the last date for filing nominations has not. So unless the process is scrapped, a showdown between the Afghan government on the one hand and the US-Taliban on the other cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has been demonstrating its clout in different ways. A formal meeting of the Taliban negotiating team was held with the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The Taliban spokesperson Zaibullah Mujahid said there had been comprehensive discussions about Pak-Afghan relations and issues pertaining to Afghan refugees and Afghan businessmen.Clearly, Pakistan was trying to bring itself formally in to the peace process. It wants public acknowledgement of its role, as Imran Khan made it clear in his statement in Parliament. It is looking at a reversal of the effects of Trumps bad-mouthing and cut in aid. Further, by putting Imran Khan in front, the army wants to try and reinforce deniability of its own Afghan policy. Even relatively informed western journalists see an elected government in Pakistan with a benign eye, ignoring its lack of real autonomy or agency. The Pakistani armys game plan becomes obvious when one looks at the topics discussed, which were purely ones that sovereigns discuss. In the bargain, it sought to delegitimise the Afghan government, and put Taliban in its place.

Even Russia was in the act of demonstrating its relevance. It convened an Intra-Afghan conference in Moscow. The Taliban and a whole host of anti-Ghani participants, led by Karzai, Atta Mohamed Noor, Hanif Atmar, Mohamed Mohaqek (deputy chief executive), attended. The Afghan government was absent. The Taliban aim was simple, to present a more moderate version of itself. It said that a future Afghan government would not just comprise the Taliban, but would include others, and women would have full rights envisaged in the Koran. The irony of the situation was lost on the Taliban that rejects the present Constitutional set-up and hence legitimacy of the government, but accepted the legitimacy of the opposition, including of chief executive. Paradoxically, Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive, is a candidate in the presidential elections but remains the number 2 in the Ghani government.

Earlier, when the peace talks were at its initial stages, the Taliban had informally announced a framework agreement, which included the withdrawal of foreign troops and, more important, interim governance arrangements. However, the backlash within its ranks was so strong that the statement had to be withdrawn. Mujahid denied its existence and had to mollify their ranks by saying that sacrifices of the jihadis would not go in vain.

The common perception in the region is that the US wants to get out, honourably. The acceptable fig leaf is that Afghanistan would not be used to launch attacks on the US, so no Al Qaeda and no ISIS. But will the Taliban honour it if and when it comes to power? Even more importantly, would the Pakistani army allow the Taliban enough leeway to act independently in Afghanistans interest?

Shakti Sinha is the director of Nehru Memorial museum and library. He retired as a secretary in the Delhi government

The views expressed are personal
Actor Deepika Padukone has shared her first look from her upcoming film, Chhapaak. The actor plays acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal in the film, currently being shot under the direction of Raazis Meghna Gulzar.

Deepika appears to be in full prosthetic makeup in the image, which shows her in an artistic pose that highlights the scars and burns on her characters face. In addition to revealing the first look, Deepika announced that filming on the project will commence today. Chhapaak will be released on January 10, 2020.

Meghna had previously teased that fans can expect to see a completely new Deepika in the film. You wont be seeing Deepika, you know. You will be seeing a disfigured Deepika, the filmmaker said at a Chennai event. There is an uncanny similarity between the survivor and Deepika.

Laxmi has expressed her approval of Deepika being cast in the role. Speaking with Hindustan Times, she had said, I am so happy that Deepika is playing the role. I have no right to judge her. How can I judge someone for something which I cant do. She has played wonderful characters on screen and I believe she will give her best.

The actor had recently shared a behind-the-scenes image from a table read session from the film, which also showed her co-actor, Vikrant Massey, in a bearded look. All things are ready, if our mind be so, Deepika quoted William Shakespeare in the caption.

Also read: Chhapaak actors Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey seen together for time in new pic from films sets. See here

Calling Chhapaak an important film, the actor had said at the recent Zee Cine Awards, Its so ironic that on the day of Holi, I am off to Delhi for the shooting of Chapaak. We will start shooting it on Monday. Its a very important film and I feel that the story which we are showcasing in our film needs to be told.

Chhapaak is Deepikas first film since the massive Padmaavat. Vikrant recently appeared in Amazon Prime Videos gangster drama Mirzapur, and delivered an acclaimed performance in Konkona Sen Sharmas A Death in the Gunj.

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Actors Jackie Shroff and Salman Khan, who have worked together in several films, will now be seen as a father-son duo in Ali Abbas Zafars Bharat. Jackie is just 10 years older than Salman but will be playing the role of his father in the film. However, the actor has no apprehensions about portraying the character and calls Salman his bachcha (kid).

Talking about their age gap and their onscreen roles, Jackie told Mid-Day, I am aware that the age gap is only 10 years. We started our careers almost around the same time, but I dont have any problem playing his father. I have always treated Salman like my bachcha. Even today, he is like a kid to me.

Recalling how Salman used to admire his style sense, he added, I remember, [in our early days], he would admire my jeans and shoes. He also justified his role saying, I played Kareena Kapoors father in Yaadein in 2001, and a few years back, I did it with Aamir [Khan] in Dhoom 3 (2013). If the character is good and I am convinced about it, other factors dont matter to me.

Jackie had worked with Salman in films such as Bandhan (1998), Sirf Tum (1999), Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye (2000), Kyon Ki (2005) and Veer (2010). Besides Bharat, the actor has a long list of films lined up for release this year. He will be seen as John Abrahams mentor and an intelligence agency head in the film Romeo Akbar Walter. He also has a few south projects in his kitty including Vijays Thalapathy 63 and the remake of 2010 Telugu film Prasthanam.

Also read: Sara Ali Khan embarrasses Kartik Aaryan, yells his name in public. Watch video

Bharat also stars Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, Tabu and Disha Patani. The films teaser was liked by the viewers and showed Salman in various avatars. The film is the big Eid release of the year and is scheduled to release on June 5. It revolves around the protagonists journey, which runs parallel to Indias story from 1947 to the present day.

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India has been independent for 70 years now, and its story is under scrutiny now more than ever. Some feel that the years have been wasted, others think that they have been productive.

The idea of India mentioned by Jawaharlal Nehru while giving shape to Indias independence was eclipsed the moment it came into being. The reason? No matter how sentimental people are about the concept of nationalism, when it comes to voting, they always put their cultural identity first. Therefore, our elections have become dependent on castes, communities, languages, dialects and regions.

If you look at the activities surrounding the elections for the 17th Lok Sabha, all the electoral equations are based on these very fundamental elements. For example, Omprakash Rajbhar does not have much base in his states politics. He is a leader of a community which has influence in a particular area of eastern Uttar Pradesh. He is a minister in the Yogi government cabinet and often expresses his disagreement with the policies of the BJP thus creating a problem and at times challenges the image of the government. Despite this, he succeeded in securing government posts and facilities for many of the members of his party prior to the elections.

In the same manner, Anupriya Patel enjoyed power during the Modi regime. But as elections drew nearer she also started throwing tantrums. As a result, she succeeded in getting two seats instead of one. Not only this, the BJP gave the JD(U) and LJP seats as they asked and had to sacrifice five seats in which the party was sure of victory.

The same story was repeated in Maharashtra. Uddhav Thackeray never lost an opportunity to humiliate the BJP government in the last five years but he was also given the seats he wanted. Of course, the saffron party has no special affection for Nitish Kumar, Uddhav Thackeray or Ram Vilas Paswan. The underlining fact is that the BJP wants to win as many seats as it can and it does not want to take any risks.

The Congress was also making the same efforts but it had to work much harder in this regard. It faced no problem in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra but the Congress is now forced to contest alone in Uttar Pradesh, a state which was once its stronghold.

Not only this, in Bihar too it had to face the tantrums of the Rashtriya Janata Dals Tejashwi Yadav. The Congress wanted to contest on 11 seats while Tejashwi was ready to give at the most eight seats. Not just that, he was leaving only those constituencies which, going by the social equations, were not going to prove beneficial for the UPA. Finally, they reached an understanding.

Its needless to point out how politically significant Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are. Out of the total of 543 Lok Sabha seats, these states have 25%, that is 127 seats. Out of them, the BJP and its allies occupy 111 seats.

It was an opportunity for the Congress and its allies. They could reap the benefit of anti-incumbency of the governments at the Centre and the states. But the delay in striking alliances has made their task more difficult. Contesting elections alone in Uttar Pradesh may bear fruit in the long run, but will the Congress be able to compensate for UP-Bihar in the nine states where it is in a direct fight against the BJP?

Why do the national parties seem so helpless? The regional parties and personalities have given great importance to regional or caste-based aspirations that the national parties are compelled to strike a compromise with them. The BJP is contesting the elections in the name of Narendra Modi while the Congress wants to move ahead under the patronage of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

If the Congress, which has had the longest tenure in the country, moved ahead under the leadership of Nehru and Indira, it always had the support of influential regional leaders. K Kamaraj, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, S. Nijalingappa, Ajay Kumar Mukherjee, Morarji Desai, Yashwant Rao Chavhan, Yashwant Singh Parmar and Devkant Barua were among those leaders. The regional satraps of today are the successors of these leaders but now they prefer to compromise with the national parties on their own terms.

No one denies that every region should get representation in a pluralistic country, but when the compromises are based on opportunism, they are not beneficial for democracy. This is the phase which worries me. I do not want to see the idea of democracy meet the same fate as the idea of India.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan

The views expressed are personal
The sight of lawyers in black and white robes arguing about civil procedure before judges seated on a pedestal, while the hapless litigant strains her ears to understand how her legal claim is being decided, has always been a curious advertisement for the rule of law in India. One the one hand, it holds the promise of applying neutral rules. But so alien is the language of rules and so befuddling the legal procedures for the common person, that the authenticity of a litigation-based rule of law has always remained suspect.

The order of the Supreme Court sending the Ayodhya dispute to mediation is representative of this cultural hesitation regarding the rule of law. Equally tellingly, it is recognition of the salient fact that there exist alternate approaches to adversarial litigation as a means of securing justice.

In substance, though not in form, the order is strikingly similar to the final judgment in the title suit in the Allahabad High Court. There, Hindu groups  those on behalf of Ram Lalla and the Nirmohi Akhada  asked for a declaration of title and possession of the disputed property where the Babri Masjid stood. This was contested by the Sunni Waqf Board and other Muslim groups. The Allahabad High Court held that the disputed property should be divided three ways  one each to the representative Hindu and Muslim groups, and one to the Nirmohi Akhada, which had traditionally been responsible for a part of the disputed property.

This was panchayati justice disguised as the application of legal rules. To be fair to the judges, from the evidence adduced, it could scarcely be stated with certainty that the property definitively belonged to one group or the other. This is because the basis of the legal claim was political all the way down  it required a look not only at archaeological evidence and documented histories (which are political in their own way) but also beliefs (whether indeed Ram was born at the specific spot where the mosque stood), which are not designed to be tested in a court of law. Add to this the protracted timelines, and it is difficult to come to a conclusive result regarding who exclusively owned the disputed property, without making a political judgment. This is neither helpful for resolving the dispute nor for bolstering the legitimacy of a judicial process that is meant to be apolitical.

What transpired in the high court was a mediated settlement minus the healing that emanates from honest conversations in a formal mediation process. The Supreme Courts mediation order builds on this lived judicial history. It is both pragmatic, recognising the limitations of the judicial process, and wise, in attempting to secure its own legitimacy.

It is, however, unfortunate that the same extent of pragmatism did not extend to the time period provided for mediation and choice of mediators. Setting a hard deadline of eight weeks gives rise to the impression of mediation as a stopgap solution. This has given rise to all kinds of idle, but powerful, speculation of whom the judgment politically benefits. Giving the mediators a longer period to attempt to heal the wounds and find a mutually workable resolution would have given the process more of a fighting chance of success.

This is linked to the criteria used for selecting mediators. Apparent from the choices made is the fact that the Supreme Court desired credibility, identity and mediation acumen. All three criteria are critical if the mediation is to be conducted professionally and its results widely accepted. But a fourth criterion is equally key: impartiality. By selecting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who satisfies the aforementioned three criteria, but has publicly stated that Muslims should give up their claims on Ayodhya as a goodwill gesture, impartiality appears to be compromised. This has the potential to alienate not only Muslims, but also Hindus, if the outcome of the mediation is something that they do not substantively agree with.

Ultimately, a communal conflagration in the guise of a legal dispute over property is ripe for a mediated settlement. It is a method that, if properly worked, is capacious enough to factor in both legal claims as well as emotions of all kinds which, justifiably or otherwise, exist. Instead of doing it while pretending to apply the law, it is also honest in its procedures with room for all parties to make their claims. It is not an alternative to the rule of law, but rather truer to how the law as a system can have legitimacy in India  through understanding and common sense, rather than mere diktat.

Arghya Sengupta is research director, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The views are personal
Jamia Millia Islamia will put five letters handwritten by Mahatma Gandhi on display for the public as a part of Gandhis 150th birth anniversary celebrations. The five letters two written in English and three in Urdu dated as early as 1928, were preserved by the universitys archival department.

The letters, seen by Hindustan Times, were addressed to the universitys founding members, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, his daughter, Zohra Ansari and a former vice-chancellor (VC) of the university, Mohammad Mujeeb.

The university also plans to research Gandhis relationship with the university. Umaima Farooqi, assistant archivist at the university library, said, These letters are a treasure. The letters have not been in put in the public domain as yet. Within a few months, we are also going to start research on Gandhis involvement with Jamia Millia Islamia. These letters will be a great resource for the research.

In his letter to MA Ansari, dated June 30, 1928, Gandhi wrote about the importance of Hindu-Muslim unity for the betterment of the university. Ansari, who was the then vice-chancellor of the university, had a close association with Gandhi. Gandhi would often stay at his home in Daryaganj during his visits to Delhi.

Dear doctor Ansari, I have your letter. I am sorry you could not come. But your presence is really necessary Somehow I feel that the time has not yet come for Hindu-Muslim unity. It has to come, but how? Your sincerely MK Gandhi, reads one of the letters, as per the transcription provided by the varsity.

Wahajuddin Alvi, dean of faculty of humanities and languages, said Gandhi had played an instrumental role in the establishment of Jamia.

The word Jamia means a university in Arabic. It was a product of the non-cooperation movement. It was established in Aligarh in 1920 and shifted to Delhi in 1925. The idea was to establish a national institution that doesnt follow the British norms. Gandhiji was associated with Jamia since its inception and tried to build a university where students from all religions can study in a cordial environment, he said.

The Mahatma wrote another letter to Mohammad Mujeeb, the vice-chancellor of Jamia between 1948 and 1973.

In the letter, dated January 31, 1941, Gandhi expressed concern about the health of Dr Zakir Husain then vice-chancellor of Jamia who later became the third president of the country.

My Dear Mujeeb, poor Zakir! His eyes are ever a source of trouble, he said.

A university official said the letter refers to Dr Husains eye illness.

Thats why he would wear black spectacles all the time, the official said.

In the same letter, Gandhi also asked Mujeeb about the financial status of the university. Alvi said Gandhi had helped Jamia in raising funds. According to the universitys official website, when Jamia moved to Delhi from Aligarh it was going through a financial crisis. Gandhi boosted the moral of Jamia, saying, The Jamia has to run. If you are worried about finances Ill go out with a begging bowl.

Vivek Shukla, the author of Gandhis Delhi: April 12, 1915- January 30, 1950, said Gandhiji was close to Jamia.

When Gandhiji said he will go to streets to collect funds for Jamia, many prominent personalities came forward and contributed. Jamia, without Gandhi, is nothing. He still exists everywhere on that campus. Gandhis family also stayed on the campus. His son Devdas Gandhi had also taught English there, Shukla said.

In his three letters to MA Ansaris daughter Zohra Ansari, written between 1928 and 1933, in Urdu, Gandhi requested her to help him polish his skills in the language.

Im writing this to congratulate you for writing me a wonderful letter. I want you to be my Ustani (teacher). Would you correct my mistakes in Urdu language and send back to me, he wrote in one of the letters.

Alvi, who has been associated with the university for the last 41 years, said Gandhi considered Zohra as his own daughter. Zohra was a part of an intellectual group of her times. She was very active in social circles. Gandhi used to write to her regularly, he said.
The Delhi government has decided to outsource the upkeep of around 135,000 saplings at its two major plantation sitesGarhi Mandu and Jaunapur where a mega-plantation drive was undertaken by the forest department on September 8 last year. One of the largest plantations drives to be held in recent years, it was organised to beat air pollution by increasing the capitals green cover.

According to officials, the survival rate of plants sown during the plantation drives taken up in the past has remained low.

The forest department has been facing a manpower crisis for years and while a large workforce is required round the clock to ensure the survival of the plants, it was felt necessary to hand over maintenance of the two sites to a third party, a senior official said.

A report from the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) published in 2018 had stated that the plantation of 28.12 lakh trees between 2014 and 2017 could not lead to a commensurate increase in tree and forest cover, thereby raising concerns about the efficacy of Delhi governments plantation drive. The report also said that the Delhi government does not have a forest policy of its own and, hence, lacks a road map or strategy to improve the forest cover.

The mega plantation drive where the government targeted planting close to 5 lakh saplings across 643 locations in the city was attended by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

While 60,000 saplings were planted at Garhi Mandu in northeast Delhi, 75,000 were planted at Jaunapur village in south Delhi last year. Spread across 750 acres along the Yamuna floodplains,

We have floated a tender. We have invited applications from greening agencies who have handled such sites. The department has to ensure that at least 80% of the total saplings survive and grow as trees, said the official.

The saplings need regular monitoring. In case a sapling is spotted not growing well or getting dry within a years time, they need to be replaced. These two were the largest sites in terms of area and the number of saplings planted and need greater vigilance, the official said.

The department has been raising the issue of filling up vacancies, particularly at mid-level posts such as field officers, forest rangers. However, there has been no recruitment on these posts till date, the official added.

Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain, said,  We want to ensure that all the saplings survive. I have directed the forest department to experiment and find ways for the survival of the saplings. We want good results.

Barely 12 days after the drive, Hussain had inspected the Garhi Mandu site and had directed the department to ensure proper care of saplings. The minister had observed that in some pockets, the saplings were not adequately watered.

The minister had also asked the department to coordinate with other greening agencies such as Delhi Development Authority (DDA), civic bodies and public works department (PWD), among others, to ensure proper upkeep of saplings for a 100% survival rate.

The Economic Survey of Delhi 2018-19 released recently during the budget session in the assembly had revealed that Delhis green cover has increased only by 0.4% over the past two years.

Post-plantation care is important but often neglected by the government. The plantation sites need a regular and concrete monitoring exercise. Government departments are always short of staff and deal with many other issues, in which case outsourcing the task could be useful and may result in better survival rate, said Fayaz Khudsar, scientist-in-charge, Yamuna Biodiversity Park.
India has a parliamentary system. But there is a mismatch between the role defined for the parliamentarian and the expectations of the people. The constitutional scheme holds that Members of Parliament (MPs) essentially have to frame laws: people on the ground expect MPs to solve their daily problems, intervene in essentially municipal and district level issues, and improve their lives. There is a second mismatch. When the voter goes out to press the button, he is expected to elect only his local representative - admittedly on the party platform he represents. But in reality, since the legislature and executive are conjoined in India, the voter is not just electing his MP but also his Prime Minister. This divergence  of an MPs role and expectations from him; of an election which is local but turns increasingly national  has made the role of parliamentarians very different in Indias system.

It is in this larger backdrop that we should assess the selection of candidates, so far, by different parties. A caveat- Congress has released six lists, the BJP has named 184 candidates, but many more are yet to be declared. But initial trends give us a glimpse into a pattern. The Congress is playing on the front foot, as Rahul Gandhi said it would, in battleground states like UP. In the seats where it is in the reckoning, the party is putting up strong candidates - even if these candidates hurt the prospects of the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance. At the same time, while the Congress left many alliances till too late, the fact is it has stitched up multiple alliances in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Bihar. This has meant that it will contest on fewer seats than it did in the past in many pockets. But in all cases, the local candidate is essential in the Congress scheme of things since they hope local arithmetic will overturn Narendra Modis national campaign.

But the BJPs list is even more telling. In a state like UP, where the party suffers from triple anti-incumbency  since it is in power at the centre, has the state government, and has both the MP and mostly the MLAs any constituency - it has chosen to repeat the majority of its incumbents. This is always a fine balancing act for parties. Do you drop MPs and hope anti incumbency fades, or do you repeat incumbents, bank on his home and prevent a possible rebellion? While adopting the latter in key states like UP, the BJP seems to have adopted the former strategy - of changing candidates - in states like Chhattisgarh where it is confronting a major challenge. This can be traced to the fact that in major states, the BJP hopes that the Modi campaign will push through local incumbents, but in some regions, it needs strong local faces.

What is common to both parties so far however is the lack of gender diversity, and the fact that women constitute less than 15% of the list. This is even more incongruous when Naveen Patnaik has given 33% and Mamata Banerjee, 40% of their parties tickets to women. Besides calculating only on tactical electoral grounds, the national parties must do better in creating a more equal society by being inclusive.
Photo: The Canadian Press In this May 17, 1961 file photo, U.S. President John Kennedy and Prime Minister John Diefenbaker meet to begin talks on U.S. and Canadian problems in Ottawa, Canada. The prime minister's bureaucrats are hoarding a trove of decades-old records that chronicle Canada's Cold War intelligence history, say security researchers who are pushing to make the files publicly accessible. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo

The prime minister's bureaucrats are hoarding a trove of decades-old records that chronicle Canada's Cold War intelligence history, say security researchers who are pushing to make the files publicly accessible.

They're puzzled as to why the Privy Council Office has not handed the extensive collection  which touches on everything from Iron Curtain defectors to possible Soviet invasion  to Library and Archives Canada for preservation and public release.

"I think Canadians have a right to understand their history," said Alan Barnes, a senior fellow at the Centre for Security, Intelligence and Defence Studies at Carleton University's Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. "To allow the government to hide this history away for their own convenience, it defeats the whole purpose of having an archival system."

Barnes cites the importance of government transparency in urging people to sign an online parliamentary petition to the prime minister aimed at ensuring people will be able to see the documents.

He became aware of the records while serving in the Privy Council Office's intelligence-assessment secretariat, where he worked from 1993 until his retirement in 2011.

The records were invaluable to historian Wesley Wark when he was asked in the late 1990s to write a classified history of the Canadian intelligence system in the decades following the Second World War.

A draft of the book-length study was disclosed through the Access to Information Act in 2005, though considerable portions  including an entire chapter  were deemed too sensitive to release.

Wark's project provided some unusual glimpses of Canada's post-war intelligence efforts.

The study revealed that Ottawa accepted some 30 defectors from Soviet and Communist Bloc diplomatic and consular missions between 1945 and 1952, and that Canadian spies secretly analyzed Soviet movies during the Cold War in the hope of gleaning useful intelligence.

Barnes has recently made requests under the federal access law for various records in the Privy Council archive, but has largely been met with delays and denials, prompting him to lodge complaints with the information commissioner.

Many of the old paper documents are of great historical significance but have not been preserved or handled properly, said Wark, who teaches at the University of Ottawa. "They sit moldering away."

The Privy Council Office was never meant to serve as a perpetual archive of important documents and none of these records has "any conceivable contemporary operational use," Wark said. "But PCO has guarded them as a fortress and constructed impenetrable walls to any researcher brave enough to tackle Canada's access legislation."

Privy Council Office spokesman Stephane Shank said the agency is reviewing records to ensure classified information is not improperly released before transferring them to Library and Archives.

The review includes more than 8,000 pages of minutes and other documents related to federal cabinet papers, including some documents from the security archive, Shank added. However, he did not say what would become of the many remaining intelligence records in the archive.

The petition, which can be found at , has been signed by over 200 people. It requires 500 signatures by June 11 to receive certification for presentation to the House of Commons.

"The petition offers the right solution," Wark said. "PCO must let go its iron grip on these records and transfer them to Library and Archives Canada where they can be properly preserved, indexed and made available to future generations of researchers."
United States President Donald Trump is cock-a-hoop following Special Counsel Robert Muellers conclusion that there is no evidence that the White House resident colluded with the Russian government at the time of his election. Mr Mueller said he had no opinion regarding the lesser charge of obstruction of justice. But the truth is that Mr Muellers conclusions are not that great a surprise. And clearing the US president of the collusion charge will change little of the present political dynamics in Washington. Mr Trump may be in the clear, but the fact remains Mr Mueller indicted eight of his circle and has convicted four of them, with more of them facing trial. His administration is not guilty of treason but it is clearly riddled with corruption and sleaze. Those who dislike Mr Trump will have little reason to change their views. Those who support the president, and opinion polls show his approval rating remains at just over 40%, would not have changed their view irrespective of Mr Muellers conclusion.

It had been evident for some time that there would ever be a Watergate style denouement to the Mueller investigation. As Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi had signalled a few weeks ago, indictment was never on the cards so long as Mr Trumps popularity remained so high. At 40%, his approval rating meant he still had a hammerlock on the Republican voter base and, therefore, Republican congressmen would decline to support an indictment. And it is the legislature, not the judiciary, that determines impeachment. The Democrats will continue to push their various investigations, however, if only to keep the administration off balance and continue to undermine Mr Trumps image. The president still has reason for concern: the tax evasion investigation of the New York state attorney-generals office continues and is something not covered by presidential powers of pardon.

The real goal in all this drama is to tilt the political landscape for the 2020 US presidential elections in favour of one party or another. The Democrats are eyeing the growing share of independent voters, now roughly over 45% of the electorate. Many of these are disaffected Republicans, conservative but turned off by Mr Trumps character. They are likely to determine who will win the next US presidency. Mr Mueller did not give the Democrats quite the big gun they had hoped, but his indictments and convictions have already deeply sullied the Trump administration. If the Democrats dont go too far to the left themselves, they are on path to making Mr Trumps re-election bid an uphill task.
Students of CBSE Class 12 were in a cheerful mood after writing their history paper examination in Lucknow on Monday. Most of them said that the the paper was easy.

Richa Singh of Lucknow Public School, South City said, The paper was easy and not a lengthy one. Another student Harshita Pathak from same school said, I was able to attempt all the questions comfortably. Everything is from the syllabus.

A senior teacher of Lucknow Public School, South City, Ashok Kumar Singh said, The paper was well balanced; all the three sets of question papers were of parallel difficulty level. Though, there were few tricky questions but I am hopeful that the students would score well.

Students of Delhi Public School, Saheed Path branch also felt that the paper was pretty easy. Kriti Mishra, a student said, There were some questions which were a bit tricky. All the questions were from NCERT only. Im hoping to get above 90, Mishra said. Mansi Shakya of the same school said the paper was quite easy. Paper was from within NCERT only and all the questions were direct. Looking forward to score well, said Mansi. Aanchal pandey of DPS said the paper was easy but with some tricky questions. Prafullika Shukla of the same school said the paper was very easy. It was wholly NCERT based.

Student of GD Goenka Public School, Arijit said he was confident with his preparation and has performed well to score great marks. Suyash said, Questions were easy but source questions were difficult. Apra found most of the questions were those which she practiced in class or the ones she got in the pre board exams. I had practiced all questions from NCERT and they were asked in the paper. said Mehak.
Fathers-to-be, take note! Smoking may increase the babys risk of developing congenital heart defects - the leading cause of stillbirth, a study has found.

Congenital heart affect eight in 1,000 babies born worldwide. Prognosis and quality of life continues to improve with innovative surgeries, but the effects are still lifelong. The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, suggest that fathers-to-be should quit smoking.

Fathers are a large source of secondhand smoke for pregnant women, which appears to be even more harmful to unborn children than women smoking themselves, said Jiabi Qin, from Central South University in China.

Smoking is teratogenic, meaning it can cause developmental malformations. The association between prospective parents smoking and the risk of congenital heart defects has attracted more and more attention with the increasing number of smokers of childbearing age, said Qin.

According to researchers, this was the first meta-analysis to examine the relationships between paternal smoking and maternal passive smoking and risk of congenital heart defects in offspring. Previous analyses have focused on women smokers. In fact, smoking in fathers-to-be and exposure to passive smoking in pregnant women are more common than smoking in pregnant women, Qin said.

The researchers compiled the best available evidence up to June 2018. This amounted to 125 studies involving 137,574 babies with congenital heart defects and 8.8 million prospective parents.

All types of parental smoking were associated with the risk of congenital heart defects, with an increase of 74% for men smoking, 124% for passive smoking in women, and 25% for women smoking, compared to no smoking exposure.

This was also the first review to examine smoking at different stages of pregnancy and risk of congenital heart defects.

Womens exposure to secondhand smoke was risky for their offspring during all stages of pregnancy and even prior to becoming pregnant. Women who smoked during pregnancy had a raised likelihood of bearing a child with a congenital heart defect, but smoking before pregnancy did not affect risk.

Women should stop smoking before trying to become pregnant to ensure they are smoke-free when they conceive, said Qin.

Staying away from people who are smoking is also important. Employers can help by ensuring that workplaces are smoke-free, he said.

Doctors and primary healthcare professionals need to do more to publicise and educate prospective parents about the potential hazards of smoking for their unborn child, said Qin.

Regarding specific types of congenital heart defects, the analysis showed that maternal smoking was significantly associated with a 27% greater risk of atrial septal defect and a 43% greater risk of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction compared to no smoking. The overall risk of congenital heart defects with all types of parental smoking was greater when the analysis was restricted to Asian populations.

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Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo has admitted that fake footage has been planted in the films trailers as a misdirection for fans. Marvel pursued a similar strategy while promoting Avengers: Infinity War, whose trailers included shots that werent seen in the final film.

Joe, who directs with his brother Anthony - the brothers have helmed Captain America: The Winter Solder and Civil War in addition to Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame - told Empire magazine in an interview that the trailers are manipulated in order to tell a story specifically for the purpose of the trailer and not for the film.

He said, We look at the trailer as a very different experience than the movie, and I think audiences are so predictive now that you have to be very smart about how you craft a trailer because an audience can watch a trailer and basically tell you whats gonna happen in the film. We consume too much content. So at our disposal are lots of different shots that arent in the movie that we can manipulate through CG to tell a story that we want to tell specifically for the purpose of the trailer and not for the film.

they EDITED SOMEONE OUT BETWEEN BRUCE AND RHODEY pic.twitter.com/DOG7d1W0yY  meg the fool (@spidervalkyrie) February 3, 2019

Doesn't the awkward spacing between heroes in the #AvengersEndgame teaser make it look like someone was digitally removed? Someone like... Captain Marvel pic.twitter.com/3m2cQWpiML  Joshua Yehl (@JoshuaYehl) February 4, 2019

Russo explained what theyre trying to achieve with an example from his own childhood. He continued, We talked about all scales of marketing. The thing thats most important to us is that we preserve the surprise of the narrative. When I was a kid and saw The Empire Strikes Back at 11am on the day it openedit so profoundly moved me because I didnt know a damn thing about the story I was going to watch. Were trying to replicate that experience.

Several fans have already spotted suspicious shots in the films trailers, specifically the ones in which there appears to be a strange gap between characters. A shot of Captain America and Black Widow walking on a field in the first trailer perhaps includes a mystery character that has been edited out, fans said. A similar case was made for the shot of the Avengers walking in a single file at the Avengers headquarters. This shot was later revealed to be different in the films second trailer, and showed the characters in entirely different costumes.

Also read: Did Marvel edit out a character from new Avengers Endgame trailer? Could it be Loki? See pics for proof

Famously, the money shot of a bunch of characters rushing towards the camera at the end of the Infinity War trailer wasnt in the final film at all.

Avengers: Endgame is slated for an April 26 release. The film will conclude what Marvel president Kevin Feige has termed The Infinity Saga - which is made up of the 22 film Marvel has released so far.

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As many as 31 properties worth over crore belonging to separatists leaders of Jammu and Kashmir have been identified for attachment as proceeds of crime by enforcement agencies, a senior MHA official who did not want to be identified said.

The properties earmarked for attachment includes the Islamabad house of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. He is already a designated as terrorist by the United States and India. New Delhi will ask Pakistan to attack the Salauddins property as proceeds of crime, a second senior MHA official who did not want to be named said. If Pakistan refuses, India is free to raise the issue at appropriate forum, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), he said. Pakistan is in the Greylist of FATF.

The other 30 properties belong to nine prominent members separatists leaders. The properties identified for attachment are spread across Srinagar, Jammu, Kupwara, and Budgam.

Interestingly, of the 30 properties, as many as 10 belong to Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Watali.

Our inquiries suggest that Wattali acted as the conduit passing on funds, at times washed money received from Pakistan and held it for the separatists. He is in Jail now and is suspected to be a conduit for the separatist. Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate attached Watlis house in the National Capital Region (NCR) as proceeds of crime.

The National Investigative Agency (NIA) that started probing terror financing in 2017 charged as many as 12 people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The Enforcement Directorate that enforces the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 which came into force from July 2005.

As the NIA investigation unfolded, a decision was taken to go for the key players to cripple the network of terror financing. As a result of this decision, three properties of Aftab Ahmed Shah, charged by the NIA and believed to close to several separatists leaders, have been taken-up for attachment the second senior MHA official said.

Others whose properties have been identified for attachment include Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Basir Ahmad Bhat. They have all been charged by the NIA.

New Delhi has been trying to choke funds reaching terror groups. Earlier, it cracked down the under-invoicing of goods passing through the border trading points between Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Jammu and Kashmir. And, at the same time, it has banned organisations like the Jamaat-e-Islamai (J&K) and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
From April 1, all liquor bottles in the will have on their labels prominent statutory warnings, asking consumers to not drink and drive and outlining how alcohol consumption is harmful for health.

The countrys top food regulator,Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), issued a notification on March 19, 2018, directing alcoholic beverage manufacturers to put on labels the following warnings: Consumption of alcohol is injurious to health; and Be safe: Dont drink and drive.

For alcoholic beverage bottles up to 200 ml, the letters on the label, all in capitals, should not be less than 1.5 mm high; bottles larger than 200 ml will have letters 3mm tall. The apex food regulator had given a years time to the food business operators to make the shift, and comply with the regulations that kick in from April 1, 2019.

Alcoholic beverages are also regulated under the food safety Act. However, there were no labelling regulations created under the Act so far because of which the manufacturers used to follow the excise laws and standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. Now that we have created regulations, these will have to be adhered to, said Pawan Aggarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI.

The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, had the standards drawn for only toddy because of its huge consumption in India. However, the food regulator proposed and notified last year the separate regulation for alcoholic beverages because of the presence of various imported and Indian manufactured alcoholic beverages being widely consumed.

The new regulation is called the Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages Standards) Regulation, 2018, and will hold for distilled alcoholic beverages (brandy, country liquor, gin, rum, vodka and whisky, liqueur or alcoholic cordial), wines, and beer. Apart from the warning, the specific labelling requirements will also need a declaration about alcohol content, allergen warning, no nutritional data, no health claim, restriction on words such as non-intoxicating or words implying similar meaning on the label of beverage containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
Bihars anti-terrorist squad (ATS) arrested two Bangladeshi terror suspects near Patna Junction railway station close to the popular Mahavir Mandir early Monday and seized photocopies of letters related to deployment of central forces in Jammu and Kashmir after the Pulwama attack, fake voter identity cards, PAN cards, and ISIS posters from them.

The duo has been identified as Khairul Mandal and Abu Sultan, residents of Chhapatalla under the limits of Jhenaidah district in Khulna division of Bangladesh. ATS officials said they are affiliated with banned Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD) terror outfits.

The ATS said the two men had entered India without valid passports and had procured fake voter and PAN cards to conceal their identities. They were nabbed on specific inputs from the intelligence bureau (IB).

After procuring documents, they freely moved around different parts of India, including Kolkata, Kerala, Delhi and Bihar as per instructions from their JMB bosses. They were tasked to lure and induct Muslim youth into their organsiation. The duo carried out reconnaissance of popular Buddhist shrines and other religious places in Bihar. They also stayed in Gaya for 11 days in connection with their nefarious designs, said an ATS officer.

The JMB was involved in the January 2018 Bodh Gaya explosion. A low intensity bomb blast had taken place near Kalchakra ground in Bodh Gaya on January 19, 2018 when Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama was present in the town. A couple of crude bombs and large quantity of explosives were also recovered from the place.

Mandal and Sultan are the first terror catches by the ATS since its inception in Bihar in 2013. During initial interrogation, ATS members found that the two suspects were in touch with their sponsors and had been trying to enroll youth to develop their sleeper cells. They had fled from Bangladesh and entered India after their top leaders were nabbed in a crackdown by the Seikh Hasina government.

They were in search of some safe hideout in Patna and could have had plans to carry out some subversive activity, said the officer, adding the duo has been forwarded to judicial custody. We would pray for their remand soon for further questioning. Their revelations would help us look into the nature of their activity in Bihar and how far have they been successful in strengthening their network. Two separate teams have been dispatched to Mumbai and other places for investigation, the officer said.

The ATS also seized three cell phones, a memory card, photo copies of posters and pamphlets of ISIS and other terrorist organizations, railway tickets from New Delhi to Howrah and Gaya to Patna and also a bus ticket from Kolkata to Gaya.
Just hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi promised an income guarantee scheme , Finance Minister Arun Jaitley put out his counter to what the Congress has described as a final assault on poverty. Jaitley added up the expenditure incurred by the government on the ongoing welfare schemes to argue that the Narendra Modi governments welfare benefits to people averaged 1,06,800 annually, as against the 72,000 that the Congress seeks to promise.

The finance minister said the government had annually paid out 5.34 lakh crore under various welfare schemes and subsidies for food, fertilizers, farmers and Ayushman Bharat. If the Congress Partys announcement is tested on simple arithmetic, Rs.72,000 for five crore families works out to be Rs.3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what is being given, Jaitley said in a blog.

Jaitley made a similar point at a press conference later where he also accused the Congress of repackaging schemes.

Watch| BJP alleges bluff & fraud after Cong minimum income promise

In his press conference, Jaitley said that the Congress party has a history of bluff arguments and cited the loan waivers the party had promised and Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka, saying that those promises remain unfulfilled in most places.

The party has legacy of slogans with no resources. It has a history of bluff announcements. Karnataka has spent only 2600 crore, Madhya Pradesh 3000 crore and Punjab 5500 crore, Jaitley said.

Jaitley went on to list out a bunch of schemes which the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre had implemented and under which 5.34 lakh crore was being transferred directly to peoples accounts. The above averages 1,06,800 annually as against 72,000 which is the Congress now seeks to promise through the DBT mechanism, he said.

Saying that if other schemes are also added to the list, then it would provide several thousands of crores more to the poor, he said, The Congresss proposal comes to 3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what is being given by the Narendra Modi government.

He said that the Congress had misled the country on the issue of poverty for 50 years. Even after giving that slogan (gareebi hatao), if today you think that 20% people dont even have an income of 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country, he said.

The sharp attack came soon after Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at the opposition party for its anti-poor stance for decades. This showing of false dream to the people of India is not going to cut any ice because the Congress record of 55 years has always been anti-poor, said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Rolling out the scheme, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the scheme would cover 5 crore families and benefit nearly 25 crore people. The Congress chief insisted that the plan was fiscally prudent and implementable.

The BJP drew comparisons with Indira Gandhis Garibi Hatao in 1971, and said not much has changed since then.

Today, Rahul Gandhi announced Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. Indira Gandhi had raised slogan of Gareebi Hatao in 1971. We thought poverty had been removed but nothing happened. Rajiv Gandhi was PM, he said I send Re 1 from Delhi and only 15 paise reaches villages, said Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Back in January, Rahul Gandhi had announced the guarantee scheme but hadnt spelt out its broad contours. The governments think-tank NITI Aayog had then run down the plan, declaring that India neither had the kind of fiscal space, nor the kind of complete data needed to implement such a scheme.

The income guarantee plan fits with Rahul Gandhis campaign pitch that targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, accusing them of working for the rich.

This country has one flag. The prime ministers politics creates two Indias, he said.

The scheme will be called Nyay - Nyoontam Aay Yojana or Minimum Income Scheme - or justice, he said, adding that it would be rolled out in phases.

The scheme is widely seen as a version of universal basic income (UBI), a concept that entitles families to a certain threshold sum of money regardless of whether they work or not.
The body of an Indian student killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks was returned Monday to her grieving family in Kochi, where relatives remembered a bright young woman dedicated to her studies.

Ansi Alibava, 25, was the first of at least five Indians shot dead by a white supremacist in New Zealand on March 15 to be repatriated.

Her body was returned at an airport in Kochi early on Monday, an AFP photographer present said.

The family planned to hold a funeral ceremony for the masters student in their nearby hometown of Kodungallur.

Alibava was praying at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch with her husband, Abdul Nazer, when the Australian gunman opened fire on worshippers, killing 43.

Another seven were murdered at a separate mosque when the shooter later turned his weapon on Muslims there in the worst violence of its kind ever seen in New Zealand.

Some families have opted for burials in Christchurch itself, where a national remembrance service for the victims will be held on Friday, two weeks after the tragedy that shocked the world.

Born into a middle-class family in Kodungallur, Alibava started supporting her family after her father died five years ago in Saudi Arabia where he had been working.

She took thousands of dollars in loans to fund her studies in business agriculture at Christchurchs Lincoln University.

Alibavas cousin, P.H. Niyas, told AFP the dedicated student was soon to finish her studies.

She had gone there last year, the course was due to finish by April. There was to be a six-month training (course) after which she was to return home by December, said Niyas.

Alibava also worked part-time at a supermarket with Nazer, who she married two years ago.

On March 15, they went to the Al Noor Mosque and sat separately in the men and womens sections.

When gunfire broke out, Nazer managed to flee through an emergency exit but his wife did not make it.

When he returned to look for her, Nazer found his young wife motionless and face down, according to Indian media reports.

He was officially informed of her death 24 hours after the massacre.

Another Indian family who lost relatives in the attack opted for burial in Christchurch.

Father and son Asif Vora and Rameez Vora hailed from Gujarat, in western India, and were visiting family in New Zealand when they were killed.

They decided to perform the last rites there itself, a community leader, Zuber Goplani, told AFP.

The body of another victim also from Gujarat, Maheboob Khokhar, was expected to be returned to India this week, his family said.
Former IPS, Bharati Ghosh, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket, has lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state alleging that the Criminal Investigation Department of Bengal Police is tapping her mobile phone.

Ghosh is contesting from Ghatal constituency, where actor Dev of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is the incumbent.

Ghosh (51) is a former confidante of TMC supremo and chief minister Mamata Banerjee and even described her as the mother of Jungle Mahal (impoverished forested former-Maoist dominated areas in the western regions of Bengal), before she fell out with the ruling party in December 2017.

Earlier this month, Ghosh returned a medal and certificate for commendable service that Mamata Banerjee gave her on August 15, 2014, saying she does not need them to prove her worth.

On Monday, when she was reminded that she had once referred to the chief minister as the mother of Jangle Mahal, Ghosh replied, Mothers can be of many types. even Kaikeyee (mother of Bharat in Ramayana, whose ploy sent Rama to the forest for 14 years) was a mother.

Ghosh went underground last year for a prolonged period after was slapped with multiple cases under charges of extortion by the CID. She emerged in public after the Supreme Court directed the state government not to take any coercive action against her.

An election candidates mobile phone cannot be tapped by any agency after declaration of candidature and during the period of election and if it is done, the act will be treated as a serious illegality, read the letter sent by Ghoshs advocate Pinaki Bhattacharyya.

My client is an ex-IPS officer and former superintendent of police of Paschim Midnapore and due to her previous service experience, she can easily find out the differences of noise when a phone is tapped, claimed the lawyer.

The tapping is jeopardising her preparations for the elections, she has alleged.

Out to campaign for the first time on Monday, Ghosh alleged, The TMC has become politically bankrupt. It is also an opportunist party. The people will give it a befitting reply all over the state.

In 2014, Dev won the constituency by a margin 2.6 lakh votes. He secured 50.70 per cent of the votes that year.

Ghosh joined the BJP on February 4 this year in Delhi.

Incidentally, BJP leaders such as Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh and party election cell convener for the party, Mukul Roy, have earlier alleged that the state government used to eavesdrop on their telephonic conversation.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called on the Department of Health (DOH) to take down all Malasakit Center posters bearing senatorial bet Christopher "Bong" Go's name and picture from government hospitals.

This, as the poll body enforces its crackdown on illegal campaign materials ahead of the May 13 elections.

Malasakit Center, a project by the administration, is a one-stop-shop that seeks to provide quick medical help to patients.

In his speeches, Go, a former aide of President Rodrigo Duterte, has repeatedly cited Malasakit Centers as one of his projects.

Campaign rules prohibit candidates to put their posters or other campaign materials on government buildings, including public hospitals, health centers, airports, piers, and barangay halls.

Tarpaulins and posters should only be put up in common poster areas identified by the election officer in a particular area.

Comelec had earlier said candidates may be held liable for campaign posters which are not in common poster areas.

The poll body had also issued a warning to more than half of the 62 senatorial candidates over the posting of illegal campaign materials

Reacting to the request, the DOH said it did not order any hospital to post materials of candidates.

"We have reminded our medical center chiefs to immediately take mdown any visual displays of candidates that may be found in pour facilities," it said in a statement.

The agency appealed to the public to report any campaign materials posted in its hospitals.

Go, for his part, asked the people behind the posters to remove his name and face from the materials.

"Paulit-ulit ko na po sinabi, tanggalin niyo na po mukha at pangalan ko sa posters at tarps. Huwag niyo na po ikabit iyan. Itulong niyo na lang sa mga nangangailangan," he said in a statement.G

Go also urged government workers to "stay neutral" in expressing their support for candidates in the midterm elections

"Uphold political neutrality in the conduct of your official duties. 'Yan ang utos ng Pangulo. Itago niyo nalang sa puso ninyo sino tingin ninyo dapat magserbisyo sa kapwa Pilipino," he said.

Go vowed to fight fair and urged his supporters to remove illegal posters bearing his name and face.
Photo: The Canadian Press A gavel sits on a desk before the a meeting of the House Justice and Human Rights Committee in Ottawa, Wednesday February 13, 2019. Whether Canadian judges should be active on Twitter, Facebook or other social media and what involvement they should have in community life are among issues under a review that aims to modernize ethical guidance for those on the bench. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

TORONTO - Whether Canadian judges should be active on Twitter, Facebook or other social media and what involvement they should have in community life are among issues under a review that aims to modernize ethical guidance for those on the bench.

As part of the first such update in 20 years, the body that regulates judicial conduct has launched consultations as a way to gauge public sentiment on acceptable conduct for federally appointed judges as it seeks to update and streamline its guide: "Ethical Principles for Judges."

"As society evolves, so do the ethical issues that judges sometimes face," Chief Justice Richard Wagner said in a statement.

While bedrock principles for judges such as integrity, independence and impartiality are not up for debate, the review focuses on six themes  some new, some in need of updating: Social media, public engagement, post-retirement, self-represented litigants, case management, settlement conferences and judicial mediation, and professional development.

"The work of judges has changed. Society has evolved. New and emerging ethical questions are before us," the Canadian Judicial Council says in a background paper. "Reflecting this changing environment, council is reviewing the current ethical principles to ensure they continue to provide guidance for judges in a manner that reflects evolving public expectations."

Public feedback is requested by way of an online survey in which respondents are asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements such as: "Judges should not identify themselves as judges on social media" or "Judges should not use social media to 'like,' 'friend' or 'share' about matters that could come before the courts, generate negative debates (political or others) or be the subject of controversy."

Underlying many of the questions is to what extent judges should be socially reclusive and whether it's fair or even desirable to demand a judiciary that is isolated and aloof from the kind of active if ordinary social engagement most Canadians take for granted.

"Judges, of course, have private lives and should enjoy, as much as possible, the rights and freedoms of citizens generally," the guide states. "Moreover, an out of touch judge is less likely to be effective."

The current document makes it clear that its aim is to provide ethical guidance and "shall not be used as a code or a list of prohibited behaviours."

However, breaches could lead to disciplinary consequences under the Judges Act, up to and including the rare step of being forced from the bench. In November, for example, the council rapped a well respected Ontario Superior Court justice for accepting a temporary dean's posting at an Indigenous law school  the kind of dilemma the revised guide should help to resolve. The matter, still before the courts, provoked angry criticism of the judicial council itself.

Mixing personal and public interests can also backfire, such as in the case of Frank Newbould, who resigned as a judge under a cloud over his participation at a community meeting to consider a land-claim settlement in an area in which he had a cottage.

"To an increasing degree, judges engage with the wider community to inform and educate the public about the role of the judiciary in maintaining the rule of law, and to participate in opportunities that allow them to become better informed about the communities they serve," the council says in its background paper. "This theme considers the ethical challenges that this engagement presents."

One emerging area of concern is the growing number of judges who return to law practice after retirement from the bench. That raises questions about whether they should be allowed to pursue job opportunities before retiring, or use their former position to further a post-bench business career. Another survey question asks respondents to express views on the statement: "In general, former judges should not argue a case or appear in court."

The internet age also makes it easy for judges, like anyone else, to access information online, raising the question of whether they should avoid looking for material relevant to a matter before them.

Neither the Canadian Superior Courts Judges Association nor the judges section of the Canadian Bar Association was willing to discuss the review.
Pakistan is taking steps to open a corridor for Hindu pilgrims from India to visit the Sharda Temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to media reports.

The move comes in the wake of efforts by the two countries to open a corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak in India with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan.

Pakistans Express News channel cited sources in the foreign ministry as saying that government officials would visit the Sharda Temple and submit a report to the prime minister.

Sharda Peeth is believed to be 5,000 years old and was once regarded as one of the leading temple universities of the subcontinent. There is a pond called Madomati near the temple and its water is as sacred to Hindus as the water of Katasraj temple.

Pakistan has decided to open the Sharda temple. I am going to visit the place in a couple of days. I will also send a report...to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Work on the project will start in the current year, after which Hindus in Pakistan will also be able to visit the site, said Ramesh Vankwani, a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

People familiar with developments in New Delhi said India had made several requests for opening a corridor to Sharda temple as part of the erstwhile composite dialogue.
A Delhi trial court on Monday extended Robert Vadras interim protection from arrest till March 27, even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed his plea before the Delhi high court seeking that a money laundering case in which he was questioned by the agency be quashed.

ED, which had sought the judicial custody of Vadra in a case pertaining to an alleged purchase of London-based property worth 1.9 million pounds, argued that he wilfully suppressed material facts from the court.

It said when Vadra, husband of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, feared that law will catch him, he challenged the PMLA provisions. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and KTS Tulsi, appearing for Robert Vadra, and advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir representing his alleged aide Manoj Arora, denied the allegations. The HC asked ED to file an affidavit regarding the maintainability of two separate but similar petitions by Vadra and Arora within two weeks.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the ED and the Centre, raised objection over the maintainability and said no relief should be granted.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday pledged to roll out a monthly income guarantee scheme, if his party comes to power at the Centre, to ensure Indias 20 per cent poorest families make at least 12,000 every month. The scheme would cover 5 crore families and benefit nearly 25 crore people, said Gandhi after the Congress Working Committee cleared the plan that party president described as the final assault on poverty.

This is about justice for the poor, said Gandhi at a press conference to announce the contours of the guarantee scheme that will make its way to the Congress manifesto ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

We are going to give you justice. Remember the number The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent of Indias poor would make at least 72,000 annually, he said, describing it as a historic move.

Watch| Will eradicate poverty: Rahul Gandhis 72,000/yr plan for 5 crore families

The Congress chief insisted that the plan was fiscally prudent and implementable.

This does not mean everyone would get the 12,000 dole. Gandhi explained that if a family makes 6,000, the government would chip in the rest to raise the monthly family income to 12,000.

Back in January, Rahul Gandhi had announced the guarantee scheme but hadnt spelt out its broad contours. The governments think-tank NITI Aayog had then run down the plan, declaring that India neither had the kind of fiscal space, nor the kind of complete data needed to implement such a scheme.

Gandhi insisted the Congress had done its homework.

We have checked it again and again and again. It is fiscally, perfectly possible. We committed MGNREGA (rural job guarantee scheme), we did it. We will eradicate poverty from India, he said. The Congress leader said the job guarantee scheme had pulled out 14 crore people out of poverty. That, he said, was the first phase.

In the second phase, 25 crore people will be pulled out... It is an extremely powerful, dynamic and extremely well thought-out idea We have done the calculations, he said.

The income guarantee plan fits with Rahul Gandhis campaign pitch that targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, accusing them of working for the rich.

This country has one flag. The prime ministers politics creates two Indias, he said.

Also Read : OPINION | Ushering in a new social contract through Minimum Income Guarantee

The scheme will be called nyay or justice, he said, adding that it would be rolled out in phases.

The scheme is widely seen as a version of universal basic income (UBI), a concept that entitles families to a certain threshold sum of money regardless of whether they work or not.

UBI first became part of the official discourse when the countrys then chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian proposed it in the Economic Survey 2016-17. But the government did not pursue it.
Four people, including a doctor and her six-year-old daughter, were charred to death early on Monday when a roadways bus they were travelling in caught fire after hitting a divider on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway, police said.

The air-conditioned bus of the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) bus, with seven people on board, was on its way to Lucknow from Delhi when the incident took place near the expressways 77th milestone, which falls under Karhal police station area in Mainpuri district, at around 1am.

The deceased have been identified as Dr Jyoti Nirvan, 38, her daughter Niti, bus driver Israr Ahmed, 32, and conductor Dhananjay Maurya. Dr Nirvan was associated with Lucknows Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences where her husband, too, is working as a paediatrician.

Karhal police station incharge Rajesh Pal Singh said, The Delhi-Lucknow roadways bus left Anand Vihar bus terminus in Delhi on Sunday night. There were two drivers, a conductor and four passengers in the bus.

Singh said the driver hit a divider while trying to overtake another bus after which the engine of the first bus caught fire.

A passenger and her child were burnt alive. A driver and the conductor who were sleeping in the bus also died, Singh said.

Driver Ahmed belonged to UPs Bulandshahr while conductor Maurya was from Pratapgarh, police said.

The other driver and two passengers sustained burns and were admitted to Saifai Medical College.

In another accident on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, at least 20 persons were injured when a private bus overturned in Dauki police station area of Agra.

The bus was heading to Delhi from Azamgarh.

The bus driver lost control on the vehicle at a bend and overturned. At least 20 people were injured, Pradeep Kumar, incharge of Dauki police station, said.

A crane was called in to remove the bus from the road after which traffic movement was restored, Kumar said.
Authorities in Kerala have sounded a high alert after three suspected cases of sunstroke deaths were reported from the southern state in the last two days as experts warned of soaring temperatures in the coming days.

Two deaths were reported on Sunday. State health officials said a man was found dead in his paddy field in Parasala in south Kerala while another death was reported from Payyanur in the north of the state. Police have registered cases under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for unnatural death.

Doctors, however, said the exact cause of death will be known after a post-mortem examination.

The weatherman has warned sweltering conditions in the next two days, saying the temperature is likely to go up by three to four degree Celsius in eight districts of the state.

Kerala is in the grip of a severe drought six months after the flood of the century ravaged the state, claiming the lives of more than 400 people. Experts have warned of heatwave conditions, quite unheard of in the state, will persist for more than a month.

With the mercury levels soaring, the disaster management authority has directed the state government to implement its directives strictly.

The disaster management authority has listed necessary measures for people to follow during the scorching days ahead. Since humidity levels are quite high in the state, high-temperature levels will add to the woes of people exposed to the sun.

The worried state labour department had rescheduled working hours, preventing outdoor work from 11am to 3pm until further orders and asked construction sites and farmers to comply with the order strictly.

Keralas health minister KK Shailaja has asked residents to follow the directions of health authorities.

Experts said the vast destruction of green cover during the August floods, difficulty in groundwater recharging due to the removal of topsoil, El Nino effect and changing construction models are to be blamed for sudden hike in temperature. If the situation continues, the state is likely to witness a scorching summer and water scarcity, they warned.
India is expected to supply four gunship helicopters to Afghanistan by July, with the deliveries falling almost a year behind schedule, people familiar with developments said on Monday.

As first reported by Hindustan Times in March 2018, Afghanistan, Belarus and India had inked a trilateral pact to supply the refurbished Mi-24 helicopters. Belarus was to upgrade the helicopters, which were to be paid for by India, the then Afghan envoy, Shaida Abdali, had said.

It is now expected that two helicopters will be delivered to Afghanistan in April. The other two are expected to be handed over in June or July, a person familiar with discussions on the matter said.

This is only the second instance of India supplying lethal military equipment to Afghanistan. India had provided four Mi-24s to the Afghan armed forces during 2015-16, marking a significant shift from its earlier position of supplying only non-lethal equipment.

However, some of the helicopters provided earlier had been grounded because of a lack of spares and India was also working on plans to help repair and refurbish the Mi-24s and other Russian-origin helicopters and transport aircraft of the Afghan Air Force, officials had said earlier.

The issue of the four additional helicopters and other military assistance had figured in Afghanistans National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohibs discussions with Indian officials during his visit to New Delhi in January.

India has committed $3 billion in aid to Afghanistan since 2001, when the Taliban were removed from power. It has also trained personnel from the Afghan National Security Forces and Afghan National Police.

The four additional helicopters are expected to play a role in fighting between the Afghan forces and the Taliban, who have continued their attacks despite engaging the US in peace talks.

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Guntur is one of the most populated of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Andhra Pradesh. It is prized seat and is considered as the states educational hub.

Industrialist-turned-politician Jayadev Galla of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) won the seat in 2014 defeating Vallabhaneni Balashowry of YSRCP by 69,111 votes. The Congress which was once a major power in Guntur was decimated. Its candidate Abdul Waheed Shaik finished third with 46,818 or just 3.76 per cent of the votes.

Galla, a millionaire MP - has once again been named as the TDPs candidate in Guntur. He will be up against Modugula Venugopal Reddy of the YSRCP.

Guntur is known for chilli, tobacco and cotton exports and has the largest chilli market yard in Asia. It is located in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.

According to the 2011 census, out of a total population of 2091075, 48.71% is rural and 51.29% is urban population. The Scheduled castes (SC) and Scheduled tribes (ST) ratio is 19.41 and 3.3, respectively out of total population.

Guntur Lok Sabha constituency in numbers:

Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Guntur

Reservation nature of constituency: General

Sitting MP, Party: Jayadev Galla, TDP

Winning margin in 2014: 69,111 votes

Runner up name, party: Vallabhaneni Balashowry, YSRC

Number of voters in 2014: 1,572,016

Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 79

Number of polling booths in 2014: 1594

Number of women voters: 798,989
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has begun its meeting to discuss and approve the draft of the partys manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is among the top leaders present at the meeting.

The Congress manifesto, a poll document that contains promises, programmes and policies of a political party for the next five years if voted to power, is expected to be released in Delhi on April 2. It is customary in the Congress to get the draft approved by CWC, the partys highest decision-making body.

The document is likely to include Congress president Rahul Gandhis minimum income guarantee proposal, right to healthcare apart from measures to address unemployment and agrarian distress, party insiders, requesting anonymity, said.

The subjects included in the document are related to farmers, youth, women and child development, education, economy, industry, urban affairs, armed services and retired defence personnel, security issues, environment, foreign policy apart from art, heritage and culture.

On Monday, the Congress leaders are expected to discuss the prevailing political situation in the country apart from the alliance issue. The leaders may also discuss whether Gandhi will con test from a second seat in south India.

In the last CWC meeting in Ahmedabad on March 12, Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had suggested that the minimum income guarantee scheme should be named as Nyay, an acronym for Nyuntam Aay Yojana.

At the same meeting, senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram had informed the members that the draft manifesto was ready and that the panel had held 175 consultations with different sections of the society.

The party had kicked off the process of preparing its manifesto in October last year and sought suggestions from the people through a dedicated website and WhatsApp.

The broad theme of the manifesto is Jan Awaaz (Your Voice).

The practice to seek suggestions from the public on issues to be incorporated in its poll document to draft a peoples manifesto is followed by the Congress since 2014. A 22-member manifesto committee had been constituted and the panel was further divided into 20 subject groups.

The large theme of this entire manifesto consultation process was  Your aspirations shape the future of India, your voice inspires the change and the Congress is listening to you, a party leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Western Hoolock Gibbon, the only wild ape found in India and also among the most endangered primates in the world, has found a safe haven thanks to the people of Meghalaya.

It is estimated that only about 3,000 Western Hoolock gibbons are left in northeast India today. These gibbons are listed among the 25 most endangered primates in the world. The species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as a schedule 1 species by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Over the last three years, the people of Hima Malai Sohmat are working proactively to conserve the gibbons and in the process, they are saving their forests too.

Our forefathers believed that as long as you can hear gibbons calling, we are still within the boundary of Hima Malai Sohmat. This is true even today to a certain extent, says Tyngshain Dewkhaid, from Phlangwanbroi village in the East Khasi hills of Meghalaya.

The village of the 42-year-old school teacher along with four others forms the ancient kingdom of Hima Malai Sohmat. The villages are located close to the worlds wettest region Cherrapunji and the forests that adjoin them is also one of the last vestiges of the Western Hoolock Gibbon, a fast-disappearing ape that has witnessed a 90% decline in its population in the last four decades.

When we realised that gibbons are found only in a few regions in the world, including our forests, we decided to protect them. Since gibbons live in the forest, we realised that we need to conserve the forests too for gibbon conservation to succeed, Dewkhaid says.

While the survey to determine the number of gibbons in the Hima Malai Sohmat is under process, conservationists feel the villagers efforts are reaping rich rewards.

We see the Hima Malai Sohmat as a group of villages that can really spearhead a movement that can massively enhance the chances of gibbons surviving in the region, Divya Vasudev of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) said while speaking to the Hindustan Times.

WCS, an international conservation organisation, is assisting Meghalayas villagers and the forest department in gibbon conservation.

A large proportion of land here is community owned and they have decided to not encroach on the forests. They are also running awareness campaigns for villagers, informing them that hunting gibbons is illegal, Vasudev adds.

The Western Hoolock gibbon is found in all the northeastern states as well as in parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar. A species that requires contiguous, wet, closed-canopy forests for its survival, it is among the major casualty of deforestation for agriculture, tea estates and other commercial plantations.

The need of the hour is to check the habitat loss and further fragmentation of their habitats and start at war footing the restoration of their habitats, Narayan Sharma, an assistant professor in the department of environmental biology and wildlife sciences at the Guwahatis Cotton University, says.

Sharma has been studying gibbons for the past 16 years.

Community participation is a must for the conservation of Hoolock gibbons. I have also found that local communities dont hunt gibbons, citing their human-like families and resemblance to humans as well as their harmless nature. Having said that, what we need is sustained conservation efforts to make sure that gibbons survive for a long time in northeast India, Sharma adds.

Gibbons form monogamous pairs that remain together for years. They are also famous for their emotive calls that echo across long distances in the forests and is used by individuals to attract mates.

The next step for the community is to monetise on their conservation through sustainable eco-tourism.

A master plan committee has been constituted in our region to balance the needs of tourism with gibbon conservation work. This will help to maintain a green environment in the area, and mass tourism is not a priority for us, Phlangwanbroi villages Dewkhaid says.

As part of their eco-tourism, a few homestays have been set up and later this year, the villagers will also be organising guided gibbon tours inside the forests. For now, creating a safe haven for the gibbon is the priority.

Such initiatives taken by local communities have ramifications not only for their lands but for the country as a whole. I believe such steps could turn the fate of gibbons from a species that is facing a steady decline in numbers, to becoming stable, Vasudev says.
A Delhi-based college student who had gone missing on the Triund trek near McLeod Ganj about a week ago, was found alive by rescuers on Monday morning.

Himanshu Ahuja, 20, was found off the Triund trail by a team of local trekkers who were part of the rescue operation.

Deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Santosh Patial, said Ahuja was found just below the Triund hilltop with a broken left foot.

Ahuja was part of group of 40 students and faculty of Maharaja Agarsen College, Delhi, who were on an excursion.

On March 19, the group had trekked to the Triund hill. During the return journey, Ahuja was left behind and lost his way. The group, on their return to McLeod Ganj, found him missing and filed a complaint with the local police. The police also took the help of army and sniffer dogs in the rescue operation.

SURVIVED ON SPRING WATER

While interacting with the media at district police headquarters, Ahuja said he had an argument with his friends and was walking behind the group. I could not keep pace with them and fell behind, he said.

Left behind, Ahuja tried to follow the footsteps of the others but slipped down a slope, hurt his foot and got stuck near a water spring. I tried to call my friends from my cellphone but its battery drained out. My foot was swollen and I couldnt move due to severe pain he said.

He had nothing to eat as the snacks and biscuits he was carrying got over on the first day. I found shelter under an overhanging rock and drank water from the nearby spring all these days, hoping that my friends or somebody else would come looking for me, he said.

A member of the rescue team that traced Ahuja, Mahinder Bihan, said it was a miracle that Ahuja managed to survive in such harsh conditions. The temperature in the hills drops drastically in the evenings and there is also the threat of wild animals. He had no food, no sleeping bag and not even proper clothing, said Bihan.
Photo: Contributed

From Burning Man to Harlem, Bentley Meeker is known worldwide for his work with light.

The New York City-based and internationally renowned lighting artist is presenting a new series of illuminated sculptural works at the Penticton Art Gallery from March 29 to May 12.

The kick-off for the show, dubbed Immaculate Refraction, is the yearly spring opening party at the gallery on March 29 from 8 p.m. to midnight.

On view are 40 new works from Meeker and site-specific installations in the gallerys project room. Meeker himself will give a free talk held on March 30 at 2 p.m.

Meeker explores the extensive study of light and its impact on humanity through his new works -- the first solo exhibition by the artist in Canada.

It is not the first visit to the Penticton Art Gallery for Meekers work, displaying the Weed World installation as part of the 2017 exhibition Grass Lands.

His career was shaped by decades of experimentation through his studio, museum exhibitions, gallery shows and large-scale installations like The H in Harlem, a large public installation in New York City.

Light is the most powerful tool we have to create any feeling, Meeker said.

A special opening reception is being hosted March 30 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information visit www.pentictonartgallery.com and www.bentleymeekerart.com.
A breakfast changed Mohammad Unaiss life. The son of an influential imam (Muslim religious leader) in a south Kerala town, Unais had not planned to speak about homosexuality at the family table. But when his father, a firm believer in hardline Sharia, opined that those people should be beheaded, Unais snapped back, Then you would have to chop off your sons head also.

The response was swift, and drastic. He was first dragged to a religious doctor and then to a psychiatrist, who told his parents after diagnosis that he could be rid of his habit only if he chose to.

He was taken back home, and over the next few months, kept under observation, with his father preaching that homosexuality is a sin. Finally, his family gave up and warned him to not talk about himself to anyone else because it would bring disrepute to the clan. I was hurt, but I knew I wanted to be myself. So I defied them, and started talking to people through social media.

Difficult childhood

Unais, 27, who will vote for the first time in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, grew up in a sun-kissed town couple of hours by road from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. One end of the town mingles with the Arabian Sea, and the other blends into a network of oblong water bodies that together make up the Ashtamudi lakes, Keralas second-largest backwater system, dotted with ornate houseboats. When the tourists are not thronging the beaches during winter and spring, Unaiss village is an unhurried place where people know each other and children spend lazy afternoons walking along the palm-lined shores. It was also the city where Unais often felt he was the only gay person alive.

There was no exposure, no one spoke about homosexuality. He came out to his sister in Class 9. She was shocked, speechless. I tried to make her understand, and made her promise on the Quran to not tell anyone else. Despite growing up in a city with 94% literacy and in a state widely acknowledged as Indias most progressive, Unais battled prejudice throughout his teenage and later.

At home, his orthodox parents feared he was committing sacrilege; in his college, he would routinely be abused for his effeminacy. They would ask  is it curable, why do you talk about it openly, it will pass, it is a phase; why dont you take medicines, or get married. It made me feel suicidal.

In 2015, Unais travelled to Thiruvananthapuram to take part in the states first LGBT pride event, and it changed his life. It was the one day in a year when we could be ourselves and celebrate joy. I suddenly became brave. He contacted the organisers over social media, and one of the activists added him to a secret Facebook group. I saw there were many people like me so I got confidence. Before that, I didnt know anyone else like me.

Double marginalisation

As the son of a well-known religious leader who commands great respect in the region, Unais has struggled to find harmony between his sexuality and faith for years. In 2017, he started writing about his religion and sexuality, and was almost immediately sharply criticised. I called out the hypocrisy of organisations who want rights of Muslims but shun LGBT people. He started reading up about Muslim feminists, such as Amina Wadud, the pioneering American Muslim philosopher who offered a new interpretation of the Quran, and about gay imams challenging orthodoxy across the world. He now says he receives plenty of support from other Muslim people and scholars, though almost none of it is in public.

This consciousness about what Unais called the double marginalisation  of faith and sexuality  is guiding his political choices this election.

His town is about 90 minutes away from Pathanamthitta, which has been roiled by months-long protests by devotees of the celibate deity, Ayyappa, who have sought to block the entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age into the Sabarimala temple despite a Supreme Court order scrapping the informal ban.

Hordes of women have been forced to turn back in the face of threats, and showers of abuse hurled at them as they climb the steps to one of Indias most-visited shrines. The agitation has rocked Kerala and brought to the fore its orthodox underbelly  one that Unais is already familiar with. He says he has been a lifelong supporter of the Left parties, which currently controls Kerala, and the Sabarimala issue has made him more confident that it is the Left Democratic Front (LDF) that will bring change in the arena of gender and sexuality.

Sabarimala is an issue of equality and fundamental rights of women, and my support is for Left ideology because it is the only party that is favouring womens entry, he says. The two other major parties in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, have both opposed the Supreme Court order and said the faith of devotees needed to be respected. I think as a queer person, gender equality is important and a related cause. And, the Left stands for womens representation and for the oppressed.

Unais knows the Left is not a national choice, and admits that he would support the Congress if he was voting outside Kerala, but the national partys stance on Sabarimala has disappointed him. He is, however, appreciative of Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoors advocacy for LGBT rights, and says he liked that the Congress consulted with LGBT persons before drafting its manifesto.

The 27-year-old diligently follows Mollywood but his biggest idol is not a movie star, it is author and activist Arundhati Roy, who he met at a literature fest and a photo of whom is his display picture on WhatsApp. I love her because of her activism, she fearlessly makes her stand clear. She is a proud anti-national, and maybe, so am I, he laughs.

Unais says the feeling of insecurity associated with being Muslim is lower in Kerala but that Islamophobia is rooted in the coastal state. If I say anything in support of Kashmir, I will be called a Pakistani. I fear to say anything about the army because I am Muslim.

Manifesto for all

In a landmark decision last September, India decriminalised homosexuality but Unais thinks this is only a first step in a state where anti-LGBT slurs are coded into popular culture, cinema and politics.

He hopes for a day when political parties will draw up a charter for LGBT rights and include them in their campaign manifestos. It is so difficult for us to get housing, and we are denied jobs. I hope for an anti-discrimination law that makes any bias a punishable offence. The focus should be on jobs, housing and education.

The other focus has to be on health care and counselling, he adds, especially in a state where families pressurise LGBT teenagers, and often force them into dubious procedures that lead to depression or suicide.

And, as LGBT communities grow in visibility and strength, he wants them to stand with other marginalised sections such as Dalits and Adivasis. If we are asking for equality, we cannot leave others behind.

Unais now comes home occasionally but is firm that this is where he wants to settle down. The city has changed remarkably since his childhood, and he says he often meets openly queer individuals now  something he couldnt imagine 10 years ago. They ask me if I am sorry for coming out. My answer is no  after coming out, my life is so much better, it gave me friends, it gave me the courage to face anything.

He has high hopes of the future. So much has improved in the past 10 years, more will in the next 10. Marriage equality will be here and many of my friends will have settled down with their partners. And, so will I, Inshallah.
After a controversy erupted over a Central University of Kerala circular which held that research should be carried out in accordance with national priorities, the HRD ministry on Monday sought to clarify that it had not issued any directive to restrict choice of subjects for research and emphasised that the government believes in the principle of freedom in research.

The University had in its circular said that following a meeting of vice chancellors in Shastri Bhawan in Delhi, where the HRD ministry is headquartered, certain decisions were taken which included discouraging research in irrelevant areas.

When fellows are being admitted for PhDs, the topics for the thesis should be in accordance with the national priorities. Allotting privilege topics to the PhD students should be dispensed with, the circular said.

It asked the varsitys heads of departments to convene the meeting of the faculties and prepare a shelf of projects to be taken for research study pertaining to their subject considering national priorities. The student can opt from the shelf of project(sic), the circular added.

However, controversy erupted when Meena T Pillai, a professor at a Kerala state university, who also was on the board of studies of the Kerala Central University, protested the circular.

Pilllai quit the board of the central university claiming the move would curtail the freedom to carry out academic research.

This, in a sense, sounds the death knell for free research in the country, Pilllai said adding such regulation would not be followed in any university worth its name across the world.

Automatically, it is a given that research is an area where people think freely. They have the right to critique, ask questions, they have the right dissent. What to study, how to study is the prerogative of the researcher. If you put strings on that no independent knowledge production would happen in the country, she said.

Pillai asked one question was who would decide what is national priorities. Referring to the circular mentioning a shelf of projects she asked if it meant that you people in the 20s cannot decided the field of research they want to enter.

She said there was a need to have clarity or these kind of things can destroy the fabric of democracy and independent thought. Knowledge cannot work in an atmosphere of fear, Pillai said.

However, in a statement issued, the HRD ministry said that it had not imposed any restrictions on research.

Last year, there was a meeting of Vice Chancellors of 11 Central Universities, which were lacking in research. In the said meeting they presented a road map to improve research and also discussed the issue of more research on issues relating to national priorities. The minutes of the meeting were recorded, the ministry said.
The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)s response to a petition seeking the status of the agencys probe into the alleged disproportionate assets of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his sons, Akhilesh and Prateek.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta gave the CBI two weeks for the response. It brushed aside apprehensions of the Yadavs lawyer, CA Sundaram, that any remark of the judges related to the petition at this juncture would have a bearing on the national elections that begin on April 11.

There was a status report in 2007. We would like to know what happened to it, Gogoi told Sundaram, who contended the application was meant to politicise the issue.

Sundaram implored the court not to proceed with the matter on account of the polls for which the SP has aligned with the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh that has the most -- 80 -- Lok Sabha seats.

He said anything that the court said would be a headline in the media the next day.

The courts direction to the CBI came on a fresh application of Congress leader Vishwanath Chaturvedi seeking a direction to the agency to submit a status report of the probe in the case.

Chaturvedi moved the top court in 2005 with a plea for a CBI probe against the three and Akhileshs wife, Dimple Yadav. He accused the family of corruption. In his 2005 petition, Chaturvedi cited income tax returns and other reliable documents of the Yadavs to allege that they possessed disproportionate assets.

On March 1, 2007, the top court directed the CBI to inquire into allegations and also find out whether the plea regarding the disproportionate assets was correct or not. A review plea against this order was dismissed in 2012.

The court later dropped Dimple Yadavs name from the list of people to be investigated as she was not holding any public office then and therefore could not be subjected to any investigation.

imple Yadav became a Lok Sabha member in 2012 after her husband, Akhilesh, vacated his seat as he became the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

In his fresh application, Chaturvedi said the CBI has not so far given any update on its investigation nor has it intimated to him about the filing of any final report. An unusually long period has already escaped without any action being taken on the matter for 11 long years.

Chaturvedi said no First Information Report has been filed till date in the matter. This has not only caused irremediable and irrecoverable damage to the case but has also raised questions about the CBIs credibility and integrity.

The application claimed said the delay on the CBIs part has emboldened the Yadavs to unleash terror and intimidation to the informers and complainants.

Commenting on the case, SP spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said: Lawyer from our side presented his argument in the case. The Congress leader filed this case and hence its a politically motivated petition.
Indian Air Force (IAF) chief BS Dhanoa on Monday said that Rafale jets will the best combat aircraft in the Indian sub-continent and once these are inducted, Pakistan wont dare to come near the Line of Control (LoC) or the international border.

In an exclusive talk with ANI on Rafales air-to air capability in a combat situation, Dhanoa said, When the Rafale comes in, it will ensure that the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near our Line of Control or border. That kind of capability we will possess for which presently they (Pakistan) dont have an answer.

Watch video

On the sidelines of a function organised in Chandigarh for the induction of four US-made Chinook helicopters, he was asked about the situation on February 27 when Pakistani F-16 jets tried to attack Indian military positions, a day after the IAF strikes in Balakot in Pakistan in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The first Rafale aircraft under a 36-plane deal with France is scheduled to be delivered in September to the IAF.

In military circles, there has been a talk that if Rafales were in the IAF, these would have not have allowed the Pakistan planes to come close to the LoC. The Rafales will be armed with Meteor air-to-air missiles which have the capability of shooting down enemy planes at strikes ranges upto 150 kms.

Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa asserted that at present, it is going to be the best aircraft in terms of the weapons capability in the Indian sub-continent and would be also the best in comparison with what China and Pakistan have.

We are going to get Rafale in the month of September. Rafale will give a tremendous jump to our capability and it is superior to all the aircraft in the inventory of both our adversaries, he said.

He also outlined the salient features of the Chinook helicopters and said that these aircraft will be very useful for the IAF in high-altitude regions.

Ability to transfer heavy loads and acclimatise troops from high altitude into another valley is a game-changing capability. If the enemy surprises us in any such valley, we can move troops immediately to such spots to get into battle. Our ability to do this is now enhanced for day and night with this helicopter, he said.

Dhanoa, while asserting that inter-valley troop transfer will be helpful for the Indian military along borders with Pakistan and China, outlined that the high-altitude game is more with China than Pakistan.

Meanwhile, in response to a question on Pakistans claim that Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan flew a JF-17 and led from the front on its National Day, Chief Marshal Dhanoa took a dig at him saying he should be asked where was flying the fighter plane, in the rear cockpit?

Addressing the media during his visit to the Air Force Station at Jodhpur last year, he had said, Rafale is always a need for the Air Force. It (fighter jets) took a long time to come. Others have upgraded their squadrons.

The Rafale jet deal controversy has been on the boil over the last few months. Congress has alleged irregularities in the deal for 36 aircraft and claimed that the Narendra Modi government is buying them at a price much higher than the one that was being negotiated by the previous government.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.)
Former Union minister P Chidambaram Monday accused the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before a Delhi court of harassing him by repeatedly seeking dates to advance arguments on his anticipatory bail plea in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Special Judge O P Saini extended the interim protection from arrest granted to the senior Congress leader and his son, Karti, till April 26, after their counsel told the court that the CBI be given whatever time it wanted but arguments should start on the next date of hearing.

Arguing for the two, senior advocate Kapil Sibal claimed CBI has failed to disclose any information to prove the allegations against them in the case.

This is harassment of the highest order and how many times will CBI do this, Sibal said. CBI claimed non-cooperation by the father and son, and sought three weeks from the court to advance arguments on the ground that further investigation was required.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal.
A Congress victory by mistake in the Lok Sabha election will see Pakistan celebrate Diwali, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani claimed on Sunday.

While this is not going to happen, but when the results (of the general election) are announced on May 23 and (if) the Congress wins by mistake, then Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan because they (Congress) are all associated with it, Rupani said in Mehsana at the launch of the Bharatiya Janata Partys vijay sankalp rally.

The people of the country will ensure Narendra bhai (Narendra Modi) wins on May 23, after which there will be grief in Pakistan, the BJP leader said.

Rupani attacked Congress leader Sam Pitroda for demanding proof of the Balakot airstrike.

The world knows Pakistan shelters terrorists. And Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhis teacher, says it is wrong to blame Pakistan for the act of five-seven youths (who carried out the Pulwama attack).... Congress leaders speak the language of Pakistan, Rupani said.

The chief minister accused the Opposition of insulting the armed forces. Who are you trying to support by negating the words spoken by the heads of the armed forces (after the Balakot airstrike)? he asked.

In response to accusations that the previous National Democratic Alliance government freed Masood Azhar, who then went on to form terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, Rupani alleged that it was the Congress former that had released several terrorists during its tenure.

The BJP leader also accused the Congress of indulging in vote-bank politics and encouraging separatist forces.

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah as sons of Gujarat who were working to make India stand tall among the league of nations, Rupani said disparate Opposition parties were uniting only with the aim of defeating Modi.

When Narendrabhai is moving in the direction of making India a Ram rajya, the Opposition parties have come together. The Congress, communists, terrorists, naxals, corrupt, Mamata, Mayawati, Akhilesh, Chandrababu... all selfish people have come together (against him), he said.

Calling the 2019 election a fight to the finish, Rupani exhorted party workers to make history with the ballot.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
The Congress on Monday appointed former Union minister Milind Deora as the president of its Mumbai unit, replacing former parliamentarian Sanjay Nirupam.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi appointed Milind Deora as the new president of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee, a Congress statement said. The party appreciates the contribution of outgoing president Sanjay Nirupam, it added.

Grateful to Sonia Gandhi ji and @RahulGandhi for giving me the opportunity to lead @INCMumbai. I commit myself to strengthening the partys roots in the city where it was born. I look forward to working with all party leaders and thank @sanjaynirupam for his years of service, 42-year-old Deora tweeted after his appointment.

The Congress fielded Nirupam from North West Mumbai as it released two more lists of candidates Monday.

According to sources in the party, this was in the offing for at least four months. There were complaints made about Nirupams style of functioning before Congress president Rahul Gandhi and also general secretary Mallikarjun Kharge. The matter was very much under consideration, a source said.

For last 15 yrs I have been longing to represent the people of North West Mumbai. With the blessings of Congress President @RahulGandhi I have got this opportunity to represent you in #LokSabhaElections2019 Do bless me. Its my promise I will never let you down, Nirupam, 54, tweeted. In another tweet, he congratulated Deora, tweeting: Congratulations to @milinddeora for becoming new president of MRCC. My best wishes to him. We will work together as a team.

(with inputs from PTI)
A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will assemble this week to hear arguments in five different cases, including the one on whether the Chief Justice of Indias office is covered under the transparency law, the Right to Information Act (RTI).

In 2010, a three-judge bench of the Delhi High Court comprising justices AP Shah, Vikramjit Sen and S Murlidhar had held that the office of the CJI is a public authority and hence it comes under the RTI Act.

The judgment was challenged in the Supreme Court and for the last nine, years there has been a stay on it.

A similar five-judge bench had last year dealt with eight important matters, including the one on the Aadhaar law, the validity of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised the consensual gay sex, and the restriction on the entry of women into Sabarimala. The hearings culminated in path-breaking verdicts in October last year, just before then CJI Dipak Misras retirement.

The question over whether the top court comes under the RTI Act was referred to a constitution bench in 2017. The three-judge bench that made the reference was headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi, the current Chief Justice of India. Central Public Information Officer of the top court is in appeal before the SC in this case. The petition is against a 2010 Delhi High Court verdict that ruled the highest court was bound to disclose information under the RTI Act. The HC ruling came on a petition filed by RTI activist SC Agarwal.

The top court had stayed the operation of the judgment while admitting the appeal. The bench had then said: RTI Act merely recognises the constitutional right of citizens to freedom of speech and expression. Independence of judiciary forms part of basic structure of the Constitution. The independence of judiciary and fundamental right to free speech and expression are of a great value and both are required to be balanced. The current debate is a sign of a healthy nation.

This debate on the Constitution involves great and fundamental issues. The other important case listed before the top court raised the question whether lawmakers enjoy immunity from prosecution for taking bribes at the time of casting their votes during the confidence/no-confidence motion or whenever it necessitates voting. A three-judge bench led by CJI Gogoi had last week referred the matter to a larger bench. However, it might eventually go to a seven-judge bench as a five-judge bench had earlier held that MPs and MLAs do enjoy immunity from legal proceedings for their legislative duties discharged as a lawmaker, including voting in Parliament or assembly.

The constitution bench will also deal with the controversial matter related to land acquisition law in which a three-judge bench was accused of overlooking an earlier ruling by a bench of the same strength. The issue is whether land acquisition proceedings by government or its instrumentalities would become invalid if the land owners failed to take the compensation amount.

While a three-judge bench had in 2014 ruled in favour of the land owners, the 2018 judgment held that acquisition proceedings would not lapse if the land owners do not take the compensation. The matter related to various provisions of the finance act would be taken up by the bench as it hears an appeal filed by the Madras Bar Association challenging the law relating to setting up of administrative tribunals in the country, their hierarchy and control.
The Uttar Pradesh government has defended the Allahabad High Courts order upholding the state governments decision to decline sanction to prosecute chief minister Yogi Adityanath in a 12-year-old hate speech case.

The state justified the move before the Supreme Court, saying it was based on an opinion given by the law ministry. The video, based on which the complaint was filed was tampered with, read the UP governments affidavit. After analysing complete records and in the light of the legal opinion received, the Home Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh reached the decision that there is no justification to grant sanction for prosecution. Accordingly, the CB-CID [crime branch-criminal investigation department] closed the matter, stated the affidavit that was filed last month.

The Supreme Court had on August 20 last year issued notice to the state on a petition filed by Parwej Parvaz challenging Allahabad High Courts order accepting states decision not to go ahead with the prosecution against the CM.

Parvaz had on November 2, 2008 moved a magistrate court in Gorakhpur that ordered registration of a criminal case against Adityanath. The complainant had claimed the hate speech delivered by him had led to riots. He contended the police investigation was shoddy and unscientific and he had demanded an impartial probe into the case.

However, the states principal home secretary in May 2017 said that the draft probe report of the CB-CID did not have sufficient evidence to prosecute Adityanath. But Parvaz contended the decision was vitiated as the home department was under the chief minister who could not be a judge in his own cause. He even stated the video-recording of the alleged speech was available on YouTube.

Defending the denial of sanction before the top court, the state said: The order of the sanctioning authority was based upon opinion received by Law Department stating that in the absence of evidence, there is no justification to grant sanction for prosecutionthe Honble High Court has passed a well-reasoned order. The order was passed by the competent authority after full agreement with the opinion given by the law department, the state said.
Indian counter-terror operatives have reliable information that Islamic State terrorist and Ansar-ul-Tawhid founder Shafi Armar died in fighting in Raqqa in Syria in 2016 even though his cyber-alter ego YusufAl-Hindi continued to radicalise Indians to fight against non-believers in West Asian theatre.

At least two top CT operatives who spoke on condition of anonymity dismissed the claim that the Bhatkal, Karnataka born Armar, who was indoctrinated into Indian Mujahideen by brothers Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal now living in Pakistan, was killed last week while making a last stand for the IS in Baghuz, Syria. We have reliable information from associates that Shafi Armar was killed in 2016. He first used to operate the cyber handle Yusuf Al Hindi to radicalize Indian Muslims towards Islamic jihad.

But the cyber character was used after his death by other IS cadre to lure Indians into IS, said an intelligence official. After the crack-down on Indian Mujahideen in 2008, Shafi and brother Sultan moved to Pakistan via Nepal and then broke up with mentors Riyaaz and Iqbal to form Ansarul-Tawhid in FATA, Pakistan before moving to Iraq to fight for IS.

Although the IS has now lost all its territory in Syria and Iraq, around two dozen radicalized Indians from Kerala are still living in Nangarhar province in Afghanistan which they continue to call the Islamic State of Khorasan.

According to IS watchers, a group comprising 21 Kerala men, some with their wives and children went to Afghanistan via Iran in 2016 . Then, two more families joined them in 2018 taking the total to 31. According to intelligence officials, around eight of them have died either fighting or due to illness.

Since the rise of IS in Iraq and Syria post 2006, only around 110 Indians were attracted to the SunniSalafist ideology of Al Baghdadi. Despite Indias large Muslim population, the rabid IS ideology hardly found any traction in the country - barring small pockets in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP and Assam. This was largely due to efforts of the community, clerics and the security agencies who dissuaded young men from joining the group.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

The battle began Monday as White House aides and allies blanketed television news broadcasts to trumpet the findings and claim that Trump has been the victim in a probe that never should have started.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump will let Attorney General William Barr decide whether the special counsel's Russia report should be publicly released, though she adds that "he's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out."

Trump cheered the Sunday outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start  whether his campaign worked with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. That could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favour.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts  like firing his FBI director  that he was legally empowered to take.

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the last two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment, his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign, his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser, and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.
The Supreme Court on Monday told the Election Commission to file an affidavit listing its stand on increasing the proportion of EVM votes to be verified with paper trail. But the judges also indicated that they felt the Election Commission should increase the percentage of votes randomly verified against the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

We would like you to increase, observed a bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi that is hearing a petition by leaders of 21 political parties that want at least 50% of votes cast with voting machines to be matched and cross-checked with VVPATs slips.

The Supreme Court also nudged the election body to be open to suggestions. The bench said no institution including the judiciary should insulate itself from suggestions or improvements.

At present, the Election Commission matches the VVPAT slips for only one polling booth in each constituency.

The 2019 Lok Sabha election would be the first where all voting machines would be attached with VVPAT machines but the poll body has not specified yet how many of these would be counted. It had engaged the Kolkata-headquartered Indian Statistical Institute for its recommendation.

VVPAT machines, attached to EVMs, display the name of the candidate and his/her symbol on a piece of paper after a vote is cast. The voter can see the paper through a glass display for seven seconds before it drops into a sealed container. While announcing the schedule of this summers general elections, the EC announced that VVPATs will be used in all polling stations along with EVMs.

The Election Commission had earlier rejected demands that 30 per cent of the VVPAT slips should be counted. It had then argued that counting paper slips for a third of the countrys 87 lakh electors would be a logistical nightmare.

Also Read | Opinion: For democracys sake, EVMs must have proper VVPAT-based audit

Many opposition parties claim that EVMs are susceptible to tampering and initially wanted that the government go back to use of paper ballots. After the Election Commission ruled it out, opposition parties demanded that at least 50 per cent votes be verified.

In a 2013 judgment, the Supreme Court had held that VVPAT was an indispensable requirement of free and fair elections. This judgment, argue the petitioners, made the VVPAT system inherent and intrinsic to the very basic structure of the Constitution.
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said he was confident that the BJP and its allies would get over 300 Lok Sabha seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP would get at least 270 seats in the coming elections alone while our Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra would get around 40 seats out of 48, he said in an interview to Hindustan Times.

Gadkari who filed his nomination papers in Nagpur on Monday, had surprised seven-term MP, Vilas Muttemwar of the Congress in 2014 when he won the elections by a margin of 2, 86,828 votes. I will win this election with five-lakh margin, he claimed.

This time his main opponent is Nana Patole of the Congress.

Gadkari said the speculation about him being a prime ministerial candidate was a media creation and insisted that he was not in the race for the PMs post.

He said that he could not understand how and where such rumour was generated as he never aspired for the post. Neither had I talked about my wish or aspiration for the post in private or public in my over three-and-a-half decade career, he pointed out.

I am happy with my present position and have no ambition to become the Prime Minister of the country. Whatever role the party entrusts me I always happy to serve it, he clarified.

He said he plans to set up a Bio-Aviation Fuel Hub and a massive World Agriculture Convention Centre on the outskirts of Nagpur if he wins the election.

He said his government has left no stone unturned in developing the States second capital into a world class smart city and the region has been developed as Tiger Capital and tourists are being attracted which is boosting the tourism revenue.

Listing his achievements, he said that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Law University and Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) were set up during his stint in the city and the government was planning to make Nagpur as an educational hub too.

He said the Multi-Modal International Passenger and Cargo Hub, popularly known as MIHAN has provided jobs to 25,000 youths. Big companies, like Patanjali, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, and other IT companies are also providing jobs to educated youths, the minister said.

He said there will be more thrust on providing employment opportunities to youth in the second term of NDA.

We had already created several opportunities for the youth by developing sea ports and waterways transport across the country, Gadkari said. Paradeep, Goa, Mumbai, Haldia and other ports have provided direct and indirect employment opportunities to local youth.

These ports were also providing ample scope for tourism and since tourism is a big industry and requires manpower, there would be no dearth of job opportunities in future, he said.
Raising the pitch for full statehood to Delhi, the main poll plank of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told a rally in east Delhis Trilokpuri on Sunday that the lawlessness is rising in Delhi because the police dont report to the elected government.

Women are unsafe in Delhi. The city is ruled by hooligans. Theres gambling and bootlegging happening in most lanes.. Cant you see that in Trilokpuri? People approach me for help. But I cant do anything. Why? Because the police comes under the Prime Minister. For local issues in your area, will you go to the PM? Kejriwal said.

Atishi, AAPs candidate from East Delhi constituency, was also present in the rally organised in Block 27, Trilokpuri.

Kejriwal alleged that the Centre stopped the implementation of several programmes of his government because Delhi was not a full state. Delhi is a confusing case, a confusing question. In Delhi, whatever good we want to do, the Centre stops us... What is the problem with Delhis residents? Arent we patriots? Dont we pay tax? said Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party.

The chief minister said his government would be able to work better in the fields of health, education and housing, provide reservation in college and government jobs, and intervene in the sealing drive in markets across the city, if the nation capital is given the status of a full state.

Trilokpuri is a resettlement colony of residents which were rehabilitated here when nearby slums were cleared out around 1975. It was in 1993 it was made an assembly constituency. The area has a population of around 242,000 of which nearly 77,000 are Dalits, showed records of Delhi government last updated in 2015. The police and the government roughly peg the population density of Muslims in the area at 20%.

The area is sensitive and has witnessed clashes in 1984 (anti Sikh pogrom) and 2014 (Hindu-Muslim violence ). The 2014 riots had left over 50 persons injured and caused led to displacement of scores of Muslim families.
The BJP is considering fielding former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Bhopal after the Congress announced Digvijaya Singhs name from the parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha election 2019, party functionaries have said.

The Congress had released its eighth list of 38 candidates for the April-May parliamentary election on Saturday, nominating Singh from Bhopal. The capital of Madhya Pradesh is considered as one of the safest seats for the BJP in the Lok Sabha with the party winning polls since 1989.

The issue was discussed at a meeting of top leaders, including president of BJPs Madhya Pradesh unit Rakesh Singh, former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, general secretary (organisation) Suhash Bhagat on Sunday, the functionaries said.

Digvijaya Singh is not a challenge for the BJP. He is a challenge for the Congress itself. The BJP will win with a huge margin again in the ensuing polls, Rakesh Singh said later.

The BJP wants to field a political heavyweight against Digvijaya Singh instead of any second or third rung leader to give a tough fight to Singh. The BJPs Alok Sanjar had won the seat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls with a huge margin of 370,000 votes. Earlier, party veteran Kailash Joshi represented the seat for two terms.

Also Read | Not Bhopal, Digvijaya Singh okay to contest from MPs Rajgarh. Theres a rider

Chouhan, who has been a member of Parliament from Vidisha five times in a row from 1991 to 2004, is not willing to throw his hat in the ring in Bhopal, BJP leaders said. He wants to remain in the state assembly as a fractured mandate there can give a chance to the BJP to form a government, they said.

If he has to contest he will like to fight from his erstwhile Lok Sabha seat of Vidisha, the leaders said. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is the BJPs MP from Vidisha but she has announced her decision not to contest.

I will abide by the partys decision in this regard. Digvijaya Singh is no challenge to the BJP. We will win, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, however, said.

A senior BJP leader, who didnt want to be named, said the party is worried because of the presence of about 3.5 lakh Muslim voters in Bhopal.

Also, the Congress won three seats out of seven in Bhopal in the state assembly elections last year, the leader quoted above said.

As Bhopal will be a prestige seat, we are looking for a senior leader to contest. Thats why in view of many party leaders ex-chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the most suitable candidate for the party. The party will consider any other name only when he refuses to contest from the seat, he said.

Senior BJP leader Dr Hitesh Bajpai said, Digvijaya Singh knows well he cant win from Bhopal. Thats why he said his first choice was Rajgarh. Its Congress infighting that he has been sent to Bhopal.

The Congress partys state unit, on its part, said Digvijaya Singh is a seasoned leader and will contest successfully from Bhopal.

He has massive support in public. He will win hands down. Thats why the BJP is worried, state Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said.

Polling will be held in Bhopal on May 12, the sixth of the seven-phased Lok Sabha election 2019. The counting will take place on 23 May.
The BJP on Monday expelled party leader and former UP minister IP Singh hours after he posted a controversial tweet against BJPs top leadership while welcoming Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadavs decision to contest from Azamgarh, his home district.

Singh, who said he was ready to offer his residence as Yadavs election office in Azamgarh, has been critical of his party for some time now. I believe Akhileshjis decision to contest from Azamgarh would help develop this backward region, he said annoying many in the BJP.

Soon after that, the UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey issued Singhs expulsion order.

This is the second time that Singh has been expelled from the BJP. The first time was in 2012 when he had opposed the partys decision to induct former minister Babu Singh Kushwaha, then a close aide of the BSP chief Mayawati, into the party.

Kushwaha was named in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) irregularity case and Singh had opposed his induction into the BJP, which was subsequently put on hold.

Over the last couple of days, Singh has hit out at nearly all the top state and national BJP leaders and had added the prefix usuldaar (principled) to his Twitter handle at a time when nearly all top party leaders had added Chowkidar (watchman) in keeping with the BJP top leaderships decision to go into the polls with the main bhi chowkidar slogan.

Today my innings in the BJP has ended for raising the issue of internal corruption in the BJP, Singh tweeted later.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday announced the candidature of Odishas former director general of police Prakash Mishra from Cuttack parliamentary constituency.

Mishra retired as the head of the Central Reserve Police Force in February 2016, and joined the BJP in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

He praised the Centres response to the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 troopers of the central police force.

All the countries are praising India the way we responded to the terror attack on CRPF at Pulwama. Whenever there was an attack on security, PM Modi would speak to us directly. Instead of supporting such an inspiring leadership, if we follow a discredited government in Odisha, then we will have no future, he said shortly after joining the party.

Cuttack goes to polls in the third phase on April 23. Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha seats. The BJD had swept the 2014 elections winning 20 of the seats while the BJP won only one.

The BJP also fielded former MP Mahameghabaham Aira Kharbela Swain from Kandhamal parliamentary seat. With its eighth list on Monday, the BJP has declared candidates for 309 parliamentary seats, including support to one independent candidate in Mandya seat of Karnataka.

The BJP also released the third list of nine candidates from the state for the assembly elections.
When the Narendra Modi wave swept north India in the 2014 parliamentary elections, Punjab was lukewarm in its response.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), won six of the 13 seats as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a rookie outfit then, made a stunning debut by securing four seats and breaking the long-standing duopoly in the state.

The Congress, which won three seats, made a spectacular comeback three years later in the state elections, winning a two-thirds majority in the assembly and routing the ruling SAD-BJP combine.

But this time around, the electoral scenario in the border state is unclear because of a sudden shift in the political narrative after the February 14 Pulwama terror strike and the emergence of a bevy of vote-splitters. In a state with a long legacy of contributing to Indias armed forces, the terrorist attack and the subsequent air strike inside Pakistan have emerged as the dominant theme of popular discourse in the past three weeks  with national security and defence drowning out contentious debates over religion and sacrilege for now.

Like elsewhere in the country, the BJP is attempting to steer the nationalism conversation to its national security record. The ruling Congress is aware of this, and chief minister Amarinder Singh, himself a former soldier, has been nimble-footed in grabbing the headlines by calling for a retaliation, hailing the air strike, and then offering to receive Indian Air Force pilot wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman at the Wagah border on his return from Pakistan. He has kept away from any speculation about the terrorist casualty figure in the Balakot air strike.

But equal, if not more, attention has been drawn by his party colleague and minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who first hit the headlines by calling for peace and talks at a time when tensions were rising between the two countries. He then went to question the air strike, ask for proof of the casualty figure, and blame the BJP for politicising the operation, sparking controversy at each stage.

Experts say the conflicting views of the two leaders underline the confusion in the Congress about its strategy to deal with the BJPs attempts to centre its election campaign on national security.

Guru Nanak Dev Universitys political science department head Professor Jagroop Singh Sekhon says the attempts to invoke national security would not have much impact on voting behaviour of Punjabis. They [Punjabis] suffer the most whenever there is danger of war between India and Pakistan. The BJP is a marginalised player here and will not gain at all in the upcoming elections, he said.

The change in the poll narrative has come as a respite for the SAD, the dominant alliance partner in Punjab, and its top leaders from the Badal family who were was facing public anger over their handling of a number of cases of alleged sacrilege and desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, in 2015. SAD leaders, particularly president Sukhbir Singh Badal, have latched on to national security, seeking support in the name of a strong and brave Prime Minister Narendra Modi. You need to vote for a PM who our enemy fears, Sukhbir has said in meeting after meeting, giving credit for Varthamans return to Modi. However, the party leaders seem unsure as to how long they would be able sustain this as the state will vote in the seventh and the final phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 19.

BATTLING REBELLION

There is a sudden proliferation of splinter factions and alliances that not just has muddied political waters but also kept traditional parties on tenterhooks. The AAP and the SAD have, in recent months, been convulsed with internal squabbles and splits.

The AAP, rocked by unabated bickering since its underwhelming showing in the 2017 assembly elections, faced a revolt by seven of the 20 party legislators last July after Sukhpal Singh Khairas removal from the post of leader of opposition in the assembly for defying the party leadership.

The firebrand leader seemingly incurred the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwals wrath by publicly criticising his apology to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a drug-related defamation case. After the party suspended him, Khaira quit the primary membership of the AAP and set up his Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP), a small grouping of AAP dissidents.

The SAD has its own share of pre-poll woes. On the back foot since the Congress government-appointed Justice Ranjit Singh panel in 2018 blamed the previous Badal regime for alleged mishandling of the 2015 alleged sacrilege case of the Guru Granth Sahib, the party was jolted when a section of influential old guards rebelled against party president Sukhbir Badals style of leadership last December.

The dissidents call themselves Taksalis (the original Akalis) and have formed the SAD (Taksali), led by Khadoor Sahib MP Ranjit Singh Brahampura. The revolt and the cracks in its core Panthic support base (a reference to the Sikh panth, or order0, are a double whammy for the Badals, who draw their political heft from their standing and influence in the Sikh community.

A flustered SAD leadership performed sewa (voluntary service) at the Golden Temple last month as penance for their inadvertent mistakes during the 10-year rule.

The party is contemplating to shift Sukhbirs wife and two-time MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal from Bathinda to Ferozepur, which is seen as a safer bet this time. Bathinda is close to Bargari, the epicentre of anti-sacrilege protests, and her victory margin also dipped to 19,395 votes in 2014 from 120,948 in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Though national security may appear to be dominating the pre-poll narrative, religious issues matter more than everything else in Punjab. Bargari will play an important role and Akalis are in a very tight spot, said Ashutosh Kumar, professor of political science, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

FOURTH FRONT

The PEP is now at the forefront of an effort to cobble together an alliance - Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) - of disparate parties that also include the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which, despite the states 32% scheduled caste population, has never made a significant mark in Punjab. Styled as the fourth front, the PDA fancies itself as a challenger to the dominance of the Congress and the SAD-BJP coalition.

The alliance will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats. Our primary aim is to defeat the Congress and the Badals, said Khaira. The alliance has reached a consensus on names of its candidates for nine of the 13 seats. But political observers see them more as potential spoilers than winners. As none of the entities in the fourth front has a pan-Punjab base, they may only end up damaging the key parties, said Pramod Kumar, a Chandigarh-based political analyst.

Both Khaira and the AAP, hamstrung by rebellion and desperate to regain lost ground, are wooing the Taksalis. Though Khaira appeared to be close to reaching understanding with the breakaway SAD faction at one stage, there were differences over two seats. The Kejriwal-led AAP and the Taksalis also held several rounds of talks for finalising an alliance, but failed to reach an agreement on the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat for which both parties have announced candidates.

AAP legislature party leader Harpal Singh Cheema is, however, dismissive of the PDA. Disgruntled elements in different parties float such outfits overnight before the elections for short-term gains. They cant harm the AAP, he said. The AAP, which fared abysmally in the two assembly and Lok Sabha by-elections and panchyat polls in the past two years, is not just banking on showcasing the Delhi model, particularly the achievements of the Kejriwal government in health and education sectors, but also the failure of the Congress government in fulfilling many of its poll promises.

ADVANTAGE CONGRESS

The breakaway groups have dented the AAP and the SAD, setting the stage for multi-cornered contests that may play out to the advantage of the Congress, with grabbed 38.5% of the votes in the 2017 assembly elections. The party also won the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha and Shahkot assembly by-elections, municipal and panchayat polls by huge margins in the past two years. The Congress is counting as much on its governments farm loan waiver and crackdown against gangsters and terror modules as its state leaders ability to rival Akalis on the Panthic pitch. Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar said the Modi government neglected Punjab by ignoring requests for settlement of Rs 31,000-crore food credit account debt or announce industrial package for border areas. We will also focus on demonetisation and GST [Goods and Services Tax] that wrecked the MSME [micro, small and medium enterprises] sector and resulted in large-scale loss of jobs, he added.
BJP leaders may have been repeatedly claiming that the ruling party will retain all the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand in the general election riding the Modi wave, but the Congress doesnt seem on a weak wicket either.

The Opposition party may give the BJP a tough fight owing to two factors - the poll arithmetic favouring it and the strong anti-incumbency prevailing against the latter, said its leaders.

The BJP, however, claims that the wave prevailing in PM Narendra Modis favour is much stronger this time than it was in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Its leaders attribute that to two factors - Modis decision to allow airstrikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan and a slew of pro-poor schemes he introduced after taking charge five years ago.

Consequently, out of the five Lok Sabha seats in the state, it repeated three sitting parliamentarians - Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Union minister of state for textiles Ajay Tamta and former chief minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank from Tehri, Almora and Haridwar respectively. The party has fielded two new faces---state BJP chief Ajay Bhatt and its national secretary Tirath Singh Rawat from Nainital and Pauri respectively. BJP replaced former chief ministers B C Khanduri (Pauri) and Bhagat Singh Koshiyari (Nainital) after they refused to re-contest citing their age.

The Congress has fielded former chief minister Harish Rawat (Nainital), the partys state chief Pritam Singh (Tehri), Manish Khanduri (Pauri), Ambrish Kumar (Haridwar) and Pradeep Tamta, (Almora). Of these, Manish (son of BJP veteran BC Khanduri) joined the opposition party recently.

The BJP repeated almost all their sitting parliamentarians, which shows that the party is confident of retaining all the five Lok Sabha seats riding the Modi wave. We are going to sweep all the five (Lok Sabha) seats because the public mood is in our partys favour after Modiji allowed airstrikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan, said Munna Singh Chauhan, the spokesperson for the BJPs state unit. Besides, the people are very happy with him (Modi) owing to a slew of pro-poor schemes the NDA government implemented in the country.

The BJP may be sure about its chances, but the electoral arithmetic and the anti-incumbency seem to stand against it. Take, for instance, Haridwar, where the BJPs Nishank is pitted against Congresss Ambrish Kumar. The Other Backward Classes and Muslims who form 55% of the total voters will vote for our party en bloc as they are unhappy with the ruling party on issues like development, said MD Joshi, Congress chief spokesperson.

In Tehri, where BJPs Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah will lock horns with Congress state chief Pritam Singh, Gopal Mani an Independent candidate may cut into the ruling partys vote bank. The reason is that he is identified more with the BJP as his discourses are mostly centred on issues such as cow protection and conservation of the Ganga.

In Pauri, Congress candidate Manish, son of sitting parliamentarian and BJP veteran Khanduri, is likely to cut into the ruling partys vote bank. In Nainital, state BJP chief Bhatt is being perceived as a weak candidate compared to his rival, Congresss Harish Rawat.

Joshi said the BJP was facing double anti-incumbency against its governments both in state and at Centre as they have nothing to show in terms of delivery.

However, state BJP spokesperson said the party had an upper hand also because the high profile infrastructure projects like the Rs12,000 crore Chardham all-weather road project and the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project were sanctioned by the Modi government.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: All you need to know about Uttarakhand
In keeping with the pan-India trend, the Congress lost significant ground in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. Between 2009 and 2014, the Congress lost more than 10 percentage points in terms of vote share and its tally came down from eight to three. The party finished third, behind the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in terms of seats. Punjab looked like it could also go the Delhi way, with the AAP replacing the Congress as the number two political player.

However, the Congress has made a significant turnaround from its 2014 setback in the state. It was the only political party that increased in vote share in the 2017 assembly elections in comparison to the 2014 polls. This helped the party get a two-thirds majority in the state assembly.

The Congresss gains in 2017 were spread across the state, as the party increased its vote share in 75% of the assembly constituencies. If the 2017 assembly results were to be extrapolated at the parliamentary constituency level, the Congress would get 11 out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.

The Congress has maintained its performance in subsequent bypolls and local body elections. Not only did the Congress retain the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat with a bigger margin, it also wrestled the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha and the Shahkot assembly seats from the NDA in by-elections.

The Oppositions problems have been compounded by desertions from both the Shiromani Akali Dal and the AAP, which could make things easier for the Congress in the forthcoming elections.

To be sure, things could change as the campaign for 2019 builds up. But the Congress would enter the electoral battle in Punjab as the favourite.
Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is a key person for the BJP in the Northeast and is above party chief Amit Shah for the affairs related to the region, its General Secretary Ram Madhav said on Sunday.

Madhav made the statement when asked why Sarma cannot contest despite being responsible for 25 seats, while Shah is the party in-charge of the entire country and still contesting from Gandhinagar.

That means Himant Biswa Sarmas burden is much more than Amit Shahs, probably. Because he has to handle 5-6 governments here. He has to handle the entire election campaign in the Northeast, he said at a press conference here.

That needs a lot of energy and time, so the party cannot confine him to one seat. We needed his time and energy for the larger campaign for all candidates in the Northeast, he said.

Putting to rest all speculation, Shah on Thursday night said that Sarma will not be offered a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Despite the state unit sending his name unanimously, Sarma was asked to concentrate on developing the state and strengthening the partys base in the Northeast, Shah said in a series of tweets in Hindi.

Sarma also took to Twitter to say that he accepted the decision humbly and the region will not disappoint Shah in making Narendra Modi Prime Minister again.

Earlier, Sarma himself had said on a number of occasions that he will not contest the Assembly elections in the state in 2021, indicating he was looking for a national role.

BJP sources said he was named as the candidate for the prestigious Tezpur constituency in Assam while preparing the state units panel of names for the elections.

This, however, did not go down well with BJPs central election committee comprising Modi and Shah, as the partys sitting Tezpur MP Ram Prasad Sarmah resigned from primary membership immediately after learning about the omission of his name.

The central leadership did not accept Sarmahs resignation and asked the state unit to reconsider the panel of candidates, which did not include the parliamentarian from Tezpur constituency.

Later, Sarmas close aide and Assam Tea Tribes Welfare Minister Pallab Lochan Das was given ticket from the Tezpur seat. Madhav also said the party may consider sending Sarma to the Rajya Sabha from Assam.

The senior BJP leader also commented that Sarma will convince the partys youth members and sympathisers, who were upset over denial of ticket to him.

To another question on giving tickets to existing state ministers, Madhav said: Putting up a state minister is not a new practice. The best face is put forward. We found that our best available candidates are some legislators, so we fielded them. Once they are elected, we will get other best candidates for those legislators seats.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Photo: The Canadian Press Actor Michael Madsen at the premiere of "The Hateful Eight" in Los Angeles.

Police have arrested actor Michael Madsen after they say he was stopped while driving under the influence.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says Madsen was driving a Land Rover, which struck a pole in Malibu, California, around 8 p.m. Sunday. The 61-year-old, who has been featured in such Quentin Tarantino movies as "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill," was not injured.

Officers questioned Madsen and he was placed under arrest. His blood-alcohol level was not immediately available. He was released from jail Monday morning.

His publicist has not responded to an email seeking comment.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah on Sunday said the Lok Sabha election 2019 would be contested on the issue of development versus corruption.

He mocked at the alliance of opposition parties, saying they didnt have any prime ministerial candidate.

Opposition leaders have come together due to fear of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Everyone wants to defeat Modi, but no one wants to contest the polls, said Shah who claimed that the Narendra Modi regime worked on the slogan Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas and implemented various schemes for farmers, housewives and those deprived.

Shah was addressing a rally in favour of SP Singh Baghel, BJP candidate from Agra (reserved) seat. He was accompanied by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Governments are not elected for fulfilling ones wish to become prime minister but to ensure development of those deprived, ensure nations security, end terrorism and to give befitting reply to Pakistan, stated Shah.

He claimed there had been no corruption charge on the BJP regime at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and thus this Lok Sabha election was on the issue of development versus corruption.

The previous regime at the Centre never gave a reply to the nefarious designs of Pakistan. But Pakistan forgot that now the Indian government is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government gave a befitting reply to Pakistan and conducted strikes across the border, claimed Shah.

Rahul Gandhi should stop insulting the armed forces merely for vote-bank politics, he added.

We have given 8 lakh crore for development schemes in UP and assured development in the state, including Agra, which will be provided pure drinking water, said Shah.

Addressing the gathering, chief minister Yogi Adityanath chanted the slogan UP karega 74 paar, abki baar Modi sarkar.

In LS election-2014, we had the name of Narendra Modi, but in 2019 we have both  name and development work of Narendra Modi. Everyone in the nation, who is patriotic, wants him to be the PM again. It is because of him that we had a successful Kumbh at Prayagraj recognised by Unesco, said Yogi Adityanath.

Earlier, there were riots in the state and law & order was in a shambles. But now criminals are either in jail or are dead, claimed the chief minister.

For complete coverage of Lok Sabha Elections 2019, click here
The Congress announced on Monday morning that its alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular) had given up its claim on the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha constituency and that the national party would field a candidate from there for the upcoming general elections.

Confirming this, Congress general secretary in-charge of the state KC Venugopal tweeted: @INCIndia is thankful to Shri H D Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together, let us reclaim democracy.

The constituency was one of eight that the JD(S) was set to contest as part of the seat-sharing agreement that the two parties had reached. Leaders from the constituency  seven of the eight assembly segments in the constituency were won by the Congress and JD(S) in 2018  had repeatedly requested former prime minister HD Deve Gowda to contest from there.

However, he decided on Saturday to contest from the Tumakuru seat. As a result, a senior Congress leader from the constituency said the party had to rethink.

A series of meetings had been held between the seven MLAs (five from the Congress and two from the JD-S) and the unanimous choice was Deve Gowda. No other name had been discussed, the Congress leader said.

A close aide of former chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the party was now likely to pick former MP BL Shankar to contest as the coalition candidate against union minister DV Sadananda Gowda. Shankar has never won an assembly election and managed only one win in Lok Sabha elections in 1996.
Jobs for educated urban youth, free education for girls till the post-graduation level, more economic growth, talks with Pakistan over terror, and a complete loan waiver for farmers  the Nationalist Congress Partys (NCP) poll manifesto, released on Monday, touched upon every topic that has dominated the election discourse this season.

The Sharad Pawar-led party has promised guaranteed jobs to educated youth for 100 days in urban areas. It also promised a white paper to show how the Centres demonetisation move in November 2016 drastically slowed down Indias economic growth and impacted GDP.

Other promises in the 24-page document included a single, or a maximum of two, Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates for better compliance; and scrapping the Triple Talaq bill in its current form as it did not consult members of the community.

At present, an ordinance criminalises the practice.

The NCP is contesting the polls with the Congress and other like-minded parties in Maharashtra.

Senior NCP leader and head of the party manifesto committee Dilip Walse Patil said the country was reeling under a job crisis. The NSSO, in its draft report estimated unemployment in India had hit a 40-year-high of 6.1% in 2017-18. Almost 1.80 crore people lost their jobs in the country last year. According to a CMIE report, the loss of jobs and the number of unemployed people in the country have been steadily rising.
BJP releases 9th list

Bharatiya Janata Party has released list of candidates for four parliamentary constituencies in Assam(1), Karnataka(2) and Uttar Pradesh(1) and one assembly constituency in Odisha.

I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JD(S) leaders: HD Devegowda

HD Deve Gowda, JD(S): I know when we took this decision it might have hurt the sitting MP from Tumkur SP Muddahanumegowda. I dont want to hurt him, Congress leaders conveyed everything to him...I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JD(S) leaders.

Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders,including my friends,suggested me to contest: HD Devegowda

HD Deve Gowda: I havve worked as Lok Sabha MP for 29 years, thats why I had said I wont contest elections. I had decided to make sure Prajwal Revanna contests from Hassan. Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders,including my friends,suggested me to contest.

PM Modi has put women in leading portfolios: Deepa Malik

Deepa Malik, Paralympian on joining BJP: The work that PM Modi has done for women empowerment and his thoughts towards women, is evident. He has put women in leading portfolios, he has also worked extensively for the divyangs.

Meeting was excellent : Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan, Makkal Needhi Maiam after meeting West Bengal CM: Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. Im going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman).

Kamal Haasan, Makkal Needhi Maiam after meeting West Bengal CM: Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman). pic.twitter.com/gaZSj3TLQZ  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Its a historical day as far as Tumkur is concerned: G Parameshwara

G Parameshwara, Karnataka Deputy CM: Its a historical day as far as Tumkur is concerned. One of the senior most leaders of the nation, who made Kannadigas proud, who was elected many times from Hassan and was also the CM,HD Deve Gowda ji, is contesting from here.

Former Union Minister Sukh Ram rejoins Congress

Delhi: Former Union Minister Sukh Ram rejoins Congress, his grandson Aashray Sharma also joins the party. They had also met party President Rahul Gandhi earlier today.

Delhi: Former Union Minister Sukh Ram rejoins Congress, his grandson Aashray Sharma also joins the party. They had also met party President Rahul Gandhi earlier today. pic.twitter.com/8lFR9vHgNi  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan meets Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna

West Bengal: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan meets Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah.

West Bengal: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan meets Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah. pic.twitter.com/OKkdLb17pE  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik files nomination for the Bijepur assembly constituency

Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik files nomination for the Bijepur assembly constituency at the Padampur Sub Collector office in Bargarh. He had earlier filed his nomination for the Hinjili assembly constituency as well, reports news agency ANI.

Paralympics Games winner Deepa Malik, who hails from Haryana, joins BJP

Paralympics Games winner Deepa Malik, who hails from Haryana, joins BJP, reports PTI.

INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joins BJP

Delhi: INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joins Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

INLD MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joins Bharatiya Janata Party ( HT Photo )

NCP releases their election manifesto for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019

Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases their election manifesto for the Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases their election manifesto for the #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/EaDyTsXmwC  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Karti Chidambaram files nomination for the Sivaganga parliamentary constituency

Tamil Nadu: Karti Chidambaram files nomination for the Sivaganga parliamentary constituency as the Congress candidate, reports news agency ANI.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamys son Nikhil Kumaraswamy files nomination as Congress-JD(S) coalition candidate

Karnataka: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamys son Nikhil Kumaraswamy files nomination as Congress-JD(S) coalition candidate from Mandya for Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Karnataka: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil Kumaraswamy files nomination as Congress-JD(S) coalition candidate from Mandya for #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/LM0pWNLXFP  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Nationalist Congress Party releases list of star campaigners for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 for Maharashtra

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases list of star campaigners for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 for Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Supriya Sule feature on the list.

Hema Malini files nomination papers from Mathura

Actor-turned-politician and sitting MP Hema Malini on Monday filed her nomination papers from Mathura for the coming polls.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is accompanying the film star-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Mathura. They will addressing a public rally here later in the day.

This is the second time she has secured a ticket for Mathura, her parliamentary constituency.

BJP made possible whatever was impossible during Cong rule: Yogi Adityanath

BJP made possible whatever was impossible during Congress rule. This year, lakhs of devotees came to Prayagraj to take the holy dip. Everything happened smoothly. But, this wasnt the case in 2014 Kumbh, said Yogi Adityanath at Vijay Sankalp rally in Mathura.

Have consulted many economists on the scheme: Rahul Gandhi

It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme, said Rahul Gandhi.

Final assault on poverty: Rahul Gandhi

It is an extremely dynamic scheme and we have thought through the idea. This plan is the final assault on poverty, said Rahul Gandhi.

Will eliminate poverty from the country: Rahul Gandhi

This will be a fiscally prudent scheme. We will eliminate poverty from the country, said Rahul Gandhi.

25 crore people benefit from the scheme: Rahul Gandhi

5 crore families and 25 crore people will get benefits from the scheme. The minimum income line will be Rs 12000 per month, said Rahul Gandhi.

Minimum income support will be called NYAY: Rahul Gandhi

The minimum income support proposal will be called NYAY.The scheme will bring justice to the poor, said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi announces minimum income support

Rahul Gandhi announces Rs 72000 per annum minimum income guarantee scheme for poor.

Will provide Rs 12000 per month minimum income and 20 per cent families belonging to poor section will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income if Congress comes to power, said Rahul Gandhi.

Farooq Abdullah files nomination papers for Srinagar LS seat

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Monday filed nomination papers from the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha seat which is going to polls in the second phase of the general election on April 18.

Abdullah, who is seeking re-election from the constituency, was accompanied by his son and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah and other party leaders to the office of Returning Officer, Srinagar, where he filed his nomination papers.

DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan suspends actor Radha Ravi

DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan has suspended actor Radha Ravi from the party following his remarks against actor Nayanthara.

Customs filed FIR against Rujira, wife of TMC supremos nephew: BJP

An FIR was registered by the authorities of customs on March. This is a fact, that an FIR exists. The FIR was filed against Rujra. These are facts, which cant be challenged. If they have nothing to hide, why would they not let customs check their bags. Why would they resist checking of bags? said BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of party supremo Mamata Banerjee, Sunday refuted reports that two kg gold was seized from his wifes baggage when she recently landed here from Bangkok.

In Odisha, members of political families seek re-election

Several political families in Odisha are in the fray in the 2019 polls, with members of some either seeking re-election or crossing swords with their kin.

In some cases, members of such families have been fielded by parties from different constituencies, including one in which the Congress has given a father the responsibility to retain an assembly seat and son to wrest a Lok Sabha seat from rival Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The assembly election will be held in Odisha along with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases - on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. Kinship is evident in the Bolangir Lok Sabha seat, where sitting BJD MP Kalikesh Narayan Singhdeo is pitted against his sister-in-law and former MP Sangeeta Singhdeo of the BJP.

Ahead of filing nomination, Hema Malini offers prayers at Banke Bihari temple

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJPs Lok Sabha candidate from Mathura Hema Malini offered prayers at Banke Bihari temple, ahead of her filing nomination.

Mathura: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Mathura Hema Malini offer prayers at Banke Bihari temple, ahead of her filing nomination. pic.twitter.com/G3b0yWIcaX  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 25, 2019

SC refuses to entertain plea seeking direction to ban roadshows, bike rallies during polls

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain plea seeking direction to Election Commission to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

Kamal Haasan likely to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee today

Makkal Needhi Maiam Chief Kamal Haasan is likely to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee today, as per TV reports.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Sunday night said he will not contest the Lok Sabha election 2019, saying all the candidates of his party are his faces.

All the MNM candidates are my faces. I am proud of being the chariot puller than being the chariot, Kamal Haasan said at the public meeting.

BJP leaders should contest polls in Nepal, will win there: Majeed Memon

NCPs Rajya Sabha member Majeed Memon on Monday said that BJP leaders should contest elections in Nepal claiming that chowkidars will emerge victorious in the Himalayan nation, a day after BJP remarked that Congress may win elections in Pakistan.

If Ram Madhav is saying that Congress would probably win elections in Pakistan if they contest from there, then I would like to give him a piece of advice. All BJP leaders are chowkidars (watchmen) and they should contest elections in Nepal and they will win there, Memon, whose party is in alliance with Congress in Maharashtra, told ANI.

Congress, INPT join hands in Tripura

Tripura Congress president Pradyot Kishore on Sunday announced that the Congress and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) have forged an alliance in the state to defeat the BJP.

Congress and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) are going ahead in LokSabha election with an alliance. Lok Sabha polls will be a test for forces which want to bring in Citizen Amendment Bill against those who want to oppose it, Kishore told media here.

Rahul Gandhi to meet Delhi Congress

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet leaders of the partys Delhi unit on Monday to talk about the issue of an alliance with Arvind Kejriwals AAP in the national capital.

Rahul Gandhi will hold the meeting at 10am at his residence.

Cong manifesto may include Rahul Gandhis minimum income guarantee proposal

The document is likely to include Congress president Rahul Gandhis minimum income guarantee proposal, right to healthcare apart from measures to address unemployment and agrarian distress, party insiders, requesting anonymity, said.
A one-line message reportedly from BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi was circulated in social media groups informing that the party has asked the Kanpur MP not to contest the Lok Sabha election. Addressed to voters of Kanpur, the unsigned message reads, Shri Ramlal General Secretary (Organisation) BJP conveyed to me today that I should not contest the ensuing parliamentary election from Kanpur and elsewhere.

While Joshi did not respond to call, a close aide of the veteran said, Yes, the message is genuine. The BJP denied several is its veteran, such as LK Advani and Kalraj Mishra, on grounds that they crossed 75 years. The BJP replaced Advani with party chief Amit Shah in Gandhinagar.
Predicting that no party will get majority in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik today said his party will play a key role in the formation of the government at the Centre.

Kicking off his partys electoral campaign at a public meeting in Odishas Nayagarh district today, Patnaik said BJD will play a key role in forming the government as it would win all 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. I hope you put your blessings on the conch symbol and let us make sure that we fight against the historical neglect that Odisha has been facing for all these years, he said at the meeting.

Patnaik has so far refused to join the Mahagathbandhan alliance of opposition leaders comprising Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Mayawati of BSP, Mamata Banerjee of Trinamul Congress and Chandrababu Naidu of TDP among others preferring to remain neutral.

In the 2014 election, BJD had won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats leaving only Sundargarh seat to BJP, its one-time ally. But with BJP making a determined bid to win around a dozen Lok Sabha seats, a keen contest is expected between the BJD and BJP on a large number of seats in the state. PM Modi is scheduled to come to Odisha on March 29 and April 1 to address two public meetings at Jeypore and Kalahandi that will go to polls in the first phase scheduled for April 11.

Accusing the BJP of reneging on its promise of according special category status to Odisha during the 2014 elections, Patnaik said the party forgot about it after coming to power. BJP leaders cannot fight for Odisha as they are being controlled by the Central High Command. But, BJD is Odishas party. Our high command is the people of the state and with them lies the remote control. If Odisha gets it (special category status), then the state and the people will get a lot of benefits. There will be a surplus of funds, more youths will get jobs and further development will follow, he said.

On the Mahanadi river water issue, the chief minister said the Centre had supported Chhattisgarh. In Polavaram, they supported Andhra Pradesh. Odisha is lacking in telecom, banking, and national highway. Is all of this not Centres neglect? Despite getting profit of Rs 20,000 crore from Odisha alone in Railways, the rail network of this state is the poorest. All the money is going to other states. Centre is getting thousands of crores from coal mining here, but Odisha is getting only dust. Is this not Centres neglect? he asked.

Reacting to Patnaiks speech at Nayagarh, BJP national secretary and party candidate for Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency, Suresh Pujari said the CM was living in a fools paradise. Let him him enjoy his statements till May 23. He has very limited time to enjoy his utterances. By the noon of May 23, his dream will disappear and he will wake up to the reality of a NDA government with full majority, said Pujari.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised that his party would, if it comes to power, guarantee an income of at least Rs 12,000 a month for Indias poorest families by giving them Rs 6,000 a month. The head of the partys data analytics department Praveen Chakravarty explained the provenance of the Rs 12,000 number by pointing out that data shows that Indias poorest earn between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 a month.

Gandhi said the minimum income guarantee scheme, named Nyay (justice) by the party, would cover 50 million families, or 250 million individuals, that constitute the poorest 20% of Indian households.

It will cost Rs 3.6 lakh crore, around 2% of Indias GDP, but Gandhi insisted that it was fiscally prudent.

Remember the number Congress guarantees 20% of Indias poor will make at least Rs 72,000 annually, Gandhi said after a CWC meeting that approved the partys draft manifesto, to be released on April 2.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said in a blog after the contours of the proposed scheme were announced by Rahul Gandhi that it reflected a failure on the part of previous Congress and Congress-led governments, including those of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Manmohan Singh. He also said that the total promised by the Congress (Rs 72,000 a year) is just around two-thirds of what the NDA gives the poor.

This announcement is an admission of the fact that neither Indira ji nor her son and certainly not the UPA government controlled by her descendants, was able to remove poverty. The Congress in general and the Gandhi family in particular, since Garibi Hatao slogan was given, has ruled India for more than two-third of that period. If it has failed to even address poverty during this period, why should India believe it? Even though the details of the scheme are now known, it was said that the payment will be by DBT. The Congress Partys internal economist has said that there will be no additional burden on the fiscal deficit, he said.

The name Nyay was suggested by party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, at the Congress Working Committee meeting at Ahmedabad on March 12, according to a senior functionary. Nyay is an acronym for Nyuntam Aay Yojana (minimum income scheme).

Back in January, Gandhi announced the guarantee scheme but hadnt spelt out its broad contours. The governments think tank, NITI Aayog, criticised the plan then, declaring that India neither had the kind of fiscal space, nor the kind of complete data needed to implement such a scheme.

This is about justice for the poor, Gandhi said, insisting that the Congress had done its homework.

We have checked it again and again and again. It is fiscally, perfectly possible. We committed MGNREGA (rural job guarantee scheme), we did it. We will eradicate poverty from India, he said. The Congress chief said the job guarantee scheme has pulled 140 million people out of poverty. This, he added, was the second phase.

In the second phase, 250 million people will be pulled out... It is an extremely powerful, dynamic and extremely well thought-out idea We have done the calculations, he said.

The income guarantee plan fits with Gandhis campaign pitch that targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling NDA, accusing them of working for the rich. If Narendra Modi can give money to the rich people in the country, then Congress can give the poor this money, he said.

The scheme is widely seen as a version of universal basic income (UBI), a concept that entitles families to a certain threshold sum of money regardless of whether they work or not.

UBI first became part of the official discourse when the countrys then chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian proposed it in the Economic Survey 2016-17. But the government did not pursue it.

The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country, Gandhi said.

Chakravarty said that the scheme meant that some families would  earn more than Rs 12000, but added that this was fine.

He said a committee of experts will help design and implement the scheme. We will bring in states because it is a federal scheme. Then we will roll out a pilot and in phases. It is our commitment that all 50 million families will be covered in less than two years.

As of now, Chakravarty said the total government expenditure of both the Centre and the states amounts to Rs 60 lakh crore.

It is an economic idea and the world over, this has been discussed and debated. It is basically a direct attack on poverty. Secondly, it is remonetising Indias economy and not demonetisation. We are putting money back in the hands of people. Yeh note bandi nahi note wapasi hai, he said.

In his blog, and a press briefing on the scheme, Jaitley said the scheme actually does less for the poorest than the Modi government has done in the past five years. In the last five years, the Government headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi introduced the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through the banking system. Besides subsidies for food, fertilizer, kerosene, 55 ministries handed over subsidies to the poor through the DBT which was enabled by Aadhaar, he said, adding that this aggregates to Rs 5.34 lakh crore a year or Rs 1,06,800 a year, as against Rs 72,000 which the Congress now seeks to promise through the DBT mechanism.

In addition, Jaitley said, there are other schemes of the government that also give money to the poor. If the Congress Partys announcement is tested on simple arithmetic, Rs 72,000 for five crore families works out to be Rs 3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what is being given - a bluff announcement, he wrote in his blog.

The Congress Partys proposed minimum income guarantee scheme was foreshadowed by Rahul Gandhis pre-Budget promise but has since been overtaken by the governments PM-Kisan cash transfer scheme, said Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Politically, this may help neutralise the BJPs scheme but it suffers from two weaknesses. First, the BJP scheme is operational, while the Congress programme is just a promise. Second, voters have been let down by then-candidate Modis lofty promises in 2014 to distribute reclaimed black money to every Indian household. Ironically, the PMs failure has negative ramifications for the Congresss future pledges.
Union textiles minister Smriti Irani on Sunday attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, partys general secretary (east UP) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as well as the SP-BSP alliance.

Asserting that the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance would not click, she said, The cycle (SP symbol) could not withstand the weight of the elephant (BSP symbol) riding it. The cycle tyre has deflated as a result.

Irani was speaking at her first public meeting in Kanpurs Shastri Nagar locality.

Taking on Priyanka Gandhi, she said some people had started calling themselves Ganga maiya ki Beti now. The reference was to the Congress general secretary's recently concluded Ganga yatra from Prayagraj to Varanasi.

About Rahul Gandhi, she said, People of Amethi have conveyed to the Congress president that he will not win this time.

People were saying in unison Bhaag Rahul Bhaag, she said, after reports surfaced that Gandhi could also consider contesting from a seat in South India.

Also Read | Everyone wants to defeat Modi but no one wants to fight polls: Amit Shah

The minister also said the Congress had always questioned the Indian Army and some had even gone to the extent of calling the army chief a goonda.

People like Sam Pitroda asked for proof of air strikes on a terrorist camp in Pakistan, she said.

It was the courage of the prime minister who gave Pakistan a befitting reply to the Pulwama attack. The irony is Congress had stopped the army from moving forward after 26/11, she said.

For complete coverage of Lok Sabha Elections 2019, click here
UP minister Mohsin Raza on Monday made a controversial remark against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, describing her as a Siberian crane.

Razas comment comes hours after another UP BJP lawmaker passed a sexist comment against Priyankas mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, comparing her to folk dancer Sapna Chaudhary.

Raza, responding to Priyankas proposed Ayodhya visit on Wednesday, first said she was going to the temple town for Babur, the mughal emperor on whose name the Ayodhya mosque was built and which was felled on December 6, 1992.

She is like a Siberian crane, Raza said days after another UP minister had stirred a controversy by describing Congress chief Rahul Gandhi a eunuch.

Raza, who is also BJPs minister in-charge of Amethi, had earlier described Rahul as a thief on the run in response to the likelihood of Rahul contesting from a second constituency in South India.

The political discourse is likely to touch a new low as we move deeper into the elections. With lots at stake, frustration is expected. But its surprising how women politicians are being targeted so brazenly, said Athar Siddiqui of the Centre for Objective Research and Development (CORD).

A few days back Surendra Singh, the BJP lawmaker from Ballia, had in a new low in political discourse claimed that BSP chief Mayawati gets facial done daily and colours her hair to look young.

Union minister Mahesh Sharma, too, had made a rather objectionable comment against Priyanka Gandhi asking at a public meeting if she was Pappus Pappi? Hours before this comment on Priyanka, BJP MLA Surendra Narayan Singh had, while reacting to reports of the possibility of Haryana folk dancer Sapna Chaudhary joining Congress, said the Congress chief was only following a family principle.

Rahul Gandhi is merely following his familys example for his mother, too, was a dancer in Italy, Singh had said and had drew flak for it too.

Its shocking. The discourse has touched a new low. I believe the BJP must get its lawmaker to apologise, SP Kashyap, a UP CPI (M) functionary, said.

BJP leaders have been consistently calling Rahul a Pappu (meaning dimwit in local parlance) in response to Congress describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi a feku (one who bluffs).

Congress leader Piyush Mishra said the remarks against Congress leadership merely showcased the rising desperation in the BJP camp.
After her three-day Ganga Yatra from Allahabad to Varanasi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to visit Ayodhya on Wednesday as she launches her campaign for the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is the partys in-charge for eastern UP, is likely to begin her election campaign in the temple town with a darshan to Hanuman Garhi temple, said a party leader. Later in the day, she will hold corner meetings and hold a road show in Ayodhya and Faizabad, the headquarters of Faizabad district that the Yogi Adityanath government renamed as Ayodhya in November. Yes, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will reach Ayodhya on Wednesday morning. She may have darshan at the Hanuman Garhi temple and some other temples in Ayodhya. She will hold corner meetings and a road show during her day long visit to the constituency, said Ayodhya City Congress Committee president RP Singh.

Ayodhya has remained in the political focus after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad intensified its agitation on the Ram temple issue in the mid-1980s.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi too had visited the Hanuman Garhi temple for darshan when he undertook kisan yatra [farmers procession] from Deoria to New Delhi in 2016 to turn the spotlight on issues concerning farmers.

Priyanka Gandhis visit is being considered politically significant in the backdrop of attempts by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to keep the Ram temple issue in focus. Besides carrying out development work, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been frequently visiting Ayodhya. The BJP government in the state has recently decided to set up what it called the tallest statue of Lord Rama on the banks of Saryu in Ayodhya.

Asked whether Ram temple issue will help the BJP in Ayodhya, former state Congress chief Nirmal Khatri, who is now the party candidate from the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, insists that the issue does not matter for the local people. We won this seat in 2009 despite the BJPs consistent attempts to keep the issue in political focus in successive assembly and parliamentary elections. Our focus is now on issues concerning development, the youth and the farmers, said Khatri, who had lost the seat to the BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Priyanka Gandhi on Monday took a dig at Namo Again and Chowkidaar T-shirts, being sold as a part of poll merchandise. BJP leaders are busy marketing T-shirts, if only they could pay attention to those suffering, she tweeted. The hard work of Uttar Pradeshs shiksha mitras is insulted every day. Scores of sufferers committed suicide. Those who took to the streets to protest were beaten with lathis, National Security Act was registered against them, she said on Twitter, highlighting the issue of UPs Shikshamitras (contractual teachers).

Taking a dig at her, BJP asked if she would say sorry for her party putting hurdles in building the Ram temple. Will Priyanka Gandhi Vadra take the pious Saryu river waters in her hand there and atone the sins committed by the Congress in Ayodhya? asked UP BJP spokesperson Chandramohan.
NCP's Rajya Sabha member Majeed Memon on Monday said that BJP leaders should contest elections in Nepal claiming that "chowkidars" will emerge victorious in the Himalayan nation, a day after BJP remarked that Congress may win elections in Pakistan.

"If Ram Madhav is saying that Congress would probably win elections in Pakistan if they contest from there, then I would like to give him a piece of advice. All BJP leaders are 'chowkidars' (watchmen) and they should contest elections in Nepal and they will win there," Memon, whose party is in alliance with Congress in Maharashtra, told ANI.

On Sunday, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav claimed that Congress leaders would probably win elections in Pakistan if they contested from the neighbouring country. He alleged that tweets by opposition leaders were retweeted more in Pakistan than in India.

"Their statements are retweets more by the people of the neighbouring country than the people in our own country. If they go there and contest elections someday, they will probably win there. This is the condition of our principal opposition party," Madhav told reporters in Guwahati.

Madhav, who is also the BJP general secretary in-charge of the North East, said the opposition was in a "clueless" fight and people failed to understand whether they were "fighting for the cause of Pakistan or of India".

"The opposition is fighting a clueless fight. What they want to convey nobody understands. The people of the country do not understand the direction in which they want to show the country. Whether the opposition is fighting for Hindustan or for Pakistan, the country is unable to understand," he added.

Madhav said that opposition leaders use undignified language for the Indian Army. "The opposition leaders doubt our own forces. They not only question the achievements of our government but also use undignified language for our Army," he said.

Congress hit back at Madhav, saying that he was giving "baseless statements".

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader PL Punia said on Monday, "Ram Madhav is giving baseless statements. The Congress party was the one to congratulate and support the government for the surgical strikes. After the Balakot air strike took place, Rahul Gandhi was the first leader to salute the bravery of our pilots."

He said that all the opposition parties came in unison and backed the BJP-led Centre for its tough stand against Pakistan.

"All the Opposition came together and said that we are with the government for taking a stand against Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. Whenever they tried to attack us, we gave a befitting reply to them," Punia added.

-ANI
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet leaders of the partys Delhi unit on Monday to discuss alliance with Arvind Kejriwals AAP, an issue that has remained unresolved with less than two months to go for polls.

Though both parties have time and again declared they were not interested in alliance, with AAP even declaring its candidates, sources says party mediators have been in talks to work out a pact for the May 12 polls.

Rahul Gandhi will hold the meeting at his residence. The meeting comes after senior Congress leaders said the party was likely to announce the alliance with AAP in the next 48 hours.

We might hear something positive on the alliance by Sunday evening. (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi will be meeting some senior leaders and we hope a decision is taken, PC Chacko, Delhi Congress in-charge, said.

Also Read | Will support pact with AAP even if I have to let go New Delhi seat: Ajay Maken

The AAP has been insisting on a 5:2 seat distribution (five for AAP and two for Congress), but the Congress has stuck to its demand for a 3:3:1 seat sharing arrangement (three for AAP, three for Congress and one for an independent).

Senior leaders of the Congress and AAP, who have been mediating the talks to form the alliance, said the New Delhi constituency is one of the seats over which both parties have laid a claim.

Former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken, who has represented the seat twice in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday said he would support an alliance with AAP even if he was not fielded as a candidate from the constituency.

Maken said for the larger interest, he was willing to give up the constituency he has been campaigning in the area ever since he gave up the post of Delhi Congress chief if the party leadership so decides.

Also Read| A fight for prestige in national Capital

I have expressed my support for the alliance and my personal candidature comes after this, he said.

AAPs Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai, however, said his party is no longer in any official talks with the Congress.

There are no talks happening. How can an announcement happen without involving the other party concerned? How can they announce an alliance tomorrow when we are not aware of it? he asked.

The AAP and the Congress have talked about allying with each other several times before.
A level-one fire broke out at Mumbais Byculla vegetable market late Sunday night, no casualties have been reported so far.

The fire brigade received a call at 12.05 am, following which five fire tenders and five water tankers were rushed to the spot.

Cooling operations are still underway.

More details awaited.
Nineteen co-operative housing societies that are a part of The Citizen Housing Complex in Naigaon, Vasai-Virar have received notices from the sub-registrar of societies, Vasai division, for preventing non-Catholics from renting and purchasing flats or becoming members.

The March 7 notice was issued after Jitu Yadav, president, Real Estate Agents Welfare Association, complained to the sub-registrar that his acquaintance, Raju Gangaram Chalmala, was allegedly denied membership rights, such as share certificate, name on the nameplate, society records, etc, by one of the societies, as he is a Protestant Christian.

The 19 societies that received the notice consist of a total of 57 wings, having 912 flats. The notice, of which HT has a copy, says: It has been brought to our notice that the office-bearers of these societies are working on their own will and are not allowing members from other communities to rent or purchase flats. They are asked to address the issue; otherwise relevant action will be taken as per the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960.

This is the second notice from the Vasai sub-registrar, who had, in 2017, asked Citizen Violet Co-operative Housing Society to register Chalmala as an owner in their records. Chalmala had bought a flat in the society in 2012. He said while he got other documents, such as electricity bill transferred to his name, the society office-bearers refuse to register his name in their records. They dont ask me my caste. They ask me to find the original ownerThey didnt give me membership just because I am a Protestant.

However, office-bearers from some of these societies refused to accept they got any such notice. We were asked to accept people from other communities by the registrar. We recently decided everyone will be given flats in our societies, said John Matthew, chairperson of Citizen Sunflower Co-op Housing Society. Yadav said only Catholics are allowed to stay in the 19 societies; members from other communities are not allowed to purchase or rent flats. Few people who married Catholics are allowed to stay there with the spouses name on the board.

Experts of co-operative societies law said an individual cannot be restricted from purchasing, renting or leasing a property by a society on the basis of their community. Vinod Sampat, president, Co-operative Societies Residents Welfare Association said the concept of a co-operative society is open membership, and no one can be denied membership on the basis of caste, creed or sex.
Actor Mahesh Babu, last seen on screen in Telugu blockbuster Bharat Ane Nenu, is the new entrant at the Madame Tussauds museum in Singapore.

On Monday, the actors wax statue was unveiled in the presence of the star, his wife Namrata Shirodkar and daughter Sitara at AMB Cinemas, a 7-screen superplex in Hyderabad, which is a joint venture between Mahesh Babu and Asian Group, a leading film distribution company.

Mahesh Babu is the second Telugu star after Prabhas to be immortalised in the form of a wax statue. Over the weekend, it was announced in a statement that the statue will be flown back to Singapore from AMB Cinemas where it will be displayed for a day on March 25 soon after the launch event.

Select group of fans, who were screened through sketching and other contests, will get an opportunity to take selfie with the statue of Mahesh Babu. The event will be streamed live across various platforms, according to the statement.

In April last year, Mahesh took to Twitter to announce that hes thrilled to become a part of the Madame Tussauds family.

On the career front, Mahesh Babu is looking forward to the release of his next film Maharshi with director Vamsi Paidipally.

Also read: Kesari box office day 3: Akshay Kumar film earns 78 cr despite IPL, is highest opening weekend earner of 2019

It was recently announced that he has chosen to opt out of his new project with director Sukumar over creative differences. Contrary to the rumours, he clarified that his relationship with the filmmaker has not been affected and that they will collaborate once again in the future.

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Actor Jim Sarbh, who has found fame with his grey characters in Sonam Kapoor-starrer Neerja, Sushant Singh Rajputs Raabta and Deepika Padukones Padmaavat , denies that web series or plays give depth to an actor. They can give you depth or not depends upon writing, he says.

Currently seen in Zoya Akhtars Made In Heaven, Jim is also on board for other web shows like House Arrest and Flip. To a question whether a web series give more depth to an actor, he said: It totally depends upon the writing. Be it films or shows or plays, its the content that matters the most. Good writing is the key. Many people make blanket statements that theatre gives you more depth...web shows, films and plays are different. They can give you depth or not depends upon writing, he said.

Also read: Deepikas Chhapaak look gets its biggest cheerleader in Kanganas sister

There are plenty of projects in my hand right now. I am looking forward to play characters that I have not played so far. It is important for an actor to play different roles, Jim said.

The 31-year-old is currently enjoying praise for portraying Adil Khanna in web series Made in Heaven, which he says explores reality of society. The show is like a great juxtaposition of all those that go on behind beautiful facades. It removes the curtains and make you see the reality of backstage. It shows what actually goes on in a wedding, not just looking perfect from outside. It reflects the integration of modernism and traditionalism, said Jim.

Jim was recently showstopper for designer Siddartha Tytler at Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week Autumn Winter Week 2019 and walked the ramp in an all-black ensemble. Asked whats his fashion mantra, Jim said: A lion has a mane, a peacock has a tail.

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China on Monday said it would continue to play a constructive role in India-Pakistan ties, adding Beijing supports dialogue and consultations between New Delhi and Islamabad to resolve differences.

The Chinese foreign ministry also welcomed the goodwill messages exchanged between the prime ministers of India and Pakistan on the occasion of the latters National Day.

The two leaders exchanged messages at a time when bilateral relations are fraught in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in February.

It has also emerged that the two countries were close to firing missiles at each other on February 27 following the air strikes by India on a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Pakistans Balakot area and subsequent clash between the two air forces along the Line of Control.

On March 22, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan put out a tweet saying he had received a message from Prime Minister Modi and quoted the message in the tweet: It is time that the people of Sub-continent work together for a democratic, peaceful, progressive & prosperous region, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.

Khan followed that tweet with a response to PM Modis message: As we celebrate Pakistan Day, I believe it is time to begin a comprehensive dialogue with India to address & resolve all issues, esp (especially) the central issue of Kashmir, & forge a new relationship based on peace & prosperity for all our people.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it welcomed the exchange of messages.

We noted the relevant reports. We welcome the goodwill (messages) sent out to each other by India and Pakistani leaders. We support the two sides in maintaining engagement and improve their relations, stabilise the situation and resolve their differences. China will continue to play a constructive role to this end, spokesperson, Geng Shuang said at the regular ministry briefing on Monday.

Answering a question on whether China had recalibrated its position on India-Pakistan to mediate between the two countries to resolve their differences, Geng said Beijings position on the ties between India and Pakistan is consistent.

Chinas position on India and Pakistan relations is consistent. These two countries are important south Asian countries, and we hope they will resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation. China hopes to stay in friendly relations with both of them and we will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the peace talks between these two countries, he said.

The ongoing tension between India and Pakistan was the focal point of the first strategic dialogue held in Beijing between visiting Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and state councillor and Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi last week.

At the meeting, amid telling Qureshi to resolve differences with India through dialogue, Wang Yi had expressly assured the Pakistani minister of Chinas firm support to Islamabad.

No matter how things change in the world and the region, China will firmly support Pakistan upholding its independence and territorial integrity and dignity, Wang told Qureshi.

Wang had said Sino-Pakistan ties remain rock solid and vibrant despite the changing international landscape.

Days before Qureshis visit, China, for the fourth time, had blocked a bid in the UN Security Council to designate the Pakistan-based JeM, chief, Masood Azhar, as a global terrorist, by putting a technical hold on the proposal.

India had termed the move as disappointing.
US special counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not find any evidence of conspiracy or collusion by Donald Trumps campaign with Russian meddling in the 2016 election but has left open questions if the president obstructed justice by allegedly trying to influence the outcome of the probe.

The investigation did not establish that members of the members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, Mueller said in his report, a summary of which, containing principle findings, was released on Sunday.

The report left the issue of obstruction of justice wide open. While this report does not conclude not the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Muellers reports said, according to a four-page summary attorney general William Barr sent to the Congress and released publically.

But the president and his supporters took the report as a complete exoneration. It was complete and total exoneration This was an illegal takedown that failed, Trump told reporters before leaving Florida, where he was for the weekend, for Washington DC.

There was a sense of relief and vindication in the Trump camp at the outcome of an investigation that had hung over the administration for almost two years, casting doubts on its legitimacy. There was rarely a day when the president did not rail against it, calling it a witch-hunt, a deep-probe.

Hes just very happy with how it all turned out, a White House spokesperson told reporters on the flight to DC, bringing back the president and his team home after a remarkable weekend that included an announcement that Syria has been rid of the territorial Islamic State caliphate, 100%.

But their claim of total exoneration was not supported by Muellers report. It drew instead from a four-page summary of the Mueller report by attorney general Barr sent to the US Congress Sunday, 48 hours after the special counsel turned in his finding to the justice department.

The attorney general said that it was his conclusion, in consultation with others, that evidence developed by the Mueller investigation was not sufficient enough to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

Democrats and critics were not buying into the report.

The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, Congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.

Questioned were also raised why Mueller, a well-regarded former FBI director, never interviewed the president, which, according to legal experts, could have been crucial to establishing obstruction allegations, and which Trumps lawyers had dreaded fearing he would perjure himself, given his propensity for falsehood.

And, others asked, why did the special counsel leave open the question on obstruction of justice, given the many publicly recorded instances of it  dismissing FBI director James Comey after asking him to stop investigating his then national security adviser Michael Flynn for lying about his contacts with Russians.

Then the spin Trump tried to put on a Tump Tower meeting his son, Donald Trump Jr, had taken with a Russian lawyer who had promised political dirt on Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.

Though it wasnt immediately clear if Democrats would summon Mueller to testify before the Congress to answer those questions, they would be calling attorney general Barr for sure.

We will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future, Jerry Nadler, chairperson of the Democrat-led House judiciary committee, tweeted.

As this political battle shifts now to the Congress to be waged alongside or as a part of other congressional hearings and investigations, Trumps legal troubles will continue.

The US attorney for the Southern District of New York, for instance, has an open investigation into campaign funding violation in the payment of hush-money to women who claimed to have had affairs with the president in which Trump was implicated by his former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen.

Mueller began his probe in May 2017, just a few months after Trump took office, to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 elections, which American intelligence had concluded was intended to help Trump; if there was collusion from the Trump campaign; and anything else that came up.

In the 22 months since, the special counsels office brought more than 100 charges against 34 people and three companies. Some of them pleaded guilty including the presidents first national security adviser Michael Flynn and campaign executive Rick Gates, and one, campaign chai Paul Manafort was convicted.

There are 25 Russian individuals and three Russian entities among those indicted who are unlikely to ever make themselves available for trial in the US.
Donald Trump has declared more than 200 times that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russian effort to interfere in the 2016 election. Turns out he was right.

Trump enjoyed one of the highest moments of his presidency on Sunday after Attorney General William Barr absolved him of crimes related to Russias interference in the 2016 election and the US investigation that followed. The significance wasnt lost on the president, who took a moment on his way home from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, to gloat.

Its a shame that our country had to go through this, he told reporters before boarding Air Force One. To be honest, its a shame your president had to go through this.

Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation, he declared, was an illegal takedown that failed.

Mueller found that no one associated with the president conspired with the Russian interference scheme, while Barr said he determined there isnt sufficient evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice by meddling with the US investigation. It was an unambiguous victory for a besieged White House and a president whose entire administration has unfolded under the cloud of the Russia investigation.

Barrs letter also sets Democrats on their heels as they begin opening a slew of new investigations into the president, his financial affairs and his administration. Impeachment seems all but impossible, and Trumps 2020 re-election campaign is cast loose from the weight of the Russia affair.

Through the 22-month investigation that roiled Washington and the White House, the president clung to a singular refrain: no collusion.

Even as staff resigned, allies were indicted, and opponents insinuated a sinister conspiracy, Trump was steadfast as he insisted he was never involved in Russias electoral interference.

On Sunday, the nation learned that after more than 2,800 subpoenas, almost 500 search warrants, and hundreds of interviews, Special Counsel Mueller agreed.

Its better than I expected, Trumps lawyer, Rudy Guiliani, said Sunday. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Barrs letter a total and complete exoneration of the president.

With the exception, perhaps, of the day Trumps massive overhaul of the tax code passed both chambers of Congress, theres little competition when considering where Sunday will rank among the best days for this White House.

Democrats Response

Challenged on whether the report truly exonerated Trump, as he claimed, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley told reporters aboard Air Force One that prosecutors dont exonerate, they prosecute. They dont prove a negative.

Trump, Gidley said, was in a really good mood during the flight. He watched television and talked with his staff, assessing the coverage of Barrs letter, and made phone calls. Gidley declined to say whom the president called.

America is the greatest place on Earth, Trump told reporters upon returning to the White House. He took no questions.

Trumps campaign rapidly turned the letter into a fundraising opportunity. Dems raised millions off a lie. Now we FIGHT BACK! his campaign said in a message to supporters, offering to quadruple-match all donations received within an hour.

Congressional Democrats seized on the special counsels decision to leave open the question of whether Trumps conduct in office amounted to obstruction of justice  including the firing of FBI Director James Comey, pressuring top Justice Department officials, and railing against the investigation as partisan.

House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler said on Twitter that he would soon summon Barr to testify to his committee on his determination that Mueller didnt find sufficient evidence that Trump committed a crime -- even though Mueller stopped short of that conclusion. Barr quoted Mueller as saying, While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Yet Muellers ambiguity means theres little chance the obstruction issue constitutes a continuing threat to the president.

Danger, Still

Danger still lurks for Trump. Findings from the Mueller investigation inspired new probes into the presidents payoffs to women who have alleged extramarital affairs, as well as possibly illegal donations to and spending by his inaugural committee. And Democrats are already demanding fuller access to the Mueller report, no doubt hoping it will contain new examples of embarrassing or unethical behavior by the president and his staff.

But the immediate legal and political risk has disappeared for the president, who can now swagger into the 2020 campaign not only free of the allegations of collusion but emboldened in his claims that bureaucrats, the media, and his political opponents conspired to undermine his presidency. And the report has provided Trump and his allies a cudgel as he faces other investigations into corruption by top administration officials.

The report is vindication for many Trump allies pulled into an investigation that cost them tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills, public harassment and reputational harm. Chief among them was the presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr.

The Mueller Report proves what those of us with sane minds have known all along, there was ZERO collusion with Russia, Trump Jr. said in an email. Sadly, instead of apologizing for needlessly destabilizing the country in a transparent attempt to delegitimize the 2016 election, its clear that the Collusion Truthers in the media and the Democrat Party are only going to double down on their sick and twisted conspiracy theories moving forward.

Yet as a political matter, Barrs letter may not produce a major shift in voter attitudes toward the president. In the run-up to the mid-term elections in November, just 45 percent of voters said the outcome of the Russia investigation was extremely or very important to them compared with 80 percent who said the same about health care and 78 percent on immigration, according to a Gallup poll.
Pakistani police have arrested seven people allegedly involved in arranging the marriage of two minor Hindu girls who were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam, hours after a spat between Indian and Pakistani ministers over the treatment of minorities.

On Sunday, police conducted raids in Rahim Yar Khan district of Punjab province  where the girls were reportedly taken from Ghotki in Sindh province  and arrested the man who solemnised the marriages, a leader of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek and relatives of the men who married the teenage girls.

The suspects were handed over to Sindh Police. The deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Ghotki visited the families of the girls and informed them of the arrests. Police officials said action is being taken to recover the girls.

The Pakistan government acted on Saturday after two videos on the marriages did the rounds on social media. The father and brother of the two sisters said they were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. However, a video showed the girls saying they had accepted Islam of their free will.

Police said a kidnapping case was registered at Daharki police station in Sindh. However, the girls also approached a court on Sunday, seeking protection.

Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered the Sindh government to launch a probe into reports that the girls were abducted and forcibly converted.

After external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Sunday that she had sought a report on the incident from the Indian envoy in Islamabad, Pakistans information minister Fawad Chaudhry responded by saying it was an internal issue and that Swaraj should act with same diligence about Indias minorities.

The Nehru-Liaquat Agreement of April 1950, regarding the security and rights of minorities, enjoins the two countries to ensure complete equality of citizenship and full sense of security for their minorities.

The pact, signed following communal disturbances in Bengal, Assam and Tripura, states minorities should look to the Government of their own State for the redress of their grievances, and that the two government will not recognise forced conversions.

Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, a distinguished fellow with Observer Research Foundation and a former diplomat who has served in Pakistan, said Islamabad had rarely adhered to such agreements. He said a study of the population of minorities in the two countries would show how drastically the number of Hindus in Pakistan had declined over the decades. This agreement was signed in 1950 to avert any large-scale movement of people and communal riots, and it was agreed that both sides would assure the rights of minorities, he said. With the Wahabi Islamisation of Pakistan during the regime of Zia-ul-Haq, things have gone downhill since then.

Ramesh Vankwani, a prominent Hindu lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said he would submit a resolution during the National Assemblys next session to demand an end to forced conversions.
A student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida has died in an apparent suicide, police said on Sunday, less than a week after a 19-year-old survivor of the 2018 massacre at the school took her own life.

The students death occurred on Saturday evening and is under investigation, said Coral Springs Police spokesman Tyler Reik. The students name, age and gender were not disclosed, he said.

Were calling it an apparent suicide because we dont have the exact results back from the medical examiners office, Reik said by phone.

The Miami Herald reported that the suicide victim was a male sophomore who attend the Parkland, Florida, school when 14 other students and three staff members were killed on Feb. 14, 2018, in the deadliest-ever U.S. high school shooting.

A week ago, former Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Sydney Aiello took her own life, according to her family. Aiello, who survived the 2018 shooting, was suffering from survivors guilt and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, her mother told CBS Miami.

Aiello was a senior at Stoneman Douglas when a former student with a semi-automatic rifle shot dead her friend Meadow Pollack, the family said.

The deaths drew calls in Florida for increased spending on mental health services for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community and other schools.

Now is the time for the Florida Legislature to help, Jared Moskowitz, Floridas emergency management director and a former state representative from Parkland, posted on Twitter.

David Hogg, who survived the 2018 shooting and became a gun control advocate, said schools needed serious mental health funding and proper guidance counselors.

How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government/school district to do anything? he tweeted.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and said its leaders speak in the same language used by Pakistan. He added that Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan if Congress wins the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

"The language which is used by Pakistan, that same language is used by the Congress leaders. They are insulting Army, they are breaking the momentum of the citizens. Air Strike done by the government and press conference done by Army chiefs are being questioned. Whom are they supporting? Today it seems like congress party is Pakistan's party," Rupani said while addressing a rally here.

"Though it is not going to happen, if Congress wins May 23, then Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan. If on May 23 Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets a clear majority, then there will be mourning in Pakistan," he said and added that Pakistanis are feared of Prime Minister Modi.

-ANI
Now Open

25 March 2019

Marriott International, Inc. has announced the highly anticipated opening of Residence Inn Calgary Downtown/Beltline District, the largest property in the brand's global portfolio. The Residence Inn Calgary marks the 800th hotel for the brand. With properties located in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Central America, Residence Inn is theglobal leader in the longer-stays lodging segment.

Located in one of the city's most dynamic neighbourhoods, the Residence Inn Calgary Downtown/Beltline District was thoughtfully-designed to capture the unconventional charm of the city. Standing 33 stories high, the property features 390 well-appointed spacious suites, offering unbeatable views of the city, all while blending comfort and style. Built where the historic Alberta Boot Company once stood, the property stands out within Calgary's iconic skyline and boasts unique design elements from floor-to-ceiling murals to cowboy boot stitching incorporated into all guestroom bed headboards, paying homage to Calgary's western history. Steps away from the centre of downtown Calgary, the property's prime location offers guests close access to some of the city's main attractions, including the Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary Tower, and Studio Bell.

Catering to both business and leisure travelers, the property's studio and one-bedroom suites feature dedicated living and sleeping areas as well as fully-equipped kitchens, enabling guests to maximize their stay. Guests can enjoy additional amenities including complimentary grocery delivery service and daily hot breakfast, 24-hour market, a common laundry room, 24-hour, bi-level state-of-the-art fitness facility, market, and valet parking. For guests seeking a full-service dining experience, the property's Lounge and Terrace offers light meals complemented by regionally-infused crafted cocktails, west-coast wines and local beer selections. Just in time for summer, the property will soon be unveiling a wine bar in its lobby.

The property features close to 6,500 square feet of naturally-lit meeting space with built-in multimedia technology. Groups of up to 175 can take advantage of flexible meeting rooms and dedicated gathering spaces for meals, breakout sessions, one-on-one meetings, and more.
Event

Twelve years ago Cornell's ILR School and School of Hotel Administration developed content for the inaugural HR In Hospitality Conference and Expo. Since then, we have run the conference with our partner LRP Publications. Last year, LRP graciously handed over the reins to our two Schools and we have now assumed sole responsibility for the production of the conference. We are very excited about this opportunity and hope you will consider attending this year's conference.



We have developed an agenda that focuses on the most current and relevant human resource and labor and employment law issues of the day. Our slate of presenters features Cornell faculty and leading HR professionals and labor and employment lawyers - many of whom are Cornell graduates. This year's venue is Las Vegas' incredible Cosmopolitan Hotel. Being wholly responsible for the conference allows us to include several roundtable discussions and workshops, enabling a higher degree of active learning and engagement. This conference is just one example of what makes Cornell unique and great - specialized schools collaborating to bring faculty and professionals together to focus on pressing real world challenges.

13th Annual HR in Hospitality Conference is organized by
Press Release

25 March 2019

New York-based Dream Hotel Group is currently working on opening 20 more properties across its hotel brands by 2022.

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The group currently has 19 hotels in four brands: Dream Hotels, Time Hotels, Unscripted Hotels, and The Chatwal.

The group's most recent opening was the Dream Nashville earlier this month. Located in Nashville's Printer's Alley, the hotel has 168 rooms and six food and drink options including the brasserie-style Stateside Kitchen and California cuisine-inspired Natura Nashville.

The group has also announced plans for its first UK hotel, Unscripted Birmingham Central Hall. The hotel will be part of the restoration of the historic Methodist Central Hall, a three-story Edwardian red brick building located on the northern end of Corporation Street dating from 1905. It will feature 135 guestrooms and five dining and nightlife venues.

Other projects include the second development of the company's Unscripted brand in the US in New York's Catskill Mountains. Set to open in 2020, Unscripted Catskills in Bethel, NY will be the company's first hotel to make use of modular construction methods, built from the ground up. This method involves building sections away from the construction site, and assembling them once they are there.

Also in Sullivan County, progress has begun on The Chatwal Lodge, a five-star luxury resort on the shores of the Toronto Reservoir featuring 34 guestrooms -all suites - and a Michelin star chef to be announced soon, set to open in 2020.

The hotel group wants to further expand internationally and has plans to develop Dream Hotel properties in Belize, Doha, New Delhi and the Maldives.

The boutique luxury hotel company first made its name in New York City in 1999 with the debut of The Time on W 49th Street in Manhattan, the first of the group's Time hotel brand. Since then, the Group has created lifestyle brands by investing in luxury dining and nightlife options inside its hotels.
Opinion Article

25 March 2019

The Republic of Singapore is a metropolitan city-state and island country in Southeast Asia with a total land area of an estimated 714.3 square kilometres. It is situated at the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula, between Malaysia and Indonesia. With an economy supported by its growing population of approximately 5.6 million, Singapore rose as an economy in the latter half of the 20th century and today serves as a global commerce, finance, and transportation hub.
Here are 6 key recommendations on how to drive more guests by selling your property experiences.

This article originally appeared on Tambourine.

One of the most frequently uttered hotel marketing catchphrases of recent years has been selling experiences, but while many marketers talk the talk, more than a few are a long way from truly walking the walk. After decades of touting their vast array of in-room amenities, fitness centers, pools and large-screen TVs, many hotel marketers are still too self-indulgent and product-focused to recognize that its what happens outside of the property that really matters these days.

Millennials are leading the way amid a rapidly growing consumer trend among all generations that places emphasis on spending on experiences rather than material goods, and hotels are directly in the crosshairs of this purchasing revolution. Now more than ever, its imperative that hotel marketers dig deep, review all their hotel digital marketing touchpoints and set a course of action for turning their propertys messaging from being product-focused, to experience-focused.

Ready to make the selling shift? Here are some key suggestions for hotel marketers operating in the age of experience:

1. Position your hotel as the epicenter of the destination.

Modern travelers are increasingly basing their trip planning, research and booking activities around the destination in question, rather than searching for any specific hotel brands in a given area. According to Googles 2015 The Travelers Road to Decision report, destination-related keywords are the primary search terms consumers use when planning trips. (51% of the time when planning, compared to 31% usage of brand or specific website names.)

That means your hotels location is your most appealing asset to new-era travelers.

A great example of this theory in practice comes from the venerable Driskill in Austin, Tex., built in 1886. The hotel uses a combination of experiential methods to delight guests, focusing on history tours of the stunning Romanesque Victorian property, deep-rooted immersion in Texas culinary culture, as well as opportunities to take in the expansive Austin music and nightlife scene.

We really highlight the fact that compared to every other hotel in Austin, we are the hotel that guests can visit when theyre here in Austin where they can get a truly authentic Texas experience, says Ashley Hartert, Director of Sales, Marketing and Events at the Driskill. Our competitors are much more traditional in hotel style, so those hotels can exist in just about every other city in the country. But the Driskill is singular, in that from the moment our guests walk in, theyre inspired. We infuse that throughout the sales process and then throughout the guests experience once theyre on site.

2. Your advertising and website messaging should promise a unique experience.

Building upon suggestion #1, be sure all messaging  website, banner ads, social  focuses on the unique experience your hotel provides. Play up the reasons why its best to stay at your hotel to experience the location, aside from saving $15 per night compared to your competitor next door.

One very useful means of achieving this goal is to create a special page/section within your hotels website thats devoted entirely to tips, itineraries and insider information regarding the local area, as well as any special corresponding experiences offered through the hotel. Include invaluable tidbits like where to park for free, hole-in-the-wall spots the locals love, best hours for visiting popular attractions and ways to save money on admission fees. You can also make this information downloadable/printable in PDF format, so guests can take it with them when they explore.

The French Quarter Inn in Charleston, SC, showcasing itineraries of local experiences

3. Create unique packages that simplify guests ability to experience the destination.

Remember that even though your guests are now paying more attention to whats outside your doors than whats within, they still want your help and guidance with the best ways of enjoying everything your location has to offer. That goes far beyond just offering standard concierge services; try creating special themed destination packages that incorporate stays at the property with deals, tours and excursions to local points of interest, from museums and historical sites to artisanal shops and iconic eateries.

That can also include favorite local pastimes. For example, at the Chaminade Resort in Santa Cruz, Calif., guests can sign up for surfing lessons conducted by local experts, which ties directly into the local culture and lore.

Santa Cruz is famous for surfing, explains Tom Faust, VP of Sales at Benchmark Hospitality, which manages the resort. One of the experiences the resort offers is surfing lessons for beginners. If you were going to a business meeting in Santa Cruz, how cool would it be to take surfing lessons before or after your meeting? The resort is also on 300 acres and has abundant hiking trails, so we hold events like going into the woods with horticulturists to do mushroom picking and education.

4. Showcase user-generated content (UGC) and review testimonials of past guests experiences.

Social media has made UGC even more impactful than your own content, since viewers are more likely to trust the opinions and perspectives of fellow travelers than any corporate material they see on a branded website. So, by showcasing your guests UGC, youre tapping into the underlying craving for authenticity and the all-powerful fear of missing out (FOMO), while also promoting your property more effectively than you could ever do on your own.

But dont just spend your time looking through past guest Instagram posts; its also useful to keep abreast of what your guests are saying on testimonial sites like Tripadvisor and Yelp. Beyond just viewing the feedback on your actual property, you can learn valuable information about what guests like best about your location and neighborhood, as well as the useful travel tips guests have gathered on your locale. Repackage and integrate those insights into your own marketing materials and messaging.

Hotel Hugo in NYC showcasing guests UGC and displaying reviews from past guests that highlight their experiences

5. Change hotel imagery to focus on experiences, rather than amenities.

No one wants to look at pictures of your pool or fitness room. Instead, show them images of the ideal experience you are selling them, whether its families frolicking along your hotels amazing oceanfront real estate, spa-goers enjoying unique, signature treatments only available at your property, and/or compelling snapshots of the street-front outside the building, so guests can sense the excitement theyll feel when emerging from the front lobby.

You can see this concept in use at Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend, Ore., where much of the hotels imagery spotlights its incredible location on both banks of Deschutes River. (A scenic bridge spanning the waterway connects both halves of the resort.) That factor, along with its proximity to Bend attractions, makes for a powerful sales proposition to convey to potential guests.

When you come to Bend, you want a unique experience, and where else will you find a hotel built on two sides of a river? You can sit out and have breakfast with a rushing river right in front of you and see the osprey come down, says Erick Trachsel, director of sales and marketing for Riverhouse. I do feel we sell that to our advantage. When youre sitting on the patio of our restaurant, you feel like youre out away from everything, but were five minutes from the heart of Bend. We really pitch that were the best of both worlds.

6. Train guest-service personnel (and call center teams) to know local unique experiences.

Its tough for hotel staff to advise customers on how to best experience a destination if the staff doesnt know this themselves, which can be challenging to overcome if employees dont live near your hotel. The situation is even more problematic for call center teams, which may be located offsite, potentially very far away from the hotel they are selling. To solve this dilemma, youll need to get a little creative.

For offsite call center staff, try conducting some remote training sessions, and share information sheets and website pages youve created that list all the hyper-local information and tips you want your guests to know. Make sure call center staff have this information on-hand, should customers ask by phone. And for on-site employees, devise some ways to inspire them to explore the area surrounding your hotel, including earmarking funds to send them to top-ranked local businesses and attractions. You can even gamify the effort, rewarding the employees who visit the most locations, then post Instagram selfies and/or Facebook check-ins from these local hot spots.

About Tambourine

Tambourine uses technology and creativity to increase revenue for hotels and destinations worldwide. The firm, now in its 34th year, is located in New York City, Carlsbad, and Fort Lauderdale.

Please visit: www.Tambourine.com

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Design has long been important to the hotel industry as a way to attract new guests and turn them into repeat visitors.

Design has long been important to the hotel industry as a way to attract new guests and turn them into repeat visitors.

In recent years, however, new brands to the market have raised the design standards to stand out from the crowd and win over a new generation of traveller looking for unique experiences. Faced with these new norms and higher guest expectations, long-standing establishments and big chains across France are rethinking how they use their space, as well as the look and feel of the hotel itself.

The idea is to break with established design codes, to deconstruct old styles and reconstruct them in a modern way to create vibrant settings and enhance the atmosphere, says Gwenola Donet, director of Hotels & Hospitality at JLL France. By refurbishing reception areas, as well as bedrooms and communal areas in a style that speaks to their target audience, hotels want to show guests that they can provide a personalised experience and meet their micro-needs.

Many Parisian hotels have recently been given a new lease of life such as the Grands Boulevards, part of the Experimental Group which dates from before the French Revolution, or the Bienvenue from Adrien Gloaguen with its speak-easy bar and modern design.

And whether theyre a boutique offering or part of a revamped chain, their aim is the same; to become a place where people want to spend time rather than just providing a bed for the night. Lobbies and restaurants are therefore increasingly open to locals as well as guests, helping to create a buzz that people want to be part of.

Communal spaces have become places to socialise where hotel guests and locals are welcomed especially during special events, says Donet. The Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, for example, has debuted a seasonal pop-up bar dedicated to the golden age of Chinas Song dynasty with specially created food and cocktails.

But refreshing a hotel isnt just about appearances. Good design can leave a lasting impression but guests still want quality service and an experience that is unique and personalised, says Donet.

From luxury to budget

Its not only high-end hotel that are reassessing how they can create memorable experiences. Many of todays travellers heading to mid-range and lower price hotels also have high expectations but lower budgets.

Its still necessary to add in new technology and create stylish spaces at lower price points, says Donet. But the question is how.

Some hotels are opting for smaller bedrooms and bigger communal spaces, all artistically designed, creating more opportunities for guests to spend on food and drink.

The idea is that hotel brands are not just selling the room alone but all areas used by the guests, says Donet. By creating high-quality communal spaces, hotels can offer smaller private spaces  a trend were seeing in the coworking and coliving sectors. This is driven by guests changing expectations but also by a need for better use of space in high price city centre real estate. The end result is that guests get a better experience for their money and hotel owners get a better return on their investment.

With new design focused hotel brands joining the lower end of the French market, competition is heating up rapidly.

Mama Shelter, which combines open plan living and working areas with design-led bedrooms, has expanded its network into Toulouse. Motel One has also joined the mix in Paris with its individually-designed rooms aimed at budget travellers.

Big chains take note

The growing presence  and popularity  of ultra-modern hotels has led the bigger global chains to think about how their existing brands fit into the changing French market. Some are launching new brands to compete. Hilton, for example, is opening its first lifestyle hotels in France; the Canopy by Hilton Paris Trocadero will launch in mid-2020 and Canopy by Hilton Bordeaux Chartrons will welcome guests from early 2021 and are designed to reflect the local art, culture and cuisine.

The success of new entrants will depend on how they use service and space, as well as their ability to create an experience and build a community to ensure rapid brand recognition, says Donet.

Many big hotels chains have a somewhat outdated image, especially among younger consumers. By bringing fresh new brands to the French market, its a chance to revitalise their image and attract new guests.

Indeed, as the French market evolves to meet the changing tastes of todays travellers, no brand can afford to stand still.

This article originally appeared on JLL Real Views.

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Developed and owned by Exchange St. Hotel LLC, a First Bristol Corporation and Paolino Properties joint venture, Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown offers a combination of studio and one-bedroom accommodations, featuring fully-equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas.

Homewood Suites by Hilton, part of Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) All Suites portfolio, announced last week its newest property, Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown. Designed for guests who want to travel on their own terms, Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown offers guests all the comforts of home, whether they are traveling for work or enjoying a well-earned getaway. With 120 new suites, the hotel complements the area's demand for new extended-stay hotels thanks to the state's rapidly expanding economy and building boom.

"Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown is centrally located and features stunning river and city skyline views from comfortable suites ideal for all types of travelers," said Rick Colling, global head of Homewood Suites by Hilton. "Rhode Island's strong economy has given us the opportunity to expand our brand footprint in the state and provide the comforts of home to our guests in another popular destination in the Ocean State."

Developed and owned by Exchange St. Hotel LLC, a First Bristol Corporation and Paolino Properties joint venture, Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown offers a combination of studio and one-bedroom accommodations, featuring fully-equipped kitchens and separate living and sleeping areas. Guests are also provided all the essentials needed for a smart, reliable and convenient stay including complimentary daily full hot breakfast, evening social Monday-Thursday, Wi-Fi and a grocery shopping service**. Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown makes it easy for travelers to unwind with an outdoor patio area and fitness center. The property also offers 1,366 square feet of flexible space that is ideal for meetings and social events.

Located at 5 Exchange Street in the heart of the Capital City's Financial District, Homewood Suites by Hilton Providence Downtown offers guests convenient access to the area's attractions including the Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence Performing Arts Center, Dunkin' Donuts Center and WaterFire. The property is also close to many universities and colleges, including Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design, and offers shuttle service that will transport guests to the airport and within one mile of downtown attractions.



**Guest pays for groceries. Other restrictions apply.

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Scandic has signed an agreement to expand two Scandic hotels in Norway with a total of 266 rooms in connection with the extension of the lease agreements.

Scandic has signed an agreement to expand two Scandic hotels in Norway with a total of 266 rooms in connection with the extension of the lease agreements.

Scandic has made an agreement with property owner Eiendomsspar to renovate and expand Scandic Helsfyr in Oslo in conjunction with extending the lease agreement. Close to 200 new rooms will be added to the hotel, bringing the number of rooms from 253 to 450 and making Scandic Helsfyr the largest Scandic hotel in Norway. In addition to the new rooms, the conference facilities will be renovated and a new 300 m2meeting space will be added. The expansion is expected to be completed during 2021, and is in line with Scandics expectation of continued good demand development in the hotel market in the Oslo region.

Scandic has also signed an agreement for an expansion with property owner Utstillingsplassen to add 69 rooms to the existing Scandic Hamar in Hamar, Norway, bringing the total number of rooms to 308 in addition to renovating the hotels conference facilities. The new rooms are expected to be in operation during 2021. The parties also agreed to extend the existing lease agreement.

 These renovations and developments are important for our offering in the Norwegian market. We will create a large, attractive hotel in the expanding Helsfyr area in Oslo and also further strengthen our market position in Hamar, says Svein Arild Steen-Mevold, Head of Scandic Hotels Norway.

Scandic is the largest hotel company in the Nordic countries with more than 280 hotels, in operation and under development, in more than 130 destinations.

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This weekend, Dr. Dre had some fun trolling those caught up in the college admissions scandal. Actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman were arrested after it was revealed they had been part of a major scam, paying for their children to be accepted into prestigious schools and faking their grades and accolades. Obviously, this sheds a light on how privileged some people really are. Legendary producer Dr. Dre joked that he didn't have to spend any time in jail for his daughter to be accepted into USC, noting that she made it all by herself. However, people were quickly reminded that a few years ago, Dre donated $70 million to the university. Dre has since deleted the post.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1109637108820373504



The proud father shared a photo of his daughter telling everybody that she would be attending USC in the coming months. "My daughter got accepted into USC all on her own. No jail time!!!" he wrote. While his daughter, Truly Young, may be as bright as they come, Dre's fans reminded him that he probably shouldn't be bragging that hard because, in 2013, he and Jimmy Iovine donated $70 million to create the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology, and the Business of Innovation, according to Vulture.

Congratulations are still in order for Truly Young. We don't want to take anything away from her incredible achievement. However, the admissions team probably wouldn't have thought twice about accepting one of Dre's kids after such a massive donation.



Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images
Lonzo Ball is experiencing some issues with his homegrown Big Baller Brand as of late. Ball recently severed all of his ties with Alan Foster who co-founded the company. Foster allegedly stole $1.5 million from Ball and now the brand doesn't want anything to do with him. It could get worse for the Big Baller Brand though. Ball has been on social media hinting at a deal with Nike, which could potentially derail BBB completely. Considering the work his family put in to get that brand up and running, it would be an embarrassing development.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvXqeWnFenu



Adding fuel to the evergrowing Big Baller Brand fire is the actions of Ball's manager Darren "DMo" Moore. Moore took to his Instagram story today where he posted a video of himself throwing some Big Baller Brand shoes in the trash. In the video which can be found here, Moore uses the hashtag #dumpurmerch.

https://twitter.com/_/status/1110253348299726848



In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, LeBron James explained that he would support Ball if he decided to move on to Nike.

"I love the fact that he's taking control of his s--t. I mean, he's, that's what's really, really dope to me. Once I saw that story, I just seen a kid turning into a man. 'This is my career and I'm taking this. I done had enough withwhatever. I done had enough. Whatever. If I'm not going to be successful, I'm not going to be successful on my terms.' I saw a lot of that. We'll see. "Whatever the kid decides to do, whatever brand he comes with nextif it's with Nike, obviously we would welcome him. I would definitely welcome him. I love the kid regardless of what shoes he had on. But we shall see."

What do you think Lonzo should do?
Pharrell Williams has always been an innovator, drawing back to his Neptunes work with the eternally slept on Chad Hugo. Decades (and countless platinum plaques) later, Skateboard P has gone and checked another accomplishment off his bucket list. The producer slash mogul has officially unveiled his new fashion collaboration with Chanel, by way of the aptly titled "Chanel Pharrell."

The capsule has been previously teased by way of a Harper's Bazaar fashion spread, but interested parties can now check out the full collection through a cinematic advertisement. With a strong emphasis on vibrant colors, particularly strong reds and yellows, "Chanel Pharrell" appears to draw influence from Japanese culture. In a behind-the-scenes featurette, Pharrell explains how the influence of "Akira" formed his recent capsule, how the collaboration stemmed from a bet, the impact of the late Karl Lagerfeld, and how gender fluidity plays a role in shaping modern "Haute Couture" trends. Check out the clip below, and respect to Pharrell for his latest move.

The full collection is set for a global launch of April 4, after being released in Seoul on March 29th.
Nike's brand new midsole technology, react, has been having a pretty solid run as of late. It's comfort rivals that of Adidas Boost and has people talking about Nike again when it comes to the leader in running shoes. Of course, you can't talk about Nike and design in the same sentence without mentioning legendary sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield. Hatfield was recently at SXSW where he did a talk on shoe design. During the event, he took off his Air Jordan 3's and put on a pair of what is being dubbed the Nike React 2019.

The shoe is pretty wild looking, as multiple colors made up the upper. Red, blue, and green materials make their way throughout the shoe, while a white midsole with black circular plugs rounds out the features. There is another colorway of the shoe that has surfaced so far, although that model has a toggle lacing system and can be seen in the Instagram post below.

According to Hatfield, the shoe will be released in either the Summer or Fall which will be perfect for runners who are looking for a brand new comfy shoe to wear. Although, Hatfield was on record saying these sneakers are much more than a running shoe.

Not for running, its for something else," Hatfield said according to Sneaker News.
Young Thug was indicted on a slew of drug-related charges in September. The rapper later accused the arresting officers of improper conduct and demanded that the case gets dismissed. After reviewing Thug's claim, the judge reportedly sided with Thug on the matter.



Rich Fury/Getty Images

According to The Blast, Young Thug scored a huge W in his Georgia drug case on Thursday after the judge granted the rapper's motion to suppress key evidence. The prosecution called on three police offers to show their evidence. The court heard both Thug and the officers side of the story. In the end, the judge granted Thug's motion as the stop of the vehicle was illegal in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution.

The motion states, Officer Fikes testified, unequivocally, that the sole season for stopping the vehicle was based upon a supposed window tint violation  However, there was no credible evidence present, whatsoever, how this vehicles window tint violated.

The judge said that without proper evidence that there was evidence of the window tint violation, the stop of Thug's car was illegal and in violation of the law.

The prosecution failed to present credible evidence that this vehicle was violating the law when it was stopped by law enforcement, the order states, and thus, all evidence that flowed directly and indirectly from this illegal stop and seizure must be suppressed, including, but not limited to, all statements, firearms and supposed drugs.

Despite the victory in the case, there's a possibility it would still go to trial. If he's convicted, he could face years behind bars.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday it is working with other government agencies to find probable cause to file charges against Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison and his cohorts.

"Insofar as the AFP is concerned, we are, together with other government agencies under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict is working for the indictment of Mr. Sison and his cohorts," according to a statement from AFP spokesperson BGen. Edgard Arevalo.

The AFP said Sison must be held accountable for the reported murder of "thousands of their comrades" on suspicion of being military informants.

"The number of their victims, to include non-combatant civilians, children, and the elderly reached more than 80,000 during CPP's 50 menacing years," Arevalo said. "Sison should be charged, convicted, and jailed for the crimes he and his minions have committed."

He added the AFP is gathering evidence to prove to the European Union that some of the groups it is financing are "fronts" of the the CPP and its armed wing, the New People's Army.

Arevalo also said they want to debunk narratives shared by these organizations to European countries.

"We will show that the information they are presenting to the European countries were fabricated. And such depiction of tyranny, murder, suppression of freedom, and persecution is untrue," he said.
Q: My wife and I have reciprocal wills and are both listed as co-owners on the deed to our home. Do we also need Transfer on Death Deeds in each others name? We are both Texas residents.

A: If you have valid wills, you do not need Transfer on Death Deeds.

That said, you might want to have Transfer on Death Deeds depending on your circumstances. Transfer on Death deeds are designed to transfer a piece of real estate after death without the need for probate. Whether you would need one or more of these deeds depends on many factors, such as what other assets you own, how much those assets are worth, and who you want to receive these assets after you have both passed away.

You should meet with an attorney to determine if your estate plan could benefit from one or more Transfer on Death Deeds. Some lawyers like to use Transfer on Death Deeds, while other lawyers dont like them one bit. So, if you were to ask several attorneys this question, you might get completely different advice.

Q: My spouse died seven years ago. The only asset we owned was our home in Houston which we purchased more than 50 years ago. The home is paid for and there are no liens on it. What is the most economical way for me to have his name removed and just show me as the owner? I want to avoid the cost of probate if possible as I am living on a fixed income and cannot afford that. My spouse left no will, and we do not have any minor children (not sure if that matters).

A: The cheapest and quickest way to clear up title to the home is by using a Small Estate Affidavit. This is a highly simplified form of probate.

You can try doing this yourself or with the assistance of a family member, but you may still need to hire an attorney.

If you want to do it yourself, the form is available at the Harris County Clerks website at www.cclerk.hctx.net. Once there, click on Forms at the bottom of the home page, and then on Probate Court, and then on Forms. The form you need is called Affidavit of Distributees / Small Estate With Judges Order of Approval. There are 3 pages of instructions, and the form itself is 9 pages long.

Once you and two disinterested witnesses complete the form and have it notarized, it needs to be filed with the court along with a filing fee. Then you wait.

With luck, your form will be approved and signed by the judge. But the court may tell you the form was not completed properly, meaning you must then redo the entire form and get your witnesses to sign it again in front of a notary.

Every time you have to redo the form, it is a giant hassle, so its best to try to get it right the first time.

The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Ronald Lipman of the Houston law firm Lipman & Associates is board-certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Email questions to stateyourcase@lipmanpc.com.
(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are joining forces in the consumer credit business, launching the Apple Card for iPhones.

The card is tied to Apple Pay, a service that lets people load banking information and pay in store or use it for purchases online. It works globally where Apple Pay is accepted, lets users track spending in the Wallet app, and focuses on transaction privacy. The card also includes a cash back rewards program, including 2 percent cash back on all Apple Pay purchases made with the card and 3 percent on purchases made at the Apple Store or with services like the App Store.

To create a credit card as innovative as Apple Card, we needed a bank that was willing to do things that had never been done in the industry before so we partnered with Goldman Sachs, Jennifer Bailey, Apples vice president of Apple Pay, said on Monday. As a newcomer to consumer financial services, Goldman was up for the challenge of doing something more bold and innovative.

The card excludes common charges like annual, foreign-transaction and late fees, Bailey said. Apple and Goldman Sachs wont share user data with partners and advertisers. Apple will also offer titanium credit cards with laser etching for places where Apple Pay isnt accepted. The physical Apple Card doesnt have a card number, further encouraging users to use the card with Apple Pay.

Apple and Goldman are entering the intensely competitive field of consumer credit, where banks have been shelling out costly rewards to encourage consumers to spend through their cards. Banks, which collect a fee from merchants each time a consumer swipes their card at checkout, have been eager to grow their card businesses in recent years and have benefited from low default rates.

This partnership is a major step in the growth of our consumer franchise, furthering our vision to create the leading digital consumer platform, David Solomon, chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, said in a memo to employees. The banks lack of legacy technology makes it the best partner to bring this consumer-centric credit card to customers.

Based on examples of the card on the Apple website, it wont carry the brand of Goldman Sachs or its consumer unit, Marcus. The card will have an annual percentage rate of 13.24 percent to 24.24 percent. The average interest rate assessed on credit cards was 14.73 percent in the fourth quarter, according to data compiled by the Federal Reserve.

The Apple Cards cashback structure isnt one of the richest cards to debut in recent years. Its rewards are similar to those offered by Citigroups Double Cash card and PayPal Holdings Inc.s Cashback Mastercard. Apple Card users will receive their cash-back rewards on a daily basis instead of at the end of each billing cycle.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says

"Apple Card is unlikely to disrupt the U.S. credit-card market since its core features are similar to those of numerous other cards offered by leaders such as Citi and Chase, which also provide a much wider range of benefits and reward-redemption options."--David Ritter, fintech analystClick here to view the research

Apple wont know what consumers bought, where they made purchases or how much a consumer spent with Apple Card, which will run on the Mastercard network, Bailey said on Monday.

With Apple Card, the technology giant is also hoping to tackle some of the issues consumers have long had with credit card statements and how information like interest rates and due dates are presented to cardholders. Apple will try to clearly label its transactions with merchant names and locations and offer color-coded categories to allow consumers to see an easier breakdown of spending on categories such as food, shopping and entertainment.

Apple isnt new to digital payments. Apple Pay Cash is a virtual debit card of sorts that lets users transfer money over iMessage and can also be used as a tap-to-pay tool in stores. Apple partnered with Green Dot Bank for that service and has long offered a credit card with Barclays for Apple hardware purchases.

Still, the push into consumer credit cards is a major advancement for Apples payment-related initiatives. Apple made a big splash with Apple Pay in 2014 when it struck partnerships with payment networks like American Express and Visa.

(Updates with Solomon in sixth paragraph, branding and rates in seventh.)

To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Gurman in San Francisco at mgurman1@bloomberg.net;Jenny Surane in New York at jsurane4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net, Dan Reichl, Josh Friedman

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
As a cloud of toxic darkness hovered above, spokeswoman Alice Richardson was asked if the Intercontinental Terminals Co. would apologize to all of the residents of Deer Park for the petrochemical fire that raged for almost four days, releasing a seemingly endless plume of noxious smoke that would stretch hundreds of miles in the sky.

Of course ITC would apologize to all of them, Richardson said Tuesday as tears welled up in her eyes and her voice cracked. The company is very sorry, she insisted. This isnt an event we wanted or planned, she said. Many of my employees work in the city of Deer Park. Theyre out there fighting this fire the best they can.

The fire was finally extinguished less than 24 hours later on Wednesday. But, early Thursday morning, an emergency shelter-in-place warning was issued not because of the smoke, but from dangerously high levels of the invisible, cancer-causing crude oil compound benzene that were detected just outside of Houston in Deer Park. As the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality would later note, Because the fires are no longer burning, vapor from remaining exposed chemicals can escape. The remaining product is being removed, and vapor suppression activities are continuing.

Essentially, a day after Deer Park residents thought they could finally take in some  relatively  fresh air, an emergency started all over again without a strong enough warning that this was an ominous possibility.

Emergency planning and response protocols are a critical part of the Houston energy sector, and the key goal is always to avoid multiday environmental and human health disasters. But they do still happen and will continue to occur in the future. Crisis and communications experts warn it is essential for companies to do everything they can to avoid disasters while still planning for the worst. Richardson of ITC did not respond to an interview request.

So much is essential from the golden hour after a disaster strikes for the ongoing communication with the wide range of stakeholders, including employees, neighboring residents, investors, governmental officials, the media and more. And countless hours of planning only go as far as theyre effectively put into practice.

The biggest thing of course is to identify all the weaknesses and prevent a disaster from happening, said Terry Hemeyer, executive counsel at Pierpont Communications and an adjunct management professor at Rice University. Most companies have plans. The good companies rehearse and have tabletop exercises with emergency response officials.

Incidents that occur can include small pipeline leaks, large explosions like the Arkema chemical plant disaster in Crosby after Hurricane Harvey that led to the indictments of the CEO and others, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy that left 11 people dead and spewed oil for three months from BPs well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Other fires just in recent days have ranged from Exxon Mobils sprawling complex in nearby Baytown to Houston-based Phillips 66s Carson refinery in California.

Hemeyer was a group vice president at Pennzoil for years, including when a refinery explosion in 1995 in Pennsylvania killed three people and injured others. He helped lead the communications response from Houston. We were on top of it quickly, he said, in part because every worker should know whom to call when theres an issue.

The key is to gain control of it and fix the problems, he said, including putting out the fires, taking care of the employees and the injured, coordinating with local officials, contractors and vendors, and controlling the messaging and communications with the public.

Honesty is always critical, even if that means temporarily delaying the release of some information. You dont talk before you have the facts. We dont want to say something if its not true, Hemeyer added.

At Pennzoil, they could pull the vital response teams together within 20 minutes to start working the problems, he said, including logistics teams buying or locating any necessary parts to fix equipment or put out fires. Today, spray foams are quickly deployed to try to put out fires and suppress chemical leaks.

Companies should be prepared to respond at all hours but sometimes theyre caught off guard. That shouldnt occur.

Thats usually because it happens at 2 a.m., Hemeyer said. I often say crises dont happen from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The planning process should be very inclusive, said Julie Fix, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Houston who heads the Fix & Associates public relations firm.

You want every Chicken Little in your organization in the planning room saying, The sky is falling, she said, so every possibility is considered.

The messaging to everyone whos impacted is critical. Employees and their families will need to receive much different information, Fix said, than investors and securities analysts who are more concerned about the impacts on the company and the stock performance.

The secret isnt magical, she said. Its recognizing the vulnerabilities and how to deliver communications to all the necessary parties.

While communication used to focus on phone calls and the media, now companies also need to utilize email, websites and social media to get the messages out. Twitter and Facebook, for instance, are just as important as almost as anything else, Fix said.

A lot of energy companies follow the lead of the federal government, adopting a unified incident command system, called ICS, for a standardized approach, which first originated decades ago from wildfires in California and Arizona. The system can be used for everything from active shooter scenarios to hazardous materials accidents that require major evacuations.

The ICS strategy requires a clear chain of command set up well in advance of any disaster with an incident commander in charge and then public information and liaisons officers to lead the communications. There are typically four teams with everyone knowing their responsibilities  an operations response team, planning team, logistics team and an administration team to oversee financial and legal matters.

Oftentimes, the federal, state or local responders will lead the situation with the companies providing support and information.

Energy companies mostly declined comment for this story or only spoke on background. Chevron, for instance, declined an interview request but pointed out its emergency preparedness strategies worldwide that include planning efforts with a vast array of nations.

Chevron uses a tiered approach that goes down to site-specific responses for every facility, and up to a corporate team responsible for providing guidance and expertise in emergency response, crisis management and business continuity. Chevron has expert contractors in all sorts of areas like wildlife management, oil spill and air-dispersion modeling, toxicology, fire fighting, and shipping and salvage.

And Chevron participates in multiple international oil spill cooperatives with other energy firms.

Companies have to work together for planning and best practices. After all, fairly or not, every incident is essentially a black mark on the entire industry.

jordan.blum@chron.com

twitter.com/jdblum23
Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Some vessels were scheduled Monday morning to pass through a portion of the Houston Ship Channel that has been closed since Friday afternoon due to contamination from the Intercontinental Terminals Co.

The vessels are being decontaminated as they move through the roughly seven-mile portion of the Houston Ship Channel near the Lynchburg Ferry, extending from Tucker Bayou, where the ITC facility is located, to Houston Ship Channel light 116.
WASHINGTON  The investigation led by Robert Mueller found no evidence that President Donald Trump or any of his aides coordinated with the Russian governments 2016 election interference, according to a summary of the special counsels key findings made public Sunday by Attorney General William Barr.



Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating Moscows determined effort to sabotage the last presidential election, found no conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote in a letter to lawmakers.



Muellers team drew no conclusions about whether Trump illegally obstructed justice, Barr said, so he made his own decision. The attorney general and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, determined that the special counsels investigators had insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed that offense.



He cautioned, however, that Muellers report states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on the obstruction of justice issue.



Still, the release of the findings was a significant political victory for Trump and lifted a cloud that has hung over his presidency since before he took the oath of office. It is also likely to alter discussion in Congress about the fate of the Trump presidency; some Democrats had pledged to wait until the special counsel finished his work before deciding whether to initiate impeachment proceedings.



The president trumpeted the news almost immediately, even as he mischaracterized the special counsels findings. It was a complete and total exoneration, Trump told reporters in Florida before boarding Air Force One. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this.



He added, This was an illegal takedown that failed.



Barrs letter was the culmination of a tense two days since Mueller delivered his report to the Justice Department. Barr spent the weekend poring over the special counsels work, as Trump strategized with lawyers and political aides at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.



Mueller, who has been a spectral presence in the capital for nearly two years  so often discussed, but so rarely seen  was photographed leaving a church on Sunday morning just across Lafayette Square from the White House.



Hours later, Barr delivered his letter describing the special counsels findings to Congress. But congressional Democrats have demanded more, and the letter could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Muellers full report will be made public. Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsels investigative files.



Barrs letter said that his goal and intent was to release as much of the Mueller report as possible, but warned that some of the report was based on grand jury material that by law cannot be made public. Barr planned at a later date to send lawmakers the detailed summary of Muellers full report that the attorney general is required under law to deliver to Capitol Hill.



Lawmakers on Sunday also criticized Barrs conclusion that the president had not obstructed justice  which requires making a determination about whether Trump had corrupt intent when he took steps to impede the investigation at different turns  when the special counsels team never questioned the president in person. After months of debate over a potential interview, Muellers investigators agreed to accept written answers from the president.



Barrs letter said that the Mueller report identified no actions that, in his and Rosensteins minds, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent. Barr did not consult Mueller in writing his letter to leaders of the congressional judiciary committees, a Justice Department official said Sunday.



Shortly after the release of the Mueller findings, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter that he planned to call Barr to testify about what he said were very concerning discrepancies and final decision-making at the Justice Department.



The Russia investigation has buffeted the White House from the earliest days of the Trump administration, with many current and former aides to Trump brought for questioning to the special counsels warren of offices in a plain office building in downtown Washington. FBI agents fanned out across the nation and traveled to numerous foreign countries. Members of Muellers team questioned some witnesses at airports after they landed in the United States.



Ultimately, a half-dozen former Trump aides were indicted or convicted of crimes, most for conspiracy or lying to investigators. Twenty-five Russian intelligence operatives and experts in social media manipulation were charged in 2018 in two extraordinarily detailed indictments released by the special counsel. The inquiry concluded without charging any Americans for conspiring with the Russian campaign.

The findings could bring closure for some who have obsessed over the myriad threads of a Byzantine investigation. A cottage industry of Mueller watchers has spent months on social media and cable news debating thorny constitutional issues, spinning conspiracy theories and amassing encyclopedic details about once obscure figures  Carter Page, Konstantin Kilimnik, George Papadopoulos and others.



How many minds it changes is another matter. Opinions have hardened over time, with many Americans already convinced they knew the answers before Mueller submitted his conclusions. Some believe that the special counsels previous indictments, twinned with voluminous news media reporting, have already shown a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Some believe that the investigation is, as Trump has long described it, a witch hunt.




WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller's decision that he could not conclude whether President Donald Trump's attacks on the Russia investigation amounted to obstruction of justice illustrates the difficulty in proving such a charge - and left Democrats with a narrow but fraught path to press a case against Trump.

In the end, Trump's mercurial behavior and relentless attacks on the FBI and special counsel probably extended the length of the probe - but the fact that many of his eruptions were in public view also may have made it more difficult to show that he had ill intent, a key element in proving obstruction, legal experts said.

In his still-confidential report, Mueller stopped short of drawing a conclusion about whether the president obstructed justice, writing that "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," according to a summary by Attorney General William Barr, released Sunday.

Barr went further, saying he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence gathered by the special counsel "is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

That has left the question of Trump's actions - which included the firing of FBI Director James Comey, the public attacks on then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the regular cries of "witch hunt" and the taunting of witnesses - as one that will now be wrestled with in the political arena.

The obstruction question, as a legal matter, came down to whether the special counsel had evidence that Trump acted with "corrupt intent" as he demeaned and demonized the investigation.

"Proving intent is genuinely difficult, because it requires you to get inside someone's mind - and divining intent is art, not science," said Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney in Virginia and former counsel to Mueller.

Rosenberg said he was not surprised by the special counsel's difficulties in drawing a conclusion on obstruction, noting that it is a complicated calculus to prove someone intended to block investigators and hide a crime.

"It was something we routinely debated, as prosecutors and agents," he said.

In his report, Mueller addressed obstruction in an unusual way: He laid out evidence on both sides of the question but left "unresolved what the Special Counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact," Barr wrote in his summary. And Mueller pointedly did not clear the president.

One major factor in the Justice Department's analysis: Since Mueller concluded that the Trump campaign did not conspire with Russia as it interfered in the 2016 campaign, prosecutors could not argue that he acted corruptly to hide an underlying crime, legal experts said.

Prosecutors can seek a charge of obstruction when someone seeks to thwart a known criminal investigation, even if there wasn't an underlying crime, some legal experts said, but they said it can often be difficult to then prove that case to a jury.

Compounding the challenge for Mueller was Trump's refusal to sit for an interview in which prosecutors could have probed his motivations. Instead, his legal team only provided written answers from the president to Mueller's questions about the campaign - not Trump's activities in the White House.

And some of Trump's actions - such as his firing of Comey - represented the exercise of powers afforded to the president by the Constitution, as his lawyers often argued.

To find criminal obstruction, a prosecutor must have evidence that a person's actions would have the "natural and probable effect" of disrupting an investigation, said Mary McCord, former acting head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, who oversaw the early stages of the investigation.

Barr wrote in his Sunday memo to lawmakers that Trump's actions - many undertaken not furtively, but in full public view - didn't reach that standard.

David Kris, who ran the national security division of the Justice Department in the Obama administration, said it was "notable" that Barr and Rosenstein came to a conclusion about the president's actions within 48 hours of receiving Mueller's final report, which was submitted late Friday.

"Attorney General Barr, in the space of a weekend, is able to make the judgment that Mueller precisely avoided making and described as being 'difficult,' " said Kris, who now runs the consulting firm Culper Partners.

"On the merits, then, Barr and Rosenstein together have reached the question that Mueller specifically avoided reaching, and they reached it very rapidly," he said.

- - -

Always on offense

The attorney general's assessment came after months in which Trump repeatedly sought to discredit the Russia probe - making public attacks that bewildered his staff.

Trump advisers often joked that the president's actions made them think he was guilty, even as he said he was not. "Why would you behave that way if you'd done nothing wrong?" said one former senior administration official,who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions.

But Trump's legal team long argued that Trump had no corrupt intent and that he was not intending to block the FBI inquiry into Russian activity, which began before he took office and was taken over by Mueller in May 2017.

Ty Cobb, a then-White House lawyer who advised Trump in the investigation's first months, told others that the president was merely thin-skinned and that he lashed out because he could not stand the idea that he was under scrutiny, according to people familiar with his comments.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, said he warned the president repeatedly that his actions could only prolong the probe.

"He is always on offense. He never ever stops. Sometimes it works to his benefit, sometimes it works to his detriment," Christie said Sunday. "I never thought it had anything to do with the underlying substance. I thought it was just who he was on the personal level."

Trump's actions provided a rich area of inquiry for the special counsel and his team. Comey has said that Trump told him in an Oval Office meeting in February 2017 that he hoped Comey would let go of an investigation into whether Michael Flynn, who was then national security adviser, had lied about his contacts with the Russian ambassador. (Trump later denied that he made the request.)

When Trump fired Comey, he told a Russian diplomat in the Oval Office and then an NBC News reporter that he did so with the Russia investigation in mind.

He then spent months on Twitter badgering Mueller, potential witnesses and Sessions, the attorney general who had earned Trump's ire by recusing himself from the probe - and who was eventually forced out in November. He told aides at one point that he wanted to fire Mueller.

But Trump's motives were difficult even for those closest to him to discern, because aides could not be certain whether the president was ordering action or merely venting, said two people who testified to Mueller's team about the incidents.

"He was always pushing back, pushing, pushing," said one former senior administration official.

- - -

Question before Congress

Mueller's decision to not conclude whether Trump obstructed justice - followed by Barr's quick assessment that he didn't - now is likely to provide fodder for an already inflamed political debate about his actions as president.

"People are going to want to know what the facts were that weren't good enough" to rise to the level of obstruction, said McCord, the former Justice Department official.

While in ordinary cases, the underlying evidence often should not be disclosed if it did not result in a charge, in the case of a high-level public official who is running for re-election next year, "the public has a right to know the facts" so they can make their own determinations about the official's fitness to serve, she said.

In Congress, Democrats promised they would pick up where Mueller left off, insisting that they must see the special counsel's full report - and not just the brief Barr summary of his findings - to analyze the question.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., vowed to immediately haul Barr to Capitol Hill to testify "in the near future" to explain his decision not to prosecute Trump.

Nadler, whose committee has jurisdiction over any possible impeachment proceedings, highlighted Mueller's specific language declining to "exonerate" the president.

Those words, he said, suggested that Justice Department officials are "putting matters squarely in Congress' court" to continue to investigate.

Likewise, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement that Barr - who wrote a memo before his appointment criticizing Mueller's obstruction investigation - was "not a neutral observer" and demanded that Mueller's report, as well as underlying investigative material, be made public.

But for Democrats, there could be political risk in pressing the question, particularly given the clean bill of health Mueller offered Trump on the question of whether he or anyone in his campaign conspired with Russia.

"The American people will long remember how wrong and irresponsible the Democrats have been," House GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming said in a statement Sunday. "As we go forward, it's time for Democrats to put aside their partisan agenda of attacking this President and instead focus on addressing the real issues facing the American people."

- - -

The Washington Post's Rachael Bade, Shane Harris, Carol D. Leonnig and Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report.
Texas is ground zero in a national effort launching Saturday to ensure that every Americans vote counts in upcoming elections, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said in Houston this week.

Holder, who led the Justice Department from 2009 to 2015 under President Barack Obama, is leading a project called All on the Line, ahead of the 2020 Census, focusing on a fight against gerrymandering expected with the redistricting process the following year.

The campaign is kicking off with house parties around the country that will synchronize at 4:30 pm Eastern time Saturday with a Facebook Live event featuring Holder.

Texas is a critical state its among the most gerrymandered states in the country. To be successful in the efforts we are going to be doing nationwide, we have to be successful here in Texas, Holder told the Chronicle during a visit to Houston on Wednesday to meet with several youth organizations.

Texas is ground zero for the work we are doing, which is why we are here now ahead of the kickoff, he said.

Holder, the chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said Obama is deeply involved in the campaign. Obama has said that this is the chief political involvement of his post-presidency, this whole effort of the NDRC, Holder said.

The meeting in Houston was a small gathering that allowed for a dynamic conversation between Holder and leaders of organizations that helped to turn out voters in the midterm elections last year. Representatives of the Texas Organizing Project, the Texas Civil Rights Project, MOVE Texas, Texas Freedom Network, Houston in Action, and Battleground Texas were among those present.

Jolt, a youth organization that organized the Houston gathering, will launch a major campaign with two different approaches, said Amanda Rocha, the organizations leader in Houston. One will be an online initiative focused on the importance of being counted in the Census, while the other will be a door to door canvasing helping people understand whats a stake and addressing their concerns, she said.

Holder said it can be difficult to engage people on issues like redistricting and gerrmandering, which might sound kind of wonky, kind of ethereal.

Well, if you care about a womans right to choose, if you care about voter suppression, if you care about criminal justice reform, if you care about climate, if you care about health care, the expansion of Medicaid, all of these things are determined at the state level and by these gerrymandered state legislators, Holder said.

Gerrymandering is a tactic used by state legislators to draw the lines of electoral districts in a way that provides their party an unfair advantage.

Holder said a redistricting process should reflect the composition of the people in the areas drawn fairly, informed by the census results. But parties sometimes draw strangely shaped lines to guarantee dominance in their district, based, for example, on its racial composition as a predictor of voting patterns.

We are trying to break up this whole gerrymandering. We want to make sure that, come 2021, we have a fair process, said Holder.

The purpose of the campaign is not gerrymandering for Democrats, I want to make that very clear, he said. If we make this a fair fight between conservative Republicans, Democrats, progressives, Democrats and progressives will do just fine.

Latino voters in particular have struggled to secure a fair redistricting plan in Texas in every cycle, said Nina Perales, vice president of litigation of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which has litigated the issue.

Hispanics represent almost 40 percent of the state population, and higher in cities like Houston. Although the question of how to represent the Latino vote consistently comes at the top of political agendas, each time we end up disappointed because Texas draws the line in a discriminatory way, Perales said.

Although gerrymandering has given an advantage to Republicans in Texas and other states, both parties have engaged in the practice.

Democrats do not have clean hands, said Artemio Temo Muniz, chairman of the Texas Federation of Hispanic Republicans. They have targeted conservative and Hispanic Republicans in the redrawing of districts as well, and they have even said that we (Republicans) are not the right kind of Hispanics.

One of the advocates concerns has been the attempt by President Donald Trumps administration to add a question about citizenship in the 2020 census. Litigation on the issue is under way.

The administration argues that including the citizenship question, which hasnt been asked in the census in almost 70 years, will help enforce voting rights more effectively. Opponents say the questioin will suppress participation, particularly in households with people of mixed immigration and citizenship statuses.

The census count has far-reaching implications. It serves as the basis to allocate around $675 billion in federal funding to states, according to the local population compositions and targeted communities for programs ranging from health or education to safety.

olivia.tallet@chron.com
A state-appointed official ordered Houston ISD trustees to suspend their search for a permanent superintendent on Monday, an unprecedented intervention that comes one day before school board members were expected to choose the lone finalist for the job.

The order issued by conservator Doris Delaney, who has been monitoring HISD since September 2016, coincided with the expansion of a Texas Education Agency special accreditation investigation into possible procurement-related issues in the district, multiple HISD trustees said. State investigators also have been reviewing allegations of Texas Open Meetings Act violations by five trustees since January, with no timeline for completing their inquiry.

Delaney ordered HISD trustees to suspend the superintendent search until the investigation is complete. HISD has been without a permanent superintendent since March 2018, when Richard Carranza abruptly left the district to become chancellor of New York City public schools.

Delaneys move, authorized under state law, represents yet another potentially ominous sign for the HISD school boards ability to maintain local control over the district. If state officials find serious wrongdoing during their investigation, or if any one of four chronically low-performing schools fails to meet state academic standards in August, the HISD school board likely will be replaced by a governance team appointed by Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.

Reactions to Delaneys order on Monday largely split across the ethnic and racial lines that have divided the Houston community throughout the superintendent search.

The boards four Hispanic members, who have supported the search, denounced Delaneys order as an ill-timed overreach that derails months of work to find a permanent leader. HISD trustees were scheduled to hold their final round of candidate interviews on Monday and Tuesday, with plans to name a lone finalist as early as Tuesday evening.

It just undermines everything weve been working so hard to accomplish for the sake of our students and our district, HISD Trustee Sergio Lira said. I think that its getting to the point of lets not play games. (If you are going to) take us over, take us over now. Dont give us these last-minute surprises.

However, some of the boards black trustees and black political leaders hailed Delaneys decision, arguing HISD should not replace Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan  who they support retaining permanently  amid ongoing TEA investigations. Trustees elevated Lathan, then the districts chief academic officer, to interim superintendent following Carranzas departure. The boards four Hispanic members and Trustee Anne Sung voted to replace Lathan in October 2018, but they rescinded the vote days later after her chosen replacement backed out of the job.

Despite the chaos on her board, (Lathan) has been able to turn the school district around and be successful, said state Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston. We dont know what the future holds for the board, but we know we still have kids to teach. Shes already shown shes capable of doing that.

Search on hold

In a letter sent to HISD trustees on Monday morning, Delaney said she is exercising her legally-authorized power as a conservator to direct an action to be taken by a school board.

Delaney, who graduated from HISD and worked as an administrator in Aldine ISD, initially was appointed by TEA leaders to oversee HISDs longest-struggling campus, Kashmere High School. Her role expanded in September 2017 to include monitoring of the districts school board and many of its lowest-performing campuses. She has frequently criticized HISD trustees in monthly reports to the state, finding that they fail to adequately address student achievement and maintain proper decorum, but she had not issued such consequential orders until Monday.

HISD trustees began their search for a permanent superintendent in September 2018, aiming to hire their chosen candidate by April. In the intervening months, trustees have employed a search firm, held town hall meetings to gather community feedback and conducted an initial round of interviews with candidates. HISD Board President Diana Davila called the timing of Delaneys order horrible.

Weve got candidates that are credible, that are very highly qualified to lead this district, and now we have put all of that on hold, Davila said.

Trustees have not named any superintendent candidates, opting to withhold names to protect the privacy of applicants.

The threat of state intervention has loomed over the search, leaving some candidates fearful they could be hired by a school board that gets replaced months later. If HISD loses control over its locally elected school board, Morath must appoint the superintendent, with no obligation to retain the prior boards choice.

Most imminently, HISD could lose local control of its school board if TEA officials deem any investigatory findings worthy of lowering the districts accreditation rating. Given that TEA officials have already appointed a conservator, one of the most severe sanctions at their disposal, appointment of a new school board is the most likely punishment to follow an accreditation change.

The initial investigation stemmed from allegations that the five trustees who voted to oust Lathan improperly coordinated before the move, in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. All five trustees  Davila, Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, Lira, Elizabeth Santos and Sung  have denied the allegations or declined to comment on them.

Details about the new allegations under investigation remain sparse. Davila said nobody is named in the notice of investigation. The document also does not specify whether administrators, board members or other types of individuals are under scrutiny, she said.

In a tweet, Trustee Jolanda Jones said the amended investigation relates to board malfeasance regarding contracts, though she did not provide documentation and declined to elaborate when reached by phone on Monday.

Drama and chaos

HISD also faces possible state intervention if any one of four campuses  Highland Heights Elementary School, Henry Middle School, Kashmere High School, Wheatley High School  receives its fifth consecutive improvement required rating for poor academic performance in August. HISD narrowly avoided punishment last year, when six schools in danger of triggering the law met academic standards and the four aforementioned campuses received waivers due to Hurricane Harvey.

If any one of the four schools fails to meet academic standards this year, Morath must close those campuses or appoint a Board of Managers to replace HISDs locally elected school board. While Morath has not committed to either option, he has strongly hinted he could opt to replace HISDs school board.

HISD Trustee Sue Deigaard, who has sought to avoid the public combativeness surrounding the superintendent search, said Mondays order further illustrates the boards inability to avoid controversy. In the past year, members of HISDs school board have managed a meeting where two people were arrested, launched a covert effort to replace the interim superintendent, lambasted each other for disingenuous behavior and acknowledged to shortchanging students with their inability to function cohesively.

I have just become so accustomed to everything being done with drama and chaos, Deigaard said. Im not going to get into the drama of this. I just want to make sure the district is stable.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com

twitter.com/chronjacob
AUSTIN  Texas pays $3.3 billion a year to companies that manage health care for medically fragile children, but the state isnt taking necessary steps to ensure the contractors are meeting the childrens needs, according to a new audit.

Since the start of the Medicaid managed care program known as STAR Kids in late 2016, there has been a drop in critical services, such as speech and physical therapy, being provided to the children, according to the audit by the states Legislative Budget Board staff. For example, the number of children receiving occupational and physical therapy declined by 13 percent in the months after the switch, the auditors found.

OnExpressNews.com: Mental health bill clears hurdle in state Senate, despite opposition from conservative groups

The program covers roughly 160,000 children.

Some contractors hired by the state may not have adequate networks of medical providers, the report found. By July 2018, the report said, nine of the 10 managed care companies were on corrective action plans to improve their networks.

Other contractors arent meeting state requirements to visit the most vulnerable children at least four times a year, the report said.

Meanwhile, last fall the states health department was still developing performance standards for the companies that are paid to administer STAR Kids, even though children began transitioning into the program two years ago.

A lot of this is not a surprise, said Hannah Mehta, whose son is enrolled in STAR Kids and who leads a coalition of families pressing for reforms. These are things we have seen for the last two to three years.

The audit on the STAR Kids program comes as lawmakers are weighing multiple bills to reform it. An investigation by the Dallas Morning News last year found the state-hired contractors denied essential services for adults with disabilities and medically fragile children, maximizing their own profits.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission wouldnt comment on the new audit, saying its a draft staff report that has never been released.

The audit is one of several this year authored by the Legislative Budget Board staff that highlight flaws in state government and make recommendations. The reports, dated January 2019, have yet to be posted publicly.

OnExpressNews.com: More than 90 Texas children died from abuse in 2018, a six-year high

Their release is determined by the 10-member Legislative Budget Board, made up of lawmakers and co-chaired by House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Its not clear why the board hasnt publicly released the documents, which in the past have typically been made public at the start of the legislative session. Hearst Newspapers obtained a copy from Bonnens office.

During the 2017 legislative session, then-House Speaker Joe Straus ordered the report be put online after the director of the Legislative Budget Board testified that Patrick had instructed her office not to publish it, according to the Texas Tribune. Patricks office did not respond to a request for comment.

READ THE REPORT:

Report calls out Superior HealthPlan

Though denial rates and appeals varied widely by organization, Superior HealthPlan ranked highest in both, the report said.

One of the biggest health plans, with roughly 29,500 children enrolled, Superior denied requests for services, or scaled them back, over 17 percent of the time from March 2017 through February 2018, the report said. Over a three-month period in 2017, the managed care companys decisions about patient care drew 406 appeals from families in the program, more than five times as many as any other contractor, the report said.

Though Hearst Newspapers shared a copy of the audit with Superior, the company declined to comment.

We are not aware of a published report for 2019 by the Legislative Budget Board, the company said in a statement. Until a report is made available publicly, we cannot provide comment as this data has not been verified."

Driscoll Health Plan, which covers roughly 10,000 children in the STAR Kids program, contested the audit findings, which showed the organization had denied services, or scaled them back, nearly 16 percent of the time from March 2017 to February 2018. Mary Dale Peterson, Executive Vice President and COO for Driscoll Health System, faulted the auditors and said its misleading to combine service denials and reductions.

Driscoll denied two percent of requested therapy services, she said, and reduced roughly 10 percent  the reductions included cases in which children were authorized for three months of services, instead of six, before their care was reassessed.

We would give them three months and then re-evaluate, she said. It wasnt a denial, the child was getting all the services they were previously.

Corpus Christi resident Tiffanie Harris, whose 15-year-old daughter is covered by Driscoll Health Plan in the STAR Kids program, said managed care is working well for her family. Harriss case manager helps her tackle issues, such as mixups between private insurance and Medicaid, that she used to have to deal with on her own, she said. But Harris has heard complaints about other managed care organizations.

What I have been thinking on is something is going wrong in certain areas, where in other areas things are going right, she said. The managed care organization is supposed to make money as well, so if they are going to cut corners ... who is monitoring that?

The audit found HHSC has made recent efforts to improve oversight, but gaps still remain. For example, the health department hasnt conducted reviews to ensure high-needs children are getting appropriate access to care, the audit found. The state plans to add those reviews next year.

amorris@express-news.net
WASHINGTON  The investigation led by Robert Mueller found that neither President Donald Trump nor any of his aides conspired or coordinated with the Russian governments 2016 election interference, according to a summary of the special counsels findings made public Sunday by Attorney General William Barr.

The summary also said that the special counsels team lacked sufficient evidence to establish that Trump illegally obstructed justice, but added that Muellers team stopped short of exonerating Trump.

While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Barr quoted Mueller as writing.

Barr delivered the summary of the special counsels finding to Congress on Sunday afternoon, just days after the conclusion of a sprawling investigation into Russias attempts to sabotage the 2016 election and whether Trump or any of his associates conspired with Moscows interference.

But congressional Democrats have demanded more, and the release of the key findings could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Muellers full report will be made public. Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsels investigative files.

The Russia investigation has buffeted the White House from the earliest days of the Trump administration, with numerous current and former aides to Trump brought for questioning to the special counsels warren of offices in a plain office building in downtown Washington. FBI agents fanned out across the nation and traveled to numerous foreign countries. Witnesses were questioned by members of Muellers team at airports upon landing in the United States.

Ultimately, a half-dozen former Trump aides were indicted or convicted of crimes, most for conspiracy or lying to investigators. Twenty-five Russian intelligence operatives and experts in social media manipulation were charged in 2018 in two extraordinarily detailed indictments released by the special counsel. The inquiry concluded without charging any Americans for conspiring with the Russian campaign.

The report will bring closure for some who have obsessed over the myriad threads of a Byzantine investigation. A cottage industry of Mueller watchers has spent months on social media and cable news debating thorny constitutional issues, spinning conspiracy theories and amassing encyclopedic details about once-obscure figures  Carter Page, Konstantin Kilimnik, George Papadopoulos and others.

How many minds it changes is another matter. Opinions have hardened over time, with many Americans already convinced they knew the answers before Mueller submitted his conclusions. Some believe that the special counsels previous indictments, twinned with voluminous news media reporting, have already shown a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Some believe that the investigation is, as Trump has long described it, a witch hunt.

Muellers work has proceeded in the face of blistering attacks by Trump and his allies, who painted the investigation as part of a relentless campaign by the deep state to reverse the results of the 2016 election.

Still, the release of Muellers findings could force a decision by Democrats on a simmering issue they have said would wait until the investigations end: whether to begin impeachment proceedings against the president. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said it would not be worth it to try to impeach Trump, but suggested she could change her mind if an overwhelming bipartisan consensus emerged.

For months, the president and his lawyers have waged as much of a public-relations campaign as a legal one  trying to discredit the Mueller investigation to keep public opinion from swaying lawmakers to move against Trump.

The Justice Department regulations governing the Mueller inquiry only required the special counsel to give a succinct, confidential report to the attorney general explaining his decisions to either seek  or decline to seek  further criminal charges. Mueller operated under tighter restrictions than similar past inquiries, notably the investigation of former President Bill Clinton by Ken Starr, who ended up delivering a 445-page report in 1998 that contained lascivious details about an affair the president had with a White House intern.

Mueller was still given a wide mandate  to investigate not only Russian election interference but any matters that may arise directly from that investigation. Mueller has farmed out numerous aspects of his inquiry to several U.S. attorneys offices, and those investigations continue.

Mueller will not recommend new indictments, a senior Justice Department official said Friday, ending speculation that he might charge some of Trumps aides in the future. The Justice Departments general practice is not to identify the targets of its investigations if prosecutors decide not to bring charges, so as not to tarnish their reputations. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein emphasized this point in a speech in February.

Its important, Rosenstein said, for government officials to refrain from making allegations of wrongdoing when theyre not backed by charges that we arent prepared to prove in court.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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7Digital Names New CEO As Simon Cole Exits

7digital has announced that Simon Cole will step down as Director and CEO next month and named John Aalbers to replace him. Simon has led the B2B digital music company since its creation from the reverse merger with UBC Media in 2014.

His departure has been planned since last year.

New CEO John Aalbers was CEO of Arts Alliance Media, providing operational support software for the cinema industry. Prior to that, he was in the telecommunications sector where he held roles including CEO of Volubill and senior positions with CGI and Intec Telecom Systems .

Aalbers begins his new job on April 1st and will also join the 7digital Board.

Don Cruickshank, Chair of 7digital, commented:

The Board wishes to give profound thanks to Simon for his insights and vision in seeing that many companies and brands would wish to support and nurture their business models with music delivered by streaming technologies, and that they would need access to a neutral, efficient and cost-effective platform. That is what 7digital now provides and, after some turbulent years, it is very well positioned to thrive in the streaming-based music market of the future. We wish him well in his future endeavours. We now welcome John Aalbers to the role of CEO. His career is distinguished with success in a number of not-dissimilar challenges to those facing 7digital, all based on sector focussed software and platform services. The Board looks forward to working with John to build the Company both in scale and scope of business.

Simon Cole commented:

This transition was planned last year when we felt that 2018 would mark the successful growth into profitability after four years. In the end, the events surrounding MediaMarktSaturns sudden strategic changes in December had a profound effect on the Company and I felt I could not leave until that position was resolved and satisfactory settlement had been achieved. Now that has been done, I leave 7digital in good shape and in good hands. I have enjoyed this adventure and, in particular, leading an extraordinarily talented and dedicated group of people.

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Neighboring Rights: What They Are, Why Theyre Important

The concept of neighboring rights parallels that of performance rights. Where performance rights reference the right to perform a composition, neighboring rights reference the ability to publicly perform the sound recording. So, why are these neighboring rights so important to artists and independent labels?

_____________________________

Guest post by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog

Neighboring Rights refer to the right to publicly perform or broadcast a sound recording.

They are called neighboring rights because they are said to be related to performance rights in the field of music publishing, or the right to publicly perform a musical composition.

The concept of neighboring rights is similar to that of performance rights, because both kinds of royalties are earned through public performances/broadcasts of music. The difference is performance rights refer to the right to publicly perform the musical composition, and neighboring rights refer to the right to publicly perform the sound recording.

Sound recording owners (record labels and performing artists) collect Neighboring Rights royalties whenever their sound recordings are publicly performed on satellite radio (such as Sirius XM), internet radio (such as Pandora, BBC), cable TV music channels, TV outside of the USA, terrestrial radio outside of the USA, and much more.

What do neighboring rights have to do with independent record labels?

Neighboring rights are the right to broadcast master recordings, controlled by master rights owners  and master rights owners are the record label.

If youre a record label manager, and your master recordings are being publicly performed and broadcasted on the following media, you  and the artists performing on those recordings  are earning neighboring rights royalties!

Just to clarify, youre earning neighboring rights royalties if your music is being played on:

Pandora (or any internet radio platform)

BBC Radio

Sirius XM (or any satellite radio platform)

Cable TV music channels

terrestrial radio outside of the USA

Businesses and retailers as background music (I.e. Restaurants, retailers, hotels, etc.)

Live in clubs / live performance venues

Various new online medias as digital music technology changes and develops more and more!

Sound recording owners (record labels and performing artists) collect neighboring rights royalties whenever their sound recordings are publicly performed on any of the above media.

Neighboring Rights royalties are collected by Neighboring Rights collection societies. In order to collect the neighboring rights royalties you are owed, registering your individual master recordings directly with each collection society in the territories you are getting radio play in is absolutely essential.

If youre a performing artist and know your recordings are getting radio airplay, talk to your record label that released your EP/LP/album. See if the label is already collecting these royalties for you or if they themselves need to get on board with this so that you and your label can collect these royalties!

Remember: Selling well doesnt necessarily mean youre earning these royalties.

The important thing to realize is that just because your recordings are selling well in any given territory does not mean you are earning neighboring rights royalties. Neighboring rights royalties are earned when your master recordings are publicly performed and broadcasted, not sold. With that said, if there is a large rise in sales in any particular territory, this might be an indicator that radio play has occurred, so any neighboring rights administrator should take note of significant increases in sales!

International Neighboring Rights Law & USAs Sound Exchange

Neighboring rights law differs internationally; its kind of complicated.

Basically, in most territories outside of the USA, neighboring rights are recognized by law. But neighboring rights are not technically recognized by law in the USA, for certain complex reasons. Heres the short version: During the big convention that officially recognized neighboring rights, the Rome Convention of 1961, the United States did not attend and did not sign the official Rome Convention document. Only countries who are signatories to the Rome Convention pay these neighboring rights royalties to master rights owners.

Click here to see the full list of Rome Convention signatories.

However, in the USA, the society called Sound Exchange collects digital performance royalties, or more specifically, statutory royalties from satellite radio (such as Sirius XM), internet radio, cable TV music channels, and similar platforms for publicly streaming sound recordings. Technically, this is not recognized as neighboring rights. But its so similar that we simply umbrella it all into one worldwide service: Neighboring Rights Administration.

How Symphonic Distribution Helps Our Labels Collect These Royalties with the Click of a Button.

The aim of Symphonics Neighboring Rights Administration service is to help our eligible distributed label partners  who are the master rights controllers of their distributed music with us, and who have proven to have radio airplay  collect their neighboring rights royalties. With a few clicks of a button, our labels give us their recording data that we then export simultaneously to key neighboring rights collection societies in the world.

As easy as that, their recordings are registered and their royalties are collected!

Partner Today and Start Collecting your Neighboring Rights royalties!

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Architect John Barry describes the renovations. A conceptual drawing of the building after renovations. PreviousNext

Former Royal Cleaners in Pittsfield Now Eyed For Marijuana Business



The building at 68 Dalton Ave. has been vacant for years and was slated to be demolished. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The former Royal Cleaners is now eyed to be repurposed for a marijuana retail, cultivation, and manufacturing company.

The Zoning Board of Appeals granted a special permit for EOS Farm LLC to operate there. The plan is to use the majority of the building for cultivation and manufacturing of marijuana products and then use 600 square feet of frontage for retail.

"There are plantings along the front and the side to hide the residential property," said architect John Barry.

The company will be leasing from Raymond Frenkel, who also own and lease the adjacent residential properties. Engineer Brent White said an evergreen screen will be installed on the property boundary to separate the two uses.

White added that the curb cut on Dalton Avenue will be removed and Harvard Street will be where the customers enter. The store hopes to be open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

"I think it is a good use of a structure that has been sitting there for a couple of years," said ZBA member John Fitzgerald.

The board and a neighbor raised questions about odors and conditioned the permit so that if the odor becomes an issue, the company will have to come back before the board with a solution.

The building had been most recently eyed to be demolished and Dunkin' Donuts planned to build a new restaurant there. The ZBA had granted that permit in 2017 but the plans never moved forward -- ending a political saga between city officials and the company.

The Zoning Board has had steady interest in cannibis companies looking to open up shop since Massachusetts voters approved recreational sales. About 10 or so retailers have been approved, a half dozen or so cultivators have been approved, and two manufacturers have been approved on the local level.

However, despite the interest, only one entity is currently selling recreationally. Temescal Wellness on West Housatonic Street is the only recreational dispensary in Pittsfield right now and Berkshire Roots is expected to become the second soon, as it received its final permit from the state last month.

A number of other entities have shown interest but haven't moved forward with applications. A proposal for the former Countywide Rental building on Dalton Avenue was intended to become a dispensary but on Wednesday the ZBA accepted Pittsfield Investment Group's withdrawal.
Chinese imports driving Kenya's fishermen to despair

by Andrea Dijkstra

March 21,2019 | Source: BBC

As the frozen fish defrosts under the hot Kenyan sun, fishmonger Mechak Juma prefers not to tell his customers that it has come all the way from China.



We are at the largest fish market in the city of Kisumu, on the eastern shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake.



A scene of hustle and bustle, business is booming for the traders, but very little of that money now goes to the local fishermen.



As fish stocks in Lake Victoria have plunged over the past two decades, and prices have risen sharply as a result, cheap farmed Chinese imports are increasingly filling the gap.



"People don't want to buy Chinese fish because they don't trust the [farmed] production process, but we don't have much of a choice," says Mechak, standing next to a big wicker basket of whole Chinese tilapia fish.



The trampled cardboard boxes used to ship the frozen fish 8,000 km (5,000 miles) are stashed away in a corner, and the fish itself is more than two years old.



It will expire in less than a month, according to the dates on the boxes.



"People prefer to buy local fish, but we earn nothing on local fish now," says the 29-year-old.



"Only by selling Chinese fish am I able to earn enough money to feed my family."



Fish catches from Lake Victoria have plummeted by more than half over the past two decades, due to overfishing and pollution. Over the same period Kenya's population has doubled.



Vast stretches of water hyacinths, an invasive weed, along the shorelines, have also caused severe problems for the country's fishermen. The thick, interwoven carpet of the plants means that smaller boats can struggle to get out to clear water.



Kenya's Lake Victoria fishermen now bring in an estimated 140,000 tonnes of fish per year, little more than a quarter of the 500,000 required.



Chinese companies and their Kenyan partners seized the opportunity, and are now said to be exporting more than $17m (13m) of fish to Kenya annually, more than double the amount three years ago.



It was an easy gap for the Chinese to fill, because the freshwater fish that they farm on a vast scale - tilapia - is from the same broad species that Kenyans mostly catch in Lake Victoria. So for Kenyan consumers the fish look and taste very similar.



The Chinese fish is just considerably cheaper, selling for as little as $1.70 per kg, compared with about $5 per kg for the local catch.

 2019 BBC

Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade.
Due to the special arrangement of its molecules, a new coating made of corn starch is able to repair small scratches by itself through heat: The cross-linking via ring-shaped molecules makes the material mobile, so that it compensates for the scratches and these disappear again.

Superficial micro-scratches on the car body or on other high-gloss surfaces are harmless, but annoying. Especially in the luxury segment such surfaces are characterized by their flawlessness and lose their value due to micro-scratches. A new paint from Saarbrucken researchers now could provide a solution: Due to the special arrangement of its molecules, maize starch based coating is able to repair small scratches by itself through moderate heat treatment. The cross-linking via ring-shaped molecules makes the material flexible, so that it compensates for the scratches and they disappear again. The new coating was developed by INM experts together with scientists from Saarland University.

The developers will be presenting the coating with a live demonstration at this year's Hannover Messe from 1 to 5 April at Stand C54 in Hall 5.

The scientists used ring-shaped derivatives of corn starch, so-called cyclodextrins, for the network structure of the lacquers. These cyclodextrins were threaded like pearls onto long-chain polymer molecules. In the polyrotaxanes produced in this way, the cyclodextrins on the polymer thread can move almost freely on certain sections on the linear polymer and are prevented from unthreading by bulky stopper molecules. The pearl chains are cross-linked by a chemical reaction. "The resulting network is flexible and elastic like a stocking," explains Carsten Becker-Willinger, head of the Nanomers program division at the INM. When exposed to heat, the cyclodextrin rings migrate back along the plastic threads into the area of the surface scratch, thus compensating for the gap formed by the scratch.

For a functional coating with higher mechanical stability and weather resistance, the INM scientists changed the composition of the polyrotaxanes by adding further ingredients such as heteropolysiloxanes and inorganic nanoparticles. At the same time, they were able to reduce the original repair time from several hours to just a few minutes. "As part of numerous application tests for different mixing ratios in combination with artificial weathering tests, we investigated pre-painted surfaces on which we applied the new coating as a topcoat," says chemist Becker-Willinger. It is now possible to remove micro-scratches in just one minute at 100 degrees Celsius. In their series of tests, the scientists took into account the standard ISO guidelines of the paint industry. "An industrial application is only conceivable if we fulfil these standard guidelines," Becker-Willinger summarizes the current state of research.

The scientists are currently working on transferring the production of the coating from the laboratory scale to the pilot plant scale. Only then the basis be will provided for large-scale production. The INM is open to cooperation with interested companies for the next step in converting development into applications.
Indian police have arrested four for stalking and trolling journalist, Barkha Dutt. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) welcome the arrests and call on authorities to ensure efforts to end the online harassment of journalists.

On February 21, Barkha Dutt filed a First Information Report (FIR) after she was harassed and trolled on social media and via text messages and phone calls. In the FIR Dutt said: I appear to have been made a victim of some fake news propaganda and my number has been shared on all social media platforms. I have been sent nude pictures and sexually abusive text messages. I fear for my well-being, security and life as this is a coordinated assault by a violent mob.

The FIR was registered under the Indian Penal Code including stalking, threats, intimidation and under the IT Act for publishing or transmitting material containing sexually explicit act.

In mid March, four men, three in New Delhi and one in Gujarat were arrested. Three were charged and released on bail, while the fourth was remanded in custody for 14 days.

The trolling and harassment of Dutt peaked in February when we posted online offers of support for Kashmiris following the Pulwama attack. Dutt said that she had received almost 1,000 abusive messages and calls.

The IJU president Amar Devulapalli said: While we welcome the arrest four persons, three from Delhi and one from Gujarat, by the Delhi police, we demand that the real power behind them should be found out. We are sure the arrested persons are just foot soldiers and police should expeditiously find the persons and organisations behind them and bring them to book.

The IFJ said: We welcome the arrest of four over the relentless harassment and trolling on Barkha Dutt. However, we again reiterate calls for authorities in India to take urgent and strong steps to end the online harassment of journalists. This is not the first time that Dutt has faced harassment and trolling. Journalist cannot operate in a culture of fear and intimidation, and such environments only weaken press freedom.
On the eve of the final vote of the Copyright Directive, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Members of the European Parliament to adopt a directive that ensures journalists in the European Union will all benefit from the revenues generated from the online use of their work. It also calls on them to support Amendment 256 on Recital 35 (renumbered 59 in the provisional agreement), should the Directive be opened to amendments.

As the International and European Federations (IFJ/EFJ) have repeatedly pointed out, the proposal includes important provisions for the publishing industry and authors, including a share of the revenue press publications generate online (Article 11), the principle of proportionate remuneration for authors (Article -14), key transparency obligations and the possibility for authors to be represented by their unions (Articles 14-16). However, the wording of Recital 35 runs the risk that journalists may be entirely denied a share of the revenue via buy-out contracts and national regulations.

To counter the Recitals negative impact, we urge you to support the amendment 256  tabled by MEP Paloma Lopez - in the event that the Directive is opened to amendments during tomorrows vote.

Only Amendment 256 mitigates the risks for journalists remuneration. We call on the European Parliament to support it if the directive is reopened. All other proposals for Recital 35 include the restrictions we are seeking to lift, and should be therefore rejected.

Amendment 256

Paloma Lopez Bermejo, Sofia Sakorafa, Kostadinka Kuneva, Stelios Kouloglou

Recital 35
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today expressed its support for The University Times, (UT), which is under threat of losing its funding as a result of a backlash against a piece of pioneering investigative journalism into degrading and humiliating initiation rituals by a secretive society at a famous Dublin university.

The independent newspaper published in association with Trinity College Dublin Students Union carried an article detailing its investigation into the activities of members of the all- male Knights of Campanile in the March 19th edition of the newspaper.

University Times reporters stood close to the apartment of the president of the society and overheard taunts, jeers and degrading insults as an initiation ritual was conducted.

According to the report members were taunted, jeered at and instructed to bend over and to get in the shower. Members were told to open your fucking mouth and asked, why arent you on your knees.

Reporters from the newspaper heard groaning, gagging and retching sounds emerging from the apartment. At one stage members were forced to eat butter and members were told HIV is going on your toast tomorrow.

The newspaper has been accused of breaching ethical standards by the editor of rival newspaper, Trinity News while the Students Union has called a referendum which could starve the newspaper of funds, forcing it to close.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: We fully endorse the stand taken by the National Union of Journalists and extend solidarity to the Editor and editorial team at The University Times. The Irish system of press regulation has an international reputation for fairness and independence. In the circumstances we would hope that the referendum is postponed and a more, appropriate investigation carried out. To withdraw funding from an award-winning newspaper on the basis of controversy over a legitimate news story would set a very bad example. Trinity College Dublin has a deserved reputation for scholarship and liberal values. Neither the practices exposed or the threat to the newspaper are consistent with the traditions of Trinity College.

Professor Chris Frost, Chair of the National Union of Journalists (UK and Ireland) Ethics Council has strongly defended the journalists involved. Rival newspaper Trinity News has criticised the tape recording of the ceremony from outside the room but Prof Frost says there was a clear public interest in covert coverage of a secret society.

He said: It is perfectly acceptable journalism to use a tape recorder to record conversations that can be heard in a corridor. The overriding public interest is obvious, given that this is a high-profile society with a long history and large membership. Initiation rituals, (often called hazing in an attempt to disguise their true nature) of the type described have no place on a university campus.

Press Council of Ireland Code of Practice

Principle 3  Fair Procedures and Honesty

3.1 The press shall strive at all times for fair procedures and honesty in the procuring and publishing of news and information.

3.2 The press shall not obtain information, photographs or other material through misrepresentation or subterfuge, unless justified by the public interest.

3.3 Journalists and photographers must not obtain, or seek to obtain, information and photographs through harassment, unless their actions are justified in the public interest
Wei Zhili, the editor of a China labour rights website was detained by authorities in Guangzhou on March 20. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demands the immediate release of Wei and his colleague.

Wei is the editor of ILabour.net , a Chinese website that monitors labour rights was with his parents when he was detained by police for disturbing public order. Weis wife Zheng Churan told AFP that police said to his parents when he was arrested that their son was brainwashed into helping workers and that they were taking him away to educate him. Police also searched Weis parents house, where he was staying and confiscated his laptop and cell phone.

Weis colleague, Ke Chengbing, is also feared to be in police custody as he hasnt been seen or heard from since March 20.

Zheng, Weis wife told AFP that she was worried that the police will use abusive methods to force him to admit that he did something wrong.

The IFJ said: The detention of Wei Zhili is a raises concerns for the IFJ about the safety of journalists and media workers in China, as well as freedom of expression and the press. The government-led crackdown on freedom of expression is well documented by the IFJ, and needs to end to ensure journalist safety, better working conditions and the promotion of press freedom.
The United States and Our Global Partners Have Liberated All ISIS-Controlled Territory

Washington, DC - "American and coalition forces have had one military victory after another over the last two years against ISIS, including the retaking of both Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria. Weve liberated more than 20,000 square miles of territory." ~ President Donald J. Trump

LIBERATING ALL ISIS-CONTROLLED TERRITORY: The territory once held by ISIS in Syria and Iraq is now 100 percent liberated.

Upon taking office, President Donald J. Trump empowered our commanders in the field and enabled our allies and partners on the ground to take the fight to ISIS.

The Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, including the United States, Iraqi Security Forces, and partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces, have liberated all of the territory previously held by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The 79-member Coalition to Defeat ISIS is an unprecedented collection of nations and organizations aligned in a common cause to fight the evil of terrorism. Thousands of fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, Iraq Security Forces, and 6 members of the Coalition have sacrificed their lives fighting against ISIS.

Over the last two years, the United States and our Coalition partners have liberated more than 20,000 square miles of territory previously held by ISIS in Syria.

Since January 2017, an estimated 5 million people have been freed from ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Sixty high-value targets, 100 ISIS officials, and tens of thousands of ISIS fighters have been killed. There are more than 1,000 foreign fighters from more than 40 countries in the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Thanks to the defeat of the caliphate, ISIS now lacks a territorial base to launch attacks overseas and recruit foreign fighters.

MOVING FORWARD: The United States has begun the process of withdrawing troops from Syria in a deliberate and coordinated manner, while maintaining a small force there.

President Trump is realigning our force now that ISISs territorial caliphate has been defeated.

The President wants to draw down our presence in a safe, deliberate, and coordinated manner and remains in constant contact with our allies.

During this process, we will continue to inflict maximum damage on the remnants of ISIS.

A small contingent of United States Armed Forces will remain in Syria.

ENSURING ISIS NEVER RETURNS: The United States is committed to ensuring the remnants of ISIS are destroyed and that it can never regain its caliphate.
Imperial County Brings New Short-Term Crisis Residential Treatment Facility

El Centro, California - Imperial County Behavioral Health Services is partnering with Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System to bring Jackson House, a shortterm acute residential mental health and addictive disease treatment facility, to El Centro. This will add much needed behavioral healthcare beds to the community.

With the support of Prop 63 the Mental Health Services Act, Imperial County Behavioral Health has been seeking innovative solutions to expand behavioral health service within the county. By identifying the specific level of care that best serves the largest need within the community, through public + private partnerships the county can cast a larger net with available funds to treat mental illness and substance use disorder.

Andrea Kuhlen, Director of Imperial County Behavioral Services says, Imperial County faces a continual challenge of helping those who are struggling with mental illness. Behavioral Health Services is excited to be working with Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System to develop a Crisis Residential Treatment Center in Imperial County.

Ms. Kuhlen explains the facility is a voluntary, short-term 15-bed recovery based program where residents can practice real-world recovery in a home-like setting by performing daily household activities along with learning basic living and social/interpersonal skills necessary to successfully transition back into the community. This new facility will allow individuals experiencing a crisis to be served and supported in their community which is more desirable for the individual and their family.

We understand that early intervention, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and substance use disorders is important to recovery and long term success of treatment. Currently, some residents of Imperial County in need of mental health or addiction treatment present at the hospital emergency departments, which are not only more expensive, but are also unable to provide on-going care. In many cases those experiencing early episodes can avoid psychiatric hospitalization and receive more personalized treatment in a short-term residential behavioral health facility, said Patrick Zeimer, President and Chief Development Officer, Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System. We are very excited that through this partnership with Imperial County Behavioral Health, we are adding a new facility in the community for the benefit of Imperial County residents. This will allow greater family involvement in treatment, which improves outcomes.

Slated to open its doors September 1, 2019, Jackson House El Centro will provide treatment that will serve as an alternative to or continuation of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in an environment that is more home-like and recovery oriented.

Zeimer explains, Typically, psychiatric hospitalization concentrates on addressing the acute episode only, at Jackson House El Centro the focus will be on not only treating the acute episode, but also on stabilization and long term recovery. We help clients by providing them the tools to understand and manage their illness, which enables them to live the quality of life that they desire. We are looking forward to bringing these much needed services to the residents of Imperial County.

The contemporary design of this newly constructed 6448 square foot, 15 bed, 24 hour crisis residential treatment facility will offer semi-private rooms, beautifully appointed indoor and outdoor spaces, large group rooms, and computer lab space, as well as private meeting rooms for individual client consultations.

Over the last several years, Imperial County has made it a priority to provide quality, innovative behavioral health treatment solutions to the community. As we considered opportunities for expanding this level of care across southern California, we were humbled and excited to collaborate with a public partner like Imperial County Behavioral Health that has shown a tremendous commitment to seeking innovative solutions to the complex problems that exist in behavioral health, said Zafar Azimov, Board Member, Alvarado Parkway Institute Behavioral Health System. Jackson House El Centro is the first of several planned short-term residential treatment facilities that will utilize the successful model Jackson House started in La Mesa, California. Jackson House believes that clients should be treated in the least restrictive setting possible, and thus provides the residential setting as an option to a locked psychiatric hospital environment, when appropriate. Treatment that focuses on identifying, learning and applying the tools needed to manage mental illness and substance use disorders can deliver hope to the residents of Imperial County and their families who struggle with the symptoms of these diseases.
Proclamation on Recognizing the Golan Heights as Part of the State of Israel

Washington, DC - The State of Israel took control of the Golan Heights in 1967 to safeguard its security from external threats. Today, aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hizballah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel. Any possible future peace agreement in the region must account for Israels need to protect itself from Syria and other regional threats. Based on these unique circumstances, it is therefore appropriate to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim that, the United States recognizes that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP
Put simply, employees will always be able to discuss claims arising under New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, including how much your business paid them to settle those claims.

If the employee publicly reveals sufficient details of the claim so that the employer is reasonably identifiable, then the non-disclosure provision is unenforceable against the employer.

So, if both sides want to remain tight-lipped about a settlement, they can.

(The new law does not apply either to non-competition agreements or agreements concerning non-disclosure of proprietary information or trade secrets. It also exempts collective bargaining agreements.)
David Attenborough has called Donald Trump blind to the threat of climate change.

The veteran naturalist said that, should he ever meet the President of the United States, he would confront his sceptical stance by using facts.

I have no idea as to whether I could convince [Trump], but it would be cowardly not to take up the challenge, would it not? the TV presenter said.

I would certainly take it up and I would think carefully about what I actually said. Theres so many bits of evidence I would use.

I would be using the increase in the human population for starters, as to where were all going to get fed. Where are we going to do it? How do you make the arithmetic work?

But I mean what you say to him in the face of what is visibly happening  the climate of the United States of America  its perfectly clear.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Show all 25 1 /25 Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators block Westminster Bridge in central London to show anger at government inaction on climate and ecological issues AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A pro environment protester is arrested by police on Lambeth bridge in London EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Police with demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A demonstrator is led away by police on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters

Attenborough, who was speaking ahead of the release of his upcoming series Our Planet, added that the impact of climate change would be reversed rapidly if there was political will to enforce environmental measures. He added that there is still hope for the future of Earth.

We can put things right, he said. We can put things right tomorrow if we had the will. We could actually impose marine sanctuaries tomorrow, if we had the will.

And actually solve the problem of feeding the world for the next few decades, but thats easier said than done. And the only way its going to be done is by actually getting the world thinking along the same lines.

Our Planet reaches Netflix on 5 April.
Chick-fil-A has been banned from opening a kiosk at San Antonio International Airport in Texas due to its alleged anti-LGBT+ bias.

The City Council voted 6-4 in favour of a motion that would exclude the Georgia-based chicken chain from the airports restaurant and concession space on Thursday after it was put forward by councilman Roberto C Trevino.

With this decision, the City Council reaffirmed the work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion, Mr Trevino told News 4 San Antonio.

San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behaviour.

Everyone has a place here, and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport, he added.

"No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Show all 10 1 /10 "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents, children and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Child protesters hold signs against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching A sign outside the Parkfield Community School reads "we are a UNICEF gold rights respecting school" Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching A child protester holds a sign against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents, children and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Child protesters hold a sign against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where protests are being held against the 'No Outsiders' programme which teaches children about LGBT rights PA

Chick-fil-A described the decision as disappointing and said in a statement: We agree with [Mr Trevino] that everyone is and should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A. We have a fundamental code of conduct at Chick-fil-A: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The 140,000 people who serve customers in our restaurants on a daily basis represent and embrace all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, it continued. Our intent is to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.

The lease that Chick-fil-A wouldve been granted had Trevinos motion not been passed wouldve begun in January 2020 and wouldve entitled the company to fill a 658 square foot space in an area run by airport concessionaire Paradies Lagardere.

Texan senator Ted Cruz described the councils decision as ridiculous in a tweet, adding that it was not Texas.

The news comes just days after new tax filings revealed that in 2017, Chick-fil-A, which is run on its founders conservative Christian beliefs, had donated more than $1.6m (1.2m) to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which requires its employees to refrain from homosexual acts, according to ThinkProgress.

It also gave $6,000 (4,500) to the Paul Anderson Youth Home, which teaches boys that same-sex marriage is rage against Jesus Christ and His values.

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You can read more about the controversies that have surrounded Chick-fil-A in recent years regarding its stance on LGBT+ rights here.

A spokesperson for Chick-fil-A, Inc. provided The Independent with the following statement when asked for a comment:

The press release issued by the councilmember was the first we heard of his motion and its approval by the San Antonio City Council," they said.

"We wish we had the opportunity to clarify misperceptions about our company prior to the vote. We agree with the councilmember that everyone should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A.

"We would welcome the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the city council and we invite all of them into our local stores to interact with the more than 2,000 team members who are serving the people of San Antonio.

"We hope they will experience for themselves that Chick-fil-A embraces all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity."
Life is full of big, earth-shattering questions. Do humans truly have free will? How was the universe created? Is there life after death?

But the one that sent Twitter into a tizzy last night concerns a topic close to the hearts of many - what is Britain's favourite crisp brand.

On Sunday evening, Channel 5 aired a documentary called Britain's Favourite Crisps.

After conducting a two-hour investigation into the conundrum, the programme concluded that Britain's favourite crisps, as chosen by the public, included Doritos, Pringles and Walkers at the top of the list.

Meanwhile, Jacob's Mini Cheddars, Walkers Salt 'n' Shake, Nik Naks and Walkers Squares were placed at the bottom.

Channel 5 shared these findings in a pyramid format on Twitter, sparking a subsequent outbreak of fury.

"That is all kinds wrong! Squares on the bottom... it's a travesty," one Twitter user wrote.

"I've lost faith in the British public after this travesty, no wonder the country is falling apart if people think Pringles are god tier while Wotsits and Quavers are only mid tier," another remarked.

The 20 best food scenes in film Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best food scenes in film The 20 best food scenes in film Lady & the Tramp Who would have guessed one of the most romantic scenes in cinema would involve two dogs eating scraps in an alleyway? And, yet, the iconic spaghetti kiss from Disneys 1955 animated film has been oft imitated but never surpassed, as the two pups indulge in an Italian delicacy, all soundtracked to Sonny Burke and Peggy Lees Bella Notte. And, as Tramp proves, theres no greater act of chivalry than offering your date the last meatball Moviestore/Rex The 20 best food scenes in film Babette's Feast Gabriel Axels Oscar-winning 1987 Danish film is a visual treat for any self-confessed gourmand. The story sees two pious Protestant sisters offer refuge to a French woman fleeing the political tumult in Paris after the collapse of the Second Empire in 1871. They agree to hire her as a housekeeper, discovering later that shes the former chef of one of Pariss best restaurants. When she wins the lottery, she uses the funds to whip a meal to remember for her kindly hosts. The 20 best food scenes in film Hook All the very best chefs know that a dash of pure imagination is key to creating a true culinary wonder. Its a lesson well-taught in Steven Spielbergs 1991 classic, Hook, as a grown-up Peter Pan (Robin Williams) looks on in disbelief as the Lost Boys tuck into what appears to be nothing at all. Its only when he truly believes that he can see the brightly colour feast laid out before him. And what childish feast would be complete without an old fashioned food fight? Sony The 20 best food scenes in film Breakfast at Tiffany's Sure, the 1961 films title may be a little misleading. Its protagonist, Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), in reality only has breakfast outside of Tiffanys, popping out of a cab in the early morning light to peer into the jewelry shop window, all while enjoying a pastry and some coffee in a paper. The moment has still remained the peak of glamour, decades later, so who cares if its all a little white lie? Keystone Features/Getty Images The 20 best food scenes in film The Godfather Its a classic scene that proves to be surprisingly instructional. Francis Ford Coppolas 1972 film has a full-blown recipe tucked within its elegant drama, as Vito Corleones close associate, Peter Clemenza (Richard Castellano), offers his version of the perfect pasta sauce. As he explains: You start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; you make sure it doesn't stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs. And a little bit of wine, and a little bit of sugarthat's my trick." Rex Features The 20 best food scenes in film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Although the 1971 musical is, as a whole, a sugary delight, its hardest to resist the temptation of Willy Wonkas Fizzy Lifting Drinks, a soda described as so bubbly that it lifts anyone who drinks it right off the ground. Its no wonder that it was the one stop on the tour that ended up tempting the pure-hearted Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) and his grandfather (Jack Albertson). Now, the real question is: does it come in different flavours? Getty The 20 best food scenes in film Eat Pray Love For anyone who considers pizza to be the true love of their life, Ryan Murphys 2010 romcom is a perfect cinematic match. Its hard not to relate to the moment Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) bites into a piece of authentic Italian pizza, during the Naples stop on her global adventure of self-discovery, and declares: Im in love. Im in a relationship with my pizza. Rex Features The 20 best food scenes in film Beauty & the Beast Although we might not fully be convinced that the grey stuff is delicious, the dinner and show approach to Lumiere (Jerry Orbach)s hospitality is something we could certainly get used to. In Disneys 1991 animation, Belle (Paige O'Hara) is presented with a whole cavalcade of sumptuous dishes: including beef ragout, cheese souffle, pie and pudding "en flambe". And theres a sage piece of advice to go with it all, too: If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest! Indeed. Disney The 20 best food scenes in film Steel Magnolias While theres been a growing fad of ambitious, unusually themed cakes  you need only look at the success of the TLC reality series Cake Boss  there are few cinematic cakes that quite stick in the memory like Jackson (Dylan McDermott)s armadillo-shaped groom cake from 1989 comedy-drama Steel Magnolias, a spin on the tradition from the American South of having another cake separate to the main wedding cake. And did we mention that its red velvet on the inside? REX FEATURES The 20 best food scenes in film Marie Antoinette When it came to director Sofia Coppola conjuring the ultimate image of decadence for her 2006 biopic on the French queen, there was no more perfect treat than Ladurees famous macarons. Delicate and pastel-toned, the meringue-based confection has long been the speciality of the French bakery, first established in 1862. A new flavour was even created in honour of the film, with the Marie Antoinette offering a combination of rose and anise flavours. Columbia Pictures The 20 best food scenes in film The Hundred Foot Journey Food is often regarded as one of the best ways to understand a culture, and The Hundred-Foot Journey is wonderful for showing the efforts the talented, self-taught novice Hassan (Manish Dayal) goes to in order to comprehend that. During a picnic he reveals he has mastered the five mother sauces of French cuisine, and the delicate tasting process that follows demonstrates just how important food is to France. The 20 best food scenes in film Goodfellas In prison, dinner was always a big thing. So much so that the Wise Guys ate better than most people on the outside. Beyond the Sea plays in the background as the gangsters prepare their meal: Garlic sliced so thin with a razor blade that it would liquefy in the pan with just a little oil, meatballs in a tomato sauce thats a little too oniony, steak cooked medium rare, iced lobsters, prosciutto, salami, cheese, red wine and good Scotch. Maybe crime does pay after all. The 20 best food scenes in film Chocolat There are few pleasures in life more fulfilling than that of cooking for others. In Chocolat  based on the book by Joanne Harris  a slow-motion scene where dinner party guests tuck into the feast created by expert chocolatier Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) is full of warmth and laughter. AP The 20 best food scenes in film Pulp Fiction In a world where people seem more than happy to fork out 15 for some mushy avocado on toast, $5 for a milkshake doesnt seem too unreasonable. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) takes his boss wife Mia (Uma Thurman) out to Jack Rabbit Slims for a burger, where she decides she wants the $5 dollar shake. You dont put bourbon in it or nothing? a bewildered Vincent asks the waiter. When it arrives, Mia takes a long sip: Yummy. I gotta know what a $5 shake tastes like, Vincent says. He takes a sip. Then another. Goddamn, thats a pretty f***ing good milkshake. Miramax/YouTube The 20 best food scenes in film Julie & Julia Nora Ephrons feature film based on the intertwining stories of chef Julia Child and Julie Powell, the blogger who rose to fame after documenting her pledge to cook all 524 recipes in Childs cookbook, is all about the joy one can find in food. It is some of the earlier scenes that capture this best, like when Julia (Meryl Streep) and her husband Paul (Stanley Tucci) arrive in Paris and stop at a French restaurant, where Julia is served a sizzling platter of sole. It looked so mouth-watering in the final edit that Ephron wanted to call up Martin Scorcese and say, youve never shot a fish like that before. Rex The 20 best food scenes in film Ratatouille Fearsome critic Anton Ego takes a bite of ratatouille and is transported back to his childhood, where it was a favourite comfort food, in the best scene from Pixars wonderful animated film. The detail is superb, from the process of Remy the rat preparing the dish to the moment Egos pen falls to the ground as he remembers the power of a favourite meal in evoking memories we thought were lost. YouTube screengrab / Jeugos para ninos / Disney Pixar The 20 best food scenes in film Spinal Tap I dont want this, I want large bread but I can rise above it, Im a professional. The miniature bread catastrophe is a beautiful parody on every self-absorbed rock star to have kicked off over something as ludicrous as the food theyre served backstage. Guitarist Nigel Tufnell sits next to a tray of sandwiches looking baffled as his manager walks over. "Look," he says, picking up a sandwich. "This, this miniature bread. It's like... I've been working with this now for about half an hour. I can't figure it out. Let's say I want a bite, right, you've got this..." "Why do you keep folding it?" Ian asks. Nigel looks down at the broken bits of bread, then tries again: "This. I don't want this." He throws the sandwich to the ground, disgusted. "I want large bread!" Embassy Pictures The 20 best food scenes in film The Help After all the trauma she has been through  at the hands of her abusive husband and a racist ex-employer  Minny (Octavia Spencer) arrives at her employer Celia Foote to find a beautiful dinner cooked for her as a thank you for everything she has done for Celia and her husband. You see the care that has gone into it as Celia lays everything out on the table, from a mile high meringue to the fried chicken Minny taught her how to make. That table of food gave Minny the strength she needed, the narration explains. She took her babies out from under Leroy and never went back. AP Photo/Disney DreamWorks II, Dale Robinette The 20 best food scenes in film Five Easy Pieces Robert Dupea (Jack Nicholson) just wants some toast to go with his omelette, but the waitress is stubbornly sticking to the diners no substitutions rule. Ill make it as easy for you as I can, goes the famous order. Id like an omelette, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast. No mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce and hold the chicken. Columbia Pictures The 20 best food scenes in film Big Night It was a scene that helped propel a revolution in American dining. Il Timpano, a dish inspired by the notoriously tricky-to-make Italian meal, is the star of a moment in Big Night where chef brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci) prepares it as the centrepiece for a feast attended by their rival, Pascal. Goddamit, I should kill you, he screams, throwing his fork down after tasting Il Timpano. This is so f***ing good, I should kill you.

Several people compared the ranking of the crisps to the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

"Squares and Nik Naks at the bottom? This is why we couldn't trust the voting public," one person commented.

"Mini Cheddars deserve better than this. Further proof that the British public need classes on voting for things," someone else quipped.

However, not all were opposed to the crisp ranking.

One person tweeted that aside from the placement of Mini Cheddars on the bottom tier, the pyramid is the "closest" depiction of his crisp preferences.

Nonetheless, the general consensus was that the ranking shared by Channel 5 was sorely mistaken.

"Wrong," one person succinctly summarised.

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Avengers: Endgame star Chris Evans recently stirred a similar debate when he revealed his favourite crisp brands on Twitter.

The actor debated his choices with Oscar-winning actor Octavia Spencer and MCU co-star Don Cheadle.

"This hurts me deeply," Spencer tweeted with regards to Evans' decision not to place Cheetos at the top of his list.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced the birth of their second child, a daughter named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Earlier in the year, Princess Eugenie, gave birth to a baby boy named August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.

To celebrate the new arrivals we took a closer look at some of the most bizarre royal birth traditions.

Royal babies are delivered by a royal gynaecologist

As per tradition, a royal child is delivered with the assistance of at least one royal doctor.

The current royal surgeon-gynaecologist is Alan Farthing, while the royals consultant obstetrician is Guy Thorpe-Beeston.

Both medical professionals helped deliver the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges three children, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Royal gynaecologists Marcus Setchell (C) and Alan Farthing leave the Lindo Wing following the birth of the son of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at St Mary's Hospital on July 22, 2013 in London, England (Getty Images)

Sir Marcus Setchell, who was Queen Elizabeth II's surgeon-gynaecologist and who delivered Prince George, has since retired.

In his only interview about Prince Georges birth, Sir Marcus described the midwifery team as perfectly wonderful.

During an interview on Woman's Hour' BBC Radio 4, the gynaecologist added: "You just keep reminding yourself that although it's very important, for the couple and the about-to-be-born baby, it's just another healthy young couple giving birth to a hopefully very healthy baby.

"And I constantly reminded myself of that so that the pressures of the hundreds of media people outside the hospital didn't affect me, at least not more than minimally."

The parents dont always have custody of their children

A law enacted more than three centuries ago means that the sovereign has full legal custody of their minor grandchildren.

The law, called The Grand Opinion for the Prerogative Concerning the Royal Family, was introduced by King George I in 1717.

George I did not get along with his son, the future George II, explains royal expert Marlene Koenig previously to The Independent.

Members of the Royal Family attend the 2018 Trooping the Colour (Getty Images)

I believe it came about when the Prince of Wales [George II] did not want to have the godparent for his son that his father wanted - so George I got Parliament to come up with something.

An annual register published in 1772 states that the then King had the care of the royal children and grandchildren, and the presumptive heir to the crown.

However, while law dictates that the Queen legally has custody of her minor grandchildren, Koenig doesnt think she would ever act upon the right.

I would doubt that the Queen would interfere. [Its] more of a formality, she says.

I think the Queen has let her children raise their kids.

The birth announcement is displayed on an easel

A royal birth is traditionally announced via a bulletin placed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

The framed typewritten bulletin, which is commonly brought out of the Privy Purse door after it is driven to the palace by car from the birth, is signed by the medical team which attends the royal birth.

Senior footman Olivia Smith (L) and footman Heather McDonald place a notice on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London to formally announce the birth of a baby boy to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital on April 23, 2018 in London, England (Getty Images)

It includes details as to the babys gender, time of birth, as well as a status confirming the health of the mother and child.

Following royal births at the Lindo Wing in recent decades, it has also become tradition for the new parents to present their child on the steps of the hospital wards entrance.

Royal babies are wrapped in a G.H. Hurt & Sons blanket

For their first appearance to the world, royal children are traditionally wrapped in a blanket made by Nottingham-based knitwear company G.H. Hurt & Sons.

Prince Charles was the first royal to be bundled in a blanket by the company following his birth back in 1948.

Prince George and the Duchess of Cambridge on the steps of the Lindo Wing, St Mary's Hospital (Getty Images)

In 2013, Prince George was wrapped in one of the companys ivory white merino wool shawl and Princess Charlotte was bundled in a scalloped edge wrap in 2015.

Prince Louis, meanwhile, was wrapped in the companys Nottingham Lace Knitted Baby Shawl following his birth.

The name isnt announced for days

Following an appearance outside the Lindo Wing, it has become common practice among the royal family not to release the childs name for several days.

After Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born, the public waited two days before learning their respective names.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Register The Birth of Their Son Prince George of Cambridge In London (Getty Images)

However, it was another three days before Prince Louis name was announced on 27 April to the world.

The child will wear a special christening gown

It is customary for the royals to pass down a christening robe for the newest member of the family to wear at their christening.

For George, Charlotte and Louis christenings, the trio each wore a replica of an original robe made in 1841 for Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa.

The original gown was made from white silk with a handmade lace overlay and was worn by 62 royal babies over the course of its 163 years of royal service. It was hand-washed with spring water after each christening ceremony and stored in a dark room until its next use.

(Getty Images)

George VI and the Queen wore the white lace dress, as did Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry. The last royal to wear the original gown was Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex's daughter, in 2004.

Prince George became the fourth royal child to be christening in the gown, which was reportedly replicated with the help of the Queens personal wardrobe advisor, Angela Kelly, in 2011

Zara Tindalls second daughter, Lena, was the most recent royal to wear the gown at her St Nicholas Church in Cherington, Gloucestershire.

Gun salutes follow the birth announcement

It is customary for a birth announcement to be followed by a royal gun salute.

Following Princess Charlottes birth, volleys were fired by soldiers in Hyde Park and the Tower of London to honour her arrival at 08:34 BST on 2 May.

At 14:00 BST, soldiers from The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery rode out in a procession from Wellington Barracks, near Buckingham Palace, to fire 41 shots.

The Honourable Artillery Company fire a 62 round Royal Gun Salute outside the Tower of London to celebrate the birth of the royal baby on July 23, 2013 in London, England (Getty Images)

The Honourable Artillery Company also fired a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London.

Royal babies dont automatically receive royal titles

Like other royal babies, the babies will not have a royal title unless granted by the Queen.

A Letters Patent passed by King George V in 1917 reads: "The grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have and enjoy in all occasions the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes of these Our Realms.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (L) and Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, watch a musical performance at Canada House, the offices of the High Commision of Canada in the United Kingdom, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London, on March 11, 2019. (Getty)

The Queen previously issued a Letters Patent for Prince William and Kate Middletons children.

In December 2012, the Queen issued a Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm declaring all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour.

This explains why Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all have HRH titles.
Jameela Jamil has recalled an incident in which she rejected a mans advances and was threatened as a result.

On Sunday, the actor tweeted a post in which she detailed an encounter with a stranger while out shopping with a friend.

Man ogles me. Man then approaches me to give me his number. I explain I have a boyfriend but thank him for the offer," she explained in the Tweet.

"Man then threatens my career, saying I better remember that I rejected him. And then Shouts at me that Im low class...[sic]

Jamils message has since inspired several of her followers to share their own experiences of sexual misconduct from men they have rejected.

Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Show all 4 1 /4 Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Rachel Lloyd and her mother Rachel Lloyd grew up in England, mostly raised by her 'dedicated' single mother Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Queen Silvia and Rachel Lloyd Rachel Lloyd accepting the World Children's Prize from Queen Silvia of Sweden Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Rachel Lloyd GEMS founder Rachel Lloyd talking to members in New York Joseph Rodriguez Forgotten Women: Meet the woman helping victims of sexual exploitation Barbara Shank (left), dean of the School of Social Work, presenting the Kelly Award to Rachel Lloyd Rebecca Zenefski

One user tweeted: "I got called a lesbian and told I was probably on my period when I rejected a guy his friend also spat a chip at me.

And this this awesome girl came out of nowhere and started shouting at them. Not how I expected the end of my night out to go.

Another added: One time when I was around 13 years old, a man asked for my number and when I declined he followed me home and harassed me for around 40 minutes..

Being a girl/woman in a world when men think theyre entitled to know a woman despite objections really is scary.

Several users also shared their tactics to fend off advances.

I have a standing policy with platonic male friends that if Im feeling uncomfortable Ill hold their hand to make it look like Im not alone. Its ridiculous, revealed one woman.

The social media user added: Im lucky to have guy friends who understand this kind of BS and its never been awkward at all. Its just frustrating that being a woman means you have to have a strategy.

Another woman revealed one of her male friends told a man they were married after the individual "aggressively" approached her and wouldn't leave.

Aggressor said I dont see rings on your fingers! My guy friend threatens violence. FinallyAsshole leaves. Fun part:9yrs later I actually married my friend [sic], she added.

The responses prompted Jamil to recall another incident during which she was punched by a man for rejecting his advances.

I once said no thank you to man when I was 19 and didnt have an excuse and he punched me in the face, she tweeted.

After that whether or not I have a boyfriend, I say I do. Being a woman is truly, constantly scary. Its like existing on thin ice.

Following the flurry of responses from followers, Jamil tweeted that we need to teach children about rejection, so that we can change the way we see rejection as a society.

She added: We need to de stigmatise it, so that it doesnt feel like the ground is swallowing you up when someone says no, however nicely. This would lessen their need to lash out.

Jamils story comes days after it was revealed one in 10 staff working on the London Underground have reported being sexually harassed by passengers.

A new study, released by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), has revealed the extent of the harassment and abuse employees working on the London Underground regularly face.

A survey of Tube staff has found a tenth of the verbal abuse that occurs pertains to gender, while a third is in relation to race.

Furthermore, a fifth of the participants of the study said they've been physically assaulted at work.
Oil company Shell powered up its arrival in the home energy market this morning by rebranding First Utility, the challenger supplier it somewhat surprisingly bought last year, as Shell Energy.

But theres more: the newly renamed outfit, which has just over 700,000 customers, will also switch the whole lot over to 100 per cent renewables.

Thats something its research suggests a lot of us want.
Alarm bells are ringing at a deafening level in the City of London after optimism among financial services firms fell at its fastest pace in six years, according to a leading business group,

Falling business volumes, a sharp decline in jobs and the national emergency of Brexit have damaged confidence among bankers, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and PwC suggests.

The poll of 84 companies showed that 10 per cent of firms were more optimistic about the overall business situation compared with three months ago, while 53 per cent were less optimistic, which means optimism in the industry has now been either flat or falling for more than three years.

The proportion of companies who think the amount of business they are likely to do will increase in the next three months dropped to its lowest for more than decade.

Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys

Despite plummeting optimism, profits in the financial services sector grew and that trend is expected to continue.

Rain Newton-Smith, the CBIs chief economist, said: The alarm bells ringing at the state of optimism in the financial services sector have now reached a deafening level.

Not only has it plummeted at the fastest rate since the depths of the financial crisis, it has been falling or flat since the EU referendum. Additionally, business volumes and employment have fallen over the last quarter.

Brexit is now a national emergency. No deal has to be clearly ruled out, then MPs must finally compromise and deliver a solution that protects jobs, livelihoods and communities across the UK.

It is in absolutely nobodys interest for the uncertainty to drag on, and continually chip away at our economy and financial services sector.
The Sackler Trust  which gives money to charity on behalf of the American family behind controversial painkiller OxyContin  has paused all new donations in the UK amid an opioid crisis.

Members of the billionaire Sackler family own Purdue Pharma, which markets the drug. Through their family trust they have donated millions of dollars to healthcare, education and the arts in the UK.

But the trust has faced a string of court cases and an intensifying backlash over OxyContins alleged role in an addiction epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

The Sackler Trust said all philanthropic giving will be suspended so that the issue will not be a distraction for institutions that are applying for grants. Commitments that have already been made will be honoured.

Earlier this month, the National Portrait Gallery cancelled a 1m donation from the Sackler Trust. It was quickly followed by the Tate, which has accepted gifts from the Sacklers in the past but said last week that it would not do so in future.

On Monday, the Princes Trust became the latest organisation to shun Sackler money.

Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Show all 20 1 /20 Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantation near Pueblo Viejo in the Sierra Madre del Sur, in the southern state of Guerrero, Mexico Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Illegal opium plantation burning Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers cut opium poppies as they destroy a field of illegal plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Nieves Garcia reacts next to her husband, "We are not drug traffickers, we want a dignified life," said Garcia, who has grown poppies since she was a child. "My kids have left this place because there's no way of getting ahead." Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Clouds over the Sierra Madre del Sur Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Francisco Santiago Clemente walks with his gun on his back in a corn field Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Opium poppies burn after being set on fire to by the army Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers arrive at the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Poppy farmer Santiago Sanchez holds opium paste Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers unload their weapons at the camp near the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantatio Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A child sits on a sidewalk in Santa Cruz Yucucani Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers destroy a field of illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A woman tends to her opium poppy plant outside her house Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier waves to locals near the area Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier stands near residents as he arrives at the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers camp near the area where they found an illegal opium plantation Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers patrol the area of Pueblo Viejo Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade A soldier burns an illegal opium plantation near Pueblo Viejo Reuters Mexico seeks to halt heroin trade Soldiers cut opium poppies Reuters

Sackler Trust chair Dame Theresa Sackler said: I am deeply saddened by the addiction crisis in America and support the actions Purdue Pharma is taking to help tackle the situation, whilst still rejecting the false allegations made against the company and several members of the Sackler family.

The current press attention that these legal cases in the United States is generating has created immense pressure on the scientific, medical, educational and arts institutions here in the UK, large and small, that I am so proud to support.

This attention is distracting them from the important work that they do.

The trustees of the Sackler Trust have taken the difficult decision to temporarily pause all new philanthropic giving, while still honouring existing commitments.

I remain fully committed to all the causes the Sackler Trust supports, but at this moment it is the better course for the trust to halt all new giving until we can be confident that it will not be a distraction for institutions that are applying for grants.

Since 2010, the Sackler Trust claims to have donated more than 60m in the UK.

OxyContin is an opioid that is chemically similar to morphine and diamorphine (heroin). It was released in 1996 and marketed by Purdue as a time-released capsule that presented little risk of becoming addictive.

However, lawsuits against Purdue allege that the company knew this was not true. Millions of people in the US have abused the drug and a significant proportion have moved to heroin.

Opioids were involved in 48,000 deaths in the US in 2017, according to official figures. Purdue denies wrongdoing and has said that its products were approved by US regulators and prescribed by doctors.
Royal Dutch Shell has announced its arrival as a household gas and electricity supplier, moving 700,000 First Utility customers to its Shell Energy brand.

All of Shells residential energy customers will be supplied with 100 per cent renewable electricity. Shell Energy customers can take advantage of a 3 per cent discount at Shell petrol stations, as well as discounts on home technology like smart thermostats and electric vehicle chargers.

Shell Energy chief executive Colin Crooks said the company would use fuel forecourts to promote the new offer.

The company surprised the business world when it pounced for First Utility in 2017. It marks a tentative step on the path towards a more sustainable future for Shell, which derives the vast majority of its $400bn revenues from oil and gas.

The rebrand to Shell Energy sets up the worlds largest listed oil giant to take on the UKs Big Six suppliers which have lost millions of customers in recent years.

"Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Show all 38 1 /38 "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Magdeburg, Germany on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in New York on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Madrid on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Quezon City, Philippines on March 15 Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Vienna on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Dublin on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on march 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Erfurt, Germany on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Zagreb, Croatia on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lisbon on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Edinburgh on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Florence, Italy on March 15 Sign reads: there is no future without a planet, let's not sell it for money EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Vienna on March 15 Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Brighton on March 15 Reuters "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cambridge on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Students protest in Bangalore, India on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change Students protest in Bangalore, India on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change A student protests in Lucerne, Switzerland on 15 March EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 AFP/Getty Images "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Milan, Italy on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 AFP/Getty "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Lund, Sweden on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change A poster with Greta Thunberg, who began the current children's movement at the protest in Lausanne, Switzerland on March 15 AP "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Cape Town, South Africa on March 15 EPA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in London on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest in Canterbury, Kent on March 15 PA "Act now or swim later" - Children worldwide protest climate change School children protest outside Holyrood in Edinburgh Getty

Shell Energy will have one of the cheaper deals on the market at around 970 a year for an average household usage of gas and electricity  78 more than the cheapest available.

The company said a survey found that almost 60 per cent of UK households wanted to power their homes with renewable electricity.

Shell Energy chief executive Colin Crooks said: We are building on the disruptive nature of First Utility to give customers something better. We know that renewable electricity is important to them and we are delivering that, while ensuring good value and rewarding loyalty.

Mark Gainsborough, Shells executive vice president of new energies, said: This is a good example of our approach to building a significant electricity business, in line with customer needs.

Shell recognises the world needs more energy with lower emissions and this will give customers more flexibility, greater control and cleaner energy.

The company has said it is aiming to become the largest electricity company by the 2030s, as it prepares for a fundamental shift in global energy supplies towards lower-carbon sources.

Shells plan is a response to an expected shift in the worlds energy system to much greater use of electricity, up from about 20 per cent today to 50 per cent or more.
A controversial Canadian academic had his offer of a fellowship rescinded by the University of Cambridge after he was pictured with a man wearing a T-shirt with the slogan Im a proud Islamophobe, the vice chancellor has said.

Stephen Toope has said alt-right figurehead Jordan Petersons casual endorsement by association was believed to be antithetical to the work of the Faculty of Divinity at the university.

The faculty became aware of the photograph early last week and then decided to rescind its offer of a visiting fellowship to Mr Peterson, according to the vice chancellor.

Mr Peterson, who has starkly divided opinion with his views on topics such as masculinity, political correctness and the gender pay gap, had been due to take up the fellowship later this year.

Last week, the 56-year-old author and professor of psychology claimed he had fallen foul of the diversity, equity and inclusivity mob after the fellowship was withdrawn.

Top 10 universities 2019 Show all 10 1 /10 Top 10 universities 2019 Top 10 universities 2019 10. University College London Down 3 places on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty Top 10 universities 2019 9. University of Warwick Down one place on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Jez Sutton Top 10 universities 2019 8. University of Lancaster Up one place on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Rwendland Top 10 universities 2019 7. Loughborough University Up 3 places on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Top 10 universities 2019 6. Durham University In the same place as last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty Top 10 universities 2019 5. University of St Andrews Down 2 places on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty Top 10 universities 2019 4. Imperial College London Down 3 places on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings PA Top 10 universities 2019 3. London School of Economics Up one place on last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty Top 10 universities 2019 2. Oxford University In the same place as last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty Top 10 universities 2019 1. Cambridge University In the same place as last year in the Complete University Guide rankings Getty

The University of Cambridge refused to say at the time why the decision had been taken.

But in a statement on Monday, Mr Toope said: The faculty became aware of a photograph of Professor Peterson posing with his arm around a man wearing a T-shirt that clearly bore the slogan, Im a proud Islamophobe.

The casual endorsement by association of this message was thought to be antithetical to the work of a faculty that prides itself in the advancement of interfaith understanding.

He added: Some difficult decisions will always be necessary to ensure that our universities remain places of robust, often challenging and even uncomfortable dialogue, while balancing academic freedom with respect for members of our community.

Mr Peterson, a clinical psychologist, started to earn global headlines in 2016 when he spoke out against campus culture wars where he claimed social justice warrior, left-wing radical political activists were running rampant.

That year, he posted a series of lectures on YouTube, titling them the Professor against political correctness.

He was also a prominent and outspoken opponent of Bill C-16, a bill passed by the Canadian parliament designed to stop discrimination on the grounds of gender identity or expression.

The visiting fellowship was originally offered to Mr Peterson on an academic basis, the vice chancellor said.

Mr Toope added: For a university, anything that detracts from the free expression of ideas is just not acceptable.

Robust debate can scarcely occur, for example, when some members of the community are made to feel personally attacked, not for their ideas but for their very identity.

Mr Petersons representatives have been approached for a comment.
Hadiza was walking home from school one day when people started calling out: The young bride! The young bride!

The 14-year-old had no idea who they were talking about, and kept on walking. She got back to her house to find her mother crying. When Hadiza asked her sisters why she was so upset, no one answered.

This would be the start of Hadizas new life as a child bride.

Every year 12 million girls are married before they turn 18, and the country with the highest prevalence of child brides is Niger. In the west African nation 76 per cent of girls are married by 18, 28 per cent by 15. Girls as young as 10 are married in some regions, and after the age of 25 very few women remain unmarried.

Hadiza  whose name has been changed to protect her anonymity  is from Tillaberi and was forced into marriage as a child, but managed to escape the abusive relationship she found herself in.

It was 2010 when Hadiza came home from school to find out her life was going to change in ways far beyond her control. After being met with silence and confusion on that day nine years ago, her mother eventually explained what was happening.

My mum told me that my uncle had given me away in marriage without letting her know, Hadiza says. She then showed me tins of coke and sweets and said that it was for my weddings Fatiha. Then I started to cry too.

At this time her father was away working in the Ouaga area as a truck driver. Hadizas uncle  her fathers younger brother  had arranged the marriage without telling anyone.

He owed money to the father of the man Hadiza was due to marry, but had no way of paying the debt. So he gave away Hadizas hand in marriage to settle the score.

As a young girl who loved school, Hadiza knew this marriage would be the end of her education. Looking back on this time, she says: My childhood was like a broken dream because my dreams never came true.

She desperately wanted to escape the marriage, so two days after being told the news, Hadiza ran away from her family and hid in the woods. After three days alone, so exhausted that [she] couldnt speak, a local fisherman spotted her and took her back to the city.

Her brother had been searching for her, and on hearing that a girl had been found in the woods went to bring her home.

Hadiza was soon married to the older man who immediately told her she could no longer go to school. The teenager tried hiding again, but soon realised she couldnt keep running.

My uncle told my mum, he even called me, and he said that if I refused to accept the marriage, that meant that my mum had pushed me into refusing it so my mum would have to leave the house too.

My dad wasnt there and if they had gone after my mum, my sisters lives would have been ruined. So thats why I accepted to stay. I sacrificed myself for the wellbeing of my brothers and sisters.

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Hadizas husband took her over a thousand kilometres away from Tillaberi to Agadez, where the relationship would become even more controlling.

My mum cried for two weeks straight, Hadiza says. She even had problems with her eyes as a result.

Living in this new home in Agadez, her husband began to hit her, and would go long periods of time without feeding her.

Every night after they arrived he would try and have sex with her, and when she refused she would be beaten.

As soon as your wife is given over to you, the very night that she is given to you, you have to touch her, Hadiza says. The day that he took my virginity, a shameful thing to do, he was accompanied by his four friends. His four friends held me down as he took my virginity from me.

With no friends or family near, Hadiza would regularly sleep in the local station to escape the abuse, and go to neighbours houses for food. During this time, she became pregnant  a child that would go on to be stillborn.

Pregnancy and birth is more dangerous for adolescent girls than older women, with complications far more common, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Up to 86 per cent of obstetric fistula cases occur in girls under the age of 18. Access to healthcare is often a huge problem for child brides, and also leads to an increased level of unsafe abortions.

If children do survive, babies born to child brides face greater health risks compared to those with older mothers, with an increased likelihood of low birth weight and poor nutritional status, according to the WHO.

An estimated 2.1 million more children could survive past the age of five over a 15-year period if child marriage was eliminated.

When Hadiza was pregnant for the first time, a woman who lived nearby took her in. Her husband tried to bring her back home, but Hadiza managed to stay with the woman until she gave birth.

After three years of marriage, and having a second child who survived, Hadiza was able to escape her husband and move to Niamey. Rather than moving back in with her mother, she lived with her maternal uncle so her husband would not be able to find her.

Hes the one that tells me to not go back to Tillaberi because even if I go back, the guy is going to come after me.

While living with her uncle, Hadiza met a representative from the UNFPA, the UNs sexual and reproductive health agency. She became an ambassador, learnt to read and write, and met a woman through the organisation who helped her go back to school. She is also involved in the Sarraounia project implemented by Enabel which is part of the Belgian development agency. The project works to keep girls in school and offer them an alternative to early marriage.

I went back to year 9 and was luckily top of the class. I carried on to year 10 and was top of the class too. Hadiza went on to not only graduate from high school, but at 23 is now in the final year of a professional diploma in electronics, as well as continuing to work for non-profits helping young women in Niger.

I will carry on studying in Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco as there are no schools here in Niger where I can study electronics.

Despite her determination to study, and her previous traumatic marriage, there is still pressure on Hadiza to get remarried.

Last year, my dad told me that I had to get married. I told him no, that I didnt need to get married now. I told him that I am going to carry on studying until I finish my studies.

But it is not just her own education that Hadiza is passionate about.

I have saved more than five marriage cases here with my colleagues from the think tank Young Girl Leaders, Hadiza says. After reaching out to girls who are being forced to marry, Hadiza reports the people trying to marry them off to the police. After the union has been stopped, she continues to visit the girls, doing what she can to help them stay in education.

Using this new-found confidence and knowledge, Hadiza even stopped a marriage in her own family. After her niece left school because of her failing grades, Hadizas sister decided to arrange a marriage between the girl and a butcher.

I said to her, you are my own sister, my own flesh and blood, but if you insist on marrying this young girl who doesnt want to, Wallah, I will send you to prison.

She knew that I could do it as she knew that I worked for a non-profit. She gave in but we havent spoken to each other in two years.

The young girl now lives with Hadizas mother and is back in school  paid for by Hadiza.

Although an ingrained tradition in many societies, the arguments to end child marriage seem irrefutable.

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A 2017 World Bank study suggests that ending child marriage in Niger could save the country more than $25bn (19bn) by 2030. Worldwide, the cumulative costs of child marriage between 2014 and 2030 are projected to be above $5 trillion.

Child marriage increases fertility rates and population, therefore costs of basic services go up, such as education and health care. Child brides are less likely to complete their education, which leads to an inevitable loss in earnings.

I think that we need to raise awareness with the people in power, Hadiza says. She is emphatic that it is community leaders who will stem change.

If the chiefs of the village educate our dads on this, then our dads will most definitely agree with our choices. If the village chief doesnt agree, theres nothing we can do about it.

Although she managed to not only get an education but also work for NGOs helping young women like her, Hadiza still carries the weight of the last 10 years.

All my dreams were destroyed ... I have been held back so much. I can see that putting our lives in danger is not good. Stop [child] marriage.

The interview was conducted in French and translated into English by Joel McConville
The migration routes of ancient whales have been revealed by examining the remains of tiny creatures that hitched a ride on their backs.

Fossilised barnacles that stick to the bodies of these ocean giants contain chemical traces that scientists have used to track their progress across the worlds oceans.

The results suggest modern whales are still tracing the same long-distance pathways their ancestors have been following for hundreds of thousands of years.

Most whales today travel vast distances from the food-rich waters in the north to warmer seas around Central America and Hawaii to breed.

While experts have suggested these routes may have been established long ago, there has not been enough fossil evidence to support the theory.

Tragic photos show beached whales Show all 15 1 /15 Tragic photos show beached whales Tragic photos show beached whales A dead sperm whale lies on Hunstanton beach in Norfolk on 5 February 2016 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Volunteers pour buckets of water over the 80 remaining live pilot whales found stranded on remote Ocean Beach on New Zealand's southern-most Stewart island, 8 January 2003 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Contractors clear away the body of one of the dead 48ft sperm whales that were washed-up on a beach near Gibraltar Point in Skegness, Lincolnshire in 2016 PA Tragic photos show beached whales People pass by a beached whale at the Pointe de la Torche, near Brest in France on 29 November 2011 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A woman touches the tail of a large whale carcass on Wattamola Beach at the Royal National Park in Sydney on 25 September 2018 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Beached humpback whale in California, 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Dead long fin pilot whales at Hamelin Bay on Australia's west coast on 23 March 2009 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A 36ft sperm whale lies dead on the beach at Sutton Bridge, in The Wash, off the Lincolnshire coast, where it became stranded in 2004 PA Tragic photos show beached whales A female fin whale opens its mouth as it lies stranded and alive on the beach at Carlyon Bay, Cornwall on 13 August 2012 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales The lower jaw of a dead sperm whale that stranded itself on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales One of the five sperm whales that were found washed ashore on beaches near Skegness, Lincolnshire over the weekend on 25 January 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Employees at work to skin the remains of a beached 60ft whale on 25 January 2013 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Two long-finned pilot whales are stranded on a beach in the northern French city of Calais on 2 November 2015 AFP/Getty Tragic photos show beached whales A sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty Tragic photos show beached whales Crowds gather as a sperm whale lies dead after becoming stranded on a beach in Hunstanton, Norfolk on 5 February 2016 Getty

Instead of relying on whale bones, the team behind the new study opted for barnacles as a more reliable indicator.

The signals we found in the fossil barnacles showed us quite clearly that ancient humpback and grey whales were undertaking journeys very similar to those that these whales make today, said Larry Taylor, a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley.

It seems like the summer breeding and winter feeding migrations have been an integral part of the way of life of these whales for hundreds of thousands of years.

Whale barnacles attach to a humpback whales skin (Aleria Jensen, NOAA/NMFS/AKFSC)

Specifically, the Pacific coast of Panama appears to have served as a whale meeting point for at least 270,000 years.

While most barnacles glue their hard shells to rocks, there are varieties that are specialised for living on the bodies of whales.

This provides the barnacles with free passage to nutrient-filled waters, and the opportunity to breed with other barnacles when the whales carrying them meet up to mate.

Mr Taylor and his colleagues focused on types of oxygen molecule preserved in the shells of both modern and ancient barnacles.

As the oxygen composition changes depending on where in the ocean whales are, this gives an idea of their movements over time.

Both prehistoric and modern samples yielded measurements that suggested time spent in a variety of different waters, with patterns pointing to a summer feeding season and winter breeding season.

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The scientists hope that their technique, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could be used to perform more prehistoric detective work.

We want to push the technique further back in time and across different whale populations, said Dr Seth Finnegan, a co-author also based at the University of California, Berkeley. Hunting for fossil whale barnacles is easier than whales, and they provide a wealth of information waiting to be uncovered.
In a time when there is very little credit floating about for Theresa May, perhaps the only thing anyone can find to praise her for is resilience.

It is a great example of quintessentially British double-speak, being in truth an expression of disbelief she is still in office, despite the horrendous political mess she finds herself in.

On Sunday it seemed as if the clunking jalopy of her leadership was finally about to break down as it met the steep hill of cabinet mutiny, but once again we all woke up on Monday to see it wheeze and splutter into Westminster.
A Brexit supporter who yelled respect the vote as he hit Jeremy Corbyn while holding an egg has been jailed for 28 days.

John Murphy, 31, admitted a charge of assault by beating after attacking the Labour leader as he visited a mosque in Finsbury Park, north London, earlier this month.

The 3 March attack in Mr Corbyns constituency came less than a week after his party announced it would support a second referendum on EU membership and amid heightened tensions over Brexit.

Remain-supporting politicians have told of receiving death threats of their EU stance and MPs have been warned about their safety.

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot had warned Murphy before sentencing him that he faced jail to send a clear message that attacks on MPs must stop.

John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened Show all 6 1 /6 John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened Then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is involved in a scuffle after a protester threw an egg at him on May 16 2001 PA John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened Prescott was in Rhyl to address a Labour rally for the upcoming 2001 election PA John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened Afte being hit by the egg, Prescott turned around and began throwing punches PA John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened The alleged thrower of the egg is led away by police PA John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened Prescott's popularity among the public rose following the incident PA John Prescott egged then punches man: as it happened The Lord Prescott was Deputy Prime Minister to Tony Blair between 1997 and 2007. He was awarded a life peerage in Gordon Brown's 2010 dissolution honours PA

Mr Corbyn, in a statement read to Westminster Magistrates Court, said he was shocked and surprised by the egging, which happened on an open day at the mosque.

I feel these kind of attacks drive a wedge between elected representatives and those who elect them in the first place. We are now reviewing and increasing my security protection, he said.

Mr Corbyn was attacked while visiting Muslim Welfare House with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott. They had earlier been to nearby Finsbury Park mosque, which was the site of deadly terror attack by far-right extremist Darren Osborne in June 2017.

Prosecutor Kevin Christie told the court that Mr Corbyn took off his shoes and sat down next to his wife Laura Alvarez and a group of people who seemed to be in great spirits.

Suddenly, he felt a strike to the right side of his forehead and then realised someone had reached over his right shoulder and struck him, Mr Christie said.

As he was struck he heard a male voice shouting: Respect the vote.

Mr Corbyn, after washing off the egg to reveal a red mark, witnessed a very aggressive Murphy being restrained while his face was contorted with rage.

Murphy, of Whetstone, Barnet, in northwest London, continued to shout respect the vote as he was held.

The Labour leader said in the victim impact statement that he was determined to continue to interact with the public, but accepted he must now be more cautious.

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Malik Aldeiri, representing Murphy in court, suggested the Labour leaders statement was slightly over egged in the sense that Mr Corbyn himself hasnt suffered any impact.

But Ms Arbuthnot said: This is a public servant and attacks on MPs must stop. The message must go out  this must stop. she said.

Mr Christie added: This was an unprovoked attack on a politician carrying out official duties. Although Mr Corbyn was not seriously hurt, Murphy had come with a number of eggs that he could have used had he not been detained quickly.

Assaults on public servants affect the very fabric of our democratic society ... This case clearly sends out a message that such behaviour will not be tolerated and perpetrators will correctly be brought before the courts.

In recent days, independent MP Anna Soubry said she was targeted by very, very serious death threats and Labours Lloyd Russell-Moyle said a man shouting traitors grappled with him in an attempted assault.

MPs have also been warned by Commons deputy speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to travel by taxi or with colleagues because of the hostile climate.

Theresa May has faced severe criticism from MPs, who accused her of whipping up anger and putting them at risk by blaming them for delaying Brexit in a Downing Street speech last week.
Detectives investigating the drive-by shooting of a teenage girl in north London have arrested a 50-year-old man in connection with the murder.

Seventeen-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, who mentored younger teenagers to keep them off the streets, was gunned down in Tottenham on 2 April last year.

Two men, aged 31 and 18, were arrested on suspicion of murder and were subsequently released under investigation pending further inquiries. A 22-year-old, also arrested on suspicion of murder, was released on bail.

Tanesha, who had seven siblings, died during a spate of bloodshed in London in 2018.

The teenager, who was killed 13 weeks before her 18th birthday, had planned to travel to Jamaica to visit her father and was due to start a youth work course.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 November 2021 Migrants are helped ashore from a RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat at a beach in Dungeness, on the south-east coast of England, on November 24, 2021, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. The fire broke out on Wednesday night the fire service has said and local residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to large amounts of smoke PA UK news in pictures 17 November 2021 The sun rises over South Shields Lighthouse, on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2021 ancer Maithili Vijayakumar at the launch of 2021 Diwali celebrations at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 15 November 2021 Forensic officers work outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, following a car blast, in Liverpool Reuters UK news in pictures 14 November 2021 Wreaths by the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London PA UK news in pictures 13 November 2021 Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is ending his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Ratcliffe has spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London without food. He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA UK news in pictures 12 November 2021 Peter Green protesting outside the Cop26 gates during the official final day of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2021 Seagulls fly around the statue entitled 'Tommy', a first World War soldier by artist Ray Lonsdale at dawn in Seaham, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 10 November 2021 Climate activists dressed as characters inspired by the Netflix series Squid Game protest as they ask Samsung to go 100% renewable energy, outside the venue for COP26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 9 November 2021 A deer statue silhouetted at Loch Faskally in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 8 November 2021 Sunrise over St Mary's Lighthouse at Whitley Bay on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2021 Activists from Friends of the Earth during a demonstration calling for an end to all new oil and gas projects in the North Sea outside the UK Government's Cop26 hub during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2021 Protesters take part in a rally organised by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow demanding global climate justice PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2021 Final touches are made to a life sized Sir David Attenborough cake surrounded by animals as part of a display created by a group of cake artists during Cake International at NEC Birmingham PA UK news in pictures 4 November 2021 A spectacular display of the Northern Lights seen over Derwentwater, near Keswick in the Lake District PA UK news in pictures 3 November 2021 Police and demonstrators at a Extinction Rebellion protest on Buchanan Street, during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 2 November 2021 A person walks along the Basingstoke canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 1 November 2021 Sir David Attenborough delivers a speech during Cop26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 31 October 2021 Extinction Rebellion activists protest in Edinburgh as the Cop26 conference begins in Glasgow Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2021 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with Mapuche leader and Minga Indigena Lead Coordinator Claflin Lafkenche (right) alongside indigenous delegates at a ceremonial gathering at the Tramway in Glasgow in a symbolic gesture to mark a unified demand for climate justice PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2021 Ocean Rebellion put on a display of puking oil heads ahead of climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow EPA UK news in pictures 28 October 2021 A man dressed as Santa Claus outside Selfridges in London as the department store unveils its Christmas windows on Oxford Street PA UK news in pictures 27 October 2021 Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak during a visit to Fourpure Brewery in Bermondsey, London, after the chancellor announced a cut to beer taxes in his budget PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2021 Activist Steve Bray demonstrates with a toilet outside the gates of Downing Street, after MPs voted in Parliament against the Environment Bill, allowing companies to pump raw sewage into UK rivers and seas, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 October 2021 Second World War veteran James White, 96, at the opening of the Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance, marking the start of the remembrance period PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2021 Richard Ratcliffe holds up a photo of his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as he protests outside the Foreign Office while on hunger strike, part of an effort to lobby the UK foreign secretary to bring his wife home from detention in Iran Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2021 Partner of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Stella Morris and Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks Kristinn Hrafnsson attend a protest ahead of the appeal hearing over Assange's extradition, in London Reuters

In an appeal for information following her death, her mother said in a statement: "Myself and Tanesha were best friends as well as mother and daughter. The impact of her death is long lasting and still doesn't feel real. It feels as if I'm living in a dream and she'll be coming back. "The impact on her dad and siblings has been indescribable too.

"There is a huge hole in our family that will never be filled."

Speaking after the shooting, Tanesha's friend Tyesha, 21, told the BBC she was "just chilling with her friends" when she was shot.

"The car just pulled up and just started shooting," she said.

Police believe the teenager was shot by someone sitting in the passenger seat of a Vauxhall Meriva.

Earlier this year detective inspector Beverley Kofi said Tanesha had "no gang affiliations whatsoever".
A group of homeless people were kicked out of public tunnels next to the Houses of Parliament. One man claimed he was told by a police officer that an MP had complained about their presence.

Two of the men who had been sleeping in the tunnels to keep warm told The Independent that Metropolitan Police officers ejecting them had cited section four of the Vagrancy Act 1824  the 19th century law which criminalises rough sleeping and begging.

One man said a police officer had also mentioned clearing the tunnels, which connect Westminster Tube station to an entrance to parliament, so the MPs can get to work.

Elliot, 22, who has been homeless since he was 16, said: I was in the tunnel reading my Bible. I had just woken up and was still trying to keep warm. The police told me to get up and leave. One of them said, Were moving everyone from the tunnels so the MPs can get to work.

He added: The police usually leave me alone, but this has been happening quite a lot recently. I told them, What is the point of doing this? Because were not doing anything wrong.

The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Show all 10 1 /10 The Stats: Homelessness in the UK The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Sleeping rough up 165% from 2010 The total number of people counted or estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2018 was 4,677, up 2,909 people or 165% from the 2010 total of 1,768 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK London rough sleepers up 13% The number of people sleeping rough increased by 146 or 13% in London since 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK London accounted for 27% of people sleeping rough in England London accounted for 27% of the total number of people sleeping rough in England. This is up from 24% of the England total in 2017 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 64% of rough sleeps UK nationals 64% were UK nationals, compared to 71% in 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 14% of rough sleepers are women 14% of the people recorded sleeping rough were women, the same as in 2017 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 6% were aged 25 years or under, compared to 8% in 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Thousands of families staying in temporary housing Almost 79,000 families were staying in temporary housing in the last three months of 2017 because they didn't have a permanent home, compared with 48,010 in the same period eight years before Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Reduction in families living in temporary housing before Coalition government There had been a significant reduction in families living in such conditions before the Coalition government came into power, with the number having fallen by 52 per cent between 2004 and 2010 under the Labour government AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Families staying in temporary has risen since But the figure has crept up in each of the past seven years, from 69,140 in the last quarter of 2015, to 75,740 in the same period in 2016 and 78,930 at the end of last year Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Nearly 58,000 families accepted as homeless (2018) Nearly 58,000 families have been accepted as homeless by their local council in the past year (as of March 2018), equating to an increase of 8 per cent over the last five years Getty

The clearance of the tunnels follows a sharp rise in the number of rough sleepers across Westminster borough.

The removal of homeless people comes as Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians attempt to scrap the cruel and out-of-date Vagrancy Act.

Layla Moran, the Lib Dem MP who has launched a private members bill to repeal the act, said: The news that the Vagrancy Act is actively being used to deter vulnerable people near Westminster is shameful  we must stop using this outdated law.

Labour's shadow housing minister Melanie Onn, added: This move wont lead to rough sleepers getting the support they need or do anything to solve the underlying causes of homelessness, but will simply move them out of sight and potentially into worse situations.

Peter, 60, who has sleeping rough in the tunnels since October 2018, told The Independent he was woken up by police officers around 8am on Monday.

 Homeless figures released: more than 4,500 sleeping rough on Englands streets

They asked me to leave. I asked why, but they didnt give me a good reason, they just said, Section four  meaning section four of the Vagrancy Act, which Ive heard before. Its happened quite regularly since the end of February. There was one officer who told me they had had a complaint from a MP.

He added: Im here because its safe and warm. They call us vagrants but were not doing anything wrong  I always tidy up and take my stuff away.

No arrests were made at Westminster Tube station on Monday, according to a Metropolitan Police spokesperson.

The Met Police have previously been invited to a ministerial round table discussion. The police have been asked to work in partnership with other organisations, including Westminster City Council and outreach partners, to engage with people in the street, identify their support needs, and try to connect them with relevant services, said the spokesperson for the force.

Westminster Tube station tunnels have been used by rough sleepers (Getty)

This includes undertaking joint patrols in the pedestrian subways near to the Palace of Westminster and many other areas within Westminster where rough sleepers are believed to sleep.

A total 320,000 people were recorded as homeless in Britain last year, analysis from housing charity Shelter suggested in November. It was a rise of 13,000, or 4 per cent, on last year's figures and equivalent to 36 new people becoming homeless every day.

Metropolitan Police figures released following a Freedom of Information request show the force made 1,660 arrests of homeless people across London using the Vagrancy Act between 2013 and 2017.

Campaigners remain concerned about use of the 195-year-old act across England and Wales to penalise people simply for being homeless.

Rough sleepers we work with tell us how they feel harassed and anxious and unsafe, said Shaista Aziz, co-founder of the Labour Homelessness Campaign. People who are rough sleeping are people denied agency and rights, she added. The Vagrancy Act is a cruel and out-of-date law that is being used to further alienate, criminalise and demonise the most vulnerable in society.

Centrepoint, St Mungos and Crisis have all called for an end to the law.

Crisis director of policy and external affairs, Matt Downie, previously told The Independent the act was not fit for purpose and represented social attitudes 200 years out of date.

Floral tribute to a 43-year-old man who died at the entrance to parliament in December (PA) (PA Wire/PA Images)

He said there were other mechanisms, such as CPNs, for councils and police to respond to genuine antisocial activity.

In December a homeless man who was found dying outside an entrance to parliament later died in hospital.

Gyula Remes, a 43-year-old Hungarian national, was initially found by his friend looking all blue near a set of revolving doors used by politicians and staff.
 Close House of Commons votes 329 to 302 to approve Letwin's amendment A: The Brexit Next Steps motion

Theresa May has suffered another humiliating defeat in the Commons after MPs dramatically wrested control of the Brexit process from the government.

Pro-EU Tory ministers Steve Brine, Alistair Burt and Richard Harrington resigned from their posts to back a cross-party bid to hold indicative votes on Wednesday, allowing the Commons to test support for different Brexit options.

Some 30 Conservative MPs rebelled against the government to support the amendment tabled by Tory MP Sir Oliver Letwin, potentially paving the way for a softer Brexit deal that keeps the UK closer to Brussels.

It comes after the prime minister admitted there was "still not sufficient support" to bring her Brexit deal back to the Commons for a third "meaningful vote". MPs have overwhelmingly rejected her plan twice already.

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Brussels has said preparations for a no-deal Brexit have been completed and warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out.

In a statement released on Monday, the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished.

The announcement comes days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date  though not by as long as she had asked for.

Article 50 has now been extended until April 12, meaning the UK will crash out without a deal if it does not pass the withdrawal agreement by then, secure a further extension or unilaterally cancel the Brexit process.

If MPs approve the withdrawal agreement this week, the EU has also granted an additional extension to May 22  just before the European parliament elections. A further long extension could also be provided until at least the end of the year  but only if the UK signals it wants to participate in the elections and does so before April 12.

"Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Show all 15 1 /15 "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage waves from the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus on the march from Sunderland to London Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers pass a sign to "Cuckoo Land" in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher holds up a blue passport as the march passes Grangetown, Tyne and Wear Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses for a photo in a pub in Hartlepool Reuters "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage pays his respects to Tommy, the statue of a First World War soldier in Seaham, County Durham Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march An anti-Brexit van has been graffitied in Sunderland on the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A marcher carries a Union flag reading "Storm Brexit" in Sunderland Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A couple push a Save Our Sovereignty trolley through a tunnel in Easington, County Durham during the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage enjoys a pint with fellow marchers in Hartlepool Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march A pro-European counter-marcher lets off a smoke grenade with the colours of the EU flag Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage leads the march in Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Marchers plod on near Easington Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage takes part in the Brexit Betrayal march Getty "Leave means leave" - Brexit Betrayal march Nigel Farage poses on the top deck of the Brexit Betrayal bus in Seaham Getty

The European Commission said it has published 90 preparedness notices, three communications, and has made 19 legislative proposals in order to deal with the possible consequences of a no-deal Brexit.

Brussels has also been liaising with EU member states, which are responsible for much preparatory work. The EC said on Monday that visits to the 27 countries had shown a high degree of preparation by member states for all scenarios.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the EC said: While the European Union continues to hope that it will not be the case, this means that if the withdrawal agreement is not ratified by Friday 29 March, a no-deal scenario may occur on 12 April.

The EU has prepared for this scenario and has remained united throughout its preparations. It is now important that everyone is ready for and aware of the practical consequences a no-deal scenario brings.

The EUs no-deal measures include temporary fixes for problems that would otherwise arise with financial services, flights, freight, fisheries access and the Erasmus Programme (a student exchange programme established in 1987).

The European Union has also said it will provide continued funding of the peace programme in Northern Ireland, and set up a framework through which the UK could agree to continue contributing to the EU budget.

The EC will also safeguard visa free travel between the UK and EU, though officials say British travellers will no longer be able to use EU passport control lanes and will need to get their passports stamped.

There are also measures in place to safeguard the payment of pensions to most British and European Union nationals living abroad.

On the issue of the Northern Irish border, which has plagued talks, officials have said there will have to be checks and disruption  effectively a hard border  but that they will work with the Irish government to make them as unobtrusive as possible.

The EU said that many of the fixes are temporary and they cannot represent a long-term relationship between the UK and the bloc.

The effect of a no-deal Brexit is expected to be significantly more intense on the UK than on the EU. Britains no-deal Brexit planning is called Operation Yellowhammer and covers 12 areas including energy, transport, healthcare and food. The Ministry of Defence has also put 3,500 troops on standby.

Effects of a no deal on the UK are expected to include major disruption at ports and airports, rising prices, economic recession, and possible shortages of some foods and medicines.

Polls suggest the public would prefer to remain than leave without a deal, but some Brexiteers have said they still want to leave anyway despite the predictions it would harm the country.
A Conservative minister has said it would be better for the UK to cancel Brexit entirely than to leave the EU without a deal.

Mark Field, a Foreign Office minister, said he would vote to revoke Article 50 if MPs are given a free choice over how to proceed if Theresa May's Brexit deal is not approved this week.

The Commons is expected to hold a series of "indicative votes" on Wednesday on various possible Brexit outcomes if, as expected, it fails to pass the proposed withdrawal agreement before then.

Government ministers have suggested that Conservative MPs would be given a free vote, allowing them to support their preferred option rather than having to follow the party whip.

Mr Field said, if this is the case, he would be "happy" to support revoking Article 50 to end the "utter paralysis" over Brexit.

Recommended Cabinet at war over rival Brexit plans as MPs threatened with election

It is the first time a government minister has openly suggested cancelling Brexit.

The Cities of London and Westminster MP said he did not support a second referendum because it would be "very divisive, very uncertain" and that Leave would win again, adding that it would be better to cancel Brexit entirely.

He told the BBC's Westminster Hour: "My personal view is I would be happy to revoke Article 50, but I appreciate that is probably a minority view.

"If we get to this utter paralysis, and I sincerely hope that in the next 48-72 hours we do not, then if that becomes an option, it's an option that I personally would take. I accept it probably would not be a majority view in the House of Commons."

Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Show all 24 1 /24 Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent

And in a letter to his constituents, seen by HuffPost, Mr Field wrote: "In the event that the withdrawal agreement is once again voted down, I anticipate that parliament will take control of the process and ensure that a no-deal outcome on 29 March is avoided.

"This I would support, and given that parliament has already clearly voted against either a general election or a second referendum (or so-called People's Vote) then the issue of a revocation of Article 50 would come to the fore.

"Frankly in these circumstances there would be few other options. Whilst not firmly committing to supporting this course of action, I believe it to be a more desirable outcome than no deal, a second referendum or a general election (which would achieve little given how internally divided the two main parties are on this issue)."

Ms May is expected to outline her plan for holding indicative votes when her cabinet convenes for an emergency meeting on Monday. The government will reportedly allow the Commons to vote on seven possible Brexit outcomes, including the prime minister's deal, no deal, revoking Article 50, calling a second referendum or negotiating a new deal that would keep the UK closer to the EU.

The proposal is part of a bid to stop MPs passing a backbench amendment, tabled by Conservative former minister Sir Oliver Letwin, that would pave the way for parliament to seize control of Brexit by holding its own indicative votes on Wednesday.

More than 5.3 million people have now signed a petition on the parliament website calling for Article 50 to be revoked, making it by far the biggest ever posted on the site.
Business minister Richard Harrington has resigned over the governments handling of Brexit, which he claims is playing roulette with the lives of British people.

The Tory MP for Watford said in a letter to Theresa May he had quit so he could prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

It allowed him to support an amendment put forward by Oliver Letwin to allow MPs to take control of the Brexit process through a series of indicative votes.

Foreign office minister Alistair Burt and health minister Steve Brine also resigned to vote for the amendment.

Mr Harrington wrote in his resignation letter: Dear Prime Minister, I am writing to inform you, after very careful; consideration, that I am resigning from the government with immediate effect.

This has not been an easy decision for me, as I have been, and continue to be, very supportive of the governments policy of securing an agreement with the European Union in order to ensure an orderly exit for the United Kingdom.

Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys

As the MP for Watford, my duty and my priority is to my constituency, I have a responsibility to think and act in the local and national interest, and I am tasked with exercising my judgement in that respect.

At this critical moment in our countrys history, I regret that the governments approach to Brexit is playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country who are employed by or otherwise depend on business for their livelihood.

Further, as the UKs Industry Minister, the clear message I have been receiving from the business community is that the failure to secure a deal and to rule out a hard Brexit is resulting in cancelled investment decisions, business being placed abroad, and a sense of ridicule for British business, across the world.

In the event of a no deal Brexit actually happening, there would be widespread and long-standing implications for everyone.

The economy may take five to ten years to adjust to the new reality, during which time jobs would be lost and livelihoods ruined.

I fear that no deal would be part of a giant economic experiment that is championed by a small minority of the economics profession, a small minority of the Conservative Party, and a small minority of the country.

I have therefore decided that I resign from the government to do all I can to prevent this from happening and will work with other concerned colleagues in these efforts.

I hope you will now act in the national interest and enable parliament this week to find a consensus which we can use as our negotiating position moving forward. I believe this is the only way to ensure true democracy.

The Conservative Party has a deep and honourable tradition of putting the national interest before itself. It also has had a long history of being the Party for business, entrepreneurs and supporting people to prosper and succeed.

This is the moment to ensure this Conservative Government continues this proud tradition and necessary endeavour. It has been an honour serving this government, and I will be proud and vocal in my support to you and your government on all matters aside from Brexit. With best wishes, Richard Hartington MP.
Five opposition parties published a letter on Monday condemning the UKs continued arms trade with the murderous regime of Saudi Arabia and calling the government complicit in Yemens devastation.

The letter, published in full by The Independent, is signed by leaders of the Labour Party, SNP, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Partys lone MP.

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, is expected in London this week to discuss the redeployment of forces and the opening up of access to humanitarian supplies, especially in the rebel-held strategic port city of Hodeidah.

The citys fragile truce, negotiated in Stockholm in December, continues to hold, but any failure to implement the deal could lead to even greater devastation in a country that is experiencing what the UN calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.

In their joint letter to the foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, the opposition leaders, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable and the SNP leader in the Commons Ian Blackford, said the government continues to profit from the conflict through selling arms that it knows are being used to fuel it.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem

It is utterly shameful that rather than working with international partners and organisations to bring the conflict to an end, the UK government has instead chosen to pursue a policy of continued arms sales to the Saudi regime that have fuelled the war, said Mr Blackford, who organised the cross-party letter.

Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, the UK government is believed to have licensed 4.7bn worth of arms to Saudi Arabia.

This figure, the letter said, is all the more shocking considering that it overshadows the amount raised by the UNs Yemen appeal.

The UK recently announced that it was stepping up its efforts to help people in Yemen, bringing the total that the UK has committed since the start of the four-year conflict to 770m.

The letter said it was clear that the government was unwilling to accept any correlation between the sale of weapons to the Saudi government and the crimes that the regime commits.

It also questioned the governments argument that the UKs close relationship with Saudi Arabia meant it could influence its ally. The leverage we hold over them must be considerable yet their behaviour and appalling human rights abuses have continued unrestrained, the letter said.

Whilst a number of countries and international bodies, including Germany, the US congress, the UN human rights council and the European parliament, have all called for a suspension of arms sales, the UK is determined not to pressure its ally to abide by basic human rights laws, the letter claimed.

It is morally reprehensible that the UK government is not only not considering changing its policy but is actively lobbying other foreign governments, as it did with Germany, to resume weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, it said.

The foreign secretary last month visited Yemen, becoming the first senior western politician to visit the country since the war broke out in 2015.

Mr Hunt said he had delivered difficult messages to the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels.

Jeremy Hunt has talked about the need for peace, but the reality is that this war could not be fought without the fighter jets and bombs being produced and sold by arms-dealing governments like the UK, Andrew Smith from the Campaign Against Arms Trade told The Independent.

 Video shows damaged buildings and homes in Yemen village hit by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes

Whilst humanitarian aid is essential, financial aid alone will not resolve this manmade crisis. The UK must stop supplying arms to the Saudi-led coalition that continues to indiscriminately bomb innocent civilians, said Jojo Shahvisi, an adviser at War Child UK.

Profiting from such a disastrous conflict significantly damages Britains reputation internationally.

Yemens devastating civil war, which enters its fifth year this week, pits Houthi rebels  who control northern Yemen  against the Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognised government.

The UN has documented nearly 18,000 civilian casualties in Yemen  some 10,852 believed to have been victims of Saudi-led coalition assaults.

Its figures say that some 10,000 have lost their lives, however some estimates suggest the death toll may be as high as 56,000 killed since early 2016.

UN experts have accused both sides of committing possible war crimes.

The war has forced the displacement of more than three million people and left most of the population food insecure.

Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, has warned that despite a recent ceasefire signed in Sweden, children in Yemen continued to be killed and wounded at an alarming rate.

Since the Stockholm agreement on 13 December, it is estimated that eight children have been killed or injured in Yemen every day, Ms Bachelet told the UN human rights council last week.

The UN also said that there had been a sharp spike in the number of suspected cholera cases this year, as well as increased displacement in a northern province.

A UN report said 100,000 suspected cholera cases have been found across Yemen since the beginning of the year, and more than 190 people have died.
A pilot is believed to have crashed a stolen plane into a clubhouse hosting a baby shower in a bid to kill his wife, according to reports.

Dozens of guests were forced to flee the party at a flying club in Botswana on Saturday after Charl Viljoen repeatedly flew past dangerously low in what witnesses described as a menacing way.

The aircraft then flew directly into the clubhouse and burst into flames, killing the pilot and destroying the building and 13 parked vehicles.

According to some local media, eyewitnesses said Mr Viljoen, 38, turned up uninvited at the party at the Matsieng aerodrome near Gaborone before the incident and hit his wife during a heated argument.

However South African newspaper The Citizen reports that some witnesses said there was no physical altercation or argument at the event.

Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Show all 15 1 /15 Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia People stand near collected debris at the crash site AFP/Getty Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia A man carries a piece of debris on his head at the crash site AFP/Getty Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Wreckage lies at the crash site of the Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 737 near Addis Ababa EPA Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Debris at the site of the crash near Addis Ababa Reuters Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia CEO of Ethiopia Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam inspects the crash site AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Debris from the crashed aeroplane AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia UN staff observe a minutes silence for the victims of the plane crash. 19 UN workers were killed in the crash AFP/Getty Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Rescuers work at the scene of the crash near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Rescuers work at the scene of the crash near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 (ET-AVM), the same type of aircraft that crashed EPA Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Rescuers work at the scene of the crash near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Members of the search and rescue team work at the scene of the crash near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Reuters Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia A boarding pass at the scene of the crash Reuters Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Rescuers remove body bags from the scene of the crash near Addis Ababa AP Plane crash kills 157 in Ethiopia Wreckage at the scene of the Ethiopia Airlines flight AP

Mr Viljoen is believed to have left and travelled 30 miles south to Sir Seretse Khama Airport where he is understood to have taken a Beechcraft KingAir B200 aircraft without permission.

The Matsieng Flying Club confirmed Mr Viljoen was an uninvited guest at a private function held at its clubhouse.

It said in a statement: It is rumoured that the pilot was involved in a domestic dispute earlier in the afternoon.

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At approximately 18.15 the aircraft approached Matsieng Aerodrome from the direction of Sir Seretse Khama Airport and made a number of low level fly pasts from different directions past the club facilities next to the air traffic control tower.

Matsieng Flying Club members sensed that the pilot might have had an ulterior motive at the time and ordered an immediate evacuation of the club premises by the approximately 60 people present.

The pilot is said to have had one son and to have originally come from Olifantshoek, in Northern Cape, South Africa.

His Facebook page shows he began working as a charter pilot at Kalahari Air Services in October and previously attended Blue Chip Aviation Flight School, in Pretoria, South Africa.

For confidential support call Samaritans on 116 123.
A Kenyan teacher who gives away most of his salary to help the poorest students has won a $1m prize and the title of world's best in his profession.

Peter Tabichi, who works at a high school in a semi-arid, rural village badly affected by famine and drought, has won the Varkey Foundations 2019 Global Teacher Prize.

The 36-year-old, a member of the Franciscan religious order, received the award at Dubais opulent Atlantis Hotel in a ceremony hosted by actor Hugh Jackman on Sunday.

The foundation said the science and maths teacher was chosen for his dedication, hard work and passionate belief in his students at Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School in Pwani village, in a remote part of Kenyas Rift Valley.

Ninety-five per cent of his students live in poverty and nearly a third are either orphans or from single-parent families. Drug abuse, teenage pregnancies and early marriage means the school has high drop-out rates.

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. 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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. 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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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Even affording breakfast is hard. Theyre not able to concentrate, because they havent had enough meals at home, said Mr Tachibi, who gives 80 per cent of his income to local community projects.

Mr Tabichi said he planned to use his $1m to feed the poor and improve his school, which has no library or laboratory, just one computer and limited internet access.

Despite the obstacles they face, his pupils have emerged victorious after taking on the countrys best schools in national science competitions.

"At times, whenever I reflect on the challenges they face, I shed tears," he said of his students, adding that his award will help give them confidence.

Peter Tabichi is given the Global Teacher Prize trophy by actor Hugh Jackman, left, and Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed Al-Maktoum, right (AFP/Getty Images)

Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta said in a statement that Mr Tabichi's story "is the story of Africa" and would give hope for future generations.

As a member of the Roman Catholic brotherhood, Mr Tabichi wore a plain floor-length brown robe to receive the award presented by Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The teacher had never before travelled beyond neighbouring Uganda and the trip to the ceremony was his first time on a plane.

"I feel great. I can't believe it. I feel so happy to be among the best teachers in the world, being the best in the world," he said.

The Global Teacher Prize is awarded annually by the Varkey Foundation, whose founder, Sunny Varkey, set up a private company that runs 55 schools in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar.

Now in its fifth year, the award is the largest of its kind and quickly became one of the most coveted and prestigious for teachers. Mr Tabichi was one of 10,000 applicants from around the globe.

In his acceptance speech, the teacher told how his mother had died when he was aged just 11, leaving his father, a primary school teacher, with the job of raising him and his siblings alone.

He thanked his father for instilling his Christian values, then pointed to him in the audience, invited him up on stage and handed him the award to hold as the room erupted in applause and cheers.

"I found tonight to be incredibly emotional, very moving," Jackman said after hosting the ceremony, in which he performed musical numbers from his film The Greatest Showman.

"It was a great honour, a thrill to be here and I just thought the whole evening was just filled with a really pure spirit," he added.

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The Global Teacher Prize winner is selected by committees comprised of teachers, journalists, officials, entrepreneurs, business leaders and scientists.

Last years winner, west London art teacher Andria Zafirakou, was recognised for her work in one of the most ethnically diverse places in the country.

Other teachers awarded the prize include a Canadian who works with indigenous students in an isolated Arctic village with high suicide rates, and a Palestinian who teaches West Bank refugee children traumatised by violence.

The 2015 inaugural winner was a teacher from Maine who founded a non-profit demonstration school created for the purpose of developing and disseminating teaching methods.
A company in California has announced a precautionary recall of avocados after Listeria monocytogenes was discovered in environmental samples taken during a government inspection.

The Henry Avocado Corporation announced the voluntary recall in a news release, noting no illnesses had been reported in association with the avocados.

We are voluntarily recalling our products and taking every action possible to sure the safety of consumers who eat our avocados, Phil Henry, the companys president, said in the statement.

The avocados being recalled were distributed from the California packing centre to a handful of states, including Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Concerned consumers can identify the potentially contaminated products by the Bravocado stickers put on the organic produce. The stickers also indicate they come from the state of California.

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

Listeria symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain, severe headaches, fevers, and stiffness. The infections can sometimes be fatal among those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and children.

The Centre for Disease Control suggests anyone with severe symptoms should seek medical treatment

Henry Avocado Corporation noted avocados from Mexico sold by the company are not subject to the recall.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Anyone who believes they have purchased recalled avocados has been urged to throw the produce away, or to bring the avocados back to the store where they were purchased for a refund.
A note referencing the mass shootings in New Zealand was found at the scene of a possible arson attack at a mosque in California, police have revealed.

Members of the Islamic Centre of Escondido, around 30 miles north of San Diego, were able to extinguish the blaze before firefighters arrived around 3.15am on Sunday.

Local police, the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials are investigating the case as a possible arson attack and a hate crime after a note was discovered in the parking lot and graffiti was scrawled on the driveway.

Escondido Police Lieutenant Chris Lick said the letter mentioned the shootings that killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch earlier this month.

Police did not elaborate about the contents of the note, and nor did they share any information about the graffiti message.

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 small fire at the southern California mosque caused minor damage to the buildings exterior but no one was injured by the flames.

Seven people were inside at the time of the fire, police told the KNSD TV station. The worshippers used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze before a fire crew arrived on the scene.

There are people who sleep there overnight, said mosque member Yusef Miller. They heard the sounds, they smelled some funny smells, and there was a letter saying something connecting to New Zealand at the same time. So, this made everybody especially on edge.

The Escondido Mosque was established four years ago and serves several hundred people in the city, Mr Miller explained.

We wont stop praying, he said. We wont stop gathering.

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Dustin Craun, the head of the Council of American-Islamic Relations in San Diego, described the possible arson attack as disturbing and asked for anyone with information to come forward.

It is disturbing enough that some sick individual would attempt to burn a house of worship to the ground, but referencing the slayings in New Zealand is beyond the pale, he said.

While the majority of humanity has responded to the tragedy to draw closer to one another and refute hatred, a violent and hate-filled minority seeks further divisions.

We ask anyone with information to come forward and contact the Escondido Police Department. We stand in solidarity with our community members who attend the Islamic Centre of Escondido.

Additional reporting by agencies
A man in Virginia has been sentenced to six mandatory life sentences, plus 30 years in prison, for sex offences involving a minor that went on for a decade, authorities said.

Guillermo Enrique Figueroa-Menendez, 64, was given the sentence in Loudoun County Circuit Court after he pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual offences against a minor.

Officials said the minor was a child under 13 years old.

Two of the victims relatives testified at a March hearing in the case.

The victims mother told the judge, I want to be able to assure my son that he never has to worry about this man again, according to a statement from the Loudoun County commonwealths attorneys office.

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

Another relative said Figueroa-Menendez was a predator, abuser, pedophile and sick monster living in our midst.

Judge J. Howe Brown Jr. called it one of the worst cases of abuse he had ever heard, according to the commonwealths attorneys office.

There are few crimes that involve such profound betrayal and lasting damage than those where a child is sexually abused, Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Nicole Wittmann said in the offices statement.

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She said the child has a loving family and community of supporters to help him deal with the impact of this crime, and that, she said, gives us all much hope.
Jeremy Richman, a 49-year-old father of a victim killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, has died from an apparent suicide.

His daughter, Avielle Richman, was one of the 20 first-grade students and six educators killed in the 2012 massacre.

Police confirmed the father had died on Monday morning, declining to provide any other details except that his death did not appear suspicious.

This is a heart breaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police departments prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time, Newton Police Lieutenant Aaron Bahamonde said in a statement.

The father was found by an electrician at Edmond Town Hall early Monday morning, according to police. The chief medical examiner will determine the official cause of his death.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The Richman family created the Avielle Foundation after the mass shooting to promote brain science research that probes murderous and other violent actions committed by individuals like the man who stormed their daughters elementary school six years ago.

The Avielle Foundation has an office located inside the Edmond Town Hall.

Mr Richman became a prominent supporter of mental health care reform following the shooting, telling lawmakers in a January 2013 hearing, We must act to ensure this doesnt happen again.

He reportedly left his job at the Boehringer Ingelheim pharmaceutical company, where he worked as a researcher, in order to spend more time working at the foundation.

Two survivors of another school shooting in Parkland, Florida also died from apparent suicides within the past week.

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My heart breaks for this family, which has already endured so much, Senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. This is a gut punch. I came to know his family after Sandy Hook, I attended the funeral. My prayers go out to them.

He added, The cascading harm done by that savage, unspeakable act reminds us of the trauma thats caused  and the after-effects.

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  Malacanang on Monday addressed claims of some fishermen in Masinloc, Zambales that they have been driven away from Scarborough Shoal west of Luzon.

In his regular media briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the government will file a protest against China over the supposed "harassment" to local fishermen if concerned authorities can show definite proof.

In a short documentary shared by the camp of senatorial bet Neri Colmenares over the weekend, a group of Masinloc fishermen aired their grievance over the harassment in Scarborough Shoal, around 120 nautical miles off Zambales.

Panelo said the footage may not be new.

"I know it's a recent release, what I'm saying is baka 'yung [maybe the] video, was taken prior," Panelo said.

"They have to show proof that that's being done now again. Because if that's being done then we will protest. We will now allow our countrymen to be subjected to that kind of harassment," he added.

In the six-minute clip entitled West PH Sea: Atin ito, the fishermen bared difficulties with their livelihood, and their profits have significantly dwindled.

One fisherman said some Chinese nationals even cut their rafts, and alleged that a coast guard also stole their catch and shooed them away from the fishing ground.

They added ships have been deployed around the lagoon and fishing area to bar Filipino fishermen.

Panelo, however, said the country cannot do anything as of the moment as China has "control" over the area.

"May magagawa ba tayo? Eh sila ang may control as of now, 'di ba? Meron silang pwersa doon. We can only protest, like any other country na nagke-claim. 'Yun lang ang magagawa natin eh," the spokesman said.

[Translation: What can we do? They have control as now, right? They have forces there. We can only protest, like any other country claiming rights. That's the only thing we can do.]

The documentary comes amid the complaint filed by former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales against Chinese officials before the International Criminal Court.

Their challenge, among others, highlighted some fishermen's complaints that they lost their livelihood as China took over Scarborough Shoal. The Chinese took over the shoal in 2012 after a standoff with the Philippines, which prompted Manila to file a case for international arbitration.

In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea. It also and recognized the Philippines' sovereign rights in areas within its 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone where China has built artificial islands, prohibited Filipino fishermen from fishing and interfered in petroleum exploration.

Footage was recent

But Kip Oebanda, the filmmaker behind the project, countered Panelo's claims. In his social media page, Oebanda posted a screenshot of behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot, which took place in February.

He also issued a challenge to the presidential spokesman.

"How about instead of lying to the people about the video, go there yourself and actually talk to the fishermen? How about address their concerns instead. This is not meant to be a smear campaign against the government. No need to be defensive. This is just about the truth. Our fishermen are starving," he said.
But there was also a bigger gap in the odds that a Delta flight arriving at one of Chicagos airports would arrive on time, depending on whether it was operated by the carrier or one of its regional partners. In 2018, almost 80 percent of mainline domestic flights operated by Delta arrived on time at OHare, compared with just 67 percent for its regional partners. At Midway, about 88 percent and 79 percent of mainline and regional Delta flights arrived on time, respectively.
A 19-year-old suspect is facing possible charges of second-degree assault and possession of a controlled substance after allegedly lacing his colleagues drinks with LSD.

Lieutenant Clinton Wooldridge told The Independent the incident took place at an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location in Arnold, Missouri .

He declined to name the suspect, who he said was an employee of the rental car company when the incident took place.

The teenager reportedly told police officers he added the drug to his coworkers drinks because they had negative energy.

He added the LSD to two of his colleagues water bottles and another employees coffee, police said.

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

Describing reactions the employees may have experienced from LSD use, Sergeant Tony Dennis from the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department told local news channel KMOV: You're going to have an increased heart rate, temperature, higher blood pressure.

He added: It's been described as causing the shakes or tremors.

Recommended Protests erupt in India after videos of sexual assaults go viral

The workers displayed reactions consistent with LSD use, according to the Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group tasked with investigating local drug crimes.

The charges are pending lab results from the liquids allegedly laced with the drug. A police report was not immediately available.

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The employees who allegedly consumed the laced drinks were immediately sent to a local urgent care centre when they became dizzy and shaky. They were reportedly in stabile condition shortly after the incident.
An ordeal that ended with police officers shooting a half-naked man in Queens on Sunday afternoon began just before 3pm.

The man, who is in his 30s, first crashed his car into a police car in front of the 111th Precinct in Bayside, police said. He then doused both cars in an accelerant fluid and lit his own car on fire. As police officers approached, the man, who was not wearing pants or underwear, lunged at them with a 12-inch kitchen knife.

Two police officers then fired eight gunshots, striking the man in his torso and leg. The man was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens hospital, where he remained in a stable condition Sunday night. The two officers were also transported to a hospital to be evaluated.

Police did not identify the man but said he was not previously known to the officers in the precinct.

Rodney Harrison, the Police Departments chief of patrol, said at a news conference that it was likely the man had some mental issues.

Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist Show all 26 1 /26 Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-japan-2.jpg A Banksy graffiti piece showing two women in Japanese dress and a Bonsai tree Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-japan.jpg A charming Banksy piece in the Bed-Stuy neighbourhood of New York Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-nyp.jpg The New York Post claims Banksy is being hunted by the authorities Banksy/New York Post Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-mcdonalds.jpg A boy shines Ronald McDonald's shoe in a new live-action Banksy sculpture Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-mcdonalds-2.jpg Banksy has remodeled Ronald McDonald with a sneering face Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-911-2.jpg Though small in size, Banksy's tribute to 9/11 will echo across the world via social media Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-911.jpg Banksy's tribute to 9/11 in Tribeca Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-queens.jpg Banksy appropriates a quote from the film Gladiator in one of his New York pieces Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-stall.jpg Banksy set up a stall in Central Park to flog his works - but just three people took him up on the offer Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-concrete.jpg A religious figure looking pensive in Banksy's concrete confessional in Manhattan Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-sirens-2.jpg Bansky's slaughterhouse delivery truck is touring New York City for the next two weeks Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-sirens.jpg Banksy's Sirens of the Lambs, with close-ups of the screaming animals touring New York Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-beaver-2.jpg Banksy's beaver, which marks the tenth day of the artist's New York residency, gnaws on a felled 'No Parking' sign Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-beaver.jpg A close-up of Bansky's beaver, a new artwork that a group of men are stopping people from seeing unless they pay up Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-5.jpg A dog urinates on a new work by British graffiti artist Banksy on West 24th street in New York City Rex Features Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-4.jpg A dog urinates on a new work by British graffiti artist Banksy on West 24th street in New York City Reuters Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-2.jpg The latest work from street artist Banksy is seen through a chain link fence in the Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City. Banksy is in the midst of creating a month long series of pieces of street art. Getty Images Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy.jpg A woman walks by a defaced street art graffiti by elusive British artist Banksy, as part of his month-long Better Out Than In exhibit, in New York. Banksy will be attempting to host an entire show on the streets of New York during a month residency. Getty Images Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-3.jpg A piece of street art depicting a heart-shaped balloon covered in bandages, allegedly done by the street artist Banksy, is seen on in the Red Hook neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The piece was defaced with red spray paint shortly after being completed Getty Images Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksyheart.jpg Bansky's Brooklyn heart Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksytruck3.jpg Exterior of Banksy's All City delivery truck Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksytruck2.jpg Interior of Banksy's All City delivery truck Banksy Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist Banksy-painted-over.jpg The new Banksy has been painted over a day after it was stencilled @streetartnews/Twitter Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist Banksy-New-York-1.jpg Banksy's 'The street is in play' appears in New York City banksyny Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist Banksy-New-York.jpg Banksy's 'The street is in play' appears in New York City @AndrewBloch Is Banksy being hunted by the NYPD? Police sources at odds over whether to arrest artist banksy-new-zealand.jpg A man from Chicago buys some Banksy originals for an astoundingly low price Banksy/YouTube

In recent years, the department has tried to increase training for officers about how to handle situations involving emotionally disturbed people. But less than 12,000 of the citys nearly 37,000 officers have gone through the training. Emergency calls for those situations have nearly doubled over the last decade, to about 179,000 last year, according to the police.

Officers are often unaware if a person is mentally ill when they respond to a call.

On 5 March police officers responding to a 911 call in Harlem shot a man, Michael Cordero, after he claimed he was armed and then lunged at them with an item in his hand that turned out to be a wallet. Mr Cordero had several previous arrests, and his family said he was being treated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Last year, the attorney generals office began investigating the police killing of Saheed Vassell, who in April was fatally shot by officers who mistook the pipe he was holding for a gun. Mr Vassell had bipolar disorder, and his family said that police at his local precinct knew of his condition.

 NYPD tackle and rescue man threatening to jump from RFK Bridge in New York

In both of those cases, police have said, the responding officers were unaware of the mens mental histories.

The city adopted crisis intervention training in 2015 but has been slow to roll it out. Police officials have said they need more money to accelerate training, and Mayor Bill de Blasio allocated $5.3 million in his recent budget proposal to train more officers.

On Tuesday the mayors wife, Chirlane McCray, will testify in front of City Council about ThriveNYC, a nearly $1 billion plan to address mental health in New York City. Despite Mr de Blasio touting the programme, which Ms McCray oversees, as revolutionary, it has faced questions about its effectiveness.

The New York Times
An A Team member has promised to stop chasing stolen cars based on social media tip offs in order to avoid jail.

Floyd Hall has been involved in a court case since he was charged with reckless driving in August 2017 for what police say was a high-speed chase but which Hall contends only involved him following a vehicle.

The 54-year-old, from Alaska, is part of a citizens group called the A Team which relies on tip offs from social media to recover stolen vehicles.

He was handed a 30-day suspended prison sentence and a $500 (378) fine after pleading guilty to one count of reckless endangerment in relation to the incident in 2017, the Anchorage Daily News reported on Saturday.

Hall is allowed to remain involved with the A Team, but the terms of his three-year probation sentence include a pledge to refrain from chasing anyone driving a suspected stolen vehicle.

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

Joshua Fink, Halls lawyer, said prosecutors initially requested that the defendant not be allowed to chase, follow or otherwise pursue suspected stolen vehicles during his probation, but agreed to scale it back to simply chasing.

The difference is the high rate of speed, he said.

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Hall said the A Team previously broached the possibility of a partnership with police without success.

Anchorage Police Captain Sean Case said that while police appreciate information from the public and regularly partner with community watch groups, they draw a line when citizens might harm themselves by becoming involved with suspects.

You dont know [a suspects] criminal history, you dont know how violent they are, you dont know if theyre armed, he said.

The prosecution declined to comment.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
The governor of New Jersey is courting lawmakers ahead of a crucial Monday vote, as part of a last-minute effort to see recreational marijuana legalised across the state.

The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly have scheduled votes on the legislation backed by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, but its passage is far from certain.

Mr Murphy said last week he has been trying to persuade hesitant lawmakers to back the bill but still doesn't have the votes needed.

If the bill fails or falls short, the governor said he would continue to try to persuade people, but it's unclear when another vote would be scheduled.

New Jersey would join the District of Columbia and 10 other states if the measure succeeds. New Jersey would be just the second state, after Vermont, to legalise recreational weed through its legislative bodies rather than by voter-approved referendum.

The measure lets towns that host retailers, growers, wholesalers and processors levy taxes, up to 3 per cent in some cases.

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 expungement provisions, which Mr Murphy said will set New Jersey apart from any other state with legal weed, waive any fee for expungement processing and permit clearing of records for possession up to 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms).

Lawmakers said during hearings that while it sounds like a lot, it's necessary to allow for an expedited expungement process. They say the statute covering possession for small amounts of cannabis goes up to 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms).

Recommended Where the 2020 White House hopefuls stand on marijuana

The bill also says tax revenue would go into a fund for development, regulations, and enforcement of cannabis activities, including paying for expungement costs, with the balance going to the general fund.

The measure considers lawmaker concerns about women-and minority-owned businesses becoming part of the legal pot market and requires 30 per cent of licenses go to them.

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It also calls for an investigation on the influence of cannabis on driving and for funding drug-recognition experts for law enforcement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Donald Trump did not obstruct justice over the Russia investigation, the US attorney general William Barr has ruled.

Mr Barr took the decision after special counsel Robert Mueller, who led the probe, declined to draw a legal conclusion about the presidents conduct.

The special counsels team, according to Mr Barr, undertook a thorough factual investigation into whether Mr Trumps actions could constitute obstruction of justice.

While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mr Mueller is quoted as saying in his report, which was delivered to the attorney general on Friday after an investigation which lasted nearly two years.

Mr Muellers decision allowed the attorney general to make a ruling instead.

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Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence ... is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence, Mr Barr wrote in a summary of the report, which was sent to members of the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday.

The special counsels investigation also did not find that collusion took place between the Trump campaign and the Russian government's election interference efforts.

Mr Barr, a political appointee, wrote that the report he received was divided into two main parts addressing whether Mr Trumps campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, and whether Mr Trump obstructed justice with his actions during the investigations that have followed.

The special counsels report concluded that there were two primary ways in which Russian forces attempted to influence the 2016 election.

One of those included a disinformation campaign online and in social media to sow social discord with the intent of influencing the campaign, and conducted by the Russian group the Internet Research Agency.

The second Russian strategy aimed at influencing the 2016 campaign was a computer hacking campaign, which successfully stole emails from the 2016 campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee before those documents were published by WikiLeaks.

According to Mr Barrs summary, the report indicated that investigators did not find that the Trump campaign or officials co-ordinated with that effort despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

The full report has not been made public but the White House said it was a total and complete exoneration of Mr Trump.

Its better than I expected, Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for the president, said.

Some members of Congress criticised the attorney generals decision to make a ruling on obstruction of justice where the special counsel had declined to.

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In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify, Jerry Nadler, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said.

Mr Trump began posting on his Twitter account after the report summary was made public.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION, he said. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

Shortly afterwards he spoke to reporters and said: To be honest its a shame that your president has had to go through this. He described the investigation as an illegal takedown that failed and added that hopefully somebodys going to be looking at the other side, he added.

Additional reporting by agencies
On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr sent a letter to Congress summarising special counsel Robert Muellers Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Barrs four-page summary can be condensed into three findings.

First, yeah, the Russians interfered ahead of the election. Second, to quote from Muellers report, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. Third, Mueller drew no conclusions about whether Donald Trump obstructed justice, and left it to Barr to decide based on the assembled facts. Barr decided that, even putting aside the constitutional questions, prosecution would not be warranted.

Needless to say, Trumps political allies are pretty happy about this letter, while Democrats are not nearly as happy.

The hard-working staff here at Spoiler Alerts is far from Trumps biggest fan, so it would be logical to conclude that I should be unhappy. The more I think about what Barr has communicated, however, the happier I think I am. Heres why:

1. We will know soon enough whether Barr shaded the truth. Remember, we are reading the attorney generals summary of the report. The survivors in Trumps Cabinet have been known to say things designed solely to make Trump happy, however. Could Barr have shaded Muellers findings?

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

Maybe. But Barr also said in his letter that my goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsels report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies. This means that an awful lot of this report will be public pretty soon. No redaction process will blot out Muellers findings. If Barr framed his letter in a way that was overly generous toward Trump, we will know soon.

2. No collusion! No witch hunt! Call me crazy, but I think its a good day when we learn that a sitting president did not collude with a hostile foreign government. At the same time, Trumps supporters who were convinced that this was a witch hunt must live with the fact that they were wrong. As Bloomberg Newss Ramesh Ponnuru noted, The record suggests that the portrayal of Mueller as a corrupt agent of the deep state bent on bringing down Trump was a fantasy, or worse, spread by some of the presidents most committed supporters.

Mueller and his team acted with complete propriety and did not engage in overzealous prosecutions. They also proved far better at draining the swamp than the Trump administration.

3. The intelligence community was correct! When the intelligence community released its assessment about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump dismissed it, and continued to dismiss it at every opportunity. Muellers indictments and Barrs summary both prove that Trump was wrong to dismiss the intelligence community. No less a GOP stalwart than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stated, Russias ongoing efforts to interfere with our democracy are dangerous and disturbing, and I welcome the Special Counsels contributions to our efforts to understand better Russias activities in this regard. One only wishes that he had felt this strongly about it back in 2016.

4. It lowers the odds of impeachment. There is no way to view this summary as increasing the chances of the House impeaching Trump, and that is fine with me. I think Trump has been an awful president, but the best way to express that opinion is through the ballot box. That is how I would like to see Trump exit the White House.

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5. 2020 will be about the future of the country and not about election meddling. Based on the campaign coverage to date, it seemed clear that the Democrats running in 2020 were not talking about Trump and Russia. This summary, if its accurate, will cement that posture. Democrats have no shortage of criticism to level against the Trump administration. It includes the administrations waning influence on the global stage, its failure to deliver on foreign policy, its debilitation of government expertise and Trumps bad fit for the presidency.

The Democrats running for president have preferred to challenge Trump on the issues. They will get that opportunity.

Washington Post
Robert Mueller has not established that collusion or conspiracy took place between the Trump campaign and Russias government, but the special counsel stopped short of deciding whether Donald Trump obstructed justice.

Attorney general William Barr said in a letter to Congress that Mr Mueller and his team did not find that there was a direct link between Mr Trumps campaign and the multiple strategies the Kremlin employed to influence the 2016 presidential election. [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, he quoted the report as saying.

Meanwhile, the special counsels investigation provided facts surrounding potential obstruction of justice undertaken by Mr Trump, but Mr Barr and his deputy Rod Rosenstein, determined that evidence was not sufficient to charge the president with a crime.

The letter from Mr Barr was made public just days after Mr Muellers team finalised its report detailing its findings from nearly two years worth of investigation that enraptured the nation with a slow drip of details that at times appeared poised to implicate the highest levels of US government in potentially criminal activity. It also resulted in the filing of indictments against several individuals close to the president on financial crimes, perjury, and for felony campaign finance violations.

Mr Trump, during a visit to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, declared victory after the contents of the report were disclosed.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! Mr Trump tweeted.

Mr Trump also commented on the report just before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington. He said: So after a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened, a lot of horrible things happened, a lot of very bad things happened for our country, it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia. The most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard  there was no collusion with Russia. There was no obstruction, and none whatsoever.

He continued: And it was a complete and total exoneration. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest its a shame that your president has had to go through this before I even got elected, it began. And it began illegally. And hopefully somebodys going to look at the other side. This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebodys going to be looking at the other side.

But Mr Trumps claims of total exoneration were undermined by the letter itself, which quoted Mr Muellers report using that exact word. The special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mr Barr wrote.

House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler responded to the attorney generals letter by noting that it did not exonerate Mr Trump, and said that he planned to request Mr Barrs presence before his committee.

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the special counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the president, we will be calling attorney general Barr in to testify, Mr Nadler tweeted.

And Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the House, said it was urgent that the full report and supporting documents be made public.

Even so, the findings of the special counsels investigation make some of the worst potential outcomes of the Russia investigation for Mr Trump seem unlikely. Among those are impeachment proceedings in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, where leading politicians had indicated they would await the results of the investigation.

In Mr Barrs letter, he outlined the special counsels findings, which was divided into two main parts: whether Mr Trumps campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election, and whether Mr Trump obstructed justice with his actions during the investigations that have followed.

The special counsel report, he wrote, detailed investigations into Mr Trumps behaviours that may have constituted obstruction, but left the decision of whether to indict the president up to the Justice Department. Mr Barr and his colleagues, including Mr Rosenstein  who oversaw the special counsels office for much of the past two years  have since determined that such an indictment is not supported by the evidence in the report.

[We] have concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offence, Mr Barr wrote, noting that the decision was not made because of constitutional norms that generally instruct the Justice Department not to indict a sitting president.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

As for conspiracy, the report says that there were two primary ways in which Russian forces attempted to influence the 2016 election.

One of those included a disinformation campaign online and in social media to sow social discord with the intent of influencing the campaign, and conducted by the Russian group the Internet Research Agency.

The second Russian strategy aimed at influencing the 2016 campaign was a computer hacking campaign, which successfully stole emails from the 2016 campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee before publishing those documents on WikiLeaks. The special counsel report indicated that investigators did not find any evidence that the Trump campaign or officials knowingly coordinated with that effort despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

Before the Sunday letter was released, Mr Barr had said he wanted to make as much of the report public as possible, and it appeared clear that any efforts to withhold details would prompt a tussle between the Justice Department and politicians in Congress who could subpoena Mr Mueller and his investigators to testify. Such a move by Democrats would probably be vigorously contested by the Trump administration.

While the letter represents good news for the president, the conclusion of Mr Muellers investigation does not remove legal peril for the president as he faces a separate Justice Department investigation in New York into hush money payments during the campaign to two women who say they had sex with him years before.

He has also been implicated in a potential campaign finance violation by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to his role in the payments and alleged that the president asked him to arrange the transactions. Federal prosecutors, also in New York, have been investigating foreign contributions made to the presidents inaugural committee.

At least two members of Mr Trumps inner circle have also already been implicated in crimes related to Russia, with his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort receiving a seven-year prison term earlier this month for several crimes prosecuted by Mr Muellers team.

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Mr Trumps former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was also an early casualty of the Trump-Russia scandal, after it was determined that he had misled vice president Mike Pence about conversations he had with Russian officials during the presidential transition period.

Others, including Mr Trumps adult son Donald Trump Jr, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, have also been found to have had secret meetings with Russian officials during the campaign or transition period. One of those meetings was set up with the promise that dirt on Hillary Clinton would be provided to the Trump campaign. The meeting reportedly yielded no results.

The special counsel investigation was launched 22 months ago after Mr Trump fired former FBI director James Comey, a decision the president later said he made after repeatedly asking the law man to give up on the Russia investigation.

In the time since, the investigation run by 19 lawyers, 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants, and professional staff has issued more than 2,800 subpoenas and more than 500 search warrants. Roughly 500 witnesses were interviewed, leading to dozens of indictments and felony charges.
Donald Trump has described Robert Muellers probe into alleged collusion between his election campaign and Russia as an illegal takedown, while suggesting Democrats should now be investigated.

The president claimed the report represented a total exoneration, when in fact Mr Mueller specifically said that while his probe did not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also did not exonerate him.

Mr Mueller did not make a determination on whether Mr Trump committed obstruction of justice in the Russia probe, and attorney general William Barr and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence gathered by Mr Mueller was insufficient.

The summary of Mr Muellers report does say the special counsel did not find the Trump campaign or its associates conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election.

Mr Trump claimed, without evidence, the investigation was an illegal takedown that failed.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, the president said: Its a shame that our country had to go through this.

This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebodys going to be looking at the other side.

Mr Trumps lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, said Mr Muellers report was more positive than he had anticipated. Its better than I expected, Mr Giuliani said.

Echoing the president, Mr Giuliani and others on Mr Trumps outside legal team said in a statement: This is a complete and total vindication of the president.

In his first comment after Mr Barr sent a letter to members of Congress summarising the report, Mr Trump tweeted: No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

However, in addition to Mr Muellers report saying it did not conclude the president committed a crime but also did not exonerate Mr Trump, the House Judiciary Committee chairman said the special counsel clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

Democratic representative Jerry Nadler tweeted to say Mr Barrs letter to congress said that while the president might have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted to say Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.
Donald Trump and his supporters have pointed to a four-page summary produced by William Barr, who the president appointed to lead the Justice Department late last year, as evidence of his exoneration in Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The summary does not claim the special counsel exonerated Mr Trump. Nor does it answer whether Mr Mueller found evidence the president obstructed justice as the probe looked into his campaigns scores of contacts with Russian operatives over the course of the election. For now, the attorney generals summary yields more questions than answers surrounding Mr Muellers report, which remains closely held at the highest echelons of the Justice Department.

If and when Mr Muellers findings are made public, Mr Trump may be forced to walk back the victory lap his administration has taken with the release of Mr Barrs summary. Or, the report could verify what Mr Barr has claimed in his guidance to Congress; that nobody within the presidents circle committed criminal wrongdoing involving a conspiracy to throw the election in his favour.

Regardless, the special counsel is far from the only entity to investigate Mr Trump. His financial dealings, contacts between Russians and his campaign associates and other major scandals that have plagued the White House since he took office have all become the subject of at least 17 different ongoing probes.

Those include newly-launched investigations conducted by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, multiple lawsuits and several other state entities probing possible criminal conduct on the part of the president and his aides.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

Here are all the entities currently conducting probes surrounding Mr Trump:

The Southern District of New York: There are at least three investigations currently underway in the prosecutors office located in the presidents hometown of Manhattan. Investigators are probing his inauguration committees finances.

Four additional investigations across New York: Prosecutors in multiple offices throughout New York are exploring the presidents personal finances and financial dealings, including investigations being carried out by both the state and citys tax departments.

The Department of Justice: The Public Integrity Section at the Justice Department is looking into whether an influential Republican donor named Elliott Broidy was cashing in on his connections to Mr Trumps White House.

The Eastern District of Virginia: There are at least three cases still ongoing within this district surrounding Mr Trump, including one involving Kamil Ekim Alptekin, one of ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynns advisers who has been charged with lying to the FBI and acting as an agent of the Turkish government.

The Washington DC Attorneys Office: The office responsible for sentencing Mr Trumps top advisers is still carrying out cases into the release of hacked emails from Hillary Clintons campaign and the Democratic National Committee to WikiLeaks.

Attorneys General in Maryland and Washington DC: The two attorneys general offices have filed a lawsuit accusing Mr Trump of possible emoluments clause violations.

Attorneys General in Washington DC and New Jersey: The two attorneys general offices have filed a lawsuit and issued subpoenas against Mr Trumps inauguration committee.

The Senate Intelligence Committee: Richard Burr, the Republican head of the committee, confirmed it would continue investigating Russian interference in 2019, despite previously having released a report last year that claimed Russia sought to influence the election without any intention to aid Mr Trump.

The House Oversight Committee: The committee  which held the explosive testimony made by Mr Trumps former fixer Michael Cohen  may reissue at least 64 subpoenas previously blocked by the groups former Republican leadership. Its investigating numerous angles into Mr Trumps presidency and 2016 campaign, as well as alleged hush money payments sent to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with the president.

The House Judiciary Committee: A sprawling probe has been launched this month by the committee to determine whether the president has obstructed justice in any of the ongoing criminal investigations against him, as well as whether he has abused his power or broke campaign finance laws.

The House Intelligence Committee: The newly-Democratic-controlled committee has reopened an investigation into Russian interference after it was previously closed by Republicans. The scope has since expanded to include enquiries into whether Mr Trump or his associates can or have been leveraged by foreign actors.

Recommended Mueller report far from the end of scrutiny into Trump

The House Financial Services Committee: The committee is investigating Mr Trumps ties to Deutsche Bank, and the banks lending practices. Several members of Mr Trumps family use Deutsche bank, including his daughter and senior adviser, Ivanka Trump.

The House Ways and Means Committee: Richard Neal, the chairman of the committee, has said the entity is gearing up to subpoena copies of the presidents tax returns  both personal and professional.

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The House Foreign Affairs Committee: The committee is investigating whether Mr Trumps business dealings have impacted his administrations agenda on foreign policy.
Donald Trump may be revelling in what he claims to be complete and total exoneration from Robert Muellers investigation, but his legal jeopardy is far from over.

Ongoing federal and state probes in New York could pose an even greater threat than the Russia probe, experts said, after the special counsel cleared the presidents campaign team of colluding with the Kremlin to interfere in the 2016 election.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are pursuing at least two known criminal inquiries, one focused on possible corruption in Mr Trumps inaugural committee and the other on the hush-money scandal that has left his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, facing prison for campaign finance violations.

The president also faces scrutiny from New Yorks attorney general, who is investigating Mr Cohens claims that the president exaggerated his wealth when seeking loans for property projects and in a failed bid to buy the NFLs Buffalo Bills.

State regulators, meanwhile, are looking into whether Mr Trump gave false information to insurance companies.

Mr Cohen told congress in testimony last month he is in constant contact with prosecutors over the ongoing investigations.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

Patrick Cotter, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, said the probes were very real and very significant.

If youre Trump, this has got to feel, in some ways, like an even greater threat than the Russia probe, he added.

Political observers have speculated that Mr Cohen, who is scheduled to report to prison to begin a three-year sentence May, might secretly be providing investigators with additional information.

The president's former lawyer and longtime fixer has said Mr Trump ordered and personally reimbursed six-figure payments to adult film actress and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to suppress affair allegations during the election campaign.

Mr Cohen also stoked speculation when he told congress he was aware of other "wrongdoing" involving Trump but could not talk about it because it was "part of the investigation that's currently being looked at by the Southern District of New York".

"If you've got Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer, as a tour guide, that means you could go anywhere," former New Jersey governor Chris Christie later told MSNBC.

 Independent Minds Q&A session on the Middle East, Trump, Syria and Isis

Mr Trump denies wrongdoing and has dismissed the New York investigations as politically motivated harassment, a claim he and his supporters are likely to return to in the wake of Mr Muellers findings.

Attorney general William Barr said in letter to congress on Sunday that the special counsels two-year investigation did not find the presidents 2016 campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the election. The probe did not come to a definitive answer on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Mr Mueller noted, according to the attorney general.
Donald Trump has declared that he has been completely exonerated by special counsel Robert Mueller in the investigation into whether he was the Muscovian candidate for the White House in the last presidential election.

It would be fully understandable for Trump to be popping a champagne cork or three if he were a drinking man.

The conclusion that he and his team did not actively collude with the Kremlin came from an inquiry which had cast a threatening cloud since the day of his inauguration and seen his former campaign manager, national security advisor and long-term personal lawyer and consiglieri sent to prison.

There are reasons for celebration.

Trumps critics, the number of which has steadily grown in the course of his extraordinary tenure, had hoped that the special counsel would hand what would essentially be a death sentence to what they consider a malign and toxic presidency, the worst in Americas recent history. That has not happened.

But the Mueller report is not the end of the affair. There are extremely important questions being raised about whether the president did actually try to stop the investigations into his alleged Russian links  obstruction of justice, a high crime and misdemeanour, which is a cause for impeachment.

There had also been the feeling for a while from those following the various investigations into Trump that Mueller would not succeed in proving Kremlin collusion, partly because the bar in doing so was always pretty high. I recall John Bolton telling me at a conference in Kiev, before he became the presidents latest national security advisor, that people near Trump may go down but Trump himself would survive.

Bolton has thus far been proved right. But the president is also facing scrutiny into his business affairs and the adage they will get him on the money at the end, like they got Al Capone has been doing the rounds.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

So where do we stand now?

Muellers inquiry found that the Russians had indeed interfered in the election, by, for instance, hacking Democratic Party emails, and had been active in seeking to damage Hillary Clintons campaign.

There had been numerous confidential meetings in the run-up to the election between the most senior Trump officials, his son Donald Junior and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Russian nationals and, the report noted, the Russians offered to help Donald Trump get elected.

Thus Trump has, indeed, been exonerated on collusion.

The other main part of the Mueller investigation was whether the president tried to stop or interfere with the inquiries into his alleged collusion with the Russians.

Here, contrary to what Trump and his supporters say, the special counsel does not exonerate the president.

While the report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, stated Mueller. It was not the special counsels decision not to prosecute Trump. It was attorney general William Barr who decided: I have concluded that the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence.

This is now a very crucial issue. All we know so far about the report is a four-page summary from Barr. If and when full disclosure takes place remains unclear.

The Democrats and other opponents of Trump have not, so far at least, turned on Mueller, a man they had lionised as the sheriff who would clean up Trumptown.

The nearest they have come to any criticism has been Adam Schiff, the Democrat chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, questioning why the special counsel failed to interview the president face-to-face. Trumps legal advisors had been extremely wary that he may inadvertently perjure himself in direct testimony and successfully insisted on a written Q&A.

It should be remembered, however, that James Comey, the FBI director fired by the president for failing to halt the Russia inquiry, and someone who has been showered with insults by Trump and his supporters, was once a hero to them. He gravely damaged Hillary Clintons presidential chances, (critically, Ms Clinton felt) by announcing he was reopening the probe into her use of emails in the last days of the race.

What is clear is that matters will not rest here. Trump and his supporters may themselves ensure that is not the case. The presidents exultation at what he sees as full vindication soon turned into talk of retribution against those who had investigated him.

It was an illegal takedown that failed ... Hopefully somebody is going to be looking at the other side ... Complete exoneration, no collusion, he reiterated.

Some of the presidents Republican congressional supporters had already threatened to start their own inquiries into those who had made allegations against Trump and reopen the investigation into Hilary Clintons emails.

Senator Lindsey Graham, once a vehement critic of Trump, now an admiring ally, announced after the release of the report that he wanted a special counsel appointed to investigate the FBI and the Justice Department over their investigation of Trump.

The Democrats, meanwhile, have reiterated that they intend to focus on their own investigations into Trump through the committees they now control through their majority in the House.

The most immediate call is for publication of the full report.

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Trump had fired attorney general Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia inquiry, and thus ensuring that he was not in a position to shut it down.

The president replaced him with Barr who had publicly written, before he was appointed, that Muellers obstruction investigation was fatally misconceived.

Observers are pointing out that Barr and the deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had taken just 48 hours to go through the huge amount of material gathered by Mueller to decide that no prosecution was needed. The Democrats want him to appear before congress to be questioned while demanding he releases the report.

We cannot simply rely on what may be a partisan interpretation of facts uncovered during the course of a 22-month review of possible wrongdoing by the president. The American people deserve to see the facts and judge the presidents actions for themselves, house judiciary chairman Jerry Nadler and house oversight chairman Elijah Cummings said in a statement.

The Mueller report is not the end of the scrutiny into Trump, it is just the end of the beginning and a lot more accusations and recrimination will follow. But there is little doubt that the president, who his enemies love to hate, has had a major victory in the first round of this bitter conflict.
Donald Trumps lawyer has said it would be very inappropriate for the presidents written answers to Robert Mueller to be made public.

Jay Sekulow, a member of Mr Trumps legal team, told CNN on Monday his clients communications with the special counsel are confidential, and that they should continue to remain so, despite the president being cleared of conspiring with Russia.

Its not as simple as just wave your hand and we release the document. I think that would be very inappropriate, he told host Alisyn Camerota, who asked if Mr Trump would be willing to make public the written answers.

If I was representing you in a case and we came to a voluntary determination to submit answers in writing, and then you were exonerated, I dont think that would be material that would be relevant to the general public.

However, Mr Trump was explicitly not exonerated by the as-yet-unreleased report. Though Mr Trump was cleared of colluding with Moscow, Mr Mueller failed to rule on whether the president obstructed justice, according to the presidents newly installed attorney general William Barr.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

In a letter sent to Congress, Mr Barr said that while Mr Muellers report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it does not exonerate him.

Mr Sekulow said whether Mr Trumps answers would be released is a question for the attorney general, but that he has some strong opinions about whether he should do.

Susan Hennessey, a national security expert at the Brookings Institution, said the comment was a "big tell" about "how afraid" the White House is of the contents of Mr Mueller's report.

Mr Trump gloated on Monday morning over the findings, quoting from Fox News anchor Bret Baier, who said Mr Muellers conclusions represented a good day for America.

 President Trump claims 'total exoneration' in Mueller report

The president also quoted a passage from Mr Barrs letter clearing him of collusion, before tweeting an apparent headline by MSNBC, a television network Mr Trump perceives to be an enemy.

Breaking News: Mueller Report Finds No Trump-Russia Conspiracy, he wrote.

He later retweeted one of his own posts from Sunday, which simply read: "Good Morning, Have A Great Day!
Robert Muellers sprawling 22-month probe into Russian election interference has failed to establish Donald Trumps presidential campaign team conspired with Moscow to sway the 2016 election, but questions remain over the contents of the report, and the US presidents conduct since taking office.

William Barr, Mr Trumps newly-installed attorney general, sent a four-page letter to Congress on Sunday outlining the contents of special counsel Mr Muellers report, which was submitted to the Justice Department on Friday.

According to the letter, Mr Mueller and his team did not find a direct link between Mr Trumps campaign and Russia, but stopped short of ruling on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

Mr Mueller laid out evidence on both sides of the obstruction question, but, according to the letter, although it does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it does not exonerate him.

Mr Barr wrote he and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein - both Trump allies appointed by the president - themselves concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge the president with a crime.

Criminals who worked for Trump Show all 5 1 /5 Criminals who worked for Trump Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Cohen Former lawyer for Donald Trump was sentenced to three years in prison on counts involving evading income tax, false disclosure of the hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and another hush money charge Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Paul Manafort Former campaign manager for Trump Manafort was found guilty in February 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. The crimes occurred prior to his appointment in Trump's campaign Getty Criminals who worked for Trump George Papadopoulos Former Trump campaign adviser Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in October 2017. He had lied about making contact with a professor who claimed that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Michael Flynn Former White House National Security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in December 2017. He had lied about conversations that he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during Trump's Presidential campaign. He was not given prison time due to his "significant assistance" to the Mueller investigation Getty Criminals who worked for Trump Rick Gates Deputy chairman of Trump's presidential campaign Gates pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in February 2018 AFP/Getty

Mr Trump declared the report provided complete and total exoneration and claimed the probe amounted to an illegal takedown that failed.

Mr Barr said he would have to consult with Mr Mueller and other US justice department officials before he can release more of the confidential report or any other information he gathered during the investigation.

But unless and until the full report is made, major questions will remain about Mr Muellers findings. Here are four of the biggest:

1. What evidence is there Mr Trump obstructed justice?

The letter highlights a number of actions Mr Mueller investigated as potentially raising obstruction-of-justice concerns, though Mr Barr fails to provide any detail.

Democrats were calling for the full release of the report even before they received Mr Barrs letter, and the conspicuous lack of detail has only strengthened demands to make it public.

Mr Barr states Mr Mueller presented evidence on both sides of the obstruction question, but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment.

Unless the report is released, Congress and the public will remain in the dark about the incidents that caused Mr Mueller and his team concerns.

 Donald Trump plays golf with Kid Rock at Trump International Golf Club in Florida

2. Collusion

Although Mr Barr says Mr Mueller did not establish that members of Mr Trumps team conspired with the Russian government, the letter does not say what Mr Mueller learned that fell short of a crime about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts.

It also does not answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or Congress during the Russia probe.

The report may shed further light on incidents such as Donald Trump Jrs secret meeting with a Russian lawyer in 2016 to discuss getting dirt on Hillary Clinton, and former Trump adviser Roger Stones communications with WikiLeaks.

3. Lack of direct quoting of Mueller

Unlike previous independent counsels, there has so far been no disclosure of a summary provided by Mr Mueller himself, raising questions about Mr Barrs interpretation of a report politicians and the public are yet to see.

Mr Barrs summary includes only a handful of quotes lifted directly from Mr Muellers report; only one of which appears to be a sentence in full.

It's unclear what else is coming from Mr Barr, though he states in the letter that he is working to make more information public. He said he will be consulting with Mr Mueller to determine what else can be released.

But whatever is provided is unlikely to be enough for Democrats, who have said they want all of Mr Mueller's underlying evidence  including interviews and documents.

4. Is Mr Trump out of the woods?

It appears not. The US Constitution empowers Congress to remove a president from office for high crimes and misdemeanors, including obstruction of justice through a process of impeachment.

In an impeachment proceeding, lawmakers have broad leeway to define obstruction of justice and are not bound by Barrs determination, legal experts said. The full report may make clear Mr Trump committed obstruction in the eyes of lawmakers.

Mr Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime.

They say the president directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to arrange illegal hush-money payments as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Mr Trump's inaugural fund.

Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe over Mr Trump that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season.

And they are now demanding that Mr Barr should turn over Mr Mueller's confidential report and the underlying evidence he gathered in order for them to draw their own conclusions.

They are also calling for Mr Barr to testify on Capitol Hill.
Donald Trump has signed a document that formally recognises Israeli sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights  a strategic location the international community has long described as occupied by Israel.

In a move that acted as a boost to both Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and conservative Christians among his own base who support Israels primacy in the region, Mr Trump signed a resolution that officially altered Washingtons position over the 700 square miles of territory.



It departed with decades of US policy as well as international consensus on the area which was seized from Syria by Israeli forces in 1967: a de facto annexation which has been declared illegal by the United Nations.

This was a long time in the making [it] should have taken place many decades ago, said Mr Trump, as Mr Netanyahu looked over his shoulder. Handing to the prime minister the pen he used to sign the declaration, Mr Trump added: Give this to the people of Israel.

In the Oval Office, Mr Netanyahu heaped praise on Mr Trump. Israel has never had a better friend than the US president, he said.

Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights Show all 7 1 /7 Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights An Israeli soldier stands next to signs pointing out distances to different cities on Mount Bental, an observation post in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Reuters Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights Druze people take part in a rally in Majdal Shams near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria Reuters Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights Israeli Druzes sit together watching the Syrian side of the Israel-Syria border on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights Reuters Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights A European member of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) using binoculars to look towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights AFP/Getty Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights A file photo taken on October 19, 1973 shows Israeli Defence Minister General Moshe Dayan (R) looking towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, four days after the beginning of the Yom Kippur War AFP/Getty Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights A file photo taken on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on September 5, 2014 shows members of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone (UNDOF) using binoculars to look towards the Syrian side of the Golan Heights AFP/Getty Trump backs Israels annexation of Golan Heights Members of the United Nations peacekeepers standing on a watch tower during a visit by the Israeli Defence Minister in 2018 AFP/Getty

On a day Israel began responding militarily to a rocket attack from Hamas militants in Gaza that wounded seven people, he added that Israel had no intention of giving up the Golan Heights.

Just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground and we should never give it up, he said.

In Israel, the proclamation was met with widespread, albeit muted praise.



Israeli president Reuven Rivlin thanked the US and called Mr Trump a true friend of the State of Israel.

Benny Gantz, the countrys former army chief and Mr Netanyahus main election rival, said he hoped it would be part of a true bipartisan relationship in the future.

Opposition head Shelly Yachimovich, as well as Labour Party leader Avi Gabbay, also commended the move.

The news, however, was met with widespread condemnation across the rest of the Middle East.

Syria called the US action a blatant attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

 Skiier's helmet camera captures moment Israel intercepts Iranian missile aimed at Golan Heights

The liberation of the Golan by all available means and its return to the Syrian motherland is an inalienable right, Syrias foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the Syrian Arab News Agency. The decision ... makes the United States the main enemy of the Arabs.

Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit, also condemned the move, saying Washingtons action did not change the areas status.

The status of the Golan had not altered in the eyes of UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, his spokesperson said.

The UNs policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the security council and that policy has not changed, he added.

A UN security council resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member body in 1981 declared Israels decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.

The visit by Mr Netanyahu, who has been pressing Mr Trump to make the announcement, comes as he faces an election on 9 April that is expected to be close.

Mr Netanyahu is also confronting new allegations of corruption, which are piled on top of accusations he has used his position for personal gain.
The United States has once again sailed a pair of Navy warships through the politically-sensitive Taiwan Strait ahead of high-level trade negotiations between Donald Trumps administration and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

A spokesperson for the Navys Seventh Fleet confirmed the passage of the US Navy destroyer, the USS Curtis Wilbur and the US Coast Guard cutter, the USCGC Bertholf, through the region, saying The ships transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific in a statement to CNN.

China previously expressed concerns about the passage of US warships through the roughly 160 kilometre (100 mile)-wide waterway when the Navy carried out a similar operation just days before Mr Trump and Mr Xi Jinping held bilateral meetings last year.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement on Saturday the upcoming meetings are aimed at improving the trade relationship between the United States and China.

Tensions have flared in recent years between China and Taiwan, which considers itself a sovereign state  despite Beijing declaring ownership over the East Asian island.

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. 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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 bitterness has escalated in part due to US challenges of Chinas claim to sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea. In late September, a Chinese destroyer came close to colliding with a US destroyer warship in the South China Sea in what the Navy called an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre.

As the US and China became entrenched in a tit-for-tat exchange of increasing tariffs, Mr Trumps administration sought to make ship passages through the strait a more common occurrence. The Navy has reportedly sailed warships in the waterway at least three times this year, as opposed to nearly once annually prior to July.

China regards Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

The sides split amid civil war in 1949 and most Taiwanese favour retaining their current de-facto status of political independence while maintaining close economic ties with China.

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There is no international law restricting civilian or military shipping from passing through the Taiwan Strait.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Marking the separation of what was East Pakistan and Pakistan, Bangladesh Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated on 26 March.

On that date in 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman signed a declaration making East Pakistan the sovereign and independent country of Bangladesh

It sparked the nine-month long Bangladesh Liberation War which claimed the lived of between 300,000 to 3 million people, although the casualty figures are disputed. Millions more were displaced.

Towards the end of the war, India invaded East Pakistan in support of the East Pakistani people and their forces.

This led more than 93,000 Pakistani troops to surrender  the largest number since World War II.

Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security forces stand guard at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, Bangladesh after a man attempted to hijack a plane EPA Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Photo released by Bangladeshi Police of Mahmud Polash Ahmed, who was shot dead after attempting to hijack the plane with a toy gun AP Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security personnel search a vehicle at an entrance to the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh as security is boosted following the hijacking at Chittagong airport AFP/Getty Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security personnel search people at an entrance to the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh as security is boosted following the hijacking at Chittagong airport AFP/Getty Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security personnel search a vehicle at an entrance to the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh as security is boosted following the hijacking at Chittagong airport AFP/Getty Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security personnel search people at an entrance to the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh as security is boosted following the hijacking at Chittagong airport AFP/Getty Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Security personnel stand guard at an entrance to the airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh as security is boosted following the hijacking at Chittagong airport AFP/Getty Bangladeshi security forces react to the hijacking: in pictures Bangladesh civil aviation minister Mahbub Ali, center, addresses a news conference in Dhaka on Monday 25 February AP

On 16 December 1971, East Pakistan officially became the independent country of Bangladesh.

Google are marking the national holiday with a doodle, which features an illustration of men in boats, nodding to Bangladeshs many rivers.

Bangladesh Independence Day is marked in the country with parades, concerts and often speeches.

In the capital city of Dhaka, many government buildings are lit up in red and green, the national colours.

As the two colours that make up the national flag, the green symbolises Bangladeshs flora and the red circle represents the sun rising over the relatively new country.
Five people died in a shooting in China's Inner Mongolia region, authorities said.

An individual shot and killed five people before being apprehended by police, authorities said in Inner Mongolia's eastern Kailu county.

Police did not describe the suspect, provide a motive or say whether anyone else was injured.

Gun crime is rare in China, where private firearm ownership is almost entirely forbidden.

But guns can be purchased on the black market through online dealers.

Regulations introduced in 2014 mandate that police officers carry guns  a change after decades in which Chinese police were unarmed.

AP
A military-backed party has taken the lead in Thailands first election since a coup in 2014, preliminary results showed, suggesting junta leader and prime minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha could stay in power.

With 89 per cent of votes counted on Sunday, the Palang Pracharat party was first with 7 million votes. Pheu Thai, which was the governing party ousted by the coup, was next with 6.6 million votes.

A new party, Future Forward, which became popular with young voters, had scooped up nearly 4.8 million votes. Voters deserted the Democrat Party, Thailands oldest political party, and its leader resigned.

Thais voted for a 500-member parliament, which along with a 250-member junta-appointed senate will decide the next prime minister.

The election was the latest chapter in a nearly two-decade struggle between conservative forces including the military and the political machine of Thaksin Shinawatra, a tycoon who upended tradition-bound Thailands politics with a populist political revolution.

Thai Elections Show all 13 1 /13 Thai Elections Thai Elections Supporter of Pheu Thai party cheers while watching television at party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Voting stations are closed and meaningful results are expected within hours, although many commentators suggest the formation of a new government could take weeks of haggling. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) AP Thai Elections Frustrated supporters of Pheu Thai party watch the election results broadcast on a television, in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Figures from Thailand's Election Commission show a military-backed party has taken the lead in the country's first election since a 2014 coup. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections A Thai policeman stands next to an empty ballot box which is shown before the voting for the general election at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Thailand's first general election since the military seized power in a 2014 coup is scheduled to be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) AP Thai Elections A Thai officer adjusts a chair before the voting for the general election at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Thailand's first general election since the military seized power in a 2014 coup is scheduled to be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) AP Thai Elections A Thai voter with a ballot paper in her hand, poses at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019, during the nation's first general election since the military seized power in a 2014 coup. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections Supporters of Pheu Thai party cheer while watching television at party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Voting stations are closed and meaningful results are expected within hours, although many commentators suggest the formation of a new government could take weeks of haggling. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn) AP Thai Elections A Thai officer counts ballots as she displays a ballot paper after polling concluded at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Nearly five years after a coup, Thailand voted Sunday in a long-delayed election pitting a military-backed party against the populist political force the generals overthrew. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections Thai election officers count ballots after polling concluded at a polling station in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Nearly five years after a coup, Thailand voted Sunday in a long-delayed election pitting a military-backed party against the populist political force the generals overthrew. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of thr Palang Pracharat Party receives flower from supporters during an election campaign rally in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 22, 2019. The political movement that has won every Thai election in nearly two decades is facing its biggest test yet: Squaring off against the allies of the military junta that removed it from power and rewrote the electoral rules with the goal of putting an end to those victories. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) AP Thai Elections The leader of Pheu Thai Party and candidate for prime minister Sudarat Keyuraphan gestures as she delivers a speech during an election rally concluding their campaign ahead of general election in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 22, 2019. The nation's first general election since the military seized power in a 2014 coup is scheduled to be held on March 24. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections The leader of Pheu Thai Party and candidate for prime minister Sudarat Keyuraphan walks to a podium to deliver a speech during an election rally concluding their campaign ahead of general election in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 22, 2019. The nation's first general election since the military seized power in a 2014 coup is scheduled to be held on March 24. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP Thai Elections Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha of the Palang Pracharat Party receives flowers from supporters during an election campaign rally in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 22, 2019. The political movement that has won every Thai election in nearly two decades is facing its biggest test yet: Squaring off against the allies of the military junta that removed it from power and rewrote the electoral rules with the goal of putting an end to those victories. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) AP Thai Elections Supporters of the Pheu Thai party watch the election results broadcast on a television in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, March 24, 2019. Figures from Thailand's Election Commission show a military-backed party has taken the lead in the country's first election since a 2014 coup. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) AP

Mr Thaksin was ousted as prime minister in a 2006 military coup and now lives in exile abroad to avoid a prison term, but parties allied with him have won every election since 2001.

His sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who led the Pheu Thai government that was ousted in 2014, also fled the country after what supporters said was a politically motivated prosecution.

Mr Prayuth, the blunt-speaking army chief who led the 2014 coup, was hoping to extend his hold on power after engineering a new political system that aims to stifle the influence of big political parties not aligned with the military.

About 51 million Thais were eligible to vote. Leaders of political parties opposed to military rule urged a high turnout as the only way to derail Mr Prayuths plans, but many voters stayed at home.

Thailands powerful king, Maha Vajiralongkorn, issued a statement on the eve of the election saying the role of leaders is to stop bad people from gaining power and causing chaos. It was also broadcast on Thai television stations minutes before voting started.

Invoking a speech by his father, the previous Thai king who died in 2016 after reigning for seven decades, King Vajiralongkorn said not all citizens can be transformed into good people, so leaders must be given support in ruling to create a peaceful nation.

He urged government officials, soldiers and civil servants to look after national security.

It was the monarchs second notable intervention in politics recently. Last month, he demanded his sister Princess Ubolratana Mahidol withdraw as a prime ministerial candidate for a small Thaksin-allied party within 24 hours of her announcement.

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When it seized power in 2014, the military said it was to end political unrest that had periodically turned violent and disrupted daily life and the economy.

The claim has been a selling point for Mr Prayuth, who according to critics has overseen a period of growing inequality and economic hardship in Thailand.

After the coup, political party gatherings were banned and pro-democracy activists and other dissenters were regularly arrested, interrogated and imprisoned. Just days before Sundays election, Pheu Thai said the houses of party officials and its campaign canvassers in some provinces had been searched by military personnel in an act of intimidation.

Associated Press
A baby has died after his parents attempted to circumcise him at their home in Italy.

The five-month-old child suffered a cardiac arrest on Friday afternoon following the procedure in the town of Scandiano, in Reggio Emilia.

He was flown to SantOrsola Hospital in Bologna by helicopter but died that night.

The prosecutors office in the northern province of Reggio Emilia has opened a manslaughter investigation, ANSA news agency in Italy reports.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out to determine the infants cause of death.

Bus set on fire in Italy Show all 4 1 /4 Bus set on fire in Italy Bus set on fire in Italy Italian forensic policemen and firefighters work by the wreckage of a school bus that was transporting some 50 children AFP/Getty Images Bus set on fire in Italy Italian Carabinieri policemen stand guard AFP/Getty Images Bus set on fire in Italy Forensic policemen and firefighters work on the wreckage AFP/Getty Images Bus set on fire in Italy "It is a miracle, it could have been carnage. The police were outstanding, blocking the bus and getting the children off," said Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco AFP/Getty Images

The baby, who has not been named, was born to parents of Ghanaian origin.

The infants death comes after a botched home circumcision of a two-year-old boy who died of severe blood loss in December on the outskirts of Rome.

In that case, his twin brother also nearly died but survived following intensive care treatment.

Alessio Mammi, the mayor of Scandiano, said he hoped those responsible for the five-month-olds death would pay severely under the law.

He told The Telegraph: It is worrying that there are still individuals who practice these rituals of such a very ancient character to risk the lives of such small children.

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It is believed about 35 per cent of circumcisions in Italy take place in peoples homes.

Circumcision is not practised among Italys Roman Catholic majority.

However some in Italy practice circumcision for cultural and religious reasons, but sometimes have trouble accessing the practice in hospitals.

For some parents the hospital costs are too high, but doctors in some Italian hospitals also refuse to perform circumcisions until the boys have reached the age of four or even older.

Foad Aodi, the founder of the association of foreign doctors in Italy (AMSI), has appealed to health authorities to allow circumcisions at affordable prices and to lower the age of access to help avoid people turning to other methods such as home circumcisions.

He has previously said having the procedure done privately can cost between 2,000 (1,798) and 4,000 (3,596).

According to ANSA, Yassine Lafram, the head of Bolognas Islamic community, condemned the practice of subjecting children to illegal circumcisions on Monday.

He said the five-month-old boys death could have been avoided and pains us deeply.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.
Gibraltar has banned the release of helium-filled balloons in a bid to lower the number of marine animals killed by swallowing them.

The government has published regulations to ban the deliberate release of gas-filled balloons, the government of Gibraltar said in a statement.

The British overseas territory, on Spains southern coast, said the move would reiterate its commitment to clean seas, free of plastics and other non-biodegradable materials which cause so much harm to wildlife.

It comes two years after the government ended the traditional release of 30,000 red and white balloons on Gibraltars National Day celebrations on 10 September.

The balloon ban was introduced following years of campaigning by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society and other local wildlife organisations, according to The Local in Spain.

Balloons are mistaken for food by many species of wildlife, especially turtles. Once balloons have been eaten they can block digestive systems and cause animals to starve. The string on balloons can also entangle and trap animals, the society said in a statement.

The Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Gibraltar and Spain from Morocco, features a resident killer whale family under threat of extinction, and is visited by hundreds of thousands of seabirds every year.
The Greek prime minister says Turkish fighter jets buzzed his official helicopter as he flew to a Greek island on Monday to mark an uprising against Ottoman rule.

They forced the helicopter I was on to manoeuvre low until Greek jets intercepted the forces violating our national air space," Alexis Tsipras said in a speech after the incident on the island of Agathonisi.

The message I want to send them is that such foolish actions have no meaning, they spend their gasoline for nothing. We will always be there to defend our national integrity.

Agathonisi lies just 10 miles from Turkey's Mediterranean coast and was the site of an 1821 uprising against Ottoman rule at the start of the Greek war of independence.

Greeks mark their independence day on the date of the uprising, which is a national holiday across the country.

Recommended Greek parliament votes to allow Macedonia name change to go ahead

A Greek military official told the Reuters news agency that a Greek F-16 fighter jet intercepted the Turkish warplanes around four miles away from Mr Tsiprass helicopter.

I had the honour of welcoming you here in Agathonisi and some fighter aircrafts of the Turkish air force, perhaps for the day, wanted to participate in the celebration," Mr Tsipras joked. What do they think they are doing?

Though both Greek and Turkey are members of Nato, the two countries have long had a testy relationship, with longstanding historical animosity of the legacy of Ottoman occupation and a dispute over the status of Cyprus.

Despite a period of reconciliation around the turn of the century, relations between the two countries have recently deteriorated years after Greece declined to extradite eight Turkish soldiers who were accused by the Turkish government of being involved a failed 2016 military coup.

The question of airspace and territorial waters in the Aegean sea is also a long-running a matter of dispute between the two countries.

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

Though the countries were last at war in 1922, incidents such as the expulsion of Greeks from Istanbul in the 1960s and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 tested relations throughout the 20th century.

Despite the difficulties, the two countries governments have made some efforts to improve relations. In 2017, president Recep Tayyip Erdogan became the first Turkish leader to formally visit Greece for 65 years.
The Kremlin turned to a Chinese proverb on Monday to express satisfaction with the outcome of Robert Muellers 22-month investigation.

According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the reports main findings  that there was no evidence of collusion between Moscow and the Trump team  had vindicated what Russia knew all along.

Its hard to find a black cat in a black room, he told reporters. Especially if there isnt one.

Mr Peskovs words mirrored earlier comments made by the Alexei Pushkov, a member of Russias upper house. There is no black cat, he wrote on Twitter. US Democrats, Russophobia, and leading media have created a virtual conspiracy  in their heads and on the front pages but nowhere else.

The Mueller investigation dominated Russian news bulletins on Monday.

The rolling state news channel presented immediate reaction from Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer indicted by Mr Mueller in January with obstruction of justice charges. She described the published resume of the report as a bombshell, but did not expect it to make a real impact in her own case.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

Lunchtime talk shows hit a more triumphalist note, with the flagship Time will tell demanding the US now show contrition.

The ball is now in their court, said presenter Artyom Sheinin, but perhaps its too late.

The comprehensive coverage marked a major change in editorial priorities. In recent weeks, Russian media has avoided discussion of the Mueller investigation almost as obsessively as the US media has followed it.

Part of that, undoubtedly, was a conscious decision, with channels taking a lead from official Kremlin statements relegating the investigation to the undeserving of comment box. Taking a similar approach to its dealings with Aleksey Navalny  the opposition politician never referred to by name  the Kremlin had repeatedly made it clear it wouldnt discuss a report investigating foreign interference since that was something Russia never does.

But the rejection of the Mueller process and the hype around it actually went well beyond the usual loyalist circles. Indeed, the two-year investigation did a very rare thing in Russia: unified the state and the pro-western opposition against the United States.

Alexei Kovalev, a campaigning journalist and founder of a blog tackling fake news, said months of coverage undermined the faith Russians once had in American institutions. They could no longer trust the once-revered media, he said, because it had abandoned standards and taken sides in an ideological fight.

Russians have been turned off by the absurd xenophobia which has crept into the US coverage of the investigation. Mr Kovalev said: We were told Melania was a Russian agent because she was born in Soviet Yugoslavia. Then were told Felix Sater [a Trump associate] tried to bribe Putin with a penthouse in Trump Tower. All the time, us Russians have been depicted as dirty, stupid, hammer and sickle people.

Independent analyst Masha Lipman, another close observer of Russian and American media, agreed that Russians were turned off the Mueller investigation without the help of state propaganda.

Even in America, one in two saw the process as a witch hunt, she said. When you have that polarisation within America, and add in the apathy that occurs after two years of leaking, and the lack of indisputable evidence linking Russia to Trumps team, its quite natural that Russians saw this as an all-American affair.

 President Trump claims 'total exoneration' in Mueller report

Loyalist voices suggested that the better-than-expected culmination of Mr Muellers probe provided an opportunity to turn the page and reset frayed relations.

The time was now right to revisit negotiations on nuclear arms treaties, said Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the foreign affairs committee of Russias upper house: We are ready  Whether Trump is ready is another question.

But others suggested the die was already cast  and an age of confrontation beckons.

Sergei Karaganov, a prominent foreign policy analyst considered close to the Kremlin, told The Independent that Russia and the west remained rivals set on different paths.

Russia was on the rising tide of history, he said, and the west would regret its decision to exclude the military superpower from its orbit: We wanted to be part of the west, but were rejected, and I have to admit I was worried about our fate. But now we watch the west decline, while we are growing.

Mr Karaganov said the wests aggressive policies in the 1990s meant most Russians actually considered interference in US affairs legitimate.

My own view is we didnt interfere much, and probably should have done better, he said. If anything, it was an educational process, teaching our partners to behave properly.
Spains prime minister Pedro Sanchez appears to be heading for re-election in a snap contest scheduled for next month, according to the latest polls.

The socialist leaders PSOE party and its allies in parliament are set to get a small working majority of seats, according to two polls published at the start of the week.

Mr Sanchez became prime minister in June last year after successful no-confidence vote in his conservative predecessor, Mariano Rajoy  whose party became embroiled in a series of corruption scandals.

He now leads a minority government with the support of left-wing parties like Podemos, and some regionalist and separatist groups  but razor-thin parliamentary maths has made it difficult for the government to pursue a legislative agenda  or even pass a budget.

PSOE is polling just over 27 per cent, up from 22.7 per cent at the last election in 2016, while its main rivals, the conservative Partido Popular (PP), are polling 19 per cent, down from 33 per cent at the last election.

Recommended Spanish prime minister Sanchez calls for second Brexit referendum

The survey, conducted for Spains El Pais newspaper, shows the far-right Vox party entering parliament with 10 per cent of seats  mostly at the expense of the PP and populist liberal, anti-separatist party Ciudadanos.

Ciudadanos was riding high in the polls this time last year but its support has fallen back to lower levels  it is now polling 17.7 per cent, up from 13.1 per cent at the 2016 election.

Podemos and the other left-wing parties in is alliance are polling a collecting 12.3 per cent, down from 21.1 per cent at the last election. A chunk of the leftists support has moved to the centre-left PSOE.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A separate poll, for the ABC newspaper, shows PSOE even higher  with 30.9 per cent of the vote. That poll shows Mr Sanchez's campaign going well, with his party up on previous polls and all his rivals down.

The snap general election is due to take place on 28 April and will be Spains fourth in the last 10 years. The country has had a tumultuous political decade as it grapples with the divisive issues of austerity and the question of Catalan independence.
A rocket fired from Gaza has hit a home in central Israel injuring seven people, in a serious escalation of violence that prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington and return home.

Air raid sirens wailed in the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv shortly after 5am, sending residents running for their bomb shelters. The attack that followed destroyed a residential home in the agricultural town of Mishmeret, over 80km north of Gaza, injuring seven people, including a six-month-old baby, children aged two and three, and a 12-year-old girl. Army reservists have now been called up.

Footage of the scene showed rescue workers picking their way through the gutted remains of the destroyed building. The blast had also partially damaged a nearby house and several cars.

Paramedics team Magen David Adom were at the scene.

Assi Dvilanski, a member of the crew, told The Independent: "Looking at the scene  it was a huge blast  it could have ended very very badly, it is a miracle no one was killed."

"When we arrived we started to see people coming out from the debris, the damage was severe. At the end we treated seven injured, with body injuries including blast wounds, burns, scratches and shrapnel injuries," he added.

"The youngest was six months old, both parents and grandparents were also injured. They were asleep. They didnt manage to close the blast door of their shelter, which is why they were injured."

The grandmother remains in hospital with shrapnel injuries, according to her husband. The couple are dual British-Israeli citizens.

Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Show all 10 1 /10 Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police examine a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 Reuters Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A car damaged by the rocket AFP/Getty Images Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 AP

The Israeli foreign ministry said the projectile was fired from Gaza, which is controlled by militant group Hamas. The use of a long-range weapon by militants is a serious escalation and has sparked fears of another war just two weeks before an Israeli general election.

Mr Netanyahu said that Israel would respond with force".

"There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully," he said in a video message. "In a few hours I will meet with President Trump. I will return to Israel immediately afterward."

Maj. Mika Lifshitz, head of the Israeli armys International Press Desk, said a long-range rocket fired by Hamas in Gaza hit an Israeli civilian home at 5.45am. The army has deployed additional brigades in the south and called up reserve soldiers.

The rocket has a range of above 120km, it is a Hamas rocket self manufactured. Hamas fired this rocket, she told reporters.

We have deployed two additional brigades Infantry and armoured on the southern command and limited draft of the service, she added.

She declined to comment about whether Israels powerful missile defence system Iron Dome had been deployed.

Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, an army spokesman, had earlier told Israeli media the army is calling up thousands of reserve soldiers, including reservists from the Israel Air Force.

There was no immediate claim from Gaza.

 Meet the young musicians of Gaza fighting the siege to play

Yahya Sinwar, the head of the Islamist militant group Hamas in the coastal enclave, cancelled a planned public meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon with Hamas officials, citing "developments."

However, it was the second long range rocket attack over the Tel Aviv area in two weeks.

On 14 March rockets landed just south of Tel Aviv, the first time since 2014 that Israels commercial and cultural capital has been under fire.

Tensions are high, ahead of the general election which is due to take place on 9 April but also as Gaza nears the first anniversary of the start of the Great March of Return protests.

Since 30 March 2018, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have rallied at the border fence between Gaza and Israel, demanding the right to return to their ancestral lands they fled or were forced from during the 1948 conflict which surrounded the creation of Israel.

Over 180 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, according to the United Nations, which has accused the Israeli army of committing possible war crimes.

Israel has defended its actions, saying Palestinians have attacked the border, fired balloons tied with explosives and incendiary kites at Israel threatening Israeli lives.

The violence at the border has sparked multiple bouts of cross-border fire between both sides, which on several occasions have nearly tipped into war.

Mr Netanyahu, who is both prime minister and defence minister, is facing mounting pressure from across the political divide to launch a full-scale military operation in Gaza.

The New Right, led by Naftali Bennett, his education minister and key coalition partner, said shortly after the attack that Mr Netanyahu should relinquish his position as defence minister and appoint Mr Bennett in his place.

"Israel's deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty, Netanyahu has failed against Hamas, the party said in a statement.

Netanyahu is a good prime minister but a failed defense minister ... The time has come to appoint Bennett as defense minister in order to defeat Hamas, the statement added.

Mr Netanyahus chief rival in next month's election, centrist ex-army chief Benny Gantz, issued a statement accusing the rightist premier of having "bankrupted national security" by permitting such attacks. Gantz, who is also in Washington to address AIPAC, had urged Mr Netanyahu to return home.
Days of torrential downpours across Iran have led to unprecedented flooding, killing at least 17 people and sharpening political tensions.

At least 74 people have also been injured in the flash floods. In one dramatic video posted online, a man could be seen struggling to rescue a woman and child in each arm as a heavy current threatened to drag them away.

The situation here is very hard, people of Iran, a relief worker in the northern province of Golestan declares in a video, as he makes his way through flooded streets in a small boat.

People here are in need of food, and its just the beginning of the storms. I am pleading with you. Please help out with necessary supplies.

Floods regularly strike the countrys verdant north but some of the worst flooding this year hit the south, in rural Shiraz province. Scores of villages and towns and several cities have suffered.

The floods began a week ago, coinciding with the end of the Persian calendar year, which is normally a time of celebration and family gatherings.

The floods also come at a time of heightened political tensions over economic troubles, which have been exacerbated by tightened US sanctions under Donald Trump and a clique of hardline Iran hawks who dominate Middle East policy in his administration.

Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Show all 10 1 /10 Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Iranian lawmakers, some supporting and some other opposing the impeachment of Iranian Economy and Finance Minister Masoud Karbasian, argue during an impeachment session at the Iranian Parliament in Tehran EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Media reported that parliament sacked Karbasian as Minister of Economy and Finance as Iran is facing an economic crisis EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister The parliament impeached Economy Minister Masoud Karbasian and on the day voted to sack him AFP/Getty Images Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Karbasian is the second minister in President Hassan Rouhani's cabinet to be impeached this month, following the removal of Labour Minister Ali Rabiei on August 8 EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister Iranian MPs gesure while the Economy Minister speaks AFP/Getty Images Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister EPA Clashes break out after Iran parliament impeaches economy minister EPA

Washington also weighed in, highlighting Tehran authorities poor water management abilities.

The regime has severely mismanaged water resources in Iran for the last 40 years, said Brian Hook, the State Departments Iran special representative, in a video to mark World Water Day on Friday.

Today we are seeing devastating effects. Corruption lies at the heart of the problem.

Rising floodwaters are also expected to affect neighbouring Iraq, with officials in Basra evacuating villages caught downstream from deluged rivers in Iran.

Recommended Iraq water shortages could force four million people to flee home

The heavy rains, of up to half a metre, caused rivers to burst and one mostly desert province in southeast Iran was anticipating up to 40 centimetres in coming days, half its annual rainfall.

Flood warnings have been issued in just about every province, with heavy rains badly disrupting transport and commerce during what is normally a peak tourist season.

The countrys Meteorological Organisation says 26 of 31 provinces are being hammered with rain or snow.

The governor of Fars province, which includes the Persian New Year destination of Shiraz, had urged residents to stay at home.

To grapple with the disaster, the Iranian authorities have established crisis centres across the country. They have also mobilised the armed forces, including the Revolutionary Guard, which on Sunday set off three explosions to release water trapped behind a railway embankment and save a town in northern Golestan province from being further deluged.

At least one dam has been opened in southwest Khuzestan province to prevent further damage. Iranian authorities have come under fire by environmentalists and neighbouring Iraq for building too many dams.

 Jordan floods: At least 18 dead after torrential rains sweep away students on school trip near Dead Sea

Social media users including regime hardliners have criticised the handling of the flood by the government of Hassan Rouhani, considered a relative moderate. The governor of Golestan province has already been fired, reportedly for being out of the country during the floods. A government auditor told state radio that two investigations are underway to assess the governments handling of the floods.

If shortcomings or possible faults are found in any of the government agencies regarding the necessary measures that should have been taken, which may have caused damage, or if there was failure to provide relief and services to people, a report is to be made for further investigation, the newly appointed hardline judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi was quoted as saying.

In an effort to avoid various scams that have surfaced during previous natural disasters, Iran has also banned fundraising by individuals and unauthorised organisations, urging people to donate to the Red Crescent society.
Israeli aircraft pounded targets across Gaza Monday night in retaliation for a long-range rocket attack fired that injured seven people, including a six-month-old baby, hours earlier in the centre of the country.

The Israeli military said it hit three key buildings used by Hamas, the militant group that runs the besieged strip and was purportedly behind the earlier rocket-fire. Seven Palestinians were wounded in the strikes, according to Gaza's health ministry.



Hamas later declared that Egypt had successfully brokered a ceasefire that would come into effect 10pm local time but it was not confirmed by Israel, and raids were still recorded across the Strip.



The Israeli army said one of the main targets in Gaza was the office of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's political leader.

Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Show all 10 1 /10 Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Fire and smoke rises from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City AFP/Getty Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Smoke rises above buildings in Rafah in the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes AFP/Getty Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Palestinians are reflected in a mirror as they stand by the rubble of the office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City Reuters Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip A Palestinian stands by the rubble of the office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City Reuters Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Palestinian boys watch as others inspect a mosque that was damaged in a nearby Israeli air strike in Gaza City Reuters Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Palestinians inspect their home after it was damaged in a nearby Israeli air strike in Gaza City Reuters Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City AP Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Palestinian men point to an insurance sign amid the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City AFP/Getty Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Gaza City in the late afternoon on March 25 shortly before Israel launched airstrikes in the city AFP/Getty Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza Strip Fire and smoke rises from a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City AP

Palestinian media outlets shared footage of a fiery explosion and rising smoke that reportedly showed the moment the office was hit in Gaza City's Rimal district.

The Israeli army said they also struck a three-storey building in the Tzabra neighbourhood that was a secret headquarters of the Hamas and a five-storey block used for the group's interior security.

Fighting groups in the Strip fired back at southern Israel where rocket sirens sounded in cities like Sderot and Ashkelon, sending civilians running for bomb shelters.

The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met US President Donald Trump at the White House where the American leader signed a controversial declaration recognising Israels sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights.

At a joint press conference, Mr Netanyahu described the earlier rocket attack as criminal and said: Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it.

As we speak, he added, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

Recommended Weary Israelis lose patience over Gaza attacks

The US president said Israel had the absolute right to defend itself, shortly before signing the declaration which parts with decades of US policy over the Golan.

Mr Netanyahu responded: Mr President, Israel has never had a better friend than you.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, has declared it will respond if Israel retaliates too forcefully.

The groups leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement that the Palestinian people will not surrender and its militant factions will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.



Police and security officers were evacuated and hospitals in Gaza were on alert in anticipation of the Israeli airstrikes.



Residents of Gaza told The Independent families were rushing out to purchase supplies fearing protracted conflict.



"People are terrified this will develop into a long war and so are dashing out to by food. But otherwise the streets are emptying as we hear strikes in the background," one resident said.

However hours later Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that Egypt had brokered a ceasefire deal. Gaza's education ministry ordered schools to open as normal on Tuesday.

While there has been no claim of responsibility for the earlier rocket attack, military spokesperson Major Mika Lifshitz said the army had concluded that Hamas fired the rocket from a launchpad near Rafah, some 120km away.



It marked one of longest-range rockets armed factions in Gaza have fired at Israel in years.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the agricultural town of Mishmeret, and the injured included a six-month-old baby, a two and half year old child, their parents and grandparents.



UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said the attack on Israel was completely unacceptable.

He tweeted: Appalled by terrorist attack from Gaza against civilians, including British-Israeli dual nationals. My thoughts are with all those affected.

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The UN said secretary-general Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned at the situation in Gaza and is urging Israel and Hamas to exercise maximum restraint.

Amnesty International also urged Israel to respect international humanitarian law in its response to the rocket attack.

Attacks on civilians, and indiscriminate attacks, are never justified and a serious violation of international humanitarian law, said Saleh Higazi, deputy director for the Middle East.

Israel has repeatedly displayed a chilling disregard for civilian life and carried out wide-scale deadly attacks in densely-populated civilian areas of Gaza in violation of international humanitarian law.

There must be no repeat of the unlawful attacks that killed and injured thousands of civilians in Gaza, destroyed homes and devastated infrastructure during conflicts in previous years.

We are calling on Hamas, Israel and all parties involved in the conflict to respect international humanitarian law.

Additional reporting by Associated Press and Reuters
Jared Kushners businessman brother met with Saudi officials at an investor conference in the days before the presidents son-in-law and Middle East adviser held private talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a report.

Josh Kushner, who runs a venture capital firm, spent three days at the October 2017 conference in Riyadh where the crown prince promised to invest billions in high-tech projects. According to the New York Times, he held "exclusive conversations" with Saudi officials.

The day after his younger brother flew out of the kingdom, Jared Kushner visited the crown prince's desert retreat to talk policy, the newspaper reported.

Jared Kushner severed ties with his brother's firm, Thrive Capital, and divested his interests in its funds upon becoming a senior White House adviser in January 2017.

However, some government ethics lawyers suggested him discussing US policy with the kingdom's rulers at virtually the same time as his brother was promoting his business to the country's top aides still created the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Show all 20 1 /20 Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet Donald Trump's Cabinet is one the richest in American history, filled with billionaires, conservatives and several career politicians. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pence US Vice President Mike Pence has defended Donald Trump throughout his presidency while walking a fine line to avoid any public involvement in major scandals. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mike Pompeo Secretary of State Mike Pompeo replaced Donald Trump's previous appointment to the post, Rex Tillerson, and has led talks with North Korea in establishing high-profile summits between the president and Kim Jong Un. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Wilbur Ross Secretary of Commerce Wibur Ross raised controversy when he was accused of falsely claiming to have sold stock in a bank and violated a government ethics agreement. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Lighthizer US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been a fixture in Donald Trump's ongoing trade spat with China. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet William Barr Attorney General William Barr replaced Jeff Sessions as the nation's top cop in early 2019 and has refused to commit to recusing himself from the Russia probe despite an unsolicited memo he sent to the Justice Department decrying the investigation. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Rick Perry Energy Secretary Rick Perry has held his post throughout Donald Trump's presidency despite previously undermining the need for the agency he now leads in past public statements. Ken Shipp / United States Department of Energy Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Betsy DeVos Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has also held her post throughout the presidency, despite major backlash to her apparent undermining of the nationwide public school system and advocacy for charter programmes. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Steven Mnuchin Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has faced numerous controversies throughout his tenure as the head of Treasury, including costing taxpayers at least a million dollars in travel expenses. AP Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Veterans Affairs secretary Robert Wilkie was appointed after Donald Trump's White House doctor Ronny Jackson withdrew over allegations he provided prescription drugs to patients without prescriptions. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet David Bernhardt Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt took office in January 2019 after the resignation of Ryan Zinke after previously serving as Zinke's deputy. Before taking office Bernhardt worked for many years as a solicitor for the Department of the Interior. Tami Heilemann / United States Department of the Interior Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Elaine Chao Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has held her post throughout the presidency and has mostly avoided controversy, despite a report claiming her office has been in frequent coordination with her husband's, Mitch McConnell. AFP/Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Kevin McAleenan Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan took over from Kirstjen Nielsen after she resigned in April 2019. He previously worked as the executive director of the executive director of the Office of Anti Terrorism in the Customs and Border Protection agency United States Customs and Border Protection Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Ben Carson Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson was appointed shortly after Donald Trump took office and raised controversy over an exorbitant furnishing bill for his office. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Gina Haspel CIA Director Gina Haspel was appointed in 2018 and faced backlash surrounding her oversight of Guantanamo Bay. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Dan Coats Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats could be the next person to leave Donald Trump's administration over his refuting the president's claims surrounding ISIS. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Sonny Perdue Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been dogged by ethics questions throughout his tenure and faced controversy when emails showed the agency appeared willing to eagerly work with lobbyists under his leadership. Reuters Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Alex Azar Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is a former pharmaceutical lobbyist and former drug company executive. Getty Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Mick Mulvaney Acting Chief of Staff and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has described himself as one of the most conservative officials in the White House. EPA Trump's inner circle: Meet the members of the US president's cabinet Robert Wilkie Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie has spent his career on Capitol Hill serving in various roles in foreign affairs and defence. He holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve. Gene Russell / United States Department of Veterans Affairs

The timing looks bad, OK, but the bigger issue is his brothers business, said Kathleen Clark, a law professor at Washington University in St Louis. It is reasonable to question Jared Kushners ability to be impartial in dealing with the Saudis.

A spokesman for Josh Kushner told the New York Times that Thrive Capital "instituted a policy shortly after the 2016 election to prohibit investments from new foreign investors with business in front of the current administration". The company had "abided by that prohibition," he added.

He declined to say if the firm had received money from Saudis who had invested in its funds before Mr Trump's election.

Jared Kushner has met again with Crown Prince bin Salman since the October 2018 killing of Saud journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi agents at the country's Istanbul consulate. Riyadh has said it was masterminded and carried out by "rogue" operatives.

No representatives from the US embassy in Riyadh were present at 26 February meeting, in a deviation from government protocols, prompting military and intelligence officials to accuse the president's son-in-law of undermining US authority.

The Independent has contacted Thrive Capital and the White House for further comment.
The British-Israeli grandfather whose home was obliterated by a rocket from Gaza on Monday morning said that if his son had not fallen asleep on the sofa the entire family would have been killed.

Robert Wolf, 64, who lived in the UK in the 1970s, told The Independent that his son Daniel, 30, had been shaken awake by rocket sirens wailing and ran to alert his family.

Mr Wolfs wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, the youngest aged just six months, had barely made it to the shelter when the missile struck.

The grandfather, meanwhile, was just metres away from the missile when it landed on his home in Mishmerot, 25km north of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli army said Hamas, the militant group that runs Gaza, fired the home-made long-range weapon from the southern regions of the Strip, around 120km away.

I ran out to find my other daughter and stepped outside when there was a huge explosion, Mr Wolf told The Independent next to the gutted remnants of his home.

Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Show all 10 1 /10 Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A house damaged by the rocket EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police examine a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 Reuters Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel A car damaged by the rocket AFP/Getty Images Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 EPA Rocket from Gaza injures seven in central Israel Police inspect a house damaged by the rocket north of Tel Aviv on March 25 AP

Behind him, volunteers, soldiers, and emergency responders picked their way through charred remains of the house, trying to salvage personal belongings from the mounds of rubble.

I went flying forward, it tore through the roof. I thought for a second I had lost my entire family. If we hadnt got to the bomb shelter in time I would have been burying all them, he added.

He said his wife Sue, also a dual national, was still in hospital being treated for shrapnel in the head. The only reason the baby survived was because she was shielded by his daughter-in-law Yael, who was also hospitalised.

The rest of the family was later allowed to go home.

If Yael hadnt taken the shrapnel for the baby, the baby wouldnt be here. Its a miracle we werent all killed, Mr Wolf added.

The surprise attack so far north of the besieged enclave was the second long-range attack this month and shook Israel just weeks ahead of the general election. It was followed hours later by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, which the army said were directed at Hamas positions.

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Central rural areas such as Mishmerot have been spared bombardment in the past. Questions were raised over why the Iron Dome, Israels powerful missile defence system, was not deployed to stop the assault.

Captain Libby Weiss, a military spokesperson who declined to comment about the Iron Dome deployment, called the attack a vivid example of Hamass capabilities.

She confirmed that two additional brigades had been sent to the south and reserve soldiers, including those in the air force, were called up in preparation of further action against Hamas in Gaza, speaking ahead of the Israeli strikes.

Many fear the tit-for-tat strikes could see Israel launch a fresh war in Gaza just weeks ahead of the 9 April polls.

Mr Netanyahu, who was in the United States for meetings with US president Donald Trump and was due to address powerful pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC on Tuesday, cut short his visit to hurry home for a cabinet meeting. The countrys prime minister and defence minister promised to respond forcefully to the attack.

Many in Mishmerot, including the Wolf family, expressed anger at the countrys leadership, saying they did not want to go to war but blamed the authorities for leaving the country with no other option.

(Bel Trew (Bel Trew)

We need a proper government. The politicians are just playing games on the backs of us. I paid the real price today and I nearly lost my entire family, Mr Wolf said.

(Bel Trew (Bel Trew)

I dont know what the solution is. I do not want one Jewish or Druze soldier to die in a war for this but it has to stop.

Residents of the tiny agricultural town were shaken awake by the rocket siren at just past 5am and initially ignored the warning, as attacks this far north are so rare.

I am 17 years old, I have never heard a siren before so I ignored it, said Noa, whose family later heard the explosion which destroyed the Wolf family home.

Its an incredible shock for everyone here, this is a quiet area  we never thought the rockets would come to our place. We are worried we are not protected, she added.

Her father, who spent 14 years in the army and voted for Mr Netanyahu in 2009 during his first term in office, said he feared that the prime minister was too distracted by multiple corruption cases to be able to concentrate on the worsening security crisis.

The prime minister is campaigning for a fourth consecutive term in office, under the shadow of possible indictment in three graft cases

He is not the man he used to be. He is nearly too distracted. No one here wants a war, but something has to be done, Ibrahim, 67, said.

Another local, Meir Ghelfenstein, 65, said that there was no choice left but a military operation even if no one wanted another conflict.

Mr Ghelfenstein, a supporter of Israels Labour Party, said the current right-wing government had squandered the last few years since the 2014 war ended, without helping rebuild Gaza, and leaving the 2.2 million strong population with little else to do than fire rockets.

Netanyahu does not know how to end this. He has taken no action over the last four-and-a-half years since the last war and left people in Gaza with no hope, he said, standing outside the gutted Wolf home.

They have nothing to lose and so this happens. We need to give them a solid economy, peace and hope. Right now Netanyahu has a policy of divide and rule with the Palestinians, he doesnt want peace talks.
Ten children, part of the same extended family, were killed by a US air strike in Afghanistan, along with three adult civilians, the United Nations said on Monday.

The air strike early on Saturday was part of a battle between the Taliban and combined Afghan and U.S. forces that lasted about 30 hours in Kunduz, a northern province where the Taliban insurgency is strong.

The children and their family had been displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said, releasing its preliminary findings about the incident. UNAMA said in a statement that it is verifying that all 13 civilian casualties occurred around the time of the air strike.

Three other civilians were wounded. The incident happened in the Telawka neighbourhood near Kunduz city.

Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Show all 20 1 /20 Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Nooria*, 15 in the home her family has lived in for the past two years in Mazar-i Sharif She was forced to flee her home with her family after their town was attacked by armed groups. Nooria describes a rocket hitting her neighbours home killing many inside. They fled on foot with just the clothes on their backs and she now lives in Mazari Shariff where Save the Children have enrolled her in school and provide vocational training Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Nooria* hopes for a future with no war; "When they attacked our village, the rocket hit our neighbour's house and they all died. Our house then caught fire and we ran away. My friends who I used to play with - I still don't know if they are alive or if they are dead. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict I'm hoping for a better future, to learn, to support my family and to get them out of this difficult life. And I'm hoping for a future where there is no war. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Naveed*, 16 at his family home in Mazar-i Sharif Naveed lost his leg when he stepped on a mine aged just 8-years-old. He was herding the family's sheep in the mountains near their home when he triggered a landmine Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict After months of medical treatment his right leg was eventually amputated. He received physiotherapy and a prosthetic leg from the International Committee for the Red Cross in Mazar Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Now enrolled in school, Naveed is being given vocational training by Save the Children. For around a year I felt and dreamt that I still had my leg. But when I woke up and saw, there was no leg. Sometimes Id feel with my hand to check and find it wasn't there. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict If someone has loses their leg, it does not mean that they have lost their mind." Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict "With the help of our minds we can continue to study, learn, and work to make the future of our families brighter. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Naveed and Mahboob*, 55 (Naveed's father) Several years ago Neveed's father, Mahboob, was brutally beaten with rifle butts by armed groups after, he says, he failed to provide food for them while they were stationed in the family's village. He suffered brain damage which affected the right side of his body, speech and his brain function Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Habiba*, 14, and Arezo*, 15 in a village outside Kabul Habiba and Arezo were injured with their mother three years ago in a suicide bombing in Kabul. Arezo is still traumatised from what she saw and has become completely withdrawn Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Arezo's younger sister Habiba cares for her, takes her to lessons and anywhere she wants to go. They are both in school through Save the Children's 'Steps towards Afghan girls' education success' (STAGES) programme, which helps the most marginalised girls get access to education, stay in school and learn. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Habiba says: When I woke up and I opened my eyes I saw lots of bodies and I thought I was not alive any more. It was horrible. I'll never forget that. Whenever there is a big sound she gets scared because she was traumatised by the sound she heard during the attack. I love my sister, and I help her with her lessons, I take her anywhere." Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict "She's older than me but I feel like the older one because I support her. I hope for a better future for me and my sister. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Khalida*, 10 in a classroom in a village outside Kabul Two years ago Khalida lost her 18-year old brother when he was killed in an explosion in Kabul. She misses him every day and says the family are still carrying the grief of his loss Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict "Two years ago, my brother was going to Kabul when an explosion happened and he lost his life. We are still carrying the grief and are crying over him. At the time we were happy, everyone was happy. Now no-one is happy in the family. When I remember him, I cry and feel so bad. I hope for peace and that war will stop, and that nobody loses their brother Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict I want to get education to become a teacher. I want to teach others who have never been to school Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Sema*,11 at her family home in Kabul Sema recalls coming home from her aunt's house and being told that her father had been killed in a suicide attack Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict Sema still thinks about him every second and likes to look at his prayer beads (Tisbeh) to remember him. They hang from the curtain in the family home. She loves school and wants to become a teacher one day. Sema says she wants peace in her country to stop other children losing their fathers. We still have lots of his belongings, like his car, his clothes, his watch, his shoes. Whenever we see them we cry. He gave us all so much love every moment and he is on our minds. I want for the powerful people around the world to stop the war and bring peace, because I don't want other children to lose their fathers. Andrew Quilty/Save the Children Afghanistan war: lives of children devastated by the endless conflict I want to become a teacher to serve the country and I don't want any girls to be illiterate. I want to teach all the girls, so they have access to education. *Names have been changed to protect identities Andrew Quilty/Save the Children

Seargent Debra Richardson, spokeswoman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, confirmed that US forces carried out an air strike, but she said on Monday that the mission still had not confirmed that it had caused civilian casualties.

She said the mission aims to prevent civilian casualties, while the Taliban intentionally hides among civilians.

 At least 30 killed after landslide collapses makeshift goldmine in Afghanistan

A record number of Afghan civilians were killed last year as aerial attacks and suicide bombings increased, the United Nations said in a February report. Child casualties from air strikes have increased every year since 2014.

Fighting has accelerated during a period of recurring talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at ending Afghanistan's 17-year war.

Reuters
A British Airways flight to Dusseldorf mistakenly landed in Edinburgh due to a mix up with paperwork.

The diversion from London City airport happened after incorrect documentation was submitted for the flight.

Passengers did not realise the error until a Welcome to Edinburgh announcement was made.

BA flight 3271 took off at 7.46am and touched down in the Scottish capital at 8.47am, rather than the planned 9.40am arrival in Dusseldorf.

The aircraft sat on the apron for two and a half hours before finally setting off for western Germany, 24-year-old management consultant Sophie Cooke told BBC News.

She added that passengers assumed it was a joke when the pilot initially made the announcement that the plane was about to land in Edinburgh.

The worst ever inflight meals Show all 8 1 /8 The worst ever inflight meals The worst ever inflight meals Cockroach curry A cockroach was found in an Air India breakfast meal. Twitter/Manoj Khandekar The worst ever inflight meals Apples and pears Avianca's idea of a vegetarian meal was an apple and a pear on board one flight. Twitter/Steve Hogarty The worst ever inflight meals Chicken sandwich Emirates served this disappointing Cajun chicken and cheese sandwich on a flight to Dubai Paul Carlin The worst ever inflight meals Gluten-free banana Martin Pavelka was handed this banana, complete with "gluten-free" label, as his inflight meal on an ANA service from Tokyo to Sydney. Martin Pavelka/Evening Standard The worst ever inflight meals Mushroom sandwich Oman Air's finest: presenting something approximating a mushroom sandwich on a flight to Heathrow. Nick Boulos The worst ever inflight meals Raw vegetables Aegean Airways served up some raw pepper and carrot sticks as its veggie option on one flight. musterknabe The worst ever inflight meals More cockroaches An Air India passenger wasn't impressed when she found this in the business class lounge. Twitter/Harinder Baweja The worst ever inflight meals Leftovers Not everyone turns their nose up at plane food - this Urumqi flight attendant was suspended after a video of her eating leftovers went viral. Viral Press

Passenger Son Tran tweeted: British Airways, can you please explain how can my morning flight taking off from LCY to Dusseldorf land in Edinburgh? While an interesting concept, I dont think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery...

He said: This feels like an honest mistake rather than a diversion. The crew was convinced of the Edinburgh flight path from the get-go.

British Airways said the service was actually wet leased  or hired  by WDL Aviation on behalf of BA City Flyer. It was WDLs aircraft, crew and pilot that operated the flight.

WDL is said to have listed the incorrect flightpath in the paperwork submitted the night before the scheduled service.

As far as the pilot and air traffic control were concerned, the flight was Edinburgh-bound and they followed correct procedures, according to BA.

The safety of passengers was not compromised at any point, the airline added.

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A BA spokesperson said: We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed.

We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.

WDL Aviation said in a statement: We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur. At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised.

We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.
When you get ready to construct your tacos, youll finally get to the one big difference that separates the Gage Park location from the original one in Pilsen: This one makes its own corn tortillas. We would never be able to do that in the old space, admits Carbajal. But in the new space he was able to install an enormous machine by the front window. Fresh masa from El Popocatepetl Tortilleria is stuffed into the gleaming machine, which can crank out hundreds upon hundreds a day. Each tortilla is thin with a slightly sweet aroma and a roasted corn background. They also have an unusually strong elasticity to them, so they can stand up to hefty fillings, without getting in the way.
A drunk passenger on an American Airlines flight urinated on another passengers luggage.

The victim was a 28-year-old woman, according to the police report, with damages totalling around $100.

Law enforcement were asked to meet flight 1344 from Chicago to Charlotte in North Carolina on Thursday 21 March following the incident.

While the perpetrator was taken into custody, no charges have as yet been filed.

A spokeswoman for the Charlotte office of the FBI confirmed to the Charlottesville Observer that the FBI was notified of the police report on Friday.

The worst ever inflight meals Show all 8 1 /8 The worst ever inflight meals The worst ever inflight meals Cockroach curry A cockroach was found in an Air India breakfast meal. Twitter/Manoj Khandekar The worst ever inflight meals Apples and pears Avianca's idea of a vegetarian meal was an apple and a pear on board one flight. Twitter/Steve Hogarty The worst ever inflight meals Chicken sandwich Emirates served this disappointing Cajun chicken and cheese sandwich on a flight to Dubai Paul Carlin The worst ever inflight meals Gluten-free banana Martin Pavelka was handed this banana, complete with "gluten-free" label, as his inflight meal on an ANA service from Tokyo to Sydney. Martin Pavelka/Evening Standard The worst ever inflight meals Mushroom sandwich Oman Air's finest: presenting something approximating a mushroom sandwich on a flight to Heathrow. Nick Boulos The worst ever inflight meals Raw vegetables Aegean Airways served up some raw pepper and carrot sticks as its veggie option on one flight. musterknabe The worst ever inflight meals More cockroaches An Air India passenger wasn't impressed when she found this in the business class lounge. Twitter/Harinder Baweja The worst ever inflight meals Leftovers Not everyone turns their nose up at plane food - this Urumqi flight attendant was suspended after a video of her eating leftovers went viral. Viral Press

The incident occurred a week after an airline passenger shouted that cabin crew were paedophiles and had to be forcibly restrained.

The man, named only as Henry, allegedly drank a bottle of vodka during the flight before becoming aggressive and verbally abusive.

It took place on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Singapore and his behaviour was caught on video by another passenger.

Henry can be seen standing in the aisle and shouting at the crew while another passenger attempts to hold his arms behind his back.

The video then cuts to the man sitting down, restrained by seatbelts, while continuing to verbally abuse a male flight attendant.

A fellow passenger said the mans remarks were very distressing and upsetting, but praised Qantas staff for their handling of the situation.

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A Qantas spokesperson said: The passenger was restrained by crew and met by local authorities on arrival in Singapore.

We take a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour onboard and we thank our crew for their professionalism in managing the situation.
An Icelandic canyon has been closed off from visitors following a huge influx of tourists  and some are blaming Justin Bieber.

The Fjarargljufur canyon in southeast Iceland was previously off the beaten track, but gained prominence after featuring in the popstars music video for 2015 single Ill Show You.

Visitor numbers to the canyon have almost doubled from 2017 to 2018, growing from 150,000 to 282,000.

The popularity surge has resulted in damage to vegetation, leading Umhverfis Stofnun (the Icelandic Environment Agency) to close all public access to the landmark until 1 June.

Its just a natural wonder that wasnt meant to be that popular, Inga Hlin Palsdottir, the director of Visit Iceland, told CNN Travel.

We need to build a better infrastructure there so we can invite people all year round.

Tourist numbers to the canyon have doubled since Justin's visit (Youtube/Justin Bieber)

We need paths that can be discovered all year round. Its not only because of nature, its a safety issue.

The site features a 100m waterfall and mossy paths cut into the cliff side.

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Its part of a bigger tourism boom in Iceland  since 2015 there has been an 80 per cent increase in tourist numbers, rising from 1.3 million to 2.32 million.

The canyon shutdown comes in the wake of a growing number of stories on tourism overload.

In February, New Zealands Mermaid Pools in Matapouri were closed indefinitely after human waste and litter were repeatedly found at the sacred Maori site.

Sanitary towels, sunscreen, urine and other rubbish were discarded there.

Bieber shot 2015 music video 'I'll Show You' at the canyon (Youtube/Justin Bieber)

The failure to respect the delicate ecosystem of the pools, which are also recognised as taonga  a highly prized sacred object or space  by indigenous people, has resulted in the group Te Whanau a Rangiwhakaahu Hapu confirming that a rahui (a temporary ritual prohibition) would be placed over the pools.

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Its a step we had to take, Kris MacDonald, the chairman of the Matapouri marae, told Stuff.

There is no point in having a beautiful taonga like this if its going to be killed by too many people.
The Icelandic budget airline Wow Air has cancelled its morning flight from Gatwick to Reykjavik as fears grow of its imminent collapse.

Last week a US investment group broke off talks about a rescue for the financially troubled airline.

Talks resumed on Wednesday with Wow Airs rival, Icelandair, about a takeover. A previous rescue, valuing Wow Air at about 13m, was abandoned in November 2018.

When talks were revived last week the Icelandair Group announced: The discussions will be based on the doctrine of competition law regarding the failing firm defence.

The failing firm defence is a legal term which indicates that, if the deal does not go through, the weaker party is likely to cease trading.

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But on Sunday evening the potential rescuer announced: Icelandair Group has decided that its possible involvement in Wow Airs operations, as announced on 20 March 2019, will not materialize.

Therefore, all discussions between the parties have ended.

Recommended Jet Airways cancels huge number of flights as bailout fails

Later, the chief executive of Icelandair Group, Bogi Nils Bogason, said: The financial position and operations are such that we did not see any reason to continue.

Wow Air then issued its own statement heralding a debt-for-equity deal for bondholders and other creditors, saying they were in advance discussions with the aim of reaching an agreement on a voluntary restructuring including an agreement of converting current debt into equity and fund the company towards long-term sustainability.

Within hours, Wow Air started cancelling flights  including the early morning trip from Reykjavik to Gatwick, due to leave at 6.20am on Monday.

One passenger, Amy Bellety from Hertfordshire, tweeted: Had to rebook onto another flight with another airline as only alternative flight in 2 days time.

No help on reimbursement of food/flight.

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The return leg to the Icelandic capital, due to leave Gatwick at 9.30am, was also grounded.

A passenger booked to fly from Gatwick, Shari Handley, tweeted: Youve canceled our flight home later this morning!

She was due to fly via Iceland to her home in Detroit.

We filled out your form, and a customer service person was supposed to contact us very soon, but havent heard anything. Help! We need to get home.

The airline responded: My sincere apologies for all the inconvenience caused to you. Kindly share your booking number for assistance.

Other customers complained about delays paying compensation for flight disruption.

I have been looking for a response for a week with no luck, wrote Graham Munro. Can someone respond to my request for a firm date on when my compensation will be paid?

Wow Air has also cancelled trips from Reykjavik to Chicago and Pittsburgh on Monday, with links to Brussels and Barcelona grounded on Tuesday.

The airline was founded by an Icelandic entrepreneur, Skuli Mogensen. It first flew to Paris on 31 May 2012 and later that year took over an existing airline, Iceland Express.

In 2018 Wow Air carried 3.5 million passengers. It employs around 1,000 people and flies an all-Airbus fleet.

Its rival, Primera Air, went bust in 2018.
It is rare that setting up a committee is the answer to anything. So I hesitate to suggest it as at least a partial solution for our Brexit mess. Yet these are desperate, desperate times, and what has become perfectly clear is that our traditional party system cannot cope with this crisis. As it happens, that might have happened even had Theresa May not lost her majority in 2017, or even if she had increased it, such are the vagaries of the Europe question and the way it cuts across traditional loyalties.

Either way, she (and we) need a mechanism, a channel, a working group whereby MPs from across the system can advise the cabinet on the best way forward. This would be a cross-party committee of the cabinet (not of the Commons or parliament), linking the Commons and the government properly and formally. It has been done rarely  Paddy Ashdown and Tony Blair set one up in the 1990s to discuss constitutional change  but it might just be useful.

Plainly the party system cannot work things out. This is not the same at all as saying the House of Commons cannot do so. The House of Commons merely needs to be offered some channels to do so. Thus far the executive  the prime minister, cabinet and government collectively  has refused to allow it much of a say.

This must now change.

Instead of dragging party leaders into Number 10 for showboating talks we need a more practical, less party-oriented approach. We need a group of people with ministers on one side of the table  say David Lidington, Stephen Barclay, Philip Hammond, Jeremy Hunt  and the representatives of the various factions, and parties, represented in the Commons on the other. They are then tasked with coming up with some solutions, based, if they want, on indicative votes in the Commons.

Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Show all 24 1 /24 Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent

This would be a joint consultative committee, an unusual cabinet committee which has representation of non-ministers and non-governing party personnel on it. Ideally it would have a representative from the European Research Group, from the Independent Group of MPs, from the Labour Eurosceptics and the Labour Europhiles, as well as from the DUP, Scottish Nationalists and Liberal Democrats.

Or it could be more of a coalition or committee of the willing; youd expect the likes of Oliver Letwin, Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn and Dominic Grieve to be sitting on it, at any rate. They would, with the government whips, potentially be able to assemble a majority for some path forward  referendum, revocation of Article 50, Norway option whatever. It would mean that Ms May would have to contend with carrying her flagship legislative act with the support of opposition parties and split her own, but she must ask what matters most in the end  party or country. Tories are conditioned to believe those two to be identical. They are not.

That might be asking too much, but a joint consultative cabinet committee across parties and factions would have advantages for each party, and especially for the prime minister. It might just save her career and most of her deal.

First it will lay the blame/responsibility for the Brexit imbroglio across the party and factional divides. So no single party or group can blame another  especially if they just decide to flounce out of the committee at any stage.

Second, it might actually have an impact in trying to find the elusive winning compromise. It would be the equivalent of locking them all in a room until they can agree on something. They would have the full resources of the civil service so that we might finally be able to agree on, for example, the technological solutions to the Irish backstop; while the diplomats could explain what the EU is and is not likely to accept, and on what terms.

Or the joint consultative committee would just flop, collapsing in acrimony. If so, then it would be the clearest possible indication that parliament cant resolve the issue and that it has to go back to the people because there is nowhere else for it to go. We will at least know that, and we can inform the EU accordingly, in which case we will be permitted a longer delay to hold that referendum and resolve matters. It is a choice between that and crashing out with Theresa May. I know which Id prefer.
My friend and fellow campaigner Amanda Chetwynd-Cowieson said it best: From the despair of three years ago, the broken promises and the ongoing chaos, rose from the ashes the fight of a generation.

I stood next to Amanda as she spoke onstage at the Put It To The People rally this weekend. Having marched through London with more than a million people from across the UK, we were proud to make the case for a peoples vote, for our futures sake.

I could say that the fact so many thousands of students and young people were there, from all parties and all corners of the UK, was solely down to the months of mobilising by organisations like FFS (For Our Futures Sake) and OFOC (Our Future Our Choice).

But the reality is, Brexit has become a pivot point in the often generational culture war sweeping our shores.

Whatever happens in terms of our relationship with the European Union, those divisions and the values which are at stake in this battle are not going to go away anytime soon.

Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Show all 20 1 /20 Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Surprised he's on board AFP/Getty Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Superpowered protester Reuters Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Elvis lives PA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Can't cope with the current atmosphere down in Britain AP Best outfits from the Put It To The People March On trend AP Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Spitting image Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best outfits from the Put It To The People March He's familiar with the Government's tactics EPA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March March for Britain's future / Walk the dog Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Keeping the sun out of his eyes and Britain in the EU Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Classy Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Stickered up Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best outfits from the Put It To The People March A member of the blEU man group EPA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March A masked avenger Angela Christofilou/The Independent Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Matching marchers EPA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Only wise EPA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Height of fashion Reuters Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Blue in the face AFP/Getty Images Best outfits from the Put It To The People March The fairy godmother EPA Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Draped in union Getty Best outfits from the Put It To The People March Trendy pup Getty

Of course its true that the Brexit debate and Theresa Mays broken deal will dominate politics (again) this week.

The Kyle-Wilson amendment, which supports the governments Brexit deal on the proviso that it goes to the public for a final say, appears to be a good compromise to the present parliamentary impasse. Its gaining momentum from across different parties in the Commons and looks increasingly like the only way out of this mess.

Recommended Cabinet at war over rival Brexit plans as MPs threatened with election

We need to win the argument that, no matter what parliament decides, the final Brexit deal should go back to the people. That is where our focus must be.

But we shouldnt lose sight of the bigger picture either.

Brexit is about far more than just the UKs relationship with the EU. This debate has politicised a generation of activists and has crystallised two competing visions of what the future of our country should be.

One takes the form of inglorious isolationism. Personified by the likes of Nigel Farage and Jacob Rees-Mogg, it looks to an imaginary past to solve the legitimate and credible problems of today. It relies on having somewhere to put the blame: in recent times it has been the EU, but there would be other scapegoats in the future.

Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Show all 24 1 /24 Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent Put It To The People march: Best of The Independents pictures Angela Christofilou/The Independent

The other vision is what I believe FFS and the Peoples Vote campaign have been fighting for: a Britain that is open to the world; diverse and full of energy, passion and optimism. A future where collectivism, uniting across borders to solve some of the biggest issues facing the world, and international solidarity are possible.

In the long run, its the only way forward.

The values that membership of the EU represents are already the values of young people. Its why this generation has taken up metaphorical arms in the fight for a peoples vote.

As the incoming national chair of Labour Students, Im particularly concerned about having a progressive vision within the Labour Party. Its why watching both our deputy leader and London mayor address the rally on Saturday was so fantastic.

As a party, we will only succeed when we are open, internationalist and outward-looking  that cannot be forgotten. Whether its protecting migrants rights, fighting for jobs and communities or defending our relationship with our closest neighbours, we must be at the forefront of a brighter future for Britain.

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I have been a Labour Party activist since the age of 15; I was an internationalist then and I am now. My politics are who I am and they dont end at the UK border.

The last three years have radicalised and mobilised a generation of activists who share this vision and its safe to say all parties need to take note. Any political offering which doesnt share our values will almost certainly not gain the support of young people.

And whatever happens in the next year, our generation will almost definitely dictate the next 20.

Rania Ramli is the incoming national chair of Labour Students
Up the drive to Chequers they came, one by glorious one, the worst political project this country has ever known.

There was Dominic Raab, who was Brexit secretary barely long enough to discover Britain is an island.

There was Steve Baker, who has been known to unbutton the top of his shirt, kiss his crucifix and declare that Brexit is for God.

There was David Davis, whose vivid and repeated ridiculousness can scarcely be condensed to a single instance. If you wish to know why the man is a joke, just google his name. The free trade deals with the German car industry, the impact assessments that never existed, the promised free trade area larger than planet earth. Nothing that is not ridiculous appears.

Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage has spent his political career campaigning for the UK to leave the EU. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson's support for Brexit took many by surprise before the EU referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to agree on a withdrawal deal. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises This was taken from a 2012 speech delivered by Mr Davis. He does not currently support a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Boris Johnson now supports a hard Brexit and resigned from the cabinet in 2018 over Theresa May's strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The US recently issued trade negotiation objectives for future talks with the UK. The country made clear that it expects access to the UK's agriculture industry, reviving the debate about chlorinated chicken. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Nigel Farage does not support the current campaign for a second Brexit referendum. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Despite this quote, in February 2019 Boris Johnson said a no deal Brexit "may yet be the best option for the UK". Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises The UK and EU are yet to begin negotiating a deal regarding their future relationship. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May announced that the UK would be leaving the Single Market in her Lancaster House speech in January 2017. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Theresa May triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017. Her withdrawal deal is yet to be passed. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises A classic from the 2015 general election campaign. David Cameron resigned on 24 June 2016, following the EU referendum result. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises David Davis resigned from his post as Brexit secretary in July 2018 after disagreeing with Theresa May's negotiation strategy. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Michael Gove was one of the most influential Leave voices during the EU referendum campaign. Twitter/Led By Donkeys Brexit billboards: Campaigners remind MPs of past promises Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent backbencher, does not support a second Brexit referendum. He has called the use of this quote "fundamentally dishonest" as it was taken from a 2011 speech discussing the option of referendum before David Cameron entered negotiations with the EU. Such a vote was never held. Twitter/Led By Donkeys

There was Michael Gove, former front man for an immigrant-baiting paper on Paving the Way from Ankara to the UK, who sold out his former best friend David Cameron because of his principles over Brexit, yet has somehow found it within him to stay in the cabinet, while all his Brexiteer friends have quit over theirs.

There was Jacob Rees-Mogg, the head of the European Research Group, whose research comes from an economist who wants to close down all British manufacturing. The ERGs most recent research led to Rees-Mogg claiming that no-deal Brexit will be worth 1.1trn to the UK economy, a claim he had to disown an hour and a half later, while holding the research in his hand. His advice to the nation is to leave without a deal, meanwhile the advice to investors in the investment firm of which he is chairman is to move their investments from the UK to Dublin.

Rees-Mogg, by the way, partly owes his status as a media darling to the fact he is a vanishingly rare politician who, when asked a straight question, always give a straight answer. To the very best of my knowledge, the only time he has ever not done so was three weeks ago, when Channel 4 News asked him if he had personally had made 7m from Brexit, and he obfuscated as if it were suddenly an Olympic sport.

There was Iain Duncan Smith, a man who, during the referendum campaign, told lies so blatant, such as, for example, that Angela Merkel had veto power over Camerons request for restrictions on freedom of movement, that EU negotiators had to step in to set the record straight.

And there, finally, was Boris Johnson, ambulant lie, and the single most objectionable human in the nations history. A straightforward sociopath, who cannot be shaken of his conviction that he is destined for high office, despite his utter failure within it. There is not time to repeat all of the lies of the Brexit campaign, nor even a tenth of his stunning ineptitude at the Foreign Office, a department that still refers to his resignation as Liberation Day. This is a man who would struggle to answer the question, How many children do you have and who are their mothers? and who is still, still manoeuvring to replace Theresa May as prime minister.

These are the men whose heady mix of lies, delusion, stupidity, shamelessness, vanity and cowardice have broken their nation. And yet, three years down the line and with the Brexit Domesday Clock at two minutes to midnight, here they are all again, summoned by the prime minister for yet another chance to shape the future of a country they have humiliated in in a way it has never been humiliated before.

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At the weekend, Baker claimed the wrong Conservatives are at the levers of power. Johnson, in The Telegraph column he continues to write for 5,000 a time, tells May she has chickened out". It is tedious to have to repeat the attempts, in the high summer of 2016, of the right Conservatives to take hold of the levers of power, other than to say it was the most pathetically shambolic course of events quite possibly ever witnessed in this country. Johnson is the greatest political chicken of them all, the chicken's chicken, chickening out to Gove, who yesterday, chickened out himself, again.

As the Conservative Party, once revered across Europe and now rendered an international laughing stock by all the people mentioned above and absolutely no one else, continues to indulge itself, the European Commission has published detailed plans for no deal Brexit, of the kind talked up by Johnson, Rees-Mogg, Baker and the rest.

They are appalling, and they are, in the European Commissions words increasingly likely. These people should not be under any illusion whatsoever that nobody, absolutely nobody, voted for no-deal Brexit. The people who claim to be in favour of it now will, if its realities come to pass, very quickly not be so. Which leads us to an overwhelming question: if the Conservatives fail to deliver Brexit, they will be electorally annihilated. But they may yet find themselves annihilated if they deliver it too.

Political predictions in this rarefied moment are a mugs game, but the destruction of the Conservative Party looks an increasing certainty. It will be no more or less than it deserves.
The Trump presidency has known some good days, more bad days, and plenty of angry days. Many of the bad days came as a result, directly or indirectly, of the allegations about collusion with the Russian authorities during the 2016 presidential election.

No other issue, not even the wall or the government shutdown, has caused the ever-changing cast of the Trump administration more trouble than the notion that the 2016 election was, in effect, stolen with the assistance of a foreign power  tantamount to treason.

So the president and his team have made the very best of the very best moment of his volatile presidency so far  when the special counsel Robert Mueller, announced, in a carefully-worded formulation that he did not find that any US person or Trump campaign official conspired or knowingly coordinated with Russia.

That isnt quite the same as saying it didnt happen, but it is near enough, and certainly close enough to vindication for Mr Trump to seize on it and trumpet it for all it is worth.

Mr Mueller was less emphatic about the question of obstruction of justice  itself a serious charge. That carries with it the awful echo of Watergate, where, famously, it was not the break-in that did for president Nixon, but the cover-up. Mr Trump, in other words, has not been entirely exonerated, and new revelations may yet come to haunt him. For now, he is understandably making the most of the Mueller report.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

It is a turn of events that can only bolster confidence in the independence of thought and action of Mr Mueller, and the enduring strength of the checks and balances engineered into Americas system of government.

Mr Mueller was certainly being pressured by the White House into pulling his punches; but he was coming under no less a weight of expectations from the media and the opposition to Mr Trump, who fully thought he would deliver a host of impeachable indictments that would kill the Trump presidency well before polling day in 2020. Mr Mueller has proved that he is his own man, and will not mind being responsible for some serious introspection on the part of news outlets.

Rightly so. It is strange  and yet to be fully explained  how such an apparently formidable body of evidence against Mr Trump could result in such meagre condemnation from the independent counsel.

Few would want to defend Mr Trump, whose manifest disqualifications for office extend far beyond the allegations of foreign collusion, but, unless the Mueller investigation itself can be shown to have been in some way compromised, the tone and extent of coverage of these affairs was surely at times overheated  with the benefit of hindsight at any rate.

More dangerously for the media, Mr Trump will also seize on the Mueller verdict as corroboration for his absurd claim that the mainstream media is engaged in some vast conspiracy, manufacturing fake news in order discredit him.

They hardly need to do so. Mr Trump generates more than enough negative stories of his own, and the allegations against the president were substantial and apparently well-supported. Still, his base will be that much more inclined to believe Mr Trumps outlandish conspiracy theories.

The only upside is that the Mueller report might just restore some of their faith in Washingtons institutions.

The much-exaggerated risk of impeachment  and successful prosecution  of Mr Trump can now be seen to have been just that. It was never very likely that a highly partisan senate was going to approve by the required majority of two-thirds a verdict of guilty on Mr Trump. It would have been a major distraction, however, and damaged his reputation, but he was never in reality going to be formally removed from office.

And so America, and the Democrats, can now return to the more substantive business of thwarting the Trump administrations policies; and building some kind of momentum for a challenge to him in about a year and a half. Given the man, some new scandal may well emerge between now and then, but it would be unwise for his opponents to count on it, and still less to think that such things make much difference his loyal base.
So we now know what Donald Trumps 2020 re-election campaign slogan will be: No collusion, No obstruction. We know, too, that Robert Muellers report will likely act as a huge boost to the presidents chance of being re-elected 18 months from now.

Mueller did not say definitively that Trump did not collude with Russia to influence the 2016 election, or that he did not try to interfere with investigations into such accusations. He said, rather, that he found no evidence that Trump colluded with Russia. He also said while he set out the case for and against the accusation of obstruction of justice in regards to several incidents, he determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgement. It was attorney general Bill Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who decided the presidents actions did not constitute a crime.

None of this fine print matters. What matters is that Donald Trump and his supporters will now be able to say with honesty and sincerity that an almost-two-year investigation, led by a dogged and respected prosecutor, found no evidence the president colluded with the Kremlin. They will use it as part of their messaging, and they will absorb it personally and take heart from it.

The most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard  there was no collusion with Russia, Trump told reporters on Sunday afternoon, trying to look stern, rather than gleeful, as news of Muellers main conclusions was released.

There was no obstruction, and none whatsoever. And it was a complete and total exoneration. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest its a shame that your president has had to go through this.

Mueller investigation: The key figures Show all 12 1 /12 Mueller investigation: The key figures Mueller investigation: The key figures Robert Mueller is the special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, and potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mr Mueller has a pristine reputation in Washington, where he was previously in charge of the FBI. Throughout his investigation, he and his team have been notoriously tight lipped about what they know and where their investigation has led. REUTERS Mueller investigation: The key figures Former FBI director James Comey was the catalyst that led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Comey was fired by the president after Mr Trump reportedly asked him to drop his own Russia investigation. Mr Trump has long maintained that the investigation is a "witch hunt". AFP/Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein had authority over the special counsel investigation for much of the two years it has been active. Mr Rosenstein found himself with that responsibility after then-attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from that oversight. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney general Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from oversight of the special counsel investigation may have cost him his job in the end. Mr Sessions resigned last year, after weathering a contentious relationship with Donald Trump who vocally criticised his attorney general for taking a step back. Mr Sessions recused himself from the oversight citing longstanding Justice Department rules to not be involved in investigations overseeing campaigns that officials were apart of. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Attorney General William Barr is currently responsible for oversight of the special counsel investigation. Mr Barr's office will be the first to receive the Mueller report when it is finished. His office will then determine what portion or version of that report should be delivered to Congress, and also made public. EPA Mueller investigation: The key figures Michal Cohn is the president's former personal lawyer, who has been helping the special counsel investigation as a part of a plea deal over financial crimes, and campaign finance crimes, he has pleaded guilty to. Among those crimes, Cohen admitted to facilitating $130,000 in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has said he did so at the direction of Mr Trump. Cohen has also admitted that he maintained contacts with Russian officials about a potential Trump real estate project in Moscow for months longer than Mr Trump and others admitted. The talks continued well into 2016 during the campaign, he has said. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Stormy Daniels has alleged that she had an affair with Donald Trump in 2006, soon after Melania Trump gave birth to Baron Trump. The accusation is of particular importance as a result of the $130,000 hush money payment she received to keep quiet about the affair during the 2016 campaign. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Paul Manafort was Donald Trump's former campaign chairman. Manafort was charged alongside Rick Gates for a slew of financial crimes, and was convicted on several counts in a Virginia court. He then pleaded guilty to separate charges filed in a Washington court. Manafort has been sentenced to just 7.5 years in prison for his crimes  in spite of recommendations from the special counsel's office for a much harsher sentence. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures George Papadopoulos was one of the first individuals associated with the Trump campaign to be charged by the Mueller probe. He ultimately received a 14 day prison sentence for lying to investigators about contacts he had with Russian officials. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Roger Stone is a well known political fixer and operative, who has made a name for himself for some dirty tactics. He has been charged by the Mueller probe earlier this year, and he has been said to have had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks planned on publishing stolen emails from the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Getty Images Mueller investigation: The key figures Rick Gates was charged alongside former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for a range of crimes. Gates, who worked alongside Manafort for a pro-Russia Ukrainian political party. The two were charged with conspiracy and financial crimes. Gates pleaded guilty. AP Mueller investigation: The key figures Former national security adviser Michael Flynn was one of the first casualties of the Russia scandal, and was forced out of his position in the White House weeks after Donald Trump took office. Flynn pleaded guilty in 2017 to "willfully" making fraudulent statements about contacts he had with Russian officials including former Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak. Flynn then lied to Vice President Mike Pence about that contact. REUTERS

It is not just Trumps supporters who are going to have to think about the significance of Muellers report. Many Democrats saw in the former director of the FBI a means of revenge for their partys surprising and painful defeat with a candidate they all believed was far better qualified.

Being told that Russia was working to interfere in the election on Trumps behalf was some sort of salve.

But if it could be also shown that Trump had actively colluded with the Kremlin, if his strange bromance with Vladimir Putin could be explained, if it could be shown the Russians had kompromat  ideally something financial or sordid  on Trump, they could write him off as a crook and let matters take their course.

Now, they cannot do that.

Its true that Democrats will continue their own congressional investigations into the president and his officials. Congressman Jerry Nadler, Democratic chair of the House of Representatives judiciary committee, said on Sunday his panel would call Barr to testify shortly, citing concerns over the attorney generals conclusions from special counsels report.

But Democrats must proceed with great caution. If, in the light of Muellers conclusions, they act with the same gung-ho language and attitude some have been displaying, they risk the danger of a backlash of public opinion. They risk Trump and his supporters saying theyre trying to frame a man who has just been cleared.

In realty, Muellers report has removed any prospect of the president now being impeached.

For the Democrats to proceed with such a move would be seen as nothing less than partisan. That means they must focus their efforts on removing Trump from office by electoral means.

Muellers conclusions may be the most significant political event for the country since Trumps victory in November 2016. His findings do not make Donald Trump a more attractive man. They do not make his racist language any more acceptable, his policies less toxic. He will not be a more effective administrator or any less of a narcissist. The country will not be any less divided.

What Muellers work has done, however, is remove from around Trumps neck the accusation that he was a traitor who had betrayed his country  no less, to the old Cold War enemy of Moscow.

Some people, of course, will continue to believe that he did. But that is not what Robert Mueller found.
The announcement by Jacinda Ardern of a royal commission to investigate the horrific attack in New Zealand must be informed by why terrorists act.

In the last two and half years Ive studied the motivations of terrorists so that I can better contribute to the debate about how to prevent future attacks. Ive interviewed psychologists, former extremists, people who work with convicted terrorists in prison, senior police officers and victims.

The depressing conclusion is that, even looking at all the evidence, its incredibly hard to predict who will become a terrorist. Thats partly for good reasons  the cohort is so small that meaningful patterns are hard to observe. Its also because the routes to terrorism can differ hugely. You might be an alcoholic, a career criminal with learning disabilities  or you might be a devout believer, unknown to the police and at the top of your class.

The better news is that there are models we can use to predict what makes terrorists act. The best model is based on the theory of reasoned action proposed by Fishbein and Ajzen in the 1970s. This approach  developed initially from looking at how consumers make decisions  suggests three beliefs need to be in place for action to result.

The first is the individuals behavioural belief. In the context of terrorism that is their belief that terrorism is the right thing to do and will have the impact they want. That might be based on political, religious or ideological underpinnings  or it might be a much more personal motivation tied into wider dissatisfaction and anger.

New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Show all 11 1 /11 New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Zakaria Bhuiyan People gather hoping to find out information about Zakaria Bhuiyan who is still missing after the mosques shootings in Christchurch. David Moir/AFP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Mucad Ibrahim Three-year-old Mucad Ibrahim, the youngest known victim of the mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. Abdi Ibrahim via AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Nadeem Rasheed Nadeem Rasheed, brother of Pakistani Naeem Rashid who died alongside his son Talha Naeem, 21, who were killed in shooting at a Mosque in Christchurch, at their home town in Abbottabad, EPA New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Omar Nabi Omar Nabi speaks to the media about losing his father Haji Daoud Nabi, 71, in the mosque attack REUTERS New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Ash Mohammed Ash Mohammed, right, talks to a police officer about his father and two brothers who are missing near the Masjid Al Noor mosque AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Akhtar Khokhur Akhtar Khokhur, 58, shows a picture of her missing husband Mehaboobbhai Khokhar, 65. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Wasseim Alsati A note is seen on a window of a door at the family home of Wasseim Alsati in Christchurch on 17 March 2019. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Haroon Mahmood Relatives offer condolences to nephew (centre) of Haroon Mahmood, a Pakistani citizen who was killed in Christchurch mosque shootings. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Farid Ahmed Farid Ahmed (pictured) survived the Al Noor mosque shootings but his wife Husne was killed. AFP/Getty Images New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Syed Areeb Ahmed A relative shows a picture of Syed Areeb Ahmed, a Pakistani citizen who was killed the Christchurch mosque shooting. AP New Zealand shootings: Victims of Christchurch mosque terror attacks Naeem Rashid A relative looks at a picture on a mobile phone of Pakistani nationals Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem (right) who died in the Christchurch shootings. AFP/Getty Images

The second is their control belief. This is whether they believe that they can successfully do it. In the past, the bar for this was high. Extremists who had the capacity to learn how to fly planes, build a detonator or get military training were few and far between. But as terror tactics have changed in the last few years, the bar has been massively lowered, thus enhancing extremists control belief.

The third is their normative belief. Thats essentially their faith in the idea that the people who they value will support their action. The importance of this normative belief is why marketers say things like tickets are selling fast, designed to convey that others are doing what you are considering. Its why we crave likes and retweets on our social media, the modern stamp of social approval.

In the context of terror, this consists of a cohort of people (often online or in extremist groups) who will actually approve of the attack you might be considering; the advent of the internet has made finding these people much easier. But perhaps even more important are people in mainstream society who might not defend the actual act, but will justify it more subtly. The types of people who say well of course I deplore the attack, but politicians have to know that immigration etc, etc..., or well of course I deplore the attacks but the war in Iraq etc, etc

So what does this model mean for our understanding of how we prevent terrorism?

 Medhi Hasan makes an important point about how terrorism is discussed in the media

Firstly, to shape peoples behavioural beliefs, we need to keep making arguments against violence and for tolerance. This sounds generic and it is. Its the societal-wide battle of ideas that has to be won.

More specifically, we have to work harder to humanise groups who might be perceived as other. Dehumanisation is a necessary precondition for terror attacks and we can make that harder by talking about the other in more human terms. Even better, we can break down boundaries so that we meet the other in our normal lives. A proper integration and cohesion strategy is so important and so desperately missing in society.

The other factor is addressing the personal motivations. Lots of these have nothing to do with ideology and are a reflection of drug and alcohol problems, low-level mental health issues, the desire for status.

Thats why an effective counterterror policy will consider how to help address the personal motivations  perhaps with drug and alcohol services  to ensure that terrorists dont get the kind of notoriety that might encourage others. What the New Zealand PM did this week in refusing to name the attacker was so important.

Secondly, we should work to attack extremists control beliefs. We can do that by funding the police adequately, protecting likely targets and making it even harder to get guns or explosives.

But both of these strands, while important, are difficult to substantially change. Thats because motivations are often much more personal than ideological, and because the bar of what constitutes a terror attack has been lowered so that almost anyone could be confident in their capacity to carry out a successful attack.

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So that leaves the third and most important factor: extremists normative beliefs. This is what we as a society can have most impact on because its not about their beliefs, its about ours. Thats why social media companies have to change their approach to profiling hatred and channelling people towards it, its why the rhetoric of politicians like Donald Trump matters so much and its why societal-wide condemnation of attacks and hostile rhetoric is so important. But its not just companies and institutions that shape the environment, we all do.

Thats why Survivors Against Terror, a group of UK survivors of terror attacks, has encouraged everyone to play their part. Of course very few of us will ever meet a declared terrorist, but we will all meet or know people espousing hate against certain groups. Sometimes its tempting to ignore them, or pretend we didnt see the post, or even nod along to avoid a row. But each time we do, we inadvertently create an environment more conducive to extremism.

On the other hand, when we challenge that hatred, we are part of building a normative environment that makes future attacks less likely.

Brendan Cox is a co-founder of Survivors Against Terror
Survivors of sexual assault or violent crime shouldnt be left in the dark while their kit makes its way through a system that can seem cold and indifferent, Kelly said in a statement Sunday announcing the online tracking plan. In the past, rape kit processing has been plagued by missteps, lost evidence and, too frequently, a void of information for the women who have the most at stake.
IRISH Isil bride Lisa Smith has said she expects to be stripped of her Irish passport if she returns home, but doesn't think she'll be prosecuted for moving to Syria to live with Islamic terrorists.

The former Defence Forces soldier told CNN in an interview that she "wants to go home" and said she is "living in prison".

When asked about possibly ending up in jail, Ms Smith said: "I know they'd strip me of my passport and I wouldn't travel and I'd be watched kind of, but prison? I don't know. I'm already in prison".

The 37-year-old said people "should realise that all the people here are not terrorists".

Expand Close Converted: Co Louth woman Lisa Smith, who is being held in Syria on suspicion of being a member of Isil / Facebook

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Whatsapp Converted: Co Louth woman Lisa Smith, who is being held in Syria on suspicion of being a member of Isil

In a previous interview with ITV, she spoke Arabic and English and identified herself as British.

Her Irish accent was noticeably more pronounced in the interview which was broadcast by CNN yesterday.

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Ms Smith was holding her two-year-old son while she spoke of wanting to leave the camp in war-torn Baghouz.

Originally from Dundalk, Co Louth, she left Ireland for Syria in 2015 and married an Isil sympathiser who later died.

Ms Smith spent a decade in the Defence Forces, serving as a soldier in the Army for five years before joining the Air Corps.

She worked as a flight attendant on the Government jet during Bertie Aherns time as Taoiseach.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that Ms Smith will be allowed return to Ireland as it is "the compassionate thing to do".

He assured the public that a full security assessment will take place before Lisa Smith is allowed back into the country.

Mr Varadkar said the case would have to be treated on its own merits but it is the policy of the Irish government not to revoke citizenship without good reason.

Going to Syria or going to live in what was called Islamic State is not in itself an offence or a crime. So we will need to carry out an investigation.

I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes there. But its very possible that wasnt a combatant. 

Kurdish forces are believed to be holding Ms Smith in northern Syria, while Syrian authorities are expected to carry out a security assessment to see if they will seek to prosecute the Dundalk native for Isis membership.

The White House announced last week that all Islamic State-held territory in Syria has been "100pc eliminated".

US officials said the Syrian Democratic Forces are still battling the last remaining IS fighters who are holed up in tunnels along river cliffs in Baghouz and have refused to surrender.

Officials said the SDF has not announced any declaration of victory, and there was no announcement planned.
Grounded: A worker walks next to a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane parked at Boeing Field in Seattle. US.

BUDGET long-haul operator Norwegian Airlines is to use a fleet of replacement jets to the grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 to resume transatlantic operations from Irish airports.

However, until April 11 the airline will offer Cork and Shannon passengers who are already booked the option of either rerouting their journey through Dublin or getting a full refund.

If passengers intending on travelling from Cork and Shannon to the US are willing to reroute from Dublin for travel between March 31 and April 10, bus transfers will be provided by Norwegian to Dublin.

Norwegian was one of the world's airlines most seriously impacted by the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft following the tragic Ethiopian Airlines crash earlier this month.

The US aircraft type will remain grounded worldwide until a full aviation safety review of its flight control systems following two fatal crashes in the space of just five months.

Norwegian had used its fleet of new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to offer transatlantic services from Dublin, Cork and Shannon to Boston and New York over the past two years.

Its service from Cork to Boston was the first regular transatlantic service ever secured by Ireland's second biggest airport - and had proved a huge success.

While Dublin Airport services to US destinations such as New York and Boston have already been facilitated by a new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, smaller replacement jets will allow a resumption of Norwegian services from Cork Airport.

A similar position is expected in Shannon.

Norwegian will confirm details of its permanent route arrangements after April 10.

A spokesperson for Cork Airport welcomed clarity on the situation regarding the first four flights in April and Norwegians ongoing efforts to find a more permanent solution to operate normal direct services from April 11 next.

Cork Airport managing director, Niall McCarthy, said he expected Norwegian services from Cork to Boston/Rhode Island to resume in April.

"We are expecting Norwegian to start services again in Cork for the summer season - they will be using alternative aircraft.

"It will either be an Airbus aircraft or a Boeing aircraft with an extended (range) fuel tank.

"We are very confident you will see Norwegian back operating transatlantic services from Cork for this summer.

"As soon as they confirm the aircraft, it will all be finalised. We are only waiting on final confirmation of the aircraft (type) but we are expecting services by Norwegian to Boston, starting from mid April," Mr McCarthy said.

Norwegian has already secured a Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, which boasts one of the world's best safety records, for some North American

routes from Dublin.

The news came as a major boost for Cork which is now Ireland's fastest expanding airport with passenger numbers up by 10pc in February.

The airport has predicted 8pc passenger growth over 2019 - with a total of 2.6 million passengers expected at the facility thanks to new routes and increased flight frequencies.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney unveiled Cork's 1m new Airport Control Centre (ACC) and office complex which represents the first phase of an ambitious new 10m investment.

A major portion of the planned investment is an upgrading and expansion of security systems at the airport over the next few years.

Cork was also boosted by nine new route destinations for 2019 including services to the UK, France, Malta, Italy, Portugal, Hungary and Poland.
There has been an increase of more than 10% in the number of sexual offences in Ireland in the last year, figures have shown.

The countrys justice minister said that the notable increase came during a time of significant public focus on sexual assault, particularly in the wake of the Me Too movement.

There was also a significant increase in fraud offences, which jumped by more than 18%.

According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) crime figures, there was a decrease of 10.8% in the number of homicide offences during 2018.

The CSO figures also show some significant decreases in property-related crime over the full year when compared with 2017, with theft offences down 3% and burglary offences down 11.5% year on year.

This amounts to almost 4,400 fewer incidents of theft and burglary offences in 2018 when compared with 2017.

While there was an increase of 11.3% in robbery offences, this amounted to an increase of 246 incidents for the full year.

Speaking about the rise in the number of sexual offences, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan said: In 2018, a year when there was a significant public focus on sexual assault, there was an increase in recorded incidents and I continue to encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to An Garda Siochana.

It is important to state that there is significant legislative work ongoing in my department in relation to sexual offencesCharlie Flanagan

Work is ongoing in my department to reform aspects of the investigation and prosecution of sexual violence to ensure that complainants are protected to the greatest extent possible.

It is important to state that there is significant legislative work ongoing in my department in relation to sexual offences, with a specific focus on the victims of these horrific crimes.

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Act 2019 was enacted earlier this year. It provides for stricter sentencing for repeat sexual offenders.

The figures published on Monday are categorised as under reservation, following concerns raised by the CSO last year about the accuracy and quality of information recorded on the gardai Pulse system.

Statistician Sam Scriven said: The publication of the latest recorded crime statistics provides the best available measure of crime reported in Ireland while informing users of concerns regarding the quality of the underlying data.

The statistics show increases in the reporting of fraud and sexual offences.

The numbers of burglaries and theft incidents both fell, although there was a rise in the numbers of reported robberies.

Mr Flanagan said that work is ongoing between the gardai and CSO to ensure crime statistics reflect the high standard required.

Progress on this work is being monitored closely by the Policing Authority, and I welcome their continued vigilance in this regard, he added.

The minister praised the work of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau in tackling fraud and deception.

The number of recorded incidents jumped by 18.4%.

This increased focus has led to almost 1,000 extra reports of fraud offences being recorded in 2018 when compared to 2017 and reflects this Governments commitment to tackling fraud and corruption on every level, he added.
Police officers inspect the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel, Monday, March 25, 2019. An early morning rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding six people, including one moderately, an Israeli rescue service said, in an eruption of violence that could set off another round of violence shortly before the Israeli election. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is cutting short a visit to Washington after a rocket attack on Israel.

Mr Netanyahu described Monday morning's rocket launch that struck a home in central Israel as a "criminal attack" and vowed to strike back hard.

Israeli police say the rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip and hit a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, setting off a fire and destroying the house.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded.

Expand Close A house lies in ruins after being hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel, Monday, March 25, 2019. An early morning rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding six people, including one moderately, an Israeli rescue service said, in an eruption of violence that could set off another round of violence shortly before the Israeli election. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A house lies in ruins after being hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel, Monday, March 25, 2019. An early morning rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding six people, including one moderately, an Israeli rescue service said, in an eruption of violence that could set off another round of violence shortly before the Israeli election. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.
British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a statement in the Parliament in London, Britain March 25, 2019, in this still image taken from video. Reuters TV/via REUTERS

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said there was not yet enough support for her to put her Brexit deal to a vote in parliament for a third time, but she would continue with talks with lawmakers to try to get their backing.

Mrs May said on Monday that parliament would debate secondary legislation on Wednesday to formally change the date of Brexit in British law.

"I continue to believe that the right path forward is for the United Kingdom to leave the EU as soon as possible with a deal, now on May 22," she told the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.

"But it is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House (of Commons) to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote."

Britain was due to leave the European Union on March 29, but May agreed with the bloc's leaders last week to delay that date to May 22 if her Brexit agreement is approved by parliament this week, or to April 12 if it is not.

May earlier told parliament the exit date had already been changed in international law and so if parliament did not pass this legislation it would "cause legal confusion and damaging uncertainty" but would not impact the date of Brexit.

Expand Close Simon Coveney and Michel Barnier REUTERS/Yves Herman / Facebook

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Mrs May said it was important that the parliament abides by the 2016 referendum result, rather than talking about holding a second referendum.

She added that over time they would be able to address issues of a 'No-Deal', but that there would be an immediate impact on the economy.

Earlier, the EU warned that checks on goods entering Ireland from the UK will have to be "immediately" applied in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The stark statement was made as the European Commission said it is increasingly likely that the UK will crash out of the Union on 12 April.

Expand Close Leo Varadkar and Theresa May during a bilateral meeting in Brussels (Taoiseach/PA) / Facebook

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The commentary will raise massive fears for businesses on this island - but Taoiseach Leo Varadkar refused to engage with reporters on the issue while attending an event in Dublin this afternoon.

He claimed to be still confident that embattled Mrs May will get her Withdrawal Agreement through the House of Commons.

Shortly after that expression of confidence, the DUP, who are central to approving the deal, said their opposition to the backstop is unwavering - and Mrs May has since admitted she doesn't have the support required.

The European Commission has today completed its no deal preparations.

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They noted that the UK will become a third country without any transitionary arrangements unless the current course of events is altered.

In that scenario all EU primary and secondary law will cease to apply to the UK from that moment onwards.

"This will obviously cause significant disruption for citizens and businesses, the Commission said.

Without a deal, the UK's relations with the EU would be governed by general international public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation.

"The EU will be required to immediately apply its rules and tariffs at its borders with the UK. This includes checks and controls for customs, sanitary and phytosanitary standards and verification of compliance with EU norms.

"Despite the considerable preparations of the Member States' customs authorities, these controls could cause significant delays at the border, the Commission note said.

One EU official in Brussels told reporters that controls will have to be done on the island of Ireland but doesn't mean we'd want to see visible infrastructure.

"We're working very closely with Irish authorities to try and perform controls away from border if at all possible, they said.

The EU statement comes just a day after Mr Varadkar claimed proposals for what would happen in a no-deal scenario were very rough.

Today he said Ireland is intensifying our no-deal preparations.

"They have been very much underway now for months, if not years. They are being intensified and finalised at the moment. We need to see now what happens in Westminster over next couple of days and weeks and well take it from there.

Earlier Tanaiste Simon Coveney rejected suggestions that protecting the EU Single Market and avoiding a hard border were now mutually incompatible given the UK stance.

"No, they are not. The way in which we do this we have worked through over the last three years and weve come up with a mechanism to do it  its called the 'Back-Stop' in relation to a fall back insurance mechanism in the absence of other ways of doing it that are agreed by all sides.

"In a no-deal scenario, the British Government have made it clear in their paper that they published the week before last that the British Government, the Irish Government and the European Commission will need to work closely together, he said.

The Cork TD stressed that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been consistent with her position throughout the Brexit process.

"What Chancellor Merkel said is that we need to make sure that the twin responsibilities that we have, protecting the Single Market and ensuring that there isnt the re-emergence of a physical border between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, to make sure that we can do that so we would welcome her intervention which is about ensuring that there are practical arrangements in place that fulfil both of those commitments and that is what she said."

Mr Coveney added that the onus is now on everyone involved in the Brexit process, but most especially on the UK, to ensure a compromise agreement is achieved.

With additional reporting from Press Association
Workers peeling off stickers left on the Cabinet Office door in Whitehall, London, left by anti-Brexit campaigners after they took part in the People's Vote March. Photo: PA

An online petition urging the UK government to cancel Brexit has passed five million signatures.

The 'Revoke Article 50' petition is the most popular ever submitted to the parliament website, having leapt ahead of the 4.1 million signatures amassed by a 2016 petition calling for a second EU referendum.

The milestone came the day after around a million people attended a march on Westminster calling for a people's vote.

MP Anna Soubry, of the Independent Group, shared a photo of the petition passing the mark, tweeting: "This is serious!"

The petition has had the highest rate of sign-ups on record, according to parliament's official Petitions Committee, adding more than two million signatures in 24 hours.

By contrast, a pro-Brexit petition on the parliament website, which urges the government to leave the EU without a deal, has received 455,000 signatures.

The petition, started in late February, leapt in popularity following Prime Minister Theresa May's appeal to the public last Wednesday, where she told frustrated voters: "I am on your side."

It quickly passed the 100,000-signature threshold needed for it to be debated in parliament, with the official committee revealing nearly 2,000 signatures were being completed every minute over Thursday lunchtime.

In a tweet, the House of Commons committee said about 96pc of signatories were from the UK.
Tough talks: Reports said German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted the no-deal threat to the backstop. Photo: REUTERS/Eva Plevier

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has admitted there were "robust engagements" with EU leaders over the future of the Irish Border after Brexit.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is understood to have led demands for more clarity on how the Border question will be answered in the event of a no-deal Brexit in the coming weeks.

It was reported in the British media that last Thursday night, Mr Varadkar "stood up to repeat his ritual plea for EU solidarity with Ireland over the Border" but that Ms Merkel came "straight back at him, reminding him that without a deal, there would be no backstop".

Ireland accepts there will have to be "difficult discussions" with the European Commission in the event of a disorderly Brexit.

The commission's no-deal contingency plan states there will have to be checks on goods and livestock moving from the UK into the EU.

The only way of avoiding this is to come up with a 'special arrangement' which the Irish Government believes will have to be very similar to the backstop. This is likely to be vehemently opposed by the DUP.

Mr Varadkar said yesterday that he was "not under any pressure from Chancellor Merkel or anybody else from this issue".

"What Chancellor Merkel or President Macron would do is ask reasonable questions.

Expand Close Nose deal?: A puppet head of Theresa May outside Downing Street after a march and rally organised by the pro-European Peoples Vote campaign. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook

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"I'm not sure what people think happens at European Council meetings. We don't go to have dinner - we have robust engagements, hard questions are asked and answered and we come to a consensus position and stand by that position."

Speaking on RTE's 'This Week', the Taoiseach said the EU would give Ireland some leeway to work out an arrangement on Northern Ireland with the UK government.

He said the lobbying by Irish officials in recent years means other countries have a "real understanding of the unique situation we face in Ireland".

However, he admitted that the commitments in the Good Friday Agreement do "conflict" with our obligations under EU law.

At the weekend the Irish Independent asked the man tipped to be the next leader of the European Commission, Manfred Weber, how much leeway he would give Ireland in a no-deal scenario.

Mr Weber declined to answer, instead saying that people have to "hope" that the UK will accept the Withdrawal Agreement before April 12.

"We are still hoping we can get a better outcome," he said, adding that "political cowardice in London" was starting to "infect the European decision-making process".

The German politician expressed scepticism about granting a further Brexit delay because it would disrupt the European elections.

He said while Ireland is prepared for that, other countries are not and do not understand why a country leaving the union would be allowed hold seats in the parliament.

Mr Varadkar said the idea of protecting the single market "isn't some nasty EU regulation".

"It's our single market. We do need to protect it," he said.

But he added: "There'll be consequences to it but it's not going to be a hard border, physical infrastructure, checks. It's not going to be that."

Mr Varadkar also took aim at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his Brexit plan.

"Our Plan A is getting the Withdrawal Agreement ratified and that is still possible.

"Plan B could involve UK changing position in the next couple of weeks, on the customs union for example.

"Corbyn's customs union is 'cake and eat it' as well. It's a customs union but still with the ability to have state aids and so on."

The Taoiseach was also asked for his opinion on Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth after the idea was floated by DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson at the Fine Gael party conference. "It's not something that's on the agenda at the moment anyway," he said.

There has been surprise after Mr Donaldson was applauded at the conference for making the case for Ireland's rejoining the Commonwealth in order to have "a voice".
WITH an ongoing thread of negotiations and debates, it's easy to see why many might find Brexit confusing - let alone those under the age of 10.

So we went to Shellybanks Educate Together National School in Dublin 4 to find out how much our youth know about Brexit.

When asked what Brexit actually is, the responses varied from "an outrage", "a city" and even "an exit that's bread'.

The common response for the difference between Northern Ireland and the Republic was that it's colder in Northern Ireland - because it's "nearer the mountains and the North Pole".

Another youngster said: "In Ireland when it's morning, in North Ireland it's night time".

As for what school children know about borders?

"I don't know what a border is".

"I have no clue".

"A border is like let's say Pakistan and India.. yeah India. There's a border between them because they split up, because there was a war, and it's like part of a country that's separating countries."

"A border is a board that's a door?"

With the deadline looming and further talks to occur on Wednesday, the nation can only hope that politicians have a better sense of Brexit than Ireland's youngsters do.
"There's been a lot of public attention paid to sleep deprivation and its impact on health, but not as much to lengthy - perhaps too much - sleep, especially when it comes to pregnancy," said Louise O'Brien, research associate professor in the neurology sleep disorders center and in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan . "Women often worry when they wake up several times during the night when they are pregnant, but it may be protective in this case."
Irish beef may potentially have to compete directly with South American beef in the valuable UK food service market, in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

It might be one of the many implications the UK government's proposed no-deal tariff regime might have on beef imports, according to Tom Forshaw, Red Meat analyst with the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Under the proposals there would be a tariff-free quota of 230,000t, open to all countries with a licence to export the UK, on a first come first served basis.

UK consumers currently consume around 1.2m tonnes (carcase weight equivalent) of beef (production plus imports, minus exports).

Forshaw says this makes the UK around 80pc self-sufficient in beef and so currently it relies on imports to meet its demand.

In 2018, he said 73pc of UK beef imports came from Ireland, with the vast majority of the rest being from other EU countries, with free access to the UK market.

However, in a no deal scenario, countries like Brazil and Argentina will have equal access into the UK beef market.

"Until now they were priced out by the EU external tariff policy, making their beef uncompetitive.

"However, South American countries have a significantly lower cost of production than the UK and Ireland.

"As such their beef could be an attractive option for importers, especially those supplying the food service sector where provenance is not always prioritised as highly as it is in the retail sector," he said.

In his analysis of the British tariff proposals, Forshaw that under the current EU tariff regime for frozen boneless beef the Irish price in the UK with no tariff is 4.25/kg while the current Brazillian price in EU with EU tariff - 8.97.

The current Brazillian price for frozen boneless beef is 3.91/kg.

Under the planned UK no-deal tariffs Forshaw says the Irish price in the UK with new UK tariff would rise to 6.14, while the Brazillian price in the UK with new UK tariff would fall to 5.78. This would leave Brazillian beef with a 36c/kg price advantage over Irish beef.

Forshaw estimated that shipping costs across the Atlantic would be around 20c/kg which would keep the price competitive.

"In a scenario where South American companies are able to build relationships with UK supplies to take advantage of the tariff-free access, this could affect both the Irish export price and the UK domestic price," he said.

He highlighted that the price of frozen boneless cuts delivered in 2018, the Brazilian price delivered into the UK was similar to the Irish price.

"These products constitute the vast majority of Brazilian exports.

"It is possible that Brazil is deliberately pricing just below Irish beef in order to maximise the returns on its current guaranteed volume quota.

"In a no deal scenario, when Brazil could be competing directly with Irish beef for the tariff-free quota and considering the lower cost of production in Brazil, it is feasible to suggest that Brazilian exporters have room to further reduce their price.

"As such, while the 230,000 quota will limit the exposure of the UK domestic price to South American beef, Irish beef may potentially have to compete directly with South American beef," he said.
Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed has again highlighted that Ireland would make a case to the European Commission that support for its primary producers would limit any possible contagion from UK tariffs to other European countries.

At the Fine Gael conference at the weekend Minister Michael Creed said farmers need a substantial aid package if they suffer losses as a result of new UK tariffs under a no-deal Brexit.

Because otherwise, well be looking for a home for 300,000t of beef in other European Union markets, Creed told Reuters in an interview.

Creed gave the same warning at a meeting of fellow European Agriculture Ministers in Brussels last week.

He said an outcome which results in a disorderly Brexit, would have a profoundly negative effect on both the Irish and the UK economies.

"The Irish agri-food sector will be uniquely affected, with beef particularly exposed. The impact is likely to be immediate, and without support, at least in the short term, many of our beef farmers will struggle to survive.

"If Irish beef loses its competitive position in the United Kingdom market, there will inevitably be knock-on consequences, with significant displacement to elsewhere in the European Union," he said.

The IFA estimates that WTO tariffs on Irelands beef and livestock sector will impose a direct cost of 800m per year, devastating the 3 billion industry and putting thousands of farmers out of business.

Creed said the government will seek to provide domestic state aid such as grants and intervention.

Dublin may also provide private storage aid (PSA) for the industry, an EU measure usually reserved for smoothing out seasonal imbalances between supply and demand.

In addition, Ireland would apply to the European Commission for exceptional aid under Common Market Organisation rules covering agricultural products, Creed said.

However, last week the Government delayed plans to unveil a package of emergency financial supports for farmers and small business owners who will be severely affected in the event of a disorderly Brexit.

The Cabinet is now putting off plans to announce the vital emergency aid package in the wake of on-going Brexit chaos in the British parliament.

It is understood the package of financial measures has been drafted, but yesterday it was decided they should not be discussed by ministers at Cabinet this afternoon, as originally planned.

A senior source said the Government wants to see the "severity" of the Brexit the country is facing before publishing the supports.
The decision by the EU Commission and endorsed by the Member States not to renew critical fungicide Chlorothalonil has been described as a severe blow for the Irish tillage sector.

IFA Grain Committee Chairman Mark Browne said the loss of the product is going to compound the income crisis in the sector.

Teagasc research as found that where chlorothalonil is not available tillage farmers average net margin would reduce by over 50pc in wheat and 65pc in barley, with growers achieving national average yields at or just above break even.

It said cereal production will only be economic on the highest yielding sites with low costs of production as the risks of economic loss will increase dramatically on other sites.

Teagasc also said that Irish growers will lose competitiveness as it is anticipated that other regions outside Ireland will not suffer the same losses, and consequently grain prices will not rise in Ireland to offset yield losses.

Grain farmers have already experienced successive years of poor returns, which has resulted in a 20pc reduction or 67,500 ha in the total area planted to the main cereal crops over the past 10 years.

Mark Browne said the decision will also have serious knock on affects for the Irish livestock, dairy, mushroom and drinks sectors which rely on the tillage sector both for raw material and branding purposes.

He cautioned that any further drop in the area of Irish cereals could seriously undermine the validity of the Origin Green Brand.

The IFA Grain Chairman called on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to put supports and measures in place to mitigate the effects of the loss of the active ingredient and to ensure that there will be no cuts in CAP payments to tillage farmers in the next CAP.

The Chairman concluded by saying that Chlorothalonil has been recently re-authorised in a number of countries such as Canada, from which Ireland currently imports feed grains.

In order to maintain equivalence of standards, the Irish government and MEPs should propose a ban on the import of grains from countries which continue to use the active ingredient, he said.
Role: Francis Rhatigan was involved in the development of Facebook's headquarters in Dublin. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Investment fund BGF is taking a minority stake in Winterbrook, a housebuilder owned by well-known developer Francis Rhatigan, for 5m.

The money will be used to support activity across residential, private rental and commercial projects.

"BGF expects to provide significant follow-on funding to Winterbrook as further market opportunities arise in the future," it said.

Mr Rhatigan is well known from his role as joint managing director of Ellier Developments, which built Facebook's headquarters in Dublin city centre and the Dalriada estate in Knocklyon, South Dublin.

He said the money would "open up new opportunities as Winterbrook will now have timely access to additional funding when opportunities arise".

His children Kate, Anne-Marie and Conor are working with him in the business, while ex-DCC boss Tommy Breen has joined as chairman.

Winterbrook's land bank, focused on the Dublin region, includes sites in Foxrock, Enniskerry and Dalkey.

It's BGF's second deal here after a recent 10m investment in nursing home operator Brindley Healthcare.

The investments come from an Irish-focused fund with 250m of firepower. The fund's backers are the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (a State entity previously known as the National Pensions Reserve Fund), as well as AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. BGF is led here by Leo Casey, who said the fund was "delighted to take a minority position in Winterbrook and to support the company which is a very successful family-owned business".

"Everybody understands that housing is a critical infrastructure issue in Ireland at present and quality companies like Winterbrook have an important role to play in addressing this issue.

"Our focus on only taking minority positions is resonating with a lot of business owners who want the benefits of equity support without losing control. BGF believes in empowering, not replacing, existing owners and their management teams and we look forward to working with the Winterbrook team in the months and years ahead."
Profit before tax grew 27pc at Finance Ireland last year, with the non-bank lender looking at a potential 2020 IPO.

The company, run by former Irish Permanent chief executive Billy Kane, is also considering possible acquisitions of rivals.

A number of new non-bank lenders have sprung up in recent years here, but Mr Kane said he expects the market to consolidate.

"In the non-bank lending space I think a time will arrive, whether it's this year or next year, where there will be consolidation. Ireland is a small market," Mr Kane said.

Pre-tax profits at the company hit 10.5m last year, with new lending rising 13pc to 491m. The company has a large motor finance business, an SME-lending arm, and an agri-focused arm among its divisions.

Mr Kane said a stock market flotation of the business would not take place this year, but added the company would "certainly consider it" in 2020.

"In terms of companies like ours that need access to capital from a diversified base, there's no doubt about it that being on a market like that gives you instant access."

The company recently announced it was entering the mortgage market, with products to be made available via brokers.

Finance Ireland is sourcing the money for the mortgages from investment giant M&G.

Its motor finance arm, First Auto Finance, is a provider of so-called personal contract plans (PCPs) to car buyers.

PCPs involve a purchaser paying a deposit towards a car, then making a monthly repayment for a period of time until a larger "balloon payment" arises.

At that stage the consumer has options, including buying the car outright by paying off the balloon payment, or handing back the keys if they meet certain conditions in areas that typically include the amount of mileage covered.

Questions have been raised about whether PCPs are value for money, but First Auto boss Frank Donnellan said they have seen a resurgence in the plans after a drop-off caused by negative coverage.

"We've always said that for the right person it's the perfect way to acquire a new car," Mr Donnellan said.
The level of awards in personal injury cases could be capped under legislation going through the Seanad.

The aim of the bill is to ensure the cost of insurance cover is reduced for motorists, businesses and farmers.

Promoted by Fine Gael Senator Tony Lawlor, the Civil Liability (Capping of General Damages) Bill 2019 is due back in the Seanad for the second stage on Thursday.

The Government-appointed Personal Injuries Commission found that award levels for minor injuries in this country are almost five times higher than in the UK.

The commission, headed up by former High Court president Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, has advocated that a council made up of judges should recalibrate awards levels. But the legislation to put a judicial council in place has been delayed.

Insurers have argued that the cost of insurance is directly related to high levels of awards made in the courts.

Businesses, particularly those in the leisure and child activity sectors, are closing due to soaring premiums, with many unable to get cover. Their insurers blame high and inconsistent injury awards in the courts.

Mr Lawlor's bill has the support of business groups Ibec, Isme, the Licensed Vintners Association, the IFA and Insurance Ireland.

He said: "This would help reduce the price of insurance for the ordinary working man.

"It would allow the minister to bring in regulations and, if passed by the Oireachtas, these would in turn help reduce award levels.

"If payouts go down, hopefully premiums will."

The bill may have to be referred to Attorney General Seamus Woulfe as some lawyers have suggested it may be unconstitutional.
Dublin-headquartered drug firm Inflazome has received $1m (885,000) in funding from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research.

The grant will be used to support the development of a brain imaging probe for patient diagnosis and the clinical development of drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

According to the company, scientific data indicates that the NLRP3 inflammasome is overactive in a broad range of serious medical conditions driven by harmful inflammation.

These diseases include neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular diseases.

Professor Matt Cooper, co-founder and CEO of Inflazome, said:

The Michael J. Fox Foundation is a fantastic organisation with a passionate commitment to new science, science translation and candidate therapies for Parkinsons. We are fully aligned in our shared goal to help patients with Parkinsons and other debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, for which there are inadequate therapies and no cures.

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Their support will help us advance and hopefully validate our disruptive approach to diagnose and then treat patients by focusing on neuroinflammation.

This news comes after the company completed a 40m Series B funding round in November.

Headquartered in Dublin, and with offices in Cambridge, UK, Inflazome was founded in 2016 by academics Professor Matt Cooper, the University of Queensland (Australia) and Professor Luke ONeill from Trinity College, following a joint collaboration between the two.
Audit confirmation platform Circit has been granted registration as an Account Information Service Provider (AISP) by the Central Bank.

Established in 2017 mainly by a team of former auditors, Circit automates part of the audit process, that is verifying information with an independent source.

For example, when a company is presented with details of what an auditor needs, it can tell/authorise its bank to release those details to the auditor through the Circit platform immediately. This speeds up the process, reducing significant costs for all those involved.

Prior to the regulation, the platform brought the paper confirmation process online reducing the time from weeks to days for all parties.

In addition, the platform helps remove the fraud risk associated with the paper confirmation request process.

Already the company, which is aiming its product at all sizes of audit firms across Ireland and Europe, has over 200 audit firms on its books.

David Heath, CEO of Circit, said: Regulation by the Central Bank of Ireland represents an exciting step for Circit and will accelerate our growth.

Our platform is built by auditors for auditors, addressing an unmet need for external bank confirmations and bringing fintech capability to the SMEs and large corporates who require a timely audit sign-off.

Following the groups authorisation in Ireland Mr Heath said the companys next objective is to achieve regulation by the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which will facilitate growth in the audit market there.

Jim Brown, the former chief executive of Ulster Bank, is among the companys advisors and investors, while David OConnor, the former head of development for Northern Trust Investor Services, is both a company director of Circit and its chief operations officer.
Bayer's management retains the backing of its supervisory board, its CEO has said, after pressure on the company increased when a second jury in the United States ruled its glyphosate-based Roundup weedkiller caused cancer.

Bayer, which denies the allegations, acquired Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, for $63bn (55.6bn) last year.

Its shares have fallen a third over the last 12 months, burdened by thousands of lawsuits over a suspected cancer link to Roundup.

"The share price is significantly impacted by the legal cases related to glyphosate in America, the discounts are greatly exaggerated," Bayer boss Werner Baumann told 'Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung' (FAS).

"The management board enjoys the full backing of the supervisory board," said Mr Baumann, who has been Bayer CEO for almost three years.

A US jury last week found that Roundup caused cancer, a blow to the company eight months after another jury issued a $289m verdict over similar claims in a different case.

That award was later reduced to $78m and is on appeal.

Mr Baumann defended Bayer's move to acquire Monsanto, saying it "was and is a good idea".

He said the group had a clear strategy based on three divisions - pharmaceuticals, crop science and consumer health.

"We want to strategically develop these three pillars, all three markets are attractive."

Talk of a break-up of the company has emerged since activist fund Elliott took a stake in the business.
FINANCIAL services firm IFG is to be sold to private equity firm Epiris GP for 206m (240.6m).

The offer, which works out at 193p per share, will see SaintMichelCo ("Bidco") acquire the entire share capital of IFG. Bidco is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the Epiris Funds.

Dublin and London listed IFG has two businesses  James Hay and Saunderson House. James Hay provides pensions administration and investment platform services, and Saunderson House is an independent wealth manager and financial adviser.

This comes after what has been a difficult few years for IFG, as it tackled a number of legacy issues at the group, whose activities are solely based in the UK.

The company, whose CEO is Kathryn Purves, had put its Saunderson House wealth management division up for sale last year, then abandoned that plan. It then overhauled its executive roles. The indecision related to Saunderson House had slowed client wins and client investment decisions.

Commenting on the acquisition, Ms Purves said: We are pleased to be announcing this transaction today and believe it is an excellent outcome for shareholders, for the company, and for our clients.

The offer by Epiris represents a compelling opportunity for shareholders to realise an immediate and attractive cash value for their shareholding in IFG today. In addition, our employees and clients will benefit under the ownership of Epiris which should help accelerate the delivery of IFG's strategic objectives and the underlying strategies of James Hay and Saunderson House."

Elsewhere, and IFG also announces its full year results for the year ended 31 December 2018.

Revenues grew by 12pc to 87.6m (102m) and adjusted operating profit by 18pc 12.4m (14.5m) with strong cash generation.

During the year the group reported exceptional costs of 9.9m including a provision of 4.9m in relation to the dual trustee review and 3m retention payments following the cancelled sales process of Saunderson House.

Operating profit (after exceptional costs and amortisation) was 300,000 up from a loss of 400,000 in 2017.
The Trust and its president, Celeste Adams, had both the wisdom and the wherewithal to put the interior job in the hands of Chicagos Harboe Architects, whose award-winning 2017 revamp of Unity Temple was as exacting as their work on Robie House. If Unity Temple, completed in 1908, is the finest public building of Wrights Chicago years, Robie House is the greatest home of that period, which ended with a jolt in 1909, when Wright scandalized Oak Park by abandoning his young family and running off to Europe with the wife of one of his clients.
I grew up in a house on the Falls Road in Belfast. It was a very working-class family, not much money going around and as a result there weren't that many books lying around either.

So if you needed a book you might go to the library. But even then you were taking your life into your hands because there were riots everywhere. Things like walking half-a-mile to the library were never straightforward.

I really loved reading what I could, The Famous Five and all that. But I really got into reading when I moved to London, and started reading books by gay authors; Oscar Wilde, of course, and then stuff like A Boy's Own Story by Edmund White and so on. I suppose I was trying to find my tribe as it were and part of that was through literature. In London there was a freer head space to do that I think.

Years later, and up until recently in fact, I was on the panel of Pat Kenny's Easons Book Club on Newstalk. The great thing about the book club, was that I read things I never would have dreamed of reading. It really introduced me to different types of literature. And as part of that there was a book that I read recently which was The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne. It's a book that I really loved and the one that stands out in terms of this question of a book that, maybe didn't change my life as such, but certainly made a huge impression on me.

I had read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and a book of short stories by him, so he was on my radar and every time I read something I'd say to myself 'God, that's really impressive writing'.

When I read it, it really changed my view of the world as writing should do and it changed the way that I might think about writing myself. I have written two novels, so it's great to see how another author works and his view of the world. This novel examines how fragile people are and how people overcome really challenging childhoods; something I could really relate to growing up gay on the Falls Road.

The Heart's Invisible Furies starts in 1940s Ireland and works its way to the present day. It tells the story of Cyril Avery who, having been given up by his teenage mother, is adopted by a well-off Dublin couple. The book examines friendship, fortune and the struggles of growing up gay in a society that detests homosexuality or maybe even denies its very existence.

I just love where he went with this book and examined issues around how fickle people are, how money-motivated people are and how ultimately that leads to great loneliness.

I think John Boyne really has a way of telling stories that maybe changes how you look at the world.

I remember when I read it it was really hard to put down. It was one of those books where you were, 'God, what's going to happen next?', and suddenly it's three o'clock in the morning.

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After I read it, I heard him read from it at the Edinburgh Book Festival which gave me another take on it. That's another thing, he is a brilliant reader too. I find him a really inspiring person.
Ralph Fiennes has said he still feels delight at being asked to star in films (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Ralph Fiennes has said he still feels delight at being asked to star in films.

The actor has won critical acclaim  including two Oscar nominations  for his work on films such as Schindlers List, The English Patient and as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series.

Despite his acclaimed career, Fiennes, who is currently starring in ballet biopic The White Crow, said he feels lucky to have these opportunities.

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He told The Big Issue: I still feel a delight when I am invited to be in a film. I see how quickly everything goes by and one is lucky to have these opportunities.

My younger self would not believe it if they were told this is what you would achieve. That younger person would go No, really? No, I dont believe you.

They would be thrilled and delighted that these opportunities have come my way.

Fiennes, 56, earned a best supporting actor nomination for his role as Nazi war criminal Amon Goth in 1993s Schindlers List, which was directed by Steven Spielberg.

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Whatsapp Ralph Fiennes has won critical acclaim for his roles in films including The England Patient (Ian West/PA)

He also starred in Wes Andersons 2014 comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel.

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Fiennes said he hoped to work with both directors again.

Sometimes there is a sadness that collaborations are not repeated, he said. I loved working with Steven Spielberg on Schindlers List all those years ago.

That was thrilling  I hope one day I might be invited to do something with him again.

I also hope to work with Wes Anderson again  we have talked about collaborating again, so that might happen, and I would also love to work with Luca Guadagnino because I loved A Bigger Splash.

The Big Issue, sold by vendors to lift themselves out of poverty, is available across the UK for 2.50.
UB40 saxophonist Brian Travers has thanked fans for allowing him to live the dream after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The founding member of the band will miss the groups upcoming 40th anniversary tour after suffering a seizure at home.

Subsequent scans revealed Travers to be suffering from two tumours.

The musician said he has lived a life free of regrets, and that the only thing left on his bucket list is returning to playing music.

But he has been forced to pull out of the planned UK tour celebrating four decades of UB40 just days before the first concert on Friday.

He will undergo surgery on the day he was due to begin the tour, and is expected to make a recovery within six months.

Travers said: It is with great regret that I shall be unable to join my band mates in UB40 on our 40th anniversary tour, the guys have worked incredibly hard to perfect the songs in preparation for the live premier of our new album For The Many.

They sound great, but I shall be there in spirit, cheering them on from my convalescence and thinking of all the wonderful people out there who have supported us for the last 40 years, who I am now incredibly proud to count as friends.

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Whatsapp UB40 have paid tribute to their friend Travers ahead of their upcoming tour. (Radski Photography)

Ive had a great life with no regrets and have absolutely nothing to add to a bucket list except getting over this and getting back to the thing I love, playing music to anyone who wants to listen and expressing myself through painting and sculpture.

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Its been a huge privilege and I thank you all for the opportunity to live the dream.

Red Red Wine creators UB40 have confirmed that the planned tour will still go ahead in Travers absence.

A statement from the band said: Were deeply saddened that Brian, our lifelong friend and founding member of UB40, is unable to join us for our celebratory UK tour.

We know he will be missed by all but his health and well-being come first, and we are sure our friends and fans will join us in wishing Brian a full and speedy return to health, and return to us.

The Brain Tumour Charitys chief executive, Sarah Lindsell, said: Our thoughts go out to Brian for his surgery this week and a speedy recovery.

Following the bands announcement of his brain tumour diagnosis, we stand together with all the UB40 fans who hold his music dear.

We are committed to fighting for all those people whose lives are turned upside down by this devastating disease.

UB40 will begin their UK tour at Portsmouths Guildhall on Friday.
Sir David Attenborough has said that he would attempt to convince blind Donald Trump that climate change is a real threat.

The veteran naturalist and TV presenter has said he would not shirk from confronting the US president over his sceptical stance on the impact of climate change.

Sir David has said it would be cowardly not to try and convince Mr Trump that the future of the planet was precarious, but conceded that those blind to the facts may not want to see.

The presenter has also said that the impact of climate change could be halted and reversed rapidly if there was the political will to enforce environmental measures.

Sir David spoke ahead of the release of his upcoming series Our Planet, which marks a departure from the BBC to Netflix.

He said of confronting Trump: I have no idea as to whether I could convince him, but it would be cowardly not to take up the challenge, would it not?

I would certainly take it up and I would think carefully about what I actually said. Theres so many bits of evidence I would use.

I would be using the increase in the human population for starters, as to where were all going to get fed. Where are we going to do it? How do you make the arithmetic work?

But I mean what you say to him in the face of what is visibly happening  the climate of the United States of America  its perfectly clear.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

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Share our home, share our story, #ShareOurPlanet. Coming to Netflix worldwide April 5. pic.twitter.com/NxuIGxb9k2  Our Planet (@ourplanet) March 19, 2019

Sir David has said there is hope for the future of the planet, but that there must be decisive action to tackle the problem of climate change.

He said: We can put things right. We can put things right tomorrow if we had the will. We could actually impose marine sanctuaries tomorrow, if we had the will.

And actually solve the problem of feeding the world for the next few decades, but thats easier said than done. And the only way its going to be done is by actually getting the world thinking along the same lines.

Sir David has said that his shift to Netflix is not the end of his work with the BBC, adding: The BBC has been my life.

Our Planet airs on Netflix on April 5th.
Tyrrelstown Educate Together school was closed for a part of a term last year to allow temporary remedial works. Photo: Mark Condren

The Department of Education and Skills is suing a company over alleged defects in a 5m "rapid build" school which had to be closed for a part of a term last year to allow temporary remedial works costing 1m to be carried out.

The Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School in west Dublin was one of two schools closed last year following safety inspections carried out on behalf of the department. The other was Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan, north Dublin.

Last December, the Department brought proceedings in the Commercial Court over the alleged defects in Ardgillan against Western Building Systems (WBS) of Coalisland, Co Tyrone which designed and built it.

On Monday, the department brought similar proceedings against WBS in relation to Tyrellstown which were also entered into the fast track commercial list by Mr Justice Robert Haughton.

The department says the 525 Tyrrelstown pupils had to be moved to alternative accommodation nearby from the mid-term break in October until after the Christmas holidays while temporary remedial works were carried out to the school building.

Those remedial works have already cost 950,000 and are likely to exceed 1m, it says. The final cost of permanent works is not yet known, it says.

Tyrrellstown was designed and built under a 2011 "Rapid Build School Delivery" contract for just over 5m between the department and WBS.

Eamonn Murtagh, principal officer in the department, says the building did not comply with fire certificate and/or building regulations and/or with the department's build requirements.

He says a consulting engineers' report found issues with the strength and fixity of the walls panels in the building. This gave rise to a risk of a collapse/"fall out"of the outer masonry wall panel and the "fall in" of timber infill panels into the classrooms.

In its action, the department seeks damages for breach of contract, negligence and/or misrepresentation by WBS arising from the design and/or construction of the school.

Mr Justice Haughton, after admitting the case to the Commercial Court on consent between the parties, adjourned the matter to July.
A YOUNG woman who survived having her throat cut by a 15-year-old boy has said her scars will forever remind her of his demonic actions.

The victim broke down in tears as she told how her life had been destroyed by the youth who cut through her windpipe in a horrifying murder attempt and left her for dead by the seafront in Dun Laoghaire.

The accused had pretended he was 19 when they met on social media and when she found out how old he really was, she was confused as she tried to understand how someone his age could have such evil intentions.

She said she would struggle to "ever forgive him."

The woman, now aged 27, was making a harrowing victim impact statement at the Central Criminal Court this afternoon.

The boy, now aged 16, pleaded guilty to attempting to murder her at the seafront, Queens Road, Dun Laoghaire on 23 December, 2017.

This incident has affected me emotionally, she said in her statement, which was initially read out by prosecutor Paul Burns SC. I am having flashbacks which are causing me distress. This is also affecting my sleep with nightmares. My emotions are destroyed and I am struggling to trust people. I would admit I am a different person and I am afraid of teenage boys ordering from me in the Chinese takeaway," the statement continued.

"I have sought professional help but how do you talk to someone who has no experience of being that close to death.

Under the heading of life changes, she said my social side is gone, I rarely go out with my friends as I feel when out, people are looking at my neck scar. This leads me to stay at home with my family more.

Weeping and wiping her eyes with a tissue, she then read the rest of the statement out in full herself.

She said what happened had destroyed my life.

My happiness has been taken as the last time I met (the accused) he was strangling me, held a knife to my face," she told the court. "My memory of him calmly whispering stop screaming, stop screaming as a tear rolled down my cheek as I took what I thought was going to be my last breath as he choked the life out of me. I remember telling you Im sorry and this has affected me to this day as I was apologising to you for trying to kill, me, this I cant understand.

After you repeatedly stabbed me I woke on the seafront in Dun Laoghaire with sea crashing against the rocks and the noise of seagulls squawking in the blue sky above my head. This dream was comfortable until I realised it was reality and I was alive in a pool of my own blood. I was wet and cold with blood. I was lying on my arm and could see the inner parts of my hand above my head, all yellow and red in colour. I was freezing cold and could not figure out whether I was clothed or not. I felt really sick from the sight of flesh.

"You had left me for dead.

"I tried to cry for help but nothing came out. I knew I couldnt be seen where I was lying and knew I had to get out of there to survive. I walked up to higher ground as I was determined not to die, the woman continued.

My body struggled to walk up the path, it was difficult maintaining my breathing after getting stabbed in the neck. My legs were weak and I eventually collapsed from blood loss. I am told today that was four litres of blood. I managed to wave at a passer-by above me on the path and only for him you would have succeeded in my death. When I could not speak and nothing was coming out I put my hand to my neck and realised there was a gap in my neck with blood on my fingers.

I remained clam as I did not wish to die. I can only thank everyone who assisted me when I was on the brink of death. I was relieved (the accused) did not steal my phone as I knew all the evidence was on it, I do remember the gardai having my phone and handbag and this put me at ease.

I tried to tell the garda (the accuseds) name but I was powerless without my speech."

She told how, on arrival at hospital the doctor tried to speak to her.

"When I spoke as loud as I could there was only a whisper coming out," she said. "I could cough through my neck with my mouth closed, this panicked me. I debated whether I was going to die as my body couldnt bear the physical trauma anymore. Thank God I lost consciousness after this.

After my operation I woke to family and gardai by my bed. I spoke to Det Gda Treacy and showed him the picture of (the accused) which led to a cry of anguish with a mixture of emotions running through my mind.

She spoke of her relief that the gardai had her phone "with the evidence on it" but was also "tormented knowing my life nearly ended in your cruel hands".

"I told the gardai everything about you in my faint and weak voice," she continued. "When they told me your age my head spiralled in confusion trying to understand how someone your age can have such evil intentions. While in ICU, I cried in fear of not waking up again. I knew you were so far away yet I could still feel your presence grabbing me from behind, frustrated at yourself for not actually killing me.

The scars you inflicted on my neck and hand will forever be a reminder of your demonic actions. You tried a number of times that day to lure me to isolated locations in order to fulfil your urges. Your persistence down at the waters edge showed how determined you were to have me dead. Before I was removed from the ICU the nurses changed my dressing into a cast on my hand.

I watched in fear and anticipation, not knowing if I still had my thumb or not because I was so numb. After the final dressing unfolded my heart broke as I stared at the stitches that went from the front all the way to the back. I didnt cry in pain or despair, I cried because I struggled to understand why it was necessary to stab my hand while I was unconscious. You destroyed my life."

The year 2018 has been consumed with doctors visits and hospital," she continued, reading her statement. "This could have been done without but I am lucky to be alive and that I am grateful for.

Counselling sessions were filled with nothing but denial and acceptance, I was in denial to accept a young teenage boy premeditated to kill me. And why?

The flashbacks were experiences I did not prepare for, going to the sea triggered it all again, your rough arms around me trying to take my life. Again I am searching for answers, why did you cut my throat and thumb when I was out cold and unconscious? Why?

You have taken my life and happiness and everything that goes with it. I will struggle to ever forgive you. I know I will have complications in later life with my hand and thumb, this will remind me of (the accused) for the rest of my days. For now, I want, I hope and I do the hard work of healing, looking forward to the day when I will be free from the tortures of my mind and past. All I can do is trust and believe because the thought of this lasting for the rest of my life is so intolerable," she concluded.

Earlier, the court heard when gardai arrested the boy, they found he had deleted the Whisper app from his phone around midnight on December 24. He had also carried out web searches about the stabbing.

The blood on his backpack was a match for the young woman's.

Det Gda Daniel Treacy said there had been a huge amount of pooling of congealed blood at the scene which suggested she had been there a while before she was able to get up.

The victim believed the cut to her hand was not all caused by her grabbing the knife, but that there was a second cut after she passed out.

The victim was an Irish national living in south Dublin with her family and working at two jobs at the time.

Patrick Gageby SC, defending, said the accuseds school attendance in 2017 had been sporadic, possibly due to mental health issues.

The case had been listed for trial before the accused changed his plea.

Mr Justice Michael said the woman had shown tremendous courage in reading the victim impact statement herself.

He adjourned the case to April 12, when he will make a formal order for a pre-sentence psychiatric report.
Patrick Joseph Fahy (75) of Creaghmore Road, Drumquin, Omagh, Co Tyrone pictured leaving the Four Courts after he was awarded 10,000 damages following a Circuit Civil Court action. Pic: Collins Court

A Tyrone GAA fan, who was robbed as he slept in a Dublin hotel, has been awarded 10,000 damages in the Circuit Civil court for personal injuries arising from the psychological aftermath of the burglary.

Patrick Joseph Fahy, a 75-year-old retired solicitor, of Creaghmore Road, Drumquin, Omagh, Co Tyrone, told Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, that it took him a full two years to recover from the after effects of his traumatic experience.

Fahy, now engaged in legal consultancy, said he had visited Dublin in July 2016 for a Tyrone-Mayo quarter-final and had booked in to the North Star Hotel, Amiens Street, and after dinner and two glasses of wine in the city on the Saturday night had retired to his sixth floor bedroom.

It was a very warm July evening so I left a patio door slightly ajar from my room onto a balcony at the rear of the hotel before going to sleep, Fahy told his counsel Kevin Byrne, who appeared with Michael Devlin solicitors.

Expand Close Patrick Joseph Fahy (75) of Creaghmore Road, Drumquin, Omagh, Co Tyrone pictured leaving the Four Courts after he was awarded 10,000 damages following a Circuit Civil Court action. Pic: Collins Court / Facebook

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Whatsapp Patrick Joseph Fahy (75) of Creaghmore Road, Drumquin, Omagh, Co Tyrone pictured leaving the Four Courts after he was awarded 10,000 damages following a Circuit Civil Court action. Pic: Collins Court

He said that when he awoke on the Sunday morning he found his trouser pockets had been rifled and his belongings strewn all around the room.

About 150 and his mobile phone was missing as well as his ticket to the match.

Fahy told Mr Byrne he was very shook and got physically sick and had been unable to contact any friends because of the loss of his phone.

The hotel had given him 120 and when gardai arrived they told him they would source a match ticket for him. As it happened he had got a better ticket than the one that had been stolen.

Mr Fahy said he had met some Tyrone friends at the match and had felt somewhat better afterwards but in weeks following the incident he had become very upset. It had kept going through his mind what might have happened to him had he been woken by the burglar in his room.

I was glad I wasnt aware of what was happening around me and I remained upset and annoyed for a considerable period of time afterwards, he said.

Fahy, who sued B.C. McGettigan Limited, which trades as the North Star Hotel, for damages of up to 60,000, said he visited his GP at home and had been prescribed tablets aimed at lessening the stress and upset.

He had also availed of counselling for trauma but said it was a full two years before he had fully recovered from the ill effects of the burglary.

Judge Groarke said Mr Fahy had felt safe enough six floors up to leave his balcony door ajar on a warm night but had been unaware that the balcony was shared with six or seven other bedrooms.

Awarding Mr Fahy 10,200 damages, the judge said the court was satisfied the criminal had gained access to his bedroom by way of the shared balcony.

He said Mr Fahy had been given no warning that his balcony was a shared facility. A warning sign had since been attached to the balcony door.

Tyrone were beaten by Mayo by a single point, 12 to 13.
A CANNABIS user took a bag of the drug to a garda station to complain that it was not of good quality.

Arthur Liwembe (33) was immediately arrested after he went to the station of his own accord and presented the cannabis to a garda on duty to say he was not happy with his purchase.

Judge John Hughes said Liwembes behaviour was illogical to say the least and was indicative of a cannabis-induced psychosis.

He adjourned the case for a probation report.

Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges.

Gda Ian Foley told Dublin District Court Liwembe went to Kilmainham Garda Station last July 10 and produced a bag of cannabis valued at 10 from his pocket.

He was searched and a box-cutter knife was found on him. The blade was for use in his work as a handyman, said defence solicitor Anne Fitzgibbon.

Gda Foley told Judge Hughes that he believed Liwembe was suffering from problems at the time.

He said he had bought the drugs and believed them not to be of good quality and that was why he attended the garda station, Gda Foley said.

He was arrested on a later date when he returned, asked for the confiscated knife to be returned and became aggressive when this was refused.

Separately, Liwembe admitted repeatedly trespassing at an address where he used to live and work at Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore.

The court heard he got in without permission and damaged an internal door on one occasion.

Once, he was discovered in a bedroom and told gardai he was just trying to sleep and was under the misapprehension that he still lived there.

The accused came here from Malawi in 2012 as a student nurse but his visa ran out and he applied for residency on the basis of having an Irish-born child, Ms Fitzgibbon said.

Liwembe had been using cannabis, which could lead to transient psychotic symptoms, the lawyer added.

He was now off the drug.

Judge Hughes remanded him on continuing bail.
GSOC is now investigating the sudden death of a father-of-three over the weekend.

Danny McCormack (40) died after presenting to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar on Saturday evening complaining of chest paints.

He was arrested for public order offences following a disturbance, and fell critically ill at his home later that night after being released from garda custody.

His family have said he did not receive treatment at the hospital and are seeking answers as to where he was brought following his arrest.

Mr McCormack later returned to his home in Raheen, Mullingar where he became critically ill. An ambulance was called and he was pronounced dead the Mullingar hospital a short time later.

GSOC is now investigating the death in accordance with section 98 of the Garda Siochana Act 2005.

Sources said the fact that the matter has been upgraded to a criminal investigation doesnt imply anything, but that all of the circumstances surrounding the death have to be thoroughly investigated.

The Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) has said an examination of the incident will be carried out. When asked if the deceased received treatment after arriving at the hospital, the IEHG said it could not comment on individual cases.

Regional Hospital Mullingar cannot comment on individual patient cases.

The hospital is conducting a review of an incident which occurred this weekend in which the Garda were called. We have no further comment at this time, an IEHG spokeswoman said.

The IEHG is the largest of Ireland's hospital groups and comprises of 11 hospitals.

The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is carrying out its own inquiries into the incident and will specifically examine the interaction gardai had with Danny McCormack on Saturday evening.

A spokeswoman for the ombudsman said that the incident was referred to them by a Garda superintend on Saturday night.
People with Apple Pay can already use a credit card loaded into the Apple Wallet to pay for a CTA ride, but the new feature would incorporate the Ventra card itself into the Wallet. Mayberry said he expects the feature will be ready later this year, though a specific date has not yet been set.
A Dublin mother, whose children were seriously injured in an arson attack, fears the perpetrator will target her family home again once hes released from prison.

Maggie Green (31) was in her rented apartment in Inchicore, Co Dublin with her three children when their home was set on fire on September 18, 2017.

As a result, Maggie and her children Francie (9) and Savannah (7) were left fighting for their lives and suffered horrific, permanent injuries. Her third child John (13) was also treated for smoke inhalation, but is still traumatised by the incident.

Then, less than a month later the same man threw a pipe bomb at another family home.

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For his crimes, Ian OConnor (29) of Emmet Crescent, Inchicore, was jailed for ten years, but for Ms Green the damage he inflicted on her familys lives will last a lifetime.

"Im absolutely disgusted by the judges sentence," she told Independent.ie.

"OConnor received 12 years for what he done to my family, but the judge suspended the final two on condition that he keeps the peace. He was then sentenced to six years imprisonment for the other fire, but it will run concurrently with the first.

"This means that the other family got no justice at all. With good behaviour Im convinced hell be out in six years," she said.

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Whatsapp Maggie Green feared for the lives of her children Savannah, Francie and John after their home in Inchicore, Dublin, was set ablaze in a suspected arson attack last year

Ms Green said that she felt OConnor was not remorseful in court and does not believe prison will rehabilitate him.

"Hes a very sick and evil man. Myself and my children are so scared thinking about the day when hes released.

"I fear that hell come after us again because we're the reason hes behind bars. A man like that needs to be locked up for life.

"My children and I are covered in scars and every time I look at them I think about what this monster has done.

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"Thankfully, we have now moved out of that apartment and are getting help, but weve a long journey ahead of us," she said.

The young mother added that she thought her whole family were going to die in the arson attack.

She said she remembered her youngest son telling her that he was going to heaven and that he would come back and help them escape the fire.

In her victim impact statement which was read out in court, Ms Green said that her seven-year-old daughter's hearing aid had melted in the fire causing a permanent scar to her ear.

Ms Green was trapped upstairs by the blaze and tried unsuccessfully to smash the windows to escape. She covered her two youngest children with wet towels in her bedroom and was choking on smoke when they were rescued by the fire brigade.

Her eldest son had fallen asleep while watching television downstairs and woke up to the sight of the front door on fire.

He escaped via a balcony at the back of the apartment with the help of a neighbour who brought him a ladder.

O'Connor admitted to starting the fire by pouring petrol in the letterbox and on the front door. He said he owed money to certain persons who had instructed him to light the fire and had told him that there would be no one in the house.
Fianna Fail has called on Transport Minister Shane Ross to allow healthcare professionals to have access to driver licence information for organ donation.

Senator Mark Daly said inaction by the minister prevented healthcare professionals from knowing if a person was an organ donor or not.

Mr Daly said a number of State agencies currently have access to drivers' licence information.

He said that without access to this information, doctors organising organ transplants are missing out on potential donors.

Mr Ross has blamed Brexit for not being able to "examine the matter in detail" and said the HSE needs to be consulted on this in a response to the Seanad on March 13.

However, Mr Daly has criticised this response and said a simple Ministerial Order needs to be signed.

"There are around 2.6 million driving licence holders in Ireland at the moment," Mr Daly said.

"Since 2013, driving licence applicants have been asked if they would they be willing to be an organ donor.

"However, doctors and medical professionals are currently not allowed to access this information.

"This means that those involved in the facilitation of organ transplants often miss out on potential donors."

In a lengthy response to the Seanad, Mr Ross said that under current EU regulations they would need the permission of the applicant to share such information.

Currently if a person opts into this, a code 115 is printed on the driving licence.

"There is also a risk that people might be reluctant to volunteer to have a code 115 on their driving licence if they had concerns about their data being shared," he said.

Mr Ross said he wanted to hear the views of the HSE on the potential for doctors to be able to look up a list of potential organ donors.

"Currently, in light of other priority commitments and particularly the demands of work in relation to Brexit, the resources have not been available to examine the matter in detail.

"This is something that can and will be considered in the future," he said.

However, Mr Daly said the minister needs to act to save lives.

"The Government allows driving licence details to be shared with other State bodies such as the Courts Service, the Road Safety Authority and the Health and Safety Authority, and most recently Minister Ross allowed access to a private company, E-Flow, to assist the management of the M50."

However, the exact information provided to E-Flow is unclear.

Fianna Fail's transport spokesman Robert Troy said: "This is an important yet simple change, and I feel the Government's laissez faire approach to this issue is not acceptable."
Legal representatives for children have been paid "more than the president", the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been told.

TDs probing concerns over the cost of the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) system of legal representation for children in State care heard that individuals providing the service were paid between 40,000 and 240,000 among 8m in costs in 2016.

The committee was told those costs - some of which were even higher in previous years - included overheads and office expenses.

Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan said some of the individuals appeared to have been paid more than President Michael D Higgins.

"We really have to ensure that doesn't happen into the future," she said, suggesting a system of set salaries would "save the taxpayer more in the long run". She asked why no one had been monitoring regulation of the GAL system.

Department of Children secretary general Dr Fergal Lynch said nobody was suggesting it was a "satisfactory situation".

Earlier, he told of how the system was in need of "significant reform". He said that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, spent 15.2m on GAL services in 2016.

Tusla has endeavoured to control spending, he added, pointing to negotiated savings in recent years.

But Mr Lynch also said: "Despite its importance to vulnerable children and young people, the service is ad hoc, and lacks an appropriate system of organisation and governance.

"The roles and functions of GALs are not defined, nor are the circumstances in which they should be appointed to individual cases," Mr Lynch said in his opening statement.

He told how Cabinet had this week approved the heads of a bill to reform the system.

The bill includes regulation of fees and monitoring of performance. A single body is to be appointed to oversee the service and the legislation is due to be in place later this year.

Fianna Fail TD Shane Cassells said his party had flagged the issue two years ago.

He branded "exorbitant high fees" as a "gross waste of public money".

He was "glad" Mr Lynch's statement acknowledged the need for the issue to be tackled.

Before she brought the issue to Cabinet, Children's Minister Katherine Zappone spoke of her concern over the costs.

"All children in child care proceedings should have their voice heard and their views represented," she said.
Converted: Co Louth woman Lisa Smith, who is being held in Syria on suspicion of being a member of Isil

A woman who helped Isil suspect Lisa Smith convert to Islam believes her friend was "duped" and admitted she was "more than shocked" at the recent revelations.

Carol Duffy grew up in the same neighbourhood as Ms Smith in Dundalk and helped her become a Muslim.

Former soldier Ms Smith (37) is being held by US forces in northern Syria on suspicion of Isil membership.

Ms Smith had previously travelled with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern while she was an Air Corps flight attendant.

Ms Duffy believes Smith was radicalised online and subsequently began to isolate herself.

She described her friend as "vulnerable" and "naive".

"I think what's happened to Lisa is a level of brainwashing that we will never be able to comprehend," Ms Duffy told RTE 'Liveline'.

"I think she's very, very, very vulnerable and I think the only thing she's guilty of is being very naive. She came across as very naive, she's always been naive.

"Lisa was a really nice girl, really funny, very approachable, lovely, lovely family, but genuinely a nice girl and very, very generous.

"And when I saw the interview and I saw people saying she was in Syria, I never believed that. I was thinking, how would you even get over there?

"If anyone had said to me before that Lisa would do that, I would say that 'Lisa Smith, definitely not'," she added.

Ms Duffy said she met Ms Smith at the Dundalk mosque in 2010, when Ms Smith was looking for information about potentially converting.

"I am in the Dundalk Muslim community mosque and I hold classes there on a Friday and somebody called me from the mosque telling me there was an Irish girl who was interested in Islam. She didn't realise it was me who was doing the classes and I didn't realise it was her that was interested.

"She was always very, very interested in different religions.

Conflicted

"She hadn't converted then, she was just looking for information but she had friends who were Muslim, she knew a fair bit about it, like the ins and outs of it but nothing in depth and that's why she came to us."

While Ms Duffy said she believed people involved in Isil should be punished, she also said there was no proof of wrongdoing by Ms Smith. She admitted to being conflicted on what should be done.

"The Lisa I knew before was not confrontational, would never physically hurt anyone.

"I don't even believe she was sympathising with them. I believe she was looking for some ideal life and it didn't turn out that way and I think she got duped," she added.

Ms Duffy said she had not known what Ms Smith had been doing or where she had been since she her marriage to a Tunisian man.

"The last thing I heard of Lisa was that she had met a man and moved to Tunisia and was living there with him but he was from Tunisia himself," she said.

Yesterday, Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, of the Islamic Educational and Cultural Centre Ireland, said the Muslim community here was shocked to learn about Ms Smith's case in Syria.

He also told the Irish Independent that she should be brought home.

"It's important that she does come back to Ireland and there's a fair trial to determine if she was involved in terrorism or in supporting terrorism," he added.
Friends have paid moving tributes to the 17-year-old girl found dead outside Belfast City Hospital on Sunday morning.

She has been named by police as Tara Wright.

Police believe her death is linked to a car crash in Castlereagh in the early hours of Sunday.

Four men  aged 20, 21, 28 and 30  were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident.

They were subsequently bailed pending further police inquiries.

In the single-vehicle crash, a silver Mercedes was found on its roof near the roundabout at Ballygowan Road close to the junction with Manse Road, at around 2.30am.

A man found injured after the crash was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for emergency treatment.

Shortly afterwards at around 3am, the Ambulance Service reported finding a teenage girl lying on the ground next to a grey MG car in the grounds of City Hospital in the Lisburn Road area of south Belfast.

Police believe that the MG car brought Tara to the City Hospital following the crash, she is understood to have been in the car when the ambulance service arrived at the crash scene.

Attempts were made to resuscitate the teenager, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a statement released to the media Ms Wright's family said that they were "devastated" at her death.

They said she was a "vibrant soul with a zest for life that could bring joy to all around her".

"Tara was a kind, funny, charismatic, bright young girl with her whole life ahead of her and we can't believe that we now have to say goodbye to her," the statement read.

"Tara will be missed immeasurably not only by us, but her entire family, especially her brothers and sister Charles, Alistair and Anna, who will never forget the love they had for her and the love she had for them."

In a Facebook tribute, Tara's friend Neo Godson said that his heart was "completely broke" by her death.

"Tara you were such an amazing, funny and kind person, a best friend to me. You walked into the room and just put a smile on everyones face," he wrote.

"You brought the laugh to anywhere you went, you knew how to just make everyone happy. You where just so amazing and unique. All of the memories I have of us I will cherish forever.

"I would do anything in this world to hear your voice one more time. I love you always and rest easy beautiful."

Ellis Quigley worked with Tara at TeleperformanceUK in Newry and wrote on Facebook that he saw her on the day of her death.

"Cant believe I only saw Tara yesterday and saw that smile that would make anyones day and now shes gone," he wrote.

"The funny memories of work and night outs seeing her will be cherished so much. Sending so much love and prayers to her family and friends."

PSNI Inspector Nigel Henry offered his sympathies to Tara's family.

"Our investigation is at an early stage, however, we do believe that Tara was injured during the one vehicle road traffic collision on the Ballygowan Road," he said

We are appealing to anyone who witnessed either the silver Mercedes or grey MG to contact us to assist us with our enquiries. We also believe that a grey coloured MG vehicle conveyed Tara to the area of Belfast City Hospital therefore we are also appealing to anyone who witnessed this vehicle between the Ballygowan Road and the Hospital to contact police.

Investigating officers arrested four males aged 20, 21, 28 and 30 yesterday. They have since been released on bail and are assisting us with establishing the circumstances leading to Taras death.

"If you have information about the collision, which you believe could assist our investigation, please pick up the phone and call us on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 227 of 24/03/19.

I would also urge anyone who may have dash-cam footage of either vehicle taken in the early hours of Sunday morning to contact us.
The scene of the blaze

A MAN in his 40s has been arrested after two cars and the outside of an apartment complex were set on fire in north Dublin earlier today.

Gardai received reports that a man had set fire to the outside of an apartment complex in the Newtown Court area of Coolock, Dublin 17 shortly after 12.30pm.

Twenty minutes later, gardai arrested a man after two cars were set alight in the Templeview Green area of Clarehall in Dublin 13.

Video footage that emerged on social media showed the cars emerged in flames with clouds of black smoke.

The videos also appears to show two men near the scene holding large knives.

A garda spokesperson said that the man is currently detained in Coolock Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Investigations are continuing.
The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane this morning. Fortunestown Lane closed by Gardai. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

The scene of the fatal shooting at City West Shopping Centre, Fortunestown Lane PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN

Gardai have arrested a man in relation to the fatal shooting of John Gibson (29) in September 2017.

The fitness instructor was gunned down in a car park in Fortunestown Lane, Tallaght, at around 9.20pm on September 18.

Gibson was close pals with Darragh Nugent (36), who was shot dead in west Dublin the week before his death.

Both men were associated with jailed hitman James Nellie Walsh.

Expand Close Gardai at the scene on Fortunstown Lane near the City West Shopping centre where a man was shot dead in a vehicle tonight..Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook

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An inquest later found that Gibson died died due to multiple gunshot wounds.

Gardai in Tallaght arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with their investigation this morning. He is currently detained at Tallaght Garda Station under the provisions of Section 30  Offences Against the State Act 1939.

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A spokesperson said their investigation is continuing.

Shooting

It is understood that Gibson was blasted several times as he sat in his car outside Eddie Rockets outlet.

A gunman, who was driven to the scene in a van, opened fire on Gibson, who tried to get out of his car and flee.

The van was later recovered burnt out on nearby Verschoyle Green. A magazine clip was also recovered from the front seat.

Gibson was not considered a major gangland criminal, and had only a number of minor convictions including one for simple possession of drugs when he was caught with three ecstasy tablets in Swords in 2016.

However, he had close links to Walsh, who is currently serving a lengthy sentence over firearms.

Walsh, backed up by Nugent, became a player in the west Dublin crime scene around seven years ago and ended up getting involved in a bitter dispute with a Clondalkin gang with close links to the cartel.
There was no outstanding criminal investigation or charges against the late Bishop Eamonn Casey at the time of his death despite claims by his niece that he abused her over a 10-year period, it has been claimed.

His niece Patricia Donovan gave a lengthy interview to a Sunday newspaper yesterday claiming she had been sexually abused by the late Bishop Casey from the age of five.

She said she reported this to gardai in 2005.

The allegations were investigated in 2006 but the Director of Public Prosecutions ordered that no charges were to be brought on 13 sample allegations.

On foot of Ms Donovan's allegations, the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton in the UK, where her uncle was serving as a hospital chaplain, sent him back to Galway diocese.

In 2005, allegations against the former bishop were reported in the media, but yesterday's interview in the 'Irish Mail on Sunday' was the first time the bishop's niece was named as his accuser.

When contacted by the Irish Independent yesterday, a statement for Bishop of Galway Brendan Kelly was issued.

"The Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora is aware of one allegation of child sexual abuse against Bishop Eamonn Casey. This allegation was reported to An Garda Siochana," the statement said.

"No prosecution was undertaken. The diocese understands that, at the time of his death in March 2017, there were no outstanding criminal investigations about or outstanding charges against Bishop Casey.

"Restrictions had been placed on Bishop Casey's priestly ministry by the Vatican Congregation for Bishops. These were still in place at the time of his death," it said.

The statement added the diocese reports all allegation or concern regarding the safeguarding of children to the statutory authority."

The former bishop died aged 89 in the Carrigoran House Retirement and Convalescent centre in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare in March 2017.

Bishop Casey became a high-profile and popular media personality in the 1970s and 1980s.

He became a household name when he introduced Pope John Paul II at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway in 1979.

His downfall, though, was one of the first major scandals to hit the Catholic Church in Ireland.

In 1992, it emerged that he had engaged in an affair with American divorcee Annie Murphy, and had fathered a son with her.

The news scandalised Catholic Ireland and he was forced to leave the country in a storm of controversy.

Ms Murphy was a second cousin once removed from Bishop Casey and the pair had met once when Murphy was young but began their affair in 1973, meeting at rendezvous throughout Dublin after she moved to the capital.

Bishop Casey was also involved in charity work throughout his career, helping to set up aid agency Trocaire.

The controversial bishop left Ireland in 1992 after his secret affair was discovered, spending 14 years in exile in South America.

He returned to Ireland in 2006 after allegations were made by his niece. He later developed Alzheimer's and spent his last years in a Co Clare nursing home.

A statement issued by his family after his death was attributed to his son Peter, as well as the bishop's siblings. The statement said the bishop was a "great source of love and support".

Ms Murphy now lives in California, while Peter is believed to be living in Boston.
An ATM was stolen from Glendale Service Station outside Omagh, Co. Tyrone.

Hole-in-the-wall gang?:The latest theft followed similar robberies at Bank of Ireland branches in Kingscourt, Co Cavan (pictured) and Glendale, Co Tyrone.

Detectives investigating the latest theft of an ATM using a digger are probing if the same gang are behind similar incidents.

The latest robbery occurred in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, and comes just two weeks after two ATMs in Co Cavan and Co Tyrone were stolen on the same night.

A digger was used to remove the ATM which was located at a filling station on the Dromore Road in Irvinestown at around 4am on Sunday.

The digger used in the robbery is also understood to have been stolen and was set on fire shortly after.

The PSNI say they believe the ATM was removed from the scene using a trailer.

Suspicious

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Whatsapp Damage: The cash machine was torn from the wall of a filling station in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, at 4am on Sunday

Detective Sergeant Brian Reid asked anyone from the area who saw anything suspicious to come forward.

"Thieves used a digger to remove the built-in cash machine from a filling station on the Dromore Road at around 4.05am, causing extensive damage to the building.

"We believe the culprits used a trailer to remove the ATM from the scene," he said.

"We also believe the digger was stolen from ground under development nearby.

"The digger was set alight at the scene immediately after the theft."

"We are investigating whether this ATM theft is linked to any other recent thefts," he added.

Two separate ATM robberies took place in Cavan and Tyrone in the early hours of March 10.

The Cavan robbery took place at a Bank of Ireland on Main Street in Kingscourt at around 4am, and a digger was used to extract the ATM.

Meanwhile, at around the same time in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, an ATM was also robbed from a filling station using a digger.

Late last year a digger was also used in the robbery of an ATM from a Bank of Ireland in Monaghan.

The incident took place at around 3am on Main Street in Ballybay. The digger used in this incident was said to have been towed to the scene by a large tractor and trailer, with the tractor subsequently set on fire.
A TODDLER has suffered serious injuries in a hit and run collision in Cork.

The accident, which occurred around 4pm in the Mahon-Blackrock area, left a three year old boy with serious injuries.

The youngster was apparently knocked down by a car just off the Skehard Road.

Gardai said the vehicle involved failed to remain at the scene.

Pedestrians rushed to assist the injured child with paramedics on the scene within minutes.

He was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) and is understood to be in a serious condition with head injuries.

Gardai are investigating the full circumstances of the accident and have appealed to any eyewitnesses to contact them to assist their inquiries.

Any motorist or taxi driver whose vehicle is equipped with a dash cam and who was in the general Skehard Road area is also asked to contact Gardai.

Garda forensic accident scene investigators are examining the area where the collision occurred.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station on (021) 4522000 or the Garda Confidential Line (1800) 666111.
He is alleged to have randomly approached the 21-year-old student about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of the Bloomingdale Court mall on Army Trail Road. Assistant DuPage County States Attorney James Scaliatine said in court that Dalcallo then forced his way into the womans car at gunpoint. He then allegedly made her drive to her bank, where he took $300 that she withdrew with a debit card.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said the arts, music, entertainment and events sector is "facing an absolutely dire crisis". Photo: Caroline Quinn

THE government has been accused of seeking to "sabotage" a proposed law that would end fossil fuel exploration in Ireland.

People Before Profit (PBP) made the claim as it announced a renewed bid to get their Climate Emergency Measures Bill to the next stage of the legislative process.

The Bill passed the Dail in February 2018 but it has since stalled.

Richard Boyd Barrett claimed that the government has used Oireachtas procedure to "scupper and sabotage the democratic will of the Dail and prevent this Bill going where it should have gone to committee."

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He said PBP's motion this week will seek to "move things on and unlock the log-jam".

His party colleague Brid Smith said the slowness of the Dail procedure is in contrast to the "tens of thousands of young people who are screaming at governments to do something about overheating of the planet", a reference to recent climate action protests.

She added: "their first demand is what my Bill contains and that is to keep it [fossil fuels] in the ground".

The Bill stalled when it went before the Joint Committee on Communications , Climate Action and Environment where a combination of TDs and Senators evenly split the vote on whether or not to move the Bill onto the next stage of the legislative process. This meant the Bill could not progress.

The PBP motion to be tabled in the Dail tomorrow would see the Bill sent to the Select Committee on Communications , Climate Action and Environment which only includes TDs and where PBP believe there is a majority for the Bill to progress.

Mr Smith said there has been support from other parties for the Bill and she believes Fianna Fail will support PBP's motion aimed at allowing the Bill to go forward in the legislative process.
Homeward bound: Lisa Smith wants to return to Ireland from Syria. Picture by Tom Conachy

TANAISTE Simon Coveney has confirmed the Government is now working to facilitate the return of ISIL bride, Lisa Smith (37), and her two year old child back to Ireland as he stressed the Government owes "a duty of care" to the duo.

However, he warned that the logistics of securing the return of the former Air Corps recruit to Ireland was "very complex" given that she was currently in a camp in an effective war zone which is controlled by Kurdish forces.

Ms Smith, who travelled to Syria in 2015 after converting to Islam, has pleaded to be allowed return to Ireland in an emotional interview with US station, CNN.

The Louth woman said she was effectively "living in a prison" in the Syrian camp and now "wants to go home" to Ireland.

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"I know they'd (Ireland) strip me of my passport and I would not be able to travel. I would be watched, kind of, but prison? I don't know. I am already in prison," she said.

In a previous TV interview, Ms Smith - who worked on the Government jet during a decade in the Air Corps - described herself as British and spoke both English and Arabic.

The Tanaiste said the Government is now liaising with her family over how to get her back to Ireland from Syria.

"The Government's position is that we consider her case a consular case. Like all consular cases, we want to look after Irish people and bring them home if they want to come home.

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"There is a meeting between my Department (Foreign Affairs, the Department of Defence and the Department of Justice to co-ordinate a Government response in relation to how we assist her.

"Of course, there is heightened concern because there is a two year old girl involved in this as well."

The Cork TD said there were a number of complicating factors involved.

"This is an unusual case because of her background in the last number of years. But the Taoiseach and I have made it very clear she is an Irish citizen and she is the responsibility of Ireland.

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"We have a responsibility towards her and, in particular, her daughter. We will try to follow through on that responsibility and find a way to bring her home.

"Part of the problem here is that this is a war zone or at least a former war zone.

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"It is not that easy to actually get into these places.

"She also does not have the capability to communicate easily from where she is.

"We have not had direct contact from her. She has in the past contacted her family. We are staying in close contact with her family and keeping them informed.

"I spoke to her brother (earlier this month) and have given her family a commitment that we would keep them informed at all times and we will."

He said the Government is considering all consular options.

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"This is a complicated case - we deal with a lot of complicated consular cases all over the world. Sometimes it is victims, sometimes it is people who have gotten into trouble.

"But this is a particularly unusual case because it involves a young child and a mother, both of them Irish citizens, in a war zone, in a camp that was linked to partners and children of ISIL fighters. (It is controlled) largely by Kurds so it is more complicated than most consular cases would be to put it mildly.

"But, that being said, we do have a responsibility here as a State both to her and, in particular, we have a duty of care, I would say, to a two year old Irish girl who happens to be in a very vulnerable situation.

"We are taking that seriously."

The International Red Cross has been asked to spearhead the Irish Governments efforts to return Jihadi bride Lisa Smith from Syria.

Government officials have made direct contact with the charity, which has a significant presence in the Middle East.

It is understood that Red Cross officials have been consulted in recent days with a view to establishing the potential to secure a safe passage for Ms Smith out of the Syrian camp where she is currently being held with her two-year-old baby.

Sources have said utilising the capabilities and connections of the Red Cross is currently among the main options at the Governments disposal.

The permutations were discussed at a senior level meeting today and will be reviewed again later this week.

Sources have also said that the potential diplomatic issues involved in using the Army Ranger Wing for such a recovery would make it a highly unlikely option for the return of Lisa Smith.

The Gardas counter terrorism and intelligence units have been made aware of the developments, with officers attached to the CTI (Counter Terrorism International) expected to carry out a deradicilsation process of Ms Smith on her return.
Anna and Elsa from 'Frozen' in the daily parade of Disney stars along the resort's Main Street

We nearly didn't make it.

This trip came up so quickly that we had to get a passport - his first - for our baby boy Daniel in a hernia-inducing hurry, dashing to get forms signed by the couldn't-be-more-helpful garda in Blackrock, then a last minute appointment at the passport office in town.

Then, we almost missed our flight. We slept through the alarm calls and were only awoken by the taxi driver repeatedly ringing the doorbell at 4am.

We made it to the departure gate with seconds to spare for our 6am flight. Daniel's big sister Emilia wasn't able to sleep the night before (hence a frazzled mummy and daddy snoozing through the alarm) because she was that excited at going to visit Mickey Mouse and his girlfriend Minnie at their magical castle in France.

Who could blame her? Her excitement rose to near fever pitch on the train from Charles de Gaulle when the driver told us the next stop was Disneyland.

When we disembarked and made the short walk to the Disneyland Hotel, I thought Emilia was going to faint on the spot with pure joy at the sight of Donald Duck and Goofy in the lobby greeting guests. When Mickey and his mot Minnie arrived too, at this five-star Victorian-inspired establishment, little Emilia jumped into my arms and screamed: "This is the best day ever. This is the best holiday ever."

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Her father's concerns about commercialised theme parks, global consumerism and political unrest in nearby Paris aside, this was, indeed, the start of the best holiday ever for our very young children.

For the next three days, they could not contain themselves. It was indeed pure joy to see them so thrilled. The adrenalin rush was only increased for Emilia because from the window of her hotel bedroom she could see Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant, Disneyland Paris's ornate interpretation of Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

To put this in context: it would be like a connoisseur of art suddenly finding themselves living opposite the Louvre. So every night when she went to bed, Emilia would do so with the words: "Goodnight Sleeping Beauty!"

But back to the check-in. They not only checked us into our suite, they had tickets ready for us for lots of the rides at Europe's biggest theme park.

And because the hotel is actually a 50ft, if that, stroll from the entrance to Disneyland, the excitement levels with our daughter were now higher than a Buzz Lightyear rocket, we didn't even go up to our room.

We went straight into the theme park. We walked up Main Street, bought some ice cream and some lemonade. Emilia's eye was caught by a woman dressed as a princess doing face-painting. Five minutes later our four-year-old daughter had been transformed into a unicorn.

Licking her ice-cream, the unicorn walked straight up into Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Emilia looked like she was experiencing something akin to a fairytale or a dream come true.

What made it even more magical for our young child was that she was wearing her Sleeping Beauty dress as she explored the castle (a Sleeping Beauty dress which she wore on the plane and had all the Air France cabin staff in thrall at 30,000ft as she told them she was going to sleep in Sleeping Beauty's Castle.) On the castle's second-floor there is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale, in stained-glass windows and tapestries.

Downstairs, Emilia randomly met Princess Elsa from Frozen walking through the castle. Emilia was entranced. Just then, Anna from Frozen appeared, by chance. It was like visiting a hip disco in New York with Andy Warhol in the 1970s, but for kids. You never knew what legend or icon or superstar you'd bump into.

Baroque music was heard from the balcony of Sleeping Beauty's Castle as we made our way in search of further wonderment. It wasn't long before we found it. On Dumbo's Carousel. What's not to love about Dumbo? And then 30 minutes later - courtesy of one of the de rigueur long queues at Disneyland - we were all riding together in one of the Mad Hatter's Teacups.

I accessed my inner child in this surreal Shangri-La 20 miles east of Paris. Little Daniel had accessed his inner adult as he looked sternly at the passing Maleficent, the evil fairy witch herself.

We made it back through Sleeping Beauty's Castle just in time to catch the parade down Main Street at 6pm. It was a performance par excellence (that we went to every evening without fail) as all the Disney characters did their well-choreographed stuff in a spectacular show followed by an even more spectacular fireworks display that lit up Sleeping Beauty's Castle.

That night, we all slept like kings and queens in our beds - because we were utterly knackered. The sleep had been further helped by the fact that we had a leisurely dip in the hotel's rather fancy pool, followed by a fine dinner in the hotel's California Grill.

I don't think my wife and I ever earned a glass of wine as much in our lives - after a day being run ragged around Disneyland by Emilia, bravely assisted by Daniel in his buggy or in my arms pointing at every attraction that he wanted to go on.

As Beckett, who lived up the road in Paris, once said: "I can't go on... I'll go on." And to think we would do it all again tomorrow.

You can't have a day begin more bizarrely than to see Captain Hook and Peter Pan walk around the tables at breakfast in the hotel. Unsurprisingly, Emilia and Daniel practically jumped out of their seats with shock and awe.

And, then, once more we were off into the massive theme park again. We went on the Peter Pan ride (twice). There is something truly wonderful about holding your baby son in your arm as you fly through the sky to Neverland, where pirates and mermaids gaze up at you. This is followed by a boat trip on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride where scary pirates point at you.

It is difficult - unless you are of a particularly dour or downcast disposition - not to enter into the spirit of Disneyland. Walt Disney called Disneyland Park in California "the happiest place on Earth". Its opposite number on a 5,000-acre site in rural Marne-la-Vallee has the same aura of cartoon-ish utopia, of flying elephants, swirling teacups, to say nothing of singing mice, dancing ducks, pirates, princesses galore and the usual (big-eared) suspects.

After a while I found Disneyland good for my soul. I was forced to be a kid again for three days and nights, lost in my own (and Walt Disney's) imagination. There was something special about the innocent state that comes automatically with spinning around in a giant tea cup or flying through the night with Peter Pan with your two children who are laughing their little faces off. I hope they keep these precious memories.

In fact, for me, that is what the true magic of Disneyland is about: having fun, of course, but building memories. I believe Emilia will remember forever flying with Peter Pan when she is older (and the doll she got in the gift shop will be long forgotten).

One of my fondest memories as a child is holding my mother's hand as we cycled through the night sky high in the air on ET's bikes at Disneyland in California. Certainly our three days in the Magic Kingdom outside Paris created many memories that will stay with us hopefully all our lives.

Walking down Main Street of this pretend turn-of-the-century American town with its pretend turn-of-century shops selling Disney merchandise, there is a sense of the unreal. Personally, especially after a pre-dinner drink in Cafe Fantasia in the hotel, I felt like Jim Carrey's character in The Truman Show.

Yet in the end I loved it almost as much as my two young kids. This is despite the struggle to not go financially broke with Emilia permanently dragging us into gift shops selling kids Disney merch on every corner, or the fact that food in the theme park is a tad expensive. We made lovely picnics and brought it into Disneyland Park on our second and third days.

On our final day, I arranged for Emilia to meet Mickey Mouse and Minnie. When I made the introductions and the two most famous rodents in the world nodded (they don't speak) Emilia burst into tears and jumped into my arms. Daniel, for his part, acted like he had known the two mice all his life and kept pointing at Mickey's ears.

On the way back to the hotel for dinner Emilia said Mickey and Minnie were "as big as lions, daddy". Having pancakes with ice cream and a milkshake in the California Grill soon eased Emilia's sense of being overwhelmed by giant mice.

Even more so when her second favourite princess, Elsa made an appearance.

We'll be back - once my overdraft facility isn't frozen....

Take Two: Top attractions

Amaze-ing Alice

Not to be missed, Alices Curious Labyrinth, is a fantastic hedge maze in two sections  Alices adventures before meeting the mean Queen of Hearts, and then Alices encounters with the Queen. My daughter was left smiling like the Cheshire Cat...

Marvel Superheroes

Daniel, my baby son (indeed my hero) would positively marvel at the new Disney attraction that everyone is talking about: Marvel Superheroes with Captain Marvel himself, plus Spider-Man, Thor, Captain America et al. Bring it on.

Getting there

* Prices for a three day/ two night package including Air France flights and Magic Shuttle Transfer to Disney's Hotel Santa Fe start from 1,568.20 based on two adults and two children sharing a standard room at Disney's Santa Fe Hotel.

That includes two night's accommodation, three-day park hopper tickets with unlimited access to Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.

* Price based on a May 12, 2019, departure date, subject to availability.

* For more information about a family break to Disneyland Paris, call 01 605 83 83 or visit: disneylandparis.ie or contact your local travel agent.

* Air France currently operates flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle from two departure points in Ireland: four daily flights from Dublin and once daily from Cork.

* Return economy fares from Dublin to Paris start from 99.89, including taxes and charges. To book or for additional information, visit airfrance.ie or call the reservations line on +353 16590442.

This feature originally appeared in The Sunday Independent.
A wet week in Lanzarote is a particular kind of penance most of us have endured at some stage. An Irish rite of climatic passage, it presents as a testing experience adorned with endless grey skies where azure blue was promised and frigid evenings where balmy breezes are a stranger upon shivering thighs.

But it can always be worse, such as an Airbnb without wifi for Netflix - a desperate fate that even red wine at 3 a bottle won't improve.

This was the dilemma confronting us on a recent sojourn in the Canaries, holed up in a German-owned apartment where even left-behind paperbacks offered only a literary tower of Babel wrapped in double Dutch and bewildering Bavarian. It was a scenario that vividly recalled the Groucho Marx comment: "From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. I might even try reading it some day."

Driven to distraction as another gust of rain splattered on our Puerto del Carmen balcony, my search for salvation finally unearthed the only English language book in the place, Mario Puzo's 'The Godfather'.

Having seen the 1972 film for which Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his incomparable Don Corleone, I poured a decent midday glass of ruby rotgut and settled in to turn the pages on a journey to the dark side of the American dream. Published 50 years ago this month, Puzo's masterpiece remains one of the best-selling books of all time - and with many of its lines having passed into popular parlance. "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" and "It's not personal - it's strictly business" are just two examples still heard everywhere. In those lessons for life, Don Corleone set the standard for power brokers everywhere: "A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more than a man with a gun" and "Revenge is a dish best served cold."

Interestingly, Puzo credited his mother as the inspiration for many of his most memorable lines: "Whenever the Godfather opened his mouth, in my own mind I heard the voice of my mother - her wisdom, her ruthlessness, her unconquerable love for her family and for life itself." Maternal life lessons like, "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" are universal and could well have dripped from the loving lips of my own Kerry mother.

Life really does imitate art, and gangsters are no exception with copies of 'The Godfather' frequently turning up from FBI raids on mobster homes.

Puzo's text became so popular, it attained a training manual status among the real-life racketeer and hoodlum fraternity - as author Tim Adler noted in his book, 'Hollywood and the Mob': "The Godfather changed the way the Mafia regarded itself and rehabilitated gangsters into men of honour instead of what they really were - pig-ignorant, violent goombahs."

'The Godfather' legend continues to this day and even circled the current White House, when Roger Stone, a longtime Republican strategist and close friend of Donald Trump, recently advised an indicted associate to "do a Frank Pentangeli" - referencing a character from the story who committed suicide rather than spill the beans on his criminal pals.

That the book and film have remained so popular for so long is clearly down to more than just its well depicted bouts of blackmail, thuggery and machine-gun assassinations.

Even law-abiding citizens can surely find useful wisdom in 'The Godfather's' life tutorials - building friendship on trusted respect and never reacting too hastily on emotional issues just two insights worth minding. More than anything, though, it's about the bonds of blood and the importance of ancestry: "You can do anything, but never go against the family."
Once, when I was nervous about a new job, I took to brashly replying to people who asked how I was getting on. "They still haven't found me out, you know," I would say rather naively.

One day a much wiser man took me aside and offered: "They don't often tell you immediately they have found you out, you know."

Yes, it was food for thought and I toned things down considerably.

The incident came to mind late on Thursday night at an EU summit when Ireland realised a moment of Brexit truth.

In the same way as the authorities don't always immediately tell you your bluff has been rumbled, neither do they immediately tell you when you are now on your own.

Speaking to German journalists in Brussels, Chancellor Angela Merkel said if there was a no-deal Brexit there would have to be a hard border in Ireland. "We're trying to avoid that," she said.

On Friday, diplomatic notes of summit proceedings published by the 'Financial Times' newspaper recorded Merkel as stressing the serious risks of a no-deal outcome, and the difficulties this would pose for maintaining an open border with Northern Ireland.

That summit record showed her calling on EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier to explore a "fallback plan" to uphold the Good Friday Agreement on Northern Ireland.

It was a reality check which told us Ireland is now fighting a major rearguard action to avoid a hard border with the North as the real risk of the UK crashing out of the EU continues.

A very difficult EU leaders' summit on Brexit concluded by just delaying the prospect of the UK leaving without a deal for a fortnight, from this Friday, March 29 until Friday, April 12.

If, as seems likely, embattled UK Prime Minister Theresa May loses a third vote on ratifying her deal at the Westminster parliament, the UK seriously risks leaving without any deal.

That outcome would wreak havoc with the Irish economy and put thousands of jobs at risk - but it would also raise serious questions about the EU's need to protect its 27-state open market and control the Irish Border.

Details of fraught late-night deliberations by EU leaders emerged at the close of the two-day Brexit summit.

Brussels diplomats conceded it was really the first time the leaders confronted the prospect of a no-deal UK crash-out, including the need for efforts to keep the Border open, while protecting the North's peace process and the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Asked about this at the summit's end Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was aware of the situation which was ongoing. He said Ireland would meet obligations to uphold the integrity of the border-free EU single market and avoid the Republic becoming "a back door" for below-standard products, while also keeping the Border open.

Mr Varadkar said these were "difficult discussions" which were ongoing. But he also argued UK plans released last week for a no-deal Brexit scenario gave an insight into how these competing views of the world could be reconciled by giving the North special status.

"In a no-deal scenario, it's the intention of the United Kingdom government to treat Northern Ireland differently, not to apply tariffs and not to apply the kind of enforcement measures that they would in other areas," Mr Varadkar told reporters in Brussels.

"In many ways that is the supreme irony because a lot of those people who are opposed to the Withdrawal Agreement are opposed on the basis that in a few years' time, if the backstop is triggered, Northern Ireland will be treated differently to the rest of the United Kingdom," the Taoiseach added.

But already, senior EU officials have said the UK approach to a no-deal Brexit breaks World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The Brussels officials also note the UK itself has dubbed the arrangements as "temporary" and likely to last one year - the length of time a WTO challenge would take to process.

EU officials have long been loath to address what happens to the Border in a no-deal scenario. But privately senior Brussels diplomats are not optimistic. "When you have a border-free trade market across 27 countries, external borders have to be strong. In a no-deal Brexit, the Irish Border is a frontier between the European Union and the United Kingdom," one senior official told the Irish Independent.

Some Irish people may choose to see this as some kind of betrayal of Ireland. But it is no such thing. It is simply the reality that the EU - with 460 million people across 27 nations from the Arctic Circle to Crete on the edge of North Africa - must protect the integrity of a simply wonderful creation: the single market and customs union.

To date, the EU leaders have shown Ireland tremendous solidarity. Last autumn Chancellor Merkel frankly told the Taoiseach that Ireland will very probably never again experience such support on any other issue. There are a number of reasons for this level of EU solidarity for Ireland.

The first is a genuine desire to support the North's peace process in which Europe has heavily invested both politically and in terms of money. If the EU was to mean anything it had to play its part in ending murder on the streets of one of its member states, and by extension it now needs to avoid such horrors recurring.

We also have to acknowledge that our political leaders, and especially our diplomats, have performed very well in the Brexit negotiations.

The EU leaders also needed to show solidarity with a member state which was staying - not the one that was leaving. And they needed to take account of Ireland's unique exposure economically and politically in the wake of Brexit.

The backstop is a great device which offers Ireland an insurance policy against a hard border.

But if there is a no-deal Brexit in the coming weeks, then all bets will be off. There will have to be a hard border; the talks will only be about where and how.

We have endured almost three years of stalemate and really tiresome cant on this issue since UK voters decided on June 23, 2016, to leave the European Union. But perhaps the only silver lining is that we are very close to the end.

The big problem is the total lack of understanding of the no-deal Brexit fallout among the English political elite, and here we stress the word English rather than British. Even now, they still know not what they are about to inflict upon their own people - and their neighbours on this island.

Another crucial Brexit week now beckons. We know where things will land - but we must all hope it does not bring a no-deal Brexit.
It is more likely that Theresa May will be gone from Downing Street in the coming weeks than the UK will be gone from the European Union.

Her inability to keep the Tories, the EU or the public happy has ensured the May premiership will go down in history as a monumental failure.

The British media has previously speculated that the prime minister "loathes" Taoiseach Leo Varadkar - but there has long been a train of thought in Dublin that life is 'better the devil we know'.

However, if she is toppled in the coming days, there's a clear favourite for who the Irish Government would like to take over.

Despite being the de facto deputy prime minister, David Lidington is far from a household name.

Having served as Europe Minister from 2010 to 2016, he is seen as 'Mr Europe' and very much on the pro-remain side of the Conservative Party.

In Irish eyes, he is head and shoulders above the others being speculated upon as a replacement for May, including Michael Gove and Boris Johnson.

Lidington has been a regular visitor to Dublin since becoming Cabinet Office minister in a reshuffle in January 2018.

He has built up a very comfortable relationship with Tanaiste Simon Coveney, and Irish officials say he "gets it".

Coveney himself has said: "My relationship with David Lidington is a very close one and a very warm one, that's true."

Last month as the mayhem gathered pace in London, Lidington asked to come to Dublin for a chat.

Ministers had been warned by the Taoiseach not to allow themselves be duped into bilateral Brexit talks with their UK counterparts - but he was fine with Lidington's visit. They trust him.

Speaking to reporters before that meeting, Coveney said he had nothing new to say to Lidington but he was happy for him to pop over anyway. They spent more than an hour discussing the political situation in Westminster.

It's in stark contrast to the attitude towards Johnson, who viewed it with suppressed contempt.

Ministers who might have been tempted to criticise Johnson during his time as foreign secretary were strongly encouraged to stick to a stock answer. It went along the lines: "When we want to know the UK position on Brexit we listen to the prime minister."

If Johnson were to move into Downing Street, it would cause panic here, primarily because of his inability to grasp the details.

On one visit to Iveagh House, he was repeatedly corrected by civil servants during a private meeting with the Tanaiste before the pair publicly clashed in front of the media.

Dublin is unsure what type of plan Michael Gove would bring to the job, but are open-minded on Jeremy Hunt or Philip Hammond.

But there's no doubting that Lidington is their man.
How and when did sexual assault become so prevalent on our third-level campuses? And how can the Government and institutions of higher education address sexual assault, support victims and not unfairly punish innocent students?

Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O'Connor has commissioned an expert report on how to tackle sexual harassment and violence at third level and it suggests colleges take a larger role in recording and reporting incidents. A draft of the report proposes third-level colleges should be obliged to record and report incidents of sexual harassment, assault and rape on campuses, rather than leaving these issues to gardai.

It also says there should be "transparent and accountable" protocols for dealing with staff or students who have been the subject of complaints. Colleges will be judged on their progress in implementing these changes on an annual basis by education authorities, a step which could lead to funding being withheld if enough progress hasn't been made.

I'm not sure we should be involving colleges in recording and reporting incidents of sexual violence. It sounds worryingly like the US approach. Arbitrating rape isn't the job of college administrators. We should leave that to the gardai.

There is limited research available on the experience of gender-based violence in third-level colleges in Ireland. It's a crime usually committed in private and the victims of which, all the studies agree, often don't report.

The 'Say Something' study in 2013 reported 11pc of female students had experienced unwanted sexual contact, 5pc were rape survivors and a further 3pc were survivors of attempted rape.

Some 31pc of women reported feeling harassed, and 17pc had been photographed or filmed without consent. The 2015 National Sexual Assault Trauma Unit Activity Report recorded that of 685 people who attended rape or sexual assault units, 92pc of patients were women and 45pc identified themselves as students.

At many US colleges, the rules intended to protect victims of sexual assault mean that an accusation of wrongdoing can derail someone's entire college education.

These rules proliferated during President Barack Obama's administration, as did threats of sanctions if third-level institutions didn't follow them precisely. The motivation was good but it all ended in a very messy system with lots of unintended consequences.

There have been several high-profile cases of American students losing their place or facing harsh disciplinary proceedings over allegations that were later shown to be completely unsubstantiated. We shouldn't go down that path.

Consent classes are a part of the solution but they won't stop people from raping. Most people know not to rape, just as we know not to murder or steal. Sexual consent classes at UCD were cancelled due to lack of interest in 2017. Only 20 students attended well-publicised classes run by the students' union.

There's not much international evidence classes work - students' approach to sex and consent is already set by the time they start college. There's also the danger consent classes treat all young men as potential rapists.

Recently, a story emerged from UCD about an email reportedly sent by a fourth-year medical student to the computer science department about developing a phone app called 'Consent' that would "allow for others to quickly verify their consent prior to sexual activities" and stop "life-destroying legal ramifications". There was serious backlash from students but it raises questions about the concerns that exist for young men.

We need to look at our hook-up culture a bit more critically. I'm not calling for a return to the days when boarding houses forbade young women from entertaining men in their rooms. But are all sexual experiences in college really empowering? And what if college hook-up culture is more dangerous, in its own ways, than we like to admit to ourselves?

Our culture of hooking up peddles the worrying notion that apathy towards your sexual partner is normal, even ideal. And this is a paradox when consent classes teach us that we all have a basic duty of care towards our sexual partners.

Despite our efforts to curtail sexual violence on college campuses, we are also ignoring a very important factor: alcohol. The report 'Are Consent Workshops Sustainable and Feasible in Third-Level Institutions?' includes surveys with more than 3,500 students conducted at NUI Galway consent workshops. In one, 733 students read one of two versions of a story where both characters were drinking.

Only one in five students considered the female character too drunk to give consent in the story where she consumed a whopping 14 standard drinks, while just 33pc considered the character too drunk in the version where she drank 28 standard drinks. Conversations around hook-ups and drinking demand great care, but they are conversations worth having.

Sexual crimes are devastating, and victims don't always get justice when they come forward. But we must never reach a point where Irish universities investigate, judge and punish the kind of ambiguous sexual encounters that trained law-enforcement officials are unable to sort out.

The US model has only created chaos on campuses.
Star appeal: Film giant George Clooney  who was 53  and his lawyer bride Amal Alamuddin  then 36  arrive in Venice before tying the knot in 2014. PHOTO: ap/LUCA BRUNO

Actor and director George Clooney and his wife Amal leaves the hotel before the red carpet for the movie Suburbicon at the 74th Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy September 2, 2017. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi

46th AFI Life Achievement Award Recipient George Clooney (L) and Amal Clooney attend the American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney at Dolby Theatre on June 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. 389980 (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Turner)

46th AFI Life Achievement Award Recipient George Clooney (L) and Amal Clooney attend the American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney at Dolby Theatre on June 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. 389980 (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Turner)

46th AFI Life Achievement Award Recipient George Clooney (L) and Amal Clooney attend the American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney at Dolby Theatre on June 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. 389980 (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Turner)

George and Amal Clooney, representing the Clooney Foundation for Justice, arrive at the People's Postcode Lottery charity gala at the McEwan Hall in Edinburgh

Amal Clooney and George Clooney attend a dinner to celebrate The Prince's Trust, hosted by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on March 12, 2019 in London, England

(L-R) Chiwetel Ejiofor, Luke Evans, Tamsin Egerton, Josh Hartnett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Amal Clooney and George Clooney attend a dinner to celebrate The Prince's Trust, hosted by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on March 12, 2019 in London, England

George and Amal Clooney, representing the Clooney Foundation for Justice, arrive at the People's Postcode Lottery charity gala at the McEwan Hall in Edinburgh

George and Amal Clooney, representing the Clooney Foundation for Justice, arrive at the People's Postcode Lottery charity gala at the McEwan Hall in Edinburgh

There was a time, not very long ago, when the phrase power couple denoted little more than two romantically involved people you might just know the name of.

Hugh Grant and Liz Hurley were called a power couple. Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow were called a power couple. David and Victoria Beckham still are called a power couple.

Then, George and Amal Clooney came along and suddenly it feels as if weve all been misusing the term. Four-and-a-half years after they emerged from Venices City Hall as husband and wife, Amal and George  she a celebrated international human rights barrister; he an actor, diplomatic flirt, and long-time Nespresso special envoy for pods, though not necessarily in that order  have redefined what it means to have star power.

Is there a door they cannot unlock? You might have seen them at the royal wedding last year, sitting about as close to the action as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Maybe you noticed tabloid claims they flew the Duchess of Sussex home from her own baby shower. Or perhaps you saw them blessing the Pope, hobnobbing with Barack Obama, advising Angela Merkel and David Miliband on the refugee crisis or, on Friday, signing autographs for Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh.

Everywhere they go, crowds arrive and world leaders fawn. Earlier last week, the Clooneys attended a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the work of the Princes Trust Group, where Prince Charles had patiently waited in a reception line to meet them.

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Just a few days later, the youth charity announced it was launching a new global prize, The Amal Clooney Award, to highlight the work of young women who have succeeded against the odds to make a lasting difference in their communities.

It is an undeniably impressive that one couple  one

outrageously good-looking couple  should have journeyed to the centre of everything, marrying Hollywood charm and lawyerly clout to become de-facto Transatlantic royalty, ambassadors for the celebrity class and some of the most effective human rights campaigners in the world. Its especially impressive when you consider they have done so while maintaining their original, full-time careers. (All right, one of them has  three of Georges last four acting credits have been coffee adverts.) But how exactly has it happened?

In Georges case, it doesnt seem wildly off-course. The son of Nina, a beauty queen and later a city councilwoman, and Nick Clooney, a television news anchor, he drove to Los Angeles in an old car in 1982 with $300 that he earned working in the tobacco fields near his home in Kentucky, and never really looked back.

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Television acting roles were hard-fought and not always successful  after a string of failures in the early 1990s, he used to joke, Im bad luck, dont drive with me  but a role as lothario doctor Doug Ross in medical soap ER was enough to awaken the world to Clooneys charms.

It was also then, around the pilot episode of ER in 1994, when he first used his renown to drive a good cause home, producing an anti-child abuse public service announcement for a series called The More You Know that chimed with a storyline in the programme.

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Perhaps being a television doctor helped, but it was the start of something: as well as being hyper-aware of his own popularity and status as a sex symbol (at a charity auction in the South of France in 2007, he sold a kiss for $350,000), Clooney began morphing into an actor-activist.

Bizarrely, his first major battle came in 1997  long before hed win his Oscars, for supporting actor in Syriana or as a producer of Argo  when he made an unexpected and passionate speech after the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales.

Princess Di is dead, and who should we see about that? The driver of the car? The paparazzi? Or the magazines and papers who purchased these pictures and make bounty hunters out of photographers? he told a group of reporters at the Screen Actors Guild office in Los Angeles.

He had never met Diana. If you werent hiding behind the profession of journalism, you would be an accomplice to a crime, and you would go to jail.

Quite why he did that remains unclear to this day, but it echoed a dozen years later, when Clooney interrupted his usual public good nature again by defending the Duchess of Sussex.

She is being pursued and vilified and chased in the same way that Diana was, and its history repeating itself, he said at a promotional event last month. And weve seen how that ends.

While his film career went from strength to strength, Clooneys most likeable performance has always been as himself. Its for this reason he makes such an effective champion for causes, be them political or humanitarian.

Throughout the Noughties, he advocated for a peaceful resolution to the Darfur conflict in Sudan, including speaking to the UN Security Council. He became a firm friend of Barack Obama, and later campaigned for Hillary Clinton, whose husband has stated hed like Clooney to play him in a film one day.

However, despite many, many girlfriends and one distant ex-wife (he was married for four years to the actress Talia Balsam between 1989 and 1993), there was never a Mrs Clooney to share the passion with.

I thought if you had a successful career that you werent really going to be able to have one great love in your life, he once said. And then Amal walked in.

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Amal Alamuddin wasnt exactly world famous before she met George Clooney  they were introduced by a mutual friend in Lake Como around 2013 and he chased her for many months, calling and writing, those kinds of things  but she was certainly successful.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she grew up in Buckinghamshire with her sister Tala (now a fashion designer) and two brothers, and studied law at Oxford, before completing a masters in New York. Over the years, she has worked at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, served as adviser to Special Envoy Kofi Annan on Syria and represented Enron, Julian Assange, the former Libyan intelligence chief Abdallah Al Senussi, and helped in the Greek governments attempts to regain the Elgin Marbles.

I am marrying up, George said, quite correctly, in 2014, the year he proposed over a home-cooked meal. He was also marrying the 2013 hottest barrister in London, according to the blog Your Barrister Boyfriend.

Amal Alamuddin may make some feel inadequate because she has achieved the seemingly unattainable ideal of contemporary femininity: she is both breathtakingly beautiful and formidably successful, the blog read. (That accolade was supposedly brought up by her friend since law school, Jae Kim, in a speech at the wedding. Famous friends, including Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, were in attendance).

If George Clooney used to be an actor-activist, marriage has made him an actor-statesman. Or actor-consort, perhaps. The couple have a 17-year age gap  she is 41 and he is 57  but work in step, co-founding The Clooney Foundation for Justice in 2016 in order to advance justice in courtrooms, classrooms and communities and travelling the world discussing humanitarian issues with world leaders.

Its easy to say Amal brings the expertise and George brings the publicity, but after Amal became a style icon, a mother of their twins, Alexander and Ella, in 2017, while still managing to be named UN Global Citizen of the Year by the United Nations Correspondents Association last year, these days the star power is about equal.

Among it all, nobody is entirely sure how Amal met the Duchess of Sussex. A chance encounter in Berkshire, where the Clooneys have a home and the Duke and Duchess have just moved? A support group for beautiful women marrying men far more famous, but far less intelligent, than them?

Or perhaps its the fact that in 2016, Princess Eugenies husband, Jack Brooksbank, was appointed UK brand

ambassador for Casamigos, a tequila company co-founded by George Clooney and Cindy Crawfords husband, Rande Gerber. (They sold it to Diageo for $1bn in 2017.)

It could have been anywhere, but it feels only right the two most famous couples in the world are in touch, consolidating their power for good. It also pays to be Clooneys friend: according to Gerber, he once gave a million dollars to 14 of his best mates and paid their taxes for a year.

So what next for them?

Well, for one thing, many have wondered if George might consider a political career of his own. In 2004, his father ran for Congress, without success, as a democrat; and since Donald Trump came to power in 2016, the prospect of President Clooney has sounded appealing to some.

Trump, for all his terrible instincts, is very charismatic. A TV star, George said last year.

People didnt vote for him because he

accomplished anything. They knew him. And they were, like, hes exciting. He says outlandish stuff. Thats fun. Hes got a star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Expand Close 46th AFI Life Achievement Award Recipient George Clooney (L) and Amal Clooney attend the American Film Institute's 46th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to George Clooney at Dolby Theatre on June 7, 2018 in Hollywood, California. 389980 (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Turner) / Facebook

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You know who else has a Hollywood star, George? And if you wont run, maybe Amal can. The superpower couple arent done yet.
Rose Hanbury, Marchioness of Cholmondeley attends the Chris Levine 'Inner [Deep] Space' in benefit of Elton John AIDS Foundation private view hosted by David Furnish and Chris Levine at Village Park Studios, to coincide with Frieze London on October 2, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Chris Levine )

HRH Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are greeted by David Cholmondeley, Marquess of Cholmondeley and Rose Cholmondeley, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley as they attend a gala dinner in support of East Anglia's Children's Hospices' nook appeal at Houghton Hall on June 22, 2016 in King's Lynn, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

HRH Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are greeted by Rose Cholmondeley, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley as they attend a gala dinner in support of East Anglia's Children's Hospices' nook appeal at Houghton Hall on June 22, 2016 in King's Lynn, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

Royal gossip is a dime a dozen these days: Meghan Markle has shielded most of the heat for her dramatic arrival into the British royal family, but now there are reports that Kate Middleton is having her own friendship struggles behind the scenes.

Since marrying into the family in 2011, and her eight-year relationship with Prince William before that, Kate's family and friends have been exceptionally discreet and details of her private life are rarely made public. Over the last week, however, the Duchess of Cambridge has been linked to a feud with her "close friend" Rose Hanbury, Marchioness of Cholmondeley, a wealthy neighbour near her home in Norfolk.

Last Sunday, the Mail on Sunday reported that there was Kate saw Rose as a "rival to her rural crown" and on Saturday, The Sun followed up that Kate wanted to "phase" out Rose and her husband David Rocksavage (58), the reasons for which have not been made clear. It's believed the closeness of their friendship has been exaggerated as sources now say that they've only been to each other's homes on three occasions and the only work they share is through their roles as royal patron and patron of the East Anglia Children's Hospice.

"I am told the rumours of a falling out between these two attractive young women are false. I can also reveal both sides have considered legal action but, because none of the reports have been able to offer any evidence about what the so-called dispute is about, they have chosen to ignore it," a source told the Mail on Sunday's Richard Kay. "There has been talk that the rumours were got up to damage Kate. So what is going on?"

Expand Close HRH Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are greeted by David Cholmondeley, Marquess of Cholmondeley and Rose Cholmondeley, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley as they attend a gala dinner in support of East Anglia's Children's Hospices' nook appeal at Houghton Hall on June 22, 2016 in King's Lynn, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp HRH Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are greeted by David Cholmondeley, Marquess of Cholmondeley and Rose Cholmondeley, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley as they attend a gala dinner in support of East Anglia's Children's Hospices' nook appeal at Houghton Hall on June 22, 2016 in King's Lynn, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

An insider close to Rose told the newspaper: "They see each other occasionally and like each other, a figure close to Rose tells me. They are not part of each others close circle. It isnt even remotely a bosom-close friendship."

William and David are said to be "baffled" by the reports and haven't been able to identify the source, but have been quick to dismiss them as anything more than "hurtful rumours" and are "simply false".

"This is a question of a lie going round the world before the truth has even had time to take its boots off," a source said.

The timing of these reports is intriguing, not only because it's uncharacteristic over the course of Kate's 16 years in public life, but also the suggestion they were created to damage her reputation. Last year, she and her sister-in-law were said to have a rift of their own, but now it's believed the true source of tension is between William and Harry.

The only clear winner is gossip-loving royal watchers trying to assess credible sources and motives for the new generation of drama.
It's been three months of sweat, sequins and some very questionable dancing; but one consistency throughout Dancing with the Stars has been Jennifer Zamparelli's flawless onscreen wardrobe.

A long-established star of television and radio, Jennifer's personal style is usually a mix of low-key denim looks sprinkled with Irish designers on the red carpet, but for her hosting duties, she has embraced a more balanced look, thanks to the help of stylist Clementine MacNiece. MacNiece has been working on the show, which films weekly at Ardmore Studios, since its first season, and has become an influencer all her own thanks to her behind the scenes insight into what it takes to put together looks for one of the most watched programmes on Irish television.

Week after week, she put together options ranging from River Island mini-dresses to tiered dresses from Debenhams, each more captivating than the last. The collaboration between the two dates back to November, after Jen was confirmed as the replacement for Amanda Byram for the coveted hosting gig, and she and Clementine began the lengthy process of understanding each other's creative style.

"Id never met Jen before, but of course I knew her. We met around November/December to have a quick chat of what she and I had in mind. After that, I went off and pulled about 40 outfits, then we had a huge try on session in December and I got a feel what she liked for the show," Clementine told Independent.ie Style.

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"What's amazing with Jen is she's very open and willing to try everything, which is lovely in a person. She's willing to take a risk and step out of comfort zone. She's a breath of fresh air, which made it a very enjoyable process."

Most notably, nearly of all the pieces she wore on Sunday nights were available from online retailers or high street stores at budget friendly prices, something carefully considered during the styling process.

"I think its nice to have something accessible, so people sitting at home and watching the show can say, 'I love this' and go onto ASOS to find it.

"If you look at Strictly, Claudia Winkleman rocks loads of high street and affordable high end like Rixo London, which is something we were conscious about. There were some designer pieces in there - we did a Preen dress one night, but it was from the Designer Room in Dublin. So, yes, it was designer, but it was from a rental store."

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While Winkleman and her co-host Tess Daly take to the stage every Sunday in the BBC version of the show, Jennifer's outfit had to complement her co-host Nicky Byrne's choice of suiting.

"With Nicky, it was about finding cool tuxedo looks and again, a lot of it was high street like Marks & Spencer. The key with him is tailoring. We had everything tailored to make it look more polished. A big part to make sure they matched each other. Sometimes wed have to change Nicky to fit with Jens dress and vice versa."

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MacNiece also worked with judges Julian Benson, regularly commissioning Irish designer Claire Garvey, who also works with Nile Rodgers, for his colourful blazers, Brian Redmond's "dapper" tuxedos and Lorraine Barry dressed herself.
Although Stacia had been with our office only a few months, we quickly came to know her as a dedicated mother and prosecutor with a bright future in the practice of law, Amato said. Because Stacia was such a hard worker, she would often bring her daughter to the office as she completed her work for the day. Her daughter was instantly a favorite among the staff. Together they would brighten the office and were a joy to be around. News of Stacias death has left us stunned, deeply saddened, struggling to understand how someone we cared for so much could be the victim of such an unimaginably violent act, and wondering how we could have helped her to prevent it.
'I dont believe in living in fear - I think it's such a waste,' says Sile Seoige as she lights up the Ruby Room of the Dylan Hotel in Dublin. Photo: David Conachy

'I dont believe in living in fear - I think it's such a waste,' says Sile Seoige as she lights up the Ruby Room of the Dylan Hotel in Dublin. Photo: David Conachy

Sile Seoige turns 40 in three weeks time - and it seems fair to say that, in the main, she has never been happier. In large part, that is thanks to her gorgeous son Cathal, now 19 months, and her fiance Damien. There's also her ongoing work as a presenter, most recently with the return of Realta agus Gaolta, which begins again on TG4 tonight, but also her work in the wellness area, with Beo, as a speaker, and a yoga teacher.

But it is also the happiness of a woman who knows herself thoroughly. Who has seen her entire life upended, faced into that, and come out the better for it.

"I think where I am in my life now; I'm far more comfortable in my own skin than I have ever been," Sile says. "And I'm OK with my opinions on things. My intention is never to hurt anyone with those, but if you keep worrying about how others will perceive you, you won't really truly embrace who you are."

Sile's is the happiness of a woman who has worked for it. And who knows such things are not to be taken for granted. And that there will still be bad times, as well as good. Of late, there has been a very difficult time.

Late last year, before Christmas, Sile suffered a miscarriage.

"I went for a scan, and unfortunately there was no heartbeat. Obviously it's devastating; it's the last thing you want to hear. And it's very hard to process," she says now. It was a missed miscarriage, also referred to as a silent miscarriage; none of the signs that might typically alert a woman - cramps, bleeding - are present.

"Your body still thinks it's pregnant. But unfortunately, that's not the case. Then it was a waiting game, for two weeks," Sile explains. "But nothing was happening." This meant she had to undergo a D&C procedure.

"The staff in the Coombe were so good to me. At the time I think I was kind of numb, to be honest. It wasn't really until I spoke about it publicly, that I then went through either the first wave of grief, or the second wave; I'm not really sure."

She spoke about it in her Instagram stories, a space where Sile, true to form, maintains a fairly rigorous honesty about herself and her life. The response was "an avalanche" of replies from people who had been through the same thing.

Sile believes in the power of speaking out. To help others. And because secrecy breeds shame.

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"I know the initial reaction I had when I was told there was no heartbeat was 'what did I do wrong'. Straight away you go into 'what did I do? I must have done something wrong'. The more we talk openly and honestly about things, the more we make others, who are going through things, feel like they're not alone."

She's good now, she says, but it has taken time. At first, faced with the madness of Christmas, and the intense tightrope of life scheduling that is being a self-employed working mother of a small child, she simply parked her feelings on the entire thing. "I felt utterly burnt out," she says.

Sile is from Galway; Damien, her partner, is from Cork, so the holiday season involved travel. And then she was "out the door" with work come January. All good stuff, but none of it allowing any time for grieving to take place. "My priority is obviously my little man and my family, so trying to manage that with work; I kind of packed away miscarriage in a little box in my mind, and went 'I'm not able for you right now, I'll deal with you later'. I didn't realise it at the time. But it wasn't until I publicly spoke about it that it went 'Hello, I'm here, let's deal. Because you have not dealt with me'. And I started to go through it in a big way.

"I'm good now, but I had a few weeks of just... whoa! It was mad. And I was all over the place, to be honest. I went into fight or flight. That physical reaction in my body, where my heart felt like I was thumping at a rate of knots, and I was on edge. I wasn't sleeping brilliantly; I was really struggling to deepen my breath. I was irritable, snappy with people."

Like many women, Sile is resilient in a way that is both a strength and a weakness. She can handle a lot, she says - but then be slow to admit when things have become too much.

"I would have people in my life who would describe me as strong," she reflects now.

"But I think sometimes that can be a dangerous place to be, because people think 'arrah she's grand, she's well able'. Massively more so in the past, than now, I would have struggled with showing if I wasn't doing so brilliantly."

She describes how for a week or so earlier this year, she was entirely out of balance. "I was in that adrenalin-fuelled madness. I had a period of time where I felt like I was out of control of my emotions, where I wasn't thinking straight, and I knew, you just have to stop."

There was a time when Sile might not have had the tools to deal with such a situation. But now, as a trained yoga teacher and wellness speaker, this kind of thing is, literally, her life's work.

"I knew what I needed to do was retreat," she explains, describing how she reined things in. "The stuff I had to do I did, but otherwise I pulled right back. And now I feel I'm back again. Back in business, and all is good."

While she still works regularly as a presenter, much of Sile's work these days is in the area of wellness, particularly her role at Aoibhin Garrihy's Beo Wellness events, where she performs as a speaker, and leads a meditation workshop. It's a passion that grew out of the most difficult time of her life.

"The essence of my talks at Beo are to look after ourselves. And I suppose if I'm being completely honest, at the beginning of the year I was just go, go, go, and all the while I was just neglecting the voice inside that was saying pay attention, pay attention.

"So now I feel like I've learnt a tough lesson, in that number one I've got to be kinder to myself. Tune in a bit better."

Having this awareness, and the ability and tools to cope, come from having learnt the hard way, when, aged 32, her entire life was upended. Originally from Spiddal in Galway, Sile had until this point enjoyed a hugely succesful broadcasting career. Herself and older sister Grainne had fronted an afternoon show for RTE, she has also worked extensively with TG4. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer, at the same time her marriage ended. Shortly afterwards, her work at Newstalk radio station came to an end.

"Everything in my life shifted massively. Down to where I wasn't sleeping at night. It was all up in the air, and I felt a bit at sea to be honest," she says now. "I was going 'what am I doing, where am I going. Who am I?'."

It was, she says, a physical, mental and emotional maelstrom.

"Everything was stripped back, and I was forced to really examine where I was going. It kind of felt like I was at, for want of a better description, a crossroads. Where am I going to go? Well if I keep going down that road I'm going to feel miserable, and feel the victim, feel sorry for myself. Or I take the reins back a little bit, accept where I'm at. And that's a tough old road of self-responsibility."

Acceptance is the hardest thing when things go wrong. But it's also the thing that, more than anything, will move you beyond a difficult situation.

"It is the catalyst for change," Sile says now. "The minute you go 'right, I'm in it, let it crumble. Bring it on', that's a very powerful place to get to. Because when you allow that to happen, even in the essence of vulnerability, 'oh my God I'm in a shit storm', you are sort of taking the reins back."

At the time, everything felt overwhelming. Her top tip now, which she gets asked for regularly, for when you find yourself in this situation, is to focus on your breathing.

"I do find, if you can just take a big old breath, and go 'where am I right now?' Right now in this second. Am I here, am I breathing, do I feel OK?' If you really just focus in on the good stuff, you realise actually right now is not so bad. For me it always comes back to the breath. It takes work. But it's worth it."

When everything fell apart in her early 30s, she realised she had to simply let go. To accept that her life was undergoing a dramatic transition. "I had no choice. Either I was going to keep clinging on, and feeling more fear. Or else I was just going to surrender. Let go and let it all fall around me. And I had to let that happen. I knew that was a necessary part for me to recover.

"But it was bloody hard. Because no longer was I saying 'poor me, this is awful'. I was going 'right well this has happened, and now I need to look at perhaps why'. And take a bit of responsibility."

Those years in her 30s were challenging, but ultimately hugely enlightening, she says now.

"They were tough, on every level those years. Tough on a physical level, because I was building my body. Tough on the emotions, and the mind, and finances. Everything was impacted. But it was really worthwhile; I wouldn't change a second of it. I'm so glad it happened.

"I know that can be a big thing to say, particularly when you're talking about cancer. And whenever I say things like that, my intention is never to trigger anything in anyone else, or to hurt anyone else. Because I know how emotive an issue cancer is, and how it doesn't always go to plan.

"But I was lucky, I was really, really lucky. So I can look back, having got through it, and see it was a gift. At the time, if somebody had said that to me, I probably would have wanted to get physical with them," she says, with her big, infectious laugh.

"And actually those few years where I was single, were hugely liberating, and I loved them. As tough as they could be. Because I needed to be OK with me first and foremost. To discover who I really was before I'd ever consider getting in a relationship again with somebody."

Around this time, Sile took a yoga class - which proved life-changing. "I had dabbled. I had been interested in looking at life from a slightly different perspective since my teenage years, if I'm honest. During the meditation, in savasana, the lying down position where you release, I found it pretty profound. I just pulled the blanket over my head and sobbed. I tried to swallow the tears so the people all around me wouldn't hear, but I just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. I needed to let go. I was finally letting go of emotions that were toxic in my system."

Yoga came to mean so much that she embarked upon a teaching course, and it became another string to her bow career wise.

"I spent a few years learning and training. Financially, there were a few tough years. Because I was kind of actively taking time out, for me. And figuring out 'well what am I doing, in this world. What am I meant to be doing?' We all have a gift, something we're good at. So I was trying to figure that out. And also just how to feel good about me."

There are still regular blood tests related to her cancer, but she says she never worries about the possibility of its return. "I never worry about it. I don't believe in living in fear; I think it's such a waste. Anything could happen at any moment. In the here and now everything is good."

Words to live by.

'Realta agus Gaolta' begins on TG4 at 8.30pm tonight
Peter Tabichi, a maths and physics teacher from Kenya, is awarded the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize at a ceremony in Dubai hosted by Hollywood star Hugh Jackman. Photo: Varkey Foundation/PA Wire

A Kenyan science teacher from a remote village who gave away most of his earnings to the poor has won a $1m (900,00) prize that honours one exceptional educator from around the world.

Peter Tabichi teaches in the semi-arid village of Pwani in south-eastern Kenya, where almost a third of children are orphans or have only one parent, and where drought and famine are frequent.

Classrooms are poorly equipped and the school, which teaches students between 11 and 16-years-old, has just one computer with intermittent internet access.

He was selected out of 10,000 applicants for the Global Teacher Prize. It was Mr Tabichi's first time on a plane going to Dubai for the ceremony, which was hosted by actor Hugh Jackman.

Despite the obstacles Mr Tabichi's students face, he's credited with helping many stay in school, qualify for international competitions and go on to college.

The prize is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, founded by Indian philanthropist Sunny Varkey, and chosen by a global committee of educators.
British Airways passengers were mistakenly flown to Edinburgh rather than Dusseldorf due to a paperwork error.

The pilot of Flight BA3271 took off from London City shortly after 7.30am on Monday and followed instructions to fly to the Scottish capital instead of the German city.

The destinations are more than 500 miles apart.

After the flight crew was alerted to the mistake, the British Aerospace 146 plane was refuelled and then flown to Dusseldorf, where it touched down more than three-and-a-half hours behind schedule.

German firm WDL Aviation operated the flight on behalf of BA CityFlyer, which is a subsidiary of British Airways.

An investigation has been launched by the firms to find out why the paperwork error occurred.

The flight has been diverted to Edinburgh, we don't have any information as to why at the moment. There is an estimated departure time of 10:30 from Edinburgh to make way to Dusseldorf. Sarah  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019

We're sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. As we've previously advised we don't have currently have any information on this. However, we do know that there is an estimated departure at 10:30. Kieran  British Airways (@British_Airways) March 25, 2019

A British Airways spokesman said: We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed.

We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.

WDL Aviation said in a statement: We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.

At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised.

We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.
Ethiopian Airlines' chief executive has said the pilots who flew the plane that crashed on March 10 had trained on "all appropriate simulators", rejecting reports that they had not been adequately prepared to handle the new aircraft.

Tewolde Gebremariam said in a statement that the airline owns simulators to help pilots train on the Boeing 737 Max, which has software installed that requires new training.

The software can pitch the plane's nose down in some cases to keep it from stalling.

There is speculation that the software could have contributed to the crash, which killed 157 people, as well as to the crash of another Boeing 737 Max, a Lion Air flight, in October.

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Regulators say both planes had similar erratic flight paths shortly after take-off, an important part of their decision to ground the roughly 370 Max planes around the world.

After the Lion Air crash off the coast of Indonesia, the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing issued new training material for pilots.

Questions lingered, however, whether the required training was sufficient and whether airlines like Ethiopian had access to simulators to give pilots thorough experience handling the software.

Mr Gebremariam said Ethiopian Airlines owns and operates a Boeing 737 Max simulator.

"Contrary to some media reports, our pilots who fly the new model were trained on all appropriate simulators," Mr Gebremariam said.

"The crews were well trained on this aircraft."

The chief executive had said he thinks the warnings and extra training material from Boeing and US regulators "might not have been enough".

Ethiopian Airlines is widely seen as Africa's best-managed airline.

It had been using five of the Max planes and was awaiting delivery of 25 more.

Boeing is updating the plane's anti-stall software and has invited more than 200 pilots, technical experts and regulators to its factory in Renton, Washington, for a briefing.

The Federal Aviation Administration expects Boeing's update this week.

As part of the update, Boeing said it is tweaking the anti-stall software.

After the update, the system will rely on data from more than one sensor before it automatically pushes the plane's nose lower.

The system will not repeatedly push the nose down, and it will reduce the magnitude of the change.

Boeing said it will pay to train airline pilots.
Donald Trump has said the release of Robert Muellers full report wouldnt bother me at all as Democrats clamoured for the Justice Department to release the entire document and not just the summary from the attorney general.

The presidents remarks came as Democrats met to plot strategy for their own investigations of obstruction of justice and Russian election interference, among other matters related to the president, following the release of attorney general William Barrs summary.

The four-page document said special counsel Mr Mueller did not find that Mr Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election, knocking down arguments from Democrats who have claimed there was evidence of such collusion.

Mr Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice, according to Mr Barrs summary, instead setting out evidence on both sides of the question and stating that while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Without a recommendation from Mr Mueller, Mr Barr stepped in and decided there was not sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice.

While Democrats have said Mr Barrs letter should not be considered the final word on what Mr Mueller found, the president still claimed total vindication.

He said on Monday: We can never let this happen to another president again.

As he has many times before, he suggested the investigation was tainted from the beginning and said it was a terrible thing.

He even accused those responsible for launching it of treasonous things against our country and said they certainly will be looked into.

Mr Trump has spent months railing against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimising his presidency.

He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed former senator John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI.

The investigation began months before the FBI ever saw the dossier, and the FBI already had a copy by the time Mr McCain turned it in.

Mr Trump, asked on Monday if he would be OK with the release of the full report, responded: Up to the attorney general, but it wouldnt bother me at all.

Republicans followed his lead, with Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham promising to unpack the other side of the story of the Russia investigation.

Mr Graham, who spent the weekend with Mr Trump in Florida, said his committee will investigate the actions of the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, including the FBIs use of the Steele dossier.
President Donald Trump has accusing those responsible for launching the special counsel investigation of treason and said they will certainly be looked at.

Mr Trumps comments came after the US Justice Department said Robert Muellers investigation did not find evidence that Mr Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Mr Trump did not specify who he was referring to, but told reporters on Monday: There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things.

I would say treasonous things against our country.

Mr Trump added: Those people will certainly be looked at.

He then said: Ive been looking at them for a long time.

Asked about the possibility of issuing pardons, Mr Trump said: Havent thought about it.

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The president said the release of Mr Muellers report wouldnt bother me at all, saying he wish the inquiry could have been concluded more quickly and saying: We can never let this happen to another president again.

Asked whether Mr Mueller had acted honourably, Mr Trump, who was hosting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, responded: Yes, he did.

Mr Mueller also investigated whether Mr Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer, attorney general William Barr said in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Muellers report.

The special counsel does not exonerate Mr Trump of obstructing justice, Mr Barr said, and his report sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

However, the president tweeted that he had been completely exonerated of collusion and obstruction of justice.

Previously, speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, Mr Trump said it was a shame the nation had to go through the investigation.

Mr Trump claimed the report found there was no collusion with Russia, there was no obstruction.

He also lashed out at the investigation, claiming without evidence that it was an illegal takedown that failed.

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After consulting with other Justice Department officials, Mr Barr said he and deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence.

Mr Barr released a four-page summary of Mr Muellers report on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

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Mr Barrs chief of staff called White House counsel Emmet Flood on Sunday to brief him on the report to Congress.

Mr Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, about to return to Washington after spending the weekend there.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Mr Trump had been completely exonerated.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) March 24, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham added that the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed.

Mr Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, also said it is a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.

Republican Doug Collins said there is no constitutional crisis while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican said it is time we move on for the good of the nation.

Eric Trump, the Presidents son, called for a simple apology from the media for the hell everyone has been put through during the two-year probe.

But the House Judiciary Committee chairman said Mr Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

Democrat Jerry Nadler tweeted that Mr Barrs letter to Congress says that while Mr Trump may have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted that Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.

There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Mr Barr is not a neutral observer and they urged the full release of the report.

Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, and Mr Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said that Mr Barrs letter to Congress raises as many questions as it answers.

In a joint statement, the leaders said that Mr Barrs past bias against the special counsel inquiry shows he is not in a position to make objective determinations.

They say that the fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

Several Democratic presidential candidates said Mr Muellers full report must be made public.

Kamala Harris said Mr Barr must testify before Congress, adding: That is what transparency looks like.

Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, noted that politicians have voted to release the full Mueller report, not a summary from what she called Mr Trumps handpicked attorney general.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said the public deserves the full report and findings immediately, not just the in-house summary from a Trump Administration official.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the Mueller report must be made public. She tweeted: The President works for the people, and he is not above the law.

Mr Muellers investigation ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them.

The probe illuminated Russias assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Expand Close A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress of the principal conclusions reached by special counsel Robert Mueller (Jon Elswick/AP) / Facebook

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Mr Mueller submitted his report to Mr Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department, which appointed him.

Mr Mueller was assigned to the job in May 2017 by Mr Rosenstein, who oversaw much of his work.

Mr Barr and Mr Rosenstein analysed Mr Muellers report on Saturday, labouring to condense it into a summary letter of main conclusions.
President Donald Trump holds up a signed proclamation recognising Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights (Susan Walsh/AP)

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation recognising Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of US policy.

Standing alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Mr Trump made formal a move he announced in a tweet last week.

The president said it was time for the US to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.

Mr Netanyahu had pressed for such recognition for months.

Mr Trumps action on Monday gives him a political boost weeks before what is expected to be a close Israeli election.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognised by the international community.

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Whatsapp President Donald Trump gestures toward Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Susan Walsh/AP)

Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel  very violent attacks, Mr Trump said.

This should have been done numerous presidents ago, Mr Trump said.

The two leaders met as the Israeli military was striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven people.

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Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression, said Mr Netanyahu, who planned to return to Israel to manage the attack following his meeting with Mr Trump and other US officials, including Vice President Mike Pence.

He added: Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it.

In a speech earlier Monday, Mr Pence said the rocket attack proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace.

Mr Pence told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that Hamas is a terrorist organisation that seeks the destruction of Israel, and the United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas.

Syria reacted angrily to the signing ceremony, saying the decision made Washington the main enemy of Arabs.

Damascus called the US decision a slap to the international community.

Syrias foreign ministry branded the decision a blatant aggression on its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that the US move represents the highest level of contempt for international legitimacy.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said he sees nothing wrong with offering natural resources as "collateral" to loan agreements with China.

In his media briefing Monday, Panelo responded to a Supreme Court justice's claim that China may seize the country's "patrimonial assets" such as the Reed bank gas fields if the government defaults on the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project in the North.

The spokesperson shrugged off the concern, saying it will never happen as the government will be able to pay off its "obligations" with lenders.

"I don't see anything wrong because I know it will never happen; that is precisely why perhaps the economic managers who entered into the contract know that it will never happen," Panelo told reporters in Malacanang.

Over the weekend, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warned that "in case of default by the Philippines in repayment of the loan, China can seize, to satisfy any arbitral award in favor of China, patrimonial assets and assets dedicated to commercial use."

Carpio, citing Paragraph 8.1 of the loan agreement, said the country "expressly waived any sovereign immunity over all its assets."

These may pertain to oil and gas resources in the exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, including the gas-rich Reed bank.

Panelo said it is a "standard" for lenders to impose certain rules in contracts with borrowers to ensure that they will not be at a loss.

"Natural lang 'yun that they will make sure na hindi sila malulugi sa kanilang pinautang sa atin," Panelo said. (It's natural for them to do such thing so that they will make sure that they will not lose what they lent us.)

"But as I said, we never did not pay our loans. Lahat ng loans binayaran natin, kaya siguro malakas ang loob natin. Alam naman nilang makakabayad tayo, so parang useless provision 'yun," he added.

[Translation: We have paid all our loans, that's why perhaps we have the guts to still borrow. They know we can pay, so maybe it's a useless provision.]

The Chico River project straddling Kalinga and Cagayan provinces broke ground in June 2018. It is among six bilateral agreements signed in April last year.

'Resources not collateral'

The Finance Department disputed claims that some of the country's assets are being used as collateral for loan agreements with China.

"We absolutely have not waived anything with regards to these properties through the loan agreement," Finance Assistant Secretary Tony Lambino told CNN Philippines. "No collateral with our loan agreements. That means our creditors do not have any guarantee to any asset that we have."

The department is also confident the country will not default on its loan deal with China on the Chico River project.

Opposition senatorial candidate and Magdalo Represenative Gary Alejano meanwhile called on Malacanang to publicize the natural resources the present administration has agreed to use as collateral for Chinese loans.

"We are already witnessing how many countries have fallen into the debt trap of China and lost control of their patrimonial assets. We should not let our country suffer the same fate," Alejano said in a statement.

Bayan Muna chairman and senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares earlier tagged the multi-billion loan agreement as a "one-sided" deal between the two countries-saying that it could turn out to be a "disaster for the Philippines."

The Finance Department, however, shrugged off the warning, saying there was no basis for the claim.

READ: Filipinos have 'neutral' trust in China - SWS
Neighbors told officials that the enclosed porch had been used as a gathering area where people sometimes were seen smoking and at other times was used by people to set off fireworks, according to fire officials. The Fire Department worked with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in its investigation, which determined the fire was not caused by something electrical.
Stormy seas: The Viking Sky drifts off the west coast of Norway. Photo: Odd Roar Lange / NTB scanpix via AP

A cruise ship which got into difficulties off the coast of Norway amid stormy seas has safely reached a port after around half of its passengers were evacuated.

The Viking Sky was carrying 1,373 passengers and crew, going from Norway's Arctic north to the southern city of Stavanger when it had engine trouble along Norway's rough, frigid western coast. Struggling in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocky coast, the ship issued a mayday call Saturday afternoon.

Police in Moere og Romsdal said the ship's crew had managed to anchor in Hustadvika Bay on Saturday, amid fears the vessel would run aground.

Some 479 passengers were airlifted from the vessel.

There were still 436 guests and 458 crew members on board following the end of the evacuation, the operator said.

A spokeswoman for Viking Cruises said the ship had docked in the port in Molde, on Norway's west coast, at 4.30pm local time yesterday, having travelled there under its own power.

All passengers and crew are safe, she added, and passengers were due to begin flying home later on Sunday.

Viking Cruises said 20 people suffered injuries and were receiving treatment in Norway, with some discharged.

A statement from the operator thanked local emergency services "for their support and skill displayed in managing the situation in very challenging weather conditions".

The operator's chairman, Torstein Hagen, said the events were "some of the worst I have been involved in, but now it looks like it's going well in the end and that we've been lucky".

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Passengers wait to be evacuated. Photo: Alexus Sheppard via AP Airlift: Passengers wait their turn for helicopters as rescue workers rushed to evacuate passengers and crew. Photo: Michal Stewart via AP / Facebook

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The shipping tycoon, one of Norway's richest men, added: "I am very proud of our crew."

Footage online appeared to show the ship rocking dramatically, with debris falling from the ceiling and furniture including chairs sliding across the floor as passengers sat waiting to be rescued.

Derek and Esther Browne, from Hampshire, said the "whole boat was swaying, it was very rough" before they were airlifted to safety.

Mr Browne said: "We had a few people on stretchers, several with cuts, two with broken limbs, but fortunately we were alright. We were airlifted onto the helicopter which was quite a frightening experience."

He added: "I'd never been in a helicopter before, there were a lot of high winds, hovering overhead and the winchman came down and we were then collected up and so I shut my eyes as we arrived into the helicopter and there were 15 of us for about a 20-minute ride."

Norwegian media said the majority of the cruise ship passengers were British and American tourists.

The ship was due to arrive in Tilbury in Essex tomorrow.

The 745ft Viking Sky was built in 2017 and is described on the official website as a "comfortable, award-winning ship, intimate and thoughtfully created".
Undated handout file photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Charlotte Brown who died after a speedboat crash. Metropolitan Police/PA Wire

Jack Shepherd, who went on the run last year after killing a woman in a speedboat crash on the River Thames, is escorted by police officers in Tbilisi, Georgia January 23, 2019 in this still image taken from IMEDI TV footage. IMEDI TV/via REUTERS

Fugitive speedboat killer Jack Shepherd will appear in court in Georgia on Tuesday, where he is unlikely to fight extradition back to the UK.

The 31-year-old was sentenced to six years in jail in his absence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown, 24, on a champagne-fuelled first date when his speedboat overturned in the River Thames.

He went on the run while facing trial over the death of Ms Brown, from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, who plunged into the icy water in December 2015.

Shepherd is currently in prison in Tbilisi after handing himself in to the authorities last month.

Expand Close Jack Shepherd, who went on the run last year after killing a woman in a speedboat crash on the River Thames, is escorted by police officers in Tbilisi, Georgia January 23, 2019 in this still image taken from IMEDI TV footage. IMEDI TV/via REUTERS / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jack Shepherd, who went on the run last year after killing a woman in a speedboat crash on the River Thames, is escorted by police officers in Tbilisi, Georgia January 23, 2019 in this still image taken from IMEDI TV footage. IMEDI TV/via REUTERS

His lawyer, Tariel Kakabadze, said Shepherd is likely to agree to extradition back to the UK, although a final decision will be made on Tuesday.

He said: "He wants to participate in a UK court hearing. If he stays in Georgia he will not be able to. He wants to give information to the judges and be present in court."

Mr Kakabadze believes Shepherd could return to the UK as early as this week.

Web designer Shepherd, originally from Exeter, may seek certain "reassurances" before agreeing to the request, which was sent to the Georgian authorities by the Home Office, the lawyer suggested.

Expand Close The family of Charlotte Brown, (left to right) father Graham Brown, sister Katie and mother Roz Wicken, who died following a speedboat crash on the River Thames, arrive at Portcullis House, London, to meet the Home Secretary Sajid Javid. Yui Mok/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp The family of Charlotte Brown, (left to right) father Graham Brown, sister Katie and mother Roz Wicken, who died following a speedboat crash on the River Thames, arrive at Portcullis House, London, to meet the Home Secretary Sajid Javid. Yui Mok/PA Wire

Shepherd has been given permission to appeal against his manslaughter conviction.
Greeces prime minister has said Turkish fighter jets harassed the helicopter he was travelling on during a visit to a remote Greek island to celebrate independence day.

Alexis Tsipras said he was welcomed by Turkish fighter jets violating Greek airspace during his arrival on Monday on the small eastern Aegean island of Agathonissi.

The move forced the helicopter pilot to carry out low manoeuvres until Greek fighter jets arrived to deflect the Turkish aircraft, Mr Tsipras said.

Greece and Turkey have long had tense relations and are divided over several issues, including territorial disputes in the Aegean.

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Whatsapp The Aegean Sea pictured during an outbreak of forest fires (NERC Satellite Receiving Station/PA)

Athens often complains that Turkish fighter jets violate its airspace.

Mr Tsipras stressed Greece is committed to dialogue and cooperation with Turkey.

However, he said if necessary we will do what our ancestors taught us, to defend our country.

A short while ago I had the honour of being welcomed here on Agathonissi by some fighter jets from the Turkish airforce, Mr Tsipras said during a speech on the island.

They wanted to also participate in our national celebration.

The prime minister was on the island to celebrate the anniversary of Greeces 1821 revolution against the Ottoman Empire, the precursor to modern-day Turkey.

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They must know that these silly actions make no sense. They waste kerosene and petrol, Mr Tsipras said of Turkey.

Firstly because we will always be there to defend our national integrity.

Secondly because the Greek prime minister will be on the most isolated island of our country, at the most isolated border area, even if he has to swim there, he added.

The two neighbours and Nato allies have come to the brink of war three times since the mid-1970s, over the divided island of Cyprus and territorial issues in the Aegean, although they have also enjoyed periods of relatively good ties.
A police officer inspects the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Israel has begun responding forcefully to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, the countrys prime minister has said.

Speaking at the White House, Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not tolerate the rocket strike, which struck a home in central Israel early Monday and wounded seven people.

As we speak, he said, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

He said Israel will do whatever we must do to defend itself.

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The military has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas leader says his group would respond if Israel retaliated too forcefully.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement that the Palestinian people will not surrender and its militant factions will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.

The Israeli military had earlier reinforced its troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Military spokesman major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades were being mobilised and that there is a limited drafting of reserves under way following the attack, which destroyed a house and left seven people wounded in central Israel.

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She said the military has concluded that Gazas militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

Maj Lifshitz said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded.

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

Its a miracle that nobody got killed, said Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic who was one of the emergency personnel at the scene.
US special counsel Robert Mueller has spent 22 months examining whether Donald Trumps presidential campaign conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election.

His conclusion: There was no collusion.

However, the question of whether Mr Trump obstructed justice was not so clear-cut. In laying out Mr Muellers findings, US attorney general William Barr said the special counsel did not weigh in on the question. Instead, Mr Barr ultimately made the call that Mr Trump did not violate the law, a move that drew criticism from Democrats who say the president is hardly in the clear.

Here are the key points from Mr Muellers findings:

No collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia

Mr Mueller made that clear.

Mr Barr quoted Mr Muellers confidential report as saying the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

That finding marks a victory for the US president, who has turned no collusion into a daily refrain on Twitter.

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However, the letter is short on detail. Mr Barr said he will have to consult with Mr Mueller and other US justice department officials before he can release more of Mr Muellers confidential report or any other information he gathered during the investigation.

Mr Barrs letter did not say what Mr Mueller learned that fell short of a crime about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts. It also did not answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or US congress during the Russia probe since there was not any direct coordination going on.

No smoking gun on obstruction of justice, but no exoneration either

Mr Mueller decided not to make a judgment one way or the other on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

He wrote: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Instead, the special counsel laid out the evidence on both sides of the question.

According to Mr Barr, Mr Mueller left unresolved what he viewed as the difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction.

2 yrs of constant attacks, the largest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people, & what do we have?



BOOMING economy. Lowest ever unemployment for Blacks, Hispanics, & Women. Rising wages.



Maybe Dems should cool it w the conspiracies & try working w @POTUS for ALL Americans  Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 25, 2019

Barr made the decision over prosecuting obstruction

With no recommendation from Mr Mueller, Mr Barr said he then stepped in.

The attorney general, who was appointed by Mr Trump, said he and his deputy Rod Rosenstein decided there was not sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice.

That conclusion was based on Mr Muellers investigation, Mr Barr said. It was not a reflection of the justice departments view that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mr Barr determined that none of Mr Trumps actions amounted to obstruction and that there was not sufficient evidence to show he acted with a corrupt intent.

He also noted there was not an underlying crime involving Mr Trump.

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The bar for prosecution over collusion was high

The letter sheds some light on how Mr Mueller approached the collusion question.

In assessing whether Americans committed crimes related to Russias election interference, Mr Mueller was looking for a specific agreement tacit or express between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Mr Barr said investigators did not find that. But his letter does contain a nod to some of the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia, noting that Mr Mueller uncovered multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

Grand jury witnesses have shown that Mr Mueller scrutinised a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower involving a Russian lawyer. The presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, took the meeting even though it was described as a Russian government effort to help his father. Trump Jr expected the meeting to produce derogatory information on Mr Trumps Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.  Abraham Lincoln  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 24, 2019

Court papers also show that Mr Mueller uncovered that a Maltese professor told a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser that the Russians had dirt on Mrs Clinton in the form of emails  a message passed along weeks before it became public that Democratic groups had been hacked.

Mr Trump was also trying to cut a business deal in Russia during the campaign, an effort that included his personal lawyer discussing the proposal with a Kremlin official.

But according to Mr Mueller, the Americans involved did not violate the law.

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Is Trump out of the woods?

No.

Mr Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say the president directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to arrange illegal hush-money payments as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Mr Trumps inaugural fund.

Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe over Mr Trump that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season.

And they are now demanding that Mr Barr should turn over Mr Muellers confidential report and the underlying evidence he gathered in order for them to draw their own conclusions.

They are also calling for Mr Barr to testify on Capitol Hill.
Majestic Wine is to embark on a store closure plan as part of a wider transformation that will see the group stomach extra costs.

The specialist wine retailer did not specify the number of outlets it will close but boss Rowan Gormley said he has no choice, adding that he will aim to minimise job losses.

Majestic trades from around 200 stores in the UK.

As part of the restructuring, Majestic will also rebrand as Naked Wines following its takeover of the group in 2015 and invest a further 6 million a year in the business.

This is expected to be funded by migrating customers and stores to the Naked brand, asset sales and high street closures.

A transformed Majestic business does have the potential to be a long-term winnerMajestic Wine boss Rowan Gormley

However, the company warned that it will take a largely non-cash restructuring charge of up to 10 million this year, with further pain in 2020.

Majestic has also put the 2019 dividend under review.

Shares were down over 7% in morning trade at 251p.

Mr Gormley added: We also believe that a transformed Majestic business does have the potential to be a long-term winner, but that we risk not maximising the potential of Naked if we try to do both.

Therefore we have taken a decision to focus all of our capital and energies into delivering the long-term potential of Naked, and releasing value from Majestic.

In January Majestic said that the crucial Christmas season, in which the group usually delivers around 30% of its annual sales, proved more challenging than expected due to economic uncertainty and weak consumer confidence.

Majestic added on Monday that it expects to meet its sales target of 500 million this year and anticipates profits, excluding restructuring charges, in line with consensus.
Aftermath: An SDF soldier walks past a destroyed car in the village of Baghouz, which was flattened in the battle. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

US-backed Syrian fighters cleared explosives in the last area taken from Isil and arrested several militants, a day after declaring the end of the extremists' caliphate.

The US-led coalition said the clearing operations will continue until the area is secure.

A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Baghouz village where the militants made their final stand was "full of all kinds of explosives". He said SDF forces had detonated land mines and suicide belts left behind by the militants.

The Kurdish Hawar News Agency reported that during the combing SDF forces arrested a number of militants found hiding in tunnels.

Other activist groups monitoring the area reported limited clashes between militants and SDF fighters.

A day earlier, a Syrian driver working with NBC News reporters was killed by an explosive device that went off in a house used by the SDF as a command post and a media centre for journalists covering the fighting in Baghouz.

The victory announced in Baghouz on Saturday marks the end of a devastating five-year campaign by an array of forces to retake territories held by Isil in Syria and Iraq. At its height, Isil controlled a sprawling self-declared caliphate between the two countries that was home to some eight million people.

The campaign against the group came at a staggering cost, with entire neighbourhoods and towns destroyed in both countries. Thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed by Isil during its brutal reign as well as the air and ground operations by the coalition and allied troops. Watchdog groups continue to document the casualties.

Meanwhile, the SDF said 11,000 of its fighters were killed in the fight.

The militants were holding hostages and had detained civilians, the fate of many also remains unknown.

Despite the territorial defeat, the militants have reverted to insurgent tactics and continue to carry out attacks in areas liberated months or even years ago. An unknown number of fighters slipped into Syrian and Iraqi towns and villages, forming the backbone of the new insurgency.
Special counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not find evidence that Donald Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, the Justice Department said.

Mr Mueller also investigated whether Mr Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer, Attorney General William Barr said in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Muellers report.

The special counsel does not exonerate Mr Trump of obstructing justice, Mr Barr said, and his report sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

However, the President tweeted that he had been completely exonerated of collusion and obstruction of justice.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, Mr Trump said it was a shame the nation had to go through the investigation.

Mr Trump claimed the report found there was no collusion with Russia, there was no obstruction.

He also lashed out at the investigation, claiming without evidence that it was an illegal takedown that failed.

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After consulting with other Justice Department officials, Mr Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence.

Mr Barr released a four-page summary of Mr Muellers report on Sunday afternoon. Mr Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

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Mr Barrs chief of staff called White House counsel Emmet Flood on Sunday to brief him on the report to Congress. Mr Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, about to return to Washington after spending the weekend there.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Mr Trump had been completely exonerated.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) March 24, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham added that the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed.

Mr Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, also said it is a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down.

Republican Doug Collins said there is no constitutional crisis while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican said it is time we move on for the good of the nation.

Eric Trump, the Presidents son, called for a simple apology from the media for the hell everyone has been put through during the two-year probe.

But the House Judiciary Committee chairman said Mr Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president.

Democrat Jerry Nadler tweeted that Mr Barrs letter to Congress says that while Mr Trump may have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Mr Nadler tweeted that Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts.

There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Mr Barr is not a neutral observer and they urged the full release of the report.

Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, and Mr Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said that Mr Barrs letter to Congress raises as many questions as it answers.

In a joint statement, the leaders said that Mr Barrs past bias against the special counsel inquiry shows he is not in a position to make objective determinations.

They say that the fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

Several Democratic presidential candidates said Mr Muellers full report must be made public.

Kamala Harris said Mr Barr must testify before Congress, adding: That is what transparency looks like.

Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, noted that lawmakers have voted to release the full Mueller report, not a summary from what she called Mr Trumps handpicked Attorney General.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said the public deserves the full report and findings immediately, not just the in-house summary from a Trump Administration official.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the Mueller report must be made public. She tweeted: The President works for the people, and he is not above the law.

Mr Muellers investigation ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them.

The probe illuminated Russias assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

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Mr Mueller submitted his report to Mr Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department, which appointed him.

Mr Mueller was assigned to the job in May 2017 by Mr Rosenstein, who oversaw much of his work.

Mr Barr and Mr Rosenstein analysed Mr Muellers report on Saturday, labouring to condense it into a summary letter of main conclusions.
President Donald Trump speaks with the media after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US special counsel Robert Mueller has spent 22 months examining whether Donald Trump's presidential campaign conspired with Russia to sway the 2016 election.

His conclusion: There was no collusion.

However, the question of whether Mr Trump obstructed justice was not so clear-cut. In laying out Mr Mueller's findings, US attorney general William Barr said the special counsel did not weigh in on the question. Instead, Mr Barr ultimately made the call that Mr Trump did not violate the law, a move that drew criticism from Democrats who say the president is hardly in the clear.

Here are the key points from Mr Mueller's findings:

1. No collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia

Mr Mueller made that clear.

Mr Barr quoted Mr Mueller's confidential report as saying the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities".

That finding marks a victory for the US president, who has turned "no collusion" into a daily refrain on Twitter.

However, the letter is short on detail. Mr Barr said he will have to consult with Mr Mueller and other US justice department officials before he can release more of Mr Mueller's confidential report or any other information he gathered during the investigation.

Mr Barr's letter did not say what Mr Mueller learned that fell short of a crime about a broad range of Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts. It also did not answer why several of those people lied to federal investigators or US congress during the Russia probe since there was not any direct coordination going on.

2. No smoking gun on obstruction of justice, but no exoneration either

Mr Mueller decided not to make a judgment "one way or the other" on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice.

He wrote: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Instead, the special counsel laid out the evidence on both sides of the question.

According to Mr Barr, Mr Mueller left unresolved what he viewed as the "'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction".

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3. Barr made the decision over prosecuting obstruction

With no recommendation from Mr Mueller, Mr Barr said he then stepped in.

The attorney general, who was appointed by Mr Trump, said he and his deputy Rod Rosenstein decided there was not sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice.

That conclusion was based on Mr Mueller's investigation, Mr Barr said. It was not a reflection of the justice department's view that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mr Barr determined that none of Mr Trump's actions amounted to obstruction and that there was not sufficient evidence to show he acted with a "corrupt intent".

He also noted there was not an underlying crime involving Mr Trump.

4. The bar for prosecution over collusion was high

The letter sheds some light on how Mr Mueller approached the collusion question.

In assessing whether Americans committed crimes related to Russia's election interference, Mr Mueller was looking for a specific agreement "tacit or express" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

Mr Barr said investigators did not find that. But his letter does contain a nod to some of the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia, noting that Mr Mueller uncovered "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

Grand jury witnesses have shown that Mr Mueller scrutinised a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower involving a Russian lawyer. The president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, took the meeting even though it was described as a Russian government effort to help his father. Trump Jr expected the meeting to produce derogatory information on Mr Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Court papers also show that Mr Mueller uncovered that a Maltese professor told a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser that the Russians had dirt on Mrs Clinton in the form of emails - a message passed along weeks before it became public that Democratic groups had been hacked.

Mr Trump was also trying to cut a business deal in Russia during the campaign, an effort that included his personal lawyer discussing the proposal with a Kremlin official.

But according to Mr Mueller, the Americans involved did not violate the law.

5. Is Trump out of the woods?

No.

Mr Trump also plays a central role in a separate case in New York, where prosecutors have implicated him in a crime. They say the president directed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen to arrange illegal hush-money payments as a way to quash potential sex scandals during the campaign. New York prosecutors also are looking into Mr Trump's inaugural fund.

Congressional investigations also are swirling around the president. Democrats have launched a sweeping probe over Mr Trump that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season.

And they are now demanding that Mr Barr should turn over Mr Mueller's confidential report and the underlying evidence he gathered in order for them to draw their own conclusions.

They are also calling for Mr Barr to testify on Capitol Hill.
Ebullient: President Donald Trump talks to the media about the Mueller report at Palm Beach Airport in Florida en route to Washington. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation could not find evidence that Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, the US Justice Department said.

Mr Mueller also investigated whether Mr Trump obstructed justice but could not come to a definitive answer, Attorney General William Barr said in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Mueller's report.

However, the special counsel "does not exonerate" Mr Trump of obstructing justice, Mr Barr said, and his report "sets out evidence on both sides of the question".

Despite this, the president claimed he had been "completely exonerated" of collusion and obstruction of justice.

Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from a weekend at his private club in Florida, Mr Trump said "it was a shame" the nation had to go through the investigation.

He claimed the report found "there was no collusion with Russia, there was no obstruction".

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He also lashed out at the investigation, claiming without evidence that it was "an illegal takedown that failed".

After consulting with other Justice Department officials, Mr Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offence".

Mr Barr released a four-page summary of Mr Mueller's report yesterday afternoon.

Mr Mueller wrapped up his investigation on Friday with no new indictments, bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

Republicans rowed in behind the president after the summary was published. On Twitter, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders echoed her boss's claim he had been completely exonerated.

Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey Graham added that "the cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed".

Mr Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump, also said it was "a bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down".

Republican Doug Collins said "there is no constitutional crisis" while House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, also a Republican, said "it is time we move on for the good of the nation".

Eric Trump, the president's son, called for a "simple apology" from the media for "the hell everyone has been put through" during the two-year probe.

But the Democrat chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Mr Mueller "clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president".

Jerry Nadler tweeted that Mr Barr's letter to Congress says that while Mr Trump may have acted to obstruct justice, the government would need to prove that "beyond a reasonable doubt".

But Mr Nadler tweeted that Congress must hear from Mr Barr about his decision-making and see "all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts".

Top Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Mr Barr was "not a neutral observer" and they urged the full release of the report.

Ms Pelosi, the House speaker, and Mr Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, said Mr Barr's letter to Congress "raises as many questions as it answers".

In a joint statement, the leaders said Mr Barr's past "bias" against the special counsel inquiry showed he was "not in a position to make objective determinations".

They say that "the fact that Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay".

Several Democratic presidential candidates also insisted Mr Mueller's full report must be made public.
Documents show that late on the evening of March 16, 2017, the suspect turned himself in to police at the South Chicago District station, police say, hours after he choked and hit a victim in the head with his hand at his residence in the 7800 block of South Kingston Avenue in the South Shore neighborhood. Its unclear in the reports how the female victim, who was in her early 20s, and the suspect knew one another, but police at the time saw bruising on the victims face and neck.
Russian officials exulted in state media after the conclusion of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Moscows involvement in the US presidential election did not find evidence of collusion.

Wrapping up the 22-month investigation, Mr Muellers report found no evidence that US President Donald Trumps campaign conspired with Russian officials to influence the 2016 election.

Mr Mueller said in a passage from the report quoted by US attorney general William Barr that there was no evidence that Mr Trump was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

But the released summary did not clear the president of improper behaviour regarding Russia.

The results of Mueller's investigation are a disgrace for the US and its political elitesAlexei Pushkov

Until Monday, there was little to no coverage in Russia of the Mueller investigation.

Russian media did not closely follow all the leaks that accompanied the probe, but referred to the investigation from time to time as an example of what they described as US hysteria against Russia.

Russian officials and state media, who have vehemently denied that the Kremlin wanted Trump to win and was helping him in the campaign, on Monday relished the news.

The results of Muellers investigation are a disgrace for the US and its political elites, Alexei Pushkov, chairman of the information committee at the Federation Council, tweeted on Monday.

All of the accusations were proved to be trumped up.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had a more muted reaction on Monday, saying that Russia has never interfered in elections in other countries and doesnt intend to do so.

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Its hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if it isnt there, he said.

Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation.

Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Russian authorities over the past months portrayed the Mueller probe as a witch hunt against Trump and a tool of the Democratic Party to fan the flames of the anti-Russian sentiment in the US.

Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign affairs committee at the Federation Council, on Monday described the probe and the discussions around it as two years of incessant lies.

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State-owned Channel One on its morning news show suggested that US media had been consciously whipping up the hysteria about possible collusion in order to sway the public opinion against Russia.

There were so many fake scoops: the one about the non-existent back channel between Washington and Moscow, the one about the so-called Russia Dossier with the Kremlins alleged compromising information on Trump, Channel Ones US correspondent said.

But will the viewers hear the rebuttals now?

The conclusions of the probe led some to believe that Mr Trump will have a free hand now to improve ties with Russia.

Theres an opportunity to reset our relations but the question is whether Trump will take the risk, Mr Kosachev said.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands as Netanyahu departs the White House from the West Wing in Washington, U.S. March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday recognized the disputed Golan Heights as Israeli territory in an election boost for visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing a sharp response from Syria, which once held the strategic land.

With Netanyahu looking over his shoulder at the White House, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan as Israeli territory - a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy.

The move, which Trump announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move since February 2017.

Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally.

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Netanyahu, who faces an election on April 9, earlier on Monday said he was cutting short his U.S. visit after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, blamed on Hamas, wounded seven people near Tel Aviv. Israel launched retaliatory air strikes in Gaza.

Israel's prime minister arrived in Washington on Sunday, originally for a four-day trip.

His chief rival for the premiership, Benny Gantz, also visited the U.S. capital, telling a major pro-Israel lobbying organization that he was the better alternative to lead the country.

In signing the proclamation, Trump said "This was a long time in the making."

He handed the pen that he used for his signature to Netanyahu, and said: "Give this to the people of Israel."

The prime minister welcomed Trump's action and said Israel had never had a better friend. He harked back to two previous Middle Eastern wars in justifying Israel's need to hang on to the Golan.

"Just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground and we should never give it up," he said.

Syria reacted swiftly to Trump's proclamation, calling it a "blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity and saying it had a right to reclaim the Golan.

Expand Close U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold up a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights as Netanyahu exits the White House from the West Wing in Washington, U.S. March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis / Facebook

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Whatsapp U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold up a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights as Netanyahu exits the White House from the West Wing in Washington, U.S. March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

At the United Nations, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "clear that the status of Golan has not changed," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "The U.N.'s policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed," Dujarric said.

A U.N. Security Council resolution adopted unanimously by the 15-member body in 1981 declared that Israel's "decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect." It also demanded Israel rescind its decision.

NATO ally Turkey termed the U.S. recognition unacceptable and said it would take action against it, including at the United Nations, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. The Arab League also condemned the move.

The negative reactions reprised last week's response to Trump's tweet announcing the move. The announcement triggered direct or implied criticism from European as well as Middle Eastern countries and organizations, including Britain, Germany, France, the European Union, Turkey, Egypt, the Arab League and Russia.

Elsewhere in Washington, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel group, held its annual meeting with speaker after speaker expressing U.S. support for strong ties with the country.

"We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and her fight is our fight," Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday.

Pence also talked tough against Iran, saying that under Trump, "America will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon."

Netanyahu challenger Benny Gantz appeared before the gathering, and vowed to protect his country against threats from Iran and Syria. He called for unity in Israel.

"We must remember if that we want hope, we must have unity," he said.

With election day approaching, opinion polls put Netanyahus right-wing Likud and Gantzs centrist Blue and White party neck and neck.
The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for 282 million dollars (214 million) for the next three months to help Mozambique start recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai.

The funding will be used to provide water, sanitation, education and restoring the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people, UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said.

He said separate appeals will be made shortly for Zimbabwe and Malawi, also hard-hit by the cyclone.

Mr Lowcock said funds are starting to come through, including 22 million from the UK, but are far outstripped by the needs.

There are 1m children affected by #CycloneIdai and subsequent floods in #Mozambique. The final numbers may be much higher.



We are in a race against time to help and protect children like Helcio and baby Anderson. pic.twitter.com/t5KvFTPfT8  UNICEF (@UNICEF) March 25, 2019

Unicef head Henrietta Fore visited Mozambiques ravaged port city of Beira and said its a race against time to help the displaced and prevent disease.

Authorities in Mozambique say that with a key road open to the badly damaged city of Beira, conditions on the ground improving and more international help arriving, vital aid to those hit by Cyclone Idai should flow more freely.

Idais death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers rush to restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera.

In Mozambique the number of dead has risen to 446 while there are 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 in Malawi for a three-nation total of 761.

The death toll is very preliminary, said Mozambiques environment minister Celso Correia, who said it is expected to rise.

The US military will join international aid groups assisting in providing food and medical care to those affected by the massive cyclone, one of the worst natural disasters in southern Africa in recent history.

Some 228,000 displaced people are in camps across the vast flooded area of Mozambique, said Mr Correia, who is the governments disaster co-ordinator. It is still too early to give a number of missing, he said.

Diarrhoea is reported in camps but he says it is too early to say whether it is cholera. He has said it is almost certain the disease will emerge.

Reports of acute watery diarrhoea are increasing in #Mozambique in the aftermath of the floods following #CycloneIdai.



OCHA, on behalf of aid organizations, is airing messages to the community to inform how to prevent this and other diseases.



More: https://t.co/SBj2gqDXJS pic.twitter.com/X3HyDO3AnU  OCHA Southern & Eastern Africa (@UNOCHA_ROSEA) March 25, 2019

Aid teams are going to high points on islands created by Idai and finding a lot of people, Mr Correia said.

Until all areas can be reached and assessed, it is impossible to say the disaster response effort has turned a corner, he said.

Asked by journalists about people found sheltering in a school along the newly opened main road to Beira who said they had not eaten since the storm, Mr Correia said the aid had to be prioritised according to necessity.

At least they were found and aid is coming, he said. They can still hang on for a few days.

He defended Mozambiques storm warning system, saying people knew weeks in advance that trouble was coming. More than 300,000 were warned in advance, he said, adding: All reports say the system worked.

Some residents of Beira and Buzi, however, have said they had heard nothing to indicate the scale of the cyclone and were shocked by the quickly rising waters, and some have expressed anger at the government for not giving more warning.
The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f...
A bill that paves the way for the Pamunkey Tribe to open a casino has become law in Virginia.

Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed Senate Bill 1126 on Friday. The new law authorizes a study of gaming that's due December 1, The Bristol Herald-Courier reported.

The law also authorizes a process for host communities -- including those where the tribe has expressed interest in opening a casino -- to schedule a referendum on gaming. But the Virginia Legislature would have to take action again before a referendum can take place.

Assuming all those steps are completed, the casino would be operated under state, rather than federal law. That means the tribe would not have to go through the land-into-trust process , which could take several years, if not longer, to complete.

The tribe, whose reservation is located east of Richmond, the state capital, has been looking at building a casino in Norfolk. Another site closer to Richmond also has been mentioned.

The tribe gained federal recognition by going through the acknowledgment process at the Bureau of Indian Affairs . The tribe's status became final in 2016

Six other tribes in Virginia gained recognition through an act of Congress in 2018. The law bars them from following the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act even though the state allows several forms of gaming, including bets on historical horse races.

A non-Indian racetrack outside of Richmond will be offering 600 such electronic betting machines next month, WRIC reported. The machines were authorized by state law last year, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

Elsewhere, the state of Idaho at one point allowed non-Indian racetracks to offer the same types of machines. But lawmakers ended up banning them after tribes complained that the devices looked too much like slot machines

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By Acee Agoyo

Alaska Natives who are on opposite sides of a controversial issue will be testifying before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources on Tuesday.

At issue is H.R.1146 , the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, The bill bars energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , also known as ANWR, in Alaska.

Representatives of the Gwich'in people and the Inupiat people are among the witnesses. The Gwich'in oppose oil and gas drilling out of fear it will damage the caribou herd at the center of their way of life, while the Inupiat support development of the land and resources they own in ANWR.

Thanks to authorization from Congress, the Department of the Interior is moving forward with an oil and gas leasing program in ANWR . Notably, no one from the Trump administration, which supports development, is testifying at the hearing.

Panel 1:

Ms. Bernadette Demientieff

Executive Director

Gwichin Steering Committee

Fairbanks, AK The Honorable Galen Gilbert

Chief, Arctic Village Council

Arctic Village, AK Mr. Sam Alexander

Board Member

Gwichin Council International

Fairbanks, AK The Honorable Dana Tizya-Tramm

Chief, Vunit Gwitchin First Nation

Fairbanks, AK The Honorable Victor Joseph

Chief/Chairman, Tanana Chiefs Conference

Fairbanks, AK Mr. Fenton Rexford (minority witness)

Advisor to the Mayor of North Slope Borough

Tribal Member, Native Village of Kaktovik

Kaktovik, AK Panel 2:

Rt. Rev. Mark A. Lattime

Bishop of Alaska, The Episcopal Church

Fairbanks, AK Mr. Chad Brown

Founder, Soul River, Inc.

Portland, OR Dr. Steven C. Amstrup

Chief Scientist, Polar Bears International

Bozeman, MT Mr. Richard Glenn (minority witness)

Executive Vice President, External Affairs Arctic Slope Regional Corporation

Barrow, AK Mr. Matthew Rexford (minority witness)

Tribal Administrator

Native Village of Kaktovik

Kaktovik, AK

The hearing takes place at 2pm on Tuesday in Room 1324 of the Longworth House Office Building. The witness list follows:

House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Notice

Note: Thumbnail image from Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee , a film co-directed by Dr. Len Necefer that premiered online in March 2019. Necefer, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, is the founder and owner of NativesOutdoors

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Cronkite News

GLENDALE  Sen. Martha McSally announced last week week that the Department of Defense has agreed to establish a task force to combat sexual assault in the military. Thursday at Luke Air Force Base, she introduced some of the task forces goals, including improving responses to sexual assault, especially the way theyre investigated and prosecuted.

The Arizona Republican, who earlier this month revealed that she had been raped by a superior officer while in the Air Force , said commanders need to be invested in the task force, more prepared and more accountable to successfully combat sexual assaults.

McSally, who spent nearly three decades in the military, also pledged to do everything she can to ensure funds from military bases in Arizona are not withdrawn.

The news conference questions and answers have been condensed and lightly edited.

On Monday, I sent a letter to @ActingSecDef requesting the immediate formation of a @DeptofDefense Task Force to combat sexual assault. We spoke over the phone on Tuesday & he agreed to my request. We will be working together to solve this problem. pic.twitter.com/fYMRyxqnPi  Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) March 20, 2019

I decided  that I was going to share my perspectives, not just as someone who served and not just as a commander, but also as a survivor of military sexual assault myself. That was not an easy decision, but I believe it was the right thing to do at the right time, so that I can help lead on this issue, and people can better maybe understand where I am coming from in my perspectives based on my  all of my experiences.

Since then we have sprung into action, to do whatever that needs to be done and lead on this issue, partnering and working with the Pentagon, relating to sexual assault  I asked [acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan] to create this task force that I can also participate in. Its a little nontraditional that these different branches of the government would be at the table together, but we need to solve this together. I want to participate in that task force to bring the thought leaders and the experts together to swiftly see what other initiatives we can come up with before we mark up the defense bill and in about 60 days, we can bring to the table to address this issue.

The acting Secretary called me the next day  he agreed to establish this task force. They are already getting to work, theyre not waiting for me to get back to D.C. next week. The Air Force is already leading the charge.

Sen. Martha McSally, R-Arizona, here in a 2016 file photo, told a Senate Armed Services hearing on military sexual assaults that she was preyed upon and raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force. Photo by Madison Alder / Cronkite News

Task forces sometimes lead to talk but no action. How can you make sure changes are made, and what changes do you want to see?

Absolutely, I agree, we dont need to be sitting around talking, we need to come up with very specific solutions of whats not working and what we can improve related to the system. Im very much focused right now on the post-assault report, the investigation process and the judicial process. Weve got to address these other issues as well, as far as prevention and culture and training and education and everything that goes with that.

Youve mentioned that you care about the order of command and want to keep this in the command structure, while others say they want to keep sexual-assault matters out of the command because of fear (or) whatever it may be. If you keep in that command structure, do you worry that victims will be afraid to report?

I dont agree with the premise of that question and I dont take my position lightly here, again, as a survivor and as a former commander. Command in the military is like nothing else in society. Its very difficult for maybe a lot of people to understand.  it is like nothing else in civilian society. Its not like a supervisor or any CEO, because we are asking people to give their lives if needed in defense of our country. Were asking them to go take lives and, in that regard, there is a covenant of the military unit: the commander is ultimately responsible for the mission, responsible for the people, responsible for the climate, responsible for the good order and discipline and to make sure everybody is treated with dignity and respect. Thats what command is all about.

If we want this to be solved in our military, we need commanders to be more involved, more prepared, more accountable, because if you want anything fixed in the military, the commanders have to own it. If the commander is the problem, we need to make sure that there are opportunities for people to go around the commander, to go to the command level above them, to go to outside organizations  and those relief valves are there, but we need to make sure that trust is there so that if somebody is a victim, that they understand who they could go to  they understand what the process is going to be, that the investigation is done swiftly and thoroughly.

When dealt with reports of sexual assault as a member of command, how did you approach them and what did you learn from handling them?

A lot of things have changed over the years. When I was the squadron commander of the 354 Fighter Squadron, I had no cases reported to me. Previous to that, I was an acting commander when I was an operations officer and there was an incident that happened. We immediately went to the investigators, immediately started the criminal investigation and went through the process of the investigation and the decisions to prosecute and justice related to that. I had both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator in the unit, and I saw some of the real challenges that you face in circumstances like this.

Things are not the same now as they were then as far as the types of initiatives that have happened. In my conversations with commanders today, I was asking them very specifically, Hey did this improve, did this improve? These are based on some of the things that I saw that was going on at that time.

Weve done some really important initiatives in the military that dont exist in civil society. For example, the Special Victims Counsel. This is a new initiative, again, directed by Congress. In all of these cases now, the victim actually has their own lawyer who represents them, not just the JAG (judge advocate general counsel) who represents the prosecutor. Often times, the victim said Im like a witness in my own, Im only a witness in this case of which Im the victim, and so we now have a lawyer in the room who is actually representing the best interest of the victim, which is something that doesnt even exist in civil society. This is pretty important, and weve heard from a lot of victims how this is really been crucial for them. We didnt have those types of things back then, like the special victims advocates at every base, so ensuring that those programs where you have specialized people who are there to support the victim so that they get the care they need, they get the support they need, they feel like their voice is heard in the justice process. All this stuff that needs to be continued to be strengthened didnt exist then.

Today, I visited @LukeAFB to talk to commanders about improving sexual assault response, and met with junior Airmen. We will tackle this crisis together! pic.twitter.com/jj3zzKaYPJ  Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) March 21, 2019

The Trump administration is trying to draw funds from military bases in Arizona to build a wall on the southern border. Do you think this is going to affect the military bases in Arizona?

I dont agree with the premise of your question. We do need to secure our border and we do need to fund our military. I think its our responsibility to do both. In this case, the National Emergencies Act allows the president to declare an emergency and to use over a hundred different authorities that Congress has given presidents to then tap into for any emergency that they declare.

There are about 30 emergencies, by the way, that are still ongoing on a variety of different issues. In this case, I very much have been focused in on the 10 U.S.C. 2808 authorities, which is related to military construction funding and military construction projects. Ive had several conversations with Pentagon leadership and with White House leadership related to this. The misinformation thats been put out recently is actually just that, misinformation. They were asked to give a list of all unobligated military projects, no matter what their status was, and there were six items on the list in Arizona. Four of them were fiscal year 2019 projects that were authorized and appropriated: two here at Luke, one at Davis-Monthan, one in Camp Navajo. The fiscal year 2019 authorized projects and appropriated projects that are awarded before September 30 are never going to be impacted. Any of those other projects, of which there is one other, that is going to be awarded before September 30th is not going to be impacted.

There is one potential project that was recently brought to our attention at Fort Huachuca that it has the potential to be impacted , should they get to that stage of their sequential funding. Ive made my position very clear on this: That cannot happen. I had that conversation at very high levels and were going to make sure we backfield any projects, but it doesnt mean that project is going to be impacted because its in a large pool of potential projects of which a subset could potentially be impacted, if not backfield.

This story originally appeared on Cronkite News and is published via a Creative Commons license . Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University

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Along with Madigan and Gonzales, two other candidates surfaced in the race  Joe Barboza, a union construction laborer from the West Lawn neighborhood, and Grasiela Rodriguez, a dispatcher for a ready-mix truck company who also lives in West Lawn. Neither Barboza nor Rodriguez filed financial reports with the state to indicate they raised or spent money, the kind of activity associated with active campaigns, the Tribune has reported.
The Crown is Maori too - citizenship, sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi

The Conversation

On February 6, New Zealand marked Waitangi Day, which commemorates the 1840 signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The treaty allowed Britain to establish government over its settlers (Article One), guaranteed ongoing Maori authority over their own affairs (Article Two) and gave Maori the rights and privileges of British subjecthood, which over time has become New Zealand citizenship (Article Three).

Read more: Explainer: the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi

The debate about the treatys precise meaning continues to this day. For some, it is a blueprint for constitutional order and justice. For others, a path to ethnic privilege  a Maori birth right to the upper hand. There are many interpretations in between and the treaty has important public policy significance.

Treaty debate focuses mostly on the agreements first two articles, and I argue that its third promise, of citizenship, is not getting enough attention. Discussions tend to place Maori and the Crown in a them and us binary, but citizenship means that Maori are also the Crown.

From subject to citizen

In 1840, British subjecthood was a limited promise. It contained few rights and privileges. There was certainly no right to participate in government. No expectation that ones voice mattered.

But subjecthood evolved. In 1949, New Zealand citizenship became a legal category. Citizenship is much more than the right to vote, receive a welfare benefit or go to school. It is a body of political capacities - the capacity to have a meaningful say in how society works. Not just in the decisions that governments make, but in working out the values that inform decision making.

It means that Maori values should count in public affairs. For example, the five central concepts underlying Maori philosophy that the legal scholar Carwyn Jones describes:

Whanaungatanga - the centrality of relationships to Maori life

Manaakitanga - nurturing relationships, looking after people, being careful how others are treated

Mana - the importance of spirituality, sanctioned authority and the limits on Maori leadership

Tapu/noa - respect for the spiritual character of all things

Utu - the principle of balance and reciprocity.

Read more: Strong sense of cultural identity drives boom in Maori business

At the service, held in London last night, The Duke and Duchess met members of the @NZSocietyUK, performers and people attending the service to mark #WaitangiDay - the national day of New Zealand.  pic.twitter.com/Bv6yZffsmL  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 8, 2019

Beyond the bicultural treaty

During the 1980s and 1990s, the concept of biculturalism that treats Maori and Pakeha (non-Maori New Zealanders) as neatly separable cohesive political communities and as if they ran on separate parallel train tracks dominated treaty discussions. While this approach made important contributions to Maori policy, it was also limited.

In 2019, it competes with alternative possibilities for self-determination. For example, several iwi (Maori tribes) have received financial and land settlements in compensation for confiscations that breached the treatys promises. Maori language and culture are continuing to grow in strength. A better educated population and the continuation of intermarriage mean that this kind of biculturalism - a them and us worldview - provides an increasingly limited way of thinking about political possibilities. It stops people thinking about what it means to be a Maori citizen - what it means to help determine the ways in which the state works.

From biculturalism to binationalism

While the English version of the treatys first article surrendered Maori sovereignty to the British Crown, the Maori text (which was the signed document), used the term kawanatanga (governorship). In 2014, the Waitangi Tribunal, the body that deals with alleged breaches of the treaty, accepted Nga Puhis argument (widely shared among Maori) that the treaty did not cede sovereignty.

Nevertheless, then minister of Treaty of Waitangi negotiations, Chris Finlayson, argued that:

There is no question that the Crown has sovereignty in New Zealand. This report doesnt change that fact  The tribunal doesnt reach any conclusion regarding the sovereignty the Crown exercises in New Zealand. Nor does it address the other events considered part of the Crowns acquisition of sovereignty or how the treaty relationship should operate today.

But what is the Crown, what is sovereignty and how do these relate to citizenship as it has developed from the British subjecthood that the treaty promised?

Read more: The Treaty of Waitangi and its influence on identity politics in New Zealand

Sovereignty and citizenship

Sovereignty is not an absolute and indivisible power, exercised over subjects by an all-powerful Crown, as it was in 1840. It is a collective political authority in which all citizens participate. Helping to shape public sovereignty is an essential part of what it means to be a citizen.

At the same time, citizenship is not a panacea for creating just political relationships between Maori and others. Nor does it guarantee the political space for Maori to exercise rangatiratanga (authority) over their own affairs. But it does mean that sovereignty belongs to Maori as much as it belongs to anybody else. At least theoretically, it is not an oppressive force.

Bringing that theory into practical politics requires that article three receive much greater attention in treaty discourse. Guaranteed Maori representation in parliament is an example of Maori exercising the right to citizenship in a distinctive way, but sovereignty is not found in parliament alone.

Questions of where else Maori might exercise their citizenship and what it means to do so in authentically Maori ways are not thought about as widely as their importance justifies. This is because the Crown/Maori bicultural binary continues to separate Maori from the collective authority of national citizenship.

As the former Waitangi Tribunal Chairman Justice Williams suggested:

The Crown is also Maori. If the nation is to move forward, this reality must be grasped.

Dominic O'Sullivan (Te Rarawa, Ngati Kahu) is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Charles Sturt University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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A man suspected to have assisted in solemnising the wedding of two Pakistani Hindu minor girls, who were reportedly abducted and forcefully converted to Islam, was arrested on Sunday, as the teenagers approached a court in Pakistan's Punjab province seeking protection, according to a media report.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of "influential" men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan had also ordered a probe into the issue.

According to Geo TV, the teenagers approached a court in Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province seeking protection.

"Police have meanwhile arrested a man from Khanpur who is suspected to have assisted in the nikah (marital contract) of the girls," it said.

However, it is not confirmed whether the arrested man is the cleric who performed their marriage.

Earlier, there were reports that the cleric who performed the minor girls' marriage was arrested from Khan Pur in Sindh.

The incident led to a war of words broke out between external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan's information minister Fawad Chaudhry over the reported abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of the two Hindu teenagers.

The spat started soon after Swaraj sought details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the reported abduction of two Hindu teenaged girls.

Swaraj, while tagging a media report about the incident, tweeted that she has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on the matter.

Pakistan's information minister Fawad Chaudhry responded to her tweet, saying it was his country's "internal issue".

Mam its Pakistin internal issue and rest assure its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated its Imran Khans Naya Pak where white color of our flag is equally dearer to us.I hope you ll act with same diligence when it comes to rights of Indian Minorities https://t.co/MQC1AnnmGR  Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 24, 2019

Madam Minister I am happy that in the Indian administration we have people who care for minority rights in other countries. I sincerely hope that your conscience will allow you to stand up for minorities at home as well. Gujarat and Jammu must weigh heavily on your soul. https://t.co/7D0vMiUI42  Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 24, 2019

In a Twitter post in Urdu on Sunday, Chaudhry said the prime minister has asked the Sindh chief minister to look into reports that the girls in question have been taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab.

He said the prime minister has also ordered the Sindh and Punjab governments to devise a joint action plan in light of the incident, and to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding prime minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his party's agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

afp

Pakistan Hindu Council chief and Member of National Assembly from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Ramesh Kumar Vankwani condemned the incident and demanded that the bill against forced conversion, which was unanimously passed by Sindh Assembly in 2016 and then reverted due to pressure of extremist elements, must be resurrected and passed in the assembly on priority basis.

Rights activist Jibran Nasir tweeted that the sisters were converted at the Dargah Barchundi Sharif and were taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab following their marriages.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province.

According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.
Bishap Mittal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to access a protected computer for his role in an international Tech Support Scam that defrauded hundreds of victims of more than $3 million. (representational image/pixabay.com photo)
IT Pro Alliance has created a White House petition to save the H-4 EAD program, which allows spouses of H-1B visa holders who are on track for a green card to legally work in the U.S. The Department of Homeland Security has sent a draft rule for review to the Office of Management and Budget, which would terminate the program. (SaveH4EAD photo via Facebook)
Gallagher Mulgrave branchs internal account executives Branna Shirtcliff and Sara King organised the morning tea for the Christchurch tragedys one-week anniversary, raising $325 by gold coin donation, as well as inviting contributions from the wider Gallagher business to the Christchurch Shooting Victims Fund.

Shirtcliff and King said they are extremely proud of how the team members in the Mulgrave office came together to show so much support and sympathy.

This really has been an eye opener for both of us about how much love there is in an increasingly divisive world, King said.

In line with Arderns request for New Zealand to observe two minutes of silence at the time of the shooting, the North Sydney office fell quiet at 11:45am on March 22.
Read more: Finalists announced for Insurance Business Awards

Were very proud to be a finalist in this category, said John McNamara, CEO Gallagher Bassett Australia. At GB, we believe that our people are our strength, so being named a finalist for Best Service Provider is a testament to the expertise and dedication of the greater GB team. As a third-party claims administrator, GBs entire business is designed around providing superior service and outcomes to the insurance industry, so were thrilled to be recognised for delivering on that promise.

Finalists will be judged based on overall customer service proposition/point of difference, industrys need for the service, how the service has added value and the overall commitment of the organisation to its customers, and demonstrated commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

Winners of the Insurance Business Awards will be announced on May 3.
She was only half-listening to the program as she strode around her house getting ready for the day. The news anchors repeated the highlights multiple times: A young mother was shot and killed, her husband was critically wounded and their 1-year-old baby took a bullet to the knee in the West Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side.
According to the Sentinel, Orlando firefighters received a report of a burning car on December 24. When they arrived at the scene, they found Roberts BMW engulfed in flames.

Investigators said the car had apparently been abandoned. The keys were in the ignition, and elsewhere in the car investigators discovered a box of matches and an empty Heineken bottle with a paper towel inside it  apparently used as a wick.

Roberts told investigators she had left the keys inside it because she expected it to be repossessed, according to the Sentinel.

Investigations showed that Roberts had called her grandmother while the car was on fire, and that her cell phone pinged a tower just 800 feet from the blaze  which contradicted her claim that she had been home during the blaze.
The AJG transaction, whose closing will coincide with the completion of the MMC takeover, involves all assets within JLTs global aerospace retail and wholesale insurance broking division. That means operations in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and 10 other countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as well as the assets of British insurance broker Hayward Aviation.

According to the European Commission, this removes the entire overlap between MMC and JLTs activities in the supply of insurance broking services in the specialties of aircraft operators and aerospace manufacturing. It concluded that the merger would no longer raise competition worries in the EEA.

Now that all the necessary regulatory and competition authority approvals have been satisfied, a hearing at the UK High Court has been set for March 29. Subject to the Courts green light, the sale of JLT to MMC is expected to close on April 01.
Read more: Specialist insurance broker gets three years in prison

According to a Wall Street Journal investigation, Greg Lindberg channelled loans from the insurance companies he owned through intermediaries, then told regulators that the funds were going to unaffiliated borrowers  a move which effectively masked his actions.

Insurance-company assets are not intended to be a piggy bank for your other activities, Therese Vaughan, a professor of insurance and actuarial science at Drake University, told WSJ.

Responding to Lindbergs transactions, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) proposed a rule change that looks to address future attempts to mask related-party investments. According to WSJ, the change would require similar pass-through arrangements to be reported as affiliated.

Meanwhile, regulators in Lindbergs home state of North Carolina are supporting legislation that seeks to limit the amount insurers can invest in affiliated subsidiaries. According to WSJ, a North Carolina law already limits an insurer from investing more than 10% of its assets in subsidiaries but, unlike some other states, doesnt specifically apply that to an owners affiliated ventures.

The statute needs to be clarified so theres no fuzzy or grey area, Mike Causey, North Carolinas insurance commissioner, told WSJ.

A spokesman for Lindberg brushed off the increased regulatory focus on his actions. These latest regulatory developments should have little impact on the operations of Mr. Lindbergs insurers, the spokesman told WSJ.
Insurance Operations Specialist I, Marsh & McLennan

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Insurance/Financial Advisor, Lenox Advisors

Lenox is looking for an ambitious and experienced professional based in Chicago who will be responsible for developing new client opportunities across the wealth management spectrum including insurance, asset management, and risk management. You can apply here.

Senior Manager  Insurance, Deloitte

Are you a Boston-based insurance veteran who likes to tackle complex technical challenges? As a senior manager at Deloitte, you can help create technology solutions to meet clients business needs. You can apply here.

Lead Business Analyst  Insurance Billing, EIS Group

This is a hands-on, detail-driven, analytical position based in San Francisco, CA that requires a love of transaction data flow. A background in business analysis, quality assurance, and product management makes you an ideal candidate. You can apply here.

Insurance Service Representative  Dallas Central, AAA Texas

AAA Texas is currently seeking an insurance service representative to work in its Dallas office. The insurance service representative provides high quality service to members and insureds regarding changes in insurance policies, renewal information, and billing statements. You can apply here.
Under Boquists leadership, the new retail energy unit is set to complement Archs current energy offerings underwritten in the US, Bermuda and London. Boquist said the team is excited to leverage Archs capacity and broad capabilities to bring a dynamic range of products and ideas to an industry of critical importance to North America.

At its core, Arch is a company that places a premium on specialization in addressing how we respond to customer and industry needs, he commented. Im excited that well bring together capabilities from such a diverse company to address the challenges the energy industry faces. From products, placements, and practical customer engagement to help them be the best company they can be, were bringing the specialization of Arch Insurance together with an existing breadth of commitment and capabilities to the North American retail marketplace.

Energy is a very important industry around the world. As global economies remain relatively healthy, the need for energy production and distribution is substantial, according to Boquist. However, like many industries, the energy industry is struggling to source new talent and qualified workers to drive growth and meet demand. Growing an organization can be challenging, especially when theres a shrinking talent pool, Boquist added.

Auto and transportation issues are a particular challenge for retail energy customers, he said. Not only does the industry work hard to prevent fatigue while driving, distractions, and substance use, but theyre having to do so with more workers sourced from a diminished hiring pool of candidates. This puts a premium on hiring and training practices supported by management commitment to organizational safety and accountability.

While facing growth challenges, retail energy companies are also operating amid a worldwide cultural shift towards green and renewable energy initiatives. The industry is under pressure to find different sources of energy, or to use the sources it already has in a more efficient and clean manner for the environment.

I think it makes sense that energy companies are investing in alternative sources of fuel and production  theyre in the business of producing energy, Boquist told Insurance Business. Whether theyre finding better and cleaner ways to produce energy by traditional hydrocarbon methods, or by engaging in development and build out of renewable energy sources, the energy industry is incredibly innovative in how it pushes technology forward.

That push can drive better risk, introduce new risks, or even trade one risk off for another. Good risk management involves engagement by energy companies with their brokers and agents to partner with insurance companies that understand the challenges they face and have the skillset to work with them to develop solutions.
A trash truck driver who had marijuana in his system likely caused a fatal collision last year with an Amtrak train that was carrying Republican lawmakers, federal investigators concluded.

The National Transportation Safety Boards final report said the crash in rural Virginia was likely caused by the truck drivers decision to go around a rail crossings lowered safety gates. The agency also cited the drivers inaction while stopped on the tracks.

Drugs likely played a role as well, the NTSB said. The drivers blood contained the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana as well as an anti-seizure medication for which investigators found no prescription.

The ensuing collision killed a passenger in the trash truck and severely injured another. Several people on the train were hurt, including a congressman who suffered a concussion.

The train was carrying Congress members to a strategy retreat at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The crash occurred in Crozet, just outside of Charlottesville.

The report said marijuana impairment is evident through slower decision-making and noted the drivers indecision when he encountered obstacles while trying to cross the tracks.

The truck drivers lack of response after stopping the truck and being positioned between two obstacles for several seconds is an example of slow decision-making, the report said.

The trash trucks driver, Dana William Naylor Jr., had already been indicted locally on involuntary manslaughter and DUI charges.

But a charge of maiming under the influence was dropped after a judge ruled out certain scientific testimony and blood evidence, the Daily Progress reported .

Last month, a jury found Naylor not guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He still faces civil suits filed by people who were on the train.

William Tanner, Naylors attorney during the criminal trial, did not immediately respond to a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment on the NTSBs report.

The NTSBs findings may have little impact on Naylor.

NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway wrote in an email that the agency does not have any enforcement authority and that there is no legal action that can be taken by the board.

Former Minnesota Republican Congressman Jason Lewis was in one of the trains passenger cars and suffered a concussion after his head struck a seat.

There but for the grace of God it could have been a lot worse for some of us on the train, Lewis said.

Lewis said the crash raises concerns about driving under the influence of marijuana at a time when the drug is being legalized in more states across the U.S.

We have to find a way to prevent this sort of thing, said Lewis, who lives in Woodbury, Minnesota, outside St. Paul.

Most people dont want to go back to prohibition, but theyre certainly opposed to drunk driving, he said. You can be the most ardent advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, but nobody I know would want somebody who is high on the job.

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Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto Cannabis Personal Auto Virginia Politics
Officials at a Vermont hospital say the information of more than 72,000 people may have been exposed during an email hack.

Rutland Regional Medical Center says the email accounts had information such as patient names, medical records and contact information, as well as more than 3,500 Social Security numbers.

The breach was first discovered in December after an employee noticed a large number of spam emails sent from their account.

Affected patients received letters from the hospital earlier this week.

Loyal Wescott, who received a letter, tells WCAX-TV that he should have been notified weeks ago.

Hospital officials have not confirmed whether any information from the affected email accounts was accessed.

RRMC President and CEO Claudio Fort says the system has taken steps to prevent this from happening again.

Information from: WCAX-TV

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Cyber
Rescuers in eastern China pulled a survivor from rubble early on Saturday [March 23], two days after a massive explosion at a pesticide plant killed at least 64 people, flattening nearby buildings and shattering windows more than a mile away.

Officials said more than two dozen people were still missing and hundreds had been injured in Thursdays blast at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in the city of Yancheng, in Jiangsu province on Chinas east coast.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, but an editorial in the China Daily newspaper said it was likely to be identified as a serious accident caused by human negligence.

The company, Tianjiayi Chemical Co.  which produces more than 30 organic chemical compounds, some highly flammable  had a history of safety violations and had been punished repeatedly, state news agency Xinhua said.

A team from Chinas cabinet, the State Council, pledged to leave no stones unturned during the investigation and said those found responsible would be held to account.

It called for tougher supervision over the production and storage of hazardous chemical substances and strengthened enforcement of safety regulations, Xinhua said, ordering a comprehensive check of safety hazards in diverse industrial sectors, it said.

At the Xiangshui Peoples Hospital, one of more than a dozen in the area tending to survivors, the ward corridors were filled with temporary beds for the wounded.

I was just going to collect my wages when it blew up, said a worker who identified himself as Zuo, whose home close to the plant was destroyed by the blast.

I dont even have a home to go to now, he said, his head covered in bloody gauze.

The hospital was relying on dozens of unpaid volunteers.

No one is thinking about how people will pay their medical bills at the moment  the priority is rescuing them and worrying about fees later, said one volunteer identifying himself by his surname Jiang, who was sent to help out at the hospital by his employers on Friday.

Public Anger Grows

Public anger over safety standards has grown in China over industrial accidents, ranging from mining disasters to factory fires, that have marred three decades of swift economic growth.

In 2015, 165 people were killed in explosions at a chemical warehouse in the northern city of Tianjin, one of the worlds busiest ports, which is not far from the capital, Beijing.

Despite repeated government pledges to tighten safety, disasters have hit chemical plants in particular, with 23 people killed in November in a series of blasts during the delivery of a flammable gas at a chemical maker.

After Thursdays blast in Yancheng, police, some wearing face masks, sealed off roads to what was left of the devastated, smoldering plant.

Windows were smashed in the village of Wangshang two kilometers (1.2 miles) away, where stunned residents likened it to an earthquake.

A provincial official told Reuters on Saturday the accident has shown that the market for dangerous chemicals has grown too quickly and production to meet demand has expanded too crudely.

President Xi Jinping, who is in Italy on a state visit, ordered all-out efforts to care for the injured and to earnestly maintain social stability, state television said.

Authorities must step up action to prevent such incidents and determine the cause of the blast as quickly as possible, Xi said.

There has recently been a series of major accidents, and all places and relevant departments must fully learn the lessons from these, the report cited Xi as saying.

Cheng Jie, an official with the environment bureau, told reporters the priority was to ensure contaminated water does not leak into the public water supply system.

The Jiangsu environmental protection bureau said late on Friday that a team of 126 inspectors found various degrees of contamination in local water samples, with nitrobenzene concentrations exceeding standards at one location.

Some volatile organic chemical measurements far exceeded surface water standards, by 15 times in one case, the Jiangsu bureau said.

(Reporting by David Stanway; writing by John Ruwitch; editing by Tom Hogue and Helen Popper)

Topics China Chemicals
Marsh & McLennan Cos. (MMC) announced on Friday, March 22 that the European Commission has approved its $5.6 billion acquisition of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc.

All regulatory and competition authority approvals required to close the transaction have now been satisfied, said MMC.

The deal was first announced in September 2018.

JLT shareholders approved the deal last November. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department cleared the deal of anti-trust concerns in October.

A hearing at the UK High Court has been set for March 29, 2019. Subject to the courts approval, the transaction is expected to close on April 1, MMC affirmed.

The deal, which was hammered out in about 11 days between MMC CEO Dan Glaser and JLT Group CEO Dominic Burke, looks to b one of the largest ever involving insurance brokers. Last year, KKR & Co. and Canadas Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec acquired USI Insurance Services for $4.3 billion.

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Topics Legislation
A fight between beer giants escalated after MillerCoors filed a lawsuit against Anheuser-Busch that accused its rival of trying to frighten consumers into switching to Bud Light with misleading Super Bowl ads.

MillerCoors said in the lawsuit filed in Wisconsin federal court that St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has spent as much as $30 million on a false and misleading campaign, including $13 million in its first commercials during this years Super Bowl. The ad showed a medieval caravan pushing a huge barrel of corn syrup to castles for MillerCoors to make Miller Lite and Coors Light. The commercial states that Bud Light isnt brewed with corn syrup.

Chicago-based MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch have the biggest U.S. market share at 24.8 percent and 41.6 percent, respectively, but theyve been losing business in recent years to smaller independent brewers, imports, and wine and spirits, according to the Brewers Association.

Anheuser-Buschs ad drew a rebuke from the National Corn Growers Association, which thanked MillerCoors for its support. In its lawsuit, MillerCoors said its not ashamed of its use of corn syrup as a fermentation aid.

Corn syrup is used by several brewers during fermentation. During that process, corn syrup is broken down and consumed by yeast so none of it remains in the final product. Bud Light is brewed with rice instead of corn syrup, but Anheuser-Busch uses corn syrup in some of its other beers, including Stella Artois Cidre and Busch Light.

Responding to the lawsuit, Anheuser-Busch said its campaign is truthful and designed to bring consumers transparency about whats in the beer they drink.

MillerCoors lawsuit is baseless and will not deter Bud Light from providing consumers with the transparency they demand, said Gemma Hart, the vice president of communications at Anheuser-Busch. We stand behind the Bud Light transparency campaign and have no plans to change the advertising.

MillerCoors maintains Anheuser-Busch is preying on health conscious consumers who have negative connotations of corn syrup, sometimes confusing it with the high-fructose corn syrup in sodas.

Anheuser-Busch is fearmongering over a common beer ingredient it uses in many of its own beers, as a fermentation aid that is not even present in the final product. This deliberate deception is bad for the entire beer category, Marty Maloney, a MillerCoors spokesman, said in a statement.

MillerCoors wants a judge to order Anheuser-Busch to stop the ads and to give MillerCoors any profits it earned as a result of the campaign. Besides the television commercials, Anheuser-Busch has spread its campaign through social media, full-page newspaper ads, and billboards placed in Milwaukee.

MillerCoors said its competitors campaign is intended to irreparably harm the companys reputation.

The feud threatens to disrupt an alliance between the two companies to work on a campaign to promote the beer industry amid declining sales.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Wisconsin
Rooted in the bungalows of Beverly and home to thousands of cops, firefighters and teachers, the 19th Ward by far had more voters hit the polls in February than any other ward in the city  21,375 of them, or a 57 percent turnout. The alderman there, Matt OShea, has endorsed Lightfoot, pointing to the belief of many city employees in his ward that shell do more to protect their pensions than Preckwinkle, who at one time proposed changes to pension benefits at the county.
Soon after Lion Air Flight 610 plummeted into the Java Sea last October, killing all 189 people aboard, Boeing Co. began to point gingerly toward mistakes the airline may have made.

A preliminary report by Indonesian authorities recounted the trouble pilots had with a litany of mechanical woes. That same day, Boeing released its own summary of the findings. The aircraft maker didnt draw conclusions. But it focused on other factors  potential miscues by maintenance crews and then by pilots who didnt follow a checklist on the 737 Max 8 jets final flight.

The November statement set off Lion Airs founder, Rusdi Kirana. In public, days later, he said he felt betrayed by what he saw as a shifting of blame. In a conference call, he hurled expletives at Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg, according to a person who heard the exchange and asked for anonymity to describe the private conversation.

Boeings narrative largely held  until Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed minutes after takeoff this month. Now scrutiny is landing on the iconic American planemaker, facing Congressional hearings and law enforcement investigations into how it handled its own responsibilities to guarantee the safety of the 737 Max planes. At the heart of the questions is the almost fraternal relationship between the company and its regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration.

As both pushed for savings and efficiency, alarms sounded. In one previously unreported case involving a separate aircraft program, a Boeing engineer sued three years ago, claiming he was fired for flagging safety problems that might have slowed development. Boeing has denied the claims.

Some FAA inspectors raised similar concerns, saying the agency had given Boeing too much responsibility for its own safety checks. The FAA manager at the center of complaints that triggered a federal audit seven years ago is now, after a stint at an aerospace lobbying group, in charge of safety for the agency.

The official, Ali Bahrami, was a vocal supporter of delegating authority. He would tell FAA staffers that Boeing knew the systems and the rules and that the company could handle the program, said one former employee in the office. Bahrami, who wasnt at the agency during the certification of the 737 Max, declined to comment for this article.

Own Nation

The office, in the Seattle area, defaulted to Boeing  and didnt answer to headquarters staff back in Washington either, said Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general for the Transportation Department. They were a nation unto themselves, and basically they treated themselves as independent, she said in an interview this week.

The FAA defended the delegation program, noting that similar approaches are also used by Canadian and European regulators. In a statement, the agency said certification of the 737 Max took about five years and that it received no complaints about pressure to speed the process. FAA has never allowed companies to police themselves or self-certify their aircraft, it said. Delegation extends the rigor of the FAA certification process to other recognized professionals, thereby multiplying the technical expertise.

Boeing says the designated representatives participate in regular training and receive guidance and oversight from the FAA.

Still, weeks after the Lion Air crash, the U.S. Transportation Department inspector generals office obtained information that raised concerns about the 737 Maxs certification, according to people familiar with the matter.

An investigation initiated then by federal law-enforcement agents focuses on how Boeing won approval for stall-prevention software implicated in the crash, and why it wasnt flagged in pilot manuals, Bloomberg News reported.

For Boeing, these are extraordinarily sensitive inquiries, casting doubt on both the aircraft that supplies a third of its profit, and its tight relationship with regulators. In recent years, Boeings variations on popular planes, including the 737 Max 8 and 9, and the 787-9 and 787-10, entered the market smoothly and on time, a rarity in the industry.

Boeing and its main rival, Airbus SE, have focused on upgrading existing airplanes with new engines, saving tens of billions of dollars that would be required to design them from scratch. Theyve successfully argued to regulators that planes like the Max and the Airbus A330neo are similar enough to older versions to share the same airworthiness certificate. Doing so narrows the scope of certification. It also saves money for customers by shortening pilot training.

In a statement Friday, Boeing stressed that safety is our highest priority as we design, build and support our airplanes.

Jet Inspections

In a decades-old system, the FAA lets engineers employed by manufacturers themselves oversee tests and vouch for safety. At Boeing, the work is monitored by the FAA certification office in the Seattle area, where most of the jetliners are designed and assembled.

The Transportation Department in turn oversees the FAA, and an audit in the 1990s found that 95 percent of the 777 was inspected and certified by Boeing itself, said Schiavo, the former inspector general. Shes now an aviation attorney and the author of a 1997 expose, Flying Blind, Flying Safe, contending the agency hasnt done enough to protect travelers because of persistent conflicts of interest.

In 2005, the FAA shifted even more authority to manufacturers under an approach pushed by then-chief Marion Blakey, who later ran the Aerospace Industries Association, the industrys main lobbyist. She insisted staff refer to airlines and aircraft makers as customers and billed the changes as a way to promote efficiency. Under the new rules, which took effect in 2009, the agency let Boeing pick the employees who would vouch for its safety. Previously, the company only nominated them.

Bahrami, now the FAAs top safety official, is himself a former aircraft engineer. When he managed the agencys Seattle office, Boeing was under enormous pressure to complete the 787 Dreamliner, which was billions of dollars over budget. Airbus had also startled Boeing by stealing customers with its updated A320neo, forcing Boeing into its own update: the 737 Max.

iPad Course

A big selling point for the Max was that pilots wouldnt need to be drilled on its finer points in a flight simulator; it handled so similarly to a preceding generation of 737 that they could teach themselves via a take-home iPad course.

The Dreamliner won certification and entered service in 2011, three years late. At the same time, scrutiny of the shift in delegation to the company was mounting. The Transportation Department inspector general said in a report that year that the FAA has not ensured engineers are adequately trained to perform their expanded enforcement responsibilities.

The next year, a Transportation Department special investigator wrote to the FAAs audit chief, telling him that employees in the office run by Bahrami had complained the agency wasnt holding Boeing accountable. The memo detailed cases where people had told the investigator that managers were slow to address safety issues, and said many feared retaliation for speaking up.

In January 2013, after the Dreamliner had flown 52,000 hours with paying customers, the FAA grounded it when lithium-ion batteries on two planes caught fire within a week. It was the first time the agency had grounded a model since 1979. Boeing designed an FAA-approved fix and the planes were flying again within three months.

FAA managers including Bahrami were called before a National Transportation Safety Board hearing that April that laid bare the scope of the agencys reliance on Boeing. The NTSB later found that a test of the batterys flammability  driving a nail into it  was inadequate and faulted FAA for failing to catch the design deficiency.

Lobbyist Job

Within a few months, Bahrami took a job as vice president of civil aviation at the Aerospace Industries Association, whose members include Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corp. and other industry giants. His compensation there rose to $315,228 in 2016, tax filings show.

In congressional testimony in 2013, representing the association, he applauded the delegation of the FAAs work. While industry has continued to grow, certification offices have been facing budget cuts, hiring freezes and furloughs, he said. Expecting the FAA to keep pace with industry while conducting business as usual is not realistic.

In November 2013, as Boeing worked its way past the Dreamliner fiasco, the company launched the 777X, with a wingspan so wide that the tips fold to squeeze into airport gates. This one, too, was a derivative of previous models and deemed to require less-extensive certification and training.

Whistleblowers Fears

The next year, a Boeing engineer named Michael Neely took a temporary assignment on the 777X at the companys offices near Seattle. His managers asked him to evaluate a plan to adapt a power-distribution system from the preceding version of the 777, according to a lawsuit he later filed seeking protected whistleblower status. The idea was to require minimal changes, according to the suit.

After a month, Neely reported that the plan wasnt feasible or safe. Managers ignored him, the suit says, and sent the plan on to the electrical contractor, a General Electric Co. unit. Supervisors began evaluating Neely poorly in 2015 and fired him in 2016, when he sued.

In its statement on Friday, Boeing said: We encourage an open culture of sharing information on quality and safety. We would never dismiss an employee on the grounds of raising a safety concern.

GE reported within months of receiving its contract that Boeings plan was inadequate and would have to be substantially expanded, according to court documents. Depositions and internal emails filed in connection with the suit offer a glimpse into the culture at the Boeing Commercial Airplanes business, known as BCA. They portray it as lacking the clear responsibility and authority structures that Neely, an engineer for 33 years, was accustomed to at Boeings space and defense operation in Huntsville, Alabama.

In BCA, there is more of a culture of people who know grabbing things and running with them if they have the knowledge and skills, Martin Weikart, then a Boeing employee and one of the FAAs authorized representatives, wrote in one message to Neely. I agree it is not a good way to run a big business. But I think it is part of the culture that we are fighting to get under control.

Boeing has painted Neely as unreliable. In its motion to dismiss the suit, Boeing said he didnt get along with co-workers and violated policy on expensing alcoholic drinks with dinner.

The safety-related whistleblower claims were dismissed because of lack of jurisdiction, and are now before an administrative law judge at the Labor Department; the suit also claims age discrimination and violations of securities law. Neely is now representing himself. He declined to comment on the specifics of the case because of the ongoing litigation, but said he was encouraged by the 737 Max investigations.

Cutting Costs

Under Muilenburg, a Boeing lifer who became CEO in 2015, the company has focused on reducing costs and boosting productivity to generate record amounts of cash. As share repurchases helped triple Boeings stock price, executives and long-time employees alike have benefited handsomely. Muilenburg has collected $88 million since the year he took over as CEO, proxy filings show.

The 737 Max, certified by the FAA and delivered to a Lion Air subsidiary in 2017, seemed like another success.

That same year, Bahrami returned to the FAA as associate administrator for aviation safety in the Trump administration. At one industry event, he told air-cargo carriers that he was especially excited about working with manufacturers to correct safety issues; since 2015, he said, enforcement actions had dropped 70 percent. We used to measure success by how high our stack of hate mail was, he said. Thats no longer the case.

In their first year, the 737 Max planes carried 6.5 million passengers for more than 118,000 hours, with what Boeing said was the highest schedule reliability  99.4 percent  of any new airplane. Then came the crash of the Lion Air flight in October, carrying, as the Indonesian report tabulated, the flight crew and 181 passengers consisting of 178 adults, one child and two infants.

Software Trouble

Within weeks, investigators began focusing on the stall-prevention software, one of the supposedly minimal changes Boeing had made. In a testy meeting with Boeing executives in November, American Airlines Group Inc. pilots wanted to know why the software wasnt highlighted as a key difference.

Our entire relationship changed after that meeting, said Dennis Tajer, a 737 captain and a spokesman for the American pilots union. I dont need to know about every rivet, but I do need to know about something thats going to take over my airplane.

The system baffled the Lion Air pilots by pushing down the planes nose about two dozen times, exerting force until they lost control. Five months later, the Ethiopian Airlines jet went down in circumstances that authorities say are similar.

On March 13, the U.S. ordered airlines to stop flying the 737 Max. Its the second grounding in six years for a nearly new Boeing model, both since the FAA shifted more oversight to the company.

That same day, employees working on the 777X had a low-key party to celebrate a milestone. The first plane had been finished, right on time.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits Training Development Aviation Aerospace
Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith has called for a broad effort by the technology sector to do more to halt posting and accessing of violent materials like the videos of killings from the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand.

Words alone are not enough. Across the tech sector, we need to do more. Especially for those of us who operate social networks or digital communications tools or platforms that were used to amplify the violence, its clear that we need to learn from and take new action based on what happened in Christchurch, he wrote in the company blog on Sunday as he and others from his company began a visit to New Zealand.

He said the tech sector bears responsibility to act, even in places such as the U.S. where laws generally do not hold platforms liable for the content they publish. Courts have turned aside lawsuits against Facebook and Twitter that allege they had some responsibility for terrorist attacks.

As [New Zealand] Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern noted last week, gone are the days when tech companies can think of their platforms akin to a postal service without regard to the responsibilities embraced by other content publishers. Even if the law in some countries gives digital platforms an exemption from decency requirements, the public rightly expects tech companies to apply a higher standard, he stated.

He said the technology cannot solve this problem by itself but that it needs to consider what additional controls people working at tech companies should apply when it comes to the posting of violent material.

There are legal responsibilities that need to be discussed as well. Its a complicated topic with important sensitivities in some parts of the tech sector. But its an issue whose importance can no longer be avoided, Smith wrote.

He said that the responsibility to come up with solutions is shared by all technology firms and not just those on the hot seat at a time of controversy.

The question is not just what technology did to exacerbate this problem, but what technology and tech companies can do to help solve it. Put in these terms, there is room  and a need  for everyone to help, he stated.

This is the type of serious challenge that requires broad discussion and collaboration with people in governments and across civil society around the world, he added.

The Microsoft executive and legal counsel suggested there are three areas where efforts should be focused:

The first is prevention, that is stopping perpetrators from posting and sharing acts of violence against innocent people. He suggested that new technologies including AI could help identify violent content while browser-based solutions like safe search might block the accessing of such content.

Second, he said the industry needs to respond more effectively to moments of crisis. The tech sector should consider creating a major event protocol, in which technology companies would work from a joint virtual command center during a major incident.

Third, the industry should work to foster a healthier online environment and digital civility. There are too many days when online commentary brings out the worst in people, he noted. While theres obviously a big leap from hateful speech to an armed attack, it doesnt help when online interaction normalizes in cyberspace standards of behavior that almost all of us would consider unacceptable in the real world.

Tech firms have taken some steps to limit violent content. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft in 2016 started sharing a database of digital fingerprints assigned to militant content to help each other identify the same content on their platforms.

In 2017, Facebook said it was using image matching and language understanding to identify and remove content quickly.

Facebook uses artificial intelligence for image matching to see if a photo or video matches any from groups it has defined as terrorist, and it analyzes text that has removed for supporting militant organizations to help better identify such propaganda.

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Topics InsurTech Tech
Warren Buffett, often ahead of the curve, sounded like a disrupter in a 2004 shareholder letter. Fifteen years ago, Buffett wrote, Insurers have generally earned poor returns for a single reason: They sell a commodity-like product. Policy forms are standard, and the product is available from many suppliers, some of whom are mutual companies (owned by their policyholders rather than stockholders) with profit goals that are limited. Moreover, most insureds dont care from whom they buy. Customers by the millions say, I need some Gillette blades or Ill have a Coke, but we wait in vain for Id like a National Indemnity policy, please. Consequently, price competition in insurance is usually fierce.

Although his statements contain fundamental flaws, Buffett thinks he has found the answer to the perceived problem and has joined the Disrupter League (yes, this is a made-up term). Berkshire Hathaway recently announced the launch of THREE, a dangerous attempt to simplify multiple insurance contracts for small business owners.

Buffett introduced THREE stating, Insurance is important protection for any business, but few small businesses have the time to actually read through the policy forms that are supposed to protect them. With THREE a small business can be confident in the protection it is getting, because the whole policy can be read in a few moments. Every day, Americas small businesses prove that great things come in small packages. Now they can get insurance on the same basis.

THREE, as its name foreshadows, is a three-page small-business policy Berkshire Hathaway insists is easy to read, understand and apply. Buffetts intent is to replace multiple policies and endorsements with one, three-page policy. The seven coverages included in this policy are:

Property coverage;

General liability coverage;

Auto coverage;

Errors and omissions coverage;

Directors and officers liability coverage;

Cyber coverage; and

Workers compensation coverage.

THREEs easy-to-read policy language can be found here for your review. Lets see if Buffetts team met the insureds needs.

Gaps and Problems

Combining and condensing functionally and factually dissimilar coverages inevitably leads to gaps and other unanswered problems. THREE proves this. This is a policy with holes and problems. How bad is it? Lets take a look at a few of the key issues.

Property coverage holes, gaps and issues:

Business property. The policy extends protection to property your business owns or leases  thats it. While that sounds great, this grant of coverage doesnt address other property normally covered by the BOP such as: Property of others; Tenants improvements and betterments (they are not owned by the insured or leased, see this article for details); Animals owned by others and boarded by the insured; and Exterior building glass the insured is required to cover by the lease;

Ordinance or law. Although limited to increased cost of construction in the BOP, ordinance or law coverage can be added by endorsement. The three-pager excludes ordinance or law coverage and offers no endorsements to add the coverage back;

Business income limitation. The BOP provides actual loss sustained for up to 12 months without a specified limit (there are still problems here, but thats a different discussion). According to the three-page policy, there is an applicable limit on the Summary;

Business income does not appear to cover the payroll of anyone who is an officer, executive, department manager, or an employee under contract. Re-read their definition of Net Income if you dont believe me and give me a different interpretation;

appear to cover the payroll of anyone who is an officer, executive, department manager, or an employee under contract. Re-read their definition of Net Income if you dont believe me and give me a different interpretation; Extended business income is not addressed. Maybe thats what the policy means by normal operations, but its not specified. THREE seems to have mixed definitions, thus coverage is not clear and probably not there;

Business Income  Dependent Property Coverage. There is no dependent property coverage at all. Although limited in the BOP, it can be increased as needed;

Debris removal is not addressed. Again, the three-pager says it will pay for damage to the building and personal property, but it doesnt say if it will pay to remove the debris of the damage building/personal property;

Extra expense in the three-pager is subject to the business income limit found in the previously-referenced Summary. This is not the case in the BOP where extra expense is not subject to a limit, only a 12 month period;

Pollution is fully excluded by Buffetts policy. The BOP gives coverage for damage caused by pollution released by a specified cause of loss. The BOP also gives coverage for pollution extraction in certain circumstances;

Newly acquired buildings. The BOP extends coverage to newly acquired buildings. Buffetts policy only covers listed buildings;

Valuation. It is not clear whether losses are settled on a replacement cost or actual cash value basis. The policy says it will pay to repair or replace, but it doesnt say on what basis. Without specificity, I can argue either side; and

Other property coverages in the BOP not found in Buffetts policy include: Civil Authority, Money Orders and Counterfeit Money, Forgery or Alternation, Fire Extinguisher Systems Recharge, Personal Effects, and various other traditionally covered property.

Liability Gaps

Liability coverages included in this form are general, professional liability and directors and officers liability. Buffett has created a few gaps in his attempt to disrupt and/or simplify these standard forms:

Defense. Is defense within or outside the coverage limits? The three-page policy does not specifically say. Although the policy states, We will provide legal counsel to defend such claims; it does not say if such cost is in addition to the policy limits or a part of the policy limits. Lack of clarity creates its own issues;

Deductible. The three-pager states that there is a liability deductible and that the company will pay the loss and bill the insured for the deductible once the loss is settled;

Pollution. The pollution exclusion in THREEs policy is truly absolute. The BOPs pollution exclusion mirrors the CGLs and is not absolute. In fact, there are several express and implied exceptions to the pollution exclusion in the BOP and CGL;

Contractually assumed liability is completely excluded in Buffetts policy. ISOs BOP has an insured contract exception as does the CGL. Such exception is definitely needed for any insured who signs a lease or any other contract;

Additional insureds. Wording in the THREE policy does not provide ANY coverage on the general liability side the additional insured expects or needs. In essence, naming an additional insured extends little to no protection (even less than that extended by the BOP or CGL). The policy reads: When listed Additional Insureds or employees of your business act on its behalf, they are also covered. At what point does an additional insured ever act on behalf of the named insured? Generally, the named insured is acting on behalf of and for the benefit of the additional insured. Essentially, AIs that are held vicariously (or even jointly) liable for the actions of the named insured are not protected which violates the purpose of being an AI;

Insured status. Beyond the named insured, the only persons/entities covered in THREEs policy are employees and named additional insureds (to the extent mentioned above). The BOP and the CGL have a list of who qualifies as an insured. Who is an insured varies based on entity type; also, there are other automatic insureds beyond just employees. Buffetts policy leaves a large number of people (and entities) uninsured;

No personal and advertising injury coverage. The policy covers an occurrence which is defined as an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions. Every act defined within the BOPs and CGLs meaning of personal and advertising injury is an intentional act and does not fall under the meaning of an occurrence;

Medical payment coverage is missing; and

Directors and officers issues: Is the business covered or just the employees individually? The policy says it will cover claims against directors and officers. Is it indemnification or on behalf of? Coverage does not appear to be full prior acts coverage due to this wording, the very first line in the policy, This policy only covers your business for loss caused by occurrences during the policy period. Further, there is no method for purchasing nose or tail coverage. The definition of occurrence does not pick up wrongful acts  which is what is generally covered by D&O policies. Review the very first paragraph of the policy. No consent to settle clause. The insured has no say in whether a D&O claim is settled. The policy states, For liability claims, we will have the right to decide how to prepare for and defend any potential claim, and to decide if a claim should be settled. (This same issue applies to the E&O coverage.)



Auto Coverage

At least 27 holes, gaps and issues are present in just these two coverage grants; but we arent done analyzing the policy just yet. Lets turn now to the auto coverage.

Protection for autos is limited to specified autos only. If the vehicle is not listed in the Summary, its not covered. There does not appear to be an option that is equal to ISOs Symbol 1  Any Auto. Whats worse, the insured doesnt even get the 30-day automatic coverage found in Symbol 7. The auto must be listed to be covered;

No hired and non-owned liability coverage is available. Again, it only covers listed autos and there is no wording to extend coverage for autos owned by others driven on the insureds behalf. Even though the insured is covered under the other persons or entitys policy, it doesnt have any excess protection if the other partys limits are insufficient;

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is not addressed. I guess this wording could extend such protection when required by law, Should any part of this policy, on its effective date, conflict with the laws of the state where your business is based, then that part of this policy will be automatically amended to meet the minimum requirements of those laws. I guess any insured in a state that does not require UM and/or UIM protection does not have the option for such coverage;

Insured status is unclear. ISOs BAP extends protection to anyone using a covered auto. THREE extends insured status to the named insured and employees only (ignoring AIs at the moment). What if someone other than an employee is driving a business-owned vehicle? I guess they arent protected;

The lack of necessary endorsements. When an insured purchases or leases a vehicle often they must attach specific endorsements to extend protection and/or rights to certain entities such as the loss payee or the lessor. This is not an option in THREEs policy; and

Drive Other Car coverage is not an option.

Like the liability section, the business auto cover is also subject to problems or questions surrounding defense coverage, deductibles, and the lack of medical payments coverage. Generally, auto liability coverage is NOT subject to a deductible, but that does not appear to be the case in this policy. Likewise, medical payments, a staple of business auto policies, is not covered in this section.

Workers Compensation

THREEs workers compensation protection is quite fascinating. What NCCI takes six pages to expound upon, THREE covers in one paragraph. Do you think its possible something might get missed  by THREE? Lets explore.

Extraterritoriality and reciprocity. This may be an area where Buffett has done better than the system. NCCIs policy extends coverage to employees only in listed states. This policy does not require a state be listed for coverage to apply. But I doubt the underwriters or actuaries understand the liability they have taken on with this overly broad coverage grant; and

Employers liability coverage is not expressly provided in THREEs coverage. Employers liability is a major gap filler between workers compensation and coverage provided by the CGL. However, there is no exclusion in the liability coverage for employee-based injuries as is found in the CGL. So, the lack of an exclusion may extend employers liability protection  whether intended or not; and

Fellow employee coverage. Unlike most other property and casualty contracts, NCCIs policy extends protection to only one party  the named insured. There is no list of who qualifies as an insured because the only party subject to the workers compensation law is the employer; again, the named insured. If an employee sues another employee for an injury (which is allowed in some states), the work comp policy does not respond. Likewise, ISOs general liability policy specifically excludes from coverage any cause arising out of an injury to an employee (other than a third-party-over contractual exception). So, even though an employee is an insured in the CGL, he/she is not protected for suit by a fellow employee. However, Buffetts policy states that both the employer and employees are insureds in the policy irrespective of coverage part. Further, there is no exception or exclusion for co-employee suits in this section, so there is coverage.

In a strange twist of fate, THREEs policy may be the best option for the workers compensation exposure  if allowed in a state. But even with these potentially beneficial features, there are many employment relationships that may or may not be adequately addressed by this policy such as subcontracted labor, a PEO arrangement, employees hired from a temp agency, de facto employees or borrowed servants. Workers compensation is far more complicated than is expressed by this one paragraph.

Final Considerations

Granted, as mentioned previously, Buffetts form does offer three rarely packaged coverages (cyber coverage, errors and omissions, and directors and officers), but even these coverage grants lack specificity. A lack of specificity generally results in court dates to decide how the coverage responds. There isnt even enough in these policies to be considered ambiguous.

Beyond the issues laid out in this expose, there are many little problems not addressed. These little issues combine with the bigger issues already explored to ultimately result in major problems. Synergistically, this is a dangerous product.

Beyond the overt issues and gaps addressed, the greatest unseen problem with this policy is the inability to customize it to meet the insureds needs.

All insurance policies, including this one, are written for the average insured; the problem is, there is no such thing as an average insured. Endorsements exist to allow the insured to customize a policy to meet its unique exposures. Without the ability to customize, the insured is stuck with an inadequate option  especially if this policy is the chosen option.

One last consideration. Standard insurance policies, those intended to be replaced by this three-page wonder policy, contain many definitions, limitations and exclusions not listed in this policy (coverage territory, coinsurance requirements, flood and earthquake exclusions, a liquor liability exclusion, an other insurance clause, etc.). The question is, do the actuaries really understand what they have? If or since there is no apparent sense of reality, the actuaries have likely underpriced this protection. If, however, they do know what they have given the world and have adequately priced for it, the premiums would be so high no one would purchase it.

The only explanation for giving away exceptionally broader coverage, risking the court costs associated with ambiguities surrounding exclusions, or not address key issues is the apparent lack of concern over the ultimate costs. With large amounts of capital, sound underwriting, reasonable coverage grants and actuarially sound pricing are unnecessary. But Buffett has amazing amounts of money to invest in new offerings and absorb unexpected losses. According to a recent Reuters report, Berkshire Hathaway has nearly $104 billion in cash and is in the process of negotiating the sell of Applied Underwriters (which will give them more cash).

Unmistakable Conclusions

For someone who believes insurance is nothing but a commodity and that the insurance industry is full of also rans, Buffett is pushing a commodity that doesnt even live up to industry standards. THREEs policy does not even qualify as an also ran. Buffetts team has failed to produce a product that provides the confidence small business owners need. Further, the E&O nightmare agents could face from offering such a policy is unimaginable. Simpler does not mean better for any party involved in this policy.

Undoubtedly, some will take the bait and will not find the hooks in this policy until its too late. Shiny objects wrapped in technology, especially one cast into the waters by a respected name, will ultimately harm a lot of unsuspecting insureds. My hope is Buffett doesnt personally know what is lacking in this attempt.

As I completed this piece, a conspiracy theory filled my mind. Maybe Buffett is waiting for the industry to respond and point out all the problems so they can be fixed (using the industrys collective knowledge). But I dont know, thats sort of like believing Coke launched New Coke to increase demand for Classic Coke so they could ultimately win the Cola Wars. Coke execs always said they were neither that smart nor that stupid.

Topics Auto Workers' Compensation Profit Loss Property Pollution Professional Liability Small Business
The U.S. Supreme Court turned away an appeal by Amazon.com Inc.s Zappos unit, letting a lawsuit proceed over a 2012 hack that exposed the personal information of 24 million customers.

The online shoe and clothing retailer argued unsuccessfully that the customers couldnt sue without proof of concrete injury, such as the impending misuse of their information. The suit, allowed by a San Francisco-based federal appeals court, seeks class action status.

The rebuff is a setback for business groups, which urged the court to hear the appeal and tighten the rules for data-breach lawsuits. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said companies face similar suits over alleged vulnerabilities in internet-connected cars, home-security systems, childrens toys and medical devices.

The factual scenario this case presents  a database holding customers personal information is accessed, but virtually no identity theft or fraud results  is an increasingly common one, Zappos argued. The company says only two dozen people have ever claimed their data might have been misused because of the breach.

A San Francisco-based federal appeals court let the suit go forward, saying the sensitive nature of the stolen data, which included credit card information, left customers vulnerable to identity theft. The appeals court pointed to people who said their email accounts had been commandeered or credit cards fraudulently charged.

The suing customers face a substantial risk that the Zappos hackers will commit identity fraud or identity theft, Judge Michelle Friedland wrote for a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Lawyers for the customers pressing the suit urged the Supreme Court to reject the appeal.

The high court had been holding the appeal while it considered a case involving Alphabet Inc.s Google unit that raised similar issues. The justices sent that case back to a lower court to consider whether consumers pressing a privacy suit had legal standing to sue.

The case is Zappos.com v. Stevens, 18-225.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits Cyber USA Amazon
Baldwin Risk Partners (BRP), a Tampa-headquartered insurance distribution and consulting holding company, has appointed Dan Galbraith as chief operating officer.

Galbraith joins BRP with more than 15 years of operational and sales experience across multiple business lines. He comes to BRP from Stericycle where he served as senior vice president of Sales for their North America Compliance Services Businesses.

Galbraith started his career at Cintas Corporation where he held progressing operations and sales leadership roles across their business lines.

BRP is an insurance distribution holding company. In 2017, BRP partnered with firms across Florida in Bradenton, DeLand, Destin and Orlando. In 2018, BRP continued to partner with firms across Florida and expanded its footprint across the southeast, including the Texas, Alabama and Georgia markets. BRP was recently ranked the 43rd largest Independent Insurance Broker in the United States by Insurance Journal.

Topics Florida
The Alabama Supreme Court has upheld a lower courts ruling that an Alabama man who was wrongfully terminated is entitled to seek lost future earnings totaling $1.25 million.

The Hattiesburg American reported that the justices said Merchants Foodservice used faulty logic to argue against the award for former truck driver Denny Rice. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based company argued Rice shouldnt get lost future earnings because he had a new job that paid more.

The company didnt argue that Rice was rightfully terminated. The justices say the company didnt take into account that Rice had been paid more at Merchants and was working more hours at the new job to earn the higher pay.

The newspaper said Merchants has previously declined to comment on personnel matters.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Alabama
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is pushing back on a U.S. judges revised proposals to prevent the utilitys equipment from causing more wildfires, saying it could not monitor every tree at every moment of every day to ensure they dont pose a threat to its electric lines in violation of California laws.

Judge William Alsup earlier this month proposed requiring the company to fully comply with all vegetation management and clearance laws as part of its probation in a criminal case. Alsup called the utilitys efforts to prevent trees from hitting its power lines and starting wildfires dismal.

That requirement would likely result in probation violations because tree conditions are constantly changing, PG&E said in a court filing.

A tree that was compliant at the time of a prior inspection might become a non-compliant hazard tree one day later when it is damaged by a natural or man-made event or three months later after a bark beetle infestation has taken hold, attorneys for the company said.

Alsup should also leave assessments of PG&Es compliance with vegetation management laws to state law enforcement officials and regulators, the attorneys said.

PG&E also objected to Alsups proposal to ban it from paying dividends to shareholders until it meets his vegetation management requirements. The company said that requirement would substantially hamper its ability to raise money from investors, which in turn would affect its safety efforts.

The company has already suspended dividends and said it will not pay any at least until it emerges from bankruptcy.

The company sought bankruptcy protection in January in the face of billions of dollars in potential liability from recent wildfires.

Alsup is overseeing a criminal conviction against PG&E stemming from a 2010 gas line explosion that killed eight people in the San Francisco Bay Area. The judges proposals follow devastating wildfires in California in 2017 and 2018  some of which investigators have blamed on PG&E equipment. Alsup has said his goal is to prevent PG&E equipment from causing any wildfires during the 2019 fire season.

He initially proposed ordering PG&E to undertake more drastic measures, including removing or trimming all trees that could fall on its power lines and cutting off power during certain wind conditions.

Related:

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Legislation Wildfire
Western Growers has promoted Darcie Floyd to the insurance services team as the director of employee benefits.

Floyd will be responsible for supporting the production employee benefits to new and existing customers. She will also oversee employee benefit account executives.

Floyd has more than 20 years of experience. She previously with Der Manouel Insurance Group, Small Group Underwriting and Benefit Administration Corp.

Western Growers Insurance Services Inc. is the wholly-owned insurance brokerage of Western Growers, and offers risk management solutions to agricultural and related industry members in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.

Topics California
San Francisco, CA - March 25, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) BitGive, the first Bitcoin 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has announced a partnership to assist with aid in Venezuela. They have partnered with a US-based non-profit organization that is providing large-scale humanitarian aid in Venezuela. The ongoing economic crisis and political unrest has left the country in desolation with masses of refugees fleeing the country and thousands of innocent lives lost. Together, they have worked to onboard three new projects to GiveTrack, BitGive's flagship donation tracking platform. The first project will support Venezuelan orphans by providing food, clothes, shoes, medications, toys, and clean drinking water to orphans suffering in orphanages; the second will support animal shelters in Venezuela by providing high quality food, vitamins and supplements, flea and tick collars, and more; and the third will provide quality food and medicine for vulnerable adults and children in hospitals across Venezuela.

Connie Gallippi, Founder and Executive Director of BitGive, said, "We're really excited to onboard these new projects onto GiveTrack because we have the opportunity to make a real difference for a country in need. Our NGO partner has a tried-and-true reputation of uplifting individuals and rebuilding communities in South America through humanitarian aid. Now, with GiveTrack, we're able to showcase their work and commitment to the global Bitcoin community and hopefully inspire the community to donate to these worthy causes."

In addition to the Venezuelan projects, GiveTrack has also launched a new project in partnership with the Ukrainian Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Donations will support the registration of new bone marrow donors to help support the fight against blood cancer.

GiveTrack offers unprecedented transparency in the donation process, giving donors the ability to trace transactions on a public platform in real time. Donors can see exactly how their funds are spent and ensure that they reach their final destination. GiveTrack also provides donors with direct evidence-based reporting for their donations through milestones.

For more information on the projects and to donate, visit https://www.givetrack.org/.

BitGive Founder Connie Gallippi is available for interview

About BitGive:

BitGive was founded in 2013 by leading industry figure Connie Gallippi. Based in California, BitGive is the first Bitcoin 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the U.S. government. The organization aims to bridge the gap between the Bitcoin and Blockchain industry and its practical applications for humanitarian and nonprofit work.

BitGive facilitates the fundraising for charitable donations using bitcoin and remains dedicated to using today's cutting-edge financial technologies for social good. The first of its kind, BitGive is revolutionizing global philanthropy through technology with its flagship project, GiveTrack.

The organization has established strong partnerships and raised funds with prominent nonprofits that include Save the Children, The Water Project, TECHO, Code to Inspire, Run for Water, and Medic Mobile.

For more information, please visit www.bitgivefoundation.org.

More Info:

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Your lunchtime headlines ...

IRELAND: Carbon taxes to see fuel and energy bills soar

IRELAND: 'I'm already in prison': Lisa Smith tells US news report she wants 'to go home'

IRELAND: John Delaney to get six-figure salary in new role

BUSINESS: Cork Airport continues growth with further development

WORLD: A no-deal Brexit on April 12 is becoming "increasingly likely", the European Commission has warned.

WORLD: Key points: Robert Muellers report into Trump campaign

SPECIAL REPORT: The high cost of just staying alive: If you want to survive, you better be in a position where you can raise funds pronto, writes Michael Clifford

SPORT: Has Irish sport had enough indispensable men?

SPORT: Cork pay big price for Leeside losses

... SOME DISTRACTION

SHOWBIZ Dancing with the Stars: Mairead Ronan rules the world as first woman to win Glitterball

INTERIORS Open your mind to making an entrance

FEATURES The most honest account you will ever read about the onset of the menopause
According to the audit, on the outbreaks fifth day, veterans home officials wrote an email to staff saying: I want to reassure all staff that if we truly felt there was an issue with Legionella we would not put the Residents or Staff at risk. I ask that you please not panic and do not discuss this with the residents. The last thing we need is for the residents to get worried and upset.
So thats nearly Monday wrapped up. Heres some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

TO INFORM

Brexit: Three Brexit amendments selected for consideration in Commons

Hit and run: Boy, 3, rushed to hospital after hit-and-run in Cork city in 'serious condition'

Carbon taxes: Varadkar: 'Absolutely no chance' of four-fold increase in carbon taxes

Housing: Green light for 250 new homes on Cork city's southside

State benefits: Increases in state benefits come into effect this week

John Delaney: FAI staff call for clarification of associations financial arrangements with former CEO John Delaney

TO ENGAGE

Staying alive: Michael Clifford: The high cost of just staying alive

Readers' Blog: Readers' blog: Op-ed piece is nothing but a pack of Russian lies

TO ENTERTAIN

Male Anxiety: Five celebrities open up

Sex Advice: Were getting divorced  but were still having sex

MOST READ STORY

You destroyed my life': Woman left for dead recalls apologising as teenage boy tried to murder her
Agriculture minister Michael Creed has promised farmers a substantial aid package if they suffer losses as a result of new UK tariffs under a no-deal Brexit.

The Irish Farmers Association estimates that WTO tariffs on Irelands beef and livestock sector will impose a direct cost of 800m per year, devastating the 3bn industry and putting thousands of farmers out of business.

The beef sector is especially exposed to new tariffs, with half of all exports going to the UK.

The government will seek to provide domestic state aid such as grants and intervention, Mr Creed said. Dublin may also provide private storage aid (PSA) for the industry, an EU measure usually reserved for smoothing out seasonal imbalances between supply and demand.

In addition, Ireland would apply to the European Commission for exceptional aid under Common Market Organisation rules covering agricultural products, Mr Creed said.

We are very satisfied that the Commission recognises the necessity for that and we have a substantial package, he said.

What we have also secured is the ability of the exchequer here, under state aid rules, to also intervene. Ireland would seek EU financial aid based on the precedent set when exceptional support was given to the Baltic states and Finland following Russias 2014 ban on EU food imports, Mr Creed said. Moscow imposed the ban in retaliation for EU sanctions over the annexation of Crimea.

Mr Creed said Ireland would make a case to the Commission that support for its primary producers would limit any possible contagion from UK tariffs to other European countries.

Because otherwise, well be looking for a home for 300,000 tonnes of beef in other European Union markets, he said.

The fallout from the UK leaving the EU without a deal cannot be completely eliminated, he said, whatever the level of preparedness or government intervention.

There will be cost implications, there will be job implications, there will be profit implications.

And thats the tragic reality of Brexit, in any manifestation, he said.

- Reuters
Converting wood into food has enabled an American agricultural-biotechnology company called Arbiom to share in 10.9 million of EU funding.

Arbiom has successfully produced tonnes of its high-protein SylPro protein product from timber.

This product could well be a modern equivalent of the ancient alchemists dream of turning base metals into gold, because there is a growing deficit of sustainable protein acros the global food and agriculture industry.

For animal feed alone, the global protein ingredients market is set to surpass $200 billion (175bn) by 2024.

Soybean remains the most important and preferred source of high-quality vegetable protein for animal feed. But there is over-dependence on soya, and its cultivation drives deforestation.

The use of fish protein in animal feed puts pressure on our ocean ecosystems.

Because of these and other market factors, prices for proteins are undoubtedly going to rise in the future, so finding sustainable and affordable locally produced alternatives is seen as critical.

There is a huge amount of innovation in alternative protein ingredients, from insects to methane based products,

But Arbioms SylPro has become a front runner, as a more sustainable alternative with minimal impact on the environment, and less land and water required for its production.

It gained extra global exposure in last weeks Global Summit staged by the Hello Tomorrow organisation which is on a mission to unlock the power of new technologies to tackle the worlds toughest environmental, social and industrial

Out of 4,500 projects which took part, Arbiom was one of 70 start-up companies selected as finalists, to pitch to a select audience of 400 industry experts and investors in Paris.

Arbiom featured in the Industrial Biotech category, and was not one of the 12 winners, but its Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge appearance follows earlier participation in the high-profile European Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Aquaculture Innovation Showcase.

The Global Summit in Paris was another opportunity for Arbiom to showcase its new technology for converting wood into a protein-rich feed ingredient.

Last year, Arbiom was one of 12 winners in the US of the Triangle Business Journal Life Sciences Award for its work in transforming wood, the most sustainable and readily available carbon source in the world, into intermediate materials for applications in the feed, food, and chemicals industries.

Arbiom was also selected as a 2018 Nutreco Feed Tech Challenge finalist.

It produces SylPro from hardwood residues and waste.

SylPro is more than 60% crude protein, with enhanced amino acid profile and digestibility for use in animal feed.

Its not a typo ! Wood can be converted into Food, actually protein-rich animal feed and pet food @arbiom #NWBC_2018 @BBI2020 #BioEconomy pic.twitter.com/hDLuxklRn5  Bernard de Galembert (@boddegal) October 23, 2018

SylPro is a nutritional, economical, traceable, and sustainable protein-rich ingredient developed to solve the challenges of protein sourcing, and to improve gut health in aquaculture and livestock.

Technically, it is an enhanced strain of torula yeast (Candida utilis), a globally-approved feed and food ingredient with a history of safe use.

The breakthrough production of SylPro in tonnage volumes enables Arbiom to launch several animal feed trials in order to validate its nutritional quality as a protein source for several species  including salmon, tilapia, and hybrid striped bass in aquaculture, along with weanling pigs, and a number of pet animals.

Trial performance data measuring growth rate, body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio will be available in 2019. More studies to assess additional nutritional benefits of SylPro, such as growth promotion, gut health and palatability, will also take place this year.

Arbiom will hope to confirm that SylPro has significant benefits over other protein sources such as fish meal, and soy protein concentrate, and it is on a par with whey protein concentrate for nutritional quality.

Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, Arbiom also has offices in Paris, France, and Norton, Virginia, where it operates a pilot plant.

The funding it has been awarded by the EU will support the construction of a demonstration plant co-located with Norske Skog Golbeys pulp and paper site in the east of France.

Here, Arbiom will be one of the partners from five countries in the Sylfeed project, and its process of growing protein-rich microorganisms on pre-processed woody biomass, in order to produce the SylPro ingredient of more than 60% crude protein.

Biomass sourcing and industrial scale processing for the project is provided by Norske Skog Golbey, which is one of the leading newsprint producers in Europe

Also involved are Prayon, a global leader in phosphoric acid; Swedens Processum research centre; Icelands Matis research institute; stfoldforskning, a Norwegian firm; and the Laxa and Skretting aquaculture companies.

With Europe more than 70% dependent upon imports for its animal feed protein needs, Arbioms breakthrough and the Sylfeed project are ideal funding recipients.

Converting wood into food has enabled an American agricultural-biotechnology company called Arbiom to share in 10.9 million of EU funding.
The president of the High Court has struck off a radiographer after being satisfied she is simply a danger to the public due to her substandard knowledge of the basics of radiography and lack of insight into the dangers of that.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the case of Kashimbo Musonda, who worked for a short period in 2017 at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) before she was let go, once again underlined his concerns about the procedures for recruiting professionals to work in hospitals here.

The court heard Ms Musonda had to be registered to practice here in 2016 on foot of a 2006 letter from the Department of Health recognising her diploma in diagnostic radiography secured in 2005 in Zambia.

She was later recruited through the HSE's national recruitment service to work at UHW.

The judge said there must be questions about how recruitment policy and procedures could give rise to the employment of someone so lacking in basic skills as to be let go within two and a half weeks of her employment at the hospital.

He previously raised concerns about the recruitment of certain junior hospital doctors who lacked knowledge of the very basics of anatomy and procedures, he noted.

The judge also remarked the procedure for dealing with allegations of misconduct and poor professional performance under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is "entirely cumbersome" involving three hearings before three different bodies at huge costs before any application to the High Court.

"It is legislation that badly needs to be revisited and streamlined," he said.

He made the comments when granting an application by JP McDowell, solicitor for the Health and Social Professionals Council, for orders confirming the councils direction that Ms Musonda be struck off the councils register of radiographers entitled to practice here.

He confirmed an additional direction preventing Ms Musonda seeking to re-register for a period of 18 months and also ordered the relevant authorities in Zambia and Botswana, where she previously worked, be notified of the courts order.

Ms Musonda, with an address at Knapps Square, John Redmond Quay, Carrolls Quay, Cork, had previously worked in radiology departments in hospitals in Zambia and Botswana.

She had worked here for a time as a sonographer providing ultrasound services with a private firm, Affidea Diagnostics Ireland, before securing employment as a basic grade radiographer at UHW in February 2017 under a six-month contract.

The court was told concerns were raised within days about her practice but she was permitted continue working for a short time more under supervision before she was let go after two and a half weeks.

Complaints were made by UHW to the HSPC and those were investigated by the Council's Professional Conduct Committee in September and November 2018.

The committee found certain allegations amounted to poor professional performance and professional misconduct.

These included poor understanding or radiation protection practice and lack of competence in radiographic positioning, projection and imaging.

It also found she had placed the health and safety of the mother of a child patient at risk by exposing the mother to unnecessary radiation while taking images of the child and had failed to show any, or any adequate understanding, of the potential harm to the mother from such exposure.

The committee was satisfied Ms Musonda lacked appreciation of the danger and potential danger posed by her clinical deficiencies, absence of safe techniques and failure to follow minimum guidelines and that she posed a danger to the public because of that lack of appreciation.

It concluded, in order to protect the public, the only effective and proportionate sanction was to ensure Ms Musonda's registration was cancelled.

The Council agreed and sought the necessary confirmation from the High Court.

Ms Musonda had denied the allegations against her when she attended three of the six days of the inquiry into the complaints. The other hospitals in Zambia and Botswana where she had worked had given her good or very good marks, it was noted.

She alleged the allegations were fabricated by UHW staff as part of a conspiracy motivated by racism. The committee found no evidence of any such conspiracy.

After she did not appeal the findings, the council sought confirmation of the strike off sanction from the court.
The bulk of 35 people currently in custody or on bail pending surrender to Britain under the EU extradition system are set to be released if Brexit goes ahead in less than a fortnight, an Irish legal expert has said.

Britain is due to leave on April 12 if Westminster votes down the withdrawal agreement for a third time this week or if Theresa May does not bring it before the British parliament.

Under last Thursdays decision by EU leaders, if the deal is passed, Brexit will be pushed back to May 22.

Figures supplied to the Irish Examiner by the Department of Justice show that 330 active European Arrest Warrant (EAW) requests from Britain are on hand  and that 214 of these have been endorsed by the courts.

Of those endorsements, 35 have resulted in arrests here, with the people either in custody or on bail.

The department said that the 330 EAWs from Britain did not mean the people were known to be here, but were being sought by the UK across the EU in general.

Despite repeated requests, going back to the end of January, the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has not provided details to the Irish Examiner as to how many EAW requests have been sent to Britain and their status, including of those arrested, come Brexit.

The EAW is used for the speedy surrender among member states of people wanted to face charges for a criminal offence or to serve a sentence.

Once the UK becomes a third country, the European Arrest Warrant system will cease to apply to the UK, the department said in a statement.

Barrister Anthony Hanrahan, co-author of The European Arrest Warrant in Ireland, said: In general, when EU law ceases to apply with respect to the UK and EAWs from the UK, even if endorsed, cannot be acted upon.

In relation to those in custody awaiting extradition, he said: In laymans terms, unless something else is holding them, they would have to be released.

He said one exception would be those in custody on separate matters.

He said that for those on bail facing extradition under EAW would be released from those bail conditions.

In relation to people arrested in Britain on foot of Irish requests, Mr Hanrahan said that it was difficult to say, saying it would be a matter for UK law.

The Department of Justice said is has been taking steps to mitigate the potential impact Brexit would have on the small number of cases where a person has been detained here under a UK EAW request.

It said work has been ongoing for some time across a number of divisions in the department, An Garda Siochana, the Attorney General, and the DPP to ensure that new arrangements are ready to be applied immediately and that there would be minimal disruption to extradition procedures.

It said legislation recently passed by the Oireachtas in the Brexit Omnibus Bill was aimed to do just this in utilising the 1957 Council of Europe Extradition Convention (which the UK is party to) and making necessary amendments to it.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has previously said that while this convention was not as effective or efficient as the EAW, it provided a workable solution until a full extradition system was agreed with the UK.

Mr Hanrahan agreed that the convention and the 1965 Extradition Act provided a workable system and said people have been extradited under it.

He said there could be a transition period between the end of the EAW and the new system.

He said fresh warrants under the 1957 Act could be issued for those released from EAW warrants.
An order to stay out of church was made against a 62-year-old man at Cork District Court yesterday. Garda Lorraine ODonovan arrested Charles Nolan of Deerpark hostel, Friars Walk, Cork, and charged him with multiple counts of thefts from churches.

When the accused was cautioned that he did not have to say anything but that anything he might say would be taken down in writing and could be given in evidence against him. He replied that the amounts of stolen cash specified on the charge sheets was too high.
The Department of Education and Skills is suing a company over alleged defects in a 5m "rapid build" school which had to be closed for part of a term last year to allow temporary remedial works costing 1m to be carried out.

The Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School in west Dublin was one of two schools closed last year following safety inspections carried out on behalf of the Department. The other was Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan, north Dublin.

Last December, the Department brought proceedings in the Commercial Court over the alleged defects in Ardgillan against Western Building Systems (WBS) of Coalisland, Co Tyrone, which designed and built it.

Today, the Department brought similar proceedings against WBS in relation to Tyrellstown which were also entered into the fast track commercial list by Mr Justice Robert Haughton.

The Department says the 525 Tyrrelstown pupils had to be moved to alternative accommodation nearby from the mid-term break in October until after the Christmas holidays while temporary remedial works were carried out to the school building.

Those remedial works have already cost 950,000 and are likely to exceed 1m, it says. The final cost of permanent works is not yet known, it says.

Tyrrellstown was designed and built under a 2011 "Rapid Build School Delivery" contract for just over 5m between the Department and WBS.

Eamonn Murtagh, principal officer in the Department, says the building did not comply with fire certificate and/or building regulations and/or the Department's build requirements.

He says a consulting engineers' report found issues with the strength and fixity of the wall panels in the building. This gave rise to a risk of a collapse/"fall out" of the outer masonry wall panel and the "fall in" of timber infill panels into the classrooms.

In its action, the Department seeks damages for breach of contract, negligence, and/or misrepresentation by WBS arising from the design and/or construction of the school.

Mr Justice Haughton, after admitting the case to the Commercial Court on consent between the parties, adjourned the matter to July.
He stirred a hornets nest when he took to social media to announce he would not allow anyone wearing pyjamas into his hairdressing salon.

But David Finn, who owns The Blow-dry Parlour in Portlaoise, is sticking by his decision despite kick-starting a debate on national radio, with not everyone agreeing with his stance.

Mr Finn posted his hair-raising views on Facebook last week.

It read: Hey all, hope your [sic] all enjoying your bank holiday. Just a quick note on a point we made about a year ago. Our salon is a place of business, people who come in wearing pyjamas will be turned away without exception!! Plus when were [sic] on the subject we wont ever take money that comes from a bra or under garments. I find it shocking that we even have to post this but there you are. On the plus side, Pennys is just across the road so you could maybe pop over there and invest in grown up clothes..

Mr Finn, who admits he wears pyjamas himself  but only in bed  said problem came to a head when he arrived in to work early on St Patricks Day.

We opened about 8am and when I went down there were three women standing outside, waiting to go in, wearing only pyjamas, and I just thought enough is enough, as this issue has been going on for a long time now, he said.

Of course they can wear what they like when they like, but I felt that seeing them stand outside my shop did not present well for the salon.

A number of regulars of ours have mentioned to me that they didnt feel it was right people wearing pyjamas should be in the place. Now, they werent formal complaints, they just said it in conversation, and the thing is, for everyone that said it, how many more customers thought it and had stopped coming in because of it.

Mr Finn said it not his business what people wear, but when it begins to affect his business, he has to draw a line.

Wearing pyjamas meant they had to put their money either in their bra of their underwear before handing it over. Thats not really on, he said.

Look, it is a small minority of people that do it but enough to cause the problem that has arisen, I dont mind what people wear, thats their business but when it affects my business then I have to act.

He also claimed that a number of clients have acted on his advice and nipped across to Penneys and come back more suitably attired.

Thats happened, he said. When we explained to them why we couldnt allow them in they went across and bought cheap tracksuits or whatever and came back better dressed. Most people actually understand where Im coming from.

The debate on the rights and wrongs of wearing pyjamas out and about in public dominated the airwaves last week, with callers venting their frustration, anger and, in some cases, support on Joe Duffys Liveline on RTE radio.

The reaction caught Mr Finn off guard.

He said: I never expected it would get such a reaction, and to be fair, some people put up a coherent argument as to why they felt I was wrong, but the thing is, I dont feel Im wrong so the no pyjamas decision still stands.

Even though I have had time to sleep on it, Im not for changing.
An Bord Pleanala has given the green light for the development of more than 250 new homes on the southside of Cork city.

Developers Westbrook Housing Company have been granted permission to construct 176 houses and 75 apartments at a site at Cooney's Lane in Grange, Co Cork.
Governor officiates at wedding: There was talk on Twitter, then the Sun-Times reported that police were called to a noise complaint at a North Side residence where some high-profile politicos had gathered. One of J.B. Pritzkers staffers responded on Twitter confirming the governor was indeed there but had left a little after 10 p.m.  nearly an hour before authorities were called; no report was apparently taken as police dont ticket for noise complaints before 11 p.m. on weekends, the Sun-Times reported. On Monday, the governors office said in a statement to The Spin: The Governor officiated Ron Hubermans private wedding which included the couples children and parents. The celebration began at 7 p.m., and the Governor left the reception to go home at 10:15 p.m. Huberman was a utility player in the administration of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, serving as his chief of staff, then head of the Chicago Transit Authority and later Chicago Public Schools CEO.
A Romanian family who have failed the right to reside test and so cannot receive social supports in this country were today granted leave by the High Court to bring a legal challenge.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan was told tragic events overtook the family who came to this country in December 2016 when the father, who was a diabetic and had already lost a leg, had to have the second one amputated and is currently in hospital. His family, the court was told, is now homeless and the father cannot be discharged from hospital because he has nowhere to stay.

In an affidavit to the court, Mr Ioan Razneas said he never intended their move to Ireland from Romania would end up in such a catastrophic situation. He expected to find work adequate to support his family. He said the situation for himself and his family is now one of "complete destitution and desperation".

Ioan Razneas, who is disabled, along with his wife Anisoara Anghel and their two children Marian and Antonia are seeking an order quashing the decision this month to disallow their appeal over the non-payment of disability allowance and job seekers allowance.

They also seek a declaration that application of the right to reside test, in this case, is contrary to EU law and that Ms Anisoara Anghel, as a job seeker, has a right to reside here. They also seek a declaration that there was an error in law in determining Ms Anghel was not a worker for the purpose of EU law during the period of a month in which she did a work placement.

The case is against the chief appeals officer, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and the State. The Human Rights and Equality Commission is a notice party to the proceedings.

In an affidavit to the court, Mr Ioan Razneas, who is currently in Tallaght Hospital, said he and his wife and one child came to Ireland in December 2016. Another child was born here and their three older children are with their grandparents in Romania. He said he and his wife are Roma, an ethnic minority in Romania.

Mr Razneas, who previously had a leg amputated, became unwell after coming to Ireland and his second leg had to amputated due to infection. He understands the only reason he has not been discharged from hospital is because he has no suitable accommodation.

He said in the last two weeks his wife and children had to present as homeless and the family are not eligible to be placed on the housing list in the absence of at least having one social welfare payment.

Mr Razneas said the family cannot return to Romania as there is nothing there for them and they would only face destitution and discrimination.

He said the loss of his second leg was unforeseen and there had been a failure to take this into account in constantly refusing himself and his family some income to survive until his wife can secure work or he is sufficiently rehabilitated to secure work.

Mr Razneas said his greatest concern is the fate of his two children who, he said, are "now condemned to poverty and exclusion if they remain in Ireland", which was exactly the fate which he said he wanted to avoid for them in coming to this country and leaving Romania.

Mr Justice Meenan granted leave to bring the challenge and the case was adjourned to April.
The income gap between those who qualify for council housing and those who can afford a mortgage in metropolitan Cork has widened at an alarming rate, meaning many more people are now caught in a property limbo.

A report by Cork County Council's director of planning, Michael Lynch, showed that a household with an annual income of 44,000 will qualify for social housing but, in many areas on the periphery of the city, a household income has to be in the region of 90,000 to qualify for a mortgage.

The stark report has shocked county councillors who are seeking an urgent meeting with housing minister Eoghan Murphy to fast-track affordable housing schemes.

The schemes cater for those whose income is over the social housing threshold but under the amount which would secure a mortgage in certain areas.

The schemes also offer people homes at a cost considerably less than the market price.

The government signalled last year plans to reactivate the affordable housing scheme and the council submitted proposals for new schemes in Carrigaline, Mallow, Midleton, Kinsale and Clonakilty but is still waiting for government approval to proceed.

In his report, Mr Lynch said the lack of housing supply is 'generating unsustainable levels of competition across all strata of the housing market,' including the rental sector. He delivered the report to councillors yesterday, in response to a question from Cllr Kevin Murphy, the Fine Gael leader on the council.

Council chief executive, Tim Lucey, said the research carried out by Mr Lynch and his staff had been significant.

"Rental accommodation is now becoming unaffordable for some people at this time as well," he said, added: "There is merit in the council meeting the minister," Mr Lucey said.

Cllr Murphy described the increasing number of people who fall between the two stools as "the new poor".

Mr Lynch said it was estimated that 1,250 houses were constructed in the county council area of jurisdiction last year and a target has been set to have 3,000 built annually between now and 2040.

However, at present, demand is far outstripping supply.

Cllr Murphy, meanwhile, complained the council received only a small percentage of funding, from Government, on landbanks purchased in 2003. But Cllr Frank O'Flynn (FF) said: "You met with Minister Murphy last Saturday (at the Fine Gael Ard Fheis), surely you told him!"

Kinsale-based Cllr Murphy said the lack of affordability was impacting on the supply of houses and the only way to tackle it was through the provision of more social and affordable housing.

Cllr Seamus McGrath (FF) agreed with Cllr Murphy and other colleagues that the time had come to meet with Mr Murphy in an effort to tackle the housing crisis in Cork. "I'm greatly concerned about the current lack of affordable housing. There's a huge cohort of people whose needs are not being addressed. Unfortunately, I've no great hope for them in the short term."

The council's director of housing Maurice Manning recently explained the five locations identified for affordable housing had been chosen as they were towns where it was hardest for many people to pay property market values.
Hospital emergencies involving children aged 14-15 show a high frequency of intoxication and psychiatric issues, including intentional overdoses and deliberate self-harm, a new study shows.

Paediatricians at University Hospital Limerick looked at presentations to the emergency department during 2017.

They examined a total of 1,363 presentations of patients aged 14-15 years and found that trauma  such as limb and head injury  was the most common reason for attending, accounting for 45% of all cases.

However, the team of paediatricians said there was a high frequency in the number of mental health/ intoxication/self-harm presentations. There were 51 psychiatric cases and a further 39 presentations involving either intentional overdose or intoxication.

A breakdown of the psychiatric presentations shows 18 cases of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and 11 incidents of suicidal ideation.

In addition, there were 10 cases of mood disorder, four cases involving anxiety, two of acute psychosis, and six section 12 cases, where gardai can remove a child from the care of their parents if they deem there is an immediate and serious risk to the health or welfare of the child.

A breakdown of toxicology presentations shows that there were 21 cases of intentional overdose and 18 incidents of intoxication.

The authors said: In keeping with international literature on the subject, our results show a high frequency of psychiatric presentations in this subpopulation of Irish teenagers [fifth-most common presentation].

It is worth noting that our psychiatric colleagues also assessed many patients presenting with intoxication/toxicology.

These findings also highlight the varied psychiatric presentations that patients of the subpopulation commonly present with, including, among others, intoxication, DSH/suicidal ideation and intentional overdose.

The authors said that the high frequency of presentations would likely have a significant impact for paediatricians in the coming years. The incidence of psychiatric presentations is rising nationally in all age groups and not just in the age group in this study, they added.

Unfortunately, the new demand has not yet been met with increasing numbers of psychiatrists nationwide, said the authors of the report.

The research is published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science and made publicly available through the Health Research Board.
Author and seasoned politician, Mary O'Rourke is calling on women around the country to get involved in politics.

The former Fianna Fail Minister was hosting a 'Campaign Bootcamp' in Athlone in County Westmeath today to encourage female candidates in the upcoming local elections.
A man who got refugee status here more than 25 years ago but has been refused citizenship on national security grounds has appealed to the Supreme Court.

A five-judge court heard and reserved judgment on the appeal, which raises important issues, including whether an internal decision by the Department of Justice refusing a certificate of naturalisation can be externally reviewed.

The hearing was attended by judges who are part of a 35-member visiting delegation from ACA-Europe, a European association composed of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the Councils of State or the Supreme administrative jurisdictions of each EU member state. The objectives of ACA-Europe include to get a better understanding of EU law by Supreme Court judges across Europe and to improve mutual trust between judges of those courts.

The man, from a non-EU country, has lived here for more than 25 years, says he is of good character and does not know why he has been refused citizenship. He has made several applications for citizenship, all of which have been rejected.

After he took proceedings seeking reasons for another refusal in 2013, the High Court ruled in 2014 he was entitled to inspect some parts, but not all, of certain documents held by the State concerning his background.

It also directed the State should provide more detailed reasons for the decision not to grant the man a certificate of naturalisation.

The man then made another application for naturalisation, which was also rejected by the Minister.

As part of that refusal, he was given a report which recommended against granting the application on the basis the Minister cannot have confidence in the applicants declaration of fidelity to the Irish State in this case nor be satisfied that the applicant meets the condition of good character as specified in s. 15(1)(b) of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 as amended.

The report also stated the mans right to specific reasons beyond reasons of national security was outweighed by national security interests in maintaining the confidentiality over the information concerned.

The Court of Appeal later dismissed the mans appeal against a High Court decision rejecting his challenge over the refusal.

The Four Courts in Dublin, file photo

Among various findings, the Court of Appeal ruled the exercise of conferring citizenship to a foreign national may be regarded as part of the inviolate core of national sovereignty envisaged by Article 5 of the Constitution and does not, therefore, involve implementation of EU law within the sense understood by Article 51.1 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The man secured a further appeal to the Supreme Court.

The core issues in the appeal include whether the grant of citizenship is within the unfettered discretion of the Minister for Justice and, if so, whether an applicant can rely on any procedures for their benefit.

Other issues include whether national security issues need to be disclosed to an applicant for citizenship in such a way as to enable them to meet, or make any relevant representations about, those concerns before any decision against a grant of citizenship is made.

The court will also decide whether fair procedures require that a decision internal to the Department of Justice to refuse citizenship be reviewed externally and by what mechanism.

A further issue is whether the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms governs the application for and refusal of citizenship by the Minister.
A Ballincollig man dealing heroin in Cork city was jailed for 10 months yesterday. Ken OMahony, 45, confessed to the drug supply charge at Cork District Court yesterday, where he also admitted multiple counts of driving with no insurance.

Judge Olann Kelleher banned him from driving for 15 years and imposed another 10-month sentence concurrent with the drugs sentence. Gardai from Gurranabraher were on mobile patrol at North Mall, Cork, when they spotted OMahony, of no fixed address, acting in a suspicious manner. Garda Desmond Prendergast informed OMahony he was going to search him under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The 13 individually wrapped deals of heroin found on OMahony had a total street value of 378. He admitted possessing the drugs for the purpose of selling them. The drugs crime dates back to June 28, 2017.

Garda Martin Lawton found OMahony with a claw hammer in his possession after midnight on May 9. He told the guard he was carrying the hammer for his own protection.

OMahony pleaded guilty to six counts of driving without insurance on dates from 2014 to last year. He had seven previous counts of driving with no insurance. Judge Olann Kelleher noted that the accused had now been stopped 13 times for driving without insurance. He imposed a total sentence of 10 months yesterday, to run concurrently with the drugs sentence.

Eddie Burke solicitor, impressed on Judge Kelleher the level of co-operation with gardai by the defendant. Mr Burke said that a minor point that could be made in relation to no insurance charges was that there was never any accident or chase or anything like that.

He added that the defendant was diagnosed with a serious illness five years ago and, following this diagnosis, he became addicted to heroin. Judge Kelleher said he would take these issues into account, but said: We all know the difficulties of heroin. He knew exactly what he was doing. With 13 bags of heroin, he was selling the drug in Cork city.

When outlining the driving offences, Sergeant John Kelleher said that, in one of those instances, the accused was stopped driving and gave a false name and said he was in an emergency to get to hospital and that this was why he had driven without insurance.
Midleton GAA club has secured planning permission for a move to new grounds to cater an expansion in its membership.

An Bord Pleanala has rejected an appeal by a local resident living near the site of the proposed new clubhouse at Park South off the Youghal Rd in the east Cork town.

The planning appeals board upheld the original decision of Cork County Council to approve the development of new facilities for Midleton GAA club against the recommendation of its own inspector.

Subject to a number of planning conditions, the board said the new club grounds would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.

The project provides for new changing rooms, storage areas, a hall, and toilets as well as a ball wall training facility, a multi-use synthetic pitch, several grass pitches, and parking spaces for 193 vehicles.

The club also plans to develop a one-mile circular walking trail around its new grounds. Midleton GAA club bought the 37-acre site of its proposed new clubhouse in September 2016 from Irish Distillers for 380,000.

The club, which has 10 adult teams and 50 underage teams, has outgrown its existing facilities at Clonmult Park, where it has been based since 1958.

The first phase of the development, which will provide an entrance, car parking, and three pitches, including one floodlit one, is estimated to cost 750,000.

The club said it needed the expanded facilities to cater for Midletons growing population, forecast to increase to over 20,000 in 10 years.

A local had objected on the grounds that, while he supported the clubs move in principle, it would have a negative impact on his newly built home due to the proximity of one of the pitches and floodlights.

To address such concerns, An Bord Pleanala imposed 11 conditions in its decision to grant planning permission including a ban on the use of floodlights after 9.30pm and strict limits on noise levels.

An inspector with An Bord Pleanala claiming the siting of the proposed all-weather pitch was problematic, for a number of reasons including its proximity to the appellants home and the requirement to remove some existing trees and hedgerows.

However, the board ruled that the development would not seriously injure the residential amenities of nearby properties and would also be acceptable in terms of preserving the biodiversity of the area.
The body representing nursing homes is warning policymakers that changes are required to meet the needs of the countrys aging population, and has increased its lobbying of TDs for measures it wants to be implemented.

Top of its agenda is the overdue publication of a review of the pricing of the nursing home support or Fair Deal scheme.

The HSE-operated Fair Deal scheme, established in 2009, gives financial support to those who need long-term care in a registered nursing home. Applicants undergo a financial assessment  including an analysis of assets and savings  to determine how much they pay towards the costs, while the State picks up the rest.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has negotiated the maximum prices paid to the nursing homes.

However Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), which represents more than 360 members in the sector, argues that the current funding model, introduced with the scheme 10 years ago, is not fit for purpose.

It says a 2015 review of the scheme supports this argument.

This review led to the establishment of a steering group chaired by the NTPF which includes representatives from the Department of Health and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

It was due to publish a pricing review of the Fair Deal scheme in 2017, but its findings have yet to be released.

A cynic would say theyre afraid of whats in it, said NHI chief executive Tadhg Daly.

Mr Daly said the greater number of people living longer, combined with the rising complexities of an ever-aging population, bring with them increased demands on nursing homes.

He said the current financial model is unsustainable to meet these demands.

We should be celebrating the fact that people are living longer, but we must plan to meet those requirements, he said.

Nursing homes also need to be able to recruit from a wider pool of potential employees, said Mr Daly.

The NHI has said a severe crisis is facing the recruitment of healthcare assistants and that there are 1,300 roles that require filling within the sector.

Mr Daly highlighted changes to the Employment Permit Regulations last year which aimed to make it easier for businesses in the horticulture, meat, and dairy sectors to hire workers from outside the European Economic Area.

The pilot scheme will make 800 permits available, but will be subject to conditions.

We are having huge difficulty attracting staff and are competing with the hospitality industry to bring in workers, said Mr Daly. Our members prefer recruiting locally for staff as it is more cost-effective but that can be difficult to attract both the quality and numbers needed.

A third issue that has seen the NHI increase its lobbying efforts centres around access to GPs.

The NHI argues that the current general medical services contract is not fit for purpose in terms of providing GP care for residents in nursing homes.

It says GPs appear to be overstretched and under-resourced, and that a new GMS contract which includes specific reference to services for nursing home residents is needed.

The NHI said its members across the country are engaging with TDs on a constituency by constituency basis on the three issues.
There was intense pressure on Transport Minister Shane Ross to appoint a noise regulator for Dublin Airport even though officials knew accusations of a conflict of interest were certain to arise.

Mr Ross chose Fingal County Council as noise regulator despite the fact 8% of its total budgeted income each year comes from the Dublin Airport Authority.

Internal records show how the Department of Transport knew there would be suggestions the council was conflicted, describing it as a likely angle of attack.

The move had to be rushed through after plans to appoint the Irish Aviation Authority as the regulator were ruled out on the advice of the attorney general, who had warned it was too dependent on funding from Dublin Airport to be considered independent.

A briefing prepared for Mr Ross explained how the department was acutely aware of the time pressures to find a replacement.

In a warning to the minister, the briefing stated: It is imperative, however, another misstep is avoided. Therefore we are making sure that whatever you are advised of next and whatever you decide upon as a course of action, that it is deliverable.

Fingal County Council was chosen with a promise of extra resources to deal with the workload and An Bord Pleanala as an appeals body.

The department was conscious that its choice would be criticised because of a perceived financial conflict of interest and the possibility that it was not sufficiently competent.

In an internal mem for the minister and officials, the department was given five bullet points to counter this likely angle of attack.

It said Fingal already dealt with noise issues for roads and railways, would be open and transparent, and was used to dealing with planning issues and public consultations;

It said another point of attack would be the considerable delays in making the appointment of a regulator.

The briefing stated: The ruling out of the Irish Aviation Authority represented a very late-in-the-day setback. That resulted in a delay to the delivery of the legislation and the development of a revised course of action.

Internal briefings also describe how Mr Ross could play down how dependent Fingal County Council was on income from Dublin Airport. A speaking note for him said: It is my understanding that DAA [Dublin Airport Authority] rates represent approximately 8% of Fingal County Councils overall budget income.

That is not an insignificant amount, of course, but simple math tells us that it gets 92% of its income from other sources. Many other large and small businesses pay rates, and home owners pay property tax.

Another line put forward suggested that asking if Fingal was unduly beholden to airport income was no different to questioning the independence of all local government powers and funding.

A later briefing added: Many regulated bodies are funded by the regulated entity in the form of a levy or charge on that entity.

Other records explain how Fingal came to be chosen with other agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and Commission for Aviation Regulation ruled out.

In a statement, the Department of Transport said Mr Ross was satisfied Fingal County Council was the most appropriate body for the role.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and his wife, Ann, leave St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, on March 24, 2019. (Cliff Owen / AP)
The cost of transporting the Taoiseach and other ministers around the globe on the Government jet reached almost 1m last year at an average cost of over 18,600 per trip.

Figures published by the Department of Defence show the total cost of missions flown by Leo Varadkar, other members of the Cabinet, ministers of state, and officials increased by 27% in 2018 and exceeded 1.04m when use of the Air Corps fixed-wing Casa aircraft and helicopter by members of the Government were taken into account.

A total of 52 missions were flown on the Learjet in 2018, with the Casa aircraft being used for three flights. The Taoiseach also used the Air Corps helicopter on one occasion last year, to fly to the Aran Islands in September.

Under Government guidelines, use of the Learjet should be limited to exceptional occasions where alternative commercial flights are not available.

Mr Varadkar made the most use of the government jet  travelling on the aircraft on 19 occasions  as well as twice using the Casa, while the Learjet was being serviced. His longest mission was a four-day visit to Croatia, Romania, and Italy in July for talks with several European leaders on Brexit and other issues which involved over 10 hours of flying time and stops in Zagreb, Bucharest, Venice, and Rome at an estimated cost of 39,000.

The total cost of all travel provided by the Department of Defences Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS) last year was an estimated 1,044,893, including 967,362 for the Learjet.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe took 13 flights on the Government jet, including several trips to Brussels but also visits to Vienna, Sofia, Berlin, Zurich, Paris, and Luxembourg.

Although the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, took fewer trips  12, including one on the Casa aircraft  he clocked up the most air miles as a result of two trips to the Middle East during 2018.

The longest mission flown by the Learjet last year was a six-day trip by Mr Coveney to the Middle East with stop-offs in Cairo, Tel Aviv, Naples, Birmingham, and the RAF military base in Northolt in Britain involving total flight time of almost 15 hours at a cost of 56,385.

The shortest mission was an 85-minute round trip flight to the Isle of Man by the Taoiseach in November to attend a summit of the British-Irish Council.

The 56 missions flown under MATS last year compared to 52 in 2017 and 44 in 2016. Members of the Government spent almost 254 hours in the air on the Learjet in 2018. The average cost of using the Learjet is estimated at 3,780 per hour.

A Department of Defence spokesperson said the hourly cost, unchanged since 2015, was due to be updated. It said MATS provides the Government and the President with an independent, flexible and effective air transport service to meet their national and international obligations.

The department said the service was more flexible than commercial air travel as it was not bound to set routes, timetables or schedules. It said there were frequent occasions where EU meetings ran over schedule or where ministers were required to return to attend important meetings or events in Ireland, such as Cabinet meetings or Oireachtas debates.
The Taoiseach says every day we move closer to getting a no-deal Brexit.

But Leo Varadkar still thinks it is likely the House of Commons will pass the withdrawal agreement.

Theresa May met with her cabinet this morning as she tries to get support for the deal in parliament.

The EU has said it is increasingly likely there will be no deal, but Leo Varadkar is still hopeful.

"I still think it's likely that we will have a deal," said Mr Varadkar.

"However, as every day passes, no-deal does become more likely and that's just a statement of the fact.

"So, we're intensifying our no-deal preparations. They've been very much underway now for months if not years. And they are being intensified and finalised at the moment.

"I think we need to see know what happens in Westminster over the course of next couple of days and couple of weeks and we'll take it from there."
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is poised to take further strike action if they are unhappy with the Labour Courts imminent recommendation on a draft contract for nurses and midwives. Following the two-and-a-half hour formal court hearing on the disputed contract yesterday, the nurses union warned that the threat of further industrial action remained.

The contract is the most contentious part of the negotiations on a resolution of the dispute. INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha told the court that the contract proposals were totally counterproductive and would represent a step back for recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives.

The rigidities in the contract on work hours and location are particularly difficult for those with families and for carers, which is a particular problem in a majority female profession, she said.

The 22 nurses and midwives who form the INMOs executive council are on standby to meet on Friday and strike committee representatives are set to meet on Monday. An INMO spokesperson said they were hoping that the court would issue its recommendation before the end of the week.

If the executive is still unhappy with the recommendation, it will tell the strike committee to make preparations for further industrial action. If the recommendation goes down well with the executive, the role of the strike committee will be to disseminate information and begin balloting over 40,000 members.

The spokesperson said that it was still engaging with employers on the terms of reference for the independent expert group that will review the nursing profession and how the Government would fund the Safe Staffing Framework. Meanwhile, Siptu nursing representatives also made their case for a fair contract at the Labour Court.

Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said the representatives put forward a robust defence of the rights of their 4,000 members and also highlighted what they saw as an act of opportunism by the Government to erode hard fought for terms and conditions.

It is clear to our members that the Government is attempting to force through the same major changes to work practices that unions fought against during the Public service Stability Agreement negotiations, said Mr Bell. Siptu representatives campaigned against those changes then and we stand against them now.

Siptu nursing sector organiser Kevin Figgis said they told the court that proposals to move nurses or midwives to another location up to 45kms away on a daily or week by week basis had no place in the health service.

Equally, proposals for nurse and midwives to work shifts of as little as four hours in duration stand no chance of acceptance by our members, said Mr Figgis.
A billboard campaign promoting the connection between wind energy and dealing with climate change will be unveiled across nine counties today.

The campaign will highlight the role wind energy has played in leading the move away from green-house gas-emitting fossil fuels towards clean, renewable, electricity.

David Connolly, CEO of the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA), said renewables had the capacity to provide more than 70% our electricity by 2030, but meeting this target required Government support.

Dr Connolly said climate change is the single greatest challenge of our time and the responsibility of meeting it belongs to each of us.

The more wind energy we use, the fewer our CO2 emissions, he said.

The most recent report from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) found that in 2017 wind energy was responsible for avoiding 2.7m tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Last December, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that a 21% increase in wind powered electricity in 2017 was responsible for a sharp fall in CO2 emissions in the energy sector.

The IWEA said growth of wind energy means that the amount of CO2 emitted per unit of energy produced is now at its lowest level on record.

Last year wind energy provided 29% of Irelands electricity but that is not enough. Ireland must do better, said Dr Connolly.

We know that wind, with other renewables like solar and biogas, alongside battery technology and greater interconnection, can provide 70% of our electricity by 2030, he said.

Currently, there are about 200 wind farms in Ireland. An opinion poll conducted by the IWEA last November found 83% of people support wind power in the Republic of Ireland.

However, the Aer Corps expressed some opposition under draft guidelines submitted to the Department of Defence. Aer Corps concerns centre on the impact wind farm development may have on safety and capability of its operations.

A spokesperson for IWEA said they were still engaging with the Department of Defence on that.

Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton will launch the campaign today. Posters will appear on 45 billboards and bus shelters over the next two weeks in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, and Westmeath.

Developing a wind farm involves planning permission and applying to the Commission for Energy Regulation to get a grid connection offer. Once the application is accepted, the connection will be via either ESB networks, for smaller projects, or Eirgrid, for larger developments.
We need a whole new way of thinking. The political system that adults have created is all about competition. You cheat when you can because all that matters is to win we need to start co-operating and sharing the remaining resources of this planet in a fair way.

Wow. And I thought MY teenage daughter was cool. Imagine being Greta Thunbergs parents  youd be unconscious on the floor, passed out with pride. What a voice for Gen Z  that yellow raincoat, those plaits, the wide-open face. Her clear, urgent message. Her utter impatience and contempt for the idiotic responses of adults to the fact that our present is destroying her future; she is fearless, righteous, a climate catastrophe Katniss Everdeen.

And she is making stuff happen. The last school strike saw 1.4 million kids from 2,233 towns in 128 countries walk out of double maths to march through the streets in an effort to show adults that they would quite like to inherit a viable planet with air and water and trees and animals, rather than a toxic lump of dust choked with plastic bottles and polystyrene burger cartons.

Which hardly seems unreasonable.

Youd think though, from all the letters home from school, that the climate strikes inspired by Greta Thunberg were a call for kids everywhere to burn down school staff rooms with all the teachers locked inside, to blow up the science building, set fire to the toilets.

Letters littered with snarky inverted commas and use of the term so-called, as though school administrators were describing so- called Islamic State instead of so-called school climate strikes, flopped through letterboxes. Heavily-worded emails, pompous as bishops, warning of the dire consequences of kids leaving lessons to gather and protest about the future existence of life on the planet. Specifically, their lives, on this planet.

As so many of their wonky home-made signs read, There Is No Planet B

Obviously, education  and the daily safeguarding of students  is high on the list of any schools raison detre, but you can see how Greta and the other 1.4 million kids might have wanted to bunk off: theres not much point in memorising theorems or the wives of Henry VIII if were all going to die from climate catastrophe, as thepeople in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe are doing right now, this minute, as you read this.

You can understand Gretas sense of urgency, of frustration. We really are fiddling as Rome  and everywhere else  burns. Distracting ourselves with all the crap that will be rendered meaningless once we have run out of the basics  and by basics, I dont mean the less good olive oil or an inalienable right to consume dead animals for lunch, but basics as in air and water. But look, Brexit! Trump! War! Instagram!

By the time climate catastrophe impacts on life in the temperate north, well hopefully be dead from old age. Our kids, and our kids kids, wont be.

But Greta doesnt want hope, or optimism  she wants action. And she wants it now.
The autobiography of Status Quos Francis Rossi is typically frank about life in the band, not least the tale of how he lost part of his nose to cocaine, writes Luke Rix-Standing.

The truth of the title of Francis Rossis autobiography, I Talk Too Much, seems entirely subjective. He talks just the right amount for me, if a little too much for the comfort of his PR people.

I did it for the money, he declares, in response to the obvious question of why it felt like the time to tell his story. The idea that any of these things are done because the world needs to know is bullshit. They asked. I said no. They added a few zeroes...

People tend to connect with that kind of authenticity, I cautiously venture, but Rossi is true to his word: With respect, I dont really care if they do or not.

Theres something inherently likeable in Rossis frankness. He criticises his former self as much as anything else; he has regrets but doesnt wallow in self-flagellation; he swears like a sailor, but is personally very polite.

His most colourful language is reserved for his former habits  the alcoholism and cocaine addiction  that lend his book much of its lurid appeal. I ask how he sees the rockn roll lifestyle now, but only get through half the question when he interjects: Assholes! There is no rocknroll lifestyle, what they mean is asshole behaviour. Getting drunk, touching up women, getting thrown out of clubs, taking loads of drugs, smashing your car  thats being a f**king idiot. In the rock n roll archives, theyll go, ah yeah, they were great, but if you guys did that, youd immediately lose your job.

Rossis own excesses took a different toll. He was in the shower one morning when he heard a faint splat, and looked down to see his septum was lying in a small bloody pulp next to the drain. Now, he warns his childrens friends off drugs by sticking a cotton bud clean through his nostrils... cocaine is not f**king good.

We were so indulged, he says, Wed get to the studio at five, f**k around and break for dinner at six, have fabulous meals, have a few drinks, take drugs to create. Youd listen the next day and everything you did after dinner was a load of shit.

Amid all the publicity surrounding the tantrums and extravagance, its easy to forget that Rossi fronted one of the most successful rock bands of all time. He was never virtuosic on the guitar, but he never needed to be. He had an ear for a catchy tune that made him one of the more prolific songwriters of his generation.

Status Quo havent always been lauded by musicologists, and Rossis customary candour saves me from an inevitably awkward question about the jokes sometimes made at the bands expense. I can understand them, if youre trying to be funny, he offers. Some people think Status Quo are amazing, most people dont know who they are, and a lot of people hate them.

More than the songs (which he sometimes listens to, but not often), Rossi treasures his memories of playing live, but even here, theres a chasm-like disparity between the bands supposed highlights and his own.

Headlining Live Aid was perhaps the signature Status Quo concert, but Rossis prevailing memory is of the rows between the events many megastars over who received top billing. It was just a gig and we werent particularly good. Bowie was good, and Queen were good. Everyone else, I cant really remember.

A German gig last year, though, receives a very different response: It was some godforsaken, out-of-the-way town, there were only about three bands and 6,000 people, and it was outside and drizzly all day. The gig was phenomenal, and I would love to live that moment over and over and over again.

He seems very self-aware: One side of me is quite Jack the Lad cocky, one side of me is desperately insecure, and I cant let either one of those take over.

In the book, he tracks a lot of his character back to childhood, as a slight, uncertain young boy trying to fit in on the mean streets of South London. One day, he was whacked round the face on the way to school  an act of seemingly random violence  which he says engendered a fear of his fellow men that lasted well into adulthood.

His early band days were a welcome escape, and he met Rick Parfitt, who would become his partner in crime for the next five decades, while playing at a Somerset branch of Butlins in the mid-196s.

Their central relationship has probably gobbled up more column inches, and been more commonly mischaracterised, than any other part of the Status Quo story, but scandalmongers hoping for an embittered expose will be left sorely disappointed. Rossi did not write the book to trash his former comrade- in-arms.

There were times it was frosty between us, but never to the extent that people thought, just as we were never as besotted as people thought.

One particularly pertinent anecdote concerns the addition of an extra tour bus. Observers were quick to presume that the two stars could no longer travel in each others

company. No, says Rossi. Me and Rick were on one bus, the rest of the band were on the other.

Now 69, Rossi swims every morning, eats like a nutritionist, and works out at 5pm before rehearsals. Hes still regularly performing and recording and prepares assiduously.

Hes philosophical about his adventures. He loudly professes his contempt for promotion, analyses his own interviews while hes having them, and reflects on his career without a sliver of romanticism. No, no, no, he says, when I ask whether he thinks about his legacy. That would be far too pompous and self-important.

He has no time for showbiz sensationalism, either. A previous interviewer apparently asked him whether it was true hed had 25,000 women and spent 1.5m on cocaine. I said: F**king hell, what? Think about how much cocaine that would be! And 25,000, its maybe 50 perhaps? I wouldnt be happy with all those women, but for the purpose of show business, I had em all. Six in a bed, 4,000 in a week. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Its boring.

All this aside, there were occasions when everything came together of course, and those are what Rossi really remembers.

When it works, its so f**king incredible, he says. Theres only one way I can get other people to understand. Its like that moment in sex.

I Talk Too Much: My Autobiography by Francis Rossi is published by Little Brown, priced 20 (hardback)
Co-living spaces are enjoying the spotlight right now. Aileen Lee reports on the latest in chic shared living.

Shared housing is not a new concept, but co-living spaces are certainly getting an overhaul these days, with options like Abode Killarney opening their doors.

Based in Aghadoe, Killarney, Co Kerry, the building has been divided into 12 five-bedroom apartments with a kitchen and shared bathrooms in each of them.

The bedrooms include built-in headboards and beds and mid-century inspired storage solutions incorporating a work desk, wardrobe, and shelves. They are offered as shared, single, or double occupancy.

The basement area of the development also features two lounges, a large communal kitchen and dining table, a gym and laundry room, as well as a cinema room with large-screen TV and drinks fridges.

It has been designed with lots of nooks for socialising, reading, working, or relaxing. So, yes, definitely less-digs more-luxury in this approach.

Edit Design was brought on board to design the interiors. Edit Design was founded by Nathalie Vos and Justina Gruzdyte who had been working as interior designers separately before joining forces to start up their own company in 2018 in Kenmare.

Vos explains how the Abode Killarney venture came about for them: We were approached by property developer Derek Twiss of Bond Street Investments to work on the interior design.

The brief was to create a space that would appeal to young professionals and provide them with not just an affordable housing solution in the short to mid-term (six to 12 months) but also for the space to be immersive, where residents could gather together in comfortable and inspired communal spaces to develop a sense of community.

The designers say they wanted the space to feel vibrant and that, above all, it would feel like home for its residents, kitted out as it is with all the comforts, conveniences and technology of modern living.

The building was originally built in the 1950s and, when Vos and Gruzdyte first visited the site, they found many original features still intact  beautiful terrazzo window sills, cast-iron radiators, arch doorways, and a mid-century staircase  which they were keen to preserve.

These features also provided inspiration for some of the design decisions they made.

The building was not without its challenges though. As Gruzdyte explains: Its structure of steel and concrete meant chasing walls to upgrade systems was going to blow the budget, so the decision was made to leave it all exposed, embracing it as a design feature.

The mix of industrial trunking, pipes and conduits, original 1950s elements, and mid-century styled interiors has resulted in what we feel is an exciting and eclectic co-living development in the heart of one of Irelands most beautiful tourist regions.

For more information, see www.abodekillarney.com and www.editdesignstudio.ie
Islands are too often referred to as remote, when in fact it is just because they are islands that they are described as such. For Calf Island West in Roaringwater Bay, West Cork, we are not talking remote as in South Pacific, but for the people who lived there up to the 1940s it may as well have been, when they were cut off from the mainland by huge storms.

This 65-acre island is the smallest of the three Calves of East, Middle, and West. The alternative name for the island is Leacrer, which probably comes from the Irish for flat stone  leac, writes Eugene Daly in Heir Island: Its History and People.

An Lao Thiar lies about 8km from shore, roughly equidistant from the villages of Baltimore and Schull.

It is unpopulated now, but once saw its population reach 21 in 1841, while similar numbers lived on the neighbouring islands: 39 on Middle and 19 on East.

The eviction of tenants from cottages and farms had long plagued Ireland, and the islands were not exempt. The matter was raised in the House of Commons in 1890, with the Parnellite MP John Dillon asking the chief secretary for Ireland (and later prime minister), Arthur James Balfour: I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Government intend to supply Mr Marmion [landlord] with a gunboat or with the boats of the Coastguard to aid him in evicting tenants on the Middle Calf or West Calf Islands, off the west coast of Cork.

Arthur Balfour

This was the same Balfour whose eponymous declaration recognising the right of a Jewish homeland in Palestine has caused a certain amount of strife this past century in the Middle East. In the case of Calf Island West, the answer was fudged.

Calf Island West was the location of the worst of many maritime disasters in Roaringwater Bay over the years

At a point called Rinn na mBeann, the Headland of the Peaks, the VV Stephen Whitney passenger ship, sailing from New York to Liverpool, struck a submerged reef in 1847 and sank with the loss of 92 lives.

A letter from the chief mate to the intended recipient of the cargo of corn, cheese, cotton, resin, and clocks revealed the ships fate: It is my painful duty to inform you of the loss of the Stephen Whitney with her noble commander on the night of the 10th inst. We had no observation on that day. Wind strong from SW, weather thick. At six oclock p.m. we close reefed the topsails and reefed the course, intending to haul off the land at eight p.m But at eight precisely we made the land off Crookhaven which we judged by the lighthouse to be the Old Head of Kinsale.

Roaringwater Bay West Cork

We immediately made all possible sail and hauled off shore. At nine kept away channel course, judging we were clear of all danger, but at ten made the land ahead within pistol shot. In the act of staying (owing to the tremendous sea) the ship went ashore stern-first, nearly broadside on.

The island proved to be the Western calf inside Cape Clear. The scene that followed baffles description. Out of 110 persons (passengers and crew) only nineteen are saved.

Captain Popham was washed away from alongside me and, I have no doubt, was killed instantly. In less than 15 minutes from the time the ship struck she went to atoms. The survivors are all landed here half naked and all more or less hurt on the wreck and rocks.

Somehow, 12 people survived. The Cork Examiner reported: The survivors, bruised and naked without shoe or stocking, jacket, or waistcoat, scrambled up the rock which overhung the sea and after searching about for some time, arrived at two miserable huts, the only human tenement on the island.

Roaringwater Bay and the Calves in particular are very popular with divers. Diving.ie relates that the scenery is magnificent, with extensive beds of deadmans fingers and jewel anemones.
If you want to survive, you better be in a position where you can raise funds pronto, writes Michael Clifford.

Christmas festivities were still in swing when John Holmes was presented with the limits of his mortality.

Hed had a persistent cough, but, like most men, had done nothing about it until his wife, Edel, had pushed him to see a GP.

The doctor spotted something, didnt think it was sinister, but had some tests done anyway. Then, on December 29, 2012, John got a call from him.

He said the results were in and would I go see an ENT [ear, nose, and throat] guy in Dublin, John relates. I said when?, thinking he would suggest not to leave it too long and he said at 2.30pm that very day. It floored me. Came out of the blue.

John was diagnosed with a rare form of throat cancer. He had neuroendocrine of the larynx. He was 47, married, with two children who were just emerging from their teens. Life had been good, and then, out of the blue, the future was swiped away.

There followed a journey that is familiar to anybody who has had a cancer diagnosis. And now John is reaching for what could be genuine hope.

Pembro is the best-known of a new generation of cancer drugs.

John has been screened and deemed appropriate to try it. The problem is that the drug is only available through the HSE for those who suffer from cervical cancer.

That dispensation came after some Trojan lobbying by Vicky Phelan. But what of people like John?

Are we supposed to die, while others who have been given access to the drug might live? he asks.

The only option open to those in his predicament is to pay for the drug themselves. John is not wealthy, but he is blessed with friendships that have accumulated over a life in his native Kilkenny city.

And some of those friends, of their own volition, have stepped into the breach and set up a fundraising campaign to give John the best chance of life.

Is this what we have come to, in terms of a health service? If you want to live, you better be in a position where you can raise funds pronto?

John hasnt been too bad for the last few months. Thats largely down to the fact that he hasnt been receiving chemo. Neither has he had surgery for over a year.

Both forms of treatment have run their course, as far as Johns cancer is concerned.

Its certainly a bonus to Johns wellbeing that he is neither sick nor weak at the moment, after six years of constant treatment. But it also signals that his avenues of rescue from the disease have narrowed.

Today, the condition is evident in a large growth on his neck. He says he also has one on his back.

Theyre appearing on the outside, which is good, he says. The doctors have told me that if this had been happening on the inside, I would be gone by now.

John is a native of Kilkenny. His life has been woven into the fabric of the city, through his lifelong involvement in business and sport.

After the diagnosis, the first attempts at fighting the condition involved non-invasive laser treatment. The discovery that the cancer hadnt spread from his throat meant there was a good chance of killing it. That didnt happen, however.

There followed a series of surgeries in St Jamess Hospital in Dublin. John cant remember how many, but there were three major surgeries. Again, the results were not as hoped for. In the end, they said they couldnt keep opening him up.

No further intervention was what was advised, he says. At that stage, I went back to my GP to try to find alternatives. I was looking at seeing could I go to England, or whatever. Then, the GP said there was one other possibility, this guy in Dublin, John Crown.

This wasnt just any old guy in Dublin. Professor John Crown is known for his vocation to fight cancer by any means necessary. Once upon a time, he was a fixture on national media. There followed a stint in the Seanad, where he was one of the vocal independents who bring an outsiders perspective to the insiders game.

He didnt put his name forward for re-election in 2016 and has been largely below the radar since then. The public squares loss has been a further gain for cancer sufferers, as Prof Crown invests all his energy into fighting the disease.

John was impressed by the message the professor gave him on their first meeting.

He said were not going to let you die, which was very reassuring, after being sent home from James and told there wasnt much more that they could do.

The aggressive chemo started soon after. Much of it required stays in hospital in Dublin.

He suffered some severe effects. His friend, Kieran Conway, put it blunty.

It was awful, he recalls. At one stage, John looked like a lab rat.

This went on for two and a half years. The treatment appears to have slowed down the cancer, but it was still there. And then, one day, John read about this new drug. He looked further into it and found out that Pembro was originally designed to treat small-cell lung cancer, a form of the disease that was similar to what he had.

I found out that you can get tested to see if you are suitable for the drug, he says. So I did that with an independent laboratory, which came back with the result that I had one of the five markers that suggest your tumour could respond to Pembro.

He shared the news with Prof Crown, who suggested trying one more dose of chemo, before heading down a route that could prove financially ruinous.

The chemo still didnt do the job, so John set about acquiring the drug.

John and Edel considered selling their home, but, ultimately, ruled against it. Thats the kind of choice with which people in their position are faced.

He raided the family savings, but that was barely enough to get things going. For instance, the recommendation John received was that he would need three doses, each administered in ten separate phases, three weeks apart.

The cost of the full treatment is 150,000.

That was the dilemma John and Edel faced last November. They decided to begin and use whatever money they had.

Even in that regard, there was a sting.

After organising for the first phase of the first treatment, which he was told would cost 4,000, he was told, at the last minute, that hed also have to pay the VAT, for a total of 5,111.

Around that time, his friends stepped in. Kieran put together a fund-raising committee.

It was a diverse group of Johns friends that came together, says Kieran.

People from business, others who were in school with him, played sport, all different areas of his life. We set out an aim of raising around 5,000 every three weeks, so that he could get what he needs.

Since then, the committee, aptly called John Needs Pembro, has been organising various activities, including quizzes, business breakfasts, music events, and calling on the people of Kilkenny to support one of their own.

The members have also engaged in lobbying. One target was the drug company, Merc Sharp and Dome (MSD), to see if there was even a chance of a break on the price.

MSD had a conference call with us and, in the end, told us that any issues we had with price was with the HSE and not them. They said the sector was so heavily regulated that a break on the price would get them into trouble.

They also lobbied politicians to see if there was a chance of doing something about the Vat. So far, no luck.

The meat and drink of the fundraising, however, has borne results. They have now exceeded the 50,000 required for the whole of the first treatment.

Twice as much will now have to be raised in the coming months.

John and those around him are aware that while fate has dealt him a horrible blow, he is lucky to be surrounded by people in a position to do what they can.

What about the people who dont have friends to call on, like John has? says Kieran. Bad and all as Johns situation is, theirs is even worse.

On the other hand, John can point to a health policy that denies him access, through the HSE, to this drug, while others are granted it.

Pembro was initially developed for small-cell lung cancer and what I have is similar to that, yet Im denied it, he says.

Others are given it and good luck to them, but it should be there for anybody for whom it is deemed suitable.

Pembro for some cancer patients  but not others

On January 23, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, announced that immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab would be made available to all women with cervical cancer, once their doctors recommended it.

The move ended an inequity in which the 221 women caught up in the CervicialCheck controversy had access to the drug, while others did not.

However, it also highlighted another inequity. Others who have cancer, and are deemed on medical or scientific opinion to be suitable for treatment with the drug, do not receive it through the state.

That was the dilemma faced by John Holmes  and many others  when they sought to get the drug.

Last month, the case of Philomena Canning was highlighted on these pages. Ms Canning, a midwife of considerable repute, was suing the HSE for wrongful suspension dating from 2014. She had refused a settlement because she wanted the issues attached to her case aired in public court. However, after receiving a terminal diagnosis for ovarian cancer, she went public with her case in order to receive a settlement so she could pay for Pembro.

Again, if she had cervical cancer or another strain of the disease that is covered by the HSE scheme, she would not have been put in that position.

Currently, there are three principal forms of cancer for which the HSE has approved reimbursement for Pembro.

These include forms of melanoma in adults (approved June 2016), forms of metastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma in adults (approved April 2018) and some forms of Hodgkin lymphoma (approved November 2018).

According to the HSE, the drug company Merc Sharp Dome (MSD) has applied for reimbursement of Pembro for small cell lung cancer and bladder cancer and these applications are being considered in line with agreed procedures and the reimbursement process is ongoing.

The only exception to the process of determining what cancers should qualify is cervical cancer.

Pembrolizumab is available for use in the treatment of cervical cancer outside this process as directed by Government, the HSE stated in response to queries from the Irish Examiner.

For those who believe, or are advised, that the drug could benefit them, they must pay the considerable amount of money at issue.

The decision to facilitate the treatment of patients who wish to self-fund treatment is taken by each hospital, the HSE statement says.
Which raises more questions: How far will Democrats go to get more information, and how long will that take? A subpoena by the House to get the report could well end up in the Supreme Court, with Congress seeking to assert its investigative authority while the Justice Department argues for maintaining the confidentiality of its probes.
While Corks relegation to Division 3  just four years after contesting a top-flight league final  might seem as bad as it gets, Ronan McCarthy has warned this may not be the end of the Rebels spectacular decline.

If people think theres a short-term fix here theyre naive in the extreme, said the Cork boss.

This notion that were going to drop down to Division 3 and people are going to lie down and let us win matches, thats part of our problem if we think that.

We have to be patient and perservere and it will come right, but look the world wont stop turning.

Im sure Derry thought when they went down to Division 3 it was as low as it could get, so I cant call that.

It will be difficult to get out of it, but bottoming out? I dont know.

Corks squad depth was tested when Brian Hurley, scorer of two goals, and John ORourke limped out, having already been without Michael Hurley, Paul Kerrigan, Sean Powter and Luke Connolly. Yet they fought and played like a team more used to winning than losing.

Confidence is a brittle thing, added McCarthy.

I see people talking about the Irish rugby team who were almost number one in the world last November and a couple of Six Nations defeats and people are saying their confidence is down.

Look at our players here, confidence is bound to be brittle but theyve shown great courage to keep coming back and they did their jobs today.

They are doing the right things and when you keep working at it, itll come right and if it doesnt, the world wont stop turning.

Armagh assistant boss Jim McCorry labelled his teams first-half performance as lethargic.

This whole adage that when you have nothing to play for in terms of points, subconsciously that seeps in. But you certainly do have something to play for in terms of pride in the county and they were reminded of that at half-time.

Maybe that contributed to a much more positive second-half performance.
Zimbabwe has endured many crises but this is the worst natural disaster to ever hit the region and it will take years to rebuild homes and lives, says Sarah McCan.

Here in Masvingo, in eastern Zimbabwe, Ive witnessed first-hand the devastation of cyclone Idai, which hit southern Africa.

Ive seen houses with roofs caved in, walls that have collapsed and fields of crops devastated. I visited a family whose two children were injured because their roof collapsed at 3am on Saturday night due to the force of the winds. The impact is enormous here.

The cyclone has had a huge impact on 2.5m people in the region, in Mozambique and Malawi and here in Zimbabwe where I am based. This country is affected by many crises but it has never been hit by a cyclone of this magnitude before.

People had no idea how bad this was going to be. Winds of 170km an hour and torrential rainfall literally destroyed homes and property and washed away crops and animals.

Eastern Zimbabwe has been devastated with mudslides, landslides and rockfalls. Roads have been completely washed away, and over 15,000 people have been affected in this part of the country.

Houses have been ruined and destroyed, crops washed away and people have been killed. The death toll in Zimbabwe is estimated to be between 100-200, but it is likely to rise. Theres still several hundred people missing or unaccounted for.

Its had a huge and devastating impact, and for Zimbabwe this is particularly awful is that this is coming on top of a drought in other parts of the country. The bitter irony is that these people were praying for rain until fairly recently.

The cyclone hit one of the poorest areas of the country, and were seeing a high death toll because people were living in areas that were on the sides of mountains and near rivers that are prone to flooding. When the cyclone came, their houses were literally washed away; they didnt have buildings that would withstand strong winds. It is always the poorest of the poor who are the most affected in these situations.

The political strife over the last number of years in Zimbabwe had already taken its toll and the country has been experiencing an economic crisis. People dont have safety nets here.

Its not like in Ireland where there is social welfare for those most in need. People are relying on their neighbours and friends, and relying really on aid agencies like Trocaire and our local partners.

Trocaire has been in Zimbabwe since the 1970s, working with communities facing poverty and injustice. We are here responding on the ground with local partners, who are amazing because theyre really at the coalface.

Theyre providing shelter which is one of the most immediate needs for those who have lost their houses. They are also providing food, clothing and clean water because people are at risk of drinking contaminated water, which can lead to cholera and diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases.

We really need to first of all help the people to get over the initial impact, but then help them resettle, rebuild their homes and rebuild their livelihoods. That is going to take time.

At the moment the crisis is getting a lot of attention but in six months time people may have forgotten about the cyclone. Its really going to take a long-term effort to help people rebuild their lives

Having lived in Zimbabwe for three years, I have seen increasingly severe and unpredictable weather patterns. We had a drought here in 2016, and we know 5.3 million people are going to go hungry again this year. This cyclone has been the worst natural disaster that has ever hit the region.

The frequency and severity of extreme weather events is increasing, and many experts are putting that down to climate change. It is worsening and its affecting those who are least responsible for its cause.

So we all have a responsibility to do what we can to limit climate change to try and prevent devastating events like this cyclone happening again in the future.

Sarah McCan is Trocaire country director for Zimbabwe.To donate visit trocaire.org or phone 1850 408 408 (RoI) or 1800 912 1200 (NI).

Disaster on par with Syria and Yemen
Many US presidents didnt see eye-to-eye with their top spies, but none has came close to the damage being wrought by the current incumbent, writes former public affairs director of the CIA, Kent Harrington.

For more than two years, US president Donald Trump has heaped praise on the worlds authoritarians, disrespected Americas democratic allies, and pursued an ego-driven effort to solve the Gordian knot of North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

But now, the effects of Trumps demented foreign policies are coming home to roost.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the US United States intelligence agencies, where professionals charged with safeguarding the countrys national security are struggling to acquaint the president with realities he does not want to see.

Following the annual threat briefing to the US Congress in January, Trump issued a flurry of tweets challenging the credibility of his own intelligence chiefs testimony.

Though the content of these tweets was characteristically sophomoric, it would be a mistake to dismiss them as a mere tantrum from the Toddler in Chief. Trumps petulance bears directly on the intelligence communitys ability to do its job.

Trumps intent in undermining his own intelligence chiefs is hard to miss. Unnamed White House sources recently suggested to reporters that Trump is eager to be rid of Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence.

By quickly dismissing reports about intelligence officials testimony as fake news, Trump delivered an important message to Coats: his job depends not on his performance, but on his willingness to carry water for the president.

Of course, all presidents appoint their top spies and periodically make changes within the ranks of the intelligence community. Generally, questions of who briefs the president or offers advice on risky covert actions receive the most public attention

But, historically, the intangibles that shape such relationships  not least the presidents personal views about intelligence  have had the most dramatic effect on US policy. For example, Richard Nixon regarded the CIAs top officials as enemies, and thus kept the agency in the dark about his strategic plans. Similarly, when intelligence analysts raised their estimate of North Koreas military strength, Jimmy Carter suspected they were plotting to derail his campaign pledge to bring a US army division home from South Korea.

And Bill Clinton, for his part, simply wasnt interested in spies and their business. After a small plane crash near the White House in 1994, many joked that it was an attempt by the CIA director to get the presidents attention.

But Trump has broken new ground with his public attacks on US intelligence agencies. The problem probably started when those agencies unanimously concluded that Russia had waged a cyber and political war to put Trump in the White House.

Intelligence agencies havent helped themselves by repeatedly contradicting Trumps off-the-cuff pronouncements on Iran, North Korea, the Islamic State (ISIS), and other threats.

Yet, even putting these instances aside, Trump came to office with a deep and abiding ignorance of national-security policy and the role intelligence plays in it, which means that the situation for US spy chiefs is not going to improve.

Consider the analysts who are responsible for assessing developments in North Korea. Like their colleagues who monitor other threats, they arent there to criticise US policy or tell policymakers what to do. Their role is to consider intelligence from all available sources, and then assess the likely effects of potential US action across a wide range of strategic areas.

But Trump has not been happy with US intelligence analysts latest findings. North Koreas recent threat to resume missile testing would seem to reinforce the judgment that the countrys leader, Kim Jong un, is nowhere close to giving up his nuclear arsenal.

Yet the response to that news from Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, a reliable Trump weathervane, was to dismiss North Koreas own official statement and reaffirm the administrations faith in Kim.

Those briefing Trump on the actual intelligence should consider themselves warned not to expect praise for doing their job. After all, assessments of the North Korea threat will undoubtedly continue to invite Trumps ire.

Trumps recent summit with Kim in Hanoi was a failure, and the effort to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula has gone nowhere. At the same time, Kim has made significant progress in bolstering his own position.

With international support for sanctions weakening, China has begun to allow more cross-border trade, offering an economic lifeline for the Kim regime. Kim has also managed to secure a suspension of major US military exercises on the peninsula, while driving a wedge between the US and South Korea.

With or without a nuclear deal, South Korean president Moon Jae-ins own political future requires that he pursue further North-South rapprochement, while playing Cupid to Trump and Kims bromance.

Whether Trump will sit still for an uncongenial intelligence assessment is anybodys guess. In public, Coats and CIA director Gina Haspel insist that Trump is an engaged, informed consumer of intelligence.

But such claims are refuted by the fact that Trump himself has dismissed the need for daily briefings and repeatedly rejected established facts and contrary opinions. With in-person briefings already down to just two per week, those who conduct them have

reportedly begun playing to his limited attention span by focusing more on business and trade.

But regardless of whether Trump wants in-depth analyses, Coats and the other spy chiefs must insist on them, while ensuring that intelligence assessments are reflected in the White House agenda.

Trumps solipsistic worldview and antipathy toward intelligence officers have alarmed others who have a stake in national-security policy. As Adam Schiff, the chairman of the US House intelligence committee, wrote in a letter to Trump prior to his recent summit with Kim, We are perplexed and troubled by the growing disconnect between the Intelligence Communitys assessment and your administrations statements about Kim Jong Uns (sic) actions, commitments, and intentions.

Americas intelligence chiefs are obliged to present the president with the facts, whether he likes it or not. Anything less shortchanges the people who work hard to collect and assess intelligence. Worse still, it amounts to a major threat to US national security.

Kent Harrington, a former senior CIA analyst, served as US national intelligence officer for East Asia, chief of station in Asia, and the CIAs director of public affairs.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019
It is hard not to agree with President Michael D Higgins weekend assertion that he believes the Ireland Skills Live exhibition, the first of which was held at Dublins RDS over recent days, will in time be as important as the Young Scientist Exhibition. Work, after all, is an ever-changing idea and there are many paths to realising worthwhile career and life ambitions.

The exhibition focused on the practical rather than the theoretical and this may give it an immediacy and relevance to young people trying to pick their way through lifes complications.
An 11-year-old child and a woman have been injured in a suspected shooting in south-west London.

Police said they have been taken to hospital but are not in a life-threatening condition.

Officers were called to the scene in Figges Marsh, Mitcham, at 5.40pm on Sunday after reports a firearm had been discharged.

Scotland Yard said a large group of males were seen in the road before the suspected shooting and police are trying to trace them.

Two other people who went to a nearby hospital are also believed to have been injured during the incident.

Their injuries are also described as not life-threatening.

No arrests have been made and the Metropolitan Police have put a Section 60 order in place, allowing officers to detain anyone for searches, until Monday morning.

The force said in a statement: "A woman and an 11-year-old child were treated by the London Ambulance Service for injuries believed to have been caused by a firearm. They have been taken to hospital.

"A large group of males had been seen in the road prior to the firearm being discharged and inquiries are ongoing to locate these individuals.

"It is believed that two further people - who subsequently self-presented at a nearby hospital - were injured during the incident.

"None of those injured is in a life-threatening condition. There have been no arrests at this stage."
Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign or its associates "conspired or coordinated" with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election, according to a summary of his report released tonight.

Mueller did not go as far as to exonerate President Trump of obstruction of justice.

Trump reacted to the news on Twitter saying that it was "complete and total exoneration"

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said a letter from the Justice Department describing the findings "does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him".

The department sent the letter to Jerrold Nadler on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Nadler tweeted that the Justice Department "determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence to 2016 presidential campaign, tweeted journalist Joe Concha, quoting the letter.

Barr says that the President may have acted to obstruct justice, but that for an obstruction conviction, the government would need to proved beyond a reasonable doubt that a person, acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct.  Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Key addendum: Trump campaign or those associated did not collude or conspire with Russia to influence the 2916 election, and this is key: Despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.  Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) March 24, 2019

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders issued a statement on Twitter, calling the report a "total and complete exoneration" for President Trump.

"The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction.

"The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.  Kayleigh McEnany 45 Archived (@PressSec45) March 24, 2019

Donald Trump Jnr also released a statement criticising the media for "two years of non-stop conspiracy theories".

"It's my hope that honest journalists within the media have the courage to hold these now fully debunked truthers accountable and treat them with the scorn and ridicule they deserve," he added.
Features Irrawaddy Region Farmers' Hopes of Reclaiming Stolen Land Running Thin

Farmers in Yegyi Township, Irrawaddy Region, staged a protest to call for the return of their land. / Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region  When the National League for Democracy (NLD) came to power in 2016, farmers in Irrawaddy Region dared to hope that the land stolen from them by past military regimes would be returned.

But three years into the NLDs administration, farmers are starting to feel frustrated with the lack of progress.

I voted for the NLD in the 2015 general elections with the hope that it would return our land if it became the government. But three years after it took office, our wishes remain unfulfilled, said Ko Khin Maung Lwin, a farmer in Nyaungdon Township.

The military regime grabbed farms as well as vacant and virgin land from residents in Irrawaddy for various reasons including the construction of government offices and barracks, factories, hotels, railroads and reservoirs.

According to a parliamentary committee formed under the previous Union Solidarity and Development Party government to investigate land disputes, there are more than 81,000 hectares (200,000 acres) of confiscated land in Irrawaddy.

Maubin District has seen the majority of the regions land disputes, with more than 68,800 hectares (170,000 acres) confiscated in its four townships. According to the district Land Records Department, they were grabbed by the State Peace and Development Council regime in 2000 and granted to 271 private companies.

According to remarks in the Irrawaddy Region Parliament, Ayer Shwe Wah Co.  which U Aung Thet Mann, a son of ex-General and former Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann, has shares in  has received about 16,200 hectares (40,000 acres) in Pathein District.

The Irrawaddy Region Land Records Department declined to provide data on the companys land to The Irrawaddy.

Most of the land granted by the military regime to businessmen was labeled vacant or virgin land on the district Land Records Departments map. But in reality, it was farmland people were using to make a living.

Farmers could do nothing but watch their farms being taken away by people with close ties to powerful generals.

We begged them to wait until harvest, but the cronies refused and bulldozed the paddy fields. The farmers could do nothing but watch in tears, said U Than Win, a member of a farmers and growers association in Nyaungdon Township.

The land grabbing has robbed thousands of farmers of their livelihoods, and many local farmers have moved to neighboring Yangon to survive. Some have gone to work in Thailand or Malaysia.

Meanwhile, most of the businessmen handed their land have done little with it, leaving much of it idle.

According to the district Land Records Department, of the 68,800 hectares granted to businessmen, only 27,100 hectares (67,000 acres) have been put to use.

Some companies have sold or leased the land to third parties or rented it back to the original farmers, said U Kyaw Hsan, who represents Nyaungdon in the regional parliament.

After the NLD took power, the government formed the Central Committee for Reviewing Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands and assigned Vice President Henry Van Thio to lead it. Each region formed its own committee with the same mandate, head by their chief ministers.

After U Win Myint took over from U Htin Kyaw as president in 2018, he instructed regional governments to investigate all the land disputes in their jurisdictions by the end of the year and submit reports to the Union government.

But the Irrawaddy committees still has yet to finish its investigations.

According to Irrawaddy Region Chief Minister U Hla Moe Aung, his committee has managed to investigate only 1,311 of 1,544 land disputes, or about 85 percent.

Over the past three years, the Irrawaddy Region government has returned 3,611 hectares (8,924 acres) of land to 1,393 original owners in Maubin, Myaungmya, Pyapon and Pathein districts, a fraction of the 81,000 hectares of land in dispute.

The figures released by U Hla Moe Aung represent only the land disputes the Central Committee for Reviewing Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands asked to be investigated.

On the ground, there are mountains of land dispute complaints filed by locals with township-level land review committees in 26 townships across Irrawaddy Region.

We couldnt finish even 50 percent of the cases even after trying hard for three years, said U Kyaw Hsan, who sits on Nyaungdon Townships land review committee.

In March 2018 the Central Committee for Reviewing Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands issued a 52-point guideline on how to investigate land disputes. It says local committees are to assess whether any land in dispute was confiscated in line with the 1894 Land Acquisition Act, if the projects implemented on the land were beneficial to locals and provided them with jobs, and if compensation was provided.

Despite the guideline, local departments are stalling the process and covering up their misdeeds in cases in which department staff members are involved, said U Kyaw Hsan.

Some departmental officials are procrastinating by abusing their authority. We only know the cases that they inform us of, and they do not touch the cases that can cause them trouble. And some are covering up their departments past misdeeds. So it is difficult to find out the truth, he said.

Local civil society organizations in Irrawaddy Region say that having government administrators chair the local land review bodies and land records officials serve as secretaries has only made it harder to settle the disputes.

At the village- and ward-level land review committees, most of the chairpersons and secretaries are involved in previous land grabs. And farmers representatives on the committees are not elected systematically, but they are the people who get on well with department officials. In other words, the selection of farmers representatives to the committees is quite arbitrary, said U Myo Chit, chairman of the Irrawaddy Region Farmers Union.

Though lawmakers are involved in the committees, they have no authority, he added.

The unnecessary inclusion of officials from the Fisheries Department, Forest Department, Co-operatives Department and others has also delayed the process, said U Kyaw Zeya, a legal officer at Padeitha Moe, a civil society organization that advocates for land rights.

There are many land disputes in each village. To have a hearing, all the members of the committee, officials from those departments and a lawmaker must be present. But lawmakers have to attend parliamentary sessions, and fisheries officials are too busy with their departmental duties in the rainy season, as are the officials at the Forest Department. Because all of them must be present to make a decision, when can these problems be solved? he asked.

In October 2018, the Irrawaddy Region land review committee revoked private companies ownership of 19,353 hectares (47,822 acres) of land that was not being put to use, according to the regions Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.

The Irrawaddy Region governments asked people who had their land seized to submit applications to their land records departments to be allowed to farm them again. But people are having trouble just getting the application forms.

A company has abandoned about 3,000 acres [1,214 hectares] of land in our area. We came to know this not because departmental officials informed us, but because civil society organizations told us. We asked the officials at the land records departments to give us application forms, but they didnt give them to us. Application forms were only given to farmers who worked in partnership with that company. Currently, only those farmers are working on that land, said Ko Saw Kaw Win, a farmer in Pantanaw Township.

Irrawaddy Region Land Records Department Director U Win Myint, who is also the secretary of the regional land review committee, declined to be interviewed.

The structure of the land review committees should be revised and more representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs) should be included, said U Tin Lin Aung, director of the Pathein-based Green Peasant Institute.

The representation of departmental officials should be limited to five, and six other members should be representatives for farmers, women, CSOs, ethnic minorities and legal experts. Only then will farmers have justice, said U Tin Lin Aung.

After news spread that the government would repossess idle land, many businessmen who had acquired such land in Maubin, Nyangdon, Danubyu and Pantanaw townships built fish farms and started commercial paddy fields, leading to clashes with the original owners.

There are dozens of cases in which private companies have filed complaints against the original owners or landless farmers who have moved in and cultivated the plots for themselves.

It is important that regional governments and parliamentary committees strictly supervise and conduct inspections to ensure the land review committees work in line with the 52-point guideline. Otherwise, the conflicts can result in deaths, said U Kyaw Zeya.

Nyaungdon resident Ko Khin Maung Lwin was still hopeful that farmers would get their land back by the end of the NLDs five-year term.

I still hope that we will get our confiscated land back during the term of the NLD government, which we voted for. Id like to urge the government to try its best not to kill off our hope, and to ensure the rule of law he said.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Still, Mueller's investigation left open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey and drafting an incomplete explanation about his son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign. That left it to the attorney general to decide. After consulting with other department officials, Barr said he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, determined the evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offense."
Asia The Making of Militants in India's Paradise on Earth

Sister of Owais Malik, a suspected militant, displays her phone with the picture of Malik, at her home in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on February 16, 2019. / Reuters

KULGAM, Jammu and KashmirKashmiri farmer Yusuf Malik learned that his son Owais, a 22-year old arts student and apple picker, had become an armed militant via a Facebook post.

Days after Owais disappeared from his home in this picturesque valley below the Himalayan ranges, his picture appeared on the social network, posted by a user the family said they did not recognize. The short, thin, curly-haired young man in casual jeans and a T-shirt stared resolutely at the camera, both hands clutching an AK-47 rifle.

In blood red font on the photo was scribbled his new allegiance: the Hizbul Mujahideen, or The Party of Warriors, the largest of the militant groups fighting to free the mostly-Muslim Kashmir from Indian rule.

He was a responsible kid who cared about his studies, said Yusuf, 49, staring down at the carpeted floor of his brick home where he sat on a recent winter morning, clasping his folded hands inside his traditional pheran cloak.

The family said it has not heard from Owais since.

Owais is one of a rising number of local militants fighting for independence of Kashmir  an insurgency being spread on social media amid Indias sustained, iron-fisted rule of the region.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian troops and armed police are stationed in this lush region at the foot of the Himalayas. India and rival Pakistan have always disputed the area and in the past three decades, an uprising against New Delhis rule has killed nearly 50,000 civilians, militants and soldiers, by official count.

Historically, that insurrection has largely been led by militants from Pakistan, who have infiltrated into the valley.

But now, an increasing number of locally-born Kashmiris are picking up arms, according to Indian officials. About 400 local Kashmiris have been recruited by militants since the start of 2016, nearly double the number in the previous six years, according to government data. India says Pakistani groups continue to provide training and arms  a claim Islamabad rejects.

Just a month before Owais Malik showed up on Facebook, another young man, Adil Ahmad Dar, left his home in a nearby part of Kashmir to join a militant group. This February, his suicide attack on a paramilitary convoy killed 40 Indian policemen, and took India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

After Dars attack, Indian security forces launched a major crackdown, searching Kashmiri homes and detaining hundreds of supporters, sympathizers and family members of those in armed groups. At least half a dozen gun battles broke out between Indian police and militants.

The families of Dar and other young militants, as well as some local leaders and political experts, say run-ins between locals and security forces are one of the main reasons for anger and radicalization. After the recent crackdown, they expect more young people to take up arms.

Freedom, martyrs

Outside the narrow lane that leads to the Malik family home in Kulgam in southern Kashmir, children walk to school past shuttered shopfronts and walls spray-painted with the word azadi, the local word for freedom. The graveyard at the end of the lane has an area for militants, who are remembered as martyrs.

Dars family claims hed been radicalized in 2016 after being beaten up by Indian troops on his way back from school for pelting stones at them.

Since then, he wanted to join the militants, said his father Ghulam Hassan Dar, a farmer.

Indias home and foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

In news conferences since the suicide bombing, Lt-Gen K.J.S. Dhillon, Indias top military commander in Kashmir, has dismissed allegations of harassment and rights abuses by Indian troops as propaganda. He said the recent crackdown by security forces has resulted in the killing of the masterminds of the attack, and militant recruitment has dipped in recent months.

Syed Ata Hasnain, a retired army general who has served in Kashmir for over 20 years, said the rise in homegrown fighters does not surprise him.

Those who were born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the conflict started, have now come of age, he said. This is a generation that has only seen the jackboot. The alienation of this generation is higher than the alienation of the previous generation.

A 17th century Mughal emperor called Kashmir paradise on earth. But violence has ebbed and flowed in the valley since the subcontinent was divided into predominantly Hindu India and Islamic Pakistan after independence from Britain in 1947.

The question of Kashmir, Indias only Muslim-majority state, was never resolved, and it has been the catalyst for two wars and several violent clashes between the countries.

Tensions have risen after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in New Delhi in 2014. Modi promised a tougher approach to Pakistan and gave security forces the licence to retaliate forcefully against the insurgency.

Cult following

Around that time, many young Kashmiris started rallying around Burhan Wani, who had left home at the age of 15 to join the insurgency. Wani had a large following on social media, where he appeared in videos dressed in military fatigues and armed with an assault rifle, calling for an uprising against Indian rule.

He and his brother were beaten by security forces when they were teenagers, his family told local media. Wani was 22 when he was killed by security forces in 2016 and thousands attended his funeral despite restrictions on the movement of people and traffic.

The United Nations said in a report last year that in trying to quell mass protests in Kashmir since 2016, Indian security forces used excessive force that led to between 130 and 145 killings, according to civil society estimates.

Thousands were injured, including around 700 who sustained eye injuries from the use of pellet guns by security forces, it said. Thousands of people had simply disappeared since the insurgency began, it said.

The Indian government has rejected the report as false. Indian forces have long been accused of rights abuses and torture in custody in Kashmir, but officials routinely deny the charges.

Instead, India points the finger at Pakistan. Officials say the rebellion in Kashmir is being funded and organized by Pakistan and if they cut off those resources, the insurgency will weaken and it can then focus on building Kashmirs economy. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group claimed responsibility for the latest attack, which was the deadliest in the insurgency.

Pakistan says it only provides moral support to the Kashmiri right to self-determination.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Muslim spiritual leader of Kashmir who is considered a moderate separatist, contests that India has true plans to engage politically with the people of Kashmir.

In the past five years we have seen that the government of India has only spoken to Kashmiris through the barrel of the gun, thats it. There is no political approach, he said.

Nobody is dying in Kashmir for lack of roads, electricity and water.

Losing another son

A few miles south of Owais Maliks home in Kulgam lives Masuma Begum, who said her son and brother had been called in to an army camp two days after the latest bombing and have been held since then.

A military spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Behind the glass panes of a wall shelf above her were photos of a smiling young man, an assault rifle slung on his shoulder.

Thats my other son, Tausif, Masuma Begum said. The 24-year-old had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in 2013 and been killed by the army the same year, she said. I dont want to lose another son.
Burma 16 Killed, Scores Hurt as Mining Materials Depot Explodes in Wa Region

Damaged buildings and a wounded person are seen following a deadly explosion at a warehouse in Man Maw, Wa Region on March 23, 2019. / On Han / Facebook

Sixteen people were killed and 48 injured when a storage facility for gas and explosives blew up in Man Maw (Mongma) town in Wa Special Region 2 near the Chinese border on March 23, according to the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

The explosion occurred at around 5 pm local time and left a huge dust cloud over the town. Video footage posted on Facebook showed a large blast site with many destroyed buildings and dead bodies. UWSA troops could be seen assisting the wounded.

The wounded were sent to [Yunan province in] China for treatment, Nyi Rang, a spokesperson for the UWSA based in Lashio, northern Shan State, told The Irrawaddy on Monday.

Local authorities said the blast was sparked by faulty wiring at a warehouse used to store mining supplies including gas and explosives. Man Maw is a major tin-mining center.

According to Nyi Rang, UWSA authorities planned to take action against the owners of the facility for storing explosive materials in the town without permission.

According to a paper published by the journal Resources Policy, a huge increase in tin production in UWSA-controlled Man Maw starting in 2009 saw Myanmar soar to the position of the worlds third-largest tin producer in 2014. The report cited figures from the U.K.-based International Tin Research Institute (ITRI).

The UWSA trades the tin to China. An Irrawaddy journalist visiting the area in 2015 reported seeing over 100 12-wheeled trucks transporting tin ore across the border into China.

Special Region 2 is an autonomous area under the control of the UWSA, the largest ethnic armed force in Myanmar.
Burma Ancient Temples Face Damage from Military Shelling

Mrauk-U residents pass by heritage temple Htukkanthein in March 2019. / Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy

YANGON  More than one thousand pagodas, temples and stupas are experiencing dozens of vibrations as a result of the firing of howitzer artillery by Police Regiment No. 31 and military troops located on hills in the ancient heritage zone, northern Rakhine States popular tourist destination of Mrauk-U.

Shelling has been ongoing since March 19 during fierce fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and troops of the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, in the mountain ranges situated in neighboring Min Byar Township. The army used airstrikes against the AA over three days on March 19, 20 and 21.

Mrauk-U Heritage Trusts chairperson Daw Khin Thein explained to this reporter during a recent visit to Mrauk-U, that military troops deployed mostly in the eastern and western hills fire between 30 and 60 times in a day280 times within seven days.

She explained that the Arakanese king Min Saw Mon established Mrauk-U as fortress town A.D. 1430 in order to prevent invasion from neighboring kingdoms. As the stone structures and centuries-old pagodas from Mrauk-U were built so long ago, they could be damaged by vibrations if shootings continue, said Daw Khin Thein.

Mrauk-U is a hilly region and several creeks flow across the township. The downtown Mrauk-U is surrounded by layers of hills.

The hills in the eastern part of Mrauk-U Township are where military troops are currently deployed to fight against the AA. Despite no skirmishes between the two sides taking place within 16 kilometers of downtown Mrauk-U, an artillery unit based at the No.31 Police Regiment situated about 500 meters from popular ancient pagoda Koe Thaung Pagoda regularly fires dozens of shells onto the mountain range where Pan Myaung Village is located.

We would like to urge the Union government to declare Mrauk-U heritage site a war-free zone, said Daw Khin Thein.

She said that her organization and other civil society groups are preparing to send a letter to the National League for Democracy- (NLD-)appointed president U Win Myint this week in which they will explain the possible damage pagodas are facing due to artillery shelling vibrations.

Artilleries are mostly fired from the police regiment and the inner structure of the nearest pagoda, Koe Thaung Pagoda, could be damaged, I guess, because even I could feel the vibration at home.

Daw Khin Thein lives in downtown Mrauk-U which is 2.2 kilometers from the location of the police regiment.

Director of the Mrauk-U Department of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Conservation U Than Htike acknowledges that he is also aware of the military deployment in the designated heritage site zone. According to him, almost every single hill in the surrounding area has a pagoda or stupa and they have physically already identified 200 stupas as potential candidates for UNESCO World Heritage listing.

However, none of the archaeology department officials or archeologists are able to precisely identify how many hills are under the control of army troops as they are afraid of potential risks of going there. U Than Htike said that progress of preparations and future plans for nomination of Mrauk-U as a World Heritage site has been delayed since conflict erupted in the region.

Director U Than Htike said, All hills are no longer under the supervision of the department of archaeology.

As Mrauk-U is not yet listed as a World Heritage site, the Myanmar government fully governs the ancient town of Mrauk-U. But once it is officially declared a World Heritage Site, then perpetrators who damage the site could be sued under international laws, said U Than Htike.

The Myanmar Archeology Association (MAA) urged both parties to respect the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property after the artillery shells landed near the downtown heritage temple Htukanthein and West Myede Pagoda in Mrauk-U on March 18. The Irrawaddy visited the two pagodas and saw the tail of a 40 millimeter mortar shell which had damaged West Myede Pagoda. This is a type of mortar often used by government troops.

Regarding MAAs statement, the AA has pointed out that they never carry out attacks in urban areas, and accused the military troops of creating a fake battle without any provocation in downtown. Despite the ancient city of Mrauk-U being under a huge threat as a result of the armed violence, the National League for Democracy (NLD) and its appointee, Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu, have declined to speak out about the issue.

Chief Minister U Nyi Pu is also the chairperson of the Mrauk-U region management committee, but after having been targeted by a landmine attack early this year, he has not shown up in Mrauk-U since tensions have intensified between the AA and military troops in northern Rakhine. So far, about 20,000 people have been displaced in Rakhine over a period of three months.

Until early 1783, the Arakan kingdom was a sovereign nation and ruled by Maha Thamada Razar. It was conquered by the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784. Since then, Rakhine, as well as other states and divisions, were colonized by the British again in 1824. As the country gained independence from British in 1948, different ethnic groups agreed to sign the Panglong Agreement made by General Aung San and the Union of Myanmar was created.
Burma Dhaka Cracks Down on Black Market Activities in Rohingya Camps

Rohingya refugees gather at a market inside a refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, on March 7, 2019. / Reuters

DHAKA  The Bangladesh government has imposed restrictions on the operation of jewelry and computer shops, as well as pharmacies, at makeshift Rohingya camps in Coxs Bazar after intelligence agencies warned that illegal businesses disguised as legitimate traders were flourishing.

The decision has been taken based on information from the intelligence agencies Its an ongoing process, Bangladeshi Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told The Irrawaddy in Coxs Bazar on Sunday evening.

The commissioner said a few jewelry shops and pharmacies had already been shut, and the rest would be closed by the second week of next month.

Its not possible to monitor everybody, but those found to be engaged in disturbing behavior would be targeted, the commissioner said.

He said setting up small shops was normal, but action would be taken against those found to be creating a problem.

In July 2018, the Dhaka Tribune daily reported that many jewelry stores were really a front for illegal foreign exchange operations, with Rohingya being the primary customers.

In the report, a jewelry shop owner admitted that the Rohingya refugees were receiving financial aid from relatives abroad, and that he was exchanging that money into Bangladeshi taka for a hefty commission.

Some of the other jewelers who recently set up shop in the area are trading in drugs and other contraband, according to the report.

More than 50 jewelry shops sprung up around the Rohingya camps in the Ukhiya and Teknaf sub-districts of Coxs Bazar between November 2017 and July 2018, it said.

During a visit, The Irrawaddy also found a number of jewelry shops set up near Rohingya camps in Kutupalong, Balukhali and Thaingkhali, among other places.

It was not clear why pharmacies and computer shops were also being targeted.

New Age, another Dhaka-based daily, on Monday reported that officials from the Bangladesh National Taskforce on Implementation of National Strategy on Myanmar Refugees and Undocumented Myanmar Nationals believed some Rohingya at Kutupalong and Balukhali camps in Coxs Bazar, in association with some local people, were operating illegal trade in the guise of ornament, computer and medicine businesses.

Earlier, the local administration took a lenient approach to the jewelry, computer and medicine shops on humanitarian grounds, they said.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, the chief of the National Taskforce, said his government had already confirmed that some shops were engaged in smuggling, according to the New Age report.

He said directives had been issued for the district administration and other agencies to take necessary measures.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Sunday evening, Coxs Bazar district police chief ABM Masud Hossain sharply contradicted the allegations of widespread illegal trade, saying that a large number of plainclothes officers had been deployed in each of the camps to monitor whether any crimes were being committed.

He acknowledged allegations that some of the pharmacies were selling Burmese stimulant pills or tobacco, but said most of the shops were selling daily necessities.

Many of their Rohingya relatives live abroad It is absurd to run a hundi business [a traditional non-banking money transfer mechanism] openly in the camps, Masud said.

Shomshu Alom, the chairman of Voice of Rohingya, a recently formed group championing refugees rights, told The Irrawaddy that most of the shops sell clothing or daily necessities.

We are not sure whether any shop is doing illegal business here. We will definitely look into the allegations if so, Shomshu told The Irrawaddy.

More than 700,000 Rohingya entered Bangladesh after fleeing security clearance operations by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State starting on Aug. 25, 2017.

The most recent Rohingya influx took the number of undocumented Myanmar nationals and registered refugees in Bangladesh to about 1,116,000, according to estimates by UN agencies and the Bangladeshi Foreign ministry.
Burma Speculation Surrounds Murder of Rakhine Police Station Head

Tein Nyo Police Station. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy

SITTWEThe head of a police station in Rakhines Mrauk-U Township was shot dead on Saturday evening.

Police Lieutenant Kyaw Kyaw Hla, the head of Tein Nyo Police Station, was at an eatery some 90 meters from the police station when two unknown gunmen fatally shot him, according to the Mrauk-U Township Police Force.

He was shot dead at an eatery. For the time being, we suspect he was shot by insurgents, police captain Aung Thu Myo of Mrauk-U Township Police Force, told The Irrawaddy.

The police lieutenant was shot twice, in his temple and chest respectively, and died at Mrauk-U Township Hospital.

We heard two gunshots near the police station, and [later] we heard that the police station head died of two gun wounds at the hospital. We dont know who shot him, a local resident of Tein Nyo Village, who requested anonymity told The Irrawaddy.

The police lieutenant and another police officer at the same station were sent warning letters accompanied by a bullet from the Arakan Army (AA) on Jan. 6.

In December, the AA sent warning letters, each accompanied by a bullet and the official AA stamp, warning the recipients against disturbing those who are implementing the Way of Rakhita.

Information officer of the AA U Khaing Thukha denied responsibility for the assassination and accused the Tatmadaw of intentionally complicating the situation on the ground.

We have nothing to do with his fatal shooting. We gave him a warning letter, but it was just supposed to be a warning. We guess this was a plot by the military in a complicated situation on the ground. We guess [the military] intends to spoil our name among the public, said U Khaing Thu Kha.

Some locals have said that it would be difficult for the AA to get into the area to carry out the assassination of the police lieutenant as there is a military logistics battalion outpost near the eatery.

Yes, it is true that there is a military outpost that buys rice [from locals]. But no member of an armed group is distinct from ordinary citizens. Everyone knows the situation  the AA has sent warning letters, so for the time being we assume that it is done by them, the head of Rakhine State Police Force Police Colonel Kyi Lin told The Irrawaddy.

There have been frequent fatal shootings in villages in Myebon and Kyauktaw townships in northern Rakhine since December, but authorities have not been able to identify the perpetrators.
Burma Tatmadaw Says It Has Clashed with AA Nearly 100 Times This Year

The military's True News Information Team holds its third press conference this year (and since the announcement of the militarys four-month truce on Dec. 21) in Naypyitaw on Monday. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy

The Myanmar Military (or Tatmadaw) and the Arakan Army have clashed nearly 100 times since the ethnic armed group launched coordinated attacks on police stations on Jan. 4, according to military officials.

Major-General Soe Naing Oo, the head of the Tatmadaws True News Information Team, provided the statistics while sharing information about the militarys clashes with the AA since March 2015 at a press conference in Naypyitaw on Monday.

The first quarter of 2019 (from January to March 24) saw a dramatic increase in attacks, with 97 in all. Tatmadaw and AA troops have clashed 255 times since 2015: 15 times that year; 26 times in 2016; 56 times in 2017; and 61 times in 2018. The Tatmadaw also said its personnel were struck by mines laid by the AA in a total of 74 incidents since 2015, with more than half occurring from January-March 24, 2019 (39 times). Some of the mine incidents were fatal, the Tatmadaw officers said.

Unlike its previous press conference in January, at which the military revealed the number of AA troops killed from 2015 up to that month, this time the military did not provide a number of AA casualties since then.

Major-General Tun Tun Nyi, the deputy head of the True News Information Team, confirmed that there had been fatalities on both sides, but did not reveal how many government soldiers had been killed during clashes with the AA.

Observers have speculated that the number of AA casualties so far this year is already higher than the total of 73 last year, given the sharp increase in fighting in restive Rakhine State.

With regards to the fighting in Kyauktaw and Mrauk U townships in February and aerial attacks on villages in Ponnakyun and shooting and shelling in Mrauk U township in the last two weeks, the Tatmadaw said the incidents in Kyauktaw, Mrauk U, Ponnakyun and Buthetaung townships were counter-insurgency actions taken against the AA, which it said targeted administrative mechanisms and security forces manning national border posts.

The military spokesmen reiterated their stance that the fighting was unavoidable in Rakhine State in February and March, as AA troops disguised as civilians were shooting at both Tatmadaw units in the field and at units in their bases.

The number of people displaced due to the fighting and government shelling reached some 20,000, according to local charity groups.

As at its previous press briefings, the Tatmadaw shared information on how ethnic armed organizations in the unilateral ceasefire regions are violating its call for them to stop inter-ethnic fighting, crossing territorial boundaries, extorting money and forcibly recruiting local residents. Mondays press conference also included updates about the Tatmadaws participation in the governments current peace efforts.

Maj-Gen. Soe Naing Oo said boundary crossing happened some 380 times during the three months since Dec. 21 in Kachin and Shan states. Inter-ethnic fighting was the second most common violation: engagements between the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Taang Nationalities Liberation Army were the most frequent (40), while military engagements between the Tatmadaw and EAOs occurred 33 times.

Despite these accusations against the EAOs, the Tatmadaw held three separate meetings in the period: with the Shan State Progressive Party on Feb. 25, the Restoration Council of Shan State on March 12, and the Karenni National Progressive Party on March 19 in Naypyitaw, following these groups meetings with the governments National Reconciliation and Peace Center.

Maj-Gen. Soe Naing Oo was optimistic that the ongoing peace talks would help to bring success to peace building, but said, some EAOs need to demand only whats possible [to achieve peace]  instead of childish thinking and imaginary acts, but he did not give details on which group he was referring to. The Tatmadaw has vowed to achieve peace by 2020, but also made clear that it would stay in politics as long as the EAOs exist in the country.

The Tatmadaw did not directly reveal whether it plans to extend its four-month truce in the five military commands in the north and northeast of Myanmar at its third press conference in Naypyitaw on Monday.

Responding to The Irrawaddys question, Maj-Gen. Soe Naing Oo said, Actually four months, or 130 days, is enough time to build peace. He went on to say that the Tatmadaws main responsibility is to protect the state from foreign enemies, and it was trying hard to do this.

We have the fighting ability, he added. But we dont want to fight with our brothers; thus we called the ceasefire.
WAIMAW, Kachin State  This 500-acre banana plantation in Kachin States Lamyang Township normally comes to life at 7 each morning. Workers, men and women alike, most from Rakhine State, carry freshly cut bunches of green bananas on yokes to processing area where the bananas are rinsed and then soaked in a tank filled with a white chemical solution. No one knows what the solution is, but they say it is to make the fruits last long. The bananas are then loaded  under the watchful eyes of Chinese supervisors  onto 12-wheeler trucks that will take them to their final destination: Yunnan Province in China.

It takes nearly four hours to fully load a truck. After that we get our lunch break, one worker said.

The scene is a microcosm of the quickly expanding tissue-culture banana plantations in Kachin State. According to the states Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Ministry, Kachin has more than 60,000 acres of such plantations. Civil society groups, however, say they have counted more than 170,0000 acres in the states Waimaw, Bhamo, Shwegu, Mansi, Momauk and Dokphoneyan townships. Most of the plantations have Chinese backing and are accused of stealing land, damaging the environment and violating their workers labor rights.

Tissue-culture banana plantations are banned in Laos and Thailand but have become ubiquitous in war-torn Kachin State. Most of the farmland left behind by displaced ethnic Kachin has been replaced by the plantations.

According to reports from civil society groups, the companies are using insecticides, weed killers and fertilizers and disposing of them carelessly. They say the chemicals have polluted water supplies, poisoning the soil and killing fish and livestock.
South Africa: NAP a tool to combat racism, xenophobia

In its efforts to ramp up the fight against racism, xenophobia and discrimination, government has launched a tool to assist in combating these intolerances.

The tool comes in the form of a 67-page document known as the National Action Plan (NAP).

The plan, which takes its cue from the Declaration Programme of Action adopted by the UN World Conference against Racism, aims to promote and achieve the right to equality while combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

In a country that is still reeling from the effects of division sowed by apartheid, Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffrey said there is no doubt that South Africa needs such a plan.

Launching the plan on Monday, Jeffrey said the NAP is a culmination of an extensive process which started in 2015.

The process included a widespread consultation phase with various stakeholders, which Cabinet approved on 27 February 2019.

The NAP launch comes on the heels of Human Rights Day and just three days shy of the second anniversary since apartheid activist Ahmed Kathradas passing.

Jeffrey said the launch was also in honour of Kathrada who was instrumental in shaping the NAP prior to his passing.

Kathrada participated at the launch of the NAPs national consultative dialogues in 2016.

The NAP will ensure that the concerns of individuals who encounter intolerance are addressed effectively.

It will also provide mechanisms for the documenting, monitoring of such incidents and for ways to strengthen efforts to combat it. The identification of legislation that needs to be amended or adopted to protect victims.

The NAP envisages awareness campaigns that encourage and inform the public of reporting incidents of intolerances to the relevant authorities.

In addition, the NAP will also establish a Rapid Response Mechanism to collate reported incidents of racism and other crimes of prejudice.

While stakeholders such as the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Regional Head Abigail Noko and EU Ambassador Marcus Cornaro welcomed the NAP, they emphasised that its albatross is on implementation.

The NAP should specify who should take action, establish a time frame and a budget and provide for monitoring and evaluation, it should also be a public document that is widely disseminated, said Noko.

The newly launched NAP will be translated into the 10 other official languages. It is also available on the Justice departments website http://www.justice.gov.za/docs/other-docs/NAP/NAP-20190313.pdf

Concluding his address, the Deputy Minister quoted Kathrada, to emphasise that while the launch of the NAP is only the beginning, it must be carried from generation to generation.

The fight for non-racialism, equity and equality is not short-term work, but generational work.

It requires a united effort, and a lifetime of commitment, said the Deputy Minister. - SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Sandra Cam on Monday told detained Senator Leila de Lima to keep her hands off her alleged unexplained wealth.

Cam, a former jueteng whistleblower, warned De Lima to stay away from her issues.

"For the jailed Senator Leila de Lima, you better shut up. Don't make sawsaw here. I know you are behind this. Hindi tama na magsasalita ka ng kung ano-ano. Sasabihin mo sa akin I have a shady character. Pareho tayong hindi malinis, we are both sinners, you are not a saint, I am not a saint. Tigilan mo ako," she told CNN Philippines.

De Lima urged President Rodrigo Duterte to fire Cam or begin an investigation on her alleged corrupt practices. She alleged Cam has amassed properties worth hundreds of millions of pesos, including an island.

"That's a whiff or more than 'whiff of corruption,' isn't it? Not lifting a finger vis-a-vis Sandra Cam's well-known shenanigans should shatter your feigned corruption-loathing image, and your ego," the senator said in a statement on Sunday.

De Lima and Cam have a strained history. The latter testified against the senator in 2016, detailing her alleged involvement in the drug trade.

A private citizen, a certain Lino Espinosa Lim Jr., filed a letter before the Ombudsman on March 21 to look into Cam's alleged undeclared properties worth P500 million. He said that several parcels of land and Zandra's Beach Resort and Convention Center were undeclared in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN).

The PCSO board member said she is willing to undergo investigation before the Ombudsman. She confirmed that she owns the said beach resort, but said she ought it in 1997 before her foray into the public office and consummated part of the land in 2016. She denied she purchased parcels of land on Matabao Island and Ticao Island.

"That's a lot of lies," she said.

Malacanang said they leave the probe to the Ombudsman so there won't be a duplication of investigation.

Since its already in the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman has the power to suspend, I think we will let it do the process, Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo said.
While in ordinary cases, the underlying evidence often should not be disclosed if it did not result in a charge, in the case of a high-level public official who is running for re-election next year, "the public has a right to know the facts" so they can make their own determinations about the official's fitness to serve, she said.
Australia could double its electricity storage capacity through a series of pumped storage hydropower projects that are planned across five states, a researcher at The Australian National University claims.

Professor Jamie Pittock said in a statement that if the projects were implemented, they would speed up the country's move to renewable energy. He wrote a paper on the environmental impact of such a system which was published in the Australian Environment Review.

Estimates are that we would need about 20 big PSH facilities to back up the entire national grid. Its partly a judgment call about how much risk you want to take in terms of the reliability of the electricity supply," he said.

PSH has two connected reservoirs and when there is excess power  for example, on especially sunny or windy days  water is pumped uphill. When the demand rises, power can be generated by releasing water back down to a generator.

Pumped storage hydropower projects are common across the world, with the online encyclopedia Wikipediathat they accounted for more than 95% of all all active tracked storage installations globally.

These projects had a total installed nameplate capacity of 184GW with about 25GW being in the US. The round-trip energy efficiency of PSH varies between 70% and 80%, Wikipedia said, adding that there claims that this was as high as 87%.

Snowy Hydros Tumut 3 pumped storage hydropower station. Photo: Professor Jamie Pittock

Asked why Australia seemed to be a late entrant into using this kind of storage project, Prof Pittock told iTWire that it was probably due to cultural reasons.

The country had been used to depending on coal-fired stations for baseload power for a long time and only recently had there been a change in thinking, he added.

Prof Pittock said there was no danger that there would be a reversal of looking at PSH were the government to change at the forthcoming federal poll.

Indeed, he said, there was probably going to be more emphasis on renewable energy. But he credited the current government with having provided the necessary encouragement for looking at PSH.

Prof Pittock said: "Were talking about more than 20 projects being assessed or built. This would put us well on the way to having a national grid that could rely almost entirely on renewables.

Its really a game changer. It destroys any argument that solar and wind cant provide the baseload power needed to keep the lights on in eastern Australia.

Prof Pittock said there were some unusual challenges involved in setting up PSH projects. "A lot of people live in rural areas because they dont want to live next to a big industrial project, it might be a shock if somebody suddenly turns around and says they want to build a reservoir on top of the nearest mountain," he said.

Many areas that were at high elevations and were suited could not be used due to the presence of national parks or cultural sites, while other sites were too far from water or existing electricity transmission lines.

Prof Pittock said suitable sites included everything from old quarries, to doubling existing pumped hydro schemes and a green steel mill.

One example is the old gold mining tunnels under Bendigo in Victoria, so [it would work by] sucking the contaminated water up to the surface and feeding it back down the mine shafts, he said.

There was no blanket rule on where the water would be sourced, with a South Australian project proposing the use of sea water.
Russian security firm Kaspersky Lab claims to have uncovered a sophisticated supply chain attack which used the live update utility that comes on hardware made by ASUS, the fifth largest PC supplier which is based in Taiwan, with the attack having taken place between June and November 2018.

It said the attack, which it has named ShadowHammer, was aimed at a group of users who were identified by the MAC addresses of their network adaptors. The attacker was listed as an advanced persistent threat, which is code for a nation-state attacker; however, no country was named, nor was any possible reason for the attack advanced.

Playing "spot the C2" in raw shellcode. pic.twitter.com/95NPcFnln7  Costin Raiu (@craiu) March 25, 2019

"To achieve this, the attackers had hardcoded a list of MAC addresses in the trojanised samples and this list was used to identify the actual intended targets of this massive operation," Kaspersky's Global Threat and Research Team said in a blog post.

"We were able to extract more than 600 unique MAC addresses from over 200 samples used in this attack. Of course, there might be other samples out there with different MAC addresses in their list."

Kasperksy said the ASUS Live Update was used to automatically update the BIOS, UEFI, drivers and applications. It said there was no count of the number of users affected though the firm claimed that more than a million users were targeted globally.

The company said more than 57,000 users of Kaspersky software had downloaded and installed a backdoored version of the ASUS Live Update.

One of the Operation #ShadowHammer domains, homeabcd[.]com was temporarily (for just one day) hosted on an Amazon compute host at 35.154.92[.]115.



The host had a Windows server running behind it, we observed services running on ports but no clue what it was used for. /cc @craiu pic.twitter.com/QUpcEyw0XG  Y Ks (@ydklijnsma) March 25, 2019

The attack stayed hidden for so long because the trojanised version of ASUS Live Update were signed with legitimate certificates. "The malicious updaters were hosted on the official liveupdate01s.asus[.]com and liveupdate01.asus[.]com ASUS update servers," Kaspersky claimed.

It said ASUS had been informed about the attack and provided with details on 31 January, adding that the attack was more sophisticated than the ShadowPad attack which targeted a software package produced by NetSarang Computer, and the attack on Avast's CCleaner utility in 2017.

Important note to those who rushed when reading #ShadowHammer story: current ASUS updates are fine, according to our knowledge. Attackers seemed to cease activity in November 2018 and switched to other targets. Which ones? #TheSAS2019 will tell in just 2 weeks. </ShamelessTeaser>  Vitaly Kamluk (@vkamluk) March 25, 2019

It said while precise attribution for the ShadowHammer attack was not possible right now, there was some evidence to link it to the ShadowPad attack.

"The actor behind the ShadowPad incident has been publicly identified by Microsoft in court documents as BARIUM. BARIUM is an APT actor known to be using the Winnti backdoor," Kaspersky said.

"Recently, our colleagues from [Slovakian security firm] ESET wrote about another supply chain attack in which BARIUM was involved, that we believe is connected to this case as well."

The lack of details in the blog post may be due to the fact that the company is set to present a technical paper on the attack at its forthcoming Security Analyst Summit in Singapore. But it appears to have leaked the published details to freelancer Kim Zetter who reported the incident for the American website Motherboard overnight, well ahead of the blog entry being published.

Kaspersky has released a tool for anyone with an ASUS machine to check if they have been targeted by ShadowHammer. MAC addresses can also be checked online.
The University of Sydneys School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering says it is one step closer to developing a more efficient and cost-effective acess to space platform for satellite launches.

As part of the Universitys Clean Combustion Group, Associate Professor Matthew Cleary, Associate Professor Ben Thornber, and Dr Dries Verstraete have joined the International Responsive Access to Space project, with the aim of building the worlds first successful rotating detonation engine to send payloads into space.

Led by DefendTex, the project was awarded a $3 million CRC-P grant in 2018 as a Federal Government investment into developing Australias space industry.

The project includes researchers from the University of Sydney, Universitat der Bundeswehr Munchen, the University of South Australia, RMIT, Defence Science and Technology Group and Innosync.

The university says Associate Professor Clearys group has focused its research on combustion and has initiated computational fluid dynamics simulations, with preliminary results demonstrating the efficacy of the rotating detonation engine.

The group also includes three aerospace engineering researchers who are working on launch system conceptual design and rotating detonation cycle performance and efficiency analysis.

Since the project kicked off we have worked with our collaborators to develop new computational methods to investigate supersonic combustion, which is a process known as detonation, Associate Professor Cleary said.

Our preliminary findings from simulations of a model rotating detonation engine have led to some interesting findings about the stability of detonations in an annular channel, in particular with regard to the importance of designing the combustor geometry such that the detonation is stable and rocket thrust can be sustained continuously.

This information is being fed to our collaborators who are now starting work on ground testing an engine, he said.

While conventional rockets carry both oxygen and fuel onboard, the team has been researching methods for rockets to effectively collect oxygen from the atmosphere during lower atmospheric ascent.

Whats exciting about rotating detonation engines is the potential to operate them in a so-called 'air breathing' mode. The purpose of this function is to reduce the mass of the launch vehicle and increase efficiency, reduce costs, and potentially allow for larger payloads, such as satellites, Associate Professor Cleary said.

Professor Christian Mundt from the Universitat der Bundeswehr Munchen has been working closely with Associate Professor Clearys team and will be performing simulations to test the engines air breathing function.

The propulsion concept of the rotating detonation engine is very promising for the future because of its cycle advantages  we are very glad to be part of this important research project, said Professor Mundt.

With increased global investment in space technology and commercial satellites, Associate Professor Ben Thornber believes the project is well placed to make a substantive impact on Australias space economy.

Our advancement of modelling of high-speed propulsion is directly aligned to Australias strategic investment in a space agency, and aims to enable Australian industry to access the small satellite launch market, which is valued at $16 billion over the next decade.

DefendTex chief executive Travis Reddy believes the current research is on track to developing a world first Rotating Detonation Engine capable of providing Australias first sovereign launch capability for Responsive Access to Space.

The Responsive Access to Space project has been funded until 2021 and has attracted more than $4 million of cash and in-kind contributions from industry and university stakeholders.
Facebook is not removing neo-Nazi groups from the site because they do not violate its "community standards", an investigation by a British newspaper has found.

The Independent reported that even when pages operated by white supremacist organisations like Combat 18 and the Misanthropic Division were reported to the social media juggernaut, it simply did not remove the pages and those who reported them to stop following the pages if they were found to be offensive.

It said it had seen a report by the group Counter Extremist Project that indicated Facebook had offered similar responses to pages for chapters of Be Active Front USA, a skinhead group, and the neo-Nazi British Movement.

Facebook has come under renewed pressure to regulate the content available on the site after a terrorist who killed 50 Muslims in a New Zealand mosque on 15 March live-streamed his assault on the defenceless worshippers.

The video of the killings was taken down only after about an hour, by which time it had been duplicated and posted to thousands of other websites. The video of the killings is still available on the Internet.

Google and Twitter also came in for criticism because the video was uploaded to YouTube and linked off numerous Twitter accounts.

The Independent said Facebook was unwilling to remove a page used by the Greek wing of Combat 18 even though the main picture showed a man standing in front a wall painted with a swastika and giving a Nazi salute.

CEP senior director Hans-Jakob Schindler told the paper that hate groups were being allowed to build echo chambers.

Facebook services a third of the worlds population [2.32 billion monthly active users], its the biggest platform there is, he added. But the companys business model is content on the platform, not content off the platform, [so] unless there is clear, sustained public pressure on the right-wing extremism issue, we will not see significant progress.
Today

Sunny. High 68F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Mainly clear early, then a few clouds later on. Low 38F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
The first bill, House Bill 2495, otherwise known as the Reproductive Health Act, would essentially repeal all existing abortion restrictions that remain in Illinois. It would remove limits on late-term and post-viability abortions, thereby allowing abortion up to the moment of birth for any reason, or no reason at all. It would require all private health insurance plans to cover abortions with no exceptions for religious, nonprofit or pro-life organizations. And it would relax requirements and standards for abortion clinics.
During the 22 months of the special counsels work, Trump spent a lot of time defending himself and lashing out at others. He tweeted incessantly about the supposed collusion witch hunt. No one can assess the impact of the legal threat posed by Mueller as a distraction to Trump, but obsessions do come at a price. Since early in Trumps presidency, weve written about all the work he might have accomplished if hed been more disciplined, and less focused on picking fights with his perceived enemies. A point weve come back to: If Trump had allowed FBI Director James Comey to complete the Russia investigation instead of firing him, there would have been no need for the Justice Department to appoint a special counsel.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Clearing skies after some morning rain. Thunder possible. Morning high of 63F with temps falling to near 50. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low 38F. Winds light and variable.
TORONTO, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (Kirkland Lake Gold or the Company) (TSX:KL) (NYSE:KL) (ASX:KLA) announced today that Eric Sprott, Chairman of the Companys Board of Directors (the Chairman) will retire as Chairman and a member of the Board following the Companys 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on May 7, 2019 (the AGM). Mr Sprott has served as the Chairman of the Board since November 2016 and was the Chair of Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. since February 2015.

Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, commented: I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Eric over the last 2.5 years. Not only is he a great business leader with an accurate and informed view of the market, he has been a mentor and confidant to me, providing solid advice and direction. I will certainly miss our early morning calls and meetings. During his tenure as Chairman, Kirkland Lake Gold has emerged as a top performing gold company, one that is well positioned for continued growth and value creation in the years to come. On behalf of the Companys Board of Directors, management, employees and stakeholders, I would like to express our thanks to Eric for his dedication and leadership over the past five years and wish him all the best in his retirement. As we advance our growth plans, we look forward to receiving his continued input and support.

Eric Sprott, Chairman of the Board said, During the past five years, we have succeeded in creating a truly unique gold company which continues to have significant upside potential. While I have decided that now is the right time for my retirement, I fully expect to remain a very interested and engaged shareholder of the Company.

The Board has determined that following the retirement of Mr. Sprott, Mr. Jeff Parr will assume the role as Interim Chairman of the Board, pending his re-election to the Board at the AGM. Mr. Parr has served as a director of the Company since November 2016 and was previously a director of Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. from October 2014. As an independent director, Mr. Parr is currently the Chair of the Audit Committee, and serves on both the Compensation and Technical Committees.

Mr. Parr is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA 1984) and has over 30 years of executive management experience in the mining and service provider industries. He joined Centerra Gold in 2006 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2008 where he served until his retirement in 2016. From 1997 to 2006 he worked for Acres International as Chief Financial Officer and from 1988 to 1997, held progressively senior financial positions at WMC International (a subsidiary of Western Mining Corporation responsible for operations and exploration in the Americas), ultimately serving as the Companys Executive Vice President. He is also a member of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of Discovery Metals Corp. He is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants and has obtained the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Following the AGM, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will commence a review of the composition of the Board to determine whether the size of the Board should be increased and, where appropriate, nominate suitable candidates.

About Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. is a growing gold producer operating in Canada and Australia that produced 723,701 ounces in 2018 and is on track to achieve significant production growth over the next three years, including target production of 920,000  1,000,000 ounces in 2019, 930,000  1,010,000 ounces in 2020 and 995,000  1,055,000 ounces in 2021. The production profile of the Company is anchored by two high-grade, low-cost operations, including the Macassa Mine located in Northern Ontario and the Fosterville Mine located in the state of Victoria, Australia. Kirkland Lake Gold's solid base of quality assets is complemented by district scale exploration potential, supported by a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Kirkland Lake Gold with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words may, would, could, should, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar expressions and, in this press release, include information regarding the retirement of the Chairman of the Board and the potential nomination of additional candidates to the Board in future.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Kirkland Lake Gold believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the future development of the Canadian and Australian operations; the potential anticipated annual increase in production; future exploration activities; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; and compliance with extensive government regulation. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Kirkland Lake Gold and market conditions. This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by Kirkland Lake Gold, including Kirkland Lake Gold's annual information form dated December 31, 2017 and the annual consolidated financial statements and related MD&A for the period ended December 31, 2018, which are filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Kirkland Lake Gold has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Kirkland Lake Gold does not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

Anthony Makuch, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director

Phone: +1 416-840-7884

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mark Utting, Vice President, Investor Relations

Phone: +1 416-840-7884

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website : www.klgold.com
Gaza has for nearly a year been the scene of massive protests and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers along its demarcation line with the Jewish state.

In that time, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed, along with two Israeli soldiers.

Here is a recap:

 First deadly day 

Protesters stage a mass rally on March 30, 2018, demanding the right to return to homes, now inside Israel, that Palestinians fled or were expelled from in the late 1940s as the Jewish state was created.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians converge along the barrier that separates Gaza from Israel.

Officially organised by civil society groups, The Great March of Return is backed by Islamist militant movement Hamas, which runs Israeli-blockaded Gaza.

Several groups of protesters face off with Israeli soldiers, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails.

Israeli snipers respond with live fire, killing 19 Palestinians.

 Kites on fire 

On April 6, thousands of Palestinians gather again near the security barrier. Nine Palestinians are killed and nearly 500 injured.

Four days later, the Palestinians employ a new tactic, sending kites across the border, some carrying explosive devices, to set fire to farmland.

Similar kites and balloons have since torched thousands of hectares of land and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of damage.

 Bloodbath 

On May 14, tens of thousands of Palestinians return to the barrier as the US opens its controversial embassy in Jerusalem after recognising the disputed city as Israels capital.

At least 62 Palestinians are killed by Israeli fire in the ensuing violence, with more than 2,400 wounded.

On June 13, the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution, opposed by Washington, condemning Israel for the violence.

 Summer of violence 

On July 14, Israel unleashes dozens of air strikes, killing two Palestinians, while 200 rockets target Israel.

Overnight August 8-9, Hamas fires some 180 rockets and mortars from Gaza, according to the Israeli army, which says it responded by targeting 150 of the movements military sites.

After a brief respite, 10 Palestinians are killed in clashes with the Israeli army during demonstrations on September 28 and October 5.

 Aid from Qatar 

On November 9-10, as mediation efforts progress, Palestinian civil servants in Gaza receive millions of dollars in salary arrears, funded by Qatar.

Since then, four instalments of Qatari aid have been distributed to Palestinians in Gaza.

Under UN auspices, Qatar has also financed deliveries of fuel to the territorys only power plant.

 Escalation 

On November 11, an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip leaves seven Palestinians and one Israeli soldier dead.

In revenge, Hamas the next day attacks an Israeli bus, severely wounding a soldier.

It is the beginning of one of the worst escalations in years, with hundreds of rockets and mortars fired at Israel and dozens of Israeli strikes against Gaza positions.

Seven Palestinians are killed.

On November 13, an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire is agreed. A day later, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigns, saying Israel is capitulating to terror.

On November 21, four Palestinians are killed by Israeli soldiers.

 UN probe 

On February 28, 2019, a UN probe says Israel may have committed war crimes or crimes against humanity in responding to unrest in Gaza, as snipers intentionally shot civilians, including children.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the report outright.

 Rockets and strikes 

On March 14, rockets are fired from Gaza towards the region of Tel Aviv.

Overnight, Israeli aircraft and helicopters strike dozens of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

The organisers of Friday protests along the Gaza-Israel demarcation line say they are calling off this weeks rallies.
Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj on Monday sacked a Serb member of his government after she called the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia a genocide against the Serbian people.

The statement of the deputy minister of justice, Vesna Mikic, that NATOs bombing was genocide against the Serbian people is unacceptable and represent a language of hatred, Haradinaj wrote on his Facebook account.

People who denigrate common Euro-Atlantic values have no place in the government and institutions of Kosovo, he added.

Like Belgrade, the ethnic Serb minority in Kosovo does not recognise the independence of the breakaway territory, but the Kosovo constitution requires that Serbs are represented in the government in Pristina.

Twenty years ago, on March 24, NATO launched an air campaign to force Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic to pull his armed forces out of Kosovo and end the war with independence-seeking ethnic Albanian guerrilla.

The 1998-1999 independence war in Kosovo claimed more than 13,000 lives, mostly ethnic Albanians, and led to a humanitarian and refuge crisis in which hundreds of thousands of people left their homes.

The bombings lasted for three months until Milosevic finally withdrew his troops from Kosovo and Serbias southern province at the time became a UN protectorate.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has refused to accept it, and still considers it its southern province.

The Serbian governments office responsible for Kosovo condemned Mikics sacking.

By calling the (NATO) aggression on the Serb people genocide Vesna Mikic expressed a predominant opinion of the Serbian people, the office said in a statement.

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Syrias Kurds called Monday for an international court to be set up in the country to try suspected Islamic State group jihadists following the announced fall of their caliphate.

IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islam on millions living in the proto-state that it declared across a large swathe of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014.

The extremists stand accused of carrying out numerous crimes including mass executions, kidnappings and rape.

We call on the international community to establish a special international tribunal in northeast Syria to prosecute terrorists, the Syria Kurdish administration said.

In this way, trials can be conducted fairly and in accordance with international law and human rights covenants and charters, it said in a statement.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced the end of the caliphate after defeating IS jihadists in the eastern village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border.

Kurdish-led forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have detained thousands of suspected IS fighters in more than four years battling the jihadists, including around 1,000 foreigners.

 9,000 foreign IS relatives 

While alleged IS fighters are held in jail, women and children suspected of being affiliated to the group are housed in Kurdish-run camps for the displaced.

More than 9,000 foreigners, including over 6,500 children, are being held in the overcrowded main camp of Al-Hol, Kurdish spokesman Luqman Ahmi said Monday, citing figures from a week ago.

The Kurdish administration has repeatedly called for the repatriation of foreign IS suspects, and warned it does not have capacity to detain so many people.

But the home countries of suspected IS members are reluctant to take them back, due to potential security risks and the likely public backlash.

The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria has appealed to the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards members of the terrorist organisation detained by Kurdish security forces, it said Monday.

But unfortunately there was no response.

It urged the international community, particularly countries that have nationals detained, to support the establishment of an international tribunal, calling for legal and logistical cooperation and coordination.

Previous international courts include the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which tried genocide perpetrators in the African country.

The International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia meanwhile tried those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in conflicts that tore apart the Balkans in the 1990s.

 Humanitarian crisis 

Tens of thousands of people streamed out of the last IS pocket on the eastern banks of the Euphrates in recent months, sparkling a humanitarian crisis.

The camp in Al-Hol is now bursting at the seams, housing more than 70,000 people  in a place designed for just 20,000.

Humanitarian conditions in Hol camp are extremely critical, World Food Programme spokeswoman Marwa Awad said Monday.

The Kurdish administration called on the United Nations to improve living conditions in the Al Hol camp, accusing UN bodies of responding poorly to the massive influx of women and children to the shelter.

It particularly appealed to UN bodies to provide increased humanitarian assistance as well as support efforts to expand the camp, establish medical points and clinics, and enhance water supply and sewage networks.

Despite the declared victory against IS in Baghouz, the jihadists still maintain a presence in the countrys vast desert and have continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory.

Syrias war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Apart from fighting IS, the Kurds have largely stayed out of the civil war, instead setting up their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country.
The Extraordinary African Chambers in Dakar is to try former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre from Monday for atrocities committed during his presidency.

The special court, created by the African Union under an accord with Senegal, is comprised of two Senegalese judges led by another from Burkina Faso.

The trial will set a historic precedent as until now African leaders accused of atrocities have been tried in international courts.

A long list of international tribunals have been put in place since the 1990s to rule on crimes committed during conflicts:

 The International Criminal Court (ICC) 

The worlds only permanent war crimes tribunal, the ICC tries crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes.

The court came into being in The Hague in 2003 and has opened investigations in eight African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Kenya, Libya, the Ivory Coast and Mali.

It has also opened preliminary probes in other countries, including Georgia, Colombia, Honduras and Ukraine.

In July 2012, the ICC issued its first ever sentence, condemning Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga to 14 years in prison for using child soldiers in his rebel army.

Ivory Coasts former leader Laurent Gbagbo is the first former head of state to be prosecuted by the court.

Among serving African leaders, the ICC has charged Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted for war crimes and genocide.

 The former Yugoslavia 

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, based in The Hague, was created in May 1993 by the United Nations Security Council to try those accused of warcrimes, crimes against humanity and genocide during the conflicts following the break-up of Yugoslavia.

Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic, who died on March 11, 2006, while in prison in The Hague, was the first former head of state to be put on trial by the international justice system.

The former Bosnian Serb political and military chiefs Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic are currently on trial.

 Rwanda 

The UN set up the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha, Tanzania, in November 1994 to try the main perpetrators of the 1994 Rwanda genocide in which 800,000 died, mainly ethnic minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The court has sentenced several dozen people,

Originally due to shut on December 31, 2014 it has remained partly open to hear appeals up to August 2015.

 Sierra Leone 

Sierra Leones special court, set up in Freetown after the signature of an accord between the UN and the government on January 16, 2002, was established to try those who bore the greatest responsibility for atrocities during the countrys 1991-2001 war.

Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor, whose trial was transferred to The Hague, was sentenced to 50 years in jail on May 30, 2012, confirmed on appeal, for arming Sierra Leones rebels in return for blood diamonds during the brutal war, which claimed 120,000 lives. It was the first judgement against a former head of state by an international court since the Nuremberg Nazi trials in 1946.

 Lebanon 

The UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, created by a 2007 UN Security Council resolution at Lebanons request, opened its doors in 2009 and is tasked with trying those suspected of responsibility for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri.

The tribunal is based outside The Hague and is the first international court to accommodate trials in absentia, where the accused is not present.

Since January 2014, the court has tried in their absence five members of Lebanons powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has vowed that none of the men will ever be caught.

 Cambodia 

Cambodia and the UN signed an agreement in 2003 to establish the tribunal, known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, a complex hybrid court combining elements of international and domestic law.

Its mandate is to prosecute senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge and those most responsible for the genocide committed between 1975 and 1979.

In August 2014 the two top surviving Khmer Rouge leaders, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, were sentenced to life in prison by the court for crimes against humanity.
For more than 15 years after the genocide, the Rwandan judiciary had very little chance of getting to try suspects outside Rwandas borders, due to lack of guarantees on the fairness of trials. But in April 2012, there was a big turning point when the UNs International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Tanzania handed over one of its accused to Kigali. This change came because of pressure on the ICTR to complete its work quickly. It was also the result of judicial reforms in Rwanda, including abolition of the death penalty and the establishment within the High Court of a specialized chamber for international crimes, responsible in particular for dealing with genocide cases transferred by third countries.

In all these cases, Rwanda promised to ensure respect for the rights of the defence and to guarantee a fair trial. In the case of accused persons referred by the ICTR, their transfer may be cancelled if the ICTR, subsequently replaced by the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), considers that the rights of the defence have not been respected. However, such a decision is extremely unlikely.

Cases transferred by the ICTR

Before officially closing at the end of 2015, the ICTR transferred two accused, Pentecostal pastor Jean Uwinkindi and militia leader Bernard Munyagishari, to Rwanda. It also transferred the files of six other suspects still on the run. One of them, Ladislas Ntaganzwa, was arrested in December 2015 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and transferred three months later to Rwanda.

Jean Uwinkindi is accused, according to his ICTR indictment, of crimes against Tutsi churchgoers in the parish of Nyamata, 30 km southeast of Kigali. His trial was marked by several postponements due in particular to the issue of ill-defined legal aid. Paid first by hours of service and then on the basis of a monthly contract, his lawyers Gatera Gashabana and Jean-Baptiste Niyibizi rejected a new lump sum contract of 15 million Rwandan francs (about 15,000 euros) for the whole case, which the Ministry of Justice wished to apply to all such cases for the sake of harmonisation. The lawyers were revoked and replaced by other defence lawyers, whom the accused rejected but who were nevertheless present right up to the life sentence pronounced on Uwinkindi on December 30, 2015. The High Court found him guilty of murders equivalent to the crime of genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity. A date has not yet been set for his appeals case before the Supreme Court.

This landmark trial left a trail of smoke  boycott of hearings, rejection of lawyers, failure of defence witnesses to appear, omission of arguments in court  that would get into all the other trials, including that of his co-prisoner Bernard Munyagishari.

Bernard Munyagishari, transferred by the ICTR on July 24, 2013, seems to have learned well from the pastor. His case has been held up by numerous obstacles. He argued that since he was Congolese he did not understand the Rwandan language, Kinyarwanda. The judge concluded that his professional background and a 1982 court case proved the opposite. In March 2016, Munyagishari started to boycott the court hearings in protest at legal aid which he also claimed was a violation of his rights. He rejected the defence team that replaced his lawyers, but the new team remained until the handing down of the verdict. On April 20, 2017, the court handed down a life sentence on Munyagishari, who was still not present. His appeals case is still pending before the Supreme Court.

The Mugesera case

Encouraged by ICTR transfers, several Western countries decided to extradite Rwandan nationals suspected of genocide. However, some like France and Belgium have never agreed to such requests from the Rwandan authorities.

Canada, which closely followed the ICTRs landmark transfer decision, did not wait for the UN tribunal to implement that before authorizing its own transfers. On January 22, Canada extradited well-known suspect Leon Mugesera, and then in 2016 former military officer Henry Jean Claude Seyoboka. Other countries have also followed suit, with one extradition by Norway, two by Denmark and three by the Netherlands. But the United States has the largest number, with four extraditions since 2005. Uganda, where several hundred suspects are said to be hiding, is probably the only African country to have joined the hunt for fugitives, with three extraditions since 2010.

After a long procedure in Canada, Leon Mugesera was tried and convicted in Rwanda.

No case has been so much in the news as that of Leon Mugesera. His case saw more than a hundred court adjournments, many of them due to the issue of legal aid. Upon his arrival in Rwanda, it was Mugeseras family who paid the fees of his lawyer, Donat Mutunzi. Then, due to insolvency, the Rwandan lawyer abandoned the case. The accused then asserted his right to legal aid but refused, according to the Ministry of Justice, to comply with the procedure requiring the applicant to complete an ad hoc form. Mugesera argued that an affidavit signed in Canada was enough to prove his indigence. The accused and the ministry were never able to agree. As a result, the trial ended without hearing any defence witnesses or arguments from the defence. On April 15, 2015, Mugesera was sentenced to life in jail for public incitement to commit genocide in a famous speech on November 22, 1992, in Kabaya, northern Rwanda  the speech that led to his departure for Canada.

Lieutenant Seyoboka was prosecuted for massacres at the Centre for the Study of African Languages in the heart of Kigali. He is the only person amongst those extradited to be tried by a military court. Last January, he was convicted of genocide and sentenced to life in prison.

The Scandinavian cases

Extradited from Norway on March 10, 2013, Charles Bandora was the first genocide suspect to be sent by a European state to Rwanda. He is also the only one who did not obstruct his trial. On May 15, 2015, just two years after his transfer, the High Court found him guilty of conspiracy, genocide and murder as a crime against humanity, crimes punishable by life imprisonment. The former businessman got a reduction of sentence to 30 years for cooperating in the proceedings. On March 22, 2019, his sentence was upheld on appeal and the crime of conspiracy was re-categorized as genocide planning .

It was different with Emmanuel Mbarushimana, a former teacher promoted to school inspector in 1994, who was extradited by Denmark in July 2014. After three years of a trial inspired by the obstructions of his co-prisoners, he was sentenced to life in jail on December 28, 2017 for genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide and intent to eliminate a social group as a crime against humanity committed on Kabuye Hill, in the former Butare prefecture (southern Rwanda), where more than 50,000 Tutsis were killed. His appeals case has not yet been scheduled.

Inadequate legal aid

During the trials of the first two cases transferred from the ICTR, several requests were filed with the Registry of the MICT for cancellation of the transfer. The main arguments were inadequate legal aid and the inability to bring refugee witnesses from abroad. In the Uwinkindi case, various MICT observer reports note that his rights to a fair trial are violated because his defence team has not received the necessary funds to organize his defence. Insufficient funds were also cited in the Munyagishari case. But the complainants were each time rejected.

In an October 2015 decision in the Uwinkindi case, the MICT said that the conditions for transfer do not require that there is a given level of funding but that the accused benefit from the principle of equality of arms, which is different from the two parties having the same means. As an indigent accused, [Uwinkindi] had no right to choose his counsel, the MICT concluded, and the replacement of the initially appointed counsel does not constitute an obstacle to fair trial.

On the issue of legal aid, Kigali Bar Association president Benjamin Gasamagera points to the 100 or so experienced lawyers available. As evidenced by the current trials, this problem no longer exists, says Johnston Busingye, Rwandan Minister of Justice.

Justice near and far

The Rwandan authorities have issued about a thousand arrest warrants for individuals living abroad who are suspected of having participated in the genocide. Compared with that figure, some 20 suspects transferred or extradited in 25 years is very few. Rwandas Attorney General Jean-Bosco Mutangana nevertheless thinks the number of transfers reflects judicial diplomacy that is bearing fruit. The ideal for us, he says, is that these accused be sent back here to be judged at the scene of the crime, so that the victims can see justice being done. But if for any reason a country cannot extradite an accused, then it must try him without delay, adds Mutangana, hailing the countries that have done this. But who really follows these trials after the ICTR and after gacaca? For Ibuka, the main association of genocide survivors, very few victims follow them. What is the difference between such a trial and a trial abroad? asks its executive secretary Naphthal Ahishakiye, who deplores the lack of media coverage. Justice continues to be done, but it is no longer seen to be done.

NTAGANZWA TRIED IN RWANDA

Ladislas Ntaganzwa is in Kinshasa, Thambwe Mwamba, Congolese justice minister at the time, announced to the press in December 2015. He is in a police cell and our services will question him. The former mayor of Nyakizu, 54, was at the time one of the most wanted genocide suspects in the world. A reward had been offered for his capture. And on that December 9 he was caught in a Congolese army operation against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo known to include former leaders of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. On March 20, 2016 Ntaganzwa, who was indicted by the ICTR, was handed over to the Rwandan authorities. He is being prosecuted for genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination as a crime against humanity, murder, rape and sexual abuse. When he appeared before the judge two weeks later and refused to plead guilty or not-guilty, people wondered if he would follow in the footsteps of Uwinkindi and Munyagishari and try to obstruct his case. Ladislas Ntaganzwa in Kigali. That is not the case. Three years after his transfer, the trial is going fairly well after a few little obstacles, says Alexis Musonera, one of his lawyers. The problems include a huge case file that he had not had the time to read, in a language  English  that he didnt understand, a computer he didnt know how to use, and a threat of recusal for not spending enough time preparing the defence, which was finally settled amicably. That was all! Neither of the two lawyers complained about their fees or the legal aid in general. Presentation of evidence started on February 18, 2019. Some 30 prosecution witnesses are expected to testify, while the defence has not yet presented its witness list. We are still honing the list in view of the statements, explains one of the two lawyers who does not deny the sensitivity of the defence witnesses in such a notorious case.
Did Trump fall short of his constitutional obligations in another way, by trying to obstruct the government investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election? In his four-page letter to Congress, Attorney General William Barr said Muellers report does not exonerate the president and instead sets out evidence on both sides of the question. By leaving that question for others to ponder, Mueller sidestepped political landmines.
2) Trump and all his joyous supporters in and out of government will swiftly apologize for lying to the American people by saying that Barrs memo about the Mueller report is a Complete and Total EXONERATION of the president. It isnt. In fact, the memo directly quotes part of Muellers report relating to the investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice: While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. You cant have complete and total exoneration when the report specifically says it does not exonerate you. But dont worry, Im sure that was a minor oversight that Trump and his supporters will want to clear up as soon as possible, before it detracts from an otherwise triumphant moment.
And I dont mean to do this, but if it was about me, you wouldnt see, Im here with Pat Dowell today. But on Sunday I was with Walter Burnett, Carrie Austin, Michelle Harris, Howard Brookins, Greg Mitchell, Susan Garza. All within 48 to 72 hours before the election, he said. And if an alderman thought any otherwise, they wouldnt have done that, but they did. And not only did it, asked to do it.
This landlocked state shouldn't have any islands. But the deadly flooding that has deluged parts of Nebraska could get worse before it gets better.

"This really is the most devastating flooding we've probably ever had in our state's history, from the standpoint of how widespread it is," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday.

More than 8 million people are under flood warnings in the Midwest and the Mississippi River Valley, said CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen.

"Eastern Nebraska remains the hardest hit area, with much of the southeast part of the state under flood warnings," he said.

The flooding has already killed two people in Nebraska and one man in Iowa. Ricketts said at least one person remains missing in Nebraska.

Flood records have been shattered in 17 places, and more rivers will likely break cresting records this week, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. (A crest is the highest point of a flood wave.)

Now the big concern is floodwater draining downstream, further deluging communities that can't take any more water.

3 deaths include a farmer trying to rescue others

Nebraskan James Wilke, a farmer in Platte County, used his tractor to try to help a person trapped in a vehicle, NEMA spokesman Mike Wight said.

"With the guidance of emergency responders, James drove his tractor over the Shell Creek bridge on the Monestary Road and the bridge gave out. James and the tractor went down into the flood water below," family friend Jodi L. Hefti wrote on Facebook.

Another Nebraska man died after he was overcome by flood waters near a dam in Spencer, Wight said.

He said one more person in Nebraska is missing and presumed dead.

In Iowa, Aleido Rojas Galan of Nebraska was one of three people rescued from floodwater, Iowa's Fremont County Sheriff's Office said. But Galan, 55, succumbed to his injuries and died at a hospital in Lincoln.

This nightmare started with a 'bomb cyclone'

The mammoth flooding follows a powerful "bomb cyclone" that slammed the central US last week with hurricane-like winds and blizzard conditions.

Melting snow ended up in rivers and streams, causing flooding and cresting days after the precipitation was over.

Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base, just south of Omaha, said about 30 buildings were hit with floodwater.

"Team Offutt has done an incredible job working together to battle this historic flood as best we can," said Col. Michael Manion, 55th Wing commander. On Sunday, he said the 55th Wing at the base was down "essential personnel manning only."

In Iowa, a mandatory evacuation order has been issued for some residents of Pacific Junction, CNN affiliate KETV reported. A county board resolution passed Sunday will establish a $750 fine for anyone who violates the evacuation or curfew orders, according to the news station.

Recovering from the damage

The Nebraska governor and Rep. Don Bacon toured shelters Sunday, talking to displaced residents and evacuees of the floods. Red Cross volunteers are working in more than a dozen shelters across eastern Nebraska and Iowa.

As the process of recovery begins, NEMA urged neighbors affected by the floods to look out for each other.

Some warning signs to look for in the aftermath, the agency said, include increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs; feelings of anxiety, disbelief or numbness; physical reactions such as headaches; and worsening of chronic health problems.
ISIS has suffered a momentous blow with the defeat of its last physical stronghold, according to an announcement Saturday by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

At the height of its power four years ago, ISIS controlled an area in Iraq and Syria that was the size of Portugal and lorded over almost 8 million people -- a population larger than that of Bulgaria. ISIS also ran a quasi-state that taxed and extorted its millions of subjects, enabling it to field a terrorist army with a large war chest.

While ISIS once attracted an estimated 40,000 people around the world to join its so-called caliphate, that number has since plummeted, as it seems no one wants to join the losing team.

While Trump, who took a premature victory lap last month, certainly contributed to ISIS' demise, the conditions are still ripe for similarly dangerous terrorist groups to form and multiply.

What credit should be given to Trump?

The Trump administration did make a substantial shift in the fight against ISIS in Syria by arming Kurdish forces and increasing the US military presence there.

But it was the Obama administration that initiated the operation in 2016 to take back Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, where ISIS first declared its "caliphate." Under Obama, ISIS also lost key Iraqi cities including Fallujah, Ramadi and Tikrit.

The Obama administration, however, was so concerned about "mission creep" in Syria that it capped the number of US troops there to 500.

In the waning months of Obama's second term, his Cabinet debated whether to arm Syrian Kurds, who would be key to taking back cities like Raqqa -- which served as ISIS's headquarters. But the US would risk angering Turkey, which considers the Syrian Kurds to be closely aligned with a terrorist group in Turkey.

The Obama team debated this option for so long that it eventually ran out of time to implement it. When it finally approached the incoming administration with the plan to do so, former national security adviser Michael Flynn reportedly rejected it on the grounds that the Trump team wanted to conduct its own assessment of the situation.

After Trump entered office, he approved a plan to arm the Kurdish forces in Syria and dramatically increased the number of US troops there from 500 to 2,000. He also gave his ground commanders greater authority to take military action against ISIS without consulting with the White House.

Days before Raqqa was liberated from ISIS in October 2017, President Donald Trump lauded himself in an interview and said, "I totally changed rules of engagement. I totally changed our military, I totally changed the attitudes of the military...." He also claimed ISIS hadn't been defeated earlier because "you didn't have Trump as your president."

Trump can certainly take credit for hastening the demise of ISIS, but ultimately, the US' strategy was remarkably similar under both presidents. Instead of relying heavily on large numbers of US troops, both presidents used US Special Forces to train and advise local forces. The ground fight against ISIS was almost entirely conducted by Iraqi and Syrian soldiers.

Trump tends to define any course of action that he takes as being markedly different from Obama, but in the case of the anti-ISIS campaign, there were more similarities than differences between the two presidents.

Will ISIS live on?

ISIS has lost its physical territory in Iraq and Syria, and is significantly weaker without a base from which it can train thousands of militants. But it is likely to continue to inspire attacks around the world as a virtual caliphate.

And the real problem is that the conditions in the Middle East that gave rise to ISIS still exist and are likely to produce similar jihadist groups. Those problems include deep sectarianism, fragile or failed governments, and weak economies. Throw in the fast-growing population of the Middle East, and you have a toxic mix that will continue to produce the kind of anger upon which groups such as ISIS feed.

We should be ready for an offshoot of ISIS to form in places like Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, or any other weak state in the region. It may not grow to be as powerful or widespread as ISIS, but the truth remains that there will be a successor group.

It would be dangerous for Trump to celebrate the fall of ISIS without keeping this in mind. To do so would be to commit the same mistake that President Obama made in January 2014, when he dismissed the group that would soon morph into ISIS as a "junior varsity" team.
Every week, I offer a glimpse of the kind of intelligence assessments that are likely to come across the desk of the president of the United States, modeled on the President's Daily Briefing, or PDB, which the director of national intelligence prepares for the president almost daily.

Here's this week's briefing:

Words matter, especially when they come from the President of the United States.

That's why, historically speaking, presidential statements have played an integral role in our national security process. They can be used to encourage or discourage behavior, to lay out the costs or benefits of specific activities and to announce accomplishments or mourn tragedies.

If nothing else, official presidential statements are seen as a clear declaration of US policy and as a way to establish trust with the public, especially since misleading citizens on critical security issues could be dangerous. A failure to carefully craft statements risks the president speaking (or tweeting) without knowing key details, national security considerations and potential impacts.

As President Donald Trump's Twitter trigger finger has revealed, he has taken a much more haphazard approach when it comes to both crafting policies and communicating them to the public. He often seems to leave members of his own administration in the lurch when he decides to take the country in a new direction.

Policymaking by tweet has serious repercussions that the President may not understand or want to acknowledge. His team may want to brief him on some of the effects of his social media policy announcements, including:

Election interference

The President said that he didn't "know about" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tough re-election bid when he tweeted on Thursday that it was time the US recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, upending decades of existing US policy.

But that seems highly unlikely since the upcoming election has been widely reported in the US, and presidents are often briefed about similarly high-stakes events. Trump's claim seems even more ludicrous given that Netanyahu is set to arrive at the White House on Monday. Surely the President's team would have prepared briefing materials on the Prime Minister's footing in Israel with just two weeks left until the April 9 elections.

It's no secret that Trump is widely popular in Israel, with approval ratings at almost 70%, or that Netanyahu has been under pressure this election cycle due to a pending indictment from a corruption investigation. And since Trump and Netanyahu are known to have a close relationship, the President's announcement on the Golan was more likely a pre-election goodie bag for the Prime Minister.

Netanyahu is now able to turn to voters and say Trump did something for Israel -- and for him -- that no other Israeli Prime Minister has been able to achieve since Israel captured the territory from Syria. Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, but that has not been recognized by the international community -- until now.

It is unclear whether Trump thought through the policy implications of his tweet on the Golan -- including how it jibes with UN resolutions, how it could affect the Middle East Peace process, how it could set a precedent for territories seized by force, and more.

And, notably, Netanyahu used the President's announcement as a campaign ad against his primary opponent, Benny Gantz, shortly after it was made. That raises the question of why the President chose to make this announcement ahead of the election, if he did not intend to actually influence the outcome of Israel's election. This may establish a new precedent -- or expectation from the President's friends -- that the United States is willing to interfere in other countries' elections by timing policy announcements to fit election cycles, even if the legwork to make an informed US decision hasn't been completed.

Preemptive presidential pardons

The President set off a completely unnecessary kerfuffle on Friday when he tweeted about withdrawing new sanctions aimed at North Korea just hours after the Treasury Department announced them. Staff members scrambled to try to clarify (or clean up) his Twitter announcement, because it was unclear whether he was referring to sanctions announced by Treasury on Thursday or designations that are still in the works.

It is evident from this announcement-by-tweet that Trump doesn't consult with experts (or even his communications team) before making major decisions, and it signals that he's not spending a whole lot of time getting briefed on North Korea if he doesn't understand which sanctions he is withdrawing from. This doesn't instill confidence in the White House policy process or create any sense that he's making informed decisions on national security issues with nuclear implications. Our sanctions are geared, in part, toward denying North Korea revenues used for nuclear weapons.

Of course, this was just the latest example of Trump publicly undercutting his own team -- including the intelligence experts that helped prepare the sanctions designations packages. The announcement wasn't just a process foul -- it may indicate a new presidential policy of preemptively pardoning his pals.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders went so far as to say Trump withdrew sanctions because he "likes" North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. Sanctions (historically) aren't levied or lifted because the US "likes" or "doesn't like" someone -- they're implemented because people and entities violated US law. They're implemented when a person or entity violates US law. At a minimum, there's a policy process that looks at the impact of any sanctions decisions as part of a broader strategy discussion.

Trump's tweet, in contrast, appeared to give sanction busters a "get out of jail free" card. This sent a clear (if inept and uninformed) Twitter message that anyone looking to manipulate the President must simply persuade Trump to like him first.

#Winning again

The President's Twitter policy announcements have also affected counterterrorism campaigns and military decisions. In December, shortly after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump announced on Twitter that the US had defeated ISIS in Syria and would be bringing US forces home. This caught many by surprise, including Trump's own team, and sparked a game of catch-up, as US officials tried to understand, explain, and then implement his guidance.

ISIS was not defeated in December, but the government did issue a formal announcement about its defeat -- echoed by other leaders around the world -- this weekend.

The actual territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria is a major accomplishment, but because of the President's preemptive policy statement (delivered yet again by Tweet) , announcing our withdrawal from Syria several weeks ago, this "victory" won't impact our military posture. The President had already decided to withdraw forces well before ISIS was defeated. His decision back in December signaled that we were leaving with or without regaining all territory from ISIS.

The President finally acknowledged on Friday that the territorial defeat of ISIS is just one piece of the counterterrorism puzzle, when he tweeted that the terrorist group "uses the internet better than almost anyone" (his subsequent tweet called ISIS "losers"). The announcement could indicate the President is looking into further steps to combat online radicalization, but it's really hard to know what tweet to believe, and what will actually be implemented based on the ever-changing narrative about the actual status of ISIS.

Twitter troubles

Presidential policy statements get a lot of coverage no matter how they're delivered -- that's just one reason why presidents ostensibly try to make sure their statements accurately reflect US policy (and the reality of each situation).

In the age of Twitter, Trump reaches tens of millions of people with a few taps on his phone. When his tweets don't actually reflect coherent strategies or even basic facts, they trigger mass confusion, which can be amplified and manipulated by dangerous actors.

To top it off, the President's Twitter habits reveal he is malleable enough that a single insult can send him spiraling, and reckless enough that he's willing to make official US policy statements in 280 characters or less -- even if he seems to have little idea what he's tweeting or no concern about the accuracy of his statements.

For all of these reasons, please think before you tweet Mr. President, especially when making US policy announcements.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  House appropriations committee chairman Rolando Andaya Jr. on Monday said he is hopeful the proposed 2019 budget impasse will end before the weekend.

Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, and Loren Legarda met with the three-man House panel on the budget composed of Reps. Andaya, Ronaldo Zamora of San Juan, and Edcel Lagman of Albay on Monday to break the stalemate on the 2019 budget.

"Hopefully before the 29th magkaroon na tayo ng budget. Hinahabol natin yung good weather window for the infrastructure projects. I think we will begin there in understanding that we need to pass a new budget," he said in a chance interview.

He reiterated House members did not amend the budget post-ratification, saying there was a "misunderstanding" between the two chambers of Congress.

"Lahat ng nangyari dito was agreed upon in the bicam and the itemization was also agreed upon in the bicam... That's why we want to just sit down and talk first and discuss what really happened," he said.

The Camarines Sur representative would rather not say the House will adjust to the Senate. He added they only heard the Senate side through media interviews.

"Maybe now they can in a formal manner explain to us what the problem is," Andaya said.

The budget has been stalled in Congress over Senate concerns that post-ratification House's amendments are illegal and unconstitutional.

Lawmakers previously met with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang over the budget, but failed to break the deadlock.

The government has been operating under a reenacted budget for three months. Economic managers have warned that the country's economy may slow down without fresh funding for the government.
By TERRY SPENCER and KELLI KENNEDY Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)  The community of Parkland, Florida, is focusing attention on its suicide prevention programs after two survivors of the Florida high school massacre killed themselves in a week.

My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brains violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundations latest amazing work. https://t.co/xhy89JlXG8  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 25, 2019 Jeremy Richman's passing is simply devastating. I was proud to call Jeremy a good friend, a dedicated father, an esteemed researcher & an outstanding human being. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him.  Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) March 25, 2019

Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky said Monday that community leaders, government officials, parents, police and others held an emergency meeting Sunday after a second Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student apparently killed himself over the weekend. That came a week after a recent graduate, who was close friends with victim Meadow Pollack, killed herself after her family said she suffered from survivor's guilt.

Also Monday, police in Connecticut said the father of one of the 20 children slain at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 was found dead in an apparent suicide.

Newtown police say the body of 49-year-old Jeremy Richman was found inside a Newtown event center where he had an office. Richman was the father of first-grader Avielle Richman. He and his wife had created The Avielle Foundation, a group dedicating to preventing violence by seeking a better understanding of brain health.

Neil Heslin, whose son, Jesse Lewis, also was killed at the school, said the Sandy Hook families' grief has been compounded by the publicity and conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy. He noted Richman was among the Sandy Hook relatives suing Infowars host Alex Jones for saying the Newtown shooting never happened.

"Every day you get up you expect to get punched in the chin with something," Heslin said. "I give Jeremy credit for what he accomplished with his work and his amazing strength that grew through the years."

The Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas killed 14 students and three staff members and wounded 17 others. Some students have begun counting the two suicides among the victims of the attack.

Getting urgent counseling resources to students could be more difficult because the school is on spring break this week.

Hunschofsky said the biggest push will be to alert parents that they need to talk to their children about whether they are having suicidal thoughts and outline the danger signs for them, such as personality changes or a preoccupation with death. The groups also want students to talk to and look out for each other, and note that programs already are in place  community counseling and resource centers opened after the shooting  where they can seek help.

"There are lots of resources out there, but everyone is in a different place with different levels of trauma and grief. It is our job to get the right resources to them," she said. "There can never be enough resources, but the challenge is connecting people."

Hunschofsky said that while there is concern the two suicides could lead to more, it is more dangerous not to discuss what happened.

"We cannot be afraid of talking  the only way we are going to identify people who need help is to talk about it," she said.

In neighboring Coral Springs, where about half of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students live, spokeswoman Lynne Martzelle said the city will host a community anti-suicide prevention forum on Wednesday.

"The tragedy of Marjory Stoneman Douglas didn't end on the 14th," she said.

Cara Aiello told WFOR-TV last week that her daughter Sydney had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled to attend college because she feared being in a classroom, but never asked for help. Aiello killed herself last week.

Coral Springs police officer Tyler Reik confirmed Monday that another student apparently killed himself Saturday, but said an official determination has not been made. That should happen later Monday.

In Connecticut, the governor, two U.S. senators and other elected officials expressed condolences over the death of Richman, who had become well-known through his advocacy work.

"My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news," U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy wrote on Twitter. "Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brain's violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundation's latest amazing work."

Newtown Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said Richman left a suicide note, but not disclose its contents.

If you or someone you know struggles with suicidal ideation, there are always real people to which you can turn.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free number, 1-800-273-TALK(8255) connects the caller to a certified crisis center near where the call is placed. This number is monitored 24/7 by professionals who can help.
SALEM, Ore. -- As the gun debate intensifies around the country, hundreds of people gathered across the street from the Oregon State Capitol Saturday to rally their support for the Second Amendment.

Nearly 2,000 people descended on Salem to defend their right to bear arms.

Organized by Oregon-based weapons manufacturers, this event comes as a response to a number of bills, including Senate Bill 501, which if passed would require gun owners get a permit before purchasing a firearm, add mandatory gun locks and limit ammunition purchases.

Gov. Kate Brown has made firearms legislation a priority and those backing the bills said it's a move to prevent gun violence.

Oregon Rep. Andrea Salinas said in a statement: "There is a balance that we can achieve in finding common sense gun safety solutions but we must commit to listen to one another."

However, the people at the rally said this legislation infringes on their rights.

Meanwhile, just blocks away, before the rally began Republican Joey Nations met with supporters to kick off his campaign for Congress in Oregon's 5th District where he spoke about gun rights.

"So, when you look at the infringement that's happening  not just in Oregon  but nationwide, you're talking about the first one to go . . . so when the Second Amendment is gone, everything else will follow," said Nations.
Ghanaian actor, Majid Michel has broken silence concerning viral reports which claim he had undergone throat surgery.

According to Majid who debunked the reports in a live Facebook video, he only traveled out to Jerusalem to pray and not for throat surgery.

I was in Jerusalem, the holy land, the land of milk and honey. When I went to Israel and was reading the Bible, I was in the location where the story was told. So I am reading the first miracle Jesus performed in Canaan and I am reading the verse in Canaan, where he performed the miracle.

I had close friends calling to ask me if its true I am going for surgery and though I was in America at the time, I didnt go there for surgery. Some blogger decided to stir the media, probably because I have been off social media for a while.

He added:

I wasnt in town and a couple of people called me to say a blogger called them to ask them if I was in town or not, which they said I was out of town. So he went on my Instagram page, picked a picture of an advert I have done for Air France and added that Majid was in a hospital for surgery. Which is false, fake, Majid Michel disclosed.
As hate groups continue to target colleges and universities throughout the country, taking advantage of policies that protect freedom of expression, UC San Diego will continue to unequivocally condemn all language and actions that espouse and support hate as well as any doctrines that elevate one group above another, said Christine Clark, a university spokeswoman.
Brain Tumour Ireland has established a new support group for the Southeast and central Leinster, which will meet in Carlow on a bi-monthly basis.

The group will meet on the first Tuesday of every second month from 7pm-9pm. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 2 at 7pm in the Eist Cancer Support Centre, The Waterfront, Mill Lane, Carlow.

We are delighted to be expanding our support services into the South East and Central Leinster," says chair of Brain Tumour Ireland, and one of its founding members, Kilkenny-based Natasha Smith.

"The meeting will be open to anyone with a brain tumour and their families and carers. Although every brain tumour is different, we find that patients and their families really benefit from peer support and from sharing their experiences with someone who understands what they are going through."

The group is for people with both malignant and benign tumours.

For more information on the upcoming meeting I encourage people to email info@braintumourireland.com or call Eist Cancer Support on 059 9139684, said Ms Smith.

Founded in 2012, Brain Tumour Ireland is a national registered charity (RCN 20102128) working to inform and support brain tumour patients and their families. Brain Tumour Ireland also fundraises for brain tumour research, and is part funder of Ireland's first ever brain tumour biobank run by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and based in Beaumont Hospital Dublin.

For more information go to www.braintumourireland.com.
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Did your ancestors serve in World War One?

If so, and if he was from Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford or Wexford there is a strong chance he served with the Royal Irish Regiment as this was the County Regiment for these counties.

The Depot for the Regiment was in Victoria (later Kickham) Barracks in Clonmel and other barracks included Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. The two monuments in Kickham barracks are in honour of men from the Regiment who died while serving with the Regiment.

The 18th Regiment of Foot Royal Irish Regiment Association was formed to remember and commemorate all who served with the Regiment. Based in Clonmel the Regimental Association will hold their Regimental Association day in the County Museum Clonmel on Saturday March 30 from 10am to 4pm.

As well as an opportunity to raise awareness about the Association, this day will also allow all those whose ancestors served with the Regiment to remember them. It will also educate through having exhibitions, artefacts and militaria displays of the type of equipment used by the men of the Regiment.

A key attraction will be the Irish Great War Society Living History group. More than just re-enactors, this group bring to life what it was like for the men who served in a respectful and realistic way.

Another key attraction will be the availability of researchers on the day that will most likely be able to give basic information on your ancestors history in the Regiment.

This will be a great day out for all the family and, even better, entry is free.

So all roads lead to the County Museum in Clonmel on Saturday 30th March from 10an to 4pm.

The Regiment was the oldest Irish Regiment on the British Army Establishment list having been in existence (under various titles) from 1684 to disbandment in 1922 on the formation of the Irish Free State.

It served with distinction wherever the British Army was based, from Flanders and France in the 17th century through America in the War of Independence, Malta, Gibraltar, India, and South Africa to name a few.

During World War One, as well as the two regular battalions, the Regiment raised another seven battalions and served with honour throughout all theatres of that terrible war. While exact figures are hard to come by, nearly twenty three thousand men served with the Regiment from 1914 to 1918.Of this number, approximately 2800 were killed or died as a result of wounds or sickness. In County Tipperary alone, of over 900 total casualties, over 300 men died while serving with the Regiment. In County Kilkenny, the figure is slightly lower at 234.
As Wrigley Field nearly doubles its upper-deck concession stands in 2019, the stadium also will expand its menu to include to two new pork dishes, ranch chips and the meatless Impossible burger.
Across the country there are 69 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association that offer part-time programs  evening or weekend classes  and normally require four years to complete. Approximately 1 in 10 graduates from ABA-approved schools attended a part-time law program, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2018, about 11,000 students of the 111,561 total J.D. students in the U.S. were enrolled part time, which allowed them to meet  or attempt to meet  their obligations to their employers and families. While these schools boast about their quality education, they seldom caution that for certain people, instead of a way to a better life, those demanding years of study, the law degree, and bar membership itself can cost them all that they hold dear: family, friends and their job. If that is something you never expected to hear, lets peer into the future of what going back to school and obtaining a legal education can do for you  and the possible unintended consequences. That you can attend law school part-time is one thing. The real question is, Should I? Before we look at the downside, lets examine what a legal education can give you. Sharpens Your Analytical Skills One of the most useful benefits of a legal education is how it greatly improves the ability to see and think clearly about issues  what we call, thinking like a lawyer, says Beau Baez, a visiting professor at the University Of North Dakota School of Law.

I attended Loyola University School of Law in Los Angeles, where I developed highly analytical skills  careful reading, listening and analysis  which fostered the ability to see and articulate multiple sides of an issue. By applying the legal principles theyve studied to real-life fact situations, law students learn how to formulate arguments on any side of a question that are both logical and credible. This is something that becomes second nature, useful in so many aspects of daily life, as you are virtually forced into becoming more open-minded, Baez observes. However, there is a price to pay to learn the art of thinking like a lawyer, a steep price, well beyond the tuition. Disadvantages - Do You Want to Stay Married? The time commitment is simply enormous, and night students will be in class generally four days a week from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Typically, assignments will be three hours of homework per classroom hour. You will also be required to read from 300 to 450 pages a week. This leaves students with little time for family and friends as  especially if you are working full-time  almost every waking moment is spent studying, Baez points out. Nationally recognized law school admissions advisers Ann Levine and Derek Roberti agree that law school consumes your entire life. "Yes, it absolutely is a risk to marriage," Levine stated in an article I wrote on the subject in 2011. She repeated a law school dean's warning to a group of married law students on the first day of class:

"Look to the left. Look to the right. By the end of your first year in school, one marriage will be in trouble. In the second year, it will be in worse shape. And by the end of the third year, they will have been separated or divorced for months." According to Baez, They are telling it like it is. Youve got to ask yourself, What matters most? Do I want to lose my marriage, and risk emotional damage to my kids just to become a lawyer?  If I Get a Law Degree, Ill Move Up Higher in the Business Dennis, for your readers who are already highly successful in their chosen field, attending law school could be one of the worst career mistakes they could ever make, he underscores. I asked, But evening law schools make a big point of how valuable that legal education is for the businessperson wanting to move up. How could it hurt? His reply was something that had never occurred to me, and Ill bet to a lot of people reading this right now: There is a kind of thinking about the value of a legal education that goes like this. If I get a law degree, and upgrade my skills, I will move higher within the company. For some, it can be a benefit, but the value of having that J.D. is often overblown, and the risk to your job is almost never discussed. Why? Because instead of helping you advance, the exact opposite is accomplished, and Ive seen this over and over again across the 20 years that Ive been teaching law. Baez cited the example of an employee at a large bank who proudly told his colleagues that he was in an evening law program. And then the boss found out. They stopped promoting him, reasoning, He will probably open his own law practice, so why invest anything more in his professional development? This is 2019 Not 2000 Professor Baez cautions everyone who thinks that becoming a lawyer will easily lead to a job and great income. Twenty years ago that was true. Today it isnt, and the good old days arent coming back anytime soon.
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(Kitco News) - Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM) said Monday that its board of directors has declared a one-time special dividend of 88 cents per share that is conditional upon approval of the companys planned takeover of Goldcorp Inc. (NYSE: GG, TSX: G).

The two companies announced a plan to merge back in January, creating the worlds largest gold-mining company. Newmont subsequently fought off a hostile bid takeover from Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: GOLD; TSX: ABX), instead agreeing to a joint venture with Barrick for the two companies Nevada operations.

Now the Newmont-Goldcorp merger faces one more challenge  a number of prominent shareholders have criticized the deal, including well-known hedge fund manager John Paulson and Van Eck. In particular, critics cite payouts to Goldcorp executives, but they also maintain Goldcorp shareholders would be unfairly benefitting from the Newmont-Barrick joint venture.

The special dividend appears intended to address the latter complaint, with Newmont saying the payout would go to Newmont shareholders only and act as an immediate cash payment for a portion of the Newmont-Barrick synergies. The special dividend would be paid to Newmont shareholders of record as of April 17, which would be prior to the closing of the proposed Newmont-Goldcorp deal, Newmont said. The special dividend would be paid on May 1.

We are pleased to make this special dividend payable to Newmonts current shareholders in recognition of the potential synergy value of the Nevada joint venture agreement, said Gary Goldberg, Newmonts chief executive officer. We have continued to engage with, and have listened carefully to, our shareholders, and we are pleased that several of our largest shareholders have expressed their support for the combination with Goldcorp.

The Goldcorp shareholders vote on the merger is scheduled for April 4, while Newmont shareholders are to vote on April 11.

Meanwhile, Goldcorp issued an announcement Monday saying that it consented to the one-time special dividend to Newmont shareholders. Goldcorp also announced that Institutional Shareholder Services Inc., an independent proxy advisory firm, has recommended that Goldcorp shareholders vote in favor of the merger with Newmont.

Newmont maintains that the merger with Goldcorp would mean value creation for shareholders. Officials say the deal would provide a combined $365 million in expected annual pre-tax synergies, supply chain efficiencies and full potential improvements, with the new company targeting annual production of 6 million to 7 million ounces over a decades-long time horizon. The merged company would also have the largest gold reserves and resources in the gold sector, with operations located in areas considered favorable mining jurisdictions, and deliver the highest dividend among senior gold producers.

Newmont also reported that Mexicos Competition Commission approved the merger without conditions.
Sarah N. Lynch, Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election did not find that President Donald Trump committed a crime but also does not exonerate him, according to a summary of Muellers findings released on Sunday.

Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump defeat his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, also found no evidence that any member of Trumps election campaign conspired with Russia during the election.

While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Attorney General William Barr quoted Mueller as writing in his report on the issue of possible obstruction of justice.

Mueller said he would leave it to the attorney general to decide whether a crime was committed.

Barrs summary said Mueller found no evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia, despite multiple offers from individuals associated with Russia.

The release of the summary is likely to ignite a new political fight in Washington as Democrats push for Barr to release the full report, and Trump seizes on the findings as vindication of his near daily assertion that he was a victim of a witch hunt that has cast a long shadow over his presidency.

Trump has always denied collaborating with Moscow or obstructing justice. Russia says it did not interfere in the election, although U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that it did.

Barr said the investigation also found insufficient evidence that Trump had attempted to obstruct justice. Many of his opponents accused him of obstructing the Russia probe when he fired former FBI director James Comey.

The Department of Justice announced on Friday that Mueller had ended his investigation after bringing charges against 34 people, including Russian agents and former key allies of Trump, such as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

None of those charges, however, directly related to whether Trumps campaign worked with Moscow.

Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Sarah N. Lynch; by Roberta Rampton in Palm Beach, Florida; Karen Freifeld, Doina Chiacu and Nandita Bose in Washington; Writing by Doina Chiacu and Ross Colvin; Editing by Bill Trott
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(Kitco News) - Gold and silver prices are firmer in early U.S. trading Monday, on some more mild safe-haven buying amid weaker world stock markets to start the trading week. April gold futures were last up $5.20 an ounce at $1,317.60. May Comex silver was last up $0.123 at $15.53 an ounce.

Asian and European shares were mostly weaker overnight on heightened concerns regarding slowing global economic growth. U.S. stock indexes are pointed toward weaker openings when the New York day session begins. Following recent major central bank meetings that warned of slowing economic growth prospects, traders and investors have lost some risk appetite, to the benefit of safe-haven gold and silver markets.

In overnight news, the closely watched German Ifo business sentiment index improved in March, with a reading of 99.6 versus 98.7 in February. However, the manufacturing component of the report was weaker in March than in February.

The marketplace is not paying much attention to the weekend news that U.S. special prosecutor Robert Muellers investigation of President Trump apparently did not turn up anything criminal.

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index weaker on a corrective pullback from solid gains late last week. Meantime, Nymex crude oil prices are near steady and trading around $59.00 a barrel.

U.S. economic reports due for release Monday includes the Chicago Fed national activity index and the Texas manufacturing outlook survey.

Technically, the gold bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls next upside price objective is to produce a close in April futures above solid resistance at the January high of $1,331.30. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is pushing prices below solid technical support at the March low of $1,280.80. First resistance is seen at the March high of $1,320.20 and then at $1,325.00. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,310.60 and then at $1,305.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

May silver futures bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $16.00 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the March low of $14.985. First resistance is seen at last weeks high of $15.65 and then at $15.75. Next support is seen at Fridays low of $15.365 and then at last weeks low of $15.22. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.5.
* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: (Updates with closing prices) By Eric Onstad LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - Copper prices touched their lowest level in more than a month on Monday on worries about global economic growth, but falling inventories and the upcoming peak demand season for industrial metals were seen curbing losses. "There are some headwinds from a macro perspective after the broader reaction to the PMIs and the Fed last week, but for base metals in particular, there's a limit to how far that narrative can weigh on the complex," said analyst Nicholas Snowdon at Deutsche Bank in London. Weak factory data in purchasing managers' surveys (PMIs) and an unexpectedly dovish statement from the U.S. Federal Reserve last week, together with an inversion of the U.S. yield curve, stoked fears the world's biggest economy was headed for a recession. However, fundamental supply-demand conditions are relatively tight in most industrial metals, shown by inventories that have fallen sharply over the past year.

"Given a combination of seasonal demand pick-up in Q2 and the existing inventory picture, it's difficult to see this sell-off being sustained," Snowdon added. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange dropped to a low of $6,295 a tonne, the weakest since Feb. 19, before recovering to $6,340, a rise of 0.4 percent, in closing open outcry trading.

* COPPER SPREADS: The premium of cash copper over the three-month contract has weakened further to $2.50 a tonne from a peak of $70 on March 5, indicating more plentiful supply.

* INVENTORIES: LME zinc stocks , which have slid by more than half so far this year, hit a fresh record low of 57,075 tonnes, while nickel stocks fell to their lowest since June 2013, LME data showed on Monday.

* ALUMINIUM PREMIUMS: Japanese aluminium buyers agreed to purchase supplies for April to June at premiums that are as much as 27 percent higher than the previous quarter, sources said.

* LME ALUMINIUM: Three-month aluminium shed 1.1 percent to finish at $1,883 a tonne. It was trapped in a range, capped by producer selling but supported at the lows by consumer buying, Alastair Munro at broker Marex Spectron said in a note. "Although clearly the market has been capped into $1,925/50 area by producer activity, ditto any dip into $1,850/75 is likely to uncover a consumer bid," he said.

* ZINC TECHNICALS: Any further downside for LME zinc should see support at around $2,760 a tonne, the lower boundary of the hourly upward channel, said Stephanie Aymes, head of technical analysis at Societe Generale.

"In case of further bullish momentum, next resistance will be at $2,940/$2,990," she added in a note.

* PRICES: LME zinc rose 0.6 percent to end at $2,831 a tonne, lead fell 1 percent to close at $2,011, nickel , untraded in closing rings, was bid unchanged at $12,940 while tin was bid down 0.6 percent at $21,300.

* For the top stories in metals and other news, click or <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Tom Daly in Beijing and Mai Nguyen in Singapore; Editing by Mark Potter and Susan Fenton)

Reuters Messaging: eric.onstad.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))LME price overview COMEX copper futures Base metals news All metals news All commodities news Foreign exchange rates SPEED GUIDES ))
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of collusion between U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia in the 2016 election, but left unresolved the issue of whether Trump obstructed justice by undermining the investigations that have dogged his presidency.

Even though Mueller's findings on obstruction of justice were inconclusive, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in a summary released on Sunday that Mueller's team had not found enough proof to warrant bringing charges against Trump.

It marked a political victory for Trump. He quickly claimed "complete and total exoneration", while his Democratic opponents expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome and vowed to continue congressional inquiries into his business and personal dealings.

The Kremlin said following the release of Barr's summary that President Vladimir Putin was ready to improve ties with the United States but was up to Washington to make the first move.

"In this case, the ball is absolutely in their court. It was given to Trump in Helsinki," Peskov said in a conference call with reporters on Monday, referring to a summit between Putin and Trump in the Finnish capital in July 2018.

Peskov repeated Moscow's denial of any interference in U.S. elections and internal affairs or those of any other country.

"...It's hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat," Peskov said.

Mueller's 22-month investigation ended with a finding that no one in Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated with the Russian government", according to Barr's four-page summary of the confidential report.

The long-awaited report into whether Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russian efforts to help him defeat his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, marked a milestone in his presidency as he prepares for his 2020 re-election battle.

Trump has described the Mueller inquiry as a "witch hunt", saying there was no collusion with Russia and denying he obstructed justice. He is certain to use the report to attack his Democratic opponents in the 2020 race.

"This was an illegal takedown that failed," Trump told reporters on Sunday. "It's a shame that our country had to go through this."

Many of Trump's opponents had accused him of obstructing the Russia investigation when he fired then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017.

Mueller himself did not reach a conclusion on whether Trump broke the law, but he presented his evidence to Barr to make a determination.

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr quoted Mueller as writing in the final report on an investigation that led to indictments and convictions of several of Trump's senior former aides.

Barr, a Trump appointee who took office last month, said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence did not justify bringing obstruction charges.

Democrats, however, said they wanted to see Mueller's report for themselves as they launch congressional investigations of their own into the 2016 election and Trump's business and financial dealings.

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he returns to the White House after U.S. Attorney General William Barr reported to congressional leaders on the submission of the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller in Washington, U.S., March 24, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the fact that Mueller did not clear Trump on the obstruction issue "demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay."

U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, a Republican, said Barr should release as much of Mueller's report as possible.

It remained unclear, however, how much more would be made public.

Mueller formally ended his investigation on Friday after bringing charges against 34 people, including Russian agents and former key allies of Trump, such as his campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Mike Flynn and his personal lawyer Michael Cohen.

None of those charges, however, directly related to whether Trump's campaign worked with Moscow.

While Mueller's team backed the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia worked to help Trump win the 2016 election, it concluded that Trump's team did not collude with Moscow.

"The Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign," Barr said in his summary of Mueller's report.

LEGAL FIGHTS

Trump, who had been uncharacteristically quiet on Twitter for much of the weekend as the country awaited Mueller's conclusions, was in his private quarters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida when he got the news from his advisers.

"This is very good!" Trump said, according to White House spokesman Hogan Gidley.

And Trump was clearly in a good mood as he returned to Washington from Mar-a-Lago on Sunday evening.

The closure of the special counsel's probe gives Trump a boost but it does not mark the end of his legal woes.

Other investigations are focused on his businesses and financial dealings, hush-money payments to two women who said they had affairs with him, and questions over the funding of his charitable foundation and presidential inaugural committee.

Democrats who control the House of Representatives are also preparing a series of their own inquiries.

On the issue of obstruction, Barr said Mueller's report flagged "'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction."

Barr said the decision was left to him by Mueller, and he said there was not enough evidence to move forward with such a charge.

"The report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent ... each of which ... would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," Barr explained in his letter to lawmakers.

Nadler called for Barr to testify to Congress, citing "very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department".

Still, Trump's closest allies were delighted. Vice President Mike Pence hailed it as a "total vindication of the President of the United States and our campaign" and many Trump voters saw it as a victory over Trump's opponents.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, noted Mueller's conclusion that Trump's campaign did not conspire with Moscow, but said he was disturbed by Russian efforts to "interfere with our democracy" and looked forward to reviewing additional information from the special counsel's report.U.S. intelligence agencies concluded shortly before Trump took office in January 2017 that Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States.
By Daniel Leussink and Ayai Tomisawa

TOKYO, March 25 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei posted the biggest daily drop in three months on Monday as investors moved into bonds and other assets perceived as safe amid renewed fears of a global economic slowdown.

The Nikkei share average stumbled 3 percent to 20,977.11, the lowest since mid-February and the steepest daily fall since late December.

The broader Topix fell 2.5 percent to a two-week low of 1,577.41, with all of its 33 subsectors trading in negative territory.

On Friday, the spread between yields of U.S. three-month Treasury bills exceeded those of 10-year notes for the first time since 2007. The inversion of the Treasury yield curve suggested the world's largest economy could slide into recession and reignited fears of a deepening slowdown in the global economy. Japanese insurers and banks, which seek higher yielding products such as U.S. bonds, sold off sharply on Monday, weighed down by the inversion of part of the U.S. yield curve.

Dai-ichi Life Holdings shed 3 percent, T&D Holdings was off 2.7 percent and Tokio Marine Holdings dropped 1.4 percent.

"Insurers react negatively as it becomes harder for them to manage assets," said Eiji Kinouchi, chief technical analyst at Daiwa Securities.

Banks were also down, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 3 percent lower and Mizuho Financial Group off 1.1 percent.

Shares of companies that are relatively sensitive to the global economic outlook, such as factory automation equipment makers, lost ground on Monday.

Fanuc fell 3.8 percent while Keyence, an index heavyweight, gave up 1.2 percent.

Daiwa's Kinouchi said firms that are relatively sensitive to the global outlook may rebound on robust stimulus in China - just as many had done after a sell off in December.

Index heavyweight SoftBank Group dropped 5 percent.

The drug sector remained in the spotlight, falling 3.9 percent.

Drug maker Eisai Co dived 19.83 percent to a daily-limit low of 6,065 yen after the company and its partner Biogen Inc said last week they had scrapped trials of an experimental Alzheimer's drug. The news weighed on other pharmaceutical names for a second session, with Astellas Pharmaceutical down 3.8 percent and Takeda Pharmaceutical giving up 2.5 percent.

(Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Ayai Tomisawa; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
There are lots of ways to stretch your meals and use up every bit of the food you buy and prepare. From piling roasted vegetables into an omelet to using leftover potato chips as a breading for chicken, here are some smart moves when it comes to using up your leftovers.
(Adds details, quotes, Updates prices)

By Medha Singh

March 25 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Monday on concerns over sluggish global growth but an unexpected rise in German business sentiment eased fears of a recession in the bloc's largest economy.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index pared early losses to dip 0.12 percent while Frankfurt's DAX , Milan's , Madrid's and Paris's briefly turned positive after data showed German business morale improved unexpectedly in March, suggesting the country's economy is likely to pick up in the coming months. London's FTSE was marginally lower.

European stocks on Friday witnessed their biggest weekly decline this year following weak manufacturing data from Europe and the United States that inverted a part of the U.S. yield curve. In the past, that has signalled an upcoming recession. "It's the uncertainty around the outlook of the manufacturing sector which is causing the selloff which should be put into context of still a very healthy service sector," said Mike Bell, global market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management.

"There seem to be conflicting signals from the data with one survey telling things that things are deteriorating a bit in the manufacturing side but on the other hand the IFO survey is showing a pick up."

Among the biggest weights on the pan-region index was Germany's Bayer , down 2.1 percent. Its chief executive said over the weekend that management retained the backing of its supervisory board despite a second U.S. ruling that its glyphosate-based Roundup weed killer caused cancer. While losses in health and technology sectors weighed on the index, a rise in auto stocks and banks limited losses.

Fiat Chrysler jumped 3.2 percent. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Italian carmaker had rebuffed merger approaches by Peugeot earlier this year. British satellite operator Inmarsat jumped 8.6 percent to lead gains on STOXX after a private equity-led consortium agreed to buy the company for about $3.4 billion in cash. Majestic Wine tanked 11.2 percent, on course for its worst day since November after it said it would review its dividend policy as it looks to focus on its online wine retail business Naked Wines. Investors are also dealing with the uncertainty surrounding the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, with the risk of a potentially major "no-deal" shock to the European economy just over two weeks away.

Prime Minister Theresa May is under pressure to give a date for leaving office to swing Brexit-supporting rebel lawmakers in her party behind her twice-defeated European Union divorce treaty.

(Reporting by Medha Singh and Agamoni Ghosh in Bengaluru, Editing by Keith Weir and Ed Osmond)
Lloyd Burr at Newshub writes:

New Zealand had a seat at the top table in a huge room of leaders, officials, and diplomats from 57 Muslim-majority nations.

It was an emergency conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the Christchurch terror attack, and Winston Peters had been invited to represent New Zealand.

And he was asleep, for all the world to see.

Not a good look.

If that wasnt bad enough, Peters didnt even go into bat for Kiwis during his meeting with Turkish President Erdogan. He may as well have been asleep then too.

Erdogan had spent the previous week politicising the terror attack during his local election rallies. He played footage from the gunmans camera, he disrespected our ANZAC soldiers, and threatened to send anyone who attacked Turkey back to New Zealand in coffins like their grandfathers.

His actions were poorly judged, poorly timed, and targeted a sacred bond forged on the battlefield that defined both our countries. Taxi drivers and other locals who we talked to in Turkey apologised for Edogans comments, and were embarrassed by them.

And even though Jacinda Ardern said Peters would confront this issue when he was in Turkey, he didnt.

He didnt even raise it. He didnt let the Turkish President know we were brassed off, and hurt, and disappointed. It was the elephant in the room, and he was the ostrich  he ran away from it.

The PM has been doing a great job responding to the attack. The Foreign Minister has not.

When asked why, Peters either said he was invited by Turkey to be there, or that there was nothing to be gained from raising it, or that Erdogans comments were made in the heat of the moment after a tragic event.

He even said Cabinet had instructed him not to raise it. That doesnt fit with Arderns comment that he would confront the issue.

It was embarrassing as a Kiwi sitting in that press conference with the worlds media watching, listening to Peters brush it off like it wasnt a big deal.

Peters also claimed there was no need to raise it as Erdogan had stopped using the video. Barely an hour later he used it again!

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Aurora had a local unit for years, but it was discontinued for lack of members in 2004. Aurora members would work through the Central Kane County unit which represents Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles. That group would come to Aurora to run election candidate forums, a common duty of the league.
He also lists his education, which includes studies at Triton College and Northeastern Illinois University  neither of which led to a degree  and at Suffield University, which does not appear on the U.S. Department of Educations list of accredited schools and whose leader pleaded guilty to charges alleging he ran a diploma mill. It also includes a doctorate from the historic Chicago Baptist Institute International, which describes itself on Facebook as an adult education center and Bible college, training for Christian vocations.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  The Philippine National Police Chief (PNP) assured that the release of the primary suspect behind the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan in Cebu does not free him from accountability.

Dir. General Oscar Albayalde explained that the city prosecutor's order to release the 17-year old suspect was due to a technicality. The city prosecutor granted the order on Friday because the suspect was arrested without a warrant and hot pursuit is no longer applicable. The chief added that the suspect was also let go because he was underaged.

"Ang nakita lang natin sa decision is hindi daw siya hot pursuit operation pero he's not off the hook ha? Hindi porket ni-release 'yan ng husgado e wala na siyang, he is already off the hook," Albayalde told the press Monday.

[Translation: What we saw in the decision is he is no longer for hot pursuit but he's not off the hook okay? Just because he was released doesn't mean he is already off the hook.]

Albayalde said they do not have a lead in the whereabouts of two other suspects but they have tracking teams working to locate them as soon as possible.

The PNP earlier said that the Silawan murder case is already solved but not yet closed. Authorities are looking at this as a crime of passion spurred by jealousy.

CNN Philippines' correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
Of the students who make it to college, many need remediation. I honestly believe our students need more individualized attention. My goal is to drop our average class size one student a year until we reach an average class size of 15. This is going to require us getting our fiscal house in order, Leslie said.
While Garner says shes now in compliance after their old dog had to recently be euthanized, shes heartsick this turn of events means she will not be able to do any more of the rescue work that has helped define the couples lives. And she would like nothing better than for the village to rethink its ordinance that would allow people like her to keep additional rescue dogs on a temporary basis, or, for that matter, babysit dogs overnight, which, she insists, theyve also done for decades with no issues.
The original quantities were based on past data for this type of work, which allowed us to estimate figures for bid, Monico said in a report to the Village Board. At this time actual quantities show a smaller number of repairs than expected; therefore, it is recommended we reduce the contract.
Police responded to a call of a fight about 10 p.m. Sunday at the hotel, 151 N. Joliet St., and found the victim, Emanuel M. Burgrino, in a hallway. The 76-year-old man, from Hales Corners, Wis., was taken to Amita St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, where he died, according to a news release from the Joliet Police Department. (Initial information from police said the victim was 75 years old.)
Revenue Sharing Plan Will Accelerate The Times Digital Strategy

Apple today announced the launch of Apple News+, a new subscription service featuring journalism from the Los Angeles Times. The Times is one of two U.S. newspapers participating in the service, which will also include content from over 300 popular magazines within the Apple News app.

Apples choice of The Times as a revenue-sharing partner validates our commitment to high-quality journalism, said Times Owner and Executive Chairman Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. We have every confidence the Apple affiliation will spur the growth of our digital subscriptions.

Under the terms of the agreement with Apple, The Times will receive a percentage of revenue. Apple News+ will be available in the U.S. and Canada. The Wall Street Journal and Toronto Star, Canadas largest daily newspaper, are also participating in the service, as well as magazines such as Time, The Atlantic and People.

Apple News+ provides a perfect platform for our expanded coverage of news, analysis and opinion, said Times Executive Editor Norman Pearlstine. We share a world vision that is informed by our California roots and by our common commitment to innovation and excellence.

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Apple News+ is available today in the U.S. and Canada. Additional information is available at apple.com/newsroom.
Its shaping up to be yet another busy season for publishers and bookworms, with the next few months bringing new novels by literary stalwarts like Nathan Englander, Ann Beattie, Karen Russell and Brian Evenson.

But theres quite a few neophytes hoping to make a splash with their first novels too, so if youre looking for a brand new voice, youre in luck. Here are seven debut novels coming out this spring to check out:

White Elephant, Julie Langsdorf (March 26): If youve spent any time on the social media website Nextdoor, you know that neighborhoods are teeming with quiet (and sometimes not so quiet) resentments and bitter turf wars. The debut comic novel from Washington, D.C., author Langsdorf focuses on residents of a suburb locked in an angry fight about the construction of a new large house that some neighbors find too gaudy for their tastes.

Lights All Night Long, Lydia Fitzpatrick (April 2): Los Angeles writer Fitzpatricks first novel has drawn praise from fellow authors Anthony Marra and R.O. Kwon. It tells the story of young Russian exchange student in Louisiana intent on proving the innocence of his older brother, who has been falsely implicated in the murders of three women in their hometown. Fitzpatrick will also be appearing April 13 at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

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The Ash Family, Molly Dektar (April 9): North Carolina-born Dektar sets her first novel in her home state, following a young woman named Berie who joins an intentional community in the mountains. Things seem to go well at first until people she befriends at the farm start to go missing.

The Unpassing, Chia-Chia Lin (May 7): Bay Area author Lin has drawn praise for her debut novel, which tells the story of a family of immigrants from Taiwan living in Anchorage. When one of their children dies of meningitis and the father is sued over a near-fatal plumbing accident, the family struggles to stay together in the face of tragedy.

Riots I Have Known, Ryan Chapman (May 21): The editor of a prison literary magazine attempts to explain how hes not responsible for a jailhouse riot in this comic debut from New York author Chapman. Sam Lipsyte called the novel tender, cruel, profane, wildly inventive and, finally, unforgettable.

In West Mills, DeShawn Charles Winslow (June 4): Set in mid-20th-century North Carolina, the first novel from New York author Winslow tells the story of the friendship between Azalea Knot Centre, a free-spirited woman, and her neighbor Otis Lee, a man dealing with problems in his own family.

On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong (June 4): One of the most anticipated books of the year is this debut novel from critically acclaimed poet Vuong, which takes the form of a sons letter to his illiterate mother about their familys history and his own life. Author Marlon James praised the novel as a powerful testimony to magic and loss.
A book celebrating the life and career of Anthony Bourdain, the author, chef and television personality who died last June, will be published by Harper Collins imprint Ecco this spring, People magazine reported Monday.

Anthony Bourdain Remembered, which collects tributes and photographs honoring the late writer, was compiled by CNN, the network that was home to Bourdains series Parts Unknown, as a keepsake gift for his daughter. Bourdains estate decided to publish the book widely for his admirers.

The publishers web page for the book says it brings together memories and anecdotes from fans reminiscing about Bourdains unique achievements and his enduring effect on their lives as well as comments from chefs, journalists, filmmakers, musicians, and writers inspired by Tony including Barack Obama, Eric Ripert, Jill Filipovic, Ken Burns, Questlove and Jose Andres, among many others.

Daniel Halpern, Ecco publisher and president, told People, There isnt a day that goes by when we dont miss the influential chef.

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 Anthony Bourdain Remembered reminds me of the joy that he brought to everyone who knew him or watched him on-air as he moved in his particular way around the globe, Halpern said. It is the perfect memento for those of us who, through his shows, came to know the others who inhabit our planet  and an homage to the worlds most beloved traveler.

Bourdain began his career as a chef, working most notably at the Manhattan restaurant Brasserie Les Halles, before becoming a breakout literary star in 2000 with his bestselling memoir Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.

He followed that up with two other food-themed nonfiction books, A Cooks Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal, published in 2001, and"The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Usable Trim, Scraps, and Bones, released in 2006.

Bourdain became a national celebrity with his television shows No Reservations and Parts Unknown but continued his writing career, publishing cookbooks and comic books throughout the last years of his life. His last book, a graphic fiction anthology called Hungry Ghosts, was published by Berger Books in October.

Bourdain took his own life in a hotel room in Kaysersberg-Vignoble, France, last June. He was 61.

Anthony Bourdain Remembered is slated for publication on May 28.
So You Think You Can Dance judge and co-creator Nigel Lythgoe might soon be saying this oft-repeated show catchphrase to his Henderson, Nev., abode: Youll be leaving us this week.

The Tuscan-inspired waterfront estate, set in a gated community, is on the market at $4.999 million. The third-acre property sits along Lake Las Vegas and has its own boat and dock.

1 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com) 2 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com) 3 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com) 4 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com) 5 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com) 6 / 6 Hot Property | Nigel Lythgoe (Redfin.com)

The 7,085 square feet of travertine-slathered living space boasts two family rooms, an elevator, five bedrooms and 6.25 bathrooms. Theres a courtyard entrance, a sunken wet bar and a dining room with windows on three sides.

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Listing details suggest the residence could be used for entertaining or as a second home, and it does have that corporate vibe. The garage can park five cars.

Lythgoe, 69, has producer credits for other dance competition shows as well as American Idol and Pop Idol. He has been a dancer and choreographer.

Cynthia Martin of Simply Vegas is the listing agent.

lauren.beale2@latimes.com

Twitter: @laurenebeale
The Los Angeles Times is joining a new paid subscription news service created by Apple that offers customers who pay a monthly fee of $9.99 access to articles from a selection of publications, many of which are otherwise behind paywalls.

Also participating is the Wall Street Journal, along with more than 300 magazine titles including the New Yorker, Time and People.

We believe in the power of journalism and the impact it can have on our lives, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said at a media event at Apples headquarters Monday. We want to make a valuable contribution to the industry and society as a whole.

The service, called Apple News+, is available in the United States and Canada and creates a new paid tier within the Apple News app that comes pre-installed on Apple mobile devices. Subscribers in Canada will have access to articles from the Toronto Star newspaper and 30 Canadian magazines. Apple plans to expand the service to Australia and Europe this year.

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With more than a billion active Apple devices worldwide, and more than 200 million in the United States and Canada combined, news organizations hope the partnership will expose their work to a vast new audience.

Apple News+ provides a perfect platform for our expanded coverage of news, analysis, and opinion, Los Angeles Times Executive Editor Norman Pearlstine said in a statement. We share a world vision that is informed by our California roots and by our common commitment to innovation and excellence.

Apple unveils ambitious new streaming-video service intended to take on Netflix 

Apples launch of a paid news service comes at a time when many newspapers and magazines are coming to embrace a digital subscription-based business model after years spent struggling to squeeze revenue out of online ads as print subscriptions dwindle.

The Cupertino, Calif., tech giant will split revenues with publishers, with Apple taking half the subscription fee and the remainder going to publishers based on their share of total readership on the new product, according to sources familiar with the deal.

Apples 50% cut is higher than the 30% the company typically takes out of app purchases and subscription fees through its App Store.

According to the New York Times, those terms have turned off some leading national newspapers  the New York Times and the Washington Post reportedly have chosen not to participate.

Past partnerships between Silicon Valley tech companies and the news media have revolved around content-sharing agreements meant to boost only ad revenue.

Facebooks Instant Articles, for instance, gives publishers a way to post articles directly within the Facebook News Feed, rather than posting links to their own websites. This made articles load more quickly, theoretically increasing reader engagement, but also kept users from leaving the social platform and gave Facebook a higher portion of the ad revenue from those articles.

Other tech news products, such as Google News and the original Apple News, have mostly served as aggregators that can help boost traffic but do little to drive subscriptions.

Apples new product marks a shift to a more direct financial relationship, which some publishers see as a better model.

Apples choice of The Times as a revenue-sharing partner validates our commitment to high-quality journalism, said Los Angeles Times owner and Executive Chairman Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Soon-Shiong has ambitions of building The Times digital subscriber base from its current size of 150,000 up to 5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. He said that the shift to a subscriber model has been made necessary by the unfair usurpation of ad revenue by companies like Facebook and Google, which together control close to 60% of the U.S. digital advertising market.

We have every confidence the Apple affiliation will spur the growth of our digital subscriptions, Soon-Shiong said in a statement Monday.

The new service is largely based on Texture, a company acquired by Apple last year that offers unlimited access to hundreds of magazines via an app for a monthly fee. All of Textures magazines are included in the new service.

sam.dean@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter: @samaugustdean
At a time when the politics of identity has become a central subject of theatrical inquiry, its only fitting that African American dramatists have been leading the charge.

With their divergent aesthetics and experiential perspectives, Suzan-Lori Parks, Lynn Nottage, Robert OHara, Tarell Alvin McCraney and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins have been re-examining American identity in racial, historical and springy existential contexts. They have been joined by such rising talents as Jeremy O. Harris and Aleshea Harris, who are bringing brash fearlessness to a national conversation that is growing only more heated.

Jackie Sibblies Drury stands out in this richly talented field with her conceptual brilliance. Fairview, which was the most breathtakingly innovative play I saw last year, theatricalizes the warping effect of white narratives on black bodies. Marys Seacole, her new play at Lincoln Center Theaters Claire Tow, explores the sanctity and sacrifices, along with the seething resentments, of caregivers in a drama that moves with the rippling relentlessness of a pond after a violent storm.

Combining strands of theatrical DNA from Adrienne Kennedy and Caryl Churchill, Marys Seacole finds an original frame to expand the biographical story set within it. At the center of the play is the figure of Mary Seacole, the Jamaican-born 19th century Scottish-Creole nurse and entrepreneur whose autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, tells the tale of a woman who refused to be confined by race, gender or geography.

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The odd pluralization of Mary in the title indicates that Drury is not focusing solely on the historic Mary Seacole (a statue of whom stands outside St. Thomas Hospital in London), but on the many women who have walked in her care-giving path. Quincy Tyler Bernstine plays not only Mary Seacole but also the other Marys in the play who have dedicated their lives to those unable, because of sickness, injury or age, to take care of themselves.

With implacable authority, Bernstines Mary Seacole introduces herself through a series of scene or chapter titles before filling in some essential details of her biography. She traces to her Scottish solider father her affection for a camp-life, a war-life. But it was from her Jamaican mother, an admirable doctress who kept a boardinghouse in Kingston, that she says she inherited her yearning for medical knowledge.

Marys Seacole at Lincoln Center with Ismenia Mendes (lying down) and Quincy Tyler Bernstine (holding her hand), while Karen Kandel passed behind them. (Julieta Cervantes)

This opening monologue, delivered almost as though a memorial statue has been brought to life, is straightforward in its theatricality. Bernstines portrayal of Mary Seacole exudes a 19th century gravitas, but the surrounding setting is unmistakably the contemporary stage.

Another figure, Duppy Mary (played with silent maternal severity by Karen Kandel) places a Bluetooth wireless earpiece in Marys ear. A few moments later, Bernstine cries out, Forward, hasten forward, Mary. As Mary Seacole adumbrates her experience as a life-saving healer during a cholera epidemic in Jamaica and later as a nurse in the Crimean War, the scene gradually transforms around her into a modern-day nursing home.

The new Mary that Bernstine portrays (a metamorphosis aided by Kaye Voyces time-setting costumes) is a no-nonsense nurse in a generic facility. Merry (Marceline Hugot), an elderly woman hooked up to a machine, lies unresponsively in bed. May (Lucy Taylor), Merrys daughter, talks animatedly about photos in an album while anxiously wondering why no one has come to feed her mother. Miriam (Ismenia Mendes), Mays sullen daughter, squirms in her seat as her mother forces conversation.

It matters that Merry, May and Miriam are white and that Mary and her assistant, Mamie (Gabby Beans), are black and speak with a Jamaican accent, because Drury is tracking, among other concerns, the racial dynamics of the caregiver-patient relationship. May complains that her mother isnt getting adequate attention, but Mary hasnt time to massage the feelings of family as she follows her own intimate knowledge of her patients needs. Her clinical chill, however, masks deeper resentments.

SPRING PREVIEW: Critics picks for the seasons most promising theater 

Like Kennedys Funnyhouse of a Negro, Marys Seacole situates a central protagonist in a hall of mirrors, where the past blurs into the present and subjective experience rams against objective reality. The drama is hallucinatory, though not in Kennedys lyrically cathartic way.

The structure of Marys Seacole, while intuitive to a degree, has an intellectual distance that brings to mind the playfully abstract dramaturgy of Churchill (Top Girls, A Number), whose interest in the personal is similarly subsumed within the political. Drury, author of We Are Proud to Present a Presentation ..., shares Churchills love of open theatricality as well as her resistance to conventional psychological realism. Sentimentality has been gutted from her new play, but emotion, an ancestral sorrow that never ends, flows under the surface.

Behind the adventurous spirit of Marys Seacole is a determination not to allow the audience to get ahead of the play. The drama keeps shifting between Mary Seacoles struggles to carve a place for herself as a healer and an independent businesswoman and the various other modern Marys who perform the societal work others want to offload. The dramatic movement is associative and circular: We move from Mary at her hotel in Jamaica saving lives to nannies at the park gabbing on a workday, from an instructor overseeing an educational enactment at a trauma center to Mary tending to her British sons on the Crimean battlefield.

One of the ironies of Marys Seacole is that the various characters who care for the helpless, dying, wounded and infirm cant afford to be soft as they navigate their way in a world that depends on this labor but doesnt fairly compensate it. (Bloodied hands, thankless work, the words of a white woman comparing Mary to a Greek tragic heroine, sums up the calling.) Bedpans have to be changed; children have to be watched. But those who pay for this work are often too steeped in their own guilt and selfishness to fully acknowledge its value.

Drury maps this tension onto the problematic way society organizes itself racially, economically and geopolitically. If this sounds didactic, Marys Seacole is too fluid to be programmatic.

The play resists tying up its various threads into a message or moral. Instead of building toward a climax, theres a seismic intensification. The anger of these worn out yet unstoppable women ratchets up into a rage as the voices that have been swirling combine into a cacophony of conflict and distress.

DIANA: Princess story told through a very American musical 

Duppy Mary, who smolders mutely throughout most of the play, eventually gives voice to the caregivers bottled-up fury in a monologue that functions as an explosive device:

You go there and they will make you work and

mock you while you do it.

You go there and they will not see you as human being with a soul and a

morality and a vitality they will see you as worse than a dog

worse than a slave. At least for them slaves is property.

Them need us but them nah want us. 

There are moments when Lileana Blain-Cruzs excellent production, departing from the clean lines of its attractive modern tableaux, tries to supply what is absent in the playwriting. Whitney Houstons cover of Im Every Woman, which bursts through at one point, enlivens without really enlightening. In the final movement, the lighting (Jiyoun Chang) and sound (Palmer Hefferan) become more foreboding as the blocking grows more manic on Mariana Sanchezs flexible postmodern set. But the plays elusiveness grows only louder.

The abundance of thematic options seems to preclude closure. Bernstines Mary, a groundswell of a performance wholly rooted yet vibrating across centuries, makes a powerful assertion of autonomous selfhood when she utters the word me from the depths of her being. But the din continues to escalate as the women band together into a volatile chorus.

Drurys dramatic poetry refuses to be domesticated by interpretation. But one thing is clear: In a world divided between those who comfort and those who are comforted, the Marys Seacole of the world must fight to preserve their dignity and strength.
Actor Michael Madsen was arrested Sunday evening in Malibu on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI, according a spokeswoman at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Malibu/Lost Hills Station.

The actor, 61, was taken into custody around 8:30 p.m., the spokeswoman said, and released around 1 a.m. Monday. Bail was set at $15,000, according to law enforcement records.

Madsen, whos set to appear soon in Quentin Tarantinos newest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, crashed his Land Rover into a pole, according to TMZ, which reported that the actor had a blood-alcohol level of 0.10%. The legal limit is 0.08%.

A Madsen rep did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

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The Reservoir Dogs actor, a regular in Tarantinos movies over the years, landed in the hospital overnight in 2012 after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. He was arrested on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu and then hospitalized for an undisclosed medical condition, a Sheriffs Department spokesman said at the time.

Preliminary results of that 2012 field sobriety test showed he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.21%, almost three times the legal limit, officials said. At the time, Madsens attorney told the Associated Press that his client was taking prescription medication. The actor wound up sentenced to rehab for 30 days in 2013, the Fix reported, after he failed to attend AA meetings that were part of his probation.

Madsen was also arrested after a fight with his son in 2012, but was not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence of a crime.

cdz@latimes.com

@theCDZ on Twitter and Instagram
The New Hollywood era of the late 1960s and early 70s has inspired shelves of showbiz history books about how visionary filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg fused their personal experiences with the stuff of old B-movies, pioneering a vital new era in American cinema.

This was Larry Cohens story too. It just hasnt been told as often.

Cohen, who died Saturday, directed about half a dozen movies that pulp connoisseurs know well: Black Caesar, Its Alive, Q, The Stuff, The Ambulance, Original Gangstas and more. He made monster movies and mobster movies, science fiction and shoot-em-ups. Sometimes  as in 1976s gonzo God Told Me To  he chopped up multiple genres into a rich, bloody hash.

Like George Romero, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Joe Dante and a handful of other drive-in maestros, Cohen made the most of minuscule budgets: writing, directing and producing pictures that were unabashedly trashy, but suffused with passion and perspective.

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Itd be doing Cohen a disservice to say he made masterpieces. Even his best films feel like theyre held together by duct tape and B-roll, stretched to feature length with the help of whatever his editors could sweep up off the cutting-room floor. Panning God Told Me To, Roger Ebert wrote, There were times when I thought the projectionist was showing the reels in random order, as a quiet joke on the hapless audience.

But its not overstating the case to say that Cohen was a genius. Two of the keys to a successful filmmaking career are productivity and problem-solving. Cohen mastered both.

Cohen began his career in the late 1950s as a television writer, and thought of himself as a salesman as much as a scribe. He stocked his sample case every day with ideas, and kept schlepping them around even long after hed made it as a movie director. He sold stories to Columbo in the 70s, and in the 90s revived a one person stuck on the telephone premise hed originally pitched to Alfred Hitchcock, belatedly cashing paychecks for 2002s Phone Booth and 2004s Cellular.

Colin Farrell in the 2002 movie Phone Booth, written by Larry Cohen (Christine Loss / Associated Press)

Behind the camera, Cohen developed a reputation as the best in the business at getting top-dollar production value for pennies: by hiring skilled older craftspeople who couldnt find work at the major studios anymore; or by shooting without permits around New York, and letting the grime and glory of the city be his set.

As Steve Mitchells entertaining 2017 documentary King Cohen makes clear, Cohens get in, get out, move on approach to art maybe kept him from becoming as well-known of a name among movie buffs as his friends Scorsese, Dante and J.J. Abrams. But it also meant that his work has a from-the-gut quality that sometimes gets lost with large-scale productions.

Cohen would say that his pictures were apolitical, but they did have a point of view, even if it was just an extension of his if it sells, it works philosophy. His biggest moneymakers often repeated the formula of, as he put it: Taking something which is considered benevolent and turning it into some kind of monstrosity. He changed the way audiences felt about babies (in Its Alive), ambulances (in The Ambulance) and yogurt (in The Stuff).

The result  intentionally or not  was a filmography full of films about a rotting world, populated by wondrous grotesqueries, all seen through one mans magnificently jaundiced eyes. His films were almost always Larry Cohen films  never generic, and rarely routine.

calendar@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesMovies
Rapper Tech N9ne took to Twitter on Monday to offer condolences to the family of battle rapper Tech 9  whose stage moniker sounds and is spelled similarly  and clarify that he himself is very much alive and well.

This Tech N9ne is going through customs back in the U.S. coming from Canada, coming from Europe, he said in a Twitter video. My familys calling my phone wondering if Im OK. Im OK. Condolences go out to battle rapper Tech 9. Philly stand up.

Tech N9nes real name is Aaron Dontez Yates and he co-founded the independent hip-hop label Strange Music Inc., based in Kansas City, Mo.

The rapper, 47, whose music has been featured in Alpha Dog, has been confused with the battle rapper because of their near-identical pseudonyms. In the video, he said that he observed many of Tech 9s battles.

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Philadelphia battle rapper Tech 9, whose real name is Akeem Mickens, was announced on Monday to have died by fellow battle rapper Buttah From Da Block.

PHILADELPHIA AND THE BATTLE RAP CULTURE ALL TOOK A LOSS WITH THIS ONE. HE WAS A PIONEER, GENTLEMAN, GREAT FATHER ENTREPRENEUR, ENTHUSIAST AND PHILANTHROPIST. With Deep Hurt And sorrow i say we will miss u and love u bro, he wrote on Facebook.

Mickens was considered one of the architects of modern battle rap and later became a commentator, according to hip-hop news website the Source.

Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar and Superstar rapper Lupe Fiasco were among the fans who paid tribute to Tech 9 on social media following word of his death.

THEY SAY MY FACE DONT LOOK THE SAME WITH THE STOCK-Condolences to the family of the late great Tech9 of philly. Rest well, Lamar wrote.

Rip Tech 9...one of the most entertaining battle rappers, Fiasco tweeted. Condolences to his family and friends. May God have mercy on his soul.

Twitter: @NardineSaad
Up until last week, most of us had never really considered what to call the group of American kids growing up behind the millennials.

Those born in the 2000s, who grew up alongside Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram, have inspired plenty of commentary about the damaging effects of social media and selfies, but little reflection about what they might bring to the table. As with the two generations before them, they were not expected to change the nation in the way the now near-mythical boomers did.

Then a gunman walked into a Parkland, Fla., high school on Valentines Day, killing 17, injuring at least a dozen and terrorizing hundreds more.

Generation Z emerged overnight.

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Its hard to remember another moment when a changing of the guard was captured as quickly and dramatically, on screen and in real time, as were seeing now in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school shooting.

With a fearlessness born out of terror and loss, a generation maligned for being too soft and spilling all on social media was ready when a real cause came along.

In the week following the attack, the schools surviving students and their peers inspired nationwide school walkouts, Capitol Hill sit-ins, CNN town hall meetings and a listening session with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House.

Determined not to let another mass shooting fade away in a cloud of thoughts and prayers, these students clearly and cogently refuted the usual politicized narratives pumped out of D.C. after each mass shooting, first on television mere hours after the attack and then directly on Twitter: #We Call BS! quickly rolled into #WeAreTheChange.

They called out the NRA directly on CNN and Fox, and demanded adults reframe gun control as an issue of safety rather than a red-versus-blue-politics argument as usual. They appeared on late-night talk shows, and were accused by alt-right agitators of being fictional crisis actors hired by gun-hating leftists.

When did politics and money from the NRA become more important than our lives? Dimitri Hoth, survivor

But this group who grew up navigating spin hasnt taken the bait.

People are saying that its not time to talk about gun control, and we can respect that, Cameron Kasky, a junior at the high school, said on ABCs This Week. Heres the time: March 24, Kasky continued. In every single city, we are going to be marching together as students begging for our lives. This isnt about the GOP. This isnt about the Democrats. This is about the adults. We feel neglected. At this point, youre either with us or youre against us.

Politicians who havent budged from the standard thoughts and prayers stance since Columbine were caught off guard. By Wednesdays meeting at the White House, it was clear theyd been rattled. Trumps numbered crib notes, which he carried into the televised discussion, went viral after being captured by photojournalists. Point No. 5 read, I hear you.

Christened by gunfire and united by tragedy, Generation Zs determination and ire didnt just arrive with the media exposure of this particular school shooting, the latest in multiple such shootings of two-months-old 2018. This generation has grown up with active shooter school drills and code reds. They were entering grade school when their first-grade peers were massacred at Sandy Hook Elementary and an unarmed 17-year-old named Trayvon Martin was killed while walking home by a gun-wielding adult.

No wonder so many of todays fictional young people of television and film are fearless avengers who battle evil in smarter and more effective ways than their parents, protecting the adults who are supposed to protect them: Stranger Things, Supergirl, Marvels Runaways, Black Lightning.

As Parkland students marched toward their state capitol building in Tallahassee on Wednesday, they resembled a high school debate team, not superheroes. An AR-15 was used by the Parkland shooter and they were there to urge lawmakers to impose tighter gun restrictions, even though legislation regarding the ban of military-style firearms had been struck down the day before.

Some of the students wore jeans and carried backpacks. Others wore ill-fitting dress shirts and slacks that they appeared to have outgrown since the last formal event  Easter Mass or a friends bar mitzvah  they had attended. Their public speaking event, however, was anything but the usual academic exercise associated with generations of high schoolers before them.

When did politics and money from the NRA become more important than our lives? asked Dimitri Hoth, a senior who described to the press and lawmakers the horror of surviving the attack.

The mild-mannered student, who recalled that his biggest concern in the hours before the attack was trying to get out of an after-school rehearsal, proclaimed: NRA, were not afraid of you. You wont silence us. Never again.

It echoed this nations last big student uprising nearly a half-century ago, which also revolved around too many young people being shot at for no good reason. Perhaps the renewed interest in the Pentagon Papers and Vietnam War in films such as The Post is no coincidence.

If millennials and Gen X helped usher in the changes that led to pot legalization, gay marriage laws and AIDS awareness, the teenagers of Gen Z might help break the logjam that has prevented changes in gun laws that the majority of Americans have wanted for so long.

This isnt about the GOP. This isnt about the Democrats. This is about the adults. Cameron Kasky, survivor

The middle-aged who scoff at young people for their need of safe spaces might now think twice given that they actually do need safe spaces to hide from monsters who storm schools, colleges, movie theaters, churches and concert venues with weapons of war.

What could be more nonpartisan than saving kids lives, asked student David Hogg on Wednesday to a reporter.

The media persisted in the usual manner. Foxs Outnumbered host Harris Faulkner asked Hogg what he had to say about President Trump doing more to address gun violence issues than any other president before him.

I dont know, actually, he answered, then steered the interview back toward common-sense solutions for gun control.

The FBI made horrific mistakes, she said, how do you respond to that?

Hogg again brought it back to action rather than blame.

The Fox host complimented Hogg for being well spoken: You are a blessed young man. I know a lot of people will say that they are praying for you. Please know that we are. And that we mean it. And God bless you.

Hogg wasnt about to let that go: Yeah, but please take action as well.

lorraine.ali@latimes.com

@lorraineali
The group of white-haired folks  some pushing walkers, others using canes  arrive right on time at the gates of Laguna Woods Village, an upscale retirement community in the picturesque hills that frame this Southern California suburb a few miles from Disneyland.

There, they board a bus for a quick trip to a building that, save for the green Red Cross-style sign in the window, resembles a trendy coffee bar. The people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, pass the next several hours enjoying a light lunch, playing a few games of bingo and selecting their next months supply of cannabis-infused products.

Its like the ultimate senior experience, said a laughing Ron Atkin. The 76-year-old retired beauty products distributor was sitting down to watch the bingo at the back of the Bud and Bloom marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana.

Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The 2018 General Social Survey, an annual sampling of Americans views, found a record 61% backed legalization, and those 65 and older are increasingly supportive.

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Indeed, many industry officials say the fastest-growing segment of their customer base is people like Atkin  aging baby boomers or even those a little older who are seeking to treat the aches and sleeplessness and other maladies of old age with the same herb that many of them once passed around at parties.

California is awash in cannabis cash. Some is being used to bribe public officials 

I would say the average age of our customers is around 60, maybe even a little older, said Kelty Richardson, a registered nurse with the Holos Health clinic in Boulder, Colo., which provides medical examinations and sells physician-recommended cannabis through its online store.

Its medical director, Joseph Cohen, conducts Cannabis 101" seminars at the nearby Balfour Senior Living community for residents who want to know which strains are best for easing arthritic pain or improving sleep.

Relatively little scientific study has verified the benefits of marijuana for specific problems. Theres evidence pot can relieve chronic pain in adults, according to a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, but the study also concluded that the lack of scientific information poses a risk to public health.

At Bud and Bloom, winners of the bingo games take home new vape pens, but Atkin isnt really there for that. Hes been coming regularly for two years to buy cannabis-infused chocolate bars and sublingual drops to treat his painful spinal stenosis since the prescription opiates he had been taking quit working.

San Diego considers cannabis lounges. San Francisco set the standard 

It was desperation that brought him here, he said, adding that his doctors didnt suggest he try medical marijuana. But they didnt discourage him either.

The dispensary is filled with the 50 people from the bus as they peruse counters and coolers containing a variety of products including gel caps, drops and cannabis-infused drinks, not to mention plenty of old-fashioned weed.

Adele Frascella, leaning on her cane, purchases a package of gummy candies she says help keep her arthritic pain at bay.

I dont like to take an opioid, said Frascella, 70.

Fashionably dressed with sparkling silver earrings, Frascella confirms with a smile that she was a pot smoker in her younger days.

I used to do it when I was like 18, 19, 20, she said. And then I had a baby, got married and stopped.

She took it up again a few years ago, even investing in a volcano, a pricey, high-tech version of the old-fashioned bong that Gizmodo calls the ultimate stoner gadget. But these days, like many other seniors, she prefers edibles to smoking.

Renee Lee, another baby boomer who smoked as a youth, got back into it more than a dozen years ago after the clinical psychologist underwent brain surgery and other medical procedures that she said had her taking 10 meds a day, four times a day.

And I wasnt getting any better, she said, adding that she asked her doctors if she might try medical marijuana as a last resort. They said go ahead, and she found it ended her pain.

In 2012, she founded the Rossmoor Medical Marijuana Club in her upscale San Francisco Bay Area retirement community.

We started with 20 people, and we kept it really quiet for about a year and a half, she said, noting that although California legalized medical cannabis in 1996, it was still seen in some quarters as an outlaw drug.

Opinion: Californias cannabis marketplace is a mess. Heres how to fix it 

Her group has since grown to more than 1,000 members and puts on regular events, including lectures by pro-cannabis doctors and nurses.

People Lees age  65 and over  are the fastest-growing segment of the marijuana-using population, said Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and aging at UCLA.

He believes more studies on the drugs effects on older people are needed. And although it may improve quality of life by relieving pain, anxiety and other problems, he said, careless, unsupervised use can cause trouble.

We know that cannabis can cause side effects, particularly in older people, he said. They can get dizzy. It can even impair memory if the dose is too high or new ingredients are wrong. And dizziness can lead to falls, which can be quite serious.

Richardson said Colorado saw an uptick in hospital visits by older users soon after the state legalized cannabis in 2012. The problem, he said, was often caused by novices downing too many edibles.

Thats a lesson Dick Watts, 75, learned the hard way. The retired New Jersey roofing contractor who keeps a winter home in Orange County began having trouble sleeping through the night as he got into his 70s. He attended a seniors seminar where he learned marijuana might help, so he got a cannabis-infused candy bar. He immediately ate the whole thing.

Man, that was nearly lethal, recalled Watts, laughing.

Now when he has trouble sleeping he takes just a small sliver of candy before bed. He said he wakes up clear-headed and refreshed.

And I have it up on a shelf so my grandkids cant get to it, Watts said.
Each item exhumed from the shallow graves  a diaper, a bra, a blanket filled with bones  led detectives to the same question.

Could this be the skeletal remains of the McStay family, who had vanished more than three years earlier?

The mysterious disappearance of a family of four whose Fallbrook home showed signs of a swift departure  uneaten bowls of popcorn on the futon, vegetables left out to rot  transfixed the nation and puzzled police until the fall of 2013, when an off-road motorcyclist discovered parts of a skull in the desert off Interstate 15 in Victorville.

Days later came a grim confirmation: The remains unearthed along with a rusty sledgehammer belonged to Joseph and Summer McStay and their two boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3.

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On Monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the familys accused killer, Charles Chase Merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in San Bernardino, marking a legal milestone on nearly a decade of tragedy.

Patrick McStay at his home in Texas. (Michael Stravato / For The Times)

Ive been living in a fog for nine years now, said Patrick McStay, Josephs father, who investigated the disappearance and chronicled his findings in a book, McStays, Taken Too Soon: A True Story.

From the start the case baffled detectives, who initially believed the family may have ventured out on their own and planned to return. There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry. A check of the familys computer revealed searches suggesting an international trip, including What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico? But friends and family insisted the couple would never travel there with their children. San Diego County sheriffs investigators eventually handed the case off to the FBI, saying they believed the family was out of the country.

Authorities received hundreds of tips from callers reporting sightings around the country. But police now say they believe the McStays were killed at their home, on a cul-de-sac beneath a hill dotted with avocado trees.

Merritt had cycled in and out of jails and prisons after several criminal convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property during the 1970s and 80s.

In 2001, the Riverside County resident and father pleaded no contest to second-degree burglary and grand theft after authorities accused him of stealing from a San Gabriel Valley ironworks company. Merritt, now 61, was sentenced to six months in jail and three years probation. His probation was extended to a decade because he skipped so many court-ordered programs and was late to pay fines.

He frequently bounced between jobs, eventually landing work as a subcontractor for Earth Inspired Products, Joseph McStays company, which sold water fountains. A week after officials excavated the bodies in Victorville, Merritt was quoted in a British tabloid, saying that the business was flourishing before the disappearance and that the two men had spent more than an hour together the day McStay vanished.

He was my best friend, Merritt told the tabloid.

He was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in 2014.

Merritt had used that same past-tense phrasing years earlier, according to court testimony from Det. Troy DuGal, the lead sheriffs investigator in San Diego County, where the case began as a missing-persons investigation. During an interview two weeks after the family disappeared, Merritt told detectives that McStay was one of his best friends, according to a transcript of the defendants preliminary hearing. Merritt also used the past tense when speaking about Summer, saying she was a verbal person.

Charles Merritt, left, with his attorney, Rajan Maline, awaiting opening statements in his trial for the murder of Joseph and Summer McStay and their two boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, in 2010. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

When DuGals partner confronted him about using past tense, Merritt seemed confused and disregarded the question.

Detectives swabbed his cheek for DNA and asked him about a critical piece of evidence: the McStay familys Isuzu Trooper, which was towed from the parking lot of a strip mall near the Mexican border days after the disappearance. Merritt said he had never driven the vehicle, DuGal said.

Det. Edward Bachman, the lead sheriffs investigator in San Bernardino County, where the bodies were found, testified that a DNA mixture, including a sample that matched Merritts genetic profile, was found on the gearshift and steering wheel of the Isuzu, and an FBI agent testified that Merritts cellphone records showed that his phone was in the vicinity of the desert gravesites two days after the disappearance.

Evidence presented at the preliminary hearing suggested investigators believed the family may have been attacked at their home. No shoes were recovered from the gravesites; nor was there a shirt belonging to Summer, a detective testified, adding that her bra was splotched with paint. The McStay family had been renovating their home before the disappearance, the detective said, noting that pieces of blue painters tape like that affixed to the walls in the familys kitchen were found in the graves.

San Bernardino County Sheriffs Det. Daniel Hanke testified that in the days after the family vanished, Merritt deposited checks worth thousands of dollars from Joseph McStay, which were written using the online accounting program QuickBooks. Four days after the family disappeared, Hanke said, an individual identifying himself as Joseph McStay called QuickBooks and asked to transfer the account and then cancel his subscription. The call, Hanke said, came from Merritts cellphone number.

But Merritts defense attorney, Rajan Maline, insists his client is innocent.

Theres simply no evidence he did it, Maline said.

The cellphone evidence presented at the preliminary hearing was incomplete, Maline said, adding that he believed the DNA mixture found on the gearshift and steering wheel actually exonerated his client. If Merritt had driven the car, he would be a major contributor to the DNA mixture, Maline said, instead of a minor or trace contributor. He said remnants of Merritts DNA probably were transferred to Joseph McStay during a handshake.

Its going to be pretty clear that Chase Merritt didnt do it, Maline said, adding that the defense team tested materials from the graves and found that none of them matched Merritts DNA.

If convicted, Merritt  whose trial may stretch into April  could be subject to the death penalty, said a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County district attorneys office.

Michael McStay pays his respects to his brother Joseph at crosses erected in memory McStay, his wife and their two children, who were found buried in shallow graves off Interstate 15 in Victorville in 2013. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

For Patrick McStay, 72, the impending trial still feels abstract.

Im not sure everything has even hit me yet, he said, adding that every day he witnesses some small reminder of his family.

Maroon 5 songs on the radio make him laugh  a reminder, he said, of how flabbergasted his son was to learn that he was a fan. The band Chicago reminds him of his daughter-in-law, because they shared a love for the group, and he often floats back to a memory of his grandsons  the boys, he calls them. The month before the disappearance, while talking to them on Skype, Gianni picked up his parents laptop and wandered the home, giving his grandpa a virtual tour.

McStay, a Texas resident, said he didnt plan to be in San Bernardino on Monday. Although proceeds from a GoFundMe account and his book have helped, he cant afford to spend several months in California. He plans to attend some of the trial, he said, and wonders how hell feel when its finally over.

Maybe then, he said, the fog will lift and reality will crash down.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber
Rafi Eitan, the legendary Israeli Mossad spy who led the capture of Holocaust mastermind Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, has died at his home in Tel Aviv. He was 92.

Eitan, who died Saturday, was one of the founders of Israels vaunted intelligence community and among its most prominent figures in Israel and abroad.

Rafi was among the heroes of the intelligence services of the State of Israel on countless missions on behalf of the security of Israel, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His wisdom, wit and commitment to the people of Israel and our state were without peer.

The 1960 operation to capture Eichmann in Argentina and bring him to trial in Jerusalem was the Mossads most historic mission and remains one of the defining episodes in Israels history. His trial brought to life the horrors of the Nazi Final Solution, which followed Eichmanns blueprint for erasing the entire Jewish population of Europe. Eichmann was convicted in 1961 of war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was hanged the following year  the only time Israel has carried out a death sentence.

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Known as the architect of the Holocaust for his role in coordinating the Nazi genocide policy, Eichmann fled Germany after World War II and assumed the name Ricardo Klement while living in Argentina.

Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann stands in a protective glass booth flanked by Israeli police during his 1961 trial in Jerusalem. (Getty Images file photo)

Eitan, who headed the seven-man Nazi-hunting team on the ground, grabbed Eichmann on the way to his Buenos Aires home, shoved him into a car and took him to a safe house. In the back seat of the car, one agent shoved a gloved hand inside Eichmanns mouth in case he had a cyanide pill hidden in a tooth, as some former top Nazis were known to have to foil their capture.

Eitan identified Eichmann by searching his body for distinctive scars on his arm and stomach. And once I felt it I was convinced. This is the man  we got Eichmann, he recalled years later.

Mossad Director Yossi Cohen said the majority of Eitans exploits still remain unknown to the general public.

His work and his actions will be etched in gold letters in the annals of the state, Cohen said in a statement Saturday. The foundations that Rafi laid in the first years of the state are a significant layer in the activities of the Mossad even today.

But Eitans reputation took a hit in the 1980s for his handling of Jonathan Pollard, a civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, who sold military secrets to Israel while working at the Pentagon. Pollard was arrested in 1985 and pleaded guilty. The episode left Israel embarrassed and severely tarnished its relations with the United States.

Eitan claimed his actions were sanctioned by his superiors, but eventually was forced to resign his post.

He went into business and later in life entered politics and scored an election sensation in 2006 as head of the Pensioners Party, garnering seven seats in the 120-seat parliament and becoming a Cabinet minister in Ehud Olmerts government.
Las Vegas residencies are splashy affairs with big name artists settling into the city  often for a dozen or more shows a year. Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani and Aerosmith are among high-wattage fixtures this year.

But theres also another unofficial residency taking root in the state: candidates trying to secure the Democratic Partys presidential nomination for 2020.

Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren have all made several stops in Nevada already as they try to woo voters in anticipation of the states Feb. 22 caucus. So have Jay Inslee, Tulsi Gabbard and Julian Castro. Castro has set the pace with five visits, according to the Nevada Democratic Party.

This weekend, however, Nevada saw one of the partys biggest stars make his debut: Beto ORourke.

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The 46-year-old Texan garnered national attention for a spirited run against Sen. Ted Cruz last year  coming up just short in what amounted to a moral victory for Democrats in a state that hasnt elected one of their own to a Senate seat since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988.

After ORourkes loss  and a somewhat protracted decision process that included a plea from Oprah Winfrey to run for president  he jumped into the wide-open fray this month. He hit Iowa because, as Iowans are quick to point out, it is the first caucus state. He went to New Hampshire and South Carolina, both of which hold early primaries.

In Iowa, Beto ORourke proves he can still wow a crowd. Can he win votes? 

Nevada was the next logical step, and he landed Saturday afternoon and headed to a house in west Las Vegas for a meet-and-greet party hosted by Artie Blanco.

Blanco, who bills herself as a political operative and data person, said she wasnt used to hosting parties for candidates. Im a behind-the-scenes person, she said. She also hasnt thrown support to any particular candidate.

But ORourke is from Texas and so is Blanco. Hes from El Paso while she is from Houston, and moved to Las Vegas more than a decade ago. So he got a Texas welcome.

We are proud people no matter where were from  no matter what part of Texas were from, she said. And at the end of the day, I know this is an opportunity for us. It is the time for us to get the power back to the people.

ORourke walked into the crowded living room and stood on a folding chair  his tall frame getting close enough to the ceiling fan that he asked that it not be turned on. As he began speaking, the cell phones went up as people recorded, photographed and livestreamed his ideas on immigration reform, a better educational system and a living wage for teachers so that they dont have to work a second job.

He took questions and posed for photos afterward.

Ed Cantillo said no presidential candidate had ever dropped by his neighborhood before. The 69-year-old remembered traveling to see Democrats Jimmy Carter and Jerry Brown when they ran for president in 1976. He said he shook both of their hands.

As Cantillo watched people sidle up to ORourke to talk about their hopes for the future and pose for pictures, he waited patiently. A woman looked as though she was about to wrap up with him and Cantillo held his hand out to approach the candidate. But a young girl got there sooner, and he stepped back.

He listened as she told ORourke shed like to be president one day. The candidate said if he were around that long, hed vote for her. More pictures were taken. Television camera crews were packing up. Blanco urged people to take food with them as they left.

Suddenly, there was a split second of space. The 69-year-old seized the moment. ORourke saw him with his hand outstretched and the two shook. Cantillo beamed.

ORourke was back at it on Sunday, this time in North Las Vegas at Arandas Taqueria.

Hes driving himself! someone in the crowd shouted as ORourke pulled up. He shook more hands and stood in the patio with a wireless microphone. He spoke in Spanish. Then English. And more Spanish.

When he walked inside the taqueria, faces outside pressed against the window to get a better look. He stood up on a chair again, while the crowd of more than 100 sat at tables and stood in aisles. A man shouted he had driven all night from Long Beach to see ORourke.

Anita Allen, 73, said she had been a Sanders supporter in 2016, and ORourke was the first candidate shed seen this election cycle. She said she was enjoying Nevadas power to draw candidates and planned to see several more before deciding on one.

Beto ORourke joins the presidential race: Can excitement carry him to the White House? 

Outside, leaning on a crutch, Tracy Trolle, 45, had already decided on ORourke. She said she liked ORourkes message of treating people with dignity  a word that peppered his speech at the taqueria and later at the packed Pour Coffee Shop. A few supporters of President Trump heckled and yelled at him to go home and used epithets to describe immigrants living in the country illegally.

There is an intolerance and a racism...by one of the most racist, uncivil presidents we have ever had, ORourke said, standing atop a car several yards from the Trump fans, as he spoke to the spillover crowd. The way to meet that challenge is to not succumb to the pettiness, to the smallness, to the intolerance.

The crowd chanted his name as he went inside to speak, rebuking Trump, telling a teenager he was open to the idea of lowering the voting age to 16, and calling for tougher gun laws. Then he was gone.

Angela Shimel, 44, stood in the back of a pickup truck with her family and said he reminded her of Robert Kennedy. She was all-in for ORourke.

I think Beto can bring back the Camelot, she said.
Last summer, a Michigan felon then living in Southern California powered up a Facebook account and let rip.

I am no angel. If I get pissed I kill, Michael Leon Curry wrote on Facebook on June 28, 2018. I have never killed anyone who did not  who didnt deserve it.

Around 2,000 miles away, investigators with the Michigan State Police were carefully noting Currys online statements. Rather than the usual social media bombast, these investigators believed the comments were a hatchway into the mind of an alleged killer. They knew they were dealing with a longtime suspect in a cold case who was shockingly open about his alleged crime.

Earlier this month, Michigan authorities traveled to California with an arrest warrant for Curry. On March 17, the 51-year-old suspect was transported back to Bangor, Mich., about 28 miles west of Kalamazoo, and charged in the 1986 slaying of a nurses aide, West Michigans WWMT reported.

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But Currys candid streak apparently did not stop at social media posts.

According to information provided at a probable cause hearing held earlier this month and recently made public, not only had Curry been a suspect during the early days of the 1986 investigation, but he also had confessed to the crime  at least four times.

Curry allegedly confessed to a cellmate; confessed in interviews with investigators; and even confessed in writing. Before heading into custody in 1989 for a lengthy prison sentence for an unrelated crime, Curry again allegedly tried to communicate his guilt. But despite all his efforts, he was never charged.

A lot of people didnt believe [his confession] at the time, Tim Wydick, the original police investigator on the case, told WOOD. People thought he was trying to get attention.

Authorities have not detailed what has changed to lead investigators to now file charges. Curry remains in custody, charged with first-degree homicide. His attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.

RELATED: How a California 45-year-old cold case went viral on Twitter 

Wilda Wilkinsons grown daughter Rhonda realized something was wrong when she learned her mother had not shown up for work. It was July 29, 1986, and Wilkinsons co-workers at a hospital had called Rhonda about the nurses aides no-show.

According to testimony given this month in a probable cause hearing, Rhonda drove to her mothers house in Bangor, a single-story bungalow shaded by a hulking tree in the front yard and wrapped with a waist-high chain-link fence.

All the doors and windows were locked, according to testimony at the hearing. Wilkinsons car was in the driveway. Rhonda forced the screen off a back window and crawled inside. She found her mother dead on the bedroom floor.

Wilkinson, 59, had bruising around her neck. The dead womans nightgown had also been tampered with, police would later determine. The top of the gown was pulled down, and the bottom was lifted above her waist. The victims underwear were also missing from the body. An autopsy ruled Wilkinsons death a homicide.

Investigators questioned a number of possible suspects in the case, including Curry, who lived near the victim. On Aug. 21, 1986, Curry was arrested on an unrelated unarmed robbery charge, according to testimony at the hearing. While he was in custody, his cellmate in the jail, Robert Pritchard, told investigators in January 1987 that Curry had confessed to the Wilkinson killing.

Pritchard also showed detectives a letter allegedly written by Curry admitting to the crime.

When investigators interviewed Curry, he confessed to committing the crime by strangling Wilda Wilkinson with his hands in her house, Michigan State Police Sgt. Kyle Gorham testified at the probable cause hearing. Michael Curry provided detailed information of the crime.

According to Curry, he had been planning to rob the house when he knocked on the front door to see if anyone was home. [H]e was startled when a female surprised him by answering the door, Gorham said. Upon her answering the door he pushed the female victim ... inside the residence. Curry then said he strangled the victim with his hands.

Curry also told detectives how he arranged Wilkinsons clothing and took her underwear to make the scene look like a sex crime.

Michael Curry confessed twice verbally about the crime to investigators, Gorham told the court. But still he was not charged.

Despite knowing the details of the crime  including the color of the underwear taken from the victim  the police were suspicious of Currys confession, an investigator told WOOD. Currys account lacked other specific details.

We put him on a polygraph and at first he said, Ill tell you all about it, then we put him on a polygraph, he reneged everything, a detective told the television station. We thought that he was just screwing with us basically, because he was that kind of a guy.

Wydick, another original detective on the case, told WOOD that his team presented their evidence to prosecutors, who decided against issuing an arrest warrant in the case because of a lack of physical evidence backing up Currys confession.

But the suspect was not done taking credit for the crime.

In December 1989, Curry was arrested after nearly beating his roommate to death. He was eventually convicted by a jury of assault with intent to kill. A day after Currys arrest in 1989, an anonymous letter was sent to Wydick.

According to the probable cause hearing, the letter again referred to the Wilkinson attack: almost 41 months have passed, 1,233 days since that fatal hot and humid July night, the note stated, correctly referring to the amount of time that had passed since the killing. The note also again referenced how Wilkinson had been found without her underwear in an attempt to make the crime look sexually motivated.

Although the letter was unsigned, forensic analysis showed Currys fingerprints were on the note. But again, he was not charged.

Curry served nearly 27 years for his assault conviction until his release in 2017, WWMT reported.

She confessed to a murder she didnt commit. Now shes seeking compensation from those who arrested her 

The Wilkerson investigation went cold for decades until a renewed push from the victims family prompted the Michigan State Police to reopen the case in 2010.

Her daughters were really pushing to get this solved because they wanted to find out who was responsible while they were still alive, Michigan State Police Lt. Shane Criger told WWMT.

According to testimony at the probable cause hearing, investigators began monitoring Currys Facebook account by at least last summer. Detectives also revealed they exhumed Wilkinsons body in October 2018 for further forensic tests, more than three decades after her death.

Prosecutors have yet to reveal what other new information led them to charging the man who has been so open in claiming his guilt in the 1986 crime.

I have no idea what theyve done over the last year, an investigator who worked on the case told WOOD. I have no idea what new information or anything they have.

Kyle Swenson writes for the Washington Post.
The community of Parkland, Fla., is focusing attention on its suicide prevention programs after two survivors of the Florida high school massacre killed themselves in a week.

Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky said Monday that community leaders, government officials, parents, police and others held an emergency meeting Sunday after a second Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student apparently killed himself over the weekend. That came a week after a recent graduate, who was close friends with victim Meadow Pollack, killed herself. Her family said she suffered from survivors guilt.

Also Monday, police in Connecticut said the father of one of the 20 children slain in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was found dead in an apparent suicide.

Newtown police say the body of 49-year-old Jeremy Richman was found inside a Newtown event center where he had an office. Richman was the father of first-grader Avielle Richman. He and his wife had created the Avielle Foundation, a group dedicated to preventing violence by seeking a better understanding of brain health.

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Jeremy Richman, shown in 2014, was the father of first-grade shooting victim Avielle Richman. He was found dead March 25. (Jessica Hill / Associated Press)

Neil Heslin, whose son, Jesse Lewis, also was killed at the school, said the Sandy Hook families grief had been compounded by the publicity and conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy. He noted Richman was among the Sandy Hook relatives suing Infowars host Alex Jones for saying the Newtown shooting never happened.

Every day you get up you expect to get punched in the chin with something, Heslin said. I give Jeremy credit for what he accomplished with his work and his amazing strength that grew through the years.

The Feb. 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas killed 14 students and three staff members and wounded 17 others. Some students have begun counting the two suicides among the victims of the attack.

Getting urgent counseling resources to students could be more difficult because the school is on spring break this week.

Hunschofsky said the biggest push would be to alert parents that they needed to talk to their children about whether they were having suicidal thoughts, also to outline for parents the danger signs of suicide, such as personality changes or a preoccupation with death. The groups also want students to talk to and look out for each other, and they note that programs already are in place  community counseling and resource centers opened after the shooting  where they can seek help.

There are lots of resources out there, but everyone is in a different place with different levels of trauma and grief. It is our job to get the right resources to them, she said. There can never be enough resources, but the challenge is connecting people.

Hunschofsky said that although there was concern the two suicides could lead to more, it was more dangerous to avoid discussing what happened.

We cannot be afraid of talking, she said. The only way we are going to identify people who need help is to talk about it.

In neighboring Coral Springs, Fla., where about half of Marjory Stoneman Douglas students live, spokeswoman Lynne Martzelle said the city would host a community anti-suicide prevention forum on Wednesday.

The tragedy of Marjory Stoneman Douglas didnt end on the 14th, she said.

Cara Aiello told WFOR-TV last week that her daughter Sydney had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled to attend college because she feared being in a classroom, but she never asked for help. Sydney Aiello killed herself last week.

Coral Springs police Officer Tyler Reik confirmed Monday that another student apparently killed himself Saturday but said an official determination had not been made. That should happen later Monday.

In Connecticut, the governor, two U.S. senators and other elected officials expressed condolences over the death of Richman, who had become well-known through his advocacy work.

My god. This is awful, horrible, devastating news, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy wrote on Twitter. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brains violence triggers. He was with me in my office two weeks ago, excited as could be about the Avielle Foundations latest amazing work.

Newtown Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said Richman left a suicide note but did not disclose its contents.
President Trump and his defenders are understandably exulting now that the Justice Department has released a summary of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs principal conclusions about his investigation of Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. But, all too characteristically, the president is portraying Muellers findings as a total exoneration. Its no such thing.

The summary of Muellers conclusions came in a letter Atty. Gen. William Barr sent to Congress Sunday. According to Barr, Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government or a Russian troll farm in two notorious operations: the social-media disinformation campaign launched by the Internet Research Agency and the hacking of Democratic email accounts and the release of embarrassing emails via WikiLeaks.

Of course thats a victory for the president. For that matter, its also good news for the country. Even Trumps critics should welcome a finding that the president and his campaign officials didnt break the law by conspiring with Russians to subvert the election.

But Trump wasnt content to welcome this finding. On Twitter he suggested that Muellers message was No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION.

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In fact, Mueller didnt absolve the president of obstructing justice. Instead, according to Barr, Mueller did not reach a conclusion  one way or the other about whether actions by Trump constituted obstruction. Barr quoted Mueller as saying: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Barr and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein then made their own quick determination that the evidence that Mueller amassed over the course of a two-year investigation wasnt enough to establish that Trump committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

These contrasting perspectives, as well as a profusion of other as-yet unanswered questions, are a reminder that it is absolutely vital that Congress  and the public  be given access to Muellers complete report, with only minimal redactions to protect legitimate national security secrets.

That Mueller cleared the Trump campaign of colluding criminally with Russia doesnt mean that his investigation was a wasteful witch hunt or that people in Trumps orbit didnt engage in questionable contacts with Russians, as Trump and his allies contend. The guilty pleas and convictions obtained by Mueller belie that.

And, of course, the end of Muellers investigation doesnt mean that other investigations related to the Trump campaign  including those underway in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere  wont uncover information about criminal activity by Trump or his aides.

The president is entitled to take satisfaction in some of what Mueller concluded. But Congress must not take Barrs summary of Muellers conclusions as total exoneration of the president or a substitute for Congress own responsibility to investigate important matters. They include the presidents firing of former FBI director James B. Comey and Comeys allegation that Trump pressured him to drop an investigation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

It isnt second-guessing Mueller to insist that Congress and the public receive access to his complete report, not just the snippets that appeared in Barrs letter.

And one other point. There is a long list of reasons why we think Trump is unfit for the presidency and dangerous for the country. The only thing we learned from Barrs summary is that colluding with Russia is no longer on it.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
The story is not over. It may never be over in our lifetimes. But an important chapter has come to an end, and it had a happy ending for the president.

Contrary to what were already beginning to hear from some quarters of the left, the Mueller probe almost certainly puts to rest the extreme version of the Russia collusion narrative.

If there were compelling evidence that Trump clandestinely conspired with the Russian government, its safe to assume Mueller would have found it. And if he found it, he would have put it in his report. And if he put it in his report, Att. Gen. Bill Barr would have indicated as much in his summary.

Even if Barr were inclined to cover up such findings, Barr knows that the truth would come out, and that his career and reputation would be utterly destroyed.

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If there were compelling evidence that Trump clandestinely conspired with the Russian government, its safe to assume Mueller would have found it.

But it does not  and really cannot  put to rest the softer versions of the collusion charge. Candidate Trump publicly called on the Russians to keep hacking away at Hillary Clintons emails. Don Jr. and the entire senior leadership of the Trump campaign took a meeting with a self-declared emissary of the Russian government to get dirt on Hillary (and then lied about it later at the presidents direction). Trumps campaign manager, currently in prison, worked with Russian-aligned oligarchs in Ukraine. Various campaign peons and hangers-on were eager to cultivate relations with Russia.

Moreover, the ironclad conclusion of the intelligence community as well as the Mueller investigation found that Russia did indeed work to get Trump elected. The Trump campaign may have been dishonorably happy for the help, but thats not collusion.

And lets be clear: That is very good news. If you believed that Trump was a traitor, its one thing to want that exposed, quite another to want it to be true, which is where a lot of people ended up.

Those people will not go away, nor will they lose their adamantine convictions about the presidents fitness or legitimacy.

Which is one of the reasons why this will remain a never-ending story.

Like Hillary Clinton, Trump is an avatar in a broader culture war. Were still hearing about Hillary Clintons emails. Why should we expect the clamor over Trumps alleged collusion to end any time soon?

Beto ORourke, who, like most of his competitors for the Democratic nomination, is trying to personify the collective liberal id, simply ignored the news and proclaimed that he believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that Trump sought to collude with Russia.

Similarly, just as there are people irretrievably locked in to the idea that Trump is illegitimate, there are legions of people equally committed to the idea that the probe itself was an illegitimate witchhunt or, in the presidents words, an attempted illegal takedown.

Never mind that the same people who insisted that Mueller was a dirty deep-state operative doing the Clintons bidding are now celebrating Muellers integrity and thoroughness. (Last July, Rudy Giuliani called the probe the most corrupt investigation I have ever seen.)

Both the collusion and deep-state narratives have always been subordinate to the larger and deeper motives driving and sustaining political polarization.

New facts  Trump didnt collude, Mueller wasnt corrupt  are like rocks in a river. They will divert the water here or there, and perhaps create some froth and churn, but the torrent wont stop, particularly when there are so many fresh avenues for the waters to follow.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

The watchword on the right these days is reckoning  as in, there needs to be one for anyone who believed Trump colluded or even supported an investigation. On the left, there is a clamor for Congress to pick up where Mueller left off and a hunger for new saviors, such as the Southern District of New York.

The idea that the Mueller report itself will remain secret is a childish fantasy. And although Barrs summary may be technically accurate, one can be sure it is not comprehensive.

It is too tempting a treasure trove of anti-Trump spoils for Democrats and journalists to ignore. Likewise, all of the documents  warrants, internal memos, etc.  that birthed the investigation in the first place are too delicious for those seeking a reckoning to remain warehoused like the Ark of the Covenant in the first Indiana Jones movie.

A chapter has closed, but the story goes on. Because too many people need it to.

jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
All Americans should be happy that the president of the United States has been completely exonerated of colluding with a hostile foreign power to win his election.

This is a good day. A unifying moment. Not just politically for President Trump, but for the entire country. Our democracy would be in tatters if Mueller had found otherwise.

Anyone down in the dumps, crying or angry that Mueller didnt wish the Trump presidency into a cornfield ought to take a deep breath, delete the Twitter app from their phone, turn off MSNBC and recalibrate.

Truly, there is no reason to fret or be depressed. Some day in the future, a Democrat will be elected to the presidency. I dont know when, but it will happen. And whatever Democrat achieves that honor deserves what Trump was never given  the benefit of the doubt, and the unity and hope this nation should feel as it embarks on a new presidency.

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There is no reason to fret or be depressed. Some day in the future, a Democrat will be elected to the presidency.

That hope and unity will be virtually impossible for the next Democratic president too, if todays Democrats cant let this go and accept Muellers outcome. Trump was right all along  the Russian collusion theory was a hoax.

If Democrats double down now, refusing to accept the outcome of Muellers investigation, Trumps base will galvanize even further. So-called Never Trumpers will come home to the GOP because their hatred for Trump will not top their distaste for aligning with Democrats who continue to root for a finding of treason. And Id bet dollars to doughnuts that a fair number of centrist and independent-minded Democratic voters will take a second look at a president who was proven right in the face of the biggest raging hate cult in American political history.

Trump faced them all down. The media. The Democrats. The pundits and the so-called experts. His message never changed: There was no collusion. He was right and they were wrong, and many Americans will give him credit for sticking to his guns. You can continue to say hes a liar all you want, you can dislike his style, but on the central question of this presidencycentral because the Democrats made it this wayTrump was the honest one, and the Democrats, aided and abetted by the media, were the liars.

Muellers findings are of course embarrassing for people like Adam B. Schiff and Eric Swalwell, congressmen who sprinted from green room to green room claiming to possess direct evidence of the Trump campaigns collusion with Russia.

But no matter how disappointed the Schiffs and Swalwells are now, they must issue mea culpas for dividing the country  to begin to heal this nation today and prepare a clean slate for the next Democrat to occupy the Oval Office. If they choose to plow forward, they will look like unhinged conspiracy theorists hellbent on proving themselves right. Schiff in particular ought to, at a minimum, step down from the House Intelligence Committee. Honestly, he should probably just resign from Congress in shame.

The American people wont look kindly on congressional Democrats if they use their expansive powers to drag through the mud any of the 500 witnesses interviewed but not charged by Mueller. Those people werent hauled into a real courtroom for a reason; cooperating witnesses ought not be destroyed in the court of public opinion where there are no rules to protect them from bloodthirsty partisan hacks.

Former President Obama also has a role to play in healing this nation and saving his partys next White House occupant. Muellers report proved two things: Trump did not collude with Russia, but a great many Russians interfered in our democracy on Obamas watch, after they invaded Crimea and shoved Obama aside in Syria.

A word from the former president acknowledging his administrations failure to stop a hostile foreign power from attacking our democracy would help Washington move to the next task: securing our democracy so the Russians or any other foreign actor cant hurt us again.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute 

Trump and his campaign will no doubt take a victory lap on these findings, as well they should. But he should cease the baseless attacks on Mueller, who conducted a thorough examination over two years and delivered his findings by the book. Mueller was always the right choice and, as he has done time and again during his career, rendered a great service to his country.

The final act is for Trump to do what hes done on several fronts  clean up a mess someone else left behind. He should immediately impanel a team of national security, legal and election experts to look at the Mueller findings and whatever the Senate Intelligence Committee has come up with to formulate concrete plans for stopping future foreign interference.

Theres a path back to unity for our badly divided nation; lets hope the egos of Washington allow it to happen.

Scott Jennings is a Republican advisor, former special assistant to President George W. Bush and CNN political commentator.
To the editor: Now that we know an honest and straight-shooting lawyer, Justice Department special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, has not found evidence that President Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia to rig the 2016 election, what next?

The goal now for everyone, including Trump, should be to enact measures to ensure that the next election is not influenced by the Russians. Trump must admit that intelligence clearly proves that they did just that in 2016, and everyone must work together to ensure it doesnt happen again.

If Trump does not back these measures, then we all will start to wonder why he would oppose a clean election.

Anthony Buffa, San Luis Obispo

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To the editor: When Trump won the election in 2016, it was a watershed for the elites, for they believed the election must have been tainted. And so was born the special counsels Manchurian candidate offensive, now concluded after 22 months of investigation without evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.

Now that the go-to explanation for the most devastating loss in our long history has been shredded, where do we go for an easy idea of what went wrong? Is it conceivable that the enlightened candidacy of Hillary Clinton was not so very enlightened after all, that she simply was unable to discern and give voice to voter concern in those states with an electoral college majority?

Those of us counseling an end to the attempts by Democrats to comprehend Trumps victory are acting in a proper fashion. Further efforts to deflect blame for Clintons loss are just spasms of political ego in an attempt to disguise the truth.

Paul Bloustein, Cincinnati

..

To the editor: Given the many indictments already issued, plus the guilty pleas, convictions and strong circumstantial evidence of wrongdoing, it was beyond despair to learn that Mueller did not recommend any further action against Trump or his family.

Additionally, for we Democrats, much of our incorrect anticipations and hopes for more indictments were fueled by liberal TV anchors who kept saying, This is Trumps worst day (or week), or, Trump lies, then lies about his lies.

Now were encouraged to wait for federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York to present their case against Trump and his family.

Wake up and come off the vendettas, Democrats. Trump will continue to bloviate, but Democrats must convince the electorate that only they will provide healthcare, put restraints on big business and the banks, and address climate change.

Allan Boodnick, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Let us not forget that the Mueller investigation has led to criminal convictions or guilty pleas by the presidents former campaign chairman, his personal lawyer and his former national security advisor. This and much more happened before Mueller submitted his report.

I read that Muellers report exonerates the president. Still, this does not mean that Trump is fit to be president of the United States. He wasnt fit to be president before the report was issued, and he isnt fit now.

Alba Farfaglia, San Clemente

..

To the editor: We should all be relieved that the Mueller report concludes that the president is not a traitor who conspired with Russians to interfere with the 2016 election and subvert American democracy.

Unfortunately, this vindication will be another opportunity for Trump to reveal his character. He will not be gracious in victory; he will continue to boast, demean and attack. He will fail to unite the country and instead continue his disturbing affinity for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other autocrats.

For nearly two years the Mueller investigation was a wasteful witch hunt. Now will Trump thank Mueller?

The president will continue attacking the media, Democrats and all his other perceived enemies. He just wont stop, because he cannot.

Sidney Morrison, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Months before William Barr was nominated by President Trump to serve as attorney general, he sent the Justice Department and the White House an unsolicited memo criticizing the investigation into whether the president had illegally obstructed the Russia investigation.

Maybe a president could obstruct justice by destroying evidence or tampering with a witness, Barr wrote in his memo, but it wasnt appropriate for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III to question how Trump used his constitutional authority to take actions such as firing an FBI director.

That was an unsurprising view from Barr, 68, who previously served as the nations top lawman under George H.W. Bush and has long held an expansive view of presidential authority.

Its also one that he was able to put to use again over the weekend. Back at the Justice Departments helm as Trumps replacement for Jeff Sessions, Barr played a key role in reviewing Muellers confidential report on his nearly two-year investigation into Russian election interference and obstruction of justice.

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Although Mueller concluded there was no evidence of a conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Moscow, he stopped short of deciding whether the president might have committed a crime by trying to interfere with the investigation.

Barr had no such qualms about making a determination. In consultation with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein  but not with Mueller  Barr wrote to Congress that the facts did not show that Trump obstructed justice.

However, instead of serving as the final word on the issue, Barrs letter is breeding a new series of questions and controversies:

What was the evidence of obstruction that Mueller considered? Did Mueller intend for the attorney general to reach his own determination? How did Barr decide whether Trump was acting with corrupt intent? And did the president take other actions to influence the investigation that have not yet been made public?

It convinced me that we really needed to see the report, said Susan Low Bloch, a Georgetown University law professor.

President Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday in Florida. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

Barr has promised to continue reviewing Muellers confidential report, which was submitted on Friday, and make more information available to Congress. But until then, his four-page letter has given Trump a head start to make exaggerated claims that hes been fully exonerated.

In fact, according to one of the few snippets from the special counsels report that Barr quoted in his letter, Mueller wrote that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Rosensteins involvement with Barrs decision was noteworthy. He appointed and supervised Mueller, meaning he was intimately familiar with the special counsels investigation. He also participated in Trumps decision to fire James B. Comey as FBI director, one of the key episodes that was considered as part of the obstruction case.

Rosenstein wrote a memo justifying the firing, saying the investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server had been mishandled, only to have Trump reveal that he had already planned to remove Comey because of the Russia investigation.

Despite Rosensteins role, Barr is the central figure in the conclusion of Muellers work, and he is likely to face withering scrutiny in the coming days and weeks. The House and Senate Judiciary committees  the first chaired by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, the latter chaired by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican  plan to call him to testify.

His unsolicited memo from last year became an issue during his recent confirmation hearings, and Democrats are already pointing to it again as evidence that he cant be trusted to evaluate Muellers findings.

Although Barr and Mueller are longtime friends, Barr wrote the memo casting doubt on the special counsels work regarding possible obstruction charges.

Muellers obstruction theory is fatally misconceived, he wrote, saying he feared that in questioning Trumps decision to fire Comey, the special counsel was taking an overly limited view of presidential authority. The idea that a president could be accused of committing a crime by firing a subordinate officer would do lasting damage to the Presidency, he wrote.

Nadler accused Barr of having auditioned for his role with an open memorandum suggesting that the obstruction investigation was unconscionable, and he accused him of using questionable legal arguments in his letter.

Barrs decision to clear the president of the obstruction allegations was greatly assisted by Muellers inability to demonstrate the existence of a conspiracy between Trumps associates and Moscow.

An obstruction case is considered to be stronger if the person is also charged with committing an underlying criminal offense.

In Trumps case, Barr noted that in his report, Mueller said the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

The lack of an underlying crime bears upon the Presidents intent with respect to obstruction, Barr wrote.

Jonathan Turley, a George Washington University law professor, said he agreed with Barrs decision despite Trumps constant griping about the Russia investigation.

It isnt easy to build an obstruction case against yourself when there isnt an underlying crime, he said. But Trump made an impressive effort.

More questions about presidential powers and how theyre wielded by Trump could be on the horizon. Trump has repeatedly said that some people charged by the special counsels office were treated unfairly, and he could move to pardon them.

Havent thought about it, Trump insisted Monday when asked by reporters at the White House.

Trumps lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, said in a brief interview Monday that I have not talked about pardons with the president in I dont know how long.

Trump has previously said he felt very badly for Paul Manafort, his former campaign chairman who was sentenced to 7 years in prison for financial crimes and conspiracy, and the president accused prosecutors of having ruined the life of Michael Flynn, his first national security advisor who pleaded guilty to lying about his conversations with the Russian ambassador.

Some of Trumps allies suggested the president should hold off on wiping felonies from his former associates records.

If President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well, Graham said during a Capitol Hill news conference on Monday.

But if Trump wanted to issue pardons, he would probably find a firm supporter in Barr.

When Barr was Bushs attorney general, the president, shortly before leaving office, pardoned several people who had been convicted or charged in the Reagan administrations Iran-Contra scandal, which involved illegally selling weapons to Iran and using some of the proceeds to fund rebel groups in Nicaragua.

Lawrence E. Walsh, the special prosecutor who investigated the case, said at the time that the pardons showed that powerful people with powerful allies can commit serious crimes in high office, deliberately abusing the public trust without consequences.

Barr, however, was unperturbed.

I certainly did not oppose any of them, he told historians.

Times staff writer Jennifer Haberkorn contributed to this report.
Beto ORourkes road trip had come and gone after three whirlwind days of events across New Hampshire. But the candidates who campaigned in his wake this past weekend also received enthusiastic welcomes, even without standing on countertops.

Despite their lower position in the early polls and sporadic national media coverage, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), former Gov. John Hickenlooper and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) each met standing-room-only crowds, ovations and long lines of selfie-seeking fans. So did Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has maintained a position in the midst of the Democratic pack since entering the race in January.

Although the boom microphones and television cameras were missing, voters didnt mind.

In this state where vetting presidential wannabes has been a point of pride for decades, the early enthusiasm being generated by even lesser-known candidates with low standing in polls is a reminder of the excitement many Democrats feel about this deep field of candidates and the opportunity to defeat President Trump.

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The fields really exciting because its so varied, said Kathy Canedy, 69, one of more than 300 people who attended a town hall meeting with Klobuchar on Saturday morning in Rye, in southeastern New Hampshire along the coast. Its been a while since weve been really excited, she said. And were going to take a look at everyone who comes through.

Whos running for president and whos not 

Hickenlooper, a former governor of Colorado, arrived just days after a shaky performance in a nationally televised town hall. But like many things that generate chatter on television and Twitter, his awkward response to a question about putting a woman on the ticket didnt appear to register with voters.

Hickenloopers at the top of my list, said Frank Fahey, a retiree who has already seen four other Democratic presidential candidates this year, including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and ORourke, who visited all 10 counties in New Hampshire during his three-day swing last week.

I know he seems like a long shot, but weve got 11 months to go, he said of Hickenlooper after an hourlong meet and greet in a strip mall in Lebanon, on the states western edge, where the crowd of 150 people spilled out onto the sidewalk.

The pundits dont pick the nominee  we do.

Hickenlooper, who is working to focus voters on his experience while refining his stump speech, was surprised to find fans waiting for him in New Hampshire.

Bobbi Boudman showed up wearing a Hickenlooper 2020 shirt she bought online the day after the 2016 election.

I just figured then we were going to need a nice white male in 2020, and I liked what he seemed to be about, she said.

Another woman met him Sunday morning during a stop at a diner in Littleton, eager to show off her vanity license plate carrying his signature phrase: Giddy up.

The latest from Washington 

The candidate appearances also, once again, provided evidence that voters  at least those who show up at candidate events 10 months before the primary  have issues on their minds that often differ from the days headlines.

Klobuchar, who drew 4% support in a February poll of likely New Hampshire primary voters, spent an hour answering questions in a creaky junior high school gymnasium. No one asked about the report that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III submitted the day before.

I think people in these early states have their own agendas, Hickenlooper said in an interview over a hurried lunch of tacos. And their own agendas are more about the cost of their healthcare and the impact failing schools are going to have on their kids, what kind of jobs their kids are going to have.

Winning is voters top priority, Klobuchar told reporters after spending 25 minutes shaking hands and posing for pictures. Why they are so open to different candidates is because they want to make sure they pick someone who can win.

Of course, voters ideas of electability vary widely; and not all of them subscribe to the idea that they need to choose between finding a winning candidate and one who agrees with them on policy issues.

Policy and beating Trump go together, said John Raby, one of more than 100 people who attended a town hall Friday afternoon in Henniker with Gabbard, a candidate who, like Hickenlooper, barely registers in the polls but is still drawing overflow crowds.

Tulsi is the first one I heard really talk about how military spending is a root cause of our deficit, said Raby, 74, who currently ranks Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland and ORourke as his top three contenders.

Its much more wide open I think than the initial polling Ive seen would indicate.

Margie Poznanski, who also attended Gabbards town hall, where organizers rushed to find more chairs after the 80 initially set up were quickly taken, also came away impressed.

She had very good answers on nuclear weapons, she said. Honestly, shes got a lot more than Beto has.

Several voters expressed skepticism about former Rep. ORourke of Texas.

I really havent heard much substance from him yet. He just seems like that bright shiny object right now, said Patricia Demarco, 64, who attended Klobuchars town hall and came away impressed.

I got quiet chills when she was speaking. She inspires trust and is very relatable  its less of a sugar high with her.

Sunday morning inside a sugar shack nestled in the White Mountains, where the winter snow is just now beginning to melt, Warren met with 25 people and heard from the operator about how climate change is harming maple syrup production.

This is an existential threat. People in Washington may not want to admit that, she said. But people who live here see it every single day.

Down the road an hour later, she spoke to 200 people packed into a high school auditorium. A few of them found seats on the riser set up in the back of the room, where only two small cameras were positioned. There were no network correspondents ready to amplify her talking points.

The voters spending their weekends packing into small spaces and peppering candidates with questions are a long way from deciding how theyll cast their ballots next February. But theyre already spending a lot of time contemplating the choice.

Do I want bombast or Midwestern nice? Pragmatism or someone who really digs in? said Dan Heying, a bank manager from Concord who took part in a roundtable with Hickenlooper in Manchester on Friday afternoon. Im having this conversation with myself in my head, and I really dont know the answers yet.

Heying, 32, and several other voters expressed interest in seeing more of a candidate who wasnt in the state: Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., another supposed long shot whose virtuoso performances in a televised town hall and interviews are generating enthusiasm.

Hes done so well, people are growing less skeptical about the idea of him, Heying said. I could really see him being the nominee.

In todays world, nothing is far-fetched.

More stories from Eli Stokols 
Democrats on Sunday immediately seized on special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs refusal to exonerate President Trump on the question of obstruction of justice, with the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee pledging to pick up where investigators left off and call Attorney General William Barr to testify.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, a Democrat whose panel has jurisdiction over impeachment, took to Twitter to highlight Muellers finding that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Nadler said the statement suggests that Justice Department officials are putting matters squarely in Congress court to continue to investigate.

In light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the President, we will be calling Attorney General Barr in to testify before @HouseJudiciary in the near future.  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

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Mueller submitted a confidential report Friday to Barr, who reviewed the document and sent congressional leaders a four-page summary of Muellers principal conclusions late Sunday afternoon.

House Democrats, who have faced resistance from the White House to their repeated requests for documents, said Sunday that they will proceed with their investigations while insisting that they need to see Muellers full report and the underlying documents.

Americans deserve to know all the facts, which is why the report itself should be released  to the fullest extent of the law  in addition to the attorney generals summary, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md).

Read the attorney generals summary 

The special counsel did not exonerate the president, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. In fact, according to the attorney generals letter, he described a pattern of evidence suggesting the president engaged in obstruction of justice.

But Democrats will face intense pressure from jubilant Republicans, who welcomed Barrs summary, insisted it had cleared the president and maintained that it was time to end the investigations. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said the report vindicates Trump, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) declared Sunday that it is time we move on for the good of the nation.

After two years, two congressional investigations, and now the closure of a Special Counsel investigation, it is abundantly clear, without a shadow of a doubt, there was no collusion. This case is closed.

My full statement: pic.twitter.com/XiPQZom3Fp  Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) March 24, 2019

Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, predicted Sunday that we will have a hard fight ahead over release of the full report and materials but insisted that Democrats are justified in seeking a broad view of what materials led to [Muellers] conclusion.

In the House, Judiciary Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) voiced a similar conviction, saying, Now more than ever, we need to see the Mueller report and all of the underlying evidence.

He added that Barrs analysis and rationale are fair game for congressional investigation too, pointing out that it was Barrs conclusion, not Muellers, that Trump had no ill intent behind the evidence that could be considered obstruction of justice.

Barr: Mueller finds no Trump-Russia conspiracy but doesnt exonerate president 

As for the Mueller reports apparent confidence that Trump and his subordinates had not colluded with Russians to sway the 2016 election, even when presented with the opportunity, Raskin insisted that he had regarded the question of so-called collusion as an irrelevant distraction from the very beginning.

There is no crime known as collusion except in the field of antitrust law, he said.

But that doesnt mean Democrats are likely to drop the Russia-focused probe of their Trump investigations.

The job of the special counsel is very different than our job; theyre looking for specific statutory offenses and a quantum of evidence that surpasses beyond a reasonable doubt, Raskin said. Thats very different than what were looking for in terms of examining threats to the political sovereignty of the United States.

Some Democrats responded to Sundays news by immediately questioning Barrs motives, noting that he was appointed by Trump. Sen. Christopher S. Murphy (D-Conn.) tweeted that maybe Barrs interpretation is right. Maybe its not. But why the heck would we be ok with an ally of President, appointed because of his hostility to the Mueller investigation, tell us what the report says?

Maybe Barrs interpretation is right. Maybe its not. But why the heck would we be ok with an ally of President, appointed because of his hostility to the Mueller investigation, tell us what the report says?



Give Congress the report. Give the public the report.



Now.  Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 24, 2019

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also pressed for greater transparency, saying in a tweet that on the issue of obstruction of justice, Mueller tossed a jump ball, & the AG tipped it to President Trump, but shared none of the information supporting his conclusion.

Earlier Sunday, Democrats maintained that it was too early to raise the specter of impeaching Trump but suggested that they are keeping their options open, while Republicans fired back that Democrats would probably move to impeach the president no matter what.

On the morning news shows, Nadler said it is way too early to speculate about impeachment. He said he still believes Trump obstructed justice, although whether theyre criminal obstructions is another question.

What Congress has to do is look at a broader picture. We have the responsibility of protecting the rule of law ... so that our democratic institutions are not greatly damaged by this president, Nadler said on CNNs State of the Union.

The biggest indictments, guilty pleas and dramas in the Russia investigation 

Democrats will try to negotiate, well try everything else first, but if they have to, they will issue subpoenas and are absolutely willing to go to the Supreme Court if necessary to get the Mueller report, Nadler said.

Asked how long they are willing to wait for the Justice Department to provide the full Mueller report, he replied, It wont be months.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) quickly seized on Nadlers comments, arguing on CNN that they show Democrats are immediately pivoting away from the report and plan to move ahead with plans to impeach Trump no matter what.

They fully intend to impeach the president, Cruz said. What theyre basically saying is theyre going to impeach the president for being Donald Trump.

In an interview this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said impeachment would be so divisive to the country that unless theres something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I dont think we should go down that path.

Hes just not worth it, she said of Trump.
It might be hard to imagine, but despite dozens of criminal charges and wall-to-wall media coverage, the end of the Russia investigation has left a lot of unanswered questions.

Few of them were addressed in the bare-bones, four-page summary that Atty. Gen. William Barr sent to Congress on Sunday, and its unclear whether there are more details in the full, confidential report that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III submitted to Barr on Friday.

Heres what we still dont know.

The professor

The first person to plead guilty in the nearly two-year investigation was George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy aide to President Trumps campaign. He admitted to lying about his conversations with Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese professor who allegedly told him that Russians were collecting dirt on Hillary Clinton and had thousands of emails. This conversation took place in April 2016, before Moscow started releasing hacked Democratic Party emails. Did Mifsud have inside information from the Kremlin? And did he share it as part of the Russian covert operation?

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The Russian

Before Paul Manafort began leading Trumps campaign, he worked in Ukraine with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian whom prosecutors have repeatedly described as connected to Moscows intelligence apparatus. However, they have not disclosed any evidence of these ties.

During the campaign, Manafort provided Kilimnik with polling data and later lied about it when asked by the special counsels office, another red flag. Yet no charges were filed in connection with the decision to share the data. What was Manaforts goal? And did Kilimnik provide the information to anyone else?

The dirty trickster

Roger Stone, a longtime political advisor to Trump, allegedly spent the campaign trying to learn more about WikiLeaks plans to release hacked Democratic Party emails. According to the indictment against him, Stone reached out to the organizations leader, Julian Assange, through intermediaries, but its unclear whether he ever made contact. (Stone has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and faces trial later this year.) The indictment also said a senior Trump campaign official was directed to contact Stone to talk about WikiLeaks after the first email release during the Democratic National Convention. Who besides Trump was in position to direct a senior official to do something like that?

The Trump Tower meeting

Donald Trump Jr. didnt hesitate when he received an email from a British music publicist offering to arrange a meeting with a Russian lawyer who was said to be part of the Kremlins effort to support his fathers candidacy. Promised incriminating information on Clinton, Trump Jr. responded, I love it. Also at the meeting, which took place in Trump Tower in June 2016, was Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and advisor, and Manafort, the campaign chairman.

However, no charges were filed in connection with the meeting, and participants have said no campaign assistance was provided. Did the Russian lawyer, Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, actually have a role in Moscows covert campaign? Mueller has never said.

The lies

More than anything, Mueller uncovered an epidemic of lying among Trumps associates. Michael Flynn, the presidents first national security advisor, lied about discussing sanctions with the Russian ambassador during the transition period after the election. Michael Cohen, Trumps former lawyer, lied about Trump Organization plans to build a luxury skyscraper in Moscow. And, as noted, Papadopoulos lied about his conversations with Mifsud, and Manafort about his dealings with Kilimnik.

Mueller apparently did not find evidence of a conspiracy between Trumps campaign and Russia, yet why all the lying? Cohen testified that the president wanted him to mislead Congress about the Trump Tower Moscow proposal to avoid raising questions about Russian ties. Did others also lie to serve Trump?

The obstruction allegations

Since Trump took office, media reports have uncovered a series of his attempts, behind the scenes, to blunt or end the Russia investigation. James B. Comey testified to Congress that Trump asked him to go easy on Flynn when he was FBI director, in February 2017. The Washington Post reported that Trump asked intelligence officials to get Comey to back off the investigation in March 2017. Comey was then fired by Trump that May, leading to Muellers appointment as special counsel. The New York Times reported that Trump wanted to fire Mueller as well in June 2017, but backed down when Don McGahn, then the White House counsel, refused to carry out the order.

Did the special counsels office substantiate any of these reports, or even learn more? And what might that mean for House Democrats own investigations into whether the president abused his power?
Leading what is expected to be a national battle over the issue, California on Monday sued the Trump administration seeking to block a new regulation that restricts access to abortion and other family-planning services.

The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Northern California against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the first volley of what is expected to be a barrage of litigation by states, family-planning groups and others challenging restrictions prohibiting clinics that receive federal family-planning money from offering abortions or referring women to abortion services. Oregons attorney general said her state and 20 others, including New York, plan to file a lawsuit on Tuesday. Washington officials said last week that they plan to sue.

The filing seeks an injunction against the rules adopted for Title X of the Public Health Service Act, the federally funded program devoted to family planning.

The Trump-Pence administration has doubled down on its attacks on womens health, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said. This illegal Title X rule denies patients access to critical healthcare services and prevents doctors from providing comprehensive and accurate information about medical care.

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The rule affects some 4 million mostly low-income people nationwide, Becerra said.

California has the nations largest Title X program, serving some 1 million patients annually  more than 25% of all Title X patients nationwide.

The lawsuit says the new rule will affect programs funded through Essential Access Health, including services provided by Planned Parenthood affiliates.

Editorial: Undermining an effective birth control funding program to promote abstinence is the height of stupidity 

In seeking an injunction, the state argues that the federal agency has exceeded the scope of its statutory authority and acted in a manner that is arbitrary and a violation of the federal Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution.

The rule undermines clinically established standards of care, interferes with the patient-provider relationship, and contradicts a core purpose of the Title X program, the lawsuit says. This rule will deprive Californians of access to needed reproductive care and cause harm to public health in California.

The Title X program helped women in California avoid an estimated 822,000 unplanned pregnancies in 2015, which would have resulted in 387,000 unplanned births and 278,000 abortions, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit was criticized by David OSteen, executive director of the National Right to Life Committee, who said the rule is a reasonable attempt to enforce existing law.

They are to be expected, he said of the lawsuits being filed by states. These are all pro-abortion Democratic administrations.

The federal rule change is also supported by Wynette Sills, director of Californians for Life.

Abortion is not family planning, Sills said in a statement. We do not plan our families by killing our children. This Title X update does not diminish Family Planning funding by a single dime, but will redirect taxpayer dollars to non-killing Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers.

Becerra was joined at the Capitol on Monday in announcing the lawsuit by some 20 women lawmakers, including Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Legislative Womens Caucus Chair Sen. Connie Leyva (D-Chino), as well as the governors wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

This gag rule is an attack on women everywhere, Siebel Newsom said.

Atkins said the restriction will hinder operations by more than 350 clinics in California, and is immoral, while Becerra called the rule change part of a war on women, by the Trump administration.

The Trump-Pence administrations sabotage of Title X services that millions of women across our nation rely on is not only irresponsible, it is dangerous to womens health, Becerra said. President Trump treats women and their care as if this were 1920, not 2019.

The lawsuit is Californias 47th legal challenge to the Trump administration and its policies. Other litigation filed by Becerra has opposed federal policies on immigration, the environment, healthcare and the U.S. census.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99
More than 48 hours after the world learned the nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 presidential campaign was over, very few people have actually seen the report submitted by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

But the summary of the report  sent to Congress on Sunday by Atty. Gen. William P. Barr  has the nation in a full-tilt tizzy as the new week begins. President Trump and his supporters say the inquiry has exonerated him; Democrats and other Trump critics say they want to see the actual document filed by Mueller, among other things.

And in case youre wondering: Were almost exactly 19 months away from the 2020 presidential election.

Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter 

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DID NOT ESTABLISH COLLUSION BUT DOES NOT EXONERATE TRUMP

The four-page letter from Barr is a summary of Muellers findings, offering a road map that was quickly the subject of intense debate between supporters and opponents of the president.

Barrs principal observations were two-fold. First, he told lawmakers that the report did not establish that Trump or his campaign conspired with Russians during the 2016 election. Second, he said Mueller did not determine whether the president obstructed justice but that the evidence does not exonerate Trump.

Trump made it clear on Sunday he saw no gray area from the investigation.

It was a complete and total exoneration, he told reporters before boarding Air Force One to fly back to Washington from Florida, where he spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort. It was a shame that our country had to go through this.

THE INVESTIGATION: LOOKING AHEAD AND BACK

Democrats were quick to insist that the attorney general should testify before Congress. They also will push to have the full report filed by Mueller to be made public.

Americans deserve to know all the facts, which is why the report itself should be released  to the fullest extent of the law  in addition to the attorney generals summary, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md).

But the political path forward is simply a mystery. As Chris Megerian and Janet Hook wrote over the weekend, The special counsels leak-free investigation, which has shadowed Trump for most of his presidency, had spawned unrealistic expectations in both parties.

Its also worth noting that the weekend bombshell was simply the latest twist in a tale thats included indictments, guilty pleas and plenty of courtroom drama.

And even now, theres a lot we still dont know.

IN OTHER NATIONAL POLITICS NEWS

-- Although TV coverage and polls indicate many Democratic hopefuls have almost no shot to win the nomination, voters in early states are still up for grabs, and eager to hear from even longshots before deciding.

-- The U.S. military isnt drawing down at its sprawling 3,600-acre Army base in South Korea, as Trump sometimes seems to favor. Its building up, creating one of the Pentagons largest and most modern overseas facilities.

-- Razor wire makes the U.S. southern border look like a war zone. Now several cities  concerned about their images and the risk of injuries  are demanding it be removed.

NEWSOMS POWER: DEATH PENALTY PROSECUTIONS

The decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom to impose a moratorium on any executions of death row inmates in California may not be the end of the story when it comes to his support for abolishing the punishment altogether.

Newsom has floated the idea that he, in consultation with state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, could intervene in pending murder trials  instructing local prosecutors not to seek the death penalty.

Becerra, however, has frequently expressed support for the death penalty. And at least one legal observer says in the event of a conflict, Newsom could prevail.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Calling smartphones a distraction from learning, a state legislator wants to follow the lead of France and require school districts to adopt policies that restrict or prohibit students from using them on campus.

-- The University of California should expel students and revoke degrees after the recently revealed admissions scandal, says one prominent Democratic legislator.

-- Newsom declared a wildfire state of emergency in California last week and waived environmental regulations to expedite nearly three dozen local forest management projects.

-- A year after receiving $500 million in state funding to combat homelessness, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and counterparts from other large California cities are asking the governor and state lawmakers for more money.

-- The most ambitious policies on creating more affordable housing are coming from Bay Area lawmakers. Will those plans meet the needs of other metro regions?

-- Will the largest Democratic majority in the Legislatures modern era and one of the states most liberal chief executives be able to further push policies that expand government oversight in the business world? If so, it would break a two-decade winning streak for the California Chamber of Commerce.

LOGISTICS

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Days after a judge ruled that the herbicide glyphosate could be classified by state officials as a cancer risk under Proposition 65, Burbank school officials announced they would no longer use the chemicals brand name, Roundup, citing concerns from parents and residents.

School officials had previously relied on the Monsanto-manufactured product to spray weeds growing in between asphalt cracks, along fence lines and near shrubs, said Rick Nolette, chief facilities and information technology officer for Burbank Unified.

For the past several months  amid questions about the products safety, and concerns from local parents and residents  Burbank school officials began to consider other options, he said, and had started using an organic weed killer called Avenger.

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Unlike Roundup, organic products kill the leafy top portion of weeds, but are less likely to kill the roots, Nolette said.

His crews will now use a combination of weed whacking and spraying weeds with organic products.

Its going to be less effective, he said. My team is concerned it will appear were not doing our job well. Its a fine line to walk  but safety first.

Glendale Unified officials announced this week they would stop using Roundup.

In a letter Glendale Unified Supt. Winfred Roberson Jr. sent to employees and families on Tuesday, he said the districts decision to no longer use products containing glyphosate was in response to residents concerns.

The health and safety of GUSD students and employees is our top priority, Roberson said. If glyphosate is under consideration by the California EPA as being potentially hazardous, then we believe it is in our students and employees best interest to discontinue its use.

Drew Sugars, a city of Burbank spokesman, said the city has been using Roundup for many years, and officials have decided to continue using the product until told otherwise.

We always take the health of our residents and our employees very seriously, so we take appropriate action when we think theres a reasonable threat to safety, he said.

City employees who use Roundup are highly trained to use the chemical, which, if used properly, does not rise to a level of concern, Sugars said.

He added that the product is not used during windy or rainy days or if people are immediately nearby. When it is used, employees only use it in specific areas and make sure that the chemical has dried before leaving the site.

Our employees who are out there applying it are at the forefront of contact with this pesticide, Sugars said. They deal with a much higher concentrated level, so were very clear that they understand the proper application.

We are ... proud to be part of a community where such rapid response is given to the concerns of the community. Leigh Ann Kato

In Burbank, local parents began raising concerns about Roundup about a year ago, said Leigh Ann Kato, a Burbank parent.

She and others who belong to the group Non Toxic Burbank met with school officials to ask them to stop using the product.

They were working to collect signatures to submit a petition to Burbank Unified to halt the use of Roundup when school officials announced last Friday they would no longer use the product.

We are, of course, thrilled at not only their agreement to discontinue the use of any glyphosate-based products, but proud to be part of a community where such rapid response is given to the concerns of the community, Kato said in an email.

Kato said the group is currently working on a petition theyll turn in to the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department next month, and also ask the City Council to follow suit.

In the city of Glendale, Roundup is still used but only for maintenance when needed by the citys parks department, said city spokesman Tom Lorenz in an email.

We only purchase and use the over-the-counter [Roundup] from local stores and nurseries like Home Depot, Lorenz said. Only the household-grade residents use at home, no commercial product is used.

He added that if the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, as well as other labs, reverse their determinations that glyphosate is unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure, the city would take appropriate precautions and/or stop using the product.

From here, we will continue to follow the issue, as safety is of the utmost importance, Lorenz said.

kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio
In David Starr Jordan Middle Schools auditorium on Wednesday, nearly 80 people debated the merits of whether the campus should change the name its held for 71 years.

The majority of the attendees spoke of discrimination and racism when mentioning Jordan, who was the first president of Stanford University and a scientist who studied fish. He was also a proponent of eugenics, the system of controlled breeding aimed to improve the chances of so-called desirable heritable characteristics.

From 1910 up until 1964, 20,000 people considered less-than-desirable, such as minorities and people with mental disabilities, were forcibly sterilized in California due, in part, to the philosophy of eugenics.

The ideology was embraced by the Nazi party and notable people, such as Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger and former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Jordans defenders countered that the man, who died in 1931, was quite accomplished and misunderstood.

The debate was held during the second meeting of Burbank Unifieds facilities-naming committee.

The 11-member panel of residents, educators, administrators, alumni and one current student listened to arguments as they considered what recommendation  for or against a name change  to make to the Burbank Unified school board.

Committee chair Charlene Tabet, also a Burbank Unified board member, said at the conclusion of the 2-hour-50-minute meeting that a third gathering will be necessary, though no date was set.

Those who participated Wednesday, however, spoke with urgency as 23 were in favor of a change, five were against, while three added comments or questions.

Maybe no one spoke as passionately to do away with the Jordan name as Burbank City Council candidate Konstantine Anthony, who wore a shirt that read Ask an Autistic and who volunteered to tear down Jordans name from the school.

The kids at my middle school used the R word to describe me because I am autistic, Anthony said before speaking about his son. Theres a little kid watching a YouTube video back there, and hes autistic, too, and if this man was alive today, I would have been sterilized when I was younger, and he wouldnt be here.

Burbank resident and actress Farelle Walker said Jordan wasnt someone to be admired.

We sit here with a mans name plastered in a position that means we should look to him for what is right, when, in fact, he stands for what is undeniable wrong, she said.

Burbank resident Paula Morris, a Jordan alumna and former student body treasurer, was a strong Jordan defender as she spoke during the first and second public-comment sections.

There is no reason or information that is well-documented to convict this man after more than 100 years, Morris said. And remember he died [in 1931] well in advance of Hitler ever becoming known as a leader.

Hitler had been elected leader of the Nazi Party in 1921, but did not become German chancellor until 1933.

Richard McMillan, a history instructor at Los Angeles Pierce College and another Jordan alumnus, was also against a name change.

History should be looked at through a clear piece of glass, warts and all, but we should also celebrate the victories that we have had as well as recognizing the failures, McMillan said.

He said that if Jordan name was dropped, then perhaps schools named after slave holders, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, should also be considered, as well as Abraham Lincoln, who, according to McMillan, was more concerned about preserving the union than slaves; William McKinley, an imperialist; and Thomas Edison, who McMillan said was possibly an anti-Semite.

One issue raised by committee member Elena Hubbell was the price of a name change.

John Paramo, the districts director of secondary education, estimated the cost would be between $75,000 and $100,000 to replace several items, including industrial floor mats, a stain glass window, front signage and marquee as well as murals, a bench, gym signage and the gym floor.

While various names were given as a possible replacement  from Ruth Bader Ginsburg to Barbara Jordan  this committees purpose was to first decide if a name change is warranted, according to Tabet.

Should the committee make a recommendation at its next meeting, school board members could hold a public hearing and ultimately vote on the issue.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports
Three alleged gang members were arrested by Burbank police last Wednesday in connection with an armed robbery that occurred in late December, authorities said.

Carlos Ramirez, 25, of North Hollywood, along with two underage juveniles  one from Hollywood and the other from Los Angeles  were arrested on suspicion of robbing the Little Caesars Pizza at 1009 W. Alameda Ave. on Dec. 27.

One of the three reportedly had pointed a handgun at an employee as they forced their way into the store, according to Burbank police spokesman Lt. Claudio Losacco.

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Once inside, the suspects demanded money from the register, he said. Before leaving, the suspects also stole the employees purse, wallet and cellphone.

Shortly after the robbery, the three allegedly used the employees credit card at a convenience store in Sun Valley and, sometime on Jan. 5, one of them tried to use the workers personal information to purchase something in Glendale.

Local police were sent to the scene and discovered the employees ID and other related items in a car connected to the Jan. 5 incident, according to Losacco.

He said the car was also determined to be the getaway vehicle used in the robbery.

A warrant was then served at Ramirezs home, where police found clothing that matched those worn during the robbery. They also recovered a handgun, ammunition and methamphetamine, Losacco said.

The three were arrested on suspicion of armed robbery and identity theft.

Ramirez is currently out on bail as he awaits his next court appearance. The underage boys were sent to juvenile hall.

--

Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc

MORE CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
The owners of an Irvine-based company that provides housekeeping services for luxury resorts and major hotel chains in Southern California have been indicted in what prosecutors call a $7 million insurance and tax fraud scheme, the San Diego County district attorneys office announced Monday.

Prosecutors alleged in a news release that Hyok Steven Kwon and Woo Stephanie Kwon hid the existence of about 800 employees for almost a decade through a methodical and systematic shell game involving six straw owners.

The scheme enabled the Kwons to avoid paying more than $3.6 million in workers compensation insurance premiums and more than $3.3 million in payroll taxes, prosecutors said.

The Kwons company, Good Neighbor Services, has high-profile clients in San Diego, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, including the Hotel del Coronado and hotel chains such as Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Hilton and Hyatt, according to prosecutors.

The Kwons face 11 counts of workers compensation premium fraud, 18 counts of payroll tax evasion and one count of extortion, prosecutors said. Each could be sentenced to up to 31 years in prison if convicted.

These defendants lied on the backs of their employees who were cleaning rooms in some of the most prestigious hotels in California, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a statement. If employees got hurt on the job, they were threatened with being fired.

Prosecutors allege that employees at Good Neighbor Services were not paid overtime and not granted workers compensation benefits if they were hurt on the job.

One worker whom investigators interviewed said she had to repeatedly ask for medical attention when she was hurt, and when the Kwons did send her to a doctor, it was a dentist, not a physician, according to the district attorneys office.

Though employees wore Good Neighbor Services uniforms and recognized the Kwons as the business owners, their paychecks had different company names, prosecutors said.

Authorities allege that six co-conspirators were involved in the scheme. Melquiades Brizuela Jr., Manuel Rodriguez, Veronica Lucas Cuin, Aimee Sunmyung Kwon, Daniel Kwon and Hyun Bung Chae also face charges of workers compensation fraud and tax evasion. Prosecutors did not explain their alleged roles.

Each could face six to eight years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.
An Irvine-based property management company has purchased part of Boeing Co.s Huntington Beach campus, according to a city managers report released Tuesday evening.

Sares-Regis paid $72.8 million for 285,000 square feet of the Boeing property at 5301 Bolsa Ave., according to the report. The campus encompasses more than 120 acres.

Sares-Regis communications director, Zoe Solsby, confirmed the purchase Tuesday but said the company couldnt immediately announce its plans for the property because it doesnt really have anything nailed down.

The city said in May that Boeing was in discussions with firms interested in buying about 30 acres of the campus. Boeing spokeswoman Tiffany Pitts said at the time that the company was working with interested parties and identifying suitable buyers.

Boeing plans to scale down many of its facilities, including the one in Huntington Beach, by a total of 4.5 million square feet.

More than 2,000 jobs from the Huntington Beach facility are moving to other plants, including in Seal Beach, El Segundo and Long Beach. Some employees are being shifted to other buildings in Huntington Beach, Pitts said.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella

UPDATES:

11:15 a.m. Sept. 19: This article was updated with the total size of the Huntington Beach campus.

This article was originally published at 6:25 p.m. Sept. 18.
The foundation of American government is built on the system of checks and balances for three separate but equal branches, he said. Attorney General Barr must maintain the integrity of this system and release to Congress and the public the findings of Mr. Muellers report without any interference from the White House.
Huntington Beach police detectives are still investigating the circumstances leading to the deaths of two brothers whose bodies were found with gunshot wounds in their apartment on Taft Lane over the weekend.

Police responded to the 15700 block of Taft at about 2:45 p.m. Sunday after receiving a medical emergency call from the apartment. Officers found the two men dead inside, police spokeswoman Angela Bennett said.

The Orange County coroners office identified the brothers as Benjamin Ullestad, 25, and Brandon Ullestad, 22.

Officers found a handgun at the scene, but Bennett said its too early to say definitively whether it was used in the shooting.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a murder-suicide or an accident, Bennett said.

The investigation is ongoing, so no determination has been made yet, she said Tuesday.

However, police do not believe there are any outstanding suspects, she said.

Benjamin Ullestad was a legal assistant at Seastrom Seastrom & Tuttle, a Newport Beach family law firm, according to his Facebook page. Representatives of the firm did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday.

Both brothers attended Cal State Long Beach, according to their Facebook pages. The university would not verify that Tuesday.

Photos posted to Benjamin Ullestads Facebook page show him riding a dirt bike; others show him shooting a handgun at a firing range and posing with a rifle in the desert.

Brandon Ullestads Facebook page also has photos of him shooting and posing with a rifle.

Huntington Beach police responded Sunday to a medical emergency call in the area where Taft Lane intersects with Reno Circle. Two men were found dead with gunshot wounds in an apartment. They were identified Monday as brothers. (Photo by Luke Money )

At the apartment Tuesday, the only indication of the shooting was the presence of a representative of the Bio-One crime scene cleaning service.

A man who declined to give his name but identified himself as the owner of the building wore surgical gloves as he loaded full trash bags into the back of an SUV.

The open door to the second-story apartment was adorned with an autumn-themed wreath bearing plastic leaves and pumpkins. A photo of a blond woman with two young boys posing on a rock at a beach hung on the wall near the door.

The building owner said the brothers mother, who lived with them at the apartment, was in Tennessee when the shooting occurred.

A DMV registration certificate issued to Brandon Ullestad for a 2002 Ford Mustang GT and a receipt dated June 28 for a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun from firearms manufacturer Springfield Armory sat on a table next to the doorway.

Neighbors said Tuesday that they remembered how one of the brothers often would wave as he backed the Mustang out of the garage.

Benjamin Price, 42, who lives about a block from the apartment, said Monday that the case is out of character for the neighborhood  a tidy pair of cul-de-sacs next to Marina Park.

Aside from an occasional scuffle at the park, Price said he couldnt recall any significant incident in the 10 years hes lived in his home on Cross Drive.

This is the first time Ive ever heard of anything like this happening, he said. For the most part, its really quiet.

Another Cross Drive resident, Peter Buchmueller, 72, said he saw at least 12 police cars respond to the shooting on Sunday.

Its terrible, he said.

Fry and Money are Daily Pilot staff writers. Langhorne is a contributor to Times Community News.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
Huntington Beach filed an expected lawsuit Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court against the state, governor and attorney general, challenging Californias sanctuary laws that provide expanded protection for undocumented immigrants.

City Attorney Michael Gates filed the suit after the City Council gave its approval in a 6-1 vote Monday night. Councilwoman Jill Hardy dissented.

The city joined a wave of opposition in Orange County to laws such as Senate Bill 54, which in many cases prohibits state and local police agencies from notifying federal officials when immigrants in their custody who may be subject to deportation are about to be released.

The lawsuit contends that SB 54, authored by state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), is unconstitutional by stripping municipalities from taking certain actions and spending their general fund money on certain law enforcement.

The city is seeking to have the state cover its attorneys fees.

Last week the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to join a Trump administration lawsuit that says such laws obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitutions supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state law.

The Fountain Valley City Council voted Tuesday night to file a court brief supporting the federal lawsuit.

The resistance trend began last month when the Los Alamitos City Council approved an ordinance to opt out of the sanctuary policies.

As more than 100 speakers passionately addressed Huntington Beach officials Monday about sanctuary laws and undocumented immigrants, Mayor Pro Tem Erik Peterson said the lawsuit is about retaining local control, not about immigration.

Anytime they try to claim state law thatll affect us, we fight them, Peterson said.

Priscella.Vega@latimes.com

Twitter: @vegapriscella
The Soroptimist organization was formed in 1921 by a group of 80 women in Oakland, Calif. Today, Soroptimist is an international organization with clubs in more than 120 countries.

More than 60 active women are members of Glendale Soroptimists, chartered in 1943. Those women put themselves to work organizing their Live Your Dream and grant awards luncheon, chaired by Debbie Mallon and Dr. Ilena Blicker.

Last Thursday, more than 80 members and their guests filled the largest banquet room at the Oakmont Country Club. President-elect Martha Wilson welcomed her audience, filling in for Kathryn Van Houten, club president who was absent due to business commitments.

Wilson also introduced city dignitaries who attended including Glendale Councilwoman Paula Devine, Soroptimist past president. Also attending were Councilmen Vrej Agajanian and Vartan Gharpetian, City Manager Yasmin Beers and City Atty. Mike Garcia.

Devine offered greetings from the city. To those who volunteer, she said, You arent getting paid because you are priceless. Enjoy the giving.

Devine also referred to the packets of Kleenex at each place setting, suggesting the honorees backgrounds and current successes would bring a tear to the eye.

Heather Ghermezian, chair of the Live Your Dream event, presented three women a total of $8,000. These Training Awards are designed to assist women who provide the primary financial support for their families.

Live Your Dream awardees honored by Glendale Soroptimists are, from left, Rita Falkenhagen, Francis Echeverria and Bertha Sandoval. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press)

First to be recognized was Rita Falkenhagen, a Glendale resident and Glendale Community College student. A victim of domestic abuse, with her abuser boyfriend in jail, Falkenhagen worked to support herself and her children.

She dreamed of going to college. When the opportunity came, she enrolled in the local college and will graduate soon.

I absolutely love studying and educating my mind. It empowers me to know that I can do anything I put my mind to, she said.

The second awardee was Bertha Sandoval, a Montrose resident and also a student at Glendale Community College. Sandoval is the seventh of eight children in her family. Her siblings and parents were crammed into an 850-square-foot apartment. Eventually, after a divorce, she became the breadwinner, with three small children to support. She put her education on hold.

As her children grew, Sandoval went back to school.

Im overwhelmed with joy, and that Im not alone in this journey, she said.

Also honored was Francis Echeverria. She lives in Pasadena and attends Pasadena City College. Echeverria is a 31-year-old single mother of two children, Joel Echeverria, 14, and Evelyn Hernandez, 5. Both were present, cheering mom on.

Thank you for believing in me, she said to her children.

Her past was filled with abusive relationships and the temporary loss of her children. Joining CalWORKS, a public-assistance program that provides cash aid and services to eligible families that have children in the home, gave her the esteem to go back to school and pursue a degree in criminal justice.

I truly believed I would never become anything in my life, she said.

Live your Dream judges were Soroptimist members Michelle Gonzalez, Nancy Guillen and Dr. Serineh Melidonian.

The program ended with the grant awards presentation by Susan Hunt, grant chair. Awards totaling $14,000 were given to the Ark Family Center, the Armenian Relief Society, Door of Hope and Taking in the Reins. The latter organization supports local girls from low-income households who work with horses and prepare meals in an organic kitchen, thereby learning self-sufficiency skills.

In the past year, Glendale Soroptimists have paired 13 girls with professional female role models and donated 50 caps to hospitals for women undergoing chemotherapy. At its recent Pajama Day, members gathered and distributed 378 pairs of womens and childrens pajamas to local shelters.

Before her audience dispersed, Wilson closed with a brief reminder of Glendale Soroptimists largest fundraiser of the year, Bras for a Cause, to be held March 30.

Ruth Sowby Rands may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com.
In the dozen or so years after her younger sister was brutally raped and murdered in Glendale in 1979, Linda Benjamin filled 14 journals with notes to her.

Sometimes, thoughts came to her in the middle of the night, after a bad dream. Other times, shed write to remember a special occasion, like her sisters birthday or Christmas.

In one letter, Benjamin wished for five more minutes to hug her sister, whod eat dessert before dinner when she was really hungry and loved her Frye boots. Gladly, she wrote, shed trade places with her sister.

I woke up in the middle of the night and thought everyone was dead except me, Benjamin scribbled on what would have been Barbara Ballmans 24th birthday, about a month after her death. I dont know how to do this, Barb. I just miss you so much.

I dont know how to do this, Barb. I just miss you so much. From the journal of Linda Benjamin

Benjamin on Monday read excerpts of some of her oldest entries to jurors who last week convicted her sisters killer of murder, launching the penalty phase of his trial. Those same jurors will decide whether Darrell Gurule, now 56, should be sentenced to death.

He took away her life, her future, her ability to walk around this planet, her dignity, and left her there to die alone, Benjamin said outside a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday, just before prosecutors showed the jury a photo taken during Ballmans last Christmas with her now 93-year-old father, as well as a shot of her with the young girls she mentored at Penny Lane. Theres a place she shouldve been that she isnt, and that can never be filled by anyone else.

Gurules criminal history, meanwhile, stretches back to 1973, when, according to Glendale police, he was arrested for larceny and assault.

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In 1977, at 17 years old, Gurule forced a woman to have oral sex after approaching her, while armed with a shotgun, as she was leaving work. After she distracted him and escaped, Gurule drove off in her car, said Deputy District Atty. Jonathan Chung. Los Angeles police later caught him driving the car, with the womans belongings in his pockets.

Gurule spent less than two years in a California Youth Authority facility before he was released. That agency is now known as the Division of Juvenile Justice.

Five months later, on Sept. 21, 1979, school children found Ballmans body, lying naked on the front seat of her Volkswagen Beetle, across the street from Thomas Edison Elementary School in Glendale. Shed been raped and killed by single shotgun wound to her abdomen.

Darrell Gurule, 56, was convicted this week of raping and murdering a woman found dead in Glendale in 1979. (Courtesy of Glendale Police Department)

Ballman left Benjamins home around 11 p.m. the night before, rushing to her own home to pick up her laundry from a neighbor and thank him for removing her clothes from the dryer. Ballman, an Indiana-native, had followed Benjamin to California several years earlier.

Ballmans case went cold for decades, until breakthroughs in DNA analysis led Glendale detectives to Gurule in 2004, Chung said. By that time, he was serving a life sentence for kidnapping and fatally shooting a man in 1987.

In asking the jury to choose life, Gurules attorney pointed to the mans troubled youth and violent upbringing, as well as his clean prison record.

Childhood matters, said Philip Peng, an alternate public defender representing Gurule.

On the Fourth of July in 1973, he said, Glendale police found Gurules seven siblings in a home alone, among rotting food, feces and overflowing toilets. At the time, Gurule was actually in juvenile hall. His mother, meanwhile, was on a date.

Among the 14 witnesses Peng may call during the trial is a former prison warden, who he said can testify about Gurules time in prison.

In the 10,582 days our clients been locked up, hes never harmed anybody, Peng said.

For Benjamin, Gurules conviction has brought relief.

Its worth going back to that painful place to go ahead and get that outcome, she said.

--

Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek

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When the Glendale Unified school board dismissed Supt. Winfred B. Roberson Jr., during a special meeting on Jan. 29, the move set off a chain of events.

One of the changes was to temporarily name longtime district stalwart employee Kelly King as interim superintendent, replacing Roberson, who helmed Davis Unified School District before coming to Glendale three years ago.

While Glendale Unified officials set a June 1 deadline to hire a new superintendent, King has been asked to lead the district through a few tumultuous months.

The former district teacher, teacher specialist and assistant superintendent has been with Glendale Unified since 1990 and recently spoke to the News-Press about her short-term plans for long-term issues.

Sagebrush issue

One immediate issue King will likely confront will be the potential transfer of the Sagebrush territory of La Canada Flintridge, currently under Glendale Unified control, to La Canada Unified.

In May 2017, the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization conducted a nonbinding straw vote, as described by Keith Crafton, LACOE director of business advisory services, that preliminarily approved the petition so a California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, review could be conducted.

The studys results were released this past October and a vote on the matter, which was supposed to have been taken within 60 days, may be held in March.

We continue to assert that this is our community, King said. The GUSD community includes that territory. We have no intention of losing a portion of whats been part of the GUSD community. We have so many strengths and contributors from that territory, and were not going to take a stand thats going to hurt the district, as a whole, and its our opinion that losing that territory hurts GUSD.

Cooperation with the Glendale City Council

During the LACOE meeting in October, the La Canada breakaway group UniteLCF! and its supporters dominated the public-comment portion of the meeting and were backed by La Canada Unified Supt. Wendy Sinnette and members of the La Canada City Council, including Mayor Terry Walker.

Glendale Unifieds board, which has been at odds with the Glendale City Council due to a failed property transfer proposal for new administrative offices for the school district, did not receive any in-person support that day from the council.

Weve always had discussions of getting the City Council involved, King said. We have letters of support from Mayor [Zareh] Sinanyan. We have letters of support from council member [Vartan] Gharpetian. I think that they value GUSD schools. While we might disagree on the property exchange, it doesnt mean that theyre not in support of GUSD.

Glendale Unified property exchange proposal

Five years of planning were shot down in one evening in December for the Glendale Unified school board, which saw a property exchange proposal, facilitated by developer Carmel Partners, voted down by the City Council, 3-1.

Glendale had proposed to swap its current headquarters, located at 223 N. Jackson St., for a larger and newer building with more parking, located at 425 E. Colorado St.

Glendales old headquarters would have been converted into a 207-unit residential development that some council members thought would have overfilled an already-tight residential neighborhood.

With that proposal rejected, King said she isnt sure what district officials will do next.

We just really need to see where the developer is, she said. Its not in our hands, at the moment. Is the developer moving forward or not with the city? Thats really discussions between them.

She added, I dont want to give up hope, but you know if it doesnt go through, I think well be frustrated and heartbroken, but then well really have to look and see what were going to have to do with the old building that were in.

Potential budget cuts

Operating with a $6.13-million deficit, Glendale Unified staff members have proposed cuts totaling $6.83 million that call for the elimination of some vacant positions and other reduction efforts over the next two school years.

District officials are trying to avoid any layoffs, but they may be needed after filing a qualified budget in December and seeing Glendale Unifieds student enrollment decline again.

With the proposal that we have moving forward, with some cuts that are away from classrooms, away from school sites, Im confident that well be able to present a positive certification for the county, King said. But it does not mean that we dont have some tough decisions in front of us.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresports
In an ongoing battle against residential burglaries, La Canada public safety officials are now considering forming a partnership with a video doorbell company that would potentially put the power of prevention directly into homeowners hands.

The idea of teaming up with Santa Monica-based company Ring to offer rebates toward the purchase of Wi-Fi-enabled video doorbell systems was put before the La Canada Public Safety Commission in a Feb. 13 meeting.

Sgt. John Gaw of the Los Angeles Sheriffs Departments Advanced Surveillance and Protection Unit was asked to speak to commissioners about the effectiveness of using Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras  which automatically track and store car license plate numbers  to prevent home break-ins.

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The city currently uses two such devices, installed on patrol cars used by the Crescenta Valley Sheriffs Station at about $21,150 apiece. While the technology is helpful to investigators looking to break crime rings and spot vehicle owners who may have open warrants, its not as effective at keeping burglars away.

Weighing how much the cameras cost and what they can really do for you, its not necessarily the best way to prevent burglaries, Gaw said. There are a lot better options out there.

A more cost-efficient way of chasing off would-be criminals, he suggested, is a video doorbell system that sends camera footage directly to homeowners cellphones whenever motion is detected in the area of installment.

The technology lets users not only see a potential suspect, but allows them to verbally answer the door from wherever they are. Oftentimes, the sergeant told commissioners, that verbal cue is enough to prevent burglars from going any further.

Its a cheap camera to put up there to potentially stop them from stealing your goods, Gaw said. Thats the goal.

Founded in 2012 by inventor Jamie Siminoff, Ring describes its technology as caller ID for the front door. The company is currently beta-testing a neighborhood program that lets residents share footage they capture with others within a specified radius of their home.

In one such test, burglaries in Los Angeles Wilshire Park neighborhood were reduced by 55% in six months, Gaw reported.

The sergeant said the company also offers discounts to homeowner associations and neighborhood watch groups. Partnering with municipalities, Ring will offer $50 rebates if cities agree to match it with their own $50 rebates. A basic video doorbell system costs about $200, according to the companys website.

Impressed by the units affordability, and their ability to involve homeowners more directly in crime prevention, commissioners asked city staff to look into partnering with Ring or a similar company in a pilot program.

The panel also requested statistics on how Automatic License Plate Reader cameras have helped investigators solve La Canada crimes thus far, exploring the option of adding one more to the citys arsenal.

What the residents have expressed is a frustration over burglaries and the rising number of larcenies, Commission Chair Marilyn Smith said. If the Ring is a way to address that and empower people to try and stop it, perfect.

--

Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine
Its not unusual for passengers to lodge complaints against flight attendants and the airlines we work for. Many issues are legitimate. Others? Not so much. In fact, some complaints are so outrageous they leave my fellow flight attendants and me scratching our heads in disbelief.

For instance, on a routine flight from Los Angeles to Miami, a first-class passenger summoned me using her flight attendant call button. When I arrived at her seat, the woman asked, Can you watch my baby while I use the lavatory?

I politely said, No, maam.

What? she said. Why not?

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The baby in question was a Yorkshire terrier that had been registered as an emotional support animal. Before boarding, passengers traveling with an emotional support animal, or ESA, submit a signed document confirming that they will be 100% responsible for the animal during flight.

I reminded the woman of the airlines ESA policy.

But I need to use the lavatory, she said.

ESAs are allowed to sit on the owners lap or on the floor at the owners feet. Theyre allowed to walk up and down the aisle with the owner. Theyre even allowed to accompany owners to the lavatory.

When I explained this to her, the response was swift. She asked for my name and promised to file a complaint. My offense? Refusing to dog-sit on a commercial flight.

On a different flight, a passenger emerged from the lavatory and stepped into the aft galley where I was loading the beverage cart.

I have a complaint, she said. The woman seemed visibly upset. I thought maybe the passenger before her had left a mess in the lavatory. Perhaps the toilet was stopped up.

Instead, the woman jabbed a finger at me and said, Your airline needs to make a policy so that toilet paper rolls out from the top instead of the bottom.

A toilet paper policy?

I stared at her a moment, stunned that someone could be so unhappy about the direction in which toilet paper is dispensed on an airplane. Maintaining my composure, I provided her with information so she could file her official complaint.

Once, while I served beverages in the main cabin, a passenger asked for a half cup of coffee. As requested, I poured what appeared to me to be a half a cup of coffee and handed it to the man. He handed it back, claiming there was too much coffee in the cup. I apologized, grabbed a new cup and poured a tad less coffee than in my previous pour.

When I offered it to the passenger, he said it wasnt enough. I want half a cup, he said. Half.

Resisting the urge to abandon professional standards, I told him that neither of us had a measuring cup. I then filled the coffee cup to perhaps two-thirds, handed it to him and invited him to drink as much or as little as he liked. He responded by threatening to lodge a complaint against me.

One of my flight attendant colleagues, a Brazilian American woman in her 30s, told me about an incident that involved her on a recent flight. She had been serving food and drinks to an older couple when the wife suddenly went ballistic.

The wife claimed my colleague purposely and repeatedly brushed her breasts against the husbands arm.

My co-worker explained that she had been reaching across the husband to place items on his tray table. In the process, she may have inadvertently brushed against the elderly mans arm. But the wife refused to accept that explanation.

Convinced that a young, attractive female flight attendant had made a brazen attempt to entice her elderly husband, the wife pulled out a cellular phone and proceeded to take photos of my co-worker. (Would this prove the flight attendant was pretty and, therefore, a more worthy threat?) The wife then loudly proclaimed that an official complaint would be forthcoming.

My colleague is still waiting to hear from her supervisor about this.

U.S. airlines do take complaints seriously. For passengers flying on the four largest carriers  American, Delta, Southwest and United  the filing process is easy. They simply log on to the airlines website, scroll to Contacts or Need Help? and follow the links.

When passengers lodge complaints through these official channels, a supervisor will contact the flight attendant to discuss the matter. This happened to me when a passenger claimed I removed his meal tray without his knowledge or approval and in doing so, had carelessly thrown away the $800 clear orthodontic retainer sitting beside his half-eaten chicken piccata.

He demanded a full reimbursement from the airline.

My supervisor called and read the complaint letter verbatim. He asked to hear my side of the story.

I explained that after dinner, I had asked this passenger (as I do with all passengers) to hand me his unwanted meal tray. This tells me they are finished with the tray and everything on it, including half-eaten food, miscellaneous trash, etc.

The complaining passenger handed me his tray; of this I am certain. Perhaps the see-through retainer was hidden among the trash. I dont know. But saying I removed his meal tray without his knowledge or approval was not true.

I dont know whether the airline reimbursed him, but I was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

Serious grievances require face-to-face meetings that can result in a warning, suspension or, if the situation merits, termination of employment.

If a customer accused a flight attendant of inappropriate touching, as was the case with the aforementioned female flight attendant, she would show up to the meeting with a union representative. Witness statements, if available, are taken into account as is the flight attendants previous record. Her job may hang in the balance until guilt or innocent can be determined.

As is the case with corrupt police officers, unscrupulous lawyers and dishonest politicians, blameworthy flight attendants should be treated accordingly.

But a complaint about not babysitting your dog? Please.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britains opposition Labor Party, announced Monday that his bloc in Parliament would support a second referendum to stop what he called a damaging Tory Brexit.

While Labor Party activists have been pushing their leader for months to publicly back another public vote on Brexit, Corbyn has been cold to the idea.

He has been wary, in part, because many Labor voters  especially in Wales and the north of England  want Britain to leave the European Union.

Corbyns support for a second referendum does not mean that another public vote will happen. Prime Minister Theresa May, her government and most of her Conservative Party remain opposed to a do-over.

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Nor was it clear on Monday night what kind of second referendum Corbyn supports. Brexit opponents want voters to be given a clear choice of leaving or staying in the European Union.

Others say a second referendum, if it ever took place, should be more limited  asking voters, for example, if they support the deal May has negotiated with the European Union or not.

This week will see lawmakers in Parliament likely putting forward motions seeking to delay Brexit beyond the scheduled departure date of March 29. Other amendments will try to stop Britain from leaving the European Union with no deal  a scenario that could cause economic chaos.

Corbyn said Monday that Labor would also introduce its own amendment, laying out the partys alternative deal for a much softer Brexit than May has negotiated with the Europeans, and one that would likely keep Britain in an EU customs regime and single market. Such an arrangement would likely mean that Britain would have to continue to accept the free flow of immigrants from Europe.

Corbyn said that only if Parliament and the government reject Labors vision for Brexit would he and his party rally around a second referendum in order to stop Mays deal.

May spent the weekend in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, at a meeting of the leaders of Europe and Arab states, seeking support for additional language to her Brexit deal that would make it palatable to her own party.

Many Conservative Party lawmakers have rejected Mays Brexit deal because it could keep Britain too closely tied to Europe in order to guarantee that there be no return of a hard border in Ireland.

While in Egypt, the British prime minister resisted calls to seek a delay for Brexit.

A delay in this process doesnt deliver a decision in Parliament, and it doesnt deliver a deal, she said at a news conference Monday. What it does is precisely what the word delay says, it just delays the point in which we come to that decision.

Corbyns spokesman said the Labor leader believes that May is recklessly running down the clock in an attempt to force MPs to choose between her botched deal and a disastrous no-deal.

Corbyns move toward backing a second referendum was applauded by Labor leaders who dont like Brexit. David Lammy, a Labor lawmaker who backs a second referendum, tweeted, This is a big step towards uniting our party and most importantly our country. No Brexit deal meets the fantasy promised in 2016. So the only way any specific form of Brexit can be made legitimate is through ratification in a #PeopleVote which includes the option to remain.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said a second referendum would be the right decision for London  and for the whole country  to give the public their say for the first time on a final Brexit deal. I hope members of parliament will support this move, which is vital to protect jobs and growth. The prime minister must now withdraw article 50 to prevent Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal within weeks and to give us time to sort out her mess.
British lawmakers seized a measure of control over the stalled Brexit process from Prime Minister Theresa Mays foundering government Monday, setting up a series of votes that could dramatically alter the course of the U.K.'s departure from the European Union.

The move came after May conceded that Parliament would defeat her twice-rejected divorce deal with the EU again if she put it to a third vote.

With Brexit delayed and the new departure date up in the air, the House of Commons voted to give itself temporary control of the parliamentary timetable starting on Wednesday so lawmakers can vote on alternatives to Mays withdrawal deal. The government usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament.

Lawmakers who backed Mondays motion, which passed 329 to 302, hope the planned indicative votes will narrow the options down to one that can secure majority support. Possible options include a soft Brexit that maintains close economic ties with the EU or scrapping Britains departure altogether.

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Three government ministers quit their posts so they could back the motion. Richard Harrington, who resigned as a junior business minister, accused the government of playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country by failing to resolve Britains Brexit impasse.

The government said it was disappointed by the vote, claiming it upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future.

But it also conceded that the new votes might be a way to break the months-long Brexit gridlock. May said she would engage constructively with the results of the process, though she said she was skeptical that it would produce a decisive result.

The move raises the chances that Britain will tack toward a softer Brexit, and is likely to be welcomed by the EU. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator, tweeted that it was an opportunity to build a cross-party cooperation leading to an enhanced political declaration & a closer future relationship!

Earlier in the day, May acknowledged, with great regret, that her deal still lacked sufficient support to be approved as of Monday.

She said she hoped to hold a third vote on the agreement this week and was working to build support for the deal, which sets out the terms of withdrawing from the EU and the outline of future relations with the bloc.

May warned opponents that continuing to reject the deal could lead to a slow Brexit that postpones the countrys departure indefinitely.

With the March 29 Brexit day set almost two years ago days away and the withdrawal agreement lacking Parliaments approval, European leaders agreed to a postponement last week to avoid a chaotic cliff-edge departure that would be disruptive for the worlds biggest trading bloc and deeply damaging for Britain.

However, the EU granted a shorter delay than May sought. It said that if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal, the U.K. would leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do  leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a path to a new option.

In agreeing to the postponement, European leaders hoped Britains deadlocked politicians would find a solution to the crisis. But the EU isnt counting on it. The European Commission said Monday it had completed planning for a no-deal Brexit, calling that outcome increasingly likely.

May stands little chance of getting the deal she struck with the EU approved unless she can win over Brexit-backing lawmakers in her Conservative Party and its Northern Irish ally, the Democratic Unionist Party.

May has come under intense pressure to quit the prime ministers post as the price of winning support for the deal.
Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas skated to the edge of another war Monday after a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip demolished a family home in a town north of Tel Aviv and Israel retaliated with a bombardment of its own.

The rocket crashed into the home in the quiet, prosperous town of Mishmeret at dawn. The town lies beyond the area usually protected by Israels Iron Dome antimissile systems.

The Israeli army blamed Hamas, the Islamist militia that controls Gaza, and launched an extensive wave of retaliatory strikes Monday afternoon that reportedly destroyed several Hamas buildings, including the headquarters of the groups leader, Ismail Haniyeh.

Israeli army spokesman Ronen Manelis told the news portal Ynet: I think that Hamas understands this is a significant strike [after] a serious incident, and ultimately, this is a price that Hamas has been due to pay for the past year.

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The Joint Chamber of Resistance, an operations group including Hamas and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, issued a statement threatening to target the Israeli cities of Sderot and Netivot with rockets if the enemy continues the violations. A house in Sderot was later struck, although no one was injured.

Nearly 200 Gazans have been killed in a weekly series of protests along the Israeli border during the last year. According to United Nations figures, more than 9,000 have been wounded.

The escalation erupted two weeks before elections in Israel and as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington to deliver an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and to meet with President Trump.

In another step that could inflame the region, Trump formalized a statement he made via Twitter last week by declaring in an executive order Monday that the United States recognizes Israeli control of the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 war. Previous administrations have acceded to international law, which regards the Golan Heights as disputed and occupied territory.

Trump signed the order, whose legal authority is disputed, in the White House, surrounded by Netanyahu and others who support his staunchly pro-Israel stance, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. Also present were the two people whom Trump has appointed to formulate a peace plan for the Middle East, son-in-law Jared Kushner and former Trump attorney Jason Greenblatt; their presence could further complicate their ability to appear as neutral brokers in any peace deal.

Netanyahu cut short his visit after the rocket strike. He said he was returning home to lead the people of Israel and the soldiers of Israel.

I have a simple message for Israels enemies, Netanyahu said at the White House. We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state.

Seven people in the home in Mishmeret, including two infants, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Standing by the rubble, London-born Robert Wolf, who lived in the house, told Britains Daily Telegraph news site that he was asleep at home with his wife, Susan; his son, daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren when sirens went off and they scurried into their homes bomb shelter. If we hadnt got to the bomb shelter in time I would be burying all my family, he said.

The Gazan Health Ministry reported that five people were injured in the strikes in the territory.

On both sides of the border, children were released early from school and the civilian population was put on high alert.

In Israel, municipal air raid shelters were opened as far north as Tel Aviv, and Ben Gurion airport, the nations principal international hub, announced changes in incoming flight paths.

Gaza City became a ghost town, and Palestinian radio stations and Hamas television broadcast songs calling for resistance against Israel.

Rockets continued to be launched toward Israel through the day, with the Israeli army identifying about 30 launches from Gaza. Sirens sounded across the Israeli south, and at least a million people prepared for a night in bomb shelters.

The Israeli army reported that a family home in the southern city of Sderot was hit by a missile, with no injuries reported. That family also had sought safety in a bomb shelter.

Hamas and other armed Palestinian factions have sporadically fired rockets into Israel since the 2014 war between Israeli forces and Hamas. Mondays escalation was the ninth round of fighting in the last year.

None has lasted more than 24 hours, and injuries among Israeli civilians are rare.

Late Monday, Hamas television announced that Egyptian mediators had brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. There was no Egyptian or Israeli confirmation, and no halt in the rocket launches or airstrikes.

Netanyahu is in a tight race for reelection to a fifth term in office in balloting scheduled for April 9.

Rivals from across the spectrum raced to Mishmeret on Monday, with those on the right pressuring the prime minister to act decisively against Hamas.

With the anniversary this week of the border protest marches and few achievements to show for the sacrifice, Hamas faces a difficult moment of reckoning. Last week, about a thousand Gazans were arrested after hundreds took to the streets to protest continued dismal living conditions.

Hamas wrested control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority 12 years ago, and the seaside enclave has since been subject to an Israeli-Egyptian blockade. Conditions have worsened, in part because of sanctions imposed by the Palestinian government.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 25)  The discovery of illegal substances in the country's waters and shores continues.

Three fishermen in Bagamanoc, Catanduanes on Monday afternoon recovered a floating fish net containing packs of suspected cocaine with an estimated weight of 8.6 kilograms.

Initial report said the alleged illegal substances were sealed in brown packaging marked with dollar signs.

The suspected cocaine was turned over to Bagamanoc municipal police and will be sent to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for proper disposition.

In February, some 92.78 kilograms of cocaine, in the form of blocks tightly sealed in brown packaging tape, were recovered in waters and along the coastlines. Those were valued by PDEA at P491.25 million.
Russia reacted to the end of the U.S. special counsels investigation with glee.

After two years playing defense over the probe into Russias interference in the 2016 U.S. election, officials in Moscow went on the attack, claiming vindication based on the U.S. attorney generals assertion that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III did not establish that Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russians.

The celebrations were despite the investigation having led to charges against 25 Russians and even though Muellers report has not been released.

A humiliation for the United States and its political elite, Russian Sen. Alexey Pushkov wrote on Twitter on Monday. All of the charges were pulled out of thin air. The media played a shameful role in this incendiary campaign built on lies. The conspiracy theorists have been discredited. From now on, only idiots can believe them.

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Pushkovs remarks reflect the official line broadcast by state-controlled media Monday: that the U.S. media hyped a bogus story about possible collusion between Trump and the Kremlin to turn the American people against Russia and sabotage the administrations efforts to forge better ties with Moscow. Thats been a common refrain since 2017.

There were so many fake scandals, a reporter on Channel One, a major state-owned network, told viewers Monday. But will viewers hear the rebuttals now?

Read Atty. Gen. William P. Barrs summary of the Mueller investigation 

The final report from Mueller, which was submitted to the Justice Department on Friday, remains confidential.

No Americans have been charged with working with Russians to influence the election, but Mueller helped expose a willingness by Trump and his campaign to capitalize on Moscows help, and then lie about it.

The special counsel also outlined evidence for and against an obstruction of justice case, Atty. Gen. William Barr wrote Sunday in a letter to Congress. Barr said after reading the report, he determined the facts dont show Trump committed a crime.

The Kremlin has always maintained that there was no collusion, Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow think tank, told the Los Angeles Times. Since the Kremlin generally expects no good news to come out of the U.S. these days, you could say they may have been surprised.

Outside the White House, few parties had more vested interest in Muellers findings than Russia. The countrys hacking and meddling in the 2016 election have been invoked by Congress to justify additional waves of sanctions.

But Muellers report confirmed the allegations of interference in the election, according to Barrs letter.

Of the 25 Russians charged through the investigation, some were accused of spreading disinformation on social media; others were charged with hacking Democratic Party and campaign staff, then releasing emails through WikiLeaks and other intermediaries to undermine Trumps 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton.

Russian officials expressed concern that the investigation continued to assert those charges, which the Kremlin denies.

Mueller finds no Trump-Russia conspiracy but doesnt exonerate Trump on obstruction, attorney general says 

We have not seen the actual report, almost no one has, so we are unable to comment on it in detail, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday. We have seen a little extract, a small resume, that doesnt actually say anything new other than there was no collusion.

Even on Channel One, where Barrs letter was celebrated, there was a note of caution. The conclusions have been made, but does that mean everything is over? It seems not. The idea that our nation allegedly tried to influence the U.S. election has not been abandoned, the channels U.S. correspondent lamented.

In the Federation Council, Russias upper house of parliament, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Kosachev said Muellers findings present Trump with an opportunity to reset U.S.-Russia relations and pursue the warm ties he spoke of in the 2016 campaign  comments that deeply endeared Trump to Russians.

Overall, the end of the Mueller investigation is a net positive for the Kremlin, said Vladimir Frolov, an independent Russian foreign policy analyst. Moscow must downplay Muellers findings on election interference and play up Barrs summary that the investigation did not establish that Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia in the interference.

This removes the political constraints on Trump that have prevented him from organizing very warm and beautiful summits with Putin, Frolov said.

Perhaps one in Washington by the end of this year, followed by Trump attending the Victory Day parade in Moscow in 2020, he said, referring to Russias annual grandiose military parade.

But Kosachev said Russia must approach the situation carefully. Russia was taken in by Trumps friendly campaign rhetoric, but turned on him once he took office and his administration began to pursue very different policies.

There is an opportunity to reset our relations but the question is whether or not Trump will take the risk, Kosachev wrote on Facebook. However, there are now overt hawks, such as [Secretary of State Michael R.] Pompeo and [national security advisor] John Bolton, who should also be treated as proof that Russia will be treated tough.

Trenin said the impact of Muellers findings are most likely going to be negative. And those who oppose Russia have a long list of other items to draw from: Syria, Venezuela, Russias seizure of Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea in November, and the poisoning of a former Russian spy on British soil in March 2018.

Trumps opponents will not be convinced, Trenin said. They will double down, rather than abdicate, and Russia will be the prime target. I expect much harsher sanctions from Congress Russia will be kicked around with more vehemence because collusion was not proven.

Bodner is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.
Thailands first election since a 2014 coup was mired in confusion and recriminations Monday after election officials released only partial results.

Two rival parties each claimed the right to form a government, and an exiled former prime minister accused the military government of rigging a vote riddled with irregularities.

What the junta had billed as a return to elected government instead brought more political turmoil to a Southeast Asian kingdom with a long history of weak governments, military takeovers and fitful experiments with democracy.

The junta-appointed Election Commission, which abruptly stopped releasing results hours after the polls closed Sunday, postponed a news conference twice on Monday before announcing it would disclose the winners of 350 directly elected parliamentary seats  but not the vote totals.

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Those partial results showed the anti-military Pheu Thai party winning 137 seats, with 95% of votes counted. Palang Pracharat, an army-aligned party whose prime ministerial candidate is junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, was second with 97 seats.

An additional 150 seats were still to be decided based on a complex proportional representation system that was being used for the first time, among several new electoral rules introduced by the military government to weaken large opposition parties such as Pheu Thai, which was ousted in the 2014 coup.

Initial projections for those seats could come Friday, when the commission said it would release vote totals that could also slightly shift the results of the 350 elected seats.

But the winners would not be officially announced until May 9, setting the stage for weeks of political jockeying and controversy that could cast a shadow over the lavish three-day coronation of Thailands king earlier that month.

Many Thais questioned how Palang Pracharat  the vehicle for a military government widely criticized for repression and economic mismanagement  had won 7.6 million votes, compared with about 7.1 million for Pheu Thai, which had led most preelection surveys.

Pheu Thai said that because it had collected the most directly elected seats, it should form a government. Palang Pracharat countered that because its candidates had received more overall votes, it would begin talks with other pro-military parties about forming a majority coalition that could keep Prayuth, a former general, in power as prime minister.

The army also held an ace up its sleeve: the right to name 250 senators who would also have a say in selecting the prime minister, another change it made in the rules starting with this election. That meant Palang Pracharat only needed to control 126 seats in the House of Representatives for a majority.

We will discuss with parties that share the same ideology and policy direction with Palang Pracharat about forming a government, party leader Uttama Savanayana said. I believe this is what the people want to see happen.

The dizzying developments and conduct of the Election Commission sparked a furor among Thais who already believed the junta was using the cover of an election to prolong its power. Prachatai, a news website, asked in a banner headline: The most questionable election in Thai history?

Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled former prime minister who backs Pheu Thai, accused the junta of rigging the outcome and said the results wouldnt be respected domestically or internationally.

Thailand should have a government that reflects the will of the people, not the will of the junta, Thaksin wrote in a New York Times op-ed article published Monday. This is a terrible, and sad, moment for my country.

Thailand has a history of cracking down on opposition groups and independent media, but analysts said the questions surrounding this election could linger into a new Prayuth administration.

In the past, there was often an unfair run-up to the election but election day was pretty well handled, said Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. This doesnt seem like it was well handled.

Its unfortunate, because even if the irregularities arent definitive, its definitely not helping confidence in the election, he said.

Many analysts said Pheu Thai was unlikely to secure many of the 150 party list seats because the proportional system devised by the military favored parties that hadnt already won constituency seats.

Pheu Thai was also at a disadvantage because it did not field candidates in dozens of constituencies where it believed an allied party, Thai Raksa Chart, had stood a strong chance of winning.

Thai Raksa Chart was dissolved by a constitutional court this month for the offense of naming King Maha Vajiralongkorns sister as its prime ministerial candidate. The king, who is revered as godlike under Thai custom, said it would be extremely inappropriate for a royal to enter politics.

The election commission said it had received 110 reports of irregularities that would be investigated but did not elaborate.

A new opposition party, Future Forward, which won the third most votes nationwide, said that in 10 constituencies where its candidates lost by fewer than 2,000 votes, it was suspicious about whether the ballot counting was accurate. The party said it would ask election officials for recounts.

The party urged the commission to quickly release all voting data to allay public concerns about an election that also lacked international observers, which officials had barred from monitoring the process.

If the commission is really confident about conducting a free and fair election, there are no reasons not to disclose statistical data, said Future Forwards secretary-general, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul. I would like to urge them to open the information from all polling stations to the public.

Special correspondent Amatatham reported from Bangkok and Times staff writer Bengali from Singapore.
President Trump on Monday signed a proclamation recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than half a century of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump made formal a move he announced in a surprise tweet last week.

The president said it was time for the U.S. to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria. The U.S. is the first country to recognize Israels sovereignty over the Golan, which the rest of the international community regards as Israeli-occupied.

Trump said his decision would cement the Jewish states ability to defend itself from regional threats should a broad Arab-Israeli peace deal ever be reached. Trumps action also likely gives Netanyahu a political boost ahead of whats expected to be a close Israeli election. During his 90-minute visit to the White House, reporters and photographers were invited to see Netanyahu at least four times: his arrival at the South Lawn, the signing of the declaration in the Diplomatic Room, a walk through the Colonnade and in the Oval Office.

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Syria denounced the U.S. move as blatant aggression on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Foreign Ministry said Trumps step represented the highest level of contempt for international legitimacy and showed that Washington was the main enemy of Arabs. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told Syrian TV that the Golan is a Syrian-occupied territory and that Trump decision will only isolate America.

Lebanon, which Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo visited this past weekend, said the Golan Heights are Syrian Arab territory and that no country can falsify history by transferring land from one country to another.

Amnesty International called Trumps decision irresponsible, reckless and yet another example of the Trump administration violating international law and consensus by condoning Israels illegal annexation.

Netanyahu had pressed for recognition of his countrys sovereignty over the area for months.

Israel has long argued that the strategically important area has for all practical purposes been fully integrated into Israel since it was captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and that control of the strategic plateau is needed as protection from Iran and its allies in Syria.

Today, aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel, Trump said in the proclamation.

The proclamation noted the unique circumstances presented by the Golan, language that appeared to be aimed at countering criticism that the recognition would be used by other countries to justify control of disputed territory such as Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimea region.

Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said Trump seems to want to drive a wrecking ball through international law that protects the people who live in occupied Golan Heights. He said it could embolden other occupying states to double down on their own land grabs, settlements and plunder of resources.

Netanyahu, even as he was somberly cutting short his visit to Washington to deal with a rocket attack in central Israel, was elated by Trumps move.

Israel has never had a better friend than you, he told the president.

Netanyahu noted a series of steps Trump has taken since assuming office, including his withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.

In addition to signaling U.S. support for Israels security, the decision appeared to show Trumps support for Netanyahu, the political candidate in April 9 elections. Netanyahu is facing a tough challenge from a popular former military chief and reeling from a series of corruption allegations. He has repeatedly sought to focus attention on his foreign policy record and strong ties with Trump.

The two leaders met as the Israeli military was striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv, wounding seven people.

In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee earlier Monday, Vice President Mike Pence said the rocket attack proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace. Pence told the group that Hamas is a terrorist organization that seeks the destruction of Israel, and the United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for what was to have been a three-day visit but announced early Monday he would leave early to take charge of the response to the rocket attack.
A Nigerian has taken to Instagram to cry out after his or her houseboy absconded with a huge sum of money. The post was reposted by screen goddess Kate Henshaw who has been in the movie industry long enough to give this story the needed buzz. She was evidently unhappy about what the young man did.

As can be seen in the post shared by Kate, the person in question had trained the houseboy whose name is Sunday Oke and treated him like a son. But he supposedly back-stabbed this individual, stole from the boss and ran away on March 18, 2019.

The money that was stolen in this regard was quite huge because Kate was quick to share the post with the hope of aiding the discovery of the houseboy turned thief and recovering the stolen money.

More so, the boss had promised to reward anyone who finds the houseboy a sum of N300k. Again, it was particularly requested that the news of the boy and the missing money be made to go viral.

READ ALSO: The Amazing Cast Of Game Of Thrones In Then And Now (PHOTOS)

Kate Henshaw took to her Instagram page to air this juicy offer that the boss had made to all Nigerians. See the post below:

"My househelp pictured above (Sunday Oke) whom I have trained as a son for the past 9 years now and sent to school ran away with my money, a huge sum, on March 18, 2019.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

"If you have any information about his whereabouts or know who can find him kindly call 08098585500. A reward of N300k will be given to anyone who can give information that will lead to his arrest. Kindly repost his picture and share on your social media network."

PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Recently, Kate Henshaw stepped out to a major event with beautiful cornrows. Many people praised her for being an epitome of African beauty.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better.

As a lawyer, I will deliberately lose a case if my client is bad - Success Adegor| Legit TV

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- Stephanie Idolor who made the viral video of little Success is at loggerheads with the family

- According to Idolor, she believes she deserves some settlement for making Success famous and attracting all the assistance the family has gotten

- Success' mother has claimed that they have settled Idolor but she keeps demanding for more

The internet was completely excited to meet little Success, a young girl who was sent home from school for not paying her fees. Her attitude to education attracted a lot of Nigerians, who have come together to try to make life better for the young girl.

However, the world only got to know Success after one Stephanie Idolor, recorded the video and shared it on social media. For finding the 'talent', Idolor has come out to say that she deserved money from the family who she believes has been getting a lot of money and gifts from Nigerians.

In a recent clip, Stephanie can be heard demanding that she gets at least 20 percent of what Success has gotten since the video was released. Her rant has gone viral and many people have had a lot to say about it, including Success' mother.

READ ALSO: Actress Funke Akindele celebrates her lookalike sister's birthday in sweet way

Watch below:

READ ALSO: Nigeria's 'most beautiful girl in the world' now an international model

Interestingly, Success' mother has claimed that they have already given Stephanie over N500,000 but she has demanded that she has a joint account with the little girl so as to get more money.

Success' mother has refused her demands and it is for that reason that she is playing victim and even allegedly threatening the family.

Read below:

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Meanwhile, popular comedian Mc Jollof recently took to his Instagram page with a video in which he revealed that the Delta state deputy speaker, Hon. Friday Osanebi, has requested for Idolors account number to credit her with a sum of N500,000. He, however, deleted the video from his page.

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As a lawyer, I will deliberately lose a case if my client is bad - Success Adegor on Legit TV

Source: Legit
"We need development in this ward," Taliaferro said. "We need the contracting opportunities that this is going to provide for our residents. We need the jobs that this is going to provide for our residents."
A new assisted living community is slated for eight acres of land on Bath Pike in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

Columbia Wegman Hanover LLC paid $2.2 million to buy the eight acre property at 4700-4720 Bath Pike/Route 512, according to a news release. Currently, three homes sit on the land.

Plans call for a two-story, combination assisted-living and memory-care facility with 90 assisted living units, which equates to about 102 beds, and roughly 26 memory care units or about 36 beds, said Tim Wegman, vice president of commercial development for Wegman Companies, of Rochester, N.Y.

Columbia Wegman Hanover LLC is the purchasing entity of Columbia Pacific Senior Housing of Seattle and Wegman Companies, a a real estate development and investment company with 45 years of experience, that has developed and built assisted-living and memory-care communities throughout the northeast as well as Maryland, Florida and Ohio. Wegman Companies has no ties to the popular grocery store chain despite both entities being based close to each other in New York state.

This marks the companys first venture in the Lehigh Valley. It operates similar facilities in Collegeville, Pa., and Towamencin Township, Pa, Wegman said.

The developer first learned the land was available via a real estate broker and an analysis revealed that demand for such a facility exceeded the companys threshold, Wegman said. The analysis looks at several factors to determine the potential resident base, like the age of the population, number of retirees and adult children, he said.

Are there children and parents that will need our services now or in the future? Wegman explained.

Land development plans have been submitted to Hanover Township, Northampton County and the projects been granted preliminary approval. The developer hopes to have final approval in hand soon.

Typically, construction then takes 14 to 16 months, Wegman said. Theres no target opening date at this point.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Sands Bethlehem Event Center announced three more shows to their lineup for 2019. Whether its rock, country, jazz, comedy-you name it -- the Sands is giving audience members a little bit of everything. Check out their three most recently released performers and get your tickets staring this week.

Colin Jost

Aside from being co-anchor of Weekend Update at Saturday Night Live, and a head writer of the show, Colin Jost is coming to Bethlehem 8 p.m. Friday, July 12. Jost recently co-hosted the 2018 Emmy Awards, won four Writers Guild Awards, a Peabody Award, and has been nominated himself for Emmys for his SNL writings. Tickets for his show are $35-55 and will be available 10 a.m. Friday, March 29. A pre-sale for Music Insiders Club Members will take place 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, March 28.

Filed Image (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)Getty Images

Papa Roach with Asking Alexandria, Bad Wolves

Papa Roach, a.k.a trendsetters in rock music, have been nominated for multiple Grammys, toured with famous performers like Eminem and Marilyn Manson and produced hit tracks like such as Help." Papa Roach will be coming to the Sands 7 p.m Tuesday, Aug. 13 with Asking Alexandria, an English rock band from North Yorkshire. Both bands will be traveling on their Who Do you Trust Tour 2019." Tickets for the show are available 10 a.m. Friday, March 29, for $49.50 with a limited number of buy 3 get 1 free offers available. A pre-sale for Music Insiders Club Members will take place 10a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, March 28.

REO Speedwagon

The all-American rock band from Illinois is coming to the Sands to perform some of their top hits from their best-selling albums. (theyve had more than 10 million copies sold, but whos counting?) Some of their famous albums include Good Trouble and Wheels are Turnin." The band will be coming to the Sands 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 for $49.50-69.50. Get your tickets starting 10 a.m. Friday, March 29. A pre-sale for Music Insiders Club Members will take place 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, March 28.
UPDATE: Motorcycle riders killed in head-on crash with pickup truck are identified

INITIAL POST: A Ford F350, driven by a 18-year-old Emmaus woman, crossed into oncoming traffic Sunday afternoon on Route 412 in Nockamixon Township, striking and killing two motorcycle riders, Pennsylvania State Police report.

The truck was southbound at 2:18 p.m. at Church Hill and Durham (Route 412) roads near Palisades High School in Bucks County when its passenger-side front and rear ties went off the side of the road into a small ditch along the west berm, police said. The driver corrected, swinging the truck across the driving lane into the northbound lane, police said. It hit two motorcycles head-on, causing the riders to be thrown from the bikes before the truck came to a stop back in the southbound lane, police said.

The riders -- a a 54-year-old man from Perkasie, Bucks County, and a 54-year-old man from Lansdale in Montgomery County -- were pronounced dead from their injuries at the scene by the Bucks County Coroners Office, police said.

The driver of the truck and her passenger were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township for further evaluation, police said.

State police did not initially identify anyone involved in the crash. Not charges or citations were listed in the news release.

In addition to state police units that specialize in crashes and forensics, troopers were assisted by firefighters and fire police from Ottsville, Upper Bucks EMS and the coroners office.

This post was updated when state police corrected two ages from a news release.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Pennsylvania State Police on Monday morning identified the two motorcycle riders who were killed Sunday afternoon when a pickup truck allegedly crossed into oncoming traffic on Route 412 in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County.

Stephen S. Yothers, 54, of Perkasie, Bucks County, and Vincent J. Nielsen, 54, of Lansdale, Montgomery County, died at the scene on Route 412 about 350 feet north of Church Hill Road, police said.

Autopsies were being completed Monday morning to determine the cause and manner of the deaths, the Bucks County Coroners Office said.

Yothers was riding a 2017 Harley-Davidson and Nielsen was riding a 2010 Harley-Davidson at 2:18 p.m. when Kaitlyn O. Butler, 18, of Emmaus, drove a 1997 Ford F350 off the right side of the road into a small ditch, police said. Butler corrected and went back across her southbound travel lane and into the northbound lane where she struck the motorcycles, police said.

Butler suffered a minor injury and was treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, police said. Her passenger, Keith A. Dailey, 19, of Kearneysville, West Virginia, was not hurt, police said. Butler was wearing shoulder and lap belts while Dailey was wearing a lap belt, police said.

The motorcycle riders were wearing helmets, but they were used improperly, police said. It is not clear at this point if that in any way contributed to their deaths.

No charges or citations have been filed against Butler, police said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Irish Red Cross Laois Unit in Mountrath has been struck by vandals for the third time since it moved into the base in the town.

Volunteers at the unit were 'disheartened' when they discovered a window at their unit was smashed last Thursday for no reason.

The Laois Area Director of Units for the Irish Red Cross, Omra Lahey, told the Leinster Express that all 30 members locally are volunteers and there is no reason why anyone would target their base like this.

On Thursday, the window was broken for the third time since we moved into that building in 2015. Every time someone breaks the window or door we have no idea why genuinely no idea.

It is very frustrating and we have to go along and fix it, we have no issues with anybody, this window was 95 to replace and we have to fund that. The last time it was a door and a window and there was a stone or rock after going through the window but we didn't see anything this time. We have no idea why it is just frustrating.

The community is very good to us everyone knows that we are in there, we couldn't begin to understand it. It was disheartening yesterday we were just saying not again, she said.

The Irish Red Cross Laois Area group is made up entirely of volunteers. They run first aid courses in GAA clubs, communities and schools. They recently covered the St Patrick's Day parades in Portlaoise and Mountrath and they are on standby for weather events like storms and snow.

We have 30 members about 15 based in the unit, all voluntary, it is very busy and we cover a lot of areas, Omra added.

The vandalism has been reported to gardai.

MORE: County hall spent 3.5m buying up secondhand homes
Brain Tumour Ireland has established a new support group for the south-east and central Leinster.

The chair of Brain Tumour Ireland is Natasha Smith.

"We are delighted to be expanding our support services into the south-east and central Leinster. The meeting will be open to anyone with a brain tumour and their families and carers.

"Although every brain tumour is different, we find that patients and their families really benefit from peer support and from sharing their experiences with someone who understands what they are going through.

"It is important to note that this group is for people with both malignant and benign tumours.

"For more information on the upcoming meeting I encourage people to email info@braintumourireland.com or call Eist Cancer Support on 059 9139684," said Ms Smith.

Founded in 2012, Brain Tumour Ireland is a national registered charity (RCN 20102128) working to inform and support brain tumour patients and their families.

Brain Tumour Ireland also fundraises for brain tumour research. We are part funders of Ireland's first ever brain tumour biobank run by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and based in Beaumont Hospital Dublin.

The group will meet on the first Tuesday of every second month from 7pm-9pm. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 2 at 7pm in the Eist Cancer Support Centre, The Waterfront, Mill Lane, Carlow.

For more information go to www.braintumourireland.com
A book about life growing up in Mountmellick in the 1950s has received rave reviews in the United States.

Mountmellick native, Tom Phelans, latest book We Were Rich and We Didnt Know It: A Memoir of My Irish Boyhood was published in New York, where Tom now lives, and online on March 5.

The Laois native set out writing a personal memoir to try to understand why he became a Catholic priest when he was younger. This led to unearthing many stories about his upbringing and family life in Mountmellick.

Wonderful, Exceptional, Captivating, The real thing. These are just a few of the comments US reviewers have made about Mountmellick native Tom Phelans new book.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune says, Tom Phelan's memoir of his boyhood is exceptional. Phelan's prose has an unpretentious beauty. With rich detail and sensitivity, We Were Rich translates for us a rural world that has disappeared.

Publishers Weekly called We Were Rich a rich and colourful snapshot of the times that shaped Phelan.

In We Were Rich and We Didnt Know It, Tom Phelan writes about his formative years in Laois, working with his wise and demanding father as he sought to wrest a livelihood from a farm that was often wet, muddy, and back-breaking.

It was the 1940s and 50s, a time before rural electrification, the telephone, and indoor plumbing; a time when the main modes of travel were bicycle and animal cart; a time when small farmers struggled to survive and turkey eggs were hatched in the kitchen cupboard; a time when the Church exerted enormous control over Ireland.

Tom's new book about life growing up in Mountmellick is available on Amazon.

MORE: Laois native in New York to release new book about growing up in Mountmellick
The Irish Cancer Society has appealed to the public to donate online or by text as Daffodil Day, held last Friday, March 22, 2019 was hit by bad weather.

Chief Executive of the Irish Cancer Society, Averil Power said,  Only 2 per cent of our funding comes from the State. That means we need to raise 4 million to meet increased demand for services such as our night nurses, volunteer drivers to bring patients to chemotherapy and lifesaving cancer research. We are worried the bad weather will affect our street sales, as happened in 2013. So were appealing to people who havent given yet to do so on www.cancer.ie or text DAFF to 50300 to donate 4.

Daffodils will also be on sale in Boots stores nationwide for the next few days.

Bernadette Lavery, Managing Director of Boots Ireland, sponsors of the campaign said, Colleagues across our 87 Boots stores in Ireland including Kildare have been so enthusiastic in their support for Daffodil Day this year. We have all been touched by cancer in some way so its a cause close to our hearts, and are delighted by the generosity of our customers who have dug deep to support our fundraising activities. We will be selling daffodils in store over the coming days to allow members of the public to drop in and show their support if they havent had an opportunity yet.

Text to donate 4 by texting DAFF to 50300.Text costs 4. Irish Cancer Society will receive a minimum of 3.60.
A woman will be sentenced next month for attempting to murder a civil servant on her way home from work.

Laura Kenna (35), of no fixed abode but who grew up in Celbridge and previously lived in Prosperous, was found guilty by a jury earlier this month of attempting to murder Fionnuala Burke on Lower Drumcondra Road in the capital on January 3, 2017, and of assault causing serious harm to her on the same occasion.

Kenna had pleaded not (NOT) guilty by reason of insanity to both counts but this was rejected by the verdict of a Central Criminal Court jury on March 5. It was Kennas second trial for attempted murder, after a jury failed to reach a verdict last October.

The trial heard that Ms Burke, who worked for the Department of Social Protection, was walking home when she noticed a woman sitting on a wall outside a house. As Ms Burke approached, the woman, Laura Kenna, sprang up and pushed her back onto a grassy area. Kenna didnt say anything, but started to stab her.

Ms Burke felt short stabs and could also feel her face being slashed, before she felt a dramatic slash straight across her neck. Kenna then spoke, telling Ms Burke that shed let her go if she handed over her handbag.

The jury saw photographs of the large, deep cut across Ms Burkes neck. It had penetrated through muscle and cut through the thyroid gland. She required surgery in intensive care after the attack. She also had other injuries to her face and body.

Kenna later admitted to gardai: I sliced her like you would a goat.

At a sentence hearing today/yesterday(MONDAY), Det Sgt Ken Hoare, of Mountjoy Garda Station, said Kenna had mental health and substance abuse issues for most of her adult life.

He agreed with Anthony Sammon SC, prosecuting, that Kenna had attacked another woman at a LUAS stop 16 days before her attack on Ms Burke.

It was an attempted eye gouge and a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity was recorded by a jury in respect of that incident, the detective confirmed.

He said Kenna had 59 previous convictions including convictions for assault and possession of knives and other articles.

Det Sgt Hoare agreed with Mark Lynam BL, for the defence, that Kenna had conveyed an apology to Ms Burke through her lawyers for her attack, after the first trial, when a jury failed to reach a verdict.

Mr Lynam submitted a report from Kennas treating psychiatrist who said she was acutely ill at the time of the incident.

For a number of years prior to the attack on Ms Burke, Kenna had not received proper treatment and, if she had, this incident would not have happened, according to the psychiatrists report.

Kennas problems began in her younger years, the report stated. She lived a chaotic life, became homeless and started using drugs.

Since Kenna had been receiving treatment in the CMH, on foot of the jury verdict for the LUAS stop incident, her behaviour had improved and her aggression subsided. She no longer acted in the dangerous, aggressive manner that lead to the offence, the report stated.

Mr Lynam said Kenna was motivated to engage in her treatment going forward, which was a very relevant factor.

The hearing will resume before Ms Justice Tara Burns on April 11, when Kenna is expected to be sentenced.

A victim impact statement prepared by Ms Burke was handed in to court.

The main issue for the jury to consider was Kennas state of mind at the time and two consultant psychiatrists, for both the prosecution and defence, gave conflicting opinions.

Dr Stephen Monks, a consultant psychiatrist at the Central Mental Hospital, told the jury that Kenna was suffering from schizoaffective disorder, a chronic mental illness related to schizophrenia.

Giving evidence on behalf of the defence, Dr Monks said Kenna carried out the frenzied and viscous attack on Ms Burke with the intention of killing in the context of delusions about death, vampires and cannibalism.

He said she did not know the nature and quality of her actions and couldn't stop. As such, she was entitled to the special defence of not (NOT) guilty by reason of insanity.

However, a consultant psychiatrist engaged by the State disagreed. Professor Harry Kennedy, also of the CMH, testified that she was not delusional at the time, but carried out the attack in anger and out of a sense of entitlement.

Kenna had told gardai that she needed money for drink and drugs. She also told gardai that she had followed another woman that night but let her go, something the Professor said indicated Kenna knew what she was doing in selecting her victim.
DISTRICT Court judge Mary Larkin has reserved judgement in a case involving an Askeaton publican facing a claim of discrimination under the Equal Status Act 2000.

Christy Harty, 102 Assumpta Park, Newcastle West claimed at Newcastle West Court earlier this month that Eamon ONeill, the owner of Hallinans Bar, Askeaton had refused to serve him last July 29 because he was a member of the Traveller Community.

Daniel (Danny) Harty of 4 Geitne Close, Askeaton also brought a claim of discrimination against Mr ONeill for the same date. However, David ORegan BL, counsel for Mr ONeill, submitted that Danny Harty had not said in his evidence that the discrimination was because he was a member of the Traveller Community and should be dismissed. Judge Larkin did so.

In his evidence, Christy Harty said that on the day of the Limerick Cork hurling semi-final he and Danny had left The Top of the Town pub after the match, went to Ranahans which was closed and then went into Mr ONeills bar, Hallinans. He asked Mr ONeill for two pints but Mr ONeill came down roaring and told him get out, I am not serving you. Mr Harty said he believed the reason was because I am a member of the Traveller community.

I have never been so embarrassed and ashamed in my life, he said. I was totally discriminated against that day. He was so upset, he said that he went straight home after that.

In cross-examination, Mr ORegan put it to Mr Harty that the Harty family had been barred because of a incident in the same pub in February 2014.

Mr Harty said that was completely wrong. They were barred out of that pub for no reason whatsoever.

When Eamon ONeill barred my family, he also barred me. He wanted no member of the Harty family in his pub, he said.

Mr Harty told Mr ORegan he was never involved in any trouble in my life but agreed he had not asked Mr ONeill for an explanation on the day and had not gone to him to ask if he was barred.

Mr Harty said, in answer to a question from his solicitor, Cathal Mooney, that his brother Johnny had gone back to the bar but Eamon ONeill refused him again.

There is a danger of tarnishing everybody with the same brush,Mr Mooney said.

In his evidence, Eamon ONeill said the bar was hopping when Christy and Danny Harty came in. I felt a small bit intimidated, the fact they were after coming from another pub. I refused to serve them. I didnt know how much they had to drink. I didnt know their reason for coming.

There was, he continued, a lot of violence attached to the family. The onus is on me to protect myself and my customers. But, he said, he did serve members of the Traveller community.

However,, he told Mr ORegan, if somebody, settled or Traveller, was barred, he wouldnt serve them. Following an incident in his pub in 2014, he said, he refused a member of the Harty family who afterwards brought a discrimination charge against him but his case failed.

He told Mr Mooney he refused Christy Harty not because he is a member of the Traveller community but because he is a member of that family.

I didnt want any of that family in my pub, Mr ONeill said.

Mr Mooney submitted that Mr ONeill knew Christy Harty was a member of the Traveller Community. He is aware he is a Harty, that he bears that surname. Christy Harty was refused because he is a member of the Hartys who are members of the Traveller Community, Mr Mooney said.

Christy Harty did nothing whatsoever on that occasion to suggest to Mr ONeill that he was there to cause trouble. He is being tarnished with one brush because of who he is. I say that is prohibitive, Mr Mooney said.

Mr ORegan argued that his client Mr ONeills refusal was based on a previous barring which arose from an incident in his bar in 2014 and a separate, violent incident in the town.

Judge Larkin will deliver her judgement on May 7.
THE chief executive of the Shannon group is to leave the company in June to take up a similar role with the Ports of Jersey.

Matthew Thomas joined the Shannon Group in June 2016 and has overseen a period of growth across the groups activities.

Under his stewardship, passenger numbers at Shannon Airport grew to 1.86 million last year, up 6.5% on the previous year.

Meanwhile, the Shannon Free Zone business park is 94% occupied.

Group Chairperson Rose Hynes said: Over the last three years, each business within the group  Shannon Airport, Shannon Heritage and Shannon Commercial Properties has performed strongly despite often very challenging and uncertain commercial conditions.

She paid a warm tribute to Mr Thomas, who hails from Manchester in England.

For his part, Mr Thomas added: I feel privileged to have worked with an outstanding management team and, together with our dedicated and committed employees, weve really transformed the Group during the past three years.

Shannon Chamber president Mary Considine, currently the deputy chief executive will take on the role of acting head of the Shannon Group while a successor to Mr Thomas is sought.
ALMOST 1,150 people have signed an online petition in a bid to save a 200-year-old, riverside Georgian building in Limerick, which is due to be demolished as part of a new development.

As previously reported by the Limerick Leader, planning permission has been granted for the demolition of Curragower House at Clancys Strand, which was built between the late 1700s or early 1800s.

The development will include the demolition of the existing building, which is classified as a derelict dwelling, and the construction of a private dwelling, three apartment units and a cafe.

We believe the building is not yet beyond repair and we believe the proposed replacement is completely out of character with the area and unsympathetic to the heritage and visual amenity, the online petition states.

Clancy's Strand is especially important to Limerick City as it sits directly opposite Limerick's prime water frontage of Merchant's Quay and Arthur's Quay.

If you feel strongly about Limerick's heritage, if you feel strongly about the aesthetics of our city, please, please add your name to this petition.

Since the petition was launched online last week, it has since amassed 1,145 signatures.

The City authorities should be conserving our historical heritage, not enabling its destruction. We have already lost too much, one person who signed said.

An Taisce Limerick is currently considering if it will lodge an appeal to An Bord Pleanala (ABP) over the recent planning decision.

This is the third time the local authority has granted permission to demolish Curragower House, as ABP has refused to grant planning permission for its demolition on two previous occasions, according to An Taisce Limerick acting chair Michelle Hayes.

The planning application relates to a visually prominent riverside location and the proposed demolition of a Georgian building of this nature would greatly diminish the architectural heritage of this historical area of Limerick, Ms Hayes said.

An Taisce Limerick is considering the planning decision and will make a decision shortly on whether to Appeal to An Bord Pleanala.

In a submission made to Limerick City and County Council, the projects architects state the decision to demolish Curragower House was not considered in a flippant manner, and was influenced by several factors.

According to the submission, the existing building has suffered significant decline as it has been vacant for the last 19 years.

The building also suffered fires in 2004 and 2017, and was struck by lightning in March 2008, which damaged the roof and top floor wall.
MULTI-million euro plans to effectively double the size of the Castletroy Town Centre have been rejected by An Bord Pleanala.

The national appeals body has refused permission for the shopping centres expansion, following in the footsteps of planners from Limerick City and County Council.

Senator Maria Byrne, who had campaigned for the shopping centres expansion in conjunction with the enhancement of the city centre, said now is the time to focus on the latter.

We have to concentrate now on getting people into the city centre. While people in Castletroy were looking for an offering out there, we need to get footfall into the urban area, she told Leader Business.

Ms Byrne will be holding talks with the Limerick Chamber and management of Limerick City and County Council to achieve just this.

In its judgement, An Bord Pleanala ruled allowing the expansion would have a negative impact on Limerick city centre.

Under the plans, two new main anchor tenants would have been brought in, with 10 smaller outlets, four service units and a cafe.

The plans would have also included a two-storey car park with more that 600 spaces, plus 97 surface spaces.

The Board says it is not satisfied that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Limerick City Centre.

It would, therefore, be contrary to the provisions of development plans for the area, to the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in 2012 and to the proper planning and sustainable development of the locality.

Although the expansion could have brought with it up to 100 new positions, there was controversy in the urban area to the plans.

Several local businesses objected to the proposals, including the Limerick Chamber.

Management at the Castletroy Shopping Centre have been contacted for comment.




The Kaduna State High Court has adjourned the trial of the embattled leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat.

The adjournment followed the appointment of the trial judge, Justice Gideon Kudafa, as a member of the Election Petition Tribunal in Yobe State. El-Zakzaky and his wife were not in court during Mondays proceedings, although his counsel, Femi Falana, claimed that their absence was due to their deteriorated health conditions.

The prosecuting counsel, Daris Bayero, on his part explained that their absence was due to the posting of the presiding judge for Election Petition Tribunal assignment outside the state. The IMN leader is facing trial over allegations of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and disruption of public peace, among other charges.

He had been denied bail by the presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada, during the last sitting on January 22, 2018. In the application for bail filed by El Zakzakys lawyer, Femi Falana, on his behalf at the last sitting, the legal practitioner prayed the court to give a mandatory order for his client and his wife to be flown abroad.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that this was to enable them to receive proper medical attention since the Federal Government has glaringly failed to cure them of the injuries they sustained during the alleged armys onslaught on their residence in December 2015.

He argued that El Zakzaky had in January 2018 suffered stroke in detention and since the reported attack by the soldiers three years ago, he has not been allowed to optimally access good healthcare. While adjourning the case, Justice Kurada said the court cannot accede to the request of the defendant to travel abroad for medical treatment.

He, however, ordered that El Zakzaky should be allowed by the government to bring doctors of his choice to examine him in the presence of doctors from the government before the date of the next sitting. The judge had also ordered that the Shiites leader and his wife be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) throughout the period of their trial.




Parliament observed a minute silence for victims of the tragic shooting in New Zealand but there was no tribute on Ghanaian tragedy that left 62 passengers dead.

The MPs also paid tributes to victims of a natural disaster in Southern Africa in which a cyclone left in its wake over 750 deaths and displaced in devastated infrastructure. That tragedy occurred March 14, 2019 more than a week ago.

The New Zealand tragedy occurred March 15, 2019, some ten days ago.

The road carnage on the Kintampo-Techiman road in the Bono East region happened last Friday. Another accident the same day on the Cape Coast road increased the death toll of the two accidents to more than 60.

On the floor of Parliament Monday, New Patriotic Party MP for Offinso South Constituency, Ben Abdallah Banda , read a statement commiserating with the government of New Zealand.

The NPP MP said the murder of Muslims inside the Al Noor Mosque at Christchurch, New Zealand sought to callously bereave 50 families and send about 15 countries whose nationals were victims, crying and wailing.

Mr. Speaker, the Parliament of Ghana is united in grief with New Zealanders, he said in a four-page statement that expressed fears global peaces appears to be on the brink of collapse.

He decried what he said was growing radicalisation, terrorism, extremism and xenophobia, traits associated with the suspect, Brenton Harrison Tarrant.

NDC North Tongu MP Okudzeto Ablakwa read a statement on the Southern African tragedy that has left at least 259 people in Zimbabwe, 56 in Malawi, and at least 417 in Mozambique dead.

Addressing the House in his three-page statement, the North Tongu MP called the situation in these countries dire and urgent.

I propose most humbly, Mr. Speaker, if it pleases you, that we all as members of Parliament make voluntary donations, in cash or in kind which will be put together and donated to our fellow Africans in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

He brought in a quote by Mother Theresa, If you cant feed a hundred, feed one and referred to Ghanaian support given to Japan after devastating earthquakes in the 90s, $3million to Haiti over earthquakes there and 2014 support to countries affected by the deadly Ebola virus.

Ghanaians are still reeling from the shocking death toll last Friday. A mother has said she lost her husband and son in the Kintampo-Techiman carnage.




Nigerian media personality, Ohimai Amaize popularly known as Mr Fix Nigeria, has reacted after Waje complained about the situation of things in Nigeria's music industry and worried she might have to quit music (read here).

Reacting to the video of Waje narrating her plight, Ohimai wrote: "I feel sorry for Nigeria. Creatives like Waje don't get appreciated and never really get the right kind of support in a place like Nigeria. Nigeria is the problem here, not Waje. Our system sucks. A system that downgrades the very best but promotes the fake and the empty!




The investigation and arrest bureau of the Central Backup Department in Tajoura, east of Tripoli, freed three Nigerien nationals after being kidnapped by two Malian nationals.

The Interior Ministry said the three abductees were kidnapped by the two Malian nationals for ransom.

It added that one of the abductees called his relatives for the ransom and his relatives contacted the investigation and arrest bureau in Tajoura for intervention.

The ministry also said that it had put to work a security plan to arrest the kidnappers and free the kidnapped, adding that one of them escaped and the other was arrested in the operation.

It also said that the arrested kidnapper and the abductees were sent to Tajoura police station for further legal procedures.




A pilot, Charl Viljoen, has died after crashing a plane into a club in Botswana in a bid to kill his wife after they had an argument.

Viljoen was reported to have stormed out of the clubhouse where his wife was attending a baby shower before stealing a small aircraft.

He allegedly made a number of threatening fly-pasts and a menacing phone call to someone at the club, prompting guests to flee for safety.

Footage showed the plane flying barely above the ground before it crashed into the venue near Mochudi, Botswana, close to the countrys border with South Africa.




Saudi Arabia is reportedly heading for the record number of beheadings and crucifixions in 2019 if their executions continue at the present rate.

Daily Mail TV reported that the desert kingdom have already executed 43 people in the first three months of this year and the most recent was a Syrian man who was put to death on March 13th for smuggling amphetamine pills.

21 others have been beheaded for drugs offences, while others were executed for crimes which carry the death penalty like adultery, renouncing Islam, treason, espionage, burglary as well as murder, terrorism, rape or espionage.

According to the publication, if this rate continues, 172 will have been put to death by the end of the year more than ever before.

In the ranking, Saudi Arabia is still in third place behind China and Iran, where between 249 and 285 people respectively were executed in 2018. In 4th and 5th place are Iraq and Pakistan.

The figures were compiled by human rights groups such as Death Penalty Worldwide, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
In another incident, a Northbrook resident reported on March 6 receiving an email from someone who the resident believed was their supervisor. The email asked the resident to purchase $10,000 in gift cards. The resident made purchases at several locations to fill the request, but eventually grew suspicious that it was all a ruse and did not send all of the gift cards that had been asked for.
A GIF showing the tail and fireball of a meteor that exploded over the Bering Sea on Dec. 18, 2018. No one saw the explosion coming, but NASA's Terra satellite captured this view looking down through the clouds.

A meteor that snuck by the world's telescopes and exploded over the Bering Sea was caught on camera after all.

Two instruments on NASA's Terra satellite caught images of the fireball explosion on Dec. 18, 2018. The meteor's trail is visible in the top portion of the photo as a dark, streak-like shadow on the cloud tops. Toward the lower right of the image is an orange cloud of superheated air created by the explosion.

NASA scientists estimate that the meteor was 32 feet (10 meters) in diameter and weighed 1,500 tons (1,360 metric tons). It blasted through the atmosphere at 71,582 mph (115,200 km/h) and exploded 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface of the ocean. It exploded with the power of 173 kilotons of TNT, 10 times the energy of the atomic bomb dropped by the United States over Hiroshima in 1945. [Top 10 Greatest Explosions Ever]

Small but mighty

Despite this power, the meteor was smaller than the space rocks on which NASA focuses its sky-scanning resources. The space agency watches for near-Earth objects in the range of 460 feet (140 m) across and larger, which would wipe out an entire U.S. state.

That small size and the remoteness of the Bering Sea explains why this image of the asteroid comes only after the fact. It was captured by Terra's Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS) and its Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR).

The meteor that exploded over the Bering Sea on Dec. 18, 2018, was 32 feet (10 meters) in diameter and weighed 1,500 tons (1,360 metric tons). (Image credit: NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL-Caltech, MISR Team)

According to NASA, the fireball was the largest observed since 2013, but posed no threat given how high it was when it exploded and the fact that the explosion occurred over an unpopulated region. A scientist with NASA, near-Earth object observation program manager Kelly Fast, publicized the explosion last week in a presentation at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas.

Historical fireballs

Space rocks are a rare danger on Earth, but meteors do occasionally cause problems. The most dramatic fireball in recent memory was the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor, which streaked over Russia and exploded about 18.5 miles (29.7 km) above the ground. [See Images of the Russian Meteor Explosion]

That meteor was approximately 66 feet (20 m) in diameter, twice the size of the Bering Sea fireball. It exploded with a blast equivalent to 400 to 500 kilotons of TNT, and the shock wave injured more than 1,000 people, 112 seriously enough to be admitted to the hospital. Most were hurt by glass shattered by the explosion, though some experienced eye pain and ultraviolet burns from the intense light and heat of the blast.

The Chelyabinsk meteor was the biggest to enter the atmosphere since the meteor that caused the Tunguska event in 1908. On June 30 of that year, a meteor exploded 6 miles (10 km) or so above Eastern Siberia, flattening hundreds of square miles of forests. It's unclear how large the Tunguska meteor was, but the lowest estimates put it at three times the size of the Chelyabinsk meteor.

Originally published on Live Science.
Why hasn't Earth received any messages from extraterrestrials yet? Perhaps because we're already unwitting inhabitants in a so-called galactic zoo.

This was one of the scenarios a group of international researchers explored on March 18 at a meeting organized by the nonprofit organization Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI). The gathering, which took place at the City of Science and Industry museum in Paris (Cite), brought together about 60 scientists who research the possibility of communication with hypothetical intelligent extraterrestrials.

There, they debated "The Great Silence"  why aliens haven't contacted us  exploring one possibility known as the "zoo hypothesis." First proposed in the 1970s, it describes Earth as a planet that is already under observation by "galactic zookeepers" who are deliberately concealing themselves from human detection, Forbes reported. [9 Strange, Scientific Excuses for Why Humans Haven't Found Aliens Yet]

"When we try to better understand the universe, the question of whether we are alone is unavoidable," meeting attendee Florence Raulin-Cerceau, an associate professor at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, told Paris-Match.

That Earth would be the lone planet to evolve and host intelligent life among potentially billions of planets in our galaxy alone seems very unlikely. But if there are intelligent extraterrestrials out there, where are they, and why haven't we found them yet? This conundrum, posed in 1950 by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi, is known as the Fermi Paradox, and it still stymies experts today.

Fermi didn't live to see evidence of the first exoplanets, which were discovered decades after his death. Since 2014, NASA's Kepler space telescope has confirmed the existence of hundreds of distant worlds, and its findings have hinted at potentially 2,300 more. And yet, despite these exciting exoplanet discoveries, contact with extraterrestrials seems no closer now than it did in Fermi's day.

Under alien observation?

One explanation that scientists explored at the METI meeting, is that aliens are aware of Earth and are observing us as we would observe animals kept in a zoo, METI President Douglas Vakoch said in a workshop. If this is the case, humans should increase their efforts to create messages capable of reaching our "keepers," to demonstrate our intelligence, Vakoch explained.

For example, if a captive zebra were to suddenly tap out a pattern of prime numbers, humans would be required to re-evaluate their understanding of zebra cognition, "and we would be compelled to respond," according to EarthSky.

But what if we're not part of a vast alien zoo  what if, instead, humanity has been evaluated by alien civilizations, and subsequently "quarantined" from our galactic neighbors?

It's possible that extraterrestrials are actively isolating us from contact for our own good, because interacting with aliens would be "culturally disruptive" for Earth, meeting co-chair Jean-Pierre Rospars, honorary research director at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), said in a workshop.

Of course, it's also likely that we haven't heard from aliens because they're locked under a layer of ice in subsurface oceans; trapped on massive "super-Earth" worlds by gravity's intense pull; or dead because their advanced civilizations have already destroyed themselves  as humanity might  through runaway consumption of their planet's natural resources.

Though, maybe if we want to hear from aliens we just need to relax and be patient. After all, Earth has been around for 4.6 billion years, while extraterrestrial research is less than 100 years old, Paris-Match reported.

Originally published on Live Science.
Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea around A.D. 26-37 and is most famous for presiding over the trial of Jesus, as described in the Bible.

"In the Christian tradition, Pontius Pilate is forever associated with one event," wrote Warren Carter, a professor of New Testament at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas, in his book "Pontius Pilate: Portraits of a Roman Governor" (Liturgical Press, 2003). Pilate "used his life-and-death power as governor to execute Jesus of Nazareth in Jerusalem around the year 30."

Despite his biblical fame, little is known about Pilate. Only a small number of historical accounts and artifacts that date close to his lifetime survive today. [10 Fascinating Biblical-Era Discoveries from 2018]

"With this limited information, we cannot write a biography of Pilate, get inside his head, understand how he ticked," Carter wrote. "We simply do not have basic information about him, let alone anything that would enable us to understand his psychological makeup and workings."

Centuries after Pilate's life, some Christians developed a positive view of the prefect, with a few churches even recognizing him as a saint. However, the surviving first-century writings tell of a prefect who was willing to use lethal force on unarmed protesters and who presided over a massacre so bad that he was recalled to Rome.

Historical accounts

The surviving records say almost nothing about Pilate's life before he became prefect of Judea or after he was recalled to Rome.

"On the basis of information about other [Roman] governors and about how the Roman imperial system maintained control, we can reasonably guess that Pilate probably had some sort of military career in which he most likely distinguished himself in some way as an officer," Carter wrote. "We can also be fairly confident that he belonged to the upper stratum of Roman society, that his family was wealthy."

The Book of Matthew claims Pilate's wife had a dream about Jesus. "While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: 'Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.'" Matthew 27:19.

The ancient writers Philo (20 B.C.-A.D. 50) and Josephus (A.D. 37-100) both described incidents in which Pilate offended the Jews. Philo wrote that Pilate had shields dedicated to Emperor Tiberius set up at Herod's palace, in Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem took offense at this although historians are not entirely certain why. Ancient Jewish customs do not allow the veneration or widespread display of human images and it's possible that the prominent display of the Emperor's name was seen as violating religious custom.

Philo claimed that the people of Jerusalem protested the display of the shields and sent letters to the Roman Emperor Tiberius asking for the shields to be taken down. Tiberius wrote to Pilate rebuking his decision to display the shields and ordered that they be removed. Philo wrote that Pilate was afraid that the people would tell Tiberius of "the briberies, the insults, the robberies, the outrages and wanton injuries, the executions without trial constantly repeated, the ceaseless and supremely grievous cruelty" that Pilate allegedly committed. Despite his fear, Pilate did not take down the shields, and it's not known whether the people told Tiberius of Pilate's alleged misdeeds (translation by English classicist F. H. Colson).

Josephus told of another, more serious incident in which flags were displayed in Jerusalem that had the name and possibly the image of Tiberius.

In Josephus' book "The Jewish War," the ancient historian wrote that the flag display "caused great excitement among the Jews; for those who were near were amazed at the sight, which meant that their laws had been trampled on  they do not permit any graven image to be set up in the city  and the angry city mob was joined by a huge influx of people from the country" (translation by English classist G.A. Williamson).

The people asked that the flags be taken down. When Pilate refused, people went to his house and remained outside for five days, facing the ground (translation by Williamson).

Pilate had soldiers surround the protesters and threatened to kill them if they didn't accept the flags. "At this, the Jews, as though by agreement, fell to the ground in a body and bent their necks, shouting that they were ready to be killed rather than transgress the law," Josephus wrote (translation by Williamson). Pilate backed down, ordering the flags be removed from Jerusalem.

Josephus also claimed that Pilate used money from a sacred treasury to build an aqueduct, something that further enraged Jewish opinion against him. This enraged the populace and they went to the tribunal and shouted at Pilate, wrote Josephus (translation by Williamson). Pilate had his soldiers club many of the protesters, and "the fate of those who perished horrified the crowd into silence," Josephus wrote.

In his book "Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus claimed that Pilate massacred a group of Samaritans (a group that lives within Israel) who were trying to climb Mount Gerizim to search for vessels buried by Moses. Shortly after this incident, Pilate was replaced in Judea by a man named Marcellus and sent back to Rome. Historical records do not say what happened to him after he returned to Rome.

This inscription contains the name of Pontius Pilate. It is one of a small number of artifacts associated with him that survive today. (Image credit: Alex Donin/Shutterstock)

Artifacts

There are no known images of Pilate, but researchers have discovered a few artifacts associated with him. Among those are bronze coins that were minted in Judea between A.D. 29 and 32. The coins have pagan vessels on one side and designs used in ancient Judaism on the other.

"The fact that one side of each coin always bears a purely Jewish design may suggest that Pilate deliberately depicted both Jewish and Roman symbols in an attempt to continue the attempt of Herod I and his successors to integrate Judaea further into the Empire," wrote Helen Bond, head of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in her book "Pontius Pilate in History and Interpretation" (Cambridge University Press, 1998).

Another artifact associated with Pilate is an inscription discovered in 1961 in a Roman theater at the site of Caesarea. It gives Pilate's name and states that he is prefect of Judea. It also has the name of Emperor Tiberius. Little else of the inscription has survived.

A more uncertain artifact is a copper finger ring with an inscription saying, "of Pilatus," that was found at Herodium, a palace built for King Herod. The ring was discovered during excavations conducted from 1968 to1969. While it's unlikely that Pilate himself wore a simple finger ring made of copper, it's possible that it belongs to someone who had a connection to the prefect and decided to use his last name.

Jesus' trial

Virtually everything known about Pilate's role in the trial of Jesus comes from the Bible. A passage in Josephus' "Antiquities of the Jews" mentions Jesus. But many historians believe that the passage was not written by Josephus himself but was added later by a scribe copying the historian's book. [10 Biggest Historical Mysteries That Will Probably Never Be Solved]

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have different accounts of the trial, but all four agree that Pilate was reluctant to execute Jesus, believing that the accused had not committed an offense warranting crucifixion. The four gospels all claim that a crowd that included the chief priests encouraged Pilate to find Jesus guilty and crucify him.

The Gospel of Matthew says that when Pilate failed to convince the crowd that Jesus was innocent, the prefect "took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'" Matthew 27:24.

The four gospels all claim that Pilate offered the crowd a choice between freeing Barabbas, a man accused of leading a violent rebellion, or Jesus, and the crowd asked that Barabbas be freed.

The Gospel of John claims that Jesus and Pilate had a philosophical debate during the trial. "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me," Jesus said. And Pilate asked, "What is truth?"

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About a century before the fall of the Byzantine Empire  the eastern portion of the vast Roman Empire  signs of its impending doom were written in garbage.

Archaeologists recently investigated accumulated refuse in trash mounds at a Byzantine settlement called Elusa in Israel's Negev Desert. They found that the age of the trash introduced an intriguing new timeline for the Byzantine decline, scientists reported in a new study. [The Holy Land: 7 Amazing Archaeological Finds]

The researchers discovered that trash disposal  once a well-organized and reliable service in outpost cities like Elusa  ceased around the middle of the sixth century, about 100 years prior to the empire's collapse. At that time, a climate event known as the Late Antique Little Ice Age was taking hold in the Northern Hemisphere, and an epidemic known as the Justinian plague raged through the Roman Empire, eventually killing over 100 million people.

Together, disease and climate change took a devastating economic toll and loosened Rome's grip on its lands to the east a century earlier than once thought, according to the study.

Seeds recovered from the Elusa trash mound. (Image credit: Image courtesy of Guy Bar-Oz)

Finding treasure in trash

Elusa was already partly excavated, but the new investigation was the first to explore the site's long-ignored trash heaps, lead study author Guy Bar-Oz, a professor of archaeology at the University of Haifa in Israel, told Live Science in an email.

Unlike the architecture of an ancient city, which could be repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, landfills steadily accumulated over time, creating continuous records of human activity. Clues found in preserved garbage dumps could thereby reveal if a city was thriving or in trouble.

"For me, it was clear that the true gold mine of data about daily life and what urban existence in the past really looked like was in the garbage," Bar-Oz said.

In the dump sites, the scientists found a variety of objects: ceramic pot sherds, seeds, olive pits, charcoal from burned wood and even evidence of discarded "gourmet foods" imported from the Red Sea and the Nile, the study authors reported.

Ground surveys, drone photos and excavations revealed mountains of trash spanning 150 years. (Image credit: Image courtesy of Guy Bar-Oz)

The scientists carbon-dated organic material such as seeds and charcoal in layers of trash mounds located near the city. They found that trash had built up in that location over a period of about 150 years and that the accumulation terminated in the middle of the sixth century. This suggested there was a failure of infrastructure, which happens when a city is about to collapse, the researchers noted.

Based on the new evidence, researchers concluded that Elusa's decline began at least a century before Islamic rule wrested control of the region from the Romans. In fact, Elusa was struggling during a period that was relatively peaceful and stable; it was during this time that the Roman Emperor Justinian was expanding the empire's boundaries across Europe, Africa and Asia, Bar-Oz said.

With the empire enjoying "a period of glorious success," it would seem logical to expect that its outposts would be financially secure, Bar-Oz said. Yet the data the researchers collected suggested the opposite.

"Instead, we are seeing a signal for what was really going on at that time and which has long been nearly invisible to most archaeologists  that the empire was being plagued by climatic disaster and disease," Bar-Oz explained.

The findings were published online today (March 25) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Originally published on Live Science.
Melting glaciers are revealing dozens of dead bodies on the world's tallest mountain, according to news reports.

The treacherous journey to the summit of Mount Everest is riddled with obstacles  falling ice, ragged terrain, biting temperatures and incredible heights that cause altitude sickness. While nearly 5,000 people have successfully climbed the mountain, another 300 are thought to have died along the way. [The World's Tallest Mountains]

Some of these bodies ended up covered in ice and remained hidden that way for many years. But now, climate change is accelerating the ice melt around them, exposing multiple limbs and bodies, the BBC reported March 21.

Indeed, last year, a group of researchers found that the ice on Everest was warmer than average, and a study conducted four years ago found that ponds on the mountain were expanding with melting ice water, according to the BBC. But its not only melting glaciers that are exposing these bodies  its also the movement of the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal.

Most of the dead bodies are turning up at the Khumbu Icefall, one of the most dangerous spots on the mountain. There, blocks of ice can unexpectedly collapse and glaciers can slip several feet downhill per day, the Washington Post reported in 2015. In 2014, 16 climbers were killed at once in that area, crushed under falling ice.

Removing bodies from the mountain is a delicate, dangerous and extremely costly task riddled with legal constraints. Nepals law, for example, requires government agencies to be involved when dealing with them, according to the BBC.

Whats more, "most climbers like to be left on the mountains if they died" there, Alan Arnette, a mountaineer told the BBC.

Originally published on Live Science.
Maritime, logistics and port services company Noatum Maritime is set to acquire a US$600-million turnover international logistics capability by buying global logistics company MIQ Logistics, a move that will almost triple the Spain-headquartered logistics companys direct territorial logistics presence to 24 countries.

Noatum Logistics, the Noatum Maritime division specialising in logistics, international transport and customs, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire MIQ Logistics, which is based in the US and has more than 60 offices in 19 countries. The agreement is expected to close in the coming weeks and with it to significantly expand Noatums logistics capability, with Noatum currently present in 10 countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Morocco, Algeria, Chile, Turkey, USA, UEA and China.

Noatum noted: Once the agreement has been concluded, Noatum Logistics will have made a strategic leap as one of the world's leading companies in its field, contributing greater added value to the logistics chain of all clients. With a consolidated turnover of more than 600 million USD, it will be present in 24 countries, combining operational and commercial synergies.

Noatum Logistics had posted significant increases in its activity in recent years. With this acquisition, it will become a leading global logistics provider.

In addition to almost tripling its current presence by incorporating markets that are crucial for complementing its global range of services, the acquisition will add strategic countries including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Malaysia in Asia; the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in Europe; Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Peru in Latin America and the United States. In addition to these countries, Noatum Logistics has offices in Chile, Turkey, Portugal, Algeria, Morocco and Spain.

With the same strategic business vision, in-depth knowledge and specialization of its professionals, Noatum Logistics will expand its multicultural character and innovative spirit by offering specific and valuable services for clients supply chain in different industrial sectors, the company said. Meanwhile, Noatum Logistics will keep its current network of agent partners, and continue to work to strengthen its relationships.

The company said the workforces of MIQ Logistics and Noatum Logistics will be integrated, as there is no geographical overlap except in Chile, where the services complement each other. It added: The consolidation of Noatum Logistics and MIQ Logistics will increase the geographical presence and will also significantly boost synergies with the groups other two divisions: Noatum Maritime Services and Noatum Terminals.

Noatum said the acquisition was part of the groups Strategic Plan, and makes Noatum Maritime, which is based in Spain, one of the leading groups in its sector on an international scale, with more than 2,400 employees and a direct presence in 26 countries.

Antonio Campoy, CEO of Noatum Maritime, said: Once the agreement has been concluded, with this acquisition, our Group will make a strategic leap. In a complex global context, in which business specialisation and the value of the logistics chain are crucial, Noatum Maritime will be significantly enhancing its international presence with the acquisition of MIQ Logistics, which will become part of our Noatum Logistics division.

Rafael Torres, CEO of Noatum Logistics, commented: MIQ Logistics has the same strategic business vision related to industrial diversification, and we will be almost tripling our direct territorial presence with different offices and locations. Both companies fully complement each other, and Noatum Logistics will have a global reach for the benefit of all our clients.

John Carr, CEO of MIQ Logistics, commented: We are excited to be part of Noatum Logistics, which will give us industrial strength and the capacity for development. Together, we will be able to grow more quickly, ensuring our employees and clients' satisfaction at all times. This is the right move, at the right time with the right company.

MIQ Logistics, which is based in Overland Park, Kansas (USA), was established in 2000 and was acquired by Austin Ventures from YRC Worldwide in 2010. MIQ Logistics currently has a direct presence with 15 locations in the United States; 11 countries and 26 locations in Asia; 13 locations in Latin America and 8 in Europe.

Noatum Maritime is a leading company in maritime, logistics and port services, and is structured in three business units: Noatum Maritime Services, Noatum Terminals and Noatum Logistics. The Group has offices in North and South America, Europe, North Africa, the Arabic Gulf and Asia.

Noatum Logistics operates as an integrated logistics operator through its own companies and a wide network of agents. Noatum Maritime Services covers a wide range of services, ranging from shipping agency to commercial representation, including specialised transport solutions. It also provides auxiliary services related to land transport, storage and distribution. Noatum Terminals is one of the leading port operators in Spain. With specialised terminals for bulk, general cargo and vehicles, it is present in fifteen Spanish ports and in the Khalifa Port (United Arab Emirates).

Image: Shutterstock.com
"No group of prosecutors and supporting personnel ever have labored under greater public scrutiny," the special counsel report declares on its opening page. "Every decision seemed to be a delicate one and previously uncharted courses frequently had to be faced. Each action occurred in the midst of a national turmoil."

It was 1975, and the Watergate Special Prosecution Force had just issued a lengthy report after 28 months investigating Richard Nixon's administration and his campaign. Let it not be said we've never been here before.

They form an odd American literary genre: reports by special counsels and select congressional committees on presidential wrongdoing. They carry the weight of official history yet are contested on arrival, even before. Their authors are prosecutors and lawmakers, so the texts can veer from dense to prosaic to dramatic. The documents identify possible crimes and other misdeeds at the highest level, yet their political implications tend to overpower all else.

Robert S. Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election - which he delivered to Attorney General William P. Barr on Friday - does not just complete two years of investigation, indictment, prosecution, and, of course, nonstop speculation and anticipation. It will also take its place alongside works on presidential scandals past. And Mueller will join the ranks of Sam Ervin, Archibald Cox, Leon Jaworski, Lawrence Walsh and Kenneth Starr.

The Watergate, Iran-contra and Clinton-Lewinsky special investigations reflect the struggles of our government to hold itself accountable; they exist because normal checks and balances failed. Yet, beyond their marshaling of facts and revelations of malfeasance, particularly striking are these reports' warnings to future generations on how to avert the kinds of scandals they examined and, more prophetically, why they recur. Embedded in all of these reports are strident calls for reform, urgent pleas for citizens to defend their democracy, grudging conclusions that new laws or old guardrails alone will not protect us, and, above all, the simple exhortation to elect leaders of integrity.

These documents speak to our moment. If they feel at times like they were written for us, that's because they were. Mueller's inquest exists not just because we have failed to police ourselves. It exists because we have failed to listen.

---

Sam Ervin, the North Carolina Democrat and chairman-turned-hero of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, wanted readers to know that Watergate wasn't fake news. "Watergate was not invented by enemies of the Nixon Administration or even by the news media," he wrote in his opening statement to the committee's massive 1974 report. "On the contrary, Watergate was perpetrated upon America by White House and political aides, whom President Nixon himself had entrusted with the management of his campaign for re-election." Such aides, Ervin noted in a dry aside, often lacked the credentials or experience befitting their posts, save for their loyalty to the president - a malady that has struck the current White House in concentrated form.

The report of the Ervin committee, appearing just weeks before Nixon's resignation, detailed the offenses of the Watergate era: the broad effort to destroy the integrity of the electoral process, the hush-money payments and assurances of clemency for some of the original break-in defendants, the use of federal agencies as instruments of political revenge and electoral machination, and so much more.

In his lengthy and eloquent coda to the report, Sen. Lowell P. Weicker (R-Conn.) lamented the way Nixon's allies tolerated such abuses. "A Constitutional stillness was over the land," he wrote. The Nixon-era misdeeds matter not only "because they contain sensational crimes, but because they confirm a misuse of the intended functions of important institutions." Watergate, he explained, "reflects a departure from legitimate government that if allowed to persist would be of far greater significance, over time, than any short-term criminal event." Similarly, today, the popular fixation on "collusion" as the burden of proof for the Mueller report - a view President Trump has done much to encourage - could lead the public to overlook the insidious erosion of standards of official behavior, inadvertently legitimizing what was once considered illegitimate or inappropriate, even if not illegal.

The report on the Iran-contra scandal by special counsel Lawrence E. Walsh is instructive here. Though Walsh concluded that President Ronald Reagan's personal conduct "fell well short of criminality which could be successfully prosecuted," the president nonetheless "created the conditions which made possible the crimes committed by others." Reagan made clear to his subordinates that he wanted the contras sustained "body and soul," as he put it, despite a congressional ban on U.S. aid to the Nicaraguan rebels. Reagan officials who were convicted or pleaded guilty later saw their verdicts overturned on what Walsh considered technicalities, while others received pre-emptive presidential pardons. "The failure to punish governmental lawbreakers feeds the perception that public officials are not wholly accountable for their actions," Walsh complained. "It also may lead the public to believe that no real wrongdoing took place." The general haziness with which the Iran-contra scandal is often recalled - unlike the historical consensus around Watergate and the partisan divide enveloping the Clinton impeachment - suggests that Walsh was right.

It is precisely the actions of such subordinates, at all levels, that determine the impact of a president's worst impulses. During Watergate, the Nixon White House pressured executive agencies to fund projects, promote initiatives and fill jobs with an eye toward the president's reelection needs; the effort was known internally as the Responsiveness Program. But the White House encountered "considerable resistance in the Federal establishment to bending the system to fit reelection purposes," the Senate Watergate report explained approvingly. (Behold the "deep state," slow-walking the 1970s!) Two decades later, Walsh would encourage that reaction. "When a President, even with good motive and intent, chooses to skirt the laws or to circumvent them, it is incumbent upon his subordinates to resist, not join in," Walsh wrote. Their oath is to the Constitution, "not to the man temporarily occupying the Oval Office."

The main instruments of special counsels are indictments and prosecutions, but their reports also call for bold, innovative reforms of government. After wrestling with whether it could indict a sitting president, the Watergate Special Prosecution Force - yes, that was the stone-cold name of the special prosecutor's team - suggested a constitutional amendment to resolve the matter. Its report also recommended that presidents not nominate, and the Senate not confirm, any candidates for attorney general who had held senior roles in the president's campaign. The memory of John Mitchell, who had served as Nixon's campaign manager in 1968 and who later as attorney general was implicated in the Watergate scandal, loomed large, no doubt, but the dueling imperatives of an attorney general - as both a key Cabinet member serving the president and as the nation's top law enforcement officer - would trouble other special counsels, too.

Walsh, for instance, noted the "irreconcilable conflict" an attorney general faced in the case of high-level wrongdoing in the executive branch. He complained that Attorney General Edwin Meese, who appointed the Iran-contra special counsel in 1986, "had already become, in effect, the President's defense lawyer," whereas Meese's successor, Richard Thornburgh, engaged in "unprecedented and unwarranted intrusion" into Walsh's prosecution efforts. Trump, for his part, has at times expressed his desire for loyalty from law enforcement officials, and he never seemed to forgive his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, who had also been a high-profile Trump campaign surrogate and adviser, for recusing himself from the Russia investigation.

The Senate report on Watergate also called for a number of reforms, or "remedial legislation," as its mandate required, including the creation of a Public Attorney's Office, a sort of permanent special prosecutor appointed by the judiciary and confirmed by the Senate, with the mandate to prosecute criminal cases involving a conflict of interest in the executive branch. (Other authorities, including the Watergate Special Prosecution Force, were less than enthused about the proposal, and it eventually died.) And the committee's vice chairman, Sen. Howard Baker (R-Tenn.) - who uttered the immortal "What did the president know, and when did he know it?" query during the Watergate hearings - suggested the abolition of the electoral college as well as the repeal of the 22nd Amendment, so that second-term presidents could stand for re-election and thus face accountability from voters.

Whatever their merits, the proliferating reform proposals flowed from a conclusion common to many of these reports: that the normal checks and balances of the American system were no longer sufficient. In the Senate Watergate report, Sen. Weicker hailed the separation of powers as "one of our foremost Constitutional doctrines" but acknowledged that the system's success is not automatic, since it "depends to a large degree on self-adherence and restraint by those in a position to upset the balance." Such restraint was in short supply in the Watergate era - and in others, too. Walsh was particularly blunt at the conclusion of his Iran-contra report. In finding that the president, various aides and major Cabinet officers had skirted or broken the law and attempted to hide that fact, Walsh asked: "What protection do the people of the United States have against such a concerted action by such powerful officers?" When the executive branch provides false, incomplete or misleading information to Congress, "the rightly celebrated constitutional checks and balances are inadequate, alone, to preserve the rule of law."

How then, to prevent such actions? "Law is not self-executing," Ervin admitted. "Unfortunately, at times its execution rests in the hands of those who are faithless to it." To deserve public office, then, individuals must "understand and be dedicated to the true purpose of government, which is to promote the good of the people, and entertain the abiding conviction that a public office is a public trust, which must never be abused to secure private advantage," Ervin wrote. They must also possess intellectual and moral rectitude. "The only sure antidote for future Watergates is understanding of fundamental principles and intellectual and moral integrity in the men and women who achieve or are entrusted with governmental or political power."

In periods of intense partisan and cultural division, traditional safeguards break down because traditional representation is lacking. Political parties, for instance, usually serve as a mediating force between constituencies and those who govern, but "when the parties do not function well, individual citizens feel a loss of control over politics and Government," Weicker wrote. "They find themselves powerless to influence events. Voting seems futile; politics seems pointless. The political process crosses the line ... and things go badly for America." That seems as true in the late 2010s as it did in the early 1970s.

***

The Starr report on the Clinton-Lewinsky saga of the late 1990s reads like the most overtly partisan of these tomes, even making the case for impeaching Clinton in its first sentence. Yet it unexpectedly offers one of the most optimistic passages. In an otherwise gross conversation it recounts between the president and political adviser Dick Morris, Clinton fesses up to his relationship with Monica Lewinsky - "I've tried to shut my body down, sexually, I mean ... with this girl I just slipped up" - and worries about independent counsel Ken Starr and the whole "legal thing." Morris, hardly an exemplar of virtue, nonetheless assures him that there is "a great capacity for forgiveness in this country and you should consider tapping into it."

Such belief in the virtue of the people emerges throughout these reports - an unexpected epilogue to their relentless documenting of the seamy side of American public life. But maybe there really is no one else left to depend upon. "This won't be the Watergate to end all Watergates," Weicker concluded. "Other men will tape the doors of America in other times. Whether they succeed will be a matter of spirit." Ervin, for one, believed that spirit had been roused by the horrors of the presidential abuse he helped expose. "The American people have been re-awakened to the task democracy imposes upon them - steadfast vigilance of the conduct of the public officials they choose to lead them." And the Watergate Special Prosecution Force recalled how, when Nixon ordered the firing of the original special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, "Americans rose in anger ... When vigilance erupted, institutions responded."

Has vigilance - or should we call it "resistance" - erupted today as well? Ervin described how critics of Nixon were branded as "enemies" by the president's circle, while administration-friendly journalists argued that the Senate committee members were "biased and irresponsible" and that allegations of White House wrongdoing were merely the "venomous machinations of a hostile and unreliable press." The playbook is familiar. Perhaps such public-spiritedness is harder to harness, or simply less effective, with today's relentless assault on investigators and opponents.

So we look to Mueller's report, expecting so much from it - even when the lesson from Mueller's predecessors is that, in truth, they demand far more from us.

Reports cited in this essay:

(BEGIN ITAL)The Senate Watergate Report: The Final Report of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities(END ITAL). Carroll & Graf Publishers. 775 pp. 1974.

(BEGIN ITAL)Watergate Special Prosecution Force Report.(END ITAL) U.S. Government Printing Office. 277 pp. 1975.

(BEGIN ITAL)Iran-Contra: The Final Report.(END ITAL) By Lawrence E. Walsh. Times Books. 572 pp. 1994.

(BEGIN ITAL)The Starr Report: The Findings of Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr on President Clinton and the Lewinsky Affair. (END ITAL)PublicAffairs Reports. 421 pp. 1998.
The work will coincide with the village reconstructing several parking lots in the central business district with permeable pavers. The lots to be redone are Parking Lot 8, at Harris and Madison avenues, and the surface lot next to the village parking structure on Harris Avenue.
The City of Laredo Health Department said it would like to alert the public about the recall by Kingston Pharma of Massena, New York of its 2-fluid ounce bottles of DG/health "NATURALS baby Cough Syrup + Mucus" Lot KL180157 due to the potential of being contaminated with bacteria (bacillus cereus/bacillus circulans).

READ ALSO: California grower recalls avocados

This bacteria may produce gastrointestinal illness (vomiting and diarrhea). Most often, illnesses are mild and self-limiting, although more serious and even lethal cases have occurred. Individuals at risk for more severe forms of illness include infants, young children and others with weakened immune systems.

Although no illnesses have been reported to date, the local Health Department encourages the public to check if they have this and return it to the business where they purchased for a full refund. Health Department staff are checking stores for this product and lot number to ensure the removal of this product from the shelves.
Retired Marine Lt. Col. Justin Constantine, an Iraq War veteran, inspirational speaker, author and attorney, will be the keynote speaker at the launching of the Center for Economic Growth's Veteran Connect Center.

The launching will be from 4:45 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 in the King Street Courtyard at the Desmond Hotel, Albany Shaker Road, Colonie.

Details on the new Veteran Connect Center will be announced.

The event is free but registration is required. To register, visit http://www.ceg.org/event/launch-veteran-connect-center/

Veterans and their families will be able to connect with career, educational, and community resources through the center. The center will also provide programming and information to businesses and institutions in the Capital Region interested in hiring, educating and supporting veterans.

The Center for Economic Growth is a professional economic and business development organization that serves the state's Tech Valley and as the region's Regional Technology Development Center.

Constantine also is a senior advisor to the U.S, Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes Campaign, a Fellow with the Truman National Security Project and a President Leadership Scholar. President Obama named him a Champion of Change.

During his second year of law school at the University of Denver, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. While on active duty he served as a judge advocate and was stationed in Japan. He left active duty in 2004. As a Marine reservist, he volunteered for civil affairs duty in Iraq in 2006. He survived a gunshot wound to the head. He was medically retired in 2013.

Afterward he practice law at the U.S. Department of Justice and with a counter-terrorism unit at the FBI.

In 2014 he earned an advance law degree in national securities studies and graduated with honors from Georgetown University in 2014.

A year later, he wrote "My Battlefield, Your Office: Leadership from the Front Lines." He later wrote "From We Will to At Will."

He also serves as the chief business development officer at JobPath, a veteran employment platform.

While on duty, he earned a Purple Heart, a Meritorious Service Medal, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon.

The VCC will work with the existing network of veteran support services by streamlining and simplifying the relocation process to the eight-county region for transitioning service members; training businesses and educational institutions to meet veterans' needs; tracking progression and impacts; connecting veterans to other services; and advocating for veterans and program needs, according to retired Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, Veteran Connect Center Committee chairman. Swezey is a Merrill Lynch vice president.

Joshua Toas, a former Army Reserve captain, is serving as the CEG's Veteran Connect Center Committee vice chairman. Toas is vice president and chief compliance officer with the SUNY Research Foundation.

Other committee members are Amy Amoroso, Watervliet Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership; Kathy Caruso, Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership; Mario Cometti, Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC; retired Army Col. Martin Dinan, director of veterans enrollment, Saint Rose College; Vermont Army National Guard Spc. Zachery W. Freire, financial advisor trainee, Merrill Lynch; Peter Gannon, president and chief executive officer, United Way; Michael McGovern, associate broker, NAI Platform; Army National Guard Maj. Andrew McUmber, certified health physicist, Newport News Shipbuilding; and retired Army Col. George McHugh, attorney, Carver Companies, Port of Coeymans.

Committee advisors include Air National Guard Col. Maureen Murphy; Nathan McCormick, former Army captain; Attorney and Marine Reserve Lt. Col. Lee C. Kindlon; retired Navy Capt. Thomas M. Owens; retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. Vinny Roman; retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Steven J. Spano ; Coast Guard Lt. Comm. Mark Stuart; and retired Sgt. Maj. John Willsey, director of National Guard Family Programs.

News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com.
A 33-year veteran of the Houston Police Department charged in the shooting death of his wife may have been motivated by jealousy after an evening gathering, a relative told investigators.

Pearland police on Saturday were called to a house in the 1900 block of Canyon Creek Court after a woman found her mother, Belinda Hernandez, 52, dead inside the kitchen.

Hours later, the victim's husband, Hilario R. Hernandez, 56, was taken into custody in Kingsville, southwest of Corpus Christi.

The couple's daughter, Christina Foos, told investigators that she and her husband, Alex, had been eating and drinking with her parents the previous night at a dinner party at the Hernandezes' home along with a family friend, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Houston Chronicle.

Alex Foos told investigators that he believed Hilario Hernandez was upset with his wife because of "perceived flirting with (the family friend)," according to the affidavit.

READ MORE: Houston police officer faces murder charge after Pearland killing

When Christina Foos returned home after 11:30 p.m. Friday, she texted her mother as she always did to say that she had arrived safely. When Foos didn't receive a text in response, she grew concerned and called her mother's phone, she told investigators. Hilario Hernandez picked up, informing his daughter that her mother was "fine" before hanging up.

When Belinda Hernandez didn't answer her phone the following morning, Foos and her husband went to the Hernandezes' home in Pearland around noon to check on her. Christina Foos came out of the house screaming, telling her husband that "her father had shot her mother" and to call 911.

A neighbor who lives across the street told Pearland police that he heard multiple gunshots while walking his dog outside their home around midnight on Saturday. The neighbor said he saw Hilario Hernandez leave the house in his pickup truck shortly afterwards.

Once on the scene, police investigators found a black handgun on an island counter in the kitchen with numerous spent shell casings around the kitchen and near the back door of the Hernandezes' home. Belinda Hernandez was found face down on the kitchen floor and declared dead at the scene.

Hilario Hernandez was arrested in Kingsville hours later. An HPD lieutenant told Pearland investigators that Hernandez had indicated to her via text that "he would kill himself, or turn himself in to her," according to the affidavit.

HPD spokeswoman Jodi Silva confirmed that Hernandez, a sergeant, had worked for the department for 33 years.

Hernandez was transported to the Brazoria County Jail, where he was in custody Monday with bail set at $800,000.

Belinda Hernandez was a librarian at Shadycrest Elementary, according to the Pearland Independent School District. The district planned to have extra counselors on campus Monday to help children cope.

The couple had been married for more than three decades and had two grown children.

"I was very happily married; I loved my children," Belinda Hernandez told the Chronicle in 2014, when she was featured in a story about fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher. "But I always had my one regret. I wished I had gone to college and become a teacher."

She returned to college in 2011 to make that dream a reality.

"I will always remember her beautiful smile and her hugs were the best," Christina Foos told KPRC 2 News. "That's what I'll always remember about my mother."

Foos didn't want to discuss the shooting, but said her mother was "deeply, deeply missed."

"She loves reading," she told the news station. "She believes that is one of the most important things. She believes in literacy and she wanted to instill that in the children to give them a bright future. She loved children and she loved working at Shadycrest."

Foos said Belinda Hernandez was a "devoted mother, wide, sister and friend.... Everyone has a hole in their heart because she just fileld it with so much love."

Belinda Hernandez will be laid to rest at 10 a.m. Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation

Staff writer St. John Barned-Smith contributed to this report.

Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com

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On this date in ...

1919: Thomas Martin, 11, Stephen Moriarty, 9, and Harold Geary, 10, were found guilty in juvenile court of calling in a false fire alarm from box 248 at Hamilton and Quail streets on March 9, the same false alarm that resulted in injuries to five firefighters, including critical ones for Capt. Michael Fleming. The boys were committed to the Humane Society until their cases were disposed of. Albany Police Chief James L. Hyatt refused to accept the $500 reward offered by a citizen to be applied to the police pension fund.

1969: A rash of burglaries which netted an assortment of loot, from tresses to dresses, were under investigation by Albany Police officers, with a $2,303 wig theft presenting the hairiest problem. Sylvia Hanburg, of Terrie Tresses at 65 Columbia St., reported 37 wigs, demi-wigs and falls priced from $12 to $258 had been stolen sometime between 6 p.m. March 24 and 10 a.m. March 25. Police said entry to the shop had been gained by smashing glass in a front door. A $1,200 surveyor instrument which resembled a telescope, owned by South Mall contractors Fehlhaber-Horn, was reportedly stolen from a shed in the mall early March 26. Jewelry, electronics, a revolver and household items had also been stolen, some from apartments and others from parked cars.

1994: The violent crime rate in New York decreased in 1991 and 1992, the last year for which statistics were available. In fact, the rate in 1992 was at its lowest level since 1988, and was only 3 percent higher than in 1981. Those decreases showed up in every category of violent crime. The murder rate dropped 10 percent after reaching an all-time high in 1990. Reported rapes in 1992 showed a slight increase (less than 1 percent) from the year before, but that still left the rate lower than it was in 1977. The robbery rate had dipped each year since 1989, and aggravated assaults were committed at the lowest rate since 1987.

Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/.
A man landed behind bars for allegedly threatening a woman with a couple of knives.

READ MORE: Pair of men arrested on drug charges after armed robbery reported along I-35

Ricardo Medina-Aquino, 36, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

At about 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, police officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 2200 block of East Locust Street. Police said they saw a man and two women outside a residence.

The man told police that he and his girlfriend had an argument but that everything was OK. The women, however, had a different story, according to police.

One of them said to LPD that the man, Medina-Aquino, had pulled out a knife on her and threatened her, according to police. Officers arrested him after a brief struggle.

During the scuffle, he kept telling officers that he did not brandish a knife.

An investigation revealed that Medina-Aquino got upset because the woman had received a text message from a man, according to LPD. She attempted to leave in her vehicle to avoid any issues, police said.

READ MORE: Immigrants allegedly found living in 'deplorable conditions' in central Laredo stash house



But Medina-Aquino allegedly grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out of the vehicle. He took her inside the residence, grabbed two kitchen knives and pointed them at her, police said.
Yang was charged in 2009 and convicted in 2011 of the shooting murder of Rhoni Reuter, 42, the pregnant girlfriend of ex-Chicago Bears player Shaun Gayle. Stone said the hiring of an expert to examine bullet casings and DNA in the case led to new evidence.
The Viking Sky's mayday call came midmorning Saturday just offshore Norway. It followed an engine failure that left the ship stranded in the harsh conditions. Waves topping 60 feet and winds exceeding hurricane strength buffeted the crippled vessel. The storm had the air pressure of a Category 3 hurricane.

The storm system that would eventually terrify cruisegoers aboard the Viking Sky didn't come without warning. It didn't materialize out of nowhere.

And it didn't develop on a whim. Instead, the sprawling low was hinted at by weather models up to a week in advance.

Simulations as early as March 16 indicated a wave of low pressure would rapidly intensify sometime around the weekend of the 23rd and 24th between Iceland and Norway. But it wasn't clear at the time exactly where.

It's not unusual to have intense cyclones develop in this part of the world in March. The equinoctial seasons are known for their vicious transitions, oftentimes manifest by violent open-ocean storms. The northeast Atlantic is a notoriously rough patch of maritime real estate in the late winter and early spring, often spinning up gales that can threaten even the most experienced captains.

The forecast became much clearer last Wednesday into Thursday, when it appeared obvious that the central coast of Norway would be hard-hit.

The Viking Sky departed Bergen, Norway, on March 14, bound for a port-hopping excursion northward up the coast. It would then turn around and hit several cities on its way south, eventually steaming to Tilbury, England, where it was slated to arrive Monday.

But Saturday's system was on a crash-course with the Viking Sky's desired path. The ship could have remained docked on Bod to ride out the storm. Instead, it continued south, becoming stranded and prompting an airlift evacuation. The Viking Sky arrived safely into the port of Molde on Sunday.

A significant wave height of 43.6 feet was reported at 4 p.m. local time Saturday at the Heidrun buoy by weather.us. This reflects just an average of the biggest waves and several may have been taller, even topping 60 feet.

Waves are a byproduct of wind, and they take time to build to such impressive heights. Thirty-foot waves occurred for an astonishing 17 consecutive hours at the same station.

The winds were extreme, measuring 87 mph over the open ocean and clocking in closer to 70 mph nearest to shore. At Sviny fyr - 60 miles southwest of where Viking Star is currently docked - winds hit 69 mph.

In ordinary circumstances, the Viking Sky can cruise at 20 knots, or 23 mph. That would have been enough time for it to make it back to shore within a half-hour or so, since most of its journey was spent in sight of land. The issue in this case was the engine failure, which could not have been planned for. So while the ship did continue to operate in treacherous weather, it likely was not a conscious decision - unlike Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas' infamous 2018 encounter with a "bomb cyclone."

The lack of ability to navigate or turn the ship also left the Viking Sky susceptible to being broadsided by waves. Several large breakers plowed into the ship, smashing windows and shattering glass. Video shows the ship listing to and fro at nearly 20 degrees to the horizontal. That's because the ship's 95-foot width tucked it in between wave crests, exposing the vessel to maximum sideways rocking motion when a wave passed through.

The storm system has since dissipated, weakening over the Norwegian and Barents Seas.

The incident is set to be probed by the Norwegian Accident Investigations Board.
Washington

Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice, Attorney General William Barr declared Sunday. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

Trump cheered the outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he complained.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four-page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start: Did his campaign work with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton? That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. The resolution also could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was far more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favor.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts  like firing his FBI director  that he was legally empowered to take.

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the past two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment; his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign; his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser; and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.

The special counsel's investigation did not come up empty-handed. It ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation. Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Sunday's summary  and its suggestion that Mueller may have found evidence in support of obstruction  sets up a fight between Barr and Democrats, who called for the special counsel's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigations.

"Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

"Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's own claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added.

Barr did not speak with the president, Mueller was not consulted on the letter, and the White House does not have Mueller's report, according to a Justice Department official.

Though Mueller did not find evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russian government, Barr's summary notes "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

That's a likely reference not only to a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Donald Trump. Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Hillary Clinton from a Kremlin-connected lawyer, but also to a conversation in London months earlier at which Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was told Russia had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see "all the underlying evidence." He said on Twitter, "DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work."

Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses. Trump answered some questions in writing, but Mueller was not able to interview him in person.

Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions, including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses.

In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trump's actions constituted a federal crime that prosecutors could prove in court.
A 36-year-old Midland woman died Sunday morning after being hit by a Jeep Wrangler in the intersection of Big Spring Street and Dormard Avenue, according to a press release from a city spokesman.

Jeniffer Vodron was walking in the middle of the intersection in or near the left turn lane and stumbled into the northbound inside lane in front of the approaching Jeep, according to the release. She was hit and died at the scene.
JERUSALEM - Israeli jets bombed a string of targets in Gaza into the night on Monday following a rocket attack near Tel Aviv, as Palestinian militants fired back, edging the country toward all-out conflict just two weeks before elections and forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short his trip to Washington.

The rocket, which the Israeli military said was manufactured and fired by Hamas, slammed into a family house near Tel Aviv, injuring seven Israelis just hours before Netanyahu was due to meet with President Donald Trump.

In comments from the White House, the Israeli leader announced that Israel's response was already underway as the military said it was calling up reservists and sending additional tanks and troops to the area. "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this," Netanyahu said, speaking next to Trump from the podium in the diplomatic reception room. "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

The airstrikes lit the Gaza skyline with orange fireballs, as civilians in both Gaza and communities in Israel braced for a night of violence. Israel's military said it struck three targets: The home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, a building that served as a secret headquarters for Hamas military intelligence and a five-story internal security office in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City. Palestinian health authorities in Gaza did not report fatalities but said seven people were injured.

Shortly after sirens sounded in border communities, residents scrambled into safe rooms, with rockets firing late into the night. The Israeli military said at least 30 rockets were fired from Gaza by 10 p.m. One hit a house in Sderot. Earlier, Haniyeh had warned that the "resistance" would respond if Israel's retaliation crossed "red lines."

Armed factions in Gaza said they had targeted Sderot and Netivot, saying that if Israel increased its response, "we will do the same."

The escalation comes just two weeks before Israel's April 9 elections, presenting Netanyahu with a delicate situation. He will need to mount a response strong enough to satisfy rattled border communities and right-wing coalition partners while not risking a full-blown conflict that could spiral out of control and harm his reelection chances.

Hamas announced that an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire was set for 10 p.m. local time. Israeli officials declined to comment, but airstrikes and rocket fire continued after the deadline passed.

Israeli commentators said that if the prime minister agreed to a cease-fire, it would probably hurt his campaign.

"If Netanyahu is now going to a ceasefire, it is recommended that at least the slogan of the campaign be changed from 'Right. Strong' to something else," tweeted Moran Azoulay, political reporter for Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot.

Reuven Hazan, a professor of political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said an escalation of violence could also hurt Netanyahu politically.

"Unlike in previous elections, this is the first time Netanyahu is facing a party that is led by people who are more prominent than him on security issues," he said.

His main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, addressed AIPAC on Monday in his first high-profile English-language address, stressing his security credentials.

"If we want hope, we must have unity; if we want security, we must have unity; Throughout history, the only way we have won is by being united! Unity is our past, and unity must be our future!," he told a welcoming crowd. "I will return to Israel - to stand and if needed to fight in defense of my people, or people. I am a soldier. That is who I am. That is what I do."

Two other top leaders of Gantz's Blue and White party, which is leading over Netanyahu's Likud in some polls, are former military chiefs of staff.

Netanyahu, who is fighting corruption allegations, has been criticized by some for being too soft on Hamas before; his defense minister Avigdor Liberman resigned last year after Israel agreed to a cease-fire with Hamas after the worst bout of rocket fire from Gaza since the 2014 war between the two sides.

An official close to the prime minister's office, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu had been apprised by security officials "night and day" while he was in Washington and approved a list of targets presented by the Israeli military.

"We will have a very powerful response," Netanyahu said as he departed for Israel Monday evening. "Hamas should know that we should not hesitate to do everything possible, not dependant on time or date, to ensure the security of Israel."

Netanyahu missed an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual policy conference in Washington and a state dinner with Trump, both scheduled for Tuesday.

The violence overshadowed Trump's signing of an official proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights, considered by much of the international community to be illegally occupied by Israel since the 1967 war.

Netanyahu, who was expected to fly back to Israel on Monday evening, will miss a scheduled address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual policy conference and a state dinner scheduled with Trump, both scheduled for Tuesday.

Hamas has been under pressure in recent weeks from internal protests of dire living conditions in Gaza, which it has dispersed with force, including live ammunition. A year after border demonstrations intended to "break the siege" imposed by Israel and draw attention to the right of return, some residents complain that they have little to show for it other than 250 deaths by sniper fire.

Analysts had speculated that Hamas would attempt to ramp up pressure on Israel to extract more concessions in negotiations brokered by Egypt. A deal to allow in Qatari cash to pay salaries and fuel Gaza's power station expires in weeks.

The Israeli military said the rocket that hit the house in central Israel had a range of 75 miles. Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies said Monday's rocket was an improved version of an M75, a locally made projectile similar to Iran's Fajr rocket.

"Hamas has improved its range, its engine and the capacity to carry more fuel," he said, adding that rockets had managed to penetrate further into Israel in the past.

Pictures of the scene of the first house hit on Monday morning showed a bed and a crib strewn with rubble and the dwelling's roof caved in. Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic called to the scene, said it was "a miracle that no one was killed." He said that he had treated family members with burn injuries from the blast.

Robert Wolf who lived there with his family, told reporters that if he and his wife, son, daughter-in-law, daughter and two young grandchildren had not got to the bomb shelter inside, they would have surely been killed in the blast.

"This is the real price, and I just paid it," he said. "I nearly lost my family. If we hadn't got to bomb shelter in time then I would be burying my entire family."

Morris reported from Washington.
WASHINGTON - During a briefing at the Justice Department about three weeks ago, special counsel Robert Mueller made a revelation that those supervising his work were not expecting, a person familiar with the matter said: He would not offer a conclusion on whether he believed President Donald Trump sought to obstruct justice.

The decision - which a Justice Department official on Monday said the special counsel's office came to "entirely" on its own - left a gap ripe for political exploitation.

After accepting Mueller's report, Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who were among those briefed March 5, made the call Mueller would not, determining that the evidence was insufficient to allege that Trump had obstructed justice. The decisive maneuver, outlined in a letter Barr sent to lawmakers this week, sparked allegations that the two Trump appointees had rushed to a judgment no one asked them to make, and it is likely to be a key battleground in the intensifying political fight over the conclusion of Mueller's work.

A day after Barr revealed the principal conclusions of Mueller's work - namely, that the special counsel did not establish any coordination between Trump and Russia on election interference, and found a mixed bag on the question of obstruction - Democrats attacked the attorney general and issued an April 2 deadline for him to turn over a copy of the report, while Republicans called for Trump to be given an apology.

Some current and former law enforcement officials, meanwhile, said privately that they were puzzled as to why Mueller concluded his work without a firm recommendation on obstruction. Trump, who had repeatedly derided the investigation as a "witch hunt," said Monday when asked whether Mueller had acted honorably: "Yes, he did."

Barr continued to scrub grand-jury material from Mueller's report so it might one day be turned over to lawmakers eager to read the special counsel's findings. A person familiar with the matter said there were no plans to turn over the document to the White House, which had not seen it as of Monday night. The person, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal White House and Justice Department matters.

White House officials are not automatically planning to ask for the report, according to two people familiar with the discussion, though it is possible that they would one day want to do so - mindful that the section on obstruction might include privileged discussions, such as Trump's communications with former White House counsel Donald McGahn. White House advisers believe it is possible that Barr will decide he needs to share a copy with the White House to seek input on privileged discussions.

On Monday, Trump told reporters that "it wouldn't bother me at all" if the Mueller report was released, but he said that decision would be up to the attorney general. He also suggested that those behind the investigation should be investigated for their own conduct.

"They've done so many evil things," the president said, without specifying whom he believed should be investigated. "It was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing. We can never let this happen to another president again. I can tell you that. I say it very strongly. Very few people I know could have handled it. We can never ever let this happen to another president again."

It was not immediately clear when Barr might be able to turn over the report - or some portions of it - to lawmakers and the public. After the Justice Department closed its investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state, it took about two months for substantive documents from that case to be released. But lawmakers began discussing plans Monday to have Barr testify on Capitol Hill.

The House Appropriations Committee has tentatively set a hearing for April 9 on the Justice Department budget, though other committees may seek to request his appearance before then.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who spoke to Barr on Monday, said the attorney general told him he would be "glad" to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the special counsel's findings, but not before he could determine what should be redacted from the report. Graham, who leads the committee, said he urged Barr to release as much of the report as he can, "sooner rather than later."

Barr, Graham said, indicated that he would have to speak with Mueller first "because Mueller is the guy that does the grand jury stuff, because they're the ones that did the grand jury investigation."

"I hope it'd be much before months, and not longer than a few weeks," Graham said.

The best window into Mueller's probe that lawmakers and the public have so far is the four-page letter Barr released Sunday; it summarized the confidential report concluding Mueller's nearly two-year investigation.

On coordination, Barr indicated that Mueller wrote in his report, "The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

But on obstruction, Barr offered mixed sentiments. He wrote that Mueller "did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction." Mueller's report itself said pointedly, "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," according to Barr's account.

The attorney general, though, went further, writing that he and Rosenstein "concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense."

"Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president," Barr wrote.

In an interview with Fox News Radio, Trump's former personal lawyer John Dowd said it was "unprofessional" for Mueller not to have made a clear determination that Trump should not be prosecuted for obstruction of justice.

"Your job is to decide," he said, adding: "There was no evidence of obstruction here."

Democrats took a different tack. Before he became attorney general, Barr submitted to the Justice Department an 18-page memo highly critical of what he surmised was Mueller's theory for how the president obstructed justice. Barr has noted that he did so without inside knowledge of the probe, and he has asserted that the document was "narrow in scope."

But his critics have suggested his dim view of that aspect of Mueller's work might have helped land him the job as attorney general.

Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said Monday that he thought it was "completely inappropriate" for Barr to have concluded that Trump did not obstruct justice, and that the attorney general was trying to "shape the narrative" unfairly.

"He doesn't make a conclusion, but he goes out of his way to say the president is not exonerated in this regard, and Mr. Barr in 48 hours turns that around and say, 'Oh no, I've looked at it. He's exonerated. He hasn't committed that offense,' " Cicilline said on CNN.

Since his appointment in May 2017 as special counsel, Mueller has wrestled with the question of whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice once the FBI began investigating those close to him. Current and former White House officials who were questioned by Mueller's investigators were repeatedly asked about how the president spoke about the inquiry behind closed doors, and whether he sought to replace senior Justice Department officials to stymie the investigation, according to people familiar with the interviews.

A person familiar with the matter said the obstruction case was always "the most difficult element" for Mueller's team because demonstrating a person's intent is one of the toughest assignments for federal prosecutors, and the person under scrutiny was the president of the United States. His actions, the person said, have far different legal meaning and repercussions because of his office and the constitutional protections and powers that come with it.

Barr wrote that Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" on the question of obstruction, and that his report "identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Department's principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction of justice offense."

Barr noted that many of the president's actions "took place in public view," and he wrote that the special counsel "recognized that 'the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.' " That factor, Barr wrote, "bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction."

The letter does not make clear whether Mueller asked Barr and Rosenstein to make a final determination on the question of obstruction, or whether he intended to leave that to another body, such as Congress.

Mueller concluded his work without interviewing Trump - who answered written questioning - or issuing a subpoena to compel his testimony. A person familiar with the matter said the special counsel's team discussed the subject extensively, with the office's top lawyers, including Michael Dreeben, James Quarles, Aaron Zebley and Mueller most engaged in the discussions.

Those talks focused on whether it was legally feasible, and what the potential costs of a subpoena might be to the overall investigation, the person said.

The special counsel team went back and forth with Trump's representatives, through multiple iterations of the president's legal team. They were hopeful, the person said, that Trump would meet voluntarily, but they were mindful that they could not explicitly threaten a subpoena unless they were prepared to issue one.

Over the course of his investigation, Mueller charged 34 people, including several Trump associates, and the vestiges of his work live on. Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia took over some ongoing cases, including the matter of a mystery foreign company which resisted a subpoena from Mueller's office and took its battle all the way to the Supreme Court.

Notably, the court said Monday it would not review a lower-court order requiring that corporation to comply with Mueller subpoena.

- - -

The Washington Post's Rachael Bade, Mike DeBonis, Seung Min Kim, Rosalind S. Helderman and Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
The American people deserve full transparency and a four-page summary report is not sufficient, he said in a statement Monday. I hope the Attorney Generals loyalty is to the Constitution and the American people, and not to our President, and after 22 months of this investigation, funded by taxpayer dollars, every American should have the opportunity to read every page of the report.
MOSCOW - Russia joined President Donald Trump on Monday in claiming vindication with the end of the special counsel's investigation. But a new dawn in U.S.-Russia ties still seems far off.

The lack of a finding by special counsel Robert Mueller that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia served as an opportunity for Kremlin allies to renew their claim that Moscow didn't interfere in the 2016 election at all.

Asked on his daily conference call with journalists Monday about the conclusion of Mueller's investigation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred to "a Chinese philosopher who said, 'It is hard to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if it is not there.' "

"Centuries have passed, but unfortunately there has been no understanding of this on the other side of the ocean," Peskov said.

Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress outlining Mueller's findings said the special counsel did find that Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 election. But an anchor on "Time Will Tell," a daytime political talk show on Russian state TV, summarized the news thus: "They didn't find anything. The investigation was useless. Its results proved that it was useless."

For Moscow, the question now is whether the end of the Mueller investigation can breathe new life into Russia's trans-Atlantic policy goals. After the 2016 election, Russian officials had hoped that Trump's presidency could herald a chance to lift sanctions on Moscow, engage in new arms control talks and win U.S. support for Russian foreign policy priorities in Ukraine and beyond.

Instead, in Moscow's view, those hopes were dashed by a U.S. foreign policy establishment that used allegations of Russian election interference to undermine Trump's plans to improve U.S.-Russia ties.

U.S. sanctions against Russia have only increased in severity since Trump took office, and U.S. policy from Ukraine to Venezuela has continued to confront Russian interests. Mainstream Russian foreign policy experts last year took to predicting that it would take until the conclusion of the Mueller investigation for a new opportunity to emerge to change the relationship with Washington.

That new opportunity may have finally arrived, Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of parliament, said in a Facebook post Monday. Russia had to seize the opportunity to deal with Trump, the Russian lawmaker wrote, now that the cloud of collusion allegations no longer loomed over the White House. For starters, Kosachyov said, nuclear arms control should be at the top of the agenda.

"The effect of the Mueller report puts all the aces in the Trump team's hands," Kosachyov said. "There's a chance to reset much in our relationship, but the question is whether Trump will risk it."

But Fyodor Lukyanov, a prominent Moscow political analyst, said in an interview that officials needed to keep expectations low. Even though Trump has often paid lip service to the need to improve relations with Russia, Lukyanov said, Trump's actions have shown that the president has little interest in actually doing so.

"I'm personally afraid that, indeed, there might be some illusions now that something new will happen," said Lukyanov, chairman of Russia's Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, a research group. He predicted new efforts by the Kremlin to build ties with Trump and, perhaps, to hold another summit. "But from my point of view," Lukyanov went on, "it's completely hopeless."

What appears certain, however, is that Mueller's investigation concluding without a finding of Trump-Russia collusion gives Kremlin allies new grist for criticizing U.S. institutions. Rather than hail Mueller's exhaustive investigation as a triumph of American due process, Russian President Vladimir Putin's backers echoed the more conspiratorial rhetoric of Trump supporters in the United States. The notion of Russian interference in 2016, they said, was itself fake news.

"Colossal effort and, clearly, significant taxpayer resources went into disproving an obvious fake," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. As for Mueller's indictments against Russian intelligence officers and others for interfering in the election, the ministry said, "the political motivation behind these cases is so obvious that they're impossible to characterize other than as an embarrassment to the American justice system."

Lawmaker Alexey Pushkov, a foreign affairs specialist in the upper house of parliament, described Mueller's findings as exonerating Trump in the face of a "virtual conspiracy" of U.S. news media and Democrats that was aimed at demonizing Russia.

"The agents of conspiracy theory have been discredited," Pushkov posted on Twitter. "From now on, only an idiot can believe them."

A post by the pro-Kremlin television network RT on the instant messaging platform Telegram said the Pulitzer Prize won by The New York Times and Washington Post in 2018 for reporting on Russian election interference was "a Pulitzer for fake news." Hours earlier, Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, had referred on Twitter to that prize as the "#fakenews awards."

- - -

The Washington Post's Natalia Abbakumova in Moscow contributed to this report.
KABUL - Thirteen civilians were killed by joint U.S. and Afghan airstrikes in northern Afghanistan over the weekend, the United Nations said on Monday, casting a pall over the country's hopeful embrace of the Persian new year.

The incident near Kunduz city in the province by the same name took place overnight on Friday to Saturday, the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in a statement.

"The Mission expresses serious concern that initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country," the statement said. Three more civilians were wounded.

An investigation into the incident was ongoing, said a spokeswoman for the U.S.-led NATO mission.

Last month, a major U.N. report said 2018 was the deadliest year yet for civilians in the war, which is now in its 18th year. Casualties of children from U.S. and coalition airstrikes have been increasing since 2014.

Across the country, Afghans have been marking the Persian new year, or Nowruz, with celebrations that began on Thursday and continued for several days. But hopes for a peaceful start were dashed by a surge in violence on all sides, coming as peace talks intensify between Washington and the Taliban in an effort to chart an end to America's longest war.

Continuing an upward trend of record-breaking Afghan military losses, more than 30 pro-government forces were killed over the weekend in fighting with Taliban insurgents in the heavily contested Sangin district of Helmand province, according to Afghan media reports.

The devastating violence during Nowruz could also foreshadow what the following months could look like. Experts say accelerated fighting is expected in the lead-up to any peace deal, part of a strategy on both sides to increase leverage for when they eventually sit at the negotiating table.

Violence on Friday also took the lives of two American troops and members of Afghanistan's elite commando force in fighting with the Taliban in the north; in a separate incident, the Islamic State targeted revelers near a Shiite shrine and cemetery in Kabul.

In Kunduz, site of the deadly strikes, relatives of the victims held a protest and tried to walk through Kunduz city with the corpses hoisted in the air. They were prevented from doing so by security forces, according to several residents.

A spokesman for the provincial governor said officials were unable to corroborate the U.N. findings because of security constraints. "It is too risky to go there," Esmatullah Muradi said by telephone.

---

Sayed Salahuddin contributed to this report.
Ann Taylor, the incumbent for the 9th Ward, said something very serious was happening to the city and this election would be a key turning point, referring to work from the The Waukegan Voter Alliance group, which is the single largest donor so far across the aldermanic races, throwing its support for her opponent, Annette Darden, who was not in attendance Sunday.
AUSTIN  A team of Democrats stymied an anti-abortion measure in the Texas House by not appearing at a Monday morning committee meeting to hear the bill.

The four Democrats on the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee boycotted the early morning hearing, calling the bill a charade to offend our fellow Texas women, their families and licensed physicians on measures that are already addressed in state and federal law. Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, was also also absent.

With five of nine members absent, the committee was unable to meet or hear House Bill 16, which would open doctors to civil penalties if they fail to try to save the life of a baby that survived an abortion. Such scenarios are rare, according to FactCheck.org, a project out of Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The committee later met in the afternoon and heard nearly two hours of testimony. The sponsor, Rep. Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, left the bill pending in committee.

Leach, who chairs the committee, said he was extremely disappointed and disheartened in the decision by my friends and fellow committee members to skip this mornings hearing simply because they dont agree on the issue at hand.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

If it is to reach the full House for a vote, the bill will need all five Republicans on the committee to vote for it, including Meyer. Although he has a 100-percent voting record with the anti-abortion group Texas Right To Life, the Republican is considered politically vulnerable in his district. Meyer won his last election by 220 votes, or less than one percent. In 2016, he won that district handily, with more than 70 percent of the vote.
This is in response to Hate group in a recent Talk of the County: This radical right-wing deplorable doesnt understand that the senator is not the president of the United States of America. The president has refused to show his tax returns for the last year, let alone the last 10 years, which eventually well see. What theyll show is that he played games with the value of his property. When he was choosing collateral, he valued them up. When he had to pay taxes on them, he valued them down. He probably, like many people in his category, failed to pay any taxes at all, let alone his fair share. This is a president who has lied to the public over 9,000 times in just over two years as president. The man cannot be believed. He cannot be trusted and his followers  the 30 percent of deplorables who apparently have very low IQs and dont understand what side of the bread is buttered  they keep voting for him and accepting his lies. That has to stop and will stop. I will be surprised if this man actually completes his full term.
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) told Bill Maher that the House Intelligence Committee will subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller to testify before Congress and present the findings of his report.

Hours after Mueller submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr, Swalwell said during an appearance on Maher's show Real Time that "we're going to subpoena" Robert Mueller.

"People are on their way to jail, have gone to jail, there's probably a farming out of other investigations, but yes, if you have a TV or a Twitter account you've already seen obstruction of justice, so I think the team has seen that," Swalwell said. "But here's what's important, it's that the public sees the report contemporaneously with the president, he should not be allowed to edit, he should not be allowed to restrict or sanitize, and Mueller has to come before Congress and tell us its veracity as far as what Barr [releases]."

FULL COVERAGE: Mueller concludes Russia-Trump probe with no new indictments

"You can make that happen?" Maher asks.

"Yeah, we're going to subpoena him and Adam Schiff announced that earlier," Swalwell replied.

"You'll subpoena Mueller?"

"Yep."

On Friday afternoon, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told CNN that his committee is prepared to subpoena Robert Mueller if they are unsatisfied with what Barr releases to Congress.

RELATED: Mueller ends Russia investigation, now what?

In a letter to congressional leaders, Barr said that he might be able to brief them on the principal findings of Mueller's report as soon as the weekend.

"I am reviewing the report and anticipate that I may be in a position to advise you of the Special Counsel's principal conclusions as soon as this weekend," Barr wrote.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

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Dumaguete City (CNN Philippines, March 25)  Gunmen shot dead a member of the Negros Oriental provincial board on Monday, the police said.

According to a police report, two men on a motorcycle shot board member Miguel Dungog at the back of his head at around 4:30 p.m. in Dumaguete City.

Dungog just he went out of a hospital to get his car. He was there for a checkup with his four-year-old daughter.

He was running for reelection under the Nacionalista Party.

Dungog was president of the Philippine Councilors League in Negros Oriental and was also former municipal councilor of Siaton, Negros Oriental.
This is to the person who voiced the comment that Mexico is paying for the wall. Its obvious you dont have an understanding of what actually occurred with the changes in the NAFTA agreement, which were minimal at best. You also dont understand the actual amounts of money that it takes to confiscate the billions of dollars in drugs, and that drugs are not being converted toward funds that can be used toward the wall. In addition, theres no way that El Chapo Guzmans $14 billion will ever be found, or will ever be transferred for the use of building the wall. You need to do some research and not just take your information from the talking heads on Fox News.
Longford businesses are being encouraged to make sure they have the adequate cashflow to see their operations through Brexit.



Cashflow problems could arise for business for a variety of reasons including currency fluctuations, customs, potential delays and tariffs.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD said today, Notwithstanding the European Councils decision to extend the Article 50 process, businesses need to use this time to continue their preparations including making immediate plans for additional working capital headroom as a precautionary measure.

We already know that hundreds of companies  from online hardware businesses to IT companies  have taken the first step of making sure they are eligible for the Governments 300m Brexit Loan Scheme.

Even if firms are unsure if they will draw down a loan, I would strongly encourage them to go through the application process so that they have one in place in case it is needed down the line.

Its better to be safe than sorry. The increased cashflow, if drawn down, will give them breathing room in the form of accessible working capital to mitigate any Brexit impacts on their business.

"This scheme is open to all Brexit-impacted companies and is part of a package of measures the Government is working on to ease Brexit pressures on business, such as the recent decision to defer VAT payments in the event of a no deal Brexit. I will also shortly be launching the Future Growth Loan Scheme, which will make up to 300 million of loans available with a term of 8-10 years to support strategic long-term investment in a post Brexit environment, the Minister added.

Companies should now contact their financial providers or look to the range of state supports available to them.

Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen, TD said Microenterprises employing less than 10 people and with turnover of less than 2 million per annum should be aware that they can access loans of up to 25,000 from Microfinance Ireland. This can be done through the Local Enterprise Office network or directly through Microfinance Ireland.

While the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan, TD highlighted the risks for business of currency fluctuations, Since the Brexit vote of 2016, the sterling/euro exchange rate has been volatile and this is expected to remain the case as the political uncertainty continues. I would therefore encourage all businesses to insulate their operations insofar as they can from any further volatility."



Also read: Longford businesses urged to have right processes in place for moving goods through UK landbridge post Brexit
A full time mother who paid for water and biscuits at a Longford grocery store but who failed to do the same after ordering a chicken roll from its deli counter, has been convicted and fined.

Judge Seamus Hughes handed down the penalty to full time mother Magdalena Hurlak, 20 Abbeycourt, Frenchpark,Roscommon, after she pleaded guilty to shoplifting at SuperValu, Lanesboro Road, Longford on February 16 2019.

Sgt Paddy McGirl said Ms Hurlak had entered the store at around 2:30pm on the day of the incident and ordered a tuna as well as a chicken fillet roll before putting the items into her handbag. It was also revealed the accused picked up a bottle of water and some biscuits.

Sgt McGirl said while Ms Hurlak paid for the latter items, the goods ordered from the deli area were not.

The total value of the items taken amounted to just under 9. He also told the court Ms Hurlak had four previous convictions, three of which were for theft.

Also read: Mullahoran residents up in arms over quarry plans

Defence solicitor Frank Gearty said his client had previously been in Kerry where she had been in a very difficult relationship.

In Ireland eight years, he said Ms Hurlak, a Polish national, was now in a stable relationship but at the time of the incident had been going through some personal troubles.Among them, he said, was the tragic death of her mother in a road accident in Poland last November, which he said, probably set her off.

Judge Hughes fined Ms Hurlak 105 and afforded her three months to pay.
Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: March 25 2019

Full Delegation of Long Island Senators Joins Governor's Campaign for Permanent Property Tax Cap - Will Not Accept a Final Budget Without It.

Long Island, NY - March 26, 2019 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo was joined today by the full delegation of Long Island Senators for a rally at Clinton G. Martin Park in New Hyde Park in support of the Governor's campaign to make the 2% property tax cap permanent. Earlier this month, the Governor vowed that he will not sign a budget without the permanent property tax included while outlining his remaining budget priorities.

"Washington's tax plan took care of the rich, but cast the burden on states like New York and did nothing for the middle class," Governor Cuomo said. "In this budget we are taking action so we can say to the middle class, we hear you, we know your pain, we know you're struggling, and this hand will not sign a budget that does not have a permanent tax cap, period."

In 2011, Governor Cuomo vowed to bring property taxes under control once and for all. After years of trying to cap property taxes, New York passed the first ever 2% property tax cap. Since the implementation of the tax cap in 2012, local property tax growth has averaged 1.9%, compared to 5.3% average growth from 2000 to 2010, and the tax cap has produced approximately $8.7 billion in taxpayer savings on Long Island and $24.4 billion statewide. The property tax cap has changed long-term trends and the trajectory of the state.

Last month, Governor Cuomo launched a Tax Fairness for the Middle Class Campaign in support of middle class tax relief. To illustrate the benefits of a permanent property tax cap, Governor Cuomo unveiled a digital tax calculator to showcase estimates of how much taxpayers have saved under the property tax cap and will continue to save over the next 10 years with a permanent property tax cap.

As part of the campaign, the Governor also remains committed to the phase-in of his historic middle class tax cuts. Under these reforms, middle class tax rates will drop to 5.5 percent and 6 percent, depending on income, when the cuts are fully phased in - an up to 20 percent cut in income tax rates for the middle class - and produce a projected $4.2 billion in annual savings for six million filers by 2025. As the new rates phase in, they will be the State's lowest middle-class tax rates in more than 70 years.

Senator John Brooks said, "The Property Tax Cap has proven itself a vital tool in controlling residential property taxes over the last several years and I fully support efforts to make it permanent. This legislation will extend the effectiveness of the Cap while providing the necessary relief and continued stability for Long Island."

Senator Todd Kaminsky said, "Long Islanders demand tax relief and a permanent tax cap is the best way to address affordability on Long Island. It is essential that a permanent tax cap be included in this year's budget."

Senator Anna M. Kaplan said, "With the federal administration declaring war on New York taxpayers by reducing the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, it's becoming harder and harder for Long Island families to make ends meet. Governor Cuomo's 2% tax cap has worked to slow the growth of property taxes on Long Island and help government to live within its means, and that's why I'm standing with Governor Cuomo and my Long Island Senate Majority colleagues to fight to make it permanent in the state budget."

Senator Monica Martinez said, "The residents of the Third Senatorial District entrusted me to serve as their New York State representative and, with that, I am committed to being fiscally responsible by protecting the hard-working taxpayers of my district. As a former teacher and administrator, I also keenly understand that Suffolk County's school districts are facing an ever-increasing need to invest in the needs of their students. I look forward to working with Governor Cuomo, my colleagues in the Legislature, school district representatives, and community stakeholders to ensure that we protect New York taxpayers while enabling schools to continue to provide a quality education."

Senator Kevin Thomas said, "Our residents on Long Island must have a permanent property tax cut. Governor Cuomo is right to stay strong on this pivotal issue for millions of New Yorkers. This needs to be a priority for my colleagues in the Senate and the Assembly. There should not be a budget without this critical component to help homeowners."

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said, "I commend Governor Cuomo for his ongoing commitment to Long Island families. I am working hard to hold the line on taxes in Nassau with a 2019 budget that did not contain any property tax increase. A permanent property tax cap will continue to help save our residents money and ease their burden for years to come."
Motorists who travel through some of the busier roads in Lake Forest soon will have start to preparing for construction, as both city and state officials look to make a series of repairs.
With just hours to go before Apples Show Time event kicks off at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park, news reports are starting to answer lingering questions about what Apple will revealassuming the reports are true, of course. A flurry of leaks, rumors, and teases from Bloomberg, Recode, the Wall Street Journal and Apple itself have raised the stakes and piqued our curiosity about the event, which kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific. Heres what we know so far.

Premium channels may start at $10 a month

The Wall Street Journal had the most comprehensive report of the weekend, and noted that Apple has reportedly been working to secure the rights to sell Starz, Showtime, and HBO for $9.99 a month each, according to the story. Its unclear whether thats part of a bundle or packaged with other services, but even if its $10 per channel, it would still represent a decent savings over the current $35/month price for all three channels.

Kevin Durant and Chris Evans may be there

On Sunday, Apple launched its Show time event stream a little early, and its still up now. The streams shows a live video of the Steve Jobs Theater, with various app features appearing on the stage, including calls, Maps directions, and chat messages. Among the cryptic images was a text exchange between Tim Cook and Kevin Durant and a missed call from Captain America himself, Chris Evans.

Apple Apple teased a missed call from Chris Evans ahead of its Show time event.

A gaming service may be coming

Weve heard previous rumblings that Apple may be working on a gaming service for the iPhone, but Bloomberg on Saturday offered the most concrete evidence so far. While the report was hardly definitive, the details of service seem to be established. Rather than hosting games (which is the approach used by Stadia and Steam), Apples gaming service will reportedly focus on iPhones and iPads and bundle together paid games from different developers that consumers can access for a monthly fee. Revenue would be divided up among game makers based on how much time users spend playing their games.

Apples shows probably wont be free

Weve been hearing reports for months about how Apples original content could possibly be free for iPhone or Apple TV users, but the Wall Street Journal writes this wont be the case. In its report, the Journal explicitly says, Apple hasnt said what it will charge for the programming. People working on the projects said the company plans to charge a fee, after previously saying it would be free to Apple device owners.

The TV app might be expanding to Roku devices

Earlier this year, Apple surprised the world by announcing it would be bringing the iTunes app and AirPlay 2 to Samsung TVs and other smart devices in the fall. Now it seems that more partnerships are in the works. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has been negotiating to bring its new TV app to multiple platforms, including Roku and smart TVs, according to people familiar with the talks. That means you might not need an Apple device to take advantage of the new service, though we have to assume there will be special benefits for iPhone and Apple TV users.

Apple Apple may be expanding its TV app to non-Apple devices.

Apple may host all the streams

This is the most interesting bit of information we learned over the weekend. According to a Recode report, Apple wont just be selling other peoples content. No, it will also physically host and serve the streams, so youll be getting content straight from Apples servers, not HBO or Showtime. That means two things: Apple can charge whatever it wants and the experience will likely be a whole lot better. Its not that the streams from third-party apps are bad, but with Apple in complete control, the interface, search, and quality could all get upgrades.

iCloud storage may be included in bundles

While we wont know for sure what Apples bundles look like until the pricing slide appears on the screen, we pretty much know for sure that Apple will be offering bundles of its own services in addition to those from other companies. And iCloud storage may be part of it. The Wall Street Journal report specifically discusses Tim Cooks focus on apps that benefit and threaten Apple, as well as how many people were signing up for iCloud storage. What better way to boost those numbers than by offering a free 200GB iCloud upgrade (which costs $3 a month on its own).

Apple Apple teased a missed call from Chris Evans ahead of its Show time event.

Apple News could have lots of magazines

While the video portion of the event will get all of the attention today, Apple will also likely be unveiling a news service that will act like a premium tier of Apples existing free app. While details are light, based on the Wall Street Journals report, we know a couple things: It will function in a way similar to the Texture app that it bought last year, and it will likely cost $10 a month for unlimited reading of more than 200 magazinesincluding Bon Appetit, People and Glamour, according to the report. Thats the same number of magazines that Texture offered, and retaining them is important, as the service will be missing some major news outlets, including The New York Times and the Washington Post.

Apple News will likely have curated content

We dont know exactly what Apples news service will look like, but the Wall Street Journal offers some tidbits on how it will work. For one, it wont be a blanket subscription to everything an outlet publishes. The Journal says that its deal with Apple focuses on general news, politics and lifestyles news, while its lauded business and finance news wont be displayed as prominently. Additionally, there may be exclusive content offered as well. According to the Journal, its partnership with Apple News will result in the Journal hiring more reporters focused on general news to help feed Apples product.

Jared Newman / TechHive Were not sure which channels will be included in the new TV service, but pricing will likely be very competitive.

A credit card may bring everything together

Recode confirms an earlier report that Apple will be offering a new credit card in conjunction with Goldman Sachs that will reportedly have special features when paired with iPhones. That might not sound like a big deal, but because Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon will reportedly be on hand at the event, it might have greater implications that we think. Just one of the ways Apple could sweeten the pot is by offering discounted pricing on bundles when using the Apple card to subscribe.
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The Committee for a Workers International (CWI) has been plunged into a convulsive crisis, which is most likely going to end in a split. At the centre of the crisis are developments in their Irish section. From the material available to us from their internal discussions it appears that the Irish section is being accused of adapting to identity politics, concentrating on womens and LGBTQ+ issues to the detriment of work in the trade unions, bending towards reformism and at the same time adopting a sectarian stance. This emerges both from the criticisms of the International Secretariat (IS) majority faction and of one of their MPs, Paul Murphy.

From a conflict with the leadership of their Irish section, now the IS of the CWI finds itself in conflict with its Greek and Belgian sections, and also the Swedish and US sections. The seriousness of the crisis the CWI is facing was revealed at their recent International Executive Committee (IEC) meeting, where the IS only had the support of a minority of the IEC members. In fact, IEC members from 14 countries  a majority  voted against the IS proposals. Furthermore, the IS itself is divided, with a minority in sympathy with the IEC Majority. The fact that Peter Taaffe has lost the majority on the IEC indicates that a revolt is taking place against the international leadership of the CWI. That explains why the IS majority has launched a faction of its own and has opened up a period of internal debate, which will drag out over the course of 2019.

The reason for the declaration of a faction by a majority of the IS members is clearly due to the old leadership de facto losing control. Rather than accepting the decisions of a body that stands above the IS, they are determined to hold on to control, ride roughshod over the sections of the CWI and impose their will even if this risks a massive split.

Bullying tone

The crisis has produced a statement from Taaffe, which adopts a bullying tone throughout, full of attacks and recriminations against his opponents. There is very little in the way of political argument, while all sorts of random facts are drawn on in an attempt to strengthen his case. This approach is not surprising. From our own experience back in 1991-92 one thing we can be assured of is that the leaders of the Irish section of the CWI, and the members who support them, will not be treated with patience and understanding; there will be no genuine attempt to listen to what they have to say and convince them through patient discussion and arguments. Whatever they say or write will be taken out of context and used to present them as pariahs, and everything, including the kitchen sink, will be thrown at them.

The other side of this situation is that Taaffe and his supporters in the leadership of the CWI will dedicate time and energy to boosting their own image in an attempt to establish their authority, while at the same time rumour-mongering in the corridors. In his faction document, Taaffe refers to a number of past successes of the Socialist Party in Britain, although curiously enough, they are all in the very long-distant past, from before the 1991-92 split. It would seem he has little to boast about since then. What immediately jumps out at you when reading his document is that it is full of what he did as an individual  a clear sign of an overblown ego.

To those of us who are well acquainted with the past record of Peter Taaffe and his associates, and their method of building the organisation, this crisis comes as no shock / Image: public domain

Amongst the successes Taaffe chooses to highlight is the position won in the PCS union in Britain, but he decides to ignore the fact that this position is now in the process of being destroyed in a dispute which, amongst other things, involves the question of sectarianism. He also mentions the success of our approach to identity politics by mentioning the creation of Panther UK in the early 1990s. Again, he conveniently forgets that this was a clear case of adaptation to petty-bourgeois ideas, which, instead of serving to recruit Black and Asian youth to revolutionary politics ended up with the whole of Panther UK splitting away to Black nationalism  not exactly a great success!

On the other hand, the Irish section of the CWI has at least some, more recent, successes to boast about. It has three MPs, and has played a key role in the water charge campaign and the more recent referendums on abortion and same-sex marriage. The Irish members must be asking themselves on what authority Taaffe is lecturing them.

To those of us who are well acquainted with the past record of Peter Taaffe and his associates, and their method of building the organisation, this crisis comes as no shock. The only surprise is that it did not come much earlier.

Taaffes method has been one of seeking quick, easy results, in a word: shortcuts. That was the case back in 1991-92, and Ted Grant described it as a shortcut over a cliff. He forgot long ago that there is no substitute for building patiently from the bottom up, with meticulous attention to the theoretical education of the cadres. Without consolidating a solid cadre base, there is not the framework around which a much larger and more influential tendency can be built. Shortcuts can give what seem to be quicker results in the short term, but it is like building on sand. As soon as the winds of the class struggle blow on such a structure it starts to crack and eventually collapse. That is what is happening now to the CWI.

Ted Grants warnings

Ted Grant, during the debates in 1991, explained to the leadership of the Militant that although they had the big office, the big printing press and a sizeable apparatus, in their hands and with their methods and ideas, all of that would turn to dust. Long ago, the big office was lost, as was the printing press and the apparatus that had been so painstakingly built up. Now we are looking at the final act in what Ted Grant had predicted.

An interesting point that emerges from the material on the Irish section published in the CWI Internal Bulletin is the idea of reaching the masses. This shows they have lost all sense of proportion. Ted Grant always insisted on revolutionaries having a sense of proportion. Lose this and you begin to sink into the swamps of either opportunism or sectarianism, or a combination of both. There needs to be a balance between activity and education. Lose this balance and you begin to drift away from a principled Marxist position.

Let us retrace here, briefly, the history of this tendency. The founder of the Militant Tendency, out of which the CWI emerged, was comrade Ted Grant, who worked out the theory, principles, policies and tactics that made the Militant Tendency the most successful Trotskyist organisation in the world since the Russian Left Opposition.

Ted Grant always insisted on revolutionaries having a sense of proportion. Lose this and you begin to sink into the swamps of either opportunism or sectarianism, or a combination of both / Image: IMT

Under the political leadership of Ted Grant, the Militant Tendency was regarded as a legitimate current within the labour movement. It had re-established the clean banner of Trotsky that had been dragged in the mud by the myriad of sects claiming his mantle. It was respected by workers and youth around the world for its ideas, its clean democratic traditions and its clear orientation towards the mass organisations of the working class.

The Militant Tendency became a serious force in the British labour movement, with thousands of supporters, a big office in London, a large number of full-time workers, three Members of Parliament in Westminster, dozens of local councillors elected on a Labour Party ticket and a base in the British trade unions. It led Liverpool city council and became a household name as a result of our successful campaign against the Poll Tax, which brought down the government of Margaret Thatcher.

Unfortunately, a bureaucratic clique, led by Peter Taaffe, slowly emerged within the tendency over a number of years. This came about through a gradual downplaying of political education and the promotion of activism. In the process, a layer of educated cadres was replaced with a new layer that did not receive the basic cadre training that the Militant had been renowned for in the past. In the place of an understanding of perspectives and the need to build the framework of a future mass tendency, i.e. a core of educated cadres, came the politics of gimmicks, of exaggeration and the promise of quick and easy results.

Eventually, this led to the quest for shortcuts, which pushed the Tendency in an ultra-left and sectarian direction, breaking with all the traditions and methods that had led to the outstanding successes of the previous period. Taaffe and co. did not understand that the successes on the parliamentary front, in Liverpool, in the Labour Party and the trade unions were built on a long, prior period of patient work of building up cadres on the ground.

Ted Grant, together with Alan Woods, Rob Sewell and other comrades, attempted to resist this turn to adventurism, but it proved to be too late and they were met not with genuine discussion, not with any attempt at reaching agreement through democratic debate, but with bureaucratic methods and outright hooliganism that were completely alien to our democratic traditions. The opposition, inside the Militant in Britain and around the world, was expelled in the most arbitrary manner in early 1992. As Taaffe put it, the Opposition had placed itself outside the organisation.

This marked a decisive break with the genuine traditions of Trotskyism and eventually led to the destruction of everything we had achieved over a period of 40 years of patient revolutionary work. Under the leadership of Peter Taaffe, the gains we had made in the labour movement were gradually lost.

Abandonment of theory

Progressively, Marxist theory was replaced by empty agitation and activism. This had already started before the 1991-92 split, but was accelerated afterwards. Not a single work of Marxist theory worthy of the name has been published by the CWI since then. In fact, at the time of the split, Taaffe, reflecting his own weakness in matters of Marxist theory, referred sarcastically to Ted Grant and Alan Woods as mere theoreticians. It was Lenin who stressed the point that, Without revolutionary theory there can be no revolutionary movement, but this was lost on Taaffe.

Progressively, in the Militant, Marxist theory was replaced by empty agitation and activism / Image: IMT

Thus, the political level of the Militant began to decline. This suited the leading clique around Taaffe very well, since educated cadres are able to criticise the leadership and correct any mistakes it might make  the last thing that Taaffe and co. wanted.

As the theoretical level suffered more and more, the turn to the right in the mass organisations in the late 1980s and 1990s and the political offensive launched by the capitalist class after the fall of the Berlin Wall, found a layer of the then-membership ill-equipped to cope with the new situation faced by the Tendency.

To hold the organisation together in these conditions, instead of laying emphasis on the need to raise the political level, Taaffe pushed forward a new agenda of abandoning the Labour Party in Britain, explaining that it had become an obstacle to the development of the Tendency. He raised the idea that if only they left the Labour Party, they would grow by leaps and bounds, by the tens of thousands even.

Once embarked on this road, Taaffe and his supporters set their course on adventurist, ultra-leftism. This, however, did not give the desired results, and the Taaffe organisation continued to haemorrhage thousands of members. Whole areas split away, such as Scotland and Liverpool (the two areas that Taaffe was responsible for on the leadership of the Militant). However, instead of honestly reappraising the situation they continued on their sectarian road. And the more they failed, the more sectarianism became embedded. This is the price they paid for the abandonment of basic Marxist education, of theory! It explains why today they are completely incapable of understanding what has happened to the Labour Party, for to do so would require admitting they made a big mistake back in 1991, something Taaffe is incapable of doing, as he would see it as damaging his own prestige.

Thus, not having learnt anything from their mistakes, the leadership continued to look for quick-fix shortcuts. One of these was their obsession with electoral politics, which was expressed in their launching of TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, the electoral front set up by the CWI in Britain with the support of some trade unionists and other forces). This was a desperate attempt to get elected  at least onto the local councils  and use these positions to build from the top down, but without the troops on the ground in the form of sufficiently trained cadres. Instead of building on what they had inherited from the past, they began losing their positions  see Coventry, where, although they had lost the MP, they had at one time three councillors, but now have none.

With such developments, Taaffes natural inclination to demand respect from the ranks where none was due would have become even more entrenched. The internal regime was destined to go from bad to worse.

Authority of the leadership

Ted Grant pointed out that the only authority a genuinely revolutionary leadership can indeed claim is a political and moral one. A leadership that has a sufficient political level does not fear criticism and can answer any differences by the superiority of its theoretical understanding. An honest leadership also has no fear of admitting its mistakes, explaining why they were made and correcting their position. If, however, it does not admit and correct its mistakes, then it is destined to make more mistakes and to cover the previous mistakes with even bigger errors.

This is precisely what has happened to the leadership of the CWI under Taaffe. It made a big mistake in abandoning the Labour Party perspective and has not had the honesty and courage to admit so. This, rather than enhancing their authority, has diminished it, especially after Corbyns victory and the rise of the Labour Party left over the past few years. A leadership that lacks the necessary theoretical weight will always resort to organisational and administrative measures to silence opposition. This is a finished recipe for crises and splits.

For 25 years, the Taaffe clique maintained themselves by bureaucratic methods. Now, their methods have caught up with them / Image: Andy Soh

For over 25 years, the Taaffe clique succeeded in maintaining themselves by bureaucratic methods. But this approach inevitably leads to the destruction of a revolutionary organisation. Now, finally, their methods have caught up with them.

The issues quoted above as being the immediate cause of the conflict within the CWI did not fall from a clear blue sky. They must have been developing for some time, but have only emerged clearly now. Taaffe is accusing his opponents of the same methods and political weaknesses he has nurtured and is responsible for, which now are becoming more visible, even in the case of Ireland, once hailed as a model section by the same Taaffe. Much of Paul Murphys list of criticisms of the Irish section is very familiar, as what he describes was already present in the last few years up to the 1991-92 split, in the movement around the Poll Tax for instance.

The Anti-Poll Tax movement was a huge success, but as Ted Grant often stated, successes sometimes can be more problematic than defeats. The movement against the Poll Tax was a mass movement, and even the sizeable forces that the Militant had were still far too small to deal with the scope of that movement. In the process, political education was thrown out of the window, and the whole organisation concentrated purely on campaigning work. The political level of the branches declined, in effect becoming an adjunct to the anti-Poll Tax movement. Attention to recruitment, education and consolidation fell by the wayside. The end result was a weaker organisation, not a stronger one. Thus, the source of the problems in the Irish section of the CWI is to be found in Taaffes false method of building that he developed many years ago.

We have no doubt whatsoever that the present crisis in the CWI is a result, on the one hand of a bad political line, and on the other, of bureaucratic, Zinovievist methods. Our experience was that Taaffe cannot stand criticism of any sort, and if he finds himself in a minority, he will not hesitate to bully and browbeat any comrade who disagrees with him, and he wont baulk even at the perspective of splitting the organisation. Such is the nature of bureaucratic sectarianism. This has reduced the CWI to nothing more than a sect.

Sectarianism and prestige politics

The emergence of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the British Labour Party has produced a fundamental change, not just in the Labour Party, but in the whole of British politics. This much is abundantly evident to anyone with a minimum understanding of the political situation in Britain. But it is a closed book to Peter Taaffe and his clique. Their request to be accepted by the Labour Party was a stunt. When Taaffe reported to the National Committee that the request had been rejected, they all had a good laugh. Thank God, said Taaffe, I was worried we would have been accepted.

Prestige politics plays an important role in all this. Taaffe declared that the Labour Party had become a capitalist party and no longer a workers party. In order to reorient to the Labour Party he would have to admit that the perspective he based himself on for over 25 years, and which was one of the main issues of the 1992 split, was wrong.

Thus, at a time when half a million people have joined the Labour Party, this bankrupt sect has become a complete irrelevance, and still stands candidates against Labour, instead of joining in the decisive struggle within the Labour Party. In November, the TUSC steering committee decided it would no longer be standing candidates in elections. Instrumental in taking this decision was the RMT. In spite of this, the SP leadership still persisted in their sectarian line and announced it would be standing candidates against the Labour Party in the coming May local elections, while laughably at the same time demanding readmission into the Labour Party!

It is common knowledge that many comrades have abandoned the SP and joined the Labour Party. They have understood something that is self-evident: at the present time in Britain, the place where Marxists ought to be is in the ranks of the Labour Party, where a ferocious battle is being waged between the right wing and the rank and file that is struggling to take control. Taaffe stubbornly remains outside, lecturing from the sidelines, and has opposed unions like the RMT and FBU affiliating to the Labour Party. The FBU correctly re-affiliated and, no doubt at some stage, the RMT will do the same. This refusal to acknowledge the need to abandon their sectarian approach is a thoroughly reactionary position which has nothing in common with the ideas and methods of Lenin and Trotsky.

In order to reorient to the Labour Party, Taaffe would have to admit that the perspective he based himself on for over 25 years, and which was one of the main issues of the 1992 split, was wrong / Image: Socialist Appeal

Furthermore, instead of fighting for a clear Marxist class position, the CWI has drifted in an opportunist direction, capitulating to petty-bourgeois pressures (watering down their electoral programme, supporting candidates of the Democratic Party in the US, etc.), while at the same time maintaining a sectarian approach.

Taaffe accuses his opponents in Ireland and elsewhere of all kinds of heinous political sins (liquidationism, opportunism, Mandelism, etc.). But if there is opportunism and liquidationism in the ranks of the CWI, these tendencies have not arisen overnight. The leadership is fully responsible for this chasing after short cuts, which is the basis for opportunism. It has been visible to all for quite some time.

It is in fact a bit rich for Taaffe to accuse the Irish section of Mandelism, when in the same document he admits that a debate on China within the CWI led the IS on my initiative to propose a compromise in which two different and contradictory positions on the issue were resolved into one! That is pure Mandelism and is in fact almost a repetition of the situation in 1964, when Ted Grant challenged the leadership of the United Secretariat to come out with a clear position on the class nature of China. They could not, of course, as the unity of that organisation was based on an unprincipled compromise between two contradictory positions on the question (that of the US SWP and that of Mandel).

This combination of opportunism with extreme sectarianism has produced results that are now plain for everyone to see. In Ireland, the comrades are grappling with the problem of mass work and public positions without the necessary cadre base. This cannot be resolved on the hoof, but requires a fundamental review of the work.

We are sure that there are many honest members of the CWI internationally who joined that organisation to fight for socialism. We invite every member of the CWI  and those who have left  to think carefully about what has happened. We also invite you to read the documents from the split in 1991-92, in which the minority led by Ted Grant and Alan Woods was bureaucratically expelled by the clique around Taaffe, and compare the methods that were used then to the methods that are being used now.

Comrades! The authentic ideas, traditions and policies of the Militant Tendency have been consistently preserved and defended by the IMT. We invite you to read the ideas on our website www.marxist.com, to read How the Militant was Built  and How it was Destroyed by Rob Sewell, the Interview with Ted Grant on the Militant, and the biography of Ted Grant, The Permanent Revolutionary, where you will find our explanation of what occurred in the Militant. This will provide a complete answer to the falsifications which the Taaffe leadership have churned out for years. We ask you to read the warnings we made at the time, [see The New Turn  A Threat To Forty Years Work] and compare them to what has actually occurred. Consider your own experiences in the CWI and draw your own conclusions. If you agree, we appeal to you to join the International Marxist Tendency, the true heir of the best traditions of the Militant, and its fight for a new International, and help us build the forces of Marxism with the healthy methods of Ted Grant.

March, 2019
It was no secret that for members of Troop E that an officer could get paid without working overtime shifts by falsifying records, an attorney representing former Trooper Eric Chin said Monday afternoon.

There was a deep culture of corruption and entitlement in Troop E, said attorney Douglas Louison in federal court, before his client was allowed to go home.

The Troop E culture invited and allowed Eric Chin to fall into that culture," he added.

Massachusetts State Police spokesman Dave Procopio said in a statement that the internal investigation began with Chin, who in 2016 was the highest-earning officer. Procopio said the audits were part of a larger effort to reform the department.

Our internal investigation into Eric Chin was the starting point for the eventual wider audits of discretionary overtime pay," Procopio said in a statement. Those audits resulted in our referring 46 individuals, to date, to state and federal prosecutors for review of potential criminal activity.

Chin, who was fired by the department in December, was one of several troopers in Troop E working the Accident and Injury Reduction Effort patrols, known as AIRE. Federal prosecutors wrote in Chins sentencing memo that the officers were expected to write at least eight citations per shift. It is illegal for law enforcement agencies to implement ticket quotas.

A state police spokesman told MassLive last week that the department has no policy or operating procedures that establish quotas and does not endorse a quota system.

Chin, who pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, was the first officer to be sentenced in the overtime scandal that authorities said involved nearly 50 troopers. Richard G. Stearns sentenced Chin to one day in prison (which he satisfied by appearing in court Monday), three months of house arrest and the following nine months of supervised release.

Chin also had to pay on Monday a restitution fee of $7,125, the amount of money he received for overtime shifts he skipped.

Chin is one of eight troopers who were charged with federal embezzlement in an overtime scandal. Three troopers face state charges in the overtime scandal.

Lt. David Wilson, who retired in April 2016, faces both state and federal charges.

Louison alluded to the quota allegations as the attorney asked for leniency on behalf of Chin. Although the sentencing guidelines called for a 6-to-12-month prison term, U.S. Attorney Mark Grady recommended that Chin serve three months in prison, followed by a year of supervised release and restitution.

Louison asked the judge for a probationary sentence in lieu of prison time.

Hes a family man, Louison said, adding that Chin is the primary breadwinner for his wife and two children.

Louison described Chins misdeeds as a serious mistake that cost him his career and his financial wellbeing, as well as one that he attributed to being a part of Troop E.

Chin apologized for abusing the trust instilled by the commonwealth, the state police and the courts.

Chin said that throughout his career, Ive tried to treat people fairly and with respect ... Although I dont think this incident defines my career, it is ending it.

The quota allegations, first reported by MassLive, appeared in Chins sentencing memorandum last week. They also appeared in trooper Gregory Rafterys sentencing memorandum, which was filed on Thursday. Neither document explains how the federal prosecutor obtained this information.

In the sentencing memorandum for Chin, federal prosecutors stated that troopers who did not meet an 8 to 10 citation quota per overtime shift on the Massachusetts Turnpike would result in a trooper being blocked from receiving such overtime opportunities.

Federal prosecutors say Raftery, 48, of Westwood, destroyed copies of citations in an attempt to cover up the falsified records he made for the specialized patrol shifts he skipped. Raftery, who retired amid the overtime investigation, collected $51,337 in overtime pay in 2015 and 2016.
As Encore Boston Harbor gears up for a grand opening in June, the casino and resort announced a new transportation system that includes daily shuttle services to passengers at the Malden Center and Wellington MBTA stops.

The shuttle buses are part of a transportation plan by Encore that also incorporates on-site parking in Everett, water taxi services and a bike share program. Though the casino will have a parking garage with about 2,900 spots, the company believes parking at the resort will be limited," according to a statement shared Monday.

The shuttle services to the two Orange Line and bus stations are free to passengers and will operate every day of the week. At the Wellington MBTA station in Medford, passengers can utilize 24-hour service. At Malden Center, the shuttles will operate between 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., making one stop at Wellington on the way.

All shuttles hold 58 passengers and will arrive at each station every 10 to 20 minutes, according to Encore. The shuttles are also wheelchair accessible, and will drop passengers off at the entrance to the casino.

The company did not give an exact starting date for the shuttle service, but said it is expected to start operating in mid-2019.

The casino also plans to introduce a robust water transportation system to bring people to the resort through the use of low-profile European-style boats that do not interfere with drawbridges, the company said in a statement. The water taxis will travel from multiple Boston waterfront locations to the Mystic River resort, a spokesperson told MassLive.

Encore Boston Harbor has offered few details on the water taxi system, including any schedule or specific pick-up locations.

The $2.6 billion casino and resort, located by the border of Everett and Boston on the Mystic River, is slated to open on June 23.
The Valley Music Showcase returns on Friday to New City Brewery in Easthampton, where held every other month.

This juried, live music competition is produced by Mark Sherry as a mini music festival that tries to show off the best original talent in the Western and Central Massachusetts as well as parts of Connecticut and Vermont.

Five bands and/or solo or duos drawn from all musical genres are selected to take the stage and compete for about $1,000 dollars of gift certificates and other prizes from various local sponsoring businesses. The performers that win will also be invited to be the headliner and open (and close) the next Showcase event.

All Showcase event winners during the year will also compete for grand prizes that include 30 hours free studio recording time at Northfire Studios in Amherst, 10 hrs at Rotary Records in West Springfield, custom website design and photo shoot with Cider House Media in Easthampton, recording a music video at GCTV, a 12-hour music marketing consulting package, and hundreds of dollars in other prizes.

This months show, which starts at 8 p.m., kicks off with Keepers of the Vibe, winners of the January 2019 showcase. Contestants include Electrio, an instrumental fusion/prog rock band from Hadley; The Greg Hall Band, an Americana group from Easthampton; Springfields Hivebane, which plays acoustic rock; Cars Go West, a psychedelic jam band from Palmer; The Lost Tribe, which plays Afro-funk fusion and hails from Middletown, Connecticut.

Admission is $7.50 in advance and $10 at the door. New City Brewery is at 180 Pleasant St.

Scouting Report

The Buzz, A Honey Pot Production will release Local Honey 2, the second of of its compilation recordings featuring 12 local area artists and bands. It will take place at Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield on Saturday. Performances will be by Eric Lee, Workman Song, Mad Habits, Lush Honey, Phenomena 256, Shantyman and Tidwells Treasure. The compilation also includes songs from Old Flame, Mammas Marmalade, Snowhaus, The Greys, and Humble Digs. Admission, which includes the compilation CD, is $13 in advance and $15 at door. Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center is at 289 Main St.

Founding members of two Valley mainstays of the 1970s will play the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Sunday. Peter Newland of FAT and Norman Schell of Clean Living will take the stage at 7 p.m.

The Monday, April 8, edition of Nerd Nite Northampton will feature two talks as always  this time about the rather diverse topics of kidney transplants and Captain Marvel, respectively. Alex Squiers, who at age 26 donated his kidney to his brother, will talk about what kidneys do, why they are important, what the process was like of getting screened and tested for donation, what life after transplant is like for donor and recipient, and some extra afterthoughts on what it might mean to everyone involved. The other talk, by Ellie Hillis, will focus on Captain Marvels Carol Danvers history and upcoming evolution. The Deuce is at 50 Conz St.

Do you have a cool event coming up at a local club or bar? Send the information along to me at least two weeks in advance to geolenker@yahoo.com and Ill try to get it in this space.
ALITA: BATTLE AGENT - TWO STARS - (PG-13) James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) present the story of Alita (Rosa Salazar), who awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize. She is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. (125 min.)

CAPTAIN MARVEL - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) The latest superhero to join the Marvel cinematic franchise deserved more. Its hard to say whether the flaw is in Brie Larsons performance or a failure of the script, but I came out of the film not caring all that much about her beyond what her dazzling powers might mean for the next Avengers film, which is perhaps the lamest way of all to experience these movies. (128 min.)

FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY - THREE STARS - (PG-13) A comedy based on the life of WWE wrestler Paige. Born into a tight-knit wrestling family, she and her brother get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try out for WWE. For all its sports-movie cliches, it is lively, good-hearted and consistently funny. (107 min.)

FIVE FEET APART - TWO STARS - (PG-13) Haley Lu Richardson as a 17-year-old who spends much of her time living in a hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. She falls for a fellow CF patient , played by Cole Sprouse. (120 min.)

GLASS - TWO AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) From Unbreakable, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass. Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast. Following the conclusion of Split, director / writer M. Night Shyamalan has Dunn pursuing The Beast in a series of escalating encounters. (110 min.)

HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U - TWO STARS - (PG-13) By the time the climax arrives, Happy Death Day 2U has lost its thread, in an increasingly busy Scooby Doo-style adventure that, sadly, only points to the possibility of a Happy Death Day 3-peat. (120 min.)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD - THREE STARS - (PG) The rare trilogy capper that really works, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World brings its animated saga to a visually dazzling and emotionally affecting conclusion. (110 min.)

ISNT IT ROMANTIC - THREE STARS - (PG-13) A rom-com hating woman played by Rebel Wilson bonks her head and ends up in one herself. Its an enjoyable surface-level experience that hones in on all the generic rom-com tropes you love to hate. Isnt It Romantic stays pretty surface level, which makes for a fine and pleasurable viewing experience, but doesnt exactly do anything to show that rom-coms would be better if the best friends had more of an inner life, for example. (88 min.)

THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART - THREE STARS - (PG) While The LEGO Movie 2 is pretty darn good, you cant help shake the feeling that its just never going to live up to the exciting newness of the first. Its not entirely their fault, once the real world element was revealed in the first LEGO Movie, there are only so many directions you can go and the big stakes that all toys face being forgotten and the threat of being shoved away into storage. (106 min.)

MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL - ONE AND A HALF STARS - (PG-13) In what is billed as Tyler Perrys final outing as Madea, a family reunion turns into a nightmare as Madea and the friends travel to backwoods Georgia and unexpectedly plan a funeral, which threatens to reveal sordid family secrets. (109 min.)

A STAR IS BORN - FOUR STARS - (R) With appealing leads, deft direction, and an affecting love story, A Star Is Born is a remake done right -- and a reminder that some stories can be just as effective in the retelling. Stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. (135 min.)

THE UPSIDE - TWO AND HALF STARS - (PG-13) Based on the hit 2011 French film The Intouchables, Kevin Hart stars as a recently paroled ex-convict who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston). (126 min.)

US - THREE STARS - (R) Upon returning to their vacation home after a day at the beach, the Wilson family discovers the silhouette of four figures holding hands as they stand in the driveway. Us pits an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: Doppelgangers of themselves. (121 min.)

WONDER PARK - TWO STARS - (PG) An animated tale of an amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive. It has a great premise, but takes a few too many dark loop-de-loops and crashes hard. If you pass this amusement park, (86 min.)

(Star ratings based on The Washington Post, Associated Press, Rotten Tomatoes aggregation and Advance Digital reviews)
Lionel Richie is coming to Connecticut.

The star performer has announced the details of a new album and corresponding tour that stops at Mohegan Sun Arena on July 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the show are on sale beginning Friday, March 29, at 10 a.m. through all Ticketmaster outlets and locations including ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

The new album Live From Las Vegas features Richie performing solo hits All Night Long, Say You, Say Me, Hello, Dancing On The Ceiling and Truly along with selections from his time with The Commodores.

The album is set to be released on Aug. 23.
Passover begins at sundown on Friday, April 19, and ends Saturday evening, April 27.

Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts is once again working to ensure those in need who observe the eight-day commemoration of the Israelites Exodus from Egypt have the ritual foods for their Seders.

In an email appeal to supporters, Maxine Stein, JFS president and chief executive officer, said the nonprofit is looking to raise $7,000 for its Matzah Fund.

Every year, donors like you help us provide a meaningful celebration of Passover to elders and others in our community with limited financial resources. With your help, we fill and distribute bags of kosher-for-Passover food to hundreds of households across the Pioneer Valley and sponsor individuals and families to attend a communal Seder, said Stein in the appeal.

Last year we delivered over 170 bags of food. We also subsidized over 30 community members to attend a Seder at some of the local synagogues.

She added that the fund helps make sure that everyone in our community has the necessary provisions to set their own Seder table, eat Passover food and/or join a communal Seder.

JFS, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016, is also holding a May fund-raiser for its other programs that range from behavioral health services to elder guardianship to Jewish Family Life.

The organization also works to resettle refugees and help immigrants through its New American program that includes classes in citizenship and English as a second language.

Its recent refugees from Ukraine, Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of South Sudan were resettled with volunteer help.

JFS is looking for more volunteers in the following positions:

Citizenship specialists to help refugees and immigrants gain U.S. citizenship by working individually with them to create their petitions and prepare for citizenship interviews.

Special education advocates with education experience to advocate for refugees during Individual Education Program meetings and other encounters with systems for those living with disabilities and their parents.

Family reunification specialists to help refugees reunify with their spouses, children, and parents through family petitions.

Newcomer companions to mentor New Americans after they arrive and help them assimilate and practice English together.

JFS is also holding interpreter training classes beginning Thursday, June 13, and concluding the first week of July.

For more information on these classes, email Sara Bedford at s.bedford@jfswm.org

More information on volunteering is available online or by calling (413) 737-2601.
A 24-year-old Taunton man was sentenced to prison on an involuntary manslaughter charge in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of 25-year-old Marc Esperanca, the Bristol County District Attorneys Office said.

Scott Reynolds, who authorities say knowingly sold an extremely powerful batch of fentanyl to the victim, also pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of heroin on Friday.

Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis sentenced the defendant to serve 4-to-6-years years in state prison, and an additional three years of probation, the district attorneys office said.

The defendant sold fentanyl to the victim while knowing that the potency could be lethal. He wantonly and recklessly caused the victim's death, District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said in a statement. Defendants need to be held accountable when the evidence clearly shows their culpability for knowingly selling highly potent and lethal narcotics that cause death. This sentence does that.

Esperanca died from a fentanyl overdose on April 5, 2016. He was found dead in his Berkley home.

After being notified of the death, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the DAs office investigated further and found text messages indicating the defendant knew the potency of the drugs he was selling could be lethal, the district attorneys office said. Investigators also found several other messages showing the victim refusing drugs from the defendant because he was trying to stay clean.
BELCHERTOWN -- The town has lost a public servant, former selectman, town clerk, civic leader and university professor William R. Barnett, 81, who passed away March 17.

During Mays Belchertown annual town meeting, Barnett was recognized for his distinguished work for the town and community.

The mans public life was guided by justice, whether it was marching in Alabama from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 for civil rights and racial equality at age 27, or demanding that Massachusetts wildlife officials pay attention to area residents who questioned the states now abandoned idea to create a rattlesnake colony at Quabbin Reservoir  at age 79.

The Alabama experience would guide Barnett the rest of his life  the Selma march 54 years ago, lead by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. compelled the U.S. Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act less than five month later that was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Later in life, Barnett, who was born in Holyoke, moved to Belchertown, in 1975, and served as the elected town clerk for 21 years, retiring in 2014.

During a well-attended meeting on Feb. 28, 2017, at Belchertown Town Hall convened by the Rattlesnake Review Working Group, on which Barnett served, state officials said there would be no public comment allowed during that session.

Barnett said that as a member he had not been told about that and said it was un-American to deny the public the ability to speak.

The American way is to let them speak, Barnett said during the meeting. The next month, state officials scrapped that plan, which would have created a colony of timber rattlesnakes, at Mt. Zion, a peninsula covering more than a thousand acres that is off-limits to the public.
The father of one of the children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting was found dead in a Connecticut government building Monday morning.

Newtown police, fire and emergency medical responders were called to Edmond Town Hall in Newtown at approximately 7 a.m. on Monday following a report of an apparent suicide.

Police say the body of Jeremy Richman was found. The death appears to be a suicide, but police will not disclose the method or any other details of the death, Newtown Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said Monday. He added that his death does not to appear to be suspicious.

He was 49 years old.

Richman was the father of Avielle Richman, one of 26 students and staff killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. She was 6 years old.

He maintained an office in Edmond Town Hall and was the founder of the Avielle Foundation, created in his daughters memory, which sought to reduce gun violence.

This is a heart breaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police departments prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time," Bahamonde said.
Massachusetts is poised to act to protect state family planning clinics from losing money under new rules proposed by President Donald J. Trumps administration.

The Massachusetts House plans to vote Wednesday on a bill that House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop proposed last week, which would set aside state money to fund womens reproductive health centers if they lose federal funding.

House officials have not said how much money would be set aside, and the text of the bill has not yet been released.

On Monday, Senate president Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, as well as Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, voiced support for the idea. Spilka said the Senate is prepared to vote on the proposal Thursday, which would send it to Bakers desk.

Spilka said the Senate wants to send a message we will not allow the federal government to take away womens rights to plan with their own bodies and for their reproductive rights.

We will protect women across Massachusetts, Spilka said.

Baker supports abortion rights and has opposed Trumps proposed changes. I think theres unanimity among us that we should make sure that the federal policy change here does not affect womens ability to access reproductive services in Massachusetts, period, Baker said, standing alongside Spilka and DeLeo after their semi-regular leadership meeting.

It is something we are all very concerned about, Baker said. We want to make sure people here in Massachusetts, women, have access to reproductive services, all of them.

Trumps administration has proposed a rule, set to take effect in May, that would change how Title X family planning money can be spent.

Already, federal money cannot be used to pay for abortion. Under Trump's proposal, federally funded health clinics would no longer be required to mention abortion as an option to a pregnant women, and would be banned from providing referrals to abortion clinics. The rule would require a physical separation between a clinic that gets federal funding and one that performs abortion.

This could endanger federal funding for Planned Parenthood clinics in particular.

The rule is being challenged in court.

Massachusetts organizations get $6.1 million annually from Title X, and the money is used to provide health care services such as pregnancy testing, cancer screenings and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

DeLeo announced his plan last week to vote on a bill that would set aside state money to reimburse any clinics that lose federal funding under the new rules through the end of the fiscal year, in June.

DeLeo called Trumps actions outrageous.

We felt that we had to take action immediately, DeLeo said.
Two Springfield men were arrested Friday after law enforcement authorities executed a search warrant on a Springfield apartment and found crack cocaine, powdered cocaine and a 12-gauge shotgun.

Ronald Ingram, 21 and Anthony Evans, 28, were taken into custody after members of the State Police Gang Unit, the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the Community Action Team and member of the Western Mass. Gang Task Force searched their apartment at 109 1/2 Oakland St. Friday morning.

Five people were in the apartment when police raided the unit, but three were later determined to be simply visiting. During the search, police found a quantity of what is believed to be crack cocaine, approximately 30 grams of powdered cocaine and parts for a Winchester 1300 12-gauge shotgun.

Under the couch in the living room police found the receiver and stock for the gun. Later in the search, officers located a barrel fitting the weapon behind a kickboard in the kitchen.

Ingram was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, improper storgage of a firearm and trafficking in cocaine. As he was wearing a GPS bracelet due to a previous criminal charge he was additionally charged with committing a firearm violation after a conviction for a violent offense or serious drug offense.

Evans was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm and trafficking in cocaine.

Both men were arraigned in Springfield District Court later in the day.
HILLSBORO, Ohio - It might be expected that the conclusion of the Russia collusion investigation would be greeted in Trump Country with celebration, relief or even a degree of gloating.

Thats not the case. Here in southern Ohio and, likely, other places where President Donald Trumps support has remained rock solid, the conclusion by special counsel Robert Mueller that neither Trump nor anyone associated with his campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election was greeted with a collective shrug. Thats because, for Trump Country, the findings represented a foregone conclusion.

Apprised that the Mueller report had found no collusion, one woman at a Hillsboro diner on Sunday summed up the feelings of most here when she replied, So what? We already knew that, didnt we?

Trumps base has long regarded the Mueller investigation as a political exercise springing from the refusal of Trumps opponents to accept his election. They also know that the Mueller report will not be the end of what they see as a string of partisan investigations. They know Democrats, Never Trumpers and many in the media will quickly pivot, generating as many future headlines as possible from ongoing state probes and congressional investigations. That beat goes on.

Since it wont get repeated as often as it deserves after nearly two years of manufactured suspicion, its important to note this from Attorney General William Barrs summary of Muellers probe: The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Later, the summary added that such collusion did not happen despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

Instead of all Americans, regardless of political affiliation - along with every legitimate media organization - collectively celebrating the fact that our president was found not to have conspired with Russia, too many pundits on Sunday focused on Muellers failure to determine whether Trump had obstructed justice. After Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein agreed that evidence of obstruction did not lend itself to a crime, both CNN and MSNBC, during the first hour after the release of Barrs report, spent more time focused on the obstruction question than on the collusion exoneration, based on my own toggling back and forth between networks. It was the only thin straw left to grasp.

(To his credit, CNNs Anderson Cooper, later in the evening, countered some critical guests by reflecting what most Americans were likely feeling, offering, Just overall, if it is a fact that the president and the people around him did not actually collude with Russians who were involved in this election, thats a great thing for this county. Thank you, Mr. Cooper.)

On Saturday, key congressional Democrats held a conference call to discuss strategy prior to the release of the Mueller findings. Strategy? What strategy is needed to provide an honest reaction to Muellers report? Shouldnt the strategy be to express alarm if collusion was found, relief and reassurance if it wasnt? No, a strategy call was needed because, as a Post headline made clear before the findings were released, Democrats insist on pursuing Trump investigations no matter what Mueller concludes.

Democrats spent two years circling the wagons around Mueller, casting him as a paragon of virtue, an unassailable arbiter of truth, worrying endlessly that Trump might fire him. But over the weekend, they and many in the media began questioning his competence. After it was announced Friday that no more indictments would be forthcoming, MSNBCs Chris Matthews was beside himself.

Maybe he missed the boat here, Matthews said of Mueller. Because we know about the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, we know about the meeting at the cigar bar with [Konstantin] Kilimnik. ... All these dots were now to believe dont connect.

Since Trumps election, too many in the media have mistaken disconnected dots for tangible facts. Everyones life is marked by random dots that can be extrapolated to suggest the worst conclusions.

At this point, Trumps base will see the failure by some to accept Muellers findings (coupled with ongoing additional state and congressional investigations) not just as attacks on the president but also as assaults on the voters who put him in the White House. They will increasingly take it personally, as another elitist, second-guessing of every man and woman who voted for him. No greater motivator to vote will be needed for 2020.

Since May 2017, Trump had insisted there was no collusion at least 231 times. Fact checkers who revel in compiling lists of the presidents lies and misleading statements should, in good faith, add a special notation referencing this particular presidential mantra. On this most important of questions, it turns out that while a lot of people lied and misled, Trump was telling the truth all along.
Who needs a coherent, well-considered strategy when the president has his gut to set the pace?

On Friday, President Donald Trump posted the following to Twitter:

"It was announced today by the U.S. Treasury that additional large scale Sanctions would be added to those already existing Sanctions on North Korea. I have today ordered the withdrawal of those additional Sanctions!"

The response from most of those in the federal bureaucracy: Huh?

Because the Treasury Department, in fact, had not imposed new sanctions against North Korea on Friday. It had announced a new group of sanctions a day prior, but as it turns out, those werent what Trump was tweeting about. Rather, Trump seemed to have had in mind sanctions that hadnt yet been announced.

Operation of the White House messaging shop would appear to have been taken over by a troupe of comedy writers. Or perhaps it's just run by folks who don't much talk with one another.

The sad truth is that the president himself is, as usual, making up policy as he goes along. And that he seems still to have some odd affinity for North Korea's murderous despotic leader, Kim Jong Un.

Trump, of course, has twice met with Kim. The pair first got together, in Singapore, in June of last year, and met again, in Vietnam, just last month. After the first confab, set up on little more than a whim, Trump was as giddy as a middle-school kid with a new crush, asserting, for no earthly reason, that North Korea's nuclear threat was a thing of the past. Their second get-together was cut short abruptly, ended when Trump decided, wisely, to walk away when it became clear that Kim was asking for the world while offering virtually nothing in return.

At that point, it seemed, at least for a moment, that Trump was finally standing on solid ground when it came to North Korea. But that was obviously too good to be true, or to last.

Without his nuclear warheads and the ICBMs on which they can be launched to distant targets, Kims North Korea would be little more than a pathetic, forgettable wasteland. Its his nukes that put him on the map. As such, for Trump to believe that his affinity for the isolated leader can somehow get him to abandon his nuclear program is nothing but a dream.
Former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Eric Chin, the first person sentenced in an overtime scandal that authorities say involved nearly 50 troopers, won't be going to prison.

Chin, 46, of Hanover, was sentenced to one day in prison, which was satisfied by him appearing before Judge Richard G. Sterns at the in federal court in Boston. Sterns ordered him to spend three months of house arrest followed by nine months under supervised release. Chin must pay a restitution fee of $7,125, the amount of money he pocketed for overtime shifts he didnt work.

Although I dont think this incident defines my career, it is ending it, said Chin, who apologized at the hearing for abusing the trust of the residents, police officers and the courts.

Chin is the first of several officers sentenced in the overtime scandal that ensnared the Massachusetts State Police. He pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement in federal court last year.

Once the highest-paid trooper in Massachusetts, Chin earned $302,400 in 2016 with $131,653 coming from overtime, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lellings office.

Chin was among the first troopers suspended as authorities investigated whether members of former Troop E skipped overtime shifts they got paid for and falsified traffic tickets. He was fired on Dec. 12, 2018, two months after his plea deal.

Eight troopers have pleaded guilty to federal charges in the overtime abuse scandal.

Three of the troopers face state charges in the overtime investigation. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is investigating overtime abuse at the state level.

Lt. David Wilson is the only one facing both federal and state charges.

The sentencing guidelines called for 6-to-12-months in prison, but U.S. Attorney Mark Grady recommended 3 months in prison, one year of supervised release and paying restitution to the Massachusetts State Police, according to the sentencing memorandum.

Chins attorney, Douglas Louison, asked the judge to consider a probationary sentence instead of prison time because Chin immediately took responsibility and because he is the primary breadwinner in his family of four.

He loses his career. He loses his annual, six-figure salary. He loses his health insurance, Louison said Monday afternoon.

Stearns said he had to balance Chins misdeeds with his 20-plus years of public service and his willingness to admit the crime.

What I admire about you is your lack of rationalization and attempts to shift blame, Stearns said.

In the sentencing memorandum for Chin, federal prosecutors stated that troopers who did not meet an 8 to 10 citation quota per overtime shift on the Massachusetts Turnpike would result in a trooper being blocked from receiving such overtime opportunities.

A state police spokesman said the agency doesnt have any policies or procedures regarding quotas.

Federal investigators flagged several troopers who claimed to be on various assignments but partially worked or entirely skipped the four-hour shifts in 2015 and 2016, according to Chins sentencing memorandum. One of the programs was Accident and Injury Reduction Effort or AIRE, which required troopers to target motorists speeding or driving aggressively on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Investigators say that troopers didnt write any tickets for the AIRE patrols they missed during nasty weather. The sentencing memorandum states, Reminiscent of a grade school snow day, these troopers treated the AIRE overtime program as if it were a paid holiday.

Chin, who earned $75 an hour on overtime, was absent for at least 95 hours of AIRE overtime, according to the sentencing memorandum. He submitted fake or altered tickets, fake payroll submissions and other documents to show he worked the those shifts.

State police began an internal investigation in 2017 and announced in 2018 announced that an internal audit revealed potential overtime abuse. A total of 46 troopers were flagged as part of the investigation.

Authorities said some troopers from the former Troop E would skip AIRE patrols and falsify ticket information to cover up their misdeeds.

Stearns, the judge, said he was puzzled as to why someone who had so much to lose would take the risk over such a small sum. What troubled the judge most, he added, was not the overtime work Chin missed, but the falsification of records and the lengths he went to cover up his misdeeds.

Stearns told Chin he admires him, but that actions do have consequences: Im sorry it came to this."
SPRINGFIELD  A man accused of attacking a woman who was found by the Massachusetts Turnpike after she ran through the woods to escape is too dangerous to be released on bail, a Hampden Superior Court judge said Monday.

Judge Jane Mulqueen said no conditions of release for LeeMichael Collins, 26, will reasonably assure the safety of the community.

Mulqueen ordered Collins, 26, of held without right to bail.

Assistant District Attorney Dana Parsons said the attacks Collins is accused of committing on two women show a chilling pattern of events.

In a Sept. 19 incident, a trucker on the Massachusetts Turnpike saw a woman run out of the woods. The woman was naked from the waist down and had signs of being strangled, Parsons said.

Police were led to a Flynt Street home owned by Collins parents, where he lived in the basement. The woman said she had been taken to a trailer on the property.

The woman told police she had been dropped off for a date while she was working as a prostitute. Collins brought her into the trailer; when they discussed fee arrangements, Collins strangled her until she lost consciousness, Parsons said.

Police found items belonging to the woman, and to other women.

Through one of the items they tracked down another woman who said she had been working as a prostitute when she went to an Econolodge and met Collins. She had sex with him  but when it came time for him to pay he strangled her, that woman said.

She had not reported the incident, Parsons said. The woman said Collins contacted her and said a family member was a police officer, and she would not be believed if she reported the attack.

Defense lawyer Joe A. Smith III said Collins version of what happened is much different than that of the woman he is accused of attacking in the trailer.

Collins, who has worked as a bouncer and in construction, does not have a serious history of defaults and convictions, Smith said.

He said it would be safe to have Collins released with GPS monitoring and a zero curfew. Collins would live with his father at the Flynt Street home, Smith said.

Collins is charged with two counts of strangulation or suffocation, two counts of unarmed robbery, two counts of assault and battery and a count each of kidnapping and intimidation of a witness.
Power has been restored to part of Route 9 in Leicester after two telephone poles fell Monday morning, according to police.

National Grid said around 422 residents lost power near the intersection of Sargent Street after the poles fell.

Police did not provide detail as to how the poles fell in the first place.

That area of Route 9 was closed to traffic, but it has since reopened with restricted traffic.
A 22-year-old Southbridge man has died following a head-on crash in Dudley, officials said.

Police said Monday that Quinn A. Paul was flown to UMass Memorial in Worcester after the crash and died from his injuries Sunday.

Dudley police and firefighters were called to Route 131 near the Mill Road intersection around 9 a.m. Sunday for a report of a head-on crash on the bridge spanning the Quinebaug River, police said.

Paul was driving a 2006 Ford Fusion that crashed with a 2010 Nissan Rogue driven by 68-year-old John Waleski of Woodstock, Connecticut, police said.

Waleski remains hospitalized but is in stable condition. His injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.

At the time of the crash, Mr.

Waleskis car was heading south on Route 131 and Pauls car was heading north, police said.

No charges have been filed as of Monday. Dudley Police Department, members of the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, and the office of District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. continue to investigate the crash.
The new move is possible due to recently enacted state legislation that says the board of trustees of any township may submit a proposition to abolish the road district of that township to the electors of that township at a general election or consolidated election in accordance with the general election law.
The construction project was awarded to the Barton Malow Co., which has an office in Portage and headquarters in Southfield, Mich. Its $4,432,000 bid was about $2 million less than the bid from Gariup Construction Co. of Gary.
Aromatherapy Market  Overview

Aromatherapy has been recognized as an alternative treatment since ages and it is being offered in many healing and therapeutic practices, including yoga studios & spas, massage centers, and even in hospice settings & chiropractic facilities.

Using aromatic oils, and other aroma compounds this medical practice helps to heal several health conditions ranging from chronic stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, trouble sleeping, and muscle pain to respiratory infections, skin problems or disorders, blood sugar fluctuations, and cancer even.

Resultantly, the global aromatherapy market is growing pervasively, witnessing augmented uptake as an alternative medicine practice. Factors such as spreading awareness towards aromatherapys advantages and easy accessibility to its products cumulatively drive the market growth.

Moreover, the development of distribution channels is escalating the market on the global platform, availing various therapeutic-grade aromatherapy products and oils with the convenience of purchasing.

FREE SAMPLE COPY OF Global Aromatherapy Market Research Report- Global Forecast To 2023 @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3241

Acknowledging the exponential traction, the market is garnering currently, Market Research Future (MRFR) in its recently published analysis asserts that the already booming, global Aromatherapy market is expected to reach USD 4.3 BN by 2023, registering a CAGR of approximately 6.18 % throughout the forecast period (2017-2023).

Rapid urbanization is further ushering lifestyle-borne disorders such as sleep disturbances, stress, etc. Improving economy, worldwide, on the other hand, is availing the best possible healthcare by enhancing the quality of life of people. The non-invasive nature of aromatherapy is a key factor fostering market growth exclusively.

On the other hand, factors that are obstructing the market growth include the stringent regulations towards the obligatory differentiation label on the product citing therapeutic grade or cosmetic grade products and the lack of expertise among the therapists. Also, the toxic nature of some of the essential oils like Cineole which is poisonous above the recommended dose and an overdose may cause some severe respiratory symptoms are restricting the market growth.

Also, the lack of solid medical evidence to prove that aromatherapy prevents or cures disorders and diseases mentioned above is impeding the growth of the market up to some extent.

Leading Key Players

Key players leading the global aromatherapy market include

Air Aroma

Nu Skin

Muji

Tree of Life

Zija International

Young Living

doTERRA

Neals Yard Remedies

NOW Foods

Global Aromatherapy Market  Segmentations

For enhanced understanding, the market has been segmented into four key dynamics: 

By Product : Carrier oils & Blended oils, Essential oils (Citrus, Floral, Green/Vegetative, Spicy, and Herbaceous/Camphoraceous, Spices and others), Equipment (Ultrasonic Diffuser, Nebulizer Diffuser, and Heat Diffuser, others), and others.

By Application : Tropical, Inhalation, Aerial Diffusion, and others.

By Therapeutic Application : Pain Management, Relaxation & Sleep, Skin & Hair Care, and other remedies.

By Regions : North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest-of-the-World.

Detailed Regional Analysis

The North American region, heading with the extensive adoption in the treatment of various disorders, dominates the global aromatherapy market with the largest share. Moreover, factors such as the high per capita income and healthcare expenditures and the growing applications of aromatherapy in therapeutic applications as well as in cosmetics and personal care products are supporting the growth of the regional market. Canada and the US are major markets for aromatherapy in the region.

The aromatherapy market in the European region accounts for the second-largest market, globally. France, Italy, and Germany are the major market for aromatherapy products. Moreover, the increasing popularity of aromatherapy as therapeutics and pharmaceuticals is fostering the market growth in the region. Also, the rising disposable income and the presence of large facilities especially in France and Germany propel the growth of the regional market.

The Asia Pacific aromatherapy market is rapidly emerging as a profitable market, globally. The region is the largest producer of the essential oils, carrier oils, and blended oils which is undoubtedly impacting the market growth in the region, positively. Rapidly developing countries such as China and India have become the largest aromatherapy markets in the region due to the large unmet needs.

The aromatherapy market in the Middle East and African region led by some of the GCC countries such as Saudi Arabia and UAE will witness substantial growth over the forecast period. On the other hand, due to the poor economic and political conditions, the aromatherapy market in the African region will demonstrate a sluggish growth.

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Global Aromatherapy Market  Competitive Analysis

Highly competitive, the aromatherapy market appears to be widely expanded and fragmented characterized by several small and large-scale players. To gain a competitive edge and to sustain their position in the market, these players incorporate various strategic initiatives such as partnership, acquisition, collaboration, expansion, and product launch.

The structure of the market is changing due to the acquisition of local players by multinational companies. Because of the increasing competition in the market, multinational companies are using the strategy of acquisition, which increases the profit of the company while significantly reducing the competition.

Some oil manufacturer practice extraction methods such as steam distillation or solvent extraction to extract essential oils without changing the medication value and nutrients compound of natural herbs and plants that tend to change due to heat. Oils used in aromatherapy are also extracted by the cold press to retain maximum nutrients compound from the natural plants or herbs.

Key players are focusing more on the expansion of aromatherapy business across the globe which is contributing around 40% increase in the market share. After expansion, these players are acquiring promising companies to strengthen their presence and to get an edge over the increasing competition in the market.

Industry News

March 04, 2019  Subtle Energies (Australia), leading global aromatherapy, natural skin care, and wellness solutions brand announced that the hotel Peninsula Chicago has strengthened their long partnership by exclusively offering Subtles line of Ayurveda-informed techniques and treatments at The Peninsula Spa.

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Advance Market Analytics recently introduced Behavioral Therapy Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2025. Behavioral Therapy Market explores effective study on varied sections of Industry like opportunities, size, growth, technology, demand and trend of high leading players. It also provides market key statistics on the status of manufacturers, a valuable source of guidance, direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry.

The study covers a detailed analysis segmented by key business segments i.e. by type (Cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive behavioral play therapy, System desensitization, Aversion therapy and Implosion therapy) , by application (Anxiety Disorders, General Stress, Bulimia, Anger Control Problems, Depression, Substance Abuse and Others) and major geographies. Research Analyst at AMA predicts that United States Players will contribute to the maximum growth of Global Behavioral Therapy market throughout the predicted period.

Top key players profiled,

MyChild (Portugal),The Denver Child Therapy Center (United States),The DBT Center of San Diego (United States),Center for Brief Therapy (United States),The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center of Hawaii (United States),Behavior Therapy Clinic (United States),Atlanta Center For Cognitive Therapy (United States)

Get Free PDF Sample Pages Of Behavioral Therapy Market Report: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/16236-global-behavioral-therapy-market

After studying key companies, the report focuses on the start-ups contributing towards the growth of the market. Possible mergers and acquisitions among the start-ups and key organizations are identified by the reports authors in the study. As leading companies take efforts to maintain their dominance in the Global Behavioral Therapy Market, the right way to do so is by adopting new technologies and strategies.

The regional analysis of Behavioral Therapy Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America is the leading region across the world. Whereas, owing to rising no. of research activities in countries such as China, India, and Japan, Asia Pacific region is also expected to exhibit higher growth rate the forecast period 2019-2025.

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The Behavioral Therapy Market in terms of investment potential in various segments of the market and illustrate the feasibility of explaining the feasibility of a new project to be successful in the near future. The core segmentation of the global market is based on product types, SMEs and large corporations. The report also collects data for each major player in the market based on current company profiles, gross margins, sales prices, sales revenue, sales volume, photos, product specifications and up-to-date contact information.

Table of Content

Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Behavioral Therapy Market

Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary  the basic information of the Behavioral Therapy Market.

Chapter 3: Displaying the Behavioral Therapy Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges.

Chapter 4: Presenting the Behavioral Therapy Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis.

Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2013-2018

Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Behavioral Therapy Market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile

Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions.

Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source

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Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

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USAID/DRC is seeking proposals from international firms operating in East of Congo to provide logistic support services.



The Offeror must have the resources to staff and manage a fleet of cars and provide other administrative services.



Qualified firms can request a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) from Adel Yamak at email ayamak@usaid.gov.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 25, 2019

A Lithuanian man and associates developed an email phishing scheme that would eventually lead Google and Facebook to pay out about $120 million in two years.

The breakdown netted $23 million from Google in 2013 and $98 million from Facebook in 2015, according to Bloomberg.

Evaldas Rimasauskas, who led the phishing attack, sent fake invoices via emails to employees of Google and Facebook, pretending to represent Taiwanese hardware maker Quanta Computer.

The emails from the scammers told Facebook and Google workers that the companies owed Quanta money, and then instructed them to make payments to a bank account controlled by them.

The U.S. extradited Rimasauskas from Lithuania in August 2017. In a New York court, he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud under an agreement with prosecutors in front of U.S. District Judge George Daniels, and will forfeit $49.7 million.

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The fake emails were sent to employees and agents of the two tech giants. The thieves, who claimed to represent Taiwanese hardware maker Quanta Computer, told Facebook and Google workers that the companies owed Quanta money, and then directed payments to be sent to bank accounts controlled by the scammers.

The money was wired to bank accounts in Latvia and Cyprus. Rimasauskas caused the stolen funds to be quickly wired into different bank accounts in various locations throughout the world, including Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong, stated Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Rimasauskas caused forged invoices, contracts, and letters that falsely appeared to have been executed and signed by executives and agents of the victim companies, and which bore false corporate stamps embossed with the victim companies names, to be submitted to banks in support of the large volume of funds that were fraudulently transmitted via wire transfer.

Rimasauskas is scheduled to be sentenced in July and could face up to 30 years in prison.
by Steven Rosenbaum , Featured Contributor, March 25, 2019

Lets start at the beginning: Its all about intent.

Today, while Google tries to discern your interest with all kinds of powerful and sneaky algorithms, Pinterest has a much more honest and transparent equation: You tell them.

Youre planning a wedding. What better way to develop potential themes, design ideas, floral arrangements, etc., than to grab images and create a pinboard of visual styles? The result: a visual cornucopia of ideas.

Ive got Pinterest collections of robots, of mid-century modern furniture of clocks, and others. I enjoy creating them and using them as a roadmap of ideas. Its a particular kind of organization, part hobby, and part visual to-do list.

While other so-called platforms have pivoted and tried to be all things to all people, Ben Silbermann and his team have been building a solid, growing, user-centric business.

So how did he get here, and what does the coming IPO mean for the future of the open web?

First of all, a personal story. My longtime friend and New York leader in the angel investing community, Brian Cohen, called me in 2009. He wanted me to meet a sharp young man.

Of course, since Brian was careful about whom he introduced, I said yes. Later that week, I was sitting across from Ben Silbermann.

I remember the meeting well. The conversation was about an idea pulled from how creatives work, creating scrap-boards of ideas and images.

Silbermann was passionate and warm, without the braggadocio of startup founders in a rush to be right. He seemed like the kind of patient, creative entrepreneur who would build, test, innovate, and evolve.

Brian was right to send him to me. As a New York entrepreneur whod gotten his first funding from New York angels, I felt some obligation to pay it forward.

There was only one problem. My own startup was taking 18 hours a day, 7 days a week at that point. While Silbermann and I agreed on the central importance of curation of images, my video experience didnt entirely align with his plan to build a photo-centric platform.

In early-stage investing, offering cash is great, but ideally you want to be able to provide some value. So, after some consideration, I passed on the idea of working with Silberman. Brian Cohen said yes -- and that, as they say, is history.

10 years later, Silbermann, at the ripe old age of 35, is preparing to go public with Pinterest, which currently has a $12.3 billion valuation. The San Francisco-based company will trade under the ticker PINS, and posted revenue of $755.9 million in 2018. It has almost doubled its MAUs (monthly active user) since 2016, hitting 265 million users last year.

In 2016 Mary Meekers Internet Trends Report said 55% of Pinterest users were using the site to find and shop for products. This compared with just 12% for Facebook and an even smaller 9% for Twitter.

So now Pinterest is poised to grow its intention-based advertising in a rapid and meaningful way. Whats next? Pinterest is still driven by images, and just launched its max-width videos on the platform last year.

We plan to improve the utility of our service by making it easier for Pinners to go from inspiration to action, the company said in its S1 filing. In particular, we want to make Pinterest more shoppable.

So, shoppers -- shop away.
by Wayne Friedman , March 25, 2019

Viacoms stock rose sharply on Monday following a deal reached over the weekend with AT&Ts DirecTV/U-Verse for continued carriage of the TV/media companys networks.

Financial details were not disclosed.

A Viacom statement said: "We are pleased to announce a renewed Viacom-AT&T contract that includes continued carriage of Viacom services across multiple AT&T platforms and products.... The deal also brings AT&T customers more choice and improved value for Viacom content."

Viacoms stock was up 5% to $26.64, while AT&T was down 0.2% to $31.00.

Bernstein Research estimates that Viacom gets around $1 billion in annual carriage fees for its networks on DirecTV satellite service (which goes to 19.2 million subscribers) and AT&Ts U-verse telco pay TV service (with 3.7 million subscribers).

Viacom has a total of $3.9 billion in affiliate fees from U.S. pay TV companies.

Bernstein projected that if Viacom was dropped from AT&Ts services it could have meant a drop of some $1 billion a year in national TV advertising.

Among Viacoms 23 networks, the deal includes carriage for its major TV brands: MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, BET and Paramount Network.
The special counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Barr said in his letter to Congress. The report states: The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities,
by Sara Guaglione , March 25, 2019



Clarity Media Group, owner of Colorado Politics, is expanding the pub's reach. The weekly will cover politics, policy issues and elections in the city and county of Denver, in a new section called "Focus on Denver," beginning with the March 30 issue.

The move aims to better meet the needs of its significant readership residing in the Denver metro area, the company stated.

Neil Westergaard, former editor of the Denver Business Journal and The Denver Post, will contribute a regular column on the city for Colorado Politics.

John C. Ensslin, a former Rocky Mountain News journalist, will cover Denver politics, government and civic affairs.

"At Colorado Politics, our mission has been to provide award-winning coverage of state politics and policy, and that will continue. But in today's challenged media environment, our readers are in desperate need of in-depth, insightful reporting on the city of Denver, its government, its politics and its issues," stated Mark Harden, managing editor, Colorado Politics.

A new Denver section will also be added to ColoradoPolitics.com, and Denver news will be featured in enewsletters twice each weekday.

Clarity Media Group owns conservative magazine brand Washington Examiner and daily newspaper Colorado Springs Gazette.

Also in local news, Charlotte, North Carolina-based newspaper group The Pilot has acquired monthly SouthPark Magazine from The Charlotte Observer Publishing Company.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Pilot, based in Southern Pines, also owns five other regional titles, including PineStraw in the Sandhills, O.Henry and Seasons in Greensboro, Salt in Wilmington and Business North Carolina in Charlotte.

SouthPark's staff will move into Business North Carolina's offices in downtown Charlotte.

The Charlotte Observer Publishing Company is owned by McClatchy, one of the biggest newspaper publishers in the U.S.

SouthPark Magazine distributes over 30,000 copies monthly in Charlotte's SouthPark, Myers Park, Eastover, Dilworth, Cotswold and Elizabeth neighborhoods.

It will focus on covering the arts broadly, from architecture and interior design to the performance arts and literature to bartending and beer making, according to a statement.

Separately, Tribune Publishing has announced the top editor of the Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is leaving amid a restructuring.

Marisa Porto has served as both editor and publisher of the Daily Press since 2016, and editor of the Virginian-Pilot since Tribune bought the Pilot in 2018.

Tribune executive Par Ridder told staff last week that the company would no longer have a single role for both editor and publisher, according to the Pilot.

The title of publisher has been eliminated and the business side will be overseen by a general manager. A search is underway for a new editor and general manager.
by Sara Guaglione , March 25, 2019

is partnering with Placements.io as it rebuilds its adverting technology stack from scratch. It left Merediths platform after being acquired by Thai businessman Chatchaval Jiaravanon.

Placements.io will serve as Fortunes revenue management platform. The Seattle-based start-up works with publishers and ecommerce partners.

The company offers integrations with Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Ad Manager, as well as a proprietary migration automation tool, allowing publishers to quickly migrate to Placements platform.

Fortune has been granted the opportunity to reinvent our business and partner with a progressive company like Placements.io, which positions us for success, stated Michael Schneider, Chief Revenue Officer at Fortune.

He added: "Their next-generation platform integrations approach, as well as the number of meaningful enhancements and releases they provide, builds confidence for our future.

Placements.io says it has signed on more than 30 brands that have left competitive platforms in the past six months.

The company also works with News Corp, among other partners.

Fortune hired Jonathan Rivers, its first Chief Technology Officer earlier this month. He is tasked with building premium products at the business-focused media brand, as well as leading the development of products for Fortune across its digital, live events and print businesses.

Fortune Media Group became part of Meredith Corp. after it bought Time Inc. in 2018. At the end of last year, Meredith sold the publication to Jiaravanon.

After the sale, Fortune only had an executive team and journalists, Rivers told Publishers Daily a few weeks ago. The 89-year-old media company had no infrastructure, because it had lived on Time and Merediths platforms.

We have a website, but it has to get migrated out of Merediths infrastructure. A lot of the marketing stack and online advertising stack has to be built from the ground up, he said.

Fortune claims a combined audience of more than 20 million readers in print and online.


by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 25, 2019

A federal judge has granted final approval to a settlement requiring Google to pay around $8 million to publishers that accused the company of withholding ad revenue.

The deal stems from a 2014 class-action complaint brought by small web site operators, including Free Range Content and Coconut Island Software, who said their accounts were wrongly disabled by Google over alleged policy violations.

The publishers said they hadn't engaged in click fraud or other activity prohibited by Google, and that they were owed money when their accounts were terminated.

The settlement, approved last week by U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman in the Northern District of California, allows publishers terminated from AdSense between 2010 and last year to receive a fraction of the amount they were owed when their accounts were canceled.

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The deal also calls for Google to pay almost $3 million to the lawyers who brought the lawsuit.

Google agreed to settle the matter after losing a key battle in the case. The company had argued that the case should be dismissed because its contracts with publishers said the relationship could be terminated at any time. The publishers countered that those provisions were too unfair to be enforceable.

Freeman rejected Google's position in May of 2016, ruling the contracts were one-sided because they let Google withhold funds for up to two months regardless of the severity of the purported breach and even if the funds are earned through valid activity.

She granted the settlement preliminary approval in May of 2018, and ordered the parties to notify potential class members about the deal. Almost 10,000 small publishers subsequently submitted claims totaling more than $20 million. Those publishers will now share $8 million.

The proportion each receives will be determined by a formula that looks at various factors, including whether the publishers notified Google about a dispute over revenue.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 25, 2019

The massive amount of search advertisements removed by Bing, as well as Google, in the past year demonstrates the need to clean up the web to provide increasingly accurate information -- even when that information comes in the form of an ad.

Bing Ads took down 900 million bad ads and removed 300,000 bad sites from its system. It also suspended nearly 200,000 accounts from the Bing Ads platform in 2018 -- twice the number in the prior year.

Tech support scams that often lure people to click on innocent-looking ads was one of the areas of focus. Bing, whose parent Microsoft often is hit hard in this area, said it banned more than 12,000 tech-support scam accounts across Microsoft properties -- up 20% compared with in 2017.

Cryptocurrency was another focus. Bing Ads wavered in its position on cryptocurrency, but ultimately decided against supporting the currency due to a lack of regulatory oversight. The pseudo-anonymity also made it a prime target for scam artists to defraud users. It blocked more than 5 million ads containing cryptocurrency content.

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Lastly, the company focused on weapons of any type. In 2018, Bing updated its policy to disallow recreational guns like BB and paintball guns, along with air rifles and all the accessories, such as ammunition, that go along with them. This meant removing more than 18 million ads and 5,000 websitesfrom the Bing Ads platform.

In a blog post, Neha Garg, senior program manager of ad quality, and Brian Hagelin, manager of traffic quality, wrote the company will continue to leverage the interdisciplinary efforts of experts in machine learning and system design to scale our technology, alongside the domain expertise of policy and review experts to deter bad actors.

Google also recently checked in with numbers on bad ads and websites. In March the company said it blocked 2.3 billion ads in 2018 -- about 6 million each day -- to stop scams, abuse and malware.

Along with the 1 million advertiser accounts that Google took down in 2018 -- double the amount compared with the prior year -- the company terminated 734,000 publishers and app developers from its ad network, and removed ad completely from about 1.5 million apps.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 25, 2019

The Supreme Court has paved the way for consumers to proceed with a class-action lawsuit against Zappos over a data breach.

The court on Monday announced it won't hear Zappos's appeal of a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that allowed consumers to sue the retailer over a 2012 data breach. As is typical, the Supreme Court didn't give a reason for its decision to leave the 9th Circuit's ruling in place.

The battle dates to 2012, when Zappos suffered a security breach that resulted in the theft of 24 million customers' information, including their email addresses, passwords, phone numbers and last four digits of their credit cards.

Zappos argued the case should be dismissed on the grounds that the consumers didn't establish they were injured by the breach. A trial judge in Nevada accepted Zappos's argument, but the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the company last year. The appellate judges said in a May 2018 ruling that the stolen data "gave hackers the means to commit fraud or identity theft, and that two consumers named in the suit said hackers "took over their AOL accounts and sent advertisements to people in their address books."

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"These alleged attacks further support plaintiffs contention that the hackers accessed information that could be used to help commit identity fraud or identity theft," 9th Circuit said in its ruling.

Zappos then asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal.

This Courts intervention is sorely needed, the retailer wrote in a petition filed in August. Mere exposure to a data breach is an unfortunate fact of life in our increasingly virtual world.

The company argued to the Supreme Court that the 9th Circuit's decision was of enormous consequence in the Internet age, adding that the ruling would clear the way for abstract suits that fail to focus on and compensate concrete injuries.

Worse still, Zappos added, by subjecting all manner of retailers, employers, and service providers victimized by a data breach to the prospect of sprawling and costly litigation, no matter how adroitly and effectively they respond, the decision below severely dulls incentives to take immediate steps to prevent actual misuse of the data.
by Larissa Faw , March 25, 2019

The consumer journey is rarely a one-night stand but rather an ongoing relationship where a shopper might dream about buying a watch for 10 years before actually opening up her wallet. And, importantly, this brand-consumer relationship doesn't necessarily end after the sale.

That was one takeaway from a session at the 4As Decisions conference in Washington moderated by John Montgomery, executive vice president global brand safety, GroupM. He was joined Justin De Graaf, head of research & insights, Ads Marketing, Google, Stephanie Prager, head of global agency development, Twitter and Kirk McDonald, CMO, Xandr to discuss how they are helping to shape consumer experiences with brands.

Google, unsurprisingly, knows a lot about consumers. De Graaf mentions Google's queries for "best" is growing at 80% per year, which means brands need to be present when consumers seek these search words in order to make a sale.

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"People don't wake up with intent," he says. They wake up with a need or want, often using hazy descriptors. He discussed one case study involving shopper "Liz" who spent 50 days seeking the "best" chocolate to satisfy her desire. Google, knowing she was a 20-year-old living in Texas, used multiple screens and channels to connect with her over her journey. In the end she found what she was looking for and thus had a satisfying experience.

Twitter's Prager noted that reaching shoppers used to be about the right time with the right message. Now, it is about how thoughtful you are about placing that message, she says. "People want a reason to believe before they have a reason to buy."

McDonald offered a different perspective, suggesting that all platforms and agencies are fighting for the same metrics: reach, duration and frequency. We have more signals than ever before, but we don't have any set of standards, he says. "We need to test and learn together to learn how to talk to someone at the moment.

There is a lot more we can do on the measurement side, says McDonald. We all know there are flaws as we try to evolve our best practices. But if you tell your brand story effectively, your next consumer will find you. Full stop.

Panelists agreed the biggest mistake brands make in the digital and social consumer journey is using the same message across multiple platforms. You need to find the medium that lets you tell your brand story most authentically," says McDonald. Consumers will "blow you up" online if you claim to be something you aren't.
A new study on the effects of vitamin D found that too much may lead to slower reaction times and increase the risk of falling among older people. Share on Pinterest Vitamin D is vital, but too much may increase certain risks. Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth. Without this, our bodies cannot absorb calcium, which is the main component of bone. Vitamin D may also protect against cancer and diabetes. Our bodies synthesize vitamin D when sunlight reaches the skin. The amount of vitamin D that our skin produces depends on several factors, including where we live, season, and skin pigmentation. During winter, vitamin D production may decrease or be completely absent. We can also get vitamin D from salmon, sardines, canned tuna, oysters, and shrimp. People who are vegetarian can obtain this vitamin by consuming egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified food products such as soy milk, cereal, and oatmeal.

Vitamin D in older adults It may be harder for some older adults to absorb vitamin D because they may not get regular sun exposure. In this case, taking a vitamin supplement or a multivitamin that contains vitamin D may help boost bone health and improve memory. Studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to conditions such as dementia, depression, diabetes, autism, and schizophrenia. As we age, it is crucial to ensure that our bodies get the right amount of vitamin D, because the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia may increase. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is: infants 012 months: 400 international units (IU)

children 118 years: 600 IU

adults to age 70: 600 IU

adults over 70: 800 IU

pregnant or lactating women: 600 IU While it is crucial to take vitamin D, excessive exposure can also pose risks. A study led by Rutgers University found that older women who are overweight or obese who took more than three times the recommended daily dose of vitamin D had slower reaction times.
AURORA, Colo.

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Elijah Watkins

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Ronald E. Bush

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/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Big Sky Scientific filed its opening brief in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit on. A copy of the brief may be downloaded from http://www.pacer.gov or by visiting Big Sky's website at bigskysci.com.With its opening brief filed, Big Sky now looks forward to the 9th Circuit ruling in its case as it seeks the release of nearly 7,000 pounds of industrial hemp thatState Police confiscated during a safety inspection onnear. The 9th Circuit has put the case on an expedited schedule, givinguntilto file its brief and Big Sky untilto file any reply briefing. No hearing date has been set yet."Hemp has been federally legal during this case.is the only state in the West that does not recognize industrial hemp," said, partner at Stoel Rives LLP and counsel for Big Sky.On, Chief Magistrate Judgeof the U.S. District Court for the District ofdenied Big Sky's requests to havereturn its hemp. Big Sky appealed Judge Bush's decision to the 9th Circuit the following day (Case No. 19-35138 on appeal from U.S. District Court Case No. 1:19-cv-00049-REB).The driver of the shipment faces felony marijuana trafficking charges, which carry a mandatory five-year minimum prison sentence. He is currently out on bond, but has struggled to find work sinceimpounded the semi-truck he was driving during the seizure.is asking a state court judge for permission to sell the truck and trailer.is also asking the state court judge to let it destroy Big Sky's crop."It is my sincerest hope that the charges against the driver will be dropped so he can go back to his life, and thatwill return Big Sky's property," said Big Sky CEO. "Until that time, Big Sky will continue to pursue assistance from the courts."Industrial hemp has been removed from the federal Controlled Substances Act registry and is now legal in the U.S. Big Sky purchased the hemp from a hemp farmer, licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture, and was shipping it towhen it was seized on Interstate 84 after the truck driver voluntarily stopped at a weigh station outside ofFor more information, contact Big Sky Scientific CEOat 702-682-5400.SOURCE Big Sky Scientific
PERTH, Australia

Mar. 25, 2019

Kris Kern

Perth

Kris Kern

Kris Kern

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Don't be fooled by clever marketing to stop you smoking by replacing cigarettes with another substance that can lead to dramatic and even traumatic side effects including suicide, says one Perth stop smoking expert., a registered Clinical Hypnotherapist with the Australian Hypnotherapists' Association and a practising naturopath with qualifications including a degree in Health Science and a member of the Complementary Medicine Association and owner of the optimal health clinic Mind and Body Revival Naturally, says the desire to quit smoking must never come at the expense of serious mental health issues."No one wants to suffer from serious mental health issues that can be brought on by so-called smoking cessation drugs when they are trying to quit," Ms Kern said."I've seen the steady increase of marketing these products over the years, from pills, patches, gum, and the new kid on the block, e-cigarettes, all promoting their ability to help someone stop smoking with failure to mention the possibility of serious side effects to unsuspecting people and their families who place their trust, and health, in big pharmaceutical companies."She said consumers have been lulled over the last decade or so by flashy advertisements full of healthy people, but it's surprising just how often consumers who try these methods fail to stop smoking and continue to smoke, then are faced with other new concerning health issues.When you consider the urge to have a cigarette is caused by habits that have been formed and are held in your sub-conscious, so to remove the urge we must re-program the thought patterns, it's little wonder there is a large percentage of failures when people try to quit smoking by simply replacing the cigarettes with another drug.She said what often happens is people think they are doing the right thing, but the cravings, mood swings, stomach problems, interrupted sleeping patterns, anxiety and a number of other negative side effects become too much to bear. "The only thing they can think of to give them relief, is to start smoking again. Some people will try several of these stop smoking methods only to be let down by the products because they aren't dealing with the root cause of their problem." "This costs them a lot not only financially, but also mentally, physically and emotionally. No one likes to fail at something especially when it is promoted that it will work for you. Perceived failure can lead to further negative thoughts spiralling down into a dark place that many find difficult to come back from.""The worst part of all this is that you can stop smoking in a short period of time, without suffering from any of these side effects and without using any drugs. It's just a case of knowing how," Ms Kern said.The biggest reason to do your research before you start?"You want to know what you are putting into your body. Cigarettes are loaded with lots of nasty toxins that are causing you harm. By replacing them with another foreign substance that isn't entirely safe, you might be adding further harm that can lead to devastating consequences," she said.Which is why when you are ready to permanently stop smoking, you should talk to experts that can help you in an all-natural, healthy way like Mind and Body Revival and their Clinically Researched and Doctor Endorsed Enhanced Neuro Blocker (ENB) Method.Mind and Body Revival is a-based stop smoking company. To find out more and schedule an interview, callon 1300 953 881 or email kris(at)quitsmokingperth.com.auSOURCE
RAMAT GAN

Israel

March 25, 2019

Israel's

Mozambique

Mozambique

Zimbabwe

Malawi

Elchanan Bar-On

Mozambique

Africa

Zambia

Nigeria

Tanzania

Guatemala

Haiti

Israel

Middle East

Israel

Tel-Aviv University

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer,national hospital, is mobilizing a four-person team of humanitarian medical experts and doctors to Beira,where a deadly cyclone has killed nearly 450 people and left a devastating path of destruction. The team will arrive intomorrow at noon to assess the most desperate needs and begin treating patients.Approximately 90 percent of Beira was destroyed by the cyclone that went on to wreak further devastation inandSheba Medical Center's needs assessment team will quickly and meticulously evaluate immediate medical and supply needs with boots on the ground. Leading the team is Prof., the Director for Sheba's Israel Center for Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Response, who travels the world with Sheba's medical emergency response teams providing life-saving treatments, supplies and equipment across the world."When there is a need in the world, Sheba Medical Center is there. It is what we do. It's part of our mission and our calling," Said Prof. Bar-On. "We want the people ofto know that help is coming."The Israel Center for Disaster Medicine and Humanitarian Response at Sheba Medical Center boasts highly experienced doctors and specialists who continue to lead the charge in preparing and responding to global humanitarian crises and emergencies. Sheba Medical Center has deployed humanitarian missions throughoutincluding toand, as well as led life-saving humanitarian missions inand elsewhere. Humanitarian aid has been a part of Sheba Medical Center's mission since its establishment in 1948.About Sheba Medical Center Born together within 1948, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer is the largest and most comprehensive medical center in the. Sheba is the only medical center inthat combines an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation hospital on one campus, and it is at the forefront of medical treatments, patient care, research and education. As a university teaching hospital affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine at, it welcomes people from all over the world indiscriminately. To learn more, visit: https://eng.sheba.co.il/SOURCE Sheba Medical Center
For the longest of time, we've wanted the education board to add more meaningful subjects in the school curriculum that would help the students in the long run in the future. Well now, it looks like it's finally happening as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is introducing Artificial Intelligence (A.I) as an elective subject for the high-school students.

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The same was confirmed by a member of the board's governing body who spoke to The Hindustan Times. According to the official, the decision to introduce Artificial Intelligence as a school subject was taken during a session held at the NITI Aayog. The subject would be introduced in classes 8, 9 and 10 as a skill subject, and the board decided to modernize its curriculum to help the student stay abreast of the latest developments.

In addition to the introduction of the subject, the body member also noted that the board will also help building schools for the teaching-learning of the new subject from the next academic session in its capacity. The member said, Syllabus for the new subject would be drafted for all the three classes. If required, the board will also help in the capacity building of schools for the teaching-learning of the new subject from the next academic session.

 Pexels

In addition to artificial intelligence, the board has also decided to introduce yoga and early childhood education as elective subjects at senior secondary level.

The CBSE has 20,299 schools in the country and 220 schools in 25 other countries affiliated to it, so we're certain that this decision will benefit a lot of students in the long run. Now, we hope more subjects like this would be added to the curriculum to help the students studying the other boards as well.
(CNN)  Mount Everest expedition operators are finding increasing numbers of climbers' dead bodies on the world's highest peak as high temperatures melt glaciers and snow.

More than 200 mountaineers have died on the peak since 1922, when the first climbers' deaths on Everest were recorded. The majority of bodies are believed to have remained buried under glaciers or snow.

"Due to the impact of climate change and global warming, snow and glaciers are fast melting and dead bodies are increasingly being exposed and discovered by climbers," Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of Nepal Mountaineering Association, told CNN.

"Since 2008 my own company has brought down seven dead bodies of some mountaineers, some dating back to a British expedition in the 1970s."

'It's getting worse'

Studies suggest that glaciers in the Everest region are melting and thinning.

Sobit Kunwar, an official of Nepal National Mountain Guides Association, told CNN: "It's a very serious issue because it's increasingly common and affects our operations.

"We are really concerned about this because it's getting worse," he added. "We are trying to spread information about it so that there can be a coordinated way to deal with it."

The association's treasurer, Tenzeeng Sherpa, said that climate change is affecting Nepal rapidly, saying that in parts glaciers are melting by a meter every year.

"Most of the dead bodies we bring to the towns, but those we can't bring down we respect by saying prayers for them and covering them with rock or snow."

He lamented the authorities' lack of action in dealing with dead bodies encountered on the mountain. "We have not seen the government taking any responsibility," he said.

'Herculean task'

Recovering and removing bodies from the higher camps can be both dangerous and expensive.

Ang Tshering Sherpa, one of the first pupils to study at a mountaineering school built by the New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and a pioneer of Everest tourism, said that one of the most dangerous recoveries was at 8,700 meters, near the peak.

"The body weighed 150kg [23.6 stone] and it had to be recovered from a difficult place at that altitude. It was a Herculean task," he said.

He added that it takes a long time to get funding from the government to remove bodies. "But we, the operators, feel it is our duty and so whenever we find them, we bring the bodies down."
One of Connecticuts highest-ranking labor officials charged Gov. Ned Lamonts administration Monday with trying to roll back crucial clean contracting reforms enacted in the wake of the corrupt administration of former Gov. John G. Rowland.

Connecticut AFL-CIO President Sal Luciano called certain aspects of Lamonts proposal reckless and shortsighted and a recipe for disaster that threatens the public trust.

The bill introduced on Lamonts behalf is an alarming attempt to return us to the shadowy Rowland years in which the governor engaged in pay-to-play contracting and procurement, awarding lucrative state contracts to those who compensated him with expensive gifts, trips and home improvements, Luciano wrote in testimony to the Government Administration and Elections Committee. Rowland repeatedly and systematically used his office for personal gain and was ultimately convicted of corruption charges and sent to prison.

The Lamont administration countered Monday that it is trying to transform state government and streamline spending as Connecticut faces unprecedented fiscal challenges.

We respect Sal Luciano and the role he plays on behalf of his organization, but on this issue we wholeheartedly disagree and find this type of rhetoric alarmist and unconstructive, Chris McClure, spokesman for the governors budget office, said. Public-private partnerships hold the potential to play an important role in economic and infrastructure development, and the governors bill is his attempt to bring our state government into the 21st century in a way that doesnt overly burden state taxpayers and enhances accountability and efficiency.

Lucianos testimony comes just a few weeks after the new governor said he would consider a public-private partnership to cover some or all of the capital costs associated with installing toll gantries on Connecticut highways  should legislators approve an electronic tolling system. The administration has estimated capital costs at $213 million and projected 53 gantries would be needed.

At issue is the so-called Clean Contracting system enacted in October 2007 to counter the contracting scandals that drove former-Gov. John G. Rowland from office amid an impeachment inquiry in July 2004. Rowland served 10 months in federal prison after admitting he accepted about $100,000 in gifts from state contractors and his staff.

Among the many provisions of that law was a new 14-member standards board, to be appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, as well as a staff consisting of an executive director and a chief procurement officer.

Another key component of the statute involved a series of rules governing when state agencies can hire the private sector. Before privatizing most services currently performed by state employees, agencies would have to develop a cost-benefit analysis that demonstrates at least a 10 percent cost savings, and no loss in quality of service.

The law also makes the presumption that a core governmental function should not be privatized, and any departments cost-benefit analysis arguing that private contracting is necessary must demonstrate that the agency in question lacks staffing to do the job properly.

But that system has had a troubled history almost from its onset.

In the years immediately after its enactment, Govs. M. Jodi Rell and Dannel P. Malloy asked legislatures to approve minimal funding for the standards board as Connecticut fell into recession and struggled with a weak recovery.

At one point the contracting standards boards annual budget was reduced to $10,001  the minimum amount needed to retain a line item in the overall state budget, but not enough to employ full-time staff.

The chairman of the contracting standards board, Lawrence Fox, told the Associated Press last month that the state could save $174 million to $260 million annually it its relied more heavily on competitive bidding. Fox said the state waves the competitive process nearly 70 percent of the time in contract awards.

Still, as long-neglected pension funds pushed overall state finances into crisis over the past decade, Malloy and his budget director, Ben Barnes, argued the system made it too difficult to privatize government services and cut costs.

And Lamont inherited the same fiscal challenges that plagued Malloy.

Pension and other debt costs already consume nearly 30 percent of the annual operating budget, roughly triple what they did just 20 years ago.

Long-neglected pension and other retirement benefit programs are expected to grow dramatically in cost over the next 10-to-15 years. And legislatures increasingly are pressuring governors to close deficits without raising income taxes or cutting vital social service programs or municipal aid.

State finances, unless adjusted, will run $3.7 billion in deficit over the next two years combined, according to the governors budget office.

Lamont proposed legislation this year that would open the door for more public-private partnerships to streamline state spending.

The governor has developed a bill that would make several changes to the law, removing limits on:

The number of major public-private partnerships that can be authorized. The current limit is five.

The duration of such partnerships. The current limit is 50 years.

The kinds of projects that can be undertaken with the private sector. Currently they are limited to early child care, health, housing and transportation initiatives.

Lamont also proposed that the governor no longer need to seek legislative approval to establish new types of services that can be delivered through the private sector.

Luciano, whose federation represents hundreds of local unions and more than 220,000 workers in the public and private sectors combined, also serves on the contracting standards board.

The labor leader told the CT Mirror he worries many at the Capitol are losing sight of corruption scandals that cost taxpayers millions of dollars in the early 2000s.

I hope not, but Im here to remind them, he said. We were a laughing stock. At one point we were called Corrupticut.
MIDDLETOWN  American Addiction Centers invites the public to attend a free community support group for those who have a friend or family member struggling with the disease of addiction.

The group, Believable Hope  Support for Families, meets biweekly and is a resource for those who have a loved one in active addiction, currently in treatment, or living in recovery, according to a press release.

The next meeting is Tuesday.

My experience with the group and American Addiction Centers has been educational, supportive and provided much-needed emotional relief, longtime attendee Scott McDonough said in a prepared statement.

I spent a significant amount of time wrestling with my role in the cause of my sons addiction, but I am now comfortable realizing that I didnt cause it. If I could fix my son, I would, but Im limited to fixing myself, and this group has provided me with the tools, he added.

Each meeting is facilitated by an American Addiction Centers outreach coordinator. They provide a safe and comfortable space for people to come to, as well as conduct educational seminars, such as how to administer naloxone. They also bring in professionals in the field who can speak about detox and interventions, the release said.

American Addiction Centers guides patients throughout the entire treatment process, Chris Ferrante, New England regional outreach manager, said in the release.

From the very first conversation with an admissions navigator to participation in the alumni community, AAC accompanies the patient on their road to recovery. Now, with the Believable Hope support groups, AAC is guiding the family through the treatment process, and providing them with tangible support and resources along the way, he added.

The Believable Hope meetings take place every other Tuesday at Middlesex Community College, 100 Training Hill Road, in Room 803 at 7 p.m. For information, contact Ferrante at 860-716-6472 or cferrante@contactaac.com.
Nibi is the Ojibwe word for water, and the Nibi Walk is described by organizers as an Indigenous-led, extended ceremony to pray for the water with every step taken in gratitude for the life-giving force.
Troops from Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa are on the ground in Mozambique, supporting the country's government as it recovers from a deadly cyclone that has killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of homes.

Task force personnel under U.S. Africa Command are working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to assess the devastation wrought by Cyclone Idai, which struck Mozambique 12 days ago, destroying the port city of Beira and hundreds of villages before tearing through neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe.

The storm has left at least 700 dead and affected 2.7 million people. Relief agencies are in a race against time to provide humanitarian aid to those who remain isolated or are living in overcrowded shelters, where poor sanitation and limited access to water may put them at risk for cholera, malaria and other deadly diseases.

In a prepared statement, Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of U.S. Africa Command, said the task force is actively working with the Pentagon, State Department and USAID to provide assistance.

"U.S. Africa Command is actively monitoring and assessing the situation while positioning assets to support the Government of the Republic of Mozambique," he said.

The Pentagon has approved up to $6.5 million in humanitarian and disaster funding for the response, which began Friday and is authorized for up to 10 days. An AFRICOM spokeswoman added that an operations order is expected in the next few days that will determine the number of personnel needed for the emergency and the length of the response.

Elhadj As Sy, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, conducted a flyover Friday of the devastation and described large swaths of forests and homes submerged under 30 feet of water.

He visited a school where 3,000 people are living in 15 classrooms with access to just six toilets, a situation repeated at shelters and facilities across Mozambique, he said in a United Nations' press release.

"It's not an exaggeration when I say we are really sitting here on a water, sanitation and hygiene ticking bomb," As Sy said.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime.
Airmen Have Five Days to Get Immunized After Vaccine Exemption Is Denied or They Face Punishment, Air Force Says

The service required all active-duty troops to become fully vaccinated by Nov. 2 after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in...
A Coast Guard vessel and a Navy ship passed through the Taiwan Strait this weekend in a signal to China as it asserts its dominance in the region.

The Coast Guard cutter Bertholf joined the Navy destroyer Curtis Wilbur in a freedom-of-navigation operation through the strait Sunday. A Navy spokesman called the move "routine" in a statement to CNN. But it's the first time a Coast Guard vessel has been involved in a transit of that type in the Pacific, the South China Morning Post reported.

A Coast Guard spokesman deferred questions about the transit to the Navy's Seventh Fleet. That command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The ships' transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," Cmdr. Clay Doss, a spokesman for the Navy's Seventh Fleet, told CNN.

The Bertholf deployed to the region in January at the request of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said last summer that more combatant commanders are looking to his service to help solve complex problems in their areas of operation. With China having invested heavily in its coast guard, Schultz said it was likely the U.S. Coast Guard would likely build up a presence there too.

"Tempering that Chinese influence is absolutely essential," he said.

Navy officials have stressed that their vessels, aircraft and personnel will "fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows" following several recent freedom-of-navigation operations in the Asia-Pacific region. This is the service's third transit through the Taiwan Strait this year.

China closely monitors the U.S.' presence in the waterway, which runs between China and Taiwan. On Monday, Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, said it was "fully aware" of U.S. warships sailing through the strait, according to the South China Morning Post.

"We urge the U.S. to abide by the one-China principle and ... handle Taiwan-related issues in a prudent and proper manner, so as not to harm China-U.S. relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Geng said, according to the newspaper.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.
Luke Air Force Base expects to receive two additional F-35A Joint Strike Fighters for its pilot training program with Turkey in coming weeks, even as officials debate complexities surrounding the NATO ally's involvement in the program.

Two jets are expected to arrive at the Arizona base next month, 56th Fighter Wing spokeswoman Maj. Rebecca Heyse said during a phone call Friday.

The first group of Turkish pilots and instructor-pilots have graduated the training program with the 63rd Fighter Squadron as the second and third groups have begun entry-level training at Luke or in San Antonio, Texas, she added.

Heyse could not disclose the number of pilots in the program for operational security and privacy reasons. The first group, which began training in July, will remain at Luke to teach and work with future groups, she said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced this weekend that his country -- which hosts Incirlik Air Base, a key Air Force hub -- will continue with its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile system.

Related content:

The deal troubles Defense Department officials, who have said the purchase could result in Turkey's ouster from the F-35 program. Reuters reported last week that the U.S. is considering halting preparations to deliver the F-35 to Turkey in light of its efforts to acquire the Russian system.

"The S-400 is a computer. The F-35 is a computer. You don't hook your computer to your adversary's computer, and that's basically what we would be doing," Katie Wheelbarger, acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, told the news outlet in an interview.

Responding to the Reuters report, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford said Thursday that he "would have a hard time" justifying future F-35 sales to Turkey.

"We're hopeful to find a way through this, but it's a tough issue," he said during a discussion at the Atlantic Council on Thursday.

The program of record for F-35 sales and pilot training for Turkey remains unchanged, a DoD official said on background Friday.

Congress could create legislation to block delivery of the jets to Turkey, a move slated to occur between late summer and the end of the year, the official said.

In the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, lawmakers temporarily blocked F-35 transfers until then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo submitted a report to Congress describing the current U.S.-Turkey relationship and whether keeping the F-35 from Turkey would hurt production, training or other partnerships.

Turkish defense companies have produced part of the plane since 2002, in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Corp., the F-35's manufacturer.

The lawmakers' temporary block was also related to "a hostage situation" involving American pastor Andrew Brunson. (Brunson was freed in October.)

The classified report was submitted in November, the official said. A few highlights surfaced later that month, saying "the administration will reassess Turkey's continued participation as one of the eight partner nations should they continue their purchase of the S-400," according to a two-page summary reported by Bloomberg.

The DoD official said the situation remains a diplomatic issue for now, as the Pentagon awaits further guidance from the White House or Congress.

Turkey wants to buy 100 of the F-35A variant used by the U.S. Air Force. The country took delivery of its first F-35 last June in a ceremony at Lockheed's Fort Worth, Texas, facilities, amid the legislative efforts to halt future deliveries. Two F-35s were then transferred to Luke.

In an effort to keep Turkey away from Russian-made weapons, the State Department in December approved the potential sale of the Patriot missile system and related equipment to the country for $3.5 billion.

Both Lockheed and Raytheon Co. build parts of the long-range Patriot surface-to-air missile system. Officials have touted the Patriot to Turkey for years, and the country expressed interest in the system after the war in Syria began in 2012.

But according to the Daily Sabah Diplomacy, a Turkish news site, unidentified officials who spoke to the paper in July said the Patriot isn't a suitable alternative to the S-400.

While U.S. officials are committed to ongoing negotiations, Turkey in February rejected the latest sale proposal, Bloomberg said.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
Post-9/11 active-duty veterans have disability rates significantly higher than those of previous generations, according to a government report.

About 41 percent of those who served after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in Afghanistan, Iraq and other war zones have disability ratings from the Department of Veterans Affairs, compared to 25 percent of veterans of other eras, according to the annual survey of veterans employment and status by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Based on the Current Population Survey of 60,000 households in 2018, BLS said that "41 percent of Gulf War-era II [post-9/11] veterans had a service-connected disability, compared with 25 percent of all veterans."

The data on disability ratings came from a supplement to the population survey report for August 2018, which was co-sponsored by the VA and the Labor Department's Veterans' Employment and Training Service, the BLS report said.

In 2018, the nation had 19.2 million veterans, less than 8 percent of the total population. And 4.1 million of those veterans were from the Gulf War-era II period, covering September 2001 forward, the BLS said.

"In August 2018, 4.7 million veterans, or 25 percent of the total, had a service-connected disability," the BLS said.

Among all veterans with a service-connected disability, 29 percent reported a disability rating of less than 30 percent, while another 41 percent had a rating of 60 percent or higher, the BLS said.

For veterans who served post-9/11, 41 percent, or 1.7 million, reported a service-connected disability in August 2018, and nearly half of those had a service-connected disability of 60 percent or more, BLS said.

The BLS report did not discuss why post-9/11 veterans have higher disability ratings than veterans of other eras, but Dr. Nicholas Armstrong, a senior researcher at Syracuse University's

Institute for Veterans and Military Families, suggested several reasons.

Advances in battlefield medicine and rapid evacuations to treatment centers have resulted in more veterans surviving wounds that would have killed them in previous wars, said Armstrong, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army's 10th Mountain Division.

In addition, there's a heightened awareness in the military and at the VA of the aftereffects of traumatic brain injury (TBI), along with more screenings for mental health issues resulting from post-traumatic stress, Armstrong said.

"If you look at the VA data on that, certainly post-9/11 generation veterans have been experiencing higher rates of service-connected disabilities than previous generations -- that's a fact," he said.

Armstrong said advances in the ability to diagnose PTSD are "another of the many drivers, I would say, of the uptick in disability rates."

Post-9/11 Vets Unemployment Rates

The BLS report mainly focused on the unemployment rates for veterans and trends for veterans in the job market.

The unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty at any time since September 2001 declined to 3.8 percent in 2018, down from around four percent for all of 2017. It's a marked improvement from the double-digit jobless rates for post-9/11 vets in the recession period from 2011 to 2012, the BLS found.

For all veterans, the jobless rate was little changed at 3.5 percent in 2018, compared to 2017.

Other highlights from the 2018 data on veterans employment included the following:

The unemployment rate for female veterans declined to 3.0 percent in 2018, and the rate for male veterans was 3.5 percent, with little change over the year.

Of the total 326,000 unemployed veterans in 2018, 54 percent were ages 25 to 54, 40 percent were age 55 and over, and six percent were ages 18 to 24.

Veterans with a service-connected disability had an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent in August 2018, higher than the rate for veterans with no disability (3.5 percent).

About one in three employed veterans with a service-connected disability worked in the public sector in August 2018, compared with about one in five veterans with no disability.

The unemployment rate of veterans varied widely across the country, ranging from 1.4 percent in Iowa to 6.5 percent in the District of Columbia.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
More than 9,700 people have signed a petition urging the University of Texas at El Paso to reconsider its nomination of Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson as its next president.

The petition, which was started days after Wilson announced she would step down as the 24th Air Force secretary to pursue her latest role in academia, is close to reaching its goal of 10,000 signatures.

"We call on the Texas Board of Regents, the governing body for The University of Texas System, to withdraw Heather Wilson as the finalist for president of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)," according to the petition, posted on Change.org on March 9.

"Wilson has a clear history of being anti-LGBTQ, as reflected in her voting record as a former U.S. congresswoman from New Mexico and more recently in her position as Air Force Secretary, where she reversed a rule to allow for anti-gay discrimination in 2018," reads the petition, co-sponsored by eight LGBTQ and social groups.

The petition was started by Cristina Calvillo-Rivera, president of the Borderland Rainbow Center, an El Paso community center that focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and intersex outreach. The group and sponsoring organizations recently held a series of protests to oppose Wilson's upcoming tenure at the school, according to the El Paso Times.

"Moving Heather Wilson as the sole finalist, and potential next president of UTEP, endangers the university's ability to earnestly act on and serve in the best interests of all students," the petition states.

Wilson visited UTEP on March 11. During a press conference, she stressed educational value and respect for all.

"My general approach to LGBT issues is to treat everyone with dignity and respect. And I think that is what a leader should do with everyone in the university," she said, as reported by the El Paso Times.

"You probably couldn't have chosen as a sole finalist someone who has lived more in public life," Wilson said, referring to accounts from both "credible and not-so-credible sources about who I am and what I stand for on any issue."

In Washington, D.C., lawmakers have expressed gratitude to Wilson, and some have hinted she should reconsider her departure.

During a March 13 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on the Air Force budget, Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, said she's been hoping Wilson reverses her decision.

"You truly have done an amazing job on everything from procurement, to morale, to recruitment, to readiness," Collins said.

"I can't think of anyone better, and I'm very sad that you're leaving. You can still tell them 'no' in El Paso. Maybe you can't, but I just wanted to start off by thanking you and wishing you well," she said.

Other lawmakers chimed in.

"We're going to miss your leadership at the Pentagon," said Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, credited Wilson as a great addition to the Trump administration.

"What you have added -- what you have added to this administration -- is greatly, greatly appreciated and will be deeply missed," Murkowski said.

The Air Force said Wilson is resigning as secretary effective May 31 to "allow sufficient time for a smooth transition."

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
A pair of Heavenly Lanterns and Longevity Lanterns each, the biggest creative products ever designed by the Palace Museum, will be put up for auction in early April, the museum's curator said Sunday.

Curator Shan Jixiang made the announcement in a speech at the 2019 Tencent Neo-Culture Creativity Conference held here, saying all the gains from the auction will be donated to help people in China's poverty-stricken regions.

Noting the importance of poverty reduction in China's progress toward a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Shan said the museum, also known as the Forbidden City, with its cultural and creative ideas, should be capable of contributing to the battle against poverty.

During a special exhibition for Spring Festival, the visiting areas of the Forbidden City are transformed into a Spring Festival cultural experience, with heavenly lanterns (tiandeng) and longevity lanterns (wanshou deng) at the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Imperial Supremacy.

The lanterns, all historically accurate reconstructions based on archives from the Qing dynasty, were installed and lit up for the first time in almost two centuries. In Qing dynasty, the installation and dismantling of these Spring Festival lanterns required the work of over 8,000 personnel, according to the museum.

Shan focused on the exploration of digital culture and creativity at the Palace Museum in his Sunday speech, vowing to further improve its digital platform and make a visit to the museum an easier, more efficient and more happy experience for the people.

Among the key speakers at the 2019 Tencent Neo-Culture Creativity Conference are writer Mai Jia, who talked about how writers can tell stories about Chinese people to the world well, and Tencent Pictures CEO Cheng Wu, who said the evolvement in cultural production modes is leading to China's higher ability to tell its own story.
The U.S. Army plans to spend $6 million on its new Modular Handgun System (MHS) in the proposed fiscal 2020 budget, $42 million less than it spent on the M9 replacement in the fiscal 2019 spending plan.

The service recently unveiled its proposed $182 billion budget, which includes cuts to 93 existing programs to free up money to fund future modernization products.

The Army awarded Sig Sauer a 10-year contract in 2017 worth up to $580 million to produce the XM17 and compact XM18 9mm pistols to replace the Cold War-era M9 pistol, made by Beretta.

Despite the significant spending reduction to MHS proposed for fiscal 2020, Army officials told Military.com that the program is not one of the 93 the service chose to cut funding to over the next several years to earmark money for its top six modernization priorities.

"The MHS program remains funded to procure the entire Army Acquisition Objective (AAO), plus additional handguns to support the European Defense Initiative," Wayne Hall, an Army spokesman, told Military.com in a written response.

The service's new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, however, was not as lucky in this budget. The Army recently confirmed that JLTV is one of the 93 programs it plans to cut funding to in the future.

The Army just began fielding its new vehicle in January, but it plans to buy only 2,530 JLTVs in the fiscal 2020 budget request, a significant reduction from last year's purchase of 3,393.

As far as MHS goes, the Army plans to purchase 233,429 pistols, a buy that will mostly consist of the full-size XM17, according to Defense Department numbers.

As of late February, the Army had fielded MHS to the 101st Airborne Division; the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 54th Security Force Assistance Brigades; 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment; 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; and 10th Special Forces Group, as well as elements of the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions and the 1st Cavalry Division, according to Alton Stewart, a spokesman for Program Executive Office Soldier.

The Army plans to field approximately 19,000 MHS pistols in fiscal 2019, according to Stewart.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
No matter who you are or how you were injured, the process to heal, retrain and get ready for the next fitness test is a long...
A Monster and Military.com survey reveals what veterans want from employersand our Best Companies for Veterans winners share their secrets.

What top companies do to attract and hire veterans

Veteran employment has been on an uptick over the past decadegoing from a post-9/11 unemployment rate of nearly 10% to a historic low of 3.7% in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This is very good news, both for veterans and for the companies who are benefiting from hiring veterans. But there's still more that employers and staffing firms can do to make veteran transitions to civilian jobs easierand also to attract more veteran job candidatesaccording to a new Monster and Military.com survey.

Our surveywhich polled 300 veteransrevealed that, in spite of improving conditions, there remains a communication gap between employers and job seekers. Surprisingly, a majority (55%) of respondents felt that recruiters and HR professionals didn't understand their experience and a whopping 63% were disappointed in the support they got in their job search.

For employers and staffing firms, this miscommunication has serious consequences, namely that you may miss your diversity and veteran recruitment goals and lose out on an incredible talent pool.

In addition to surveying vets, we also compiled our fourth annual Best Companies for Veterans list in advance of Veterans Day. These businesses' best practices, combined with our poll, reveal top strategies for creating enviable veteran hiring programs.

Here's what our nation's bravest told us they want from companies:

1. Accept military training in place of civilian credentials (79%)

Military training equips veterans with a unique toolbox of hard skills, from coding to project management to health care; and soft skills, which include leadership, teamwork, and working well under pressure. But many former military personnel find they don't have the specific certification, credential or degree listed on a job posting, having gained their skills in military training, so they might not apply.

Because there's so much crossover in relevant experience (especially in industries such as IT and defense), top veteran-friendly companies often accept military training as an equivalent for some civilian credentials in order to capitalize on hiring candidates with strong backgrounds in jobs they're eager to fill. For example, BAE Systems (#9 on our list) honors several military training credentials in lieu of formal certifications in areas such as welding, intelligence analysis, and project management.

It can pay for recruiters to take the time to understand what veteran training means. One of the simplest ways to determine if a candidate's skills match your needs is to simply ask them to explain their background. A simple conversation can prevent missed opportunities to discuss how their military experience can be an asset, if not for this job perhaps for a future one.

2. Demonstrate a track record of hiring veterans (74%)

With candidates of all stripes increasingly assessing companies for cultural fit, it's no wonder that veterans want to see that you have welcomed other veterans. This is why two of the biggest factors that we look at when evaluating winners for our Best Companies for Veterans awards are the percentage of year-to-date veteran hires and the percentage of total employees that comprise veterans.

Together, these numbers tell us that a company is making a short-term and long-term commitment to veteran hiring. Our winner this year, ManTech, had a tremendous showing of veteran talent47% YTD and 47% total hires.

If a company has strong numbers (they don't need to be this strong!), and they're comfortable with being held accountable, they should consider going public with the results as part of their veteran recruitment marketing. But even if they are newly committed to veteran hiring, they can demonstrate it through employer branding. For example, they could share a video on their career page or social channels of a recent veteran hire talking about his or her experiences at the company.

Related: Does your resume pass the 6-second test? Get a FREE assessment.

3. Have a dedicated veteran recruiting team (58%)

All of the ten winners of our Best Companies for Veterans awards have recruiters who are specifically focused on veteran hiring. The fact that these companies also have had results for their programs shows the benefit of a strategy that includes segmenting their talent acquisition professionals to increase diversity, in this case, in the area of veteran hiring.

If a company or staffing firm is too small to have a person or team that's 100% dedicated to veteran hiring, they could still benefit from giving the responsibility to one person as part of their job or having a committee that works toward the goal together. Recruiters can use resume search tools to find candidates with military experience who also meet other qualifications in your job description. Technology has made this kind of pinpointed candidate search much more efficient than in the past, so even smaller companies without the resources of an enterprise-level organization can actively search for veterans to hire.

Another strategy to consider is outreach. At PRISM (#5), they make a concerted effort to educate their recruiters and hiring managers on developments in the local veteran community as a way of strengthening their relationship with a valuable talent pool.

4. Have recruiters who are veterans themselves (64%)

To alleviate the communication gap between veteran candidates and recruiters, some companies are taking the next step beyond simply having dedicated veteran recruiters in their workforce. They're hiring recruiters who are veterans themselves. Then, as part of employer branding, they can advertise to the veteran community that their team has first-hand knowledge of transitioning out of the service.

The top-ranked companies on this year's list all have veterans on their recruiting teamsand some, such as CACI (#2) and Booz Allen Hamilton (#4) have more than ten, sending a clear message to veteran candidates that they are not only valued candidates but that their experience is understood.

If companies don't currently have veterans on their recruiting team, they can still benefit from this approach, by making sure to connect candidates and new hires with any former military personnel on staff as part of the hiring process.

5. Offer special veteran onboarding programs (60%)

Onboarding can mean different things for different companies. For some, it starts on day one with a new-hire orientation, whereas for others it can start earlier in the hiring process.

For a company such as PRISM, the "onboarding" process starts with the first contact with a veteran candidate by offering resume writing advice and interview techniques and continues through a veteran performance management system with day one, week one, and monthly check-ins with a career counselor.

Even a small TA staff can develop a program that involves the entire team and incorporates periodic check-ins, mentoring with senior staff, or a buddy system that helps new hires acclimate to company culture.

If a company doesn't already have some kind of onboarding or mentoring program in place, they should consider adding one, better yet, if you're a veteran job seeker, you could offer to start one for your prospective company.

Even if a company can't commit to every single one of these actions, adopting just one or more can make a big difference in veteran hiring results, and much of the framework can be applied against other diversity hiring as well. For more inspiring best practices on veteran hiring, check out our 2018 Monster and Military.com Best Companies for Veterans list.

Related: For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, visit the Military.com Job Search section.

The Next Step: Find the Right Job

Whether you want to polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Sign up for a free Military.com membership to have job postings, guides and advice, and more delivered directly to your inbox.

-- Sean Mclain Brown can be reached at sean.brown@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmclainbrown.
How to use the mindat.org media viewer

Click/touch this help panel to close it.

Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image)

Controls - all media types

Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device.

Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen.

< and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys.

< and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys.

> in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys.

? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key.

Other keyboard shortcuts:

1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons

Scalebar

If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular.

Controls - Video

Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key.

Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation)

Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys.

The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types.

The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control.

Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images

If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways:

- without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method

- with stereoscope

- with anaglyph glasses.

- on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system)

For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D

To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them.

Controls - photo comparison mode

If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu.

Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder.

Summary of all keyboard shortcuts
16th Collective Marriages ceremony under MWF held

The 16th Collective Marriages ceremony for 23 couples was held here in Model Town under the banner of Minhaj Welfare Foundation (MWF). The scholars of Minhaj Ulama Council solemnized the nikah of the Muslim couples whereas the marriage rites of one Christian couple were performed according to their religious teachings.

Chairman of the MQI Supreme Council Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri presided over the ceremony, whereas those present on the occasion included provincial minister for health Dr Yasmeen Rashid, provincial minister for human rights Ijaz Alam, vice president of MQI Brig. (r ) Iqbal Ahmad Khan, PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Director MWF Syed Amjad Ali Shah, GM Malik, Ms. Jahan Ara Wattoo, MPA Ayesha Nawaz, member of AJK legislative assembly Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dewan, Shabbir Siyal, Rana Fayyaz, Jawad Hamid, Hafiz Ghulam Farid, Sohail Ahmad Raza, Haji Muhammad Ishaq, Shahzad Rasool, Ayesha Mubashar, Sajid Bhatti, Tayyab Zia, Mazhar Alvi, Muft Abdul Qayyum Khan Hazarvi, Dr Abid Aziz from Holland, Tahir Bhatti, Shafique Qadri, Ali Tiger, Imran Naqvi, Haji Muhammad Aslam, and Azam Chaudhry from France.

Every bride was given household stuff of Rs. 2 lacs each. 1500 guests were served food. The brides got ready in a special beauty parlour set up at the central secretariat. The marriage processions started coming from 10 am and continued arriving till 2 pm. Every marriage procession was warmly received by the MQI and PAT leaders. The MWL leaders welcomed the brides on their arrival. Special gifts were given to the brides and the grooms on behalf of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri.

MWF Director Syed Amjad Ali Shah presented the welcome address in which he thanked the honorable guests for sparing time to attend the mass marriage ceremony. He threw light on the welfare projects being undertaken by MWF in the country.

In her address, provincial minister for health Dr Yasmeen Rashid said that the Holy Prophet (SAW) described Hazrat Fatima (RA) as head of the women in paradise. She said that those who worry on the birth of daughters should know that it is these daughters who come to the rescue and support of aging parents at a time when no one is there for them. Giving a message to the newlywed couples, she asked them to educate their children. She said that the only reason that she stood up to and contested an election against former PM Nawaz Sharif was her educational competence. She congratulated MQI on its initiative to hold the mass marriage ceremony, stating that such welfare activities should be lauded. She said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has done justice to the responsibility of fulfilling human rights without discrimination of caste, creed and colour. She said that MQI has not only been promoting the Islamic message of peace, love and harmony but also making amazing contributions in the realm of human welfare.

Provincial minister for human rights Ijaz Alam congratulated the newly married couples and expressed his best wishes for their happy future. He said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri always talked about human rights and peace. He paid his rich tributes to the patron-in-chief of the MQI for his meritorious services in multiple fields.

In his keynote speech, Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri said that MQI is committed to the Islamic concept of human brotherhood and spiritual values. He said that helping the needy is a form of worship. He said that MQI has only fulfilled its religious and spiritual duty by arranging the mass marriage ceremony. He thanked all the guests for their time and said that it is our religious and moral duty to help those who are in acute need of help.

MPA Ayesha Nawaz and Ms. Jahan Ara Wattoo appreciated the services of MQI in the field of human welfare. They said that the first and foremost duty of an Islamic state is to take care of the less privileged sections of society.

Mufti Abdul Qayyum Khan Hazarvi led the Dua. The Muslim brides were seen off under the shadow of the Holy Quran. The women present in the hall had tears on this emotional moment. Khurram Nawaz Gandpaur thanked the guests in his concluding remarks. Allama Waqas Qadri conducted the proceedings of the entire event.
Talk about missing the board altogether.

Passengers aboard a weekend British Airways flight thought they were heading for Dusseldorf, Germany but found themselves in Edinburgh, Scotland upon landing. Not only was this the wrong country, but the flight took everyone aboard in the entirely wrong direction.

BBC News reports that passengers aboard the Sunday, March 24 flight discovered the error after hearing the welcome to Edinburgh announcement. To fix the mistake, the flight was rerouted to Dusseldorf.

The outlet reports the flight was run through British Airways with a lease through WDL Aviation, and that the airline was trying to figure out how the wrong flight plan was filed.

We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually, the airline told BBC in a statement while declining to comment on the number of passengers affected.

A passenger aboard the flight told the outlet that everyone on board thought the Edinburgh announcement was a joke.

After concerns were brought to the attention of the crew, the pilot reportedly asked passengers to raise their hands if they thought they were heading to Germany. Everyone put their hands in the air.

The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened. He said it had never happened before and that he crew was trying to work out what we could do, Sophie Cooke, a passenger who regularly travels from London to Dusseldorf for work, told BBC.

It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy.

@British_Airways can you please explain how can my morning flight taking off from LCY to Dusseldorf land in Edinburgh ? While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery... #BA3271 #frequenttravel #britishairways  Son Tran (@sontrantuan) March 25, 2019
DETROIT  A former Michigan court officer has admitted to embezzling more than $20,000 from defendants he coerced with his badge and gun.

William Blake, 47, of Redford pleaded guilty to two counts of felony Embezzlement by a Public Official over $50 or more in September 2018.

A former court office in the 36th District Court in Detroit, Blake was sentenced to one year in Wayne County Jail as part of a two-year probation on March 22.

An investigation revealed that Blake displayed his badge and gun to coerce defendants to pay civil judgment collections  and then kept the money for himself between 2013 and 2015.

In total, he admitted to embezzling more than $20,000 from defendants, including East Lake Baptist Church and A Nu Automotive.

Blake was supposed to turn the payments over to plaintiffs. Instead, he deposited them into his personal bank accounts.

By not filing the proper paperwork with the courts, Blake was able to pocket the money without the court knowing about his collections or failure to remit the payments.

Its a huge betrayal of public trust when someone who is tasked with maintaining law and order uses his position to threaten and coerce people to line his own pockets, said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a statement.

This office will always take action against anyone who abuses their position for personal enrichment.

The Michigan Attorney General partnered with the FBIs Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force to investigate the case.
NORTON SHORES, MI  Six homes in Norton Shores found to have high levels of PFAS in their well drinking water likely will be hooked up to city water.

Muskegon County Administrator Mark Eisenbarth and Norton Shores City Manager Mark Meyers are hoping to secure emergency grant funding set aside by state legislators and former Gov. Rick Snyder for drinking water contamination remediation.

But Eisenbarth said the county will find another way to fund the project if it fails to secure a portion of the emergency funding.

Each of the six homes near the Muskegon County Airport tested positive in 2018 for PFAS -- per and polyfluoroalklyl substances -- and two compounds known as PFOS and PFOA levels well above whats considered harmful to human health.

The forever chemicals known have shown up in drinking water systems across the state and are linked to certain types of cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension in pregnancy, thyroid disease and other health problems. The primary route of exposure is ingestion.

The total cost of installing new drinking water lines from the water main to each property is estimated at a little more than $112,000, according to a project plan provided to the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners. The cost includes city tap fees and connection charges. There would be no cost to the homeowners.

The $4 million in emergency grant funding is to be administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to municipalities with contaminated drinking water based on need, said Abigail Hendershott, the district supervisor with the agencys remediation and redevelopment division. Communities seeking grant assistance should be cautiously optimistic about their prospects as some projects may not be approved, Hendershott said.

If its approved for a grant, Muskegon County would be required to pay 20 percent of the project cost, with the state paying the remaining 80 percent, Eisenbarth said. Muskegon County Public Works Director Matt Farrar said that match could come in the form of in-kind engineering work done by a county contractor or in house by the county itself.

The county plans to hire a contractor to construct new water lines from the street to the property for each of the six homes. A separate contractor would be hired to finish the job by connecting the new lines to each home.

Scott Dean with the DEQ said his agency is in the process of finalizing the grant application process. The DEQ likely would review the Norton Shores request within the next few months, Dean added.

To fast track the process, Meyers said his staff are working now to draft a project plan to submit to DEQ as part of the final approval process

The intent is to submit a work plan as a 'pre-application so the funding process can move forward as quickly as possible, Meyers said. "Our (water) system passes by all six of those homes, so the city is able to hook them up at any time.

DEQ began sampling well water around the airport in the summer of 2018 and have found at least six homes that tested above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys lifetime health advisory level of PFOS+PFOA over 70 parts per trillion (ppt).

At least 114 homes around the airport have been tested for PFAS, PFOS and PFOA since the investigation began. The contamination is believed to result from the airports past use of chemical-based AFFF firefighting foam.

More than 20 of the homes tested positive for some level of detectable PFAS.

Each of the six homes with high PFOS+PFOA levels started receiving bottled water supplies and in-home water filters soon after county health officials received the test results.

County administrators and public health officials were initially wary to connect the six homes to a municipal water source because of a pending hydrogeological study that should help the DEQ know how the plume is spreading, where to and how far.

That investigation could take months to several years to complete, and county officials worried that the DEQ could find other drinking water wells contaminated with PFAS that also would need city water hookups in the near future.

Eisenbarth said his office and the countys Public Health department changed their minds once they heard resident concerns first-hand in February at a public information meeting held near the airport.

In early March, Eisenbarth met with public health officials; the DEQ; Norton Shores Mayor Gary Nelund; state Sen. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo; State Rep. Greg VanWoerkom, R-Norton Shores, to determine their options.

Weve started looking into how we can connect these six without waiting on the actual paperwork to come back so it can occur on a fast track, Eisenbarth said. It will take some time, but the water mains are out in the street (in front of each home). We also need to get permission from the six, so our health department will be reaching out to them.

On Thursday, March 21, county commissioners discussed the plan to connect the homes to city water.

County board Chairwoman Susie Hughes thanked the public works and public health departments for stepping up during this difficult situation.

Commissioner Zach Lahring wondered if the DEQ considered possible sources of contamination other than firefighting foam. Lahring also said he was concerned about waiting several years for a study that could conclude the contamination was worse than expected, and that the county could have used that time to protect its residents.
DETROIT -- A mother traveling from Florida back home to Michigan last April says her 15-year-old daughter was removed from their flight and left to wait in the Tampa airport for another flight home, according to WXYZ Detroit. That mother is now suing Spirit Airlines for $75,000 in damages.

Stacy Giordano and her son were sitting in the back of the plane for a flight from Tampa to Detroit, while her daughter was sitting toward the front of the plane. Prior to takeoff, the 15-year-old girl was allegedly removed from the flight by airline staff because the flight was overbooked and they needed to make room for another passenger.

The girl told staff her mom was on the plane but they still removed her from the flight, according to the family attorney Jerry Thurswell. The girl was then put on another flight to Detroit hours later. Giordano didnt realize until after the plane had taken off that her daughter was not on board.

When the child says my mothers in the back of the plane why are you taking me off and they just take the child off and say Sit here youll be on the next flight out...' you dont just separate a child from their mother," Thurswell said.

The girl was unable to reach her mother on the plane because of the airlines policy on all cellphones being in airplane mode and unable to accept incoming calls or messages.

In response to the issue, Thurswell says his client was initially offered a refunded ticket and extra air miles by Spirit. The company did not comment on the lawsuit directly, instead issuing a short statement valuing the safety and security of passengers.
LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has identified 18 more locations, times and dates for possible exposure to measles in Oakland County. Five cases have already been confirmed and health officials says these locations may have been exposed to the disease by people confirmed to have contracted measles.

Health officials are concerned about the exposure because the virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present, according to a press release from MDHHS.

The state issued a list of locations last week, which can be found here. The MDHHS released 18 more locations that may have been exposed. Those locations, dates and times are:

Mar. 18  Mar. 21

Dovid ben Nuchim: 14800 Lincoln St, Oak Park

Farber Hebrew Day School: 21100 West 12 Mile Road, Southfield

Mar. 18

Berkley Medical Center: 1695 W. 12 Mile Rd., Berkley, 1:30  4:30 p.m.

Walgreens: 7380 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, 9:30 p.m.  Midnight

Kravings: 25270 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, 9:00 p.m.  Midnight

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak  Emergency Department & 6th Floor North Tower: 3601 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, 2:30  11:00 p.m.

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak  Medical Office Building: 3535 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, 3:00  5:00 p.m.

Crowne Point Office Building: 25900 Greenfield, Oak Park, after 9:00 a.m.

Berkley Urgent Care: 3270 Greenfield Rd, Berkley, 4:00  7:00 p.m.

Mar. 19

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak  6th Floor, North Tower: 3601 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, 1:00  11:00 p.m.

Berkley Urgent Care: 3270 Greenfield Rd, Berkley, 10:00 a.m.  1:00 p.m.

Mar. 20

7-Eleven: Lincoln St., 15350 Lincoln, Oak Park, 9:20  11:30 p.m.

Ahavas Yisroel: 25952 Greenfield, Oak Park, 10:00 a.m.  12:30 p.m.

Kollel Institute of Greater Detroit: 15230 Lincoln St., Oak Park, 8:00  11:30 p.m.

Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit: 24600 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park, 9:00 p.m.  Midnight

Mar. 21

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak - Emergency Department: 3601 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak, 10:30 a.m.  6:00 p.m.

Mapleview Liquor Store: 6084 Maple Rd., West Bloomfield Twp., 11:00 a.m.  2:00 p.m.

Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit: 24600 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park, 8:40  11:00 a.m.

Unvaccinated individuals need to get vaccinated. If you do not have a record of two measles (MMR) vaccines, unsure if you have been vaccinated, or unsure if you have had measles in the past, contact your healthcare provider, said Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for Oakland County. If symptoms develop, do not visit your doctor or emergency room unless you call ahead so they can take precautions to prevent exposure to other individuals.

Symptoms of measles can occur up to 21 days after exposure, but the vaccine is effective just three days after being administered. Symptoms typically occur with one to two weeks after exposure. Symptoms of the highly contagious disease include:
Some 500 experts, scholars, policymakers and practitioners in the field of education gathered in New York on Saturday to discuss new trends in the industry and the importance of educational exchange between the United States and China.

During her keynote speech at the opening of the third annual U.S.- China Education Forum of Columbia University, Julia Chang Bloch, president of the U.S.-China Education Trust, a U.S.-based non-profit organization, said she firmly believes that education is the foundation for building understanding and trust, and has been a "cornerstone" of the U.S.-China relationship.

As the two countries are facing some difficulties in bilateral ties, it is "more important than ever to draw on the power of education exchange to build mutual trust, avoid conflict, and ensure peace and prosperity in the 21st century," said 77-year-old Bloch, whose father F.Y. Chang was among the first Chinese students coming to study in the United States over 100 years ago.

Bloch, former U.S. ambassador to Nepal and also the first Asian American to hold such a high diplomatic position in U.S. history, called on educators from both sides to play an essential role in promoting one of the most important bilateral ties in the world today.

Those who have had the opportunity of studying, living and working in both countries need to step up efforts to safeguard U.S.-China relations against misunderstanding, misperception and miscalculation, she added.

Jointly hosted by Columbia University Teachers College Chinese Student and Scholar Association (TCCSSA) and Global China Connection (GCC), the two-day event will also have dozens of panel discussions on early childhood education, educational technology and innovation, career development, and other key issues in the industry.

TCCSSA, founded in 1913, is the largest student organization in Teachers College, Columbia University and dedicated to bridging U.S.-China conversations through education.

GCC, founded in 2008 also at Columbia University, is a nonprofit organization for university students and young professionals of all nationalities looking to engage China's emergence in the world. GCC is today present in more than 60 universities worldwide.
ROCKFORD, MI  Under the topsoil at the 15-acre site where Wolverine World Wide spent a hundred years using vast amounts of chemicals to convert animal hides into leather, high levels of volatile contaminants like vinyl chloride and trichloroethylene can be found.

Toxic metals like mercury, chromium and lead are confirmed at high levels in the groundwater and sediment in the adjacent Rogue River, including at the spot where people regularly launch canoes and kayaks alongside the heavily-used White Pine Trail.

Extremely high levels of PFAS are bleeding into the river.

The findings are detailed in a new report submitted in January to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which was obtained by MLive through the Freedom of Information Act. The report is the first comprehensive accounting of contamination at Wolverines former tannery, which was demolished nine years ago with minimal pollution testing.

State and federal regulators are expected to share highlights from the report during a 6 p.m. townhall meeting Tuesday evening in the Fine Arts Auditorium at Rockford High School.

The report clarifies the extensive contamination under and around the tannery site, but does not delve into future cleanup actions, which regulators say have been proposed by Wolverine but which are still under evaluation because health authorities have yet to weigh-in.

The new data comes from a summer of testing at the tannery under the supervision of Jeff Kimble, an on-scene coordinator with the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago.

Kimble approved the report, which was drafted by Wolverines environmental consultant, Rose & Westra GZA. He said state and federal toxicologists are assessing the public health risk posed by the contamination and that evaluation will take a few months to complete.

Kimble said that testing didnt uncover contamination levels that warrant emergency removal action, but its nonetheless likely that some actual site work to reduce the exposure risk posed by possible contact with contaminated water, soil and sediment may be needed this year.

Whether that work involves removing contaminated soil or sediment, adding fencing to keep people away from dangerous areas, or some kind of site capping with clay or additional topsoil is still being determined. Proximity to the White Pine Trail and the nearby recreational areas on the river is a complicating factor, he said.

Yes, theres stuff there thats not an emergency risk, but theres some associated risks we dont want to leave out there for a longer process, Kimble said.

The report shows several contaminants above state or federal action levels mean to protect against physical human contact or the polluting of surface waters by tainted groundwater.

The report shows high levels of hexavalent chromium, between 60,000 and 90,000 parts-per-billion (ppb), in soils north of Rum Creek alongside the White Pine trail where piles of leather scraps still litter the riverbanks from apparent use as fill during tannery operations.

Nearby, soil under a paved area between the existing Wolverine shoe depot store and the trail is contaminated by lead between 2.5 million and 11 million-ppb. Under the former wastewater treatment plant peninsula, mercury in the soil is between 100,000 and 180,000-pbb, which is well above the EPA regional removal level.

In groundwater, hexavalent chromium under the former tannery building footprint tested between 21 and 40-pbb. A sample of chloride in the groundwater behind the post office, which abuts the southern property boundary, reached 9.7 million-ppb.

Much of the site groundwater shows high levels of PFAS, a family of chemicals that Wolverine used in 3M Scotchgard to waterproof shoe leather. The chemicals were detected in virtually all samples taken. In areas along the river south of Rum Creek, Total PFAS levels in the groundwater reach 451,000 parts-per-trillion (ppt).

Wolverines use of PFAS at the tannery and disposal in sludge waste dumps around the Rockford and Belmont area have contaminated many local drinking water wells. That 2017 discovery helped spark Michigans recent focus on finding PFAS contamination statewide.

In the Rogue River, a surface water sample next to the site tested at 1,200-ppt for the individual PFAS compound PFOS, which was once the key ingredient in Scotchgard. That exceeds the states enforceable PFOS limit of 12-ppt in surface water by 100 times.

In river sediment by the kayak launch, testing found arsenic at 100,000-ppb, vanadium at 32,000-ppb, mercury at 30,000-ppb, hexavalent chromium at 8,100-ppb and cyanide at 600-ppb. High levels of volatile compounds like MEK, acetone, carbon disulfide and methelyne chloride were also found in river sediment.

Lead in Rum Creek sediment tested at 110,000-ppb.

Aside from chemicals, other evidence of the tannerys impact on the river were noted in the report. At nine locations downstream of Rum Creek, hair-like fibers" from decades of shaving animal hides were found at various depths while sediment sampling.

The test results come as no surprise to the group of Rockford citizens who spent years gathering evidence that prompted the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to begin looking for PFAS at the tannery and Wolverines dump on House Street in Belmont.

A.J. Birkbeck, an attorney who represents the group, the Concerned Citizens for Responsible Remediation (CCRR), said the test results closely match concern areas the group identified by interviewing former tannery employees and FOIA-requesting documents.

The group originally petitioned for EPAs involvement in 2011 out of concern that the tannery demolition had disturbed the site and exacerbated contamination entering the river.

Lynn McIntosh, a Rockford activist, spearheaded that effort. She said working with the city of Rockford and the DEQ to get data on the tannery was like heaving boulders out of the way, both before and after the EPA, bowing to pressure from city and state officials, left the site under DEQ oversight in 2012.

McIntosh closely documented the demolition and spoke to former tannery employees who helped her identify problem areas like the pit, a 50-foot former maintenance basement area where toxic waste pooled and sometimes overflowed. She said Wolverine avoided pollution scrutiny during demolition by razing the site on its own dime rather than performing testing the state required to get tax incentives.

Aspects of the demolition still raise questions, she argues.

Toward the end of demolition, on Aug. 23, 2011, McIntosh photographed excavators loading contaminated soil and concrete debris from the wastewater plant area into trucks that she followed to the Rusche gravel pit in Algoma Township. She said the pit wasnt licensed to accept hazardous waste, but her evidence sat for years in the hands of state regulators and never resulted in any enforcement action.

McIntosh and fellow group members did not identify PFAS as a potential problem with the tannery and Wolverines dumping for another several years after the complex was demolished.

When I saw that debris go to an unlicensed gravel pit, I was horrified, she said. Thats what kept me going. That is so wrong. How could they get away with that?

Upon reviewing the new tannery report, McIntosh wasnt surprised to see high detections of hexavalent chromium in the site groundwater correspond with the location where former workers say Wolverine stored chromium in large tanks inside the tannery complex.

I feel grateful the EPA has been able to get this data, even if it took 9 years, she said.

A map created by Rockford activist Lynn McIntosh that shows areas of contamination identified by former Wolverine Worldwide tannery workers. McIntosh's group, Concerned Citizens for Responsible Remediation, gave this map to the EPA in 2012.

Thad Beard, Rockford city manager, had not seen the new report, but said hes been getting progress updates on the investigation work. He said the data validates concerns expressed by citizens.

Beard said that, despite the environmental scrutiny of late, hes fielded a few inquiries in the past couple years from potential developers interested in the site, which abuts a bustling downtown district.

Hopefully, now that data is available, it leads to action that will protect the public and the environment, Beard said. The city would like to see that lead to conversation about what the site can be once its redeveloped and what is the best long-term use.

Wolverine declined to comment on any plans or preference for redevelopment at the site. In 2011, the company canceled plans to build a big shoe store on the property.

In a statement to MLive, Wolverine said it is developing a plan to intercept and treat contaminated groundwater before it reaches the river. The company has already installed several extraction wells at the site and expects to begin operation this year.

Wolverine said the granular activated carbon system will treat PFAS and other contaminants in the groundwater. The company did not include those plans in the new report at the direction of EPA, which says it has yet to review or approve them.

We are currently completing the design and installation of the rest of the system, and expect it will be in place and operating by late summer or early fall, Wolverine said.

Wolverine said it has proposed adding protective matting and more gravel to the downtown kayak launch. The EPA is also reviewing that proposal. Kimble said its too soon to determine next steps at the tannery. The EPA is evaluating both the risk to public health as well as to local ecology, such as fish and wildlife.

We need to look at all the data and figure out what those levels mean in regards to risk, and also in comparison to our various cleanup levels or triggers for cleanup, Kimble said.

Well be looking at the data on sediment in the river at access areas and will compare that to advice were getting from our health folks, he said. Then, well determine if that needs to be addressed this summer or over the longer term.

Kimble said a similar report on the extent of contamination at Wolverines House Street dump is still being finalized.
Editors note: This story was updated at 2:35 p.m. after the release of a statement by University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel.

ANN ARBOR, MI - A University of Michigan sorority has apologized for the balloon-popping exercise that set off an active shooter scare last week.

The sorority alpha Kappa Delta Phi apologized both for their role and their lack of immediate response to the incident in a letter published Sunday, March 24 in the universitys student newspaper, The Michigan Daily.

"It is unacceptable to merely pass off our actions as a poorly timed coincidence," the letter said. "To do so would be to ignore the politically-charged atmosphere that day and the many serious events on campus that preceded the false alarm.

"Failure to acknowledge these circumstances would only further enable us to benefit from the privilege that comes with a lack of understanding about the real dangers and fears that many of our fellow peers, students of color and Muslim students live with on a day to day basis."

Nearly a dozen police agencies rushed to campus after receiving about 20 calls on the afternoon of Saturday, March 16 for a report of a suspected active shooter at Mason Hall, near a vigil for the New Zealand mosque shootings.

Students and protesters fled campus, some in tears, while others sheltered in place. After hours searching the campus buildings, police concluded the concerns stemmed from a team-building exercise in which about 12 balloons were popped.

Audio footage of 911 calls obtained by The Ann Arbor News showed the fear the popping noises incited, as well as the frustration that came a few minutes later, when callers learned balloons were the culprit.

Following the incident, the university offered on-campus counseling and encouraged students to sign up for the university alert system.

A vigil attendee, Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, fought tears after the scare.

The part of it thats sad is that people are so fearful, and the racialized violence you see all over the world has gotten people on edge, even here.

The sentiment was echoed in a statement released by university president Mark Schlissel on Monday, March 25. In it, he said that though the response to such as scare went as planned, the university found deficiencies in its alert system. He also noted the spread of false information during the scare and the trauma inflicted from the entire incident.

The second of two town halls on the incident is planned for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27 in the Michigan League Ballroom, according to the statement.

We must always strive to be better, safer and more supportive in every way possible, and the feedback we have heard from many of you is a critical component of what we have learned from the incident, Schlissel said in the note to community members. There is no doubt we must do more to keep our campus safe, and I assure you we are working on changes that we can implement now and going forward.

The sorority, in its letter, said members used the last week to process what happened.

"While our words cannot undo the trauma that was experienced that day, we will use Saturdays events as a way to further educate ourselves more about social justice and to empower and uplift our fellow Muslim community and communities of color," the letter said.

To read the full letter, click here.
CASCADE TOWNSHIP, MI -- A Massachusetts man seeking to have sex with who he believed were a West Michigan womans two young daughters was arrested in a sting operation Friday at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, federal officials say.

The arrest of Jonathan R. Ledoux on Friday, March 22, by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents at Ford Airport was the culmination of a months-long undercover operation, according to the criminal complaint filed against Ledoux in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

Ledoux is charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The first charge carries a minimum 10 years in prison. The second is punishable by up to 30 years.

Federal investigators allege Ledoux had been in contact since November 2018 with an agent claiming to be a Grand Rapids woman with two daughters ages 14 and 9.

Ledoux reached out to the agent on an online incest chat room, and the pair later talked over KIK Messenger, an instant-messaging app, according to the complaint.

Over the next few months, Ledoux described numerous times his fantasies and intentions of having sex with the womans daughters, the complaint alleges.

In December he sent the undercover agent a voice-recorded message outlining his fears that this could be a sting operation on child predators.

He said he didnt care so much about public retribution or smearing of my own image as he did his elderly parents learning about him being a child predator, the complaint states. To that end, he said he would go perfectly quietly if arrested.

In January he bought a plane ticket from Boston Logan International Airport to Ford Airport and planned to spend a weekend at the womans home.

He was arrested after landing around noon March 22. In an interview with investigators after his arrest, Ledoux admitted he traveled to Grand Rapids to have sex with the children and that he was the person who had talked with the undercover agent, the complaint alleges.

He is due back in court Wednesday, March 27, for a hearing.
MEDINA TWP., MI  A crash that killed two young Ohio men a week ago is being investigated as a suicide, police say.

Nicholas Alexander Rowland of Swanton, Ohio and Jonathan Patrick Fifer of Montpelier, Ohio were killed Tuesday, March 19, when their vehicle ran off the road and hit a tree, ejecting them both, according to a Lenawee County Sheriffs Office statement.

Rowland and Fifer, both 18, were traveling at a high rate of speed east on Lime Creek Road near White Pine Highway in Medina Township when the crash occurred, police said.

They were found dead outside of the vehicle, which had suffered extreme damage," police said.

There was no evidence that the driver attempted to stop before the crash and neither man appeared to be wearing a seat belt, police said.

The crash is still under investigation. The Tecumseh Police Department, Adrian Police Department, Morenci Police Department and Morenci Fire Department assisted at the scene.
PARMA, MI  Michigans Interim State Superintendent Sheila Alles recently visited staff and students in the Western School District.

During her visit to Western High School and Warner Elementary School on Wednesday, March 20, Alles learned about and interacted with students in a variety of programs including the Jackson County Early College, MiBrightFuture and FIRST Robotics.

Alles also watched teachers in action, witnessed physics experiments, heard the band and choir perform and listened to students perspectives of the school district.

I was extremely proud of how our students interacted with Superintendent Alles and represented Western, Western Superintendent Mike Smajda said. She gave each student and teacher she interacted with sincere personal attention. Having the opportunity to step back and listen to our students share about their schools gave me a great sense of pride in our students and their passion for their school."
JACKSON, MI  After months of searching and waiting for tips that never came, family and friends of Tanja Jessica Stuermer believe she is either being trafficked or is dead.

Either someone has her, or she died and we need to find her body, Susan Fracker, Stuermers friend and financial trustee said Monday, March 25.

Police have been searching for Stuermer, 39, who disappeared sometime in early December and may be endangered, according to a Jackson Police Department statement.

Stuermer regularly walked from her home at the Renaissance Apartments, 720 W. Michigan Ave., along Wildwood Avenue to N. West Ave and often stopped at Kroger, Walmart and the library, police said.

In January, a $1,000 reward was offered for information that could lead to finding her. No viable tips were received, Fracker said.

Stuermer suffers from a mental health condition that requires medication and treatment, leading officials to believe she may be endangered, according to an alert from the Michigan State Police.

She was being treated for her condition in Jackson but has missed multiple appointments since early December. She does not own a vehicle, instead relying on people and cabs for transportation, police said.

It was really cold this winter, so it wouldnt surprise me if someone offered her a ride and she just got in the car without a second thought, Fracker said. Or, I hate to say it, but since it was so cold that last few months, she may have died of exposure and we just havent found her body yet.

A cadaver dog searched the area around her apartment building but did not find anything, Fracker said.

Stuermers parents, Barbara and Hans Stuermer, immigrated to the United States from Germany to Detroit in the 1970s and then to Brooklyn where Stuermer was born and raised, records show.

Before dying of cancer in early 2018, Stuermers mother appointed Fracker as trustee to manage a trust fund set up for Stuermer, Fracker said.

Before Barb died, she told me to look after Tanja and to be there for her if there is ever a crisis, Fracker said. It cant get any worse than this.

Stuermer is about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, 180 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Her profile has been added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System to aid in the search.

Anyone with information regarding Stuermers whereabouts is asked to call Jackson police Det. Robert Noppe at 517-768-8762 or email him at rnoppe@cityofjackson.org.
FRANKENMUTH, MI  A former reserve police officer has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Frankenmuth, alleging he was discriminated against and was eventually fired due to his sexual orientation.

James Stefanski, through attorney Victor J. Mastromarco Jr., filed his suit in Bay City Federal Court on March 14. In it, Stefanski states he is openly gay and began working as an unpaid reserve officer with the Frankenmuth Police Department in April 2006.

Over the years in this capacity, Stefanski says he received several promotions, eventually obtaining the rank of reserve captain in 2014. He averaged 80 to 120 recruit applications per year, was in charge of the Reserve Training Academy, and averaged about 800 hours per year.

Stefanski also received several awards and commendations, the lawsuit states.

Simultaneously, Stefanski worked  and still works  for Saginaw County Central Dispatch.

Things, however, began to sour for (Stefanski) in the early summer of 2016 (when he) openly announced that he was gay and that he would be marrying his now-current husband, the suit states.

He thereafter was discriminated against, he alleges.

In April 2017, Stefanski was marked him down in several evaluation categories, a departure from past evaluations, the lawsuit states.

When the city scheduled the 2017-2018 Reserve Training Academy, it did so with every weekend taking place on dates Stefanski was scheduled to work at Central Dispatch.

By so scheduling the academy, Defendant was effectively and intentionally shutting (Stefanski) out from the Training Academy, the suit states.

Later still in 2017, a school D.A.R.E officer retired. Stefanski alleges he had previously expressed interest in the role and had been groomed to take over the position. However, without the job being posted, the city hired an external person to the role, the lawsuit states.

Stefanski goes on to allege in his suit that in April 2018, several officers made jokes or derogatory comments about his sexuality.

When vacancies for paid officers opened, Stefanski said he was interested in attending the police academy at Delta College and would like to become a certified officer with the department. He was told he would not be considered for the job, the lawsuit alleges.

The suit states that, typically, the department hires former reserve officers. The lawsuit also states the department hired two other heterosexual people for a position Stefanski had expressed interest in.

In May 2018, Stefanski was terminated without cause, the lawsuit contends.

The suit alleges counts of sexual orientation discrimination, gender stereotype discrimination, marital status discrimination, and retaliation in violation of the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.

Through the suit, Stefanski is seeking damages in excess of $75,000, plus costs, interest, and attorney fees.

The timing involved of all things that went down, in my view, makes it very difficult for them to explain their actions, Mastromarco told MLive.

Frankenmuth City Manager Bridget Smith told MLive the city has been served a summons for civil action.

We vehemently deny the allegations set forth in the summons and look forward to working with our attorneys to address the allegations as this moves through the court system, Smith said.

and Frankenmuth Police Chief Donald C. Mawer could not be reached for comment.
SAGINAW COUNTY, MI  The mid-Michigan law enforcement community is saying goodbye today to one of its longtime members in blue.

John JP Sadowski died unexpectedly on Sunday, March 24 at his home.

It is with great sadness and sorrow that we lost one of our own, read a statement Monday morning from the Saginaw Township Police Department.

The 53-year-old Sadowski graduated from Valley Lutheran High School prior to earning his bachelors degree at Saginaw Valley State University.

Sadowski was hired into the Saginaw Police Department in January 1990 and moved over to the Saginaw Township Police Department in February 1993, where he was employed for 25 years until his retirement in March 2018.

Saginaw Township Police Chief Don Pussehl said he met Sadowski while working as a detective with the Saginaw Police Department alongside his father.

Sadowski served in several different roles with the township department, most recently as the administrative sergeant that maintained the vehicles fleet, radios and in-car computers.

He also coordinated the field training officer program for new recruits, the citizens police academy, and helped fund-raise for the Special Olympics and helped with the organizations track and field event at Saginaw Valley State University each year.

A fun-loving guy, just loved police work, loved what he did for the community, serving the community, answering calls for service, added Pussehl. Well-respected by his fellow officers in the department and also well respected by the community.

Sadowski was currently employed as a part-time officer with Richland Township police in Saginaw County.

Please keep his family in your prayers, notes the departments statement. JP, we have the watch.

Sadowski leaves behind a wife and two children.
Calling the decision a "flagrant attack" on Syrian territorial sovereignty, an official from Syrias Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Donald Trumps recognition of Israels claim to the occupied Golan Heights.

Attack on sovereignty & territorial integrity  Syria reacts to Trumps Golan Heights move

Attack on sovereignty & territorial integrity  Syria reacts to Trumps Golan Heights move

Source : RT - Daily news
An ordinary night out in Russia ended up like a scene from a horror movie  as a man attempted to cut people at a bar into pieces with a chainsaw.

The hair-raising incident occurred in the port city of Nakhodka on Russias Pacific coast. The bars clientele, however, managed to escape the rampage as people were quick to react, disarming the perpetrator, local media report.

A video that surfaced online shows people bravely surrounding the man as he brandishes a chainsaw. Screams of fright are heard in the background as people attempt to get the would-be horror movie villain to the ground.

The spine-chilling footage quickly prompted an array of comments on social media. Some described the man as mental and a drunkard. Several people dubbed the scene The Nakhodka chainsaw massacre, in reference to the famous slasher film. Other Hollywood analogies were drawn, including the film The Hateful Eight. Another person said, Tarantino fades in comparison.

Also on rt.com Taxi CRUSHED by truck full of dirt in Moscow, 2 dead (VIDEO)

It is unclear whether the attacker was arrested or if he managed to escape. Local police reportedly said no statement was made from the witnesses, but promised to check the raucous video.

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The global beauty retailer Sephora held a runway fashion show in Shanghai on Thursday to showcase its new collection and new products from brand partners on the Sephora platform.



At the show, titled "Beauty Voice: Global Beauty Trends Preview & SEPHORA Day 2019 Spring/Summer," models displayed vivid make-up and fragrant perfumes from Sephora's latest collection, along with 25 partnering brands that will release new products exclusively on Sephora's platforms.

New products included lip topcoat, eye cream, body lotion and cleansing masks, from Sephora's collection as well as partnering brands Lancaster, NUXE, Make Up For Ever, ReFa, Bottega Veneta, Stage Q, Beautyblender and more. The models on the runway presented multi-sensory effects with fragrance, fashion and cosmetics in eight themes: "Island Hopping," "Pink Power," "Stay Young," "Sport Girl," "Game On," "Unisex Beauty," "More Volume" and "Niche Perfume."

The show's press release stated that the fashion is never a lone island, but rather an answer to the time we live in. The new products, which may set global beauty trends for this year, reflect both the empowerment and charm of women, and make nods to trending topics like artificial intelligence, androids, nightlife and healthy living.

The new products will be available in more than 230 Sephora stores around China and in the company's online mall within first half of 2019.




Istanbuls Hagia Sophia, originally a Byzantine Christian church, might be turned into a mosque again  a potential back-down from the legacy of Turkeys secular government that turned the site into a museum in 1935.

This is not unlikely, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a live interview with Turkish television on Monday, adding, We might even change its name to Ayasofya Mosque.

The Hagia Sophia became a museum under Turkeys secularist government back in 1935, but we may as well take a step and change that, he said.

Erdogan hinted that the change in status would benefit tourists. Tourists come and go at the Blue Mosque. Do they pay anything? he asked, referring to another popular site in Istanbul. Well, we will do the same with the Hagia Sofia.

The Hagia Sophia was first built as a church by the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century as the centerpiece of its capital, Constantinople, now Istanbul. Following the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, it was immediately converted into a mosque.

It was the worlds largest cathedral until the Catholic Seville Cathedral was erected in Spain in 1520.

he idea of turning the Hagia Sophia into an active mosque has been around for several years. Some high-ranking politicians and Muslim clerics suggested that the place be opened to worshippers, triggering backlash in Greece, Turkeys historic rival.

That aside, in 2016, the traditional Muslim call to prayer, the adhan, was chanted from a prayer room, not from inside the historic landmark.

In 2015, thousands of worshippers performed a morning prayer in front of the Hagia Sophia on the 562nd anniversary of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople.

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France bans Irans Mahan Air over activities outside Europe  report

France bans Irans Mahan Air over activities outside Europe  report

France has revoked the license of Iranian airline Mahan Air from April 1 on its activities outside of Europe, Reuters cited three French officials as saying on Monday. The decision follows a similar German move in January. It was made on the grounds of the airline transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, according to two diplomatic sources. Mahan Air can no longer serve French territory as of April 1, a French Foreign Ministry official said.Source : RT - Daily news
French minister Loiseau to lead Macrons campaign in European Parliament elections

French minister Loiseau to lead Macrons campaign in European Parliament elections

Frances European Affairs minister, Nathalie Loiseau, will lead President Emmanuel Macrons campaign in European Parliament elections in May. Loiseau is expected to resign as a minister, leading to a probable government reshuffle in the coming days. The career diplomat joined Macrons government in June 2017 and was notably involved in the countrys Brexit preparations. She will head the centrist, pro-European campaign of Macrons party for the May 23-26 election in an effort to counter a populist and nationalist wave across the continent, AP said.Source : RT - Daily news
The French Council of Muslim Faith (CFCM) announced they will file a complaint against Facebook and YouTube for hosting the video of the New Zealand shooting, claiming the platforms helped spread the shooters hateful message.

The CFCM announced their decision to file the complaint on Monday, saying the social media sites had disseminated violent messages inciting terrorism, which seriously undermine human dignity and were likely to be seen or perceived by a minor, according to a copy of the complaint sent to AFP.

Also on rt.com Should social media be scrubbing disturbing NZ shooting videos? Pundits clash in RT DEBATE

The CFCM is a non-profit organization that serves as an unofficial mediator between the French government and the countrys Muslim population.

Facebook says that they worked around the clock, erasing 1.5mn instances of the video of the shooting which left 50 Muslim worshippers dead in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15. Nonetheless, the 17-minute video filmed by the gunman during the attack remains readily available, leading some to question the effectiveness of Facebooks content moderation tools.

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A senior Iranian official has claimed that Tehran hacked the phones of the Israeli PMs family members  contradicting denials by Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused a political rival of spreading rumors because he was hacked himself.

Iranian intelligence services have managed to hack and access all the information on the mobile phones of the Netanyahu family, including wife Sara and son Yair, according to prominent cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, who confirmed Saudi media reports. The breach allegedly happened several months ago and its not known what data was taken. The PM himself does not carry a cell phone, so it is believed his family members were targeted in an effort to eavesdrop on his conversations.

Also on rt.com Israeli PM Netanyahu to be indicted in corruption cases, pending hearing  Justice Ministry

Both Netanyahu and the Israeli Security Service have denied the reports that Iran hacked the Netanyahu familys mobile devices, instead accusing political rival Benny Gantz of spreading the rumors in an effort to distract the media from an alleged hack attack on his own phone several years ago. It has only recently come to public attention, thanks to the Netanyahu campaign, which blamed the hack on Iran and suggested it made Gantz a security risk.

If Benny Gantz cant protect his phone, how will he protect our country? Netanyahu said.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, however, denied reports that Iran was behind the Gantz hack. The former IDF commander also does not blame Iran for the hack and says his phone did not contain any sensitive information that would make him vulnerable to blackmail. Gantz accused Netanyahu of mentioning Iran in order to gin up political support for his re-election.

Also on rt.com Judicial junta brings justice? Israels Supreme Court bans far-right Jewish leader from elections

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An Irish woman accused of being a member of ISIS says she wants to return home. Lisa Smith is a former Army soldier and Air Corps corporal who went to Syria five years ago and is currently detained in a refugee camp.

I want to go home. I think the people here should realise all the people here are not terrorists, Smith told a CNN reporter at the Al-Houl refugee camp controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria.

Smith was asked whether she would be ready to go to jail in Ireland, and said, I know theyd strip me of my passport and stuff and I wouldnt travel and Id be watched kinda. But prison, I dont know. Im already in prison.

Smith has a two-year-old girl. She reportedly approached a CNN producer and told them she was quite famous back home, Irish state broadcaster RTE reports.

Also on rt.com Trump refuses to let remorseful ISIS wife from Alabama back into US, setting Twitter on fire

Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar has said more information is needed about her case, but that removing her Irish citizenship is not compassionate or right. Going to Syria or going to live in what was called Islamic State is not in itself an offence or a crime. So we will need to carry out an investigation, he said. I know the authorities there will want to interrogate her to see if she has been involved in any crimes there. But its very possible that she wasnt a combatant.

It is unclear at this stage whether the former Irish Army soldier and Air Corps corporal fought for the terrorist group. She reportedly converted to Islam nearly eight years ago and later moved to Tunisia, living in Bizerte, a town popular with IS members, before travelling to Syria and marrying an British IS member who has since died.

Also on rt.com Anne Frank Center slammed for comparing returning ISIS fighters to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany

This is an unusual case because of her background in the last number of years, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said Monday. But the Taoiseach and I have made it very clear she is an Irish citizen and she is the responsibility of Ireland and we are very conscious of that. We have a responsibility towards her and, in particular, her daughter.

Smith was interviewed by ITV after leaving Baghouz, and said she moved to the caliphate because of the propaganda about there being a clean life for Muslims there. When asked whether she thought ISIS was over, she responded in Arabic, Not over yet. Not over yet.

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The Israel Defense Force (IDF) is sending two additional brigades and thousands of army reserves to the Gaza border after a rocket was fired into Israel on Monday, prompting fears of a major military incursion.

The IDF accused Hamas of carrying out the attack which injured seven people and damaged a family home in Moshav Mishmeret. It said the rocket was fired from Rafa in southern Gaza.

Hamas or Islamic Jihad have not claimed responsibility for the attack, but Hamas reportedly told Egypt that it was fired in error and they are investigating. Egypt is reportedly attempting to negotiate a ceasefire.

Also on rt.com 7 injured, incl 2 infants, after rocket from Gaza hits house north of Tel Aviv

Military spokesperson Major Mika Lifshitz said two armor and infantry brigades were being mobilized and that reserves would also be drafted.

Haaretz reports that thousands of reserves will be called up. Hamas leaders have gone underground in anticipation of an attack. The IDF said it holds Hamas responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip and from it.

Israeli military officials are meeting with the local government in the Israeli areas around Gaza communities to prepare them for expected retaliatory strikes, the Times of Israel reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would cut his trip to Washington short and that Israel would respond forcefully.

Israel has also closed the Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings and placed additional restrictions on fishing.

The buildup of troops suggests Gaza could face a military incursion in the lead up to Israels election on April 9. Netanyahu has been accused of not being hard enough on Hamas by his political opponents.

Two rockets were fired from Gaza on March 14, in what Hamas, and later Israel, said was an error. Israel responded with rocket fire that it said hit around 100 Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip.

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A Danish anti-Islam political party has sparked heated reaction online after it burned copies of the Koran on the sidelines of a prayer rally hosted by a controversial Islamist group that has been banned in several countries.

Members from Stram Kurs (Strict Course) staged their counter-demonstration at Christiansborg Palace Square in Copenhagen on Friday, as members from Hizb-ut Tahrir Scandinavia gathered to pray for the Muslim victims of the recent Christchurch mosque massacres.

Footage of the counter-protest shows Stram Kurs leader Rasmus Paludan and other supporters of the fringe party gathered on the edge of the square, while the Islamist rally can be heard in the background.

Also on rt.com Outrage as Denmark passes law making HANDSHAKE mandatory for naturalization

A man then proceeds to light the book in a small grill, while some warm their hands as it goes up in flames. The party has previously called such actions Bacon a la Koran.

The stunt has prompted a firestorm of criticism since the footage was shared by the party on social media over the weekend, with one commentator calling it a useless provocation.

These guys are the poster children for Incels R Us, another Twitter user wrote following an exchange with Stram Kurs, referring to the online subculture that has been criticized in the past for links to right-wing extremists.

However, others called both Stram Kurs and Hizb-ut Tahrir extremist anti-democratic associations and lamented how both groups have received press coverage for 5 days from Danish media.

Founded in 1953, Hizb-ut Tahrir is an Islamist organization that promotes the re-establishment of the Caliphate under Sharia law. Its been banned in the vast majority of Arab countries as well as Russia, Germany, and China for its extremist views.

Also on rt.com Islamist groups urge Muslim Danes to boycott election, saying democracy incompatible with Islam

Stram Kurs is an anti-Islam party that wants the religion banned and an end to non-Western immigration. Despite having no elected representatives, it has regularly made headlines with its Koran burnings, made possible since the revoking of a 334-year-old blasphemy law the same year Stram Kurs was founded in 2017.

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Kosovo PM fires official from ethnic Serb minority after NATO genocide remark

Kosovo PM fires official from ethnic Serb minority after NATO genocide remark

Kosovos Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has fired a deputy justice minister, who is a member of the ethnic Serb minority, after she described NATOs intervention 20 years ago as an act of genocide on Serbia. Haradinaj said on Monday he'd fired Vesna Mikic because of her unacceptable comment in a Facebook post, AP reports. On Sunday, Serbia commemorated the 20th anniversary of the NATO intervention in Kosovo as an aggression. Kosovo hailed it as the beginning of its national liberation. Belgrade does not recognize Kosovos 2008 declaration of independence.Source : RT - Daily news
French President Emmanuel Macron, who many blame for the violence unleashed on Yellow Vest protesters, said he hopes one elderly protester whose head was severely injured during a demonstration gains wisdom over her injury.

Genevieve Legay, a French anti-globalization activist, was knocked over by officers wielding batons at an unauthorized rally in Nice last week. She fell and hit her head on a metal post before being rushed to the hospital for trauma care.

The incident was widely covered in French media, and Macron predictably was asked to comment on it. His response is unlikely to sit well with the Yellow Vests: I wish her a speedy recovery, and perhaps a form of wisdom.

In an interview with Nice Matin, Macron insisted Legay didnt behave responsibly, as she decided to attend places that are defined as prohibited. The Nice rally wasnt authorized by the city, but Legay came anyway to support the freedom of assembly.

READ MORE: 80yo woman dies after being hit in face by projectile amid Yellow Vest protests

The Lemay familys lawyer was unappreciative of Macrons bizarre remark: You dont criticize someone who is in a hospital bed, Arie Alimi was quoted by AFP as saying.

The left-wing opposition also didnt pass up the opportunity to slam the president. Mr. Macron, our Genevieve of Nice does not need your lessons in wisdom. You could learn a lot from her, Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, tweeted.

The woman, who sustained skull fractures and bleeding next to the brain, is reported to be in serious but stable condition.

Meanwhile, the activists family plans to press charges against the police, who they say were responsible for the injury. The Nice public prosecutor has also opened an investigation into the incident.

Last Saturday, the army was deployed for the first time to back up police and help maintain security all over France. Protests were banned in the centers of many large cities.

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Sino-German joint venture passenger car manufacturer FAW-Volkswagen Automobile Co. Ltd. released its sub-brand "Jetta" on Friday, together with a new brand logo for Jetta and three new models.

As the third brand held by the company following Volkswagen and Audi, the Jetta brand aims at meeting the demands of young Chinese car buyers and competing with domestic auto brands like Great Wall and Geely, the company said.

Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen, made a remark earlier that Volkswagen has been making positive changes and focusing on the Chinese market, and the Jetta brand is another step forward to reach out to customers.

Three new models, the Jetta VA3, Jetta SUV VS5 and VS7, made their debut on Friday and one of them will go on sale in the third quarter of this year.

Liu Yigong, general manager of FAW-Volkswagen, said the company will form an independent marketing team of more than 200 members for the Jetta brand, achieving high-quality production-market integration with FAW-Volkswagen's Chengdu branch.

Established in February 1991, FAW-Volkswagen witnessed its first A2 Jetta automobile roll off the assembly line on December 5. So far, the company has five production bases around the country, with cumulative terminal sales up 2.6 percent to 2.05 million units last year.
Carried out under a false pretext and in disregard of the UN, the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 paved the way for similar US-led operations in Iraq, Libya and elsewhere and over a million were killed, an analyst has told RT.

NATOs attack 20 years ago, which was launched without declaring war and without any permission from the UN Security Council, was a transformative act which has changed the world ever since, Marko Gasic, commenter on international affairs, said. "This formula that you dont need UN Security Council authorization was then implemented at the expense of Iraq and Libya and elsewhere. So far, the decision to bomb Yugoslavia has led to over a million casualties worldwide; and rising."

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Back in 1999, the US and its allies launched airstrikes in what was then Yugoslavia, after blaming Belgrade for excessive and disproportionate use of force in a conflict with an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo.

NATO warplanes carried out 900 sorties during the brutal 78-day bombing campaign, which officially claimed at least 758 civilian lives. But Serbian sources insist the actual death toll was twice as high.

Also on rt.com Peaceful bombing? Slobodan Samardzic, professor of political sciences at University of Belgrade

NATO had used depleted uranium in its air strikes on Yugoslavia. Despite the studies showing that children born there after the bombing are prone to cancer, very little has been or is being done to hold the bloc accountable, Gasic said.

The Yugoslav authorities tried suing NATO, but its response was to create a Color Revolution (in 2000) there and bring its own puppets to power who abandoned the lawsuit.

The world community really needs to take NATO to task. And If Serbia is too weak to do it, we need other countries to take an interest. If they dont defend Serbia  itll be their borders next that NATO will be coming for, the analyst warned.

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NATO bombing of Yugoslavia paved way for 1 million civilian casualties worldwide

NATO bombing of Yugoslavia paved way for 1 million civilian casualties worldwide

Source : RT - Daily news
Israel will respond with force to a rocket attack that hit a residential area north of Tel Aviv, injuring 7 people, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said after talking to top military brass.

The Jewish state will respond forcefully against Hamas after a rocket was launched from inside Gaza into Israel, Netanyahu said, according to local media. Shortly after the attack, he talked to the IDF chief of staff, as well as the head of Intelligence, who also saw it as a criminal act against the State of Israel.

LIVE FROM ROCKET ATTACK SITE:
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may visit Russia between spring and summer of this year, a Russian senator revealed amid reports that Pyongyang is in talks with Moscow to arrange a high-profile trip.

The visit is being discussed, according to some information, Senator Alexander Bashkin told RIA Novosti. You can expect it to take place in spring or summer of this year, but the time is yet to be agreed upon.

He said Valentina Matvienko, the chairwoman of the Russian parliaments upper house, raised the issue when she held talks in Pyongyang in 2018.

She extended an invitation to Kim to visit Russia, which he accepted, Bashkin added.

Also on rt.com N. Koreas Kim invited to Russia with official visit

Kim Jong-un has never visited Russia although his father, the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, has been there twice, meeting with Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev in 2001, 2002 and 2011.

The news comes amid unconfirmed reports that North Koreas chief of protocol, Kim Chang-son, was in Moscow in late March.

Following a five-day visit, he departed to Vladivostok, raising rumors that the city might be chosen as a venue for a prospective North Korea-Russia summit, according to Yonhap News.

Pyongyang did not comment on the report. Dmitry Peskov, Russias presidential spokesman, said such trip has been discussed and prepared for, for a long time, according to TASS.

We will brief you on it once we have concrete arrangements of place, time and modality of the meeting, he said.

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Oman allows US military to use its airports, ports

Oman allows US military to use its airports, ports

Oman has signed an agreement with the United States that would allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of its ports and airports, according to officials. The framework agreement is aimed at bolstering Omani-American military relations, Oman news agency said on Sunday. The US forces will take advantage from the facilities offered at some of the sultanates ports and airports during visits of the US military vessels and aircrafts, particularly in the port of Duqm, the statement said. Duqm port is in southern Oman on the Arabian Sea and around 500km (310 miles) from the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the strait due to tensions with Sunni-ruled Gulf nations. The US-Omani deal was signed by the defense ministries of both countries, AFP reports.Source : RT - Daily news
More than US$30 billion were illegally diverted from Venezuela in two months, the countrys communications and information minister has revealed, accusing the US of orchestrating the operation.

Around $1 billion of the stolen funds from national assets in international banks was transferred to the personal accounts of opposition leaders, according to Communications and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez. The money is meant to finance terrorist cells against the country, he added.

Also on rt.com Venezuela may divert US-bound oil to Russia & China

They have resorted to stealing the assets that Venezuela holds in different banks. This money is being confiscated at the request of the [US President Donald] Trump administration. Over $30 billion has been stolen in the past couple of months, Rodriguez said on Saturday as cited by VTV state television.

The scheme was allegedly coordinated by US-backed opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido, as well as his key aids  Leopoldo Lopez, and the recently detained Roberto Marrero, among others. Information gathered from Marreros cell phone indicates that Venezuelan lawyer Juan Planchart received some part of the stolen money, according to the minister.

Also on rt.com Venezuela electricity crisis may challenge global oil market  IEA

Last week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the devils puppet Guaido of plotting his assassination. Earlier in March, he accused Washington of stealing $5 billion in Venezuelan funds allocated for buying substances necessary for medicine production and their delivery to hospitals and pharmacies.

The US has been tightening sanctions and economic pressure on Maduros government and openly calling for regime change, while pledging support to Guaido. Last week, the Treasury Department slapped the country with sanctions on state-run mining company Minerven and its head, Adrian Antonio Perdomo Mata. Other restrictions target the Venezuelan oil sector, which is crucial for the country to keep the economy afloat, as oil revenues account for about 98 percent of its export earnings.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
A pilot died after deliberately crashing a stolen plane into a building in an apparent attempt to murder his wife in Botswana. The dramatic smash destroyed the building, an air traffic control tower, and 13 cars.

South African Charl Viljoen crashed a Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft into the Matsieng Flying Club at the Matsieng Aerodrome in Rasesa, southern Botswana, where about 50 people had been celebrating a baby shower on Saturday.

A spokesperson for the club said the pilot flew by the club at a low level several times from different directions before the deadly crash.

Matsieng Flying Club members sensed that the pilot might have had an ulterior motive at the time and ordered an immediate evacuation of the club premises by the approximately 50 attendees, Mark Mansfield said, the Citizen reports.

Viljoen made a final run along the runway and hit the ground floor of the flying club building. The impact of the fatal smash completely destroyed the clubhouse and the adjacent air traffic control tower. The crash sparked an inferno that destroyed 13 vehicles that were parked nearby.

Because of the evacuation, no one except the pilot was seriously injured in the crash. Emergency services arrived on the scene to deal with the blaze. Viljoen, who worked for Kalahari Air Services, was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Mansfield revealed that Viljoen had attended a private function at the flying club earlier that day, and that he hadnt been invited. He was rumoured to have had a fight with his wife and was asked to leave.

He reportedly went to the capital of Gaborone and stole an aircraft before flying back to the aerodrome and crashing into the clubhouse.

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As US President Donald Trump doubles down on his energy ambitions, Russia is not-so-quietly positioning itself to become the go-to LNG provider for the Asia Pacific region.

For several years, at least since Donald Trump became president more than two years ago, the US has insisted that American sourced liquefied natural gas (LNG) is the answer for Europes gas diversification needs, particularly a long-needed pivot away from geopolitically charged Russian pipeline gas.

Also on rt.com Russia can become worlds top natural gas producer  Shell CEO

Moreover, US claims that its LNG is the answer for European gas and energy security needs have caused rifts in EU-US relations, particularly relations between longtime allies Washington and Berlin. In a televised meeting with reporters and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg before a NATO summit in Brussels last year, Trump said, referring to the controversial Nordstream 2 gas pipeline project, that it was very inappropriate that the US was paying for European defense against Russia while Germany, the biggest European economy, was supporting gas deals with Moscow.

Read more on Oilprice.com: US, Canadian rig count plunges as oil retreats

Since that time Berlin has been the first to blink as it promised to develop more LNG infrastructure and procure not only more US but Qatari and other producers gas. However, the country is still pushing through with the Nord Stream 2 project. The Russian-led $11 billion gas pipeline will stretch some 759 miles (1,222 km), running on the bed of the Baltic Sea from Russian gas fields to Germany, bypassing existing land routes over Ukraine, Poland and Belarus. It would double the existing Nord Stream pipelines current annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) and is expected to become operational by the end of next year.

Also on rt.com Serbia greenlights expansion of Russias Turkish Stream gas pipeline

Now, the US energy patch may have another hurdle to overcome, which also intersects the largest LNG market in the world - the Asia Pacific region which accounts for 72 percent of global LNG demand. On Wednesday at an LNG conference in Moscow, Shell's Senior Deal Lead Stuart Bradford said Russian LNG is well positioned to compete with North American projects to reach new markets in Asia and the Atlantic Basin despite challenges. He added that Russian LNG can offer several location options - the planned capacity expansion at the Sakhalin plant, the Arctic with Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2 projects led by Russian Novatek, and the Baltic coast, with the Baltic LNG project.

However, he also said that North American projects benefit from lower capital expenditures, from so-called special relationships as well as being supported by lower tax regimes, than their Russian project counterparts. Bradford added that the commercial arrangements in North America are implemented on basis risks, with gas prices based on the well-established Henry Hub, adding that competition is healthy. Shell is convinced that Russia LNG can commit to these challenges. However, Bradfords comments need to be taken in light of Shells participation in the fledgling Russian LNG sector. The company, the worlds largest corporate LNG buyer and seller, is currently involved in two Russian LNG projects: Baltic LNG and Sakhalin-2.

Also on rt.com US could soon take Saudi crown to become top global oil exporter  IEA

Shell is also forecasting that LNG sales will spike this year. Last month, the Anglo-Dutch oil major forecast that global LNG trade will rise 11 percent to 354 million tonnes this year as new facilities in Australia, the US, Russia and elsewhere increase supplies to Europe and Asia. More countries are also building LNG import or receiving terminals. Shell said that LNG trade rose by 27 million tonnes last year, with Chinese demand growth accounting for 16 million tonnes of those volumes. However, some of this demand growth will not only come from China, but India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, and in time the Philippines, and Vietnam. The Philippines and Vietnam, however, have yet to construct their first LNG receiving terminals.

This article was originally published on Oilprice.com
Moscow wants to sign a new gas transit deal with Ukraine after 2019, when the current contract with the country expires, Russias deputy energy minister has said.

We expect that, to some extent, we will be able to reach an agreement with Ukraine on the transit of gas... If this does not happen in May, it will probably happen in October, Anatoly Yanovsky told reporters on Monday. The official added he has no doubt the agreement will be reached one way or another.

The next round of talks on the matter are to be held in May and another trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine, and the EU can be held in September-October 2019, according to Yanovsky.

The statement comes shortly after the CEO of Ukrainian state gas firm Naftogaz Andrey Kobolev claimed that Russian energy giant Gazprom began informing its partners of its plans to stop the transit starting 2020.

Also on rt.com Russia remains Ukraines key trade partner despite Kievs claims of cutting economic ties

Kiev has long claimed that Moscow plans to stop the gas transit through Ukraine, depriving the country of its gas transit revenues. The current contract expires at the end of this year.

Moscow has repeatedly rebuffed Kievs claims, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that the country wants to keep the transit and can prolong the contract with Kiev. Last week, Alexey Miller, Chairman of Gazproms Management Committee, stressed that the company is ready to renew the document and also start direct gas imports to the Ukrainian market, which could reduce energy prices for locals.

Also on rt.com Swiss court overturns arrest of Russias Gazprom assets which Ukraine claims were seized

Fears that Moscow plans to bypass Ukraine have triggered an avalanche of criticism against another Russia-led energy project  the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that stretches under the Baltic Sea. However, the pipeline cannot replace the transit through the country, Nord Stream 2 spokesman Jens Mueller said, adding that the pipeline will provide additional supplies.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section
Some N. Korean officials return to liaison office  Seoul

Some N. Korean officials return to liaison office  Seoul

Some North Korean officials returned to an inter-Korean liaison office on Monday, Seoul said. The Unification Ministry said that four to five North Korean officials showed up for work at the liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong. Three days ago, Pyongyang abruptly withdrew its entire staff citing unspecified instructions from higher-level authorities. It wasnt immediately clear why North Korea sent some workers back to the office or whether it would restore a full staff, AP said. The Norths decision to withdraw its staff on Friday came a week after its vice foreign minister threatened to pull out of nuclear negotiations with the US following the collapse of a nuclear summit last month between leader Kim Jong-un and President Donald Trump.Source : RT - Daily news
The attempt by foreign powers to impose regime change in Venezuela has failed, ex-Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters has said, adding that final victory over the evil empire was on the horizon.

In a short video posted to Twitter, the famed English rock star and activist expressed disgust with those who supported Venezuelas self-declared interim president Juan Guaido and his attempt to push President Nicolas Maduro out of office.

To see a great experiment in Bolivarian socialism taking place in a great country like Venezuela, and to watch the evil empire destroy it, is sickening. Its failed. The coup failed. Guaido can go back to being a thug on the street, or whatever it was that he did.

He mocked the Western assertion that Maduro was a coldhearted dictator, noting that in a real totalitarian state, Guaido would have been detained and executed. Instead, hes allowed to travel freely between Venezuela and Colombia.

Also on rt.com Nothing to do with aid or democracy: Roger Waters slams humanitarian concert for Venezuela

Maybe Maduro needs to take lessons in evil dictatorship from some of the people supported by the United States of America, the rock star joked.

He ended his video with a short message to his fans.

We are strong, and we are many, and we will win this battle in the end. Stop the evil empire.

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Japanese cuisine is such a rage among Chinese consumers these days that some of them are willing to spend more than 1,000 yuan ($149.70) for a lunch/dinner comprising super-fresh authentic ingredients, including six-piece sashimi, or raw fish, specially imported from Japan.

Small wonder, Japanese restaurants are mushrooming on the Chinese mainland to ride consumer demand.

Their number surged from about 10,600 in the beginning of 2017 to 40,800 at the end of the year, according to data from the Japanese External Trade Organization, which is known as JETRO.

Data from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries showed that among the 31,000 Japanese restaurants opened outside of Japan from 2015 to 2017, half of them were in China.

According to Qdaily, a news website, Japanese restaurants in China reported total revenue of 161 billion yuan in 2016, taking the fourth place in newly-added numbers, and outperforming even domestic Cantonese and Jiangzhe (Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces) cuisines, which figure among the most popular Chinese food.

JETRO said a rising number of Chinese travelers to Japan enjoy local cuisine, and crave for more back home.

"With more Chinese people visiting Japan, this is creating more business opportunities," said Bai Wei, a columnist specialized in cuisine with JinriToutiao and Tencent, and also a member of the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry.

"Also, Chinese consumers' increasing spending power makes the business profitable. Only a decade ago, Japanese cuisine, which costs relatively higher than many other foods, was much less popular among Chinese consumers."

Feng Enyuan, deputy head of the China Cuisine Association, said changing Chinese consumers' lifestyles also contributed to the trend.

"A growing number of Chinese consumers prefer light meals like salads that are healthy. Many Chinese consumers associate Japanese cuisine with good health," said Feng.

"Foods like sushi are getting increasingly popular among both young and senior people as they are less oily and contain more healthful ingredients."

Although the overall number of Japanese restaurants in China is booming, growth has been slowing in first-tier cities in recent years.

In contrast, China's second-and third-tier cities have seen rapid expansion of Japanese restaurants, according to JETRO.

"Not just Japanese restaurants, a majority of restaurants opened in China are switching their focus from first-tier city consumers to those in second or third-tier cities as there is higher demand there," said Feng.

"Demand for international cuisine like Japanese food is rising in second or third-tier cities as many young people who used to work in first-tier cities in the past are now back in their hometowns, and look to continue their old food habits."

Recent years have also seen a boom in high-end Japanese restaurants, with more being set up in central business districts of cities, according to a Qdaily report.

But only a decade ago, cheaper Japanese quick service restaurants such as Pepper Lunch and Yoshinoya were more commonly seen all over city street corners in China.

Today, traditional Japanese restaurants with new concepts, different decoration styles, cultural themes, and innovative menus are more common, Bai said.

Noriko Shinohara, 29, who operates a three-branch restaurant chain under two brands in Beijing's posh lifestyle zone Sanlitun, will open her fourth venturean izakayanext month.

Her existing three restaurants are popular among youngsters as she fuses traditional Italian/Mexican food styles with post-modern elements.

On top of that, her planned new restaurant will offer diners interior decor novelties like steep-sloped rooftops with spectacular views, and posters of anime characters that trigger childhood memories.

"Today, young people like me are really into some cool and novel experiences, and I want to create that experience for our customers while serving traditional authentic Japanese food," Shinohara said.

Consumers such as Alex Cui welcome that approach. "I visit the exiting branches of izakaya very often because their environment is good for chats or business talks. I'd certainly visit such restaurants offering new concepts for the sake of fun and to enjoy their sense of novelty."
Thailands opposition Pheu Thai party leads pro-junta party, many seats undecided

Thailands opposition Pheu Thai party leads pro-junta party, many seats undecided

Opposition Pheu Thai party won 138 seats in Thailands House of Representatives and a pro-army party 96 seats, but the winners of 150 of the lower house seats are still unclear, the Election Commission said after the countrys first vote since a 2014 coup. The overall winner of Sundays election may not emerge for weeks. The commission said on Monday it will announce the official results of the final 150 seats in the 500-seat parliament on May 9. The pro-army Palang Pracharat party said earlier on Monday it aims to form a government after winning the most votes, Reuters reports. The Pheu Thai party, linked to self-exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, also said that it had opened negotiations with other anti-junta parties to try to form a government.Source : RT - Daily news
The US will recognize Israels sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights on Monday, Vice President Mike Pence told the second day of the AIPAC annual conference in Washington.

Trump will recognize Israel's sovereignity over Golan Heights on Monday - VP Pence

Trump will recognize Israel's sovereignity over Golan Heights on Monday - VP Pence

Source : RT - Daily news
Turkish fighter jets violate Greek airspace, welcome PM Tsipras helicopter

Turkish fighter jets violate Greek airspace, welcome PM Tsipras helicopter

Greeces Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Monday Turkish fighter jets harassed the helicopter he was traveling on during a visit to a remote Greek island to celebrate independence day. Tsipras said he was welcomed by Turkish fighter jets violating Greek airspace during his arrival on the small eastern Aegean island of Agathonissi, AP reports. The move forced the helicopter pilot to carry out low maneuvers until Greek fighter jets arrived to deflect the Turkish aircraft, according to Tsipras. Athens often complains Turkish fighter jets violate its airspace, sometimes flying directly over Greek islands.Source : RT - Daily news
A US surgeon who was operating on a small child in Belgrade in the spring of 1999 when NATO bombs began falling on the city has told RT that hed never experienced anything of such magnitude.

Doctor William Novick recalled how he and his team of American medics had come to what was then Yugoslavia before the NATO campaign. They thought they would be safe in the capital but misjudged what was going to happen.

We were asked by the US embassy in Belgrade on the previous weekend to evacuate with them, he said. But the medics took a vote and decided to stay in the beleaguered city, as they had two children in their care that were in urgent need of an operation.

Also on rt.com Forgive, but not forget: Serbia wont be in NATO, leaders say 20yrs after Yugoslavia bombing

Novick was performing heart surgery on a 10-day-old baby on March 24 of that year when the air raid signals started going off not long after sundown, and the bombs started dropping within a few minutes after that.

That was one of the most horrific nights that Ive experienced. [From the hospital building] I saw more than one cruise missile that night and a number of fighter bombers as well. Ive not experienced anything of that magnitude before, he said.

20 years ago, the US and its allies accused Belgrade of excessive and disproportionate use of force in a conflict over an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Kosovo, and launched an attack on Yugoslavia, without approval by the UN Security Council.

Also on rt.com NATO bombing of Yugoslavia paved way for 1 million civilian casualties worldwide

NATO warplanes undertook 900 combat missions during the brutal bombing campaign, which lasted for 78 days. The airstrikes officially claimed at least 758 civilian lives. But, according to Serbian sources, the actual death toll was twice as high.

NATO had used depleted uranium in its air strikes on Yugoslavia. Despite the studies showing that children born there after the bombing are prone to cancer, very little has been or is being done to hold the bloc accountable, Gasic said.

The Yugoslav authorities tried suing NATO, but its response was to create a Color Revolution (in 2000) there and bring its own puppets to power who abandoned the lawsuit.

Also on rt.com How NATO bombed Serbs into submission and left toxic legacy behind (DOCUMENTARY)

The world community really needs to take NATO to task. And If Serbia is too weak to do it, we need other countries to take an interest. If they dont defend Serbia  itll be their borders next that NATO will be coming for, the analyst warned.

Carried out under a false pretext and in disregard of the UN, the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 paved the way for similar US-led operations in Iraq, Libya and elsewhere and over a million were killed, an analyst has told RT.

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From Venezuela to Iran, Liberia to Belarus, theres barely a corner of the world not sanctioned by the US. But economic penalties dont help regime change and unfairly impact civilians, the UN sanctions rapporteur told RT.

When direct military action is out of the question, economic sanctions are often the US next weapon of choice. President Donald Trumps withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal last year was accompanied by the reimposition of crippling sanctions, designed to force Iran to act like a normal country, in the words of State Secretary Mike Pompeo. Ditto in Venezuela, where US sanctions targeted President Nicolas Maduros oil wealth, and in North Korea, where sanctions have been applied, removed and reapplied in an effort to curb Kim Jong-uns nuclear ambitions.

All in all, at least 25 percent of the worlds population lives under unilateral US sanctions, their livelihoods impacted by geopolitical decisions made half a world away.

Those sanctions are considered to be illegitimate according to international law. Those sanctions are not the result of a decision of the [UN] Security Council, UN Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of Coercive Measures Idriss Jazairy told RT.

The US sanctions on Iran, Jazairy continued, are the most constraining ones in the world. The Islamic Republics aviation, banking, energy, shipping and military sectors are all affected, while third parties are forbidden from doing business with Tehran. While Trump pulled out of the Iran deal on the grounds that Tehran was violating its conditions, the US intelligence agencies do not believe that Iran was then or is now pursuing a nuclear weapon, according to their yearly report.

Also on rt.com Irans oil exports drop ahead of US waivers decision

That means that the people of Iran are going to be submitted to a terrible pressure, and enormous sufferings. I dont think this is fair. Its okay if you have a disagreement with a political leadership to try and sort it out or negotiate a solution, but to make the people pay is not fair.

Squeezing a nations people to achieve a political goal is a risky move too. When the US extended its embargo on Cuba to almost all of the countrys exports in 1962, its intention was to destabilize the Castro regime and force its collapse. Over four decades later, Cubas socialist government is still in power. Cubans rallied around the flag, and resisted el bloqueo, as the economic blockade is called there.

If you want to change a political system in a country, the last thing you should do is to apply sanctions. Youll consolidate the system youre trying to change!

Also on rt.com Over $30 billion of Venezuelas assets stolen on Trumps orders  official

The current situation in Venezuela is a similar one. The countrys destitute economy has been further hit by US sanctions, the latest round targeting the socialist countrys development bank after Maduros government arrested an aide to Juan Guaido, opposition leader and self-declared interim president.

Washingtons punitive pressure campaign on Caracas has been decried by UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, who warned they may contribute to aggravating the economic crisis and have repercussions on peoples basic rights and wellbeing.

Now that the European Union has joined in the sanctions effort on Venezuela, Jazairy is doubly concerned, calling on all the capitals to carry out a human impact assessment review first.

By applying sanctions which will deprive people of food, medication, humanitarian supplies, we are in fact exacerbating the human rights impact that we criticize of the country targeted.

to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you.
Fouad Zmokhol, founder of Association of Lebanese Business People in the World (RDCL World), has encouraged Lebanese importers to open offices in China to facilitate and improve their businesses.

"We have been advising companies to go and settle in China. Merchants have to be on the ground to check quality and delivery," Zmokhol told Xinhua in an interview, adding that a lot of successful Lebanese traders have intermediary offices in China, which enable them to resell products to Lebanon and lots of other countries around the world.

Zmokhol also said that traders who have offices in China have better chances to contain risks.

"It is much easier to work with intermediaries who have offices and are settled down in China than working directly with Chinese companies because of the language and distance barriers in addition to unfamiliar legal procedures," he said.

Zmokhol said that Lebanon imports lots of its goods from China.

"All the successful trade stories in Lebanon have to do with China," Zmokhol said, adding that China is one of Lebanon's most important trade partners.

In 2017, the bilateral trade volume reached nearly US$1.9 billion, making China Lebanon's second largest trade partner.

Figures released by Lebanese Customs showed that during the 2013-2016 period, China remained as Lebanon's largest trade partner and the largest source of imports.

Lebanon's major imports from China included electrical machinery and equipment, plastics, furniture and vehicles, while Lebanon's exports to China mainly included copper, plastics, beverages and cocoa.

Zmokhol said that Lebanon's exports to China were on a lower scale.

"Lebanon cannot be a massive exporter. We are only a niche exporter, we have small quantities to export compared with China," he said.

"This is what makes us complementary to China and not competitive," he added.

The young businessman said that China's relation with Lebanon has evolved over the past ten years from trade only to investments.

"The Chinese have invested in Lebanon in oil and gas, power, and infrastructure projects in the country. We have received lots of delegations from the Chinese private and public sectors interested in investing in Lebanon," he said.

He added that he encourages the establishment of strategic partners with the Chinese traders because "they proved to be very mature with excellent delivery and follow up."

Zmokhol emphasized the need to build strategic alliances because it is no longer easy to work individually.

"The model has completely changed today. We have to work in groups and build productive and strategic synergies. A Lebanese and a Chinese businessman together can do an excellent work. I encourage Chinese investors to come and identify good Lebanese partners because it is difficult to start from zero if they are willing to invest in Lebanon," he said.
London (CNN)  Passengers on a British Airways flight from London's City Airport to Dusseldorf in Germany were met with a surprise Monday morning when their plane touched down  in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh.

The error was down to an incorrectly filed flight plan, leading both the pilot and cabin crew to believe the flight was bound for Edinburgh.

The flight was operated by German leasing company WDL Aviation on behalf of the British Airways subsidiary airline BA CityFlyer. The incorrect flight plan was filed at WDL Aviation's offices in Germany.

After landing in Edinburgh, the plane took off a second time for Dusseldorf.

Piotr Pomienski, a student at Imperial College London, told CNN his girlfriend Zsofia Szabo was on the plane that landed in Edinburgh by mistake. "I saw on Flightradar that the flight was flying north instead of south, but I assumed it was a system error of some sort. That is until she wrote to me that they're in Edinburgh."

Szabo told CNN she realized something wasn't right when she saw mountains outside the plane, instead of the "usual German industrial landscape."

"When we started descending and I saw some taller hills/mountains, I did think that this isn't how Eastern Netherlands/Western Germany should look like but I assumed we took some small detour," she said. "Then my colleague sitting across the aisle from me told me to check Google Maps  and it showed us being around Carlisle."

"The information then spread around quite quickly. Everyone started asking everyone else where they were going -- everyone was for Dusseldorf."

"When we landed there was a bit of a hilarious moment when the flight attendant asked for a show of hands for the people going to Dusseldorf, which turned out to be everyone," she said.

The captain subsequently apologized to the passengers, telling them the plane would refuel before heading to Germany.

"Most of us found this situation quite funny," Szabo said. "People were on phone calls trying to convince everyone that they've arrived in the wrong city."

Another passenger on the flight, Son Tran, told CNN: "Most passengers sleep or work through this flight so no one really noticed we were not flying over the Channel. We only realized we are in Scotland once we descended on approach and asked the crew."

In a statement, a spokesperson for British Airways said the airline was working with WDL Aviation "to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed."

"We have apologized to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually," the spokesperson said.

WDL Aviation said in a statement: "We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur. At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Dusseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "British Airways flight mistakenly lands in Scotland instead of Germany."
Returning to Changsha to attend the International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads, Hannah Getachew, who corresponded with President Xi last year, tells her mother about her trip to the charming central Chinese city in a video letter. With the forum kicking off on March 31, Hannah is inviting young people around the world to come and experience the lovely and exciting Changsha.
The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) conference has become an important event in the world calendar, as it brings together business and political leaders for heart-to-heart exchanges on vital issues relating to the economy and trade.



This year's BFA conference, on March 26-29 in Boao, Hainan province, has been themed "Shared future, concerted action, common development." It aptly captures the position of China's leadership, which is its belief that countries should and can strive towards a win-win cooperation.

The conference is jam-packed with activities, and topics for the daily sessions have been carefully selected to highlight global and regional issues. Experts from around the globe will present their ideas and suggest a way forward in these sessions.

There are also ample opportunities during the conference for bilateral and multilateral interactions as the forum provides opportunities for special meetings among CEOs and business leaders. There are also slots for special TV broadcast sessions to broaden the outreach of leaders and experts.

Opportunities for bilateral interaction are also part of the conference and will be organized through mini-forums such as the ROK-China CEO dialogue, the ASEAN-China governors/mayors meeting, the Japan-China CEO dialogue and many others.

At a more micro level, experts will discuss issues like e-commerce in the age of increasing cross border movement of goods and services. How to provide a business friendly environment is a key requirement for increasing growth and confidence, which are essential for hassle-free commercial activities.

BFA participants will also deal with issues like managing and using data, exploring untapped wealth in our oceans, building driverless and electric cars, changes in the use and sources of energy like shale, solar, wind etc. as well as the new possibilities offered by 5G technology.

The BFA also caters to a global, regional and local audience in terms of the issues discussed. While topics like the global economy and energy security are being discussed, there are also sessions for more local topics such as the rise of China as a global power.

One of the sessions titled "70 and 40 Years in Retrospect: China in a New Era" captures China's rapid growth and what it means for the country and the rest of the world. It provides an opportunity to look back on the 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 40 years since the launch of its reform and opening-up policy.

The BFA conference is also taking place at a crucial time because the world economy is facing tough challenges. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund  the two leading financial institutions  have already downgraded global growth for the next two years.

We are not sure if global growth will pick up thereafter, but the BFA can help by suggesting short and long term solutions to improve growth prospects.



If this issue is not addressed promptly, global uncertainty and unease will snowball to impact not just world economy but also domestic politics. Far-right and hyper-nationalist sentiment is already getting stronger and communities are being bifurcated along key fault-lines.

The BFA's role should also be seen in the context of threats to globalization. China has not only shown a commitment to standing by this global trend, but is also offering practical solutions to strengthen the process.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and globalization are intricately linked. The BRI is not just about building hard infrastructure like railways, highways, ports and airports, but is also promoting soft infrastructure like policy coordination, liberalization of trade, investment opportunities and the facilitation of the free movement of capital and people.

Though the BFA is one of the major efforts aimed at improving socio-economic conditions, its lofty plans to build a new world would be meaningless unless safeguards are put in place to avoid wars and resolve ongoing global conflicts through peaceful means.

It is also heartening to note that the BFA is offering its platform to bring religious leaders together for a dialogue, which will be held on the last day of the conference. It is important that religious leaders and scholars are supportive of any plan to achieve long-term stability, prosperity and peace.

Intra-religion and intra-culture parleys can help bridge the differences between societies and nations, and any effort made from influential forums like the BFA to achieve this will be far-reaching and constructive.

Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, Sunday on strengthening China-Monaco relations.

Xi was paying a state visit to Monaco, the first by a Chinese president to the European country.

Noting the affinity between the two peoples, Xi said that since China and Monaco established diplomatic relations more than 20 years ago, the two sides have always treated each other as equals with sincerity and friendship.

Xi said China-Monaco relations are developing steadily, with bilateral practical cooperation keeping pace with the times and taking the lead in China-Europe cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, telecommunications and mobile payment.

Xi said China and Monaco have set a fine example of friendly exchanges between countries that are different in size and have different historical and cultural backgrounds and social systems.

The Chinese president said the exchange of visits between him and Prince Albert II in about half a year demonstrated the high level of China-Monaco ties.

He called on the two sides to firmly grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, constantly consolidate traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support in the United Nations and on international affairs.

Both sides should adhere to openness and cooperation and pursue more win-win results, Xi said, adding that China welcomes Monaco to actively participate in the joint development of the Belt and Road.

Calling on the two sides to elevate cooperation on environmental protection, Xi said the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is welcome to conduct public-service activities in China aimed at environmental protection, so as to continuously enrich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Describing Xi's visit as a "historic" one, Prince Albert II said Monaco is willing to expand cooperation with China in such fields as science and technology, innovation, ecological and environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and renewable energy.

The prince said Monaco highly appreciates China's role in international affairs such as climate change and stands ready to support China in hosting the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year. He also wished the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics success.

Before the talks, Prince Albert II held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.

Monaco is the second leg of Xi's three-nation Europe visit. He has concluded a state visit to Italy and will pay a state visit to France.
Jet Airways owes banks nearly Rs 8,000 crore.

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Naresh Goyal's possible departure notwithstanding, Jet Airways may be headed for more trouble as over 200 pilots may resign depending on the outcome of the March 25 board meeting. Its pilots have offers from SpiceJet or IndiGo, sources told Moneycontrol. The airlines have promised pilots a base city of their choice, besides a two-month base salary as a joining bonus, they stated.

The pilots may be inclined to take up the SpiceJet offer as the airline's aircraft mix is similar to that of Jet Airways. On the other hand, accepting an IndiGo package means the pilots will have to undergo retraining, which may require them to sign a three-year bond to service the carrier, sources said. IndiGo, which has been expanding its fleet at a rate never seen before in the industry, is facing a shortage of pilots, mainly captains.

About 260 pilots, including 150 captains, attended interviews organised by SpiceJet in Mumbai last week for Boeing 737 rated captains, non-type rated captains and first officer with frozen airline transport pilot licence (ATPL).

Also Read: Hit by financial troubles, Jet Airways' pilots appear for interviews at SpiceJet

Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita are expected to step down from the board of cash-strapped airline on March 25, sources told Moneycontrol. Chief Executive Vinay Dube is expected to stay on board the 25-year-old airline Goyal set up with his wife in 1993.

Also Read: Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal to quit as Chairman today

Jet Airways has a Rs 8,000 crore debt and has not been able to furnish instalments for loan repayment, which led to the grounding of over 75 aircraft in its fleet. Many of its pilots have got truncated rosters in March.

The financial woes have also led to non-payment of pilot salaries. The distressed airline, which is urgently seeking a resolution plan to overcome serious liquidity crunch, has been delaying salaries to its pilots. At present, a major chunk of the December salary, and that of January and February are pending. In fact, the pilots have threatened to stop flying from April 1, if the dues are not cleared by March-end.

On March 20, Moneycontrol reported that Jet Airways' lenders had worked out an alternate rescue plan for the debt-ridden airline, which involves taking majority control and reconstituting the entire board of the countrys second largest carrier.

With just 6 days left to the end of this financial year, lenders are in a rush to seal a resolution plan. They have asked Goyal to step down immediately and make way for a new management. As per the plan, Goyal's stake will likely be capped at 10 percent by diluting the rest at nominal value.
A British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in Germany landed in the Scottish capital Edinburgh by mistake, after the flight paperwork was submitted incorrectly, a media report said on Monday. The passengers only realised the error when the plane landed and the "welcome to Edinburgh" announcement was made.

The flight has now been redirected and landed in Dusseldorf, BA says. German firm WDL Aviation ran the flight for BA as part of a leasing deal, the BBC reported.

BA said it was working with WDL to find out why it filed the wrong flight plan.

"We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually," BA said in a statement.

The airline declined to say how many passengers were affected by the mistake.

BA say the pilot wasn't lost at any point, but because the paperwork said Edinburgh, air traffic control allowed the flight to take that route.

The plane took off from London City Airport.

Sophie Cooke, a 24-year-old management consultant, who travels from London To Dusseldorf each week for work, said when the pilot first made the announcement that the plane was about to land in Edinburgh everyone assumed it was a joke. She asked the cabin crew if they were joking.

The pilot then asked passengers to raise their hands if they wanted to go to Dusseldorf.

Everyone raised their hands.

"The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened. He said it had never happened before and that the crew was trying to work out what we could do."

Sophie said the plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours, before flying onto Dusseldorf.

"It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," she said.

Passengers complained about the error on Twitter, with one person called Son Tran saying it felt "like an honest mistake".

BA responded saying it did not "currently have any information" as to why the flight had gone to the wrong place.

The airline said its customer service team in Dusseldorf had met all the passengers on arrival and would follow up with them "in due course".
Jet Airways owes banks nearly Rs 8,000 crore.

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Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife and director Anita Goyal have stepped down from the board of the ailing airline, along with one nominee of Etihad Airways, Kevin Knight.

Anita has been with the company since inception in 1993 and has performed various roles for the company, including taking charge as Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1998 to 2004. She was appointed as the Executive Vice President of the same division in 2005 and became the Executive Vice President of Revenue Management and Network Planning in August 2007. She then held that position till she was appointed Non-executive Director of the company.

Also Read: Naresh Goyal steps down from Jet Airways board, ceases to be Chairman

Knight, also a director of the airline, came on board as a Group Chief Strategy and Planning Officer in March 2011. He has been in the aviation industry for over 30 years, with various roles in business development and operations department. He was with United Airlines for 17 years where he was the Senior Vice President in the last five years, before joining Etihad.

He was responsible for fleet planning, international affairs of the carrier, overall corporate strategy and development of the Etihad Aviation Group.

He studied business administration from Westminster College, Utah and has an MBA from the University of Utah.
Hyundai Motor India on March 25 said it has signed a wage settlement agreement with the workers of its Chennai plant, under which the technicians will get an average salary increase of Rs 25,200 per month spread over three years.

The three-year wage settlement will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 2018 and will remain effective until March 2021, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) said in a statement.

The wage settlement agreement was signed between the company's management and the recognised union, the UUHE (United Union of Hyundai Employees), it added.

"As per the agreement, technicians will receive an average salary increase of Rs 25,200 per month spread over three years," the company said.

Technicians will receive 55 percent of the increased salary in the first year, 25 percent in the second year and 20 percent in the third year.

"This would mean a monthly salary raise of Rs 13,860 will be given in the first year, Rs 6,300 in the second year and Rs 5,040 a month in the third year," HMIL said.

The company, which sells models like Creta and i20 in the domestic market, is one of the leading passenger vehicle exporters from India. It exports to over 91 countries across Africa, Middle East, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
Employees in the technology sector have made it clear that they will quit companies with sexual harassment cases. A survey by job site Indeed said 87 percent women employees and 82 percent male employees would be ready to quit their job if there were any incidents of sexual harassment or biased hiring at their company.

However, 95 percent respondents would be more likely to stick to the job if their company was transparent about the issue in question and made attempts to correct it.

The survey also found that close to 70 percent considered changing their jobs depending on the nature of the scandal, their loyalty to the firm and how well, or poorly, the employers handled these situations.

Further, 80 percent of respondents said they were more likely to report misbehaviour in the wake of last years public offences, with women (85 percent) more likely to do so than men (76 percent).

Unethical practices

Apart from misconduct instances, employees are also not in favour of any unethical practices including hiring bias and data breach.

Close to 80 percent of respondents said they would be likely to leave their job if a technology-based issue such as data breach, product failure occurred at the company for which they work.

Overall, only a little over 10 percent of respondents said they were less eager to work in the tech industry as a result of public offences such as data breaches, sexual harassment exposures, disingenuous privacy practices, and so on.

Employees with career duration of five years or less were more likely (56 percent) to consider leaving their company following a transgression, in comparison to 46 percent of respondents, who with longer career duration of up to 10 years, were less likely to do so.

Interestingly, 72 percent of respondents who work in a company with 250-500 employees said their companies were part of a public scandal in 2018, while only 46 percent of respondents who work in a company with more than 500 employees said the same. It would seem that the larger the organisation, the slower the trickling down of news of public misdemeanour.

Venkata Machavarapu, Head of Engineering, India and Site Director at Indeed India said, "While it is the responsibility of organisations to ensure the integrity and prevent breaches or untoward activities under their purview, no sector is immune to the occasional offence. What is important in such cases is that the company step up and take ownership of their actions and address the issue in a transparent and timely manner, to restore stakeholder trust."

No to opposing political views

With India going into general elections in 2019, another interesting aspect according to the survey was that 75 percent of respondents would likely leave their job if the CEO or senior leaders expressed political views against their own political beliefs.
Jet Airways owes banks nearly Rs 8,000 crore.

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The Etihad Airways board will meet on March 31 to take a final call on whether it will bail out ailing Jet Airways or exit it, sources told Mint.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Etihad, met State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar on March 18 with an exit proposal. He asked lenders to buy Etihad's entire 24 percent stake in the cash-strapped airline at Rs 150 per share, or about Rs 400 crore, should the carrier decide to exit.

To infuse fresh capital into Jet Airways, Douglas has specific demands, which include removal of the Naresh Goyal group from the board altogether. The Middle Eastern airline also demanded a guarantee from the banks for offering more credit to the cash-strapped airline.

Read: Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal to quit as Chairman today

"Etihad has also sought a 'put option' through which it can sell its entire stake to the lenders (led by SBI) if it is not happy with the revised resolution plan," the newspaper report quoted one of the sources as saying. A put option is an option contract giving the seller the right, but not the obligation, to sell a specified amount of an underlying security at a specified price within a specific time frame.

Moneycontrol couldnt independently verify the report.

This comes after both Jet Airways and Etihad spent weeks deliberating a resolution plan for the former, whose plight is getting worse. Etihad was going to make a fresh investment but took a U-turn later. The airline believes that banks are being 'soft' on Goyal by giving him the option of retaining the clawback option in the airline.

It was reported on March 15 that Etihad was not prepared to meet the bailout terms for Jet Airways' proposed by its lenders because it did not agree with Goyal's demand for removal of the perpetuity clause that caps his shareholding at 22 percent.

Jet Airways defaulted on loan repayment in December. The time for lenders seems to be running out as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) dictates that cases of default companies like Jet Airways must be resolved within 180 days of their first default.

The airline has failed to pay its employees, including pilots, and defaulted on many dues in the past months. This has resulted in the grounding of more than half of its fleet. Pilots have also threatened a strike from April 1.
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Mozambican authorities said on Sunday that the bodies of 446 victims killed in the disaster caused by Cyclone Idai have been found in the central region of the country.

"The number of deaths rose. Yesterday we had a number of 417 dead bodies, and today (the number) rose to 446 deaths," Minister of Land, Environment and Rural Development Celso Correia told reporters from the emergency operations center in Beira, coastal province of Sofala, where the cyclone made landfall.

Correia said it has become increasingly difficult to gauge the number of deaths in isolated areas.

The affected population also rose to 531,466, the minister said, emphasizing that they are people who have lost their homes or who are still stranded in isolated areas.

"Fortunately, the number of people saved and evacuated to the temporary shelters is increasing," Correia said. "At present we have counted 109,633 people in various shelters. Of these there are 6,563 vulnerable people, including elderly and pregnant women."

He said the number of students who cannot attend classes because schools were flooded and destroyed rose to 9,756.

"The education system remains compromised in certain affected areas," the minister said.

Correia said that 45 health units were directly affected in the zones of impact by floods and by the passage of Cyclone Idai.

"The overarching priority in the coming weeks is to stem the outbreak of diseases such as cholera, malaria and other diseases," he said.

"The government has already started setting up centers to mitigate these diseases," Correia said.

He cited the resumption of operation on Saturday of national road Number 6 as an important victory that makes it easier for aid to reach recipients by land.

"Some areas already have road access. The flows of the rivers are reducing, allowing the government and rescue teams to facilitate stabilization in the affected areas," the minister said.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on March 25 said it along with its partner Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) has won an oil block in Abu Dhabi, where the two will invest $170 million.

IOC-BPRL won the block in Abu Dhabi's first-ever competitive bid round.

"IOC and BPRL, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), acting jointly as a consortium through Urja Bharat Pte Ltd have been awarded 100 percent stake in the Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1 Concession," it said in a regulatory filing.

The Concession has been awarded by the Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC), on behalf of the Abu Dhabi government, where participation of the Indian consortium is through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

IOC and BPRL hold 50 percent each in Urja Bharat Pte Ltd.

"The Indian consortium will make an investment of $170 million for the exploration activities," it said.

The Concession award is for 35 years with the effective date of March 24, 2019.

The concession agreement was signed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Chief Executive Officer Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, IOC Chairman Sanjiv Singh, and BPCL Chairman and Managing Director Duraiswamy Rajkumar.

"Onshore Block 1 covers an area of 6,162 square kilometres around Ruwais field and includes already discovered but undeveloped fields," the filing said. "The present transaction marks the entry of IOC as joint operator in the highly prospective UAE region and is consistent with its strategic objective of adding high-quality exploration and production (E&P) assets to its existing upstream portfolio."

The UAE is the world's seventh-largest oil producer, with about 96 percent of its reserves within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Onshore Block 1 is located in the Al Dhafra region around Ruwais City and the refining complex, including the coastal region to the west. There are two existing undeveloped oil and gas fields in the area, named Ruwais and Mirfa, which will be appraised by the consortium.
Infrastructure company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on March 25 said it has won various contracts across India, including for construction of hospitals in Jharkhand, a commercial complex in Hyderabad and a manufacturing facility in Gujarat.

The company said the orders fall under "large" category which ranges between Rs 2,500 crore and Rs 5,000 crore as per its classification of contracts.

"The construction arm of L&T has secured orders from prestigious clients across different states in India," L&T said in a statement.

The buildings and factories business has secured an order from the Jharkhand State Building Construction Corporation Ltd to construct two 500-bed hospitals at Jamshedpur and Dumka, respectively, it said.

It has also secured an order from a leading developer to construct a 108-metre tall commercial complex at Raidurgam in Hyderabad.

"Spread across a built-up area of 3.6 lakh sq mt, the project will comprise leasable area, high street retail frontage, grand retail plaza, recreational activities, landscape areas, and amenities like multi-level car parking spaces. The scope of work includes civil, structural works, architectural finishes and MEP works," the statement said, adding the project is to be completed in 32 months.

The company said it has also secured an order from a renowned construction machinery manufacturer to construct a manufacturing facility in Gujarat.

The water and effluent treatment business has received four orders from the Public Health Engineering Directorate, Government of West Bengal, for the design and construction of intake well, water treatment plant, intermediate pumping station, groundwater reservoirs, overhead reservoirs, transmission mains, water distribution network and metering works in various blocks of Bankura district in West Bengal.

The business has also secured another repeat EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) order from the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority for the investigation, design and construction of water supply, sewerage, roads, drains, culverts, utility ducts for power, reuse waterline for Krishnayapalem(P) and Venkatapalem (P) in Amaravati City.

Another EPC order has been secured from Faridabad Smart City Ltd for laying of civic infrastructure, construction/upgradation of roads networks (Phase 1&2), underground cabling of HT/LT transformers, street lighting and landscaping works, among others.

The company said it has also secured an order from Patna Smart City Ltd for retrofitting and re-development of storm water drains, development of smart road network as per urban street design principles, development of footpaths, utility corridor, streetscaping, vendor and parking zone creation, installation of street furniture with smart street lighting, smart bus stops and allied works in Patna.

L&T is an Indian multinational company engaged in technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing and financial services with over $18 billion in revenue.
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Profit booking hit D-Street as both Sensex and Nifty closed off from their respective highs. The S&P BSE Sensex held on to its crucial psychological support at 38000 while the Nifty50 failed to close above 11500 levels for the week ended March 22.

On a weekly basis, Nifty50 closed marginally in green while the Sensex rose 0.37 percent.

The S&P BSE Mid-cap index slipped 0.59 percent on Friday while the S&P BSE Small-cap index was down by 0.44 percent in the same period.

Even though small-cap stocks underperformed but as many as 20 stocks in the S&P BSE Small-cap index rose 10-40 percent in five trading sessions which include names like Madhucon Projects, Usha Martin, Satin Creditcare, Saint-Gobain, Prabhat Dairy, Godrej Properties, SpiceJet, and Allsec Technologies.

The rupee Friday declined by 12 paise to close at 68.95 against the US dollar on rise in demand for the greenback from importers and sell-off in domestic equities.

On the institutional front, FPIs were net buyers in Indian markets for Rs 1374 crore while DIIs were net sellers to the tune of Rs 675 crore, provisional data showed.

Big News:

What is your call on Airline stocks which have rallied by about 27% in March. SpiceJet and InterGlobe Aviation have rallied by about 27 percent in March while Jet Airways rose 1.3% in the same period.

Well, experts are of the view that the recent passenger growth data was encouraging and SpiceJet is in talks with lessors to lease some of Jet Airways aircraft, and InterGlobe remains to hold a dominant position in terms of market share.

As Jet Airways is struggling to get an infusion from an external source and its existing shareholder Ethiad might exit this company entirely, investing in Jet Airways should be avoided till further stability is visible on the cards, suggest experts.

Indigo, with the majority of market share in this space, has become far too costly as market participants shifted gears towards Indigo at Jets cost. Samco Securities Ltd maintains an Avoid for Indigo and a Neutral stance for SpiceJet.

Technical View:

Nifty forms a bearish candle on the daily charts

The index negated its formation of higher lows after eight trading sessions which implies that some pause is visible at higher levels.

Broader market appears to be under pressure and in corrective mode as market breadth remained negative and in favour of bears for major part of the week even on days with positive closes.

If Nifty closes below 11,412-11434 levels on Monday then it may set the tone for bigger correction which may eventually lead the index towards 11,230 kinds of levels, say experts.

Three levels: 11434, 11572, 11600

Max Call OI: 11600, 11500

Max Put OI: 11000, 11200

Stocks in news:

IT company Infosys on Friday said it would invest USD 10 million (nearly Rs 70 crore) in California-based artificial intelligence-focussed The House Fund II. "

The country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday said it has raised Rs 1,251.30 crore by issuing Basel III-compliant bonds.

SpiceJet Ltd said on Friday it was in talks with lessors globally to induct aircraft, in an effort to fill a gap after the grounding of its MAX fleet.

Technical Recommendations:

We spoke to Angel Broking and heres what they have to recommend:

Jubilant FoodWorks: Buy| LTP: Rs 1430.40| Target: Rs 1565| Stop Loss: Rs 1384| Upside 9.4%

Sundram Fasteners: Buy| LTP: Rs 550.15| Target: Rs 615| Stop Loss: Rs 508| Upside 11.8%

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.
It was Monday blues written all over - thanks to weak global cues. The S&P BSE Sensex plunged more than 300 points to break below its crucial psychological support at 38,000 as fears of a global slowdown and recession hit equity markets.

The market capitalisation (m-cap) of BSE-listed companies fell by 1.21 lakh crore on Monday to Rs 147.01 lakh crore compared to Rs 148.22 lakh crore recorded on 22 March 2019.

The Nifty50 slipped below its crucial short-term moving average of 5-days exponential moving average (EMA) to close below 11,400 levels with a cut of over 100 points.

Asian market started the day in red which was later joined by European peers as fears of a possible recession in the US could impact global growth next year. The US Treasury yield curve which extended to 3-month bills inverted for the first time since 2007 which is a siren for the slowing economy.

The overall breadth of the market was very weak and the advance-decline ratio was tilted more towards declines. All the major indices closed mostly in the red.

After a strong rally of over 1,000 points on the Nifty since 19 February, most experts were factoring in a pullback which has happened. There is a higher possibility that the index could retest 11100-11200 levels before inching higher.

Investors are advised to remain stock specific and remain with large-cap names like RIL, ICICI Bank, SBI etc. among others.

We have seen a strong momentum of about 1000 in Nifty in the last 4-5 weeks. The index rallied from 10585 and headed towards 11572 but in the last three trading session, the index slipped below 11550 largely weighed down by profit taking, Chandan Taparia, Derivatives & Technical Analyst at Motilal Oswal told Moneycontrol.

We expect Nifty to take support near 11,180-11200 zone ahead of expiry. In terms of sectors, we saw some recovery in telecom, media, and infra counters but the way market is witnessing some profit taking most of the rate sensitive and high beta counters will come under pressure, he said.

Taparia advises investors to stay with heavyweight stocks such as HDFC Bank, RIL, Voltas, Bata India, Jubilant FoodWorks etc. among others.

Stocks in news:

Shares of Jet Airways gained more than 12 percent after Nareh Goyal cease to be the Chairman of the company. "This can be a breather for the Company which needs funds to pay-off outstanding dues as there are chances that Ethiad may infuse funds as their initial condition of not having Goyal on Jets board is now met or for that matter any new investor can come given that no legacy management will be inherited," an expert said.

OMCs such as IOC, HPCL, and BPCL rose 1-4% as Brent crude fell by over a percent to $66.36 per barrel in trade.

Karnataka Bank fell 2 percent after the company reported fraud of Rs 13.26 crore to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Shares of Bharat Gears rose 5 percent after the company said it is going to issue equity shares by way of rights issue in the ratio of 1:7 with an issue price is Rs 105 per share.

The share price of CCL Products India and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) gained 2-4% after companies declared an interim dividend for the financial year 2018-19.

Global Updates:

European markets are trading lower on Monday on the back of rising concern over a recession in the US.

Asian markets also ended lower on Monday with Nikkei fell the most as index shed 3 percent to end at 20,977.11, while Shanghai composite slipped nearly 2 percent to 3,043.03.

Hang Seng also shed 2 percent to end at 28,523.35 and Kospi was down 1.92 percent at 2,144.86.
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Sumit Bilgaiyan

Finally, some profit booking was seen at higher levels and benchmark indices closed off from their respective highs on March 22. Nifty rallied 987 points from February 19 largely led by strong inflows from FIIs, who have poured more than Rs 26,000 crore in March and more than Rs 40,000 crore since February.

During March 2017, FIIs had poured Rs 26,473.17 crore, which was highest ever monthly investment by FIIs in India. This time FIIs have already invested Rs 26,232.6 crore during March as of now and it can become best ever month in history for FIIs investment.

We strongly believe that bullish momentum will continue in the market till May 23, so use every dip for buying.

For the week, Nifty has strong support at 11,370-11,310 and resistance at 11,550-11,650.

Here are the top stock trading ideas that can give good returns in mid to long term:

Maharashtra Seamless:

Maharashtra Seamless is a DP Jindal group company and largest producer of seamless pipes in India with a capacity of 550 KPTA. It is also one of the major producers of ERW pipes in India with a capacity of 220 KPTA. It also has 43 MW solar and wind energy portfolio. The company has reported strong results for Q3FY19. Its sales grew 40 percent to Rs 785.88 crore and EBITDA grew 158 percent Rs 157 crore, while its PAT zoomed 139 percent Rs 92.77 crore.

During 9MFY19, its PAT grew 156 percent to Rs 281.61 crore on 37 percent higher sales of Rs 2,096.14 crore. It has an order book of Rs 1,300 crore. L&T Mutual Fund holds 5.1 percent and IDFC Mutual Fund holds 1.4 percent stake in this company. Currently, the stock trades at a P/E of 9x. The stock has given a superb breakout on the weekly chart. We recommend buying in a staggered manner for medium to long term.

Voltamp Transformers

Voltamp Transformers has installed facility to manufacture Oil filled Power and Distribution Transformers up to 160MVA, 220kV Class, Resin Impregnated Dry type Transformers up to 5 MVA, 11KV Class (in technical collaboration with Mora, Germany) and Cast Resin Dry type Transformers up to 12.5 MVA, 33 KV Class (in technical collaboration with HTT, Germany).

The companys production facilities are located at Makarpura and Savli in Vadodara, Gujarat with an aggregate installed capacity of 13,000 MVA per annum. The company has posted stable numbers for 9MFY19. During 9MFY19, its net profit stood to Rs 52.67 crore from Rs 53.38 crore YoY on 32 percent higher sales of Rs 570.04 crore.

EBITDA grew 11 percent to Rs 82.08 crore during 9MFY19. Currently, the stock trades at a P/E of 15.9x. With an equity base of just Rs 10.12 crore, the company has a huge reserve of around Rs.622 crore.

Mutual Funds hold 18.74 percent and FIIs hold 15.57 percent stake in this company. Promoters have also increased their stake, which is a positive sign. It is regularly dividend paying company and it has paid a healthy 150 percent dividend for FY18. We recommend buying in a staggered manner for medium to long term.

Bharat Electronics

Bharat Electronics Limited designs, manufactures, supplies, and exports electronic equipment and systems for the defence and civilian markets. It has reported excellent results for Q3FY19. Sales grew 8.32 percent YoY to Rs 2656.38 crore while EBITDA grew 59 percent to Rs 785.74 crore and PAT increased 68 percent to Rs 507.63 crore as against Rs 302.84 crore.

Its PAT increased 50 percent to Rs 1,258.67 crore in 9MFY19. It has an order book or above Rs 50,000 crore, which is above five times its FY18 revenues and provides strong revenue visibility.

At CMP, the stock is trading at P/E of just 12x. Being a Navratna Company, it is paying a huge dividend to shareholders. It has paid 200 percent dividend for FY18 and paid 100 percent interim dividend for FY19. Technically also stock is ready for a upmove. We recommend buying in a staggered manner for medium to long term.

The author is Founder of Equity99

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Arun Mukherjee, Soumya Malani

"Youre not going to get rich renting out your time. You must own equity  a piece of a business  to gain your financial freedom"-Naval Ravikant.

The time certainly couldnt get any better to get hold of quality business ownership at bargain prices. It is looking like a new beginning, a new start. Lets discuss some scenarios in a few lines and then we can connect the dots.

I am always right!

The most dangerous trait of an investor which you should avoid at any cost is that you are always right. The moment you realize you are wrong - get out of the position.

Don't intellectually rationalize why you should hold. It will emotionally drain you. Just sell. Survive first. Nothing else is more important.

Markets simply don't care about your purchase price. Keep a close eye on all your portfolio bets. If any of the story changes, be ruthless in exiting them.

Dont sell your winners to average your losers:

Dont sell your winners to average your losers. Never try to time markets. Only God and liars can predict consistent top and bottoms.

Investors who wait for the bottom would never be able to capitalise on any deep correction as nobody knows what the real bottom would be. The way is to keep deploying funds whenever and wherever you feel comfortable. That's how the stock market works.

Every up move is different than the others:

Valuations don't always fall to the same level in every fall as every fall may be of different degree in the market cycle. Also, this present fall was only in price. Earnings didn't fall.

To the contrary, most companies reported very strong earnings for the last 2-3 quarters making some room on the valuations side. We believe the bull market in India which could run for many years with intermediate corrections.

Formula of Multibaggers:

In terms of our experience, any stock that has the following lethal combinations or a set of them would have massive potential to be a big multibagger:

Visionary management + scalability + pricing power + tailwinds + high growth + higher incremental RoCE + low equity + under ownership + leader in a niche area = combination of a multibagger.

Whats happening now?

A lot of investors are still in disbelief as to why smallcaps have started moving up. Looks like a bottom finally got formed in the small and midcaps.

We feel that the recent geopolitical concerns gave Modi massive mindshare and market is slowly factoring him in. We know so many quality small and midcaps companies where crazy distress selling happened.

In the market, even in investments these days most are leveraged. You pledge existing holding of yours to raise money for buying more stocks.

A lot of that lever got triggered in markets which resulted in pledge invocation and selling by brokers in those client accounts.

They ought to recover big. A lot of stocks are so oversold that a tiny bit of buying would make them move 30-40 percent on the higher side in no time. Always remember it's the cycles that make huge wealth.

Anyone who played the last bull cycle of 2014-2017 properly would agree that it was life-changing one where portfolios went up by 4-5-7-10x and so on.

Present Market View:

It is the companies and not markets which will make one richer. For sure sentiments dampener, irrationality and short-term investors impulsive emotions can well play spoilsport but over the longer haul rationality would be in for sure as the only thing that remains constant and matters the most is the fact of earnings growth and PE rerating based on that.

One thing over the last 12 years that we did learn or noticed was the fact that if you want to make it big as an investor in the market you need to have detachment with money.

In bad times or uncertain days, it gets extremely tough for one to endure such severe notional losses. Up moves or corrections will come and go but individual good quality companies would always help you make big money sooner or later.

India will grow at 7 percent, Sensex and Nifty stocks can have earnings growth of low double digits but there will be few stocks from small midcaps basket which will grow at 30-40-50 percent CAGR for next 3-5-7 years.

They are bound to create huge money in the longer run. Just need to have the confidence and the conviction to back them. In the long run what counts remain earnings. Sanity too would be in vogue.

Happy investing guys!!

(Arun Mukherjee and Soumya Malani, who hail from Kolkata, are partners in Equity Wealth, a SEBI-registered investment advisory firm. Arun, a college dropout by choice, entered markets at age of 14. Soumya holds a Masters from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and is a CA and CS.)

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Jatin Khemani

A basic tenet of long-term investing is to look for high quality listed businesses. This essentially implies 1) they earn returns above cost of capital (reflected by return on capital employed), and 2) generate strong free cash i.e. they dont require a lot of capital (fixed assets and/or working capital) to grow revenues and profitability. Those retained earnings can then be utilised either to acquire other companies in same line of business or diversify. Alternatively, excess capital could be returned to shareholders via dividends or buyback.

But have you ever wondered why would a promoter of such a business list his company as it involves diluting a significant chunk of his ownership to minority investors?

For instance, why is a business like Castrol listed? It generates annual revenues of Rs 4,000 crore. On a gross block of merely Rs 220 crore, (a staggering 18x asset turn) and enjoys a negative working capital, which helps it generate an RoCE of over 100%. Since it hardly needs any capital to grow, it pays out 75-100% of its profit every year as dividend.

If I was promoter of such a business why would I divest even a single share? This is true for almost all the multi-national corporations operating in India  be it FMCG companies like Nestle and Colgate, host of high-tech capital goods and fast moving industrial goods or auto ancillaries like Schaeffler.

We analyzed top 40 Indian-listed subsidiaries of MNCs and found that the average fixed asset turns is 6.3x, average return on capital employed is a whopping 36%, barring five, all are debt-free and net-cash companies while the average dividend payout is 35%. And this brings us back to the fundamental question, why are they listed?

After all, stock market, primarily, is a medium for businesses to raise capital in order to fund their growth (or retire debt). Accordingly, majority of the listed businesses should be the ones which are capital intensive like infrastructure companies or ones which constantly need capital to grow, like banks or NBFCs.

If that was completely true, the investable universe for us would have been 1) much smaller and, 2) much poorer in terms of quality from a long-term standpoint.

However, thankfully thats not the case and the credit goes to socialist mindset of Indira Gandhi's government during 1970s. They amended the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) and capped foreign ownership in Indian companies to 40%. After emergency subsided in 1977, George Fernandes, Union Minister for Industries, under the leadership of then Prime Minister Morarji Desai, went ahead with strict enforcement of FERA.

This forced some of the highest quality businesses to either get listed or exit from India. Since they didnt need even a dime of capital, these IPOs were mostly offer-for-sale by global parent companies and the most lucrative part was that these issues came out at face value or slight premium to face value. Clearly, a lottery for Indian public market investors of that time.

Following are some interesting statistics and timeline from that eventful era:

1. There were over 850 MNCs operating in India at that time. Roughly 400 were unaffected by this new regulation as they already had Indian partners or they were exporting significant part of their production and bringing valuable foreign exchange to India.

2. From the remaining, about 100 were asked to leave India while rest were supposed to bring down ownership or voluntarily shut down Indian operations.

3. About 70 companies that found the terms unacceptable began to wind up operations in India and exited by 1980. This list included giants like Coca-Cola, IBM, Exxon Mobil and Kodak. This period was very challenging for entrepreneurs looking to start a new business in India. A firm would have to get the green flag from up to 80 agencies before it was granted a licence to produce in India. Further, each industry had a cap on licences, usually four or five for the whole nation, creating a monopolistic market. Businesses focused on procuring licences rather than on improving their services and products. This was a huge advantage for incumbents as they could continue to grow with no threat of new entrants. In this context, it must have been a very painful decision for these MNCs to surrender their licence and exit from a big market like India.

4. Rest of the companies diluted equity to Indian investors to comply with the new guidelines. This led to a mad rush of MNC IPOs and some notable ones were following:

5. Environment finally changed when India opened up its economy in 1991 with liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG) policy. MNCs which had exited India came back and some did so with vengeance. When Coca-Cola re-entered in 1993, it acquired all the local cola brands- Thums Up, Limca, Citra, Rim Zim, etc. which flourished in its 15 years of absence. Reportedly, Coca-Cola paid $40 million for all these brands and killed competition at one go. Today, it dominates Indias carbonated soft drink market with a 60% share.

6. Later, FDI policy was relaxed and slowly most of the sectors were allowed to have 100% foreign ownership. During the dot com burst, there were 25-30 open offers by MNCs to increase their stake (for eventual delisting) and around 50+ were in the pipeline, however, many could not be completed successfully due to subsequent recovery in stock market. The MNCs that could opportunistically delist their Indian subsidiaries included names likeReckitt Benckiser, Cadbury, Philips, Panasonic, Ray Ban, Otis, Carrier Aircon, Sandvik, Infar, Wartsila, among others - these were all dream businesses to own for public market investors, however, they were now taken private.

7. Similarly, during the global financial crisis of 2008, the stock market crashed and there was a series of open offers and delisting announcements by MNCs, though, only a few could be successfully completed because of a swift V-shaped recovery in market. In some cases, the parent entities had raised their stake from 50-60% to as high as 70-80% while hoping to eventually de-list Indian subsidiaries as and when the next opportunity arises (i.e. next bear market).

8. However, there was an additional jolt caused by a 2010 regulation which made it mandatory for listed companies to have minimum 25% public shareholding. Many companies like Fresenius Kabi Oncology, Alfa Laval, Sulzer India chose to pay up in an open offer and de-list, instead of diluting their stake down to 75%.

It has clearly been a roller-coaster ride for MNCs - the listing requirements add to overheads, and also require country-specific disclosures which MNCs are not very comfortable with. Given a chance they would like to have just one firm, the parent entity, to be listed in the home market.

As a matter of fact, with every bear market this sub-set of Indian listed subsidiaries of MNCs has been shrinking and in turn shrinking the investable universe for a quality focused long-term investor.

(The author is the founder & CEO of Stalwart Advisors www.stalwartvalue.com), a SEBI registered investment advisor)

The post is for information purpose only and not to be construed as an investment advice. The author, Stalwart Advisors and its clients may have financial interest in the companies mentioned. Please consult your financial advisor before acting on any of it.
Over 18,000 houses are up for grabs under the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) 2019 scheme. On offer are 1,000 three-bedroom, two-bedroom and one bedroom flats in Delhi's Vasant Kunj and Narela areas. The online application scheme opens on March 25 and will close on May 10.

While the three-bedroom flats are being offered in the range of Rs 1.4 crore to Rs 1.7 crore, two-bedroom flats will cost between Rs 66 lakh and Rs 1.4 crore, and one-bedroom flats are priced in the Rs 22.5-56.3 lakh range.

The total number of flats on offer in Vasant Kunj is 1,286. Of this, 336 flats are three-bedroom ones. A majority of the flats on offer in the current housing scheme are located in Narela.

DDA has launched a draw for over 18,000 housing units in the lower (LIG), middle (MIG) and high income group (HIG) categories this week. This may not be the last housing draw as there are over 6,000 flats still under construction across Delhi

It has decided to include an additional 7,500 flats in the 2019 scheme over and above the 10,300 announced earlier. The additional flats are in the economically weaker section (EWS) and MIG categories and are located in Narela.

The entire application processes will have to be undertaken online as there is no offline form this year. Those applying will have to pay the application fee online and upload one's latest photograph and scanned signature. Important communication and messages such as demand-cum-allotment letter, conveyance deed, etc will be sent by DDA to the registered email id and mobile number.The Delhi housing body has empanelled a large number of banks from where the registration fee can be paid. The registration fee, too, is on the higher side this time around, with the maximum being Rs 2 lakh for two and three-bedroom flats.

Those applying for one-bedroom LIG and EWS category flats will have to shell out Rs 1 lakh and Rs 25,000, respectively. The registration fee will be refunded to unsuccessful applicants.

Janta flat - Rs 10,0001 BHK - Rs 15,000EWS - Rs 25,000LIG - Rs 1 lakh

MIG/HIG - Rs 2 lakh

However, if the applicant has opted for more than one category, he/she has to deposit the application money of the highest category. An application once submitted cannot be withdrawn.

The flats cost around Rs 70-80 lakh and Rs 1.5-2 crore for MIG and HIG categories, respectively. MIG units range between 650 sq ft and 750 sq ft and HIG around 970 sq ft in the plinth area. Carpet area of units is generally 10-20 percent less than the plinth area.

For first-time homebuyers, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) benefit may also be available, officials said.The applicant must be a citizen of India and should have completed 18 years of age as on the date of submitting the application.

A flat in the housing estates of the authority shall be allotted only to such person who or his wife or her husband or any of his/her dependent relations including unmarried children does not own in full or in part on freehold or leasehold basis a residential plot having an area exceeding 67 sq meters or flat/built-up house having carpet area exceeding 67 sq m in the urban area of Delhi, New Delhi and Delhi Cantonment.

Both husband and wife can apply for flats separately subject to fulfilment of eligibility conditions with the stipulation that if both are declared successful, only one shall be allotted a flat and the full amount of application money of the other spouse will be refunded.

One person can submit one application only either in his/her own name or as a joint applicant.

The income of applicants applying for EWS flats should not exceed Rs 3 lakh per annum. There is no income criterion for other categories.

Applicants will not be required to submit any document at the time of submission. Only successful applicants will be required to submit the prescribed supporting documents.Self-attested copy of the PAN card, the details of which will be verified before issuance of possession letter to successful allottees.

Identity proof: self-attested copy of passport, government identity card, Election ID, driving licence, ration card with photo (of the person whose photo is affixed) or Aadhaar card.

Proof of residence: self-attested copy of passport, government identity card, Election ID, ration card, driving licence, telephone bill, electricity bill, water bill, house tax receipt, bank passbook (page carrying name and address) or Aadhaar card.

Proof of income for EWS category as issued by the office of concerned SDM/ Tehsildar.

All eligible applicants will be considered for allotment through a computerised draw, based on a random number technique. The draw to be held in the presence of independent observers will be web-streamed.The flat cost has to be deposited within 90 days from the date of issue of demand-cum-allotment letter. The latter will be issued online for information purpose. However, a hard copy will be sent by registered/speed post.

An email and SMS will also be sent to all the allotees. Additional grace of six months will be available to allottees subject to payment of interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum.

Applicants will be required to become a member of the registered welfare agency/association of apartment owners formed for the purpose of maintenance. Only one RWA will be registered for one pocket. All allottees will mandatorily have to become member of the concerned RWA.

For major maintenance, contribution towards the maintenance fund will be recovered from allottees and would be placed in an escrow account. Maintenance works would be undertaken out of the interest earned from this corpus.

The fund will be apportioned to the RWAs registered with DDA and will be managed by a Committee which will be represented by the Executive Engineer of the concerned zone. The fund becomes operative from the date the first demand-cum-allotment letter is issued.

The allottee shall be entitled to receive possession only after he/she has completed all formalities, paid all dues and furnished/executed all the documents as required in the demand-cum-allotment letter.

Digitally signed possession letter will be issued online only, and the allottee has to upload self-attested copies of the requisite documents.

An SMS/ email intimation regarding uploading of possession letter will also be sent to the allottees.

After issuance of possession letter, the allottee may reserve a date for physical possession through the online mode. If the allottee does not take possession of the flat within three months and up to one year from the date of issue of possession letter, he/she shall be liable to pay watch and ward charges at the prescribed rates.

If physical possession is still not taken over by then, the allotment shall be automatically cancelled. No showcause notice shall be served before cancellation. Any amount deposited towards the cost of the flat will be refundable without interest in case of cancellation after deduction of the application money.

vandana.ramnani@nw18.com
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Share price of Karnataka Bank fell 3.7 percent intraday March 25 after the company reported a fraud of Rs 13.26 crore to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The bank has reported a fraud to RBI amounting to Rs 13.26 crore in the fund based working capital facility that was extended to SRS Finance Ltd., on account of diversion of funds, as per a bank release on BSE.

The said working capital facility was extended by the bank under multiple banking arrangements and necessary accounting treatment has already been given as per the extant RBI guidelines.

At 1320 hours, Karnataka Bank was quoting at Rs 124.85, down Rs 3.75, or 2.92 percent on the BSE.
Here are the stocks that are in the news today:

Jet Airways: Additional seven aircraft grounded due to non-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors.

Escorts: The company appoints Shailendra Agrawal as executive director.

SBI: The board gives an extension of validity period for raising Rs 20,000 crore from market till March 31, 2020.

The lender approves issue of bond worth Rs 1,251.30 crore.

Insecticides (India) naugurates new factory for commercial production agrochemicals

Tata Steel BSL approved allotment of convertible redeemable preference shares worth Rs 6700 crore to Tata Steel

International Paper - Maintenance at Rajahmundry facility from March 25, 2019 to March 30, 2019 would lead to estimated loss of production of around 500 tonnes per day

Tata Motors will increase prices of its passenger vehicles range by up to Rs 25,000 from April on account of rising input costs and external economic conditions - PTI

Amber Enterprises: The company approves to enter into the definitive agreements to acquire 80 percent stake of Sidwal Refrigeration Industries.

Tata Coffee appoints Chacko Purackal Thomas as MD & CEO of the company for a period of 3 years with effect from April 1, 2019

Dr Reddy's Laboratories - USFDA completed audit of research and development facility of Aurigene Discovery Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary, situated at Miyapur, Hyderabad

Bharat Gears: The company will issue equity shares on rights basis in the ratio of 1:7. Issue price is Rs 105 per share.

ONGC declared an interim dividend of Re 1 per equity share

CCL Products declared an interim dividend of Rs 1.75 per equity share for the financial year 2018-19

Max India: The company appointed Analjit Singh as the non-executive director and chairman.

Ramco Cements: The company acquires 45 lakh shares of Ramco Industrial and Technology for Rs 10 per share.

Karnataka Bank reported a fraud to RBI amounting to Rs 13.26 crore

Sylph Technologies: The company approves to sell 7,11,598 shares of Sakshi Powertech for a consideration of Rs 5.59 crore at Rs 78.68 per share.

James Warren Tea: The company approves to a buyback of 23,25,000 equity shares at a price of Rs 115.

Infosys will be entering into an agreement with The House Fund II, L.P to invest USD 10 million

Manpasand Beverages: The company incorporates a wholly owned subsidiary company i.e. Manpasand Products.

TRF board approved allotment of non-convertible redeemable preference shares worth Rs 250 crore to Tata Steel on private placement basis

Bombay Dyeing received part occupancy certificate from MCGM for company's residential building project in Dadar

EID Parry: The company declares a second interim dividend of Re 1.

EID Parry board approved investment of Rs 70 crore in wholly owned subsidiary Parry Sugars Refinery

TV Today Network - Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Delhi Bench (ITAT) disposed off demands of Rs 69 crore foe assessment years 2013-14 and 2014-15

Deepak Nitrite - ICRA has re-affirmed the long-term rating of Line of credit at ICRA A+ and short term rating at ICRA A1+

Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings

Krebs Biochemicals & Industries: Board meeting is on March 25 to consider and approve the allotment of shares.

Integrated Capital Services: Board meeting is scheduled on March 27 to take note of implementation of the order of the NCLT.

Acrysil: Board meeting is on March 29 to consider and approve the annual operational plan of the company for the Financial Year 2019-20.

Galaxy Surfactants: Board meeting is on March 29 to consider declaration of interim dividend for the financial year 2018-19.

D&H India: Board meeting is on March 29 to approve the appointment of additional director.

Aris International: Board meeting is on March 26 for the appointment of Sushma Anuj Yadav as chief financial officer of the company.

India Infraspace: Board meeting is on March 27 to consider and approve the appointment of the chief financial officer of the company.

TTK Prestige: Board meeting is on March 29 to consider and approve cancellation of forfeited shares and issue of bonus shares.

Power Finance Corporation: Board meeting is on March 27 to consider and approve a proposal for raising of resources

Board meeting is on April 2 to consider and approve the un-audited financial results of the company for the quarter ended 31st December, 2018.
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Some of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) officials on Monday returned to the joint liaison office with South Korea in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, Seoul's unification ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that a part of the DPRK staff came to the liaison office for shift work as usual early Monday morning.

Officials from the two sides had a meeting as usual in the morning, according to the ministry.

The liaison office, which opened last September for the round-the-clock communications between the two Koreas, would be in normal operation, the ministry said.

It came after the DPRK announced its decision Friday to withdraw all of its staff from the liaison office.

Asked about the reason for the DPRK's pullout decision, an unnamed unification ministry official told reporters that South Korea planned to figure it out later, according to the ministry.

The DPRK told South Korea that there has been no change in its willingness to operate the joint liaison office well in accordance with the joint declaration, made by the leaders of the two Koreas.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to open the liaison office after their first summit last April in the truce village of Panmunjom.

South Korean officials worked at the liaison office in Kaesong over the weekend and were normally at work in the office on Monday.

The DPRK's decision to withdraw from and return to the liaison office came after the second summit between Kim, the DPRK's top leader, and U.S. President Donald Trump ended with no agreement in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

After the Hanoi summit, South Korea's presidential Blue House said both the DPRK and the United States made it clear to continue diplomacy and negotiations.
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Shares of Tata Motors slipped 2 percent in the early trade on March 25 as the company said it is going to increase the prices of its passenger vehicles from April.

Tata Motors said it will increase prices of its passenger vehicles range by up to Rs 25,000 from April on account of rising input costs and external economic conditions.

The company joins the likes of Toyota and Jaguar Land Rover that have also stated that they would hike prices of select models from April.

"The changing market conditions, rising input costs and various external economic factors have compelled us to consider this price increase," Tata Motors President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit Mayank Pareek said in a statement.

Tata Motors currently sells a range of passenger vehicles starting from the Nano to premium SUV Hexa priced between Rs 2.36 lakh and Rs 18.37 lakh.

At 0928 hours, Tata Motors was quoting at Rs 173, down Rs 2.40, or 1.37 percent on the BSE.

(With inputs from PTI)
US President Donald Trump's blunt-force use of tariffs in pursuing his "America First" trade agenda has angered many, from company executives to allied governments and members of both parties of Congress.

But there's one effort which has drawn broad support from those who oppose him on almost everything else - his push to force Beijing to change what are widely viewed as China's market-distorting trade and subsidy practices.

As US-China talks to end a trade war reach their endgame, politicians, executives and foreign diplomats are urging Trump and his team to hold out for meaningful structural reforms in China to address entrenched problems in the relationship that hurt US and other foreign companies and workers.

Trump's trade war "has let the genie out of the bottle" by lifting expectations that the trade war will force China to reform policies that businesses and foreign governments regard as unfair, said Steven Gardon, vice president of indirect taxes and customs at Lear Corp. Gardon's firm is an automotive seating and electrical supplier with plants in 39 countries, including the United States and China.

"Now that all these issues have been raised, there's a lot more domestic political support to address these issues, and I don't think you can pull back from that," Gardon said at a Georgetown Law School forum this month. "There's now pressure politically that they have to be addressed for the long term."

Gardon's comments reflect a broad shift in US and international business sentiment towards China's economic and trade policies, one that is aligned with Trump's goals, if not his tactics.

Trump's trade team say they are in the final stages of negotiating what would be the biggest economic policy agreement with China in decades. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin head to Beijing this week to try to accelerate talks with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. Liu is set to travel to Washington for another round of negotiations in early April.

Eight months into the trade war that has disrupted the flow of billions of dollars of goods between the world's two largest economies, it is unclear if a deal acceptable to both sides can be done.

China's President Xi Jinping is seen as reluctant to make economic reforms under pressure from the United States, and Trump has said he may keep tariffs on Chinese goods in place for "a substantial period" even if a deal is struck.

Xi may find it easier to live with the tariffs Trump has imposed on trade than to change China's model for economic development.

As part of a deal, Beijing has offered to make big-ticket purchases from the United States to help reduce a record trade gap. Trump's team has said those purchases would be worth more than a trillion dollars over about six years.

While big Chinese purchases might be tempting for Trump's administration, they would do nothing to address what U.S. firms competing in China or against Chinese firms say are structural problems with a system stacked against them.

The United States complains China engages in systematic intellectual property theft, forces foreign firms to give up trade secrets for market access and spends huge sums subsidizing its own industry. Redressing those complaints would require policy reform at the highest level from Xi and China's ruling Communist Party.

A survey released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China in late February showed that a majority of member US companies supported increasing or maintaining tariffs on Chinese goods, and nearly twice as many as last year want the U.S. government to push Beijing harder to create a level playing field.

The US tariff demands have even encouraged some reform-minded Chinese officials and private-sector business executives to call for a faster pace of reform in China as it celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first steps toward capitalism.

Lighthizer told lawmakers in late February that Chinese-American business people in particular have urged him to "hang tough" in the talks and not to "sell out for soybeans."

STAY THE COURSE

When Trump delayed a threatened tariff increase well before a March 1 deadline for a deal, he stoked fears that he may be swayed by the big purchase order and leave longstanding structural problems unresolved.

Since then, a steady drumbeat of lobbyists, company executives, foreign diplomats and US lawmakers from both parties have urged Trump to stay the course on his structural demands.

Representative Kevin Brady of Texas, one of the most pro-trade Republicans and a critic of Trump's tariffs, recently joined that call.

"While we want China to buy more US goods ... it's even more important for us to hold China accountable to meeting high international standards on intellectual property rights, subsidization, overcapacity, and the other structural ways in which China distorts the global economy," he said at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing just days after the tariff delay was announced.

Last week, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime China trade hawk, took to the Senate floor to urge Trump not to "back down" and take a deal based largely on Chinese purchases of American soybeans and other goods.

On March 21, Schumer tweeted: "Now's not the time to drop $200B in tariffs just because China's close to a deal, @realDonald Trump."

QUIETLY ROOTING FOR TRUMP

European Union members, traditional allies of the United States, are still smarting about the steel and aluminum tariffs Trump imposed on imports into the United States last year. The EU is also worried that Trump will impose duties on autos. But the bloc shares many of the same frustrations over China's technology transfer policies and market access constraints.

"We get complaints every day from our companies," one European official told Reuters in Beijing, noting that despite repeated pledges from the Chinese government to make life easier for foreign companies, little had changed.

EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom's assessment of China's behavior sounds almost like it was written by the US Trade Representative's office, charging that China has abused global trading rules.

China has "blurred the lines between state and private sector. The state has undue influence," she said in a Washington speech this month. "Intellectual properties of companies are stolen. State subsidies, direct or indirect, are common. And these impacts are felt at home and abroad."

Malmstrom says that while the US and EU "agree on the diagnosis," they differ on tactics, and she argues for a more multilateral approach, citing the EU's work with the United States and Japan to address the issues through reform of World Trade Organization rules.

Some worry that Europe could lose out if Washington and Beijing strike a deal to purchase billions of dollars more in products to try to shrink the US goods trade deficit with China.

"If China is buying more from America then inevitably it will buy less from Europe," a second European official based in Beijing said, adding that could in particular affect large European multinationals.

But European diplomats and officials acknowledge a begrudging support for Trump's goals, even if they are repulsed by his blunt tactics. Many are secretly rooting for his success.

"We are against unilateral measures, but nobody is exactly sorry for China. On content we think he does have a point," said one EU diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity in Brussels. "Beijing has to understand that without reform, the system could just stop working."

Trump administration officials insist that he has gotten the message and is holding out for "structural changes" to the US-China relationship, along with an enforcement mechanism that holds China to its pledges.

Clete Willems, a White House trade adviser, told the Georgetown Law School forum that Trump is determined to fix problems with China's trade relationship that he has railed against for years, long before he ever sought office.

"The notion that he's just going to suddenly accept a bad deal is totally inaccurate. The president is going to walk away from bad deals," said Willems, who announced on arch 22 that he is leaving the White House for family reasons.
If the Congress's performance in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly polls was any indication, the BJP may have to sweat it out in at least seven Lok Sabha seats, most of them in its bastion Saurashtra.

In the assembly elections, the Congress won 77 seats, improving its tally by 16 seats in the 182-member House. The BJP was restricted at 99 -- the party's worst performance in the last two decades.

The Congress bagged 30 of the 54 seats in the Saurashtra-Kutch region.

The assembly poll results came as a shot in the arm for the opposition party after it drew a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the BJP won all 26 seats in the state.

Congress leaders are confident that the party might wrest at least four Lok Sabha seats in the Saurashtra region -- Amreli, Junagadh, Botad and Surendranagar -- from the BJP.

The Congress is also betting big on Anand in central Gujarat and Banaskantha and Patan in north Gujarat.

It is also eyeing Dahod, Chhota Udepur, Sabarkantha and Patan.

"People in Saurashtra supported us overwhelmingly in the 2017 elections, as a result of which we won a significant number of seats in the region. This is clearly going to be a factor in the Lok Sabha election," Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

"We expect to gain four-five seats from that region," he said.

In Saurashtra, the BJP is struggling with the perception that it failed to reach out to people affected by 2016 floods.

Doshi said the Congress hopes to win at least 12-13 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat -- the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The renewed enthusiasm of the opposition party comes from the fact that it had bagged eight out of the nine assembly seats in Junagadh and Gir-Somnath districts in Saurashtra.

By highlighting issues like farm distress and Patidar agitation, the Congress won all the five assembly segments in Amreli parliamentary constituency in 2017.

Surendranagar is another Lok Sabha constituency where agriculture issues remain a dominant factor.

The Congress holds four of the five assembly constituencies in this seat dominated by the Koli community.

In Banaskantha, it holds five of the seven assembly segments mainly dominated by small and marginal farmers.

The welfare of farmers dependent on cattle rearing and dairy could also emerge as a major poll plank.

The Congress is also counting on Patidar votes.

The mercantile community has been a traditional supporter of the BJP, but there have been indications that the opposition party has managed to win them over, at least in some regions.

In Banaskantha, Thakor and Patidar communities supported the Congress in the 2017 assembly polls.

Prominent Patidar and Thakor leaders, Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakor respectively, are also part of the grand old party.

Out of the seven assembly segments in Sabarkantha, a Congress bastion till 2009, the party currently holds four seats.

In Patan, a seat dominated by members of Thakor and Patidar communities, the BJP and the Congress hold three seats each out of the total seven.

In Anand, the Congress has announced the candidature of former state chief Bharatsinh Solanki. He had won the seat in 2009. The Congress holds five of the eight assembly seats in Anand.

However, the Congress has its own share of troubles, including the defection of its MLAs to the BJP.

In the recent past, five Congress MLAs have defected to the BJP.

Among them is Koli leader Kunvarji Bavaliya, who won the bypoll from Jasdan assembly seat in Rajkot after joining the ruling party.

Jawahar Chavda and Vallabh Dharaviya, who joined the BJP after resigning as Congress MLAs, hail from Junagadh and Jamnagar, respectively, in Saurashtra.

Polling for all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on April 23. The results will be announced on May 23.
June 02, 2019 / 09:01 AM IST

Welcome to the Lok Sabha election 2019 coverage. This blog tracks the latest developments from the general election.

The BJP reacted with jubilation at the exit polls, which forecast a return of the NDA government, saying that they show a huge positive vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but opposition parties rejected the forecast.

Narendra Modi is returning to power with a bang,
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Pakistan's military has rejected India's claim that it used US-made F-16 fighters jets against India in retaliation to its pre-emptive strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot, saying that JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used in the operation.

Referring to the aerial dogfight with the Indian Air Force after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure.

A day after Pakistan's attempt to retaliate the Indian Air Force's air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, the Indian armed forces displayed parts of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by an F-16, which fell in Indian territory. New Delhi had also underlined that electronic signatures captured by Indian radars had established the use of F-16 for the offensive.

The US State Department announced that it was seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential use of American-made F-16 jets against India in violation of the end-user agreement.

"The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not  because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne  now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise," Ghafoor told Russian news agency Sputnik International.

He noted that Islamabad was discussing the use of its JF-17 with the United States citing "friendly relations" with Washington, stressing, however, that the country would use whatever it deemed necessary if it came to "legitimate self-defence."

He said Pakistan only wanted to tell India that it has the capability to hit back. He said Pakistan has the footage of the operation.

Ghafoor said that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a deterrence tool to prevent wars in the region.

"Pakistan holds the position that this capability eliminates the possibility of conventional war. No sane country having this capability would talk about using it," Radio Pakistan quoted Ghafoor as saying in an interview with the Russian News agency

He said the Pakistan would take steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms but only if India does the same.

Ghafoor said Pakistan would welcome every effort, including that of Russia, which can bring peace in the region.

On military cooperation with Russia, Ghafoor said Pakistan is negotiating defence industry cooperation with Moscow in the areas of aviation, air defence systems and anti-tank missiles.

Pakistan's defence ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick-start the BJP's election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday by addressing a rally in Akhnoor, party leaders said here Monday.

In view of the PM's visit, security arrangements were reviewed in the state which has been witnessing heightened militant activities in the Kashmir Valley.

The BJP has fielded its sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, who was elected in 2014 with a margin of 2.26 lakh votes, from the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, which will go to polls on April 11. The party is likely to face some opposition from rebel BJP candidates like Chaudhary Lal Singh who may contest the polls.

Ahead of the prime minister's visit, the Centre has banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, holding it responsible for killings of Kashmiri Pandits leading to their exodus from the valley.

This will be the first visit to the state by the prime minister after the February 14 terror strike at Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. This was followed by retaliatory action by the Indian Air Force, whose fighter planes bombed Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan.

Both the countries were on the brink of a war.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally to be held at Panchayat Doomi, tehsil Bhalwal, in Jammu on March 28," BJP national vice-president and in-charge of the state Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here.

The grand start of the BJP's 'Vijayrath' in the region will take place from this rally, Khanna said.

Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu region again in the second week of April for a rally in Kathua. The BJP has given fielded sitting parliamentarian and Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh from Udhampur. This seat is going to polls on April 18.
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The upcoming general election in India is not only generating political interest among the countrys citizens but is also becoming an attraction for foreign tourists. Cashing in on this rising interest in the poll tourism segment, tour operators and travel companies are wooing them with special packages.

These packages, that include attending poll rallies to even meeting candidates, could cost foreign tourists somewhere between Rs 40,000 for six days and Rs 1.50 lakh for two weeks.

Currently, these packages are being offered by firms in Gujarat. Looking at past records, other states will also see a rise in the number of tourists thanks to elections.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh had witnessed a rise in footfall of foreign tourists during January, February and March.

From airlines to the hotel industry, all these sectors benefitted from poll tourism during the 2014 elections. Industry players are expecting the same this year.

Reports suggest that around 1,000-1,200 tourists have made bookings with various operators and the number is expected to go as high as 8,000 to 10,000 in 2019.

In fact, in Gujarat alone, as many as 1,800 tourists had been a part of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. This number is likely to go over 2,500 tourists this election, according to reports.

Experts say that these tourists mostly include researchers, students and media persons who are keen on getting to know more about Indian politics.

In addition, unlike other countries, elections in India are a festival from campaigning to counting.

Not just general election but even state elections are drawing tourists to India. In fact, the concept of poll tourism was tried during the 2012 Gujarat elections.

For the tourism industry, multi-phase polls are more lucrative as it gives them a chance to be flexible in designing packages.
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Continuing his outburst against YSRCP leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the Prime Minister and the Telangana Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Sunday said casting a vote for YSRCP would be akin to one for the TRS and Narendra Modi.

Addressing election campaigns in many parts of neighbouring Kadapa district and his native Chittoor district, including Tirupati, for the April 11 simultaneous polls for AP assembly and the Lok Sabha, Naidu, the TDP chief urged people to vote for Telegu Desam for good governance to have a better future for Andhra Pradesh.

"Casting a vote to YSRCP will be a vote for TRS, led by K Chandrasekhar Rao, who humiliated the people of Andhra Pradesh in the past," he said. Naidu alleged that Rao had arranged an election fund of Rs 1,000 crore to YSRCP to defeat ruling Telugu Desam Party.

He also told the Muslim minorities that a vote for YSRCP was nothing but a vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Minister said his government had spent Rs 5,000 crore in the last five years for the welfare of Muslims.

Accusing opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy of looting the state when his father the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was ruling undivided Andhra Pradesh, Naidu asked the people not to vote for the YSR Congress Party. If YSRCP was voted to power it would be a clear cut writing of the people's own 'death declaration' as the rival party would ruin the fate of the curtailed state of AP because the law and order situation would reach its nadir and criminals would raise their heads again, he alleged.

He flayed the Prime Minister for 'betraying' the people of Andhra Pradesh by not fulfilling the prepoll promises, including grant of Special Category Status. Naidu said that Jagan, who had stated in his election affidavit, that he has 31 criminal cases pending against him, was now scared and so had 'surrendered' himself to Modi and KCR.
The BJP said the Congress, National Conference and People's Democratic Party formed an alliance in Jammu division under "frustration" as they had no issues to face the public.

"The so called strategic alliance of the Congress, NC and PDP on the two Lok Sabha seats of Udhampur and Jammu is a step taken out of frustration due to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi phobia as they have no issues to face the public," senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said.

The Congress and the NC had announced a pre-poll alliance on Wednesday with the Congress fielding candidates from two seats of Jammu division and extending support to the candidature of NC president Farooq Abdullah, who is seeking re-election from Srinagar, while going for a "friendly contest" in rest of the three seats of Anantnag, Baramulla and Ladakh.

The PDP, on the other hand, decided unilaterally not to field any candidate from Jammu and Udhampur constituencies to ensure that the "secular votes are not divided".

Gupta said the the three parties have gone to "such a low level of politics that they are repeatedly questioning the air strike by the Indian Air Force on a JeM training centre in Pakistan".

"Every citizen of the state is aware of the real face of these parties," he said cautioning people against the "false propaganda".

Gupta, who addressed a series of gatherings in various parts of Jammu in support of party candidate Jugal Kishore who is seeking re-election from Jammu Lok Sabha seat, said the BJP has proved itself as a party of masses at every front and ensured overall development of all the three regions of the state.

Welcoming several youths into the party fold, he said doors of the party are open for those who want to join the party to take the country to new heights of development.

"The BJP will welcome them whole-heartedly. The party is not a place for fulfilling personal ambitions. For us, politics is a medium of social service," he said.
Veteran Communist leader S Sudhakar Reddy is disappointed the opposition unity against the BJP has not happened to the "desired levels" in the Lok Sabha elections and said the Congress should have been far more accommodating towards partners on seat-sharing.

Expectations in the opposition camp were high a couple of months ago of a broad alliance against the Amit Shah-led party, and Reddy now regretted that such a scenario did not materialise for the general elections.

"Yes, a little disappointment to some extent," the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) told PTI, referring to opposition's failure to strike alliance in states such as Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal where the Congress is fighting separately.

"We expected most of these things (broad opposition unity) to be materialised but with different political parties taking a narrow outlook of electoral tactics, it did not happen," he said.

So, it's a little disadvantageous (to parties ranged against the BJP), according to him.

He, however, said the opposition is hopeful that the anti-BJP parties would get majority in the Lok Sabha elections.

"There is a possibility in the post-election period, all of them (who are fighting separately in the polls) will come together," Reddy claimed.

He disagreed with a view that multi-cornered contests benefit the BJP, saying the people would vote for the strongest party which can defeat the Amit Shah-led outfit.

On what went wrong in West Bengal, where the Congress and the Left Front failed to forge an alliance, Reddy said: "Our people (Left Front) are saying that they (the Congress) demanded more seats than they deserve".

He said the Left Front offered the Congress four seats seats, where it had won in 2014, and also those where it had come in the second place.

"Even one or two of our (Left Front) seats we were ready to concede but they wanted seats where they got three per cent...four per cent vote also," Reddy said.

Instead of looking at the national scene, the Congress gave too much freedom to state units, he said, adding that the Rahul Gandhi-led party should have been "more accommodating, more large-hearted" towards its partners in different states.

He appealed to the RJD-led opposition alliance in Bihar, 'mahgathbandhan', to withdraw their candidate in Begusarai constituency and support CPI nominee Kanhaiya Kumar.

The CPI on Sunday announced the name of former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar as its candidate from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat, where he would take on Union minister Giriraj Singh in a triangular contest with the RJD.
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The Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Monday donated two sets of global classroom learning equipment and dozens of books to help the country's third-oldest university upgrading its facilities.

During the donation ceremony held at the Rizal Library in the campus, president of Ateneo de Manila University Jose Villarin, deputy chief of mission and minister counselor at the Chinese embassy in the Philippines Tan Qingsheng witnessed the turn-over of the facilities.

The global classroom digital technologies, also known as "eClassroom" developed by China's telecommunication giant Huawei enterprise, comprised video conferencing system, wireless routers and monitors and other grouped equipment. It is about connecting and fostering collaboration between teachers, students, and school administrators even when they are in different time zones or half a globe away, according to Huawei.

"I hope the facilities here will not only enable us to share knowledge and admire the jewels of culture but also help us to deepen understanding, expand cooperation and strengthen friendship," said Tan.

"Good bilateral relations between nations can only be based on good understanding and friendship between the peoples," he said, adding that the Chinese government now is providing more than 50 government scholarships for Philippine students to study in China annually, while the Philippines has also become one of the destinations for Chinese students.

Villarin expressed his gratitude on behalf of the university. He said he is grateful to the Chinese embassy as well as Huawei for their technical assistance in setting up the equipment which will bridge the distance between different countries and cultures.

"I look forward with the anticipation to many good things that our students will accomplish, the activities and projects they will do, who they will connect and work with, given this smart learning space from the people of China," he added.

The Ateneo de Manila University, founded in 1859, is the third-oldest and one of the most famous universities in the Philippines.
Former Assam chief minister and vetran Congress leader Tarun Gogoi

Senior Congress leader Tarun Gogoi on March 25 said the party will seek support from all organisations and social groups who are opposed to the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

The former Assam chief minister said Meghalaya-based National People's Party was contesting most of the seats in Assam and North East and alleged that it is aimed at helping the BJP.

"We will seek support from all those opposing the Citizenship Bill. We will welcome the support from AASU, AJYCP, KMSS and others for the interest of Assam and its people," Gogoi said at a press conference.

The Congress wants that all anti-BJP and anti-Bill forces unite to defeat the present regime at the Centre, he said.

"Because of the Congress party, the Central government could not introduce the bill in Rajya Sabha. We stood by the people of Assam. We will never introduce this bill once we come to government," Gogoi said.

He said BJP president Amit Shah in a rally in Assam had announced to bring the Citizenship Bill again if it is voted to power after the elections.

Questioning Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma-led NPP's role, Gogoi said: "Conrad's stand is not clear. He was against the bill, but he is still in NEDA despite the BJP saying that the bill will be brought again. That means, Conrad has made a U-turn."

Contesting in almost all the 25 seats in North East even though there is "no base" for NPP will eventually help the BJP by dividing the anti-bill votes, the Congress leader said.

"He (Sangma) could have said that I will support BJP if there is no bill. But he is silent now. It shows that NPP and BJP have a secret unholy alliance," Gogoi said.

On AGP's return to NDA after a hiatus of two months over the bill, the three-time former chief minister claimed that the popularity of the regional party is "decreasing", while all such regional forces across the country are becoming stronger.

"The AGP is an anti-Assam, power hungry and corrupt. The AGP-BJP alliance means that none of them are confident of winning alone in the state," he added.

Gogoi claimed that the Congress will win at least 10 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam.

In 2014, the BJP won seven out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, the Congress and the AIUDF had three MPs each and one member was an Independent. The two BJP allies, BPF and the AGP, had no representation in the Lower House of Parliament.
The working committee of the Congress on Monday discussed the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections and gave a final shape to it. The working committee, which is the party's highest decision making body, will give a final go ahead to the manifesto.

The meeting was chaired by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh, senior leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and A K Antony.

The party manifesto is being framed by a committee headed by P Chidambaram.

The Congress has already launched an exercise to involve people from different sections of the society and has held several rounds of consultations with them to include their views in the manifesto.

It has also launched an online portal to seek the views of people and their expectations from the grand old party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The top party leaders have promised to make the manifesto a comprehensive document that will include views of all sections.
A Congress victory "by mistake" in the Lok Sabha election will see Pakistan celebrate Diwali, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani claimed.

"While this is not going to happen, but when the results (of the general election) are announced on May 23 and (if) the Congress wins by mistake, then Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan because they (Congress) are all associated with it," Rupani said in Mehsana at the launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'vijay sankalp' rally.

"The people of the country will ensure Narendra bhai (Narendra Modi) wins on May 23, after which there will be grief in Pakistan," the BJP leader said.

Rupani attacked Congress leader Sam Pitroda for demanding proof of the Balakot airstrike.

"The world knows Pakistan shelters terrorists. And Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi's teacher, says it is wrong to blame Pakistan for the act of five-seven youths (who carried out the Pulwama attack).... Congress leaders speak the language of Pakistan," Rupani said.

The chief minister accused the Opposition of insulting the armed forces. "Who are you trying to support by negating the words spoken by the heads of the armed forces (after the Balakot airstrike)?" he asked.

In response to accusations that the previous National Democratic Alliance government freed Masood Azhar, who then went on to form terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, Rupani alleged that it was the Congress former that had released several terrorists during its tenure.

The BJP leader also accused the Congress of indulging in vote-bank politics and "encouraging separatist forces".

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah as "sons of Gujarat" who were working to make India stand tall among the league of nations, Rupani said disparate Opposition parties were uniting only with the aim of defeating Modi.

"When Narendrabhai is moving in the direction of making India a 'Ram rajya', the Opposition parties have come together. The Congress, communists, terrorists, naxals, corrupt, Mamata, Mayawati, Akhilesh, Chandrababu... all selfish people have come together (against him)," he said.

Calling the 2019 election a fight to the finish, Rupani exhorted party workers to make history with the ballot.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday urged people not to vote for "liars" like the BJP and the Congress, saying they made "false promises" on granting full statehood for the national capital.

Underlining that how West Bengal votes for TMC chief Mamta Banerjee and Tamil Nadu votes AIADMK, Kejriwal said similarly the people of Delhi should also vote for the Aam Aadmi Party.

"First step to support the full statehood in Delhi is by voting for us in the upcoming elections. We will fight for full statehood and get it within two years," he said at a public rally in Malviya Nagar.

"I have planned it all on how to give employment, good education and houses to the people of Delhi. I am an educated man having a real degree not a fake one," the chief minister said amid cheers from the public.

"Do not vote for liars like the BJP and the Congress who made false promises on granting full statehood to the national capital," he said.

Kejriwal said people voted for Prime Minister Narendra Modi five years ago following which he said he became a "56-inch chest" man", and four years back when people voted for the AAP "we worked for them and made every person's chest in Delhi 59 inches".

Accusing the Centre of creating "hurdles" for Delhi's development, the chief minister claimed that he faced "several obstructions" at various stages to get clearances from the central government.

The people of Delhi pay Rs 1.5 lakh crore Income Tax and receive only Rs 325 crore from the Centre, he claimed while addressing another rally at Trilokpuri.

"Why should we pay so much and get so less in return. What have Delhiites done to the central government to deserve this? Kejriwal asked.

"Just for political enmity, PM Modi stopped the development work of the common man in Delhi. Last time you voted for him, but this time don't vote for him otherwise he would not let me work for development," he added.

The AAP is fighting the Lok Sabha election on the agenda of granting Delhi full statehood. It is contesting the polls with the slogan 'Poorna Rajya Banao Jhadu ka Button Dabao', telling people Delhi will get full statehood if they vote for the party.

Elections to the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be held on May 12.
Former Assam chief minister and vetran Congress leader Tarun Gogoi

A day after BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if it contests from there, former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on March 25 said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who "ate biryani" there and sent a "love letter" to his counterpart in the neighbouring country.

The senior Congress leader also slammed Modi for the "neglect" shown to the veterans in the BJP.

"It was Modi who wrote a love letter to Pakistan Prime Minister. He went to eat biryani and enjoyed birthday there, but accusing us," Gogoi said at a press conference.

The three-time chief minister was referring to a query on BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav's comment on March 24 that the Congress might win an election in Pakistan if they contest from there as the opposition party is "banking only on the neighbouring country and lies."

"It was Congress government which bifurcated Pakistan and created two nations. These comments by BJP are nothing but just an attempt to deviate public attention from the real issues - jobs crisis, farmers distress, corruption and deposit of Rs 15 lakh in our accounts," Gogoi said.

He further denied any secret understanding between Congress and the perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF as alleged by Madhav.

The veteran Congress leader expressed sadness over denial of ticket to former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who has been replaced by BJP President Amit Shah in Gandhinagar seat.

"Advani had huge contribution in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government coming to power, but today he is neglected in his own party in a very pathetic way. Not only him, but the entire old-guard like Arun Shourie and others are neglected. They are intelligent people and Modi does not like intelligent people around him," Gogoi said.

He alleged that the Modi government has "failed" on all fronts and has "not fulfilled" a single promise made to people in 2014.

"Our fight is not against the person Modi, but against his divisive, communal and economical policies. This election is a big challenge for democracy," he added.

Talking about denial of Lok Sabha ticket to his former party colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma at the last moment by BJP, Gogoi said: "It is an insult to him. First, the name was included and then deleted. Amit Shah must have given consent, but Modi objected to Himanta."

The Congress leader alleged that a "cold war" is going on between Sarma and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also "failed" in delivering anything positive in the state.
Rahul Gandhi

After the Congress Working Committee meet, party president Rahul Gandhi announced at a press briefing that a sum of Rs 72,000 will be directly transferred into the accounts of the countrys poor under the minimum income scheme.

Putting a figure to the scheme, that he had announced earlier this year, for the first time, Rahul Gandhi said Indias 20 percent most poor families will get the benefit of the minimum basic income guarantee scheme.



Congress President Rahul Gandhi: Agar kisi ki aamdani 12,000 se kam hai to hum us vyakti ki aamdani ko 12,000 rupaye tak phauncha denge. https://t.co/TpUFZ3hcye

 ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Rahul Gandhi told mediapersons that 5 crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. Gandhi said the Congress has studied the fiscal implications of the scheme and consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising it.

Calling the scheme unprecedented and the final assault on poverty, Rahul Gandhi said, Congress party will provide income support to people earning less than Rs 12,000 per month.

Rahul Gandhis announcement, ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, can be seen as a counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modis KISAN scheme, in which he promised a sum of Rs 6000 annually to farmers.

After the announcement was made in this year's Interim Budget, the Congress had castigated the move calling it a "humiliation to the farmers".
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday filed his nomination for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, where polls will be held on April 11.

Gadkari, who had defeated Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) in the 2014 elections by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes, said he will win with a bigger margin this time around.

"This time, I will win with a bigger margin. People have a good opinion of the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government in the last five years. Our government did more than (was promised in) the poll manifesto," Gadkari told reporters.

The BJP veteran was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Energy Minister Chandrashekar Bawankule, family members and a large number of party workers, while filing his nomination.

"Your support and love is the biggest strength for us," Gadkari said.

Fadnavis said Gadkari will register a "historic win" from Nagpur. "He will create a record in Maharashtra," the chief minister said, adding the BJP-Shiv Sena combine would win 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Shiv Sena's Krupal Tumane, sitting MP from Ramtek (SC) seat, also filed his nomination for the Ramtek seat.

Nana Patole of Congress, who will take on Gadkari in Nagpur, and former IAS officer Kishor Gajbhiye, pitted against Tumane from Ramtek, are expected to file nominations later Monday.
Speaking about the upcoming Bihar Assembly Election, Shah said Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) decided to go solo even though a reasonable number of seats was offered to it and several attempts at negotiations were made.

Pitching the Lok Sabha polls as an election for rooting out terrorism and giving a befitting reply to Pakistan, BJP president Amit Shah said said only a government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi can do it.

Addressing a "Vijay Sankalp" rally, his first after the Lok Sabha poll schedule was announced on March 10, he said the alliance led by opposition parties cannot secure the country and only a Modi-led BJP government can do so.

He accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of insulting the valour of armed forces by questioning the air strikes on a terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot.

"How low will you stoop for vote-bank politics? Don't play with national security for vote bank, Rahul Gandhi," he said. The Congress has been accusing the BJP of politicising the air strikes.

Shah also hit out at Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Congress leader Sam Pitroda for their controversial comments on the Pulwama terror attack and the subsequent air strikes.

Targeting opposition leaders like BSP supremo Mayawati, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK president M K Stalin and TMC's Mamata Banerjee, he said they are "dreaming" to remove Modi but don't have the guts to fight the Lok Sabha polls.

Shah also spoke at length about welfare initiatives of the Modi government and said the general election is also about the development of 50 crore poor people.

He claimed that people have decided to discard caste politics and vote Modi to power with a mandate bigger than he had got in 2014 due to his politics of "sabka saath, sabka vikas".

Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the 543-member Lok Sabha, is crucial to the BJP's bid to retain power at the Centre.

It had won 71 and its ally Apna Dal two seats in 2014, making up for a little over 25 per cent of the 282 seats the saffron party had won. It is faced with a formidable alliance of SP and BSP in the upcoming polls.

The BJP said it organised over 200 "Vijay Sankalp" (pledge for victory) rallies across the country on Sunday.

While Shah addressed a rally in Agra, other top party leaders, including Union minister Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman, addressed public meetings at different places.

The party said in a statement that Singh, Swaraj and Sitharaman spoke at Lucknow, Noida and Hyderabad respectively while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh addressed rallies in Saharanpur and Bhopal respectively.

Adityanath also spoke in Agra.

The BJP said it will hold over 250 such rallies on Tuesday.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Pulwama attack and asked whether he "slept after eating beef biryani" while 40 CRPF men died. Asaduddin's younger brother and party legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi too targeted Modi over his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign and said if the prime minister wished to be a watchman, he would offer him a security guard's cap and a whistle.

Addressing an election campaign on March 23, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin highlighted Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) detected the presence of around 300 "active" mobile phones at the training camp site struck by IAF jets in Pakistan's Balakot.

"I want to ask Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Modi that if NTRO can watch about 300 cell phones in Balakot then sitting in Delhi were you not able to see how 50 kg RDX was brought in Pulwama," Asaduddin questioned.

"...right under your nose 50 kg RDX was transported in Pulwama. Were you not able to see it? Were you sleeping? Did you eat biryani. May be you had beef biryani and slept. Here our 40 people died," he added.

On February 14, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed and several were injured in a terrorist attack in south Kashmir's Pulwama.

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akbaruddin, who represents Chandrayangutta constituency in Old City, and is known for hurling 'chaiwala' jibes at Modi, mocked the prime minister's chowkidar campaign.

"I am surprised at 'Modi Bhakts' and those who vote Modi. Sometimes Modi becomes chaiwala and sometimes fakir," he said.

"I want to tell Narendra Modi you were a 'chaiwala' and the public made you the prime minister but now you are saying you are chowkidar. Whose chowkidar? I am not on social media. A friend of mine showed about chowkidar Narendra Modi, chowkidar Amit Shah written on twitter," he added.

"Why chowkidar only on twitter? Put chowkidar on Aadhar card, voter card and also passport of Narendra Modi,"Akbaruddin said.

In the run-up to the general election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign with Modi along with all senior ministers and party leaders, including president Amit Shah, prefixing the word "chowkidar" to their Twitter handles.
The BJP said on March 25 that before starting his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi should tell people why the Rajasthan government failed to fulfil the promises made by his party during the assembly polls.

Former minister Arun Chaturvedi alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state mislead youths over the promise of unemployment allowance and farmers' loan waiver, and deliberately stalled the execution of schemes introduced by the Narendra Modi government.

"The Congress president had promised that farmers' entire loan will be waived in 10 days of the government's formation in the state. Three months have passed but nothing happened. They took vote on promising entire loan waiver but the government failed to deliver," he told reporters.

"The party had also promised unemployment allowance of Rs 3,500 monthly but they announced Rs 3,000 monthly and such a criteria of giving the allowance was fixed that most of the unemployed persons were not able avail the benefit," he said.

Chaturvedi said of the 33 lakh unemployed people in the state, the government announced cover only for one lakh of them.

"No work was done on the ground. Youths and farmers were betrayed by the Congress government. Before beginning his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi should give the account of works done by the Congress government in Rajasthan," he said.

He said the Centre had announced schemes for the welfare of farmers but the state government showed negligence.

Chaturvedi said the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme was also not implemented in the state.

"Now the government was looking for discontinuing Bhamashah health insurance launched by the former BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje," he alleged.

He said the Congress makes promises just to garner votes every time but nothing happens and the people have understood this.

Gandhi will be addressing public rallies in Suratgarh in Sriganganagar and Bundi district and a meeting of party workers in Jaipur on March 26.
 Flash

China on Monday urged the United States to properly handle Taiwan-related issues to avoid damaging China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the remarks at a news briefing when responding to media reports saying the United States sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday.

"China has closely followed the passing of U.S. warships through the Taiwan Strait and monitored the whole process," said Geng, adding that China had lodged stern representations with the U.S. side.

"We urge the U.S. to observe the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques and properly handle Taiwan-related issues so as to avoid undermining China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Geng said.
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On March 13, Toyota Kirloskar issued a press release announcing a range of benefit scheme on its cars under 'Memorable March', a sales campaign. Corolla Altis, the executive sedan rivaling the recently launched Honda Civic, is being offered with a 'benefit' of Rs 1,40,000.

Even its best-selling model Innova Crysta carries a benefit offer of Rs 55,000. The Fortuner is being given away with a benefit of Rs 40,000 while the Etios is being sold with a benefit of Rs 48,000. The scheme, the company said, would last till end of March.

Just two days later, Toyota Kirloskar sent another release stating that it would hike prices of select models from April 1. The quantum of hike and details of models affected were not shared.

Later on March 19, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) India followed suit, stating that it will raise prices by four percent from April 1. This is even as the Range Rover Evoque and the Jaguar XJL carrying consumer benefit scheme of Rs 7 lakh and Rs 20 lakh respectively,are among the heavily discounted range of JLR in India.

Hoping for inventory correction, manufacturers are betting on price hike announcements. This is even as banks refuse to ease tightened lending norms along with the northward march of fuel prices.

The scare of price hikes coincides with retail sales (sales from dealers to final buyers) hitting new yearly lows. According to the federation of automotive dealers association (FADA), unsold stock are sitting with the dealers for two months before getting sold. This used to be one month around the same time last year. FADA warned that dumping of stock will prove to be counter productive.

"Given the current environment, FADA urges our OEMs (vehicle makers) to take a realistic stock of the current retail situation and recalibrate their production to regulate dealer invoicing to facilitate return to stock normalcy for dealerships to maintain a sustainable business environment," FADA had said on March 13.

Last week, Tata Motors also jumped into the bandwagon and said it will raise prices by Rs 25,000 in April. The hike is necessitated due to rising input costs and external economic conditions, the Mumbai-based company clarified.

"The changing market conditions, rising input costs and various external economic factors have compelled us to consider this price increase," said Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors.

Tata Motors has outperformed the industry with a growth of 15 percent during the April-February period in passenger vehicle sales. The growth fell to two percent in February in line with the rest of the industry.

Market watchers believe that auto companies resort to such tactics during December when retail sales cool-off considerably following a successful conclusion of the festive season. Dealers also prefer ordering new stock in January.

"Every manufacturer is dealing with high inventory forcing some of them like Maruti Suzuki to cut production. Hiking prices in such dull market conditions should the last thing on a companys mind," said a Bengaluru-based analyst.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied tickets to nearly 50 sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) this time, indicating a generational shift in the party, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

The report states that the party is also worried about the personal anti-incumbency of sitting MPs, which has led the party to deny tickets to a number of existing Lok Sabha members, including in states such as Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The party has announced 306 candidates so far, dropping veteran leaders including LK Advani and Kalraj Mishra due to the age factor, according to the report.

Earlier, the saffron party had decided to set in an age limit for those who wanted to contest the forthcoming elections. The party was mulling whether candidates above the age of 75 should be fielded since that is also the age limit set by the BJP for ministerial berths.

According to the report, most of the leaders kept out of the ticket distribution process were not involved with the party's decision-making process either. They do not have a follower base within the party, and most of them have announced their retirement from politics voluntarily. Kalraj Mishra and Karia Munda, for instance, publically announced their support to the party's decision. However, Advani, the most towering of the lot, has reportedly expressed his annoyance with the decision.

"The party will take a call on the future role of these leaders after the elections," a party leader told the newspaper. Speaking on the anti-incumbency factor, a general secretary of the party told the newspaper that picking "winnable" candidates in Uttar Pradesh posed a problem for the party due to the Samajwadi Party- Bahujan Samaj Party (SP-BSP) alliance. The general secretary said that the problem was due to the caste arithmetic in the state, which has become even more complicated after the alliance.

Out of the 31 candidates it has released for Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has dropped six sitting MPs, according to the report. "A lot of research has gone into the candidate selection exercise," the BJP general secretary told the newspaper, adding that the party might end up denying tickets to up to "one-third of sitting Parliamentarians".

A Bihar minister also said that the BJP's willingness to give away five seats it had won during the last elections to its partner in Bihar reflects the party's openness to accommodate partners.
While senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has agreed to contest from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat upon Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath's insistence, he has made it clear that he is unhappy with the choice and that he wanted to contest from Rajgarh. This might pave the way for more factionalism within the party, according to a report by NDTV.

The report states that Nath had dismissed the idea of Singh contesting from Rajgarh as a soft option. Singh has won from the seat twice. Bhopal, on the other hand, is expected to provide a tough contest, since it has been a BJP bastion for more than three decades.

"Rajgarh does not befit his experience and stature," Nath told the news channel, adding that he requested Singh to contest from Bhopal, Jabalpur or Indore. "He said I'll think over it, lastly he said 'You decide'. I said 'I have decided you fight from Bhopal," Nath said.

The report, quoting sources, states that this might lead to a fresh set of differences between the two stalwarts, who had reportedly been unhappy with each other even before the assembly elections in the state last year. According to the report, Singh had made it clear before he was given the Bhopal seat that he would not like to contest from the constituency.

However, the report states that Singh's candidature has surprised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has now started considering a formidable candidate for the seat. According to the report, quoting sources, the BJP was earlier considering Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma or party general secretary VD Sharma. However, they have now decided to field a more prominent face from the seat.

According to the report, while 2008 Malegaon blast case accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has expressed her wish to contest from the seat, the BJP might field former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The report states that Congress expects a number of factors to go in favour of Singh, including the region's Muslim population, which traditionally has voted for Congress.

Congress also holds three of the eight assembly seats that fall under the Bhopal assembly constituency.
eye-on-india Reporter's Take | Ola back on Bengaluru roads The state government said that there was an urgent need for policies to catch up with technology and revoked a ban.
Representative image

If you have watched Bollywood actor Rajkumar Rao starrer Newton, you would get an idea about how dedicated election officials can be towards their duties.

Battling the odds, fighting the evils and threats, every year people from the election offices arrive at their destination, disregarding the harm, violence, and uncertainty that can come there.

One such extraordinary and anecdotal struggle would be that of poll officials posted in Malogam area of Arunachal Pradesh. Hiking through rugged and difficult terrain, making their way through dense forests, poll officers travel to this remote district bordering China for just a day, to make sure the only voter of this polling is able to exercise her franchise.

Sokela Tayang, 39, lives with her children in the remote village that is about 39 kilometres away from Anjaw districts headquarter  Hayuliang Assembly constituency.

An NDTV report states there are very few families that reside in Malogam, and all but Sokela are registered at other polling stations.

A source at the state Chief Electoral Officer''s (CEO) office stated that the polling station had two voters during the previous general elections in 2014. For some reason, Sokela's husband Janelum Tayang got his name transferred to another polling booth under the same constituency, making her the only one to cast vote from Malogam.

The polling party, including the presiding officer, polling officers, security personnel, and porters, take a whole day to reach Malogam from Hayuliang on foot. Also, there is no telling the voter when he or she decides to come and cast his/her vote, so the poll officials have to wait around from 7 am to 5 pm when the constituency goes to poll. Asking Sokela arrive early and get done with the work would amount to a violation of election rules.

Arunachal Pradesh will see Assembly and Lok Sabha elections being held simultaneously. As many as 7.94 lakh voters would exercise their right to adult franchise, which includes 4 lakh women.

There are two Lok Sabha and all 60 Legislative Assembly seats in the frontier state that shares its borders with China, Myanmar, and Bhutan, will go to polls on April 11.
(Image: Evolve MMA)

Many employees change jobs more to get rid of horrible bosses than for other reason. A study conducted by Keas.com back in 2014 concluded that 77 percent of employees experience physical stress at work due to bad bosses.

However, a lucky few are gifted with bosses who double up as mentors and are exceptionally inspiring, humble, and charismatic. Sometimes though, they dont stop at being just encouragers, but go that extra mile to ensure his/ her employees are not just content, but happy.

One such generous boss is Chatri Sityodtong, who founded and runs a mixed martial arts company called Evolve, based in Singapore. And what makes him stand out is that he took out all 100 of his employees on a fancy vacation to a five-star resort in the Maldives. This, he said, was a token of gratitude he owed his employees after the company recorded a 30 per cent increase in growth in 2016.

Dubbing the luxe retreat a "normal part of the Evolve culture" Sityodtong told Tripoto.com that the trip was but "a small token of my heartfelt gratitude to all of the phenomenal rockstars at Evolve MMA".

"Many of my staff members wish to travel the world, but do not have the means to do so. The vast majority of my team at Evolve comes from humble backgrounds of poverty, tragedy, or adversity. For them, Evolve is the greatest opportunity to escape poverty and to achieve the life of their dreams. The best deserve the best. It is only fair. We do our best to hire the best people in the world, giving out only one job offer for every 200 applicants. So, they should be compensated as such. We work hard, and we play hard," he said.

Sityodtong reportedly spent a whopping Rs 3.3 crore on this trip.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia for talks this spring or summer, RIA news agency cited Russian lawmaker Alexander Bashkin as saying on March 25.

The exact date of the trip has not been set yet, Bashkin said.

The United States last week imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, the first such steps since a US-North Korean summit collapsed last month.
Emmanuel Macron (REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met for dinner in the south of France Sunday ahead of official talks with the host leader seeking to forge a united European front to contend with Beijing's advances.

Xi earlier arrived at the resort city of Nice accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan to be welcomed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and an honour guard.

Prior to meeting with Macron, Xi went to the nearby principality of Monaco, where he was received by Prince Albert II and where a government spokesman said bilateral talks would "address economic and environmental issues".

Xi, who has made a priority of establishing China as a global player, travelled from Italy, whose government became the first G7 state to sign up to his landmark new "Silk Road" infrastructure project, a massive undertaking to join Asia to Europe.

Washington and some EU states fear the huge project will give China too much sway. But Xi says it would be a two-way street of investment and trade.

Germany criticised Rome over its participation in the new Silk Road project.

"In a world with giants like China, Russia or our partners in the United States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU. And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

The EU's German budget commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, told the Funke newspaper group that Europe should ensure it retains its autonomy and sovereignty when dealing with China.

He expressed concern that already "infrastructure of strategic importance ... is no longer in European but in Chinese hands.

French Finance Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had remarked Friday that "Silk Road cooperation must go "in both directions." Amid tight security, the Chinese and French first couples enjoyed a private dinner at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, near Nice, overlooking the Mediterranean.

They were due to have what a Chinese official termed "a deep exchange of views on Sino-French, Sino-European relations and international and issues of mutual interest." Xi's official visit to Paris on Monday will mark 55 years since Charles de Gaulle established diplomatic relations with Beijing.

A series of cooperation deals on nuclear power, aerospace and clean energy initiatives, some involving lucrative contracts, are expected to be signed.

On Tuesday, Macron and Xi will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore "points of convergence" ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month.

As well as addressing commercial cooperation and strategic issues with Xi, Macron has also been urged to deal with the case of Chinese former Interpol head Meng Hongwei.

Meng's wife has had no news of her husband since his arrest in China nearly six months ago and it emerged Sunday she has written to Marcon asking him to bring up his disappearance with Xi.

He is believed to be facing corruption charges.

But Xi's visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to deepen EU ties with China while also pushing back against Beijing's growing global clout.

Europe's distrust of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is poised to become the dominant player in next-generation 5G mobile technology worldwide, is emblematic of the increasingly rocky relationship.

Monaco, which notably is eyeing a share of Chinese luxury tourism and has its own foreign policy, only last year signed an accord with Huawei to make the principality the first country entirely covered by the company's 5G mobile network by year end.

Macron has lauded the EU's "awakening" to the challenges posed by China, which the bloc now labels a "rival" despite being Europe's biggest trading partner.

"The reality is that the world has changed significantly -- China is not the country it once was, and we are dealing with a very major partner," a Macron aide said ahead of Xi's visit.

The US is pressuring European allies to not use the Huawei technology, saying it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on sensitive communications. But France has not ruled out using Huawei gear.

Beijing has accused Washington of trying to escalate President Donald Trump's trade battle with China.

Despite the many sources of friction, France wants to engage China as a closer partner as Washington makes a pointed withdrawal from global affairs under Trump's "America First" policy.

For example, Macron may seek more Chinese support of the French-backed G5 Sahel force fighting Islamist extremists in Western Africa.

China has been investing heavily in a diplomatic offensive across Africa, promising to help build infrastructure projects as part of the new Silk Road initiative.

Aides say Macron will press Xi to ensure such projects are fair and explore the participation of French companies amid allegations the deals could load African countries with unsustainable debt.
Changes in the SEBI listing and prevention of insider-trading regulations, revisions in the double-taxation avoidance agreements (DTAAs) with Mauritius and Singapore are set to come into effect from April 1.

The changes in DTAAs give India the right to tax capital gains arising on Indian equity shares sold by a Singapore or Mauritian resident

All this may also help improve corporate governance standards for the listed companies in India.

Indian financial markets recently saw several cases of high volatility in companies, like Sun Pharma, DHFL and IL&FS, which created panic among retail investors. In all these, the role of the board came under lens.

The modifications in the listing agreement will improve corporate governance by making relevant changes in the organisation of the board.

Among the key regulations, which will come into effect, are that the top 1,000 listed companies will be required to have at least six directors on their board against three, prescribed by the Companies Act 2013. Besides, the top 500 will also need to have at least one independent woman director.

Also, a director can hold that position in not more than the eight listed entities, while an individual will not be permitted to be independent director in more than seven companies.

A detailed explanation will be required if an independent director resigns before completion of the term.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has also amended insider-trading regulations. As per the amendment, the definition of unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) has been narrowed, allowing listed companies to share such information for board-determined legitimate purposes, but only if the disclosure is in the best interest of the company.

While UPSI will help check insider-trading, the SEBI regulations have permitted flexibility by allowing block trade between insiders or between related parties within a company sharing same UPSI.

The changes will also keep transactions undertaken due to a regulatory obligation and exercise of stock option at a pre-determined price out of the ambit of insider-trading.

The new requirements with relation to SEBI regulations will also apply to intermediaries like auditors, accountancy firms, law firms, analysts and consultants. They'll have to put in place internal controls to check insider-trading.

Additionally, the concessional tax regime for investors under the earlier DTAAs for making investments into India via Singapore and Mauritius will cease to exist from April 1.

India amended DTAAs with Singapore and Mauritius in 2016. It gave India the right to collect tax on capital gains arising on Indian equity shares sold by a Singapore or Mauritian resident.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Jet Airways (India) Ltd chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita have decided to step down from the carrier's board of directors. Mr Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways have also agreed to reduce his 51% stake to 25.5%. Lenders, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have agreed to provide Rs1,500 crore as funding for restoring normalcy of Jets operations.

In a regulatory filing, Jet Airways says, "Two nominees of promoter, Mr Goyal and Ms Anita Goyal and Kevin Knight, the nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC to step down from the board. Additionally Mr Goyal to also cease to be the chairman of the company."

Jet Airways will issue 11.4 crore shares of Re1 each to the consortium of lenders led by SBI to convert the carriers outstanding debt.

Immediate funding support of up to Rs1,500 crore by lenders by way of issue of appropriate debt instrument against security of its assets, which will restore normalcy to Company's level of operations, the carrier said.

In its board meeting, Jet Airways also agreed to induct two nominee directors representing the lenders.

The debt-ridden carrier have also decided to set up an interim management committee to manage and monitor its daily operations and cash flow.

Last week, after meeting with government officials, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar had told reporters that putting Jet Airways into bankruptcy was the 'last option' and that its lenders are making every effort to keep the airline flying.

We believe that it is in everybodys interest that Jet Airways continues to fly, the SBI chairman had told reporters after a meeting with government officials, adding that placing Jet Airways into bankruptcy would mean grounding the airline.

According to estimates, Jet Airway's total debt stood at Rs8,000 crore. The company urgently needed funding to maintain whatever was left of its market shares, even as the airline pilots and crew were said to be approaching other airlines for employment.

The airline's pilots along with engineers and other highly critical segment of employees have not been paid salaries from 1 January 2019 and only 12.5% of December pay was given.

At an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in February 2019, shareholders of Jet Airways had approved, by an overwhelming majority, a proposal to convert a part of the company's loans into shares.

This was a significant development as the approval was required to go ahead with the bank-led provisional resolution plan (BLPRP) led by the consortium of the lenders. As part of the plan, public sector lenders would become the largest equity owners of the airline, virtually making it a nationalised carrier.

Etihad, however, abstained from voting on various proposals during the EGM.

"The BLPRP currently estimates a funding gap of Rs8,500 crore, including proposed repayment of aircraft debt of Rs1,700 crore, to be met by appropriate mix of equity infusion, debt restructuring, sale or sale and leaseback or refinancing of aircraft, among other things," Jet Airways had said in a regulatory filing.
 Flash

China welcomes the expression of goodwill between India and Pakistan and supports the two countries in maintaining contact, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on his social media account that he had received a letter honoring Pakistan's national day from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and expressed his thanks to the Indian side.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said China welcomes leaders of India and Pakistan expressing goodwill to each other and hopes both sides would work to stabilize the situation, resolve differences and improve relations through dialogue, and China would continue to play a constructive role in this regard.
Our brain is arguably the most important organ, as it not only controls and coordinates actions and reactions, it also allows us to think, feel, have memories and emotions, and do a lot more. Therefore, keeping your brain healthy is as important as maintaining a healthy and fit body. According to new research, a healthy habit of eating nuts could be the key to better cognitive health as we grow older.

In a study conducted by the University of South Australia, researchers found that consuming more than 10gm (grams) of nuts a day is positively associated with better mental functioning, including improved thinking, reasoning and memory. Dr Ming Li led this new study which is the first to report an association between cognition and nut intake in older adults. This new research has provided important insights into increasing mental health issues (including dementia) faced by an ageing population.

Population ageing is one of the most substantial challenges of the twenty-first century. Not only are people living longer, but as they age, they require additional health support which is placing unprecedented pressure on aged-care and health services, Dr Li said. Improved and preventative health care, including dietary modifications, can help address the challenges that an aging population presents.

Researchers gathered data from 4,822 Chinese adult participants aged 55+and found that eating more than 10gm (or two teaspoons) of nuts per day improved their cognitive function by up to 60%, compared to those not eating nuts. The research team suggested that such an eating habit could effectively ward off what would normally be experienced as a natural two-year cognition decline.

For the study, researchers analysed nine waves of China Health Nutrition Survey data collected over 22 years, finding that 17% of participants were regular consumers of nuts (mostly peanuts). Peanuts are known to have specific anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects which can alleviate and reduce cognitive decline. Dr Li says, Nuts are known to be high in healthy fats, protein and fibre with nutritional properties that can lower cholesterol and improve cognitive health. While there is no cure for age-related cognition decline and neuro-generative disease, variations in what people eat are delivering improvements for older people.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than five years old. WHO also estimates that, globally, the number of people currently living with dementia is 47 million. By 2030, this number is projected to rise to 75 million and, by 2050, global dementia cases are estimated to almost triple. This study, therefore, has major implications for improved and preventive healthcare in nations where people are living far longer and experiencing cognitive decline.

As people age, they naturally experience changes to conceptual reasoning, memory and processing speed. This is all part of the normal aging process. But age is also the strongest known risk factor for cognitive disease, if we can find ways to help older people retain their cognitive health and independence for longer, even by modifying their diet, then this is absolutely worth the effort, said Dr Li.

In other words, if you are looking to justify your nut obsession, rest assured that adding some nuts to your day is really doing something good for your health. So go ahead and go nuts!
It was a proud moment for Indias outgoing finance minister, Arun Jaitley. The government had raised Rs85,000 crore in disinvestment from public sector units (PSUs) compared with the targeted Rs80,000 crore in the fiscal ending March 2019, he proclaimed to New Delhi journalists last week.

He had reasons to be pleased. From a laggard Rs56,473 crore as of February end, disinvestment leapfrogged with Rs14, 500 crore from the sale of 52% of REC Ltd and another Rs 10,000 through sale of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) exchange traded funds or (ETF).

Herein lies the catch. A majority shareholding in REC was sold to, ironically, another PSU, Power Finance Corp (PFC). Similarly in 2017-18, the government told ONGC to buy 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL). In probably the only strategic sale of a PSU during its tenure, the national democratic alliance (NDA) government sold Hospital Services Consultancy Corp (HSCC) that provides consultancy services in health care and other social sectors, to NBCC (India) Ltd, ironically another PSU, for Rs285 crore.

Did the slogan government has no business to be in business get left behind as a political slogan used to please expectant fat-cat chief executives (CEOs) just before elections?

So is the government restructuring PSUs and consolidating them into synergistic blocks, or is it consolidating some to improve efficiency and reduce excess staffing, or is it, as in many cases, buy back of shares to help government get money? It remains unclear if it is part of any considered policy. Then one has Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), a kaamdhenu whenever the government needs money.

Was this the objective of disinvestment?

The initial thought process dates back to late 1980s when the government was on the verge of bankruptcy internally as well as on its external balance. Disinvestment in India began as a gradual and almost polite process as it could not afford to be like Margaret Thatcher, who a decade earlier privatised several key PSUs in the UK, battling all odds and demolishing trade unions.

Since testing waters nervously in early 1990s when it sold packets containing different proportions of mix of PSU stocks to mutual funds, the government began to confidently sell a majority stake in PSUs to private bidders by 2000. It sold Modern Foods to Hindustan Unilever, and Centaur Hotel to Tulip Hospitality.

The department then was even preparing some big ticket disinvestments such as Hindustan Petroleum. The aim then, as always, was for the government move out of companies it had no business to (mis)manage, and raise resources for other productive objectives.

The vision and mission of the department of investment and public asset management is to increase peoples ownership of PSUs through disinvestment, improve their efficiency, and list more PSUs to improve their accountability.

Yet, what do we see.a piecemeal and muddled approach?

During 2014-15, a 10% stake sale in Coal India fetched the government Rs22, 558 crore, and another 10% sale in SAIL fetched it Rs3,439 crore. In 2015-16, sale of 10% in Indian Oil Corp and 5% in NTPC fetched it Rs9,369 crore and Rs5,014 crore, respectively.

The following year 2016-17 of the Rs35,468 crore, the government fetched, more than half of it, or Rs18,963.47 crore came from buybacks by seven top PSUs; Rs10,778.71 crore from SUUTI sales, Rs8,500 crore from CPSE ETF, offer for sale to employee fetched Rs529.19 crore, and just Rs7,475.23 crore in offer for sale (OFS) of shares to investors.

In the fiscal 2017-18, the figure jumped to Rs1,00,057 crore, of which, a whopping Rs36,915 crores came from the ONGC acquisition of governments 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum or HPCL. Another Rs17,357.48 crore came from initial public offering (IPO) of insurance companies, where government still owns more than 85%.

During 2018-19, buybacks accounted for Rs8,200 crore, while the golden pot of SUUTI contributed Rs5,378.60 crore from sale of Axis Bank stake. Offer for sale (OFS) fetched just Rs5,218 crore from sale of Coal India shares. IPOs got it Rs1,703.55 crore. The remaining came from exchange traded funds and the PFC-REC deal.

There was no sale of unprofitable PSUs, full or in part, to private or overseas players. Mergers for reducing over-staffing, duplication of work and improving efficiency seems missing. Merger of the three PSU banks led by Bank of Baroda is a clear example of this. Pathetically unprofitable companies such as IDBI Bank was given a lease of life from Life Insurance Corp of India (LIC). The bank could have been restructured and downsized.

As part of his election rallies in 2013 and 2014, Narendra Modi, the prime minister now, promised to help PSUs turnaround to profitability, and the ones that could not be revived were supposed to be axed. During the course of the tenure, the policy seems to have got clouded. While OFS, IPOs and ETFs may be measured ways to move out of PSUs, the other steps are open to debate.

The top 10 unprofitable PSUs posted a loss of Rs31,000 crore in 2017-18, almost half of it coming from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Air India. One wonders when the private sector has completely taken over these sectors, and some established names are also on the verge of bankruptcy, is there any justification for the government to keep sinking money, denying productive avenues the much needed investment? Shouldnt the government focus on improving efficiency and cutting losses?

While slogans like minimum government, maximum governance, are best left to political parties to debate in the ongoing elections, the next government should seriously review its policy with regard to the so-called disinvestment. Isnt it time for the government to get rid of the dead wood and re-route resources for better objectives?

One would like to see a clear sharp focussed policy after due debate and political will. There are varying estimates to show the level of inefficiency of the unprofitable PSUs. They seem to have missed the governments attention.
The NCLAT has received intervening petitions from nearly 100 creditors, seeking redress in the proposed IL&FS Resolution Plan that was submitted by the government. The petitions are from both secured and unsecured creditors, including a wide array of corporates and their PF Funds, employee funds, MNCs, postal funds, banks, PSUs and some power companies.

A large part of the petitions, however, have been filed by employee fund and trusts that are seeking recourse in the resolution framework considering their investment is unsecured, but affects millions of underlying small-time, salaried and gullible investors. In the nearly 100 petitions filed, learns IANS, nearly 50 per cent petitions have been filed by the employee funds, super annuation funds, gratutity funds and Provident Funds. This means these are retirement savings of working class blue and white collar employees.

The main prayer by these funds, representing small savings of millions of small investors across a range of employees in corporates, public sector companies, Army Group Insurance Fund, media organisation, postal life services and MNCs, is to seek equal footing and fair share in the IL&FS resolution process.

"We need the government to help us in protecting our lifetime earnings, invested in IL&FS, by infusing funds or taking over the company. The present legal structure is biased towards secured creditors. The government needs to now stop lip service and start acting in the interest of small investors. We are not as organised and powerful as the secured creditors, banks and MNCs, who seem to have the muscle to fight for their share. But we do represent the salaried class, and electorate in large numbers, and are reaching out to our representatives to seek intervention", a fund representative told IANS on the conditions of anonymity.

On being contacted, IL&FS spokesperson declined to comment on the way forward for such hapless working class investors. The big question is: how will this money be recovered?

Moreover, in an election year, these salaried employees are also voters and since no one is forthcoming in giving or providing answers, the sensitive issue has gone into a tailspin. Some funds, learns IANS, would also be reaching out for political support on the matter and it will be difficult for any political party to turn a blind eye to millions of middle class voters affected by the IL&FS crisis.

Some of the list of petitioners include: Indian Oil EPF, Infosys EPF, EIL EPF, HUL's Union Provident Fund, Titan PF, IDBI Trusteeship, UTI Retirement Fund, Postal Life Insurance, Army Group Insurance Fund among others. The government, in its decision, on October 1, 2018, had ousted the erstwhile Board of IL&FS and replaced it with the new Board with a view to limit the crisis and help work a resolution.

The small creditors, however, feel that the resolution plan is aimed at providing resolutions to secured creditors, leaving the small-time investor and salaried employees in the lurch, and importantly, has not taken them into confidence while arriving at a plan.

IANS had earlier reported that many unsecured creditors are grappling with the issue of exclusion in the ongoing resolution process.

"The Resolution Framework should balance interest of all stakeholders. The current framework does not provide for payment to unsecured creditors" said one of the creditors in the intervening petition.

"The government appointed new Board to protect creditor interest and value. With no participation from small creditors so far, the resolution framework is only serving the high and mighty," said a fund representative to IANS.

Some creditors have also sought that the Section 53 of the distribution scheme does not address public and social interest and since IL&FS would be setting a precedent, the section needs to be suitably modified in current circumstances.

The next hearing of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLAT) is scheduled for March 29.

With the Opposition looking at every opportunity to connect with the masses and be seen as its caretaker and well-wisher, this could blow up as the Indian electorate gear up to vote in the next few weeks.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Did you hear the news?

Dominating the search engine market is not enough, apparently. Google is jumping head first into online games.

Yeah, yeah, online games you say.

But let me remind you  this is a $250 billion industry!

Facebook seems to be doing something similar. With billions of users, the social network is tired of just sharing photos and stories. Word is, theyre heading into e-commerce.

Although, I doubt this will upset Amazon much. Theyve already found their new growth industry, according to Bank of America.

And what will that be? Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. Thatll be the growth engine for Amazon in the years to come. According to the bank, it could yield trillions for the Everything Store.

But all this probably doesnt surprise you.

Free investor report reveals how to get started investing in lithium. Download now to find out more.

Google, Facebook and Amazon continue to grow

Google, Facebook and Amazonthese are all household names. Flushed with cash and ambition to grow, all three continue to become a larger part of our lives.

But what might surprise you are the roots of all three. They can be traced back to two moments in history. The first happened in 1969. The second was in 1991.

Yes, just two moments in history brought investors gains like the 2,000% in Google and the monster 98,000% return in Amazon.

You might also be surprised to hear that there will be a third event . Itll be similar to the first two. And from it, you could see a wealth of opportunities spring.

Thats what Ill be talking about over the next three days. This third moment in history.

To understand how this is a wealth generating opportunity for you, lets go all the way back and look at the first

The A-bomb created an opportunity that went BOOM!

Imagine what its like to wake up and not know if there would be a tomorrow.

Not just for you, but for your wife, your husband, your kids, your friends and everyone else that you know.

Ill try not to be too macabre, dear reader. But this was the reality for most Americans just after seeing the Soviets detonate their first atomic bomb in 1949.

Source: Wired

[Click to open new window]

The world was still fresh off the Second World War. Europe was rebuilding from the rubble.

The US was lucky in that respect. Coming late into the war and fighting in foreign lands saved many civilians and cities.

But it would all be for nothing if the Soviets decided to push their big red flashing button.

Its hard to imagine the pressure of such a situation. More than once during the Cold War, the US and the Soviets almost came to blows.

In 1962, the Americans found a Soviet submarine, armed with nuclear missiles edging closer to the US blockade around Cuba.

Imagine what the world would look like had either side fired. Causalities would not be counted in the millions, but hundreds of millions. And it would all happen in a flash.

Heres Ars Technicas summary of a secret document outlining a possible scenario had the Soviets launched missiles first

The report detailed a series of possible nuclear exchange scenarios in which the President would be faced with decision points over the course of approximately 26 hours. One scenario described a nation killing first strike by the Soviet Union that would kill between 30 and 150 million people and destroy 30-70 per cent of US industrial capacity. Though this might sound like an outright defeat, the scenario described in the secret document envisaged that the President would still be required to issue commands to remaining US nuclear forces at three pivotal decision points over the next day.

30 to 150 million Americans gonein a flash. How do you come back from that?

And this wasnt even the worst-case scenario. Worst-case would be if US forces had no means to retaliate. So, if the Americans couldnt prevent missiles from flying, they at least wanted to know when a Soviet attack was imminent.

And what if a first strike from the Soviets knocked out the US ability to communicate retaliatory strikes of their own?

Again, from Ars Technica:

A nuclear detonation in the ionosphere would cripple FM radio communications for hours, and a limited number of nuclear strikes on the ground could knock out AT&Ts highly centralized national telephone network. This put the concept of mutually assured destruction (MAD) into question. A key tenet of MAD was that the fear of retaliation would prevent either Cold War party from launching a first strike. This logic failed if a retaliatory strike was impossible because ones communications infrastructure was disrupted by the enemys first strike.

In either case, the US had to ensure their communication infrastructure was fast and operational, even in the case of total mass destruction.

The problem was, they had no way of knowing that communication lines would work if central towers were blown up by the Soviets.

So, in drastic times, US politicians looked to their intellectuals for drastic solutions. The only way they could ensure the safety of the American people was to prevent an all-out nuclear war. And the only way to prevent war was to develop a whole new communication system.

Thats when researcher Paul Baran had an idea. Instead of centrally controlling towers that were integral for the system to work, he set about developing a communication system that mimicked the human brain.

There would be no central point. Any node in the system could relay information to any other node. So even if large chucks of the structure were wiped out by an explosion, the remaining nodes could still send information to each other.

Source: SciHi Blog

[Click to open new window]

Ars Technica continues:

In his memorandum of 1962, On Distributed Communication Networks, Baran described how his network worked. Messages travelling across the network would not be given a pre-defined route from sender to destination. Instead they would simply have to and from tags and would rely on each node that they landed at on their journey across the network to determine which node they should travel to next to reach their destination in the shortest time. The nodes, by a very simple system that Baran describes in less than a page, would each monitor how long messages had taken to reach them from other nodes on the network, and could relay incoming messages to the quickest node in the direction of the messages destination. By routing the messages like hot potatoes, node-to-node, along the quickest routes as chosen by the nodes themselves, the network could route around areas damaged by nuclear attacks. This proposal was radical. Baran was suggesting combining two previously isolated technologies: computers and communications. Odd as it might appear to readers in a digital age, these were disciplines so mutually distinct that Baran worried his project could fail for lack of staff capable of working in both areas.

The folks over at AT&T were up in arms about the idea. Build a whole new communication network? And have it be digital?

The idea was so laughable it made the men at AT&T angry. Here was this researcher, with nothing more than a theory, telling them how to do their job.

You see, AT&T was still on an analogue communication system. They scoffed at this new digital network because they had no idea it would work in practice.

Even when Baran said it would only cost US$60 million to build, AT&T again dismissed the idea. No, no, they said. You can have your digital fantasy. Leave us alone to work within the boundaries of reality.

It would cost AT&T US$2 billion that year to maintain their analogue network.

But just three years later in 1969, Barans vision did became reality. A company by the name of Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc started to build the Interface Message Processors.

What came next was far bigger than just a nuclear proof plan

Internet 2.0 holds a wealth of new opportunities

Most of you will have caught on.

Barans revolutionary idea was an early concept of the internet. And it was the first moment in history.

Today, the net fully encompasses our lives. Its changed how we live and interact with each other. Its also created the opportunity for companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon to exist.

Baran cant take all the credit, though

I asked you before to imagine what the world would look like had the Cold War heated up. Well, now Im going to ask you to do the same thing for the Web.

What does the world look like without the World Wide Web: a collection of information-rich pages that sits atop of the internet?

No YouTube. No Wikipedia. No Facebook or Amazon. And especially no Google. You could say the latter three owe the mere opportunity for their success to this guy

Source: CNN

[Click to open new window]

This is Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Hes often called the father of the Web.

And back in 1991 (the second moment in history), he, along with top researchers, developed the Web. The idea was to make it easier for researchers to share information.

But like Baran, Berners-Lee and company created something much moreit wasnt just a network to share academic informationit became ground zero for companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and many others.

You might also remember last week, I mentioned that the Web was far from finished. Were bound to see many iterations. You might want to think of the Web as still in its adolescenceeven 30 years on.

Berners-Lee tends to think so too. Hes already waiting for the next evolution in connectivity.

As am I.

Call it the Internet 2.0. And from it pours a wealth of new opportunities, ideas and technologies.

More on those tomorrow

Stay tuned,

Harje Ronngard,

Editor, Money Morning

Free Report: Download your free report to learn how to invest in lucrative biotech stocks. Plus, youll receive a free subscription to Money Morning. Click here to download the report.
March 25, 2019

A War On Gaza For Regime Change In Tel Aviv?

An early morning rocket hit a home in central Israel today. It destroyed a house and wounded seven people, none of them seriously.

The Israeli military alleges that the rocket, with 120 km reach, was fired from the Gaza strip. It accused Hamas, the party who rules the Gaza strip, of launching the rocket. Hamas denied that it was involved.

How Israel's prime minister Bibi Netanyahoo reacts to the attack will decide about his fate in the April 9 general election.

The Israeli military deployed an infantry and an army brigade towards the Gaza strip and called up thousands of reservists.

Netanyahoo met Trump in the White House today and is now flying back to Israel. His planned speech before the Zionist lobby AIPAC was canceled as were his meetings with Congress leaders.

Netanyahoo's political competition is pushing him towards a wider escalation:

The New Right, led by Naftali Bennett, his education minister and key coalition partner, said shortly after the attack that Mr Netanyahu should relinquish his position as defence minister and appoint Mr Bennett in his place. "Israel's deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty, Netanyahu has failed against Hamas, the party said in a statement.

...

Mr Netanyahus chief rival in next month's election, centrist ex-army chief Benny Gantz, issued a statement accusing the rightist premier of having "bankrupted national security" by permitting such attacks.

But escalating the conflict is risky. Hamas and other Palestinian resistance organizations in Gaza surely have more rockets and will fire back.

Long time Middle East correspondent Elijah Magnier sets out the choice.

If @netanyahu doesn't attack #Gaza he will lose the elections & shows #Israel's weak retaliation power.

If he attacks and engages in a long war, #Gaza will retaliate and will bring him down.

If he limits himself to a small battle, results are uncertain.

At 15:45 utc the Israeli military started to launch air attacks on targets in Gaza which it claims are related with Hamas.



via Palestinian Voices - bigger

With more that 1.8 million inhabitants Gaza is densely populated. All attacks there usually result in civil casualties.

The situation gives Hamas some leverage that it could use to bring down Netanyahoo. There are 15 days until the election and a demonstration of Netanyahoo's inability to defend against or deter rocket attacks could easily lead to regime change in Tel Aviv.

During his time as prime minister Netanyahoo pushed for ever further isolation of the people in Gaza. It is a dead end policy. In the long term the isolation of Gaza is not sustainable. Nor is a permanent conflict in Israel's interest. But Netanyahoo never took steps to fundamentely change the situation.

The people in Gaza have little to lose. Three wars that Israel waged against the strip during the last twelve years have destroyed most of its infrastructure. The last one in 2014 killed more than 2,000 Palestinians. Israel and Egypt blockade Gaza's borders and the Palestinian Authority, led by Hamas rival Fatah, sanctioned it. There have recently been demonstrations against Hamas over the dire situation. But there was little Hamas could do to change it. It now has a chance.

We can therefore expect that Hamas will try to goad Netanyahoo into a stronger reaction. Should he limit the retaliation for today's rocket strike, more single rocket launches are likely to follow. A stronger Israeli reaction will justify to launch swarms of rockets against Tel Aviv and may well lead to a larger escalation.

If Netanyahoo loses the election other hawks will take over. The balance of power between Gaza and Israel would not change.

But whoever wins the election will have an interest in a fundamental change of the situation. A new leader in Tel Aviv might have ideas on how to do that.

Posted by b on March 25, 2019 at 17:56 UTC | Permalink

Comments
Mel B revealed she slept with former Spice Girls band mate Geri Horner (nee Halliwell) in the nineties.



Scary Spice joined Piers Morgan's Life Stories on Thursday, where the conversation turned to her time in the Spice Girls.

"There were rumours you and Geri were more than just good friends. You had a dabble?" asked Morgan.

Mel B, who is openly bisexual, first shied away from the question, saying that the whole band used to sleep in the same bed, "but not like that".

But she soon admitted that her close friendship with Ginger Spice had gone further.

"She's going to hate me for this because she's all posh in her country house and her husband. But it's a fact. It just happened and we just giggled at it and that was it."

She was clear with Morgan that it only ever happened once, and was "a bit of fun," but that didn't stop the host from pushing for more.

"How many times a day?" he asked, "Did it go on for a while? Were you in love?"

Mel B said she hoped Horner didn't deny it if she was asked.

"Hopefully when Geri gets asked that, which hopefully she will after this, she won't deny it. Because it was just a fun thing."

Sources told The Sun that Scary Spice made a frantic phone call shortly after the interview, to apologise to Horner.

She also said that she had kissed her other band mates after she got her tongue pierced.



"That was just a kiss because I wanted to know what it felt like. It was just a silly kiss, nothing sexual like that."

The Spice Girls are doing a reunion tour beginning on May 24 in Dublin.

There are hopes the recent revelations don't drive a wedge through Scary and Ginger before then.

Newshub.
(CNN)  For more than two years, Donald Trump has wanted the investigation into allegations of collusion with Russia to go away. Now that it has, the President isn't prepared to let go.

Even as the specter of Robert Mueller's probe has vanished, Trump plans to turn the investigation, Democrats' constant accusations of wrongdoing and the media's coverage of it all into a new foil, half a dozen advisers and aides said. He has already signaled he'll weaponize the results, targeting those who ordered the investigation and Democrats he says waged political warfare.

The counteroffensive has some advisers concerned the President could overstep, diminishing a clear victory by sinking back into old grudges or calling for extreme steps to punish those he views as foes.

The conclusion of Mueller's investigation without evidence of collusion could present an opportunity to move past a dark period and toward a sunnier, more disciplined presidency  an outcome some advisers have wished for in private.

Maybe for a different President.

Instead, Trump appears poised to relive the first two years of his presidency and the "witch hunt" investigation that clouded it, this time through the lens of personal and political vindication. His public comments since his attorney general summarized the report for Congress on Sunday have all carried the threat of payback  for Democrats who accused him of stealing his office and the media that he says fanned the flames  and offered a preview of his rhetoric on the 2020 campaign trail.

"There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things. Very bad things. I would say treasonous things against our country," a furious Trump said Monday in the Oval Office, where he was meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We've gone through a period of really bad things happening. Those people will certainly be looked at."

There is no indication so far that Trump is planning to order the counter-investigation he has floated, but as he prepares to wage a tough battle for re-election, the President and his campaign advisers see the report's conclusions as political gold, even if it means keeping the lingering questions of Russian election interference and legal wrongdoing in the political bloodstream for years to come.

Just as Trump embarked on a victory tour in the months after the 2016 election, reliving the greatest hits and assailing those who said he could never win, his upcoming rallies are likely to resemble a victory lap centered on the Mueller probe  one that could stretch through November 2020.

The result will likely be an amplifying of the President's biting criticism of Democrats and the media, attack lines that have consistently been effective fodder to rev up his political base.

One Trump adviser who speaks to the President regularly told CNN's Jim Acosta to expect Trump and his team to "slam and shame the media" over Mueller's conclusions in the Russia investigation.

Even as the President on Sunday referred to the investigation as an "illegal takedown that failed," sources close to the President said they expect him to focus less on Mueller and more on the exonerating conclusions of the investigation and on assailing Democrats and the media.

Hitting the trail

The first display of this post-Mueller messaging will come on Thursday, when the President rallies his supporters in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

"I think it's gonna look like probably the second-most exciting Trump event, following the election night win in 2016," said Jason Miller, a top communications adviser on Trump's 2016 campaign. "This is a cloud that has hung over the presidency in the first two years of it. Now that cloud has been lifted  and not just lifted, but in such complete and convincing terms."

Those around the President expect him to turn the findings of the Mueller investigation  at least those revealed in Attorney General Bill Barr's letter  into a political cudgel that he will use to ramp up his rhetoric assailing Democrats and the media to new heights, equating the punditry and speculation about the investigation with reporting about the investigation that did not predict an outcome either way.

The President's campaign has already begun to blast out a series of fundraising emails centered on the investigation. And on Monday, the campaign's communications director sent an email to TV news producers suggesting several Democratic lawmakers and a former CIA director should no longer be considered credible guests given their allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

That messaging is unlikely to abate and could ultimately prove as central to Trump's 2020 messaging as his allegations of wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton were in 2016.

"The fact that the entirety of the Democrat party through the megaphone of the national media spent every waking moment of the last two years screaming about Russian collusion is absolutely going to be an issue," Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said of the 2020 campaign. "We've been hearing these charges for two solid years. I think you might hear a little bit about the fact that all of it is untrue."

The rhetoric, though, will not be enough for some of the President's supporters, who want him to go beyond the  raising the specter of counter-investigations.

"I believe that we need to investigate the investigators," said David Bossie, the President's former deputy campaign manager and an informal adviser. "I think that there needs to be an accounting. People need to be held responsible for what they have done to this country for the last two years. I am not ready to move past that. I think that's a very important element of what we need to do."

'How does he mess this up?'

But other allies of the President are already beginning to voice caution. Several privately worry that -- despite the report being good news for Trump that could fortify him ahead of the last 22 months of his term -- he will find a way to dampen the positive coverage.

One former associate joked Sunday after Barr released Mueller's key findings, "Now how does he mess this up?"

These supporters of Trump say they hope the President moves on and shifts his focus to his accomplishments in office and the economic growth that could be a central claim to a second term.

"I'm hoping now that we've moved beyond this investigation and he is not being personally accused of colluding with a hostile foreign power, which I think clearly there was no collusion, and at some point we need to accept that and move on," said Rep. Michael Waltz, a freshman Republican from Florida, on CNN. "I'm hoping that tone and rhetoric will change."

Inside the White House, as feelings of elation at Mueller's findings eased, some advisers expressed a private desire for Trump to attempt a more traditional presidency, one focused on sober policymaking instead of chaotic attempts to change the narrative.

That includes a focus on securing a trade deal with China  an outcome Trump is eager to achieve, believing it could boost the stock market and, by turn, his political prospects. Aides are also eyeing a long-delayed infrastructure push and steps to lower drug prices, both areas seen as ripe for bipartisan cooperation. He's also expected to embark on several foreign trips this spring.

But Democrats have made clear they plan to pursue their investigations into the Trump administration and there is little to indicate Trump will adopt a more statesmanlike mien. His behavior over the past several weeks has not demonstrated a President intent on restoring order to his agenda.

Last week was dominated by his attacks on the late revered Sen. John McCain, a feud that drew widespread condemnation and distracted from his intended messaging about a resurgence of manufacturing in the heartland.

At the end of the week, the administration's foreign policy apparatus appeared in disarray when Trump abruptly tweeted he was reversing new sanctions on North Korea. It took hours for officials to clarify what Trump was talking about, which turned out to be still-unannounced measures in the works at the Treasury Department.

Victory lap

Going forward, it's not clear Trump will stick to any singular messaging strategy, particularly as Democrats continue to agitate for access to the full Mueller report and mount their own investigations in Congress.

Amid his victory lap, Trump is slated to host more than a dozen congressional Republicans at the White House on Tuesday afternoon for a meeting on the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, the pact aides describe as his highest legislative priority heading into the summer.

Although some White House officials say trade deals with China and the country's North American neighbors will rank among the most important items on Trump's agenda in the weeks ahead, the President has shown few signs of an impending pivot.

In talking points sent to surrogates on Sunday evening, the White House listed the passage of Trump's reworked agreement with Canada and Mexico as an immediate area of focus in the wake of Mueller's report.

"Now that the investigation has been concluded, it is time to move forward, passing USMCA, building new infrastructure, and lowering drug prices," the White House wrote in the talking points.

But even the relatively calm domain of trade could turn contentious on Capitol Hill.

A White House official said the team is also prepared for the possibility that Democrats will unite against the deal to deny Trump the political "win." Democratic lawmakers could face even greater pressure not to cooperate with Trump while he's berating them for supporting the Russia investigation.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Trump moves to weaponize Mueller findings"
The Chinese will still actively seek out Canadian real estate, but international property portal Juwai.com has predicted that growth in demand will be muted compared to the fevered pace of the previous years.

In 2018, Chinese nationals expressed approximately US$1.45-billion in purchase intentions on Canadian properties.

However, with the market-cooling effects of foreigner-targeted regulations taking root in Toronto and Vancouver for most of the year, the volume of Chinese inquiries in Montreal, Calgary, and Halifax has significantly escalated.
Criminal organizations might be taking advantage of the loose disclosure regulations in the Greater Toronto Area to hide illegitimate funds  amounting to billions of dollars  in the regions residential property, according to Transparency International Canada.

Canadian real estate has attracted the attention and money of corrupt government officials and organized crime syndicates from across the globe, the independent anti-corruption coalition said in its report released late last week, as quoted by The Canadian Press.

The report  which analysed more than 1.4 million residential property transactions  warned that approximately $28.4 billion in residential purchases in Canada were conducted through corporate bodies since 2008.
It's been nearly 74 years since seven Midland and Odessa men were sent to liberate victims from four German concentration camps  freeing thousands held captive in the Holocaust.

Charles Spotted Bear, Edwin Barry Ferrell Sr., Jerry B. Morgan, Samuel "Sammie" Joseph Martin Jr., Harold Bruce Welch, father of former first lady Laura Bush, and William Womack, all of Midland, and Joseph V. Lee, of Odessa, were all in their early adulthood  ranging in age from 20 to 32  when exposed to the inhumane conditions of those who were imprisoned during World War II.

The Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission chose to honor these veterans, among many others, with the Texas Liberator Project  an exhibit that travels across the state to various museums and facilities  in collaboration with Texas Tech educators and students.

The exhibit will be displayed at Midland College through the end of May. The exhibit also is currently on rotation in the Hill Country and South Texas.

Many of the veterans didn't discuss their wartime experiences for decades. Dr. Frank Kasman, a Midland Vietnam veteran, volunteer commissioner and founding member of the project, said that is the reason he thought the project was important.

"They had reluctance (to talk about it), 70 years later, even though they were the heroes," Kasman said. "I was not going to let them go to their graves without telling their stories. To let the stories go would have been leaving a big part of history untold."

Texas soldiers liberated nearly 60 concentration camps across Europe. And Kasman said he believes each of their stories needs to be heard and taught.

Kasman said children today do not learn in-depth about the Holocaust, and he wants to be the one to teach them.

"Every story has a great amount of meaning to those who lived it," he said.

The exhibit includes 21 banners of Texas liberators' portraits and a portion of the stories they were willing to share. Front and center in the exhibit sits a bigger banner with a list of nearly 500 names of veterans who freed survivors from the camps.

A book, website and computer application accompany the exhibit. The website includes an interactive map of European concentration camps and another map of Texas cities in which the liberators resided, allowing viewers to learn the history of each camp and liberator.

The local men were honored at a reception on March 7 at the Fasken Resource Learning Center at MC. Members of the commission presented medals to the veterans  or the family members of those who had died. Also in attendance was a veteran from Horseshoe Bay who travels across the state to each event, Kasman said.

The 97-year-old Womack was the only liberator from Midland at the event. Kasman presented a proclamation from Mayor Jerry Morales, announcing March 7 as "Bill Womack Day."

Womack, who served in the Army for five years, helped liberate camp Landsberg on April 27, 1945. There were more than 5,000 people living at the camp.

"It's not what I learned in Sunday school," Womack said of his experience. "It's a fact of life that happens anyways, and it's still happening. I wish there was something that I could do to stop it. But that's the way things are, and you just have to meet them in the best way you can."

He said he was not at all prepared for the things he saw. He grew up in a Christian school and home, and he was raised to always look for the best in man  until then.

"I could justify combat deaths because they happened to me every day. Every day, I saw someone get killed," Womack told the Reporter-Telegram in a later interview. "Deliberate extermination is not something I could justify. There's no way the world can permit that same thing to happen again, even if we have to go into the same killing move again."

Womack said it took years for him to be able talk about his experience. Occasionally, it would come to his mind at night, and he would "grimace in pain." But it was something he said he learned he had to accept  even if he did not want to.

He said he was grateful to be honored in such a way, but he also felt "belittled," because he thinks there was so much more he could have done.

Chaja Verveer, a Holocaust survivor who lives in the Houston area, and founding member of the project, shook the veterans' hands and told her story of being liberated by Russian troops.

She said she was placed in three different concentration camps for a combination of a year and a half, beginning when she was 3. She said she does not remember the experience because she was so young.

"There's one scene I remember," Verveer, 77, said in an interview afterward. "I'm still trying to figure it out, but I haven't added it up yet. One of these days, I'll find out. In a way, it is good (I don't remember), and in a way, it is bad because it would have helped me work it through."

She said nobody wanted to talk about the genocide once the war ended.

"It was just silence," Verveer said. "It's like it didn't happen. You don't talk about it. In my house, we didn't talk about it. My mom would make us go to bed if it was brought up on the radio, and she would turn it off. She would cut off others if they started talking about it. No one talked about it."

Despite not remembering much of the experience, she said it changed the way she looks at the world and the way she has reacts to people.

She said she is always observing those around her, and she is always defensive, almost immediately, when she interprets someone as being anything but kind. But she said she doesn't see the world as a "mean world."

"I see the world as needing to be fixed," Verveer said. "We're working on it, and sometimes we fail, and sometimes we do well. It's not a constant. Now we have all this racism, and we're going backwards a little bit right now. But it's just like everything else. We do good, and we do bad."
Now that Midlands future downtown convention center has a name, it is time to purchase audio/video, technology and security systems.

The Midland City Council will vote Tuesday to approve the purchase of $1.411 million in new systems for the Barbara and George H.W. Bush Convention Center.

There is a budgeted line item in the $43 million center project for AV, technology and security systems totaling $1.45 million, according to the city. They will be approved in three different agenda items, including $1.172 million for the audio video system. If the council approves, the city will contract with AP Sounds Inc. of Pensacola, Florida, for the purchase of the video production system, various projectors and the production intercom system.

The contract for the technology systems is for $79,639 with Weaver Technologies of Fredericksburg. The contract includes the purchase and installation of cabling and wiring for the data network/voice system, according to the city. Lastly, the contract for the security systems is with Advanced Connections Inc. of Lubbock. The contract includes the purchase of an electronic keying system, video surveillance and alarms.

RELATED: City to name convention center for George H.W. and Barbara Bush

The Midland Chamber of Commerce will be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the equipment, according to the city.

Another convention center-related item the council is to consider is funding for the downtown intersection update project. The cost is $400,000 for two changes in the public right-of-way that will impact operations, according to the city. The project will extend the curb line along Texas Avenue frontage to include previously existing on-street parking lane. The project also removed existing Oncor and city-owned street lights around the perimeter of the site and is replacing them with new decorative street lighting.

Curb, sidewalk, traffic signal and related improvements are associated with six intersections  three along Texas Avenue and three along Wall Street, according to the city. Also, the city will convert the east leg of the intersection at Texas Avenue and Main Street to two-way traffic.

The Bush convention center is expected to open in September.

The $43 million center includes:

- 76,949 square feet,

- three levels,

- a 20,000-square-foot exhibit hall,

- a 6,000-square-foot ground-level meeting space,

- 3,400-square-foot basement meeting space.

The convention center is one part of the transformation of the downtown area that stretches from Main Street on the east to Wall Street on the south to Texas Avenue to the north and Colorado Street to the west. The former home of the Midland Center, Centennial Plaza and the former Midland County Courthouse also will include Centennial Park, a $15 million project that is expected to include greenspace, a splash pad/water feature, a performance stage, a pavilion, a dog park and natural-style playground. Officials have said they expect Centennial Park to be completed as early as April 2020.
A research team, including ecologists from Michigan Technological University, fitted radio collars on 20 moose this February to better understand the islands population.

Following the reintroduction of several collared wolves from the Grand Portage Indian Reservation in Northeastern Minnesota to Isle Royale National Park last fall, a team of researchers have now collared moose at the park for the first time since 1984.

Radio collars help researchers track the movement of individuals within a population to better understand species behavior. Credit: Seth Moore

The unique collaboration between Michigan Tech, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, National Park Service and Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa aims to help the National Park Service assess the impacts of predator restoration to the ecosystem at the park. This effort marks the beginning of a novel effort to compare the predator-prey dynamics and health of the population of moose on Isle Royale National Park to a neighboring population of collared moose on the mainland on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation. It also represents an opportunity to evaluate the impact of restoring predation to the ecosystem.

The research supplements annual surveys led by Michigan Tech and the National Park Service in the worlds longest running predator-prey study.

"We are excited to be working on this collaborative, multi-institutional project with such a diverse group of researchers, all with different areas of expertise, said Sarah Hoy, one of the study leads and a research assistant professor in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Tech. We hope that collaring moose in Isle Royale, and drawing comparisons with the Minnesota moose population, will help us understand how predator-prey dynamics are influenced by parasites and moose foraging behavior and better appreciate the broader impacts for ecosystem health.

Moose seek out different plants throughout the year; calves in the summer spend a lot of time by the water eating aquatic plants with their mothers. Credit: Sarah Hoy

Isle Royale Moose

Between February 13-17, 2019, a helicopter anesthesia darting team, a wildlife veterinarian and wildlife research biologists fitted 20 cow moose with GPS collars on the west and east sides of the island. The team collected biological samples from the anesthetized moose, assessing individual moose health and fitting them each with a collar. Afterward, each moose was administered a reversal drug  they all awoke and walked away in under two minutes. Since then, movement activity has been continuously monitored by GPS.

The team plans to conduct various studies with the data they have collected. They are looking to understand what impacts the health of moose populations on both the mainland and Isle Royale, how predator dynamics play a role in moose populations, how differing forest management affects the ecosystem and how climate may play a role in ecosystem health.

A bull moose cools off and eats in the mud next to a lake on Isle Royale. Credit: Sarah Hoy

Lake Superior Island Ecosystem

Isle Royale hosts a simple ecosystem with one predator species, wolves, and one primary prey species, moose. This makes it an ideal system for comparative research with mainland populations of moose, such as those found on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation, which hosts a more complex ecosystem with multiple predators and multiple prey species.

Mainland populations of moose are in decline due to predation from bears and wolves on moose calves in early spring, as well as compounded effects of climate change, which includes parasitism from brainworm (transmitted by the invasion of whitetail deer into moose range) and high winter tick loads due to early snow melt. By contrast, the moose population on Isle Royale has increased rapidly in recent years. Although moose in Isle Royale also suffer from high winter tick loads, the Isle Royale population of moose does not have deer to transmit brainworm. Another crucial difference is that wolf numbers are high on the mainland (due to high deer densities), whereas the island only has a few remaining wolves predating on the moose population.

Several wolves were reintroduced to Isle Royale National Park this year; the two remaining island-born wolves patrol their territory. Credit: Rolf Peterson

Wolf and Moose

Over the last two decades, the islands wolf population suffered from inbreeding depression that drove the population to the brink of extinction. That circumstance is an indirect consequence of climate change, which led to fewer ice bridges forming between island and mainland, preventing wolves from moving to and from the island. The impact of the growing moose population on forest vegetation is increasingly apparent and experts are concerned that such high levels of browsing damage are impacting forest regeneration and may eventually lead to nutritional stress for moose.

The contradictory population trajectories between Isle Royales wolves and moose and those on the mainland create an ideal opportunity to better understand by comparison what ecological factors are impacting each population. The research also bolsters population data gathered in the Isle Royale Wolf-Moose Study, a predator-prey survey on the island now in its 61st year.

The moose collaring effort is a perfect complement to ongoing studies at Isle Royale, said Rolf Peterson, research scientist in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences at Michigan Tech, filling key holes in our understanding of moose response to predation, forage abundance and climate.

The results of the 2019 Isle Royale Winter Study will be released this spring.

The ice is slow to melt on remote Isle Royale. Credit: Sarah Hoy

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Illinois has room to grow when it comes to ensuring its youngest residents have a strong start in life, according to a new report.

The State of Babies Yearbook: 2019 looks at the well-being of children from birth to age 3, and measures how theyre faring in the areas that can impact their development.

Sarah Daily, senior research scientist for Child Trends, said Illinois received particularly poor marks for Positive Early Learning Experiences, with just 7 percent of eligible children receiving early Head Start or child-care subsidies.

Children are not accessing those supports and services as much as they might be able to, Daily said. So, as a policymaker, I might be looking at those existing programs and services to see if theres a way to expand access to those programs in Illinois.

Illinois scored best in the area of Strong Families, and is doing quite well in reducing the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and improving permanency rates for infants and toddlers exiting foster care.

The state scores better than the national average for housing instability and family resilience.

Daily noted Illinois is in the improving outcomes category for infants and toddlers receiving early childhood mental-health services.

As she put it, This is a really strong and powerful indicator because, from a developmental perspective, having strong, early childhood mental health really sets the foundation for childrens learning and development later in life.

When it comes to good health, Illinois is ranked as working effectively for percentage of low-income infants and toddlers who are uninsured. However, Daily notes that Illinois infant mortality rate, at 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, is still higher than the national average of 5.9 deaths per 1,000 live births.

This speaks to me about health-care access for not only infants and toddlers, but also for their parents, she said. To what extent are the mothers receiving timely prenatal care is a key indicator that might be a cause of this high rate of infant mortality.

The yearbook estimates there are more than 460,000 infants and toddlers in Illinois, representing 3.6 percent of the states population.
Throughout the hospital, it's a unanimous sentiment; there simply is no replacing long-time Covenant Health Plainview nurse, Mary Ramos.

In her 50 years of service at the Plainview hospital, Ramos has created a legacy of unmatched compassion, faith, elegance and wisdom that has touched generations of patients, nurses, physicians and caregivers.

However, after reaching her career's half-century milestone late last year, the 74-year-old has decided to turn to the next chapter of her life.

"I've enjoyed it. I love helping people and I love my family here at the hospital. But I have decided to retire," said a bitter-sweet Ramos as she prepared for her last week working on the second floor.

On Friday, Covenant Health Plainview will host a community-wide retirement reception for Ramos at 3 p.m. inside the Max Gabriel Conference Room.

For her friends behind the nurses' desk the occasion will be filled with tears and tissues as they will miss working side-by-side with their mentor and friend.

"She's the backbone. And we are going to miss her," said Ramos' long-time colleague, Cindy Tye, RN, who was still in disbelief at Ramos' move.

"I think she's going to do it this time. She's been my buddy for 28 years. She's everybody's friend. The grandma of the bunch. And a lot of younger nurses look up to her and connect with her."

Other nurses agreed.

"This is one special lady," said Rachel Prutzman, RN Nurse Manager of Acute Care Services at Covenant Health Plainview.

"She has such a sweet soul and loves everyone she meets. Mary is our prayer warrior, she is always praying with the families and will always pray for and with the caregivers. We don't know what we are going to do without her smiling face and tender words. I know we will move on, but there will never be another "Mary."

And it has been that caring spirit that has left such an impact on the lives of the patients Mary has cared for and the caregivers she has inspired.

"I would describe Mary as the mother of Covenant Plainview," said Covenant Health Plainview Chief Nursing Officer, Leslie Hackett.

"When I first came to Plainview, she immediately took me in and made me feel like a part of the family. She has seen many changes through the years and has embraced each change as a new challenge, being a supportive and an engaged caregiver."

And Ramos has definitely seen a lot of change since starting her career at the old Plainview Sanitarium in 1968.

"I started as a housekeeper," said Ramos who explained that in her early 20's she started looking for a job to help with a few bills around the house, especially after her child was born with the medical condition known as RH Disease and required extra medical attention and costs.

After about a month on the job, physicians and nurses started to notice the special connections Ramos was creating with the patients as she cleaned their rooms.

It wasn't long before managers realized Ramos' talents could be better utilized.

"They asked me if wanted to become a nurses' assistant," said Ramos.

She immediately loved her new role and flourished with patients and staff, Ramos said.

Soon, physicians asked Ramos to take the License Practical Nurse exam. They covered the cost.

Through the next five decades Ramos' main home would be in the Med-Surg unit. The nurse was versatile.

"I have worked in every aspect of the hospital," said Ramos.

Ramos has worked alongside many legendary local physicians including: Dr. Donald Moore, Dr. George Benson, Dr. Gilmer Johnson, Dr. Roy Roberts, Dr. Jeff Davis, Dr. Ralph Thomas, Dr. Carroll Busby, Dr. T. Coe Branch, Dr. Tony Loggins and many more.

"Mary has been without a doubt the heart and soul of the unit," said Covenant Health Plainview physician Dr. Sergio Lara.

"She is always aware of what is going on, always with a smile and a word of encouragement and hope for our staff and patients. She is one of those souls with a mission to serve."

Ramos' nursing mentors have included Bobbie Deere, Ann Whitecoff, Ann Locke, Jean McMillian and many others.

Through the span of 50 years, Ramos' has experienced a wide spectrum of joy and tragedy.

Ramos still tears up recalling the massive tornado that ripped through Lubbock, Hale Center and Plainview in 1970.

"After the tornado hit, they called everyone back to the hospital to help those injured," said Ramos.

Ramos remembers vividly the images of patients including a woman who had glass embedded in her skin from a broken window or a sobbing father who had just lost his son in the disaster.

"I thank God for helping us get through the things we have to see," said Ramos.

It's that faith that Ramos says has sustained her all these years.

"We have a more powerful hand up there and we have to accept His will. Every day is a challenge, but we keep going. We keep moving forward. We are the ones that carry that work."

And getting up every day and helping families through their difficult time is the reward for many nurses especially for Ramos.

"It feels great when patients and families thank you for being there," said Ramos.

"They trust you with their lives so we want to treat them like family. Everybody that walks through these doors are our family."

Ramos said helping the patient get better or comforting their family is why caregivers do what they do.

It's that attitude that has really resonated with other nurses.

"We give tremendous care here," said Ramos. "I'm so proud of our nurses. The hospital is in good hands."

It's that love for her co-workers that has kept Ramos happy to go to work for the past 50 years.

"It's been such a blessing meeting and working with those at the hospital," said Ramos.

"Along with my family, they are my support system."

In retirement, Ramos said she hopes to travel with her husband Joe and visit her children Patricia, Becky, Joe Jr. and Monica and their grandchildren.

But Ramos said she won't be completely out of the hospital scene as she plans to eventually join Covenant Health Plainview Auxiliary group.
The Plainview Police Departments wants you to be aware of individuals selling glass cleaning products without a solicitor license.

A PSA sent out by the City of Plainview states that individuals who wish to sell these products have to have a permit through the PD. Several individuals recently had their licenses revoked and continue to sell these products.
Dr. Dre, the music mogul, producer and rapper, posted on Instagram on Friday, bragging that his daughter got into the University of Southern California "all on her own." He posted the caption with a a photo showing him with his arm around his daughter Truly Young, who's holding her admissions offer from USC.

"No jail time!" he exclaimed, referring to a college admissions scandal involving USC. Then, people on social media let him know that they haven't forgotten about Dre's special relationship with Los Angeles-based private university.

"Perhaps jail time wasn't necessary but Dre did donate $70 million to USC along with Jimmy Iovine," wrote journalist Yashar Ali. Ali was referring to a 2013 donation to the school from Iovine and Dre that resulted in a building  the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation  being named after Dre.

This was the tone of many people who saw the Instagram post, which went viral after it was posted. Some were saying that although he was suggesting that he didn't pay bribes to admissions counselors or specialists, like what's alleged to have happened with actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, he curried favor with the massive donation in 2013.

"Is #DrDre (#AndreYoung) serious or joking, that his #daughter got into #USC on her own?" Twitter user @TruthandJust1 asked. "He donated a whopping $70 Million! A building & degree named after him! He must be joking. Right?"

Several people expressed their incredulity at Dre's post along with a press release from 2013 announcing the creation of the Iovine and Young academy in 2013. Others said that this is the old way that the mega-rich buy their way into institutions of higher learning: by donating enough to have a building named after them and to secure admissions offers for their offspring.

But some others on social media praised his daughter's hard work while throwing shade on Loughlin and Huffman. "Congrats to Dr.Dre and his daughter Truly Young. She was accepted in to USC on her own merits, no shady side deals," @lovelyti wrote on Instagram.

A few hours after he posted it, though, Dre took the post down, signaling that perhaps the negative attention on social media got to him. Dre isn't implicated in the college admission scandal at USC.

Institutions of higher learning all over the country have been rocked since federal prosecutors announced their investigation into a college admissions racket that included some of the nations most prominent colleges and universities, like USC, Stanford University, Georgetown University and Yale University.

USC students who were caught up in the scandal may be expelled, the school said.
While visiting San Antonio on Sunday for a screening of one of his most famous films, actor Lou Diamond Phillips caught up with San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and his wife, Erika Prosper.

The couple met with Phillips at the Tobin Center, which hosted a discussion by Phillips and live screening of "La Bamba"

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"Always a privilege to touch base with Mayor @Ron_Nirenberg whenever I'm in San Antonio," Phillips tweeted Sunday evening. "And, of course, @ErikaProsper just makes it more special! So proud of how these two continue to serve the community! Honored to be their friend."

It didn't take long for the mayor to tweet Phillips back.

"Great to see you, @LouDPhillips! Thanks for inspiring us here in #SanAntonio," Nirenberg tweeted. "See you soon and good luck with the filming!"

Phillips played Ritchie Valens in the 1987 film "La Bamba," a biopic about the rock star who died in a plane crash at age 17.

Following the screening of the film, Phillips led a discussion about the movie and had a meet and greet session with his fans.

The money raised at the event went toward the Star Bright foundation, a nonprofit group that supports San Antonio and Hill Country residents with developmental disabilities.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA
For $1,790 a month, you can rent a master bedroom in San Francisco's West Portal with ocean views and easy access to public transit. The major catch: No cooking allowed.

In North San Jose, you'll get a master bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and a private entrance for $1,400 a month. But read the fine print of the Craigslist ad: "No cooking, No drugs, No marijuana/pot, No smoking, No pets, No overnight guests."

Some Craigslist ads forbid kitchen use, but give tenants microwave and hot plate privileges. Others lack kitchens entirely, and even more say cooking isn't forbidden outright, but discouraged.

A listing near Stanford University for a $1,500-a-month "fully furnished" studio lacks some obvious furnishings; namely, a stove and oven. Though the Craigslist ad says a "fridge, microwave, and toaster" come with the rental, there is "no cooking inside the room or kitchen access." But concessions can be made: "An outdoor area is set up with cabinet/countertop, microwave and electric outlet right outside the room for light cooking."

ALSO: SF renters reveal secrets for snagging rooms in a crazy market

In an expensive city like San Francisco, tenants must sometimes take desperate measures  like renting apartments where food preparation is forbidden. It's not just renters feeling the pinch. Some homeowners may feel compelled to rent rooms in their private homes to simply stay afloat. In this case, a landlord might ask a tenant to abstain from using common spaces, like the kitchen, especially if there are other occupants in the home, including children.

A recent Bay Area Craigslist search with the term "no cooking" returned 93 hits, some of which specified "no cooking" in the unit or, less rigidly, "light cooking," for which no definition was given.

SFGATE reached out to some of these Craigslist posters, asking for clarification and explanation, but none responded.

We included some of the listings in the above gallery.

The legality of renting units without kitchen access or cooking abilities appears to vary among jurisdictions. No federal law enforced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires rental units to have kitchens, a spokesperson for the Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Office told SFGATE.

At the state level, things get more complicated. California Health and Safety Code (2.17920.3) says tenants must have access to necessities like a working toilet, heat, running water and a "kitchen sink" made of non-absorbent material. It does not specify if tenants must have access to cooking facilities, nor does it provide a definition of "kitchen."

California law does not require landlords to supply appliances, such as refrigerators and stoves. Different rules apply to single-room occupancy units, which are considered residential hotels.

SAY WHAT? 69 percent of San Franciscans think their rent is a 'good deal'

By this token, if a master tenant or landlord advertises a room in a unit that has a kitchen, he could ostensibly forbid the tenant from cooking or using the kitchen as long as the restriction is clearly stipulated in a contract, and the tenant continues to have access at least to the kitchen sink, said Joseph Tobener, an attorney specializing in tenant law and the managing partner at Tobener Ravenscroft in San Francisco.

In theory, this applies even in cities whose housing codes require that every dwelling unit comes equipped a kitchen, including municipalities like San Francisco and San Jose. "Kitchen" is defined as "any room used, or intended or designed to be used, for cooking and preparing food" in the San Jose Municipal Code (20.200.590).

To add to the complexity of the cooking issue, California law requires all rental units to have certificates of occupancy, a precedent established in the 1978 case Gruzen v. Henry. To qualify for a certificate of occupancy, the unit must have a kitchen, Tobener said. Without a certificate, the landlord cannot legally collect rent.

In the case that a landlord rented a unit with a kitchen, then took kitchen privileges away, the tenant could file a "decrease in housing services" complaint with the city, said Jennifer Rakowski, a San Francisco Rent Board supervisor. In San Francisco, the Rent Board "has no authority to compel the landlord to restore the service," according to documents on the agency's website, "but can only order a rent reduction for the loss of the housing service."

It's wise to know your rights, and to be aware that not every listing on Craigslist and similar sites meets legal requirements, Rakowski warns.

"If a landlord is renting a unit without kitchen facilities," she said, "it may be that the space is un-permitted."

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfgate.com.

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Former longtime San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley is auctioning off 13 years of Fiesta gear to raise money for the Young Women's Leadership Academy.

The auction is live online until March 31 and features Sculley's Fiesta vests, sashes and collector boxes that date back to 2006.
Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Cajun, healthy American. The Taste Team gets around, and this months collection of five great things to eat and drink in San Antonio is a whirlwind food tour.

We dug into pounds of crawfish, tacos full of other meats, real Turkish coffee, fresh-squeezed juices and San Antonios classic Shrimp Paesano.
TOA BAJA, PUERTO RICO - At the Casa Ismael clinic for HIV-positive men with severe health complications, the staff used to immediately change patients' diapers after they were soiled.

But last week, clinic administrator Myrna Izquierdo told the nurses that had to stop. To save money, the nonprofit clinic, which relies on its patients' food stamp money for funding, will ask patients to sit in diapers in which they have repeatedly urinated, sometimes for hours.

The Casa Ismael clinic is short on funds in part because of cuts in food stamps that hit about 1.3 million residents of Puerto Rico this month - a new crisis for an island still struggling from the effects of Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

"We just don't have the money right now," Izquierdo, 56, said in an interview in the clinic's sparse first-floor office, where a chunk of ceiling tiles remains missing since the hurricane. Izquierdo pulled out a chart with each patient's name, annotated with the cost of his Chugs and Pampers adult diapers for the month. "It's very hard. It is so unfair. That cut is going to kill us."

The federal government provided additional food stamp aid to Puerto Rico after the hurricane, but Congress missed the deadline for reauthorization in March as it focused on other issues before leaving for a week-long recess. Federal lawmakers have also been stalled by the Trump administration, which has derided the extra aid as unnecessary.

Now, about 43 percent of Puerto Rico's residents are grappling with a sudden cut to a benefit they rely on for groceries and other essentials.

And while Congress may address this issue soon, the lapse underscores the broader vulnerability of Puerto Rico's economy, as well as key safeguards of its safety net, to the whims of an increasingly hostile federal government with which it has feuded over key priorities.

Puerto Rico will again need the federal government's help to stave off drastic cuts to Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor and disabled, as well as for the disbursement of billions in hurricane relief aid that has not yet been turned over to the island.

The island would not need Congress to step in to fund its food stamps and Medicaid programs if it were a state. For U.S. states, the federal government has committed to funding these programs' needs, whatever the cost and without needing to take a vote. But Puerto Rico instead funds its programs through a block grant from the federal government, which need to be regularly renewed, and also gives food stamp benefits about 40 percent smaller than those of U.S. states.

After initially vowing to reject the food stamp funding, President Donald Trump has agreed to the emergency request to help Senate Republicans pass a broader disaster relief package, which may be taken up for a vote this week.

But at an Oval Office meeting on Feb. 22, Trump asked top advisers for ways to limit federal support from going to Puerto Rico, believing it is taking money that should be going to the mainland, according to senior administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details of the presidents' private remarks.

The meeting - an afternoon session focused on Housing and Urban Development grants - ended abruptly, and Trump has continued to ask aides how much money the island will get. Then, Trump said he wanted the money to only fortify the electric grid there.

Trump has also privately signaled he will not approve any additional help for Puerto Rico beyond the food stamp money, setting up a congressional showdown with Democrats who have pushed for more expansive help for the island.

A senior administration official with direct knowledge of the meeting described Trump's stance: "He doesn't want another single dollar going to the island."

- - -

Puerto Rico's government first started cutting benefits for food stamp beneficiaries by an average of 25 percent during the first week of March. By March 12, more than 670,000 people had received reduced monthly food stamp payments. The cuts were in effect for the entire program by Friday.

Congressional lawmakers knew of these deadlines for months. In January, House Democrats approved $600 million in additional food stamp funding to finance the program until the fall, but the bill immediately stalled in the Senate with the Trump administration releasing a letter calling the additional food stamp aid "excessive and unnecessary."

Multiple Senate Republicans, led by Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., have incorporated the $600 million for Puerto Rico in legislation aimed at helping farmers in states like Georgia who have been hurt by other storms, in a bid for broader support for their bill.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was rumored to be considering a vote in the middle of March on that package, which if passed could have spared about half the program beneficiaries on the island from cuts. Instead, Congress spent the week consumed in a debate over a vote to disapprove of Trump's emergency declaration for a border wall. It adjourned for an additional week without resolving the emergency relief package.

Congressional negotiators also remained divided on the exact contours of the funding bill, with Perdue's bill costing $13.5 billion and Senate Democrats seeing more than $14 billion, including some additional measures to help Puerto Rico that Senate Republicans do not believe Trump will support. Negotiations remained ongoing and unresolved as of late Friday night, but is expected to vote to begin debate on the emergency aid package this week, according to congressional aides.

The impasse comes amid a hardening opposition by the president against extending additional aid to Puerto Rico. Trump sees the island as fundamentally broken and has told advisers that no amount of money will ever fix its systemic problems.

He describes in meetings that large swaths of the island never had power to begin with and that it is "ridiculous" how much money is going to Puerto Rico in food stamp aid, according to the senior official. He has occasionally groused about how ungrateful political officials in Puerto Rico were for the administration's help, the official said.

Trump also read a Wall Street Journal story from October and became convinced that bondholders and others were profiting off federal government aid - and grew furious. (The story describes prices on Puerto Rico's bonds increasing after its governing fiscal board projected disaster funding would boost the island's overall economic health.) Since then, aides have described a president who regularly brings up the island to make sure it is not getting too much money. Current and former officials say Trump often complains in meetings that Puerto Rico doesn't even know how to spend the money the island has been allocated.

Additionally, Trump administration officials who defended the island - Tom Bossert, the former homeland security adviser, and Pam Patenaude, the former deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development - are no longer in the administration. Mick Mulvaney, Trump's acting chief of staff, has also been critical of how the island has spent its money.

- - -

The emergency food stamp aid approved by Congress after Maria gave the Puerto Rican economy an immediate cash infusion, while also shielding the hurricane's victims from the rising cost of basic food staples and safe water.

The Agranel supermarket group, for instance, has hired at least two employees - and often as many as seven - in each of its 37 stores since the hurricane, often in neighborhoods with very high rates of poverty and unemployment.

"It helps not only these poor communities, but injects the economy with money to start running. It helps the trucker who moves the food, the janitor who cleans the store, the guy who fixes the refrigerator where the food is stored," said Felix Aponte Lopez, a food supplier for Agranel. "It's had a very positive domino effect."

But now that the additional food stamp money has run out, Puerto Ricans see a familiar story in the unreliability of federal aid over which they have no control.

More for you Schumer estimates effect of Trump cuts on upstate

"The problems of Puerto Rico have a root cause problem attached to it: We don't have political power and are not treated as equal citizens," said Ricardo Rossello, Puerto Rico's governor, noting the island does not elect voting members of Congress (though it does elect a non-sitting member), or have a vote in U.S. presidential elections. "Maria has crystallized and enhanced this sense of powerlessness."

For Amadita Jimenez Gutierrez, 63, the food stamp infusion meant a near doubling of her income, to about $200 a month. Although she has not been paying rent and fears eviction, the higher food stamp benefit allowed her to cook more healthy meals.

But this month, Gutierrez's food stamp benefit fell to about $115, while a small cash supplement under the program was also cut from about $40 to around $20. As she walks through an aisle full of cooking supplies, Gutierrez said she will skip purchases of rice and beans this month, as well as detergent and cleaning supplies.

"We will buy less and eat less," she said.

Some Puerto Rico residents on food stamps will see a cash supplement that comes as part of the food stamp cut to levels lower than before the hurricane, in part because the island's government expanded the program's eligibility after Congress appropriated the emergency aid without providing permanent funding. The cuts also come as Puerto Ricans continue to struggle with the fallout from the hurricane: Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to states, while others continue to spend their money on repairs and other damage caused by Maria.

- - -

Luz Rivera Morales works full-time as a nurse at Auxilio Mutuo, one of the best hospitals in Puerto Rico. She has two daughters, aged 8 and 5, the youngest of which requires expensive asthma medication.

This month's food stamp cut reduced Rivera Morales's benefit from $420 a month to $218. She plans on having to stop or restrict purchases for yogurt, meat and vegetables for her and her children.

"Everything goes up. Nothing goes down," Rivera Morales, 33, said in an interview from a San Juan office of the Families Department, which administers the food stamp program. "Yes, I'm very worried."

Across the room from Rivera Morales sat Rafael Veles, 82, who had already been waiting for two hours to learn how severe his benefit cut will be. His wife of 56 years has Alzheimer's disease, and Veles - her caretaker - fears the cut will put the adult diapers he buys, at $16 for each package, outside of their budget.

"It's too little for our expenses," Veles said. "I have to change her diapers often, and the money is not enough to pay for the Pampers. Sometimes, I have to change her five times a day. It's not enough."

Cecilia Estrada, 88, saw her benefit cut to around $100 a month from around $200. Estrada said she will buy the cheapest things possible and is particularly worried about the cost of milk, at close to $5 a jug.

"I am buying only a few things, trying to make sure I don't spend more than I have," Estrada said while shuffling slowly through a Loiza supermarket in San Juan.

Of the Puerto Ricans on the food stamp program in February 2018, about 55 percent are children, elderly or disabled, according to the preliminary findings of a forthcoming research paper by Hector Cordero-Guzman, a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York.

Of the remaining 45 percent, about 42 percent were looking for work; 15 percent were working; and 17 percent were either in school or have a family-related reason for not being able to work, according to Cordero-Guzman's research.

In 2018, more than 200,000 disabled Puerto Rico residents relied on food stamps every month, according to Cordero-Guzman's research. Among them were the 11 men of Casa Ismael HIV clinic in Toa Baja.

Izquierdo's parents founded Casa Ismael after their son - Izquierdo's brother - died of HIV in Puerto Rico. Izquierdo, a professional accountant, decided to help her mother after the death of her father in 2016.

Izquierdo tries to break up the monotony of life in the home with special meals on Fridays, including the occasional lasagna or a homemade pizza. She will sometimes use the food stamp money to buy a birthday cake. On special occasions, she tries holding picnics outside, at least for the men who can take their wheelchairs down a rickety red ramp to the small backyard, which is still littered with debris from the hurricane.

But the food stamp cut reduced her budget by more than $1,000 every month. Earlier this month, Izquierdo went to Walgreens and charged three packs of Pampers to her credit card because they had run out completely.

Izquierdo said she will continue to cook lasagna and throw birthday parties regardless of the food stamp cuts. She has no idea how she will pay for them.

"We're just going to have to find a way," she said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Erica Werner in Washington contributed to this report.
One person was critically wounded among three men who were shot Monday morning outside a home in the Galena Park area, Houston Police said.

Three men were talking outside the home around midnight at North Carolina and Midway when an unknown vehicle pulled up.
A civilian Bexar County Sheriff's Office employee was fired Saturday after he was allegedly caught in a stolen vehicle.

Michael Bryant Thompson, 36, now faces a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was arrested and jailed by the Sutton County Sheriff's Office on Friday.

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Thompson was a probationary employee assigned to the Justice Intake Center. He was hired in October 2018.

"There is no way this person did not know the consequences of his actions. His short career with the BCSO is now over," said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.

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

Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com |

cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns
A San Antonio man punched, choked and bit a woman while sexually assaulting her in his home, according to police.

Max Timothy Macias, 29, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of sexual assault, Bexar County Jail records showed. He said he was innocent in an interview with mySA.com on Wednesday.

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According to Macias' arrest affidavit he and and the woman knew each other previously and ran into each other at a party earlier this month. The woman told police Macias slapped her at the party when she asked why he was there.

On Saturday, Macias called the woman and told her to come over and pick up sentimental items of hers at his home. He also told her his children, who she knew, would be there, the affidavit says.

When the woman showed up, she noticed the children were not there and her items were not packed up, according to the arrest affidavit.

The woman tried to leave, she told police, but Macias allegedly picked her up and threw the woman on his bed. He sexually assaulted her despite the woman telling him no and punching and kicking him, according to the affidavit.

She was able to escape when he left to take a shower, the affidavit says.

The woman called a friend and went straight to the hospital, according to the affidavit. Police noted the woman's body showed bruising and bite marks all over her body.

Macias denies that he ever raped the woman or assaulted her. The two did have a sexual encounter, but it was consensual, he said.

"I know I didn't do anything wrong with that girl," he said. "I feel like a failure of a father for bringing her into my kids' lives."

Macias said he had text messages from the woman that contradict her claims to police, and plans on sharing them with the detective.

Macias' bail was set at $45,000, jail records showed, because he was also charged with possession of a controlled substance. He also denied he was in possession of any drugs during his interview.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA
A man was killed early Sunday morning when the SUV he was driving struck another SUV on an access road causing his vehicle to roll onto N. Loop 1604 West, according to San Antonio Police.

Felipe Nava, 29, was ejected from his SUV and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

RELATED: Second arrest made in the shooting of a local Uber driver

Nava was driving west on the highway's access road near La Cantera Parkway at about 2:15 Sunday when the rollover occurred, according to a police report.

He "attempted to pass a Toyota Rav4 in the middle lane of the access road, but failed to safely pass and struck the back right quarter of the Toyota," the report read.

Nava's Lincoln Navigator then "rolled over across the grass median and landed on the main lanes of 1604," according to the report.

A passenger in the front seat of Nava's SUV was taken to University Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.

According to police at the scene, the rollover caused a chain reaction with other vehicles traveling on the highway and the frontage road. At least 10 other vehicles were either hit by the rolling vehicle, wrecked while trying to avoid it, or were struck by flying debris, police said.

No other injuries were reported.
On the heels of a successful test flight for the SpaceX vehicle being built to take humans to the International Space Station, Boeing's comparable vehicle is experiencing a months-long delay, according to Reuters.

Boeing first test flight of their Starliner crew capsule without humans onboard initially was scheduled to launch in April. But multiple sources told Reuters that it will now be delayed until August. That means the first crewed mission -- previously scheduled for August -- will not happen until November.

Earlier this month, SpaceX's Crew Dragon completed a successful test mission without humans onboard -- the first of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which maims to launch Americans from American soil for the first time since the Space Shuttles were grounded in 2011. The U.S. has relied on Russia to ferry its astronauts to and from the space station for eight years, at a cost of $82 million per seat.

SUCCESS: SpaceX's first test flight of the commercial crew program has returned home

SpaceX officials plan a June test of the in-flight emergency abort system, which would allow crew members to escape if necessary during ascent. The test must go smoothly if they want to launch the first Crew Dragon mission with humans on board, currently scheduled for this summer.

NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are currently scheduled to fly on SpaceX's first crewed flight.

Boeing and SpaceX were awarded contracts totaling $6.8 billion by NASA in 2014 to build commercial vehicles, but have faced numerous setbacks.

Both SpaceX and Boeing failed to make the initial deadline of flying crews in 2018. NASA also is investigating the workplace culture, including possible drug use, at both companies. The investigation does not appear to have impacted the flight schedules.

If these schedules hold, the companies could, theoretically, meet the deadline to take U.S. astronauts to the Space Station before NASAs contract with the Russians runs out in November 2019. But a July report from the Government Accountability Office warned that NASA might need more wiggle room.

NASA officials previously said they could adjust the Soyuz flights to the space station to bleed into 2020, but the agency now is considering buying two more seats on the Soyuz to take astronauts there while SpaceX and Boeing complete their spacecrafts.

A pre-solicitation notice released Feb. 13 stated that past experience has shown the difficulties associated with achieving first flights on time in the final year of development.

This notice follows a report released in October by a NASA safety panel that called into question both companies timelines and construction.

NASA plans to release an updated launch schedule for the two companies this week.

Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.

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Its not easy to see a friend struggle. And its even harder if that friend is running for president in a crowded field of Democratic contenders  and not getting his fair share of the spotlight.

You get frustrated because while voters in Iowa and New Hampshire try to figure him out after meeting him for only 15 minutes, what you understand after knowing him for 15 years are his core qualities: authenticity, humility, competence, integrity.

You know that your friend has minimal baggage and that this comes from another quality that seems in short supply in politics these days: accountability. While others could flout the law in their youth and escape the consequences because of their privilege, your friend has had to walk a straight line or else answer to his family, friends and community.

Julian Castro is not accustomed to coming in second  or 12th. An overachiever who grew up always knowing the answers to the quiz, the former secretary of Housing and Urban Development is now facing his biggest test.

His presidential campaign has gotten off to a rocky start.

One reason is that hes trailing in the crucial media primary. Other candidates are more frequently the topic of conversation on TV chatfests where pundits, reporters and anchors give their take on what they expect will be the Final Four. At the moment, thats Joe Biden, Beto ORourke, and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris.

Castro, who is polling nationally in the low single digits, doesnt schmooze with the media. Whether hes talking to New York Magazine or Politico, he often scolds the Fourth Estate for not being more racially and ethnically diverse.

Good point. If our media looked more like America, the folks in New York and Washington might be better able to grasp the historical significance of his campaign and give it a fair hearing. For instance, its absurd for white journalists to constantly ask him why he doesnt speak perfect Spanish when  according to marketing figures  about 80 percent of Latinos in the United States speak English or a combination of both languages.

Yet where Castro hits his stride is in retail politics. Art Cullen, the editor of the Storm Lake Times in Northwest Iowa, was impressed, calling him ever polite, smiling, self-deprecating and unassuming. He is smart and affable, and he listens.

And, for someone who almost became a journalist before he went to law school, Castro is also good at telling a story. Lately, he has posted videos from small towns in Iowa where he talks with local folks about the positive impact of immigration in their communities.

He understands that, in presidential campaigns, what seems to matter today will be forgotten a few weeks now. He recently told The Texas Tribune that hes confident that hell do well by the time people start voting.

I caught up with Castro during a recent swing through California. The first thing I asked him: Does he want it bad enough?

I wouldnt put myself through this crazy process in this day and age, wouldnt have to run the gantlet of everything from a million different criticisms to Twitter trolls to outright lies about you as a person unless I had a great passion for making a difference in this country, he said. Im not the loudest candidate or the loudest personality, but Ive shown my desire to make a big difference for people. I believe thats what counts.

Of course, these days, what really counts is putting on a show. So, I asked, whats The Julian Show?

Theres always some showmanship, he said. The question is, what kind of show do people want right now? And this campaign is a counterprogram to Donald Trumps show. People want the opposite of Trump  somebody whos levelheaded, inclusive, honest, focused on the future and trying to bring people together instead of tearing them apart.

Finally, I asked, does it bother him that other hopefuls get more attention?

Right now, Im more concerned about the basic building blocks of a successful campaign than whether Im in the spotlight all the time, he said. People can have the spotlight a year from the voting. What I want is solid building blocks and a strong campaign in a race thats in play.

While others say they were born to run for president, Castro always stresses that he was not born a front-runner. In fact, he says, there are a lot of Americans who today dont feel much like front-runners. Yet, every day, just like him, they lace up their sneakers and continue the race.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
San Antonio is lucky to be one of a few large American cities where electricity and water are provided by publicly owned utilities. We are not at the mercy of private corporations maximizing profit at our expense and changing ownership by hedge fund speculators.

But how different are SAWS and CPS Energy? Each has a board of trustees, with members approved by City Council. Our mayor serves as an ex-officio member of each board. Each must submit customer rate proposals to City Council for approval.

Unfortunately, city oversight is more apparent than real. Both utilities have a long history of functioning as private corporations seeking maximum revenue, service growth and promotion of city business growth, with City Council rubber stamping rate increases, board nominees and wasteful misguided projects like Vista Ridge and Spruce 2. These are both billion-dollar projects that should never have been built, were built over heated public opposition and will become stranded assets, costing us all.

Our city government accepts one-third of its budget from utility sources as recompense for its hands-off approach to our publicly owned utilities.

In the past, we put the public back in our public utilities. Public policy direction of our utilities should be set by the City Council; our utilities should act in accord with those policies. Our utilities should not have their own legislative agendas and their own paid lobbyists in Austin. These efforts should be integrated into city efforts.

Major public policy decisions should be initiated and vetted by our city, not the utility. Resource planning by the city of San Antonio, with full public involvement throughout, would have avoided the Vista Ridge and Spruce 2 debacles.

Utility board meetings should follow open government rules, and CPS Citizens Advisory Committee should not function in secret. Board appointments should be done by a public process, with published criteria and questionnaires for selection. Interviews with applicants should be public with the same participation guidelines the city recently adopted for itself. CEO selection for CPS and SAWS should be handled in a similar public process and city manager likewise.

Our CEOs, Paula Gold-Williams of CPS and Robert R. Puente of SAWS, like our city manager, should have public accountability. How, for example, is it possible to have no conflict of interest with Gold-Williams serving as chair of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce?

For the second time in a year, CPS has selected  in secret  a new board member, who will have some token public outreach opportunities, and like City Manager Erik Walsh, go to council for an up or down vote. SAWS board Chairman Berto Guerra is nearing the end of his second four-year term, to which he is legally limited. Nonetheless, there is no action by SAWS to begin replacement proceedings  Guerra having indicated his desire to continue on until Vista Ridge water begins flowing in 2020.

Our democracy is crippled by a good old boy network that holds us in a growth is good, sprawl is great model. We need more than diversity of gender and ethnic origin on our boards and council. Diversity of thought would make the CPS Energy and SAWS boards stronger, but this process of self-selecting replacements without public input all but guarantees that wont happen.

At their first Council A Session, council and Mayor Ron Nirenberg passed a resolution committing us to meet the Paris climate agreement goals. Now, the city has released a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan without any commitment from CPS to end its use of fossil fuels. This plan needs to be backed up with real action. CPS fails to commit, sticking to its false flexible stance. I urge voters to judge our council and mayor by their actions to rein in our utilities now.

Terry Burns, M.D., is chair of the Alamo Group, Sierra Club.
President Donald Trump has made fearmongering about socialism a key plank of his re-election campaign. Its more lazy name-calling from a lazy thinker, but this time the lazy name-calling may backfire.

For years, Trump has premised his political pitch on the idea that he alone can protect Americans from the many invaders who wish us harm  chiefly immigrants, terrorists and globalists. Lately, hes added another boogeyman to the bunch, one thats supposedly homegrown: socialists.

In this years State of the Union, he declared, Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country, as if that were ever truly a risk. He has now enlisted his economic advisers in his fight against the great socialist straw man.

Ever since 1947, the White House Council of Economic Advisers has released its annual Economic Report of the President. This enormous tome is supposed to summarize the trends in the economy and lay out the presidents vision for solving ongoing and future challenges. Though the document usually has some political spin  the presidents economic advisers want their boss to look good, after all  it usually sticks to legitimate economic concerns facing the country.

Not so this time. When the council released its report this week, it bizarrely included an entire chapter seemingly designed to flesh out cable-news talking points about how Democrats secretly want to turn the United States into a socialist hellscape. Readers of the report might reasonably come away thinking that the most pressing economic questions facing the U.S. economy include: Was collective farming under Mao Zedong successful? How much did Joseph Stalin end up shrinking the livestock population?

If these throwbacks seem wholly unrelated to any of the debates were actually having right now as a country, thats because they are.

The real debate Americans are having  including those on the far left trying to gain greater control of the Democratic Party  is about how regulated markets should be and how to make the rules fairer. No one in the 2020 race is proposing that we re-create the Great Leap Forward.

Despite what you may have heard from Team Trump, all modern countries have elements of capitalism and socialism.

That includes the United States. We have public schools, public roads, subsidized health care for the elderly and other forms of social insurance. Yet we also have private property, and the government does not control the means of production  which is, you know, actually how socialism is defined.

Trump and his advisers pretend otherwise, in the hopes of confusing and freaking out the public. After all, most people know theyre supposed to be afraid of socialism, even if they have no idea what the term means.

In fact, in a Gallup poll last year that asked Americans to explain their understanding of the term socialism, responses were all over the map. The most common answer, volunteered by about a quarter of respondents, was that it had something to do with equality  equal standing for everybody, all equal in rights, equal in distribution, something to that effect. Smaller percentages mentioned communism, government control of utilities or even talking to people, being social, social media, getting along with people.

Given this level of confusion, its not clear that Trumps strategy to smear the Democratic Party as a Socialist Menace will be terribly effective.

Sure, maybe itll mobilize older people who lived through the Cold War and associate socialism with the evil Soviet Union. But Trump probably already had the old people vote locked up.

Whether it will scare younger people is a separate question. A majority of adults younger than 30 view the term socialism positively; about 40 percent of those ages 30 to 49 say the same.

That might be because of dissatisfaction with the results of the existing (predominantly capitalist) economic system. But it might perversely also be because Republicans have been so relentless in their alarmist attacks on socialism  or, rather, socialism.

Over the past 60 years  since Ronald Reagan warned that Medicare would doom the country to the s-word  the GOP has turned into the boy who cried socialism. If you persist in describing popular and not-all-that-radical policies as socialist (protections for pre-existing conditions or letting kids stay on their parents health insurance until age 26), at some point the term starts to lose its negative value.

crampell@washpost.com
Zimbabweans from all walks of life, including war veterans in opposition parties, should unite and call for the lifting of illegal Western sanctions as they are a direct attack on Zimbabwe and designed to divide the people.

Western countries including America and Britain have been accused of pursuing sanctions as a smokescreen to plunder the countrys natural resources.

Addressing war veterans leadership from Mashonaland West in Chinhoyi last week, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association secretary-general Cde Victor Matemadanda said the West was working with locals in a bid to destabilise the country.

America, Britain and their local henchmen Nelson Chamisa (MDC Alliance leader) want to divide Zimbabweans so that imperialists can plunder our natural resources, he said.

Let those war veterans and others who have strayed be persuaded to come back home so that we march together to the American embassy to tell them that they will never be able to divide us. We know that we need to defend our country from American imperialism.

War veterans plan to march to the United States embassy in Harare to demand the unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions.

Cde Matemadanda said Zimbabwes economy had suffered under the weight of the sanction including the decimation of the national herd owing to failure to access vaccines.

He said America had left a trail of destruction and tribulation in the countries that it had entered including Afghanistan, Libya and Iraq among others.

America, he said, has never been a peacemaker.

Turning to Advocate Chamisa, Cde Matemadanda said he should sober up and disengage from the election mode saying the people rejected him in the July 30, 2018 Harmonised Elections.

Chamisa has been asked to produce evidence to substantiate claims that he won the election but has failed. He has been asked to produce V11 forms and primary evidence but failed.

He just insists that he won. The country cannot be in a perpetual election mode. The people rejected him but he says they others who like me.

If people are voting, they do not sweat to prove that they have rejected you. They do it quietly while placing an X for the opponent, he said.

Chamisa has been brawling with Mnangagwa ever since he narrowly lost the hotly-disputed July 30 presidential election  whose result he vigorously challenged at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court).

The youthful opposition leader even went to the extent of accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of manipulating the poll results in favour of the Zanu PF leader and asked the electoral body to open their server for everyone to see the correct results that were punched in real time but the authorities have denied.

But Mnangagwas victory was upheld by the Con-Court, which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide evidence that he had won the election.

In the meantime, Mnangagwa and his government are battling to turn around the countrys sickly economy.

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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune

2020

Readers, here is a standalone Water Cooler on the Mueller report. Needless to say, I havent been following the ins and outs of #RussiaGate, as I suppose I have to call it, in any detail. What follows, then, is press coverage with commentary (as opposed to an over-arching theory of the case). Twitter-haters, there will be a lot of tweets; like it or not, thats the field this story is being fought out on. I wish this were more coherent than it is, but cest la vie! Have at it!

(1) BREAKING:

Good morning. The NYT didn't even try to caveat the truth to make the medicine go down a bit more smoothly for their readers. Their front-page headline this morning, as crystal clear as it gets: pic.twitter.com/9tCoHByQWB  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 25, 2019

(2) Moving the goalposts from collusion to obstruction of justice. As for example: Whether Trump obstructed justice isnt the attorney generals call to make. Its Congress decision. So, that should keep the clicks coming for another few years.

Obstruction of justice as defined by FindLaw:

Elements of an Obstruction of Justice Charge The elements required for a conviction on an obstruction of justice charge differ slightly by code section. For instance, prosecutors must prove the following elements for a conviction under section 1503 of the federal statute (influencing or injuring an officer or juror): There was a pending federal judicial proceeding; The defendant knew of the proceeding; and The defendant had corrupt intent to interfere with or attempted to interfere with the proceeding. But regardless of the specific section of federal law (1501 through 1521) cited in a particular case, the prosecution need not prove any actual obstruction  the defendants attempt to obstruct is enough. The element of intent, which is central to such cases, is also usually the most difficult to prove; although memos, phone calls, and recorded conversations may be used as evidence to establish this.

IANAL. Its not clear to me how you prove intent with Trump at all, because he emits so much bullshit his intent is opaque. I also dont know whether there must be an underlying crime for obstruction; Guiliani says so, but the above seems to say not. It would seem to me, however, that Trump, by not firing Rosenstein or Mueller, has a case for not obstructing (assuming the Comey case can be distinguished).

Oh, goalposts:

Watching a procession of MSNBC voices downplay the Mueller probe or double-down on the conspiracy theory, Im realizing that a moving the goalpost .gif doesnt cut it. Anyone got a .gif where an entire stadium is uprooted, loaded onto a spaceship, & moved to a different galaxy?  Aaron Mate (@aaronjmate) March 23, 2019

(3) Good journalists and writers. Axios, of all places: Be smart: These liberals/contrarians are right  they got this story and outcome more right than many who dominated Twitter and cable news. Heres a handy list. There are more than you would think. Thread:

Who never succumbed to Russiagate hysteria? Below a list of 50 journalists, commentators etc & 15 media organizations who remained rationally skeptical throughout the Mueller investigation: -Glenn Greenwald @ggreenwald

-Michael Tracey @mtracey

-Scott Horton @scotthortonshow  Koen (@KoenSwinkels) March 23, 2019

And of course Taibbi. Commenting on reaction to this post:

Im not celebrating. Im no fan of Donald Trump. I covered his campaign and wrote a whole book ripping him. What I care about it is this profession, which has been marred for a generation by this story. https://t.co/hSXrVAFODc  Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) March 24, 2019

(4) Deprogramming: A giant task, and who even knows if it can be performed?

NPR tote bag people are my people. Professors, lawyers, wriers, even college deans; professionals all. So this is extremely distressing to me:

This is the saddest thing I've ever read. Robert Mueller was George Bush's post-9/11 FBI Chief who rounded up Muslims and was a key figure in WMD lies. And now this: https://t.co/g0wOIuC8jQ  Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 22, 2019

And on this matter, at least, they all need to be gently led away. I cant think of a historical precedent. Perhaps the bursting of the South Seas bubble?

Cognitive dissonance:

Imagine how profoundly disorienting this moment is for consumers of liberal media, who were peddled a delusional and dangerous conspiracy theory as legitimate "news." https://t.co/5pISyAGgIz  Mollie (@MZHemingway) March 25, 2019

Bogus collusion tale

The view from brunch:

#DonaldTrump has forced us to live through war as a nation for the last two years; he has caused depression, despair, confusion and death. We're not just sick at heart, but literally sick from him; from uncontrollable rage at the thought that he will get away with his crimes.  Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) March 25, 2019

Where were these people when Bush whacked a few hundred thousand brown people? Or Obama destroyed a generation of black wealth?

(5) 2016

Maybe now the Democrats will do a 2016 post mortem?

What Democrats really wanted from Mueller is evidence Clinton was a good candidate.  Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) March 25, 2019

Because Stollers not wrong.

(6) 2020

Mueller report reprieve becomes Trumps re-election weapon [Associated Press]. As the presidents lawyers debated legal strategy, Trump aides and political allies developed a plan to turn the end of the probe into the launching pad for a new round of attacks on the presidents foes and a moment to reinvigorate his supporters in the run-up to the 2020 campaign. Trump surrogates rushed to take a victory lap, depict the probe as a failed coup and rub the results in the face of Democrats, many of whom had spent months promising that Mueller would turn up more.  Well, if one does not characterize #RussiaGate as a failed coup (see Naked Capitalism here), how ought one to characterize it? What is giving the intelligence community veto power over the selection of a President other than a coup? And if #RussiaGate is what they did to Trump, imagine what theyll do to Sanders.

And then Mike Gravel:

It's almost like focusing on weird neo-McCarthyite conspiracy theories about Russia for two years wasn't a winning strategy for the Democratic Party https://t.co/QOzoXnKDqt  Mike Gravel (@MikeGravel) March 24, 2019

Of course, theres also the issue that in 2020 Trump can say  with reason, after two solid years of hysteria from almost every venue over what turned out to be a damp squib  that press coverage of his campaign is, well, fake news. And how exactly will the press go about disproving that? What a weapon theyve handed him. Mueller report: Trump cleared of conspiring with Russia. After all the yammering and stamping and frothing and mimosas!

(7) The Berlusconi Precedent:

Holding office rather than power:

Apropos of nothing in particular, one of the most disastrous mistakes of the Italian left during the Berlusconi years was waiting for the justice system to disqualify him from political office or, better still, jail him.  Giovanni Tiso (@gtiso) March 24, 2019

Exactly what liberal Democrats did with Mueller. I dont understand the mentality; the wish for an external, apolitical authority figure to come in and settle the matter. Why not practice politics, instead? As the Financial Times says:

Liberals, on the other hand, are like a child who has discovered Santa Claus does not exist. Enormous faith was invested in Mr Muellers report as a magic bullet to solve the Trump problem. By the same token, an outsized role was conferred on Vladimir Putin as the evil genius who robbed Hillary Clinton of the presidency. There were large dollops of evidence supporting both views.

I dont understand the liberal Democrat need to demonize Trump, either; perhaps so they can keep him distinct, mentally, from the other very rich figures in their donor class? Back to Berlusconi

The case for normalizing Trump [Vox]. From 2016, still germane: [S]everal students of authoritarian populist movements abroad have a different message. To beat Trump, what his opponents need to do is practice ordinary humdrum politics. Populists in office thrive on a circus-like atmosphere that casts the populist leader as persecuted by media and political elites who are obsessed with his uncouth behavior while he is busy doing the peoples work. To beat Trump, progressives will need to do as much as they can to get American politics out of reality show mode. And the precedent: In a post-election op-ed, [Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago] revisited these themes and observed that the two politicians who beat Berlusconi in elections  former Prime Minister Romano Prodi and current Prime Minister Matteo Renzi  had two important things in common:  Both of them treated Mr. Berlusconi as an ordinary opponent. They focused on the issues, not on his character . In different ways, both of them are seen as outsiders, not as members of what in Italy is defined as the political caste.  Needless to say, the Democrats have taken  and will continue to take, absent deprogramming their base  a different approach.

Interestingly, however, Buttigieg agrees with Zingales:

Interesting @PeteButtigieg answer on whether Mueller findings could end the Trump presidency. Short answer: Not really! pic.twitter.com/bWehHeq1GS  Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) March 23, 2019

Gotta say I like that answer. Its articulate, like Obama, but substantive in a way that Obama never quite was.

(8) Talking Points: At least theyre consistent about some things:

Someone got the memo pic.twitter.com/RRIHqUAqeT  Undercover Huber (@JohnWHuber) March 24, 2019

(9) The IT perspective

Mueller report confirms no Linux on the desktop.  SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) March 25, 2019

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (Peter):

Peter writes: First trillium  Redmond, Washington. You get a bonus plant, this one for spring!

* * *

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By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

Friday was World Water Day and the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF) produced a report, Water Under Fire, documenting how deadly tainted water can be to children in war zones.

Lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is far more dangerous to children in conflict zones than direct violence. From the report:

In protracted conflicts, children younger than 15 are, on average, nearly three times more likely to die from diarrhoeal disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than violence directly linked to conflict and war. For younger children, the impact of unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene is greater: Children under 5 are more than 20 times more likely to die from diarrhoeal disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than violence in conflict (report, p. 3)

The report isnt based on anecdote and examined World Health Organization (WHO) mortality estimates in 16 countries undergoing protracted conflict: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen. World Health Organization (WHO) mortality estimates were used for collective violence and diarrhoeal disease.

Using HO data covering 2014-2016 and published in 2018, the report concluded that 85,700 children under the age of fifteen died from WASH-related diarrhea, compared to 31,000 deaths due to direct violence. Most deaths were of children under the age of five, 72,000 of whom died due to diarrhoea, compared to 3,400 from direct violence (report, p. 5).

Wider Problem

The report didnt offer much by way of solutions, other than a call to combatants to stop targeting water infrastructure during such conflicts.

The problem of WASH fatalities isnt limited to war zones, and it is expected to get worse, due to increased water scarcity, some of which may be exacerbated by climate change. As the Guardian reports in Diarrhoea kills more children in war zones than war itself  Unicef more than 4 billion people and 844 million lack access to water close to home.

WaterAid, a non-profit set up in 1981, estimates diarrhea caused by dirty water and a lack of sanitation kills nearly 800 children a day.

Solutions: Bangladeshs Success

But countries dont have to capitulate. One country thats slashed the number of childhood deaths due to diarrhoea is Bangladesh, a country that was itself a war zone not so long ago, when in 1971 it fought a liberation war against what was then called West Pakistan and achieved its independence.

During a month-long visit in 2009, I learned about the work of BRAC, now the largest non-governmental development organisation in the world (in terms of employees). Sir Fazle Abed established BRAC in 1972 immediately after the 1971 war. Wikipedia reports that BRAC is present in all 64 districts of Bangladesh as well as 13 other countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas

As I travelled around the country conducting research about its textile traditions, I visited many villages. In these, many people  mostly women  produced handicrafts and textiles, in operations organized and overseen by BRAC and its social enterprise, Aarong.

Much more than any details about textiles or their production, whats stuck with me now, a decade later, is how one simple, low-cost initiatives could save so many lives. In the humblest of villages, I saw women with mstrings or simple necklaces hung around their necks,from which dangled a small, two headed spoon  about the size of a teaspoon on one side, and a tablespoon on the other. They were taught that when I child caught diarrhoea, it was necessary to find fresh water, and make homemade Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), by dissolving roughly one teaspoon salt to one tablespoon of sugar into IIRC a liter or so of water.

Now, as I was researching this post today, I learned a bit more about the history of ORS treatment, which is credited with having saved 50 million lives worldwide and which The Lancet described in 1978 as potentially the most important medical advance of the 20th century, according to PRIs account, A simple solution: The history of ORS in Bangladesh.

The ORS treatment  originally a simple electrolyte blend used to treat cholera- was developed by Bangladeshi and US researchers in the late 1960s, at the Pakistan-SEATO, the predecessor of what is now the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), located in Dhaka.

According to PRI:

The American researchers, a group of young doctors, had opted to go overseas as part of a US government program, in lieu of serving in the Vietnam War. At the time, the United States was more insular, and Third World diseases like diarrhea were not typically discussed in medical schools, said Dr. Richard Cash, one of the researchers. . In the 1970s, BRAC  collaborated with icddr,b to devise a rigorously monitored process to teach mothers to make the mixture at home. Starting in 1980, more than 12 million Bangladeshi mothers were taught to make ORS, a program that saved countless lives, according to Cashs book, A Simple Solution. That knowledge took hold: Since 2007, the 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey reports, about 78 percent of children with diarrhea have been treated with ORS, which is readily available at shops and clinics today.

A 2018 account in The Economist, How Bangladesh vanquished diarrhoea, tells more of this success story:

IN THE 27 years since he became headmaster of a school in Trishal, in northern Bangladesh, Mohamed Iqbal Baher has noticed some changes in his pupils. Although boys and girls are often absent because they are helping their parents in the fields, they miss fewer lessons because of illness. Mr Baher does not recall an outbreak of cholera in the past ten years. And, although he cannot be sure, he thinks that pupils are taller than they used to be. If so, it is probably because they were healthier infants. In 1993-94, 14% of Bangladeshi babies aged between 6 and 11 months had suffered an attack of diarrhoea in the previous two weeks, according to their parents, who were responding to a household survey. That is an important stage in a childs development, but also a period of great vulnerability to stomach bugs, as babies are weaned. By 2004 the proportion of stricken babies had fallen to 12%, and in 2014 it had dropped below 7%. Stuntingbeing extremely short for ones agehas declined roughly in parallel.

Between 2006 and 2015, BRAC has helped more than 5 million households construct toilets. Constructing toilets has, to be sure, been important in reducing the incidence of enteric disease  but so also has been the use ORS to treat it. Over to the Economist again:

The abating of enteric disease, together with the growing use of salty rehydration solutions to treat it, has spared many lives. In Matlab, a part of Bangladesh with good data, deaths from diarrhoea and dysentery have dropped by about 90% since the early 1990s (see chart). That decline helps to explain how Bangladesh has pulled off a remarkable feat. Though it is still one of Asias poorest countries, with only half the GDP per person of India, Bangladesh now has a child-mortality rate lower than India or Pakistan, and indeed lower than the world average (Jerri-Lynn here: my emphasis).

I should mention that Bangladesh has a GDP per capita of roughly half of India, but has a lower child mortality rate.

What Is To Be Done?

The latest Unicef report makes for depressing reading. Diarrhea will continue to be a major cause of childhood fatalities in war zones.

But outside of such conflict zones, Bangladesh has shown that even the poorest countries can reduce such deaths with treatment as simple as some sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Whats more difficult is to ensure wider access to clean water. There, Bangladesh has also shown how that can be done.

And must.

The alternative is too dire.
By Ryan P. Mulligan, Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, Queens University, Ontario. Originally published at The Conversation

When tropical cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira, Mozambique on March 14, a spokesperson for the UN World Meteorological Organization called it possibly the the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere.

This massive and horrifying storm caused catastrophic flooding and widespread destruction of buildings and roads in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Mozambiques President Filipe Nyusi feared the death toll might rise to more than 1,000 people.

Cyclones, also known as hurricanes or typhoons, are intense wind storms that can take thousands of lives and cause billions of dollars in damage. They generate large ocean waves and raise water levels by creating a storm surge. The combined effects cause coastal erosion, flooding and damage to anything in its path.

Although other storms have hit this African coast in the past, the storm track for cyclone Idai is fairly rare. Warmer-than-usual sea-surface temperatures were directly linked to the unusually high number of five storms near Madagascar and Mozambique in 2000, including tropical cyclone Eline. Warmer ocean temperatures could also be behind the intensity of cyclone Idai, as the temperature of the Indian Ocean is 2 C to 3 C above the long-term average.

Climate change and ocean warming may be linked to the increasing intensity of storms making landfall and to the development of strong hurricanes reaching places not affected in recent history. These regions may not be prepared with the coastal infrastructure to withstand the extreme forces of these storms.

The Role of Climate Change

Scientists are working to improve their forecasts for hurricane winds and waves, and research on ocean and atmosphere interactions is boosting our understanding of the relationship between climate and the formation of hurricanes. Still, there is considerable uncertainty in predicting trends in extreme weather conditions 100 years into the future. Some computer simulations suggest possible changes in these storms due to climate change.

Tropical cyclone Idai rapidly strengthened to a category 3 storm in the warm waters between Mozambique and Madagascar. (NOAA)

For example, scientists have computed detailed simulations of hurricane-type storms for future climate-warming scenarios and revealed that in some cases the hurricane season could be longer. The intensity of storms could also increase so that there are more major hurricanes (categories 4 and 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) with winds reaching speeds greater than 209 km/h.

Since these storms are fuelled by ocean heat, warmer ocean conditions will influence their intensity and longevity. This may enable them to travel farther over ocean water at higher latitudes, and farther across the continent after they make landfall.

With global sea level rise expected to continue to accelerate through the 21st century, the impacts of coastal flooding from tropical cyclones is also expected to worsen.

Atlantic Hurricanes

On the Atlantic coast of North America, the hurricane season starts in June and runs to November. We have very recent reminders that these storms can be catastrophic. Hurricane Maria, which struck Puerto Rico in 2017, caused infrastructure damage of US$90 billion and may have killed more than 4,600 people.

Urban areas can take weeks or months to recover from the flooding caused by the storm surge, which can be compounded by heavy rainfall. When the category 4 hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, it caused US$125 billion in damage, mostly due to flooding in the metropolitan area.

Hurricanes that reach places that historically have not been affected have major and long-lasting impacts. An example is hurricane Sandy in 2012, the largest storm on record in the Atlantic Ocean. This storm made a westward turn that is very different from typical tropical hurricane tracks.

Homes in Ortley Beach, N.J. destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)

Its waves and storm surge pounded the coasts of New Jersey and New York, with a huge impact washing over coastal dunes, eroding beachesand causing flooding in New York City.

It also had a major economic impact, costing US$71 billion with long-term effects on the coastal environment and lasting socioeconomicimpacts in a densely populated area.

Damage to Coasts

Hurricanes can cause severe erosion and breach islands, creating new pathways for water flow between the ocean and back-barrier estuaries. As these storms impact land, they can also create a dangerous multi-hazard environment of fast-moving air, water and debris.

Urban coastal areas are under a major threat, since coastal structures may not have been designed for the waves and surges that these storms generate. Hurricane Katrina, the mega-disaster that took more than 1,200 lives and cost US$161 billion in 2005, taught engineers the hard way that hurricanes can cause unanticipated loads on bridges, buildings and coastal structures.

The amount of damage a hurricane creates depends on the intensity and characteristics of the storm, combined with the physical and social setting of the coastal area that it hits. Cities face a high risk of hurricane-related disasters, since they contain higher populations and more infrastructure. This can lead to widespread and catastrophic impacts, such as the massive storm surge and flooding generated by typhoon Haiyan, which lead to more than 6,000 deaths in the Philippines in 2013.

Future Impacts

Regardless of changes to the climatic conditions that cause hurricanes to form and intensify, the fact is that these storms already occur frequently. Each year, 80 to 100 tropical storms occur globally. Of these, 40 to 50 are hurricanes, with 10 to 15 classified as major hurricanes.



Hurricane Isabel made landfall on North Carolinas Outer Banks on Sept. 18, 2003. Its effects were felt as far as western New England and into the eastern Great Lakes. NASA

Climate change projections suggest the number of intense hurricanes will rise. Ocean warming will enable these storms to travel farther, and we may see greater hurricane impacts on coasts in the future.

This could include more storm strikes to northern coasts in places like Atlantic Canada, where hurricane Juan made landfall in 2003.

We may also see more hurricanes reaching large inland lakes such as the Great Lakes, affecting major cities like Toronto and Chicago. Rare events, such as hurricane Ophelia that hit Ireland in 2017, may become more common.

When we build houses, roads and bridges and increase population density in low-lying coastal areas, we walk a fine line if these coastal regions are not prepared for the ferocity of extreme storms in the future.
Yves here. Get a cup of coffee. Taibbis Russiagate piece is epic.

By Matt Taibbi, author of The Divide, Griftopia, The Business Secrets of Drug Dealing, and Hate, Inc. Originally published at Substack

Note to readers: in light of news that Special Prosecutor Robert Muellers investigation is complete, Im releasing this chapter of Hate Inc. early, with a few new details added up top.

Nobody wants to hear this, but news that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is headed home without issuing new charges is a death-blow for the reputation of the American news media.

As has long been rumored, the former FBI chiefs independent probe will result in multiple indictments and convictions, but no presidency-wrecking conspiracy charges, or anything that would meet the laymans definition of collusion with Russia.

With the caveat that even this news might somehow turn out to be botched, the key detail in the many stories about the end of the Mueller investigation was best expressed by the New York Times:

A senior Justice Department official said that Mr. Mueller would not recommend new indictments.

The Times tried to soften the emotional blow for the millions of Americans trained in these years to place hopes for the overturn of the Trump presidency in Mueller. Nobody even pretended it was supposed to be a fact-finding mission, instead of an act of faith.

The Special Prosecutor literally became a religious figure during the last few years, with votive candles sold in his image and Saturday Night Live cast members singing All I Want for Christmas is You to him featuring the rhymey line: Mueller please come through, because the only option is a coup.

The Times story today tried to preserve Santa Muellers reputation, noting Trumps Attorney General William Barrs reaction was an endorsement of the fineness of Muellers work:

In an apparent endorsement of an investigation that Mr. Trump has relentlessly attacked as a witch hunt, Mr. Barr said Justice Department officials never had to intervene to keep Mr. Mueller from taking an inappropriate or unwarranted step.

Mueller, in other words, never stepped out of the bounds of his job description. But could the same be said for the news media?

For those anxious to keep the dream alive, the Times published its usual graphic of Trump-Russia contacts, inviting readers to keep making connections. But in a separate piece by Peter Baker, the paper noted the Mueller news had dire consequences for the press:

It will be a reckoning for President Trump, to be sure, but also for Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, for Congress, for Democrats, for Republicans, for the news media and, yes, for the system as a whole

This is a damning page one admission by the Times. Despite the connect-the-dots graphic in its other story, and despite the astonishing, emotion-laden editorial the paper also ran suggesting We dont need to read the Mueller report because we know Trump is guilty, Baker at least began the work of preparing Times readers for a hard question: Have journalists connected too many dots that do not really add up?

The paper was signaling it understood there would now be questions about whether or not news outlets like itself made galactic errors by betting heavily on a new, politicized approach, trying to be true to historys judgment on top of the hard-enough job of just being true. Worse, in a brutal irony everyone should have seen coming, the press has now handed Trump the mother of campaign issues heading into 2020.

Nothing Trump is accused of from now on by the press will be believed by huge chunks of the population, a group that (perhaps thanks to this story) is now larger than his original base. As Baker notes, a full 50.3% of respondents in a poll conducted this month said they agree with Trump the Mueller probe is a witch hunt.

Stories have been coming out for some time now hinting Muellers final report might leave audiences disappointed, as if a President not being a foreign spy could somehow be bad news.

Openly using such language has, all along, been an indictment. Imagine how tone-deaf youd have to be to not realize it makes you look bad, when news does not match audience expectations you raised. To be unaware of this is mind-boggling, the journalistic equivalent of walking outside without pants.

There will be people protesting: the Mueller report doesnt prove anything! What about the 37 indictments? The convictions? The Trump tower revelations? The lies! The meeting with Don, Jr.? The financial matters! Theres an ongoing grand jury investigation, and possible sealed indictments, and the House will still investigate, and

Stop. Just stop. Any journalist who goes there is making it worse.

For years, every pundit and Democratic pol in Washington hyped every new Russia headlinelike the Watergate break-in. Now, even Nancy Pelosi has said impeachment is out, unless something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan against Trump is uncovered it would be worth their political trouble to prosecute.

The biggest thing this affair has uncovered so far is Donald Trump paying off a porn star. Thats a hell of a long way from what this business was supposedly about at the beginning, and shame on any reporter who tries to pretend this isnt so.

The story hyped from the start was espionage: a secret relationship between the Trump campaign and Russian spooks whod helped him win the election.

The betrayal narrative was not reported as metaphor. It was not Trump likes the Russians so much, he might as well be a spy for them. It was literal spying, treason, and election-fixing  crimes so severe, former NSA employee John Schindler told reporters, Trump will die in jail.

In the early months of this scandal, the New York Times said Trumps campaign had repeated contacts with Russian intelligence; the Wall Street Journal told us our spy agencies were withholding intelligence from the new President out of fear he was compromised; news leaked out our spy chiefs had even told other countries like Israel not to share their intel with us, because the Russians might have leverages of pressure on Trump.

CNN told us Trump officials had been in constant contact with Russians known to U.S. intelligence, and the former director of the CIA, whod helped kick-start the investigation that led to Muellers probe, said the President was guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, committing acts nothing short of treasonous.

Hillary Clinton insisted Russians could not have known how to weaponize political ads unless theyd been guided by Americans. Asked if she meant Trump, she said, Its pretty hard not to. Harry Reid similarly said he had no doubt that the Trump campaign was in on the deal to help Russians with the leak.

None of this has been walked back. To be clear, if Trump were being blackmailed by Russian agencies like the FSB or the GRU, if he had any kind of relationship with Russian intelligence, that would soar over the overwhelming and bipartisan standard, and Nancy Pelosi would be damning torpedoes for impeachment right now.

There was never real gray area here. Either Trump is a compromised foreign agent, or he isnt. If he isnt, news outlets once again swallowed a massive disinformation campaign, only this error is many orders of magnitude more stupid than any in the recent past, WMD included. Honest reporters like ABCs Terry Moran understand: Mueller coming back empty-handed on collusion means a reckoning for the media.

Of course, there wont be such a reckoning. (There never is). But there should be. We broke every written and unwritten rule in pursuit of this story, starting with the prohibition on reporting things we cant confirm.

#Russiagate debuted as a media phenomenon in mid-summer, 2016. The roots of the actual story, i.e. when the multi-national investigation began, go back much further, to the previous year at least. Oddly, that origin tale has not been nailed down yet, and blue-state audiences dont seem terribly interested in it, either.

By June and July of 2016, bits of the dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, which had been funded by the Democratic National Committee through the law firm Perkins Coie (which in turn hired the opposition research firm Fusion GPS), were already in the ether.

The Steele report occupies the same role in #Russiagate the tales spun by Ahmed Chalabi occupied in the WMD screwup. Once again, a narrative became turbo-charged when Officials With Motives pulled the press corps by its nose to a swamp of unconfirmable private assertions.

Some early stories, like a July 4, 2016 piece by Franklin Foer in Slate called Putins Puppet, outlined future Steele themes in circumstantial form. But the actual dossier, while it influenced a number of pre-election Trump-Russia news stories (notably one by Michael Isiskoff of Yahoo! that would be used in a FISA warrant application), didnt make it into print for a while.

Though it was shopped to at least nine news organizations during the summer and fall of 2016, no one bit, for the good reason that news organizations couldnt verify its revelations.

The Steele claims were explosive if true. The ex-spy reported Trump aide Carter Page had been offered fees on a big new slice of the oil giant Rosneft if he could help get sanctions against Russia lifted. He also said Trump lawyer Michael Cohen went to Prague for secret discussions with Kremlin representatives and associated operators/hackers.

Most famously, he wrote the Kremlin had kompromat of Trump deriling [sic] a bed once used by Barack and Michelle Obama by employing a number of prostitutes to perform a golden showers (urination) show.

This was too good of a story not to do. By hook or crook, it had to come out. The first salvo was by David Corn of Mother Jones on October 31, 2016: A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump.

The piece didnt have pee, Prague, or Page in it, but it did say Russian intelligence had material that could blackmail Trump. It was technically kosher to print because Corn wasnt publishing the allegations themselves, merely that the FBI had taken possession of them.

A bigger pretext was needed to get the other details out. This took place just after the election, when four intelligence officials presented copies of the dossier to both President-Elect Trump and outgoing President Obama.

From his own memos, we know FBI Director James Comey, ostensibly evincing concern for Trumps welfare, told the new President he was just warning him about what was out there, as possible blackmail material:

I wasnt saying [the Steele report] was true, only that I wanted him to know both that it had been reported and that the reports were in many hands. I said media like CNN had them and were looking for a news hook. I said it was important that we not give them the excuse to write that the FBI has the material or [redacted] and that we were keeping it very close-hold [sic].

Comeys generous warning to Trump about not providing a news hook, along with a promise to keep it all close-held, took place on January 6, 2017. Within four days, basically the entire Washington news media somehow knew all about this top-secret meeting and had the very hook they needed to go public. Nobody in the mainstream press thought this was weird or warranted comment.

Even Donald Trump was probably smart enough to catch the hint when, of all outlets, it was CNN that first broke the story of Classified documents presented last week to Trump on January 10.

At the same time, Buzzfeed made the historic decision to publish the entire Steele dossier, bringing years of pee into our lives. This move birthed the Russiagate phenomenon as a never-ending, minute-to-minute factor in American news coverage.

Comey was right. We couldnt have reported this story without a hook. Therefore the reports surrounding Steele technically werent about the allegations themselves, but rather the journeyof those allegations, from one set of official hands to another. Handing the report to Trump created a perfect pretext.

This trick has been used before, both in Washington and on Wall Street, to publicize unconfirmed private research. A short seller might hire a consulting firm to prepare a report on a company he or she has bet against. When the report is completed, the investor then tries to get the SEC or the FBI to take possession. If they do, news leaks the company is under investigation, the stock dives, and everyone wins.

This same trick is found in politics. A similar trajectory drove negative headlines in the scandal surrounding New Jerseys Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who was said to be under investigation by the FBI for underage sex crimes (although some were skeptical). The initial story didnt hold up, but led to other investigations.

Same with the so-called Arkansas project, in which millions of Republican-friendly private research dollars produced enough noise about the Whitewater scandal to create years of headlines about the Clintons. Swiftboating was another example. Private oppo isnt inherently bad. In fact it has led to some incredible scoops, including Enron. But reporters usually know to be skeptical of private info, and figure the motives of its patrons into the story.

The sequence of events in that second week of January, 2017 will now need to be heavily re-examined. We now know, from his own testimony, that former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper had some kind of role in helping CNN do its report, presumably by confirming part of the story, perhaps through an intermediary or two (there is some controversy over whom exactly was contacted, and when).

Why would real security officials litigate this grave matter through the media? Why were the worlds most powerful investigative agencies acting like they were trying to move a stock, pushing a private, unverified report that even Buzzfeed could see had factual issues? It made no sense at the time, and makes less now.

In January of 2017, Steeles pile of allegations became public, read by millions. It is not just unconfirmed, Buzzfeed admitted. It includes some clear errors.

Buzzfeeds decision exploded traditional journalistic standards against knowingly publishing material whose veracity you doubt. Although a few media ethicists wondered at it, this seemed not to bother the rank-and-file in the business. Buzzfeed chief Ben Smith is still proud of his decision today. I think this was because many reporters believed the report was true.

When I read the report, I was in shock. I thought it read like fourth-rate suspense fiction (I should know: I write fourth-rate suspense fiction). Moreover it seemed edited both for public consumption and to please Steeles DNC patrons.

Steele wrote of Russians having a file of compromising information on Hillary Clinton, only this file supposedly lacked details/evidence of unorthodox or embarrassing behavior or embarrassing conduct.

We were meant to believe the Russians, across decades of dirt-digging, had an emptykompromat file on Hillary Clinton, to say nothing of human tabloid headline Bill Clinton? This point was made more than once in the reports, as if being emphasized for the reading public.

There were other curious lines, including the bit about Russians having moles in the DNC, plus some linguistic details that made me wonder at the nationality of the report author.

Still, who knew? It could be true. But even the most cursory review showed the report had issues and would need a lot of confirming. This made it more amazing that the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, held hearings on March 20, 2017 that blithely read out Steele report details as if they were fact. From Schiffs opening statement:

According to Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who is reportedly held in high regard by U.S. Intelligence, Russian sources tell him that Page has also had a secret meeting with Igor Sechin (SEH-CHIN), CEO of Russian gas giant Rosneft Page is offered brokerage fees by Sechin on a deal involving a 19 percent share of the company.

I was stunned watching this. Its generally understood that members of congress, like reporters, make an effort to vet at least their prepared remarks before making them public.

But here was Schiff, telling the world Trump aide Carter Page had been offered huge fees on a 19% stake in Rosneft  a company with a $63 billion market capitalization  in a secret meeting with a Russian oligarch who was also said to be a KGB agent and close friend of Putins.

(Schiff meant FSB agent. The inability of #Russiagaters to remember Russia is not the Soviet Union became increasingly maddening over time. Donna Brazile still hasnt deleted her tweet about how The Communists are now dictating the terms of the debate. )

Schiffs speech raised questions. Do we no longer have to worry about getting accusations right if the subject is tied to Russiagate? What if Page hadnt done any of these things? To date, he hasnt been charged with anything. Shouldnt a member of congress worry about this?

A few weeks after that hearing, Steele gave testimony in a British lawsuit filed by one of the Russian companies mentioned in his reports. In a written submission, Steele said his information was raw and needed to be analyzed and further investigated/verified. He also wrote that (at least as pertained to the memo in that case) he had not written his report with the intention that it be republished to the world at large.

That itself was a curious statement, given that Steele reportedly spoke with multiple reporters in the fall of 2016, but this was his legal position. This story about Steeles British court statements did not make it into the news much in the United States, apart from a few bits in conservative outlets like The Washington Times.

I contacted Schiffs office to ask if the congressman if he knew about Steeles admission that his report needed verifying, and if that changed his view of it at all. The response (emphasis mine):

The dossier compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and which was leaked publicly several months ago contains information that may be pertinent to our investigation. This is true regardless of whether it was ever intended for public dissemination. Accordingly, the Committee hopes to speak with Mr. Steele in order to help substantiate or refute each of the allegations contained in the dossier.

Schiff had not spoken to Steele before the hearing, and read out the allegations knowing they were unsubstantiated.

The Steele report was the Magna Carta of #Russiagate. It provided the implied context for thousands of news stories to come, yet no journalist was ever able to confirm its most salacious allegations: the five year cultivation plan, the blackmail, the bribe from Sechin, the Prague trip, the pee romp, etc. In metaphorical terms, we were unable to independently produce Steeles results in the lab. Failure to reckon with this corrupted the narrative from the start.

For years, every hint the dossier might be true became a banner headline, while every time doubt was cast on Steeles revelations, the press was quiet. Washington Post reporter Greg Miller went to Prague and led a team looking for evidence Cohen had been there. Post reporters, Miller said, literally spent weeks and months trying to run down the Cohen story.

We sent reporters through every hotel in Prague, through all over the place, just to try to figure out if he was ever there, he said, and came away empty.

This was heads-I-win, tails-you-lose reporting. One assumes if Miller found Cohens name in a hotel ledger, it would have been on page 1 of the Post. The converse didnt get a mention in Millers own paper. He only told the story during a discussion aired by C-SPAN about a new book hed published. Only The Daily Caller and a few conservative blogs picked it up.

It was the same when Bob Woodward said, I did not find [espionage or collusion] Of course I looked for it, looked for it hard.

The celebrated Watergate muckraker  who once said hed succumbed to groupthink in the WMD episode and added, I blame myself mightily for not pushing harder  didnt push very hard here, either. News that hed tried and failed to find collusion didnt get into his own paper. It only came out when Woodward was promoting his book Fear in a discussion with conservative host Hugh Hewitt.

When Michael Cohen testified before congress and denied under oath ever being in Prague, it was the same. Few commercial news outlets bothered to take note of the implications this had for their previous reports. Would a man clinging to a plea deal lie to congress on national television about this issue?

There was a CNN story, but the rest of the coverage was all in conservative outlets  the National Review, Fox, The Daily Caller. The Washington Posts response was to run an editorial sneering at How conservative media downplayed Michael Cohens testimony.

Perhaps worst of all was the episode involving Yahoo! reporter Michael Isikoff. He had already been part of one strange tale: the FBI double-dipping when it sought a FISA warrant to conduct secret surveillance of Carter Page, the would-be mastermind who was supposed to have brokered a deal with oligarch Sechin.

In its FISA application, the FBI included both the unconfirmed Steele report and Isikoffs September 23, 2016 Yahoo! story, U.S. Intel Officials probe ties between Trump adviser and Kremlin. The Isikoff story, which claimed Page had met with high ranking sanctioned officials in Russia, had relied upon Steele as an unnamed source.

This was similar to a laundering technique used in the WMD episode called stove-piping, i.e. officials using the press to confirm information the officials themselves fed the reporter.

But there was virtually no non-conservative press about this problem apart from a Washington Post story pooh-poohing the issue. (Every news story that casts any doubt on the collusion issue seems to meet with an instantaneous fact check in the Post.) The Post insisted the FISA issue wasnt serious among other things because Steele was not the foundation of Isikoffs piece.

Isikoff was perhaps the reporter most familiar with Steele. He and Corn of Mother Jones, who also dealt with the ex-spy, wrote a bestselling book that relied upon theories from Steele, Russian Roulette, including a rumination on the pee episode. Yet Isikoff in late 2018 suddenly said he believed the Steele report would turn out to be mostly false.

Once again, this only came out via a podcast, John Zieglers Free Speech Broadcasting show. Heres a transcript of the relevant section:

Isikoff: When you actually get into the details of the Steele dossier, the specific allegations, you know, we have not seen the evidence to support them. And in fact there is good grounds to think some of the more sensational allegations will never be proven, and are likely false. Ziegler: Thats Isikoff: I think its a mixed record at best at this point, things could change, Mueller may yet produce evidence that changes this calculation. But based on the public record at this point I have to say that most of the specific allegations have not been borne out. Ziegler: Thats interesting to hear you say that, Michael because as Im sure you know, your book was kind of used to validate the pee tape, for lack of a better term. Isikoff: Yeah. I think we had some evidence in there of an event that may have inspired the pee tape and that was the visit that Trump made with a number of characters who later showed up in Moscow, specifically Emin Agalarov and Rob Goldstone to this raunchy Las Vegas nightclub where one of the regular acts was a skit called Hot For Teacher in which dancers posing as college Co-Eds urinated  or simulated urinating on their professor. Which struck me as an odd coincidence at best. I think, you know, it is not implausible that event may have inspired Ziegler: An urban legend? Isikoff: allegations that appeared in the Steele dossier.

Isikoff delivered this story with a laughing tone. He seamlessly transitioned to what he then called the real point, i.e. the irony is Steele may be right, but it wasnt the Kremlin that had sexual kompromat on Donald Trump, it was the National Enquirer.

Recapping: the reporter who introduced Steele to the world (his September 23, 2016 story was the first to reference him as a source), who wrote a book that even he concedes was seen as validating the pee tape story, suddenly backtracks and says the whole thing may have been based on a Las Vegas strip act, but it doesnt matter because Stormy Daniels, etc.

Another story of this type involved a court case in which Webzilla and parent company XBT sued Steele and Buzzfeed over the mention their firm in one of the memos. It came out in court testimony that Steele had culled information about XBT/Webzilla from a 2009 post on CNNs iReports page.

Asked if he understood these posts came from random users and not CNN journalists whod been fact-checked, Steele replied, I do not.

This comical detail was similar to news that the second British Mi6 dossier released just before the Iraq invasion had been plagiarized in part from a thirteen year-old student thesis from California State University, not even by intelligence people, but by mid-level functionaries in Tony Blairs press office.

There were so many profiles of Steele as an astoundingly diligent spymaster straight out of LeCarre: he was routinely described as a LeCarre-ian grinder, similar in appearance and manner to the legendary George Smiley. He was a man in the shadows whose bookish intensity was belied by his average, neutral, quiet, demeanor, being more low-key than Smiley. One would think it might have rated a mention that the new Smiley was cutting and pasting text like a community college freshman. But the story barely made news.

This has been a consistent pattern throughout #Russiagate. Step one: salacious headline. Step two, days or weeks later: news emerges the story is shakier than first believed. Step three (in the best case) involves the story being walked back or retracted by the same publication.

Thats been rare. More often, when explosive #Russiagate headlines go sideways, the original outlets simply ignore the new development, leaving the retraction process to conservative outlets that dont reach the original audiences.

This is a major structural flaw of the new fully-divided media landscape in which Republican media covers Democratic corruption and Democratic media covers Republican corruption. If neither side feels the need to disclose its own errors and inconsistencies, mistakes accumulate quickly.

This has been the main reportorial difference between Russiagate and the WMD affair. Despite David Remnicks post-invasion protestations that nobody got [WMD] completely right, the Iraq war was launched against the objections of the 6 million or more people who did get it right, and protested on the streets. There was open skepticism of Bush claims dotting the press landscape from the start, with people like Jack Shafer tearing apart every Judith Miller story in print. Most reporters are Democrats and the people hawking the WMD story were mostly Republicans, so there was at least some political space for protest.

Russiagate happened in an opposite context. If the story fell apart it would benefit Donald Trump politically, a fact that made a number of reporters queasy about coming forward. #Russiagate became synonymous with #Resistance, which made public skepticism a complicated proposition.

Early in the scandal, I appeared on To The Point, a California-based public radio show hosted by Warren Olney, with Corn of Mother Jones. I knew David a little and had been friendly with him. He once hosted a book event for me in Washington. In the program, however, the subject of getting facts right came up and Corn said this was not a time for reporters to be picking nits:

So Democrats getting overeager, overenthusiastic, stating things that may not be [unintelligible] true? Well, tell me a political issue where that doesnt happen. I think thats looking at the wrong end of the telescope.

I wrote him later and suggested that since were in the press, and not really about anything except avoiding things that may not be true, maybe we had different responsibilities than Democrats? He wrote back:

Feel free to police the Trump opposition. But on the list of shit that needs to be covered these days, thats just not high on my personal list.

Other reporters spoke of an internal struggle. When the Mueller indictment of the Internet Research Agency was met with exultation in the media, New Yorker writer Adrian Chen, who broke the original IRA story, was hesitant to come forward with some mild qualms about the way the story was being reported:

Either I could stay silent and allow the conversation to be dominated by those pumping up the Russian threat, he said, or I could risk giving fodder to Trump and his allies.

After writing, Confessions of a Russiagate Skeptic, poor Blake Hounsell of Politico took such a beating on social media, he ended up denouncing himself a year later.

What I meant to write is, I wasnt skeptical, he said.

Years ago, in the midst of the WMD affair, Times public editor Daniel Okrent noted the papers standard had moved from Dont get it first, get it right to Get it first and get it right. From there, Okrent wrote, the next devolution was an obvious one.

Were at that next devolution: first and wrong. The Russiagate era has so degraded journalism that even once reputable outlets are now only about as right as politicians, which is to say barely ever, and then only by accident.

Early on, I was so amazed by the sheer quantity of Russia bombshells being walked back, I started to keep a list. Its well above 50 stories now. As has been noted by Glenn Greenwald of the Intercept and others, if the mistakes were random, youd expect them in both directions, but Russiagate errors uniformly go the same way.

In some cases the stories are only partly wrong, as in the case of the famed 17 intelligence agencies said Russia was behind the hacking story (it was actually four: the Director of National Intelligence hand-picking a team from the FBI, CIA, and NSA).

In other cases the stories were blunt false starts, resulting in ugly sets of matching headlines:

Trump Campaign Aides had repeated contacts with Russian Intelligence, published by the Times on Valentines Day, 2017, was an important, narrative-driving bombshell that looked dicey from the start. The piece didnt say whether the contact was witting or unwitting, whether the discussions were about business or politics, or what the contacts supposedly were at all.

Normally a reporter would want to know what the deal is before he or she runs a story accusing people of having dealings with foreign spies. Witting or Unwitting ought to be a huge distinction, for instance. It soon after came out that people like former CIA chief John Brennan dont think this is the case. Frequently, people who are on a treasonous path do not know theyre on a treasonous path, he said, speaking of Trumps circle.

This seemed a dangerous argument, the kind of thing that led to trouble in the McCarthy years. But lets say the contacts were serious. From a reporting point of view, youd still need to know exactly what the nature of such contacts were before you run that story, because the headline implication is grave. Moreover youd need to know it well enough to report it, i.e. its not enough to be told a convincing story off-the-record, you need to be able to share with readers enough so that they can characterize the news themselves.

Not to the Times, which ran the article without the specifics. Months later, Comey blew up this contacts story in public, saying, in the main, it was not true.

As was the case with the 17 agencies error, which only got fixed when Clapper testified in congress and was forced to make the correction under oath, the repeated contacts story was only disputed when Comey testified in congress, this time before the Senate Intelligence Committee. How many other errors of this type are waiting to be disclosed?

Even the mistakes caught were astounding. On December 1, 2017, ABC reporter Brian Ross claimed Trump as a candidate instructed Michael Flynn to contact Russia. The news caused the Dow to plummet 350 points. The story was retracted almost immediately and Ross was suspended.

Bloomberg reported Mueller subpoenaed Trumps Deutsche Bank accounts; the subpoenas turned out to be of other individuals records. Fortune said C-SPAN was hacked after Russia Today programming briefly interrupted coverage of a Maxine Waters floor address. The New York Times also ran the story, and its still up, despite C-SPAN insisting its own internal routing error likely caused the feed to appear in place of its own broadcast.

CNN has its own separate sub-list of wrecks. Three of the networks journalists resigned after a story purporting to tie Trump advisor Anthony Scaramucci to a Russian investment fund was retracted. Four more CNN reporters (Gloria Borger, Eric Lichtblau, Jake Tapper and Brian Rokus) were bylined in a story that claimed Comey was expected to refute Trumps claims he was told he wasnt the target of an investigation. Comey blew that one up, too.

In another CNN scoop gone awry, Email pointed Trump campaign to WikiLeaks documents, the networks reporters were off by ten days in a bombshell that supposedly proved the Trump campaign had foreknowledge of Wikileaks dumps. Its, uh, perhaps not as significant as what we know now, offered CNNs Manu Raju in a painful on-air retraction.

The worst stories were the ones never corrected. A particularly bad example is After Florida School Shooting, Russian Bot Army Pounced, from the New York Times on Feb 18, 2018. The piece claimed Russians were trying to divide Americans on social media after a mass shooting using Twitter hashtags like #guncontrolnow, #gunreformnow and #Parklandshooting.

The Times ran this quote high up:

This is pretty typical for them, to hop on breaking news like this, said Jonathon Morgan, chief executive of New Knowledge, a company that tracks online disinformation campaigns. The bots focus on anything that is divisive for Americans. Almost systematically.

About a year after this story came out, Times reporters Scott Shane and Ann Blinder reported that the same outfit, New Knowledge, and in particular that same Jonathon Morgan, had participated in a cockamamie scheme to fake Russian troll activity in an Alabama Senate race. The idea was to try to convince voters Russia preferred the Republican.

The Times quoted a New Knowledge internal report about the idiotic Alabama scheme:

We orchestrated an elaborate false flag operation that planted the idea that the Moore campaign was amplified on social media by a Russian botnet

The Parkland story was iffy enough when it came out, as Twitter disputed it, and another of the main sources for the initial report, former intelligence official Clint Watts, subsequently said he was not convinced on the whole bot thing.

But when one of your top sources turns out to have faked exactly the kind of activity described in your article, you should at least take the quote out, or put an update online. No luck: the story remains up on the Times site, without disclaimers.

Russiagate institutionalized one of the worst ethical loopholes in journalism, which used to be limited mainly to local crime reporting. Its always been a problem that we publish mugshots and names of people merely arrested but not yet found guilty. Those stories live forever online and even the acquitted end up permanently unable to get jobs, smeared as thieves, wife-beaters, drunk drivers, etc.

With Russiagate the national press abandoned any pretense that theres a difference between indictment and conviction. The most disturbing story involved Maria Butina. Here authorities and the press shared responsibility. Thanks to an indictment that initially said the Russian traded sex for favors, the Times and other outlets flooded the news cycle with breathless stories about a redheaded slut-temptress come to undermine democracy, a real-life Red Sparrow, as ABC put it.

But a judge threw out the sex charge after five minutes when it turned out to be based on a single joke text to a friend who had taken Butinas car for inspection.

Its pretty hard to undo public perception youre a prostitute once its been in a headline, and, worse, the headlines are still out there. You can still find stories like Maria Butina, Suspected Secret Agent, Used Sex in Covert Plan online in the New York Times.

Here a reporter might protest: how would I know? Prosecutors said she traded sex for money. Why shouldnt I believe them?

How about because, authorities have been lying their faces off to reporters since before electricity! It doesnt take much investigation to realize the main institutional sources in the Russiagate mess  the security services, mainly  have extensive records of deceiving the media.

As noted before, from World War I-era tales of striking union workers being German agents to the missile gap that wasnt (the gap was leaked to the press before the Soviets had even one operational ICBM) to the Gulf of Tonkin mess to all the smears of people like Martin Luther King, its a wonder newspapers listen to whispers from government sources at all.

In the Reagan years National Security Adviser John Poindexter spread false stories about Libyan terrorist plots to The Wall Street Journal and other papers. In the Bush years, Dick Cheney et al were selling manure by the truckload about various connections between Iraq and al-Qaeda, infamously including a story that bomber Mohammed Atta met with Iraqi intelligence officials in Prague.

The New York Times ran a story that Atta was in Prague in late October of 2001, even giving a date of the meeting with Iraqis, April 8, or just five months before the terrorist attacks. The Prague story was another example of a tale that seemed shaky because American officials were putting the sourcing first on foreign intelligence, then on reporters themselves. Cheney cited the Prague report in subsequent TV appearances, one of many instances of feeding reporters tidbits and then selling reports as independent confirmation.

It wasnt until three years later, in 2004, that Times reporter James Risen definitively killed the Atta-in-Prague canard (why is it always Prague?) in a story entitled No evidence of meeting with Iraqi. By then, of course, it was too late. The Times also held a major dissenting piece by Risen about the WMD case, C.I.A. Aides Feel Pressure in Preparing Iraqi Reports, until days after war started. This is what happens when you start thumbing the scale.

This failure to demand specifics has been epidemic in Russiagate, even when good reporters have been involved. One of the biggest revelations of this era involved a story that was broken first by a terrible reporter (the Guardians Luke Harding) and followed up by a good one (Jane Mayer of the New Yorker). The key detail involved the elusive origin story of Russiagate.

Mayers piece, the March 12, 2018 Christopher Steele, the Man Behind The Trump Dossier in the New Yorker, impacted the public mainly by seeming to bolster the credentials of the dossier author. But it contained an explosive nugget far down. Mayer reported Robert Hannigan, then-head of the GCHQ (the British analog to the NSA) intercepted a stream of illicit communications between Trumps team and Moscow at some point prior to August 2016. Hannigan flew to the U.S. and briefed CIA director John Brennan about these communications. Brennan later testified this inspired the original FBI investigation.

When I read that, a million questions came to mind, but first: what did illicit mean?

If something illicit had been captured by GCHQ, and this led to the FBI investigation (one of several conflicting public explanations for the start of the FBI probe, incidentally), this would go a long way toward clearing up the nature of the collusion charge. If they had something, why couldnt they tell us what it was? Why didnt we deserve to know?

I asked the Guardian: Was any attempt made to find out what those communications were? How was the existence of these communications confirmed? Did anyone from the Guardian see or hear these intercepts, or transcripts?

Their one-sentence reply:

The Guardian has strict and rigorous procedures when dealing with source material.

Thats the kind of answer youd expect from a transnational bank, or the army, not a newspaper.

I asked Mayer the same questions. She was more forthright, noting that, of course, the story had originally been broken by Harding, whose own report said the precise nature of these exchanges has not been made public.

She added that afterwards I independently confirmed aspects of [Hardings piece] with several well-informed sources, and spent months on the Steele story [and] traveled to the UK twice for it. But, she wrote, the Russiagate story, like all reporting on sensitive national security issues, is difficult.

I can only infer she couldnt find out what illicit meant despite proper effort. The detail was published anyway. It may not have seemed like a big deal, but I think it was.

To be clear, I dont necessarily disbelieve the idea that there were illicit contacts between Trump and Russians in early 2015 or before. But if there were such contacts, I cant think of any legitimate reason why their nature should be withheld from the public.

If authorities can share reasons for concern with foreign countries like Israel, why should American voters not be so entitled? Moreover the idea that we need to keep things secret to protect sources and methods and tradecraft (half the press corps became expert in goofy spy language over the last few years, using terms like SIGINT like theyve known them their whole lives), why are we leaking news of our ability to hear Russian officials cheering Trumps win?

Failure to ask follow-up questions happened constantly with this story. One of the first reports that went sideways involved a similar dynamic: the contention that some leaked DNC emails were forgeries.

MSNBCs Intelligence commentator Malcolm Nance, perhaps the most enthusiastic source of questionable #Russiagate news this side of Twitter conspiracist Louise Mensch, tweeted on October 11, 2016: #PodestaEmails are already proving to be riddled with obvious forgeries & #blackpropaganda not even professionally done.

As noted in The Intercept and elsewhere, this was re-reported by the likes of David Frum (a key member of the club that has now contributed to both the WMD and Russiagate panics) and MSNBC host Joy Reid. The reports didnt stop until roughly October of 2016, among other things because the Clinton campaign kept suggesting to reporters the emails were fake. This could have been stopped sooner if examples of a forgery had been demanded from the Clinton campaign earlier.

Another painful practice that became common was failing to confront your own sources when news dispositive to what theyve told you pops up. The omnipresent Clapper told Chuck Todd on March 5, 2017, without equivocation, that there had been no FISA application involving Trump or his campaign. I can deny it, he said.

It soon after came out this wasnt true. The FBI had a FISA warrant on Carter Page. This was not a small misstatement by Clapper, because his appearance came a day after Trump claimed in a tweet hed had his wires tapped. Trump was widely ridiculed for this claim, perhaps appropriately so, but in addition to the Page news, it later came out there had been a FISA warrant of Paul Manafort as well, during which time Trump may have been the subject of incidental surveillance.

Whether or not this was meaningful, or whether these warrants were justified, are separate questions. The important thing is, Clapper either lied to Todd, or else he somehow didnt know the FBI had obtained these warrants. The latter seems absurd and unlikely. Either way, Todd ought to been peeved and demanded an explanation. Instead, he had Clapper back on againwithin months and gave him the usual softball routine, never confronting him about the issue.

Reporters repeatedly got burned and didnt squawk about it. Where are the outraged stories about all the scads of anonymous people familiar with the matter who put reporters in awkward spots in the last years? Why isnt McClatchy demanding the heads of whatever four people with knowledge convinced them to double down on the Cohen-in-Prague story?

Why isnt every reporter who used New Knowledge as a source about salacious Russian troll stories out for their heads (or the heads of the congressional sources who passed this stuff on), after reports they faked Russian trolling? How is it possible NBC and other outlets continued to use New Knowledge as a source in stories identifying antiwar Democrat Tulsi Gabbard as a Russian-backed candidate?

How do the Guardians editors not already have Hardings head in a vice for hanging them out to dry on the most dubious un-retracted story in modern history  the tale that the most watched human on earth, Julian Assange, had somehow been visited in the Ecuadorian embassy by Paul Manafort without leaving any record? Id be dragging Hardings well placed source into the office and beating him with a hose until he handed them something that would pass for corroborating evidence.

The lack of blowback over episodes in which reporters were put in public compromised situations speaks to the overly cozy relationships outlets had with official sources. Too often, it felt like a team effort, where reporters seemed to think it was their duty to take the weight if sources pushed them to overreach. They had absolutely no sense of institutional self-esteem about this.

Being on any team is a bad look for the press, but the press being on team FBI/CIA is an atrocity, Trump or no Trump. Why bother having a press corps at all if youre going to go that route?

This posture has all been couched as anti-Trump solidarity, but really, did former CIA chief John Brennan  the same Brennan who should himself have faced charges for lying to congressabout hacking the computers of Senate staff  need the press to whine on his behalf when Trump yanked his security clearance? Did we need the press to hum Aretha Franklin tunes, as ABC did, and chide Trump for lacking R-E-S-P-E-C-T for the CIA? We dont have better things to do than that work?

This catalogue of factual errors and slavish stenography will stand out when future analysts look back at why the MSM became a joke during this period, but they were only a symptom of a larger problem. The bigger issue was a radical change in approach.

A lot of #Russiagate coverage became straight-up conspiracy theory, what Baker politely called connecting the dots. This was allowed because the press committed to a collusion narrative from the start, giving everyone cover to indulge in behaviors that would never be permitted in normal times.

Such was the case with Jonathan Chaits #Russiagate opus, PRUMP TUTIN: Will Trump be Meeting With his Counterpart  or his Handler? The story was also pitched as What if Trump has been a Russian asset since 1987? which recalls the joke from The Wire: Yo, Herc, what if your mother and father never met? What if isnt a good place to be in this business.

This cover story (!) in New York magazine was released in advance of a planned face-to-face summit between Trump and Putin, and posited Trump had been under Russian control for decades. Chait noted Trump visited the Soviet Union in 1987 and came back fired up with political ambition. He offered the possibility that this was a coincidence, but added:

Indeed, it seems slightly insane to contemplate the possibility that a secret relationship between Trump and Russia dates back this far. But it cant be dismissed completely.

I searched the Chait article up and down for reporting that would justify the suggestion Trump had been a Russian agent dating back to the late eighties, when, not that it matters, Russia was a different country called the Soviet Union.

Only two facts in the piece could conceivably have been used to support the thesis: Trump met with a visiting Soviet official in 1986, and visited the Soviet Union in 1987. Thats it. Thats your cover story.

Worse, Chaits theory was first espoused in Lyndon Larouches Elephants and Donkeys newsletter in 1987, under a headline, Do Russians have a Trump card? This is barrel-scraping writ large.

Its a mania. Putin is literally in our underpants. Maybe, if were lucky, New York might someday admit its report claiming Russians set up an anti-masturbation hotline to trap and blackmail random Americans is suspicious, not just because it seems absurd on its face, but because its source is the same New Knowledge group that admitted to faking Russian influence operations in Alabama.

But what retraction is possible for the Washington Post headline, How will Democrats cope if Putin starts playing dirty tricks for Bernie Sanders (again)? How to reverse Rachel Maddows spiel about Russia perhaps shutting down heat across America during a cold wave? Theres no correction for McCarthyism and fearmongering.

This ultimately will be the endgame of the Russia charade. They will almost certainly never find anything like the wild charges and Manchurian Candidate theories elucidated in the Steele report. But the years of panic over the events of 2016 will lead to radical changes in everything from press regulation to foreign policy, just as the WMD canard led to torture, warrantless surveillance, rendition, drone assassination, secret budgets and open-ended, undeclared wars from Somalia to Niger to Syria. The screw-ups will be forgotten, but accelerated vigilance will remain.

Its hard to know what policy changes are appropriate because the reporting on everything involving the Russian threat in the last two to three years has been so unreliable.

I didnt really address the case that Russia hacked the DNC, content to stipulate it for now. I was told early on that this piece of the story seemed solid, but even that assertion has remained un-bolstered since then, still based on an assessment by those same intelligence services that always had issues, including the use of things like RTs anti-American coverage of fracking as part of its case. The government didnt even examine the DNCs server, the kind of detail that used to make reporters nervous.

We wont know how much of any of this to take seriously until the press gets out of bed with the security services and looks at this whole series of events all over again with fresh eyes, as journalists, not political actors. That means being open to asking what went wrong with this story, in addition to focusing so much energy on Trump and Russia.

The WMD mess had massive real-world negative impact, leading to over a hundred thousand deaths and trillions in lost taxpayer dollars. Unless Russiagate leads to a nuclear conflict, were unlikely to ever see that level of consequence.

Still, Russiagate has led to unprecedented cooperation between the government and Internet platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google, all of which are censoring pages on the left, right, and in between in the name of preventing the sowing of discord. The story also had a profound impact on the situation in places like Syria, where Russian and American troops have sat across the Euphrates River from one another, two amped-up nuclear powers at a crossroads.

As a purely journalistic failure, however, WMD was a pimple compared to Russiagate. The sheer scale of the errors and exaggerations this time around dwarfs the last mess. Worse, its led to most journalists accepting a radical change in mission. Weve become sides-choosers, obliterating the concept of the press as an independent institution whose primary role is sorting fact and fiction.

We had the sense to eventually look inward a little in the WMD affair, which is the only reason we escaped that episode with any audience left. Is the press even capable of that kind of self-awareness now? WMD damaged our reputation. If we dont turn things around, this story will destroy it.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg underlined the importance and strength of the partnership between NATO and Georgia during a visit to the country on Monday (25 March 2019). Mr. Stoltenberg is there to observe the NATO-Georgia exercise, training which will improve the ability of Georgian and NATO forces to work together. Speaking alongside Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, the Secretary General said the exercise shows how the Alliance and Georgia are stepping up their cooperation.

Read NATO Secretary General's press statement here.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Georgia on Monday (25 March 2019) to observe NATO and Georgian forces training together. The NATO-Georgia exercise brings together around 350 participants from 24 NATO and partner countries and international organisations. The exercise is being held at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, which has been helping to strengthen Georgias defences since it was inaugurated in 2015.

Mr. Stoltenberg said the exercise shows how NATO and Georgia are stepping up their cooperation. Georgia is one of NATOs closest partners, working with the Alliance on security in the Black Sea region. Georgia is also the largest non-NATO contributor to the Alliances training mission in Afghanistan and it contributes to the NATO Response Force.

Last summer in Brussels, NATO leaders reconfirmed the 2008 Bucharest Summit decision that Georgia will become a member of NATO. The Secretary General praised Georgias progress in making important reforms and encouraged it to continue these efforts.

During his visit Mr. Stoltenberg had talks with the President of Georgia, Ms. Salome Zourabichvili, the Prime Minister, Mr. Mamuka Bakhtadze, and other high level officials.
Hour: 13:15

Location: NATO Headquarters, Brussels (Press Theatre)

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The press conference will be available live on the NATO website and on satellite.

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This material is free of rights and free of charge

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Media representatives in possession of a permanent NATO media pass can access the NATO HQ directly by tapping their badge at the turnstiles at NATO HQ Guard House South  GHS, NATO Headquarters, (Boulevard Leopold III 1110).

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Media representatives not permanently accredited and wishing to attend the event are invited to request ad-hoc accreditation directly at NATO HQ Guard House South (media entrance) on Monday 01 April 2019 starting from 09:00 (Brussels time).

They will have to present a valid piece of identification with photo, ID card or passport, and a valid press card (provided by a recognized national professional body of a NATO country  i.e. Government, Professional association, Union of journalists).

Media representatives not in possession of a valid press card are invited to send a signed letter from their editor to the NATO Accreditation Office by email to NatoAccreditations@hq.nato.int no later than Friday 29 March 16:00 (Brussels time).

Please type PREMIN in the subject line of the message.

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(As delivered)

MAMUKA BAKHTADZE [Prime Minister of Georgia]: Let me greet you all, dear friends, it is our great honour to host, in Georgia, Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg. And primarily I want to start by saying that Georgia and NATO relations have never been so high. The Secretary Generals visit to Georgia is clear evidence that NATO is supporting membership of Georgia in the Alliance, and it is supporting us in this process. We highly appreciate the visit of the Secretary General and his attendance at the joint exercise which is aimed at improving the defence capacity of Georgia further and its interoperability with NATO. I want to use this opportunity to once again thank every participating country in this joint exercise and wish them every success. Membership in NATO is a most significant priority of the security and defence agenda of Georgia. The majority of Georgia supports the aspiration to become a member of NATO, and this is once again evidence that its not only a political choice but that its a value-based choice of Georgia to become a member of NATO, ultimately. You may well be aware that in the new constitution of Georgia, we have a new provision, prioritising this aim which is clearly manifesting that this is a solid and irreversible choice of the nation of Georgia. At the meeting, we discussed the progress towards membership aspirations. Integration, of course, implies a number of fundamental and substantial reforms to be carried out by Georgia. It was noted that commitments are delivered by Georgia and this helps the ultimate membership of Georgia into NATO. From the NATO side, it was once again reaffirmed that NATO remains loyal towards our aspiration to ultimately welcome us in NATO, and once again let me express my enormous gratitude to the Secretary General for this tremendous support that NATO is demonstrating towards Georgia. NATO has always been stressing its support towards territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. At the same time, we discussed all the issues and challenges related to the occupation of the Russian Federation of two historic territories of Georgia. It is a challenge on this territory, in every dimension of it, including human rights violations at the occupied territories, fundamental rights are violated there. At the same time we discussed the peace initiative that we developed within the government of Georgia. It is very gratifying that at the meeting we mentioned that Georgia has contributed significantly towards our mission; the professionalism and heroic nature of our servicemen has been stressed. Black Sea security has been significantly stressed at the meeting and this is an issue that we have been raising with our friends  claiming that without Black Sea security, it is impossible to imagine any sustainable security for NATO. It is gratifying to see that Black Sea is becoming a higher priority for NATO. We also discussed the Brussels summits resolution on Black Sea cooperation, within this segment for Georgia; and we defined ways to cooperate further. We once again want to thank the Secretary General for his visit to Georgia and for the support of our country. Mr Stoltenberg is an ardent and loyal friend of Georgia and I want to thank him personally for his loyalty. Thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG [NATO Secretary General]:

Prime Minister Bakhtadze,

Mamuka,

It is a great pleasure to be back in Tbilisi.

And to visit Georgia during the NATO-Georgia exercise.

This is the second time that Georgia hosts this important event.

Demonstrating the ability of the Georgian armed forces to operate side-by-side with the Allies and other partners.

This exercise is hosted by the NATO-Georgia Joint Training Centre. Which has been working to strengthen your countrys defences since it was inaugurated back in 2015.

I visited many times and its always good to be back.

This time, Im going to be visiting the NATO GEO exercise.

Georgia is a unique partner for NATO.

Last summer in Brussels all NATO leaders reconfirmed the Bucharest decision from 2008 that Georgia will become a member of NATO.

You are the largest non-NATO contributor to our Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

You contribute to the NATO Response Force.

And the NATO-Georgia exercise this week demonstrates that we are stepping up our cooperation.

Georgia has made a lot of progress in important reforms.

Including strengthening Parliaments role in overseeing the security sector.

And the reform of Georgias judiciary. I was glad to hear that these efforts will continue.

Your efforts to modernise the armed forces and to build more effective defence institutions have also been very impressive.

I also welcome your commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence.

And I congratulate Georgia for spending 20% of GDP on equipment and modernisation.

This strengthens your military.

And your contribution to regional security.

I welcome your efforts in all these areas.

And I encourage you to continue making full use of all the opportunities for coming closer to the Alliance.

And to prepare for membership.

NATO fully supports Georgias territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

We call on Russia to end its recognition of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to withdraw its forces.

We also share your concerns about Russias military build-up in the Black Sea region.

That is why we are strengthening the cooperation between Georgian and NATO naval forces.

Why we are providing training for Georgian Coast Guard boarding teams.

And why NATOs Maritime Command is cooperating with Georgias Joint Maritime Operations Centre.

And during our meeting today we discussed how we can increase our cooperation, not least between our maritime forces.

Prime Minister, let me thank you for your hospitality.

We will continue working together to prepare Georgia for NATO membership.

Georgia is a reliable contributor to our shared security.

And I look forward to continue working with you as Georgia moves closer to NATO.

MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Weve now moved to the question and answer session. Public broadcaster gets the first question.

QUESTION: Let me greet you all [inaudible] is my name. Let me greet you. Public broadcaster of Georgia, [inaudible] is my name. My question is related to the integration of Georgia to NATO. Within this process what is the role assigned to Russia? We know Russia is saying that they will never agree to membership of Georgia in NATO. And Georgia, as mentioned here, and at many international platforms, Georgia is delivering on its commitments. We do understand as international partners are saying that Georgia needs to get rewarded for this commitment and deliveries. But then again Russian factor gets into play. What is the solution?

JENS STOLTENBERG [NATO Secretary General]: Well, for NATO it is an absolute fundamental principle that every nation has the right to choose its own path. Georgia is a sovereign nation. Georgia has the right to choose its own path, including what kind of security arrangements youd like to be part of. And this is not only something which is stated clearly by NATO, but it is actually a fundamental principle which has been assigned to or agreed to by all nations in Europe. Even Russia has assigned, has signed, or subscribed to the Helsinki Final Act and many other documents, which clearly states that every nation has the right to choose its own path, including whether it would like to become member of a military alliance or not. So the reality is that it is for Georgia to decide what Georgia wants. And then it is for 29 Allies to decide when we are ready to accept you as a member. No one else have any say in that process, because this is about not accepting that big powers have any right to decide what neighbours can do or not do. And for me, coming from a small mountainous country bordering Russia in the north, Norway, of course for us it is extremely important that we are not accepting that Russia or any other power can decide what neighbours can do. Norway joined NATO in 1949. At that time Joseph Stalin didnt like that Norway joined NATO. But, of course, the NATO Allies, the United States, Great Britain, France they said, No, but its not Joseph Stalin that will decide whether NATO can . . . whether Norway can join NATO or not. Thats Norway and the NATO Allies. And thats exactly the same principle today. So it is up to you and up to the 29 Allies to decide. And the 29 Allies have clearly stated that Georgia will become a member of NATO. And thats no provocation against anyone, its a sovereign right of every sovereign nation to decide. Then you have to implement reforms. And thats exactly what we have discussed today; thats exactly what we are working on every day together: modernising your defence institutions, judiciary and meeting NATO standards. So you have made a lot of progress, we are impressed by that, we recognise that progress and we encourage you to do even more. We work with you, thats good for Georgia, its good for NATO, because the interoperability, the fact that we are working together in Afghanistan, in the NATO Response Force, in the NATO exercise here today, all of that is good for NATO and for Georgia. We will continue to do that. And then at the end its NATO Allies and Georgia that decide when Georgia is becoming a member  no one else.

MODERATOR: The prime minister is requested to comment on this question.

MAMUKA BAKHTADZE: Thank you for the question. We are once again hearing today a very strong message, or set of messages, from the Secretary General. NATO continues its open door policy and the main message, what we heard right now from Mr Stoltenberg, is that no other country can limit or restrict its choice as a sovereign country, an independent country. Its the choice of the Georgian nation to be a fully-fledged member of NATO one day. And this is up to the Allies and Georgia. No one can interfere in this and create barriers. We continue, effectively, our progress towards this integration. We understand fully that we cannot take decisions overnight. But, at the same time, we once again heard a very strong message that Georgia will eventually become a member of NATO. NATO continues to have an open door policy. And let me remind you about the decisions made towards Macedonia. At the same time, we have a package of reforms that we wish to implement and this will make us even closer to NATOs standards and increase our inter-comparability with NATO. Im sure that this decision, this principled decision of Georgia, will ensure that one day we will meet NATO members as a fully-fledged member.

QUESTION: Rustavi 2, I have a question to both of you gentlemen. Let me start with Black Sea security. Secretary General, this question is to you. Stability and security is very important for NATO including towards the Black Sea region. This is one of the priorities that has been mentioned. Within this context, what would you say about the strategically important project of the deep sea port of Anaklia, construction of which is planned in Georgia? And Prime Minister, what would you say when there is a number of questions on the construction of this deep sea port of Anaklia: what is the position of the authorities towards the prospects of construction? Another question to you, General Secretary: this is the latest election, and membership to NATO is attuned with democracy. We consider the most recent conclusion of ODIHR and OSCE. It was quite critical and the Department of State also was critical towards buying votes in Georgia at the presidential elections, for the second round. Do you believe that these comments will hamper membership of NATO, Georgia to NATO?

JENS STOLTENBERG: First on the Black Sea. The Black Sea is of great importance for NATO and for Georgia. We have to realise that we have seen a significant Russian build-up in the Black Sea region, especially after the illegal annexation of Crimea. And we are also seeing the aggressive action of Russia against Ukrainian ships near the Sea of Azov, near the Kerch Strait. NATO has increased its presence in the Black Sea and we are working with Georgia to address the security challenges in the Black Sea region. NATO has more ships, more presence in the air with air policing, and also more presence on the ground. for instance in Romania, but also by working together with partners, as Georgia, in the Black Sea region. Actually now there are two NATO ships in the Black Sea, one from the UK and one French ship. And just a few days ago, several NATO ships from NATOs Standing Naval Group participated in Exercise Poseidon, which is a NATO exercise, about how to counter mines. We have three littoral states: Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, which of course also have a presence in the Black Sea. So all in all, there is an increased NATO presence in the Black Sea region. And we work, not least with Georgia, to address the challenges we see. And therefore I welcome that we have also stepped up cooperation, for instance with the Georgian Coast Guard. We have trained their boarding teams and we are now looking into what more we can do to work with Georgia on naval capabilities.

When it comes to the reports about the elections, I just take note of what the OSCE has stated and I think this just highlights the importance of continuing to reform and continuing to make sure that your democratic processes meet the highest standards. Thats always important. Its good for Georgia, but its also good for your efforts to move towards NATO membership or full Euro-Atlantic integration. Because we would very much like to see even more progress on these reforms and to strengthen your democratic institutions, especially the way you are conducting elections.

MAMUKA BAKHTADZE: Thank you so much for the question. Black Sea is today one of the key priorities of NATO and we welcome this. Georgia understands that very well, Georgia has a unique role for the security concept of the Black Sea and it is an unprecedented role for Georgia. We have planned joint steps, together with NATO, to make sure that, in the Black Sea region, security is sustainable. This will be very vivid in the coming years. As for the deep sea ports of Anaklia, Georgia has a unique geographic position and location. It is part of our economic policy to turn Georgia into a regional hub for transport, and logistics also, which covers every dimension. And, of course, Georgia will, by all means, have a deep sea port in Anaklia. We fully support the Anaklia Consortium to make sure that they deliver their investment commitments. We took a very active part in soliciting European and US partners. They give a very significant weight to this port, and Georgia will, by all means, have a deep sea port. Let me also respond to the second part of your question. Georgia is a leader for democratic transformation and we will continue. Were pledged to continue the consolidation of our democracy. We received specific recommendations. This is a normal process. You may well be aware that our team in power is working at the parliament as well to improve legislation, to make amendments to specific laws that have been subject to direct recommendations, from the OSCE and others. Thank you.

QUESTION: inaudible Georgia and NATO towards resolving the issue of Russias occupation of Georgian territory and what progress has been made?

JENS STOLTENBERG: First of all, NATO calls on Russia to end its recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and to withdraw its forces from these regions, because these regions are part of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders. And we will never recognise these regions as anything else. They are part of Georgia and we strongly support the territorial integrity of Georgia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Then, the way to solve this is by conducting political talks, is to negotiate. And its not easy and we havent seen that much progress. But the framework to address this issue is the talks which are going on in Geneva. And I think I will leave it to the Prime Minister to reflect on the progress and the status of those talks, but NATO supports those efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the issue of the 2 regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are part of Georgia.

MAMUKA BAKHTADZE: Thank you so much for the question. Unfortunately Russia continues to occupy 20 percent of the Georgian territory. We have very devastating situation at the occupied territories in terms of human rights. We are loyal towards our peace initiative. We are loyal towards resolving this conflict by engaging the international community. We are trying, and we do our best, to make sure that we implement the peace initiative that we have developed within the government of Georgia on how to stop the humanitarian disaster that is witnessed in both regions. The population has been decreased by five or six times compared to the pre-occupation times. These statistics evidences very clearly what is the current state within the occupied territories. Russia should deliver on its commitment that they made in 08 and retrieve its troops from the territory of Georgia. We are loyal towards the peace policy of Georgia. We have the full support of our friendly nations, claiming that all the peace initiatives that were designed by the government of Georgia are the only correct and proper response to the mainly painful challenges that we have at the occupied territories.

QUESTION: Is there a viable and realistic solution for Georgia joining NATO before the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is solved?

JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO Allies have clearly stated that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance and we are supporting, helping Georgia to meet NATO standards, to continue to reform and then to be ready to join. I am also certain that we will find a way to address and to deal with the issue of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ill not go into details about that now, but we will continue to provide support and Georgia will become a member of the Alliance.

MAMUKA BAKHTADZE: [48 seconds uninterpreted] concept of security in our region. This challenge is not only Georgias exclusive challenge and pain  they say its the challenge of the EU as well, and of every member state of NATO. Therefore we try to mobilise the efforts of all our partner countries to start realistic peace initiatives, to be implemented at the occupied territories. We are fully loyal and committed to the idea that our friendly nations and their efforts, through the mobilised effort, will make us overcome this challenge. Once again let me stress that at this stage, it is very important to stop the humanitarian disaster that we witness in the occupied territories in terms of grave violations of human rights, torture and killings. We need to give access to our citizens living in the occupied territories, to gain access to decent health care and education and all the other aspects and benefits listed in our peace initiative. We are fully focused on this concept. Thank you.

MODERATOR: Joint press conference is now over. Thank you.
(Natural News) Anyone hoping to be fully prepared in the event of a nuclear-related incident resulting in mass societal collapse first needs to understand the different types of nuclear weapons that might be used, including how their impacts will differ and what they might look like.

As part of lengthy primer on understanding different nuclear impacts, MDCreekmore.com, a preparedness and survival website, explains the four different types of nuclear detonations that could occur, and what they will entail.

The first is known as a Sub Surface Burst, and it involves a nuclear detonation that takes place underground, not involving the atmosphere. A Sub Surface Burst will create an earthquake-like effect above the surface resulting in major damage at Ground Zero (GZ), but wont necessarily create radiation or the ever-dreaded electromagnetic pulse (EMP).

Since Sub Surface Bursts occur all the time as part of military weapons testing, MDCreekmore.com says they really arent something to worry about in terms of preparedness and survival.

A Surface Burst, however, is a completely different story. These are the types of nuclear detonations depicted both in movies and educational illustrations, as they appear in the form of a sudden flash of light, along with a massive fireball, and create the iconic mushroom blast wave with which many people are already familiar.

As the fireball starts to rise a second blast wave, this time returning towards GZ, arrives and brings with it massive amount of debris, MDCreekmore.com explains.

This debris is forced upward into the fireball and creates the stem of the familiar Mushroom Cloud. At GZ there is total destruction and depending on the size, design of the weapon, and to a degree, the terrain, the area of total destruction can be considerable. Large areas of partial and incomplete destruction will extend even further.

Beware the High Altitude Burst, which is what would create an EMP

An Air Burst nuclear event never actually touches the surface upon detonation like a Surface Burst does, and thus wont create nearly the same level of fallout. However, it has the potential to create a much larger sweep of destruction, as it involves three unique blast waves.

The initial blast wave expands downward until it strikes the earth, creating a second blast wave that travels much faster and further than the first, eventually merging with it to create a Mach wave that packs twice the punch of the initial blast wave.

If you have trouble picturing this try thinking of a ripple hitting the edge of a calm pond, MDCreekmore.com explains. This deflected wave becomes a second wave. The third wave will be the displaced air mass returning to GZ.

The fourth type of nuclear weapon attack is known as a High Altitude Burst, and like its name reveals, this one takes place above 100,000 feet. While a High Altitude Burst creates no blast damage or fallout, it does create an EMP that has the potential to completely wipe out the power grid, along with everything that relies on it to function.

An EMP, as weve previously reported has the potential to kill as many as 90 percent of Americas population due to the fact that most everything these days functions on the back of the grid, which an EMP would completely destroy.

Experts on electromagnetic pulse (EMP) phenomena, concerned about the devastation they could wreak on the U.S. economy and infrastructure, are increasingly sounding the alarm bell about the need to beef up cyber-security and protect vulnerable systems, writes our own J.D. Heyes.

Some experts have said that the loss of a number of transformers would lead to rolling power failures across the country, crippling a number of industries while stranding hospitals and water treatment facilities and knocking out traffic lights, air travel and financial transactions.

Sources for this article include:

MDCreekmore.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Vaccines are so obviously and undeniably safe and effective (sarcasm) that Big Tech feels it necessary to continue to wage a full-scale censorship war against all information about vaccination that in any way challenges the Church of Mainstream Medicines official vaccine doctrines.

The Church of Instagram, as one of the latest examples, run by the Mother Church of Facebook, is doing its part to control the official vaccine narrative by blocking all hashtags that it deems as being anti-vaccine.

According to reports, Instagram is rapidly removing all such anti-vaccine content from its search and explore features, meaning users interested in accessing this type of information will no longer have the ability to find it.

Instagram users interested in viewing the scientific work of expert gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Wakefield, for instance, will no longer be able to do so because Instagram has categorized the issue of autism having any connection to vaccines, for which Dr. Wakefield is credited, as misinformation.

Instagram is also targeting specific hashtags like #vaccinescauseautism that link to science and other content questioning the official narrative about vaccine safety, claiming that the science is already settled on the matter.

As part of our work to address health-related misinformation on Instagram, were looking at ways to minimize recommendations of this content and accounts that post it across Instagram  including in Suggested For You, Explore and hashtags, an official Instagram spokesperson revealed in a recent statement.

Some of these short-term measures include censoring politically-incorrect hashtags, and targeting user accounts that try to educate other Instagram users about vaccines from an independent perspective.

We noted that this process would take place over several weeks, the spokesperson added. But as we take action in the short-term, we know that fighting misinformation is a long-term commitment.

Instagram is the worst social media app for young peoples mental health, scientists discover

All of this is why Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, decided to introduce Brighteon.com to the world, where censorship and digital burning-burning isnt allowed.

In fact, Brighteon.com encourages users to upload content that the tech brigade finds offensive or incorrect, recognizing that free speech and the First Amendment are under attack like never before.

Things are getting so bad in social media-land that even mainstream scientists are now taking notice, including in the United Kingdom where social scientists uncovered the ugly truth about what social media is doing to the minds of young people.

Researchers from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) learned that many of the worlds top social media platforms are destroying the mental health of todays youth  and Instagram is apparently the worst of them all.

Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol, and is now so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young peoples mental health issues, warns Shirley Cramer CBE, chief executive of RSPH.

In categories ranging from awareness and empathy, to depression and loneliness, to self-identity and community-building, Cramer and her team found that social media platforms like Instagram are lowering the bar from detrimental to catastrophic.

Its that all of the social media sites, on some level, are simply terrible for peoples mental health, specifically for the youth, explains our own David Williams about this societal scourge.

And when pitted against one another, the photo-sharing social media app Instagram ranked worst of all for young peoples mental well-being.

For more related news about Big Techs censorship agenda, be sure to check out Censorship.news.

Sources for this article include:

TheHill.com

NaturalNews.com

Brighteon.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Pomegranates are nutritious fruits, and the juice from the fruit offers many health benefits. According to a study, drinking pomegranate can even significantly improve heart health.

Pomegranate juices effect on heart health

Pomegranates have a remarkable nutrient profile. A cup of pomegranate seeds or arils (174 grams [g]) has fiber, protein, vitamins C and K, folate, and potassium.

According to a study in the journal Atherosclerosis: Pomegranate juice consumption resulted in a significant IMT [intima-media thickness] reduction, by up to 30%, after 1 year.

The intima-media, the middle portion of the arteries, can become inflamed and filled up with plaque made up of oxidized fats, immune cells, and their debris. This condition is colloquially referred to as blocked arteries.

When the intima-media grows thicker, there is less space for the blood contents to move through the opening (lumen) of the arteries. Once the arteries eventually close or become blocked, you may suffer from severe conditions or even death.

This highlights the importance of natural cures that can safely reduce, or reverse, intima-media thickening to address the root cause of atherosclerosis and deaths associated with cardiovascular mortality. (Related: Pomegranate juice found to combat systemic inflammation throughout the body.)

In a separate 2004 study, which was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, a team of Israeli researchers found that administering pomegranate juice over the course of a year can help reverse plaque accumulation in the carotid arteries of patients with severe (though symptomless), carotid artery stenosis.

For this study, carotid artery stenosis was defined as 70 to 90 percent blockage in the internal carotid arteries. The researchers observed 19 participants: five women and 14 men. The volunteers were aged 65 to 75, and they were all non-smokers. The participants were randomized to receive either pomegranate juice or placebo.

Ten patients were in the pomegranate juice treatment group and they received 8.11 ounces (240 milliliters [ml]) of pomegranate juice per day, for a period of one year. Five volunteers from the pomegranate juice group agreed to continue for up to three years.

Meanwhile, nine patients in the control group did not consume pomegranate juice. Both groups were matched with similar blood lipid and glucose concentrations, blood pressure, and with similar medication regimens that included blood-pressure lowering (like ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers) and lipid-lowering drugs, like statins.

The results of the study revealed that the mean intima-media thickness of the left and right common carotid arteries in severe carotid artery stenosis patients who consumed pomegranate juice for at least a year reduced after three, six, nine, and 12 months of pomegranate juice consumption by 13, 22, 26, and 35 percent, respectively, compared to baseline values.

How pomegranate improves heart health

In the study, the scientists detailed three potential mechanisms of action behind pomegranates observed anti-atherosclerotic activity.

Antioxidant properties

The participants who were given pomegranate juice had noteworthy reductions in oxidative stress, along with a decrease in autoantibodies formed against a form of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) linked to the pathological process of atherosclerosis. This suggests that pomegranate juice helped prevent the heart disease-promoting effects of oxidative stress.

Blood pressure lowering properties

Taking pomegranate juice significantly improved the systolic blood pressure of the patients by seven, 11, 10, 10, and 12 percent after one, three, six, nine, and 12 months of pomegranate consumption, respectively, compared to values obtained prior to the treatment.

The researchers posit that pomegranate helped reduce systolic blood pressure because it has a healing effect on the endothelium (the inner lining of the artery) that is unable to relax fully when a person has a condition called endothelial dysfunction.

Plaque lesion stabilization

Two of the ten patients taking pomegranate juice after three and 12 months experienced clinical deterioration. The volunteers underwent carotid surgery, and the lesions were analyzed to determine the difference in their composition compared to those in the control group.

The researchers identified four distinct positive differences in the composition of the pomegranate-treated lesions.

Reduced cholesterol content  The cholesterol content in carotid lesions from the two patients who consumed the juice was lower by 58 and 20 percent, respectively, compared to lesions from volunteers with CAS in the control group. Reduced lipid peroxides The lipid peroxide content of lesions from the patients who consumed pomegranate juice after three or 12 months was significantly reduced by 61 or 44 percent, respectively, compared to lesions from those in the control group. Increased reduced glutathione content  There was a significant increase in the lesions reduced glutathione content by 2.5 after the volunteers consumed the juice for three or 12 months. Glutathione is a major cellular antioxidant. Reduced LDL oxidation  LDL oxidation by lesions obtained from the volunteers who were given pomegranate juice for 3 or 12 months were significantly reduced by 43 or 32 percent, respectively, compared to LDL oxidation rates in the lesions taken from CAS patients in the control group.

All the patients who participated in the 2004 study were taking conventional drugs meant to address cardiovascular disease, such as cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering agents. The results confirm that the pomegranate juice didnt interfere with their drugs, making it a suitable adjunct or complementary therapy for those on medication.

Additionally, the control groups condition gradually worsened and the mean IMT increased by nine percent after only a year. This implies that prescription drugs are ineffective, or that they may even accelerate certain heart conditions.

To boost your heart health and overall well-being, drink nutritious pomegranate juice regularly.

Sources include:

GreenMedInfo.com

Healthline.com
(Natural News) Editors note: Our resident gender fluid progressive, A. Moffit, has been given this space to express pro-diversity views from the progressive Left. Today, she insists that Planned Parenthood should open abortion centers for men, since some men have vaginas. Of course, Moffit is completely insane and dangerously delusional, but this is now the norm with the progressive Left. We do not endorse the insane views expressed below, but we present them to help keep you informed of what the progressive Left is actually thinking. This is not satire. Read and weep for humanity:

The world is in awe as men with vaginas have begun to get pregnant and have babies, proving the theory of gender fluidity is alive and well. Will Planned Parenthood help men make important choices involving their reproductive health? Planned Parenthood should step up to the plate and educate men about the challenges of giving birth by offering global services to transexuals and pansgenders. Planned Parenthood should help pregnant men, as many may choose to abort. Its everyones responsibility to save everyone else from starvation, and the chaos of men having babies is just going to further dampen the food supply, thats barely adequate right now for feeding all 330 million Americans. Planned Parenthood always functions for the greater good, plus they can sell aborted baby parts for biotechnology studies helps Monsanto and Bayer grow more genetically modified foods, and other corporations sell more candy and soda, which in turn feeds a starving world.

Any men already pregnant and considering childbirth, you may want to reconsider, and consult with a clinician at PP

Planned Parenthood (PP) centers are conveniently located in most major urban areas for men of all creeds and colors who want advice about their pregnancies, while considering the greater good. Plus, if you choose to abort, its economically wise to sell the baby organs on the black market for cold hard cash. All you have to do, once you agree that the baby will be a burden to society, is to meet some biotech gurus at a clandestine restaurant or coffee shop and start bargaining off that baby brain, heart, liver and kidneys. Planned Parenthood reps, even those at the top are up for the negotiations.

PP welcomes pregnant men and pansgenders who want to spare their vaginas the agony of childbirth

Fetal tissue is a top commodity these days, just ask any start-up biotechnology firm. Have you checked fetus values on the dark web lately? Dr. Mary Gatter, President of Planned Parenthoods Medical Directors Council, haggles in public for that invaluable flesh, but you got to make sure its all on ice. You can sell the babys organs for the going rate, or haggle for more, knowing even the head GMO gurus need them for food research.

Its obvioius that PepsiCo, Kraft and Nestle need more natural flavors to entice their consumers taste buds in order to keep everyone addicted to their products. Aborted embryonic cells, like HEK-293, are used to test fake flavoring chemicals for sodas, cookies and candy.

Thousands of U.S. surgeons prepare for mass numbers of uterus transplants for men

Trannies and Pansgenders across the U.S. are ready to hop on the waiting lists to get a uterus and vagina transplant so they too can give birth to babies, but several obstacles stand in their way. For starters, its a huge surgical undertaking that involves reconstruction of the pelvis by someone already highly skilled in transgender surgery. Plus, the usual hormone regimen prescribed risks the patient developing massive cancer tumors and even having regrets after irreversible surgery.

Heres the good news though: Swedish doctors successfully transplanted a uterus in 2014. In the USA, Ohios Cleveland Clinic wants to be the first clinic here to help put baby-carrying parts in men. Its nice to know men can have babies, but do they really want to add to the population problem? Start looking for PP billboards advertising abortions for men of all creeds near your local highway exits soon.

Sources for this article include:

WashingtonPost.com

NaturalNews.com

NaturalNews.com

BusinessInsider.com

Gender.news

PlannedParenthood.org
(Natural News) California Governor Jerry Brown is king of the idiots  literally. New data from the Census Bureau shows that California is the least educated state in the nation, boasting the highest number of adults aged 25 and older who never finished ninth grade and the lowest number of high school graduates overall. Indeed, it is no wonder they keep voting for liberals: They honestly dont know any better.

As CNS News reports, recently released census data revealed that 9.7 percent of California residents never made it past the ninth grade. The 2,510,370 California residents 25 and older who didnt finish their freshman years of high school outnumber the population of some U.S. states.

There is at least an entire states worth of people in California who have never completed high school, with just 82.5 percent of the state earning their diplomas. But is the lack of education among California residents the mark of a failing education system, or something more sinister?

Is it actually an education problem?

As American Thinker notes, California is also home to major agricultural operations, an industry known for not requiring a ton of education. The prevalence of unskilled labor in California is no doubt going to affect the states education status. Further, the agriculture industry is known for hiring illegal aliens  if they arent already living off the backs of California tax payers via expansive welfare programs.

American Thinker reports:

Central American migrants, for instance, virtually all have less than a tenth-grade education and some of the lowest English-language proficiency skills in the entire world, according to the EF English proficiency index, which considers this skill a measure of development.

While its not politically correct to do so, one might take note of the fact that California has the highest number of illegal aliens in the country. Its been estimated that illegal immigrants make up at least five percent of Californias total population, with the Department of Homeland Security estimating that over 2.8 million illegals reside there.

In other words, California has likely created this problem with their ridiculous sanctuary city policies and the litany of outrageous benefits offered to illegal immigrants. Some politicians have even proposed that illegals should get free healthcare. The state has taken on an enormous population of uneducated and unskilled people  and those people are now voting in our elections, thanks to Democrats.

Rigging the vote

While the left-wing is championing the cause of illegal immigration as some noble endeavor that only the morally corrupt would oppose, liberal politicians are securing millions of votes from people who arent even citizens of the United States. Take an uneducated poor person whos been living a nightmare for most of their life, struggling to get by, and promise them the world  and theyll vote however you tell them to, as long as you keep promising the goods.

California is known for providing illegal aliens with a host of benefits: Drivers licenses, in-state tuition, state-funded healthcare for kids, limits on deportations, and soon maybe even Medicaid. While politicians are loath to admit it, these benefits do not exist for any other reason than the fact that Democrats are pandering to minorities to secure future votes.

Illegal immigration already has a pronounced effect on elections in the United States, both at the local and federal level.

California voters may be uneducated, but dont be fooled into thinking this problem isnt by design. A population with nothing to offer is a population that will take whatever is given to them without a second thought  and thats a dangerous game to play with the authoritarian Left.

See more coverage of the left coasts latest antics at Collapsifornia.com.

Sources for this article include:

CNSNews.com

AmericanThinker.com
(Natural News) One reason that topics like dangerous vaccines do not get a lot of publicity is because the government is often willing to look the other way. Big Pharmas reach is great, but it is about to find a very powerful opponent in the form of Tennessee congressman Dr. Mark Green.

Dr. Green is a physician who once ran a healthcare company, and he also has experience serving as an emergency army doctor in the military operation that saw the capture of Saddam Hussein. Needless to say, he has plenty of experience and knowledge on the topic of vaccines.

Speaking to constituents, he said that vaccines could be causing autism. Moreover, he said that he believes the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has fraudulently managed data related to vaccines.

He made the remarks at a town hall meeting in response to a question from a woman in the audience who had a young adult suffering from autism. These werent just empty comments intended to appease a constituent; he even said that he is prepared to defend his concerns over vaccine safety to the authorities.

He stated: Let me say this about autism. I have committed to people in my community, up in Montgomery County, to stand on the CDCs desk and get the real data on vaccines. Because there is some concern that the rise in autism is the result of the preservatives that are in our vaccines.

As a physician, I can make that argument and I can look at it academically and make the argument against the CDC, if they really want to engage me on it.

He also said that taking a stand against the CDCs possible withholding of vaccine research information would be a priority once he takes office.

Although he was quick to clarify that his own children are vaccinated, he believes that more research is needed  and quickly. He pointed out that autism rates have been climbing alongside vaccine numbers.

Indeed, autism cases are skyrocketing in the U.S., rising by 30,000 percent since the early 80s. Children who adhere to the CDCs recommendations will get 70 doses of 16 vaccines, a figure that has nearly quadrupled since that time. These days, one out of every 36 children aged 3 to 17 are autistic.

While many doctors and the CDC insist that there is nothing to worry about, countless parents are telling a different tale. If vaccines are so safe, why is it that the government has already paid out nearly $4 billion in vaccine injury claims, including to autistic children who were damaged by vaccines? Why did they need to set up a vaccine injury claim court in the first place if there is nothing to worry about?

CDC coverup has already been exposed  is there more to the story?

Dr. Green also mentioned concerns raised by Florida Rep. Bill Posey and others that the CDC has been covering up a potential link between childhood vaccines and autism.

A senior epidemiologist from the CDC, Dr. William Thompson, along with the team of researchers working with him, uncovered a strong association between autism and vaccines in 2004, but their bosses instructed them to change the studys parameters in a way that would make the association disappear. That way, the CDC would have nothing to report to the public.

Dr. Thompson came forward in 2014 with the previously buried data, which showed a statistically significant correlation between autism and the MMR vaccine in African-American boys in particular. His statement said that the co-authors then scheduled a meeting in which the documents related to that study would be destroyed.

He relayed how they met with a big garbage can and filled it with all the hard-copy documents they felt they should discard. However, he was concerned about the legality of it, so he took the precaution of keeping some hard copies in his office, along with computer files related to the case. Dr. Thompson was later given immunity from the Obama government.

That is just one of the cases that we know about, and it seems likely that there are plenty of other cover-ups that have not seen the light of day surrounding this very concerning issue. Vaccines are risky, and people deserve to know what can happen to them or their children if they get one so they can make an informed decision.

Dr. Greens willingness to call the CDC out on its handling of vaccines and his interest in investigating the link between autism and vaccines further is very admirable. Although you might not agree with his stances on other topics, its refreshing to see someone who isnt afraid to go against the status quo to protect childrens health and well-being, and one can only hope it will lead to some real change. Green will be sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives on January 3, taking the seat of Marsha Blackburn, who is headed for the Senate.

Sources for this article include:

WND.com

Tennessean.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Once again, the Facebook team has shown their true colors by betraying the trust of millions of users, and offering up access to their most personal and private information for profit. The Silicon Valley leader has been caught violating their own data sharing policies, for the benefit of some of their most prestigious clients. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Sony and Netflix have been enjoying the special privilege of being able to read, write and even delete Facebook users private messages. Isnt that something?

The tech industry has been involved in countless scandals as of late; whether its conspiring to throw elections, censoring conservative content or violating user privacy, Big Tech is at the helm of controversy. It is no wonder then, that massive amounts of people are leaving Facebook and other social media platforms.

Facebook sells out users and their data

A shocking investigation led by The New York Times has revealed that Facebook has been giving at least 150 of the worlds largest companies unbridled access to its users personal information. As the report reveals, these companies have been privy to a far more intrusive level of personal data than Facebook has ever been willing to admit.

Info Wars reports:

The Times interviewed over 60 people including current and former employees of Facebook and its partners, former government officials and privacy advocates  and reviewed over 270 pages of Facebooks internal documents while performing technical tests and analysis to monitor what data Facebook has been handing out like candy.

The Times investigation uncovered an internal Facebook document, in which the company emphasized that personal data is the most prized commodity of the digital age, and it is being traded by some of the most powerful companies in the world.

In what is possibly the largest Facebook scandal to date, the personal information of over 400 million users was given away to hundreds of the worlds most influential companies, including Microsoft, Google and other partners, for free. Facebook traded information on its users, and violated their perceived and expected levels of privacy, to support industry relations and to advance the companys own agenda.

Supposedly, this exchange was intended to benefit everyone  except perhaps Facebook users, who are nothing more than guinea pigs in the social media mind control experiment.

Under this trade, Facebook gave companies access to users most private information, including their personal messages. Companies like Netflix were even granted the ability to read and delete users messages. Since the Times report, Netflix has stated that it never read anyones private messages and claims the company never requested such intrusive access.

What happened to privacy?

While Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly promised that users have complete control over what and how much data they share, this shocking investigation has proven that simply isnt true. Countless companies have gained access to all sorts of user data  including Facebooks unique user IDs, which is a serious safety risk.

As Info Wars reports:

Facebook was able to circumvent a 2011 consent agreement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) which barred the company from sharing user data without explicit permission, because Facebook considered the partners extensions of itself  service providers that allowed users to interact with their Facebook friends. This allowed the company to grant such unprecedented access to everyones information. The partners were reportedly prohibited from using the personal information from purposes outside the scope of their agreement, however there has been little to no oversight.

Facebook has been taking advantage of this little loophole for years. The FTC has repeatedly come under fire for failing to act, even though agency officials admit that this loophole shouldnt even exist.

See more coverage of the latest privacy violations by Big Tech at Surveillance.news.

Sources for this article include:

InfoWars.com

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) Well, that was a bust, but an expensive one  in real dollars and in terms of our countrys political health.

Special counsel Robert Muellers final report regarding his witch hunt probe of POTUS Donald Trumps 2016 campaign over allegations of collusion with Russia to steal the election from Hillary Clinton has proven two things.

One, that the investigation was a hoax  based on a phony narrative devised in the aftermath of an election the far-Left Democratic Party and its sympathetic Deep State thought they had in the bag.

And two, the lame stream fake news establishment media has been lying all along, playing the role of enabler to this mother-of-all political scandals, while at the same time covering for the real criminals and traitors and keeping the country stirred up, divided, and people at each others throats. Literally.

During his Friday program, Fox News ace Tucker Carlson recounted for viewers a list of Democratic shills and media who made it their mission in life to keep feeding the Russian collusion monster for as long as possible, hoping that Mueller would find something, anything, that would not only justify his appointment but prove to be political cyanide for POTUS and his administration.

The people on TV have been lying to you. Theyll deny it now and will tell you this was always about Trumps taxes or some foreign real estate deal or hush money he paid to a girlfriend. Thats a crock, Carlson noted, as reported by TownHalls Beth Baumann. This investigation was always, from day one, about collusion with Russia, about betraying this country. They told us that for years. And we have the tape.

One of the biggest liars has been Obamas CIA Director John Brennan, whom many believe was the mastermind behind the Spygate scandal. In a previous MSNBC appearance, he haughtily asserted he was pretty sure that some collusion took place.

That was the former CIA Director, one of countless retired intel officials you see parading across your screen every night, all of them paid by MSNBC and or CNN to tote the party line, all of them no better. Theyre lying. Its a habit many of them picked up years ago, said Tucker.

POTUS is right: They are enemies of the people

Carlson then showed a clip of Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who appeared on CNN in July, telling host Wolf Blitzer that he believed most of Trumps family would also be indicted.

The media hyped that one too, as noted by The National Sentinel. Breathlessly, for weeks, in fact.

That man [Steve Cohen] is a sitting member of Congress. He wears a necktie. Hes on TV. People believed him. And why wouldnt they? Hes an authority figure in this country and he was lying, Tucker said.

And lets not forget the master conspirator/liar, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who Tucker calls the original collusion truther.

Theres no element of the Russia conspiracy that Swalwell, whos been on this show many times, isnt eager to believe and magnify, he added. (Related: REAL collusion: Democrat lawyers met with FBI to share notes on Russia allegations before FISA warrant was issued.)

The Fox News host reminded his viewers that there have actually been three separate investigations into the Russian collusion hoax  Muellers, of course, but also one each by the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Those committees spent years looking into this and in the end, they found nothing, but during this time, the country theyre supposed to be running has become obviously and measurably worse, said Tucker.

Big, fat truth bomb.

And the pathetic mainstream media has been front and center in the middle of perpetuating the hoax, through acts of commission and omission. Despite opportunities galore to call these liars out, the media instead chose to keep bringing them back, allowing them to spin, yarn, and fib, all while tensions in the country boiled and Americans seethed at each other.

Scandalous, for certain. But perhaps even criminal. In another time more Americans would have been far more willing to call this behavior what it was (and continues to be): Treasonous.

POTUS is right. They are enemies of the people.

Read more about the Robert Mueller probe and the Trump-Russia hoax at RobertMueller.news and Hoax.news.

Sources:

TownHall.com

TheNationalSentinel.com
(Natural News) GMO labeling laws have been a source of controversy in the United States for quite some time. Consumer advocates have called upon the federal government to protect Americans right to freedom of choice and to encourage transparency in the food industry, but officials seem to be more interested in defending corporate interests. Industry leaders are afraid proper GMO labeling will interfere with their bottom lines  that alone should be a huge red flag. But while federal officials in the United States are twiddling their thumbs over GMOs, nations around the world are beginning to take action. Russia, for example, just introduced clear GMO labeling on all foods.

While GMO labeling laws have been passed in the United States, the proposed implementation of such laws leaves much to be desired. Critics say GMO labeling practices enacted here in America function more like propaganda for the biotech industry. Brightly colored smiley-face stickers that dont even bear the letters GMO are hardly a clear identifier, after all. Heaven forbid Americans actually make informed decisions about the food they eat the entire industry would collapse overnight if people knew what they were really getting.

Clear GMO labeling comes to Russia

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus, introduced their new, clear GMO labeling practices at the start of the new year. All food and supplements containing genetically modified ingredients will bear a GMO label on the packaging.

As Sustainable Pulse reports:

According to the new regulations, the basic size of the GMO label must not be less than 5 mm. The technical regulations also require that the GMO label be applied in a manner that provides easy readability and visibility throughout the shelf life of food and supplement products.

Across the board, the EAEU is taking a firm stance on GMOs. In 2016, Russias State Duma voted on a bill which would ban the cultivation of GMO crops and animals in Russia entirely, except for scientific purposes. And in 2018, the Kyrgyzstan government announced that it would be the second country in the world to adopt organic-only farming practices.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is a world away from reaching any kind of transparency on GMOs.

GMO labeling in the U.S. is lackluster

Congress passed a law to label GMO products in the U.S. back in 2016. Since that time, federal officials have been struggling to come up with the specifics of labeling such items. The USDA recently revealed a few of the options theyve come up with. As NPR reports, all options are brightly colored, friendly looking labels that bear the letters B.E instead of GMO. Some show a smiling sun, or a circle of growing plants, too.

B.E is apparently supposed to stand for bioengineered, and this little change is clearly an attempt at placating Big Biotech and Big Ag. As critics have stated, replacing the well-known and easily recognizable term GMO arbitrarily with some new term will only confuse consumers. The average person may not be aware of the fact that B.E actually means GMO.

This is a blatant attempt to obscure truth and feign transparency, and it should not be tolerated. The federal government is literally conspiring to fool the American people, to protect corporate interests. Who are these federal agencies supposed to serve and protect, again?

George Kimbrell, the legal director for the Center for Food Safety, criticized the USDAs iteration of GMO labeling. Theyre very pro-biotech, cartoonishly so, and to that extent are, you know, not just imparting information but instead are essentially propaganda for the industry, he told NPR.

The failure to come up with a clear and easily understood label for GMO products is an affront to American freedom. Regardless of ones view on GMOs, the simple fact remains that people have the right to choose what they put in their bodies. Ingredient labels exist for a reason  and GMO labels should, too.

Learn about GMO labeling and more at GMO.news.

Sources for this article include:

SustainablePulse.com

NPR.org
(Natural News) The dark side of Western medicine has been erased from U.S. history books and from Google search results, along with any trace of truth about the success of natural cures and homeopathic medicine. Any doctors or scientists who attempt to peer review natural remedies are stripped of their medical license or research funding by the corrupt American Medical Association (AMA) and Big Pharma. In fact, at least half of all clinical trials have never been reported, because when natural cures are proven to work, the results are removed or skewed in favor of chemical medicine. The American healthcare system is set up to profit from illness, and those in charge are making sure that never changes.

It all started when oil tycoon J.D. Rockefeller decided to control modern medicine by empowering the pharmaceutical industry while crippling the highly successful practices of naturopathy and homeopathy. How did Rockefeller accomplish this? He funded bogus research by a man named Andrew Flexner, who then authored the infamous Flexner Report of 1910. Flexner used the money to visit every U.S. medical school, and with the backing of the AMA, reduced the number of physicians while limiting authorization of any new medical school licenses to doctors who supported only chemical medicine.

The Rockefeller family waged war on natural cures and holistic healing, while privately using them for his own health

Todays mainstream medicine is nothing but sick care management, where chemical pills are dished out to quell symptoms of deep-rooted illnesses, and surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are used to only temporarily stave off organ failure, heart attacks, and cancer. Most of the richest Americans know better than to eat GMOs, drink tap water, get flu shots, or ever even consider chemotherapy for cancer. These elitists eat organic food daily, they take organic supplements, and they visit naturopathic physicians when they get sick. The only time they visit hospitals is for emergencies when they incur a deep cut or broken bones.

John Davison Rockefeller, Sr. was Americas first billionaire. He lived to be 97 years old, thanks to a strict food and medicine regime that did not involve eating the chemicals he found in his petroleum, coal, gasoline, and oil industries. Today, artificial food coloring comes from petroleum, and many processed oils contain hexane, a vapor constituent of gasoline. Today, tap water and vaccines contain chemicals you would never consume, if you only knew. Rockefeller led a double life as the ultimate hypocrite. He was a business bully who cheated on his wife and tried to bury natural cures (while he used them himself), but ironically he suffered from anxiety and died of pneumonia.

Rockefeller Jr. became the Post WWII industrial emperor of chemical agriculture and chemical medicine

After the U.S. helped Great Britain defeat the Nazis, U.S. politicians and business magnates built a chemical empire of their own in America. Hitler had used his own Big Pharma (I.G. Pharben) to create chemicals for warfare and the gas chambers. Now, America would use many of those same chemists and chemicals to manufacture U.S. food and medicine, all part of a huge scheme (invented and funded by the Rockefellers) to make a fortune off the sickened masses, who would never believe their amazing country was turned so evil by monopolists.

Most people these days who get cancer think its hereditary. They think its genetic. Thats how bad the system has them fooled. They believe every word that comes out of their doctors mouth  the same doctor who would never take chemo himself, and who graduated from a school sponsored, funded, and controlled by Big Pharma and the Rockefellers.

Today, nearly all conventional food is covered and smothered in chemical pesticides. Today, nearly all conventional food contains genetically engineered pesticides that continue spreading in the human gut, fueling immune disorders and cancer cell development. Today, nearly all conventional medicine contains deadly chemicals that cause the body to remain acidic, breeding more disease and disorder. Its a wicked formula that the elitists know and avoid at all costs.

Tune into NaturalCures.news for more information on superfoods that have not been banned by the likes of Rockefeller and Big Pharma, so you can not only survive, but thrive.

Sources for this article include:

AustralianNationalReview.com

TruthWiki.org

NaturalNews.com

NaturalCures.news

AntiCorruptionSociety.com

TruthWiki.org
Boulder, Colo., USA: Glaciers that drain ice sheets such as Antarctica or Greenland often flow into the ocean, ending in near-vertical cliffs. As the glacier flows into the sea, chunks of the ice break off in calving events. Although much calving occurs when the ocean melts the front of the ice, and ice cliff above falls down, a new study presents another method of calving: slumping. And this process could break off much larger chunks of ice at a quicker rate.

The ice-cliff research was spurred by a helicopter ride over Jakobshavn and Helheim glaciers on Greenland's eastern coast. Helheim ends abruptly in the ocean, in near-vertical ice-cliffs reaching 30-stories high (100 meters). On the flight, scientists viewed large cracks (called crevasses) on top of the ice that marched towards the end of the glacier.

"Geologists have spent decades -- centuries -- worrying about slumps," says Richard Alley, co-author of the new paper in Geology. A slump occurs when mass of rock or sediment loses some of its strength, breaks away from its neighboring land, and slides down a slope. Typically, slumps are marked by a steep scarp where the material broke away, followed by a block of material moved downslope.

Alley says the research team noted that features on Helheim glacier are typical of what you might see in a slump-prone terrestrial landscape and they wondered if ice might suffer the same fate. "You've got a crevasse that serves as a head scarp and then you've got the stresses [within the ice] maximized down at the water level," he says.

To test if slumping occurs on ice cliffs, the team monitored Helheim glacier during a calving event, using real-aperture terrestrial radar interferometery. They measured speed, position, and motion of the calving ice. The researchers observed an ice-flow acceleration just before an initial slump, followed by a rotating, full ice-thickness calving of the glacier -- including the entire remaining ice-cliff, reaching both above and below the water line.

Removing the weight of the upper ice by slumping encourages the underlying ice to pop upward. "Because it's still attached at the back, it's going to rotate a little bit," says Alley. The rotation causes a crack to form at the bottom of the glacier as the ice flexes. In turn, the crack can weaken the ice, creating a large calving event -- all triggered by the initial slump on top of the ice cliff.

After observing the slump-triggered calving event, the team modeled when slumping events were most likely to occur on an ice cliff. The modeling looked at tensile, shear, and compressive failure for ice cliffs, and included characteristics of the ice. The scientists found that cliffs reaching more than 100 meters of ice above water were likely to have slumping occur.

Alley says regular calving events happen relatively slowly, such as when the ice front melts over time, undercutting the ice and weakening the cliff. "But that's not going to go really, really, really fast because you have to wait for the melting to undercut it," he says.

With slumping, the calving occurs without waiting for the melt. "We'll go slump... basal crevasse... boom," he says, noting that when the calving happens it will take the 100 meters of ice above the water -- and the 900 meters below the water -- very quickly.

And 1000 meters of ice calving at once isn't the limit. Alley says that in some places in Antarctica, the glacial ice bed can be 1500 to 2000 meters below sea level, creating a much taller cliff above water. He says the worry is that taller cliffs are even more susceptible to slumping. "The scary thing is that if pieces of west Antarctica start doing what Helheim is doing then over the next hundred years models indicate that we get rapid sea level rise at rates that surpass those predicted," says Alley.

Understanding the slump-break process has been a collaborative effort, Alley says, and more investigations are planned for the near future. "We want to understand what are the rules for [ice] breakage by this process and others," says Alley, adding that they hope to collect more observational data as well as refine their models to better understand the slump-break process. "There's still work to be done."
A body has been discovered near the location of a landslide that buried a woman at San Francisco's Fort Funston last month.

Authorities have not confirmed if the body is that of 22-year-old Kyra Sunshine Scarlet, who was buried on Feb. 22 when a cliff gave way.

Scarlet was with another woman and a dog when tons of sand gave way and came sliding more than 100 feet, carrying them along. The other woman and dog were rescued.

Fort Funston is part of the federal Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is about 10 miles south of the Golden Gate Bridge. It is set above steep cliffs that are about 200 feet above the San Francisco beach.

The U.S. Park Police is the lead agency.

Further information was not immediately available.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
California Sen. Kamala Harris sent a signal to the old guard of Democratic politics that every era has its end.

At an Atlanta church service Sunday, the presidential candidate compared leadership to a relay race in which each generation must ask themselves, "What do we do during that period of time when we carry that baton?"

Then she added with a smile that for "the older leaders, it also becomes a question of let's also know when to pass the baton."

At 54 years old, Harris is one of the younger contenders for the White House in 2020. While former Vice President Joe Biden has not said whether he will run, both the 76-year-old and 77-year-old Bernie Sanders have previously run for the White House and fallen short.

Biden and Sanders are seen as strong contenders for the Democratic nomination, though other candidates and some voters have emphasized the need for a more youthful approach to try and beat President Donald Trump in the general election. Several other candidates in the race, including two governor, are also in their late sixties.

Other highlights of Sunday campaigning:

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND

Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand assailed President Donald Trump as a coward who is "tearing apart the moral fabric of the vulnerable," as she officially started her campaign for president.

The senator spoke in New York Sunday, feet away from one of Trump's signature properties, the Trump International Hotel and Tower.

She said that instead of building walls as Trump wants to do along the U.S.-Mexico border, Americans build bridges, community and hope.

Gillibrand also called for full release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report in the Russia investigation. Attorney General William Barr released a summary Sunday afternoon, but Democrats want to see the full details.

Gillibrand is trying to position herself in the crowded field of Democrats seeking the party's nomination. While some hopefuls have shied away from mentioning Trump, Gillibrand has not hesitated to do so.

ELIZABETH WARREN

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said Sunday the National Rifle Association is holding "Congress hostage" when it comes to stemming gun violence.

The Massachusetts senator and Democratic presidential candidate tells a campaign rally that if seven children were dying from a mysterious virus, "we'd pull out all the stops till we figured out what was wrong." But in terms of gun violence, she said the NRA "keeps calling the shots in Washington."

Warren finished a two-day campaign trip to New Hampshire with an event at a middle school in Conway Sunday afternoon.

Warren focused much of her speech on her approach to economics, but paid special attention to unions Sunday. She said more power needs to be put back in the hands of workers.

BETO O'ROURKE

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke told voters in Las Vegas Sunday that President Donald Trump bears blame for the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border but responsibility lies with everyone in the country to fix the situation.

O'Rourke spoke Sunday to more than 200 people packed into and snaking around a taco shop on the city's north end. He said immigrant families are leaving their home countries and journeying on foot because they have no other choice.

The former Texas congressman said desperate families were broken up in the U.S. when they were at their most vulnerable and desperate moments, and what happened to them "is on every single one of us."

Associated Press writers Juana Summers and Michelle Price contributed to this report.
Community and art advocates in East San Jose held a peaceful protest Sunday demanding the restoration of a mural that was painted over without proper notice in August.

El Comite for the Preservation of the Chicano Arts organized the event connected to what it says was the unlawful removal of "Mural de la Raza," one of the last remaining historic Chicano murals in the city of San Jose.

The mural on the wall of what was a Payless Shoe Source store at 2048 Story Road was painted over on Aug. 29, sparking outrage in the community as many believed the new property owner painted over the artwork without notifying the artist in advance. Later, a statement from the new owner indicated the former owner was responsible.

Activists now say that same party who formerly owned the Payless building unlawfully removed a San Jose mural in 2014.

Sunday's family-friendly event featured speakers, poets and musicians sharing their perspectives on why "Mural de la Raza" should be restored and why other remaining historic artworks need to be preserved.
The principal of Pittsburg Unified School District's adult education program allegedly shot by his wife during a domestic dispute has died, according to his family.

Paul Shatswell, 45, was shot March 16 and had been on life support since, authorities said.

Shatswell's wife, Maria Vides, now faces a murder charge. She initailly was booked into County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. Vides allegedly shot him with a handgun around 1:20 a.m. in their home on Barrie Drive in Pittsburg.

Shatswell is the father of eight children ranging in age from 5 to 29, according to the school district. He previously served as a reserve deputy sheriff for Contra Costa County, along with roles in finance, counseling and educational administration.

Vides initially was charged with attempted murder with special circumstances, and now will face murder charges, according to police.

Vides remains in custody at the Contra Costa County Main Jail in Martinez. Her original bail of $2.07 million likely will be amended.

The slaying is the city of Pittsburgs first homicide of the year.
Congressional and U.S. Senate members on both sides of the aisle called for making public the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, a summary of which was released by the U.S. Justice Department.

In a four-page letter, Attorney General William Barr wrote that Mueller's report found that President Donald Trump had not "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the election. Mueller's report did not come down on either side of if Trump obstructed justice and left that decision to the Justice Department.

Barr decided not to pursue charges.

"(The) investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Barr's letter said.

Below, some reaction from California lawmakers.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank

Rep. Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and has been one of Trump's most determined critics in Congress, tweeted: "Mueller's report is going to have to be made public ASAP -- a summary of his conclusions simply won't cut it. And the underlying evidence must be produced. Absolute transparency is required. Mueller spent two years investigating, and the public has a right to know what he found."

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles

Speaking Sunday at a South Los Angeles event, Waters said, "I'm worried that Attorney General Barr is not going to be as transparent as he can be. And I'm worried that somehow, Trump supporters will take this opportunity to try and say there's been no problems, there's been no collusion, there's been no crimes committed."

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield

McCarthy said on Twitter: "As we look back, Democratic leaders acted irresponsibly and threw caution to the wind. While this conclusion is an embarrassment to those Democrats, it is more discouraging to think of the opportunity costs to our country. This should be a lesson to my Democrat colleagues that chasing imagined scandals and following a partisan investigatory agenda will not result in any meaningful change for the country. In fact, it will do the opposite."

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Fresno

The ranking Republican on the House Inteligence Committee, also said on Twitter: "The Russia investigation was based on false pretenses, false Intel and false media reports. House Intel found a year ago there was no evidence of collusion and Democrats who falsely claim to have such evidence have needlessly provoked a terrible, more than two-year-long crisis."

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-California

The Democratic California Senator and presidential hopeful said Barr's summary was not enough to draw conclusions.

"The Mueller report needs to be made public, the underlying investigative materials should be handed over to Congress, and Barr must testify," Harris said in a Tweet. "That is what transparency looks like."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California

Feinstein said Barr's summary of the Mueller report is inadequate and demonstrates why Congress needs to obtain the full report and underlying evidence.

"Mueller elected to describe the facts, leaving it to Attorney General Barr to decide whether the president committed a crime," Feinstein said. "However, months ahead of his nomination, Barr wrote a 19-page memo concluding the president couldn't commit obstruction, so it's no surprise he reached the same conclusion now."
After a nearly two-year investigation into the 2016 election, the Trump campaign and Donald Trump's acts as president, special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report to the Department of Justice on Friday. On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr sent a four-page letter summary of the report to Congress.

Here are six key findings from the report, according to Barr's letter:

THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN DID NOT CONSPIRE WITH RUSSIA

Over the past two years, 'No Collusion' has become a Trump mantra. He's said it over and over again - at rallies, to the press, and in tweets. According to Mueller, he was right.

"The Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign," Barr wrote in his letter.

MUELLER DID NOT REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT OBSTRUCTION

Over the past two years, many of Trump's actions as president have come under the media spotlight because of accusations of obstruction of justice - from firing FBI Director James Comey to publicly attacking Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. According to the letter, Mueller and his team examined these actions, gathered evidence on both sides of the argument, but did not reach a conclusion.

"After making a 'thorough factual investigation' into these matters, the Special Counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under Department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction."

It's not clear from the letter why Mueller decided not to draw any conclusions.

MUELLER SAID HIS REPORT DOES NOT 'EXONERATE' TRUMP

While Mueller didn't draw conclusions about whether Trump obstructed justice, he made it clear that doesn't mean Trump didn't commit a crime.

According to Barr: "The Special Counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.'"

BUT BARR AND ROSENSTEIN DECIDED TRUMP DID NOT OBSTRUCT JUSTICE

Because Mueller didn't make a decision on obstruction, it was left for Barr to decide of Trump should be prosecuted, Barr said in his letter. He decided that nothing in the report rose to the level of obstruction of justice.

"After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense," Barr wrote in the letter.

Barr said part of the reason Trump shouldn't be prosecuted is because there was no evidence of a conspiracy. Since there was no underlying crime that Trump was trying to conceal, proving obstruction would be difficult.

BARR WOULD NOT PROSECUTE TRUMP EVEN IF TRUMP WEREN'T PRESIDENT

Throughout the Mueller investigation, there's been much debate about whether a sitting president could be prosecuted for a crime. Barr himself wrote a memo before being named attorney general in which he argued that a sitting president could not be prosecuted.

In the end, Barr says it doesn't matter: There is not enough evidence to prosecute Trump regardless.

"Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president," the letter said.

THE FULL REPORT MIGHT NOT BE RELEASED

At the end of his letter, Barr says that the full Mueller report includes information that cannot be made public due to restrictions on the release of information related to matters before a grand jury. He also said some information could impact 'other ongoing matters,' including cases that Mueller has referred to other prosecutors.

He said he's working with Mueller to determine what can be released. But he provided no timeline (other than "as quickly as possible"), and the full report may never be released.

In short: The public may never see the full report.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld is planning to spend much of the week in New Hampshire as he mulls a challenge to President Donald Trump in the 2020 Republican presidential primary.

Weld is scheduled to meet with Gov. Chris Sununu and former New Hampshire House Speaker Doug Scamman. He'll also meet with survivors of domestic and sexual violence and attend a house party hosted by former New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen.

Weld formed a presidential exploratory committee in February and plans to make a final decision on challenging Trump by early May.

Weld faces a tough challenge winning over Republican voters. During the last presidential election Weld swore off the party and became the Libertarian Party's 2016 vice presidential nominee.

Some New Hampshire Republican leaders have criticized Weld.
Illinois could permanently legalize medical marijuana under a new proposal that also would expand the state's pilot program to include more common conditions for which the drug could be prescribed.

Democratic Rep. Bob Morgan, who's sponsoring the bill, told the Chicago Tribune that Illinois' pilot program has safely helped people struggling with conditions such as cancer and AIDS.

Illinois lawmakers approved the pilot program in 2013, and it was later expanded through mid-2020. The program allows patients with any of about 40 serious medical conditions to qualify for 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks with doctor approval.

The pilot program hasn't drawn much attention from law enforcement. Police haven't reported any major issues with people selling or using medical marijuana without certification, meanwhile many patients have praised cannabis for helping them get off stronger prescription drugs.

Several measures in recent years have led to an expansion of the state's program, which currently benefits about 58,000 patients. But it's still relatively small compared to similar programs in other states, particularly because it doesn't allow patients to use the drug for pain.

Morgan's bill would add chronic pain to the list of qualifying conditions, as well as autism, migraines, osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome and several others.

The measure would also allow doctors to be paid by medical marijuana businesses or patients.

Doctors would still be prohibited from receiving kickbacks for referrals, but they could be paid for research, Morgan said.

Existing research on the effects of marijuana on autism is limited. But cannabis has been found beneficial for many of the conditions accompanying autism, such as epilepsy, pain, aggression and anxiety, said Wendy Fournier, president of the National Association of Autism.

"There aren't any good alternatives, so if this is working for some people, go for it, let's do it," she said. "This is a potentially life-changing treatment for some people."

The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes medical marijuana, saying it can harm memory, learning and coordination, as well as cause psychological issues or drug dependence. But the association has also called for more research and supports "compassionate use" of medical cannabis for children with debilitating diseases.

The proposal will also make state provisions for veterans to qualify for medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids. Since the drug is still prohibited under federal law, Veterans Affairs doctors can't certify their patients.

Morgan said he hasn't seen significant opposition to the proposal. He anticipates lawmakers will approve the measure this spring.
Election Day in Chicago is here, with voters across the city heading to the polls. Here's a look at some essential resources to help you prepare for the big day 

WHEN IS CHICAGO'S ELECTION DAY?

Chicagoans will head to the polls on April 2 to vote in the runoff election for a new mayor, a new treasurer and in some cases, for their ward's City Council seat. Election law dictates that in races where no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote outright in the Feb. 26 election, voters have to cast their ballots once more in a runoff election between the top two candidates.

WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES FOR CHICAGO MAYOR?

Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle advanced from a field of 14 candidates - the largest number in Chicago history - running to replace Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who sent shockwaves through the city when he announced in September that he would not seek a third term in office.

Know the Mayoral Candidates

Get to know the runoff candidates in Chicago's mayoral race.

You can learn even more about Lightfoot and Preckwinkle here, and you can watch the two of them debate in the NBC 5/Telemundo Chicago candidate forum here.

WHERE DO THEY STAND ON CERTAIN ISSUES?

To help cut through the campaign noise, we asked both candidates for mayor seven questions before the Feb. 26 election, in order to inform voters on who they are and where they stand on certain issues the city faces.

You can find both candidates' answers below, clicking each name to find their responses.

WHO'S ENDORSED?

If you're still undecided, it can be helpful to know who's backing whom. Click here for a breakdown of the mayoral candidates' endorsements.

HOW DID EACH WARD VOTE FOR MAYOR IN THE FIRST ROUND?

With so many candidates, and a relatively low turnout, the breakdown of how each area voted for mayor is complicated - and fascinating. You can enter your address below to find out how your ward voted, or click a ward on the map to see its breakdown.

WHAT OTHER OFFICES ARE ON THE BALLOT?

There are 50 wards in Chicago, each represented on City Council by one alderman. All of those aldermanic seats were up for a four-year term on Feb. 26, with 15 of those races headed to runoffs.

Click here for a full list of the wards with runoff elections.

One other office (in addition to mayor) is also on ballots across all of Chicago: city treasurer, with Ameya Pawar and Melissa Conyears-Ervin both vying for the role.

WHAT ARE THE RACES TO WATCH?

With Emanuel stepping aside, and a number of challengers vying for aldermanic seats, City Council could soon look quite different. Here's a look at 10 big races happening across the city 

10 Races to Watch in Chicagos Municipal Runoff Elections

SEE WHO'S ON YOUR BALLOT

Enter your address below to find out your ward, and all the candidates running to be your alderman.

WHERE TO VOTE EARLY

If you want to avoid the rush and cast your ballot before Election Day, you have plenty of options. Click here for the full list of early voting sites across Chicago, as well as early voting hours for every day through April 1. You can vote at any of the early voting locations across the city, even if you don't live in that ward.

HOW TO FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE

If you prefer to cast your ballot on Election Day, you have just one option: your designated polling place. If you don't know where that is, enter your address below to find it 

You can also click here to search for your polling place (and make sure you're registered) through the Chicago Board of Elections' website.

WHAT TIME POLLS ARE OPEN

Polls open at 6 a.m. and will stay open through 7 p.m. But remember - if you are IN LINE when polls close, you can still vote! So if you're rushing to your polling place at the last minute, don't worry if you see a line - and don't let anyone try to dissuade you from casting your ballot.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING

While a government-issued photo ID is not required to vote under Illinois law, it can be helpful to bring one should any questions about registration, address, signature, or more arise during the voting process.

It's important to remember: you legally do not need any form of identification to cast your vote, unless you are registering for the first time or changing your registration.

NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE?

If you're not registered in Illinois but still want to vote, it's not too late! You can take advantage of grace period registration through Election Day. You simply have to bring two forms of identification, one with your current address, to your polling place and be prepared to vote at the same time.

SHOULD YOU TAKE A BALLOT SELFIE?

NO. In Illinois, ballot selfies are prohibited by state law. It's a felony to mark your ballot so another person can see how you voted, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to three years.

State election officials have said it's "unlikely" anyone would be prosecuted for a ballot selfie, but you should play it safe and take a picture of your "I Voted" sticker or pose next to the polling place sign instead.

HOW TO GET LIVE RESULTS

Live Election Day coverage will air on NBC 5 throughout the evening and at 10 p.m. You can also track up-to-the-minute race results live in the NBC Chicago app - where you can turn on notifications to get alerts on winners of the biggest races - and right here on NBCChicago.com.
Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush doubled down Monday on his controversial comments about Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot.

Rush, who supports Lightfoots opponent in the upcoming runoff election Toni Preckwinkle, not only accused Lightfoot over the weekend of being pro-police but warned that more innocent black people would be killed at the hands of police if Lightfoot is elected.

If any young black male or female is killed by a police officer, under a Lightfoot adminsitration, then the blood would be on those voters hands who elected her, he said Monday.

Rush argued that Lightfoot would nullify the consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department.

Lori Lightfoot has made an alliance with the devil, he said.

Lightfoot called the remarks hate-filled and asked Preckwinkle to denounce them.

While Im saddened by what we heard on Saturday, I know that Chicagoans will reject the rhetoric of division, Lightfoot said in a statement. I know because I have been talking to people from one of this city to the other, and its clear that they want and deserve a better government.

Preckwinkle said Rush is a pillar in the civil rights movement in this city and is more than capable of speaking on his beliefs.

What I can speak to is that we cannot overlook the concerns of black and brown communities about the fairness of the criminal justice system. Lori has been a part of that system and there are many people that have real fears about how that would impact her ability to work for real reform. Preckwinkle said in a statement. If Lori had more experience working with these communities she would know that and respond to those concerns instead of demeaning them. Lori's response to this is the definition of divisive. By not recognizing the legitimacy of their feelings, by trying to silence and remove them, by choosing to condemn rather than engage, Lori marginalizes the most vulnerable.

With a little over a week left until the runoff election in Chicago, a new poll released Monday showed Lightfoot with a large lead in the race. The Temkin/Harris Poll, conducted in partnership with Crains Chicago Business and WTTW News, polled 500 likely voters by phone last week and showed Lightfoot up 53 percent to Preckwinkles 17 percent. Twelve percent of respondents were undecided.

Former candidate Amara Enyia declined to endorse either candidate in the race on Monday, criticizing the negative tone of the campaigns.

There are many issues that are not getting covered because theres so much negative rhetoric attempting to tear down someone else  that doesnt do us any favors, she said.

Preckwinkle has yet to add any TV ads to her campaign. Shes been off the airwaves for at least a week.

I dont think any of us should be appealing to - whether its racial or sexual orientation - issues that are intended to fire up a certain segment of the election at the expense of others, Lightfoot said during an appearance with Crains Chicago Business editorial board Monday.
A tanker truck carrying home heating oil rolled over in Derby and some fuel spilled and leaked into a storm drain and into the Naugatuck River, according to fire officials.

Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Biggs, of the Derby Fire Department, said crews responded to the rollover around 7:50 a.m. and a hazmat team stopped the leak. Crews from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection are removing fuel from the tanker so a tow company can remove the truck.

The Route 8 exit 15 ramps are open and traffic is moving on the south side of the Route 34 bridge, but drivers are urged to seek alternate routes in both directions of Route 34.

Traffic heading east on Route 34 is being diverted to Derby Avenue and into Ansonia/Division Street.

The truck was upright as of 1:10 p.m.

Mutual aid was called in from Bridgeport, Ansonia, Seymour and Shelton.
The attributes that helped Jacinda Ardern rise to become New Zealand's leader at age 37 include her optimistic outlook and bright personality. And she became an inspiration to working women around the world last year when she gave birth to a daughter, Neve.

But the prime minister is now displaying other qualities to an anxious nation after a gunman on Friday slaughtered 50 people at two Christchurch mosques. She's shown a determination to change gun laws and a deep empathy with the families of the victims and the Muslim community.

On Friday afternoon at a simple table laid in a hotel conference room in New Plymouth, a city on New Zealand's North Island, Ardern told the nation about the shootings. Details were sparse, but her shaken demeanor, a tremor in her voice, made it clear the situation was grave.

Mass shootings were almost unheard of in New Zealand. People wanted reassurance and information.

When she next spoke from Parliament in Wellington she was calmer, more resolute. She gave details of a mounting death toll and of an offender in custody, an Australian man who had chosen New Zealand for his crime.

"You may have chosen us," she said. "We utterly reject and condemn you."

When President Donald Trump called Ardern to offer his sympathies and ask what assistance the U.S. might provide, Ardern said she would welcome sympathy and love toward Muslim communities. It was a rebuke, of sorts, toward the perception of Trump as being anti-Islamic.

On Friday, Ardern flew to Christchurch. She donned a simple hijab and met with families of those killed and wounded.

At a refugee center, she told Muslim leaders that the country was united in its grief.

"This is not New Zealand," she said. "The only part of the incident and actions that we have seen over the past 24, 36 hours that is New Zealand is the support that you are seeing now."

Ardern did not avoid the thorny political issues arising from the shooting, the question of how the gunman obtained five firearms, including two military-style weapons. New Zealand's liberal gun laws allow easier access to those weapons than in Australia.

"I can tell you right now our gun laws will change," she said.

She demanded her intelligence agencies explain why they knew nothing about the gunman, who emailed a manifesto outlining his plans to Ardern's office minutes before the shooting.

She promised immediate financial assistance to survivors, including families who had lost their only breadwinner or who faced the cost of funerals.

Friday's events where the first major test Ardern has faced since she became prime minister in a contentious general election in 2017. She had only become leader of the liberal Labour Party a few weeks earlier when the party had slumped to its lowest-ever poll rating.

She immediately boosted its popularity, attracting a new constituency to Labour through her youth and optimism. It disguised a tough and experienced political operative.

When Ardern was elected prime minister she had already been a lawmaker for nine years, starting as New Zealand's youngest sitting member of Parliament. She had previously been a researcher for New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and a policy adviser to Tony Blair, the British prime minister at the time.

She is progressive but pragmatic, willing to woo big business and shelve difficult liberal issues that might alienate a larger constituency.

Until Friday, her toughest task had been to hold together the brittle and disparate political coalition between her Labour Party and two other parties, the Greens and New Zealand First.

Since taking office, Ardern has become an international celebrity and a counterpoint to the rise of populist leaders. But her popularity abroad has masked domestic difficulties. There were political missteps, minor scandals, dissent with coalition partners.

In the week before the Christchurch shooting, Ardern's major political challenges had been dealing with the fallout from a proposal to introduce a capital gains tax and complaints of a conflict-of-interest affecting one of her ministers.

On the day of the shooting she was to address schoolchildren participating in a global classroom strike and protest against inaction on climate change. Ardern is a fierce advocate for combating global warming and it was an event at which she'd usually be in her element.

But on Friday, the trajectory of her leadership irrevocably changed.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla began their first full day in Cuba Monday with a visit to Old Havana, touring churches, shops and cafes in the narrow cobblestoned streets of the historic center before other events around the capital city.

The heir to the British throne arrived in Cuba Sunday with an agenda including visits to historic sites, a solar park, organic farm, bio-medical research center, a meeting with entrepreneurs, a cultural gala and a dinner with President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

The agenda does not include visits with political dissidents or other critics of Cuba's single-party system, a decision prompting criticism from Cuban exiles.

The Trump Administration has found European and Latin American support for its Venezuela policy but less backing on Cuba, whose government has already withstood a 60-year U.S. embargo without showing any signs of losing its grip on power.

The United Kingdom backs Trump in Venezuela but is eager to expand relations with the island nation, and arranged for Prince Charles to extend his Caribbean tour to Cuba to shore up relations between the two nations.

The royals stopped in at Bohemia, a cafe facing the historic center's iconic Plaza Vieja.

"It's the first time in real life that we receive a real prince at the Cafe Bohemia, although at the Cafe Bohemia all customers are princes," manager Annalisa Gallina said. "It has been a very big emotion, with several days of preparations, from learning how to greet him to learning what he wants to drink or what tea he prefers."

Charles and his Camila also visited the studio of famed former Cuban dancer Carlos Acosta, 45. After greeting the dancers, the royal couple watched a performance blending classical, modern and traditional Cuban dance.

The Cuban choreographer spent most of his career in the United Kingdom. Acosta, who retired from the Royal Ballet in 2015, has been appointed to head the Royal Ballet of Birmingham, a position he will assume in 2020.

"I am very excited by this visit," Acosta said. "The fact that he wanted to come here to see us, that for me is very special."
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been hailed on social media by Muslims around the world for her response to two mosque shootings by a white nationalist who killed 50 worshippers. She wore a headscarf at the funerals in line with Islamic custom and swiftly reformed gun laws.

An image of the prime minister embracing a grieving woman was projected onto the world's tallest tower in Dubai over the weekend with the Arabic word for "peace."

Yet for many Muslims, Ardern's most consequential move was immediately labeling the attack an act of terrorism.

That stands in contrast to numerous ideologically-motivated mass shootings in North America by white non-Muslim gunmen that were not labeled acts of terrorism, say Muslim leaders and terrorism experts.

For too long, terror attacks have been depicted as a uniquely Muslim problem, with acts of violence described as "terrorist only when it applies to Muslims," said Abbas Barzegar of the Council on American Islamic Relations. He works on documenting and combating anti-Muslim bigotry and Islamophobia.

"We've got an issue in this country where anytime a violent act is committed by a Muslim, the media starts at terrorism and then works backward from there," added Colin Clarke, a senior research fellow at The Soufan Center, a New York-based think tank.

It's the opposite when the shooter is non-Muslim and white, said Clarke, who's spent his career studying terrorism, particularly Muslim extremism.

The March 15 attacks on the New Zealand mosques raised questions about whether Islamophobia and the threat of violent right-wing extremism was being taken seriously by politicians and law enforcement.

The gunman in the New Zealand massacre called himself a white nationalist and referred to President Donald Trump as "a symbol of renewed white identity." Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder in the attacks.

Trump expressed sympathy for the victims, but played down the rise of white nationalism around the world, saying he didn't consider it a major threat despite data showing it is growing.

The Anti-Defamation League found that right-wing extremism was linked to every extremist killing in the United States last year, with at least 50 people killed. The group said that since the 1970s, nearly three in four extremist-related killings in the United States have been linked to domestic right-wing extremists and nearly all the rest to Muslim extremists.

"It's really important that this attack not be dismissed as some crazy lone wolf, isolated incident," said Dalia Mogahed, who leads research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, an organization that focuses on research of American Muslims.

"I think it needs to be seen as ... a symptom of a wider problem, a transnational rising threat of white supremist violence where anti-Muslim rhetoric is the oxygen for this movement," she said.

A study by the ISPU found that foiled plots involving Muslims perceived to be acting in the name of Islam received 770% more media coverage than those involving perpetrators acting in the name of white supremacy. Another study by Georgia State University found that out of 136 terror attacks in the U.S. over a span of 10 years, Muslims committed on average 12.5 percent of the attacks, yet received more than half of the news coverage.

Mehdi Hasan, a commentator, TV host, columnist and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, said the public has been conditioned since the 9/11 attacks to see terrorists "as people with big beards, brown skin, loud voices shouting in Arabic."

"I don't think anyone can deny that the entire War on Terror has fed into this idea (of) Muslims as a threat, as 'the other', as inherently violent," Hasan said.

Additionally, when non-Muslim white gunmen are the perpetrators of violence, there are often attempts at examining their mental health or childhood in ways not consistently afforded to others, Hasan said.

Some of the most notorious recent attacks by white assailants with racist or extremist views the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting that killed 11 people in October and the church shooting that killed nine black worshippers in Charleston in 2015  were not labeled terrorism and the assailants were not tried as terrorists. Neither was the shooting by a white assailant at a mosque in Quebec, Canada in 2017 that killed six Muslims.

Clarke, the terrorism expert, said he's been called to testify on Capitol Hill three times in the past two years about jihadi terrorism. "Where are the hearings about right-wing violence?" he asked.

Meanwhile, sectarian, cultural and ideological differences among the world's Muslims complicate efforts to uniformly push back against negative stereotypes  including the perception by some that Islam condones or encourages violence.

Such biases have been exacerbated by multiple attacks by Islamic extremists in European capitals and by years of conflicts that seem to pit Sunni and Shiite Muslims against each other. In the Middle East, the victims of extremist violence have often been fellow Muslims, targeted by groups like Islamic State or al-Qaida because they don't share their hard-line ideology.

The Islamic State group, which promoted an extremist version of Sunni Islam, terrorized millions of people during a five-year reign in parts of Syria and Iraq that only ended Saturday, with the loss of the last speck of land of its self-proclaimed caliphate.

Some leaders of majority-Muslim countries have been accused of exploiting the debate.

Las week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stirred controversy when he was seen as politicizing the New Zealand attacks to galvanize Islamist supporters during a campaign ahead of municipal elections. The attacker had livestreamed the shootings on social media, and Erdogan screened clips of the attack despite New Zealand's efforts to prevent the video's spread.

Mogahed, who co-authored a book called "Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think" based on interviews with tens of thousands of Muslims around the world, said it's important to ask whether someone needs to be speaking for Islam, particularly when other groups of people are afforded the presumption of innocence when horrific acts are carried out in their name.

Some Muslim community leaders, like Dawud Walid, an imam in Detroit, said they are troubled by demands that Muslims condemn extremism carried out in the name of Islam. This suggests that Muslims share some sort of collective responsibility for the actions of extremists.

Hasan says this "subliminally reinforces the idea that terrorism is a Muslim problem."
The "Medicare for All" legislation that's become a clarion call for progressives has two little-noticed provisions that could make it even more politically perilous for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates.

The legislation from White House hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, along with a similar measure in the House, lifts curbs on government health insurance for people in the country illegally and revokes longstanding restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortions.

Embracing the changes will give Democratic candidates a boost with the party's liberal base in a wide-open primary fight. But such divisive issues could complicate things for an eventual nominee seeking voters in the middle. President Donald Trump has denounced Medicare for All as "socialism," and immigration and abortion are issues that energize Trump's political base.

"It seems like the writers of the bills are just trying to pander to the Democratic activists," said Janet Robert, president of the anti-abortion advocacy group Democrats for Life. "You don't see this coming from Democrats who run in communities in more rural areas. You don't just need votes from Democratic activists to win the election."

But Kristin Lynch, a spokeswoman for 2020 Democratic hopeful Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, said the senator believes "it is imperative that all residents of the U.S. have affordable, quality health coverage," including "comprehensive reproductive care." Booker is a co-sponsor of Sanders' bill.

Other Democratic senators running for president have also signed on to their Vermont colleague's legislation: Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California, and Elizabeth Warren of New York. Their offices did not respond to requests for comment.

Beyond the Senate, a spokeswoman for 2020 Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg said he supports lifting current restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortion. Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, generally supports covering immigrants even if they are in the country illegally, but she said he'd have to see specifics.

Neither Sanders' bill nor the similar measure in the House has a realistic chance of becoming law, with the Senate controlled by Republicans and Trump in the White House. But the House bill will get committee hearings this year, and supporters are pressing for votes.

So far, the debate has centered on the bill's promise of quality care with no premiums or copays versus its potentially huge costs. Adding immigration and abortion take it in a different direction.

The words "immigrant" and "abortion" don't appear in Sanders' bill, which is expected to be re-introduced soon, or in House legislation from Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Debbie Dingell of Michigan. Instead the legislation refers to U.S. "resident" and "comprehensive reproductive" care.

Both Medicare for All bills would extend coverage to every U.S. resident, delegating the health and human services secretary to define residency. The House bill also prohibits the government from denying benefits because of "citizenship status." Both bills call for steps to deter immigration for the "sole purpose" of getting free medical care.

That's different from former President Barack Obama's health care law, which limited benefits to U.S. citizens or nationals, and "lawfully present" immigrants. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute estimates there are about 6 million people in the U.S. without legal permission who are uninsured.

"Everyone, no matter who they are or what services they need, must have access to quality affordable health care," said Dingell. She said she's looking to start "conversations across the country to build the consensus that will ensure every person gets the health care coverage they need."

On abortion, both bills essentially would sweep away the Hyde amendment, the term for federal laws stretching back more than 40 years that prohibit taxpayer money for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the woman. Such restrictions would not apply to Medicare for All and comprehensive reproductive care would be a covered benefit.

Sanders' and Dingell's offices confirmed that abortion would be covered.

Supporters of abortion rights say that's a long-overdue recognition of shifts in society and the power of women in the Democratic Party.

"You had this election where women in particular showed up because health care is front-and-center in their minds," said Leila Abolfazli, who specializes in federal policy for the National Women's Law Center. "It makes sense that if you are going to do a new type of health care system it would include the full range of reproductive health services."

Polls show Americans generally support abortion rights, but are divided on whether the government should pay. About 6 in 10 said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a Pew Research Center poll from last fall. A Public Religion Research Institute poll earlier in 2018 found that 51 percent of Americans said government insurance programs for low-income women should not pay for abortion services, while 46 percent said they should.

On immigration, a recent Gallup poll found about 4 out of 5 Americans support letting people living illegally in the country become citizens if they meet certain requirements.

"We are not going to split hairs forever over your immigration status," said Sonya Schwartz of the National Immigration Law Center, which advocates on behalf of immigrants.

But R.J. Hauman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports immigration curbs, said Medicare for All would just become a "pull factor," drawing more immigrants to the U.S.

___

Associated Press writers Sara Burnett in Chicago and Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this story.
A New Mexico archbishop is renewing his call for Catholics to stop worshiping the skeleton folk saint known as La Santa Muerte, or "Our Lady of Holy Death," saying he fears some mistakenly believe the Grim Reaper-like figure is a Roman Catholic Church-sanctioned saint.

Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester recently told The Associated Press he believes some Catholics may be fooled into venerating Santa Muerte even though the focus on death runs counter to the church's teachings.

"It's really wrong," Wester said. "I think in part, it's (because) people are looking and searching. It's a symptom of a search looking for answers."

But the devotion to death is not in line with the church's teachings, Wester said, and Santa Muerte is misleading to people.

"Our devotion is to the God of life," Wester said.

Popular in Mexico and sometimes linked to drug cartels, La Santa Muerte in recent years has found a diverse following north of the border: immigrant small-business owners, artists, gay activists and the poor, among others -- many of them non-Latinos and not all involved with organized religion. Shrines and statues of the skeleton figure -- typically depicted wearing a black nun's robe and holding a scythe -- can be found in New Mexico, California, Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere.

People pray to Santa Muerte for all manner of otherworldly help, from fending off wrongdoing and exacting revenge to landing better jobs and stopping lovers from cheating. Others seek her protection for their drug shipments and to ward off law enforcement.

Wester is one of only a handful of U.S. Roman Catholic bishops who have denounced Santa Muerte. In 2017, he joined El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz and San Angelo Bishop Michael Sis in Texas in urging Catholics to avoid honoring to the folk saint.

Sis said La Santa Muerte is "spiritually dangerous" and has no link to Catholicism. "It should be completely avoided. It is a perversion of devotion to the saints," Sis said.

But so far no other high-ranking Catholic church officials have publicly criticized the worshiping of Santa Muerte, according to Andrew Chesnut, author of "Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint" and Bishop Walter F. Sullivan chair in Catholic studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.

"In Latin America, church officials rebuke Santa Muerte almost weekly," Chesnut said.

Chesnut said he believes U.S. Catholic officials have been reluctant to aggressively attack Santa Muerte because of their focus on defending migrants' rights and concerns about portraying Mexican immigrants as "dangerous and all connected to drug trafficking."
The Frisco Police Department is investigating a homicide/suicide attempt that left one child dead and a woman hospitalized, Frisco Police say.

Frisco 911 responded to a welfare concern around 5:55 p.m. Saturday in the 15200 block of Preachers Lane.

When the Frisco Police and Fire Department arrived, the two were in a parked car and the child was pronounced dead on scene.

The condition of the woman hospitalized is unknown.

Anyone with information on the incident can contact the Frisco Police Department at (972)292-6010 or send an anonymous tip by texting FRISCOPD (847411) or by downloading the Frisco PD app.
A second survivor of the Parkland school shooting has died in what police are calling an apparent suicide, officials said Sunday.

Coral Springs officers found Calvin Desir, 16, on Saturday night. He was a sophomore at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The Broward County Medical Examiner's office has not officially ruled on a cause of death, police said Tuesday. The investigation is still ongoing.

On Monday, Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie tweeted about the sudden tragedy, saying that he met with the young man's family on Sunday.

"It is with great sadness that I report to you that a student enrolled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas committed suicide yesterday evening," he said. "After visiting with the his wonderful family today, I got a sense of what a great young man he was. Please hold up this family in your prayers."

It is with great sadness that I report to you that a student enrolled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas committed suicide yesterday evening. After visiting with the his wonderful family today, I got a sense of what a great young man he was. Please hold up this family in your prayers.  Supt Runcie (@RobertwRuncie) March 25, 2019

News of the teenager's death comes days after 19-year-old Sydney Aiello was laid to rest. Aiello  a graduate of the school who also survived the shooting  died by suicide last weekend.

17+2   Ryan Petty (@rpetty) March 24, 2019

How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?



Rip 17+2   David Hogg text VOTE to 954-954 (@davidhogg111) March 24, 2019

Ryan Petty, whose daughter Alaina died in the school attack, started the Walkup Foundation to raise awareness of mental health issues both to prevent mass shootings and to help those suffering after they occur.

"Its devastating, it was hard enough to lose the 17 and to think that more people are suffering to the point where they feel like they need to take their own life, its heartbreaking," Petty said of Aiello's death.

Sydney Aiello, 19, killed herself Sunday, friends of the former Parkland student told NBC 6.

The American Psychological Association states that survivors of mass shootings have improved long-term outcomes when helped by the community and by having access to mental health support.

"As a community psychologist, I've seen firsthand the importance of mental health promotion efforts that have nothing to do with counseling per se, but that help the community heal together," University of California, Santa Barbara, assistant psychology professor Erika Felix, who led a study on the subject of mass shooting survivors, wrote in a statement.

Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky is urging her community to visit the Broward County Resiliency Center if help related to mental health is needed. Located at Pine Trails Park at 10561 Trails End in Parkland and open from noon until 7 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends, the center offers grief counseling, community resources referrals and specialized groups.

If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting 'Home' to 741741. Other helpful organizations: The Columbia Lighthouse Project and Children's Services Council of Broward.
President Donald Trump on Sunday celebrated a "total exoneration" that special counsel Robert Mueller explicitly did not provide in his report on the Russia investigation.

Attorney General William Barr quotes Mueller saying his report "does not exonerate" Trump.

TRUMP: "No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION."  tweet Sunday after Barr gave Congress his summary of Mueller's findings.

TRUMP: "There was no obstruction, and none what so ever, and it was a complete and total exoneration."  remarks to reporters Sunday after Barry's summary came out.

SARAH SANDERS, White House press secretary: "The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG (Deputy Attorney general Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration."  tweet Sunday.

THE FACTS: It was not a total vindication. Mueller's exact words in the report, as quoted by the attorney general, say otherwise: "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

The summary by Barr notes Mueller did not "draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," but rather set out evidence for both sides, leaving the question unanswered. Barr wrote in the summary that ultimately he decided as attorney general that the evidence developed by Mueller was "not sufficient" to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Trump committed obstruction of justice

Barr's summary also notes that Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. To prove a crime, Mueller must generally meet a standard of proving an offense beyond a reasonable doubt. The summary did not clear the president of improper behavior regarding Russia but did not establish that "he was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference," Mueller said in a passage from the report quoted by Barr.

The four-page summary signed by Barr gave the bottom line only as he and Rosenstein saw it. Mueller's detailed findings remain confidential at least for now.
Lawmakers are back in Washington D.C. today, one day after Attorney General William Barr released a summary of the Mueller report.

"I am relieved that this has finally come to a close. I am happy for the President that what we suspected all along has finally come out in this report," said U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Terrell).

Gooden said he wants the report to become public.

"Absolutely the House voted two weeks ago to make the full report public. Republicans and Democrats agreed with that. We believe the American people deserve that and I think you will find consensus across Washington that 'let's put this report out there. Lets let the American people read it and lets move on,'" he added.

We also caught up with U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas) in Washington, and asked him his initial reaction to the summary.

"My initial reaction is that I want to know more, and I think this is something that the American people need to see. We spent millions of dollars on this. Two years of investigating, you know over 30 indictments, seven guilty pleas. Whatever is in the Mueller report I want to see it and I want the American people to see it," said Allred.

Some members of Congress have called for the possibility of Attorney General Barr and Robert Mueller testifying before Congress.

"Well we will see. It depends on whether they cooperate with some of our requests because to me this is all about transparency. I want the American people to know what went into this, what didnt go into it, what was looked into, and what wasn't," Allred added.
The San Francisco Police Department is investigating a shooting that left one person dead and five others injured Saturday night.

Officers responded around 8:40 p.m. to the shooting scene along the 1300 block of Fillmore Street.

A 25-year-old man from San Francisco was killed, according to police. A 27-year-old man was left in life-threatening condition.

Four other people  a 25-year-old man, a 19-year-old man, a 50-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman  sustained injuries that were considered to be non-life threatening, police said.

Police initially said that three people were injured in the shooting before raising the number to five after learning that two additional patients were taken to the hospital in private vehicles.

Police are still investigating the shooting and ask anyone with information to contact SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.
A Stanford student studying abroad in Spain died after he and fellow classmates went on a hike Friday.

Mischa Nee, a junior from Palo Alto, was hiking with other students in Mallorca when he separated from his group to explore a nearby hill.

Local authorities searched for Nee late Friday before discovering his body Saturday. Local news reports in Spain suggested Nee fell from a distance on rocky terrain, the university said in a statement.

"Nothing in our community is worse than the death of a student, and it is with deep sorrow that I share this news," said Susie Brubaker-Cole, vice provost for student affairs.

Stanford has been in touch with his family and with fellow students studying abroad in Mallorca and have initiated their international emergency response to provide support to students.

Nee was an undergraduate student majoring in computer science and planned to minor in art history.
Police Friday sought the public's help in locating a transient who they said punched, strangled and raped a woman in a secluded area of a Metro Red Line station in East Hollywood.

The victim asked the suspect for directions about 6 p.m. on March 16 in the 1500 block of North Vermont Avenue, then lured her into a secluded, emergency exit-room at the Metro Red Line station, where he punched, strangled and raped her, the Los Angeles Police Department reported.

The suspect, who police said frequents the Metro stations from Compton to Santa Monica, has brown eyes and is between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 10 inches tall, and between 165 and 180 pounds, with a shaved head, an earring on his right ear and a 2 to 3-inch scar on his left forearm. He wears all dark clothing.

LAPD Northeast detectives asked anyone with any information regarding the suspect or his whereabouts to call them at (323) 561-3328.
An unvaccinated 6-year-old Oregon boy was hospitalized for two months for tetanus and almost died of the bacterial illness after getting a deep cut while playing on a farm, according to a case study published Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2017 case is the first case of pediatric tetanus in Oregon in more than 30 years and alarmed infectious disease experts who said tetanus is almost unheard of in the U.S. since widespread immunization began in the 1940s.

The child received an emergency dose of the tetanus vaccine in the hospital, but his parents declined to give him a second dose  or any other childhood shots  after he recovered, the paper said.

"When I read that, my jaw dropped. I could not believe it. That's a tragedy and a misunderstanding, and I'm just flabbergasted," said Dr. William Schaffner, an expert in infectious diseases and chair at the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.

"This is an awful disease, but ... we have had a mechanism to completely prevent it, and the reason that we have virtually no cases anymore in the United States is because we vaccinate, literally, everyone."

Doctors in Portland, Oregon, who treated the child declined to provide any further information about the family at a news conference Friday, citing medical privacy laws.

It was the first time that Dr. Judith Guzman-Cottrill, the pediatric infectious disease expert who treated the child, had ever seen tetanus because of widespread vaccination against it in the U.S.

When the boy arrived at the emergency department, his muscle spasms were so severe he could not talk, could not open his mouth and was struggling to breathe, she said.

"We had a hard time taking care of this child  watching him suffer  and it is a preventable disease," Guzman-Cottrill said.

News about the tetanus case comes as lawmakers in Oregon and Washington are considering bills that would end non-medical exemptions for routine childhood vaccines as the Pacific Northwest weathers its third month of a measles outbreak. Seventy people in southwest Washington, most of them unvaccinated children, have been diagnosed with the highly contagious viral illness since Jan. 1, as well as a handful of people in Portland, Oregon.

Unlike measles, which is a virus, someone who has survived a case of tetanus is not immune and can get the illness again if they remain unvaccinated. Tetanus also isn't transmitted person-to-person by sneezing or coughing like the measles, but instead comes from bacterial spores that are found in the environment.

Tetanus spores exist everywhere in the soil. When an unvaccinated person gets a deep, penetrating wound, those spores can invade the cut and begin producing the bacteria that causes the illness.

The tetanus bacterium secretes a toxin that gets into the bloodstream and latches onto the nervous system.

Anywhere from three to 21 days after infection, symptoms appear: muscle spasms, lockjaw, difficulty swallowing and breathing and seizures. The disease can cause death or severe disability in those who survive, Schaffner said.

About 30 people contract tetanus each year nationwide, according to the CDC, and 16 people died of it between 2009 and 2015. It's rare among children; those over 65 are the most vulnerable.

In the case in Oregon, the boy cut himself on the forehead while playing, and his family stitched up the wound themselves. Six days later, he began clenching his jaw, arching his neck and back and had uncontrollable muscle spasms.

When he began to have trouble breathing, his parents called paramedics and he was transported by air to Oregon Health & Science University's Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland. When he arrived, he asked for water but could not open his mouth.

The child was sedated, put on a ventilator and cared for in a darkened room while wearing earplugs because any stimulation made his pain and muscle spasms worse. His fever spiked to almost 105 degrees (40.5 Celsius), and he developed high blood pressure and a racing heartbeat.

Forty-four days after he was hospitalized, the boy was able to sip clear liquids. Six days later, he was able to walk a short distance with help. After another three weeks of inpatient rehabilitation and a month at home, he could ride a bike and run  a remarkable recovery, experts said.

The child's care  not including the air ambulance and inpatient rehabilitation  cost nearly $1 million, about 72 times the mean for a pediatric hospitalization in the U.S., the paper noted.

"The way to treat tetanus is you have to outlast it. You have to support the patient because this poison links on chemically and then it has to be slowly metabolized," Schaffner said.

Cases of tetanus have dropped by 95 percent in the U.S. since widespread childhood vaccination and adult booster shots became routine nearly 80 years ago; deaths have dropped 99 percent.

The CDC recommends a five-dose series of tetanus shots for children between the ages of 2 months and 6 years and a booster shot every 10 years for adults.
Special counsel Robert Mueller told Attorney General William Barr three weeks ago that he wouldn't be making a decision on obstruction of justice charges against President Donald Trump, a source told NBC News Monday. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was also at the meeting, hadn't expected that, said the source.

The pair ultimately decided there was no evidence requiring prosecution on the obstruction issue, Barr announced Sunday. Mueller had set out "evidence on both sides" of the question of obstruction and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Congressional Democrats prepared to huddle behind closed doors Monday evening to plot strategy for their own investigations of obstruction of justice and Russian election interference, among other matters related to the president, following the release of Barr's summary. Barr's four-page document said Mueller did not find that Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election  knocking down arguments from Democrats who have claimed there was evidence of such collusion.

Even as Democrats clamored for the Justice Department to release the entire document and not just Barr's summary, Trump said Monday the release of Mueller's full report "wouldn't bother me at all."

Having already claimed vindication from Barr's summary, he said that "we can never let this happen to another president again." As he has many times before, he suggested the investigation was tainted from the beginning and said it was a "terrible thing."

He even accused those responsible for launching it of "treasonous things against our country" and said they "certainly will be looked into."

Trump has spent months railing against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimizing his presidency. He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed former Sen. John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI. But the investigation began months before the FBI ever saw the dossier  and the FBI already had a copy by the time McCain turned it in.

Trump, asked on Monday if he'd be OK with the release of the full report, responded: "Up to the attorney general, but it wouldn't bother me at all."

Republicans followed Trump's lead, with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham promising to "unpack the other side of the story" of the Russia investigation.

Graham, who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will investigate the actions of the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, including the FBI's use of the Steele dossier.

Graham's comments echoed Trump's own complaints Sunday in which he compared the probe to a failed coup and said those behind it should be held responsible. But Graham wouldn't go quite as far, saying he believed that the Mueller investigation was legitimate and had to happen in order to answer questions about Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The South Carolina Republican also had a warning for Trump using his pardon power to help those who were ensnared by Mueller's investigation.

"If President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well," Graham said.

Among those whom Mueller charged during the course of his investigation were the president's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering.

Monday morning, White House aides and allies blanketed television news broadcasts to trumpet Barr's letter and claim that Trump had been the victim in a probe that never should have started. Democrats said they were still waiting for the full report, in addition to the underlying evidence that Mueller used.

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement Sunday evening. "Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report."

Given the report, Democrats seemed more likely to focus on their ongoing investigations, calls for transparency and frustrations with Barr, rather than engaging with the talk of impeachment that has been amplified on Pelosi's left flank. As the release of Mueller's report loomed, Pelosi recently tried to scuttle that talk by saying she's not for impeachment, for now.

In a joint statement, Nadler, House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., seemed to concede that collusion had not been found, saying they have confidence in Mueller, "notwithstanding the very public evidence of Trump campaign contact with and willingness to receive support from Russian agents."

Still, they said, "it will be vital for the country and the Congress to evaluate the full body of evidence collected by the special counsel, including all information gathered of a counterintelligence nature."

Ahead of their Monday meetings, Democrats discussed strategy in a flurry of calls over the weekend. Pelosi and Schumer talked repeatedly, including several calls Sunday from her home in San Francisco. As soon as Barr's letter arrived, Pelosi quickly convened a call Sunday with Cummings, Schiff and Nadler to go over its main points. They were on the same page with their response, according to a person familiar with the call. Nadler later held a conference call with Democratic members on the Judiciary panel and reiterated calls for transparency.

People familiar with the calls requested anonymity to discuss them freely.

Republicans unified to call for Congress to move on. "This case is closed," said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in a statement.

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Mike Balsamo and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla began the first official trip to Cuba by the British royal family on Sunday, in a pomp-filled display of disagreement with the Trump administration's strategy of economically isolating the communist island.

The heir to the British throne arrived in Havana and laid a wreath at the memorial to colonial independence hero Jose Marti, near massive portraits of socialist revolutionary icons including guerrilla fighter Che Guevara. The next two days include visits to historic sites, a solar park, organic farm and biomedical research center, and a meeting with entrepreneurs, cultural gala and dinner with President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

It does not include visits with political dissidents or other critics of Cuba's single-party system, a decision prompting criticism from Cuban exiles.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida last month asked Charles to cancel his trip based on Cuba's support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the island's "decades-long history of persecuting and imprisoning its defectors and repressing its people."

Fellow Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also has long advocated for isolating Cuba and Venezuela, and the senators have found a receptive audience in the Trump administration, which has been tightening financial sanctions on both countries in the hopes of toppling their governments.

U.S. President Donald Trump has seen European and Latin American support for his Venezuela policy, but less backing on Cuba, whose government has already withstood a 60-year U.S. embargo without showing any signs of losing its grip on power.

Sir Alan Duncan, the British minister of state for Europe and the Americas, wrote Scott last month that "like a number of other countries, we believe that the best way to promote human rights and encourage a Cuba that fully respects fundamental freedoms is through practical diplomacy, such as with this visit."
Two women were rushed to a South Florida hospital after an overnight shooting in Liberty City, authorities confirmed.

The women, who were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital, were shot as they were driving along NW 63rd Street and 13th Avenue, officials said. They are listed in stable condition.

Family members identified Sabrina Palmer as one of the victims.

Authorities are looking for the alleged gunman, who is still on the run.

Investigators ask anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).
What to Know The 24-year-old man arrested in connection with the killing of Francesco Cali returned to Staten Island to face murder and other charges

Francesco 'Franky Boy' Cali, 53, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at his home in Todt Hill on March 13

Anthony Comello, 24, was arrested in NJ; no plea was entered Monday but his lawyer says he plans to plead "unequivocally not guilty"

The 24-year-old man arrested in connection with the killing of Francesco Cali, a reputed boss of the Gambino crime family who was gunned down in a brazen hit earlier this month, returned to Staten Island Monday to face charges.

Anthony Comello had been in New Jersey since his arrest on charges of murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. He entered no plea in court Monday, but his lawyer, Robert Gottlieb said he plans to plead "unequivocally not guilty" in the shooting death of the 53-year-old alleged mobster.



Comello appeared in court Monday with the pro-Trump slogans, including "MAGA Forever" that had been scrawled on his hand in his first hearing, noticeably absent. Also on his palm: a symbol for QAnon, a conspiracy theory about the president widely circulated on 4Chan and other far-right message boards.



Gottlieb said the earlier writing "is what he wanted to express at that date."



After court, he continued to say, "Words do matter" and alluded to "right-wing conspiracy websites on the internet" being a factor in the case.



Gottlieb would not confirm if Comello and Cali knew each other before Cali was gunned down in front of his Staten Island home.

Law enforcement sources have said the Cali killing appeared to be personal, not about a beef with the mafia. They've also described Comello's behavior as erratic, and Gottlieb echoed as much outside court Monday.



"Family and friends recognized and picked up significant changes in him over the past few months," Gottlieb said. "Something clearly went wrong."

On Monday, the judge granted a request for Comello to continue to stay in protective custody  a request Comello's attorney asked for saying that his client needs.

Comello is due back in court next month. He had been placed in protective custody in new Jersey given the profile of the victim, and the judge Monday approved Gottlieb's request to continue that protective custody in New York.



Cali, known as "Franky Boy," was shot to death in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace not long after dinnertime March 13. Authorities said 12 shots were fired, with at least six striking Cali, who tried to use his car as a shield to protect himself during the shooting. A bloody handprint was evident on the vehicle.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn had referred to Cali in court filings in recent years as the underboss of the Gambino organization, related through marriage to the Inzerillo clan in the Sicilian Mafia.

Multiple press accounts since 2015 said Cali had ascended to the top spot in the gang, although he never faced a criminal charge saying so.

His only mob-related criminal conviction came a decade ago, when Cali pleaded guilty in an extortion conspiracy involving a failed attempt to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island. He was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and was released in 2009.
Local and federal law enforcement launched an investigation into an alleged arson attack at an Escondido, California, mosque early Sunday morning, where the suspect left behind a note referencing the terrorist attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 50 worshippers.

The fire broke out at 3:15 a.m. at Dar-ul-Arqam in what authorities are investigating as arson and a hate crime.

"If its an arson, its possibly a hate crime as well," Escondido Police Department (EPD) Lt. Chris Lick said.

Yusef Miller, a member of the Muslim community in Escondido, said it was fortunate the fire happened before the early morning prayer when there weren't as many people at the mosque.

"God bless that it didnt happen that way, he said.

Police do not have a description of the suspect, and no arrests have been made at this time.

The FBI, ATF and the San Diego County Sheriffs Bomb/Arson Unit also responded to the scene, where there was visible scorching to one of the mosque's exterior walls, Lick said. It appeared that the fires damage was contained to that area of the mosque, located at 318 W. Sixth Ave.

The mosques security camera spotted an unidentifiable person breaking a lock to a parking lot gate and then pouring a flammable liquid near a side door and setting it on fire.

Seven people were inside the mosque for religious purposes at the time of the fire, police said. They were able to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived on the scene.

There are people who sleep there overnight, Miller said. They heard the sounds, they smelled some funny smells, and there was a letter saying something connecting to New Zealand at the same time. So, this made everybody especially on edge.

Dar-ul-Arqam was built four years ago and serves a community of several hundred people in Escondido, Miller told NBC 7.

He said the tension is high following the fatal shooting in New Zealand.

Were not surprised by this incident," Miller said. "But, were very on edge right now.

Police said the suspect left a message in graffiti in the mosques parking lot. EPD did not reveal what the graffiti said, only noting that it referenced the New Zealand shooting.

The graffiti was covered in dirt to block out the hate-filled message.

Everybody should stay absolutely vigilant and watchful over their prayer centers. If there are people in the neighbor that are not supposed to be there, please give us a call, Lick said. We have also just re-doubled our efforts in terms of making sure that theres a high police presence in the area.

Anyone with information may call the EPDs Community Safety Tip Line at (760) 743-8477.

The stretch of West Sixth Avenue in front of the mosque was closed for a time while officials investigated; however, Miller said it wouldn't stop the mosque from remaining open as a place of worship.

Were going to stay vigilant. Were not going to close down this mosque yet. People are still going to come pray, he said. We wont stop praying. We wont stop gathering.

The Escondido Fire Department, the Escondido Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriffs Bomb/Arson Unit responded to the scene.

Hours after the New Zealand terrorist attacks on March 15, San Diego Muslims unified in worship during a prayer at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Days later, a vigil was held at Balboa Park in honor of the victims of the New Zealand massacre.

Following the New Zealand attacks, Lick said the EPD began doing extra patrols in the area. Lick reaffirmed these additional patrols after Sunday mornings incident.

Miller said, although we are heightened in our awareness, were still resolved in the idea that there are people here that love us and support us.

A page was set up on a crowdfunding site called LaunchGood to collect money for repairs and added security for the mosque and its members.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, more than 75 supporters had donated over $2,000. The pages goal is set at $20,000.
Special counsel Robert Mueller was clear that he did not find "that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election," the attorney general told Congress Sunday.

But an NBC News analysis noted that Mueller, a Vietnam combat veteran, surprised many who know him by punting on another key issue. He left to Attorney General William Barr, who had criticized the Mueller probe before taking office, the question of whether there was sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump obstructed justice.

Gregory Brower, a former top FBI official, said it was curious that Mueller didn't step into the obstruction issue, because the "point of the special counsel was to (mostly) take the investigative and prosecutorial decisions away from the Trump appointees."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., tweeted that he would call Barr to testify about his decision.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy.

Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump made formal a move he announced in a tweet last week. The president said it was time for the U.S. to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.

Netanyahu had pressed for such recognition for months. Trump's action gives him a political boost weeks before what's expected to be a close Israeli election.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognized by the international community.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel  very violent attacks," Trump said.

"This should have been done numerous presidents ago," Trump said.

The two leaders met as the Israeli military was striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv and wounded seven people.

"Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression," said Netanyahu, who planned to return to Israel to manage the attack following his meeting with Trump and other U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence.

He added: "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it."

In a speech earlier Monday, Pence said the rocket attack "proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace." Pence told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that "Hamas is a terrorist organization that seeks the destruction of Israel, and the United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas."

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba. The sounds of air raid sirens jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5 a.m., sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed. The Israeli military quickly mobilized troops and called up reserves.

Gaza's Hamas rulers said Egypt has brokered a cease-fire to end the latest round of fighting with Israel.

Hamas media says the cease-fire went into effect at 10 p.m. Monday. There was no immediate Israeli reaction.

Ahead of the Israeli airstrikes, Hamas' leadership went into hiding.

Several airstrikes rocked Gaza, including an explosion that destroyed the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The Israeli military confirmed the bombing, saying the building had "served as an office for many military meetings." An earlier blast destroyed a multistory building in Gaza City that Israel said had served as a Hamas military intelligence headquarters.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. In both blasts, Israel fired warning shots to evacuate the buildings. But the airstrike on the multistory building was so powerful it sent debris flying onto the roof of The Associated Press bureau, located on the 11th floor of a nearby high-rise.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for what was to have been a three-day visit.

In his remarks, Pence also took issue with comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that he said were anti-Semitic. Omar, a first-term lawmaker who is one of two Muslim women in Congress, has alleged that congressional support for Israel reflected "allegiance to a foreign country" and that Israel "has hypnotized the world." She also has accused Americans who support Israel of being bought off by campaign donations.

"Anti-Semitism has no place in the Congress of the United States, and any member who slanders those who support the historic alliance between the United States and Israel with such rhetoric should not have a seat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee," Pence said.
The U.S-backed Syrian fighters who drove the Islamic State from its last strongholds called Monday for an international tribunal to prosecute hundreds of foreigners rounded up in the nearly five-year campaign against the extremist group.

The administration affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said such a tribunal is needed "for justice to take its course," particularly after countries have refused to bring home their detained nationals. The SDF has captured more than 1,000 foreign fighters, including many from Western countries.

"We don't have other options," Abdulkerim Umer, a foreign affairs official in the Kurdish-led administration, told The Associated Press. "No one wanted to take the responsibility (of repatriating their nationals). We can't put up with this burden alone."

Western countries have largely refused to take back their detained citizens, fearing they would not be able to convict them in civilian courts and that they could pose a security risk. The problem has grown more urgent since President Donald Trump announced his intention to reduce the U.S. military presence in Syria, where American forces are fighting alongside the SDF.

"It is an exceptional situation and we are looking at an exceptional framework," said Ilham Ahmed, the head of the political arm of the SDF, told the AP. "We are dealing with a failed state. In this case we can treat the (Kurdish-administered) region as an exception."

Asked about the tribunal proposal in Washington, U.S. special envoy for Syria and the anti-IS coalition, Jim Jeffrey, said: "We're not looking at that right now."

Jeffrey said the priority is to deal with the Iraqi and Syrian prisoners, which he estimated at 7,000 held in eastern Syria and representing the vast majority of those in detention. The second priority, Jeffrey said, is convincing the home countries of the foreign fighters to take them back.

Umer said foreign fighters should be tried where their crimes occurred and where they were detained. "The international community has evaded its responsibility, so we ask that they help us set up the court here," he said.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said in an email that it only knew of the proposal from media reports, but that setting up such a tribunal would "raise many political and legal issues, which would require careful evaluation by the international community."

Germany has said bringing detained German militants home would be "extraordinarily difficult," in response to a U.S. call for European nations to repatriate their nationals.

The SDF has been fighting IS since 2014 and has retaken large areas in northern and eastern Syria. Its administration is not recognized internationally or by the Syrian government, which has vowed to bring all the country's territory back under its control.

The Kurdish-led administration has asked the government to grant it autonomy in a new constitution, something Damascus has roundly rejected. Umer said the issue of the foreign detainees is therefore an "exceptional case" that requires an international tribunal. He said the presence of the foreign fighters is a "big problem" that could stoke further instability in the region.

"It is a burden and a risk for us and the international community," he said.

Nadim Houry, the director of the counterterrorism program at Human Rights Watch, said "it is hard to imagine" setting up an international tribunal on sovereign territory without that country's approval. Previous efforts to get Security Council backing for international tribunals for crimes committed in Syria have failed, mostly because of vetoes by Russia, a main ally of Damascus.

Houry said a major legal concern would be trying people for the same crimes in different courts depending on their nationality.

"There is no real precedent for creating an international tribunal for some nationals and not the others," Houry said. "It is an option that raises as many questions as it provides answers."

He said that while the U.S.-led coalition has provided military aid to the SDF, it has done nothing to help develop the local judiciary.

"It is a fair call on the (SDF)'s part to say this should be an international responsibility, but so far the path to such help is unclear."

Kurdish-run courts in northeastern Syria have tried hundreds of Syrians suspected of links to IS. In trials attended by the AP last year, Kurdish authorities showed leniency toward the mostly Arab suspects in a bid to build bridges with the majority Arab population. The courts do not impose the death penalty.

Umer said an international tribunal would help bring the system in line with global norms.

Associated Press writers Frank Jordans and Matthew Lee contributed.
Wavves, the Donkeys, Mrs. Magician AND the Schizophonics come together for a hometown block party in Little Italy spearheaded by local brewery, Ballast Point.

On Saturday, March 30, Wavves, the Donkeys, Mrs. Magician AND the Schizophonics will come together for a hometown block party in Little Italy spearheaded by local brewery, Ballast Point.

Ballast Point's Made in San Diego Block Party will be a huge celebration of the companys local roots and some of the finest locally brewed music to come out of Americas Finest City.

The 21+ party goes down from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on India, West Ivy and West Juniper streets, near the Ballast Point Little Italy Tasting Room. Technically, entry is free, but as you might expect, this event will reach capacity quick.

Don't fret, though: A $5 donation to the Little Italy Association of San Diego (a group dedicated to the revitalization of Little Italy and ongoing support of the communitys small businesses and residents) will get you guaranteed access.

Not bad, eh? $5 to see multi-San Diego Music Award nominees and winners Wavves, the Donkeys, Mrs. Magician AND the Schizophonics? Sign us up.

For those who want to sip on beer samples at the event, a $35 to $45 craft beer sampling package includes unlimited 2-ounce pours of craft brews.

According to Ballast Point Vice President of Marketing Hilary Cocalis, San Diego will always be home.

For over 20 years, Ballast Point has called San Diego home. By coming together with local brands and breweries, our aim is to celebrate this community that has supported us from the beginning, she said in a press release.

Wavves, the Donkeys, Mrs. Magician and the Schizophonics play Ballast Point's Made in San Diego Block Party on Saturday, March 30. Get tickets here.
The group of white-haired folks  some pushing walkers, others using canes  arrive right on time at the gates of Laguna Woods Village, an upscale retirement community in the picturesque hills that frame this Southern California suburb a few miles from Disneyland.

There they board a bus for a quick trip to a building that, save for the green Red Cross-style sign in the window, resembles a trendy coffee bar. The people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, pass the next several hours enjoying a light lunch, playing a few games of bingo and selecting their next month's supply of cannabis-infused products.

"It's like the ultimate senior experience," laughs 76-year-old retired beauty products distributor Ron Atkin as he sits down to watch the bingo at the back of the Bud and Bloom marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana.

Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The 2018 General Social Survey, an annual sampling of Americans' views, found a record 61 percent back legalization, and those 65 and older are increasingly supportive.

Indeed, many industry officials say the fastest-growing segment of their customer base is people like Atkin  aging baby boomers or even those a little older who are seeking to treat the aches and sleeplessness and other maladies of old age with the same herb that many of them once passed around at parties.

"I would say the average age of our customers is around 60, maybe even a little older," said Kelty Richardson, a registered nurse with the Halos Health clinic in Boulder, Colorado, which provides medical examinations and sells physician-recommended cannabis through its online store.

Its medical director, Dr. Joseph Cohen, conducts "Cannabis 101" seminars at the nearby Balfour Senior Living community for residents who want to know which strains are best for easing arthritic pain or improving sleep.

Relatively little scientific study has verified the benefits of marijuana for specific problems. There's evidence pot can relieve chronic pain in adults, according to a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, but the study also concluded that the lack of scientific information poses a risk to public health.

At Bud and Bloom, winners of the bingo games take home new vape pens, but Atkin isn't really there for that. He's been coming regularly for two years to buy cannabis-infused chocolate bars and sublingual drops to treat his painful spinal stenosis since the prescription opiates he had been taking quit working.

It was "desperation" that brought him here, he said, adding that his doctors didn't suggest he try medical marijuana. But they didn't discourage him either.

The dispensary is filled with the 50 people from the bus as they peruse counters and coolers containing everything from gel caps to drops to cannabis-infused drinks, not to mention plenty of old-fashioned weed.

Adele Frascella, leaning on her cane, purchases a package of gummy candies she says helps keep her arthritic pain at bay.

"I don't like to take an opioid," said Frascella, 70.

Fashionably dressed with sparkling silver earrings, Frascella confirms with a smile that she was a pot smoker in her younger days.

"I used to do it when I was like 18, 19, 20," she said. "And then I had a baby, got married and stopped."

She took it up again a few years ago, even investing in a "volcano," a pricey, high-tech version of the old-fashioned bong that Gizmodo calls "the ultimate stoner gadget." But these days, like many other seniors, she prefers edibles to smoking.

Renee Lee, another baby boomer who smoked as a youth, got back into it more than a dozen years ago after the clinical psychologist underwent brain surgery and other medical procedures that she said had her taking "10 meds a day, four times a day."

"And I wasn't getting any better," she said, adding that she asked her doctors if she might try medical marijuana as a last resort. They said go ahead and she found it ended her pain.

In 2012 she founded the Rossmoor Medical Marijuana Club in her upscale San Francisco Bay Area retirement community.

"We started with 20 people, and we kept it really quiet for about a year and a half," she said, noting that although California legalized medical cannabis in 1996, it was still seen in some quarters as an outlaw drug.

Her group has since grown to more than 1,000 members and puts on regular events, including lectures by pro-cannabis doctors and nurses.

People Lee's age  65 and over  are the fastest-growing segment of the marijuana-using population, said Dr. Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He believes more studies on the drug's effects on older people are needed. And while it may improve quality of life by relieving pain, anxiety and other problems, he said, careless, unsupervised use can cause trouble.

"We know that cannabis can cause side effects, particularly in older people," he said. "They can get dizzy. It can even impair memory if the dose is too high or new ingredients are wrong. And dizziness can lead to falls, which can be quite serious."

Richardson said Colorado saw an uptick in hospital visits by older users soon after the state legalized cannabis in 2012. The problem, he said, was often caused by novices downing too many edibles.

That's a lesson Dick Watts, 75, learned the hard way. The retired New Jersey roofing contractor who keeps a winter home at Laguna Woods Village began having trouble sleeping through the night as he got into his 70s. He attended a seniors' seminar where he learned marijuana might help, so he got a cannabis-infused candy bar. He immediately ate the whole thing.

"Man, that was nearly lethal," recalled Watts, laughing.

Now when he has trouble sleeping he takes just a small sliver of candy before bed. He said he wakes up clear-headed and refreshed.

"And I have it up on a shelf so my grandkids can't get to it," Watts said.
What to Know San Diego researchers were the first to participate in the new model of conservation.

The giant pandas born at the San Diego Zoo have helped to produce 22 additional giant pandas in China.

The giant panda is still on the endangered species list but is less threatened than when the program began.

Two giant pandas who have been a favorite of San Diegans for decades and a star attraction for visitors will no longer be a part of the San Diego Zoo, officials announced Monday.

Bai-Yun, 27, and her son, Xiao Liwu, 6, will leave at the end of April for China. They are the last two giant pandas to live at the San Diego Zoo, one of only a few zoos where giant pandas can be found in the United States. Zoos in Washington, D.C, Atlanta and Memphis also have the animals.

The news, while shocking to many who love to visit and follow the lives of the giant pandas, was not unexpected as a long-term conservation agreement was ending, according to the San Diego Zoo officials.

Although we are sad to see these pandas go, we have great hopes for the future, Shawn Dixon, chief operating officer for San Diego Zoo Global said in a written release.

The zoos giant panda conservation program began more than two decades ago when the species was threatened with extinction.

"This is a Chinese program and we feel fortunate that we were the first foreign zoo to be invited to participate with a new conservation, a new model of conservation," said Carmi Penny, director of Collections Husbandry Science at the San Diego Zoo. "The threat to the giant panda is less than it was when we started this program."

The zoo's work with Bai Yun and her cubs have helped to boost the wild population of pandas in China to more than 2,000, according to the zoo.

In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species changed pandas from endangered to vulnerable.

With the remaining giant pandas to leave the San Diego Zoo for China, many are wondering how it will impact business. NBC 7's Danny Freeman has more.

Now, researchers will work to redefine what panda conservation and research will mean in the future. Zoo officials plan to maintain their exhibit and keep it in place in case they are able to negotiate a new agreement that could ultimately bring pandas back to the zoo.

Bai Yun's longtime mate Gao Gao was returned to the Chinese Center for Research and Conservation for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in October.

The father of five cubs born at the San Diego Zoo, Gao Gao had been living at the zoo for 15 years as part of the long-term loan agreement with the Peoples Republic of China.

Guests to the San Diego Zoo will be able to say goodbye to Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu up until April 27.

[G] San Diego's Cutest Critters

Don Heffern, a visitor Monday from Costa Mesa in Orange County, said his reaction to learning that the two giant pandas would be leaving in a month was "sadness."

"Obviously, it's the highlight of the zoo. It's something that you don't find everywhere. There's so few zoos in North America that have pandas so I was completely shocked to hear it today," he said. "Hopefully, they're able to work out something to do it again. Of anything in the zoo this is the one thing that has a line -- that's a big attraction."

COO Shawn Dixon said for the first time in the park's 100-year history, the San Diego Zoo surpassed 4 million visitors in 2018. And, while he did admit the pandas are a big draw, he is not worried about the ramifications of losing one of their main attractions.

"We know our community is concerned about what that looks like, and we feel like we are so much more," Dixon said. "We are a zoo we are a safari park, we have thousands of animals to come visit, so we have so much more to see."
After Attorney General William Barr released his summary Sunday of special counsel Robert Muellers report, many congressional Democrats  including those in San Diego  are calling for the full report to be released.

Many Democrats call Barrs summary incomplete, some even went as far as calling it biased, including Rep. Mike Levin, who represents the 49th District.

In a statement, he said the American people deserve to see the full report, including the underlying documentation.

The summary from Attorney General William Barr  who has shown a bias against the investigation  is insufficient, Levin said. He must release the full report immediately."

Congressional Democrats have seized on a line in the summary that says Mullers report does not exonerate President Donald Trump on obstruction of justice. Barr, however, concluded the evidence of obstruction is insufficient to find Trump committed a crime.

Tony Krvaric, the chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego, said in a statement the report shows that President Trump did not conspire with Russia in the 2016 election.

"Will Democrats accept the report and engage in a debate about the important issues and challenges facing America or double down on what are now ludicrous, disproved allegations that belong on the ash heap of history," he said.

Barrs summary dealt a blow to Democrats investigative efforts into Russias meddling into U.S. elections by concluding that the president did not conspire with Russia.

Aides for Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, who was one of the first GOP representatives in San Diego to back Trump, said the congressman was still reviewing the summary of the Attorney General and has no comment at this time.

Rep. Susan Davis said the entire report should be released so the public can better understand what the investigation was about.

Right now all we want to do is make sure that the American people have access to the material and I think that if they are even able to read through the summary and see that there are really two issues at stake, she said. Did Russia meddle? Yes, they did. And was there obstruction of justice? And the Special Counsel did not come to a conclusion on that and so that is kind of a remarkable statement in itself."

Davis, who represents the 53rd District, said Congress work isnt done and it must work to prevent Russian from interfering with U.S. elections again.

The Congress continues to have oversight responsibilities and so I think those committees will definitely continue to do their work, she said. That's what the American people ask of them and that's going to be very important to do. I think it raises a lot of questions about our next election.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S.-backed forces declared military victory over the Islamic State group in Syria on Saturday after liberating the last pocket of territory held by the militants, marking the end of a brutal self-styled caliphate the group carved out in large parts of Iraq and Syria in 2014.

The nearly five-year war that has devastated cities and towns across north Syria and Iraq ended in Baghouz, a minor border village where the cornered militants made their last stand, under a grueling siege for weeks.

On Saturday, the Syrian Democratic Forces raised their bright yellow banner from a shell-pocked house where the militants once flew their notorious black flag. Below it stretched a field shattered by the battle, pitted by trenches and bomb craters and littered with scorched tents, twisted wreckage of burned out vehicles, unspent explosives and few remaining corpses.

"Baghouz is free and the military victory against Daesh has been achieved," tweeted Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-led SDF, referring to ISIS by its Arabic acronym.

The fall of Baghouz brings to a close a nearly 5-year global campaign against the Islamic State group that raged in two countries, spanned two U.S. presidencies and saw a U.S.-led coalition unleash more than 100,000 strikes. The campaign has left a trail of destruction in cities in Iraq and Syria, likely killed tens of thousands and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes.

The campaign put an end to the militants' proto-state, which at its height four years ago was the size of Britain and home to some 8 million people. But the extremist group still maintains a scattered presence and sleeper cells across Syria and Iraq. It's not known whether the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is still alive or where he might be hiding.

ISIS affiliates in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Afghanistan and other countries continue to pose a threat, and the group's ideology has inspired so-called lone-wolf attacks that had little if any connection to its leadership.

The "caliphate's" end also marks a new phase in Syria's civil war, now in its ninth year. The country is carved up, with the Iranian- and Russian-backed government of President Bashar Assad controlling the west, center and south, the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led forces holding the north and east, and Turkish allies controlling a pocket in the north. The fear now is of new conflict among those players.

At a ceremony held later Saturday at the nearby al-Omar oil field base, a senior U.S. diplomat, William Roebuck, said the territorial defeat of the Islamic State group is a "critical milestone" that delivers a crushing and strategic blow to the extremist group. But he stressed it remains a significant threat.

"We still have much work to do to achieve an enduring defeat of ISIS," he said.

The commander in chief of the SDF, Gen. Mazloum Abdi, appealed for continued assistance to his group until the full eradication of the extremist group. He spoke at the ceremony during which fighters marched to a military band.

The victory declaration sets the stage for President Donald Trump to begin withdrawing most of the 2,000 U.S. troops stationed in northern Syria, as he abruptly announced in December that he would do. Trump, however, later agreed to leave a small peacekeeping force of 200 soldiers in Syria to ensure Turkey will not get into a conflict with the SDF. Turkey views Kurdish members of the SDF as terrorists.

The Kurds fear being abandoned by the Americans. They are squeezed between a belligerent Turkey from the north, which regards them as a national threat and Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces from the south.

Saturday's announcement came a day after Trump declared that Islamic State militants no longer control any territory in Syria, a victory he had been teasing for days.

Associated Press journalists in Baghouz on Saturday, however, reported hearing mortars and gunfire directed toward a cliff overlooking the village, where U.S.-led coalition airstrikes were carried out a day earlier. SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel said Friday there were ISIS fighters hiding in caves near Baghouz and that clearing operations were still underway.

The site of ISIS's last stand was centered on a tent encampment in Baghouz where, unknown to the besieging SDF forces, thousands of civilians were holed up. During the weeks-long siege, an estimate 30,000 men, women and children were evacuated from the pocket, most of them ISIS family members, a mix of Syrians, Iraqis and foreigners. They were exhausted, hungry, many of them wounded and traumatized by the loss of relatives, but some remained die-hard supporters of the "caliphate."

On Saturday, journalists were taken to the encampment  a wasteland of wrecked vehicles, torn tents and scorched trees. A few bodies could be seen and a faint smell of rotting corpses hung in the air.

Scattered across the dirt amid empty foxholes and trenches were personal belongings, blankets, generators, oil barrels, water tanks and satellite dishes. Cars and motorcycles were turned to rusted, twisted heaps of metal. There were unused rockets, mortars and grenades, as well as a pile of suicide vests.

Ciya Kobani, an SDF commander, announced the end of the operation from the roof of the building with the SDF flag: "We have been victorious against Daesh," he declared.

At its height, the Islamic State group ruled a third of both Syria and Iraq, holding millions hostage to its harsh and violent interpretation of Islamic law. The group carried out massacres and documented them with slickly produced videos circulated online. It beheaded foreign journalists and aid workers and burned alive a captured Jordanian pilot. During a rampage through Iraq's Sinjar region in 2014, it captured thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority and forced them into sexual slavery. Many remain missing to this day.

The group also used its caliphate as a launchpad for attacks around the globe, including the assaults in Paris in 2015 that killed more than 130 people.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that "a major danger to our country is now eliminated, yet the threat remains and the fight against terrorist groups must continue." France has been a member of the coalition fighting the ISIS since 2014.

While it imposed its unforgiving interpretation of Islamic law through public beheadings and crucifixions, the group also carried out the mundane duties of governance in its territories, including regulating prices at markets and repairing infrastructure.

Cornered in Baghouz, the group fought fiercely and desperately to hang on to the last shred of territory it controlled, using thousands of civilians, including women and children, as human shields. In the final weeks, they streamed out of Baghouz, bedraggled, angry and hungry, overwhelming Kurdish-run camps in northern Syria where they are being held.

Aid organizations say more than 100 people have died in the journey from Baghouz to the al-Hol camp in Hassakeh province, or soon after arriving.

Associated Press writer Zeina Karam contributed to this report.
A sheriff's deputy fatally shot a man who called and reported himself to police at the home of a woman who had filed a protective order against him in Frederick County, Maryland, authorities say.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office said someone called 911 about 1:20 a.m. Monday about a man with a gun breaking into a home through a back window on Sandy Spring Lane in Thurmont, Maryland.

While officers were en-route, they learned the possible suspect was suicidal and "implicating suicide by cop," the sheriff's office said. Officers also believed a woman and children were inside the home because a responding officer with the Thurmont Police Department helped a woman at the same address file a protective order against a man just a few hours before.

When officers arrived, they found the suspect in the backyard and saw he had a handgun. They told him to put the gun down, but the suspect refused and continued to walk toward the home, the sheriff's office said.

A deputy with the sheriff's office fired his patrol rifle one time and struck the suspect, 26-year-old Abraham Arellano. He died at the scene.

Deputies discovered there was no one inside the home at the time of the shooting.

Investigators said Arellano was the person who made the call about the male fitting his description breaking into the home with a gun. Arellano had recently moved from the address due to ongoing domestic issues, authorities said.

The deputy who fired the fatal shot is on administrative leave per the department's policy.

Stay with NBC4 and NBCWashington.com for updates.
The first glimpse into the special counsel's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election did little to mend a gaping American political divide.

The four-page summary of Robert Mueller's probe released by Attorney General William Barr didn't satisfy many who wanted more details. But in a bitterly divided country, the little bit that was known stirred cheers from many Republicans and scoffs from many Democrats.

"The one side that's happy is happy. And the other side that's not happy wants to do some more investigation or do something else," said Stephen Turner, an electrical engineer from Belmont, North Carolina, who is Republican and voted for Trump. "I wish it'd just go away."

Across the union, the split reaction to the Mueller news repeated.

In West Palm Beach, Florida, along the route Trump's motorcade took before returning to Washington on Air Force One, Mary Jude Smith got a wave and a smile from the chief executive. The 71-year-old retiree from Hypoluxo, Florida, speaks about him with passion, and insists he has been exonerated. She sees the investigation as Democrats' pathetic attempt to impeach Trump.

"I think Mueller was a crook. He wasted millions of our tax dollars for nothing," she said, before offering her assessment of Trump: "He's as clean as the driven snow."

In blue-state New York, 49-year-old filmmaker Dan Lee of Brooklyn Heights felt let down by Mueller and left with more questions than answers.

"It stings a little, because I trusted Mueller," said Lee, a Democrat. "There are still so many questions and it seems inconceivable that obstruction isn't one of the conclusions."

In red-state West Virginia, 44-year-old truck driver Michael Tucker of Bancroft, declared the Russian investigation "a joke, for the most part" and that Trump has been treated unfairly.

"It's one witch hunt after another," said Tucker, who gave his vote to Trump in 2016 and likely will again next year. "If they could have found anything, they would have."

There were morsels in Barr's letter both sides could savor. For Republicans, it was acknowledgement that there was no evidence Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia. For Democrats, it was the admission that while Trump wasn't charged with obstruction, he also wasn't exonerated.

Trump supporter Richard C. Osburn, 52, a nurse from South Charleston, West Virginia, said Mueller's findings were proof the president was "drug through the mud." He knows Democrats are "hell-bent" on destroying Trump, but says it's time for the president to be given a break.

"The things that the man's doing to try to help the average worker in this country never gets recognized by the mainstream media," said Osburn, a longtime Republican. "They would rather hate, hate, hate than recognize accomplishments. Those days have got to stop."

In Los Angeles, 57-year-old accountant Sue Arani, checked news on her phone as she took her dog for an afternoon walk Sunday. She calls herself a Republican-leaning voter, though she gave her support to Clinton in 2016. She trusts Mueller, but even with Barr's release, she thinks there was collusion between Trump's campaign and the Russian government.

"The public needs to see the report," she said, "especially before the next election."

Claire Finkelstein, a University of Pennsylvania professor who founded the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, said if the full report isn't made available to the public and its contents become known only through leaks and back channels, it would be damaging to faith in the government.

"Secrets are where conspiracy theories fester and grow," Finkelstein said. "The only way that we are going to be able to move past this state of affairs is by as much coming out into the light as possible. Let's flesh out the facts, let's get them on the table and have a robust conversation."

What seemed certain was there would be no end to the debate over Trump, Mueller's investigation, and the political divide across the U.S.

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 74-year-old Richard Howell, a supporter of the president, said news of the Mueller report proves what critics of the investigation have been saying all along.

"So we spent two years and millions of dollars," he said, "worrying about nothing."

In Gaston County, North Carolina, Trump voters outnumbered Clinton backers nearly two-to-one in 2016, but Joy Owens didn't budge from her opposition. She believes Mueller has done a good job with the investigation but she's left feeling unfulfilled.

"I keep hoping that if we just be patient, we be patient for a little bit longer, that there will be justice," said Owens, 66, who recently retired from running a yarn shop and framing business. "I cannot believe of all the other convictions that are happening about this that Trump is going to be scot-free on this."

Contributing to this report were Corey Williams, Sharon Cohen, Chris Weber, Claire Galofaro, Jeff Baenan, Rebecca Santana, Tim Talley, Alanna Durkin Richer, Denise Lavoie, Josh Replogle, Colleen Slevin, Sarah Blake Morgan, Roxana Hegeman, Adam Geller and John Raby.
A Maine startup company that makes seaweed edibles and kelp puree has a lot more money to grow its business than it did just days ago.

Over the weekend, Ocean's Balance, which has offices in Biddeford, and seaweed farms in Casco Bay, won $100,000 beating out dozens of other companies.

One of Ocean Balance's founders, Tollef Olson, says the win is huge for a small business that has no full-time employees.

"We're small enough that $100,000 is going to go a long way for us," said Olson. "We've been bootstrapping like nobody's business so this could not have come at a better time for us."

Olson dove into seaweed in 2006 after holding various types of commercial fishing jobs.

He wants to put the award towards hiring more staff, expanding seaweed farms and outsourcing package labeling work that's being done by hand right now.

When asked what the long-term plan for his company is, Olson explained it's to make the Maine coast known for producing products from seaweed.

Right now, the company sells its products to dozens of stores across New England and beyond.

Olson hopes to branch into Whole Foods soon and says he's working on developing new product lines that will be easier to roll out with the new seed money.
Rescue workers off Norway's western coast rushed to evacuate 1,300 passengers and crew from a disabled cruise ship by helicopter on Saturday, winching them one-by-one to safety as heaving waves tossed the ship from side to side and high winds battered the operation.

The Viking Sky issued a mayday call as bad weather hit and engine problems caused it to start drifting toward the rocky shore, the Norwegian newspaper VG reported. Police in the western county of Moere og Romsdal said the crew, fearing the ship would run aground, managed to anchor in Hustadvika Bay, between the Norwegian cities of Alesund and Trondheim, so the evacuations could take place.

Rescue teams with helicopters and boats were sent to evacuate the cruise ship under extremely difficult circumstances, including gusts up to 38 knots (43 mph) and waves over 26 feet. The area is known for its rough, frigid waters.

The majority of the cruise ship passengers were reportedly British and American tourists. About 180 have been evacuated, according to rescue officials.

Video and photos from people on the ship showed it heaving, with chairs and other furniture dangerously rolling from side to side. Passengers were suited up in orange life vests but the waves broke some ship windows and cold water flowed over the feet of some passengers.

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK said the Viking Sky's evacuation was a slow and dangerous process, as passengers needed to be hoisted one-by-one from the cruise ship to the five available helicopters.

"I was afraid. I've never experienced anything so scary," Janet Jacob, among the first group of passengers evacuated to the nearby town of Molde, told NRK.

She said her helicopter ride to safety came amid strong winds "like a tornado," prompting her to pray "for the safety of all aboard."

American passenger John Curry told NRK that he was having lunch as the cruise ship started to shake.

"It was just chaos. The helicopter ride from the ship to shore I would rather not think about. It wasn't nice," Curry told the broadcaster.

NRK said one 90-year-old-man and his 70-year-old spouse on the ship were severely injured but did not say how that happened.

Later, reports emerged that a cargo ship with nine crew members was in trouble nearby, and the local Norwegian rescue service diverted two of the five helicopters working on the cruise ship to that rescue.

Authorities told NRK that a strong storm with high waves was preventing rescue workers from using life boats or tug boats to take passengers ashore.

"It's a demanding exercise, because they (passengers) have to hang in the air under a helicopter and there's a very, very strong wind," witness Odd Roar Lange told NRK at the site.

Rescuers were prioritizing the nine crew members aboard the Hagland Captain cargo ship, said Per Fjeld of the Joint Rescue Center Southern Norway. He later said all nine crewmembers had been rescued.

Norwegian authorities said late Saturday that the evacuation of the Viking Sky would proceed all through the night into Sunday.

Officials said late Saturday night that three of the ship's four engines had been restarted and it was moving southwest - but not toward shore.

The Viking Sky was on a 12-day trip that began March 14 in the western Norwegian city of Bergen, according to the cruisemapper.com website.

The ship was visiting the Norwegian towns and cities of Narvik, Alta, Tromso, Bodo and Stavanger before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury on the River Thames.

The Viking Sky, a vessel with gross tonnage of 47,800, was delivered in 2017 to operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

Sheila Norman-Culp contributed.
Police say a 71-year-old cyclist died in a collision with another bicycle on a popular recreational trail in Lexington, Massachusetts on Sunday.

According to Lexington police, the accident occurred on the Minuteman Bikeway just after 2 p.m. Sunday. The two bicyclists were heading in opposite directions.

A 71-year-old man was killed. The other victim, a male in his 50s, was injured but is in stable condition and is expected to survive, police said. The nature of his injuries was not disclosed.

No names were released.

Both of the victims were wearing helmets.

The cause remains under investigation, but police said it appears to be just a "terrible accident."
Two men have been arrested after a Prudential Center window was injured in a shooting early Sunday morning.

According to Boston police, 28-year-old Mario Escobar, of Roxbury, and 25-year-old Carlos Perez-Mejia, of Jamaica Plain, were arrested Sunday morning after police responded to a call for shots fired in the area of 867 Boylston Street in the city's Back Bay neighborhood.

When officers arrived on scene, they were provided a description of two suspects and the vehicle they were driving.

Police searched the area and found a car matching the description they were given. They interacted with the driver and passenger and subsequently removed them from the vehicle. Police say the officers located a 9mm Ruger firearm inside of a bag underneath the passenger's seat.

Both Escobar and Perez-Mejia were arrested.

Further investigation led officers to 888 Boylston Street where they located ballistic damage to one of the windows.

Escobar and Perez-Mejia are charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, malicious destruction of property and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.

The two suspects are expected to arraigned in Boston Municipal Court. It is unclear if they have attorneys.
Democratic presidential candidates are making it clear that there are new voices competing for voters' attention.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren told a New Hampshire crowd that the National Rifle Association is holding "Congress hostage'' when it comes to stemming gun violence.

The Massachusetts senator announced at a campaign rally that if seven children were dying from a mysterious virus, "we'd pull out all the stops till we figured out what was wrong.'' But in terms of gun violence, she says the NRA "keeps calling the shots in Washington.''

Warren finished a two-day campaign trip to New Hampshire with an event at a middle school in Conway Sunday afternoon.

Warren focused much of her speech on her approach to economics, but paid special attention to unions Sunday. She said that more power needs to be put back in the hands of workers.

California Sen. Kamala Harris sent a signal to the nation's old-guard that there's a time to move aside. At an Atlanta church service Sunday dedicated to youth, the presidential candidate compared leadership to a relay race in which older leaders must decide "when to pass the baton.''

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand made her official announcement in front of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York and called him a coward who "punches down.''

Howard Schultz will attend the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Monday evening. That's according to Schultz aide Erin McPike.

Schultz's decision to attend the annual AIPAC conference in Washington comes as Democrats have been grappling with the left's criticism of Israel and as most presidential candidates are sitting this year's conference out. Schultz is actively considering an independent presidential bid himself.

On Friday, Schultz responded to a tweet from the liberal advocacy group MoveOn, which has been urging Democratic presidential candidates not to attend. He said that the "unwillingness of the far left to even speak with people they may disagree with is one of the worst symbols of the dysfunction in Washington today.''
Supporters of tougher laws aimed at curbing distracted driving will be making their case to a legislative committee on Beacon Hill.

Among the bills scheduled for a public hearing before the Legislature's Transportation Committee on Thursday are several that would ban motorists from holding their cellphones while they drive. The measures would allow drivers to talk on their phones with hands-free devices.

Massachusetts already bans texting while driving. Bills that would have Massachusetts join several neighboring states in prohibiting all hand-held cellphone use have cleared the state Senate in recent years but stalled in the House.

A measure filed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and being heard by the committee this week would also give police greater power to enforce existing state laws requiring seatbelt use.
What to Know Suspended Mass. State Trooper Eric Chin, 46, of Hanover, was sentenced March 25, 2019, with the department's overtime abuse scandal.

Chin was sentenced to one day in prison, deemed served, and one year of supervised release with three months to be served in home detention.

Seven other troopers who have been charged and who have pleaded guilty in the scandal are awaiting sentencing.

A suspended state police trooper was sentenced Monday in federal court in Boston with the ongoing investigation of overtime abuse at the Massachusetts State Police Department.

Eric Chin, 46, of Hanover, was sentenced to one day in prison, deemed served, and one year of supervised release with three months to be served in home detention. Chin was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,125.

Chin pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds in December 2018.

Authorities said Chin was a member of the now disbanded Troop E which enforced criminal and traffic regulations along the Massachusetts Turnpike. In 2016, Chin earned $302,400, which included approximately $131,653 in overtime pay.

Chin is the first trooper to be sentenced as a result of the ongoing investigation. Seven others who have been charged and who have pleaded guilty are awaiting sentencing.

Those other troopers are: David Wilson, 58, of Charlton; Daren DeJong, 57, of Uxbridge; Gregory Raftery, 47, of Westwood; Heath McAuliffe, 40, of Hopkinton; Kevin Sweeney, 40, of Braintree; Gary Herman, 45, of Chester; Paul Cesan, 50, of Southwick.

As a result of the overtime pay scandal which had been exposed by an internal audit, GPS locators have been activated for more than 1,000 state police cruisers as part of the ongoing reforms launched by Gov. Charlie Baker.
There's a baby boom happening at a Maine hospital but it's the nurses who are expecting.

Nine nurses who all work in labor and delivery are pregnant at Maine Medical Center in Portland and are due between April and July.

Eight of the pregnant nurses recently posed for a picture which was posted on the facility's Facebook page. They held cards to show when they were each due.

Registered nurse Amanda Spear told WCSH-TV she was just as surprised as everyone else.

"I feel like every other day we would come into work and it would be like, 'someone else is pregnant,'" Spear said.

With 80 registered nurses currently working in the labor and delivery unit, hospital officials said they do have a plan in place for when the women take their maternity leaves.

Not to be outdone, the emergency department announced that 12 nurses will become parents, too.

Nurse Melanie Ann Smithgall posted a photo Wednesday showing nine of 11 pregnant nurses. Two were absent from the photo, along with an expectant father who works as a nurse.

The group of 11's due dates range from April to October.
Manchester, New Hampshire, police are looking for a suspect in an armed robbery and stabbing.

According to police, they responded to the area of Lowell Street and Nutfield Lane at approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday for a report of an attempted armed robbery.

During the incident, the suspect produced a knife and slashed the victim's hand, causing a non-life threatening injury, police said.

The victim was not able to provide a description of the suspect.

The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at 603-668-8711 reference case #19-4067.
A Brockton man was arrested by Massachusetts State Police on Friday after he was found with $50,000 worth of drugs, according to troopers.

Etimilson Cabral, 18, faces seven different charges, including multiple drug charges, the unlawful possession of ammunition and operating after a license suspension.

Cabral was stopped by police while he was driving at the intersection of Albion Street and N. Montello Street around 5:10 p.m. Police initially arrested Cabral because his license had been revoked, troopers said.

Troopers searched Cabral's car and body after the arrest. Cabral tensed his body "in a manner that prevented troopers from conducting a full search of his person," according to police, so he was brought back to his home, where a strip-search was carried out in private.

After searching Cabral, police found:

-16 knotted twists of suspected fentanyl with an approximate street value of $470

- 4 knotted twists of suspected carfentanil with an approximate street value of $100

- 11 knotted twists of suspected crack cocaine with an approximate street value of $330

- An electronic scale

- $340 in cash.

Based on the results of that search, Troopers applied for and obtained a search warrant for Cabrals bedroom in the Albion Street house.

Brockton detectives and Troopers carried out the search warrant on the room shortly before 9 p.m., police said. Troopers and detectives found a safe in the room. When the safe was opened, police found:

- 423 grams of suspected fentanyl with an approximate street value of $42,300;

- 87 grams of suspected cocaine with an approximate street value of $8,700; and

- $308 in US currency.

In the safe Troopers and detectives also found and seized five rounds of .25 caliber ammunition and six additional electronic scales.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid more powerful than heroin. Carfentanil is an opioid that is more powerful than fentanyl.

Cabral is expected to be arraigned Monday in Brockton District Court.
Police in Pelham, New Hampshire are searching for at least one suspect after several oranges and other objects loaded with nails were found along Nashua Road on Sunday night.

The nails, which ended up giving one driver a flat tire, were embedded into oranges and strips of cardboard.

This prank is extremely dangerous, and extremely serious, said Pelham police Sgt. Glen Chase. It could have been catastrophic if we werent able to locate that and clear it from the roadway.

Police said they suspect a teenager  or teenagers  are likely responsible for the stunt.

I have kids, so that concerns me, said Ashley Rios, who lives near Nashua Road. I have pets, too. My dog goes outside.

Police said the suspect  or suspects  could face criminal charges.
A suspended Massachusetts State Police trooper convicted of raping his former girlfriend faces sentencing.

The Middlesex district attorney says Robert Sundberg is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in Lowell Superior Court.

The 48-year-old Framingham resident was convicted last week of multiple charges, including rape, strangulation, assault and battery and stalking.

He was arrested after the victim, who is also a state police employee, reported she was attacked at his Boxborough home in April 2016. Prosecutors said the assault was the culmination of a long history of abuse by Sundberg directed at the victim.

Sundberg was suspended without pay after his arrest and state police say they have started termination proceedings.
Young people have rallied at the Rhode Island state house in support of gun-control measures.

More than 100 people attended the event on Saturday, one year after the massive March for Our Lives rallies were held in Washington D.C. and cities across the country.

Those demonstrations followed the February 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people.

Tori Richard is co-founder of March for Our Lives Rhode Island and an organizer of Saturday's rally.

She told The Providence Journal that they want to show that "young people are still serious.'' Richard says activists are "going to get stuff done.''

Rhode Island lawmakers are debating several gun bills, including a measure that would ban people from taking concealed weapons into schools.
Pupils and teachers from The Clare School were treated to a special performance of The Wonder, Soul Church's Christmas spectacular, on Wednesday 8th December.

Pupils and teachers from The Clare School were treated to a special performance of The Wonder, Soul Church's Christmas spectacular, on Wednesday 8th December.

YMCA Norfolk needs a Project Lead  Wellbeing Matters YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Project Lead  Wellbeing Matters, to build relationships of trust with vulnerable and marginalised parents and families across Norfolk. Read more

Norfolk author sheds light on US abortion debate A book about respect for life, written by a parishioner from St Johns Cathedral in Norwich, sheds light on the current US abortion debate being considered by its Supreme Court. Read more

Music outreach boost for South Norfolk church St Marys Church in Attleborough has been awarded a grant from Youth Music to employ a music outreach worker for two years as part of the churchs music and building project. Read more

Christmas news and opening times at Revelation Merry Christmas from the staff, volunteers and trustees at Revelation Christian resource centre in Norwich. Read more

The joy of getting a booster! Andrew Frere Smith reminds us how much a word of encouragement can boost our spirits. Read more

Sister Wendy gives a voice to Julian of Norwich A recording of Sister Wendy Beckett reading Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love has been released to the public 28 years after it was first made. Read more

Could you support Yarmouth area youth outreach? As they go through a period of change, East Norfolk Youth for Christ are urging people to support them, both in prayer and by getting involved. Read more

Christmas and Advent events in Norfolk A roundup of some of the Christmas services, carol services, Christingles and other festive events organised by Norfolk churches this month. Read more

Festive highlights at Norwich Cathedral this Christmas From Christmas concerts to Midnight Mass and Carols in the Cloister, there is lots to look forward to at Norwich Cathedral this festive season. Read more

Norwich Youth for Christ jams for Christmas Norwich Youth for Christ is organising a Big Jam to launch their Christmas content. Nick Blanch reports. Read more

Care home careers at MHA Cromwell House, Norwich MHA Cromwell House in Norwich has career opportunities for a Care Assistant and Senior Care Assistant. Read more

Salvation Army in Diss gives out Christmas Toys and Tins As the countdown to Christmas begins, people in Diss are being asked to support The Salvation Armys annual Toys and Tins Appeal. Read more

The light shines in the darkness Philip Young urges us to remember how much God loves us as we light our Advent candles this year. Read more

Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd Based in Mid-Norfolk, Heather Nunn Business Services Ltd has an experienced, qualified, professional team and offers business services of bookkeeping and payroll to a variety of local sole traders, companies, charitable organisations and churches. Read more

Dave invites you to come into the garden church Some people are simply not interested in going to church, and Norwich minister Rev Dave Lloyd totally gets it. But he does have an alternative idea. Read more

Covid learning curve for Norwich School chaplain The challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic have meant a whole new learning curve for Norwich School and its chaplain, Rev Corin Child. Read more

Norwich organic food firm helps care for the planet Two young Christian entrepreneurs are trying to care for both the planet and for people across Norfolk through an online organic vegetable and fruit box scheme they launched during the pandemic. Read more
... as Brexit date looms this week

WEST Berkshire Council will not be publishing its report into the impact of Brexit until the picture becomes clearer.

This is despite there being just a week to go until the UKs planned departure date.

The Newbury Weekly News asked the council in August last year whether it had prepared a risk assessment on the impact of leaving the EU.

At the time the council said that it had not prepared a report and that it was something under discussion.

In January, it said that a report had been prepared, but the contents could not be shared as it was in the draft phase.

The council added that it planned to publish the report within the next few months.

And with just over a week until the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union, unless the Prime Minister negotiates the delay of Article 50 with the EU, the NWN asked whether the report could be published.

In response, council spokesman Martin Dunscombe said: West Berkshire Council continues to monitor the arrangements for leaving the EU, and keeps under review any potential impact on the district.

A report on the potential impact of Brexit has been prepared and continues to be updated as a working document as the situation evolves.

The situation remains fluid and we will not therefore be in a position to publish our plan until the national picture becomes clearer.

West Berkshire has a strong and diverse economy which puts the district in a good position to deal with whatever the impact ofBrexit.

The council continues to work internally, and with its partners including the Local Government Association, Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and South East England Councils to monitor and prepare for exiting the EU.
Health warnings on plain-packaged cigarettes have more of an impact on smokers than those on branded packs, according to new research from the University of Stirling.

In one of the first studies to explore how smokers responded to standardised (plain) packaging, experts at the Institute of Social Marketing surveyed current smokers in 2017, when both standardised and fully-branded packs were on the market.

The team found that smokers using standardised packs were more likely to have noticed the warnings 'often' or 'very often', compared to those who had never used standardised packs. This group also read warnings closely 'often' or 'very often'; thought 'somewhat' or 'a lot' about the health risks of smoking and quitting; and were more likely to have noticed a stop-smoking website on packs.

Dr Crawford Moodie led the study - funded by Cancer Research UK and involving King's College London. The Senior Research Fellow said: "We found that UK smokers currently using standardised packs were more likely, than those who had never used standardised packs, to have noticed and read, or looked closely at, the health warnings; thought about the risks; and thought about quitting due to the look of the pack.

"They were also more likely to report awareness of a stop-smoking website and cite warnings on packs of cigarettes or rolling tobacco as a source of awareness."

The UK became the third country to fully implement standardised tobacco packaging in May 2017, following Australia in December 2012 and France in January 2017. The UK phased in standardised packaging - with companies given 12 months, from May 2016, to implement the policy.

The research team investigated whether there was an association between using standardised packs and the health warnings; thoughts about the risks of smoking; thoughts about quitting; and awareness and use of stop-smoking websites.

They conducted a cross-sectional online survey with 1,865 current smokers aged 16 and over, living in Yorkshire and Humber and the West Midlands, between February and April 2017, when both standardised and fully-branded packs were on the market. Seventy-six percent of participants reported that they were currently using standardised packs, while nine percent were not currently using them but had previously. Fourteen percent had never used standardised packs.

Dr Moodie said: "Consistent with the broad objectives of standardised packaging, our research found that it was associated with increased warning salience, and thoughts about risks and quitting.

"The findings provide some support for standardised packaging and are consistent with research in Australia, the first country to introduce the policy."

Warnings used on standardised packs were novel and larger than those on fully-branded packs - and displayed pictorial images on both main display areas, rather than just the reverse. The team said that this might help to explain the findings, particularly in relation to warning salience and thoughts about the health risks.

Dr Moodie added: "The UK Department of Health estimates that standardised packaging will have a net benefit to government of 25 billion ten years post-implementation. It is critical that countries robustly evaluate the impacts of this measure and do so over the longer term.

"While our findings provide support for standardised packaging during the transition period, further research is needed to explore the intended and any unintended consequences of this policy in the UK, and elsewhere, after it has been fully implemented."

George Butterworth, Cancer Research UK's senior policy manager, said: "This study adds to the growing body of evidence that standardised packaging reduces the appeal of tobacco products.

"It's important to evaluate the impact of this so other countries can follow the UK's lead and protect future generations from the harm of tobacco."

The paper, How did smokers respond to standardised cigarette packaging with new, larger health warning in the United Kingdom during the transition period? A cross-sectional online survey, is published in Addiction Research and Theory.
Genetic mutations that drive the development of a common type of childhood leukemia can be traced back to errors by the immune system during the production of antibodies.

Dr. Christopher Kirkham, joint first author on the paper

The discovery by scientists at the University of Leeds could lead to new ways to treat a number of childhood blood cancers.

The immune system needs to generate millions of different antibodies every day to fight a vast number of potential infections. To meet this demand, the white blood cells that make antibodies reshuffle their DNA by cutting and re-joining it to produce unique antibodies.

The Leeds team have identified a new way that mistakes in this process can lead to childhood leukemia. The research, which was primarily funded by the blood cancer research charity Bloodwise, is published in the journal Molecular Cell.

During antibody production DNA is cut and joined by enzymes called recombinases and the unwanted regions of DNA in between the required gene segments are then kicked out of the genome.

The researchers found that recombinase enzymes sometimes bind with these DNA by-products  creating highly dangerous enzyme/DNA complexes that cause random DNA cuts throughout the genome, leading to cancer. They have named the process cut and run.

It has been previously shown by researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, that the most common type of childhood blood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), starts with a genetic mutation in the womb.

This initiating genetic mutation alone cannot directly cause leukemia  cancer will only develop if secondary genetic mutations take place during early childhood. For example, the ETV6/RUNX1 chromosomal translocation is found in around a quarter of cases of childhood ALL, but only around one in 100 children born with the ETV6/RUNX1 translocation go on to develop leukemia.

The Leeds researchers showed that the cut and run process can explain how some of these secondary mutations take place in ETV6/RUNX1 leukemia.

They added the enzyme/DNA complexes to cells derived from cancer patients in the laboratory. The resulting genetic mutations that formed were located on the genome using DNA sequencing, sophisticated computer programs and a technique called polymerase chain reaction, which can make multiple copies of specific regions of DNA.

28 of the chromosome changes caused by cut and run were also present in children with leukemia with the ETV6/RUNX1 mutation. Not only this, but the DNA breaks caused by cut and run' occurred in the same cancer-causing genes that are frequently mutated in ETV6/RUNX1-positive leukemia and other leukemias.

Dr Joan Boyes, who led the research at the University of Leeds School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, said:

The price we pay for such an effective immune system is that occasionally mistakes can be made that can cause blood cancers to develop. Now that we know exactly how this process works, we may be able to stop it  leading to new drugs to treat children in the future.

Dr Alasdair Rankin, Director of Research and Patient Experience at Bloodwise, said:

We know that childhood leukemia needs at least two steps to develop and some evidence suggests that the second trigger occurs when a childs immune system reacts in an abnormal way to infections. As important research like this helps build a more complete picture of what causes childhood leukemia, we can begin to think about ways to stop it happening in the first place.

The University of Leeds researchers received additional funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the China Scholarship Council, Yorkshire Cancer Research and the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). As part of their commitment to the principles of the 3Rs (the replacement, reduction and refinement of animals in research), the Leeds team used cancer cell lines in the laboratory for their research, with the goal to replace some experiments on mice.
Obesity may play a role in reproductive problems in women with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study to be presented Saturday, March 23 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

Earlier studies have shown that type 1 diabetes is associated with menstrual irregularities and lower rates of fertility.

"Women with type 1 diabetes remain at risk of significant reproductive problems despite improvements in current therapies, and this may be partly explained by the high prevalence of obesity in this group," said lead researcher Eleanor Thong, M.B.B.S., of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation in Clayton, Australia.

The researchers analyzed data from the large community-based Australian Longitudinal Study in Women's Health (ALSWH), a national study funded by the Australian Department of Health. A total of 23,752 women aged 18-23 and 34-39 were included in the study. Of these women, 162 had type 1 diabetes. The researchers found 24 percent of women with type 1 diabetes were obese, compared with 16 percent of those without diabetes. Another notable finding was that one in four women with type 1 diabetes were current smokers, compared to one in six controls.

Menstrual irregularities were seen in 47 percent of those with type 1 diabetes, compared with 35 percent of those without the disease. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was found in 14 percent of those with diabetes, compared with 5 percent in those without the disease. Women with PCOS produce higher-than-normal amounts of male-type hormones. This hormone imbalance causes them to skip menstrual periods and makes it harder for them to get pregnant.

Menstrual irregularity was associated with increased body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure, smoking and PCOS in this cohort.

In women with prior pregnancies, those with type 1 diabetes experienced significantly more miscarriages (46 percent compared with 33 percent of those without diabetes) and stillbirths (7 percent versus 1 percent). There was no difference in pregnancy rates.

"Despite universal healthcare and improved diabetes management, the risk of miscarriages and stillbirths remain elevated in women with type 1 diabetes. Increased BMI may play a role in the development of PCOS, menstrual and reproductive problems. Furthermore, smoking is associated with an increased risk of menstrual disorders and miscarriage in this cohort," said co-author Professor Helena Teede, M.B.B.S. Ph.D., of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation. "Pre-conception care and counseling in reproductive-aged women with type 1 diabetes, including weight management and smoking cessation, is imperative to minimize complications in pregnancy."
Caucasians and Hispanics with diabetes have a greater risk of fracture compared to those without diabetes, while African Americans with diabetes have little to no additional fracture risk, according to a study to be presented Saturday, March 23 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

"Diabetes has been associated with additional risk of fracture, but it had not been well studied in African Americans or Hispanics, the two racial-ethnic groups with the highest rates of diabetes in the United States," said lead researcher Rajesh Jain, M.D., of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa.

He noted that because of the additional fracture risk associated with diabetes, some medical groups have suggested additional osteoporosis screening or treatment to help prevent fractures in patients with diabetes. "This research could mean that African Americans with diabetes may not require the additional screening or treatment for osteoporosis that Caucasians or Hispanics with diabetes may require," Jain said.

The researchers evaluated data from 19,153 people with diabetes (7,618 Caucasian, 7,456 African American and 4,079 Hispanic) and 26,217 people with hypertension (15,138 Caucasian, 8,301 African American, and 2,778 Hispanic), all at least 40 years of age.

When controlling for other important factors, the risk of fracture in white and Hispanic people with diabetes was 23 percent higher than those without diabetes. However, the risk of fracture in African Americans with diabetes was not significantly different than those without diabetes.

"This is a novel finding and has not been previously reported," Jain said.

African Americans, regardless of whether they had diabetes, had more than 10-fold risk of a fracture if they had a fracture in the past, compared with about a two-fold increased risk in white and Hispanic people.

"This suggests risk factors for fracture may differ in African Americans," Jain said.
The 2019 Epilepsy League Research Recognition Award and prize money of CHF 25,000 is set to benefit young people: Dr. phil. Martina Hubacher is researching The absent mind  Neurocognition and sleep in young people with absence seizures at the University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB). The Prize for Best Dissertation will be split between Basel and Geneva.

Young people with absence epilepsy often face challenges in later life: on average they finish school with lower qualifications, even in comparison with young people who have other generalized epilepsies. Although there have been many studies into this type of epilepsy in children, so far none have investigated the precise causes of such deficits in adolescence.

Dr. Martina Hubacher is changing this status quo with her study at the University Childrens Hospital Basel (UKBB), which the Research Recognition Award and prize money from the Epilepsy League will help her to complete. Hubacher aims to identify and correlate the relevant factors by conducting comprehensive neuropsychological tests and imaging examinations of the young people affected, their healthy siblings and other healthy young people. As the brain regenerates at night during sleep, the study will also look at the quality of sleep experienced by the participants.

We want to create a basis from which to build on so that in the future young people who experience absences can be offered more targeted help and support and have improved chances of success as adults. Dr. phil. Martina Hubacher

The awards will be presented at the 11th annual meeting of the Swiss League Against Epilepsy and the German and Austrian epileptology associations (Dreilandertagung), the leading German-language epilepsy congress with an anticipated attendance of over 1000, taking place from 8 to 11 May in Basel.

This year the Epilepsy League Prize for Best Dissertation will be split between two winners. Half the prize money will go to Dr. Laurent Sheybani in Geneva for his dissertation entitled Large-scale epileptic network in a mouse-model of temporal lobe epilepsy. For his complex experimental dissertation he researched on a mouse model the key network characteristics in one of the most common types of epilepsy, temporal lobe epilepsy. He was able to show that epileptic activity can be measured in the brain independently of and in addition to the primary focus. Once such a network has established itself, it remains active even after the original focus has been removed.

In the future this work will help achieve even greater accuracy in evaluating the potential success of epilepsy operations. President of the Epilepsy League Prof. Dr. Stephan Ruegg of Basel University Hospital

The second half of the prize money goes to Dr. Katharina Gruntz in Basel, who in her doctoral thesis investigated the risk of Parkinsons patients developing epilepsy. For a long time, medical professionals suspected that having Parkinsons syndrome protected patients from developing epilepsy, but Gruntzs comprehensive epidemiological analysis showed exactly the opposite  that the risk of epilepsy is actually higher.

The study is impressive thanks to the clarity of its hypothesis and the statistical approach used for the large number of patients. Why has no-one evaluated this before now? asked Prof. Dr. Johannes Sarnthein of Zurich University Hospital, member of the Research Commission, in his commendation remarks. These findings directly impact the care of patients with Parkinsons syndrome, said her supervisor Stephan Ruegg, who as a member of the Research Commission abstained from evaluating the work of his Ph.D. student.

The Swiss League Against Epilepsy Prize for Best Dissertation is awarded every three years and carries prize money of CHF 1,000.

This years Tissot Medal for extraordinary services to Swiss epileptology goes to Dr. Gunter Kramer, Zurich.

Prize award ceremonies

Research Recognition Award: Thursday 9.5.2019, 10:15 a.m. as part of the Presidents symposium

Prize for Best Dissertation: Friday 10.5.2019, as part of the young epileptologists symposium (10:00-12:00 a.m.)

Journalists are welcome but requested to register in advance.
The hormone oxytocin reduces the communication between different brain areas involved in the cognitive, sensory and emotional processing of food cues that people with obesity demonstrate when they look at high-calorie foods, according to research being presented Monday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

The work may bring the synthetic nasal formulation of oxytocin a step closer to possible use as a new obesity treatment. Known more for its role in social bonding, childbirth and breastfeeding, oxytocin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that is also important for controlling food intake and weight. Past research shows that oxytocin nasal spray, which is not yet approved in the United States, acts on brain pathways involved in eating behavior and decreases food consumption in men.

"Knowing how the drug exerts its effects is a critical step toward establishing oxytocin as a drug treatment for overeating and obesity," said the study's lead investigator, Liya Kerem, M.D., M.Sc., a pediatric endocrinology fellow at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Mass. "This study is exciting because it shows that oxytocin modulates the pathways in the brain specifically during their responses to highly palatable, rewarding foods."

The goal of the new study, according to Kerem, was to examine the network of reward brain regions that oxytocin affects. Building on their prior findings demonstrating that oxytocin reduces activation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a core region of the brain's reward system, the investigators used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a neuroimaging technique used in research that measures brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow, to investigate how oxytocin impacts the functional connectivity between the VTA and the rest of the brain.

In this study, 10 healthy but overweight or obese young men randomly received a different treatment during two visits to the research lab. At each visit, the men self-administered a single dose of either oxytocin nasal spray or a placebo dummy drug after fasting. All were unaware of which treatment they received. Oxytocin reportedly had no side effects in this study, which was funded by the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard, the Boston Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the National Institutes of Health.

An hour after drug administration, the men underwent fMRI while they viewed images of high-calorie foods as well as pictures of low-calorie foods and nonfood objects.

"Individuals with obesity, compared to lean people, have abnormally hyperactivated brain reward areas when viewing high-calorie food images, even when they are full, suggesting an explanation for the observed behavior of overeating and a potential target for treatment with medications such as oxytocin," Kerem said.

Compared to placebo, oxytocin weakened the functional connectivity--the effective coordination between neural systems in response to a task--between the VTA and associated food motivation brain areas when participants viewed pictures of high-calorie food.
Researchers of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and the University of Zaragoza have developed an augmented reality app to assess spatial memory. Among its uses, it could be utilised for people with Alzheimer's disease, as a tool for the analysis and training of skills linked to said memory - as long as the patient is not in an advanced stage of the disease. It could also be of great help during childhood, for the early identification of disorders related to spatial memory. The work of the UPV and Unizar researchers has ben published in the journal IEEE Access.

"Short-term spatial memory is the ability people have to retain and remember the location of elements for relatively short periods of time, and it is the one that comes into play when remembering where we left the keys, a screwdriver or some glasses, for example," explains M Carmen Juan, researcher of the ai2 Institute of the UPV.

The device on which the application is installed recognises the surroundings where it is being used and the location where the items were left. Furthermore, it can be taken to the patient's home and personalised with any items, "which represents a great advantage, as it suits each user's pace of life", stresses Fran Munoz, fellow ai2 researcher.

In the case of using the app for training, it could help physicians assess spatial memory by searching for common items of the daily lives of these patients, such as shoes or a hat.

Magdalena Mendez Lopez and Camino Fidalgo, researchers of the department of Psychology and Sociology of the University of Zaragoza, highlight that the app will improve the techniques that are currently used for memory training "because it makes it possible to carry out remembering exercises on where items are left within the patient's home, in other words, in the real context where the same difficulties appear. Furthermore, with small modifications, the complexity of the exercise can be increased to make it more motivating."

The first phase has already been completed, with the application being tested on 55 people. During this year, another two pilot studies will take place with patients suffering from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

"The following phases will try to take a step further with the possibilities offered by applications developed heretofore and involve other senses, such as hearing or touch, to assess spatial memory," concludes M Carmen Juan.

The development of this app is within the framework of the AR3Senses project, funded by MINECO and co-funded with FEDER funds.
Increasingly aggressive insurance strategies have lowered the total costs and insurance costs of growth hormone drugs, but those savings are not being passed on to patients, according to new research to be presented Sunday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

In 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved growth hormone treatment for idiopathic short stature (children who are short for no known cause). This expanded potential eligibility for treatment to the shortest 1.2 percent of the U.S. population, at a potential estimated national cost of $40 billion.

"However, in subsequent years, health insurance companies imposed greater barriers to reimbursement for growth hormone treatment," said lead researcher Adda Grimberg, M.D., of the Perelman School of Medicine and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn. Insurers have instituted formularies--lists of drugs that are covered by the insurance plan--that exclude all but a few brands of growth hormone drugs, and change these lists frequently based on prices negotiated with manufacturers, forcing patients to switch brands during their course of treatment. Insurers have also adopted more stringent criteria for coverage, and many no longer cover growth hormone treatment for idiopathic short stature.

Grimberg and her co-author Genevieve P. Kanter, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania, examined how use of growth hormone by U.S. youth changed over time. Using a database of 18 million individuals enrolled in commercial health plans, they examined changes in use and expenditures between 2001 and 2016. They focused on the 38,857 beneficiaries up to age 18 treated with growth hormone who had six or more months of insurance coverage in any year between 2001 and 2016.

The number of members with growth hormone prescriptions per 10,000 beneficiaries under age 18 rose steadily from 5.1 in 2001 to 14.6 in 2016, without a dramatic change around 2003, the year the FDA approved coverage for idiopathic short stature. Progressive restrictions on growth hormone coverage imposed by insurers and stricter formulary rules appear to have succeeded in lowering the total cost and insurer cost of treatment. However, those savings were not passed on to patients, who also were forced to switch drug brands as insurance companies changed their formularies.

While total growth hormone expenditures per patient decreased by 27 percent and the estimated insurance-paid amount decreased by 28 percent, average copayments, deductibles and total patient financial burden increased by 161 percent. Between 2001 and 2007, beneficiaries switching growth hormone brands at least once in the year ranged from 1.4 percent to 3.6 percent. After 2007, the range rose to 5.1 percent to 8.8 percent, with 25.6 percent switching in 2009 and 13.9 percent switching in 2015.

"These patterns are consistent with broader U.S. trends of increased patient cost-sharing and aggressive use of formularies and coverage restrictions to limit insurer costs from high specialty drug prices," Grimberg said. "The rising patient costs of insulin have emerged as an important health care concern in recent days, prompting Congressional hearings and legislative review. Our research shows that growth hormone, another endocrine medication like insulin, is costing patients more, even as costs to insurers have declined."

Grimberg noted that the patient burden of growth hormone brand switches and insurance denials/appeals is a source of great distress for patient families seeking evaluation and treatment of short stature. "Because the different growth hormone brands are delivered in different pen devices, insurance-mandated brand switches during the years a patient is treated with growth hormone require retraining on proper administration, so the process is more complicated than simply switching from one pill to another," she said.

Source: https://www.endocrine.org/
The Scientific Symposium at LABVOLUTION will be focusing on key issues in the life sciences. Accordingly, a high level of visitor demand is anticipated.

The Scientific Symposium will be making its debut at LABVOLUTION (Source: Deutsche Messe AG)

We are delighted that LABVOLUTION is hosting the Scientific Symposium. LABVOLUTION's mission is to be the trade fair home to both industry and science  we bring academia and industry together. Bernd Heinold, Project Manager for LABVOLUTION in the Deutsche Messe AG Team

The Scientific Symposium is organized by three institutes: the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM), the Society for Toxicology (GT) and the Society for Genetics (GfG).

Three topics will be on the agenda on Wednesday 22 May. The first is molecular cell biology. The processes within a cell are highly complex and finely coordinated with each other. Everything that is understood at molecular level helps to quickly identify the causes and processes of diseases and to develop targeted drugs for prevention and cure. Professor Michael Knop from Heidelberg will be speaking about High throughput functional gene tagging in the Molecular Cell Biology session. Other topics at this session will include High-resolution microscopy for neurodegenerative diseases and the Dynamics of protein folding.

The origin of all cellular processes is the genome  this applies to all life, including humans. Directly targeting the genome, for example in model organisms, helps scientists to research cellular processes, develop agricultural crops and even cure genetic diseases. Where can, may and should genome editing, with its targeted method, be used advantageously? These and other questions will be addressed in the Genome Editing part of the program. Speakers at this session will include Professor Frank Buchholz from Dresden (Designer recombinases for genome surgery) and Dr Claudio Mussolino, Freiburg (Genome and epigenome editing technologies for novel therapeutic options). Another topic will be the editing of induced pluripotent stem cells.

The third part is devoted to microbiome research. In recent years, biomedical research has shown that the microbiome (all the bacteria in an organism) is of crucial importance for health and well-being. The role played by the human microbiome in the supply of nutrients, programming of the immune system and resistance to pathogenic microbes should not be underestimated. Various research approaches will be presented here as well as possible therapeutic approaches. Professor Philipp Rosenstiel from the University of Kiel will give a presentation on The microbiome  our other genome, while Dr Till Strowig from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig will speak on Insights into the microbiome: from microbial signatures to functions. The final presentation in the third session will be given by Professor Stefan Pelzer, Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH. The event will be moderated by Professor Christine Lang from the MBCC Group, Berlin.

The three presentation sessions will be followed by a hands-on session on the Wednesday afternoon. All symposium participants are invited to visit the exhibiting companies' stands, where they can find out about the latest developments in laboratory equipment, kits and techniques directly related to the presentation topics.

In total, around 300 participants are expected at the Scientific Symposium, which will be held in the hall New York I located in the conference area of the LABVOLUTION exhibition hall. Before and after the presentations, participants will have the opportunity to visit the companies at their stands.

Boasting around 3,500 members, the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM) is Germany's largest microbiological society for scientists from industry, universities and research institutions. Its mission is to apply the results of microbiology research for the benefit of society and the environment.

The Society for Toxicology (GT)  part of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) with approx. 2,500 members  is the leading body in Germany for advancing toxicological science, training toxicologists and applying toxicological findings in practice for the continuous improvement of human and animal health and their environment.

The Society for Genetics (GfG) is an association of scientists in universities, non-university research institutions, industry and public authorities who are involved in various aspects of genetics. The Society promotes these scientific efforts across the whole field of genetics.
Researchers using the world's largest twin registry to study seven autoimmune diseases found the risk of developing the seven diseases is largely inherited, but that some diseases are more closely related than others. These results will be presented Sunday at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La.

"These results contribute to our understanding of what causes autoimmunity and how autoimmune diseases are related," said Jakob Skov, M.D., the study's lead investigator and a Ph.D. student at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. "We examined the risk of acquiring not only one specific disease, but any one in a cluster of conditions. The findings may be helpful in patient education and autoimmune risk counseling."

Autoimmune diseases tend to run in families. The basis of twin studies is to examine concordance rates--the likelihood of both twins in a pair having the same disease. Higher concordance rates in identical than in non-identical twins point to genetic influence. This information is typically used to calculate heritability--a measure of how much of the variation in disease risk is due to genetic factors. Skov and his co-workers also looked at the likelihood of both twins in a pair having different autoimmune diseases--which they named "pseudoconcordance" - and compared these rates to measure autoimmune clustering.

By using data on 116,320 twins from the Swedish Twin Registry, which is managed by the Karolinska Institute, they found that Addison's disease, a type of adrenal insufficiency; celiac disease, or gluten intolerance; and type 1 diabetes, are strongly influenced by genes with heritability greater than 85 percent, while environmental factors contribute to disease for Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, a form of underactive thyroid; the skin disease vitiligo; Graves' disease, an overactive thyroid; and atrophic gastritis, a chronic inflammation of the stomach.

Autoimmune clustering was high in Addison's disease and vitiligo, the researchers found, but low in celiac disease.

"Our results indicate that Addisons disease and vitiligo often overlap with other disorders, whereas celiac disease more rarely associates with the other diseases," Skov said.

Source: https://www.endocrine.org/
Treating women who have thyroid antibodies, but normal thyroid function, with a medicine called Levothyroxine does not make them more likely to deliver a live baby, new research from the United Kingdom suggests. The research will be presented Saturday, March 23 at ENDO 2019, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, La., and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

"Levothyroxine treatment, started before pregnancy, in women with normal thyroid function and thyroid peroxidase antibodies who have a history of miscarriage or infertility, does not improve the chances of live birth," said lead author Rima Dhillon-Smith, Ph.D., M.R.C.O.G., M.B.Ch.B., an academic clinical lecturer at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom. "We were surprised because previous small studies suggested there could be a benefit with levothyroxine treatment in women with thyroid antibodies."

The authors conducted a double-blind study of women with normal thyroid function between 16 and 41 years of age who were positive for thyroid peroxidase antibodies, had a history of miscarriage or infertility, and were trying to conceive naturally or with assisted conception. Between 2011 and 2016, the researchers randomized and followed-up 470 women who received 50 mcg daily levothyroxine and 470 who received daily placebo, through 34 or more weeks of gestation in 49 hospitals throughout the U.K. The participants began taking the medication before they conceived and continued until the end of their pregnancy.

Outcomes in both groups were similar: 266 of the 470 (56.6 percent) women who received levothyroxine, and 274 of 470 (58.3 percent) who received placebo, became pregnant; 176 women (37.4 percent) taking levothyroxine, and 178 (37.9 percent) taking placebo, had live births (relative risk 0.97, p=0.74; absolute risk difference, -0.4 percent).

Other pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were similar in both groups, including pregnancy loss and preterm birth. Serious adverse event rates were also similar: 6 percent of women in the levothyroxine group and 4 percent in the placebo group (p=0.14).

"Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are found in the blood in approximately one in 10 women who have normal thyroid function, and they have been linked to increased risk of miscarriage and preterm birth," Dhillon-Smith said.

"The American Thyroid Association and other international guidelines currently recommend the consideration of levothyroxine treatment for women with thyroid antibodies, as there is thought to be minimal chance of harm and a potential to help increase the chance of having a live birth," she said.

"As our study was large and of high quality, we can be confident that levothyroxine does not improve pregnancy success for women with thyroid antibodies and normal thyroid function and therefore should not be recommended or used in clinical practice," Dhillon-Smith said. "This will mean no longer providing unnecessary medication to women who do not need it."
File photo of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.



The latest announcement of the Congress Party if tested on simple arithmetic then Rs 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress Party - a bluff announcement, he tweeted.



Congress leader Milind Murli Deora, meanwhile, has replaced Sanjay Nirupam as the head of the partys Mumbai unit with just weeks to go for the Lok Sabha election. Party spokesperson confirmed the rejig in a tweet. With you as the Mumbai President, I am extremely confident the party will emerge stronger! I Look forward to working with you to achieve the same (sic), she tweeted.



The Congress fielded Nirupam from the North West Mumbai as it released its tenth list, clearing 26 names for the Lok Sabha elections. Out of the 26 candidates announced by the party on Monday, 25 were for West Bengal. Mohammad Alam from Barrackpore, Mita Chakraborty from Kolkata Dakshin, Suvra Ghosh from Howrah, and Pratul Saha from Hooghly were among those named in the list. With this, the party has announced a total of 253 candidates so far.



The Samajwadi Party on Monday, meanwhile, said reports suggesting that Congress president Rahul Gandhi might contest from another seat besides Amethi reflect the "real picture" of that party's strength in Uttar Pradesh. There has been speculation that Gandhi may also contest from Wayanad in Kerala. "We have heard that Congress president, apart from his seat of Amethi in UP would also contest election in other states such as Karnataka or Kerala. This shows the real picture of Congress's organisational strength in Uttar Pradesh," SP vice-president Kiranmoy Nanda said.



"We have left two seats for Congress in Uttar Pradesh and three seats for Rashtriya Lok Dal (of Chaudhary Ajit Singh). But the Congress has decided to fight in 73 seats of the state. We would like them to put up a good fight," he said. Defending the decision to leave only two seats for the Congress in UP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, Nanda said in the 2017 state assembly polls, his party had forged an alliance with the Congress but it had failed to make any impact.



Meanwhile, Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata today. "Our relationship with the honourable CM is quite old and I am coming to take my best wishes from her like last time," Haasan told reporters following his arrival in the city. Haasan had earlier said that his meeting with the Trinamool Congress chief will be of a "political nature", but remained cryptic about what will be discussed. The meeting is slated to take place later in the State Secretariat building- Nabanna.



Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today announced the NYAY scheme, promising Rs 72,000 every year to 20 per cent of the poorest families if voted to power. Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world, Gandhi said in a press conference after the partys working committee meeting.



Troubles for the Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka are on the rise after the southern ally, failing to find a suitable candidate, decided to give back the Bangalore North seat to the Congress. Earlier, there were reports that the Karnataka Congress wanted JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Bangalore North constituency, but the latter decided to be fielded from Tumkur instead. BJP's DV Sadananda Gowda is the sitting MP for the seat.



Nationalist Congress Party general secretary and chief spokesperson DP Tripathi will release the manifesto at 3pm at the partys central office in New Delhi.



In a move to defer the release of Prime Minister Narendra Modis biopic, a Congress delegation is likely to approach the Election Commission today at 5.30pm. The Congress is set to appeal to the EC that the movie PM Narendra Modi be released only after the final phase of voting is done, which is May 19. The grand old party claims that the April 5 release of the movie would amount to violation of the model code of conduct as it can lead to sizeable influence among voters.



Further, the meeting between Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and leaders of the partys Delhi unit on an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party was inconclusive, with the leaders saying the Congress chief would take the final call on the issue. Sources said the Congress leadership is also in talks with AAP leaders and senior leaders within the party are trying to convince the Delhi Congress for an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. The development comes even as AAP leader Gopal Rai reiterated that the AAP will contest alone, and now its too late to join hands.
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New Delhi:

Jet Airways Founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal on Monday resigned from the board of the crisis-hit airline. The decision was taken at the airline's board meeting in Mumbai. The development comes as a majority of the airline's fleet has been grounded amid non-payment of dues to banks, suppliers, pilots and lessors.

Jet Airways said Naresh Goyal, Anita Goyal and one nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC would step down from the board. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad is a strategic partner with 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways. Naresh Goyal would also cease to be the chairman, the filing said.

Following Goyal's exit, the lenders will nominate two members to the Jet Airways' board. Meanwhile an interim management committee will be constituted top manage the airline's daily operations.

According to reports, lenders had been pushing for Naresh Goyal's exit to infuse Rs 1,500 crore funds. Lenders wanted Naresh Goyal to give up his controlling stake and exit the board for fresh funding.

The airline's notification to the exchanges said that the airline will get "immediate funding support of up to Rs 1,500 crore by lenders by way of issue of appropriate debt instrument against security of its assets."

The news of Goyal's exit led to a rally in Jet Airways' shares. The Jet Airways stock closed 13 per cent higher, outperforming the broader market which settled around 0.9 per cent lower amid global growth concerns.

Saddened with Goyal's exit, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet termed the development a "a sad day for Indian aviation".

"Today is indeed a sad day for Indian aviation. By launching a truly world class airline, Naresh and Anita Goyal made India proud.

This is also a wake-up call for Indian policy makers. We urgently need to address structural challenges that make Indias airlines uncompetitive to airlines around the world," he said in a statement.

Jet Airways, which has been operating for more than 25 years, is grappling with financial crunch and is also looking to raise fresh funds.

The airline has suspended operations on at least 14 international routes till end-April and over 80 planes are on the ground. As many as 54 aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of lease rentals.

Days ago, the pilots of the Jet Airways had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu to intervene in the matter and direct the board over pending salaries.

However, Jet Airways, which is facing the worst financial crisis of its 25-year existence with more than one billion dollars of debt, claimed that all employees except for pilots and engineers are getting paid on time.









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New Delhi:

Giving up chairmanship after more than 26 years, embattled Jet Airways' founder Naresh Goyal on Monday quit as a board member, with the lenders taking control of the cockpit and deciding to infuse Rs 1,500 crore immediately into the ailing airline.

Struggling to stay afloat amid a debt burden of over Rs 8,000 crore, the board of the country's first private full-service carrier also approved the conversion of banks' debt into equity and induction of nominee directors of the lenders, who would become majority stakeholders.

In an emotionally-charged letter to the 22,000-strong employees, Goyal also said the approval of the debt-recast plan will put the carrier on a "sounder and sustainable" financial footing.

Heres the full letter:

My dear Colleagues,

For the past 25 years, Jet Airways has been a way of life for Anita and me. Very few people are fortunate enough to live their dreams and we have been truly blessed to be one among those few.

My dream started out as the simple yearning of a simple man, a desire to bring the joy of flying to every Indian. Two and a half decades later, what we have built together, far exceeds anything I dared to imagine back then.

I have watched with pride as our airline has grown from a fleet of just 4 aircraft flying to 12 destinations in our first year, to a peak fleet of 124 aircraft connecting our guests to over 550 destinations worldwide. We connected the length and breadth of India at a time when flying was still considered a luxury in our country, growing to become Indias premiere full-service airline and a true flag-bearer of warm Indian hospitality around the world.

This has all been possible because of the tireless, unrelenting efforts of each and every one of you, tight-knit members of our Jet Airways family, setting guest-service benchmarks to the envy of our competitors, helping us collectively realise our dream of our Jet Airways emerging as a global gold standard of warm Indian hospitality. It has truly been a labour of love that Anita and I, together with all of you have built collectively with our blood, toil and tears. Looking back I would not want to change a thing. Not the triumphs, nor the trials and tribulations, challenges nor sweat equity.

But, today, as I ponder on the past and look to the future, I do realise that there must come a day when the torch that we have carried all this while, will need to be passed on. Today, I would like to take a moment to appreciate and acknowledge the beautiful people in my life: the ones I have laughed with and cried with, the ones I have shared my deepest thoughts with, as well as the ones that have recently appeared full of kindness and compassion, and I know, without a doubt that I have been blessed beyond words. I would also like to take this moment, to acknowledge the contribution of my wife, confidant and partner Anita without whom this journey would just not have been possible.

And now I would like to humbly and with immense love and gratitude, inform you that both Anita and myself are stepping down from the Board of Directors of Jet Airways with immediate effect. Our airline stands poised to turn the page, ready to fly out from the turbulence of recent months and soar forth into a bright new future. Our shareholders have approved the Bank-led Resolution Plan (BLRP), which marks a definitive step in our efforts to guide Jet Airways onto a sounder and sustainable financial footing. There is light at the end of the tunnel and that is why I feel the time is now right for us to hand over the reins of our beloved airline to a new generation of leaders that I am certain will take Jet Airways to even greater heights.

I would be lying, if I said this was not an emotional moment for us. Jet Airways, its employees both past and present, shareholders, partners, regulators, and most importantly our dear guests, are our family and there is no sacrifice both Anita and I would not make to ensure the best interests of our Jet Airways family are safely secured. We have not come to this decision lightly but this is not the end of the journey, rather it is the start of a brand new chapter. I am stepping down as the Chairman of the Board, but both Anita and I remain committed to seeing Jet Airways embark on a dynamic new chapter.

In a different capacity, we shall remain just as devoted to cementing Jet Airways place as the gold standard of service excellence in Indian skies. And we look forward to sharing the next chapter in our airlines journey with you as it soars ahead into a new dawn, filled with hope for a future of growth, prosperity and success.

Lastly, both Anita and I would simply like to thank you all for the dedication, commitment and service over the past twenty-five years.

Most sincerely,

Naresh Goyal

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New Delhi:

Naresh Goyal, the founder Chairman of crisis-hit Jet Airways, is likely to step down from his post today. His wife Anita Goyal will also follow the suit, an Economic Times report said on Monday. The massive ownership changes are part of the new plan that seeks to save the embattled airlines from going bankrupt. A Business Standard report has said that at todays meet, the lenders will also give nod to the Rs 1,500 crore emergency funds. The ET report said that Narendra Goyal, who is currently in London, is likely to address the 23,000 employees of the Jet Airways via video-conferencing.

Meanwhile, a Mint report said that the Etihad Airways is set to meet on March 31st to decide the final option regarding Jet Airways. The consortium of the lenders led by the State Bank of India worked its way over the weekend to come up with the plan, which will see Goyal exit the airlines he founded in 1993. A change in the Jet management, including a new board chairman, would be executed immediately after the board approvals, the Business Standard report said.

According to ET report, Jets present CEO Vinay Dube will stay in the company to oversee the transition. In a weeks time, the lenders are likely to invoke 51% stake of Goyal and hunt for new buyers, the ET report said. Srinivasan Vishvanathan, ex-SBI managing director and Janki Ballabh, former SBI chairman are among frontrunners for the top job at the Jet board, the report said.

The State Bank of India-led consortium of lenders is working on a resolution plan for the cash-strapped Jet Airways for the last five months. The full service carrier has a debt burden of more than Rs 8,200 crore and needs to make repayments worth up to Rs 1,700 crore by March end. A PTI report said that lenders of Jet Airways might pick up a substantial stake in the airline, a move that would provide comfort in the interim period till new promoters come in.

Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal holds 51 per cent stake while Gulf carrier Etihad Airways has 24 per cent shareholding in the airline, which has been in operation for over 25 years.

Earlier this week, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar along with Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola and Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Nripendra Misra apprised Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the developments at Jet Airways. The airline is flying just about a third of its fleet, defaulting on interest payments and delaying salaries to pilots.

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Mumbai:

Benchmark Sensex spiralled lower for the second straight session Monday and cracked below the key 38,000-mark, with banking and realty counters taking the biggest hit amid a global sell-off triggered by renewed fears of a recession.

The BSE Sensex tumbled 355.70 points to end at 37,808.91 while the wider NSE Nifty plunged 102.65 points to 11,354.25. The Sensex has now lost over 575 points in two sessions.

Investor sentiment dampened after weaker-than-expected economic data from the US and Europe last week stoked fears of a global slowdown. The trade worries between the US and China too added to the worries, brokers said. Besides, investors preferred to keep their portfolios at a low ebb ahead of fiscal 2018-19 coming to an end, they added.

Worries over the health of the global economy heightened last week after cautious remarks by the US Federal Reserve sent 10-year treasury yields to the lowest since early 2018. Most other Asian markets too ended sharply down, while European shares were trading lower in their opening sessions.

Also Read | Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal, wife Anita Goyal resign from board as lenders new plan kicks in

On Monday, Jet Airways Founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal on Monday resigned from the board of the crisis-hit airline. The decision was taken at the airline's board meeting in Mumbai.

The 30-share Sensex, after opening lower at 38,016.76, stayed in the negative territory through the session and slipped below the 38,000-mark to touch a low of 37,667.40 on mounting selling pressure in sync with the global sell-off.

However, fag-end buying at lower levels trimmed losses to some extent. The benchmark finally ended at 37,808.91 -- down by 355.70 points or 0.93 per cent. The 50-issue NSE Nifty too cracked below the 11,400-mark and hit a low of 11,311.60, before finishing 102.65 points, or 0.90 per cent down at 11,354.25.

Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth Rs 657.37 crore, while foreign funds remained net buyers, pumping in Rs 1,374.57 crore in Fridays trade, provisional data showed.

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New Delhi:

A retired sub-inspector was shot dead by assailants on Monday as he was out for a morning walk in the Loni area of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, adjacent to national capital Delhi. The retired sub-inspector, Shabbar Zaidi, had left his home at 6 am, never to return. Armed assailants fired several rounds at him killing him instantly. However, they managed to escape after killing the former cop.

The police are investigating the case and trying to ascertain the reason for the brutal murder.

(Further details awaited)

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New Delhi:

A 38-year-old man has been detained at a Delhi Metro station on Sunday for allegedly carrying a pistol in his bag, officials said.

CISF personnel apprehended Vishal C, a resident of Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, at the Anand Vihar Metro station at around 6 am after the X-ray baggage scanner detected a country-made pistol in his bag, they said.

The man was handed over to the local police by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel for further investigation, officials said.

Earlier in February, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Noida after he was found carrying a country-made pistol inside a metro station on the Blue Line of the Delhi Metro, the police said. The accused was held by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials when the firearm was detected in his bag by a scanning machine at the Noida Sector 15 metro station, a police official said.

He was identified as Ankit Kumar Singh, 28, a resident of Palam village in Delhi. Singh told investigators that he is a final year engineering student at a college in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, police said.

His claims about his age and other details are being verified, said Rajveer Singh Chauhan, in-charge of Sector 20 police station, where the case has been lodged.

Singh told police that he had returned from a wedding in Saharanpur and wanted to board the metro to reach Palam, where he had to attend another wedding, the official said.

He has been arrested under the Arms Act and would be produced in a court, Chauhan said.

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New Delhi:

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday claimed that "few people" in theA Congress of trying to create hurdles for JD(S) candidates. Although Kumaraswamy didn't take any names, he leveled serious allegation of backstabbingA against theA leaders ofA alliance partner Congress. "Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let JDS workers do the same. The country is important to me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JDS workers and I won't do the same," ANI quoted Kumaraswamy as saying.

With the accusations from the JD(S) leader, the rift between theA erratic allies in Karnataka is once again out in the open.A The Congress and the JD(S) are fighting the coming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in an "alliance of compulsion". According to their seat-sharing pact, theA Congress will contest on 20 seats while the JD(S) will field its candidates on 8 seats. There are 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Both parties had also formed a post-poll alliance to form the government in Karnataka after fighting the state Assembly elections against each other. However, their alliance has always been patchy and reports of fissures kept coming from timeA to time. In January this year, Kumaraswamy had even threatened to resign, saying that the Congress MLAs were crossing the line.A

"...If they want to continue with the same thing, I am ready to step down. They are crossing the line," the Karnataka chief minister had said when asked that the Congress MLAs in Karnataka are saying thatA Siddaramaiah and not Kumaraswamy is their chief minister.

A
New Delhi:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday ripped apart Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's promise of minimum income of 72,000 annually to 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category as the biggest bluff.

Referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's 'Garibi Hatao' slogan, Jaitley said that the Congress party has a "history of making bluff announcements" and that no political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the grand old party.

Jaitley added up the expenditure incurred by the government on the ongoing welfare schemes to argue that the Narendra Modi governments welfare benefits to people averaged Rs 1,06,800 annually, as against the Rs 72,000 that the Congress seeks to promise.

"Today, the Congress President has announced that those whose income is below Rs.12,000/- per month, would be given a subsidy to attain that income subject to Rs.6,000/- per month. This announcement is an admission of the fact that neither Indiraji nor her son and certainly not the UPA Government controlled by her descendants, was able to remove poverty," he wrote in his blog titled "Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi Already Giving to Poor Much More Than What the Congress Promises?"

He further said: The latest announcement of the Congress Party if tested on simple arithmetic then Rs 72,000 is less than 2/3rd of the existing DBT under Modi government, which averages Rs 1.068 lakh annually. So what is being claimed by the Congress Party  A bluff announcement.

Referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis Garibi Hatao slogan in 1971, the finance minister said that her economics was not about increasing production and generating wealth, but only about redistribution of poverty.

She (Indira Gandhi) supplemented her 1971 slogan while promising in election after election, the welfare of the largest number. Shri Rajiv Gandhi had a historic opportunity to remove poverty. Initially, he showed a desire to do so. But his Government got caught in unsavoury controversies preventing any significant and major changes. In 1971, Garibi Hatao slogan was given by Indiraji. For two-third of the last 48 years her party has been in power. Yet, they left behind a legacy of poverty, Jaitley said.

Hitting back at Jaitley, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is "shameful" are opposing the scheme.

"Modiji & @arunjaitley have happily waived off a3.17 Lakh Cr for a handful of corny friends! Shameful that they oppose Worlds Biggest Anti-Poverty Scheme- #NyayForIndia meant for 20% of India i.e 5 Cr families. Suited-Booted BJP has always treated Indias poor with disdain!" he tweeted.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said his party was not surprised that the BJP is opposing the scheme as they are "fundamentally against policies which benefit the marginalised and poor".

Meanwhile, Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said Rahul Gandhi's promise of providing Rs 72,000 annually to five crore families will create strong incentives against work and bust fiscal discipline.

"True to its past record of promising the moon to win elections, Congress President announces a scheme that will bust fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work and which will never be implemented," Kumar said in a tweet.

Kumar also said the Congress party had promised 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971, 'One Rank One Pension' in 2008, food security in 2013 to win elections, but could not fulfil any of those.

The "same unfortunate fate" awaits the populist and opportunistic promise of minimum income guarantee, he added.

Earlier in the day, Rahul announced that if Congress is voted to power then 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as a minimum income.

Making the announcement at a press conference, Rahul said, "The time for change has come". Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme, he claimed, terming it is a "final assault" to eradicate poverty in the country.

"The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country," he said.

"I promise that there will be justice for the poor. The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to poorest of the poor category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually," he said.

The Congress chief termed it a "historic day", saying the Congress had launched its final assault on poverty on the day.

"5 crore of the poorest families in India, will receive Rs 72,000 Per Year. #NyayForIndia is our dream and our pledge. The time for change has come," he later said on Twitter.
Ahmedabad:

With election fever gradually gripping the country, tour operators in Gujarat have come up with special packages for foreign tourists wishing to experience various Lok Sabha polls related events in the state during the campaign period. From attending political rallies to meeting candidates, around 20 tour operators in the state will provide guided tours to foreign tourists under the unique initiative called 'Election Tourism'. Around 1,800 tourists from across the globe had witnessed the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Gujarat under this initiative, industry sources said, adding that the number is expected to cross 2,500 this year.

The tourists who had visited the state in 2014 mainly comprised of students, researchers, media professionals, political analysts and those who wanted to understand how elections in India are conducted on such a massive scale, said Manish Sharma, chairman of the Gujarat Tourism Development Society (GTDS), an organisation of tour operators.

"Around 1,800 foreign tourists had visited Gujarat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. They were mainly from Japan, UAE, the US and some European countries. They were taken to different parts of the state by tour operators to witness various poll related events, such as bike rallies and public meetings," Sharma, owner of city-based Akshar Travels, said.

According to him, there are different tour packages to choose from. While the six-day package costs Rs 40,000, the two-week long package is for Rs 1.50 lakh.

The concept of election tourism in Gujarat was first introduced during the Assembly polls in 2012, followed by the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Sharma expects that over 2,500 foreign tourists will visit Gujarat during the Lok Sabha polls this time.

"Around 20 tour operators have come forward to offer guided tours to curious foreign tourists wanting to know how elections are held here.

"Apart from taking them to political rallies and public meetings, we will also take tourists to rural parts of the state so that they can have a glimpse of the election atmosphere there," he said.

He claimed the tour operators will also arrange one-to-one meetings with poll candidates as well as star campaigners of major political parties during the tour that may last for around seven days.

"In the 2017 Assembly polls, some tourists even had a ride in an open car during a rally in Naranpura area of the city. During their visit to some rural seats, sitting MLAs explained to the visitors how poll campaigning is different in villages and urban pockets.

"The tourists were also made aware about key poll issues by political leaders during such tours. In all, tourists get a complete experience of our election process," Sharma said.

Besides getting a first-hand experience of the charged-up election atmosphere, tourists would also be given an opportunity to explore heritage and other important sites, such as the Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

To ensure maximum participation in this election, tour operators had already sent letters and brochures to Indian ambassadors based in major countries, urging them to promote the concept of election tourism in those countries.

Sharma said that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recognised the importance of this new tourism avenue. He said that the prime minister recently sent him a letter which said, "Our country takes pride in being the largest democracy in the world. Elections in India are the biggest democratic process, where citizens exercise their right to vote."

"These multi-phased elections have opened a new dimension of tourism by showcasing our 'Jan Shakti' or the 'Power of People'," the letter said.

According to Hitank Shah, national committee member of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), majority of the tourists are either young professionals and students or senior citizens who are curious to know about Indian elections.

"These tourists are overwhelmed by the sheer scale of our election process. For them, it is hard to believe that 50,000 or even more people turn up at a single place to attend a political rally. This is a unique feature of Indian elections.

"We are hoping to attract a large number of tourists for election tourism this time," Shah, one of the leading tour operators offering election tourism packages, said.

Polling for all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on April 23.
New Delhi:

India's poorest families will get Rs 72,000 per year, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said as he announced the ambitious minimum income promise for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Congress party promises that India's 20%,most poor families will get yearly 72,000 rupees in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme. 5 crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world, Gandhi said during a party press conference in Delhi.

This was sort of a formal announcement of partys mega poll promise. Earlier, in a rally in Dehradun, Gandhi had spoken extensively about his plan to provide dignity to the poor of the country. The announcement comes at a time when Narendra Modi government launched ambitious PM-KISAN scheme during its last Budget. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) was announced in the interim Budget 2019-20 on February 1, 2019. Under the Scheme, Rs 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of up to 2 hectares. The amount will be given in three installments of Rs 2000 each.

If (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi can give Rs 30000 crore to Anil Ambani, the Congress can give Rs 72000 per year to India's poorest, Gandhi said while attacking PM Modi. The minimum income promise can be a game-changer for the Congress at a time when it is attacking the BJP over missing jobs and economic downturn.

Earlier, in a sharp swipe at PM Modi, Gandhi had alleged that his policies destroyed one crore jobs last year and said "India's PM is a joke". Gandhi's criticism of PM Modi came over a media report which claimed that the actual size of India's male workforce, or men who are working, has shrunk for the first time since 1993-94. "I thought India was producing 450 jobs a day. Turns out Modi's policies destroyed 1 crore jobs in 2018. That's 27,000 jobs lost every single day of 2018. India's PM is a joke," he had tweeted.

Earlier in January, financial daily Business Standard had published the findings from the same buried NSSO survey had revealed that joblessness stood at 7.8% in urban areas compared with 5.3% in rural areas. The data is significant because this was the first comprehensive assessment of the employment situation conducted after Modi governments November 8, 2016 decision of demonetization, the report said.
New Delhi:

The JD-S has returned the Bangalore North seat to ally Congress after the party failed to find any suitable candidate to contest from the constituency. The Congress grabbed the offer with both hands and thanked its southern ally for the kind gesture. "Congress is thankful to Shri H D Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together, let us reclaim democracy," AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge KC Venugopal tweeted.

The Congress and the JD(S) are fighting the coming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in an "alliance of compulsion". According to their seat-sharing pact, the Congress will contest on 20 seats while the JD(S) will field its candidates on 8 seats. Karnataka sends 28 members to the Lok Sabha.

After initially demanding 12 seats, it was easy for the JD(S) to convince the Congress for eight seats. However, the easier it was to negotiate, the harder it is for the regional party to find winning candidates on at least five of the eight seats it has got as per the seat-sharing pact reached between the parties.

The JD(S) has its considerable presence in just six districts of the Old Mysore region. With no suitable candidates and presence of organisational structure in at least five of the eight seats, the Gowdas have now reportedly asked the Congress to loan candidates who can fight on JD(S) symbol.

Amid the crisis, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has accused the Congress leaders of backstabbing by creating hurdles for JD(S) candidates. Even though Kumaraswamy didn't take any names, he said, "Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let JDS workers do the same. The country is important to me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JDS workers and I won't do the same."

With the accusations from the JD(S) leader, the rift between the erratic allies in Karnataka is once again out in the open. Both parties had also formed a post-poll alliance to form the government in Karnataka after fighting the state Assembly elections against each other. However, their alliance has always been patchy and reports of fissures kept coming from time to time.
New Delhi:

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday came out with its list of star campaigners for Maharashtra in connection with the ensuing Lok Sabha Elections 2019 scheduled to be held in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule and senior leader Praful Patel are among the 40 star-campaigners featuring in the list.

"The Central Parliamentary Board of Nationalist Congress Party has released the list of star campaigners for Maharashtra, in connection with the forthcoming General Elections to Lok Sabha 2019, which is as under," the NCP wrote in a statement along with the names of campaigners.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases list of star campaigners for #LokSabhaElections2019 for Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Supriya Sule feature on the list. pic.twitter.com/j3S6OSqekY a ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Early in the month, Pawar announced that he will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019. The 78-year-old veteran politician said as two members of his family are going to contest the polls, "somebody had to step back."

The former Maharashtra chief minister also added that his nephew and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar's son Parth Pawar will be NCP's candidate from Maval Lok Sabha constituency. Ajit Pawar is an NCP MLA from Pune district. The NCP chief's daughter Supriya Sule currently represents the family bastion of Baramati in the Lok Sabha.

In Maharashtra, voting will be held in four phases right from the starting of elections on April 11. The dates of polling in Maharashtra are April 11, 18, 23 and 29. The counting of votes for all the phases will be taken up on May 23, 2019.
New Delhi:

With the first phase of 2019 Lok Sabha Elections just 17 days away, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday released its manifesto, promising to initiate talks with Pakistan over terrorism. Keeping in mind the prevailing circumstances in the country, NCP General Secretary DP Tripathi vowed to open talks with the neighbouring country if voted to power in upcoming General Elections 2019.

Releasing the election manifesto at the party office in New Delhi, Tripathi further said the party's endeavour will be to bring radicalised youth of Kashmir Valley into the mainstream and take stern action against those involved in 'brainwashing' them.

Speaking about the farm loan waiver in Maharashtra, the NCP leader said, "According to figures from various organisations working in rural areas, over 90,000 people have committed suicide in the hinterland, of which majority are farmers. We will provide a complete loan waiver to the small and medium income farmers".

Resumption of talks, especially on terrorism, with Pakistan, was essential for the betterment of ties between the two countries, he added.

Other important factors covered in the manifesto include agriculture, economic growth, job creation, focus on MSMEs, labour reform, tax reform, Human Resource development, Digital India, defence, national security, MGNREGA, housing, income inequality, rebooting public-private partnership among others.

Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases their election manifesto for the #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/EaDyTsXmwC a ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Here is NCP's election manifesto at a glance:

- Targetting the BJP govt in his manifesto, the NCP said - Drop in gross value added basic prices from the agricultural forestry and fishing sector in 2018-19, the worst in 14 years, adding that they will achieve the fiscal deficit target of 3 per cent of GDP.

- One crore 80 lakh job loss: Demonetisation has drastically slowed down economic growth and impacted GDP significantly. The unemployment rate in India rose to 7.2% in February 2019 from 5.9% in February 2018 as shown by the recent data by the centre for monitoring Indian economy. If voted to power, the NCP has promised to bring out a white paper on job.

- Focus on MICRO, small and Medium enterprises: Digital lending platform will be used for the lending purpose as it will drive down the cost of funds, more specialised small finance banks will be licenced.

- Labour reforms: We are committed to "equal work, equal pay" to all employees to ensure gender equality.

- Triple Talaq - NCP will initiate a process to arrive at a consensus on issues related to personal law, including Triple Talaq, by facilitating interaction between schools of thought in the community including religious heads, reformist, and other sections of the community.

Apart from Delhi, the party has also released its manifesto in Mumbai, under the tagline - "Aap Mikle Desh Banaye, Hamara Aapka Sabka Bharat".

When asked how will the party implement its manifesto when it is contesting in not more than 30 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha, Tripathi exuded confidence that the party will be a part of the next non-BJP government and influence policy-making.

The Sharad Pawar-led party is contesting on 20 seats in Maharashtra, one each in Lakshadweep, Bihar, Odisha, Meghalaya and Manipur.

In Maharashtra, voting will be held in four phases right from the starting of elections on April 11. The dates of polling in Maharashtra are April 11, 18, 23 and 29. The counting of votes for all the phases will be taken up on May 23, 2019.
New Delhi:

JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday filed his nomination from Tumkur as the ruling alliance candidate, but will have to face two rebel candidates from ally Congress.

Defying the electoral arrangement between the coalition partners under which Tumkur was allotted to JDS, sitting Congress MP S P Muddahanumegowda filed his papers.

Muddahanumegowda filed his nomination wearing the Congress party's scarf and said he still has faith about getting a ticket from his party.

"I'm filing my nomination as the Congress candidate... I'm not filing the nomination for fun, I'm a Member of Parliament from Tumkur and I'm contesting" he told reporters ahead of filing his nomination.

Responding to a question about Congress reportedly offering Bangalore North ticket to him, he said, "I'm a Member of Parliament from Tumkur, I don't have powers to contest from anywhere, I should not do it also.

I'm not a big leader to contest from anywhere...What should I do going to Bangalore North?"

"Tomorrow is the last date for filing nomination, I still have faith...Anything may happen any time in politics. There is time till 3 PM tomorrow, I will wait," he said to a query about his move in case the Congress does not give him a ticket.

The JD(S), which had got eight tickets, Monday conceded Bangalore North seat to the Congress that had secured 20 of the total of 28 seats in the deal.

Meanwhile, according to reports, K N Rajanna, another Congress leader and former MLA, also filed his nomination on Monday from Tumkur as an independent candidate.

Announcing his decision to file the papers from Tumkur, Congress MLA KN Rajanna said he would vote for the Gowda if he chooses to contest as Congress candidate. We request Deve Gowda to contest from Bengaluru North instead of Tumkur. If Deve Gowda wants to contest from here, let him contest on Congress ticket, we all will vote for him, he told news agency ANI.

After filing the nomination from Tumkur, Gowda said he did not want to hurt Muddahanumegowda and that he chose to contest from the seat on demands of several Congress and JDS leaders.

I've worked as Lok Sabha MP for 29 years, that's why I had said I won't contest elections. I had decided to make sure Prajwal Revanna contests from Hassan. Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders, including my friends, suggested me to contest, he said.

I know when we took this decision it might have hurt the sitting MP from Tumkur SP Muddahanumegowda. I don't want to hurt him, Congress leaders conveyed everything to him...I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JD(S) leaders, Gowda added.

As soon as the seat sharing was announced, Muddahanumegowda, along with the Deputy Chief Minister, who is from Tumkur, had requested JD(S) to give the seat back to Congress, amid simmering discontent within the party's local leadership about ceding the seat to the alliance partner.

They had also requested the Congress high command to renegotiate the seat with the JD(S), as the grand old party had earlier decided that all the sitting members, including Muddahanumegowda from Tumkur, will get the ticket.

However, Parameshwara had later said they were okay if Deve Gowda himself contests from Tumkur.

BJP has fielded G S Basavaraj as its candidate from Tumkur.

According to sources, JD(S) bagged Tumkur seat after hard bargaining with the Congress as the party did not concede Mysore, another seat it had demanded, due to strong resentment from CLP leader Siddaramaiah, as it is his home turf.

Mysore and Tumkur both come under old Mysuru region,where the Vokkaliga community, seen as a strong vote bank of the JD(S), is dominant.

Congress too has considerable presence there.

If Muddahanumegowda contests from Tumkur as a rebel candidate, it will add to the Congress-JD(S) coalition worries as the alliance is facing backlash at several places, including Mandya and Hassan, with party workers are unhappy with the seat arrangements.

For the coalition to emerge as a formidable opposition to BJP and win more number of seats, it is crucial for the Congress to transfer its votes to JD(S) and vice-versa, including Mandya.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Monday told the Election Commission to file an affidavit mentioning its stand on increasing the proportion of EVM votes verified with paper trail. The judges also felt the Election Commission should increase the percentage of votes randomly verified against the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

A Bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta directed that the affidavit has to be filed by 4 pm on Thursday this week.

"No institution including judiciary should insulate itself from suggestions/ improvements," Supreme Court asks Election Commission to file on affidavit why physical verification of VVPAT Paper trail should not be extended to more than one polling station per assembly segment.

The petition filed by leaders of various political parties seeks physical verification of VVPAT Paper trail for at least 50 percent of the polling stations. The Court had issued a notice to the Election Commission during the last hearing and had asked the Election Commission to depute a senior official to assist the court.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court has issued notice on plea seeking direction to the CBI to file status report in disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Singh, his sons Akhilesh and Prateek Yadav. The case dates back to 2007. "We want to know what has happened to this case? There is a status report of 2007. What has happened? We would like to know whether the case is registered?" the apex court quizzed the CBI.

The two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta issued a notice to the CBI on a petition seeking to know the status of probe.

A bench was hearing the fresh please filed by political activist Vishwanath Chaturvedi. In 2005, Chaturvedi had filed the PIL in the top court seeking a direction to the CBI to take appropriate action to prosecute Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh, his wife Dimple Yadav and Prateek Yadav, the other son of Mulayam Singh, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly acquiring assets more than the known source of their income by misusing their power of authority.

The apex court, in its verdict of March 1, 2007, had directed the CBI "to enquire into allegations" and find out as to as to whether the plea with regard to disproportionate assets of SP leaders was "correct or not".

Later in 2012, the court dismissed the review petitions of Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh and Prateek against its verdict and had directed the CBI to go ahead with the probe against them in the disproportionate assets case.

It, however, had allowed the review plea of Dimple Yadav and had directed the CBI to drop the inquiry against her saying that she was not holding any public office.

The court had also modified its March 1, 2007 order and ordered the CBI to file the status report before the court and not to the government.

Chaturvedi, in his fresh plea, said, "Despite the yawning gap between the complaint made/court's directions and the pendency of filing of a regular Case in this matter, an unusually long period as already escaped without any action being taken on the matter for 11 long years".

Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh constituency, the party announced on Sunday. Azamgarh is the constituency of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav while the SP chief representated Kannauj constituency from 2000 to 2012.

Akhilesh Yadav's father Mulayam Singh Yadav is the sitting lawmaker from Azamgarh, which has a sizeable Muslim-Yadav vote bank. However, this year, the SP patriarch has been shifted to Mainpuri -- another Samajwadi Party bastion.

In 2014, his wife Dimple had contested the seat as he became the chief minister of the state. On March 8, the party had once again named sitting MP Dimple as its candidate from Kannauj.

Besides Akhilesh, the Samajwadi party also announnced the candidature of former UP minister Azam Khan from Rampur constituency. Khan is currently a sitting legislator from the the Rampur constituency. He has been representing constituency since 1980 when he first elected as an MLA on Janata Party (Secular) ticket.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi:

At least four passengers were killed and one other sustained serious injuries after a passenger AC bus at Agra-Lucknow expressway in Karhal Tehsil of Mainpuri district caught fire. The incident happened on Sunday night when the driver lost control over the wheel and the bus collided with the divider. After the collision, the bus caught fire which engulfed the entire vehicle in no time.

One of the travelers informed the fire brigade team which later reached the spot and doused the flames. It was not yet clear how many passengers were there in the bus but four of them died on the spot. The person who sustained burn injuries was shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The Lucknow bound roadways bus had left from Delhis Anand Vihar bus stop.

Six killed, scores injured as bus falls into gorge in Maharashtra's Palghar

In a separate incident, at least six passengers were killed and 30 others injured on Sunday when their bus fell into a gorge in Maharashtra's Palghar district. The incident had occurred at around 2:45 pm in Toranganghat between Mokhada and Trimbakeshwar villages, the police said.

The Gujarat bound private bus had started from Nashik in north Maharashtra. The deceased were returning to Surat after having darshan of Saibaba in Shirdi, the police said. According to officials, the reason behind the accident is said to be the failure of brakes of the bus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences to the victims and said that the Maharashtra Government will provide all the help to the victims and their bereaved families.

"The bus accident in Maharashtras Palghar is unfortunate. My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with those injured. The Maharashtra Government will provide all possible assistance to those affected," the prime minister's office tweeted.
New Delhi:

Kesari starring Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra in pivotal roles has minted Rs. 78.07 crore in just four days. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to his Twitter account and wrote, ''#Kesari puts up an impressive totala North circuits are superba While the 4-day total is good, the biz on Sat and Sun shouldave been higher, since the word of mouth is excellenta Thu 21.06 cr, Fri 16.75 cr, Sat 18.75 cr, Sun 21.51 cr. Total: a 78.07 cr. India biz.''

#Kesari benchmarks...

Highest *Day 1* of 2019 [so far]: a 21.06 cr

Crossed a 50 cr: Day 3

Crossed a 75 cr: Day 4

Highest opening weekend of 2019 [so far]: a 78.07 cr [4 days; Thu-Sun]

India biz. a taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) March 25, 2019

He further wrote, ''Section of the industry feels #IPL2019 curtailed the growth of #Kesari on Sat [evening] and Sun... Two days that couldave made a biggg difference to the *extended* weekend total... Weekdays pivotal... Strong numbers and solid trending [Mon-Thu] are a must.''





Section of the industry feels #IPL2019 curtailed the growth of #Kesari on Sat [evening] and Sun... Two days that couldave made a biggg difference to the *extended* weekend total... Weekdays pivotal... Strong numbers and solid trending [Mon-Thu] are a must. a taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) March 25, 2019

Kesari is based on the battle of Saragarhi fought between the British Indian armyas Sikh Regiment and Afghan tribesmen in September 1897. A total of 21 Sikh soldiers, who were part of the British Indian Army, were attacked by 10,000 Afghan tribal warriors. These 21 soldiers fought like lions to protect their country from the enemy.A

Talking about his experience of working on the film, Akshay had earlier said, ''Iave started shooting for my film Kesari, where Iam in the heaviest turban and beard Iave ever had to wear. So I shaved my head to make my life a little easier. Iam known for hating wigs, prosthetics and so on, and Kesari is quite demanding. Itas probably my favourite look, though itas taxing to fight and sweat in this avatar. But I wouldnat change it for the world.a



Kesari also stars Siddhant Sharma, Ashwath Bhatt, Pawan Malhotra and Rana Ranbir. The film hit the screens on Holi on March 21, 2019.A

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New Delhi:

Before Vicky Kaushal became a household name with movies like Sanju, Manmarziyaan or in Uri: The Surgical Strike, the 30-year-old actor had already set his mark in the Tinsel Town with Neeraj Ghaywan's masterpiece Masaan, which, moviegoers sadly at that time didnt give much attention to. Having starred in chains of all movies, a lip-locking scene onscreen is unprecedented for almost any actors including the Uri star.

Talking about the many onscreen lip-locking experiences, Vicky also dropped the bomb regarding which actor he had his best onscreen kiss with. Opening up to a chat show about his onscreen kiss moments, he said, "It would be in Masaan, with Shweta (Tripathi). Because the scene was that these two very virgin kids are exploring that moment for the first time. There was this nervousness to that kiss," the actor revealed.

Vicky also went on to talk about the journey of his establishment in the Tinsel Town with movies like Sanju "It was somewhere between Raazi and Sanju. Or post Sanju, when people started calling me by my character or by my name. The number of people asking for selfies kept on increasing and people just randomly started spotting me. Randomly, when I'm walking, they say, 'How's the josh?' It happened gradually," he added.

The Uri star after his relish of success in Aditya Dhar's war-drama Uri: The Surgical Strike is currently shooting for an untitled horror film, a directorial debut of Bhanu Pratap Singh. He had earlier told a daily, icky says, I am currently shooting for my first horror film. Bhanu Pratap Singh, who has been assisting Shashank Khaitan is making his directorial debut with this. It is an interesting story and I am looking forward to this one, but I am not allowed to speak much about it. I am waiting for the makers to announce the project soon.

The horror flick will reportedly also star Bhumi Pednekar as the leading lady.

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New Delhi:

A Delhi court on Monday allowed Rajeev Saxena, an alleged middleman, to turn approver in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam case. Special judge Arvind Kumar allowed Saxena to turn an approver in the money laundering case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had earlier told the court that it has no objection with Saxena being allowed to turn approver as it would be very useful for the agency.

Saxena, who had sought to become an approver in the case, recorded his statement on March 6 during in-chamber proceedings after which the court sent the copies of his statement to the special judge hearing the case.

He was earlier granted bail by the court on medical grounds after the perusal of reports submitted by AIIMS.

Saxena, director at two Dubai-based firms - UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings - is one of the accused named in the charge sheet filed by ED in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland scam. Christian Michel, Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa are among other accused who are being questioned in connection with the bribery scandal in the AgustaWestland deal.

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New Delhi:

Jawaharlal Nehru Universityas (JNU) students protesting against the new admission rules on Monday, allegedly barged into the vice-chancelloras residence on campus, while his wife was alone in the house and aconfined hera.

Vice-chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar tweeted: aFew hundred students have broken into my residence at JNU and have confined my wife inside the house. She is alone at home and terrified. Very unfortunate.a

This evening few hundred students forcibly broke into my JNU residence and confined my wife inside home for several hours while I was away in a meeting. Is it the way to protest? Terrorosing a lonely lady at home? a Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) March 25, 2019

According to sources, students from Left outfits went to the vice-chancellor's residence to demand an audience with him since he had not been meeting them. When they went to meet him last week, he offered them sweets rather than addressing their concerns,A

Some reports suggest that a mob of 150 students broke open the front gate and entered the compound of V-Cas official house.

"JNU wants to introduce MBA with a fee of Rs 12 lakh without hostels, school buildings, faculty and deprivation points. For this, JNU administration has dismantled BA lateral entry programme, delinked MPhil-Phd programme, destroyed deprivation points,a The Hindu quoted the JNUSU as saying.

The Delhi Police said: "There was a call for March till the JNU V-Cas house today. Students reached his house and tried to enter. They were stopped by the security staff. So far, most of the students have gone back to their hostel. Few of them are still there. The situation is under control.a

A student from a Left outfit rejected the allegation and said a group of students had gone to meet the vice-chancellor, but they were allegedly manhandled by the security personnel.

"We had gone to his residence to meet the V-C. We were manhandled by security personnel and many students have sustained injuries, including JNUSU president N Sai Balaji," the student said.A A

Eleven students have been on an indefinite hunger strike since Tuesday against issues like the online entrance exams to be held for the first time by the varsity. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) called for a one-day strike on Wednesday in solidarity with the protesting students.

"The hunger strike by a handful of students has been choreographed by the JNUTA office bearers and the latter's press notes and letters to faculty members clearly betray their intolerant attitude towards all positive reforms and improvements brought about by the administration," JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said.

He said the elected body of teachers in JNU is indulging in lies and smear campaigns against the administration at a time when the university has been taking measures to make a better and conducive academic atmosphere in the campus.

JNUTA office bearers have registered their opposition to it, called for a strike, and have been provoking students to join them in creating confusion and sullying the environment in the campus, Kumar said.A

(With PTI inputs)

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Mumbai:

A former aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and an accused in the 1993 JJ shootout case Monday died in Jaslok Hospital in south Mumbai, medical authorities said. Shakeel Ahmed Sheikh, also known as Lambu Shakeel, was suffering from a heart ailment, a hospital official said. Details of his ailment and death would be released later in an official statement from the hospital, the official added.

Dawood Ibrahim is on the consolidated list, which was sent by India to Pakistan last year. The UNSC list included 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and Indias most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim. According to the United Nations, Dawood holds several Pakistani passports and owns a palatial bungalow in the hilly area of Noorabad, Karachi.

Last year, the Supreme Court had directed Union Government to seize underworld don Dawood Ibrahims assets in Mumbai, rejecting Dawoods family challenging the seizure.

Dawoods sister Haseena Parkar had earlier filed a plea regarding the attachment of his properties in Mumbai. The court bench headed by Justice RK Agarwal, dismissed the plea.

Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (SAFEMA) of the Finance Ministry, in November 2017, became the first government body to sell three properties owned by Dawood Ibrahim during a public auction in Mumbai.

Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim is the mastermind behind the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. Dawood Ibrahim is the mastermind of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

In the aftermath of Pulwama attack and the subsequent Balakot air strike, India had communicated to Pakistan that if it was sincere in tackling terror, then it should at least hand over to India Dawood Ibrahim, Sayeed Salahudeen and other terrorists who are Indian citizens and residing in that country, government sources said. They said Pakistan has failed to take any credible action against Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terror groups even after the dastardly Pulwama attack.

If Pakistan really wants to send a message that it was serious about addressing India's concerns over terrorism, then it should hand over Dawood, Salahudeen and other terrorists who are Indians, the sources said.

Referring to actions by Pakistan such as holding certain terrorists in preventive custody, the sources said India considered them to be cosmetic. Cosmetic action will not cut any ice. India has been asking Pakistan to hand over Dawood, Salahudeen and several other terrorists who are wanted in India in connection with a series of terror attacks.

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New Delhi:

The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Monday announced that it has successfully completed its target to produce the 16th light combat aircraft (LCA) 'Tejas' to be inducted into the fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF). The state-run public sector company, headquartered in Bengaluru, further added that the customer flights would be completed by the end of this month.A The aerospace and defence company received orders from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 40 LCAs (16 each in Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) and Final Operation Clearance (FOC) configurations and eight trainers).

"We have produced 16th LCA as per the target till March 31. The customer flights are expected to be completed by the end of March,"A HAL said in a statement.

#DidYouKnow : Some of 'Tejasa design features are interesting. It is the worldas smallest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft. It is of tailless, compound delta-wing design.

The aircraft will be showcasing its super maneuverability at Malaysia. #LIMA2019 pic.twitter.com/ZsWQeqQoUR a Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 25, 2019

The Tejas aircraft was inducted into the IAF squadron Flying Daggers on July 1, 2016, and given the FOC last month, signalling its combat readiness. The FOC involves the addition of key capabilities to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) aircraft, which in main are Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked weapons and general flight envelope expansion.

HAL said LCA production was started in 2014 and in five years, it reached a current production capacity of eight aircraft per annum. A second production line had been established at the Aircraft Division here which was carrying out structural assembly, final assembly and equipping of the aircraft, it said.

The statement said two LCAs will be flying at the Langkawi International Maritime Aerospace Expo (Lima- 2019) in Malaysia beginning from Tuesday. HAL team will be providing the technical support at the show, the company said.

During the Aero India show in Bengaluru last month, Army chief General Bipin Rawat flew in Tejas and described it as a awonderfula aircraft. It was during Aero India show Tejas MK-I was given the final operation clearance by the defence ministry.

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New Delhi:

The Indian Air Force inducted the first unit of Chinook helicopters at its Chandigarh airfield on Monday. The IAF had received its first Chinook choppers on February 10 at the Mundra port in Gujarat. After the induction ceremony, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said that, aCountry faces a multiple security challenges; we require vertical lift capability across a diversified terrain. Chinook has been procured with India specific enhancements; it's a national asset.a He also said that, aChinook helicopter can carry out military operations, not only in day but during night too; another unit will be created for the East in Dinjan (Assam). Induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet.a

The Chinook is an advanced multi-mission helicopter. It contains a fully integrated, digital cockpit management system, Common Aviation Architecture Cockpit and advanced cargo-handling capabilities that complement the aircraft's mission performance and handling characteristics, a Boeing statement said.

A

#Chinook : Induction - 25 Mar 19 -

IAF received its first CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopter on 10 Feb 19 at the Mundra port in Gujarat. On 25 Mar 19, it will be formally inducted into the Helicopter fleet of IAF at Chandigarh.

Photo Courtesy a Boeing India pic.twitter.com/hCfRzGmlmY a Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 25, 2019

aWe look forward to delivering this phenomenal capability to India,a David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager, Boeing Vertical Lift said. aFrom coastal operations to high-altitude mountainous missions, these aircraft will play vital roles with the Indian armed forces.a India ultimately will receive 22 AH-64E Apache attack, and 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook transport, helicopters. aChinook can deliver heavy payloads to high altitudes & is eminently suited for operations in the high Himalayas. It will greatly enhance Indiaas capabilities across a range of military & HADR missions,a the air force had said on Twitter.

Indian firm Dynamatic Technologies manufactures critical components for H-47 Chinook, one of the world's most advanced multi-mission, heavy-lift transport helicopters. India is procuring 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing. Dynamatic Technologies had delivered the first set of aft pylon and cargo ramp assemblies for the Chinook in February 2015. This first delivery was mentioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his inaugural address at the Aero India Exhibition in 2015, it said.

"This is a remarkable milestone in our partnership with Boeing," said Udayant Malhoutra, CEO and Managing Director of Dynamatic Technologies, adding, "We are manufacturing complex assemblies for global OEMs and have become an integral part of the worldwide supply chain, incorporating globally accepted standards of aerospace manufacturing in our facilities."

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi:

India's indigenous supersonic fighter jet Tejas will for the first time participate in aerial displays during the five-day Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. India has been projecting the Tejas aircraft in a big way as it has been manufactured indigenously at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. The Indian Air Force will participate in the Maritime Aero Expo for the first time, during which it will showcase its indigenously-developed light combat aircraft Tejas.

The IAFs' team departed from Air Force Station Kalaikunda for Langkawi on March 22 via Myanmar, Yangon. "India's indigenous supersonic Light Combat Aircraft(LCA)-Tejas & the world's lightest supersonic fighter which has already joined IAF, is for the 1st time taking part in aerial displays during 05 day Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition," the IAF said on its official Twitter handle.

"Today was the final practise session before the opening display for LIMA 2019, commencing 26th March 2019. IAF's Tejas (LCA) during the practise session today at Langkawi International Airport, Malaysia," the IAF tweeted.

The IAF also posted pictures and a video of the Tejas aircraft practicing. The Langkawi International Maritime Aero Expo (LIMA-2019) is planned in Langkawi, Malaysia from March 26 to March 30, which will provide an opportunity to the IAF air-warriors to interact with their Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) counterparts and foster close relationship between the two services.

This will serve as a foundation for any future interaction with the Malaysian Air Force. It will also provide an opportunity to RMAF to assess the capabilities of LCA, an official statement said.

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New Delhi:

In a bizarre incident, a naked man has reportedly been arrested in Moscow for trying to board a flight naked while shouting about how clothes made him less agile and aerodynamic.

According to eyewitnesses, the passenger passed through the registration counter at Domodedovo Airport before suddenly taking off his clothes and running on the bridge that connects airport terminals to planes.

He shouted that he was naked because clothing impairs the aerodynamics of the body. He flies with more agility when undressed, a witness told Russian channel REN TV.

The eyewitnesses also told that the passenger did not appear to be drunk.

According to a Moscow Times report, the naked man was intercepted by airport staff before he could make it to the plane which was set to fly to Crimea. He was later detained by the police.

After the police had detained the offender, he was taken to the airports medical room and then was hospitalised in a medical facility, a spokesperson for Russias Interior Ministry was quoted Moscow Times as saying.

A video also surfaced on the social media which shows the man standing naked as he casually waits for his turn to board the flight.

Ural Airlines told local media that the flight was delayed by 15 minutes owing to the incident.

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Washington:

India's lunar mission Chandrayaan 2, scheduled to launch next month, will carry NASA's laser instruments that allow scientists to make precise measurements of the distance to the Moon, according to the US space agency officials.

During the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference held at Texas, US last week, NASA confirmed that Chandrayaan 2 and Israeli lander Beresheet, due to touch down April 11, will each carry NASA-owned laser retroreflector arrays.

"We are trying to populate the entire surface with as many laser reflector arrays as we can possibly get there," Lori Glaze, acting director of the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, was reported as saying by 'Space.com'.

Retroreflectors are sophisticated mirrors, that reflect laser light signals sent from the Earth. The signals can help pinpoint precisely where the lander is, which scientists can use to precisely calculate the Moon's distance from Earth.

Read | NASA is sending helicopter to Mars, could explore Alien skies

While five such instruments already exist on the lunar surface, they have some flaws, according to Simone Dell'Agnello, a physicist at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics National Laboratory at Italy.

"The existing reflectors are big ones," said Dell'Agnello adding that individual reflectors instead of arrays, would waste fewer laser pulses and allow more-precise measurements of the moon's surface.

Those analyses could become so detailed that scientists could see the daily rise and fall of any lander surface the device is resting on as that surface expands and contracts with the Moon's dramatic temperature changes.

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Beijing :

Chinese scientists have recently identified a new fish genus living 244 million years ago after they examined four well-preserved specimens discovered in Chinas eastern Yunnan province.

Xu Guanghui from the Chinese Academy of Sciences led a team to make the discovery in Luoping County and they named the new genus Yudaiichthys.

They have published the discovery on the online Chinese journal Vertebrata PalAsiatica, state-run China Daily reported on Friday.

The fossils represent the oldest ginglymodian fish in the world. Ginglymodi are a subgroup of primitive bony fish, including living gars and their closely related fossil taxa.

Also Read | Chandrayaan 2 will carry NASA's laser instruments to Moon

Xu said that the new discovery provides evidence for understanding the early evolution of bony fish and the origins of ginglymodian fish.

The research team will conduct a comprehensive study to better reveal the phylogenetic relationship of bony fish by combining the study of fish fossils they previously found in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the report said.

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New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump was on Sunday declared that he had been completely exonerated after his campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election. US Attorney General William Barr has said Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find proof that Donald Trump and his campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. On Friday, Mueller handed over his report to Attorney General William Barr, who has said he will write his own account of the special counsel's findings. The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

The special counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election, the attorney general said.

Mueller, in his report, did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction, Barr told the lawmakers.

For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction, Barr said, adding Mueller ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment.

In the letter, he also said the Department of Justice has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.

After reviewing the special counsels final report on these issues; consulting with department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense, the letter read.

The special counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election, it said, adding, the report identifies no actions that, in our judgement, constitute obstructive conduct.

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of the Mueller investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections. Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

It was complete and total exoneration, the president told reporters in Florida as he was returning from Mar-a-Lago to Washington DC.

Terming the allegation of collusion the most ridiculous thing ever, Trump said, Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest its a shame that your president had to go through this.

He had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of witch hunt, while asserting that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians.

This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side, Trump said.

After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia, he said, adding Its a complete exoneration.

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Islamabad :

Pakistan's military has said for the first time that JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft developed jointly with China were used in retaliation to India's pre-emptive strikes on a JeM terror camp in Balakot as it once again denied that US-made F-16 jets were involved in the attack.

Referring to the aerial dogfight with the Indian Air Force jets after the February 14 Pulwama terror attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian jets violated the Pakistani airspace on February 26, dropping payloads without inflicting any casualties or damage to infrastructure.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India later.

"The aircraft which engaged those targets and fought them were JF-17. As regard to how to use F-16, in what context [they] were used or not - because at that point of time our entire Air Force was airborne - now it remains between Pakistan and the US to see how the MoUs regarding the use of F-16 have been adhered to or otherwise," Ghafoor told Russian news agency Sputnik International.

A day after Pakistan's attempt to retaliate the IAF's air strikes at the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot, the Indian armed forces displayed parts of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) fired by an F-16, which fell in Indian territory. New Delhi had also underlined that electronic signatures captured by Indian radars had established the use of F-16 for the offensive.

The US State Department announced that it was seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential use of American-made F-16 jets against India in violation of the end-user agreement.

The Pakistani General noted that Islamabad was discussing the use of its JF-17 with the US citing "friendly relations" with Washington, stressing, however, that the country would use whatever it deemed necessary if it came to "legitimate self-defence."

He said Pakistan only wanted to tell India that it has the capability to hit back. He said Pakistan has the footage of the operation.

At the time of the attack, the media reports said the PAF military aircraft that shot down the MiG-21 Bison was JF-17 Thunder Block II multirole fighter jet.

"Proud to announce, I was project director for JF-17 Thunder programme jointly produced by Pakistan and China during the tenure of General Pervez Musharraf," retired PAF Air Marshall Shahid Latif said at the time.

"Today, same jets targeted and shot down Indian Jets which entered Pakistani Airspace," he said soon after the attack last month.

Ghafoor said that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a deterrence tool to prevent wars in the region.

"Pakistan holds the position that this capability eliminates the possibility of conventional war. No sane country having this capability would talk about using it," Ghafoor was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency.

He said Pakistan would take steps towards non-proliferation of nuclear arms but only if India does the same.

Ghafoor said Pakistan would welcome every effort, including that of Russia, which can bring peace in the region.

On military cooperation with Russia, Ghafoor said Pakistan is negotiating defence industry cooperation with Moscow in the areas of aviation, air defence systems and anti-tank missiles.

Pakistan's defence ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China.

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Lahore:

A man suspected to have assisted in solemnising the wedding of two Pakistani Hindu minor girls, who were reportedly abducted and forcefully converted to Islam, was arrested on Sunday, as the teenagers approached a court in Pakistanas Punjab province seeking protection, according to a media report. The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of ainfluentiala men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnising the Nikah (marriage) of the two girls, triggering nationwide outrage.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had also ordered a probe into the issue. According to Geo TV, the teenagers approached a court in Bahawalpur in Pakistanas Punjab province seeking protection. "Police have meanwhile arrested a man from Khanpur who is suspected to have assisted in the nikah (marital contract) of the girls," it said.A

However, it is not confirmed whether the arrested man is the cleric who performed their marriage. Earlier there were reports that the cleric who performed the minor girlsa marriage was arrested from Khan Pur in Sindh.

Family of Reena and Raveena who were forcefully converted to Islam registered FIR with local police for "abducting to compel to marriage". Age in FIR is 14 & 16. Under Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act every citizen under 18 falls under definition of child and cant be married pic.twitter.com/RN2RpjPATB a M. Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) March 22, 2019

War of words erupts betweenA Sushma Swaraj and Pakistanas Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry

Earlier in the day, a war of words broke out between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistanas Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry over the reported abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of the two Hindu teenagers.

The spat started soon after Swaraj sought details from the Indian envoy in Pakistan into the reported abduction of two Hindu teenaged girls. Swaraj, while tagging a media report about the incident, tweeted that she has asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on the matter.

Pakistanas Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry responded to her tweet, saying it was his countryas ainternal issuea. In a Twitter post in Urdu on Sunday, Chaudhry said the prime minister has asked the Sindh chief minister to look into reports that the girls in question have been taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab.

He said the prime minister has also ordered the Sindh and Punjab governments to devise a joint action plan in light of the incident, and to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his partyas agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

Pakistan Hindu Council chief and Member of National Assembly from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Ramesh Kumar Vankwani condemned the incident and demanded that the bill against forced conversion, which was unanimously passed by Sindh Assembly in 2016 and then reverted due to pressure of extremist elements, must be resurrected and passed in the assembly on priority basis.

Rights activist Jibran Nasir tweeted that the sisters were converted at the Dargah Barchundi Sharif and were taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab following their marriages. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. Majority of Pakistanas Hindu population is settled in Sindh province.A According to media reports, approximately 25 forced marriages take place every month only in Umerkot district in Sindh province.

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Caracas:

Two Russian military planes delivered troops and equipment to Venezuela over the weekend, Russian state news agency Sputnik reported Sunday. "Two Russian planes arrived in Venezuela on Saturday with equipment and personnel to fulfil technical military contracts," the agency reported on the Spanish-language version of its website. It gave no other details but quoted an unnamed official from the Russian embassy in Caracas saying "there is nothing mysterious" about the flights.

The Sputnik report was published after an independent Venezuela journalist, Javier Mayorca, said on his Twitter feed that a Russian air force Antonov-124 cargo plane and a smaller jet, apparently an Ilyushin Il-62, had landed at the main airport outside Caracas on Saturday.

He said the planes offloaded around 100 Russian soldiers led by General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, head of the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces, and disembarked 35 tonnes of equipment.

Social media and non-state Venezuelan media picked up the information and posted pictures of the planes at the airport.

One picture of a Russian-flagged aircraft posted on social media showed men in uniform clustered around it.

An AFP journalist early on Sunday saw one of the planes on the tarmac at Maiquetia airport, with a Russian flag on its fuselage. It was guarded by a contingent of Venezuelan National Guardsmen.

A picture of a Russian-flagged aircraft posted on social media showed men in uniform clustered around it on the tarmac.

Venezuelan authorities offered no information about the flights. The Russian embassy in Caracas declined to comment to AFP on the reports.

Russia and China are the main allies of Venezuela. Both have lent billions of dollars to the oil-rich South American country, propping up the anti-US government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Russia has also vocally opposed US moves to sanction Maduro and his government, and to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's interim president.

US moves against Caracas have ratcheted up in recent weeks, with President Donald Trump warning that "all options" -- implicitly including US military intervention -- were being considered.

On April 28, US sanctions are to jump up a level with a ban on crude imports from Venezuela. Historically, the US has been Venezuela's biggest oil buyer, and the new sanctions are expected to severely crimp the Maduro government's already badly diminished finances.

Russia previously signalled its support for Maduro by sending two Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela last December to take part in a military exercise.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has a record of ordering his military -- or paramilitary -- forces into several theatres to challenge US strategies, notably in Syria and Ukraine.

Any Russian foothold in Latin America, especially Venezuela, would alarm the US military. It would also be a political test for Trump, who has routinely avoided criticizing Putin.

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London:

UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday admitted that she did not have enough support to get her EU divorce bill through the House of Commons in a third vote and called on British lawmakers to reconsider their stand in order to avert a no-deal Brexit by the April 12 extension date.

In a statement to formally update Parliament on her European Council meeting last week where the EU agreed to a short delay to the March 29 Brexit deadline, the British premier said she remained committed to guarantee Brexit even if it isnt as initially planned for this Friday and would continue to lobby MPs to get the support required for another vote on the withdrawal agreement agreed with the European Union (EU).

It is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third Meaningful Vote, May told the Commons.

I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week and guarantee Brexit. If we cannot, the government made a commitment that we would work across the House to find a majority on a way forward, she said.

The British PM confirmed that her Conservative Party MPs would be whipped to vote against an amendment tabled by fellow Tory MP Oliver Letwin, to wrest control of parliamentary proceedings away from the government to hold indicative votes on alternatives to Theres Mays Brexit plan ? already rejected twice before by the Commons with huge margins over the controversial Irish backstop clause.

I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes...No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is, May said, promising to engage constructively over the indicative votes but without any commitment on backing any particular alternative.

She warned that the UK would have to seek a longer delay to Brexit and be forced to participate in European Parliament elections on May 23 if the Commons did not approve her withdrawal agreement for a third time this week as a compromise.

She said: I hope we can all agree, we are now at the moment of decision. And in doing so we must confront the reality of the hard choices before us.

Unless this House agrees to it, No Deal will not happen. No Brexit must not happen. And a slow Brexit which extends Article 50 beyond 22nd May, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together.

Mays Parliament statement came soon after she summoned her Cabinet for an emergency meeting, following a weekend dominated by rumours of plots and coups by both pro and anti-Brexit wings of her Conservative party.

It marked the beginning of yet another hectic week in Westminster, where MPs will try and gather support for one of many options, including a second referendum or even revoking Article 50 and reversing Brexit altogether.

Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn attacked the government, branding Mays approach over Brexit as a national embarrassment.

Also Read| JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, not F-16, used to shoot down Indian jet: Pakistan military

It is time for Parliament to take control, he said, confirming that the Labour Party would be backing the Letwin amendment which takes power to control business in the House of Commons away from the government on Wednesday, to allow MPs to put forward business motions relating to Brexit.

While the default position remains, the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal unless an agreement is passed through Parliament, May told MPs that the government has laid the necessary statutory instrument changing the Brexit date in the Commons on Monday.

However, effectively the Brexit date has already changed under international law with the EU legislation delaying the deadline last week. If British MPs fail to pass the statutory instrument, it would create some legal uncertainty but it would not change the internationally-recognised Brexit date, which is now set as April 12 -- with an offer of a further extension until May 22 if the withdrawal agreement clears the Commons hurdle in a third vote this week.

Meanwhile the European Commission released a comprehensive document detailing its no-deal preparedness, stating that it is increasingly likely that the UK could leave the 28-member bloc without a deal on April 12.

In such a scenario, the UKs relations with the EU would be governed by general international public law, including rules of the World Trade Organisation, an EU statement said.

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The Kingdom is among those affected by the cancellation of Oman Air flights to more than a dozen destinations, it emerged. Flights to Calicut, Hyderabad, Riyadh, Goa, Amman, Calicut, Bahrain, Dubai, Mumbai, Goa, Salalah, Karachi, Doha, and Bangalore are among the other destinations affected. The carrier conveyed in a statement that it will rebook guests on alternative flights to their destinations.

Passengers who are due to travel during the said period should check the flight status or contact our call center on +968- 24531111, the statement said. As a result of the Public Authority for Civil Aviation directives on suspending operations of Boeing 737 Max, certain flights until March 30 to a number of destinations have been canceled.

We are rebooking guests on alternative / next available flights to their destinations, Oman Air stated. Oman Air decided to suspend the operations of all Boeing 737 Max aircraft, based on directives issued by the Sultanates Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA).
South Africa: Blocking of N3 condemned

Transport Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has condemned the blockade of the Cliffdale part of the N3 highway between Pietermaritzburg and Durban by some truck drivers this past weekend.

The truck drivers blocked part of the N3 on Sunday.

It is disingenuous for some truck drivers to block the road or engage in any protest whilst there are current engagements between government and the foundations, Nzimande said.

Since the resolution of the meeting the Minister held on 11 January 2019, the Department of Transport has held follow-up meetings with the leadership of the All Truck Drivers Foundation and the National Truck Drivers Foundation to discuss challenges facing South African truck drivers.

Subsequent to these meetings, an interdepartmental team comprising the Department of Home Affairs, Department of Labour and the Bargaining Council held its meetings to further process the issues as raised by the trucking foundations.

The Department of Transport took the initiative to get the relevant stakeholders to resolve the matter as a labour dispute because this had unfairly impacted on the flow of transport on our highways, the Minister said.

The Department of Transport said the dispute between truck drivers and their employers is not a matter for the department, but is a collective bargaining matter that must be negotiated and resolved at the relevant Collective Bargaining Council.

The Department of Labour was tasked to conduct unannounced inspections to unscrupulous employers disregarding employment laws, and the law enforcement officers were tasked to identify routes with high volumes of cross border truck movement and conduct multi-disciplinary road block operations.

We have also consistently impressed on the associations representing workers in a number of meetings we have held for them to take up their grievances to the appropriate bargaining chamber and not block our highways.

Similarly, we have met and urged employers to work towards resolving the grievances of truck drivers speedily, whose major complaint is the employment of foreign nationals in the trucking industry, Nzimande said.

The Minister has called on law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who break the law and disrupt the flow of traffic are apprehended and for the trucks to be impounded.

He said by blocking the N3, these truck drivers not only block the traffic flow but also sabotage the economy of the country.

The Minister said while the department has done all to assist towards the resolution of this dispute, the matter must be dealt with not as a transport issue but as a labour dispute.

He urged all affected parties to work towards a speedy resolution of this matter and further urged Labour to take the lead as agreed.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
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Brazil is still studying the relocation of its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Brazils top diplomat said Wednesday, days before President Jair Bolsonaro is due to visit the country. After taking power in January, Bolsonaro reiterated a pledge to follow US President Donald Trumps lead in moving the embassy from Tel Aviv. But his far-right government has since rowed back in response to fears the shift could endanger Brazils valuable meat exports to Arab markets. Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujos latest remarks, however, suggest the controversial proposal is still on the table.

The issue of Jerusalem is very important, it is part of the essence of what this new relationship with Israel may mean, we are still studying the way that (decision) will be taken, Araujo told reporters. The shift must be in line with other policies in the region to make it clear that, if it were the case, it would be a positive movement, as part of Brazils contribution to peace and stability, he added. Bolsonaro, who has been in the United States this week for talks with President Donald Trump before going to Chile, is due to visit Israel from March 31 to April 2 as he seeks to strengthen ties with ultraconservative governments around the world.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended Bolsonaros January 1 inauguration in Brazil. The decision to move the embassy is highly sensitive because Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of its future state. Virtually all countries agree that Jerusalems status can only be defined through wider Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

So far, only the United States and Guatemala have broken with that consensus by opening embassies in Jerusalem. Paraguay backtracked on a decision last year to move its embassy. Israel and the US have spoken with Honduras about its embassy going to Jerusalem.
The Pakistan Club Bahrain is celebrating Pakistans National Day today with national zeal and enthusiasm. The Pakistan Club is one of the oldest and thriving community platform established in 1948 and is located in Manama in the heart of Bahrains capital. The club has chalked out a series of events this year which started with the Pakistan Day Family Night celebration yasterday at Pakistan Club, which was attended by families.

National songs were sung followed by music program, fun activities for children, games and quiz for women. Prizes and gifts were awarded. Flag hoisting ceremony will be held Saturday morning at the Club premises which are expected to be attended by over 500 community members. The program includes national songs, speeches and recognition of local Pakistani community leaders who have helped Pakistan Club in organizing its activities and programs. It will include tableaus by school children and a special poetry session to show the solidarity with the people and nation.

The Pakistani nation is celebrating the 79th anniversary of the adoption of Pakistan Resolution passed on March 23, 1940 with traditional zeal and zest. On this historic day, the Muslims of the sub-continent gathered in Lahore under the inspiring leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and adopted a Resolution, which changed the course of history. Pakistan Club Chairman Eng Rehan Ahmed in a statement extended his felicitations to the Pakistani community members in Bahrain and said that celebrations of such national events are an opportunity to renew our pledge to serve our beloved country honestly, diligently and working hand in hand with all national institutions and private sector for the development of the nation.

We at the Pakistan club will continue to provide all possible assistance and help to our community members to solve their day to day problems. Numerous activities and programs for the benefit of the community members have been planned and carried out. The entire focus is to energize our community for positive actions, create platform for interactions and commemorate important milestones of our national history, he said. Eng. Rehan Ahmed thanked His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the people of Bahrain for their continuous support to the Pakistan community.

We are proud of our fraternal ties with the people of Kingdom of Bahrain and these ties will continue to strengthen and grows with the passage of time, he added. Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy fraternal ties and the bilateral relations have entered into a new era of progress and development, thanks to the leadership of both countries. Eng. Rehan Ahmed urged the community to continue to play a pivotal role in the development of the Kingdom of Bahrain. I pray to Allah Almighty for the well-being and prosperity of the leaderships and people of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Marlene Torres remembers as a young child waiting for the one or two minutes shed get to talk to her brother on the phone when he was in prison. The family often couldnt afford to talk to him more than once a week and, even then, only for a short time because the phone calls were so expensive.

At a hearing Monday before the Judiciary Committee, Torres spoke in favor of a bill that would allow inmates to make or receive phone calls for free, telling lawmakers she grew up stressed out and very depressed because she missed her brother, who was a father figure to her.

Obviously, its important to keep a family together no matter what the circumstances, Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, said to Torres. The best thing we can do is maintain that security so that when your brother comes home, he comes home to a family that is going to open their arms to him and try to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Brittany Kane, program coordinator for the CT Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative, also spoke in favor of the bill, telling lawmakers that a 15-minute call within the states prisons costs about $4.

Kane said Connecticut receives a 68 percent commission rate on the revenue from the calls and collected $7.7 million in Fiscal Year 2018.

She noted that its not the inmates paying for the phone calls. That cost is born by the family they left behind.

When a parent is incarcerated, specifically a father, a familys income drops by an average of 22 percent, Kane said. As a result, mothers and caregivers report being unable to pay for their childrens basic necessities, including food, utilities, rent and medical care, often creating reliance on state aid programs and services. It is also these same mothers and caregivers that are paying for the phone call that we are speaking about today.

Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, a New York-based national criminal justice advocacy group, told legislators that since 2012, the state has contracted through Securus Technologies, a national prison telecommunications corporation, which she said capitalizes off the need for human connection and, understanding the vulnerability of the people subjected to its services, charges exorbitant rates for loved ones to stay in contact.

She said that Connectiut now ranks 49th, in front of only Arkansas, in the high cost of phone calls.

A phone call to Securus for comment was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.

The bill says the Commissioner of Corrections shall provide telephone service for free and may provide supplementary telecommunications services including video and electronic mail services. To the extent that the commissioner provides any such services, each such service shall be provided free of charge to such persons the bill says, whether the inmate initiates the contact or receives it.

Child Adovcate Sarah Eagan said this is particularly important for youths who are incarcerated in the adult system so they can be in touch with their families.

Kane supplied personal impact statements from family members of inmates. One of the family members, a mother who wished to remain anonymous, said that to date she has spent $4,320 to talk to her son.

The phone calls are very expensive and not for a long amount of time, she said in a statement. We only get to talk a couple of times a week because of money, but I know he wants to call and talk a lot more than I can afford. That hurts as his mother.

Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-Wallingford, said the bills seems to allow for a call of any length every day, which I think people in this building might think is a little much.

He suggested there might be a happy medium, allowing inmates free calls on holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, but perhaps not at other times of the year.

Another legislator suggested that perhaps the calls could be less expensive, but not free.

Testimony submitted by the Judicial branch said that while it takes no position on the policy change contemplated in this proposal, the bill as proposed would seriously impact the funding of several adult probation positions.

The agency said that in Fiscal Year 2018, the Judicial Branch received more than $5.5 million from the revenue generated by telecommunication services to pay for staff and other expenses related to the Probation Transition Program, as well as for a unit that provides enhanced supervision of people who violated probation.

We do not have the necessary funding in our budget to make up for this loss of revenue, the judicial branch wrote.
The Facebook video that went viral last week of a New Haven woman going on a racial tirade in a supermarket has experts calling for these types of incidents to be used to combat racism.

Its waking people up that its much more pervasive than they thought, said Kica Matos, director of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice for the Center for Community Change. Far too often we dont contextualize whats happening on social media. The footage we keep seeing that captures racial incidents makes visible how pervasive everyday racism is and the challenges people of color deal with.

Here are some of the weekends top stories:

Social media exposed racist rant, but real change is needed, experts say

The Facebook user who posted the now-viral video of Corinne Magoveny-Terrones racist ShopRite tirade wanted to show the reality of racism everywhere. Experts say while social media exposes these types of incidents, it also needs to start spurring long-term responses to racism.

Jessica Hill / Associated Press /

Lamonts shifts on tolls, schools signal collaborative style, steep learning curve

In his first few months in office, Gov. Ned Lamont has changed his stance on two important issues: tolls and school consolidation. Its a stark contrast to his predecessor, Gov. Dannel Malloy, who was known for not budging. Whether its the learning curve of governing or a true contrast in style, experts say its clear Lamont is doing things differently.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

Newtowns armed school guards a model for Connecticut

Newtowns armed school guards  all retired police officers who carry concealed sidearms  are part of a 19-member civilian school security force that has become a model in Connecticut for districts that want more protection than video cameras and locked entrances can provide.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

WWE HQ plan showcases Stamfords economic momentum

The WWEs announcement last week that it will relocate its headquarters in 2021 from the East Side of Stamford to a 415,000-square-foot center at 677 Washington Blvd., represents one of the citys largest-ever office deals and the revival of a property rocked by the loss of its longtime tenant, investment-bank UBS. The plan also cements Stamfords position as arguably the top corporate destination in Connecticut, as the city grows as a hub for media, IT, biotech and consumer-goods companies.

Emilie Munson / Hearst Connecticut Media

CTs incoming housing commissioner comes from humble beginnings

Three decades ago, Seila Mosquera-Bruno came to the United States from a farm in Ecuador. She brought with her a 2 1/2-year-old daughter and could speak little English. Mosquera-Bruno has since worked in a factory, added an associates, bachelors and masters degree to her name and ascended to chief executive officer of an affordable housing nonprofit. Now, Mosquera-Bruno is likely to be confirmed as Connecticuts top housing official.

Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

CT preschool advocates press for better pay, family affordability

Connecticut preschool advocates are calling for better pay for child care workers and more affordable options for families. In 2018, the state Department of Labor said child care workers on average, excluding the public school system, make $12.21 an hour. At the same time, many parents struggle to pay a preschool tuition in Connecticut that averages $13,880 a year for infant care, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media

Sherman family scrutinized for not using conventional medicine

The state Department of Children and Families has launched an investigation into a Sherman mothers decision to treat her arthritic 3-year-old daughter with unconventional medicine. Though holistic medicine continues to gain popularity, those who rely more on this type of care face challenges, including the possibility of state intervention.

Peter Hvizdak / Hearst Connecticut Media

Three people, one dog dead in Oxford house fire

Three adults and a dog were killed late Saturday night when a fire destroyed their Oxford home. The cause remained unknown on Sunday. It was believed to be the towns first fatal fire in at least three decades.

Contributed Photo / Bridgeport Police Department

Bridgeport police union wants fewer cops subjected to disciplinary hearings

The Bridgeport police union is seeking to have 11 of the 19 officers cited in an internal investigation avoid facing Police Commission hearings about their conduct during a 2017 incident. The union would rather have them disciplined at the discretion of Chief Armando Perez.

Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

Eversources underwater cable plan for Norwalk Harbor stirs resistance

Two commissions charged with safeguarding Norwalk Harbor are pushing Eversource Energy to revise plans to relocate two high-voltage power lines beneath its waters. The plan to move power lines from the Walk Bridge and reroute them beneath the visitors docks at Veterans Memorial Park is facing renewed criticism.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

Stamford searches to cure train station gridlock

The original idea was simple: If shuttles are available to take commuters from the Stamford Train Station to work, more people will get off the highway and take the train. Lured by the ride to work, many people are opting for the train. But now there are so many shuttles at the station every day, they have become a source of gridlock.
A 1-year-old boy who wandered out of his grandparents house in Fresno was fatally mauled in their front yard by two roaming dogs.

Lt. Mark Hudson said other children in the house alerted the boys grandmother to the attack on Friday. He said she ran outside and tried to get the Rottweilers off the child and was also attacked.

According to KFSN, Hudson said the boys grandfather was able to stop the attack by whipping the dogs with a pipe hose.

Officers who responded to the attack performed CPR on the boy. He was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hudson said animal control officers found the dogs several blocks away. They were taken to Central California SPCA, where they were euthanized.

Investigators believe the dogs, which lived about a block and a half away, dug a hole under a fence and that's how they ended up in the child's yard.

Resident Theresa Davis said the dogs have a history of getting out of their yard.

"I said, 'Oh my god, this is horrendous, these dogs have been in our neighborhood for eight or nine years,'" she said. "Just primarily on the back fence, they've come out the side gate of their property, and recently discovered that hole a couple of days ago."

Neighbors called the dogs' owners friendly and said they were hurting for both families.

"Just thinking about the little boy, the baby losing its life... it's a tragedy. Anybody with a heart would get teary at least," said neighbor Arcelia Ruiz.

The SPCA told KGPE that, according to their records, the dogs didn't have a violent history.

"We don't have any past history with them and we did check all our databases and there is nothing at that location. But they did seem to want to get out of that backyard where they were located at," Walter Salvari, with Central California SPCA, said.

Hudson said there was one clear takeaway from the tragedy.

"Just always be watching your children, y'know, never take your eyes off of 'em, never let 'em out of your sight," he said.
NEWTOWN  Jeremy Richman wanted the world to stop stigmatizing mental health, and treat the brain like any other organ that can be healed.

On Monday, the foundation Richman and his wife co-founded after their daughter was slain in the Sandy Hook massacre took up his mission, after the 49-year-old neuropharmacologist killed himself.

Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need, read a statement from the Avielle Foundation.

Our hearts are shattered, and our heads are struggling to comprehend, the statement said, calling Richman a crusader on a mission to help uncover the neurological underpinnings of violence.

While a litany of local, state and federal leaders expressed their shock and offered their condolences over his death, friends and relatives of Richman were reviewing everything he has said recently to look for clues.

Six days ago at a Florida university where Richman gave a presentation about violence, compassion and the brain, for example, he told an interviewer that losing his daughter Avielle remained as traumatizing today as it was six years ago when she died with 25 first-graders and educators in one of the worst crimes Connecticut has ever seen.

Its such a shock to the system that you just feel displaced  like the world is spinning and youre not, and youre going to get thrown off and you have to find something to grip onto, Richman said during a videotaped interview at Florida Atlantic University. We wanted to prevent others from suffering the way that we were suffering, and continue to suffer to this day.

Richman was found dead on the movie theater stage of the old Edmond Town Hall on Main Street, where the foundation had an office. He left a note, but police would not indicate what it said, stating that it was part of the investigation. An autopsy was planned Tuesday.

Richmans suicide made national headlines in part because of his high profile as a Sandy Hook parent who was turning his grief into good, and in part because it came just days after two teenagers who survived the mass shooting at a Florida high school took their own lives.

In fact, while Richman was in Florida last week, he visited the parents of a teenager who was slain with 16 other students and staff in the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., the Associated Press reported.

The extent to which the trauma of the mass shootings led the teenagers and Richman to suicide was unclear.

None of us can fathom the enormity of loss (Richman) carried with him after the death of his beautiful daughter, Avielle, said Newtowns top elected leader, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal. Please keep Jeremys family in your hearts and pray that they find some measure of peace that he is now with Avielle.

After his daughters death, Richman and his wife Jennifer Hensel co-founded the Avielle Foundation to advance brain research into the roots of violence.

The government really doesnt fund research to understand violence  we react to it, primarily with incarceration but not as the disease that it is, Richman told the interviewer last week at Florida Atlantic University. Its a disease of the brain ... we can study that in a medical fashion and make violence something you can prevent, mediate or cure.

Leaders lament

U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal described Richman as their friend.

This is awful, horrible, devastating news, Murphy tweeted. Jeremy was a good friend and an unceasing advocate for better research into the brains violence triggers.

Blumenthal said Richmans death was simply devastating.

I was proud to call Jeremy a good friend, a dedicated father, an esteemed researcher and an outstanding human being, Blumenthal tweeted. He will be deeply missed by all that knew him.

In a joint statement, state Sen. Tony Hwang and state Reps. Raghib Allie-Brennan, Mitch Bolinsky and J.P. Sredzinski said they were shocked and saddened by the tragic news.

Jeremys accomplishments were an inspiration to many, and we will miss him, the statement read.

U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes called news of Richmans death heartbreaking.

I recently met with Jeremy to learn about the Avielle Foundation, and was struck by how optimistic he was about the progress the foundation was making in understanding brain health, Hayes said in a prepared statement. He spoke about how the foundations investments have led to broader study of brain chemistry and violence.

Gov. Ned Lamont tweeted that he and his wife, Annie, were heartbroken for the Richman family.

Thoughts and prayers just dont feel like enough in times like these, Lamont said. Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow.

Kevin Hines, an author who travels the country to tell his story of surviving a suicide attempt, agreed.

He was a hero of mine, Hines said. He was a beautiful human being.

Shock waves

Because Richmans death has the potential to retraumatize people affected by the Sandy Hook massacre, mental health experts were brought in for police officers, town employees and for the schools.

Obviously, we are concerned for our community, and we are concerned for our police officers who responded who were also first responders on that tragic day, Newtown police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said.

The old Edmond Town Hall, which is not to be confused with the Newtown Municipal Center on Trades Lane where town offices are located, was closed Monday out of respect for Richmans death.

Richman is survived by his wife and two children, and a foundation that he co-launched after a career in brain science and drug discovery.

He was among the parents suing Texas-based extremist Alex Jones for defamation.

Bahamonde stressed that the department is active in trying to prevent suicides.

There is help out there, Bahamonde said. While many people do reach out and we are able to help, unfortunately, Mr. Richman didnt reach out for whatever reason  God only knows.

Those who are thinking about suicide or know people who need emotional support are encouraged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Staff Writer Julia Perkins contributed to this article.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
NEW HAVEN  A former New Haven man exonerated of a 2000 conviction for murder in May has sued the city, alleging he was charged and convicted based on intentional and wanton disregard for the truth.

Marquis Jackson filed suit against the city and former New Haven police detectives Leroy Dease, Petisia Adger and Daryle Breland as well as James Stephenson, a former firearms examiner with the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory.

He was convicted, along with city man Vernon Horn, for the January 1999 murder of Caprice Hardy, 22, who was killed in a robbery at a deli near the corner of Dixwell Avenue and Bassett Street. He spent 19 years in jail, getting released just before his 40th birthday after a judge vacated his conviction due to previously overlooked evidence and newly discovered phone records.

At the time of his release, Jackson said he was not going to let anything hold him back from starting the next chapter of his life.

Today is the first day of my new life, he said.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court on March 13 alleges that Dease, Adger and Breland inappropriately focused on Jackson and Horn as suspects, ignoring evidence to the contrary; fabricated evidence linking Jackson to the crime, including by allegedly coercing testimony and telling a perpetrator of the crime to identify them in a photo lineup; and failed to turn over exonerating evidence to be included in the trial proceedings.

Although no physical or forensic evidence ever connected Marquis to the crime, he was charged and convicted as a result of the defendants creation of false and misleading evidence and suppression of exculpatory evidence, as part of a pervasive and long-standing custom, policy, pattern and practice of closing high profile criminal cases at all costs, in knowing and recklessly indifferent disregard of the constitutional rights of Plaintiff and similarly situated persons, said attorneys Kenneth Rosenthal and Daniel Lage in the complaint for the case.

Jackson is seeking damages, both compensatory and punitive, that would be determined by a jury at trial.

City officials, Dease, Adger, Breland and Stephenson have not yet responded to the allegations in court records.

Horn filed a similar suit in September 2018. That case is proceeding.

It is a grave injustice that Vernon Horn was incarcerated for 17 years for crimes he did not commit. We are delighted by the States Attorneys willingness to listen and act quickly when presented with compelling evidence of Mr. Horns innocence, the Connecticut Federal Defender Office said in a statement when Horn was released for the second time in 2018. It has been our privilege to work with Mr. Horn and be inspired by his relentless pursuit to clear his name.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
One towns loss will be anothers gain as Branford Police Chief Kevin Halloran takes early retirement and heads north to lead the North Branford Police Department, officials in both communities said Monday.

Halloran, who grew up in North Branford, has been chief in Branford since 2011. His last day in Branford, April 17, will be the 30th anniversary of his first days with the department  although he said he has vacation time to use and likely will no longer be on the job at that point.

Victor Pietandrea, chairman of the North Branford Board of Police Commissioners,, announced Hallorans hiring as chief in a written release.

Halloran said he is excited to bring his own flair to North Branford. A few years ago, Branford began using a tool called CompStat, which allowed the department to become data-driven, he said.

The approach helped the Branford department lower the rate of traffic crashes and make smarter decisions about where to assign officers, Halloran said, bringing the force from a completely reactive police department to a proactive police department.

Hes excited to try out similar techniques in North Branford.

Halloran also plans to hone community policing strategies and find out whats important to residents, he said.

Officials in North Branford are happy about their new hire.

Were excited to find somebody of his caliber, said Interim Police Chief James Lovelace, who will return to his second-in-command position of lieutenant in the coming transition.

Lovelace is enthusiastic about the future of the department under Halloran as well as the opportunity to work with the new chief. To learn from someone with his experience  I only see benefits for the future.

Pietandreas release spoke to a similar viewpoint.

Kevins extensive law enforcement experience along with his strong belief in partnerships between the community and the police will serve North Branfords citizens well, it said. His goal in North Branford will be to advance our police department to a professional organization that will serve as a model to other communities.

But one town over, the leader of Branfords police board said shell be sorry to see Halloran go.

Im devastated, said Jill Marcus, chairwoman of the Branford Board of Police Commissioners. Im so upset about Kevin leaving. ... Kevin is the best there is  absolutely the best chief that I have worked with.

He was stern, but he was so approachable, she said. Halloran was very approachable for the men. I never heard one bad word about the chief  and I hear everything.

Halloran did sign a 5-year agreement, and it is up in a year and a half, Marcus said. But she said she recognizes this is a good opportunity for him.

Halloran will begin his North Branford career on May 1,Lovelace said.

Branford Deputy Chief Jonathan Mulhern, hired in 2018 after formerly serving as deputy chief in North Haven, is expected to be named interim chief, Marcus said.

Mulhern also would be considered a strong candidate to succeed Halloran as chief, she said.

Halloran succeeded John DeCarlo, another respected chief who now is chairman of the Criminal Justice Department at University of New Haven, in the Branford position in 2011.

Halloran described the North Branford position as a great way to wrap up his career. Its kind of a homecoming for me, said Halloran, whose father once served as constable for the town.

Halloran was selected from a pool of seven finalists in a process that entailed the formulation of a strategic plan for the North Branford Police Department, Pietandreas release said.

Kevin has three qualities that stood out during the candidate interview process: confidence, humility and trust, the release stated.

Among a number of qualifications, the release cited Hallorans masters degree in criminal justice and justice administration from Tiffin University as well as his bachelors degree in public safety administration from Charter Oak State College.

He also believes that we must keep our police officers healthy and up-to-date in law enforcement techniques so that they deliver police services in an effective and efficient manner, the release said.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
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Special counsel Robert Mueller looks to be a "weekend warrior." On Friday, he delivered the findings of his nearly two-year investigation into President Donald Trump and Russia to Attorney General William Barr.

Details of Mueller's findings have not been released.

The news ignited the denizens of social media, who responded with thoughtful commentary, less thoughtful commentary, and fresh memes. The internet, unlike a special counsel investigation, moves fast.

FULL STORY: Mueller delivers report to AG

Some of the latter included Mueller as Obama-on-a-boat, Mueller as Beyonce in "Lemonade" (changed to "Kremlinade") and Mueller as romance novel protagonist. To each their own.

It wasn't all fun and games. This being America, both sides of the political spectrum took to Twitter to speculate about the contents of the report and, most importantly, to decry one another's idiocy. Lots of "impeachment pending!" posts from the left, and plenty of "nothingburgers!" from the right.

ALSO READ: Key questions answered about the report

Many disparaged Mueller's decision to submit the bombshell on a Friday night, disrupting Happy Hours everywhere as well as other "festivities."

"Mueller is such a drama queen, trying to steal the glory of national puppy day for himself," tweeted @morninggloria.

It's a lot to digest, so SFGATE sorted through some of the thousands of tweets. The highlights are in the above gallery.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfgate.com.

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.
2 dead sharks by the pipe on 2nd st beach pic.twitter.com/8jscdTxEQy  WEB X MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (@who1nj) March 25, 2019

At least a dozen dead sharks washed up on Jersey Shore beaches over the weekend.

A spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection told NJ Advance Media about 12 spiny dogfish were discovered dead on the sand in Atlantic City and Margate.

The DEP said a combination of tides, strong winds and flooding on Friday night might have driven the spiny dogfish out of the water and gotten them stranded on marshland. A subsequent high tide could have pushed the sharks onto the beach.

The spokesman noted that its not out of the ordinary for marine life to wash up on beaches and said its not a cause for concern.

A division of Fish and Wildlife employee told PressofAtlanticCity.com about 60 spiny dogfish were found on Absecon Island beaches. Fish and Wildlife falls under the larger umbrella of the DEP.

People posted photos on Twitter showing dead sharks on the sand as far south as Ocean City.

Last week, thousands of dead adult menhaden were found in creeks in the Shrewsbury River estuary.

Last year, a variety of sea creatures washed up on Jersey Shore beaches - ranging from turtles caught in a crab net to potentially dangerous men-of-war.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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A former dancer at the Playhouse Lounge strip club in Burlington City claims in a lawsuit that the business tried to force her to perform sexual acts in champagne rooms while also stealing her tips.

Heather Robbins, of Marlton, and her attorney hope to make it a class action case, saying in the civil complaint that at least 40 other current or former employees of the club might join in the suit.

In a statement Monday, the Playhouse Lounge said it plans to zealously defend against the lawsuit.

We adamantly deny the allegations and look forward to litigating this matter in court, the club said.

The Playhouse Lounge website describes the club as a juice bar where patrons can bring their own beer and wine. It also claims to be Delaware Valleys premier gentlemans club.

But in her lawsuit, Robbins claims the establishments management tried to force her into prostitution on the premises and cheated her and other dancers out of their tips with absurd punishments and house fees.

The suit said she worked at the club from December 2017 until August 2018, when she was forced to resign due to ongoing directives to engage in prostitution in private champagne room experiences patrons would buy.

The lawsuit also claims that the club violated state and federal labor laws because it designated the dancers as independent contractors and did not pay them any wages, even though they were expected to work more than 40 hours a week at times.

The entertainers only income was from tips, the lawsuit said. Even then, the dancers were required to give up some of that income to the club in the form of random fees, the lawsuit said. Each shift, Robbins alleged, she had to pay $12 to the house, $10 to the manager or house mom, and $10 to security workers. She also had to give the establishment $10 for each private dance she gave.

The club also illegally took the dancers money, she said, by imposing fines for violations of the house rules," like $15 for being late or $50 for failing to maintain appearance, the lawsuit said.

We Are Dancers USA, an organization that works for the rights of exotic dancers and provides them with resources, said on its website that most clubs classify dancers as contractors, which means they dont have to pay them wages. However, a club cant legally tell independent contractors when and how to work or make them give up a portion of their tips to managers, security, or other staff, the website said.

Cherry Hill attorney Joshua S. Boyette filed the suit on Robbins behalf in federal court in Camden. It demands compensation for lost earnings, damages, costs and fees for the suit, and that the club be ordered to stop its alleged illegal policies and practices.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The Washington Township Public Schools will host a free Vaping Me Crazy! Weed Between the Lines parent seminar 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at Washington Township High School.

Sponsored by the Washington Township Municipal Alliance and in conjunction with Steered Straight Inc., the evening will address concerns about the increase in vaping and marijuana legalization. Presenter Michael Deleon will share statistics and assist parents in crafting conversations they can have with their children about the effects of marijuana use and vaping. Among the points the presentation will address:

The susceptibility of the adolescent brain to dangerous stimulants (including nicotine) and systemic dangers to the brain and body

The escalation of marijuana accessibility and frequency of use among youth as states legalize recreational and medicinal cannabis use

The intense and pervasive marketing of vaping to youth audiences without FDA regulation

The genetic modifications to marijuana, which has altered its potency, and the forms in which it is now readily available, including pure crystals, waxes and e-liquids.

Steered Straight Inc. is a nonprofit organization providing educational programs and materials to youth, families and communities across the country and around the world. For more information, visit www.streeredstraight.org.
Police in Delaware are looking for a New Jersey woman accused in an organized retail theft ring responsible for stealing over-the-counter medicines.

Shaquan D. King, 30, of Bridgeton, conspired with another woman, who has not been identified, to steal $1,600 worth of medication from various Acme locations around New Castle County, according to Delaware State Police.

The suspects are driving a 2011 gray Nissan Maxima with New Jersey registration E74JRM, police said.

Authorities released a photo of the vehicle showing the plate. Police also released a security camera image of King.

Anyone with information about Kings whereabouts is asked to contact Cpl. M. Fiore at Delaware State Police Troop 6 by calling 302-633-5000 or by calling 911.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters.
Appellate court judges have affirmed an earlier ruling denying a fired police officers bid to get his old job back.

Joseph DiBuonaventura was fired from Washington Township Police Department in Gloucester County after an internal affairs investigation determined he lied about a 2012 traffic stop that resulted in a drunken driving charge against a state assemblyman.

That investigation and his firing followed a criminal trial in which DiBuonaventura was found not guilty on charges related to his arrest of Assemblyman Paul Moriarty.

The DWI charge against Moriarty was dismissed after the county prosecutor's office reviewed the matter.

DiBuonaventura was indicted on 14 criminal counts in the Moriarty case, including tampering with records, falsifying records, false swearing and official misconduct, and found not guilty on all counts following a month-long trial in 2015.

He was terminated from the department months later after an administrative review found he had committed misconduct. He appealed that determination and a Superior Court judge upheld the decision in October 2017.

From there, he took his case to the appellate court.

The events surrounding the stop as recorded on his patrol car camera were vastly different from the account described in plaintiffs investigation reports, the appellate judges wrote.

As an example, the judges noted that DiBuonaventura wrote in his report that Moriarty cut him off on a state highway.

The video doesnt show that, but does show Moriarty passing the patrol car and then the patrol car following the assemblyman with at least one other car between them for about five minutes, according to court records.

The township accused the officer of knowingly lying in his initial investigation report, which the township alleged was written before DiBuonaventura realized the entire incident had been recorded by his car camera.

The officer then made false statements during an interview with the internal affairs department, the investigation found.

In his appeal, DiBuonaventura argued that the courts finding of misconduct was unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence. He also disputed the claim that he harbored ill-will toward Moriarty, who previously served as Washington Townships mayor.

DiBuonaventura asked that the case be sent back to the trial court so that it could impose a suitable suspension.

The appellate judges found that the trial court acted correctly in upholding the termination.

Accordingly, plaintiffs conflicting statements and omissions were sufficient evidence of misconduct by a police officer, the judges concluded.

The case has produced several lawsuits.

DiBuonaventura sued Washington Township, its former police chief and former administrator, claiming his firing was the result of retaliation over a prior incident. That case was dismissed last year.

Moriarty received a $50,000 settlement after he sued DiBuonaventura over the DWI arrest.

Moriarty also sued the township police department, but a federal judge dismissed that claim in 2015.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

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A Jersey City firefighter and a battalion chief were injured battling a two-alarm blaze on Clinton Avenue Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The fire was reported at approximately 4:30 p.m. at what appeared to a vacant or abandoned building at 241 Clinton and quickly went to a second alarm.

The blaze caused damage to the building next door, which was occupied, Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said.

A firefighter suffered steam burns to his leg and a battalion chief was also injured. Details on the battalion chiefs injuries were not immediately available.

The fire was placed under control at 5:30 p.m. Information on the cause was not immediately available.

The American Red Cross is helping residents who have been displaced, Wallace-Scalcione said.

This is the second multi-alarm fire at a vacant or abandoned building in Jersey City in less than a week. On Monday, a three-alarm blaze broke out at a building on Jordan Avenue. It is believed that squatters were living in that building.
The show will go on for a New Jersey high schools wildly popular Alien: The Play musical after it attracted national attention over the weekend from celebrities and journalists on Twitter, going viral for its out-of-this-world set and costume designs.

The show, based on 1979 horror film Alien," debuted March 19 at North Bergen High School and many urged the school to put on additional shows, but teachers said they werent sure there was enough cash in the budget to keep it going.

That changed Monday morning, when North Bergen Mayor Nick Saccos non-profit foundation pledged funds for more performances.

All of North Bergen is proud of the incredibly creative and inventive play our students created, and its only right that they have the opportunity to perform it one more time now that it has gained such notoriety, Sacco said in a statement. Im excited that our foundation can play a role in making this happen and I cant wait to watch Alien and see our students shine.

I love that north bergen high school did alien last night as their school play, so Im gonna keep tweeting about how great it is..everything was made from recycled materials .. so nuts amazing Im so proud of my hometown pic.twitter.com/EEMEbankDz  Andrew Fernandez (@bhsdrew) March 23, 2019

Dates for the performances have not yet been announced.

Students began working on the musical in September, and raised the money themselves to get the show off the ground.

We have all been absolutely floored by the positive attention this play has brought to our school and our students, and it is wonderful to see Mayor Sacco step up and provide funding so that our incredible cast will once again be able to showcase their months of hard work, Perfecto Cuervo, a drama teacher at the high school, who directed the play, said in a statement. On behalf of our students I want to thank Mayor Sacco and invite everyone to come out and see the show.

Last night the North Bergen High School in New Jersey put on 'Alien' as their school play and it looks absolutely incredible.#hrgiger#Alien#rushmore pic.twitter.com/5jopUecFil  Paul Owens (@oh_pollo) March 23, 2019

Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The Hudson County Prosecutors Office is investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in the lake at Lincoln Park in Jersey City Sunday.

Hudson County sheriffs officers and member of the prosecutors office responded Sunday morning to the lake and cordoned off the area. Walkers and joggers who stopped to see what was going in were quickly shooed away as the investigation continued at 10 a.m.

Initial information about the body being found was posted on Twitter by the prosecutors office Sunday. More than 24 hours later, details of the incident and whether or not foul play was involved, have not been released.

A spokesman for the prosecutors office said Monday afternoon that no new information is being released at this time.
JERSEY CITY  April is World Autism Month, and one Hudson County man has made it his mission to spreading awareness about the disorder.

Kerry Magros first childrens book I Will Light It Up Blue! -- which will be released on Tuesday  features autistic twins who learn how to self-advocate for themselves through an autism awareness initiative, Light It Up Blue. Magro, who is autistic, has participated in the April 2 initiative for several years. On that day people are encouraged to wear blue and light their houses blue.

Kerry Magro's children book addresses autism awareness. (Photo Courtesy of Kerry Magro)

I was diagnosed with autism when I was 4, Magro, 31, said. Ive always wanted to do a childrens book based on this initiative just based on my own experience.

Magro will be reading his new book to students on the autism spectrum at McNair Academic High School at 10:30 a.m., then at Regional Day School in Newark at 1:30 p.m.

Growing up, the 31-year-old said he went through five different Jersey City schools before transferring in fourth grade to a private school, Community Lower School in Teaneck, which teaches children with learning disabilities.

While it took a while for Magro to find the right fit, he says there were some educators in Jersey City who left a lasting impression by taking their time to work with him.

I cant thank them enough for doing that, he said. (They) really decided to take the time to establish a rapport with me and kind of understand my quirks.

However, despite being non-verbal at 2 years old and not knowing how to communicate with loved ones, he didnt let his disability define him.

He said he went to various therapies  occupational, physical, speech, music and theater  but it was music and theater that really helped build his communication skills and understand others perspectives. The experience inspired him to pursue a career in public speaking.

After speaking at more than 800 events, starting his own non-profit, KFM Making a Difference," and writing two bestselling books (Defining Autism From The Heart and Autism and Falling in Love), Magro is trying his hand at childrens books.

I really hope I can inspire the future generation to carry other individuals in the community, Magro said. You know? Keep pushing.

Last Tuesday, Magro passed his dissertation defense at New Jersey City University and will become a doctor of education in educational technology leadership. He will walk across the stage in May.

There were experts that, when I was very, very young, who didnt even know if I would graduate from high school, he said.

Regardless of special needs, just go out there and define your lives, he added.
UNION CITY  New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez is demanding the release of the full Mueller report, saying it may contain information that could lead to investigations into questionable activities uncovered during the special counsels probe.

The New Jersey senators demand came one day after Attorney General William Barr issued a four-page summary of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report to Congress, which found that President Trumps campaign did not conspire or coordinate with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election

I think its terribly important that the report become public, Menendez said during an event in Union City Monday morning. I dont want a summary. We know that summaries do not give the whole picture There are real issues here that go to the heart of our Democracy.

Menendez noted that there may have been matters exposed by Muellers two-year probe that have nothing to do with the special counsels mandate to investigate collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The facts may show that these issues need to be reviewed, Menendez said. Im sure that Congress would accept nothing less.

In his four-page summary sent to Congress, Barr said Mueller didnt conclude that Trump committed obstruction of justice but that Mueller also said he wasnt exonerating Trump either. Trump has called the summary total exoneration.

When I am asked about any further Congressional proceedings, first we need the report, Menendez said during Mondays press conference to unveil proposed legislation to help to struggling families and reduce child poverty.

United States intelligence agencies agree that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has dismissed the agencies a number of times.

On the election meddling, Menendez said: We should know everything they did. He argued that the report must be released in order to address any further meddling, especially in the 2020 presidential campaign. He said it is necessary to consider new laws to ensure future elections are not tampered with by foreign powers and said we should know who the actors were and what methods they used.

The senator said the only redactions that should be made to the full Mueller report when it is made public are those that reveal the sources and methods by which information was gathered during Muellers probe.

When asked about the possibility that investigations by Congress linger, Menendez replied: "You know, we all have short memories.

Menendez noted the long investigations into then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding Americans killed in the 2012 attack on a United States facility in Libya. He also noted the long Whitewater probe in the 1990s focused on Hillary Clinton and her associates Jim and Susan McDougal and their Arkansas land development project in the late 1970s.

Returning to the Trump probe, Menendez added: The role of the Congress is acting as a check on presidential power. It seems to have been forgotten.
THE LATEST: What Phil Murphy just said after big N.J. legal weed vote was called off

Top state lawmakers have canceled a planned vote Monday on a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older in New Jersey, saying they simply havent gathered enough support in the state Senate.

But they vowed to take up the measure  one of Gov. Phil Murphys signature proposals  at a future date.

Well be back at this," state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said at a news conference shortly after the vote was called off at the Statehouse in Trenton. So anybody who thinks this is dead, theyre wrong.

This is an issue thats not going away," Sweeney said. "The legalization of adult-use marijuana will get passed in the state of New Jersey, one way or another.

Lawmakers are expected to schedule another vote sometime this year, perhaps as soon as May.

Asked when a vote would ultimately be held, Sweeney said: As soon as I have 21 votes for sure.

NJ Advance Media was the first to report Sweeney called off the vote. He made the decision after it became clear the Senate  the upper house of the Democratic-controlled state Legislature  would remain a handful of votes shy of the minimum 21 needed for passage.

The move also postpones two other measures tied to the bill: one that would expand the states oft-criticized medial marijuana program and another that would expunge thousands of pot convictions in the state.

The development is a setback for Murphys promise to legalize marijuana  a key plank in the Democrats platform when he won election in 2017.

The push for votes Monday was seen as a referendum not only on whether legislative Democrats could muster support but also how well Murphy could work with lawmakers to pass one of his cornerstone proposals 14 months into his governorship.

Murphy and legislative leaders worked feverishly over the last week, making dozens of phone calls, to persuade lawmakers to pass the Democratic-sponsored bill.

While Sweeney said theyve made headway, he admitted he may have under-estimated the challenge of getting this passed.

We need to learn from this experience and continue to move forward, the Senate president said.

Murphy has made no public comment so far Monday, though hes scheduled to hold a news conference at 4 p.m. in Trenton.

Both houses of the Legislature  the Senate and Assembly  need to pass the bill before Murphy can sign it into law.

Multiple sources told NJ Advance Media the Assembly had the 41 votes needed for it to pass Monday. But sources said only 17 or 18 members of the Senate were willing to vote yes as of about noon.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, confirmed to NJ Advance Media that the bill would have passed the Assembly had it been posted Monday.

But, Coughlin said, the important thing is that he, Sweeney, and Murphy worked very closely on the matter.

If the effort failed, then the effort would have failed for all of us," he said.

Coughlin said during a news conference of his own that lawmakers remain committed to pass a fair bill that will serve as a national model.

Asked when the new vote would be, Coughlin said: Its way too early to tell.

Murphy and top Democratic lawmakers have been seeking for more than a year to have New Jersey join 10 other states and Washington, D.C., that have legalized pot. But they prefer to become only the second state to do it legislatively, rather than through a ballot referendum.

Proponents say the goal of legalization is to increase tax revenue for the state, create a new industry, and improve social justice because black people are three times more likely to be arrested on pot charges than whites.

Recent polls have found a majority of New Jerseyans support legal pot, with a Monmouth University survey from last month showing 6 in 10 residents behind it.

But many lawmakers  Democratic and Republican  have been leery, saying it could erode public safety, lead people to try more dangerous drugs, and damage communities of color.

Murphy has said if Mondays vote fell apart, his administration would move to dramatically increase the number of licenses for cultivators of medical marijuana as a backup plan.

Sweeney said earlier this year said he wouldnt schedule another vote until after the November elections at the earliest. But he hinted Monday it could happen sooner.

If leaders ultimately fail to gather enough votes in the Legislature, its possible they could opt for asking New Jersey voters to decide in a ballot referendum next year whether to legalize weed.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Susan K. Livio, Samantha Marcus, Ted Sherman, and Justin Zaremba contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01.

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For a guy who usually tries to keep his private life private, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was remarkably forthcoming about his new girlfriend Rosario Dawson. For one thing, he used the L-word.

The 2020 Democratic candidate for president spoke in remarkably effusive terms about Dawson, to whom hes been romantically linked since last December. He said on Friday afternoon that he was in love with her," and she would make an incredible First Lady. Thats a big switch from just a month ago, when he declined to even confirm the two were even dating.

Asked if Dawson would move into the White House should he prevail against Donald Trump, Booker smiled, the future is bright.

Pressed by TMZ if he thought Dawson would make a good First Lady, Booker paused, and offered this assessment.

I think she would make an incredible, incredible First Lady, said Booker. Especially...I mean, think about: The first Latina First Lady?

Getting into a black SUV parked outside NBC Studios in Manhattan, Booker paused to enthuse even more.

She is a First Lady, he insisted. She is love-knowledgeable: She loves people. Shes justice-knowledgeable. She been fighting for justice her whole life.

Booker then name-checked Voto Latina, the civic media organization that works to help Latinos register to vote and become more politically engaged.

Booker then disabused a TMZ reporter of the idea that it was a mutual affinity for politics that cemented his relationship with Dawson.

No, said Booker. What helped me fall in love with her was that shes just such a good human being. Shes such a decent soul. She has this capacity for warmth and goodness. The way she makes herself vulnerable, and finds strength in that. Shes just an incredible human being, and no matter what happens in the future, shes gonna always about serving and helping people, and thats what makes her special."

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The 24-year-old man arrested in Ocean County days after allegedly shot a mob boss to death outside his Staten Island home is due to appear Monday in a New York court after being extradited from New Jersey.

Anthony Comello is scheduled to appear in Richmond County Court in Staten Island, New York after being taken there from the Ocean County jail. He is charged with murder in the March 13 killing of 53-year-old Francesco Franky Boy Cali, the reputed head of the Gambino family mob boss.

Comello did not contest his extradition to New York when he appeared in Ocean County Superior Court in Toms River on March 18. The words MAGA forever and United we stand were scribbled in blue ink on his shackled hands, which he held up for reporters.

Anthony Comello displays writing saying "Maga Forever' on his hand during his extradition hearing in Toms River, N.J., on Monday. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) APAP

Multiple New York news outlets, citing sources, have reported that Comello had a romantic interest in one of Calis family members, but that the crime boss told him to stay away.

Police said Comello drove his pickup truck to Calis home on Hilltop Terrace in Staten Island on March 13 and then backed into Calis Cadillac Escalade. When Cali exited the home, police said, the two talked before Comello fired off a dozen shots into Cali once once he turned his back.

Comello was arrested on March 16 on Cadiz Drive in a bayfront community in Brick. Property records show his relatives own one of the dozen homes on the quiet, secluded street.

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Five chemical companies polluted New Jerseys water for years with a long-lasting, cancer-causing family of chemicals. Now, the state is directing those companies to clean up the mess.

On Monday, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a directive to five companies -- Chemours, Dow DuPont, DuPont, Solvay and 3M -- aimed at addressing the contamination of what are known as PFAS chemicals (short for polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances).

The chemicals, which are used for products ranging from nonstick cookware to firefighting foam, have been linked to cancer and other health effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the new directive, which the NJDEP called groundbreaking, the named companies are required to disclose all information related to their use and discharge of PFAS chemicals in New Jersey. The companies will also be held financially responsible for the remediation and treatment of PFAS-related contamination in the state.

The PFAS group of chemicals are ubiquitous in our environment and pose significant health risks to the public, NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe said.

In issuing this directive, we are putting these five companies on notice that many years of contaminating New Jerseys precious drinking water and other natural resources will not go unchecked. On behalf of all New Jerseyans, we will hold these companies accountable and insist that they step up to address the problem they have created.

Under the new directive, McCabe said that Solvay will be expected to pay more than $3 million for remediation work that was already done in West Deptford, where the company used perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) from 1985 to 2010. McCabe said she was unsure at this point how much more money the companies will need to commit to clean up.

We have already spent over $3 million in responding to the contamination in West Deptford," McCabe said. "So were asking Solvay to cut us a check, to reimburse us for our costs.

According to company spokesman David Klucsik, Solvay is reviewing the new directive and will respond appropriately.

Solvay has been responding to the presence of compounds in the vicinity of its West Deptford plant and has implemented remedial activities, Klucsik said. Solvay shares the information it gathers with the NJDEP, and Solvay maintains an ongoing dialogue with the Department and other stakeholders around its West Deptford site.

In a statement, Chemours said it was reviewing the NJDEP directive and that it is in regular communication with the state. The company stressed that it does not use two prominent PFAS chemicals, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA,) for its products.

Chemours is committed to taking a leadership role in environmental stewardship and supports the development of a science and risk-based approach to establish standards and guidelines for PFAS compounds, the company said. We believe collaboration and transparency are critical to achieving this.

Dow DuPont, which is the parent company of DuPont, also said that it was reviewing the new directive, and that it is in communication with the NJDEP. 3M said that it is reviewing the directive and looking forward to working with the state.

The chemicals in the PFAS family have been produced and used commercially and industrially for more than 60 years, but regulatory agencies around the world are only recently starting to understand the health effects, according to the NJDEP.

The state said that PFAS chemicals are discovered on a near-daily basis in the states water, soils, air, fish, plants and other natural resources. The chemicals are widespread in New Jersey, according to the NJDEP, with the highest concentrations being found in traditionally industrial areas. West Deptford, where the Solvay plant used PFNA, is home to some of the highest levels of PFNA contamination in the world.

Military bases like Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Naval Weapons Station Earle also have high levels of PFAS contamination, particularly PFOS which is a common ingredient in firefighting foam.

The Department of Defense, yes, is responsible for the PFOS contamination that youll find around the military bases, and so far theyve been stepping up to do the monitoring and to look at the work thats needed to get those under control around those bases, McCabe said.

Among the most well-studied PFAS chemicals, according to the NJDEP, are PFOS, PFNA, PFOA and GenX, a separate family of chemicals developed to replace PFOA.

None of the chemicals are naturally occurring, according to the NJDEP, and the chemicals do not break down in the environment. According to the CDC, PFAS chemicals can increase the risk of cancer, lower a womans chance of getting pregnant and interfere with natural hormones.

The New Jersey Sierra Club, a leading environmental advocacy group in the state, praised the states action.

This is a really important step forward in enforcing New Jerseys cleanup laws against polluters, said Jeff Tittel the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

The NJDEPs directive comes as the federal government lags behind in regulating PFAS chemicals. In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a nationwide action plan for the problem, but stopped short of setting a national drinking water standard for PFAS chemicals.

Now is the time for action at the state level, McCabe said. The current EPA plan leaves millions of Americans exposed to harmful chemicals for too long by choosing a drawn-out process that will delay establishing a federal maximum contaminant level for PFAS.

This new directive is not the first step that New Jersey has taken to address PFAS chemicals. Last September, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to set drinking water standards for PFNA. Earlier this month, the NJDEP issued interim groundwater standards for PFOA and PFOS.

McCabe said that state drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS are expected to come in the near future. She added that upgrading drinking water systems across the state to address PFAS chemicals could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Read the entire NJDEP directive below:

This story was updated on Tuesday to include comment from 3M.

Read more of NJ.coms coverage of New Jersey water issues here.

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Police raided two motel rooms in Seaside Heights and a Toms River house last week and arrested a pair of Ocean County residents on charges they were running a heroin manufacturing operation, authorities said Monday.

The search warrants were executed Thursday after a month-long investigation into drug trafficking, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office said. The motel, which was not named, is on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights.

Police found raw, unpackaged and packaged heroin, crack cocaine and marijuana along with paraphernalia to process drugs, authorities said.

Rayvon Thomas, 33, and Tamika Tims, 34, both of Seaside Heights, were charged with multiple counts relating to the possession and intent to distribute heroin and marijuana. Theyre both being held in Ocean County Jail, pending a detention hearing.

Police also arrested two Toms River residents on heroin and cocaine charges during the raids. Both were released pending future court hearings.

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Robert Muellers conclusion that President Trump did not, after all, conspire with the Russians to cheat his way into office in 2016 has to be respected. That is undeniably a good thing: The leader of our country may have benefitted from a foreign adversarys intelligence scheme, but he was not a direct collaborator. Consider the alternative.

There is no reason to question Muellers integrity or competence. And those of us who believe in the rule of law need to accept its good faith outcomes, particular when they are formed by 500 interviews and 2,800 subpoenas, no matter how discouraging it might be to the presidents opponents.

But did Trump obstruct justice? Muellers still-confidential report leaves that question open, according to Attorney General William Barr. The Special Counsel chose to list the evidence on both sides, and to draw no conclusion of his own.

Are we supposed to move along now with that matter unresolved?

Obstruction of justice was part of the basis for impeaching both Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon. This needs to be examined by Congress, regardless of the political fallout, and our lawmakers know it: The House voted unanimously, 420-0, to recommend that Barr release the full Mueller report, and that was weeks before we knew the obstruction matter would remain unsettled.

So it is more imperative that we see the evidence Mueller has uncovered. Without public release of the report, suspicions about the presidents curious behavior will linger through the 2020 election, with each side retreating to its tribal bunker, unable to resolve the dispute with facts.

Barr had promised that he would treat this investigation with respect, and he has done just that. He did not impede Mueller by closing down any line of inquiry or by rejecting a request for a subpoena. Nor did he conduct a purge of Justice Department officials, as we saw during the Watergate scandal.

Now comes another test. Barr also told Congress during his confirmation hearings that he would release as much of the report as he could. He has a legitimate reason to withhold information that could damage national interests, but beyond that, the Attorney General must do what Congress unanimously demanded, and put the country ahead of partisan concerns by releasing the entire report and the investigative materials that support its conclusion.

Trump can release the report as well, but we wont hold our breath, given the disdain he has shown for justice, even as Muellers investigation devoured his former campaign manager, his personal lawyer, his national security advisor, and others from his crew of grifters.

No doubt, Trump loyalists applaud Barrs unsupported conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice when he fired FBI Director James Comey  a judgment that has been fiercely debated since Sunday, and one that Trump celebrated with a tweet that the Mueller report conferred Total EXONERATION!

It might have more credibility had Barr not prejudged this case long before he became AG. He was appointed to his job largely because he wrote an unsolicited memo for the Justice Department last June that challenged Muellers entire theory of obstruction, even asserting that Mueller should not be allowed to question Trump about it. That memo was premised on Barrs broad and extreme theory of executive power, and argued that the president has the authority to shut down any federal investigation -- even to kill an inquiry into a presidents own corruption.

So his conclusion that no obstruction occurred says nothing about the facts uncovered by Mueller, and 420 lawmakers agree that such conclusions should be based on evidence.

This much is clear, however: This was no witch hunt. If the evidence from 37 indictments and convictions of the presidents six close advisors was unleashed on the American psyche all at once, wed be experiencing a national aneurysm today.

But we are still in the foothills here. Legal issues are still likely to dog this presidency  the Southern District of New York has landed the biggest punch, naming Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Michael Cohen conviction for campaign finance violations -- and Congress has barely begun to exert its Article One obligations, though a cabal of cowards would just as soon drop the Mueller report into a burn pit.

The American people still want to know what is hidden within their presidents tax returns, his fake charity, the questionable financing of his real estate projects, the criminal lawsuits that were suspiciously dropped against his bogus university, and more than a dozen credible sexual assault accusations.

And as all that unfolds, we await signals that William Barr is truly interested in pursuing justice.

It strikes me that we're 5 hours into a work day and no DOJ reporters have an explanation for why Barr took it upon himself to decide whether Trump had obstructed justice or not.



By my read, at least, Barr doesn't actually say Mueller asked him to decide. pic.twitter.com/m6A97OIdyP  emptywheel (@emptywheel) March 25, 2019

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
How did the president respond to a white supremacist invoking his name in a manifesto before murdering dozens of people at two separate New Zealand mosques? By picking a Twitter fight with a dead man.

Instead of acknowledging a terrorist act, offering some healing words and exhibiting his non-existent core decency, the leader of the free world decided to whine about John McCain being mean to him. To refresh your memory, John McCain-in addition to being a war hero- has been dead for 7 months. Rather than address the growing domestic threat from white supremacists the president once again runs for cover to a Twitter feud. John McCain cant fight back, obviously, but the president did get an angry response from his daughter Meghan on the View, which I imagine was the whole point of the exercise.

What do we do as a nation with a chief executive unwilling to distance himself from violent racial extremists? There is a very real threat of terrorism in this country and its from white nationalists. Over the past decade the overwhelming number of terrorist attacks have been domestic and perpetrated by right wing hate groups. The president has not only done nothing to address the growing threat, but he has actually embraced them. Despite the presidents proclamations to the contrary there are not very fine people on both sides.

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Bill Baroni, the former Port Authority deputy executive executive convicted in the Bridgegate political scandal, was ordered to report to federal prison next month to begin serving his 18-month sentence.

U.S. District Judge Judge Susan Wigenton signed an order for Baronis voluntary surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons by April 9, or any date thereafter set by the bureau. Where he will serve his sentence is not yet known. The bureau said it does not release information regarding where an individual will serve until they arrive.

Meanwhile, Bridget Anne Kelly, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Chris Christie and Baronis co-defendant in the Bridgegate scheme, still awaits re-sentencing in the case later in April. She also is appealing her conviction before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The two were both found guilty in November 2016 of plotting the shutdown of several local access lanes to the toll plaza of the George Washington Bridge in September 2013, in what the U.S. Attorneys office charged was a purely personal vendetta in connection with Christies re-election campaign for governor.

Prosecutors said the two conspired with David Wildstein, a former political operative and patronage appointee to the Port Authority, to cause massive traffic jams in Fort Lee as payback against Mayor Mark Sokolich, after the Democratic mayor walked away from an endorsement of Christie, a Republican. Wildstein, who admitted to masterminding the lane closure plan, pleaded guilty and testified against Baroni and Kelly. He was sentenced to three years probation and 500 hours of community service

Christie was never accused of any wrongdoing and denied any knowledge of the scheme.

Baroni and Kelly had both appealed their convictions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, which largely ruled against them last last November, finding there was no legitimate justification for their conduct. However, the panel threw out a portion of the case dealing with civil rights violations against the two, which focused on whether they had violated the rights of individuals to intrastate travel. That sent the case back to the trial court for re-sentencing on the lesser charges.

Originally sentenced to 24 months by Wigenton, Baroni in February was given a reduced sentence of 18 months in prison. He placed blame for what happened on his effort to promote the interests of Christie in the governors re-election campaign subsequent campaign for president.

In the course of my career I always thought I knew the difference between right and wrong, Baroni said. I wanted to be on the team, I wanted to please him, but I chose to get sucked into his cult and culture. So by the time of this idea, to use the lanes of the George Washington Bridge to help his campaign, I no longer had that line of right and wrong to say no or to stop it. So I didnt.

Kelly, who was initially sentenced to 18 months, is likely to also see a lesser term when she returns to court.

Separately, attorneys for Kelly In her ongoing appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court said the conviction and the appellate panel decision that left most of that conviction intact was at odds with previous court rulings involving allegations of corruption.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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WASHINGTON  U.S. Sen. Cory Booker used a nationally televised town hall on criminal justice Sunday to tout his legislation that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana.

Booker, who has made overhauling the criminal justice system a top priority since coming to the Senate, shared the stage with three other African American lawmakers. They were fellow 2020 Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Reps. Val Demings, D-Fla., and Karen Bass, D-Calif.

The one-hour town hall meeting aired on BET, a cable channel geared toward black audiences.

For Booker and Harris, it was a chance for the two leading black Democratic presidential candidates to discuss an issue of primary importance to a minority community disproportionately singled out by law enforcement. For example, Booker said, black people are four times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana even though both groups use the drug equally.

During a discussion on re-entry programs, Booker cited the provision in his Marijuana Justice Act to create a community reinvestment fund where residents had been adversely impacted by the current drug laws. That money would be earmarked for job training and other programs to help former prisoners re-enter society and community centers.

In addition, states would be encouraged to change those marijuana laws shown to have disproportionately affected minorities and low-income individuals.

Were going to, No. 1, all those tax dollars youre getting should be reinvested in communities most impacted by this and then No. 2, we are going to take money away from states who dont change their marijuana laws and their laws to help to empower people who were formerly had been incarcerated, Booker said. Booker brought up his bill after Harris was asked about her record as a former county and state prosecutor in California.

She talked about her plan not to put people behind bars but to develop re-entry programs to provide former prisoners with alternatives to returning to crime.

Prosecutors are rewarded for having high conviction rates, Harris said. We should be grading them not on conviction rates but public safety."

Dont let the federal government off the hook, Booker responded. "We put in a 1994 crime bill that gave all kinds of incentives to states to change bills and to build prisons. We should be doing things on the other side now to incentivize states to do the right ting.

And Bass, the current chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said such laws actually increased crime by making it impossible for ex-prisoners to find a job.

If you dont allow people to work in the legal economy, people are going to work in the illegal economy, she said.

Other topics discussed were the large number of minorities in prison and the number of poor people behind bars simply because they cant afford to pay bail.

Its an economic justice issue, Harris said. People are sitting in jail because they simply cant afford to get out pending trials, which can be days, weeks or even years."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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New Jersey is poised to become the eighth state to allow doctors to write a lethal prescription for terminally ill patients who want to end their lives.

The state Assembly voted 41-33 with four abstentions Monday to pass the Medical Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act." Minutes later, the state Senate approved the bill 21-16.

Gov. Phil Murphy later issued a statement saying he would sign the measure into law.

Allowing terminally ill and dying residents the dignity to make end-of-life decisions according to their own consciences is the right thing to do," the Democratic governor said. "I look forward to signing this legislation into law.

The measure (A1504) would take effect four months after it is signed.

Susan Boyce, 55 of Rumson, smiled and wept after the final vote.

Ive been working on this quite a while," said Boyce, who is diagnosed with a terminal auto immune disease, Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and needs an oxygen tank to breathe.

Having the law is something I want the option of, Boyce said. I dont know whats in store for me.

In a debate before the vote, Assemblyman Jay Webber, R-Morris, asked his colleagues to delay voting.

Once you cross this line, Mr. Speaker, there is no going back, Webber said.

People, especially those who are elderly, often support assisted suicide because they do not want to burden their loved ones, Webber said. Dont make the right to die an obligation to die, he said.

Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Burlington, who sponsored the bill with state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, said there are enough safeguards to protect the vulnerable.

The right of self determination stands firms no matter what  we control our destiny, Burzichelli said.

In the Senate, Sen. Nia Gill, D-Essex, described the pain she watched her brother endure and her wish she could have helped him.

I think you have a right to live your life in dignity, but you also have the right to end your life in dignity. And its not the pain simply. Its being hooked to machines. Its not being able to breathe on your own," Gill said.

And when they look up at you and say, Sis, I have had it, can you help me? I should have been able to. And I should have been able to have my brother, who used to be a football player for Montclair High School, to decide that he had had enough," Gill said.

California, Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Washington D.C. enacted right to die laws. Montanas right-to-die was established under a court ruling, which provides physicians a legal defense or immunity from prosecution.

The law would apply to New Jersey residents who have received a terminal diagnosis, defined as an incurable, irreversible and medically confirmed disease that will end the persons life within six months.

The legislation specifically says disabilities are not terminal illnesses. Disability advocates say the law could make them vulnerable to coercion because their lives are not seen as worthy as others.

Other opponents insist there is no way for a doctor to determine when most people are going to die, and argue the law will unnecessarily convince people to stop treatment.

In order to get the prescription for the life-ending medication, patients will have to verbally ask their doctor twice over the span of 15 days. A second physician would need to verify the diagnosis, according to the bill.

Patients would also need to submit a request in writing, stating they had been fully informed of alternatives, such as palliative care and pain control. The declaration would need to be witnessed by two people who attest the person is acting voluntarily. One of the two must not be a relative or entitled to any portion of the patients estate or the persons doctor.

Anyone who coerces a patient into requesting the medication would face up to three to five years in prison, a $15,000 or both, according to the bill. Doctors and pharmacists would also be protected from arrest or the loss of their license by complying with the law.

The latest poll on the topic taken by Rutgers University in 2015 found 63 percent of residents said they believed it was morally acceptable to let terminally ill people end their lives; 29 percent did not.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Two people are dead after a double shooting in Ponchatoula, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office said.

Deputies went to a home on Kraft Road on Monday morning (March 25) to check on the welfare of one of the residents and they found two people with fatal gunshot wounds, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Members of the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab were on the scene to help with the processing of the crime scene, the release said.

The Sheriffs Office said more details would be released when they become available.
A 25-year-old Georgia man put his hands up when a New Orleans police officer sought to detain him downtown early Sunday (March 25), then later confessed to a shooting that had just occurred on Decatur Street, as well as two other violent crimes in Georgia and Alabama, police said.

Court records written by NOPD say that Brown admitted to a shooting in Columbus, Ga., as well as the hold-up of a gas station in Mobile, Ala. Detectives confirmed with out of-state authorities that those crimes occurred Friday night and Saturday, respectively.

The arrested man, Kwane Brown, of Columbus, told NOPD detectives he shot the man in a car behind his on Decatur Street because he thought the driver, was after him, according to an affidavit for Browns arrest. In New Orleans, Brown faces a charge of attempted first-degree murder. Orleans Parish Magistrate Judge Harry Cantrell on Monday (March 25) appointed the Orleans Public Defenders office to represent him.

According to the affidavit, Brown admitted during an interview at NOPDs Royal Street police station that he was responsible for the shooting that occurred about 6:45 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Decatur. He gave the interview after signing his acknowledgment of his Miranda Rights, including his right to remain silent, after NOPD and Louisiana State Police troopers arrested him on Convention Center Boulevard near Canal Street, the affidavit states.

Man arrested in Sunday's Decatur Street shooting: NOPD

The affidavit refers to the arrested man both as Kwane Brown and Kwane Smith. Online court records and NOPD spokespeople identified him as Kwane Brown.

Just after Sundays shooting, French Quarter workers in yellow vests pointed a responding NOPD officer toward Browns silver Honda, telling the officer, Thats him, the affidavit states. The workers help led the officer to pull over Brown at Convention Center Boulevard. When asked if he had a gun in the car, the document states, Brown told the officer he did, and a trooper then located a Glock 45 under the drivers seat, along with an additional loaded magazine.

When officers questioned Brown at the 8th District station, the affidavit states, Brown asked a detective what he was referring to, then alluded to something that had occurred in Columbus. Brown then said he came to New Orleans from Georgia and was parked on Bourbon Street when a car behind him kept inching closer and flashing his lights at him, the affidavit states. Brown told police the driver in the car behind him was on his phone, and Brown thought that he was talking about him. Brown also told police he looked back at one point and thought the driver behind him was sleeping, the affidavit states.

Mr. Smith stated that he thought the guy was was [sic] after him and was in fear for his life so he got out of the car and handled it, the affidavit states, continuing, Mr. Smith confessed to shooting the male in the car behind him.

The affidavit makes no mention of any possible prior connection between Brown and the person police say he admitted to shooting, including whether Brown recognized the person or the persons car.

NOPD crime scene technicians recovered 11 shell casings from the scene of the Decatur shooting, the affidavit states. A 34-year-old man was sitting in his car when he was struck by the gunfire, then drove to the 800 block of Iberville Street, outside the Hyatt Hotel, for help. He was struck more than once and hospitalized, NOPD said Sunday.

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Technicians performed a gunshot residue test on Brown, and it returned presumptive positive results, the affidavit states.

After the group of four or five workers in vests pointed to Browns silver Honda at the shooting scene, NOPD Sgt. Sam Dupre, a French Quarter Task Force officer, followed the car west on Decatur. The Honda turned left on Canal Street, then ran a red light at Canal and Tchoupitoulas streets, a detective wrote in the affidavit. The Honda then turned right on Convention Center Boulevard, where a bus obstructed the silver Honda from going any further. Dupre, at that point, told the Hondas driver, identified in the affidavit as both Brown and Smith, to show his hands, a command the affidavits states was repeated three to four times. The driver complied, the affidavit states.

Alleged confession to Georgia shooting

Following Browns confession to the shooting, NOPD Detective Iain Watt asked Brown what he was referring to that had occurred in Columbus. Brown then told the detective, he had shot some people in Columbus (near Martin Luther King) and that it was drug related, the affidavit states. He also told Watt he thought, he may have killed an innocent bystander.

NOPD Detective Sharon Mahan spoke with a detective at the Columbus Police Department who told the detective police there responded to a shooting about 7:30 p.m. Friday (March 22) at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 10th Street in Columbus.

The affidavit then states, The victim was taken to University Hospital where it was determined that he had 18 apparent entrance/exit wounds in his body with at least three to his head. The victims condition is currently stable." The affidavit was unclear, however, if the victims injury description and condition referred to a person shot Friday in Columbus or Sunday on Decatur Street in New Orleans. Asked to clarify on Monday, NOPD spokesman Gary Scheets said the department was not releasing additional information about the case, so as not to jeopardize the developing investigations of other jurisdictions.

Alleged confession to armed robbery in Mobile

After confessing to the Columbus shooting, the affidavit states, Brown told NOPD detectives that he fled Georgia and went to Mobile, Ala., to see his child, but wasnt able to locate the child. While in Mobile, the document states he told police, Brown robbed a gas station across the street from a Dollar General. It says Brown told detectives, he was thinking that he would be stopped by a road block along the way for what he had done.

A sergeant from the Mobile Police Department told NOPD Detective Mahan a Conoco gas station in the 2700 block of Government Boulevard was robbed at gunpoint Saturday, the affidavit states. Google maps shows the Conoco is across the street from a Family Dollar store. The Mobile sergeant told Mahan a Silver Honda with Georgia plates was spotted on the scene of the armed robbery, as well as a man with a low haircut, both consistent with Mr. Smith and his car, the NOPD affidavit states.

Judge Cantrell on Monday set Browns bond at $200,000 and ordered a non-domestic stay-away order in the case. Browns next court hearing is scheduled for April 22.

It was not immediately clear if agencies in Mobile and Columbus plan to file charges against Brown or have already.
A former employee of Delgado Community College was sentenced Thursday (March 21) to 150 hours of community service after pleading guilty to granting students financial aid in exchange for bribes, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser.

Davin Thomas, 32, of Ponchatoula was charged in federal court in July 2018 with solicitation of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds. Thomas worked as financial aid assistant director for processing and systems from November 2013 until August 2016 at the colleges City Park-area campus and was in charge of identifying which students qualified for financial aid.

From April 2014 to August 2016, Thomas offered three students financial aid in exchange for money, prosecutors alleged. He accepted $6,700 in total, court records show.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon sentenced Thomas to perform 150 hours of unpaid community service and to pay $6,700 in restitution.

The FBI, U.S. Department of Education and Office of Inspector General investigated the case. U.S. Assistant Attorney Julia Evans prosecuted Thomas.
A federal judge has granted former District Attorney Walter Reed an additional two weeks of freedom before he has to report for prison to start serving his four-year sentence on corruption charges.

Where the former North Shore prosecutor will serve his time remains to be seen, however.

U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon, who presided over Reeds 2016 trial, granted Reeds request for the two weeks on Friday, according to the order filed into the courts public record system Monday (March 25). Reed now must report for prison on April 15 instead of April 1.

Reeds attorney, Richard Simmons Jr., made the request on medical grounds. His motion said Reed, who turns 73 this year, needs medical procedures before he reports to prison.

A procedure is scheduled for Tuesday (March 26), but the results will not be known for seven to 10 days afterward, said the motion, which was not opposed by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Medical necessity records were shared with prosecutors, the motion said.

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Former DA Walter Reed wants 2 more weeks of freedom because of medical tests

Simmons said recently that Reed had not yet received word from the federal Bureau of Prisons about where he would serve his sentence. Simmons could not be reached Friday or Monday, and the Bureau of Prisons will not disclose where an inmate is placed until the inmate arrives at the facility.

Reed, who was district attorney for St. Tammany and Washington parishes for 30 years through 2014, was convicted in May 2016 of mail fraud, wire fraud, lying on his income tax returns and other charges.

He appealed his convictions to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals but was rejected. Reed plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case.
Four administrators at Louisiana State University have resigned after they violated state law by not obtaining a state drivers license and state registration for their vehicles, The Advocate reports.

The report identified the four as Andrea Ballinger, chief technology officer, who made $268,000 per year; Matthew Helm, assistant vice-president in information technology services, who made $202,085 per year; Susan Flanagin, director in information technology services, who made $149,000 annually; and Thomas Glenn, director of information technology services, who made $144,200 annually. They all claimed Illinois is their primary residence, according to the report citing an LSU Office of Internal Audit report.

Act 264 of the 2013 Louisiana Legislature requires unclassified employees who are paid more than $100,000 a year to provide proof to their public employer that they have a state driver's license and state vehicle registration. The law, sponsored by then state Rep. John Bel Edwards, requires public employers to terminate the unclassified employees role at the business within 30 days of the employer learning that the person doesnt meet the requirements.

The four employees told LSU they would have never taken jobs at the university in 2017 had they known about the state law beforehand, The Advocate reported. The four of them also told LSU they were not planning to obtain a license or registration because following Louisiana law would require them to violate Illinois state law, the report added.

LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard told the newspaper in a statement Friday that the four employees submitted their resignations.

LSU paid $400,000 to an employee who didnt actually work, audit says

Read The Advocates full story.

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.
Special counsel Robert Mueller closed his investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election with notice that no additional charges were pending. But a lot of people did see one final indictment in the findings: of the news media.

Attorney General William Barr's four-page summary of the 22-month investigation released Sunday (March 24) said there was insufficient evidence to conclude that President Donald Trump or his associates conspired with Russians to interfere in the campaign.

That was a jolt for some news organizations that have staked their already tattered reputations on the premise that Mueller would find the Big C, collusion.

Rolling Stones writer Matt Taibbi called it this generations WMD, a reference to the discredited reports by The New York Times and others of weapons of mass destruction as justification for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. No WMDs were found.

"Nobody wants to hear this, but news that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is headed home without issuing new charges is a death-blow for the reputation of the American news media, Taibbi wrote in a column published Saturday.

For Taibbi, who has written a book titled "Hate Inc.: Why Today's Media Makes Us Despise One Another," the coverage failures were in both tone and substance.

"Stories have been coming out for some time now hinting Muellers final report might leave audiences 'disappointed,'" he writes, "as if a President not being a foreign spy could somehow be bad news.

"Openly using such language has, all along, been an indictment. Imagine how tone-deaf youd have to be to not realize it makes you look bad, when news does not match audience expectations you raised. To be unaware of this is mind-boggling, the journalistic equivalent of walking outside without pants."

Rich Lowry, the editor of the conservative National Review, was no less condemning in his evaluation of the media's performance.

The 3 biggest losers from the Mueller report in order  the media, the media, the media, he tweeted Sunday. "It was obsessed & hysterical for 2 years, constantly suggesting the smoking-gun Russia revelation was just over the horizon, sometimes supporting its wished-for conclusion w/ erroneous reporting."

Donald Trump Jr., the presidents son, issued a statement accusing CNN, MSNBC, BuzzFeed and the rest of the mainstream media of propagating non-stop conspiracy theories over the past two years.

Its my hope that honest journalists within the media have the courage to hold these new fully debunked truthers accountable and treat them with the scorn and ridicule they so deserve," he said.

Reckoning and accountability were key terms in these assessments, although anyone expecting public apologies from the likely suspects will be disappointed.

New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet told the Washington Posts media reporter Paul Farhi that he is comfortable with our coverage."

On Russia interference," Baquet said, "we and others wrote extensively about Russias attempt to influence the election, both through hacking and direct approaches by Russians to people around candidate Trump. Those stories were true. And nothing has happened to call into question the reporting about Donald Trumps financial history, or the use of his charity, or any of the other fine investigative reporting over the past three years.

Clarification, corrections and even retractions may come on individual stories, but most of the media will likely stick with this story that it was covering the Mueller investigation, without fear or favor, to its conclusion.

But just as many reporters could not hide their disappointment when Trump prevailed against Hillary Clinton on election night, they were not very good at masking their hopes that Mueller would find a smoking gun. However hard they worked to keep bias from their actual reporting, the public knows their intentions.

They became like prosecutors with tunnel vision for conviction rather than honest investigators seeking the truth.

Thats not true of every reporter or every news organization, but its true enough that even fewer people will trust the media going forward, especially in regard to Trump.

That is the reckoning.

Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com.
Update, March 27: NOPD said Kayla Kelly has returned home and is in good health.

Police are searching for a 15-year-old Algiers girl last seen nearly a week ago, the NOPD said Monday (March 25).

Kayla Kelly was reported missing after she was last seen about 6 a.m. Tuesday in the 1300 block of Southlawn Boulevard (map) in Algiers, police said Monday. The person who reported the teen missing said Kelly got on the school bus that morning but did not attend school that day.

Kelly was last seen in a white shirt, gray-and-brown plaid skirt and black loafer-style shoes. She was wearing black braids in her hair.

Anyone with any information on Kayla Kellys whereabouts is urged to call NOPD 4th District detectives at 504-658-6040.

Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and can be reached at 504-655-6571 and lmcknight@nola.com.
A five-alarm fire in Central City early Monday (March 25) started inside a vacant house and spread to two neighboring apartment buildings on Baronne Street, where four people were rescued by firefighters.

No one was injured in the fire that ultimately required nearly four hours to place under control, said New Orleans Fire Chief Tim McConnell. The cause remains under investigation. More than a dozen residents were directly affected by the fire and six others forced to evacuate as the NOFD used aggressive attacks" to prevent the blaze from spreading further.

The blaze began around 5:15 a.m. in a vacant camelback house at 1832 Baronne Street, where squatters were reported to be staying, McConnell said. No utilities were connected to the house, which firefighters found heavily engulfed in flames.

The fire spread from the camelback to a two-story apartment building at 1828/1830 Baronne St., which contained five apartments housing six people. That building was severely damaged by the fire and will likely be a total loss, McConnell said.

Another two-story residential building, at 1836 Baronne St., received heavy damage on the side facing the camelback house, as well as heavy smoke and water damage. There, firefighters rescued four residents trapped on a second-floor balcony of that building, including a 3-year-old girl. A total of five people lived in the building, according to the NOFD.

Six other people were evacuated from seven apartments at 1824/26 Baronne St., which received moderate smoke and water damage.

More than 60 firefighters and 22 fire vehicles were on the scene in the 1800 block of Baronne Street, battling the fire that was classified as five alarms by 6:30 a.m. Even three hours after it began, flames and billowing smoke could still be seen.

Jami Comeaux, 34, property manager for one of the residential buildings that caught fire, said she woke around 5 a.m. to a crackling sound and then saw flames outside of her window. Comeaux grabbed her keys and computer, left her apartment and began banging on other apartment doors to warn others, she said.

A couple in one apartment and a man in a second apartment came outside. Another tenant, a woman, wasnt home and firefighters rescued her dog, she said.

Comeaux said she believes the fire began at the abandoned camelback home next door; fire officials later confirmed this. The house has been vacant, although Comeaux said she has seen a man staying there recently.

It was supposed to be torn down, she said.

Kamal Packer, 28, said his English bulldog, Buster, woke him by running through his apartment, which is in building managed by Comeaux.

Packer said he went to his living room window, pulled back the curtains and saw the house on fire. He, too, banged on the walls of his neighbors apartments, to make sure everyone was out.

I panicked, Packer said. I didnt even think to get anything out but my cellphone.

Packer, a law student at Loyola University, stood at the scene Monday in donated flip-flops, his close friend Marianne Joyce watching over his dog, Buster.

He (had) no shoes on but he knocked on everyones door, Joyce said. Thats the kind of person he is.

Joyce said she grew close to Packer while living on Baronne Street; shes since moved to a home on Magazine Street, where Packer and Buster will have a place to stay post-fire, she said.

Hes like my son, Joyce said, as Packer spoke with reporters and Buster posed for photos.

Jake Clover, 28, who lives in the same building as Packer, said he woke to Buster barking and then looked outside, toward the camelback home, to see a wall of fire.

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Clover said he grabbed his most cherished books, including Ernest Hemingway works gifted him by his grandfather, and then joined Packer in knocking on neighbors doors.

Clover said they also banged on the door of the camelback, and a man came out. Clover said he recognized the man as a friend of the homes main occupant. Though firefighters said the camelback home was vacant, several neighbors, including Comeaux and Clover, said a man seems to be living there.

Faith Meyers, a second-year medical student at Louisiana State University, said she and her fiance woke to Packer and Clover beating on doors.

It took us a second to realize what was going on, she said.

They grabbed their dog, Koda, and cat, Bodhi, and left.

Thats all we had time to get, Meyers said.

Another woman at the scene said she, her boyfriend and her 3-year-old daughter were rescued from their balcony by firefighters. The woman, who declined to give her name, said she and her family, who live in the apartment building to the right of the camelback house that caught fire, woke to a commotion.

We heard people screaming, she said, and opened the bedroom door to discover smoke and heat.

The family could not get downstairs or access their door due to the spreading fire so they rushed to the balcony, where firefighters used a ladder to help them escape the blaze, the woman said. Later Monday morning, the three sat in a car at the scene, the 3-year-old girl still in her princess-themed nightgown, as firefighters worked to quash the blaze.

Firefighters also rescued a dog. Nicole Martinez said she was not home when the fire began, but firefighters retrieved her pup, Honey.

Martinez, Meyers and several others, including their pets, had gathered on a porch across the street from the fire, where they watched as the NOFD fought the last of the flames. American Red Cross workers were on scene collecting information, and friends of those displaced by the blaze also showed up with coffee, food, clothing, even a spare medical textbook.

Jimmy Sochat, 48, who lives in the building from which four people were rescued, stood across the street from the fire holding his miniature dachshund, Arnold, in one arm.

Sochat said he woke to a woman banging on his door.

Your house is on fire, the woman told him when he opened the door.

Sochat said he grabbed Arnold and his laptop and got out.

I was like, (Expletive), Im going to lose all my things, he said, but he then felt grateful that he and his neighbors evaded a five-alarm inferno.

Well, Im alive," Sochat said he realized. "Its just things.

The NOPD, New Orleans EMS, Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal, Entergy, New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, New Orleans Department of Code Enforcement and Alcohol Tobacco, Fire Arms and Explosives (ATF) assisted the NOFD in handling the fire.

Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and can be reached at 504-655-6571 and lmcknight@nola.com.
A settlement of the Port Marigny suit against the city of Mandeville is on the horizon, more than two years after the City Councils denial of the huge lakefront residential-business development sparked a lengthy court battle.

Chris Moody, an attorney representing the city, said Monday morning (March 25) that U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier is reviewing the proposed settlement, called a consent judgment. Barbier must sign off on it.

An entry Friday (March 22) in the voluminous file in U.S. District Court unveiled the proposed settlement, saying that the parties had agreed to the consent judgement and that the trial, which had been set to start Monday morning in federal court in New Orleans, would be continued.

Moody said he could not release details of the settlement.

Efforts to get comment from Matt Coman, Port Marignys attorney, were not immediately successful Monday morning.

Asked Friday night about a possible settlement in the works, Mandeville Mayor Donald Villere responded: We hope. Ive always hoped that we could settle it.

It does look like were on the downside of this," City Councilman Mike Pulaski said Monday morning.

The controversial Port Marigny development, proposed for the 77-acre site of a former concrete plant stretching just east of the Causeway from Monroe Street to Lake Pontchartrain, has dominated city political discussions since it was first pitched in 2015. The developers, brothers Drs. Marcus and Michael Pittman, presented a splashy $180 million New Urbanist" community with several hundred residences, businesses, a hotel and a marina designed in the motif of a traditional neighborhood.

Sides became drawn over that proposal. Some proponents called it a valuable economic opportunity, but numerous others raised concerns about density, traffic and flooding.

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Capping a series of often contentious community and government meetings spanning two years, the City Council rejected the plans in March 2017. The developers filed their suit the following month.

In their suit, the Pittmans contend the development met various city requirements, and that the councils denial amounted to a taking" of the property they had acquired for $2.85 million in a 1984 tax sale. The suit sought monetary damages from the city as well as legal fees, which have piled up during the lengthy and complicated court proceedings.

New Port Marigny site ordinance

In a move some observers said was part of the legal maneuvering to boost the citys case, the council last November unanimously approved a new ordinance to steer any development of the tract. That ordinance outlines a lengthy approval process. Among other things, it caps the number of residences at 350, sets elevation requirements and mandates multiple environmental assessments in separate phases of the regulatory process. (Read the citys ordinance here.)

The proposed consent judgment comes after a motion for summary judgement the city filed in January. That motion references the new ordinance and said it moots all of plaintiffs claims" in their suit. Barbier has yet to rule on that motion.

Moody said he thinks its important to note that any development of the site will be subject to the regulations outlined in the new ordinance.

Its a really great victory for Mandeville, I think," he said.

Check back with NOLA.com for more on this developing story.
A summary of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, indicating there was no evidence President Donald Trumps campaign coordinated with Russia to affect the outcome of the 2016 election should put an outrageous chapter behind us, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Old Jefferson, said in a statement Sunday (March 24).

Attorney General William Barr delivered a four-page letter to Congress with an overview of the report Mueller filed Friday with the Justice Department. The special counsel does not exonerate Trump, Barr wrote, yet he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offense.

Scalise, the House minority whip, blasted Democrats and their allies in the media for perpetuating what he called a shameless effort to discredit a President whose election they still are trying to overturn.

Read Scalises complete statement below.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., made a brief remark on Twitter after Barrs letter was sent to Congress, saying he was still reviewing Muellers report. The attorney generals summary, Cassidy said, affirms my belief that there was no collusion in the 2016 election.

In an interview with NPR, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Shreveport, said the Mueller reports findings constitute a great outcome for all the American people.

We really believe on the Republican side, and were hopeful that our colleagues on the other side will agree, its time to move on, Johnson said. We have huge challenges that face this country, and we need to work on it.

In a Twitter post, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Port Barre, also said it was time to move on from the Mueller probe. He joined a chorus of news media critics after the Barr summary was made public.

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A spokesperson for Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he was still reviewing the findings of the Mueller report when asked whether he had any response.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune has also reached out for reaction from Reps. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, and Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge. This story will be updated with any additional responses.

Stay with NOLA.com for more on this story.

Rep. Steve Scalises full statement on the Mueller report summary:

"I am glad that the special counsels investigation has finally drawn to a close and we can put this outrageous chapter behind us. Rather than focus on the issues that affect the lives of everyday Americans, like jobs, health care, and border security, Democrats and their allies in the media have chosen to spend the last 674 days perpetuating conspiracy theories and lies in a shameless effort to discredit a President whose election they still are trying to overturn.

Attorney General Barr concluded that the president did not obstruct justice, and the special counsel definitively stated President Trump is not charged with any crimes. For years, high-ranking Democrats in leadership positions in Congress claimed the special counsels report would provide definitive proof of collusion, and todays report has proven that to be an outright lie once and for all. Everyone who made those kind of untrue and outrageous claims should apologize for misleading the American people for the last two years.

Im glad Attorney General Barr has acted swiftly to release the conclusions of this report that vindicates President Trump and gives credence to the claims that this was a witch hunt that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.
All the members of Louisianas congressional delegation, Louisianas governor and the most recent two mayors of New Orleans took issue with Rep. Steve Kings claim last week that Hurricane Katrina victims sat around waiting for the governments help unlike Iowas current flood victims who have been taking care of things themselves.

Rep. Steve Scalises statement calls Kings comments absurd and offensive. Rep. Ralph Abrahams says Louisianians always help one another when disaster strikes and says, Anyone who would say otherwise doesnt know the real Louisiana. Rep. Clay Higgins: Its apparent that Mr. King knows little about the people of Louisiana. Our state has proven for generations to be resilient in the wake of disasters. Rep. Mike Johnson: Louisianians are some of the strongest, most committed and most resilient people in the world, and we have proven that over and over again. Rep. Garrett Graves told WWL Radio that Kings comments were incredibly insensitive.

Sen. John Kennedy: Louisianians dont whine and wail when disaster strikes. Louisianians jump into fishing boats and help their neighbors. Sen. Bill Cassidy wrote that he personally participated and witnessed people from Louisiana helping people in Louisiana affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Gov. John Bel Edwards called the comments disgusting and disheartening; Mayor LaToya Cantrell wrote, I dont know where Rep. King was when I was standing shoulder to shoulder with my neighbors fighting to bring our community back, and her predecessor, Mitch Landrieu, wrote, The foundation of our recovery was neighbors standing each other back up.

Rep. Cedric Richmonds written statement was noticeably different than the rest. Steve King is a white supremacist, he wrote, and I wont stand for it.

On CNN on March 22, journalist Anderson Cooper asked Landrieu if he agreed with Richmond. Landrieu answered, " I do. I do... I would ask the people of America just to think this. If you speak a certain way and act a certain way, and that is racial and racist, then that is what you are. We dont have to shy away from saying those kinds of things. "

Its disappointing, but in no way shocking, that more Louisiana officials didnt get as real as Richmond and Landrieu and characterize Kings comparison of New Orleanians and Iowans as racist. Because, lets not fool ourselves, it is racist.

For every 100 people who lived in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, 67 of them were black and 28 were white. For every 100 people who live in Iowa right now, 91 of them are white and only 3 are black. So at the sound of the word Iowans, the mind is almost certain to pull up the image of a white person. Say New Orleanian, particularly New Orleanian in Katrina, and the image of a black person pops up.

Mocking Hurricane Katrina victims never was -- and never will be -- funny

Lets not forget that this years national conversation about blackface started when a photograph was published of Florida Secretary of State Mike Ertel who had attended a 2005 Halloween Party costumed as a black woman. He wore a T-shirt that read Katrina Victim.

Lets acknowledge that its offensive in and of itself to go to a costume party dressed as the victim of a tragedy that killed so many people. But when we acknowledge that point, let us ask this question: Why did Ertel, a white man, think he had to be something other than a white man to portray a Katrina victim?

As stated above, New Orleans was two thirds black before Katrina landed on the Gulf Coast. Even so, black New Orleanians were overrepresented in the around-the-clock news coverage of suffering that followed the storm. There were not a lot of television cameras in Lakeview, to say nothing of St. Bernard Parish. Therefore, many people who depended on those national reports for news developed the belief that it was black people  and black people alone  who were hurt by that disaster.

King told his constituents at a March 21 townhall meeting that a FEMA official told him, We go to a place like New Orleans and everybodys looking around saying, whos gonna help me, whos gonna help me? Then King expresses admiration for how Iowans take care of each other.

Translation: Those New Orleanians were shiftless and lazy, and they just sat around looking for hand-outs. You, Iowans, are better people: hardworking, industrious.

Though King has been known to be more openly racist  White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization  how did that language become offensive? he said in January  the fact that he avoided saying white this time doesnt mean his statement wasnt coming from the same hateful place.

Again, Richmond and Landrieu clearly saw the comment for what it was. Did the rest of the politicians who made responded to Kings comment not see it? Were they too chicken to call it racism? Or do some of them actually agree with Kings negative opinion of New Orleans?

Pay attention to what King said and what some of our elected officials said in response. King impugned New Orleans. Cassidy, Kennedy, Abraham, Higgins and Johnson defended Louisiana. Thats nowhere near specific enough. Rhapsodizing about the Cajun Navy and praising the industry and neighborliness of Louisianians is not the same thing as standing up for New Orleans.

And Kings remark demanded that New Orleans itself be defended.

Scalise and Cantrell explicitly spoke up for New Orleanians. We should be glad they did. But we should all call Kings remark what it was: yet another iteration of Kings racist belief that white folks are better folks.

UPDATE: Though originally based on public officials written statements, this column has been updated to reflect that, in a CNN interview, Landrieu called out the racism in Kings remarks.

Jarvis DeBerry is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write Jarvis at jdeberry@nola.com or @jarvisdeberry.
The 81st District is one of the more venerable seats in the Louisiana House of Representatives. And its a good example of whats about to happen when legislators sit down in February for the political task of redrawing the lines of districts from
It has been reported that Walmart has been meeting with a number of game developers and publishers to discuss a potential video-game streaming service. With Google just revealing its Stadia service and Nvidias GeForce Now platform gearing up for worldwide launch, theres a good chance cloud gaming is going to revolutionize the way people play video games on a huge scale.

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It wouldnt be entirely unsurprising if the rumor that executives from Walmart have been talking with developers and publishers about creating its own game streaming service is true. The idea itself isnt new: PlayStation Now has been operating since 2014 (although gamers are restricted to its library of games) and OnLive started in 2010 but was shutdown in 2015. With big names like Google and Nvidia pushing deeper into cloud-gaming territory, it seems Walmart might want to accompany them on their journey.

The global video-game market is growing, and it is predicted to keep moving in an upward direction: It could be worth over US$135 billion by 2020. Its undeniable that gaming on demand is still a relatively new sector of the industry, but its going to become massive. Walmart has already started selling an exclusive range of gaming laptops (the Overpowered series, designed by Esports Arena) that have been well-received, and the retail giant might be considering further expeditions into the gaming domain.

Of course, this rumor comes from anonymous sources, and its likely that any talks or plans are at a very early stage  so there wont be any Walmart-brand game-streaming software or hardware to report about for the time being. But even though Walmart doesnt have Googles vast experience in the technology area, neither does it have dozens of data centers nor control of the all-important YouTube, what it does have is nearly US$220 billion in assets and over 200 million customers in the US alone. For those that dont trust Google with their personal data, Walmart could be seen as a comforting alternative when it comes to choosing a game-streaming service.
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The K once ran along the C line in Manhattan, but the letter was retired in 1988.

Once a letter disappears from the map, that doesnt mean it is gone forever. The W train, between Queens and Manhattan, was axed in 2010 and then reappeared in 2016 as part of new service after the opening of the Second Avenue subway, which diverted the Q train to three new stations on Manhattans Upper East Side.

As for the Z, transit advocates held a funeral for the line amid budget cuts in 2009, but it has survived after all (for now).



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It was sold as a next generation aircraft. But it has now been involved in two fatal crashes in just five months. The Boeing 737 Max 8 entered the market in 2017, a part of the 737 Max class, and became an instant hit. Within the first six months, more than 4,000 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes had been ordered. It quickly became the companys best-selling plane ever. The new model was advertised as a rare win-win for both airlines and passengers. Its going to give them max efficiency, which leads to profitability; max reliability, and to the flying public: max passenger appeal. The demand for something new. Boeing debuted the new planes in response to market pressures. In late 2010, Boeings archrival, Airbus, had just announced a new fuel-efficient version of its best selling A320. Boeing countered with the introduction of the 737 Max  The Max uses 14 percent less fuel than current 737s  its own version of fuel- and cost- efficient aircrafts. Their message to customers was: These are new planes that arent that new. Boeing 737  Newest arrival in the Boeing family of airliners, the 737 attracts a crowd. Boeings first 737 model took off in 1967. A new queen of the sky. For the Max class, Boeing upgraded the engine and design. They added more cabin space, bigger windows and multicolored ceiling lights to help modernize the planes. But the company kept the 737 name because it evoked a legacy of reliability and built trust. Ill tell you what, its just a beautiful, beautiful airplane. Not only were they able to modernize the airplane with new engines, and new winglets, but they were able to keep that classic iconic 737 look. But that isnt the whole story. The new model was also designed to help carriers save money. Which means CEOs like the Max. Really like the Max. Major changes to the plane would have required pilots to be retrained. But Boeings position was that the new models handled enough like the old ones. Though the 737 Max 8 planes did actually have a number of changes, including the size and location of the engines. The higher and more forward position of the larger engines can cause the planes nose to pitch up, a potential danger. To compensate for this, Boeing added a computerized system called MCAS to prevent the planes nose from getting too high and causing a stall. But the F.A.A. initially said pilots did not need to be informed of this system update. Experts say that the lack of training for the new system may have helped cause a deadly crash with a Max 8 off the coast of Indonesia in October, killing 189 people. All of the Boeing 737 Max 8s in the world are believed to have been grounded, while a second crash in Ethiopia is investigated. Boeing said it supported the decision to ground the planes and is cooperating with investigators.
We know that the Russian government interfered repeatedly in the 2016 presidential election, by hacking into computer servers of the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. We know that it did this with the goals of dividing Americans and helping Donald Trump win the presidency. We know that when top members of the Trump campaign learned about this interference, they didnt just fail to report it to the F.B.I. They welcomed it. They encouraged it. They made jokes about it. On the same day that Mr. Trump publicly urged the Russians to hack into Hillary Clintons emails, they began to do just that. And we know that when questioned by federal authorities, many of Mr. Trumps top associates lied, sometimes repeatedly, about their communications with Russians. None of this is in dispute.

That Mr. Mueller couldnt find sufficient evidence that Mr. Trump or anyone involved in his campaign had coordinated directly with the Russians may be explained by the fact that they didnt need to. They were already getting that help.

We also know that what began as a counterintelligence investigation quickly turned into a criminal investigation, in large part because Mr. Trump surrounded himself with criminals. To date, his campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; his deputy campaign chairman, Rick Gates; his national security adviser, Michael Flynn; his campaign foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos; and his personal lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, have all pleaded guilty or been convicted of federal crimes. In January, Mr. Mueller charged Roger Stone, Mr. Trumps longtime aide, with multiple counts of witness tampering, obstructing justice, and making false statements.

Imagine if wed learned all of this just Sunday, in one fell swoop, rather than in a trickle of indictments and prosecutions over the last 18 months.

Americans are, of course, continuing to learn more unsettling truths from the dozen or so other investigations that are continuing, such as the one in New York that has already landed Mr. Cohen a three-year prison sentence for campaign-finance violations that prosecutors said Mr. Trump was also involved in, from the White House.

One might expect Mr. Trump to feel happiness at Sundays news, but for him, that emotion seems to transform into a desire for vengeance. Its no surprise that he and his allies are once again floating the idea of prosecuting Mrs. Clinton. Remember her? She was the candidate who, during a presidential debate all the way back in 2016, said: Its pretty clear you wont admit that the Russians have engaged in cyberattacks against the United States of America, that you encouraged espionage against our people, that you are willing to spout the Putin line, sign up for his wish list, break up NATO, do whatever he wants to do and that you continue to get help from him because he has a very clear favorite in this race.

Mr. Putin did have a clear favorite. He interfered on his behalf, and his favorite was elected president. Trump campaign officials knew about this and were more than happy for the help. Then they lied about receiving that help. This isnt so complicated. And while Mr. Mueller may not be able to do anything about it, Congress, and the American people, certainly can.
The Mueller Report has landed  with a thud. According to summary findings released by Attorney General William Barr, the special counsel Robert Muellers nearly two-year-long investigation found no conspiracy between Donald Trump and his associates and Russia. The report would seem to support Trumps mantra: No collusion. Trump will no doubt use these findings as a cudgel against future inquiries, regardless of merit.

The report did not, however, exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice. I submit that we witnessed that Trump obstructed justice in open view, from the White House and on social media.

And while Trump waged a two-year battle of slander and misinformation to defame the Mueller investigation, the majority of Democratic leadership did nothing to make the case that he had already reached the threshold of accountability, even without the report. Instead, they put too many eggs in the Mueller basket, and allowed Trump to move the goal posts. Indeed, now the goal posts are permanently affixed to skates.

The best case against Donald Trump and the age of Trumpism has always been, and remains, the moral case. Criminality is only one facet of that, although it is the one that the courts and Congress can use to punish him.
We hike the same miles with the same weight in our pack, we have one physical training playbook, our chow halls serve the same food.

LT. COL. MISTY J. POSEY, who commands female recruits at Parris Island, describing the ways their training in the Marines is similar to that of male recruits.
Many Democratic presidential candidates on Sunday called for the release of the special counsels entire report and said they were dissatisfied with relying on Attorney General William P. Barrs four-page summary of the two-year investigation.

Mr. Barrs letter said the investigation, led by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, concluded that neither the president nor his aides conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its interference in the 2016 presidential election.

[Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping American politics with our newsletter.]

Julian Castro, one of the 15 Democrats to have announced their candidacy for president in 2020, said Congress should be allowed to see the report in its entirety. He said Mr. Barr was too close to the Trump administration for his summary to be the only peek into Mr. Muellers work.

A politically appointed Attorney General shouldnt decide how much of the Special Counsel report Congress can read, Mr. Castro tweeted minutes after the letter was released. The full report should be released and Robert Mueller should testify to its findings.
michael schmidt

Hello? Hello? Hello?

maggie haberman

Hello.

michael schmidt

Maggie?

maggie haberman

Hi.

michael schmidt

Can you hear me?

maggie haberman

Yes, can you hear me?

michael schmidt

Yeah, hold on, hold on, hold on. Wearing two headphones right now.

maggie haberman

Mm. Sounds about right.

michael schmidt

Can you hear me? Oh, thats better.

maggie haberman

We gotcha. Were just waiting on the star.

michael barbaro

Hi.

maggie haberman

Its Michael Barbaro, host of The Daily.

michael schmidt

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo.

michael barbaro

From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today  Attorney General William Barr has sent a letter to Congress summarizing the findings of the special counsel investigation: No coordination with Russia. More complicated on obstruction of justice. My colleagues Maggie Haberman and Mike Schmidt explain. Its Monday, March 25. O.K. Maggie, like, it is 6:00 p.m. on Sunday evening. Two hours ago, the attorney general, Bill Barr, sent a letter to congressional leaders outlining the major conclusions of the special counsels report.

michael schmidt

The report is broken into two parts. The first one is on the biggest, most central question that has surrounded the president since he was elected: What are the ties between his campaign and Russia? And on that issue, Barr is unequivocal.

michael barbaro

What does he say?

michael schmidt

He says there are no ties between what Russia did in the election and Trumps campaign. That despite how aggressively the Russians tried to interfere in our election, and even outreach that they made to the campaign, they were able to find no evidence that they actually worked together.

michael barbaro

But Mike, help me understand this. In the lead-up to the report, the Mueller investigation issued a number of subpoenas and charges that felt like they revealed forms of collusion. Im thinking about Papadopoulos, Manafort, a meeting inside Trump Tower that involved the presidents son and his son-in-law. Those all felt like forms of collusion.

michael schmidt

I think that what went on was that the Trump campaign was sort of collusion-curious in the sense that they were open to sort of talking to anyone about anything. And the Russians were reaching out right. And that meant that there were a lot of odd contacts that occurred. What I think Mueller and Barr are saying is that even though a lot of that stuff looks funky, we have no evidence that they linked hands and tried to work together to hurt Clinton.

michael barbaro

So collusion-curious does not equal coordination.

maggie haberman

No. Being interested in getting information is something that you have heard either the president say or people around the president say. You know, of course, we took these meetings. Of course when people reached out to us, we listened to them. Who wouldnt? Their argument has been that they were just doing what anyone would do. And the other argument theyve made repeatedly is that they were too discombobulated and too green and too new at this to even know how to collude. And as someone who covered that campaign, I can tell you there is some logic to that argument.

michael barbaro

As somebody whos slightly more removed from the day to day of this investigation than either of you, its starting to feel from this summary from Bill Barr of the Mueller report that what the investigation found was what we all kind of knew the investigation found as it was finding. That there was nothing all that big being held back. And that helps us understand this conclusion.

maggie haberman

What we saw in indictments either of Paul Manafort, or of his deputy Rick Gates, who pleaded guilty, or of Mike Flynn or George Papadopoulos, this might have been, it seems, all there was. This was all the information that they were able to prove existed.

michael barbaro

Mike, what do you think of that?

michael schmidt

Lets go back and look at the indictments and guilty pleas. George Papadopoulos, a campaign official who had contacts with individuals who said the Russians were going to be releasing information about Hillary Clintons emails before it came out. When George Papadopoulos pleads guilty, he does not plead guilty to conspiring with the Russians. He pleads guilty to making false statements to investigators about that contact. The presidents former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has these odd phone calls with the Russian ambassador during the transition in which they discuss lifting sanctions that have just been imposed by the Obama administration for election meddling. When Mike Flynn goes into court to plead guilty, he doesnt plead guilty to conspiring with the Russians. He pleads guilty to making false statements to the F.B.I. about it. So as we went along in the investigation over the past 22 months, we never saw charges that said that the campaign conspired with Russia. There was some question  was Mueller holding out something like that until the end? Was he going to wait and then make a move on it? Well, today, we know that they never found anything.

michael barbaro

Right. He wasnt making those kinds of indictments because he didnt have any evidence of it.

maggie haberman

Or at least he didnt have enough to bring an indictment. I mean, he might have found strains of information, he might have found pieces along the way, but it clearly was not enough to bring a charge.

michael barbaro

So in the end, this was a bunch of people around the president lying, perhaps to avoid what might look like coordination if they were going to tell the truth, but not actually coordinating, according to the legal definition.

michael schmidt

Correct.

michael barbaro

And what about the second question in this letter, the question of obstruction of justice? What does Barrs summary of the Mueller report say about that?

michael schmidt

So the obstruction part is not nearly as clean-cut as the collusion section. On obstruction, Barr essentially says that Mueller did not come to his own determination on whether the president obstructed justice. That Mueller could not indict or exonerate the president for that charge. But that left the door open for Barr to say, look, Mueller has not made a determination on this. I, as the attorney general, along with the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, will make that call. And we do not believe there is a case to be made the president obstructed justice.

michael barbaro

I dont quite understand whats going on here. Why do we think, Mike, that Mueller declined to weigh in on this question of obstruction of justice? Why leave it kind of up in the air?

maggie haberman

Theres not really a full explanation for that. And Im not sure. For the past 22 months, Democrats and a lot of folks in the media have built Mueller up as sort of this paragon of justice, and someone who was willing and able to go out and make determinations and calls on really tough issues in non-partisan, follow-the-facts ways. And here, we have Mueller essentially saying, I dont really have a determination on it. For each of the relevant actions, the letter says, that were investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as, quote, difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. The special counsel states that, quote, while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

michael barbaro

Lets pick apart what I think we can all agree is the most salient example of this, where maybe disentangling motive and law and obstruction of justice is really tangled up. And that would be the firing of James Comey. The president at first says its not about Russia, then goes on television, says, it really is about Russia. And yet we all know that the president can pretty much fire anyone at that level if he wants to. Is that what Bill Barr, in summarizing Mueller, is saying? That this stuff is just really difficult, and so were not making a call?

maggie haberman

Mueller is saying this is really difficult, and its hard to get in the presidents head and know what his intent was and his frame of mind was. And he decides that he is not going to be the one to make that call. Bill Barr, not wanting, I think, to leave this as an open-ended thing puts a pin in it and says, this is done.

michael barbaro

And says, I will make that call.

maggie haberman

I will make that call. And we do not believe that this is sufficient to say that the president obstructed justice. And remember, obstruction of justice was key to Richard Nixon. This was a piece that the presidents folks were worried about. They had felt really confident the whole time that there would not be an evidence-based case of conspiracy related to Russia. But they were concerned about what it would find on the obstruction piece.

michael schmidt

Interestingly  and I still dont think this issue has gotten enough attention  the central question here was the presidents intent when he took actions like firing Comey. But at the end of the day, the president of the United States never sat for an interview with investigators to answer those questions. So here you have the attorney general saying, this thing is done, but weve never heard from Donald Trump on it. And the reason we never heard from Donald Trump on it was that his lawyers were so afraid that if he sat down to answer questions, he would make a factually inaccurate statement and would increase his criminal exposure.

michael barbaro

And its within the presidents rights not to sit down for such an interview.

michael schmidt

Thats not true. The Justice Department could have subpoenaed him for an interview.

michael barbaro

But why didnt they?

michael schmidt

One of the unanswered questions in this. But in an investigation where the central question was what was the presidents intent, Bob Mueller was never able to ask him that question.

michael barbaro

But he wasnt able to ask him the question because he never issued a subpoena. He never pursued all legal avenues?

maggie haberman

We dont know whether he pursued a legal avenue and was told that there wasnt sufficient anything to go get a subpoena, or whether he just didnt seek one. And that is, to me right now as we sit here, an open question. I dont know whether Bob Mueller actually sought to go after this subpoena, which a lot of people thought that he would do. Were not going to know for some time.

michael schmidt

But what we did learn on Friday when Barr first announced the end of the Mueller investigation was there was no instance in the investigation where Mueller wanted to take a major step, like indict someone, or subpoena them, or get a search warrant, in which he was told by his superiors at the Justice Department that he could not do that. So that would sort of bolster the argument that Mueller was not stopped by the Justice Department from seeking a subpoena to interview the president. Hes saying there were no instances in which Mueller was stopped from moving forward with something he wanted to do.

michael barbaro

No matter what, in this moment where so much of this second question of obstruction of justice comes down to the presidents motivation, which is essentially a matter of getting into someones head, never hearing from President Trump feels very significant.

maggie haberman

Its a huge deal. Barr lays it out in this letter to Congress about what Muellers thinking was, where he describes that the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question. And I think what you have there is the presidents lawyers have repeatedly offered up explanations for why the president could have been doing something that were not necessarily nefarious or that were not undermining. And the main thing that they have said over and over is, this isnt obstruction because its all playing out in public. Its not hidden. He has a right to express his views as a citizen of the country. And I anticipate that should we ever see what is in this report, that is going to show up a lot.

michael schmidt

When Maggie and I would talk to Rudy Giuliani during the investigation 

michael barbaro

The presidents lawyer.

michael schmidt

He would say things like, obstruction of justice and trying to interfere in an investigation is going into a dark alley and threatening to break someones leg if they cooperate with investigators. Its bribing someone to not testify. But what Giuliani said is that all this stuff is happening out in the open. Hes not trying to twist anyones arm. Hes just blowing off steam about the investigation. And what conspiracy is there in that?

michael barbaro

Were either of you surprised by either of these actions outlined in this letter when it comes to obstruction of justice  by Mueller declining to make a call, or by Barr being so quick to make a call?

maggie haberman

I was not surprised that Mueller didnt make a call. I was surprised that Barr moved so quickly. I did not think that the collusion aspect of this letter was going to be revelatory, but I did think that the obstruction one possibly would be. And it shuts it down definitively. There is a piece of the letter that we havent talked about, which is that Bill Barr, the attorney general, tells Congress that Robert Mueller, the special counsel, recognized that, quote, the evidence does not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference. And that while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the presidents intent with respect to obstruction. So a big piece of the thinking for Barr seems to have been that since there is not an underlying crime that was found related to the president, that obstruction is harder to prove.

michael barbaro

In other words, there is a connection between these two questions. Between coordination and obstruction of justice. That if there was no coordination, if there is no original sin, then its hard to establish that there was obstruction of justice.

maggie haberman

Right. If there is no crime that was committed, it is hard to suggest that the president was trying to obstruct justice in the course of pursuing evidence about that crime. And that is an argument that Mike and I also heard the presidents lawyers say repeatedly, which was that there couldnt be obstruction of justice because theres nothing to obstruct.

michael barbaro

Does that seem like universally sound legal logic? That you cant commit a crime in obstructing investigations into something that wasnt a crime? Because it certainly feels like if someones investigating me, and I decide to stop the investigation in violation of the law, that that could be itself a violation of a law, separate and apart from whether or not what I was being investigated for in the first place was a crime? I mean, are those two things necessarily connected?

michael schmidt

I think theres two reasons why the Justice Department would not want to bring a case like this. The first is that if theres not an underlying crime, then do you really want to bring an obstruction case? Do you really want to go to court to try and convince a jury that someone took actions where there was nothing to cover up? I think thats a tough case to make. The second thing is that while the president huffed and puffed a lot about this investigation, Im not sure how much real damage it did to it. Bob Mueller was able to pursue his inquiry. He was not fired. They finished what they had. They werent impeded by the Justice Department. So what was the real damage? If the president was obstructing, how did he really hurt the investigation? Give me the damage report. And I dont think at the end of the day there was that much that actually hurt Muellers teams ability to do their job. It may have been loud, it may have been annoying, it may have been dispiriting. But I think they were able to pursue what they needed to.

maggie haberman

I think, also, theres a third point, which is that I think that Bob Mueller was very mindful that he was dealing with the presidency and the damage that an ongoing case like this, if it was iffy, and not locked solid, not completely nailed down, could cause not just the office of the presidency, but the kind of trauma that brings to a country.

michael barbaro

Im very struck as were talking, Maggie and Mike, that, at least according to this letter, this is exactly what we have had in front of us all along.

maggie haberman

Unless the report has a lot of information that were not seeing, what we saw play out publicly is what was there. The attorney general made clear that this investigation was ending without a recommendation of more indictments. That includes sealed indictments. This is what were getting. It will now move to Capitol Hill, and Democrats will seek to get as much material as they can. But in terms of the part the president was really concerned about in terms of Mueller, that is over.

michael barbaro

So lets talk about what Congress is going to do now. Congressional leaders have just received this letter. Mike, you have told us in the past that Democrats were going to be very cautious in how they proceeded under any circumstances. And that if Mueller didnt find the sort of thing that would force even Republicans in Congress to acknowledge that the president had violated the law, impeachment proceedings would be very unlikely. And it seems like this letter is not at all what Democrats would have needed to move forward in that sort of way.

michael schmidt

I think it takes a lot of wind out of their sails. They basically have full-blown investigations into obstruction and collusion going on. And here, you have Mueller, someone who has far better tools than they will ever have to investigate, coming out and clearing the president on the Russia issue and giving a mixed message on obstruction that allows Barr to clear him there. It gives the Republicans a very good argument to say, why are you guys continuing to look at these issues? Why are you continuing to rummage around in the presidents life when weve received clarity on this from the Justice Department? So I think it hurts them.

maggie haberman

I think that youre going to see Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker, proceed carefully. As of late evening Sunday, she still had not said anything about how she was going to handle this. And I think that you are going to see a lot of Republicans reminding Democrats that they were holding Robert Mueller up as this avatar of credibility when the investigation was going on, so that it is hard to now say, we need to know more, because we need to make a determination that he couldnt. That will almost inevitably look very political.

michael schmidt

So the Democrats are going to ask for everything that Mueller had in the report. And its clear from the letter that a lot of obstruction of justice issues were looked at and detailed and analyzed. And the question is that if the Democrats get their hands on that, how damaging is the obstruction stuff? And is it strong enough to give Democrats more of an oomph on their obstruction investigation?

michael barbaro

Is it both of your understandings that Congress will get a full copy of the Mueller report that they can then examine for these answers?

maggie haberman

I dont think thats been resolved yet.

michael schmidt

Thats the big question.

michael barbaro

Maggie, after months of the president calling the Mueller investigation a witch hunt or worse, would it be better now for him to lean into that description or turn around and say, you know, this investigation is the gold star of investigations, and it says Im in the clear?

maggie haberman

There are a lot of people in the White House who are encouraging the president to turn and say, this was a highly respected prosecutor who just said there was no collusion. And I hope we can all accept this and move on, and try to strike a healing note. It is the presidents political instinct to burrow into his base and say, this was a witch hunt, this was a hoax. And that is what I have heard a number of his advisers say publicly in the last few hours. Its what his son said in a statement that he gave me. I think they are going to go full-on by telling people this was a waste of two years. This was an effort to undo an electoral result in 2016, and dont let this happen again.

michael barbaro

And I wonder if you can explain for listeners why it wasnt what you just said the president might call it  a waste of two years. A waste of everyones time and an effort to politically undermine him.

maggie haberman

It might have had the effect of undermining him. That might have been one of the impacts. But we do know, based on numerous assessments from the intelligence community, that Russians did seek to interfere in the 2016 election. We do know that there were many contacts between Russians and people involved in the Trump campaign. So trying to find out what was at the heart of that, one would think, was not a waste of time. And now there is an answer. There is a world in which the president could say, this gave me a clean bill of health, and now you can trust me going forward.

michael barbaro

Mike, I want to ask you the same question. What is your explanation for why this investigation was not a waste of time?

michael schmidt

Well, there were legitimate issues and questions that had to be answered. And along the way, the president took action after action that only made the perception that he did something wrong worse. He fired the F.B.I. director. He asked the F.B.I. director to end an investigation into whether his former national security adviser was talking improperly to the Russian ambassador. He said things publicly about the investigation time and time again to demonize the investigators. He criticized his own attorney general, who recused himself from the Russia investigation. He called Muellers team a bunch of angry Democrats. He made the perception worse. And there were things that he did that walked up to the line of obstruction and had to be looked at, that had to be sorted through. Whether it was to clear the president and say, hey, look, he did nothing wrong, for his sake, or to give the public some confidence that the president of the United States was not a Russian agent.

michael barbaro

So among the questions that had to be answered in an investigation into Russian interference in our election, regardless of the answer, was what was the presidents role in this? And it happens to be that the answer was seemingly nothing illegal. But that answer had to be unearthed.

michael schmidt

A significant portion of the country thought that the president of the United States either wittingly or unwittingly had worked with a foreign adversary to influence the election. That was something that had to be looked into.

michael barbaro

And because he didnt do that, Bill Barr also believes he did not obstruct this investigation.

michael schmidt

There was nothing to obstruct.

maggie haberman

At least thats what they found.

michael barbaro

No one asked me, but 

maggie haberman

Michael, what do you think?

michael barbaro

I think that Russia could never have fathomed just how cosmically disruptive their efforts to influence the election would be.

maggie haberman

I think they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, yes.

michael schmidt

Look at how distracted weve been as a country because of this for the past two years. Think about all the other issues that we could have been talking about or looking at. This was an enormous, enormous distraction for the country.

maggie haberman

And for Donald Trump.

michael barbaro

Maggie, Mike, thank you very much.

maggie haberman

Thank you.

michael schmidt

Thanks for having us.

archived recording (donald trump) So after a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side, where a lot of bad things happened, a lot of horrible things happened, a lot of very bad things happened for our country, it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia. The most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard 

michael barbaro

On Sunday afternoon, on his way back to Washington from his home in Florida, President Trump addressed the major findings of the Mueller report.

archived recording (donald trump) There was no obstruction, and none whatsoever. And it was a complete and total exoneration. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this for  before I even got elected, it began. And it began illegally. And hopefully, somebody is going to look at the other side. This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebody is going to be looking at the other side. So its complete 

michael barbaro

Not long after, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Jerry Nadler of New York, disputed the presidents characterization of the Mueller report during a news conference in New York.

archived recording (jerry nadler) Earlier today, I received a four-page letter from Attorney General Barr outlining his summary of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report while making a few questionable legal arguments of his own. I take from this letter three points. First, President Trump is wrong. This report does not amount to a so-called total exoneration.

michael barbaro

Nadler seemed to accept Muellers conclusion that the president did not coordinate with Russia, but seized on less definitive statements made by Mueller and Barr about whether the president obstructed justice.

archived recording (jerry nadler) The attorney generals comments make it clear that Congress must step in to get the truth and provide full transparency to the American people. The president has not been exonerated by the special counsel. Yet the attorney general has decided not to go further or, apparently, to share those findings with the public. We cannot simply rely on what may be a hasty partisan interpretation of the facts.

michael barbaro
WASHINGTON  Attorney General William P. Barrs summary on Sunday of the special counsel investigation keeps the impeachment of President Trump off the table, at least for now, but Democrats vowed to push forward with investigations into every aspect of the presidency and for access to the full report of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III.

Although Democrats did not dispute Mr. Muellers conclusion that Mr. Trump and his campaign did not conspire with Russia to influence the 2016 election, they moved quickly to seize on less definitive statements made by Mr. Mueller and Mr. Barr on whether the president obstructed justice.

Specifically, they said an apparent disagreement between the two men over how to judge evidence collected by the special counsel made it imperative for Congress to scrutinize every detail of the case to ensure impartiality. Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice or abused power, promptly said he would call Mr. Barr to explain very concerning discrepancies in a hearing before his committee.

Mr. Barr quoted from Mr. Muellers report in his summary: The special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. But then added that he and Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, had concluded the evidence developed by Mr. Mueller is not sufficient to establish that Mr. Trump obstructed justice.
MOSUL, Iraq  In a rare show of deference to the anger of Mosul citizens over government abuses, the Iraqi Parliament on Sunday voted overwhelmingly to remove the provinces governor, citing accusations of corruption, self-dealing and negligence.

Although Mosul citizens had pleaded with the central government to remove the governor for more than two years, it was only after a ferry disaster brought angry citizens into the street that senior political figures decided to act.

The deposed governor, Nufal Hammadi, who had held the job since 2015, made no comment publicly either before or after the Parliament vote. A report on the allegations against Mr. Hammadi will be released in the next few days, several government officials said.

In Mr. Hammadis stead, Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi appointed a crisis cell to run Nineveh Province, which includes Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq.
In London this weekend, visitors to the Old Royal Naval College headed to its reopened painted hall, an ornate masterpiece called Britains answer to the Sistine Chapel, and then went to the Sackler Gallery to learn its story.

In Paris, at the Louvre, lovers of Persian art knew there was only one place to go: the Sackler Wing of Oriental Antiquities. Want to find the long line for the Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Head for the soaring, glass-walled Sackler Wing.

For decades, the Sackler family has generously supported museums worldwide, not to mention numerous medical and educational institutions including Columbia University, where there is a Sackler Institute, and Oxford, where there is a Sackler Library.

But now some favorite Sackler charities are reconsidering whether they want the money at all, and several have already rejected any future gifts, concluding that some family members ties to the opioid crisis outweighed the benefits of their six- and sometimes seven-figure checks.
THE SALESMAN (2017) Stream on Amazon; Rent on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube. The Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi won his second Oscar for this suspenseful drama about a married couple in Tehran. At the outset, Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), theater actors working on a production of Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman, move out of their rundown apartment before it crumbles over their heads. A fellow actor helps them settle in a new place, but the previous tenant left behind many belongings and doesnt seem to be returning for them. Emad and Rana soon understand why the apartment is filled with clutter, but only after a troubling incident causes a rift between them and pushes Emad down a vengeful spiral. A. O. Scott named the film a Critics Pick in his New York Times review. With exquisite patience and attention to detail, he wrote, Farhadi builds a solid and suspenseful plot out of ordinary incidents, and packs it with rich and resonant ideas.
THE PROMISE OF ELSEWHERE

By Brad Leithauser

In the opening pages of Brad Leithausers latest novel, a butterfly lands on young Louie Hakes knee. This is a flashback to his childhood; 43-year-old Louie, the Louie who occupies the rest of this weirdly engaging book, has just landed in Rome, the first stop on an odyssey that will be the trip of his life, or even  for Louie embraces an idiom of elevation  the Journey of His Life. But the memory of that butterfly haunts him as he recalls how he sat with his father in Fallen Hills, a nondescript suburb of Detroit, and was visited by this almost otherworldly creature, weightless yet surprisingly large, alien and aristocratic: The duplicated, mirroring mosaics of its jeweled wings are an animate astonishment.

Sure enough, Louies personal butterfly effect brings chaos to his life, for he has glimpsed perfection, those emphatic italics witness to the significance of the moment. Perfection has otherwise eluded him, to say the least. Hes stuck teaching art history at a crappy liberal arts college in Ann Arbor. The fact that people assume he must teach at the University of Michigan only makes matters worse. His wife  his second wife, actually  has left him, and is blissfully ensconced in the Virgin Islands with her lover, Daryl. Ten years before, he had been diagnosed as bipolar; now, to cap it all off, he has learned that he is suffering from a degenerative eye disease and is slowly, inexorably, losing his vision. An epic trip to Europe is a way to reclaim his life.

It would be fair to ask, at this point, whether the world needs another novel about a middle-aged academic suffering from an existential crisis; also fair to inquire whether the tale of the American abroad hasnt been done to death. Leithauser uses a restricted third-person narrative to create the claustrophobic room of Louies sensibility; yet the trick allows for the notion that another sensibility might be available, giving the book a nice leavening of irony.

Image

Louie is an unlikely world traveler, with his dislike of the aggressive little ruses and booby traps of European menus; by the end of the novel, little has changed in that regard, and a tuna sandwich remains his ideal of culinary bliss. What Leithauser permits us to see of Louies observations of Rome and then London veers toward cliche: an outrageously charming Italian bartender, English breakfasts that ensure you can feel your arteries clogging while you dine. But there is, somehow, a tension to all this, a knowingness, that keeps the pages turning. In the final third of the book, the readers pilgrimage is rewarded when Louie ends up  to his own astonishment  in Leithausers version of Greenland.
North Korea: Pyongyang sent officials back to work at the inter-Korean border liaison office established in September, reversing an abrupt decision to pull the staff. It was unclear whether there was any connection to President Trumps tweet two days earlier, saying that he had ordered his government to withdraw additional large scale sanctions against the North.

New Zealand-China ties: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that she would make a long-planned trip to Beijing, although the visit would be shortened in light of the mosque attacks in Christchurch. The trip comes amid growing concerns over frayed relations after New Zealand blocked Huawei from working on the countrys planned 5G network.

Egg boy speaks: The teenager who cracked an egg on the head of an Australian politician blaming Muslim immigration for the Christchurch massacres said, I understand what I did was not the right thing to do. Will Connolly, 17, added, However, this egg has united the people.

Climate change: Copenhagen wants to become carbon neutral in the next six years, investing in a combination of wind turbines, a novel garbage incinerator and more transportation options in a vast project that could serve as a model for other cities around the world.

Traveling while female: The rise in the number of solo female travelers is shining a light on the enduring nature of gender violence and social expectations of women in different cultures.

Batman: The caped crusader turns 80 this week, and over the years his guiding principle of protecting innocence has remained the same. Heres a look back at the key milestones of his career.

Smarter Living

Tips for a more fulfilling life.
A California avocado company is voluntarily recalling shipments that were sent to six states after officials said the fruit might be contaminated with a bacterium that can cause health risks.

The recalled California-grown avocados were packed at a facility in California and distributed in that state, Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin, the company, Henry Avocado Corporation, said in a statement on Saturday.

It was not immediately clear how many avocados were affected, but the company said that all shipments from its packing facility were subject to the recall. In an article posted on the companys website about its move into the facility last year, officials said it would give them the ability to ripen more than two million cartons of avocados each year.

From November 2017 to October 2018, the last period for which data is available, 338 million pounds of California avocados were harvested in the state, according to the California Avocado Commission.
As Evaldas Rimasauskas admitted today, he devised a blatant scheme to fleece U.S. companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe, Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Some of the money transfers involved banks in New York City, the indictment stated.

Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison, Mr. Berman added.

Mr. Rimasauskas was extradited from Lithuania to the United States in 2017. He has agreed to forfeit around $50 million, court documents show. After his guilty plea last week, he could face up to 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

In a court appearance, Mr. Rimasauskas said that he had knowingly participated in fraud and that his role was to set up the bank accounts to facilitate the scheme, Bloomberg reported. I was asked to open bank accounts, he reportedly said. After that I did not do anything with these accounts.

After money was wired from the tech companies to the bank accounts in Cyprus and Latvia, the Justice Department said in its statement, Mr. Rimasauskas caused the stolen funds to be quickly wired into different bank accounts in various locations throughout the world, including Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong. The statement added that he also helped to supply banks with forged documents to explain the large transfers of money.
INDIANAPOLIS  Clayton Morris walked away from his job as a Fox News host in 2017 to devote himself to the next phase of his professional life: helping regular people achieve financial independence.

Mr. Morris, a host on Fox and Friends Weekend, already had a popular real estate investing podcast when he and his wife, Natali, decided to become full-time real estate advisers . Their plan was to connect mom-and-pop investors with turnkey investment homes in Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Fla., and several other cities. Their company, Morris Invest, would handle the details: finding properties, overseeing renovations, hiring property managers to rent out the houses. All clients had to do was put up the cash and wait for the checks to arrive.

Morris Invest helped sell at least 1,000 properties over the past two years, reaping more than $5 million in referral fees and profits from the sales, according to resale prices and interviews with investors and a lawyer for a former business partner. But Mr. Morriss customers said many of the homes in Indianapolis had cost them dearly.

Nearly two dozen customers are now suing Mr. Morris and his company. They contend that the properties were in worse shape than advertised, and that rehab work paid for upfront was done poorly or not at all. Vacant lot s sold on the expectation of new homes being built are strewn with trash. One house gutted by fire was sold a few days later to an unwitting investor, according to a lawsuit.
That murder  orchestrated by the former Gambino boss John Gotti in what would become a successful bid for control of the enterprise  led to a wave of killings, including by families outside the Gambino clan who viewed the violent power grab as a brazen violation of the Mafias code. Within the citys five crime families, bosses typically are considered untouchable.

Mr. Comellos peculiar back story complicates the problem for law enforcement. Had the murder been a straightforward assassination, the most likely source of retaliation would be the Gambino crime family.

But Mr. Calis murder appears to have instead been a bizarre attack unrelated to mob business. Mr. Comello has no known ties to organized crime, law enforcement officials have said. He initially told detectives he was romantically interested in one of Mr. Calis female relatives and had been told by the mob boss to stay away, officials said.

Mr. Comello also might have been inspired by right-wing conspiracy theories he had encountered online, his lawyer said.

Mr. Comello had recently begun acting erratically. In February, he had drawn the attention of the police after he showed up at the federal courthouse in Manhattan and at Gracie Mansion, demanding a citizens arrest of Mayor Bill de Blasio and other Democratic political figures.

Im not going to go into the specific websites, the specific words that did have an impact. But suffice it to say that whatever happened here is related, Mr. Gottlieb said. Mr. Comello was spotted last week during his first court appearance in New Jersey with MAGA forever, united we stand and a symbol of the right-wing QAnon conspiracy theory written on his palm.

The Gambino clan had operated quietly for the better part of the last decade after federal prosecutions decimated its ranks in the 1990s. But the crime organization had continued to make money from loan-sharking, extortion and heroin, law enforcement officials have said. It remains unclear if the family would use Mafia muscle to retaliate against Mr. Comello  a rudderless young man from Staten Islands South Shore  and risk further scrutiny from law enforcement.
Mr. Heastie and other legislative officials stressed that specifics about the plan, including the exact price for entering Manhattans main business district, were still being considered, though he seemed confident that a deal could be brokered, likely before the states budget deadline on April 1.

Assembly members and Mr. Heastie have been hunkered behind closed doors in recent days, discussing a broad array of exemptions that would make congestion pricing more palatable, according to several members and aides. These include exemptions from the congestion fees for drivers who are poor, have disabilities or are going to medical appointments, among other things.

Calls for a congestion pricing plan had also increased. On Monday, prominent congestion pricing supporters, including Patrick Foye, the M.T.A. president, and Polly Trottenberg, the New York City transportation commissioner, came to Albany to meet with legislative leaders.

Kathryn S. Wylde, the head of the influential Partnership for New York City, a business group, was also pushing for such a plan, and praised Mr. Heastie shortly after he announced the deal for his real skill in pulling together his diverse membership.

In a sign of widening support this year, two separate grass-roots campaigns had emerged, as advocates lobbied legislators to gain their support, flooded local subway stops and urged frustrated subway riders to call and text their legislators.

Transit riders were up in arms about the state of our subway system and it seems that our representatives in Albany really listened, said John Raskin, the executive director of the Riders Alliance, which helped organize the #FixtheSubway coalition. I think the visceral anger of subway riders stuck on yet another unreliable train played a pivotal role in legislators feeling the urgency of the problem.

One congestion pricing plan backed by the governor and mayor is projected to raise about $1 billion annually from fees for driving into a congestion zone spanning Manhattans central business district, from 60th Street south to the Battery. That money would, in turn, be used to secure bonds totaling $15 billion for M.T.A. capital projects through 2024.
Representative Jose E. Serrano, who is currently the nations longest-tenured Hispanic congressman, said on Monday that he would not run for re-election, citing the effects of Parkinsons disease.

Mr. Serrano, who has served in Congress since 1990 and represents the southern Bronx, one of the poorest districts in the country, has repeatedly won re-election with more than 90 percent of the vote. But with the Democratic Party seeking a younger brand of progressives, there was talk that he might have faced a serious primary challenge next year.

Two powerful members of the Bronx political establishment praised Mr. Serrano while predicting a wide open race for his seat; Ritchie Torres, a Bronx councilman often described as a rising star, said last month that he was exploring a primary challenge to Mr. Serrano.

Im sure there will be a lot of people who are now going to want to run for Congress, said Carl E. Heastie, the Bronx assemblyman who serves as speaker of the State Assembly. And I will not be one of them.
Strudel, She Said

Dear Diary:

It was a cold, drizzly Sunday morning in 1973, and I was at the Jon Vie bakery on Sixth Avenue in the West Village. The chocolate cheesecake was a specialty of theirs.

There were two customers there besides me: a man ordering at the counter and a woman standing next to me who was all bundled up.

Here you go, the counterman said, handing a cake box to the man who was waiting. Our last chocolate cheesecake.

The woman and I turned to each other in dismay.

Not the last chocolate cheesecake! we said at the same time.
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TRENTON  A monthslong effort to legalize marijuana in New Jersey collapsed on Monday after Democrats were unable to muster enough support for the measure, derailing a central campaign pledge by Gov. Philip D. Murphy and leaving the future of the legalization movement in doubt.

The failure in the Legislature marks one of the biggest setbacks for Mr. Murphy, who, despite having full Democratic control in the State Senate and Assembly, has faced constant party infighting and has struggled to convince lawmakers of his progressive agenda.

Among the most vocal opponents were a handful of African-American Democratic lawmakers who split with their party over legalization, arguing that it would be a public health menace to their communities.

The abrupt unraveling of the campaign to legalize marijuana also reflected how some lawmakers were swayed by the challenges faced by other states that have legalized cannabis, including how to keep the drug away from teenagers and prevent people from driving under its influence.
New Yorks government has never looked so female.

After record numbers of women ran and won in November, there are now 70 women in the State Legislature, the most women ever to serve in the states lawmaking body.

But 2019 is not just a historic year for women in Albany; its also a historical one. Exactly 100 years ago, the states first-ever female legislators arrived in the Capitol, making New York the first state east of the Mississippi River to have women writing laws. (New Yorkers also played a role in the eight frontier states that had already elected women: Of the three women who became the first-ever female state legislators in Colorado in 1894, two were originally from New York City.)

In the century since, New Yorks female lawmakers have steered conversations on reproductive rights, child care, education, labor and far more. Their bills have often inspired change on the national level.

They have also made clear how far New York still has to go. Even today, women make up only 32.9 percent of the Legislature. That makes New York 15th in the nation for female representation. (Only Nevada is half female.) Women still tell of sexual harassment and discrimination.
[The effort to legalize marijuana in New Jersey collapsed on Monday. Read the latest updates here.]

This week the New Jersey Legislature could pass the most progressive recreational marijuana bill in the country. Lawmakers were poised to vote on the issue as early as today.

New York may not legalize marijuana anytime soon.

My colleagues Nick Corasaniti, who covers New Jersey, and Vivian Wang, who covers the New York Legislature, explained.

What makes New Jerseys marijuana bill so progressive?

Mr. Corasaniti: Mainly, two things: criminal records and access to the market.

 First, the bill would make it possible to expunge nonviolent criminal records for marijuana-related offenses (up to five pounds, one of the highest thresholds in the country).

People with past convictions, or who are incarcerated or on parole, would be eligible for a clean slate, and they could request expungement online.
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Near the High Line in Manhattan, more than 250 people gathered at The Park, a restaurant, last week to hear about a Democratic mayors long-shot bid for the presidency.

The New York City Council speaker, Corey Johnson, worked the crowd, boasting about the mayors accomplishments, and how he had done a tremendous amount to create jobs and move the conversation nationally to important issues.

But the mayor in question was not Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, population 8.6 million. It was Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind., population 102,245.

Both men are considering a presidential run but only one of their potential candidacies seems to be taken seriously.
In the more than six years since his daughter Avielle was killed in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Jeremy Richman had devoted his life to preventing families from experiencing the kind of tragic loss he did.

With his wife, Jennifer Hensel, he created the Avielle Foundation to support research into brain abnormalities that could be linked to violent behavior. In this endeavor, he stressed mental health education and compassion.

Compassion is the ability to feel somebody elses suffering, to empathize, Mr. Richman, a neuroscientist, said in a video for the foundation. But most importantly, its the hope that you can do something to alleviate that suffering.

On Monday, Mr. Richman, 49, was found dead in an apparent suicide in the Newtown, Conn., building where the Avielle Foundation had an office, the local police said. His death was all the more shocking given the scope of his work, community members said.

Our hearts are shattered, and our heads are struggling to comprehend, the foundation said in a statement.

Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need, it continued.

The police were called to Edmond Town Hall, a movie theater and event space that also rented offices and meeting rooms, at about 7 a.m. on Monday by contractors who were working there, said Lt. Aaron Bahamonde of the Newtown Police Department.

Upon arriving, the police also found a note left by Mr. Richman. Lieutenant Bahamonde did not disclose what it said.

The police and the states medical examiners office were investigating the death, he said.

Mr. Richmans death came more than six years after a gunman stormed Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing Avielle, 6, and 25 other people, before turning the gun on himself. The massacre, on Dec. 14, 2012, thrust Newtown into the caustic national debates on gun control and mental health.

Some of the police officers who reported to Edmond Town Hall on Monday had responded to the school shooting, Lieutenant Bahamonde said.

[Newtown shows how mourning evolves and endures for years after mass violence.]

Its something that you never expect to see happen, but in the back of your mind you know that many of us are still suffering, said Neil Heslin, whose son Jesse Lewis, 6, also died in the shooting. He was a good friend, and it was an honor and a privilege to have known him. He did a wonderful job with the foundation, building his daughters legacy.

Mr. Heslin added: Im sure it will rip open a lot in Newtown again. The town hall will be another tragic place here, like the school.

After the Sandy Hook shooting, Mr. Richman expressed grief over his daughters death through verse, friends said. On Fridays, the day of the week that the shooting occurred, Mr. Richman posted haiku on his Facebook page. Some of the poems were haunting, including one on Dec. 5, 2015, titled Anniversary, which he posted beside a photograph of himself and his wife on a visit to Avielles grave:

What is your number

When will your heart be broken?

Mine is 12/14

But Mr. Richman also channeled his grief into action, leaving his job at a pharmaceutical company to focus full time on the foundation. He began hosting discussions and speaking at academic events about brain health and violence.

Last week, he was the keynote speaker at a summit at Florida Atlantic University, where he talked about research that was geared toward helping people identify the symptoms of those in crisis and support those at risk of harming themselves or others.
Peter B. Kaplan, a photographer who captured spectacular views from vertiginous vantage points like the torch of the Statue of Liberty and the masts of the Empire State Building and the original World Trade Center, died on March 19 in Wilmington, Del. He was 79.

His wife, Sharon R. Kaplan, said the cause was interstitial lung disease, which she attributed in part to his inhaling debris in Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Mr. Kaplan first experimented with his gravity-defying birds-eye panoramas long before the advent of drones, extended selfie sticks and permissions for helicopters to hover close to skyscrapers.

He persuaded architects, developers and public officials to let him immortalize their buildings and monuments on film in altitudinous detail. He would scale precarious perches with construction workers and point his lens toward the ground hundreds of feet below, or mount his camera, sometimes equipped with a fisheye lens, on poles as long as 42 feet, so he could snap the shutter remotely and even photograph himself.
Those fights, largely over wages and working conditions, were nothing new in New York Citys long history of labor relations. But three later strikes by the teachers in the fall term of 1968 proved far more intractable, because they revolved around who would control the schools.

The strikes, which emptied classrooms for a total of eight weeks, grew out of a plan intending to improve public education by decentralizing the citys school system. Pilot projects had been set up in three school districts, including Ocean Hill-Brownsville, in a predominantly black and Puerto Rican area of Brooklyn.

The strikes were called after the districts board had summarily moved to transfer a group of teachers and administrators out of the district. Ten of the teachers resisted, but the board persisted even after a trial examiner for the school system did not find enough evidence to support the boards accusations that the 10 had tried to sabotage community control or had done unsatisfactory work.

The teachers union saw itself in a must-win fight to protect its members rights and discourage such actions by other local boards. Many supporters of the districts leadership, which was largely black, saw the strikes as an effort by a largely white and heavily Jewish union to squelch community control. Anti-Semitic and racist accusations punctuated the conflict.

Mr. Sweet, on Mr. Lindsays behalf, sought to persuade the union, the districts leadership and the Board of Education to compromise. Though he won praise for his low-key manner and his ability to relieve tensions in the negotiations  Sid Davidoff, an assistant to the mayor, told The New York Times that Mr. Sweet can deal with anybody, even an adversary, in almost a friendly way  only the state was able to end the conflict. It suspended the district board, and the involuntary transfers were made subject to grievance procedures in the unions contract.
California has long been seen as a leader on climate change. The states history of aggressive action to reduce air pollution, accelerate the use of renewable energy and speed the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy has inspired governments around the world to set more ambitious climate goals.

But there is trouble on the horizon, and Californias climate leadership is at risk.

Across most of the states economy, greenhouse gas emissions have been trending steadily down. But ballooning car traffic on city streets and freeways is negating much of that progress. In California, about 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are from transportation, and they are increasing. In some California counties, two-thirds of emissions are from vehicles.

In November, the California Air Resources Board released an update on efforts to reduce pollution from transportation. The numbers were alarming. Despite headlines about Californias push for more electric vehicles, pollution from cars is still climbing. With emissions from the transportation sector continuing to rise, California will not achieve the necessary greenhouse gas emissions reductions to meet mandates for 2030, the board warned.

The solution? Significant changes to how communities and transportation systems are planned, funded and built, the board said.
China uses a different approach. Under the guise of the concept of a new Silk Road, with its echoes of Marco Polo, President Xi wants to connect Europe to China economically. This has meant buying the port of Athens and some other crucial gates to southern Europe. Greece was desperate for money, Germany could see no wrong. The new Silk Road, now more prosaically described as the Belt and Road Initiative, has also involved setting up an organization called 16+1 (16 European former Communist states, 11 of them European Union members, plus China) to kindly help them build infrastructure. In two years, I have had six bilateral meetings with my Chinese counterpart, the prime minister of one small European Union country in the 16+1 said. Need I say more?

More daringly, the highlight of Mr. Xis visit to Italy, a founding member of the European Union, was the signing on Saturday of a Memorandum of Understanding to endorse the Belt and Road Initiative project.

No longer content with the periphery, China is aiming for the heart of Europe with newfound tenacity: When Washington and Brussels expressed their displeasure with his move on Italy, Beijing doubled down. The United States, supposedly Europes greatest ally, has its own fight with China  a big fight over trade that has already slowed economic growth in Europe, and over technological dominance. In a normal world, Washington would have enrolled its European allies in its fight. But this is not a normal world. President Trumps America treats Europe either as a competitor or as a vassal.

Not a week has passed without new bullying from the Trump administration. At the Munich Security Conference in mid-February, Vice President Mike Pence ordered European Union governments to withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal and stop undermining American sanctions  which also penalize European companies. French and British defense officials were incensed when America, whom they had followed into Syria, decided unilaterally to withdraw its troops while asking the French to stay behind. And, at a tense discussion about European defense behind closed doors, a senior American diplomat, speaking with a grant of anonymity from reporters in order to allow frankness, sternly lectured West European participants for not being sensitive to the United States and to President Trump.

Then came warnings against choosing the giant Chinese tech company Huawei to develop fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks, and threats by Richard Grenell, the American ambassador to Germany, of retaliation involving restrictions on intelligence sharing. Gordon Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, warned of retaliation if Brussels limits the involvement of American companies in European military projects. Mr. Trump threatened Europe with severe economic pain if no progress was made in delicate trade talks. Soon enough, reports came out of Washington that Mr. Trump wants to bill European countries for the deployment of American troops, plus 50 percent for the privilege of hosting them, according to Bloomberg News.
More than 40,000 foreigners are thought to have traveled to territory controlled by the Islamic State, and most are missing . David Malet, a political scientist at American University who studies foreign fighters , told me recently that when such combatants have traveled to war zones in the past , they have died at a rate of about one-third. Even if we assume that, say, half of the Islamic States foreigner fighters are dead  after all, many joined the group to die  that leaves about 20,000 alive.

We have little idea where they are and seriously undercounted them in Baghuz. In recent weeks, Islamic State fighters and civilians have emerged from the town as if from a clown car, disgorged in ever more unbelievable numbers. The most astonishing sight over the past week may have been a video showing fighters who had surrendered, preferring captivity to martyrdom, in a line stretching more than 250 men long. Yet many more fighters may be hiding in the countryside than have turned themselves over or died in Baghuz.

The Islamic State has had years to prepare for this moment and for some time had signaled that it was resigned to eventually losing some or all of its territory. By May 2016, its spokesman, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, was telling followers abroad not to bother traveling to Syria.

If one of you wishes and strives to reach the lands of the Islamic State, then each of us wishes to be in your place to make examples of the crusaders, day and night, scaring them and terrorizing them, until every neighbor fears his neighbor, he said in an audio message. Since then, s ome sympathizers had stayed in the shrinking caliphate, while others stayed abroad or slunk out of the doomed territory to perpetuate the groups ideals and re-spawn it elsewhere.

To see how slinking is done right, they needed only look to their forefathers. The founders of the Islamic State consisted of Qaeda veterans who escaped destruction by the American military and Sunni tribes in Iraq. Tactical retreat served them well, and the Islamic State has not lost the institutional wisdom that allowed those men to survive and then recapture territory, first slowly, then in 2014 all at once. They succeeded by positioning themselves as guardians of Sunnis who did not trust the Shiite-led government in Baghdad or the Alawite-led one in Damascus. Neither Iraq nor Syria has restored Sunnis trust.
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Theres a lot of discussion about what the Mueller report says. But almost none of it is based on the actual report. Its based on the Barr letter. And the Barr letter is not an objective summary of the Mueller report.

Here are my three big takeaways:

1. Barr should release much more information.

William Barr, the attorney general, works for the president. By releasing just a short summary on a matter of such importance, he comes off as a cross between a law enforcement officer and a spin doctor.

Its certainly conceivable that parts of Robert Muellers full report  the one that remains secret  would need to be redacted for national security or other reasons. But Barrs four-page summary is unacceptable. So is his vague explanation that he will release as much of the report as he can.

Until we get more information, the most reasonable assumption is that Barr is trying to protect Trump by hiding the full report.
Pro-Trump pundits hailed the news as unequivocally discrediting accusations against the president; Russiagates staunchest proponents argued that Barrs summary was inadequate, daintily worded and carefully pro-Trump.

The Mueller report and its attendant fallout are manifestations of a deeper phenomenon  one that feels particularly pervasive in modern American culture. When it comes to the biggest revelations, we care far more about the buildup than any of the actual findings. Perhaps its only natural, at a time when conspiracy theories are ascendant, that so much of our media and politics feel programmed by documents and investigations shrouded in secrecy. These documents captivate us most when theyre hypothetical, confidential, or unfinished. Their potential energy  proof of collusion could be just around the corner!  perfectly fit the choose your own reality of our times. A Mueller report can be whatever you imagine it to be. Its only when its released that it seems to lose its power.

Molly McKew, a researcher and writer who studies computational propaganda, described this phenomenon to me as a kind of instinctual information warfare tactic thats been ushered in by relentless political polarization of the Trump era. We are beginning to understand that preparing the battlefield is maybe more important than the battle itself, she told me. Documents like the Mueller report, McKew argues, are more powerful as the unknown than the known.

Weve seen this pattern before: see, for example, Representative Devin Nuness 2018 #ReleaseTheMemo campaign. The scale and scope of the two reports differ wildly. One is a voluminous report on a rigorous multiyear investigation by the former F.B.I director; the other a four-page memo written by G.O.P. committee members about applications to surveil a former Trump campaign adviser. But the political posturing surrounding the documents was familiar.

During Nunes two-week push to declassify the memo, Republican lawmakers and pundits touted the document as a smoking gun destined to set the record straight on the Trump-Russia investigation. The memos authors argued that, should the document be declassified, it would contain bombshells that would raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain Department of Justice and F.B.I. interactions. The furor over the concealed contents led the pro-Trump media-industrial complex to set off a social media offensive, fueled by a #ReleaseTheMemo hashtag campaign. Memes were circulated; cable news panels assembled. Across the right-wing sectors of the internet, the document promised a conspiracy just out of reach: a bold claim of anti-Trump bias with the proof in chains. The perfect ammunition for an information war.
The Mueller investigation is over, and the only people close to Donald Trump who have been criminally charged are his former campaign chairman, former deputy campaign chairman, former personal lawyer, former national security adviser, former campaign foreign policy adviser and Roger Stone, the presidents longtime friend and strategist. The report written by the special counsel Robert Mueller, according to a quotation in a brief summary issued by Attorney General William Barr, says that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Naturally, the president and his allies are claiming, as one of Trumps tweets said, Complete and Total EXONERATION.

I wont pretend that the weekends news was not very good for Trump and dispiriting for those of us who despise him. Whatever else is in the Mueller report, it says, according to Barr, that the investigation did not establish that anyone from the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its 2016 election interference. The overtures we all know about  the Trump Tower meeting, Trumps public call for Russia to obtain Hillary Clintons emails, which Russian hackers tried to do that very day  were not part of a crime, or at least not part of a crime that the special counsel could prove. There will be no deus ex Mueller bringing this wretched presidency to an early end. On the contrary, Trump is emboldened, and his foes momentarily defensive.

Until the Mueller report is publicly released, however, its impossible to tell how much of Trumps victory is substantive and how much is spin. The report, evidently, leaves open the question of whether Trump obstructed justice. In his letter to Congress about the report, Barr said that he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, made the determination that no obstruction of justice occurred. Of course, last year Barr wrote a memo calling Muellers obstruction investigation grossly irresponsible and fatally misconceived, which is surely why Trump appointed him in the first place. There is no reason for anyone to take his finding seriously.

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The idea of a college search would have been foreign to me as a high-school senior. Of the two flagship state universities, I picked my mothers alma mater and was admitted simply by having my ACT scores sent there. When I got to Auburn University in the fall of 1980, Pell Grants, work-study assignments and low-interest federal loans were still plentiful enough that students like me  people not impoverished enough or brilliant enough to earn a full ride  could nevertheless get a good education, even if their parents couldnt afford to pay a dime. It never crossed my mind that I was settling for something less than an elite education. I was grateful beyond belief to be going to college at all.

How I wish I had the words, even now, to explain what a gift those years were. I took an overload almost every quarter because extra courses didnt cost anything extra, and it was impossible to choose from among all the offerings. I wanted to learn everything, read everything, think about everything. And everything seemed to be right there for the taking on that rural campus in the piedmont of Alabama.

Some of my professors were boring, sure, and some were ancient cranks who hadnt done a minutes scholarship in decades. But most others opened their office doors, leaned back in their chairs and carried on the conversation long after class, as long as I still had questions. One professor conducted a one-student correspondence course by mail, just for fun, the summer before I was a sophomore. Another offered a bunch of us the guest quarters at her house in the country as a quiet place to study for exams. Still another convened a Latin literature class at 7 a.m., five days a week, because there were only four students in the whole university who wanted to read literature in Latin, and the university wouldnt schedule a class for only four students. We all signed up for Latin as an independent-study course, and we met in that professors office where he taught us, unpaid, for nearly two years.

At Auburn, I learned to run a literary publication  the kind of work I still do today  and I made lifelong friends. I got a good education there  good enough, at least, to get me into graduate school at the kind of elite university thats at the heart of todays cheating scandal. But that elite university was also a school where I did not belong. It was just too far from home, too far from the soil my bare feet longed for. When I transferred to the University of South Carolina for my masters degree, I found the same thing Id found at Auburn: Everything I needed was right there  if I looked for it  and it felt like home.

Yes, state universities have their problems, and those problems can be profound. Cash-strapped legislatures too often balance their budgets by cutting funds to higher education, resulting in catastrophic tuition hikes. Provincial yahoos too often serve as university trustees or administrators, energetically erecting barriers to the kind of wide-ranging curiosity that a university education is supposed to foster. Tenured professors retire and are too often replaced by adjuncts so underpaid and so shamefully overburdened that their work amounts to exploitation. And thats just for starters.
JERUSALEM  Amos Yadlin, the former head of military intelligence in Israel, likes to say that Israel as a Jewish-majority democracy faces two existential threats  a nuclear-armed Iran and turning itself into a bi-national state by permanently occupying the West Bank with its 2.5 million Palestinians. And while Israel has a strategy for addressing the first threat, it has no strategy for addressing the second. One reason it doesnt  in my view  is because of a third existential threat to Israel. And that threat is from America  particularly from President Trump, but also from pro-Israel lawmakers in Congress and from Aipac, the main Israel lobbying organization.

Its the threat that America will love Israel to death.

By indulging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his quest for permanent Israeli control over the West Bank, Trump, the Congress and the Israel lobby are going to create a situation whereby the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank will eventually collapse. The Palestinians there will then say to Israel, as some already have, that they want Israeli citizenship. Israel will then find itself ruling over 2.5 million Palestinians with the choice of either sharing power with them on the basis of equality or systematically denying it to them.

When that happens the debate over what Israel should do will rip apart every synagogue, Jewish Federation and Jewish institution in America  including Aipac. As long as there was a credible two-state solution on the table, that debate was muted. But once that option is gone, all hell will break loose in the Jewish world and between progressives and Israels supporters on every U.S. college campus. Its already started.

Up until Trump, both Democratic and Republican presidents have played the role of reality enforcer for both Israeli and Arab leaders. In both Israel and most Arab ruling circles, you have a mix of hard-liners, moderates and sheer crazies. The job of the U.S. president has always been to draw red lines so Israeli prime ministers or Arab leaders could say to their extremists: Hey, Id love to do that crazy thing you want me to do. My heart is with you. But the American president would break my arm if I did. So were not going to do that crazy thing you suggest, even though my heart is with you!
This is a dilemma that outsiders dont appreciate. They see 19-year-olds chanting No more racism! while everyone else in the lecture hall, including the conservative speaker and the security guards, stand in silence, and they wonder why nobody makes them stop. Conservative critics put it up to liberal bias, but thats not really the problem. It has to do with the relationship the administration has formed with undergraduates from the beginning, especially with those from underrepresented populations.

Selective schools are in a fierce competition to attract applicants and build a properly diverse and elite freshman class. They have recruited these students with glowing promises and triumphant predictions: You will prosper here  this is the very best place you can be! the brochures tell them. Recruiters phone and text underserved groups with exciting accounts of graduates success.

Students arrive full of hope and happiness. The last thing deans want is for these youths to become upset and angry. It brings bad publicity and makes the campus look like a place of turmoil, not joy.

These students intimidate the highest officials in a university more than outsiders can imagine. A student at Yale yelling at the professor who tried to reason with her did tremendous damage to Yales brand, but the administration couldnt come down on her without compromising its pledges of inclusivity and anti-discrimination and sensitivity.

This is why, even if they wont say it publicly, many university administrators most likely welcome the federal governments heavy hand. President Trump has taken the burden of free speech off their shoulders. Administrators now must stop the illiberalism of the activists as a matter of federal policy.

That means canceling speech codes and punishing disrupters. Schools cant lose federal funding; they need it to function. Now, they have an answer to the students crowding their offices and storming the lecture hall: Yes, you must be quiet or you will be disciplined. I have no choice  its the law.
Keeping things tidy makes me very happy, says the interior designer Beata Heuman, seated in her homey, open-plan office in West London. The bright, vaulted space has served as the studio and showroom for her five-person team since last summer  and is a testament to the Swedish decorators desire to both beautify and meticulously organize her world. Heavy antique trays are neatly set with swatches of fabric, wallpaper samples and trims are lined up for clients; deep cabinet drawers are filled with files pertaining to each of the room schemes that currently fall under her careful watch. Altogether, its a visual itinerary of thousands of bespoke objects and furnishings. Flanked by banks of windows to the north and south, the only interruption to the prevailing sense of order and calm is the somnolent hum of passing tube trains.

People tend to think that interior design is just choosing the right cushions, says Heuman from her desk, where a ceramic lamp with a marbleized shade sits beside a well-thumbed Fabriano Artists Journal and a resin sample created for a client during the nine years she worked with the British decorator Nicky Haslam. But its as much about logistics as it is about creativity. I love admin. It gives me a real sense of achievement to pull everything together in an efficient way. Heumans forensic eye for detail, offbeat palettes and playful irreverence  perhaps best exhibited at the Farm Girl Cafes in Chelsea and Notting Hill, as well as a growing stream of international homes  has seen her become one of Englands most beloved young designers since launching her business in 2013.

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There are those perennial stage works that are perfectly suited to be performed in high schools across the country every year: say, Our Town, The Crucible, Annie or The Wizard of Oz.

And now, to this canon, you might add Alien.

A New Jersey high school has found itself the unexpected recipient of online acclaim and viral attention for its recent stage production of Alien, the 1979 science-fiction thriller.

Alien: The Play, presented last weekend by the drama club of North Bergen High School, starred a cast of eight students in the film roles originally played by Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt and Ian Holm.

Whereas the movie had a budget in the range of about $10 million, Alien: The Play had costumes, props and set designs made mostly from donated and recycled materials.
Last year, one of my best friends learned he had cancer.

In many respects he was lucky. He had great insurance. He had enough money. Partly because one of his friends (me) is well connected in the health care system, he got excellent care.

So this is not a story about how the system failed, or how people need insurance or access. He had those. He got the care. This is the United States health care system at its peak performance.

But I was utterly floored by how hard it all was.

Americans spend so much time debating so many aspects of health care, including insurance and access. Almost none of that covers the actual impossibility and hardship faced by the many millions of friends and family members who are caregivers. Its hugely disrupting and expensive. Theres no system for it. Its a gaping hole.

My friend, Jim Fleischer, missed a few days of work as the diagnosis was made, then missed many more after surgery. His wife, Ali, had to take time off. His mother-in-law had to come and help take care of him and the children when Ali had to go back to work (shes a teacher).
The first black woman to serve as a police chief in Virginia said Monday that she was forced to resign last week by a group of racist officers who opposed her efforts to change the culture of the Portsmouth Police Department.

The former chief, Tonya D. Chapman, said in a statement that when she took the job in 2016, she knew about public friction between city leaders and the external strife that existed between the community and the Police Department as a result of several officer-involved shootings.

But she said those tensions soon reached a boiling point when a former officer, Stephen Rankin, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in August 2016 in connection with the 2015 shooting death of an unarmed black teenager, William Chapman II, who was not related to the former chief. Mr. Rankin was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and was released in November.

After Mr. Rankins conviction, racial tensions within the Police Department became blatantly apparent to me, Ms. Chapman wrote. That included deeply held prejudice among a small contingency of the Police Department, which serves a city of about 95,000 people in Southern Virginia that according to census data is more than 52 percent black.
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ALBUQUERQUE  The Border Patrol is taking the unusual step of shutting down its interior checkpoints across New Mexico and a swath of West Texas as officials scramble to respond to a surge in families requesting asylum along the Southwest border.

A spokesman for the Border Patrol said the temporary measure was intended to help provide appropriate care for migrants apprehended at the border. The closing of checkpoints  not at the border, but up to 100 miles inland  reflects the strain on border operations as the number of migrants entering the country, which in February reached an 11-year high, continues to climb.

The authorities closed checkpoints across the Border Patrols El Paso sector, which includes 121,000 square miles in New Mexico and 4,500 square miles in Texas, in order to free more agents to work directly on the border.
It took only a few months to repair the vandalism at a Jewish cemetery near St. Louis in 2017. But finding and then sentencing the man who did it took years.

The man, Alzado M. Harris, 35, was sentenced to three years of probation in St. Louis County Circuit Court on Thursday for toppling 154 headstones in the cemetery in University City, Mo., in February 2017, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County prosecuting attorneys office, Josi Nielsen, said on Monday.

Earlier this month, Mr. Harris pleaded guilty to felony charges of institutional vandalism, according to court records. He must also pay $5,000 in restitution, maintain full-time work and take an anger management course, the records show.

We are grateful that the case has been solved, and resolved, Anita Feigenbaum, the executive director of the cemetery, Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, said in an interview on Monday.
In the message, which Mr. Dees showed to a reporter, Mr. Cohen cited Mr. Deess conduct and the statements youve made in the presence of your co-workers.

The dismissal, it read, was for the good of the center.

On Friday, after The Times asked the S.P.L.C. to respond to its findings, the center offered its fullest account yet of what led to Mr. Deess downfall, but it largely refused to address specific allegations or personnel matters.

We will not respond to individual allegations publicly, said the center, which declined to make Mr. Cohen available for an interview.

Within hours of the center disclosing the two investigations into Mr. Dees, Mr. Cohen told employees that he would step down. He said in an internal email, Whatever problems exist at the S.P.L.C. happened on my watch, so I take responsibility for them.

Mr. Dees said he did not bear a grudge against the organization he helped power for decades, but that he was saddened that his critics would go to extreme measures to undermine his career. I guess Im a trial lawyer, and so things come and go, Mr. Dees said. When the facts are all said and done, my reputation is not going to be hurt.

The centers board has hired Tina Tchen, Michelle Obamas former chief of staff, to assess its workplace culture. In a statement, the board chairman, Bryan Fair, said that recent events had been an eye-opening reminder that the walk toward justice must sometimes start at your own front door, and force you to look at your past so you can improve your future.
JACKSONVILLE, N.C.  The main road that connects a strip of tattoo parlors, pawn shops and restaurants to Camp Lejeune is still lined with broken trees bent by Hurricane Florences winds. Inside the gates, a new threat has arisen for the sprawling Marine Corps base as it contends with billions of dollars in hurricane damage and lingering effects of contaminated water: President Trumps border wall.

On Tuesday, the House will try to override the first veto of Mr. Trumps presidency and rescue Congresss bipartisan bid to block the presidents national emergency declaration, which Mr. Trump wants to use to siphon military funds from projects like Camp Lejeunes reconstruction to build a wall on the Mexican border.

Last month, Democrats appealed to Republicans  with only limited success  to vote down the presidents emergency on the lofty grounds of constitutional prerogative and Congresss control of federal spending. This time, on the veto override, their appeal is more parochial: Look where the wall money will come from.
And in the economic report of the president, the White House boasted last week about how Mr. Trump had allowed small businesses and individual consumers to buy insurance plans that skirt many requirements of the Affordable Care Act, offering lower costs but fewer benefits.

Under a rule issued in August, Mr. Trump greatly expanded the market for sales of short-term insurance plans that do not have to cover prescription drugs, maternity care, drug abuse treatment or pre-existing conditions.

The House Democrats bill would turn back the presidents action by stipulating that short-term plans are included in the definition of individual health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and therefore must comply with coverage requirements of the health law.

These junk plans discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions, said Representative Frank Pallone Jr., Democrat of New Jersey and an architect of the new legislation. They deny access to basic benefits. They set arbitrary dollar limits for health care services, leading to huge surprise bills for consumers.

We passed the Affordable Care Act to rein in exactly these types of abuses, said Mr. Pallone, who is investigating the short-term plan as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

The Affordable Care Act provides two main types of financial assistance to people of modest means buying private insurance: tax credits to help them pay premiums, and cost-sharing reductions to lower their deductibles, co-payments and other out-of-pocket costs.

The House Democrats bill would revise the law to provide more of both types of assistance.

In addition, the bill would make subsidies available to some working families who are now ineligible. The law, as interpreted by the Internal Revenue Service, bars subsidies to workers who have access to affordable employer-sponsored coverage for themselves  even if the cost of coverage for the entire family is unaffordable. The House Democrats bill would eliminate this quirk in the law, sometimes called the family glitch.
The attack prompted Mr. Netanyahu to announce he was cutting short his trip to return home after his meeting to oversee Israels military response. He had been scheduled to have dinner with Mr. Trump on Tuesday and to address a pro-Israeli lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or Aipac. Mr. Netanyahu stayed in Washington until Monday evening, as Israeli forces began striking Hamas targets in Gaza.

Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression, he said. We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state.

Mr. Netanyahu spoke of the vital role that the Golan Heights had played in Israels defense. He recalled that his brother was among the soldiers who scaled its rocky slopes during the Arab-Israeli war of 1967. Later on, Mr. Netanyahu himself, as a young officer, led a covert unit from Syria into the Golan Heights in the midst of a snowstorm.

We hold the high ground, and we shall never give it up, he said.

Though Israel effectively annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, Mr. Netanyahu said it had to wait half a century for Mr. Trump to translate our military victory into a diplomatic victory.

Mr. Trumps decision continued to ripple throughout the region. Al-Marsad, which defends the rights of native Syrians in the Golan Heights, said the decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty could provoke violence in a territory that has been remarkably tranquil.

The decision sets a dangerous standard that glorifies systematic human rights abuses, legitimizes illegal aggression and occupation, and endangers peace in the Middle East, the group said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia also warned, in a statement released by its official press agency on Tuesday, that Mr. Trumps decision would have significant negative effects on security and the peace process in the Middle East.
Good Monday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today.

_____________________

 The investigation led by Robert S. Mueller III found that neither President Trump nor any of his aides conspired or coordinated with the Russian governments 2016 election interference, according to a summary of the findings by Attorney General William P. Barr. (Read the four-page summary here.)

 The special counsel reached no conclusion on the charge of obstruction of justice, writing that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. So Mr. Barr, whom Mr. Trump installed less than a month ago, pronounced the president clear of committing any criminal offense.

 Mr. Trump, who has long felt victimized by the Russia investigation, presented Mr. Barrs statements as an unalloyed victory. It was a complete and total exoneration.
WASHINGTON  Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, will force Democrats on Tuesday to take a stand on the Green New Deal and its ambitious goal of conquering climate change  after a long windup designed to drive a wedge between cautious Democratic senators and the liberal activists pushing for climate action.

The resolution, which pairs quick action to throttle carbon emissions and liberal job-creation programs, will fail at the hands of the Republican majority. Many, if not most, Democrats plan to vote present, arguing that the resolution up for a vote is not anything like a fully formed piece of legislation and has not even received a hearing. Stunt votes in the past by both parties have had little political impact.

But Republicans say putting the Democrats on record is significant, and it is just the beginning: They intend to keep the Green New Deal in the spotlight as long as possible to paint Democrats as socialists, out of touch with American values.

Its the gift that keeps on giving, said Senator James M. Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican who once brought a snowball to the Senate floor in an effort to disprove climate change.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from an unidentified foreign corporation fighting a sealed grand jury subpoena issued by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The courts action means that the corporation must provide information to the special counsel or pay mounting financial penalties. It was not immediately clear whether the recently announced conclusion of Mr. Muellers investigation will affect the corporations obligations and liability. As is their custom, the justices gave no reason for turning away the appeal.

The case, In re Grand Jury Subpoena, No. 18-948, has been cloaked in secrecy. But redacted court rulings and Supreme Court briefs have provided a few hints, including that an unnamed foreign government, referred to in court papers as Country A, owns the corporation.

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the corporations argument that it could not be forced to comply with the subpoena. The corporation had argued that federal courts have no jurisdiction over criminal cases involving foreign governments.
Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico announced on Monday that he would retire at the end of his term, becoming the first Democratic senator to declare he would leave the chamber after the 2020 elections and setting in motion a competitive race to succeed him among a rising generation of Western Democrats.

Mr. Udall, 70, the scion of a political dynasty that helped define the modern Democratic Party in the West, explained his decision in an online message, writing that he believed he could be more productive over the next two years without the pressures of seeking re-election.

Without the distraction of another campaign, I can get so much more done to help reverse the damage done to our planet, end the scourge of war, and to stop this presidents assault on our democracy and our communities, Mr. Udall wrote on Medium.

Mr. Udall joins two senior Republicans, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Pat Roberts of Kansas, in his plans to retire at the end of the current Congress.
But now the North Carolina House map could force him and other justices to confront the issue head-on. The redrawing of Marylands House map by Democrats was also baldly political, ousting a 20-year Republican incumbent by infusing the rural 6th District with tens of thousands of urban Democrats. But compared with the lawmakers in North Carolina, the Maryland Democrats were restrained, turning down maps that would have wiped out the states other Republican-leaning House district as well.

Created three years ago, the North Carolina map was drawn for overtly partisan reasons. Indeed, the Republican chairman of the state House Elections Committee, Representative David R. Lewis, opened the drafting session by saying, I acknowledge freely that this would be a political gerrymander. Republicans ordered that the next map create as many districts as possible in which G.O.P. candidates would be able to successfully compete for office.

The result, drawn by the master Republican redistricting strategist Thomas B. Hofeller, met that mandate. It anchored three overwhelmingly Democratic districts in liberal cities  Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham. The remaining urban strongholds, in Asheville, Fayetteville and Greensboro-Winston-Salem, were filleted along party lines, with their most Democratic areas absorbed by otherwise rural Republican territories.

Democrats in the state had done their share of gerrymandering in the past, but it was nowhere near what the Republicans were now doing.

The map eliminated any competition for House seats in all but the most exceptional circumstances. In November, amid the strongest national Democratic electoral performance since Watergate, only one of the 10 Republican-held House seats was in serious jeopardy (that race, in the 9th Congressional District, was marred by election fraud complaints and will be rerun this summer). Democrats won the three districts that were gerrymandered in their favor by an average of 45 percentage points.

That highlights collateral damage from gerrymanders that is sometimes overlooked: Not only do they entrench a majority party, but they weaken the opposition as well. Candidates dont want to run losing races, and donors and parties dont want to support them.

Pete Glidewell can testify to that. Mr. Glidewell, a real-estate agent and Democratic activist in Elon, about 15 miles from Greensboro, ran in 2016 against the incumbent Republican in the newly drawn Sixth Congressional District, Mark Walker. Mr. Walker had won in 2014 with nearly 59 percent of the vote; Mr. Glidewell was the only Democrat to oppose him. I thought I was better qualified than him, he said. I still do.
The new study found that though edibles represented less than one-third of 1 percent of the states total cannabis sales by weight of THC between 2014 and 2016, they accounted for 238 of the 2,432 cannabis-triggered visits to the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital Emergency Department, or about 10 percent. The authors calculated that there was 309 times more THC sold in flower or smoked form compared with edible products during the three-year period examined.

Symptoms also tended to vary depending on whether the pot was consumed as an edible or smoked. Nearly half of the emergency room patients who had consumed edibles complained of intoxication or altered mental status, often accompanied by anxiety, compared with less than a third of those who had smoked the pot.

About a quarter of both the smokers and those who consumed edibles experienced psychiatric problems, but those who used edibles were more likely to exhibit acute psychiatric symptoms, while the smokers were more likely to complain of an exacerbation of a chronic condition like depression.

In addition, 8 percent of edible users had cardiovascular symptoms, including rapid or irregular heart rate, compared with only 3 percent of pot smokers. Serious cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, occurred in both groups. Other studies have also reported on the emerging concern of cardiovascular problems being associated with pot use, Dr. Volkow said.

Concerns about edibles are not new, and many states that have legalized recreational or medical cannabis, including Colorado, California, Rhode Island, Nevada and Oregon, require packaged edibles to carry a warning that the intoxicating effects may not be felt immediately, said Camille Gourdet, a researcher who studies state cannabis policies at RTI International, a nonprofit research organization.

Many states also require edibles to be clearly marked with a symbol warning consumers that the products contain cannabis and are not regular food items, Ms. Gourdet said. Several states also require edibles to have even distribution of THC content throughout the product so it is not all concentrated in a single bite of a cookie or brownie.

Dr. Monte, who sits on the Colorado Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee, said he does not think edibles should be available in the retail recreational market. He said the important message for consumers is that there are more adverse drug events associated with edibles than with inhaled products, and that edibles are more likely to trigger psychiatric illness. First-time users  a group that, in Colorado, often includes tourists, are at particular risk, he said.
CARACAS, Venezuela  A visit to Venezuela by two military airplanes from Russia, which landed in broad daylight at the international airport in Caracas, has set off alarms that the Kremlin might be acting more brazenly to protect President Nicolas Maduro from the uprising against him.

Russian and Venezuelan officials have not disputed the arrival of the airplanes, which were first seen at the airport on Saturday. Such flights ordinarily would be sent to a protected military air base beyond the sight of the public.

[Why is Russia helping Venezuela?]

The planes brought supplies and technical advisers to Caracas, Venezuelas capital, according to a Russian state news agency and a Russian diplomat. The visit was related to military cooperation contracts signed years ago between Russia and Venezuela, said the news agency, Ria Novosti, suggesting it was routine.

A Russian diplomat in Caracas, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the diplomat was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the Ria Novosti account and said there was nothing unusual.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand considered on Monday how her government would investigate the terrorist attack that traumatized the country 10 days ago, she also began returning to normal business, announcing that she would make a long-delayed trip to Beijing next week.

The announcement signaled a shift after signs of growing tensions between the countries. Ms. Ardern, who told reporters that she would meet with Chinas president, Xi Jinping, and the countrys premier, Li Keqiang, said the long-planned trip had been scaled back to a single day in light of the attack.

The visit will be literally 24 hours, and traveling with as little time away as possible, Ms. Ardern said, adding that the trip had been planned some weeks ago and that Chinese officials had been incredibly accommodating about her decision to shorten it after the shooting attacks on two Christchurch mosques in which 50 people were killed.

Her original plan had been to travel with a business delegation from New Zealand and to make stops in three cities. Instead, she will travel without the group and will visit only Beijing.
SEOUL, South Korea  North Korean officials returned to work at a joint inter-Korean liaison office on Monday, just three days after North Korea pulled its staff members from the office it has operated with South Korea since last September.

North Korea abruptly withdrew workers from the liaison office, located in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, last Friday, raising fears that its was hardening its position toward the South weeks after the summit meeting between its leader, Kim Jong-un, and President Trump, ended without a deal.

But several North Korean officials showed up in the office on Monday, telling their South Korean counterparts that they have returned to work as usual, the Souths Ministry of National Unification said in a statement. The North Koreans returned to the office two days after Mr. Trump tweeted that he had ordered his government to withdraw additional large scale sanctions against the North, though it was not clear whether the two moves were connected.

The unification ministry said it expected the operation of the inter-Korean official to return to normal. But the North Koreans did not explain why they withdrew from the office on Friday, or why it then reversed its decision.
BEIJING  In 2006, three Chinese Christians traveled to Washington to ask President George W. Bush for his support in their fight for religious freedom. One of them had converted to the faith only a few months earlier: Wang Yi, a 33-year-old lawyer from the southwestern city of Chengdu.

But Mr. Wang had already become such a prominent Christian that organizers made sure he went to the White House. A nationally known essayist and civil rights lawyer, he would soon found a 500-member church that was independent of government control, along with a seminary, an elementary school and even a group to aid the families of political prisoners  all illegal but which he accomplished by sheer force of will.

Today, Mr. Wang, now 45, is back in the spotlight, this time at the center of an intense crackdown on Christianity. His Early Rain Covenant Church and others like it are popular among Chinas growing middle class and have resisted government control, testing the ruling Communist Partys resolve to bring Chinas churches to heel.

He saw an inevitable fight with the government because of it trying to control the churches, said Enoch Wang, a pastor based in the United States who has met Wang Yi many times. He knows that sooner or later theyll come for you and so theres no point in trying to hide.
BANGKOK  A pro-military party in Thailand on Monday celebrated its lead in the vote count in this weekends elections, hinting that the armys grip since seizing power in a 2014 coup would likely endure.

The early result, which may not be finalized for days, signaled how Thailand, one of the most stable American allies in Southeast Asia, allows the military to dominate governance, even as other countries in the region have kept soldiers away from politics.

The Sunday vote also showed how the Thai military, which has orchestrated a dozen coups over the past nine decades, is using a fresh tactic: elections to entrench its power.

While voting may nurture democracy elsewhere, Thailands political system is strangled by complicated rules designed to perpetuate the militarys authority. Neither the popular vote nor the number of contested seats in this parliamentary election will have much of a democratizing effect.
LONDON  Passengers on a British Airways flight from London to Dusseldorf, Germany, were left bewildered on Monday when their plane landed in Scotland by mistake.

A blunder with paperwork seems to have been the problem: British Airways said a German company that had chartered the plane, WDL Aviation, had submitted the wrong route to air traffic controllers.

We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed, British Airways said in a statement.

The flight, BA3271, which took off from London City Airport, did not seem to have been in any danger; because of the incorrect paperwork, the crew  including the pilot  and air traffic controllers had all apparently believed that Edinburgh was the planes intended destination.
LONDON  Britains Parliament grabbed control Monday of the governments efforts to leave the European Union, challenging the countrys political traditions and inflicting on Prime Minister Theresa May a rebuke not suffered by any recent predecessor.

By stepping into the process known as Brexit and trying to define an alternative path, lawmakers could create a constitutional showdown in Britain, where the government normally controls the agenda in Parliament, especially on its most pressing issues.

Parliament passed an amendment giving itself the power to vote on alternatives to the governments Brexit plan. Its attempt to take control of the process came as Mrs. May prepared for a last-ditch effort to persuade lawmakers to support her withdrawal plan, which has already been rejected twice by huge margins.

On Monday she admitted that there was not sufficient support to make another quick attempt to push it through, though she might try again on Thursday.
BERLIN  Germanys second-richest family built its multibillion-dollar fortune with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Jimmy Choo shoes and Calvin Klein perfume  and forced laborers under the Nazis.

The Reimann family, which controls the consumer goods conglomerate JAB Holding Company, recently commissioned a historian to dig deep into company archives and shed light on its activities during the 12 years of Nazi rule.

The initial revelations, 74 years after World War II ended, are damning.

Albert Reimann Sr. and his son Albert Reimann Jr., who ran the company in the 1930s and 1940s, were enthusiastic Hitler supporters and anti-Semites, who condoned the abuse of forced laborers, not only in their industrial chemicals company in southern Germany, but also in their own home.

Female workers from Eastern Europe were forced to stand at attention naked in their factory barracks. Those who refused were sexually abused. Workers were kicked and beaten, among them one Russian woman, who cleaned in the Reimanns private villa.
MISHMERET, Israel  Israel and Hamas exchanged blows on Monday after a rocket launched from Gaza struck a house in central Israel, wounding seven people.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said that he was cutting short his visit to the United States, with the rocket attack posing a new challenge to his bid for re-election just two weeks before Israelis go to the polls.

But the lack of enthusiasm for an all-out conflict was apparent on both sides. Just hours after the fighting began, Hamas announced that Egyptian mediators had succeeded in brokering a new, albeit fragile, cease-fire.

The Israeli military said that Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, had fired a long-range rocket at dawn that struck the pastoral village of Mishmeret, about 20 miles north of Tel Aviv.


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Northrop Grumman names spaceship for fallen Apollo 1 astronaut



March 25, 2019  Northrop Grumman has named its next space station resupply ship after an astronaut who died in NASA's pursuit of the first moon landing.



The "S.S. Roger Chaffee," Northrop Grumman's next Cygnus spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station, is christened in honor of the Apollo 1 astronaut, company officials announced on Monday (March 25).



"This is the 50th anniversary year of us landing people on the moon on the Apollo 11 mission and when we think of that mission, we think of the thousands of people who sacrificed so much to make that program a success," said Frank DeMauro, the vice president and general manager for space systems at Northrop Grumman, during a Facebook Live broadcast. "But there are three people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the advancement of moving humans to the moon and they are Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, the three Apollo 1 astronauts who tragically perished in a fire during a pad test."



"Lt. Commander Chaffee never got to fly in space unlike his crew members, yet he was such an inspiration to so many people who followed him in the astronaut corps. And so all of us here at Northrop Grumman, and certainly on the Cygnus program, are honored to name this spacecraft the 'S.S. Roger Chaffee,'" DeMauro said from inside the Cygnus Mission Operations Center in Dulles, Virginia.



The S.S. Roger Chaffee is scheduled to lift off atop a Northrop Grumman Antares 230 rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 17. The uncrewed Cygnus will remain berthed to the station through July, the same month as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, as its cargo is offloaded and it is repacked with refuse for disposal during its destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.



The S.S. Roger Chaffee's NG-11 mission will be the first use the Antares rocket's new late load capability, adding payload  including live mice  to the Cygnus spacecraft within 24 hours of the launch. The S.S. Roger Chaffee will also demonstrate the Cygnus spacecraft's capability to remain on orbit after it departs the space station, in support of the ship serving as a scientific research platform on future missions.



Roger Chaffee, the spacecraft's namesake, was selected with NASA's third group of astronauts in 1963. A Naval aviator who logged more than 2,000 hours in jet aircraft, including piloting reconnaissance flights during the Cuban missile crisis, Chaffee worked on flight control communications systems, instrumentation systems and attitude and translation control systems in the Apollo Branch of the Astronaut Office.



On March 21, 1966, Chaffee was assigned to the AS-204 mission, also referred to as Apollo 1, the first crewed flight of the Apollo command module. The mission as planned would demonstrate the capabilities of the spacecraft while circling Earth.



Less than a month from their scheduled launch, on Jan. 27, 1967, Chaffee, White and Grissom were taking part in a routine "plugs-out" test while strapped into their Apollo 1 command module atop the Saturn IB rocket that would take them to orbit. Tragically, an electrical short ignited the spacecraft's pure oxygen atmosphere and all three astronauts died.



Chaffee, 31, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Since his death, he has been memorialized with a place on the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and with the naming of a planetarium in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. An artificial island off the coast of Long Beach, California, a crater on the far side of the moon and a hill on Mars also bear his name.



The S.S. Roger Chaffee is the first spacecraft to be named in his memory.



"From all the people who have been former astronauts and current astronauts, we thank you," said former NASA astronaut Robert Curbeam, the vice president for strategy and business development for Northrop Grumman's space systems division, in reply to the naming of the S.S. Roger Chaffee. "We also thank [the Apollo 1 crew] for their sacrifices because they definitely made spaceflight safer."



Northrop Grumman's tradition of naming its cargo vehicles dates back to the first Cygnus launch in 2014, when the spacecraft was introduced by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Orbital Sciences and ATK merged to form Orbital ATK in 2015, which was then acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2018.



The most recent Cygnus, which was berthed to the station from November 2018 through February, was named the S.S. John Young after the late Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle astronaut.



Other ships were named for astronauts David Low, Gordon Fullerton, Janice Voss, Deke Slayton, Rick Husband, Alan Poindexter, John Glenn and Gene Cernan. The ninth Cygnus, the last to fly before Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Orbital ATK, was named the S.S. J.R. Thompson after the president and chief operating officer of Orbital Sciences.



The S.S. Roger Chaffee is the last Cygnus spacecraft to launch under Northrop Grumman's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The company's CRS-2 contract, which provides for at least six more resupply missions carrying an additional 44,000 pounds (20,000 kg) of cargo to the station, will begin with a launch in the fall.



Northrop Grumman's 11th Cygnus cargo resupply ship, christened the "S.S. Roger Chaffee" in honor of the Apollo 1 astronaut, stands ready for mating to a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (Northrop Grumman)







Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Chaffee as photographed on Jan. 17, 1967 at Launch Complex 34 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (NASA)







Northrop Grumman's flight patch for the S.S. Roger Chaffee's NG- 11 mission to the International Space Station. (Northrop Grumman)





Northrop Grumman has named its NG-11 Cygnus spacecraft after Apollo 1 astronaut Roger B. Chaffee. It is the company's tradition to christen each of its Cygnus spacecraft after an individual who has made a significant impact on the aerospace industry. (Northrop Grumman)



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A group of 75 female volunteers from Indias Odisha state has spent every day of the last 20 years patrolling a 75-hectare forest to protect it from woodcutters and timber smugglers.

In 1999, the eastern state of Odisha was ravaged by a supercyclone. People lost their homes, their crops and had to go without food or clothing for several days. But many in Gundalba, a small village in the Mahanadi delta of Puri district, realized that the only reason they were still alive was thanks to a forest and mangrove area that had shielded them from the brunt of the devastation. They knew they had to protect it at all costs, but with all the men busy rebuilding the village after the supercyclone, the task of watching over the forest fell to the women. They quickly formed a vigilante group and have been taking turns patrolling the forested area in search of timber smugglers and woodcutters for the last 20 years.

Photo: CCPAPA/Pixabay

All of India and the rest of the world knows about the cyclone. Our homes and standing crops were destroyed and the casuarina plantations were affected. The soil had turned saline. There was no food for days and our children had no clothes to put on,52-year-old Charulata Biswal, a volunteer forest protector, told Mongabay-India. But we realized that it was because of the surviving forest (including the mangrove species) that we were still alive. We pledged that we will protect the forest in return and restore the biodiversity.

Squads of female vigilantes patrol the 75-hectare forest at least twice a day, once in the morning, after the women finish their daily chores, and in the afternoon, after lunch. As they walk among the trees, they blow their whistles and bang wooden sticks against tree trunks, warning any woodcutters and timber smugglers foolish enough to damage this place that its time to leave.

We beat our sticks and keep vigil in groups of 10, Biswal said. We spread out inside the forests and blow whistles. Anyone with an intent to harm the local biodiversity flees on hearing our whistle and the banging of our sticks on tree trunks.

In 2001, over 70 women from Gundalba came together to form the Womens Forest Protection Committee, with representation from every household. Apart from their daily patrols, they also approached neighboring villages that also depend on the forest for firewood about setting up a system to promote sustainability. For example, every village is allowed to gather firewood from the forest on a set day of the month, usually a few days after another settlement has finished the gathering process. They also spent a lot of time spreading awareness about the important role the forest plays in preventing calamities.



The casuarina trees and other species stop the salt-bearing wind from entering the agricultural land and also thwarts the advance of moisture-laden wind from wreaking havoc on farms. The mangroves also prevent soil erosion along the coastal belt and overall the forests preserve the wildlife, Rahima Bibi, one of the forest guardians, said.

Over the years, the vigilante squads have caught several people cutting trees illegally in the forest, and have lodged several criminal cases against them. On some occasions, theyve had to use their sticks to threaten timber smugglers to leave, but nowadays, thanks to mobile phones, calling in reinforcements in case of trouble is easier than ever. Asked if theyre ever afraid of patrolling the large forest, the women said no, adding that they see it as an extension of their home.

No, why should we? The forest is an extension of our home. Though we do not have rights over it we still feel protective towards it, Charulata Biswal told a Mongabay-India correspondent, adding that she sees the trees as her children. Wont it hurt to see your children suffer? This is how a mother feels and for us, the trees are our legacy and we are doing something that comes to us naturally.

The womens efforts to guard the living shield that in turn protects their families have paid off over the last 20 years. Devastated after the supercyclone of 1999, the forest gradually came back to life. Birds started nesting in trees again, then the animals returned. There are now so many deer living here that they sometimes venture into peoples fields for food.



One section of the village that is close to the forest has freshwater. This is because the mangroves and other tree species prevent intrusion of saltwater. Our agricultural fields are safe from the influence of storm surges and ferocious winds, Rahima Bibi added.
Beau Jessup, a 19-year-old entrepreneur, has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars through her ingenious online service, Special Name, which helps Chinese parents choose an appropriate English name for their babies.

Finding a suitable name for a baby is a big deal in China. When picking out their childs Chinese name, parents usually select two or three characters that have a carefully thought out meaning, but when deciding on an English name  to help them interact with native English-speakers easier  many of them struggle. Thats where 19-year-old Beau Jessup and her company, Special Name, come in. For a small fee, Special Name suggests several English names that have different traits, like honesty or ambition, associated with them. In the last three and a half years, Jessup has helped name 677,900 Chinese babies, and earned over $400,000 in the process, more than enough to cover her college expenses.

Photo: Data.SA

Jessup came up with the idea for Special Name in 2015, after accompanying her father on a business trip to China. One of her dads business partners, a Mrs. Wang, asked for her help with choosing an English name for her 3-year-old daughter. Beau felt honored by the request and quickly realized the importance of choosing an appropriate name in Chinese culture. After asking Wang what her hopes were for her child and learning that the woman wanted people to be surprised by the things her daughter could achieve, the 15-year-old suggested the name Eliza, inspired by the character Eliza Doolitle from the play Pygmalion.

Mrs. Wang seemed delighted with Beaus choice and went on to tell the British teen about the importance of choosing an English name for Chinese children. With the Asian country now being a global economic powerhouse, interacting with native English-speakers and other Western partners is a must, and many Chinese believe that having an English name makes that easier.

It occurred to me that if Mrs. Wang needed this service, then maybe other parents would as well, Jessup, now 19-years-old, told CNBC.



After returning to her native UK, Jessup borrowed 1,500 ($2,000) from her parents and paid a web-designer to build her a website. She then spent her free time filling up a database with around 4,000 English boys and girls names, associating them with five major personality traits, like honesty and optimism. It was a time-consuming process, but nowadays algorithms make her job a lot easier.

The Special Name website, which has a Chinese language version to reach a wider audience, asks users to select five characteristics from a list of 12 that they would most like their babys name to embody. The algorithm then suggests three gender-appropriate names that match those characteristics. It also asks them to share the names with friends and family via social media before making a decision, which acts as free advertising for the service.

In the beginning, Beau Jessup offered the service for free to promote the website, but after being used by over 160,000 people, she started charging a fee of 60p (79) per use. Ever since its inception, Special Name has helped name a whopping 677,900 Chinese babies, raking in revenues of 309,557 ($407,443). Most of that money has gone toward paying Beaus university fees and property investments. And best of all, the business is almost completely self-sufficient, requiring only a small team in China that manages technical operations.



I still update the database each month, but the business is fully automated, allowing me to focus full-time on my studies, the 19-year-old entrepreneur said.

Youre probably wondering why anyone would want to pay for suggestions of English names for their babies. Well, as Beau Jessup explained in a 2017 TEDTalk, Chinas notorious online censorship and a limited knowledge of the English language have made researching difficult for Chinese parents, which in turn has led to some rather unfortunate name choices, like Rolex Wang or Gandalf Wu.
Qorvis Communications has signed a one-year $810K contract to represent the Saudi Arabia-based Muslim World League and its push to clarify the true message of Islam.

The MWL says it propagates the religion of Islam, elucidates its principles and tenets and refutes suspicious and false allegations made against the religion.

Founded in 1962, the Mecca-headquartered League is ready to help Muslims solve problems facing them anywhere in the world, employing all means that are not at variance with Sharia law while rejecting acts of violence, according to its website.

Qorvis supports the client via media consulting, strategic communications, press outreach, content production and social media enhancement.

Saudi Arabia is the leading contributor to the MWL.

Qorvis, which is part of Frances Publicis Groupe, is Saudi Arabias go-to PR firm.

It began working for the Saudis in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Offaly County Council has given the green light to a proposal that seeks to construct an inner relief road connecting the Dublin Road from the roundabout at Tesco, through a number of housing estates in Clonmullen, to the Carrick Road at Clonmeen Rise, and further out to Monasteroris in Edenderry.

The route effectively bypasses the town from the Dublin side to the Tullamore side and the Part 8 planning process received support at Monday's meeting of Offaly County Council with the exception of Cllr Noel Cribbin who refused to back it.

The road, which is estimated to cost 4.5 million, will affect residents in Clonmullen who have previously voiced opposition to the road which will pass through a number of built-up areas. They, along with local councillor Noel Cribbin, have suggested an alternative route, starting closer to the Boyne Bridge on the Dublin road, connecting similarly to the Carrick Road in the town, a route the council says lies on a flood plain and is unlikely to get approval from the Department of Transport until inner options are exhausted.

The proposal was vocally supported by four Edenderry based councillors on Offaly County Council. An exception was Noel Cribbin who said he "could not stand over" the proposal.

Area Engineer with the council, Mark Mahon, reiterated on Monday that the inner relief road was being sought in response to Edenderry's growing population and the knock-on increase in traffic locally. He said that studies show the number of cars travelling on the Dublin road in the town has grown from 9,500 in 2015 to 12,500 in 2017.

He also noted the high percentage of people from the town who commute to Dublin for work, pointing out that, at present, all of those people must travel through the centre of town and in and out the Dublin road in the mornings and evenings.

He suggested the new inner relief road would alleviate the current congestion and allow local traffic to enter and leave the town at different points, dispersing the traffic volume accordingly. He also noted the route would open up currently unused zoned lands for commercial and housing developments and serve the new Oaklands Community College building set to be built in the area near Dunnes Stores.

Disagreeing with the road, Cllr Noel Cribbin said that of 153 submissions received by the public on this project, "not one received a positive response."

"This plan started out in 2001 when that area around Clonmullen was a greenfield site," he said.

Noting the now many houses in the area and the safety issues raised, Cllr Cribbin added: "The ship has sailed on this."

Refuting suggestions that the route would alleviate Edenderry traffic, he said: "The queue of traffic out the Dublin road will be four miles long if lights are used at Tesco for this route."

"I don't think it will work; an outer relief road at Lawton and Foley near the Boyne Bridge is the solution, not this."

He also took issue with assertions that Edenderry had not changed markedly in traffic terms from 2008 when the latest transportation study analysing traffic volumes was carried out.

He said a number of new schools and growing school numbers had added to traffic, as well as the capacity and staff of Rosderra Meats quadrupling since that time with more trucks and workers travelling in the area.

"To tell me Edenderry hasn't changed since then defies logic," the Fine Gael councillor said.

Cllrs John Foley, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Liam Quinn and Noel Bourke all supported the proposal. Cllr Alan Davy who only recently took the seat of Martin O'Reilly, did not speak on the matter in the chamber.

Cllr Foley said: "This is vital for Edenderry and provides great opportunities for schools, businesses and for future housing."

"If we let this go by, the gate would be closed on Edenderry for good," he added.

Cllr Noel Bourke said his only regret was that this road had not happened many years ago, saying he had faith that the safety issues legitimately raised by residents in Clonmullen and Clonmeen Rise would be addressed in the final development.

Both Cllrs Liam Quinn and Eddie Fitzpatrick noted the positves in traffic alleviation and future development in the town that the road would provide.

Engineer Mark Mahon responded to questioning by saying the outer relief road option continued to be a long-term ambition in various plans but insisted that option would not be considered for funding until all inner options like this one were exhausted.

The inner relief road was officialy proposed by Cllr John Foley and seconded by Cllr Liam Quinn.
Offaly county councillor Dervill Dolan turned down two opportunities to apologise after making a controversial comment to retiring council official Sean Murray at the March meeting of Offaly County Council on Monday, March 25.

Nearing the end of the meeting, Cathaoirleach Danny Owens informed members that Director of Services Sean Murray was retiring after 15 years.

A number of councillors paid tribute to Murray's professionalism and intellect in his job which has seen him take important roles within the areas of water and roads with Offaly County Council.

A few councillors joked that while they had disagreements with Murray over the years, "he never held a grudge," while Cathaoirleach Danny Owens said he would certainly "miss him around the place."

The controversial moment came when Cllr Dervill Dolan spoke in the midst of the tributes. He addressed Sean who was sitting with fellow members of council management in the chamber.

"I didn't agree with the way you did your job. I didn't agree with the way in which you dealt with councillors and indeed the public at times."

"I'm leaving the council myself in two months and don't need to fall out with anyone but to be honest, Sean, you are good riddance from Offaly County Council," Cllr Dolan said.

He was immediately criticised by Cathaoirleach Danny Owens and asked to apologise, a request he turned down.

Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney also paid tribute, saying her well-versed colleague would be missed. She wished him health and happiness in his retirement.

Danny Owens once again spoke to Sean: "I want to apologise on behalf of everyone in this room except for one for what has been said to you here today. It is abhorrent."

He once again afforded Cllr Dolan an opportunity to apologise, but he yet again he refused, saying, "it's my opinion, all I can give is my honest opinion."

Sean Murray was then invited to speak and choosing to ignore the jibe, he thanked members of management and councillors for allowing him to work with them for 15 years.

He said: "I think Offaly is well served by the team here, both by councillors and management."

"I want to finish on this note to remember a man who was serving as Cathaoirleach when I first started with the council and that is Tom Feighery, who I believe was the epitome of a gentleman in this chamber."

Murray was applauded before the meeting was closed by Cathaoirleach Danny Owens.
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Bhopal hospital fire: 4 infants killed even before parents could name them

What caused the fire in Bhopal hospital that killed 4 infants?

Digvijaya Singh on BJP MLA's call to break legs of Congressmen: I'll go to his house to recite Ramdhun

Madhya Pradesh: Bike borne assailants fire at petrol pump in Indore, motive not clear yet

Bhopal

oi-Vikas SV

Indore, Mar 25: Two unidentified persons fired at a petrol pump in Indore's Dhar road on Sunday night, said reports. The assailants were on a bike when they fired bullets. The motive behind the attack is not clear yet.

"Two bike-borne assailants fired at a petrol pump late last night, at Dhar road in Indore. No one was hurt. Further investigation is underway," ANI quoted SHO Chandan Nagar Police Station, Rahul Sharma, as saying.

In January, a 40-year-old builder and property dealer was shot dead by some unidentified persons in a full public view near Vijay Nagar police station in Indore. The incident took place barely 50m from the local police station on January 16. Four shooters, waiting to ambush, fired at Sandeep Agrawal, on a crowded street, triggering panic.

Rajasthan: BJP leader shot at in Jhalawar

On January 12, four days before Agarwal's contracted killing, unidentified assailants had shot dead liquor shop supervisor Rupesh Choudhary on Indore-Dewas road.

In the same month, Mandsaur Municipal Corporation chairman and BJP leader Prahlad Bandhwar was shot dead by unidentified criminals at BPL Square in Indore. The attackers were apparently moving on a Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle when they accosted Bandhwar and shot him from point blank range.
7th Pay Commission: Here is why basic monthly pay of CG employees will not increase

7th Pay Commission: When will the new DA hike be effective from

7th Pay Commission: Higher education benefit, big hike in DA for 16 lakh employees

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: There has been a major announcement on the 7th Pay Commission for nearly 16 lakh employees.

The Uttar Pradesh government has now announced a hike in the Dearness Allowance for its employees. The DA has been filed from 3 to 12 per cent. The government would now pay the dues of the DA for the period of January 1 2019 to February 28 2019.

The same would be done in cash as soon as possible in this Financial Year itself. The DA for the month of March will be paid along with the salary in the month of April.

The hike would come into effect retrospectively from January 1 2019. This would mean that the employees would two month DA arrears before March 31.

The 10 per cent from the DA arrears of the employees covered under National Pension Scheme (NPS) will be deposited into their Tier- I pension account and the state government will also contribute a similar amount into the employees' pension accounts, an official notification read.

7th Pay Commission: Great news for CG employees, study more, earn more

Meanwhile the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions has approved an increase in the incentives for highly qualified CG employees.

The ministry has said that there would be a five fold increase in the one-time incentives given to the employees provided they acquire a higher degree while serving in their respective departments.

The ministry said that a lump sum amount of Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 would be given those CG employees acquiring fresh higher educational qualifications. The ministry termed this as a Holi gift.

The ministry said, Central Government Servants acquiring fresh higher qualifications after coming into service are granted incentive in the form of one-time lump-sum amount ranging from 2000/- to 10,000/-, as provided in this Department's OM No. 1/2/89-Estt.(Pay-l) dated 09.04.1999 and other related OMs."

The move is aimed at encouraging CG employees to go for a higher educational degree.

If a person has done a degree/diploma (3 years), then a lump sum amount of Rs 10,000 would be payable, if the degree/diploma is more than 3 years or equivalent, then the payable amount is Rs 15,000. If the postgraduate degree/diploma is of duration of 1 year or less, then the payable amount would be Rs 20,000 and if the postgraduate degree/ diploma is of duration of more than 1 year or equivalent, then the amount payable would be Rs 25,000. In the case of those who have acquired a PhD degree or its equivalent, then the incentive would stand at Rs 30,000.

The CG employee could claim the incentive within six months from the date, he or she acquires the higher degree. The order was issued under the 7th Pay Commission.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 9:31 [IST]
Bluff announcement, says Arun Jaitley on Rahul Gandhis Rs 12K income promise

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Mar 25: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for promising India's poor a "historic" minimum income guarantee scheme, described as a "bluff announcement"

The Finance Minister told reporters that the Congress has a history of cheating the poor and misleading the country in the name of removing poverty as it only gave them slogans but not the tools and resources.

Jaitley added up the expenditure incurred by the government on the ongoing welfare schemes to argue that the Narendra Modi government's welfare benefits to people averaged Rs 1,06,800 annually, as against the Rs 72,000 that the Congress seeks to promise.

"Merely slogans and statements will not remove poverty. It will go by providing resources which the Modi government has by giving the poor houses, gas connections, roads... You (Congress) have cheated the poor many times and are trying to do so again. But people will not fall in trap this time," he said.

The BJP drew comparisons with Indira Gandhi's "Garibi Hatao" in 1971, and said not much has changed since then.

Jaitley said,''Indira ji won election in 1971 on 'gareebi hatao' but she didn't take the necessary steps to remove poverty. She did not believe in increased productivity, she did not believe in generation of wealth, she only believed in redistribution of poverty.''

[Rahul makes BIG promise, assures Rs 72,000 per year to poor]

''You have misled the country on issue of poverty for 50 years. Even after giving that slogan (gareebi hatao) if today you think that 20% people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country,'' he also said.

The Union Finance Minister, in his statement, claimed that the Narendra Modi government was already giving 1.5 times the amount promised by Mr Gandhi to the country's poor.

The sharp attack came soon after Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at the opposition party for its "anti-poor" stance for decades. "This showing of false dream to the people of India is not going to cut any ice because the Congress record of 55 years has always been anti-poor," said Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Earlier in the day, Rahul had announced a minimum income guarantee scheme of Rs. 72,000 a year for India's poorest families if the Congress came to power. He said that the money, which would be directly transferred to the bank accounts of 20% of the poorest in the country, would lift five crore families out of poverty.

The income guarantee plan fits with Rahul Gandhi's campaign pitch that targets Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP, accusing them of working for the rich.

Jaitley, who wrote a Facebook post and later addressed a press conference, said Gandhi did not give any detail of the scheme and his party leaders have said it will not affect fiscal discipline which, he added, means that the existing schemes will be repackaged.
Election expenditure: How much did BJP, Congress, DMK, CPI, TMC, AIADMK receive funds and spent during polls?

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Congress leaders meet EC over PM Modi biopic, say movie violate norms

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

New Delhi, Mar 25: A Congress delegation met the Election Commission of India on Monday over the biopic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is due to be released on April 5. The Congress delegation comprised Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kapil Sibal, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Kapil Sibal, said, "We represented to the EC that there is a film being made on Narendra Modi, to be launched just a few days before election, it's purpose is political. Three producers and theactor belong to BJP, director is involved in Vibrant Gujarat. This is violative of all norms."

Last week, the DMK has sought for a ban on the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, till the Lok Sabha election is over. P.S. Arasu Bupathi of the DMK's engineering wing, from Pollachi, has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, the Chief Electoral Officer and the State Election Commissioner seeking a ban on PM Narendra Modi, in which Vivek Oberoi stars as the ace politician.

DMK leader's argument is that the film is party-oriented and shows Mr. Modi's political lifestyle, so it will impact the outcome of the election, reported The Hindu.

If Congress wins Lok Sabha elections, Pakistan will celebrate Diwali: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

Separately, a district election officer of the East Delhi Parliamentary constituency has served the show cause notice to to leading Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, music company T-Series and film production company Legend Global Studio for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by carrying a front-page advertisement of the upcoming film PM Narendra Modi, Firstpost reported on Friday.

The trailer of Vivek Oberoi-starrer PM Narendra Modi biopic was released in Mumbai on Wednesday. The biopic is produced by Sandip Ssingh, Suresh Oberoi, Anand Pandit and Acharya Manish. Vivek Oberoi's father Suresh Oberoi has shared the screen for the movie.

'PM Narendra Modi', which was scheduled to release on April 12, will now release on April 5 before the first phase of voting for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Employment opportunities remains top concern among voters: Survey

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: Better employment opportunities and health care remained the top priority for the voter.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) commissioned perhaps the largest ever Voter Survey in any country. The survey was conducted between October 2018 and December 2018, prior to the General Elections to the Lok Sabha 2019. It covered 534 Lok Sabha constituencies with 2,73,487 voters participating in this exercise spread among various demographics.

High on alert ahead of elections: Lashkar, JeM activate local sleeper cells

The survey highlights the voters' priorities on 31 listed issues like drinking water, electricity, roads, food, education, healthcare, public transport etc. in their respective regions in terms of its capacity, governance and specific role in improving their living conditions. For assessing this, voters were asked to list their top five priorities. These voters' priorities were further analysed in relation to the performance of the Government on those issues as perceived by the voters. A three-level scale of GOOD, AVERAGE and BAD was used, where GOOD was given weightage equal to 5, Average was weighted 3 and BAD was weighted as 1.

It is quite clear from the top 10 Voters' Priorities that Indian voters prioritise employment and basic amenities (like Healthcare, Drinking Water, Better Roads etc.) above all governance issues (including Terrorism and Strong Defence/Military). This indisputably is a result of prevailing governance deficit in these sectors that is causing deprivation to the average Indian voter besides also leading to the denial of their fundamental rights like Right to live with human dignity as embodied in the Article-21 of the Constitution. For inclusive and equitable development, it is important that the government ensures that such basic services reach all sections of the society, as it is key to developing human capabilities.

The government's performance score on the top 10 voters' priorities is below average. This evidently indicates that the voters are unsatisfied with the government's performance. Hence, the government needs to prioritise and invest more particularly in these sectors. On Better Employment Opportunities, which is the top most voters' priority, the performance of the government has been rated as one of the worst (2.15 on a scale of 5).

Voters' priority and government performance:

As per All India Survey 2018, Better Employment Opportunities (46.80%), Better Health Care (34.60%) and Drinking Water (30.50%) are the top three voters' priorities at the all India level, followed by Better Roads (28.34%) and Better Public Transport (27.35%) at the fourth and the fifth place, respectively.

It is important to note that agricultural related governance issues featured predominantly in the all India top 10 voters' priorities e.g. Availability of Water for Agriculture (26.40%) that was ranked sixth, Agriculture Loan Availability (25.62%) that was ranked seventh, Higher Price Realization for Farm Products (25.41%) that was ranked eighth, and Agriculture Subsidy for Seeds/Fertilsers (25.06%) that was ranked ninth.

India elections: Caste, religion still play bigger role than factors like inequality, says study

The other top two voters' priorities, Better Healthcare (2.35) and Drinking Water (2.52) were also rated as below average. Better Healthcare was ranked seventh and Drinking Water was ranked third.

It is a matter of serious concern that for none of the 31 listed voters' priorities, the performance of the government was rated as average or above average.

The worst performance of the government, as rated by the voters, was on the issues of Encroachment of Public Lands, Lakes etc., Terrorism, Training for Jobs, Strong Defence/Military, Eradication of Corruption, Lower Food Prices for Consumers and Mining/Quarrying.

The comparative analysis between All India Mid-Term Survey 2017 and All India Survey 2018 reveals that the top two voters' priorities (Better Employment Opportunities and Better Hospitals/Primary Healthcare Centres) have continued to remain at the top.

The significance of Better Employment Opportunities as voter's highest priority has increased by 56.67% from 30% in 2017 to 47% in 2018. At the same time, the performance of the government on this issue declined from 3.17 to 2.15 on a scale of 5.

The significance of Better Hospitals/Primary Healthcare Centres as voter's second highest priority has increased by 40% from 25% in 2017 to 35% in 2018. At the same time, the performance of the government on this issue declined from 3.36 to 2.35.

The significance of Drinking Water as voters' priority has increased by 150% from 12% in 2017 to 30% in 2018. At the same time, the performance of the government on this issue declined from 2.79 to 2.52.

The significance of Better Roads as voter's priority has increased by 100% from 14% in 2017 to 28% in 2018. At the same time, the performance of the government on this issue declined from 3.1 to 2.41.

Amongst the 32 states and UTs that were surveyed, in 29 of them, voters have given below average ratings to the government for its performance on all top 3 voters' priorities at the state level. This is with the exception of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry.

Out of all the 8 Empowered Action Group (EAG) states, which are considered as most socio-economically backward, in 7 states (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh) Better Employment Opportunities is the foremost voters' priority.

Drinking Water is the topmost voters' priority in 3 States/UTs like Odisha, Karnataka and Daman and Diu.

Rahul makes BIG promise, assures Rs 72,000 per year to poor

Voting behaviour:

As per All India Survey 2018, 75.11% voters disclosed that CM candidate was the most important reason behind voting for a particular candidate, followed by candidate's party (71.32%) and the candidate (68.03%) himself/herself.

It is distressing to see that for 41.34% voters, distribution of cash, liquor, gifts etc. was an important factor behind voting a particular candidate in an election.

In relation to voting candidates with criminal antecedents, maximum number of voters (36.67%) felt that people vote for such candidates because they are unaware of his/her criminal records. 35.89% voters are also willing to vote for a candidate with criminal records if the candidate has done good work in the past.

Although, 97.86% voters felt that candidates with criminal background should not be in Parliament or State Assembly, only 35.20% voters knew that they could get information on criminal records of the candidates.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 17:02 [IST]
Fall of Left and rise of BJP in West Bengal

India

oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi

New Delhi, March 25: The Left parties will be fighting 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal for their survival. While other political parties have finalised the seat-sharing formulas with like-minded parties just before the 2019 General Elections, the Left has failed to forge an alliance in any state.

The Congress party, which is also not preferred alliance partner for many regional parties, did not agree to the Left Front's terms in West Bengal, a state that the Left Front had ruled for 34 long years since 1977 before being ousted by Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC).

In 2014, the Left Front managed to win only two seats out of 42 Lok Sabha seats of the state.

Protests erupt in West Bengal over BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidate selection

"The biggest challenge before the Left Front in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is to retain those two seats," a reporter, who covers West Bengal politics, tells One India.

The key constituents of the 10-party Left Front are Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M), All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Communist Party of India (CPI).

The media person, who does not wish to be named, decodes the fall of Communist forces and rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during TMC rule.

"The biggest strength of the Communist parties was their cadres, so Mamata used muscle and money power to lure Left cadres into TMC fold after assuming power in West Bengal. Many other Left cadres were poached by the BJP after Narendra Modi led government was installed in 2014. Today, majority of the cadres left with the Left Front are old. Now, the Left Front does not have enough cadres to act as polling agents in over 2500 polling booths out of 70000 in the state,"says the journalist.

"Muslim vote bank- other strength of the Left Front- has been nourished so well by Mamata that West Bengal has become a safe haven for Muslims. West Bengal police have unwritten order- take no objection certificate from the local TMC leaders before taking any action against any Muslim. Mamata has left behind the Left Front in appeasing the deciding vote bank of the state," adds the reporter.

More than 25% of the West Bengal population is Muslim, one of the highest in the country.

When asked about the extortion charge Prime Minister Narendra Modi had leveled against the TMC, the reporter says, "It is not something new phenomenon that the TMC has invented. Mamata government is just carrying forward the practice of the Left Front rule vigorously."

Addressing a rally in Durgapur in February, Prime Minister Modi said, "Every child knows that there is a thing called triple T in Bengal - Trinamool Tolabaji Tax." Tolabaji is colloquial Bengali for extortion.

"You cannot do even a small construction in your house without paying Tolabaji to the local TMC Councillor. Another form of extortion is religious chanda (religious donation). The bigger business you have the more chanda you will have to pay. Earlier, this political extortion was being practiced by the Left Front. This is the main reason that many businesses houses have migrated from West Bengal," the media person tells this scribe.

It is notable that this extortion racked was exposed when a TMC Councillor Anindya Chattopadhyay of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation was arrested in 2016 for demanding a huge amount of money from a woman, who wanted to construct her house in Salt Lake area.

The Hindu had reported that the councillor was arrested because the victim knew Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had telephoned Mamata Banerjee to look into the matter.

"There are many like Chattopadhyay who have not faced the heat of law and running extortion syndicate. Not only extortion, but the house owners and builders are also forced to buy building material from the supplier suggested by the syndicate. Even the lobourers are also supplied by the syndicate," says the reporter, adding that the parties of the Left Front did not oppose appeasement and extortion rackets because they only gave birth to these evil practices during their rule.

Talking about the BJP in West Bengal, the media person says that the party has seen remarkable growth in the state after Narendra Modi assumed power at the Centre.

"The biggest reason for the rise of the BJP in the state is the appeasement policy of incumbent TMC and erstwhile Left Front governments. With the BJP government at the centre, the insecure Bengali Hindus saw a ray of hope and got attracted towards BJP's Hindutva."

The senior journalist says that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) spread its wings across the state rapidly after the 2014 general election results.

"The BJP targeted the menace of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The party leaders and its frontal organisations have been successful in highlighting the danger to the Bengali culture in the TMC rule. Massive hoardings of the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee offering prayers in Muslim dominated areas, the state government's decision to providing monetary and other benefits to imams, ban on immersion of Durga idols after Dussehra, and open support to triple talaq made the task of the BJP easy," says the Bengali journo.

"Like the Left Front, the TMC has also been treating Muslims as a vote bank. With the electoral victories of the BJP, a Hindu vote bank has also emerged for the first time, which also includes people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is also a fact that despite the state government's full backing, a sense of insecurity among the Muslims is witnessed for the first time in various incidents of communal violence in the state during last five years. The situation is ideal for both the TMC and the BJP as the Muslims see Mamata as their saviour and the Hindus see a ray of hope in Narendra Modi," adds the reporter.

Another reason for the Left Front's fall and BJP's rise in West Bengal is due to their stance on the corruption.

It's advantage BJP, TMC in Bengal as Congress decides to go solo

While the Left Front and the Congress failed to attack Mamata Banerjee government on issues of corruption like Sarada, Rose Valley and Narada sting probe, the BJP has been aggressively cornering TMC government over these issues.

The journalist, however, says that apart from these big scams almost all West Bengal government contracts are laced with corruption.

"For example, the firm owned by Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of Mamata Banerjee, had got the street light contract of Kolkata worth around Rs 30 core without inviting any tender as soon as the TMC had assumed power in 2011. The local media knows everything but does nothing as it is not easy to remain in business after going against the TMC government. This is the reason I don't want to be attributed in your story," the reporter confesses.

Today, the BJP has left behind the Left Front and the Congress in West Bengal politics.

The growth of the BJP can be gauged by the fact that during 2018 West Bengal Panchayat Polls it emerged second after the TMC in almost all districts.
Feast of the Annunciation: Why is this day important for Christians?

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Mar 25: Today (March 25) is the Feast of the Annunciation, an important day for the Catholics across the world. Feast of the Annunciation falls exactly nine months before Christmas, celebrated on December 25 every year to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

Feast of the Annunciation marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Feast of the Annunciation commemorates the day of God's act of Creation and the beginning of Christ's redemption. It also marks Mother Mary's freely given acceptance of the task of being the Mother of God - Jesus Christ.

The significance of this Christian feast on Western culture is made clear from the fact that New Years Day used to be celebrated on March 25. This was the case in England until as late as 1752.

Two other feasts honoring Mother Mary are - the Assumption (August 15), and the Immaculate Conception (December 8). These days also celebrated as Holy Days. New Year's Day, January 1, is also observed as a Solemnity of Mary.

[Christmas 2018: Why and how do we celebrate Christmas]

Christian doctrines include the beliefs that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, was born of a virgin named Mary, performed miracles, founded the Church, died by crucifixion as a sacrifice to achieve atonement for sin, rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, from where he will return.

From the earliest recorded history, the feast has been celebrated on March 25, commemorating both the belief that the spring equinox was not only the day of God's act of Creation but also the beginning of Christ's redemption of that same Creation. All Christian antiquity (against all astronomical possibility) held 25 March as the actual day of Jesus' death.

[Good Friday: Why day of Jesus's crucifixion is called 'good']

The opinion that the Incarnation also took place on that date is found in the pseudo-Cyprianic work "De Pascha Computus", c. 240. It says that the coming of Jesus and His death must have coincided with the creation and fall of Adam. And since the world was created in spring, Christ was also conceived and died shortly after the equinox of spring. (Source - Wikipedia)

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 4:30 [IST]
Right to be forgotten: HC asks Centre, Google to reply to plea for removing verdict from search engine

Delhi HC asks Centre, Google to respond to mans plea to remove articles on his conviction in criminal case

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For speedy disposal of cases, change in attitude needed: HC

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: There is an imminent need for change in attitude and will for the expeditious disposal of commercial suits, the Delhi High Court has observed.

The observation came while passing a slew of directions so that lawyers and litigants make efforts to expedite disposal of suits.

The court was deciding an application seeking permission to file certain additional documents in a commercial suit.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said though the legislature, by enacting the Commercial Courts Act, intended expeditious disposal of suits, in majority of commercial suits, applications like delayed filing of documents or condonation of delay are being filed.

The court said these applications were envisaged by the Commercial Courts Act to be an exception in such cases, rather than the norm.

"There is thus an imminent need for change in attitude and will for expeditious disposal," it said.

The judge said the effort to expedite the case, as endeavoured by the Act, cannot be only by the courts but must be by all the stakeholders, that is, litigants and counsel.

Delhi court to frame charges in Muzaffarpur shelter homes case on Mar 18

"They are required to pay extra attention to making precise pleadings spelling out basis of claim or defence and to avoid making unnecessary pleas, which add to length of pleadings and ultimately lead to unnecessary issues being framed, evidence being led, which has no relevance at the time of final adjudication," the court said.

It said that in the beginning itself, lawyers should prepare an entire blue print of their case/ defence, including witnesses to be examined, by studying the law and judgments on the subject controversy.

The court noted certain practices, such as lack of strategy, lack of understanding of their own claim or defence, etc, which lead to unnecessary delay in disposal of commercial suits.

It also dealt with the practice of seeking time to file reply to interim applications and said highlighted that the opposite party or the advocate, out of habit, asks for time even when there is no need for a reply.

"Moreover, the law on various aspects which come up for consideration in such interim applications, is by and large settled and any counsel worth his salt knows the outcome of such applications."

"In such situations, no time should be permitted to be wasted on such applications and if the counsel knows that the application, even after reply and arguments would be allowed, should consent thereto," the court said.

"Else, the Commercial Courts Act, insofar as aimed at expediting disposal, will remain a piece of legislation only on paper," it added.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 10:21 [IST]
High on alert ahead of elections: Lashkar, JeM activate local sleeper cells

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Indian Intelligence Bureau has warned of large scale attacks during the elections.

The report further warned that groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad would try and strike at the heartland and not just in Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces bust JeM module in J&K

This is the third warning that the agencies have issued in the past four months. The IB warning also says that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba will look to activate its sleeper cells across the country. The warning specifies that the outfit will look to target states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka ahead of the elections.

The Intelligence Bureau has sounded another alert in which it is stated that Lashkar-e-Tayiba is training its terrorists to launch sea borne attacks in India.

The maritime wing of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has reported enhanced activity in the past couple of months, the IB reported. There is ample information and leads to suggest that a large number of its terrorists are being trained in deep sea diving in a bid to launch a massive attack in India, the IB further reported.

The report suggests that the Jaish-e-Mohammad too is working alongside the Lashkar to execute attacks in India. The two groups work in tandem in the Kashmir Valley.

The input which has been considered as an actionable one has prompted the Indian Navy to be on high alert. In addition to this the IB has also warned that a group of terrorists are waiting near the Leepa Valley, Dudhnihal and Kel to infiltrate into India.

The attack from the seas was witnessed during the 26/11 attack. This time around the alert suggests that the terrorists of both the groups are training hard in a bid to launch an attack on the Indian Navy. The threat looms large in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, an IB officer told OneIndia.

Several intelligence reports available with OneIndia state that the naval wing of these groups is handled by the Musa Company, which is the special services group of the Pakistan Army.

How virtual SIMs helped JeM carry out the Pulwama attack

The naval wing of these terrorist groups is not often used by terror groups. It is part of the surprise element, the reports state. Since 2004, it had become mandatory for every Lashkar-e-Tayiba recruit to undergo a certain amount of maritime training.

This apart, the terrorists also take part in classes on elementary flying. As part of the training programme, the first class is held in Thakot and then at Murdike. The training programme comes to a close at Karachi and each of these sessions is conducted by officers of the Musa company.
Top Lashkar commander gunned down with two more terrorists in Pulwama

How virtual SIMs helped JeM carry out the Pulwama attack

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Srinagar, Mar 25: India would seek the help of the United States after it was found that virtual SIMs were used in the Pulwama attack.

Piecing together probe from the site of the terror strike, searches carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and central security agencies at an encounter site in Tral as well as other locations, it was found that the bomber, Adil Dar, was in constant touch with the JeM across the border, they said.

The main mastermind of the audacious attack, Mudassir Khan, was killed + in the encounter in Tral.

JeM terrorist linked to Pulwama attack mastermind arrested in Delhi

Forty CRPF personnel were killed + on February 14 when Dar rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a paramilitary force bus at Pulwama in South Kashmir. India retaliated after the strike by bombing the Jaish terror group's hideout in Balakot in Pakistan.

It was a fairly new modus operandi where terrorists across the border were using a "virtual SIM", generated by a service provider in the United States. In this technology, the computer generates a telephone number and the user downloads an application of the service provider on their smartphone.

The number is linked to social networking sites like WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram or Twitter. The verification code generated by these networking sites is received on the smartphone and the user is ready.

In case of Pulwama, Dar was in constant touch with the Jaish handler as well as Mudassir Khan using the same technology, the officials said.

They said the numbers used were pre-fixed with "+1", the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) number used for the United States.

The request to the US will include details of phone numbers that got in touch with the 'Virtual SIM' and who had activated it, they said, adding that Internet Protocol addresses would also be sought.

While the security agencies would attempt to find who had paid for the virtual SIM, they were also aware that the terror groups used forged identities, as was done during the Mumbai 26/11 terror strikes.

During investigation of the 26/11 attacks it was found that an amount of $229 was wired to Callphonex, via Western Union Money Transfer receipt number 8364307716-0, for activating the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) used during the strikes.

I cancelled events, but PM continued with photo shoot: Rahul's bitter jibe over Pulwama

The money was received from 'Madina Trading' located in Brescia in Italy and sender was claimed to be Javed Iqbal, a resident of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK).

However, after Italian police arrested two Pakistani nationals in 2009, it was alleged that the firm had made nearly 300 transfers in the name of Iqbal, who probably had never set his foot in Italy.

The Italian police, while concluding the probe, had said the Brescia-based company made several transfers using the identity of innocent, unsuspecting persons, whose identity cards or passports might have been stolen.

(With agency inputs)

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 6:07 [IST]
Delta variant strain predominant during second Covid wave in Chandigarh

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IAF inducts advanced multi-mission Chinook helicopters

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Chandigarh, Mar 25: The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is undergoing modernization, formally inducted CH-47F (I) Chinook, an advanced multi-mission helicopter at Air Force Station Chandigarh on Monday.

CH-47F (I) Chinook will provide Indian Air Force with unmatched strategic airlift capability across the full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions.

Chinook can deliver heavy payloads to high altitudes and is eminently suited for operations in the high Himalayas. It will greatly enhance India's capabilities across a range of military and HADR missions.

The first flight of Chinook was in July 2018. The IAF received its first CH-47F (I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopter on 10 February 19 at the Mundra port in Gujarat.

Rafale would significantly bolster India's air defence capabilities: IAF Chief

Chinook is a heavy lift, tandem rotor helicopter which serves armed forces of 19 countries. It is a multi-role platform and is used for the transport of troops and material among other roles. It will greatly enhance IAF's HADR capability.

The Chinook contains a fully Integrated, Digital Cockpit Management System, Common Aviation Architecture Cockpit and advanced cargo-handling capabilities that complement the aircraft's mission performance and handling characteristics.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 14:00 [IST]
Rupanis soft-spoken image may have been his undoing, say observers

Vijay Rupani resigns: BJP legislature party likely to meet on Sunday to choose new CM

If Congress wins Lok Sabha elections, Pakistan will celebrate Diwali: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Mar 25: Congress victory "by mistake" in the Lok Sabha election will see Pakistan celebrate Diwali, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani claimed on Sunday.

"While this is not going to happen, but when the results (of the general election) are announced on May 23 and (if) the Congress wins by mistake, then Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan because they (Congress) are all associated with it," Rupani said in Mehsana at the launch of the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'vijay sankalp' rally.

"The people of the country will ensure Narendra bhai (Narendra Modi) wins on May 23, after which there will be grief in Pakistan," the BJP leader said.

Rupani attacked Congress leader Sam Pitroda for demanding proof of the Balakot airstrike.

Why the Lucknow battle may not be a cake-walk for Rajnath Singh

"The world knows Pakistan shelters terrorists. And Sam Pitroda, Rahul Gandhi's teacher, says it is wrong to blame Pakistan for the act of five-seven youths (who carried out the Pulwama attack).... Congress leaders speak the language of Pakistan," Rupani said.

The chief minister accused the Opposition of insulting the armed forces. "Who are you trying to support by negating the words spoken by the heads of the armed forces (after the Balakot airstrike)?" he asked.

In response to accusations that the previous National Democratic Alliance government freed Masood Azhar, who then went on to form terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, Rupani alleged that it was the Congress former that had released several terrorists during its tenure.

The BJP leader also accused the Congress of indulging in vote-bank politics and "encouraging separatist forces".

Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah as "sons of Gujarat" who were working to make India stand tall among the league of nations, Rupani said disparate Opposition parties were uniting only with the aim of defeating Modi.

"When Narendrabhai is moving in the direction of making India a 'Ram rajya', the Opposition parties have come together. The Congress, communists, terrorists, naxals, corrupt, Mamata, Mayawati, Akhilesh, Chandrababu... all selfish people have come together (against him)," he said.

Calling the 2019 election a fight to the finish, Rupani exhorted party workers to make history with the ballot.

PTI

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 9:23 [IST]
Kalyan Singh says 'We want BJP to win, Modi to become PM'; Can Governors make political statements?

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Mar 25: There are certain rules governing the conduct of the Governors once they assume the Constitutional post. Governor is an important post as the Constitution vests all the executive powers of the state government to the Governor.

The 1988 Sarkaria Committee on Centre-state relations recommends that "Governor should be a detached figure and not too intimately connected with the local politics of the state". This essentially means that Governors should be politically neutral once they assume the post. Not getting into the legal nuances of what is right or wrong for a Governor to speak, it is generally expected that the Governors would refrain from making political statement.

But, off-late we see that this is not strictly adhered to. Recently, Governor of Meghalaya, Tathagata Roy, called for boycotting "everything Kashmiri", including the Amarnath Yatra and purchasing products from the state, as a response to last week's Pulwama terror attack. The views expressed in tweets were not exactly political, but the remarks certainly did not befit the office that Roy held.

Today (March 25), Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, said, "We all are BJP workers and we want the BJP to emerge victorious. We want that once again Modi ji should become the PM. It is important for the country."

Cong still blames Governor for BJP government formation in Goa

Singh's remark is political as he is openly stating that he wants the BJP to win. The Sarkaria Committee report merely makes recomendations on the actions of the Governer, but does not delve deep into what they can or cannot speak in the public domain.

Now, roles of Governor are seen in the same light as that of President. But, while the President of India is "elected", the Governor is "selected" by the incumbent Central government. This selection by Union Government may lead to those being selected for the post who have inclination to take a biased stand when political situation in the state become unstable.

The 2017 Goa elections saw a close contest for most of the seats. The Congress with NCP had 18 seats and was the single largest party, and needed only three more for a majority. The BJP had 13, (well short of a majority), with the remaining ten seats in the 40-member assembly going to other parties and independents. Yet, the Governor appointed a BJP coalition with the MGP (three seats), Goa Forward Party (three seats) and three independents. Experts argue that the single largest party should have been called first for consultations on government formation. But, that clearly did not happen in Goa's case.

"I was anticipating that Congress would approach me first after securing the support of some groups, and form its government. But they didn't show up. No one even called," Goa Governor Mridula Sinha later told in an interview to Mumbai Mirror.

Meghalaya Guv tweets 'boycott everything Kashmiri', later claims he quoted ex-armyman

So, all these issues point at the need for stringent guidlines on how the governors should carry themselves in public and also at 'the process followed to select the governors'. Is a change needed in the procedure? Rajeev Dhavan, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court, in an article published in The Wire suggests that "Governors should not be party men and be politically neutral by criteria declared and stated by the president based on constitutional commissions and committees." Among several other suggestions, he also says, "Prima facie, the governor must reject party candidates and individuals that abandon the mandate. India'a democracy cannot be put to ransom by governors in the drawing rooms of a Raj Bhawan."
Key Congress meet today to finalise on manifesto, second seat for Rahul

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Central Working Committee of the Congress would meet here today to review its manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This would be the second meeting of the Committee to review the manifesto of the Congress.

In all likelihood, the Congress would release its manifesto on April 2. The manifesto is expected to revolve around the announcements made by Rahul Gandhi.

This would include the minimum income guarantee scheme, reservation for women, affordable education and also the right to healthcare.

If Congress wins Lok Sabha elections, Pakistan will celebrate Diwali: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

In addition to this the CWC would also take up other issues such as the second seat on which Rahul Gandhi should contest from. There have been reports that he may contest from Wayanad along with Amethi. A final call is expected to be taken today on this issue.

The meeting would also take up issues relating to the alliances. This would include the alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party as well.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 9:38 [IST]
India elections: Caste, religion still play bigger role than factors like inequality, says study

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

New Delhi, March 25: Although inequalities in education and employment in India are often talked about as major ills for our democracy, it is not that these factors make a big impact on the election scene. On the other hand, factors like caste identities and religious conflicts remain big determinants in elections in India. A paper by Abhijit Banerjee, an economist from MIT, and Amory Gethin and Thomas Piketty from Paris School of Economics, has shown this.

The paper has tracked evolution of political divisions between 1962 and 2014 using surveys and election results and concluded that the BJP and other right-wing parties disproportionately attract upper-caste votes.

Citing the findings, the Economic Times said in its report that over 60 per cent of Brahmin and nearly 50 per cent of other forward caste electors backed the BJP in 2014, compared to 30 per cent of SC/ST and only 10 per cent of Muslim electors. The Congress and other centrist partues were more popular among the OBCs and Muslims while among the SC/STs and OBCs, the Left was most preferred.

Rahul makes BIG promise, assures Rs 72,000 per year to poor

It further said that voters from the upper castes, high-income groups and university graduate classes used to back the right-wing parties till the mid-1990s. However, in 2014, the report said, factors like social class, income and education played little significant role in explaining why the voters chose between the BJP, Congress and other parties.

The ET report concluded by saying that in state elections, too, caste and religion remained the two most important factors determining people's voting behaviour instead of social class.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 16:22 [IST]
As Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Cong says such posturing for personal ambition will help BJP

Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again

Lok Sabha Elections 2019 updates: Anti-BJP front gains momentum, Naidu meets Sonia Gandhi

India

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

New Delhi, May 19: Andhra Pradesh Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday met BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, continuing his efforts to put together a coalition to form the next government at the Centre. He reached Lucknow after meetings in New Delhi with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, CPI leaders G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and LJD leader Sharad Yadav. The Telugu Desam Party chief has already held several rounds of discussions with various opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to Uttarakhand today with a visit to Kedarnath shrine. The prime minister is also expected to offer prayers at Badrinath tomorrow before returning to Delhi in the afternoon. The prime minister's visit to the holy shrine came a day before the last phase of the marathon Lok Sabha elections.

Fifty nine parliamentary constituencies, including Varanasi, will go to polls in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections and the results will be announced four days later, on May 23.

Stay tuned for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 UPDATES:
UP govt beat those seeking employment with sticks, remember this when BJP seeks votes: Rahul Gandhi

Section 144 CrPC invoked in Lucknow in view of Christmas, New Year

'Masood Azhar's kin': Yogi Adityanath's dig at Sahranpur Congress candidate

India

oi-PTI

Lucknow, Mar 25: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday stoked controversy by linking Sahranpur Congress candidate Imran Masood to Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar.

Addressing a rally in Saharanpur, he said the "son-in-law of (Jaish-e-Mohammed chief) Azhar Masood" has entered the constituency and he speaks the language of the terror mastermind.

"You have to decide who wins from Saharanpur, a person who speaks the language of Azhar Masood or a soldier of Modiji," he said, seeking votes for the BJP candidate from Saharanpur, Raghav Lakhanpal.

Adityanath said Azhar would meet the same fate as Osama bin Laden.

If Congress wins Lok Sabha elections, Pakistan will celebrate Diwali: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani

"You must have heard about Osama bin Laden. He was killed brutally. Azhar Masood will be killed in the same manner," he said.

The UP chief minister said the BJP is committed to nation building and will not allow "any traitor to dent India's integrity".

"Some parties offered biryani to terrorists, while the Modi government has only one medicine for terrorists - bullets and bombs," he said.

Taking a jibe at the SP-BSP alliance in the state, Adityanath said, "People who are contesting 37-38 seats are thinking of becoming prime minister."

Attacking Congress President Rahul Gandhi, he said, "You must have noticed that the Union finance minister had referred to an individual as 'man without brains'.

"Rahul Gandhi does not know Indian culture, so when he went to offer prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple, he sat in a position as if he was offering namaaz."

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi's close aide Sam Pitroda, Adityanath said, "There is a 'mahaguru' in the Congress. He raises questions on the valour of our armed forces. When this is the condition of the 'mahaguru', you can imagine the condition of 'mahachelas'."

Taking potshots at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath said, "When someone asked Akhilesh if Mulayam will be his leader, 'my leader is Mayawati. I have already de-throned netaji'.

Attacking rival parties, he said, "The presiding deity of the corrupt, the jewel of clan of goons and the torchbearer of 'naamdaars' want to plunder the resources of the country."

PTI
Five more travellers from 'at risk' countries test COVID-19 positive in Mumbai; nine so far

Omicron 1st case in Maharashtra: What we know about it so, far? 12 facts

Milind Deora replaces Sanjay Nirupam as Mumbai Congress Chief

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Mar 25: Congress leader Milind Murli Deora has replaced Sanjay Nirupam as the head of the party's Mumbai unit with just weeks to go for the Lok Sabha election.

Party spokesperson confirmed the rejig in a tweet. "With you as the Mumbai President, I am extremely confident the party will emerge stronger! I Look forward to working with you to achieve the same (sic)," she tweeted.

The Congress also released the 10th list of 26 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The party will be fielding Sanjay Nirupam from Mumbai North-West constituency. Nearly a month ago, Deora had clashed with Nirupam for the position of party president in the state but had lost out. After which he had declared that he may not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Deora, the son of former oil minister Murli Deora, is considered close to the Congress chief.Nirupam, a former two-time Rajya Sabha member and was earlier with the Shiv Sena, was appointed the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee in March 2017.

During his two-year stint as the MRCC chief, the party witnessed bickerings and increased differences among local leadership leading to public spats.

After being appointed as Mumbai Congress Committee Chief, Milind Deora says, "I thank Congress Shri President Rahul Gandhi and UPA Chairperson Smt Sonia Gandhi for trusting me to lead Mumbai Regional Congress Committee. This appointment comes at a challenging time and I commit myself to strengthen the roots of the party in Mumbai.''

''I appeal to all leaders and workers to work unitedly defending and furthering party ideals. The city of Mumbai needs politics of inclusive development. In my view, Indian National Congress is the only political outfit that truly represents the spirit and nature of the city of Mumbai. In my tenure I will focus on holistic development, with a focus on housing for all, protection to small and medium enterprises and enriching social and communal harmony. I also take this opportunity to thank my predecessor Shri Sanjay Nirupam. I wish him great success in his personal and political life," he further said.
Five more travellers from 'at risk' countries test COVID-19 positive in Mumbai; nine so far

Three international travellers test positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai, total rises to 13

Omicron 1st case in Maharashtra: What we know about it so, far? 12 facts

Mumbai bridge collapse: Police custody of auditor Neeraj Desai extended till Mar 28

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Mumbai, Mar 25: The police custody for the structural auditor who was arrested Monday in connection with the Mumbai's foot overbridge collapse that left six people dead was extended till 28th March by Mumbai Sessions Court.

Neerajkumar Desai's firm had reportedly carried out the structural audit of the bridge and declared it safe for use despite some corrosion in the structure, police said.

[Collapsed Mumbai bridge auditor Neeraj Kumar Desai arrested]

The bridge linking the bustling CSMT train station collapsed leading to the death of six and leaving 31 injured.

Police initially booked officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which was responsible for its maintenance, and the Central Railway (CR) under section 304-A (Causing death by negligence) of the IPC, but rescinded the move later.

That section was removed and section 304-part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC was imposed against Desai, police said.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 18:44 [IST]
Narendra Modi to address rally in Jammu on March 28

India

pti-PTI

Jammu, Mar 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick-start the BJP's election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday by addressing a rally in Akhnoor, party leaders said here Monday. In view of the PM's visit, security arrangements were reviewed in the state which has been witnessing heightened militant activities in the Kashmir Valley.

The BJP has fielded its sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, who was elected in 2014 with a margin of 2.26 lakh votes, from the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, which will go to polls on April 11. The party is likely to face some opposition from rebel BJP candidates like Chaudhary Lal Singh who may contest the polls.

Ahead of the prime minister's visit, the Centre has banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, holding it responsible for killings of Kashmiri Pandits leading to their exodus from the valley. This will be the first visit to the state by the prime minister after the February 14 terror strike at Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. This was followed by retaliatory action by the Indian Air Force, whose fighter planes bombed Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps at Balakot in Pakistan. Both the countries were on the brink of a war.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally to be held at Panchayat Doomi, tehsil Bhalwal, in Jammu on March 28," BJP national vice-president and in-charge of the state Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here.

The grand start of the BJP's 'Vijayrath' in the region will take place from this rally, Khanna said. Modi is scheduled to visit Jammu region again in the second week of April for a rally in Kathua. The BJP has given fielded sitting parliamentarian and Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh from Udhampur. This seat is going to polls on April 18.

PTI
NC's LS candidates will protect J&K's special status, says Omar Abdullah

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, Mar 25: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday asserted that the principal task ahead of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is to protect the state's special status. He stressed that his party has fielded suitable candidates on all the Lok Sabha seats in the valley who will ensure that the voice of people is heard in Parliament.

"Keeping in view the herculean task of putting up a strong front in protecting state's special constitutional status, the party has fielded most suitable candidates from the three parliamentary constituencies of Kashmir," Abdullah said. He was addressing rallies in Beerwah and Kunzar areas of Budgam and Baramulla districts of the state.

The NC candidate for Anantnag seat is a legal luminary Justice (retired) Hassnain Masudi whose pronounced judgments and articles reveal his legal acumen and dedication while Mohammad Akbar Lone, a former advocate, is candidate from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, he said.

[Lok Sabha elections 2019: Andhra's Vijayawada seat to witness tough fight between TDP, YSRCP]

"For Srinagar, we could not think of anybody other than Farooq Abdullah. A four time chief minister, he has been representing state in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha many a times in the past as well," he said. "To have a person of his national standing representing state in Lok Sabha will benefit the interests of state," he added.

The former chief minister lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for berating and belittling the mandate of people given to them in 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

"Nowadays we hear PDP president Mehbooba Mufti saying that she will never join hands with BJP. How should we believe her?," he said. "Previously she sought mandate of people at the pretext of keeping BJP out, but what followed was an apt case of political opportunism," he added.

PTI
Bring vaccine in open market says Odisha CM Patnaik in letter to PM Modi

BJD not to hold rallies, campaign meets for May 13 Pipili by- polls: Patnaik

More than 1,000 govt schools in Odisha will be transformed with modern facilities: CM

Odisha BJP vice-president to make poll debut against Naveen Patnaik

India

oi-PTI

Bhubaneswar, Mar 25: The BJP on Monday named the party's state vice-president Pitambar Acharya as its candidate against ruling BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is seeking re-election from Hinjili assembly seat in Odisha's Ganjam district, party sources said.

This will be the first time that Acharya will fight the assembly polls though he has been in politics since his student days and was the president of the students union in Bhubhaneswar's BJB College in the 90s.

Acharya, a senior advocate of Orissa High Court, is also the BJP's spokesman. He was assigned the responsibility of the party's vice-president two days ago.

The BJP is yet to name its candidate against Mr Patnaik in Bijepur assembly seat from where the BJD president will also contest from.

Confirming that he will contest from Hinjili assembly seat, Acharya said he would contest against the chief minister to win the polls.

BJP sources said Acharya was interested to contest from Cuttack Lok Sabha seat. But the party fielded former Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra in Cuttack and decided to pit him (Acharya) against the chief minister, sources said.

Acharya's name as party candidate from Hinjili was announced in a separate press release issued by the BJP's central office.

Patnaik, who is seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive time, had filed his nomination papers for Hinjili at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district on March 20.

Polling in the seat, which falls under Aska Lok Sabha seat, will be held in the second phase on April 18.

Patnaik has been elected to the assembly four times in a row from Hinjili since 2000. In 2014, he had polled 89,267 votes against his nearest Congress rival Sibram Patra's 12,681 votes. BJP candidate Debananda Mohapatra was in the third place by securing only 12,283 votes in 2014 polls.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 17:37 [IST]
For this professor turned terrorist, it was all over in 48 hours

Prof plays porn clip in a hall of 500 in Canada varsity; says it was accidental

Professor calls girl student to his house to come and cook when wife is out

PhD row: Kerala professor quits to protest HRD's 'national priority' circular

India

oi-Deepika S

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 25: Meena T Pillai, a professor from Kerala, has quit the Board of Studies of Central University in protest over the central government's order that PhD students should focus on topics of 'national interest' and avoid 'irrelevant areas'.

"I was absolutely shocked when I read this circular. How can a circular like this be passed to all departments, and remain unnoticed. The only thing I could do is resign from board, " Pillai , who resigned from the Board of Studies of English and Comparative Literature, told NDTV.

"I thought it was a very insignificant act on my behalf, but the only thing I could do. Who decides what are national priorities? And why should research be restricted to just that?" Professor Pillai added.

On Sunday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Facebook to express his discontent over the issue. "Now, self-attested wise minister (Prakash Javadekar) of a great intelligent Prime Minister will tell the intellectual of the country how they should do their work. The saying little knowledge is a dangerous thing is correct," he wrote.

Haryana: Maths Professor loses job for teaching 'love formula' to woman students

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor has also tweeted in support of the professor. "Disgraceful HRD instruction that researchers can pursue PhDs only on topics of 'national interest' prompts Kerala professor to quit. The rest of us can join her protest by voting the troglodytes out!" he tweeted.

The circular, which was released by the university on March 13 read, "All the Heads of the Department are hereby directed to convene the meeting of faculties and to prepare a shelf of projects to be taken for research study pertaining to their subject considering national priorities. The student can opt from the shelf of projects."

It also states "...discourage research in irrelevant areas. When fellows are being admitted for PhDs, the topic for PhDs should be in accordance to national priorities. Allotting privilege topics to students should be dispensed with."

The university issued the directive after a Vice Chancellor's meeting held in New Delhi, last December.
Rafale would significantly bolster India's air defence capabilities: IAF Chief

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Mar 25: With the first Rafale fighter jet set to arrive in India in September this year, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said that the Dassault Aviation manufactured aircrafts would increase India's air defence deterrence levels "manifold".

In September 2016, India signed a deal with the French government and Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets to meet urgent requirements. The Indian Air Force rates the Rafale much higher than the Su-30MKIs in terms of capabilities, and has been making a case for the increased number of Rafale type multi-role fighters, said reports.

"When the Rafale comes in, the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold,and they (Pakistan) will not come anywhere near the Line of Control (LoC) or the border, with the kind of capability that we will posses, for which presently they do not have an answer," IAF Chief told news agency ANI.

Airstrikes: Results would have been different if we had Rafale jets, says PM Modi

Acquiring Rafale jets would provide a huge boosts to India's aerial capabilities, considering that it is a twin-engine omni-role fighter with a wide array of weapons. It is not only designed to provide aerial supremacy but also Deep Air Support (DAS), ground support, in-depth strikes, nuclear deterrence missions, and aerial reconnaissance.

The Indian Air Force will reportedly deploy one squadron each of the Rafale combat aircraft at its airbases in Ambala in Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal's Alipurduar District .

PM Modi earlier this month said that the entire country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jet aircraft and wondered what could have happened if the IAF had the fighter planes for Balakot air strike on terrorist camps. The Indian Air Force had deployed around a dozen Mirage-2000 aircrafts to hit the target. A Jaish-e-Mohammed camp was destroyed and many terrorists were killed in the air strike on Feb 26, as per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
As Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Cong says such posturing for personal ambition will help BJP

Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again

Rahul Gandhi attacks Mamata: The high commands Bengal dilemma

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Kolkata, March 25: Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently came to West Bengal for a campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He addressed a packed rally in Malda in central Bengal where he lashed out at the Mamata Banerjee government of the state.

Rahul even compared Banerjee with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying both only make promises to the people but do little in reality. He asked people whether the state government has done anything on employment or farmers' distress and said that while Bengal used to run for a party in the Left Front rule, it runs for an individual in the Banerjee years.

Fall of Left and rise of BJP in West Bengal

Rahul Gandhi's attack on Banerjee showed once again the dilemma that the Grand-Old Party faces in Bengal. In January, when Banerjee had called for a mega rally in Kolkata, it was the same Congress president who had extended her support even though he was personally not presented.

The target then was a common front against Modi. But in Malda, the Congress president picked the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo as his target and even likened her to the prime minister.

To the common man, such political strategy looks comic. It only adds to the Opposition's lack of credibility. But on the real ground, the Congress's top leadership has very little option other than indulging in contradiction.

Malda remains one of Congress' last few strongholds in Bengal

Malda, along with Murshidabad, remains the Congress' last few bastions in Bengal. To those who feel the crowd that had assembled there to hear Rahul was actually far less than shown, probably by the spin doctors, it is better to remind them that such a thick crowd is not unexpected in Malda since it has been an impregnable fort of the Congress over the decades.

The legacy of the iconic leader ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury still lives on in those parts and even Mamata Banerjee, who is the undisputed queen of Bengal at the moment, has not been able to breach it.

In such a constituency, it becomes necessary for the Congress president to attack the local ruling party because it is the main opponent of his party here and not the BJP.

The attack was sharp even more this time since the Congress is in danger of losing one of the two Malda seats - Maldaha Uttar - as the sitting MP Mausam Benazir Noor recently shifted base to the TMC.

Unruly scenes at Rahul Gandhi's rally at Malda

Rahul even spoke on that issue during his rally to provoke the voters to punish the 'betrayer' but it will be interesting to see if the Congress can indeed overcome the challenge as Noor's joining the TMC is likely to divide the Congress' vote bank here.

Noor, niece of Ghani Khan will be challenged in this seat by her cousin Isha Khan Choudhury and it could be Banerjee who stands to benefit the most.

Or it might help the BJP.

To draw an analogy, the TMC had fielded Satya Ranjan Dasmunsi, the brother of late Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi from Raiganj, another Congress stronghold, in 2014. The fight between Priya's wife Deepa Dasmunsi and his brother saw the Congress losing its seat to the Left's Mohammad Salim. The same could happen in Maldaha Uttar this time.

Rahul Gandhi's attack on Mamata in Malda was more of a scheduled script because he can not afford to upset the local factions of the Congress in Bengal that are staunch critics of the TMC chief because they feel insecure about Banerjee's growing power. So the Congress's central leadership has to adopt a two-pronged strategy of praising Banerjee at the central level but attack her at the local level.
As Mamata Banerjee takes swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Cong says such posturing for personal ambition will help BJP

Rahul Gandhi in centre of Cong posters for Jaipur rally; call for him to become party chief again

Delhi Cong leaves decision on alliance with AAP up to Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Mar 25: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday chaired a crucial meeting of senior party leaders, including Sheila Dixit to discuss alliance with Arvind Kejriwal's AAP.

The Congress leadership seems divided over forging an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). While one faction wants an alliance to defeat the BJP in Delhi, the other is vehemently against it.

The opinion on the issue remained divided and everyone in the meeting was unanimous that Gandhi should take a final call on it in the larger interest of the party, said a participant of the meeting.

Four former Delhi Congress presidents -- Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Tajdar Babar and Arvinder Singh Lovely favoured an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, PTI quoted sources as saying.

Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit has repeatedly voiced her opinion against the alliance, however, she has also said that the final decision will be taken by the party leadership.

Both the parties have however, continued to send to feelers to each other as leaders of both have time and again come out to say talks are on for an alliance.

Sheila Dikshit writes to Rahul Gandhi over alliance with AAP

As the Congress ruled out the possibility for any alliance, Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed a "secret understanding" between the BJP and the Congress.

"At a time when the whole country wants to defeat (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-Shah duo, the Congress is helping the BJP by splitting the anti-BJP vote. Rumours are that the Congress has some secret understanding with the BJP," Kejriwal tweeted. "Delhi is ready to fight against the Congress-BJP alliance. People will defeat this unholy alliance," he added.

AAP has announced candidates for all 7 Lok Sabha seats. The AAP has been insisting on a 5:2 seat distribution (five for AAP and two for Congress), but the Congress has stuck to its demand for a 3:3:1 seat sharing arrangement (three for AAP, three for Congress and one for an independent).

Earlier it was reported that NCP chief Sharad Pawar is mediating between the two arch-rivals to agree on an alliance in order to defeat the BJP.
Till when does a father have to take responsibility of his child: SC clarifies

SC notice to CBI on plea on disproportionate assets case against Mulayam, Akhilesh Yadav

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Supreme Court has issued notices to the CBI among others on a petition that sought to know the status of probe into the alleged disproportionate assets of SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The petition also sought to know the status of the cases against SP leaders, Akhilesh Yadav and Prateek Yadav.

Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi sought to know what happened since the CBI filed a status report in the Supreme Court stating that a prima facie case had been made out against the Yadavs.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had listed the fresh plea of political activist Vishwanath Chaturvedi for hearing on March 25 in which he has sought a direction to the CBI to file its probe report either before the apex court or before a magisterial court in the assets case.

Chaturvedi, in 2005, had filed the PIL in the top court seeking a direction to the CBI to take appropriate action to prosecute Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh, his wife Dimple Yadav and Prateek Yadav, the other son of Mulayam Singh, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly acquiring assets more than the known source of their income by misusing their power of authority.

Former SC judge P C Ghose appointed India's first Lokpal

The court, in its verdict of March 1, 2007, had directed the CBI "to enquire into allegations" and find out as to as to whether the plea with regard to disproportionate assets of SP leaders was "correct or not".

Later in 2012, the court dismissed the review petitions of Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh and Prateek against its verdict and had directed the CBI to go ahead with the probe against them in the disproportionate assets case.

It, however, had allowed the review plea of Dimple Yadav and had directed the CBI to drop the inquiry against her saying that she was not holding any public office.

The court had also modified its March 1, 2007 order and ordered the CBI to file the status report before the court and not to the government.

Chaturvedi, in his fresh plea, said, "Despite the yawning gap between the complaint made/court's directions and the pendency of filing of a regular Case in this matter, an unusually long period as already escaped without any action being taken on the matter for 11 long years".

The matter was still pending with the CBI for registration of a regular case, "fair, impartial and immediate investigation leading to prosecution of the offenders", it said.

Till date, no FIR has been registered against the Yadavs and it has not only caused "some irremediable and irrecoverable damaged to the whole case, but also raised serious questions of credibility and integrity of our investigating agencies", the plea said.

The CBI is duty bound to register a regular case as mandated by the provisions of law and also report the FIR to the jurisdictional magistrate as mandatory and provided by procedure law, it said.

Referring to the CBI's earlier status report, the fresh plea said that the report indicated that disproportionate assets were possessed not only by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh and Prateek but also by Dimple Yadav.

On the basis of Income Tax Returns and reliable documents of the Yadav family members, the disproportionate assets were calculated at Rs 2.63 crore, it said.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 11:06 [IST]
Sense of desperation: Why are terrorists choosing soft targets in Jammu and Kashmir

Security review in J&K is message to Pak not to use Taliban win in Kashmir

Top JeM commander gunned down by security forces in Valley

11 civilians gunned down by security forces in Nagaland; CM Neiphiu Rio orders SIT probe, appeals for peace

Security forces bust JeM module in J&K

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Srinagar, Mar 25: Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were arrested by security forces on Sunday from the outskirts of the city, police said.

"Three car-borne terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM (were) arrested by police and security forces at Lawaypora (on Srinagar-Baramulla road) (based) on a credible input today," a police spokesperson said.

J&K: Army jawan martyred in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch sector

The spokesperson said ammunition, including live rounds, was seized from the three terrorists. They were identified as Rayees Hurrah, Shahid Bhat and Ishaq Lone.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 6:53 [IST]
Why the Lucknow battle may not be a cake-walk for Rajnath Singh

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Lucknow, Mar 25: Lucknow has been a BJP bastion since 1991. The constituency of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the seat is currently held by Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh.

The Congress however decided to give the BJP a tough fight in Lucknow and is likely to field Jitin Prasada instead of Dhaurahra. The move was initiated since Prasada is a Brahmin from a prominent political family.

Prasada won his first election from Shahjahanpur in 2004. In the 2009 polls, he was shifted to Dhaurahra, which he won. However in 2014, he lost the polls to the BJP. While the Congress declared that Prasada would contest from Dhaurahra, there are reports that suggest that he may be moved to Lucknow.

Rahul Gandhi likely to contest from Wayanad

This is being done keeping the larger caste equations in mind. The party feels that it may gain if it fields a Brahmin from Lucknow. The Congress also feels that this would send a message that the party is trying to promote the Brahmin leadership in the state.

In Dhaurahra, 26 per cent of the voters are Dalits, while the Jatavs and Chamrs comprise 11 per cent of the electorate. The non-jatav votes amount to 15 per cent, while the OBCs make up for 22 per cent. The Muslims and Brahmins are 13 and 12 per cent respectively.

After being dropped from Modi cabinet, Rajiv Pratap Rudy makes a comeback

Taking these factors into mind, the constituency does not seem to be feasible for Prasada. His 2009 win was largely attributed to the Congress wave and the party feels that this factor may not play out this time around.

Further it is also felt that fielding a Brahmin from Lucknow would attract the upper caste votes. Further his candidature would make a difference in urban Lucknow as well, the Congress feels.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 8:58 [IST]
The terror groups that threaten the US and why Lashkar made it to the list

Boko Haram attacks kill 7 Niger villagers near Nigeria border

International

pti-PTI

Niamey, Mar 24: Boko Haram jihadists killed at least seven villagers in a series of attacks in southeastern Niger near the border with Nigeria, a local official and an NGO said on Sunday.

The attackers carried out three separate raids overnight Saturday, said a senior official in the Diffa region, which borders northeastern Nigeria, Boko Haram's base. In the course of the raids they killed seven people, abducted two women and burned down a market and several houses, the official said.

Alternative Espace Citoyen, a group active in the region, posted a message on Facebook saying there had been four attacks in which 11 people had been killed. Already last Thursday, a Boko Haram attack in Karidi, a village on the border with Nigeria, killed eight people including one woman, according to local officials.

On March 9, jihadists killed nine Niger soldiers in an attack in the same area. And another seven soldiers perished last month in a Boko Haram attack on their position near the border.

[30 Nigerian soldiers killed by Boko Haram]

Earlier this month, the authorities in Niger said they had killed 33 Boko Haram fighters in an operation in the region. Diffa, which borders northeastern Nigeria, has suffered a string of cross-border raids.

An estimated 27,000 people have been killed and two million displaced since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009. Lake Chad, which straddles parts of Niger, Nigeria and Chad, has borne the brunt of the jihadists' hit-and-run attacks.

PTI
In Dubai hospital, critically ill man has bills of over Rs 18,00,000

International

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Dubai, Mar 25: A critically ill Indian man, who was visiting his son in Dubai, has surging bills over lakhs in a Dubai hospital after he was diagnosed with lung infection, leading to a multi-organ failure, UAE media reported.

Surendra Nath Khanna, 66, who hails from Punjab, was rushed to hospital after he complained of acute breathlessness on March 15, the next morning after he arrived in Dubai with his wife.

His son Anubhav did not avail any travel or medical insurance for his parents and is currently shelling out over Rs 300,000 every day on his father's treatment. He till now has unpaid bills mounting to over Rs 18,00,000.

"When my parents arrived, I could see that my father was a bit breathless, but he didn't show any signs of being sick. But, in the morning, we had to call an ambulance as he suffered from breathlessness," Khanna's son Anubhav, who migrated to Dubai 11 months back, was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times newspaper.

We played important role in reducing Indo-Pak tensions: UAE envoy

He said that doctors diagnosed it to be a severe lung infection and his limbs began getting discoloured.

According to the report, the growing infection affected Khanna's left hand which had to be amputated. His right leg seems to be affected with gangrene and may need to be amputated as well.

He said his father developed breathlessness and cough, which were dismissed as seasonal ailment by local doctors few days prior to the travel.

Urging the community to come forward and help the family, Neeraj Agrawal, Head of Chancery and acting Consul-General of India to the UAE, said, "The consulate officials and the community volunteer medical team are in touch with the family and doctors. We are keeping a close watch and helping in whatever capacity we can," the paper quoted the Indian official as saying.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 10:25 [IST]
Nirav Modi's extradition: Fugitive diamantaire likely to appear on March 29 via video conference

International

oi-Vikas SV

London, Mar 25: After being denied bail and lodged in the Wandsworth prison in London, Nirav Modi, wanted by the Indian authorities in connection with the Punjab National Bank fraud case, is likely to appear before the Westminster Magistrates Court on March 29 via video conference, said reports.

Diamantaire Nirav Modi, an accused in Rs 13,500 crore PNB fraud case, was arrested in central London on March 19 after the Westminster Court issued a warrant against him. He was arrested from Holborn metro station in London and produced before the court on March 20.

District Judge Marie Mallon, who presided over the hearing, rejected Modi's bail plea and noted "there are substantial grounds to believe that you would fail to surrender before the court if bail were to be granted". He has been lodged in the Wandsworth prison in Southwest London ever since.

London Court rejects Nirav Modi's bail plea, to stay in jail till March 29

On March 29, formal hearings in Nirav Modi's extradition case would begin.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing the case for his extradition to face the Indian justice system on behalf of the Indian government, had strongly opposed bail because Modi had "deliberately evaded justice" and not returned to India despite a series of criminal summons issued by Indian courts.

During the March 29 hearing, which is refered to as "case management hearing" in the legal parlance, Nirav Modi's defence team is likely to seek bail again. Nirav Modi's legal team is headed by Barrister George Hepburne-Scott and his solicitor, Anand Doobay, is the same legal expert hired by former Kingfisher Airlines boss Vijay Mallya, said reports.

Nirav Modi fled the country in the first week of January last year. Then in February 2018, his passport was cancelled by the India. Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are the prime accused in the Rs. 13,000-crore Punjab National Bank scam involving fake guarantees in the name of the state-run lender to secure loans overseas.

Earlier this month, the 48-year old Nirav Modi was seen walking on the streets of London by a reporter of the British newspaper The Telegraph.

While the ED was accused of inaction, the agency clarified that no such formal or communication was received by the ED from UK authorities in March, 2018 or at a later date, informing that Nirav Modi was in the UK. The ED added that the National Central Bureau of Manchester, the nodal agency of the UK for dealing with Interpol notices and cooperating with other countries, had instead asked Indian agencies to "provide it" with intelligence inputs that suggested Modi was in the UK.

Before Nirav Modi's arrest, how ED, CBI worked behind the scene

The extradition request for Modi could only be sent after a chargesheet was filed against him, which was done by the agency in May last year.

The ED obtained a fresh NBW against Modi from a Mumbai court after filing the chargesheet and sent it to the Interpol, which notified the "red warrant" for arrest against the fugitive diamantaire on June 29 last year, and subsequently, a fresh request for extradition was sent to the UK government, the agency said. He was tracked down to a three-bedroom flat occupying half of a floor in an upscale tower block of luxury apartments, where rent is estimated to be around 17,000 a month, the newspaper reported.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 10:45 [IST]
Eye on West Bengal assembly polls, JP Nadda to take part in door-to-door campaign in Kolkata

No proof Donald Trump campaign conspired with Russia says US Attorney General

International

oi-Oneindia Staff

By Anuj Cariappa

Washington, Mar 25: US Attorney General William Barr has said Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find proof that Donald Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential elections, following which the US president claimed "complete and total exoneration".

In his four-page letter to the Congress on Sunday, which was later made public, Brar however said that "while this (Mueller's) report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him" and sets out evidence on "both sides of the question".

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign".

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," the attorney general said.

Mueller, in his report, "did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction", Barr told the lawmakers.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the president's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," Barr said, adding Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment".

In the letter, he also said the Department of Justice has determined that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that Trump committed obstruction of justice.

Donald Trump will not accept 'bad deal' on Afghanistan, says White House official

"After reviewing the special counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense," the letter read.

"The special counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election," it said, adding, "the report identifies no actions that, in our judgement, constitute obstructive conduct."

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of the Mueller investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections. Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

"It was complete and total exoneration," the president told reporters in Florida as he was returning from Mar-a-Lago to Washington DC.

Terming the allegation of collusion "the most ridiculous thing ever", Trump said, "It's a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest it's a shame that your president had to go through this."

He had been repeatedly claiming that he was a victim of "witch hunt", while asserting that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Russians.

"This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side," Trump said.

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," he said, adding "It's a complete exoneration."

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the president's stand.

"The special counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. Attorney General Barr and Deputy Attorney General (Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States," she said.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

"As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country," she said.

Trump's campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been "completely and fully vindicated" by Mueller's report.

"After issuing 2,800 subpoenas and 500 search warrants, interviewing 500 witnesses, employing 40 FBI agents and 19 lawyers, and spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, Robert Mueller concluded unequivocally, 'the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.' Moreover, the attorney general and the deputy attorney general determined that there was no evidence of obstruction of justice," Parscale said.

"Nevertheless, Democrats took us on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years, alleging wrongdoing where there was none," he claimed.

"So distraught and blindsided by the results of the 2016 elections, Democrats lied to the American people continually, hoping to undo the legitimate election of President Trump," Parscale said.

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Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 5:47 [IST]
Is China the reason why Pakistan opted to skip Summit for Democracy hosted by Biden?

Pakistan: Cops find woman in deep sleep next to body parts of 70 year old man

Pakistan gives nod to Sharda Peeth Corridor: Reports

International

oi-Vikas SV

Islamabad, Mar 25: Pakistan has reportedly given its nod to build a corridor to the Sharada Peeth temple located on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir also referred to as the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Reports quoting the Pakistani media stated that 'Pakistan has given a green signal for the opening of Sharda Peeth Corridor'.

India, Pakistan agree to expeditiously operationalise Kartarpur Corridor

The ancient temple of Sharada is located across the Line of Control in a small village, Shardi or Sardi. It is considered holy by Hindus and especially by the Kashmiri Pandits. It is located 160 km from Muzaffarabad and about 10 kilometres from the Line of Control at a place where the river Neelam (Kishanganga) converges with the Madhumati and Sargun streams.

"(We) can consider other proposals including opening up travel for the Sharada Peeth in Kashmir...," reported had quoted Imran Khan, the Pakistan Prime Minister, as saying last year.

The Indian government is also said to have written several letters to Pakistani authorities on this proposal.

Kartarpur corridor: Punjab BJP chief fumes at Pak over new conditions

Kashmiri Pandits believe that Sharada in Kashmir is a tripartite embodiment of the goddess Shakti: Sharada (goddess of learning), Saraswati (goddess of knowledge), and Vagdevi (goddess of speech, which articulates power). In 2007, a group of Kashmiri Pandits who were permitted to visit the PoK were denied permission to visit the temple.

According to some ancient scriptures, Kashmir was sometimes called Sharada Desh because of this temple and Sharada was called Kashmira Puravasini.
Prince Charles and Camilla begin first official trip to Cuba

International

pti-PTI

Havana, Mar 25: Prince Charles and his wife Camilla began the first official trip to Cuba by the British royal family on Sunday, in a pomp-filled display of disagreement with the Trump administration's strategy of economically isolating the communist island.

The heir to the British throne arrived in Havana and laid a wreath at the memorial to colonial independence hero Jose Marti, near massive portraits of socialist revolutionary icons including guerrilla fighter Che Guevara. The next two days include visits to historic sites, a solar park, organic farm and biomedical research centre, and a meeting with entrepreneurs, cultural gala and dinner with President Miguel Diaz-Canel. It does not include visits with political dissidents or other critics of Cuba's single-party system, a decision prompting criticism from Cuban exiles.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida last month asked Charles to cancel his trip based on Cuba's support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the island's "decades-long history of persecuting and imprisoning its defectors and repressing its people."

Fellow Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also has long advocated for isolating Cuba and Venezuela, and the senators have found a receptive audience in the Trump administration, which has been tightening financial sanctions on both countries in the hopes of toppling their governments.

[Split paths imminent for royal brothers Prince William and Harry: Report]

US President Donald Trump has seen European and Latin American support for his Venezuela policy, but less backing on Cuba, whose government has already withstood a 60-year US embargo without showing any signs of losing its grip on power.

Sir Alan Duncan, the British minister of state for Europe and the Americas, wrote Scott last month that "like a number of other countries, we believe that the best way to promote human rights and encourage a Cuba that fully respects fundamental freedoms is through practical diplomacy, such as with this visit."

PTI
DGCA will take 'some time' before deciding on Boeing 737 MAX planes

Smoke coming out of cockpit of a Boeing plane forces emergency landing in New Caledonia

International

pti-PTI

Noumea, Mar 25: A United Airlines Boeing 787-900 jet was diverted to the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Monday after reports of smoke coming from the cockpit, a local official told AFP.

The US aircraft flying 256 passengers from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles, touched down safely at La Tontouta airport in New Caledonia's capital Noumea.

"The passengers are disembarking calmly," said the official from the local Chamber of Commerce which runs the airport. "It seems that there was some smoke coming out of the cockpit."

An Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people on March 10 led to the global grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. It followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October that left 189 dead, which raised major concerns about the safety certification of the 737 MAX 8 model.

[We have full confidence in the safety of 737 MAX aircraft: Boeing]

The Nouvelles-Caledoniennes (Caledonian News) website reported that oxygen masks automatically dropped down in the cabin of the United Airlines plane. The local RRB radio station said no one was hurt and all the passengers would spend the night in Noumea, 2,700 kilometres (1,650 miles) northeast of Melbourne.

PTI
Italy finds patient with new COVID-19 strain which UK said is out of control

UK: Cops fulfil 104-year-old womans bizarre wish to get arrested

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

London, March 25: Some people have bizarre wishes in life and they never fall short of the enthusiasm to fulfil them. An 104-year-old woman from London is no exception either. Anne Brokenbow, a British citizen, had the wish to get arrested by the police and the law-keepers honoured her wish by 'arresting' her at her residence at Stoke Bishopn, a Britisl suburb, on March 20.

Born in 1914, Anne once worked as the secretary and the police had to go through century-old birth records thoroughly while making the background check for the 'arrest' and admitted that this is something they did for the first time.

According to Bristol Post, PC Stephen Harding of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary said he was arrested Anne on grounds of her being an "upstanding citizen" for the past over 100 years.

The Bristol police agreed to fulfil Anne's wish after it found a place in the list of the Wishing Washing Line initiative which is run by Alive Activities, an elderly people's charity.

In Dubai hospital, critically ill man has bills of over Rs 18,00,000

The charity asks the elderly people to lay down their wishes on paper slips which are than attached to the 'washing line' at nearby stores. Those visiting the shops may take a look at the wishes and take an initiative to fulfil them. Anne's wish caught eyes because of its bizarre nature.

Her wish post was: "My wish is... to be arrested. I am 104 and I have never been on the wrong side of the law."

The police arrived and 'handcuffed' Anne and taken into their waiting car with flashing blue beacons.

The police, which showed its soft face, said later: "Although we obviously couldn't actually arrest Anne (and wouldn't want to), our PCSO Kelly Foyle and Beat Manager PC Stephen Harding were thrilled to meet her; congratulate her on more than a centenary of good citizenship, and go through the motions of an arrest."

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, March 25, 2019, 10:33 [IST]
Kamala Harris to become first woman with Presidential power: Here's why

What we know about first case of Omicron reported in the US

Watch: 'If you're on this call...' Indian-origin CEO fires over 900 employees over 3-minute Zoom webinar in US

US using democracy as 'weapon of mass destruction' to stoke confrontation: China slams Summit for Democracy

US ships and warplanes can use Oman's ports and airport; Both countries sign agreement

International

pti-PTI

Muscat, Mar 25: Oman on Sunday said it had signed an agreement with the United States that would allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of ports and airports.

The state-run Oman News Agency said the "framework agreement" was aimed at bolstering "Omani-American military relations" in a report on its English-language website.

"It will allow the US forces to take advantage from the facilities offered at some of the Sultanate's ports and airports during visits of the US military vessels and aircrafts, particularly in the port of Duqm," it said.

Duqm port is located in southern Oman on the Arabian Sea and around 500 kilometres (310 miles) from the Strait of Hormuz. At the mouth of the Gulf, the strait is crucial to global energy supplies, with about a third of the world's seaborne oil passing through it every day.

Shiite Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the strait due to tensions with Sunni-ruled Gulf nations, including its main regional rival Saudi Arabia.

[Trump got lavish diplomatic gifts from foreign leaders]

The narrow waterway is also an international transit route where American forces routinely pass and which has seen tense encounters between them and Iranian forces in the past.

The United States has a number of military bases across the Gulf -- the largest in Qatar with about 10,000 troops. The US-Omani deal was signed by the defence ministries of both countries.

PTI
Xi, Macron meet over dinner, exchange views on Sino-European relations

International

pti-PTI

Beaulieu-Sur-Mer, Mar 25: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron met for dinner in the south of France on Sunday ahead of official talks with the host leader seeking to forge a united European front to contend with Beijing's advances.

Xi earlier arrived at the resort city of Nice accompanied by his wife Peng Liyuan to be welcomed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and an honour guard. Prior to meeting with Macron, Xi went to the nearby principality of Monaco, where he was received by Prince Albert II and where a government spokesman said bilateral talks would "address economic and environmental issues".

Xi, who has made a priority of establishing China as a global player, travelled from Italy, whose government became the first G7 state to sign up to his landmark new "Silk Road" infrastructure project, a massive undertaking to join Asia to Europe.

Washington and some EU states fear the huge project will give China too much sway. But Xi says it would be a two-way street of investment and trade. Germany criticised Rome over its participation in the new Silk Road project.

[Defeat of ISIS has removed a significant threat to France]

"In a world with giants like China, Russia or our partners in the United States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU. And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

The EU's German budget commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, told the Funke newspaper group that Europe should ensure it retains its autonomy and sovereignty when dealing with China. He expressed concern that already "infrastructure of strategic importance ... is no longer in European but in Chinese hands. French Finance Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had remarked on Friday that "Silk Road cooperation must go "in both directions."

Amid tight security, the Chinese and French first couples enjoyed a private dinner at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, near Nice, overlooking the Mediterranean. They were due to have what a Chinese official termed "a deep exchange of views on Sino-French, Sino-European relations and international and issues of mutual interest." Xi's official visit to Paris on Monday will mark 55 years since Charles de Gaulle established diplomatic relations with Beijing. A series of cooperation deals on nuclear power, aerospace and clean energy initiatives, some involving lucrative contracts, are expected to be signed.

On Tuesday, Macron and Xi will be joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker to explore "points of convergence" ahead of an EU-China summit in Brussels next month. As well as addressing commercial cooperation and strategic issues with Xi, Macron has also been urged to deal with the case of Chinese former Interpol head Meng Hongwei. Meng's wife has had no news of her husband since his arrest in China nearly six months ago and it emerged Sunday she has written to Marcon asking him to bring up his disappearance with Xi.

He is believed to be facing corruption charges. But Xi's visit poses a particular challenge for Macron, who wants to deepen EU ties with China while also pushing back against Beijing's growing global clout. Europe's distrust of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is poised to become the dominant player in next-generation 5G mobile technology worldwide, is emblematic of the increasingly rocky relationship. Monaco, which notably is eyeing a share of Chinese luxury tourism and has its own foreign policy, only last year signed an accord with Huawei to make the principality the first country entirely covered by the company's 5G mobile network by year end. Macron has lauded the EU's "awakening" to the challenges posed by China, which the bloc now labels a "rival" despite being Europe's biggest trading partner.

"The reality is that the world has changed significantly -- China is not the country it once was, and we are dealing with a very major partner," a Macron aide said ahead of Xi's visit. The US is pressuring European allies to not use the Huawei technology, saying it creates a security risk by potentially letting Beijing snoop on sensitive communications.

But France has not ruled out using Huawei gear. Beijing has accused Washington of trying to escalate President Donald Trump's trade battle with China. Despite the many sources of friction, France wants to engage China as a closer partner as Washington makes a pointed withdrawal from global affairs under Trump's "America First" policy. For example, Macron may seek more Chinese support of the French-backed G5 Sahel force fighting Islamist extremists in Western Africa.

China has been investing heavily in a diplomatic offensive across Africa, promising to help build infrastructure projects as part of the new Silk Road initiative. Aides say Macron will press Xi to ensure such projects are fair and explore the participation of French companies amid allegations the deals could load African countries with unsustainable debt.

PTI
Members of farmers' body detained in Lucknow for trying to burn effigies of PM Modi, Shah

Uttar Pradesh: Four dead as bus dashes into divider, catches fire

Lucknow

pti-PTI

Mainpuri (UP), Mar 25: Four people, including a child, were killed in the early hours of Monday when a Uttar Pradesh roadways bus on its way to Lucknow from Delhi burst into flames after hitting a divider on the Lucknow Agra Expressway, police said.

The double-decker bus caught fire near Methepur village at around 2 am, they said. The bus caught fire after it dashed into the divider as its driver attempted to avoid hitting a vehicle overtaking it, police said, adding that the bus conductor, Israr, and three others were charred to death.

District Magistrate Pramod Kumar Upadhyay and the Superintendent of Police Ajai Shanker Rai rushed to the spot and rescue operations were started.

[Maharashtra: Four killed in bus accident near Palghar]

Four persons, including a child, were charred to death and their age could not be ascertained, SP Rai told PTI. Three others have suffered burn injuries and they were given medical aid and are out of danger, he said.

PTI
Five more travellers from 'at risk' countries test COVID-19 positive in Mumbai; nine so far

Omicron: In home quarantine? Mumbai control room will call you 5 times a day

Three international travellers test positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai, total rises to 13

Omicron 1st case in Maharashtra: What we know about it so, far? 12 facts

Prohibitory orders imposed in Mumbai over Omicron scare, law and order threat

Maharashtra: 2 booked for assaulting student in Thane

Mumbai

pti-PTI

Thane, Mar 25: Two persons have been booked for kidnapping and allegedly beating up a Class X student who owed them money, Thane police said Monday.

The victim, 17 years of age, used to drive the autorickshaw of accused Sagar (25), police said.

"In December last year, the victim was held by traffic police for driving his vehicle without proper documents. Sagar paid the fine of Rs 4,000 on the victim's behalf. Sagar had been demanding that money back," he said.

Maharashtra: Four killed in bus accident near Palghar

"On Sunday, Sagar and his friend Ravi Gupta assaulted the victim.

Both have been booked for kidnapping, assault, criminal intimidation. Further probe is on," he added.

PTI
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Prague Gaming Summit Enlivened and Emboldened All Who Passed Through

Published March 25, 2019 by Lee R

Against an unforgettable backdrop, a new level of achievement and engagement was achieved at Prague Gaming Summit 3.

The third edition of Prague Gaming Summit was a rousing success March 20th.

Prague Spotlight

At the conference capital, the third edition of Prague Gaming Summit gathered over 110 key industry stakeholders.

Dynamic Agenda Overview

The European Gaming Media conference agenda adroitly wove together unique panel discussions, an exclusive IMGL MasterClass, informative keynote presentations, a fireside chat, several networking opportunities and a live music performance by Tal Ron himself, who performed original music songs Four on the Floor, Its Only Natural (Alone in the Dark with You), and a surprise hit.

Meanwhile, leading industry experts and delegates were networking non-stop.

Conference Media Recordings

Those who missed it need not despair, as the audio recordings of the panel discussion and videos will be available to members in the coming weeks on the EuropeanGaming.eu website.

European Gaming Media Speaks

Co-Founder, Co-Owner and Head of European Gaming Media and Events Zoltan Tundik was honoured by the turnout, while enthusiastically turning his focus attention to 2020's fourth edition, as Prague Gaming Summit continues the mission of all our event, quality learning and networking in our special boutique style!

Delegates Thrilled

Many delegates expressed enthusiasm, including Efbet Casino and Sport Global Research Analysis and International Development Head Vladimir Petrov, who thanked Zoltan and the European Gaming Team for insights into the new regulations in Eastern Europe which covered the new opportunities and the new ways to the operators."

Trustly Director of Gaming Accounts Vasilije Lekovic added that Prague Gaming Summit was a great place to discuss the current hot topics in the gaming industry and exchange opinions...It was a pleasure...sharing my views from the Trustly perspective.

Sponsor Recognition

Organizers European Gaming Media and Events is adamant about recognizing its sponsors, specifically to Main Stage Sponsor NetEnt; Lanyards Sponsor SBTech; General Sponsor Nsoft; General Sponsor Iforium; Networking Break and Lunch Sponsor Zendesk; Legal and Banking Sponsor Tal Ron, Drihem and Co. Law Firm; European Regulatory Sponsor Planzer Law Zurich; Outsourcing Sponsor Hyperon Tech; AI Briefing Sponsor BETEGY; and Digital Sponsor BtoBet.

Moving Forward

Meanwhile, the series rolls on, with European Gaming Media and Events working profusely ahead of coming locales in 2019 such as Vilnius for MARE BATICUM Gaming Summit; Budapest for CEEGC & CEEG Awards; and Milan's massive European Gaming Congress. But the crown jewel remains Prague Gaming Summit.
Transformer Bushings Market: Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2024 Top Key players like Top Key players like Siemens,ABB,General Electric,Inc.

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Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Transformer Bushings Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 91 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables:Transformer bushing is an indispensable part of electric power transmission equipment utilized to operate reliably and safely. It is an insulated device that facilitates the transfer of current carrying conductor through an earthed conducting obstacle. Transformer bushings are often attributed as a prominent cause of transformer failures. In order to avoid the failure and loss, manufacturers strive to develop reliable, cost-efficient and durable transformer bushings.Rapid urbanization and significant growth in industrialization are the pre-eminent factors responsible to aid the growth of transformer bushings market.Additionally, the spurring urbanization is underpinning the demand growth for the need of power infrastructure thus bolstering the transformer bushings market during the forecast period. Transformers bushings market is forecast to remain lucrative in the foreseeable future owing to the enhancement of electrical transmission lines in the majority of countries.Another reason driving the global transformer bushings market is the need for enhancing electrical power grid reliability. Significant fleet expansion and broadening of the rail network in various regions are expected to increase the demand for transformer bushings in railway networks owing to rapidly increasing passenger count. Investments in the power sector to address chronic electricity shortages are expected to drive the global transformer bushings market.According to this study, over the next five years the Transformer Bushings market will register a 4.0% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 440 million by 2024, from US$ 360 million in 2019. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Transformer Bushings business, shared in Chapter 3.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSiemensABBGeneral ElectricCedaspeHubbellNanjing Electric HV BushingAnkara Seramik A.SPreis GroupMGC Moser-Glaser AGARTECHE GroupMarket Segment by Type, coversSolid TypeResin Impregnated PaperOil Impregnated PaperMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustryCommercialResidentialFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024United States Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024Global Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024China Transformer Bushings Market Growth 2019-2024Customization Service of the Report :Market Research Report Store provides customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About Us:Market Research Report Store (MRRS) is a professional organization related to market research reports in all directions .To provide customers with a variety of market research reports, MRRS cooperates with a large of famous market report publishers all over the world. Owing to our good service and the professional market reports in the wide range, MRRS enjoys a good reputation in the market. In pace with the development of MRRS, more and more customers and market report publishers choose to cooperate with us. As a specialized platform, MRRS upholds the supremacy of customers and aims to provide customers with better service and richer select.Contact USMarket Research Report StoreE-mail: info@marketresearchreportstore.comTel: +86-15521064060 00852-58197708(HK)Add: 17890 Castleton Street Suite 218 City of Industry CA 91748 United StatesWebsite:
2019 Perfusion Market Set for Rapid Growth with Global Players like Getinge AB, Medtronic, LivaNova PLC, Terumo Medical Corporation, XENIOS AG, Lifeline Scientific, Inc.

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Global Perfusion Industry Report  Forecast to 2023 is latest research report published by "Market Research Future", which provides comprehensive information on Perfusion Market - Size, Share, Demand and Statistics with historic and forecast data to 2023.Global Perfusion Market - OverviewThe perfusion market is growing pervasively mainly attributing to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases associated with lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys which are the result of changing lifestyle. Over the last three decades, perfusions have evolved hugely, demonstrating remarkable advances which are leading to driving the growth of the market.Simultaneously, there has been a remarkable growth in the awareness about related surgeries required to managing these diseases which, as a result, are escalating the market on the global platform.According to an eminent research firm, Market Research Future (MRFR) the perfusion market is growing steadily, globally, and is expected to continue growing in the years to come. In its recently published study report MRFR asserts that the global perfusion market will garner a valuation of USD 1,527 MN by 2023 posting approximately 4.1% CAGR throughout the assessment period (2017-2023).Additionally factors such as the increasing population and urbanization led by the improving economic conditions that are increasingly expanding the access to the quality healthcare expanding the market size of profusion. Moreover, rising cases of lifestyle diseases, smoking, and consumption of alcohol which eventually lead to increasing the cases of organ failure are boosting the growth of the market.On the other hand, factors such as the lack of awareness regarding perfusion systems in developing countries are impeding market growth.GET FREE SAMPLE COPY OF Perfusion Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2023 @Major Industry PlayersMedtronic (Ireland), Getinge AB (Sweden), LivaNova PLC (U.K.), XENIOS AG (Germany), Terumo Medical Corporation (Japan), Lifeline Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), Repligen Corporation (U.S.), XVIVO Perfusion (Sweden), Spectrum Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (U.S.), Merck KGaA (Germany), and Ala Science (U.S.) among others.Global Perfusion Market - SegmentsThe MRFR analysis is segmented into five key dynamics for enhanced understanding.By Type : Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, and Isolated Limb Perfusion among others.By Application : Lungs, Heart, Liver, and Kidneys among others.By Device Type : Hypothermic Machine Perfusion and Normothermic Machine Perfusion among others.By End User : Hospital, Specialty Clinics, Medical Research Centers, and Academic Institutes among others.By Regions : North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Rest-of-the-World.Detailed Regional AnalysisNorth American region heading with the increasing number of organ transplant surgeries dominates the global perfusion market, accounting for the largest share. Moreover, factors such as technological advancement and high per capita healthcare expenditures are expected to spur the market growth in the region.The U.S. and Canada led by the rising number of chronic diseases associated with lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys lead the perfusion market in North America. Furthermore, the growing number of heart and kidney bypass surgeries and the growing prevalence of coronary diseases alongside the rapid uptake of advanced technologies and devices in the surgical process drive the growth in the regional market.The perfusion market in the European region accounts for the second-largest market, globally. The region witnesses the increasing number of kidney & heart bypass procedures. Factors such as the availability of specialty care services in hospitals & tertiary care centers alongside the rising prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and the increasing demand for the treatment options of cardiovascular diseases escalate the market growth in the region.Furthermore, the increasing healthcare expenditures led by the resurging economy in the region and spreading awareness towards bypass procedures impact the market growth in the region, positively.The Asia Pacific perfusion market is emerging as a profitable market, worldwide. Factors such as the proliferating healthcare sector along with the flourishing medical tourism market in highly populated countries like India and China drive the regional market. Also, the rising cases of patients suffering from coronary diseases, increasing geriatric populace and spreading awareness about healthcare foster the growth of the regional market.BROWSE PREMIUM RESEARCH REPORT DETAILS @Global Perfusion Market - Competitive AnalysisHighly competitive, the Perfusion market appears fragmented owing to the presence of several well-established market players. These players through strategic initiatives such as acquisition, partnership, expansion, product & technology launch, and collaboration, try to gain a competitive advantage and maintain their positions in the market.Huge investments are being transpired in the R&D to bring betterments in surgical procedures and to develop devices that are on a different level entirely compared to their competition.Industry NewsFebruary 07, 2019 ---- Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. (Canada), leading global company developing analytical software for the cardiac imaging community announced the acquisition of Corstem Inc. (Canada), machine learning and artificial intelligence software developer specialized in cardiac imaging analysis to introduce automatic, fully-quantitative myocardial perfusion in cvi42.The acquisition will further expand Circles innovative technology and product offerings with Corstems technologies integrated into Circles core product  cvi42, including an automatic and comprehensive solution for fully-quantitative myocardial perfusion.About Us:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Impact of Existing and Emerging Bioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market Trends And Forecast 2018 to 2026

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Bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices have prevailed as one of the key areas of interest among multidisciplinary researchers over the past couple of years. Bioabsorbable materials have gained significant attention of maxillofacial surgeons recently, in tandem with increasing research and newer advancements in the bioabsorbable osteosynthesis implants.Requirement for stable fixation for optimal modelling in maxillofacial osteosynthetic surgeries cannot be completely met by the traditionally used titanium plates, as they are limited by interference with imaging, mutagenic effects, and visibility. Adoption of bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices has been deemed to hold immense potential in addressing or offsetting these limitations. However, use of bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices continues to witness the confines of lower mechanical strength & stability, uncertainties in materials availability, convolute procedures and slow biodegradation.Major advancements in the bio absorbable osteosynthesis devices are being made in recent years by using bioactive osteoconductive materials along with an accelerator compound. Key players in the bioabsorbable osteosynthesis market are increasingly focusing on strengthening their hold in the supply chain to expand the market penetration of their existing bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices, while taking efforts on innovative material advancements and newer product developments.Request Free Sample Report@Leading players in the bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market have been emphasizing on the need for developing complete body absorbable solutions. This has led to the discovery of a new process called orientrusion, which enables enhancing the strength of polylactide to be completely biocompatible and absorbable. Bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices manufactured by using orientruded polylactide have witnessed successful application in fixation of the medial malleolar fractures.Osteosynthesis is a surgical practice that joins the ends of a fractured bone by mechanical devices such as plates, rods, wires, pins and screws. Traditional practices included all sort of material choices, but metal implants, stainless-steel and titanium material choice are the most used metal implants that are available due to their positive characteristics. Biocompatibility is a major factor that is required to build an implant. Technological advancements have helped in providing a more resourceful choice of material for developing implants. One such material is the bioabsorbable material through which devices are manufactured in response to its high biocompatibility and body-absorbable quality. The need for the totally body absorbable internal bone fixation devices has been there since the arrival of complications related to the use of metal implants such as infections, weakness or fatigue, diarrhea and headaches with many other major problems. Therefore, the introduction of bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices, which would eliminate the procedure of removing these devices from the body (if required) after the bone is healed, will help in creating an impact and these devices are not that stiff as the currently used metallic implants and therefore would limit the chances of further complications. A process is required to develop and synthesize high molecular weight, low monomer content polylactide. A high-quality polymer used involves chemical and mechanical tests with simulated in vitro tests. Biocompatibility of the polymer used is also practiced in rabbit and canine models for further development.The global bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market is apprehended to see impressive growth in the near future due to new product launches, an encouraging sign can be observed in the market with changing consumer trends. The expansion in products manufactured with bioabsorbable material is driven by year on year rises in the susceptible complications observed in the use of metal implants. Top players are marking their presence in many developing economies due to the liberal policies regulated within the healthcare industry in such countries, increasing consumer inclination towards maintaining an aesthetic and approachable appearance. Priority is given to eliminate the adverse effects such as migraine, growth disturbance, radio-opacity and more and provide a safe environment for the body. Bioabsorbable polymers are manufactured with a lot of judgment calls in order to provide a safe material to be in use. As the applications of bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices in orthopaedic surgery have mainly been used to eliminate implant removal procedures. Choices of materials are there with companies investing on such research and but with majority of devices being manufactured using non-bioabsorbable material due to the traditional methods or major dependency on such principles which could hamper the growth of the market in the near future.Request/View TOC@The global market for bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices is segmented on the basis of product type, material type and end users.By Product TypePlatePinScrewRodWireBy MaterialPLLAPLAPGAOthersBy End UsersHospitalASCsClinicThough all the products have their importance in certain procedures but screws remain a dominating market due to its effectiveness and usage over other product types. PLLA is a preferred choice by manufacturers with less effects and more research is associated with it. Hospitals remain to be the most lucrative market due to its active osteosynthesis procedures.On the basis of regional presence, the global bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market is segmented into six key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China, China and Middle East & Africa. North America leads the bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market and will continue to grow over the forecast period due to major companies market presence. Asia Pacific is expected to be an attractive market in terms of investment provided to the research wing in developing markets. Population density is expected to escalate in the Asia Pacific (exc. China) region allowing more market opportunity for bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices to establish and produce goods within the region. Europe is expected to grow at a higher rate due to rise in population, changing lifestyle and rise in awareness among consumers and suppliers. China is expected to have a fragmented market with more number of regional players and low adoption of bioabsorbable material.Economic growth is supporting the health care infrastructure in developing countries allowing more number of players to contribute with ease and efficiency. Examples of some of the key players in the global bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market are Arthrex, CONMED Corporation, Acumed, Ziacom Medical, ETGAR medical implant system, Jeil Medical Corporation, Medical Instinct Deutschland GmbH and more. Acquisition, mergers, strategic collaborations, and technology play vital roles in the growth of the bioabsorbable osteosynthesis devices market.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Bioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market SegmentsBioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market DynamicsHistorical Actual Market Size, 2013- 2016Bioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market Size & Forecast 2017 to 2025Bioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market Current Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies InvolvedBioabsorbable Osteosynthesis Devices Market Drivers And RestraintsRegional analysis includesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia Pacific Excluding ChinaChinaMiddle East & AfricaReport Highlights:Shifting Industry dynamicsIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected industry size Recent industry trendsKey Competition landscapeStrategies of key players and product offeringsPotential and niche segments/regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective towards market performanceReport Analysis@About USFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsRohit BhiseyFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Read Industry News at -
Revenue of Electronics Adhesives Market to Grow Twofold by 2020 | TMR

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The global electronics adhesives market is characterized by the growing presence of leading players in the emerging economies of Asia Pacific. This region presents a mammoth opportunity for all those involved in the production, sales, and distribution of electronics adhesives. As a result, an increasing number of market players have been considering the expansion into Asia Pacific as a major strategic move for a wider reach and to strengthen their position in the global market.Apart from this, the market for electronics adhesives is anticipated to benefit from the rising demand for more compact and lighter components from the electronics industry. Add to this, the growing penetration of the Internet of Things. The surging adoption of connected devices has transformed the way electronic appliances are built, giving players a significant opportunity to make the most of this trend.Asia Pacific: Host of Economic Benefits on OfferThe global market for electronics adhesives comprises five regional segments: Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. The volume of the APAC electronics adhesives market is poised to rise by more than 9% each year from 2013 to 2020, registering a twofold growth in demand during the period. Registering a 10% CAGR during the forecast period in terms of volume, and a 12.9% CAGR by value, this region dominates the global electronics adhesives market by volume as well as value. The value share of the APAC electronics adhesives market was pegged at 60.8% in 2014, amounting to US$1.7 bn in 2013. The active use of electronics adhesives in Asia Pacific can be attributed to the strengthening presence of electronics device manufacturers mainly in China, India, and South Korea. The abundance of raw material, low labor costs, and technological expertise are some of the key benefits that the region offers, making it the most lucrative market for electronics adhesives. Apart from Asia Pacific, North America also presents a multi-million dollar opportunity over the course of the forecast period.Get Research PDF for more Professional and Technical Industry Insights:Electronics Adhesives for Surface Mounting Present Significant OpportunitiesElectronics adhesives find application is encapsulation, conformal coating, wire tracking, and surface mounting. Surface mounting adhesives form the largest application segment and are likely to continue their dominance through 2020. The opportunity in this segment is forecast to amount to US$1.8 bn by 2020, exhibiting a strong CAGR of 11.4%. The surface mounting segment is projected to hold a 31% share in the electronics adhesives market by the end of the forecast period thanks to the surging demand for PCB-based electronics devices across various sectors such as automotive, consumer durables, and industrial.Promising Growth in Store by Volume and ValueThe global electronics adhesives market is forecast to expand at an impressive 12.1% CAGR from 2015 to 2020, presenting a market opportunity of US$3.23 bn in 2014. The projected value of the global electronics adhesives market is anticipated to double by 2020 to reach US$6.4 bn. By volume, this market is expected to grow 1.8 times from 2013 to the end of the forecast period, registering an annual growth of over 8%.For More Industrial Insights Get Customized Report:Acrylic is the most widely used material for electronics adhesives and their impressive performance characteristics are expected to drive this material-type segment at a robust 20% CAGR. Accounting for a share of over 40% by 2020, electrically conductive adhesives are likely to emerge as the largest product type in the coming years.3M Company, Dymax Corporation, Dow Corning, Evonik Industries AG, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, and H.B. Fuller Company are presently the leading companies operating in the global market for electronics adhesives.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Emerging Trends in Travel Agency Services Market with Eminent Key Players like TUI Group, Booking Holdings, Expedia Inc, American Express Travel

Travel Agency Services Market

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The Travel Agency Services Market report is the reliable source for obtaining the market study which will rapidly expand your business. A separate analysis of prevailing trends within the parent market and rules and mandates is enclosed underneath the ambit of the study. So, the report comes the attractiveness of every major section over the forecast amount.Scrutiny of the Global Travel Agency Services Market along with its upcoming progress scenarios has been mentioned with supreme accuracy. This study embraces an elaboration of the summary on the global Travel Agency Services market, which also includes portraits that offer an in-depth analysis of various other segmentations.A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism related services to the public on behalf of suppliers such as activities, airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, travel insurance, and package tours.Request for Sample Copy Of this Report @The Major players reported in the market include: TUI Group, Booking Holdings, Expedia Inc, American Express Travel, Carlson Wagonlit, Sabre Holdings, BCD Travel (the Netherlands), CITS (China), H.I.S. (Japan), Thomas Cook (UK)In addition to dealing with ordinary tourists, most travel agencies have a separate department devoted to making travel arrangements for business travelers; some travel agencies specialize in commercial and business travel only. There are also travel agencies that serve as general sales agents for foreign travel companies, allowing them to have offices in countries other than where their headquarters are located.Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of key aspects that are responsible for improving or hindering the market growth and the promising prospects in the Travel Agency Services market have been provided. Primary and secondary research has been the main root that has helped the readers to have a strong understanding of the complete market for the forecast period of 2019 to 2025.The report studies the different product segments and end-users of the Global Travel Agency Services Market. Assembling significant data from relevant sources, the report evaluates the expansion of individual segments of the market. Also, the market size and the growth rate of each of the segments have been discussed precisely in the report.Buyers will get up to 30% discount on this report Click Here:This report further deliberates on the key players in the Travel Agency Services market and the strategies leveraged by them. It also further clarifies the various factors that are driving or restraining the market. It makes use of Porters Five Forces analysis and SWOT analysis to comprehend the potential of the Global Travel Agency Services Market and offers stimulating insights to new and existing players to allow them to maneuver appropriately.The main points which are answered and covered in this Report are-What will be the total market size in the coming years till 2025?What will be the key factors which will be overall affecting the market?What are the various challenges addressed?Which are the major companies included?Table Of Content:Global Travel Agency Services Market Research Report 2019-2025:Chapter 1: Travel Agency Services Market OverviewChapter 2: Global Economic ImpactChapter 3: Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4: Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2019-2025)Chapter 5: Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2019-2025)Chapter 6: Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: Analysis by ApplicationContinue To TOCFor more Information and Enquiry Click Here:If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Research N Reports:Research N Reports helps clients harness the power of innovation to thrive on change. We have successfully guided businesses throughout the world with our market research reports. We are uniquely positioned to lead digital transformations, thus creating greater value for clients by presenting growth opportunities in the global market. Our profound experience provides a clear and confident vision to help clients navigate the future. Research N Reports techniques encompasses both qualitative and quantitative modes to provide customized and highly flexible tailored research studies so that you get information that is just the best-fit to make informed strategic organizational decisions. Research N Reports helps clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative.(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com
Christopher T. Gore  Your Attorney for Criminal Offences

https://ctgore.com

Christopher T. Gore, Attorney at Law, has always aimed to assist individuals in all criminal matters. Believing that every individual in special regardless of the legal charges against them, he has always dedicated himself to serving his clients. As an attorney at law, he recognizes that in criminal matters, the results are all that matter.He prides himself in his efforts to offer individual care and support to each client, keeping a professional approach. With detailed preparation, careful listening and understanding of the case, he provides the aggressive execution that is necessary to win cases.Practice Areas of Christopher T. Gore:The attorney offers his assistance in all criminal matters including all aspects of felony and misdemeanor. His practices areas include:1. Intoxication Offenses  A charge for driving while intoxicated can be a frightening experience. Being intimately familiar with the Texas Court System, the Houston attorney will be able to prepare you for the case and draft an effective defense strategy.2. Driving with Suspended License  If charged for driving with an invalid or suspended license, you might have to face grave consequences. An established lawyer will be able to help you find the best option for your case and get your driving privileges reinstated.3. Evading Arrest  If a criminal suspect attempts to evade arrest, they can be pressed with further charges. The attorney will shed light on the charges that you face and devise strategies that will review the charges against you.4. Juvenile Offenses  Juveniles charges can be life-altering as they can follow you around for life. The treatment for juvenile cases is different from criminal cases where the aim is rehabilitation instead of punishment. A juvenile offenses lawyer will guide you through the process and help in getting the records sealed.5. Gaming or Gambling Offenses  Charges for gambling or gaming offenses include bookmarking, illegal betting, possessing gambling device and others. A qualified attorney like Christopher T. Gore will review your case in depth, examine the evidence available against you and determine your position. He will be able to negotiate with the prosecutor so that you face minimum charges.6. Others  Apart from the ones listed above, Christopher T. Gore has experience in various other criminal law practice areas. These are: Expunction or Petitions for Non-disclosure White Collar Crimes Shoplifting, Theft or Embezzlement Sexual Assault Assault of Family Member Possession of Controlled substances or MarijuanaTo know more about the practices of Christopher T. Gore and discuss any charges, please visit his website:About Christopher T. Gore:Christopher T. Gore is a Houston based criminal defense attorney. Fighting cases for over 19 years, he is intimately familiar with the Houston court systems, the judges and the prosecuting attorneys.Contact:1401 Richmond, Suite 240Houston, Texas 77006, USATel: 713-223-1600
Global Warm Pantyhose/Tight Market Future Growth 2018 - Aristoc, Cervin, Hanes

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Fior Markets has added a new market study on Global Warm Pantyhose/Tight Market Growth 2018-2023, offering an extensive and precise estimates and forecasts study of market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. The report covering details from 2013 to 2018 and forecast to 2023 portrays definition, an investigation of significant improvements in the market, as well as budgetary examination and profound aggressive investigation. In short, this report will help you in setting up new business trends in the market. The Warm Pantyhose/Tight market is expected to exceed more than US$ xxx million by 2023 at a CAGR of xx% in the given forecast period.About The Industry:The report logically examines raw materials, deals channel, downstream purchasers, and the element of item course of this industry. With this study, you will be able to establish a display of modern advancement and qualities of the market. Valuable information such as facts and figures, skilled opinions are also added in the report. Further, regional classification, along with their growth including segmentation and sub-segmentation are included. The competitive section enfolds key players company profile, product capacity, price, revenue, cost, gross, and contact information as well as their latest updates such as new product development, expansions, and acquisitions and mergers.DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT:Regional Analysis: Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with production, consumption, revenue (M USD), market share and growth rate of Warm Pantyhose/Tight in these regions, from 2013 to 2023 (forecast), covering Americas (United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil), APAC (China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, India, Australia), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Russia, Spain), Middle East & Africa (Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Turkey, GCC Countries)Top manufacturers for the market (share, demand, growth, production supply analysis): Wolford, GERBE, FALKE, FOGAL, Aristoc, Cervin, Hanes, Regart, L'eggs, Akiido, Vero Monte, Manzi, Sofsy, SpanxResearch Methodology:Primary research was performed by interrogating the key executives from the industry. These discussions help to fill-in the data gaps after secondary research.Secondary sources such as encyclopaedia, website, directories, and databases were used to explore and obtain information useful for this extensive study.Experts from manufacturers and particular suppliers  have been interviewed to get and verify critical information as well as to analyze the future forecasts.The report provides an in-depth analysis of the market segmentation, which is a key element of the reports.Market segment by product type, split into Under 300D, 300D to 500D, Above 500D along with their consumption (sales), market share and growth rate.ACCESS FULL REPORT:Market segment by application, split into Supermerket & Malls, E-commerce, Others along with their consumption (sales), market share and growth rate.Moreover, Warm Pantyhose/Tight industry report study provides an analysis based on opportunities, challenges, and obstacles which enhances the understanding, scope, and application of this report. The complete value chain and downstream and upstream essentials are scrutinized in this report. Essential trends like globalization, growth progress boost fragmentation regulation & ecological concerns.About UsFior Market Research is a Global Market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of Quantitative Forecasting and Trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest Trends and Information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Fior Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerOffice-102, Sanskriti AspirationsBaner Road, Pune,MH 411045IndiaPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:
Asteroid Mining Market 2019 Global Leader Analysis by Asteroid Mining Corporation Limited, Bradford, Ispace, Kleos Space S.A., Moon Express, lanetary Resources, Spacefab.Us

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the Global Asteroid Mining Markets accounted for $706.16 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $4,259.34 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 22.1% during the forecast period. Ongoing and impending space mining missions, increasing investments of private stakeholders in space mining companies, and adopting 3D printing technology in asteroid mining are the factors expected to drive the growth of the asteroid mining market. However, the high cost associated with the mining techniques and regulations regarding proprietary rights act as a major barrier and hampers the asteroid mining market growth.Get a Sample Copy of this Report @Asteroids mining is referred to as the exploitation of raw materials from asteroids and other minor planets, which also includes near-earth objects. Minerals can be mined from an asteroid or spent comet and then used in space for construction material or can be taken back to earth. These resources or raw materials include gold, iridium, silver, osmium, palladium, platinum, nickel, and aluminum.Based on Phase Type, the Space-Craft Design segment due to increased investments and funding from governments and private companies worldwide for designing and manufacturing space crafts. By geography, North America is expected to dominate the global Asteroid mining market. Owing to technological advancements related to asteroid mining and high investment in the space technology industry. The U.S. is expected to be an emerging player in the asteroids mining industry due to the presence of strong government agencies in the region such as NASA, Satellite Industry Association, and Commercial Spaceflight Federation, among others.Some of the key players profiled in the Asteroid Mining Market include Asteroid Mining Corporation Limited, Bradford, Ispace, Kleos Space S.A., Moon Express, lanetary Resources, Spacefab.Us, Sierra Nevada Corporation, Offworld, and Virgin Galactic.Ask For Discount @Market Segments:Asteroid Types Covered: Type C Type S Type M Other Aesteroid Typesu2003Phase Types Covered: Space-Craft Design Launch OperationApplications Covered: Introduction Construction Resource Harvesting 3D Printing Extraterrestrial Commodity Other ApplicationsEnquiry Before Buying @About UsWe at Market Prognosis believe in giving a crystal clear view of market dynamics for achieving success in todays complex and competitive marketplace through our quantitative & qualitative research methods.We help our clients identify the best market insights and analysis required for their business thus enabling them to take strategic and intelligent decision.We believe in delivering actionable insights for your business growth and success.ContactProgMark Pvt Ltd,Thane - 421501India. Contact- +1 973 241 5193Email- sales@marketprognosis.com
126.53 Billion $ Opportunity by 2026 in the Logistics Automation Market: Top Key Manufacturers  Daifuku, Beumer Group, Dematic, Falcon Autotech, Honeywell Intelligrated, Jungheinrich AG, Knapp AG, Mecalux SA, Murata Machinery

Logistics Automation Market

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Marketprognosis.com Publish a New Market Research Report On Global Logistics Automation Market 2019 - 2026 which contains global key players survey information and forecast to 2026.Overview of the Global Logistics Automation Market:The Global Logistics Automation market is accounted for $42.80 Billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $126.53 Billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 12.8% during the forecast period.Some of the key factors propelling the market growth are Exponential Growth of the E-Commerce Industry, Advancements in Robotics and Emergence of IoT. Furthermore, Implementation of driverless vehicles and drones in logistics, increasing adoption of industry 4.0 and need to ensure workforce safety are considered as the future growth opportunities of the market. However, Lack of uniform governance standards and high capital investment may hamper growth of the market.Get a Sample Copy of this Report @Logistics automation is the application of computer software and/or automated machinery to improve the efficiency of logistics operations. It refers to operations within a warehouse or distribution center, with broader tasks undertaken by supply chain management systems and enterprise resource planning systems. A logistics automation system compliments the facilities provided by higher level computer systems. Changes due to economic development, enhancement of disposal income, affordability, and buying a pattern of customers has led to the growth of the logistics automation market. The increasing affordability is, thereby, raising expectations for better services, in terms of product portfolio, delivery time, and cost, which in turn is increasing the demand for logistics automation as it can increase the efficiency of warehousing and transportation.Based on End User, Retail & Ecommerce segment is projected to be the growing segment. The era of digitalization has increased internet penetration in the recent years. The exposure to the internet has raised the desire for luxury among people. In the recent years, people started spending more on luxury and comfort. E-commerce provides a wide variety of products and services over the internet and the flexibility to shop at any time from any place. This flexibility has increased peoples interest in e-commerce.Geographically, Asia-Pacific has witnessed an exponential growth in the logistics automation market in the recent years, which is estimated to continue over the forecast period. The increasing demand for automated machine handling solutions from manufacturing industries and warehouses, to provide customers with improved service efficiency, is boosting the market in the region. The increasing adoption of logistics automation solutions by enterprises in emerging economies, such as India and China, is driving the growth of the logistics automation market in the Asia-Pacific region. Developing countries, like China, India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea are majorly contributing to a significant growth of the market in this region.Purchase this report online with 150 Pages, Top Key Players Analysis and List of Tables & Figure @Major Key Players:1 Daifuku2 Beumer Group3 Dematic4 Falcon Autotech5 Honeywell Intelligrated6 Jungheinrich AG7 Knapp AG8 Mecalux, S.A.9 Murata Machinery10 SSI Schaefer and More..Market Segment by Components:1 Transportation Management2 Warehouse & Storage ManagementMarket Segment by Organization Sizes:1 Large Enterprises2 Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report @What Information does this report contain?1 A detailed analysis of regulatory trends, drivers, industry pitfalls, challenges and growth opportunities for participants2 Which companies lead the industry, how are they positioned in the market in terms of sustainability, competency, production capacity and strategic outlook?3 Which are the leading market products, applications & regions and how will they perform by 2026?4 What are the technologies & innovation trends, how will they evolve by 2026?In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Logistics Automation Market.Table of Contents:1 Executive Summary2 Preface3 Market Trend Analysis4 Porters Five Force Analysis5 Global Logistics Automation Market, By Component6 Global Logistics Automation Market, By Organization Size7 Global Logistics Automation Market, By Application8 Global Logistics Automation Market, By End User9 Global Logistics Automation Market, By Geography10 Key Developments11 Company ProfilingAbout us:We at Market Prognosis believe in giving a crystal clear view of market dynamics for achieving success in todays complex and competitive marketplace through our quantitative & qualitative research methods.We help our clients identify the best market insights and analysis required for their business thus enabling them to take strategic and intelligent decision.We believe in delivering actionable insights for your business growth and success.Contact us:ProgMark Pvt. Ltd.Thane  421501India.sales@marketprognosis.com+1 973 241 5193
Urine Meter Market 2019-2026 Market Report - Recent Trends and Growth Opportunities Includes Major players Bard Medical, Albyn Medical, Medline Industries, Inc, Flow Meter S.P.A., Etc

Urine Meter Market 2019-2026 Market

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Up Market Research recently published a new research on Global Urine Meter Market 2019-2026 Report that provides an in-depth overview of industry and competitive landscape, covering multiple market segments and elaborates market outlook and status to 2026.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @The report contains pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Urine Meter Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Urine Meter Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 20192026.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Urine Meter Market analysis & forecast 2019-2026 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Global Urine Meter Market Segmentation Includes:Region-wise Analysis covers:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaOther regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players include:Bard MedicalAlbyn MedicalMedline Industries, IncFlow Meter S.P.A.Chengdu Empsun Medical Technology Co., LtdCopper Medical Technology Co., Ltd.MEDKONSULT medical technology s.r.o.MedispecLABORIENOVAmedtekProduct Type Analysis:Bag TypeOthersApplication Analysis:HospitalsClinicsOthersThere are many other application and segment on which the study has been conducted.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @Urine Meter Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2026 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase:- To gain insightful analysis of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Urine Meter Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2026 and its commercial landscape.- Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations.- To understand the future outlook and prospects for Urine Meter Market analysis and forecast 2019-2026.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. 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.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States.
Christopher T. Gore, Attorney at Law, has always aimed to assist individuals in all criminal matters. Believing that every individual in special regardless of the legal charges against them, he has always dedicated himself to serving his clients. As an attorney at law, he recognizes that in criminal matters, the results are all that matter. He prides himself in his efforts to offer individual care and support to each client, keeping 
Three masked men held Stanfords restaurant employees at gunpoint Sunday before making off with a safe, police said.

Three male suspects in their 30s are still at large, the Lake Oswego Police Department said Sunday.

The reported robbery began around 4:00 a.m. when a cleaning crew employee went to get something from her car. An armed man came out of the bushes wearing a mask and gloves, and was then followed by another two men in masks, police said. They ordered the woman back inside the restaurant at gunpoint then secured her and another two cleaning employees in a room. The men left the building with an office safe and other items, police said.

The three employees freed themselves and call 911, police said. Nobody reported injuries in the incident.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

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For six weeks this spring, Southeast Portlands celebrated Ava Genes restaurant will host an Italian-American pop-up in the heart of Chinatown.

The new pop-up, Ava Genos, will debut April 16 in the brick-lined space once home to Davis Street Tavern (book your reservation here) and will serve a family-style, four-course, $45 menu of dishes reminiscent of chef-owner Joshua McFaddens occasional Little Italy dinners at Ava Genes. Think red-sauce pastas, chicken cacciatore, garlic bread and meatballs, all served on red-checked tablecloths with Negronis and Martinis being stirred behind the bar.

Ava Genos run roughly coincides with a planned closure at the mothership. Ava Genes, Bon Appetits fifth best new restaurant of 2013 and a fixture in The Oregonians annual restaurant guide, will close after dinner service March 30 for a long-planned kitchen renovation and expansion. The vegetable-obsessed restaurant will reopen in May with plans to add brunch, grow its already excellent pasta operation and, as first reported by The Oregonian, open a new pizzeria in the next-door storefront most recently home to Holiday.

The new pizzeria, Cicoria (as in the Italian word for chicory, though youll be forgiven for thinking of the fusion jazz genius), will serve pies that combine thin-crust Roman-style pizza with the tavern-style za of McFaddens Wisconsin youth. Expect booths for families, an Italian-style standing bar for snacking and a casual vibe (with no reservations). Cicoria should open this summer.

Ava Gene's

Ava Genes weekend brunch, meanwhile, looks like one to watch, if only because the brunch at Tusk, the Middle Eastern-influenced sister restaurant from McFadden and his Submarine Hospitality partner Luke Dirks, currently ranks among the very best in town. An early menu tease promises morning versions of some of Ava Genes most popular dishes, including a breakfast carbonara, the XVOO granola first served in the early days of Roman Candle Baking (the pre-Holiday occupant of the Cicoria space) and an egg-topped take on Ava Genes famed Borlotti bean pane. Ava Genes expects to reopen in late May. Brunch should follow in June.

(Programming note: When Ava Genes does reopen, it will be without pasta-making wunderkind JoMarie Pitino. Pitino and partner Ross Effinger, another Ava Genes alum, plan to open a pizzeria of their own this summer, this one a little further afield. The Gold Room should open this summer beneath the remodeled Jennings Hotel in Joseph, the Northeastern Oregon town surrounded by the stunning Wallowa Mountains. McFadden will continue to guide (and grow) Ava Genes pasta program.)

Ava Genos will bring its Italian American menu to 135 N.W. Fifth Ave. from April 16 to May 24. Once the pop-up runs its course, thats it -- the team has no plans to use the space after late May. Ava Genes should reopen shortly thereafter at 3377 S.E. Division St., with brunch service launching in June and Cicoria opening next door in the summer. Visit avagenos.com for more information.

-- Michael Russell @tdmrussell
In 2014, in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and the waves of unrest that followed, the artistic directors of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis decided it was time for their institution to join the conversation about the events that had rocked the region.

They turned to Dael Orlandersmith, a playwright, poet and performer from New York City, as their speaker. In 2015, Orlandersmith spent a week in Ferguson and greater St. Louis to speak with many dozens of residents, including Michael Brown Sr. and his wife, Calvina Brown. The resulting 70-minute play, Until the Flood, premiered in St. Louis in 2016, performed by Olandersmith herself; since then, it has traveled to New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle and now Portland, where it will run through April 21 at Portland Center Stage.

Until the Flood draws on the tropes of documentary theatre developed by writers like Anna Deavere Smith and Moises Kaufman, using multiple perspectives to tell the story of a communitys response to trauma. But unlike Kaufmans The Laramie Project or Smiths Twilight: Los Angeles, Orlandersmiths script is not a transcript of the words of real individuals. She did not record her interviews in Ferguson, opting instead to use her impressions from those conversations to create eight composite characters: men and women, black and white, ages 17 to 70.

On a stage littered with stuffed animals, flowers and liquor bottles  evoking the memorial to Brown that sprang up at the site of the shooting  Orlandersmith embodies characters drawn with closely observed specificity. An elderly black woman, weary of violence and discrimination. A white teacher whose well-intentioned comments about Browns death alienated a black colleague. A retired cop who defends the all-white force he served on. Two black teenage boys who yearn for escape: one through college in California, the other through death.

Orlandersmith uses these characters to explore weighty themes: How white supremacy, like a parasite, burrows itself into the hearts of everyone it touches, poisoning its victims and beneficiaries alike. How language is used to categorize people as good or bad without regard for their actions. How poverty is created and enforced by those in power but blamed on the people who experience it. Uniting all these ideas are repeated images of flow. We are all, Orlandersmith implies, being swept along by forces we cannot escape or control.

Strengths: Orlandersmith has said she wants audiences to feel both uncomfortable and uncomfortable during her performance, and she succeeds. She brings an engaging charisma to every character she performs, even the repugnantly racist white landlord, Dougray, who entertains violent fantasies about the people who live in the homes he owns in Ferguson. As he talks about overcoming adversity and his hopes for gentrification, Orlandersmith makes him seem personable, even likeable. His turn toward bloodlust is a reminder of the short distance between the run-of-the-mill racism of red-lining real estate agents and 911-dialing busybodies and Americas legacy of slavery and genocide.

Weaknesses: Some viewers may find themselves disappointed that Olandersmith seems to go easy on Darren Wilson, the white officer who shot Michael Brown. Until the Flood is less occupied with the specific wrongs of Browns death than with the environment in which Brown and Wilson existed: communities where residents and police fear and loathe one another and where violence becomes routine. The play is an indictment not of any individual but of the country itself. If youre looking for a pleasurable sense of righteousness, you wont find it here.

Takeaway: In this powerful one-woman show, Dael Orlandersmith embodies the frustrations and fears of an entire community.

Until the Flood

Where: The Armory, Ellen Bye Studio, 128 N.W. 11th Ave.

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, noon Thursday through April 21.

Tickets: $25-$57, pcs.org or 503-445-3700.
Oregon congressional Democrats joined a chorus of indignant politicians on Twitter Sunday, demanding that the report on Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into the 2016 presidential campaign be released in full.

Democrats ire focused on a four-page summary of Muellers investigation that Attorney General William Barr gave Congress Sunday.

AG Barrs summary is grossly insufficient. Congress and the public need to see the FULL #MuellerReport IMMEDIATELY, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley tweeted around 2 p.m.

AG Barrs summary is grossly insufficient. Congress and the public need to see the FULL #MuellerReport IMMEDIATELY.  Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) March 24, 2019

Muellers investigation didnt find evidence that President Donald Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the election, Barr wrote. Mueller also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice but did not come to a definitive answer. Barr quoted Muellers report as stating it does not exonerate the president on obstruction. Instead, Barr said, it sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

Federal rules say special counsel reports are confidential, Barr wrote, though he as Attorney General can weigh public interest to decide what to release. But Barr said he must first review Muellers report for information pertaining to grand jury proceedings and investigations that Mueller handed off to other federal prosecutors.

As soon as that process is complete, I will be in a position to move forward expeditiously in determining what can be released, Barr wrote.

Oregons U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer wasted no time asking for Muellers original report.

A 4-page summary by a Trump appointee does not properly reflect 2 years of work by Muellers team," Blumenauer wrote. "America deserves to see it all, now!

A 4-page summary by a Trump appointee does not properly reflect 2 years of work by Mueller's team.



America deserves to see it all, now!  Earl Blumenauer (@repblumenauer) March 24, 2019

Muellers investigation involved 40 professional staff including FBI agents and intelligence analysts, 2,800 subpoenas, nearly 500 search warrants, and interviews with about 500 witnesses, Barr wrote.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden pointed to the key question Mueller did not answer: whether or not Trump obstructed justice.

Any evidence that the president may have, Wyden said, should be made public.

Barr made it clear before he was nominated that he didnt think Trump committed obstruction of justice. Thats why Trump made him AG. If Mueller did present arguments and evidence for why the President of the United States obstructed justice, they need to be made public. Now, Wyden tweeted.

Barr made it clear before he was nominated that he didnt think Trump committed obstruction of justice. That's why Trump made him AG.



If Mueller did present arguments and evidence for why the President of the United States obstructed justice, they need to be made public. Now. https://t.co/Ii5SemEOPt  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) March 24, 2019

Oregons U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici also took to Twitter to say that the full report must be made public, in part because Muellers investigation didnt exonerate the President.

The public deserves to see Special Counsel Muellers full report and the documents underlying it. Although the Special Counsel did not find enough evidence to bring a criminal case against the President, he also specifically said that the report did not exonerate the President 1/  Suzanne Bonamici (@RepBonamici) March 24, 2019

Oregons lone Republican in Washington, D.C., Rep. Greg Walden, had a different perspective. Walden tweeted Sunday that Muellers investigation put to rest suspicions that Trumps campaign colluded with Russia.

Now, those who promoted this conspiratorial theory should accept the facts of Mr. Muellers findings, Walden tweeted.

The special counsel & his team came to this conclusion after a rigorous investigation that followed all leads to get to the facts. Now, those who promoted this conspiratorial theory should accept the facts of Mr. Muellers findings.  Rep. Greg Walden (@repgregwalden) March 24, 2019

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

-- Fedor Zarkhin

fzarkhin@oregonian.com

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin
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Good morning. A quick look at Oregons top stories on Monday, March 25, 2019. Todays forecast -- Cloudy, cooler; a p.m. shower. High 54; Low 41.

Todays stories

HART FAMILY: Child welfare workers found evidence of abuse or neglect years before the family's SUV plunged off a California cliff, but the Oregon case workers closed the case as inconclusive. That was common at the time. Read more.

MUELLER REPORT: Oregons congressional Democrats called for the release of the full report by special counsel Robert Mueller after a Justice Department summary indicated the report found no evidence Trump campaign conspired with Russia. Read more.

VACCINATION: Is failure to vaccinate evidence of child neglect? The law in Oregon, Washington and generally across the nation sides with parents on medical issues. Read more.

DAIRY SAVED: The three youngest members of the family that owns Alpenrose Dairy have dropped a lawsuit, saying the dairys future is secure. Read more.

LETS RESET: Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw told her officers she would do a better job backing them publicly. Read more.

PORTLAND SCHOOLS: The states largest school district is bracing for cuts despite the fact that the budget is expected to rise by $35 million. Read more.

CAPITOL HARASSMENT: The Oregon Legislatures former human resources director who drew criticism for her handling of sexual harassment complaints quietly arranged a deal to keep working from home after resigning at the end of last year. Read more.

OSU PRESIDENT: Ed Ray says he will call it quits as Oregon State Universitys president in 2020. Read more.

MAX STABBING: Lawyers for Jeremy Christian, accused in a 2017 double slaying on a MAX train, have asked to have the trial moved out of Multnomah County. Read more.

Snap of the day

Lime Kiln Point in Washington state is said to be one of the best places to see orcas from land. Sometimes the whales are a no-show, but reporter Jamie Hale found it's a pretty good spot to watch a harbor seal.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Read more.

More news

Which Portland-area zip codes pay the most for car insurance?

Mt. Hood Meadows announces plans to build new $15 million lodge

Not guilty: 2 Portland civic leaders fend off charges of sexual assault

Massive charges ($227,000) haunt woman after emergency, out-of-network OHSU stay for heart attack

$1,400 a month to buy: 1928 Hamilton Arms condo in Goose Hollow (photos)

Luxury river cruise ship American Song finds new home on Columbia River (photos)

Dear Abby: Neighbors power tool didnt work but now hes suggesting it should be paid for

Ask Amy: Vow renewal includes all family members except sons wife, whose feelings are bruised

Carolyn Hax: My introvert husband cant take being around my family, who adores himFind more at oregonlive.com

Odd in Oregon

ANIMAL 'ER': Portland-area pets in need of emergency care will be among the stars of a new Nat Geo WILD series that premieres Saturday. Read more.

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Today in history

AROUND THE WORLD: On March 25, 1911, 146 people, mostly young female immigrants, were killed when fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York.
When Beverly Dunn called her new primary care doctors office last November to schedule an annual checkup, she assumed her Medicare coverage would pick up most of the tab.

The appointment seemed like a routine physical, and she was pleased that the doctor spent a lot of time with her.

Until she got the bill: $400.

Dunn, 69, called the doctor's office assuming there was a billing error. But it was no mistake, she was told. Medicare does not cover an annual physical exam.

The Austin, Texas, resident was tripped up by Medicare's confusing coverage rules. Federal law prohibits the health-care program from paying for annual physicals, and patients who get them may be on the hook for the entire amount. But beneficiaries pay nothing for an "annual wellness visit," which the program covers in full as a preventive service.

"It's very important that someone, when they call to make an appointment, uses those magic words, 'annual wellness visit,' " said Leslie Fried, senior director of the Center for Benefits Access at the National Council on Aging. Otherwise, "people think they are making an appointment for an annual wellness visit and it ends up they are having a complete physical."

An annual physical typically involves an exam by a doctor along with bloodwork or other tests. The annual wellness visit generally doesn't include a physical exam, except to check routine measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure.

The focus of the Medicare wellness visit is on preventing disease and disability by coming up with a "personalized prevention plan" for future medical issues based on the beneficiary's health and risk factors.

At their first wellness visit, patients will often fill out a risk-assessment questionnaire and review their family and personal medical history with their doctor, a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The clinician will typically create a schedule for the next decade of mammograms, colonoscopies and other screenings and evaluate people for cognitive problems and depression, as well as their risk of falls and other safety issues.

They may also talk about advance care planning with beneficiaries to make decisions about what type of medical treatment they want in the future if they cannot make decisions for themselves.

At subsequent annual wellness visits, the doctor and patient will review these issues and check basic measurements. Beneficiaries can also receive other covered preventive services, such as flu shots, at those visits without charge.

When the Medicare program was established more than 50 years ago, its purpose was to cover the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury in older people. Preventive services were generally not covered, and routine physical checkups were explicitly excluded, along with routine foot and dental care, eyeglasses and hearing aids.

Over the years, preventive services have gradually been added to the program, and the Affordable Care Act established coverage of the annual wellness visit. Medicare beneficiaries pay nothing as long as their doctor accepts Medicare.

But if a wellness visit veers beyond the bounds of the specific covered preventive services into diagnosis or treatment - whether at the urging of the doctor or the patient - Medicare beneficiaries may typically owe a co-pay or other charges.

(This can be an issue when people in private plans get preventive care, too. And it can affect patients of all ages. The ACA requires insurers to provide coverage, without co-pay, for a range of preventive services, including immunizations. But if a visit goes beyond prevention, the patient may encounter charges.)

And to add more confusion, Medicare beneficiaries can opt for a "Welcome to Medicare" preventive visit within the first year of joining Medicare Part B, which covers physician services.

Meanwhile, some Medicare Advantage plans cover annual physicals for their members free of charge.

Many patients want their doctor to evaluate or treat chronic conditions such as diabetes or arthritis at the wellness visit, said Michael Munger, who chairs the board of the American Academy of Family Physicians. But Medicare generally won't cover lab work, such as cholesterol screening, unless it's tied to a specific medical condition.

At Munger's practice in Overland Park, Kan., staff members routinely ask patients who come in for a wellness visit to sign an "advance beneficiary notice of noncoverage" acknowledging that they understand Medicare may not pay for some of the services they receive.

As long as beneficiaries understand the coverage rules, it's not generally a problem, Munger said.

"They don't want to come back for a separate visit, so they just understand that there may be extra charges," he said.

Beneficiaries may not be the only ones who are unclear about what an annual wellness visit involves, Munger said. Providers may be put off if they think that it's just another task that adds to their paperwork.

A recent study published in the journal Health Affairs found that in 2015 just over half of practices with eligible Medicare patients didn't offer the annual wellness visit. That year, 18.8 percent of eligible beneficiaries received an annual wellness visit, the analysis found.

Primary care physicians generally want to see their patients at least once a year, Munger said, but it needn't be for a complete physical exam.

A wellness visit or even a visit for a sprained ankle could give doctors an opportunity to check in with patients and make sure they're on track with preventive and other care, Munger said.

Dunn said when she called the doctor's office about the $400 bill, the staff told her she had signed papers agreeing to pay whatever Medicare didn't cover.

Dunn doesn't dispute that.

"There were lots of papers that I signed," she said. "But nobody told me I would get a bill for $400. I would remember that."

In the end, the clinic waived all but $100 of the charge, but warned her that next year she'll have to pay $300 if she wants an annual physical with that doctor. If she comes in just for an annual wellness visit, she'll be seen by a physician assistant.

Dunn is considering her options. She would like to stay with her new doctor, who came highly recommended, and she's worried she might have trouble finding another one as good who accepts Medicare. But $300 seems steep to her for a checkup.

"This whole thing was so stressful for me," she said. "I lost sleep for nights. It's not that I couldn't afford it, but it didn't seem right."

- - -

This report is by Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
As a lifelong Democrat and an environmentalist, I was appalled and dismayed by The Oregonian/OregonLives excellent four-part investigative series Polluted By Money. Appalled by the degradation of our states environment and public health due to corporate influence and dismayed that this influence has so tainted both parties, up to and including the governors mansion.

Now I read that our Democratic lawmakers are considering a watered-down version of campaign finance laws that would circumvent the limits imposed in Measure 47, which voters passed 53 percent to 47 percent in 2006. This would give them the ability to write their own campaign finance controls. With so many of our state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the pockets of corporate interests, this is akin to letting the fox guard the hen-house.

Instead we need to amend our state constitution to make donation limits legal and allow Measure 47 to finally take effect. This will limit undue corporate-special interest influence, and allow our lawmakers to be more responsive to we citizens while improving the states health.

Both California and Washington have much stricter campaign donation laws, and both states have better environmental records than ours. Its time to limit the influence of corporate and special interest groups, and allow individual citizens a greater voice in the running of our state.

Jeff Reed-Mansperger, Portland
By The Washington Post Editorial Board

After nearly two years of waiting, Americans have some preliminary answers about Russias interference in the 2016 election. Attorney General William Barr on Sunday revealed that special counsel Robert Mueller found no collusion between Donald Trump or his 2016 campaign with the Russian effort. But Mueller did not answer with the same clarity whether President Donnald Trump unduly interfered with law enforcement. That will be a matter for Congress and the public to consider as Barr releases more information - as he must.

Where there is smoke there is not always fire. Despite questionable meetings between Trump officials and Russians, Mueller found that the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

To take one key example, the June 2016 meeting between Trump's senior campaign staff and a Russian lawyer was deeply unwise. The campaign should have reported to the FBI the Russian lawyer's interest in meeting, rather than bringing her into the campaign's inner sanctum. But, based on Barr's Sunday summary, this did not reflect a broader coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

That much should be a relief to Americans worried that the nation's senior leaders acted as agents of a foreign power during the 2016 election. On the other hand, Trump's bizarre refusal to acknowledge the Russian interference, and his unceasing assaults on Mueller's investigation, are all the more confounding. It is still not out of the question that Trump's disturbing deference to Russian President Vladimir Putin is repayment for the Kremlin's help during the presidential race. But it seems more likely that Trump is simply a Russian apologist. That is not comforting.

Mueller also examined whether Trump obstructed justice as he bullied the Justice Department. Here Mueller's call is trickier - and will require a lot more information for Congress and the public to make their own judgments. Mueller "did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," Barr said. Mueller made clear this was not an exoneration. Barr subsequently determined that there was not enough evidence to warrant an obstruction-of-justice charge against the president.

Given the apparent closeness of the call - and Congress' role in overseeing presidential behavior - it is crucial that Barr's vague description of the obstruction question not be the last word on the matter. To the greatest extent possible, the public must see the record that Mueller collected.

There is a lesson for Trump and his partisans, too: The Mueller probe was no witch hunt. There are public servants who put the interests of truth and duty above tribal loyalty, and many of them work at the Justice Department. The president was wrong to trash and undermine this institution for the past two years - and to continue trashing it Sunday, after Barr had made his report.

Barr deserves credit for releasing information as quickly as possible. He has, so far, kept his promise to maximize transparency in sharing material from the Mueller probe. In his Sunday release, the attorney general warned that there would be material he could not publicize. We nevertheless expect that Barr will lean heavily toward transparency. The alternative would be that questions remained unanswered - and suspicions festered - around the presidents behavior.
By Ed Rogers  OPINION

Rogers is a contributor to Post Opinions, a political consultant and a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses and several national campaigns. He is the chairman of the lobbying and communications firm BGR Group, which he founded with former Mississippi governor Haley Barbour in 1991.

Well, it turns out there was no collusion. This is not a big surprise, as I wrote in July 2017 that the quest for collusion is crumbling, and in June 2017 that the president still has the advantage of being innocent. But does the Mueller report help President Donald Trump? Yes, but only in the same way that any pedestrian in a crosswalk is helped when he is not run over by a bus and can continue his journey. The absence of catastrophe is always good.

The Mueller report could not be more clear regarding collusion. According to Attorney General William Barr's letter to Congress, the report states verbatim that "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

Obviously, President Trump's opponents and critics in the media will want to mostly ignore the findings and look ahead, but they cannot ignore that Mueller's investigation failed to conclude that Trump or anyone in his campaign colluded with the Russian government. Trump may be a miscreant, but he is no traitor. The immediate reaction by Democrats has mostly been lame backpedaling and stalling and calling for the complete report to be released - whatever that means.

To be certain, the Mueller report's findings do not mean the president is in the clear. Trump will never be in the clear. From his charitable foundation to his dealings with his former attorney Michael Cohen, who knows what he may be guilty of? The president still has plenty of legal challenges associated with the New York state attorney general's office, bothersome partisan congressional investigations and other federal inquiries that may be underway. But those are just pinpricks compared with the howitzer round that would have been a blast from Mueller. No remaining challenger that the president must deal with is as formidable as Mueller. But as far as President Trump is concerned, the wolf is away from the door.

For the pro-impeachment crowd, Mueller's report appears to have left enough of an opening. Most of the 2020 Democratic presidential wannabes are going to say Mueller's language regarding obstruction of justice is deafening in its silence. They will find refuge in an excerpt of the Mueller report cited by Barr that notes that the investigation "does not exonerate [the president]." But the question of bringing an obstruction indictment in a matter where no underlying crime is prosecuted is a mind-bending exercise best left to law professors. It will not have much traction outside of the most partisan Democrats and the most biased Trump critics in the media.

So, as far as 2020 goes and the overall partisan political dynamic, you can bet that most, if not all, of the Mueller report will be released. This will leave the Democrats to obsess, overwork it and chew on each bit. They are probably heading for their own unfulfilling, Benghazi-like quest much like that which preoccupied Republicans for years during the Obama administration.

With the question of collusion behind him, Trump and his allies would be wise to proceed cautiously. Is there any chance that Trump has learned anything from this experience? Doubtful. This was never really about Trump and collusion but Democrats undying need to delegitimize the president and remove him from office. The Mueller report will slow down that effort but not end it.
Sneaker waves are back in the news in Oregon, but staying safe during the dangerous natural phenomena isnt always easy.

A woman was seriously injured on the north Oregon coast on Saturday, after a sneaker wave rolled a large log over top of her. The incident was one of a relatively rare string of sneaker wave injuries in Oregon, but once again illustrated the dangerous power of the Pacific Ocean.

The sudden surges of water can take beachgoers by surprise, dragging people out into the water or rolling large pieces of driftwood over top of them. Staying safe is less about precaution and more about general awareness. Here are five things to know about Oregon sneaker waves to stay safe.

1. Nobody is sure how exactly sneaker waves form, but it's generally thought that they develop as many waves travelling at the same speed come together, overlapping and combining to create a single wave that crests taller and travels much farther ashore than normal. Their rogue nature makes them nearly impossible to predict.

2. While there's no official season for sneaker waves, plotting out major incidents in Oregon shows an undeniable seasonal trend. Since 1990, all major sneaker wave incidents have occurred between October and April, peaking in November and March. In that time, at least 21 people have been killed.

A woman was crushed by large driftwood log over the weekend, Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue reported.

3. The most common way to stay safe is an old coastal adage: Never turn your back on the ocean. That means always maintaining an awareness of the incoming surf while youre out on the beach. If the water rushes up suddenly, head inland as quickly as possible, and try to stay away from big logs that can roll over top of you.

4. In general, avoid sitting on large logs that are close enough to the water to get swept up by the surf. At very least keep an eye on the ocean when youre near big pieces of driftwood. While the logs seem massive, they quickly become buoyant in the water and can roll over top of you in an instant.

5. If you do get swept up into the ocean, don't try to fight the current. Instead conserve energy and focus on keeping your head above water until rescuers arrive. Bystanders should never enter the ocean to make a rescue, but should instead call 911 and keep visual contact with victims.

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB
A woman was seriously injured March 23 on the North Oregon coast and airlifted to a Portland hospital in a sneaker wave incident, Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue said Sunday.

The woman was sitting on the log when the sneaker wave hit, the department said on its Facebook page.

NEVER turn your back on the ocean, the department said.

On Saturday, March 23, volunteers responded to the beach for a woman who was crushed by a large driftwood log when it... Posted by Nehalem Bay Fire & Rescue on Sunday, March 24, 2019

-- Fedor Zarkhin

fzarkhin@oregonian.com

desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin
SALEM  For the third time in a year, state of Oregon employees are unable to send emails to many people they would otherwise correspond with for work.

The problem originated when an employees email account was compromised, according to a memorandum sent by the states Chief Information Officer Terrence Woods on Thursday.

That allowed an outside party to launch an email spam campaign from the state employees account, which in turn caused several email providers to blacklist all email addresses containing the extensions @oregon.gov and @state.or.us.

Providers that blacklisted state emails include Outlook, MSN and Hotmail.

We experienced the same email reputation issue just last month, Woods wrote.

Similarly, the states @oregon.gov email extension was blacklisted by email providers in June, after a state employee clicked on a phishing email and a malicious party was able to send out more than eight million spam emails from the account.

The February email breach impacted the Department of State Lands, which manages its own email system, and the March incident also involved the Department of Energy, which uses centralized state technology services, Department of Administrative Services spokeswoman Liz Craig wrote in an email. Craig was unable to say by the end of the business day Monday which agency was involved in the June email incident.

Each time the state email system is compromised, the government must work to rebuild the reputation of its email accounts with providers so they will once again accept state emails.

We believe the issue is resolved, but I am waiting on the official all clear from our IT staff (likely today or tomorrow), Craig wrote. In the meantime, employees will have to use other modes of communication (phone) with people who use these email domains and who cannot provide an alternate email address.

Employees whose emails did not reach their intended contacts will know, because they will receive a bounce-back notification.

Although many state agencies use centralized information technology services from the Department of Administrative Services, some also run their own technology operations. Woods wrote that the states centralized technology office  highly recommends that agencies that manage their own email systems require two-factor authentication, limit the use of (Outlook Web Access), or simply not use (Outlook Web Access) .

In addition, the (centralized technology office) is working with agency email administrators with email-hardening guidelines and real-time phishing scam information, Woods wrote.

Craig wrote in an email that the centralized technology office has published an information security awareness video series that every agency is required to use to educate state employees on email security. Employees at most state agencies are required to go through annual information security trainings, and the state sends out updated security awareness materials to them on a quarterly basis.

This story has been updated to reflect the following correction: an earlier version of this story incorrectly listed the agencies involved in the March email problem, based on incorrect information supplied to The Oregonian/OregonLive. The March email breach only involved the Department of Energy.

 Hillary Borrud | hborrud@oregonian.com | 503-294-4034 | @hborrud

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.
Two-time Grammy nominees Disturbed is coming to The Dow Event Center in Saginaw this year. The band kicks off its second leg of its tour on July 21 in Minnesota.

The concert, announced Monday, is set for Oct. 1. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, March 29, at www.disturbed1.com/tour. Presale ticket purchases are available. Every ticket purchased online for Disturbed includes the choice of a CD or digital copy of Evolution, the band's latest album.
The Gift Shop Service of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland has donated $100,000 to the MidMichigan Health Foundation to help build a premier Heart and Vascular Center on the campus of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland. When complete, MidMichigan will provide world-class care for patients suffering from the most complex forms of heart disease in a consolidated setting that is patient focused. The first phase of the three-year construction project is scheduled for completion early this summer.

"The Gift Shop volunteers are happy to contribute to this project to enable state-of-the-art cardiovascular care in our region," said Sue Dallessandro, chair, Gift Shop Service.

The three-year construction project on MidMichigan's new 160,000-square-foot building is well underway on the campus of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland. The project will be completed in a two-phased approach. Work is progressing on the north side, which will become the new Orchard Building and will house diagnostic services and advanced cardiac imaging. This first phase of the construction project is scheduled to be finished early this summer, with the completion of the full project set for late summer 2020.

The MidMichigan Health Foundation has accepted the second phase of this project, which will be the new state-of-the-art Heart and Vascular Center, as a major fund development initiative. The Gift Shop Service joins funding commitments from foundations, lead individuals and businesses to bring the fundraising total to $13.5 million toward the $15 million campaign goal.

When complete, the new Heart and Vascular Center will consolidate Midland's heart and vascular physician offices including the heart failure and heart valve clinics, as well as the vascular lab, and will provide seamless, coordinated care for patients. MidMichigan is also collaborating with Michigan Medicine, the heath care division of the University of Michigan, on the development of the remaining space in the new building.

Those interested in more information on MidMichigan's comprehensive cardiovascular program may visit www.midmichigan.org/heartandvascularcenter.

The Gift Shop Service has been an avid supporter of the Medical Center over the years. Volunteers in the Medical Center's Gift Shop sell merchandise to patients, visitors and staff. Profits are donated annually to the MidMichigan Health Foundation to help the Medical Center purchase equipment and support services. To learn more about the volunteer program visit www.midmichigan.org/volunteers, or contact Diana Brookens, volunteer manager, at 989-839-3340.
More than 125 employers and agencies plan to participate this Friday in Saginaw Valley State University's annual Spring University-wide Employment and Networking Fair.

The free, public event is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. in the banquet and seminar rooms at Curtiss Hall on the SVSU campus.
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The Climate Adaptation Fund Board has approved Congo's Concept Note, providing for the establishment of climate change adaptation activities in the country worth up to US$ 10 million (about CFAF 5 billion), a representative of the World Food Programme (WFP), Jean Martin Bauer, announced this development in Brazzaville
Marrakesh, Morocco (PANA) - Mrs Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), on Monday called for the stimulation of the African private sector to male it more competitive for the development of the continent
Paris, France (PANA)  France, which strongly condemned Saturdays violence perpetrated against the people in Central Mali, leaving more than a hundred civilians dead, has welcomed the decision of the Malian government to dissolve militias
Tripoli, Libye (PANA) - One person was killed and two others abducted in an attack by an unidentified armed group in the Ghadwa locality, 60 km southeast of Sebha, a security source said on Monday
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Burkina Faso president, Roch March Chrtistian Kabore, also current chairman of the G5 Sahel, on Sunday evening held a working session with members of the UN Security Council delegation, which focused on security challenges in Burkina Faso, the cooperation between the UN integrated mission for Mali stabilization (MUINUSMA) and the joint G5 Sahel force, according to an official communique issued Monday
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Located in the middle of the Libyan desert, Ghadames, an oasis rich in history, has been chosen to host the inclusive National Conference initiated by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)
Last October, a Lion Air flight from Jakarta, Indonesia, crashed twelve minutes after takeoff, killing all 189 passengers and crew members on board. Just over two weeks ago, an Ethiopian Air flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia crashed six minutes after its departure, killing all 157 people aboard. Both failed jetliners were Boeing 737 Max 8s, variants of the best-selling aircraft in history, and they lacked key safety features that perhaps could have warned of the problems that caused the fatal crashes.

The reason? Boeing attempted to upsell those key features. Theyre critical, and cost almost nothing for the airlines to install, aviation analyst Bjorn Fehrm told The Seattle Times. Boeing charges for them because it can. But theyre vital for safety.

This is common practice for the airplane manufacturer. Boeing charges extra, for example, for a backup fire extinguisher in the cargo hold, the New York Times reported. Past incidences have shown that a single extinguishing system may not be enough to put out flames that spread rapidly through the plane. One Brazilian carrier even ended up paying $6,700 extra for their 737 to feature oxygen masks for its crew. According to a 2013 report by Jackson Square Aviation, an airline could expect to pay about five percent of a planes final price on such extras.

So why can Boeing forgo the inclusion of critical safety measures, instead of being allowed to upsell them as if they were nonessential luxuries? Because regulators dont require them. One important caveat: Boeing servesin large partas their own regulator. The Seattle Times Dominic Gates reported that:

Early on in certification of the 737 MAX, the FAA safety engineering team divided up the technical assessments that would be delegated to Boeing versus those they considered more critical and would be retained within the FAA. But several FAA technical experts said in interviews that as certification proceeded, managers prodded them to speed the process.

Boeings incestuous relationship with regulatory agencies doesnt begin and end with the certification process.

Last year Boeing alone spent $18.1 million for 98 lobbyists to influence Congress and the federal government, according to a database by the Center for Responsive Politics. An incredible 71 of those lobbyists previously worked either for Congress or a regulatory agency, reported Danny Westneat of The Seattle Times. Not sure how the government can fulfill any watchdog role when the company has it on such a tight leash.

Boeings ability to upsell necessary safety features is clearly unethical, but what enables their foul business practices is a lack of funds going to third-party regulators while the real cash flows to lobbyists pockets.
Its a scary time to be the operator of a young craft brewery. Even when operating on a very small scale, we have entered an era when success and growth are no longer the general rule in the beer industry, regardless of the quality of a brewerys product. As growth of the segment comes screeching to a halt, but new brewery openings continue unabated, the math just doesnt add up. It makes one thing clear: Unless something changes real quick, there are going to be casualties. Numerous casualties.

This week, weve been given a rather unusual example in the form of a new Illinois brewery that was in operation for a scant 84 days from the time it opened its doors to the time it announced its closure. Much has been made of the difficulties faced by the beer industrys veteransthe Sierra Nevadas and New Belgiums of the world, as they face a cooling market and ever more competitionbut the fate of Addison, ILs Seery Athlone Brewing Co. shows just how quickly things can turn south for a brand new business as well. Kudos to the great Illinois beer website Guys Drinking Beer for the heads up on this one.

It was only Dec. 7, 2018 when Seery Athlone, named for the Irish heritage of its owners, announced its grand opening.

A few days ago, the closure announcement came, although the wording makes it sound as if the brewery may actually have been closed since February, which would make the total time the brewery was in operation even shorter. All in all, Seery Athlone was likely only around long enough to brew a handful of batches of commercial beer.

We cant speak to the quality of product, in a case like this. Unsurprisingly, wed never heard of the brewery until just now, but the fact that a new brewery can come and go so quickly in 2019 is enough to give one pause. If youre currently in the process of trying to get a new craft brewery open, this certainly isnt the kind of news youre going to be thrilled to read.

With that said, there are some unusual aspects to the Seery Athlone story that more likely than not factored into the closure. Back in September of 2018, company owner James Stephen was sent a publicly available warning letter from the FDA in reference to his other business, Pharmaceutical Laboratories and Consultantswhere Stephen is listed as President. That warning letter states something rather revealingthat Stephen was operating his brewery in the same building as his pharmaceutical testing facility, within feet of one another. Suffice to say, thats not the sort of thing the FDA approves of. According to the full text of the letter:

In addition, our inspection revealed that you were operating a microbrewery in space shared with your contract testing laboratory where you test OTC drug products and components. You prepared and stored microbiology laboratory media in the same area you use to conduct brewery operations.

For example, our investigators observed a full fermenter located approximately 10 feet from the space where media is prepared, warmed, and stored. A brewery employee was also preparing beer kegs in this area. In addition, laboratory test media, open beer bottles, and brewing materials were co-mingled within the same refrigerator.

These facility conditions pose unacceptable risks, including contamination of media during its preparation and compromised sample analyses. Conducting your testing operations in a space shared with a microbrewery is inappropriate and does not comply with CGMP. Your testing must be performed using facilities that are designed and controlled for drug laboratory testing.

Were not exactly experts in biochemistry over here, but were pretty sure that placing a beer fermenter 10 feet away from where youre doing pharmaceutical testing is probably a bad idea both for the drugs and the beer, with an obvious risk of cross-contamination.

So yesperhaps Seery Athlones closure was more a matter of questionable organization than it is a referendum on the viability of young breweries in a slowing beer scene. Or perhaps its a little bit of both. Regardless, were sorry for the brewerys local fans, who may have lost a watering hole with a potential to become a local staple.

As for all the other young breweries out there, we can only say good luck in weathering the coming storm. Also: If youre doing pharmaceutical testing next to your fermenters, youre probably going to want to rethink a couple aspects of your business.
Patna: The last day of the budget session at the state Assembly on Tuesday was no less chaotic than the rest of the days as opposition leaders disrupted the House proceedings throughout the day demanding action against Bihar police for using excessive force against those who were marching in the protest rally against the recent Supreme Court ruling on Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Act.

Opposition leaders led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the Bihar Assembly chanted anti-Supreme Court, anti-Narendra Modi, and anti-Nitish slogans accusing the latter two of not fighting hard enough against the apex court that recently made some amendments in the SC/ST Act triggering the wrath of non-NDA leaders like Tejaswi Yadav and Jitan Ram Manjhi.

The ruckus was initiated by RJD leader Subodh Kumar who, from the moment the House convened on Tuesday, demanded adjournment of the session on the issue of amendment in the SC/ST Act.

The RJD leader complained that despite Bihar being his home state, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad failed to stand up to the 'bullying tactics of a rogue Supreme Court'.

When the Deputy Speaker Haroon Rashid tried to stop RJD leaders from making noise, they trooped into the well and began chanting anti-Modi, anti-Nitish slogans.

Reacting strongly at the opposition allegations, Janata Dal  U legislator Neeraj Kumar said that those who did not know that this matter had nothing to do with the state Assembly were complaining about Law Minister not raising the issue before the Supreme Court in a proper, stronger manner.

"Some people don't mind going to the court to obtain bails but are too afraid to go to the court to demand justice for SC/ST. Just because some groups were calling for Bharat Bandh, parties like RJD and HAM used the opportunity to ride on their coat-tails for advancing their own political agendas. Three people in need of urgent medical care died in Bihar after their ambulances were stopped by the protestors on Monday. Can the opposition leaders explain who should be held responsible for these unfortunate deaths?" Kumar asked.
Patna: Tejaswi Yadav, leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly, during a press conference in Patna on Tuesday, said that while the Nitish administration had failed to release his annual report card, his party would soon release a 'charge sheet' against the NDA government that would expose the true face of the Chief Minister.

The heir-apparent of the party, holding the fort in the absence of his father Lalu Prasad Yadav who has been confined to the four walls of a prison following his multiple convictions in cases related to fodder scam, said that the RJD, on Wednesday, would release a list of Nitish Kumar's failures and how they were having impact on the general public  the backwards and Dalits, in particular.

Speaking on the concluding day of the Budget Session of the state Assembly, Yadav said that the Chief Minister failed to explain how he planned to remove poverty and starvation from Bihar and how he planned to carry out schemes that would help progress everyone and not just a handful of groups.

"We intend to ask him to give accounts for the last eight months. So far, he has said nothing about development that has taken since he walked out of the Grand Alliance and joined hands with the saffron party that is responsible for the recent spate in communal violence across the state," the former Deputy Chief Minister said.

Yadav, who remains under investigation by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in a number of corruption cases involving acquisition of properties without any credible source of income, also lashed out at the Center for abusing Income Tax, CBI and the ED to settle scores with political adversaries.

"The Modi government is breaking a number of laws to exact revenge from those who do not agree with its divisive politics. The Central government is also extremely anti-dalit and anti-adivasis and is behind the recent amendments in the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court of India," Yadav, casting aspersion at the integrity of the apex court, said.
You name it she's charged with it," Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said of 55-year-old woman his department has accused of going on a crime spree in the community.

The woman, identified as Colleen Avni, who was jailed and charged with robbery, theft and drunken driving, according to 6ABC of Philadelphia.

This, after Upper Darby Police say Avnis night of drinking ended with a crash after Avni took control of the cab she had flagged down early Thursday morning.

Avni is accused of arguing over the cab fare, then refused to pay, police tell 6ABC, which adds:

The cab driver, Swarangit Singh, pulled into a gas station at the intersection of 69th Street and Marshall Road.

There, Avni allegedly pushed Singh to the ground when he tried to pull her out of the car. She then got behind the wheel of the cab and took off, police say.

Police found Avni a mile and a half away hiding under the bed of a truck. The taxi cab had been totaled in a crash.

"She knocked over a fence and crashed into two cars," Chitwood told 6ABC. At last report, Avni was lodged at George Hill Correctional facility, facing a long list of charges.

(Story continues below)

"She's charged with robbery, theft and drunken driving. You name it she's charged with it," said Superintendent of Upper Darby Police Michael Chitwood. https://t.co/e7pLogpK7p  Action News on 6abc (@6abc) March 23, 2019

Meanwhile, the taxi driver wasnt seriously injured in the altercation.
If one thing is clear from the public memorial service for Marcia Dale Weary, it is that the enormity of her impact on the world of dance -- and on the lives of her students -- is difficult to convey.

Its not overstating that she singlehandedly enhanced the art form, and the dance world that we live in today, said Jonathan Stafford, one of many alumni from the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Im grateful for that, and were all grateful for that.

Stafford started taking classes with the CPYB after his sister Abi enrolled. Today, Stafford is the artistic director of the New York City Ballet, and his sister is a principal dancer with the same company. The Stafford siblings success are by no means an isolated incident: of thousands of her students who studied with the CPYB, an estimated 300 went on to professional careers in dance, and some of them among some of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world.

But the speakers at her memorial, held at the Hilton Harrisburg on March 24, didnt spend much time touting Marcias resume. Their stories were personal, speaking to a relationship with a teacher and mentor who was warm and maternal but equally fierce in her expectations and standards for her students, in all aspects of their lives.

Nicholas Ade, CEO of the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, marveled at Wearys ability to bring people together, her endless passion for ballet and teaching, and her ability to instill that passion for excellence in her students.

It wasnt only about what she did, it was more about who she was, Ade said. Yes, she did build this enormous legacy for classical ballet. Yes, she was able to send how many kids to the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theater, or Pacific Northwest Ballet. She changed the kids lives. And it wasnt only about what she did, it was about who she was. And thats what were here to celebrate today.

Peter Sirotin and Stuart Malina of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra perform at the memorial serivce of Marcia Dale Weary.

The memorial drew hundreds to the Hilton Harrisburg, with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet students, staff and alumni sharing stories, tears and laughter.

At a mere 52', she managed to be bigger than life, said Darla Hoover, a former student of Wearys and associate artistic director of CPYB under Weary.

Hoover said that Weary didnt want us to be content to be average, and that she was tough on her students, looking to remove glitches from their performance. The crowd shared a laugh when Hoover mentioned Wearys tell-tale oh, no sigh, or when she chased away the ice cream truck that had set up shop outside of the CPYB barn.

Wearys dedication to her students persisted throughout her illness late in life. At one point, after getting a diagnosis of being cancer-free, Ade had tried to celebrate the news with her.

She replied, I want the June series [dance performance] to be good, Ade laughed.

Even throughout her illness, there wasnt a health care provider who didnt know what CPYB had coming up, Hoover said.

How do I talk about a person who had such a profound impact on my life? asked Alecia Good-Boresow, another former student and current staff member of CPYB. She shared how anyone -- be they students, staff members, the servers at a restaurant or the nurses in her medical visits -- was forever touched and forever changed by even a few minutes with Weary. Once, she said, Weary taught her physical therapist how to do a plie, without sticking her seat out.

I think for many of us, our goal was to never let her down, Good-Boresow said. She was always learning, and always teaching.

The service was punctuated by videos of dancers studying at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, with Wearys voice outlining her own philosophy on the importance of art and instruction to a childs life. Stuart Malina and Peter Sirotin of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra performed Gershwins Summertime and Amy Beachs Romance opus 23, a nod to some of Wearys favorite music as well as her connections to the greater arts community.

The lobby outside of the Harrisburg Ballroom of Hilton Harrisburg where the memorial was held for Marcia Dale Weary.

Alan Hineline, another staff member of the CPYB, said that even now, Weary was continuing to bring people together through the arts.

She knew lessons for ballet were also great lessons for life, he said.

When countless students and alumni would visit her in the hospital, Hineline said, Weary told the hospital staff that they were family members.

Marcia always thought of us as family, he said. I want all of us to continue to honor her by remaining her family. She connects us to each other.
A Dairy Queen Brazier in Lower Swatara Township is expected to reopen, according to the Press & Journal in Middletown.

The restaurant at 1100 Fulling Mill Road closed at the end of February after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture deemed the establishment out of compliance following a restaurant inspection.

Now, two prospective owners are in the vetting process to possibly take over the business, according to the Press & Journal.

Brian Dmochowski, a territory operator for American Dairy Queen Corp., told the publication they intend on reopening the restaurant but at this point nothing has been signed.

He emphasized business has been growing in the area, and 12 other Dairy Queens operate in the four county area including Dauphin, Cumberland, Adams and Franklin counties.

During the inspection on Feb. 25, an inspector found multiple new as well as repeat violations from before the restaurant had changed hands, said Shannon Powers, spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture.

The report indicates that among the violations, the restaurant had not renewed its retail food facility license and had continued to operate without a valid license.

The inspection also showed the presence of insects, rodents or animals; dirty non-food contact surfaces; improper storage of utensils; improper plumbing; inadequate ventilation and contamination during food preparation, storage and display.

The department ordered the restaurant to renew its license and correct the violations, but Powers said owner Murray Rojas chose to go out of business.

In the meantime, the Dairy Queen in Steelton reopened this month under new ownership after being closed for nearly four years.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are flooding into the southeastern U.S., making their annual springtime migration back to their breeding grounds in the north, including Pennsylvania.

According to Hummingbird Central, the northernmost report of a sighting of one of the tiny hummers to date was at 3 p.m. Friday, March 22, in Richmond, Virginia. Nearby, but just a bit to the south, reports came on the same day from Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The southern state line of Pennsylvania is about 150 miles north of Richmond, and migrating hummers can fly as much as 23 miles per day. The means Pennsylvania could be within a weeks flight for the northernmost rubythroats at this point.

The first hummingbirds arriving in Pennsylvania are likely males, which migrate ahead of the females by about 10 days.

The leading front of the northward migration might be moving a bit earlier than normal. The homeowner reporting the sighting in Richmond noted, Earliest migrant weve ever had at this house.

Hummers usually arrive in southern Pennsylvania around April 20 and northern Pennsylvania around May 1, according to Hummingbird Central.

Operation Rubythroat, another hummingbird research and tracking organization, places the normal arrival date for southern Pennsylvania at April 10 and for northern Pennsylvania at April 20.

Dozens upon dozens of additional sightings have been reported on the heels of those birds, all of them moving north.

High-speed photographer captures a ruby-throated hummingbird in flight.

Some flowers and tree buds are blooming in Pennsylvania as the hummingbirds arrive, but lacking an abundance of blossoms, will find other sources of nectar, such as oozing holes drilled into trees by sapsuckers and hummingbird feeders.

Those wondering about the proper timing for cleaning and filling their hummingbird feeders for the first time this year have their answer. Now is the time to get those feeders into action, particularly if you hope to attract more hummers this year than last.

Banding studies indicate that many hummingbirds will return to the same sites they departed late last summer or fall, and even visit the same feeders. If they find ready nectar sources, the birds are likely to re-establish their territories from last year.

Having ample feeders ready when the birds arrive also can be a means to attracting additional hummingbirds to settle in an area, including birds that found their previous territories lacking on their return this year.

If the food then continues to be available in the territories the hummers choose, they usually will remain there throughout the summer, having little incentive to look for new spots to take nectar and insects.

Feeders that go up in June or July, when a homeowner begins thinking about visitors commonly associated with summer, like hummingbirds, likely will be too late to attract the birds attention.

In addition to getting the feeders in operation now, those wanting to attract more hummingbirds to their backyards this year might want to add red to their landscape at the same time.

That can be accomplished with plants that flower in shades of red early in the year, with artificial red-flowered plants or even with red plastic sheets.

Red is a very attractive color to hummingbirds and could help to lead them to feeders when they are establishing their territories.

However, hummingbird nectar dyed red, or any color, should be avoided. The chemical dyes can do nothing but harm to the tiny birds with the incredibly high metabolisms.

Feeders made of red plastic or red glass should provide the visual attraction, rather than the sugary liquid inside them.

Humming bird nectar is easy to make at home. A 4-to-1 water to white sugar solution will attract hummingbirds by closely mimicking the nectar they drink from flowers.

Bring 4 parts water, such as 4 cups of water, to a rolling boil

Stir in 1 part sugar, such as 1 cup of sugar, until it dissolves in the water.

Let the mixture cool and then fill your feeders.

Any unused portion can be refrigerated for as long as 2 weeks and used as needed.

In addition to nectar, hummingbirds eat small insects, which they snatch in midair, pluck from spider webs, dig from oozing sap or grab off plants.

After both males and females are back on their summer breeding grounds, courtship behavior will begin, followed by mating and then females building their nests on slender branches, usually of deciduous trees, sometimes pine, 10-40 feet above the ground.

Each nest is built directly atop a branch, rather than in a fork. Its made of dandelion and thistle down held in place by spider silk and pine resin, with an exterior decorated with lichen and moss. It measures 2 inches in diameter and about 1 inch deep.

A female ruby-throated hummingbird sits on her nest.

After 6-10 days of nest building, the female will lay 1-3 white eggs into the nest and will then incubate them for 12-14 days. Each egg weighs about a 50th of an ounce.

The nestlings will fledge from the nest when they are 18-22 days old, but the female will continue to feed them for another 3 weeks or so.

Most of the young hummingbirds will not survive their first year, but for those that do the average lifespan will be about 3 years.

The oldest known ruby-throated hummingbird lived a bit longer than 9 years.

Of more than 300 species of hummingbirds on Earth, 17 are native to North America.

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common species that breeds in the eastern half of the continent. Most states, including Pennsylvania, also have sporadic sightings of rufous hummingbirds and rare sightings of other species.

Species recorded at least once in Pennsylvania, in addition to the ruby-throated and rufous, have been Allens, Annas, calliope, Bahama woodstar, and black-chinned.

Heres a look at the rarest hummingbird ever documented in Pennsylvania.

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Three Democratic lawmakers are calling on their colleagues to have the General Assembly lead by example when it comes to the #MeToo movement by enacting legislation that establishes a formal process for handling complaints of sexual misconduct involving state lawmakers.

It is time for us to get our own house in order when it comes to sexual harassment and sexual assault, said Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-Delaware County, at a Capitol news conference on Monday.

By voting to elect a record number of women to the Legislature in last years election cycle, she said, Voters have said decisively status quo is no longer good enough and we need to change the way we act in this building.

She, along with Montgomery County Democratic Sens. Katie Muth and Maria Collett, have introduced identical bills in the House and Senate that would ban using tax dollars to pay secret settlements for cases involving lawmakers who harass staff, hold perpetrators accountable, and provide an independent office to investigate claims.

Those involved in drafting this bill truly want to end the shameful practice of protecting those in power from the consequence of their actions, Krueger said. Women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against three legislators since this bill was first introduced (about a year ago). One resigned last week. One opted not to run for re-election last year. And one is currently under internal investigation.

She was referring to:

Another related case that drew media attention in the past year and a half was the $248,000 payment that the House Democratic Caucus paid to settle a legislative staffers sexual harassment claim against state Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks County. Caltagirone denied any wrongdoing.

We as elected officials should be held to a higher standard, said Muth, who is among those who have called on Leach to resign. We should be setting the tone for how these types of situations are handled and we all know we have our work to do. We have a lot of room for improvement but this bill is the first step in a very necessary direction.

State Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm joined the lawmakers at the news conference to throw her backing to the measure. She said she senses change is happening inside the Capitol when it comes to sexual misconduct claims but policies need to be in place to protect victims of sexual assault and harassment and offer them support.

Times up on the status quo of being able to rape, assault, abuse, objectify, harm, and harass others without consequence, Storm said. Times up on thinking you can manipulate and pay your way out of inexcusable behavior. Times up on silencing victims and survivors. Your time is up.

The House of Representatives tweaked its rules in January, at the start of the legislative session, to establish a process that assigns sexual harassment claims to the House Ethics Committee to investigate. Krueger acknowledged that is an improvement but it still leaves it up to elected caucus leaders to decide what happens with the allegations.

We believe that we need a separate investigation with someone who is not worried about leadership votes for re-election and these bills would create an independent office that could be responsible for investigations on any House or Senate member no matter what their party is, Krueger said.

Krueger introduced a similar bill in the House in the last legislative session which was the focus of a House Labor & Industry Committee hearing but it was never put to a vote.
It all came down to the evidence.

The Dauphin County jury foreman in the trial of a former East Pittsburgh police officer who had been charged in the shooting death of a teen spoke yesterday, giving insight into the jurys deliberation process in this difficult case.

Its a verdict that sparked protests in Pittsburgh, but in an interview with ABC 27, jury foreman Jesse Rawls Sr. said it was the right one.

Youre a police officer. You make a stop. A felony stop. Someone just shot up someone else. How do you approach it? Rawls explained in the interview, the full version of which can be seen on Pittsburghs WTAE. Maybe if the kids wouldnt have jumped out and ran, we would have never been in this situation.

Former police officer Michael Rosfeld was found not guilty Friday in the shooting death of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II. It happened during a June 19 traffic stop in which Rosfeld pulled over an unlicensed taxi that had been involved in an earlier drive-by shooting, police said. Rose, an unarmed passenger, ran away and Rosfeld shot him, The Associated Press reported.

The jury that acquitted Rosfeld Friday had been brought in from Dauphin County, and during deliberations, Rawls served as its foreman.

In his interview with ABC 27, Rawls said one piece of compelling evidence was a video that showed the drive-by shooting itself as the teens opened fire on someone on a street corner, and that person fired back, damaging their car.

When asked what Rawls would tell those who protested over the weekend, saying justice was not served and this was another case of a white police officer gunning down a young black man, Rawls said this was not a standard traffic violation. This was a felony stop that followed a drive-by shooting.

Get out of the mind that its a white police officer shooting a kid. Just say police officer. Would it have been any different if the police officer would have been a black officer shooting a black kid? Rawls said. If youre wrong, youre wrong, regardless of what color you are and what color the person is doing the shooting. If youre wrong, youre wrong."

Had he not been in the deliberations room, he may feel the same way many of the protesters do, he said, but he wants people to know members of the jury took an oath to remain neutral, listened to all of the evidence, and delivered their verdict.

I think that they have to accept the fact that the 12 people in that jury room did what was right, he said.

But it still wasnt easy. As he read the verdict in court, Rawls hesitated for a moment before each count, uttering not guilty.
A settlement has been reached in a months-long court battle between Middletown Borough Council and the Press & Journal newspaper, which claimed the council was attacking its free speech rights.

The deal was officially sanctioned by U.S. Middle District Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner on Monday.

The crux of the deal is the adoption by council of what has been called a content-neutral resolution governing how the borough will decide where to place public notices.

The settlement also requires Middletown to pay $22,000 toward the legal costs the paper incurred after filing a freedom of speech lawsuit in U.S. Middle District Court last year, said Aaron Martin, the lawyer for the paper. The paper had not sought monetary damages against the borough

The Press & Journal went to court after council pulled all government advertising from the home-grown publication. Several council members then sent the paper a letter stating, We cannot support a business that, at times, seems intent on derailing the progress we strive to make.

Press & Journal officials countered in their suit that councils act amounted to a coercive government action to manipulatea member of the free press.

The new resolution, adopted on a 5-1 vote last week, sets business-based guidelines for selecting publications for the boroughs public notices. It requires consideration of such issues as circulation, coverage of Middletown and the timing of publication. The resolution is a more formal version of a policy council approved in October.

Settlement documents state that council does not admit that it violated the papers rights.

The borough has not excluded the P&J from being used for notices and advertisements based on the content or viewpoints of its publication, the settlement states. Although the borough disputes the allegations made by the P&J, the borough is agreeing to settle the lawsuit in order to move forward in a positive direction and concentrate its efforts on the betterment of the community.

Conner made the settlement official by approving a consent agreement the parties jointly filed with the court.

My client looks forward to continuing to report the news and publish editorials that are consistent with its role as a member of the free press and looks forward to a renewed relationship with the borough government, Martin said.
The opening prayer is often the least controversial part of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives ceremonial routine on a session day but Mondays prayer was different.

On the same day that the House swore in its first Muslim women member Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell, D-Philadelphia, freshman Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, R-Clinton County, stepped to the House rostrum to offer a heartful prayer proclaiming her Christian beliefs and how the nation has forgotten Jesus and asking for forgiveness.

Jesus, you are our only hope, she said, before going on to pray for the House Republican leaders, Gov. Tom Wolf, and President Trump and for the presidents standing unequivocally beside Israel. But it wasnt until the ending of her prayer when House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County, appeared to reach out to seemingly cut her off.

At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus, that you are Lord, she said.

The prayer drew ire from House Minority Whip Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, who accused Borowicz of weaponizing her religion to "intimidate, demean and degrade the newly installed Muslim representative in front of her family, friends and guests who gathered to witness her take the oath of office.

Let me be clear. I am a Christian. I spend my Sunday mornings in church worshiping and being thankful for all that I have," Harris said in a statement. But in no way does that mean I would flaunt my religion at those who worship differently than I do. There is no room in our Capitol building for actions such as this, and its incredibly disappointing that todays opening prayer was so divisive.

At the end of the session day, House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody of Allegheny County expressed his displeasure on the House floor about the prayer that quietly disturbed other members on both sides of the aisle. Saying for the 28 years he has served in the House, Dermody said he found the opening prayer represented a time where members paused to be inspired and united.

It should bring us together and have us think about what we can do and how we can work together to make this state work, Dermody said. This morning on a very important day, on a day where were swearing in a new member, the first woman Muslim serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in history, there was a prayer that was not meant to inspire us. There was a prayer that was not meant to bring us together."

Turzai interrupted Dermody admonishing him about ascribing motive to a members words. Dermody replied he was speaking about her words, not Borowicz herself.

It was not meant to bring us together. It was not meant to inspire us. It was beneath the dignity of the House, he said, drawing a full 20 seconds of applause from members.

An attempt to reach Borowicz after Mondays session ended was unsuccessful.

He called on Turzai to appoint a committee to establish guidelines for the opening prayers.

Turzai shared that when the House formerly allows clergy to offer the prayer they were asked to craft a prayer that was respectful of all religious beliefs but that those instructions had not been submitted to House members offering prayer.

He reminded that the House currently is involved in a pending federal lawsuit over its refusal to allow nontheists - those who dont believe in a supreme deity - to be given the opportunity to offer an opening invocation at the start of House sessions. As a result, the House relies on its own members to offer the opening prayer on session days while the case is on appeal.

House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster County, reacted to Dermodys comment encouraging members to be respectful of others beliefs and faiths.

*This story has been updated to include the comment from Rep. Jordan Harris.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy.

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The public will never know the truth behind some of the most basic facts about the nations worst nuclear disaster nor the actual amount of radiation that was released.

Those were some of the messages underscored on Monday by the head of Three Mile Island Alert, an anti-nuclear advocacy group, and other advocates at a press conference in the Main Rotunda of the state Capitol.

Just days shy of the 40th anniversary of the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Londonderry Township, TMI Alerts Eric Epstein excoriated the nuclear industry for misrepresenting the facts of the accident, and in the process misleading and misinforming the public.

Three Mile Island is an accident without an ending, Epstein said. Theres no bookends to it. If you look at the holy trinity of nuclear accidents, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima, we can probably pretty much tell you when they started. The reality is there is no ending. This is a funeral where the pallbearers need to stand in place for 500 years. Thats tough for a society that has the memory of a fruitfly.

Epstein was joined by Tim Judson, executive director of Nuclear Information and Resource Service, and Arnie Gundersen, a nuclear engineer, who over the years converted from a proponent to an ardent critic.

Judson and Gundersen outlined the chain of events that took place on March 28, 1979, the start of the partial meltdown, as well as the levels of radiation released and subsequent impact on the health of the region.

Judson said the Three Mile Island story amounted to a mistelling of history of what could have been a preventable accident. He said that as a result of inconsistencies provided by the nuclear industry, the public was not given - nor will never have - a clear picture of the facts and the risks surrounding the meltdown.

Gundersen explained that because inadequate radiation monitors were in place at the time, officials were never able to get an accurate reading of radiation levels.

All analysis of radiation releases were based on mathematical corrections to estimates derived from off-site dose readings, he said.

How much radiation was released? Nobody knows, said Gundersen, who began a change of heart on nuclear energy in the 1990s when he served as an expert witness for plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Three Mile Island.

He is today chief engineer of Fairewinds Associates, an advocacy group for clean, renewable energy.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has long stood by its 40-year-old estimate that 10 million Curies of radiation were released. The NRC has also long held that the radiation released during the accident was well within levels deemed safe. The industry has reiterated that no one died or was harmed as a result of the accident.

Gundersen said that according to his own analysis of raw data, he calculated that 10 times that amount was released.

Epstein further excoriated legislative efforts to bail out Pennsylvania's nuclear power plants, including Exelon Corp., current owner of TMI-1.

He said proposals to bail out the nuclear industry in Pennsylvania - to the tune of nearly $3 billion - were fundamentally and manifestly unfair, adding that Three Mile Island Alert categorically opposed any bailout.

Proposed legislation would lead to the reclassification of Pennsylvanias nuclear plants as zero emission energy and create new requirements on how electric companies purchase power.

Among the members of the audience, were several visitors from Fukushima, Japan, site of the 2011 post-tsunami nuclear disaster that led to the evacuation of a quarter of million people.

The same (tactics) used to minimize the damage and risk of health is the same between Fukushima and TMI, said Hiroko Aihara, a journalist from Fukushima.

She said citizen engagement has been pivotal in the case of Three Mile Island and continues to be so in the Fukushima aftermath.

Its very important to work together. To know we are not alone, she said.

Aihara said the Japanese people - like residents of central Pennsylvania 40 years ago - were not provided with the truth.

Many people are still suffering... about evacuation, radiation, contamination and economic situation, she said. We are still suffering or fighting the situation.
By Val DiGiorgio, Chairman, Republican Party of Pennsylvania

The Special Counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US. presidential election.

With those words from Attorney General William Barrs summary of the nearly two-year long Mueller investigation into whether or not there was any collusion with Russia to produce the outcome of the 2016 election, it is time to move on from the collusion myth Democrats have spent the last two years trying to create.

For two years, the American people have lived under the pall of a collusion myth created by Democrats who could not live with the results of the 2016 election and a Trump Presidency that has thus far delivered nothing but huge wins for the country.

For two years, despite record low unemployment; tax cuts; a rolling economy; the renegotiation of trade deals; the defeat of ISIS; and American leadership restored; Democrats would work to delegitimize every success with a collusion narrative.

With the conclusion of the Mueller report this weekend, that narrativethat mythhas finally been proven absolutely false.

The Democrats bought in so deep to the collusion myth that even House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-California) said he had definitive proof the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. Other Democrats, including DNC Chairman Tom Perez, have made the same claim.

That claim, we now know, is a definitive falsehood.

Any Democrat that tries to discredit the Mueller report must remember their own words about Robert Mueller.

In 2017, at his appointment, now House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Robert Mueller a respected public servant of the highest integrity.

At the same time, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Mueller was exactly the right kind of individual for this job and that I now have significantly greater confidence that the investigation will follow the facts wherever they lead.

The facts apparently led Robert Mueller to find absolutely no collusion, and thats a conclusion that must be accepted by Democrats, their allies in the mainstream media, and the American public.

Even more so, the depth of the investigation is something that speaks to its compelling finality on the question of collusion.

According to Attorney General Barrs summary, the Mueller investigation employed 19 lawyers who were assisted by a team of 40 FBI agents, intelligence forensic accountants, and other professional staff. Muellers team issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and interviewed somewhere around 500 witnesses, among other tactics to gather information.

Still, after all that, and after nearly two years, after President Trumps credibility has been dragged through the mud on countless occasions, and after the American people spent an estimated $25.2 million, the Mueller investigation found no collusion.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks from Marine One to board Air Force One, Friday, March 22, 2019, Md., en route to Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., and then to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)AP

Unfortunately, we know Democrats will not stop trying to tear down President Trump, despite the clear answer on collusion.

We know they will start their own investigations, keep their track headed toward impeachment, and do their best to try to tear down President Trump all because they cannot believe we live in a world where Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election, all because their sense of entitlement they felt would deliver them the Presidency turned out to be as mythical as collusion with Russia.

Since the 2016 election, the Democrats agenda has been, and will continue to be, a run to the left on policy and obstruction and resistance to the President and his administration.

Finally, in light of the Mueller reports findings and the summary we were issued this weekend, I encourage my fellow Pennsylvanians, and the American people more broadly, to finally look at this President and this administration with clear eyes.

While Democrats have been feeding you lies for the last two years about an illegitimate Presidency that worked with a foreign power to attain its status, President Trump and his administration have restored our potential.

Our nations unemployment rate is at 3.8 percent, there are more jobs open than there are people to fill them, we are working with other countries to make trade deals better for our country, more Americans have money in the pockets because of a rolling economy and tax cuts, and our military is strengthened and the ISIS caliphate defeated.

President Trump did all this, in conjunction with Republican leadership, in the face of the most brutal witch hunt in this history of the American Presidency.

I cannot wait to see what we can do together now that the air has been cleared, the record has been set straight, and the Democrat-myth of Russian collusion has once-and-for-all been dispelled.

Val DiGiorgio is the Chairman of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. He writes from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Does the news business need a better definition of transparency? Shutterstock

Public trust in media continues to hover near all-time lows, driven by perceptions that the news industry is partisan and peddles inaccurate information (fake news), as well as ambivalence about news from social media.

According to a new Knight Foundation report on news media trust, transparency is a key factor in restoring trust.

Although media organizations promote the inherent value of transparency, they often do not explain what it means in practice.

In contrast, research in business organizations points to a clearer meaning and more specific practices of transparency that, if applied to journalism, could help journalists regain greater public trust.

What does transparency look like now?

There are many definitions of transparency in journalism.

The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics defines transparency as explaining ones decisions to the public. The recent report from media funder the Knight Foundation referred to transparency in journalism as disclosing potential conflicts of interest and making additional reporting material available to readers.

Both of these definitions suggest that transparency should constitute some sort of explanation to the consumer about the decision-making involved in the story.

These could be in the form of editorial disclosures that would explain, for example, if there was reader backlash to a story, why an editor felt a story was newsworthy, like in the case of The New York Times profiling a white nationalist.

Or they could be a longer story behind the story, published as a sidebar that explains both how and why a story was reported, such as Vice News did when covering ethnic cleansing in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In practice, however, transparency in journalism is most often treated as a simple transaction between news organizations and their audience. Two common examples are journalists hyperlinking to original data sources that provide evidence for a storys claims or nonprofit journalism organizations listing their sponsors.

But research in organizational management shows that while both the explanation and disclosure aspects of transparency are important for building trust, they are not enough and they need to be coordinated. In fact, by practicing only a partial version of transparency, journalism may well be harming itself and further damaging the publics trust in its work.

Where transparency falls short

Organizational scholars Andrew Schnackenberg and Edward Tomlinson have proposed that transparency in organizations actually consists of three parts: disclosure (information is released in a timely manner), accuracy (information is correct), and clarity (information is understandable in context by the intended audience).

To understand how this definition of transparency could help media organizations, consider a recent example where the media reported on a controversy without the benefit of all three elements.

Prompted by the revelation that a Virginia governors 1984 yearbook page had a photo of a man in blackface on it, USA Today recently released a story about racism in college yearbooks.

Reporters reviewed over 900 yearbooks from 120 colleges and universities published over the past few decades for the story. The story that they wrote describes the pervasiveness of racist pictures in university yearbooks. (This article mentions a racist picture from our own university, Rochester Institute of Technology.)

USA Today also published a story behind the story, whose stated purpose was to be as transparent as possible about what we found. The supplemental article described the process by which photos were identified and analyzed.

The supplemental story states: We found questionable photos virtually everywhere we looked  what amounted to a montage of everyday, casual bigotry memorialized among pages that captured daily life on campuses. Many of the photos did not have captions, making it difficult in some cases to determine what was going on. It is possible that some were part of a school play or had other explanations. But we built our report around images that had little or no ambiguity.

This supplemental story seems to be an attempt at providing some clarity about the main story by helping the reader understand the motivation and process for writing the main story.

The supplemental story, however, does not provide full clarity. There are no images of the offending photographs in their larger context within the yearbooks, for example. Similarly, the supplemental story lacks disclosure; there is no comprehensive list of the 900 yearbooks or the 120 schools surveyed.

We believe that providing clarity (examples in context) and disclosure (a list of sources) would allow readers to independently verify the data in the story.

In this example, using Schanckenberg and Tomlinsons definition of transparency could have led to better journalism  to a story that readers could trust more fully.

Competence, integrity, benevolence

Drawing on earlier research about trust, Schnackenberg and Tomlinson suggest that greater transparency can improve trustworthiness in organizations by helping to improve the publics perception of their competence, integrity and benevolence. Those are the three key building blocks of trust.

What would this look like transferred from a traditional business to a news organization?

The news organization would report events in a way that is understandable and accurate and act according to its stated values, and its primary goal would be serving the public interest.

So when a news organization discloses  to the extent possible  its sources and own motivation for doing a story, it helps to build perceptions of integrity and benevolence. When it makes an effort to bring clarity and accuracy by explaining the overall context of a story, or when it provides insight into its own decision-making processes, it helps to build perceptions of competence and integrity.

How not to do transparency

To understand how the more nuanced definition of transparency borrowed from organizational business research can help news organizations build trust, consider the cable news network CNN. It recently hired Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokesperson for former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, to lead its 2020 election coverage.

As The New York Times noted, Flores was hired as a political editor, not a pundit, and departing an administration in which the president routinely criticizes the news media, including CNN.

CNNs own media reporter, Brian Stelter, wrote about the hiring and the associated outcry about a political hack being placed in charge of supposedly objective reporting. His reporting verified the initial report from Politico, and Stelter wrote about Flores previous employment in his lead. It was an attempt to bring transparency to CNNs actions.

But CNN executives would not speak for attribution with Stelter to defend the hiring, instead preferring to provide anonymous responses.

So, while Stelter attempted to tell the story behind the story, he was rebuffed by his own network.

This was confusing for audiences trying to understand Flores hiring as a political editor.

If CNN had accepted a definition and practice of transparency that included accuracy, disclosure and clarity, perhaps they could have given better thought to how this hire would be perceived and how they might publicly comment on it.

In the end, Flores announced that she will be a political analyst instead of an editor  a change in title she, not CNN, initiated.

When an important concept like transparency is only partially applied, it leads to something of a transparency trap. Media organizations may believe they are acting transparently, but incomplete attempts at transparency may damage credibility and thus do more harm than good.

Michael Palanski, Associate Professor of Management, Rochester Institute of Technology and Andrea Hickerson, Director of the School of Communication and Associate Professor of Journalism, Rochester Institute of Technology

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The year 2018 was marked by global climate change devastation, from hurricanes Florence and Michael decimating the Carolinas and Florida to deadly, unprecedented wildfires in California.

Those were just three of the 10 costliest, climate-driven, extreme weather events of the year that killed thousands of people and caused nearly $85 billion in damage.

The effects of climate change extended well beyond these historic events that garnered widespread media attention however.

Damages from climate change were also felt in ways big and small across the Commonwealth. After a summer of scorching temperatures, Philadelphia public schools were closed for much of the first two weeks of the school year due to extreme heat. Across the state, extreme downpours drove flash flooding, impacting homes and businesses from the King of Prussia Mall to State College where expensive cleanup operations were required to deal with the resulting mold damage.

Pennsylvania has the highest rate of lyme disease in the country, with booming tick populations threatening hikers and outdoorsmen. And with the continuing extreme weather events including the devastating recent floods in the Midwest, 2019 is sure to be another banner year for climate change impacts.

Sadly, for the past century, Pennsylvania has had a major role in contributing to this climate crisis. For generations, the Commonwealth has been home to a long legacy of fossil fuel mining, drilling, and burning for energy production and today, Pennsylvania is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the United States.

Now, we need to change course and make Pennsylvania a leader in the clean energy solution to the climate problem.

Fortunately, experts know what we need to do. We must transition to 100% renewable energy, with net zero emissions of global warming pollution by 2050 (at the latest) to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. And even better news is that we have the science and technology available at our fingertips today to accomplish this task.

A 2015 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) showed that the United States has the technical potential to meet its current electricity needs more than 100 times over with solar energy and more than 10 times over with wind energy. This is one of many studies showing similar outcomes.

Not only do we have the tools to make this transition a reality, but we also have widespread public support to do so. Recent polling shows that over 70% of Pennsylvanians support transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, with similar levels of support Nationwide.

That broad-based support is turning into action with far-reaching, positive results. California, the world's fifth largest economy, passed new legislation in 2018 requiring the state to get to 100% clean energy. Hawaii passed similar legislation in 2015 and only weeks ago New Mexico followed suit. Here in Pennsylvania, some of our biggest cities, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, and businesses, from Mars Candy to the Pocono Raceway, have been committing to 100% renewable energy as well. Now, it is time for the state, and country, to follow their lead.

The benefits of this transition are huge. Not only will going to 100% renewable energy help stave off the worst impacts of climate change, but it will also lead to cleaner air and water, safer communities, and improved public health. It is estimated that moving to 100% Renewable Energy would also create more than 380,000 good paying jobs in our state and would save each Pennsylvanian more than $12,000 a year in energy, health, and climate costs by 2050.

We envision a Commonwealth where everyone has solar on their roofs, where wind offshore is powering our businesses, and where we all have a safe and livable climate, free from harmful air pollution. This vision can be our reality. The technology is here, the policy proposals are here, and the public support for this transition to 100% renewable energy is here and growing every day.

But the million dollar question is: do we have the political will to preserve a livable planet?

Flora Cardoni is the Climate Defender Campaign Director with PennEnvironment

Michael Mann is Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science and Director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University.
Well-oiled machine: Eta Nu's Dress for Chill program continues to provide warmth, smiles

Thanks to the Boyne Eta Nu Charities' "Dress for Chill" program, a total of 187 Boyne City students will be dressed warmly this winter season.
(From left) Steven Rishard, Suli Holum, and BJ Barth in "The Few," through April 7 at Theatre Horizon in Norristown. Read more

The title of Samuel D. Hunters 90-minute, one-act play The Few might be a reference to the familiar military recruiting slogan The Few. The Proud. The Marines. In fact, its the somewhat grandiose name of a modest newspaper for truckers  a publication whose content and purpose are a matter of heated onstage debate.

Call the play instead The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Trucker. The real subject of this regional premiere, through April 7 at Norristowns Theatre Horizon, is the possibility and difficulty of human connection. The extremity of the truckers plight becomes a metaphor for the emotional conundrums we all face.

Hunter, author of The Whale (produced in 2015 by Theatre Exile) and a MacArthur Foundation genius award recipient, writes sharp, involving dialogue for characters at the social margins. Set at the turn of the millennium, at a moment of Y2K panic, The Few is something of a nostalgia trip  to a bygone era of clunky computer monitors, floppy discs, answering machines, and print newspapers whose profits flowed from classified advertising.

As the action begins, were in small-town Idaho, in a trailer (Christopher Haigs marvelously dilapidated and detailed set) that serves as the newspapers office. Absent for four years, Bryan (Steven Rishard) has unexpectedly shown up, and hes got some explaining to do to his erstwhile girlfriend and business partner, QZ (Suli Holum): Why did he walk out in the first place? And why is he back?

We learn quickly about a precipitating tragedy: the death, in a highway crash, of their best friend and fellow trucker-journalist Jim. In Bryans absence, QZ has hired Jims nephew, Matthew (PJ Barth, in his first professional acting gig), to help out. And she has changed the papers focus, replacing heartfelt calls for community with more lucrative lonely hearts ads.

We periodically hear those ads, as men and women call in to express their crude longings for a devoted mate  or a convenient hookup. A technical glitch Friday night obliged Rishard to stop the show for repairs. Even afterward, stage business sometimes distracted from the recorded voices, making them less intelligible.

The best reason to see Theatre Horizons production is Rishards commanding delineation of Bryans emotional journey from desperation to a fragile hope. Holum, as his cynical ex, is also fine, though she has a more constricted emotional arc. Their scenes, under Matthew Deckers direction, convey both tension and intimacy.

The problem is the character of Matthew, alternately idealistic (about the power of prose, and newspaper prose at that) and completely unhinged. Barth has real verve and presence. But his Matthew, perhaps inevitably, remains too much of a comic caricature. And the laughs, often uneasy, that he generates undermine the shows poignancy and impact.

Any sense of connection you have with another person is either a complete illusion or chemicals dancing around in your brain, Bryan declares at his emotional nadir. The sooner you accept the fact that youre completely alone, the sooner you accept that everyone is completely alone, the better off youll be. Thats a legitimate, if bleak, philosophical stance, the heart of the absurdist vision. Hunters characters contemplate the abyss but turn away.

THEATER REVIEW

The Few

Through April 7 at Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb St., Norristown. Tickets: $30-$38. Information: 610-283-2230, www.theatrehorizon.net
In a sign of just how juicy asset managers believe this ETF business will become, Goldman Sachs last week said its purchasing Standard & Poors Investment Advisory Services, a creator of model portfolios of ETFs. Read more

Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are usually passive investments, because they automatically track an index or a basket of assets. But now, financial advisers are using ETFs more aggressively, as tools in an actively managed portfolio. And the fees on these ETFs are starting to approach zero, particularly as advisers compete and justify their own fees.

That was one takeaway from Alpha Architects and Villanova Universitys joint conference last week at the colleges Bartley Hall.

Alpha Architect founded Phillys first robo-adviser under Wesley Gray and Jack Vogel, and the firm has since morphed into a broader asset manager using ETFs. The conference brought together academics and investment professionals (more info at https://alphaarchitect.com/democratizequant). Quants, or quantitative investors, are affectionately called turbo-nerds. They use computer science, algorithms, mathematics, and even physics to try to crack the code to higher market returns.

Here are ways quants and others are looking at the markets right now.

ETFs as active management.

Eric Balchunas presented on how portfolio models using ETFs represent a trend among financial planners.

Investing using ETFs is the new active management among financial advisers, said the senior ETF analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence.

With no share classes and generally lower tax treatment, ETFs are steadily outpacing the growth of mutual funds, he added. That was supported by Ben Johnson of Morningstar, whose data show that ETFs now represent 20 percent of all fund assets, up from zero in 1993. Johnson is director of global ETF research at Morningstar.

Financial advisers have become hyper-focused on fund fees, which is rational and largely done to help clients, but can be taken to extremes, Balchunas wrote. "Expense ratios have become the new past performance chart thanks to a shift toward a fee-only model, where the advisers get paid as a percent of client assets, and away from commissions paid by mutual funds. Balchunas reiterated those same trends at the conference.

Deal activity also is spurring ETF issuers to get into the advisory business, Balchunas told the Villanova crowd of suits and some students.

Index-making is the new active management. Its like a little R2-D2: Its a robot, but theres a lot of human-ness to it," he said.

SoFi, the student loan refinancing start-up, said this month that it will launch its own SoFi-branded ETFs, with no fee for a period of time.

In a sign of just how juicy asset managers believe this ETF business will become, Goldman Sachs last week said its purchasing Standard & Poors Investment Advisory Services, or SPIAS, a creator of model portfolios of ETFs.

Goldman plans to keep S&Ps open architecture platform, which allows for ETFs from other firms to be included in portfolios, but Goldman also plans to launch its own model portfolios loaded with Goldman ETFs, according to Barrons.

As for fee cuts overall, the behemoth firms  in particular BlackRock, State Street, Schwab, and Invesco  appear to be cutting their own fees to next to nothing as well as trimming head count and expenses, to keep up with Vanguard.

But they will likely be rewarded in the future because fee cuts lead to billions of dollars flowing into the cheaper ETFs, despite performance, Balchunas added. Pain now, profit later.

Freedom Index and ETF

We also met up with a spin-off of Alpha Architect, a new index formed by Perth Tolle, formerly a private wealth manager with Fidelity and now an entrepreneur. Her freedom weighted emerging markets index started as an idea and is now an ETF reality.

Tolle is launching an index fund based on the principle of economic freedom and the value of liberty. Tolle calls this Life+Liberty index the worlds first human rights-weighted factor-based indices with a focus on emerging and frontier markets.

The index mimics a portfolio of about 100 equity securities listed in emerging market countries and 79 personal and economic freedom factors categorized into three types.

These are 1) the rights to life, such as no torture or political detentions; 2) liberty, such as rule of law and due process, and 3) property, including strong monetary and fiscal institutions.

It should be fascinating to watch how this ETF trades once it comes to market.
A long-closed corner bar on Richmond Street near Allegheny Avenue in Port Richmond will see new life on March 28 as Lunar Inn.

The bar, with a bottle shop set up in a renovated garage out back, is the passion project of two couples who are restaurant lifers: Erin Murphy and Sean McGuinness, and Ryan Ellis and Emily Kovach.

Theyre backed by A-Frame Constructs (Cary Borish and Mike Parsells design-build company), which built out and is part-owner of Martha, Pizza Shackamaxon, and Good Spoon.

Lunar, designed to feel at once old and new, includes a century-old mahogany bar salvaged from a Masonic lodge in Maine, a back bar and booths by local carpenter Mike Harpring, handmade and vintage light fixtures, including one made from a kick drum, and a restored pressed-tin ceiling.

Theres a moon theme going on, as well as music from vinyl. Theres a turntable behind the bar, as well as a DJ booth that will host local DJs a few times a week. The bars owners hosted a recent private party at which they asked guests to bring in a must-have LP in exchange for a beer and a burger.

Menu is built on bar food snacks and plates, such as pickled deviled eggs, veggie burgers and cheeseburgers on Philly Bread Co. rolls, clams in white wine broth, and fried chicken with collards and cornbread.

Drink list includes 16 draft lines (mostly locals and ciders), by-the-glass natural wines, cocktails, and budget beer bottles and cans. Nonalcoholic options will include a custom roast drip coffee from Ox Coffee, kombucha, sugar cane soda, and mocktails.

In the back is a courtyard as well as Tinys Bottle Shop, selling beers and ciders and starting in late April a selection of natural-wine bottles.

Initial hours: 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. The kitchen will close at 10 p.m. daily.

Bottle shop hours will be 4 to 10 p.m. weekdays, and noon to 10 p.m. on weekends.
Jamee Cook and Terri McGregor, cofounders of a Facebook group for breast implant-related lymphoma patients, before the start of Monday's FDA advisory committee on breast implant safety. Read more

SILVER SPRING, Md.  Plastic surgeons are supposed to make certain that women getting breast implants understand the risk of fairly common problems, including rupture, breast hardening, and additional surgery.

But doctors dont have to disclose what Jamee Cook showed Monday during her presentation to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel. The advisers are reexamining the safety of breast implants in light of new concerns and evidence that the prosthetics can make some women chronically ill with numerous autoimmune conditions and even a rare cancer.

The 41-year-old patient-turned-activist projected slides with dozens of photographs of surgically removed, or explanted, implants: wrinkled, ripped, blackened devices, some oozing silicone, many with hunks of scar tissue.

The Dallas wife and mother, who had to quit her job as a paramedic after developing debilitating fatigue, fevers, migraines, and more symptoms after getting implants, saved money for three years so she could have her 13-year-old saline-filled devices removed. Her health insurance wouldnt cover the procedure, yet after getting them out, her health dramatically improved.

Many women simply cant afford to remove their implants, she told the panel. They can get desperate. It feels like no one will listen and no one will help. Just because an illness is ill-defined doesnt mean it isnt real.

Women have complained for decades that their implants caused autoimmune symptoms and diseases. But their complaints are being given new credence because the FDA and other world health authorities have recognized that implants can cause a very rare form of lymphoma, an immune system cancer. Nearly 700 cases and 17 deaths have been tallied worldwide since 2011. Most are associated with rough-surfaced, or textured, implants.

Although additional data are needed, it appears possible and plausible that this exaggerated and persistent [immune] response, for some patients, may produce local and systemic signs and symptoms which closely mimic, but do not meet the formal criteria for, an established connective tissue, autoinflammatory, or autoimmune disease, says an FDA brief document for the two-day hearing

The panel heard from FDA staff and breast implant makers  Allergan, Mentor, Sientra, and Ideal  about studies that the companies have been mandated to undertake in order to better understand the risks of implants. The panel also heard about new patient registries that have been created to supplement manufacturers studies, because implant makers have lost track of patients.

But amid the highly technical, data-filled presentations, women who now rue their decision to get implants testified about their ordeals and sense of betrayal.

Christina Avila of San Jose, Calif., said she had implants to reconstruct her breast after being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

I was pushed down a path where I was told implants were safe, and that forgoing reconstruction would lead to depression and low self-esteem, she said. I have heard too many women say, 'We thought we had to do it. 

Jennifer Cook of Georgia said her 2010 informed consent document explicitly said no scientific evidence linked implants to cancer. No one informed her otherwise after the FDA warned of implant lymphoma the next year.

She was diagnosed with the lymphoma in 2017, after chasing a diagnosis for a year. Although most women are cured by removing the implant and surrounding scar capsule, she needed chemotherapy and radiation.

I was blindsided. I was deceived, she said.

Terri McGregor, 54, of Ontario, needed even more aggressive treatment in 2015 and 2016, including a stem cell transplant, to treat lymphoma that has spread to her lymph nodes and bowel. Her experience led her to co-found a Facebook group for women with breast implant-associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

She testified Monday that she has just been diagnosed with another cancer, a direct complication of the stem cell transplant.

The isolation, betrayal, and loneliness of our cancer, she said, breaking into tears. We were merely portrayed as an anomaly.

Panel member Pierre M. Chevray, a Houston plastic surgeon, asked what has changed since the 1990s, when the FDA first held a hearing on the question of breast implant illness. After that hearing, a major review of the medical literature found no conclusive link between implants and autoimmune diseases.

Why were we wrong before? Why is it different now? Chevray asked.

Jan Willem Cohen Tervaert, an immunologist from the University of Alberta who presented his research on breast implant illness, cited four major changes: Animal studies have shown how silicone can activate a chronic inflammatory reaction in the immune system; researchers have collected data showing the majority of sick women who remove their implants get much better; recent large population-based studies have shown higher rates of autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and Sjogrens syndrome; and Tervaerts lab has done microscopic analyses of two patients tissues and found silicone gel throughout their bodies.

Silicone implants bleed silicone without any rupture, he said.

Despite the controversy, demand for implants has not fallen. Each year, about 300,000 U.S. women enlarge their breasts and almost 100,000 cancer patients reconstruct their breasts with implants. Textured implants make up about 10 percent of the U.S. market.

The sense of history repeating itself was not lost on Laura Bowden, 55, of Chicago. She had doctors remove Dow implants that she got in the 1990s after she became convinced they were making her sick.

Now I find myself surrounded by a second generation of sick women, she said. Nothing has changed. Doctors in denial. No insurance coverage. Except now we have evidence of a rare form of implant-related cancer.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced charges against the operators of Liberation Way, a Bucks County drug treatment center, during a press conference at the Attorney General's office in Philadelphia Monday. Read more

The cofounder of a Bucks County drug treatment company and 10 others have been charged in a wide-ranging fraud scheme that, state officials say, trapped patients suffering from drug and alcohol addiction in a cycle of ineffective treatments and near-inevitable relapse  all as the company made tens of millions of dollars off insurance reimbursements and kickbacks.

The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office charged Jason Gerner, the cofounder of Liberation Way, with fraud, conspiracy, and related offenses. Other high-level executives, including Branden Coluccio, the chief financial officer and co-owner; Domenick Braccia, the centers medical director; and Michael Armstrong, the chief networking officer, also were charged with fraud and conspiracy.

Liberation Way, based in Yardley and founded in 2015, had been under deep scrutiny for some time. A year-long investigation by the Reading Eagle found found repeated violations of state regulations -- during some inspections, more than any other program in Berks, Bucks, Montgomery and Chester counties. Employees told the Eagle they had long noted what they called a revolving door of patients who would enter the program, relapse, and reenter.

That, state officials said, was by design.

They used these people for all they were worth, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference on Monday, and that worth was defined by insurance benefits. I cannot overstate how complex and appalling this case is, in light of the opioid crisis ravaging Pennsylvania."

More than 5,400 people died of drug overdoses in Pennsylvania in 2017. In Philadelphia, 1,217 people died of overdoses that same year; an estimated 1,100 people fatally overdosed in the city in 2018.

A grand jury charged with investigating Liberation Way wrote in a presentment released Monday that the treatment centers patients largely lived at sober homes affiliated with the company. At these facilities, patients were poorly supervised and, the grand jury wrote, housing staff and employees engaged in sexual relationships with patients. Some homes were in areas known for nefarious activity," the grand jury wrote.

Liberation Way insisted that the sober homes were not affiliated with their company, the grand jury wrote, but there was no real separation of Liberation Way from its housing facilities.

One sober home in North Wales was known as the party house." The grand jury wrote that it was owned by Braccia, the medical director, and leased to Liberation Way, but later sold to a company called 1146 Stump Road LLC." The company paid for the house with a check from Liberation Ways bank account, signed by Coluccio, Liberation Ways CFO.

Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, a Philadelphia man who ran housing associated with Liberation Way and had invested in the company, was also charged on Monday.

Many patients, the grand jury wrote, believed they were required to live in Liberation Way-affiliated housing, even though the company was not licensed as an inpatient treatment facility.

In such an atmosphere, state officials wrote in a news release, relapse was not only common, it was expected. Patients would fall back into addiction, and then return to Liberation Way for more treatment  often at a higher level of care that meant the company got larger reimbursements from insurance companies, the grand jury wrote.

Liberation Way cycled patients through the treatment process as many times as possible, the grand jury wrote. Some patients were cycled through treatment at Liberation Way up to eight times. Once a patients benefits were exhausted, Liberation Way transferred the patient to another treatment center."

Many of those patients insurance plans were fraudulently secured by Liberation Way itself, the grand jury found. The company illegally paid clients premiums for platinum health plans that allowed Liberation Way to bill insurance companies for millions of dollars in high-cost, out-of-network reimbursements  to cover what state officials called substandard treatments.

Blue Cross Blue Shield companies, whose local branch is Independence Blue Cross, the largest private insurer in the Philadelphia region, were overbilled $17 million, Shapiro said.

Liberation Way was also charged with running a kickback scheme with a Florida lab analysis company. Patients urine was tested for the presence of drugs multiple times a week  sometimes multiple times a day. Samples were sent to the lab in Florida, which would bill insurance companies for the tests.

A doctor consulted by the grand jury said many of those tests were medically unnecessary, and the grand jury wrote that Liberation Way staffers were offered cash incentives to collect as many urine tests as possible in a given week.

Gerner and cofounder Dallas Fetterman, who died of an overdose in 2017, were paid a portion of the insurance companies reimbursements  hundreds of thousands of dollars worth, state officials said.

Jesse Peters, an associate of the Florida lab company, was also charged by the Attorney Generals Office on Monday, as was Ramesh Sarvaiya, a New Jersey doctor who allegedly signed off on millions of dollars worth of urine testing without seeing any patients at Liberation Way. Those two are also facing federal charges, authorities said Monday.

Liberation Way operators made money hand over fist on the backs of their drug-addicted clients, said Jennifer Williams, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern Division of Pennsylvania, at Mondays news conference. She called the operation an empire built on fraud and despair.

The Attorney Generals Office said Gerner and Fetterman made $44 million in profits from insurance companies. When the company was sold to a private equity firm in 2017, six months after Fettermans death, it fetched a $40 million payday for its owners and investors.

Liberation Ways listed phone number has been disconnected, and its website is no longer functioning. Attempts to reach defendants charged in the case were unsuccessful.

A representative of Fulcrum Equity Partners, the private firm that purchased Liberation Way, said it eventually sued Liberation Ways owners for fraud, alleging that the former owners did not disclose the violations levied by the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, or the actions, errors, and/or omissions giving rise to the [attorney generals] investigation.

The suit was settled in two weeks, said Missy Orlando, a spokesperson for CityLine Behavioral Healthcare, the firms behavioral health division. Orlando said the company had absolutely no knowledge of the alleged scams and applauds Shapiros decision to bring charges against Liberation Ways former operators.

She added that Liberation Ways Yardley headquarters have been gutted, and that the two other facilities it operated, in Fort Washington and Bala Cynwyd, were renovated and folded into CityLines treatment programs. The executive director of those programs is a licensed clinical social worker with a masters degree in social work, Orlando said.

Two of the sober houses affiliated with Liberation Way are still operating, including the North Wales house once known as the party house." But they are no longer co-ed facilities, as they were under the previous ownership, and are under supervision, Orlando said. Except for the fact that its the same physical structure, everything else is completely different, she said.
James Pikul holds a sample of "metallic wood" in his engineering lab at the University of Pennsylvania. Read more

Titanium  the stuff of hip implants and aircraft parts  is strong and light. Aluminum is even lighter, but not as strong.

In a lab at the University of Pennsylvania, engineers have created an improbable material that is as strong as titanium while putting aluminum to shame in the weight department.

Called metallic wood, it is light enough to float in water.

The material contains no actual wood, but it is wood-like in the sense of having pores: air spaces in between billions of miniature struts of nickel. Magnified thousands of times on a microscope, the material looks like honeycomb.

Its like a scaffold, said James Pikul, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and applied mechanics.

So far, the engineers have made just small squares of the material  each about the size of a postage stamp  but they envision that it could be produced in large enough quantities to make rugged, ultralight exteriors for cell phones and other electronic devices. Depending on the cost, it might be an option for making lightweight, fuel-efficient cars.

Whats more, the pores can be filled with other substances, such as the chemicals needed to make a lightweight rechargeable battery, Pikul said.

In fact, that is how the idea began. When Pikul was a graduate student and later a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he and colleagues made powerful batteries out of similar materials without considering that they might be ultra-strong. Pikul had the idea to test their strength, and the early results prompted him to continue the research after coming to Penn in 2017.

In collaboration with engineers at Illinois and the University of Cambridge, he published his findings in January in the journal Scientific Reports.

The process for making metallic wood is sophisticated yet easy to describe.

Start with billions of tiny plastic spheres suspended in a small vial of water. Insert a substrate  a strip of glass-like material that conducts electricity  and heat up the water. As the water evaporates, the spheres settle on the strip in an orderly pattern, stacking themselves almost like a pyramid of oranges in a grocery-store display.

Then electroplate the spheres with nickel, much like chrome is used for plating shiny car parts. That means placing the strip coated with spheres into a solution of nickel ions, then applying an electrical current, causing the nickel to coat the surfaces of the plastic balls.

Add a solvent to dissolve away the plastic, and presto! Whats left is a porous scaffold of nickel.

The process is modeled after the way nature creates opals, which are formed from microscopic spheres of a substance called silica. But because the spheres in metallic wood are dissolved away, it is called an inverse opal. Like the gemstone, Pikuls metallic wood radiates a rainbow of colors when held at certain angles, as the microscopic pores are just the right size to interfere with the wavelengths of visible light.

Pikul and his colleagues have made metallic wood with densities ranging from one-tenth to one-third that of solid nickel.

It makes sense that a porous metal would be lighter than a solid. But how does it remain relatively strong?

The key is the small size of the nickel struts. Larger pieces of metal tend to have the occasional defects and gaps at the atomic level, sapping their strength. But in very small samples, such defects tend to rise to the surface and disappear, Pikul said.

That means his nickel scaffolds are small but mighty, able to shoulder a heavy load relative to their weight. Laboratory tests indicate they have a compressive strength on par with titanium. Pikul and graduate student Zhimin Jiang now are testing the tensile strength of the material, carefully tugging it apart on what looks like a miniature rack from a medieval torture chamber.

Other researchers in the field of nano-materials are taking notice, among them Timothy J. Rupert, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at the University of California, Irvine.

Though it takes the Penn team a whole day to make a small square of metallic wood, Rupert said it is easy to imagine producing the material on a cost-competitive, industrial scale. One promising application would be automotive manufacture, he said.

One could imagine making a car with the same safety standards used today but a much, much lighter weight, Rupert said. This would have huge implications for energy efficiency.

Pikul has not yet grappled with how to produce his material in such large quantities, but he looks forward to the challenge. If he could make really big slabs of metallic wood, it might even be useful as a high-tech structural component in a building, he said. It likely would be expensive compared with other building materials, but the microscopic pores could be a plus for circulating air in hotter climates.

Call it an inverse opal or metallic wood: With this material, he has only begun to scratch the surface.
Jeremy Richman, right, during a press conference on Jan. 14, 2013 beside his wife Jennifer Hensel, center, holding a photo of their daughter Avielle, who was killed in the Dec. 14, 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jeremy Richman was found dead early Monday, March 25, 2019 at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown, Conn., police said. Read more

The father of a Sandy Hook school shooting victim was found dead in an apparent suicide in Newtown, Conn., on Monday  marking the third death of a mass-shooting survivor in a week, after two student survivors of the shooting in Parkland, Fla., took their lives.

The deaths raised questions on how communities that have been through traumatic experiences can offer support and prevent more loss.

Mental-health experts say suicide is a public-health concern and is usually preventable. People should look for warning signs among loved ones, especially those who have depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental illnesses that increase their risk. These signs include:

Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself.

Looking for a way to kill oneself.

Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose.

Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain.

Talking about being a burden to others.

Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs.

Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless.

Sleeping too little or too much.

Withdrawing or feeling isolated.

Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.

Displaying extreme mood swings.

If you notice these signs, ask the person if theyre feeling suicidal. Experts say its best to be direct rather than using euphemisms, such as, Have you been having disturbing thoughts? or Are you thinking of the S-word? Instead, ask the person: Are you thinking of killing yourself?

A psychiatry professor at Columbia University has developed a set of questions that anyone  not just medical professionals  can ask to identify people at risk of suicide.

Another step is to remove any lethal means from the persons home, said Dan Romer, research director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Lock up guns and get rid of pills, for instance.

If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

Twenty children were killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Jeremy Richman, who was found dead in Newtown at 7 a.m., the New York Times reported, lost his daughter, Avielle.

In February 2018, 17 people were killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Last week, 19-year-old survivor Sydney Aiello killed herself, her mother told CBS Miami. A 16-year-old boy from the school was found dead Saturday night in an apparent suicide, the Times reported. His death is still under investigation.
Marion T. Lane speaks about her research into her ancestry as a descendant of African American soldiers from American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War at in her home in Buckingham. Read more

Marion T. Lane is already a member of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The plaques and certificates adorning the walls of her Buckingham Township home, as well as the pins she wears on her clothes, are testimonials.

Two of her African American ancestors were patriots. one, Isaac Brown, served as a sergeant at Valley Forge; another, Abraham Brown, provided beef to Revolutionary forces in Virginia.

Now, this year, as the world commemorates the 400th anniversary of the first Twenty and Odd Negroes" brought to Point Comfort, Va., in August 1619, Lane is laying claim to another ancestor: Margarita, one of the first documented Africans brought here in a circuitous journey on the English ship White Lion.

Whether or not Lane can prove she is a descendant of Margarita  some genealogists have raised doubts  discussion around the 400th anniversary of the African Landing may be changing narratives of how the history of slavery, and race, is told.

For instance, did the early colonists treat the Angolans as slaves or as indentured servants? After all, there was not a system of permanent lifetime slavery in Virginia until 1662. Were they simple laborers, or were the skills they brought integral to the colonys survival? Were they already versed in organized political systems? Were they baptized?

As for their journey, those captured in Angola were originally bound for Mexico, where slavery had been entrenched since about 1502. But English privateers  essentially legal pirates  seized them and brought them to the colonies to trade for supplies.

Perhaps even more surprising, genealogical research is showing that the African Landing is not just the origin story for black America, but for some white Americans, too.

Changing narratives

Historians describe this 40-year period before slavery in Virginia: There were white and black servants  white people were indentured, with up to seven-year contracts. Black people did not have contracts initially, but adults were sometimes given freedom after a number of years also.

We dont have the precise language for that period between 1619 and 1662," said Andre Kearns, a marketing director in Washington who is researching his family history in early Virginia. "Not only was slavery being constructed, but race was being constructed in support of that business model of slavery.

Calvin Pearson, whose Project 1619 Inc. advocated for a more accurate telling of where the first Africans landed, said, We refer to them as enslaved Africans who had the opportunity for freedom prior to 1661."

In 2015, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources revised a historic marker to note the first Africans were brought to Point Comfort  now Fort Monroe in Hampton  and not Jamestown, a narrative that had existed for nearly 400 years. What was the reason it remained centered on Jamestown for so long?

The Jamestown false narrative was due to economic tourism," said Pearson, and they were unwilling to give up that share of the tourism until Barack Obama officially declared Fort Monroe the official landing site.

And, noted Pearson, calling it the African landing is important because it was not "an arrival. Arrival shows an intended destination, like a train or plane.... It was an unintentional landing of the first Africans who were captured by pirates at sea.

Also not part of the original narrative is that the Angolans brought useful skills that the early English man needed to survive," according to the National Park Service. "They were skilled farmers, herders, blacksmiths and artisans.

Tim Hashaws 2007 book, The Birth of Black America: The First African Americans and the Pursuit of Freedom in Jamestown, tells how some of those early arrivals had been baptized as Christians, as they had been interacting and trading with the Portuguese for many years. On the White Lion were Isabella, Antonio, Antoney, Mary, and John, and on a second ship, the Treasurer was a woman records show as Angelo, although most historians now call her Angela.

White people, including Hashaw, have also discovered that their genealogy traces back to 1619.

Take the story of John Punch, the black man whom Virginia courts sentenced to lifetime servitude in 1640. He is linked to former President Obama, say genealogists. However, this link to slavery is not from his Kenyan father but through Obamas white mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, according to a team from Ancestry.com.

Paul Heinegg, a retired engineer whose years of genealogical research resulted in the award-winning books Free African Americans of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia and Free African Americans of Maryland and Delaware, has found evidence that most free biracial families resulted from a relationship between a white woman and an African man, either enslaved, freed or servant, and not from a white male plantation owner and an enslaved black woman. In some cases, the descendants of the freed biracial families continued marrying whites until their children eventually were considered white.

>> READ MORE: Virginia governor stirs up new controversy: Were the first Africans brought here indentured servants or slaves?

History of heritage

Lane, 70, is a retired educator and childrens book author with a doctorate in education from Temple University and a post-doctoral degree from the University of London. She grew up in West Philadelphia at 51st and Race Streets, and considers herself triracial, a blending of African, European and Native American ancestry.

We range in color from vanilla, like me, to cinnamon brown and dark chocolate. All in one family, Lane said.

Her father, John E. James, 98, who worked at the Post Office after returning home from World War II, used to tell his children they had grandfathers who fought in the Civil War and the Revolutionary War.

I didnt believe him, she said. After all, school hadnt taught her that black people were part of that history. But one day in February 2006, she and her father saw Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates on his PBS program The African Americans, talking about her family. There was "one of our cousins singing in the choir of Elam Baptist Church in Charles City County, Va. The church had been founded by one of her Brown ancestors.

By October that year, Lane had been accepted in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Some genealogists have raised doubts about whether Lanes research proves she descends from those first captives.

Heinegg reviewed a paper Lane wrote with Constance R. Cole, a genealogist based in State College, Pa. He said he doesnt believe they have made a case to connect Lane to one of the women on the White Lion.

Knowing something from family history, thats not genealogy, youve got to go back and prove it, Heinegg said.

Lane says her oral family tradition has always linked her fathers family to Anderson Cumbo, who was born about 1775.

Lane and Cole believe Cumbo is a descendant of Emanuell Cambow, who they assert was Margaritas son. Andre Kearns, a Cumbo descendant who created a Cumbo family website, also doesnt think Lane has enough proof, but he said theres not enough to exclude a connection, either.

Definitive proof is going to be almost impossible to get," Cole said. Because Lanes ancestral line to Cumbo comes through Lanes fathers mother, it would be impossible to use YDNA, the genealogical tool that matches ancestry through fathers and sons. (Cole also noted that the Tucker family of Hampton may be the only African American family with documentation showing they are descended from the White Lion.)

Charles L. Blockson, founder of the Charles L. Blockson Collection at Temple University, backed Coles reputation. She helped him verify his own family stories of being related to Harriet Tubman.

Connie is reliable, Blockson said.

To Cole, the criticism of her research was a matter of protecting the status quo. When new historical information comes forth, she said, historians and genealogists who have written books supporting one narrative, are hesitant to accept anything that upends the apple cart.

If we continue to settle for these canned responses from historians and accept it all blindly as true, we do nothing to bring the history from obscurity to the light, Cole said. We meet with resistance and opposition in identification of African Americans in history.

.
To hear travelers like Dani Robin talk about it, the Federal Aviation Administrations recent decision to ground the Boeing 737 Max caused a minimum of disruptions to air travel.

She never had to worry about her passenger rights because Southwest Airlines solved her problem almost before she knew it existed.

But passengers are concerned about next time, which could affect more aircraft, and might not go as smoothly. What are their rights? Is there any way to avoid having your trip disrupted when an aircraft model is grounded?

Those are hypothetical questions, at least for now. Robin and her boyfriend, Alex Goldstein, planned to fly from San Francisco to Phoenix for the weekend. "We both got texts that our flight had been canceled and a rebooking link," says Robin, an assistant account executive for a marketing agency in San Francisco.

Sure enough, they had been scheduled to fly on a 737 Max, one of hundreds of planes affected by the grounding. Most travelers Ive heard from report the same experience: a drama-free rebooking. "Through the Southwest app, we were able to reschedule our flights without any fees," Robin says.

While this months 737 Max grounding was a minor inconvenience for travelers, airline insiders say it created more chaos behind the scenes. American Airlines and Southwest, which operate the aircraft, scrambled to rebook passengers during spring break, one of the busiest travel times of the year. Most FAA airworthiness actions are so minor that they barely register with the flying public. And if not for the deadly crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 that ultimately prompted the FAAs action, this one might have escaped the glare of the media spotlight.

Your rights in the event of an aircraft grounding hinge on one question: Whose fault is the cancellation? Airline ticket contracts (often referred to as the contract of carriage or conditions of carriage) and regulations require an answer. Thats because they draw a distinction between a mechanical problem within the airlines control and an event beyond its control, also called an extraordinary circumstance or a force majeure event.

"Flight disruptions that are considered the fault of the airline frequently entitle travelers to compensation from the airline," says Henrik Zillmer, CEO of AirHelp, a site that assists air travelers who are negotiating compensation from airlines for delays and cancellations.

For example, American Airlines conditions of carriage say that for most "delays caused by us," it will, among other things, arrange an overnight stay or cover the cost of an approved hotel, if available. For "events beyond our control," American promises to refund the unused portion of the original form of payment, but the airline also says that "beyond that we are not liable."

A grounding doesnt mean the airline is entirely off the hook, though. "If a cancellation is due to any circumstance other than weather, airlines must protect passengers reservations and get them to their final destination," explains Peter Vlitas, the senior vice president of airline relations for Travel Leaders Group, a travel agency chain based in New York. "If they cant, then they need to offer a full refund."

If youre flying to Europe, your rights are governed by EC 261, a European airline consumer-protection regulation. But it, too, lets air carriers off the hook for extraordinary circumstances.

"U.S. passengers on flights to and from Europe could still claim compensation for unforeseen expenses due to the cancellations," notes Zillmer. For example, if you miss a prepaid reservation and incur a cancellation fee or have to pay for an extra night at a hotel, EC 261 allows you to file a claim with an airline. But to get reimbursed, you have to have proof of your expenses, so remember to keep your receipts.

Bottom line: When an airline cancels your flight after a grounding, you have the right to a full refund, but little or nothing else.

As a practical matter, the airline may accommodate you. For instance, Southwest Airlines is offering a more flexible change policy through March 31 for all passengers, not just those affected by the 737 Max. If you have a reservation on Southwest, you may rebook in the original class of service or travel standby, with certain restrictions, without paying any additional charge. Although Southwest doesnt charge change fees, it normally charges a fare difference, if applicable.

That was welcome news for Kristen Herhold, who works for a business-to-business research firm in Washington. She was scheduled to fly from Dulles International Airport to Denver last weekend and checked the status of her flight after she heard about the 737 Max being grounded.

"I went on the Southwest app and saw a message that I could change my flight at no cost due to circumstances beyond our control, " she says. "Im not sure if my flights are on the Boeing 737 Max, but it let me change my flights free of charge as long as its still out of one of the D.C. airports and into Denver within 14 days of my original travel date."

Herhold changed her return flight from Dulles to Reagan National Airport, which is closer to where she lives. She says she would have had to pay an extra $250 if she had done so before Southwests temporary change policy.

If your airline grounds your flight because of a government order, the company can refund your ticket and walk away, according to its contract with you. But airlines rarely leave their customers to fend for themselves.

Thats why, when it comes to aircraft groundings, passengers should rely less on legal agreements and more on the vague but promising language carriers use to project their corporate image. Its far easier, for example, to reference Americans promises in its customer commitment to "make every flight you take with us something special," accompanied by the pledge, "Your safety, comfort, and convenience are our most important concerns."

Ive seen many passengers successfully invoke mission statements and customer commitments when they didnt have a legal leg to stand on. When it comes to fixing a grounded flight problem, that may be the most effective course.

Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist, and co-founder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Contact him at elliott.org
Pennsylvania State Police were investigating a collision that killed two motorcyclists Sunday afternoon when their vehicles collided with a pickup truck near Palisades High School in Nockamixon Township. Read more

Two motorcyclists were killed Sunday afternoon when their vehicles collided with a pickup truck near a Bucks County high school, authorities said.

The driver of the Ford F-350 struck the two motorcycles near Palisades High School in Nockamixon Township, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nathan Branosky said.

The trucks female driver and a male passenger were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where their condition was not available Sunday night, Branosky said.

It was too early to tell how the three-vehicle crash occurred, he said. Police did not immediately release the identities of those involved.
Sonya Clark's woven replica of the Confederate Flag of Truce, in collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum. Read more

What if? is a question that lurks at the heart of Sonya Clarks deeply evocative exhibition Monumental Cloth, The Flag We Should Know, opening Friday at The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch St., and closing at the end of the day on Aug. 4.

What if  instead of the ubiquitous and martial Confederate battle flag  America had embraced the Confederate Flag of Truce, a largely forgotten white dish towel made for household use but commandeered nearly 154 years ago to signal the surrender of the South at Appomattox Court House?

What if this unassuming cloth with red embroidery became the symbol deployed everywhere  on mugs and stickers, on T-shirts, sweat shirts, caps, rugs, and yoga mats? What would that mean for the nation? Or, as Clark put it the other day:

What would it mean to the psychology of this nation if the truce flag replaced the flag associated with hate and white supremacy?

For Clark, 52, who first encountered the Truce Flag at the Smithsonians National Museum of American History several years ago, the small piece of common cloth was almost a revelation and a window into possibilities, possibilities lost, and possibilities still waiting.

It was sitting in a gallery, near Abraham Lincolns stovepipe hat.

The Truce Flag could be a symbol for how we come together, how we reckon with the things that tore the country apart in the first place, she said, while checking the arrangement of looms at the Fabric Workshop in advance of her exhibition.

Unfortunately, the things that tore the country apart in the first place are continuing to tear the country apart, she said. We see that in Charlottesville. So we havent come to that reckoning. We havent come to that atonement.

The wounds of war are still open, or, in Clarks view, the war continues.

The Truce Flag represents the road not taken. Instead of that unassuming cloth becoming a call for reconciliation, the Confederate Battle Flag commands attention and is a reminder of that most wrenching of all divisions, civil war.

My engagement with the Truce Flag is that it offers up a kind of acknowledgment that what the South was fighting for, when they offered a surrender, they couldnt fight for that anymore," Clark said.

"It opened up the idea of peace, the idea of reconciliation, of atonement, but it never really got there. When the Civil War ended, white privilege got right back into place and Jim Crow laws happened shortly after that. Very, very quickly.

Nearly 5,000 people were lynched between 1882 and 1968, according to the Tuskegee Institute.

Do townsfolk living in a society at peace lynch their neighbors?

Merely by asking the question, what if the Flag of Truce was the symbol that endured  what would that mean? she said. What would it mean in the way that children learn the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction? What would it mean for how we deal with each other every day? But instead, we have in our minds one of the Confederate battle flags.

Clark, a professor of art and art history at Amherst College, is increasingly well known for her work exploring race and American history, largely using artifacts of the nations material culture. Her art involving Confederate flags has drawn increasing attention as traditional monuments of the Confederacy have become focal points of controversy and the nation continues its struggle with the legacy of racial bondage.

In 2017, she performed Unraveling, the literal unraveling of a Confederate flag, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; PAFA acquired the piece. But Clarks work is not limited to political symbols. On May 25, an exhibition of her work using everyday objects like combs, coins, seed beads, sugar, thin threads, and strands of human hair, will open at the African American Museum of Philadelphia for a run through Sept. 8.

But the exhibition exploring the Truce Flag promises to be one of her most potent efforts envisioning the invisible,

Its not that the Truce Flag has been hidden, Clark said. It is often on view at the Smithsonian, which has half of the flag. (The flag was cut in half at some point, and the other half has been cut and torn and passed around countless times, like precious relics, she said).

When she first saw it, Clark said she thought to herself, Why dont I know this? Why doesnt everybody know this? Its not exactly hidden, but its not amplified over and over and over, she said.

Shouldnt we know it? What would it mean if we knew it in the same way as the battle flag?

"Monumental Cloth " introduces the flag and seeks, at least in part, to address that lack of amplification. On view will be an enormous replica of the original dish cloth  15 by 30 feet of woven linen, the largest textile work ever produced by the Fabric Workshop.

It is so monumental, said Susan Talbott, Fabric Workshop executive director, that it rivals any granite general on a pedestal.

Were talking about an object thats a simple dish cloth, not a stone monument, and shes elevating it to stone and granite, Talbott said.

In addition to the large cloth, there will be 100 woven replicas the same size as the original. One hundred may not be millions, but its a lot, Clark said, enough to suggest the importance of duplication and proliferation, and, again, amplification.

Another exhibition section will deal with the commercial sprawl of the battle flag image.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, Clark will perform Reversals at the Fabric Workshop, a piece in which she will use a washcloth with a Confederate Battle Flag design (bought off the internet) to clean dust from the floor of the gallery, revealing text from the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal 

Visitors to the exhibition will also have an opportunity to make rubbings of the Truce Flag and to work at looms, with assistance, weaving portions of Truce Flags that will be created over the course of the exhibition.

I think there is a way in which artwork can ask questions, and that way can be much more powerful than being really didactic and saying this means this and that means that, Clark said.

Rhetorically, I could say that the battle is not over. We know the battle flag so well, its as if people want the battle to continue. The dont want to say there was a surrender and a brokering of peace and a truce. We actually dont want to lose the privilege thats associated with the battle flag. And that privilege is a privilege of white supremacy and white privilege. People dont give up privilege easily.

ON EXHIBIT

Monumental Cloth, The Flag We Should Know

March 29Aug. 4 at the Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch St. Reversals performance 2 p.m. Saturday.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, noon-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission: Free ($5 donation suggested)

Information: 215-561-8888 or fabricworkshopandmuseum.org
Daniel Dougherty (left) and his sons, Daniel Jr. and John, who both died in the 1985 fire Read more

Jurors were selected Monday in Philadelphia for the third trial of Daniel Dougherty, twice convicted of setting a fire that killed his two young sons in their Oxford Circle rowhouse in 1985.

Superior Court overturned both of Doughertys convictions, deeming his previous trials unfair. Opening arguments are expected Wednesday, after legal motions are heard Tuesday. The trial will be overseen by J. Scott OKeefe, who was reversed by the appellate court in the second trial.

Dougherty, 59, has maintained his innocence since the night of Aug. 15, 1985, when a fire destroyed the home where he lived with his girlfriend, her young son, and his two boys.

His supporters have long claimed that key testimony from a fire investigator was based on outdated and discarded methods of determining arson.

Dougherty was charged 14 years later with starting the fire and killing his sons, after his ex-wife claimed he had confessed to the crime during an ugly custody battle. In 2000, he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death for killing 3-year-old John and 4-year-old Daniel Jr.

At the 2000 trial, the key evidence came from John Quinn, a retired assistant city fire marshal, who said the fire started in three places and therefore was arson. Doughertys attorney presented no expert to counter Quinn, despite improved methods of understanding how fire occurs and moves.

An appellate court ordered a second trial, saying the failures of Doughertys attorney were so egregious that no reliable adjudication of guilt or innocence took place.

At the second trial, a nationally known fire investigator said that what once were considered arson fires were now known to often be caused by flashover, a condition that can mimic arson. He said the cause of the 1985 fire should have been listed as undetermined.

The trial judge, however, allowed Quinns original testimony to be read into the record, and Dougherty again was convicted.

In 2017, the appellate court said that among other errors, the judge should not have allowed Quinns testimony to be read into the record.
3M's world headquarters in Minnesota. The company is one of five named by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as responsible for PFAS contamination in the state. 3M was the primary manufacturer of PFOA and sold it to companies that used them in manufacturing in New Jersey, state officials said. The chemical has been found in drinking water supplies in the state. (Dreamstime/TNS) Read more

New Jersey has ordered five companies to fund the cleanup of chemicals used at manufacturing sites that contaminated drinking water, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced Monday  a massive effort that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

The state launched an effort Monday to hold the companies  3M, DuPont, DowDuPont, Chemours, and Solvay  accountable for pollution with PFAS chemicals under the states Spill Act and other environmental laws.

The DEPs directive requires the companies to turn over detailed accounts of their use of the chemicals in New Jersey within 21 days. State officials will estimate future cleanup costs at a meeting with the companies in the next month. The state has already spent more than $3 million to investigate and clean up contamination surrounding Solvays West Deptford site, officials said, which it is now asking Solvay to repay.

With multiple states grappling with PFAS contamination, the Environmental Protection Agency pledged last month to begin its own cleanup initiative and to hold polluters accountable, but states have long criticized its pace and sought to take their own actions.

New Jersey has been among the first states pushing its own regulations for the chemicals. The DEP is set to propose long-awaited drinking-water standards for PFOA and PFOS  two types of the substances  on Monday, the directive said.

Now is the time for action at the state level, Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe said in a statement Monday. The current EPA plan leaves millions of Americans exposed to harmful chemicals for too long by choosing a drawn-out process that will delay establishing a federal maximum contaminant level for PFAS.

Known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS were used in plastics manufacturing and firefighting foams, and have been found in drinking water, groundwater, and soil in communities in New Jersey and in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. They have been linked with health problems including cancer, and were used in household products like Teflon, Gore-Tex, and Scotchgard.

In September, New Jersey adopted the strictest drinking-water standard in the country for PFNA, one type of PFAS. Earlier this month, the DEP established strict interim groundwater quality standards for PFOA and PFOS.

Much of the cleanup effort and government response in Pennsylvania and other states has focused on military contamination and seeking funding from the Pentagon. New Jerseys DEP also cited PFAS contamination at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst due to firefighting foams manufactured by 3M and used by the military. Some residents who live near the base have high levels of PFAS in their private drinking water wells.

In Pennsylvania, PFAS found in drinking water supplies that serve thousands of residents in Bucks and Montgomery Counties have also been attributed to firefighting foam used on former military bases at Warminster and Willow Grove. Officials are expected to hold a meeting in Montgomery County next month to update residents on their investigation into the contamination.

In New York, Minnesota, and other states, areas tainted by plastics facilities or manufacturers are facing cleanup.

The DEP alleged the companies operating in New Jersey were aware of the dangers of the chemicals for years.

DuPont and 3M knew of the health and environmental impacts of PFAS for decades but continued to use them in products and to release them into the environment, the directive said, citing previous studies, including 3M studies done as early as the 1970s.

Solvay, too, should have known about the effects of PFAS due to studies in the 2000s and knew it was discharging large amounts of PFNA from a West Deptford facility as early as 1991, the DEP alleged. Contamination in public and private wells was found surrounding Solvays Gloucester County plant in 2014.

We are putting these five companies on notice that many years of contaminating New Jerseys precious drinking water and other natural resources will not go unchecked, McCabe said.

In statements Monday, representatives for the companies said they were reviewing the directive. Dan Turner, a spokesperson for Dupont and DowDupont, said the company communicates with New Jersey officials on a regular basis.

Solvay has been in touch with DEP and has implemented remedial activities" at its West Deptford site, which employs 140 people, said spokesperson David Klucsik.

Chemours said in a statement that it is committed to continue to work with NJ DEP and to continue to determine the appropriate actions and next steps. The company said it never used PFOS and no longer uses PFOA in its manufacturing work.

3M said in a statement that the company looks forward to working with New Jersey officials.

PFAS is discovered on a near-daily basis in New Jerseys drinking water, groundwater, surface waters, sediments, soils, air, fish, plants and other natural resources, the DEP said.

In 2006, PFOA was detected in 65 percent of drinking water sources tested near facilities that had used the chemicals; in 2010, between one and eight types of PFAS were found in 70 percent of 33 drinking water sources sampled across the state.

This is critical that DEP is going after these companies to make them clean up their mess they made, said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. This is a major step forward in cleaning up PFOAs and PFOS and enforcing New Jersey clean-up laws against polluters.
A Philadelphia police officer stands watch at the scene of a fatal fire on the 2900 block of Rorer Street in Philadelphia's Kensington section on Monday, March 25, 2019. Read more

Three people died inside a Kensington rowhouse Monday after an early-morning fire quickly spread through the home, according to city officials.

Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said the blaze began about 4:45 a.m. inside a house on the 2900 block of Rorer Street. One man was pulled from the house but died from his injuries at Temple University Hospital, Thiel said, and the bodies of a man and a woman were found later Monday.

Thiel declined to identify the victims. Neighbors and others on the block Monday morning described the two male victims as brothers who had lived in the house for many years.

Thiel said that the fire was placed under control around 5:30 a.m., but that the house had significant structural damage and that crews were working to safely search and eventually demolish it.

This building could collapse at any moment, Thiel said shortly after noon, adding that crews were working to ensure that if the building collapsed it would be controlled and not pose a greater threat.

An excavator was slowly dismantling the rear of the structure Monday morning. Fire Department Battalion Chief Joseph Montague said, Its going to be a long process.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation, Thiel said.

City property records show that the property is owned by Christine Hudson and that she bought it for $1 in 2003.

Patrick Beeler, 40, a former neighborhood resident, and Pastor Craig Cerrito of Rock Ministries of Philadelphia said two of the residents were brothers whom they identified only as Jocko and Jason.

Beeler, who said he had known Jocko since elementary school, said the brothers lived in the house with Jasons girlfriend.

They were happy, always happy, Beeler said. They always helped out at church.

Everyone knew them, he said. Everyone was friends with them.

We loved them, Cerrito said.
A.W., who asked to be identified by his initials, was beaten up by counselors at Glen Mills Schools. Read more

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has issued an emergency removal order of all boys remaining at the Glen Mills Schools, the oldest existing U.S. reform school.

In a Monday letter to the schools board of managers, the state agency  which licenses and oversees the Delaware County campus  said conditions constitute gross incompetence, negligence, misconduct in operating a facility, including mistreatment and abuse of clients, likely to constitute immediate and serious danger to the life or health of the children in care."

As the investigation into allegations raised in recent reporting continues, we must do what is necessary to ensure that no more children are at risk of physical and emotional harm," said Department of Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller.

Miller said the emergency removal order is one step of an ongoing process at Glen Mills, which holds 14 licenses with the state. DHS is committed to seeing this investigation through to ensure that any individual responsible for endangering the welfare of children and coercing silence can be held responsible, she said.

The Inquirer reported in February that serious violence was both an everyday occurrence and an open secret at the Glen Mills Schools, which draws students from across the country. Staff routinely punched, choked, and kicked the boys in their care, even breaking their bones, then kept them quiet with threats. Executive director Randy Ireson and other top leaders failed to properly vet or train the schools counselors, then insulated themselves from abuse complaints.
Palestinians pray outside the Old City as Israeli border police blocked the entrances to Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Israeli police on Tuesday closed the entrances to Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site after Palestinian suspects threw a firebomb at a police station. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) Read more

JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli police closed the entrances to Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site after Palestinian suspects threw a firebomb at a police station on Tuesday. The rare move drew angry reactions across the Muslim world.

There were no injuries reported from the firebombing. But police quickly deployed across the hilltop compound, scuffling with Palestinians in the area, as they searched for the assailants. At least three suspects were arrested, and police were seen wrestling a woman to the ground.

The incident further heightened tensions at the site, which is revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. The spot, home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and gold-topped Dome of the Rock, is a frequent flashpoint of violence.

After the incident, Israeli police sealed off entrances to the compound. Police also restricted entrance to the Old City, home to Jerusalem's most important religious sites, allowing only residents to pass through certain entrances to the Muslim and Christian quarters. Other entrances to the Old City remained open.

Firas Dibs, spokesman for the Waqf, the Jordanian-appointed Islamic body that administers the site, said police had cleared nearly all worshippers from the compound. "All doors are closed and no one is allowed in," he said.

Several dozen worshippers gathered just outside the compound for impromptu prayers as Israeli police stood watch.

Police confirmed three arrests, while Dibs said six people had been arrested and 10 others injured in scuffles with police.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the "dangerous Israeli escalation" and warned of "serious repercussions." In a statement, he called on the international community to intervene.

The closure of the sacred compound also drew censure from Jordan, the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem. Abdul Nasser Abu Basal, Jordanian Minister of Islamic Affairs and Holy Sites, described the barring of Muslim worshippers from the site as "a flagrant assault on all religious values, rights and freedom," and "an attack on all Muslims that touches the entire Islamic nation."

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu lashed out at Israel over the incident, saying it was time to end the country's "recklessness."

"We cannot accept such reckless attacks on holy sites and the whole world needs to react against it," the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Cavusoglu as saying.

The holy site has experienced a series of tense standoffs in recent weeks after Muslim worshippers reopened an area known as the "Gate of Mercy," closed by Israel in 2003.

The Waqf has staged periodic prayer-protests inside since late February to call for unrestricted access to the shuttered building.

Israel closed the structure in 2003, claiming it was used by a heritage organization with ties to the Hamas militant group.

The Waqf contends that because the heritage group is now defunct, the council should regain full access to the building like any other in the holy esplanade.

Demonstrations have devolved into standoffs with police in recent weeks. Israel has barred several guards and high-ranking officials from the Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the site, from the compound and arrested dozens of Palestinians under suspicions of inciting violence at the site.

Officials in Jordan have confirmed that they are in negotiations with Israel to resolve the dispute. Abbas' office said the Palestinians also were in touch with various sides, including Jordan.

___

Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed to this report.
The cruise ship Viking Sky arrives at port off Molde, Norway, on Sunday after encountering problems in heavy seas off Norway's western coast. Read more

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Norwegian officials have opened an investigation into why a cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along the countrys often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major evacuation by helicopter.

One person is in critical but stable condition in an intensive care ward, hospital officials said, adding that eight others were still hospitalized after the weekend ordeal.

The Viking Sky had left the northern city of Tromsoe and was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems and issued a mayday call on Saturday afternoon.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Norwegian authorities then launched a daring rescue operation despite the high winds, eventually winching 479 passengers off the ship by helicopter in an operation that went on for hours Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

Dag S. Liseth of Norway's Accident Investigations Board said "the high risk which the ship, its passengers and crew were exposed to made us decide to investigate the incident."

After about half of the ship's passengers were taken off, the captain made the decision mid-day Sunday to halt the evacuation. About 900 people were still on board when the ship limped into the port city of Molde on its own engines.

Viking Ocean Cruises said Monday it had begun "an internal investigation .... to establish a complete and thorough understanding of what happened," and welcome the official investigations which they "will fully support."

In the same statement, Viking Ocean Cruises chairman Torstein Hagen also said he "would like to personally apologize for what our guests experienced."

Liseth said investigators were heading to Molde on Monday and declined to speculate why the Viking Sky captain had decided to sail to Stavanger in the first place despite the weather warning. He couldn't immediately say how long the cruise ship would remain in Molde.

Yngve Skovly, of the police force in Moere and Romsdal district, where Molde sits, said there is no suspicion of a criminal offense but police have opened an investigation to find out why the ship had engine problems. That probe would be part of the one by the Accident Investigations Board.

The Viking Sky is a relatively new ship, delivered in 2017 to operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

The ship was on a 12-day cruise along Norway's coast before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury, on the River Thames. The passengers were mostly an English-speaking mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens.

All the cruise ship passengers were expected to be flown out of Norway by Monday evening, police said.

Viking Skys next trip, to Scandinavia and Germany, which was to leave on Wednesday, has been canceled but its owner said no other trip cancellations for the ship were foreseen yet.
Marchers stop and sit with their hands up in an intersection in the streets in Pittsburgh Saturday during a protest. Read more

At noon on Monday, high school and college students across Pittsburgh are expected to gather at the City-County Building in downtown for a rally protesting the acquittal of Michael Rosfeld in the killing of Antwon Rose II.

In a statement, Rebecca Rovins, an organizer of the rally and an undergraduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, said: It is only through solidarity between students and teachers, youth and workers, and through uniting the struggles of all oppressed people that we can build a movement to build a better Pittsburgh and a better world free of racism, white supremacy, and all violence and injustice.

Organizers are stressing to participants that the rally remain peaceful.

Students at Pittsburgh Public Schools must have permission from their parents to participate in the walkouts and follow the districts early dismissal procedures, superintendent Anthony Hamlet said over the weekend. The district will make support available for any difficult conversation that may arise with students as a result of the outcome of the jurys decision, he added.

It is critical that we help our students find their voice during this challenging time, Hamlet said. We know that the death of Antwon Rose, the jurys decision, the reactions of the community, and coverage in the news media can be confusing, and at times frightening for our young people  many of whom see themselves, family members, and friends in Antwon. It is our responsibility to process this moment with our students in a way that honors not only their emotions but their abilities to impact change in our community. We are committed to this charge.
Devon Cade, right, draws for ballot position out of the coffee can in room 676 of City Hall, in Philadelphia, Wednesday March 20, 2019, and Kevin Kelly, Acting Supervisor of Elections, on the left. Read more

Devon Cade, the City Council at-large candidate who collapsed in court Friday just before a judge was to hear legal challenges he filed against the nomination papers of 30 Democratic competitors, on Monday dropped all those cases.

In a handwritten filing submitted before the hearings on his challenges were to resume, Cade said he was withdrawing the cases due to medical concerns.

That might not be the end of it. Lawyers for about half of the candidates challenged by Cade signaled they might ask the court to order him to pay their legal fees and other costs.

Cade, 34, said he was really shocked to hear the lawyers would seek sanctions in his moment of despair, with my health between life and death. He attributed Fridays collapse to high blood pressure and said he is slowly but surely feeling better.

Cade also said he is still praying on whether to remain a candidate in the May 21 primary.

Cade, who used to work for the Department of Licenses and Inspections and now lists his occupation as philanthropist, had claimed he used artificial intelligence computer software and hardware to spot forgeries among thousands of signatures on nomination petitions filed by other candidates. He had demanded that anyone wishing to inspect his equipment post a $1 million insurance bond.

He collapsed Friday while setting up that equipment and was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

In other cases considered Monday, a judge rejected a petition from Democrat Sheila Armstrong to reinstate her primary challenge to the candidacy of City Council President Darrell L. Clarke. That challenge was not properly filed with the citys Board of Elections by the March 19 deadline.

A challenge to Armstrongs nomination petitions on Monday ended in an agreement that she did not have the required minimum of 750 valid signatures from registered Democrats in Councils 5th District  which covers parts of North and West Philadelphia  to qualify for a ballot spot against Clarke, who is seeking a sixth term, according to attorney Charles Gibbs. That means Clarke will run unopposed in the primary, after another Democratic challenger, Omar Woodard, withdrew from the race on March 15 due to problems with his petitions.

In Councils 1st District, which stretches along the Delaware River from South Philadelphia north toward Kensington and Torresdale, Democrat Lou Lanni on Monday withdrew his challenge to Councilman Mark Squilla. Lanni, a candidate in the primary, agreed that Squilla had enough valid signatures to remain on the ballot, according to Kevin Greenberg, Squillas attorney.
The R.I.S.E. program sponsored a job fair for people with criminal records at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Too many people are blocked from these kinds of employment opportunities, writes Claudia De Palma of the Public Interest Law Center. Read more

Poverty in Philadelphia is tenacious. Despite a growing population and economy, Philadelphia is still the poorest of the countrys 10 largest cities, with a poverty rate stuck at 26 percent. Any effort to solve this problem must include a class of Philadelphians who are often ignored: the citys estimated 400,000 adult residents with criminal records.

Finding living-wage employment is a critical step toward economic stability. For Philadelphians with criminal records, however, this door out of poverty is often slammed shut. Criminal background checks have become a ubiquitous part of the job application process. According to a 2012 survey, 86 percent of employers use background checks on at least some candidates.

Once an employer learns of a criminal history  even an arrest without a conviction  many just move on to other applicants. According to a 2002 survey, more than 60 percent of employers said they probably would not hire an applicant with any criminal background. Another study found that having a criminal record reduces employer callback rates by 50 percent. Qualified applicants can find themselves excluded from job opportunities based on mistakes they made decades ago and for which they have already paid their debt to society.

This bias is reflected in the staggering 27 percent national unemployment rate among returning citizens, a rate, as one recent study remarked, that is substantially higher than even the worst years of the Great Depression. The economic impact of this unemployment is especially stark for black and Latino workers. African Americans are 5.9 times more likely to be incarcerated than whites, and Hispanics are 3.1 times more likely.

Research suggests that employer concerns about hiring individuals with criminal records are often unfounded. Employers tend to overestimate the predictive link between an applicants criminal history and ability to succeed in a job. In fact, the ACLU reported in 2017 that studies show employees with records stay at jobs longer and are more highly motivated to perform than employees without records.

Not only is employer bias against applicants with criminal records irrational, in many instances it is also illegal. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employer policies that ban individuals with records from employment can constitute race discrimination where the policy disproportionately excludes minority applicants. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides important protections for job applicants whose criminal background checks are issued by credit reporting agencies. Pennsylvanias Criminal History Record Information Act prohibits employers from considering arrests without convictions in the hiring process. Under this law, employers are only permitted to consider job-related convictions, and they are required to notify applicants who are denied because of their criminal history. And Philadelphias Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance, also known as Ban the Box, forbids employers from asking about a criminal record on applications or in interviews, and prohibits them from rejecting candidates on the basis of their record if they have not been convicted for the past seven years.

Yet these laws are often overlooked. Too often, applicants dont know their rights, and employers dont know their obligations.

Our collective failure to allow our fellow Philadelphians a shot at finding a job drags us all down. The underemployment of people with criminal records costs the United States an estimated $78 billion to $87 billion in GDP each year.

At the Public Interest Law Center, we advocate for job applicants who have been wrongfully turned away from employment because of their criminal histories. As part of the Community Redevelopment Legal Assistance Project, a collaboration between the Law Center, Regional Housing Legal Services, Community Legal Services, and Philadelphia Legal Assistance to help stabilize Germantown, East Oak Lane, and West Oak Lane in the aftermath of the 2008 foreclosure crisis, the Law Center is working to educate both returning citizens and employers about the rights of job-seekers with criminal records.

In Philadelphia, the barriers faced by job-seekers with a criminal history are also barriers for communities, especially black and Latino ones, as they strive to move from poverty to shared prosperity. We owe it to our citys future to give all Philadelphians a fair chance.

Claudia De Palma is a staff attorney at the Public Interest Law Center.
President Donald Trump speaks with the media after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington. The Justice Department said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Read more

After 22 months of investigation, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has submitted his report about potential involvement of the Trump presidential campaign in the Russian effort to interfere in the 2016 elections. The investigation divided Republicans and Democrats over the past two years. President Donald Trump has repeatedly called it a witch hunt and presidential harassment." On the other side of the aisle, many hailed Mueller as a man with impeccable credentials and expected that he will deliver justice  and perhaps end the Trump presidency.

Two days after the report was released, Attorney General William Barr sent Congress a four-page letter summarizing the main conclusions of the report. According to the letter, Mueller did not find evidence for collusion and could not draw a conclusion about whether Trump obstructed justice. Those on the left who saved bottles of champagne for this day were immensely disappointed. Trump, still claiming that the investigation was a witch hunt, called the letter a complete and total exoneration.

One thing is clear: the Trump-Russia saga is far from over. Congressional Democrats are going to continue their investigations and a fight for the full release of the report is underway.

Pundits, columnists, and cartoonists responded to Barrs letter and the information about the content of the Mueller report.

From the Left

Brian Beutler of Crooked Media, a company founded by former Obama staffers, argues that Barrs letter to Congress is a misleading attempt to exonerate Trump. Beutler argues that aside of informing that Mueller did not recommend charges related to conspiring with Russia, the Barr letter isnt very revealing: But beyond that we know little more today than we knew last week. We dont know what Mueller uncovered as he investigated the campaign, whether he considered charging campaign associates, and, if so why he ultimately decided against it. Beutler calls for a full release of the report.

Charles Blow of the New York Times argues that the case against Trump is not a legal one, but a moral one: The Mueller report is a cautionary tale. There are no magic bullets, no devastating facts, no pivotal events that can undo what Trump has wrought. Trumpism is bigger than Trump. It is a rebranding of a consistent and increasingly resurgent strand of white American anxiety about primacy, privilege and displacement.

Will Bunch, the Inquirers national columnist, compares the Mueller report to Watergate, the famous scandal that lead to President Richard Nixons impeachment and ouster from office. Forty-five years after Nixons downfall, we have a Congress that was too addicted to self-preservation to perform its basic function of executive oversight, a Beltway media too addicted to ratings (or Fox News weird power trip) to dig deeper, and a public too addicted to shouting at the TV or at each other on Twitter to do the hard work of demanding a better Congress, a better media  and a better president. And part of the problem, especially for those whose hearts and heads are in the right place, has been waiting for Bob Mueller to fix everything," Bunch writes.

Just because there is no smoking gun, doesnt mean that President Trumps behavior toward Russia and Putin hasnt been extremely questionable, writes Trudy Rubin, the Inquirers world affairs columnist: The Russia-related activities of campaign chief Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn, Donald Jr., and others aides  which included suspicious meetings with Russians and possible KGB cutouts even before the Trump nomination - were more than enough to provoke legitimate concerns by the FBI. (And lets not forget that Trump himself triggered the Mueller investigation by firing FBI chief James Comey whom he criticized for the FBI investigation of Russian meddling).

From the Center

According to Susan Glasser of the New Yorker, we did learn one thing from Barrs letter: But we do know something far more definitively now than we did at five oclock on Friday afternoon, and it is big. Its now clear that Trumps impeachment and removal from office, at least on charges stemming from Muellers investigation, are not going to happen.

Washington Post opinion writer Jennifer Rubin writes demands the release of the full report and admonished Barr: However, in a major respect, Barrs action in declaring no crime of obstruction is inexplicable. Because it is the Justice Departments position that Trump cannot be indicted as a sitting president, there is no requirement  indeed, it is inappropriate  for Barr to weigh in. The job is up to Congress, according to Barrs own department guidelines. Suspicions about Barrs willingness to clear the president, based on a memo he wrote to the Justice Department before being nominated as attorney general, look well-founded.

From the Right

Now that the Mueller probe is over, Andrew C. McCarthy, senior fellow at the National Review, turns the light to the origins of the investigation: we have endured a two-year ordeal in which the president of the United States was forced to govern under a cloud of suspicion  suspicion of being a traitor, of scheming with a foreign adversary to steal an election. This happened because the Obama administration  which opened the probe of the Trump campaign, and which opted to use foreign counterintelligence spying powers rather than give Trump a defensive briefing about suspected Russian infiltration of his campaign  methodically forced its suspicions about Trump into the public domain. McCarthy writes that a call for a full release of the report should be accompanied with a call for a full release of all the documents that led to the investigation.

Kimberley Strassel, a Fox News contributor and member of the Wall Street Journals editorial board, calls the Mueller report not only an exoneration, but a searing indictment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as a reminder of the need to know the story behind the bureaus corrosive investigation. She argues that the time is now to dig into the missteps of former FBI director James Comey, who was fired by Trump in May 2017.

In the Atlantic, Ken Starr, the special prosecutor who investigated President Bill Clinton and gave Congress a 445-page report that included intimate sexual details about Clintons relationship with Monica Lewinsky, argues that the report doesnt need to become public: Prosecutors either seek an indictment, or remain quiet. According to Starr, the regulations that govern special prosecutors prosecutors dont require a report. In short, there may be no Mueller report at all, save for the confidential document that lands on Barrs desk. And these same regulations do not require the attorney general to simply pass along a confidential report that may very well contain unflattering information about one or more individuals. Including the president.

It is undeniable that expectations on the left have been very high.

J.T. Young, who in President George W. Bushs administration, wrote for The Hill that by hyping up the report, Democrats have given Trump a political gift: Democrats need to begin preparing for the real possibility that swing voters reaction to the Mueller report may be closer to Trumps than theirs. Most importantly, for Trump to benefit from the report, such voters do not have to see it from his perspective  they just need to see nothing particular in it.
The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Middletown, Pa on May 22, 2017. With nuclear power plant owners seeking a rescue in Pennsylvania, a number of state lawmakers have proposed an alternative energy bill that would favor nuclear use. Read more

The Beltway is abuzz about a Green New Deal, and the House of Representatives recently held its first serious climate change hearings in years. But the most important upcoming vote on climate policy will not be in Washington. It will be right here in Pennsylvania.

This month, lawmakers introduced a bill to rework the states alternative energy portfolio standard, adding a requirement that 50 percent of the electricity sold to Pennsylvania consumers come from carbon-free resources like nuclear, wind, and solar by 2021. To understand the potential impacts, just look at some of its loudest opponents  the states fossil fuel industry. Major natural gas producers are trying to crush this legislation, knowing that if it fails, two of Pennsylvanias nuclear power plants will shut down, and the remaining three could follow. They would be more than happy to replace nuclear power on the grid, even if it means more emissions and higher costs to Pennsylvanians.

Because Pennsylvania is among the nations largest producers and consumers of electricity, this legislation could have a more sweeping impact on Americas carbon emissions than any other state or federal action this year. When youre that big, any steps you take toward cleaner power are going to make an impact.

Passing this bill would not only help to keep Pennsylvanias five nuclear plants online and producing emissions-free electricity but also increase power from renewable sources. While it isnt the intention of the bill, this could lay the groundwork for Pennsylvania to generate all of its power from clean, carbon-free energy sources by 2050  the benchmark scientists say we must hit to stave off climate changes most devastating impacts.

If the legislation fails, Pennsylvania will instead take a massive step backward  enough to hinder the entire countrys emissions-reduction goals. Nuclear energy currently accounts for 42 percent of the states total electric power generation, and more than 90 percent of its carbon-free power. For perspective, per our analysis, closing Pennsylvanias nuclear plants would have the same emissions impact as eliminating one-third of the entire countrys wind power.

According to a recent analysis from The Brattle Group, closing these nuclear plants would require increased use of natural gas and coal-fired plants in the region to keep the lights on. The resulting increase in emissions would be equivalent to 50 percent of the current carbon footprint of Pennsylvanias power sector.

The economic impact would also be severe. If Pennsylvania were to abandon its nuclear power it would be sacrificing nearly 16,000 jobs. The Three Mile Island facility alone employs more than 675 full-time employees and another 1,500 local union workers who are contracted to help refuel the plant. Two billion dollars in state GDP and $69 million in state tax revenues also would be swept away.

Opponents of the bill, including the states powerful natural gas industry, are decrying it as a nuclear bailout and an unnecessary increase in cost for power. In reality, The Brattle Group analysis shows that closing the nuclear plants could raise consumers energy costs by $788 million each year.

Fortunately, its not too late for lawmakers to prevent unnecessary environmental and economic damages. The first nuclear plant on the chopping block will need to make a decision about refueling by June. Without a viable path forward, theyll choose not to refuel, and the plant will permanently close. Its clean energy will be replaced by dirtier, more expensive power.

If, on the other hand, Harrisburg moves quickly, legislators can preserve a source of reliable, affordable, and carbon-free energy. In the process, they will send a powerful message to the country and future generations that Pennsylvania is ready to lead in the fight against climate change.

Josh Freed is the senior vice president of the Clean Energy Program at Third Way, a center-left think tank.
Inside the Pennsylvania State Capitol, signs of legislative accountability are emerging. Read more

As someone who digs into Pennsylvanias legislature for its lack of institutional accountability  and I mean dig like an archaeologist after buried relics  Im a tad surprised by what, these days, is turning up.

Its as if, after a millennium or so, Harrisburgs mummified sense of moral behavior and ethical conduct is being unearthed.

Could it possibly spring to life?

Im as skeptical as you. (Check that, more so.) But there are twitches of animation.

Take action to stop lawmakers convicted of or pleading to felonies from keeping their oversize, taxpayer-paid pensions.

An outrageous practice, too long ignored. And now, at last, its been addressed.

In near-unanimous agreement, the House and Senate last week voted to end paydays for perps by closing loopholes and extending the list of crimes currently triggering pension forfeiture.

Low-hanging fruit can still taste sweet.

And there was just one no vote: Rep. Greg Vitali (D., Delaware), a 26-year House member. I asked if hes planning a felony but wants to protect his pension.

No, he said. But Id like to see pension forfeiture narrowed, not expanded.

Vitali believes spouses reliant on retirement funds can be unfairly punished. And many people are just against politicians and looking for ways to hurt them. I didnt want to be part of that.

He wasnt. The House vote was 194-1. The Senate vote was 44-0.

Freshman Sen. John DiSanto (R., Dauphin) sponsored the measure. He says, When I ran two years ago, it was always on my target list as part of a government reform agenda.

(If you notice, good reform ideas tend to be pushed only by newcomers.)

He was egged on, he says, by the case of former Senate Leader Robert Mellow (D, Lackawanna), who in 2017 got to keep his $245,000-a-year pension despite imprisonment because his federal crime (conspiracy to commit mail fraud) didnt exactly match state crimes leading to loss of pension.

DiSantos bill ends such mismatches. Too bad it isnt retroactive. If it were, it would whack some former Philly lawmakers, too.

In 2015, former Democratic Reps. Michelle Brownlee, Harold James and Ron Waters, snagged in an undercover cash-for-favors sting case, pleaded guilty to felonies in deals to keep their pensions.

Going forward, such deals wont happen. Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign the bill into law this week.

Hopefully, its not the last of its kind.

DiSanto says hes interested in pushing other long-stalled reforms, including those related to redistricting and a constitutional convention.

Its frustrating, he says. Long-termers say, `Oh, we tried that, didnt work, lets stay the course. Newcomers have a different perspective.

Indeed, they do.

Second-term Philly Democratic Rep. Chris Rabb wants ousted lawmakers convicted of felonies to pay a good portion of costs of special elections to replace them.

Taxpayers now foot those bills, and in Philly they add up.

Department of State data show that 2015 special elections to replace Brownlee and Waters cost $173,000 each. A 2016 special election to replace former Philly Rep. Louise Bishop, who resigned after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor in the sting case, cost $177,000.

A special election to replace former Philly Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown, who resigned following conviction for bribery and other sting-related crimes, was held March 12. Costs are not yet available.

Rabb wants felonious lawmakers causing a special election to pay a $100,000 fine to help ease taxpayer costs.

Too bad it cant be retroactive. But, hey, you know there will be more.

Then theres second-term Philly Democratic Rep. Jared Solomon. Miffed that indicted Democratic City Councilman Bobby Henon remains in office (with no primary election opponent), Solomon wants to amend the state Constitution to allow for voter recall of elected state and local officials, including judges.

Add some pop to vox populi.

Solomon is to be joined by the Committee of Seventy, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters at a Capitol news conference Tuesday to push the plan.

These efforts seek increased accountability from elected officials. Any such increase in this state should be enthusiastically welcomed by all.

Then lawmakers can turn to gift bans, term limits, receipts for expenses, voting reforms, campaign finance reform, a smaller/part-time legislature, and an end to their annual automatic pay raises. In other words, extensive excavation.

Because you just gotta keep digging.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump told cheered Special Counsel Robert Muellers report as a complete and total exoneration, even as Mueller himself wrote that his report does not exonerate the president. Read more

Lets be clear on what the Mueller report reportedly says and doesnt say about President Trumps relationship to Russia.

Hint: Although there were no new legal charges, the president was not, as he claims, completely exonerated.

Robert Mueller found no smoking gun to prove that Trump or his campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. Yet the four-page summary put forward by U.S. Attorney General William Barr effectively makes clear why this investigation was so necessary  and rebuffs the presidents claims that it was an illegal takedown.

Here are my four takeaways from the summary of the Russian conclusions in the Mueller report.

No formal collusion, but still a series of strange and suspicious dealings with Russia by senior Trump campaign officials.

All have been well-documented outside the Mueller investigation.

The special counsel found insufficient evidence conspiracy, according to the strict standards of criminal law, which demand proof of an agreement  tacit or express  between members of the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference. In other words, there would have had to be concrete evidence that the Trump team and Russians actually plotted together.

That does not mean an absence of extremely questionable behavior. The Russia-related activities of campaign chief Paul Manafort, national security adviser Michael Flynn, Donald Jr., and others aides  which included suspicious meetings with Russians and possible Kremlin cutouts even before the Trump nomination  were more than enough to provoke legitimate concerns by the FBI. (And lets not forget that Trump himself triggered the Mueller investigation by firing FBI chief James Comey whom he criticized for the FBI investigation of Russian meddling).

The investigation was anything but a witch hunt as Mueller proves with his details of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Mueller reminds us that that there were two main Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election: the first, a Russian disinformation campaign via social media and the second, a series of computer hacking operations. It further reminds us that Special Counsel Mueller brought criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals and entities in connection with these activities.

Yet, despite all the evidence, Donald Trump has repeatedly and consistently rejected the charge that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. He does so despite the consensus of U.S. intelligence agencies to the contrary. Most infamously, at the July 2018 Helsinki summit he stood next to Vladimir Putin and insisted he believed the Russian leaders denials over his U.S. intelligence chiefs. So much for America First.

Trump continues to help the Kremlin.

The presidents obsequious behavior towards Putin is the gift that keeps giving to Moscow. From asking Russia to find Hillary Clintons missing emails (at a time when Moscow was handing hacked emails to WikiLeaks) to his constant flattery of Putin, Trump has shown a bizarre affinity for the Russian leader.

Ive argued that such behavior is more likely the result of Trumps overt fondness for, and perhaps envy of autocrats who dont need to deal with the messy processes of democracy. He shows the same fondness for North Koreas Kim Jong Un, Chinas Xi Jinping and other authoritarian rulers. But whatever the cause of Trumps coddling of Putin, it undermines U.S. interests.

By attacking U.S. intelligence agencies and our NATO military alliance and by dissing the European Union and leaders of Americas close allied nations, the president plays into Putins plans to undercut Western democracies. Equally important, by refusing to coordinate an all-of-government response to Russian cyberespionage  led from the White House  Trump leaves the door open to more interference. This has deeply disturbed top U.S. security officials.

The Soviets used to call unwitting collaborators useful idiots. That may not equate with overt collusion but the term certainly fits Trumps behavior.

Trump owes Mueller an apology, and owes the U.S. public the full release of the Mueller report.

The special counsels handling of the report (with no leaks) and his rigorous conclusions speak to the highest standards of professionalism. Neither he nor his team deserved the constant litany of insults delivered by the president.

Given Muellers findings on Russian interference (and his decision not to make a recommendation on whether Trump obstructed justice) the public deserves a full look at how he reached his conclusions.

Asked Monday if Mueller acted honorably, Trump now says he did and claims it wouldnt bother him if the report was released in total. Anything less would be a further stain on a president who still refuses to admit his own bizarre behavior toward Russia provoked the Mueller report.
Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., on Sunday morning, March 24, 2019. Barr is preparing a summary of the findings of the special counsel investigating Russian election interference. The release of Barr's summary of the report's main conclusions is expected sometime Sunday. (AP Photo/Sait Serkan Gurbuz) Read more

(Bloomberg)  Democrats look at Special Counsel Robert Muellers conclusion that he couldnt exonerate Donald Trump on obstruction of justice charges as vindication for their continued probes of the president.

Republicans pointed to other sentences in Attorney General William Barrs letter on Muellers report to claim vindication of their own, noting Barr found there wasnt enough evidence to form an obstruction case.

How can one report lead to two such different conclusions? The simple answer is, Barr did something no one expected him to do, or at least not so quickly, and that was pass judgement on some of Muellers findings in a letter sent to Congress on Sunday.

And he did so in the space of less than 48 hours after first announcing hed received Muellers report on Friday.

Now Democrats are crying foul, with the head of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, already calling for Barr to come before his committee to explain himself. Nadler and others say its Congresss prerogative to determine if the president broke the law on obstruction, not the attorney general  a Republican appointed by Trump.

Nadler made clear he plans to pursue his own probe into obstruction, something that could become part of a debate among Democrats about whether to impeach the president.

Barr had promised a quick readout on the principal conclusions of Muellers work after the special counsel turned in his final report on Friday. Official Washington expected a terse recitation of the top-line facts, with a fuller explanation down the road. For instance, Barr reported that Mueller found no evidence of Trump collusion with Russia with little elaboration.

But Mueller was far less decisive on obstruction  forgoing a decision on whether to prosecute the president, citing difficult issues of fact and law  but noting that his report does not exonerate the president.

Barr stepped in.

He inserted his own judgement  and that of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein  that charging Trump with obstructing justice wasnt warranted. Barr said simply the evidence didnt rise to the level that Trump broke the law. Barr said in his summary that most of Trumps actions took place in public view or have been the subject of public reporting.

Barr also said that since there was no criminal activity related to collusion, it would be difficult to prove Trump had corrupt intent in his actions toward the investigation.

For months, Democrats had thought obstruction charges were warranted because of Trumps overt moves, including firing FBI Director James Comey. his public statements of derision about Justice Department personnel and support for former aides charged with crimes. But demonstrating Trumps intent with those moves is a much more difficult task.

Barr doesnt make it clear in his letter whether Mueller asked him to make a determination on obstruction. Its also possible that Mueller believed its a matter that Congress should decide. Muellers spokesman, Peter Carr, declined to comment.

Mueller concluded his investigation into obstruction without ever asking Trump about his actions. Trumps lawyers wagered that Mueller wouldnt subpoena Trump for his testimony and refused to answer questions from Mueller related to obstruction, fearing that Mueller could accuse him of perjury if they were contradicted by other witnesses.

Once Barrs summary was released, Trump quickly claimed victory, and Democrats now face an uphill battle in public opinion if they choose to take the case further than Barrs own report says they should.

We knew from his confirmation hearing that Attorney General Barr would never conclude the president obstructed justice, which is why it is critical for Congress to see the full Mueller report and the evidence behind it, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Judiciary Committee member, said Sunday in a statement.

Barr indicated in his summary that theres material in Muellers report that wont be provided to Congress or made public, likely setting up a prolonged legal battle.

To contact the reporters on this story: Chris Strohm in Washington at cstrohm1@bloomberg.net;Shannon Pettypiece in Washington at spettypiece@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kevin Whitelaw at kwhitelaw@bloomberg.net, Craig Gordon

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller walks past the White House after attending St. John's Episcopal Church for morning services on Sunday, March 24, 2019. Read more

Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump or his top aides colluded with Russia during the 2016 election, Attorney General William Barr said in a letter to Congress Sunday night.

In the four-page letter, which summarized the findings of Muellers nearly two-year investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 election, Barr wrote that the special counsels report stated: [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

On the question of obstruction of justice, Muellers report was more ambiguous. According to Barr, Mueller did not take a position on whether Trump committed obstruction, stating that while his report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Barrs summary of the reports findings prompted a day of intense back-and-forth, with the White House cheering the conclusions and claiming victory, while Democrats questioned the impartiality of the attorney general.

Members of Congress and the public might be forced to wait awhile before seeing Muellers full report. Barr said his goal was to release as much of Muellers report as he could consistent with applicable law, regulations, and department policies.

Heres what happened Monday as the Trump administration, lawmakers, and journalists responded to Barrs summary of the Mueller report.

GOP goes on the offense, calls for Schiff to step down

After months of uncertainty surrounding the Mueller investigation, Republican lawmakers and White House aides have launched into an attack on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), demanding the Democrat resign from Congress and alleging he promoted claims of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

[Schiff] owes the American public an apology, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said during an interview with Fox News. Schiff has met the standard that he has imposed on other members of Congress of when they should step back from their positions. He has exceeded that standard, and there is no question he should step down from the Intel chairmanship.

Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway (a South Jersey native) demanded Schiff resign today, while Donald Trump Jr. taunted the congressman on Twitter.

In a mass letter to network television producers, Tim Murtagh, Trumps communications director, also named Schiff on a list of guests who made outlandish, false claims regarding the Russia probe during television interviews.

Moving forward, we ask that you employ basic journalistic standards when booking such guests to appear anywhere in your universe of productions, Murtaghs letter said.

Others on the list include Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D., N.Y.), Rep. Eric Swalwell (D., Calif.), Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, and former CIA Director John Brennan.

Trump: Wouldnt bother me if Mueller report goes public

During an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump told reporters he through Mueller acted honorably, and that it wouldnt bother me if Barr decided to release the special counsels full report to the country.

Were glad its over. Its 100 percent the way it shouldve been, Trump told reporters, answering a question about whether Muellers investigation turned out not to be a witch hunt, as the president often referred to the Russia probe over the past two years.

Trump also pivoted to criticize unnamed people who, in the presidents opinion, did some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say treasonous things against our country.

I love this country as much as I can love anything, but what they did It was a false narrative. It was a terrible thing, Trump said. We can never let this happen to another president again. Very few people I know could have handled it.

Pence: Mueller report was a total vindication of Trump and campaign

Speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Monday, Vice President Mike Pence called Attorney General William Barrs summation of the Mueller report a total vindication.

After two years of investigation and reckless accusations by Democrats and many members of the media, the special counsel confirmed what President Trump said all along: There was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election, and the attorney general confirmed there was no obstruction of justice, Pence said, later adding that the news should be welcomed by every American.

However, according to Barrs letter, Mueller reached no conclusion on whether there was obstruction of justice.

Amid fallout, Trump welcomes Israeli prime minister to White House

As fallout surrounding the Mueller report consumes Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting the White House. The visit highlights the friendly relationship between Trump and Netanyahu, who is facing four counts of corruption charges as he vies for reelection next month.

The prime minister is cutting short his White House visit after a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip struck a home in Israel overnight.

Lindsey Graham to investigate origins of Trump-Russia probe

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, vowed to investigate the origin of the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"The FISA warrant issued against Carter Page based on a dossier prepared by Christopher Steele is at a minimum disturbing. Whether or not its illegal, I dont yet know. So Im going to get answers to this, Graham told reporters Monday on Capitol Hill.

Graham also told reporters he intended to look back at former FBI director James Comeys investigation of Hillary Clintons private email servers, and why then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch recused herself. He also said he wanted Barr to testify before his committee in a public hearing.

The truth is I want you to know as much as there is to know, Graham told reporters.

Supreme Court rejects appeal from mystery company

The Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal from a mystery corporation that has refused to turn over information subpoenaed by Mueller.

Prosecutors have been attempting to get information from the company, which said in redacted court filings it was a witness in Muellers investigation.

The Supreme Courts decision comes after Mueller has wrapped up his investigation, so it remains unclear how the subpoena for information will proceed. The current status of the grand jury impaneled in the case is also unclear.

Journalists defend their coverage of Russia probe

Following Muellers assessment on collusion, it didnt take long for reporters and pundits to draw criticism from both the left and the right for their intense coverage of the special counsels investigation.

Nobody wants to hear this, but news that Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller is headed home without issuing new charges is a death-blow for the reputation of the American news media, Rolling Stone columnist Matt Taibbi wrote over the weekend.

Reporters and editors have largely responded Monday by defending their coverage of Muellers investigation.

Im comfortable with our coverage, New York Times executive editor Dean Baquet told the Washington Post. It is never our job to determine illegality, but to expose the actions of people in power. And thats what we and others have done and will continue to do.

The Times and the Post shared a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the investigation into Russian interference, including revelations about contacts between Kremlin-linked figures and Trump associates and advisers.

I dont seem to recall these same pundits demanding journalists apologize for aggressively covering the Hillary Clinton email probe after James Comey decided not to bring charges, CNNs Oliver Darcy wrote in Brian Stelters Reliable Sources newsletter.

Sarah Sanders: Trump owes no apology to Mueller

During an appearance on the Today show Monday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders bristled at the idea Trump owed Mueller an apology for his repeated attacks on the special counsels investigation.

Are you kidding? Sanders told Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, offering instead that Democrats and the liberal media owe the president and they owe the American people an apology.

Trump has repeatedly referred to Muellers investigation as a witch hunt, and claimed Mueller himself was disgraced and discredited." The president has said Muellers team of prosecutors was a national disgrace filled with Hillary Clinton supporters.

Sanders also called the investigation, which reportedly cost at least $25 million, a waste of taxpayer time and dollars.

This should never happen to another president, and we want to make sure that the institution of the president is protected, Sanders said.

Trump lawyer thinks most of Mueller report will be made public soon

Jay Sekulow, an attorney for Trump, said on MSNBC Monday morning he expected the bulk of Muellers report would be made public by Barr in short order.

Theres a process and steps they have to go forward, but I suspect that [Barr] will make as much of it public as possible, and itll be sooner rather than later, Sekulow told Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough.

On a seperate appearance on CNN, Sekulow said he would not make the answers Trump submitted to Muellers investigation public. Sekulow called the answers confidential and claimed any attempt to make them public would be very inappropriate.

As a lawyer, you dont waive privileges and you dont waive investigative detail absent either a court order or an agreement between the parties, Sekulow told New Day co-anchor Alisyn Camerota. And youd have to weigh a lot of factors there on how that affects other presidencies."

Pelosi, Schumer question impartiality of attorney general

In a joint statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Barr, a Trump appointee, was not a neutral observer, claiming his letter to Congress raises as many questions as it answers.

Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report, Pelosi and Schumer said in the statement. And most obviously, for the president to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.

Like many Democrats, both Pelosi and Schumer are both pushing for Muellers full report and its underlying documents to be released to Congress.

Top Democrat plans to call attorney general in for questioning

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote on Sunday that his committee would call Barr to testify about his findings and his determination  based on Muellers evidence  that Trump did not attempt to obstruct justice.

DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work, Nadler wrote on Twitter. Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ.

What remains unknown about Muellers investigation

 Why Mueller decided not to make a judgement on whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice.

 Why Trump was never interviewed by Mueller related to his investigation into possible obstruction of justice. (The president submitted written answers to questions on some matters.)

 What Mueller actually said about obstruction of justice in his report.

 If there was no collusion, why did so many people in Trumps orbit  including his former campaign chairman  lie about their interactions with Russians?

 READ MORE: As Trump declares victory in Mueller probe, Democrats call for more information, continued investigation

 READ MORE: March Mueller Madness shows the system that worked in Watergate is broken today | Will Bunch
WASHINGTON  Next, more of the same, but with more entrenched division, a bitter cross fire of allegations and then, finally, a reckoning in the form of the 2020 presidential election.

The long-awaited conclusion of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election is unlikely to crack congressional Republicans wall of support for President Donald Trump, dampen Democratic demands to hold Trump to account or shift public opinion, according to historians and politicians who have studied past national scandals.

Muellers conclusion  he did not find sufficient evidence to say that Trump committed a crime, but he also will not say that the president is exonerated  is likely to propel Washington into a period of prolonged and even more heightened partisan combat. The report, as summarized Sunday by Attorney General William Barr, contains fuel enough for both sides to cling to their version of the truth about the Trump campaigns ties to Russia, and not nearly enough for either side to alter their views.

It may well be that a good portion of the Republican base will continue to see this as a witch hunt, said David Greenberg, a historian of the presidency at Rutgers University. In the past, in Watergate and in Iran-Contra, some Republicans have been willing to break with their president, but now were just in a different cultural moment in terms of partisan and ideological rigidity and a right-wing media that keeps the party united behind Trump.

Trumps supporters in Congress and around the country are likely to double down on their embrace of the president in light of Muellers conclusion that he did not find evidence that Trump campaign staffers conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election. The news that the president did not collude with a foreign power already allowed many Republicans an exhalation of relief on Sunday, fueling hope that some Trump skeptics might be won over and postpone what many conservatives say is an inevitable redefinition of what it means to be a Republican.

Theres no middle on this divide on Trump, said Craig Shirley, a former Republican political consultant and a biographer of the late President Ronald Reagan. The report is going to deepen the pain and the antagonism. Even in the first 48 hours after the report was filed, when nobody knew anything, we saw both sides creating their own narrative and conclusions. For now, the party will continue to stand by Trump because of loyalty, fear and political reality.

Democrats, meanwhile, are likely to take Muellers decision to describe the facts his staff uncovered without reaching any legal conclusions, as Barr put it, as an invitation to further investigation  just as past presidential scandals have led to congressional hearings.

Even if both sides stick to their narratives in the coming months  stop the witch hunt vs. what did the president know and when did he know it?  that does not mean Muellers work was pointless.

The investigation, which has dominated the news and the presidents attention for nearly his entire time in office, was always about far more than the particulars of which Trump campaign officials had what contact with Russians. Like Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair and the Bill Clinton impeachment, the Mueller probe was an investigation but also a morality play, a vehicle for a national inspection of who Americans really are and what values and standards should define the country.

But prosecutors dont probe the nations soul; they only search for facts and patterns. The searing process of deciding the nations direction comes after the reports are filed, after the indictments and trials and congressional hearings have run their course.

In one scandal after another in recent American history, the initial investigation has led to congressional hearings and even impeachment proceedings, which in turn have either chipped away at a presidents support (permanently for Richard Nixon, temporarily for Barack Obama) or solidified it (both Bill Clinton and Reagan bounced back quickly from investigations).

In recent years, the countrys deepening partisan divide has dampened the impact of such investigations. When Republicans in Congress held hearings in 2016 on the deaths of four Americans in a 2012 attack on a U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya, the final report neither found evidence of wrongdoing by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nor had any measurable impact on public opinion about the occurrence.

Democrats called the two-year investigation a witch hunt, Republicans said it showed that Clinton had misled the public and opinion polls showed that hardly anyones mind was changed.

The investigations into Trumps acts both as a candidate and as president will now move into a more freewheeling phase, as multiple congressional committees and federal prosecutors offices look into a vast constellation of alleged misdeeds, including Russian efforts to interfere with the U.S. election, Trumps finances, his inaugural committees fund-raising, his family foundation, his business operations after he assumed office and his alleged marital infidelities and payoffs related to them.

Past presidential scandals tended to be either personal, such as Clintons White House infidelities with Monica Lewinsky, or political, such as Nixons campaign of tricks and efforts to obstruct investigations. But the array of allegations against Trump spans from intimately private behavior to official actions in office, and there is as yet little sign of Trumps critics and investigators narrowing their focus.

Theres often a blurring of personal, old-fashioned corruption and more serious abuses of executive power in these investigations, Greenberg said. In Watergate, investigators eventually chose not to make the bombing in Cambodia or Nixon cheating on his tax returns part of an impeachment, focusing instead on the core issue of crimes Nixon may have committed in his reelection campaign.

With Trump, Greenberg said, there are several things going on at once  the money, the sex and Russia. Democrats in Congress will have to decide what they want to look into and what impact that choice may have on public opinion.

On Sunday, before the summarys release, both sides were already rehearsing the narrative of the coming period, with Democrats going on TV to say it is too soon to talk about impeachment and Republicans countering that the Democrats intend to impeach Trump no matter what.

What Congress has to do is look at a broader picture, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said on CNNs State of the Union. We have the responsibility of protecting the rule of law  so that our democratic institutions are not greatly damaged by this president.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, countered that Democrats are basically saying is theyre going to impeach the president for being Donald Trump.

The prospect of at least another 20 months of investigations, allegations and dueling narratives dominating the nations debate and paralyzing its politics might not seem quite as exhausting if it carried with it the prospect of one side or the other winning over a clear advantage in public opinion.

In past scandals, investigations and a reshaping of popular views of the president have gone hand in hand, historians said. Reagans popularity sank as Congress investigated his role in a secret arms deal to support anticommunist rebels in Nicaragua, but then sharply rebounded as Reagan waived executive privilege during the investigation and the U.S. economy surged.

Similarly, Clintons popularity bounced back after he was impeached, and some Republicans in Congress broke with their party to support the Democratic president because the constituents they represented did not believe Clinton should be impeached, Greenberg said. Now, were just in a different cultural moment in terms of willingness to break with party.

The Clinton impeachment was the moment that hardened the political lines and made bipartisanship almost impossible, said Shirley. Were still living with that today. It would take so much to drive a wedge between Trump and his devoted followers.

Yet a reckoning and a political realignment and redefinition of both parties is underway, even as Trumpism remains a powerful force. Democrats are diving into a debate over just how far to the left they want to travel to be perceived as an attractive alternative, and Republicans are biding their time, waiting to see how durable Trumps takeover of their party turns out to be.

Only after Trump leaves office will there be a more frank discussion within the Republican Party, Shirley said. People will make decisions when its right for them. If the economy turns down, so will the support for Trump. Politics is always about self-interest  of the candidate and of the voters.
The dome on the Pennsylvania State Capitol building is lit up as dusk falls on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018 in Harrisburg. A freshman Republican state representative's opening prayer in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is drawing complaints that it was inappropriately divisive. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  A freshman Republican state representative's opening prayer in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is drawing complaints that it was inappropriately divisive.

Rep. Stephanie Borowicz began the day's session on Monday with a Christian invocation that thanked Jesus for the honor and President Donald Trump for standing "behind Israel unequivocally."

She made her remarks shortly after a Muslim Democrat from Philadelphia was sworn in after winning a special election.

Democratic Leader Frank Dermody called Borowicz's invocation "beneath the dignity of this House" and asked that a group be set up to review the procedure.

Borowicz represents a Clinton County district and insists she did nothing wrong.

Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai is currently appealing a federal judges decision that stopped his policy of preventing nonbelievers from giving the invocations.

Movita Johnson-Harrell, a new Philadelphia representative who won a special election two weeks ago, was to be sworn in this afternoon on the Quran that belonged to her late son.
The act of generosity has been shown to have several health benefits, but its also important to be generous to yourself. This is especially true during the holiday season when anxiety, tension and added pressure are common.
Darren Elias and Family Safe After Attempted Robbery by Poker Player

March 25, 2019 Mo Nuwwarah

A fellow poker player attempted to rob the home of accomplished pro Darren Elias in a scary incident that occurred late last week, but the culprit has been arrested and charged, according to local news reports.

The news was first reported by NBC10 Philly and then disseminated among the poker world by PocketFives.

Gunning for Elias' Cash

Late on March 21, as the record four-time World Poker Tour title holder was out with his wife, Shannon Soroka allegedly forced his way into Elias' home, threatening the babysitter with a gun and demanding access to Elias' cash.

Soroka confined the 19-year-old babysitter to a separate room away from Elias' two-year-old daughter while he searched for the loot, but she managed to escape the house through a window and get help, resulting in Soroka's eventual apprehension.

Luckily, nobody was hurt in the incident, which Elias called "incredibly scary."

Appreciate all the support and everyone who has reached out during this nightmare. No worse feeling than having your family in danger.  Darren Elias (@DarrenElias)

Elias' sister-in-law credited the babysitter's quick thinking and bravery.

"Shes our hero, we owe her everything and we are so thankful for her," she said. "Our family is just so happy that no one got hurt."

Shannon Soroka

Soroka, 24, appears to have been a small-time poker player described as being from North Philadelphia by NBC10.

Indeed, he has a Hendon Mob profile with $37,745 in cashes, mostly coming in tournaments around the $80 range at Parx.

As a local legend on the felt  Elias' New Jersey home is located not far from Philly  with some $7 million in cashes and a slew of titles, Elias' exploits would likely have been known to Soroka if he paid any attention at all to goings on in the poker world.

"I would say he was familiar with what I do for a living and thought that I might have things of value in the house," Elias said to NBC10.

Now, Soroka's being held at Burlington County Jail. He's been charged with a number of crimes, including robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Marty Mathis Wins partypoker LIVE MILLIONS South America Main Event ($873,700)

March 25, 2019 Matthew Pitt

Marty Mathis won $87,500 for his 17th-place finish in the 2011 PCA Main Event, a sum that remained his largest live poker tournament score for more than eight years. That changed on March 24 when he was crowned the 2019 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS South America Main Event champion, an accolade that came with an $873,700 prize.

Not only that, but Marty Mathis bought in to the event with partypoker live dollars, which he has been grinding online at partypoker, putting him in a prime position to take down the partypoker PP LIVE $1M Leaderboard which rewards $100,000 to the leader in April.

2019 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS South America Main Event Final Table Results

Place Player Country Prize (R$) Prize (USD) 1 Marty Mathis United States R$3,494,800 $873,700* 2 Bruno Volkmann Brazil R$2,748,400 $687,100* 3 Matas Cimbolas Lithuania R$2,236,800 $559,200* 4 Samuel Gagnon Canada R$1,480,000 $370,000 5 Vlada Stojanovic Serbia R$1,200,000 $300,000 6 Caio Hey Brazil R$1,000,000 $250,000 7 Michael Sklenicka Czech Republic R$800,000 $200,000 8 Andre de Oliveira Brazil R$600,000 $150,000

* Reflects a three-handed deal

A field of 439 players turned out for the 2019 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS South America Main Event, which featured a USD$5 million guaranteed prize pool. Of those 439 starters, 55 received prize money for their efforts. The likes of Jack Sinclair, Richard Trigg, Bryan Piccioli, Tom Middleton, Manig Loeser and Patrick Leonard all cashed in the $10,300 buy-in event, the latter falling in 10th place for R$240,000 (US$60,000).

The eight-handed final table was reached on Day 4, although two of its members crashed out to leave only six players in the hunt for the title.

Andre Busato busted in eighth place when he moved all in for slightly more than 13 big blinds with ace-queen and was snapped off by Matas Cimbolas who was laying in wait with pocket kings. The five community cards ran out with no drama and Busato was busto.

Cimbolas did the damage again a few moments later when Michael Sklenicka pushed his short stack all in with queen-jack. Cimbolas made the call with ace-ten and his ace-high was enough to reduce the player count by one.

Six Players Return for Day 5

Caio Hey was the first casualty on Day 5

Day 5 started then with six players and all six were guaranteed the equivalent of US$250,000. Five of those players jumped up the pay ladder early on the final day when Samuel Gagnon opened to 2.6 million during the 600,000/1,200,000/1,200,000 level (with big blind ante).

Caio Hey three-bet all-in for 17.9 million and Gagnon called. It was a pair of red deuces for Hey and a pair of black sevens for Gagnon. Gagnon improved to a set on the flop and Hey was drawing dead after the turn.

A couple of hours passed without an elimination before Vlada Stojanivic lost a coinflip to Mathis that ended his participation in the tournament. With blinds now 700,000/1,400,000/1,400,000, Bruno Volkmann opened to 2.8 million in the cutoff, Mathis called on the button and Stojanovic jammed all in for 20.8 million in the big blind with what turned out to be pocket tens.

Volkmann ducked out of the way, but Mathis called with ace-king of hearts. The flop fell without an ace or king, but it did display two hearts. Mathis completed his flush on the turn to send Stojanovic to the showers.

Next to fall was Gagnon who opened to 4.5 million with queen-seven of hearts during the 1,000,000/2,000,000/2,000,000 level and Volkmann called on the button with pocket fours. An eight-seven-three flop saw Gagnon check-call a 5.5 million bet from Volkmann. The turn was a four, improving Volkmann to a set.

Gagnon again check-calleded a bet, this time one worth 12.5 million. Gagnon checked again on the king of clubs river and Volkmann set his opponent all in. After using a time extension, Gagnon called off his last 44 million chips only to see his pair of sevens was now an expensive second-best hand.

Three-Handed Deal Struck

The final three players went on a 40-minute break to discuss a deal for the remaining prize pool. A deal was agreed upon, one that left US$212,000 extra for the eventual champion.

Cimbolas would progress no deeper in the tournament, busting in third place at the hands of Mathis. A min-raise with ace-five on the button to 5 million from Cimbolas was called by Mathis from the big blind holding king-ten. Cimbolas paired his five but Mathis flopped trips.

Mathis check-raised Cimbolas 4 million bet to 11.1 million and Cimbolas called. The nine of spades on the turn completed a potential spade flush and Mathis led for 40 million. Cimbolas had 42 million chips in front of him and he moved all-in. Mathis snap-called and Cimbolas saw he was drawing dead.

Bruno Volkmann finished in second place.

Going into heads-up, Mathis had 96 big blinds to Volkmann's 80 bigs, so the contest was far from over. The pair battled for three hours with Mathis leading for the majority of the time until Volkmann clawed his way back to even.

Mathis then began to turn the screw and by the time the final hand took place, Volkmann was down to his last 17.7 million chips and Mathis held 421.3 million.

Volkmann open-shoved those 17.7 million chips into the middle with queen-deuce and Mathis called with the dominating queen-eight. Neither player improved their hand, and Mathis eight-kicker played, making the title along with US$873,700 in prize money all his.

* Photos courtesy of partypoker LIVE
Sunday Briefing: Roman Romanovsky Locks Up Two Big Victories

March 25, 2019 Matthew Pitt

Ukraines Roman Romanovsky (lead image) informed PokerNews that he was planning to eventually quit playing poker in an interview in Jan. 2018. While he did not set a date for his retirement, it looks unlikely he will be walking away anytime soon judging by how he crushed two major online events on Mar. 24, 2019.

Sunday Blade $10K at Natural8

Date March 24th Buy-in $10,000 Guarantee $200,000 Entrants 20 Prize pool $200,000 ITM 3

Roman SanityWaterline Romanovsky was one of 20-entrants in the Sunday Blade $10K at Natural8 this weekend, which meant an overlay of $6,000 on this $10,000 buy-in tournament.

Only the top three finishers received prize money, and it was the superstar that is Bryn Bryn Kenney Kenney who was the unfortunate soul to burst the money bubble, doing so after firing two bullets.

Kenneys exit meant the remaining three players were guaranteed $32,285, which is the sum Thailand-based pro and Natural8 regular ImLividBuddy collected when they busted in third-place.

Romanovsky and LuckyChewyFan69, an alias paying homage to Andrew Lucky Chewy Lichtenberger, battled heads-up in what was now essentially a $41,286 heads-up sit & go. Despite the huge difference in prize money, no deal was struck. This meant when LuckyChewyFan69 busted in second-place, they collected $63,214 and Romanovsky claimed the $104,500 top prize.

Place Player Country Prize 1 Roman SanityWaterline Romanovsky Ukraine $104,500 2 LuckyChewyFan69 Canada $63,214 3 ImLividBuddy Thailand $32,285

Sunday Blade $5K at Natural8

Bryn Kenney finished fourth in the Sunday Blade $5K

Date March 24th Buy-in $5,000 Guarantee $200,000 Entrants 50 Prize pool $237,500 ITM 6

The Sunday Blade $5K was another high roller event hosted at Natural8 on Mar. 24 with this event attracting 50 entries in total; nine of those buy-ins came from the players who finished in the top three finishing positions.

RuiNF* crashed out of the tournament in seventh-place and was the last player to walk away empty-handed. Mexicos NONAMES fell in sixth-place for an $11,358 score before Picasso16 claimed the $16,911 fifth-place prize.

After having burst the money bubble in the Sunday Blade $10K, Bryn Bryn Kenney Kenney made amends by turning his one $5,000 bullet into $25,177 when he ran out of steam in fourth-place.

Third-place and $37,484 went to Canadas FkTheseGuysBro which set up a heads-up battle between LlinusLLove and ImLividBuddy. The latter busted in second-place after firing four bullets at the prize pool; the runner-up finish was worth $55,807. This meant LlinusLLove collected $90,760 and the title of champion, making the decision to buy-in three times a good one.

Place Player Country Prize 1 LlinusLLove Austria $90,760 2 ImLividBuddy Thailand $55,807 3 FkTheseGuysBro Canada $37,484 4 Bryn Bryn Kenney Kenney Canada $25,177 5 Picasso16 Canada $16,911 6 NONAMES Mexico $11,358

Sunday High Roller Deepstack: $100K Gtd at partypoker

Date March 24th Buy-in $215 Guarantee $100,000 Entrants 615 Prize pool $123,000 ITM 80

After taking down the Natural8 Sunday Blade $10K, Roman SanityWaterline Romanovsky triumphed in the partypoker Sunday High Roller Deepstack: $100K Gtd, adding $22,656 to his bankroll.

The $215 buy-in event saw 615-entries processed and 80 players awarded prize money. Everyone at the eight-handed final table walked away with at least $1,955, the sum awarded to the first casualty of that final table, Maltas NoMorep0lic3.

Each of the final table members represented a different country, showing poker truly is a global game. Lithuanias Eimantasa fell in seventh-place for $2,755 before Croatian Juste1Canard busted in sixth-place and padded their bankroll with $3,825.

Next to fall was Ryan pokerwithriske Riske of Canada who banked $5,624 before Russias andstar555 won $7,527 for their fourth-place finish, which meant the remaining three players were guaranteed a five-figure prize.

Austrias alwayswin2222 didnt win as their tournament ended in a third-place finish worth $10,934, which left Swedens mateee to lock horns with Romanovsky heads-up for the lions share of the prize pool.

The Ukrainian Romanovsky emerged victorious to add to his earlier victory, resigning mateee to the $16,125 consolation prize.

Place Player Country Prize 1 Roman SanityWaterline Romanovsky Ukraine $22,656 2 mateee Sweden $16,125 3 alwayswin2222 Austria $10,934 4 andstar555 Russia $7,527 5 Ryan pokerwithriske Riske Canada $5,264 6 Juste1Canard Croatia $3,825 7 Eimantasa Lithuania $2,755 8 NoMorep0lic3 Malta $1,955

Sunday High Roller Gladiator: $200K Gtd at partypoker

Date March 24th Buy-in $2,100 Guarantee $200,000 Entrants 118 Prize pool $241,900 ITM 16

This weekends Sunday High Roller Gladiator at partypoker had $200,000 guaranteed, but the 118-entrants meant the prize pool weighed in at $241,900. Half of this amount went into the bounty prize pool with the remaining 50 percent going into the main prize pool that was shared among the top 16 finishers.

Some of the bounty payments were substantial, to say the least, with the top three finishers adding more than $12,000 to their prize money thanks to the opponents they sent to the showers on their way to and at the final table.

Eventual champion onehundredeyes locked up the $22,216 top prize plus an additional $33,025 worth of bounty payments. That second sum was so large because it included their own bounty plus that of runner-up SpiritDNA of the UK whose $22,192 runner-up prize was bolstered by an impressive $12,419 from the bounty prize pool.

Third-place finisher Ad_Finem of Canada collected plenty of scalps before crashing out, which meant they scooped $13,420 from the bounty prize pool in addition to the $15,860 awarded for third place.

Two other players won five-figure scores in this tournament. Fourth-place finisher Alien_Army won a combined $14,645 while Hungarian ATM_Mage walked away with $13,234 when bounty payments were taken ing into consideration.

Place Player Country Prize Bounty Prize Total Prize 1 onehundredeyes Austria $22,216 $33,025 $55,241 2 SpritDNA United Kingdom $22,192 $12,419 $34,611 3 Ad_Finem Canada $15,860 $13,420 $29,280 4 Alien_Army Austria $11,102 $3,543 $14,645 5 ATM_Mage Hungary $8,247 $4,987 $13,234 6 MOTHERSMATTERS Sweden $6,344 $2,362 $8,706 7 Elio donzledubru Fox Canada $5,057 $2,231 $7,288 8 franthemonster Argentina $4,123 $1,312 $5,435

$1,050 Sunday Warm-Up at PokerStars

Niklas Astedt was victorious once again

Date March 24th Buy-in $1,050 Guarantee $175,000 Entrants 260 Prize pool $260,000 ITM 34

The High Roller tournaments at PokerStars always attract the cream of the crop, and the $1,050 Sunday Warm-Up was no different. Some 260 players exchanged $1,050 for the chance of a near $50,000 top prize, and a handful of superstars navigated their way to the final table.

Ole wizowizo Schemion burst the final table and finished ninth for $5,585, probably to the delight of the eight surviving players. Eighth-place and $6,534 went to FDBtazz of Macedonia, and they were joined on the sidelines by AceSpades11 whose $8,729 score was the last prize not to be five-figures.

Sixth-place went to Argentinas Damian pampa27 Salas, a finish worth $11,662 with fifth-place prize money of $15,579 going to josef_shvejk.

Hungarian star Peter Belabasci Traply saw his tournament end in a fourth-place finish, good for $20,813. Not much later, gnetaren of Sweden lost their chips and had to make do with the $27,806 third-place prize.

This set up an exciting heads-up battle between Thailand-based Australian Michael Imluckbox Addamo and the legendary Swede Niklas Lena900 Astedt. It was the Swede who came out on top, getting his hands on $49,627 with Addamo scooping $37,147.

Place Player Country Prize 1 Niklas Lena900 Astedt Sweden $49,627 2 Michael Imluckbox Addamo Thailand $37,147 3 gnetaren Sweden $27,806 4 Peter Belabasci Traply Hungary $20,813 5 josef_shvejk Russia $15,579 6 Damian pampa27 Salas Argentina $11,662 7 AceSpades11 Canada $8,729 8 FDBtazz Macedonia $6,534

$109 Sunday Million at PokerStars

Date March 24th Buy-in $109 Guarantee $1,000,000 Entrants 10,805 Prize pool $1,080,500 ITM 1,934

MoTTaGeNiaL will likely be relaxing in the Maltese sunshine today after triumphing in the PokerStars Sunday Million, a result that netted them a massive $110,898 score. The tournament didnt end until 10:10 CET, some 15 hours after the first cards were pitched and during that time a cool $1,080,500 was shared among the top 1,934-finishers.

All but one of the nine players at the final table won a five-figure prize with Stangl999 of Germany banking $8,529 for their ninth-place finish. They were joined on the rail by a brace of Norwegians in skaafjord and B--rabbit444 who collected $11,754 and $16,196 respectively before KronoPP of Hungary turned their $109 into $22,318.

Brazils Adrovan AadrovanRj21 Rodrigues busted in fifth-place for a $30,754 haul and FIJ1 from Malta banked $42,379 for their fourth-place exit.

Next to fall was BCbonesi from Canada who collected $58,397 and this left MoTTaGeNiaL and Thomas MarToMchat Boivin to play heads-up for the title. It was a fight that the Malta-based grinder went on to win, meaning they had won $110,898 laving Boivin to bank the still large $80,470 second-place prize.

Place Player Country Prize 1 MoTTaGeNiaL Malta $110,898 2 Thomas MarToMchat Boivin United Kingdom $80,470 3 BCbonesi Canada $58,397 4 FIJ1 Malta $42,379 5 Adrovan AadrovanRj21 Rodrigues Brazil $30,754 6 KronoPP Hungary $22,318 7 B--rabbit444 Norway $16,196 8 skaafjord Norway $11,754 9 Stangl999 Germany $8,529

$100,000 Sunday Mega Deep at 888poker

Date March 24th Buy-in $215 Guarantee $100,000 Entrants 431 Prize pool $100,000 ITM 45

The $100,000 Sunday Mega Deep at 888poker overlaid by almost $14,000 and it was Swedens SkallePer58 who took full advantage of the added prize money, outlasting 430-opponents to lock up a $19,350 top prize.

The nine-handed final table awarded prizes ranging from $1,750 to $19,350 with the top three finishers each winning at least $11,000. Austrias sikosamatik was the third-place finisher and walked away $11,000 richer while purplegerbil of Finland crashed out in second-place for a $14,500 haul.

Place Player Country Prize 1 SkallePer58 Sweden $19,350 2 purplegerbil Finland $14,500 3 sikosomatik Austria $11,000 4 EyeofSkadi Russia $8,250 5 Placebo36 UAE $5,700 6 wheelguy00 Canada $4,400 7 Mr.Fonzi Malta $3,400 8 1st_place United Kingdom $2,400 9 kitkutya23 $1,750

Rake of Break Main Event - $100,000 Target at 888poker

Date March 24th Buy-in $320 Guarantee Entrants 282 Prize pool $84,600 ITM 36

This weekend saw 888poker launch its new Rake or Break tournaments where the site sets a target for the prize pool to reach, which if hit is cool, but if it misses everyone receives their rake back. The $100,000 target Main Event accumulated $84,600 so everyone received their tournament fee back from their $320 buy-in.

UKs mrsmith78 was crowned the tournaments champion, an accolade that came with a $17,300 prize. The runner-up, StuntSoHard was the only other player to secure five-figures, their second-place was worth $12,690.

Earlier at the final table, the Argentinian grinder known as tinchoarce crashed out in ninth-place for a $1,607 score, while Swedens Simon Isildur1337x Mattsson busted in seventh-place for a $2,961 prize.

We do not get many online stars from Bangladesh, but one such player made it to third place in this tournament. Akash strangejelly Majumdar banked the $9,559 third-place prize and now has lifetime online winnings of $3.7 million.

Place Player Country Prize 1 mrsmith78 United Kingdom $17,300 2 StuntSoHard $12,690 3 Akash strangejelly Majumdar Bangladesh $9,559 4 Kannwas Austria $7,191 5 alexos888 Canada $4,906 6 toastmanQ $3,807 7 Simon Isildur1337x Mattsson Sweden $2,961 8 CalmRevolver Russia $2,115 9 tinchoarce Argentina $1,607

The Stars Group is a majority shareholder in iBus Media
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Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) called out Trump and his lawyers for lying about Muellers findings and claiming that Trump was totally exonerated.

Trump and the White House are lying about Muellers report

When asked by reporters about Trump, his lawyers, and the White Houses claims of total exoneration, Nadler said, Well, as you point out the president  the president and his people are saying its a total exoneration. That contradicts what the special counsel found. Its a lie about what the special counsel found, but we should not be surprised that they lie anymore.

Video:

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), "The president and his people are saying its a total exoneration. That contradicts what the special counsel found. Its a lie about what the special counsel found, but we should not be surprised that they lie anymore. https://t.co/GLyq7I1Zvx pic.twitter.com/Nojgao5UYo  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 24, 2019

Mueller did not clear of obstruction of justice. Trumps attorney general cleared Trump of obstruction of justice. That is not the same as Robert Mueller finding that Trump did not obstruct justice.

Rep. Nadler also debunked Trumps spin:

Earlier today I received a four-page letter from attorney general Barr outlining his summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report while making a few questionable legal arguments of his own. I take from this letter three points. First, president trump is wrong. This report does not amount to a so-called total exoneration. Special counsel Mueller was cleared that his report does not exonerate, closed quote, the president. The special counsel spent 22 months uncovering evidence of obstruction and other misconduct.

The attorney general Barr who auditioned for his role with an open memorandum suggesting that the obstruction investigation was unconscionable and that a president  it was almost impossible for any president to commit obstruction of justice since hes the head of the executive branch made a decision about that evidence in under 48 his conclusions raise more questions than they answer. Given the fact that Mueller uncovered evidence that in his own words does not exonerate the president. It is unconscionable that president trump would try to spin the special counsels findings as if his conduct was remotely acceptable.

Video:

Jerry Nadler, " I received a letter from attorney general Barr outlining his summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report while making a few questionable legal arguments of his ownPresident Trump is wrong. This report does not amount to a so-called total exoneration. pic.twitter.com/GfEkg50IA7  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 24, 2019

Trump finally made the move that everyone has been waiting nearly two years for, but he never expected Democrats to be in an equal position to fight back. Barrs isnt the end. It is the beginning of the constitutional crisis that is the Trump presidency coming to a head.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Donald Trump has wasted no time in responding to the report of Special Counsel Robert Muellerat least to elements of it.

Lets remember that the Department of Justice charged the Special Counsel with investigating the possibility of Russian interference into the 2016 Presidential election as well as the possibility of the Trump campaigns cooperation with or involvement in Russias possible efforts to interfere in and influence that election.

A good portion of Attorney General William Barrs summary of Muellers report focuses on the fact that the Special Counsel, in no uncertain terms, did decisively conclude that Russia did in fact engage in a rather deliberate and elaborately strategized enterprise to influence the 2016 Presidential election, in part through a well-orchestrated social media campaign. Even Barrs summary presents this finding with substantial detail as to how Russia carried out this plot.

Trump swiftly appeared before cameras after news that Barrs summary had been released.

His main messages?

Take a guess:

That there was no collusion; its all been a hoax; and now the Democrats should be investigated in turn.

Now, I know weve all given up on expecting any kind of Presidential behavior, not to mention decorum, from Trump.

Nonetheless, his complete lack of response and sense of urgency with regard to the first part of Barrs summary detailing the plot and practices of Russian election interference still must worry us, whether or not his lack of response surprises us.

For two years, Trump has expressed little to no interest in knowing anything about Russian efforts to interfere in our election processes. He has shown no urgency in having election interference investigated, so we can understand how the Russians interfered and thus undertake measures to protect our democratic process from foreign infiltration and influence. All he has ever said is that if such efforts were made by foreign powers to interfere in our elections, those efforts in no way impacted the results of the 2016 election.

All he has cared about is defending his own legitimacy as President.

But lets be clear. This lack of concern for our national security and for the security of our democratic processes, even if not unexpected, we need to emphasize is both strange and worrisome.

Trump could have responded to this report by declaring that the nation must act swiftly to end this interference in our elections and that he will ensure that the full array of the nations resources will be brought to bear on this threat to the central and sacred processes of democracy in the United States.

Even after his gloating declarations of no collusion, an astute President would have expressed concern for our national security and assured Americans that measures would be taken to protect our democracy.

Trump has consistently referred to the Mueller probe as a witch hunt.

Does he mean to say that Russia, too, is a victim of this witch hunt? That the search for Russian interference is a witch hunt?

We dont know because Trump doesnt address the issue.

And this is what should worry Americans.

As I watched the coverage in the first few hours after the release, I saw no significant focus on Trumps ignoring the first portion of Barrs summary.

The behavior is that of someone who already knew about it or who just doesnt care.

Either way, his responseor lack of the responseshould leave us worried about our national security.
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The Republican calls for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) arent based on facts, but fear of his investigation.

Republicans are trying to push Schiff out

House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) called on Schiff to step down as chair of the House Intelligence Committee, [Schiff] owes the American public an apology. Schiff has met the standard that he has imposed on other members of Congress of when they should step back from their positions. He has exceeded that standard, and there is no question he should step down from the Intel chairmanship.

Kellyanne Conway also jumped on board the Schiff needs to go train, Schiff let a lie fly for two years. Literally going out, not under oath and saying day after day, moment after moment, full of vim and vigor snark and bark that theres a mountain of evidence of collusion against the President that may actually be bigger than Watergate.

The basis for Republican calls for Schiff to resign is a letter interpreting Muellers finding from Trump attorney general.

Here is why Republicans are afraid of Adam Schiff

Two tweets from Schiff show why Republicans are worried:

Mueller spent two years investigating obstruction of justice and found evidence that does not exonerate Trump. Barr took two days to set aside that evidence. The entire report must be published and evidence provided to Congress so the American people can judge for themselves.  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 24, 2019

Mueller spent two years investigating obstruction of justice and found evidence that does not exonerate Trump. Barr took two days to set aside that evidence. The entire report must be published and evidence provided to Congress so the American people can judge for themselves.  Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 24, 2019

Rep. Schiff has the power to go deeper and expose the con that Trump and Republicans are running on the Mueller report. Trump had control over what happened to Muellers findings. He has no such control over Adam Schiff, which is why he is scared.

There is no chance of Adam Schiff stepping down

The Republican calls for Schiff to step down should only inspire him to double his efforts to get to the truth. Republicans are trying to get rid of the Trump/Russia investigations. They are burying Mueller and trying to push Schiff out of the way. Adam Schiff isnt going to be bothered by Republican PR efforts, and he is not going to stop his investigation or step down.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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Ann Coulter on Monday said Democrats can win in 2020 by pointing out that President Trump hasnt kept any of his promises after reports that special counsel Robert Mueller found no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia in the 2016 election.

Coulter, the best-selling conservative writer who has gone from Trump supporter to harsh Trump critic due to his failure to build a wall on the Mexican border, is now suggesting that Democrats tell Americans that Trump has failed to meet his promises.

Coulter wrote on Twitter:

Hey liberals! Hot tip for you: You want to go after Trump? Point out he hasnt kept any of his promises.

Hey liberals! Hot tip for you: You want to go after Trump? Point out he hasnt kept any of his promises.  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) March 24, 2019

Democrats in Congress, as well as a majority of American voters, are opposed to building a wall on the border. Congress even passed a bipartisan measure overturning Trumps attempt to declare a national emergency to get the wall built. Trump vetoed that measure passed by the House and Senate.

Coulters criticisms have stung the president. She was once a strident supporter of Trump, but in recent months has repeatedly criticized him for failing to keep his promises..

She attacked him harshly for agreeing to a short-term spending deal to end the 35-day government shutdown without guaranteeing funding for the wall. She claimed that Trump had folded and received nothing in return.

Then in February she posted very derogatory tweets about Trumps reasons for declaring a national emergency as a way to get around Congress:

She tweeted

No, the goal of a national emergency is for Trump to scam the stupidest people in his base for 2 more years.

The goal is to get Trumps stupidest voters to say HES FIGHTING! No hes not. If he signs this bill, its over.

No, the goal of a national emergency is for Trump to scam the stupidest people in his base for 2 more years. https://t.co/6DQSkqxV8h  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) February 15, 2019

The goal is to get Trump's stupidest voters to say "HE'S FIGHTING!" No he's not. If he signs this bill, it's over. https://t.co/6DQSkqxV8h  Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) February 15, 2019

Coulter also called Trumps State of the Union address earlier this year the lamest, sappiest, most intentionally tear-jerking SOTU ever.

In January Coulter appeared as a guest of Bill Maher on his Real Time show on HBO and admitted that Donald Trump is an insane liar.
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While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, AG Barr quoted Robert Mueller as writing.

Yet, White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters Monday morning that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) should resign over his collusion comments because she says he lied.

Heres Kellyanne Conway making the argument that telling a lie should be followed by resignation.

Conway said Schiff let a lie fly for two years. Literally going out, not under oath and saying day after day, moment after moment, full of vim and vigor snark and bark that theres a mountain of evidence of collusion against the President that may actually be bigger than Watergate.

Thats right. The counselor to the biggest liar occupying the Oval Office in the history of nation thinks telling a lie should require resignation.

As of March 17 2019, Trump averaged 15 false claims a day in 2018. In 787 days, President Trump has made 9,179 false or misleading claims. In 2019, Trump is averaging 22 false claims A DAY.

Rep. Schiff has not actually lied. It is Kellyanne Conway and the Trump protectors who are lying. They are lying saying Trump was exonerated, when he was specifically NOT exonerated. They are lying saying there was no obstruction, when we all witnessed the obstruction.

What Conway is doing here is more of the unprecedented investigate the investigators and punish the investigators modus operandi of Trump. This is very dangerous territory, and it is reason enough to prove that Trump isnt fit to be president.

Conway is claiming Trump is persecuted. Somehow they want you to believe that yeah, sure, all of the presidents top men were found guilty of a crime, and many of them were talking to Russia during the campaign and lied about this to Congress. But that smoke means nothing. Oh, and yeah, Russia helped Trump win, but that smoke means nothing.

Oh, and yeah, Trump is the healthiest president ever and had the biggest inauguration and won by the biggest numbers ever.

The Trump lies all have this clownish simplicity because they know that works. Nuance gets you nowhere. Facts are for suckers. Just keep lying and pointing the finger at those who call you out. Intimidate and harass them into silence. You know, like truly exonerated people do.
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The lawyer who wrote the special counsel rules that governed Robert Muellers investigation believes that Donald Trump should not be taking a victory lap.

The lawyer, Neal Katyal, who is now an MSNBC legal analyst, expressed his opinion after reading Attorney General William Barrs summary of the findings of Robert Muellers investigation.

There are any number of reasons the president should not be taking a victory lap, Katyal wrote in a New York Times opinion letter published this morning, adding:

First, obviously, he still faces the New York investigations into campaign finance violations by the Trump team and the various investigations into the Trump organization. And Mr. Barr, in his letter, acknowledges that the Mueller report does not exonerate Mr. Trump on the issue of obstruction, even if it does not recommend an indictment.

But the critical part of the letter is that it now creates a whole new mess. After laying out the scope of the investigation and noting that Mr. Muellers report does not offer any legal recommendations, Mr. Barr declares that it therefore leaves it to the attorney general to decide whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.

Barr also improperly concluded that the president did not obstruct justice when he fired the F.B.I. director, James Comey, Katyal added.

Such a conclusion would be momentous in any event. But to do so within 48 hours of receiving the report (which pointedly did not reach that conclusion) should be deeply concerning to every American.

According to Barrs letter to Congress, Muellers probe found no evidence of collusion between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russia. Were supposed to take his word for it.

But Barr also admitted that Mueller did not determine whether or not Trump obstructed justice while president. He said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided not to pursue an obstruction charge after reviewing the special counsels findings.

By doing this Barr made himself the defense attorney, the jury and the judge in the Trump obstruction of justice case. And nobody thinks this was reasonable for him to do (except of course for Trump and his supporters).

Trump called Barrs letter a complete and total exoneration. But that is just another Trump lie.

Since Barr sent his letter, Democrats have focused on the obstruction question. They are now demanding that the full Mueller report be made public.

Katyal said in his op-ed that Barrs letter raises far more questions than it answers by not sharing the evidence Mueller gathered on obstruction of justice.

Specifically, he said Barr should interview Trump to determine whether the president acted with corrupt intent when firing Comey. Without such an interview, Katyal wrote, a conclusion cannot possibly be reached on the obstruction question.

As a final note, Katyal also said that Congress should get both Barr and Mueller to come in and testify under oath. Perhaps if that happened we could get to the real truth underlying the Mueller probe. And if we do that, it is very likely that Trumps gloating will disappear and be replaced by real concern that he may be indicted and/or impeached in the very near future.
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Robert Mueller intended his report to be a case to Congress on Trump obstruction of justice, but he was blocked by Barr

The Daily Beast reported:

Accessing Muellers paper trail is the next big fight for Democrats. They believe his findings, and the evidence that backs them up, are essential to advance their investigations of the president. Barr has said he wants to release as much of the report as he can.

A source with direct knowledge of the investigation told The Daily Beast that it was their interpretation that Mueller was making a case to Congress, who (unlike DOJ, in Muellers view) is empowered to weigh the lawfulness of a presidents conduct.

Democrats must call Mueller to testify

It is now vital that Robert Mueller be called to testify about potential Trump obstruction of justice. The White House is trying to block Muellers findings on obstruction of justice from Congress and the public. Special Counsel Mueller did what many experts thought that he might do. Mueller appears to have gathered the evidence on obstruction of justice with the intention of turning it over to Congress.

Robert Mueller believes that Congress has the lawful authority to judge the presidents conduct. The attorney general does not have the authority to judge Trumps behavior. The authority rests with Congress, which is why Mueller must be given the platform that Barr and Trump denied him to present all of the evidence related to obstruction of justice.

Democrats must not waste time. They have to get Mueller before the Judiciary Committee as soon as possible.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was on CNNs New Day this morning ranting that the Mueller probe was an effort to overthrow President Donald Trump.

CNNs John Berman immediately shut her down.

During her interview with Berman, Sanders was asked about Trumps comments about the entire Mueller investigation being an illegal takedown that failed.

I dont disagree with him, hes 100 percent right! she gloated. These are people who tried to overthrow the president!

Did Robert Mueller try to overthrow the president of the United States? Berman asked her.

Im specifically talking about Democrats in the media who helped perpetuate this absurd lie! she replied.

Were Democrats and the media part of the Mueller investigation, were they part of his team of investigators? he asked.

They were among the people who helped make that possible, that pushed this narrative that created this entire spectacle in the first place! she said, before pivoting to attack former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

James Clapper went on TV and made crystal clear that he had seen no evidence of collusion, she said.

At this point, Berman shut down her illogical argument, saying:

The investigation, as you know, Sarah, was started after conversations that George Papadopoulos had. The investigation was begun back then and Robert Mueller, in this report finds two large areas where Russia did try to interfere!

Sanders also appeared on NBCs Today show Monday morning and lied about the findings of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report, as summarized by William Barr.

It is a complete and total exoneration, Huckabee Sanders falsely claimed.

Host Savannah Guthrie told Huckabee Sanders that the Special Counsels report specifically states it does not exonerate President Trump on questions of obstruction of justice.

Would you acknowledge it is incorrect for the President to call this a total exoneration? @savannahguthrie asks @PressSec Sarah Sanders about the question of if President Trump obstructed justice

Video:

Would you acknowledge it is incorrect for the President to call this a total exoneration? @savannahguthrie asks @PressSec Sarah Sanders about the question of if President Trump obstructed justice pic.twitter.com/I0XnGlYWCU  TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 25, 2019

In the legal community, when you cant convict somebody on something, youre legally exonerating them, Huckabee Sanders said, with no basis in law or fact.

Sarah Sanders Will Say Anything to Keep Her Job

Like her boss, Sarah Sanders does not hesitate to lie, mislead, and make up facts. She says whatever she thinks her boss wants to hear. This has allowed her to keep her White House job longer than almost anyone else, but it has not endeared her to the American people (who pay her salary).

Sarah Huckabee Sanders will go down in history as one of the worst White House press secretaries ever, and todays falsehoods told on television will certainly help cement her lowly reputation.

CLICK HERE to watch the Sarah Sanders interview on CNN
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Donald Trump thinks that his Attorney General, William Barr, has cleared him of all charges of collusion from special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. It doesnt matter that Barr is serving as Trumps personal lawyer instead of serving the people of the United States  Trump has claimed victory, and almost immediately started gloating.

He also has renewed his war on the anti-Trump media, according to a new report in Axios. And he is seeking vengeance, demanding that his critics be punished.

Trump still claims (despite Muellers large number of indictments, guilty pleas and convictions) that the Mueller probe was a witch hunt and a waste of taxpayer money.

So now Trump wants to punish people he perceives are his enemies because they objectively reported on the nearly two-year Mueller investigation.

Trump called for an investigation of his critics and cast himself as a victim within an hour of learning Muellers findings.

Aides say Trump plans to  call for organizations to fire members of the media and former government officials who he believes made false accusations about him, the Washington Post reported.

Barrs summary letter says that Mueller did not find evidence that anyone in the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. Barr also says that Mueller wrote that he did not conclude Trump committed a crime, but he made clear his findings did not exonerate Trump of any crimes either.

Trump supporters are now claiming that Barrs letter on the Mueller report represents a huge political win for the president. It is certain that Trump will now use the summary of Muellers findings to cast doubt on Democratic investigations in the House.

So of course Trump and his allies are now calling for investigations of the investigators. And they are ready to attack anyone in the media who they think is not properly supportive.

For example:

Don Jr., the presidents eldest son, tweeted : How this farce started and snowballed  into one the greatest hoaxes ever perpetrated on the America should be discovered. Those responsible should be held accountable.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said: The public deserves to see the interviews, documents, and intelligence that justified this investigation in the first place.

And Rudy Giuliani said on Fox News: There has to be a full and complete investigation, with at least as much enthusiasm as this one, to figure out where did this charge emanate, who started it, and who paid for it.

Trump is Acting Like an Autocratic Dictator

We have previously reported that Fox News operates similarly to state-run media in countries that have no freedom of the press, such as Russia.

It is one thing for Donald Trump to attack the media, and to try to destroy their credibility. It is another thing to demand that his media critics be punished.

The aftermath of William Barrs biased letter, which supposedly summarized the Mueller investigation, proves that Donald Trump continues to be a major threat to democracy in America. His attacks on the media prove that he is a threat to the freedoms that we hold most dear.

Every day that Donald Trump remains in office the threat to America increases.

There are many people and organizations who have the power to limit Donald Trumps influence and power. We have a system of checks and balances in this country that is designed to do just that.

It is now more important than ever that Democrats in the House of Representatives step forward to challenge Donald Trump and his autocratic ways.

It is also more important than ever that the FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies come forward with the facts of their investigations so that the truth can come out. And when they do that, the power of Donald Trump will disappear, along with all of his lies.
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Now that the Mueller probe has ended, and Bill Barr sent his summary letter to Congress, Donald Trump and his allies believe they have a winning issue for the 2020 election. But that may not be true.

As the Washington Post reported last night:

President Trumps defiant mantra  no collusion! became a rallying cry for his reelection Sunday after the Justice Department said there was no evidence that his campaign conspired with Russia during the 2016 election.

There is no doubt that Barrs letter ended a great deal of speculation  and hope  that Trump would be forced to leave office early as a result of the Mueller investigation.

But it was never very likely that Muellers findings would convince Republicans in the senate to impeach the president anyway.

Its true many will be disappointed in what has happened, but that doesnt mean it is all bad news for Democrats. Some political analysts have gone too far in saying this is a massive victory for Trump that will greatly help his reelection chances.

For example, Josh Lederman, national political reporter for NBC News, tweeted:

Its fair to assume there is a significant degree on panic setting in this afternoon at the DNC, Democratic primary campaigns across the country

Its fair to assume there is a significant degree on panic setting in this afternoon at the DNC, Democratic primary campaigns across the country  Josh Lederman (@JoshNBCNews) March 24, 2019

This reaction to the Barr letter is almost certainly false. Lederman seems to have missed some important aspects of the emerging 2020 presidential election dynamic. There is no indication that any Democratic candidates were counting on Muellers findings being devastating for the president.

If Trump wants to base his reelection campaign on no collusion then that is just fine with them.

The Barr Letter May Help Democrats in 2020

In fact, insofar as the attorney generals summary of Muellers findings makes it less likely that Trump will be impeached, Democrats will probably view this as an advantage in 2020.

Democrats see Trump as a very weak incumbent in 2020, with approval ratings that have been historically low.

They think that if the economy worsens (which many economists say is likely) then Trump will be an even weaker candidate.

They also think it is likely that there will be more federal and state indictments coming against Trumps family and associates  and possibly against the president himself.

A failed impeachment bid now would outrage Trumps own supporters and increase his support among his base. It would allow him to play the victim and perhaps get broader public support as a result.

Many Democrats remember that GOP efforts to impeach President Bill Clinton backfired, and he retained his popularity during his failed impeachment proceedings, and won reelection.

So far the Democrats 2020 campaigns have mostly ignored both Trump and Mueller. The Blue Wave of the 2018 election is fresh in everyones minds, and Democrats hope to build on that and use the same themes for another Blue Wave in 2020.

The huge midterm victory for Democrats was based on the issues Americans really care about, such as health care and government accountability. And now the 2020 Democrats are again running on so-called kitchen table issues. Theyve been talking about healthcare, reducing prescription costs, helping workers, taking on big business, restoring voting rights, and other big issues that resonate with American voters.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) just proposed a plan to raise teachers pay which will play very well to middle class families.

The fact is that the majority of voters dont really care about the Mueller report, and any impact it has will certainly fade before the next election.

It is possible Trump will receive an immediate polling boost with the conclusion of Muellers investigation and Barrs one-sided letter.

If the full Mueller report is ever released, that boost could easily go away also.

And by Election Day 2020, positive effects for Trump from Barrs letter will have dissipated. By then voters will certainly be tired of hearing about no collusion from Trump and his campaign.

There is little question that by November of 2020 American voters will want to vote for the candidate they think represents the best path forward for their own lives and for the country. By then Muellers report will be a distant memory, and Democrats chances of winning will not be impacted by it at all.
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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.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Light rain early. Decreasing clouds with sunny skies by afternoon. Thunder possible. Morning high of 63F with temps falling to near 50. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.
About 100 demonstrators convened at North Charleston's Riverfront Park on Sunday for the second annual March for Our Lives rally where participants and state lawmakers touted support for gun control measures.

The event was organized by the Lowcountry Students for Political Action, who launched the rally last year to coincide with the national March for Our Lives event in Washington, D.C. The inaugural student-led rallies and marches in 2018  held in North Charleston and Columbia  were organized across the country in the wake of the Valentine's Day shooting last year at Parkland, Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School where 17 people were killed.

Thousands of participants attended the rallies in the Palmetto State last year, including as many as 1,500 in North Charleston.

Jacob Gamble, one of the LSPA organizers and also a freshman at the University of South Carolina, expressed frustration at the lack of turnout at this year's rally but said he and his peers remained steadfast in their efforts to energize young South Carolina voters. Speakers at the event also included the likes of Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-Charleston, and the state's top Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn.

"This year was definitely smaller than last year, and that says a lot about the people who were here today," Gamble said in Riverfront Park. "But it says more about the people who are not here today ... it shows how people who came today are committed to fighting for this issue."

Summerville High School sophomores Madelyn Swygert, 15, Hannah McKee, 16, and Samantha Smith, 16, all said they were compelled to take part in the event on Sunday after their student council created posters for demonstrators.

"Less devastation, more legislation," Swygert's poster read.

"I've always been really passionate about this topic, but I've never really known how I could get involved," Smith said. "I'm definitely interested in participating in future events and staying up to date with what the LSPA is doing."

Sunday's event came just days after proposed legislation meant to bolster required background checks for firearm purchases effectively died after it failed to make it out of committee. The would-be law was intended to close the so-called Charleston loophole, which allows licensed gun dealers to sell firearms to customers after three days even if a background check is still pending. Authorities have said the same loophole enabled a man to buy a gun in 2015 which he used to kill 9 black worshipers at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston.

"These kinds of things will mobilize people," Gamble said, referring to the rally. "It's kind of a springboard for people to get more involved."

Sydney Clinton, 17, also a member of LSPA and a junior at Fort Dorchester High School, said that political action group, which was founded and run by students, has been hard at work accumulating contacts over the past year to help grow their events.

"We just have to continue doing these things  having rallies and writing our legislators and all of that, because there may be 10 more people at the next event and then another 15, and that's how these things grow," Clinton said. "And that's the only way we're going to have any substantial change."

Joey Benton, 16, a sophomore at Bishop England High School who participated in the statewide school walkout last year said that, despite the smaller turnout, was inspired to continue his civil activism for the cause.

The event, he said, reminded him that "the small group of motivated individuals are the ones that make the difference, not the politicians in office."
Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine.
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.
Soldiers from the 1st Armored Division, based in Fort Bliss, Texas, arrives at the airport Tegel in Berlin, Thursday, March 21, 2019. Over three hundred soldiers have arrived in Germany from their base in Texas in the first test of a new American strategy to rapidly deploy troops based in the United States to Europe to bolster the NATO deterrent against possible Russian aggression. (AP Photo/Dorothee Thiesing)
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.
The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication.
Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor

Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.
Every time University of Pennsylvania engineer Marc Miskin speaks about his research on miniature robots, someone asks the question: How does it compare to the submarine in "Fantastic Voyage"?

Thats the fanciful 1966 sci-fi movie in which a tiny vessel makes an emergency journey inside the brain of an injured scientist. The incredible answer: The real-life bots, which Miskin developed with former colleagues at Cornell University, are about the same size.

Roughly one-quarter the size of a pixel on a standard computer screen, they are little squares of silicon with legs made from platinum and titanium, able to swim around inside your body and track vital signs.

At least someday, Miskin hopes. For now, they swim around on microscope slides in Miskins lab at Penn, where he started in January as an assistant professor of electrical and systems engineering. The bots are equipped with miniature solar cells, allowing Miskin to power them with laser light.

Miskin recently presented his research in Boston at a conference of the American Physical Society. He designed the robots at Cornell as a post-doctoral researcher, working with colleagues Itai Cohen, Paul McEuen and Alejandro Cortese.

A million robots can be made from one 4-inch wafer of silicon using techniques adapted from the semiconductor industry, Miskin said at a news conference. They are so cheap to make  a fraction of a penny each  that he thinks of them like chemicals or medicines.

"Its a fundamentally different kind of robot," he said. "You can throw them away."

Other scientists who have heard presentations by team members are impressed.

Producing a three-dimensional device at that scale is a challenge, said David Gracias, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He likened the manufacturing techniques used by the Penn-Cornell team to a very small-scale version of origami  the Japanese art of paper folding. But he cautioned that more work would be needed to improve control of individual robots and track their location.

"It will still be a very long time before they can use them in the body," Gracias said.

The robots are able to move because electricity has a different effect on the two kinds of metal in each leg. The platinum expands while the titanium remains rigid, causing the legs to bend. The front and back legs are alternately contracted or relaxed to generate the robots gait, Miskin said.

He said the research reminded him of his childhood, when he would look at droplets of water through a microscope, marveling at the range of microorganisms.

"There is this alien, bizarre universe that we know exists in drops of water, in our blood, all over," he said. "We can now go into that world."

Future research will involve developing wireless sensors so the robots can transmit information on vital signs from a patient, such as levels of neuronal activity in the spinal cord, Miskin said. The robots are small enough that they can be injected with a syringe. He also plans to study the best way to retrieve them, perhaps with magnets.

The bots also could be used in non-biological applications. Miskin said a colleague is looking into ways they could be used to improve the performance of rechargeable batteries.

"They could live in your lithium-ion battery, looking for electrical shorts and eating them up so your battery lives longer," he said.

As for the submarine in Fantastic Voyage, Miskin was unable to find a direct mention of its size. But in promotional materials from the movie, it is shown alongside red blood cells, allowing Miskin to estimate that the fictional vessel was about 60 microns in length. Miskins real-life robots are 70 microns across.

For comparison, human hairs are typically 30 to 100 microns thick. And a standard computer-screen pixel is 250 to 280 microns across.
She started as a water treatment specialist when she joined the Army National Guard on Feb. 8, 2005. But a deployment to Afghanistan in 2008 made something click  Sgt. Gloria Babauta wanted a greater challenge in her military career.

It would take a few years, but in 2015, then-President Obama announced that combat arms positions would be opened to women.

That was Babautas go sign. According to an article by the 94th Army Air and Missle Defense Command, Babauta took on the challenge of the Infantry Transition Course, which she completed in 2018.

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With that accomplishment, Babauta is the first enlisted woman from the Guam Army National Guard to gain the military occupational specialty infantry 11B, the Army article states.

In all honesty, its not about being the first female, its about pushing my capabilities to the full extent, she said. I changed my (military occupational specialty) for the pure passion and commitment of the job.

Soldiers with the 11B occupational specialty are riflemen who assist in the performance of reconnaissance operations, employs, fires, and recovers anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, according to the U.S. Military Careers website.

During my 2008 deployment, it challenged me to new tasks I didnt know I was capable of accomplishing, she commented. In doing so, I gained a liking to the fieldwork and wanted to continue it even after the deployment was done.

Today, Babatua serves as a squad leader in providing security operations in support of Task Force Talon, which is responsible for operating the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, an anti-ballistic missile defense system in Guam.

In August 2018, the Guam Guard received an activation order to provide security forces to Task Force Talon on Andersen Air Force Base.

Babauta, who is from Agat, credits her will and determination to her familys love and support.

They have given me the opportunity to build what I have now, a strong spirited heart and soul, Babauta said, They are the backbone of who I am today.

Babauta is assigned to Alpha Company, 1-294th Infantry Regiment.
The government of Guam and the business that has spent two decades trying to get a trash-burning incinerator off the ground will have about a month to potentially negotiate a settlement over a GovGuam commitment to submit legislation exempting the company from a ban on incinerators. After that, their legal battle could resume in the courtroom.

Guam Resource Recovery Partners, GovGuam and the Guam Economic Development Authority attempted mediation in November 2018 but it didn't progress because of changes in leadership both in GovGuam and GRRP. At the time, GovGuam had just elected a new governor. Meanwhile, GRRP's president for more than 20 years, Wagdy Gurguis, was convicted in a federal tax fraud case in Hawaii. Gurguis has stepped down from the company.

GRRP attorney Ignacio Aguigui said GRRP reserved the right to ask for mediation again.

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GRRP has sought a $20 million settlement from GovGuam for its stalled project to burn trash and convert the heat into electricity, a process commonly referred to as waste-to-energy.

However, GEDA counsel Tom Fisher said he wanted to ask the court to lift the suspension of court proceedings, allowing both sides to move forward with the litigation and complete the discovery of evidence.

Aguigui objected.

"You can't settle and then proceed with the litigation," Aguigui said outside the courtroom.

The litigation stems back to 2011 when GRRP filed a lawsuit after GovGuam refused to enter into a waste-to-energy contract with the company.

GRRP claims it has the exclusive right to build such a facility on Guam, contending it has secured its license before the ban on waste-to-energy was enacted. Guam law bans trash-burning incinerators.

The parties reached a settlement agreement in 2015, tasking GEDA with submitting a measure to the Legislature exempting GRRP from the ban.

The agreement has since stalled.

Previous mediation unsuccessful

In November 2017, GRRP sought an order from the court to enforce the 2015 agreement and the case had been headed to trial until mid-2018 when the court approved a motion for mediation.

Mediation ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena of the Superior Court of Guam said Monday that "it looked like mediation wasn't moving too well."

Aguigui said in court that the case was settled and the only issue remaining involves the transmission of legislation that would exempt GRRP from the ban.

Lamorena said it would be difficult for the court to order the Legislature to produce legislation.

"Maybe the Legislature should be part of the party here. Since they're not introducing the necessary legislation as agreed to in mediation, maybe the Legislature should be a party in this lawsuit and tell the court why they're not introducing legislation," Lamorena said.

"They're not obligated to introduce legislation if they don't want to. And I don't think an order from this court is going to force them to," he added.

He gave the parties until May 6 to decide how the case will move forward.
Officials are concerned that the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is already among us - even if official tests havent yet confirmed it. Read more
FLOODS AND DESTRUCTION: People walk on a flooded path in a village in the Pungue River Basin, Mozambique, on March 23. After the country was hit by Cyclone Idai, the rise of the water level of river Pungue has caused floods and massive destruction. Xinhua/Zuma Press/TNS
NORRISTOWN  A Towamencin Township man is on his way to prison after he admitted to having indecent contact with a 16-year-old girl in the township.

Andre Keith Robinson, 35, of the 800 block of Freedom Circle, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 2-to-4-years in a state correctional facility after he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated indecent assault, corruption of a minor and indecent assault by force in connection with a January 2018 incident at a township residence.

Judge Risa Vetri Ferman, who accepted a plea agreement in the matter, also ordered Robinson to complete five years probation following parole, meaning Robinson will be under court supervision for nine years.

Robinson also faces a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with Pennsylvanias Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The judge said Robinson is prohibited from having contact with the girl and her family and is to have no unsupervised contact with minors, as conditions of the sentence.

Robinson also must undergo a drug, alcohol and mental health evaluation and must comply with all recommendations for treatment.

An investigation began on Jan. 21, 2018, when Towamencin Township police received a report that Robinson had indecent contact with a 16-year-old girl while she was in his company at a township residence on Jan. 20, according to the criminal complaint. Robinson asked the girl if he could see her naked and then lifted her shirt and pulled down her pants, according to the arrest affidavit filed by Towamencin Detective Patrick Horne. Robinson then proceeded to touch the girl in an inappropriate manner and had other indecent contact with her, detectives alleged.

The girl, detectives alleged, initially did not want to disclose the encounter because she feared that Andre Keith Robinson would harm her in retaliation, Horne alleged. The girl reported a sensation of paralysis as Robinson assaulted her and added she was scared about how Robinson would react if she told her parents about the assault, according to court documents.

When detectives interviewed Robinson on Jan. 21 he admitted to having indecent contact with the girl.

Other charges of unlawful contact with a minor and endangering the welfare of a child were dismissed against Robinson as part of the plea agreement.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Beeson. Defense lawyer Patricia Cassidy represented Robinson.
G. Mennen Soapy Williams was the liberal governor of Michigan throughout the 1950s. In 1961, President Kennedy named him Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. It seemed like a good fit for Williams, a longtime civil rights advocate.

Williams generated controversy in his new job by declaring: What we want for the Africans is what they want for themselves. The press translated this as: Africa for the Africans.

The catchphrase didnt please the white Africans of South Africa and Rhodesia (as it was then called), nor were the British and the Portuguese amused. But Williams explained that Africans included white Africans, and President Kennedy defended the statement saying:

Africa for the Africans does not seem to me to be an unreasonable statement. I dont know who else Africa should be for.

Ah, for the days when liberals backed nationalism.

Williams original statement is eminently reasonable. In general (and there are exceptions), we should want for the people of a continent or a nation what they want for themselves.

In Hungary, the people have elected a government that wants to address its population shrinkage by providing big financial incentives for Hungarians to have more children. The Trump administration supports this effort. Administration officials attended an event at the Library of Congress hosted by the Embassy of Hungary to show its support. A senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services spoke at the event.

The Washington Post isnt happy. Its not that the Post wants Hungarys population to shrink. Rather, it wants Hungary to remedy the problem by admitting immigrants from Africa and the Middle East.

Hungary for the Africans.

Promoting higher birthrates and allowing mass immigration are both legitimate solutions to the problems caused by Hungarys extremely low birthrate (1.45 total births per woman). And, of course, the two solutions are not mutually exclusive.

But the choice between them is for Hungarians to make. If Hungary favors incentives for having more children, theres no reason why the U.S. shouldnt support the decision, and certainly no reason why a pro-life administration shouldnt.

The Obama administration didnt see it this way. The Post quotes Robert Berschinski, who helped formulate U.S. policy towards Hungary under President Obama. He sniffs that Hungarys birth plan is at odds with accepted best practices in other countries.

Why? Because it does not encourage women to rejoin the labor force, but keeps them home and pregnant in more of a traditionalist sense through financial incentives.

But no Hungarian woman is forced to stay home and pregnant. Instead, women have a choice.

Berschinski may not like the choice some of them make  to stay at home with children  but many Hungarian women will be pleased with it. Those women it doesnt suit presumably will usually make a different choice.

The real objection to Hungary pushing for more births is that the left wants Hungary to populate itself with immigrants from African and the Middle East, a point the Post makes through Mary Alice Carter of a group called Equity Forward. But considering the disruption, crime, and terrorism experienced by countries that have opted to admit large numbers of immigrants from these areas, Hungarians can be excused for not deeming this best practice.

In any event, the decision is Hungarys to make, just as Germanys decision to opt for mass immigration is up to the Germans (many of whom, though, seem unhappy with the governments decision). In the words of Soapy Williams, we should want for these nations what they want for themselves.
I want to round up the comments of a few esteemed observers on the conclusion of the Mueller investigation.

 Kim Strassel makes a special appearance in todays Wall Street Journal with Mueller Is Done. Now Probe the Real Scandal. Kim writes:

Mr. Muellers report likely doesnt put it that way, but its the logical conclusion of his no-collusion finding. The FBI unleashed its powers on a candidate for the office of the U.S. presidency, an astonishing first. It did so on the incredible grounds that the campaign had conspired to aid a foreign government. And it used the most aggressive tools in its arsenalsurveillance of U.S. citizens, secret subpoenas of phone records and documents, even human informants. The wreckage is everywhere. The nation has been engulfed in conspiracy theories for years. A presidency was hemmed in by the threat of a special counsel. Citizens have gone to jail not for conspiracy, but for after-the-fact interactions with Mr. Muellers team. Dozens more have spent enormous amounts of money and time defending their reputations. None of this should ever have happened absent highly compelling evidencefrom the startof wrongdoing. Yet from what we know, the FBI operated on the basis of an overheard conversation of third-tier campaign aide George Papadopoulos, as well as a wild dossier financed by the rival presidential campaign. Mr. Muellers no-collusion finding amounts to a judgment that there never was any evidence. The Papadopoulos claim was thin, the dossier a fabrication. Which is all the more reason Americans now deserve a full accounting of the missteps of former FBI Director James Comey and his teamin part so that this never happens again.

 Glenn Reynolds writes here at InstaPundit:

I suspect its going to turn out that Trump was doing more than tweeting throughout all this, and that it reflected a strategy that has now paid off. But Republicans  including NeverTrumpers still capable of some degree of rationality, if such exist  should ask themselves what other Republican candidate in 2016 could have withstood this sort of assault. As with the Kavanaugh character assassination attempts, I think the answer will be damn few. Maybe Ted Cruz, but nobody else really comes to mind. And, say, Mitt Romney? It is to laugh. We got Trump because of a media/political environment that only Trump could survive and flourish in. And note that the past week has been a bad one for Trumps enemies in general: Higher education is facing its biggest scandal ever, the SPLC is folding, the Democrats are split over anti-semitism and more or less open Marxism. . . . Stay tuned. Its going to get interesting.

See also Glenns USA Today column Mueller report Collusion by the news media, not Donald Trump, but dont expect apologies.

 Baylor University Professor Timothy Burns, Political Science Graduate Programs Director, comments by email:

Thank you all for your enlightening coverage of the Mueller Switch Project (as Scott has aptly labelled it). And thanks for your coverage of the fully expected result of that project. I want to draw to your attention one clause in Attorney General Barrs letter that hasnt received any coverage so far: despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign. This seems to me worth highlighting, since it seems to point not only to the effort of Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, which John has noted, but to other such efforts, possibly even at the apparent instigation of and collusion with the Clinton campaign and its surrogates, as was the Veselnitskaya meeting (again, as John noted), to entrap the Trump campaign. On the matter of obstruction of justice, it might be worthwhile to draw to your readers attention once again the fact that the President is the elected official to whom the Department of Justice reports, and that he cannot obstruct justice simply by telling his subordinates in that office what he did tell them. I suspect there might be parallels drawn by the MSM, prodded by Democrats, between the President and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau on this, regarding the latters attempt to quash an investigation. Finally, it would be helpful if you could comment on Attorney General Barrs promise to disclose more information, given the attention that it is bound to produce. This letter is, after all, one that merely discloses what he calls the status of my initial review of the Mueller Report. He will be releasing parts of the actual Report over time, he suggests, after he (with the help of Mueller) identifies the 6(e) [i.e., grand jury] information in the Report, and after he has identified any other information that could impact other ongoing matters, including those that the Special Counsel has referred to other offices. What more might we reasonably expect him to disclose, to Congress and the public, in the near future?

Thanks to Professor Burns for permission to post this comment along with his questions.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 06:53:24

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In the recent years, automobile market has grown significantly in terms of sales, with considerable growth in the luxury cars segment. This is one of the reasons why the global auto ventilated seats marketis also expected to witness gradual growth during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to increasing demand for luxury cars, increasing disposable incomes, and technological advancements in seat ventilation feature to be offered with mid-size and economy cars. According to the newly published report published by Future Market Insights, Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Global Industry Analysis (20122016) and Opportunity Assessment (20172027), the global auto ventilated seats market is expected increase from US$ 5,931.50 Mn in 2017 to US$ 10.63 Bn by 2027 end, representing a CAGR of 6.2% from 2017 to 2027. This increasing revenue growth is attributed to continuous adoption of seat comfort features, and increasing number of luxury cars throughout the globe. Moreover, increase in the number of aftermarket providers is also supporting the growth of this market.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5062 Global Auto Ventilated Seats Market: DriversThe global market for auto ventilated seats is witnessing growth due to high adoption of seat comfort features across all categories of passenger cars.Increasing focus on comfort-driven experience and rising demand for transportIncreasing vehicle population and enhanced driving performanceManufacturers focusing on manufacturing noise free auto ventilated seatsPreference of ventilated seats due to risk of injuries due to heated seatsHigh demand for comfortable transportation modesNew technologies and upgrading material supplied by automotive manufacturersGlobal Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Forecast by End UserThis segment includes two segments such as OEM and Aftermarket. OEMs segment is anticipated to witness high market attractiveness index over the forecast period. In terms of value, OEMs segment is projected to be the most attractive in the global auto ventilated seats market during the forecast period. In 2017, OEMs segment is estimated to be valued at US$ 4,755.30 Mn and is expected to witness steady growth in terms of revenue throughout the forecast period.Global Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Forecast by Fan TypeOn the basis of fan type, global auto ventilated seats market segmented into radial fans and axial fans. In terms of value, axial fans segment is projected to be the most attractive in the global Auto Ventilated Seats market during the forecast period. Axial fans segment is expected to register high Y-o-Y growth rates throughout the forecast period. In terms of value, this segment is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. In 2027, radial fan segment is estimated to be valued at US$ 5,328.0 Mn and is expected to witness steady growth in terms of revenue throughout the forecast period.Global Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Forecast by Vehicle TypeOn the basis of vehicle type, global auto ventilated seats market is segmented into economy cars, mid-size cars, and luxury cars. Mid-size cars segment is expected to register moderate Y-o-Y growth rate throughout the forecast period. In terms of value, this segment is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.58% during the forecast period.Global Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Forecast by RegionSeven regions have been covered in this report  North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, APEJ, Japan, and MEA. North America is projected to be the most attractive market in the global Auto Ventilated Seats market during the forecast period. APEJ market is expected to register high Y-o-Y growth rates throughout the forecast period. In terms of value, this market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.46% during the forecast period. In 2017, North America market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1,808.92 Mn and is expected to witness steady growth in terms of revenue throughout the forecast period.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5062 Global Auto Ventilated Seats Market: Key PlayersAdient PLC, Bharat Seats Limited, Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG, Continental A.G., Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd., DURA Automotive Systems, LLC., ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG, Faurecia SA, Gentherm Incorporated, I.G. Bauerhin GmbH, Kia Motors America, Inc., Laird, PLC, Lear Corporation, Magna International, Inc., NHK Seatings of America, Inc., Sitech Sitztechnik GmbH, TACHI-S CO., LTD., Toyota Boshoku Corporation, TS Tech CO., LTD., and Woodbridge Foam Corporation are some of the competitive landscapes in the global auto ventilated seats market.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 08:03:02

Changes reflect evolving business and expansion of laser product offerings

GOLDEN, Colo., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Epilog Laser, the leading producer of CO2 and fiber laser engraving, cutting and marking systems, announced today the launch of a new corporate brand identity including a redesign of the companys website, logo, graphics, communications, and correspondence.

Since our inception in 1988, Epilog Laser has built a strong reputation for innovation and quality. We want our logo to tell the story of the manufacturing technology company that we have grown to be, said Mike Dean, vice president of sales and marketing for Epilog Laser. The new logo design reflects the modern technologies and advanced features that we are incorporating into our new product lines."





We believe at Epilog that the brand has evolved during the past thirty years. We want the brand and the logo to best reflect the technological achievements weve accomplished during those years and where were going in the future, explained Devon Posey, graphic designer at Epilog Laser.

Not only does the rebranding feature a sleeker look for Epilogs corporate identity, but the new horizontal and vertical logos are also more streamlined for digital and print mediums. The new logo features a more modern look, but also maintains a familiarity in terms of color and the iconic E that encompasses all that Epilog is known for: high-quality machines and top-notch customer support before, during, and after the sale.

For more information and to check out Epilogs new look, please visit www.epiloglaser.com .

About Epilog Laser

Since 1988, Epilog Laser has been designing and manufacturing flying-optics-based CO2 and fiber laser systems that can engrave and/or cut wood, acrylic, metal, plastic, fabric, rubber and many other materials. Epilog specializes in developing laser systems that create unprecedented marking and cutting quality on all types of products. The company produces versatile and reliable systems that are affordable and easy to use. For more information, visit

www.epiloglaser.com.

Press Contact for Epilog Laser:

Amy Dallman, Marketing Communications Specialist

303.277.1188

amyd@epiloglaser.com
PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 09:04:02

Industry leading BioPharma Partnering Software now provides competitive intelligence insight to enhance strategic partnering and accelerate growth

BOSTON, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anaqua, a leading software provider of intellectual property and innovation management solutions, today announced that ideaPoint is now enhanced with the integration of content from CortellisTM, a suite of intelligence solutions provided by Clarivate Analytics. Cortellis is designed to unlock hidden insights to enable data-driven decision making across the R&D lifecycle. The integration brings Cortellis Competitive Intelligence to ideaPoint users, supporting faster, more accurate analysis of business development options.





Through this partnership, ideaPoint users can now enhance competitive insight. With a simple click, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can unlock the landscape of an opportunity to quickly understand white space or perform a high-level canvas to determine best candidates for Merger & Acquisition or Licensing opportunities. The addition of selected Cortellis content enables users to view comparator deals and discover areas of active partnering activity.

At Anaqua, we are dedicated to delivering the most sophisticated intelligent data and analytics our clients can leverage to exponentially bring value to their business, said Bob Romeo, CEO of Anaqua. Integrating Cortellis content within ideaPoint further supports our efforts in making the biopharma industry a more collaborative, efficient space.

Organizations looking to get the most value out of their Partnering & Innovation Programs now have the opportunity to enhance their competitive insight by pairing market intelligence directly with a partnering opportunity, said Scott Shaunessy, CEO of ideaPoint. Partnerships with elite providers such as Clarivate Analytics demonstrate our commitment to making it easier for the biopharma industry to capitalize on partnering opportunities and increase success across the drug development lifecycle.

About Anaqua

Anaqua is a premium provider of integrated, end-to-end innovation and intellectual property (IP) management solutions, serving 50% of the top 25 U.S. patent filers, 50% of the top 25 global brands, 60% of top global pharmaceutical companies, and a growing number of the most prestigious, forward-looking law firms. The companys global operations are headquartered in Boston, with offices across Europe and Asia. Anaquas IP platform is used by nearly one million IP executives, attorneys, paralegals, administrators, and innovators globally. Its solution suite merges best practice workflows with big data analytics and tech-enabled services to create one intelligent environment designed to inform IP strategy, enable IP decision-making, and streamline IP operations. For additional information, please visit Anaqua.com.

About Clarivate Analytics

Clarivate Analytics is a global leader in providing trusted insights and analytics to accelerate the pace of innovation. Building on a heritage going back more than a century and a half, we have built some of the most trusted brands across the innovation lifecycle, including Web of Science, Cortellis, Derwent, CompuMark, MarkMonitor, and Techstreet. Today, Clarivate Analytics is a new and independent company, on a bold entrepreneurial mission to help our clients radically reduce the time from new ideas to life-changing innovations. For more information, please visit www.clarivate.com.

About Cortellis

Cortellis gives life to science by unlocking the hidden insights in data. This industry-leading solution curates the broadest and deepest sources of intelligence to enable precise, actionable answers to specific questions across the R&D lifecycle  from discovery and clinical development through regulatory submission and commercialization. By supporting data-driven decisions, Cortellis helps pharmaceutical companies, biotech and medical device/diagnostic firms accelerate innovation. In 2017, 80% of U.S. companies filing NMEs, 91% of companies achieving breakthrough therapy status and 70% of the top licensing deals were informed by Cortellis intelligence.

To learn more, visit Clarivate.com/Cortellis.



Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and oral statements made with respect to information contained in this release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Clarivate Analytics. Forward-looking statements provide Clarivate Analytics current expectations or forecasts of future events and may include statements regarding anticipated synergies and other future expectations. These statements involve risks and uncertainties including factors outside of Clarivate Analytics control that may cause actual results to differ materially. Clarivate Analytics undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Attachment
Research Report Insights (RRI) has launched the report Lingerie Market to Reflect Steadfast Expansion During 2017-2024

PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 09:37:05

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Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/



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# 1002 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comCEO6317214201http://www.. researchreportinsights.com

Lingerie market has occupied a significant position in the apparel industry in recent years as it not only serves its functional benefits but also is considered as an basic necessity to every woman. The the global lingerie market has been bifurcated on the basis of product types into bras, knickers and panties, lounge wear, shape wear and others which includes baby doll, corsets, chemises and chemisoles among others. Bra as an essential necessity and also a fashion accessory to every women and it has captured the largest market share in 2015. Knickers and panties also occupied a significant position in the same year, thus contributing significantly to the overall market size of the lingerie industry.The market is further segmented on the basis of distribution channel into online stores and storefront. Online stores captured the largest market in 2015 due to high penetration of internet services and rapid advancements in the field of technology, thus creating a strong platform for the manufacturers of lingerie Further, the e-commerce giants are engaged in strong promotional activities due to which they provide with continuous discount options and various other offers which attract both consumers and manufacturers to avail this platform.Females in the developing countries are experiencing latest trends towards carrying themselves in public. They are changing their outlook towards accepting innerwear as a casual affair and take time to choose and make a purchase. The outerwear of women has undergone a dramatic change and due to this women prefer selecting inner wear, especially bras that can match with their attire. They try to purchase lingerie depending on the occasion or event, such as there are special sport wear bras for gymnasium purpose. It can be demonstrated from the product differentiation brought by the lingerie manufacturers over online and retail stores. Thus this is a key factor complementing the growth of the global lingerie market.Lingerie has witnessed a rapid acceptance in the fashion industry. Women from all backgrounds want to try out the latest trends in the inner wear segment. Most of the large brands have exclusive stores in shopping malls or independent stores. In developing countries like India and China, brands like Jockey try to reach out to customers through small roadside innerwear shops. Additionally, lingerie is available at stores as well as online. Brands like Victoria Secret have country specific websites for easier transactions and shipment.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114599/Lingerie-Market However, the lingerie wear maintains high cost for advertisement and other marketing promotions. This is due to the cost of celebrities or models that are hired for being featured in the photo shoots. Moreover, the destination or location cost of the photo shoot depends and therefore larger brands do not compromise in keeping high cost for their lingerie wear. Therefore, this factor is majorly hindering the growth of the market and the impact of the same is likely to reduce by the end of the forecast period.Moreover, the global lingerie market is experiencing moderate growth in the apparel segment as nowadays individuals are more inclined towards branded items, most of which are usually priced on the higher end. People from all backgrounds and income group want to avail a comfortable and lasting inner wear that can be fashionable as well as skin-friendly. There are many local brands or companies that manufacture cheap quality products to cater to the wide population in the under developed or developing countries. Mergers and acquisitions are a strategic way of entering the market and understanding the current needs and preferences of the population. Through this, the large companies will benefit in capturing the market and at the same time, will enable the small companies to fight for a better position in the market..Request For Reprot discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114599/Lingerie-Market Moreover, in this report the study provides different countries included in different regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. North America includes U.S. and Rest of North America. Europe includes U.K., Germany, France, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe. Asia Pacific includes countries such as India, China, Japan and Rest of Asia Pacific. In addition, Middle East and Africa includes country such as UAE, South Africa and Rest of Middle East and Africa. Latin America comprise of countries such as Brazil and Rest of Latin AmericaAsia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Transition in the lifestyle of the consumers which is backed by rapid urbanization and increasing purchasing power is a major factor behind the high growth of this market in Asia Pacific. Further, consumer exposure to the same by way of advertisements through televisions, and print media among others is another key factor responsible for the growth of the Lingerie Market in this region.Some of the major key players operating in the global contact lens market are, Jockey International Inc. (Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S), Hanes (North Carolina U.S.), Groupe Chantelle (Cachan, France), LVMH (Boise U.S), L Brands Inc. (Columbus, Ohio), MAS Holdings Limited (Colombo, Srilanka), Ann Summers (London, U.K.), Marks and Spencer (London U.K), PVH Corporation (New York, U.S) among others.The report analyzes the factors that are driving and restraining the growth of the lingerie market. This report will help manufacturers, distributors and suppliers to understand the present and future trends in this market and formulate strategies accordingly.The global lingerie market can be segmented as follows;-Global Lingerie Market, by Type Bra Knickers and Panties Lounge wear Shape wear OthersGlobal Lingerie Market, by Distribution Channel Online Stores Store FrontGlobal Lingerie Market, by Geography North America U.S. Rest of North America Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa UAE South Africa Rest of Middle East & AfricaReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114599/Lingerie-Market
Research Report Insights states that the global theodolite market is expected to represent a value of over US$ 300 Mn by the end of 2022.

PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 11:08:58

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42 Joseph Street



Port carling P0B 1J0



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Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

TL

+1631721420

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# 516 Words

Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comTL+1631721420

The global theodolite market is expected to register a healthy growth attributed to the growing need for making accurate measurements during the construction process. Apart from making accurate measurements in the construction industry, application of the theodolite also contributes during the study of orology. Growing need to re-measure the mountain ranges by the survey department of countries such as China and India continues to fuel growth of the global theodolite market. Integration of advanced technological features that enable laser tracking and GPS monitoring for high precision measurement has further contribute towards growth of the global theodolite market.Growth of the global theodolite market is mainly bound to various macro-economic and micro-economic factors. The report reveals that the increasing demand for making precise measurements in various industries such as construction and transportation industry has led to an upsurge in demand for theodolite market. Emerging technology will continue to transform and redefine the application of theodolite globally. With the emerging technology, manufacturers are focusing on integrating the advanced technological features in theodolite devices in order to equip them with enhanced GPS and laser tracking attributes. Bound to these factors, adoption of the theodolite devices will continue to increase in the global market.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114643/Theodolite-Market The report provides an in-depth insight on the crucial aspects of the global theodolite market while offering related information on the important segments, factor fuelling growth of the global market, competitive landscape and growth patterns. Research Report Insights states that the global theodolite market is expected to represent a value of over US$ 300 Mn by the end of 2022.On the other hand, various factors are expected to inhibit growth of the global theodolite market. Bound to lack of raw materials due to imposition of restrictions on use of the arsenic oxide by the European Union is likely to inhibit growth of the global market positively. As arsenic oxide is increasingly used to manufacture telescope, microscope and optical lens. With increasing impositions by the government on the use of arsenic oxide, the global theodolite market is expected to witness an inhibiting growth.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114643/Theodolite-Market Theodolite devices will further continue to witness significant demand during the survey procedures. Increasing demand to re-measure the mountain ranges in various countries such as China and India is likely to rev up adoption of the global theodolite market.Key market players operating in the global theodolite market include EIE Instruments, South Surveying & Mapping Instrument Co Ltd, Survey Instruments Services Pte Ltd., Hexagon AB, Trimble, Suzhou FOIF Co., Hilti Group and Topcon Corporation.In the next section, the report reveals that the global theodolite market is segmented on the basis of product type, application and region. On the basis of product type, the global market is segmented as optical, electronic and vernier product. Based on application, the global market is segmented in terms of industrial, construction and other applications. By region, the global theodolite market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe and Japan.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114643/Theodolite-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-03-25 07:00:35

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research report insights

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Port carling P0B 1J0



Muskoka, Ontario1



Phone - +1-631-721-4201



Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/



Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



bishu

CEO

6317214201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 452 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comCEO6317214201

Ultrasonic probe covers are the sterile covers which provide imaging solutions. They are applied on the transducer that is used for scanning and diagnosis. They are used to provide distortion-free images for use in applications such as urology, radiology, cardiology, gynaecology, neurosurgery, etc. They are largely used by radiologist on transducers to carry out ultrasound procedures and image organs including stomach, intestinal walls, pancreas, gall bladder etc. Ultrasonic probe covers are made of high quality natural rubber. They are generally lubricated with water based lubricant and act as hygienic protection for patient during ultrasonic examination. Furthermore, they are reliable and convenient to use.Increasing awareness regarding health has led to considerable increase in full body checkups per year. Furthermore, endocavity examinations across the world have also significantly rose. Ultrasonic probe covers largely serve as a viral barrier for transrectal and transvaginal ultrasound procedures. Thus, rising endocavity examinations are directly driving ultrasonic probe covers market. Furthermore, mandatory government regulations regarding single-use disposable probe covers is another major factor facilitating the growth of the market. For e.g. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposes use of new probe cover for a probe for each patient. The association also recommends every new cover to be highly disinfected.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124910/Ultrasonic-Probe-Covers-Market Ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented on the basis of type, sterility, product type, material, application, and region. On the basis of type, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into linear, curvilinear and phased array. On the basis of sterility, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into sterile and non-sterile. On the basis of product type, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into latex-free. On the basis of material, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into rubber, polyethylene, polyurethane, and others.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124910/Ultrasonic-Probe-Covers-Market On the basis of application, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into urology, radiology, cardiology, gynaecology, neurosurgery, and others. On the basis of region, the ultrasonic probe covers market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America. Amongst all, North America is expected to be the most lucrative ultrasonic probe cover market owing to high personal hygiene awareness, favorable government initiatives, and increasing investment for healthcare equipment in the region.The major players operating in ultrasound probe covers market are CIVCO Medical Solutions Co., Inc., Cone Instruments Inc., Vermed (Nissha Medical Technologies), Fairmont Medical Ltd, GE Healthcare Ltd., Parker Laboratories Inc., Protek Medical Products Ltd, PDC Healthcare Inc., Ecolab Ltd, and MedXL Ltd among others.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124910/Ultrasonic-Probe-Covers-Market
Self-disclosure from the pulpit.

As we approach Holy Week, I am once again brought back to the words of Jesus upon the Cross: Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani. Roughly translated, he uttered, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Like Jesus, preachers this Holy Week will stand before their crowd below and offer beautiful homilies on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Hopefully, these sermons will be filled with helpful insights, inspiring stories, silly jokes, and memorable illustrations. But sadly, many of these sermons will lack one thing that marked Jesus sermon from the Cross: his own struggle to comprehend his Fathers will.

Preaching is essential. Faith comes by hearing the Word, wrote Paul (Rom. 10:17). But just because preaching is essential, that doesnt mean we know all that much about it. I dont understand preaching, once wrote the famed preacher Ian Pitt Watson, but I believe in it deeply. Our enthusiasm about ...
African experts recently gathered in Senegal to discuss illicit financial flows (IFFs) and suggest ways of tackling it in the continent.

At the event, Coumba Toure, the Chairperson of TrustAfrica Foundation, said IFFs in excess of $50 billion leave the African continent annually to tax havens.

According to Ms Toure, who spoke at a meeting in Dakar, Senegal, the money from illicit financial flows is twice as much as the official development aid that Africa receives.

Also, Ebrima Sali, the Executive Director of TrustAfrica, opined that IFFs played a key role in depleting the African continent.

Mr Sali also said there is need for more research into government practices and the effects of the policies that are being adopted to mitigate IFFs.

He said the struggle against IFFs needs to be taken beyond the African continent as IFFs are a global phenomenon.

The Director of Research and Planning at GIABA, Muazu Umaru, said that there is a lack of agreement across board as to what constitutes IFFs.

He also said the amount involved when it comes to IFFs are very staggering and often difficult to track and trace. Where the funds are traced, repatriation of the funds have proved very difficult.

Mr Umaru said mobilising political actors to fight against IFFs is a herculean task; and that multinational companies closely associated with politically exposed persons are very much implicated in the generation, transfer and sharing of IFFs.

He said bringing down top executives of private companies has negative consequences especially on the business.

In his opinion, the realities of IFF can only be understood on a case by case basis.

In the same vein, Oladipo Johnson of CoDA said that Africa loses more in IFFs to countries than it gains from development aid from the same countries.

Staggering losses

Mr Johnson pointed out that although the Mbeki High-Level Panel report shows that up to $50 billion is lost annually in Africa, the reality is that from more recent studies, the figures have gone up to a $100 billion.

Representing the Senegalese Minister of Economy, Finance and Planning at the meeting, Oumar Diallo said repatriation of the proceeds of IFFs to countries was still a major issue. He also spoke on building the capacity of institutions and the need for the private sector and civil society to support governments in the IFFs fight.

Africa loses more in IFFs than it gains from development aid  Experts. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official twitter handle of Amandine Irigoga] Africa loses more in IFFs than it gains from development aid  Experts

Case studies from Mali, Senegal, Central Africa Republic, Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia were presented to give a picture of the state of IFFs in the West African region.

The various existing civil society engagement and advocacy efforts to tackle IFFs in Africa and Research papers were also presented.

The meeting which held March 12-13 focused on Winning the fight against illicit financial flows from Africa: What is the next step? A special focus on West Africa. It brought together a cross-section of participants from different African countries, especially ECOWAS states.

It gave participants the opportunity to assess the civil societys engagement and advocacy to stop illicit financial flows, and strategise on new and existing approaches towards combating illicit financial flows in the West Africa region.
Peter Tabichi, a science teacher from rural Kenya, who gives away most of his salary to support poorer pupils, has won a $1 million prize (about N360 million) for the worlds best teacher.

Mr Tabichi won the 2019 Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize and received his prize at a ceremony in Dubai on Sunday night.

It was hosted by Hollywood actor, Hugh Jackman.

The competition is intended to raise the status of the teaching profession.

He was nominated alongside 9,999 persons drawn from 179 countries.

The award organisers said the math and physics teacher at Keriko secondary school in Pwani Village, gives away 80 per cent of his income to help the poorest students at the poorly-equipped and overcrowded school who can not afford uniforms and books.

According to information on the award website, more than 90 per cent of his pupils are from poor families and almost a third are orphans or have only one parent.

Despite only having one computer, a poor internet connection and a student-teacher ratio of 58:1, he started a talent nurturing club and expanded the schools science club, helping pupils design research projects of such quality that many now qualify for national competitions.

Mr Tabichis students have taken part in international science competitions and won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry after harnessing local plant life to generate electricity.
Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday battled to keep control of Britains exit from the European Union as some in her party called on her to quit.

The parliament, however, plotted to wrest the Brexit process away from her government.

At one of the most important junctures for the country in no less than a generation, British politics was at fever pitch and, almost three years since the 2016 EU membership referendum.

Meanwhile, it was still unclear how, when or if Brexit will take place.

With Mrs May weakened, ministers lined up to insist she was still in charge and to deny any part in, or knowledge of, a reported plot to demand she name a date to leave office.

As speculation swirled around Mrs Mays future, parliament prepared to try to take control of the Brexit process from the government in a series of votes due from 2200 GMT.

Mays divided cabinet of senior ministers met on Monday to discuss a way forward, Mrs Mays spokesman said, though contradictory reports of the discussions, which are supposed to remain private, were swiftly published on Twitter.

The PM opened by suggesting that no deal is not a viable option.

Other ministers said no deal is better than no Brexit.

Other reports said her cabinet war-gamed an election, the Daily Telegraphs deputy political editor Steven Swinford reported.

Amid the chaos, it was unclear when May would bring her divorce deal back to parliament.

The deal Mrs May negotiated with the EU was defeated in parliament by 149 votes on March 12 and by 230 votes on January 15.

We will only bring the vote back if we believe that we would be in a position to win it, Mrs Mays spokesman said, declining to comment on whether it would take place on Tuesday.

Mrs May had to delay Britains original March 29 departure date because of the deadlock in London.

Now, the country will leave the EU on May 22 if Mays deal is approved by parliament this week.

If not, Britain will have until April 12 to offer a new plan or decide to leave without a treaty.

(Reuters/NAN)
The Sokoto State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday rejected the declaration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal as winner of the just-concluded governorship election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has earlier declared Mr Tambuwal winner after Saturdays supplementary election, with a narrow margin of 342 votes,

The Chief Collation/Returning Officer, Prof. Fatima Mukhtar, said Mr Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured the highest votes of 512, 002, defeating his close rival Ahmad Aliyu of the APC, who polled 511, 660 votes.

Addressing a press conference in Sokoto, the APC spokesperson, Bello Danchadi, rejected the declaration on the ground that the process was rocked with irregularities, which he said were duly reported to INEC.

Mr Danchadi said the margin of 342 votes was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held, a development he said contravened the electoral law.

He said the party had also registered its complaints with INEC, which included alleged outright rigging perpetrated by the PDP.

He alleged that some eligible voters at some polling centres were denied voting, and in some places repeated votings were recorded.

We draw the attention of INEC to a number of polling units that were cancelled as a result of violent attacks by thugs, while others were abitrarily cancelled to please certain political party interests.

In view of these we deem it necessary to express our disagreement with the action taken by INEC to declare a winner without giving us a fair hearing in our position in the electoral processes, he said.

(NAN)
More than one week after a woman was exposed for jumping bail after being charged with alleged cocaine possession by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the anti-narcotics agency has kept mum on the scandal.

Olufunke Phillips, who worked as a digital manager for the Lagos State governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, absconded from justice having been granted bail after she was arraigned for illegal possession of 3.14 kilogrammes of cocaine before a federal court in Lagos in 2007.

The suspect (real name: Philip Esther Olufunke) was arraigned by the NDLEA before Justice P.I Ajoku of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court before she, alongside 25 others, absconded after being granted bail by the judge.

The digital strategists sordid past was exposed on March 15 by journalist Ruona Meyer, after a business relationship between the duo went sour.

PREMIUM TIMES had spent the last week trying to reach the NDLEA for their comment on the scandal but phone calls and text messages did not get any response.

Finally reached on Sunday, nine days after the scandal broke, Jonah Achema, the NDLEA spokesperson, said the agency does not have a position yet on the issue.

However, a staff of the agency who did not want to be named told PREMIUM TIMES that the NDLEAs silence is due to their belief that since the suspect had been charged to court, shes no longer under the agencys purview.

Ms Meyer, who holds dual Nigerian-German citizenship, had accused Ms Phillips of intellectual property theft.

The two former business associates had teamed up years ago to establish The Beverage Space, a website that focused on mostly alcoholic drinks.

But Ms Meyer, a former BBC journalist, said she was forced to pull the plug on the project after she became aware of Ms Phillips dark past.

She said her background checks on the woman who had been made the face of the brand showed that she was a fugitive.

Years later, Ms Phillips began her own website which she named The Beverage Room, and Ms Meyer said it was based on the same ideas as The Beverage Space.

In a series of posts on social media, she explained that she was making a public disclaimer to fully dissociate herself from any business dealings she had with Ms Phillips in the past.

Since the scandal broke, repeated efforts to speak with Ms Phillips have been unsuccessful as she has neither picked her calls nor replied text messages.

She has also been rarely seen on social media where she, hitherto, participated actively before she was exposed as a fugitive.

Her only action on social media ever since was to remove all traces, on both her Facebook and Twitter accounts, of a working relationship with Mr Sanwo-Olu, whom she had actively campaigned for in the run-up to the election.
An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has lifted its temporary ban on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to continue with the collation of governorship election results in Bauchi State.

The court had entertained a suit filed by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Governor Mohammed Abubakar, asking the court to determine whether INEC has the powers to decide collation of results after the announcement of a suspension.

Mr Abubakars lawyer, Ahmed Raji, had approached the court requesting among other things, an ex-parte application preventing INEC from proceeding with its decision to collate results in the state.

Clarifying an earlier decision made, following that ex-parte application, the judge, Inyang Ekwo, said there was never a time that his court granted the ex-parte application made by Mr Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

According to the judge, what the court ordered following the earlier application is an order for parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit before him.

The court also said the submissions of Mr Raji that the tribunal could entertain an application emanating from an election matter, only after a return has been made: is a temporary situation that does not have the capacity to stand for long.

According to the judge: the issue at hand happened during an election. And the complaint was also made as a result of an election, subsequently, said Mr Ekwo.

Subsequently the Mr Ekwo declined to give a pronouncement on the substantive matter and deferred his decision to allow the election tribunal make a pronouncement on the substantive matter.

The court also ruled that the order to maintain statusquo earlier granted on the matter had been lifted. Thus allowing the INEC the freedom to proceed with its decision made public in March 15.

INEC had on that date announced its resolve to proceed with the collation of results after previously declaring the Bauchi election inconclusive.

The Peoples Democratic Party won the previous election, as well as the supplementary election conducted on March 23.

INEC could however not formally declare the PDP winner because of the court action.

The PDP candidate, Bala Mohammed, was present at Mondays court session.
President Muhammadu Buharis campaign has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of having illegal access to the computer server of the electoral commssion, INEC.

The spokesperson of Mr Buharis campaign, Festus Keyamo, stated this in a petition sent to the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Service.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the alleged content of the INEC server is one of the major basis of the electoral petition filed by the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the re-election of Mr Buhari.

Mr Abubakar claims that by votes on the INEC server, he won the February 23 presidential election and not Mr Buhari as declared by INEC.

It is based on the petition of Mr Abubakar and other factors that Mr Keyamo petitioned the security chiefs accusing the PDP of illegal access to the INEC server.

Read Mr Keyamos full petition as sent to PREMIUM TIMES below.

1. The Inspector-General of Police,

Police Force Headquarters,

Louis Edet House,

Abuja.

2. The Director-General,

Department of State Services,

Aso Drive,

Abuja.

Dear sirs,

PETITION TO INVITE, INTERROGATE AND INVESTIGATE THE PDP LEADERSHIP OVER ITS ADMITTANCE OF ILLEGAL ACCESS TO INECS SERVER

BACKGROUND

1. It would be recalled that an Electoral (Amendment) Bill containing the provision for electronic transmission of results to INECs central computer system (otherwise called server) was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Assembly for assent late in the year 2018.

2. Despite the shortness of time before the Presidential/National Assembly Elections, and the lack of time to first simulate the process to ensure its effectiveness in a country like ours with problems of effective networks in many rural areas and constant failure of technological devices, together with its violation of the time frame of such laws as provided for in regional and continental Protocols in terms of the length of time required for the passage of such laws before any major election, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party was hell-bent that the President should sign the Bill into law. That was the first indication that the main opposition was up to something sinister regarding the electronic transmission of the results.

3. Upon the last-minute postponement of the February 16, 2019 Presidential/National Assembly Elections, the nation was shocked to see already prepared presidential elections results floating around in the cyber space just less than 24 hours after the postponed election was originally billed to hold! The fake results had details of the scores of the candidates of the major parties. Of course, the fake results gave victory to the candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, even when elections did not hold.

4. The only conclusion one can draw from the above is that the PDP had prepared those results which were to be smuggled into the INEC Server. However, the sudden postponement of the election scuttled that evil plan, but it was too late to restrain the release of the fake results.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

5. The proper elections were held on February 23, 2019 and President Muhammadu Buhari declared the winner. Despite the approval of the elections as credible by nearly all local and international observers (except some few known PDP acolytes masquerading as local observers), the PDP cried foul and made a shocking claim: it claimed that from purported results it obtained from INECs server, it has so-called proof that its candidate won the election by about 1.6million votes!

6. Shockingly and coincidentally, this margin was about the same margin by which it also purportedly won by the fake results released just hours after the postponement of the February 16, 2019 Presidential/National Assembly Elections.

7. As if this expensive joke was not enough, the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have gone ahead to file an Election Petition against the clear victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and have repeated the same outlandish claim of having access to INECs server which shows that they have some purported results at their disposal giving victory to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

8. Sirs, we wish you to note that INECs server is the back end of electronic records of INEC. This is not INECs website but its server! Although, the purported results have been conclusively shown by public engagements to be false and even ridiculous, especially as the total number of accredited voters is exactly equivalent to the purported votes of the APC and PDP candidates, this criminal claim of the PDP has revealed a few things:

(a) It is now clear that some criminally-minded PDP operatives have access to the INEC server to be able to smuggle in fake results into that server.

(b) The only means by which they could have access to the INEC server is by the criminal hacking of the server or through the criminal conspiracy of some INEC officials.

PRAYERS

The APC Presidential Campaign Council hereby prays that the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services use your good offices to investigate the hacking of and/or illegal tampering with the INEC server by the PDP. The leadership of the PDP must be invited, interrogated and investigated and those identified as perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted.

Opposition is healthy in a democracy but it is not a license for criminality and illegality. A country governed by laws cannot be blackmailed or cowed into indolence by the perceived underdog status of the opposition so as to condone such a blatant criminal claim by the PDP of having illegal access to INECs server.

We trust you will act with alacrity.

Thank you.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night hosted state governors and senators-elect of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to a dinner at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that those in attendance included the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and other presidential aides.

The governors of Kogi, Jigawa, Oyo, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, Plateau, Osun and Lagos were also in attendance.

The senators-elect at the event included all those who had directly or indirectly indicated interest to contest for the seat of President of the Senate in the 9th National Assembly.

Prominent among the prospective contestants for the Senate leadership are Ahmed Lawan, Danjuma Goje and Ali Ndume, all from North-east zone of the country, and Abdullahi Adamu from the North-central zone.

Both Messrs Lawan and Ndume have publicly declared their interest and have secured the support of some incoming senators for their ambitions.

The APC zoning formula for the election of a new Senate President for the 9th National Assembly may be part of the issues to be deliberated upon at the dinner.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Oshiomhole met with elected APC members of the House of Representatives.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the APC chairman told the lawmakers to ensure the party controls the leadership of the next House of Representatives.

He said of the 223 APC members that won House of Representatives seats, 164 will be first-time members.

The APC chairman urged the members-elect to work towards ensuring that key positions are all held by APC members.

We have the number to produce speaker and will produce the speaker who must be a member of the APC. We have the number and we will use the number to produce the Deputy Speaker who must be a member of the APC. We have the number and we will use the number to elect the House Leader who must be a member of the APC. We have the number and we will use the number to elect the Chief Whip and deputy who must be a member of the APC. The only position that we are not interested in is the minority leader.

We will not share power in the House of Representatives, he said.
A Catholic priest has been kidnapped in Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria.

John Shekwolo, a reverend father, was kidnapped by armed men in Ankuwa, Kachia Local Government Area of the state, the police said.

The police spokesperson, Yakubu Sabo, said the cleric was kidnapped at about 8 a.m. on Monday when the gunmen went to his residence and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

He explained that a team of police officers were mobilised to the village.

This with a view to combing the general area for possible rescue of the victim and arresting the criminals. The commissioner of police, Ahmad Abdurrahman, appeals to the general public to assist the police with relevant information that could help in curbing the menace of banditry in the state, he said.

Earlier, the Archdiocese of Kaduna, Daniel Kyom, in a statement made available to journalists in the state explained that the kidnapped priest was in charge of Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Ankwa, near Kachia.

We regret to announce that one of our priests, Rev. Fr. John Bako Shekwolo has been kidnapped by unknown persons.

As we ask for the prayers of the faithful of our Archdiocese and beyond the quick release of Fr. Shekwolo, we appeal to the consciences of those who abducted him to kindly release him unharmed, he said.

Kidnapping for ransom is high in Kaduna, Katsina and many other states in Nigeria. The victims include clerics across religious divide, business persons, and other residents of the affected states.
The Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, has said the president did not campaign for his party, the APC after his re-election because he wanted to leave the people to express their will.

He also said the president also did not want the victories of party candidates to be attributed to his influence.

In a series of tweets on his official twitter handle @BashirAhmaad, the aide said Mr Buhari initially wanted to visit some states to campaign but changed his mind insisting Nigerians should be allowed to vote whoever they wanted without his (Buharis) influence.

In politics you can never be fair to all at the same time; APC wanted #PMB to visit some states after presidential election to campaign for some candidates of the party, all set, last minute he canceled and said people should be allowed to vote for whoever they want, but not because of him.

After winning the February 23 presidential election and receiving his certificate of return, the president has maintained a low profile politically to the consternation of many.

According to Mr Ahmad, many of them (party members) accused the president of not doing enough to help his party to win the governorship elections.

After the governorship election on March 9th, some candidates of his APC and their supporters werent happy, they blamed him for not doing enough to help his party to win, while opposition were hailing him, saying that hes a President for all and thats how it should be he said.

In politics you can never be fair to all at the same time; APC wanted #PMB to visit some states after pres. election to campaign for some candidates of the party, all set, last minute he canceled and said people should be allowed to vote for whoever they want, but not b/c of him.  Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) March 23, 2019

The March 9 governorship election was not concluded in some states and supplementary elections were scheduled for March 23.

Elections in Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa Plateau, and Benue State were declared inconclusive and that of Rivers State suspended.

From the announcement of a new date for supplementary election, some candidates got court orders which prevented the commission from concluding supplementary election in Bauchi and Adamawa.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmad explained that a few days to the supplementary election too, efforts were made to make the president record a short video calling for support for APC candidates but the president declined.

Few days to supplementary elections, we wanted President Buhari to record a short video asking people to come out and vote for candidates of his party, the APC, which is very right, again he declined and issued a statement saying that people should vote leaders of their choice.

In short; for elections which President Buhari isnt even on the ballot paper, he has received blames both from his party and opposition, all because he decided not to interfere in the process.

In politics, when one side is hailing you, the other will be blaming you.
Ethiopian Airlines said on Monday that it would work with both local and foreign investigators to unravel the cause of the March 10 fatal crash of its Boeing 737-Max-800 aircraft.

The airline also said that it would continue to work with aircraft manufacturer, The Boeing Company, and the United States Aviation, despite the incident.

Tewolde GebreMariam, the Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), dropped the hint in a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

We will work with investigators in Ethiopia, in the U.S. and elsewhere to figure out what went wrong with flight 302, he said.

NAN reports that the Airlines flight ET302 en route Nairobi from Addis Ababa crashed six minutes after take-off, killing all 157 persons on board.

The incident has led to the grounding of the B737-Max-800 aircraft globally over safety concerns, pending the outcome of investigations into the tragic incident.

Mr GebreMariam said the heartbreak for the families of the passengers and crew who perished would be lasting, adding that the incident had forever changed their lives.

We at Ethiopian Airlines will feel the pain forever. I pray that we all continue to find strength in the weeks and months ahead.

The people of Ethiopia feel this very deeply too. As a state-owned airline and the flagship carrier for our nation, we carry the torch for the Ethiopian brand around the world.

In a nation that is sometimes saddled with negative stereotypes, accidents like this affect our sense of pride.

Yet, this tragedy wont define us. We pledge to work with Boeing and our colleagues in all the airlines to make air travel even safer, he said.

The CEO noted that the pilot and crew of the aircraft were properly trained to fly B-737-Max, adding that the truth would be revealed after the investigation was concluded.

He said that while the airline was fully in support of the grounding of the B737-Max aircraft, its confidence in Boeing had never waned.

Mr GebreMariam said, Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years.

More than two-thirds of our fleet is Boeing. We were the first African airline to fly the 767, 757, 777-200LR.

We were the second nation in the world (after Japan) to take delivery of the 787 Dreamliner.

Less than a month ago, we took delivery of yet new two 737 cargo planes (three different versions from the one that crashed). The plane that crashed was less than five months old.

Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future, he said.

(NAN)
A senior Nigerian lawyer, Femi Falana, has threatened to go to court if the Muhammadu Buhari administration goes ahead to allocate oil blocks to private individuals and corporate bodies.

Mr Falana said such allocations are a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian masses to freedom from discrimination and equal right of access to public property.

His threat was contained in a letter to the president, dated March 20, with a copy made available to PREMIUM TIMES.

In the letter titled, Request to Stop Allocating Oil Blocks to Private Individuals and Corporate Bodies, the lawyer also warned the president to restrict the allocation of oil blocks including marginal fields to the Federal Government and the governments of the 36 states of the Federation.

Read the full text of the letter below:

March 20, 2019

Alhaji Mohammed Buhari,

President & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,

Presidential Villa,

Aso Rock,

Abuja.

Your Excellency,

REQUEST TO STOP ALLOCATING OIL BLOCKS TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATE BODIES

Our attention has been drawn to the decision of the Federal Government to revoke a number of oil blocks and marginal fields hitherto allocated to a few individuals as well as local and foreign corporate bodies by former military and civilian regimes in Nigeria.

While commending Your Excellency for the courageous decision we urge the Federal government to desist from renewing the remaining licenses of other oil block owners in the country. Having acquired the entire property in and control or all minerals, mineral oils and natural gas in, under or upon any land in Nigeria or in, under or upon the territorial waters and vested same in the Federal Government on behalf of the people of Nigeria pursuant to section 44(3) of the Constitution it is inequitable, illegal and unconstitutional to allocate the nations oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies including multinational corporations.

Your Excellency may no doubt be aware that majority of the owners of the oil blocks belonging to the Nigerian people usually sub-lease them to offshore companies as they lack the fund and the technical expertise to develop the oil and gas industry. By merely collecting huge rents the oil block owners become stupendously rich while the federal, state and local governments depend on loans and bailout to pay salaries and carry out basic infrastructural development of the country. Thus, by allocating oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies the Federal Government has violated Section 16(2) (c) of the Constitution which provides that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.

Furthermore, the allocation of oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies by the Federal Government constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to freedom from discrimination, equal right of access to public property and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind as well as the right to social, economic and cultural development guaranteed by articles 2, 13, 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. Therefore, pursuant to article 22 thereof which has imposed a duty on the Federal Government to freely dispose of the wealth and national resources of the nation in the exclusive interests of the Nigerian people we urge Your Excellency to desist from allocating oil and blocks to a select group of Nigerians and foreigners.

In view of the foregoing, we urge Your Excellency to restrict the allocation of oil blocks including marginal fields to the Federal Government and the governments of the 36 states of the Federation. This request is in line with section 16 (1) (b) of the Constitution which has mandated the Nigerian State to control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.

TAKE NOTICE: that if the Federal Government refuses to accede to our request we shall be compelled to challenge the constitutional validity of allocating the oil blocks and other natural resources collectively owned by the Nigerian people but vested in the Federal Government to a few private individuals and corporate bodies.

Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

Yours sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN, FCI Arb.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, on Monday in Abuja, gave a total grant of N20 million to four national academies for publication of professional journals to boost Research and Development (R & D).

Mr Onu said the four academies: Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) and Nigerian Academy of Social Science (NASS), received a cheque of N5 million each.

The minister said the grant would assist the academies to produce journals that would fast track information dissemination of research findings toward national development.

He added that we are making history today. It may be a small beginning, but this is a very important step to integrate all knowledge.

In the past, we supported the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Nigerian Academy of Engineering. Today, we want to expand this by bringing in Nigerian Academy of Letters and Nigerian Academy Social Sciences.

If you are solving a scientific problem, you need to also understand the environment. You also need to understand the relationship with human behaviours.

Mr Onu further said the support was to demonstrate the readiness of the ministry toward supporting the academies future activities.

He said the grant was also to ensure that the national academies no longer depend on foreign funding for their activities.

He added that we think that Nigeria has come of age to make sizeable contribution to your funding.

The NASS President, Mosto Onuoha, who responded on behalf of the academies, thanked the minister, adding that the grant would be used well for the next production of journals.

He said on behalf of the four grant recipients, we want to thank you for your thoughtfulness and concrete action.

We want to thank you for this gesture. We will like to assure you that we will use the fund judiciously to ensure the next edition of our professional journals come out in time.

(NAN)
The Minister of State Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has urged the National Assembly to approve $461.8 million for additional work on the new terminals ongoing across the country.

Mr Sirika made the request when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation on Monday in Abuja for his ministrys budget defence.

He said the required amount, which was needed in addition to the $500 million loan already gotten from China Exim Bank for the purpose would help to tackle some challenges encountered in the process of building the terminals.

He said some of the challenges encountered in the process of building the news terminals were change in the structural design of the airports, foundation footing and escalators.

The minister also said there was a need to make provisions for the biggest modern aircraft, change in departure and arrival floors to flow with railway station, provision of adequate power supply and relocation of control tower and fire service station, among others.

The challenges have resulted in the need for variation and additional works to the tune of $461,795, 551.02, which has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), he said.

Mr Sirika, a former senator, stressed that the China Exim Bank had indicated willingness to consider funding additional works.

He added that the ministry had written to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to provide for the sum of $73.9 million as counterpart fund in 2019 outside the ministrys proposed national budget.

He said the airports being worked upon were already wearing new looks befitting of modern airports.

According to Mr Sirika, two of the new terminals, in Port Harcourt and Abuja have been commissioned, while Lagos and Kano will be completed shortly.

He said adequate provision had been made to complete the new terminal buildings at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

He solicited the support of the National Assembly and other stakeholders to ensure all needed equipment necessary for safety and security were provided to meet the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as outlined by regulatory aviation bodies.

The minister assured that more bilateral and multilateral air service agreements would be signed for the benefits of travellers.

On the 2019 budget proposal, the minister said the sum of N47.5 billion was being proposed for Capital Expenditure at the headquarters.

He said the amount would be used in sustaining infrastructurel renewal at the airports by driving the remodelling projects to upgrade of air navigational equipment, safety and security infrastructure.

On the 2018 budget implementation level, he said the total appropriation for the Aviation sub-sector for 2018 was N26.9billion out of which the sum of N3.12 billion representing 11.6 per cent was released to the sector.

He said the sum of N2.99 billion representing 96 per cent had been expended as at March 15.

The minister added that the sum of N508.8 million was appropriated for overhead expenditure for the whole Ministry of Transport, which includes Aviation, Marine and Land sectors.

According to him, of the said amount, N296.8 million, representing 58.3 per cent was released, while N296.8 million representing 99.9 per cent was expended as at December 2018.

Mr Sirika said the ministry was funded from national budget, but agencies under it like Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and Accident Investigation Bureau were also funded from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

However, he said, the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) were wholly funded from their IGR.

(NAN)
A civil society group, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has called for the establishment of a Microfinance bank dedicated to Hajj activities.

IHR also called on the Nigerian government to put in place a new policy that will allow civil servants who intend to perform Hajj to use their pension fund contributions to pay for the pilgrimage.

This was contained in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, and publicity secretary, Abubakar Mahmoud, on Monday.

The civil society, which monitors hajj activities in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia also called for the establishment of a hajj microfinance bank, as well as periodic deduction of hajj funds from monthly earning of consenting government workers to pay for hajj seats.

Due to the global increase in the cost of hajj expenditures, several countries have now resorted to adopting a system that allows their citizens to pool resources together in order to ease financial obligations of Hajj as opposed to on the spot payments.

Some of the procedures allow intending pilgrims to use part of their savings to augment payment for the cost of Hajj, the statement said.

Having reviewed the financial challenges faced by average Nigerian civil servant in paying for hajj seats, we wish to urge the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), to partner with the Nigeria Pension Commission (PenCom) to create a policy architecture that will allow civil servants who wish to perform Hajj using their contributions in pension funds to do so, the civil society said.

The statement said such policies should be incorporated into the proposed hajj saving scheme that will integrate legally established financial institutions in the country.
An ecstatic President Donald Trump fired a tweet on Sunday to celebrate the end of a nearly two-year investigation that found him not guilty of collusion with Russians during the 2016 presidential elections in the United States.

Mr Trump has been extremely critical of the highly publicised probe that commenced shortly after he was elected in November 2016.

Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), was appointed a special counsel to oversee the inquiry.

The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, Mr Mueller was quoted as stating in a four-page excerpt of his report circulated on Sunday by U.S. Attorney-General William Barr.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION, Trump tweeted. KEEP AMERICA GREAT, Mr Trump tweeted shortly after the disclosure Sunday.

Although Mr Mueller was unambiguous in his exoneration of Mr Trump on the Russian collusion allegations, his report left open the critical question about whether or not the president was culpable in obstruction of justice.

Mr Trump heavily criticised Mr Mueller in scores of tweets and public comments since the investigation commenced.

He described the investigation as a witch-hunt, and there were reports he mulled firing Mr Mueller at some point.

Now that the final submission cleared him of any wrongdoing in collusion, Mr Trump and his fellow Republicans have been quick to embrace Mr Mueller.

Democrats quickly downplayed the report as only one of several serious investigations into Mr Trumps activities, and said they would now shift focus to those.

Mr Muellers office indicted about 37 persons, including top aides and associates of Mr Trump, in the course of his probe.

Some of them, like Paul Manafort, were exposed for their shady foreign deals, mostly with Russians and Ukrainians, during the collusion probe, but were not found culpable of facilitating foreign interference in American elections.

American media reported on Sunday that Mr Trump might consider pardoning all his associates who were indicted by Mr Mueller because he saw them as a victim of a larger investigation that ultimately amounted to nothing.
The governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has called on members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and residents of the state to remain calm and be law-abiding after the Court of Appeal nullified the primaries of the party in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Monday how a Sokoto divisional of Appeal Court set aside the judgement delivered by Zamfara High Court, allowing the APC to field candidates in the 2019 elections.

In the judgement, which was adopted by the two other judges in the panel, Tijjani Abubakar and Jamilu Tukur, Justice Tom Yakubu held that the lower court failed to perform its duty to properly evaluate the evidence before it.

The Appeal is hereby allowed. The judgement of the lower court delivered on the 25th, January 2019 by Shankafi in suit No ZMS/GS/52/2018 is hereby set aside. Parties shall bear their costs.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Yari said the judgement did not invalidate the Zamfara elections.

Below is the statement by Governor Yari

Following the decision by the Sokoto Division of the Court of appeal this morning, setting aside, the rulling by Justice Bello Shinkafi led Zamfara State High Court on the APC Governorship and state assembly Primaries conducted on the 3rd and 7th October last year across the nooks and crannies of Zamfara state.

His Excellency the Executive Gov of Zamfara state Hon (Dr) Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar appeals to all the law abiding members of the APC and indeed all the citizenry of Zamfara state including members of all political parties to remain calm and law-abiding, pending the release of the judgement which is currently being prepared for presentation to the public.

However, unlike the rumours now awash all social media platforms that the Court of appeal Sokoto Division has nullified our elections, is not true. The statement is incorrect. Those circulating the rumours are doing so to cause mayhem in our state to satisfy the ego of their masters. You may recall that they have been doing so to mislead the public.

What the Court of appeal Sokoto Division division did this morning was setting aside the judgement by the Zamfara State High Court on the ground of  EXAMINATION OF PROOFS OF EVIDENCE . This has nothing to do with our elections.

The Court has not in anyway tempered with our elections, as only Tribunal has the right to listen to issues arising from election matters. Again, the Court of appeal Sokoto Division has not in anyway tempered with the processes of the primary elections. It only faulted the examination of the proofs of evidence.

Furthermore, the processes of filing the appeal were done after the expiration of period within which to do so. For these reasons, His Excellency the Executive governor of Zamfara state and Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and Senator- elect, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar is appealing to all members of the APC and its supporters to remain calm and law-abiding.

While awaiting the release of the judgement by the Sokoto Division of the Court of appeal, before taking it to the  Next Level, Gov Yari thanks and appreciates the concern by all party members and supporters.

Signed

Mal Ibrahim Dosara

Hon Special Adviser to the Executive Gov of Zamfara state (Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications )

25/03/2019
The deputy governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Akpo Yeeh, has defected from his party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has declared support for Governor Nyesom Wike.

The AAC, backed by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, emerged the major opposition party against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State after the court barred Mr Amaechis All Progressives Congress (APC) from being on the ballot because of an internal struggle within the party.

Governorship and the House of Assembly elections are yet to be concluded in the state.

Mr Wike, the governorship candidate of the PDP, is seeking re-election for a second term. He has been facing a tough battle from the APC and Mr Amaechi, who is Mr Wikes political archrival.

The election battle most often gets bloody, leading to several people getting killed or injured.

Mr Yeeh on Monday visited Mr Wike at the Government House, Port Harcourt, to formally inform the governor that he was no longer a deputy governorship candidate of the AAC.

I officially announce the withdrawal of my candidacy for the AAC. My loyalty is with the PDP. I cannot afford to leave the fast lane and go to the slow lane, a government house statement quoted Mr Yeeh as telling Governor Wike, in the presence of the national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus.

The Rivers government has been gloating over the political development, circulating photos of Mr Yeehs visit on Facebook and Twitter.

Governor Wike said history would be kind to Mr Yeeh for placing Rivers interest above personal consideration.

Apparently referring to Mr Amaechi, the governor said the interest of one man cannot be bigger than the interest of the state.

You are welcome to the party that will move the state forward, the governor said.

Those on the other side must understand that you cannot kill people, just to be in power. With this bold decision, our brothers on the other side know that the end has come, he added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the electoral process in the Rivers governorship and the House of Assembly elections because of violence and other irregularities.

INEC has said it would resume the collation of results in the state from April 2 to April 5.
The Election Petitions Tribunal set up for the 2018 governorship election in Osun State has declared Ademola Adeleke winner of the election.

The three-member panel said during its ruling in Abuja Friday afternoon that the rerun election that held on September 27, 2018, was illegal.

The tribunal, therefore, deducted the votes scored by the APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola at the rerun after declaring the rerun illegal.

The tribunal said Mr Adeleke won the election at the first ballot on September 22 and the rerun that INEC devised to reach a final conclusion a week later was illegal.

Read our earlier story on the tribunal declaration here
Suspected herdsmen have sacked Merte and Nendem villages in Akwanga local government area of Nasarawa State following a dispute with some youth in the area.

Samaila Usman, an assistant superintendent of police and spokesperson of the Nasarawa State Police Command confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lafia, the state capital.

According to Mr Usman, trouble began on March 23, when a suspected herdsman allegedly assaulted and raped a lady in the area, who later died at the General Hospital, Akwanga.

Suspected Mada youth mobilised and attacked a Fulani settlement in the area, killed one person and some animals in the process.

Later, some suspected Fulanis, in a reprisal attack, touched Merte and Nendem villages burning 27 houses, Mr Usman said.

He said that apart from the lady and the Fulani that was killed, no further lives were lost to the skirmishes.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, had deployed a detachment of officers to the area to forestall escalation of the situation.

Mr Usman also said the police was working hard to ensure amicable resolution of the problem by summoning a stakeholders meeting for dialogue.

He appealed to the people to desist from taking laws into their hands and to give peace a chance.

(NAN)
It is no longer news that Senator Godswill Akpabio was beaten silly by Engr. Christopher Ekpenyong in the Senatorial election for Akwa Ibom North West. Ekpenyong won convincingly in 8 out of the 10 Local Government Areas in the Senatorial District polling 118,215 to Akpabios 83,158 votes.

The result which demonstrated in graphic terms Akpabios mighty fall did not come as a surprise to perceptive observers and analysts. We will now examine the factors which led to Akpabios uncommon political demolition.

We must admit that Akpabio largely succeeded in conning the whole nation to think of him as a political heavyweight. He always boasted that he was the new Tinubu of Nigerian politics. He was delusional and ready to do anything to sustain himself in power. But, Senator Akpabios political strength was grossly overrated.

This fact was confirmed when Akpabio left PDP to join APC in August last year virtually alone with only two serving commissioners and 2 out of the 26 members of the State House of Assembly.

For a man who always boasted that he was the sole owner of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State and that he SINGLE-HANDEDLY made Udom Emmanuel Governor, Akpabios rejection by the entire PDP structure in Akwa Ibom State in August last year at the time of his defection to the APC was a demystification of Akpabio. It also confirmed the fact that Akpabio had lost out woefully to Governor Udom Emmanuel in the battle for the soul of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State.

In order to divert attention from his political bashing by Udom Emmanuel, Akpabio made false promises to President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC leaders. Akpabio told the APC leadership that he would defect to the APC with 20 serving Senators and that he (Akpabio) would remove Bukola Saraki as Senate President within one week. He also lied that he would SINGLEHANDEDLY deliver Akwa Ibom State and other South South States to APC during the Presidential election.

At the campaigns in Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio and his wife spared no effort in announcing to bemused crowds that he (Akpabio) was the incoming Senate President. In the end, he couldnt even win his own Senatorial election.

Another factor that contributed to Akpabios downfall is the fact that he is perceived as a man who is treacherous and lacks integrity. In the build up to the 2015 Presidential elections, Akpabio and even his wife, in several videos now trending on YouTube threw caution to the winds and hurled unprintable insults on President Buhari claiming he was senile and an illiterate without certificate. At that time Akpabio claimed he was ready to die for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. When he began to court President Buhari, he shamelessly declared that while he was campaigning for Jonathan and insulting Buhari his heart was with Buhari!!!

In 2014 Chief Umana Umana, Don Etiebet, late Dr Ime Umana, Obong Rita Akpan, Dr Ime Okopido, Hon Robinson Uwak, Chief Edet Nkpubre, Engr Ita Awak, Hon Uwem Udoma, Hon Akanimo Edet, Mr. Cosmas Ibanga, Mr. Inibehe Okorie, Hon Sonni Udom, late Okon Uwah and hundreds of other notable leaders of the PDP moved to the APC when they could no longer accept Akpabios excesses and impunity.

At that time Akpabio saw Akwa Ibom State as a conquered territory and he ran it as his personal estate. He hounded, harassed and persecuted the PDP leaders who moved to APC to campaign for the election of Buhari.

Akpabio called these leaders traitors who deserved to die because, according to him, they were supporting a Fulani man. Some of these leaders including Hon Okon Uwah and Albert Ukpana were brutally assassinated after Akpabio issued his oppose- me-and- die order.

When Akpabio came to join the APC last year, the APC leaders as a mark of respect and support for President Buhari graciously directed their members to attend the Rally to receive Akpabio into APC. Sadly, acting as a man without a conscience, Akpabio got the national leadership of the Party to announce him as leader of the Party over the same leaders he had persecuted in the past for supporting Buhari.

The imposition of Akpabio as leader was done without any prior consultation or attempt to appease the aggrieved leaders. The leaders could only pray for Gods divine intervention to address the injustice.

During the 2015 Presidential Elections in Akwa Ibom State, result sheets could not be found in any of the units and Umana Umana led other APC leaders in a mass protest to INEC Office Uyo the day after the elections. By the time Akpabio wrote the results, he allocated about a million votes to Jonathan and about 58000 votes to Buhari whereas the Card Reader Report showed that total accredited voters was less than 500,000.

It is instructive that the PDP candidate in the last Presidential election Atiku Abubakar was banking on Udom Emmanuel writing results and allocating one million votes to him following the Akpabio example in 2015. Kudos to President Buhari and INEC who made it possible for elections to hold and votes to count in Akwa Ibom and other States in the South South and South East for the first time, thus ending the era when results were written by unscrupulous politicians and bogus results declared.

Akpabio failed the last elections because the people of Abak remembered their sons who suffered untold humiliation and assassination during the reign of Akpabio.

The people of Ini and Ikono voted against Akpabio because, as Governor he was a sectional leader who developed only his area and did not build a single kilometer of road in the Ikono/Ini axis and in LGAS like Obot Akara and Oruk Anam of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District.

Akpabio is known to have humiliated an illustrious son of Ikono Sen. Aloysius Etuk on National Television in 2012 when he (Akpabio) claimed that he SINGLEHANDEDLY made him a Senator by crossing out the name of the person who won the primaries and replacing it with Etuks name. Akpabio in his delusion falsely claims he made everybody in Akwa Ibom State. But who was Akpabio before former Governor Victor Attah appointed him a Commissioner in 2002.

Senator Godswill Akpabio used the weapon of blackmail to cause a rift between former President Jonathan and prominent South South leaders such as Rotimi Amaechi and Timipre Sylva. These leaders left the PDP in frustration. Akpabio was to return to APC to humiliate these same leaders who risked their lives when it really mattered to work for the election of President Buhari in 2014/2015. Akpabio arrogantly installed himself as the new leader of the South South who will typically SINGLEHANDEDLY win the states in the zone for APC.

Akpabio failed the last elections because the people remembered how he betrayed and paid back with evil all those who helped him in his journey through life- the late Christy Igbokwe, late Ime Umana, late Pastor Onyong Asuquo, Atuekong Don Etiebet, Obong Victor Attah, late Chief Fidelis Etim, OtuIta Toyo, Umana Umana, Arch Bishop Samuel Akpan etc.

The list is endless. This explains why many people who understand Akpabios record of treachery and ingratitude to his benefactors were amused when he accused Gov. Udom Emmanuel who refused to be his stooge of ingratitude.

Akpabio lost the last elections because he couldnt subvert the will of the people by writing the results of the elections and mocking his victims by advising them to go to court. In the 2015 Senatorial Results for Akwa Ibom North West, Akpabio fraudulently and ridiculously allocated 422,006 votes to himself and 15,152 votes to Chief Inibehe Okorie, whereas the total number of accredited voters was 205,519.

To further demonstrate that Akpabio in 2015, unilaterally allocated votes in connivance with the then State INEC REC, in Akpabios LGA of Essien Udim, 90,053 were said to have been accredited (in the fabricated results) out of 93,884 registered voters representing a fictitious 95.9% voter turnout!! Thanks to the new REC, Barr. Mike Igini and President Buhari, Akpabio could not repeat the fraud and impunity of 2015 of writing his own result even before the elections. May God bless Mr. Mike Igini and President Buhari for allowing the will of the people to prevail.

Finally, for too long Akpabio thought he had become a god who controlled the destiny of the people of Akwa Ibom State and even Nigeria.

During the campaigns Akpabio boasted that he could make and unmake governors at his pleasure. He announced himself to the bemused long suffering Akwa Ibom people as the incoming Senate President.

In order to con the people of Akwa Ibom State into believing that he had become President Buharis confidant he struggled for photo opportunities with the President and gate crashed or bought his way into his events and programs.

The social media is filled with photos and videos of Akpabio and President Buhari. The same scenario played out in the case of former President Jonathan when Akpabio professed his unending love for Patience and Good luck Jonathan while insulting and demonizing President Buhari. Akpabios penchant for sycophancy, treachery and manipulation is legendary.

Akpabio also lost the elections because he brought his PDP culture of impunity and imposition of unpopular candidates to APC. He imposed Emmanuel Ekon, Nse Ntuen, Emmanuel Akpan as candidates for elections and prevented popular and loyal members of the Party from participating in the primaries.

Akpabio should accept the reality of his defeat. He is not the only Senator who failed to win his election. Twenty three (23) incumbent Senators failed their reelection bid. Political heavyweights like Senate President Bukola Saraki, Senator George Akume, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi (a sitting governor), Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso, Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Senator Nelson Effiong etc have also not been re-elected.

How could Akpabio have won when the APC also lost the three House of Representative seats in his Senatorial District and all National Assembly elections were held at the same time? Akpabio should stop his infantile and baseless accusations against INEC. Independent observers local and foreign have adjudged the last Presidential and National Assembly elections as credible.

But in all of these, God has the final say and we must reap what we sow. Karma is as sure as death. But will Akpabio learn. Will he respect the will of the people? Our God, the truly Almighty and Sovereign God heard the cries of all those who prayed for justice.

Signed

Prince Albert Ukpong Esu,

Convener,

CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY, POLICY AND VALUE STUDIES, Abuja

Dr. Ambgare Amabara,

Director Civic Engagement

CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY, POLICY AND VALUE STUDIES, Abuja
The press secretary to Bauchi State governor, Abubakar Alsadique, says his principal, Muhammed Abubakar, has not conceded defeat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Bala Mohammed.

Mr Mohammed, a former senator and FCT minister, polled the largest number of votes so far declared by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) in the yet to be concluded Bauchi State governorship election.

After the last supplementary election, Bauchi State has one more hurdle to cross, which is the collation of results from Tafawa Balewa local government.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Abubakar on Monday morning lost a suit at an Abuja High Court where he sought to stop INEC from resuming collation of the Tafawa Balewa local government result.

On Monday afternoon, while the INEC in Bauchi State resumed the regeneration of election results from Tafawa Balewa local government, the news went wild on social media that the governor had conceded defeat and congratulated Mr Mohammed.

The governors spokesperson promptly issued a statement debunking the report.

Our attention has been drawn to a trending fake news, said to have been issued by me on behalf of His Excellency, the spokesperson wrote.

The said news is a fake news. We have genuine channels of disseminating all our press statements to media organisations, which we have not done.

It should, therefore, be disregarded, please.
A former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Daniel Onjeh, on Sunday wept after INEC declared Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue winner of the 2019 governorship election in the state.

Mr Onjeh, who started crying in reaction to Mr Ortoms victory at his home town in Ogbadibo, stated that he was weeping for Benue people.

According to him, he did not know how they would be able to endure another four years of torture and deprivation under Mr Ortom.

Mr Onjeh said he was not sure if President Muhammadu Buhari would release more bailout funds and Paris Club refunds to Benue in the next four years since the ones released before had not been accounted for.

He said he wept for Benue workers, pensioners and their families because they went out enmass to vote out Mr Ortom for nonpayment of salaries and pensions.

Mr Onjeh is also the Board Chairman, Project Development Agency (PRODA)

How long will the children of workers and pensioners in Benue be out of school for lack of financial support from their incapacitated and oppressed parents?

How long will Benue workers and pensioners endure this hunger and denial as a result of nonpayment of their wages?

The painful side is that the same resources the workers and pensioners were denied, were the same Ortom used to buy votes.

Mr Onjeh expressed surprise at the way PDP big shots in Benue, who condemned Mr Ortoms governance style while he was in APC, made a U-turn to support the same man they condemned.

Im surprised at how David Mark, who accused Ortom of distribution of wheelbarrows to Benue youths as the only project he has done, could turn around and support the same Ortom to win second term in office.

Suswam also accused Ortom of ballooning the wage bill when Ortom was in APC but turned around to support him to win a second term in office.

Abba Moro also condemned Ortom and said that he failed woefully as such, does not deserve a second term but turned around to support him because he defected to their party.

This flip-flap Politicians behavior shows that they are only working for their own selfish purpose and not for the common good of the masses as always portrayed, Mr Onjeh lamented.

The former student unionist therefore, encouraged Emmanuel Jime of the APC who contested against Mr Ortom not to give up on the fight for his mandate.

Mr Onjeh urged Mr Jime to head to the tribunal, pointing out that he had good grounds to do so since there were so many irregularities of rigging and electoral malpractices in the conduct of the election.

I expected INEC to have cancelled the places where the use of Card Readers was even disregarded.

The places are Guma, Logo, Buruku, Ukum and Vandeikya local government areas.

(NAN)
Police say they have rescued a five-year-old girl from kidnappers in Lafia, Nassarawa State.

The girl, Aisha Ibrahim, was kidnapped in Warri, Delta State, on March 16 while on her way to school, and taken to Lafia, the police said on Monday in a statement from its spokesperson, Frank Mba.

The police said a man, Abdullahi Abubakar, who is well-known to the victims family, abducted the little girl while pretending to help her cross the road in Warri.

The police said Mr Abubakar, 30, took the girl to Lafia and kept her with his mother, Jummai Salihu, 62, before contacting the victims parents for ransom.

Both suspects have been taken into police custody, while the girl has been reunited with her parents.

The suspects have made useful statements to the Police on the roles they played in the kidnap of young Aisha.

Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other persons, particularly one Inusah Ibrahim, 58, of No.7 UCC Road, Hausa Quarters, Warri, Delta State, connected to the crime, the police said.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has thanked the people of the state for re-electing him for a second term.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Sunday declared Mr Ganduje winner of the Kano State governorship supplementary election held Saturday.

In the supplementary election held in 28 of the 44 local government areas in the state, Mr Ganduje won by scoring 45,876 votes to the PDP Abba Yusufs 10,239.

The State Returning Officer, Prof. Bello Shehu, announced that the governor got 1,033,695 votes while Mr Yusuf polled 1,024,713.



Mr Ganduje , who made the promise in his re-election speech on Sunday night in Kano, called on all to join hands with him to build the state.

He also said that he would run an all-inclusive government that will carry everyone along in the administration of the state.

The governor thanked the people for believing in his capacity to lead them and for the peaceful conduct of the March 23 re-run election.

The governor also promised not to fail the electorate.

He also pledged to consolidate on his achievement and also embark on people oriented project.

We going to complete all projects and initiate new ones and we are also open to new ideas and new vision, he said.

The governor who thanked God for the resounding victory urged the people of the state irrespective of their political inclination to join hands to move Kano forward.

I thank all who voted me, those that did not vote me and and those who did not vote at all, he said.

Girl child education, agriculture, women and youth empowerment, healthcare delivery, peace and security will be my focus in the next four years.

I thank you for the fresh mandate and I promise to serve you better because the victory is not for me or my deputy, the victory is for the good people of Kano.

As we get ready to start our second term, I urge you to continue to maintain the peace we have so far enjoyed, he said.

He commended INEC for its professionalism and also thanked the electorate in the state for re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari.

(NAN)
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has described as highly disappointing, the inability of the police to manage situations leading to widespread violence and unchecked intimidation of voters during Saturdays supplementary governorship election in Kano state.

The group said it was seriously perturbed by the decisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents to continue with the election despite reported outcries and an anticipated threat to the peaceful electoral process as evident in some polling centres.

It said such incidents constitute a total breach of Section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act which calls for immediate postponement of elections in such circumstance.

We, therefore, call on INEC to discountenance the supplementary elections and return to status quo prior to the 23rd March 2019, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), the groups Executive Director said in a statement Sunday evening.

Anything of short will be setting a very dangerous precedent where the use of force to capture electoral gain will become the rule rather than the exception.

Despite widespread reports of violence in Kano Saturday, INEC on Sunday declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, winner of the governorship supplementary election.

Mr Ganduje lost the first election held on March 9 by about 26,000 votes, but his total votes in the two polls put him ahead of his main challenger, the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abba Yusuf. Mr Ganduje has been formally declared the winner of the election by INEC.

The PDP earlier before the announcement rejected the results, saying many of its agents were attacked and some killed.

The PDP also said thugs were brought into Kano from neighbouring states by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), who allegedly intimidated and stopped PDP supporters from voting.

Mr Yusuf, the PDP candidate, had also warned INEC against declaring Mr Ganduje winner. He said such announcement by INEC will throw the state into an unprecedented political crisis and will be resisted.

Police Downplay A source of Concern

The police have however played down the reports of violence saying the election was largely peaceful.

In the statement, CISLAC boss said down-playing by the police of the obvious problems that arose in the rerun is a source of concern.

We are surprised that even with the deployment of highly placed police personnel, the situation could not be managed.

Few days before Saturdays polls, a video showing the Kano State chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Abbas, describing the supplementary governorship election in the state as a do or die went viral on the internet.

In the short video, the party chairman also assured supporters his party would provide maximum protection for its members even if it means ensuring the dismissal of police officers who try to restore order.

Double Standard?

The group also expressed surprise over what it described as a clear case of double standard reportedly maintained by both Kano REC and the State Returning Officer who had agreed and called for cancellation of the earlier result from Gama as thugs disrupted the collation process; and their present reluctant to cancel the latest results given despite widespread violence across all the 62 polling units.

We also bemoan a dishonest move by four presiding officers from Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state, who made away with the result of the election to an undisclosed location. This hampers credibility and further justifies our call for discountenancing of the supplementary elections, it said.

The group further condemned in totality the open display of lawlessness and rascality involving indiscriminately massive deployment of hoodlums in the conduct of supplementary gubernatorial elections with resultant sabotage of electoral process and loss of lives in Kano state.

Sokoto, Plateau, Kano, Bauchi and Benue were the five states where supplementary polls held to determine governorship positions, while voters turned out in other states like Lagos, Imo and the Federal Capital Territory to determine local assembly seats.
Yobe North Senator, Ahmed Lawan, has flagged off his campaign to become the next Senate President.

Mr Lawan, currently the Senate Leader, kicked off the campaign in Lagos on Sunday urging his colleagues to endorse and vote for him.

Details of the kick off was published by The Nation.

Mr Lawan has had his eyes on the number three position since 2015.

In 2015, the APC endorsed him following zoning of the position of the president of the Senate to the North-east.

However, he failed as the incumbent, Bukola Saraki, emerged president of the Senate against his partys wish.

Mr Sarakis reign was characterised by faceoffs between the executive and legislature even before he dumped the APC in 2018.

Agenda

On Sunday, Mr Lawan said the next Senate would assist the country by helping President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve his agenda.

He said the doctrine of the separation of powers should not translate into an unnecessary rift that will cripple harmonious working relations among the organs of government to the detriment of the country.

He announced his campaign slogan to be: A Senate and National Assembly that works for Nigeria.

His campaign manager, Yahaya Abdullahi (senator, Kebbi North), said Mr Lawans entry into the race is a new beginning for the Senate. He also hailed Oluremi Tinubu for the partnership for the progressive agenda.

Mrs Tinubu, the wife of senior APC leader, Bola Tinubu, had few weeks ago made public her intent to become the next Deputy Senate President.

Mr Lawan, who described himself as a progressive, observed that the next Senate will be made up of seasoned professionals, technocrats and statesmen, adding that the experience we have garnered will help us to assist the country through legislation.

I have been in the National Assembly for almost 20 years. I have served in the House of Representatives for eight years and the Senate for 12 years, I thank God and my people for renewing my mandate.

I am a progressive. I was an APP and later, ANPP House of Representatives member and I am now in the APC. I believe in the progressive politics, in ensuring that ordinary people  the masses  get support and opportunities to actualise their potentials and dreams. We should support entrepreneurship and business to grow and thrive for employment to boom.

We need a National Assembly that will look at Nigeria as its constituency. We want a Senate and a National Assembly that will maintain cordiality, synergy and cooperation with other arms of government.

Mr Lawan said the welfare of Nigerians should not be compromised, adding that jobs and wealth should not be concentrated in a few hands.

He said the relationship among the three organs should be characterised by cooperation, collaboration, partnership and synergy.

We may disagree. Our perspective(s) may differ. We dont go to the market square to settle our differences. We should be able to meet and discuss issues and make compromise in the national interest. That is the way to grow democracy. We may disagree, but the disagreement should not escalate, he said.
An early morning fire outbreak on Monday destroyed seven classrooms at Badawa Secondary School in Kano.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the incident in a statement in Kano.

He said the seven classrooms were razed at about 1:30 a.m., adding that investigation revealed that the incident was as a result of a suspected electric spark from one of the laboratory classes.

Cause of the inferno was suspected to be as a result of electric spark from one of the laboratory classes.

No loss of life or injury recorded, he added.

He said the fire was brought under control by the firefighters.

Mr Haruna called on the people of Kano State to continue with their daily activities, stressing that people should not panic.

(NAN)
A 50-year-old blind man, Abubakar Umar of Sabon Gida Kano Road, on Monday prayed a Kaduna Sharia Court ll Magajin Gari to recover his N350 and radio set from a repairs man.

Mr Umar told the court that his radio set was the only friend he had and he was tired of going to the repairers shop seeking back his N350 and the radio set.

I am a blind beggar, I suffered to raise that N350, he must give me back my money and radio set, he has betrayed the trust I had in him.

I am tired of going to his shop. Sometimes he tells his boys to tell me that he has travelled and when I go to the shop, I hear his voice speaking softly.

The respondent, 51-year-old Garba Abubakar of Sabon Gida Guragu Street, Kano Road, Kaduna, who appeared in the court with the radio set, told the court that he delayed fixing the radio due to the unstable power supply.

I fixed the radio set. I was only keeping it for him to come and get it.

Umar has a temper. The last time he came to my shop, he began hitting everybody with his stick, I refused to give him the radio because of his last action, he added.

After listening to their testimonies, the judge, Musa Saad-Goma, ordered Mr Abubakar to tune the radio to a particular station, to see if the radio was working.

The judge also ordered Mr Umar (the blind man) to touch the radio to confirm if it was his.

However, Mr Umar tested the radio and further complained that the stations are not tuning and that the ambience was very low.

The judge further urged Mr Umar to remain calm and not to go to the repairers shop again for any action, promising that the case will be solved amicably.

(NAN)
Election observers in Akwa Ibom on Monday narrated their experiences in the just concluded general elections in the state.

At a post-election event in Uyo, one local observer said vote-buying was a phenomenon in the elections.

The two major political parties, PDP and APC, struggled to outdo each other in the amount of money they were giving out to voters during the election, the observer said while narrating his experience in the election.

He said one party, through its agent at the polling unit, was dishing out money in naira to voters, while the other party was paying in dollars.

More than 30 observers attended the event. Most of them were of the opinion that the elections, though fraught with irregularities, was generally free, fair, and credible.

Apart from one local government area where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the House of Assembly election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in all the elections in the state.

The event, tagged Stakeholders Briefing on Niger Delta Watch 2019, was organised by Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.

Joseph Ekong, the SDN team lead, said they monitored the elections in the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, tracking incidents that occurred with the intention of getting the information across to stakeholders like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police and other security agencies, as well as the media.

Mr Ekong said he was hopeful that the information gathered from the field and passed on to the stakeholders would be used for the purpose of improving future elections in the country.

Policy Alert, an NGO in Akwa Ibom, coordinated the monitoring of the elections in the state.

Tijah Bolton-Akpan, the executive director of Policy Alert, in his presentation at the briefing, said elections in the state was characterised by violence, ballot-stealing, vote-buying, harassment of election observers and journalists, and the late arrival of voting materials.

Our observer in Oruk Anam Local Government Area had to hide in the bush for several hours till around 9 p.m.

In Ibiono Ibom, the PO (presiding officer) in one polling unit had to run through the bush to get to the collation centre. We had reports of thugs being arrested in hotels in Uyo, a day to elections, Mr Bolton-Akpan said.

Mr Bolton-Akpan spoke about the razing of the local office of INEC, the burning down of buses conveying election materials in the state, and the cancellation of elections in some wards in Essien Udim and Udung Uko local government areas due to violence and other malpractices.

For fear of violence, there was a low turnout of voters in the governorship election in the state, compared to the presidential election, he said.

Mr Bolton-Akpan said INEC wasted much time in deploying election officials and materials for the elections.

He said members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who participated in the elections were kept in deplorable conditions which affected their performance in the elections.

The ad-hoc officials were not well-trained. Theres a need for voters to understand that what you give is what you get. Its time the electorate take the electoral process seriously.

On the whole, the election in Akwa Ibom State in 2019 was an improvement on that of the 2015 elections. But there is much that still needs to be done, he said.

Commendation

However, a university lecturer, Aniekan Brown, who attended the briefing, said INEC deserves some commendations for the 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom.

Mr Brown, a lecturer in the department of sociology and anthropology, University of Uyo, said the just concluded elections was the nearest to the best in the state.

INEC has done its best to educate voters in the state, it is left for political parties to take up the responsibility of voter-education, he said.

Even the politicians themselves are not politically educated, Mr Brown added.
APTC Students at Fatumauri Bay with Ovation of the Seas in Port Vila Harbor, yesterday
The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) will on Saturday graduate 9,452 students with 106 of them bagging First Class degrees.

Ndowa Lale, a professor and Vice-Chancellor of the university, disclosed this at a news conference on Monday in Port Harcourt as part of programmes to mark the 32nd Convocation Ceremony of the institution.

Mr Lale said the conferment of degrees, higher degrees, diploma, certificates and prizes would hold at the university from March 29 to March 30.

According to him, the convocation was mainly for students who finished their academic programmes for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 academic sessions.

In the undergraduate category, a total of 4,771 students were harvested with 3,205 and 1,566 for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 academic sessions respectively.

Out of the figure, 106 graduands will receive the First Class Honours, 1,799 Second Class Upper Division, 2,533 Second Class Lower Division while 132 will receive Third Class degrees.

Also, a total of 70 will receive Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees; 105 will be admitted into Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery while 26 students gets Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree, he said.

Mr Lale said no fewer than 4,681 students would also be conferred with the Doctor of Philosophy degree, Masters degree and Postgraduate Diploma in various specialisation and programmes.

The vice chancellor said the students were drawn from eight faculties which included Humanities, Social Sciences, Science, Education, Engineering, Management Sciences, Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Others were School of Science Laboratory Technology (SSLT) and College of Health Sciences.

The Minister of Science and technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu will deliver a convocation lecture on March 28 entitled: Higher Education as a Driver of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of a Nation.

UNIPORT will continue to produce quality graduates that will compete favourably with their counterparts locally and internationally, he said.

Mr Lale said since he took office in 2015, several programmes had been introduced with the focus of making UNIPORT a world class university in academics, research and development.

He said students and lecturers now take attendance to class and other academic work seriously due to stringent measures introduced in the university.

We have completed rehabilitation of 15 hostel accommodation and nine lecture halls and classrooms in collaboration with the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).

Also, 16 of the 32 housing units that we initiated at the University Park have now been completed and allocated to staff.

I am also pleased to announce that all the programmes offered in UNIPORT now enjoy full accreditation status  thanks to the quality of our academic programmes and personnel, he added.

The vice chancellor said UNIPORT would continue to play a leading role in research and development in order to solve practical problems of industries and the larger society.

(NAN)
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) on Monday called on the Nigerian government to address the menace of building collapse and sub-standard construction across the country.

Akinola George, National President of the guild, made this call at a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos State.

The BCPG comprises professionals from seven bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Architect (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), and Nigerian Institute of Surveyors (NIS).

Mr Akinola said the bodys objective is to instil safe building culture, eradicate building collapse and fight sub-standard construction works across the country, especially in Lagos.

According to him, the major causes of building collapse are faulty design, copied design, pilfering, professional incompetence, nocturnal concrete works, greed on the part of landlord and developers, among others.

As a solution to the menace, the body said government and all relevant stakeholders must ensure that qualified environment and building professionals are engaged in construction works across the country. This, it said, will ensure design and construction of better quality buildings.

Similarly, Mr Akinola said there is need to promote skills transfer and shared experience in specialised building types, ensure that only NIA certified buildings are constructed in Lagos State, carry out a post-occupancy evaluation of buildings and ultimately ensure that professional institutes have oversight function on every building construction in Lagos.

Mr Akinola said there is a major challenge with the building procurement process in Lagos, adding that there must be a thorough check of existing buildings to prevent further disasters.

It may be a surprise to many that most buildings in Lagos State are not constructed by the people who are properly trained to do so, Mr Akinola said.

Architects, Civil, Structural, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Builders and Land Surveyors are virtual on-lookers on the Building Construction and Procurement scene as they participate in less than 20 per cent of the total volume of construction activities going on in the state.

A survey revealed that over 45,000 sites existed at a time in Lagos state. Twenty per cent of this translates to 9,000. Hence by deduction, quacks and other faceless characters by whatever names called are responsible for the remaining 90 per cent.

A whooping 36,000 potential collapses waiting to happen, on the average!

The BCPG president said developers in Lagos have been identified in many of the weak constructions, adding that they are mostly businessmen with no professional qualifications in construction.

Mr Akinola advised that the Lagos State Government must pay attention to areas like Lagos Island, Oworonshoki, Bariga, Somolu, Ebutte Meta, Mushin and Ajegunle to identify precarious buildings with poor integrity. He also advised that the Lagos Mater Plan must be revisited and reviewed, adding that buildings that do not conform with the master plan must be removed.
A Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has convicted a woman for producing false documents in a bid to secure a visa into the United Kingdom.

Awoke Omobolaji was convicted in a suit by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC) in which the commission accused her of violating sections, 13,17 and 26 of the ICPC Act.

The ICPC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, said the court ordered Ms Omobolaji to pay N150, 000 and perform community development service every Tuesday for six weeks.

Further to the efforts of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to bring the scourge of visa racketeering to a halt, a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, has convicted a woman, Awoke Nimota Omobolaji for falsification of documents in order to facilitate her United Kingdom (UK) visa application.

The convict was charged before Hon. Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court by ICPC on a 5-count charge bordering on forgery and conspiracy contrary to sections 13 , 17 (1)(c), 26(1)(c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, and punishable under Section 68 of the same Act.

The judge, in her ruling, sentenced Awoke to a fine of N150,000, community service every Tuesday for six weeks in the court premises under the supervision of the court registrar and write a letter of apology to the British High Commission within 4 weeks and a copy of same submitted to the court.

The commission said Ms Omobolaji had paid a man to fake an invitation from the Thomson Reuters Foundation, with a fake introduction letter from the foundation, dated May 14, 2018.

Awoke had received a forged Thomas Reuter invitation and Introduction Letter dated 14th May 2018 from one Mr Ijamilusi Ayodele who is currently at large, which she knew was fake, in order to process her UK visa application.

She also obtained a forged Thompson Reuter Limited, February pay slip, as part of the documents presented to the UK embassy with the intent that the British High Commission would act on it as genuine and grant her a UK visa.

The convict in a bid to fast-track the procurement of the visa claimed to be a strategic sales specialist for Thomson Reuters Nigeria office and presented the above-stated documents.

The ICPC said it arrested the woman at the premises of the British High Commission office and made further findings about the extent of her culpability in the matter.

ICPC, on receiving intelligence report that Awoke had presented false and misleading documents, arrested her at the premises of the British High Commissions office at 11, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos State.

Further investigations also revealed that she had agreed to pay Ayodele the sum of N150, 000 to prepare the documents, and had made an initial payment of N50, 000 into his Guaranty Trust Bank account.
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.




Company joins organizations like Hewlett Packard, Ericsson, and IBM in global project management leadership

AUSTIN, Texas, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftServe, a leading digital authority and consulting company, announces its membership in the Project Management Institute (PMI) Community of Corporate Ambassadors. PMI is among the largest project management professional communities that unites nearly half a million project managers and affiliates from 190 countries, including Ukraine's PMI Kyiv Chapter .

PMI's Corporate Ambassador Program fosters experience exchange, sharing of best practices, and ultimately bolsters the skill sets and competencies of community members.

SoftServe took first place in the 'Best Project Management Company' category at the PMI Kyiv Chapter's Project Management Rating 2018 Awards, as well as second place in the all-Ukrainian rating of the Project Management Leaders. The PMI Kyiv Chapter conducted research for the Project Management Rating 2018 with the support of the International Project Management Association. Data collection occurred from July to October 2018 and incorporated input from 1,000 Ukrainian companies and 298 enterprises.

"PMI's Corporate Ambassador Program creates an effective link between member organizations and the PMI community. Ultimately, businesses will realize more customized benefits through collaboration with local PMI chapters," said Roman Reznikov, PMO competence manager at SoftServe and vice president with the PMI Kyiv Chapter. "Joining this coalition as part of the international community will create incredible opportunities for SoftServe to exchange best practices with companies globally."

SoftServe founded its Project Management Office in 2008 with a mission to expand project management expertise among its associates, drive sustainable development, and conduct research to identify cutting-edge approaches and methodologies. Additionally, there is a Project Management Community within SoftServe that hosts training sessions and conferences for internal and external IT industry stakeholders to strengthen the knowledge base in this practice area.

About SoftServe

SoftServe is a digital authority that advises and provides at the cutting-edge of technology. We reveal, transform, accelerate, and optimize the way enterprises and software companies do business. With expertise across healthcare, retail, media, financial services, software, and more, we implement end-to-end solutions to deliver the innovation, quality, and speed that our clients' users expect.

SoftServe delivers open innovationfrom generating compelling new ideas, to developing and implementing transformational products and services.

Our work and client experience is built on a foundation of empathetic, human-focused experience design that ensures continuity from concept to release.

We empower enterprises and software companies to (re)identify differentiation, accelerate solution development, and vigorously compete in today's digital economy. No matter where you are in your journey.

Visit our website , blog , LinkedIn , Facebook , and Twitter pages.

SoftServe Media Contact

Paul Jones

Senior Manager, Analyst and Public Relations

pjone@softserveinc.com

512-796-7358

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/812484/SoftServe_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.softserveinc.com



SOURCE SoftServe
Tony Elumelu Foundation directly funds 1,000 entrepreneurs and an additional 2,050 beneficiaries supported by Foundation's partners

TEF Entrepreneurship Forum  Africa's largest entrepreneurship convening  to be held on July 26-27

ABUJA, Nigeria, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading African philanthropy committed to empowering African entrepreneurs, has announced 3,050 African entrepreneurs, drawn from all 54 African countries, selected to join the 5th cycle of its $100million TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

The announcement was made at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja on Friday, March 22, following a presentation of the selection process by Accenture Development Partners.

This year, over 216,000 applications were received, an increase from last year's 151,000. Nearly 90,000 were submitted by female entrepreneurs, an increase of 45%, illustrating the Foundation's strategy to achieve greater gender balance. The selected Entrepreneurs will each receive non- refundable $5,000 of seed capital, access to mentors, and a 12-week business training programme, directly focused on the needs of African entrepreneurs. On July 26  27 2019, they will gather at the TEF Entrepreneurship Forum, the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship ecosystem on the continent.

TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, CON, who celebrated his birthday today, said: "Every year, we face an almost impossible task  to select 1,000 entrepreneurs, from the hundreds of thousands that apply. Our entrepreneurs are hungry to effect change. We know we are only scratching the surface, we see the depth of entrepreneurial talent, that all of us  government, business indeed African society, must harness to transform our economies and livelihoods. We must rally together to empower them and accelerate the change we want on the continent."

In her speech, Her Excellency, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, the wife of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, commended the Programme's impact on the continent, charging the selected entrepreneurs to contribute to the advancement of the African continent.

"Indeed, I am confident that these Tony Elumelu entrepreneurs will inspire deep confidence and be of immense value not just to Nigeria but to the entire continent," she said.

Speaking on the announcement, the incoming CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, said, "The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme has successfully empowered 7,520 entrepreneurs in its first five years of the 10-year programme."

Marking the fifth anniversary of the 10-year programme, this year's selection includes 2,050 entrepreneurs, supported by the Foundation's partners in addition to the Foundation's annual commitment of 1,000, bringing the total number of entrepreneurs empowered by the Foundation to date to 7,520.

"Last year, we launched TEFConnect - the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs and open to all - to further democratise the access to opportunities for the thousands of entrepreneurs that cannot directly benefit from our Entrepreneurship Programme. This further demonstrates our commitment to empowering our entrepreneurs and our belief that entrepreneurship holds the key to unleashing the true potential of the African continent," she said.

The Foundation's growing list of partners includes the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Federal Republic of Benin (Seme City), the Anambra State Government, Indorama, the Government of Botswana and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

For a list of the selected 2019 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs and information on our applicants, please visit tefconnect.com.

Related Links

https://tefconnect.com/



SOURCE The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)
Algaia SA is a well established global player in the field of specialty seaweed extracts benefiting from unique R&D and production capabilities. Last year, most of its revenues were generated in Food, Personal Care and Nutraceutical applications. Algaia owns a novel and proprietary technology allowing the Biorefinery of brown algae not only into Alginates but also in other valuable compounds such as Biostimulants for the crop nutrition industry. Algaia's facility is strategically located in Britany (France) next to abundant renewable fresh brown seaweed biomass, enabling the company to get sustainable and reliable supply. Algaia is today the world largest buyer of French seaweed, with about 40,000 tons being transformed every year in its Lannilis facility.

"The vast experience of Sapec group and Antoine Velge, his CEO and shareholder, will be extremely valuable to Algaia's development and Board of Directors," commented Eyal Shalmon, Algaia's Chairman of the Board. "Algaia is today uniquely positioned in the marine extract industry. The company benefits from outstanding, focused, R&D and production capabilities, able to co-extract multiple compounds out of the same natural marine raw material. Algaia offers today a large portfolio of algae based solutions for the Nutrition, Health, Cosmetic and Agriculture arenas. Maabarot Products Ltd, SuperNova Invest and Algaia management are all very pleased to welcome Antoine within the company's board of directors. We will establish together new ways to develop the company faster." Eyal added

Since the divestiture in 2016 of its Agro Business (Sapec Agro and Tradecorp) to Bridgepoint (Private Equity firm) for an enterprise value of over 450 million Euros, Sapec's shareholders successfully achieved a public repurchase process to make the group 100% privately owned. Since then, the company pursued a strategy to re-deploy its cash positions.

"Our investment in Algaia is part of an overall strategy to develop in businesses where we see significant growth opportunities," commented Antoine Velge, Sapec's CEO. "Algae based products correspond to multiple market demands, all looking for more natural and sustainable solutions. During the Due Diligence process, we were impressed by Algaia's vision, people, outstanding assets, innovation capabilities and execution drive. We share with Maabarot and SuperNova similar values and we are excited to start contributing to the company's development," Antoine added.

Details of the transaction were kept confidential.

"Both Demeter and Cap Decisif are very pleased with this transaction," said Eric Marty, Demeter VC's Managing Partner "We are particularly proud to have, together with Algaia's CEO and the other shareholders, brought the company from just a start-up to about 20 million & 100 employees scale in just less than 3 years. Over this first quarter of 2019, the company is recording strong double digit growth. Maabarot, SAPEC sgps & SuperNova are complementary and synergistic stakeholders. They will bring Algaia to a much larger dimension," added Eric.

About Algaia

Algaia is a fast-growing biomarine company headquartered in Lannilis, France, where its manufacturing facility is also located (near the second-largest harvested fresh seaweed biomass in continental Europe). Algaia benefits also from a state-of-the-art R&D center in Normandy and a commercial office in Paris. The company is ISO 9001-2015, FDA, FAMI QS and FSSC 22000 v4 certified. Its product lines are kosher and halal certified. The company is focused on marine ingredients, especially seaweed extracts and sells in more than 45 countries across the globe. For more details, please visit www.algaia.com

About Sapec sgps

Sapec sgps was founded in 1926 by the Velge family. The company began exploring pyrite mines in Portugal and in Spain. A few years later, it diversified its operations to the production of fertilisers, before expanding into the production and distribution of special crop protection products and specialty fertilisers, distribution of chemical products, land and port logistics and real estate, mostly in Portugal but also in Spain.

Today, Sapec sgps is 100% privately owned. It maintains its other activities, which are selectively developed and consolidated. Over its 90 years of operation, Sapec has always been able to adapt to the circumstances, seize the opportunities at hand, and develop its business portfolio to more promising and profitable sectors, while maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit and very strong family values.

For more details, please visit www.sapec.be

During Algaia Due Diligence and transaction process, Sapec sgps was advised by Nomos (Paris)

About Maabarot

Maabarot is a leading provider of Health and Nutrition products for the Human and Animal market. It was founded in 1963 and counts over 500 employees across the globe. The company is listed on Tel Aviv stock exchange. Maabarot's mission is to develop, manufacture and supply advanced nutrition & health products which are reliable, safe and improve the quality of life of its customers for the benefit of its employees, business partners and shareholders. For more detailed information, please visit www.maabarot.com

About Supernova Invest

Supernova Invest is an independent venture capital firm that has strong relationships with the CEA, one of the world's leading research organisations and with Amundi, the largest asset manager in Europe. Investments focus on companies developing disruptive innovations operating in the life sciences, energy & environment, industrial, microelectronics and digital sectors. Today, Supernova Invest manages or advises 5 funds totalling 250 million euros and has invested in more than a 100 start ups since 1999. Supernova Invest is based in France. The investment in Algaia was carried out with the fund Amorcage Technologique Investissement. For more, please visit http://supernovainvest.com/en/

For further information, please contact:

Algaia:

Fabrice Bohin, Algaia's CEO Tel: +33-6-75592599, [email protected]

Media contact:

Liat Simha, NutriPR, Tel: +972-9-9742893 E-mail: [email protected]

Sapec:

Antonio Marques, Sapec's CFO Tel: +351-913-456-406, [email protected]

SuperNova Invest:

Celia Hart, Managing Partner Life Science at SuperNova, Tel: +33-4-81092073 [email protected]

Maabarot Products Ltd: Efrat Gilat, Maabarot Products' CEO, Tel: +972-9-8984101 [email protected]

SOURCE Algaia
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) reminds interested parties that bids for two exceptional bottles of Macallan Fine and Rare Series scotch whisky, offered through its first-ever Rare Vintage and Specialty Product Auction, are due by 4:00 PM ET Friday, April 5.

Sealed bids will be accepted for the following products, both part of Macallan's Fine and Rare Series:

The Macallan 1949 Cask No. 935 Single Malt Scotch Highland 52 Year Old (750 mL)

The Macallan 1989 Cask No. 3247 Single Malt Scotch Highland 21 Year Old (750 mL)

Details on the sealed bid process are available on a web page designated for the auction. To participate, bidders must:

Set up an account at FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com;

Read the product auction terms and conditions;

Complete a bid sheet, available on the web page;

Obtain a $2,500 cashier's check or money order as bid surety; and

cashier's check or money order as bid surety; and Mail or hand deliver the bid packet, including a fully completed bid sheet and surety, to the PLCB by 4:00 PM ET on Friday , April 5.

Each Fine and Rare Series Macallan in this inaugural product auction has a minimum bid: $25,000 for the 1949 and $9,000 for the 1989. Additionally, an undisclosed reserve amount above the minimum bid has been set for each product and must be met in order for the PLCB to sell the rare scotches to top bidders.

Auction participants may submit multiple bids for one or more products, but each bid must be submitted on a separate bid sheet. A separate bid surety must be included for each product for which a bid is submitted. Bids must be in whole dollar amounts, clearly written on the bid sheet, and must meet or exceed the minimum bid amount established for each product.

According to The Macallan Fine and Rare timeline, The Macallan 1949 Cask No. 935 Single Malt Scotch Highland 52 Year Old (82 Proof) was distilled in 1949 and spent the next 52 years aging until it was bottled in 2002. Cask No. 935 provided 228 bottle equivalents. The Macallan 1949 has a rich rosewood color (tint 45) and a nose of tropical and citrus fruits with peaty, Islay-like notes. The palate is fruity and peaty, with light vanilla toffee and hints of wood and spice. It finishes with complex fruits, peaty dryness, and light malted cereal. It was bottled at natural cask strength.

The Macallan 1989 Cask No. 3247 Single Malt Scotch Highland 21 Year Old (110 Proof) was distilled in 1989, then spent 21 years aging until it was bottled in 2010. Cask No. 3247 provided 338 bottle equivalents. The Macallan 1989 has a dark elm burr color (tint 60) and a nose of rich dried fruits, orange grove, and chocolate with hints of nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. There is also a lingering burnished oak nose. Initially, the palate is of resinous oak, leading to wild forest fruits with hints of creme caramel. It finishes in soft oak wood spices and dried fruits, especially of date and fig. It was bottled at natural cask strength. Again, product description courtesy of The Macallan Fine and Rare timeline.

This product auction is open to individual consumers and active retail licensees. Given the extremely limited availability of these rare, world-class scotches, this auction is not limited to Pennsylvania residents, although winning bidders must select a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store of their choice at which to pick up the bottle, once full payment is received.

The highest eligible bidder for each product will have 15 days to remit full bid payment (less the $2,500 surety) by ACH debit, once notified they are the highest bidder in early to mid-April. Non-winning bidders will be notified at the conclusion of the auction by the return of each non-winning bidder's surety.

Pennsylvania law strictly prohibits the resale of alcoholic beverages without a license.

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits  totaling $16.5 billion since the agency's inception  are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit lcb.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864

Editor's Note: Click here for digital images, audio files and video footage related to the product auction and these Fine and Rare Series Macallan scotches.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

Related Links

http://FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com


LAS VEGAS, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Australis Capital Inc. (CSE: AUSA)(OTCQB: AUSAF) ("Australis" or the "Company") today announced that the Company is unable to present at the Spring Investor Summit in New York City on April 2, 2019. The Company is attending the event and will be scheduling one-on-one investor meetings April 1-2.

About Australis

Australis identifies and invests in the cannabis industry predominantly in the United States, a highly-regulated, fragmented, rapidly-expanding and evolving industry. Investments may include but are not limited to equity, debt or other securities of both public and private companies, financings in exchange for royalties or other distribution streams, and control stake acquisitions. Australis adheres to stringent investment criteria and focuses on significant near and mid-term high-quality opportunities with strong return potentials while maintaining a steadfast commitment to governance and community. Australis' Board and management team have material experience with, and knowledge of, the cannabis space in the U.S., extensive backgrounds in highly-regulated industries, adherence to stringent regulatory compliance, public company, and operational expertise. In addition to the Company's expertise and strong execution on strategic M&A, which to date includes Rthm Technologies Inc., Body and Mind Inc., Quality Green Inc., Folium Biosciences and Mr. Natural Inc., Australis has developed strategic partnerships with companies such as Wagner Dimas.

Australis' Common shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "AUSA" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "AUSAF".

For further information about Australis, please visit the website at ausacap.com or contact the Company by e-mail at [email protected].

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Scott Dowty"

________________________________

Scott Dowty

Chief Executive Officer

Forward-Looking Information Statement

This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company's management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or otherwise after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law including securities laws.

SOURCE Australis Capital Inc.
GOLDEN, Colo., March 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- C-BeyondHealth, LLC, a leading healthcare company specializing in medicinal cannabinoid products, is proud to announce the appointment of a new member, Joel Miller, to its Advisory Board. Miller is an international business professional with expertise in manufacturing, logistics, product development, and enterprise design. His diverse background and reputation for effectively supporting a wide variety of industries domestically and abroad will encourage the rapid expansion of C-BeyondHealth, LLC, especially into the Asian market.

"We are thrilled to have Joel join our Advisory Board and look forward to his aggressive strategies for the company's expansion," said Scott Reese, CEO of C-BeyondHealth, LLC. "Joel is a true pioneer and well-known in the product management, importation and distribution industries. He brings both the expertise and vision to help us improve our business relationships in Asia. His international background and deep understanding of Asian culture will be invaluable as we develop new products for patients around the world."

"C-BeyondHealth, LLC will be one of the few companies thriving globally in the medicinal cannabis market," said Joel Miller. "By developing the right relationships in Asia, the company will expand quickly and potentially reach the four billion people who call Asia home. It's an exciting time for C-BeyondHealth, LLC and I am happy to be part of the company's growth and future development."

Currently, Miller serves as the President of NEAC, Inc., a multinational company with facilities in the US and China. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in both Economics and Oriental Studies and speaks Mandarin fluently. For 30 years Miller has been a business leader across many Pan-Asian markets serving Fortune 500 companies. Miller is a principal investor in C-BeyondHealth, LLC, and his relationship with the Asian investment community will position the company well for future successes.

About C-BeyondHealth, LLC

C-BeyondHealth, LLC is a patient-directed product development company dedicated to advancing the science and availability of targeted cannabinoid formulations. C-BeyondHealth, LLC is headquartered in Golden, Colorado with registered business operations in Bangkok, Thailand. For more information visit c-beyondhealth.com, or for press inquiries, please email [email protected].

Contact: Pamela M. Green

Phone: 877-277-CBYD (Select 2)

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE C-BeyondHealth, LLC
CHIBA, Japan, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chiba Prefecture, home to Narita International Airport, is transmitting information through the "Chiba-no Miryoku Hasshintai" ("team to publicize the attractions of Chiba") Facebook page, opened in September 2018, to publicize the prefecture's allures to the rest of Japan and the world as the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games are drawing near.

(Photos: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201903224505?p=images)

People who love Chiba have so far posted approximately 600 messages on the Facebook page, introducing the charms of the prefecture including Chiba's unique food and impressive scenery as well as local residents' hospitality.

The winners were selected from among numerous posts based on the number of likes and shares they won as well as screening by experts including a well-known blogger. Chiba-no Miryoku Hasshintai forum was held at the Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art, known for its spacious structure, and the winners and messages were introduced for their impressive and favorable reactions.

The experts delivered speeches on the attractions of Chiba and how to introduce such charms to the public using SNS.

Prefectural government officials hope that as many people as possible will feel the attractions of Chiba Prefecture, which hosts Narita International Airport that is the gateway to Japan, through the Chiba-no Miryoku Hasshintai Facebook page.

The following prize-winning posts are carried on the "Chiba-no Miryoku Hasshintai" Facebook page. Chiba Prefectural Government officials are calling on members of the public to post "likes" if they find the posts interesting:

(1) Gold Prize (post that garnered the largest number of "likes" and share)

Name: Yukiko Takashiro

Content: Omigawa Ekimae Shotengai (shopping street in front of Omigawa Station) (Katori city)

https://www.facebook.com/introchiba/photos/a.505880993198427/615572998895892/?type=3&theater

(2) Silver Prize (post that garnered the 2nd largest number of "likes" and share)

Name: Tatsuya Sato

Content: Hojo Beach (Tateyama city)

https://www.facebook.com/introchiba/photos/a.505880993198427/613485252438000/?type=3&theater

(3) Bronze Prize (post that garnered the 3rd largest number of "likes" and share)

Name: Toshiki Seki

Content: Haraoka Beach (Minamiboso city)

https://www.facebook.com/introchiba/photos/a.505880993198427/613927662393759/?type=3&theater

SOURCE Chiba Prefectural Government
VANCOUVER, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Choom Holdings Inc. (Choom) (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) ("Choom"), an emerging adult and medical use cannabis company that has secured one of the largest national retail networks in Canada, is pleased to announce, following its strategy to become a multi-state operator, that it intends to expand into Florida. Choom, through its wholly owned US subsidiary, Choom Holdings USA Inc., has signed a letter of intent ("LOI") to purchase a 95% equity interest in a Florida-based vertically-integrated cannabis applicant (the "FL Company").

The FL Company is progressing on its Master License application to operate up to 25 retail locations with potential for more as the number of registered patients increase, as well as, a micro-processing and cultivation facility for medical purposes. Upon completing the transaction, Choom will use its medical brand, Clarity Medical Centres, to create a network of branded Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers. Florida's medical marijuana program has over 190,000 qualified patients, up from approximately 168,000 at the start of 2019, making it the largest medical marijuana market in the United States. Florida has recently allowed the use of smokable medical marijuana products, potentially opening the program to a considerably larger audience.

"We are very excited to be expanding into Florida and to bring Choom's medical brand into that market. Florida's medical marijuana program is a very attractive opportunity for us seeing that it allows for vertically-integrated operations and it has been a market we've had our sights on for a while now." states Chris Bogart, President & CEO of Choom. "This investment aligns with our strategy of becoming a multi-state operator in the US and helps us to bolster our growth targets. Florida is home to over 21 million residents and has shown impressive year over year growth on the number of registered patients with a large portion of the market being relatively uncaptured."

The terms of the LOI are not material.

Say hello to ChoomTM

Choom is an emerging adult use cannabis company whose mission is to establish one of the largest retail networks in Canada and the United States. The Choom brand is inspired by Hawaii's "Choom Gang"a group of buddies in Honolulu during the 1970's who loved to smoke weedor as the locals called it, "Choom". Evoking the spirit of the original Choom Gang, our brand caters to the Canadian adult use market with the ethos of 'cultivating good times'. Choom is focused on delivering an elevated customer experience through our curated retail environments, offering a diversity of brands for Canadians across a national retail network.

"Chris Bogart"

President & CEO

Cautionary Statement:

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Forward-looking Information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information relates to management's future outlook and anticipated events or results, and includes statements or information regarding the future plans or prospects of the Company. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements about: expanding into Florida; purchasing a 95% equity interest in the FL Company; the FL Company's potential to operate up to 25 retail locations as well as a micro-processing and cultivation facility; creating a network of branded Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers; and opening Florida's medical marijuana program to a larger audience.

With respect to the forward-looking information contained in this news release, Choom has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things: closing the transaction contemplated by the LOI; receipt of necessary regulatory approvals; the development of medical marijuana regulations in Florida; continued demand for Choom's products; and continued economic and market stability. While Choom considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Identified risk factors include: the transaction contemplated by the LOI may not be completed on a timely basis, or at all; FL Company's Master License application may not be approved on a timely basis, or at all; changes in state or US federal laws and policies governing medical or adult use cannabis sectors; the results of diligence investigations; developments in the cannabis sector; delays resulting from or inability to obtain required regulatory approvals; the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; reliance on key personnel; and economic or market conditions may worsen. A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Choom is disclosed in Choom's most recent Annual Information Form and other continuous disclosure filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and Choom disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE Choom Holdings Inc.
JACKSON, Mich., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy and other stakeholders have filed a settlement with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) on the company's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) outlining a breakthrough Clean Energy Plan for Michigan. The plan positions Consumers Energy as a national clean energy leader and demonstrates its commitment to people, the planet and Michigan's prosperity. Today's settlement announcement  from a broad coalition of customer groups, environmental organizations and the Michigan Attorney General  outlines the best plan for Michigan's energy future.

The company filed its IRP with the MPSC last June, which set the company's Clean Energy Plan in motion, outlining the path to zero coal while ensuring affordable and reliable energy for Michigan families and businesses. The plan details how the company will meet the state's energy needs with increased use of energy efficiency programs that save customers money and energy, along with significantly more renewable energy.

"This breakthrough plan positions Consumers Energy and Michigan as a national clean energy leader," said Patti Poppe, president and CEO of Consumers Energy. "The settlement enables our Clean Energy Plan and puts us on the path to zero coal substituted by increased renewable energy  most notably solar  all done in an affordable way through a competitive marketplace. Michigan will have one of the cleanest and most affordable energy systems in the country through this standard-setting plan."

The settlement agreement supporting Consumers Energy's plan comes after more than a year of listening to key stakeholders' ideas and input. The next step in the process is for the MPSC to review the settlement agreement.

The settlement includes:

CARBON EMISSION REDUCTION: Carbon emissions would be reduced by more than 90 percent by 2040.

Carbon emissions would be reduced by more than 90 percent by 2040. RENEWABLE ENERGY: Consumers Energy's renewable energy supply would increase by 400 percent with the addition of 5,000 megawatts of solar to the company's system through competitive bidding by 2030.

Consumers Energy's renewable energy supply would increase by 400 percent with the addition of 5,000 megawatts of solar to the company's system through competitive bidding by 2030. COAL RETIREMENTS: The elimination of coal as a fuel source to generate electricity by 2040.

The elimination of coal as a fuel source to generate electricity by 2040. AFFORDABLE ENERGY: The plan significantly ramps up Consumers Energy's successful energy efficiency programs, which have already saved customers $2 billion since 2009. Through a competitive bidding process, Consumers Energy will provide customers with the most affordable prices for new renewable energy sources.

"We're proud to be partnering with major business customers, residential advocates and environmental organizations to bring the cleanest and most competitively priced energy to the people of Michigan so our home state can grow and prosper," Poppe said. "We're grateful for the contributions of all stakeholders throughout this process and look forward to the MPSC's decision on our plan."

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

SOURCE Consumers Energy

Related Links

http://www.consumersenergy.com


NEW YORK, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese manufacturing rebounded in the wake of a pick-up in infrastructure construction between 2016 and 2018, so did the bi-metal band saw blade as a key integral of metal processing industry. In 2017, the Chinese manufacturing grew steadily, which spurred the rising sales of bi-metal band saw blades for metal cutting to 50.62 million meters with a year-on-year increase of 12.8%. Since there exist trade tensions between China and the United States, Chinese manufacturing is still confronted with great uncertainties, causing the bi-metal band saw blade market to progress at a low rate. Till 2023, the sales volume of bi-metal band saw blade for metal cutting in China will be 51.98 million meters, showing a CAGR of 0.4% during 2017-2023.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p0921089/?utm_source=PRN



In China, the homegrown brands in the bi-metal band saw blade market take a lion's share of at least 75%, but they are primarily focused on the low- and medium-end products, represented by Bichamp Cutting Technology (Hunan) Co., Ltd., and Benxi Tool Co., Ltd. Foreign brands in general target the high-end product market in China, such as US-based LENOX Tools, Japan-based Amada, Sweden-based BAHCO, among which Amada set up its plant in Lianyungang city, Jiangsu province and BAHCO founded its plant in Kunshan city, Jiangsu province to produce bi-metal band saw blades.



Of the Chinese players, Bichamp Cutting Technology (Hunan) boasts the largest production capacity of bi-metal band saw blades, with competitive brands inclusive of HB, JUSTCUT, AA, Fastre, FICUT, etc., and in 2018 its capacity was raised to 16 million meters thanks to the expansion of bi-metal band saw blade manufacturing lines with the funds raised via IPO in early 2017. Benxi Tools Co., Ltd is capable of producing 15.05 million meters of bi-metal band saw blade annually under brands of LIONS, FORK, SHARE, ROMANCE, among others.



China Bi-Metal Band Saw Blade Industry Report, 2018-2023 focuses on the followings:

Bi-metal band saw blade industry in China (definition & classification, development history, industry chain, industry policies, development trends, etc.);

Bi-metal band saw blade-related industries including high-speed steel and sawing machine (market size, competitive landscape);

Global bi-metal band saw blade industry (market size, competitive landscape, development trends, etc.);

Chinese bi-metal band saw blade market (market size, import & export, competitive landscape, etc.);

3 Chinese high-speed steel producers (Tiangong International, Heye Special Steel, Jiangsu Feida) (profile, financial position, products, production & sales, latest developments, etc.);

9 foreign players (DOALL, Lenox Tools, Starrett, Amada, BAHCO, WIKUS, EBERLE, and RONTGEN) and 6 Chinese bi-metal band saw blade producers (Bichamp Cutting Technology (Hunan), Benxi Tool, Hunan Techamp Saw & Manufacture, Benxi Bi-Metal Saw, Dalian Bi-Metal S&T, and Dalian Special Steel) (profile, financial position, products, production & sales, R&D, latest developments, etc.);

8 sawing machine manufacturers (Zhejiang Julihuang Sawing Machine Group, Shijiazhuang WinFox Machinery, Zhejiang Weiye Sawing Machine, Zhejiang Chendiao Machinery, Zhejiang Aolinfa Machine, Zhejiang Hujin Machine Tool, Zhejiang Hengyu Sawing Machine and Zhejiang Chenlong Sawing Machine) (profile, financial position, products, production & sales, R&D, latest developments, etc.)



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p0921089/?utm_source=PRN



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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Ms. Bass Ehler brings a distinguished track record in civil rights matters in both private practice and the public sector. She most recently served as Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau for the Illinois Attorney General. Among numerous high-profile cases she oversaw during her four-year tenure, Ms. Bass Ehler was one of the lead counsel in State of Illinois v. City of Chicago , which resulted in a historic consent decree in 2019 to reform alleged misconduct within the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

Working alongside then-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Ms. Bass Ehler oversaw investigations and prosecutions of cases alleging patterns and practices of discrimination across the state, including cases alleging racial, gender, age and disability discrimination. She frequently directed strategy, litigation, legislation and policy initiatives on behalf of the office through a civil rights lens.



At Grant & Eisenhofer, Ms. Bass Ehler will help direct a new docket of cases addressing civil rights violations.



G&E managing director Jay Eisenhofer said of Ms. Bass Ehler's arrival: "We're excited to be forming a new civil rights unit to focus on social justice cases of national importance. There is a need for greater trial expertise in civil rights matters and we couldn't be more fortunate to have Karyn Bass Ehler lead this initiative for the firm. Her work at the Illinois AG's office resulted in significant reforms to the Chicago Police Department and other agencies and institutions. Throughout her career she has made an impact on advocating for civil rights stemming from discrimination, sexual harassment and assault, domestic violence, labor trafficking, wrongful conviction, and excessive force."

"Unfortunately, civil rights abuses of all kinds persist across America  in the workplace, in business and commerce, in police interactions with the public, and in government," Mr. Eisenhofer added. "We think we have a chance to make an impact in challenging many of these wrongs with Karyn overseeing our litigation in this vital area."

In State of Illinois v. City of Chicago, the Illinois Attorney General sued the Chicago Police Department, alleging failures in police training which led to excessive force against minorities as well as other types of misconduct. Ms. Bass Ehler's work resulted in a first-of-its-kind consent decree on this scale led by a state AG office, addressing comprehensive and systemic reform of the nation's second largest police department. The state brought its action after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions declined to pursue a consent decree, despite DOJ's comprehensive report finding that CPD engaged in a pattern or practice of using force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, due to systemic deficiencies in CPD training and accountability.

While serving as chief of the Civil Rights Bureau, Ms. Bass Ehler successfully led legislative initiatives on campus sexual assault in 2015 as well as an effort to expand Illinois' hate crimes law in 2017. She also focused on immigrants' rights, including cases involving DACA students and fighting the Trump Administration's travel ban. And she led litigation that resulted in the shutting down of employment agencies that recruited undocumented Latinos to work in inhumane conditions around the Midwest.



Prior to joining the Illinois AG's office, Ms. Bass Ehler was a partner at Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym in Chicago, focusing on civil rights litigation.

"I have devoted my entire career to advancing civil rights through litigation and policy. I am extremely passionate about these cases, which so often affect individuals who may not have the means, ability or resources to challenge the systemic inequities they face," Ms. Bass Ehler said.

"I'm looking forward to returning to private practice and joining Grant & Eisenhofer in building a dedicated civil rights group," she added. "G&E is one of the country's preeminent plaintiffs' firms, with a stellar history representing investors and more recently, women and families who have been harmed by corporate misconduct and defective products. Through its new civil rights practice, I'm hoping to add to the firm's record by bringing cases focused on civil rights abuses."

G&E's civil rights practice is the most recent expansion of the firm's advocacy platforms on behalf of plaintiffs. In the past decade, the firm has grown beyond its core practice of securities litigation to include: consumer class actions, whistleblower cases involving the False Claims Act, mass tort and environmental suits, birth injury litigation, bankruptcy matters, and intellectual property disputes. G&E has secured more than $27 billion on behalf of clients in the last ten years, and has directed more securities-related cases resulting in nine-figure recoveries for plaintiffs than perhaps any other firm.



Ms. Bass Ehler received her Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, from Northwestern University, and her J.D., cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of the DePaul Law Review and a Dean's Merit Scholar. After law school, she clerked for Judge William J. Bauer on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Judge Matthew F. Kennelly on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.



Ms. Bass Ehler is a co-founder and board member for the Center on Public Interest Law at the DePaul University College of Law, and vice president for the board of directors with the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. She also serves on the Quality Jobs Council for Women Employed.

About Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.



Grant & Eisenhofer is one of the nation's leading litigation firms, with a highly successful track record representing plaintiffs in complex litigation and arbitration matters. The firm has offices in Wilmington (Delaware), New York, and Chicago, and an international docket of high-profile cases. G&E's clients include institutional investors and other plaintiffs in U.S. and international securities matters, derivative and corporate governance lawsuits, shareholder activism matters, bankruptcy litigation, antitrust actions, consumer class actions, whistleblower cases involving the False Claims Act, mass tort and environmental suits, birth injury litigation, intellectual property disputes, and civil rights suits. The firm has recovered over $27 billion for clients in the last ten years, and has twice been cited by RiskMetrics for securing the highest average investor recovery in securities class actions. G&E has been named one of the country's top plaintiffs' law firms by The National Law Journal for more than a decade, and was named one of the nation's "Most Feared Plaintiffs Firms" as well as one of Delaware's "Regional Powerhouses for 2018" by Law360. For more information, visit www.gelaw.com.



Ivan Alexander 212-262-7482 [email protected]

Allan Ripp 212-262-7477 [email protected]

SOURCE Grant & Eisenhofer, P.A.

Related Links

http://www.gelaw.com


"Leave it to Hot Dog on a Stick to take a somewhat bummer of a day and turn it upside down," said Steve Thomas, Executive Vice President of Hot Dog on a Stick. "By giving away one free Original Turkey or Veggie Dog on a Tax Day, we're hoping to spread a little happiness and fun. Of course, nothing will go better with that free Hot Dog on a Stick than our fresh hand-stomped lemonade  its guaranteed to stomp away Tax Day stress!"

An American Icon since 1946, Hot Dog on a Stick began as a small beachfront store in Santa Monica and now has locations across the U.S. and internationally in Korea. Hot Dog on a Stick is operated by Global Franchise Group, LLC. To find a Hot Dog on a Stick near you, visit www.hotdogonastick.com, or engage with Hot Dog on a Stick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

*Valid at participating Hot Dog on a Stick locations only. Offer is valid for one free Original Turkey or Veggie Hot Dog on a Stick per customer during regular business hours on April 15, 2019.

About Hot Dog on a Stick - www.hotdogonastick.com

Established in 1946 in Southern California, Hot Dog on a Stick is known for its fresh, made-to-order hot dog on a stick and cheese on a stick products, hand-stomped natural lemonade, smiling customer service and its iconic bright striped uniforms. Hot Dog on a Stick provides customers with a fun all-American quick service restaurant experience, catering services for events, party packs, and fundraisers. Hot Dog on a Stick has close to 70 locations in the U.S. and internationally including Korea. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For franchising opportunities, visit www.hotdogonastickfranchise.com .

SOURCE Hot Dog on a Stick

Related Links

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Tomoki Ogoshi from Kanazawa University in Japan and colleagues studied pillar[n]arene molecules  pillar-shaped molecules that were first reported by their research group  to which functional groups can be added to modify their physical properties. Introducing 12 n-hexyl (C 6 H 13 ) chains into the molecules transform the system into a room-temperature structural liquid, that is, a system with a certain degree of order at the nanoscale but without a periodic structure (Figure 1). The liquid solidifies when exposed to a guest vapor, whose molecules replace the n-hexyl substituents in the cavities of the pillar-shaped molecules. At the same time, the substituents located outside the cavities crystallize. The result is that, on a timescale of a few seconds, the system solidifies and the transparent liquid changes to a turbid solid.

As the competitive guest vapor the authors used cyclohexane, because it fits into the cavities of the pillar-shaped molecules and is easy to remove by heating the sample under reduced pressure, a process that results in the molecular system going back to the liquid state. The adsorption and desorption processes are characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance measurements, whereas the structure of the system is studied by X-ray diffraction.

The authors also investigated the uptake of other organic vapors by the structural liquid, observing that exposure to molecules that could be absorbed in the pores of the pillar-shaped molecules always resulted in a transition to a solid phase, whereas the phase transition was not observed for exposure to gases that had a low uptake by the structural liquid.

This system can be used as a detector of alkane vapors, an unusual device. "Because of the vapor selectivity, we postulate the vapor-induced state change can be applied for new vapour detection systems," comment the authors. "Another application is adhesion materials using the guest vapor-induced state change."

Background

Host-guest chemistry: supramolecular chemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies chemical systems composed by several molecules, describing their interaction, which are essential to many biological processes. Host-guest interactions are one example: this is the type of interaction at work when a host molecule forms a chemical compound with a guest molecule or ion without the involvement of covalent bonds. This type of interaction can be harnessed, for example, in drug delivery systems in which the presence of the host increases the solubility and availability of the drug (the guest).

Pillararenes: macrocycle molecules that take their name from their pillar shape. The cavities in these molecules can host electron-poor molecules. Some of these molecules have potential for biomedical applications, but also for gas absorption, ionic liquids and organic light-emitting materials.

Reference:

Tomoki Ogoshi, Keisuke Maruyama, Yuma Sakatsume, Takahiro Kakuta, Tada-aki Yamagishi, Takahiro Ichikawa, and Motohiro Mizuno Guest Vapor-Induced State Change of Structural Liquid Pillar[6]arene. J . Am. Chem. Soc. , 2019, 141 (2), pp 785789

About Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

https://nanolsi.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/en/

Nano Life Science Institute (NanoLSI), Kanazawa University is a research center established in 2017 as part of the World Premier International Research Center Initiative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The objective of this initiative is to form world-tier research centers. NanoLSI combines the foremost knowledge of bio-scanning probe microscopy to establish 'nano-endoscopic techniques' to directly image, analyze, and manipulate biomolecules for insights into mechanisms governing life phenomena such as diseases.

About Kanazawa University

http://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/e/

As the leading comprehensive university on the Sea of Japan coast, Kanazawa University has contributed greatly to higher education and academic research in Japan since it was founded in 1949. The University has three colleges and 17 schools offering courses in subjects that include medicine, computer engineering, and humanities.

The University is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in Kanazawa  a city rich in history and culture. The city of Kanazawa has a highly respected intellectual profile since the time of the fiefdom (1598-1867). Kanazawa University is divided into two main campuses: Kakuma and Takaramachi for its approximately 10,200 students including 600 from overseas.

Further information

Hiroe Yoneda

Vice Director of Public Affairs

WPI Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI)

Kanazawa University

Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +81(76)234-4550

SOURCE Kanazawa University
CLEVELAND and BOSTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MPE Partners ("MPE" or "Morgenthaler Private Equity") announced today the acquisition of Cantrell, a U.S.-based manufacturer of equipment and systems for the poultry processing industry. Cantrell will join with Gainco, a division of MPE's portfolio company, Bettcher Industries, Inc. ("Bettcher"), to form a leading national provider of poultry processing equipment and parts.

MPE and Bettcher partnered in the transaction with entrepreneurs Dane Woods and Tony Rice, who will remain in their roles as leaders of the company. Matt Yohe, Partner at MPE, said, "We saw a fantastic fit between Bettcher, Gainco, and Cantrell, and believe their shared capabilities and synergy opportunities will accelerate the growth of the combined company."

Karen Tuleta, Partner at MPE, added, "This acquisition is an excellent example of the value MPE's partnership with Bettcher's ESOP has created, providing the capital required to make growth investments and the transaction expertise required to complete acquisitions. We are very excited to partner with Bettcher's employee owners on this investment."

Joe Cowman, President of Bettcher's poultry group noted, "Dane Woods and Tony Rice will remain as co-General Managers, and Cantrell customers will see no changes in how we serve them. We anticipate offering expanded solutions and services by building synergies with our companion businesses."

Dane Woods, General Manager of Cantrell, commented, "Total commitment to customers is, as always, our top priority. Every Cantrell customer will have access to the same fine products, parts, and support that have defined our success in the marketplace."

BakerHostetler served as legal advisor to MPE.

About Cantrell

In the nearly 50 years since its founding in 1972, Cantrell has earned a reputation for designing and delivering quality products and parts that meet the needs of the poultry processing industry. Among the products the company manufactures are evisceration and picking equipment, second processing equipment, wing segmenters, vacuum systems, and spare parts. Cantrell sells its products to leading poultry processors in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. Cantrell is headquartered in Gainesville, GA.

About Bettcher Industries, Inc.

Headquartered in Birmingham, OH, Bettcher Industries, Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative equipment for food processing, foodservice, industrial, medical, and other industries.

About Gainco, Inc.

Gainco, Inc., is a major provider of solutions to optimize yields in poultry and meat processing plants, with offerings that include weighing, inspection, trimming, and deboning applications. Like Cantrell, Gainco is headquartered in Gainesville, GA. This close proximity will facilitate shared collaboration in developing new products and solutions for customers.

About MPE Partners

MPE Partners ("MPE" or "Morgenthaler Private Equity") seeks to be the preferred partner for entrepreneur-, family-, and ESOP-owned companies. Based in Cleveland, OH, and Boston, MA, MPE invests in profitable, lower middle market companies with EBITDA between $5 - $20 million. MPE has two primary target investment areas: high-value manufacturing and industrial services. For more information, please visit www.mpepartners.com.

SOURCE MPE Partners

Related Links

http://www.mpepartners.com


Dr. Murray was part of a team that responded to an active shooter incident at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood in October 2018. The shooter killed 11 people.

Other worshippers were saved by the bravery of first-responders, including Dr. Murray, as well as the trauma team at UPMC Presbyterian and UPMC Mercy, where the injured were transported.

Dr. Murray doesn't hesitate when asked why he chose his specialty. "You can directly impact someone's life in a short period of time," he says.

The fast pace of emergency medicine also drew Dr. Murray to the field. He's a high-energy person who is eager to challenge himself through new experiences.

While training at the University of Chicago, Dr. Murray made a connection  with the help of his wife, surgeon Jennifer Holder-Murray, MD  that would shape the direction of his career.

His wife was completing a trauma rotation in Chicago, and she saw how important a role the police played in stabilizing patients before they could be treated at the hospital.

She realized her husband would enjoy working with law enforcement and introduced him to Dr. Andrew Dennis, a trauma surgeon at Chicago's Cook County hospital as well as a police officer. That's how Dr. Murray's work with police SWAT teams  units specially trained to handle critical threats to public safety  began.

After Dr. Murray and his wife moved to the Pittsburgh area, he found new opportunities to work with law enforcement. He now serves as medical director for two SWAT teams in Pittsburgh. The teams typically train 16-24 hours per month. "We try to make it as realistic and tough as possible," Dr. Murray says.

Dr. Murray told the Pennsylvania Medical Society that training and preparation play a major part in his role as a physician in the emergency department at UPMC Mercy. He typically works three to four shifts a week there.

Each week, Dr. Murray's team at the hospital conducts a tabletop exercise that allows them to talk through what they would do during a specific emergency scenario. And, around twice a year, they conduct mass casualty drills to measure their preparedness.

Patients and medical colleagues can nominate PAMED member physicians for this award at www.pamedsoc.org/EverydayHero.

About Pennsylvania Medical Society

The Pennsylvania Medical Society helps its 21,000 physician and medical student members return to the art of medicine through advocacy and education. To learn more, visit www.pamedsoc.org or follow us on Twitter at @PAMEDSociety.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Medical Society

Related Links

http://www.pamedsoc.org


LAVAL, QC, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Prometic Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: PLI) (OTCQX: PFSCF) ("Prometic" or the "Corporation") announced today that it has secured an additional USD $5 million (CAD $6.7 million) tranche from Structured Alpha LP ("SALP"), an affiliate of Thomvest Asset Management Inc., under the existing loan agreement originally entered into with SALP in November 2017. The proceeds of this loan extension will be used to satisfy the near-term cash requirements of the Corporation.

About Thomvest Asset Management Inc. And Structured Alpha LP

Thomvest Asset Management Inc. is a Toronto-based investment management firm controlled by Peter J. Thomson. Structured Alpha LP is an affiliate of Thomvest Asset Management Inc. that makes structured investments in companies that leverage disruptive technologies and business models to pursue high-growth commercial opportunities. We are committed to the success of our entrepreneur partners. The capital we invest is our own, enabling us to be more creative, flexible, strategic and patient than most investors. It takes time to build great companies and Thomvest and its affiliates are committed to supporting its entrepreneurs throughout their journey. To learn more about Thomvest, please visit us at www.thomvest.com.

About Prometic Life Sciences Inc.

Prometic (www.prometic.com) is a biopharmaceutical corporation with two drug discovery platforms focusing on unmet medical needs. The first platform (small molecule therapeutics) stems from the discovery of two receptors which we believe are at the core of how the body heals: namely, promoting tissue regeneration and scar resolution as opposed to fibrosis. One of the lead drug candidates emerging from this platform, PBI-4050, is expected to enter pivotal phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of Alstrom syndrome. The second drug discovery and development platform (plasma-derived therapeutics) leverages Prometic's experience in bioseparation technologies used to isolate and purify biopharmaceuticals from human plasma. The Corporation's primary goal with respect to this second platform is to address unmet medical needs with therapeutic proteins not currently commercially available, such as Ryplazim (plasminogen). We are also leveraging this platform's higher recovery yield potential to advance novel and established plasma-derived therapeutics. The Corporation also provides access to its proprietary bioseparation technologies to enable pharmaceutical companies in their production of non-competing biopharmaceuticals. Recognized as a bioseparations expert, the Corporation derives revenue from this activity through sales of affinity chromatography media which contributes to offset the costs of its own R&D investments.

We are headquartered in Laval, Quebec (Canada) and have R&D facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom ("UK") and the United States ("USA"), manufacturing facilities in Canada and the Isle of Man and corporate and business development activities in Canada, the USA, Europe and Asia.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements about Prometic's objectives, strategies and businesses that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are "forward-looking" because they are based on our current expectations about the markets we operate in and on various estimates and assumptions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements if known or unknown risks affect our business, or if our estimates or assumptions turn out to be inaccurate. Such risks and assumptions include, but are not limited to, Prometic's ability to develop, manufacture, and successfully commercialize value-added pharmaceutical products, the availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the ability of Prometic to take advantage of business opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes in economic conditions. You will find a more detailed assessment of the risks that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from our current expectations in Prometic's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2017, under the heading "Risk and Uncertainties related to Prometic's business". As a result, we cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a result of future events or for any other reason, unless required by applicable securities laws and regulations. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless indicated otherwise.

SOURCE ProMetic Life Sciences Inc.

Related Links

http://www.prometic.com


MAPLE GROVE, Minn., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pursuit Vascular, Inc., manufacturer of ClearGuard HD Antimicrobial Barrier Caps, today announced it will be exhibiting at the Renal Physicians Association 2019 Annual Meeting in Chicago, March 28-30, 2019.

Established in 1973, the Renal Physicians Association (RPA) is a non-profit national nephrology specialty medical association with more than 3,500 members serving kidney patients nationwide. Their members encompass a variety of nephrology healthcare providers involved in the practice of medicine, teaching, research and administration and are devoted to improving care of patients with kidney disease.

As a Gold Level Corporate Patron, Pursuit Vascular will be exhibiting at booth #305 and will be promoting the company's ClearGuard HD caps, the first and only device available in the US designed to kill infection-causing microorganisms inside a hemodialysis catheter hub. ClearGuard HD caps have been proven to reduce bloodstream infections by ~70% in hemodialysis catheter patients.

About Pursuit Vascular

Headquartered in Maple Grove, Minnesota, Pursuit Vascular, Inc., develops innovative products designed to protect patients from life-threatening infections, their associated complications, and death, while reducing healthcare costs worldwide. The company's ClearGuard HD Antimicrobial Barrier Cap is the first and only device available for sale in the US that is proven to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections in hemodialysis patients. For more information, visit www.pursuitvascular.com.

SOURCE Pursuit Vascular, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pursuitvascular.com


SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Reliant Funding, a leading small business finance provider, announces the launch of its inaugural March Madness bracket challenge and invites partners to join the friendly competition. The challenge is open to all Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) and winners can expect cash prizes and bragging rights.

"While our programs offer the support and necessary tools to ensure our partners are successful, we also want to build camaraderie," said Founder and CEO of Reliant Funding, Adam Stettner. "What better way to attract quality, long-term partnerships and reward already committed partners than in the midst of one of the most exciting events of the year?"

Reliant Funding's partner programs are focused on delivering unmatched service and support for ISOs. With industry leading response times, the company provides the clearest path towards improved profitability and happy customers. The true differentiator of the Reliant Funding program is its commitment to communication and service, as well as its mission to understand partner's goals, map out a plan of action and execute the plan.

ISO partners interested in Reliant Funding's March Madness competition must select teams by Wednesday, March 20. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, April 9. First through third places win $1,000, $500 and $250 respectively.

For those interested in participating in Reliant Funding's March Madness competition, please click here. For more information on Reliant Funding's partnerships, click here.

For more information on Reliant Funding, one of Inc. Magazine's 5000 fastest growing privately held companies in America, please click here.

Reliant Funding is headquartered in San Diego with offices in New York, Reliant Funding provides customized, short-term funding to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide. Recognized for six consecutive years by Inc. Magazine among the 5000 fastest growing privately held companies in America. For more information, please visit www.reliantfunding.com.

Contact: Kate Kelly, [email protected], (858) 848-9706

SOURCE Reliant Funding

Related Links

http://www.reliantfunding.com


AUSTIN, Texas, March 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation presented this year's Frederick S. Keller, M.D., Philanthropy Award to John Abele, FSIR at the foundation's annual Gala on March 24, held in conjunction with the Society of Interventional Radiology's (SIR) Annual Scientific Meeting in Austin.

The Frederick S. Keller, M.D., Philanthropy Award honors an individual who, through exceptional generosity and through inspiring others to give, demonstrates outstanding commitment to SIR Foundation. Abele, a cofounder and director of Boston Scientfic Corporation, was an early pioneer and leader in the field of "minimally invasive medicine."

"Mr. Abele's passion for promoting innovative and disruptive medical technologies in global clinical practice are reflected in his generous support of scientific research through SIR Foundation," said SIR Foundation Chair Jeremy C. Durack, M.D., M.S., FSIR, interventional radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

"I am honored to present this award to John Abele. His enthusiasm for making a culture-changing impact on medicine and support for SIR Foundation illustrate his commitment to the bright future of interventional radiology," said Frederick S. Keller, M.D., FSIR, who bestowed the award to Abele at SIR Foundation's Gala at the Four Seasons Austin.

Abele is an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Interventional Radiology and was a recipient of the SIR Gold Medal in 2005, one of only three nonphysicians to be presented with this award. His major interests include science literacy for children, education and the process by which new technology is invented, developed and introduced to society. From 2002 to 2010, he served as Chairman of the FIRST Foundation, which runs a range of robotics competitions for grade and high school kids to make being science-literate cool and fun. He continues to serve as Vice-Chairman.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

The Society of Interventional Radiology is a nonprofit, professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians, trainees, students, scientists and clinical associates, dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of image-guided therapies. SIR's members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levelsfrom medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians. Visit sirweb.org.

The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its Annual Scientific Meeting March 2328, 2019 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. Visit sirmeeting.org.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation

SIR Foundation is a scientific foundation dedicated to fostering research and education in interventional radiology for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled investigators in interventional radiology and developing innovative therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life. Visit sirfoundation.org.

SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology

Related Links

http://www.sirweb.org


Brammer Bio is a leading viral vector contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), enabling biopharma customers to deliver breakthrough medicines to patients by unleashing the potential of gene therapies and gene-modified cell therapies. The business has nearly 600 employees at primary locations in Massachusetts and Florida.

Brammer Bio is on track to deliver $250 million of revenue in 2019 and expects to continue to exceed the projected market growth rate of 25 percent over the mid-term. Thermo Fisher expects the business to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share by $0.10 in the first full year of ownership.

"Brammer Bio will be an exciting addition to our pharma services business and will further strengthen Thermo Fisher's leadership in serving pharma and biotech customers," said Marc N. Casper, president and chief executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Gene therapy is an area of increasing focus for our customers and is fast-evolving given its potential to treat a range of genetic disorders. The combination of Brammer Bio's viral vector capabilities with our GMP production expertise and proprietary bioprocessing and cell culture technologies uniquely positions us to partner with our customers to drive the evolution of this incredibly fast-growing market. The transaction is perfectly aligned with our Mission to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer."

Speaking on behalf of Brammer Bio, co-founders Mark Bamforth, president and chief executive officer, and Dr. Richard Snyder, chief scientific officer, commented, "We are proud to be pioneers in process development and manufacturing of viral vectors. Brammer Bio has executed more than 100 projects to supply first-in-human gene therapy clinical trials and establish commercial-ready processes, and we're excited to join Thermo Fisher to take our business to the next level. Our teams share a commitment to helping our customers succeed in delivering cutting-edge therapies to patients in need."

Michel Lagarde, president of Thermo Fisher's pharma services business, added, "By leveraging our combined capabilities, along with our commercial scale and customer relationships, we will strengthen our position as a trusted partner to pharma and biotech. We look forward to welcoming the Brammer Bio team to our company and working together to make more life-saving treatments available to patients."

The transaction, which is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2019, is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Upon completion, Brammer Bio will become part of Thermo Fisher's pharma services business within its Laboratory Products and Services Segment.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $24 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands  Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services  we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

About Brammer Bio

Brammer Bio provides clinical and commercial supply of vectors for in vivo gene therapy and ex vivo gene-modified cell therapy, along with process and analytical development, and regulatory support, enabling large pharma and biotech clients to accelerate the delivery of novel medicines to improve patients' health. Brammer is Helping to Cure. Brammer is owned by Ampersand Capital Partners, the only institutional investor in the company, and its founders. For more information, please visit www.brammerbio.com.

About Ampersand Capital Partners

Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle market private equity firm dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector. With offices in Boston and Amsterdam, Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of its core healthcare sectors. Additional information about Ampersand is available at www.ampersandcapital.com.

Forward Looking Statements

The following constitutes a "Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties relating to: the need to develop new products and adapt to significant technological change; implementation of strategies for improving growth; general economic conditions and related uncertainties; dependence on customers' capital spending policies and government funding policies; the effect of economic and political conditions and exchange rate fluctuations on international operations; use and protection of intellectual property; the effect of changes in governmental regulations; and the effect of laws and regulations governing government contracts, as well as the possibility that expected benefits related to our acquisition of Brammer Bio or other recent or pending acquisitions may not materialize as expected. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, which is on file with the SEC and available in the "Investors" section of our website under the heading "SEC Filings." While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if estimates change and, therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to today.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted EPS, which excludes certain items that are outside of our normal operations and/or, in certain cases, are difficult to forecast accurately for future periods. We believe that the use of non-GAAP measures helps investors to gain a better understanding of our core operating results and future prospects, consistent with how management measures and forecasts the company's performance, especially when comparing such results to previous periods or forecasts.

The non-GAAP financial measure included in this press release is not meant to be considered superior to or a substitute for the comparable GAAP measure. Thermo Fisher does not provide GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty and without unreasonable effort items such as the timing and amount of future restructuring actions and acquisition-related charges as well as gains or losses from sales of real estate and businesses, the early retirement of debt and the outcome of legal proceedings. The timing and amount of these items are uncertain and could be material to Thermo Fisher's results computed in accordance with GAAP.

Media Contact Information:

Karen Kirkwood

Phone: 781-622-1306

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.thermofisher.com

Investor Contact Information:

Ken Apicerno

Phone: 781-622-1294

E-mail: [email protected]

For Brammer Bio:

Erin Morton

Phone: 352-519-8351

E-mail: [email protected]



SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific

Related Links

http://www.thermofisher.com


LANSING, Mich., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Accident Fund Insurance Company of America is proud to recognize its President's Club Award honorees, representing an exceptional group of high-performing agent partners across the U.S. President's Club qualifications for 2018 included written premium exceeding $2 million, a cumulative loss ratio of 50 percent or less, and premium retention of 82 percent or higher.

"These agencies are the best of the best," said Al Gileczek, president of Accident Fund and CompWest. "Their commitment and dedication to delivering our products and promoting our value to their customers greatly contributed to our joint success. We deeply appreciate their continued support, ongoing feedback and valued insight into the individual needs of their clients."

Accident Fund is proud to honor these 2018 President's Club Award recipients:

Allied Insurance Managers, Inc.

Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc.

Athens Insurance Agency

BHS Insurance

Brown & Brown of Detroit

Brown & Brown of Michigan

Brown & Brown of South Carolina

Buiten & Associates, LLC

BXS Insurance

Capital Insurance Group

Commercial Risk Management

Consolidated Insurance + Risk Management

Correll Insurance Group

David Chapman Agency

Diebold Insurance Agency

Doeren Mayhew Insurance Group

Doyle & Ogden, Inc.

Fee Insurance Group

General Agency Company

Georgetown Insurance Services, Inc.

Gompers, Cornish & Barr

Harold W. Wells & Son, Inc.

& Son, Inc. HUB International Midwest Limited

Hylant Group

Ieuter Insurance Group

IMAGE of Wisconsin

InPro Insurance Group

ISU Insurance Services

J.A. Price Agency

J. Smith Lanier & Co., a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC company

Johnson Insurance Services

Kapnick Insurance Group

Lighthouse Group

Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance

Lowry & Associates, Inc.

Marsh & McLennan Agency

McGriff Insurance Services

Michigan Community Insurance Agency, Inc.

Mid Atlantic Insurance Group

Missouri General Insurance Agency

Mountain Empire Agency Alliance

Oakland Companies

Peabody Insurance Agency

Ralph C. Wilson Agency, Inc.

Relation Insurance Services of North Carolina , Inc.

, Inc. RT Specialty

Saginaw Bay Underwriters

Scheetz, Hogan, Freeman & Phillips

Shared Agency Services of Mississippi

Southern Risk and AssuredPartners Company

Sterling Insurance Group

Sunstar Insurance Group

The Huttenlocher Group

The Reilly Company

Towne Insurance

TriSure Corporation

TrueNorth Companies, L.C.

Turbeville Insurance Agency

UNICO Group

Unland Co.

Van Wyk Risk Solutions

VTC Insurance Group

Watson Insurance Agency

Wyatt Insurance Services

Yates Insurance

About Accident Fund Insurance Company of America

Accident Fund Insurance Company of America is a member of AF Group. Insurance policies may be issued by any of the following companies within the AF Group: Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, Accident Fund National Insurance Company, Accident Fund General Insurance Company, United Wisconsin Insurance Company, Third Coast Insurance Company or CompWest Insurance Company.

Contact:

Bob Lapinski

(312) 443-9819 or (517) 331-4890

[email protected]

AFGroup.com

SOURCE AF Group; Accident Fund
BOSTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Accusource and Smonik Systems have partnered to provide an automated solution to the collection and processing of data from PDF files. Most private investments (Private Equity, Hedge Funds, etc.) distribute information including Capital Statements, Capital Call Notices and Distribution Notices in PDF documents. To date, consumers of this data have been reduced to hiring people to read the documents and manually extract the required data. This process is terribly inefficient and prone to mistakes.

Using Smonik's automated data management tools, Accusource can provide a service to automate the retrieval of documents and systematically extract the required data fields from PDF documents. Smonik's automated data management tools will assist Accusource in providing timely, accurate data in a very efficient manner avoiding manual data entry. The extracted data can be further integrated with a portfolio accounting system to automate the entire workflow.

Smonik Systems provides data management and reconciliation services to the financial services industry. Using our extensive background in investment operations, we pride ourselves in developing tools to automate back-office manual processes. Extracting data from PDF files is one of those long-standing manual tasks that we sought to solve. "Working with Accusource, the Smonik tools can provide significant efficiency and add control. We look forward to our partnership with Accusource and meeting the needs of the Wealth Management community."  Steve Hixon, Principal of Smonik Systems.

Accusource has been providing back office reconciliation for over 10 years. As a leading provider of middle and back office operational services, we're processing over $80 billion in assets each morning for our existing client base. "Between Smonik and Accusource you are not going to find a more experienced group of resources in back-office processing. We understand the problems created by the many manual tasks performed."  Ryan Kerry

Media Contact:

Stephen Hixon

781-780-4027

[email protected]

SOURCE Smonik Systems LLC

Related Links

https://www.smonik.com/


VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Future Market Insights (FMI) has recently published a market research report titled "Advanced (3D/4D) Visualization Systems Market  Global Industry Analysis 2013  2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018  2028." The report opines that the advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market surpassed US$ 1.8 billion in 2017, and will continue to expand at a moderate 4% CAGR during 2018-2028.

Healthcare Sector to Remain Important for Advanced (3D/4D) Visualization System Vendors

The prevalence of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurological disorders, has increased due to the rising geriatric population, changing lifestyle, and excessive consumption of tobacco & alcohol. These factors are estimated to drive the demand for diagnostic imaging, which is, in turn, expected to provide opportunities for companies operating in the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market.

Request a Sample Report with Table of Contents and Figures: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-9235

Increase in medical tourism in emerging markets has led to the high adoption of advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems. These advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems enable countries to offer the best, yet cost-effective medical tourism solutions. This has, in turn, boosted the number of surgical procedures. Factors such as medical tourism and growing number of patients affected with chronic diseases, are estimated to propel the advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market, especially in the developing parts of the world.

Manufacturers Focus on Introducing High-tech Features: An Emerging Market Trend

A major trend in the advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market is the development of three-dimensional models from MRI and CT scans, which help guide surgical procedures and other minimally invasive treatments. These three-dimensional models may be developed by hands-on medical experts, 3D laboratories, or 3D reconstructions that are outsourced and transmitted via the internet. Various healthcare end-users of advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems are outsourcing 3D model creation to advanced (3D/4D) visualization system service providers.

Preview Analysis of Advanced (3D/4D) Visualization Systems Market: Advances in Medical Imaging & Mounting Need for Patient Data Digitization to Fuel Adoption Rate: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/advanced-3d-4d-visualization-systems-market

In addition, manufacturers understand that it is imperative to monitor patient progress over months and often years for effective treatment of diseases, such as cancer and neurological disorders. The progression of cancer is unpredictable, which is why immediate access to patient history is of paramount importance for a doctor to make informed decisions regarding the future course of action. This requires the AV images to be adequately stored for the future course of treatment by comparing the present patient data with earlier records.

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) has an advanced imaging system, such as MRI or CT, as one of its major components along with a data archival facility. Such innovations are estimated to drive the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market.

Buy this report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/9235

Connectivity Features of Advanced (3D/4D) Visualization Systems to Gain Popularity

Upgraded hardware performance and enhanced internet connectivity have facilitated enhanced remote access to advanced (3D/4D) visualization system users outside particular hospitals and clinics or research institutes and research centres. Such advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems are transitioning towards specialised healthcare applications that required innovative post-processing. Such advanced (3D/4D) visualization system applications for surgical planning, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), radiation treatment, liver analysis, and oncology management.

Healthcare professionals are utilising their smart mobile devices to communicate with patients as well as for reviewing scan results. Advanced (3D/4D) visualization system users can now utilise cloud-based services that facilitate the web hosting of these advanced (3D/4D) visualization system applications. Thus, technology- and hardware-related advancements are estimated to offer profitable opportunities in the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market over the forecast period.

In the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market report, FMI Insights has segmented the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market by platform, end-user, application, and region. The advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market is still in the emerging stage in several developing nations. On the other hand, several players operating in the global advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market are continuously striving to develop innovative products that are more precise, and serve multiple application areas simultaneously.

Some of the key advanced (3D/4D) visualization systems market players in this research report include, Siemens AG; General Electric Company; Koninklijke Philips N.V.; LG Electronics Inc.; Thermo Fisher Scientific; FUJIFILM Corporation; CONMED Corporation; Pro Medicus, Ltd.; Carestream Health; and Ziosoft.

Our advisory services are aimed at helping you with specific, customized insights that are relevant to your specific challenges. Let us know about your challenges and our trusted advisors will connect with you: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-9235

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Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends.

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SOURCE Future Market Insights
"Given that half of all personal loans are used for debt consolidation or to pay off a credit card, it's crucial that lenders get the customer interaction formula right with easy-to-navigate digital applications and rapid approval processes," said John Cabell, Wealth & Lending Intelligence Practice Lead at J.D. Power. "From a digital perspective, traditional banks need to work hard to meet evolving customer expectations. Non-traditional alternative lenders have their own communications gaps to overcome when it comes to customer perception of pricing and being profit driven. As this business matures and new players continue to enter the market, understanding competitor tactics and clear articulation of the value proposition to customers will become increasingly critical areas of focus."

This inaugural study evaluates customer satisfaction with personal loan providers and explores the key variables that influence customer choice, satisfaction and loyalty based on four factors (in order of importance): interaction; billing and payment; loan offerings and terms; and application and approval process.

Following are key findings of the 2019 study:

Alternative lenders pose threat to HELOC market: Overall customer satisfaction with personal loan providers is 853 (on a 1,000-point scale). By contrast, the average customer satisfaction score among HELOC customers in the recent J.D. Power 2019 Home Equity Line of Credit Satisfaction Study SM is 834, with lower satisfaction correlating to fewer customer referrals.

Overall customer satisfaction with personal loan providers is 853 (on a 1,000-point scale). By contrast, the average customer satisfaction score among HELOC customers in the recent J.D. Power 2019 Home Equity Line of Credit Satisfaction Study is 834, with lower satisfaction correlating to fewer customer referrals. Customers perceive lenders as profit driven : When rating brand image, customers have clear perceptions that all lenders are relatively profit driven, with significantly deeper concern among customers of alternative lenders. Similarly lacking across the board are positive customer perceptions of reasonableness of fees and competitiveness of rates. Alternative lenders also rate significantly below their bank competitors in these two areas.

: When rating brand image, customers have clear perceptions that all lenders are relatively profit driven, with significantly deeper concern among customers of alternative lenders. Similarly lacking across the board are positive customer perceptions of reasonableness of fees and competitiveness of rates. Alternative lenders also rate significantly below their bank competitors in these two areas. Digital applications lead to better understanding and higher satisfaction: Digital is the most common channel used for a personal loan application, with 40% of personal loan customers applying entirely online. Overall satisfaction is highest among personal loan customers in the digital-only segment (886), which also has the highest percentage of applicants who indicate that they completely understood the application (91%). A complete understanding of the application is associated with a 137-point increase in customer satisfaction.

Digital is the most common channel used for a personal loan application, with 40% of personal loan customers applying entirely online. Overall satisfaction is highest among personal loan customers in the digital-only segment (886), which also has the highest percentage of applicants who indicate that they completely understood the application (91%). A complete understanding of the application is associated with a 137-point increase in customer satisfaction. Fast and efficient funding is critical: Receiving loan approval within two days is associated with a 55-point jump in customer satisfaction, and receiving funds within two days of approval is associated with a 50-point jump in customer satisfaction. By contrast, customers report the total average time for HELOC funding to be approximately 26 days from the time of application.

Receiving loan approval within two days is associated with a 55-point jump in customer satisfaction, and receiving funds within two days of approval is associated with a 50-point jump in customer satisfaction. By contrast, customers report the total average time for HELOC funding to be approximately 26 days from the time of application. Customers will consider alternate products: Despite the reported benefits, customers choosing personal loans are still not locked in to the product when shopping for their loan. Nearly half (47%) of such customers also considered competing products; 28% considered credit cards; 17% considered personal lines of credit; and 13% considered HELOCs.

The J.D. Power Personal Loan Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 3,413 personal loan customers and was fielded in December 2018-January 2019.

Study Rankings

Marcus by Goldman Sachs ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction with a score of 899, followed by Lightstream (SunTrust) (887) and Upstart (873).

For more information about the J.D. Power Personal Loan Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/2019-us-personal-loan-satisfaction-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2019048.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts

Geno Effler, J.D. Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]

John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

SOURCE J.D. Power

Related Links

http://www.jdpower.com


CHICAGO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Amount, a leading technology provider for financial institutions, today announced a strategic partnership with TD Bank. TD Bank, a top ten U.S. bank, is leveraging Amount's platform to power the bank's TD Fit Loan, which launched in August 2018. This initial offering allows consumers to consolidate higher-interest debt, while helping TD meet growing consumer demand for a seamless digital and mobile lending experience. Through this partnership, TD and Amount will roll out additional offerings, as well as standalone tools addressing fraud, verifications and decisioning.

"When we looked to expand our personal lending products with a digital offering, we prioritized finding a platform that could provide a simple, straightforward customer experience, which we found in Amount," said Mark Victoria, Head of Personal Lending, TD Bank. "Our initial rollout of TD Fit marked the first in a series of collaborative initiatives with Amount that will provide a great experience for our customers, while bringing TD to the forefront of digital lending. We're incredibly excited about all that's to come through this partnership."

Amount's technology platform and digital capabilities, which have been used to originate nearly $6 billion in loans to meet the personal lending needs of more than 800,000 consumers, give TD Bank access to an industry-leading digital lending platform. Select TD Bank customers can apply for unsecured installment loans up to $35,000 online or through their mobile device. Approved customers can receive funds as soon as the next day.

"Shifting consumer behavior has set the bar high for retail banks to deliver a digital experience that is fast, secure and simple," said James Paris, Chief Strategy Officer of Amount. "Our platform provides TD Bank with a proven technology solution that will help grow its lending business and quickly bring to market compelling offerings that redefine the customer experience and better meet their online lending needs."

The Amount platform has been customized to TD Bank's specifications and offers end-to-end lending products, individual tools such as fraud prevention and account verification, decisioning engines and white label servicing to existing digital products. Amount is also able to provide partner banks with consultative analytical services to enhance performance, including risk assessment and modeling, underwriting and customer acquisition.

For more information, visit www.amount.com.

About Amount

Amount delivers the technology that financial institutions need to create and enhance their digital credit offerings. Built by lending industry veterans, Amount helps partners go digital in monthsnot yearswith a suite of proven product modules for credit decisioning, fraud prevention, account verifications, servicing engines and CRM solutions. Amount partners can optimize performance across product categories by tapping into various service offerings including customer acquisition, funnel and performance assessments, and risk consulting & analytics. Amount clients include financial institutions collectively managing close to $1T in US assets and servicing more than 25 million U.S. customers. Visit www.amount.com for more information.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.td.com/us. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD." To learn more, visit www.td.com/us.

Media Contacts:

Jenn Pratt

Keeton PR

404.655.2273

[email protected]

Kate Toy

Corporate & Public Affairs

TD Bank

[email protected]

SOURCE Amount

Related Links

https://www.amount.com


Arlo Ultra captures and outputs 4K video quality from the lens to the user, thanks to an advanced image sensor and HDR processing. Users will experience enhanced detail and clarity and are able to zoom in on video clips to uncover details such as license plates and clothing. With an expansive 180-degree diagonal field of view, Arlo Ultra delivers one of the widest viewing angles in the wire-free security camera industry, providing users with more flexibility when positioning their camera. A powerful LED integrated spotlight illuminates the night, allowing users to see color in the dark or traditional black and white night vision. Arlo Ultra also takes audio quality to the next level for clearer and more natural conversations. Designed with dual-microphones, Arlo Ultra delivers two-way audio with advanced noise cancellation that minimizes background noises and accentuates foreground audio, such as voices.

"As the most advanced DIY monitoring solution we've ever launched, Arlo Ultra raises the bar for smart home surveillance and marks a massive leap forward in surveillance for the do-it-yourself smart home security market," said Pat Collins, senior vice president of Arlo products. "Now available through additional retailer channels, Ultra provides home and small business owners with a convenient system that not only delivers cutting-edge image and audio quality, but also AI and computer vision capabilities."

The Arlo SmartHub functions as the nucleus of the smart home. Engineered with ArloRF, a proprietary two-way radio frequency technology, the SmartHub provides Arlo devices with extended battery life and superior long-range wireless coverage, enabling hassle-free communication between the SmartHub and Arlo devices.

Boasting a convenient wire-free setup and weather-resistant design, Arlo Ultra cameras can be installed nearly anywhere outdoors or indoors. Featuring a newly designed magnetic mount, Arlo Ultra enables easy mounting to ceilings, walls, eaves, or position on tables or counter surfaces. Ultra is powered by a newly designed rechargeable battery and magnetic charging cable. Arlo Ultra also features a built-in siren that can be automatically triggered by motion, audio detection, or manually activated remotely from the Arlo app for added protection.

Each Arlo Ultra system includes a one-year Arlo Smart Premier subscription (a $119.88 value), to provide users with a more personalized, intelligent smart home security experience. The subscription service utilizes powerful AI and computer vision technology to deliver customized notifications regarding people, animal, vehicle and package detection2. These deeper insights about detected activity, paired with e911 access to emergency services local to the camera's location instead of the user's location, enable Arlo subscribers to not only monitor, but also take swift action in urgent situations. Arlo Smart Premier also includes cloud recordings of video clips at 1080p or lower resolution for up to 30 days3. Premium video recording for cloud storage of 4K clips is available as an add-on subscription, or users can store 4K clips locally at no added cost using the SmartHub's microSD card slot.

For more information, please visit arlo.com.

About Arlo Technologies, Inc.

Arlo is the award-winning, industry leader that is transforming the way people experience the connected lifestyle. Arlo's deep expertise in product design, wireless connectivity, cloud infrastructure and cutting-edge AI capabilities focuses on delivering a seamless, smart home experience for Arlo users that is easy to setup and interact with every day. The company's cloud-based platform provides users with visibility, insight and a powerful means to help protect and connect in real-time with the people and things that matter most, from any location with a Wi-Fi or a cellular connection. To date, Arlo has launched several categories of award-winning smart connected devices, including wire-free smart Wi-Fi and LTE-enabled cameras, audio doorbells, advanced baby monitors and smart security lights.

2019 Arlo Technologies, Inc. Arlo and the Arlo logo are trademarks of Arlo Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other brand and product names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective holder(s). The information contained herein may change without notice.

1 The NPD Group, Inc., U.S. Retail Tracking Service, Security & Monitoring, Camera Technology: Decentralized IP Camera and Centralized IP Camera, based on Dollars, Jan 2018-Dec 2018.

2 Some Arlo Smart features may be beta releases and subject to further refinement.

3Arlo Smart Premier includes cloud recordings of video clips at 1080p or lower resolution for up to 30 days. Renewal of an Arlo Smart Subscription after one year is required to maintain Arlo Smart features, including cloud storage.

SOURCE Arlo-G

Related Links

https://www.arlo.com/


FOREST HILLS, N.Y., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftWorks AI CEO Dr. Ari Gross has been selected to speak at this year's Mortgage Bankers Association Technology Solutions Conference and Expo on March 26 at 11:45 a.m. His session, "Artificial Intelligence in 2020," will touch on how artificial intelligence and machine learning are allowing banking and finance professionals to perform repetitive tasks such as processing loan packets with extremely high accuracy.

Through accurate loan processing, mortgage banks can reduce or eliminate the need for human reviews, allowing individuals to perform more meaningful tasks. This session will discuss practical applications for AI in the mortgage industry.

"The mortgage industry has seen customer expectations shift dramatically. As a result, lenders need to understand how technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning can help meet those expectations," Dr. Gross said.

He will be joined by William Packer, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at American Financial Resources, and Richard Gagliano, President of Origination Technologies at Black Knight.

During the session, Dr. Gross will touch on how AI and machine learning allows lenders to automate several aspects of the loan process, including underwriting. This state-of-the-art technology enables parsing from several financial documents to drastically reduce time spent on each loan packet.

Dr. Gross has been very active in the research and development of new methods and technology in the areas of computer vision, imaging, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and real-time computing for the past 20 years.

His achievements include over 40 published papers and several patents in areas related to imaging, machine learning, and document automation. Dr. Gross has managed his previous company from its initial focus on image compression and OCR to its shift over the last three years towards business process automation.

After a successful exit, Dr. Gross launched SoftWorks AI to address the needs of the explosive Knowledge Worker Automation market. Dr. Gross, Ph.D., received a BS degree in Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Columbia University

The MBA Tech Conference will take place March 24-27 in Dallas. Learn more and register for the show here.

About SoftWorks AI

SoftWorks AI is dedicated to helping businesses enhance operational efficiency by providing state-of-the-art computer vision and automation solutions. We strive to leverage our deep expertise in computer perception, OCR and AI technologies to convert raw information into actionable insight, equipping knowledge workers with the means to drive business value faster and more intelligently.

Contact

SoftWorks AI

Adam Miller, 718-947-5921

[email protected]

www.softworksai.com

SOURCE Softworks AI

Related Links

https://softworksai.com


BOCA RATON, Fla., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Bolton Labs today announced their acquisition of Philippines-based cybersecurity solutions firm, Phylasso Security. The addition of Phylasso Security's capabilities, leadership, and customers further extends Bolton Labs' reach in the Southeast Asian market.

Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneur and tech industry veteran, Anson Uy, and Google Philippines Country Head, Ken Lingan, Phylasso Security provides end-to-end cybersecurity solutions that help identify and mitigate cyber threats. Through the acquisition, Bolton Labs also gains several key customers in the Fintech space such as MegaLink, a leading online banking software provider and ExpressPay, a fast-growing payment services platform.

The Philippines was highlighted as one of the countries most prone to cyber-attacks in Southeast Asia according to new research commissioned by Cisco Systems.1 The report also noted that the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) cybersecurity capabilities are being held back by a dire shortage of local capabilities and expertise.

Bolton Labs CEO, Richard Dobrow said in a statement, "Anson Uy and Ken Lingan are amazing strategic resources for us as we expand into the Southeast Asian market. Our SOC Enablement Platform will bring much-needed flexibility and scalability to organizations and managed service providers throughout the region. Adding Phylasso Security to the Bolton Labs' portfolio reflects our strategy of rapid growth, both organically and through strategic acquisitions."

Bolton Labs COO, Patrick Linton added, "The integration of Phylasso Security into the Bolton Labs offer will enable us to further address the growing cybersecurity talent shortage for both our US and Southeast Asia-based customers. We are dedicated to serving the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia by combining the collective power of local and global resources."

Lingan said in a statement: "The growing global cybersecurity talent shortage is reaching a fever pitch and we are excited to be joining forces with Bolton Labs to improve how Southeast Asian companies staff, manage and optimize their Security Operation Centers to deliver a world-class capability."

Both Lingan and Uy will join the Bolton Labs Board of Directors. Details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

About Bolton Labs

Bolton Labs provides cybersecurity services, training, and tools to managed service providers and organizations who want to scale their security offerings. With a unique combination of best-of-breed talent and technology, Bolton Labs' cloud-based SOC Enablement Platform delivers unrivaled flexibility, scalability, and cost savings to security teams around the world. Bolton Labs' next-generation delivery model gives complete transparency over the buildout and management of 24x7 functions that augment existing security investments and teams with highly skilled, hard to find talent. To learn more visit www.boltonlabs.co

1 https://www.cisco.com/c/m/en_sg/cybersecurity/atk-report/index.html

Media Contact:

Megan Hermosillo

[email protected]

+ 64 20 410 52553



SOURCE Bolton Labs

Related Links

https://www.boltonlabs.co/


A subsidiary of C Spire, a diversified telecommunications and technology services company, C Spire Business was included in the prestigious annual Tech Elite 250 list, which recognizes providers with the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology suppliers, for the ninth consecutive year.

CRN editors said C Spire Business is among a small group of managed services firms with the most customer-beneficial technical certifications in the North American IT channel. Companies who earn the designation, which enable the delivery of premium products, services and customer support, are chosen from a pool of online applicants.

C Spire Business, with a 57 net promoter score that makes customers 138 percent more likely to recommend them to others, is the industry's first full-stack managed information technology solutions provider, but customers can count on far more than just gaining access to the latest technology, according to general manager Don Monistere.

"As the industry's first full-stack managed solutions provider, we can meet our customers wherever they are in the value chain and successfully help them manage their biggest technology challenges, whether it's data protection or IT resiliency, in an increasingly data-driven world," Monistere said.

Monistere said C Spire Business offers advanced connectivity, cloud, software, hardware, communications, professional services, cybersecurity, business continuity and technology support in a single, seamless, managed IT solution portfolio. "From desktop to data center, we help customers work smarter, faster and more secure."

With over 500 service professionals, multiple data centers and ownership of nearly 9,000 route miles of fiber optic infrastructure, C Spire Business is poised to deliver world-class managed services to a variety of businesses. The firm is ranked 9th in the world among cloud service providers, Monistere added.

"CRN's Tech Elite 250 list recognizes solution providers with extensive technical knowledge and premier certifications," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company, which owns CRN. "Pursuit of vendor certifications and broader skill sets in a wide range of technologies and IT practices proves a solution provider is committed to delivering maximum business value from those technologies and giving customers their highest level of service."

The Tech Elite 250 list will be featured in the April 2019 issue of CRN online at www.CRN.com/TechElite250.

About C Spire

C Spire Business is a subsidiary of C Spire, a Mississippi-based diversified telecommunications and technology services provider. The unit offers the nation's first full-stack managed IT solutions suite of services, including advanced connectivity, cloud, software, hardware, communications, professional services, cybersecurity, business continuity and technology support in a single, seamless, managed IT solutions portfolio. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire Business, visit www.cspire.com and click on the business tab or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.

SOURCE C Spire

Related Links

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AUBURN, Ala., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicken Salad Chick, the nation's only southern inspired, fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced today it will be expanding in Oklahoma with its newest location in Tulsa. With a restaurant in Broken Arrow, which opened last year, the Tulsa location marks the brand's second in the state with additional restaurants in Edmond and Oklahoma City slated to open in 2019. Located at 4820 East 61st Street at the corner of Yale Avenue, the Tulsa restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on April 2nd, where the first 100 guests will receive free chicken salad for a year.

During grand opening week, guests will experience the southern hospitality that Chicken Salad Chick is known for, with giveaways and specials that include:

Tuesday, April 2  Free Chicken Salad for a Year  The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month. * Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can make a purchase and enter to win free chicken salad for a year. **

 Free Chicken Salad for a Year  The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month. * Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can make a purchase and enter to win free chicken salad for a year. ** Wednesday, April 3  Meet The Chicks  The first 50 guests to purchase a Chick Special will get an opportunity to 'Meet The Chicks' over the next 12 months and will receive a free scoop of chicken salad per month. ***

 Meet The Chicks  The first 50 guests to purchase a Chick Special will get an opportunity to 'Meet The Chicks' over the next 12 months and will receive a free scoop of chicken salad per month. *** Thursday, April 4  The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 32oz. RTIC Chick tumbler.

 The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 32oz. RTIC Chick tumbler. Friday, April 5  Free Upgrade Friday  The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive a free upgrade to a Chick Trio.

 Free Upgrade Friday  The first 100 guests to purchase a Chick Special will receive a free upgrade to a Chick Trio. Saturday, April 6  The first 50 guests to purchase two large Quick Chicks will receive a free large Chick cooler.

Spearheading Chicken Salad Chick's expansion in Oklahoma is multi-unit franchise-owner Molly Robinson. Previously a multi-unit operator of McDonalds, Robinson is an industry veteran with more than 18 years of experience in restaurant management. Impressed by Chicken Salad Chick's core values and devoted support team, she decided to leave quick service and open the brand's first Oklahoma restaurant in Broken Arrow. Following the opening of her Tulsa restaurant, Robinson expects to open in Edmond and Oklahoma City later this year, along with plans for additional Oklahoma locations over the next few years.

"Introducing Chicken Salad Chick in Oklahoma has been such a rewarding experience," said Robinson. "I've had the opportunity to witness new customers try our made-from-scratch recipes for the first time and welcome back regulars who have made Chicken Salad Chick their go-to family lunch spot. The joy that our food and genuine hospitality brings to any guest who dines at Chicken Salad Chick was my motivation to expand. I'm proud to be opening a restaurant in The Shops at Warren Place and am excited to bring our unique experience to the Tulsa community."

The Chicken Salad Chick concept was established in 2008 by founder, Stacy Brown. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick's robust menu offers a variety of options suitable for any guest. In 2015, Eagle Merchant Partners purchased a majority stake in Chicken Salad Chick, and under the leadership of CEO Scott Deviney and team, the company now has more than 110 restaurants currently open in 13 states and remains a standout brand within the fast casual segment.

Chicken Salad Chick in Tulsa will be open Monday  Saturday from 10:00a.m.  8p.m. For more information, visit http://www.chickensaladchick.com or call 539-867-1631. Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and trends.

*Eligible winners must purchase The Chick be over 16 years of age and are required to download the Craving Credits app. Redemption will start 4/8.

**Eligible winners must purchase The Chick, be over 16 years of age and are required to download the Craving Credits app. 10 winners will be announced on Facebook Live at the end of the day. Redemption will start 4/8.

***Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick Special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. Redemption will start 4/8.

For more information on giveaways and specials, visit www.facebook.com/chickensaladchickwarrenplace/

About Chicken Salad Chick

Founded in Auburn, Alabama, in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick's robust menu is a perfect fit for any guest. Today, the brand has 114 restaurants in 13 states and is continuing its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick has received numerous accolades including rankings in Franchise Times' Fast & Serious in 2019, Fast Casual.com's top Movers and Shakers, Nation's Restaurant News' Next 20 in 2017 and Inc.'s list of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. in 2016. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information.

Contact:

Nikki Rode

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Chicken Salad Chick

Related Links

http://www.chickensaladchick.com


SAN GABRIEL, California, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX), an established financial news and investment portal, and a leading industrial hemp retailer for the Chinese-speaking community, recently announced that it will add a high-end, luxury brand of full spectrum CBD oil to its product offerings.

ChineseHempOil.com, Inc.'s new product was launched on March 9, 2019, at San Francisco's KTSF-hosted Financial Carnival Event. The launch has proven successful, with sales exceeding $10,000 on the first day. Based on the initial reception and the price point for this top of the line CBD oil, the Company expects that this new addition should have a positive impact on revenues and should increase margins.

"Since the beginning of 2019, ChineseInvestors.com, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary ChineseHempOil.com, Inc., have been on the lookout for innovative CBD products for the global Chinese market," stated Warren Wang, Chief Executive Officer of ChineseInvestors.com. "This 100% organic product, free of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers, will provide our most discerning, health conscious customers with one of the highest quality CBD oils available."

Products are available for purchase on the Company's new platform, www.365cwc.com, which caters to both Chinese and English-speakers and offers a wide selection of wellness products, including:

OPT Hemp: Products include organic industrial hemp-derived CBD oil, CBD scrub and cream, with additional hemp-infused cosmetics and other industrial hemp-derived CBD products in the works.

OPT2Mist: A ground-breaking nutritional spray product line including a wide array of daily vitamin sprays, and full-spectrum CBD-infused sprays.

Our latest organic full spectrum CBD oil: A high-grade, organic, full spectrum hemp oil sourced from Colorado and free of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.

Dedicated to spreading awareness about the benefits of CBD, ChineseHempOil.com has been operating in the United States since 2017. Equipped with its strong reputation and its popular product lines, ChineseHempOil.com is constantly developing new and innovative ways to promote wellness in the Chinese community.

For more information, please visit www.365cwc.com.

About ChineseInvestors.com

Founded in 1999, ChineseInvestors.com endeavors to be an innovative company providing: (a) real-time market commentary, analysis, and educational related services in Chinese language character sets (traditional and simplified); (b) advertising and public relation related support services; and (c) retail,

online and direct sales of hemp-based products and other health related products.

For more information, visit ChineseInvestors.com.

Subscribe and watch our video commentaries: https://www.youtube.com/user/Chinesefncom

Follow us on Twitter for real-time Company updates: https://twitter.com/ChineseFNEnglsh

Like us on Facebook to receive live feeds: https://www.facebook.com/Chinesefncom;

https://www.facebook.com/Chineseinvestors.com.english

Add us on WeChat: Chinesefn or download iPhone iOS App: Chinesefn

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential" or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own, or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; and (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact:

ChineseInvestors.com

227 W. Valley Blvd., #208 A

San Gabriel, CA 91776

Investor Relations:

Alan Klitenic

+1-214-636-2548

[email protected]

Corporate Communications:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

www.NetworkNewsWire.com

+1-212-418-1217 Office

[email protected]

SOURCE ChineseInvestors.com, Inc.
SHANGHAI, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CStone Pharmaceuticals ("CStone"; HKEX: 2616) is pleased to announce the appointment of three internationally renowned oncologists Paul A. Bunn, Jr., MD, Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, and Richard S. Finn, MD, as the company's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members. With their deep scientific and medical expertise as well as extensive leadership and advisory experiences at top academic institutions, the addition of these three oncology leaders will greatly augment CStone's Research and Development strategy in Immuno-Oncology and Precision Medicine and optimize the company's drug portfolio as a whole.

"It is our great privilege to have Drs. Bunn, Jaffee and Finn on our SAB. We are extremely excited about the guidance and contribution they will provide to accelerate the development of innovative medicine for cancer treatment in China and beyond," commented Dr. Frank Jiang, Chairman and CEO of CStone. "We are confident that by leveraging our SAB members' professional insights, we will further strengthen our oncology pipeline and clinical development capabilities to satisfy the unmet medical needs of Chinese cancer patients by developing innovative combination therapies."

Paul A. Bunn, Jr., MD is among the world's leading thoracic oncologists, currently serving as Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and James Dudley Professor of Lung Cancer Research at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He was named "2016 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture recipient", the most prestigious award of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO). Among his leadership roles, Dr. Bunn is the former President of ASCO, former Chair of the ASCO Foundation Board, former President of the IASLC, former President of the AACI, former Director or the Univ. of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center and former Executive Director of the IASLC. Dr. Bunn also served as the Chairman of the Oncology Drug Advisory Committee of the U.S. FDA. Dr. Bunn is the Chair of the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium.

Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD is an internationally recognized expert in cancer immunology and pancreatic cancer, and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Deputy Director of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Research, and professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Jaffee has held a string of leadership positions, including the current President of the Board of Directors of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and co-Chair of the former Blue Ribbon Panel for Vice President Joe Biden's National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Her research focuses on cancer immune therapies including novel immune checkpoint inhibitors and cancer vaccines to overcome immune tolerance to cancers.

Richard S. Finn, MD is a leading expert in cancer drug development and liver cancer. He has played a pivotal role in the development of the first CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Ibrance). Dr. Finn is a Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Hematology/Oncology Division at the David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Director of the Signal Transduction Program in the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. He is the former President of the International Liver Cancer Association, current senior editor of Clinical Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Research, and on the editorial boards of Journal of Hepatology, and Liver Cancer. While dedicating his research to developing molecularly targeted agents and identifying predictive markers of response to novel cancer drugs, Dr. Finn has also served as principal and sub-investigator in clinical trials for targeted and immune-therapies against breast and hepatocellular carcinoma.

About CStone

CStone Pharmaceuticals (HKEX:2616) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative immuno-oncology and precision medicine to address the unmet medical needs of cancer patients in China and worldwide. Established in 2015, CStone has assembled a world-class management team with extensive experience in innovative drug development, clinical research, and commercialization. The company has built an oncology-focused pipeline with a strategic emphasis on immune-oncology combination therapies. Currently, 4 late-stage candidates are at or near pivotal trials. With an experienced team, a rich pipeline, a robust clinical development-driven business model, and substantial funding, CStone's vision is to become globally recognized as a leading Chinese biopharmaceutical company by bringing innovative oncology therapies to cancer patients worldwide.

For more information about CStone Pharmaceuticals, please visit: www.cstonepharma.com.

Forward-looking Statement

The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development.

SOURCE CStone Pharmaceuticals

Related Links

http://www.cstonepharma.com


SCHAUMBURG, Ill., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring for the LGBTQ community in the emergency department and a panel discussion on the response to disasters in Washington state highlight the Emergency Nurses Association's Spring Regional Symposium in Seattle on April 25-26.

Presented at the Grand Hyatt Seattle, the symposium is the latest in ENA's series of educational and networking events focused on bringing high-quality ENA programming to members on the local level. Previous symposia held in Las Vegas and Orlando drew hundreds of emergency nurses eager to participate in regionalized learning opportunities.

The symposium's first day features a panel discussion focused on the lessons learned in local emergency departments during regional disasters such as the deadly 2017 Amtrak derailment, a fatal Duck Boat crash in 2015 and the catastrophic Oso mudslide. A session on disaster preparedness is scheduled to follow the panel.

Addressing societal stigmas about the LGBTQ community, and how it impacts patient care in the emergency department, will be a focal point on the second day of educational offerings presented by local experts and industry leaders.

Symposium attendees have the opportunity to participate in Stop the Bleed training, as well as informative sessions on talking with children about the dangers of the internet and social media in the context of the human trafficking crisis. Emergency nurses can also enhance their clinical knowledge as speakers present important information on preventing patient falls in the emergency department, assessing the best vascular options for patients with urgent or emergent needs, and patient safety science basics.

To learn more about the exciting lineup in Seattle and to register, visit the Spring Regional Symposium page on the ENA website. Stay up to date on the latest symposium news by following ENA on Facebook.

About the Emergency Nurses Association

The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With more than 43,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency healthcare public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.

ENA Media Contact:

Dan Campana

Senior Manager, Communications

847-460-4017

[email protected]

SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association

Related Links

http://www.ena.org


BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) will hold its annual meeting of stockholders at 11:00 a.m. CDT, on Friday, May 3, 2019. The meeting will be held at the Company's Home Office located at 9001 Liberty Parkway in Birmingham, Alabama.

Stockholders planning to attend the meeting will be asked to present valid picture identification, such as a driver's license or passport. Reporters planning to attend are requested to pre-register with Hillary Carnel by calling 205 970-5912 or emailing [email protected] no later than Friday, April 26, 2019.

For Encompass Health stockholders not able to attend the meeting and other interested parties, a live audio webcast can be accessed at https://investor.encompasshealth.com. Those interested may replay the audio webcast through an archived link on the same website following the meeting.

About Encompass Health

As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 130 hospitals, 220 home health locations, and 58 hospice locations in 36 states and Puerto Rico, the Company is committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective, integrated care across the healthcare continuum. Driven by a set of shared values, Encompass Health is the result of the union between HealthSouth Corporation and Encompass Home Health & Hospice, and is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter and Facebook.

Encompass Health Contacts :

Media: Hillary Carnel, 205 970-5912

[email protected]

Investor Relations: Crissy Carlisle, 205 970-5860

[email protected]



SOURCE Encompass Health Corp.

Related Links

http://www.encompasshealth.com


SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Strata Data Conference  Neo4j , the leader in graph databases, announced today that the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) has been honored as a finalist for the Strata Data Awards for its Neo4j implementation .

DZDconnect, the DZD's graph database implementation combines research data sources from genetics, epigenetics and metabolic pathways with data from clinical studies to find new ways to fight diabetes.

Graph representation of "DZDconnect" metadata of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD).

According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), one out of every eleven adults worldwide has diabetes, that is approximately 425 million people worldwide  a number that has quadrupled since 1980. Furthermore, twelve percent of global health expenditure $727 billion is spent on diabetes. In order to better understand its causes, DZD scientists examine the disease from as many different angles as possible.

DZD's research network accumulates a huge amount of data distributed across various locations and consolidates it into a single, master database. This central database provides DZD's 400-strong team of scientists with a holistic view of available information, enabling them to gain valuable insights into the causes and progression of diabetes. The team has begun using Neo4j in combination with artificial intelligence (AI) to make new connections in diabetes research. By leveraging its connected data, DZD is now able to further their ultimate goal to help patients with more individualized therapies and prevention plans.

With support from Neo4j, Dr. Alexander Jarasch set up DZDconnect. The graph database sits as a layer over the various relational databases linking different DZD systems and data silos. DZD scientists are particularly impressed by Neo4j's graph visualization and easy querying across massive, disparate datasets.

"Creating the first data models with Neo4j was very fast," said Dr. Jarasch. "In the first week, I was able to connect metadata from our scientists into a data model, test the model and show the added value of the graph database. Thanks to the high scalability and performance of Neo4j, the data integration possibilities are limitless. Measurement data is automatically transmitted to the DZDconnect tool, and we're employing AI and graph analytics to find connections with other diseases, including cancers."

The Strata Data Awards

The awards will be handed out at the Strata Data Conference , taking place March 25-28, 2019 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. Curated by a team of industry experts, the nominated award finalists are sorted into four different categories. The DZDconnect project using Neo4j is a finalist in the "Data Impact" category.

Strata Data attendees are invited to vote for the company of their choice in each category by texting and following the instructions displayed on conference signage and keynote slides at the event. Attendees should visit the Neo4j team at Booth 927 to learn more. Winners will be announced during the keynote presentations on March 28.

Neo4j at Strata

Neo4j's work with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) will be featured in a Strata session titled ' The Paradise Papers and West Africa Leaks: Behind the scenes with the ICIJ '. The talk will take place on Thursday, March 28, at 3:50pm4:30pm, at the 2018 location. ICIJ CTO Pierre Romera will explain how his team made sense of the massive amounts of data, using Neo4j and other technologies in a yearlong investigation on the offshore dealings of multinational companies and wealthy individuals around the globe.

Resources

About Neo4j

Neo4j is the leading graph database platform that drives innovation and competitive advantage at Airbus, Comcast , eBay , NASA , UBS , Walmart and more. Thousands of community deployments and more than 300 customers harness connected data with Neo4j to reveal how people, processes, locations and systems are interrelated. Using this relationships-first approach, applications built using Neo4j tackle connected data challenges including artificial intelligence, fraud detection, real-time recommendations and master data. Find out more at neo4j.com .

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Contact:

Neo4j Media Hotline:

[email protected]

neo4j.com/pr

 2019 Neo4j, Inc., Neo Technology, Neo4j, Cypher and Neo4j Bloom are registered trademarks or a trademark of Neo4j, Inc. All other marks are owned by their respective companies.

SOURCE Neo4j

Related Links

http://neo4j.com


NEW YORK, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KEY INSIGHTS

Growth in the global newborn screening market is expected to be driven by the increasing dominance of diseases in newborn such as congenital anomalies, respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal infection, etc. which has led to the increased adoption of newborn screening equipment to diagnose fatal diseases in newborn babies. By the end of the forecast years of 2019-2027, the market is predicted to exhibit a CAGR of 13.56%.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05337896/?utm_source=PRN



MARKET INSIGHTS

The global newborn screening market is segmented on the basis of test type, technology, and products. The test type segments include a dry blood spot test, hearing screen test, and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) test.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is assessed that approximately 303,000 newborns die within the first 4 weeks due to congenital anomalies every year. The primary factors responsible for the increasing prevalence of newborn diseases is increasing the market value globally.



REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Regional segmentation of the market is done into North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the rest of the world.APAC market is expected to showcase the fastest growth over the forecast period 2019-2027 owing to the increasing birth rate, government programs supporting newborn screening, increasing prevalence of diseases in newborn babies, and increasing incidence of birth defects

However, the North American market continues to dominate in terms of the total revenue generated.



U.S and Canada are the significant markets in this region. Compensatory rules & regulations of the newborn screening market in the United States are majorly contributing to the market's progress.



COMPETITIVE INSIGHTS

Companies like Zentech S.A., Waters Corporation, Biotek Instruments Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Cardinal Health Inc., Agilent Technologies Inc., Sciex, Natus Medical Incorporated, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Medtronic Plc , Trivitron Healthcare, Medtronic PLC, Neogen Labs Pvt. Ltd., GE Healthcare Limited, , Masimo Corporation , and PerkinElmer Inc. are mentioned in the report.



Companies mentioned

1. SCIEX

2. BIOTEK INSTRUMENTS INC.

3. BIO-RAD LABORATORIES INC.

4. CARDINAL HEALTH INC.

5. GE HEALTHCARE LIMITED

6. AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES INC.

7. MASIMO CORPORATION

8. NATUS MEDICAL INCORPORATED

9. MEDTRONIC PLC

10. THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC.

11. NEOGEN LABS PVT. LTD.

12. PERKINELMER INC.

13. ZENTECH S.A.

14. WATERS CORPORATION

15. TRIVITRON HEALTHCARE



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05337896/?utm_source=PRN



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SOURCE Reportlinker

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BOSTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Globalization Partners Inc, a company that helps other companies engage global teams without establishing overseas subsidiaries, today announced it is funding the construction of a new school in rural Guatemala and sending ten high school students from disadvantaged communities across the U.S. to participate in the actual construction process of the new school. The intention is to bring quality education to local children in rural Guatemala while also expanding the worldview of American high school students from disadvantaged communities. The project is in partnership with School the World, a Boston-based international nonprofit.

"Globalization Partners' mission is to break down barriers to global business by making it easy for our clients to hire global team members in more than 150 countries," said Nicole Sahin, CEO of Globalization Partners. "This project with School the World embodies our company's spirit and dedication to that goal. By collapsing the obstacles to education, progress is made not only within a community, but a region, a country, and the world. We can't wait to start building!"

The ten American high school students were chosen from traditionally underserved communities in the U.S. to travel to Guatemala to participate in this service-learning trip. According to the United Nations World Food Programme and the World Bank, 58 percent of Guatemalans live in povertyand while the UN reports about 85 percent of seven-to-twelve-year-olds attend school, nearly 1.5 million children do not have access to an education.

The American students will have an opportunity to see and learn about the deep and complicated causes underlying economic disadvantages prevalent in rural communities. They will be able to witness first-hand the economic realities that families in indigenous areas of Central America contend with in their determination to educate and take care of their families. More importantly, the American high school students will experience the opportunity to make a difference and see the power and influence of education in ordinary people's lives.

"Throughout this trip the students will learn about the realities of extreme poverty and meet children who love to learn," said Kate Curran, Founder & CEO of School the World. "They will get to know a community that understands the power of education and is incredibly grateful for the new school and all the opportunities it will bring."

In addition to scholarships for the students, Globalization Partners is funding the school build, and employees will also be donating a significant portion of the school supplies. School the World will be documenting the journey of the 10 students on social media from March 25-30. To see daily photos and videos please visit @schooltheworld on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

To learn more, listen to this podcast with Kate Curran, Founder & CEO of School the World: Breaking Down Barriers to Education

About Globalization Partners

Globalization Partners is renowned for pioneering the Global Employer of Record model and helps companies expand internationally into more than 150 countries without the hassle of setting up overseas branch offices and subsidiaries. Through our Global Expansion Platform, companies can quickly and easily hire employees overseas without having to navigate complex international legal, tax and HR issues. We take the burdenand riskoff our clients' shoulders and place it onto ours. Whether it's to test a new market or to expand the talent pool, Globalization Partners is the most trustworthy global workforce management solution in the market. With dual headquarters in Boston and San Diego, regional hub offices worldwide include Berlin, Dubai, Indore, Sao Paolo, Mexico City, Singapore, and Bristol, UK.

For more information please visit www.globalization-partners.com or connect with us via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or check out our Blog.

About School the World

School the World works to provide access to quality education for children living in extreme poverty. Together with local governments, partners and deeply engaged parents, School the World provides young children living in the poorest communities the opportunity to learn so that they can work towards a brighter future. School the World also creates new World Changers through their U.S. high school student service-learning program. Founded in 2009, School the World currently works in Guatemala, Honduras and the United States. For more information, please visit: www.schooltheworld.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @schooltheworld.

Contact:

Karen Pantinas

[email protected]

617-729-4466

SOURCE Globalization Partners

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https://www.globalization-partners.com/


NEW YORK, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), a mutual life insurer and a leading provider of whole life, dental, individual disability income insurance and employee benefits, today announced 2018 year-end results that included record earnings and capital levels.

Guardian had $1.6 billion in operating income before taxes and dividends to policyholders; achieved strong risk-based capital results of 514%; paid out $6.3 billion in benefits to policyholders and had $667 billion of life insurance in force. The company ranks in the top five of the whole life market with a 6% share, and fourth in Group Life, Dental, and Disability with a 6.5% share of combined sales.

Today, Guardian also released a presentation that it may use from time to time in discussions with its investors. The presentation and other materials are available at https://www.guardianlife.com/about-guardian/financial-highlights. Updates to this presentation and other materials for investors will periodically be made available at that location.

"2018 was a great year for Guardian and our policyholders, during which we paid a record dividend, launched our new brand and moved much of our technology infrastructure into the cloud," said President and CEO Deanna Mulligan. "We're innovating to anticipate and meet the needs of consumers and doing it with an unwavering commitment to our mission and values."

For 158-years, service has been integral to Guardian's mission. It comes to life through proactive care for customers and employee involvement in communities. Client care teams have been recognized as industry leaders in delivering superior service to our clients by DALBAR* and for providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience" for the live phone channel from J.D. Power. Guardian colleagues logged over 12,000 volunteer hours and drove $2M in donations through employee giving.

About The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian)

Every day, Guardian provides Americans the security they deserve through our insurance and wealth management products and services. Since our founding in 1860, our long-term view has helped our customers prepare for whatever life brings whether starting a family, planning for the future or taking care of employees. Today, we're a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace and through government sponsored programs. The Guardian community of 9,500 employees and our network of over 2,700 financial representatives is committed to serving with expertise when, where and how our clients need us. Our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which at year-end 2018 included $8.5 billion in capital and $1.6 billion in operating income. For more information, please visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY. Guardian is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

For Media Inquiries, Contact:

John D. Pelle

Guardian

(212) 919-7630

[email protected]

SOURCE The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

Related Links

www.guardianlife.com


SONOMA, Calif., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- An audience of more than 250 climate change innovators, business leaders, impact investors, artists and entrepreneurs from around the world gathered near the epicenter of the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County, California on March 20  21 for the inaugural Grounded Summit , a two-day event focused on scalable climate change solutions.

Grounded founder, Julia Jackson, started the organization out of frustration stemming from a wide-ranging lack of action on climate security. At the summit she announced the Grounded Foundation, which will accelerate organizations and individuals positioned to have an impactful effect on scalable solutions. Keiko Cadby will lead the foundation as its Executive Director, along with Jackson.

"Less than 3% of all philanthropic giving is going towards environmental causes, and we need both inspiration and investment to make change happen," Jackson said. "The Grounded Foundation will be a hub for accelerating solutions to climate change, and will work to increase awareness around the climate change crisis."

The Grounded Summit featured well-known environmentalists, including visionary author Paul Hawken, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Executive Director Justin Winters and FullCycle co-founder Stephan Nicoleau, as well as international leaders, including former President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and Nemonte Nenquimo, Ecuadorian founding member of the Ceibo Alliance.

Four-term California Governor Jerry Brown and California Senator Ben Allen also spoke to various topics of significance. Dr. Paul Hessburg brought attention to the intensity of recent wildfires that have ravaged California, which were also the inspiration for the creation of Grounded. Pierce Brosnan & Keely Shaye Smith attended both days of the summit. Both are well known for their commitment to the environment spanning more than two decades.

In addition to learning about groundbreaking environmental research and innovative climate change solutions, attendees were immersed in experiences that brought the effects of climate change to the forefront. Two featured artists, Stuart Palley and Zaria Forman, showcased their work in a "Fire & Ice" display. Palley's wildfire photography was mirrored by Forman's pastel drawings of Arctic ice. Brandon Boyd, Mike Einziger & Ben Kenney of Incubus donated an acoustic performance on Night 2 in honor of their shared ethos with the event.

Sren Westh, renowned chef and Co-Founder of .506, curated an exploration of food through the lens of climate change. An interactive exhibit called The Core provided a space for attendees to connect global organizations, including National Geographic and Think Beyond Plastic, and local sustainable businesses such as, Sipsong Spirits, Jackson Family Wines, Bounty + Bloom, and Rana Cohabitat Co.

To minimize the event's environmental impact, lead Summit sponsor Bank of America made a donation to Cool Effect's Affordable Cookstoves Project, which helped offset carbon emissions generated by guest and speaker travel. The summit also partnered with Copia to donate leftover food and Green Mary to recycle waste produced, allowing the summit to target zero waste status.

Attendees were united by the message that humanity must make substantial changes quickly in order to stave off the more catastrophic damages of climate change we are currently heading toward.

For highlights from this year's Summit, please visit grounded.org. The second Grounded Summit is planned for March 19  20, 2020.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.grounded.org

About Grounded

Grounded is an environmental summit focused on accelerating innovative, data-driven climate change solutions. Hosted in Sonoma, CA on March 20-21, 2019, Grounded united leading voices in climate action, top culinary talent and globally recognized artists & musicians for an immersive two-day summit held near the epicenter of the 2017 fires that ravaged Santa Rosa, California. www.grounded.org

SOURCE Grounded

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http://www.grounded.org


OMAHA, Neb., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet Linx, the third-largest aircraft management company (Part 135) in the United States, has achieved a monumental milestone in private aviation, having flown 100 million miles. Jet Linx surpassed the 100 million mile threshold following a 1,085.2-mile flight from Scottsdale, Ariz. to Omaha, Neb. on Sunday, March 24. The announcement was made today by Jamie Walker, President & CEO of Jet Linx Aviation.

"This amazing achievement is a reflection of our steadfast commitment to deliver exceptional service and the highest safety standards in private aviation to our clients - one mile at a time," said Mr. Walker. "Jet Linx has grown at a steady pace since 1999 but, in the last few years, our business has experienced an exponential trajectory, having flown half of the 100 million miles in the last five years alone. Jet Linx has quietly become the finest aircraft management and jet card solution in the industry because of our unique and innovative business model that offers a far more personalized approach to private jet travel through individual, city specific, local operations."

The 100-million-mile landmark comes as Jet Linx celebrates its 20th anniversary and anticipates yet another year of record growth with the commencement of preliminary flight operations from, and the forthcoming openings of, dedicated Jet Linx private terminals in New York, Boston, Chicago and Austin. Jet Linx continuing nation-wide development follows the establishment of new private terminals in Detroit and Houston, as well as the recent expansion of its facility in Washington, D.C. With the buildout of its base locations in New York, Boston, Chicago and Austin scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2019, Jet Linx is poised to become the foremost and preeminent private aviation company in the United States.

Over the past 20 years, not only has Jet Linx flown 100 million milesmore than the 93 million mile journey from the earth to the sunbut it has become the third-largest aircraft management company (Part 135) in the United States with 18 locally-operated Base Locations. Having long been recognized as a leader in the private aviation industry, Jet Linx has received numerous accolades and achievements, including safety awards such as an ARGUS Platinum Safety Rating, IS-BAO Stage 3 Certification and Wyvern Wingman Standard, among many others. Jet Linx is committed to managed, strategic and sustained growth in number of aircraft, members and locations across the country, as well as to the highest and most stringent safety standards in the private aviation industry.

About Jet Linx Aviation

Jet Linx Aviation is a locally-focused private jet company founded in 1999 as a more personalized approach to national private jet companies. Jet Linx offers two different ways to experience private aviation  a guaranteed Jet Card and an Aircraft Management program  providing its clients with an all-encompassing, local solution to all of their private jet travel needs. Jet Linx is an IS-BAO Stage 3, ARGUS Platinum and Wyvern Wingman safety rated operator, an accomplishment earned by less than one percent of all aircraft operators in the world. It is headquartered in Omaha, Neb. and has bases in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Nashville, New York, Omaha, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St Louis, Tulsa and Washington D.C. For additional information, please visit Jet Linx (www.jetlinx.com).

SOURCE Jet Linx

Related Links

http://www.jetlinx.com


HOUSTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded three contracts totaling $95.7 million to support cybersecurity and engineering efforts for the U.S. military.

KBRwyle was awarded these contracts under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center's multiple-award (DoD IAC MAC) contract vehicle for work to be performed for various U.S. military organizations. These task orders were awarded by the U.S. Air Force Installation Contracting Agency (AFICA).

KBRwyle was awarded a $41.9 million cybersecurity task order to help pioneer an Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) approach to data analysis and exploitation for the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing. This will help a variety of USAF and DoD customers discover hidden correlations, better understand data analysis results, and make more informed decisions.



This cost-plus-fixed-fee task order was awarded under the DoD IAC's Cyber Security and Information Systems Technical Area Task (CSTAT) multi-award contract. KBRwyle won a seat on the CSTAT contract in 2015. This work will be performed primarily at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio over the next five years.

KBRwyle was awarded a $35.3 million task order to provide information technology (IT) and cybersecurity services for the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) activities. Specifically, KBRwyle will support the use and application of cyber-related technologies in the design, development, testing, and evaluation of enterprise-wide IT and information management systems and infrastructure. KBRwyle will assist NAVAIR logistics in providing IT operations and maintenance, enterprise architecture, automated data processing, and enterprise license management services.



AFICA awarded this cost-plus-fixed-fee task order awarded under the DoD IAC's CSTAT contract. This work will primarily be performed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Lexington Park, Maryland over a three-year period.

KBRwyle was awarded a $18.5 million task order to provide a full spectrum of engineering services, including cybersecurity, obsolescence management, reverse engineering, and ground vehicle power and mobility. KBRwyle will assist the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in enhancing technologies for integration onto ground systems; assess the development of new technologies; and conduct survivability modeling and simulation for new systems.



This cost-plus-fixed-fee task order was awarded under the DoD IAC's Defense Systems Technical Area Task (DSTAT) contract. KBRwyle won a seat on the DSTAT contract in June 2014 . The work will be performed in Sterling Heights and Warren, Michigan over a 45-month period.

"Our recent series of cybersecurity wins underscores our position as a leading provider of innovative cyber and electronic security solutions," said Byron Bright, KBR President, Government Services U.S. "These awards demonstrate our ability to continually provide trusted, knowledge-based services to meet our customers' cybersecurity and IT needs."

KBRwyle offers an array of IT and cyber capabilities, including software engineering and development; big data analytics, computer network management, defense and support; cyber certification and accreditation; cyber policy development, translation and training; vulnerability assessment and evaluation; utility monitoring and control; health IT; and cloud security.

About DoD IAC Program

The DoD IAC program operates as a part of Defense Technical Information Center and provides technical data management and research support for DoD and federal government users. Established in 1946, the IAC program serves the DoD science and technology (S&T) and acquisition communities to drive innovation and technological developments by enhancing collaboration through integrated scientific and technical information development and dissemination for the DoD and broader S&T community. KBRwyle's contracts are part of the DoD IAC's Cyber Security and Information Systems Technical Area Task (CSTAT) and Defense Systems Technical Area Task (DSTAT).

About KBR, Inc.

KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program lifecycle within the Government Services and Hydrocarbons sectors. KBR employs approximately 36,000 people worldwide (including our joint ventures), with customers in more than 75 countries, and operations in 40 countries, across three synergistic global businesses:

Government Services, serving government customers globally, including capabilities that cover the full lifecycle of defense, space, aviation and other government programs and missions from research and development, through systems engineering, test and evaluation, program management, to operations, maintenance, and field logistics





Technology, including proprietary technology focused on the monetization of hydrocarbons (especially natural gas and natural gas liquids) in ethylene and petrochemicals; ammonia, nitric acid and fertilizers; oil refining and gasification





Hydrocarbons Services, including onshore oil and gas; LNG (liquefaction and regasification)/GTL; oil refining; petrochemicals; chemicals; fertilizers; differentiated EPC; maintenance services (Brown & Root Industrial Services); offshore oil and gas (shallow-water, deep-water, subsea); floating solutions (FPU, FPSO, FLNG & FSRU); program management and consulting services

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, integrated EPC delivery and long term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company.

KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE KBR, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.kbr.com


"South Asia plays a very important role in the global animal feed market, producing more than 35 million tons of compound feed. Due to rapid economic growth in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, the overall demand for animal protein is increasing in the region," said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin Industries. "For this reason, we decided to invest and grow the capacity at our existing Gummidipundi plant near Chennai. Kemin is always seeking opportunities to better meet our customers' needs regionally and provide high-quality products and solutions. This expansion is yet another example of how Kemin puts customers first."

The new state-of-the-art facility is one of the most sophisticated plants in the global Kemin portfolio to produce metal propionate trace minerals. The new facility's "Integrated Organic Mineral Production System" ensures highly efficacious organic trace minerals in different combinations for animals. The production facility for liquid products is also significantly improved in the new facility. The facility has also received new certifications and endorsements to better serve Kemin Food Technologies customers in Asia.

"For more than 20 years, Kemin has established a strong footprint in South Asia feed production," said G S Ramesh, Group President, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health. "As the demand for meat production increases in South Asia, the need for our value-added products is also growing tremendously. The additional capacity in Gummidipundi will equip us to meet the ever-increasing demand for Kemin's high-quality feed ingredients. As we begin outputting new products at this facility, we aim to work closely with our customers for the collective purpose of improving animal production efficiency."

The new food and manufacturing certifications for the Kemin Food Technologies  Asia business unit include the following:

ISO 9001:2015  Development, manufacture, marketing and supply of feed and food additives.

Development, manufacture, marketing and supply of feed and food additives. ISO 22000:2005  Manufacturing (processing, blending and packaging) of animal feed additives and food additives packed in bulk and retail packs.

Manufacturing (processing, blending and packaging) of animal feed additives and food additives packed in bulk and retail packs. FSSC 22000:2005  Manufacturing (processing, blending and packaging) of animal feed additives and food additives packed in bulk and retail packs.

Manufacturing (processing, blending and packaging) of animal feed additives and food additives packed in bulk and retail packs. HALAL India and KOSHER Certificate  Manufacturing endorsement.

Manufacturing endorsement. Export Inspection Council Approval  To process and pack food additives for export to NON-EU countries.

With regional headquarters in Chennai, India, Kemin has been serving the animal protein industry in South Asia since 1998. The current headquarters includes a full-fledged manufacturing facility, quality control labs, research and development farms and a small pellet feed mill.

"We are excited to bring new technologies into our production facility so we can provide customers the maximum benefits of our products," said Dr. R Sureshkumar, President, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health  South Asia. "I am very glad that we have added capacity to meet the growing regional expectations."

About Kemin Industries

Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer with a focus on improving the quality of life for more than 3.8 billion people every day with over 500 specialty ingredients made for the human and animal health, aquaculture, pet food, nutraceutical, food technology, crop technologies and textile industries.

For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offer product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products.

Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately held, family-owned-and-operated company with more than 2,800 global employees and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

Media Contact:

Dr. Prakash C Saini, Marketing Manager, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health  South Asia, [email protected], 91 4442202802

 Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2019 All rights reserved.  TM Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A.

Certain statements, product labeling and claims may differ by geography or as required by government requirements.

SOURCE Kemin Industries

Related Links

http://www.kemin.com


OAKLAND, Calif., March 25. 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Foodnome, an innovative platform, is on a mission to empower passionate Cooks to easily start their own Home Restaurant allowing them to share unique meals, meet their community and generate additional income.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my cooking through Foodnome," said a Cook who uses Foodnome, "I love hosting Diners at my home and I feel like Home Restaurants have helped to bring my local community together. People tend to get so isolated - Home Restaurants are a good opportunity to bring people together and develop community around food."

The founder of Foodnome, Akshay Prabhu, agrees, "A lot of home Cooks have really unique food ideas that aren't represented in normal restaurants." Prabhu also has firsthand experience as a home Cook. "I like to do taco Tuesdays and make the tortillas and fillings from scratch," Prabhu said. "They are always great events with people from all walks of life."

Not everyone was on board with the concept of home restaurants, specifically local California officials. As a result, Prabhu created and lobbied for Homemade Food Operations Act, AB-626. Thanks to Prabhu's hard work, the bill was passed. As of January 1, 2019, it is now legal for permitted Home Restaurants to serve food.

The free workshop that will take place on Saturday, March 30th from 1:00pm-3:00pm at PLACE for Sustainable Living, located at 1121 64th St, Oakland, CA. At the workshop, the Foodnome team will cover everything a Cook needs to know about starting their own Home Restaurant, including the power of community and food and the new law, AB-626. Space is limited so reserve your seat now by texting RSVP to 323-605-1760.

About Foodnome: Foodnome is an innovative platform that brings people together and connects communities through authentic, healthy, home-cooked food and culture. They make it easy to bring passionate home Cooks and hungry Diners together at Home Restaurants. To learn more about Foodnome, visit www.Foodnome.com.

Victoria Collins

Buzzy Rocket

703.625.8085

[email protected]

SOURCE Foodnome

Related Links

https://www.foodnome.com


"As we sought to expand both our investment and property services practices in 2018, we were seeking the best talent as well as the best cultural fit for our company and our clients," states Amer Hammour, Executive Chairman of Madison Marquette. "Vince and the Roseview team stood out for many reasons. PMRG, which joined the Madison Marquette platform last year, had partnered successfully with Roseview on several value-added office investments. In addition, Roseview was aligned with our vision and investment strategy. We share a commitment to leveraging a fully integrated services platform to create value and to deliver transformative, innovative projects for our clients and investors."

With the merger, Madison Marquette fortifies its already robust full-service platform. Roseview's real estate fund management and investment track record, as well as its capital markets expertise raising equity for private real estate companies and investment managers, complements Madison Marquette's well-established reputation in real estate investment and management. In addition, Roseview brings its corporate advisory practice, which provides value-added asset management services to corporations with complex real estate portfolios and under-utilized property holdings. Upon closing, Roseview's clients will benefit from Madison Marquette's full-service platform, and its more than 25-year legacy of value creation across multiple asset classes, markets and market cycles.

Costantini brings over 35 years of industry leadership as a real estate fund manager, investor and institutional advisor to his new role as CEO of Madison Marquette. "Our two companies share a commitment to providing the best advice and service in an evolving market. The combination of Madison and Roseview creates a national platform that provides a unique new industry choice for owners, investors and corporations seeking a service partner with an ownership perspective focused on long-term value creation," states Costantini.

When he assumes his CEO role, Costantini will work in close partnership with Executive Chairman Hammour and President John Fleury as a managing principal of the combined firm. Costantini will have primary responsibility for leading and expanding the company's investment management practice and Fleury will focus on the continued growth and optimization of Madison Marquette's integrated third-party services. With the firm's expanded leadership team in place, Hammour will continue to lead major strategic projects, while also focusing on investment strategy and client development.

"With these recent moves, Madison is meeting the challenge of today's market  which requires insight and creativity, as well as superior execution capabilities. We will be large enough to provide integrated investment and property services across most major markets in the US, and yet still focused enough to provide clients and investors with the personal service and attention to detail that they highly value," concludes President Fleury.

The two companies have reached a definitive agreement and closing is expected in the next 45 days. The merger remains subject to regulatory review with respect to Roseview's Registered Investment Advisor and Broker-Dealer subsidiaries.

ABOUT MADISON MARQUETTE

Madison Marquette is a leading private real estate investment manager, developer, operator and service provider headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1992, the company's reputation is built on the successful development, repositioning and redevelopment of landmark mixed-use assets in major and emerging high-growth markets throughout the United States. Madison Marquette partners with global, institutional and private investors to achieve industry-leading investment performance across asset classes -- including mixed-use, retail, office, medical, industrial, senior living and multi-family. As a full-service real estate provider, the company delivers integrated leasing and management services to a diverse portfolio of 330 assets in 24 states and manages an investment portfolio valued at over $6 billion. Madison Marquette has over 600 professionals providing nationwide service from 13 regional markets and is a member of the Capital Guidance group of companies.

ABOUT THE ROSEVIEW GROUP

The Roseview Group is a leading institutional real estate investment management and advisory company. Founded in 2001, Roseview has a team of 20 professionals and operates a national practice through offices in Boston (headquarters), Seattle, Philadelphia, and Western Michigan. The company's leadership team offers a broad range of real estate experience in entitlement, design, construction, development, acquisitions, financing, leasing, asset sales, asset management and corporate portfolio management. Since inception, Roseview has completed over $6 billion in transactions across its advising, investment and capital raising platforms, working with leading real estate investment and operating companies across the country.

SOURCE Madison Marquette
ARLINGTON, Va., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, March 28, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), along with hundreds of people living with diabetes, caregivers, health care providers, and researchers will meet with members of Congress to ask them to make diabetes a national priority. Diabetes Advocates will heighten awareness around the everyday reality of diabetes, the impact of the rising cost of insulin, and the need for increased federal funding for diabetes research and programs during the ADA's 2019 Call to Congress event. On behalf of the more than 30 million Americans living with diabetes, they are scheduled to participate in more than 200 meetings with their members of Congress on Thursday, March 28. The following day key ADA experts and Diabetes Advocates will be available for on-site interviews with the media upon request.

Who:

Tracey D. Brown , Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association

, Chief Executive Officer, American Diabetes Association LaShawn Mclver , MD, MPH, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, American Diabetes Association

, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, American Diabetes Association Kathy Sego , ADA Advocate & educator from Indiana who has testified before Congress about how diabetes impacts her family

, ADA Advocate & educator from who has testified before Congress about how diabetes impacts her family Shon McCage , ADA Advocate, member of ADA's Diabetes Disparities Action Council and National Advocacy Committee

, ADA Advocate, member of ADA's Diabetes Disparities Action Council and National Advocacy Committee Tracy Hamill , MD, Medical Director, Sun Life Financial

, MD, Medical Director, Sun Life Financial James Slotnick , JD, Assistant Vice President, Government Relations, Sun Life Financial

When:

Friday, March 29, 2019 (timing pending availability)

Please send interview requests to Sabrena Pringle at [email protected].

More:

Call to Congress is the ADA's annual gathering in the nation's capital of diabetes advocates, including adults and children living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, family members of people with diabetes, researchers, physicians and diabetes care providers.

ADA's 2019 Call to Congress is sponsored exclusively by Sun Life Financial. As a dedicated partner, Sun Life Financial is committed to supporting ADA's vital work to improve the lives of those living with and impacted by diabetes. Sun Life's Medical Director Dr. Tracy Hamill can speak first-hand on the clinical impact of diabetes on individuals, families and communities across the nation.

If you are struggling to pay for insulin or know someone who is, ADA has resources to help. Visit insulinhelp.org.

About the American Diabetes Association

Approximately every 21 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly half of the American adult population has diabetes or prediabetes, and more than 30 million adults and children are living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization on a mission to prevent and cure diabetes, as well as improve the lives of all people affected by the disease. For nearly 80 years, the ADA has driven discovery by funding research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. Magnifying the urgency of this epidemic, the ADA works to safeguard policies and programs that protect people with the illness, those at risk of developing diabetes and the health care professionals who serve them by initiating programs, advocacy and education efforts that can lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit us at diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish. Join the conversation with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Contact: Sabrena Pringle, 703-549-1500

[email protected]

SOURCE American Diabetes Association

Related Links

http://www.diabetes.org


WASHINGTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the first in a series of three spacewalks successfully completed at the International Space Station, NASA has updated astronaut assignments for the remaining two spacewalks and will preview the third in an upcoming news conference on NASA Television and the agency's website.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch (center) assists fellow astronauts Nick Hague (left) and Anne McClain in their U.S. spacesuits shortly before they begin the first spacewalk of their careers. Hague and McClain worked outside, in the vacuum of space, for six hours and 39 minutes on March 22, 2019, to upgrade the International Space Station's power storage capacity. Image credit: NASA

NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Anne McClain conducted the first spacewalk in this series on March 22. Hague and fellow NASA astronaut Christina Koch now are preparing to conduct the second spacewalk Friday, March 29, during which they will continue work started on the first spacewalk to install powerful lithium-ion batteries for one pair of the station's solar arrays.

Koch had been scheduled to conduct this spacewalk with astronaut McClain, in what would have been the first all-female spacewalk. However, after consulting with McClain and Hague following the first spacewalk, mission managers decided to adjust the assignments, due in part to spacesuit availability on the station. McClain learned during her first spacewalk that a medium-size hard upper torso  essentially the shirt of the spacesuit  fits her best. Because only one medium-size torso can be made ready by Friday, March 29, Koch will wear it.

Mission experts previewed the tasks for the first two spacewalks during a March 19 news conference.

McClain now is tentatively scheduled to perform her next spacewalk  the third in this series  on Monday, April 8 with Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques. Assignments for this spacewalk will be finalized following completion of the second spacewalk.

Experts will discuss the work to be performed on the April 8 spacewalk during a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, April 2, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Live coverage of the briefing and spacewalks will air on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Media wishing to attend the briefing in person must request credentials from the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 4 p.m. Monday, April 1. Media interested in participating by phone must contact the newsroom by 1:45 p.m. April 2.

Participants in the briefing will be:

Kenny Todd , International Space Station manager for Operations and Integration

, International Space Station manager for Operations and Integration Rick Henfling , spacewalk flight director

, spacewalk flight director John Mularski , lead spacewalk officer

McClain and Saint-Jacques will lay out jumper cables between the Unity module and the S0 truss, at the midpoint of the station's backbone, during their April 8 spacewalk. This work will establish a redundant path of power to the Canadian-built robotic arm, known as Canadarm2. They also will install cables to provide for more expansive wireless communications coverage outside the orbital complex, as well as for enhanced hardwired computer network capability.

Live coverage of both spacewalks will begin at 6:30 a.m., and each is expected to last about 6.5 hours. The March 29 spacewalk is scheduled to start at 8:20 a.m., while the April 8 spacewalk is set to start at 8:05 a.m.

These will be the 215th and 216th spacewalks in the history of International Space Station assembly and maintenance. During the first spacewalk of the series, on March 22, McClain became the 13th woman to perform a spacewalk. Koch will become the 14th on March 29.

Learn more about the spacewalks and the International Space Station at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


STAMFORD, Conn., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle Waters North America (NWNA), one of the nation's leading beverage manufacturers, announced today that it is expanding its ReadyRefresh by Nestle operations with the purchase of Diamond Springs water and beverage delivery service throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. ReadyRefresh is NWNA's delivery service that provides a variety of refreshing beverage options directly to the homes of consumers and the offices of local businesses.

The acquisition of the Diamond Springs assets will expand the ReadyRefresh footprint in the Carolinas with five new branches, located in: Greenville, South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; and the Triad region of North Carolina, which encompasses Winston-Salem, High Point, and Greensboro. The purchase agreement was signed March 4, 2019 and the transaction closed March 22, 2019.

"Our ReadyRefresh business is focused on aligning our current operations to meet our future needs and positioning the company for long-term success. We are excited to announce that this transaction will be our first entry into the Carolinas market," said Henrik Jelert, Executive Vice President, ReadyRefresh by Nestle. "We look forward to welcoming Diamond Springs associates into the ReadyRefresh family and serving our new customers."

After a transition period, Deer Park Brand Natural Spring Water and Nestle Pure Life Purified Water in refillable three- and five-gallon size containers will be produced locally. The ReadyRefresh delivery service will offer a variety of products including Deer Park Brand Natural Spring Water three- and five- gallon bottles, Nestle Pure Life Purified Water five-gallon bottles, and cases of smaller, single-serve bottles of brands like Nestle Pure Life Purified Water, Deer Park Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, sparkling, and flavored waters.

About ReadyRefresh by Nestle

ReadyRefresh by Nestle Beverage Delivery Service provides convenient access to a variety of leading bottled water brands such as Deer Park Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Nestle Pure Life, Perrier and S.Pellegrino as well as tasty flavored waters and sparkling fruit beverages. The ReadyRefresh mission is simple: make it easy to live a healthy lifestyle. With an easy-to-shop website, expanded delivery hours, flexible delivery frequency options, and a broad portfolio of beverage products just a click away, with ReadyRefresh it is easier than ever to keep refreshment on hand. ReadyRefresh by Nestle is owned and operated by Nestle Waters North America.

To learn more about ReadyRefresh and to place your first order visit www.ReadyRefresh.com.

About Nestle Waters North America

Nestle Waters North America offers an unrivaled portfolio of bottled water brands for healthy hydration, including Deer Park Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, Nestle Pure Life, Perrier and S. Pellegrino. The company also owns and operates ReadyRefresh by Nestle, a customizable water and beverage delivery service. Just Click and Quench.

Based in Stamford, Connecticut with approximately 8,000 associates located in North America, we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint across our operations. We manage natural resources for long-term sustainability, and we conserve nearly 21,000 acres of natural watershed area. We currently source water for our six regional spring water brands from 47 springs across North America. We are also committed to creating shared value and being a good neighbor in the 140 communities where we operate in the U.S. For more information, visit us at www.nestle-watersna.com/en and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: @NestleWatersNA.

SOURCE Nestle Waters North America

Related Links

http://www.nestle-watersna.com/company


MILAN, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Objectway presented the contribution "A Financial Chatbot for the Unified Wealth Management Platform Project" during the workshop "AI for Finance, Commerce and Legal Issues" within Ital-IA, the first national CINI (National Inter-university Consortium for Computer Science) Conference on artificial intelligence, held on 18 and 19 March in Rome, at the Confindustria headquarters.

The event was created to develop common objectives between public institutions, industry and scientific research, creating a network among all the Italian companies interested in grasping the potential for development related to Artificial Intelligence, considered the most strategic and disruptive technology of the 21st century. It is actually the first time that the entire Italian scientific landscape has converged in a single conference, from universities to public research centres (such as the National Research Council and the Italian Technology Institute) and from Italian companies and start-ups to public institutions.

The Objectway project, carried out in collaboration with the Computer Science Department of the University of Bari Aldo Moro, intends to implement a new service model in the world of financial institutions that uses artificial intelligence to deliver information and implement orders through a conversational agent.

The chatbot has been implemented taking into account the specific requirements of the financial sector, and uses natural language (Natural Language Processing) to reduce the complexity of interaction. Moreover, the bot acts in a reactive manner, answering the user's questions and implementing their requests. The chatbot avoids requesting information already in its possession, recognising, for example, the beneficiaries of bank transfers. It is also able to manage word disambiguation by asking further questions.

"In addition to this conversational agent, we are working to support the advisory activity with predictive analytics," explained Georgios Lekkas, Objectway Chief Product Officer. "In the wealth segment, automation must support service customisation, in an area where the ability of artificial intelligence to justify the suggestions provided and the advisor's relationship with the customer remain fundamental."

SOURCE Objectway SPA

Related Links

http://objectway.com/


As the Middle East region gears up to embrace 5G, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of 5G. OPPO remains committed to be one of the key contributors to the 5G ecosystem in the region and is helping shape the next generation of connectivity through contributions in research, software and hardware development, deep consumer insight and a robust ecosystem of strong industry partners. The company recently launched its "5G Landing Project" with several operator partners to accelerate the commercialization of 5G products and services worldwide.

Alen Wu, OPPO Global Vice President, Head of business overseas markets said, "This is another significant milestone in 5G development for OPPO. Through ongoing technological innovation, we have been preparing extensively for the realization of 5G smartphone commercialization. OPPO looks forward to continued cooperation with strong partners like Sporton that will enable consumers to get closer to 5G."

Mr. Ivan Xie, Chief of Operation and Engineering, Sporton International, Inc. said, "We were pleased to see OPPO's 5G smartphone perform exceptionally during the stringent tests. The results are a testament to OPPO's technological capability and great news for users and industry alike. Drawing on our rich experience in wireless communication, Sporton will continue to collaborate with OPPO to usher in the future of 5G connectivity."

An integral step towards the commercial launch of its 5G smartphone in Europe, OPPO's CE certification verifies that the OPPO 5G device is compliant with EU requirements essential for entering European markets in areas such as wireless, electromagnetic compatibility, health and safety. The phone maintains the advantages of the n78 band  such as more band combinations and wider bandwidth, which can be applied across a broader range of countries and regions.

To learn more about the future of 5G enablement, connect with OPPO during the upcoming 5G MENA 2019 summit taking place in Dubai, UAE, from April 7-9 at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. OPPO will be welcoming executives from across the region and internationally to engage in the summit's forums. OPPO is also supporting wider industry dialogue as a Platinum Sponsor of this year's event.

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smartphone brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of young, trend-setting and beauty, OPPO brings consumers delighted experience of digital life.

For the last 10 years, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating mobile photography technology breakthroughs. OPPO started the era of Selfie beautification, and was the first brand to launch smartphones with 5MP and 16MP front cameras. OPPO was also the first brand to introduce the motorized rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature and the 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology. OPPO's Selfie Expert F series launched in 2016 drove a Selfie trend in the smartphone industry.

In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number four smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. Today OPPO's business covers 40 countries and regions, and has 6 research centers worldwide, providing excellent smartphone photography experience to more and more young people around the world.

About OPPO MEA

In 2015, OPPO entered the Egyptian market. In 2016, OPPO set up its Middle East & Africa Sales Center in Cairo. The markets OPPO has entered in the Middle East and Africa include: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kenya and Nigeria. OPPO set up its factory in Algeria in 2017, which made OPPO the first Chinese brand setting up factory in North Africa. Now, the factory goes into production.

Based on the insights of local consumers in each country, OPPO MEA has started the progress of localization. And the localization includes all the perspectives towards each market  product localization, to further meet the core needs of users; marketing localization, to better communicate with local young customers; and team localization, to know our local consumers further and provide better service to the consumers.

Within the last year, OPPO has started to adjust its product line in the Middle East region specifically. This has included the launch of its flagship OPPO Find X smartphone and the introduction of the OPPO R Series. OPPO will continue to evolve its local product line to offer more premium series to young consumers in the region.

SOURCE OPPO
The goal of the website is to enhance visibility for local heavy equipment and truck dealers in order for them to sell their listings to global emerging markets including the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Sellers can now have their own personalized dealer page, accessibility to post equipment online, and share equipment listings and dealer pages on any online platform.

Unique visitors have more than doubled each month since the website was officially launched in September 2018. Website traffic has originated from Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Singapore, South Africa, and from many more emerging markets. Construction equipment and truck listing enquiries have increased significantly each month, allowing dealers to facilitate in selling their products through PlantAndEquipment.com.

With the aggressive growth into the Middle East, Plant & Equipment is also increasing MENA sales team as well, hiring multiple workforce team members throughout the region including in Saudi Arabia and Egypt to produce new partnerships.

Zayd Kuba, Managing Director of MESA, expects Plant & Equipment to represent over 100 dealers throughout the Middle East alone including from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. "Heavy equipment dealers particularly from the GCC are searching for new ways to sell their products within the construction and mining industries," says Kuba. "Our job is to fill this gap and help all heavy equipment dealers in the Middle East not only sell in local markets with our traditional magazines but globally through our online platform."

In terms of publishing, the MESA management team has rebranded the magazines, including the logos for Plant & Equipment and Trucks & Transport, increased magazine size, and increased content related to the heavy equipment and trucks industries. Currently, Plant & Equipment Middle East and Trucks & Transport monthly distributes over 10,000 magazines throughout the Middle East including the GCC, Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan. Plant & Equipment Africa distributes monthly over 5,500 magazines including Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana and Southern Africa. In addition, Plant & Equipment and Trucks & Transport has partnered with many exhibitions including bauma, The Big 5, and Automechanika.

Visit PlantAndEquipment.com to learn more.

Sahar Chaplin - +971-4-5808020 - [email protected]



SOURCE Middle East Strategic Advertising (MESA)

Related Links

https://www.plantandequipment.com/


PORTLAND, Ore., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric Company (NYSE: POR) announced today that it will host an analyst conference call and webcast at 11 a.m. ET on Friday, April 26, 2019 to review its first quarter 2019 financial results.

Portland General Electric's first quarter 2019 earnings summary will be released before financial markets open in the United States on April 26.

The conference call will be hosted by Maria Pope, president and CEO; Jim Lobdell, senior vice president, finance, CFO and treasurer; and Chris Liddle, director of investor relations and treasury.

To hear the conference call by webcast, log on to Portland General Electric's investor website at investors.portlandgeneral.com, select Events & Presentations from the menu, and the webcast will be listed under Upcoming Events. A replay of the call will be available beginning at 2 p.m. ET on April 26 through 2 p.m. ET on May 3. To access the recording, call (855) 859-2056 (toll-free US/Canada) or (404) 537-3406 (international toll call) and enter access code 2376518.

About Portland General Electric Company

Portland General Electric, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a fully integrated energy company that serves approximately 885,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 51 cities in Oregon. For more than 125 years, PGE has been delivering safe, reliable energy to Oregonians. With more than 3,000 employees across the state, PGE is committed to building a cleaner, more efficient energy future. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. For more information visit PortlandGeneral.com.

For more information please contact:

Andrea Platt, PGE, 503-464-7980

SOURCE Portland General Company

Related Links

http://www.PortlandGeneral.com


NEW YORK, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network  it's easy and free. Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

Right and Wrong Ways to Do Brand Collaborations

Why Activating the Right Data Matters

10 Tips to Transform Online Branding

MEDIA JOBS

Reporter  Fund Intelligence (NY)

Technology Reporter, VC + Finance  The Wall Street Journal (CA)

Contributor / Consultant  Financial Crime Digest (Americas / EMEA / Asia Pacific )

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Updating Your Portfolio: 6 Steps to Help Creatives Stand Out

10 more AP Stylebook changes and reminders to know about

Blog Profiles: Pizza Blogs

-------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERT ALERTS

Right and Wrong Ways to Do Brand Collaborations

Vic Drabicky

Founder & CEO

January Digital

Dallas + NYC

Though buzzy, collaborations are not always successful; attempts to get in front of new shoppers can turn off core customers, warns Drabicky: "The risk is everyone doing collaborations with everyone, regardless of it being a good fit or not, just so the brand can check the box to say they did one. Consumers don't want to see a brand do a collaboration with [a brand] that doesn't have the proper clout or doesn't align with the overall brand image or purpose. When that happens, consumers can sniff it out immediately, and the chance of success is very low." For a strong collaboration, the secret is authenticity by opting for partners that add value both for the core customer base and to the brand story.

Affable, articulate and informed, Drabicky's experience at both an agency/consultancy and as the in-house head of digital marketing for leading brands including J.Crew and Tory Burch allow him to speak to retail, consumer behavior, agency & agency culture, competing with/living with Amazon, DTC brands, consumer data & privacy, AI, social media & all channels, and more.

Website: https://www.januarydigital.com/

Contact: Lisa Kussell, [email protected]



Why Activating the Right Data Matters

Matthew Nistor

Director, Analytics & Consumer Data

January Digital

NYC

"More data is not always better. As marketers have gained access to more and more data, we've tried to find more and more ways to make that data work for us. The byproduct is the proliferation of audiences and segmentation. But is more always better? In theory, segmentation allows us to target very specific audiences based on the multitude of metadata we have about their preferences. Yes, we now know where potential and existing customers are geographically, what time of day they tend to shop and what affinities exist between the products they've purchased and what they just might purchase next. But is this vast amount of data better than not knowing enough? Not always. I would argue we could all be a bit more thoughtful about how we activate on data, because operating against messy data may be worse than not using it in the first place."

Nistor is an expert in the field of data and analytics with a concentration in consumer brands. Eloquent and informed, he can speak to developing and implementing customer-centric automated marketing optimization platforms and strategies, AI, consumer data, data optimization, and more. Nistor has worked with leading brands including: David's Bridal, Gilt, Kendra Scott, M. Gemi, NARS Cosmetics, Peapod, and Vineyard Vines.

Article: https://wwd.com/business-news/marketing-promotion/think-tank-data-less-is-more-1202998270/

Website: https://www.januarydigital.com/

Contact: Lisa Kussell, [email protected]



10 Tips to Transform Online Branding

Irina Leoni

Founder

Dream Responsibly Productions LLC, Power Portraits

"These 10 things are the least of what has to be considered by any brand whose imagery is represented online. If you want your online brand to have the desired impact, start here: 1) Understand audience perception: When we look at images, we don't simply process offered visual information in a straightforward linear way. We apply our own personal life experience to it, our taste, our values, and our cognition. 2) Create emotional appeal: Photographs make us *feel* stuff. Properly positioned photographs will guide the viewer on an emotional journey during the sales process. 3) Stimulate the senses: Photographs have the power to stimulate all of our five senses  vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Using that in marketing is akin to fueling your car with jet-engine fuel. 4) Inspire action: Decisions are emotional in nature, and photographs are powerful tools when it comes to inspiring people to take action. 5) People aspire to transform: Showing viewers images of where they want to be after their transformation is achieved (i.e., how it will feel and what it's like) is a powerful tool in connecting with your audience and earning their trust. 6) Show, don't tell: Images communicate your brand's values much better than talking about them will. Viewers quickly perceive shared values and create a strong connection to the brand without even realizing it. 7) Quality speaks for itself: A brand represented by quality images is taken more seriously by their followers. Skimping on visual quality results in loss of quality connections to your audience. 8) Master your body language: In lieu of in-person interaction, photography provides a unique opportunity to create connection through body language. If you're not aware of what your body is communicating in your brand imagery, you could be sabotaging customer connections. 9) Direct the viewer's attention: This simple yet powerful technique has been used in the advertising world for ages: your image should clearly direct the viewer's eyes exactly where you want them to go. 10) Don't forget overall brand packaging: From location styling, to product packaging, to personal styling  every color, prop, and detail in your curated social feed and overall online presence is communicating your brand's confidence and stability. Are you compromising or enhancing connection with your target niche?"

Leoni is a visual branding expert, digital marketing consultant, educator, professional speaker, and branding photographer. The founder of Dream Responsibly Productions LLC and Power Portraits, she is best known for her work teaching business owners to maximize audience connection through the power of photography. Leoni grew up in Latvia in the former Soviet Union. After earning her master's degree in science there, she spent two years as a Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico before immigrating to the United States. Leoni spent several years in a cushy U.S. technology job, finally striking out on her own in 2009 to follow her dream of having a creative career as an advertising and branding photographer. When not gushing about the importance of visual brand strategy, you'll find her pushing through a good workout, adventuring in foreign lands, horseback riding, or learning to snowboard -- all while navigating business and life challenges with humor and grace. She lives with her teenage son in Montville, N.J.

Online Press Kit: https://irinaleoni.onlinepresskit247.com

Website: www.IrinaLeoni.com

Contact: Anita Jakab Kovacs, [email protected]

****************

MEDIA JOBS

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://www.cisionjobs.com/jobs/united-states/

Reporter  Fund Intelligence (NY)

Technology Reporter, VC + Finance  The Wall Street Journal (CA)

Contributor / Consultant  Financial Crime Digest (Americas / EMEA / Asia Pacific )

*****************

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

Updating Your Portfolio: 6 Steps to Help Creatives Stand Out. When it comes to refreshing your body of work, there are multiple pieces of the puzzle to consider: https://prn.to/portfoliotips

10 more AP Stylebook changes and reminders to know about. Is it baloney or bologna? Here's our round-up of the most recent and significant AP Stylebook changes and reminders: https://prn.to/apstyle3

Blog Profiles: Food & Recipe Blogs. Pizza makes everything better. These are some of our favorite blogs for pizza lovers: https://prn.to/pizzablogs

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PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

To contact ProfNet: [email protected] or 800-776-3638, ext. 1

SOURCE ProfNet

Related Links

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ST. LOUIS, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aclara, a leading supplier of smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) to electric, gas and water utilities, announces that registration is now open for AclaraConnect 2019, its annual industry conference and exhibition. This highly anticipated event will take place May 20-23, 2019 at the Fairmont hotel in Austin, Texas.

Delegates from electric, water and gas utilities are expected to attend the upcoming AclaraConnect. The conference provides an exceptional opportunity to hear from knowledgeable thought leaders about technological advancements, to share best practices, and to forge valuable connections with colleagues.

The theme for this year's AclaraConnect is Partners in a Shared Vision, which underscores the need for and power of collaboration to reach a common vision.

"Partnership occurs at all levels  between utilities, solution providers, industry experts and across utility functions," said Kumi Premathilake, senior vice president, advanced metering infrastructure at Aclara. "AclaraConnect will explore how collaboration will enable utilities to capture new growth opportunities, meet their customers' evolving needs and create new customer experiences with a vision for the future."

Partnership is a critical component in staying ahead of changing market dynamics, which include distributed energy, renewable integration and aging infrastructures. These changing dynamics require tightly connected utility assets and systems. Aclara's utility automation and smart infrastructure solutions for electric, water and gas utilities, combined with a rich partnership ecosystem, will deliver critical connections for transformational change.

"We know there are a lot of challenges ahead and, to build the infrastructure of tomorrow, no one company can solve these alone," said Allan Connolly, president of Aclara and divisional vice president of Hubbell Power Systems. "Working together, we can create tremendous gains for utilities and society. By bringing all parties together, AclaraConnect provides an ideal setting in which this environment can blossom and flourish."

The program for AclaraConnect 2019 will include informative case studies, issues-oriented panels and sessions, training opportunities and abundant networking opportunities. This year, all conference activities take place at the beautiful, newly opened Fairmont, Austin and will include a premier networking event for attendees at the Circuit of the Americas.

For complete event details and to register, please visit the AclaraConnect Conference web site. Join the discussion on social media using #AclaraConnect.

About Aclara

Aclara, now part of the Hubbell Power Systems family of brands, is a world-class supplier of smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) and services to more than 1,000 water, gas, and electric utilities globally. Aclara SIS offerings include smart meters and other field devices, advanced metering infrastructure and software and services that enable utilities to predict and respond to conditions, leverage their distribution networks effectively, and engage with their customers. Aclara won a Frost & Sullivan Global Smart Energy Networks Enabling Technology Leadership Award in 2017 and was named a finalist in three categories of the Platts Global Energy Awards in 2016. Visit us at Aclara.com, follow us on Twitter @AclaraSolutions or subscribe to our blog.

About Hubbell Power Systems

Hubbell Power Systems, Inc. (HPS) is a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated and an international manufacturer of quality transmission, distribution, substation, OEM and telecommunications products for a broad range of non-residential and residential construction and electric, gas and water utility applications. With revenues of $1.1 billion, HPS operates manufacturing facilities in the United States and around the world. The headquarters is located in Columbia, South Carolina.

Aclara Media Contacts:

Nancy Talley Ann Seamonds Aclara Seamonds & Company 440-528-7287 978-764-5528 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Aclara

Related Links

http://www.aclara.com


CHICAGO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC ("Performance Trust") and Banks Street Partners, LLC ("BSP") are pleased to announce a merger to create a strategic partnership with a differentiated value proposition and to elevate the financial services investment banking experience for each of our respective clients and associates. Together, PT and BSP will offer a unique and customized approach to strategic advisory, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and balance sheet solutions for financial institutions. Following customary approvals, BSP will join the Performance Trust team, expanding its national investment banking presence and bringing together the collective expertise and industry-leading advice to the combined company's geographic footprint.

Facing the post-crisis banking environment and atypical competition, depository institutions face a decision every day  to grow organically, grow through acquisition, or position their institution for a strategic exit on strong terms. Together, Performance Trust and BSP will empower clients to confidently manage the full lifecycle of their institutions, earning their independence and expanding strategic alternatives through enhanced financial performance and regulatory good standing. The team will provide a refreshing investment banking experience based on trusted long-term strategic advice, complemented by a full suite of transactional services.

"The banking industry we serve is being disrupted, putting many communities and small businesses at risk. By combining our resources, collective wisdom, and insights, we believe we can provide better holistic, actionable advice to enable our clients to remain the heartbeat of their community, as they define independence for themselves. I am humbled to join forces with Lee Burrows and the strong and experienced Banks Street Partners' team as we re-define the investment banking space together with our clients," said Rich Berg, CEO and Co-Founder of Performance Trust.

The pro forma team will bring over 300 years of combined investment banking experience and rank in the top 5 nationally, with over 50 M&A transactions, exceeding $4 billion in aggregate deal value, completed over the last 3 years.

Daryle DiLascia, Head of Investment Banking at Performance Trust will lead the combined team. Lee Burrows will assume the role of Vice Chairman of Investment Banking and Gary McNorrill will become Managing Director and Head of Southeast Investment Banking. Managing Directors Jeff Adams, Will Brackett, and Andy Hitt will continue to operate in their current capacity and coverage areas, as will Director, Matt Kennedy. Managing Director, Mark Saunders, will expand his responsibility to oversee the investment banking execution of the combined practice.

"Based on cultural alignment, a Performance Trust and Banks Street Partners partnership makes sense. More than that, our common mission of improving our clients' lives through improved performance and enhanced optionality led us to join forces," said Lee Burrows, CEO of Banks Street Partners. "I look forward to introducing our clients to the combined expertise of our team and providing them with the holistic suite of resources and insights they need to succeed."

For a period of time following the transaction, Banks Street Partners will continue to operate under its name as a part of Performance Trust. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Performance Trust Capital Partners:

Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC is committed to helping financial institutions improve their long-term performance and deliver shareholder value. Identifying your path to independence requires better tools and clear insights which lead to great decisions. For more information, go to www.performancetrust.com.

Banks Street Partners, LLC is an investment banking firm founded in 2009 that serves financial institutions, wealth management companies, and financial technology companies in the Greater Southern U.S. For more information, go to www.banksstreetpartners.com.

CONTACT: Pamela Shanahan, (312) 521-1690, [email protected]

SOURCE Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC

Related Links

https://www.performancetrust.com


NEW YORK, and LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Four men have come forward with allegations that they were groped, harassed or assaulted by San Diego Unified Trustee Kevin Beiser. One of the four men recently filed a lawsuit claiming that he was sexually harassed and assaulted by Beiser.

Beiser, a San Diego Unified School District trustee, works as a middle school teacher in Chula Vista and has also opened a committee to run for City Council.

All four of the men who have come forward with allegations against Beiser are young, politically ambitious, and at early stages in their careers. The three who have spoken out about their alleged experiences with Beiser all detail situations similar to those laid out in the lawsuit against him.

The allegations all include unwanted groping of their genitalia, invitations to Beiser's pool and hot tub, and uncomfortable interactions with Beiser during which he exploited his political influence.

Beiser has spoken out against the allegations. He issued a statement stating that, "There is no truth to these allegations. We believe they are politically motivated and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves."

Since the allegations against Beiser have come to light, his colleagues and fellow Democrats have called for his resignation from the Board. He is currently on leave from his job at Chula Vista middle school.

Carney Shegerian, the founder of Los Angeles-based employee rights law firm Shegerian & Associates, has weighed in on the allegations against Beiser.

"The allegations against Beiser and his reported abuse of power and sexual harassment and assault are deeply unsettling," Shegerian says.

About Shegerian & Associates:

Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $200 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York.

Media Contact:

Pace Public Relations

Caroline Kropke

[email protected]

SOURCE Shegerian & Associates

Related Links

www.shegerianlaw.com


BOSTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SilverCloud Health, a global provider of clinically validated digital mental healthcare solutions for health systems and payers, announced today a national research partnership with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. As part of the collaboration, SilverCloud Health will deliver a digital therapeutic solution for use in clinical interventions for the treatment of depression, anxiety and eating disorders. The clinical study will evaluate the effectiveness of digital interventions in treating these common mental and behavioral health issues among college students.

The study is critical to expanding access to vital mental health resources for an increasingly underserved population. A 2017 American College Health Association Survey of 63,000 college students at 92 schools found that two in five described themselves as being so depressed that they "struggled to function." Three in five reported feeling "overwhelming anxiety" during the previous year. According to the survey, from 2009 to 2015, the number of college students visiting counseling centers also increased by 30 percent. SilverCloud Health is defining a new healthcare model to meet the demands of the rapidly growing mental and behavioral healthcare market, offering a comprehensive library of 30+ customizable evidenced-based online programs that address a broad spectrum of conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety.

For the college and university population specifically, the company's digital mental health platform provides students with easier and earlier access to mental healthcare and support, bridging existing gaps in their mental health offerings. The SilverCloud Health platform offers both self-directed and supporter-assisted care pathways to deliver programs, content and tools to meet the needs of each individual user. The company tightly integrates its approach with student counseling centers to ensure that students receive the right care, at the right time, in the right setting, which contributes to an improved experience, with lower costs and better outcomes.

"College and university students nationally are experiencing increasing levels of anxiety and mental health challenges, making the need for easy, accessible tools and resources for managing and effectively treating these conditions a top priority for schools of all shapes and sizes," said Ken Cahill, CEO of SilverCloud Health. "SilverCloud Health is honored to be collaborating with the Washington University School of Medicine as the digital therapeutics partner for this research initiative."

For the purposes of this research study, a team led by Denise E. Wilfley, PhD, Scott Rudolph University Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Washington University Center for Healthy Weight and Wellness, received a five-year, $3.8 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. Researchers C. Barr Taylor, Research Professor, Palo Alto University and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and Michelle Newman, Professor of Psychology at Penn State, plan to identify students dealing with clinical depression, anxiety and eating disorders from a pool of roughly 150,000 students at 20 colleges, universities and community colleges.

Students participating in the Washington University School of Medicine research will receive an e-mail from their school's registrar's office, inviting them to take a survey. When the survey is completed, the research team will identify the students as having or being at high risk for depression, anxiety or an eating disorder. Half of those students will then randomly be offered the mobile app while the rest will be referred to standardized counseling. If it's found that a surveyed student's problems are too advanced, he or she will be referred to more immediate help.

Find out more about the Washington University School of Medicine project and partners via News Hub. Visit SilverCloudHealth.com to see how the company is revolutionizing mental healthcare delivery and access. Currently, the platform is supporting more than 240 organizations across its global customer base, delivering a suite of over 30 evidence-based online programswith 65% of users showing a clinically significant reduction in symptom scores.

Attending NatCon19 March 25-27, 2019? Come meet the SilverCloud Health team at booth#253. Interested in scheduling a demo? Please visit: https://bit.ly/2U7xwIO.

About SilverCloud Health

SilverCloud Health is a multi-award-winning global health tech company; since launching in 2012 it has gone on to support 240 organizations across its global customer base, delivering a suite of over 30 clinically effective online programs with 65% of users showing a clinically significant reduction in symptom scores. Today, SilverCloud Health's extensive library of evidence-based programs address a broad spectrum of conditions such as stress, depression and anxiety as well as specific programs for long-term chronic conditions (diabetes, COPD, and chronic pain). Over 16 years of academic research and clinically led randomized controlled trials (RCT) demonstrate SilverCloud Health programs are extremely effective, engaging for patients and provide positive outcomes on a par with face-to-face therapy.

About the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Washington University School of Medicine's 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

SOURCE SilverCloud Health

Related Links

https://www.silvercloudhealth.com


ALBANY, New York, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global structural adhesives market consists of a few global and local players. The market is considerably fragmented says Transparency Market Research (TMR) in a report. The global structural adhesives market share is evenly categorized among a few major companies. There are some noteworthy players heading the global structural adhesives market to deliver quality products to end-users. The most important enterprises operating in the global structural adhesives market are MAPEI S.p.A, Scott Bader Company Ltd., Permabond LLC, Hubei Huitian new materials stock Co., Ltd., and MASTER BOND.

As said in the report of TMR, the global structural adhesives market was valued at US$9,419.4 Mn in 2017. It is projected to achieve US$16,962.1 Mn by 2026 by stretching out at a CAGR of 6.98% for the duration of 2018 to 2026. Based on type, the structural adhesives market is categorized into epoxy, polyurethane, acrylic, methyl methacrylate, and cyanoacrylate. Polyurethane dominated the global structural adhesives market in past few years, due to a flexible nature of polyurethane-based adhesives and their extensive application in panel bonding.

Request a Sample Structural Adhesives Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=60810

Geographically, Asia Pacific accounts for the largest market share owing to rapid industrialization and growing demand from construction and furniture industries. China, India, Thailand and Indonesia are the fastest growing regions of global structural adhesives market. This is mainly due to government tax incentives, subsidies provided, and easy availability of raw material and labor. North America is expected to witness a steady growth due to slow growth of industries post-recession. Moreover, an increase in consumer spending particularly in U.S. that will drive the demand of structural adhesives market.

Growth in Infrastructure is Factoring the Global Structural Adhesives Market

Growth in infrastructure and increasing government spending in construction and commercial buildings is expected to drive the demand for structural adhesives in the construction sector. Moreover, changing trends in furniture designs are likely to boost the demand for structural adhesives market further.

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In recent years, the use of advanced adhesive technologies has become prominent in the construction sector. Development of processes and technologies for easy heal, recycle, and self-heal of the bonded structure is also gaining traction globally with a rise in modern infrastructure.

The demand for polyurethane adhesive is growing owing to the increasing demand for bonding of sheet molding compounds, plastics, and cryogenic application. Meanwhile, the growth in marine and transportation industry is driving the demand for structural adhesives market. The structural adhesives sale in the transportation industry is likely to increase owing to its ability to reduce weight, enhance composites structural integrity, and increasing fuel efficiency.

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Stringent Environmental Regulations by Governments is Hampering the Market

Stringent environmental regulations by governments are likely to hamper the growth of structural adhesives market. There has been a rise in standards related to the volatile organic compounds VOC emission and solvent-based formulations. Owing to the harmful effects of VOC, countries including Canada, the US, and European Union have imposed strict regulations on VOC emissions.

Regulations on the solvent-based adhesives including VOC are driving the demand for structural adhesives market. This has also led to the increase in the development of new structural adhesives using eco-friendly formulations.

Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/structural-adhesive-market.htm

This review is based on Transparency Market Research's report, titled "Structural Adhesives Market (Type - Epoxy, Acrylic, Urethane, Cyanoacrylate; End use Industry - Automotive, Aerospace, Marine, Building and Construction, Wind Energy) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026."

The global structural adhesives market is segmented as follows:

Type

Epoxy

Acrylics

Urethane

Cyanoacrylate

Silicon,

Vinyl Acetate

Anaerobic Adhesives

End-use Industry

Automotive

Building & Construction

Aerospace

Marine

Wind Energy

Sporting Goods

Electronics

Furniture

Region

North America

U.S.



Canada



Rest of North America

Europe

U.K.



Germany



France



Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

India



China



Japan



Australia



Rest of Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

GCC Countries



South Africa



Rest of Middle East & Africa

& South America

Brazil



Rest of South America

Browse Chemical and Materials Market Research Reports

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About Us

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

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SOURCE Transparency Market Research
DALLAS, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) expressed support for the Special Committee to review the FAA's aircraft certification process announced this afternoon by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"For the men and women of SWAPA, safety will always be paramount," said Jon Weaks, SWAPA President. "SWAPA looks forward to assisting in determining whether improvements can be made to the FAA safety oversight and certification process. SWAPA also appreciates Secretary Chao's leadership on these issues as well as SWAPA being asked to submit subject matter experts for consideration to the Special Committee."

SWAPA looks forward to ensuring this endeavor is a success so the U.S. aviation industry will remain the safest in the world.

About SWAPA

Located in Dallas, Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) is a non-profit employee organization and the sole bargaining unit for the more than 9,600 pilots of Southwest Airlines. SWAPA, now in its 41st year, works to provide a secure and rewarding career for Southwest pilots and their families through negotiating contracts, defending contractual rights, and actively promoting professionalism and safety. For more information on the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, visit www.swapa.org

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Pilots Association

Related Links

http://www.swapa.org


BALTIMORE, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

NEWS

According to T. Rowe Price's second annual survey focused on workers participating in the gig economy, 56% of independent workers are actively saving for retirement (excluding independent workers who identify as already retired). Significantly more traditional workers are actively saving for retirement in comparison (72%). This may be due to the fact that the majority of traditional workers use their employer-sponsored retirement plan (68%) and likely have access to the automatic savings features typically available in those plans, while independent workers are primarily using IRAs (40%). Meanwhile, independent workers are just as likely as traditional workers to feel they are financially prepared for retirement (49% and 47%, respectively).

The survey also found that just over half of both independent and traditional workers envision working part time or independently in retirement.

Gig economy employment is defined as independent full- or part-time work, including temporary, freelance, and contract employment or business ownership. According to the survey findings, baby boomers make up the largest group of independent workers (48%), followed by Generation X (28%), and millennials (24%). Roughly three-quarters of all independent workers surveyed started working in the gig economy by choice and not out of necessity.

INDEPENDENT WORKERS: THEIR FINANCIAL BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES

Independent workers say that working on their own has made them more involved in their finances, which is especially true with millennials. For the second consecutive year, the majority of independent workers say they are much more or somewhat more involved in their finances as a result of working independently (75%), with millennials more likely to say this (85%) compared to Gen Xers (73%) and baby boomers (71%).

For the second consecutive year, the majority of independent workers say they are much more or somewhat more involved in their finances as a result of working independently (75%), with millennials more likely to say this (85%) compared to Gen Xers (73%) and baby boomers (71%). Independent workers say they check their accounts more regularly, stay more on top of their bills, and work harder to have good credit since working on their own. Checking their accounts more regularly was the most cited reason independent workers say they are more involved with their finances at 68%, followed by staying on top of their bills (63%) and working harder to have good credit (33%). Millennials are significantly more likely than boomers to say they work harder to have good credit (40% and 29%, respectively).

Checking their accounts more regularly was the most cited reason independent workers say they are more involved with their finances at 68%, followed by staying on top of their bills (63%) and working harder to have good credit (33%). Millennials are significantly more likely than boomers to say they work harder to have good credit (40% and 29%, respectively). Independent workers choose to work on their own primarily to have a flexible work schedule and be their own boss, with earning more money coming in third. Having a flexible work schedule and being my own boss were the top two reasons for working independently (60% for both), while earning more money followed at 52%.

Having a flexible work schedule and being my own boss were the top two reasons for working independently (60% for both), while earning more money followed at 52%. Almost half of independent workers say they are working more than one independent job. Forty-eight percent of independent workers surveyed say they are working more than one independent job. The top two reasons for working multiple independent jobs were to maximize earnings (42%) and to pursue multiple interests or passions (36%).

"Without the safety net of being able to save for retirement through an employer-sponsored plan, independent workers have to make active decisions about their retirement," said Stuart Ritter, senior financial planner at T. Rowe Price. "So, it's encouraging to see that many of them are making the effort to save and that this proactive financial behavior extends beyond just saving for retirement. We're also seeing that many independent workers are participating in this type of work by choice. The general perception is that they are forced into this work to make ends meet financially, but in reality, their priority is to have more control of their day-to-day schedule and tasks. Work/life balance seems to be a priority for people, and working independently provides that kind of flexibility."

ABOUT THE STUDY

T. Rowe Price sponsored the online national survey, conducted by Beacon Research, from January 24, 2019, to February 16, 2019. The findings are based on a national sample of 2,010 adults aged 22-73. Gig economy work, also referred to as independent work, is defined for this survey as a trend in the workforce in which people work more independently full time or part time, earning income through freelance, contract, and temporary employment or business ownership. This study had an overall margin of error of +2.2% at the 95% confidence level. This is the second year the survey was conducted, following the 2018 installment.

ABOUT BEACON RESEARCH

Founded in 2000, Beacon Research is an independent insights consultancy based in Annapolis, Maryland. The company was started by Kristin Schwitzer, a former Procter & Gamble brand manager and ad agency director of strategic planning. Beacon Research provides services in the U.S. and abroad focused on new product innovation, user experience, branding, advertising research, shopper insights, and website/mobile app development. For more information, visit LinkedIn.

ABOUT T. ROWE PRICE

Founded in 1937, Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., is a global investment management organization with $1.07 trillion in assets under management as of February 28, 2019. The organization provides a broad array of mutual funds, subadvisory services, and separate account management for individual and institutional investors, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries. The organization also offers a variety of sophisticated investment planning and guidance tools. T. Rowe Price's disciplined, risk-aware investment approach focuses on diversification, style consistency, and fundamental research. For more information, visit troweprice.com, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.

 2019 T. Rowe Price. All rights reserved. T. ROWE PRICE, INVEST WITH CONFIDENCE and the Bighorn Sheep design are collectively and/or apart, trademarks of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc.

SOURCE T. Rowe Price
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Few attractions are as popular as the Hollywood Walk of Fame .

An estimated 10 million tourists visit this one-of-a-kind destination each year, with many snapping photos of their favorite celebrity's star. That's to be expected. But when a company seeks to profit by linking its project to images or trademarks associated with the Walk of Fame, it must be protected.

That's where the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce comes in. The Chamber administers the Walk of Fame and holds all rights to trademarks and service marks associated with it. And the organization wants to make clear that it has not approved, nor has any affiliation with, the "Dubai Stars" project which the creators claim will be a walk of fame in downtown Dubai.

"We acknowledge and respect EMAAR Properties and city of Dubai's right to host the 'Dubai Stars,'" Chamber President and CEO Rana Ghadban said. "But we ask that EMAAR and anyone connected to 'Dubai Stars' refrain from promoting the project in association with, or using any images of, our Hollywood Walk of Fame."

In 2018, the Chamber entered into a trademark license agreement with Milestones S.A.R.L. to develop a walk of fame project of its own in the United Arab Emirates and wider Middle East region. Global Icons LLC , the Chamber's exclusive, worldwide merchandising and licensing agent, administers and enforces all existing licenses related to the Hollywood Walk of Fame property.

"We have represented the Chamber in licensing and intellectual property matters for over 20 years," Global Icons CEO Jeff Lotman said. "The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a valuable trademark and it is important to protect the Chamber's proprietary rights to this property around the world."

Milestones S.A.R.L. is the Chamber's exclusive Arabian Walk of Fame licensee and has a valid license to use the Chamber's derivative mark in the United Arab Emirates.

"For a year, we have been in negotiations to obtain approval for the Arabian Walk of Fame project and for its location in Dubai," said Albert Bamboukian, CEO of Milestones S.A.R.L.

About the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce:

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is the second largest chamber of commerce in Los Angeles County. For the past quarter century, it has played a major role in the revitalization of Hollywood. It is perhaps best known for its administration of the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame and its holding of the trademark to the Walk of Fame and Hollywood Sign. For more information, visit www.hollywoodchamber.net .

About Global Icons:

Global Icons is the largest independently owned agency with offices around the world, specializing in the development and extension of corporate brands and trademarks. The agency has attracted world-class clients by consistently developing new and unique product categories through licensing. As a leading internationally renowned agency for more than 20-plus years, Global Icons provides strategic collaborations connecting premier brands to manufacturers, while also providing licensing acquisition services for companies seeking brands to achieve strategic initiatives. Through the right brand extensions and collaborations, the company succeeds in elevating and amplifying the brand, increasing consumer awareness and loyalty along with revenue. Select clients include HOSTESS Brands, Turtle Wax, Vespa, Magic Chef, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Kleenex and Automobili Lamborghini, among others. For more information, visit www.globalicons.com .

Media contact: Kevin Smith, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce (562) 544-7751

SOURCE Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

Related Links

http://www.hollywoodchamber.net


CHICAGO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial artificial intelligence leader, Uptake , was named today as a 2019 New Energy Pioneer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (NEF). The award is in recognition of ground-breaking companies that are fueling the transition to a lower carbon economy and bringing new ideas for business models, technologies, market structures and commercial opportunities.

"I'm proud of the entire Uptake team and our commitment to our energy, transportation and industrial customers who use our artificial intelligence platform and applications in the field everyday," said Uptake CEO Brad Keywell. "Our goal is to delight customers with impactful outcomes, and each new customer offers further proof of our belief that AI and data science should power operational decisions in major industries. Our market leadership has been fortified by our independence from any singular OEM. Further, the impact of our delivered outcomes has been magnified through our ownership of the world's most comprehensive dataset of equipment failure patterns. Through the Uptake lens, industry productivity looks even better."

With the massive amount of data generated by industrial machines, companies are increasingly searching for simple ways to turn this data into action that improves their bottom-line. Using artificial intelligence and data science, an intelligent industrial platform turns machine data into insights, predictions and recommendations. With insights people can improve all aspects of industrial performance, make better-informed decisions that impact both top-line and bottom-line financials and help optimize the overall business.

The winners from more than 185 applicants were assessed against three criteria:

Potential to scale the opportunity and have global impact

Level of innovation of the technology or business model and the novelty it brings to the market

Momentum by showcasing substantive progress in the form of strong commercial partnerships, the distribution channels in place and sales growth

Uptake Asset Performance Management (APM)

Uptake's APM software improves productivity and efficiency by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to create business value from operational data. Traditional asset management only covers routine maintenance tasks and fails to anticipate and adjust to the ways industry operates its business. Today's asset-intensive environments require a new approach with industrial data science generating OEM-agnostic insights, predictions and recommendations for any asset.

Learn more at https://www.uptake.com/industry-solutions/energy .

ABOUT UPTAKE

Uptake is a leading provider of artificial intelligence and IoT software for industrial companies. We combine data analytics and machine learning with deep industry knowledge to create valuable outcomes like increased reliability, productivity and safety. Headquartered in Chicago with locations in Silicon Valley, Washington D.C., Toronto and Dubai, Uptake is used by global industrial customers of all sizes to leverage data, creating newfound efficiencies and competitive advantages. Learn more at www.uptake.com .

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Uptake

Related Links

https://www.uptake.com


WASHINGTON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today an alliance of diverse chambers of commerce, in collaboration with Wells Fargo, launched a new Chamber Leadership Development Program to support diverse entrepreneurs in the U.S. The alliance includes the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Black Chambers Inc., the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation.

The diverse business communities represented by the alliance of chambers account for an annual estimated contribution of more than $3 trillion to the U.S. economy. The Chamber Leadership Development Program is aimed at educating and developing leaders of diverse state and local chambers of commerce to support diverse entrepreneurs. The program also will include university partners and will affect more than 400 chamber leaders through innovative programming designed to empower chamber leaders to better serve their local communities of diverse businesses.

"Diverse businesses are growing across the United States," said Regina Heyward, senior vice president and head of supplier diversity at Wells Fargo. "Through the Chamber Leadership Development Program, Wells Fargo sees an opportunity to strengthen diverse leaders within the small business community and to support local chambers in capacity building."

In 2019, the program will be offered to chamber leaders at the conferences of each of the alliance of diverse chambers organizations. The first session will be held at the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation CelebrASIAN Procurement + Business Conference in Houston, Tx, June 45. It will be followed by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce International Business and Leadership Conference in Tampa, Fla., Aug. 1213; the U.S. Black Chambers National Conference in National Harbor, Md., Aug. 1920; and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Convention in Los Angeles, Ca, Sept. 2829.

In addition to these in-person sessions, there will be two virtual sessions in 2019.

"The Chamber Leadership Development Program is an important step in strengthening our local diverse chambers across the U.S.," said National LGBT Chamber of Commerce Co-Founder and President Justin Nelson. "With stronger diverse chambers in each city, we are able to provide more opportunity for local diverse business owners, concurrently strengthening local economies and increasing the ability for diverse business owners to scale their enterprises underscoring our importance to the small business engine that makes the U.S. economy run."

Ron Busby, U.S. Black Chambers president & CEO, noted, "The Chamber Leadership Alliance develops and empowers diverse chamber leaders while providing unique educational opportunities on how to grow and build their local organizations for the benefit of its small business community members."

Susan Au Allen, National President and CEO of the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation, said, "We are proud to be a stakeholder in the Chamber Leadership Alliance, a collaboration spearheaded by Wells Fargo, that addresses critical nonprofit business organization leadership gaps in our diverse business communities. Our shared vision is to cultivate chamber leaders who will become innovators, beacons, and change agents  thus collectively building a framework for sustainable business growth and success for our respective constituents and the wider community."

Ramiro Cavazos, U.S Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president and CEO said, "The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is proud of our intersectional partnership with other alliance members, and we are excited about the benefits this will bring to all of our members. With sponsors such as Wells Fargo, we reaffirm our its commitment to Hispanic- and diverse-owned businesses to provide resources for our community that are just as timely as they are innovative."

About the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce

The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as LGBT Business Enterprises (LGBTBEs). www.nglcc.org

About the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.

The U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC) provides committed, visionary leadership and advocacy in the realization of economic empowerment. Through the creation of resources and initiatives, we support African American Chambers of Commerce and business organizations in their work of developing and growing Black enterprises. www.usblackchambers.org

About the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The USHCC actively promotes the economic growth, development, and interests of more than 4.37 million Hispanic-owned businesses, that combined, contribute over $700 billion to the American economy every year. It also advocates on behalf of 260 major American corporations and serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local chambers and business associations nationwide. www.ushcc.com

About the US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation

Founded in 1984, USPAACC promotes, nurtures and propels economic growth by opening doors to procurement, educational and professional opportunities for Pan Asian Americans and their business partners in corporate America, the federal, state and local governments, and the small and minority business communities in the United States, and the Asia-Pacific and Indian Subcontinent regions. www.uspaacc.com

About Wells Fargo:

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo's vision is to satisfy our customers' financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,800 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 37 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 259,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 26 on Fortune's 2018 rankings of America's largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.

For additional information, please contact:

Akriti Rana

Program Manager, Chamber Leadership Alliance (CLA)

National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)

[email protected]

p. 1.202.234.9181 | f. 1.202.234.9185

SOURCE National LGBT Chamber of Commerce

Related Links

http://www.nglcc.org


"When I launched the Shaquille O'Neal XLG collection exclusively at JCPenney, it was a challenge to find big and tall guys to model for the campaign, so we asked our friends at Wilhelmina to hit the streets to find a few good men who are larger than life," said O'Neal. "Through this exciting partnership with Wilhelmina and JCPenney, we're hosting the biggest and tallest model search around to help big, sexy guys like me finally get the recognition they deserve."

Big and tall men can enter the contest and find more information, including size requirements, online at ShaqJCPModelSearch.com, now through April 28. Live casting call events will also be held in the following JCPenney store locations:

Atlanta : JCPenney at the South Point Shopping Center in McDonough , April 11 from 5  8 p.m. ET

JCPenney at the South Point Shopping Center in , from 5  Shaquille O'Neal will be making a personal appearance at this event to meet big and tall men interested in becoming the next Titan.

will be making a personal appearance at this event to meet big and tall men interested in becoming the next Titan. Los Angeles : JCPenney at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale , April 18 from 5  8 p.m. PT

JCPenney at the Glendale Galleria in , from 5  Dallas : JCPenney at Stonebriar Centre in Frisco , April 25 from 5  8 p.m. CT

Winners from the Shaquille O'Neal Big & Tall Model Search will be signed to Wilhelmina's "Titan" division of big and tall male models. The winners will also be featured alongside O'Neal in the JCPenney fall marketing campaign, wearing O'Neal's namesake collection along with the retailer's popular big & tall private brand, The Foundry Big & Tall Supply Co.

"We're proud to partner with Shaquille O'Neal and JCPenney to provide more opportunities for big and tall models," said Bill Wackermann, CEO of Wilhelmina Models. "Wilhelmina is founded on the philosophy that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes."

About Wilhelmina International, Inc. (www.wilhelmina.com):

Wilhelmina, and its other subsidiaries, is an international full-service fashion model and talent management service, specializing in the representation and management of leading models, celebrities, artists, photographers, athletes, and content creators. Established in 1967 by fashion model Wilhelmina Cooper, Wilhelmina is one of the oldest and largest fashion model management companies in the world. Wilhelmina, a publicly traded company, is headquartered in New York and, since its founding, has grown to include operations in Los Angeles, Miami, London and Chicago. Wilhelmina also owns Aperture, a talent and commercial agency located in New York and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.wilhelmina.com and follow @WilhelminaModels.

About JCPenney:

J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP), one of the nation's largest apparel and home retailers, combines an expansive footprint of over 860 stores across the United States and Puerto Rico with a powerful e-commerce site, jcp.com, to deliver style and value for all hard-working American families. At every touchpoint, customers will discover stylish merchandise at incredible value from an extensive portfolio of private, exclusive and national brands. Reinforcing this shopping experience is the customer service and warrior spirit of approximately 98,000 associates across the globe, all driving toward the Company's mission to help customers find what they love for less time, money and effort. For additional information, please visit jcp.com.

1 *Source: The NPD Group

Media Contacts:

Wilhelmina

Andrea Willis

[email protected]

(212) 271-1686

JCPenney

Sara Lockler

[email protected]

212-358-4432

SOURCE Wilhelmina International, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.wilhelmina.com


SEATTLE, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington state lawmakers are currently considering Second Substitute House Bill 1155, which mandates uninterrupted meal and rest breaks for nurses and certain technicians and technologists on hospital staff. It also restricts the use of prescheduled on-call. While it is important for these members of the patient care team to get adequate rest, 2SHB 1155 has unintended consequences that place patients at risk.

2SHB 1155 would force hospitals to preschedule breaks to comply, which could take caregivers away from the bedside at critical times for their patients. By requiring breaks be uninterrupted, the flow of crucial patient information between members of the care team could be stifled, as these nurses and technologists would be legally prohibited from communicating during their breaks unless it were an extreme patient emergency.



Restrictions to on-call could delay important patient care. Only life-threatening emergencies would be exempt from these regulations, and other critical procedures could be delayed, placing patients in emotional distress and at increased risk for complications, which can become life threatening without timely care.



Many patient situations also require diagnostic procedures or imaging to determine whether they are an emergency or not. The restrictions to on-call in 2SHB 1155 would prevent a hospital from being able to call in staff to help do the imaging to determine whether something is an emergency.



While 2SHB 1155 exempts organ transplant procedures from these restrictions, many other procedures could be delayed depending on their severity, including:

Bowel obstructions

Bone fractures

Ongoing treatment and care for burn victims

Biopsies and imaging for diagnosing cancer, such as those for breast and colon cancers

Surgeries to remove cancerous masses

Hernia repair

Gastrointestinal procedures to treat diseases like Crohn's disease

Treatments for inflammatory bowel disease

Surgery to remove a colon mass

Gallbladder surgery

Procedures to address certain abscesses and infections

Vascular ultrasounds to assess heart conditions

Reoperative chest procedures, often performed to treat heart conditions

Neurosurgical procedures

Urological procedures

Gynecology surgeries and procedures  such as to diagnose uterine conditions

Complex reconstructive procedures

Hysteroscopies, which are sometimes used to determine the cause of repeated miscarriage

Leaders at several Washington hospitals and health systems jointly drafted two letters to lawmakers this week expressing their concerns, specifically regarding how 2SHB 1155 could adversely impact timely access to women's health care and timely access to surgical services in rural areas.

"We feel very strongly that caregivers should get the rest they need to stay at their best for their patients, but this legal mandate places patients in harm's way," said WSHA President & CEO Cassie Sauer. "Not only could it take away key members of the care team when they are needed most, but it could leave patients waiting  sometimes for days  to get the care they need. Health care is evolving, with more emphasis than ever being placed on preventive care to keep patients at their healthiest. Passively allowing a patient's condition to worsen goes against the very mission of our health care community."



2SHB 1155 passed the Washington state House of Representatives and is now being considered by the Senate, where it will be considered by the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

About the Washington State Hospital Association

The Washington State Hospital Association works to improve the health of all Washington state residents by being active on key issues of policy and quality. WSHA represents more than 100 hospitals and health systems in the state, including those that are non-profit, investor-owned, and county, state and military hospitals. The Triple Aim guides our members and our work, as we strive to improve the patient experience, improve the health of populations and reduce the cost of health care. Visit www.wsha.org for more information.

SOURCE Washington State Hospital Association

Related Links

http://www.wsha.org


Lucknow, March 24 : Asserting that Narendra Modi remains the first choice for the post of Prime Minister, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Modi does not need the chair, but it is the chair that needs him.

In an interview to IANS, Maurya also said that the alliance between the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party and the Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal will fail in the state as the people are with Modi and the BJP-led NDA will win more than 73 seats that it won in 2014.

"In the 2019 elections, people of the country have two options in front of them. One is Modiji and another is (Congress President) Rahul Gandhi or a dozen other leaders.

"So, the people are left with a choice of only one candidate - Modiji. The post of Prime Minister is very big. And I can say that Modiji does not need the chair but it is the chair that needs Modiji," Maurya said.

Commenting on the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the state, the BJP leader said that fear is its basis.

"This alliance has failed in the state. They have done an alliance and announced their candidates but the graph of the BJP is rising.

"People have understood their plans and have formed an alliance with Narendra Modi... we are hopeful of getting more than 73 seats," Maurya said.

The BJP leader said the party was also confident of winning the Amethi parliamentary constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi.

Asked about Bhim Army chief Chandrasekhar wanting to contest against Modi, he said: "BJP never looks at who will contest against Modiji and what will be its effect on the elections."

"We know the people of Varanasi will support Modiji and this time we will get a much bigger mandate," he said adding that the caste or religion card will no longer work.

Commenting on the opposition parties accusing the BJP of politicising the armed forces and posters being brought out by the party leaders with images of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, he said: "For the respect of soldier and the security forces, the entire country is united. And those who will insult the Army will not be accepted by the people."

"After the Modi government came to power, surgical strikes happened twice and once we carried out an air strike against terror outfits in Pakistan. Demanding evidence of the results of the surgical strike and the air strike is respect or disrespect," he asked.

Responding to a question about situation in UP after the Pulwama terror strike that left 40 CRPF troopers dead, he said: "The condition in the state always remained in favour of Modi even before Pulwama happened. There is also no effect of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or Rahul or Akhilesh or Mayawati."

The BJP had won 71 out of 80 seats in the state in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, while its ally, the Apna Dal won 2. The Congress won two and the SP five.

The seven phased Lok Sabha elections are scheduled from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)
Jeddah, March 24 : An Indian nurse who was stranded in Saudi Arabia along with her newborn baby following a dispute with her employer has finally left the Kingdom after a long legal battle.

Though Tintu Stephen, 28, had won a ruling in her favour from the labour court in Abha, she was barred from leaving the kingdom as her employed filed an appeal in the higher court, the Saudi Gazette reported.

However, in a rare move, the passport authorities granted her an exit-only visa without the consent of her employer after the intervention of the Saudi Human Rights Commission and other high-ranking officials, it said. She left for India on Saturday.

The employer had asked Stephen to deposit a guarantee money to ensure her return to Saudi Arabia after vacation to continue on her job until the contract period was over. The employer also filed a lawsuit in the court.

But the court rejected the employer's demand, paving the way for her return home.

The troubles for Stephen, a resident of Kottayam in Kerala, began when she sought maternity leave to go home in the early stages of her pregnancy, the Gazette said.

Her employer, a polyclinic in Abha where she worked as a staff nurse, delayed her request citing one or the other reason, according to Stephen.

She was arrested at Abha airport based on a complaint filed by her employer as she was about to board a flight to India, the daily said. She was freed on bail and eventually gave birth to a baby girl.

What prevented her from traveling back home after delivery was a runaway report filed by her employer.

Stephen then approached the governorate seeking justice and got the runaway report lifted.

When the court issued a judgment in Stephen's favour, the employer declined to issue her an exit visa saying he would file an appeal in the high court.

The aggrieved nurse, with the help of Indian Consulate representatives Ashraf Kuttichal and Biju Nair, then approached the Asir governorate and the Saudi Human Rights Commission.

Subsequently, the Director General of Passports in Asir Province issued her an exit-only visa without the consent of her employer, which is a rare move in the Kingdom, the report said.

Stephen came to Saudi Arabia on February 7, 2017 on a three-year contract. She said her recruitment agent had assured her that though her contract was for a three-year period, she could avail of annual vacations. She traveled home after one year to get married.

After spending a month in India, Stephen returned to work on May 19, 2018 only to realize that she was pregnant.
New Delhi, March 24 : They have different styles of campaigning and have adopted different strategies to woo voters in the Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are the lead campaigners for their parties, but have followed a diverse trajectory in reaching out to people ahead of the crucial polls.

Modi went for several inaugurations and foundation-stone laying functions ahead of declaration of Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 10. Gandhi's campaign has picked up pace since March 10 and he has already campaigned in around 13 states in the last fortnight or so. With the first phase of polling for 91 Lok Sabha seats across 20 states on April 11, Modi is also expected to embark on a whirlwind campaign.

Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), the ambitious scheme of the BJP-led government, on February 24 at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The programme provides vulnerable landholding farmer families, with cultivable land up to 2 hectares, with direct income support at the rate of Rs 6,000 per year.

On the same day, he addressed 'Swachh Kumbh, Swachh Aabhaar' programme in Prayagraj and washed the feet of sanitation workers.

On February 25, Modi dedicated the National War Memorial to the nation and addressed a gathering of ex-servicemen. He also addressed the Rising India Summit.

On Februray 26, he addressed a gathering to mark the unveiling of the world's largest Bhagavad Gita and the Gandhi Peace Prize presentation ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

On February 27, Modi addressed National Youth Parliament Festival Awards Function.

The next day he addressed the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize ceremony and made his widely noticed "pilot project" remarks after the aerial strike by India against a terror camp in Pakistan.

On March 1, Modi launched development projects in Kanyakumari, including flagging-off of the Tejas Express between Madurai and Chennai, and addressed a gathering.

The next day, he interacted with students at Smart India Hackathon, via video conference and addressed the India Today Conclave 2019. He also addressed Construction Technology India event.

On March 3, he unveiled various development projects in Amethi, Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency. He also dedicated the Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt. Ltd. joint venture to the nation at Amethi.

On March 4 and 5, Modi was in Gujarat. He inaugurated new civil, cancer and eye hospitals in Ahmedabad and launched several development projects in the city. He also attended functions at Adalaj and Jaspur and dedicated the Guru Gobind Singh Hospital at Jamnagar to the nation.

On March 5, Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) Yojana from Gujarat. The scheme will assure a monthly pension of Rs 3,000 for the enrolled unorganised sector workers during their old age. He also laid the foundation stone of Shikshan Bhavan and Vidhyarthi Bhavan at Annapurna Dham Trust in Adalaj.

The next day, he launched key development projects at Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu.

On March 7, Modi flagged off the Nagpur Metro. The government also released a directory of martyrs of India's Freedom Struggle (1857-1947).

Modi also laid foundation stones of Integrated Command and Control Centres in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura through video conference.

He interacted with beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and released a new series of coins to make life easier for the visually impaired.

On March 8, Modi unveiled various development projects at Kanpur and Ghaziabad. He visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple in his Varanasi parliamentary constituency. He also attended the National Women's Livelihood Meet-2019 in the city.

On March 9, Modi launched various development projects at Greater Noida. He laid the foundation stone for two 1,320 MW thermal power plants at Khurja in Uttar Pradesh and Buxar in Bihar, and inaugurated the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Institute of Archaeology and the Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line.

Modi addressed the 50th Raising Day celebrations of the CISF on Sunday, the day the poll schedule was announced.

He interacted with around 25 lakh security guards via audio bridge technology on March 20 as part of his campaign "Mai Bhi Chowkidar" ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

On the other hand, Gandhi too has set a hectic pace of campaign visiting 13 states in the past 13 days and has outlined the party's electoral thrust to raise social and economic issues including jobs, healthcare and farm loans to oust the Modi government.

Apart from political rallies, Gandhi has addressed booth workers meetings, interacted with health professionals and addressed a press conference. His programmes also include interactions with students and opinion makers.

Gandhi addressed booth workers meeting at Delhi on March 11. He addressed a rally after a Congress Working Committee meeting in Gujarat on March 12.

He addressed rallies and public meetings in Tamil Nadu on March 13, Kerala on March 14, Chattisgarh and Odisha on March 15, Uttarakhand on March 16, Karnataka on March 18, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur on March 19, Manipur and Tripura on March 20 and Bihar and West Bengal on March 23.

Before he embarked on a hectic campaign from March 11, Gandhi had been attending functions to bolster the party's poll prospects. He was in Punjab on March 7 and earlier interacted with students on February 23.

Both Modi and Gandhi have been stressing election themes in their speeches. Modi has been focusing on nationalism, boldness of his government in retaliating against the Pulwama terror attack by strikes on terror camps, apart from his government's development initiatives.

Gandhi has been emphasising on economic issues including jobs and farmers' distress. In his visit to Tamil Nadu, he promised 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs.

During his visit to Chhattisgarh, he announced that Congress will ensure right to healthcare for people and it will be more beneficial to people compared to Ayushman Bharat scheme of the Modi government.

Gandhi has also been talking of minimum income guarantee scheme, farm loan waiver, jobs and removing "flaws" in implementation of Goods and Services Tax, which will be replaced by a single rate GST.

The election rhetoric on both sides is getting shriller as the day of polling for the first of seven-phased election approaches.

(Prashant Sood can be contacted at prashant.s@ians.in)
Kuwait City, March 24 : An unidentified Egyptian woman has filed a complaint with Kuwaiti Police accusing some men wearing Punjabi dress of beating her son, a media report said.

The woman alleged that the men beat her son for no reason and that some of them were armed with knives. She also brought a medical report from the concerned authority showing bruises on her son's body, the Arab Times quoted Al-Rai daily as saying.

She added that the suspects also harassed other teenagers living in the area and appealed to the authorities for help to ensure their security and safety, the report added.
Kuwait City, March 24 : Police have arrested three Indians, two men and a woman, for trading in locally-manufactured booze.

One of the bootleggers was seen standing near a mini bus on an open ground in Hawalli area on Saturday. When police approached him for routine check, the officers saw another man and a woman in the bus, the Arab Times quoted Al-Rai daily as saying.

Police seized from them polyethylene bags filled with booze and ready for sale. The three are likely to be deported from Kuwait.
Bengaluru, March 24 : The Karnataka government has revoked the six-month ban its Transport Department slapped on cab ride hailing firm Ola on Friday, state Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge said on Sunday.

"@OlacabsAwill run their business as usual from today (Sunday). However, there is an urgent need for policies to catch-up with new technologies & also industries too should work closer with Govt to help evolve policies for innovations," Kharge said in a tweet.

The license to operate four-wheeler vehicles of the city-based online cab aggregator was suspended for six months on March 22 for running bike service in the city on it.

The ban order was issued to Ola operator ANI Technologies Ltd for violating the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016.

The Transport Department had impounded several of Ola's bike taxis over the last few months, the order said.

Terming the order "unfortunate", Ola said on Friday that it was evaluating all options to find a solution so that its driver-partners could continue to work in the city.
Dubai, March 24 : A Patek Philippe, made in 1979 at the behest of former Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, fetched $193,750 at a Christies rare watch auction in Dubai.

Before the Friday night auction, the 18-carat gold, cushion-shaped wristwatch was initially estimated by Christie's to sell for around $25,000, the Gulf News reported.

In the end, an anonymous bidder snapped it up for $193,750, a 675 per cent premium on the asking price.

Sold by an unnamed "high-ranking Middle Eastern official", the watch features an inscription in Arabic on its pale green dial that reads: "Only in times of need will you find freedom," accompanied by Gaddafi's signature, the report said.

Among the rarest example of its kind, Christie's say that only two other models like it exist, one of which features the same saying in English.

The watches were originally commissioned by Gaddafi to commemorate Libyan Labour Day in 1978 and later gifted to associates.

Christie's said that Friday night auction as a whole grossed $8.25 million for it, below the estimated range of $9 million to $15 million.
Cairo, March 24 : Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi became on one of the world's most-wanted terrorist leaders when he proclaimed the Islamic State terror organization's so-called caliphate from a pulpit of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014.

At that time, the IS had conquered half of Syria and around a third of Iraq and had under its control not only the historic city of Mosul, where it filled a power vacuum left by an Iraqi army in retreat, but also Raqqa across the border in Syria. reports Efe news.

Al-Baghdadi had aspirations to export the holy war to every corner of the world but now, almost five years later, the so-called caliphate lies in ruins.

Kurdish-led forces announced the capture of the last IS outpost in southeast Syria on Saturday, although remnants of the group may persist in deserted regions of Iraq and Syria.

The ruthless leader of the extremist group oversaw the murder of thousands of civilians in the name of religion. By harnessing barbaric punishments, the IS imposed a theocratic regime over its de facto state drawing on medieval customs inspired by the early interpretations of Islam.

Al-Baghdadi's reign of terror will be especially remembered the bloodthirsty methods his acolytes used in their slick and professional propaganda videos of warfare, beheadings, torture and executions.

The high-quality production of IS media contributed to the widespread dissemination of the organization's crimes and radical beliefs.

The elusive Al-Baghdadi, who has been presumed killed on several occasions, only made one public recording - the video from al-Nuri Mosque, where he proclaimed himself caliph, a title historically endowed only to those who belong to the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad.

Dressed in black robes, identifying himself with Muhammad's lineage, and with a long beard, the IS leader took on the megalomaniac nom de guerre Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Husseini al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, with which he wanted to associate himself with the Quraysh, an Arab tribe associated with Muhammad, as well as Abu Bakr, the first caliph.

Born in Samara, north of Baghdad in 1971, Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri, al-Baghdadi's given name, studied Islamic theology at Baghdad University and became a preacher for several years before joining the armed resistance against the United States invasion under the umbrella of the Iraqi branch of al-Qaida.

During that period, he was arrested and imprisoned for four years in the US-administered Bucca detention camp. He later rejoined the armed struggle.

In 2010, by when he had already adopted his more famous pseudonym, he ascended to the head of the terror group then known as the Islamic State of Iraq.

He displayed seemingly limitless ambition, which led him into a dispute with Osama bin Laden's heir in Al Qaeda, the Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri, whom al-Baghdadi called "a pacifist".

The rupture between the two occurred in April 2013 when al-Baghdadi announced the merger between his group and an Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, which gave birth to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

This decision, which was not authorized by al-Zawahiri, led to his total disengagement with Al Qaeda in January 2014.

His military successes in Syria were followed by a dizzying expansion through Iraq, where the extremists made it to the gates of Baghdad thanks to a dishevelled Iraqi Army.

In the blink of an eye, al-Baghdadi came to dominate a vast territory. The so-called caliphate functioned as a de facto state, with its own institutions and mint.

It became a magnet for extremists across the world and inspired a slew of deadly terror attacks from Europe to southeast Asia.

In Syria and Iraq, al-Baghdadi's men decimated Christian and Yazidi minorities and murdered and tortured thousands of Muslims who refused to bend to their radical interpretation of the Quran.

Since the founding of the so-called caliphate, al-Baghdadi has remained largely silent and has only sent out a few speeches in audio messages.

The most recent proof of his existence came on August 22 when the IS broadcast a 54-minute recording of their rarely-seen leader, although the authenticity of that message could not be verified.

Abul-Hasan Al Muhajir, the IS spokesman, shared an alleged recording of al-Baghdadi on March 18 in which he insisted the so-called caliphate lived on.
New Delhi, March 24 : The Confederation of All Indian Traders (CAIT) on Sunday said it would shortly release a National Charter of Traders which would include the core issues of the trading community.

In a statement, it said that traders across the country would vote for any political party in the the upcoming general elections which accepts its charter and provides solutions for the their issues.

Speaking at a conference here, CAIT's Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said: "CAIT will shortly release a National Charter of Traders carrying core issues of the trading community and whichever political party gives a logical roadmap of solutions, the traders will vote for that party as one unit across the country."

Criticising Congress President Rahul Gandhi's recent statement that if voted to power the party would replace the current form of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Khandelwal said that Gandhi does not have a blueprint for an alternate tax regime and demanded that he speak on the party's plans and programs for the trading community.

He also said that the Congress President should not do any politics "using shoulders of the traders".
New Delhi, March 24 : With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, political discourse is touching a new low with leaders attacking each other using words like "terrorists" and "impotent".

The latest to join the ugly war of words is UP Power Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shrikant Sharma who in a tweet used the word "impotent" for Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

"The comments issued at the behest of coward, impotent Congress chief Rahul Gandhi are shameful. The entire world is standing behind the BJP government's tough action against terrorists, but the Congress is weakening India's fight against terrorism with their disgusting remarks," Sharma said in a Hindi tweet, posted two days ago.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has hit out at Sharma, dragging Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the controversy in the process.

"How do they know Rahul Gandhi is impotent and Narendra Modi not? The nation wants to know. When their chief's language is so objectionable, his track record so controversial and covered in blood, it is foolish to expect parliamentary language and behaviour from his disciples," the RJD tweeted in Hindi.

Meanwhile, a video surfaced on Sunday where a National Conference (NC) leader was seen calling the Prime Minister a "terrorist".

"This is the country of Maulana Azad, Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah. An arrogant (person) and murderer cannot lead us. The paid media feels bad when I say Modi is a terrorist. What is a terrorist? I will say 'terrorist is equal to Modi and Modi is equal to terrorist'," Former NC legislator Javed Ahmed Rana said while campaigning for the Congress.

In another shocking incident, Surendra Singh, BJP legislator from UP, took a sexist jibe at UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, saying she was a dancer in Italy and that Rahul Gandhi was following his father's footsteps by inducting Sapna Choudhary into the party.

"Rahul's mother was also in the same profession in Italy and his father made her his own. He (Rahul) should also take the family tradition forward and make Sapna his own," he said, while reacting to reports that Haryanvi artiste and popular stage performer Sapna Chaudhary has joined the Congress.

Chaudhary on Sunday denied that she had joined the Congress.
Patna, March 24 : The Communist Party of India (CPI) has decided to field former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Kanhaiya Kumar from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in Bihar.

"Kanhaiya will be the CPI candidate from Begusarai," said State CPI Secretary Satyanarayan Singh here on Sunday.

Kanhaiya Kumar will be the Left parties' joint candidate and take on Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Giriraj Singh in Begusarai.

Singh said the party had decided last week to field the former student leader in the Lok Sabha elections. "We wanted a secular democratic alliance to defeat the BJP," he said.

The announcement has come two days after the Grand Alliance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Congress and other parties did not allocate Begusarai to the CPI.

The RJD is set to field Tanweer Hasan who lost to Bhola Singh of the BJP in 2014.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Kanhaiya Kumar said his fight will be against Giriraj Singh, not the RJD.

"People of Begusarai will defeat Giriraj Singh and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be defeated across Bihar as the people have made up their minds to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

He also called Giriraj Singh Pakistan's 'Visa Minister' for his repeated threats of sending the critics of Modi and the BJP to Pakistan. "The people of Begusarai have decided not to support any hardliner. The BJP has been spreading hatred across the country," he said.

He also vowed to work to minimise division of anti-NDA votes in Bihar and other states.

Kanhaiya Kumar, 32, was arrested in February 2016 and accused of sedition for allegedly doing nothing to prevent the raising of anti-India slogans on the JNU campus.

The JNUSU President for 2015-16, he was then pursuing doctorate from the School of International Studies and was affiliated to the All India Students Federation (AISF).

Kanhaiya Kumar belongs to a Bhumihar family in Begusarai.
Kolkata, March 24 : Alleging that 34 debt-stressed farmers and agricultural labourers have committed suicide in West Bengal in the recent past, state Congress president Somen Mitra on Sunday ridiculed the Trinamool Congress government's claims that peasants' income has tripled since it came to power in 2011.

Joining issue with senior Trinamool leader and state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim, Mitra said: "The situation in the state is such that 34 farmers and agricultural workers have taken their own lives over the past eight months as they were debt-stressed.

"But the problem is the state government is in a denial mode. The minister claims that farmers' income has tripled. Why would the farmers commit suicide then?"

Assailing the state government, Mitra said when distressed farmers throw their produce like potato, chillies and vegetables on the highway, then the state ministers remain mum.

"Due to the inefficiency of this government, the famers do not get the minimum support price and are forced to sell their produce at a very low price to middlemen backed by the Trinamol."

Regarding unemployment, Mitra accused the state government of resorting to statistical jugglery to downplay the number of jobless people in the state.

"But any discerning observer would find the real situation diametrically opposite to the government's projections. School Service Commission candidates are on indefinite hunger strike. Our youths are getting killed in other states where they had gone in search of jobs. If there are adequate job opportunities in Bengal, then why are they being forced to move to other states?" he asked.

Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi's speech at an election rally in Malda district's Chanchal, Mitra said he has highlighted the true picture of the state.

On Hakim's criticism that Gandhi was ignorant about the state due to the state Congress'ss failure in feeding him the proper data, Mitra said "Firhad has also commented that Gandhi's allegations will strengthen the hands of the BJP.

"Nothing can be further from truth. The leader who is giving sleepless nights to BJP across the country, and under whose leadership the Congress has defeated the BJP in three key states, is now being given a bad name. Nothing can be more unfortunate."
Mumbai, March 25 : Bollywood personalities like Anupam Kher, Shekhar Kapur and R. Madhavan have urged people to exercise their right to vote as it helps in ensuring a government the citizen needs and deserves.

Modi, on Twitter had "appealed" to several actors to "tell fellow Indians to vote in large numbers in the upcoming elections."

Image Source: IANS News Anupam Kher

Anupam replied: "Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the compassion with which you work for our country. Yes! It is through our vote we ensure a government we need and we deserve. So my fellow Indians! Please vote in the coming elections to keep the flag of our democracy flying."

Image Source: IANS News Shekhar Kapur

Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur wrote that the Constitution of India has given each citizen of India the Fundamental Right to vote.

He added: "But with Rights come responsibilities. Each one of us must exercise our right to vote. It's the least you and I can do to uphold the principles of our great Nation."

Image Source: IANS News Actor R Madhavan

Actor R. Madhavan says he supports Modi for strengthening the democracy in India.

"Sir.Your unrelenting passion for strengthening Democracy in this country, is totally and completely supported by me and it will not just be an honour and privilege, but my ardent duty to assist you in this endeavour. Thank you for personally reminding us," he wrote.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.
Chandigarh, March 25 : Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa on Monday formally inducted four US-made Chinook heavy-lift helicopters at Air Force Station 12 Wing here.

Two hangars and logistics facilities were created here for the Chinook helicopters.

Each Chinook helicopter has a payload capacity of about 10 tonne which is a major boost to India's strategic airlift capability.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) received its first CH-47F (I) Chinook on February 10 at the Mundra port in Gujarat.

The Chinook will be used to move troops, artillery, ammunition, supplies and equipment on the battlefield. Besides, they can be used for medical evacuation.
Dubai, March 25 : New Yorks first Indian-American state Senator Kevin Thomas, who assumed office at the beginning of this year and who was born in Dubai, is now advocating tolerance and pushing for the diversity which he had experienced in the UAE.

In an exclusive to Gulf News, Thomas on Sunday shared his memories about Dubai where he was born and raised till he was 10 and then returned in 2010 for an internship.

The first and only Indian-American lawmaker in New York state's history said: "We lived somewhere in Satwa... I studied in St Mary's Catholic High School up to fifth grade."

His parents, Thomas Kanamoottil and Rachel Thomas, who hail from Ranni in Kerala, then decided to move to the US for their children's higher education.

On November 6, 2018, Thomas was elected as the Democratic member representing sixth district, Nassau County.

An attorney and an appointee of the US Commission on Civil Rights to the New York State Advisory Committee, a federal agency tasked with civil rights oversight, Thomas defeated the incumbent Senator Kemp Hannon, who had served in the State Senate since 1989.

Currently the chairman of the Committee on Consumer Protection and a member of various committees, Thomas on March 5 introduced a bill that gives holidays for schools on festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Diwali, Vaisakhi and Onam.

In the interview, Thomas cited his experience in Dubai of communities celebrating festivals of different religions and regions as one of the reasons why he sponsored the bill.

"I am pushing for diversity," he told the Gulf News.

Regarding Dubai's development, the Senator said: "The construction, the booming market ... everything has been revolutionary. You say you are going to Dubai, and people are like, yeah that is a great city."
New Delhi, March 25 : The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met on Monday to discuss and give a final shape to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections that kicks off on April 11.

Party leaders were also expected to discuss whether or not Congress President Rahul Gandhi should contest from a second seat in one of the southern states.

The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party. It is meeting for the second time in less than two weeks.
New Delhi, March 25 : The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant any interim relief to Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

Vadra has challenged a money laundering case brought against him.

A division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Vinod Goel asked the Centre and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file response on Vadra and his close associate Manoj Arora's plea challenging certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court has also asked Vadra to file an affidavit explaining maintainability of his plea and listed the matter for further hearing on May 2.

The trial court which on March 19 extended Vadra's interim protection from arrest till March 25, will hear his anticipatory bail plea post lunch.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned him in the case several times. The agency has also requested the trial court to dismiss his anticipatory bail as it may require his custodial interrogation in the case.

The case relates to ownership of 1.9 million pounds overseas assets by Vadra. It pertains to undisclosed foreign assets and entities to evade tax.
Bengaluru, March 25 : The Congress will contest from the Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency on April 18 as its ally Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) decided not to field its candidate, a JD-S official said on Monday.

"Our party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda conveyed to senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel that the party would not contest from Bangalore North and the ally was free to field its candidate," JD-S spokesman Ramesh Babu told IANS here.

As part of the seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Congress will contest in 21 Lok Sabha seats, instead of 20, and the JD-S in seven, instead of eight.

"Of the 28 parliamentary constituencies, we will contest in one-third (7) of them, while the Congress will do in three-fourth (21) of them," said Babu, declining to explain why the party was giving up Bangalore North seat to the Congress.

Polling will be held in two phases in the southern state, with 14 from the southern and central regions on April 18, and the remaining 14 in the coastal and northern regions on April 23.

Vote counting is on May 23.
San Francisco, March 25 : Graffiti referencing to the March 15 Christchurch attacks that killed 50 Muslim worshippers, was discovered at a California mosque after a possible arson, authorities said.

The fire started at around 3.30 a.m. on Sunday at the Dar Ul Arqam mosque.

Escondido Police Department Lt. Chris Lick has not revealed what the graffiti said, but said that local and federal authorities were investigating the incident as a hate crime, NBC News reported.

No suspects had been identified, while one person was injured, Lick said.

He added that worshippers staying at the mosque overnight extinguished the blaze, which caused minor damage to the building's facade.

A member of the local Muslim community, Yusef Miller, told NBC that the fire and graffiti has left worshippers on edge.

The Dar Ul Arqam mosque opened four years ago.

The Christchurch attack was carried out by a lone gunman at two mosques.
Mumbai, March 25 : Filmmaker Aanand L. Rai is all geared up for six new film projects under his production house Colour Yellow Productions this year.

"In 2019, we roll with six exciting projects at Colour Yellow Productions. Formal announcements of each project will follow soon," the producer's spokesperson said in a statement.

The projects will be of different genres and scales.

Rai has built credibility in the film industry with projects like "Tanu Weds Manu Returns", "Mukkabaaz" and "Tumbbad".

He also backed the film "Newton", which was India's official entry to the Oscars in 2017.
New Delhi, March 25 : As the 2019 fiscal draws to an end, the government on Monday reiterated that the fiscal deficit and liquidity positions are well under control.

"Liquidity situation comfortable; confident of meeting the fiscal targets", said Subhash Chandra Garg, secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, on the sideline of an event in the national capital.

Garg's statement comes amid concerns over both direct and indirect taxes, particularly GST revenues, not inching up the targets set for them.

While Garg had stated earlier that government may just touch the revised direct tax target, indirect taxes may witness a shortfall. However, Ministry sources said both taxes are heading towards deficits of Rs 70,000 crore and Rs 50,000 crore respectively. The only saving grace is government somehow has managed to exceed the disinvestment target by collecting Rs 85,000 crore.

The Finance Minister has said that the fiscal deficit for FY20 would have been 3.1 per cent without the allocation of Rs 75,000 crore for income support for farmers under the PM Kisan Yojana.

The total Goods and Services Tax collection in the current fiscal till February is Rs 10.70 lakh crore. The government has lowered the GST collection target for the current fiscal to Rs 11.47 lakh crore in the revised estimates, from Rs 13.71 lakh crore.

The GST collection for the 2019-20 fiscal has been budgeted at Rs 13.71 lakh crore. The government's mop-up target for direct tax collection during the current fiscal as per the upward revised estimate is pegged at Rs 12 lakh crore.

"Fiscal deficit target would be met as a shortfall in indirect tax collection would be compensated by lower government expenditure," Garg had earlier said.

"The fiscal deficit target of 3.4% of GDP will be met...Any additional outgo on account of subsidies, be it food, oil or feriliser and extra payout, will be met through budgetary resources and there may be some pushover to the next fiscal, but these are are not major," a source said.

The yields on the benchmark 10-year bond is still tracking at 7.4 per cent indicating the market also sees fiscal control.

Sources said the Finance Ministry had asked the financial advisors of various ministries to stick to their budgeted expenditure estimates and not seek any additional allocations. Subsequently, North Block had advised a cut in non-essential non-Plan expenditure for all ministries and departments.
Mumbai, March 25 : Jet Airways on Monday said that it will receive an "immediate funding support" of up to Rs 1,500 crore by lenders for operational requirements.

The financially-struggling airline also announced the constitution of an Interim Management Committee "at the instructions of the lenders to manage and monitor the daily operations and cashflow of the company".

"Immediate Funding support of up to Rs 1,500 crore by lenders by way of issue of appropriate debt instrument against security of its assets which will restore normalcy to Company's level of operations," it said.
Dhaka, March 25 : The UN Refugee Agency said here on Monday only 14 per cent of the $920 million needed has been pledged so far in response to its new plan to support 900,000 Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh.

Khaled Khalifa, agency's representative for Gulf countries, said the 2019 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Muslim minority refugees had to compete with other emergencies for funding, Efe news reported.

"Unfortunately, most response plans around the world are under-funded, which means the refugees and people in need don't receive the optimum service we hope to provide them," Khalifa said.

"(It's) a sad situation that emergencies compete for funding and for visibility in the media. We are hoping the JRP will receive higher level of funding than last year," said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) official.

"Until now, the plan is funded 14 per cent only. This is a small percentage. In 2018, by the end of the year the plan was funded 64 per cent," he said. Last year, the JRP raised $655 million against a target of $950 million.

The UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in February launched a campaign to raise $920 million for a new plan to aid Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

Over half of the requested money, also meant to assist 330,000 vulnerable Bangladeshi hosts, is needed to meet the basic needs like food, water, sanitation and shelter of the refugees who have fled Myanmar to the neighbouring country since 2017.

The rest of the fund will be used to finance programmes related to education, health and protection of women and children, according to the UNHCR and the IOM.

Rashid M Khalikov, an Assistant Secretary General of the UN for Humanitarian Partnership with Middle-East and Central Asia, led a high-level partnership mission in Bangladesh from March 21 to observe and assess the humanitarian needs and challenges on the ground of both the refugees and the host communities.

Over 738,000 Rohingya refugees have fled violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state since August 2017. Around 200,000 Rohingyas had escaped to Bangladesh earlier.

Most refugees live under harsh conditions in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar area near the Myanmar border, which has become the biggest refugee camp in the world.

Myanmar does not recognise Rohingyas as its citizens and considers them Bangladeshi immigrants, although Dhaka has also treated them as foreigners.
New Delhi, March 25 : A group of Kashmiri Hindus has welcomed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's decision to ban Yasin Malik-led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and extended its support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Lok Sabha elections.

"We appreciate the stand of the Modi government and welcome the acknowledgement of genocide of Kashmiri Hindus by the Union Home Secretary. This strengthens our belief and will propel us to work harder for getting back what is rightfully ours with dignity," according to a release by KP4Modi initiative Convenor Rohit Kachroo.

As per the group, #KP4Modi and #WarkarModiSarkar have been trending hashtags with more than one lakh social media impressions, with the support of non-Kashmiri groups.

Community activist and psychiatrist Shafalica Bhan Kotwal said the Modi government was talking and listening to Kashmiri Hindus. "As long as there is Modi, we have hope. This is our only chance to be heard in the corridors of power," the release quoted her as saying.

"In 1990, when we were literally on roads, thrown out of our homes, the only governments that helped us were the BJP-led or in alliance with them. We also need more than jobs from them and they are the only ones providing it," it said.
Patna, March 25 : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said the Lok Sabha elections will be a fight between the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said people have made up their mind to oust Modi. "If Modi as he claims is the chowkidar, the people are the thanedar. And the thanedar will punish the chowkidar for his failures and wrong doings," he said.

According to Yadav, the Opposition Grand Alliance -- of the RJD, Congress, Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) -- has a clear edge over the BJP-led NDA in Bihar. "Our support base is intact and the people will back us."

Under the Grand Alliance's seat sharing pact in Bihar, the RJD will contest 20 and the Congress 9 of the state's total 40 Lok Sabha seats. The smaller parties share the remaining 11 constituencies -- with the RLSP fielding candidates in 5, and HAM and VIP in 3 each.

The RJD will give one seat from its own quota to the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML).
New Delhi, March 25 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that nearly 25 crore poor people in the country will get financial assistance of Rs 72,000 per annum if the party is voted to power under the ambitious minimum income guarantee scheme which the party has named "Nyay".

Announcing the details of the party's promised scheme at a media briefing here, Gandhi said the Congress will provide Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of the poorest families in the country. The scheme will benefit 5 crore families and 25 crore individuals directly, according to Gandhi.

He said the scheme was "unprecedented in the world". "Nyay" (the minimum income scheme) will be the Congress' major poll promise ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and Gandhi termed it as "a final assault on poverty".

He said the "minimum income line" is Rs 12,000 per annum and the scheme will benefit individuals earning less than that.

"Congress guarantees that 20 per cent of the most poor families will be given Rs 72,000 crore every year. The amount will be transferred directly to the accounts of 20 per cent of the poorest families," Gandhi said at the beginning of his press conference.

However, he subsequently clarified that the scheme will supplement the income of the poor if it is less than Rs 12,000 per month.

"The minimum income line is Rs 12,000 per month. Whatever the difference -- say the income is Rs 6,000 -- we will top it up. Those who earn less than Rs 12,000, we will take their earnings to Rs 12,000," Gandhi said.

Gandhi said the scheme will be implemented in phases and there will be a pilot project.

He said the scheme was "fiscally perfectly possible" and the entire calculations have been already done. The Congress also held detailed analysis with leading economists on the matter.

"It is doable and we are going to do it," the Congress President said.

Gandhi also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the PM-KISAN scheme launched last month, saying that it hardly provides any assistance to the farmers.

"You are being misled. If Modi can provide money to the rich, the Congress can give it to the most poor. Our pockets are being cut daily," he said.

"We have kept our promise of farm loan waiver in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh," he added.

Gandhi also referred to the MGNREGA, the rural employment guarantee scheme introduced by the UPA government, and said that it had taken 14 crore people out of poverty in its first phase.

"This is the second and final operation. We will bring 25 crore people out of poverty. This ground-breaking idea is the final assault on poverty," he said.

Gandhi, who addressed the media after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), refused to take questions on other political issues.

Sources in the Congress said that party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was among the leaders who had suggested giving a Hindi name to the ambitious scheme to have better connect with the voters.
Hyderabad, March 25 : Over 200 farmers have filed nominations in Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana to protest the failure of the state and Central governments to ensure better remunerative process for their produce.

Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K. Chandrashekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha is seeking re-election from the seat.

On the last day of filing of nominations on Monday, dozens of turmeric and red sorghum farmers were seen standing in the queue outside the office of Returning Officer to submit their nomination papers as Independent candidates.

With farmers from various parts of Nizamabad and Jagtiyal districts descending on Nizamabad town to file nominations, police erected barricades, deployed additional force and imposed prohibitory orders around the office of the District Collector.

Some sugarcane farmers also filed the nominations. The farmers said their action was to highlight their demand for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and also to voice their angst over the failure of both the Central and state governments to come to their rescue.

Earlier, P. Raja Reddy, a farmers' leader, had stated that 1,000 farmers will enter the fray from Nizamabad constituency to lodge their protest.

He said the farmers were demanding MSP of Rs 15,000 per quintal against Rs 5,000 they were getting now. They have long been demanding setting up of a turmeric board in Nizamabad.

The exact number of farmers who submitted their nomination papers will be known later.

Addressing an election rally last week, Chandrashekhar Rao had assured farmers that the government would address their issues.

Earlier, Kavitha said that the TRS raised the demand for setting up National Turmeric Board in Parliament. "We will continue to raise the demand till the Centre comes forward to fulfil it," she said.

She alleged that Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were provoking farmers to file nominations.

Addressing an election rally, she said 1,000 farmers should file nominations from the Varanasi and Amethi Lok Sabha constituencies from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are contesting to draw the country's attention to the problems of farmers, especially with respect to poor remunerative prices.
Kolkata, March 25 : Popular actor and Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan, who met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, will campaign for her Trinamool Congress in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Trinamool has fielded eight-time Congress MP Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal as its candidate in the Andaman and Nicobar constituency.

"We have formed a political alliance (with MNM). Our candidate in the Andamans is Manoranjan Bhakta's grandson Ayan Mondal. Kamal Haasan has extended his support to us and he will go there on April 6 to address a public meeting," Banerjee said after her meeting with the south Indian actor at the state secretariat, Nabanna here.

"From our party, state Minister Sujit Bose and other leaders will also be there. It is a good opportunity for the people of Bengal and Tamil Nadu to work together. Especially, someone like Kamal Haasan has very good credentials... not just as a politician but also as an actor. Everybody knows his name. His idea of rendering service to the people is very good and unique. We are grateful to him for his initiative," she said.

Haasan himself said the focus of his meeting with Banerjee has been the Andaman and Nicobar Lok Sabha seat. However, he refused to comment on whether his party will be a part of the anti-BJP alliance in the coming polls.

"Right now the focus of the discussion (with Banerjee) is the Andamans. I am a small regional party. So I am thinking about my region and Bengal because I love Bengal. We will take things forward step by step," he said.
New Delhi, March 25 : Delhi power distribution company (discom) BSES, here on Monday, urged its 40 lakh plus consumers to "switch off" electric appliances during Earth Hour on March 30, to show their concern for the environment.

According to the company, consumers should show their concern for environment by switching off electrical appliances and non-essential lighting fixtures for one hour starting 8.30 p.m. (local time) on Saturday.

In this, Delhi citizens will be joining their over a billon counterparts in Mumbai, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, Rome and many other cities in over 180 countries, BSES said in a statement.

Earth Hour 2019 will also be the platform for the "Give Up to Give Back" movement, encouraging millions of Indians to give up wasteful practices, habits and lifestyles to give back to the planet that makes life possible.

Commenting on the importance of sustainable planet, a BSES spokesperson said: "As conscientious corporate citizens of India, we also urges consumers to look towards the sun and join our over 1,500 other BSES roof-top consumers in harnessing the power of sun."

The BSES sister discoms, BRPL and BYPL, will also switch off all non-essential lights at their over 400 offices, spread across 950 sq.kms, during the appointed hour (8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.)," the statement said.

Last year, BSES saved 183 MW in Delhi's total contribution of 305 MW during Earth Hour, it added.
Geneva, March 25 : Indian student Wonder Nayal, who spoke at the UN Human Rights Council here last week on the Sri Lankan Civil War and the time given to the island government to investigate war crimes during it, feels that one shouldn't wait for a title or an occupation to initiate change.

Nainital-born Nayal, 18, was representing a non-profit organisation Jeunesse Etudiante Tamoule (French for Tamil Youth), which aims at educating the international community about war crimes against the Sri Lanka Tamils and their struggle for justice.

Four years into a 2015 UNHCR resolution to address human rights issues, the Council last week had approved giving Sri Lanka two more years to set up a credible war crimes investigation into the decades-long armed conflict that ended in May 2009 with the killing of LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran and his family.

Nayal, who made a brief speech at the Council, noted that the "conflict is estimated to have killed more than 1,46,000 people in Sri Lanka."

"About 80,000 people, mostly Tamils, are thought to be missing. Over a million people are displaced from their homes due to military occupation of Tamil areas," she added.

"Though the Sri Lankan government has taken some measures, Colombo has fully implemented only six out of 36 commitments made by the government in Resolution 30/1.

"Keeping this in mind, if the Sri Lankan government is unable to comply with the rest of the resolution in the coming two years, the international community would have supported 12 years of injustice to the Sri Lankan Tamils."

Actively involved in social work after school, the young law aspirant told IANS that she feels "the world should be equal and everyone should have a certain standard of living".

"The problem is that the international community has decided to give Sri Lanka two more years. Few measures have been taken by their government yet, but they do not have much support from the victims themselves.

"What I also spoke about was that they should look at alternative ways of helping the people if these two years are not able to bear more results," she said.

In her speech, Nayal had also stressed that the international community could consider "mounting pressure on Sri Lanka if they are unable to fulfil their commitments in the next two years".

Though not directly involved with the victims, the young Pune-based girl also wants to "save up money" to work on human rights issues in Sri Lanka.

Citing hearing of European students protesting against climate change a few days before her speech, Nayal maintained that "we shouldn't wait for a job, a title or an occupation to start helping the world.

"We should take the opportunity and time we have right now and make our voices heard."
Thiruvananthapuram, March 25 : Congress leaders in Kerala are an anxious lot as Rahul Gandhi has reportedly not yet made up his mind on contesting from Wayanad constituency in Kerala.

Congress Kerala unit (KPCC) leaders including state president Mullappally Ramachandran, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, and former chief minister Oommen Chandy had the other day jumped the gun and told reporters emphatically that the party national president will seek the peoples mandate from Wayanad.

However, it later emerged that the congress leaders in Kerala had put in a request with the AICC leadership to consider fielding Rahul Gandhi from the north Kerala constituency, considered a safe seat for the congress, after learning that that the national leadership was mulling fielding Mr. Gandhi from a south Indian state as well to shore up the partys prospects in the region.

The AICC leadership made it clear that the request was being considered but no decision had been taken on Mr. Gandhis candidature from Wayanad.

Senior leaders in the state must be keeping their fingers crossed, praying that the congress scion considers their request favorably for the party rank and file buoyed by the news of Mr. Gandhi contesting from Kerala had already kickstarted preparations for his poll campaign.

T Siddique, who graciously agreed to step aside to make way for Mr. Gandhi to contest from Wayanad, has already started seeking votes for the AICC president.

Oommen Chandy told reporters Monday that there was no uncertainty over Mr. Gandhis candidature from Wayanad. He, however, betrayed his concern by saying that he hoped the AICC leadership would respond positively to their request to field Rahul in Kerala.

The state leaders had pinned their hopes on the party working committee and central election committee meetings scheduled for Monday taking a call on Gandhis candidacy. However, reports suggest the matter was not taken up at the meetings.

Reports in vernacular media say that the congress scion has yet to make up his mind about contesting from Wayanad. Even though the matter did not come up at the AICC meetings on Monday, the congress national president is learnt to have communicated informally to senior national leaders that he has yet to take a decision on the matter.

News of Rahul Gandhis contesting the polls from Wayanad had set off a frenzy in Kerala with a jubilant congress rank and file kickstarting celebrations and the partys rivals, CPI(M) and BJP, working overtime to run him down.

The BJP had scoffed at the news, saying that Mr. Gandhi was running away to Wayanad fearing defeat at the hands of Smriti Irani in Amethi.
Chennai, March 25 : Congress leader Karti P. Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Monday filed his nomination papers to contest from Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu.

State party leaders rallied around Karti Chidambaram after former Union Minister E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan, who had also sought to contest from Sivaganga, opposed his candidature.

Speaking to reporters here, state Congress chief K.S. Alagiri said one cannot say Karti Chidambaram was nominated due to some pressure as the party's leadership cannot be pressurised.

He said all those who are dissatisfied with the party's decision can voice their views in a decent manner and can also convey them to the party high command.

Upset at not being nominated for the seat, Natchiappan told reporters that the people do not like the Chidambarams as they have not done anything for the Sivaganga constituency.

He also alleged that P. Chidambaram had scuttled any party post being given to him after Natchiappan had defeated him in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls.

In 1999 elections, Natchiappan, the Congress candidate, defeated P. Chidambaram who had contested on behalf of the Tamil Maanila Congress.

However, the elder Chidambaram won from Sivaganga in 2004 and 2009 as the Congress candidate.

In 2014 elections, Karti Chidambaram lost to the AIADMK's P.R. Senthilnathan.

Meanwhile a special court in New Delhi on Monday extended, till April 26, the interim protection from arrest for the Chidambarams in the Aircel-Maxis deal case.

This is the third time in a month that the court has extended the protection.

The court had issued a similar order on February 18, extending the protection till March 8 which was later extended till March 25.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing how Karti Chidambaram got clearance from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father was the Union Finance Minister.

The ED on October 25, 2018, had filed a chargesheet naming him and a few others in the case.

Last July, the CBI had filed another chargesheet against 18 persons.
Chennai, March 25 : Retired Justice of the Madras and Calcutta High Court C.S. Karnan, 63, on Monday filed his nomination papers to contest from Chennai Central Lok Sabha constituency.

He filed his papers as a candidate of Anti Corruption Dynamic Party (ACDP) floated by him last year.

Karnan was the first sitting judge to be convicted for contempt of court. He underwent a six-month prison sentence after his retirement in June 2017.

In his affidavit, Karnan has shown an income of Rs 19,77,610 for the fiscal 2018-19 down from Rs 27,09,480 in 2017-18.

The total movable and immovable assets in his name are worth Rs 13,00,000 and Rs 38,50,000, respectively.

The total movable assets in the names of his wife and two dependants are worth Rs 56,00,000.

"My party has fielded 35 candidates across the country, whereas AIADMK and DMK have not crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry yet," Karnan told IANS.

He also said that he has declared himself as the Prime Ministerial candidate.

"Why not AIADMK or DMK declare some one amongst themselves as a Prime Ministerial candidate?" he said.
Jaipur, March 25 : The Congress government on Monday strongly criticised the recent statement made by Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh wishing for a comeback of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the country's Prime Minister.

Talking to the media during his Aligarh tour on March 23, Singh had said: "Modi should become the Prime Minister at the Centre once again."

A video of this went viral on Monday and the Congress immediately took notice of it and strongly objected to it.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted: "Personally we have the utmost respect for Shri Kalyan Singh ji, he is not only Governor of our state but is very senior leader too. I have learnt he has made political statements that we all are BJP workers, supporting Shri Narendra Modi for his re-election as PM."

"The post of Governor is a constitutional post and in democracy, it is expected from Governors to be non-partisan and maintain distance from party politics. It is really unfortunate that Singh has made such statements which do not suit the dignity of the post he is holding."

Singh in this video is also seen saying that we all are BJP workers. Hence, we want the BJP to come out a winner. It is important for Modi to become Prime Minister again for the benefit of entire society.
New York, March 25 : A 50-year-old man from Lithuania has pleaded guilty to scamming Google and Facebook into paying over $120 million for work that never took place.

According to a report in The New York Times on Monday, Evaldas Rimasauskas was involved in running a company that controlled several accounts at banks in Latvia and Cyprus.

Posing as Quanta Computer, a Taiwan-based laptop manufacturer, the phishing scheme netted $23 million from Google in 2013 and $98 million from Facebook in 2015.

"As Evaldas Rimasauskas admitted today, he devised a blatant scheme to fleece US companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe," Geoffrey S Berman, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

"Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison," Berman was quoted as saying.

Rimasauskas, who was extradited from Lithuania to the US in 2017, faces up to 30 years in prison.

Rimasauskas sent fraudulent phishing emails to agents from Google and Facebook regularly involved in directing business with Quanta.

After the money was wired from Google and Facebook to the bank accounts in Cyprus and Latvia, Rimasauskas "caused the stolen funds to be quickly wired into different bank accounts in various locations throughout the world, including Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary and Hong Kong."

Facebook said in a statement that the company had "recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation.

Google said in a statement to CNET that it had "detected this fraud and promptly alerted the authorities. We recouped the funds and we're pleased this matter is resolved".

Rimasauskas is likely to be sentenced on July 24.
Patna, March 25 : The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Bihar Police on Monday arrested two suspected Bangladeshi nationals here, police said.

Additional Director General of Police, headquarters, Kundan Krishnan said that an ATS team arrested two suspected Bangladeshi nationals near the Patna Railway junction.

"Some documents and other papers were recovered from them. The police will verify the papers and will begin investigations into the case," Krishnan said.
New Delhi, March 25 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday stated in a Delhi court that investigations had established that Rs 300 crore were received as kickbacks from Swiss aerospace firm Pilatus, allegedly linked to Sanjay Bhandari, a close associate of Robert Vadra.

The ED stated this while opposing anticipatory bail plea of Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, and his aide Manoj Arora in a case related to Vadra's ownership of overseas assets worth 1.9 million pounds and entities to evade tax.

The ED told Special Judge Arvind Kumar it has established the money trail of kickbacks, received from the deal between Pilatus and Samsung, during the UPA government.

The court listed the matter for March 27 and extended the interim protection from arrest to Vadra and Arora till the next hearing.

In a related development, the ED opposed Vadra's plea challenging certain provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case against him in the Delhi High Court.

Refusing any interim relief to Vadra, the Delhi High Court had asked the Centre and the ED to file their responses on Vadra's plea.

The ED said Vadra's plea was an abuse of the process of law and alleged he had wilfully suppressed material facts.

The high court has also asked Vadra to file a response on the ED affidavit and listed the matter for hearing on May 2.

The ED has questioned Vadra several times in the case. It has requested the trial court to dismiss his bail plea as it may require his custodial interrogation in the case.
Imphal March 25 : As the resident doctors and students of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, continued their agitation for the second day on Monday, thousands of patients from Manipur and neighbouring states were denied medicare.

Suffering patients have demanded an early resolution of the impasse.

The resident doctors went on strike on Sunday after three medical practitioners, including a women, were allegedly thrashed by the relatives of a patient who died in RIMS on Saturday.

Family members of the diseased blamed medical negligence for the death.

Later, the resident doctors of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), a state-run medical college, also joined the protest.

Dr A. Santa, RIMS Director, informed the agitators a police complaint had been filed. However, no arrest was made.

Dr M. Jiten, JNIMS Medical Superintendent, said: "Doctors are not gods, though they are doing everything possible to serve the people."

Some students said allegations of assault and vandalism were leveled even before a proper inquiry.

Meanwhile, video clips showing assault were telecast on some local channels.

The striking RIMS doctors said they shall abstain from casualty duty till the culprits are arrested.

On the other hand, R.K. Birla, a family member of the deceased, said the resident doctors are agitating "to cover up their negligence". He claimed though the bereaved family members had remained silent, they lodged a police complaint on Sunday in view of the agitation.

Upset with agitating doctors, patients who are left in the lurch said an amicable solution should be reached before the situation gets aggravated.

Most patients can ill-afford the expenses in the private hospitals.
New Delhi, March 25 : The Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KPTL) on Monday said that it has signed an agreement to acquire 85 per cent equity stake in Linjemontage i Grastorp AB (LMG)for $24 million.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of FY 2019-2020, the company said.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sanjay Dalmia, the KPTL Executive Director, said: "This acquisition has been carried out on grounds of strategic fit both to capture local market opportunity and to help us in expanding our presence in Nordic countries where we have no former presence."

"This strategic acquisition will also help KPTL with greater access to specific expertise and EPC capability to take turnkey projects in Nordic countries and Europe."
New Delhi, March 25 : The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Law Commission on a PIL stating that the sentence under special laws covering terrorism, separatism and corruption should be consecutive and not concurrent.

The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Deepak Gupta, issued the notice on the PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking the sentence for offences under the special laws dealing with terrorism, separatism, corruption, unlawful activities, money laundering, black money and fugitive economic offenders should run consecutively -- one after the other -- and not concurrently.

The laws under which the petitioner has contended this that more than one sentence should be served consecutively, include the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.

Upadhyay has contended his PIL was rooted in April 30, 2016, calling for a more stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act with increased jail-term by the Vice-Chairman of the special investigation team (SIT) on black money Justice Arijit Pasayat, but the government is yet to act on it.

The petitioner has contended that the injury caused to the public because of corruption, black money generation and benami transactions badly affected the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 21 -- the right to health, shelter, water, justice, development and livelihood.

Upadhyay has cited the instances of overseas jurisdictions where convicts under special laws were sentenced to long years of incarceration.

Citing examples, the petitioner said Terry Nichols was sentenced to 161 consecutive life-terms without parole for killing 161 Americans; Abdulla Barghouti was sentenced to 67 life-terms plus 5,200 years in prison for killing 66 Israelis; Gary Ridgway was sentenced to 49 life-terms plus 480 years in prison for killing 71 prostitutes.

Similarly, Loi Khac Nguyen was sentenced to 49 consecutive life-terms without parole for kidnapping 35 Americans; Martin Bryant was sentenced to 35 life-terms plus 1,035 years in prison for killing 35 Australians.

The petitioner further contended that India could not move forward without clean and transparent governance, for which corruption-free society was a basic requirement.

"There is no country in the top 50 of the Human Development Index, which has significant amount of corruption and money laundering," the petitioner said, pointing out that there was a "correlation between welfare state with apposite attention to education and public health and the absence of corruption and money laundering."

"It is the obligation of the state to take steps to curb black money generation", the petitioner said.
New Delhi, March 25 : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday termed the Congress's election promise to provide 25 crore poor people yearly financial assistance of Rs 72,000 a "bluff announcement", noting that the sum is "less than two-thirds" of the existing Direct Benefit Transfer provided by the Narendra Modi government.

Jaitley's remarks came hours after Congress President Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually under the minimum income guarantee scheme if his party comes to power.

The BJP leader took a swipe at the Congress through his Facebook blog post as well as a media briefing.

Taking into account the total amount of subsidies provided by the government, Jaitley claimed that Rs 5.34 lakh crore was already being distributed to the poor.

"In addition to the above, Rs 5.34 lakh crore, there are several other schemes which provide several thousands of crores more to the poor. If the Congress party's announcement is tested on simple arithmetic, Rs 72,000 for five crore families works out to be Rs 3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what is being given - a bluff announcement," Jaitley told media.

He accused the Congress of misleading the country on the issue of poverty for 50 years. "Even after giving that slogan (garibi hatao), if today you think that 20 per cent of the people don't even have an income of Rs 12,000, then the cross hangs on your neck for letting down poor of the country."

In its blog, he said: "No political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress party. It gave people of India slogans and very little resources to implement them. However, PM Narendra Modi ji has already given the poor what Congress promises."

Jaitley said that Nehruvian model stagnated growth and Indira Gandhi gave legendary slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' in 1971 and just redistributed poverty. "The legacy of poverty in India reflects inefficient governance and economic model of the Congress party."

Today, he said, most industrial workers get more than Rs 12,000 month.

"The minimum starting salary in government after the 7th CPC (Central Pay Commission) is Rs 18,000 a month. The landless and poor, amongst the villagers, get a MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act) payment. Minimum wages for the labour have been raised by 42 per cent.

"In the last five years, the government, headed by PM Narendra Modi introduced DBT through banks. Besides subsidies for food, fertilizer, kerosene, 55 Ministries handed over subsidies to the poor through the DBT which was enabled by Aadhaar," he said.

Of loan waivers by the Congress, Jaitley said the party made the promise in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka but in most places, it remains unfulfilled.
Raipur, March 25 : Chhattisgarh Police probe into a Rs 50 crore misappropriation case and other irregularities at D.K.S. Super Speciality Hospital may spell trouble for Punit Gupta, son-in-law of former Chief Minister Raman Singh.

The police is reportedly collecting evidences against Gupta on the basis of a departmental probe.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sheikh Arif told IANS on Monday a probe is on against Gupta on the basis of complaint filed by K.K. Sahare, superintendent of the hospital.

"Sahare in his complaint has cited lapses in the probe report conducted by the government. The police is collecting documents pertaining to irregularities in the report," Arif said.

Meanwhile, fearing that Gupta may flee the country, chief of the Congress medicare cell Rakesh Gupta has demanded confiscation of his passport. He has also submitted his complaint to the SSP.

"I have received a complaint in this regard and taking the necessary actions," Arif said.

Raman Singh's son-in-law Gupta is facing allegations of financial irregularities while heading the Dau Kalyan Singh Sarkari Super Speciality Hospital. The irregularities include procurements without approval, preparing fake audit report and misappropriation of Rs 50 crore.
New Delhi, March 25 : A man accused of killing a nephew of former RJD MP Mohammad Shahbuddin over a property dispute in Bihar was arrested here last week, a police officer said Monday.

"Mohammad Qayyum, 53, a resident of Bihar's Siwan, was arrested by a team of Crime Branch headed by ACP Sandeep Lamba on March 22 following a tip off when he was hiding at Batla House in south Delhi," DCP Rajesh Deo said.

According to Deo, Qayyum, who used to run a mobile shop in Siwan, had, along with his other accomplices Mohd Kaif, Raunak, Islam, Maqbool and Sandeep, killed Yusuf, the former MP's nephew, on February 1 over a property dispute in Hussain Ganj "The accused persons had hatched a consiracy to eliminate Yusuf. They visited his house and asked him to accompany them to a party as per the plan. They later gunned down him and dumped his body near a mosque in Siwan," he added.

The Bihar Police had earlier managed to arrest the other five but Qayyum had escaped and was hiding in the national capital, he added.
Kohima, March 25 : Seven Opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) legislators on Monday extended support to sitting Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) MP Tokheho Yepthomi who is seeking a re-election from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.

The seven NPF legislators -- Kejong Chang, E.E. Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, C.L. John, B.S. Nganlang, N. Thongwang Konyak and Toyang Chang -- met Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to affirm their support for Yepthomi.

Yepthomi is the consensus candidate of the ruling NDPP-led People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United) and an Independent member.

The Congress had sought NPF's support for K.L. Chishi who had served as the Chief Minister for 28 days in 1990.

The NPF, the main Opposition in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, has not fielded anyone for the April 11 Lok Sabha polls.

"Supporting the Congress is against the principle of regionalism. The absence of a NPF candidate in the Lok Sabha elections has necessitated our decision to extend cooperation and support to the PDA consensus candidate and the PDA government," said an NPF legislator.

The Indian Christian Secular Party has fielded M.M. Thromwa Konyak for the seat.

The National People's Party (NPP), which suffered a major setback when its two legislators joined the NDPP, has fielded Hayithung Tungoe who quit the BJP over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

In 2018, Yepthomi, 66, won the by-election to the seat defeating NPF candidate C. Apok Kamir by 1,73,746 votes.

The by-election was necessitated after Neiphiu Rio quit the Lok Sabha and successfully contested the elections to the Assembly.
Kolkata, March 25 : The Samajwadi Party on Monday took pot shots at the Congress over reports that its President Rahul Gandhi could fight the Lok Sabha polls from another seat in addition to his traditional Amethi, as it announced support for Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

"We are getting reports that the Congress President is likely to contest the poll from another state like Karnataka or Kerala besides being in fray from his seat Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. This is the real picture of the Congress's organisational strength in Uttar Pradesh," Samajwadi Party national Vice President Kiranmoy Nanda said here.

Nanda said the SP decided to go for a tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party while leaving only two seats - Amethi and Raebareli - for the Congress in the light of its experience in the 2017 assembly polls in the state.

The SP and the Congress had then tied up, but their alliance came a cropper at the hustings, with the Bharatiya Janata Party romping to victory.

"We have left two seats for the Congress. For the Rashtriya Lok Dal, we have left three seats. But the Congress has decided to contest 73 seats in the state. We would like them to put up a good fight," he said at a media meet.

Uttar Pradesh has 80 seats - the largest number among all states.

Nanda exuded confidence that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance will sweep UP and stop the march of the BJP. "Our alliance will bag over 60 seats as it reflects the aspirations of the masses," he said.

Turning to West Bengal, where he was a long-time minister in the Left Front government, Nanda said his party, with its limited influence in the state, would back Banerjee, "who is the only force in the state that can defeat the BJP".

He said the SP would organise rallies in support of the Trinamool in the eastern state.
Bengaluru, March 25 : Defying his party, Congress MP S.P. Muddhanumegowda on Monday filed his nomination from Karnataka's Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency where Janata Dal-Secular supremo H.D. Deve Gowda is the official candidate of the state's ruling alliance.

Soon after the 85-year-old Deve Gowda filed the nomination at the Deputy Commissioner's office amid fanfare, Muddhanumegowda came with hundreds of his supporters to submit his papers.

As per the 21-7 seat-sharing arrangement between the two allies for the state's 28 parliamentary seats, the Congress conceded Tumkur to the JD-S though Muddhanumegowda had won it in the 2014 polls.

"I have filed nomination as a Congress candidate. I request my leader and leaders of the JD-S to reconsider their decision and give the ticket to me only. I am confident of winning again," Muddhanumegowda told reporters.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara of the Congress, who was present when Deve Gowda filed his nomination, has appealed to Muddhanumegowda to withdraw from the contest and respect the pre-poll tie-up with the JD-S.

On the other hand, pleas by Muddhanumegowda's supporters to Deve Gowda to contest from Bangalore North were ignored and the JD-S surrendered the seat to the Congress as it did not have a suitable candidate.

Deve Gowda has shifted his parliamentary constituency from his bastion Hassan, after representing it six times since 1991, to pave way for his grandson Prajwal to contest in his place for the first time.

Prajwal is the son of Deve Gowda's second son and state PWD Minister H.D. Revanna.

Tumkur and Hassan will go to polls in the second phase of the seven phase Lok Sabha elections on April 18 along with 12 other seats in the state's central and southern regions. Polling in the remaining 14 seats in the coastal and northern regions will be held in the third phase on April 23. Vote count will be on May 23.
Cagliari : , March 25 (IANS/AKI) Police in Italy's southern Sardinia on Wednesday intercepted 13 boat migrants who claimed to have arrived from Algeria aboard a small wooden boat with an outboard motor.

The 13 migrants, all male and apparently in good health, landed in a cove near Cape Teulada and were taken to a reception and identification centre in the province of Cagliari, police said.

The migrants were detained by paramilitary Carabinieri police stationed at a nearby military base.

Figures issued in mid-March from the European Union border and coastguard agency Frontex showed almost a 100 per cent drop in migrant crossings to Italy from North Africa in the first two month of this year.

A total of 260 migrants were detected on the Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy in January and February: 95 per cent fewer in the same period of last year, according to Frontex.

The number of migrants detected on the Central Mediterranean route in February was 60 - the lowest monthly figure in nine years, Frontex said.

The Frontex data was welcomed by Italy's hardline Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini who has vowed there will be "zero" migrants landing and wants to deport half a million illegal immigrants.
Rome, March 25 : United Nations World Food Programme chief David Beasley was on Tuesday due to visit Mozambique where Cyclone Idai devastated the port city of Beira on March 14 before moving inland through Zimbabwe and Malawi, leaving at least 750 people dead in its wake.

During his visit, Beasley will meet flood victims, government officials and aid workers in Beira and will hold a press conference at the airport, according to the statement.

WFP has launched a major operation to rush supplies to cyclone-hit areas and has already reached more than 115,000 people with emergency food assistance, the UN agency said.

The agency is also distributing easy-to-prepare fortified food to displaced flood victims sheltering in schools and other buildings in and around Beira, while large quantities of food supplies are being sourced in the southern Africa region and trucked and shipped to Mozambique, WFP said.

Satellite imagery has shown floodplains that included an "inland ocean" 125 km by 25 km, the size of Luxembourg, according to WFP.

Residents in Beira and remote surrounding areas are suffering shortages of food, water and other essentials and WFP helicopters are air-dropping High Energy Biscuits and specialized foods to prevent and treat malnutrition in stranded communities cut off by the floodwaters, the statement said.

Around 128,000 people whose homes were destroyed by the cyclone are living in makeshift camps. Cases of cholera and malaria have already been reported and health officials fear outbreaks of the diseases are inevitable.

Beasley will meet Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi and members of the government in Mozambique's capital Maputo on Wednesday, the UN country team and WFP staff members, WFP said.
Tripoli, March 26 : The Italian Embassy in Libya is giving highly equipped ambulances to cities and towns in several areas of the conflict-wracked country, it was announced on Monday.

The ambulances will go into service in the northwest town of Garabulli and city of Zawiya, to the cities of Sabha and Ubari in southwestern Libya, the southeast Kufra district and to the Children's Hospital in the capital, Tripoli, according to a Facebook post by the Local Government Ministry.

Italy's Ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Buccino, Libya's Health Minister Hameed Ben Omar and Local Government Minister Milad al-Tahir attended a ceremony to mark the handover of the ambulances, the Libyan Observer reported.

The ambulances are being supplied to Libya as part of the "Solidarity Bridge" programme launched by the Italian government, said the report.
New Delhi, March 26 : With divisions persisting within Delhi unit of Congress over alliance with Aam Aadmi Party for the Lok Sabha polls, the decision on a tie-up would be taken by party chief Rahul Gandhi in the next few days, sources said.

They said that Gandhi held a meeting with senior leaders of Delhi amid suggestions that the two parties should come together to defeat the BJP.

While Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit remains opposed to the alliance citing the long-term interests of the party, some other leaders are in favour of an understanding.

Gandhi and AAP leader Sanjay Singh had separate meetings with NCP leader Sharad Pawar last week and the issue of tie-up among opposition parties to avoid split of anti-BJP votes had figured during the discussions.
Kolkata, March 26 : A day after Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee described as "baseless" the allegations that his wife Rujira was caught at the Kolkata airport for carrying gold, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday approached the Election Commission (EC) demanding the Bidhannagar Police Commissioner be held "responsible" for the alleged police interference, if "prima facie any such incident happened".

The BJP also lodged a complaint before the EC against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for alleged violation of model code of conduct.

In a letter to the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the BJP said: "There has been serious allegations that wife of a very influential leader of the ruling party of the state was intercepted with unauthorised gold on March 16, 2019 while returning from Thailand.

"It was alleged the local police interfered in the discharge of duty of the Customs authorities within the premises of the international airport at Dumdum for the release of the passenger and the unlawful material."

The BJP also said Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh "should be held responsible if prima facie any such incident happened".

According to the BJP, the Customs authorities reportedly filed an official complaint on the incident at the airport police station on March 22.

"If this complaint is a fact, then the said police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh should be shifted from his post immediately, otherwise normal investigation will not be possible at all," the BJP said in the letter.

Refuting the charges against his wife, Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had said on Sunday he was "open to any form of investigation" to unearth the truth.

According to Banerjee, Rujira had also filed a police complaint on March 16 against the way she was "harassed and heckled" by the Customs officials, which was later converted into an FIR as per a court directive following a preliminary enquiry.

BJP leader Mukul Roy said they have submitted a CD to the commission about the chief minister making a promise to a group after the model code of conduct came into being.

"We have submitted a CD where she was promising something to a group though instructing them to say that the promises were made before the implementation of model code of conduct. This is a violation, " Roy alleged.

Slamming the CEO, West Bengal, and his officials, Roy also alleged, " I have never seen a more deaf and dumb official. People's perception is that officials of CEO office have somehow or the other been managed by local administration."

There has been a "mockery of democracy" going on in the state, he said.
Bengaluru, March 26 : Congress on Monday night named its Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda as the party candidate to contest from the high-profile Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency on April 18.

"The central election committee has approved the candidature of Krishna Byre Gowda as Congress candidate for the ensuing general election to the Lok Sabha from Bangalore North parliamentary constituency in Karnataka," said the party in a statement from New Delhi, quoting the panel's in-charge and party general secretary Mukul Wasnik.

The 45-year-old Gowda is the Rural Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the ruling JD-S-Congress coalition government since May 2018.

He is a legislator in the state assembly from Byatarayanapura segment in the city's northwest area.

Gowda will take on Union Minister and sitting Lok Sabha member D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who won the prestigious seat in the 2014 general elections.

The party named Byre Gowda to contest from Bangalore North a day after the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) surrendered it in the absence of a winning candidate.

As part of the seat-sharing arrangement between the two parties, the Congress will contest in 21 Lok Sabha seats, instead of 20, and the JD-S in seven, instead of eight.

Congress general secretary and party's state unit in-charge K.C. Venugopal said his party was thankful to JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and the JD-S for the gesture to give up the Bangalore North seat in his party's favour.

"Together let us all reclaim democracy," Venugopal tweeted.
Washington, March 26 : The US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday officially recognising Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, a part of Syria that has been under Israeli military occupation since the Six-Day War of 1967.

The White House released a statement on Monday confirming the move that Trump had expressed a willingness to make a few days earlier, making the US the first country to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the disputed territory, Efe reported.

"Now, Therefore, I, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the US, do hereby proclaim that, the US recognises that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel," the presidential proclamation said.

Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted an anonymous source at the Foreign Ministry as saying that the US move was "a flagrant aggression on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic."

The White House said it was a necessary step for "any possible future peace agreement in the region," which "must account for Israel's need to protect itself from Syria and other regional threats."

The note also said that "aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hizballah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel."

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "Israel has never had a better friend than you," referring to Trump.

International media reports, meanwhile, quoted UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric as saying that "it is clear that the status of Golan has not changed."

"The UN's policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed," Dujarric said.

On December 17, 1981, the UN Security Council adopted, unanimously, Resolution No. 497, which rejected the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights and considered it as "null and void and without international legal effect."

In its latest annual report on human rights around the world, the US State Department departed from its previous practice by referring to the Golan Heights as "Israeli-controlled" rather than "Israeli-occupied."

Trump's talk of recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan is seen as a further signal of support for Netanyahu as the White House is putting the finishing touches on its Middle East peace plan.

Most of the 26,000 members of the Druze religious community in the Golan Heights have refused assimilation into the Israeli state and nearly all of them boycotted Israel's first-ever attempt to hold municipal elections in the territory last October.

International media outlets reported that around 20,000 Israeli settlers currently live in the Golan Heights.

UN peacekeepers have been stationed in the Golan for decades.
London, March 26 : British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday said that she does not currently have enough support to pass her withdrawal deal from the European Union (EU).

May said she is working to convince Members of Parliament to support the agreement, which has been rejected by the House of Commons twice before.

"I continue to believe that the right path forward is for the UK to leave the EU as soon as possible with the deal now on the 22 of May," the British Prime Minister told Parliament on Monday.

"But it is with great regret that I have had to conclude that as things stand there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote," she added.

The British Prime Minister said she wants to have a third vote on the deal this week, according to Efe.

"I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support so that we can bring the vote forward this week and guarantee Brexit," she added.

She said that a proposal for MPs to hold votes on alternatives to her deal would set an "unwelcome precedent" and "overturn the balance of our democratic institution."

She also announced that the government will seek to extend the UK's departure date to 11 pm on April 12 with a piece of secondary legislation.

Brexit had been due to go ahead on March 29, when the negotiation period officially ended.

The EU agreed to extend the Brexit negotiation period. EU leaders have proposed that the timeframe is pushed back until April, giving the Prime Minister a chance to secure support for her withdrawal deal.

That deal has twice been shot down in the House of Commons, the lower chamber of UK lawmaking.

If it passes, the EU will allow the UK government until May 23 to implement it but, should it fail, May will have to offer fresh proposals or the UK could face crashing out the bloc without a deal.

The UK electorate narrowly voted to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum.

On Saturday around one million people packed central London to call for a second referendum on Brexit.

A petition calling for the revocation of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the official mechanism that May triggered to begin a two-year negotiation period with the EU, has gained more than 5.5 million signatures.

It was the fastest growing petition ever recorded on the UK's Parliament's portal.
Many Sydney vendors avoided weekend auctions given the clash with the NSW state election.

There were just the 355 auctions across Sydney, substantially lower than the prior weekend's 513 listings.

The listings pattern that had been impacted by the election, would now likely revert to the big run up to the pre-Easter weekend, Kevin Brogan, the auction analysts at CoreLogic noted.

CoreLogic also noted that trend of more houses and apartments being sold pre-auction than under the hammer continued to occur with regularity.

Sydney's top sale in Mosman was pre-auction.

The four bedroom 57 Shadforth Street, Mosman (below) offering fetched $3.47 million through Belle Property which was slightly at below its mooted expectations.

The price guide had been $3.5 million for the house last sold in 1993 at $770,000.

Another property sold ahead of scheduled auction included a spacious warehouse-style property at 31 Blenheim Street, Queens Park (below) at $4 million.

Agent Alexander Phillips had 98 groups though the property which sold within two weeks of marketing.

The five-bedroom house last changed hands four years ago for $3,335,000.

There were 1,669 homes taken to auction across the combined eight capital cities, down from 1,875 over the previous week. Click here to enlarge. Brogan noted the same time last year, volumes were significantly higher with 3,990 homes taken to auction over what was the pre-Easter weekend, traditionally one of the busiest weeks for auctions each year. Preliminary results show a national clearance rate of 56 percent, up from last weeks revised 51.4 percent clearance rate. "Although this will revise lower as the remaining results are collected," Brogan said. CoreLogic calculated the finalised clearance rates has sat above 49 percent for five of the last six weeks. "And its likely that this week will be no different," Brogan said. Over the same week last year the final clearance rate was recorded at 62.7 percent.

The dearest reported result in Melbourne was a four bedroom house in Glen Iris that sold under the hammer at $3,642,500 with three bidders.

The four bedroom home at 17 Vincent Street, Glen Iris sold through Marshall White whose price guidance had been $3.5 million to $3.75 million.

It was announced on the market at $3,575,000 having last sold in 2009 at $2.25 million.

A contemporary four-bedroom home at 7 Campbell Street, Brighton (below) was passed in at $4.11 million with just the one bid.

The custom built Atkinson Pontifex home had a $4.2 million to $4.62 million price guidance.

A home used as a location in the 2004 film The Brush-Off sold in Melbournes north post auction, the Herald Sun reported.

The Moonee Ponds period home at 22 Bloom Street sold for an undisclosed sum but within the homes $1.5 million to $1.6 million advertised range through Nelson Alexander Real Estate.

A Brighton beach box has likely matched the record price for the limited offerings along the iconic stretch of sand.

The quaint bathing Box 89 sold pre-auction for an undisclosed figure, but reportedly matching the record price of $337,000 set at an April 2018 auction for bathing box 76B.

Marshall White agent Matthew Pillios confirmed to the Herald Sun that No. 89 sold above its price range of $300,000 to $330,000.

The beach box has a mural of a koala enjoying a relaxing day at the beach painted by the artist Daniel Worth.

It was once awarded by the City of Bayside as the best exterior mural along the beach.

The beach box had been owned for three decades by the vendors who sold to a local middle-aged couple with children.

Domain had Sydney's weekend clearance rate at 61 percent, with Adelaide the second best at 55 percent.

Melbourne was at 54 percent; Canberra at 47 percent and Brisbane at 34 percent.

An $188,000 sale outside Brisbane was the nation's cheapest result, Domain advised.

It was a three bedroom house on 420 sqm at 91 Rosemary Street, Caboolture South (main picture), north of Brisbane inland from Bribie Island.

Agent Peter Wright at Ray White marketed it as an opportunity for investors, families and first home buyers.

It had last sold when offered as a $250 a week rental proposition for $205,000 in 2014, reflecting a $17,000 price dip over the five years.

Auction highlights this week.
Dr. Robert White, CIO, Allegheny Health Network This is our annual opportunity to recognize and honor the hard work of CIOs and CISOs for their accomplishments at the biggest celebratory event of the year honoring these unspoken heroes of the IT world, said Pittsburgh Technology Council President and CEO Audrey Russo.

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Chief Medical Information Officer Robert White, MD, FAAFP, has been selected by the Pittsburgh Technology Council as a CIO of the Year.

Dr. White was one of six information technology leaders to be honored at the Pittsburgh Technology Councils CIO of the Year awards ceremony, which was held at the Westin Convention Center Hotel on March 21. The annual event honors the regions top chief information officers and chief information security officers.

Dr. White was honored in the terabyte, or large company, category.

We at AHN are thrilled that Dr. White is being recognized by industry peers for his outstanding leadership, and for the remarkable work hes done over the last three years to help transform our organization, said Cynthia Hundorfean, AHNs president and Chief Executive Officer. He and his team are helping us build one of the nations most integrated, technologically advanced health care organizations and this distinguished honor couldnt be more deserved.

As CMIO at AHN, Dr. White leads the design and execution of the networks clinical information technology strategy. He also directs the implementation of AHNs Epic electronic health record system, which allows clinicians to share and review patient records at each of AHNs clinical locations, including its eight hospitals. AHN is now the first health system in Western Pennsylvania to utilize a single IT platform for all of its patient data management, providing clinicians with a platform that promotes the highest level of care coordination and optimization.

In his role, Dr. White champions and leads the adoption of technology solutions that enhance patient engagement, health care access, telemedicine, and population health management across the network. Since his arrival at AHN in 2016, the network has implemented a variety of patient-facing tools and portals, such as MyChart Bedside, a tablet-based Epic tool that allows patients to manage a wide range of tasks (such as viewing test results, messaging members of the care team, and even ordering hospital meals), and Video Visits, a portal that allows patients to consult with clinicians via teleconference using their personal smartphone, tablet or computer.

As a result of these advances and others, six AHN hospitals were honored in 2018 as some of Americas Most Wired hospitals by the by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). Most Wired designation is the industry-leading benchmark on IT adoption and innovation in health systems across the country.

Accolades like these are testament to Dr. Whites guidance and vision, Ms. Hundorfean said. He has transformed AHN into a network that is on the forefront when it comes to adopting innovative IT technologies that improve patient care, engagement, experience, and safety.

Prior to joining AHN, Dr. White was the Associate CMIO at Cleveland Clinic. He earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Health Sciences at The Chicago Medical School in Illinois, and he also holds a BS in biochemistry from Northern Illinois University. He is board certified in Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is also a member of the Physician Advisory Board for the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) of North America.

Pittsburgh Technology Councils CIO of the Year ceremony, cohosted by the Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group, is now in its 16th year.

This is our annual opportunity to recognize and honor the hard work of CIOs and CISOs for their accomplishments at the biggest celebratory event of the year honoring these unspoken heroes of the IT world, said Pittsburgh Technology Council President and CEO Audrey Russo.
I know war and the impact violence has on society, and when writing about the events in this book, I used that knowledge to create something authentic and impactful.

Author, decorated combat veteran and attorney Brock Walker has released his exciting historical saga set in the mid-to-late 1800s that blends fiction and reality to illustrate one Africas bloodiest conflicts: The Battle of Omdurman. In On the Plains of Kerreri, Walker deftly twines together three compelling characters from around the globe.

Syrah, a beautiful, sapphire-eyed African woman whose parents were murdered by a fanatic Islamic warlord, is relentlessly pursued by Arab leaders determined to possess her body and soul. Kip McDuran, a moody young man who was orphaned at an early age and cut his teeth in the small whaling village of Monterey, attends West Point and is recruited by Army Intelligence to take on several dangerous assignments. Finally, the eccentric Winston Churchill learns to survive and then excel using his brilliant intellect and fearless nature in his quest for fame, glory and, ultimately, the office of Prime Minister.

As Syrah, McDuran and Churchill become increasingly reliant on each other for survival, the depths of their bonds are tested and the danger, violence and brutality they face becomes increasingly real.

In my life, Ive witnessed atrocities like the riots and terrorist attacks during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the carnage and destruction wrought during the civil war and communist uprising in Ethiopia, Walker said. As a combat veteran, I served in the current war in the Middle East in 2009. I know war and the impact violence has on society, and when writing about the events in this book, I used that knowledge to create something authentic and impactful.

On the Plains of Kerreri puts forth a brutal examination of a multicontinental conflict that reinforces themes about tribalism, religion and the cruelty of humans, tackles important historical topics like slavery, the slaughter of American Indian people and the exploitation of Chinese immigrants by the American government, and provides readers with an engaging narrative that is accurate to the people and history of the time.

On the Plains of Kerreri

By Brock Walker

ISBN: 978-1-4808-5922-7 (hardcover); 978-1-4808-5921-0 (softcover);

978-1-4808-5923-4 (e-book)

Available through Archway Publishing, Barnes & Noble and Amazon

About the author

Brock Walker spent most of his childhood in Africa. His father was a diplomat posted to Libya, the Ivory Coast and Ethiopia. Walker studied creative writing at George Washington University and earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. After college, Walker was commissioned as a navigator in the U.S. Air Force, and while in the military, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the McGeorge School of Law. He left active duty to become a homicide prosecutor in California while also serving as a Staff Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Walker is a decorated combat veteran who volunteered for a tour of duty in Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and the Horn of Africa. He is married with four children, is a volunteer firefighter and scuba instructor and currently resides in Woodbine, Ga.

General Inquiries, Review Copies & Interview Requests:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Danielle Grobmeier

480-648-7557

dgrobmeier@lavidge.com
Watching the San Francisco Ballet has a palpable, uplifting payoff. You may leave, as I did, feeling a whole lot better about the human race.  The Washington Post

Ballet Sun Valley announces today the program details for San Francisco Ballets performances on July 5th and 7th in the iconic Sun Valley Pavilion. The Company will bring 38 dancers and two entirely different programs that include dances that span the spectrum of ballet, and include three highly acclaimed ballets from the Company's 2018 Unbound Festival of New Works.

The first evening, entitled Program A, will be a collection of seven pieces. Included in this performance will be works choreographed by Helgi Tomasson (Artistic Director, San Francisco Ballet), Victor Gsovsky, Yuri Possokhov (San Francisco Ballet Choreographer in Residence), and Danielle Rowe (formerly of Nederlands Dans Theater). The second night, Program B, will feature a mixed repertory-style performance with three longer ballets, all of which premiered last year in the Unbound Festival. Included in this program will be pieces choreographed by Trey McIntyre (former Artistic Director of Trey McIntyre Project), Justin Peck (Resident Choreographer and Artistic Advisor) and Stanton Welch (Artistic Director, Houston Ballet). The conductor of the Festival orchestra will be SF Ballet Music Director Martin West.

We are excited to return to Sun Valley seven years after our first performance there in 2012, said SF Ballet Artistic Director & Principal Choreographer Helgi Tomasson. The Sun Valley Pavilion is such a beautiful venue in one of the most natural settings in which we have ever performed. It is a perfect venue to perform in and enjoy world-class ballet. And I think the audience will be very pleased with the quality and variety of dance that we are bringing with our two programs."

Thirty-eight San Francisco Ballet dancers, from 13 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Estonia, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, and the United States), will perform at this years Ballet Sun Valley.

This memorable weekend of dance will also feature an Education Program, with San Francisco Ballet dancers and San Francisco Ballet School faculty, teaching all levels of ballet to young students from around the country.

Programming Schedule

Friday, July 5th - Program A:



THE FIFTH SEASON

Composer: Karl Jenkins

Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson



GRAND PAS CLASSIQUE

Composer: Daniel Auber

Choreographer: Victor Gsovsky



intermission



CONCERTO GROSSO

Composer: Francesco Geminiani, after Corelli

Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson



THE SLEEPING BEAUTY, ACT III, Pas de Deux

Composer: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Choreographer: Helgi Tomasson, after Marius Petipa



UNSAID

Composer: Ezio Bosso

Choreographer: Danielle Rowe



DIVING INTO THE LILACS EXCERPT

Composer: Boris Tchaikovsky

Choreographer: Yuri Possokhov



DON QUIXOTE - ACT III, Pas de Deux

Composer: Ludwig Minkus

Choreographers: Alexander Gorsky and Marius Petipa

Staging and additional Choreography: Helgi Tomasson and Yuri Possokhov



Sunday, July 7th - Program B:

BESPOKE

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Choreographer: Stanton Welch



intermission



YOUR FLESH SHALL BE A GREAT POEM

Composer: Chris Garneau

Choreographer: Trey McIntyre



intermission



HURRY UP, WERE DREAMING

Composers: Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, Bradley Laner, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen

Choreographer: Justin Peck

Please Note: Programming is subject to change.

CALENDAR LISTING

Ballet Sun Valley presents San Francisco Ballet (Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director) for two performances at the Sun Valley Pavilion

WHO: Ballet Sun Valley, a corporate non-profit bringing international ballet to the Sun Valley, Idaho area.

WHAT: San Francisco Ballet performing two distinct programs. Program A (July 5), will include a thirty-minute ballet, a collection of shorter dances and excerpts from classical ballets. Program B (July 7), will be a mixed repertory-style performance with three longer, contemporary works from the Companys Unbound Festival.

WHEN: Friday, July 5 and Sunday, July 7. All performances at 7:30 pm.

WHERE: Sun Valley Pavilion at the Sun Valley Resort, 300 Dollar Road, Sun Valley

TICKETS: $50-$500

For more information about the 2019 program, ticketing and sponsorship information, visit the Ballet Sun Valley website: https://balletsunvalley.com

ABOUT BALLET SUN VALLEY

Ballet Sun Valley is a corporate non-profit organization, the predecessor of which was founded in 2011 to bring international ballet to the Sun Valley, Idaho area. Its founder was a long-time member of the Board of San Francisco Ballet and part-time resident of Sun Valley. Its first festival brought San Francisco Ballet to the Pavilion. Since its inception, Ballet Sun Valley performances have featured choreography from some of the ballet worlds leading dance makers, including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Helgi Tomasson, Christopher Wheeldon and Justin Peck. Dancers who have performed in Ballet Sun Valley festivals include dancers from San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, The Royal Danish Ballet, The Royal Ballet in London, The Paris Opera Ballet, and the Mariinsky Ballet, among others.

Ballet Sun Valleys Education Program draws on the talents and experience of professional dancers and faculty from pre-professional ballet schools to provide free dance classes to students from around the United States.

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

San Francisco Ballet, long recognized for pushing boundaries in dance, has a history of making history. Founded in 1933, San Francisco Ballet staged the first full-length American productions of Coppelia (1938) and Swan Lake (1940) and, in 1944, SF Ballet launched an annual holiday tradition when the Company produced the first full-length production of Nutcracker in the US.

Led by Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer, Helgi Tomasson, SF Ballet is accompanied by its own orchestra and operates one of the countrys most prestigious schools of ballet. SF Ballet builds on its heritage by commissioning groundbreaking dance from todays top choreographers, by uncovering new choreographic talent, and by staging modern classics and the works that make up the canon of classic ballet. The Companys approach defines ballet in the 21st century, and it makes San Francisco Ballet the essential place to see the most adventurous dance in America.

# # #
The BeFull Community signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with EOSDAQ in South Korea to explore EOS and blockchain technical development together.

Both parties are strong supporters of EOS. The collaboration marks the start of BeFull Community, embarking their journey to issue their community token based on EOS.

My community and I support EOS and BlocK.one right from the very beginning. We watched their developments very closely and would want to be part of the EOS ecosystem. We believe EOSIO is the way to go forward! Working with EOSDAQ is a key development for us, they support us with EOS expertise and we get our members to experience how a decentralized exchange works. said Vincent Cheung, Founder of BeFull Community.

EOSDAQ, worlds first on-chain decentralized exchange has been in the market since 2018 and is one of the leading EOS exchange based in South Korea where the Blockchain and cryptocurrencies market is very active. EOSDAQ continuously conduct security monitoring with top security companies from the financial industry along with ongoing collaboration with top security experts.

We want to expand! We want more users from China especially to experience our EOS decentralized exchange. We have served thousands of users since our launch. The BeFull Communitys user base is large and we have seen it ourselves during previous campaigns ran together. We hope to provide the right technical expertise and EOS knowledge for BeFull. said Peter Kim, Co-Founder of EOSDAQ.

In order to forge better strategic collaboration, Co-Founder of EOSDAQ, Seihyun is also an Advisor at BeFull Community, giving them technical advice and support. He is a developer himself and has analyzed and consulted various successful projects from a technical standpoint. Prior to EOSDAQ, he was a Software Engineer at Hyundai Mobis and studied computer science at the University of Southern California.

Block.one has committed to investing over $1B into funds focused on the growth of the EOS ecosystem. The fund has helped many EOS projects internationally and the growth is tremulous. BeFull Community, being the first self-governed large scale blockchain community and with more than 200,000 users on their social groups hopes to contribute and participate in the EOS ecosystem too.

We sincerely want to work alongside with BlocK.one and EOSIO. I hope Brendan Blumer and team can hear our shout out for them! Vincent exclaimed with anticipation.

BeFull will visit South Korea very soon after their roadshows in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing to promote their community and value system. They will continue to work hard for the blockchain community, creating more value for their followers and the EOS community.

About BeFull Community (http://www.befullc.com/)

BeFull Community, the first self-governed large scale community in China. The community shares resources, educate members, create trust between members and projects and promote real usage of the tokens.

About EOSDAQ (http://www.eosdaq.com/)

EOSDAQ is a decentralized exchange supporting fast and safe trading of EOS native tokens. The platform strives to contribute to forming a strong EOS ecosystem by consistently providing liquidity and lowering the risk of hacking or theft.

About EOS.io (http://www.eos.io/)

EOS.IO is a blockchain protocol powered by the native cryptocurrency EOS. The protocol emulates most of the attributes of a real computer including hardware with the computing resources distributed equally among EOS cryptocurrency holders.

Media Contact

Company Name: Blockcast.cc

Contact Person: Joann Park

Email: contact@blockcast.cc

Phone: +65 98832707

Country: Singapore

Website: https://www.blockcast.cc
Best Web Design Firms

The 10 Best Design ranking service recently released its roster of the top web design and digital agency firms in the Houston area, granting Legnd the highest position on the list.

The new monthly list reveals the top firms that deliver high-quality work to their clients. Companies who are looking for an amazing design firm in the Houston area should consider the businesses on the list. Each was chosen for the high ratings in customer satisfaction. When considering a design firm, it is important to look at their client lists to determine if they have already worked with companies similar to that business. They are reviewed both qualitatively and quantitatively by a team at 10 Best Design. They use statistics and opinions to create the positions on the list and they only include highly-regarded firms. The extensive review process helps the team analyze which company should have the top position.

According to the 10 Best Design website, the best Houston web design firm is Legnd. They are an internet marketing company that focuses on search engine and web design. They have served both the Houston area and the New Orleans area since 2001. They believe the strength of their company comes from their ability to create a strong team that understands the industry from the inside out. They are proud of the product while also operating in a trustworthy environment. They have created a culture of integrity, authenticity, respect, and personal responsibility. They also believe in aggressive work to launch new websites at record speed so they can enjoy their time off.

The second-best company on the list of best web design firms is ChaiOne. They created an integrated team of web designers, engineers, and UX researchers to help companies jump over their competitors. They also design mobile apps. They believe in accelerated change because they focus on reinventing digital technologies for their clients. They also believe innovation is at the heart of their company by providing solutions that can have a huge impact on the business or industry. Though the company is small, they are able to tackle complex issues through their cross-disciplinary expertise. They also believe in creating a new look through innovative designs. They also bring some of the best in house teams available to each client. They have a team of more than 75 people to create the best possible product.

For more details about this months winning agencies, visit http://www.10bestdesign.com.


CRISPR-Chip on a Cardea graphene biosensor CRISPR-Chip can be used to help researchers design better CRISPR complexes for gene editing. With CRISPR-Chip, the complexes can be tested faster than ever before.

Cardea Bio, leading manufacturer of commercial-quality graphene digital biosensors, together with Nanosens Innovations, introduces the new CRISPR-Chip which has the potential to detect genetic mutations within minutes. The relationship with Nanosens falls under Cardeas Innovation Partnership Program, which enables Nanosens to build breakthrough science on top of Cardeas IP-protected graphene biosensors.

The co-developed CRISPR-Chip is the first unamplified label-free nucleic acid testing device. Details about its development can be found in the recently published Nature Biomedical Engineering paper, Detection of Unamplified Target Genes via CRISPR/Cas9 Immobilized on a Graphene Field-Effect Transistor, from the Keck Graduate Institute at Claremont College.

CRISPR-Chip inventor and corresponding author Dr. Kiana Aran explains, I first considered using CRISPR-Cas9 on a digital biosensor as a DNA search engine while I was at UC Berkeley. At Keck, I attempted to design and develop the biosensors myself, but it was difficult to construct them with the consistency and quality needed for this research. When I understood that a partnership with Cardea was possible, where the companys patented, commercial-grade, high-volume graphene biosensors could be used in place of building my own, it cut months to years out of my research.

CRISPR-Chip is a hand-held device that combines thousands of CRISPR molecules with Cardeas graphene transistor. The device scans though applied DNA to find specific genes or mutations. The transistor is extremely sensitive to electrically charged materials, like DNA. If the specified DNA is found, it binds to the surface, creating an additional charge which is sensed by the device.

In its current format, CRISPR-Chip can be used to help researchers design better CRISPR complexes for gene editing, continues Dr. Aran. With CRISPR-Chip, the complexes can be tested faster than ever before.

To learn more about CRISPR-Chip, see http://www.nanosens.com/CRISPR-Chip.

About Cardea Bio

Cardea Bio is the world's leading commercial manufacturer and developer of breakthrough graphene-based digital biosensor hardware, software, and molecular infrastructure. The Cardea infrastructure enables application of advanced biosensors to any biological system, making the technology the ideal conduit to enable the future Internet of Biology. Cardea's mission is to transform the life science and healthcare industries by collaborating with a consortium of Innovations Partners in order to create novel products and solutions for instant biological insights. Cardea is headquartered in San Diego. For more information, please visit http://www.cardeabio.com.
Jason Martin, President of Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. I am fortunate to be holding this position and look forward to continually working with such a great team.

Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. a full-service fire protection company headquartered in College Park, MD announced that General Manager Jason Martin has been promoted to President. Jason has worked for the company in a leadership role for the past 13 years.

I cant tell you how many times Ive heard Jason say well make it happen in the face of a challenging situation, and every time, he makes sure we do, said Chuck Castle, the current Chief Executive Officer of Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. As a business owner, it is great to have someone that you trust unequivocally and knows how to get the best out of people running the team.

ABOUT JASON MARTIN

Jason Martin joined the company in 2006 and has been instrumental in developing and implementing strategic growth plans that have seen the company increase from 20 to 80 employees during his tenure. It is through his leadership that Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. is now known as one of the largest and most respected fire service companies in the region.

My appreciation and commitment to this opportunity goes unparalleled, said Martin. I am fortunate to be holding this position and look forward to continually working with such a great team.

Martin graduated from Georgia Military College and holds an active certification through the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies. Prior to joining Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc. Jason served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army where he was deployed to Croatia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Operation Joint Endeavor. He is actively involved in various professional organizations including being the Vice Chairman of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the American Fire Sprinkler Associations.

ABOUT CASTLE SPRINKLER AND ALARM, INC.

Established in 2004, Castle Sprinkler and Alarm, Inc (a partner of Ace Fire Extinguisher) has grown into the most trusted and reputable fire protection company serving Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. The company provides code compliant inspections and services of fire alarms, sprinklers and extinguishers to commercial properties, government facilities, municipalities, and general contractors. Visit the Castle Sprinkler and Alarm website to learn more about their services.
ClaimVantages Stacy Varney to Join InsurTech Panel at ECC Conference

Stacy Varney, Global Head of Sales & Marketing at ClaimVantage, a leading international provider of life, disability, and absence claim management solutions, will take part in the InsurTech panel discussion at the upcoming EEC Conference. The conference takes place from March 31st through April 2nd, at the Boston Sheraton Hotel.

ClaimVantage offers innovative InsurTech solutions to the market to overcome the current struggles of inefficient processes and legacy systems. Stacy led sales and marketing at an international reinsurer, a large insurance company, and most recently, an InsurTech start-up. She has also provided consulting services to a variety of InsurTech companies, including Optimity. Stacy joined the ClaimVantage team in late 2018 to further establish the company in the InsurTech space.

With a wide breadth of knowledge in the insurance industry, Stacy is well positioned to join the InsurTech panel to discuss the impact technology is having on claim management from an insurers perspective, and how this has transitioned over the past two decades.

The EEC Conference has been running for over 40 years and is well known for providing valuable learning experiences for attendees. Over this time, technology has significantly impacted the industry and this year's program has been redesigned to reflect these changes.

Alongside Stacy, Ian Bridgman from The Claim Lab and John Standish from Infinilytics will join the InsurTech panel, which takes place on Monday, April 1st at 1.15pm as part of the In the Know for enquiring minds session.

About ClaimVantage

ClaimVantage offers industry-leading life, health, and absence claim management software solutions to global insurance carriers, Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), and employers. ClaimVantage provides cloud-based, automated claims processing solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, helping its customers to deliver superior customer service for a competitive edge.

With its North American headquarters in Portland, Maine, and European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, ClaimVantage also has teams in Australia, South Africa, and most recently, Japan.

Media Contact

Sarah Courtney

sarahcourtney@claimvantage.com

+353 1 294 4896
Voiceitt has the chance to enhance and improve the lives of those suffering from voice-altering conditions. We look forward to working with the Voiceitt team as they expand to the United States.

Connecticut Innovations (CI), Connecticuts strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies, today announced that it has closed on the initial $500k tranche of a potential $1.5 million total investment award for Voiceitt, a speech recognition system for non-standard speakers, including those with impaired speech, and the 2018 top investment award winner of VentureClash.

This initial $500,000 equity investment will help Voiceitt accelerate its core speech recognition technology, support marketing efforts in the United States and establish its Connecticut headquarters.

CI is excited to close this deal with the top investment award winner of VentureClash, said Alison Malloy, director of investments at Connecticut Innovations. Voiceitt has the chance to enhance and improve the lives of those suffering from voice-altering conditions. We look forward to working with the Voiceitt team as they expand to the United States.

Voiceitt, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, and founded in 2012, has developed a speech recognition technology designed to recognize atypical speech patterns correlated with underlying conditions such as stroke, cerebral palsy and degenerative disease. In addition to facilitating human-to-human voice-based interaction, Voiceitts technology can help make mainstream voice technologies accessible to people with motor and speech challenges.

Our team is grateful for VentureClash and Connecticut Innovations as we build our U.S. presence in Connecticut and improve our core speech technology to best address the needs of the people we serve, said Danny Weissberg, CEO of Voiceitt. We have received a warm welcome and support from stakeholders and advocates in the community. We believe this award conveys the spirit of collaboration that is core to who we are as a company, and it also represents another step closer to realizing the vision we all share: to make speech recognition technologies accessible to everyone.

Last year, VentureClash attracted nearly 300 applicants and culminated with a finals event on Thursday, October 20, 2018, at the Yale School of Management in New Haven, Connecticut. Voiceitt was one of 10 finalists that presented to a broad judging panel of venture capitalists and innovation experts from leading firms.

About VentureClash

Managed by Connecticut Innovations, VentureClash is Connecticuts global venture challenge focused on early-stage companies. The challenge, launched in 2016, identifies high-potential companies in digital health, fintech, insurtech and industry 4.0 that will compete for investments from a $5 million award pool. For more information on qualifications, requirements, guidelines and application for this years upcoming 2019 challenge, visit http://www.ventureclash.com.

About Connecticut Innovations

Connecticut Innovations (CI) is Connecticuts strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies. CI provides venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies, financial support for innovation and collaboration, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com.


Kiana Aran's novel system immobilizes the CRISPR complexes on the surface of graphene-based transistors. Kiana Aran: My goal is to integrate fast-growing electronics technologies with modern biology not only to develop better diagnostic tools, but also to gain a better understanding of biological events using nanoscale electronics devices.

Researchers have found multiple applications for the CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspersed Short Palindromic Repeats) gene editing technology since it came into use by the scientific community. Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) Assistant Professor and University of California, Berkeley Visiting Scientist Kiana Aran is the first to combine the power of CRISPRs nucleic acid targeting with the ultra sensitivity of graphene, making it possible to digitally detect DNA without amplification.

The innovation is to bring the two together as a capture mechanism. Our system does not use amplification; instead, it relies on CRISPRs genome-searching capability and graphenes sensitivity, explains Aran, who led the multi-university research team responsible for the work described in the paper CRISPR-Chip: A CRISPR-based Graphene-enhanced Field Effect Biosensor for Electronic Detection of Unamplified Target Genes, which was published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on March 25.

Arans novel system immobilizes the CRISPR complexes on the surface of graphene-based transistors. These complexes search a genome to find their target sequence and, if the search is successful, bind to its DNA. This binding changes the conductivity of the graphene material in the transistor, which detects the change using a handheld reader developed by Arans industry partner, San Diego-based Cardea Bio.

What Kiana does is an application we hadnt thought about beforethat no one thought about before. It shows the potential of a graphene biosensor that no one knew was even possible, says Brett Goldsmith, Cardeas chief technology officer and cofounder. To detect DNA without amplification is so shocking, so futuristic. This will skip several generations of technology development.

Aran and her research colleagues demonstrated the systems effectiveness by testing for the digital detection of DNA mutations in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that results in progressive muscle degeneration and shortened life expectancy.

We have shown that our system is sufficient for genetic mutation testing. Now we need to enhance the system to detect infections, says Aran. Were also evaluating CRISPR-Chip for detection of single-point mutations.

Aran notes that the system, which enables users to run a test in less than an hour, has potential applications beyond diagnostics. She explains that these include multiplexing capabilities to run hundreds or thousands of tests at the same time. Another potential application is for quality control purposes within companies that use CRISPR for therapeutics; the system could enable them to better evaluate the efficiency of the CRISPR technology.

For Aran, turning to electronics to develop a system with unique capabilities came naturally: She earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and went on to a PhD in biomedical engineering and postdoctoral work in bioengineering.

I look at everything through the lens of electronics. Its important to think about electronic biosensors because that is where I believe biological analysis is heading, says Aran, who is now exploring avenues to commercialize the system. My goal is to integrate fast-growing electronics technologies with modern biology not only to develop better diagnostic tools, but also to gain a better understanding of biological events using nanoscale electronics devices.

Co-authors on the paper also include KGIs Reza Haijan, Sarah Balderston, Thanhtra Tran, Mandeep Sandhu and Mitre Athaiya, UC Berkeleys Tara Deboer, Jessy Etienne, and Noreen Wauford, Cardea Bios Jolie Nokes and Brett Goldsmith, NanoSens Innovations Regis Peytavi, and the University of Navarras Jacobo Paredes.

This work was primarily supported by Keck Graduate Institute Start-up funding to the Aran Lab, by the Rogers Family Foundation, and by an Open Philanthropy Research Gift.

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About Keck Graduate Institute (KGI)

KGI was founded in 1997 as the first higher education institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to education and research related to the applied life sciences. KGI offers innovative postgraduate degrees and certificates that integrate life and health sciences, business, pharmacy, engineering, and genetics, with a focus on industry projects, hands-on industry experiences, and team collaborations.

A member of The Claremont Colleges, KGI employs an entrepreneurial approach and industry connections that provide pathways for students to become leaders within healthcare and the applied life sciences. KGI consists of three schools: Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the Minerva Schools at KGI.
The consumer insight sensory market is poised for disruption, and we are in a position to support this disruption. Our innovative products and service offerings deliver on the brand owners need for innovation and speed to market in addition to applying BI and AI technologies, says Bisceglia.

Curion, a leader in sensory and consumer product research, announced the appointment of Sean B. Bisceglia as Chief Executive Officer. Previous to Curion, Mr. Bisceglia held the Chief Executive Officer role in four previous companies over his 25-year business career.

We believe that the consumer insight sensory market is poised for disruption, and at Curion we are in a position to support this disruption. Our innovative products and service offerings deliver on the brand owners need for innovation and speed to market in addition to applying BI and AI technologies, says Bisceglia. Bisceglia is recognized for his work disrupting industries at companies such as Corporate Project Resources, Inc., (CPRI) and software innovators, TalentDrive and Scout Exchange.

Bisceglia adds, I am excited to lead the company and continue to grow the customer base and product offerings. Growth will come from three key initiatives, including expanding our services within our blue-chip base, acquiring new clients through our innovative services that address emerging brands, and by expanding our world-class panels, continues Bisceglia.

In a move to make sensory testing more accessible to emerging brands, Curion recently launched eFive, a sensory testing suite of services designed exclusively for challenger products. According to Bisceglia, Legacy brands have long enjoyed the competitive advantage of sensory research, coupled with precise data analytics. eFive will give emerging brands quick, accurate and affordable consumer insights from industry-leading sensory experts. This solution democratizes access to the knowledge challengers need most to succeed, providing a portfolio of offerings at an affordable price. Mr. Bisceglias business success began 25 years ago when he founded TFA, a technology-focused ad agency that achieved significant success. TFA was sold to Leo Burnett in 1998. Bisceglia then partnered with William Blair to acquire (CPRI), where he doubled revenues in less than 2 years. In 2007, Mr. Bisceglia founded TalentDrive, one of the first technology-enabled staffing businesses. In 2013, he founded and became CEO of Scout Exchange, a platform for marketplace recruiting that serves Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, Bisceglia served as an Operating Partner at Sterling Partners.

Curion is a leader in sensory and consumer product research and serves Fortune 500 and other blue-chip customers in the food & beverage, personal care, fine fragrance, and home & fabric care industries. In 2018 alone, the company tested 97,000 consumers in its facilities in California, Chicago, Dallas, and New Jersey. Curions insights provide data such as: product readiness for launch, consumer purchase decision process, competitive landscape and more to its clients. The result of a merger between Q Research Solutions and Tragon Corp., Curion brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the consumer and sensory science industry. The company pioneered many of the sensory methodologies considered industry standards today, including Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) and Partnership Solutions (PS).
The Design By Humans team is excited to join forces with Twitch partners and popular Fortnite survival game Streamers DrLupo, Ninja, TimTheTatman, Action Jaxon, and Minnesota Twins pitcher, Trevor May, to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Both DBH and the 4 Millionaires (and Paul) team understand the importance of giving back to the community and the necessity that every child receive cutting-edge research, the best treatment and care available, and the chance to live a happy and healthy life. The DBH and 4 Millionaires (and Paul) team recognize that there is nothing more important than doing their part to help future generations thrive and succeed.

During the three-week campaign  from March 25th to April 15th  the 4 Millionaires (and Paul) team are excited to showcase an exciting new t-shirt design for purchase on the DBH website. The hilarious design, available in both a classic blue/gold or in a retro neon style, was created in honor of the hysterical Official Roast of TimTheTatman organized by the five friends at TwitchCon 2018.

The close Streamer friends (and friendly rivals) focused their hilarious antics on TimTheTatman, but they also used the roast as an opportunity to poke fun at each other as well. Unfortunately for Paul, aka Action Jaxon, he became the unwitting star of the show after the majority of the jokes were made on his behalf due to his status as TimTheTatmans best friend and a part-time streamer. In fact, one of Trevor Mays jokes even became the inspiration for the DBH campaign and t-shirt design. Trevor  who is affectionately known as the token jock in the group  referred to his friends by their boyband name or the 4 Millionaires (and Paul) title that would later inspire the fundraising efforts with DBH and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

Although each of the five friends hoped to win the title of Best Roaster at the show, their fans and supporters would all agree that every Streamer received their share of laughs and applause from the audience. Nonetheless, the greatest triumph and success will come when the popularity of the roast is used to benefit St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

DBH and the popular Twitch streamers have a history of working together on charitable projects; nonetheless, their efforts to raise money for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital is an especially important labor of love for the five friends.

The 4 Millionaires (and Paul) team will donate 100% of the campaigns net proceeds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to fund research, guarantee that no child or their family will pay for life-saving procedures out of their own pocket, and continue to help save lives. Help make a difference with DBH and the 4 Millionaires (and Paul) team today by checking out the new t-shirt styles and campaign to help fund St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:

The non-profit, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, promises that every child receives the best pediatric treatment available and be given the chance to visit the highest-quality research facility in the United States  at no cost to them and their family. The hospital continues to be a leading facility in knowledge, technology, and the treatment and prevention of childrens diseases across the globe.

About Design By Humans:

Design By Humans offers a platform for artists, gamers, and content producers to create and showcase their unique artwork as fashionable graphic apparel, phone cases, wall prints, and more. With over 10 years of experience, Design By Humans works to build an environment that respects quality, integrity, and the creative spirit.

The DBH community is inspired by the comical as well as the abstract, the imagined and the concrete; it works to create innovative art that is an expression and a reflection of todays society.

We are gaming fiends, cat-enthusiasts, and pop culture fanatics. Most importantly, however, we are a passionate team of independent creators who buzz for the next buzz word, whistle as we work, and create designs that inspire the next generation of trendsetters from around the world.

To become a part of the DBH community please visit us at https://www.designbyhumans.com/ or submit designs at https://www.designbyhumans.com/become-an-artist/.

Follow Design By Humans on Facebook at /DesignByHumans, on Instagram at DesignByHumans with #designbyhumans, and on Twitter @DesignByHumans.


Givinga, a financial technology company, announces custom-designed corporate giving platforms allowing companies of any size to implement workplace giving and amplify impact.

To date, corporate giving solutions have been focused on large enterprises, underserving small and mid-sized businesses. Givingas custom platform empowers businesses of all sizes, providing an entry point for SMBs while decreasing administration and expense for large organizations. Now companies with limited resources can compete with organizations with larger CSR infrastructures.

Givinga puts a whole new spin on corporate giving. Traditional philanthropy can be burdensome, expensive, and time-consuming. Givinga eliminates these barriers and creates opportunities for employees to connect around shared causes and discover their passion for improving their community. By providing an engaging platform that enables companies to strategize and collaborate around philanthropy, Givingas platform creates an environment ready to train the next generation of philanthropists.

Society is shifting toward a more socially and environmentally responsible model. Both consumers and employees are demanding more accountability and transparency from their businesses, making corporate responsibility and workplace giving a critical factor for every company, said Joe Phoenix, CEO and Cofounder of Givinga. Individuals are searching for ways to make a difference. They want to get involved - both personally and at work; they want to be able to leave a legacy.

Givinga provides a solution that allows users to come together on a single platform, driven by companies, to amplify their impact. Givingas Individual Flexible Giving Accounts allow businesses to empower employees to own their individual giving strategy without increasing administrative work. Companies and their employees work together to distribute matching gifts, start crowdfunding campaigns, and donate via time and volunteer hours. The unique structure of Givinga improves the way Americans give while increasing the amount of donations.

Givinga benefits both companies and employees, aligning giving strategy with overall business strategy. Givinga ensure companies retain control of all assets, accurately tracks giving activity and engages employees to improve total philanthropic impact. Our custom-designed software wraps around your existing CR and business ecosystems, with customized dashboards to track total philanthropic impact and ROI with reports showing reach, engagement, and cost analytics.

The most successful companies view philanthropy as an investment that can impact competitive advantage and business growth. Its an integral and measurable part of corporate business strategy. said Phoenix. Currently, many firms view giving platforms as a nice to have benefit for their employees. Philanthropy is treated as a cost of doing business versus a brand-enhancing investment. They havent fully grasped the power of strategic philanthropy to their bottom line and how easily it can be linked to brand development and strategic positioning.

Get more information at https://www.givinga.com/.

About Givinga

Givinga provides a corporate giving platform that allows employers to create individual giving accounts for their employees. Givinga provides access to vehicles, fundraising resources and philanthropic reporting enabling individuals and employees to engage, manage and amplify their CSR activities. Learn more at https://www.givinga.com.
Your life will be significantly harder and you will be put in a delicate financial condition if your car will ever be stolen. Luckily, there are many ways that can prevent that from happening, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com has launched a new blog post that explains how car owners can save car insurance money if they protect their cars against thieves.

For more info and free quotes, please visit https://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com/tips-that-can-help-you-prevent-car-theft/

In the United States, a car is stolen every 40 seconds. The financial losses caused by car thieves are estimated at $6 billion. The only insurance policy that will reimburse the car owners if their cars got stolen is the comprehensive coverage. Without it, the car owners will have to support the losses on their own.

Drivers can prevent the theft of their vehicles if they follow the next tips:



Stop the engine. If a driver has to leave his car unattended, he should stop its engine. Most thieves act quickly and it only takes them a few moments to steal a vehicle with its engine running.

Lock the car before leaving. Dont forget to lock the doors and windows. An unlocked door or window is an open invitation for thieves to steal a vehicle. Thieves only need a few seconds to hotwire a vehicle and run away.

Install anti-theft devices. On the market the are many anti-theft devices that can help car owners make their cars safer against thieves. Devices like electronic alarms, ignition-kill switches, fuel cut-off systems, or steering wheel locks can make a vehicle safer. Besides improving the safety of a vehicle, these devices can also help lower the price of insurance. Many car insurance carriers will offer large discounts to those drivers that install approved anti-theft devices on their vehicles.

Park the car in safe places. Drivers should always park their vehicles in well-circulated areas that offer lots of visibility. Also, it would be ideal if the cars could be parked in areas where there are surveillance cameras.

Remove the valuables from the vehicle. Valuable objects like laptops, smartphones, tablets, jewelry, bags, and others can be tempting for thieves. They can easily break a window in order to steal them and then make themselves unseen.

Install a GPS tracking system. GPS tracking systems can help the authorities to recover a stolen vehicle.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com/

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
Emmy-winning production company Vin Di Bona Productions and Fishbowl Worldwide Media are being sued for sexual harassment, sexual assault, and retaliation by three former female employees. Vin Di Bona Productions is best known for Americas Funniest Home Videos, currently in its 27th year and broadcast in 193 countries. Both entities are headed by longtime Hollywood producer and Walk of Fame recipient Vin Di Bona.

The allegations, outlined in a 32-page complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, identified as case number 19STCV09487, contain detailed descriptions of sexual assault and sexual harassment directed at numerous female employees by producer Phil Shafran. The sexual assault allegations are currently being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The female employees allege that Vin Di Bona permitted a culture of sexual and racial harassment to exist, and took no disciplinary or other remedial action against serial harasser Phil Shafran. One employee alleges Mr. Shafran took her and other female employees into his office one by one, closed the door, and took upskirt photos of them with his phone while they were trying on a virtual reality headset at his request. The complaint also alleges that Mr. Shafran was known in the company as a serial harasser, and that one of the plaintiffs was told to pull her top up and flash Mr. Shafran when she went by his office.

All three employees allege they reported the harassment to numerous supervisors, managers, and even the Chief Financial Officer of Vin Di Bona Productions, Paul LaPointe. In response, the complaint alleges, the company offered to demote one of the victims, while taking no action against Mr. Shafran.

All three women allege that they were retaliated against for reporting the harassment, including being ostracized by coworkers and supervisors, and ultimately resulting in the termination of their employment.

The plaintiffs are all represented by Barbara Figari Cowan of Workplace Advocates. Ms. Figari Cowan is an Executive Board Member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA), who has dedicated her entire career to the representation of employees who are victims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation perpetrated by their employer, and has represented employees of large companies including Uber, NBCUniversal, and American Apparel. Ms. Figari Cowan stated that It is disappointing that in the wake of the #MeToo movement that arose in large part out of egregious sexual harassment in the industry, a Hollywood film company would allow a new generation of women to be subjected to the same disgusting conduct, and act once again to protect the perpetrator, rather than his victims.

The plaintiffs are seeking, among other items, an injunction that would require Vin Di Bona and its related companies to investigate all complaints of harassment and take appropriate remedial action against Mr. Shafran and any other known perpetrators of sexual harassment.

It is 2019. This industry has the chance to broadcast to America the right thing to do in response to complaints of sexual harassment. Enough is enough, said Ms. Figari Cowan. The complaint has been filed using the names Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, and Jane Doe 3 to protect the identities of the victims and the integrity of the investigation being conducted by LAPD.
Curd, Galindo & Smith, LLP "Centennial, in its lawsuit, alleges that Farmers & Merchants Trust is operating unlawfully without a license issued by the California Dept. of Real Estate to manage real property for third parties."

Joe Curd and Alex Galindo, with Curd, Galindo & Smith, LLP, announce that they have filed an amended complaint on behalf of their Client, Centennial Properties, against Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach and Farmers & Merchants Trust Company.

The amended complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Case No.: NC061713.

Court documents show that Centennial Properties alleges that Farmers & Merchants Trust Company acted in an unlawful manner when it allegedly interfered with Centennial's relationship with a large property management customer. The Court records state that in 1988, Centennial Properties began performing private property management services, and has been in such business for over 30 years.

The lawsuit states that Centennial Properties successfully managed one customer's portfolio, a large family trust consisting of commercial and residential real estate, for approximately 25 years and was able to keep the properties profitable, updated, and filled with qualified tenants even through the occurrence of several real estate recessions during that time. The lawsuit goes on to allege that both Centennial and its customer banked with Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach.

The court records state that Farmers & Merchants Trust Company's management team, the bank's affiliate, met with Centennial's customer and unlawfully represented to the customer that it could manage the real estate portfolio knowing that it did not have the required broker's license to perform the property management services.

Court records state that, pursuant to Business & Professions Code Section 10131(b), the California Dept. of Real Estate requires a broker's license to conduct real property management services for third parties. Pursuant to the California Financial Code  1600, a trust company may manage real properties that it controls as a trustee of a trust, but it must have a real estate broker's license to manage a third party's real property.

Centennial, in its lawsuit, alleges that Farmers & Merchants Trust Company is operating unlawfully without a California Dept. of Real Estate broker's license while managing real property for third parties.

The court documents allege that Farmers & Merchants Trust Company caused Centennial's contract with its customer to be terminated on March 10, 2017 and the properties placed under management with Farmers & Merchants Trust Company in April 2017.

The filed amended complaint further alleges that, as a result of the unlawful conduct of operating without a license, Centennial lost its customer to Farmers & Merchants Trust Company and has suffered damages in excess of $5,000,000.

Defendants, Farmers & Merchants Bank and Farmers & Merchants Trust Company, deny the allegations and are represented by attorney Michael Leight.

A jury trial has been set to begin on July 29, 2019 at the Long Beach Courthouse.

Mr. Curd is a founding member of Curd, Galindo & Smith, LLP, which is a full service law firm that represents both corporate and professional clients and those who have been seriously injured or have lost a family member due to an accident, defective product, police misconduct or negligence. The law firm has recovered millions of dollars for its thousands of clients since 1995 by winning complex and challenging business disputes, death and injury cases involving police misconduct, traffic collisions, work place injuries and defective products, including defective automobiles, against some of the world's largest companies and governmental agencies.


Transformation, LLC will debut new agriculture projects at the AIM Summit Geneva June 12, 2019. The AIM Summit  organizations events are exclusive gatherings created to connect global investors  institutions, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, private investors and fund managers, in the world of alternatives.

Opening the first ever AIM Summit in Europe will be special guest speaker Peter Rockefeller, Board Member & Vice Chairman of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Managing Director of Brock Capital Group, who will address the theme of sustainability in agriculture. Mr. Rockefeller observes: As the worlds population continues to surge it becomes ever more pressing to increase the production of healthy foods using Earth-friendly farming methods that can be sustained into the future.

The CEO of strategic advisory firm Transformation, Walter Schindler, will be announcing several new agriculture projects. Schindler has played an important role in helping to organize the event, supporting the Managing Partner of the AIM Summit Raha Moradi, along with Lee C. Tashijian, a member of the World Economic Forums Global Council on Transparency and Anti-Corruption and a Managing Director of Transformation. The World Economic Forum will be moderating several panel discussions of sustainability and agriculture. Supporting the event have been several executives of the World Economic Forum, including Katherine Brown, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing.

Until now, the AIM Summit has been hosted exclusively in the Middle East over the last 5 years. The AIM Summit is internationally recognized for bringing in leading institutions and family offices together to discuss diverse alternative investment opportunities.

Raha Moradi, the Managing Partner of the AIM Summit, writes: The AIM Summit  organizations events are exclusive gatherings created to connect global investors  institutions, family offices, sovereign wealth funds, private investors and fund managers, in the world of alternatives.

The AIM Summit in Geneva will cover a wide range of alternative investments, with panels on topics like emerging markets and special sessions on water, agriculture, and energy. Several partners of Transformation will participate in these sessions.
Explore life on South Mountain, including stories of escaping enslaved, the conservation movement of Pennsylvania, and stoires of Civil War strife. Visit a general store museum, a site where John Brown taught Sunday school, learn how Pennsylvania led the conservation movement, and hear eerie stories of the silvery lady of Pond Bank.

Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites the public to explore South Mountain in Stories of the Mountain Tour on April 13, 9 AM to 4:30 PM. South Mountain holds centuries of history and lore. The mountain forests fed the iron ore industry, sheltered escaping enslaved, saw the strife of Civil War and was reborn through Pennsylvania's conservation movement. Life on the mountain is the story of small communities across America. Visit a general store museum, a site where John Brown taught Sunday school, learn how Pennsylvania led the conservation movement, and hear eerie stories of the silvery lady of Pond Bank.

The tour departs Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center at 9 AM and begins with a comparison of two Franklin County iron ore worksCaledonia Ironworks and Mont Alto Ironworks. Learn about the ore process, layout of the ironworks, and the people who worked at the furnace. Stop at Preserving Our Heritage Museum, housed in a one-room schoolhouse, and visit a relocated 1930 - 1950 general store. Travel across the South Mountain and see the landscape that gave fresh air and hope to thousands of tuberculosis patients. Visit the new home of the Mont Alto Historical Society. Step back to 1812 and visit the Royer farmhouse at Renfrew Park. Continue up the mountain to Monterey Pass Battlefield where 10,000 Union and Confederate troops fought along the mountain ridge in a blinding thunderstorm during the late hours of July 4 and early hours of July 5, 1863, part of the retreat from Gettysburg.

Single tickets are $50/ person or two tickets for $75. Bring a friend and save! Tour fee includes lunch at Founders Grille with a pristine view of South Mountain. Get tickets here.

The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore Franklin County PA and enjoy the history, arts, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more. Plan your visit at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com, by contacting 866.646.8060, or by visiting the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center on the square in Chambersburg.
Golden Corral franchisee Hu Odom has been named winner of the 2019 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award by Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine. Odom was chosen for the Community Involvement Leadership Award for his incredible generosity, giving back to the neighborhoods he serves and becoming a role model for other franchisees.

Hu Odom owns 20 Golden Corral restaurants in Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Georgia. He has been with Golden Corral since 1986, and is one of the chains most successful operators, winning its Franchisee of the Year award three times.

Military Appreciation

In addition to his success as a franchise owner, Odom has a long history of giving back to the communities in which he serves. He became a pioneer for his support of the United States military, many years before the concept became commonplace among others in the restaurant industry.

In 1999, Odom organized a free thank you dinner for active and retired United States military members at his restaurants in four states. His idea of honoring the military for their service was the driving force for Golden Corral to implement this practice across all its locations nationally two years later. In 18 years of hosting Military Appreciation Night, Golden Corral has provided more than 5.7 million free meals for active and retired military members while raising more than $15.7 for Disabled American Veterans (DAV). Odoms restaurants alone have served more than 324,000 free meals and raised more than $2.2 million for DAV during its 20 years of hosting the event.

Odoms support of the military and their families extends beyond the annual Military Appreciation Night. Since 2012, Odoms restaurant group has raised a total of $766,956 to support Camp Corral, a free summer camp for children of wounded, injured, ill or fallen military families.

I am honored to win the Community Leadership Award and I want to thank Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine, said Odom. I have always felt it is important to be an active part of the community in which you serve. Whether it is showing appreciation for members of the military or helping future leaders in the restaurant industry, it is extremely gratifying to be able to make an impact for others in our local communities.

Generous Education Funding

Beyond his charitable support of the military, Odom is committed to shaping the future of the restaurant industry. In 2018, he gave the largest ever individual gift to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation in support of ProStart, a national program teaching high school students the culinary techniques and management skills to prepare them for careers in the restaurant field. The donation will be used to enhance the ProStart program in the Hampton Roads area. It will also provide direct investments in local classrooms to ensure that students have the training and work readiness skills needed for success in Virginias growing hospitality industry.

Odom is passionate about giving low-income and disadvantaged students access to education in culinary arts and restaurant management. In December 2018, he made a seven-figure donation to Tidewater Community College, which will build its Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management school in his name. His gift will also be used to provide scholarships for dual enrollment students from Norfolk Public Schools studying restaurant management.

We congratulate Hu Odom and all of the dedicated and outstanding franchisees, said Therese Thilgen, CEO of Franchise Update Media, publisher of Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine. These are the kinds of business operators who inspire others with their vision, leadership, and success.

Odom will attend the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, March 24-26 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He will participate in several of the conferences events and formally accept his award at the General Session Award Ceremony on the morning of March 26.

Each year, Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine selects MVP winners across 11 different categories. The Multi-Unit Franchisee Conference and Magazine MVP Awards honor the best and the brightest multi-unit franchisees - the power operators, the innovators, the creative thinkers who have demonstrated outstanding performance in growing both their organizations and their brands.

For more information about Golden Corral, please visit https://www.goldencorral.com/.

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About Golden Corral:

Golden Corral, based in Raleigh, N.C., is the nations largest grill-buffet restaurant chain with 489 restaurants operating in 42 states as of January 1, 2019. Golden Corral is famous for its variety, including USDA steaks cooked to order, smoked meats, awesome pot roast, hot yeast rolls, and desserts like homemade carrot cake and the Chocolate Wonderfall.

About Franchise Update Media:

Founded in 1988, Franchise Update Media produces websites, magazines, original research, and three highly regarded annual conferences that serve franchise audiences online, in print, and in person. Franchise Update Media delivers a unique combination of educational and lead generation sources to help franchisors, multi-unit franchisees, prospective franchisees, and suppliers achieve their growth objectives. To learn more, visit http://www.franchiseupdatemedia.com.
Chosen Payments, a national discount credit card processor serving the travel industry. We are excited to roll out strong benefits that will greatly increase the profits and service experience of our mutual clients in the ground transportation industry.

Chosen Payments, a leading provider of credit card processing in the ground transportation industry has formed a partnership Hudson Software, a twenty year leader, and dominant player in software technology for the ground transportation industry.

As the ground transportation industry continues to evolve, these two credible suppliers have formed a strategic partnership that will benefit their mutual clients. Hudson Software has incorporated Chosen Payments processing platform into their suite of software solutions for livery operators. Through the partnership, Chosen Payments is now able to offer Hudson clients many added benefits which saves significant amounts of money and time. Hudson will refer clients to Chosen Payments for a guaranteed savings or Chosen Payments will pay $500 towards the clients support fees to Hudson while offering; chargeback assistance, white glove service and Level II& III data savings. This synergistic partnership creates a win-win for all involved.

This partnership has been developed over many years and we are excited to roll out strong benefits that will greatly increase the profits and service experience of our mutual clients. Hudson has done a fantastic job developing a niche in the industry and we are honored to partner with them, says Jeff Brodsly, CEO of Chosen Payments. Hudson is very excited to partner with Chosen Payment, a strong and reputable player in the card processing payment industry. Hudson is always trying to integrate strong business partners and we are certain that this partnership will benefits our mutual clients in their day-to-day operations and provide added service and cost optimization says Gustavo Gomez, Vice President of Operations for Hudson Software, Inc.

About Chosen Payments:

Chosen Payments is a nationally recognized credit card processing firm serving the majority of ground transportation providers in the United States. The company is dedicated towards making a difference in the industry by taking a partnership approach, providing personalized customer service and cost effective solutions. Chosen Payments has offices in Utah, Kansas, Arizona, Michigan, New Hampshire, Georgia and Tennessee and maintains their corporate office in Moorpark, California. With over 150 staff members and earning many industry accolades year-over-year, Chosen Payments continues to assist their clients with increasing revenue, profit and value added services and driving more success to our partners. Visit http://www.chosenpayments or email info@chosenpayments.com for more information.

About Hudson Software:

Since 1999, Hudson has been a pioneer of leading-edge ground transportation technology using proprietary methodologies, development tools, best practices, platforms, and architectures. Hudson has a global presence and the ability to deploy solutions in multiple currencies and languages. Each Hudson client is served with an engineered solution that is custom configured based on the clients specific needs which delivers increased productivity of staff, streamlining processes, and improving operational efficiencies that have a direct impact on bottom line profit. For more information about Hudson, visit https://hudsonltd.com/ or call 978-531-1115 or email sales@hudsonltd.com
Injection based treatment such as facial fillers are increasingly popular with both younger and middle-aged patients. Not only are board certified plastic surgeons qualified to carry out these procedures safely, but they also have an enhanced aesthetic eye due to their experience.

A March 1 article on CBS News reports an uptick in millennials getting plastic surgery not only due to the influence of social media but also in an effort to stand out in a competitive job market. The article noted that some individuals in their 20s and 30s look to plastic surgery in order to gain any advantage possible in the workforce against their peers, as well as older job seekers. While traditional plastic surgeries like rhinoplasty remain very popular for 20 and 30-something patients with particular concerns, millennials are increasingly moving toward noninvasive treatments such as Botox, injectables, and laser skin treatments, the article says. The younger plastic surgery crowd seems to be more concerned with pre-rejuvenation and maintaining their youthful skin now, rather than fixing it later when signs of aging have already set in. Orange County-based plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Jazayeri says that, with the increase in popularity for both plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, it is crucial for individuals to carefully research where they choose to receive their procedures in order to achieve their desired results both safely and effectively.

In an appearance-obsessed region like Southern California, theres an abundance of places to get cosmetic work done. However, Dr. Jazayeri notes that individuals considering having any type of procedure done should go to a board certified plastic surgeon. Like Dr. Jazayeri, board-certified surgeons are trained specifically in the plastic surgery field and then have to meet a set of rigorous standards set by established surgeons. Dr. Jazayeri says that not only are board certified plastic surgeons qualified to carry out these procedures safely, but they also have an enhanced aesthetic eye due to their experience. The doctor comments that this can lead to better results when compared to professionals who may not even be physicians in many cases. In the end, each individual looking to have some work done wants the best for themselves, Dr. Jazayeri says. In order to ensure they get the enhancements theyre actually looking for, the doctor says the best thing to do is to find a certified plastic surgeon who is qualified to do just that.

Dr. Jazayeri says there are many reasons why people decide to get plastic surgery and there should never be any judgment. With the increase in social medias influence on plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments comes a decrease in the negative stigma once associated with these procedures, he notes. These days, individuals just want to look the best they can, and with todays technology and resources, Dr. Jazayeri says, they can.

Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri is a board certified plastic surgeon who has been practicing for over 20 years. Readers interested in learning more about his services may call (714) 834-0101 or visit his website at http://www.drjaz.com.


"We landed one of the best geo-brains in the business," said Spatial Networks EVP Brian Monheiser.

Spatial Networks (SNI), a fast-growing geospatial information and technology firm headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, is excited to announce the addition of James Fee to the leadership team.

Fee joins as Vice President for Professional Services, responsible for the oversight and management of project managers, technical consultants, and engineers to ensure professional and effective services to SNIs customers. He will report directly to Brian Monheiser, Executive Vice President, Government Solutions.

We landed one of the best geo-brains in the business, Monheiser said.

Fee comes to the team with more than 20 years of experience in the geospatial industry building platforms for users to be better informed about their businesses and decision making. He has always embraced change and looked at ways to integrate new technologies into existing workflows, and worked at the intersection of CAD, GIS, BIM and Big Data, bringing information directly to users.

I have either known James or about James for nearly my entire professional career, said SNI Founder and CEO, Tony Quartararo. I have always been impressed with his prolific writing and contributions to our industry, his credibility in all aspects is second-to-none, and having the opportunity to work with someone as widely respected as James is not something I would want to pass up. I am really looking forward to his ability to be a force multiplier for our entire Professional Services group and the management team as a whole, and to help propel our continued growth and success.

Fee has been instrumental in delivering modern advanced platforms that customers can use across their organizations. Key to this is easy integration with existing tools, not wanting to disrupt workflows. Drag and drop import of Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geospatial Information Systems (GIS), and even Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) makes this process easy for users who may not be technologically savvy and prompts users to integrate IoT and other location intelligence tools.

A thought leader in the geospatial space, Fee often delivers keynotes at conferences around the world and shares his knowledge with the community. He strives to improve location-based technology to improve people's lives and make our cities a cleaner and more enjoyable place to be part of.

The Vice President for Professional Services is one of 13 new positions created at Spatial Networks in the last 12 months. In that same time frame, the company has grown its total revenue by 34.1%. To learn more about Spatial Networks and view current available positions, visit spatialnetworks.com/company.

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About Spatial Networks: Founded in 2000, Spatial Networks enables organizations to identify opportunities, reduce uncertainty, and mitigate risk by leveraging geography and geographical information systems, including the mobile data collection platform Fulcrum. Spatial Networks is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL, but employs remote staff across the United States. The company also utilizes vast global network of geospatial professionals to obtain the most accurate, timely, and relevant data for its clients.
Luminoso, the natural language company that provides AI-powered analysis of unstructured data to reveal customer and employee insights, today announced that it has moved its global headquarters from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Downtown Boston. Located at 125 High Street, Luminosos new headquarters will have room for 100 employees, allowing the company to double its Boston area staff.

Weve seen a surge in the number of businesses that have adopted our artificial intelligence-based software to analyze their text data, such as customer feedback emails, contact center interactions, and employee satisfaction surveys, said Adam Carte, CEO of Luminoso. Our new Boston headquarters will enable us to scale our team, and continue to provide our customers with best-in-class text analysis solutions.

At 15,400 square feet, Luminosos new office gives the company room to more than double its staff. Luminoso currently employs 41 people locally, and plans on hiring approximately 40 people across job functions over the next year. A complete list of openings can be found at https://luminoso.com/about/work-here.

As we were considering locations and planning the space for our Boston headquarters, we were focused on making sure the office would enable our employees to do their best work, said Diane Yasgur, VP of Human Resources at Luminoso. Our headquarters has both open and private work spaces, is easily reachable via public transportation, and offers great access to all that Boston has to offer.

Luminosos headquarters features a number of private offices and meeting rooms, as well as communal spaces. The offices central gathering space will be used for company-wide meetings and for hosting Boston area community events.

In addition to its Boston headquarters, Luminoso has offices around the world, including Tokyo, London, and Sydney.

About Luminoso

Luminoso Technologies is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language understanding (NLU) company that enables companies to rapidly discover insights in their unstructured data. Luminosos award-winning software applies AI to accurately analyze text-based data, for any industry, without lengthy setup time or training. Luminoso can analyze unstructured data natively in 14 languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Arabic. Companies use the insights that Luminosos solutions uncover to streamline their contact center processes, monitor brand perception, and optimize customer and employee experiences. The company is privately held and headquartered in Boston, MA.

For more information, visit http://www.luminoso.com, and follow Luminoso on Twitter at @LuminosoInsight.
The University of Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) today announced the finalists in its 8th annual $200K Challenge after reviewing a record-setting 150+ applications.

The 21 finalists, all early-stage medical device, diagnostic, and biotech companies, will be eligible for a share of $200,000 in sponsor-provided, in-kind services. These services can include use of facilities including lab and office space; and engineering, product development, legal, regulatory, clinical, and business services.

M2D2 assists entrepreneurs in the medical-device and biotech sector in moving new products from concept to commercialization. It is a joint venture of University of Massachusetts Medical School, which provides medical expertise and assistance with clinical trials, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, which offers expertise in business and engineering. M2D2 has three locations, two in Lowell and one on the campus of the UMass Medical School.

The 2019 $200K Challenge sponsors are Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Amgen, Boston Scientific, Mintz, MPR Product Development, R&Q (Regulatory & Quality Solutions), Hologic, Asahi Intecc, and the Deshpande Foundation.

This years Challenge finalists are:

ARO

Buzzing Technologies

CardioCorX

Childrens National

Dynocardia

EnClear Therapies

Endovascular Engineering

EnLisense

Gynion

IMOV

Kinnos

Leon Scientific

MediSim

Neurovascular Diagnostics

NPT Rapid Testing

Respirix

Rithim Biologics

Teratonix

Thoreau Labs

UroMonitor

UroRelief

All finalists will display and demonstrate their ideas at the M2D2 Challenge Finalist Pitch-Off on Wednesday, March 27 at 5:00 pm at UMass Lowells University Crossing. The Challenge winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 10 at 5:00 pm at an Awards & Networking event hosted by Mintz in Boston.

Tickets can be purchased for either or both events at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-m2d2-200k-challenge-finalist-showcase-pitch-off-events-tickets-56587606053

About M2D2

M2D2, the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, is a joint initiative of the Lowell and Worcester campuses of the UMass system. Its aim is to help new biotech and medical device entrepreneurs develop products every step of the way, from proof-of-concept to commercialization. Affiliated faculty and staff have assisted more than 100 start-up companies and entrepreneurs since the program kicked off in the spring of 2007. http://www.uml.edu/m2d2

Media contacts:

Christine Gillette

978-934-2209

Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

Nancy Cicco

978-934-4944

Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu
Maritz, a leading provider of marketing services to the automotive industry, has partnered with Northwood University to help develop the next generation of leaders in the automotive industry. The announcement was made at the Future of Automotive Retail (FAR) 2.0 summit, held in Naples, Florida, and hosted by Maritz. More than a hundred thought leaders, including executives from a dozen manufacturers, dealers, academics and industry professionals, gathered to focus on the importance of human capital in retail automotive.

In todays tight job market, the automotive industry is realizing the importance of attracting and developing individuals who can build careers in a field that often struggles with employee retention. As part of its partnership with Northwood, which offers a dedicated Automotive Marketing and Management major, Maritz will offer internship positions to acquaint Northwood students with the business and connect with Maritz clients. The Maritz automotive team also will participate in a series of guest lectures to share its industry experience, as well as learn from the students. In addition, Maritz is creating a scholarship to assist Northwood University students who have chosen to study automotive marketing and management.

Maritz is a people company, and we help our automotive clients improve their business results by applying our expertise in behavioral science to drive performance. We do that within a strategic framework that focuses on attracting, engaging and retaining both employees and consumers. It just makes sense that we understand how the next generation of automotive professionals are preparing for their careers. Its important to listen to, talk and work with the students who have decided that the automotive business is where they want to be, said Terry Erwin, vice president of Maritz Auto.

Northwood has over 60 years of history working with the automotive industry, with more than 8,400 graduates employed in that industry sector. Were so pleased to add Maritz to our roster of highly regarded partner companies. 92 percent of our program graduates gain employment in the automotive industry, in large part to the participation of companies like Maritz that help provide a deeper understanding of industry career options, said Elgie Bright, faculty chair  automotive marketing and management degree.

Also attending the FAR 2.0 summit were representatives of Northwood University, including several students in the school of Automotive Marketing and Management.

By attending FAR 2.0 and working with Maritz, I learned so much more about the auto industry and the opportunities available to me. I left the conference even more excited to enter into the automotive sector, said Northwood student Kendall Schaus.

About Maritz

St. Louis-based Maritz provides business performance solutions that connect people to results. Through our meetings & events, sales performance, employee engagement, and customer experience & loyalty programs, Maritz ensures brands deliver on their customer promises and drive growth. For more information, visit maritz.com or contact us at 1-877-4MARITZ.

About Northwood University

Northwood University is a regionally accredited, nonprofit institution that specializes in managerial and entrepreneurial education. Offering undergraduate, graduate and adult degree programs, Northwood is committed to the most personal attention to prepare students for success in their careers and in their communities. For additional information regarding Northwood University, go to http://www.northwood.edu.
Ashley is deeply committed to our clients' success" said Mary Tyrrell, Chief Media and Operations Officer.

MayoSeitz Media announced today that Ashley Neiderman has been promoted to Integrated Media Planning Supervisor. Ashley Neiderman joined the agency in 2010 as a recent Penn State graduate. Over the years she has grown as a professional working across a range of agency accounts. Her life took her to DC in 2015, but she returned to MayoSeitz Media in 2017.

"We were thrilled when Ashley returned to the Philadelphia area and she rejoined the agency in 2017. She has always been deeply committed to our clients' success", said Mary Tyrrell, Executive Vice President, Chief Media and Operations Officer.

"MayoSeitz Media has always been home to me. It is a wonderful agency with an exciting future", said Ashley Neiderman.

About MayoSeitz Media

MayoSeitz Media is one of the leading independent media agencies in the United States and was selected in 2017 and 2018 as one of the INC. 5000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. MayoSeitz is also one of a handful of independent media agencies to qualify and be accepted to the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), the leading industry association. MayoSeitz Media clients include VISIT PHILADELPHIA, Philadelphia Phillies, Penn Medicine, Trex, among many others.
Monster Tree Service, the nations first and fastest-growing tree service franchise, has opened a new location near Asheville, North Carolina. Recently featured by SUCCESS magazine, Thrive Global, and Franchise Times, the Monster Tree Service franchise continues to build on its rapid three-year franchise system growth.

Entrepreneur Todd Slack recently purchased the rights to a Monster Tree Service Territory for Western North Carolina and plans to officially launch this month. Slack served as U.S. Marine Corps officer for more than 20 years before becoming an Asheville High School teacher for the last three years. Now that he has retired from active duty and resigned from teaching, Slack is eager to pursue his life-long dream of small business ownership. Slack plans to utilize his unique skill set, developed during his time in the Marine Corps, to succeed in business.

My time in the Marines taught me how to manage my time wisely, work well with a team, understand the importance of safety and training and much more  all of which will benefit me as I take on my new role as small business owner, says Slack. I am excited to be joining the Monster Tree Service team, and I look forward to serving the communities in Western North Carolina.

Josh Skolnick, CEO and Founder of Monster Tree Service, is confident that Slack will be a tremendous asset to the Monster Tree Service franchise.

Todd is a perfect fit for the Monster Tree Service brand, says Skolnick. He has an incredible work ethic, an unparalleled drive to succeed and a keen understanding of business. We are very glad to have him on our team. I cant wait to see his growth in the coming years.

Monster Tree Service is the only franchise tree company capitalizing on the under-served $17 billion tree service industry. Monster Tree Service has achieved consistent year-over-year, 5 percent growth since 2009, resulting in a $10+ million business. Because its a high-upside opportunity, and a recession-proof business, Monster Tree Service expects to achieve $100 million in sales by 2021.

I have had a tremendous experience working with the corporate team to get my business up and running. The support has been amazing, and that, paired with the top-notch business model, makes me feel confident about this investment, says Slack. Im proud to offer our wide array of services, including tree trimming and maintenance, emergency tree services, plant health care and more. I cant wait to get started!

For more information about Monster Tree Service, please visit http://www.whymonster.com/.

For more information about Monster Tree Service franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.monsterfranchising.com/.

To learn more about CEO Josh Skolnicks vision for Monster Tree Service, please visit https://www.monsterfranchising.com/vision-story.

About Monster Tree Service

Founded in 2008 in Fort Washington, PA by Founder and CEO Josh Skolnick, Monster Tree Service is the first and only national franchise brand serving the $17 billion tree care industry. Over the past decade, Skolnick has aggressively built Monster Tree Service into a thriving national franchise system working day and night to build the company into a $10+ million business with 26 franchise partners in 17 states operating 58 active territories (with dozens of others in development) throughout the country. Each Monster Tree Service franchised outlet offers full-scale tree pruning and removal services, including: tree pruning and trimming, tree removal, stump grinding, shrub maintenance, emergency services, plant health care, and various secondary services.

In stark contrast to various mom and pop style tree service companies, all Monster Tree Service franchise owners are dedicated to Making the world a more beautiful place, one tree at a time by providing homeowners with unparalleled service completed by certified professionals. Monster Tree Service is committed to educating all customers on the natural conditions, diseases and infestations that impact the health of their plants/trees and treating all issues with an environmentally friendly, Do Not Harm approach. Its all part of the Monster Tree Service vision to partner with homeowners across the country to make their trees healthy, strong, and vital.

For more information about Monster Tree Service, please visit http://www.whymonster.com/.

For more information about Monster Tree Service franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.monsterfranchising.com/.
With SafetyLace were saving lives here and thats what matters most. said U-Lace CEO Tim Talley.

U-Lace No-Tie Sneaker Laces will broadly launch its new innovation SafetyLace, a lace replacement designed specifically as a suicide prevention safety product for the Behavioral Healthcare industry this spring at NatCon19, the National Council for Behavioral Health's Conference in Nashville, TN.

Ligature strangulation events have been on the rise in mental health facilities. U-Lace set out to leverage its expertise in the modular no-tie lace business to innovate a replacement lace product designed specifically for the Behavioral Health, Corrections and Nursing Home industries. While U-Lace was already supplying its Classic and U-Lace Kiddos modular no-tie laces to Behavioral Healthcare facilities across the USA without incident, the company wanted to design a product with the needs of behavior healthcare in mind. The focus was on improving overall facility safety, saving patient lives, protecting other patients, facility staff and visitors while also maintaining patient dignity and minimizing the costs associated with footwear and/or lace replacement.

Said U-Lace CEO and Chief Innovation Officer Tim Talley, We had a huge task before us on all fronts, but with our already award-winning product  U-Lace No-Tie Laces  we were able to engineer a new product that combines thoughtful engineering with other proven branded products such as Kevlar thread to create SafetyLace.

SafetyLace was put through rigorous testing by Underwriters Laboratories and testing facilities at individual Behavioral Healthcare facilities.

Also noted by the company is the fact that a pack of SafetyLace  which is designed to lace a pair of sneakers, casual shoes or boots  is actually nearly on par with the wholesale cost of the equivalent number of packs required to lace a pair of consumer sneakers, casual shoes or boots despite all the additional labor, and material costs including expensive Kevlar thread. This product is so important that we worked with our manufacturing partners and came to agreement with our ownership team to make the product as affordable as possible to the marketplace.

Were saving lives here and thats what matters most. said Talley. while we cant give the product away for free, we can lower profit targets and make the product as affordable as possible in an effort to help as many facilities as possible to be able to provide SafetyLace to patients in need.

U-Lace has shipped SafetyLace to dozens of Behavioral Health Facilities in the USA since July 2018  many placing monthly orders  without incident. The company  which is a certified WMBE Supplier  is now seeking to expand its distribution of the product to the broader Behavioral Healthcare Industry.


In response to the decline of Great Britains politics and society, author Ernie Hasler has released Brexit Demise of Great Britain: Rulers Of One Of The Worlds Great Powers Go Haywire, a riveting political fiction centered around the Trump election and the Brexit deal.

The book largely follows two married characters, Douglas Desperate Dan and Kelly Kizzy Hamilton, who after a series of events, eventually come to be accepted into a Romany gypsy community. As Desperate Dan grows into his role as a community leader and preacher, Kizzy evolves and explores her desires and identity.

As political tensions mount with Trumps election, Brexit and more, he delves into the Biblical implications of Brexit for the nation of Great Britain. Dan begins preaching the prophecy of Deuteronomy, depicting a world where Great Britain collapses due to Brexit and a struggling country and economy in the wake of the Brexit deal.

If theres anything I hope people take away from the book, I hope they take away the utmost importance of staying true to Scripture and refusing to subscribe to the ideals of the World Church, Hasler said. The Second Coming is going to happen and God will take those into his kingdom who accepted him and didnt subscribe to popular thought.

Brexit Demise of Great Britain will help readers understand the background and purpose of the story, aiding them in realizing the events contributing to the downfall of our society and understanding Yahweh and his plan for mankind as outlined in the Bible.

Brexit Demise of Great Britain: Rulers Of One Of The Worlds Great Powers Go Haywire

By Ernie Hasler

ISBN: 9781728380551 (softcover); 9781728380544 (electronic)

Available at the AuthorHouse Online Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author

Ernie Hasler started working as an apprentice engineer with the Ministry of Defense at Royal Ordnance in Scotland at the age of 16 and enjoyed a long career focused in environmental affairs. In his spare time, he ran a small charity Plant Tree Save Planet starting womens tree nurseries in poor countries, mostly funded by himself and his two sisters. Year after year, he continues to fund tree planting through Trees for the Future and in 2016 funded the planting of over 20,000 trees. His ambition is to fund the planting of 100,000 trees in his lifetime. Hasler has been a voluntary trustee with Emmaus Glasgow for 21 years helping to take it from an aspirational concept to a functioning community of up to 27 previously homeless people. Emmaus Glasgow now also match his tree planting funding. 75 years of experience has taught him that supporting people with special needs on positive pathways is much more productive than punitive sanctions. To learn more, please visit http://erniehaslerbooks.com.

Contact:

LAVIDGE  Phoenix

Kalin Thomas

480-648-7540

kthomas(at)lavidge(dot)com

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Oak Street Health, a network of centers that provide innovative primary care services to Medicare recipients, has partnered with Lyft to improve access to healthcare in Indianapolis. This partnership combines Lyfts mission to improve peoples lives with the worlds best transportation with Oak Street Healths focus on increasing access to care by offering patients who qualify rides to and from appointments.

With four centers in Indianapolis, Oak Street Health addresses many of the critical gaps in healthcare by offering services that go beyond a traditional primary care provider. Oak Street Health already offers complimentary transportation to and from appointments with its fleet of green vans, which are used by more than half of Oak Street Healths patients in Indianapolis. When vans are in high demand or patients require added attention and time, Oak Street Healths Indianapolis center employees can schedule a ride through this partnership with Lyft.

Partnering with Lyft ensures that accessibility will never be a barrier for Medicare beneficiaries in the Indianapolis community seeking quality primary care, said Brian Clem, President of Oak Street Health Indiana and Ohio. Lyft shares our commitment to improving the lives of others, and were excited to keep seeing a positive impact with the program.

Since beginning a pilot program in early September, Lyft has helped many Oak Street Health patients get to and from their appointments, with more than 100 patients using the service in January alone. Patients were enthusiastic about the pilot program, reporting that simple and easy transportation eased any concerns about being able to get to their scheduled appointment on time and set the tone for a great primary care experience.

At Lyft, we're focused on improving people's lives with the world's best transportation, as well as reducing the healthcare transportation gap, said Cebronica Luft, Market Manager of Lyft Indianapolis. To help further this commitment, we're thrilled to partner with Oak Street Health, making it easier for the seniors of Indianapolis to receive the quality healthcare they deserve without transportation as a barrier.

Lyft is available for patients at all four Oak Street Health centers in Indianapolis:



Glendale - 2240 East 53rd St, Suite B-1

Irvington - 6401 E Washington St

Speedway - 5926 Crawfordsville Rd, Unit B

University Heights - 4200 S East St

To learn more about Oak Street Healths personal, equitable and accountable model of care, visit oakstreethealth.com.

About Oak Street Health

Oak Street Health is a fast-growing and innovative network of primary care centers for adults on Medicare designed to make healthcare more personal, equitable and accountable for all. Oak Street Health centers offer much more than a standard visit with a doctor. From providing transportation to and from appointments, insurance education, and supplemental services such as podiatry, behavioral health, and in-center pharmacies, the organization is closing critical gaps in the traditional healthcare experience. To encourage social wellness, each center hosts hundreds of social, fitness, and learning activities throughout the year. These services, coupled with Oak Street Healths focus on quality of care instead of volume of services, has led to a 44 percent reduction in patient hospital admissions and a 46 percent reduction in patient emergency room visits. Today, the organization serves more than 200 communities across the United States with one mission at its core - to rebuild healthcare as it should be.

About Lyft

Lyft was founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve peoples lives with the worlds best transportation, and is available to 95 percent of the United States population as well as select cities in Canada. Lyft is committed to effecting positive change for our cities by offsetting carbon emissions from all rides, and by promoting transportation equity through shared rides, bikeshare systems, electric scooters, and public transit partnerships.

About Lyft Business

Lyft Business offers travel, commute, event, and courtesy ride solutions that provide customers with the tools they need to reduce cost, save time, and streamline their transportation programs. We partner with thousands of organizations to create unique solutions to move their people, from employees and customers to patients and students. To learn more about Lyft Business, visit lyft.com/business.
On March 20, the Paterson Public School district was honored with the 2019 Arts Ed Now Renaissance District award in recognition of their outstanding commitment to arts education for all students. The award was presented by Arts Ed Now and is only presented when a school district demonstrates extraordinary efforts to provide arts education for every child in the community. The award was accepted by Eileen F. Shafer, M. Ed., Superintendent of Paterson Public Schools, on behalf of the students, staff, parents, administrators, the Board of Education and community during an Arts in Our Schools Month celebration at John F. Kennedy High School.

I love that the Paterson Public School District is being labelled as a Renaissance District because what has happened in the arts in our schools during the past year has truly been a rebirth of arts education, particularly in our elementary schools, said Shafer. We greatly appreciate the recognition of Arts Ed NJ and all who work with them to promote the arts in education. The award theyve given us truly belongs to the students, as well as their teachers, principals and, most of all, their parents who ultimately are the biggest reasons for our students success.

We have been witness to the extraordinary challenges Paterson Public Schools have had to overcome to make sure every student across the district has access to the many benefits and skills an education in the arts provides, said Robert Morrison, Co-director of Arts Ed NJ. These skills will serve them for a lifetime regardless of the vocational pathway they may choose in the future.

During the presentation event, Save The Music Executive Director Henry Donahue spoke about the Foundations desire to help close the gap in the more than 40 Paterson Public Schools with insufficient or nonexistent instruments, equipment and other music education resources. Save The Music plans to invest in Paterson this fall and in coming years alongside the district's commitment to bringing music and the arts back to the classroom.

"The enthusiasm and energy for music and the arts in Paterson is evident here tonight. We're excited to work with community leaders to mobilize support and help jump-start music education programs in more Paterson schools," said Donahue.

During the celebration at the John F. Kennedy High School student art work and performances were showcased for the Paterson Board of Education. This included Paterson Youth Photography, InnerFaith Performing Arts Center, the Paterson Music Project, Save the Music grant recipient School 24 Wind Ensemble, a poem by Rosa Parks School of the Performing Arts junior Shiqira Poulson, and the combined drum lines from John F Kennedy and East Side High Schools. The event featured remarks from representatives of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Arts Ed NJ, Grass Roots Arts Commission, the Paterson Education fund and Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.

The award comes as schools across the nation participate in Arts in Our Schools Month, an annual celebration originally proclaimed by the U.S. Department of Education that showcases the accomplishments of students in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts.

For more information on the state of Arts Education in New Jersey, please visit http://artsednj.org/2017-arts-education-census/

About Paterson Public Schools

The Paterson Public School District educates approximately 28,000 students enrolled in grades pre-K to 12. Last year, the New Jersey State Board of Education approved local control of the district. When the state took over the district in 1992, among the first cuts that were made were to the districts arts education programs. The current 2018-2019 school year is the first in the district in 27 years to have every elementary school to offer students arts and music. Additional information about the district can be found at paterson.k12.nj.us.

About Arts Ed NJ

Arts Ed NJ is the unified voice for arts education in New Jersey. Formerly the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership, Arts Ed NJ was founded in 2007 by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Department of Education and Music for All Foundation with additional support from the ArtPride New Jersey Foundation. The mission of Arts Ed NJ is to provide a unified voice for a diverse group of constituents who agree on the educational benefits and impact of the arts, specifically the contribution they make to student achievement and a civilized, sustainable society. Additional information is available at http://www.artsednj.org.

About Save The Music

Save The Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps kids, schools, and communities realize their full potential through the power of making music. Founded in 1997, Save The Music partners with school districts and raises funds to restore music programs in public schools. Since inception, we have donated over $56 million worth of new musical instruments to over 2,100 schools in 261 school districts around the country impacting the lives of millions of students. Learn more about us and our efforts at http://www.savethemusic.org.

About Arts Ed Now

Arts Ed Now is a statewide campaign to increase active participation in arts education in all schools in New Jersey. Studies show that students who participate in arts education do better in school and in life. Unfortunately, not all NJ students have the access or information to increase their participation in arts education. The Arts Ed Now campaign identifies ways to increase participation in arts education and garner public support to put a spotlight on the issue - and is designed to be customized at a local grassroots level for more impact. The Campaign Central website https://artsednow.org features stories, tools and ways for citizens to become better ambassadors - together. This project is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Geraldine R Dodge Foundation, Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. To find out more about how National Endowment for the Arts grants impact individuals and communities, visit http://www.arts.gov
For decades, researchers have been trying to develop an analytical model to provide this type of information to patients, and finally this company has done it."

POTENTIAMETRICS, an Austin, TX based healthcare data and artificial intelligence company, announced the formation of The MyCancerJourney Clinical Advisory Board, a stellar group of specialists, MDs, and medical researchers committed to empowering patients with the strongest data in cancer. MyCancerJourney was developed by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine to provide patient-specific survival estimates, improve outcomes and empower patients diagnosed with cancer.

We are honored and excited to announce the appointment of the renowned George Lundberg, M.D. as a member of the Clinical Advisory Board to PotentiaMetrics. Dr. Lundberg is committed, as are we, to ensuring patients make the most informed decisions possible when it comes to cancer treatment options, said Robert Palmer, CEO of PotentiaMetrics. Dr. Lundberg stated, For decades, researchers have been trying to develop an analytical model to provide this type of information to patients, and finally this company has done it. They developed a platform that is easy for patients to understand and use without sophisticated knowledge of medicine, and Im eager to help them introduce it in the coming weeks ahead.

George Lundberg, MS, MD, ScD (hon) is an American board-certified pathologist, speaker, writer, and editor. Dr. Lundberg is the former (1982-1999) Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and he is currently the Editor in Chief of Cancer Commons; Editor at Large, at Medscape, a Clinical Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University, and President and Board Chair of The Lundberg Institute. Dr. Lundberg served as President of the American Society for Clinical Pathology; Professor of Pathology at University of Southern California for 10 years; and for 5 years was Professor and Chair of Pathology at the University of California, Davis. A frequent lecturer, radio, and webcasting guest and host, and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Lundberg was also a professor at Harvard from 1993 to 2008 and at Stanford from 2006 to 2018. Dr. Lundberg is a Vietnam Era Veteran, having served in the US Army for 11-years, leaving active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel.

About PotentiaMetrics

PotentiaMetrics develops unique outcomes and insights solutions to support more informed, value-based treatment decisions that lead to better outcomes and reduced costs.

To learn more about PotentiaMetrics, visit: http://www.potentiametrics.com

To learn more about MyCancerJourney, visit: http://www.mycancerjourney.com
"Through this event, our clients always have a better understanding of how new digital strategies can continue to transform their ability to drive higher revenue and connect with more of their customers," explained PowerChord CEO, Lanny Tucker.

PowerChords biennial Digital Summit was first created in 2013 as a client forum to explore the latest in digital marketing innovation. The companys event not only brings together clients from around the world, but also boasts an impressive speaker lineup of experts in online experiences, digital strategy, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and location-based marketing, among others.

"Through this event, our clients always have a better understanding of how new digital strategies can continue to transform their ability to drive higher revenue and connect with more of their customers," explained PowerChord CEO, Lanny Tucker.

This year's forum was titled A Local Revolution, which emphasizes hyper-local connectivity as a significant driver for increased revenue. This invitation-only client event had an impressive speaker lineup of experts that included:

Ben Royce, Creative Effectiveness Lead at Google Brandunit

John Ellis, Big Data Futurist and former Chief Innovation Officer at Ford Motor Company

Alex Hunter, Branding Customer Experience Expert and former head of global online marketing for the Virgin Group and Sir Richard Branson

Chris Riddell, Global Futurist on emerging, hyper-connected digital trends

Shar Vanboskirk, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester

Brett Kohn, Co-President and General Manager at Thinknear

The 2019 themes addressed were designed to benefit not just our clients, but all of the local digital community. Its important to remember that customers no longer just purchase products - they are looking for a personal connection. Theres a lot that can be done in todays digital world; the key is to be agile, learn fast, and move smarter, said Tucker.

Welcoming clients from across the country, PowerChord hosted their guests at the beautiful JW Marriott Austin  with the day-long Summit taking place at Austins brand new Central Library.

PowerChord's advanced technology works with multi-location businesses and franchises to provide brand-specific, local websites for their retail networks. The PowerChord platform also includes local, intent-based digital marketing strategies that scale national campaigns into personalized store campaigns, with flexible Digital Services to drive local sales.

PowerChord was established in 2001 in St. Petersburg, Fla., where they currently service over 10,000 local sites worldwide.
RecCon Montana

On July 19, 20 and 21st at Fort Missoula Regional Park, the Montana Outdoors Foundation will host the first annual RecCon Montana. RecCon is an expo style event that will bring together Montanas outdoor recreation businesses and non-profit groups and provide them with the venue to showcase their work, share their passions and explore the relationship between recreation and conservation.

We are excited to be able to showcase these Montana organizations and give them a place to tell their stories, said Jeff Wright, President of the foundation. Its an opportunity for them to relate to each other on a business-to-business level, and theres a lot of power in building those relationships. Its also for a business-to-consumer level, letting people know what they do to both the Montana audience and out-of-state audience.

The Montana Outdoors Foundation was established in the summer of 2018 in order to help draw attention to Montanas wealth of outdoor recreation opportunities and the variety of outdoor recreation businesses that call Montana home. In 2017, the Outdoor Industry Association reported that outdoor recreation accounted for $7.1BN in consumer spending in the state, and was responsible for 71,000 jobs. That makes it Montanas second largest industry and

the foundation hopes to help create avenues for those numbers to expand with RecCon.

The Montana Outdoors Foundation believes stewardship and conservation are crucial to preserving the legacy of adventure and exploration within this great state so that future generations are able to discover the remote and beautiful public lands that make Montana special.

For more information about becoming a sponsor or exhibitor, visit http://www.recconmontana.com/the-event-1. Attendee tickets to the event will be available in mid-March. To get on the early-bird list, visit https://www.recconmontana.com/get-on-the-list.
Schoolzilla, a Public Benefit Corporation that empowers school systems to use data to run great schools, has been selected by Chesterfield County Public Schools (CCPS) in Virginia to provide a K-12 data warehouse and analytics platform to assist CCPS in tracking their progress towards the State of Virginias Standards of Accreditation. Schoolzillas data warehouse and Mosaic, its multi-measure dashboard system, will enable CCPS to use timely, accurate and relevant data to monitor and inform decision-making at all levels of the organization.

Schoolzilla was awarded the contract on February 28, 2019, with a winning bid in a competitive field of 12 vendors. According to the scoring results, factors leading to the decision included dashboards and individual metrics that were very intuitive and principal-friendly as well as the ease with which administrators could interact with the Schoolzilla system and view relevant information.

Supporting CCPS Imagine Tomorrow Strategic Plan

In August 2018, CCPS adopted the Imagine Tomorrow plan with a vision to create a better tomorrow for the school division. A key goal of this plan is that all students and staff will embody an Infinite Learner mindset as measured by multiple metrics of growth, achievement, and engagement. CCPS leaders have been charged with developing measures that capture various aspects of student success and we can help them do just that, said Storey Sitwala, product director at Schoolzilla. Our Mosaic platform combines real-time, researched-backed indicators with mobile-ready, human-centered design to ensure that CCPS will have the insights they need to drive continuous and equitable improvement.

Schoolzilla recently announced a new feature, Metric Zoom, that extends Mosaics analytical capabilities by allowing deeper drill-downs into a school systems data. School and division leaders will be able to:



View up to five years of data

Compare and filter results by any combination of 14 standard demographic, school, and grade level groups

Drill down by custom groups unique to the school system

View and export a data table

This contract marks the first division partnership in the state of Virginia for Schoolzilla. We are excited to have such an innovative partner as our first adopter in the state of Virginia, said Lynzi Ziegenhagen, founder and CEO of Schoolzilla. We prioritize our product features based on division feedback and having CCPS input on Virginia-specific needs will enable us to better serve students across the state.

About Schoolzilla

Schoolzilla is a Public Benefit Company with a mission to enable people to use data to improve education for students, especially students from underserved communities. Supporting over 140 school systems in 31 states, Schoolzilla helps school leaders succeed with accurate, timely and visual data to understand students needs, develop strategies, monitor progress, and get laser-focused on growth. For more information visit schoolzilla.com or email hello@schoolzilla.com.
SECUREDATA's SecureDrive and SecureUSB product line win Red Dot Award 2019. Our focus on security and design for our SecureDrive product line has earned awards from top international organizations in 2019

Today SECUREDATA announced that it has won the globally recognized and prestigious Red Dot Award: Product Design 2019 for its complete line of the encrypted data storage devices. All of SECUREDATAs hardware-encrypted products are designed by ClevX and use DataLock technology licensed from ClevX:

SecureDrive BT

SecureDrive KP

SecureUSB BT

SecureUSB KP

The SecureDrive products are FIPS 140-2 Level 3 validated, hardware-encrypted, external portable drives. They feature OS-independent user-authentication via onboard keypad or secure wireless connection and combine top-rated security with ease of use.

Our focus on security and design for our SecureDrive product line has earned awards from top international organizations in 2019, said Sergey Gulyayev, COO of SECUREDATA. With these welcome results from Red Dot, were proud to bring our award-winning hardware-encrypted storage devices to global customers to solve daily security concerns and meet ever-growing security requirements and regulations.

With numerous awards and certifications in both security and design, the SecureDrive product line combines top-rated security with unparalleled simplicity and elegant design, said Lev Bolotin, CEO of ClevX. Recognition of all four products from such a prestigious organization as Red Dot is a high honor for us, and we are looking forward to our expanding relationships with SecureData to bring more useful products and services that people love to use.

Experience and expertise get straight to the point

The Red Dot Award: Product Design is one of the worlds largest design competitions. In 2019, designers and manufacturers from 55 countries entered more than 5,500 products in the competition. The international jury is comprised of experts from different disciplines and has been convening for more than 60 years in order to select the years best designs. During an adjudication process that spans several days, they try out the products, discuss them and ultimately reach a well-founded decision regarding the design quality of the entries. True to the motto In search of good design and innovation, their assessment focuses on criteria such as the level of innovation, functionality, formal quality, longevity, and ergonomics.

Design quality is a common factor for award-winning products

I would like to congratulate the laureates sincerely on their wonderful success. The fact that their products were able to satisfy the strict criteria of the jury bears testimony to their award-winning design quality. The laureates are thus setting key trends in the design industry and are showing where future directions may lead, said Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot, in reference to the winners.

About SECUREDATA:

SECUREDATA, Inc. is a privately held company, headquartered in California, USA. SecureData offers a range of tailored high-level data protection capabilities through a set of services and products. These include hardware encrypted portable data storage devices, backup solutions, file repair software, data recovery, and digital forensics services to help clients achieve their data security objectives. SecureData has a presence through its partners in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia and South America, and serves companies and organizations in regulated industries, such as government, financial services, military, law enforcement, legal, healthcare, and education.

For more information, please visit: http://www.securedata.com

See entire SecureDrive product line: http://www.securedrive.com

About ClevX:

ClevX is an information security technology company  Your Innovation Partner. It is focused on the Security/Mobility markets where ClevX pioneered its award-winning DATALOCK KP/BT Secured USB and drives (OS-agnostic, hardware encrypted, PIN- or Phone-activated, bootable) and easy-to-use portable software applications for secure drives for personal and business use. ClevX differentiates itself by creating solutions that are simple, clever, and elegant.

For more information, please visit: clevx.com

About the Red Dot Design Award:

In order to appraise the wide scope of design in a professional manner, the Red Dot Design Award is broken down into the three distinct disciplines: Red Dot Award: Product Design, Red Dot Award: Brands & Communication Design and Red Dot Award: Design Concept. With more than 18,000 submissions, the Red Dot Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world. In 1955, a jury convened for the first time to assess the best designs of the day. The name and brand of the award were developed in the 1990s by Red Dot CEO, Professor Dr. Peter Zec. Since then, the sought-after Red Dot is the revered international seal of outstanding design quality. The winners are presented in yearbooks, museums and online.

Further information: http://www.red-dot.org
Community college learners remain financially savvy in paying only a fourth of what their peers spend at local universities.

Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona announced on Friday their proposed tuition rates for the 2019/20 school year. Due to increased rates for resident and nonresident undergraduate students, new incoming students may see tuition costing them more.

This is not the case for the Maricopa Community Colleges. Not only are their prices staying flat, but theyve actually decreased since last year. With tuition at just $85 per credit, approximately $2,500 a year for full-time, in-state students, community college learners remain financially savvy in paying only a fourth of what their peers spend at local universities.

We recognize that our students are investing in their future success when they choose to study and advance at a Maricopa Community College," said Matt Hasson, the Maricopa County Community College District Communications Director. "We have created affordable and accessible education, so that our students, many of whom are lower socioeconomic status, working and have families, can pursue a degree and have equal opportunities in the regions workforce.

For students looking to transfer to a university, they can be rest assured that performance statistics are on their side. Community college students who transfer to four-year schools perform as well as or even better than their peers who come directly from high school. They are also more likely to graduate from a university than students that enroll directly in a university from high school.

The Maricopa Community Colleges are making a difference in the lives of students, offering them a high return on their investment. To learn more about the Maricopa Community Colleges, please visit their website.

###

About the Maricopa Community Colleges

The Maricopa County Community College District includes ten regionally-accredited colleges  Chandler-Gilbert, Estrella Mountain, GateWay, Glendale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Rio Salado, Scottsdale, and South Mountain  and the Maricopa Corporate College, serving more than 200,000 students with two-year degrees, certificates, and university transfer programs.


The Knights Code: an entertaining account that holds in-depth research about the conspiracies of the world. The Knights Code is the creation of published author, Todd Beblow, a dedicated professional in the energy industry.

Beblow shares, The Knights Code introduces the reader to the author who had received a parcel from a Central American country, containing a number of intriguing legal documents, including the most valuable, Apollos Journal. During her investigation she begins to unravel a deep mystery into a number of recorded Historical Events that have coincided with Apollos Journal Entries. Following the trail, the author travels from North America to Saudi Arabia, where she obtains factual evidence and documentation that parallel many of the journal entries. As the investigation unfolds, the author discovers an ancient rivalry that has existed for hundreds, even thousands of years. The scale of time, often tipped in the favour of this ancient evil, they have spun a web of deception across the entire planet, continuing to oppress the Chosen People of God! Apollos arrival on Earth to a predestined place in time when the inhabitants of this Blue Planet and Technological Advancements have evolved to a pinnacle of the cosmos. Apollo, quite unknowingly is thrust into this ancient rivalry. Refusing to be subject to another lifetime of oppression, he eventually becomes enlightened, his DNA the very key to unlocking the code. The author unravels the clues of the journal that has led to a cluster of cells of this ancient enemy, nestled in the Desert of the Rub al Khali, where these opposing forces meet head on, as Apollo attempts to recover an Ancient Relic, that had been stolen and lost for many years! This syndicate reveals just how complex and adaptive they have become, incorporating the most advanced of this technology to push their parasitic agenda, infecting all levels of society, preying on the unsuspecting. Revealing one of many heads of The Serpent, The Snake Dynasty, NAZIS and ISIS, the offspring of this mafia run organization have feared the day, when the Ancient Scripture is deciphered. A code that has been hidden in plain sight for thousands of years, the Ancient Scripture will spawn the first novel of The Knights Code.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Todd Beblows new book hopes to enlighten the readers with the reality by exploring various knowledge and culminating them into one cohesive wisdom that aids in understanding the worlds ways.

View a synopsis of The Knights Code on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Knights Code at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Knights Code, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Hydrothermal experiences offer wellness benefits that are difficult to achieve any other wayand the bonus is that the health benefits can be self-administered so are achieved without high labor costs and, of course, easily practiced at home.

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit research and educational resource for the global wellness industry, today released the top six trends in hydrothermal spa and wellness experiences as identified by the GWIs Hydrothermal Initiative. One of 23 GWI initiatives committed to increasing the awareness of both the benefits and business opportunities wellness offers in all its varied forms, the Hydrothermal Initiative is focused on educating both consumers and professionals on the health benefits and proper construction of all hydrothermal experiences from popular saunas and steam rooms to more specific modalities, such as salt inhalation, Kneipp therapy and floatation hydrotherapy pools.

For thousands of years, people have harnessed the cleansing and healing powers of water and heatand the unique health benefits of hot/cold contrast therapy, said Don Genders, chair of the GWI Hydrothermal Initiative and CEO of Design for Leisure. Hydrothermal experiences offer wellness benefits that are difficult to achieve any other wayand the bonus is that the health benefits can be self-administered so are achieved without high labor costs and, of course, easily practiced at home.

Hydrothermal bathing has been shown to improve blood circulation, promote heart health, detox the body, manage high blood pressure, improve the immune system, and much more. Numerous medical studies on the health benefits of sauna bathing and hydrotherapy can be found on GWIs Wellness Evidence website.

GWIs Hydrothermal Initiatives Top Trends for 2019

Salt Therapy for Real Results

In 2019, we predict the use of salt in thermal cabins to soar as spas start putting the health benefits of salt before the aesthetic beauty of pink Himalayan salt blocks. The popularity of designer salt rooms in spas has soared in recent yearsand sexy, pink-hued salt brick walls have become ubiquitous in thermal areas of spas across the worldhowever, though the backlit bricks may look pretty, the salt they are made of offers little to no health benefits. Expect thermal rooms with or without salt walls to add functional salt systems, such as halogenerators for distributing fine particles of dry salt or a nebulizer for a steam-style inhalation of salt. Both enable bathers to reap the actual benefits cleansing salt offers, including better respiratory health (studies show salt inhalation can even alleviate asthma symptoms) and benefits to the skin (including conditions such as acne, rashes and eczema). Devices, such as KLAFS SaltPro X, a portable, battery-operated halogenerator, are helping to bring the benefits of salt to any thermal room or home sauna.

Kneipp Therapy Gets a Reboot

Kneipp therapy (named after a 19th century Bavarian parish priest who discovered this water cure for healing his tuberculosis) has long been popular in Europe. Kneipp walks or wading pools are a popular introduction to the health benefits of hot and cold contrast therapy. Bathers alternate walking through hot and cold actions to stimulate blood circulation throughout the body. And, because they can be self-administered (no therapist required), they are growing in popularity in both Europe and North America. One example in the US is the hot/cold walking pools at the recently-opened CIVANA Spas (Carefree, AZ).

Getting Cold Gets Hot

The importance of cooling down after using saunas, steam rooms or hot pools has become better understood in recent years. The evidence around the benefits of hot and cold contrast therapy* is mounting and has resulted in a greater interest in treatments, such as snow rooms, snow showers and cold plunge pools. Even the humble shower is getting a significant makeover to help bring hot/cold contrast therapy into homes. Manufacturers, such as Dornbracht and Hansgrohe, have introduced specialist deluge showers and waterfalls that are specifically aimed at the spa and wellness market and are being used in both residential wellness suites and in professional builds.

Coed Thermal Bathing Gains Traction in US

After many years of resistance (mainly due to some outmoded standards that were ranking US properties without separate male and female hydrothermal areas lower than those with communal, coed facilities), we are seeing the development of exciting and creative unisex wet thermal areas in spas across the USsomething most Europeans have long enjoyed. Privacy issues are handled by installing small private areas in coed locker rooms, allowing the main spa areas to be designed and built as social, communal spaces. This trend is gaining major traction in the US, where younger generations seek out social and group wellness activities and recognize that the unique wellness benefits of social spa-ing far outweigh what they get through single-sex, thermal bathing. Some shining examples include the coed facilities at the award-winning Faena Hotel, Miami Beach, and the newly built wellness area in the luxury condominium property at 111 Murray Street in New Yorks TriBeCa.

Floatation Therapy in Resurgence

Floatation therapy looked to be big back in the 90s, but it never quite took off. Now, seemingly every new hydrothermal project is incorporating a floatation elementfrom fully enclosed pods to the more popular open tubs that mitigate any claustrophobic element of floatation to large scale, multisensory pools that offer flotation, light and underwater sound therapy. An extension of this trend is a resurgence of Watsu pools for therapist-led floatation therapy, which is gaining popularity and being sought-after by a new generation of spa-goers. One explanation? New research shows a deep drop in anxiety levels after a one-hour float**. H2Oasis Float Center and Tea House (Tulsa, OK) is an interesting exampleit combines tea, oxygen therapy and floatation pools in one location.

Adding Hydrothermal Wellness Elements at Home

Once the domain of the wealthy, wellness real estate is becoming more democratized with installations of hydrothermal features in more and more private residences. And more compact designs mean its possible for even the smallest of homes to incorporate the benefits of wellness with a private sauna. This trend is also being seen in multifamily living environments where apartment and condominium developers are incorporating spa and wellness features into almost every new build. In the past, a fitness center and maybe a pool were considered differentiators, but now, communal wellness and relaxation areas are must-have amenities. Recent GWI research backs this up: The value of real estate developments incorporating wellness elements is projected to grow from $134B in 2017 to $197B in 2022.

To learn more about the design and development of hydrothermal areas, download the GWI-published Guide to Hydrothermal Spa & Wellness Development Standards, which was produced by the Hydrothermal Initiative as a primer for anyone considering building thermal experiences and wet areas in residential homes or commercial properties.

Other GWI Initiative trends, including Hot Springs, Mental Wellness, Sound Healing, Digital Wellness and many more, can be found on the Institutes website.

For more information, contact Beth McGroarty: beth(dot)mcgroarty(at)globalwellnessinstitute(dot)org.

About the Global Wellness Institute: The Global Wellness Institute (GWI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3), is considered the leading global research and educational resource for the global wellness industry and is known for introducing major industry initiatives and regional events that bring together leaders to chart the future. GWI positively impacts global health and wellness by advocating for both public institutions and businesses that are working to help prevent disease, reduce stress, and enhance the overall quality of life. Its mission is to empower wellness worldwide.

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633882/

**http://www.laureateinstitute.org/current-events/feinstein-laboratory-publishes-float-study-in-plos-one
UserZooms UX Research platform was named the winner in the Product Testing category in both the enterprise and growth categories.

UserZoom, the UX Insights Company, today announced it was awarded a 2019 Best Product Award for Product Testing in both the Enterprise and Growth categories by Products That Count. These awards celebrate the best products for product managers.

Products That Count is one of the largest networks of product managers in the world. The awards showcase product managers favorite products across the five stages of the product design lifecycle and in three categories - Enterprise, Growth, and Innovator. After researching more than 2,000 products, UserZooms UX Research platform was named the winner in the Product Testing category in both the enterprise and growth categories.

"Leveraging structured, high value, and high cadence usability testing and research can be a game changer for product and design teams, said Andrew Jensen, SVP, Products, UserZoom. At UserZoom, we've been leading the way to evolve our user experience to scale with the democratization and collaboration of UX research in the enterprise. This approach assures decisions are made from the perspective of the users, and not from individual opinions or the loudest voice in the room."

These award wins come on the heels of continued global momentum for UserZoom, having doubled the amount of UX research studies being conducted on its all-in-one platform in February 2019, compared to the year prior.

Jensen continued, This momentum, followed by our award wins, validates that organizations continue to invest in UX, and are using it as a key differentiator and strategy for growth. We look forward to continuing to lead the way in innovation.

Products That Count Founder SC Moatti said, We were thrilled to celebrate the best products with the worlds most influential product leaders at our Inaugural Product Awards. I congratulate our 2019 winners, including UserZoom, for standing out in a fiercely competitive environment and delivering business value at scale.

About UserZoom

UserZoom is the UX Insights Company, providing a best-in-class research platform that empowers businesses to generate the insights needed to design and deliver great digital experiences that improve business metrics. With offices in four countries, the company helps global brands like Coca-Cola, Google and Amazon raise the bar for an outstanding online customer experience. Visit http://www.userzoom.com for more information.

About Products That Count

Products That Count is one of the largest networks of product managers in the world. Over 200,000 product managers network, learn and get inspired by C/VP-level product executives such as Netflix Product VP, Coinbase CPO, and Box CPO. They attend local speaker series, listen to podcasts, connect at invite-only salons and much more. The programming is designed to help them build great products. Product-forward brands like Autodesk, Mozilla, and Amplitude connect with talent, build their brand and drive sales. Its venture arm, Mighty Capital, invests in select companies building products that count. More at ProductsThatCount.com.

Press Contact:

Kate Lukach

Notable Marketing for UserZoom

kate(at)notablemarketing(dot)com

973.723.6168
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be traveling to Purdue University on April 2 to meet with students, faculty and statewide agricultural industry leaders. Purdue President Mitch Daniels will host Perdue for a conversation open to the public from 9-10 a.m. in Stewart Centers Fowler Hall.

Perdue, a two-term former governor of Georgia, was born into a farming family. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine and was in private practice in North Carolina until returning to Georgia to serve as a member of the state senate. He was sworn in as 31st U.S. secretary of agriculture in April 2017.

During his visit, Perdue will meet with the College of Agriculture student leaders who have organized Hammer Down Hunger, an annual event in celebration of Ag Week, which this year will prepare 150,000 meals to be distributed throughout Central Indiana as well as abroad.

Karen Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, invited Perdue to campus on behalf of the students in charge of the event.

I am incredibly impressed and know the secretary will be as well by the student leaders who saw the opportunity to make this years Hammer Down Hunger such a significant event to celebrate the universitys 150th anniversary and, most importantly, to make a difference in the lives of so many people, Plaut said.

Media are welcome to attend the public event, which is one of many celebrating Purdues Sesquicentennial, 150 Years of Giant Leaps. The yearlong celebration is highlighting Purdues remarkable history of giant leaps, while focusing on what giant leaps Purdue can take to address the worlds problems.

Media contact: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page
Even though the general macro effects of regions 2017 recession are waning, Latin Americas pay-TV market is still feeling the pinch but this is set to turn over the next five years says a report from Digital TV Research.





Even though there are grounds for optimism, the report suggests that only about five million more pay-TV subscribers are expected between 2018 and 2024  bringing the total to 77 million. The analyst added that pay-TV penetration will not likely climb beyond the current 44% of TV households.The report found that Brazil lost 2 million pay-TV subscribers between 2014 and 2018 and its peak year of 2014 will not be bettered until 2024. Mexico has more pay-TV subscribers than Brazil despite having half as many TV households. However, Mexico has lost subscribers since its peak year of 2016.Two operators  America Movil and DirecTV/Sky  dominate Latin American pay-TV market, accounting for nearly half of the regions pay TV subscribers by end-2018. America Movil had 13.69 million pay-TV subscribers, mostly under its Claro brand by the end of 2018. This was down by 890,000 since the end of 2016. Digital TV Research predicts that the company will lose subscribers again in 2019 before returning to growth from 2020. However, its 2024 total is projected to be lower than in 2016.Digital TV Research also noted that DirecTV /Sky had 21.43 million subscribers by end-2018  or just under 30% of the regions total. The company has increased its base due mainly to the popularity of its prepaid offer. Slow growth is set to push its count to 22.18 million subs by 2024.On the back of the slowly growing audiences, the report found pay-TV revenues in Latin America will fall by 2.1% (or $381 million) between 2018 and 2024 to $17.82 billion.Brazil will remain the top country for pay-TV revenues in 2014, projected to generate $5.57 billion, followed by Mexico with $3.04 billion and Argentina $3.03 billion.However, this would mean Brazils 2024 total would be lower than 2018 and its peak year of 2014.
Director Shekhar Kapur has been recruited by Endemol Shine Group to bring Amitav Ghoshs best selling Ibis Trilogy to the small screen as a high-end international production.





The auteur, whose film credits include Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, plus Bollywood hits Mr India, Mason and Bandit Queen, will work on the television project alongside historical consultant and story editor Justin Pollard (Pirates of the Caribbean, Vikings, The Tudors).Based on Amitav Ghoshs acclaimed novels Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke and Flood of Fire, and set in mid-nineteenth century Asia, the series will interweave the characters lives against the backdrop of the opium wars between Britain, India and China.We at Endemol Shine India have been focused developing quality content not just the Indian market but something that would elicit curiosity from a global audience. This is the first step in that direction. The Ibis Trilogy project will be an amalgamation of the best global creative and production talent, including Endemol Shine India, Artists Studio, Dove Tale Media, Amitav Gosh, Lars Blomgren and Shekhar Kapur! said Abhishek Rege, CEO, Endemol Shine India.Shekhar Kapur (pictured) said: I have always been fascinated that the drug trade was the engine for the Industrial Revolution. Amitav Goshs books brilliantly bring out the vast epic and emotional tale of opium, from its beginnings in India where it is grown and onto China where it is pushed by drug lords.The story also follows the journeys of indentured labour from India to colonies around the world and tells the intriguing tales of people from India, America and China at a time when modern history was being formed. Im very much looking forward to collaborating with Endemol Shine in this gripping series that could run into many seasons, added Kapur The Endemol Shine Group companies, Artists Studio (The Fall) and Endemol Shine India (Test Case) will produce the drama in partnership with TV packaging consultancy service and the novels rights holder DoveTale Media.Endemol Shine Group head of scripted for EMEA Lars Blomgren added: Our ambition is to create a major high-end franchise for the international market, matching the scale and epic sweep of the Ibis novels. This deal represents our group collaborating at its best, creating an exotic, never before seen tale with wide audience appeal. Shekhar Kapur completes the exclusive package and were expecting great interest in bringing this to the global audience.The project is part of Endemol Shines strategy to increase its slate of premium collaborative scripted content, after developing 50 non-English language productions in 2018.
Trumps newly-signed executive order on college free speech responds to a real and profound problem. The thuggish intolerance and ideological one-sidedness in academia cannot be overstated. Student enforcers punish deviation from identity victimology through shaming and aggression. All but the bravest dissenters stay silent, lest their heresies be anonymously reported to a bias response team and subjected to correction. The diversity bureaucracy and its faculty and administrative allies encourage students to believe that they are at existential threat from circumambient racism and sexism, defined as insufficiently conformist speech. This supposed threat is wholly fictional, yet it is being used as grounds for silencing alternative points of view.

The universitys attacks on due process and on the norms of rational discourse threaten the very possibility of a civil society. Yet Trumps executive order may create as many difficulties as it would solve. The order commands 12 federal agencies, from the Department of Defense to the EPA, to ensure that academic recipients of federal largesse promote free inquiry or risk losing their federal grants. Promoting free inquiry is an affirmative duty that on its face goes beyond protecting free speech. Unless we are to regard this language as boilerplate, the federal agencies will have to define what satisfies the duty to promote free inquiry and what constitutes its violation. The Education Departments recently proposed regulation on campus rape tribunals drew on a well-established body of jurisprudence defining the fundamentals of due process. There is nothing comparable for the concept of promoting free inquiry.

Some of the orders supporters have suggested that the regulations promulgated under it will be confined to banning official speech codes and free speech zones. If so, implementation will be straightforward. But arguably the duty to promote free inquiry sweeps more broadly.

The sometimes violent reception accorded outside speakers is an obvious potential target of executive action. Indeed, Trump has invoked outside speaker incidents at UC Berkeley as the basis for federal involvement. Such incidents have caught the publics attention as well. In reality, though, they are a relatively trivial problem compared to the daily inculcation of victim ideology. The worst impact of such shut-downs is not the loss of a fleeting alternative point of view but the warning sent to the students and faculty who remain behind that they better not themselves defy the party line.

Yet even regarding outside speakers, the definitional challenges to promoting free inquiry are great. Must an administration affirmatively invite non-conforming speakers or simply make sure that those whom students invite are allowed to speak? What amount of administrative effort would suffice to demonstrate a commitment to promoting free inquiry, if student censors ultimately overwhelm campus security? Trumps most recent vow to crack down on free speech scofflaws was prompted by the sucker punching of a recruiter at UC Berkeley from the student organizing group Turning Point USA. Neither the assailant nor his target was affiliated with the school. Should Berkeley nevertheless be responsible for anticipating the attack and protecting the outside petitioner?

In a broader sense, Berkeley and the rest of academia are responsible for the Turning Point USA incident and others like it, since they relentlessly churn out the ideology that drives such brutish behavior. After a student mob prevented me from addressing a live audience at Claremont McKenna College in 2017, self-described students of color at neighboring Pomona College published a manifesto explaining why I had to be blockaded. It shows how a narrative that declares rational inquiry racist has been absorbed into the universitys very bloodstream:

Historically, white supremacy has venerated the idea of objectivity, and wielded a dichotomy of subjectivity vs. objectivity as a means of silencing oppressed peoples. The idea that there is a single truth--the Truth--is a construct of the Euro-West that is deeply rooted in the Enlightenment. This construction is a myth and white supremacy, imperialism, colonization, capitalism, and the United States of America are all of its progeny. The idea that the truth is an entity for which we must search is an attempt to silence oppressed peoples.

The confusions and historical inaccuracies in this incoherent parroting of High Theory are too numerous to elucidate here. But the students effort, after a mere year or two in college, to mimic such theory is a measure of the unchallenged dominance of the anti-Enlightenment, anti-Western conceit. Breaking that dominance will require introducing some modicum of ideological balance in professorships and the curriculum. Will the implementing regulations demand such balance? It is not unthinkable. South Dakota just enacted a law requiring that the states public universities annually report their efforts to promote intellectual diversity. A similar federal mandate would trigger an enormous backlash over academic freedom and would stigmatize faculty hired to fulfill that mandate.

Executive power in Washington will change hands, perhaps soon. A faculty and graduate student petition at the University of Chicago from January 2018 adumbrates how the identitarian left, already ensconced in the federal bureaucracies, could turn the executive order on its head. Chicago business school professor Luigi Zingales had invited former Trump advisor Steve Bannon to debate globalization and immigration. According to the hundred-plus petition signatories, allowing Bannon on campus would threaten the safety of people of color at the university and in its surrounding community. Naturally the signatories professed their commitment to intellectual freedom. But it turns out that todays intellectual freedom requires the exclusion of certain ideas: our mission of setting global standards for excellence in research and teaching is only possible in an environment where every member of our community is valued and hate speech that is meant to undermine their full participation is not tolerated.

A bureaucrat in the Education Departments Office of Civil Rights under a woke White House could happily approve such reasoning as an effort to promote free enquiry, by making sure that racism, xenophobia, and hate, in the petitions words, do not silence minority voices. Admittedly, a woke administration could undertake such anti-speech rule-making on its own, without the Trump precedent. But the precedent makes such rule-making more likely.

Some speech advocates are counselling a wait-and-see attitude. It is premature to assume overreach before the implementing regulations are actually drafted, they reasonably say. And it may be that the mere promulgation of the order will have a salutary norm-setting effect, without a heavy-handed enforcement effort. National Reviews Stanley Kurtz has powerfully articulated the arguments for the order. The response of campus officials and trade representatives to the order is another argument in its favor. Colleges are bastions of toleration and free-wheeling debate, they insist. This is a solution in search of a problem, sniffed Terry Hartle of the American Council for Education. It is nauseating that billions of taxpayer dollars are funneled each year into entitled institutions that are so duplicitous about their failings. Unfortunately, any enforcement effort coming from the Trump administration will be tainted with the brush of white supremacy and patriarchy, spilling over onto the concept of free speech itself.

University of Chicago president Robert Zimmer has warned that the executive order will give rise to its own Washington bureaucracy, one that would mirror censorious campus speech committees. The ideal solution to campus intolerance would come from non-governmental pressure. Alumni would cease donating to their alma maters unless those colleges recommit themselves to an education steeped in the ideals of Western civilization. Parents would seek alternatives to the identity politics dominating nearly all colleges. And trustees would finally inform themselves about the betrayal of the Western inheritance occurring under their supposed watch and demand accountability for true learning.

None of this has happened, of course, though the need for such non-governmental action has been obvious for at least four decades. It may be that federal regulation is the only hope for a restored academic legacy. But the history of government mission creep and bloat is not reassuring.
Iran gets a lot of negative attention for a lot of good reasons, from its sponsorship of terrorism to its nuclear aspirations.

One issue that doesnt get enough play: cyber.

When cyber capers come up in the media, the story is usually about the external computer network operations of the two most active and infamous offenders out there: China and Russia. This is certainly understandable.

But Tehran is a growing problem for the United States and its interests, even if it isn't as apparently capable or threatening as Moscow or Beijing.

Indeed, according to the director of national intelligences congressional testimony on global threats earlier this year, Iran continues to present a cyber espionage and attack threat to the United States.

A variety of sources indicate that Iran and its proxies have attempted to penetrate a variety of high-value American targets to access secret and/or sensitive information or to prepare for future disruptive attacks.

Those targeted by Iran include U.S. government agencies and private companies as well as universities and think tanks.

Iran-related cyber actors also appear to be involved in collecting personal information on individuals of interest for intelligence and influence operations. Not surprisingly, Americans are likely among the designated targets.

Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats noted that Tehran also uses social media platforms to target U.S. and allied audiences, using these popular online sites for information operations including creating fake accounts, pages, and groups, and spreading false news.

Iran clearly has us in their cyber crosshairs.

Though the director didnt get into specifics in the hearings open sessions, Iran has reportedly penetrated some of our critical infrastructure. Publicly available information includes targets such as our electrical grid and at least one dam.

Iran has hit U.S. banks with distributed denial of service attacks, crashing their computer networks with an avalanche of traffic. A group called the Iranian Cyber Army is accused of defacing the U.S. governments Voice of America website.

Of course, its not just us. Iran is hitting Gulf States, too, especially religious and regional rival Saudi Arabia. Tehrans hackers infamously struck Saudi Aramco, Riyadhs national oil company, crippling the energy giants computer systems.

Iran-affiliated attackers also penetrated the computers of Qatars energy company, RasGas, an Arab, Gulf country considered friendly to Tehran and one of the worlds largest producers of natural gas.

As you might imagine, Israel is a regular target of Irans cyber soldiers, who come under the control of the ill-famed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

One of the recent targets was Benny Gantz, a prominent Israeli politician and former Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff. Iran reportedly accessed his cell phone and exfiltrated all of its contents during the height of Israels election season.

What shouldnt be overlooked is that Tehran is also using its terror proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas, to target Israel. Not only does this create new threat vectors for Israel, it provides Tehran with a modicum of plausible deniability.

Iran also targets Europe. In one instance, Tehran was involved in penetrating German government offices and other targets in that country. Cyber operations also extend to regime dissidents and opposition living abroad, including in Europe, which Tehran sees as a threat to the regime.

In Asia, the Iranian Cyber Army hit Baidu, a Chinese internet firm. Iran-based hackers -- likely a state or state-sponsored actor -- also breached the computer system of the Australian parliament.

Iran-affiliated actors also attacked social media platforms such as Twitter and international institutions including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

Groups with ties to Iran are believed to be involved on a global scale in hijacking internet domain names in order to collect information on website visitors as well as provide opportunities to access victims emails and networks.

Iran isnt only attacking foreign foes -- its using cyber to spy on its own people and repress human rights at home. Domestic targets include members of the media, religious and ethnic minorities, and high-profile cultural figures. The regime also surveils its own politicians, officials, and government agencies to ensure loyalty to the regime and prevent the development of a threat to the illiberal theocracy -- a tactic typical of a police state.

While not considered the most able and sophisticated threat in comparison to cyber superpowers such as China and Russia, Iran is a serious challenge. It presents a threat that is only expected to grow and intensify with time.

Dr. Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense. The views expressed are the author's own.
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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

couple Karine Martins and Paul Staehle have welcomed their first child together.Karine and Paul's baby boy, whom they named Pierre, arrived on Friday, March 22, Us Weekly reported The couple's son was reportedly born weighing 6.9 pounds, and he measured 19.7 inches long."I'm very happy, very excited. I'm also very nervous and want to do everything the best that I can and do everything right," Paul, 35, told Us."Everyone keeps asking how it feels to be a dad. Anyone can make a baby, but going through the day-to-day process of being a father is going to be a new experience. I'm very happy, very honored and very privileged and I want to make sure I do my absolute best for Pierre."Karine reportedly suffered from labor complications, as Paul previously reached out to fans on social media for support and prayers."I am fine, and happy, even with the hard time I have had," Karine, 23, told the magazine."And I am recovering well, but I am still very weak. It was super hard, but now everything is fine because the baby is calm and he is breastfeeding well."Paul from Louisville, KY, and Karine from Brazil first appeared on : Before the 90 Days. The pair wed in 2017 in a ceremony that aired in 2018.Paul and Karine announced they had a baby on the way in October 2018, which is the same month when fans learned the child's sex and Karine's name choice Paul initially didn't like the name Pierre Martins Staehle because the initials are "PMS" and he didn't want his son to be bullied in school when he's older.Karine got pregnant after two heartbreaking miscarriages, one of which was documented on Season 2 of : Before the 90 Days."The first miscarriage was very early on," Paul told Us in November 2018."We weren't really that attached. Right after that second miscarriage went through, we got pregnant again. It was like, boom, boom. That was the one everyone saw on TV."Paul continued at the time, "The next pregnancy, she was actually prescribed birth control, and she was taking a supplement to feel better. We were supposed to wait six months to a year. So, we were going to wait, give it time in regards to that. We've actually heard things where if we had the baby within six months it's actually better. I was like, 'Okay, whenever you're ready.'"Paul said Karine then got pregnant within a few months.: Before the 90 Days showed the couple going through many ups and downs, including Karine threatening to divorce her husband shortly after saying "I do," but the pregnancy apparently brought them closer together.Paul proudly showed off his wife's baby bump in recent months on Instagram, as well as videos of the baby kicking in Karine's stomach and footage from an ultrasound appointment.
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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

star Anthony D'Amico had a very hard time watching his baby girl Mila get her shots at the doctor's office."Mila went in for her 2 month check up today," the star, 35, recently wrote on Twitter on March 20."Did any other parents out there have an overwhelming urge to punch out the nurse while they were giving the baby their shots? Oh, my god that was horrible!"Anthony and his wife Ashley Petta welcomed their daughter into the world in January.Ashley told People at the time their "little peanut" arrived at 3:34AM, weighing four pounds and 14 ounces, and that she and Anthony "never knew we could love someone so much.""She is perfect in every way," Ashley gushed of their newborn. "Holding her for the first time was the most amazing, surreal moment of my life."Ashley, 31, added, "Watching Anthony take care of her makes me love him even more. He's already an amazing daddy. We can't wait to show this sweet little baby girl the world."The pair tied the knot in August 2016 and their journey from the altar and beyond aired on 's fifth season on Lifetime in 2017.Ashley and Anthony first announced Ashley's pregnancy in August 2018."We're pregnant! I am so excited... We have always dreamed of having a child and we are so happy to finally be making our dreams come true together," Ashley captioned an Instagram photo of the couple holding a sonogram photo of their unborn child at the time."We are over the moon and can not wait to welcome our child into the world. We cant wait for this next journey in our lives to begin!"And then in late October of last year, the couple revealed they were expecting a baby girl "Girls seem to be the first born on both [sides] of our families so we can't say we were surprised... All we were really hoping for was a healthy baby though. I don't think either of us really had a preference on the sex of the baby," Anthony told People at the time."As the dad, my first thought was, 'Oh man, I'm in trouble!' I know she will have me wrapped around her little finger. Ashley can't wait to do all the girl things that moms do with their daughters and I can't wait to watch them bond."While Ashley was pregnant, the pair moved from the city streets of Chicago to a home they could call their own in the suburbs.All three of 's fifth-season couples opted to remain together on "Decision Day" at the end of the extreme experiment; however, Anthony and Ashley are the only one of the three still married today.Last year, Anthony and Ashley also starred on Lifetime's : Happily Ever After spin off, which also followed Jephte Pierre Bobby Dodd and their then-pregnant wives, Shawniece Jackson and Danielle Bergman , respectively.'s eighth season is currently airing Tuesday nights on Lifetime, with the highly-anticipated "Decision Day" episode airing next week.
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Every week, we select the best police reports from Athens and the University of Georgia for our website and newspaper. Today, were selecting the best of this year so far. From alien abductions to a nude dude, here are our favorite blotters from January to now.
In recent months, conversations about the removal of confederate monuments and the push to create more high-paying jobs for the black community have come to the forefront of conversation among black activists.
Big conglomerates of Japan, including Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsui Group, are looking to both build and buy commercial properties in key Indian cities.

Japanese real estate players have set their sights on the Indian commercial property space after the American and Canadian investors.

Sources in the know said big conglomerates of Japan, including Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsui Group, are looking to both build and buy commercial properties in key Indian cities.

Mitsubishi and Sumitomo are looking to buy and hold the properties for long and earn rental yields, a source, who is working with both the conglomerates in the country, said.

According to the source, Mitsubishi is in talks with Bengaluru-based Embassy group to build commercial properties in southern India and is in negotiations with other developers for similar tie-ups.

Mails sent to Mitsubishi and Sumitomo did not elicit any response till the time of going to press. Jitu Virwani, chairman of Embassy group, declined to comment, too.

Mitsui group could not be contacted for comments. The companies are also looking to invest in industrial parks, like Warbug Pincus of the US has.

While Mitsubishi has a team of two to three executives in India for commercial properties, Sumitomo has 8-10 people.

Its real estate arm, Sumitomo Realty & Development, is also looking to develop or do joint ventures with Indian firms for commercial properties.

Early last year, Sumitomo had tied up with auto components maker Krishna group for a mixed-use project in the National Capital Region (NCR) and for other mixed-use projects in the country.

Mitsubishis investment arm had also put in money in Shriram Properties' project in Chennai last year.

In September, Surbana Jurong, Singapore government-backed Temasek Holdings subsidiary, and Mitsubishi announced a tie-up on urban building projects across Southeast Asia, with plans to recruit other partners for $2.5 billion in developments over five years.

Their plans included rail and roads, housing, shopping centres, hospitals, and other community building blocks.

They plan to do projects in Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka. Mitsubishi has presence in automobiles, agro chemicals, and elevators in India.

Commercial real estate is witnessing a significant interest with all foreign and domestic equity players.

"The valuations are pretty stable and attractive, and the success of the upcoming Reit offering of Blackstone-Embassy would provide further depth in the market in terms of entry and exit, said Shobhit Agarwal, managing director of Anarock Capital.

Indian commercial real estate has seen the likes of US-based Blackstone and Canadas Brookfiled and CPPIB investing heavily.

Both have invested about $5 billion in commercial properties here.

Of the total $4-billion investments that have come in the sector in 2018, nearly 44 per cent are from foreign investors, primarily from the US, Canada, and Singapore.

Also, over 90 per cent of the foreign investments have preferred commercial projects across Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, said a report by KPMG last year.

Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
'We would do well to encourage all Indians to participate in democracy by contesting and laws that prevent or deter individuals and parties should be relooked at,' says Aakar Patel.

IMAGE: Narendra Damodardas Modi files his nomination for the Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency, April 9, 2014. Photograph: Kind courtesy Narendra Modi's Web site

Candidates to the first phase of the great Indian election will be busy filing their nomination papers before the last date, which is Monday, March 25 (the deadline for nominations for phase 2 is Tuesday).

I was interested at looking at some of the things that are routine for all candidates, but voters may not be aware of.

The deadline is, of course, sacrosanct and cannot be messed with.

Many years ago, Syed Shahbuddin, the former diplomat, told me that he had been physically blocked from filing his nomination to the Kishanganj constituency in Bihar. His opponent, who was with the Congress then and is today in the BJP, though dropped as a minister. This was in the late 1980s and I think elections have become a lot smoother now.

Let us look at the process of nomination. Candidates, who must be over 25 years of age and India, must submit to the Election Commission Form 2A. This is the nomination paper to the Lok Sabha (state assembly election forms are 2B).

The form is filled out by a voter who knows the candidate and proposes him or her. They must also swear allegiance to the Constitution of India and its sovereignty and integrity in an oath before the returning officer.

Candidates standing from more than one constituency, like Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi did in 2014, from Varanasi and Vadodara, can take the oath only once (however, the security deposit for the second seat is not returned for such candidates).

Candidates filing from jail can take the oath before the prison superintendent. You can swear either in the name of god, or just say that you 'solemnly affirm', if you are not a believer.

Then candidates must submit in full the record and details of any criminal charges against them. Candidates for seats reserved for the scheduled caste (there are 84 in all) must be on the list of scheduled castes anywhere in India.

Candidates on seats reserved for scheduled tribes in Assam and Lakshadweep must be from those states's particular tribes.

The candidates will be disqualified if they are: Found to be insane by a court or if they are insolvent (bankrupt). I cannot think of any instances in our history where disqualification under these two grounds has happened. Perhaps now with the bankruptcy law, this might change.

Candidates are also disqualified if they have been convicted for some specific offences that are listed.

They include promoting hatred between groups, bribery, rape, caste discrimination, smuggling, terrorism, drugs, insulting the flag and promoting sati. The disqualification is for 6 years from the date of the conviction.

The Election Commission itself recommends that candidates fight for their nomination. The handbook it issues says that:

'In one word, when any objection is raised against your nomination paper you should try to impress upon the Returning Officer that he should not reject the nomination paper on any flimsy or technical ground.'

'If he is satisfied as to the identity of the candidate and of the proposer then he should not reject the nomination paper only on ground of any technical defect or inaccurate description in the name of candidate or the proposer or the inaccurate description of any place.'

and:

'Tell the Returning Officer that if he rejects any nomination paper on any such technical unsubstantial or flimsy ground then that may be regarded as an improper rejection of a nomination paper which may have the effect of voiding the entire election thus involving a huge waste of public money, public time and public energy.'

I think the process is fine except for the security deposit and its forfeiture. Candidates who do not get more than 16.6% of the total votes polled lose their deposit. This is often reported in the media, and the opponents laugh about it.

More than 75% of all candidates, meaning over 64,000 people, have lost their deposits since our first election.

My Election Commission handbook says the deposit is Rs 10,000 and for SC/ST candidates it is Rs 5,000. This is not much money. It is too small an amount to deter those who want to maliciously crowd a ballot paper and make it very long.

On the other hand it does not prevent those who are contesting with ulterior motives (for example, with the intention of withdrawing later after collecting bribes from other candidates).

The law on forfeiting deposits exists in all or most Commonwealth nations and comes to us as a gift from England. There is no reason for us to continue with this tradition.

Forfeiture of deposit discourages people from contesting, especially those who are not from the major political parties.

The very idea of forfeiture seems to suggest some sort of failure on the part of those who do not get more than 16% of the vote, which is harsh, particularly in a large nation like India. It also punishes small groups and small interests and small coalitions.

We would do well to encourage all Indians to participate in democracy by contesting and laws that prevent or deter individuals and parties should be relooked at.

Aakar Patel -- winner of the 2018 Prem Bhatia Award for Political Reporting -- is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own.
'This business of monopoly of one family must end.'

'Here, they picked up a few leaders for him as he needed support which was okay, but later, they became his cronies.'

Tom Vadakkan, a Congress spokesperson who was perceived to be close to Sonia Gandhi recently resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi described Vadakkan as a 'man with no mass following'.

"When you don't have access to the leadership, what are you supposed to do?" Vadakkan asks Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

After resigning from the Congress, you said the Balakot attack was the reason behind your quitting the party.

Was it the way the party doubted the attack that made you take such a decision?

Yes, that was the reason.

The Congress was criticising the attack based on what Reuters had said, that there was no attack at Balakot.

My question at that time was, which I felt was very logical, if there was no attack, why did Reuters rush a team to the spot after making that announcement? It was quite evident that they had information that there was an attack.

The second question was, why did the Pakistani administration stop Reuters from going to the spot?

The conclusion was, Reuters was not sure and the Pakistani administration had something to hide.

So, the circumstantial evidence showed that there was an attack at the terrorist camp at Balakot.

I said then and even today that crying wolf all the time when there was a breach of national security was not in the interest of any political party.

You should not politicise everything. You saw an IAF personnel coming back with injuries on his face, but still asking whether there was an attack on the Pakistani terrorist camp and how many people died. This was unwanted.

The point was the government did it and they had the nerve to do it. Let us separate politics from matters concerning national security.

Did you speak to Congress leaders about your reservations?

I did speak to a couple of people who are connected. See, when you don't have access to the leadership, what are you supposed to do?

If you ask for an appointment, you may get it a year or two years later. I mean the top leadership...

You mean Rahul Gandhi?

I don't want to take names. By the time you get an appointment with the top leadership, the issue will die and the government will change.

So, I spoke to the people who would convey my reservations to the leadership, but nothing happened.

I was defending the party on all issues and was very critical of the government.

The role of the spokesperson is to paraphrase and present the view of the party. You are presenting not your view, but the party's view. So, I was doing a job that was assigned to me.

The difference today is that I can express my views openly.

Was your quitting the party the culmination of so many things that had happened earlier?

I don't consider myself a mass-based leader or anything like that. I have been an activist and I will continue to remain an activist.

The fact is, I had no pressing problem to leave, but there were issues.

I suddenly found the department that I built with pain in the last 15, 20 years getting demolished. It pains you to see that. It is not that anybody in the party was conspiring against me.

There is internal politics everywhere. If you don't encounter politics in a political office, then you cannot call it a political office.

But my main issue was I couldn't continue this lying business all the time. I thought, enough is enough and decided to quit.

IMAGE: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad welcomes Tom Vadakkan to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

You were with the Congress for more than two decades and you were a spokesperson of the party. You were also known to be close to Sonia Gandhi. From that position to leaving the party, was it a painful decision to take?

I did have sleepless nights. I don't want to talk about my equation with Soniaji. It was a relationship that existed and she inspired me at that time.

Her son has arrived now and I have not seen much of him.

When I don't see my leaders, when I don't know their views, I thought I had no business to be there.

I don't know whether I exist for them. It was like a lawyer with no clients, yet arguing non-existing cases.

I had a client when Soniaji was there.

Did you feel sidelined after Rahul Gandhi became party president?

If I got sidelined, I am sorry to say the entire party got sidelined. The interface was missing.

When the bonding an activist or worker embedded in the party had fails, everything fails.

Maybe 10, 15 years later, he (Rahul Gandhi) may mature as a politician. It happens when you get positions because of your family connection.

Why is the Congress synonymous with one family as if it belongs to the family?

I have asked myself this question many times. The Congress was a meeting point where issues were discussed and its leaders were a cementing force and kept the party together.

But this business of monopoly of one family must end. Ultimately, in a democracy, it has to be an open house.

Here, they picked up a few leaders for him as he needed support which was okay, but later, they became his cronies.

It doesn't mean that if a new sapling is growing, all the big trees have to be chopped off.

I am not saying I am a big tree, but the fact is all the big trees were cut off.

It is not just about me, it is about many senior leaders also.

The fact is, saplings have to learn to live and grow under big trees.

His sister Priyanka has been inducted as a top leader. Why does nobody in the party question this?

Let me answer this in the form of another question. Do you think anybody questioning will survive in the Indian National Congress?

He would become an ex-member and not be in the Congress party. So, how do you expect anyone to question?

I don't have to say anything more. On this issue, you will get a deafening silence from any Congressman.

Quitting the party is one thing, but joining the party you had been criticising all these years soon after is another. Why did you join the BJP?

In many of the television debates I participated, I used to meet the BJP Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha.

Before the programme, we used to discuss many things over a cup of coffee. Then he mentioned something which struck me, which was cultural nationalism. Rakesh Sinha is a member of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's parent).

When I read about cultural nationalism, I understood that it is all inclusive; it is nothing about any religion.

It is more about patriotism, which I think is paramount. Belonging to this party or that party is not important; we have to have that ingredient to stay together.

Patriotism is the biggest cementing force.

The propaganda that is there against the BJP is that it is anti-minority, but their desire is to include all minorities.

I want to send out the message that if a person like me, who was the face of the Congress, can join the BJP, it is time for you to have a re-look at the party.

That's why I, a Roman Catholic from Kerala, decided to join the BJP.

Didn't you feel awkward joining the party after criticising the BJP and the government vociferously all these years?

You should distinguish between my views and the views of the party. I told (BJP national President) Amit (Anilchandra) Shah bluntly that I was the spokesperson of a party and all these years, I was doing my job.

My views as a free person is not the views of the party. I would say I have got azaadi now.

This is Tom Vadakkan, the individual, speaking and not Tom Vadakkan, the spokesperson.

If you have to speak for the BJP now, will you have the same azaadi?

No restriction has been imposed on me. Also, I am not their spokesperson.

My position is the BJP is my party now and I have set an example as a person from the minority community by joining the BJP.

How do you, Tom Vadakkan the person with azaadi, compare the Congress and the BJP now?

I find them (BJP workers and leaders) extraordinarily friendly. I met a lot of workers and leaders.

In fact, I was on stage with (the veteran BJP legislator from Kerala) O Rajagopal the very next day after joining and I got a standing ovation.

When they asked me how they should address me, I said they could address me as a BJP worker. So, they announced my name as a BJP worker.

I felt very good as I am not in competition with anybody but myself.

It was reported that you had wanted to contest the election from Thrissur several times, but you were not allowed to. Do you plan to contest from Thrissur now?

See, I have given them a blank cheque and told them to use me in whatever way they see me as useful.

I told them if you want me to contest the elections, I will jump at it. I have not contested any elections so far.

If they want me to campaign in Kerala, I will do that.

If they want me to campaign in the north east, I will do that.

I told them to send me somewhere where I would be useful to the party.

In Kerala, the BJP is looked at as a Hindu party. With Alphons Kannanthanam and you in the party, do you think the BJP is trying to change that image?

I have not arrived as a Christian missionary. I am on a secular platform.

What kind of results do you see in the Lok Sabha election?

The jury is already out. People are wise and they know the truth. They will take decisions based on the ground reality.

All this false propaganda (by the Congress) will not help them. Political parties have to realise that people are wiser and they know who has delivered and what has been delivered.
In a big poll promise that he described as a "groundbreaking" measure to end poverty, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday said 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as a minimum income.

IMAGE: Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference in New Delhi. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter

Making the announcement at a press conference, Gandhi said, "The time for change has come. Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme", he claimed, terming it is a "final assault" to eradicate poverty in the country.

"The final assault on poverty has begun. We will wipe out poverty from the country," he said.

"I promise that there will be justice for the poor. The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to poorest of the poor category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually," he said.

The Congress chief termed it a "historic day", saying the Congress had launched its final assault on poverty on the day.

"5 crore of the poorest families in India, will receive Rs 72,000 Per Year. #NyayForIndia is our dream and our pledge. The time for change has come," he later said on Twitter.

Gandhi made the scheme public soon after discussing it at the meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which had met at the AICC headquarters to discuss and give final shape to the party's manifesto.

The Congress chief said the party has studied the fiscal implications of the scheme and has consulted renowned economists and experts before finalising it.

"This is a historic scheme which has not happened anywhere in the world. It is an extremely powerful, ground-breaking and well-thought through idea. We have consulted many economists on the scheme," he said.

"It will be a fiscally prudent scheme," he said, adding that if voted to power the Congress will identify such families who lived below the poverty mark.

Gandhi said the scheme is part of the party's plan to ensure minimum income guarantee to every person in the country.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of giving money to the rich and not the poor, Gandhi alleged that poor people have suffered in the last five years and "we are going to provide justice to them".

"If Narendra Modi can give money to the rich people in the country, then Congress can give the poor this money," he said.

"Narendra Modi is creating two Indias in the country and we will not allow two Indias and will be only one India. There will be no two Indias," he said.

Asked where the money will come from and whether it will affect the economy, he claimed there is enough money in India and the Congress guarantees that 20 per cent poorest families will be given Rs 72,000 per year.

"The Congress guarantees that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category in India will be given Rs 72,000 each annually in their bank accounts.

"Remember that in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, I had promised that in 10 days farmers will be given a loan waiver. I am promising you today that justice will be done. Scheme will be on a phase basis. First a pilot project will be run then scheme will run," he said.

Gandhi claimed that everyday your money is being taken and "we will show you what is happening. We have been studying this for the last 4-5 months".
'Giriraj Singh has told the central leadership that he is being made a target by some BJP leaders and some JD-U in a conspiracy to defeat him in the polls.'

M I Khan reports from Patna.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh has refused to contest the Lok Sabha election in protest after Nawada -- the seat he won in the 2014 election -- was given to the Lok Janshakti Party under the seat-sharing formula finalised by the National Democratic Alliance in Bihar.

According to BJP leaders, Singh has informed party leaders in New Delhi that he will not contest the Lok Sabha election from Begusarai.

The BJP had given Nawada to the LJP, alloting Begusarai to Giriraj Singh instead.

"Singh has told the central leadership that he is being made a target by some BJP leaders and some JD-U (Janata Dal-United) leaders in a conspiracy to defeat him in the polls," a senior BJP leader said in Patna on Monday, March 25.

"As per their design, they have managed to shift his seat from Nawada to Begusarai," the BJP leader added.

Last week, Singh expressed unhappiness over the change of his Lok Sabha seat to the BJP central leadership.

"Giriraj conveyed his unhappiness to the central leadership over the way his seat Nawada was given to the LJP," a BJP leader close to the minister said, adding, "He also questioned why he is the only Union minister whose seat was given to an ally to contest the election."

However, Bihar BJP leaders state that the Union minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises will contest the election from Begusarai.

"Party leaders are trying to convince him to contest from Begusarai. We are hopeful he will abide by the party decision," a BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, former Jawaharlal Nehru University students union president Kanhaiya Kumar will contest the Lok Sabha election from Begusarai on a Communist Party of India ticket.

"My fight is to defeat the communal and fascist forces in the country. I am confident and sure that the people of Begusarai will support and vote for me," Kanhaiya said, when asked about his likely electoral battle with Giriraj Singh.

If Giriraj Singh agrees to contest the election from Begusarai, it will make for an interesting contest. Singh, known for his controversial statements, belongs to the powerful Bhumihar caste.

Interestingly, Kanhaiya is also a Bhumihar.

Nawada -- which has a sizeable population of Bhumihars -- was considered a safe seat for Giriraj Singh against the backdrop of Bihar's caste-ridden politics.
Former Cambodia National Rescue Party members (L-R) Kang Kimhak, Tep Sothy, Ou Chanroth, Chan Seyla, and Chiv Kata give a news conference about their decision to request political 'rehabilitation' in Phnom Penh, March 25, 2019.

Five former officials from Cambodias banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party on Monday defended their decision to seek political rehabilitation with the government, saying they were trying to keep the countrys trade privileges from being withdrawn by Western countries over anti-democratic actions by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The five former senior CNRP officials, who applied for rehabilitation on March 18 and received it a day later, had come under fire from the party and the public, even receiving accusations that they received money from the government for defying party policy.

CNRP President Kem Sokha was arrested in September 2017 for alleged acts of treason and the Supreme Court ordered the partys dissolution two months later, which paved the way for Hun Sens ruling Cambodia Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in a July 2018 general election.

The Supreme Court also slapped a five-year ban on the political activities of 118 CNRP senior officials for the partys role in an alleged plot to topple the government.



In December last year, Hun Sens Constitutional Council unanimously approved an amendment to the draft law on political parties, paving the way for the reinstatement of rights to the 118 CNRP officials banned from politics by the Supreme Courts decision.



The legislation does not provide for the reestablishment of the CNRP, and Hun Sen has said the political rights of the officials will only be reinstated on an individual basis if they had shown respect for the Supreme Courts ruling, and provided they each make an individual request.

On March 18, Former CNRP lawmakers Ou Chanroth, Kang Kimhak and Chiv Kata, and former CNRP board of directors members Tep Sothy and Chan Seyla applied for rehabilitation to the Ministry of Interior and received it by royal decree on March 19.

I want to confirm that our decisions are not related to any buyout, incentives, or anyones encouragement. It is purely our own free will and decision in regard to contributing to seeking a solution for the nation, Ou Chanroth told a news conference on Monday.

Our stance remain the same: We are still demanding Kem Sokhas release and his political rehabilitation so that he may return to politics. he said.

He said he and the other four CNRP former officials made the decision to seek rehabilitation in order to ease political tension and avoid Cambodia from losing European Union and U.S. trade privileges.

This is an issue that we as Khmers need to resolve among one another. If we as Khmers are still not talking to each other or negotiate in order to determine our nations future, no international community can help decide on our behalf, added Ou Chanroth.

Former CNRP MP Tep Sothy told the same news conference: I dont want to see any blame or insults, since it is not a solution.

We are simply using our rights to show the international community, the government, and other politicians good practices for the future.

However, Rong Chhun, a former member of National Election Committee, said the move by the five will further weaken the CNRP.

Each of them only knows how to defect and yet fail to unite. They are boastful to claim that they are influential while they are only four to five people, he said.

Hun Sen meanwhile accused Kem Sokha of trying to block his subordinates in the CNRP from further applying for political rehabilitation.

A guy is still under house arrest, yet turns to warn others not to apply for political rights rehabilitation, he said at a commencement ceremony on Monday. 

I will not let you get away with this. Once your case is sentenced by the court, I will not let you get away with it, said Hun Sen.

One of Kem Sokhas lawyers wrote on Facebook Monday that he had neither prohibited nor warned CNRP officials against seeking political rehabilitation.

The warning from Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 33 years, underscored that Kem Sokha case was politically motivated, said Rong Chhun.

I commend his courage even if he is still under house arrest. He still has strong spirit, calling for his subordinates not to apply for political rights rehabilitation, he told RFA.

Acting CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who has been living in self-imposed exile since November 2015 to avoid a string of what he says are politically motivated convictions, has urged the CNRP to refrain from appealing for political rehabilitation, and said those who do will be branded traitors.

Sam Rainsy, who has said he intends to return to Cambodia in 2019, must not return by land, Hun Sen aid in the commencement speech Monday.

You are proud to claim that when you return there will be UN officials or foreign officials coming to escort you, he said.

It will be good to see if you dare come by crossing a land border. You should know what we do at the border: We build trenches equipped with machine guns, said Hun Sen.

You should know that, if you cross our land border, you will be in big trouble, added Hun Sen.

Hun Sens crackdown has put at risk a European Union trade scheme called Everything but Arms, which allows ''vulnerable developing countries'' to pay fewer or no duties on all their exports to the bloc.

The EU decided in February to launch a six-month monitoring period to determine whether Cambodian exports should continue to enjoy tax-free entry into the European market under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme.

The EU trade measure, and a similar one proposed by the U.S. Congress, was motivated by the September 2017 arrest of Kem Sokha.

After a mission to Cambodia last week, the EU issued a statement on March 22 saying members hope to see sustained and concrete progress in all areas of concern under the EBA engagement and look to Cambodia to urgently take actions needed in order to keep benefiting from the EBA preferential tariffs.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu have detained a prominent Maoist editor on suspicion of "subversion of state power," his former employer said.



Chai Xiaoming, a former editor at the Maoist website Red Reference, was detained on by state security police in Nanjing, where he is being held under "residential surveillance at a designated location."



Red Reference said in a statement on that Chai had been involved in the publication of a article suggesting that China could take "a different path to modernization."



"This article was written by Jin Canrong, former lecturer in international relations at Renmin University, based on a recent lecture he gave at the university of Hong Kong," the website said in a statement that was later deleted, but reposted by the U.S.-based China Digital Times.



"The video of the lecture has been taken down, but the text is still there," it said, posting a copy of Chai's detention notice. "He stopped sending updates to his friends on [social media app] WeChat three days ago, and his phone has been cut off since then."



"The Red Reference editorial team are very concerned about the current situation of this former colleague," the website said. "We also hope that his elderly parents will not be blamed by the relevant authorities for releasing this information."



Calls to the Nanjing municipal police department rang unanswered during office hours on .



A source close to the family surnamed Chen said Chai is a prominent writer on the left of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's political spectrum, and a former lecturer on Marxism at Peking University, which reports directly to the highest levels of the Chinese leadership.



'A total believer'

The 43-year-old Chai hails from Shanghai, and spent time as a student in the U.K., returning to China after obtaining a PhD. He resigned from his post at Peking University last year to start up a culture and media company in Nanjing, Chen said.



"He is a Marxist, a total believer," Chen said. "It's pretty interesting that a Marxist has been detained for subversion of state power in a socialist country founded on Marxism."



Chen said Chai had taken up his Peking University teaching post and his editorial job at Red Reference soon after returning from the U.K. in 2014.



"He resigned his Beijing job at the beginning of 2018 to go to Nanjing and become a full-time editor," he said. "I'm not sure who exactly was behind this company."



A fellow Maoist who gave his surname Song said only that Chai is "a self-confessed Trotskyist."



Scholar Tan Song said the government is cracking down on any individuals or groups that have the potential to initiate organized action, and that Chai's detention comes amid a nationwide operation targeting Marxism study groups and labor activism on elite university campuses.



"It's pretty easy to understand," Tan said. "The Peking University Marxism Society was totally authentic in supporting a workers' movement in Shenzhen, under the banner of Marxism."



"It means that, regardless of whether you're left-wing, the government will crack down pretty quickly on you if you organize," he said.



Tan said the same thing happened during the political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976).



"They also arrested groups that were set up specially for the study of Das Kapital," he said, referring to the seminal work by Karl Marx.



Widening crackdown on labor movements

Chai's detention comes amid an ever-widening crackdown on grassroots labor movements in Chinese factories.



Activists in Hong Kong have called for the release of more than 30 former workers at the Jasic Technology factory in neighboring Guangdong province and members of the Jasic Workers' Solidarity Group (JWSG), who were supporting them.



At least 44 labor activists, students, and recent graduates of China's top universities have been "disappeared" or criminally detained since the nationwide crackdown on the Jasic labor movement, which started in July and continued with further waves of arrests and detentions in August, September, November, and January, the JWSG reported on its Github page.



Among the "disappeared" are Yat-sen University graduate and Jasic movement spokeswoman Shen Mengyu and Peking University #MeToo campaigner Yue Xin.



However, former Red Reference editor Shang Kai -- who was supporting the Jasic campaign -- was released on "bail" under conditions preventing him from appearing in public, RFA has learned.



Reported by Wong Siu-san and Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
North Korean imitation bills are sold for souvenirs near the Yalu River Bridge in Liaoning Province, China.

North Koreas National Security Agency is secretly tracing the foreign accounts of its citizens working as trading company officials in China, sources say. North Korean workers must report their income and give a large portion of their pay to the regime.

The North Korean Central Committee has mandated that it is treasonous to have secret accounts and said businessmen found with slush funds will be punished with the same severity as defectors.

[Officials from] the National Security Agency are staying in the Dandong and Dalian areas of [Chinas Liaoning province, which borders North Korea] and are gathering information on North Korean trading company officials [to assess their loyalty], said a North Korean trade worker from Dalian in an interview with RFAs Korean Service.

They are also looking into the [foreign] partners that the officials conduct business with, the source said.

The source explained the committee has been scouring over Chinese bank account records of the trade representatives.

[They started doing this] right after Kim Jong Un returned to Pyongyang, following the unsuccessful second summit between North Korea and the United States.

The Feb. 27 and 28 summit in Hanoi abruptly ended when Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump could not agree on sanctions relief or the pace of North Korean denuclearization.

While Chinas northeast region contains the highest concentrations of North Koreans, the scope of the agencys investigation is much larger.

[They] arent just looking at trade workers in [Chinas] three northeastern provinces. They are checking trade representatives running large-scale trading operations out of Hong Kong and Macao too.

The information gathering process is extensive, with the agency pouring over countless records including reports made to the North Korean government, remittance statements and other financial records.

They compare to see if the reports match the amount the trade representatives sent to a third country through a Chinese bank, said the source.

The source said that what the agency is most concerned about are secret slush funds opened by North Koreans using borrowed Chinese names.

[North Korean businessmen] are extremely fearful because the Central Committee is going to punish everyone with secret personal funds. Regardless of whether the account is big or small, they are going to be treated as if they have betrayed the state in the same manner as defectors, the source said.

Meanwhile, another source, from North Koreas North Pyongan province, said, The Central Committee made a big fuss last year about how they were eliminating corruption among executives of the military-affiliated Pyongyang Trade Company [but they really didnt do anything].

It was a huge power struggle. Nothing has changed in terms the national trade industry in reality. If they want to organize trade companies, they need to get rid of the loyalty offering system that every trade company is burdened with, rather than putting everyone under repeated scrutiny, the source said.

The loyalty offering system refers to state mandated loyalty payments that must be made by North Koreans working abroad.

The source said authorities had to do much more in order to properly reign in corruption.

A trade companys foreign currency accounts should be scrutinized by inspections from the Foreign Trade Bank of the DPRK, an official agency that handles foreign currency in North Korea. Only then can they control corruption in the trading industry and they could then straighten the economy, the source said.

The source was critical of this investigative effort, saying it amounted to little than scare tactics.

Ever since Kim Jong Un came to power the National Security Agency has been taking the lead in all these [corruption investigations.] But theyre nothing more than an attempt to scare traders into maintaining the states system, said the source.

Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Hostilities between the Arakan Army (AA), a Buddhist Rakhine military fighting for autonomy in western Myanmars Rakhine state, and the government military erupted anew late last year and have continued into 2019. The government branded the AA a terrorist organization after its soldiers carried out coordinated attacks on four police outposts near Myanmars border with Bangladesh on Jan. 4, killing 13 officers injuring nine others. A similar assault on another police outpost in Ponnagyun townships Yoetayoke village in early March killed nine officers. The government has also accused the AA of having ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Muslim military group that carried out deadly raids on police outposts in northern Rakhine state in August 2017, prompting a brutal military crackdown on Rohingya Muslims. In an exclusive interview with reporter Elizabeth Jangma of RFAs Myanmar Service, Brigadier General Nyo Tun Aung, the AAs deputy commander-in-chief, discussed the deadly raids on police outposts, the governments accusation that the AA is linked to ARSA, and what it will take to end the fighting in Rakhine state.

RFA: Do you think it was fair for the AA to launch deadly raids on police posts and kill policemen?

Nyo Tun Aung: We warned police first to do their own jobs. We released statements and then sent them warning letters. Most police officials are transferred from the military. One-third of the security guards are former soldiers. These so-called police who are mostly former soldiers arrested, persecuted, and charged our people whenever they wanted, mostly under Section 17 (1) [of Myanmars colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a prison sentence for those who interact with an illegal group, including ethnic armed organizations such as the AA]. Most people are talking about the AAs attack on police posts on Jan. 4, but they dont know what happened before Jan. 4. As we had many clashes and a lot of pressure, we had to do it as a military outlet. January 4 is [Myanmars] Independence Day, but there is no weekend or holiday in war. We cant say, Lets stop fighting for a while because it is the weekend. If we keep having this pressure  offensives and heavy weapons attacks by the [Myanmar military]  then we will strike back like we did on Jan. 4 and during the attack the Yoetayoke Police Station [in Ponnagyun township on March 9]. But I can say that we will not do anything to policemen who genuinely provide protection for people. Some Rakhine ethnics died during the Yoetayoke village police station attack, and we want to apologize to them.

RFA: What about the governments accusation that the AA is connected to ARSA?

Nyo Tun Aung: We dont have any connection to ARSA at all. We didnt have any connection to it in the past and dont have any now. The Myanmar government declared it a terrorist organization, and the world recognizes it as a terrorist organization as well. We know that we can be labelled terrorists if we work together with terrorists, so we are very careful not to get involved with ARSA. We have a policy that we cant get involved with ARSA. The AA is member of the FPNCC [Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee, a group of ethnic armed organizations that have proposed a confederate system in Myanmar which allows them to maintain their own armed forces]. If we get involved with ARSA, our other alliance FPNCC members can be named as terrorist groups. We wont destroy our current political and military standards [by getting involved with ARSA].

RFA: The government army says that Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi instructed it to crush the AA. Whats your take on this?

Nyo Tun Aung: It would be like saying, If you scratch my back, Ill scratch yours. If she said this, we dont need to say anything back. But we will have to do something to get what we want.

RFA: When will the fighting in Rakhine state end?

Nyo Tun Aung: There will be no fighting when the government army leaves Rakhine state.

RFA: The AAs commander-in-chief has talked about the formation of a confederation. Some people say that that would destroy the country. What kind of confederation does he mean?

Nyo Tun Aung: What we mean is something based on equality and the same treatment as other nationalities. Most ethnic armed groups want to have the same status as the Wa group [an ethnic group that has an autonomous self-administered division in Myanmar's Shan state]. Our FPNCC has policies, and if we can have this political standard, then we can say our expectations will be fulfilled to some extent.

Q: Any final thoughts?

Nyo Tun Aung: The AA has grown bigger and bigger within the past 10 years because we have focused on the military sector. The government armys persecution is making us stronger. A revolution occurs because of persecution.



Reported by Elizabeth Jangma for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Myanmar Army officials Major General Tun Tun Nyi (L), Major General Soe Naing Oo (C), and Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun (R) speak during a military press conference at the Defense Services Museum in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw, March 25, 2019.

The Myanmar militarys recent clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) in northern Rakhine state, including shooting and shelling incidents in Mrauk-U township, were counter-insurgency measures against the rebel fighters, a three-member team of military spokesmen said Monday.

When asked about reports of Myanmar soldiers firing randomly into villages in historically and religiously significant Mrauk-U on March 18, Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the Myanmar militarys True News Information Team, said the army was returning fire from AA units that had ambushed government troops from positions in residential areas and Buddhist temples.

Troops returning to Mrauk-U from a mission were fired upon from both sides, and some [of the firing] was from houses, he said at a press conference in Naypyidaw. At the same time, an army regimental headquarters in the town also came under fire from nearby temples and residential areas.

In response to a question about plans to issue a curfew in Mrauk-U and charge civilians under Section 17(1) of the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act, which carries a prison sentence for those who interact with an illegal group such as the AA, Major General Tun Tun Nyi, vice chairman of the information team, said that the matter is being handled by the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Myanmar military and the AA have clashed nearly 100 times in western Myanmars volatile Rakhine state since Arakan forces launched deadly attacks on police outposts in early January, killing 13 officers, said Major General Soe Naing Oo, head of the information team.

The information team did not mention the number of soldiers killed on both sides during the skirmishes while they discussed issues related to a temporary military's cease-fire in certain regions, the countrys peace process, and stability in Rakhine state.

In response to an RFA reporters question about whether the militarys offensive against the AA has increased support for the Arakan force among the ethnic Rakhine population, Tun Tun Nyi said that the Rakhine public is not allied with the AA.

The Myanmar government branded the AA a terrorist organization after the January attacks. A similar assault on another police outpost in early March killed nine officers.

The fighting, which flared up late last year, has so far claimed the lives of 24 civilians and 22 policemen and displaced more than 20,000 people, according to estimates by NGOs in Rakhine state, though the state government puts the number of displaced civilians at about 7,800.

Zaw Min Tun rejected a question from a reporter asking whether pressure from neighboring China led to the militarys declaration in December of a four-month unilateral cease-fire in five of its military command regions in a bid to breathe life into the country's teetering peace process. Rakhine state is not among the five regions, however.

Soe Naing Oo said Rakhine was previously regarded as a white area, a term for a non-insurgent active area, and as a result it was not included among the regions covered by the unilateral cease-fire.

Commenting about the AA, he said, There are two options. One is anti-terrrorism, and another is the dialogue for peace. Youve seen us working on both.

When asked if the military might extend its cease-fire, which runs until April 30, Soe Naing Oo said, Some ethnic armed groups should not act like children and demand the impossible while were considering it.

The Myanmar government is trying to end seven decades of armed conflict in the country through a series of peace talks that have largely stalled as ethnic armies continue to fight government troops in certain ethnic regions of the country.

Government peace negotiators met last Thursday with delegates from ethnic armies that have not signed a nationwide-cease-fire agreement with the Myanmar military in an effort to get the peace process back on track.

Military representatives met separately with the groups on Friday.

Reported by Thiha Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Nandar Chann. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A group of Afghan artists have put up cardboard cutouts of leading Afghan women across the country in support of women's rights amid ongoing peace talks between Taliban militants and the U.S. government. They say women's freedoms must be protected as part of any future peace deal.
At least 17 people have been killed in flash floods caused by heavy rains in Iran's southern province of Fars, officials say.

The floods in the provincial capital, Shiraz, also left 74 people injured, Pirhossein Kolivand, head of Iran's emergency medical services, told the official IRNA news agency on March 25.

The emergency services said that another person was killed in Sarpol-e Zahab in the western province of Kermanshah.

Kolivand said that three children were among the dead in Shiraz.

Videos posted online show streets and cars being flooded and damaged.

State-controlled TV reported that several Iranian provinces were on high alert for imminent flooding.

Iran's meteorology department warned about the heavy rains in various areas across the country, after floods in the northern provinces of Mazandaran and Golestan along the Caspian Sea killed five people, according to state-run Press TV.

Iranian President Hassan Rohani has ordered all provincial governors and other officials to be on full alert to deal with the floods.

Emergency services have been hampered by last week's celebrations marking Norouz, the pre-Islamic Persian new year, with many employees on vacation.

Based on reporting by IRNA, Reuters, AFP, and Press TV
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Chinas Xi Jinping for dinner on March 24 ahead of their official discussions amid the French leaders efforts to bolster European unity to help counter Beijings global ambitions.



"Very happy to welcome President Xi Jinping and his wife to France," Macron wrote in a tweet as the leaders met in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, in the south of the country.



"This visit will strengthen our strategic partnership and affirm the role of France, Europe, and China towards a strong multilateralism."



Xis visit to France comes after the Chinese leader struck a deal with Italy in which the EU country officially joined China's Belt and Road Initiative on March 23.



Italy became the first Group of Seven industrialized nation to join the initiative, but dozens of other countries, including EU members Greece, Poland, and Hungary, have joined, despite U.S. and EU objections.



The Chinese project seeks to create new rail, road, port, and energy links between China, Europe, and Africa.



The United States and many larger EU countries have criticized China's project and its lending for regional infrastructure efforts, warning that it has saddled some developing countries with debts that they cannot afford to repay.



Germany criticized Rome over its participation in the project.



"In a world with giants like China, Russia, or our partners in the United States, we can only survive if we are united as the EU," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.



"And if some countries believe that they can do clever business with the Chinese, then they will be surprised when they wake up and find themselves dependent."

Based on reporting by AFP and AP
Jordan's King Abdullah II has canceled a visit to Romania in protest at Prime Minister Vorica Dancila's announcement that Romania was planning to move its embassy to Jerusalem.



Jordan's royal palace said that the decision to cancel the visit scheduled for March 25 came "in solidarity with Jerusalem."

Dancila made the announcement in a speech in Washington at the annual conference of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the main pro-Israel lobby group in the United States, but later backtracked on her statement after drawing a strong rebuke from Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

"I as prime minster of Romania, and the government that I run, will move our embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel," she told AIPAC on March 24.

However, according to the Romanian Constitution, foreign-policy decisions need the ultimate approval of the president, and Iohannis reacted immediately, saying in a statement that Dancila "demonstrates once again her complete ignorance on foreign-policy issues."

Following Iohannis's rebuff, Dancila backpedaled from her previous statement in an interview with a Romanian TV station.

"I said that we must complete all constitutional steps first. I haven't said I will relocate the embassy. I said we must observe the constitution," the Romanian prime minister said.

"My opinion is that we must take this step. It is a personal opinion," Dancila added.

During his trip, Abdullah was expected to meet with President Klaus Iohannis and parliamentary leaders and sign a number of cooperation deals.



The United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last year, sparking international criticism as well as Palestinian and Arab anger.



Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state.



Israel has annexed East Jerusalem and declared the entire city as its capital, a move not recognized by the international community.



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Dancila's comments at the AIPAC conference, while the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) called the move a "blatant violation of Palestinian rights, international law, and UN resolutions."

With reporting by AP and AFP
The Kazakh bank immersed in a multinational fight to recoup assets allegedly stolen more than a decade ago has filed a new U.S. lawsuit, alleging that a former associate of President Donald Trump considered using funds from those assets to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.



The suit, filed on March 25 in Manhattan federal court, is the latest front in the effort by BTA Bank -- once Kazakhstan's largest bank -- to both recover assets and also bring its fugitive former chairman to justice.



Among the people targeted by the lawsuit is Felix Sater, a convicted felon, former FBI informant, and New York real estate developer who has partnered with Trump on building projects in the past.



Sater is scheduled to testify on March 27 before the House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee, where he's expected to be grilled about his work trying to help realize Trump's years-long effort to build a skyscraper in Moscow.



The lawsuit targets BTA's former chairman, Mukhtar Ablyazov, who, according to Kazakh authorities, may have stolen up to $4 billion from the bank before it collapsed. According to the complaint, Ablyazov's son-in-law, Ilyas Khrapunov, was also allegedly involved in trying to launder some of the funds stolen from the bank.



In its filings, BTA alleges that beginning in 2011 Sater helped Ablyazov and Khrapunov launder about $40 million through a number of U.S. business transactions.



"Sater helped Ablyazov, Khrapunov, and others launder tens of millions of dollars in those stolen funds into the United States," the complaint charged.



The complaint also charged that some of the funds were used by Khrapunov's sister to buy condominium units at the Trump SoHo tower in Manhattan.



Trump's name also appears in the complaint, though it does not allege that he had any knowledge that laundered funds were allegedly being used to purchase units.



"Sater not only met with Ilyas Khrapunov in Trump Tower to discuss laundering the Stolen Funds, but he also personally arranged meetings between Ilyas and Donald J. Trump to discuss possible investments," the complaint charged.



Sater could not immediately be located for comment.



BTA Bank made news unexpectedly last month, when Trumps longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, revealed in testimony before Congress that the bank had hired him briefly as part of its fight against Ablyazov.



A New York-based lawyer for BTA Bank later confirmed Cohen's revelation, saying he had been hired in 2017, but said that he "did absolutely nothing of value, and BTA quickly tore up its agreement with him."



Cohen's appearance before the House committee followed his guilty plea to charges brought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan and by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.



Cohen admitted to lying to Congress in earlier testimony about the length and duration of talks he had with Russian officials during the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign about the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project.



That project was also mentioned in the BTA Bank lawsuit.



"Sater conspired with Ilyas to invest the Stolen Funds to develop a Trump Tower project in Russia, which Sater has claimed would have been a 'high-rise, high-end development that could make a significant amount of money,'" it said.
MINSK -- The Investigative Committee of Belarus has launched a probe into the vandalizing of a memorial site at Kurapaty, a wooded area on the outskirts of the capital, Minsk, where at least 30,000 people were killed and buried by Soviet authorities in 1930s and 1940s.

On March 23, activists in Minsk discovered that at least two memorial stones at the site, including one honoring Jewish victims of the Soviet repression, were covered with anti-Semitic and other insulting inscriptions made with blue paint.

The discovery came after, 14 big crosses at the memorial site were discovered felled by unknown individuals on March 20.

The Investigative Committee said on March 25 that it had begun investigating the incidents at the site, which was used as an execution place by the Soviet NKVD secret police.

Since January 1, a memorial bench at the site known as "Clinton's bench," which was presented by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1994, has been damaged twice.

Between 600,000 and 1.5 million people fell victim to Soviet leader Josef Stalin's repressions in Belarus, according to various estimates.
Reports of an alleged kidnapping and religious conversion of two Hindu teenage sisters to Islam in mostly Muslim Pakistan last week has triggered a spat between the country and its neighbor India.



Pakistani police have detained at least seven people for their suspected involvement in the alleged abductions, forced conversions, and marriages of the two minors, Dawn newspaper reported on March 25.

The previous day, Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the country was "totally behind the girls" and that Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the government of Sindh Province to investigate the incident.



Police said they had registered a complaint of kidnapping and robbery by the teenagers' parents.



In India, where Hinduism is the largest religion, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that she had asked the country's high commissioner in Islamabad to send a report on a news article on the allegations.



Replying to Swaraj's tweet, Chaudhry asked the Indian government to look after Indias own minority Muslims.



"Madam Minister, I am happy that in the Indian administration we have people who care for minority rights in other countries," the Pakistani minister said.



"I sincerely hope that your conscience will allow you to stand up for minorities at home as well. Gujarat and Jammu must weigh heavily on your soul," he added.



I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad about the kidnapping and forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam, Swaraj later tweeted. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience.



More than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in three months of religious riots in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2002.

In Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir state, the Indian-administered part of Kashmir, Islamabad accuses Indian authorities of human rights violations, a charge New Delhi denies.

With reporting by Reuters
MINSK -- Police in the Belarusian capital have prevented several hundred opposition activists from holding a rally and detained at least a dozen of them.



The antigovernment rally in Minsk on March 25 was planned to mark the 101st anniversary of the day Belarusian politicians in 1918 proclaimed independence from Russia.



The Belarusian People's Republic lasted until 1919, when it was effectively taken over by Soviet Russia.



Police forces cordoned off the main square in Minsk where an unsanctioned rally was to be held on March 25.



At least a dozen protesters were detained, according to the Minsk-based human rights group Vyasna.



Many protesters were carrying the red and white flag of the 1918 republic that was also used by Belarus from 1991-95. It has become a symbol of the opposition and is banned by the government.



While most of the activists were released, at least one remained in detention.



Among those earlier detained were opposition politicians Vital Rymasheuski and Mikalay Kozlov, and musicians Lyavon Volski, Zmitser Vaytyushkevich, Paval Arakelyan, and Ihar Varashkevich, according to Vyasna.



Several thousand people gathered on March 23 in the city of Hrodna to mark the anniversary.



People gathered in a local park for the event that was approved by local authorities, singing patriotic songs and waving flags of the Belarusian Peoples Republic.



Activists had used social media to organize the event after authorities in Minsk refused to allow them to hold the event there.



Known as Freedom Day, the anniversary is traditionally a day for opponents of the authoritarian government of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to stage protests.



The Belarusian opposition accuses Lukashenka, who has been in office since 1994, of attempting to erase Belarusian identity and "Russifying" the former Soviet republic.



During his two decades in power, Lukashenka has systemically quashed opposition parties, independent media, and civil society groups. Outbursts of political protests have been met with violence.

With reporting by AP and Interfax
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Moscow's dispatch of military personnel to Venezuela is increasing tensions there and warned that Washington will not "stand idly by."

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said Pompeo called Lavrov on March 25 and said "the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela."

Pompeo's call came after a Venezuelan official said Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas over the weekend as part of ongoing military cooperation. Reports that two Russian Air Force planes arrived could not be independently confirmed. Russia supports Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people, who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido," he said.

The United States and dozens of other countries support Venezuelan opposition leader Guaido, who says Maduro's reelection last year was rigged.

Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lavrov had complained of "attempts by Washington to organize a coup d'etat in Venezuela" during the telephone conversation with Pompeo.



The statement said such moves "constitute violations of the UN charter and undisguised interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state."

With reporting by AP, dpa, and AFP
A Venezuelan official has told the Associated Press that two Russian Air Force planes arrived in Caracas over the weekend as part of military cooperation between the two countries.



The official on March 24 appeared to confirm media reports that said Russian military jets carrying defense officials and nearly 100 troops had landed in the South American country on March 23.



A journalist with AFP reported seeing one of the planes on the tarmac at Maiquetia Airport, with a Russian flag on its fuselage and being protected by Venezuelan National Guardsmen.



The Venezuelan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Russian military officials have come to discuss equipment maintenance, training, and strategy.



In December, Russia's Defense Ministry sent two nuclear-capable strategic bombers to Venezuela in an unusual display of Russian military force in South America -- a move that angered the United States and many other regional countries.



The Russian ministry at the time said the two Tu-160 bombers had arrived at an airport outside of Caracas on December 10. The statement did not say if they were carrying weapons.



The bombers' arrival came just days after President Nicolas Maduro visited Moscow, seeking Kremlin support for his country, whose economy is in shambles and which is deeply in debt to Russia.



Moscow supports Maduro in his tense battle for control of the Venezuelan government with opposition figure and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido, who is backed by Washington and many European countries.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and AGOP
Residents of the Russian city of Kemerovo laid flowers and stuffed toys at a memorial to the victims of a massive shopping mall fire on this date in 2018. A blaze engulfed the Zimnyaya Vishnya mall on March 25 last year, killing 60 people, including 37 children. The disaster in the Siberian city was one of the deadliest in Russia since the Soviet collapse of 1991.
Serbian lawmaker Darko Laketic, head of the Commission for Researching Health Impacts of the NATO Bombing, looks at the data and draws a clear line between the Western security alliance's 78-day bombing campaign and a rise in cancer-related disease in children born in the subsequent two decades.

The problem is, others don't see the correlation -- or have yet to be shown it.

Laketic said last week that a study commissioned by his group in tandem with the Batut Institute of Public Health of Serbia shows "unambiguously" that children born after 1999 were exposed to something left amid the rubble from the punishing air strikes aimed at forcing Belgrade to withdraw its troops from Kosovo.

Specifically, Laketic noted increases in neuroectodermal tumors in the nervous systems of children from birth to 4 years old, malignant blood disorders in children between 5 and 9 years of age, brain tumors in 10-to-14-year-olds, and solid tumors in those aged 15 to 18.

"Some poison impacted these children, and with so many poisons released into the environment during the 1999 bombing, it's easy to guess what it is," he said in a thinly veiled reference to incendiary devices made with depleted uranium, a controversial substance NATO has admitted to using while denying it carries extended health risks.

RFE/RL's Balkan Service asked Laketic for access to the study, but he said it would be made public "as soon as the study is completed."

The bombing of rump Yugoslavia, code-named Operation Allied Force by NATO, began on March 24, 1999, and was aimed at ending violence between ethnic Albanians and mostly ethnic Serbian forces during a two-year counterinsurgency war.

The alliance says its pilots carried out more than 38,000 combat missions, with some 3,000 cruise missiles falling on targets across Kosovo and what is now Serbia, including heavy bombardment of the capital, Belgrade. More than 1,200 Yugoslav security troops and around 500 civilians were killed in the operation.

Some of the munitions contained depleted uranium, a leftover product from the enrichment process of uranium 235. It is used in warheads because of its extreme hardness, which allows it to penetrate armored targets and fortified buildings.

Though its radioactivity is far below that of its original form, depleted uranium is still considered toxic and listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a "radiation health hazard when inside the body."

The Batut Institute said it did not possess the data Laketic was referring to, though it had analyzed some data on "persons suffering from malignant tumors in Serbia" and submitted the results to Laketic.

Laketic also claimed that the institute's preliminary report had been sent to every member of parliament. But several legislators contacted by RFE/RL said they hadn't received or seen any preliminary report or refused to comment.

"I was hoping to get some information, but so far nothing, and it's been a good nine months. We have absolutely no word about the report," said Sanda Raskovic Ivic, a deputy with the opposition People's Party.

NATO: 'No Lasting Damage'

For its part, NATO has repeatedly claimed that depleted uranium found in the ammunition used in the 1999 bombardments cannot be linked to adverse health effects.

In the years after the bombing, it set up an ad hoc committee to study the issue before concluding that "to date, none of the nations or international organizations has reported finding any indication that would suggest a current threat to human health caused by radioactivity at any of the sites tested."

"I have answered questions on this depleted-uranium issue many times including in Serbia and.... [W]e had independent assessments and they concluded that there were no lasting health damages because of the depleted uranium," NATO's current secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, told a conference in Belgrade in October.

Serbian officials are also closely following the trial of eight Italian military officials who oversaw a bombing range in Sardinia. The Italians were charged with failing to ensure health and safety standards after a rash of birth defects and cancer cases cropped up around the Quirra military base.

Prosecutors allege a tie between illness and the toxicity of the elements detonated at the base, which has reportedly been used by the alliance to test weapons containing depleted uranium and other toxins.
TBILISI -- During a visit to Georgia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has again said that the South Caucasus country will eventually join the Western military alliance, despite the Kremlin's fierce opposition.



Stoltenberg was in Tbilisi on March 25 to hold meetings with Georgian officials and attend joint NATO-Georgia military exercises.



Speaking alongside Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, he said that the 29 NATO member states had "clearly stated that Georgia will become a member of NATO."



"We will continue working together to prepare for Georgia's NATO membership," Stoltenberg said, adding that no country has the right to influence NATO's open-door policy.



"We are not accepting that Russia or any other power can decide what members can do," he said.



Bakhtadze said that "NATO membership is the choice of the Georgian people."



At a 2008 summit in Bucharest, NATO agreed that Georgia will eventually become a member, but no firm date has been set, although the membership perspective for the country has been reconfirmed at every summit ever since.



The country of some 3.7 million people fought a brief war with Russia in August 2008, and Moscows continued military presence on the countrys territory adds to tensions in the region.



After the war, Russia left thousands of troops in Georgias breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and recognized both as independent countries.



In Tbilisi, Stoltenberg held talks with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, during which he hailed Georgia's commitment to reforms.



The NATO chief also reiterated the allies support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.



Held at the Krtsanisi National Training Center near Tbilisi, the 12-day joint military exercises involve around 350 personnel from 24 NATO member states and partner countries.



The drills, dubbed NATO-Georgia Exercise 2019, will last until March 29.

With reporting by Interpressnews and AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump has recognized Israel's sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, the rocky plateau that Israeli forces seized from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War.

Signing a formal proclamation on March 25 at the White House, Trump said the United States should have recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights "decades ago."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood beside Trump at the White House on March 25 as he signed the proclamation.

Netanyahu called the document a "bold proclamation" that marked a "historic day" that has transformed Israel's "military victories" in the Golan Heights to a "diplomatic" victory.

"We hold the high ground and we shall never give it up," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also said Trump's proclamation made the alliance between Israel and the United States "stronger and greater than ever."

Syria's Foreign Ministry reacted to Trump's move by calling it a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria.

Syria tried to retake the Golan Heights from Israeli forces during the 1973 Middle East war, but their surprise assault was repelled.

In 1981, Israel extended its laws to the region, effectively annexing it, in a move that has not been recognized by the international community.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Trump's move was unlawful and could lead to renewed tensions in the Middle East. "This could lead to a new wave of tensions...such things, they are outside the law for they ignore all international efforts...unfortunately, they can only aggravate the situation," she told Russian radio.

Trump announced on Twitter on March 21 that the United States intended to "fully" recognize Israel's sovereignty over the 1,800-square-kilometer territory -- a decision that breaks with long-standing U.S. policy and international consensus.

Trump's proclamation recognizing the Golan Heights comes less than a month before general elections in Israel in which Netanyahu is facing a stiff challenge from former military chief Benny Gantz, the head of a centrist party.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on March 24 for what was meant to be a three-day visit that included an appearance at the annual convention of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

But he announced on March 25 that he was cutting short his trip to the United States after a rocket attack from Gaza early on March 25 destroyed a residential home and injured several Israelis in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba.

Israel's military said the rocket attack was conducted by militants from Gaza's ruling Hamas. It also quickly mobilized troops and called up reserve forces, setting up the possibility of a major military operation ahead of the Israeli elections.

Netanyahu pledged to retaliate and return to Israel immediately after his meeting with Trump to manage the crisis.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told the AIPAC gathering that that rocket attack "proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace."

"Hamas is a terrorist organization that seeks the destruction of Israel, and the United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas," Pence said.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump has called the results of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation "a complete and total exoneration." Mueller pursued accusations that Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election or obstructed the investigation. Trump spoke to the media in West Palm Beach, Florida on March 24 after Attorney-General William Barr released a summary of Mueller's report.
U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, questioned Attorney General Bill Barrs determination that Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation did not produce sufficient evidence for an obstruction of justice charge against President Donald Trump. On March 24, Nadler called for the full release of the Mueller report on whether Trump colluded with Russians during the 2016 election or obstructed the investigation. Barr had released a summary of Mueller's report hours earlier which stated there was no evidence of collusion, but it also did not exonerate Trump of the obstruction allegation.
Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) have signed $10 billion worth of agreements on cooperation in investment and finance, renewable energy, industry and infrastructure development, agriculture, and other fields, according to Uzbekistan's presidential website.

The agreements were signed on March 25 in Abu Dhabi during talks between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev and the crown prince of the emirate of Abu Dhabi, Muhammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the deputy supreme commander of the U.A.E. armed forces.

The parties agreed to broaden trade and economic ties, carry out joint projects on energy and infrastructure, strengthen cooperation in science, technologies, and education.

The presidential site says that the parties also discussed international and regional issues.

Uzbekistan has recently lifted the visa regime for U.A.E. citizens.

Mirziyoev has taken steps to open Uzbekistan to the outer world and improve ties with its neighbors since he became president following the 2016 death of his predecessor, Islam Karimov.

During Karimov's autocratic 27-year rule, Uzbekistan's policies were more oriented to isolation.
Mayor says Playa del Carmen to have increased military presence

Playa del Carmen, Q.R.  The mayor of Playa del Carmen says that the presence of the military police will be increased to move forward with security efforts in the municipality.

Mayor Laura Beristain says that the increase of la Policia Militar will contribute to the work being coordinated by both the municipal and state police in Playa del Carmen.

After a private meeting between Laura Beristain and high-ranking army officers, she announced that elements of the military will collaborate with the deployed security forces to achieve peace in the city.

To triple the efforts, we will add more military police. Here have been the navy, the military and the Municipal Police and we have problems, but we are taking care of them.

The crisis is the use, consumption and sale of drugs by those who have weapons, said Laura Beristain.

According to the mayor, the waves of violence that the municipality of Solidaridad has suffered already this year require tripled efforts. She has called on the general population to participate by supporting local police.

What I want is to make a permanent call to civil society, and all those who use weapons and drugs, for the pacification of the municipality by the municipality to please generate other ways of living. It is very important that we take care of each and every one of us, of our families, of our children, of our neighbors.

It is a very important call that I am making to them, and I do it because it is my obligation. I make the call to them as citizens and as municipal president, she explained.

The announcement of the increase in military personnel comes on the heels of the newly appointed director of the Policia Municipal Preventiva for Solidaridad, Siddley Javier Loeza Perez.
Russian ambassador requesting elimination of tourist visa

Cancun, Q.R.  The Russian ambassador to Mexico says that he intends to work with the federal government of Mexico to eliminate tourist visas for Russian visitors to the country.

Viktor V. Koronelli, ambassador of the Federacion de Rusia en Mexico says the he wants to work with the Gobierno Federal de Mexico toward possibly eliminating the need for tourist visas for Russian visitors.

During his recent visit to Quintana Roo, he explained he is set to have a meeting with Governor Carlos Joaquin to discuss the situation.

The ambassador explained that currently there are three charter flights between Moscow and Cancun that bring nearly 50,000 visitors per year.

He reiterated that he will hold meetings with the federal government to analyze the possibility of the elimination of the visa between both nations to increase tourist flows, adding that such an agreement would benefit the state.
Dan Jarvis

SOUTH Yorkshires devolution deadlock has finally been broken with the forging of a pact which could pave the way for new powers and investment for the region.

City region Mayor Dan Jarvis and the four leaders of South Yorkshires local authorities announced today have reached an agreement on the way forward after years of stalemate.

They have sent a joint letter to Secretary of State James Brokenshire asking for powers and resources to be unlocked.

Mr Jarvis, council leaders Cllr Chris Read (Rotherham), Cllr Julie Dore (Sheffield), Cllr Sir Steve Houghton (Barnsley) and Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones talk in the letter of having had productive conversations and outline their plans to work with the Government to explore bringing more powers to the region while boosting the own ambitions and supporting wider Yorkshire devolution.

The hold-up of the past few years came about because Barnsley and Doncaster supported the One Yorkshire deal for the wider region while Rotherham and Sheffield wanted to see their own power centralised in South Yorkshire.

Mr Jarvis said: This is an important day for our region. After months of negotiations, Im delighted to have brokered a joint devolution position with all of South Yorkshires leaders, that I believe will enable us to access the powers and resources that our region needs to continue its economic transformation.

It is a pragmatic solution that enables first and foremost, the unlocking of the Sheffield City Region deal, whilst also supporting wider Yorkshire devolution ambitions.

It is a solution that gives effect to the mandate upon which I was elected, is in line with the community polls held by Barnsley and Doncaster, and accords with the Governments own stated position regarding the next steps for devolution.

The letter to Government asks that millions of pounds in funding is unlocked for the Sheffield City Region  on the understanding that each authority is able to move to other devolution arrangements, should they wish to do so, in 2022, when Mr Jarvis current term of office ends.

The leaders are now waiting for the Government to formally respond to the letter.
Diamonds, gold help boost Namibia exports in October The value of Namibias exports rose by 5.8% in October to N$8.3 billion driven by petroleum, diamonds and gold, according to local news reports. Namibia Economist quoted data from the countrys statistics office, which showed that diamond exports...

Christie's Magnificent Jewels achieves $54.9M Christies New York December 8 auction of Magnificent Jewels achieved a total of $54,970,500. There was global participation with registered bidders from 30 countries across five continents.

Free-of-charge Japanese & Chinese online educational programme offered by SSEF The Swiss Gemmological Institute, which is part of part of the Swiss Foundation for the Research of Gemstones (Schweizerische Stiftung fur Edelstein-Forschung, SSEF) has added courses in Japanese and traditional Chinese to its free-of-charge...

Pan African makes secondary listing on A2X Markets Mid-tier Africa-focused gold miner, Pan African Resources, has received approval for a secondary listing on the A2X Markets. A2X is a licensed stock exchange authorised to provide a secondary listing venue for companies and is regulated by the Financial...
Fatima Sana Shaikh

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) She made a stunning debut with "Dangal", but Fatima Sana Shaikh says getting a perfect launch pad was not a cakewalk as people told her she did not have the "looks" of a heroine like Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif. Fatima, who started her journey in the movies as a child actor with Kamal Haasan's 1997 film "Chachi 420", says the rejections shifted her focus from waiting for a conventional lead role to searching for a good character.

"I have been a child actor. I quit but making a comeback after that was difficult. I was not getting any work. People used to tell me I don't look like Deepika Padukone or Katrina Kaif. They said, since I didn't have the looks of a heroine, I should do whatever I'm offered. There have been many incidents where I was told that I was not good enough," Fatima told PTI in an interview.

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The actor says her desire to perform in front of the camera was so strong that she did not pay heed to what people thought of her. "I only had acting on my mind. The reason why I used to go for every audition was because I would get to perform in front of the camera, even if the set-up was small." The success of Aamir Khan-starrer "Dangal", however, made things easier for Fatima as it gave her the option to choose.

"Before 'Dangal', I never had the chance to choose my projects. I even did 'Dangal' because that was my only option at that time. Every actor goes through this. That's how things function. But I am happy that post the film and especially after 'Thugs of Hindostan', I have the space to choose," she says.



Citing an example of Rajkummar Rao, her co-star from Anurag Basu's upcoming anthology, the actor says there is no formula for success.



"There is no single rule that applies to everyone. But now there are so many opportunities because of Netflix, Amazon and other platforms. Influx of different mediums has given actors a lot more options."



Fatima says even though her aim is to establish herself as a sought-after performer, she does not believe in planning "too much".



"Where I want to reach it might take two or maybe six years. But I am happy that at least I'm on my way. Before 'Thugs...' I was a very competitive person I would keep a check on who is wearing what and what they were doing. But I realised everybody has a different fate and there is no point in following anyone's journey," she adds.



The actor says like every artiste in the showbiz, she craves for the love of the audience, but believes it is close to impossible to be a "superstar" in the current times.



"The superstar era ended way back. After the 'Khans', I don't think we will ever have superstars. Now we all are accessible but earlier the stars were not. We could not search them on social media or follow their lives. We were able to connect with them through their films and interviews," she says.



Fatima adds the only way the actors of her generation could survive is by doing good work.



"The moment we do good work, we get appreciation and when we don't things go the other way. Actors like Deepika have been in the industry for so long, but it is now that people have realised she is a very good actor because of her choices.
WIAA Women's Rally on Apr 7; event getting good response

Mumbai, Mar 25 (PTI) The Western India Automobile Association (WIAA), Asia's premier motoring institution, will hold the annual WIAA-Womens Rally at the Aamby Valley on April 7 as part of International Womens Day celebrations. The registration process has already started from the WIAA office at Churchgate in south Mumbai and has received a good response, an Association office-bearer said.

"The goal of the annual women's rally is to advocate legislation and policies regarding women's rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, worker's rights, girl child education, sexual harassment and tolerance," said Nitin Dossa, Executive Chairman of WIAA. "Today's woman is no longer a dependent soul. She is independent and self-reliant in every respect and is capable of doing everything. Let us recognise the importance of their existence and motivate them for the future achievements.

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"Our experience shows that all such events have become extremely successful and popular and a matter of keen interest for all automobile owners. The event is sponsored by many organisations and individuals who are hardcore automobile lovers," Dossa said. WIAA is celebrating the centenary year in 2019. It is affiliated to the Federation Internationale De L'Automobile.

"Our mission and values are to bring awareness in the society about road safety, reduce life threats caused by road accidents and to train, update and educate drivers to be more cautious," he said. WIAA President Viveck Goenka said an interesting feature of the rally is that every single person involved in it will be a woman, be it the organisers, marshals and officials.

"We are trying to have policewomen for the event as well. The participants will not be allowed (to seek help from) husbands/boyfriends/male children/brothers," Goenka said. The rally is presented by JK Tyres in association with Aamby Valley city and Omkar 1973.
British Prime Minister Theresa May

London, Mar 25 (PTI) British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing intense pressure from within her own Cabinet on Sunday to step down over her handling of the Brexit process.

According to numerous UK media reports, disgruntled ministers and MPs are plotting to give her an ultimatum to resign as the price for backing her controversial withdrawal agreement in a third Parliament vote next week, a move which could even see her forced out to make way for a caretaker Prime Minister in the form of her deputy David Lidington.

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Downing Street has dismissed reports of any such plot, with Lidington, Britain's Minister for the Cabinet Office, stressing he is "100 per cent behind the Prime Minister". "This is not about the Prime Minister changing Prime Ministers wouldn't help, changing the party of government wouldn't help," said UK Chancellor Philip Hammond, calling on MPs to unite behind May.

Asked about calls for a second referendum after nearly a million people marched through the streets of London on Saturday to demand a so-called People's Vote , he agreed that another referendum over Britain's membership of the European Union (EU) should be considered. "It is a coherent proposition and deserves to be considered, along with the other proposals," the senior Cabinet minister said.

The latest leadership row within the Conservative Party comes ahead of a week where May is expected to lose further control over the Brexit process as a cross-party group of MPs press for alternatives to her divorce deal to be debated in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

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May had secured a short delay to the March 29 Brexit deadline from the EU, with the requirement to come up with a credible plan for Britain's exit from the 28-member economic bloc by April 12 or crash out without any deal in place. If May's deal is voted through by MPs in a third Commons vote by next week, the EU has agreed to extend the Brexit deadline further until May 22 to finalise the exit strategy.

If not, Britain would be heading for a chaotic no-deal Brexit on April 12.The British PM spent the weekend at her countryside retreat at Chequers trying to finalise her next steps ahead of an expected Cabinet meeting on Monday, when ministers may threaten resignations over her Brexit strategy.

There is a growing expectation among MPs that Downing Street will try to delay holding the next meaningful vote on her twice-defeated withdrawal agreement over the controversial Irish backstop clause because of concerns that May would have to resign if she lost it for a third time. The vote had been expected early next week if House of Commons Speaker John Bercow allows the motion to be tabled without any substantial changes.


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President Trump has given success a bad name.

That is, the presidents much-boasted-about wealth has soured many Americans taste for even the Horatio Alger bootstrapping stories. These days, as income inequality has become a leitmotif of Democratic politics, being rich is a liability.

So, whos too rich for democracy these days? Billionaires, obviously. Millionaires are such dimes-a-dozen, they hardly count anymore. Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who has proposed increasing marginal tax rates on the very rich to as high as 70 percent, set the baseline at $10 million.

Decamillionaires, beware.

This caveat might even extend to former vice president Joe Biden, whose 2017 purchase of a $2.7 million beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Del., is inspiring fresh speculation about his middle-class bona fides. Middle-Class Joe rakes in millions, read a recent Politico headline.

Of course, calling Bidens everyday-Joe-ness into question is ridiculous. Despite his yachtsmans appearance, he has forever been the workingmans champion. But, apparently, you cant have grown up in a middle-class family only to distinguish yourself as an adult and monetize your success. Isnt that the point of being an American (she jested)?

The fact that Biden now earns $100,000 per speech and landed a handsome, multimillion-dollar book deal hardly negates his lifetime in the Senate and the White House advocating causes that benefited minorities, women and working-class Americans. Besides, this ones for you Jeopardy players, hes from  Scranton! Yes, he is.

As Biden accidentally said recently, he has the most progressive record of anybody running, except that he isnt running  yet. Ol Joe and his tongue have been wrangling for decades, which is why we love him. Hes the guy who cant tell a lie  or keep his own secrets.

Another wealthy possible candidate, former Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz, recently has been the focus of skepticism  and not just because he proposes running as a centrist independent. Schultz, on a book tour the past couple of months, has spoken of his childhood growing up in a Brooklyn housing project and his familys dire circumstances.

In his book From the Ground Up, he describes a noisy, smoke-and-alcohol-infused household often filled with poker players who kept him up late and his family afloat during destitute times.

The Post tracked down other contemporaries of Schultzs who grew up in the same housing project to report that it was actually a very nice, state-of-the-art complex. This may be so, but Schultzs experience cant be disproved or discredited. When your parents cant make the $96 monthly rent, youre not living in paradise.

By the strange political calculus of the income equalizers, Schultz was first too rich and then not poor enough. It would seem there is no satisfying the left until everyone is equally miserable.

Even former congressman Beto ORourke (D-Tex.) ran into a bit of trouble when he was revealed to be a prep school alumnus with a near-billionaire father-in-law. Uh-oh. Can an upper-middle-class guy relate to the poor and lower-class Americans?

Of course he can. As can Schultz and Biden, and other wealthy people, many of whom share their good fortune through philanthropy, without which millions of the worlds most impoverished would suffer or die.

One problem with this wealth-as-liability perspective is that we risk losing the considerable contributions of the uber-successful. What would this crowd say today to Democrats John F. Kennedy or Franklin D. Roosevelt, both of whom enjoyed inherited wealth? You dont have to be poor to want to improve opportunities for the less fortunate.

Nor do you always need a government program to create those opportunities. As the head of Starbucks, Schultz accomplished through free enterprise what some Democrats want to do through government  for free.

He made sure workers, including part-time staffers, had health insurance; he paid college tuition for those who wanted to go; and he made it possible for every employee to be a shareholder in the company.

Once upon a time, Americans celebrated others success and aspired through grit and sacrifice to improve their own circumstances. No more, apparently. The way some Democrats have reacted to candidates running-for-office-while-being-rich merely illustrates the poverty of their ideas.

The anti-wealth sentiment currently in vogue isnt, of course, a rational response to challenges. Its an emotional reaction to politicians barnstorming about inequality that, they say, can be resolved only by punishing the wealthy and subsidizing the rest. If you hear enough times that you deserve to have more, you begin to believe it. Inevitably, this means that others must have less.

Thusly, my friends, is socialism born.

Kathleen Parkers email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com.
Giant planets like Uranus and Neptune may contain much less free hydrogen than previously assumed. Researchers from the German Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) drove shock waves through two different types of plastic to reach the same temperatures and pressures present inside such planets, and observed the behavior using ultra-strong X-ray laser pulses. Unexpectedly, one of these plastics kept its crystalline structure even at the most extreme pressures reached. Since the icy giant interiors are made up of the same components as the plastic, planetary models may need to be partially reconsidered, as reported in the journal Scientific Reports.

Carbon and hydrogen are among the most abundant elements in the universe, and are a major constituent of icy giant planets such as Uranus and Neptune. In the outer atmosphere, these atoms are found in the form of methane gas, but deeper inside the high pressure can lead to more complex hydrocarbon structures. Predicting the phases and structures that material takes at these conditions is one of the big questions of planetary research.

In order to better understand the structure of the ice giants, an international team led by the two HZDR researchers Dr. Nicholas Hartley and Dr. Dominik Kraus investigated two types of plastic in a laboratory experiment: polystyrene and polyethylene. These materials are similar in chemistry to the hydrocarbon inside the planets. At the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in the US, the scientists exposed the samples to conditions predicted to be present around ten thousand kilometers below the surface of Neptune and Uranus. At this depth, the pressure is almost as high as in the core of the earth and two million times higher than the atmospheric pressure on the earth's surface.

Reaching extremely high pressures

At such high pressures and temperatures, the only possible structure that the researchers expected was diamond, or that the samples would be melted. Instead, they observed stable hydrocarbon structures up to the highest pressures reached, but only for the polyethylene samples. "We were very surprised by this result," says Hartley. "We did not expect the different initial state to make such a big difference at such extreme conditions. It's only recently, with the development of brighter X-ray sources, that we're able to study these materials. We were the first to think that it might be possible -- and it was."

Since the extreme conditions inside the ice giants on Earth can only be reached for a brief moment, the researchers need lightning-fast measurement methods. There are only a handful of ultrafast X-ray laser facilities worldwide, and time for measurements is rare and highly demanded. Kraus and Hartley were awarded a total of three twelve hour shifts for their experiments, and so had to use every minute to carry out as many measurement runs as possible. The actual moment where they shock the sample and probe with the X-ray laser takes only a few billionths of a second.

An unexpected structure appears

Even during the experiments, the researchers were able to recognize initial results: "We were very excited because, as hoped, polystyrene formed diamond-like structures of carbon. For polyethylene, however, we saw no diamonds for the conditions reached in this experiment. Instead, there was a new structure that we could not explain at first," Hartley recalls. By comparing the data with previous results at lower pressures, they identified it as a stable structure of polyethylene, which had been seen at five times lower pressure, and only at ambient temperatures.

The discovery of the research team demonstrates how important it is to better characterize the temperature and pressure conditions inside the ice giants, and the chemistry that these lead to, in order to understand their structure and physical properties. Models of Uranus and Neptune assume that the unusual magnetic fields of these planets may originate from free hydrogen, which these results could imply is less common than expected. In the future, the researchers want to use mixtures including oxygen, in order for their experiments to better match the chemistry inside the planets.

The researchers from HZDR were joined by scientists from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, the Osaka University, the TU Dresden, the TU Darmstadt, the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the University of California in Berkeley, the University of Warwick, the European XFEL, LULI at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and the University Rostock.
A new study has revealed how clouds are modifying the warming created by human-caused climate change in some parts of the world.

Led by Swansea University's Tree Ring Research Group, researchers from Sweden, Finland and Norway analysed information contained in the rings of ancient pine trees from northern Scandinavia to reveal how clouds have reduced the impact of natural phases of warmth in the past and are doing so again now to moderate the warming caused by anthropogenic climate change.

Even though northern Scandinavia should be strongly affected by global warming, the area has experienced little summer warming over recent decades -- in stark contrast to the hemispheric trend of warming temperatures, which is strongly linked to rising greenhouse gas emissions. According to the study, temperature changes have been accompanied by an increase in cloudiness over northern Scandinavia, which in turn has reduced the impact of warming.

Mary Gagen, Professor of Geography at Swansea University, said: "The surface warming caused by rising greenhouse gases is modified by many complicated feedbacks -- one thing changing in response to another -- meaning that there are large geographical variations in the temperature of a particular place at a particular time, as the global average temperature rises. One of the most important, and most poorly understood, climate feedbacks is the relationship between temperature and clouds. We might think that, simply, when it is cool it is cloudy, and when it is warm it is sunny, but that is not always the case."

The research team analysed tree ring records to find out what summer temperatures were like in the past, and how cloudy it was. Using their collected data, the team produced a new reconstruction of summer cloud cover for northern Scandinavia and compared it to existing temperature reconstructions to establish the relationship between temperature and cloud cover.

Professor Mary Gagen said: "Most people know that the width of a tree ring can tell us what the temperature was like in the summer that ring grew, but we can also measure other things in tree rings such as the isotopes of carbon and water that the wood is made from. Isotopes are just different types of an element, the amount of the different isotopes of carbon in the wood tells us how cloudy it was in the summer the tree ring grew. By combining the tree ring width and tree ring carbon measurements we built a record of both past summer temperatures and past summer cloud cover. Summer temperatures in Scandinavia have increased by less than the global average in recent decades because it also got cloudier at the same time, and that modified and reduced the warming. That turns out to also be the case back through time."

Author Professor Danny McCarroll explained: "We found that over short timescales, increased cloud cover lead to cooler temperatures and vice versa in the past. However, over longer timescales -decades to centuries-we found that in warmer times, such as the medieval, there was increased cloud cover in this part of the world, which reduced local temperatures. The opposite being true in cool periods, such as the Little Ice Age.

"These finding are important as they help to explain the feedback relationship between cloud cover and temperature, which is one of the major uncertainties in modelling future climate. Understanding the past relationship between temperature and cloud cover in this part of the world means we can now predict that, as the global temperature continues to rise, that warming will be moderated in northern Scandinavia by increasing cloud cover. The next step is to find out whether the same is true for other parts of the world."

Professor Mary Gagen added: "One of the main sources of uncertainty about future climate change is the way that clouds are going to respond to warming, cloud cover has a really big influence on temperature at the surface of the Earth.

"Clouds are going to be critical in modify warming of the climate. In some places, like Scandinavia, it turns out that the summer climate gets cloudier as the planet warms, in other places though it is likely that warming will be enhanced by a reduction in cloudiness which will make the surface of the Earth even warmer. What is really worrying is that climate models have shown that, if greenhouse gas emissions are allowed to continue until there is double or even triple the pre industrial amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, then some of the most important clouds for cooling our planet, the big banks of oceanic clouds that reflect a lot of sunlight back to space, could stop forming altogether and this would really accelerate warming."
Scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) have discovered that 558 million-year-old Dickinsonia fossils do not reveal all of the features of the earliest known animals, which potentially had mouths and guts.

ANU PhD scholar Ilya Bobrovskiy, lead author of the study, said the study shows that simple physical properties of sediments can explain Dickinsonia's preservation, and implies that what can be seen today may not be what these creatures actually looked like.

"These soft-bodied creatures that lived 558 million years ago on the seafloor could, in principle, have had mouths and guts -- organs that many palaeontologists argue emerged during the Cambrian period tens of millions of years later," said Mr Bobrovskiy from the ANU Research School of Earth Sciences.

"Our discovery about Dickinsonia -- and many other Ediacaran fossils -- opens up new possibilities as to what they actually looked like."

Ediacara biota were strange creatures that lived on the seafloor 571 to 541 million years ago. They grew up to two metres long and include the earliest known animals as well as colonies of bacteria.

The fact that Dickinsonia and other Ediacara biota fossils were preserved at all in the geological record has been a big mystery -- until now.

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The team, which includes scientists from Russian institutions, discovered how Ediacara biota fossils were preserved, despite the macroorganisms not having skeletons or shells.

"As the organisms decayed, softer sediment from below gradually flowed into the forming void, creating a cast," Mr Bobrovskiy said.

"Now we know that what we are looking at is an impression of a soft organic skeleton that may have been anywhere within Dickinsonia's body. What we're seeing could be a part of Dickinsonia's bottom, the inside of its body or part of its back."

Mr Bobrovskiy said Dickinsonia had different types of tissues and must have been a true animal, a Eumetazoa, the lineages eventually leading to humans.

Co-researcher and RSES colleague Associate Professor Jochen Brocks said the team used a melting cast of a Death Star made of ice to show the physical properties of sediments that enabled the soft-bodied Ediacara biota to be preserved.

"This process of fossilisation could tell us more about what Ediacara biota were and how they lived," he said.

"These fossils comprise our best window into earliest animal evolution and are the key to understanding our own deep origins."
Physicists in the United States, Austria and Brazil have shown that shaking ultracold Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) can cause them to either divide into uniform segments or shatter into unpredictable splinters, depending on the frequency of the shaking.

"It's remarkable that the same quantum system can give rise to such different phenomena," said Rice University physicist Randy Hulet, co-author of a study about the work published online today in the journal Physical Review X. Hulet's lab conducted the study's experiments using lithium BECs, tiny clouds of ultracold atoms that march in lockstep as if they are a single entity, or matter wave. "The relationship between these states can teach us a great deal about complex quantum many-body phenomena."

The research was conducted in collaboration with physicists at Austria's Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and Brazil's University of Sao Paulo at Sao Carlos.

The experiments harken to Michael Faraday's 1831 discovery that patterns of ripples were created on the surface of a fluid in a bucket that was shaken vertically at certain critical frequencies. The patterns, known as Faraday waves, are similar to resonant modes created on drumheads and vibrating plates.

To investigate Faraday waves, the team confined BECs to a linear one-dimensional waveguide, resulting in a cigar-shaped BEC. The researchers then shook the BECs using a weak, slowly oscillating magnetic field to modulate the strength of interactions between atoms in the 1D waveguide. The Faraday pattern emerged when the frequency of modulation was tuned near a collective mode resonance.

But the team also noticed something unexpected: When the modulation was strong and the frequency was far below a Faraday resonance, the BEC broke into "grains" of varying size. Rice research scientist Jason Nguyen, lead co-author of the study, found the grain sizes were broadly distributed and persisted for times even longer than the modulation time.

"Granulation is usually a random process that is observed in solids such as breaking glass, or the pulverizing of a stone into grains of different sizes," said study co-author Axel Lode, who holds joint appointments at both TU Wien and the Wolfgang Pauli Institute at the University of Vienna.

Images of the quantum state of the BEC were identical in each Faraday wave experiment. But in the granulation experiments the pictures looked completely different each time, even though the experiments were performed under identical conditions.

Lode said the variation in the granulation experiments arose from quantum correlations -- complicated relationships between quantum particles that are difficult to describe mathematically.

"A theoretical description of the observations proved challenging because standard approaches were unable to reproduce the observations, particularly the broad distribution of grain sizes," Lode said. His team helped interpret the experimental results using a sophisticated theoretical method, and its implementation in software, which accounted for quantum fluctuations and correlations that typical theories do not address.

Hulet, Rice's Fayez Sarofim Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and a member of the Rice Center for Quantum Materials (RCQM), said the results have important implications for investigations of turbulence in quantum fluids, an unsolved problem in physics.
Anti-vaxxers have long used GoFundMe to raise money to spread their dangerous message-but now the site is cutting them off, The Daily Beast has learned.

"Campaigns raising money to promote misinformation about vaccines violate GoFundMe's terms of service and will be removed from the platform," spokesman Bobby Whithorne told The Daily Beast.

"We are conducting a thorough review and will remove any campaigns currently on the platform."

It's the latest crackdown on fact-challenged activists who believe the medical establishment, the government, and the pharmaceutical industry are engaged in a conspiracy to hurt American children.

The U.S. anti-vax movement has been blamed for two outbreaks of measles that have infected some 300 people-mostly children-in New York and the Pacific Northwest.

Last week, the American Medical Association warned social-media giants, including Amazon, Facebook, Google, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube, that they were helping to amplify the propaganda and confuse parents.

But as The Daily Beast has previously reported, anti-vaxxers have also used sites like GoFundMe to underwrite their messaging campaigns.

Whithorne said such fundraisers were "extremely rare" and that the site had removed fewer than 10 campaigns so far.

The Daily Beast found fundraisers benefiting or promoted by anti-vaccination or "vaccine choice" groups brought in at least $170,000 in the last four years. They include:

Prominent anti-vax activist Larry Cook , who spent more money than anyone else boosting his message on Facebook and collected $79,900 on various GoFundMe campaigns.

, who spent more money than anyone else boosting his message and collected $79,900 on various GoFundMe campaigns. A vaccine-exemption attorney's legal defense fund, which raised $25,220, that was promoted by Health Freedom Idaho and Sarasota for Vaccine Choice.

Three campaigns promoted by A Voice for Choice's Facebook page that raised $39,801.

Melissa Sullivan, executive vice president at Health Choice Connecticut, which raised $2,650 under its previous name, Vaccine Choice CT, said GoFundMe's eviction was a "violation of the First Amendment" and suggested, without any supporting evidence, that the platform was "feeling pressure from Big Pharma."

"Whether you believe it's true or not, everyone is entitled to their opinion," Sullivan said. "I would hope they would reconsider. This movement needs to be able to get funds in order to fight pharma giants like Merck and other vaccine manufacturers."

The fundraising campaigns of Cook, who funded Facebook ads targeting women of child-bearing age in Washington state during the latest measles outbreak, appear to have been taken down earlier this week.

Earlier this week, it banned campaigns that raise money to cover treatment by a controversial German cancer clinic that offers unproven "high-dose vitamin infusions" and "ozone therapy" treatments. GoFundMe told the Financial Times it would be "speaking to organizations and experts" in the U.S. and the U.K. to fight medical misinformation.

"We know we have a major role to play in big issues like this, and as we continue to grow... our policies will continue to evolve to make sure we are best serving people," a spokesman told the newspaper.
Maryland-based environmental activists, energy companies, and Democratic legislators have been pushing for a bill that would increase the state's renewable energy standards to 50 percent by 2030. That standard would rise to 100 percent by 2040, and supporters believe it would add a significant number of jobs within the renewable energy sector.

In 2017, the Clean Energy Jobs Act committed Maryland to a 25 percent renewable energy target. So far, Republican Governor Larry Hogan has not endorsed the act, although he has spoken generally about the importance of taking action to fight climate change. A representative for US Wind, one of the companies planning a project near Ocean City, testified to Maryland lawmakers that, if passed, the bills could create 5,000 to 7,000 wind energy jobs. To satisfy local stakeholders, US Wind has said it will place wind turbines 17 miles away from the Maryland shoreline.

"With only 358 megawatts currently available for development here in our state and no further incentive to develop more, Maryland risks ceding its leadership position as other states along the eastern seaboard move aggressively to increase the proportion that offshore wind energy accounts for in their own state renewable energy goals."

In addition to constructing and operating wind farms, simply producing wind turbines requires considerable labor. In order to limit turbine erosion, researchers and manufacturers are searching for innovative new approaches to focus on improved efficiencies. Since particles as small as salt can attach themselves to turbine blades and attract other particles like dirt, they can actually decrease a turbine's power output by as much as 15 percent. Currently, industrial protective coatings can be used to protect equipment from rust and erosion. Environmentally friendly powder coatings now make up 15 percent of the global protective coatings market, in part because of the demand for environmentally friendly solutions. To withstand the corrosive open ocean environment, marine equipment also relies on metals such as Marine Grade Stainless Steel. This is a type of alloy that contains the element molybdenum, which helps prevent pitting and corrosion on a higher level.

Some of the world's largest wind farms rely on load cell sensors to keep their turbines operate at optimal performance by increasing reliability and reducing downtime. These load cells can measure vibration, bolt tightness, torque, strain, noise, and so many more aspects of turbine performance. "Increasing the performance of wind turbines and blades is crucial for the transition to a cleaner energy system," added Rich Barnes, Executive Vice President at DNV GL. "Erosion of blades is affecting the global wind industry."

Maryland has big plans for their future with renewable energy and they seem to be taking the right steps in that direction.
Theres a new librarian in charge.

Mayor London Breed announced Monday that she appointed Michael Lambert to head the San Francisco Public Library. Lambert, who has served as the acting librarian since former City Librarian Luis Herrera retired last year, will be the first Asian American to lead the citys library.

Lambert previously served as the deputy city librarian. During his tenure, he has championed equitable access to the library with expanded hours and a fine-free library system.

During the past year, Michael Lambert has exemplified the qualities that San Francisco seeks in its library leader: a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in library programs; strong fiscal oversight of the system and a dynamic vision for library service innovations, Library Commission President Dr. Mary Wardell Ghirarduzzi said in a statement.

Lamberts career began in South Carolina at the Richland Library. He also previously managed library operations at San Mateo County Libraries and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina.

San Francisco has the premier urban library in the country, and I am humbled to be standing on the shoulders of giants as the next city librarian, Lambert said in a statement.

 Trisha Thadani

A staggering 80 percent of the 18,000 bookings into San Francisco county jail last year involved people (some double-booked) with a history of drug or alcohol abuse, and Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, has introduced a bill to help those people shake those problems.

California law prohibits using state money in local jails to give addicted prisoners methadone or other medications to help them fight substance abuse  thats what Chius Assembly Bill 1557 sets out to change. It would create a three-year pilot program allowing cities and counties to use state funding to supply these treatments. It would also require them to report the results to the state to assess how things work out.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

The city spends more than $50,000 of its own general fund money to give medication addiction treatments to more than 850 prisoners every year, but if state money flows in to help, it could greatly expand the program, health officials say. Mayor London Breed enthusiastically supports the idea for not just the effect it could have in jail, but outside as well.

To help those suffering from addiction, we have to meet them where they are with proven, effective treatments, whether that means doing outreach on our streets or in our jails, Breed said by email. If we can get people help while they are incarcerated, we can reduce the number of people in our community struggling with substance use disorder.

The San Francisco Health Commission last week passed a resolution calling incarceration a public health issue and urged initiatives like Chius.

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.

Helping people kick dope and booze while theyre forced to pay attention behind bars is a no-brainer, the assemblyman said.

We have thousands of individuals caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, addiction and incarceration, Chiu said. We need to end this cycle. We cant expect incarcerated people to do this on their own. They need the help.

 Kevin Fagan

Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com, kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider @trishathadani @kevinChron
Yesica Prados graduation stole hangs in her living room like a piece of art.

She graduated from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism in May and now works as a freelance photographer and writer, reporting on homelessness.

Its a subject she knows a lot about. She lives in an RV.

Prado left the door of her RV open as she showed me around the West Berkeley neighborhood where she currently lives at Eighth and Harrison streets. She keeps a community box of free clothes, books and food outside her home.

Her dog, Kodak, a black German shepherd she found emaciated in West Oakland in December, panted beside us. Prado, 27, pointed at the RV homes of her neighbors. One, with a red door and bikes leaning against the RV, belongs to a couple with two young children. The childrens grandmother comes to stay every weekend, Prado told me as she picked up a piece of trash on the sidewalk.

Soon, all of them will have to find a new place to live. I saw more than 10 RVs and vans parked in the area when I met Prado one morning almost two weeks ago. Some nights, there can be more than two dozen.

The city of Berkeley wants to drive them out of town. On Feb. 28, the Berkeley City Council voted to ban RV parking on city streets from 2 to 5 a.m. A second reading of the ordinance is set for Tuesday. The council is also considering a permit process that would allow RVs to park in the city for two weeks a year.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Prado and other RV dwellers have already been kicked out of the Berkeley Marina and the lot of Hs Lordships, a former restaurant on Seawall Drive. Prados worried shell eventually have nowhere to go if Bay Area cities dont provide space for mobile homes to park. There are RV parks throughout the Bay Area, but some charge as much as it costs to spend the night in a hotel. Many people who live in RVs cant afford to pay the parking rates.

We shouldnt be (on the streets), because I think theres families in my community that deserve safe parking spots so their children can go to school, said Prado, who also works part time at Samys Camera in San Francisco.

The parking ban is only for oversize vehicles. Cars and vans will be able to park overnight under the citys current law that allows vehicles to be parked in one spot for 72 hours. There isnt an official count of how many people sleep in vehicles in Berkeley, but its clear West Berkeley has become an area where RV owners know they can camp.

West Berkeley has become a magnet so we need to send a signal, particularly to those people who are traveling through or doing it as a lifestyle choice, that that cant continue, said Rashi Kesarwani, the councilwoman who represents part of West Berkeley.

Kesarwani told me shes received emails and calls from residents and business owners in the area about health and safety concerns posed by RVers. Theres been a range of complaints, she said, from improper disposal of human waste into storm drains or onto sidewalks to people using yard hoses.

It continues to be an overwhelming situation for the long-term neighbors and businesses, said Kesarwani, who voted in favor of the ordinance.

Where are the RVers, especially ones with children in school, supposed to go?

We cant just expect that they will disappear, said Cheryl Davila, a councilwoman who voted against the ordinance.

Davila said at Tuesdays council meeting that an alternative will be presented to prevent the RV parking ban from taking effect until the city has provided someplace for them to go.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Prado moved into an RV because she couldnt afford renting an apartment. When she started at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2016, she went to class during the day and worked overnight at Whole Foods to pay rent. She had a scholarship, but she didnt qualify for financial aid because she was in the country with a U-1 visa, a special visa reserved for crime victims who cooperate during investigations or criminal prosecutions. Born in Mexico, her parents brought her to the country in 2002 when she was 9. She was granted a green card  permanent residency  in November 2016.

Prado lived in her car for four months in early 2017 before moving into an artist studio. She got kicked out and bought the RV using financial aid money, which she is paying back. With repairs and registration, the cost came to $10,000.

Prados RV is where she and her boyfriend, Christian Torres, cook and hang out. They met when parked next to each other at the Berkeley Marina. Now they sleep in his van.

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.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Its nice to have another room, Prado said.

She believes Berkeley passed the ban to force RV owners to move to another city.

Its frustrating, because we try so much to work with the city, said Prado, who is part of the activist group Berkeley Friends on Wheels. Its not like they dont know what we need and what we want.

Theyre looking for a space to park.

Right now, people are just trying to scout areas, Prado said. Some people are thinking about just going to Emeryville.

The Bay Areas housing crises rolls on.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
Just after midnight on Feb. 22, 1901, the passenger steamship City of Rio de Janeiro was anchored in a heavy fog outside the Golden Gate. Sailing into the bay with zero visibility was a perilous undertaking, so the captain was waiting for the fog to lift.

The 345-foot ship had left Hong Kong more than a month before and was already three days behind schedule because of mechanical problems along the way. Now, just four miles from home, it was being delayed yet again.

The steamers captain, William Ward, had told a passenger earlier that evening, The Rio had better be late than on the rocks. If we attempt to enter the harbor in this fog, we will be sure to go onto the rocks.

But Ward was under pressure to get his ship into port. The City of Rio de Janeiro was carrying an important passenger: Rounseville Wildman, the U.S. consul general in Hong Kong, traveling with his wife, Letitia, and their two young children. The night before, during dinner at the captains table, Wildman and his wife had both complained that the delay had already inconvenienced them.

The man actually in charge of guiding the ship into the harbor was pilot Frederick Jordan, who had come aboard the afternoon before. Jordan had 12 years of experience without a mishap. But as Robert B. Belyk notes in Great Shipwrecks of the Pacific Coast, Jordan and his fellow San Francisco pilots were inclined to underestimate the dangers of their job. The thought of a warm meal at home and the comfort of their own bed was a strong inducement to risk the fog.

At 4 a.m., the fog lifted slightly. Jordan gave orders to heave anchors. But the fog thickened again, and Jordan reversed his orders. He then left the bridge, probably to confer with Ward, who was in bed. When he returned, he ordered the anchors raised and the engines started. The captain appeared a few minutes later in his nightclothes.

At this moment, either Ward or Jordan could have taken a crucial precaution: They could have ordered depth soundings, which would have informed them if the ship was entering dangerously shallow waters. But taking soundings was time consuming and would have further delayed the voyage. Neither man ordered soundings taken.

The ship moved forward at half-speed on a 6-knot ebb tide, into the enveloping mist and toward the jagged rocks off Fort Point.

At 5:30 a.m., lookout Frederick Lindstrom suddenly saw a white-and-red light looming directly ahead. I felt my heart stand still, he recalled. I knew what was coming.

Moments later, the City of Rio de Janeiro smashed into the reef. The impact ripped a huge gash in its bottom, and seawater poured in. The ship had only two watertight bulkheads, so the below-decks stern section rapidly filled with water.

Yet the vessel remained upright, balanced precariously on the ledge it had struck. There was little panic among the 210 passengers and crew. In fact, many did not think they were in any danger at all.

The crew was ordered to launch the lifeboats. But in contrast to the officers, nearly the entire 84-member crew was Chinese. Few spoke English, and the process was chaotic  only three of the 11 lifeboats ended up being lowered into the water.

Three minutes after the ship ran aground, the electrical lights below the deck went out. For the steerage passengers, many of whom were Chinese, this created additional confusion. Some never made it to the deck.

After about 20 minutes, Consul Wildman was in a lifeboat, waiting for his wife, who was descending a rope ladder. Pilot Jordan was behind her, holding the couples 9-year-old son. The Wildmans 2-year-old daughter was on the deck, waiting to descend.

Suddenly the ship gave a violent lurch, slipped off the shelf of rock, slid into the deep water and keeled over. That moment spelled doom for more than half the passengers and crew.

San Francisco Maritime

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

When the ship pitched, Letitia Wildman and her son were hurled off the rope ladder to their deaths. An instant later, the ships rear mast crashed through the lifeboat where Wildman had been waiting for his family, ripping it in half. The impact was so great, observers thought the boat had exploded.

Those aboard the lifeboat who were not killed outright were thrown into the icy water. I think I shall always hear the shouts of those drowning people in my ears, a survivor recalled.

Trivia time The previous trivia question: What San Francisco street runs the longest distance without being intersected? Answer: Either the Upper Great Highway - an expressway that is uninterrupted for almost 2 miles, but some don't count as a street - or States Street below Corona Heights, which is uninterrupted for almost half a mile. This week's trivia question: Who was the "Walking Peanut"? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday, alternating with Peter Hartlaub's OurSF. See More Collapse

Within moments, the City of Rio de Janeiro was gone. Gone as well were 128 souls, including the entire Wildman family, 37 of the 46 steerage passengers and Capt. Ward. It was the deadliest shipwreck ever to take place in or near San Francisco Bay.

Most of the 82 survivors, including pilot Jordan, were rescued by Italian fishermen from North Beach, who were the first to arrive on the scene.

Courts later found that both Ward and Jordan had been grossly negligent in trying to enter the Golden Gate in the fog.

Although the ship sank near shore, all efforts to find it failed. The fate of the wreck of the City of Rio de Janeiro remained one of the Bay Areas great maritime mysteries until 2014, when a submersible discovered the ship half a mile offshore in 287 feet of water. After 113 years, the last chapter of the worst maritime disaster ever to take place in San Francisco waters had finally been closed.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
Pittsburg School District

An East Bay principal and father of eight, whom authorities say was shot by his wife this month, died Sunday, Pittsburg police said.

Paul Shatswell, 45, had been on life support and had slipped into a coma after he was shot in the small hours of March 16 at his home on Barrie Drive in Pittsburg, according to police. Shatswell was the principal of the Pittsburg Adult Education Center.
Seven years after investigators came upon a bloody scene that left a 29-year-old man dead in Castro Valley, one of Alameda Countys most wanted fugitives was taken into custody in Utah after allegedly making a fraudulent purchase for all of $3.

Homicide suspect Cody Tripp , a 33-year-old former Castro Valley resident, was booked Wednesday into Weber County Jail in Ogden, Utah. Tripp is accused of killing Jordan Vigil in 2012 and leaving the body in his garage before going on the run.

Detectives said they found the bloody scene at Tripps home after an anonymous tip that someone had been done some harm, as well as reports of parties and excessive noise at the house. Vigils cause of death was not disclosed.

My son was a very intelligent young man, Marilyn Vigil, the victims mother, said at the time of the homicide. He made some wrong choices in his life, but he always had a gentle spirit. He was never angry or mean or violent to anybody.

Investigators originally believed Tripp fled the country, said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office. An Ogden newspaper reported that one of the citys police detectives arrested Tripp last week after following up on a fraudulent credit card charge.

Tripp allegedly posed as a worker with a fake immigration card and worked at a furniture moving company, according to a report from the Standard-Examiner . While moving furniture one day, investigators said, he stole a homeowners credit card and used it for a $3.08 purchase at an Ogden store.

A fraud detective asked for the workers documents, found Tripps fake immigration card and traced him back to a Salt Lake City apartment.

Alameda County investigators have flown to Utah to further investigate the case, Kelly said.

At the time of the killing, Tripp was on probation for having a sawed-off shotgun. He also has convictions for drug possession and driving under the influence, according to Alameda County court records. A no-bail warrant was issued for his arrest in 2012.

We dont care if it takes seven years, seven days or seven decades, Kelly said. Were going to always pursue cases and work them until we get justice for families, especially family members of murder victims.

Tripp will be extradited to Alameda County to face charges.

Ogden police did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

Accused Uber rapist pleads not guilty

A San Jose man accused of posing as an Uber driver and raping a woman pleaded not guilty in a San Mateo County courtroom Thursday.

Brandon Rio Sherman, 41, allegedly picked up a woman who hailed a ride Aug. 14 in San Mateo and then drove her to a secluded area near the 1400 block of Fashion Island Boulevard to sexually assault her.

The woman escaped and called 911, setting off a two-month search before Sherman was arrested during a traffic stop, police said. A search warrant was served at his home, where officers allegedly found evidence linking him to the crime.

Uber said Sherman previously drove for the service but lost access before the assault. A Lyft spokeswoman confirmed he had been a driver with that company, too, but his account was deactivated after the rape allegation.

Sherman faces charges including kidnapping with the intent of sexual assault and rape, and assault likely to inflict great bodily injury. He is being held at the Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City on $1.3 million bail.

A jury trial is set for Aug. 12.

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.

San Mateo County prosecutors also recently accused a Lyft driver of sexually assaulting a Daly City woman in January. Joel Altairan Sarras, a 29-year-old resident of Ceres (Stanislaus County), allegedly locked the cars doors, pulled down his pants, grabbed the woman by the hair and pushed her head toward his groin, according to the district attorneys office. Sarras faces one count of felony sexual assault.

Biggest crime news of the past week

 A sweeping investigation by The Chronicle on plummeting rates of violent crime among youths in California found that juvenile halls are emptying out but counties havent reduced their spending. As a result, the cost to incarcerate each young offender has shot up dramatically over the last 20 years.

 In response to that investigation, three San Francisco supervisors called for the citys juvenile hall to be shuttered and Mayor London Breed created a blue-ribbon panel.

 An autopsy found that longtime San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi died of an accident brought on by cocaine and alcohol use that exacerbated a bad heart condition.

 A drug-addicted homeless man was stabbed to death in a violent daytime attack at San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf.

 San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer avoided criminal charges after knocking over his wife in a public dispute over his phone.
Two men were arrested Sunday for their alleged involvement in a deadly weekend shooting outside San Franciscos Fillmore Heritage Center, police said Monday.

Officers responded to a shooting around 8:40 p.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of Fillmore Street and came upon the body of Mister Dee Carnell Simmons III, a 25-year-old San Leandro man. Five other people were injured in the shooting.
Chef B works around the clock, remembers everyones smoothie preferences and needs only about two minutes to blend a 12-ounce order of mango, kefir, agave and coconut water.

Chef B doesnt take lunch breaks. Or talk. For Chef B, as you may have guessed, is a robot.

The automation revolution is well under way in the food world, constantly pivoting around new ways to serve consumers without human interference. The Bay Area is a pioneer in this pursuit, its dining world shaped by robots that can now serve coffee, chop salads and make pizzas at pie shops.

Now comes Chef B, an automated kiosk capable of making more than three dozen 12-ounce smoothies in an hour. Fully autonomous, the kiosk has refrigeration systems, blenders, robotic arms and 20 temperature-controlled dispensers for its fresh produce and liquids.

Now Playing: Chef B works around the clock, remembers everyones smoothie preferences and only needs about two minutes to blend a 12-ounce order of mango, kefir, agave and coconut water.

Orders are placed via the Blendid app or on the on-site tablet. The first kiosk in the city officially opened Monday at Market Cafe on the campus of the University of San Francisco, meaning local college kids are the first people in the city to pay for a robot to do the laborious smoothie-making work of opening a refrigerator and turning on a blender.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle 2019

The Sunnyvale-based Blendid was founded in 2015. CEO Vipin Jain describes the origin of Chef B as a humble one: he and his team simply wanted to create a way for people to get healthy, customizable smoothies quickly. And bringing it to San Francisco just made sense.

San Francisco is a food and innovation hub, he said. Its a progressive city that adapts to positive change.

True enough. One of the citys more noteworthy coffee outfits is Cafe X, an automated business that features a robot barista. Chowbotics has a salad-making robot named Sally that, as recently as 2018, was securing investment from venture capitalists. The same can be said for Zume Pizza with its pie-making robots. The company Creator in San Francisco considers its burger-making Rube Goldberg machine a robot as well. Its debut was one of the most high-profile restaurant openings in San Francisco last year.

So, how does Blendid stand apart from the crowd? Affordability is one way. All of the 12-ounce blends cost $6. And though the machine costs around $70,000 to build, Blendid has a franchise business model, meaning it works with large operators like Bon Appetit Management Company, the same folks who run the USF dining establishments. As such, investment is low for franchisees and partners, meaning the prices remain low for consumers, according to Jain.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle 2019

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

Now Playing: Fully autonomous and open 24 hours a day, the kiosk has refrigeration systems, blenders, robotic arms and 20 temperature-controlled dispensers for its fresh produce and liquids.

The recipes which include options like Blueberry Cacao made with blueberries, bananas, apple juice, cacao and chia, as well as a Kale and Berry blend made with kale, raspberries, blueberries and coconut water  are created through joint collaborations between chefs and nutritionists. Still, theres space for customization in the orders. Less agave and more chia seeds? All it takes is a few swipes on the app and the blend is adjusted.

The ultimate goal, Jain said, is to apply technology to other types of cuisines. The thinking isnt unusual in the world of food and tech. Chowbotics has had similar plans since introducing Sally the robot to the world. The universal application of dining is based around the potential for replication.

In San Francisco, our goal is to bring more concepts to the market. I imagine a few years from now you walk into an airport or a company cafeteria and you should have four or five concepts that are side-by-side, Jain said. One is making you making you blends, another is making you some other form of cuisine. Thats what we would want.
Birthday, shmirthday, even if it is 100. Novelist Andrew Sean Greer, first-up reader at the City Lights bookstore event on Thursday, March 21, for Lawrence Ferlinghettis new novel, Little Boy, said, If I were a writer being honored, even on my 100th birthday, Id want someone to say something about my newest book.

Ferlinghetti himself wasnt at the group reading, but the crowd of book lovers was so big that people inside stood shoulder to shoulder on the balcony, folded themselves into knots strategically shaped to enable themselves to squeeze into spots on the floor, leaned into bookcases to support their aching backs, took voluntary turns sharing folding chairs, plastered themselves in the doorway openings and teetered in layers on the steps from the entrance to the stores main floor. (If that sentence seems too full, thats an intentional reflection of the feeling in the steamy and stuffed bookstore, and a reflection, too, of the prose in the largely punctuation-free novel.)

For anyone whos a fan of simple declarative language, though, the fact that the text was read aloud  by Greer, Armistead Maupin, Michael Krasny, Maxine Hong Kingston, Julien Poirier and Shobha Rao  saved the day. Each reader had chosen his or her own passage; each had considered the content and rehearsed enough that the rhythm of their voices served as punctuation.

The audience was rapt from the start, breaking out into enthusiastic applause when, in listing the literary and artistic accomplishments of Ferlinghetti, City Lights Peter Maravelis, who was emcee of the evening, mentioned his advocacy of freedom of speech. Poet Jack Hirschman was there, and Buddhism/meditation guru Scoop Nisker and ad man/cultural activist Jerry Mander and Heyday Books founder Malcolm Margolin, all of whom presided over the Bay Area philosophical/cultural banquet before tech bought itself a place at the head of the table. There was no VIP lounge.

Ferlinghetti himself is the little boy of the title; the books about his early years. As to this major birthday, listening to all the readers, there was plenty that seemed relevant.

Greer read from the first pages of the book: What do I need a God for anyway, wrote the author, when I get me me me, wholl never die?

And Rao read from the end: I adore you is what everyone wants to hear their entire life. This is what he heard.

Ferlinghetti must have heard that on Thursday, too. At the end of the evening, by the time a tape of him reading his own prose was played, the bookstore felt like a sauna.

It was a religious experience, said Nisker, as fans hoisted themselves from the floor, surged to the front counter and spilled outside in search of evening air.

 As to the woman speculating about whether she should have a career as a mortician or a music producer (quoted herein a few days ago), Joel Kuechle suggests that shed be choosing between stiffs and staffs.

 Responding to news of a tourist rush to the town of Lake Elsinore, where the state flower is in full bloom, Billy Philadelphia calls it a poppylypse.

 Honors in recognition of those faculty, staff and alumni who most supported and contributed to student in life the past year, were voted on by the UC Hastings student body and distributed last week at a Leadership Awards Ceremony. This years alumnus award went to Jeff Adachi, posthumously. His wife, Mutsuko Adachi, was on hand for the ceremony.

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.

 Following up: As to the mural at the bottom of the Laguna Honda hillside, Tom Ammiano notes that it includes an image of former Supervisor and gay icon Harry Britt, who lives at Laguna Honda nowadays. Britt is pictured with his dog, Blanche. And Kevin Leiby says traffic shouldnt be perilous on the day the murals unveiled, 4/20. The number of stoned folks on hand ... should bring traffic to a complete standstill.

Wavy Gravy was proud to confirm last week that he had signed on to emcee Woodstock 50, which will be in Watkins Glen, N.Y., on Aug. 16-18. Gravy says that he and co-founder Michael Lang are the only two people to have worked on the original festival and three subsequent remembrance events. To do the gig, hell take time out from Camp Winnarainbow, his circus and performing arts facility.

PUBLIC EAVESDROPPING

My desire is to go into the internet and live there. I mean, good luck living the real life.

Young man to young man, overheard on Muni in San Francisco by Carol Kroot

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, 415-777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik
WASHINGTON  The investigation led by Robert Mueller found no evidence that President Trump or any of his aides coordinated with the Russian governments 2016 election interference, according to a summary of the special counsels key findings made public Sunday by Attorney General William Barr.

Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating Moscows determined effort to sabotage the last presidential election, found no conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote in a letter to lawmakers.

Muellers team drew no conclusions about whether Trump illegally obstructed justice, Barr said, so he made his own decision. The attorney general and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, determined that the special counsels investigators had insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed that offense.

He cautioned, however, that Muellers report states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on the obstruction of justice issue.

Still, the release of the findings was a significant political victory for Trump and lifted a cloud that has hung over his presidency since before he took the oath of office. It is also likely to alter discussion in Congress about the fate of the Trump presidency; some Democrats had pledged to wait until the special counsel finished his work before deciding whether to initiate impeachment proceedings.

The president trumpeted the news almost immediately, even as he mischaracterized the special counsels findings. It was a complete and total exoneration, Trump told reporters in Florida before boarding Air Force One. Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your president has had to go through this.

He added, This was an illegal takedown that failed.

Barrs letter was the culmination of a tense two days since Mueller delivered his report to the Justice Department. Barr spent the weekend poring over the special counsels work, as Trump strategized with lawyers and political aides at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Barr delivered his letter describing the special counsels findings to Congress. But congressional Democrats have demanded more, and the letter could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Muellers full report will be made public. Democrats also have called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsels investigative files.

Barrs letter said that his goal and intent was to release as much of the Mueller report as possible, but warned that some of the report was based on grand jury material that by law cannot be made public. Barr planned at a later date to send lawmakers the detailed summary of Muellers full report that the attorney general is required under law to deliver to Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers on Sunday also criticized Barrs conclusion that the president had not obstructed justice  which requires making a determination about whether Trump had corrupt intent when he took steps to impede the investigation at different turns  when the special counsels team never questioned the president in person. After months of debate over a potential interview, Muellers investigators agreed to accept written answers from the president.

Barrs letter said the Mueller report identified no actions that, in his and Rosensteins minds, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent.

Shortly after the release of the Mueller findings, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter that he planned to call Barr to testify about what he said were very concerning discrepancies and final decision-making at the Justice Department.

The Russia investigation has buffeted the White House from the earliest days of the Trump administration, with many current and former aides to Trump brought for questioning to the special counsels offices. FBI agents fanned out across the nation and traveled to numerous foreign countries. Members of Muellers team questioned some witnesses at airports after they landed in the United States.

Ultimately, a half-dozen former Trump aides were indicted or convicted of crimes, most for conspiracy or lying to investigators. Twenty-five Russian intelligence operatives and experts in social media manipulation were charged in 2018 in two extraordinarily detailed indictments released by the special counsel. The inquiry concluded without charging any Americans for conspiring with the Russian campaign.

The findings could bring closure for some who have obsessed over the myriad threads of a Byzantine investigation. A cottage industry of Mueller watchers has spent months on social media and cable news debating thorny constitutional issues, spinning conspiracy theories and amassing encyclopedic details about once obscure figures  Carter Page, Konstantin Kilimnik, George Papadopoulos and others.

How many minds it changes is another matter. Opinions have hardened over time, with many Americans already convinced they knew the answers before Mueller submitted his conclusions. Some believe that the special counsels previous indictments, twinned with voluminous news media reporting, have already shown a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Some believe that the investigation is, as Trump has long described it, a witch hunt.

The release of Muellers findings could force a decision by Democrats on a simmering issue they have said would wait until the investigations end: whether to begin impeachment proceedings against the president. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has said it would not be worth it to try to impeach Trump, but suggested she could change her mind if an overwhelming bipartisan consensus emerged.

For months, the president and his lawyers have waged as much of a public relations campaign as a legal one  trying to discredit the Mueller investigation to keep public opinion from swaying lawmakers to move against Trump.

Muellers work has proceeded in the face of blistering attacks by Trump and his allies, who painted the investigation as part of a relentless campaign by the deep state to reverse the results of the 2016 election.

Overall, the special counsels office issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants and obtained more than 230 orders for communications records.

Mark Mazzetti and Katie Benner are New York Times writers.
In a small culvert pipe in a backyard near Walnut Creek, a momma gray fox returned last week for the fifth straight year.

Looks like shes returned to raise more kits, said field scout Brian Murphy, who has monitored and photographed the families of fox here over the years.

This momma fox has given birth and raised five kits each year in this pipe, about 10 inches across, in a dry creek bed, located within camera range of Murphys back deck.

What you will find in nature is that birds, fish and wildlife will return to the same sites, over and over, where they have had breeding success.

If youve seen wildlife and its newborn in past springs, the same event is likely to re-occur at the same spot for years. Put it on your radar for the next month when most wildlife are born in the Bay Area and Northern California.

At lakes, streams and in the ocean, the spot you caught a fish 20 years ago is likely to have another fish in the same spot. The same occurs with nesting birds, once they have found a site that is safe and has food and water nearby.

Predators such as mountain lions and bobcats have the same imprinting. When they have found a spot where they have made a successful kill, and yet well hidden to protect their young, they will return there year after year.

I just saw the gray fox leave the storm drain den, Murphy said. When it started a few years ago, the fox vetted me, to check me out, to see if it was safe for her kits here. She climbed a tree, got on top of a garage 10 feet from my deck and checked me out. I guess she decided I was no threat to her kits.

The foxes are born usually in April, Murphy believes, and then leave the den in mid-May to early June.

Murphy, from a secluded location, has watched the momma fox conceal the kits in the pipe while she heads out for food. She often emerges with the kits in late April and May, when Murphy has watched and photographed them young nursing.

I remember to bring my camera with me everywhere, he said. You never know what you might see next.

Tom Stienstra is The San Francisco Chronicles outdoors writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom
No collusion! No collusion! has been President Trumps mantra for nearly two years when asked about Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into whether his campaign coordinated with the Russian government to interfere with the 2016 elections.

Voters can expect to hear Trump repeat that refrain for the next 589 days until election day 2020, as his re-election campaign got a boost Sunday when Attorney General William Barrs summary of Muellers report proved Trump right on that count.

Barrs four-page letter said Muellers investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

Trump still faces federal and state investigations into himself, his family and his campaign staff on various topics. But Republicans were relieved that at least the top-line summary Sunday was positive, particularly because it was based on the report by Mueller, the rare Washington figure who enjoys bipartisan respect and will be harder for Democrats to impugn.

It really clears the landscape tremendously, Shawn Steel, the Republican national committeeman for California, said Sunday. Trump doesnt have to look over his shoulders anymore. That big rock around his neck is gone.

The reports findings could force the Democrats vying to replace Trump in 2020 to revise their strategies a bit. While none of the 15 top Democratic candidates is running on an exclusively anti-Trump message, it would have helped them to have something from Mueller, a registered Republican, to use as another cudgel against Trump.

Now the Democratic candidates might have to start focusing on refining their own positive messages as to why they should be president.

This report serves as a tipping point as how Democrats pivot to 2020, said David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University. Democrats will have to have a message that is not just a message that is reflexively anti- or counter-Trump.

The 2020 campaign got started in earnest today. Democrats need to start talking about how theyre going to turn the country around. They need to talk about what comes next.

McCuan said a pivot toward talking more about the future and issues, and less about Trump and collusion, could help one candidate who hasnt officially entered the race yet: former Vice President Joe Biden.

Once Biden enters the race, it becomes less about whats in this report  and it becomes more adult, McCuan said. Less partisan, less hack and less reflexively anti-Trump.

Whether or not Democratic presidential candidates pivot more toward the future, House Democrats  and progressives outside Washington  are likely to remain focused on investigating Trump and attacking Barr.

San Francisco billionaire activist Tom Steyer shows no sign of giving up his nearly two-year campaign to impeach Trump. On Sunday, Steyer said in a statement, Congress must make its own determination from the direct evidence uncovered by the special prosecutor and the criminal and impeachable actions by Trump that have already come to light.

Roughly five hours after Barr released his summary letter, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., called for Barr to appear before his committee to answer questions about it and demanded that the full report be released.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that Barrs letter raises as many questions as it answers and also demanded that Barr release the complete report. This month, the House voted unanimously on a resolution that Muellers report be made public.

Nadler pointed out that Barrs summary said that Mueller did not draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. That did not stop Trump, however, from falsely claiming a complete and total exoneration Sunday during his comments to reporters in Florida after learning of Barrs summary.

Barrs summary said, While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

Nevertheless, Trump said Sunday that its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your President has had to go through this.

To Trump, the thing that mattered Sunday  and for the foreseeable future  was that there was no collusion.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
CLEMENTS, San Joaquin County  When grower Brad Goehring looks across his rows of grapes, he cant help but see a pool of murky water that breaks the rhythm of his vines, which otherwise stretch steadily into the Sierra foothills.

The pool is relatively small, maybe half an acre, but vital, according to environmental regulators. They say it helps to clean the runoff from Goehrings fields and provides a home for critters such as marsh birds. And by law, it cant be disrupted, which is what makes this mini wetland a headache for Goehring.

Im paying for this land, but I cant farm it, he said on a recent afternoon as he stood in his vineyards about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento where the water chokes back his Pinot Gris. This land is doing nothing for me.

Now Goehring is worried about seeing more cropland lost to regulation. Hes among the many California farmers caught in the middle of a tug-of-water between President Trumps administration and the state over the reach of the federal Clean Water Act.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to rein in the landmark law and halt what it sees as excessive oversight of small marshes, creeks and ponds, like the scores that spill across Californias farm country. State regulators are seeking to maintain and even expand watershed protections. They say too many waterways have been eaten up by human sprawl.

Our policy makes sure we are doing what we can to protect them, said Jonathan Bishop, chief deputy director of the State Water Resources Control Board, which could put new rules into play as soon as next month.

The stakes are huge. Whatever regulation emerges between the state and federal governments will affect potentially millions of acres  where developers may want to build homes, where cities are eyeing new roads, and where farmers may wish to extend their fields.

Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

Goehring, a fourth-generation grower in the Central Valley town of Clements, sees a rising demand for his Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. Yet the prospect of growing more grapes, he said, is clouded by uncertainty over where hell be allowed to plant.

Such confusion has caused him problems before. When Goehring plowed a field that regulators deemed a protected wetland years ago, federal agents in a black sport utility vehicle showed up at his property with the threat of arrest and $100,000-a-day penalties.

He was cleared of wrongdoing, but only after a lengthy legal battle.

Today, Goehring has a lot of powerful allies. Californias farming and wine industries, the building and construction trades and many cities and chambers of commerce share his apprehension about the looming regulation. On the other side of the equation, a growing roster of scientists and environmental groups has lined up in support of stronger protections.

Am I tired of the issue? Yeah, Goehring said. I would like it fixed so we dont keep playing games like this. But it doesnt look like we have hopes of that happening in the near future. Well just have to stand and fight.

The fight over what waterways deserve protection has been brewing for a long time.

A pair of U.S. Supreme Court decisions more than a decade ago, stemming from two proposed developments on top of marshes, cast doubts on the scope of the Clean Water Act. The justices agreed that rivers and lakes are subject to oversight, but not necessarily the small and intermittently flowing creeks, ponds and wetlands that feed the larger water bodies.

The Obama administration sought to do away with the ambiguity. Fearing that watersheds were being irreparably harmed, federal officials in 2015 rewrote the rules for whats covered under the Clean Water Act, known as Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, extending safeguards to the small upstream flows. These channels and basins contain little and sometimes no water, but they make up the majority of the nations waterways.

Two years later, the Trump administration began the formal process of undoing President Obamas rules. The president cited fears about stunting economic growth and said there was simply no need to regulate nearly every puddle or ditch. The EPA hasnt estimated how many places will lose federal protection, but its enough to alarm water experts.

Dueling policies over waterways The Trump administration and California are at odds over what water bodies should be protected from new development. Each is pursuing its own regulatory policy. Clean Water Act: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to roll back the number of waterways subject to oversight under the federal Clean Water Act. The reworked rules would continue to protect rivers and lakes but exclude many smaller water bodies, such as intermittently flowing streams, vernal pools and isolated wetlands. California wetlands policy: The California Water Resources Control Board is developing a plan that would expand watershed regulation. The policy would redefine wetlands to broaden their protections and establish new oversight of development on small waterways. If adopted, the state plan is expected to largely insulate California from rollbacks of the Clean Water Act. See More Collapse

Wetlands and creeks, scientists note, help with flood protection and groundwater recharge in addition to providing habitat for fish and wildlife and filtering pollution. Even one isolated body of water, if tainted, can create widespread problems as its sullied waters soak into the aquifer below or are washed by rain into a nearby river or lake.

Everything is connected hydrologically, said Leon Szeptycki, executive director of Stanford Universitys Water in the West program. You cant just pick arbitrary lines (for protection). The fact that weve already destroyed so much wetlands and altered so many streams makes it all the more important that we protect what we have.

While California regulators have long deferred to the Clean Water Act to decide what water bodies to protect, the constant rejiggering of the federal law prompted them to begin drafting their own watershed policy. The State Water Board started the effort more than 10 years ago with the hope of ensuring adequate oversight as well as being more consistent in its enforcement.

Now, supporters of the state plan see the policy as a way to insulate California from the Trump administrations rollbacks. The State Water Board is scheduled to take up the matter April 2.

Once the state gets its act together on this, the policy will be less capricious and more predictable than the Clean Water Act, said Carol Witham, a botanist who runs an environmental consulting firm in Sacramento. And yes, it will be more restrictive.

The state plan reaches farther across the watershed than the federal statute. By broadening the legal definition of a wetland, for example, it would protect areas that dont necessarily have vegetation, such as playas. The plan also sets up a new system for reviewing and permitting development along smaller waterways, ensuring oversight of seasonal and rain-dependent streams and ponds.

Witham can point to numerous places in California where she said property owners have had too much wiggle room to disrupt small water bodies, resulting in harm to the entire landscape.

You look in one direction, and you see grasslands and rolling hills, she said. You turn around and look in the other direction (where the flow of water has stopped), and theres maybe two or three trees left.

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.

Anxieties over the regulation are escalating as next months meeting of the State Water Board nears.

The California Department of Transportation has expressed concern that the state policy could drive up the cost of building new highways and bridges. The High Speed Rail Authority has said it might delay the laydown of train tracks. The California Building Industry Association fears regulatory burdens for private developers.

Its going to affect everybody, big projects to mom-and-pop projects, said Jody Gallaway, who runs an environmental consulting business in Chico that works with public works departments.

One of Gallaways biggest fears is that state regulation could hamper rebuilding of such wildfire-ravaged areas as Butte County, where last years Camp Fire wiped out the town of Paradise. Just installing a new culvert beneath a road, she said, will become more cumbersome.

The states really been hammered recently, she said. You think youd be getting to a point where youd be getting regulatory relief.

Supporters of the state plan say watersheds have borne the brunt of one type of development or another for too long. Ninety percent of wetlands and countless streams have been plowed or paved over, according to the state.

The Endangered Habitats League in Los Angeles wrote a letter supporting the policy, noting the important role that wetlands play in buffering communities from rising seas. Russian Riverkeeper in Healdsburg backs the regulations as a way to prevent more human activity from hurting the rivers and creeks of Californias North Coast. Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., says the plan will keep ecosystems intact.

Its not just academic, said Erica Maharg, managing attorney for San Francisco Baykeeper, another supporter of watershed protections. There are proposals to develop right along the shoreline (of San Francisco Bay). The last thing that we need to be doing right now is developing and paving over wetlands.

Meanwhile, Goehring is waiting to see what happens. He said his plans for vineyard expansion depend on whatever regulation shakes out. While neither the state nor federal proposals are likely to affect his existing vines, he fears the stricter state policy will limit his options for planting new grapes.

Under the state proposal, he could seek permits to farm on top of protected areas, but he worries this will be prohibitively expensive. Additionally, it could require him to offset the loss of any pond or creek with watershed improvements elsewhere.

Goehring also wonders whether his land will be subject to an inspection for sensitive wetlands if he makes changes to the property, even simply swapping out one variety of grape for another.

My home is here, my land is here, Goehring said. I dont want to have to farm where they tell me to.
The San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary relaunched its benefit fashion show, after a four-hear hiatus, March 20 at Bently Reserve with a star turn by designer Jason Wu. For the event, presented by Sam Maloufs eponymous Authentic Luxury in Burlingame, Gloria Malouf persuaded Wu to present his Fall 2019 Collection with a mix of retrospective gowns from his past 10 years.

A mere 36, Wu admits retrospective might be premature. Hes the Taiwanese-born New York fashion prodigy-designer who was famously tapped by former first lady Michelle Obama to design her first, and second, presidential inauguration gowns.

In terms of a museum show, Im still a bit young and probably need another 20, 30 years, Wu says, with a laugh. But to make this show unique and exciting, I shared with the audience pieces Ive loved  more like a greatest hits  that reveal the evolution of Jason Wu and how I got to 2019.

That Wu managed to get here was another revelation: His fall collection debuted last month in New York during Fashion Week along with the launch of his Velvet Rouge parfum. And on the same day as his Ballet show, Wus Spring Collection for Eloquii dropped  his second collaboration with this plus-size womens line.

Sizing exclusivity is an important topic now, says Wu, of his collaboration. Ive always been inspired by 1950s design highlighting a womanly hourglass figure, so its easy for me to translate my designs into all different sizes. And its thrilling more people can enjoy my work.

Led by fashion show chairwoman Andi Valo-Espina and Ballet Auxiliary President Ann Baer, the event was cleverly revamped from a staid sit-down lunch into a sort of fashion fair. Post-show, guests beelined to shop Wu fashions at a Malouf pop-up as the catwalk gave way to food carts serving McCalls sips and nibbles.

For the 250 guests who raised funds for Ballet community programs and Ballet School student scholarships, Wu and his flouncy, femme and intricately feathered gowns didnt disappoint.

Its so important to support the arts; Ive been inspired by the ballet since I was young, Wu gushed. Beauty is still alive and important. Life is not just about Instagram selfies.

Catherine Bigelow / Special to The Chronicle

Bear hug: Well-dressed kids recently caromed around the Getty manse during Snuggly Soiree, an elegant carnival of cakewalks and corn dogs (served from silver platters) that raised almost $250K for the Glogau Teddy Bear Rescue Fund.

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Founded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Glogau and his wife, Pam Glogau, this fund has raised some $2.8 million to provide basic comforts (including transportation, cafeteria meals, seeing-eye dogs, medications, teddy bears and, sadly, even funerals) for families and pediatric patients receiving treatment at UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospitals.

The couple were inspired when their son, Gordon Glogau, received orthopedic treatment at UCSF during his early years of life.

We noticed nurses frequently passing the hat to pick up the cost for things not covered by insurance. Weve bailed out thousands of people in the middle of the night. Its hard to believe weve almost burned through $3 million, said Dr. Glogau. But this need never stops. And its part of what make UCSF a leader not only in top scientific care but also humane care.

Catherine Bigelow is The San Francisco Chronicles society correspondent. Email: missbigelow@sfgate.com Instagram: @missbigelow
Scroll through the slideshow above to see photos of cable car crashes from the past.

Millions of visitors over the years have taken a ride on San Francisco's moving landmark: its beloved cable cars.

Most San Franciscans no longer ride them to get around town, but I used to use them for my commute to Fisherman's Wharf in my early days here. Now it will cost you $7 a pop. Despite that, it's still a much-loved part of the fabric tied to the city's early history.

I recently came across a folder in the Chronicle's basement archives, marked "Accidents and Disasters: Cable Cars." There were quite a few photos in the folder, which covered the 1950s to the 1990s. One cable car accident that occurred in 1967 was particularly disastrous, injuring 40 people when the car careened down very steep Hyde Street. You can read some passages from the Chronicle article here:

A runaway cable car jammed with screaming passengers careened down the steep Hyde Street Hill into a station wagon last night, triggering a fiery explosion that injured 43, three critically. Flames enveloped the plummeting cable car after the crash, at the busy intersection of Bay and Hyde Streets.

Spewing out its passengers into the rainy street, it raced on for another two blocks out of control. "There was a sheet of flame throughout the car," said passenger Harvey Epstein of New York, a vice president of Dreyfus Fund who was standing behind the grip man. "Everything was in flames. I got spilled out just after it happened. The guy who fell out over me was on fire."

Neighborhood residents who ran outside after the crash rocked their homes about 6:30 p.m.saw rivers of flames sweeping down Hyde Street - and screaming passengers in flaming clothes. Three children - flames spurting from their clothing - were dragged to safety through the street.

"All I can say is that it was a miracle nobody got killed," a military police sergeant said. "It looked like something out of Vietnam after a napalm strike."

Flames from the ruptured gas tank of the sedan raced after the cable car is it rumbled two more blocks down the hill to Hyde and Jefferson Streets, where it finally stopped opposite the Buena Vista Cafe. A half dozen persons were pried from the mangled wreckage of the charred auto, including its driver, who was badly burned.

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Municipal Railway spokesmen were unable to immediately determine the cause of the crash. Epstein and some fellow passengers aboard the car said they heard gripman Arthur Coats yell he had "lost the rope" (the cable) as the cable car skidded down the slippery hill from Chestnut. "At first, I thought he was joking," said Epstein. "But then we started to go faster and faster ... there were screams, and then flames and children all over. God, the children."

Martha Kincaid, a 23 year old pregnant housewife, who made the terrifying ride, said: "We were just tearing down the hill. All of a sudden there was this orange ball of flames and I was thrown to the floor. It was like a nightmare."

Police said the exploding car was tossed like a toy down Hyde Street by the hurtling cable car into a sedan coming up the hill. The flaming sedan bounced into the curb and another car caroomed into a line of parked autos, setting off a chain reaction which left eight to ten cars damaged.

Muni officials declined to comment on the cause of the crash. The crippled cable car's brakes were "full on" from the top of the Hyde Street hill to the bottom, investigators said. But, without the cable, they were apparently not strong enough to hold the car back on the steep, slippery grade.

The cable car was built in 1893 and weighed over six tons. Despite having four sets of brakes, it couldn't stop. The "rope" or cable, at that time, normally moved at 9.5 mph. It was estimated to be moving at a rate of 35 to 40 mph as it descended down the hill, according to John J. Barry, superintendent of the Cable Car Division at that time. A veteran carman called it the worst cable car disaster in 50 years.

The Chronicle reported that it was the sixth crash in as many years on that hill. J. William Conroy, director of the City Disaster Corps, blamed the accident on the traffic light at the bottom of the hill not turning red, which would have kept the intersection clear.

But despite its victim toll, that's certainly not the most infamous cable car incident in the city's history.

In a very "only in San Francisco" article dated March 31, 1970, and headlined "A Cable Car Named Desire," a woman who had been in a cable car accident in 1964 sued the city, claiming that the incident had turned her into a nymphomaniac. She was asking $500k in damages; she eventually settled for $50k.

After the news broke about the story, Herb Caen reported, tongue-in-cheek, that the city had to employ an additional five cable cars.
One case of a nearly always fatal poultry disease was reported in Northern California, following a widespread quarantine of domesticated birds in Southern California.

The virus, called virulent Newcastle disease, is untreatable and spreads quickly among various poultry species, including  but not limited to  chickens, turkeys, pheasants, ducks, geese and pigeons. The only way to stop the spread of VND is to quarantine domesticated birds and euthanize infected ones.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture first reported an outbreak of VND in Southern California in late February, when the infection was discovered in birds from four poultry industry producers in Riverside County and two in San Bernardino County. All of the birds have been or will be euthanized, CDFA said.

ALSO READ: A poaching conspiracy is playing out along NorCal's coastline

On March 15, a resident of Alameda County submitted a chicken infected with VND to a veterinary office in Redwood City. Veterinarians euthanized the animal. There have been no other reported cases in Northern California, but CDFA is investigating and issued a warning and protocol recommendations last week.

The Southern California quarantine mandates the reporting of sick birds and prohibits poultry owners from moving birds in Los Angeles County, and parts of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Some Northern California entities are taking matters into their own hands, like the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in Walnut Creek.

The hospital said in a Monday statement it would no longer accept injured or baby wild turkeys "to protect its animal ambassadors -- as well as those receiving care in the hospital." The organization advises anyone who finds an injured turkey to call their county animal services department.

"We are taking the threat very seriously here at Lindsay," said Aireo Shipman, Lindsay's Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager. "Our priority must be to protect our animal ambassadors who call Lindsay home, as well as the injured birds that need our care."

VND is a respiratory infection, most commonly associated with chickens, that some have called the "poultry Grim Reaper." Once infected, birds may seem healthy but die within a matter of days. There is no cure.

ALSO READ: Breaching humpback whale inspires awe in whale watchers

The virus may be transmitted by people who have VND on their clothes and by equipment that has come into contact with affected animals, CDFA said. People who come into direct contact with the virus may develop symptoms mimicking conjunctivitis or mild fevers, though there are no human health concerns as long as any meat or eggs consumed is cooked properly.

The last major VND outbreak in the United States occurred between 2002 and 2003, when close to 4 million birds were euthanized on 2,500 properties, the SB Sun reported.

More than one million birds in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have been euthanized because of the highly contagious virus.

For more information about movement restrictions, biosecurity and testing requirements, concerned parties should call the Sick Bird Hotline (866) 922-2473 or email SFSPermits@cdfa.ca.gov.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at michelle.robertson@sfgate.com.

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LOMPOC, Calif. (KSBW) 

A Scottish man who police believe may have faked his death in Monterey a month ago might be still be in the Central Coast area.

The Lompoc Police Department, in Santa Barbara County, is reporting that a Buellton, Calif. resident said she saw him Friday. The person said she was at home when Kim Gordon knocked on her door and offered to do asphalt work.
A Lithuanian man and his associates found a bold way to steal from Facebook and Google, according to his guilty plea last week: They asked for money via email.

More specifically, they sent fraudulent invoices to the California-based tech giants. The invoices were apparently good enough to persuade Google, which is owned by Alphabet, and Facebook to wire a total of more than $100 million for them from 2013 to 2015, according to the Justice Department.

The man, Evaldas Rimasauskas, 50, was involved in running a company that controlled several accounts at banks in Latvia and Cyprus, according to a 2016 indictment filed in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York.

He and unnamed associates were essentially posing as Quanta Computer, a hardware company based in Taiwan that has done business with Facebook and Google, Reuters reported.

As Evaldas Rimasauskas admitted today, he devised a blatant scheme to fleece U.S. companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe, Geoffrey S. Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement Wednesday.

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Some of the money transfers involved banks in New York City, the indictment stated.

Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison, Berman added.

Rimasauskas was extradited from Lithuania to the United States in 2017. He has agreed to forfeit around $50 million, court documents show. After his guilty plea last week, he could face up to 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

In a court appearance, Rimasauskas said that he had knowingly participated in fraud and that his role was to set up the bank accounts to facilitate the scheme, Bloomberg reported.

I was asked to open bank accounts, he reportedly said. After that I did not do anything with these accounts.

After money was wired from the tech companies to the bank accounts in Cyprus and Latvia, the Justice Department said in its statement, Rimasauskas caused the stolen funds to be quickly wired into different bank accounts in various locations throughout the world, including Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong. The statement added that he also helped to supply banks with forged documents to explain the large transfers of money.

Rimasauskas was originally charged with five criminal counts that included identity theft and money laundering. But after last weeks guilty plea for wire fraud, the remaining four charges should be dismissed at sentencing, said his lawyer, Paul D. Petrus Jr.

Mr. Rimasauskas was far from a major actor in this matter, Petrus said, adding that he did not know of any other people who have been charged in connection with the scheme.

In emailed statements Sunday, Facebook said the company had recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation, and Google said it had detected this fraud and promptly alerted the authorities. We recouped the funds and were pleased this matter is resolved.

According to the FBI, crimes that involve deceiving companies via email have grown more common  and much more sophisticated  in recent years, resulting in billions of dollars in losses.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
A Lithuanian man and his associates found a bold way to steal from Facebook and Google, according to his guilty plea last week: They asked for money via email.

More specifically, they sent fraudulent invoices to the Silicon Valley giants. The invoices were apparently good enough to persuade Google, which is owned by Alphabet, and Facebook to wire a total of more than $100 million for them from 2013 to 2015, according to the Justice Department.

The man, Evaldas Rimasauskas, 50, was involved in running a company that controlled several accounts at banks in Latvia and Cyprus, according to a 2016 indictment filed in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. The companies said they have recouped most of the funds.

He and unnamed associates were essentially posing as Quanta Computer, a hardware company based in Taiwan that has done business with Facebook and Google, Reuters reported.

As Evaldas Rimasauskas admitted today, he devised a blatant scheme to fleece U.S. companies out of $100 million, and then siphoned those funds to bank accounts around the globe, Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement last week.

Some of the money transfers involved banks in New York City, the indictment stated.

Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison, Berman added.

Rimasauskas was extradited from Lithuania to the United States in 2017. He has agreed to forfeit around $50 million, court documents show. After his guilty plea last week, he could face up to 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in July.

In a court appearance, Rimasauskas said that he had knowingly participated in fraud and that his role was to set up the bank accounts to facilitate the scheme, Bloomberg reported.

I was asked to open bank accounts, he reportedly said. After that I did not do anything with these accounts.

After money was wired from the tech companies to the bank accounts in Cyprus and Latvia, the Justice Department said in its statement, Rimasauskas caused the stolen funds to be quickly wired into different bank accounts in various locations throughout the world, including Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary and Hong Kong. The statement added that he also helped to supply banks with forged documents to explain the large transfers of money.

Rimasauskas was originally charged with five criminal counts that included identity theft and money laundering. But after last weeks guilty plea for wire fraud, the remaining four charges should be dismissed at sentencing, said his lawyer, Paul D. Petrus Jr.

Mr. Rimasauskas was far from a major actor in this matter, Petrus said, adding that he did not know of any other people who have been charged in connection with the scheme.

In emails Sunday, Facebook said the company had recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation, and Google said it had detected this fraud and promptly alerted the authorities. We recouped the funds and were pleased this matter is resolved.

According to the FBI, crimes that involve deceiving companies via email have grown more common  and much more sophisticated  in recent years, resulting in billions of dollars in losses.

Jacey Fortin is a New York Times writer.
Traci Des Jardins, the French-trained California chef who help defined a new style of fine dining in San Francisco, will close her flagship restaurant, Jardiniere, on April 27.

Des Jardins, 53, who opened the elegant restaurant in 1997 in what was then a struggling neighborhood near the citys Civic Center, announced the closing to her staff Monday.

The restaurant is pretty healthy, but its not thriving, she said in a phone interview. I looked at changing the concept and the interior, but I just didnt want to do it. Im ready to put it to rest. Im tired of fine dining.

The San Francisco restaurant landscape has changed significantly since Jardiniere opened 21 years ago. Then, the first dot-com boom was heating up, Willie Brown, the citys first African-American mayor, had just been elected, and San Francisco was still rebuilding from the devastating 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Jardiniere was the first high-end restaurant to open in Hayes Valley, near the Beaux-Arts City Hall, which was undergoing a $300 million remodeling and seismic upgrade. The restaurant quickly became a regular stop for patrons heading to the nearby performing arts temples, including the opera house and symphony hall.

Jardiniere was part of the second wave of popular kitchens in the Bay Area run by women. They followed in the footsteps of Chez Panisse, Zuni Cafe and the Hayes Street Grill, places that served more rustic, casual interpretations of Northern California cuisine.

Des Jardins, along with chef Nancy Oakes (who opened Boulevard in 1993), contributed to a more formal and technique-driven era of dining in San Francisco, defined by restaurants that mixed California cuisine and performance art, including Jeremiah Towers Stars and Wolfgang Pucks Postrio, whose showy interior was designed by Pat Kuleto.

Kuleto, who for a generation dominated restaurant design in the Bay Area, teamed with Des Jardins to conceive Jardiniere, a two-level restaurant with illuminated glass ice buckets welded into balcony railings. The focal point was a horseshoe-shaped bar in mahogany and marble.

The menu was built on California ingredients and infused with Des Jardins traditional French training, which began under Joachim Splichal at Patina in Los Angeles, and included turns in French kitchens overseen by Alain Ducasse and Pierre and Jean Troisgros. (She also became a television presence and, in 2005, beat Mario Batali for the title of Iron Chef.)

Traci was one of the very first intensely serious woman chefs who had a super-solid French background and stayed the course to compete on that level, said Mary Sue Milliken, an owner, along with Susan Feniger, of the Border Grill restaurants. In those days, you had to have your own place and call the shots in order to control the environment.

Des Jardins will continue to oversee her other San Francisco restaurants, including Mijita Cocina Mexicana, a casual Mexican restaurant in the Ferry Building, and a weeknights-only bar called School Night, which opened last year. She also works with the Bon Appetit Management Co. to operate Public House, at Oracle Park, and three ventures in the Presidio with the Presidio Trust: the Commissary, Arguello and Transit.

Des Jardins, who grew up on a 4,000-acre farm in the San Joaquin Valley, will also pivot from French-influenced cooking to focus on Mexican food. Her father is of French Acadian descent, and her mothers family is from a village in the Mexican state of Sonora.

My passion is moving me in a different direction, Des Jardins said. I want to put Jardiniere to rest as the distinguished place that it was, but its hard. It feels like Im letting go of a style I built a 35-year career on.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
LAGUNA WOODS, Orange County  The group of white-haired folks  some pushing walkers, others using canes  arrive right on time at the gates of Laguna Woods Village, an upscale retirement community in the picturesque hills that frame this suburb a few miles from Disneyland.

There they board a bus for a quick trip to a building that, save for the green Red Cross-style sign in the window, resembles a trendy coffee bar. The people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, pass the next several hours enjoying a light lunch, playing a few games of bingo and selecting their next months supply of cannabis-infused products.

Its like the ultimate senior experience, laughs 76-year-old retired beauty products distributor Ron Atkin as he sits down to watch the bingo at the back of the Bud and Bloom marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana.

Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The 2018 General Social Survey, an annual sampling of Americans views, found a record 61 percent back legalization, and those 65 and older are increasingly supportive.

Indeed, many industry officials say the fastest-growing segment of their customer base is people like Atkin  aging baby boomers or even those a little older who are seeking to treat the aches and sleeplessness and other maladies of old age with the same herb that many of them once passed around at parties.

I would say the average age of our customers is around 60, maybe even a little older, said Kelty Richardson, a registered nurse with the Halos Health clinic in Boulder, Colo., which provides medical examinations and sells physician-recommended cannabis through its online store.

Its medical director, Dr. Joseph Cohen, conducts Cannabis 101 seminars at the nearby Balfour Senior Living community for residents who want to know which strains are best for easing arthritic pain or improving sleep.

Relatively little scientific study has verified the benefits of marijuana for specific problems. Theres evidence pot can relieve chronic pain in adults, according to a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, but the study also concluded that the lack of scientific information poses a risk to public health.

John Rogers is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  For President Trump, the fight over the witch hunt is only just beginning. Now that special counsel Robert Muellers two-year investigation into Trumps campaign is over, its being transformed into a rallying cry and a weapon for the presidents re-election campaign.

The pall of the two-year probe lifted Sunday, when Attorney General William Barr released a summary of Muellers findings that said the wide-ranging investigation found no evidence of collusion by Trumps 2016 campaign with the Russian government. Barrs four-page letter was immediately seized upon by the Republican president and his allies as a weapon to use against Democrats, the so-called Deep State and the media.

There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country, Trump said Monday. Those people will certainly be looked at.

Trump aides and political allies developed a plan to turn the end of the probe into the launching pad for a new round of attacks on the presidents foes and a moment to reinvigorate his supporters in the run-up to the 2020 campaign. Trump surrogates rushed to take a victory lap, depict the probe as a failed coup and rub the results in the face of Democrats, many of whom had spent months promising that Mueller would turn up more.

Youve made a great victim of Donald Trump here, Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway said Monday.

The teams plans going forward are expansive, according to seven aides and allies involved with the effort, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity.

While Trumps base has long been suspicious of Mueller, the presidents team believes independents and moderate Democrats who backed him in the last election but have since soured may return to the fold if convinced he was unfairly targeted.

The president and his allies will now link the report with the investigations launched by House Democrats and try to make the case that, in the wake of Muellers findings, further probes are partisan overreach.

I think they cant move forward until they apologize, said Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

He singled out Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and said the congressmans investigation would have no credibility because he had deemed Trump treasonous and promised clear evidence of collusion that didnt materialize.

If there are people who contrived this investigation, who made up this collusion, maybe they themselves should be investigated, Giuliani said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., echoed that sentiment, making clear that Republicans werent ready to move on from the investigations, firing a warning shot to Hillary Clinton and Justice Department officials that to those who were abusive of the process in 2016 on the other side, you havent had much scrutiny, but thats coming.

Trumps campaign on Monday released a memo from communications director Tim Murtaugh warning television producers against booking Democrats who had claimed on their networks that there had been evidence of collusion with Russia.

At this point, there must be introspection from the media who facilitated the reckless statements and a serious evaluation of how such guests are considered and handled in the future, Murtaugh wrote.

Democrats have pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and have demanded to see his full report.

Jonathan Lemire and Zeke Miller are Associated Press writers.
Whats next in investigations of president

The investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller has concluded with no additional indictments. But Congress, along with state and federal investigators in New York, will continue to probe President Trump and the White House, including:

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., says he will call Attorney General William Barr to testify in the near future.

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, says his committee wants the full Mueller report and the underlying materials made public and will head to court, if necessary, to compel Barr to release them.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are pursuing at least two criminal inquiries involving Trump or people in his orbit, one involving his inaugural committee and another focused on the hush-money scandal that led his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to plead guilty last year to campaign finance violations.

The president faces inquiries from New Yorks attorney general, Letitia James, who recently opened a civil inquiry into Cohens claims that Trump exaggerated his wealth when seeking loans for real estate projects and a failed bid to buy the NFLs Buffalo Bills.

A New York state regulatory entity is looking into whether Trump gave false information to insurance companies.
Passengers on a British Airways flight from London to Dusseldorf, Germany, were left bewildered Monday when their plane landed in Scotland by mistake.

A blunder with paperwork seems to have been the problem: British Airways said a German company that had chartered the plane, WDL Aviation, had submitted the wrong route to air traffic controllers.

We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed, British Airways said in a statement.

The flight, BA3271, which took off from London City Airport, did not seem to have been in any danger; because of the incorrect paperwork, the crew  including the pilot  and air traffic controllers had all apparently believed that Edinburgh was the planes intended destination.

That came as small comfort to the passengers when flight attendants informed them that they had landed in the Scottish capital, about 520 miles from their intended destination.

British Airways, can you please explain how can my morning flight taking off from LCY to Dusseldorf land in Edinburgh? one passenger, Son Tran, wrote on Twitter, using the airport code for London City Airport.

Tran, who was going to Dusseldorf on business, said that none of the passengers had seemed aware of the destination mix-up.

While an interesting concept, I dont think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery, he added in his post.

British Airways said, We have apologized to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.

London City Airport also apologized, saying on Twitter, As pleasant as Edinburgh is this time of year, were sorry that passengers traveling to Dusseldorf on BA3271, operated by WDL Aviation, initially landed in the Scottish capital.

WDL Aviation did not immediately respond to emails and phone calls Monday about the flight.

While in Edinburgh, the plane refueled and the flight did eventually reach Dusseldorf  less than three hours late.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Australia Orders NASAMS Air-Defense System for A$2.5 Bn



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U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon is circulating a letter among her colleagues in Washington, D.C., to support continuing the previously planned upgrades to CH-47 Chinook helicopters at the Boeing Companys Ridley plant.

Securing this contract is important to our national security and keeping jobs in our region, said Scanlon, D-5 of Swarthmore, in a statement. That is why my office has been taking concrete actions to encourage the administration to reconsider. I am working with Boeing and UAW on a letter to the (House) Appropriations Committee, and building support within the regional Congressional delegation. This is an important issue to not only our region but the country.

Scanlon spokesperson Gabby Richards said she expects the Congresswoman will finalize getting signatures on her letter to the Appropriations and Armed Services committees, and send it off sometime next week.

Under Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy announced that the U.S. Army would delay planned upgrades for the Chinook during a talk at the Brookings Institution earlier this month. The move comes as part of a broader effort to focus more on modernization in order to keep abreast with Russia and China in areas like air defense and electronic warfare, he said.

United Aerospace Workers Local 1069 President Mike Tolassi said the news sent shockwaves throughout the plant and his team has been working with local and federal legislators to convince the Army to reverse course.

The Chinook, a twin-engine, tandem rotor, heavy-lift cargo helicopter, has been a staple workhorse of the U.S. military and its allies for decades. It previously underwent a Block I upgrade that McCarthy indicated effectively makes it the youngest fleet in the Army and noted the Army already has 10 percent more Chinooks than it needs.

But the Chinook, which has been built a the Ridley plant since the 1960s, has become heavier and bulkier over the years as additional armor was added. The tradeoff came in lowered range and lift ability, which the Block II upgrades were meant to address with advanced rotor blades, redesigned fuel tanks, a sturdier fuselage, and an improved drivetrain.

Expected upgrades to the fleet of 542 aircraft would provide more than 2,000 additional lift-pounds of transport and allow the Chinook to stay in service for decades to come, according to a Boeing fact sheet.

Boeing spokesman Andrew Africk said there are three Block II Chinooks on the production line currently under an Engineering Manufacturing Development contract with the Army, the first of which is due to come off the assembly line soon. Tolassi indicated that work is ahead of schedule and under budget.

A formal flight test program for the first Block II test/prototype Chinook is scheduled to begin in the next few months at Boeings facility in Mesa, Arizona, according to Africk.

Africk, Tolassi and others voiced concerns that delaying the program for the remaining fleet could have far-reaching consequences for warfighters, tax payers, small businesses, vendors and others.

Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, of Zionsville, sent a letter to Army Secretary Dr. Mark Esper earlier this month noting the Chinook enjoys an outsized role in supporting warfighters as the only heavy-lift rotator-craft capable of moving troops and heavy equipment.

The skilled workers at Boeings Delaware County facility play a vital role in national security, the senator said in a statement Friday. Given the importance of the Chinook to our warfighters, I have elevated my concern about the delay of a key Chinook upgrade, known as the Block II, to Secretary Esper. This delay could increase the cost of the program and puts Pennsylvania jobs at risk. The Army should publicly explain its thinking and intention regarding the Chinooks future.

Without the upgrades, Toomey worried that Chinooks will not be able to move the Armys Humvee replacement, the Joint Light Transport Vehicle, and will struggle to lift heavy ordinance like the M777 Howitzer.
DIXON (BCN)



The Solano County coroner's office has identified two men who died in a recreational vehicle fire in Dixon last Tuesday as Timothy Holt, 50, of Suisun City, and Kyle Lovell, 24, of Sacramento.



Two other people who were found outside the recreational vehicle suffered second- and third-degree burns, according to the Dixon Fire Department.



The fire was reported around 4:25 a.m. Tuesday on the grounds of the Dixon May Fair at 655 S. First St., Dixon Fire Chief Greg Lewis said.



Lewis said the fire likely started near the front of the older-model Class A RV.



The California Highway Patrol in Solano County is investigating the blaze. CHP Officer David Harvey said Monday morning there is no new information about the cause or origin of the fire.





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At least three people, including a 17-year-old boy, were arrested following a high-speed pursuit that stretched from Emeryville into Vallejo on Sunday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The CHP said the chase started around 11 p.m. as an officer attempted to pull over a vehicle for speeding near Powell Street. The driver, described as a 19-year-old man from Oakland, refused to pull over and fled at a high rate of speed as multiple units chased him.



According to the CHP, the vehicle crossed the Carquinez Bridge into Solano County, where it continued until it exited on the American Canyon Road off-ramp and turned right on Hiddenbrooke Parkway.



The CHP said officers were able to successfully deploy a spike strip, which disabled the vehicle as it entered a dead-end street, and the four occupants eventually tried to flee on foot, before being captured as they ran back towards the freeway where the officers were waiting.



Officers are investigating the scene where the pursuit ended, the CHP said, but there are no road closures in the area.





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OAKLAND (BCN)



A defense attorney admitted to jurors on Monday that an Oakland man fatally shot his father and two other men at an apartment in North Oakland four years ago, but said he did so in self-defense because he feared for his life.



In her opening statement in the trial of Damien Robinson, 35, defense lawyer Shaylana Cleveland said Robinson shot his father Darrell Robinson, as well as Benjamin Williams and Raymond Garza at the apartment in the 900 block of 54th Street at about 2:45 p.m. on May 23, 2015, because "he had no other choice to save his own life."



Cleveland said Damien Robinson had moved into the apartment with his father about six months earlier "because he was struggling to turn his life around" but she said his father, who was a crack cocaine user, "took a turn for the worse" and became less friendly after he began shooting heroin.



When Damien Robinson gave his father and the other men who lived at the house drugs and money, they left him alone, but when he stopped doing so they became "hostile" and he told a friend that he thought they were trying to set him up, Cleveland said.



The defense attorney said Robinson opened fire because his father and the other two men were trying to rob him, although she didn't say the three men were armed.



Damien Robinson fired at the three men because "he had no other choice to save his own life," Cleveland said.



"We won't dispute that he (Robinson) shot the victims but we will dispute that he committed premeditated murder," she said.



"When you hear all the evidence in this case you will come to the only reasonable conclusion, which is that Damien Robinson is not guilty of these crimes," she said.



In addition to the three counts of murder, Robinson is charged with the special circumstance of committing multiple murders.



Court records indicate that he has four prior felony convictions: one each for evading an officer, battery with injury on a peace officer, first-degree residential burglary and corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant.



Alameda County prosecutor John Ullom said he believes there's sufficient evidence to convict Robinson of all the charges against him.



Robinson remained barricaded inside the apartment for about two hours after the shooting but then came out and was taken into custody, police said. Officers then went into the apartment and found Darrell Robinson, Williams and Garza dead.



Cleveland said Robinson didn't surrender right away because he didn't trust the police and thought they might kill him.



She also said Robinson thought about killing himself but ultimately decided not to do so because he has children and thought they would need him to stay alive and help raise them.





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A Filipino journalist who was named a 2018 Time Magazine Person of the Year will host a panel discussion and news conference at a community center in San Francisco on Monday.



Maria Ressa, who is also the CEO of Rappler.com, will be at the Bayanihan Community Center on Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. to discuss a recent speaking engagement she had with former Florida democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum and democratic strategist James Carville, according to event organizers.



Ressa was recently arrested in the Philippines for what organizers said was her company's critical reporting of Filipino President Rodrigo Duerte.



The center is located at 1010 Mission Street in San Francisco.







Paul Shatswell, the principal of Pittsburg Unified School District's adult education program, died Sunday from injuries suffered in an alleged domestic dispute March 16, Pittsburg police said Sunday night.



As a result of Shatswell's death, police will now seek a murder charge against Shatswell's wife, Maria Vides, Pittsburg police Capt. Steve Albanese said Sunday night in a statement.



Vides, 39, was charged Wednesday by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office with attempted murder, with enhancements of inflicting great bodily injury in the commission of a felony and with committing a felony with the use of a firearm. She made her first court appearance Wednesday, and is scheduled to return to court this week for further arraignment. Bail was set last week at $2.07 million; Vides remained Sunday at the Martinez Detention Facility jail.



The case against Vides will go back this week to the district attorney's office for additional review. Albanese said police will ask the charges against Vides to be amended to include murder.



Shatswell had been on life support since being hospitalized early on the morning of March 16.







Greg Scoles, Belmont's city manager for the past nine years, is retiring effective June 8, according to a statement from the city.



With that announcement, the 64-year-old Scoles will end a 42-year career in the public sector. He came to Belmont from Santa Rosa, where he had been deputy city manager.



Scoles counted among his most notable accomplishments helping establish the shared fire department with San Mateo and Foster City; helping secure a multiyear hazmat service contract with San Mateo County and balanced budgets with unprecedented and growing general fund reserves.



The Belmont City Council will now determine when and how to fill the vacancy created by Scoles' retirement.







The California Highway Patrol is investigating the death Sunday night of a man in his 20s who apparently was trying to cross, on foot, the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 at the Rengstorff Avenue interchange.



The accident was first reported at about 7 p.m. Sunday, said CHP Officer Art Montiel. The victim was hit by one car, whose driver stopped and is cooperating with police, Montiel said.



The victim, believed to be a transient living in the area, was taken to Stanford Hospital, where he died a short time later, Montiel said. It wasn't known Sunday night why the man was trying to cross the freeway, he added.







For the second consecutive weekend, emergency personnel had to perform a rescue near the Cliff House restaurant on the San Francisco coastline, rescuing a man from the surf Sunday afternoon, the San Francisco Fire Department reported.



The naked man, who was in the water at the Seal Rocks near the Cliff House north of Ocean Beach, was reported in the water shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday. He was rescued at about 4:15 p.m., evaluated by SFFD medics and expected to be fine.



On March 17, emergency responders had to use a helicopter to rescue a surfer stranded on the coastal rocks just below the Cliff House. The surfer also was rescued safely.







A test for sending out earthquake alerts to cell phones in and around downtown Oakland will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday.



This test of the Wireless Emergency Alert system is being coordinated by the state Office of Emergency Services and the United States Geological Survey, in partnership with the City of Oakland and Alameda County.



Using current geofencing technology, this test will target cell phones within area of approximately 60 square blocks east of Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland. However, because of limitations with the technology, some people outside the target area may receive the alert, too.



These public agencies want as many people to take the alert tests as possible. Those who agree to take part are asked to do the following:



1) -- Before the test starts, using either your cell phone or your desktop computer, go to the official web site www.time.is and make sure the correct time zone (Pacific) is being reflected in the readout;



2) -- Starting a few minutes before 11 a.m. Wednesday, the scheduled alert time, keep a close watch on your cell phone and the official time and note the exact time -- to the nearest second, if possible -- at which the alert first arrives on your phone. This alert will have the heading "Emergency Alert," and this message: "TEST of the CA Earthquake Warning System. No action required. THIS IS A TEST";



3) -- Complete a 13-question survey, noting the time (to the second) an alert is received. The survey link is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WEATESTSHAKEALERT.



For more information on the test and how to participate, go to www.caloes.ca.gov/eew.







A man was shot in downtown Walnut Creek on Sunday night, according to police.



The shooting is believed to have occurred at the Union Bank in downtown Walnut Creek around 9:58 p.m., according to Sgt. Holley Connors, but the circumstances that led to the shooting are still under investigation.



The victim walked into Kaiser's Walnut Creek Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his back and suffered injuries not considered life-threatening, Connors said. There are no suspects in custody.



Police will release more details later Monday morning.







At least three people, including a 17-year-old boy, were arrested following a high-speed pursuit that stretched from Emeryville into Vallejo on Sunday night, according to the California Highway Patrol.



The CHP said the chase started around 11 p.m. as an officer attempted to pull over a vehicle for speeding near Powell Street. The driver, described as a 19-year-old man from Oakland, refused to pull over and fled at a high rate of speed as multiple units chased him.



According to the CHP, the vehicle crossed the Carquinez Bridge into Solano County, where it continued until it exited on the American Canyon Road off-ramp and turned right on Hiddenbrooke Parkway.



The CHP said officers were able to successfully deploy a spike strip, which disabled the vehicle as it entered a dead-end street, and the four occupants eventually tried to flee on foot, before being captured as they ran back towards the freeway where the officers were waiting.



Officers are investigating the scene where the pursuit ended, the CHP said, but there are no road closures in the area.







Monday will be breezy with a chance of rain in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. Highs will be around 60. Southeast winds will be 15 to 20 mph, before becoming south winds at 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon.



Monday night will be cloudy and breezy with a chance of showers in the evening, then a slight chance of showers after midnight. Lows will be in the lower 50s. Southwest winds will be 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight.



Tuesday will be mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers in the morning, then a chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs will be in the upper 50s to mid 60s. South winds will be 5 to 10 mph. The chance of showers is 30 percent.









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Two guards at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin were taken to a hospital Sunday after possible exposure to fentanyl, according to the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.



Around 11:45 a.m. Sunday, staff in the jail's booking center searched a woman who'd been arrested in Oakland and a female deputy allegedly found a dark substance, rolled into a piece of tissue, that did not appear to be consistent with commonly seen narcotics.



That deputy contacted a sergeant, and both staff members examined the substance while wearing gloves and taking other precautions, according to the sheriff's office.



A little later, the sergeant got sick and became incoherent. The deputy also started to complain of similar symptoms, and jail staff determined that they were consistent with exposure to an opioid.



They administered a dose of Narcan, also known as naloxone, to both the sergeant and the deputy and transported them to a hospital. They have since been released.



Jail staff are sending the narcotics in question to a crime laboratory for identification and analysis.





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A man who has been wanted for seven years for the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man in Castro Valley has been arrested in Ogden, Utah, an Alameda County sheriff's spokesman said.



A warrant was issued for Cody Tripp, who's now 33, shortly after Jordan Vigil of Hayward was found dead at a home in the 4300 block of Omega Avenue in Castro Valley at about 7 p.m. on May 14, 2012, sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly said.



Sheriff's officials said after Vigil was found dead that he was known to their office and it had had contacts with him in the past.



Sheriff's investigators had feared that Tripp had fled the country and are glad that he's now in custody, Kelly said.



Investigators are now in Utah to interview Tripp and hope that he will be extradited to Alameda County soon, according to Kelly.



However, investigators haven't yet presented their case against Tripp to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office to have charges filed against him, Kelly said.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Officers have arrested two men in connection with a Saturday night shooting in San Francisco's Fillmore District that killed a 25-year-old man and injured five other people, police said Monday.



The shooting took place in the 1300 block of Fillmore Street, between Eddy and Ellis streets, around 8:30 p.m. Mister Dee Carnell Simmons III was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.



Emergency crews took three other people to the hospital -- a 25-year-old man who suffered life-threatening injuries, as well as a 19-year-old man and a 51-year-old man who are expected to survive.



Two other victims from the shooting, a 25-year-old man and 51-year-old woman, later arrived at the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening.



Following an investigation, officers learned that Simmons was involved in the shooting along with the 25-year-old who arrived at the hospital later with injuries. He's been identified as Sean Harrison of Concord.



Officers have arrested Harrison, as well as 26-year-old San Francisco resident Jamare Coats, who allegedly drove Harrison to the hospital.



Both Harrison and Coats have been booked into jail on suspicion of homicide and firearms violations.



Police have not released a motive for the shooting as the case remains under investigation.



Anyone with information is asked to call police 24-hour tip line at (415) 575-4444 or to text a tip to TIP411 with "SFPD" at the beginning of the message. Tipsters can remain anonymous.





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Overland migration of Arctic Terns revealed

Data from a landmark study of the world's longest migrating seabird reveals how overland migration is an integral part of their amazing journey.

Analysing the data from electronic tags retrieved from 47 Arctic Terns, the Newcastle University-led team has been able to characterise in unprecedented detail the route and stop-off points during this record-breaking bird's 90,000 km annual migration.

This includes:

An 8,000km, 24-day, non-stop flight over the Indian Ocean, feeding on the move

An overland detour from the Farne Irelands to the Irish Sea and over Ireland to the Atlantic

A short stay on the New Zealand coast before completing the final leg of their journey

A stop-off at Llangorse Lake, in the Brecon Beacons National Park, during their return journey in the Spring

Led by scientists at Newcastle University, UK, in collaboration with BBC's Springwatch and The National Trust, 53 adult birds nesting on the Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast were fitted with geolocators over a three year period.

Weighing just over 100 g the Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any bird, travelling all the way to Antarctica for the winter and back to the Farnes, which are owned and managed by the National Trust, to breed in the spring.

So far, 47 tags have been retrieved and the research team, led by Dr Chris Redfern of Newcastle University, are starting to analyse the data.

"Technology is revealing details of the movement and behaviour of these amazing birds in unprecedented detail," says Dr Redfern, whose initial findings in collaboration with Dr Richard Bevan are published today in the academic journal Ibis.

"Arctic Terns feed on surface fish and other marine animals so it has always been assumed they would migrate via a coastal route, down the North Sea and through the English Channel.

"But instead our data has shown their regular route is to travel overland across the UK to the Irish Sea and some are going even further crossing Ireland to the North Atlantic."

After that, it's a long hard trek south, down the coast of West Africa and then out across the Indian Ocean.

"Our data suggests their flight over the Indian Ocean is an 8,000 km long haul without a break, probably feeding on the move," says Dr Redfern. "For a bird that weighs less than an iPhone, that's an amazing feat.

"Many of the terns have gone even further, ending up around New Zealand before turning south towards the East Antarctic, finally arriving four months after leaving Northumberland.

"The scale of their migratory journey across featureless oceans is breath-taking! In that context, the UK land mass between the Irish Sea and the Farne Islands must be no obstacle at all to an Arctic Tern and the quickest route to their breeding colony."

The data also highlights key stop-off points off the coast of Lancashire and Wales in April and May as the Terns make their way back to the Farne Islands to breed. Dr Redfern, who carried out the study with Dr Richard Bevan and the Natural History Society of Northumbria, said the detailed picture of Arctic Tern migration patterns would help with future

conservation efforts.

"Understanding their behaviour in detail means we can start to build a picture of which areas are important feeding and breeding grounds."

Longest flight ever recorded

More than two thousand pairs of Arctic Terns breed on the Farne Islands. Sitting two miles off the coast of Northumberland, the islands are home to 87,000 pairs of seabird, including Puffin, Eider Duck and Shag. The National Trust has cared for the Farne Islands since 1925.

Previous studies have shown these birds are likely to return each year to the same few square metres of ground, making it an ideal environment to carry out year-to-year tracking studies with geolocators.

Earlier data from the study, featured on BBC Springwatch in 2016, showed that one bird had flown an estimated 96,000km (almost 60,000 miles) from its breeding grounds on the Farne Islands to its winter quarters in Antarctica.

The bird started its migration on 25/7/2015 reaching the tip of South Africa by 25/8/2015

It then moved into the Indian Ocean where it spent nearly all of October (7/10/2015-31/10/2015; 1st staging area - 35.4 S, 71.9 E)

After this it moved to its second staging area (60.6 S, 70.1 E) on the coast of Antarctica (3/11/2015 - 15/11/2015)

It then slowly made its way along the edge of the Antarctic continent until eventually ending up in the Weddell Sea (3/2/2016) where it stayed until 23/3/2016 (3rd staging area - 69.6 S, 25.3 W)

Finally, it moved up to the tip of South Africa (4/4/2016) and made its way along the west coast of Africa and arrived in the Farne Islands' area 4/5/2015

Over its lifetime the record-breaking tern could be flying as far as 3 million km between the Farne Islands and Antarctica, the equivalent of nearly four trips to the moon and back.

###

This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.




By San Diego Union Tribune, March. 24, 2019





Deep in the Otay Mountain Wilderness, there is no wall.





The only boundary between the U.S. and Mexico is a section of barbed wire fence in a pastoral valley. And miles and miles of treacherous terrain.





Its a territory criss-crossed with steep trails that disappear into tunnels of thick brush, a place looped by violently rutted roads that Border Patrol agents negotiate daily.
Thousands gathered to see Sen. Bernie Sanders speak at Fort Mason in San Francisco, waving American flags, clutching Bernie signs and even plushie versions of the Democratic candidate.

As many as 16,000 people, according to the Sanders campaign, lined up starting at 9 a.m. to hear Sanders speak on issues such as raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and passing comprehensive immigration reform, as well as other planned policies for the 2020 campaign.

Before he began his speech, Sanders took a moment to address the report issued by Robert Mueller, who concluded his nearly two-year investigation focused on President Trump and his 2016 campaign. A summary of the report made public today by Attorney General William Barr, said Mueller found neither Trump nor his associates collaborated with the Russian government's election interference.

In a fiery retort, Sanders exclaimed, "Well, I don't want a summary of the report. I want the whole damn report, because nobody, especially this president, is above the law."

Sanders was preceded by other speakers including Claire Lau, co-chair of the San Francisco Berniecrats, and former Sen. Nina Turner, who announced in February that she would take a leave of absence from her position as president of Our Revolution to become co-chair of Sanders' campaign.

He was also joined by Rep. Ro Khanna, who serves as Sanders' top Silicon Valley adviser, and former San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who welcomed Sanders to San Francisco, calling it the Emerald City in a well-played "Wizard of Oz" reference.

"We're gonna follow that fing yellow brick road right to the White House. Drop it on the evil witch," he said.

Ammiano also had some choice words to say about the Mueller report: "Unredacted, it says f Trump, vote for Bernie."

When Sanders officially began his speech, he turned the conversation to justice  social, racial, environmental and economic  as he acknowledged "a divide" of the people caused by the Trump administration. He stressed that the underlying principles of his campaign, in contrast, would seek to bring people together and "bring hope back to all Americans."

He also focused on issues faced by working class Americans, explaining how "people are working two or three jobs just to pay the bills" and "working paycheck to paycheck." He called on the crowd to support him as he worked toward "an economy that works for all of us."

He said his platform didn't receive quite the same support in 2015; that "very few people" took his campaign seriously.

"On our opening day, we made page 19 of the New York Times, and it went downhill from there," he said, also addressing how "extreme" the ideas rejected by mainstream politicians were considered to be during that time.

With that, Sanders appeared to take a turn for the humorous as he began to joke about his "radical ideas," which included "raising the minimum wage to a living wage" and "guaranteeing healthcare to all people as a right."

"I don't want you fainting in shock  we have some people seated, that's good," he said, chuckling.

The appearance was his final stop in a three-city tour of California.
Last month I tried something new: Instead of flying through tried-and-true San Francisco International (SFO) on my way to Hawaii, I flew through Mineta San Jose (SJC) instead. And it was a breeze.

As the date for my Monday morning Alaska Airlines 8:50 a.m. departure from SJC to Lihue, Kauai approached, I worried about how long it was going to take to get from my house in San Francisco to the airport during the morning rush hour. How early should I leave to get there on time? Should I drive my car and park at a long term lot? Take Uber or Lyft? Have my partner drop me off?

In the end, I decided Uber would be the best option. On the day before my trip, I pre-ordered a 6:10 a.m. pick up from my home near Dolores Park to SJC. I was surprised to see that my fare would be only $58-- much less that I expected. Typically I pay about $35 to $45 to get to SFO from the city, so $58 did not seem all that bad. I was expecting it to be closer to $100.

So at the crack of dawn, I donned my Reyn Spooner Aloha shirt and sunglasses, and loaded my bag in the Uber for the trip down the peninsula to SJC. There was not a lick of traffic, I had a friendly driver in a relatively new car and we both enjoyed a nice tangerine sunrise over the Bay as we drove south.

Believe it or not, we made to to SJC in just 50 minutes! We arrived at about 7:05 a.m. and the airport was just cranking up. While the security lines were not too bad, I used CLEAR to speed through in about three minutes.

Once inside Terminal B where Alaska's flights depart, I realized I had plenty of time on my hands, so turned right and took the long walk down to Terminal A and the Club at SJC for which I have access due to my Priority Pass membership. During my walk I was thinking about how easy all this was-- and not that much different timewise than departing from SFO.

The lounge was not very busy, and I was able to grab a nice hot breakfast of bacon, eggs and potatoes and a cappuccino, fire off a few emails and tweets, and then walk back to my Alaska Airlines flight to Lihue which began boarding at about 8:20 a.m. at gate 28. Next door, an Alaska Air flight to Maui was boarding so everyone was feeling the aloha spirit early on Monday morning. Over on the other side, an Alaska Air flight to Newark was also boarding... they did not seem as happy. ;)

Peering out the gate window, I saw the Boeing 737-800 that would whisk us to Lihue in Alaska's older livery with Chester (the face you see on the tail) wearing a lei. Alaska Airlines added the leis to the jets it uses to fly to Hawaii when it launched service in 2007. Regrettably (to me at least), the lei is not part of Alaska's newest livery and will eventually disappear. (You can see what I'm talking about in the slideshow at the top of this post.)

Once onboard, I was pleased to be sitting on the left side of the plane-- why? Because it offers stunning views of Kauai as the plane makes its approach to Lihue. And in my case, I knew the plane would be flying right over the top of the resort I'd be staying at- check out the slideshow at the top and you'll see what it looks like from the air...and what the approaching planes look like from the resort.

Chris McGinnis

And speaking of looking out the window, I also caught a rare sight: As we taxied and took off from San Jose's runways, I peered out at snow capped peaks.

Early on, the pilot announced that our flight would take a whopping six hours and five minutes due to headwinds blowing up from the islands. He also warned that because of this, the flight would be very bumpy. The opposite happened on the trip back from Kauai-- it only took four and a half hours due to Pineapple Express tailwinds.

I try to go to Hawaii once or twice a year, and try to do so when fares are cheapest-- typically that's during spring and fall months, but with Southwest Airlines poised to dive in the market, there was a fare war all winter long.

From the Bay Area, fares to Hawaii from Oakland and San Jose have been cheaper than from SFO because of the "Southwest effect"-- it only has plans to fly to the islands from Oakland and San Jose. Having monitored fares all winter long, I knew that many passengers on my flight paid about $300 roundtrip in economy class, and around $900 in first class. Even so, this Monday morning flight was only about three quarters full. But when I returned to SJC five days later, the flight was sold out.

Alaska offers non-stops from San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose to four of Hawaii's major islands, Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai. But it does not offer a nonstop from SFO to Kauai, which prompted my decision to give a departure from SJC a try. Since I'd never flown Alaska Airlines to Hawaii, they offered to cover the cost of my airfare-- and put me in first class, which you can see in the slideshow at the top of this post. Hawaiian and United Airlines fly nonstop from SFO to Kauai. Southwest will soon fly there from San Jose and Oakland, but has not yet posted schedules or fares for those flights.

This trip to Hawaii was to be a mix of business and fun (as any trip to Hawaii should be!). I flew down to learn more about Alaska's service to the islands, and to check on the situation in Kauai, my favorite Hawaiian island, which has been hit by a series of bad storms in the last two years. I was also there to meet with local tourism officials and see Timbers Kauai, a flashy new resort perched on cliffs overlooking the ocean near the airport in Lihue. I was also there to see my family- it was at Timbers where I shared a condo with my brother and his wife on vacation there.

Are you a Kauai north shore fan like me? Here's an important update: Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau told me that Hanalei Town (my happy place!) was initially impacted by recent floods, but has since stabilized. Nonetheless, when I was there, the beach was closed to swimming, and the water rough. The closure of the Ha'ena State Park, which includes the popular Kalalau Trail and Ke'e Beach is ongoing. Currently the road from Hanalei to the state park is not expected to open until the end of May at the earliest. (Updates here.) Despite issues up north, Kanoho said that the rest of the island has done well and is not suffering from the closure.

Take a spin through the slideshow at the top of this post to learn more about this trip and to see:

>What it is like to fly Alaska Airlines in first class to Hawaii-- think POG mimosas, kukui nut necklaces, HD tablets for movies, a new onboard menu and plenty of purple orchids.

>A peek at Timbers Kauai, the island's newest resort community with big plans for expansion on a dramatic slip of land perched on cliffs high above the Pacific near Lihue Airport. Rates start at about $650 per night for a large two bedroom residence. Check out its spectacular views in the slideshow at the top of this post.

>Like California, Hawaii has been pummeled by wet and windy weather all winter. See photos from our storm-dodging tour of Kauai, Hanalei beach and town, a warm sunny place on the southwest side of the island, a remarkable rainbow and my favorite post-flight meal at Hamura Saimin five minutes from the airport.

Have you been to Hawaii this year? What's your favorite Hawaiian Island and why? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: Alaska Airlines covered the cost of Chris' flight to Kauai. Chris paid for all other aspects of this trip including hotels, meals and transfers.

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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.
The last days of March are forecast to be cool and wet with rain in the forecast through Thursday.

A low-pressure system off the West Coast is expected to stay put for several days and send a stream of cold air and rain to the Bay Area. It delivered the first bands of rain to the North Bay early Monday, and the rain is expected to arrive in San Francisco and the central Bay Area around lunchtime.
Winter may be over, but the snow keeps on coming in the Sierra.

Unsettled weather is expected to dump another four feet of fresh powder at elevations above 7,000 feet in the Tahoe Basin. The southern Cascade range will see even more.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  New Zealand will hold a top-level inquiry into the massacre of 50 people at two Christchurch mosques that will examine what roles guns, social media and spy agencies played preceding the attacks.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that it would hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry, the countrys highest form of investigation.

While New Zealanders and Muslim communities around the world are both grieving and showing compassion for one another, they are also quite rightly asking questions on how this terror attack was able to happen here, Ardern said.

Her Cabinet had previously agreed on holding an inquiry but had not decided what level of investigation. She said royal commissions are usually reserved for matters of the gravest public importance and that was clearly appropriate in this case. She said the exact terms of the inquiry, including its duration, would be finalized over the next two weeks.

In short, the inquiry will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack, Ardern said. It will inquire into the individual and his activities before the terrorist attack, including, of course, a look at agencies.

She said those agencies will include the countrys domestic spy agency, the Security Intelligence Service, and its international counterpart, the Government Communications Security Bureau. Other agencies to be looked at include police, customs and immigration.

A royal commission is run independently from the government and is chaired by a high-court judge. It has the power to compel witnesses to testify and organizations to hand over documents. But it remains up to the courts or government to follow through on any recommendations or findings.

Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder for the March 15 attacks. He is next due in court on April 5.

Some people already have criticized New Zealands intelligence agencies for focusing too much on perceived threats from Muslim extremists and left-wing radicals while not looking deeply enough into possible threats from nationalist groups and white supremacists.

There will be a focus on whether our intelligence community was concentrating its resources appropriately and whether there were any reports that could, or should, have alerted them to this attack, Ardern said. It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to the bottom of how this act of terrorism occurred and what, if any, opportunities we had to stop it.

On Thursday, less than a week after the attack, the government announced it was rushing through new laws to ban military-style semiautomatic firearms and high-capacity magazines like those used by the gunman.

Ardern said Monday that it was unacceptable that a disturbing video of the attack taken by the gunman and streamed on Facebook continued to be available on some social media platforms.

Nick Perry is an Associated Press writer.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark  Norwegian officials have opened an investigation into why a cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along the countrys often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major rescue evacuation by helicopter.

Hospital officials have said one person remained in critical condition and eight others were still hospitalized after the Viking Sky had engine problems off the Norwegian coast and issued a mayday warning on Saturday. The ship had left the northern city of Tromsoe and was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it ran into trouble.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Norwegian authorities then launched a daring rescue operation despite the high winds, eventually winching 479 passengers off the ship by helicopter through the night and into Sunday morning.

Dag Liseth of Norways Accident Investigations Board said the high risk which the ship, its passengers and crew were exposed to made us decide to investigate the incident.

The rescue was also hampered when two of the five rescue helicopters helping the Viking Sky had to be diverted to save nine crew members from a nearby listing cargo ship.

The rescue workers managed to take a little more than half of the passengers off the cruise ship, but some 900 passengers and crew were still on it when its captain made the decision Sunday to halt the evacuation. It is now docked in the Norwegian port city of Molde, 240 miles northwest of Oslo, which it limped into Sunday afternoon on its own engines.

Viking Ocean Cruises said Monday it had begun an internal investigation .... to establish a complete and thorough understanding of what happened, and welcome the official investigations which they will fully support.

Liseth said investigators were headed to Molde and declined to speculate as to why the Viking Sky captain had decided to sail to Stavanger in the first place despite the intense weather warning.

Yngve Skovly, of the police force in Moere and Romsdal district where Molde is located, says there is no suspicion of a criminal offense but police have opened an investigation to find out why the ship had engine problems. That probe would be part of the one by the Accident Investigations Board.

The Viking Sky is a relatively new ship, delivered in 2017 to operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

The ship was on a 12-day cruise along Norways coast before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury, on the River Thames. The passengers were mostly an English-speaking mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens.

Jan M. Olsen is an Associated Press writer.
PARIS  Migrants trying to reach Europe face routine rape and sexual torture throughout their journey  and especially in Libya  with men facing abuse nearly as routinely as women, according to a study based on dozens of interviews with aid workers and migrants.

The graphic study released Monday by the Womens Refugee Commission comes as Europe has blocked rescues at sea and outsourced its migration policy to Libyas coast guard. With European Union funding, the Libyan coast guard retrieves migrants from the Mediterranean and returns them to detention centers nominally run by the government, where migrants say the abuse resumes.

Smugglers torture migrants and film it to extract ransom payments from their families, and to thin the number of people in their unofficial prisons, according to the study. Previous studies have found that nearly all women who cross from North Africa have been raped or sexually abused along the journey; this one found that the danger was likely nearly as prevalent among men. A mental health worker described graves filled with men with their genitals sliced off  a description corroborated by the account of a survivor of a mass mutilation.

Migrants told similarly horrific stories about rape, forced incest, and mass sexual abuse intended to humiliate detainees who had to strip naked and become either rapists themselves or victims.

According to a 20-year-old man from Guinea, when the men came back crying, they would talk about what the guards did to them and how violent it was.

Because the men were victimized together, they were willing to talk about it in ways that might otherwise be taboo. Mostly, they dont talk about it. In repeated Associated Press interviews with migrants in Europe and in Africa, Libya is the place they dont discuss.

The area around Bani Walid is particularly notorious for its clandestine prisons, where migrants have described being held in sunless warehouses for months and even years on end while smugglers try to extract money from them to continue their journey. Last May, more than 100 migrants and refugees broke out from one of the lockups, fleeing under their captors gunfire. At least 15 people died and 40 were left behind, according to the aid group Doctors Without Borders. The survivors were ultimately shipped to an official Libyan detention center.

And now official detention is likely where they will end up even if they make it to the Mediterranean, due to European policy that has effectively banned rescues in an effort to slow migration. The EU has spent 338 million euros ($382 million) in Libya since 2014 to stem migration, much of it on strengthening the Libyan coast guard and the detention centers.

Migrants turned back in the Mediterranean are unlikely to fare much better in official detention than they did in the warehouses, according to the studys lead researcher, Sarah Chynoweth. United Nations staff and aid groups have limited access to the centers and Chynoweth said migrants told her that in any case we were just too terrified to say anything.

At one of the official prisons, a 19-year-old Nigerian woman told a health worker that women faced near constant threat of rape, and men only marginally less. Migrants bribe their way to freedom or escape if they can. They said that if we tell in Europe what is happening in Libya, our brothers and sisters in the prison will pay, she said, according to the study.

Chynoweth has carried out similar studies among the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Syrian refugees in the Middle East. What differs in the European context, she said, is how widespread it is, and the fact that profoundly disturbing forms of sexual torture are used for purposes of extorting ransoms  sent via video to desperate families.

The minute people are stopped at sea, Europeans wash their hands of it, said Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui, the humanitarian affairs adviser for Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Lori Hinnant is an Associated Press writer.
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If your business has five or more employees, your business is one of the millions in California that has a duty to provide reasonable accommodations for its employees with known disabilities under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

A duty to provide a reasonable accommodation arises when the employer knows of the employee's disability. While the employer undoubtedly becomes aware of the disability when the employee directly informs the employer, the duty is also triggered if the employer learns of the disability from someone else or by observation.

Once the employer knows of the disability, the employer must enter into the interactive process with the employee to determine an appropriate accommodation. While the term "interactive process" may sound like it's riddled with formalities, it is actually quite informal and simple to accomplish. Engaging in the interactive process is basically an informal discussion with the employee (or his or her representative) in which the employer makes an effort to identify a reasonable accommodation that will allow that employee to continue to perform the essential function of the job that he or she was hired to perform. This can be as simple as a brief, morning check-in but must be done and should be memorialized in writing.

As part of this discussion, and if the disability is not obvious, the employer may ask for supporting medical documentation. However, this does not entitle the employer to a free-for-all of the employee's medical records, and the employee must still be afforded his or her right to privacy. This means that if the employee chooses to remain private about his or her medical condition, managers and supervisors who need to know of the disability to meet the employee's work restrictions should be the only individuals privy to the employee's disability. Any information and records obtained as part of the interactive process should be maintained separate from the employee's personnel file and kept confidential.

However, before the interactive process takes place, it is important for the employer to have a firm grasp on what constitutes the essential functions of the employee's job. Once that is determined and within a reasonable time of the employer learning of the employee's disability, the employer and employee can engage in a meaningful dialogue about how the employee's disability can be reasonably accommodated to allow him or her to continue to perform the jobthe keyword here being reasonably.

An accommodation is reasonable when changes are made so that the employee with disabilities can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the employer can demonstrate that granting an accommodation creates and undue hardship to the business operation. In such a scenario, the accommodation would be considered unreasonable, and the employer would not be required to accommodate the employee.

An undue hardship is defined as an action requiring "significant difficulty or expense." (California Gov't Code section 12926 (u).) While the determination of what constitutes an undue hardship is extremely fact-specific, the courts will use the following factors to determine whether an undue hardship exists:

The nature and cost of the accommodation needed, taking into consideration the availability of tax credits and deductions and/or outside funding.

The overall financial resources of the facilities involved in providing the reasonable accommodations, the number of persons employed at the facility and that effect of the accommodation on expenses and resources or on the operations of the facility, including the impact on other employees' ability to perform their duties and the facility's ability to conduct business.

The overall resources of the covered entity; the overall size of the business with respect to the number of employees; and the number, type and location of the covered entity's facilities.

The type of operations of the employer entity, including the composition, structure and functions of its workforce.

The geographic separateness, administrative or fiscal relationship of the facility or facilities involved. (California Gov't Code section 12926 (u).)

As mentioned, whether an accommodation is reasonable, and whether it creates an undue hardship on the employer, is fact-specific. Therefore, it requires an individualized analysis, which considers factors such as the employee's disability, the cost of the accommodation and the employer's ability to pay for it. This kind of an analysis can be done internally but is much better suited for experienced employment counsel.

It is important to note that the duty to reasonably accommodate arises under FEHA and under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that FEHA protections against disability discrimination are independent of those that the ADA provides. FEHA provides broader protection than the ADA in certain important areas, including the employer's duty to accommodate.

Arcelia N. Magana is an attorney with Jackson Lewis in San Diego.  2019 Jackson Lewis. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission.
India may increase oil imports from Brazil and Mexico to offset the loss of Venezuelan oil in the wake of US sanctions on that country.



Venezuela is the fourth largest oil supplier to India after Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran. It accounted for about 11 per cent of India's oil supplies in 2017-18, supplying close to 18 million tonnes (mt). But the oil imports from Venezuela have come under threat following the US sanctions, forcing Indian companies to scout for alternate markets.



Diplomatic sources said that both Brazil and Mexico have expressed their desire to strengthen energy sector cooperation and India is evaluating the option and will take a call once it gets reports from its public and private sector oil marketing companies.



India shares good trade relation with both Mexico and Brazil. Both countries are also leading producers of oil, with Brazil at the 10th largest oil producer globally with a production of about 150 million tonnes (mt) of crude and Mexico at 11th position (production 110 mt).



"The two countries can be useful alternate to Venezuelan oil but a decision to enhance imports would depend only after accessing the quality of oil and terms of supply that should be comparable with of Venezuela," said the source.



India is already importing oil from both Brazil and Mexico but the quantity had come down progressively since 2013. While India imported crude worth $ 3.50 billion and $ 1.78 billion from Mexico and Brazil respectively in 2013, this went down to $1.38 billion and $0.81 billion now.



Mexico's state oil company Pemex has reported a decline in production due to its ageing fields resulting in lower output. But the situation may change soon with a new government pushing up production focusing on inviting foreign investment in their fields. Brazil also is undertaking big reforms in the energy sector to increase production and exports of oil.



India imported 155 mt of oil in 2017-18. The imports are expected to hit over 170 mt in FY19 with Saudi Arabia being the largest supplier followed by Iraq and Iran. Oil imports from Iran are already on the decline due to US sanctions. This is expected reduce further once the US removes the waiver given to certain oil importing countries.



The US is seeking to cut off Venezuela's oil revenue as part of its efforts to build pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to step down. The sanctions mean that anyone using US banking channels or having a big presence in the US and continuing to deal with Venezuela will also face restrictions.



In view of this, Indian buyers such as Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy (formerly Essar Oil) have already reduced oil imports. These companies are big on oil imports from Venezuela. In fact, Reliance Industries accounted for 80 per cent of Venezuelan oil imports to India in 2018 at 270,000 barrels a day. But the company has reduced its purchases of Venezuelan crude oil to well below its contracted levels.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While stopping short of admitting his client committed the murder, the attorney for the alleged killer of Gambino crime boss Francesco (Franky Boy) Cali said the suspect was influenced by hate speech spewed on the Internet by right wing conservative websites, and by some politicians.

The statement came moments after Anthony Comello, 24, was arraigned in Criminal Court in St. George on charges that include murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the March 13 shooting of Cali outside the reputed mobsters home on Hilltop Terrace on Staten Island.

"At the end of the day, after everything is known about the case, its going to show that the hate thats spewed on the Internet by QAnon and other right-wing conspiracy websites...including politicians, and including right at the White House... those words matter, and they have an effect.

Comello was remanded without bail by Judge Raja Rajeswari, which Gottlieb did not contest for the time being -- though the option would exist moving forward. He did, however, request his client receive the most current medication hes been prescribed, but wouldnt divulge the medication or his clients illness.

His family and friends... recognize and picked up on significant changes in him over the past few months," said Gottlieb. Something dramatically happened to him that certainly seems to have been affected by that hate spewed throughout the Internet.

At Comellos extradition hearing in New Jersey last week, he revealed to reporters in the courtroom a "Q" he had penned on his palm, along with President Trumps campaign slogan Make America Great Again.

The "Q" is apparently in reference to a conspiracy theory that in part claims President Trump is saving the world from a pedophile ring that involves prominent Democratic politicians and Hollywood elite.

Weeks before the murder, Comello attempted to make a citizens arrest of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rep. Maxine Waters, a prominent Democrat out of California, authorities said.

Gottlieb said his client was not receiving the correct medications while being held in New Jersey, but in reference to the bizarre appearance, said that was real. In terms of how exactly those beliefs might be connected to the Cali murder, he said the following:

All of that is going to become much clearer once all the evidence is known and the truth comes out."

He added the change family and friends had seen in Comello in recent months was a culmination of events, but would not reveal what those events were, or whether his client knew Cali either personally, or indirectly.

The defendant has the option to testify at a grand jury trial where Richmond County residents would determine whether he should be indicted, and the case moved to state Supreme Court. However, Gottlieb said he hasnt decided whether his client will testify in front of a grand jury.

In terms of his clients safety, Gottlieb requested protective custody continue where Comello is being held, which has not been announced publicly. He laughed off the idea of his own safety being at risk, though he was escorted into the courthouse Monday by armed guards.

An expert on organized crime referred to Comello as a dead man walking in the days following the murder, in reference to possible retaliation from either the mob or a someone trying to make a name for himself.

With that in mind, sources said Comello was transported to the courthouse as early as 4 a.m. Monday. By 7 a.m., there were armed state court officers visible on the roof of the mezzanine atop the main entrance.

The small courtroom where Comello was arraigned was packed with about 50 people, included about 15 court officers, two judges, a half-dozen NYPD detectives, about 20 journalists and several attorneys.

Comello is due back in court April 3, pending a possible grand jury indictment which then would move the case to state Supreme Court.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  His drug buyers were cops, so the payback now for a felon from Concord is eight years upstate.

Daquan (Day Day) Jones, 28, pleaded guilty Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, the top charge against him, stemming from his arrest on April 4 of last year.

Jones was busted then with cocaine and scales in his possession, said a criminal complaint.

Previously, between December 2017 and March 2018, the defendant sold cocaine multiple times to undercover officers at several locations, including in Brighton Heights and Bulls Head, an indictment said.

On three occasions, he peddled at least a half-ounce of cocaine, said the indictment.

Jones will be sentenced on April 25 to eight years behind bars and five years post-release supervision. He is being held without bail pending sentence.

My client, after reviewing the recently-provided evidence, believed it was in his best interest to accept the new offer, said defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci.

Assistant District Attorney Timothy Pezzoli is prosecuting the case.

Jones has previously served jail time.

He was accused in unrelated incidents of shooting and wounding a man on Dec. 6, 2014, outside the former Latin Paridise nightclub in Port Richmond.

Authorities also alleged he took part in a shootout on Jan. 30, 2015, on Jersey Street, New Brighton, in which a bystander was pegged in the knee.

The defendant later pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted second-degree criminal weapon possession to satisfy the charges in those cases and was sentenced to concurrent one-year jail terms, said prosecutors.
WASHINGTON  Attorney General William Barr has made his determination about special counsel Robert Muellers investigation . Now Democrats want to make their own.

Mueller didn't find that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election, but he reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. Barr decided there was no evidence requiring prosecution on the obstruction issue.

Trump claimed full vindication, but the delivery Sunday of Barr's summary to Congress about Mueller's conclusions opened a new chapter in the battle over the two-year investigation that is likely to consume Capitol Hill in the coming weeks and months.

Democratic lawmakers are demanding a full look at Mueller's findings and dismissing Barr's summary as incomplete, at best, and biased, at worst.

Staten island Rep. Max Rose (D) said, Both Republicans and Democrats voted unanimously to release the full Mueller report just last week. If that doesnt happen, it will only further erode the American peoples trust in their government.

"This should be an easy decision and I expect the attorney general to put country first, he added.

On Monday, a leading Republican senator previewed his party's strategy, defending Barr's decision and vowing to "unpack the other side of the story" of the Russia investigation.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Senate Judiciary chairman who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will investigate the actions of the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, including the FBI's use of a dossier compiled by British spy Christopher Steele.

Graham's comments echoed Trump's own complaints Sunday in which he compared the probe to a failed coup and said those behind it should be held responsible.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats have seized on a line in Barr's summary that says Mueller's report "does not exonerate" Trump on obstruction of justice  even though Barr concluded the evidence of obstruction is insufficient to find Trump committed a crime.

Monday morning, White House aides and allies blanketed television news broadcasts to trumpet the findings and claim that Trump had been the victim in a probe that never should have started.

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement. "Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report."

Given the report, Democrats seemed more likely to focus on their ongoing investigations, calls for transparency and frustrations with Barr, rather than engaging with the talk of impeachment that has been amplified on Pelosi's left flank. As the release of Mueller's report loomed, Pelosi recently tried to scuttle that talk by saying she's not for impeachment, for now.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, who would lead any impeachment effort, said he would call Barr to testify soon "in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department."

Yet while Democrats focused on the obstruction piece, Barr's summary report dealt their investigative efforts an undeniable blow by concluding that Trump's campaign never conspired with Russia. Top Democrats, now leading broad investigations of Trump in the House majority, had long suggested just the opposite.

"After 22 months of a special counsel and 2 years of congressional investigations, it's over," tweeted North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, a close ally of Trump. "The clock has finally struck midnight on the 'Russian collusion' fantasy."

In a joint statement, Nadler, House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., almost seemed to concede that collusion had not been found, saying they have confidence in Mueller, "notwithstanding the very public evidence of Trump campaign contact with and willingness to receive support from Russian agents."

Still, they said, "it will be vital for the country and the Congress to evaluate the full body of evidence collected by the special counsel, including all information gathered of a counterintelligence nature."

Democrats discussed strategy in a flurry of calls over the weekend. Pelosi and Schumer talked repeatedly, including several calls Sunday from her home in San Francisco. As soon as Barr's letter arrived, Pelosi quickly convened a call Sunday with Cummings, Schiff and Nadler to go over its main points. They were on the same page with their response, according to a person familiar with the call. Nadler later held a conference call with Democratic members on the Judiciary panel and reiterated calls for transparency.

People familiar with the calls requested anonymity to discuss them freely.

Republicans unified to call for Congress to move on. "This case is closed," said House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in a statement.

Trump celebrated the findings but did not appear ready to let the matter drop, calling the investigation "an illegal takedown that failed." He said that, "hopefully somebody's going to look at the other side," an apparent reference to Democrats.

Democratic calls for transparency on the Mueller report could set up a court battle with the Trump administration that could take months or years to resolve.

It's unclear what else is coming from Barr, though he states in the letter that he is working to make more information public. He said he will be consulting with Mueller to determine what else can be released. But whatever is provided is unlikely to be enough for Democrats, who have said they want all of Mueller's underlying evidence  including interviews, documents and material turned over to the grand jury.

Democrats have said they are willing to subpoena Mueller and Barr, if needed, to push for disclosure.

Though Trump himself has said the report should be made public, it's not clear whether the administration would fight subpoenas for testimony or block the transmission of grand jury material.

If the administration decides to fight, lawmakers could ask federal courts to step in and enforce a subpoena. A court fight could, in theory, reach the Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Democrats will keep the focus on full transparency.

"I don't want a summary of the Mueller report," tweeted Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate. "I want the whole damn report."

___

Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Popular luggage retailer Samsonite will be among the first stores to open its doors at New York Citys first outlet mall, the Advance has learned.

A spokesperson for the company said Samsonite is currently seeking four employees for the approximately 1,900-square-foot store that will open April 17, when there will be a sneak peek event for Staten Islanders.

Empire Outlets will officially open on April 18.

This new Samsonite store -- being built alongside Empire Outlets 100 other designer retailers -- will offer shoppers discounted travel bags, luggage and associated accessories.

Samsonite currently has jobs listed for assistant store manager, and part-time 3rd key supervisor.

Were very excited to be a part of this new outlet development in New York City. This unique shopping experience close to the Staten Island Ferry terminal should attract many tourists and locals that will make this project a success, said John Mullins, vice president, general manager of Samsonite Retail US, when the lease agreement was signed last year.

GRAND OPENING

The majority of the public spaces at New York Citys first outlet mall will open on April 18, Joseph Ferrara, principal in BFC Partners, developers of Empire Outlets, told the Advance last month. The retailers will open in phases between April and the summer, he said.

FIRST RETAILERS TO OPEN

While Empire Outlets has yet to announce the names of the retailers that will open in its early phases, Columbia Sportswear is gearing up for an April opening, said a spokesman for the company.

A spokesman for Columbia told the Advance the new outlet store will have a team of 20 staff members, and is slated to open in mid-April. Currently, Columbia has job listings for store manager, interim store manager, freight supervisor and part-time stock associate.

In addition, three outlet stores under the Gap brand are slated to open by the end of April and employ between 155 to 175 employees, according to a Gap Inc. spokeswoman.

Gap listings include those for sales associate, loss prevention agent, stock associate, visual merchandizing specialist, brand associate, assistant manager, operations specialist and loyalty specialist.

The new Cotton On outlet -- offering womens wear, menswear and accessories is opening on April 19 and will be hiring 15 team members across sales associate and management roles, said a spokesman for the company. Positions being advertised on the companys website for Empire Outlets include: sales associate, store manager, assistant store manager and key holder.

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The man accused of gunning down acting Gambino crime family boss Francesco (Frank) Cali is scheduled to make his first New York City court appearance in St. George on Monday.

Anthony Comello, 24, of Eltingville, is scheduled for a hearing in Criminal Court on Monday after waiving extradition from New Jersey, where authorities apprehended him on March 16 at a family vacation home in Brick Township.

The suspect was transported to Staten Island from New Jersey in the middle of the night, according to several police sources.

ALLEGED MOB BOSS KILLER: Suspect due in court on Staten Island Posted by Staten Island Advance on Monday, March 25, 2019

Comello was officially arrested by the NYPD at 4:05 a.m. and charged by police with murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, namely a loaded firearm, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

The police presence at the courthouse is substantial hours before Comello is scheduled to appear.

Officers are already stationed outside the building, and numerous cops can be seen scouring each floor of the parking garage next door.

Court officers are also visible on the roof of the court house.

Some media members have already begun to assemble.

Law enforcement and other sources have warned that Comello is likely to be the target of a mob hit or someone out to make a name for himself by killing the suspect.

The police presence is building outside the Staten Island Courthouse on Monday where Anthony Comello is scheduled to appear at a hearing for the murder of Gambino crime family boss Francesco (Frank) Cali on Monday. (Staten Island Advance/ Jan Somma-Hammel)

Comello waived his extradition rights last Monday during a hearing in Ocean County Superior Court before Judge Wendel Daniels. The hearing in the courtroom took a bizarre turn when Comello held his open handcuffed palm up to reporters, showing a symbol and several words scrawled in pen. MAGA forever and united we stand were some of the phrases he had printed, while others were not entirely legible.

The suspect allegedly made a series of cryptic comments during a brief interview last Wednesday at the Ocean County Jail.

You shouldnt believe in stories. Dont believe in fairy tales, the Daily News quoted Comello as saying.

When the reporter asked if that meant he didnt gun down Cali, the News quoted Comello as saying, I dont need to clear my name.

Cali, 53, was shot multiple times on March 13 in front of his home on Hilltop Terrace after Comello allegedly slammed his vehicle into the mobsters parked car. The mobsters wife, children and niece were home when Cali ran out front to check on what he thought was a car accident, but turned out to be an ambush.

Police said video surveillance of the encounter shows the suspect pull out a handgun about a minute into a conversation with Cali and fire 12 shots, with at least six of the bullets striking Cali, who was pronounced dead at Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, authorities said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York City Police Department is seeking the publics assistance in locating and identifying an individual sought for questioning in connection with the criminal impersonation of a police officer in Grasmere.

It was reported to police that on Wednesday, March 20, at approximately 4:08 p.m., an unidentified male rang the doorbell of a 36-year-old resident in the vicinity of Steuben Street and Beverly Road, according to a written statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Upon answering the door, the individual identified himself as a police officer while displaying a shield and requested to use the bathroom, police said. The resident refused the request and the male fled on foot to Steuben Street toward Hylan Boulevard, police said.

The person wanted for questioning, as seen in the attached photo provided by the NYPD, is described as a white male in his 30s, approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall and 200 pounds. He as seen wearing all dark clothing and multi-colored sneakers, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577.
LAGUNA WOODS, Calif.  The group of white-haired folks  some pushing walkers, others using canes  arrive right on time at the gates of Laguna Woods Village, an upscale retirement community in the picturesque hills that frame this Southern California suburb a few miles from Disneyland.

There they board a bus for a quick trip to a building that, save for the green Red Cross-style sign in the window, resembles a trendy coffee bar. The people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, pass the next several hours enjoying a light lunch, playing a few games of bingo and selecting their next month's supply of cannabis-infused products.

"It's like the ultimate senior experience," laughs 76-year-old retired beauty products distributor Ron Atkin as he sits down to watch the bingo at the back of the Bud and Bloom marijuana dispensary in Santa Ana.

Most states now have legal medical marijuana, and 10 of them, including California, allow anyone 21 or older to use pot recreationally. The federal government still outlaws the drug even as acceptance increases. The 2018 General Social Survey, an annual sampling of Americans' views, found a record 61 percent back legalization, and those 65 and older are increasingly supportive.

Indeed, many industry officials say the fastest-growing segment of their customer base is people like Atkin  aging baby boomers or even those a little older who are seeking to treat the aches and sleeplessness and other maladies of old age with the same herb that many of them once passed around at parties.

"I would say the average age of our customers is around 60, maybe even a little older," said Kelty Richardson, a registered nurse with the Halos Health clinic in Boulder, Colorado, which provides medical examinations and sells physician-recommended cannabis through its online store.

(Below is a video of the Advance/SILive pot project, The United States of Weed, that focuses on senior citizens in Oregon, where marijuana is legalized.)

Its medical director, Dr. Joseph Cohen, conducts "Cannabis 101" seminars at the nearby Balfour Senior Living community for residents who want to know which strains are best for easing arthritic pain or improving sleep.

Relatively little scientific study has verified the benefits of marijuana for specific problems. There's evidence pot can relieve chronic pain in adults, according to a 2017 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, but the study also concluded that the lack of scientific information poses a risk to public health.

At Bud and Bloom, winners of the bingo games take home new vape pens, but Atkin isn't really there for that. He's been coming regularly for two years to buy cannabis-infused chocolate bars and sublingual drops to treat his painful spinal stenosis since the prescription opiates he had been taking quit working.

It was "desperation" that brought him here, he said, adding that his doctors didn't suggest he try medical marijuana. But they didn't discourage him either.

The dispensary is filled with the 50 people from the bus as they peruse counters and coolers containing everything from gel caps to drops to cannabis-infused drinks, not to mention plenty of old-fashioned weed.

Adele Frascella, leaning on her cane, purchases a package of gummy candies she says helps keep her arthritic pain at bay.

"I don't like to take an opioid," said Frascella, 70.

Fashionably dressed with sparkling silver earrings, Frascella confirms with a smile that she was a pot smoker in her younger days.

"I used to do it when I was like 18, 19, 20," she said. "And then I had a baby, got married and stopped."

She took it up again a few years ago, even investing in a "volcano," a pricey, high-tech version of the old-fashioned bong that Gizmodo calls "the ultimate stoner gadget." But these days, like many other seniors, she prefers edibles to smoking.

Renee Lee, another baby boomer who smoked as a youth, got back into it more than a dozen years ago after the clinical psychologist underwent brain surgery and other medical procedures that she said had her taking "10 meds a day, four times a day."

"And I wasn't getting any better," she said, adding that she asked her doctors if she might try medical marijuana as a last resort. They said go ahead and she found it ended her pain.

In 2012 she founded the Rossmoor Medical Marijuana Club in her upscale San Francisco Bay Area retirement community.

"We started with 20 people, and we kept it really quiet for about a year and a half," she said, noting that although California legalized medical cannabis in 1996, it was still seen in some quarters as an outlaw drug.

Her group has since grown to more than 1,000 members and puts on regular events, including lectures by pro-cannabis doctors and nurses.

People Lee's age  65 and over  are the fastest-growing segment of the marijuana-using population, said Dr. Gary Small, professor of psychiatry and aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He believes more studies on the drug's effects on older people are needed. And while it may improve quality of life by relieving pain, anxiety and other problems, he said, careless, unsupervised use can cause trouble.

"We know that cannabis can cause side effects, particularly in older people," he said. "They can get dizzy. It can even impair memory if the dose is too high or new ingredients are wrong. And dizziness can lead to falls, which can be quite serious."

Richardson said Colorado saw an uptick in hospital visits by older users soon after the state legalized cannabis in 2012. The problem, he said, was often caused by novices downing too many edibles.

That's a lesson Dick Watts, 75, learned the hard way. The retired New Jersey roofing contractor who keeps a winter home at Laguna Woods Village began having trouble sleeping through the night as he got into his 70s. He attended a seniors' seminar where he learned marijuana might help, so he got a cannabis-infused candy bar. He immediately ate the whole thing.

"Man, that was nearly lethal," recalled Watts, laughing.

Now when he has trouble sleeping he takes just a small sliver of candy before bed. He said he wakes up clear-headed and refreshed.

And I have it up on a shelf so my grandkids cant get to it, Watts said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Talk about a buzz kill.

Supporters of legalizing recreational marijuana in New Jersey were in for a letdown Monday when the states top lawmakers canceled a vote to do just that, knowing they didnt have the necessary votes to push the bill through.

While we are all disappointed that we did not secure enough votes to ensure legislative approval of the adult use cannabis bill today, we made substantial progress on a plan that would make significant changes in social policy, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney said in a statement provided to NJ.com.

The state legislature is expected to schedule another vote in 2019, though its uncertain when that might happen.

New York state Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore) said the most recent developments across the border will just solidify the decision to delay a vote in Albany as well.

Savino has voiced support for legalizing adult use in New York, citing in part the ability to snuff out the black market and the reality of legal markets already established in 10 other states and Washington D.C., therefore allowing New York residents to spend their taxable dollars elsewhere.

Efforts by a majority of Democrats in New York has faced opposition in recent weeks from black lawmakers concerned Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos proposal could perpetuate the racial inequality fostered under current drug laws, according to a New York Times report.

Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore) is a black lawmaker who would support legalizing adult use, but with contingencies that would include reparations and ample jobs for minority communities negatively impacted by decades of unfair drug enforcement, said Brian Early, legislative director for the Albany newcomer.

Assemblyman Mike Reilly (R-South Shore) has voiced opposition to the move from the start, citing concerns that include the impact on highway safety and a black market he contends would continue to thrive.

I believe those concerns I and many others have should be analyzed and fully vetted," he said. "Hitting the brakes would be a welcoming approach.

A vote in New York is not expected until after budget season.
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One of Germany's richest families, whose company owns a controlling interest in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread, Pret a Manger and other well-known businesses, plans to donate millions to charity after learning about their ancestors' enthusiastic support of Adolf Hitler and use of forced labourers under the Nazis, according to a report Sunday.

"The whole truth must be put on the table.": Family spokesman Peter Harf. Credit:AP

In a four-page report, the Bild newspaper reported that documents uncovered in Germany, France and the US reveal that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. used Russian civilians and French POWs as forced labourers.

Family spokesman Peter Harf, who is one of two managing partners of the Reimann's JAB Holding Company, said recent internal research confirmed Bild's findings.

"It is all correct," he told the newspaper. "Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty ... they belonged in jail."
Financial advisers are hitting the books to comply with Australia's new minimum study standards but there's debate over whether they should receive financial support to cover thousands in course fees.

On Monday the Financial Adviser Standards and Ethics Authority (FASEA) released new guidance on approved university courses as it rolled out sweeping changes to financial adviser training.

Financial Planning Association CEO Dante De Gori.

From this year, existing financial planners who don't have relevant prior training in financial advice will have to study either bridging units or a full graduate diploma in order to continue practising.

It's a move many warned would force planners from the profession and now those in the space say advisers who want to stay will be paying thousands over the next few years to get up to speed.
With this in mind, when my husband, Christopher Scanlon, and I started writing our young adult fantasy series we debated making the protagonist male to increase the potential readership. In the end we decided on a female protagonist, partly because that was the story we wanted to write, and partly because we are idealists. We both passionately believe that the stories of girls and women are just as valid and worth telling as the stories of boys and men. We also hoped our fast-paced plot and universal message about finding your power and learning not to fear it would entice male readers to see beyond gender. But our goal to bridge the gender divide was always going to be a challenge. Boys will not pick up this book, and they should. Theyd enjoy it as much as girls, said childrens bookseller LJ Lacey when she saw that the cover of The Girl Who Fell featured a picture of a girl.

A girl on the cover of a book, or simply girl colours such as pink, purple or pastels are often enough to deter a boy  or the person with the money  from even touching the book on the shelves, as if it could transmit girl germs on contact. I love how many boys decide to give my books a try and queue up to buy my books and have them signed, says Murrell. Thats not to say that its impossible to get boys to read girl books. It sometimes just requires getting around the gatekeeper. In Belinda Murrells experience, just one conversation with young boys where she tells them about her books and explains that lots of other boys read them and love them can be enough to shatter their gender prejudice. I love how many boys decide to give my books a try and queue up to buy my books and have them signed, says Murrell whose books range from fantasy such as The Sun Sword Trilogy aimed at teens to the Lulu Bell series aimed at younger readers.

Sadly, as these young boys with open minds grow into teens, their gender bias can become harder to shift. Social commentator and bestselling author Jane Caro says she recently experienced open hostility from a group of senior boys attending her author talk for her historical fiction series about Queen Elizabeth I. The phalanx of year 12 private school boys with their legs wide and their arms crossed were an intimidating audience, says Caro whose most recent young adult book Just Flesh and Blood was published last year. Is this generation of young men better able to hear women tell their stories than their fathers and grandfathers were, as is claimed, or not? I came away unsure. When boys grow up believing stories about women are unimportant they lose far more than the opportunity to read great books. For starters, half the world is female so these boys and men are effectively depriving themselves of half of the worlds ideas and culture.
Jo Hollier and Ellen Bennett. Collection and Obsession. Form Studio and Gallery. 1/30 Aurora Ave, Queanbeyan. Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm. Until April 7.

Jo Hollier, Young and local, monotype (detail), in Collection and Obsession at Form Studio and Gallery.

This exhibition features the work of established Canberra artist/printmaker Jo Hollier in the main gallery space and new works by emerging artist Ellen Bennett in the smaller back gallery. While the artists exhibition has a single title, there are effectively two exhibitions on display, and the artists are united familially rather than aesthetically.

Holliers work will be familiar to many Canberra viewers. In this exhibition she continues her explorations of the avian, floral and insect life that surrounds her west Belconnen studio that have been such a fecund source for her aesthetic expression over a number of years.

The collection aspect of the title is perhaps a reference to the accumulations of leaves, seeds, feathers, etc, that randomly populate her studio and as constant reminders of her immediate and wider environment. The obsession alludes to both her collecting habits and to her ongoing fascination with the rich possibilities innate in her use of print-making as her premier medium. In Collection and Obsession she traverses a number of print media including etching, monotypes, woodblock collage, and collagraphs.
Police have released images of alleged murder victim Jae-Ho Oh and called for anyone who saw or had contact with him in the days leading up to his death to contact homicide investigators.

Jae-Ho Oh.

About 2am on March 11, police were called to Gungahlin following reports of an altercation in the alleged victim's home.

Jae-Ho Oh was allegedly murdered earlier this year.

When police arrived they found 56-year-old Mr Oh in a critical condition and the officers who performed CPR were unable to revive him.
Phil Harris was highly regarded in the advertising industry in Sydney and worked with some well-known people including Bryce Courtenay, Michael Robinson and John Crawford and significant companies including Coca-Cola, LEGO and GIO. He made a captivating and award-winning TV advert for LEGO.

No challenge deterred him and he was confident, optimistic and somehow managed to get the best out of some difficult creative types. In addition to advertising, Harris volunteered every weekend in the NSW Ambulance Service and ultimately joined the board.

Phil Harris (right) and Tony Brown, managing director at LEGO.

He also took an interest in hypnotherapy and became a proficient hypnotist. He joined the board of the Clinical Hypnotherapy Society. Towards the end of his career he moved into the motorcycle industry, opening a large retail outlet in Hornsby.

Phil Harris' parents emigrated from the East End of London in the 1920s. He grew up in the Manly area and had a modest education, aspiring to be a doctor and to study psychology. He left school in his mid-teens and went to work in the classifieds department at The Sydney Morning Herald alongside Richie Benaud.
Cape Town carnage

The death toll following last weeks police shooting in the Eastern Cape is now 32 and rising in a widespread and violent attack on white rule. The homes of 18 police were razed in petrol bomb attacks. Police have been evacuated from the area of last Thursdays violence, when at least 19 people were shot by police. Opposition MPs of the Progressive Federal Party toured the scene of the shooting and said they now believed the shootings were unprovoked.

Zoo killings

Sections of Adelaide Zoo were a graveyard of butchered animals yesterday, the work of a gang which went from one enclosure to the next to cut throats, bash and stab. The 64 animals were found dead by shocked keepers. The majority of animals were found in the childrens zoo and had their throats cut or were stabbed near the heart. Adelaide CIB officers are investigating the slaughter and have called on the public to help police investigations.

Big suspension
William Tyrrell's foster-mother has broken down on the stand recalling the moment she thought that her son's abductor also planned to take her daughter.

William disappeared from his foster-grandmother's front yard in the sleepy town of Kendall on the NSW Mid North Coast on September 12, 2014, while on a visit with his foster-family.

William Tyrrell, who vanished in 2014.

What happened to the 3-year-old boy in the Spider-Man suit is now the focus of an inquest by Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame.

Speaking on the first day of the inquest, William's foster-mother told the court of her horror at remembering seeing two strange cars in Benaroon Drive on the morning of her foster-son's disappearance while he played outside with his sister.
An Englishman suing the Nine Network for defamation over a broadcast which included the phrase coward punch offered to settle for $150,000 but is now seeking damages in excess of $250,000, a court has been told.

Sam Oliver, 23, was last year found not guilty of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm after an altercation with former rugby sevens captain James Stannard outside a kebab shop in Coogee in the early hours of March 30, 2018.

Chris Oliver (left) and Stuart Littlemore QC (right) leave the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday. Credit:AAP

Prosecutors had argued Mr Oliver was the only person to throw a punch, but Mr Oliver gave evidence that he acted in self defence after he was hit first and called a "pommy c---". Magistrate Richard Funston dismissed the assault charge, telling a court he could not be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the "very serious" charge was made out.

Mr Oliver launched defamation action over a Nine News broadcast on the night of his acquittal, which used the phrase: "It was a coward punch that ended the career of Rugby Sevens captain James Stannard and today he suffered another blow as the man who threw it was cleared of all charges".
The completion of a troubled project aimed at keeping NSW's fleet of Tangara passenger trains in service for an extra decade is forecast to be at least two years late, "sensitive" government documents reveal.

The internal documents, obtained by the Herald using freedom of information laws, show that senior transport officials have pushed out the expected completion date of the Tangara technology upgrade several times, the latest to October 2021.

The project, which is overseen by Transport for NSW, is intended to keep the fleet of 446 Tangara carriages in service for another 10 years by improving their reliability and safety.

The upgrade to the Tangara fleet is not expected to be completed until late 2021. Credit:Phil Hearne

Extending their working life will be critical to Sydney Trains having enough trains to meet surging demand from commuters for services, even when its fleet is boosted by the second batch of 17 new Waratahs over the next few years.
A Queensland Department of Education contractor has been charged with fraud after a joint investigation by the state government body and the Crime and Corruption Commission.

The 33-year-old man, who lives in the Adelaide suburb of Magill, was charged on Monday and accused of fraud in relation to two separate department contracts worth $33,000 and $77,000.

A Department of Education contractor and employee have now been charged in relation to the $110,000 fraud. Credit:Craig Abraham

He is set to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 9 and is the second person to be charged as part of the probe.

On Friday, a Queensland Department of Education employee was charged with the same offences related to frauds worth the same amount of money.
A man has been airlifted to hospital after being bitten by a shark on the hip and buttocks off a popular diving reef in Queensland's Whitsundays.

The 25-year-old man had been swimming close to a boat paramedics said was off Hardy Reef, a popular dive spot north-east of Airlie Beach, when the shark attacked about 12.30pm on Monday.

Hardy Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef. Credit:Tourism Queensland

It's the fourth shark attack in north Queensland waters in a little more than six months.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When the southern Italian city of Naples decided to revamp metro stations along two of its lines it sought creative input from a mix of international stars, such as British sculptor Anish Kapoor, Italians such as Neapolitan Achille Cevoli and a variety of up-and-coming creators. More than 100 artists have contributed so far to Naples' "art stations", a project conceived by art critic Achille Bonito Oliva, who told The New York Times the stations were "monuments to innovations" and "catacombs of beauty" that offered "an underground aesthetic of the contemporary, bearing witness to our time". This wasnt about decorating the architecture," he added, "its about enhancing the space with the works of artists called on to dialogue with the space. Catalan architect Oscar Tusquets, from Barcelona, brought a theme of water and light to one of the deepest new metro stations, which opened in 2012. At 50 metres underground, Toledo station extends below the city's groundwater yet it has an almost celestial feel. US artist Robert Wilson, known for his experimental theatre designs, created a light-panel seascape that adds to the ethereal vibe. So mesmerising is it that, having caught the escalator up, it's tempting to catch it back down and repeat the experience. Toledo Station, Naples. Credit:Felicity Lewis This, below, is the view passing under the escalator lightwell at Toledo Station. Toledo metro station, Naples. Credit:Felicity Lewis

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New York designer Karim Rashid was the brains behind the Universita metro station in Naples, which wowed the city with its glossy surfaces and backlit coloured panels made of Corian and mirrored steel when it opened in 2011. Rashid said the station, which serves the city's university, was a metaphor for Naples' position as an "intellectual haven" connected to the world in the new digital age. Universita metro station, Naples. Credit:Felicity Lewis But Rashid also nods to the past with a portrait of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, famous for his 14th-century epic The Divine Comedy, on a staircase exit. Dante Alighieri, Toledo metro station, Naples. Credit:Felicity Lewis

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Looking towards the top of an escalator, Universita metro station, Naples. Credit:Felicity Lewis Russia was an early exponent of opulent decor for metros. Stations in Saint Petersburg and Moscow make you feel as if you are going to a ball rather than catching a train. Avtovo station in Saint Petersburg has been a Neo-classical wonderland since it opened in 1955 just 12 metres underground. Avtovo metro station, St Petersburg. Credit:Felicity Lewis Architect Yevgeny Levinson apparently dabbled in stage design while a student and the influence is clear in the glistening glass and white-marble columns, sculpture panels and elaborate chandeliers. Even the ventilation grilles are highly embellished. But the station is more than just a pretty place; it is themed around the defence of the city  then called Leningrad  from the Nazis, who put it under siege for nearly 2 hellish years from 1941 until 1944, leading to the deaths of as many as 1 million people. In the end, the Nazis failed to break the city. People waiting for a train can ponder the mosaic at the end of the station by V.A. Voronetskiy and A.K. Sokolov titled Victory and inscribed with "Peace to the world!" and "Our cause is right  we won!" Avtovo metro station, Saint Petersburg. Credit:Felicity Lewis

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Avtovo metro station, St Petersburg. Credit:Felicity Lewis Many of the pillars are faced with glass carved by artisans from Lomonosov, a small town 50 kilometres west of Saint Petersburg where Soviet forces were able to maintain a foothold during the siege. Solna station in Stockholm. Sweden has gone organic in its many metro "cave" stations, leaving the bedrock exposed but for a lick of paint. It is not just any lick of paint though. In Stockholm's Solna station, from 1975, for example, black is topped with rich red. The theme is said to be about deforestation. Stadion metro station in Stockholm. Credit:Arild Vagen

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By contrast, the walls of the Stadion metro station are covered in sky blue and a rainbow  and not just because they were painted in 1973. Apparently, the airy colour scheme was partly to offset commuters' fears that they were entering a kind of subterranean commuter hell. Westfriedhof, a U-Bahn station in Munich. Credit: Martin Falbisoner The Westfriedhof station in Munich features 11 aluminium domes lacquered in yellow, red and blue by industrial designer Ingo Maurer. Installed in 2001, the lamps and mood lighting bathe the roughly textured concrete walls in an ethereal light. Szent Gellert Ter metro station, Budapest. Credit:Alamy A veteran of subway travel, Budapest's underground electric railway was the first in Continental Europe when it opened in 1896. Its new line includes Szent Gellert Ter station, on the banks of the Danube, with a mosaic by artist Tamas Komoroczky.

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In 2001, Australias crude new marriage rate was 5.3 per 1000 people. A decade later in 2011, this number was 5.4 per 1000 people. And in 2017, the rate was 4.6 per 1000 people, however the Australian Bureau of Statistics states amendments to the Marriage Act in 2017 to legalise same-sex marriage may have impacted the registration system, resulting in this figure being understated. University of Melbourne sociologist Professor Belinda Hewitt finds the country's steady marriage rate interesting because, realistically, the difference between de facto and married couples today is zilch aside from the rings on their fingers. So, logically and financially, it makes little sense. Theres almost no legal reason to get married any more, Professor Hewitt said. Laws around property distribution and custodial arrangements with children are essentially the same for cohabiters. Marriage is no longer an economic necessity, and is free from religious and patriarchal pressure.

Loading Marriage isnt being thrust on couples just because theyre having kids, or because theyve been together for two years and "its time". Today, more than 80 per cent of couples are already sharing a home before they marry. Professor Hewitt says the motivations for marriage have changed drastically, and she believes its now primarily about what it symbolises for couples. Its a choice. Its a higher level of commitment. Its a statement you want to make with your partner, she says.

People are together for longer before marriage and really thinking about it. Aleisha McCormack hosts the popular Bridechilla podcast, attracting 60,000 listeners a month, most of whom are brides. There is a general feeling that marriage is important because people see it as a sign of commitment coming together as a union Its not connected to religion or feeling they need to consummate this or for any reason other than saying this is who I want to be with, Ms McCormack says. Theyre not doing this out of obligation, most couples are already living together and sharing their lives. With almost four-fifths of weddings now overseen by a civil celebrant, Ms McCormack says a drawcard for couples is the freedom to personalise a ceremony, write their own vows, and ditch traditions they may find meaningless or sexist.

Loading Then theres the allure of the party - the reception. The significance of throwing a big bash to celebrate your love with all your favourite people shouldnt be scoffed at. My husband and I, when we think about our wedding, we think how amazing it was to bring all these people together in our lives Its a rare and wonderful thing, Ms McCormack says. And being in the digital age, Ms McCormack says Instagram also has a part to play in the appeal of weddings. The influence of gorgeous imagery and the look of low-key but very styled events is appealing for people.

But theres a limit to its influence, she says. Millennials get a lot of shit, but I truly believe that people are focused on the relationship over the aesthetics of a wedding. Women who have been married in the last few years echo the sentiments of MsCormack. Kate* got married in November after 10 years with her partner. Deciding we wanted to share the rest of our lives together, I wanted to celebrate that and have people celebrate it with us.

For Lily*, it was seeing a relative lose his wife that convinced her and her partner to get married. Loading Seeing the joy in his eyes speaking about their marriage in the toughest weeks of his life made us realise that celebrating our relationship was something worth doing and a way of celebrating the bringing of our families together, she says. We were both very conscious of the patriarchal origins of marriage and wanted to ensure we removed ourselves from that We didnt do things just because it is tradition. Marie*, who got married two years ago, believes even if its not expected, marriage is still a powerful cultural force that people attach a lot of meaning to.

Theres just something really special and lovely about making that commitment to one another in front of your family and friends, she says. Life is short and we should celebrate love and relationships when we can. So if my teenage self asked me why the heck Im getting married  and thumping my bank account in the process  I would tell her the decision to do so is a truly beautiful thing. In 2019, a wedding is not just the next step. It comes after a lot of discussion and communication and soul-searching as a couple. It is a leap of faith, an act of vulnerability, a vote for love, a hope for forever. Yes, marriage may not be expected nor needed, it may even defy logic, but perhaps that makes it even more precious. In a world that is rapidly changing and filled with gloom, I cant think of many things more special than taking a day to celebrate love, to profess you want to spend the rest of your life with another person. And its a choice Im so glad Ive made.
Maple is carried by police to the hospital at Warragul, where he was taken after he was shot. He died half an hour later. Credit:Sydney Mail

Warragul  The career of Henry Maple, the overgrown boy desperado and bushranger was brought to a violent termination at 2 oclock on Monday afternoon. Hunted like a wild dog day and night, the unfortunate boy was finally brought to bay in a mass of fern that fringes the bush of Glen Nayook. Lying in the fern, he turned his pea rifle on the two parties of attackers. A dozen service rifles spat a reply, and Maple fell with a bullet through his temple. Thus ended a career of one whose incipient criminality threatened development that nobody could contemplate.

The day will long live in the memories of the people of Neerim. The boys daring, his evidences of crack marksmanship, and the continued inability of the finest bush men in the district to hunt him down with police assistance, were raising throughout a wide tract of country, a state of nervous apprehension. Mr. Pratt, farmer, amongst others, found when he arrived home on Monday morning that his wife and daughters were packing up to come into Neerim Junction. Maple, the women folk alleged, had passed by early and pointed a gun at them, and they would not stay in the house an hour longer. What about the cows? demanded the farmer, but the mother and daughters replied in terms more forcible than polite, and Mr. Pratt had to hitch his wagon to his horses and drive the whole family into Neerim Junction.

Unfortunately for Maple, he did not realize the results of the commotion he was creating and his gaunt and famished figure passed many a homestead where he had but to knock to secure unchallenged possession. But, of course, there were other homes where the boys reception would have been vitally different. Maple knew that, and erred on the side of caution. The general knowledge that the boy believed he had shot Constable Bartils and George Woolstencroft dead, and that therefore he would be reckless, made people the more fearful.

The final encounter took place here. Maple was hiding behind the log. He fired twice and was answered with a fusillade. A bullet took him in the temple. Credit:Sydney Mail

Imagination and idle talk did the rest, and the boy became in popular imagination a sort of jumping jack who made appearances in localities widely separated within a few minutes of each other. He was walking the main road by starlight one minute; he was silhouetted on a hilltop riding a bare-back galloping horse the next. It was said that he fired his rifle from hip and shoulder with equal facility and that he could hit a half-penny ten times out of twelve at 50 yards. So it was no wonder that nervous people began to leave their homes.
As a 50-year-old who looks at the current state of the media and the rush to victimhood and blame, Im grateful that I was a part of the politically incorrect no-holds-barred Morning Crew. At times it was bruising. Jane Marwick, Gary Shannon and the PMFM Morning Crew broadcasting live. Id find myself cringing while the boys roared with laughter. They rolled with the adage, sticks and stones will break my bones, but names can never hurt me.

I found that very hard. Because as we all know, words do matter, but the flipside is also true. You can take yourself too seriously. My middle name is Olga. Lighten up Olga, Gary would jibe when Id agonise over what I worried were insensitive comments. He was right. Mostly. There were occasions when things went too far.

Our highest rating was after a terrible comment by a contributor aired. Gary says, That got us into a bit of hot water. People say stupid, hurtful, offensive things. They always will. The older me argues that coming to terms with that is good. Jane Marwick We led the Channel Seven News, with Rick and Sue saying, Morning Crew in Disgrace. If it made news in 1996, it was bad.

These days the show would be rested, (now theres a euphemism) and the broadcasters counselled. And people who dont listen to it would demand its axing. But back then, our boss, the unflappable, steadfast Gary Roberts supported us. Shannon remembers that on numerous occasions people threated to sue us, but they never did. Mainly because the boss backed us and stared them down. Today, the idea that organisations run campaigns that urge advertisers to boycott stations or take broadcasters off the air because they feel affronted, is nonsensical.

Especially when those complaining arent regular listeners or viewers, but small, anonymous groups who spend their time looking to feel offended, fomenting outrage at a program theyre unlikely to consume. Herein lies a problem for media bosses. Jane Marwick. Credit:Joe Armao Do you produce careful, sanitised programs that dont rate and lose advertising revenue? Or do you back programs that challenge, excite and sometimes offend, and risk having the occasional stoush with the lobbyists?

And just look at the ratings for Married at First Sight. If traditional media chooses a safe shade of beige, it will lose out to the internet, where anything goes. A diverse media is healthy and interesting. Commercial media is just that, commercial. It needs to make a buck, otherwise it risks irrelevance, even extinction. And where is personal choice and responsibility in this rush to take offence?

If you dont like it, dont listen or watch. If enough people dont engage, the show wont rate, and its fate is sealed. Id liked to have seen the moral bastion minnows try it on with Roberts. Naturally, the Crew had to issue some grovelling apologies. One was to a pie company because Redman had bagged their product. They were a major sponsor. We had to meet with them in the boardroom. The aggrieved parties were sat around the table, po-faced. Gary crawled into the room on his hands and knees. They didnt see the humour which made it doubly funny. I could barely contain myself.

Angry pie people. I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand and thought about something frightening. I couldnt look at Gary. But we had the other Gary. Roberts. Talk about cool under pressure. On one occasion, Gary dropped a punch line that sent the phones into meltdown. It was a shocker.

Observing a person with the ability to stare down an angry mob is a beautiful thing to behold. Shannon tells the story of Roberts, who understood FM radio better than anyone, smiling wryly as he said: Ive had 70 complaints in one hour, Im very disappointed ... I thought we wouldve had more than that. Boom. When I asked Shannon what he thinks about media and the caution exercised by many broadcasters today, he said: This is partly why Im not in it Olga. Times have changed, but I havent. Commercial broadcasters need to be fearless and thick skinned.

Someone faxed me a noose once. We had been discussing the cutting down of old growth forests in the south west and I said something that upset a listener. It was sobering to see that knotted rope print out with my name on it. Ill admit to shedding a few tears in the loo, but I just got on with it. There was no alternative, save quitting. Our raison d'etre was to entertain, to point out the absurd, without fear or favour. Dangerous, but wonderful. Im not sure many of todays broadcasters feel they have that freedom, and thats a great pity.

I would urge bosses and fellow broadcasters to back those who take risks and challenge the status quo. Even if you disagree with their point. Its the old maxim attributed to Voltaire, I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Debate. Not censorship. Back in the nineties there was no left or right, there was just funny and wrong. I remember the day Dennis Cometti addressed us as we walked into a function, his voice booming the greeting, Ah the smiling assassins. Gary thought it was hilarious. I was mortified.

I saw Dennis this week and reminded him of that comment. Ever the diplomat, he smiled and said: Assassin, Jane. I wouldve said assassin. The rough and tumble of The Morning Crew made me resilient. People say stupid, hurtful, offensive things. They always will. The older me argues that coming to terms with that is good. And laughing about it is even better. How Rose Hancock withstood our daily onslaughts, with me as Rose on the phone, is beyond me.

But she did it with good humour, even inviting us to dinner at Prix dAmour. We declined. Gary says: God bless Rose Hancock. We took the absolute p--s out of her and she loved us. How I miss those days. The cringing, the crying, the exhaustion, the interminably long days, the apologies, the laughing with tears streaming down our faces. The madness. The freedom. The debate. The fearlessness. The danger. The resilience.
Lingering resentment of the Coalition governments policy of council mergers was not the major reason for significant swings from the Nationals, according to the former mayor of Dubbo.

Mathew Dickerson, who was sacked as Dubbo mayor when the Coalition government merged councils in 2016, just missed out on winning the state seat of Dubbo to National candidate Dugald Saunders.

Almost made it: Mathew Dickerson.

With slightly more than 80 per cent of the vote counted on Monday, Mr Dickerson was about 200 votes short of Mr Saunders tally, after a 22.4 per cent swing from the Nationals in the seat.

But Mr Dickerson said the forced merger of Dubbo and Wellington councils was only one factor among many that animated hostility toward the Nationals.
Senior Liberal MPs say Premier Gladys Berejiklian will be more assertive and have greater say over her frontbench and the governments priorities after she secured a majority in the Legislative Assembly by winning a 47th seat on Monday.

As Labor leader Michael Daley stood aside ahead of a leadership ballot in May, a senior Liberal minister said the party expected Ms Berejiklian would also do more on the environment.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian celebrates in her electorate, Willoughby, on Sunday. Credit:Edwina Pickles

Senior Liberal sources said the Premier would be "much more assertive" when making decisions on the make-up of her new cabinet, as well as on her priorities.

"I think one area Gladys will be interested in is definitely the environment and sustainability," a source said. "The independent crossbenchers are progressive and so I think you might see her support their position."
Beto-Bernie  The 2020 version of Obama-Biden

By Mark Alexander



At this point, 10 months from the Iowa caucuses, when a mainstream-media story mentions the 2020 presidential campaign, I ignore it. The now-perpetual presidential election campaign cycle, featuring somewhere between 15 and 50 Democrat Party contenders, may be good fodder for media advertising sales, but most of it is just meaningless talkinghead blather.

The current Demo presidential primary strategy is to field a lot of candidates with the objective of rallying each candidate's constituency into a frenzy, and then folding all those constituencies into one massive voter "amalgamation of dunces," as I fondly refer to it, amassed behind one nominee in order to defeat Donald Trump. It's a good strategy, despite the fact that some conservative commentators brush off the number of Demo candidates as humorous political folly.

But take note -- something noteworthy is happening within this Demo amalgamation. While most Democrat bets are on the mainstream "socialism-lite" 2020 candidates, the interest meters measuring leftist grassroots support for Bernie Sanders and Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke are in the red zone.

A month ago, when Sanders officially announced his presidential campaign, he collected $5.9 million from 223,000 donors in the first 24 hours. Of course, he still has a network of donors from his 2016 primary campaign against Hillary Clinton, which was going well until she and her DNC hacks sandbagged Sanders and his Millennial supporters. But both his donation total and donor total are compelling barometers of his national support.

Enter the latest Demo presidential wannabe, Beto O'Rourke, who in a 9,000-word puff piece, fittingly published in Vanity Fair, declared, "I want to run. ... I want to be in it. Man, I'm just born to be in it."

O'Rourke, after three terms in the U.S. House, raised a record-breaking $80 million from his national network of donors to fund his 2018 Senate campaign  in which he was narrowly defeated by Ted Cruz in Texas, a conservative state. In the first 24 hours after announcing his presidential campaign, O'Rourke used that network to raise $6.1 million, topping Sanders's initial intake, though his haul came from just 128,000 donors.

As for other Demo candidate returns in their first 24 hours, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) raised just over $1.5 million from 38,000 donors, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) raised just $300,000 from 8,000 donors (perhaps most from her Cherokee cousins). The early fundraising records of other Demos goes downhill from there.

So what do the first 24 hours tell us? Well, I would argue it's indicative of enthusiasm, and in the case of both Sanders and O'Rourke, that enthusiasm is considerable.

According to ActBlue, the Democrat Party's dominant donation-processing platform, a review of their past campaign fundraising indicates that Sanders and O'Rourke have strong small-donor support, which means broad support. This led The New York Times to declare that they are "poised to be a fund-raising phenom." And indeed, they are.

Of course, as investment disclaimers note, "Past performance is no guarantee of future results." And there is the question of whether Sanders and O'Rourke can continue to raise enough money to be competitive.

But I believe the big-money paradigm is changing for Democrats, who tend to do a much better job than Republicans of rallying grassroots voters.

A major reason for this shift is that Democrats are increasingly building entire constituencies on identity politics, though there are some fissures in those identities. And they're now as adept at creating identity constituencies as they are at promising free stuff in return for your vote.

I would argue, given Trump's very narrow margin of victory in 2016, that had Clinton not alienated Sanders's voters, she most assuredly would have defeated Trump.

After Sanders announced, I warned that Republicans had better take him "seriously and literally," and I would issue the same warning in regard to O'Rourke.

So what's the connection between O'Rourke and Sanders?

Remember back in 2008, when a charismatic young candidate named Barack Obama came out of nowhere to win his party's nomination and, after putting a much older, much more seasoned Democrat, Joe Biden, on his ticket, won the presidency?

Yes, Obama was a lot "smarter" than O'Rourke, although as Ronald Reagan once observed about leftists, "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."

A Beto-Bernie ticket would create a formidable socialist 2020 tag team to oppose Trump.

We would likely have never heard of O'Rourke if not for the financial backing of his wealthy wife. Like John Kerry, with whom O'Rourke is compared, Beto married into big bucks. However, Kerry is more a stoic tree Ent while O'Rourke is more a flailing tube-man ad prop.

Beto has lived a "white privilege" life. His family is well connected to the political Left  his father was state chairman of Jesse Jackson's presidential bids and held elected positions as an El Paso County commissioner and judge. He graduated from exclusive Woodberry Forest School in Virginia and Columbia University, where he apparently majored in skateboarding and shredding covers on the electric guitar.

A quick background check of the 47-year-old candidate uncovers a few notable issues.

When he was 16, he was writing sordid stories about killing children. At 23, he was arrested for burglary, but O'Rourke dismissively says, "That happened while I was in college."

Ah, he was "in college." Recall that O'Rourke's Democrat colleagues attempted to destroy the reputation of a conservative Supreme Court nominee by fabricating lies about things he did in high school.

Regarding his 1998 DWI arrest in El Paso, according to the police report, he hit another vehicle at a high rate of speed and attempted to flee the scene. He was sentenced to attend "DWI school." He now insists, "I've been open about that since the very beginning. ... I did not flee. The police report on this count is wrong."

O'Rourke, the son of a then-El Paso County judge, also blew 0.136 and 0.134 on police breathalyzers but told police that he'd "had two beers and had been on cold medication." We suppose the police report on those counts is also wrong.

And then there's that troublesome conviction of his mother in 2010 for "structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements, a felony." In effect, the O'Rourkes were attempting to conceal more than $1 million dollars in cash transactions through a family furniture store  $630,000 of it from one "particular customer" in one year. A U.S. district judge fined Mrs. O'Rourke $250,000 for what Mrs. O'Rourke called a "clerical error," but curiously did not require that she provide the name of the person who gave her the $630,000.

Most worrisome, though, is O'Rourke's unmitigated disregard for our Constitution and Rule of Law, and his contemptuous view of the viability of that essential document: "I think that's the question of the moment: Does this still work?"

That question should cause every American grave concern.

All that being said, some esteemed political observers like Conrad Black, who just penned "Stick a Fork in O'Rourke," believe his probability of a nomination is zero. But where there is smoke, there is fire. Given the Left's populist voter initiatives to ensure Democrat dominance  allowing illegal aliens, violent felons, and 16-year olds to vote, and then discarding the Electoral College  Caveat Emptor!

The Leftmedia propagandists are in love with Beto and Bernie, and they'll do everything within their considerable sphere of influence to galvanize his constituents into one massive "amalgamation of dunces" who hate Trump enough to show up at the polls.

If they're successful, the 2020 version of the Obama-Biden ticket could be the Beto-Bernie ticket.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
Perth's Catholic parishioners have reacted with shock and disbelief at media reports a priest who was found dead on Thursday was the subject of a police child abuse investigation.

In hundreds of social media posts since news of Fr Joseph Tran's death was first reported on Friday, local Catholics described the Armadale-based priest as warm-hearted, kind and loving, with many expressing dismay at the allegation levelled against him.

Catholic priest Fr Joseph Tran.

"His unconditional love and acceptance of everyone, his support when any of us were confused or hurting was limitless," one parishioner wrote.

"Fr Joe never said no to helping people.
Bangkok: Thailand's main opposition party and Human Rights Watch have questioned the credibility of Thailand's stunning election result, which has put military junta leader Prayut Chan-o-cha in the box seat to retain the prime ministership.

And the results in Thailand's first election in eight years, which was held on Sunday, are also being questioned by social media users who have pointed to polling irregularities, allegations of vote buying and a large number of votes - more than 1.7 million - being ruled invalid.

Thailand's Electoral Commission had been due to announce an unofficial count of 95 per cent of the vote on Sunday evening, but that was pushed back to 2pm Bangkok time (6pm AEDT) on Monday.

With 93 per cent of the vote counted by Monday morning, Bangkok time, Prayut's Palang Pracharat party was forecast to win 121 seats in the 500 member lower house. The main opposition party Pheu Thai looked to have captured about 130 seats, well below expectations.
Gaza: Israel has launched air strikes in the Gaza Strip after a rocket attack near Tel Aviv wounded seven people, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a visit to the United States.

Hamas media said the Israeli airstrike had destroyed the office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

An explosion caused by Israeli airstrikes is seen from a Hamas-affiliated insurance company in Gaza City. Credit:AP

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Egypt, a senior Palestinian official told Reuters.

The official, who was familiar with the Egyptian mediation but who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the truce went into effect at 10pm local time.
Washington: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed in Washington on Sunday for what amounted to a two-day campaign swing through the White House, hoping that US President Donald Trump's praise and latest gift  recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights  would persuade wavering voters that his diplomatic achievements should offset any worries about his integrity.

Yet with barely two weeks left until Israel's parliamentary elections, in which he is running neck and neck with Benny Gantz, a retired army chief, a fresh new scandal has embroiled Netanyahu, delaying his flight to Washington by hours and dogging him even after he arrived.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face the voters in two weeks against a background of corruption allegations. Credit:AP

Already facing indictment on bribery and other corruption charges, Netanyahu now faces two related accusations:

The first is that he improperly authorised the sale of advanced German-made submarines to Egypt without the approval of top military officials, possibly at a cost to Israel's national security. The second is that he engaged in self-dealing, through an undisclosed and enormously profitable financial stake in a company that supplied the German builder of both the Egyptian subs and several new Israeli warships.
Singapore: Boeing Co has invited more than 200 airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an information session on Wednesday as it looks to return the 737 MAX to commercial service.

The meeting is a sign that Boeing's planned software patch is nearing completion, though it will still need regulatory approval.

Over the weekend, Ethiopian Airlines executives had questioned whether Boeing had told pilots enough about "aggressive" software that pushes the plane's nose down, a focus of investigation into a deadly crash in Ethiopia this month that led to the global grounding of 737 MAX jets.

The informational session in Renton, Washington on Wednesday is part of a plan to reach all current and many future 737 MAX operators and their home regulators to discuss software and training updates to the jet, Boeing said in a statement.
"The cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed by this report," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said on Twitter. Loading Even if the House, where Democrats have a 235 to 197 majority, were to act, the Republican-led Senate is now even more likely to ignore any such action. Barr told top congressional judiciary committee members on Sunday that Mueller found no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. He also noted that while Mueller found that "while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it does not exonerate him". Democratic leaders demanded to know more.

"Americans deserve to know all the facts, which is why the report itself should be released - to the fullest extent of the law - in addition to the attorney general's summary," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland. The action in the House is likely to unfold on at least three fronts in multiple committees: Judiciary committee: "There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, in a Twitter post minutes after Barr's letter was released. "DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work." His committee has already sent out requests for information to dozens of current and former administration officials. Nadler said on Sunday that he wants Barr to testify "in the near future," and members said more needs to be known. "The special counsel did not exonerate the President. In fact, according to the attorney general's letter, he described a pattern of evidence suggesting the president engaged in obstruction of justice," said David Cicilline, who is on the Judiciary Committee.

Oversight and Government Reform and Foreign Affairs committees have been looking into Trump's communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and at Trump's financial interests with entities in Russia. Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff, said on Twitter: "Mueller's investigation began as a counterintelligence inquiry into whether individuals associated with the Trump campaign were compromised by a foreign power. By law, that evidence he uncovered must be shared with our Committee. And his report must also be made public. Now." Some Democrats said they were sceptical of taking Barr's word for what's in the Mueller report. "Why the heck would we be okay with an ally of president, appointed because of his hostility to the Mueller investigation, tell us what the report says?" Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Twitter. "Give Congress the report. Give the public the report." Previewing their position that will be the basis of their arguments for months to come, Democrats noted that Mueller had a narrow charge: to investigate potential cooperation with Russian interference in the 2016 election, and whether there were efforts to obstruct the investigation.

But he also referred lines of inquiry into the Trump campaign, the administration and the inauguration to other agencies, including the Southern District of New York. "It's the end of the beginning but it's not the beginning of the end," Sen. Chris Coons said before the summary was released. "It's important to remember that whatever is concluded by Robert Mueller, it doesn't mean that the president and his core team are free of legal jeopardy from these other proceedings." He noted that Congress has broader authority than Mueller. "Our mandate is to conduct appropriate oversight and to act in the interest of transparency and to make sure that if there's inappropriate conduct by the administration or folks in that campaign that we learn what lessons there are and act on them," he said. Still, Democrats could face the risk of overreach, handing Trump a weapon to accuse them of being sore losers.

At Palm Beach International Airport before returning to Washington, Trump called the report a "complete and total exoneration." He called it an "illegal takedown that failed." Other Republicans were quick to warn Democrats against continuing to pursue investigations of the administration. Doug Collins, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the report should give Nadler "the chance to rethink his sprawling investigation, which retreads ground already covered by the special counsel." "I hope he recognises that what may be political fodder for Democrats may not be good for our country," Collins said of Nadler.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club Sint Maarten-Mid Isle donated 4 new signs for the Facility of the Mental Health Foundation last week as the old signs were damaged by the hurricane and contained the old company logo!

''It is important that the Mental Health Foundation is noticeable so that people know where they can go if they need help'', said Rotary Club President Ms. Denise Antrobus (in picture left). ''With the new signs, we hope to add to the professionality of the foundation and raise awareness about mental health on the island of Sint Maarten''.

The Mental Health Foundation is grateful for the donation and is happy that the buildings new facelift. ''Our location in Cay Hill (Leopard road #1, right behind Kooyman) is a bit hidden so these signs will definitely help us become more noticeable and therefore accessible for everyone'', says Case manager Dione Trustfull.

Pictured in the photo Rotary Club Sint Maarten-Mid Isle president Denise Antrobus, MHF case manager Dione Trustfull not pictured in the photo MHF Interim Director Ms. Eileen Healy and MHF Executive assistant Cyrille Brooks.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On March 12, 2019, the two schools from Anguilla that participated in the Scotiabank Rotary-Rotaract Spelling Bee 2018 were unable to be in St. Maarten for the presentation of the Wish List Items to the participating schools.

Some of the Rotarians from The Rotary Club of Anguilla were present in St. Maarten this past weekend to attend RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute) training. The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle took the opportunity to present the wish list items to these Rotarians, who accepted the items on behalf of the schools.

The participating schools from Anguilla were Alwyn Alison Richardson Primary School and Valley Primary School. Alwyn Alison Richardson Primary School received a projector, three standing fans and a radio with a CD player, while the Valley Primary School received a projector and a photocopier/scanner.

The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets Tuesdays at 7 pm at Pineapple Pete in Simpson Bay. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our facebook page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Repair works at the Point Blanche Prison is steadily progressing with the security installations presently taking place. Caribbean Engineering & Consultancy Company (CECC), Chubb and Ecotax are assisting the Ministry of Justice with the repair works of the security installations at the Point Blanche Prison.

The Point Blanche Prison was severely destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, which left the facilities with many structural damages, which is currently being repaired along with the security system. Chubb and Ecotax will be working on the following security installations: Fire Alarm System, Intercom System, CCTV (camera observation) System, Access Control System, Active Fencing System, Laser Detection System, and the entire Security Management System to handle all of the mentioned installations/systems.

Minister of Justice, Cornelius De Weever mentioned that he is very pleased with the progress of works being carried out at the facility, our aim is to bring the Point Blanche Prison back to its Pre-Irma state and beyond with additional/updated changes.

CECCs main activities are technical as they are assisting and advising the ministry with the necessary repair works on the security installations; assisting with the project management; executing site inspections, supervision and reporting during the execution, and executing the final hand over inspections and reporting of these inspections.
Labour court dismisses AMCU\-\-s application for leave to appeal against the initial judgement, paving the way for the union membership verification exercise to proceed

Posted by Publisher Internet

Sibanye-Stillwater (Tickers JSE: SGL and NYSE: SBGL  https://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298805 ) is pleased to report that on Friday 22 March 2018, the South African Labour Court (the Court) dismissed AMCU?s application for leave to appeal against the initial judgment made by the Court to the effect that the union membership figures at the Company?s SA gold operations, were common cause on 22 November 2018.? The Court held that central to the issue of lawfulness of the strike, was whether the Wage Agreement could be extended at the time the Company sought to extend the agreement. ?

Neal Froneman, CEO for Sibanye-Stillwater commented: ?The dismissal of AMCU?s leave to appeal is timeous, albeit moot. The Company will now proceed with an independent union membership verification process to confirm the collective majority status of NUM, UASA and Solidarity at the time management sought to extend the agreement to non-parties, including AMCU.? We are confident that the outcome of the verification process will bring an end to this extended strike action in a way that does not undermine our values and other stakeholders.?

This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to any securities of Sibanye-Stillwater. ?For the full set of results, please refer to https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/investors/financial-reporting/operating-financial-updates/2018. This press release should not be sent, distributed, transmitted or otherwise made available in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction where it would be impermissible to do so. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the \Securities Act\) or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, resold, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in the United States except pursuant to registration under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of, the Securities Act. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction.

The securities have not been approved or disapproved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and state securities commission in the United States or any other US regulatory authority. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.
Comparing the Canadian and the American Right  updated to 2019 (Part One) By Mark Wegierski

Canada today, despite its great over-all wealth, is a society of contrasts. While the problem of Quebec separatism which was so central in Canadian history since the 1960s may appear to be fading, there are many new challenges arising. While Canada is still, to a large extent, a more pleasant place to live than the United States (especially when one compares life in the two countries large cities), there are many issues looming on the horizon which can prove severe challenges to a safe, civil, prosperous life  the permanence of which all too many Canadians today take for granted. There are a number of substantial differences between the Canadian and American societies today, which may indeed have a profound impact on the type of future the countries will have. In the years 2006 to 2015, Canada had a federal Conservative government, while during most of that time, Obama was President of the United States. This was a fairly unusual situation where the U.S. may have had a more left-liberal government than Canada. The comparative fiscal discipline of the Harper Conservatives was breathtaking to contemplate, when viewed against the almost unbelievable fiscal profligacy of the Obama Administration. Now, however, Liberal Justin Trudeau is Prime Minister of Canada (since 2015), whereas Donald Trump is President of the United States. There appear to be very few prospects of a Trump-like figure arising in Canada. It should also be remembered that holding a majority in the federal Parliament (which conjoins executive and legislative authority) is putatively more effective than, for example, just the holding of the U.S. Presidency. However, there are other differences between Canada and the U.S. that point to the fact that the Conservative majority in 2011 to 2015, may not have been as powerful and effective in Canada as might putatively appear to be the case. There was the instance, for example, when the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) had carried out the longest filibuster in Canadian history, to try to block back-to-work legislation in regard to the labour dispute at Canada Post (the Canadian postal corporation). The victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential election, has created an enormous amount of volatility and unpredictability in U.S. politics. Nevertheless, it could be argued that one important difference between Canada and the U.S. is the absence of a more organized, coherent, political Right in Canada. While there are many similarities between the left-liberal media, academic, cultural, juridical, and governmental establishments in Canada and the U.S., Canada manifestly lacks a rambunctious right-wing. In the U.S., it could be argued that there has been a wide-ranging and extensive debate among various groupings of the broader (and far more dynamic) right-wing, including paleoconservatives, neoconservatives, right-wing Greens, libertarians, paleolibertarians, classical liberals, social conservatives of the Left (such as Christopher Lasch), and religious conservatives (sometimes called theo-cons). Nevertheless, in more recent years, the debate appears to have slackened, becoming dominated by neoconservatives and shallow Republican Party operatives. Another trend to be noted is the atrophy of paleo elements in most forms of libertarianism. And todays National Review  traditionally the flagship journal of all of American conservatism -- is a terribly weak shadow of the highly robust and intellectually trenchant, early National Review. There are also at least two huge factors that have contributed to a more politically conservative U.S.  the first being that, as the one remaining superpower, the United States had cherished and effectively maintained its military; and secondly, the large presence of Christian religion in the U.S. (including both Protestant fundamentalists and tradition-minded Catholics). It should also be remembered that (for now at least) taxation is low in the U.S., relative to Canada; that U.S. gun-control legislation is minimal, relative to Canada; and that the U.S. medical system has (until recently) been largely driven by free-enterprise, relative to Canada. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Thunder possible. Low around 50F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Thunder possible. Low around 50F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Tamara Greene, left, speaks with students about their volunteer experience during an event hosted by the Georgetown Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority on March 23 at Georgetown Middle School.
A panoramic view of the surface of Venus from the Venera 13 lander. (Image credit: NASA)

Venera 13, a Soviet spacecraft, was the first lander to transmit color images from the surface of Venus. Although other landers arrived before and after it, pictures from Venera 13 are more widely circulated because they are in color.

The spacecraft was designed to last about half an hour on Venus' harsh surface, but it ended up transmitting data for more than 2 hours after its landing on March 1, 1982. No lander has ventured to the surface of Venus since the 1980s, although several orbiters have made the journey.

Shrouded in secrecy

Documentation on the Venera program is sparse because it took place in the former Soviet Union. More formally known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at the time, the country was the predecessor of today's Russia and surrounding nations. The union dissolved into independent states in 1991.

Unlike the United States' public space program, the Soviet Union preferred to keep all information about its spaceflights private until officials deemed it appropriate to release the news. The Western world was shocked when the Soviets launched Sputnik , the world's first artificial satellite, on Oct. 4, 1957. At the time, few Americans realized that the Soviets had the technology to send satellites into space. Sputnik's launch initiated a "space race" between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that took place under the backdrop of the Cold War.

The Soviets also kept plans for other achievements private until they were accomplished. Some prominent examples include the flight of the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, on April 12, 1961, and the first spacewalk by Alexei Leonov on March 18, 1965.

Over time, American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts became friends and shared information. The two nations also had a symbolic mission together in space in July 1975 called the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project .

In the post-Soviet era, Russia became a partner of the International Space Station (ISS) and supplied several of its modules, in addition to cargo services and Soyuz spacecraft for both American and Russian spaceflyers. Russian information about the ISS is now regularly shared with international partners, including the United States.

The left half of the panoramic view of the surface of Venus from the Venera 13 lander. (Image credit: NASA)

Early Venus exploration

The primary goal of the Venera program was to learn more about the planet Venus . Astronomers once saw the planet as Earth's twin, and some science fiction writers fantasized about advanced life living below Venus' clouds. [ The 10 Weirdest Facts About Venus ]

Today, we understand that the planet is a hothouse of pressure-filled atmosphere , capable of crushing an unshielded probe very quickly. Temperatures on Venus can get as high as 870 degrees Fahrenheit (465 degrees Celsius).

Both NASA and the Soviet Union reached for Venus in the early days of their space program in the 1960s, but were hampered by a series of failed probes.

After the failure of Mariner 1, NASA's Mariner 2 became the first spacecraft to fly by Venus on Dec. 14, 1962, revealing a hot planet under high pressure, with unbroken clouds shrouding the surface.

The Soviets had their first successful Venus mission in 1967  with Venera 4  after several failed attempts to reach the planet. On Oct. 18, 1967, Venera 4 became the first probe to transmit information back to Earth while entering the atmosphere of Venus.

From there, the Soviets experienced more success. On Dec. 15, 1970, Venera 7 was the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on Venus. The spacecraft transmitted information for 23 minutes on the surface before succumbing to the heat and pressure. Five years later, Venera 9 was the first to send back pictures from the surface.

The right half of the panoramic view of the surface of Venus from the Venera 13 lander. (Image credit: NASA)

Venera 13

Venera 13 launched on Oct. 30, 1981, aboard a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome (located in today's Kazakhstan). The spacecraft carried several instruments on board, including spectrometers, a drill and surface sampler, and a panoramic camera.

After a four-month journey to Venus, the spacecraft descended through the planet's atmosphere, plunging through the clouds toward the surface. Venera 13 then popped a parachute and rode it all the way down.

Venera 13 touched down safely on March 1, 1982, in the southern hemisphere of Venus, on an area that the Lunar and Planetary Institute describes as "a typical expanse of Venusian plains." The broad area around the landing site is known to contain lava flows and small dome volcanoes, which may indicate an active surface.

"The [Venera 13] landing site appears smooth but broken, and topped around the lander itself by abundant debris of various sizes," according to an article in Science News published March 20, 1982. "U.S. researchers looking at the photos suggested that the smooth areas might be either solid slabs of rock, or a crust of fine particles cemented together by chemical activity of the atmosphere. Such 'fines' could be dust transported by the wind, or perhaps weathered from the underlying bedrock itself by chemical erosion."

A mockup of the Venera 13 spacecraft is displayed at the Cosmos Pavilion of the Exhibition of the Achievements of the National Economy in Moscow, Russia. The lander module in the foreground would sit inside the brown sphere atop the Venera spacecraft (background). (Image credit: NASA)

A brief but impactful visit to Venus

For its 2 hours working on the surface, Venera 13 did a lot of science, if one were to judge by the standards of the time. It snapped a panorama of images with its camera, sending back 14 color photographs and another eight in black and white .

The color images from the spacecraft are widely used today in books, magazine articles and websites about Venus. The pictures only show a tiny bit of the sky in the corners, and focus on the surface in front. The spacecraft is visible at the bottom, along with a discarded lens cover.

In some versions, the surface looks yellow, but scientists say it is difficult to figure out what the "true color" of Venus' surface is because the clouds filter out blue light.

Venera 13 also extended a drilling arm to the surface, picked up a bit of Venusian regolith, or soil, and analyzed it inside a sealed chamber. The spacecraft kept track of parameters such as the depth the drill reached and the speed of the drilling rig, to get more information about the surface's physical characteristics

"The results showed that the surface characteristics correspond to compacted ash material such as volcanic tuff [rock]," NASA wrote .

After 127 minutes on the surface, Venera 13 succumbed to Venus' harsh environment.

The Soviet Union sent three more Venera spacecraft to Venus. Venera 14, a twin of Venera 13, launched five days later and also reached the surface. It lasted there for 57 minutes. Venera 15 and Venera 16 subsequently orbited Venus together and sent back information between 1983 and 1984.

Landing on Venus again

Other spacecraft have visited Venus since the Venera series, but all of them were orbiters or flyby missions. The Soviet Union's Vega 1 and Vega 2 both flew by in the 1980s. NASA sent the Magellan spacecraft in 1989, which produced the first high-resolution global map of the surface. The European Space Agency's Venus Express orbited the planet between 2006 and 2014, until it ran low on fuel and was deliberately thrown into the atmosphere.

As of early 2019, Japan's Akatsuki mission is still studying Venus' climate and atmosphere. And, NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, are discussing a successor Venus landing mission called Venera-D that could last for months on the planet's surface.

Additional resources:
Criminalizing free speech By Rachel Alexander

Political correctness regarding free speech has gone too far. At first it took the form of just criticism. Feminists and diversity proponents lectured everyone on how they should speak. It was prevalent at universities, and spread next to corporations and K-12 education. Then it turned into civil infractions. Businesses that refused to accommodate same-sex marriage, based on their sincerely held religious beliefs, were held to have violated the law. After that, big tech took to censoring offenders. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube in particular banned those whose speech it disliked. Now, its becoming a crime in civilized countries to say politically incorrect things. One area this has arisen in is pronouns for transgenders. Im not talking about using derogatory terms for transgenders. This is over merely using the pronoun of the gender someone was born with, instead of the gender they are attempting to become. It is being called misgendering or deadnaming. In the United Kingdom, a Catholic journalist was investigated by the police earlier this month for referring to a transgender as she instead of him. The U.K.s Malicious Communications Act criminalizes a message which is indecent or grossly offensive, a threat, information which is false and known or believed to be false by the sender, or any article or electronic communication which is, in whole or part, of an indecent or grossly offensive nature. Caroline Farrow faces up to two years in prison, a fine or both. While this took place in the U.K., not the U.S., the U.S. often follows in the footsteps of the U.K. a few years later. The U.S. is currently at the third stage in the progression of censorship, with big tech starting to ban anyone who labels transgenders by the gender they were born with. This is more worrisome than it first appears. Many people, such as journalists, need Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in order to do their jobs. Banning them can seriously jeopardize their careers, making it difficult for them to make a living. There are entire news organizations that have a policy of referring to transgenders by the gender they were born with. Will big tech use this to ban entire news outlets from their platforms? Based on history, it is reasonable to predict yes. This will eliminate much of conservative news sites. In addition to banning misgendering, Twitters policy also bans repeated and/or non-consensual slurs, epithets, racist and sexist tropes, or other content that degrades someone. This is very broad and has been used against Christians for simply stating their beliefs. Investigative journalist Laura Loomer was permanently banned from Twitter in November for criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and her Muslim faith. Loomer called Omar "anti Jewish" and said she is a member of a religion in which "homosexuals are oppressed" and "women are abused" and "forced to wear the hijab." Robert Stacey McCain, who tweeted humorous things about feminists, was permanently banned by Twitter for those tweets in 2016. Criticizing gays in Canada was made a crime in 2004 with the passage of C-250. Sexual orientation was added to the list of classes protected by the hate provisions of Canadas Criminal Code. In one of the more high-profile cases, William Whatcott was convicted of violating the law for distributing flyers regarding the Bibles prohibitions against homosexuality. The definition of a hate crime has been expanded in some countries to include speech. Merely stating your religious beliefs is now lumped in with committing heinous acts against people, as if they are the same. Its a clever tactic. The U.S. passed a federal hate crimes law in 2009. It does not include speech  yet. There needs to be more attention drawn to this pattern of progressively eliminating politically incorrect speech. The problem is that it is taking place in slow increments so people dont realize how serious its getting. Its like the frog in boiling water, the water is heating up so gradually the frog doesnt realize how hot the temperature is getting. Its someone fringey like Alex Jones of Infowars who big tech bans so the rest of us are OK. But coming after mainstream conservatives is already happening. Progressives are trying to get Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Jeanine Pirro fired for things they have said. The First Amendment protects free speech in the U.S. But similar to how progressives have gradually eroded much of the Second Amendment, they are slowly taking apart the First Amendment. By the time conservatives wake up and realize whats happening, it will be too late. Even if you dont believe the First Amendment protects speech on the tech giants platforms, the bakers who have been civilly tried for refusing to bake same-sex wedding cakes are clearly engaging in free speech. The case of the Oregon bakers known as Sweet Cakes is currently at the Supreme Court. If their free speech is squelched, whats coming next is criminalization of the First Amendment.



Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications.mericano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications Home
Northrop Grumman has named its next space station resupply ship after an astronaut who died in NASA's pursuit of the first moon landing.

The "S.S. Roger Chaffee," Northrop Grumman's next Cygnus spacecraft to launch to the International Space Station, is christened in honor of the Apollo 1 astronaut, company officials announced on Monday (March 25).

"This is the 50th anniversary year of us landing people on the moon on the Apollo 11 mission and when we think of that mission, we think of the thousands of people who sacrificed so much to make that program a success," said Frank DeMauro, the vice president and general manager for space systems at Northrop Grumman, during a Facebook Live broadcast. "But there are three people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the advancement of moving humans to the moon and they are Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, the three Apollo 1 astronauts who tragically perished in a fire during a pad test."

Related: Photos of the Apollo 1 Fire: NASA's First Disaster

"Lt. Commander Chaffee never got to fly in space unlike his crew members, yet he was such an inspiration to so many people who followed him in the astronaut corps. And so all of us here at Northrop Grumman, and certainly on the Cygnus program, are honored to name this spacecraft the 'S.S. Roger Chaffee,'" DeMauro said from inside the Cygnus Mission Operations Center in Dulles, Virginia.

The S.S. Roger Chaffee is scheduled to lift off atop a Northrop Grumman Antares 230 rocket from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 17. The uncrewed Cygnus will remain berthed to the station through July, the same month as the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission , as its cargo is offloaded and it is repacked with refuse for disposal during its destructive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

The S.S. Roger Chaffee's NG-11 mission will be the first use the Antares rocket's new late load capability, adding payload  including live mice  to the Cygnus spacecraft within 24 hours of the launch. The S.S. Roger Chaffee will also demonstrate the Cygnus spacecraft's capability to remain on orbit after it departs the space station, in support of the ship serving as a scientific research platform on future missions.

Northrop Grumman's 11th Cygnus cargo resupply ship, christened the "S.S. Roger Chaffee" in honor of the Apollo 1 astronaut, stands ready for mating to a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (Image credit: Northrop Grumman)

Roger Chaffee, the spacecraft's namesake, was selected with NASA's third group of astronauts in 1963. A Naval aviator who logged more than 2,000 hours in jet aircraft, including flying reconnaissance flights during the Cuban missile crisis, Chaffee worked on flight control communications systems, instrumentation systems and attitude and translation control systems in the Apollo Branch of the Astronaut Office.

On March 21, 1966, Chaffee was assigned to the AS-204 mission, also referred to as Apollo 1, the first crewed flight of the Apollo command module. The mission as planned would demonstrate the capabilities of the spacecraft while circling Earth.

Less than a month from their scheduled launch, on Jan. 27, 1967, Chaffee, White and Grissom were taking part in a routine "plugs-out" test while strapped into their Apollo 1 command module atop the Saturn IB rocket that would take them to orbit. Tragically, an electrical short ignited the spacecraft's pure oxygen atmosphere and all three astronauts died.

Chaffee, 31, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Since his death, he has been memorialized with a place on the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and with the naming of a planetarium in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. An artificial island off the coast of Long Beach, California, a crater on the far side of the moon and a hill on Mars also bear his name.

The S.S. Roger Chaffee is the first spacecraft to be named in his memory.

"From all the people who have been former astronauts and current astronauts, we thank you," said former NASA astronaut Robert Curbeam, the vice president for strategy and business development for Northrop Grumman's space systems division, in reply to the naming of the S.S. Roger Chaffee. "We also thank [the Apollo 1 crew] for their sacrifices because they definitely made spaceflight safer."

Northrop Grumman's tradition of naming its cargo vehicles dates back to the first Cygnus launch in 2014, when the spacecraft was introduced by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Orbital Sciences and ATK merged to form Orbital ATK in 2015, which was then acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2018.

The most recent Cygnus, which was berthed to the station from November 2018 through February, was named the S.S. John Young after the late Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle astronaut.

Other ships were named for astronauts David Low, Gordon Fullerton, Janice Voss, Deke Slayton, Rick Husband, Alan Poindexter, John Glenn and Gene Cernan. The ninth Cygnus, the last to fly before Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Orbital ATK, was named the S.S. J.R. Thompson after the president and chief operating officer of Orbital Sciences.

The S.S. Roger Chaffee is the last Cygnus spacecraft to launch under Northrop Grumman's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The company's CRS-2 contract, which provides for at least six more resupply missions carrying an additional 44,000 pounds (20,000 kg) of cargo to the station, will begin with a launch in the fall.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated that Roger Chaffee flew U-2 reconnaissance missions during the Cuban missile crisis. Chaffee did make such flights, but in a Navy aircraft, not a U-2, which was an Air Force plane.

Click through to collectSPACE to see Northrop Grumman's mission patch for the S.S. Roger Chaffee.
Materials that shaped a young Earth likely originated in the same protosolar nebula that birthed the sun.

Our sun is a lifeless, fiery ball of gas fueled by a nuclear inferno. Earth, meanwhile, is a rocky, layered planet covered by water and teeming with life. Nevertheless, the elemental composition of these two celestial bodies is surprisingly similar.

The elements in the sun and Earth are pretty much the same, though Earth had less of the sun's more volatile elements, which evaporate at high temperatures, a new analysis reveals.

This suggests that Earth formed from material in the solar nebula  the cloud of dust and gas that shaped the sun  but volatile elements such as helium, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen were stripped away during our planet's formation. The tools used in the current study could also help reveal the composition of exoplanets orbiting distant stars, the study authors reported. [Spaced Out! 101 Astronomy Images That Will Blow Your Mind]

First, the researchers analyzed elements that appeared in rocky meteorites that fell to Earth, known as chondrites. Chondrites, which also formed in the protosolar nebula, are often used as proxies for understanding the sun's chemical makeup, the researchers wrote.

They also evaluated the sun's elemental composition from observations of radiation in the sun's photosphere  the outer "shell" that emanates light  and incorporated data from solar turbulence and theoretical models.

Though the most abundant elements in the sun are hydrogen and helium, the researchers discovered a total of 60 elements was abundant in both meteorites and photosphere; these elements were probably also plentiful in the protosolar nebula before the sun's birth, according to the study.

Then, the scientists compared their results to the elemental composition of Earth's core and primitive mantle, which can be gleaned through a combination of mathematical models, seismic data and rock samples. They found that while Earth shared most of the same elements as chondrites and the sun, Earth had "devolatilized"  lost volatile elements over time  and that this was "an inherent process" as the inner solar system took shape, the researchers wrote.

"This comparison yields a wealth of information about the way the Earth formed," study co-author Trevor Ireland, a professor of geochemistry and cosmochemistry with the Research School of Earth Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, said in a statement.

Similar evaluations could be done for planets orbiting stars other than our sun.

"Rocky exoplanets are almost certainly devolatilized pieces of the stellar nebulae out of which they and their host stars formed," the researchers wrote in the study.

Pinpointing the elemental makeup of faraway exoplanets will play an important part in determining if they can support human life, lead study author Haiyang Wang, a doctoral candidate with ANU's Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, said in the statement.

"The composition of a rocky planet is one of the most important missing pieces in our efforts to find out whether a planet is habitable or not," Wang said.

The findings appeared online March 14 in the preprint journal arXiv, and will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Icarus.

Originally published on Live Science.
The Milky Way sparkles over the village of Campinho, Portugal, in this panoramic view by astrophotographer Sergio Conceicao. He took this photo on June 12, 2018 at 11:57 p.m. local time. (Image credit: Sergio Conceicao

The Milky Way stretches across the early-morning sky in these glistening views captured by astrophotographer Sergio Conceicao in Campinho, Portugal.

After hiding behind the sun during the winter months, the Milky Way made its grand return to the morning sky in February. It is visible just before dawn from places with dark, clear skies. In the coming months, it will begin to rise higher in the sky, becoming visible earlier every morning until midsummer, when peak Milky Way viewing season arrives.

Conceicao captured these stunning photos of the Milky Way when it was at its best last summer. He took the photos from the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve in Portugal  an "astrotourism" destination with very little light pollution  on the evening of June 12, 2018.

Related: Stunning Photos of Our Milky Way Galaxy (Gallery)

The Milky Way glistens over Portugal in this image by astrophotographer Sergio Conceicao. He took the photo during peak Milky Way viewing season on June 12, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. local time. (Image credit: Sergio Conceicao

During the summer months, the Milky Way can be seen rising after nightfall. Conceicao photographed the Milky Way just a few minutes before midnight, when the Milky Way was highest in the sky. (For comparison, here's another view of the Milky Way captured from the same location on April 18 at 3:40 a.m. local time.)

Along with the full arc and dusty core of the Milky Way, Conceicao's photos are rich with planets, constellations and bright stars. Antares , a red supergiant star that is one of the brightest in the night sky, appears as an orange speck near the right edge of the galactic arc.

Astrophotographer Sergio Conceicao captured this photo of what he calls "a bridge to the Milky Way" from the village of Campinho, Portugal, on June 12, 2018, at 11:52 p.m. local time. (Image credit: Sergio Conceicao

The biggest and brightest object in these photos, located to the right of the Milky Way, is the giant gas Jupiter. Embedded on the inner edge of the arc nearby is Saturn, located in the constellation Sagittarius. And at the top of the arc is the Summer Triangle , an asterism (or star pattern) that consists of the stars Deneb, Vega and Altair.

To capture these gorgeous views of our galaxy in the night sky, Conceicao used a Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera with a 14mm lens. He captured a 10-second exposure for each image with the ISO set to 6400.

Editor's note: If you captured an amazing Milky Way photo and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com .
This composite picture shows images of storms on Neptune from the Hubble Space Telescope (left) and the Voyager 2 spacecraft (right). The Hubble image of Neptune, taken in September and November of 2018, shows a new dark storm (top center). In the Voyager image, a storm known as the Great Dark Spot is seen at the center. It is about 8,000 miles by 4,100 miles (13,000 by 6,600 kilometers) in size. The white clouds seen hovering in the vicinity of the storms are higher in altitude than the dark material.

For the first time ever, astronomers have witnessed the birth of one of Neptune's enormous "Great Dark Spot" storms.

Astronomers were studying Hubble Space Telescope images of a relatively small Neptune maelstrom that formed in 2015 when they noticed bright white clouds forming in a different locale on the ice giant. By 2018, a dark storm as wide as Earth had boiled up in that region, the researchers announced in a study published today (March 25) in the journal Geophysical Research Letters .

Related: Photos: Most Powerful Storms of the Solar System

"We were so busy tracking this smaller storm from 2015 that we weren't necessarily expecting to see another big one so soon," study lead author Amy Simon, a planetary scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement.

The find brings the total tally of observed Great Dark Spots on Neptune to six. The first two such disturbances were detected by NASA's Voyager 2 probe during its Neptune flyby in August 1989, which provided the first up-close look at the mysterious blue planet. Hubble discovered the other four spots.

Indeed, Hubble imagery has been key in characterizing these dramatic, otherworldly storms. For example, photos captured by the space telescope in 1994 revealed that the two tempests seen by Voyager 2 had dissipated, revealing that Great Dark Spots don't last very long, at least by giant-planet standards.

"It was certainly a surprise," Simon said. "We were used to looking at Jupiters Great Red Spot, which presumably had been there for more than 100 years."

(Image credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center))

The Great Red Spot , which has been observed continuously since at least 1830, is confined to a narrow latitude range by Jupiter's jet streams. But Neptune's Great Dark Spots wander around the planet much more freely before they're finally ripped apart by high-altitude winds, the researchers said.

Witnessing the birth of a Great Dark Spot sheds additional light on these mysterious features. For example, the association between the newborn storm and those bright white clouds, which are composed of frozen methane, suggests that the spots take shape deeper in Neptune's atmosphere than previously thought. The methane clouds likely float above Great Dark Spots the way "lenticular" clouds hover over tall mountains here on Earth, study team members said.

Simon conducted the new study with Michael Wong and Andrew Hsu, both of whom are at the University of California, Berkeley. In a second study  also published today, in the Astronomical Journal  the researchers used Hubble observations to estimate the frequency of Great Dark Spot formation on Neptune.

Such storms likely crop up every four to six years, the scientists found. And each Great Dark Spot probably lives for just two years or so, though some may reach the ripe old age of six.

There's still a lot to learn about Great Dark Spots, however, such as their wind speeds. Further Hubble observations and analyses could help unlock these and other mysteries, study team members said.

"We have never directly measured winds within Neptunes dark vortices, but we estimate the wind speeds are in the ballpark of 328 feet (100 meters) per second [223 mph, or 359 km/h], quite similar to wind speeds within Jupiters Great Red Spot," Wong said in the same statement .
A fueled Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying the R3D2 antenna technology demonstration satellite for DARPA stands atop its Mahia Peninsula launch site in New Zealand during a launch attempt on March 24, 2019 EDT (March 25 New Zealand time).

The small-satellite launch company Rocket Lab called off the planned flight of an experimental satellite for the U.S. military Sunday (March 24) due to a video transmitter issue.

Rocket Lab was counting down to a 7:36 p.m. EDT (2336 GMT) launch of its Electron booster from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula when the glitch occurred, the company said in Twitter update.

"The team has identified a video transmitter 13dB down with low performance," Rocket Lab said in the Twitter post. "It's not an issue for flight, but we want to understand why, so we're waiving off for the day."

Related: Rocket Lab's 1st Commercial Launch in Pictures

The R3D2 prototype spacecraft antenna is seen in packed and deployed positions. DARPA will launch the antenna on a test flight soon using a Rocket Lab Electron. (Image credit: DARPA)

The Electron is carrying the prototype R3D2 space antenna in a test flight for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

R3D2's seemingly "Star Wars" droid-inspired name is short for Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration. The spacecraft carries a novel antenna design that is tightly packed for launch and will unfurl to a span of 7.3 feet (2.3 meters) once fully deployed.

The antenna is made of an ultra-thin Kapton membrane, which will be tested for its communications effectiveness on this flight, DARPA officials have said. The entire R3D2 satellite weighs about 330 lbs. (150 kilograms).

"R3D2 will monitor antenna deployment dynamics, survivability and radio frequency (RF) characteristics of a membrane antenna in low-Earth orbit," DARPA officials said in a statement. "The antenna could enable multiple missions that currently require large satellites, to include high data rate communications to disadvantaged users on the ground."
The distant galaxy MACS1149-JD1, shown in the insert, appears as it was 13.3 billion years ago, only 500 million years after the Big Bang. Oxygen distribution detected by ALMA appears in red.

Observations of the most distant galaxy ever identified revealed traces of oxygen from at least one previous generation of stars, a sign that star formation got off to an early start.

To observe the earliest stages of star formation, astronomers combined the power of a natural magnifying glass in space, through a process called graviational lensing, with the human-built Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array ( ALMA ) and the European Space Agency's Very Large Telescope ( VLT ), both in Chile. Turning them toward the galaxy MACS1149-JD1, they observed the guts of the first stars, in the form of oxygen.

"Usually, distant galaxies are very faint, but thanks to the gravitational lensing effect [light bending around an intervening galaxy], our target was bright," Takuya Hashimoto, an astronomer at Osaka Sangyo University and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, told Space.com. Hashimoto, the lead author on the new research, presented the results at the semiannual winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle in January.

Related: Cosmic Dawn: Astronomers Find Fingerprints of Universe's First Stars

"This is one of the earliest star-formation events found in the universe," Hashimoto said.

The first generation

The first stars formed primarily from hydrogen, the element that dominated the universe right after the Big Bang. Like their descendants, these stars were element-making machines, building new elements in their hearts as temperatures and pressures increased. When these stars exploded, after only a short lifetime, they scattered the newborn elements into the space around them, allowing the next generation of stars to incorporate that gas and dust.

Hashimoto and his colleagues have pushed the boundaries of how far back ALMA can look. In 2016, a team led by Akio Inoue at Osaka Sangyo University in Japan used ALMA to find a signal of oxygen emitted 13.1 billion years ago . Only a few months later, Nicolas Laporte of University College London used the telescope to detect oxygen from 100 million years earlier. The two teams combined forces to find oxygen in a galaxy 13.3 billion years ago, roughly 500 million years after the Big Bang.

The partnership also turned the VLT toward that ancient galaxy, using the telescope to spot a weaker signal of hydrogen and to verify the distance measured by ALMA. The researchers' new target galaxy is the most distant galaxy ever observed with either instrument and the most distant galaxy for which scientists have a precise distance measurement, Hashimoto said.

Because the scientists observed the debris after the stars exploded, rather than the stars themselves, they were able to infer that star formation began before they observed the young galaxy. Using observations from NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, the team developed a model of star formation that suggested the first generation of stars emerged within 250 million years after the Big Bang.

After the Big Bang, the universe was thick with neutral hydrogen atoms , which do a good job of blocking light. Hydrogen shrouded the early universe for the first 500 million years or so until, eventually, radiation from the first stars split those hydrogen atoms. But the first stars and galaxies have remained a challenge to observe, because they are both faint and few.

Astronomers suspect that the first stars started within the first few hundred million years of the universe and that galaxies soon followed, but, according to Hashimoto, researchers still aren't certain of the exact timeline. Did the stars light up individually and gather together as galaxies, or did the galaxies form first, with the stars turning on inside them? Astronomers don't know, but MACS1149-JD1 may help solve the mystery.

"Understanding the star-formation history of the universe is very important to understanding the physics of the universe," Hashimoto said.

As powerful as they are, ALMA and the VLT would not have been able to find the distant galaxy on their own. They needed to pair with a natural magnifying glass. As light travels through space, it can be bent by the gravity of massive objects in its path. In gravitational lensing , an effect predicted by Albert Einstein, these massive targets magnify more-distant objects, allowing astronomers to catch a glimpse of things their telescopes would not otherwise pick up.

By studying the light from the early galaxy as it deflected around an older, more massive galaxy, astronomers were able to peer much farther into the universe than they would have been able to do without that magnification.

The team isn't finished with MACS1149-JD1 yet. According to Hashimoto, the researchers are looking for signs of activity in the center of the galaxy that might suggest the presence of a black hole or a young quasar . If they find something, Hashimoto will be "very excited," he said.

"That would then give us a hint of the earliest formation of a supermassive black hole in the universe," he said.

The research was published in May in the journal Nature.
A weekly feature in which we're trying to find the most compelling, best acted, written, directed and just generally great, memorable scenes that we've seen in past seven days on TV.Mia's training sequence with Nyssa. What a wonderful surprise during the sequence of Mia being trained to fight as she grew up that her teacher was none other than Nyssa Al Ghul! How great to see Katrina Law back in the Arrowverse universe recreating her iconic character.I loved this sequence and seeing Nyssa again. I've missed her character so much, it's a shame we don't see more of her. And it was a nice way to show how Mia grew up.William and Felicity reunite.David Hornsby has been killing it in his portrayal of creepy bad guy Leslie Peterson. He has been a thorn in everyones side and is basically a horrible human being (rapist). But he finally gets his comeuppance in the form of a minivan backing up on him. He will not be missed though I have a tiny feeling that maybe he isnt really dead??? The wonderful Allison Tolman as Mary Pat; our hero van driver and Leslies fiance who also despises him. Though it seems that Mary Pat has a few screws loose, too. Love this show!This subject is not talked about enough in TV, the fact that Malika had to find a way to love herself, in spite of the fact that everywhere she looked she saw portrayals of women like her chosen by other people. She tells Callie that she understands Jamal's feelings because she had them herself before she learned to love it all. And the fact that he didn't have time to learn about it because he was gunned down, is all the more reason to fight for him, even if he didn't have warm feelings towards women like herself.Hope talks to Simu-Landon and admits she loves Landon. Hope confesses her struggles with losing people; that she feels like it's her fault somehow. She finally gets her apology out inadvertently admitting that she loves him as she does so. It was a sweet scene and the expression on Hope's face when she realized what she'd said was priceless.This was just a genuinely beautiful scene, the long awaited wedding of Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye. These two have been through so much together as the viewers of the show are well aware of, and they very much deserved this moment in the sun. I've seen quite a few TV weddings and the ones that work best are those that manage to highlight the little things about the characters, making the ceremony just right for the couple. There is a scene earlier in the episode when Deeks reads Kensi's letter that is probably one of their best moments so far and the wedding vows complete it perfectly. Of course Hetty would be the right person to officiate the ceremony, Callen and Sam would walk the bride down the aisle, Kensi would show up as Deeks' "fight-club angel" and the vows would include the gunpowder reference. "You are my favorite thing. And this, right now, is my favorite moment." "You were right, it turns out its a love story." Absolutely perfect for these two. Kudos to cast & crew for this moment of pure love and hope. Couldn't have asked for a better one.Crashing Into the Wedding. Something's been missing even from the strongest episodes this season. Something or should we say someone. At the end of a wonderful wedding day fight sequence, where every team member got a chunk of the action and champagne bottles and fire extinguishers doubled as weapons, Linda Hunt made her smashing return, as Hetty plowed through a wall (in someone else's new car) to save her team again and later officiate the marriage of course. The scene hit the perfect triumphant note. Welcome back, Hetty!It was tough to choose between this one and the Seventeen duet/reprise because both songs have been stuck in my head all day but I went with this one because Vanessa killed it in her solo and she looked AMAZING in that red outfit.The (future) couple have come a long way since their almost-kiss in the pilot. Now being in a much more honest place with each other and Liz being moved by Max's dedication to his sister prompts her to confess that she worries he only sees this fictional version of her, a Liz that is too perfect to be a real person. Max respectfully reassures her that he does see all her flaws, listing them off and reiterating that they are part of why he cares for her. Liz responds with a kiss. It's just a lovely scene that highlights the chemistry of Jeanine Mason and Nathan Parsons and it's a refreshingly mature conversation as well.Liz is certain that Max's declarations of love are leftovers of a boy's crush. Max responds with a litany of what he has observed about her. It feels like information gathered, not just sense she returned to Roswell, but what he saw when they were kids as well. Max sees the real Liz and loves it all. Easily.The tenderness and care put into this scene can not be understated. Seeing Patrick share his fear about how his parents will react was heartbreaking and instead of David being upset that he hadn't told them who he was to Patrick, he comforted him with the love and care Patrick needed. That is why these two work, they love and respect one another. This is one of the best moments of the show.Patrick shares his fears of coming out to his parents with David. Patrick knows his parents are good people but he's nervous about changing the dynamics with them if he tells them the truth & they don't accept him. This was just such a well-written, well-acted scene. I love that David was just there to support his boyfriend and guide him tenderly.This was my favorite episode and scene of the first season because it was so amazing and inspiring to see a group of plus-sized women, women who actually look like me, embrace their bodies and have fun together without fear of judgment. It was also a pivotal character moment for Annie on her journey to self-love. An excellent and empowering episode all around.JJ and the other kids in wheelchair dance for Izzy.I loved this episode, and when the whole focus became finding everyone's sexy, I knew Naya Rivera would have her moment, and, boy, did she! You just couldn't look away, and Sage next to her was pretty much a prop.The entire last scene when we discover the truth about Lex's scheme and Eve's allegiance was wonderfully done. Of course throughout the episode the viewers can expect that there's more to Lex's situation than he allows anyone to see. He manages to temporarily trick his sister by sharing a story he knows will have a powerful impact on her. When she finally confronts him and he admits to being responsible for Jimmy's condition it seems that Lena might have seen through his lies just in time. This hope, however, does not last for too long. It wouldn't be Lex if he wasn't already ten steps ahead and fully healed. Then there's the famous "Ms. Teschmacher!" and the truth hits Lena harder than she would have expected. Eve's lie wasn't something that I could see coming but the second it happened it made all the sense in the world. After Lena is captured and hidden in the invisible Luthor Mansion, Lex proceeds to escape with loyal Otis by his side. The entire sequence, first with the reveals and then with taking down the guards made me immediately think that this is exactly Lex Luthor and what an entrance this has been. Wonderful work by Jon Cryer in the episode and especially this moment. It was quite impossible not be impressed with this twist. Kudos!Jonn Jonzz nightmare of zombie Danvers Sisters. Since someone else took the wonderful Miss Teschmacher reveal Im going to choose the eerie and disturbing scene where Jonn Jonzz is visited by zombie versions of his beloved space daughters Kara and Alex Danvers telling him theyre dead because he did nothing to save them. David Harewood was amazing as the haunted Martian Manhunter and Chyler Leigh and Melissa Benoist were wonderfully menacing. Kudos too to the make-up department for the awesome zombie make-up job.The Miss Teschmacher reveal. The sweet little assistant clearly hid a much darker side. Her quick shooting of the guard and turning gun on Lena without a flicker of emotion to her boss as we learn she has been in league with Lex Luthor.I got spoiled for this moment by Tumblr (or more accurately, by me going on Tumblr even though I know better) but it still was a very shocking reveal. I had no clue anything shady was going on with her all this time. Now I feel like I have to rewatch her scenes to see if I missed anything.As much as I've been enjoying Nora's story and the character, especially when it comes to building a relationship with her parents, there have been so many chances for her to share the truth. The moment she learned that Eobard Thawne killed her grandmother this lie became impossible to dismiss. Which is why this moment feels like it's been a long time coming and ended up being even more powerful than I expected. After his long investigation Sherloque was able to confirm his suspicions and reveals to the entire Team Flash that Nora's choices weren't her own, but made in agreement with her teacher - Thawne. I loved the editing choices for the scene, with all the little pieces coming together to show the painful truth. But nothing was harder to see than everyone's reactions, especially Barry's. This betrayal hurt him deeply and there are no words that could express what it must have felt like to learn that his daughter has been working in secret with a man who murdered his mother and destroyed his life. It's no surprise that he would decide to put her in the pipeline, no longer able to trust her words or actions. The very last shot of the scene is the heartbreaking consequence of this series of events - Nora breaks down in tears and falls to the ground, unable to say anything and watching her father walk away. I'm glad everyone finally knows the truth and we can truly begin to understand the reason why Nora would have made these choices in the first place. This was such a powerful and memorable scene. Fantastic work by the entire cast, special shout-out to Jessica Parker Kennedy who beautifully portrayed Nora watching her world fall apart around her.Nora's secret is finally revealed by Sherloque. In front of Team Flash, Sherloque details Nora's betrayal by telling everyone that she has not been making her own decisions about how to catch Cicada, but that she has been working with Eobard Thawne. A stunned Team Flash looks on, but a heartbroken Barry and Iris are beyond devastated. Barry reacts to the news by locking Nora in the pipeline, which is a place reserved for those who can't be trusted. Though it was jarring to see Barry react so quickly and harshly, any less of a reaction to news of the Reverse Flash being his daughter's teacher would have been hard to swallow.Sherloque reveals Noras secrets and Barry puts her in the pipeline.Michael Sheen has gotten off to a fantastic start as the season's new diabolical villain, a Roy Cohn-esque figure that embodies the kind of manic corruption that our culture has to contend with, but I loved this character even more so, because it also calls back to The Good Wife where Blum is a personification of some of the former series' most destructive characters, including Will's and Diane's sexist former partner, Jonas Stern. Even the fact that it's Maia he has taken under his wing and has brought her back to his bedroom, where he undresses, and offers her a LSD lolly pop is no accident, as this sets up a plot for Diane to save Maia in a way she never did for Alicia.Prairie convenes with a telekinetic octopus in front of a crowd of strangers at a secret club. It wasn't so much that this scene dramatically affected the plot, but it was such an unexpected and semi-creepy moment that also nicely tied into the show's nautical themes. There was just no way I could let the absolute insanity of such a memorable visual go!Gordon says goodbye to his simulator created girlfriend. In a wonderful episode exploring the past found in a cell phone in a time capsule, Gordons romance with the owner of the phone, recreated in a simulator, was a wonderful love story. Scott Grimes was honest and touching, a far cry from his normal wise-cracking character and gives a lovely performance. He and guest star  Leighton Meester shared a wonderful chemistry. However, the most heartbreaking moment is when Gordon realizes he must say goodbye to her and goes into the simulation to do so. It was a sweet moment, highlighted by an impromptu duet between the two and a final irony of a photo, much like the one that sparked his interest in the first place, is taken.Gordon is the character that, for me, most frequently takes a really good episode and drags it down. (I'm not a fan of Seth MacFarlane's tendency toward sophomoric humor.) I've seen other shows play with the idea of people from the future and what they would make of us. But this approach of using the contents of someone's phone to explore another character really worked for me. I loved getting to see Gordon as a charming man, taking the time to get to know a woman who intrigued him. After witnessing the changes his decision to edit her life made in her personality, he decided to say goodbye. The final scene where he joined her on stage, then told her he was leaving town was really sweet. (I had no idea Scott Grimes had such a nice voice.)I can't stop talking about this show because it's so hilarious and heartfelt. I wish more people were watching. Molly Shannon is at her best in this week's episode where she finally comes clean on a livestream about her husband dying because he froze on a roof while drunk. After Chase mistakenly tells everyone he thinks his dad died of cancer (a lie the Dubek's have been perpetuating to hide the truth about his father's alcoholism) they realize (after numerous meetings in the bathroom) they have to come clean. Surprisingly, it inspires a hashtag #MyDadFroze.Kevin tells Zoe he chooses her, no question, when they have a discussion about kids and whether or not the relationship can continue. It was a sweet scene that made me emotional.After realizing Gretchen had been fired, Edgar spent all day trying to get her to admit it. When he finally confronts her, her first instinct is to lash out at him, but he sees she's in pain, he says he knows what's going on and she completely breaks down, she says she feels like she really tried for the first time, and she failed, which, in her mind, means nothing will ever work out for her, not even Jimmy. Aya Cash was pure gold here, and then when she just hugged Edgar it was so sweet, it's heartbreaking to see her so sad, but I'm glad they're finally giving Edgar a better place in their lives even if it's still a struggle.
NEW HAVEN  Legislators and election experts said at a forum on gerrymandering that Connecticut does well to avoid widespread partisan district drawing, but with a new U.S. Census coming in 2020 there are still ways to improve representation in the General Assembly.

At least two bills have been proposed this year to establish an independent committee to draw the districts during the 2021 legislative session.

Both would compel the legislature to appoint a non-partisan commission to form the boundaries after the 2020 Census results are released. Currently, legislative leaders from both parties make up the Reapportionment Commission and they agree on the appointment of one neutral member of the committee.

Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said big overall gains by Republicans in 2016 and Democrats in 2018 show that there is no major obstacle right now for either party to succeed in any given election.

Our system probably is not perfect, I think we should talk about it more, but our system does, in my view, work, Fasano said. Over the last four years there has been dramatic shifts both in the Senate and the House. I think that speaks to the fact that the system we have, although not perfect, was a fairly drawn system based upon the criteria we used [to draw maps in 2011].

Both Looney and Fasano were members of the 2011 Reapportionment Commission where the biggest debate was over how to draw the Fifth Congressional District. Republicans wanted to put New Britain in the First Congressional District, but a special master appointed by the Supreme Court disagreed.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut held the forum because of the approaching Census and because of national discussion around voting district cases in North Carolina and Maryland, said Carol Reimers, president of the states LWV chapter.

We think its an important topic that doesnt get much attention, Reimers said.

The two-hour panel discussion at the Yale University Law School also included Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Yale Law Dean Heather Gerken, and Brennan Center for Justice Principal Tom Wolf.

Political and racial gerrymandering distorts representative democracy by allowing officials to select their voters rather than voters to elect their officials, Reimers said.

Merrill said Connecticut is somewhere in the middle of the pack on legislative district drawing. The process is bipartisan but is still handled by the two parties, better than some states where the dominant party draws district lines in secret but still not as fair as states where an independent panel tackles the exercise.

We still have a bipartisan redistricting situation, and I would argue it has largely led to pretty fair outcomes, Merrill said.

Gerken, a leading election law scholar, said the risk in gerrymandering  redrawing district lines to favor a single party  comes from both partisan gerrymandering and bipartisan gerrymandering, where the districts favor incumbent legislators rather than a single party.

She said shes often asked about drawing districts in a way that makes each race as competitive as possible between Democrats and Republicans, but the overall fairness of the entire legislature is more important. Trying to draw lines to evenly represent voters from both parties will have consequences on other factors like keeping communities with shared identities in the same district, she said.

If you want to think about representation, generally the focus is on competition at the legislative level and fairness at the legislative level and less worries about what happens district by district, Gerken said.

Wolf, an attorney who has argued national redistricting court cases, said states doing redistricting efforts well have a shared set of criteria: independence from political parties, clear rules for map drawing, racial equity, rules to promote compromise, and transparent processes with public input.

In response to a question about taking the process out of human hands and enlisting computer software to draw fair districts, Wolf said there is little support for a fully automated solution.

Simply putting this in the hands of computers is not the way to go, Wolf said. Youre going to end up with a neat grid that has absolutely nothing to do with the way anyone in the state thinks of their interests or how theyd like to vote.

He said a controlling political party could also greatly influence the computerized process, defeating the purpose of attempting an automated solution.

Looney, in response to a question seeking assurance that redistricting would not be an incumbent protection plan, said the volatile results in recent elections show that neither party is protected by district boundaries.

Weve had incumbents from both parties being defeated with great frequency in the last couple of elections, Looney said. I think it really has shown in practice not to be an incumbent protection plan but its one that is drawn in a realistic way.
100 years ago

The police are still searching for the bandits who, on Monday night of last week, sped through here and shot Officer Grogan, who is slowly recovering at the hospital. It was thought that the Aqueduct Constabulary had the men, but word of their arrest has not been received here. ... It is supposed that the bandits are still hiding in the woods near Yorktown, where they abandoned the automobile.

50 years ago

Need for housing conceded but site is bitterly opposed

A public hearing on a proposed site for low and moderate income housing turned into a harangue against North Stamford do-gooders and hypocrites when those opposed to the suggested site were given an opportunity to voice their objections.

The hearing, held last night at Zion Lutheran Church, was for residents to voice their approval or disapproval of a site on Glenbrook Rd., just off Main St., for low and moderate income housing. About 60 persons attended.

10 years ago

Area resident charged in NY kickback case

Last weeks arrest of David Loglisci, a Stamford native, for allegedly taking kickbacks from investment firms allowed to manage billions for the New York state pension fund caught city friends and family by surprise.

Loglisci, New York states former deputy comptroller and chief investment officer, and Henry Morris, a Democratic adviser to former New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi, were charged in a 123-count indictment Thursday with collecting millions of dollars from firms seeking to do business with part of the states $120 billion pension fund.
In the wake of the 2008 recession, real estate was no longer a viable career path for me. Residential real estate was plummeting, as were most categories of commercial, but I noticed one major exception: a significant number of businesspeople who were successfully renting in California, even in those difficult times, were marijuana dispensaries and cultivations.

I saw an opportunity, and I took it.

I began by investing in two indoor cultivation facilities. Once I had product, I needed somewhere to sell it, so I found business partners with retail experience and together we bought into a Venice dispensary. After completely remodeling, we increased sales by over five times in one year, after which time my partner and I sold our shares back to the owner at a nice profit. Since 2013, I have owned West Hollywoods premier dispensary, Exhale Med Center, and I am also a partner behind BlazeNow and Bloom vape pens. Having learned about all components of the business from the ground up, I firmly believe the cannabis industry is uniquely positioned to thrive even in a national economy that many predict is due for a correction or recession. Here are the seven reasons why.

Related: Move Aside, CBD: New Data Finds THC Is the Real Medicine in Medical Marijuana

1. New states are legalizing cannabis every year.

The country shows no signs of changing course. As of now, marijuana is legal for recreational use in 10 states, and legal for medical use in 33 states. Those numbers are likely to go up this year.

Related: Is Medical Marijuana Really Legal In Your State? Define Legal.

2. Doctors are coming around to the benefits.

No doctor prescribes a patient a bottle of vodka. We know that even in moderation, alcohol damages the body. But as the benefits of cannabis become more widely understood, doctors across the country are more likely than ever to prescribe it to patients for relief of chronic pain, anxiety and nausea.

3. 'Vice' does well in difficult times.

After the 2008 recession, several studies showed that even those Americans who held on to their jobs tended to drink more than they had when the economy was more stable. A British study suggested that fewer people quit smoking during the recession than before it. The implication is that stress levels and feelings of insecurity are high during times of economic uncertainty, and people seek whatever means necessary, healthy or not, to find solace. As cannabis gains acceptance in the mainstream culture, I believe it will appeal to more and more people as a healthier form of relaxation, even in times when finances are lean.

4. There are still exactly zero recorded marijuana-overdose fatalities.

When consumed in excess, alcohol, cigarettes and even sugary sodas and processed foods lead to severe, even fatal, health issues. Other prescription and illegal drugs can lead to addiction and overdose. In contrast, cannabis use has no such consequences.

Related: Colorado Study Links Marijuana Legalization to Decline In Fatal Opioid Overdoses

5. Its a rising tide that floats many boats.

The cannabis industry doesnt just line the pockets of growers and sellers. Construction workers, electricians and plumbers build the dispensaries, whose owners pay the rent that keeps strip malls alive. Designers build websites; craftspeople build paraphernalia. As the industry becomes more mainstream, publicists and marketing agencies find new clients in the business.

6. Cannabis has growing bipartisan support.

Last year, the Pew Research Center shared that 62 percent of all Americans supported legalizing marijuana, while a 2018 Gallup poll showed that, for the first time, a majority of Republicans supported marijuana legalization. Notable among those Republicans is former Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner -- John Boehner! -- who joined the Acreage Holdings board of advisors. He is now an outspoken supporter of cannabis businesses and pro-cannabis legislation.

Related: John Boehner Succeeded in Politics Opposing Marijuana but in Retirement Has Joined the Medical Marijuana Industry

7. Legislative changes will be slow. Thats a good thing.

Right now, the laws around cannabis are murky, confusing and contradictory, resulting in tax penalties for business owners that other industries dont face. States can take two, four, even six or more years to pass a single law to resolve these issues. But the tides are changing, and progress at this point is inevitable. Slow legislative changes mean cannabis will continue to be a growth industry for years, even decades to come.

drinking studies:

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-business/employees-changed-their-drinking-habits-after-the-recession.html

http://healthland.time.com/2011/10/17/do-people-really-drink-more-when-the-economy-tanks/

Smoking:

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-11713514

Republican support:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/10/25/for-the-first-time-a-majority-of-republicans-support-marijuana-legalization/?utm_term=.08e4d11e0354

2019 pending legislation:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomangell/2019/02/27/marijuana-legalization-bills-are-advancing-in-several-states/#28524d537a35

Related:

7 Reasons Legal Cannabis Is a Recession-Proof Industry

Bracing for the Next Small Business Credit Crunch

Writing Flexibility Into Your Business Model Can Save Your Company



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Mosque massacre could change everything for New Zealand By Greg Strange

Lets just go ahead and get this out of the way up front. The recent massacre at the two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, was an unspeakable act of terror against innocent, defenseless victims. Okay? But make no mistake, this extraordinarily unusual act will be used by leftists and Muslims the world over to bludgeon anyone who voices concern about radical Islam and the needless importation of unassimilable Muslims into Western countries. Lets take a look at reality. The ratio of Islamic terror attacks on infidels versus infidel terror attacks on Muslims is, what, about 10,000 to one? Nonetheless, for the foreseeable future, in the aftermath of these mosque attacks in New Zealand, that absurdly one-sided ratio is going to be ignored by the radical Islam-coddling left as it unleashes a virtue-signaling litany about Islamophobia, guns, white supremacy and white nationalism. The attack is going to be blamed on virtually every prominent white person on the right and, of course, most of all on Trump since hes the Hitlerian leader of the international white nationalist cabal (or something like that). CAIR (Council On American-Islamic Relations), which has been linked to Hamas, officially blamed Trump about five seconds after the massacre. Why? Because the killer mentioned him in his rambling, contradictory manifesto. That same crazy manifesto also declared China as being the nation that most lines up with the killers political and social values. Hmm . . . Isnt socialism currently all the rage among our young people in general and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in particular, not to mention that old-time Bolshevik himself, Bernie Sanders? Is there a connection to be made there? In any case, dont expect the Western media to give any kind of balanced picture about anything having to do with Islam. Just to give one example of their bias, heres a headline from the Washington Post about the massacre: Boundless racism, zero remorse: A manifesto of hate and 49 dead in New Zealand. Whats wrong with that headline? Actually, nothing, its perfectly accurate. The problem is that you will never see the following headline in the Post (or any of the other usual suspects) after any of the innumerable terror attacks by Muslims: Boundless Islamic hate, zero remorse. The only place youll ever see that headline is in your dreams. By the way, has anyone in the fake news media made much ado about the recent slaughter of Nigerian Christians by Fulani Muslims in the Kaduna state of Nigeria? Naw, didnt think so. About 120 people have been murdered there in recent weeks. And in the Philippines, at virtually the same time as the New Zealand attack, Muslims murdered 20 Christians who were worshipping in a church. This is just routine work for Islamic militants that goes on 24/7/365, like a well-oiled machine. Since 9/11 that machine has produced over 34,000 confirmed acts of Islamic terrorism. But hey, whos counting? Certainly not the Western media. Have there been any accusations of Christophobia against the perpetrators of those 34,000 terrorist acts? Of course not, because the left hasnt felt the need to invent such a word in order to quash criticism of Christianity. And thats because, to their way of thinking, Christianity needs to be criticized, and if it also happens to be eliminated around the world  well, whats the problem? Getting back to New Zealand, this country is likely to pay a serious price when it comes to its freedom and its cultural stability. Playing the part of the dutiful dhimmi, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern quickly made a public appearance wearing Islamic-style headscarf. Besides declaring that the Muslim immigrants in New Zealand are us, she also couldnt start talking about her gun control plans fast enough. Already a left-leaning country, this attack will likely be used to finish off the private ownership of any firearm beyond the capability of a flintlock musket and the populace will likely be chastised over so much as a whiff of Islamophobia. Maybe Kiwis should just go ahead and start practicing sharia now so they can get the hang of it before it becomes mandatory. They certainly shouldnt be surprised if there is an influx of new Muslims in the near future. After all, white guilt has to be atoned for in some way. Sure, that might leave the native Maori population wondering why they cant be the beneficiaries of white guilt rather than Muslims, but dont worry. Islam is the fastest growing religion among the Maori, so its all going to work out in the long run! Incidentally, over in neighboring Australia, Fraser Anning, a Queensland lawmaker commenting on the New Zealand mosque attack, said, While Muslims may be the victims today, usually they are the perpetrators. Worldwide, Muslims are killing people in the name of their faith on an industrial scale. As we all know, truer words have never been spoken, but in the Orwellian world of contemporary Western civilization, such words got Anning a chastisement by the Australian prime minister as well as an egg cracked on his head by a brainwashed 17-year-old white boy. So this is where we are in the declining days of the West. The pervasive leftist media goes bonkers over an extremely rare act while ignoring the constant atrocities of the one crazed, intolerant, murderous religion which they inexplicably choose to defend. Such is the moral confusion that plagues us as our sputtering civilization literally appears to be running out of gas. Obviously, what the perpetrator of the mosque attacks did was an unspeakable crime deserving of the worst possible punishment (liberal New Zealand, of course, has no death penalty), but Muslim immigrants throughout the West have little to fear. In fact, given the overwhelming reaction to the massacre by most Western countries and their continuing willful blindness to radical Islamic depravity the world over, it looks like nothing but good times ahead for Muslims immigrating to the West. As for the native inhabitants of those Western countries which host a significant number of Muslims, you probably need to educate yourselves on Islamic culture and customs  you know, the dos and donts  and bone up on local hate crime laws so you dont slip up. And for the sake of your children and grandchildren, go ahead and start familiarizing your families with sharia. You know what they say: ignorance of the sharia law is no excuse! Greg Strange can be reached at gpstrange30341@yahoo.com. (c) 2019 Greg Strange. Home
In this series called Member Showcase, we publish interviews with members of The Oracles. This interview is with Richard Fong, founder and CEO of Bliss Drive, a digital marketing, SEO, and lead generation agency. It was condensed by The Oracles.

Who was your biggest influence growing up?

Richard Fong: My father. I admire his perseverance and dedication to our family. He journeyed to the U.S. from China when my mom was eight months pregnant with me. I didnt speak to him until I landed in Kansas when I was eight years old. My parents struggled for years in the U.S., working at a restaurant during the day, learning English at night, and sleeping in the restaurants attic.

They eventually opened their own restaurant, where I started working as a dishwasher and busboy when I was 11. I watched my father work 13-hour days in the hot and humid kitchen. He taught me a lesson I would never forget: I wasnt the best chef in town, but I made sure all my food was freshly prepared daily. I worked harder than the competition and my customers could taste the difference.

Share an interesting fact about yourself that not many people would know.

Richard Fong: Ive been dancing salsa and bachata for almost 10 years. Ive performed on stage with dance teams at salsa festivals in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

I met my wife through dancing, which has been a life-changing passion. We dont go out to dance as much now that we have a son, but we do break out some bachata moves after dinner in the family room.

How did your business get started?

Richard Fong: I started working at a bank as a finance analyst right after college. It was a good job, and I got to travel all over the country. But Ive always wanted to be an entrepreneur, so I learned internet marketing on the side and eventually made enough income as an affiliate marketer to quit my job.

After I helped a friend with his website SEO, they got more online business in three months than the whole year before. Thats when I realized that I enjoyed helping entrepreneurs succeed more than pushing traffic and conversions to faceless corporations as an affiliate. Now I am able to use my strength and do what I love by strategizing and helping build life-changing systems for entrepreneurs.

Whats your favorite quote?

Richard Fong: Bruce Lee once said, The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. That has been true in my life. When I focus and concentrate on a particular result, it happens much faster than I anticipated. When I have too many projects going on, I feel scattered and stressed out.

That idea also ties into my favorite book, The ONE Thing, by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan. The book asks the question: Whats the one thing you can do that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?

What was your biggest challenge starting up? How did you overcome it?

Richard Fong: Like most businesses starting out, I relied on word of mouth and networking. I eventually began getting inbound leads from the internet, but they were mostly smaller deals. I wanted to grow my business faster and get bigger clients.

Jim Rohn once said, Dont wish it were easier, wish you were better. I knew if I wanted things to change, I had to level up. If I kept doing what I was doing, I would keep getting the same results. Thats when I started learning about sales and prospecting. It took two years to get good at it. I still feel like a student, but I know how to go after bigger deals rather than wait for things to happen.

How do you define great leadership?

Richard Fong: A great leader inspires others to do more than they think theyre capable of. This is usually because their vision and mission resonate with people so much.

A great leader is also willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. come to mind.

How do you hire top talent?

Richard Fong: I look for qualities I cant teach, like hunger, curiosity, integrity, and a mentality of always learning. You can train someone on technical skills and job roles. But if they dont have motivation or ethics, theyre not likely to grow in my company.

Everyone talks about hiring A-players, but most of them are already busy with something else. My goal is to create the opportunities and environment so an A-player sees a better long-term growth path in my organization than their current one.

Which single habit gives you 80 percent of your results?

Richard Fong: The most important habit I maintain is a daily journal of my ideas, goals, and priorities. It helps me organize my thoughts so they dont weigh me down. Writing them down and prioritizing them frees me to do whatever is most important. I often improve my ideas because I am able to organize them and think deeply and logically about the process. That has helped me tremendously in my life and business.

What are you working on right now?

Richard Fong: I am developing a training course for entrepreneurs and consultants that explains SEO. Theres a great deal of data about how to get traffic from Google, which almost every business needs, but most of it is confusing and difficult to implement. Im simplifying my 10 years of SEO experience so a non-technical person can understand it in four hours.

If you know what metrics to focus on, the process is actually simpler than it sounds. Then you can outsource the work to an agency without getting burned in the process. The course will be available on RichFong.com and will help entrepreneurs master the Google beast.

What do you want to be known for, or what do you want your legacy to be?

Richard Fong: Bliss Drive is a legacy I want to leave behind. Bliss means a state of profound satisfaction, happiness, and joy, while Drive means motivation to succeed.

Most entrepreneurs build businesses to fulfill their potential. They want to add value to others, achieve personal dreams, and be able to take care of their families. Through digital marketing, I want to build organizations that bridge the gap and help entrepreneurs achieve their own state of Bliss.

I loved hearing from a client how our marketing campaign turned around their stagnating business. Theyre taking a vacation for the first time in years and have the money to buy a new car and give their son a drum set and lessons. Thats what Bliss Drive is all about!

Connect with Richard on LinkedIn or the Bliss Drive website.

Related:

How Richard Fong Is Helping Other Entrepreneurs Find Bliss

Learn to Drive More Traffic and Sales With This $29 Social Media Bootcamp

6 SEO Marketing Trends in 2019 That Entrepreneurs Should Know About



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
In the summer of 1999, fresh out of high school, I had the good fortune to sit down for coffee with Patty Stonesifer, the then-co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Related: Fellow Women in Tech: Where Do We Go From Here?

Four years prior, Stonesifer had been named one of the 25 Most Influential People in America by Time magazine. Needless to say, when I met her, I sat there like a sponge, absorbing every ounce of knowledge and advice I could before heading off to college. And I'll never forget the advice she gave:

The tech world needs more women, she told me bluntly. You need to study computer science.

I took Stonsifer's advice to heart. But from my time at Dartmouth to my career at Google and my subsequent experience in Silicon Valley, I soon realized that the conventional approach to building an inclusive tech workforce was essentially backward: Indeed, only 3 percent of tech startups today are founded by women. That's why reversing this "bro"-programming trend ("bro-gramming" for short) wont start in boardrooms. And yes, that may elicit dismay from those who believe they can force inclusivity upon big tech.

But the fact is that inclusivity simply wont be driven by accelerators or VCs or by the passionate pleas at high-profile speaking events. Instead, where it really has to start in the classroom.

Why it's got to start in the classroom

Whitney Wolfe, founder and CEO of Bumble, expressed a similar sentiment in 2016 when she observed that gender imbalance doesnt start at the office, but rather should be addressed much earlier than the age women are when they enter the workplace.

Whether its in middle school, high school or college, the time young women spend in classrooms is formative. Accordingly, there are three essential strategies we must all embrace if we want to get serious about gender equality in tech -- and none involves shaming corporate America or trumpeting self-righteous virtues on social media.

Prioritize mentorship, because you cant be what you cant see.

You cant be what you cant see, Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project, has said. This is especially true for young women seeking female role models in a tech industry crowded with males.

Related: Keeping Talented Women in the Tech Workforce

While classes and real-world experience are necessary ingredients for success, supplementing hard skills with mentorship amounts to rocket fuel for a young womans (and really anyones) tech career. Forming a bond with a successful woman who has been in her own shoes is often the missing link when a young woman is on the fence about pursuing tech. In fact, a research report from Development Dimensions International (DDI) showed that nearly 70 percent of the businesswomen it studied ranked mentoring as important to career success.

A stellar example of structured mentorship is Girls in Techs Mentorship Program. Its a customized program that pairs tech-minded young women all around the globe with mentors, who assist with networking, skill-building and career direction.

And, interestingly, the willingness mentors show, to share that assistance, may strike young women as a surprise. Yet that willingness makes sense because people actually like to talk about themselves -- that's human nature. So, for any young woman seeking a mentor, who has no access to a Fortune 100 CEO, simply striking up a conversation with a successful woman from her hometown can often be infinitely more valuable than any class.

Offer opportunities, not platitudes.

One of the toughest challenges in tech culture is bridging idealism with action. Social media has made it incredibly easy to trumpet platitudes about diversity and inclusion. Youve seen them before: We value diversity! You can do it! Women are the future!

Those are cop-outs.

Uprooting years of gender inequity in tech requires more than a few kind words. It requires tangible opportunities to experiment, build and explore. Take Microsofts DigiGirlz programs, for example. DigiGirlz High Tech Camps give young women firsthand experience developing websites and other cutting-edge technologies, through a series of workshops and demonstrations. Additionally, DigiGirlz Day connects students with Microsoft employees who share career advice and product demonstrations.

At the university level, we launched the Propel Program at Northwestern to provide guidance and micro-grants for young women to experiment with startup ideas. The six-month program takes them from ideation to launch, ultimately empowering them with the confidence they need to take their ideas to the next level.

Leverage the power of peers.

I was recently introducing an African American woman student to our startup lab -- The Garage -- at Northwestern when she told me, Ive never seen anybody that looked like me in a space like this before. Its touching moments like that one that reaffirm why its essential to address education before addressing the workplace.

When young women see their peers launching startups, writing code and leading teams, the confidence that that proximity creates has a viral impact. Nearly every school has a variety of women student organizations, and uniting them under a common bond is far more effective than relying on them to do so alone.

Sure, strength in numbers sounds cliched, but camaraderie has profound psychological benefits that can inspire people, especially young women, to break through barriers. Getting more women into tech is no exception.

Why are these steps so important? Because diverse teams, especially in tech, are unequivocally better equipped to solve problems and ultimately give organizations a competitive advantage. Its just that simple.

Related: Why Gender Diversity In Tech Matters

If we want to get serious about reversing the "bro"-gramming trend, we have to go beyond quotas or playing the blame game with history, companies and the system. Instead, we must connect with young women early on through mentorship, opportunities and communities in which they can thrive. And that has to start early, in schools, not in the workplace.

Related:

It's the Classroom, Dummy, Not the Conference Room

Keeping Talented Women in the Tech Workforce

How Can We Get More Women to be a Part of the Blockchain Disruption?



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
A math and physics teacher from rural Kenya, who gives away 80 percent of his monthly income to help the poor, has won a $1 million prize.

Peter Tabichi, who is also a Franciscan brother, was awarded the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize on Sunday.

He teaches at a rural Kenyan school in Pwani Village, with only one computer, poor internet service and a student-teacher ratio of 58 to 1. Nearly all his students are from poor families, and almost a third of them are orphans or have only one parent.

Tabichi gets online educational content by visiting internet cafes and using them offline in class, according to his profile from the Varkey Foundation.

He guided the school's science club, in which students now compete in national and international competitions. The mathematical science team qualified to compete the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair this year in Arizona. His students also won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry after using local plant life to generate electricity.

"Everyday in Africa we turn a new page and a new chapter. Today is another day," Tabichi told the foundation. "This prize does not recognize me but recognizes this great continent's young people."

Tabichi's students face many challenges, including food scarcity, drug abuse, teenage pregnancies and young marriages. Yet at the Keriko Mixed Day Secondary School where Tabichi teaches, enrollment has doubled over three years and more of the students are going on to college, according to his profile.

"You have to do more and talk less," Tabichi said.

Tabichi accepted the award from actor Hugh Jackman, who hosted the ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Police in a Missouri town are investigating an unusual incident that occurred at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car location on March 14.



Two employees at the Arnold, Missouri, location became dizzy and shaky and didnt know why, according to Arnold Police Lt. Clinton Wooldridge.

The workers were taken to an urgent care center and then transferred to an area hospital.

Wooldridge said officers questioned a 19-year-old employee, who admitted putting LSD in the water bottles of two co-workers and a third employees coffee cup.

Police said the man told them he did it because his fellow employees had negative energy.

According to the task force commander of the Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, which investigates drug crimes, the workers reaction is consistent with the use of LSD.

You're going to have an increased heart rate, temperature, higher blood pressure. It's been described as causing the shakes or tremors," said Sgt. Tony Dennis, with the Jefferson County Sheriffs Department.

Dennis said the popularity of LSD dropped off during the 1980s but had a resurgence in the 1990s and 2000s at raves. He said LSD is still around even though theres not much publicity about it.

"Typically it comes in a clear, odorless liquid," said Dennis.

The Enterprise workers were OK after the effects of the drugs wore off.

Wooldridge said no charges will be filed until lab tests are done on the water, but the suspect could face charges of second-degree assault and possession of a controlled substance.
Police say a Dallas-area woman was mauled to death by her two pit bull terriers as she tried to feed them at a veterinary clinic, where the dogs were in quarantine for a prior attack.

Irving police say 33-year-old Johana Villafane of Irving was pronounced dead Saturday at a Dallas hospital.

A police statement says Villafane was at the clinic Saturday morning to feed the dogs and was in an exercise area when they attacked her.

"Both staff and paramedics attempted to intervene and rescue the owner but the dogs continued to exhibit aggressive behavior," the statement read.

A police officer shot and killed both animals.

I dont believe that had a choice, Officer David Dickinson told WFAA. His job is to intervene to safeguard human life, and thats what he attempted to do.



Villafane was taken to a hospital, where she died.

"The dogs were involved in an incident earlier in the month in which they bit someone," Dickinson told Fox 4. "They were here at the animal hospital being quarantined per regulations. She was attending to the dogs, coming up to the dogs, and it's my understanding that she was walking the dogs when the event occurred."

Neighbor Grant Dickey told KTVT police thought the dogs were his during that previous biting incident because they saw them near his property.

they saw the pit bulls going in and out of the hole that they made in my back fence and asked me if they were my dogs, Grant Dickey said. I said, No, its the neighbors dogs they broke through into my yard earlier and they said, Well they bit somebody when they got out.

Dickey said they seemed friendly but rough.

They had always seemed friendly, but aggressively friendly if you will. Jumping on you and they were pretty sizable dogs, he said.

Villafanes neighbor Rick Warner said he doesn't think the breed should be blamed.

Its just unbelievable, Warner said. It doesnt matter the breed when that happens, if an animal gets that kind of reactive, they call it the red zone and nothing is going to take it off except for extreme force.

A fundraiser page for Villafane describes her as "a very happy, loving, fun, caring, helpful person, she was an amazing mom that was completely in love with her two children."

Irving police are still investigating the owners death and what may have caused the dogs to attack her.
STAMFORD  A Stamford man was arrested over the weekend for publishing a nude picture of his ex-girlfriend on social media.

Christopher Rodriguez, 20, of Dolson Place, was charged with unlawful dissemination of an intimate image and released after posting a $15,000 court-appearance bond.

In early January, police were called to speak to a young woman complaining about a nude picture of her appearing on Snapchat. The day before the woman said she was with a male friend when he noticed a group chat with his peers talking about a picture that had just been uploaded, a police report of the incident says.

The woman said although her face could not be seen, the picture was one taken by her ex-boyfriend Rodriguez while laying his face on her naked buttocks. The woman explained that she and Rodriguez had gone out for two years since after meeting at the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering in Stamford.

The woman said she was sure the picture was of her because a birthmark on her left butt cheek could clearly be seen in the picture, Rodriguezs five-page arrest affidavit said.

The woman said she immediately called Rodriguez and began screaming at him. Rodriguez said that he did not mean to upload the picture onto Snapchat, but was instead trying to send it to another friend.

The woman said Rodriguez refused to be serious during the call and even told her that her breasts were all over Twitter, a claim that proved not to be true, according to the affidavit.

When Rodriguez talked to police, he admitted that publishing the picture was a mistake and that was something he did not intend to do. But he also said the taking of the picture, sometime in 2017, was completely consensual.

Rodriguez also showed police a text where he apologized for any embarrassment he caused the victim.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
Captain Queeg McCain By Robert T. Smith

According to the late Senator from Arizona, Donald Trump fired up the crazies in Senator McCains home state of Arizona during Mr. Trumps campaign to be President. This did not appeal to then candidate Trump and certainly didnt appeal to the many tens of millions of American crazies as the good Senator from Arizona labeled his fellow citizens. This first shot over the bow did not go unchallenged by Mr. Trump, and so the fuse of this feud was lit. Mr. Trumps recent negative comments on Senator McCain and, as we are reminded at every mention of his name, war hero, apparently are beyond the pale for the chattering class. Throughout the media and politicians of both parties we are all required to hold the former Senator in the highest regard, he is beyond reproach and should always be honored. Strangely, while these purveyors of all that is right admonish us about the disrespect President Trump is showing to the war hero, they dont wonder how the tens of millions of crazies may feel. The issue that seems to have triggered President Trump is the recent discovery of Senator McCains involvement helping to spread lies about the President with the infamous Democrat party hit piece dossier. This hit piece wasnt the usual political shenanigans, this document included fabricated salacious material in it about Mr. Trump, as the corrupt Mr. Comey described it. Imagine these disgusting rumors being spread about you to the world, not to mention the full-on impact to Mr. Trumps time thus far as President with the related, fabricated Russian conspiracy. This was not a small insult or affront to the President. This was low-life garbage spread by the war hero as an apparent means of revenge. The same war hero who requested Mr. Trumps endorsement in his re-election campaign. The same war hero who in his petty vengeance gave the thumbs down to prevent the President from saving all Americans from the ongoing hideous Obamacare. Apparently, doomed by genetics, the same war heros daughter who saw fit to spend her time eulogizing her father by taking shots at the President and put on full display the vengeful classlessness demonstrated by proxy for her deceased fatherhow fitting. Unfortunately, similar to a main theme of the Caine Mutiny, the moral and ethical decisions of Captain Queeg McCain should be considered. The Keating five scandal, throwing Sarah Palin under the straight-talk bus after enlisting her help, the typical stench associated with decades in the Washington ruling class. A brave, heroic act as a young man in the Vietnam War should not endow Mr. McCain with a lifetime pass for being, for lack of a better word, an ass. Time and again Senator McCain poked his thumb into the eye of his political party in an apparent ego-boosting effort to gain attention to his straight talk. The liberal media would enjoin the war hero in his occasional forays into this bit of political traitoristic voyeurism and provide Senator McCain with plenty of time in their television lights. The good Senator happily soaked in their accolades for being so open minded to agree with the democrat propaganda arm main stream media. It probably never occurred to Senator McCain during his failed attempt to gain the Presidency, the same liberal media was nowhere to be found with their fawning support of the Captain Queeg of the straight talk express. Robert T. Smith is an environmental scientist who spends his days enjoying life and the pursuit of happiness with his family. He confesses to cling to his liberty, guns and religion, with antipathy toward the arrogant ruling elites throughout the country. Home
A s the UK heads for the EU exit door, investors must start thinking about what this means for domestic energy policy.

Up until now it has been cheaper for the UK to import its oil and gas from European pipelines as well as the North Sea but should we leave the EU without a deal then it may be necessary to look at other options.

One company which could benefit is IGas, the UKs largest onshore and gas producer. IGas is drilling the countrys third shale gas well in the north of England as it looks to follow Cuadrilla into fracking in the UK.

Two weeks ago the firm completed successful tests at that well at Tinker Lane in north Nottinghamshire.

The firm is doing the drilling with partner Ineos, which believes the drill tests show it could produce enough shale gas to keep the whole country supplied for 29 years.

Alex Smith at Investec says: Core analysis is now being conducted and this should give further insight into the resource potential and shale characteristics. The company will give a further update upon completion of the analysis in quarter two.

But critics say the shale gas industry has been slower to progress than expected, while recent polling for the Government has revealed increasing opposition to the controversial process for extracting shale gas from deep underground.

Cuadrilla has been testing at its Preston New Road site in Lancashire but tremors at the location have held the company back. Cuadrilla and Ineos want regulations on tremors to be relaxed to allow them to exploit shale gas reserves.

Nevertheless the UK remains one of only a few countries in Europe that allows shale gas exploration after a string of EU governments introduced bans on drilling in recent years. Regulation around shale gas developments has also been made easier as the Government recently set up a single watchdog, the Shale Environmental Regulator, to act as one coherent face for the public, mineral planning authorities and industry. Previously there had been three regulatory bodies.

Away from shale, IGas has a solid business from its 20 onshore fields.

Production has remained steady, benefiting from first production at its gas field in Albury back in November.
B ritish entrepreneur Mike Lynch arrived in court on Monday ready to claim he was a scapegoat for the doomed $11 billion takeover of Autonomy by Hewlett-Packard.

Lynch, 53, was set to attend the first day of a nine-month High Court defence against HP, dubbed the tech trial of the century, over blame for a big write-down of Autonomy after the takeover.

The former Autonomy chief, who sold his business to HP in 2011, is being sued for around $5.1 billion over claims he artificially inflated sales at Autonomy before selling to HP.

Former Autonomy chief Sushovan Hussain is also a defendant.

Lynch, above, is pursuing a counterclaim against HP, saying the reputational damage cost him business deals worth up to $150 million.

Lynch is set to give three to four weeks evidence in July.

He will claim HP botched the takeover of Autonomy.
Examining the chances of the Right in Canada By Mark Wegierski

In late 2018, Donald Trump renegotiated Free Trade with Canada, a country where over 70% of its trade is with the United States; and where probably over 80% of the population detests him. Canada's armed forces are notoriously underfunded, and Canada's contribution to NATO has been ridiculously small. Canada is quite happy with being a "free rider" on U.S. military defense spending, spending next to nothing on its own military. It is also to some extent a "free rider" on the U.S. healthcare system, making use of advances in medical technology that only the more free-market-oriented medical system of the U.S. could bring about. Furthermore, the U.S. is where many wealthy Canadians go for health care, when they are tired of the ridiculous waiting periods for surgery such as hip-replacement at Canadian hospitals. One of the main differences between Canada and the United States is that -- with the possible, partial exception of the Western Canadian province of Alberta -- most of the country would tend to fall into the camp of the "bluest" of the "Blue States." If the left-wingers in the "Blue States" were frustrated by the Trump victory, one should just imagine how "small-c conservatives" have felt in Canada over many decades. The main origin of the term "small-c conservative" is a pointer to the fact that the "big-C Conservatives" in Canada, i.e., the Progressive Conservative party, were "ultra-moderates" and mostly spent their time fighting what they snidely called "cashew conservatives," i.e., those who were presumed to be "right-wing nuts." The net result of the failure of the Canadian Right has been the emergence of a political culture after the 1960s where outlooks similar to those of moderate Republicans and centrist Democrats would probably be considered as "far right." Somewhat ironically, the entire "broader Right" in America, from Pat Buchanan (who once called Canada a "Soviet Canuckistan") to David Frum (who once heaped disdain on Canadian wimpishness) probably have a rather similar view of America's northern neighbor. It can be said in defense of Canadian conservatism is that it has a long, fine, British-focussed tradition centered on "peace, order, and good government" -- but it must be realized simultaneously that that tradition has been virtually extirpated today. Ironically, before the 1960s, Canada was a generally more substantively conservative country than the United States -- and its politeness and "niceness" meant that it mostly avoided such negative aspects as racism and excessive commercialism. Indeed, before the 1960s, even the Canadian Left (as typified by the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party), was mostly socially conservative, being rather friendly to traditional notions of family, nation, and religion. Under Liberal Prime Ministers Lester B. Pearson (1963-1968), and Pierre Elliott Trudeau (1968-1984, except for nine months in 1979-1980), the country was taken through a series of wrenching transformations where Canada's ruling paradigm was changed from the top. With most Canadians' habitual deference to authority, they quickly became conformist "progressives." Today, small-c conservatives in Canada face an uphill battle which compares very unfavorably to the situation in the United States. Given the left-liberal predominance in the Canadian media, in the education system (from daycare to universities), in the judiciary and justice system, in the government bureaucracies, in so-called high culture (typified by government-subsidized "Can Lit"), in North American pop-culture and "youth-culture", in the big Canadian banks and corporations, and in the leadership of the main churches, any existing small-c conservative tendencies are being continually ground down. There is also the panoply of special-interest groups, who receive extensive government and some corporate funding. To try to imagine the Canadian situation, consider what American society would be like today if about nine-tenths of the states could be characterized as "Blue States." Given the virtual annihilation of a "small-c conservative" social base in Canada, politics has taken on a highly dreary and disheartening aspect for the Canadian Right. Despite the Conservative Party holding power under Stephen Harper from 2006 to 2015, that era was characterized by ultra-moderate, centrist measures. In the October 2015 federal election, Justin Trudeau (Pierres son) and his Liberal Party won a strong majority. This was a signal for dismantling whatever fragmentary conservative measures Harper might have been able to enact. Until the disastrous trip to India, Trudeau was virtually unassailable in popularity. And now, there is the SNC-Lavalin scandal, which has already forced the resignation of Gerald Butts, Justin Trudeaus closest adviser. Also, the President of the Treasury Board, Jane Philpott, has resigned. Jody Wilson-Raybould, the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, had resigned earlier from the post she had been shuffled into, the Ministry of Veteran Affairs. Michael Wernick, the Clerk of the Privy Council, has also resigned. Liberal M.P. Celina Caesar-Chavannes announced that she would not seek re-election in 2019, and later left the Liberal caucus to sit as an Independent. The recent dip in Trudeaus popularity gives a fleeting hope that the Conservative Party may have some chance of winning the upcoming federal election, scheduled for October 2019. Canada has certainly been marked by massive social transformation and upheaval since the 1960s --driven mostly by the federal Canadian government of the Liberals -- and it is likely that these trends will continue. For example, Canada was the third country in the world (after the Netherlands and Belgium) to recognize same-sex marriage. There have been no restrictions on abortion since 1988, after the Supreme Court of Canada struck down some residual legal limits. At the same time, Canada has embraced multiculturalism; mass, dissimilar immigration; affirmative-action (called "employment equity" in Canada); and programmatic "diversity" with a great intensity. Indeed, the federal Liberal Party (assisted by the incredibly ideologically energetic left-wing New Democratic Party) has been practicing "activist", "transformational" politics in the last five-and-a-half decades, decisively transforming the social and cultural landscape to maintain itself perpetually in power. A recent dissent from the cult of diversity was by the maverick Quebec conservative Maxime Bernier, a former Conservative M.P. who has now founded his own, populist party  the Peoples Party of Canada. He had come very close to winning the leadership of the Conservative Party in 2017, in the wake of Harpers resignation. (The leadership was won by the Western Canadian Andrew Scheer, who has proven to be less effectual.) Bernier is also an impassioned critic of the Canadian supply management system (dairy, poultry, eggs) that had become a stumbling block in the Free Trade re-negotiations. During the Quebec referendum crisis of 1995, it was said that the failure of current-day Canada would tend to extinguish much hope in the world of creating "successful" multicultural societies. Indeed, Canadian traditionalists and conservatives might eventually be looking to various forms of "provincialization" or regionalization or so-called "cantonization" to challenge the federal government behemoth. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home
T he eyesore of Old Street roundabout is the last place youd expect to find mission control for a fleet of space craft. But look up and youll see a building stacked with satellite dishes which is just that.

From Inmarsats London offices, it launches and guides a fleet of high-altitude satellites used to provide mobile comms in remote places, from deserts to ships and aircraft.

Each craft takes 100 engineers five years to build at a cost of millions of pounds that only gets recouped years into the future from subscribers. And theres the rub. By the time youve launched your satellite, the market may have changed completely. That can go in Inmarsats favour, as in the discovery that airlines would want to use its $1.6 billion GlobalExpress satellites for wifi on planes. Or it could go against it, as with the rapid growth in rival technologies such as Sir Richard Bransons OneWeb satellites.

Sadly, the London Stock Exchange is not a forgiving place for such big-spending tech companies. Instead of looking at future growth potential, investors focus on revenues and spending today. Inmarsats predicted cashflow this year is 418 million; its capital expenditure: 433 million. Investors run for the hills.

Away from the UK stock market there are those prepared to put their money to work longer term. Todays takeover is fronted by private equity firms Apax and Warburg Pincus who have five-year investment horizons, backed by two Canadian pension plans who invest in terms of decades.

Last year it was a US-listed go-getter, Echostar, with long-sighted tech investment backers  which sniffed around for a possible bid.

With a lack of interest from UK plc investors, you cant blame Inmarsat for listening to such offers, and eventually capitulating. Under its new ownership, Inmarsat will build itself away from the pressures of quarterly reports and demands for big dividends.

The headquarters will remain in London, and it is hoped that the company will thrive and grow.

But what a pity our public markets couldnt support it.

Heres hoping HP truth will out

Seven years ago, photocopier and printer giant Hewlett-Packard paid $11 billion to buy one of the jewels in Britains technology crown, Autonomy.

It did this, not because it was conned by the companys founder, Mike Lynch, but because HP desperately wanted to diversify into software and services, and Autonomys big data search capabilities promised to be popular with HPs hardware clients.

It overpaid, but only because it figured on $17 billion of synergies once its 300,000 staff began selling Autonomys services.

After the deal was struck, new management took over at HP. First, they failed to understand the deals reasoning, then they botched the integration.

That is what resulted in billions of dollars of value destruction. Bad management, not fraud.
T his was the week we were supposed to be leaving the EU. Instead, we continue the countrys headlong rush into the unknown. By Friday we may have seen: a huge rebellion by Brexiteer ministers, resignations from their Remainer colleagues, Parliament seizing control of the EU negotiations, and  oh  a prime ministerial resignation.

Let us take each in turn. The first  the Brexiteer rebellion  is the least anticipated and potentially the most dangerous. Last Thursday, the EU agreed to extend the deadline for Brexit from March 29 to, at minimum, April 12. It looks like the law here in Britain urgently needs to be changed, because the actual date is written into the statute  although some in government hope not, as (ironically) EU law trumps ours. Technically, the law here is easily changed via something called a statutory instrument  but politically, that is very tough, because it requires a vote in Parliament. When a week ago the PM asked MPs to support seeking a delay from Brussels, 190 Tory MPs voted against  including eight members of the Cabinet, half the whips office and more than two dozen ministers.

This week, Downing Street is likely to ask them all to vote again to put that extension of Brexit into law. Many will refuse. Unless Theresa May is prepared to see a third of her Government resign, she will have to grant a free vote  and then rely on Jeremy Corbyn and Labour MPs to vote with her and avoid a no-deal catastrophe on Friday. It adds to the second challenge this week: the potential resignations of moderate ministers.

We know that last week 13 of them, including Cabinet heavyweights like Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Greg Clark, abstained when the Government tried to whip against taking no-deal off the table. Later this week, Downing Street faces a similar dilemma over whether to whip against indicative motions for Brexit outcomes, like remaining in the customs union, which are not (yet) Government policy. They say they are upholding the Tory manifesto. But thats the disastrous document that also committed them to removing free school meals and a social care death tax  both now abandoned. If Mrs May does attempt to force ministers to vote against softer Brexit options, there could be many resignations by the middle of the week.

Rebellion

Those options will only be on the order paper if another rebellion  the third of the week  succeeds tonight. This is the cross-party effort by Messrs Letwin, Boles, Benn and Yvette Cooper to seize control of the Commons timetable and then hold indicative votes on the way forward on Wednesday. We will find out today whether the Government will try to spike their guns by holding its own indicative votes. Frankly, its hard to see what these will achieve. If Parliament votes for a customs union and, perhaps, staying in the single market, it is naive to assume Mrs May will become its champion in EU negotiations. It shreds all her red lines. It would also cause a mass resignation of Brexiteers, and their fellow travellers, from her front bench, a strike from half her MPs  and, quite probably, a vote of no confidence in her Government. Theres also doubt about whether the device of rewriting the political agreement with the EU will be worth much once weve left. Over the following years of negotiation, it can be torn up  and would be were any hard Brexiteer to become Tory leader.
T he rapidity of events over recent days reflects a deepening political crisis. The Prime Minister has been unwilling to put the Brexit deal she has negotiated to the House of Commons as she believes it will be rejected yet again. She has gone to Brussels and secured only a very limited extension to Article 50, displacing the cliff edge to no-deal chaos by only a fortnight.

There are clear signs that the EU no longer believes that her deal is deliverable but does not want to be seen to be pushing the UK into no deal against its wishes. The Commons for its part has indicated by a strong majority that a no-deal Brexit must be avoided.

To this, the past 24 hours have added rumours of a coup against Mrs May by members of her own Cabinet. But there is clearly no consensus among them as to who should replace her or of what should be done next. In this vacuum of Government decision-making it is possible that the Commons will vote today to seize control of the House of Commons order paper on Wednesday, so as to start debating alternative options to the PMs deal whether the Government wishes it or not.

But it does not follow that this will immediately identify where a majority lies for an achievable outcome for Brexit. Indeed, in the short term it is perfectly possible that no majority for any course of action will emerge.

Meanwhile, more than a million marchers turned out in London on Saturday to ask for a Peoples Vote on any final deal negotiated and to ask to be given the option to vote to Remain in the EU as an alternative. More than five million people have signed an online petition to Parliament to revoke Article 50, so great is their concern as to the consequences of leaving. But these actions have been ignored or dismissed by many in the Commons on the grounds that the decision to leave in 2016 is set in stone and is therefore irreversible.

Dominic Grieve / Matt Writtle

It is this perverse impact of the 2016 referendum that is doing more to undermine democracy in this country at present than anything else. For democracy to function properly it requires accepting the absolute right of individuals and groups to campaign against decisions previously taken by majorities and to seek to change them. And it also requires all who participate in the democratic process to engage with those with whom they disagree, so that they can both understand the opposite point of view and seek to moderate it by argument.

While this can sometimes look a bit chaotic, it has enabled us in our modern history to build acceptance for change while avoiding making disastrous mistakes.

By refusing to consider going back to the public, and trying to close down the possibility of a Peoples Vote, the Prime Minister and like-minded parliamentary colleagues are doing our country a grave disservice. They are contributing to the political paralysis which they condemn because it takes off the table the one proposal that could give clarity to what the public want and which  whatever our personal views on Brexit  we have a commitment to try to implement.

I have no doubt that those who campaigned for and voted leave in 2016 did so with honourable motives. But nearly three years on it is impossible to say that the hopes they articulated are being fulfilled. The free-trade deals with third countries have vanished. The liberation from EU law will be replaced by at least 20 months of subservience to it when we go into transition. The presence of the Northern Ireland backstop as a requirement of leaving has highlighted the reality that treaty obligations with Ireland  separate from the EU  limit our ability to adopt different regulatory frameworks or tariffs from the EU, a subject about which next to nothing was said in the referendum.

"Responsible government must mean pausing the process and asking the public what it now wants"

It is these problems which have led to both my ERG colleagues denouncing the PMs deal and to many others concluding it offers our country a poor future. The public agrees  only 14 per cent consider it a good outcome.

Many parliamentary colleagues are searching for alternatives. There are numerous ideas being advanced as to how the agreement might be changed to make it better or different. A Norway- style relationship or a customs union or Common Market 2.0 are being promoted. They may be worth examining but all have drawbacks and constitute an even greater continuation of EU influence over our lives than the deal on offer. They would need time to work up and negotiate if we are to turn them into a new and much more tightly drafted political declaration. It is by no means clear if the EU will accept some of them.

Others are promoting the idea that changing our Prime Minister will miraculously transform the situation. But while her insistence on pushing on with her deal and refusing to contemplate alternatives has not helped promote a solution, there is nothing to suggest another politician will do better unless attitudes to the referendum result change.

The million marchers were making a point that cannot be ignored any longer. They and the five million petitioners are expressing their democratic right to object to a Brexit deal that offers nothing but short-term dependence and long-term uncertainty. They are rejecting the chaos of a no-deal Brexit which the Prime Minister has also indicated is unacceptable. Therefore responsible government must mean pausing the process and asking the public what it now wants and if it still wishes to leave. We can combine this with the development and presentation of any deliverable alternatives.
N ew dinosaur discoveries could be heading to the Natural History Museum after it agreed to send a team of fossil hunters to America.

They will work with teams from the US and Holland in an area of Wyoming known as the Jurassic Mile, where expeditions have already uncovered the fossilised bones of two giant creatures  a 24-metre-long brachiosaurus and 30-metre-long diplodocus  with more expected to be found.

Palaeontologists Susannah Maidment and Paul Barrett said they hoped the month-long trip, which will see about 10 staff travel to the states, could become a five-year project.

Nearly 600 fossilised bones, weighing almost 5.4 tonnes, have been collected over the past two years and Professor Barrett said they provided hints that there is a lot more to be found.

The site, which is only a small section of a vast 600,000-square mile rock formation across the western states, is a famous hunting ground for fossils.

Dr Maidment said she expected to find examples of old favourites, including the stegosaurus, as well as previously undiscovered creatures.

She said: Dinosaurs dominated terrestrial ecosystems for 170 million years and for much of that time anything larger than one metre that lived on land was a dinosaur, so there was a huge diversity of dinosaurs, so weve not even remotely scratched the surface.

The museum will post updates from the dig online. The South Kensington institution is already home to thousands of fossilised remains, including part of the first tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered and the skull of a triceratops, while an iconic former attraction, the 70ft replica diplodocus known as Dippy, is drawing huge crowds on a three-year UK tour.

Clare Matterson, director of engagement at the museum, said: We are thrilled to be able to share the dinosaur dig as it happens via our digital channels and excited about the possibility of acquiring new fossils to add to our world-leading dinosaur gallery in London and future touring exhibitions.

Any remains found will be packed in plaster of Paris and examined at The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis, before being shipped to London.
N ick Offerman has announced details of a UK tour, including a live show in London.

The American comedian and actor will play three August dates later this year, in Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester, before finishing in the capital at the Royal Festival Hall on September 1.

It will come before an extensive American tour, All Rise. Speaking about the show, Offerman said: [It will be] an evening of deliberative talking and light dance that will compel you to chuckle whilst enjoining you to brandish a better side of humanity than the one which we have grown accustomed.

Offerman is best known for his role as the deadpan city official Ron Swanson in the comedy series Parks and Recreation. Elsewhere, he has featured in the TV adaptation of Fargo, as well films such as the Founder and 21 Jump Street. He is also a keen carpenter.

How to get tickets for Nick Offermans UK tour

Pre-sale tickets will go on sale at 10am on Thursday March 28. They will be available here.

General sale will commence at 10am on Friday March 29. Those tickets can be bought here.

Nick Offerman 2019 UK tour dates
C ant go without your morning cup of joe? The London Coffee Festival knows how you feel.

The java extravaganza returns to the capital this week, bringing together more than 250 coffee roasters and brands under one roof for a four-day exploration of coffee, cafe culture, food, art and technology, all accompanied by live music and DJ sets.

While the prospect of unlimited coffee tasting is sure to tempt most, the festival also offers competitions for beginners and pros, talks with industry experts and unique sensory experiences.

From coffee mixed with meditation to lessons in latte art, heres what to expect from the London Coffee Festival 2019.

When and where is the London Coffee Festival 2019?

This year, the festival returns to Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in Shoreditch (E1 6QR). The festival runs between March 28 and 31, though Thursday and Friday are largely trade-only days. The public can swing by from the evening of March 29 to 31.

Tickets are can be bought here, starting at 18.50 for standard admission. There are tickets on the door, though these are substantially pricier.

Five highlights of the London Coffee Festival 2019

Coffee Masters

The ultimate barista battle returns to the London Coffee Festival this year, with 16 baristas from around the world looking to take the crown of Coffee Masters Champion 2019. Last year saw Agnieszka Rojewska of Poland become the first woman to take the title in London, and this year contenders from the likes of Indonesia, Latvia, Denmark and Nepal  as well as five UK hopefuls  will compete in front of an expert panel for a 5000 prize.

Latte Art Live

Entranced every time a barista pours a perfect tulip in your morning cup? Ozone Coffee Roasters will host a series of events celebrating the art of pouring perfectly pretty coffee. The schedule includes competitions for both experts and visitors, masterclasses, beginners guides and plant-based milk sessions, with many top London coffee brands getting involved.

The Tasting Room

If you want to try a little bit of everything, the Tasting Room is where its at. Across the weekend, it'll host a different tasting session every hour. There will be lots of opportunities to try myriad coffees, but visitors can also enjoy experiences that explore tea, wine, plant-based milk, hot chocolate and espresso martinis.

The Mindful Coffee Tasting Experience

Associate coffee with your chaotic morning commute? This tasting experience couldnt be more different. New for 2019, the Mindful Coffee Experience takes participants away from the hubbub of the fair to a quiet, meditative tasting session. Lead by Just Breathe expert Michael James Wong, the 45-minute experience aims to impart a more holistic approach to coffee, promoting ethical production and sustainability.

La Cimbali Sensory Series

Historic Italian coffee brand La Cimbali are looking to immerse experts and beginners alike in the technology, history and future of espresso with three bespoke experiences. Industry visitors can check into the Sensory Bar to explore how cup designs can alter a coffees flavour, while consumers can join a mixology experience to create coffee cocktails.

For more information and the full London Coffee Festival 2019 schedule, head to londoncoffeefestival.com
The world's most expensive bottle of scent - a unisex perfume worth nearly 1 million - has been created by a Dubai perfumer.

Named Shumukh, the Spirit of Dubai, the fragrance was crafted by a luxury brand called Nabeel in collaboration with French, Italian and Swiss artisans.

Shumukh is housed in a rare Italian Murano glass bottle infused with 24 karat gold, as well as additional details in white and yellow gold. The standout is the perfume bottle topper, which is made from 2479.26 grams of 18 karat gold, 5892.88 grams of silver and 3,571 diamonds, topazes and pearls.

Valued at USD$1,295,000, the three litre bottle also comes with two remote controls to adjust the height of its LED-lit rotating black leather pedestal and another to automate its spray.

Even the manual is encrusted with 456 diamonds and engraved with 18 karat gold, topped off with a selection of blue topaz, pearls, howlite and enamel detailing.

The fragrance has broken two world records. The first is for the most diamonds set on a perfume bottle and the second for the tallest remote-controlled fragrance spray product.

As for what the worlds most expensive perfume smells like? According to the site, the scent is a combination of amber, sandalwood, musk, Indian agarwood, Turkish rose, patchouli, ylang-ylang and frankincense estimated to last 12 hours. The final perfume is the result of 494 trials over three years.

Shumukhs bottle is also tied to Dubais heritage, featuring gold statuettes and cultural symbols. The imperial falcon Baz sits on top of the fragrance, crafted from gold and embedded with 561 diamonds ranging in shades from cognac to white to create a textured feathery effect. The black diamond eyes and beak are made of black onyx.

The globe that sits in the centre of the piece features a Swiss blue topaz globe with a diameter of 27.4 millimetres decorated with yellow gold. It also sits on a stand made of white gold, Italian Carrara marble and a half carat diamond pinpoints where Dubai is situated.

A gala dinner was held to unveil the fragrance and its Guinness World Record certificates. During the ceremony, co-host Caroline Stanbury called Shumukh "the epitome of luxury".

If you're a fragrance fanatic but dont want to shell out a casual million to try the fragrance yourself, it would cost you less to book a flight to Dubai to see Shumukh in person... The perfume is currently on display until March 30 in its own dedicated podium, situated in Fashion Avenue at The Dubai Mall.
M other's Day is the ideal time to celebrate the mother figures in our lives and express our appreciation with gifts, cards and kind words.

In the UK we celebrate Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday in Lent, and exactly three weeks before Easter Day because of religious tradition.

It stems from a centuries-old practice in which people would travel from far and wide to return to to their "mother church" for a special service during Lent.

People would also reunite with family from their hometowns and it later became known as "Mothering Sunday", with children often picking flowers for their mothers on the way to church.

Mother's Day: How to bake the perfect cake

Today, Mother's Day mainly draws from the American secular holiday, which was passed along from American to British soldiers during the Second World War.

When is Mother's Day 2019?

This year, Mother's Day falls on Sunday, March 31 in the UK. However different countries celebrate it at different times of year.

For example, countries such as the USA, Australia, Japan and New Zealand celebrate it on the second Sunday in May.

The reason the UK has a different date for Mothers Day is because historically people were given the day off to return to their home and worship with their families.

Mother's Day gift ideas

Today, many feel that Mother's Day has become too commercial, favouring homemade or personalised gifts over spending money in the shops. So here's how to show your Mum how much she means to you without breaking the bank.

1. Bake her something

Theres something about homemade baking that wraps you up in a cocoon of love. Whether its a cake or brownies, your mum will appreciate the gesture more than you know.

2. Frame your favourite photo of the two of you together

While this one involves a little bit of money you can do it cheaply and make good use of one of the thousands of photos you have on your phone. If you have a bit of extra time, think of making a photo album for her of the two of you together.

3. Make her her favourite dinner

Your mum spent your childhood making you dinners so its time to return the favour. Head round to hers and make her favourite mac and cheese or a roast if youre feeling fancy - and be sure to do the dishes afterwards.

4. Write her a letter

Perfect for if you live far away from your mum or if you struggle to articulate your feelings verbally, writing a mushy letter to tell her all the reasons you love and appreciate her will probably become one of her most prized possessions.

5. Make her a personalised cross stitch
M other's Day is now just days away, meaning it's nearly time to show your appreciation for everything our mums do for us.

The annual celebration of motherhood falls on Sunday March 31, which gives you just enough time to get your present to her sorted.

According to Next's Mother's Day survey, the average mum shares proud moments of her kids on social media every week - so now is the perfect time for you to return the favour.

If you're looking for something to show the world how much your mum means to you online or in a card, these heartwarming quotes could be just what you're after.

Mother's Day ideas 2019: The best places to go in London 1 /10 Mother's Day ideas 2019: The best places to go in London OXBO If youre after a brunch that packs a boozy punch, OXBO is one of the best in the city. Hit up the Pimp Your Prosecco station, mixing up unlimited fizz with all kinds of syrups and fresh fruit. Youll need something to soak it all up. Head to the open kitchen for unlimited servings of eggs benedict, eggs royale, omelettes, waffles and malted pancake, before sharing three main courses  sirloin steak, haddock and pumpkin and jackfruit korma. The two hour brunch with unlimited fizz is 45 and as a bonus, diners will also receive a Mothers Day goodie bag, full of artisan chocolates to take with you. Hilton London Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk Street, SE1 0UG Wild By Tart One of the centrepieces of Victorias impressive Eccleston Yard redevelopment, Wild by Tart is teaming up with Darjeeling Express founder and celebrated Chef's Table star Asma Khan for a special Mothers Day brunch. Expect fresh dishes like Tart's baked eggs with okra, aubergine and coriander green chutney on offer, all prepared by Khan and Wild by Tart staff. Tickets are 45 and include gift bags with chocolate truffles. 3-4 Eccleston Yards, Belgravia, SW1W 9AZ The Petersham If there's anything better than a luxurious four-course meal, it's a free luxurious four-course meal. Richmond hotel the Petersham is letting mothers eat without paying a penny this year, welcoming them to enjoy a lovely meal in a charming setting by the Thames. The restaurants light and airy dining room is a great place to enjoy the crab and quinoa salad and pan-fried cod with crab tortellini, before tucking into chocolate forest gateau, cherry and rum sorbet or sticky toffee pudding. For every four guests booked after 4pm, one mum can eat for free on the big day. Nightingale Ln, Richmond TW10 6UZ Thames Rockets If your mum likes to feel the wind in her hair, Thames Rockets could be the way forward. Speedboat tours of the Thames are some of the quirkiest ways to spend March 31. The Mother's Day Dash is a chance to blast up and down the river for 50 minutes and take in the sights of the city. Best of all, on the day mums go totally free in groups of two or more. The London Eye Millennium Pier, SE1 7PB Camino Bankside Get crafty at Camino Bankside, with a special jewellery-making masterclass. Choose between making a ring, broach, earrings or a necklace pendant at the event, which runs from 11am to 1pm on March 31. Design and create the piece on the day, before sending it off to be cast in sterling silver. The perfect way to add a little personality to your Mother's Day gift. Tickets are 75 and include a glass of fizz on arrival. 5 Canvey St, SE1 9AN SUSHISAMBA If lobster and champagne sound like your thing, then the SUSHISAMBA brunch could be the ideal place to start the Mothers Day celebrations this year. The menu is among the most glamorous youre likely to find, and the Liverpool Street venue is going all out, running a special Bossa Nova Brunch from 11.30am to 4.30pm on March 31. The 55 offer features fresh fruit tiraditos, mini lobster brioche rolls, causa benedict and sweet finish desserts, as well as a live band providing the soundtrack. EC2 and WC The Savoy Those looking for an unforgettable experience are well catered for at the Savoy on Mother's Day  and throughout the rest of the year, in truth. The recently launched vegan afternoon tea in the Thames Foyer costs 65, offering a plant-based treat in one of Londons most beautiful dining rooms. Or, keep it classic with a trip to the Beaufort or American Bar. It's one of the glitziest places to enjoy a drink in the city, and one of the very best for marking a special occasion. Strand, WC2R 0EZ London Shell Co. Cruise down Regents Canal on floating seafood restaurant London Shell Company, which is hosting a special Mothers Day menu. Expect seasonal dishes served out of the charming converted barge, which offers amazing views of the surrounding park and London Zoo. Cured trout and smoked roe croustade, as well as mussel and saffron soup with fried curry leaves, are among the highlights of the five-course menu, costing 50 a head. It could be the very best way to float your boat this March 31. The Prince Regent Sheldon Square Central, W2 6PY

Best Mother's Day quotes and poems

"Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love." Stevie Wonder

Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved." Erich Fromm

"A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories." Honore de Balzac

"He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark." J.K. Rowling.

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." Theodore Hesburgh

"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power." Maya Angelou

"A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's." Princess Diana

Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not." James Joyce

"Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother." Oprah Winfrey

"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers." Rudyard Kipling

"I am sure that if the mothers of various nations could meet, there would be no more wars." E.M. Forster

"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." Abraham Lincoln

My mother is a walking miracle." Leonardo DiCaprio

"Children are the anchors of a mother's life." Sophocles

"A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them." Victor Hugo

Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. Its huge and scary  its an act of infinite optimism. Gilda Radner

A mothers love is everything. It is what brings a child into this world. It is what molds their entire being. When a mother sees her child in danger, she is literally capable of anything. Mothers have lifted cars off of their children, and destroyed entire dynasties. A mothers love is the strongest energy known to man. Jamie McGuire

Motherhood: All love begins and ends there. Robert Browning

My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind. Michael Jordan
I t wasnt until Id finished my first Bon Fire Old Fashioned at the retro Clover Club in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, that I realised what Id been missing out on. Manhattan has the lions share of dazzling rooftop bars and Insta-ready saloons but the cocktail scene in Brooklyn is just as accessible, convenient and, arguably, more rewarding. Need convincing? The streets empty out the further you get from Brooklyn Bridge and the vibe is a world apart from the shared illusion of good times with a view of the Empire State Building. There is little of the cut-and-paste about Brooklyns bars. And so much more to go around.

So there I was in the company of whisky-drinking Chicago transplant Will Drucker, who has just launched a like-the-locals cocktail tour  remarkably the first of its kind in Brooklyn. At the Clover Club, named after the secret society that met at the former Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia from the 1880s, he talked me through the areas history of rebelliousness and rye.

At the bar itself it was possible to imagine it back in the Twenties. There was a tin roof, upholstered couches, a stoked fireplace and mahogany reclaimed from a Pennsylvania mining town, all the work of Julie Reiner and Sue Federoff, cocktail couple behind the citys Pegu Club. Still, it was the drink that grabbed my attention, a muddle of 10-year-old bourbon and toasted bourbon with vanilla demerara, cherry-wood smoke and bruleed marshmallows.

Its funny, said Will. Every visitor wants to drink a Cosmopolitan in Manhattan. But this is real New York here. 

Best bar none: the Clover Club whips up potent concoctions ( Clover Club ) / Clover Club

Brooklyns approach has always been different. Sprawling on the western elbow of Long Island, it began in 1636 as the Dutch farming town of Breuckelen, retaining an independent streak at odds with the city into which it was later subsumed. When the first steam-powered ferry connected Long Island to Manhattan in 1814, it made Brooklyn the first suburb in America. Yet it still retains individuality, encourages quirkiness and delights in difference.

We moved on to Grand Army, where Will ordered off-menu Arrowhead Ltds (IPA-topped mezcal negronis) but was just as enthusiastic about the rest of the menu. We could get a Boardwalk Flyer (aged cachaca, vermouth and banana liqueur) or a Hard Start (fernet and branca menta in a shot glass), he remarked. They also have an excellent Bloody Mary. The patrons were a colourful cross-section of Brooklyn: hipsters in caps mingling with office workers and factory apprentices. Between sips, some slurped on oysters and neck clams.

Brooklyn is where you'll find the 'real New York' / Alamy Stock Photo

Next up was a Fog Upon the Light of the Day (vodka, cucumber, smoked salt, manzanilla sherry and honey), then a ramble along Hoyt Street to the Brooklyn Inn, dating to 1885 and rumoured to have the citys best Guinness. Will riffed on facts from the relatively unknown  New York has 134 craft distilleries, he told me  to the bizarre. When explorer Henry Hudson first arrived in 1609, apparently, he had to navigate through what was then the highest concentration of oysters on the planet.

Last orders came at Wills favourite hangout, the Long Island Bar, built in 1951. We settled on a couple of Boulevardiers (negronis with whisky). I saw it as a place that existed in a different New York to the one I was used to. When I wandered out into the night I was in a haze, but my eyes had been opened.

Details: Brooklyn

Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies from Gatwick to JFK from 280 return. Rooms at The Hoxton (thehoxton.com) in Williamsburg from 115, B&B.
My campaign to raise the voting age got me shadowbanned on Twitter By J.K. Baltzersen

Are social justice warriors at Twitter afraid of a movement to raise the voting age? I debuted as a FEE writer on the first Sunday of Marchexpressing the contrarian position that the voting age should be raised. I am not alone in my desire to go in that direction. Back in 2015, a Tennessee professor proposed raising it to 25 but went back on the position shortly afterward. Others have been advocating raising the voting age, too. At the beginning of this year, the issue was discussed on British radio. After the recent fuss about it in the US Congress, another article appeared in Conservative Review advocating raising the minimum age for voting. It is, however, still pretty contrarian. Some say raising the voting age is never going to happen. Im not that categorical, but I do realize there are strong forces against such a shift that are deeply rooted in the incentive structure that democracy provides. The position is way outside the Overton window; a severe paradigm shift is needed for it to become a viable option; a steep, long uphill battle is ahead. A Proposal in Congress My essay advocating raising the voting age could hardly have been better timed. In the week that followed, US Rep. Ayanna Pressley from Massachusetts moved to reduce the voting age for federal elections to 16, bringing the topic to the forefront of public issues in the United States. Around the world, the 16-year-old voting age has been tried in some places and implemented permanently in a few others. While Pressleys motion failed, it created a lot of debate. Now was really the best time to have an opinion piece out in favor of raising the voting age. Then along came the inner-workings of Twitter. With Rep. Pressleys proposal, reports about wanting to lower the voting age were all over the news. Loads of Boston, Massachusetts, and US national news outlets were covering the story. Responding on Twitter Now, what does one do if a proposal one does not agree with is all over the news? At least if one cares a whole lot about the issue? One would respond in some way. I responded by replying to a number of these news outlets tweets and in the replies provided the alternative perspective, linking the infamous essay. I was certainly not alone in tweeting that the voting age should be raised. Some might call what I did spamming, but my replies were directed at official news outlet accounts, not accounts of individuals, and such replies are somewhat analogous to letters to the editor, albeit submitting out in the open. What happened next was I discovered that some of the tweets did not show up in my own searches. I then used a service for checking for shadowbanning, and my account came up positive for a search ban. I double-checked, and it turned out that my account did not show up in results for searches conducted outside my own account. I was removed from search results, but that fact was hidden from me as it did not affect searches done from my account. Shadowbanning Shadowbanning has been reported by James OKeefe, and very recently Federalist founder Sean Davis was hit by the phenomenon, as reported, amongst others, by The Washington Times. Twitter claims they dont shadowban, and if shadowban means totally hiding an account from other users, that may be true. But search bans that the user himself cannot see while logged in are obviously real. My tweets were not merely given a low rankthey didnt appear at all in my own search results, and my account was stealthily removed from search results not conducted from my own account. I tweeted at Twitter Support, Twitter, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. I never got an explanation. I do not know when the shadowban came into force. These things cannot easily be seen. I do, however, have good reason to believe that it had to do with the disappeared tweets. After about 24 hours, my shadowban was lifted, but the disappeared tweets were still disappeared. People found my tweets during the shadowban. One of them even got lots of likes while the shadowban was in effecteventually a three-digit number (after the ban was lifted)which is rather rare for tweets of mine, especially contrarian ones. But a period of time when tweeting calls for raising the voting age was popular was perhaps the worst time ever to be given a search ban. Will Twitter Explain? If I had broken any terms of service, the honest thing would be to handle it in an open way with me. That is not what happened. Twitter is a private company. There is no right to be on the platform. There is no right to be treated decently. But it is reasonable for users to expect to be treated decently in an open manner, not to be stealthily (partially) banned with no explanation. One could wonder whether Twitter would have achieved its market position if such practices had been well-known to users and potential users. I do not know whether what happened was completely automatic or if there was human intervention involved. It would be tempting to believe that social justice warriors at Twitter took action against a call for raising the voting age. Could it be deemed a dangerous movement? That would, indeed, be flattering. I welcome Twitter to explain what happened. A version of this essay was originally published by the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE). There are supposed to be 22 tweets in the result of this search. Somehow the missing tweets from the search result were restored to the search result of my account internal searches by publication on Friday (March 22), but when searching while logged out (Saturday morning European time), 10 of those tweets were still missing, and it seems to be the same tweets that were originally search banned, which was a selection. [Tweets missing: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10] J.K. Baltzersen writes from the capital of the Oil Kingdom of Norway. He is the editor of the book Grunnlov og frihet: turtelduer eller erkefiender? (in Norwegian and Swedish; translated title: Constitution and Liberty: Lovebirds or Archenemies?), with Cato Institutes Johan Norberg amongst the contributors. Home
T here is something wonderful about visiting a place thats a little off the beaten track. A place where there's less tourists, more friendly locals and that sense of finding a hidden gem.

To help inspire your next trip, Hostelworld has released a list of up-and-coming global destinations, which it found by calculating the cities and towns that saw the biggest increase in bookings from British travellers between 2017 and 2018.

South-East Asia dominates the list, with the island of Coron in the Philippines taking first place, with a 2,016 per cent increase in bookings in the past year.

Indonesias Nusa Lembongan came in second with a 261 per cent increase between 2017 and 2018, while Ella in Sri Lanka saw a 246 per cent increase in the same time period.

Three of the top 20 undiscovered locations could be found in Bali. As well as Nusa Lembongan, which is an island off the coast of Bali, main island destinations Canggu and Uluwatu also saw increased visitors. Indonesia sees around 390,000 British nationals visit each year, and with new destinations to explore, this number will likely rise.

Catriona Flood of Hostelworld said in a statement: "While regions such as Southeast Asia are likely to always remain popular with backpackers, young people are looking to push the geographical boundaries even further on their quest for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

"That sense of heading somewhere others havent heard of is intriguing and appealing. People are often drawn to new destinations because theyre keen to come home with exciting tales of beautiful, undiscovered locations they can surprise and delight their friends or family with.

Panglao in the Philippines saw a 124 per cent increase in booking between 2017 and 2018 / Unsplash

A recent study by phone brand Huawei founds that just under half of 18 to 25-year-olds look to travel to places that their friends havent been, with 33 per cent saying they want to be the first to find new travel hotspots and share photos of it on social media.

Whether you travel for the gram or simply to experience more of the world, these up-and-coming destinations are sure to delight.
T he hustle and bustle of life can sometimes lead to sleepless nights. After a busy day, it can be hard to switch our brains off long enough to get a restful sleep.

In the UK, one third of adults sleep just five to six hours per night, according to the Great British Bedtime Report. This is significantly less than the recommended seven to eight hours per night adults need to be mentally and physically refreshed.

Sleep is essential to living. When we dont sleep, we can feel tired and irritable  and if we go too many nights without sleeping this can lead to illness, weight gain, inability to make decisions and can lead to serious health problems.

To help revive your sleep health, consider visiting one of the below sleep retreats in 2020.

Lucknam Park, England

Just two hours from London, stately Lucknam Park is hosting a retreat this weekend (January 17 to 19). Expect guided meditations, hypnotherapy and a gong bath. Lead by hypnotherapist Fiona Lamb and Qi Gong teacher Tallulah Rendall, the retreat will also include a therapeutic session at the on-site Equestrian Centre where guests will have to opportunity to connect with a horse.

Available from January 17 to 19, the retreat is 1,040 per person for two night stay including breakfast, a three course lunch and two three-course dinners. lucknampark.co.uk

One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives

Hosted by sleep guru Alison Francis, guests at One&Only's Reethi Rah resort in the Maldives can take part in a 'sleep journey' that focusses on achieving that holy grail of uninterrupted and rejuvenating sleep. The retreat begins with an assessment before sleep a trainer will look at your current sleeping pattern (or lack of) and develop a tailored programme for you.

Price available on request when booked through luxury bespoke tour operator Carrier. carrier.co.uk

Six Senses Thimphu, Bhutan

Six Senses Thimphu resort / Six Senses/Frederik Hasselkjaer

The best country to visit in 2020 also offers a world-class sleep program at its Six Senses outpost. Choose from three to 10 nights and experience Ayurvedic rituals and singing bowl meditation with the yogic sleep package designed to rejuvenate a tired body and mind, reduce stress levels and improve the quality of sleep. It aims to introduce a deep state of relaxation by combining yoga nidra with meditation and gentle yoga poses combined with spa treatments for a more restful nights sleep.

Available throughout the year. From 657 for three nights plus accommodation. sixsenses.com

Lefay Resort & Spa, Italy

Head to Italy for five nights and rediscover the magic of sleep. With two locations  the mighty Dolomites or overlooking Lake Garda  Lefay Resort & Spas five-night sweet dreams programme tackles insomnia with hormonal analysis and plenty of spa treatments. During your time at Lefay, you will have breakfast, lunch and dinner included, a number of body and facial massages, foot reflexology treatments, acupuncture sessions and moxibustion treatments all designed to help you get a better nights sleep.

Available throughout the year. From 2,139 per person for five nights, lagodigarda.lefayresorts.com/

The best sleeping aids- in pictures 1 /14 The best sleeping aids- in pictures Sleep soundly with our pick of the best sleeping aids... This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray Smells can affect your mood, making you feel more relaxed and calmer; lavender has this effect. This pillow spray is clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster and wake feeling more refreshed with the aroma-therapeautic super-blend of lavender, vertivert and chamomile which sooths you to sleep. 18, This Works, Buy it now Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 If you find it difficult to wake up in the mornings, this is the gadget for you. This is a dawn stimulator, which wakes you up gradually with increasing natural light, which is a signal to your body to ease production of sleep hormones such as melatonin and increase those that help you get up and go such as cortisol. 59.95, Lumie, Buy it now T2 Sleep Tight Tea Bags These tea bags make the perfect night time brew, with a delicate sweet flavour and calming aroma thanks to the lemon-balm, lavender, jasmine blossoms and rose petals to help you wind down. 7.50, T2, Buy it now Hush Pyjamas All-natural fabric will guarantee you a better nights sleep compared to manmade fibres. Cotton is lightweight and soft to the touch, as well as being breathable, which is great if you overheat easily. Most importantly you need to find them comfortable. These pyjamas from Hush are affordable and gorgeous. 49.50, Hush, Buy it now Drift Mattress Theres a lot of great mattresses on the market at the moment, but this one is the only one thats got 4,000 micro-pocket springs, as well as an all-natural wool layer sleep surface which is temperature regulating allowing air to circulate, and wicking moisture away for a deep sleep. 49.50, Hush, Buy it now Magic Blackout Blind This is an ingenious invention; a temporary blackout blind window covering, which you can cut to size and reuse. Keeping your room completely dark is vital, as this triggers the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin which is extremely light-sensitive and may not be produced optimally until completely dark. 29.99, Magic White Board, Buy it now Tranquillity Neom Scented Candle Specially formulated with the natural fragrance of 19 soothing essential oils, including lavender, sweet basil and jasmine, which smell wonderful but also have a relaxing effect on mind & body, helping you prepare for sleep. They recommend burning for 2 hours prior to sleep. 30, Neom, Buy it now Draper London linen This is some seriously luxurious bedding, but worth every penny, as its the lightest Percale in 300 thread count Egyptian cotton, so incredibly cool and airy to the touch. The better your body temperature is regulated, the less youll wake up, resulting in much deeper sleep. From 92.50, Draper London, Buy it now Kikki K 3am notebook Scientists have found a direct link between anxiety and rhythm of sleep, when you have anxious thoughts, your heart rate goes up and your mind starts to race. A great way to over come this is to write these thoughts down, and Kikki K has designed a lovely little notebook just for these3am thoughts. 10, Kikki. K, Buy it now Foot Warmer Hot Water Bottle Slipper Studies have found that cold hands and feet are associated with sleeplessness. The Sleep Council recommends increasing the temperature of your cold feet by using a hot water bottle, rather than bed socks, and this inspired creation makes nice and easy. 22.95, Heat Treats, Buy it now

Shanti Maurice, Mauritius

The Shanti sleep package aims to help you go into a deep state of relaxation to aide a restorative sleep. Using meditation, yoga, Tibetan sound massages and Magnesium sleep therapy, expect to spend your time on Mauritius more relaxed and stress-free than ever.

Available throughout the year. From 703 plus accommodation, shantimaurice.com

Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

The spa at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz / Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Want to get serious about your sleep? This top Swiss medical resort offers a sleep diagnostics program run by doctors and includes medical check-ups and a sleep investigation. The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland is one of the best medical health resorts in the world and its three-day, two-night retreat is designed to help aide a healthy and restful sleep. Using video-polysomnography experts diagnose all the disturbances you have in your sleep and receive specific recommendations from those results. They will also do a number of medical tests to see if theres anything holding you back from a good nights sleep and you will have discussions with your doctor at the retreat who will devise a personal health dossier for you.

Available throughout the year. From 3,834 per person including accommodation, healthragaz.ch

Marbella Club Wellness, Spain

Marbella Club Wellness offers several retreats that range from one day to seven nights, all bespoke and can be individually adjusted to your needs. The tranquillity and sleep enhancing retreat is a gentle program that uses evidence-based techniques to help improve sleep. Experts at the resort will help equip you with routines that will be sustainable for long after the retreat.

Available throughout the year. Price on request, marbellaclubwellness.com

Kamalaya, Thailand

Soak up the lush views at Kamalaya in Koh Samui / Kamalaya

Kamalaya, located in Koh Samui, an island off the coast of Thailand, is one of the best wellness retreats in the world. The sleep enhancement program has been designed to re-establish a healthy and restful sleep while addressing imbalances and sleep issues for the long term. You can choose from a five, seven or nine-night program that includes all meals provided, wellness consultations, body bio-impedance analysis, massages, traditional treatments and a sleep enhancement pack. While youre not joining in with rejuvenating body treatments and sessions, take in the islands natural beauty and discover why so many travellers love Koh Samui.
2 019 is the year that wellness has exploded into the mainstream.

Record numbers of people are drinking less and more are regularly indulging in self-care. Naturally, this is also affecting how people want to holiday.

TripAdvisor has released its annual trend report, which confirms health and wellbeing is firmly on the agenda for the 2019 traveller, as bookings for such experiences are up 69 per cent year-on-year.

So long boozy 18-30s, hello hikes in the wilderness and indulgent spa breaks.

According to the report, New Zealanders led the way in the quest for wellness, as bookings for these kinds of experiences by Kiwi travellers jumped 362 per cent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, UK traveller bookings for wellness experiences rose 75 per cent year-on-year.

So from Arabian baths in Granada to mineral hot springs in Costa Rica, here are the top 10 most booked wellness experiences in 2018  bucket lists at the ready.

The most booked wellness experiences (2018):

Meanwhile the top five destinations for wellness experiences overall were Reykjavik, Iceland (+637 per cent), La Fortuna, Costa Rica (+105 per cent), Mendoza, Argentina (+94 per cent), Budapest, Hungary (+62 per cent) and Chiang Mai, Thailand (+58 per cent).

Click through the gallery at the top for visuals of some of these popular wellness destinations or, if you're after something closer to home, some of the best retreats in the UK are featured below.
N on-morning people get a bad rep. Often dismissed as lazy, life can be tough for a late riser.

While early birds are busy whizzing up a green juice, unloading the dishwasher and catching a yoga class before work, we have to cram all of life's admin into the evenings.

In the name of World Sleep Day, Adrian Williams, professor of sleep medicine, has the answer to some of our slumber-related questions.

Can you become a morning person?

The word circadian rhythm derives from the Latin "circa diem" (meaning around the day), and it refers to the body's biological processes which are subject to a roughly 24-hour cycle, the main pacemaker for which is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which sits at the base of the brain, Williams explains. These processes include the sleep/wake cycle; temperature which drops at night; cortisol levels, which are elevated in the morning to prepare us for our day; urine production, which is reduced at night; as well as melatonin production, which is secreted at night to signal to the rest of body that it is night time.

Circadian rhythms are predominantly determined by our genes, he says, which means it's difficult to change your sleep pattern permanently and become a morning person for example. The same goes for how much sleep you need, while the likes of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and former US president Donald Trump claim they get by on just four hours of kip a night, much of this is also genetically determined, he adds, so its not worth fighting. Ensure youre getting sufficient amounts of rest each night - as a general rule of thumb, most experts recommend between seven and eight hours a night.

To wannabe early birds, you can influence your body clock using exposure to light. Morning light is the establishing factor in determining circadian rhythms, he says. So the earlier youre exposed to light, the more likely youll feel sleepy earlier and go to be earlier that evening. Adopting methods such as waking up at the same time each morning  including on weekends  and avoiding using the snooze button entirely by placing your phone or alarm across the room can help to adjust your routine (even if it is only temporary).

How is a lack of sleep linked to weight gain?

Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Not getting enough sleep (less than six hours) has been associated with weight gain because of changes in the hormones which control appetite, Williams explains.

The hormones leptin (which reduces appetite) and ghrelin (which increases it) both change in the direction of increasing appetite when we dont sleep enough. There is a measurable effect, studies are quite clear that appetite changes based on those hormones, and even preference for food changes to fat and carbohydrate as opposed to protein. The increase in calories may only be 100 calories a day or less but many pounds over a year," he says.

Simple sleep hygiene hacks

Getting enough sleep  and ensuring that it's of a decent quality  can boost your productivity and alertness during the day and adopting some basic sleep hygiene principles may help to improve the quality of your sleep.

Williams sleep hygiene rules include: avoiding caffeine after 2pm, avoiding spicy food, ensuring you have a sleeping environment that's cool, dark and quiet and avoiding blue light in the evening.
E xercise transports you. Often literally  you are moving  but also figuratively. When you are working out at high velocity, you cannot be introspective. Body conquers mind, and you forget that you are worried about work because you are worrying instead about whether your legs are about to buckle. They are not merely feeling but have been broken by The Burn.

Afterwards, though, once the endorphins have subsided and your body has recalibrated, your anxieties return. The bodys victory over the mind turns out to be a temporary triumph: you have sidelined your worries, not resolved them. What you need, instead, is a workout that wrestles with the mind and the body, with long-term benefits for both.

Running is regularly suggested. Thinkers insist it hoovers up mental cobwebs, enabling them to assess the state their mind is really in. It seems to improve mental acuity: Running as a way of learning my lines seems to be hugely effective, noted actor Freddie Fox in an interview with the magazine Runners World. The rhythm of running seems to hammer them into my head. The author Joyce Carol Oates elevates running to the status of the sublime in a piece in The New York Times; runner Monte Davis was more practical, quoted in 1976 compendium The Joy of Running: Its hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time, he said. Also, there are those hours of clear-headedness that follow a long run. Running also promotes the growth of new nerve cells and blood vessels in the brain.

So it is zen by nature but, strictly, its still just distracting you from your worries rather than resolving them. However, there is a way to make it more zen. The zealously mindful insist that running combined with meditation will cause breakthroughs for both mental and physical fitness.

Granted, it sounds batty and New Age. To clarify: running and meditation does not mean legging it through the park with your eyes shut, nor chanting earnestly in between breathless gulps of air as you try hill sprints for the first time. It means, instead, focusing keenly on your body and mind while you are moving, giving equal attention to both so that the discipline makes both feel better. You do not switch off but switch on; your body does not shift into autopilot. You are being meditative rather than strictly meditating, but it works.

Best books on mindfulness 1 /14 Best books on mindfulness Find your inner peace with our pick of the best mindfulness and meditation books... Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world This bestseller will get you in the right frame of mind for 2016. Based on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)  a successful form of brief meditation this book's success relies on the way in which authors Mark Williams and Danny Penman optimistically focus on adding joy to your life as opposed to ridding it of unhappiness. 10.50, Amazon, Buy it now Anti-Stress Dot-to-Dot Always thought that dot-to-dots were an activity for children? Apprently you're wrong be wrong  the pictures in this book, featuring elegant buildings and nature scenes, will relax and focus your mind in a way you never thought a dot-to-dot book could. 5, Amazon, Buy it now I Am Here Now This will help enhance both your observation and creativity; with an audio track (featuring musings from mindfulness teacher Tara Brach) and a field notes page for recording purposes, I Am Here Now will enable your thoughts and emotions to take on a new lease of life. 7, Amazon, Buy it now The Mindful Workplace What better time to deploy the theories of mindfulness than at work? This book, filled with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) techniques, provides an eight-week training course to keep your workplace attitude at its peak. 30.50, Amazon, Buy it now Get some headspace This book from Andy Puddicombe, founder of popular digital health platform Headspace, attempts to get people to take ten minutes out of their day for meditation purposes. Once the technique's been learned, these skills will stay with you for the rest of your life. 10, Amazon, Buy it now The Mindfulness Colouring Book Much like the dot-to-dot book above, this pocket-sized adult colouring book is the perfect activity for a 10-minute breather. Consider your stress and anxiety soothed. 4, Amazon, Buy it now The Little Book of Mindfulness In this day and age, it's more important to be in the moment than ever  this book will help you with that. From Dr Patrizia Collard, these brief practices will rid your day of stress and have you feeling more optimistic. 4, Amazon, Buy it now Body Calm The saying mind over matter derives from the idea that our minds have the power to control our bodies if we really want them to. Equally, mental stress can have a damaging effect on our bodies. Newbigging teaches us a new self-healing meditation technique to help keep our bodies healthy and to understand the source of common stress and anxiety triggers. 11, Amazon, Buy it now The Power of Now The Power of Now has become one of the most famous mindfulness books out there. Helping us to tap into our innermost Being, Tolle guides us through various techniques to help us understand that the present moment is all that really matters. 8, Amazon, Buy it now A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled An ambassador for mental health awareness, Ruby Wax OBE has helped to make mindfulness accessible to all. Having suffered from depression herself, in this book she explores how modern living is causing us more stress and anxiety than ever as we know and see too much. Included are mindfulness exercises and tips for everyone from babies to adults; all with sound underlying scientific reasoning. 4, Amazon, Buy it now

First, you realise that all your bones ache. You become very conscious that you are clattering your joints against the unyielding pavement and this hurts. It is not a sharp pain but more a low-level throb. It is not enough to stop, it is not usually enough for you to notice it. But when you really concentrate, you do. And so at the end, you do not stop suddenly, skip stretching, and then spend the rest of the afternoon hopping about where you happen to be  instead, you run yourself a bath and stretch out in the steaming water, occasionally kneading a calf muscle or patting your knee cautiously. After your next run, you do the same. Soon, youre aching less.

That is the body dealt with: multi-task and consider your mind at the same time. Usually, you run and all of a sudden things rise to the surface: arguments won and lost, passive-aggression tensions at work, how much you secretly hate your housemates. Then you strike down hard on the pavement and smash through it, temporarily, only for the fury to resurface later when youre spent from the sprint finish.

Instead, plan ahead: mindfulness app Headspace recommends that you work out your worries before you start. This allows the mind to rest and prioritise what you might need to address  one you can come at from all sides when youre moving through the air. Try to move through this single problem chronologically and consider all the different angles, instead of just trying to get through a figurative swarm of worries unscathed by running faster.

Focus. Stop running away from your problems. Youll tear an Achilles tendon.
T his is the moment a Brexit supporter smashes an egg over Jeremy Corbyn's head in an attack on the democratic process.

John Murphy, 31, shouted respect the vote as he ambushed Mr Corbyn during talks with leaders of the Finsbury Park Mosque, striking the politician on the right side of his head while holding an egg.

The Labour leader said he saw Murphys face contorted in anger as he repeated his Brexit-supporting mantra after the attack, which has left the politician, his family, and staff distressed and worried about his security.

Murphy pleaded guilty today to common assault by beating, and was jailed for 28 days by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot at Westminster magistrates court.

An attack like this is an attack on the democratic process, she said. The impact on Jeremy Corbyn has been considerable, he says he was very shocked and surprised and he had always previously felt safe.

Jeremy Corbyn visiting the mosque in Finsbury Park before he was attacked by 31-year-old John Murphy / PA

The judge said the Labour leader was particularly vulnerable due to his high-profile political role, adding that CCTV of the attack showed the level of aggression from Murphy.

Mr Corbyn wouldnt have been able to anticipate being hit, or that the assault would stop after one hit, she added. Mr Corbyn was particularly vulnerable because of his position as Leader of the Opposition.

Murphys lawyer, Malik Aldeiri, had claimed Mr Corbyn had over-egged the impact of the attack on March 3, and he urged the judge to not jail the attacker.

The moment Jeremy Corbyn was struck over the head by an egg in an attack / Crown Prosecution Service

But she told the court: Attacks on MPs must stop, of whatever type, with an egg or in any other way. The message needs to go out that the courts will not allow this to continue.

Mr Corbyn was on his annual Visit My Mosque Day appearance at the Finsbury Park Mosque when he was attacked, in an upstairs room of the adjacent Muslim Welfare House.

Mr Corbyn said the atmosphere was friendly and everyone seemed to be in good spirits - he didnt feel as though there were any issues, said prosecutor Kevin Christie.

Suddenly he felt a strike to the right side of his forehead and then realised someone had reached over his right shoulder and struck him.

As he was struck he heard a male voice shout respect the vote.

The Labour leader was ushered away to a side room as Murphy was detained, and then realised he had been hit with an egg. The court heard Murphy had a further four eggs on him when searched at the police station.

The male was repeatedly shouting respect the vote while being restrained by staff, added the prosecutor, playing a short CCTV clip of the incident. Mr Corbyn described see the male with his face contorted in anger. He appeared to be acting in a very aggressive manner after striking him.

The attack happened a week after Labour announced it would support calls for a second referendum on Brexit.

In his impact statement, Mr Corbyn said he has been forced to review his personal security, and his family including wife Laura  who was sat next to him when the attack happened  have been left stressed and distressed.

I feel this kind of attack drive a wedge between elected representatives and those who elect them in the first place, he said.

While Im in a very public role, its often very painful to see my wife, sons, and wider family suffer deep stress because of my role and because of these attacks upon me.

It impacts our lives but Im determined I will carry on in my public role and ensure that I never cut off from the people I represent.

A Brexit supporter has been jailed after he admitted attacking Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with an egg / PA

Mr Aldeiri told the court Murphy regrets his actions but has not offered any remorse, and that he offers his apologies to the Muslim Welfare House for disturbing their peace and tranquillity.

But he said that Mr Corbyns impact statement was slightly over-egged, adding: All public servants, rightly or wrongly, will receive varying degrees of animosity and always have that around them.

He said Murphy, who works as a part-time events promoter, bought six eggs when he heard Mr Corbyn was coming to the Islamic centre, and the attack was borne out of frustration and anger.

It was borne out of the political situation we find ourselves in, he believes his civil rights have been violated and it was a demonstration by him and a rebellion against what he says is a failure to adhere to a democratic vote, said Mr Aldeiri.
A drunken van driver who killed two pensioners as he led police on a high-speed chase while trying to evade capture faces a lengthy prison sentence.

Ben Ord, 41, smashed into the back of the Citroen C3 of Shirley and Bob Wigzell, both 71, sending their car careering into a parked vehicle in Eltham.

The pensioners, who were childhood sweethearts, were on their way home from babysitting their grandchildren when they were killed, shortly before midnight on February 23.

At the Old Bailey today, Ord admitted causing the deaths of Mr and Mrs Wigzell by dangerous driving.

Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay told the court: The funeral for both of the deceased takes place on April 12. It is very much the wish of the family that any sentencing hearing is dealt with before then.

Judge Richard Marks QC, the Common Serjeant of London, agreed to sentence the driver on Thursday.

Ord, of Eltham, had been pulled over by the police after being seen driving erratically at speed, but sped off when officers tried to speak to him. Mr and Mrs Wigzell, who met at Eltham Green School, were just a mile from their home when the crash happened. Both died at the scene in Footscray Road.

Following their deaths, the Wigzells son Gary said the family, including the couples seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, had been left absolutely devastated.

They were childhood sweethearts who met when they were at school and were married for 50 years. They lived locally their whole lives, he told the Standard.

Mr Wigzell had been a plumber and later worked for Parcelforce. His wife had worked for local funeral directors Francis Chappell & Sons.
A schoolboy is fighting for life after being knifed in broad daylight on a street in south-east London.

Scotland Yard said it was called shortly after 4pm on Monday to reports of a stabbing in Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found a boy, believed aged 15, suffering a stab injury.

He was rushed to a south London hospital where he remains in a critical condition following the attack.

The victim's next of kin have been informed.

There have been no arrests.

Labour MP for Lewisham West and Penge Ellie Reeves tweeted: "Extremely sorry to hear about the stabbing on Dartmouth Road SE23 this afternoon. I am in close contact with the police and my thoughts are with the victim who I hope has a speedy recovery from this terrible act."
F our people, including an 11-year-old girl, have been injured in a pellet gun attack in a park in south-west London.

A 30-year-old woman was also hurt in the incident in Mitcham on Sunday afternoon.

A fight reportedly broke out between a group of men who had gathered in the park.

Police said the child suffered a wound to her leg while the woman, who was known to the youngster although the pair are not related, suffered injuries to her back.

Both were taken to hospital but neither is believed to have been seriously hurt.

A witness told the Sun: A fight broke out between the guys. One of them ran away and came back with a long gun and started firing.

A lady got shot three times and her daughter got shot in the leg by the pellets.

We all got down on the ground to not get hit by the shots. It was a big gun but the bullets were pellets. He was running around with it.

Two men, aged in their late teens, are also believed to have been hurt during the incident.

They went to a nearby hospital suffering shotgun pellet injuries which are not thought to be serious.

Police were called to the scene in Figges Marsh at 5.40pm.

A large group of men were seen in the area before the incident and police are trying to trace them, Scotland Yard said.

The force added in a statement: "Detectives are urging anyone in this group who has not yet spoken with police to come forward."

No arrests have been made.
A newsagent stabbed to death during another weekend of bloodshed in London was a pillar of the community, friends said today.

The 54-year-old shopkeeper, named locally as Ravi, was knifed during a robbery as he opened his business in Pinner early yesterday morning.

His death marked the 29th killing in London so far this year and came after a 17-year-old boy, named as Abdirashid Mohamoud, was stabbed to death by a masked man outside a block of flats in Isleworth on Friday night.

Detectives said the teenager had been in nearby Syon Park with friends when a gang pulled up in a car and chased him into Union Lane where he was attacked.

He is the seventh teenager to be stabbed to death in the capital this year. At least five other people were injured in knife attacks over the weekend. One man, in his forties, was critically injured in hospital today after being stabbed in Hackney at 3.15am yesterday.

Forensics investigators outside a newsagent in Pinner / NIGEL HOWARD 

The shopkeeper was attacked in what locals believe was a planned robbery at the Marsh Food and Wine store at about 6am yesterday. Medics battled to save him but he was pronounced dead at the scene 45 minutes later. His murder is the 12th in London this month.

Friends and customers today paid tribute to the man who was originally from Sri Lanka and is said to have lived and worked in Pinner for more than 20 years. Shopkeeper Siva Lingam, who works at AVS Food and Grocery opposite, said: We are all so sad. He was a very nice, quiet man. I cant believe anyone would hurt him.

Knife Crime - A national emergency

This robbery must have been planned. They knew he was coming in early to do the Sunday papers. People must have been watching him and knew his routine.

A police cordon outside a block of flats in Isleworth after a teenager was found fatally stabbed / PA

A customer said the victim, who is believed to be a father of two school-age children, was a pillar of the community. Another added: He was an extremely friendly, polite and hard-working man.

Detectives are searching for a black Vauxhall Astra that was driven away at speed down Cecil Park immediately after the attack. They added they believe the victim was knifed by a man who robbed the shop and stole its till.

Local MP and policing minister Nick Hurd tweeted: Deeply saddened to hear of a fatal stabbing in Marsh Road Pinner earlier this morning. It appears to be a case of a robbery that escalated.

In other incidents, a 13-year-old boy was knifed in St Matthews Road, Brixton early yesterday morning and on Saturday evening at 10.30pm two young men were found stabbed in Harrow Road, Westminster.

Earlier on Saturday a man in his twenties was taken to hospital after he was stabbed in High Street, Barkingside.

None of their injuries are said to be life-threatening. Police said no arrests have been made so far.

A teenager was fighting for life today after being hit by a bus while fleeing police on a moped, Scotland Yard said.

The 17-year-old was struck after failing to stop for officers in Putney in the early hours. Officers had been on an unconnected 999 call when they spotted the moped rider and asked him to stop.

He drove off, and collided with the bus a short time later. A spokeswoman for the Met said: At around 1.20am a police vehicle was responding to an emergency call.

Unrelated to this first emergency call, the rider of a motorcycle made off from the responding officers in Putney High Street near the junction with Upper Richmond Road. The officers had then begun to follow this vehicle, when the moped was in collision with a bus on Upper Richmond Road.

The moped rider  a 17-year-old male  was taken to hospital. His condition has been assessed as life-threatening.
A Brexit supporter who shouted respect the vote as he struck Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn over the head with an egg during a visit to a mosque is facing jail today.

John Murphy, 31, was contorted in anger as he ambushed Mr Corbyn during talks with leaders of the Finsbury Park Mosque, striking the politician on the right side of his head while holding an egg.

The Labour leader said he heard Murphy repeating his Brexit-supporting mantra after the attack, which has left him, his family, and staff distressed and worried about his security.

Murphy pleaded guilty today to common assault by beating, but claimed Mr Corbyn had over-egged the impact of the attack on March 3.

Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said she is taking the attack very seriously indeed as she indicated she is considering jailing Murphy.

Attacks on MPs must stop, of whatever type, with an egg or in any other way, said the judge. The message needs to go out that the courts will not allow this to continue.

Mr Corbyn was on his annual Visit My Mosque Day appearance at the Finsbury Park Mosque when he was attacked, in an upstairs room of the adjacent Muslim Welfare House.

Mr Corbyn said the atmosphere was friendly and everyone seemed to be in good spirits - he didnt feel as though there were any issues, said prosecutor Kevin Christie.

Suddenly he felt a strike to the right side of his forehead and then realised someone had reached over his right shoulder and struck him.

As he was struck he heard a male voice shout respect the vote.

The Labour leader was ushered away to a side room as Murphy was detained, and then realised he had been hit with an egg. The court heard Murphy had a further four eggs on him when searched at the police station.

The male was repeatedly shouting respect the vote while being restrained by staff, added the prosecutor, playing a short CCTV clip of the incident.

Mr Corbyn described see the male with his face contorted in anger. He appeared to be acting in a very aggressive manner after striking him.

The attack happened a week after Labour announced it would support calls for a second referendum on Brexit.

In his impact statement, Mr Corbyn said he has been forced to review his personal security, and his family including wife Laura  who was sat next to him when the attack happened  have been left stressed and distressed.

I feel this kind of attack drive a wedge between elected representatives and those who elect them in the first place, he said.

While Im in a very public role, its often very painful to see my wife, sons, and wider family suffer deep stress because of my role and because of these attacks upon me.

It impacts our lives but Im determined I will carry on in my public role and ensure that I never cut off from the people I represent.

Malik Aldeiri, representing Murphy, told the court: Mr Murphy offers his apologies to the Muslim Welfare House for disturbing their peace and tranquillity.

But he said that Mr Corbyns impact statement was slightly over-egged, adding that he will argue against a prison sentence: All public servants, rightly or wrongly, will receive varying degrees of animosity and always have that around them.
A gunman sparked panic after firing shots in a London park that was busy with families, hitting an 11-year-old girl and wounding three other people.

The girl was hit in the leg by a pellet, while a woman, 30, was struck in the back. Two teenagers later walked into hospital with pellet injuries from the same incident. None of those struck were seriously hurt.

Police were called to Figges Marsh park in Mitcham at 5.40pm yesterday after reports of shots being fired.

One witness said: It was manic. There was loads of people at the park.

Two groups of boys got into an altercation, thats when everything started going mad and one started shooting at the others.

It wasnt until everyone in the park heard pop pop like gunshots that they started to scatter. The woman, who asked not to be named, said people dropped to the floor fearing that a gunman had opened fire.

She said: Everyone just ran in panic. This guy was running with a long gun in his hand like he belonged in a war zone.

Its absolutely unbelievable. One woman got shot about three times and a little girl got shot in the leg.

They dont care, I mean it was in broad daylight, in a park packed full of people and families.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said officers were investigating, adding: A large group of males had been seen in the area prior to the shots being discharged and enquiries are ongoing to locate these individuals.
N ew York could ban serial sex offenders from the subway following a 10 per cent rise in the number of attacks.

Under new proposals, those convicted of more than two offences could be barred from the transit system for life. There would also be harsh penalties for those who breach the ban.

The proposed crackdown has been backed by New York Citys mayor Bill de Blasio and New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, who share responsibility for the subway. Among those supporting the lifetime ban is New York City councilman Chaim Deutsch. He said letting prolific offenders take the subway was tantamount to welcoming a paedophile into a school.

Detectives say there has been a 10 per cent increase so far this year in subway sex crimes, mainly triggered by a handful of repeat offenders such as James Hunt, 41, who has 78 arrests including 32 for sex crimes on the transit system. Hunt allegedly likes to touch himself while sucking his thumb. Police are hampered as they have to wait until attackers commit another crime before they can arrest them.

Mr Cuomo added: I understand civil rights and civil liberties and access to transportation. But if you are convicted of two sexual offences on the subway system where groping, touching and grinding is a major problem  and recidivism is a major problem  I fully support saying after the second conviction youre banned from going back to the subway. Mr de Blasio said he had spoken with New York Police commissioner James ONeill and that they were working on legislation to go at these predators and get them off the subway.

Last year, there were 866 complaints of sex crimes on the system, according to the NYPDs statistics, and 373 arrests. The figures have gone up more than 100 per cent in the past decade.

Among the recent cases was that of a 15-year-old girl who reported that a man in his sixties rubbed himself against her before running off. A New York peace officer, responsible for patrolling city buildings, was also arrested over allegations he groped a woman in a subway station in Chinatown.
A disabled woman hopes a landmark legal victory against a London taxi driver who started the meter before her wheelchair was loaded will empower other disabled passengers.

Emma Vogelmann, 25, and her PA Laura Creek challenged Thomas McNutt when he set the clock running before lowering the ramp on his cab outside Kings Cross station.

The High Court last month refused his appeal against a criminal conviction for breaching the Equality Act. Even though no money changed hands, Mr Justice Julian Knowles rejected McNutts claim that starting the meter was not part of making a charge.

Law graduate Ms Vogelmann, a campaigner at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said McNutt had picked a fight with the wrong person in a wheelchair. She and Ms Creek refused to travel in his cab and went to the next driver. But McNutt blocked it and police had to be called.

McNutt was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay 75 compensation each to Ms Vogelmann and Ms Creek and 1,000 costs by Hendon magistrates in May last year.

Ms Vogelmann, of Willesden, was born with spinal muscular atrophy and requires a ventilator after contracting swine flu in 2009. She said: This taxi driver tried to charge me for the loading time getting into the taxi in my electric wheelchair. He said he would have done the same for anyone who had luggage. My PA tried to say that my wheelchair wasnt a suitcase and it wasnt a choice I had  Its quite obviously discriminating to charge me more purely because Im a wheelchair user. I hope this case will empower other disabled people to challenge overcharging in person with the taxi driver or to report it later.
T he inclusive childrens publisher Knights Of is to open a permanent bookshop in Brixton in May.

The launch of the shop, to be called Round Table Books, follows a successful pop-up stocking only inclusive titles last October.

It was set up by publishers Aimee Felone and David Stevens in response to a report from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) report.

This found that only one per cent of the more than 9,000 childrens books published in the UK in 2017 had a BAME main character.

The success of the pop-up bookshop led to a crowdfunding campaign, #ReadTheOnePercent, to finance a permanent store that raised almost 50,000, including a 15,000 pledge from Penguin Random House.

The shop will be headed Khadija Osman, who joins from the Forbidden Planet London Megastore, and who said: I am extremely proud to be bringing more inclusion and opportunity to the community with Round Table Books.

Alistair Maddox, Director of Project Development for Brixton Village and Market Row, at property company Hondo Enterprises, said: As one of the brilliant newcomers on the literary scene, Aimee and Davids passion have deservedly made Knights Of one of the big London success stories and returning to Brixton, a place rich with cultural diversity seems a natural fit.
P olice are investigating after man's body was pulled from the Serpentine in Hyde Park.

Officers were called to the lake at 5.51am this morning to reports of a person in the water. Police and paramedics rushed to the scene where the man was pronounced dead.

A police spokesman said: We were called at around 5.45am on Monday to reports of a body in the Serpentine at Hyde Park.

"The body of a man was recovered from the water.

"At this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained."

Police say an investigation into the man's death is ongoing.

London Ambulance Service said the first paramedic arrived at the scene in less than seven minutes.

A spokesman said: We sent an ambulance crew, two medics in fast response cars, an advanced paramedic and an incident response officer to the scene.
A teenage moped rider is fighting for life after being hit by a bus while fleeing police in south-west London.

The 17-year-old boy was struck in Upper Richmond Road, Putney, at about 1.20am on Monday.

Officers had been on an unconnected 999 call when they spotted him in Putney High Street and asked him to stop.

He was rushed to hospital after the crash and remains in a critical condition.

A large section of Putney High Street was cordoned off by police on Monday morning / Siobhan Walker

A Met Police spokeswoman said: The moped rider was taken to hospital. His condition has been assessed as life-threatening.

There are no other reported injuries.

The spokeswoman added: The motorcycle was found to have been reported stolen.
B oris Johnson has urged Theresa May to channel Moses and tell the EU to let my people go.

In his weekly Daily Telegraph column, Brexiteer Mr Johnson also accused Mrs May of bottling it completely.

It comes after the former foreign secretary met the Prime Minister at a Brexit summit at Chequers, her countryside retreat, as Mrs May discussed whether there was sufficient support for another vote on her Withdrawal Agreement.

Mr Johnson wrote: We have blinked. We have baulked. We have bottled it completely. We have now undergone the humiliation of allowing the EU to decide the date on which we may make our own departure. It is the EU that is now insisting that Parliament must vote  for a third time!  on its Carthaginian terms, if we are to be permitted to leave on May 22.

Boris Johnson, pictured in Westminster last week, called on Theresa May to tell the EU: 'Let my people go' / Andy Rain/EPA

He continued: If she cannot give that evidence of change, she should drop the deal, go back to Brussels, and set out the terms that so many on both sides  Remainers and Leavers  now believe are sensible.

Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free-trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now  without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels  LET MY PEOPLE GO.

Other Brexit hardliners such as Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis joined Mrs May for the Chequers talks on Sunday.

But after a weekend which saw more than one million people flood the streets of London in a march calling for a second referendum, a Downing Street spokesman did not offer any indication on whether the summit was successful.

Demonstrators flood London for anti-Brexit march

He said: "The PM and a number of Government ministers met at Chequers for lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit.

"The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week."

Mrs May was battling to stay in power on Monday as MPs sought to seize control of the Brexit process in Parliament.
T heresa May has told MPs that there is still not "sufficient" support to bring back her Brexit deal to the Commons for a third meaningful vote.

But the Prime Minister said she would continue her efforts to build support for the deal - defeated by 230 votes in January and 149 votes in March - and stage a vote before the end of the week.

Addressing MPs in the Commons on Monday, Mrs May, who is facing pressure to quit as PM to get her deal over the line, said she would also oppose an amendment that seeks to let MPs take control of Brexit.

The Government would give MPs time for such a process, but Mrs May said she was "sceptical" about the votes.

Mrs May later announced that Parliament will debate on Wednesday secondary legislation to change in law the Brexit date from March 29.

Speaker John Bercow selected three amendments for debate this afternoon ahead of the 10pm vote.

The chosen amendments were; D from Jeremy Corbyn, calling for indicative votes, A from Oliver Letwin, setting aside time on Wednesday for indicative votes and F, Dame Margaret Beckett's amendment seeking to avert no deal.

Under pressure on Brexit: Theresa May / Reuters

The European Council has set a deadline of Friday for the Prime Minister to secure parliamentary approval for her Withdrawal Agreement if the UK is to leave the EU with a deal on May 22.

If she cannot get it through the Commons, then the UK has until April 12 to propose a different approach or crash out of the EU without a deal.

In a statement to the House of Commons, Mrs May said she regretted having to delay Brexit beyond the scheduled date of March 29.

But she cautioned MPs against seeking to obstruct a statutory instrument tabled on Monday which will remove the date from Brexit legislation, warning that this would "cause legal confusion and uncertainty but it would not have any effect on the date of our exit".

Jeremy Corbyn said Labour would be backing the Letwin amendment which seeks to give MPs control of the Brexit process / Sky News

MPs are expected later on Monday to debate and vote on a proposal to force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to her Withdrawal Agreement.

Conservative MP Sir Oliver Letwin has tabled a cross-party backed amendment to pave the way for MPs to vote for a series of options to see if anything commands a majority and can provide a way out of the current Brexit impasse.

Mrs May said that the Government would oppose the Letwin amendment as allowing MPs to take control of Parliamentary business is an "unwelcome precedent to set which would overturn the balance of our democratic institutions."

However she said the Government would provide time to allow MPs to debate and vote on the alternatives to her deal.

Countdown to Brexit: Britain to leave on April 12 or May 22

"It will be for this House to put forward options for consideration and to determine the procedure by which they do so," she said.

"However I must confess that I am sceptical about such a process of indicative votes."

She told MPs she could not guarantee that she would commit to implementing anything MPs voted for in an indicative process.

"The votes could lead to an outcome that is un-negotiable with the EU," she said.

"No government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is. So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House, but I do commit to engaging constructively with this process."

Mrs May delivers a statement in Parliament on Monday / REUTERS

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that his party will back the Letwin amendment telling the Commons: "It is time for Parliament to take control."

But Mrs May told the Commons the proposal would set an unwelcome precedent which would "overturn the balance of our democratic institutions".

She said: "The Government will oppose this amendment this evening, but in order to fulfil our commitments to this House would seek to provide Government time in order for this process to proceed."

Setting out the choices facing MPs, Mrs May said: "Unless this House agrees to it, no deal will not happen.

"No Brexit must not happen.

"And a slow Brexit, which extends Article 50 beyond May 22, forces the British people to take part in European elections and gives up control of any of our borders, laws, money or trade, is not a Brexit that will bring the British people together."

She said her deal was a compromise which respected both sides of the argument and "if this House can back it, we can be out of the European Union in less than two months".

Voting was due to start at 10pm tonight on a series of Commons amendments that could see MPs start voting on Wednesday on alternative plans.

Meanwhile Mrs May is facing growing calls to announces she will quit as PM if her departure means her Brexit deal gets Commons backing.

However, a resignation announcement by Mrs May appeared unlikely to win over a group of about 20 hardline Brexiteers who believe Mrs Mays deal is deeply flawed. Former Cabinet minister John Redwood told ITVs Good Morning Britain: We would not trade our future as an independent nation for a swap of Prime Minister.

A departure pledge from Mrs May is expected to sway some Tory MPs who have so far refused to back her Brexit blueprint.
T heresa May is set to lose control of Brexit tonight in a landmark Commons vote.

Tory whips have told the weakened Prime Minister they cannot guarantee a victory against a cross-party group that wants Parliament to stage debates on alternatives to her twice-rejected withdrawal deal.

In Cabinet this morning, ministers backed away from a mooted plan for the Government to carry out its own form of the debates and indicative votes on Plan Bs.

Mrs May gave Cabinet a hint she would like to hold a third meaningful vote tomorrow, but No 10 said: We will only bring the vote back if we believe we would be in a position to win it.

Under pressure to quit: Theresa May / REUTERS

After Cabinet, the PM was due to speak to DUP leader Arlene Foster to attempt to persuade her to throw the weight of her 10-strong group behind the deal in order to avoid a softer Brexit, or no Brexit, being imposed by Parliament. Early signs were that the DUP were going to refuse.

With the Governments Brexit policy is disarray, the leader of the cross-party group of MPs Sir Oliver Letwin told the Evening Standard that the time has come for MPs to make decisions and avert no deal on April 12.

At least three ministers have indicated privately to the Standard that they are prepared to resign tonight to ensure Sir Olivers plan goes through.

Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands, a former international trade minister, told the Standard: If the Prime Minister leaving gets the withdrawal agreement across the line then I think she ought to put the national interest first and go.

Key developments today included:

A Cabinet battle was raging over whether ministers will be allowed free votes when the Commons stages debates on alternatives to Mrs Mays deal, which could include a softer Brexit or revoking Article 50. Pro-EU ministers are insisting on the right to follow their consciences.

It emerged that ministers hope they do not need to pass a Statutory Instrument in Parliament to stop Brexit happening by default on Friday on the grounds that an exchange of letters last week between the Prime Minister and the EU has already postponed the earliest departure date to April 12 without the need for a tricky Commons vote.

The European Commission issued an EU-wide warning that Britain might now be days away from crashing out without a deal and appealed to the 27 other states to be ready.

It emerged that Mrs May was told to her face she should resign at Chequers talks yesterday, but remained impassive, leaving the issue of her future unresolved.

Voting was due to start at 10pm tonight on a series of Commons amendments that could see MPs start voting on Wednesday on alternative plans.

Oliver Letwin MP / Daniel Hambury

Sir Oliver said: One thing is abundantly clear. If the majority of MPs want to avoid a no-deal exit, then they either need to back the PMs deal or back an alternative solution. The time has come for decisions.

However, some of Mrs Mays allies were worried that any system of indicative votes would give too much influence to Speaker John Bercow, with whom ministers have clashed.

We know what the objective of the Speaker is and it is not to facilitate a sensible debate that would lead to the best outcome, but it is to thwart Brexit, said a Brexiteer in government.

Speaking to reporters as she left her house this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said: I just want to urge Iain Duncan Smith and others to help us make sure we get the withdrawal agreement through this week so that we can end the chaos and try and get back to a stable situation and leave the European Union. The Cabinet assembled at 9.20am.

Mrs May faced the growing calls to announce she would quit as Prime Minister if her departure means her Brexit deal gets Commons backing.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove jogging near his home this morning / Getty Images

As well as Mr Hands, Nigel Evans, a senior officer of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee executive, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that if Mrs May loses her deal then Im afraid she would have to go.

Former Chancellor Lord Lawson told talkRADIO: She is the most incompetent Prime Minister in living memory. It would not be a tragedy for her to depart.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd arrives in Downing street, London for Monday's cabinet meeting / AFP/Getty Images

However, a resignation announcement by Mrs May appeared unlikely to win over a group of about 20 hardline Brexiteers who believe Mrs Mays deal is deeply flawed. Former Cabinet minister John Redwood told ITVs Good Morning Britain: We would not trade our future as an independent nation for a swap of Prime Minister.

A departure pledge from Mrs May is expected to sway some Tory MPs who have so far refused to back her Brexit blueprint. Even former foreign secretary Boris Johnson appeared to be leaving open the door to the possibility of supporting the Prime Minister at the eleventh hour.

He tore into her handling of Brexit in his Telegraph article today but added: If she really wants her deal to go through Parliament, the PM could still set out convincing proofs of how the next phase of the negotiations  when all the key questions are to be settled  will be different from the first.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who is seen as a potential Brexiteer challenger to Mr Johnson in any leadership contest, is understood to have not changed his position over the deal since he quit the Cabinet in November, attacking its fatal flaws, particularly over the Northern Ireland border backstop.

Liz Truss and Chris Grayling arriving for Monday's Cabinet meeting with Theresa May / AP
Proper brain function depends on neurons forming accurate circuits in the brain, guided by special protein receptors that sense the environment around them. Scientists using ID29 have discovered the molecular mechanism that allows a key guidance receptor, Robo, to react to signals around it. Developing drugs to target the receptor could lead to promising treatments for cancer.

During brain development, billions of neuron nerve cells must find accurate pathways in the brain in order to form trillions of neuronal circuits enabling us to enjoy cognitive, sensory and emotional wellbeing. To achieve this remarkable precision, migrating neurons use special protein receptors that sense the environment around them and guide the way so these neurons stay on the right path. In a new study published in Cell, researchers from Bar-Ilan University and Tel Aviv University in Israel, EMBL Grenoble in France and University of Exeter in the UK report on their discovery of the intricate molecular mechanism that allows a key guidance receptor, Robo, to react to signals in its environment.

One of the most important protein signaling systems that guide neurons consists of the cell surface receptor "Robo" and its external guidance cue, "Slit". Slit and Robo can be identified in virtually all animals with a nervous system, from a 1 mm-long nematode all the way to humans, explains researcher Yarden Opatowsky, associate professor and head of the Laboratory of Structural Biology at Bar-Ilan University and who led the research.

There has been a lot of progress towards understanding Slit-Robo function and the developmental responses that they trigger in the brain and the central nervous system. However, scientists still had an incomplete understanding of how Slit activates Robo and what keeps Robo inactive in the absence of Slit to prevent harmful activation, which has been implicated in kidney diseases and age-related macular degeneration. Furthermore, a deficit of either of these proteins results in defects in brain structure and function, so understanding how Robo and Slit function is of significant interest.

Opatowsky and colleagues had been collecting diffraction data from Robo crystals since 2009 but it was not until the team used the newly installed Pilatus 6M detector on ESRF beamline ID29 and at BESSY II in Germany that they were able to obtain diffraction data to under 4 A resolution. Using molecular replacement, the team was able to solve the crystal structures of the intact Robo ectodomain (the extracellular portion). The structures indicated how two Robo receptors form active dimers and how their dimerisation interfaces are kept blocked in the absence of Slit.

A surface representation of the crystal structure of the extracellular portion of human Robo2. The yellow region represents the domain where dimerisation takes place. Here, we see it blocked by the other domains, meaning dimerisation cannot take place and that Robo2 is inactivated. Credit: Y. Opatowsky.

I cannot imagine a successful conclusion for this project without having an almost-immediate access to state-of-the-art facilities and, most importantly, to the brilliant and devoted beamline scientists at the ESRF and BESSY II, Opatowksy says. However, his team's work did not end there. It took us six years to get the desired structure, but it was just the first phase of our research, he explains.

The key is in the worm

Following their crystallographic observations, Opatowskys team wanted to investigate their structural model in a living biological system. To test Robos function in vivo, the team used the C. elegans nematode  a tiny, multi-celled worm that is the only organism to have its complete neuronal wiring diagram known. C. elegans has only one Robo and one Slit (compared to four Robo genes and three Slits in humans and mice), making it ideal to study.

To test their structure-driven hypotheses, the researchers used the C. elegans nematode and followed the trajectories of neuronal extensions (in green) that indicate the activity or loss-of-function of Slit and Robo. Credit: Y. Opatowsky.

The evidence supported their structural model that Slit activates Robo through the release of an auto-inhibitory mechanism that keeps Robo inactive in the absence of Slit, and also showed that the same mechanism actually exists in other closely related receptors. The evolutionary distance between humans and C. elegans is about 500 million years, and yet, all the experiments that we conducted point toward a similar Robo molecular mechanism, says Opatowksy.

A drug target for cancer

The involvement of Slit and Robo receptors in cancer is of particular interest to researchers. In cancer, some receptors are high-jacked to drive tumour formation. In personalised cancer therapy, drugs block these rogue receptors, depriving the cancer cells of vital signaling instructions and directing them toward destruction. Targeting Slit and Robo has long been considered a promising therapeutic approach for types of pancreatic, skin and breast cancer. However, and almost certainly due to an insufficient structural and mechanistic understanding of Robo activation and signaling, there are currently no Robo-directed drugs.

Our discoveries provide, for the first time, the information necessary to design effective drugs targeting Robo receptors, says Opatowsky. Particularly, the crystal structures revealed molecular sites on the surface of Robo that, when targeted by designed drugs, will allow us to manipulate Robo activation and inhibition in patients, thus providing new possibilities for treatment in the war on cancer.

Reference:

R. Barak et al., Structural Principles in Robo Activation and Auto-Inhibition, Cell, 7 March 2019.

Text: Anya Joly
A minister said today he would want Article 50 to be revoked if the Prime Ministers deal fails again to end the utter paralysis over Brexit.

Foreign Office minister Mark Field warned that the European Union was running out of patience with Parliament over its repeated voting down of Theresa Mays proposal.

Speaking to the Evening Standard today, he said that he would prefer to revoke Article 50 rather than back a second referendum, should there be votes on a range of Brexit options and ministers are given a free choice.

He is believed to be the first minister to come out in favour of revoking Article 50, the legal process for withdrawal from the EU, if certain circumstances play out.

He said: There is a risk of there being utter paralysis. Hopefully we will get the withdrawal agreement through and we will be on our way to leaving the EU in May. Thats the ideal. But if it loses and we are in paralysis and theres a free vote given on indicative votes then Im more attracted to revoking Article 50. He said he understood his view, which he claimed he has held for many months, was likely to be unusual among ministers and the Cabinet.

The one thing that is very evident is that the EU is losing patience, he continued. We are taking up a lot of their time. They think why doesnt the UK work out exactly what it wants, rather than a withdrawal agreement that loses several times in Parliament.

Almost one in five people in his Cities of London and Westminster constituency  22,000  are listed as having signed the Revoke Article 50 petition on the Governments website, which today hit 5.4 million backers.
T heresa May was facing pressure to quit as Prime Minister in order to get her Brexit deal through Parliament.

During three-hour crisis meetings at Chequers on Sunday, Mrs May was apparently warned by Brexiteers Iain Duncan Smith and Jacob Rees-Mogg that she must set out a timetable for her departure to get her embattled deal through the Commons this week.

But the Prime Minister is said to have dug in, warning Brexiteers who attended the meetings including David Davis and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson that if they refused to get behind her plan, MPs would try to force through a soft Brexit.

Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said there were rumours that "the Brexiteers at Chequers have secured the PM's commitment to resign in return for their support for her deal".

Under pressure to quit: Theresa May / REUTERS

Writing in the Telegraph, Mr Johnson said the Government has bottled it completely over Brexit by asking to delay and urged Mrs May to channel the spirit of Moses and tell Brussels to let my people go.

David Lidington, Mrs May's de factor deputy, and Michael Gove denied reports of a "Cabinet" coup to oust her / AFP/Getty Images

At the start of another crunch week in Westminster, the Commons is due to vote on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement.

Defeat for the Government on Monday night on the plan, tabled by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn, would be a further humiliation for Mrs May.

The proposal seeks to pave the way for a series of indicative votes in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if MPs took control of parliamentary proceedings and brought about a "constitutional collision".

But Chancellor Philip Hammond said "one way or another" MPs would be given the opportunity this week to decide what it is in favour of, though could not confirm whether Tories would be given a free vote on the options.

After a weekend which saw two senior ministers Michael Gove and David Lidington dismiss reports of a "coup" to oust the PM, Mrs May will convene her Cabinet in the morning before she updates the Commons on the Brexit process following last week's European Council summit where she agreed to delay Britain's departure beyond March 29.

On Sunday, Mrs May held "lengthy" talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Mr Johnson, Mr Rees-Mogg and Mr Davis at her country residence Chequers.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The PM and a number of Government ministers met today at Chequers for lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit.

Boris Johnson says the Government has 'chickened out' / Getty Images

"The meeting discussed a range of issues, including whether there is sufficient support in the Commons to bring back a Meaningful Vote this week."

Mr Johnson claimed the Government had "chickened out" of delivering Brexit this week and told Mrs May to set out "convincing proofs" of how the next phase of the negotiations will be different from the last to win support for her deal.

In his column for the Telegraph, he said: "If she cannot give that evidence of change - she should drop the deal, and go back to Brussels, and simply set out the terms that so many on both sides - remainers and leavers - now believe are sensible.

"Extend the implementation period to the end of 2021 if necessary; use it to negotiate a free trade deal; pay the fee; but come out of the EU now - without the backstop. It is time for the PM to channel the spirit of Moses in Exodus, and say to Pharaoh in Brussels - let my people go."

However, Foreign Office Minister Mark Field said he would support revoking Article 50 if it became an option in the event Mrs May's deal was defeated and free votes granted for indicative votes.

He told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "My personal view is that I would be happy to revoke Article 50 - I appreciate that is probably a minority view - but if we get to this utter paralysis and I sincerely hope that in the next 48, 72 hours we do not, then if that becomes an option that's an option that I would personally take."

Meanwhile, The Sun newspaper used its front page on Monday to urge Mrs May to promise to resign in order to win support for her deal from Tory Brexiteers and the DUP.

"Unlike so many she has determinedly respected the will of the Leave majority... She must now take the next principled step - and show she is not just another craven politician determined to cling to power," it said.
T heresa May's future as Prime Minister continues to come under the spotlight ahead of another crunch week in Westminster.

With the Commons due to vote on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the PM's withdrawal agreement, the coming days could be crucial in determining a way forward for Brexit.

Defeat for the Government on Monday night on the plan, which is being tabled by former ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve and Labour MP Hilary Benn, would be a further humiliation for Mrs May, and could pave the way for her departure.

It comes after an estimated one million people took to the streets of central London on Saturday, demanding the pubic have a final say on Brexit.

So what can we expect during the coming days?

Demonstrators flood London for anti-Brexit march

Monday March 25

Mrs May will convene her cabinet on Monday morning before updating the Commons on the Brexit process following last week's European Council summit, where she agreed to delay Britain's departure beyond March 29.

Parliament will then debate an amendable Government motion on the Brexit deal, which gives MPs a chance to put their favoured outcomes to a vote.

A proposal backed by Sir Oliver Letwin, Dominic Grieve and Hilary Benn, seeks to pave the way for a series of "indicative votes" in the Commons on Wednesday, effectively taking control of the Brexit process out of the hands of the Government.

Mrs May could table secondary legislation which must go through the Commons and Lords by Friday to remove the date of March 29 from Brexit legislation.

London People's Vote march: In Pictures 1 /50 London People's Vote march: In Pictures EPA An EU supporter with her face painted REUTERS PA AFP/Getty Images REUTERS EPA A demonstrator carries a dog on his shoulders AP An EU supporter carries a child on his shoulders, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal REUTERS PA REUTERS EU supporters dressed in costumes REUTERS EPA Sir Vince Cable in attendance PA A demonstrator holds a holds a poster AP EPA An EU supporter with the EU flag painted on her face, REUTERS Getty Images A demonstrator leads a dog wearing a suit in the EU colors during a Peoples Vote AP An EU supporter takes a selfie with a sticker on his nose REUTERS Demonstrators pull a cart with a doll AP Katie Walton Placards stand against a wall Getty Images Anti-Brexit campaigners before they take part in the People's Vote March PA Katie Walton Getty Images Getty Images A demonstrator and her dog wait for the start of a Peoples Vote anti-Brexit march in London AP REUTERS Demonstrators on their way from London Victoria Jacob Jarvis Independent Group MPs Chuka Umunna and Anna Soubry have a selfie taken with Tracey Ullman PA REUTERS The march took place in central London REUTERS An anti-Brexit banner is unfurled from Westminster PA A demonstrator holds a dog on a leash as people start gathering for a Peoples Vote anti-Brexit march in London AP Anti-Brexit campaigners in Park Lane PA Demonstrators carry posters during a Peoples Vote AP nti-Brexit badges are seen Getty Images Getty Images

The PMs effective deputy David Lidington has promised to introduce a process for MPs to debate potential Brexit outcomes in the coming two weeks.

Tuesday March 26

Tuesday has been suggested as a possible date for the third meaningful vote, known in Westminster as MV3, on Mrs May's withdrawal agreement.

Downing Street says that no date has yet been fixed for the vote, which must come by the end of the week.

Wednesday March 27

MPs led by Sir Oliver will hope to seize control of parliamentary time to force votes on Brexit options on Wednesday.

Mrs May will also face Prime Minister's Questions.

Friday March 29

Friday is no longer Brexit day, with EU leaders having offered to delay the departure until April 12 if MPs do not back Mrs May's deal, or until May 22 if they do.

Leave-backing walkers who have taken part in the Brexit Betrayal march from Sunderland are due to arrive in London on Friday.
Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner has warned that Labour could have difficulty supporting a plan for a confirmatory referendum on any Brexit deal.

"It would be saying we could accept what we have always said is a very bad deal. Therefore it looks as if the attempt to have a public vote on it is simply a way of trying to remain because nobody likes this deal," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"To put that up as the only alternative in a public vote and say we will let it go through looks as though you believe that at the end of it Remain would be the result.

"It is not where our policy has been. Our policy is clearly that we would support a public vote to stop no-deal or to stop a bad deal, but not that we would allow a bad deal as long as the public had the opportunity to reject Brexit altogether.
M Ps have dramatically seized control of the Brexit agenda from Theresa May in a bid to find a majority for any option for leaving the European Union.

The Commons voted by 329 to 302 - a majority of 27 - for a cross-party amendment to enable MPs to stage a series of "indicative votes" on alternatives to the Prime Minister's deal.

It came as several pro-EU ministers announced they were quitting the Government over the vote. They were among 30 Tory MPs to support it.

Richard Harrington quit as business minister minutes before the vote in order to back the amendment.

He was swiftly followed by Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and Health minister Steve Brine who resigned their positions after voting against the Government.

MPs later narrowly rejected an amendment tabled by Labour's Dame Margaret Beckett to allow the Commons to have a vote if the UK is seven days away from leaving the EU with no-deal.

Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for key Brexit votes in the Commons / PA

In his letter of resignation, Mr Harrington, a business minister, accused the Government of "playing roulette" with the lives and livelihoods of the people of Britain in its handling of Brexit.

The Department for Exiting the EU said the vote had set a "dangerous, unpredictable precedent" and called on MPs to show "realism" in deciding what options to support.

John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, announcing that the Ayes have it on the Letwin amendment / EPA

The result is another humiliation for Mrs May, who earlier warned MPs not to "overturn the balance of our democratic institutions" which means the Government normally controls business of the House.

She had earlier offered MPs a series of votes on Brexit alternatives, organised by the Government, in a bid to see off a rebellion.

But she made clear she would not feel bound by the result of any indicative votes - which could include a "softer" Norway-style deal, or a second referendum.

"No Government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," she said.

Sir Oliver Letwin MP speaking in Westminster / EPA

"So I cannot commit the Government to delivering the outcome of any votes held by this House. But I do commit to engaging constructively with this process."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed the result, hailing the fact the House had now "taken control".

He said: "This Government has been an abject failure and this House must now find a solution...

"This House must also consider whether any deal should be put to the people for a confirmatory vote.

"Where this Government has failed, this House must, and I believe will, succeed."

Theresa May: Not enough support for a third meaningful vote

The successful amendment was tabled by Tory former minister Sir Oliver Letwin with cross-party backing, including from ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve and Labour's Hilary Benn.

It means MPs will take control of the Commons order paper from 2pm on Wednesday, with Sir Oliver suggesting voting could carry on over several days to establish if there was a proposal the House could coalesce around.

He said it provided for the Commons "to begin the process of working its way towards identifying a a way forward that can command a majority in this House".

The vote came after the PM acknowledged that she still did not have sufficient support to bring back her deal to the Commons for a third "meaningful vote".

MPs clearing the floor to vote on the Letwin amendment on Monday / EPA

She said she would continue her efforts to build support for the deal - defeated by 230 votes in January and 149 votes in March - and stage a vote before the end of the week.

The European Council last week set a deadline of Friday for the PM to secure parliamentary approval for her Withdrawal Agreement if the UK is to leave the EU with a deal on May 22.

If she cannot get it through the Commons, then the UK has until April 12 to propose a different approach or crash out of the EU without a deal.

In a statement to MPs, following a special meeting of Cabinet to discuss her plans, Mrs May said she regretted having to delay Brexit beyond the scheduled date of March 29 and thought "the right way forward" was to leave with a deal on May 22.

Under pressure over Brexit: Theresa May in the Commons earlier on Monday / Reuters

But she said: "I have had to conclude that as things stand, there is still not sufficient support in the House to bring back the deal for a third meaningful vote.

"I continue to have discussions with colleagues across the House to build support, so that we can bring the vote forward this week, and guarantee Brexit."

Her admission came shortly after a phone call with DUP leader Arlene Foster, who made clear the Northern Irish party was not giving up its opposition.

However Mrs May faced a furious response from some pro-Brexit Tories who accused her of effective taking a no-deal break off the table.

Former minister Crispin Blunt said she had "put the final torpedo" into any prospect of a "real Brexit" in "the most shameful surrender by a British leader since Singapore in 1942".

No 10 however insisted she had simply been warning of the dangers allowing MPs - the majority of whom backed Remain in the referendum - to take control of the process.

In presenting his amendment Sir Oliver said he did not think there was currently a majority for any of the alternatives that had been put forward and that a compromise would have to be found.

He said he believed the first vote should enable MPs to disclose "where the votes lie" on a "plain vanilla basis" - with all votes cast on a paper slip at the end of the debate.

He suggested the House should then seek to establish a method of voting that would enable it to "zero in" on compromise which could command a majority over the course of the coming days.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called the Government's defeat over the Letwin amendment "humiliating".

Following the vote, Sir Keir tweeted: "Another humiliating defeat for a Prime Minister who has lost complete control of her party, her Cabinet and of the Brexit process.

"Parliament has fought back - and now has the chance to decide what happens next."

Speaker John Bercow selected three Commons amendments for debate on Monday afternoon ahead of the 10pm vote.
T heresa May has been dealt a huge blow as three ministers stepped down to vote against the government on the handling of the Brexit process.

Pro-EU business minister Richard Harrington, Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt and Health minister Steve Brine all resigned amid key votes on Monday night, a Government source confirmed.

News of their resignations came as MPs began voting on amendments in the Commons, including one tabled by Sir Oliver Letwin in a bid to force a series of indicative votes.

Reuters

Mr Harrington said the government's approach to Brexit was "playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people".

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Harrington said resigning "has not been an easy decision" and says he continues to be "very supportive of the government's policy of securing an agreement with the EU".

However, he added: "At this critical moment in our country's history, I regret that the government's approach to Brexit is playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country who are employed by or otherwise depend on businesses for their livelihood.

"Further, as the UK's Industry Minister, the clear message I have been receiving from the business community is that the failure to secure a deal and to rule out a hard Brexit is resulting in cancelled investment decisions, business being placed abroad, and a sense of ridicule for British business across the world."

Resignation: Richard Harrington has quit as business minister / PA Archive/PA Images

He said that in the event of a no-deal scenario, there would be "widespread and long-standing implications for everyone".

"The economy may take five to 10 years to adjust to the new reality, during which time jobs would be lost and livelihoods ruined," Mr Harrington continued.

"I fear that no deal would be part of a giant economic experiment that is championed by a small minority of the economics profession, a small minority of the Conservative Party and a small minority of the country."

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called the Government's defeat over the Letwin amendment "humiliating".

Following the vote, Sir Keir tweeted: "Another humiliating defeat for a Prime Minister who has lost complete control of her party, her Cabinet and of the Brexit process.

"Parliament has fought back - and now has the chance to decide what happens next."

The result is another humiliation for Mrs May. She earlier warned MPs not to "overturn the balance of our democratic institutions, which means the Government normally controls business of the House.

Brexit: The key moments

The PM earlier made clear she would not feel bound by the result of any indicative votes - which could include a "softer" Norway-style deal, or a second referendum.

"No Government could give a blank cheque to commit to an outcome without knowing what it is," she said.
S plits at the top of the Labour Party emerged today as chief whip Nick Brown defied Jeremy Corbyn to say that he wants to stay in the EU.

In an email to one of his constituents he disclosed that he is personally in favour of halting Brexit by revoking Article 50 if the only other option is no deal.

He wrote he would also back another Brexit vote where remain in the EU is an option on the ballot paper. The 2017 Labour Party manifesto endorses Brexit and Mr Corbyn has been criticised heavily by his MPs for not explicitly backing a second referendum and instead saying he favours a Labour-led jobs first Brexit or a general election.

Mr Brown wrote to a constituent called Scott in his Newcastle East seat on Friday, who then published his response on his Twitter account.

The senior Labour figure, who was also chief whip under Gordon Brown, wrote: On the question of leaving with no deal, or revoking Article 50, I would personally favour revoking Article 50.

He also wrote: I do believe there is a strong argument for a confirmatory ballot on a Brexit deal and the option of remaining in the EU. I am a moderate Remainer and believe that continued membership of the EU is in the national interest. In such a ballot, as in the 2016 referendum, I would campaign and vote to Remain in the EU.

Labour has said repeatedly that it respects the result of the 2016 EU referendum, but a source claimed Mr Browns backing was in line with the partys conference policy agreed in 2018.
T he Conservatives and Labour will face a torrent of pent-up frustration from voters if Britain is forced to hold Euro-elections, Liam Fox warned today.

Im not sure that there are many people in the House of Commons who would fancy that particular meeting with voters, the International Trade Secretary told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

His warning was aimed at trying to persuade MPs to back Theresa Mays deal so that Britain leaves the EU before elections in May.

If they reject it and the parties take part in the elections, he said they would risk losing votes to The Independent Group and Nigel Farages planned Brexit Party.
A British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in Germany mistakenly landed in Edinburgh on Monday after flight plan paperwork was filed incorrectly.

Passengers on the flight only realised the error had been made when they heard the welcome to Edinburgh announcement after the plane had landed.

One woman on the flight said passengers on board were asked to raise their hands if they wanted to travel to Dusselfdorf.

Sophie Cooke, 24, told the BBC that everyone raised their hands.

Ms Cooke, a management consultant who travels to Dusseldorf every week, said:

"The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened. He said it had never happened before and that the crew was trying to work out what we could do."

Sophie said the plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours, before flying onto Dusseldorf.

"It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," she said.

One passenger, Son Tran, tweeted: British Airways can you please explain how can my morning flight taking off from LCY to Dusseldorf land in Edinburgh?

While an interesting concept, I don't think anyone on board has signed up for this mystery travel lottery

After BA responded the flight had been diverted, Mr Tran said: This feels like an honest mistake rather than a diversion. The crew was convinced of the Edinburgh flight path from the get-go

A BA spokeswoman said German firm WDL Aviation ran the flight for BA as part of a leasing deal.

We are working with WDL Aviation, who operated this flight on behalf of British Airways, to establish why the incorrect flight plan was filed, the spokeswoman said.

We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually.

A spokesman for WDL told the Standard: We are working closely with the authorities to investigate how the obviously unfortunate mix-up of flight schedules could occur.

At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised.
T he leader of a Christian political party has been defeated in a 360,000 court battle with his older sister who he claimed had tried to turn his mother against him.

Sidney Cordle MBE attempted to have sister Rosemary Foss removed as joint executor of their mothers will, claiming she had pressured 93-year-old Peggy over her finances and used money from the estate for her own benefit.

When Mrs Cordle died in 2016, she left behind about 60,000 to be split between her children, as well as her home in Hailsham, East Sussex, worth 300,000.

Mr Cordle, who has led the Christian Peoples Alliance since 2012, claimed Ms Foss had tried to manipulate their mother in her later years in a positive and deliberate attempt to turn [her] against him. In her will, Mrs Cordle gave the house plus about 20,000 to Mrs Foss, 65, who had moved back home to care for her in her final years. Mrs Cordle left about 40,000 for her son, Central London county court heard.

During a bitter four-day trial, Mr Cordle, 63, of Belvedere, who has caused controversy over his opposition to gay marriage, represented himself in court as he faced off against his sister, questioning her purchase of a new car and solar panels added to their mothers home.

Sidney Cordle's mother Peggy with his sister Rosemary Foss / Sidney Cordle

But Judge John Hand QC rejected Mr Cordles case, saying: There is absolutely no realistic basis for suggesting that she misconducted herself in respect of these matters.

The judge told the court: His complaint was that he suspected his sister had taken to controlling their late mothers financial affairs and had used her money for her own benefit. He says his sister has always been motivated by a determination to reduce the amount of money in the estate to which he might be entitled.

The former home of Peggy Cordle, in Hailsham, East Sussex / Champion News

In the trial, Mrs Foss quoted the Gospel of St Luke as she defended her handling of the finances, saying: A workman is worthy of his wages.

The judge added: She and her husband regard Gods law as paramount but I dont regard that as a basis for removing her as executor.

The court heard that Mrs Cordle had been frail towards the end of her life and was sometimes secretive about her money, but her GP had confirmed she was still capable of managing her own affairs.
Glasses are metastable systems continuously evolving towards microscopic configurations of lower energy. The correlation of glass stability with structural and dynamic disorder was revealed by studying the vibrational properties of geological hyperaged amber with two inelastic X-ray scattering techniques.

Glasses are characterised by their lack of long-range microscopic order and a structure continuously evolving to reach lower energy microscopic configurations. As a consequence, their physical properties are not uniquely defined and depend on their thermal history.

The correlations between the topology of the configurational energy landscape and the physical properties of the glass are crucial for understanding its metastability. Among these, the vibrational properties are particularly relevant, being responsible for universal thermodynamic anomalies with respect to crystalline solids. Moreover, the vibrational density of state (VDOS) g(E) of glasses exhibits a characteristic excess with respect to the Debye prediction for crystals g(E)E2, named Boson peak.

Since spontaneous stabilisation, or aging, would require unpractically long observation time, the conventional way of obtaining glasses of different degrees of stability (height in the energy landscape) is by cooling the liquid below the melting point at different quenching rates. The slower the rate, the lower the energy position of the basins in which the system gets trapped. The stability range covered by tuning the cooling rate is however limited, upwards, by thermal conductivity and annealing technology, downwards, by the occurrence of crystallisation.

Recently, glasses with high thermodynamic stability have been prepared by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and their study unveils a correlation between stability and vibrational dynamics [1,2]. However, the investigation of the VDOS of PVD glasses is extremely challenging for X-ray based techniques due to their limited thickness.

In this work, the vibrational properties were measured experimentally in the THz regime, including the Boson peak of the VDOS, as a function of stability by exploiting a glass that has experienced an extremely prolonged natural aging: a geological amber from El Soplao (Spain) dated back to 110 million years ago.

Specifically, the elastic properties of hyperaged amber were compared with that of its rejuvenated counterpart obtained by annealing a pristine sample into the supercooled liquid phase and cooling it down at the standard rate of 1 K/min to erase its thermal history.

The extreme stability of amber can be traced back in the endothermic peak in the specific heat at the glass-transition measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) (see Figure 1a). The different degree of stability, or age, is quantified by a 9% smaller fictive temperature T f for pristine amber.

Figure 1. (a) Specific heat of pristine and rejuvenated amber measured by DSC; (b) Normalised scattered intensity IQ and difference among raw data (red line) after scaling of 0.75% (blue line) and of 2% (green line) of the Q-axis of pristine amber; (c) Reduced VDOS and in the inset, corresponding fit with FET; (d) Phonon energy E dispersion, apparent velocity =E(Q)/Q and mode attenuation of pristine and rejuvenated ambers.

The structure was investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (see Figure 1b) at the inelastic X-ray scattering beamline ID28. The scattering intensity (proportional to the static structure factor) shows similar structures in the two samples: a main peak at  10 nm1 and two smaller, broader peaks at  28 nm1 and  52 nm1. The observed 2% densification of pristine amber corresponds to a shrinking of the main diffraction peak, which does not scale linearly with density (0.75% is the optimal q-axis scaling) as expected for homogenous densification.

The reduced VDOS g(E)/E2 was measured by performing an inelastic X-ray scattering experiment with nuclear resonance analysis (see Figure 1c) at the nuclear resonance beamline ID18. Remarkably, we observe that the Boson peak appears to be less intense (26% vertical scaling), blue-shifted and broader (11% horizontal scaling) in the pristine amber.

The collective excitations in the THz regime that contribute to the VDOS were examined by measuring the phonon dispersion and mode attenuation by means of momentum Q-resolved inelastic X-ray scattering (see Figure 1d) at the beamline ID28.

The hypersonic attenuation exhibits a similar quadratic power law dependence on acoustic energy for the two samples, with slightly reduced values for pristine amber. The comparison of the acoustic phonon dispersions E(Q) reveals a mode stiffening for the pristine amber and the appearance of positive dispersion which is an excess in the apparent velocity =E(Q)/Q with respect to the low frequency limit measured by Brillouin light scattering (arrows in Figure 1d), indicating a longer relaxation time for the probed modes.

All these results can be rationalised by the fluctuation elasticity theory (FET) that describes the glass disorder in terms of microscopic random spatial fluctuations of the transverse elastic constant (shear modulus) with a certain degree of spatial correlation. The best fit for the Boson peak is reported in the inset of Figure 1c. Importantly, the FET quantitatively relates the vibrational properties to the width and correlation length of the elastic constant distribution, ruling out any density dependence.

The VDOS redistribution together with the lower hypersonic damping and positive dispersion of pristine amber in the framework of FET indicate that the elastic constants distribution of pristine amber is sharper and the correlation length longer compared to the rejuvenated sample, as summarised in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Sketch of the inherent structures explored with pristine (red dot) and rejuvenated (black dot) ambers on the potential energy landscape and the observed correlation to the structural and elastic properties of the glass.

In conclusion, the experimental characterisation of the structural and elastic properties of a glass amber in different stability states revealed that its physical aging is achieved through a reduction of the disorder of the elastic matrix of the glass.

Principal publication and authors

Tracking the connection between disorder and energy landscape in glasses using geologically hyperaged amber, E.A.A. Pogna (a), A.I. Chumakov (b), C. Ferrante (c), M.A. Ramos (d), T. Scopigno (c), J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 10, 427-432 (2019); doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.9b00003.

(a) Laboratorio NEST, CNR-INFM and Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, and Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano (Italy)

(b) ESRF and National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russia)

(c) Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Roma, La Sapienza, Rome, and Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome (Italy)

(d) Laboratorio de Bajas Temperaturas, Departamento de Fisica de la Materia Condensada (IFIMAC) and Instituto Nicolas Cabrera, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)

References

[1] E.A.A. Pogna, C. Rodriguez-Tinoco, M. Krisch, J. Rodriguez-Viejo and T. Scopigno, Sci.Rep. 3, 2518 (2013).

[2] E.A.A. Pogna, C. Rodriguez-Tinoco, G. Cerullo, C. Ferrante, J. Rodriguez-Viejo and T. Scopigno, PNAS 112, 23312336 (2015).
I llusionist Uri Geller has revealed details of his plan to get into the mind of Theresa May in order to force a second referendum on Brexit.

The Israeli-British TV personality, who stated his intention to telepathically stop Brexit in a letter to the PM last week, told This Morning he needed the help of the British public to secure a peoples vote.

He told presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: I am not a prophet and I am not a miracle worker and I am not a guru, but I believe in my powers, I believe in telepathy and I believe we can get to the mind of Theresa May.

Addressing the people of Britain, he added: I want every morning and every night at 11 and 11, everyone who is listening to me and everyone who is concerned that she wants to pull us out of the European Union, this is what I want you to do.

You focus your mind on her face and together with me, I will be focusing my mind power, we are going to instruct her to go for a second vote, to go to do a second referendum.

Uri Geller wrote an open letter to Theresa May last week / AFP/Getty Images

Mr Geller melted his finger print into a spoon, something he has never done on British television, to show he was able to imprint thoughts into Mrs Mays mind.

When questioned about how that skill translated to the mind of the Prime Minister, he said: I can influence her because when she came over to my home in Sonning on Thames, where I lived, she lives in the same village, I took her out to my garage, where I had my Cadillac, my famous Cadillac with 2,000 spoons riveted on its body.

I told her to touch Winston Churchills spoon, then I looked into her eyes and I said you are going to be the Prime Minister, you will be the Prime Minister.

I basically bombarded her mind to become the Prime Minister

She laughed, she thought it was a joke but it wasnt a joke, it really happened.

Thousands attend People's Vote march

Mr Geller also dismissed the idea of revoking Article 50 and cancelling Brexit entirely, saying it was denting democracy.

And responding to rumours of a cabinet coup trying to oust Mrs May, he said: Those people who are trying to control her, to push her out, I say to Theresa May now, and she will see this broadcast, no doubt in my mind, I will send it to her personal email, look into my eyes, you stay put, be strong, be powerful.

You have an amazing character, an incredible personality, youre a strong woman so please do what the nation is asking you to do, do a second vote because the first vote was a farce, it was a joke.

Geller rose to prominence in the 1970s with an act based around his apparent psychic powers and telepathy skills, which were even tested by the CIA.

He is perhaps best known for his trademark spoon-bending trick.
T he wildlife of Sri Lanka managed to shoot a few selfies during the filming of a short tourism documentary that was released today.

The film, commissioned by the The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), features intimate footage shot with  and by  animals from across the country, including elephants, turtles, leopards, blue whales and fishing cats.

The project was spearheaded by an all-female British crew of nature documentary filmmakers, who used natural history filming techniques and specialist technology to capture the island from the perspective of its fauna.

Director and producer of the three-minute film, Nicola Brown, said: Sri Lanka is such a beautiful country with incredible wildlife and we thought a great way of telling its story visually would be to put the viewer in the world of the animals.

Wild Guides- See Sri Lanka from a locals perspective

We also had an opportunity to put the cameras in the animals world  literally. Cheeky toque macaque monkeys in Polonnaruwa quickly learned how to unscrew our camera rigs and even ran away with our kit!

The short film includes footage of a newly hatched sea-turtles journey to the sea and a group of the worlds largest elephants travelling through Udawalawe National Park in the south of the island.

SLTPB Chairman, Kishu Gomes, said: Sri Lanka is like nowhere else in the world. We wanted to visualise what travellers can do, see and feel when they visit Sri Lanka in a way that is as unique as our country.
D onald Trump declared America the greatest place on earth today after it was revealed Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence that his campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US presidential election.

But the presidents elation was tempered by demands from Democrat leaders for the release of Mr Muellers full report and accusations that Attorney General William Barr, who issued a summary of the Special Counsels findings last night, was not neutral.

In his four-page summary, the Attorney General wrote that the 22-month investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities during the 2016 campaign.

On allegations of obstruction of justice, Mr Muellers report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Rather than reach a conclusion himself, the Special Counsel sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

But Mr Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided there was insufficient evidence to charge the president with any offence.

Donald Trump: the US President called America the greatest place on earth as he arrived back at the White House following the publication of the Mueller report summary / AP

There was an angry backlash from Democrats who had hoped to build a case for impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, issued a statement to Congress claiming the Attorney Generals letter raises as many questions as it answers. They said Mr Barr, who was appointed by the president a little over a month ago, was not a neutral observer.

The fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay, they added.

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, said he will call Mr Barr to testify in the near future because of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision making at the Justice Department.

Robert Mueller / AP

As he arrived at the White House after a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago private club in Florida, Mr Trump said only: I just want to tell you that, America is the greatest place on earth.

Earlier, the president blasted the inquiry as an illegal takedown that failed. He also tweeted: No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! Mr Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump shared a quote on Twitter from former US president Abraham Lincoln. She wrote: Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.

The White House followed the presidents example by ignoring Mr Muellers insistence that he was unable to clear the president of claims he obstructed justice. The allegations stem from an accusation from former FBI director James Comey that Mr Trump suggested to him he could drop a probe into his then National Security Adviser Michael Flynn over his communications with a Russian diplomat.

The initial findings were seen in Washington today as a boost to Mr Trumps re-election hopes in 2020.
A Canadian journalist has told how she stepped in to help a teenage girl who was being harassed by a man on a flight.

Joanna Chiu, bureau chief for Star Vancouver, said she was on a flight when a man in his late thirties in the row behind asked a teenage girl who was sat alone to show him "dirty photos".

The journalist said that the man was obviously delighted to be seated next to a teenager separated from the rest of her family on the flight with an unnamed Canadian airline.

She wrote: He started off by asking about her career plans and laughed when she said she wanted to be CEO and kept giving her ridiculous advice.

She was friendly and he seemed to take that as a welcome queue to get very familiar and started teasing her and kept saying that he wanted to take her out to eat, which she was ignoring.

Ms Chiu then said he asked for a dirty photo while leaning close to her, which led the journalist to confront the man, who didnt respond and went to use the toilet.

She continued: Another woman seated behind him was listening and monitoring too and while the man was gone she let the teenager know that she had the right to change seats and that she was just behind her if she needed any help.

I went to get a flight attendant and informed her of what was going on. They checked other witness accounts and the head of the flight service (a woman) asked the man to move.

He resisted then started swearing at me and asked to talk to the boss and the head flight attendant said Im the boss, this is really serious and we could land the plane.

He moved. The attendants checked in with the young woman and wrote up a report."

Airline staff later gave Ms Chiu and the other woman cards thanking them for stepping in and helping.

In a Twitter thread that has now gone viral, Ms Chui praised the unnamed airline for "handling the situation so well" before calling for all adults to be on the lookout for these kind of situations.

She wrote: Im sure the young woman he targeted will be CEO someday or some other position of influence. She was in the middle of studying when he started harassing her.

Its sad these experiences are extremely common. All adults need to be on guard and know there are things we can do to intervene even when a crime hadnt technically been committed yet.
T he teenager known as Egg Boy has said the infamous egging of an Australian senator has united people in the wake of the Christchurch massacre.

The 17-year-old, whose real name is Will Connolly, spoke for the first time since he egged Fraser Anning at a press conference where the Queensland MP backed up controversial comments he had made about Muslims following the terror attack in Christchurch.

"This egg has united people and money has been raised, tens of thousands of dollars has been raised for those victims," Mr Connolly said.

"It's going to help people affected by the tragedy in Christchurch, every cent."

Mr Connolly breaks an egg on the head of Senator Fraser Anning while he holds a press conference. / AP

Footage of the incident from earlier this month went viral, earning Mr Connolly admirers from around the world as well as offers of five star holidays, unlimited beer for a year, a Ferrari, and tens of thousands of dollars to fund potential legal fees.

But, others have cautioned against condoning any form of political violence.

In an interview with Australian television station Channel 10s The Project, Mr Connolly said he originally attended the Queensland MPs press conference to see if he could change my mind.

Australian senator punches 17-year-old after being egged

The teenager said he was not affiliated with any political party or activist group and instead was pro-humanity.

"After that tragedy in Christchurch, I thought the world should be supporting all those victims," he said.

"And the Senator released a statement that was pretty much a divisive hate speech blaming the victims for the attack  and I was just flat-out disgusted.

"I actually went in there to listen to him for an hour to see if he could change my mind. I'm a pretty forgiving person and in my mind I wanted to forgive him, but then he started saying some more things."

Mr Connolly said he believed the incident had been blown completely out of proportion and he felt embarrassed that it had taken focus off the victims of the terror attack.

He maintained the stunt was intended to be a few laughs with mates and did not expect the Senator to react to the egging.

Mr Anning appeared to hit the teenager twice after he was egged and his supporters then restrained Mr Connolly on the ground.

Mr Connolly's parents said their son has been left shaken by the incident and the sudden online attention. / EPA

"There's no reason to physically attack anyone", Mr Connolly said, adding that he could "understand why some people reacted the way they did".

While he conceded that egging Mr Anning was not the right thing to do he said the fundraiser had now raised more than $75,000 (40,000) that would be going towards the victims.

When asked how it felt to be known as Egg Boy, he revealed he had already been known by the moniker before the incident.

"I'd eat boiled eggs at lunch and all the girls would be like 'get away from me, that reeks'," he joked.
I srael has begun strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza strip after a rocket hit a house in the centre of the country overnight, injuring several people.

The country's prime minister said on Monday it was responding "forcefully" to the attack which wounded at least seven people including members of a British-Israeli family.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "appalled" by what he described as a "terrorist attack", while Britain's ambassador to Israel said there was "no justification" for the strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was cutting short a three-day diplomatic visit to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House following the attack, prompting Israel's military to launch its own strikes on Gaza, which is controlled by the militant Islamic group Hamas.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a visit to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House / EPA

Speaking at the White House, Mr Netanyahu said he will "not tolerate" the rocket strike, which struck a home in central Israel early on Monday.

"As we speak," he said, "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

He said Israel will do "whatever we must do" to defend itself.

The military has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

A 2009 file photo of a rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip seen from southern Israel / AP

Hamas' leader says his group would respond if Israel retaliated too forcefully.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement that the Palestinian people "will not surrender" and its militant factions "will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines".

The Israeli military had earlier reinforced its troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Military spokesman major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades were being mobilised and that there is a limited drafting of reserves under way following the attack, which destroyed a house and left seven people wounded in central Israel.

She said the military has concluded that Gaza's militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

Maj Lifshitz said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded.

A family home suffered a direct hit from a missile reportedly fired by militant groups from the Gaza Strip in Moshav Mishmeret near Netanya, north of Tel Aviv Israel. / EPA

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

"It's a miracle that nobody got killed," said Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic who was one of the emergency personnel at the scene.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Hunt said: "Appalled by terrorist attack from Gaza against civilians, including British-Israeli dual nationals. My thoughts are with all those affected.

Completely UNACCEPTABLE actions by militant groups."

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesman said they were unable to provide any further information about the injuries sustained by the family, nor comment on claims children were among those hurt.

David Quarrey, the British ambassador to Israel, said in a statement: "We unequivocally condemn today's rocket attack into Israel from Gaza.

"Our thoughts are with the British-Israeli family whose house in Mishmeret was hit.

"There can be no justification of any kind for this attack, whose consequences could have been devastating."

Alistair Burt, minister of state for the Middle East, said: "I condemn the rocket attack from Gaza, which destroyed a family home in Mishmeret with innocent civilians inside.

"Shocked to hear that dual British-Israeli citizens are among those injured.

"Such acts are unacceptable and part of a hopeless cycle of violence and suffering."
S even people were injured early today after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip destroyed a house near Tel Aviv.

Six people from the same family, including two children and a baby, were wounded at Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba.

The attack prompted prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington.

He described it as a criminal attack and vowed to respond forcefully.

A rocket hit a house in a community north of Tel Aviv and caused it to catch fire. / AFP/Getty Images

Israeli military spokesman Major Mika Lifshitz said troops were being reinforced along the Gaza border and reserves called up.

She accused Gazas militant Hamas rulers of firing the rocket from the southern part of the coastal strip.
B rits who narrowly escaped disaster onboard a stricken cruise ship off the coast of Norway have told how they were rushed to safety.

Two hundred Britons were among the 1,300 people on the Viking Sky ship when it lost engine power after being caught in stormy seas and high winds on Saturday.

The liner was hit by 26ft waves and 50mph wind gusts causing it to sway violently close to rocks, prompting a dramatic rescue.

Some 479 passengers were airlifted to shore. Viking Cruises said 20 people suffered injuries and were receiving treatment in Norway.

Passengers described conditions as like being on the Titanic.

Passengers on board the Viking Sky, waiting to be evacuated, off the coast of Norway. / AP

Denise and Michael Tozer, both 64, of Harpenden, Hertfordshire, were among the first 100 to be airlifted to safety.

Mrs Tozer suffered brusing to her face and needed several stitches when she was knocked over on the seventh deck, close to the ships swimming pool.

We were sitting there and it was rocking we could hear the bulk doors being shut and no engine, we really thought our time had come, she told the Daily Mail.

Passengers on board the Viking Sky, waiting to be evacuated / AP

We could tell we were very close to the rocks because we could see them. It [the ship] just went  chairs, tables, crockery, big pot plants smashed in front of me, I went with.

We were frightened we would fall out of the window into the sea. Thoughts go through your head about what could have happened, but we were lucky.

Roberta Thake, of Lymington, Hampshire, said the most frightening part was hanging beneath the helicopter and being winched to safety in driving winds and rain.

It was really windy  one of the crew had to hold you because you could have been blown to the side, she said.

I thought to myself I had to stay calm, perhaps because I was travelling on my own I had to look after myself it could have been so different. It was a close call.

Norwegian officials have now opened an investigation into why a cruise ship set sail despite storm warnings.

The cruise ship Viking Sky drifts towards land after an engine failure off Hustadvika, Norway / IVER ANDREAS TUENE/via REUTERS

Dag S. Liseth of Norway's Accident Investigations Board said: "the high risk which the ship, its passengers and crew were exposed to made us decide to investigate the incident."
May faces battle as MPs plan to take over Brexit process

Theresa May is battling to stay in power as MPs seek to seize control of parliamentary business in a bid to secure a softer Brexit.

The Commons is due to vote today on an amendment which would force a series of indicative votes on alternatives to the Prime Minister's Withdrawal Agreement.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay warned the risk of a general election would increase if a proposal allowing MPs to take control of parliamentary proceedings was successful.

Mrs May held talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis yesterday to gauge if there was sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her deal.

Trump jubilant over Russia probe findings

The President tweeted the finding was "complete and total exoneration", while he also told reporters the investigation was an illegal takedown that failed.

However, Attorney General William Barr did say in a letter to Congress summarising Mr Mueller's report it did not provide a definitive answer whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice.

Mr Barr added there was not enough evidence to proceed, thus bringing to a close a probe that has shadowed Mr Trump for nearly two years.

RAF flying aid to Cyclone Idai victims

Up to 20 tonnes of UK aid is on its way to help those caught up in the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai in south-east Africa.

It is estimated that 1.8 million people have been affected by the cyclone, which has ravaged parts of Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Aid being delivered by an RAF aircraft includes shelter kits, solar lanterns and water purifiers, the Ministry of Defence said.

The cargo will help provide relief for the 37,500 people in need of urgent shelter, amid reports that at least 17,400 homes have been destroyed by the cyclone and subsequent flooding.

New Zealand upgrades investigation into Christchurch massacre

New Zealand will hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the massacre of 50 people at two Christchurch mosques.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said what is New Zealands highest form of investigation will look into what roles semi-automatic guns, social media and intelligence agencies had preceding the attacks earlier this month.

A royal commission is run independently from the government and is chaired by a high court judge.

Hillsborough trial jury to begin deciding verdicts

The jury in the trial of Hillsborough match commander David Duckenfield is due to retire to consider its verdicts today.

The 74-year-old denies the gross negligence manslaughter of 95 Liverpool fans who died in the disaster at the FA Cup semi-final in April 1989.

Also on trial is former Sheffield Wednesday club secretary Graham Mackrell, who denies failing to discharge his duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Summing up last Friday after nine weeks of evidence, Judge Sir Peter Openshaw told the jury to be dispassionate and objective when considering its verdicts.

Valuable Churchill find in a dump

Sir Winston's Churchill's top hat and cigar were featured on Antiques Roadshow after being discovered in a rubbish tip.

The items, along with a cigar case and letters from a cook to her son giving details of the prime minister's daily life, appeared on the BBC One programme yesterday and were valued at 10,000.

The man who found them has declined to give the location of the dump, but said he had three sheds full of items discovered there.

On this day

1306: Robert Bruce was crowned King of Scots at Scone.

1655: Titan, Saturn's largest moon, was discovered by Dutch astronomer Christian Huygens.

1807: The Slave Trade Act became law. The act abolished the slave trade in Britain and Ireland.

1843: The Thames Tunnel, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened to pedestrians between Rotherhithe and Wapping in London.

1957: Six nations (West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) signed the Treaty of Rome to create the European Economic Community.

1989: The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race crews both had women coxes for the first time. Oxford won by two-and-a-half lengths.
L ove Island winner Dani Dyer has revealed that she is no longer living with boyfriend Jack Fincham, despite buying a place together weeks after leaving the villa.

The couple, who moved in together last August, were hit by rumours that Dyer had moved out of their flat earlier this year but neither commented on the reports except to reiterate their love for each other.

But now the 22-year-old has revealed that the lovebirds are actually living separately, but only because neither wanted to move to where the other lived.

Jack didnt want to live in Essex and I didnt want to live in south London so we thought wed both get our own places and live between them, Dyer told The Sun.

Living apart: Dani Dyer has revealed she doesn't live with her boyfriend Jack Fincham any longer / Dave Benett

Were building [the relationship] back up slowly. Wed both moved out of our areas and to Wapping together, where we had none of our home comforts.

Dyer explained that when they do come to buying a house together then they will have a conversation about where to live but were going to continue growing for now.

Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham win Love Island 2018 and choose to split 50,000 prize

The star also admitted that it was really mad and that it could have been a case of too much too soon for the reality star couple.
3 EU Parliament votes to boost EuroGroup !

---------------------------------

After EuroZone Paris Summit's succes, Sarkozy calls to "think anew how to re-construct Europe !

"EuroZone and EU Institutional debates pave the way to 2009 discussions on EU Future, including Enlargment, Turkey etc. ?





23 October 2008



After EU Parliament strongly suppported in 3 successive Votes this week in Strasbourg French EU Chairmanship's move to boost Euro-Group at EU's core, while ideas on EU Institutional problems are awaited on December, "it's an open Question now" if this may lead to a debate on EU's Future, or not, told us French President, Nicolas Sarkozy''s Spokesman, Pierre-Jerome Henin.



MEPs voted on Thursday fresh Funds to support EuroGroup, after adopting on Wednesday a Resolution asking a "further Evolution" to "the 1st ever meeting of Heads of State and of Government of the Euro-Zone, taking decisions in that capacity", while earlier this week a Report asked "a stronger Institutional setting" for "EuroGroup", extended from "competitiveness/industry" to "environment, employment and education", with "increased powers for Political decision-making", according to a text drafted by French MEP Francoise Beres and German MEP Werner Langen, "10 Years after the creation of Euro" (1999 - 2009).



- Brussels' subsequent "EU Council ..(simply)..ratified the measures decided by EuroGroup on October 12" in Paris, which "were necessary to contain the current Financial Crisis", Resolution observes, expressing also support to the new process succesfully initiated by Sarkozy and due to be completed by agreements with USA and other countries at a Global level.



From now on, it's between two differend but parallel moves : EU's delay, and EuroZone's acceleration, that Enlargement and particularly Turkey's controversial EU bid, will have to search its way :



Indeed, EU's 27 expect a "Roadmap on how to deal with the Irish problem" on Lisbon Treaty ratification after December, risking to pass even 2009 Elections and next Commission with the old Nice Treaty of 2000, out-dated and unfit even for 2004's Enlargement...



On the contrary, EU's core launches a real "Economic Governance for EuroZone at the highest level of Heads of State/Government" of the 15, which started in Paris on October 12 and was strongly supported this week in Strasbourg by Sarkozy and EU Parliament.

----------

- "It's a good idea, to launch such a debate ("on EU's Future") in EU Parliament in view of 2009 Euro-Election : Perhaps some MEPs will seize an opportunity", told us mainstream French MEP Alain Lamassoure, former EU Minister and EU Spokesman for France's governing party UMP.



- "All MEPs' debates on such EU Councils are also part of the larger debate on Europe's future : Now with EuroZone, and even more when, on December, Irish Prime Minister is due to table proposals in Strasbourg on how to deal with EU Treaty's ratification", replied earlier to our question EU Parliament's Press Director and Spokesman, Jaume Duch.

--------------------------------------

Sarkozy has formally anounced his intention to open EU Debates on Economy, Identity/Enlargement (i.e. mainly Turkey), etc. both linked to a popular Political view of Europe, since his Historic speeches on EU in Strasbourg, on February and July 2007, when he stressed that "Europe needs a New Renaissance". At the beginning of the French EU Presidency, on July 2008, replying to a MEP, he suggested that EU Parliament takes an active part in Debates on EU's Future.



- Now, in 2008, "Crisis are an opportunity to re-think how to re-construct Europe", Sarkozy stressed. At any case, the Historic 1st EuroZone Summit of Heads of State/Government, which started replying to the Financial crisis,"is a Turning Point : After that, Europe cannot be governed as before, but differently" : People "like a Europe with Strong Will".



- "We must make the System move !", "Europe needs Innovation" and free political debates. EU "Elections are in a few Months", Sarkozy warned.



He invited EU Parliament to fully play its role as "the Democratic Heart of the Europe we want : United, Independent and Voluntarist, because the World needs Europe's voice".



- "It's no more possible for Euro-Zone to continue without an Economic Government" at the Highest Level of Heads of State/Government, who provide "Democratic Legitimity" and can take important decisions, he announced, strongly supported by EU Parliament's Economic Committee which just voted to boost the "Institutional" aspects of "EuroGroup".



Plasticity offered by the current absence of a special Treaty on EuroZone's Institutions "made it easy to adapt the organization of the 1st Summit with imagination, to efficiently meet urgent needs", he observed, on the occasion of Brittish Prime Minister's exceptionnal presence at the greatest part of EuroGroup's Paris Summit.



- "In EuroZone we have the same Bank, the same Money, and, thus, a same duty for Unity" : "By bringing together EuroGroup's 15 members States we suceeded to find a solution and prepare a Giant Plan of 1.800 Billion euros", Sarkozy reminded of Paris' 1st Historic EuroZone's Summit.



Afterwards, Brussels' EU Council followed the move, and USA's Paulson II Plan was inspired from that. "Europe must promote the idea of Global Economy's Refoundation", he stressed.







- "I was frankly astonished when I found, at the EU, a rigid system, where any New Idea was seen from the outset as a sacrilege, while, on the contrary, Europe needs Innovation !", he described.



F.ex. ,"'When we first spoke about the "Union for the Mediterranean", it was misunderstood as something extraordinary.. When later we had the Russia -Georgia crisis, it seemed against EU's custom to act "in the middle of August", instead of staying a passive spectator ! And when, in front of the Financial ciris, we gathered the 1st EuroZone Summit of the "15", some thought of it as a lese-majeste", he denounced.

----------------------

On Geo-Political Principles :

----------------------

- But, by moving resolutely, "EU obtained the ...withdrawal of Occupation Troops in 2 Months !", reminded Sarkozy, observing that Russia "fulfilled its commitments", in the Georgian crisis, where a "disroportionate reaction" from Moscow followed a "totally inappropriate action" from Tbilisi's troops. "It would be crazy to reply by military means : EU should not become accomplice of another Cold War, imposed by lack of cool heads".. as he said.



In future, "the creation of a common European Economic Area with EU and Russia, would also obtain a raprochment on our Human Rights and Democratic Values", added Sarkozy, in a statement which should logically be applied, a fortiori, to controversial EU "candidate" Turkey..



Particularly when, the same week that EU Parliament voted 2009 EU Funds for Turkey's controversial EU bid, ECHR took a series of judgements condemning Turkey for grave Violations of Human Rights, such as : Torture, death of a political prisoner in unclear circumstances followed by failure to conduct a proper Investigation, "enforced Disappearance" of a youngster aged 17, Killing of a sepherd with Tank Shells, persecuting Journalists for articles on "Missing" People, even a former President of Human Rights' Association, (etc)



- "We (EU) can defend our ideas on respect of Sovereignity and territorial Integrity, on Human Rights and other differences ... without confrontation", Sarkozy stressed, on the occasion of Russian/Georgian conflict, reminding that : "we were only 2 steps from catastroph", when a Peace agreement brokered in Moscow prevented, at the last minute, Russian troops' advance towards Tbilisi.



An EU Parliament Resolution adopted Wednesday in Strasbourg on the occasion of Russia - Georgia conflict, outlines a set of Principle which apply elsewhere too, (particularly when EU Rapporteur for Russia and Turkey is one and same person ; Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijtanen !)



Clearly rejecting any "military solution to the conflicts", MEPs "condemn ..all those who resorted to force and violence". They denounce a "disproportionate military action", "as well as (an) unilateral decision to recognise the independence" of brekaway regions, "calling.. to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the concerned country, "and the inviolability of its borders recognised by all EU Member States". They warn that "EU must review its policy towards" a 3rd Country, "should .(it)...not comply with its commitments", and "stress that the withdrawal of.... troops from the areas ....is an essential additional step".



EU Parliament "calls for the safe and quick return of refugees, (accepted by Russian President Medvedev) accompanied by the deployment of EU observers on the ground", and "regrets ...that ..EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) is not allowed to enter the ...breakaway regions". Moreover, "It's important to ensure that persons and NGOs ..engaged in defending human and civil rights can operate". "Until ...all remaining issues (are) resolved..., and notably the continuing ...Military presence", "relations with the EU ..cannot be fully normalised", MEPS warned.



As nobody likes to be accused to practice "Double Standards", this should be regarded as "Principles" applicable to any Third Country at EU's Neighborhood.. No ?

-------------------

On Economy :

-----------------------

- "When Financial crisis shook US and EU's Banks, without result from the 1st (American) Paulsen plan, it was the common reply of the 1st EuroZone's Summit, involving some 1800 Billion euros, which started a positive move in the markets, soon strengthened by the follow-up of the US Paulson 2 Plan, noted Sarkozy.



- "Europe should not be only on the defensive, but, if necessary, know also how to take an offensive", he said, brushing away hesitationsto act on Economy: - "I'm for a refondation of Capitaliism, but against Speculators, who betray its values" : "Lack of Rules was profitable to speculators, Not to businessmen !" We must make sure to prevent any such crisis in future". "We, the rest of the World, cannot continue to bear the deficits of the 1st World power without saying anything !", the French President said, applauded by EU Parliament. All this needs "a New Global Governance", on which EU Parliament must debate. That's why "we proposed together with USA, several Summits from mid-November", to which G-8, enlarged to China, India a.o. countries, should participate. UNO's SG; Ban Ki Moon, the IMF, etc.



Financial crisis lowered shares' prices even for healthy companies, sometimes to 1/3 of their initial price, so that strangers might buy EU industries for only a portion of their real value, and Europeans may wake up one day with their main industries sold out to foreigners !



That's one of the reasons for which EU should debate about creating "Golden Shares" for States to jointly take Strategic participations to help European Industries until the end of the Crisis, particularly against distording competition, he suggested, pointing at USA's 35 billion $ plan for American Car Industry."We shall struggle for Europe to be able to build Airplanes, Ships, Trains, Cars, because we need a strong Industry", he concluded.



"F.ex. as we did back in 2004, when as Finance Minister, we bought Alsthom's shares for 800.000 euros, and, after restructuring, we sold them for 2 Millions : Help a company and make money is not so bad"...



As for the UK, "when Ireland announced that it would guarantee only Irish Banks, London City emptied from liquidities in 24 hours : It's the EU which helped to restore the situation, Not the UK alone !", reminded Sarkozy to nationalist British MEP Nigel Farage.







On the contrary, in a last-minute attempt for the EU to catch-up with its Institutional delay "before the European Elections" of June 2009, MEPs simply voted a call for a "set of proposals" to be made for the "Irish public opinion" at the end of the year...

- "As long as Lisbon Treaty is not ratified by all 27 EU Member States, there is an unanimous decision to stop Enlargement, reminded Wednesday in Strasbourg the French Minister for EU affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet..

Added to an indirect but clear warning that, without Lisbon Treaty, all 27 EU Member Countries may not have a Commissioner in the 2009 resuffle, MEPS in the Constitutional/Foreign affairs Committees applauded hoping that this might motivate their Irish friends..
G emma Atkinson hit out at the pregnancy police as she paid a poignant tribute to her late father on top of Mount Teide.

The former Emmerdale actress, who is pregnant with her first child, reached the top of the Spanish mountain with partner Gorka Marquez, marking the first time she had climbed it since her dad died when she was 17.

But Atkinson, 34, made sure to make a dig at those who were tempted to troll her for hiking while pregnant as she mocked the pregnancy police in her caption.

Last week me and Gorks climbed Mount Teide, Atkinson wrote. Its a drive, cable car and flat walk before the pregnancy police start on me.

I havent been here since my dad passed away. We used to come every year and do the hike so it was bitter sweet, but I know he somehow helped drag me up there.

Atkinson was quickly praised by her fans for the climb, with several commenting on her comment while others were upset that she felt the need to address it.

Expecting: Gemma Atkinson is pregnant with her first child with boyfriend Gorka Marquez / PA

One wrote: Isnt it bad that you now have to write things like this on your own photos! Just proves what a nasty world we are becoming. Its YOUR body and YOUR baby. You shouldnt have to explain yourself to narrow minded people. You go girl.

Another said: Ignore the pregnancy police!

Gemma Atkinson does pregnancy workout

Pregnancy police. B***** them. You know your own limitations. Better to stay fit and health apparently it helps child birth, read somebody elses comment.

The couple used their dogs Norman and Ollie to make the sweet announcement with both canines brandishing signs about becoming big brothers.

Atkinson and Marquez started dating in early 2018 after meeting on the 2017 series of Strictly.
L ittle Mix stormed the stage at a Dubai show after they performed LGBTQ+ song Secret Love Song underneath a rainbow flag, despite homosexuality being illegal in the United Arab Emirates.

Over the weekend, the group, made up of Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson, made a stand with their dramatic performance.

Fans were left in awe of the girl group, hailing them fearless queens for the bold move.

One user wrote: I never liked Little Mix. Probably my least favourite girl group ever. But the things they do for the LGBTQ community and for women is phenomenal.

Another added: Fearless queens I stan."

This should be an enough reason that they are out there being the girl group who really speaks up and use their platform to spread messages and be that symbol of hope and empowerment. My ladies arent just showing off their talents their really out there using it for A CAUSE, tweeted a third.

However, others branded the move disrespectful to the country, and demanded an apology.

One fan said: Tbh this isn't a "good" reason to stan LM I'm a big fan of them and I support LGBTQ and Im also Muslim but I think that what they did was super disrespectful for Muslims and the country they performed. I think the girls should apologise for this tbh. [sic]

Im not ignoring human rights matter fact I love the girls but Dubai is a Muslim country at least respect the Muslims, added another.

Little Mix Brit Awards Performance

The group have previously told how the song centres around a forbidden LGBTQ relationship.

In 2015, Thirlwall confirmed it on the groups account, admitting she was so happy fans had picked up on it.

She later encouraged supporters to be who you are adding that the song meant more than usual during their time as support acts for Ariana Grande on the Dangerous Woman tour.

They also dedicated it to the 49 victims of the Orlando Pulse gay nightclub shooting which took place a year later.
M egan Barton Hanson was criticised after she took a savage swipe at Wes Nelson as she shut down any hope of rekindling their romance.

The Love Island pair split earlier this year, seven months after meeting on the ITV2 show, with Barton Hanson accusing Dancing on Ice bosses of sabotaging their relationship after pairing Nelson with Vanessa Bauer on the series.

Asked on Instagram if she would ever get back with Nelson, she replied: Rather s*** in my hands and clap.

Fans were quick to condemn her explicit comment, with many insinuating she is two-faced for publicly calling out Nelson despite trying to raise awareness for mental health.

One user posted: Dont get me wrong how Wes May have treated you may be wrong but trying to embarrass him publicly is not on.

Another wrote: You made yourself a little smaller today...I still love ya but to be honest I expected better from you...this is beneath you I hope its a one time mistake!

A third commented: Awful thing to say.

Split: Megan Barton Hanson and Wes Nelson called time on their seven-month romance last weekend / Getty Images

Another wrote: Thats such a disgusting comment can you not just leave it.

Barton Hanson's comment comes hours after it was reported Nelson has been dating Instagram model Lissy Roddy. The pair met at a fashion party in Dublin thrown by online clothing brand Nasty Gal, according to The Sun.

A source told the publication: He's been seeing Lissy for a few weeks now. Although it's early days, they've been inseparable and they're having a great time together.

Wes Nelson dismisses Vanessa Bauer rumours

Standard Online has contacted representatives for Nelson for comment.

Nelson previously shut down any chance of a reunion with Barton Hanson after being grilled on their relationship on Loose Women.
M ike Thalassitis family have shut down a fundraising page for the late Love Island star over fears it could be targeted by fraudsters.

Friends set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral, with any remaining money to be donated to a mental health charity.

The page had raised nearly 5,000 of its 25,000 target with stars including Jack Fowler and Kerry Katona urging fans to donate.

An updated message on the site reads: While this particular page was created by his close friends, [Thalassitis' family] are concerned that fraudulent accounts could be activated by strangers using their name. Therefore, please do not donate to any other pages until an official statement has been made by the immediate Thalassitis family within the next week or so.

Support: Montana Brown had helped Mike Thalassits through a tough time in 2018 / SplashNews.com

Fans were assured that the money raised to date will go directly to the family who will open a new page.

The update continued: All proceeds will then be consolidated and donated to a mental health charity of their choice.

Montana Brown speaks about the moment she found out Mike Thalassitis had died

A spokesperson for GoFundMe told Standard Online: Our thoughts are with Mike's family and friends at what must be a very difficult time. They can rest assured that on GoFundMe no funds would ever be released unless we are absolutely confident they will get to the right beneficiary.

Thalassitis was found hanged in a park near his home in Edmonton, north London on March 15. He was 26.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

The GoFundMe page was initially set up to help the family with the funeral costs after Thalassitis died days after his grandmother who he had been caring for.

Tragedy: Mike Thalassitis pictured at an ITV event at London's Southbank Centre in October last year / Ian West/PA

The description read: Mikes family are hardworking people experiencing a time of intense pain and suffering. Accordingly we are asking for all of your help so that they do not have to face anything alone.

Thalassitis was on Love Island in 2017. His co-star and friend Montana Brown said he sought therapy in 2018 after struggling to cope with dwindling job opportunities.

ITV revealed the aftercare Love Island contestants receive on leaving the show has been overhauled to offer therapy, social media training and financial advice, after a slew of stars criticised the broadcaster.
P iers Morgan has revealed there was a flurry of activity after his interview with Melanie Brown in which she claimed she slept with her Spice Girls bandmate Geri Horner.

Brown made the shock revelation on the upcoming series of Piers Morgans Life Stories, and Morgan played the clip on Monday's Good Morning Britain.

Melanie Chisholm, who was in the audience, was reportedly left stunned as Brown told Morgan of the alleged tryst with Ginger Spice, who is now married to F1 boss Christian Horner.

Morgan had asked: You were coming here to be brutally honest - did or didn't you sleep with Geri Halliwell? Did you sleep with her?

Claim: Melanie Brown and Geri Horner / PA

Brown replied that they had all slept in a bed together but said that is was not like that. She then smiled and nodded when Morgan asked if Horner was like that.

Brown then said: She's going to hate me for this because she's all posh in her country house with her husband. But its the past.

Revealed: Piers Morgan aired the shocking confession on this morning's Good Morning Britain (Ken McKay/ITV/Rex) / Ken McKay/ITV/REX

After seeing the clip, Morgans Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid said: She couldn't help herself. She still could have said: 'I'm not going to talk about it.

Morgan confessed that he loved seeing Chisholms face in the audience, revealing that she was running about wondering what Brown had done after the show.

Stunned: Mel C was left surprised by Mel B's claim / ITV

The broadcaster also claimed that Brown rushed off set to call Horner to try smooth things over.

Horner has reportedly denied the claims but a past recording of her on the Howard Stern show over in America has resurfaced, showing her admitting to having lesbian sex once.

Horner said: I dont mind boobs but the other bit is not my cup of tea. I didnt like the lesbian thing. It is part of experimenting. I was drunk at the time.

Spice Girls - In pictures 1 /64 Spice Girls - In pictures Spice Girls at Wembley in 2019 Andrew Timms Best looks Sporty, Baby, Scary, Ginger and Posh sing as The Spice Girls PA The Spice Girls reunite for tour rehearsals Spice Girls Instagram Spice Up Your Life The Spice Girls officially launch Channel Five at Marble Arch in 1997 Rex Viva Forever The Spice Girls - Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham AT 'Viva Forever!' 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After 31 years of service on the Central Oktibbeha Volunteer Fire Department, founding member Bob Cunningham retired in January. Cunningham, 81, has served as the company's captain, chaplain and safety officer.
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Prime Minister Viorica Dancila presented on Sunday, during a meeting with the leadership of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Romania's recent projects to fight anti-Semitism and promote Holocaust education.

Read also: PM Dancila on moving Romanian Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem: 'I said all constitutional steps should be taken'

According to a Government press release, Viorica Dancila, during a working visit in Washington to attend the AIPAC Conference, had a meeting with Arthur Stark, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and Malcom Hoenlein, executive vice president and CEO.

"During the meeting, the importance of the transatlantic relationship for Romania and the personal contribution of the foreign dialogue partner to the strengthening of the bilateral relationship was highlighted. The Romanian official emphasized the importance of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the USA, recalling the advanced stage of the bilateral cooperation in the field of security and defense. (...) The prime minister of Romania spoke about the attractiveness of the Romanian business environment and presented the legislation in force, including the one regarding the public-private partnership," the release informs.

According to the same sources, the officials expressed their appreciation for Romania's commitment to combating anti-Semitism and xenophobia and evoked the very good cooperation, for over three decades, between Romania and the organization they are leading. They have announced their readiness to visit our country in June, accompanied by a delegation of business people interested in making investments.

"The president and vice-president of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations also highlighted the close cooperation between Romania and the United States, as well as the intense cooperation between Romania and the State of Israel. In order to strengthen the relationship with the State of Israel, the representatives of the Organization expressed the need to appoint an ambassador of Romania, expressing the perplexity that, although there is a proposal, this is delayed," the release also mentioned.

AGERPRES .
Pope Francis's apostolic visit to Romania will be carried out between 31 May and 2 June, in Bucharest, Sumuleu Ciuc, Iasi and Blaj, the Presidential Administration informed on Monday.

According to the quoted source, the Sovereign Pontiff will be in Bucharest on 31 May, on 1 June he will tour Sumuleu Ciuc and Iasi and on 2 June he will be in Blaj.

President Klaus Iohannis will welcome Pope Francis on 31 May, at 11:30hrs, at the "Henri Coanda" International Airport and the official welcoming ceremony at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace is schedule to take place at 12:00hrs. The two will carry out tete-a-tete talks and, afterwards, a meeting with the authorities, the civil society and the diplomatic body is scheduled to take place. The head of state and the Sovereign Pontiff will both deliver speeches.

Moreover, on 31 May, the Pope will have a private meeting with Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), at the Patriarchal Palace. Furthermore, the high hierarch will then meet with the Permanent Synod of the BOR.

The Sovereign Pontiff will also visit the Romanian People's Salvation Cathedral where speeches will be delivered and Easter religious songs, as well as "Our Father" prayer will be uttered. Afterwards, the Pope will attend the Divine Liturgy at the "Saint Joseph" Catholic Cathedral where he will preach.

On 1 June, Pope Francis will tour the Marian Shrine of Sumuleu-Ciuc, then he will visit Our Lady Queen of Iasi Cathedral and attend a meeting with young people and families at the Culture Palace in Iasi where he will deliver a speech.

On 2 June, the Pontiff Sovereign will attend the Divine Liturgy with the beatification of seven Greek-Catholic martyrs at the The Field of Liberty in Blaj and he is also scheduled to meet the local Roma community.

Pope Francis's visit to Romania will end on 2 June, at 17:30hrs, with the official departure ceremony taking place at Sibiu International Airport, with President Klaus Iohannis in attendance.

The state visit of Pope Francis takes place at the invitation of President Klaus Iohannis. The head of state extended this invitation the first time in May 2015, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Holy See, and renewed it in a letter sent to His Holiness in March 2017.

The President's invitation was supplemented by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Romania, as well as the personal message of Patriarch Daniel. The preparation and unfolding of the apostolic visit under the best conditions was possible with the support of all the relevant authorities, both public and religious, the Presidential Administration underscored.
President Klaus Iohannis believes that, through the statements on the relocation of the Romanian Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila "demonstrates once again her total ignorance in the field of foreign policy," according to a press release of the Presidential Administration sent on Sunday.

Read also: Prime Mister Viorica Dancila announced that Romania's Embassy in Israel will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

"The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, believes that today's statements regarding the move of the Romanian Embassy to Jerusalem, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila once again demonstrates her total ignorance in the field of foreign policy and as regards the making of important decisions of the Romanian State. Out of a desire to claim a decision that does not belong only to the Romanian Government, as she wishes to leave the impression, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila hurries in making public announcements without there being a decision in this respect," the Presidential Administration states.

The quoted source specifies that the decision to move the Embassy of Romania from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will take place only after the conclusion of the analysis that is being currently carried out and only with the approval of all the institutions with responsibilities in the field of foreign policy and national security.

"The final decision belongs to the President of Romania, who is, according to the Constitution, the holder of Romania's foreign policy decisions and a representative of our country at the external level," reads the press release.

At the same time, the Presidential Administration maintains that until now it has not received the analysis that has been repeatedly announced by the Government.

President Klaus Iohannis once again calls on the Government and the Prime Minister to show responsibility in the governing act.

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila announced that Romania's Embassy in Israel will be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"Romania's Government has initiated an assessment process regarding the opportuneness of moving Romania's Embassy to Jerusalem. This is why I am pleased to announce today, to the AIPAC audience, that after the conclusion of the analysis by all the constitutional actors involved in the decision-making process in my country and in full consensus, I, as Romania's Prime Minister and the Government that I lead, will move Romania's Embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel," she stated on Sunday within the Conference of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), taking place in the US.

AGERPRES .
The Presidential Administration said that the visit King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan was slated to pay to Romania beginning this Monday was canceled by the Jordanian side.

Read also: PLUS leader Ciolos on announced move of embassy to Jerusalem: 'Romania takes dissonant stance to EU'

"The President of Romania, Mr. Klaus Iohannis, was to welcome this afternoon His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the Cotroceni Palace on the occasion of the latter's official visit to Romania. The visit was canceled today by the Jordanian side," the Presidential Administration said in a release this Monday.

King Abdullah II of Jordan has canceled a visit to Romania in protest following the statements made by Romanian Premier Viorica Dancila about the move of Romania's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, AFP cites the Royal Palace as saying.

"King Abdullah II decided to cancel his visit to Romania which was due to begin on Monday in solidarity with Al-Quds (the Arabic name for the city of Jerusalem - ed. note)," the Royal Palace said in a statement.

The cancellation of the visit, which was to be marked by the signing of several agreements in various fields, was decided "after Prime Minister Vorica Dancila's remarks on Sunday, expressing the intention to move her country's embassy to Jerusalem," the release also said.

According to the Jordan National Press Agency Petra, King Abdullah's visit had been planned to include meetings with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and parliament leaders. He was also supposed to participate in the Aqaba Meetings, which had been planned to be hosted by Romania in partnership with Jordan.

The Petra agency also reports that, on the sidelines of the visit, the Jordanian and Romanian governments had been due to sign an agreement, two memorandums of understanding, and a cooperation programme, while a Jordanian-Romanian Business Forum had been planned to be held, with the participation of private sector representatives from the two countries.

AGERPRES .
The topic of relocating Romania's Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem should be discussed in Romania's Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT) meeting, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber Liviu Dragnea stated on Monday.

"I have seen this analysis. It didn't seem to me, when I received it, to be an analysis indicating a particular variant. (...) The topic of moving Romania's Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a subject that should be finalised as a discussion and as a decision at the level of the decision-making bodies of the Romanian state. I believe that I was the first one to voice support for moving the Embassy to Jerusalem, the administrative or official decision is neither up to me or up to the Senate President, or up to Parliament. Instead, I think that in a reasonable amount of time, perhaps shorter, in the CSAT meeting we should tackle, analysed this topic and present a decision. Mrs Prime Minister voiced within the meeting in Washington, the point of view which I also assumed and which the Government also endorses," Dragnea stated at the end of the meeting of the PSD's National Executive Committee (CExN).

He mentioned that, from his point of view, Israel has the right to decide where the capital should be located, as any other sovereign state and criticised again the fact the President Klaus Iohannis didn't appoint an ambassador to this country.

Dragnea mentioned that by moving the Embassy to Jerusalem "Romania wins a special relation with Israel."
The African Development Bank said Thursday it debarred several former Alstom companies now owned by GE Power for up to 76 months because of fraud and bribery committed on two bank-financed projects in Egypt.

The bank said the offenses occurred in 2006 and 2011.

GE Power acquired the former Alstom companies in 2015.

The bank said three former Alstom companies engaged in two instances of corrupt practices and in one instance of a fraudulent practice in connection with two bank-financed power projects in Egypt.

The bank imposed a 76-month debarment on two of the former Alstom units. Those units are now known as Alstom Egypt for Power Projects S.A.E. based in Cairo and GE Power Systems GmbH headquartered in Mannheim, Germany.

And it debarred GE Power GmbH (formerly Alstom Power GmbH), also based in Mannheim, for 12 months.

The bank said GE Power entered into a voluntary settlement of the legacy offenses.

The 76-month debarment can be reduced to 48 months based on the companies compliance with the settlement terms, the bank said.

Among other things, GE Power promised to collaborate with the African Development Banks Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption in the fight against corruption in the power generation and transmission sector.

In 2015, an ex-Bechtel Corporation vice president was sentenced to 42 months in prison in the United States for taking $5.2 million in kickbacks to rig bids for state-run power contracts in Egypt.

Asem Elgawhary, 73, of Potomac, Maryland pleaded guilty to mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, obstruction, and interference with the administration of the tax laws.

The judge also ordered Elgawhary  a dual U.S. and Egyptian citizen  to forfeit $5.2 million.

From 1996 to 2011, Bechtel assigned Elgawhary to be the general manager at a joint venture between Bechtel and Egypts state-owned and state-controlled electricity company. Elgawhary took a total of $5.2 million from three power companies to rig bids for the project contracts.

One of the power companies that bribed Elgawhary was Paris-based Alstom S.A.

Bechtel wasnt charged in the case.

In December 2014, Alstom paid $772 million in criminal penalties to resolve FCPA offenses, including bribing Elgawhary.

The African Development Banks statement Thursday said in 2006 Alstom companies tendering for a bank-financed project paid their agent in Egypt about $1.1 million.

The African Development Bank said it took into account General Electrics substantial cooperation with the investigation of the legacy cases as well as the high quality of the companys comprehensive compliance program, which now applies to the Alstom entities acquired by GE Power.

Thursdays 76-month debarment qualifies for cross debarment by other multilateral development banks under their mutual enforcement agreements. The other multilateral development banks include the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank Group.

A list of all entities and people debarred or otherwise sanctioned by the African Development Bank is here.

____

Harry Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.


Hong Kongs former home secretary was sentenced to three years in prison Monday for bribing African officials on behalf of a Chinese energy company.

Patrick Ho, 69, was also ordered to pay a $400,000 fine, the DOJ said.

In December, Ho was found guilty after a one-week trial in the Southern District of New York.

He was convicted by a jury on seven counts  one count of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, four counts of violating the FCPA, one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering, and one count of committing international money laundering.

The jury acquitted Ho on one money-laundering count. He had denied all eight counts against him.

Ho  Hong Kongs home affairs secretary from 2002 to 2007  was in federal custody since his arrest in November 2017. He offered to post a $10 million bond but was denied bail because of the flight risk.

The DOJ said Ho, with help from his co-defendant Cheikh Gadio, offered $2 million in bribes to the president of Chad.

Gadio, 62, is the former foreign minister of Senegal. He acted as a witness for the DOJ under a non-prosecution agreement, evidence at Hos trial showed.

Ho also paid a $500,000 bribe to Sam Kutesa, the minister of foreign affairs of Uganda. Kutesa had recently completed his term as the president of the UN General Assembly.

The DOJ said an NGO Ho leads  called the China Energy Fund Committee or CEFC  was used to funnel bribes to the officials in Africa. The NGO is based in Hong Kong and Virginia.

CEFC is fully funded by a Shanghai-based oil and gas company called CEFC China Energy Company Limited.

In April 2018, Ho asked the trial court judge to dismiss some of the FCPA counts against him. He argued that the DOJ shouldnt be allowed to bring the same charges under alternative theories of jurisdiction. He also asked the court to toss evidence  text messages and emails  that came from a search of his iPad and cell phone.

Judge Loretta Preska rejected Hos motion to dismiss the charges and to exclude the digital evidence.

____

Harry Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
Relations between Japan and Russia have long been the subject of discussion within international-relations circles. The meetings between Prime Minister Abe and President Putin have been going on for years, yet the situation regarding the peace treaty between the two countries, never signed since the conclusion of the Second World War, is difficult to resolve. While the discussions appear to be about the status of the Kuril islands, they are in reality more profound, covering the role that Japan and Russia play in Asia, especially with regard to the other two regional superpowers, namely China and the United States.

Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe have met 25 times over five years, an average of five meetings a year, one every two-and-a-half months. Such an active relationship not only demonstrates the closeness between the two leaders but also their difficulty in trying to reach an agreement to solve the longstanding territorial dispute surrounding the Kuril Islands.

Understandably, Moscow does not intend in any way to renounce its sovereignty over the islands, especially given the geostrategic significance of the port city of Vladivostok. This important Russian city hosts Russias Pacific Fleet; and when one looks at the map, it is easy to understand the importance of the Kuril Islands. If these islands were militarized against the Russian Federation, then they could effectively block the Russian fleets access to the Pacific. Moscow faces the same problem with the Black Sea Fleet, where it needs to navigate through the Turkish Straits to reach the Mediterranean; the same is the case with the Baltic Fleet, located in St Petersburg and Kaliningrad, with Russian naval vessels having to navigate between Finland and Estonia, if coming from St Petersburg, and then through the Danish straits, between Sweden and Denmark, to reach the Atlantic Ocean.

For military and strategic reasons, unfettered access to the oceans is an absolute necessity for a major power like the Russian Federation; hence the importance of the Northern Fleets position in Severomorsk, and of the naval base in Tartus, Syria, which effectively allows Moscow to have access to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Seas without having to worry about Turkey or the Nordic countries vis-a-vis St Petersburg and Kaliningrad.

The question is more complex with regard to Vladivostok, given that Russia has little other option other than to sail through the Kuril Islands to gain access to the Pacific Ocean, making it imperative for Moscow to maintain control over these islands. Leaving aside the historical results of the Second World War, which conferred on the Russian Federation full sovereignty over the islands in question, today this dispute prevents the two countries from further deepening their economic and even political ties. Putin has repeatedly reiterated in Abe's presence the need for both countries to sign the peace agreement and reach a compromise over the disputed islands. Putin proposed a mutual use of the islands by Japan and Russia in terms of ports and the free trade for goods and even proposed the issuing of a dual passport to the citizens of the islands in order to guarantee maximum freedom of movement.

Whenever Abe and Putin meet, the Russians make several overtures that only see their Japanese counterparts respond with such unacceptable proposals as the return of sovereignty over the entire Habomai, Shikotan, Kunashir and Iturup islands (as they are known in Japan). Russian diplomacy has even tried to separate the question of the islands from the post-WWII peace agreement between Tokyo and Moscow in order to accelerate one of the crucial aspects in the relations between the two countries, but to no avail.

Abe in particular seems to prefer to use the issue of the Kuril Islands and the peace treaty as a means of balancing himself between various regional powers. The South China Morning Post, which does not exactly represent a disinterested perspective, recounts the latest developments between the Russian and the Japanese premier:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sparked outrage in Moscow when he spoke of the need to help Russians on the islands "accept and understand that the sovereignty of their homes will change hands." The Russians furiously summoned the Japanese ambassador to complain that Abe's statements were an "attempt to artificially raise the temperature" over the issue of a possible peace treaty.

In addition to Russia's national-security considerations surrounding the Pacific Fleet, there is an important aspect of Japan-Russia relations that needs to be mentioned. The trade between the two countries has increased by 18% in 2018 in comparison to the previous year, reaching almost $15 billion. This, in an environment where many agreements are not ratified for lack of a peace agreement, severely limits cooperation in certain strategic sectors.

There is also the regional and global aspect of this relationship, which is of considerable importance for several reasons. First of all, the geographical position of the two countries determines their influence in the Asian region, which is going to constitute the center of gravity for geopolitics in the 21st century. The second factor is the privileged relations Tokyo has with Washington and Moscow has with Beijing respectively.

To fully understand the multipolar revolution in progress, the quadrilateral scenario involving Japan, Russia, China and the United States seems to be the most suitable. Washington's move to abandon the Trans-Pacific Partnership and impose sanctions and tariffs on allies and enemies alike has left few weapons available to Japan to offset China's economic weight, thus forcing Abe to engage in constructive dialogue with Xi Jinping. The recent meetings between the two leaders have laid the foundations for a future economic cooperation that until a few years ago seemed practically unthinkable.

The progress being made between the two rival powers of Japan and China has prompted Putin and Russian diplomacy to bring about strong economic cooperation for the future. To this end, the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok saw the participation of Abe and Xi Jinping, together with Vladimir Putin, aimed at reaffirming how cooperation and economic development is an achievable goal for all parties involved.

Abe stated, "We will push bilateral ties to a new stage so as to construct a foundation for peace and prosperity in north-east Asia", expressing the intentions of the three leaders to advance mutually beneficial cooperation.

Washington, as usual, is the elephant in the room, now relegated to a vanishing past where the superpower made the decisions and others obeyed. From Washington's unipolar perspective, the rapprochement between Russia and China is seen as a nightmare, not to mention Japans dialogue with Russia over a peace treaty.

Abe seems to have adopted Erdogan's ambiguous style, ready to balance himself against multiple powers to extract the most advantage for Japan. It is a strategy that often does not pay and may in fact only end up exasperating the other parties.

Japan, like the Europeans, should abandon its undue deference to the United States and the accompanying status as a colonial outpost. The pressing need to develop peaceful and fruitful relations with such neighbors as Russia and China should override Washington's desire to sabotage them.

The emerging international multipolar reality is based on dialogue, cooperation, development, mutual respect, and deterrence. The Asian region is the place where important interests of regional and global powers will intersect in the immediate future. The need for China, Russia, India and Japan to put aside their differences and conflicting strategies will become imperative as Washington demonstrates its readiness to exacerbate existing differences for the purposes of preventing regional integration in a multipolar context.

The prospect of a peace agreement between Russia and Japan represents the first step in this direction, but it also requires a strong spirit of independence to resist Washington. The trade policies implemented by Trump, and his approach towards international relations, offers Washington's allies like Tokyo the opportunity to advance an independent foreign policy free of Washingtons diktats. This can already be seen in such commercial partnerships as those involving Huawei and such technology fields as those involving 5G technology.
As the US tries to consolidate its strategy for weakening and confronting Iran, the contours of an important geo-political strategy, launched by Syria and Iran, are surfacing. On the one hand, it consists of a multi-layered sewing together of a wide deterrence that ultimately could result in Israel being pulled into a regional war  were certain military trip wires (such as air attacks on Syrias strategic defences)  to be triggered. Or, if the US economic war on Iran crosses certain boundaries (such as blockading Iranian tankers from sailing, or putting a full stranglehold on the Iranian economy).

To be clear, the aim of this geo-political strategy is not to provoke a war with the US or Israel  it is to deter one. It sends a message to Washington that any carelessly thought-through aggression (of whatever hybrid nature) against the northern states (from Lebanon to Iraq) might end by putting their ally  Israel  in full jeopardy. And that Washington should reflect carefully on its threats.

The deterrence consists at the top-level of Syrian S300 air defences over which Russia and Syria have joint-key control. The aim here, seems to be to maintain strategic ambiguity over the exact rules of S300 engagement. Russia wants to stand above any conflict that involves Israel or the US  as best it can  and thus be positioned to act as a potential mediator and peace-maker, should armed conflict occur. In a sense, the S300s represent deterrence of last resort  the final option, were graduated escalation somehow to be surpassed, via some major military event.

At the next level down, deterrence (already well signalled in advance) is focussed on halting Israeli air attacks on either Iranian or Syrian infrastructure (in either state). Initially, air attacks would be countered by the effective (80%) Syrian, Panzir and BUK air defence systems. More substantive attacks will be met with a proportionate response (most probably by Syrian missiles fired into the occupied Golan). Were this to prove insufficient, and were escalation to occur, missiles are likely to be fired into the depth of Israel. Were escalation to mount yet further, the risk would be then of Iranian and Hizbullah missiles entering into the frame of conflict. Here, we would be on the cusp of region-wide war.

Of course Hizbullah has its own separate rules of engagement with Israel, but it is a partner too, to the wider resistance movement of which the Supreme Leader spoke after his meeting in Tehran with President Assad. As Israel knows, Hizballah possesses smart cruise missiles that can cover the length and breadth of Israel. And, it has well experienced ground-forces that can be directed into the Galilee, as well.

But were we to leave matters there  as some responsive deterrence plan  this would be to miss the point entirely. What has been happening at these various meetings amongst military and political leaders in the north is the unfolding of a much wider, forward looking, strategy to frustrate US objectives in the Middle East.

What has emerged from the key visit of President Rouhani to Iraq is something much larger than the military alliance, alluded to above: These states are unfolding a regional Belt-and-Road trading area, stretching from Lattakias port on the Mediterranean (likely contracted out to Iranian management) across to the border with Pakistan (and perhaps ultimately to India, too).

What is so significant arising from Rouhanis recent visit to Iraq is that Iraq, whilst wanting to keep amicable relations with Washington, rejects to implement the US siege on Iran. It intends to trade  and to trade more  with Iran, Syria and Lebanon. One major strand to the agreement is to have a road and railway belt linking all these states together, for trade.

But here is the bigger point: This regional Belt and Road is to be unfolded right into the heart of the Chinese BRI project. Iran always has been envisaged as a  if not the  key pivot to Chinas BRI in the region. As China's Minister of Commerce, Zhong Shan, underlined this week: "Iran is China's strategic partner in the Middle-East and China is the biggest trade partner and importer of oil from Iran". A senior Chinese expert on West Asia plainly has taken note: Rouhanis visit has long-term geopolitical implications in terms of expansion of Irans regional influence.

And here is a second point: The unfolding of this Belt and Road initiative, effectively marks the end of the Belt & Road members looking to Europe as a principal trading partner. EU equivocation with the US over the JCPOA by trying to tie conditions to their SPV, and by holding reconstruction aid for Syria hostage to their transition demands, has back-fired. Together with the US, the EU has become tainted through its efforts to mollify Washington  in the hope of avoiding being tariffed by Trump.

How will the US respond? Well, Secretary Pompeo is about to arrive in the region to threaten Lebanon (as it has already threatened Iraq) with tough sanctions. Russia, Iran and Syria, of course, are already under harsh sanction.

Will it work? Mr Bolton presently is trying to weaken Iran  surrounding it with US special forces hubs, placed in proximity to Irans ethnic minority populations, in order to de-stabilise the central authority. And Pompeo is about to land in the Middle East threatening all around with sanctions, and still talking the talk of reducing Iranian oil sales to zero, as US oil waivers expire on 1 May.

Of course, zero waivers were never likely, but now with the new trade Belt and Road alliance unfolding, the stakes for US foreign policy are doubled: Syria will find investors in its reconstruction precisely because it  like Iran  is a pivotal corridor state for trade (and ultimately for energy). And Iran will not be brought to capitulation through economic siege. What Pompeo risks, through his belligerency, or clumsiness, rather, is to lose both Iraq and Lebanon.

In the former, losing Iraq could entail the Iraqi government demanding US troops leave Iraq. In the latter case, loosing Lebanon, translates into something more sinister: To sanction Lebanon (in order to hurt Hizbullah) actually means putting Lebanons entire economic stability into play (as Hizbullah is an integral part to Lebanons economy  and the Shia compose some 30-40% of the population. They cannot be somehow filtered out, as if some stand-alone sanctions target). Instability in Lebanon is never far away, but to induce it, is crazy.

Wherever Pompeo travels on his journeys through the region, he cannot fail but to notice that US policies  and the constancy of such policies  are not trusted (even this week, old US ally Egypt has turned to Russia for the purchase of military aircraft, and India is defying the US over its oil imports from Venezuela).

It is against this background, that the earlier intelligence service quotes in the NY Times, and its Editorial (i.e. not an op-ed article): Shedding Any Last Illusions about Saudi Arabia, might be understood. US policy across the entire Middle East, and by extension, much of its leverage over Russia and China, stands on extremely weak foundations. The debacle of the US-sponsored Warsaw conference, which was supposed consolidate support for Americas anti-Iranian war  and the silence with which VP Mike Pences address at Munich was received  provide clear evidence for this.

Well, the pivot for countering this unfavourable US conjuncture rests on one man: MbS. Americas entire foreign policy, and that of its ally, Israel, has pivoted around this erratic, highly-flawed, psychologically-impaired figure. The NYT leak from CIA officials, with its unqualified endorsement through a NYT board editorial, suggest that the CIA and MI6 have concluded that US global interests cannot be left in such unreliable, unsafe hands.

What this ultimately might mean is unclear, but such a leak would suggest that it stems from a concerted CIA professional assessment (i.e. that it is not just a partisan party warfare). Trump may not concur, or like it much, but the CIA when it does form such a definitive view, is no force to be lightly trifled with.
There was much international news in mid-March, although little of it was encouraging for those who prefer peace to war, handshakes to sabre-rattling, and cooperation to confrontation.

But there was one item of good cheer which showed that friendly cooperation between the US and Russia continues, albeit unobtrusively. It concerned the International Space Station, about which it was reported on March 15 that A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch along with Roscosmos Alexei Ovchinin lifted off as planned from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Their Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft reached a designated orbit about nine minutes after the launch, and the crew reported they were feeling fine and all systems on board were operating normally.

Russias Soyuz spacecraft docked with the International

Space Station about 250 miles over the Pacific Ocean.

The mission was successful, technically and professionally, but did not in any way diminish Washingtons anti-Russian bias or its determination to militarize space.

A forecast for the second quarter of 2019 by the analytical think-tank STRATFOR reflects the Washington Establishments line that Military competition between the United States and Russia will prevail but does not record that the military budget of the United States is vastly more than that of Russia, or that, as headlined in the 2018 Report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, world defence expenditure falls sharply in Russia, but rises in Central and Western Europe. As is well-known, the US will spend 716 billion dollars on its military in 2019, but what is not publicised by the Western media is that Russias 2019 outlay is 45 billion dollars.

The word competition (the activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others) is hardly appropriate when the figures involved are 716 compared to 45 whether these be dollars or coconuts, but the competition myth continues, supported energetically by Washingtons military-industrial complex  and especially by the generals, spurred on by the lure of lucrative post-retirement jobs with manufacturers of military systems. Stars and Stripes records that major US defense contractors have hired hundreds of former high-level government officials in recent years, including at least 50 since Trump became president. The report lends new visibility to long-standing concerns about a revolving door between the government agencies that award massive contracts for military supplies and services and the businesses that profit from those contracts.

Which leads us to General Fighting Joe Dunford, who at his Senate hearing for appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said my assessment today, Senator, is that Russia presents the greatest threat to our national security. In October 2018 he reiterated that the Russian challenge is not isolated to the plains of Europe. It is a global one requiring the armed forces of the United States to be able to project power to an area and then once were there weve got to be able to freely manoeuvre across all domains sea, air, land, space, and cyberspace.

Naturally he didnt mention that at the very time he uttered his confrontational challenges there was close cooperation in air, land and space between the US and Russia whose astronauts were able to freely manoeuvre in harmony, adding to world knowledge and engendering trust by jointly conducting research projects in the International Space Station.

This is in accord with the United Nations Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, otherwise known as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which, among other things establishes basic principles related to the peaceful use of outer space. This includes that the exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries

It is the wish of the world  or most of the world  that space should be forever free of weapons. The Treaty lays down that States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

But although the United States signed and ratified the Space Treaty in 1967, it strongly objected to later attempts to refine it. In February 2008 the New York Times reported that The Russian foreign minister, Sergey V Lavrov, presented a Russian-Chinese draft treaty banning weapons in space to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament, an idea that was quickly rejected by the United States.

It is a difficult to imagine why there could be any objection to a treaty aimed at prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space, but the White House responded that it opposes any treaty that seeks to prohibit or limit access to or use of space. Indeed the White House said that such a treaty would be impossible to enforce because any object orbiting or transiting through space can be a weapon if that object is intentionally placed onto a collision course with another space object. This makes treaty verification impossible. The US continues to be resistant to any treaty forbidding deployment of weapons in space.

It was therefore unsurprising when Trump put forward his plan for militarising space in March last year, and in August tweeted Space Force All the Way! Then he declared on February 19 that were investing in new space capabilities to project military power and safeguard our nations interests, especially when it comes to safety and defense and signed a directive ordering the Pentagon to create a Space Force as the sixth branch of the military.

The result of his brainwave is that the US is going to project military power in space, which is directly contrary to the basic principles related to the peaceful use of outer space noted in the Outer Space Treaty.

The US refuses to move onwards from the original treaty, and on March 20 Newsweek summed up Washingtons policy by noting that the United States has blamed Russia and China for militarizing space, while refusing to sign their joint proposal against placing weapons there.

On February 19, while preparations were in full swing for launch of the joint Russia-US mission to the International Space Station three weeks later, the White House announced that President Donald J Trumps Space Policy Directive-4 is a bold, strategic step toward guaranteeing American space dominance by establishing the United States Space Force which among other tasks will organize, train and equip our space warfighters with next-generation capabilities.

In the words of the US Administration, space is now a warfighting domain just like the air, land and sea so its goodbye to a future of harmonious exploration and scientific research in the regions beyond our globe. It had been hoped that the Treaty would go far to assist in maintaining international peace and security and promoting international co-operation and understanding but Washington has no intention of agreeing to any international law that would prohibit extra-terrestrial weaponisation, and Trumps Space Directive has now set the seal on Washingtons preparedness to confront in space as well as by land and sea and in the air. Stand by for Space War.
Finland has been approved as the second export customer for the U.S. Navy's EA-18G "Growler" EW (electronic warfare) aircraft. Finland has not placed an order yet and is still considering which aircraft will replace its older F-18As. If Finland selected the F-18E then EA-18Gs will probably be included in that purchase. Finland has made it clear that it needs some world-class aerial EW to deal with the Russian threat.

The first EA-18G export customer was Australia, which ordered twelve and began receiving them in 2015. One was later lost in an accident but the other eleven continue in service. Both Australia and Finland cited the need for a modern EW aircraft to succeed in modern warfare against an opponent with modern warplanes and air defenses. Australia has to deal with China and Finland has Russia to worry about. China is considered more of a threat, which is why the EA-18G is still in production. Since entering service in 2009 the EA-18G has had a lot of encounters with Chinese and Russian warplanes and anti-aircraft defenses as have American ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) aircraft. This effort made it clear that Russia still has formidable air defense systems and has even developed some new EW capabilities. China has moved much faster and is now surpassing Russia when it comes to EW.

The EA-18G is a customized version of the two-seat F-18F. After many modifications to produce the EA-18G the two aircraft still have about 80 percent commonality in components. The 29 ton EA-18G carries up to eight tons of EW pods (usually five) plus four missiles or fuel tanks. The EA-18G can refuel in the air.

In 2011, two years after entering squadron service, the EA-18G aircraft experienced combat for the first time in Libya. The EA-18G is equipped with the ALQ-99 radar jamming pod and an APG-79 phased array (AESA) radar, which also has some jamming capability (with the right software) as well as the ability to fry electronics. American aircraft supplied all of the electronic warfare missions, over 75 percent of the air-to-air refueling, and over 70 percent of the aerial surveillance in Libya. Subsequently, EA-18Gs served regularly in Syria, Iraq and the Persian Gulf (against Iran). North Korea does not pose much of an EW challenge but EA-18Gs operating off the Chinese coast have found a more challenging EW environment.

Since entering service the EA-18Gs have replaced the aging EA-6Bs that had provided electronic protection against enemy radars and missiles for navy and air force aircraft since the late 1990s when the air force retired their EF-111 electronic warfare aircraft. This was done on the assurance that the Navy would get the EA-18G into service before the EA-6Bs died of old age. The older 27 ton EA-6B carries a crew of four, while the highly automated EA-18G will have only two people on board. The EA-18G carries up to five EW, plus (normally) two AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and two anti-radiation (HARM) missiles. It may be the last manned aircraft to handle the EW job. UAVs are becoming more capable, and will eventually take over this dangerous task. The last of 170 EA-6Bs were retired in March 2019.

In 2007, the Navy received its first operational (as opposed to developmental) EA-18G. The Navy received 100 EA-18Gs by 2014 and was to receive another 38 after that. But now the Navy has 140 EA-18Gs and the aircraft is still in production for as many as 160, plus export orders. The U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps are planning on developing an electronic warfare version of the new F-35, or use a UAV, if the EA-18Gs are not plentiful, or powerful enough to provide all the electronic protection needed in future wars. But the EA-18G did show itself to be a formidable and quite good at what it did. The original EA-18G has undergone several upgrades to deal with new threats or to add new capabilities.

Despite the high expense of all the electronic gear, the F-18G is not the most expensive combat aircraft out there. As of 2014, the F-22 cost $355 million each. The low budget F-18E cost $94 million each, while the EA-18G went for $105 million. The F-35 cost over $130 million (but has since come down). Even unmanned aircraft are pricy, with the Global Hawk costing $182 million each (with high end sensors). Older fighters, like the F-16, cost $60 million, and an F-15E goes for about $100 million. The price of the export EA-18G was about $125 million.
Iran and Syria have made it official; Iran will assist the Assad government in regaining control of all of Syria and will back efforts to reopen all border crossings with Iraq. The Iranian-backed militia forces are now officially part of the Syrian Army, even though they still take orders from Iran. About of third of Syria is still not under Assad control. Most of the northeast is controlled by the Kurdish led SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) militia (which contains a lot of Arabs and other minorities from the area). The SDF is the most effective ground combat force in Syria as well as having active assistance from the Americans. Despite that, the SDF is threatened with attack by Syrian, Iranian and Turkish forces. The SDF is willing to accept the return of Assad rule but only if the Kurds have a degree of autonomy, including some protections from Turkish attack. While the Kurds and Assads are currently threatening each other there is an understanding that some kind of deal can be worked out. The Turks and Iranians agree that the Syrian Kurds should not have autonomy, which further complicates the situation.

Then there is Idlib province in the northwest, where 20,000 non-ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) Islamic terrorists are trapped and unable to agree on whether to surrender or fight. That means more fighting and the Russian warplanes resumed bombing nearly two weeks ago. Syria expects the Iranian mercenaries to handle most of the ground combat. There are plenty of Syrian troops and Iranian mercenaries surrounding Idlib. There are Turkish forces covering the north but not wanting an attack that would send a million refugees headed for Turkey. Everyone is hoping for some kind of miracle solution to the Idlib mess. Lesser miracles are sought for other unresolved issues in Syria.

Kurdish Complications

There are a number of complications in Syria that have led to a stalemate. Many of these revolve around what to do with the Syrian Kurds. Iran has problems with Israel in Syria, as well as its own allies. The Iranians want the Syrian government (controlled by the Assad clan) to accept Iranian domination (as Hezbollah does in Lebanon) and agrees with Turkey the Syrian Kurds should not get autonomy and should accept rule by the Iran-backed Syrian government as well as Turkish control of border areas. Iran has a major problem in that no one wants them in Syria much less acting as an occupying military force dedicated to starting a war with Israel.

The Russians would prefer that the Turks and Iranians got out of Syria and that the Assads and Kurds worked out a compromise (which the two seem willing to do). The Americans, Israelis and most other Middle Eastern nations agree with this approach. The Kurds have some additional problems. The SDF wants some help in dealing with the 5,000 ISIL fighters (and 24,000 family members) they have captured so far this year. SDF has detained 72,000 people who left the last ISIL stronghold over the last year or so. These are held in a large refugee camp and various governments are being asked to verify who is a citizen of where. The UN has been asked to take custody of those found to be stateless. Iraq has agreed to take about 30 percent of the refugees and prosecute those who are suspected of ISIL crimes. Many of the ISIL wives are obviously still active ISIL members and many were caught smuggling weapons into the camp when they were searched before entering. These ISIL women are terrorizing other camp residents and seeking to intimidate the camp guards. The Kurds need help paying for the camp and want the nations these people came from, including Syria, to claim and take custody of them. All of the camp residents claim to be non-Syrian but for many of them that is unclear.

A growing number of nations have agreed to take their citizens back although some nations are revoking the citizenship of camp residents and that keeps these stateless people in the camp longer. On the plus side, the existence of the refugee camp discourages Syria and Turkey from attacking the Kurdish controlled northeast because if they capture the camp they are then responsible for it. The refugee camp is not the main reason Syria or Turkey hesitate to attack the Kurds. The possibility of being repulsed is a real threat and heavy casualties are a certainty. The Kurds still have powerful allies, but it is uncertain how far the Americans, Britain and other NATO countries, as well as Israel and Russia will go to help defend the Kurds against Turkish or Syrian/Iranian invasion. Then there is the fact that that just about everyone opposes the Turkish presence in Syria.

The SDF reported that it had lost 11,000 dead (and over 20,000 wounded) since 2011. Thats about three percent of the casualties suffered by everyone in Syria since 2011. Most of the Kurd losses were while fighting Islamic terror groups, mainly ISIL. Some 72 percent of the SDF dead were Kurds while the rest were Arabs and other minorities residing in the northeast. Most of the Kurdish dead were members of the YPG Kurdish separatist movement. Turkey calls the YPG a terrorist movement because they assisted the Turkish PKK Kurdish separatists during 30 years of armed resistance to Turkish domination of Kurds in Turkey.

The Turks have other internal problems that may delay any move on northeast Syria. The Islamic party that has ruled Turkey for nearly two decades is increasingly unpopular in Turkey and is liable to be out of power soon. If that happens the new government will be more concerned about internal politics than maintaining a military presence in Syria and Iraq. The SDF not only did most of the fighting to destroy ISIL in Syria but also liberated some five million Syrians from ISIL (and other Islamic terror groups) rule. The Syrian 2011-2019 war has left about 400,000 dead so far. A third of those dead were Assad forces (Syrian army and militias plus Iranian mercenaries). About 35 percent were rebel forces, about half of them ISIL and al Qaeda Islamic terrorists. While three percent of the dead were SDF, who were technically rebels, the SDF often maintained truces with the Syrian government and cooperated with the Assads to destroy ISIL. The rest of the dead were civilians, most of them pro-rebel.

Israel

Israel wants Iran out of Syria and would prefer that the Kurds got their autonomy. Israel is willing to make a peace deal with Syria and Turkey. Israel has successfully attacked Iranian efforts to build a military infrastructure (bases, arms factories, forces on the Israeli border) in Syria and this has made the Iranian leadership angrier and very frustrated. Iran is seen as even more unstable and unpredictable than Turkey. While Iran has backed off from the Israeli border and spent more time and effort concealing its operations and personnel in Syria, there are still plans to destroy Israel. These apparently revolve around upgrading over 10,000 of the longer (50 kilometers or more) range rockets Iran has provided Hezbollah. The upgrade is mainly about adding GPS guidance systems that will allow for precision attacks on Israeli targets (especially populated areas). A mass use of these rockets could overwhelm Israeli anti-missile defenses.

Russia has taken the lead in brokering agreements that would solve most of these disagreements regarding Turkey or Iran. So far there has been limited success with only Israel willing to work with Russia. Israel and Russia have been cooperating in Syria for years but Turkey and Iran are determined to have their way despite the opposition they are encountering.

Iran

Iran has been spending a lot less on Syrian operations. The IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) budget for foreign operations (especially Syria and Lebanon) have been cut, apparently in a big way. The Iranian mercenary force in Syria is undergoing a reorganization and downsizing. The IRGC explains this away by describing it as a redeployment for the attack on Israel. The reality is that there is a lot less cash to pursue that goal and the IRGC is actually trying to avoid more expensive (for Iran) airstrikes by Israel which continues to win this war with Iran. In Lebanon the well-established (since the 1980s when founded by the IRGC) Hezbollah has done the unthinkable and is asking the public for donations because Iranian subsidies have been cut, apparently drastically. The Iran government is spending more money to relieve the economic problems most Iranian face.

March 24, 2019: Britain will keep its warplanes operating over eastern Syria for a while longer. These aircraft will search for and attack remaining ISIL forces that are known to still be in the area, on the run but still active. Some British ground forces will still be in northeast Syria where the SDF maintains a large camp containing refugees from ISIL controlled territory. Some 900 of these are from Britain and they must be interviewed to determine if they committed any crimes or are still active. Britain also reported that is warplanes had killed 4,000 Islamic terrorists in Syria and Iraq since 2014. While most (75 percent) of the dead were in Iraq (where British warplanes are based) most of the British airstrikes have shifted to Syria during the past year.

March 23, 2019: In the east (Deir Ezzor province), SDF declared that they had eliminated the last visible remnants of ISIL that had been driven out of the town of Baghuz (near the Iraq border) on the 19th. Apparently, this announcement was convincing and spread quickly because within 24 hours many ISIL fighters were emerging from hiding places (like tunnels not yet discovered) and surrendering. Others walked in from seemingly uninhabited areas around Baghuz and turned themselves into SDF personnel.

March 21, 2019: The United States backed the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, which Syria still considers as Syrian. Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967 when they took the area after Syrian used these heights to attack Israeli territory to the south that was on the lower ground. In 1981 Israel annexed the area. The UN opposed this but that had no impact on the situation. Israel points out that Syria has never made a serious efforts to retake the Golan Heights since 1973. In that respect Israel considers the Golan Heights abandoned property and has absorbed it.

March 19, 2019: In the east (Deir Ezzor province), the last visible remnant of ISIL was driven out of the town of Baghuz near the Iraq border. The SDF rebels are doing all the fighting on the ground, with air support from the United States. Several hundred ISIL gunmen fled the fortified buildings in Baghuz after more than a month of fighting. While ISIL abandoned the town they continued to fight in the nearby hills. By spreading out in the countryside the remaining ISIL men are more difficult to find and kill with artillery or an airstrike.

March 14, 2019: Off the southwest coast of Iran, dozens of Iranian UAVs were seen in the air near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran described it as practice for a mass UAV attack on Israel, using about ten stealthy (based on a captured American RQ-170s UAVs) and many more conventional designs. Iran regularly tests Israeli detection and defenses against their UAVs by having Hezbollah fly one into Israel from Lebanon or Syria. Iran believes it has detected an Israeli vulnerability although those test flights also provided Israel with a list of improvements they can make in their ability to deal with these UAVs. Israel is bombing Iranian weapons construction and storage facilities in Syria and Lebanon to prevent such a UAV attack from being launched from those two countries, which would be more difficult to deal with than one launched from Iran (which would have to be one way.)

March 13, 2019: In the northwest (Idlib province), Russia has resumed regular airstrikes against rebel targets in Idlib province. Turkey had earlier announced an agreement with Russia to maintain the ceasefire in Idlib. To that end, Turkish and Russian troops will patrol the ceasefire line that defines the extent of rebel-controlled territory.

Israeli intelligence released aerial photos showing construction of what Israel describes as an Iranian weapons factory in western Syria (outside the port of Latakia). Israel also released aerial photos of a similar missile plant in Iran.

March 12, 2019: Russia is apparently expecting a fight in Idlib province because at least four upgraded Su-25SM3 ground attack aircraft have arrived in western Syria and the only reason to bring these in is to use them under combat conditions. The only likely combat these days is in nearby Idlib province. Russia is also moving more warships to Syria and these often fire Kalibr cruise missiles at Syrian targets during major Russian operations.

March 11, 2019: Iran awarded the commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, the nations highest award. Quds is the IRGC branch that stirs up and sustains pro-Iran terrorism overseas. Quds is largely responsible for terrorism attacks against Israel and for the very expensive Iranian efforts in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and many other lesser operations (like in Venezuela). Quds recently had its budget cut drastically and the clerical leadership wanted Soleimani to know that it wasnt personal.

March 10, 2019: Turkey has approached Russia and the United States to discuss Turkish plans to invade Kurdish controlled northeast Syria. Russia and the U.S. both advised against it. Turkey pointed out that Syrian refugees were willing to return to Syria if they were allowed to live in areas not controlled by the Assad government. This would include the Turkish controlled areas on the Syrian side of the border. This security zone only extends about 30 kilometers into Syria and only includes the half of the border not controlled by the Kurds.

March 9, 2019: The government is trying to revive its maritime smuggling routes to Syria by obtaining port management agreements with Syria. Iran is running into resistance from Russia as well as Lebanon who fear that this will turn the local coasts into a combat zone as Israel and the Americans put intensive and heavily armed, scrutiny on the area. Although the Assad government will not openly defy Iranian requests it has learned how to quietly cooperate with other nations, especially Russia, that will be blunt with Iran in opposing Iranian proposals seen as too dangerous to work.

March 3, 2019: Israel revealed that a recent meeting, in Russia, between the Russian and Israeli leaders there was an agreement to carry out a joint effort to get all foreign forces out of Syria. Everybody wants the Turks and Iranians gone but the Syrian Kurds want some Americans to stay and Russia has treaty rights with Syria to operate an air base and a naval facility staffed with Russian personnel. This new agreement does not ban continued Israeli airstrikes against Iranian forces in Syria.

March 2, 2019: Israeli media is reporting the presence of Iranian mercenaries based near the Israeli border, with most of these Iranian forces east of the Golan Heights portion of the border. It is also believed that Iran still has Hezbollah members, pretending to be Syrian soldiers, operating an Iranian observation post along the Golan Heights border to keep Iranian commanders current on what is happening on both sides of the border. Iran believes many Syrian civilians and even Syrian soldiers along the Golan border are not fans of Iran. Actually, Israelis have seen examples of this since 2011.

February 27, 2019: Iran revealed that it had agreed, in January, to build 200,000 new housing units (most of them apartments in urban areas, especially Damascus) in Syria. These would house pro-Assad civilians. Some of these are foreign Shia mercenaries (and their wives) that Iran has brought in to make the Sunni majority in Syria less dominant. Most of the six million Syrians who fled to other countries since 2011 were Sunni Arabs deliberately encouraged to flee by the Assads. About two-thirds of these refugees ended up in Turkey where the Turks have offered to absorb most of them (Turkey already has an Arab minority). Most of the Syrian refugees would like to go home but since the rebels have been defeated the refugees realize that Syria is not a welcoming place for Sunni Arab refugees. About a third of the Syrian refugees are in Lebanon where they have shifted the ethnic balance of a much smaller country than Turkey. The refugees in Lebanon are not welcome at all.

February 25, 2019: Syrian leader Basher Assad arrived in Iran for a three-day visit. He met with various Iranian leaders to assure them that he was still loyal and would do as told. This was the first foreign trip Assad has made since 2011 and it was kept secret. Even the Iranian Foreign Minister did not know about it.

February 24, 2019: In eastern Syria, the SDF has captured some 500 Iraqi ISIL members. At least the SDF believes they are Iraqi (based on accent, mainly) and is seeking to get Iraq to take all of them and prosecute. The U.S. is helping with this effort by providing biometric identification equipment that generates ID data compatible with what the U.S. and Iraqis have on known ISIL members. So far 280 of these SDF ISIL members have been confirmed as wanted for terrorist activity and Iraq is willing to take and prosecute them. This is not an attractive prospect for these ISIL captives because Iraq will execute ISIL members found guilty of murder and other serious crimes. NATO nations are also seeking to have Iraq prosecute ISIL prisoners who came from NATO countries (including the U.S.) and committed crimes that Iraq knows about. Iraq is willing to do this because they know that European courts will be much easier on ISIL members. That often means a short jail sentence and then these killers are back on the street again and may well return to Iraq. France recently persuaded Iraq to accept and prosecute 13 Frenchmen who had joined ISIL. Iraq already has hundreds of ISIL captives from foreign countries and is prosecuting all of them, including some ISIL wives who also committed atrocities. Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces are arresting a lot more suspected ISIL members near the Syrian border, especially in Mosul, which is still seen as a good hideout for ISIL men who known their way around the city. Many of the ISIL members now fleeing Syria had fled to Syria in late 2018 as Iraqi forces followed up on the liberation of Mosul from ISIL rune in 2017. The returnees include many notorious ISIL leaders who responsible for a lot of death and destruction in Iraq. These are sought and often found among the new faces showing up in Mosul and surrounding areas.

February 23, 2019: In Syria, the commander of Iranian forces in Syria said that 90 percent of Iranian goals had been achieved and Iran was now concentrating on rebuilding the Syrian armed forces. Not mentioned was any efforts to destroy Israel and this was deliberately downplayed in an effort to avoid more Israeli airstrikes. Iran has withdrawn its forces from the Israeli border and has greatly reduced weapons shipments to Syria. The Israelis are still watching and apparently still willing and able to launch airstrikes on Iranian forces.

February 22, 2019: The United States has agreed to keep a small (a few hundred) force of peacekeepers in Syria after most of the current 2,000 advisors and Special Forces troops are withdrawn. The peacekeepers would make it more difficult for Iranian or Turkish forces to misbehave without risking intervention by American forces in neighboring countries. This is a relief to Iraqi Kurds, who still have plenty of such American assistance in northern Iraq and have been told that there will always be some American troops in northern Iraq as long as it is necessary.
FirstPoint Mobile Guard, a Netanya, Israel-based provider of a cellular Cybersecurity-as-a-Service platform, closed a seed funding round of undisclosed amount.

The round was led by The innogy Innovation Hub, joined by private investors including previous round investors, the Stolero Group, Gideon Argov and an investment group that participated in Mobileyes first funding round.

The company intends to use the funds to bring their products to market and expand in selected international markets and for additional use cases.

Led by CEO and co-founder Prof. Dror Fixler, PhD, FirstPoint provides network-level protection that shields all cellular devices against hidden network vulnerabilities that stump security teams:

 IMSI catchers (fake base stations),

 malicious SMSs,

 location trackers, and

 other tactics that can steal sensitive communications and data.

This military-grade, proven Cybersecurity-as-a-Service detects, alerts, protects and deceives, without requiring user intervention to install or update anything. Organizations can also customize protection by defining and modifying policies per device, which cannot be achieved with other solutions.

The companys solutions fill the cybersecurity gap faced by many security-sensitive organisations and individuals, including enterprises and global corporations looking to secure unprotected employee BYODs (Bring Your Own Device), business travelers requiring protection against surveillance and eavesdropping and governments and militaries safeguarding sensitive missions and other activities. As well as mobile devices, FirstPoint protects Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as connected cars, smart utilities and payment terminals, that are vulnerable to attack.

The companys mobile phone security solutions will become available in Q3 2019, in select locations, and will be offered in partnership with mobile network operators worldwide over the next quarters.

FinSMEs

25/03/2019
Inflazome, a Dublin, Ireland- and Cambridge, UK-based biotech company developing several small molecule drugs that inhibit harmful inflammation, received an over US$1m grant.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research (MJFF) provided the grant.

The grant will fund the development of a NLRP3-specific Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracer to allow non-invasive imaging of inflammasome-driven inflammation in the brain.

Led by Prof Matt Cooper, Co-Founder and CEO, Inflazome is developing orally available drugs to address clinical unmet needs in inflammatory diseases by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome, which is now understood to drive many chronic and acute inflammatory conditions. The NLRP3 inflammasome was recently shown to be associated with the progression of Parkinsons Disease in humans and in non-clinical models, in research published on 31 October 2018 in Science Translational Medicine (Link).

The Principal Investigator on this project is Prof. Cooper, who is assisted by Co-Investigator Dr David Miller, Head of Medicinal Chemistry.

FinSMEs

25/03/2019
Bay of Plenty

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The Celebrity Solstice will dock at the Port of Tauranga on Saturday the 30th of March for an overnight visit.

The occurrence is the last overnight stay for the 2018-2019 cruise ship season.

Bay of Plenty locals will get the chance to connect with cruise ship passengers travelling onboard the Celebrity Solstice at a special event in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.

Little Big Events is putting on a Street Food Union event to mark the significant occasion for the region.

Tourism Bay of Plenty Chief Executive Officer Kristin Dunne says cruise ship passengers are vital to the economy.

Im delighted that the Celebrity Solstice has visited the Bay of Plenty ten times this season as it shows the continued reputation of Tauranga and the region as a favoured cruise destination.

Cruise ship activity brings significant benefits to the Bay of Plenty including the $66m boost the economy received during the 2017-2018 season. More than 50 per cent of passengers stay in the local area.

The New Zealand Cruise Association estimates that up to 25 per cent of cruise passengers return to a region as free independent travellers. Cruise passengers are truly destination samplers looking for those special places that they would like to come back to.

The welcoming spirit of our locals ensures the Bay of Plenty experience remains world-class for our visitors so that they continue to return to our region.

Forecasts prepared for Tourism Bay of Plenty predict that the 2018-2019 cruise ship season will bring $91 million into the local economy.

This season is the Bay of Plentys largest yet with 115 ships expected including nine overnight visits, 25 double ship days and two triple ship days.

The 115 ships will bring an estimated 326,922 passengers and crew to the region.

The Port of Tauranga is the only port in New Zealand to welcome the Celebrity Solstice overnight due to the passengers ease of access and proximity to a local township, and the popular evening tour experiences.

With 121,878 gross tonnage, the Celebrity Solstice is a large, modern ship that carries 2,850 passengers and 1,116 crew for a ratio of one crew member to every 2.5 passengers.

Her gross tonnage makes the Celebrity Solstice the third largest ship to visit the Port of Tauranga during the 2018-2019 cruise ship season, after the Ovation of the Seas (168,666) and Majestic Princess (144,216).

Celebrity Cruises undertake several environmental initiatives to reduce their ships carbon footprint. The ships utilise solar power, advanced wastewater purification systems, ban plastic straws, and partner with the World Wildlife Fund.

The Celebrity Solstice is expected to dock in Tauranga at 9.45am on Saturday the 30th of March and will depart the following evening at 5.45pm on Sunday.

What: Street Food Union for locals and cruise ship passengers

Where: Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui

When: Saturday the 30th of March

Time: 5pm-9pm

Cost: Free

This is a one-off weather permitting event. Event details can be found on Facebook via this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/406845183376619/.
Everyone knows that politicians arent afraid to use tactics to ensure theyre a cut above the rest, but using negativity as a campaign tool appears to be growing in popularity.

Negative campaigning, or mudslinging, is the process of deliberately spreading negative information about someone or something to worsen the public image.

Political scientist Justin Phillips says theres quite a lot of discussion on whether negativity, such as attacking or going against public opinion, is effective or not. However, candidates seem to think it can win elections, given the multi-million dollar industry it has become worldwide.

The Waikato University lecturer, who is based at the institutions Tauranga Campus, has been examining the effects of negative campaigning on television and social media in the United States.

And although the US political environment differs from New Zealand, he says some of the aspects could provide a broad insight into how negativity could be used leading up to local elections this year and the general election in 2020.

In the past I think researchers have been looking at it from the wrong angle, says Justin, which is why weve had no evidence to back up the theory.

If you focus on issues as opposed to the character of the individual and who theyre running against, chances are the negativity is going to be more legitimate for people consuming that information.

In Taurangas case, negativity could be a variety of instances about specific issues. For example, public transport is something that is quite a hot topic and going on the attack might be deemed quite legitimate in the eyes of voters.

Justin has married his interest in politics with a former life as a programmer.

Through data analysis on social media, hes been able to pinpoint where negativity would or wouldnt be deemed acceptable.

Justin says theres two ways that hes found politicians use negative social media - one is a more activist approach and the other is aggressive.

For the younger-styled politicians, social media is just a natural environment for them, so they seem to be quite positive and effective and utilise it as an activism tool to gather people for a certain cause, he says.

The other style is a bit more relevant to my research. With just a scroll through Judith Collins feed, you can see that shes often quite negative and aggressive, much like (US President) Donald Trumps style.

He says this tactic might be a method to mobilise her own supporters, attack others, attract attention or build a volunteer base.

Negative emotions can be quite powerful motivating factors, adds Justin, but at the same time if its not done correctly, it may turn people away from the polls who have less interest in political prospects.

There are no studies currently looking at whether this kind of behaviour is happening significantly in New Zealand, but Justin says if it becomes normalised overseas, it could well become this countrys approach in the foreseeable future.

In an era of endearing optimism under Jacinda Ardern, who is constantly professing a positive campaign, one would like to think that this approach will win the day, he says.

But elections can sometimes become a nasty business.

Just because Ardern is the face of the party doesnt mean others arent using other tactics on behalf of her.

It all depends on who is in charge and what the environment is like. Maybe social media may start to reward negative content, and theres a whole bunch of factors regarding whether New Zealand will go negative or not.

Its way too early to say whether that will happen in the next election.
New Zealand Police's new Holden Commodore ZB liftbacks will be removed from frontline duties because of potential health and safety issues caused by a lack of headroom in the back seats.

The new fleet of Commodores were introduced in April 2018 and have a sloping back that is halfway between a sedan and hatchback.

In comparison with the old model, headroom in the back seats is reduced by 1.3cm.

An article in the latest New Zealand Police Association magazine, Police News, says a decision was made to replace the liftbacks with station wagons after frontline officers' concerns about the new cars were picked up by media.

Late last year an anonymous column in Police News says frontline staff described the liftbacks as a "bit snug".

"Apparently, even those who are of average stature are finding it a struggle to fit in the back, which, as well as being uncomfortable, can also be risky," the author says.

"Some mates in Counties [Manukau] were left scratching their heads on how to return 'one' to the station when he just didn't fit in the back seat."

Officers also raised concerns about reduced leg room in the rear seats, the shift from rear-wheel to front-wheel drive, having to inflate the spare tyre rather than having a space saver and a loss of driver autonomy with the introduction of automatic braking.

At the time, Police's fleet management manager Rob Morgan says he hadn't received any complaints and was not aware of any instances where headroom had been an issue.

However, he says police would survey frontline officers to understand the nature of any concerns or issues.

In the latest article, Rob is quoted as saying potential health and safety implications caused by the lack of headroom in the rear seats had swung the decision to switch to station wagons.

"Not everyone has the same problems, but enough staff did for the executive to make the decision it has," he says.

Rob says the liftbacks would be retained and moved into other policing roles where they were not expected to take passengers in the rear seats.

According to Police News, the station wagons are more expensive and so, to stay within budget, 16 fewer vehicles will be replaced in the 2019-2020 vehicle replacement programme.

Under the programme, 373 wagons will be rolled out from July 1. Police is providing 500 new vehicles this year, including vans, motorbikes and four-wheel-drives.

Police Association President Chris Cahill congratulated police on listening to their staff and acting so quickly to find a solution.

"None of the fleet (of Commodores with sloping backs that was introduced in April 2018) will be wasted. There are plenty of other roles for them other than on the frontline," he says.

A police spokesperson confirmed to Stuff that details printed in the Police News article were correct.

Holden has held the contract to supply cars to the police since 2006. The contract was renewed in 2015 for another five years.

While the purchase price to police was commercially sensitive, the entry level Commodore ZB liftback retails online for $45,990.

-Stuff.co.nz/Imogen_Neale
A jury has found the grandmother of a baby boy who died after being left in a hot car for hours - while she smoked synthetic cannabis and passed out - guilty of his manslaughter.

Donna Catherine Parangi, 54, has been standing trial in the High Court in Hamilton for the last 15 days.

Her grandson, eight-month-old Isaiah Neil, died from heatstroke - also known as hyperthermia - after being left in a dark blue station wagon for two to three hours outside her home in Ruatoki, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, on November 2, 2015.

The jury retired to consider their verdicts at 11.45am on Monday, following the summing up of Justice Sally Fitzgerald.

They returned with their unanimous verdict at 4.45pm.

"Thank you. So much," a scowling Parangi muttered as she was ushered from the courtroom after the jury gave its decision.

After the judge formally discharged the jury of their duties, a now tearful Parangi was brought back to the court so the judge could convict and issue her with a first strike warning for serious offenders.

She was remanded on bail to a nominal sentencing date of May 10, in Hamilton.

The Crown case in the trial - which was a retrial, after her previous conviction for manslaughter was overturned on appeal - was led by Richard Marchant and Hayley Sheridan, who successfully argued Parangi was partly responsible for his death.

Parangi was represented by Susan Gray and Julie-Anne Kincade, who disputed Isaiah's cause of death.

Two of the key witnesses for the Crown were Isaiah's parents Shane Neil and Lacey Te Whetu, who is Parangi's daughter.

The pair, who were living with Parangi at the time, had pleaded guilty to their son's manslaughter.

Te Whetu was sentenced to three years in jail, while Neil was sentenced to 10 months.

Parangi and Te Whetu were addicted to synthetic cannabis and all three had allegedly been smoking it that day and were in a state of extreme drowsiness as a result.

Earlier in the day, during her summing up, Justice Fitzgerald said the trial would have been an uncomfortable experience for the jurors.

"No doubt parts of the trial were very emotional ... a tragedy for all involved. Nobody wanted this to happen."

She told the jurors that just because Neil and Te Whetu pleaded guilty to manslaughter, they should not infer Parangi was also guilty of the charge.

"That would be quite improper and quite unfair."

Parangi should be tried solely on the evidence presented in court. Likewise they should not read anything into Parangi's decision not to give evidence herself.

"That she did not give evidence does not add to the case against her."

She issued the jurors with a question trail to help them with their deliberations.

That document posed a series of queries, starting with whether they believed Parangi was acting in the role of a parent at the time Isaiah died, and whether she had "actual care" of him when he was left in the car, following a trip to Kawerau and back that morning.

The next question was the one the bulk of evidence heard in the trial was focused on: Are you sure Isaiah died of hyperthermia after being left in the car?

This would mean they would have to conclude that he did not die of something else, such as - as the defence has suggested as a possibility - unintentional overlay, also known as accidental suffocation, while he was in his parents' bed.

The jurors had a wealth of expert evidence to refer to in their deliberations on this point, including pathologists, a paediatrician, and a heat expert who had estimated the temperature in the car, at the time Isaiah was allegedly inside it, would have been around 45 degrees.

If they were not sure, they would have to find Parangi not guilty. If they concluded hyperthermia was the cause of death, there were a few follow-up questions they needed to ponder.

These were whether she took reasonable steps to protect Isaiah from harm or injury; and whether this played a significant part in - and thus caused - his death.

Finally, they were asked: Was the omission a major departure from the standard of care to be expected of a reasonable person in those circumstances?

-Stuff/Mike Mather.
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse man who was wanted for robbing an Eastwood bank on Friday turned himself into New Jersey police, according to the Syracuse Police Department.

The M&T Bank at 424 Grant Boulevard was robbed shortly after 9 a.m. Friday, according to Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, a spokesman for the Syracuse Police Department.

A man entered the bank, walked up to a teller and presented a note demanding money, police said. He then left the bank on foot through the parking lot towards Grant Boulevard with an undisclosed amount of money, police said.

Paul Comforti, 41, went to the Fairfield New Jersey Police Department at about 7 a.m. Sunday to tell officers that he robbed the bank in Syracuse. He turned in what he had left of the money stolen from the bank, Malinowski said.

Syracuse police issued a warrant of arrest for Comforti for third-degree robbery. Comforti is currently being held in New Jersey awaiting extradition proceedings, Malinowski said.

Syracuse police ask anyone with information to call (315) 442-5222. All calls will remain confidential. Anonymous tips may also be submitted using the SPD Tips app.
Syracuse, NY -- A DeWitt woman who testified against her ex-boyfriend at a murder trial earlier this year initially tried to cover up the crime, she admitted today.

Ashley Rodriguez, 30, helped get rid of evidence -- drugs stolen from the victim -- after the December 2017 stabbing, DeWitt police have said.

But Rodriguez later cooperated against her then-boyfriend, Lester Shaffer, who was accused of killing Lyle Budda Lyons at the Milder Meadows mobile home park.

Shaffer was acquitted by a jury of Lyons murder -- but found guilty of possessing drugs -- after Rodriguez was cast as a talented and experienced liar" by Shaffers defense lawyer, Ken Christopher.

Shes a liar, Christopher told the jury at trial. She lies about lying. Shes got layers of lies so deep Im not sure how to unravel them. Im not even sure she can keep her story straight anymore.

Rodriguez admitted as much during her trial testimony. But she insisted that her final account -- that Shaffer had gone to get drugs for her -- was accurate. Rodriguez described to the jury being dope sick from drug withdrawal and desperate for Suboxone, a prescription drug used for opioid addiction.

That led Shaffer to go to Lyons -- a drug dealer -- to get Suboxone for Rodriguez, prosecutor Melinda McGunnigle contended at trial. When Lyons refused, Shaffer killed him in a fit of rage, the prosecutor alleged.

Rodriguezs account was backed up by her grand jury testimony and was corroborated by independent evidence, fellow prosecutor Peter Hakes said after court today. That independent evidence included, other witnesses, phone records, and physical evidence. Based upon this, we believe Ashley Rodriguez testified truthfully during the trial.

But the jury found reasonable doubt that Shaffer had committed the murder. And Rodriguezs changing stories -- she and McGunnigle had admitted shed lied in past accounts to police -- didnt help. In one instance, Rodriguez admitted to making up details about trading a sound system for drugs, then admitted lying about lying about it.

Christopher, noting Lyons was a drug dealer, suggested that one of his suppliers could have killed him. McGunnigle pointed to Lyons DNA on a container found in Shaffers mobile home as proof of his guilt.

In any case, Rodriguez still had a felony hindering prosecution charge hanging over her head. And today, she pleaded guilty to that charge and was spared jail after prosecutors determined she held up her end of the bargain at trial.

Rodriguez wept openly in court as she admitted to hindering authorities at the time of Shaffers arrest. Her lawyer, Tim Roulan, tried to comfort her.

She will remain at liberty until sentencing in a month. She was promised a sentence of 5 years probation.
In October 1971, Syracuses Everson Museum of Art had been open for three years.

That year, the museum made its biggest splash yet, offering the entire museum to Yoko Ono, wife of former Beatle John Lennon, for her own art exhibition, entitled This Is Not Here. The exhibit would display painting and sculptures by the famous couple.

Before the exhibit opened on Oct. 9, 1971, press from around New York State attended a preview.

The untraditional exhibit was called an art happening by the Post-Standard and art critics followed Yoko and John around the museum.

It was just like a Beatles movie! one excited person said.

But not everyone was happy that the exhibit was in Syracuses new art museum.

The Post-Standard wrote a nasty editorial, which joked about the couples art and openly questioned the Eversons decision to host it, asking if the museum put publicity above good taste.

John Lennon responded personally, with a letter to the editor, written as only Lennon could. It even had a hand-drawn doodle of Lennon and Ono.

Here are the complete pieces of writing, both the original editorial and response, as they appeared in the Post-Standard in 1971.

A Post-Standard editorial from Sept. 27, 1971, which rips the art of Yoko Ono and the Everson Museum's decision to showcase it. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

Art or Hokum?

The Everson Museum of Art, which has been heavy on modern art and light on traditional, will go one step further next month with  get this  the art work of Yoko Ono, current wife and former other woman of ex-Beatle John Lennon. And, as an added treat for todays bobbysoxers both Yoko and John will appear at the show. Lennon will also have some works shown.

Yoko the artist is described as a part of the early Andy Warhol contingent. One of her works includes a ladder, on which one climbs to reach a painting on the ceiling, to which a spy glass is attached. Looking through it, one sees the word, yes. Another is Hammer-a-Nail-In. For five schillings a person could hammer a nail into a block of wood.

The Everson says most of her works here will invite active participation by the viewer. This includes a Water Event in which participants provide the containers while Yoko Ono provides the water. The art museum promises newly conceived pieces, executed specifically for the exhibition.

Lennon, for his part, has a work he has exhibited, consisting of a toilet which, when flushed, plays one of his songs.

James Harithas, director of the museum, says Yokos work has long deserved major recognition. He calls it an international form of art of which she is one of the earliest and most brilliant exponents.

We wonder, however, whether the Everson is presenting her first one-man museum show because it is great art or whether the exhibition was merely the means of bringing to the Everson a man whose former group he once described as more popular than Christ. If the latter is the case, the Everson will add greatly to its normal attendance, but at a tremendous loss of good taste and of respect in the art world.

John Lennon defends his wife's art exhibit at the Everson Museum in a letter to the editor to the Post-Standard on Oct. 6, 1971. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

Love Letter from Two Artists

Dear Whoever Wrote that Hokum about Art,

I'd forgotten about people like you! Well, well -- you still exist, of course, in other small towns across the world ...

I was wondering what on earth has what the husband of the artist said, four or five years ago, got to do with the current "This Is Not Here" Show at Everson Museum by Yoko Ono? brought here by a man this town should be proud of -- Jim Harithas. I mean did people really discuss Picasso's wifes gossip. I'd also like to know since when this nameless ghost of the Post-Standard represented the so-called art world? Yoko and I are pretty close to a few artists, (we are artists!) and as artists, we can tell you that the "art world" is not in the 19th century, and one thing artists down the centuries have been up against is bourgeois mealy mouthed gossip from the "grey people' (or Blue Meanies!). Society only likes dead artists. I'm afraid Yoko (and myself) cannot oblige. Love anyway,

John Lennon

Yoko Ono Lennon

P.S. Why dont you come and see the art Im sure the man you think I insulted would turn the other cheek and come.

P.P.S. You forgot to mention the other men from the former group (George Harrison) who is/was a highly religious, fervent disciple of Christ, Hari Krishna, et al.

The newspaper buried the letter in the bottom right-hand corner of its Oct. 7, 1971 editorial page, well below yet another Yoko Ono editorial.

Wonder how much we could have for those two signatures? the editorial asks.
SYRACUSE, N.Y.  The Syracuse City School District will hold a public hearing on a proposed new charter school, CNY Institute of Academics & Performance, 5 p.m. Thursday in the districts Central Office boardroom at 725 Harrison St.

The proposed high school would enroll 200 students over five years.

Charter schools are free, independent public schools funded by the district and state that operate under a contract known as a "charter."

Charter schools in New York are authorized by either the state Board of Regents or SUNY.

Patrina Denise Thomas, a special education teacher, submitted an application to SUNY last month to open the charter school focusing on arts and sports. If approved, the school may lease space at 750 James St.

Syracuse has four charter schools: OnTech High School, Syracuse Academy of Science (K-12), Syracuse Academy of Science and Citizenship (K-3) and Southside Academy (K-8).

Another proposed Syracuse charter high school, the Emerald Charter School, is expected to submit an application to the state in May. It plans to enroll 320 students over four years. That proposal is being developed by Mirza Tihic, a Syracuse University administrator and co-founder of the North Side Learning Center.
To the Editor:

Shaleen Title, a commissioner in the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, has recommended ten equity must-haves for our New York state cannabis legalization, all of which I believe are essential.

1. Homegrow. Allow consumers to grow a limited number of their own plants at home (in Massachusetts, its six per adult with max of 12 per residence) and gift a limited amount to other adults (in Massachusetts, its 1 ounce). This serves as a check on monopolies, delays and more.

2. Automatic expungement for cannabis convictions, in the same law at the same time as legalization. Period.

3. Ensure as a non-negotiable, never-expiring statutory requirement that people from disproportionately harmed communities are represented at the very top of the regulating agency. There are plenty who are qualified.

4. Ensure that the regulating agency is diverse, independent, subject to full transparency and appointed by different people. Brand new agencies take time/resources to start up, but its worth it.

5. Dedicate tax revenue to be reinvested into disproportionately harmed communities. Give it teeth; do not allow that revenue to be subject to appropriation and do not require bureaucratic application processes that only privileged communities will be able to tap into. Create an Office of Justice Reinvestment to fairly distribute such revenue.

6. Separate from that reinvestment and invest a specific percentage of tax revenue into technical assistance, hiring programs and interest-free loans for disproportionately affected communities with a funding mechanism for initial programming and outreach as soon as the law passes. It is very important to specify the agency(ies) in charge, with specified deadlines and consequences for missing the deadlines. Most agencies underestimated the need for immediate outreach and education in previous cannabis legislation.

7. Require state regulators and localities to ensure diversity in the industry at ownership and employee levels, and to enforce limits, with goals, measurement, and accountability for the regulators. It may be best for localities to design their own goals rather than specifying them.

8. Institute a statutory requirement that tax revenue only flows to municipalities that have honored these mandates. Leave it up to the municipalities to figure out how to make their local laws and processes inclusive to disproportionately harmed communities before receiving any local taxes.

9. Require every business to contribute to these goals in addition to, but not instead of, the governments role. One option is to require diversity plans and positive impact plans as requirements for licensure and renewal. There are many ways to accomplish this.

10. Lastly, require the regulating agency to collect data on each of these items, report the data regularly, and take remedial measures when the data is not satisfactory. Give the regulating agency broad flexibility and authority to accomplish this.

This will ensure an industry that is not controlled by a handful of corporations and will also ensure an industry with social justice that benefits disproportionately harmed communities.

Gene Tinelli

Jamesville
Harry Litman is a former U.S. attorney and deputy assistant attorney general. He teaches constitutional law and national security law at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law and the University of California at San Diego Department of Political Science.

By Harry Litman | Special To The Washington Post

Attorney General William Barrs letter Sunday to congressional leaders is designed to provide the principal conclusions of special counsel Robert Mueller 's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. But on one of the two central topics from the Mueller report -- possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump -- Barrs letter leaves unanswered more principal questions than it answers.

The first puzzling aspect of the Barr letter is its report that Mueller, after making a thorough factual investigation of evidence bearing on possible obstruction of justice, "determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment." Mueller's report, we are told, is rather perfectly fence-straddling, stating only that "while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

So Question No. 1: Why did Mueller, whose charges as a prosecutor include making precisely these sorts of judgments and bringing them to a federal grand jury, decline to do so in this case? Obviously, he was able to reach decisions with respect to the 37 individuals or companies that he charged over the course of his investigation. What extra-prosecutorial considerations caused the famously dutiful and thorough Mueller to leave such a core part of his job unfinished?

Barr's letter then informs Congress that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided to step into the breach. Barr writes that Mueller's decision "to describe the facts of his obstruction investigation without reaching any legal conclusions leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime." But this cryptic statement is really just a description of the gap, not an explanation for why Barr stepped in.

That raises the second critical question: Did Mueller ask Barr to step in? Or is Barr simply asserting a general power to reach conclusions for the Justice Department that Mueller thought he himself couldn't or shouldn't? While in some bureaucratic sense, the attorney general, as head of the Justice Department, bears responsibility for all of the department's decisions, I am unaware of a single instance in my years in the Justice Department in which a final prosecutorial decision was left to the attorney general without so much as a recommendation from the actual prosecutor.

We need to know the answer. If, say, Mueller's reason for refusing to exercise this judgment was that he believed the involvement of the president made the question a political one for Congress, Barr's move would represent a rank overruling of a key conclusion of Mueller, as well as a power grab from Congress.

The final unanswered question, and perhaps the most consequential: What was the nature of the analysis that Barr and Rosenstein applied in deciding that Mueller's evidence was not sufficient to establish that the president committed obstruction? The consensus of many scholars and commentators, based just on the publicly available evidence, has been that the case for obstruction was strong. Did some additional confidential evidence sway Barr and Rosenstein? Was it some particular legal reading of the obstruction statute?

This last possibility is unsettling. Barr's letter says that he and Rosenstein consulted with the department's Office of Legal Counsel before coming to their conclusion. This raises the possibility that the Barr analysis is premised on some controversial and expansive view of executive power that neither Congress nor the courts would endorse.

We know that Barr wrote an unsolicited letter to department officials before he took office that could be read to embrace the view that the president cannot obstruct justice while exercising his enumerated powers, such as the pardon power, regardless of his motive for doing so. It would be an outrage if this were the basis for Barrs and Rosensteins decision. That is not simply because the view is thoroughly wrong and discredited -- which it is -- but because it would effectively preempt, or sharply hamstring, the ability of both coordinate branches to decide the question.
WASHINGTON  Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice, Attorney General William Barr declared Sunday. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

Trump cheered the outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four-page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start: Did his campaign work with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton? That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. The resolution also could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favor.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts  like firing his FBI director  that he was legally empowered to take.

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the last two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment, his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign, his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser, and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.

The special counsel's investigation did not come up empty-handed. It ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation. Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Sunday's summary  and its suggestion that Mueller may have found evidence in support of obstruction  sets up a fight between Barr and Democrats, who called for the special counsel's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigations.

"Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

"Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's own claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added.

Trump was at his Florida estate when lawmakers received the report. Barr's chief of staff called Emmet Flood, the lead White House lawyer on the investigation, to brief him on the findings shortly before he sent it to Congress. Mueller submitted his report to Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department.

Barr did not speak with the president, Mueller was not consulted on the letter, and the White House does not have Mueller's report, according to a Justice Department official.

Though Mueller did not find evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russian government, Barr's summary notes "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

That's a likely reference not only to a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Donald Trump. Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Clinton from a Kremlin-connected lawyer, as well as a conversation in London months earlier at which Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was told Russia had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see all the underlying evidence. He said on Twitter:

There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the President from wrongdoing. DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.  (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) March 24, 2019

Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses. Trump answered some questions in writing, but refused to be interviewed in person by Mueller's team.

Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses.

In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trumps actions constituted a federal crime that prosecutors could prove in court.

--By Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo, Chad Day and Julie Pace, Associated Press
Something to look forward to: Nintendo proved the doubters very wrong with the Switch. Many thought it would be a failure on the same level as the Wii U, but the hybrid console has been a massive success, which likely explains why two new versions may be launched this summer.

We heard rumors back in January that a cheaper, more portable Switch was in the works. Now, the Wall Street Journal reports that in addition to that smaller device, an enhanced version aimed at more hardcore gamers will also be arriving.

Citing parts suppliers and software developers who have access to a prototype of the machine, the WSJ writes that while the more powerful Switch will be competing with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it still wont be able to match the performance of those consoles.

The second, cheaper Switch model is aimed at casual gamers. Nintendo reportedly views this machine as a successor to the aging 3DS. Its said that the company intends to lower the price by removing some little-used features, including the HD Rumble controller vibration.

Both new Switch models are expected to be announced at E3, which kicks off on June 11, with a release date set for a few months later. Nintendo is also thought to be launching new entries in its Animal Crossing and Pokemon franchises later this year.

While Nintendo lowered the Switchs sales forecast in January, it was still the best-selling console last month and 2019 to date, giving Nintendo its best February in terms of money made from hardware since 2011. Following in the footsteps of Sony and Microsoft by releasing updated models will likely keep the momentum going until the next generation of consoles arrives.
Why it matters: Even the biggest tech companies in the world arent safe from scammers, just ask Evaldas Rimasauskas. The 50-year-old Lithuanian man has pleaded guilty to his role in stealing $122 million from Facebook and Google using a phishing scheme.

According to prosecutors, Rimasauskas and his conspirators sent emails to the two firms between 2013 and 2015, in which they claimed to be real Taiwanese laptop maker Quanta Computer.

The emails were designed to look like they originated from Quanta executives. They asked that payments for services carried out by the real Quanta be sent to bank accountswhich Rimasauskas operatedbased in Latvia, Cyprus, Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Hong Kong. He also forged contracts and documents to make them look like they were signed by Google and Facebook executives. These were handed over to the banks to support the wire transfers.

Rimasauskas founded a company called Quanta Computer in Latvia to make the emails appear more convincing. The plan worked: Google handed over $23 million, while Facebook was conned out of $99 million. Rimasauskas was extradited to the US in August 2017.

Rimasauskas thought he could hide behind a computer screen halfway across the world while he conducted his fraudulent scheme, but as he has learned, the arms of American justice are long, and he now faces significant time in a U.S. prison, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan said in a statement.

Rimasauskas pleaded guilty to one charge of wire fraud in a New York court last week. As part of his plea, he has agreed to return just under $50 million. Its not known what happened to the rest of the stolen money. He faces up to 30 years in prison when sentenced on July 24, 2019.

A Facebook spokesman said: Facebook recovered the bulk of the funds shortly after the incident and has been co-operating with law enforcement in its investigation. Google gave a similar statement: We detected this fraud and promptly alerted the authorities. We recouped the funds, and were pleased this matter is resolved.
Netizens are going gaga over the latest viral craze known as the #FloridaManChallenge, where they would search on Google about random things some nameless Floridian had done on different dates.

The goal is to find the most bizarre stuff the #FloridaMan has ever done, and then share it on social media. Whoever has the funniest and most out-of-this-world tale wins the internet.

The Legend Of Florida Man

To join in on the fun, users have to go online and search for the phrase "Florida man" along with a specific date. Some enter their own birthdays to see what the Floridian has done on that day.

One of the latest incidents involves the titular Florida man allegedly shoving a woman because he wanted to eat egg rolls in her house. He got a slap from the lady for his efforts.

There is also the Florida man who was arrested because he threw a cheeseburger at a pregnant woman. Apparently, there was also another Floridian who attacked his girlfriend by shoving a similar meaty sandwich into her face six years earlier. He too was nabbed by cops.

The Florida man's antics just keep getting weirder and weirder.

Twitter user "swervin merv" said when tried searching for Florida man along with his birthday Aug. 22, he got a news headline that read, "Florida man tries to attack neighbor with tractor".

Trenni Kusnierek tweeted about two stories she came across while surfing the internet. The first one read, "St. Pete police: Witnesses said man showed off body in his shed," while the second one read, "Florida Man High on Meth Jumps on Strangers' Cars, Surfs Them." Both incidents happened on April 30 but were three years apart.

A Florida man phoned 911 on May 23. What was his reason? He was demanding to get a ride home because he needed to "change his underwear".

On Oct. 8, a 22-year-old Floridian attacked his own mother with sausages after she accidentally bumped into him while making his dinner.

Here's one for the books. A Florida man was pulled over by cops for speeding. That doesn't sound anything out of the ordinary, until it was revealed that the errant Floridian was driving a "footmobile" while wearing a Fred Flintstone outfit.

Meanwhile, another Florida man was caught on tape licking his neighbor's doorbell twice.

Say No To Florida Man

Some Florida man stories are hilarious, while others can be considered downright disturbing. However, not all internet folks find the Florida Man Challenge even one bit amusing.

Twitter user "Brotha" claims the whole thing is just another way for hackers to mine data from people.

"Have [sic] you guys figured out that the "google Florida man" bit is a data mining scam, or are you too busy taking an ancestry test [?]," Brotha wrote.

It seems there are other netizens sharing these sentiments.

"So is this 'Florida man' thing going around way for google/big brother to get your personal data, ie date of birth? (*not that they don't have it already)," another user tweeted.

A certain Nina Badzin even suspects Google to be the one behind this dastardly deed.

"Is this going to be one of those things when Google is simply collecting data? #FloridaMan," Badzin noted.

Whether the Florida Man Challenge proves to be a scam or not, there's no denying it has already become the next big viral sensation on the web right now.

EVERYBODY google florida man followed by your birthday (florida man august 22) and tell me what you get. mine is Florida Man tries to attack neighbor with tractor  swervin merv (@g_pratimaaa) March 19, 2019

I cant choose between these two #FloridaManChallenge birthday headlines. 4/30/18: St. Pete police: Witnesses said man showed off body in his shed 4/30/15: Florida Man High on Meth Jumps on Strangers Cars, Surfs Them  Trenni Kusnierek (@trenni) March 21, 2019

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A 27-year-old man from Sydney has become the seventh person in the world to contract HIV despite taking anti-retroviral medication, reports confirmed.

A few days before Christmas last year, Steven Spencer found out that his regular sexual health test returned a positive result for HIV.

For a time, he has been undergoing treatment and taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that is designed to prevent the spread of the disease.

"I remember I was left sitting in the doctor's waiting room for 15 minutes and then came the diagnosis," Spencer told ABC News Australia.

Receiving The Diagnosis Was A 'Rollercoaster'

A day after he had received the diagnosis, Spencer immediately began his treatment for HIV. It had also been six weeks since his viral load, which was undetectable. It meant that the virus will not be transferred via sexual intercourse.

Spencer said that although he feels unlucky, the last thing he wanted was for people to doubt the effectiveness of PrEP. He has been a PrEP advocate for a long time and remains supportive of the drug.

"Even though my case may sow a seed of doubt, I don't think it should at all," he added.

What Is Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)?

More than half a million patients around the world take PrEP. It is an anti-viral medication taken by people who do not have HIV but who are at risk of getting it. It is recommended to be taken before sex either as a low dose or a higher dose that is taken two hours before sex and then another tablet after sex.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the drug works by preventing the development of HIV and it is taken as a pill (Truvada) that contains tenofovir and emtricitabine.

The CDC says that the drug reduces the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by up to 92 percent. One important thing to note is that PrEP is less effective when it is taken inconsistently.

In 2018, PrEP was added on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme after studies had been done involving 14,000 gay and bisexual men across Australia.

This helped reduce the cost of a three-month supply of anti-viral drugs from a whopping $2,000 to $120, with some users importing the drug overseas.

Edwina Right, an associate professor from the Australian Society for Sexual Health Medicines, said the method that involves taking two tablets before sex and another two after 48 hours has shown significant results.

Right said there was a trial that showed reduced HIV transmission by 86 percent and that they are still waiting for further studies to determine if taking the drug daily is just as effective.

Taking PrEP Is Still Highly Recommended

Despite the development of Spencer's case, health advocates believe that PrEP should still be taken to prevent HIV infection. Advocates from the Terrence Higgins Trust urge people not to panic about the effectiveness of the drug.

Ian Green, the chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said prescribed PrEP is nearly 100 percent effective at stopping HIV transmission.

"It's vital that this story doesn't put people off accessing PrEP for HIV prevention," Green told HuffingtonPost.

Green added that there are thousands of people taking PrEP drugs and only a handful have developed HIV. He said those cases are lessons to be learned from.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
AT&T's "5G" network was uncovered recently as bogus, pertaining merely to the network's "5G Evolution" which, while a bit of a step up from 4G, still isn't true 5G. But even that might be fraudulent as well, according to a new study.

Apparently, 5G E isn't just misleading, but it's also actually slower than other carrier with similar LTE Advanced and Advanced Pro technologies.

The study, first report by Ars Technica, was done by OpenSignal, where it measured and compared download speeds from AT&T's 5G E network against the results from other carriers' 4G LTE services. OpenSignal notes that its study is based on tests on 1,057,522 devices nationwide, spanning all four major carriers, between Jan. 28 and Feb. 26.

AT&T 5G LTE

Only a handful of phones can leverage AT&T's 5G E network, and they're indeed faster than AT&T's 4G offerings on lower-tier phones. However, 5G E only scored a peak download speed of 28.8 Mbps, placing it third out of the four carriers, with Verizon coming in first, T-Mobile second, and Sprint last.

That's not all. OpenSignal also noted that when the same 5G E phones are used on different networks, there's barely any difference in speed. As The Verge notes, it's almost as if there's nothing special about 5G E at all, as opposed to what AT&T has been claiming all this time.

AT&T's Response

The carrier in question has addressed the study, claiming that OpenSignal's methodology is "flawed," adding that:

"Speed-test data purporting to show the 'real-world experience of 5G Evolution' without verifying the capable devices were tested in a 5G Evolution coverage area as shown by the indicator does not accurately represent the 5G Evolution user experience."

Wrong methodology or not, OpenSignal hones a point that everyone should be aware of: 5G E is not 5G. It's simply a 4G LTE network masking as 5G in order to appeal to consumers hyped about next-generation networks but are none the wiser when it comes to the technical side of things.

Even still, AT&T, along with other carriers, are developing their 5G networks. All carriers plan to launch each of their services sometime this year. Suffice it to say that there's no such thing as a 5G network at the moment. Check out Tech Times' primer on 5G.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Scientists are moving closer to finding a way to avoid fertility issues among children who are diagnosed with cancer before puberty.

In a new study, a team from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Magee-Women's Research Institute reported that testicular tissue can be cryopreserved and then restored in the same body later in life.

The experiment, which involved monkeys has produced offsprings, making scientists optimistic that the same procedure can be performed in humans in the future.

The researchers reveal the exciting discovery in Science.

First Baby Monkey Born Using Cryopreserved Testicle

More children are surviving childhood cancer. However, many of them, nearly one in three, will be left infertile after radiation and chemotherapy.

Young adults who are diagnosed with the disease can freeze their sperm, eggs, or embryos before they begin the treatment. However, children who have not gone through puberty cannot do the same because they are not producing mature sperm or eggs yet.

The new study gives hope that boys who are about to go through cancer treatment will have a chance to become fathers in the future.

"We grew up in families ourselves, and I imagine that many of us dreamed about growing up and having our own families," stated Kyle Orwig, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is also one of the authors of the study. "This advance is an important step toward offering young cancer patients around the world a chance at having a family in the future."

Orwig and his team developed a non-human model of cancer survivorship among prepubertal rhesus macaques. Prior to subjecting the monkeys to therapy, the researchers removed one of its testes and cryopreserved it. As the monkeys approached puberty, the other testis was also removed. On the same day, the team transplanted pieces of the tissues from both testes under the skin of the animal

When the monkeys reached puberty, their testosterone levels increased, causing the tissues to mature and produce sperm. About eight to 12 months later, the researchers removed the grafted tissues and found mature sperm.

The sperm was sent to the Oregon National Primate Research Center where a different team was generating embryos from female monkeys. In April 2018, a healthy baby monkey was born.

Solving Fertility Issues Among Childhood Cancer Survivors

Similar procedures have been performed and proved to be successful in other animals, including lab mice. However, the researchers also noted that in the non-human primate model, they grafted larger pieces of testicular tissues.

They hope that the success of the new study would lead to testing among human patients.

"Having produced a live-born and healthy baby, we feel that this is a technology that is ready to be tested in the clinic," added Orwig.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A team of skilled hackers got more than what they bargained for in the Pwn2Own Hacking Event in Vancouver, Canada.

This is after Tesla gifted them with an electric car and $375K after it managed to uncover the liabilities of the Model 3 in the final day of the event.

Richard Zhu and Amat Cama of team Fluoroacetate proficiently unmasked the vulnerabilities of the Model 3 with the use of the JIT bug in the renderer to take control of its infotainment system.

Zhu and Cama refused to offer much information as to how they managed to penetrate the system, but multiple reports say that the winning pair made use of the JIT bug to efficiently execute the code on the car's firmware.

Tesla Praises Team Fluoroacetate

David Lau, Vice President of Vehicle Software at Tesla lauded the efforts of Zhu and Cama and vowed to fix the said vulnerabilities. The company added that they will be releasing a software update in the next few days to properly address the system glitches of the Model 3. It also mentioned that it will not void warranties for vehicles used in pre-approved good faith security research.

"We develop our cars with the highest standards of safety in every respect, and our work with the security research community is invaluable to us. Since launching our bug bounty program in 2014  the first to include a connected consumer vehicle  we have continuously increased our investments into partnerships with security researchers to ensure that all Tesla owners constantly benefit from the brightest minds in the community," Lau said.

"We look forward to learning about, and rewarding, great work in Pwn2Own so that we can continue to improve our products and our approach to designing inherently secure systems."

Team Fluoroacetate dominated the three-day competition after earning 36 Master of Pwn points for competently detecting susceptibilities on popular software such as the Windows 10, VMware Workstation, Edge, Firefox, and Apple Safari. Overall, Team Fluoroacetate pocketed $375,000 in cash and their winnings totaled to $545,000 in the three-day contest organized by the Zero-Day Initiative team of Trend Micro.

Pwn2Own is an annual hacking and security gathering, which awards hackers commemorative prizes for hacking a particular device. This year's event also marked the first time that a car maker joined the competition.

Tesla Also Initiates Car Breaching Contests

According to sources within the industry, Tesla has given away thousands of dollars in rewards to hackers for successfully breaching its car systems. As a matter of fact, Tesla increased its max payout for a reported bug to $15,000 last year.

It can be recalled that a Chinese whitehat hacker group named as the Keen Security Lab at Tencent was able to remotely maneuver the Tesla Model S with the use of a malicious Wi-Fi hotspot in 2016.

Reports say that the hacking initiated by the Keen Security Lab at Tencent marked the first remote hack of a Tesla vehicle. The white hat hackers subsequently reported the liability to Tesla who immediately initiated several updates to strengthen the system.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns the public to stay vigilant despite the investigation completion of recalled ground beef in the United States.

Authorities say people should check their freezers as some might still be lurking around. They instruct people to look specifically for products recalled by JBS Tolleson, Inc., of Tolleson, Arizona. More particularly, watch out for establishment number "EST. 267" most usually found in the USDA mark.

Details Of Recalled Ground Beef

The ground beef in question was manufactured and packaged between July 26, 2018 and Sept. 7, 2018. The products were distributed to over 100 retail stores under different brand names all over the country.

All in all, the company recalled about 6.9 million pounds of beef in October 2018, followed by another 5.2 million pounds worth of products on Dec. 4, 2018. The government released a list of all stores where the beef was sold for public information and safety.

Information Upon Completion Of Investigation

As per the numbers, a total of 403 people suffered from infections caused by Salmonella. Moreover, 117 people were admitted in hospitals. The reports of illness started from Aug. 5, 2018 and halted by Feb. 8, 2019. Fortunately, there were no reports of deaths.

"As of March 22, 2019, this outbreak appears to be over," the CDC writes.

What To Do In The Midst Of The Outbreak

Aside from checking freezers, it is important to take necessary steps to ensure that families are spared from the outbreak. CDC recommends some tips and to-do's. First, if one finds the recalled ground beef in their homes, bring it back to the store of purchase, or simply, dump them in the garbage. If someone in the family or community shows signs and symptoms of infection related to ground beef consumption, consult a healthcare professional. The public may call the JBS USA Consumer Hotline at (800) 727-2333 if there are any concerns or questions about the recalled ground beef.

CDC also have tips for business owners, including retails outlets and restaurants. These establishments should thoroughly check their storage and freezers for the recalled products. They should not sell, cook, or serve these products to the public at all. Whenever possible, authorities recommend that these stores call to their customers who have been sold with the recalled products.

Lastly, for both households and restaurant owners/staff, CDC says it is a must to cook ground beef in a safe and sanitary manner to avoid any food-related disease. When cooking at home, use a thermometer and make sure to cook the beef until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F. People who order beef in restaurants should ask the servers to ensure that their beef dish orders be cooked in the said internal temperature as well.

The battle might seem finished with the investigations coming to a close, but it is critical that the public be warned about the possible dangers that might still occur. Looking at freezers may look like an insignificant step to take, but it is a valuable measure to put a dot in this recall case.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A female inmate who was suffering from diabetes was reportedly left to die on the floor after being denied medication by prison staff.

Forty-five-year-old Annabella Landsberg was restrained by officers at HMP Peterborough after allegedly grabbing the legs of prison staff Amy Moore while receiving medication. She was then left on the concrete floor for 21 hours without being given any food or medicine.

The following day, Moore found Landsberg, who was also HIV positive, unresponsive and soaked in her own urine. She was later taken to the hospital but died soon after.

Investigation Into Landsberg's Death

In an inquiry on Landsberg's death, Moore recounted how the diabetic inmate had behaved when they were about to administer her medication.

Some officers were called to her cell after she did not respond for her medication. She was supposed to receive the medicine through an inundation point, but she said she could not stand up. Moore thought Landsberg was just being difficult.

"She said her legs wouldn't work, so she couldn't stand up, and she was reaching at the sink," Moore said.

"She was kicking her legs about, backwards and forwards. I thought she was trying to be difficult for staff."

Landsberg was said to have grabbed Moore's legs just when other officers were entering the room. She then began kicking and wriggling toward the cell door.

After restraining Landsberg, the prison officers left her cell and went on with their duties. They collected hourly logs and checked up on her from outside her cell for at least 13 hours During this time, the inmate was said to be moaning and mumbling incoherently.

However, none of the staff entered her cell or even asked her how she was doing.

When Moore came by to check Landsberg, she noticed that the inmate had not moved or eaten. Landsberg also seemed to have wet herself while she was on the floor.

A duty nurse by the name of Lesley Watts went inside the cell and told Landsberg to get up. She called the inmate "pathetic" and then threw water over her, according to Moore.

When Landsberg still did not respond, they called an ambulance and rushed her to the hospital. She died three days later.

The inquest into Landsberg's death is still ongoing.

In 2014, Landsberg was arrested by police on charges of antisocial behavior. She was originally from Zimbabwe but had fled to the United Kingdom after she was gang raped.

Landsberg's health and mental capacity began to deteriorate after she was diagnosed with HIV 12 years ago, according to her sister Sandra.

Sandra said she had been experiencing nightmares after Landsberg's death. She has vowed to make sure that no other inmates would suffer the same fate as her sister.

Importance Of Diabetes Medication

Diabetes sufferers like Landsberg need to take medications regularly to help manage their condition. Patients may have to take different kinds of medicines depending on the type of diabetes they are diagnosed with, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

For people with type 1 diabetes, they need to take insulin medication because their bodies can no longer produce the hormone naturally. These are taken regularly along with their meals.

For type 2 diabetes sufferers, most can still manage their condition through regular exercise and by making healthy food choices. However, some may already have to depend on medications such as diabetes pills and insulin injections to keep their illness in check.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is being touted as the second worst in history has crossed 1,000-case mark.

According to the Congolese health ministry, 944 of the 1,000 cases were confirmed to be Ebola while 65 are still probable. The death toll, meanwhile, has reached 629.

"We use words like 'cases' and 'containment' to be scientific, but behind every number is a person, a family and a community that is suffering," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization. "This outbreak has gone on far too long."

Ebola Cases On The Rise

After several weeks of decline, the WHO reported an increase of confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC. The organization said that the "increased security challenges" that humanitarian groups have faced in the country have hampered any effort to control the outbreak.

Just this month, militants attacked a treatment center in North Kivu, injuring a staff member and killing a police officer. Two other militant attacks in February forced the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders to temporarily suspend medical activities. The United States also pulled out its government employees last summer.

The province of North Kivu has been suffering from long-term conflicts. Dozens of armed groups stage attacks, disrupting humanitarian work and exacerbating the ongoing outbreak. WHO said that it has received additional support from the United Nations and the local police to protect Ebola treatment centers from further militant attacks.

Some Progress

However, despite the intermittent violence in the area, WHO continues to push back against the Ebola outbreak in the DRC. The organization reported that over 96,000 people have been vaccinated and those are eligible to receive immunization accept it.

Moreover, strict border screenings have prevented the disease from spreading outside of the affected provinces. No cases of Ebola have crossed international borders.

"Despite the increased frequency of attacks by armed groups, WHO will stay the course and will work with communities to end this outbreak together with the Ministry of Health and partners," added Tedros. "We need redoubled support from the international community, and a commitment to push together to bring this outbreak to an end."

The worst outbreak of Ebola in history happened in West Africa where the diseases killed 11,000 people in 2014.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Nokia recently got itself embroiled in data breach controversy for supposedly collecting and sending user data to China by mistake.

The Finnish smartphone maker has already denied rumors that its Nokia 7 Plus or any other handsets were sending personal data to a third party.

However, it is important to understand how talks about the potential data breach started and what really happened.

Nokia Phones Data Breach Controversy

News about the data breach first broke after several Nokia 7 Plus users noticed usual operational behavior from their smartphones, according to website NRK Beta.

A Norwegian user by the name of Henrik Austad observed the traffic on his Nokia phone and found that it would often contact an overseas server and send unencrypted data packets to it.

Each time the smartphone was turned on, Austad said the device would supposedly send his phone's serial number, his SIM card number, and even his current geographical position to a server somewhere in China.

However, HMD Global, the owner of the Nokia brand, clarified that no such data transfer involving Nokia 7 Plus has occurred. The company clarified that it was more of an error in the packing process of smartphones' software.

"We have looked deeply into the case at hand and can confirm that no personally identifiable information has been shared with any third party," HMD Global wrote in its statement.

"We have analysed the case at hand and have found that our device activation client meant for our China variant was mistakenly included in the software package of a single batch of Nokia 7 Plus phones."

The smartphone maker said it has already issued a fix for the problem for all affected Nokia handsets.

Why Nokia Needs To Collect Data

For people who want to know why Nokia even had to collect data in the first place, HMD Global offered two main reasons:

First is to activate the device warranty. Nokia needs to collect data from its phones to help activate their device warranty. Whenever a user starts up his smartphone for the first time, the handset would contact Nokia's server and send its data to it.

Second is to improve user satisfaction. Nokia also offers users a chance to take part in its User Experience Program. Owners would be asked to send in their phone's diagnostics data, as well as their feedback on how satisfied they are of their device. These would help Nokia improve its products and services further.

All data collected by Nokia through its devices outside of China are sent to HMD Global's servers located in Singapore. The company said the facility is powered by Amazon Web Services and follows strict privacy laws and GDPR guidelines.

Meanwhile, data from Nokia handsets in China are sent to local servers in the country. HMD Global said this is in compliance with China's own Cyber Security Law.

China's Cyber Security Law

The Chinese government requires smartphone makers to collect data from all devices in China and sent them to a server in the country. This means that every time a user in China turns on their phone, their location and information are sent to the state through hardware tracking.

Some observers believe this policy was set in place in order for the government to keep an eye on its people.

Since Nokia is one of the smartphone brands available in China, HMD Global is required to develop their phone's OS to have this same feature. Otherwise, the company will not be able to sell any of its products in the large Chinese market.

This would help explain why the Nokia 7 Plus smartphones in Norway that had the Chinese activation client by mistake tried to contact HMD Global's servers in China.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Kacee Thompson - Hospice of Acadiana from Discover Lafayette on Vimeo.

Kacee Thompson, executive director of the Hospice of Acadiana Foundation, spoke with Jan Swift of Discover Lafayette podcast to discuss the mission and services offered by the areas oldest and only nonprofit hospice.

You can listen to the podcast here.

Thompson talks about the history of hospice in Acadiana, which involves Father Louis Richard. Following the death of his grandmother while he was in seminary in Belgium, the Lafayette native worked at St. Christophers House near London British physician Dr. Cicely Saunders, who is considered to be the founder of the modern-day Hospice movement.

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Father Louie developed a deep commitment to caring for the dying. In Lafayette he met with other community leaders and in 1983 helped establish Hospice of Acadiana, Inc., a nonprofit hospice committed to providing quality care at the end of life for all, regardless of their ability to pay for these services.

Hospice of Acadiana remains the only nonprofit hospice in the area. With the longest record of continuous service of any hospice in Louisiana, the agency has served over 24,000 patients and their families. With a full-time staff physician, 300 volunteers, 70 full-time employees and a dozen volunteer physicians, Hospice serves a nine-parish area for patients who live within a 50-mile radius of the organizations offices at 2600 Johnston St. in Lafayette.

For more Discover Lafayette podcasts, click here.
One of Louisianas two medical marijuana growers is planning to do a limited release of the drug in May, a move aimed at getting treatments to those most in need amid demands from frustrated patients and pharmacy owners.

GB Sciences, the firm hired by LSU to run its marijuana-growing program, will take product it has already made in a temporary facility and release it to the states nine licensed pharmacies, GB Sciences Louisiana President John Davis said at a medical marijuana stakeholder meeting at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture offices in Baton Rouge.

After that, the company's first full harvest of plants in the main facility that it just moved into wont happen until August. It will take about a month to turn that into tinctures for sale to patients, Davis said.

"We want to go forward with the pharmacies with a limited release so we can get medicine to the most critically in-need patients, Davis said.

In general we would like to aim for May, Davis said. We know there are a lot of things involved with that," he added. We know its not going to supply the whole market.

While GB Sciences is working to produce marijuana in its main facility, it will also be doing several harvests in the temporary pod, Davis said. After August, the company will be fully operating.

Patients and advocates packed the room Monday for the second meeting in a row to complain about repeated delays of the states medical marijuana program. Lawmakers passed legislation outlining the program in 2015, and set the program forward in 2016.

Agriculture department offers to let LSU expand marijuana production as regulatory process plays out Louisiana's state agriculture department on Thursday offered to give LSU permission to expand its medical marijuana-growing operations if its 

The Louisiana Association of Therapeutic Alternatives, which represents the states marijuana pharmacies and some doctors and patients, demanded product hit the shelves by May 15.

We need this medication, said Doug Boudreaux, head of the association and owner of a north Louisiana marijuana pharmacy. Were desperate for this medication.

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy selected nine pharmacies to sell marijuana in different regions throughout the state last spring. The board has since issued five of nine permits, while four others are awaiting inspections, said Carlos Finalet, general counsel for the pharmacy board.

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While GB Sciences said it will release the drug in May, it is not clear who will be eligible to get access to the drug if it does become available then, as Davis made clear the amount of product would not be enough meet the demands of the entire market. The company will know soon how much product it will have for the May release, Davis said in an interview.

Former NFL players, including Saints, among investors in LSU's marijuana-growing company Four former NFL linebackers, including an LSU star and two former Saints players, are among the more than 100 people who have invested nearly 

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said he does not see a problem with meeting the May 15 deadline, but he did not promise the product will be available by then. The agriculture department also tests the drug, and it is not clear how long that will take.

The agriculture department on Friday granted GB Sciences approval for its suitability investigation, which looks at financial, criminal and civil backgrounds of the people involved in the company.

That was an abrupt turnaround from earlier this month, when Strains department accused GB Sciences and LSU of breaking the law by moving into the main facility without its permission.

The move from the temporary facility to the main production area represents a 400 percent increase in production capacity, Davis said. The company is operating in a former Pepsi distribution center off Highland Road in south Baton Rouge.

The agriculture department has been locked in a months-long feud with LSU and GB Sciences over the regulatory process.

Southern University is the other authorized grower of medical marijuana, and the university hired a company, Advanced Biomedics, that made little progress before another company bought the majority interest in it last fall.

That firm, Ilera Holistic Healthcare, has acquired a piece of property in north Baton Rouge off Plank Road where it is planning to build a temporary production facility this spring. Greg Rochlin, CEO of Ilera Holistic, said the company is aiming to have product available for patients sometime this fall.

"Were moving at a very thoughtful and expedient pace," Rochlin said.
A state senator has asked for a Louisiana Attorney General opinion on whether the Lafayette City-Parish Council can change new city and parish council districts and voter precincts with a council ordinance or whether a home rule charter amendment, which requires a vote of the people, is necessary.

State Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Landry on Monday requesting the opinion and notified the council via e-mail Monday, writing, "I hope the request of opinion however it turns out, helps you with your decision."

Voters across Lafayette Parish in a low-turnout Dec. 8 election approved a home rule charter amendment splitting the nine-person City-Parish Council into separate five-person city and parish councils for the first time since consolidation in 1996.

After the election results were certified, it was discovered that some of the council district lines and voter precincts listed in the ordinance calling for the election don't match with maps presented to the public. Some in the community, including some council members, believe the errors and discrepancies should invalidate the Dec. 8 election results or at least require another vote of the public to amend the charter. Others, including some council members, believe a council ordinance can correct the problems, since the Dec. 8 ballot language did not include district and precinct descriptions, only whether voters wanted to split the council into two.

The city-parish legal team researched the matter and concluded in an 11-page opinion that an ordinance of the council is the best and only proper way to solve the problems.

The council voted March 12 in a 5-4 decision not to ask for an attorney general opinion. It instead introduced two ordinance that would correct the precinct and district lines and descriptions. The ordinances are up for final adoption March 26.

Qualifying for the Oct. 12 election for new city and parish council seats is Aug. 6-8, so time is of the essence in correcting the problems.

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In his letter to Landry, Hensgens wrote that some existing precincts were inadvertently omitted from the amended charter with the result that some voters "will not be permitted to vote in any elections called for the city, parish and/or consolidated city/parish government. The voters who will be so disenfranchised are voters that I represent."

Hensgens cited a section of the charter that states districts shall remain in place until changed by reapportionment. The proposed ordinances, he wrote, are "styled as a reapportionment ordinance in what appears to be an attempt to disguise its true purpose of correcting omissions from the district descriptions" in the amended home rule charter.

The state senator cited the Louisiana Constitution of 1974 and a 1994 council decision to require a charter amendment to change district and precinct lines.

City-Parish Attorney Paul Escott, at the March 12 council meeting, said he's "pretty confident" his 11-page opinion is correct and a council ordinance is the proper solution.

"The AG and his office and staff, with all due respect," he said, "they are lawyers just like we are lawyers. They're not always 100 percent right, just like me."

An attorney general opinion is not binding on the council and is only an advisory opinion, Escott said at the time.

The council meets at 5:30 p.m. March 26 at 705 W. University Ave. to consider the ordinances. The meeting is open to the public and public comment is allowed.
Louisianas highways are in bad shape. According to the Reason Foundations latest Annual Highway Report, Louisiana highways rank 37th out of 50 in overall performance. Louisiana is in 39th place for deficient bridges, 40th for poor urban interstate pavement, and 42nd place for rural interstate pavement.

Most highway spending comes from state and federal gas taxes. Efforts to raise gas taxes are unpopular as shown by a recent survey conducted by the engineering firm HNTB. While majorities are unhappy with congestion and decrepit roads and bridges, only 27 percent favored an increase in a tax (like the gas tax) paid by everyone. By contrast, 46 percent were willing to pay a toll to use new or replacement highways, bridges, and tunnels. That difference may be the key to fixing a big part of Louisianas highway problem.

Twentieth-century tolls were unpopular  in part because of long lines at toll plazas, rear-end collisions, and sitting in line breathing exhaust fumes. But any new toll-financed project today would use all-electronic 21st-century tolling. A transponder on your windshield reads your toll account number and debits your prepaid account. And it does this at highway speed. Major new highway projects have been financed recently in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Virginia using all-electronic tolling.

These states have also pioneered a new way to manage the development and operation of major highway and bridge projects. Its called a long-term public-private partnership (P3). The state transportation department runs a competition to select the best team that will design, build, finance, operate, and maintain the bridge or highway for a long term  such as 50 years. This is much like the long-term franchise granted to investor-owned electric utilities. In fact, this process converts major highway projects into a kind of investor-owned utility, subject to detailed provisions in the franchise to protect the public interest.

This P3 model is especially well-suited to transportation megaprojects  such as a new billion-dollar bridge across the Mississippi or replacing and widening a worn-out stretch of interstate highway. All over the world, most megaprojects experience significant cost overruns, late completion, and fewer customers than projected. Under traditional highway contracts, that is no skin off the construction companys back. Taxpayers end up paying for most cost overruns, and the state may not have enough money to properly maintain the new bridge or highway.

But in long-term P3s, these risks are transferred to the private investors, via the legally enforceable long-term franchise. In most toll-financed P3 projects, the risk of not enough toll-paying customers is also transferred to investors. They are also contractually obligated to provide proper ongoing maintenance for the entire long term of the franchise. This is a much better model for procuring megaprojects than the typical 20th-century process where nearly all risks are on the taxpayers.

Our Views: Government cash doesnt tie jobs to places in computer world With much regret all around, the politicians and business leaders of Baton Rouge deplored the loss of several hundred jobs that were proposed 

Louisiana legislators enacted P3-enabling legislation more than a decade ago and updated it in 2016, but so far, no projects have been built. Earlier this year, the state transportation agency selected three best-qualified teams to bid for the replacement of the Belle Chasse Bridge-Tunnel, from which it hopes to select the winner next year and negotiate the long-term agreement. A much bigger (and much-needed) project would be the $1 billion replacement of the aging and ailing Interstate 10 bridge in Lake Charles. It is structurally deficient and lacks adequate traffic lanes.

Shawn Wilson, head of the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development, has said that toll financing is the only realistic way to pay for such megaprojects. And given the known risks in megaprojects, procuring them as long-term P3s would be wise.

+2 DOTD leader doubts a serious debate will occur in state legislature over Louisiana gas tax hike Despite a push from trade groups, Louisiana's transportation chief said Monday he doubts the Louisiana Legislature will seriously debate a hik

Voters are right to distinguish between tolls and gas taxes, and to prefer the former for needed new projects. With a gas tax increase, the voter can be sure of only one thing: paying more to drive, every day, every mile. With tolls applied to specific projects, the voter can be sure of never paying a toll unless the new or rebuilt highway or bridge improves the voters travel and is a good value for the money spent.

Robert W. Poole Jr. is director of transportation policy for the Reason Foundation, a national libertarian think tank. He lives in Plantation, Florida.
The war of words between LSU and a former tenured education professor fired by the university in 2015 is heating up in Baton Rouge federal cou
It was late one morning in December 1982 when a Baton Rouge housewife saw someone approaching her home in the city's Hundred Oaks neighborhood. She opened the door a crack, unsure if it was a carpenter or plumber returning from their lunch break.

The woman realized almost immediately that it was neither, but instead a man who had knocked on her door weeks earlier asking for directions. Suddenly the intruder overpowered her and ordered her upstairs, where he held her at knifepoint and raped her repeatedly, then stabbed her twice and escaped after the victim's friend walked in on the horrific scene.

The days and months that followed would have unexpected and irreversible consequences not only for the victim herself but also for Archie Charles Williams, who was exonerated last week after spending almost four decades in prison for the brutal attack that occurred that morning  a crime Williams did not commit.

+15 Man exonerated in 1982 Baton Rouge rape after fingerprint technology shows match to serial rapist Archie Williams stepped out of the 19th Judicial District courthouse and into the sunshine Thursday afternoon surrounded by relatives and lawy

His 1983 conviction  based almost solely on the victim's positive identification of him in a photo lineup  allowed the real rapist to spend the next several years continuing to terrorize women across Baton Rouge.

Police finally arrested Stephen Forbes in 1986 after finding him on the scene of an attempted rape in progress. He later confessed to four additional rapes in the same area, some with distinct similarities to the Hundred Oaks attack. Recent developments in fingerprint technology matched Forbes to that crime for the first time earlier this month, resulting in Williams' exoneration.

The case highlights shortcomings within the criminal justice system that allowed prosecutors to convince jurors of guilt using flimsy evidence and emotional appeal. That error alone, which took decades to correct, cost Williams his freedom while additional victims suffered at the hands of a serial predator.

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Who was Stephen Forbes?

Forbes died in prison in 1996 while serving 20 years on an attempted rape conviction. He had suffered from severe mental illness for decades before his death.

Forbes' first documented encounter with law enforcement occurred in September 1984 when Baton Rouge police officers thwarted his efforts to jump off the Mississippi River bridge in an apparent suicide attempt. He was "snatched to safety" after one officer distracted Forbes by offering him a cigarette and then three others grabbed him, according to an Advocate report at the time.

That incident occurred when he was 20 years old  more than a year after Williams was convicted of the rape now pinned on Forbes.

Two years after that, one of the officers who had saved Forbes' life arrested him when police responded to reports of a woman's screams and disrupted an attempted rape in progress not far from the Hundred Oaks neighborhood. Officers discovered the 74-year-old victim bound and beaten on the living room floor of her South Baton Rouge apartment. They also found Forbes inside the apartment, wearing only a shirt and socks. Evidence recovered from the scene included a knife and toy gun.

Forbes, then 22, later confessed to four additional rapes: two in December 1985, one in April 1986 and one in May 1986. He told police that he had been raping women since he was 14, according to court documents. Authorities connected him to a "string of other crimes" in the Capital Heights, Lakeshore and College Drive neighborhoods.

All five of the rapes Forbes confessed to involved a white victim who was raped in her home at knifepoint, and the rapist stole money, or the victim's car, on his way out, according to court documents.

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Forbes was booked on three counts of aggravated rape, one count of attempted aggravated rape, five counts of aggravated burglary, one count of armed robbery, two counts of auto theft, one count of crime against nature and one count of simple burglary.

Once in the court system, his unstable mental state kept him in transit between Feliciana Forensic  the state mental health facility where defendants are placed for mandated psychiatric treatment  and East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. He was initially declared incompetent to stand trial in 1986, then again in 1988.

One mental health professional who evaluated Forbes for the court wrote that the patient "is unaware of today's date or his birthday, and he gives a completely different story of his life history than he has in the past  He again expresses religious delusions and also reports auditory hallucinations." Another wrote: "The patient states that he continues to hear voices that tell him to kill himself. He stated the voice is the voice of Jesus and it is a rather deep voice."

He was later declared competent to assist in his defense and pleaded guilty in 1990 to attempted rape, which resulted in the 20-year sentence. The court also recommended that he receive mental health treatment while incarcerated. His cause of death was not immediately available.

The investigation

When the victim of the Hundred Oaks attack identified Archie Williams as her assailant, she had already been shown his mugshot in photo lineups multiple times before  viewing more than 100 photos before finally making a positive identification. Her friend, the woman who walked in on the scene, chose someone else out of a photo lineup and presented authorities with a different description. It's unlikely that Forbes' photo was in that lineup because he had no criminal record then.

+2 New Louisiana law on eyewitness identification aims to reduce wrongful convictions Louisiana has joined the vast majority of other states in allowing testimony during criminal trials from experts on eyewitness identification,

The jury was presented with that information but nonetheless returned a guilty verdict for Williams.

His prior criminal record was not spotless but included no serious felony convictions. Williams had been convicted and served time on two separate burglary charges before his last arrest. He also had been arrested in at least two 1979 rapes but was never prosecuted in those cases.

That's the reason "police likely zeroed in on Mr. Williams in the first place and repeatedly showed (the victim) his photograph," Williams' attorneys with the Innocence Project argued in recent court filings, noting that prosecutors later opposed post-conviction DNA testing in the case "based on (the state's) belief that Mr. Williams was a serial assailant."

His recent exoneration came after advancements in fingerprint technology showed that prints lifted from the scene matched Forbes, not Williams. The national fingerprint database was revamped in 2014, which made the recent match possible.

But investigators knew initially that they weren't Williams' prints. Prosecutors argued in response that they could have belonged to anyone who had passed through the house, including perhaps a carpenter or plumber.

Williams' public defender, Kathleen Richey, firmly challenged that assertion during the trial. She pointed out that a casual visitor to the home wouldn't likely have left bloody prints near where the rape occurred. And she argued detectives had essentially stopped investigating after the witness identification.

+12 He spent 17 years in prison for a robbery he didn't commit -- now this Marrero man is free Royal Clarks first act as a free man Thursday was to throw his arm around the teenage son he hadnt seen outside of a prison or courtroom sin

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III apologized to Williams on behalf of the state last week following a joint motion from both parties to vacate his conviction. Court documents show that Moore worked on the case in the early 1980s as an investigator in the DA's office. He said the investigation didn't raise red flags at the time but does highlight how much technology has advanced.

In addition to the lack of conclusive fingerprint evidence, Richey emphasized the discrepancy in descriptions of the perpetrator and the strength of Williams' alibi. Multiple relatives and acquaintances testified that he was asleep at his mother's house when the crime occurred, including minute details such as the soap opera on television late that morning.

She also cited research, which has been strengthened in the decades since, about the unreliable nature of eyewitness identification. Louisiana is now one of just two states where experts are banned from testifying in criminal trials about the identification process  even in cases that rest on a single identification  according to the Innocence Project New Orleans, which worked on Williams' case after his conviction.

The victim "is mistaken. Mr. Williams is not the right man," Richey said in her closing argument in 1983. "The real rapist will sit in this courtroom and laugh at the judicial system and terrorize other innocent women in their homes during the day.

"Putting Mr. Williams in jail for the rest of his life will not pay for that crime. We need to do more than just put somebody in jail."
The war of words between LSU and a former tenured education professor fired by the university in 2015 is heating up in Baton Rouge federal court as a judge considers a civil rights lawsuit filed against the school.

Teresa Buchanan claims she was fired for using vulgar language, saying her free speech and due process rights were trampled by LSU Chancellor F. King Alexander and other top administrators, and she wants monetary damages and her old job back. She worked for LSU for nearly two decades.

"This is a case of political correctness run amok," Buchanan's attorneys argue in a recent court filing. "The defendants at LSU fired Dr. Teresa Buchanan ... for 'sexual harassment' based on speech having nothing to do with either 'sex' or 'harassment.'"

LSU contends its termination of Buchanan was appropriate and necessary to protect students from her verbally abusive behavior.

"This case is not about salty language; students and others observed aggressive and bullying behavior by (Buchanan) in the classroom," attorneys for Alexander, Damon Andrew, A.G. Monaco and Gaston Reinoso argue. "(Buchanan) cannot hide behind the shield of academic freedom while creating a hostile learning environment for the students she was hired to teach."

Andrew is dean of LSU's College of Human Sciences and Education. Monaco is associate vice chancellor of the Office of Human Resource Management, and Reinoso is director of the Human Resource Management office.

Robert Corn-Revere, one of Buchanan's attorneys, declined Thursday to elaborate on the court documents filed on her behalf and instead said he would let those filings "do the talking for us for now." The attorneys for Alexander and his colleagues did not respond to a request for comment.

Buchanan, who specialized in early childhood education and trained elementary school teachers, alleges in her January 2016 lawsuit that her "occasional use of profanity" was part of her teaching approach and "was not directed at  nor did it disparage  any student."

LSU has said Buchanan was fired in June 2015 for "documented evidence of a history of inappropriate behavior that included verbal abuse, intimidation and harassment of our students."

A five-member faculty had recommended that Buchanan not lose her job, but the LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to fire her.

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The American Association of University Professors came to Buchanan's aid shortly after her termination, criticizing her firing and pledging money to assist her legal defense.

In addition, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a group that advocates for free speech on college campuses, put LSU on its list of worst offenders early last year. The university was featured on the list largely due to Buchanan's termination.

Buchanan's controversial comments included saying "f*** no" repeatedly in the presence of students, using a slang term for vagina that implies cowardice, and telling a joke that the quality of sex gets worse the longer a relationship lasts.

Buchanan has said she's proud of the job she did at LSU and doesn't regret anything she did.

In recent court filings, Special Assistant Attorneys General Sheri Morris and Carlton "Trey" Jones III, the lawyers representing Alexander and his colleagues, say Buchanan's conduct clearly violated LSU's sexual harassment policies, which mirror a blueprint for campus anti-harassment policies promulgated by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.

But Buchanan's attorneys claim LSU's sexual harassment policies are "defective" and unconstitutional, and that her firing also was unconstitutional.

"It's absurd for (Buchanan) to claim that defendants' recommendations to enforce policies consistent with federal guidelines are unreasonable," Morris and Jones argue.

Buchanan's attorneys, however, insist that the speech for which she was fired "falls squarely within the First Amendment's protections.

"The First Amendment ... does not permit university officials to equate offendedness with harassment," they argue.

But LSU's attorneys disagree that Buchanan's "embarrassing, humiliating and intimidating speech" toward a captive audience of classroom students was a valid part of her teaching approach.

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, who is presiding over the case, has not ruled or scheduled a hearing on LSU's and Buchanan's dueling motions for summary judgment, which ask the judge to rule in their respective favors.
A former LSU professor was rightfully fired in 2015 for using profanity in her classroom and discussing her sex life and the sex lives of students in her elementary education classes, a federal appellate court has ruled.

Teresa Buchanan, a tenured professor who specialized in early childhood education and trained elementary school teachers, had appealed U.S. District Judge Shelly Dicks January 2018 dismissal of her civil rights lawsuit.

+2 LSU professor's lawsuit against university for firing her over remarks dismissed by federal judge In a case that drew national attention and accusations of "political correctness run amok," a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a forme

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed Friday with Dick that LSU did not violate Buchanan's free speech rights by firing her because she was not speaking on a matter of public concern.

"We agree with the district court here that Dr. Buchanan's use of profanity and discussion of her sex life and the sex lives of her students was not related to the subject matter or purpose of training Pre-K-Third grade teachers," Circuit Judge Jacques Wiener Jr. wrote for a three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based court.

Buchanan's controversial comments included saying "f*** no" repeatedly in the presence of students, using a slang term for vagina that implies cowardice, and joking that the quality of sex declines the longer a relationship lasts.

Buchanan, who worked for LSU for nearly two decades, claimed the salty language was part of her teaching approach and was not directed at  nor did it disparage  any student.

When asked for comment on the 5th Circuit ruling and whether the U.S. Supreme Court will be asked to look at the case, Robert Corn-Revere, who represents Buchanan, said Monday, We are reviewing the decision and weighing options.

The American Association of University Professors had come to Buchanan's defense, criticizing her termination and pledging money for her legal defense. The advocacy group FIRE, or Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, sponsored Buchanans suit.

Buchanans attorneys, in filings at the federal district court level, called her situation a case of political correctness run amok. They argued that LSU fired her for `sexual harassment based on speech having nothing to do with either `sex or `harassment. Her lawyers also said the First Amendment does not permit university officials to equate offendedness with harassment.

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+2 Ex-LSU prof: firing 'political correctness run amok'; LSU: she created 'hostile learning environment' The war of words between LSU and a former tenured education professor fired by the university in 2015 is heating up in Baton Rouge federal cou

LSU, however, maintained that Buchanans firing was appropriate and necessary to protect students from her verbally abusive behavior.

This case is not about salty language; students and others observed aggressive and bullying behavior by (Buchanan) in the classroom, the universitys attorneys stated in court documents. They added that Buchanan cannot hide behind the shield of academic freedom while creating a hostile learning environment for the students she was hired to teach.

Dick pointed out in her ruling that the LSU Lab School and schools in Zachary, Port Allen and Iberville Parish had either banned Buchanan from their campuses or requested that LSU not allow her to mentor their student teachers due to her conduct and speech.

+2 LSU asks federal judge to dismiss lawsuit filed by professor fired for salty language Attorneys for LSU Chancellor F. King Alexander and other university administrators are asking a federal judge to dismiss a civil rights lawsui

The judge said Buchanans behavior and speech interfered with the educational opportunities of her students both in the classroom and in the student teacher or field setting.

The LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to fire her after a five-member faculty committee recommended she not be terminated.

The 5th Circuit panel also included Circuit Judges Leslie Southwick and Gregg Costa.
LSU's sexual harassment policies are unconstitutionally broad and were used in 2015 to fire a tenured education professor who used vulgar language in the classroom, an attorney for the ex-professor told a federal judge Monday.

Teresa Buchanan, who worked for LSU for nearly two decades, sued LSU President F. King Alexander and other university officials in 2016. She is seeking monetary damages and reinstatement to her former job, claiming her civil rights were trampled.

This case is an important example "of how things can go wrong," Robert Corn-Revere, who represents Buchanan, told U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick in arguing that LSU violated Buchanan's First Amendment free speech rights.

Special Assistant Attorney General Sheri Morris, who represents Alexander and several other university administrators, defended LSU's sexual harassment policies and the firing of Buchanan, saying the policies do recognize academic freedom.

Buchanan has claimed the salty language was part of her teaching approach, but Morris says that sort of language has nothing to do with teaching the next generation of early education teachers.

Buchanan's controversial comments included saying "f*** no" repeatedly in the presence of students, using a slang term for vagina that implies cowardice, and joking that the quality of sex declines the longer a relationship lasts.

"These comments have nothing to do with teaching a pre-K through third-grade teacher," Morris told the judge.

Corn-Revere countered that LSU disregarded whether Buchanan's comments were protected classroom speech. One of LSU's policies prohibits "unwelcome speech of a sexual nature," he said, adding that the policy "falls far below the standard of constitutionality."

LSU stands by Buchanan's termination, saying it was appropriate and necessary to protect students from her verbally abusive behavior.

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Dick took Monday's arguments on the constitutionality of LSU sexual harassment policies under advisement. The judge cautioned, however, that the university's policies "must leave room for protected speech."

"They do," Morris replied.

After the hearing, Buchanan said she has yet to land another job. She is living in New Orleans.

"It's hard to find work at 55 when you've been accused of sexual harassment," she said outside Dick's courtroom.

Buchanan, who specialized in early childhood education and trained elementary school teachers, contends in her lawsuit that her "occasional use of profanity" was part of her approach to teaching and was not directed at, nor did it disparage, any student.

Morris argued Monday that some of Buchanan's statements were directed at particular students.

A five-member faculty panel recommended that Buchanan not be fired, but the LSU Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to terminate her employment.

The American Association of University Professors criticized her firing and pledged money for her legal defense.

Buchanan has expressed no regrets, only pride in the job she did at LSU.
After years of working exclusively in New Orleans, KIPP, the prominent charter school network, is ready to expand to Louisianas capital city. The group is among 10 applicants seeking to launch charter schools in Baton Rouge in time for the 2020-21 school year.

If all 10 applications were to be approved by the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, they would eventually enroll as many as 14,000 children, tripling the number of children currently in charter schools in Baton Rouge.

Short for Knowledge is Power Program, KIPP operated 224 schools across the country, including including 11 in New Orleans.

The organization first considered starting a school in Baton Rouge in 2001, but withdrew its bid after resistance from local school board members who wanted the group to take over an existing school in town rather than start a new school.

DOE: 35 groups apply for charter schools Thirty-five organizations submitted applications to start about 100 new charter schools in 19 parishes in Louisiana, the state Department of E

In August 2013, KIPP won a state-issued charter to open multiple schools Baton Rouge in facilities that are controlled by the state, but the group never ended up exercising the charter.

In its latest application, KIPP seeks to start two elementary schools and one high school, which would open in 2020 and 2021. They say they'd start with about 800 students total and could grow to serve nearly 3,000 students over time.

Three of the latest applicants already run schools in Baton Rouge and want to expand: BASIS, CSAL and Helix Community Schools, the nonprofit that runs Mentorship Academy.

Another applicant, Louisiana Connections Academy, used to run a virtual school of the same name in Baton Rouge. The school was an arm of Columbia, Md.-based Connections Education, a division of textbook giant Pearsons, until 2017 when its local board severed its ties with the company, hired its own staff and changed the school's name to University View Academy.

The other five applicants are newcomers seeking to start their first charter schools. The new schools, if approved, would be called Auspice Academy, Bellissimo Beginnings, Carmouche Performing Arts Academy, Kennedy Elementary Charter School and Xcel Technical Academy.

Those applying had to do so by a March 1 deadline. The school system recently provided electronic copies of the lengthy applications and their many appendices for the Advocate to review.

Charter schools are public schools run privately via charters, or contracts.

The school system has contracts with 10 charter schools. Seventeen more charter schools in Baton Rouge have contracts with the state, while two others operate in Baker, just north of Baton Rouge. They collectively educate about 7,000 children in Baton Rouge.

On Thursday, the School Board hired Katie Blunschi, a former school administrator in Baton Rouge, to review charter school applications for the fourth consecutive year. She is paid $2,300 per application to do the work.

The board is tentatively planning to consider Blunschis recommendations at meetings on May 9 and May 13. Those rejected can appeal their denials to the state.

KIPP, which opened its first schools in 1995, made a name for itself by creating high performing middle schools. They focused on amping up the time devoted to the instruction of children who were falling behind in school.

Consequently, KIPP teachers worked much longer than their peers in traditional public schools. They would even give out their cell phones so students could contact them after hours if they had questions about an assignment. There was also Saturday school and longer school years.

KIPP, though, has evolved and now runs elementary and high schools, not just middle schools. Its proposed Baton Rouge charter schools have them starting out with three elementary grades, but also one middle and one high school grade. The schools wouldnt offer all grade levels until 2023.

KIPP Baton Rouge schools would have a school day lasting about an hour longer than traditional public schools in town, but would otherwise follow a normal school calendar for the year.

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Like many of the applicants, its unclear from the applications where KIPP plans to open its three schools. KIPPs proposed budget sets aside no money for rent or for construction. It could lease property from the parish school system, but school officials have been reluctant to do that in recent years, leading most charter school to hunt for their own facilities.

Attempts to reach officials with KIPP New Orleans on Friday to discuss its application were unsuccessful.

+4 Eight groups apply to start charter schools in Baton Rouge Private organizations are asking the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board to give its blessing to eight charter schools, ranging from a school

BASIS, fresh off opening a school this year next to Womans Hospital, is moving quickly to expand, saying it already has hundreds of children on its waiting list for next year.

Our decision to propose a second site in Baton Rouge is driven by demand from parents that we are unable to meet with our current seat capacity, the group says in its application.

The group, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, operates 27 schools. It made a name for itself when its high schools began topping "best-of" high school lists.

Its initial Baton Rouge school has almost 400 students in kindergarten to fourth grade. It will eventually expand all the way to 12th grade.

Its second Baton Rouge school  no potential location is mentioned  would start with 450 students and stop at sixth grade. It would eventually have as many as 1,000 students in K-12, mirroring the makeup of its first school.

BASIS Schools have been criticized elsewhere for not educating many children from poor backgrounds or students suffering from disabilities. BASIS pledged in its contract to recruit more children from poor backgrounds to comply with a state law requiring charter schools to mirror the socio-economics of their school districts that grant them charters.

Its Baton Rouge school is more diverse than other schools in the network, but less diverse than other Baton Rouge schools.

For instance, about 34 percent of the students at BASIS Baton Rouge qualify for public assistance programs, better than the 20 percent of such children it initially thought it would attract. Still, thats far less than the 76 percent of children in the parish school system and 69 percent of the public schoolchildren in Louisiana who qualify for such programs, a category known as economically disadvantaged.

In its proposal for a new school, BASIS, sets its target for such children at just 10 percent, a target far below the targets of the other charter school applicants the school system is considering.

CSAL and Heli are popular, locally based charter school groups seeking to expand, both citing parent demand.

CSAL  that stands for Community School for Apprenticeship Learning  opened in 1997 with a middle school, later adding a popular high school and an online school to its network.

Its proposed new elementary school would start with about 175 students in grades kindergarten to two and expand over time. In 2023, the school would add a fifth grade and stop there, with as many as 480 students.

Helix Community Schools opened its lone school, Mentorship Academy, in downtown Baton Rouge in 2010. That school has about 500 students.

Its proposing to dramatically expand its network. A new K-8 school, called Mentorship Legal Academy, would be a feeder into the downtown high school.

The K-12 school, Helix Aviation Academy, would have an elementary and high school on the same campus. Both schools would start with about 120 sixth-graders each. By 2026, they could enroll as many as 3,200 students overall.
Now that hes admitted to stealing taxpayer money for his personal use, former Louisiana warden Nate Cain seems likely to spend some time on the other side of the prison bars.

Cains comeuppance was a long time in coming  the result of scrutiny by the media, state auditors and prosecutors that exposed official wrongdoing by Cain and his former wife, Tonia Bandy.

But it shouldnt have taken embarrassing newspaper coverage, the Louisiana Inspector General, a U.S. attorney and an area district attorney to uncover the shocking corruption that prompted guilty pleas from both Cain and Bandy.

That wrongdoing should have quickly become obvious to top officials at the Louisiana Department of Corrections, including its secretary, Jimmy LeBlanc. That Cain and his former wife were able to get away with their thievery for so long suggests that LeBlanc and his crew were either oblivious to the criminal activity  or perhaps intent on looking the other way.

Cain did not, after all, make a secret of his kleptocratic management style. Federal prosecutors believe he secured building supplies on the government dime to put up a new home for himself on the grounds of the Cottonport prison he was supposed to be managing. He audaciously placed his new digs near the prison entrance, perhaps signaling that he felt free to act with impunity, free from the scrutiny of his superiors.

Recently, Cain pled guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud related to his use of taxpayer money to buy guns for himself. Prosecutors pointed to a much wider shopping spree, with personal purchases by Cain and Bandy ranging from furniture to pet food and involving some $150,000 in state government money. Bandy had pled guilty to wire fraud in connection with the case and had agreed to testify against her former husband before he took his own plea deal. Two other cases involving Cain and Bandy are pending in the Avoyelles Parish District Court.

Nate Cains father is Burl Cain, who once described LeBlanc as his best friend. The elder Cain, longtime warden at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, was forced out of his job in 2015 amid revelations that he had business dealings with the stepfather of an inmate under his supervision.

LeBlanc was appointed to run the prison system by Gov. Bobby Jindal, whose successor, John Bel Edwards, has kept him in place. Edwards seems unwilling to give LeBlanc the boot, though the secretary has presided over a culture of nepotism and double-dealing. Maybe LeBlanc's salutary role in advancing Edwards' criminal justice reform legislation was deemed reason enough to keep him on.

We cant say if LeBlanc is the best friend that the disgraced Burl Cain once claimed him to be. But LeBlanc hasnt been a friend to Louisianas taxpayers, whove had reason to wonder if they're getting fleeced by the good old boy network under LeBlanc's command.

If this isnt an issue in this years gubernatorial election, it should be.
Victoria's pokies-owning pubs poured their biggest ever political donation into the Daniel Andrews-led ALP as part of a $1 million campaign to deny the Greens the balance of power at the state election last November.

The Australian Hotels Association imposed a special one-off levy on pub poker machines to help bankroll donations of at least $500,000 to Labor and about $300,000 to the Coalition parties. It also funded independents who preferenced the major parties.

The state's pubs lobby gave its largest-ever donations to the Labor Party ahead of the last election. Credit:Josh Robenstone

The gaming industry feared the Greens winning the balance of power in Victoria because of the party's strong anti-pokies policies, including the phasing out of poker machines from pubs and clubs and introducing $1 maximum bets.

The community clubs sector (such as football clubs) also contributed to Labor's thumping victory and the routing of the Greens with its first ever state election campaign aimed at "mobilising" the 600,000 members of its gaming clubs and encouraging them to vote for the major parties.
Retail superannuation funds had $1.3 billion moved from accounts in December 2018 as the impact of the banking royal commission continues to play out, resulting in the worst half year for retail funds for six years.

The data from Strategic Insights shows retail net outflows were particualrly poor in September 2018, with $2 billion of net outflows.

The banking royal commission presided over by Kenneth Hayne is impacting retail superannuation funds. Credit:Eddie Jim

In a research note published last week, Citi analysts said the retail industry net outflows for the second half of 2018 were the "worst in more than six years and likely reflect the disruption to the advice industry following the royal commission".

After coming in for heavy criticism in the royal commission, AMP was the hardest hit with retail net outflows of $3.4 billion over the second half of 2018, which is more than four times those of the industry, excluding cash management trusts.
Australian actor Tom Long, who starred in popular late-90s series SeaChange, has revealed he could have just months to live.

The performer was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012, and will fly to the United States with his family later this week to take part in a medical trial with just 17 other participants.

Australian actor Tom Long in 2006. Credit:Simon Schluter

The trial will be a last-ditch attempt to treat the disease - an incurable blood cancer that attacks the body's white blood cells - after Long was given an updated prognosis of just three to 12 months in December last year.

The actor, best-known for playing court official and keen surfer Angus in ABC TV's SeaChange, was last seen in a professional capacity in 2012. In July that year, he collapsed on stage while performing in the historical play Coranderrk: We Will Show the Country at the Sydney Opera House.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealanders don't blame Australia for the Australian citizen allegedly responsible for the deadly attack that claimed the lives of 50 people at two Christchurch mosques, adding that in private she's been feeling "deeply sad" about the incident.

Speaking to The Project host Waleed Aly on Channel Ten on Monday night, Ms Ardern said she had so far avoided answering the question of how she was feeling.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on The Project on Monday night. Credit:Channel Ten

"Id like to think that actually when Ive been asked Ive always answered honestly and candidly," she said. "Ive actually just avoided the question because the answer is Im deeply sad.

"But ... there are moments where there arent cameras and where Ive just been with families and its fair to say those are very emotional moments."
A former Catholic brother at a Queensland boys' home has denied molesting a 13-year-old boy during a camping trip in 1986.

Bernard John Cooper has pleaded not guilty to one count of indecent treatment of the boy, a Beaudesert Boystown resident, as he slept in a tent.

The site of Boystown in Beaudesert, pictured here in 2012. Credit:Beaudesert Times.

The boy was asleep when he woke up to "Brother Bernard" masturbating him while another brother kept watch outside the tent, the Brisbane District Court trial heard on Monday.

The Crown alleged the abuse stopped when the victim scared Cooper off by yelling out "f--- off".
The vast police presence during the G20 summit in Brisbane may have caused some protesters to feel like violence was justifiable, a new research paper argues.

At least 6000 Queensland police officers were involved in the security operation for the international summit, held in Brisbane in November 2014, in one of the largest peacetime police operations in Australian history.

Police officers talk to an activist outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court. He was there to support G20 protesters. Credit:AAP/Dan Peled.

The large police numbers, along with the unseasonably hot temperatures during the event, were credited with keeping the protests muted and arrest numbers low, especially compared to other G20 events elsewhere in the world.

But research from the University of Queensland, published on Tuesday in the Australian Journal of Psychology, argues the increased police presence altered the perception of the event for some protesters.
The City of Melbourne has rejected a Telstra bid to put up 81 flashing advertising billboards on CBD public phones, saying the company was trying to exploit a legal loophole to profit from public space.

The Age last year exposed the loophole that allowed the telco to build payphones where it desired without council approval and attach lucrative digital billboards that can earn the company as much as $8000 a week.

The council on Monday also said it was taking Telstra to court to challenge 39 ad boards already in place. The moves throw an estimated $50 million of the company's revenue into doubt.

Dozens of Telstra billboards, like the above, are now under threat.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal action comes after Councillor Nicholas Reece said: We are not going to sit idly by and allow the plundering of the public realm for private profit.
A school that recently abolished its library has been recognised as one of The Age's 'Schools that Excel', with Siena College principal Gaynor Robson-Garth attributing the success to constant innovation.

"We have always been open to trying new things and taking risks," she says.

Principal Gaynor Robson-Garth with year 12 students at Camberwell's Siena College. Credit:Justin McManus

This year, the library at the girls-only Catholic college in Camberwell was replaced with a "learning centre" where students can discuss ideas and learn technology, such as 3D printers and robotics.

"If you think about it, you don't need to go to a library to do research and you don't need a librarian to talk to you about interesting literature or books."
A man raped by a student priest in 2003 while his father was dying has told a Melbourne court the "evil" act still gives him sleepless nights.

Paul Pavlou, 59, was studying to become a priest in 2003 when he stayed with his friend, who had terminal cancer, before raping the man's 12-year-old son three times.

Paul Pavlou.

Pavlou appeared in the County Court of Victoria on Monday after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16.

After the attacks, Pavlou would make comments like his victim "was a special child", that he loved him, and that his victim "was a child of God".
Farmers will be offered a cash payment to prevent trees and shrubs being cleared from their land in a $30 million federal government scheme to show action is being taken on climate change.

Food producers will also gain from a "biodiversity bonus" that will create a new seal of approval for supermarket produce that comes from farmers who support revegetation on their land.

The move comes as the Morrison government tries to assure voters it has policies to respond to climate change while at the same time appeasing Nationals MPs who want federal subsidies for coal-fired power stations.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud will announce the new pilot scheme on Tuesday with $30 million in funding over four years and an ambition to make it part of the governments Carbon Solutions Fund to reduce emissions.

Farmers have long opposed government rules that stop them clearing their land, leading the government to offer a reward instead.
Two new multimillion-dollar disputes over flammable cladding have hit the courts, the latest in a slew of litigation over who is to blame for incorporating the deadly materials into apartment buildings.

It comes as a sprawling high-rise in Coburg built by the Victorian government and now partly managed for social housing was found to have flammable cladding.

The government last week stripped responsibility from suburban councils for ensuring dangerous cladding is removed from 283 more buildings around Melbourne, handing the task to its Victorian Building Authority.

But the location of these new buildings, along with 44 others the government had already seized responsibility for, will remain secret, with the Government gazette keeping their addresses confidential.

Cladding that catches fire easily hit the headlines in 2014 in Melbourne when a blaze hit Docklands Lacrosse tower.
The government and the security forces, adept at swatting away the small protests that periodically erupt in Algeria, seem stymied. Its officials say they have ruled out firing on the protesters. And as the protesters' numbers have grown, a violent response could backfire. Although it remains difficult to imagine the government yielding to the protesters, recently there have been positive signs of at least a tacit acceptance. State news media, at first barred from covering the protests, have begun reporting on them. "The Street Is Not Backing Down," was the banner headline in the daily Liberte on Wednesday. Demonstrators stage a protest to denounce President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term on Place de la Republique in Paris on March 10. Credit:AP The ruling National Liberation Front and the army have joined the chorus of praise for the demonstrators, with the chief of staff hailing their "unequalled sense of civic responsibility".

"Just on its face, the dynamic is really very strong," said Louisa Dris-Ait Hamadouche, a leading political scientist here, her words nearly drowned out by thousands protesting around her on Friday. For decades, Algeria was seen by allies on both sides of the Atlantic as a bulwark against the regional Islamist threat. After the army brutally crushed an Islamist insurgency in the 1990s, the military chose Bouteflika, a wily ex-foreign minister whose political roots go back to the earliest years of Algerian independence, to lead the country. Algerians welcomed the end of the nearly decade long conflict and accepted Bouteflika with it, an arrangement made even easier as oil money began flowing freely in the early 2000s, and with it generous social benefits. Algerian police forces block a tunnel where hundreds of students gather in central Algiers to protest against Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Credit:AP In 2011, Algeria proudly rode out the Arab Spring, its leaders mocking the reckless, pro-democracy demonstrators in neighbouring countries even as they shut the country off from the outside world. There are virtually no tourists here, and downtown Algiers is free of the international commercial brands seen elsewhere.

Bouteflika also cloistered himself. According to journalists and political scientists here, he has never given an interview in the Algerian news media in his two decades in office. Since his stroke, even his body has disappeared: He has been replaced in public appearances by his framed portrait, known here as "the frame". There were few complaints. Large public works programs and free loans to young people, financed by the country's oil and gas wealth, kept citizens content and quiescent. A top member of the governing coalition, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk freely, said the Bouteflika system was built on patronage and corruption. With oil fetching high prices, "money flowed like water", he said. "There was corruption in bidding. Easy bank loans. People got rich on public money." A demonstrator holds a placard that reads, we came, we saw, we conquered, during a protest in Algiers on Friday. Credit:AP But in 2014, the prices of oil and gas, which account for 97 per cent of the country's exports, started falling. Unemployment among the young bit deeply as the government cut social benefits.

Last month, when Bouteflika announced he would run for a fifth term, the bottom fell out. Algerians had had enough of his system, and his physical incapacity became a metaphor for the withering country. Loading Ordinary Algerians, in the grimy downtown streets where great chunks of plaster are peeling from the Haussmann-style buildings, in the shabby cafes made shabbier by five years of fluctuating oil prices, and in the mass demonstrations, say there is no going back. "They thought that because we were quiet, we were stupid," said Rabah Bouberras, 32, a shopkeeper from the suburbs who was demonstrating in Algiers on Friday. "But the people are not going to forgive them. We're not hungry. It's a question of dignity." Corruption has become a major grievance.

"In my sector it's flagrant," said Abdenour Hadjici, a sales manager for a plaster company. "There are certain people that are favoured." A builder he knows, for instance, got a cheap loan because he knows a high-placed general, he said. But it is the central demand of the protesters, that the whole Bouteflika system must go, that would be hardest to satisfy, government insiders and analysts here say. "The clan that governs this country isn't going to just let go just like that," said Zoubir Arous, a leading sociologist, as he watched a stream of chanting youth, many draped in the Algerian flag, march on a downtown street. "It's a question of life or death for them." Revolution has a cherished place in Algerian memory, and the victory over France almost 60 years ago is enshrined in national pride. In the late 20th century, Algeria was a global archetype of Third World revolution and ground zero for revolutionaries from the Black Panthers to the African National Congress.

Now France is watching events here anxiously from across the Mediterranean. Home to an Algerian diaspora in the millions, France is already reckoning with the boatloads of young would-be migrants who attempt the dangerous crossing. The protesters say rising up against oppression is a hallowed national tradition. "Our parents made the revolution," said Hassen Khelifati, 51, a prosperous insurance executive who has participated in the demonstrations. "For us, at least we will be able to say, we tried. We can't just say to our children, we were cowards." He is joined on the streets by a banker, Mallem Amel, 25. "There's been this consciousness raising," she said. "We can't stay in this situation." And a doctor, Zaidi Hamza, 26. "The Algerian people want a radical change," he said. "There isn't a single category in the population that will negotiate with them."
New York: An elaborate sting operation has revealed that senior One Nation figures, including Pauline Hanson's chief-of-staff, sought millions of dollars in donations from the US pro-gun lobby to help them water down Australia's gun control laws.

A journalist from news network al-Jazeera, posing as the head of a fake Australian gun lobby group, secretly filmed Hanson's top adviser James Ashby and One Nation's Queensland leader Steve Dickson during a visit to Washington, DC, last year.

Pauline Hanson's chief-of staff James Ashby, pictured left, has been caught meeting with the US gun lobby in secret recordings. Credit:Fairfax Media

While in the US capital, Ashby and Dickson met representatives from the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA) and other conservative groups.

In a conversation with undercover reporter Rodger Muller, Dickson says that he hopes to raise $US10 million from US pro-gun groups.
Bold, Black and Bad - Ranger Pickup Black Appearance Package







SEE ALSO: Ford Ranger Is Baaaakkkk - Review By Steve Purdy

Fords new Black Appearance Package adds more in your face to new Ranger pickup

By Martha Hindes

Senior Editor

Michigan Bureau

The Auto Channel

It wasnt too long ago that the future looked bleak for pickup trucks that were a little undersized. All three American-branded companies had said goodbye to the quarter horse-sized residents in their stables as they concentrated on more Clydesdale-proportioned versions. Only a few offshore-named samples remained. The idea seemed to be that U.S. buyers didnt want to downsize.

Workhorses (aka work trucks) needed the grunt to do their job. And anyone who bought one still could have all the lux, hi tech amenities and panache found on most luxury cars if they wanted to upgrade.

Mileage and safety had improved substantially. The world was good. Except for one factor. There was a market out there for a smaller truck, that would carry smaller loads, that could fit in a more limited parking space, that could go almost anywhere there was a road, or where there wasnt one. And that one could customize, that said Hey, this is me!

So much for yesterday. It didnt take long after Ford reintroduced its new-generation, mid-size Ranger pickup that went on sale in January, to discover just how many buyers wanted to say, Hey, this is me!

Ford no longer gives sales numbers monthly, but indicates orders for the Ranger are flying out of the showrooms, off the lots, off the shelf so to speak (use your own similitude) since it went on sale in January. If anyone doubted it would be a statement vehicle, Ford's report that two-thirds of the orders in its first few months include Fords bold Sport or Chrome Appearance packages is a pretty good indication.

With that kind of incentive, is it any doubt that Ford now is launching a Black Appearance Package for those who want more in your face.

The new appearance package ($1,995 and available for delivery by early summer) includes some aggressive focal points, a black grille, running boards and accented wheels among them designed to make such body colors and body color bumpers as Pepper Red and Lightening Blue  or any other body color  pop, according to Ford. That also confirms that the Ranger is, in Ford terms, an adventure vehicle.

Having the right gear matters and so does the right look, said Ford truck group marketing manager. Todd Eckert, in announcing the new package. Like the rest of their gear, Ranger customers are choosing the option that best fits their adventures.

Adding the bold and bad attitude includes such trim features as high-gloss black-painted 18-inch aluminum wheels with black center caps, black running boards, mirrors, sill plate and black bash plate on the FX4 Off-Road Package. Theres also a black lower valance and spray-in bed liner.

And when you have the moxie to add more badass visuals to the off-road 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, four-wheel drive mode, and 10-speed automatic, thats pretty much a guarantee this adventure vehicle is looking for its next venture.

Oh, and way back when, the story goes, Ford founder Henry Ford would only sell a vehicle if it was painted black. Seems he was way ahead of the curve.

The new Black Appearance Package gives Ranger customers another option  $1,995(plus tax)  and can be ordered at dealers now, with deliveries targeted to begin in early summer.

Available with any color, the Black Appearance includes:

Black-painted grille

Body-color bumpers

High-gloss black-painted 18-inch aluminum wheels with black center caps

Black running boards

Black spray-in bed liner

Black fender vent surround

Black mirrors

Black sill plate

Black bash plate on FX4 Off-Road Package

Black lower valance

Official 2020 Ford Ranger Black Package Announcement Ranger buyers now have another choice to customize their truck with the new Black Appearance Package; more than two-thirds of all-new 2019 Ford Ranger pickups flying out of showrooms are optioned with an appearance package

Ranger Black Appearance Package features an aggressive look with a black grille, running boards, accented wheels and more, making body colors like Hot Pepper Red and Lightning Blue pop

Ranger fans can order the Black Appearance Package for their trucks now, with deliveries starting in early summer

DEARBORN, Mich., March 25, 2019  With the all-new Ford Ranger off to a strong start since the first trucks went on sale in January, Ford is already introducing a new Black Appearance Package, helping buyers further customize their Ranger to match their unique personal style.

More than two-thirds of all-new Ranger pickups are leaving showrooms optioned with either the Sport Appearance Package that adds unique wheels and Magnetic Gray-painted accents, or the Chrome Appearance Package with bright chrome wheels and chrome body accents.

The new Black Appearance Package gives Ranger customers a bold and stylish new option.

Like the rest of their gear, Ranger customers are choosing the option that best fits their adventures, said Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager. Having the right gear matters and so does the right look. The Black Appearance Package adds aggressive style to the adventures our customers embark on.

Available with any Ranger body color, the Black Appearance Packages aggressive look will help the truck stand out on the beach or in the backcountry. Its standard features include:

Black-painted grille

Body-color bumpers

High-gloss black-painted 18-inch aluminum wheels with black center caps

Black running boards

Black spray-in bed liner

Black fender vent surround

Black mirrors

Black sill plate

Black bash plate on FX4 Off-Road Package

Black lower valance

The Ranger Black Appearance Package is available as an option for $1,995 (excludes taxes) and can be ordered at dealers now, with deliveries targeted to begin in early summer.

Built Ford Tough and ready for adventure

In addition to individual style, the all-new Ford Ranger answers the call from truck customers looking for an affordable, rugged and maneuverable midsize pickup thats Built Ford Tough. Torture-tested alongside Ford F-150 trucks, Ranger quality starts with a high-strength steel frame backbone, proven Ford-built 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine and class-exclusive 10-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, Ranger blends comfort and functionality with room for up to five people, their gear and accessories. The center stack includes an 8-inch touch screen for the available SYNC 3 system, while the instrument cluster features productivity screens for real-time vehicle and audio information plus available navigation.

Ranger incorporates advanced passenger convenience and connectivity features, plus smart driver-assist technologies including standard automatic emergency braking. Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies like Lane-Keeping System and class-exclusive Blind Spot Information System with trailer coverage are standard on XLT and Lariat trim levels. Additional driver-assist technologies including adaptive cruise control and forward and reverse sensing systems are available on both XLT and Lariat.

Copyright, Martha Hindes, Automotive Bureau, 2019




AB InBev renamed in the UK and Ireland

AB InBev will operate under the name of Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I in the UK, as the company looks to reaffirm its commitment to UK and Ireland. A new President, Paula Lindenberg, opened a new London headquarters and announced ambitions spanning sustainability, smart drinking and championing the traditions of the British beer community.

Growing by double-digits in the UK in recent years, the brewer of some of the world beers including; Stella Artois, Budweiser, Corona, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Becks, Bass and Boddingtons has outlined five new ambitions to:

Champion Britains beer culture with trade-boosting programmes for the whole community, from barley farmers to pubs and retail

Create a nation of "Smart Drinkers", helping to shift social norms to embrace moderation and cut harmful drinking

Be the UKs most sustainable brewer as it works towards brewing with renewable electricity and locally-sourced barley

Be one of the best places to work, promoting apprenticeships, development and diversity

Bring more people together with beers for every occasion by continuing to invest in premium drinks and brand

Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, which remains a part of AB InBev globally, will be a more recognisable name that drives awareness of the group and brings people together to achieve these ambitions.

Budweiser was selected as the brewers most famous global brand, demonstrating the ambitions of the business and its people: Budweiser will soon be brewed using 100 per cent British barley and 100 per cent renewable electricity from UK solar power, giving the classic American brand a special stake in the UK. Through the Budweiser family of Bud Light and Budweiser Prohibition, UK consumers get better low and no alcohol choices, in line with the Groups Global Smart Drinking Goals.

Paula Lindenberg, President of Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, says: We are a fast-paced, ambitious group that dreams big, and we have exciting plans ahead for the UK and Ireland. Through the power and recognition of the Budweiser brand, we want to open ourselves up to working with more partners to achieve our ambitions.

We are looking forward to making a big impact in the year ahead, working towards brewing our beers with 100 per cent renewable electricity and accelerating our progress towards 20 per cent of our global products being no or low alcohol.

Lindenberg joined Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I in January 2019 from the groups Ambev business in Brazil where she was the Vice President of Marketing and is now based in London.

Budweiser Brewing Group UK&Is new London headquarters, located on Fetter Lane in Farringdon, covers 25,000 sq ft of flexible working space across the top four floors of the new Bureau building. The state-of-the-art space, with a rooftop bar serving all the Groups brands, brings together three previously separate offices and 250 employees to give business partners, customers and stakeholders one central hub in which to connect and collaborate. The Groups three breweries in Samlesbury, Magor and Enfield will continue to brew some of the UKs most popular premium beers.

25 March 2019 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editor
1-Year-Old Boy Fatally Mauled by 2 Dogs in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif.A 1-year-old boy who wandered out of his grandparents house in Fresno was fatally mauled in their front yard by two roaming dogs.

Lt. Mark Hudson said other children in the house alerted the boys grandmother to the attack on Friday. He said she ran outside and tried to get the Rottweilers off the child and was also attacked.

Hudson said the boys grandfather used a hose to fend them off.

Officers who responded to the attack performed CPR on the boy. He was then taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hudson said animal control officers found the dogs several blocks away. Investigators were trying to determine whether they were strays or had an owner.

He had no immediate information on the extent of the grandmothers injuries.

Research On Dog Bite Incidents

DogsBite.org says that each day, about 1,000 U.S. citizens require emergency care treatment for serious dog bite injuries. Annually, about 9,500 citizens are hospitalized due to dog bite injuries.

In a 13-year analysis, the website says that of 433 fatal dog attacks in the United States, pit bulls contributed to 66 percent, or 284 deaths.

Rottweilers, the second on the list, inflicted 10 percent of attacks that resulted in human death, the report says.

German shepherds accounted for 4.6 percent of fatal attacks.

Mixed-breed dogs accounted for 3.9 percent and the American bulldog was next at 3.5 percent, the report said.

The Mastiff and Bullmastiff accounted for 3.2 percent of deaths.

Last on the list were huskies, which accounted for 3 percent of fatal attacks.

The report compiled fatal dog attacks between 2005 and 2017, showing that 48 percent of the victims were children aged 9 or younger.

Do Animals Grieve Their Owners Death?

Animals dont grieve the way humans beings mourn, but they do feel emotional when they sense things around them are not normal, according to The Nest.

If an animals human companion suddenly disappears, it can be confusing, and can even lead to depression, wrote Lisa McQuerrey.

Animals can form an emotional bond with their caretakers and can even go in search of them when they dont find them around.

They can exhibit signs of grief by acting out, demonstrating behavioral issues like destructive chewing, clawing or digging, or suddenly having accidents in the house. Exceptionally sensitive animals may hide, be unwilling to eat, interact or engage with other humans.

Pets need care when their owner dies. In the United States, there are organizations that care for the pets after their owner dies.

An organization called Animal Friends has admitted 16,263 animals since 2006 that arrived after their owner died, according to the Post Gazette.

Most Abused Dogs on Earth

Animal rights group PETA has said that pit bulls are the most abused dogs on Earth.

Pit bulls are left at shelters in record numbersand since they are difficult to adopt out, reputable shelters (that dont slam the door in the dogs faces) are finding that they must euthanize more pit bulls and pit bull mixes than all other dogs combined, the group said.

Karen Delise, research director for the National Canine Research Council and author of The Pitbull Placebo, has investigated hundreds of dog bite incidents.

She wrote in a now-taken down article: My study of dog bite-related fatalities occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of regular, positive human interaction, often for negative functions (i.e. guarding/protection, fighting, intimidation/status).

Also contributing negative functions include owners failing to humanely contain, control, and maintain their dogs (chained dogs, loose roaming dogs, cases of abuse/neglect); owners failing to knowledgably supervise interaction between children and dogs; and owners failing to spay or neuter dogs not used for competition, show, or in a responsible breeding program, she added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Abu Dhabi Aims to Lure Start-Ups With Investment in New Technology Hub

Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi will commit up to 1 billion dirhams ($272 million) to support technology start-ups, it said on March 24, in a dedicated hub as part of efforts to diversify its economy.

U.S. tech giant Microsoft will be a strategic partner, providing technology and cloud services to the businesses that join the hub as the capital of the United Arab Emirates continues its push to reduce reliance on oil revenue.

Abu Dhabi derives about 50 percent of its real gross domestic product and about 90 percent of central government revenue from the hydrocarbon sector, according to ratings agency S&P.

The emirate launched a 50 billion dirham ($13.6 billion) stimulus fund, Ghadan 21, in September last year to accelerate economic growth. Ghadan means tomorrow in Arabic.

The new initiative, named Hub 71, is linked to Ghadan will also involve the launch of a 500 million dirham fund to invest in start-ups, said Ibrahim Ajami, head of Mubadala Ventures, the technology arm of Mubadala Investment Co.

The goal is to have 100 companies over the next three to five years, Ajami said. The market opportunities in this region are immense, he added.

Mubadala, with assets of $225 billion and a big investor in tech companies, will act as the driver of the hub, located in the emirates financial district.

Softbank will be active in the hub and support the expansion of companies in which it has invested, Ajami said, adding that Mubadala is also aiming to attract Chinese and Indian companies, among others.

Mubadala which has committed $15 billion to the Softbank Vision Fund, plans to launch a $400 million fund to invest in leading European technology companies.

Incentives mapped out by the government include housing, office space and health insurance as part of the 1 billion dirham commitment, Ajami said.

Abu Dhabi will also announce a new research and development initiative on March 24 linked to the Ghadan 21 plan, according to an invitation sent to journalists.

By Stanley Carvalho
NSW Premiere Gladys Berejiklian (C) celebrates her win at the Sofitel Wentworth on March 23, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Berejiklian Government Secures Majority in NSW

The Berejiklian government has secured a majority in NSW by winning a 47th seat in the 93-seat lower house following the weekends election.

The coalition was returned to power on March 23 for a third-straight term but it wasnt immediately clear if it had won enough seats to govern in its own right.

That question was answered on Monday when Nationals candidate Dugald Saunders was declared the winner in Dubbo by ABC election analyst Antony Green following an extremely close count.

Vision Key to Federal Win: NSW Premier

Freshly reinstated NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says her political colleagues in Canberra should focus on the community and not themselves as the federal election looms.

Berejiklian, who defeated NSW Labor leader Michael Daley on Saturday, has offered the advice when asked what Prime Minister Scott Morrisons team can learn from her campaign.

I think what our campaign in NSW demonstrated is that the community rewards people that work hard, she told Sevens Sunrise on Monday.

We focus on the community and we have a plan for the future.

My advice to anybody seeking high office would be that it is all about the community, not about ourselves.

The coalition at a federal level has been buoyed by the NSW result, with Attorney-General Christian Porter on Sunday saying it shows the national poll, expected in May, is absolutely winnable.

The morale boost comes despite the NSW Nationals losing some ground, including two seats that have gone to the Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers.

Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos says the Liberals and Nationals must band together to differentiate themselves from other parties in the bush.

But former Nationals leader, now backbencher, Barnaby Joyce says his party must run its own race.

We have to clearly announce our own policies in our own seats, not the explanation to our people of the wishes of other people living somewhere else, he told The Australian.

Morrison says the Liberals will work constructively with the Nationals on all issues, including energy.

Well continue to work constructively with the National Party because we are part of the one government, and we always come to resolutions on important issues, he told reporters in Melbourne.

Labor leader Bill Shorten believes Berejiklians victory as a more moderate Liberal should give conservative Liberal Party members food for thought.

People dont like extremes in political parties, he told reporters.

Independent federal MP Kerryn Phelps says the NSW coalition generally has more moderates than at the federal level, meaning the Morrison government shouldnt be too excited by the state win.

People are smart enough to see theres a very big difference between the two, she told Sky News.

Retiring Liberal MP Craig Laundy says the coalition at both the state and federal level will have an advantage over Labor in Sydney in the coming few years, as long-term infrastructure projects come to fruition.

Its not sexy in the delivery, infrastructure  It is sexy in opening and using, he told ABC Radio National.
The National Bolshevik symbol used in Brenton Tarrant's manifesto (left) and on the National Bolshevik Party website (right).

Brenton Tarrant: Is the Christchurch Mosque Shooter a National Bolshevik?

Commentary

The man accused of brutally killing 50 worshipers in two mosques in my hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand, is almost certainly an ideological National Bolshevik. Countless media stories have labeled the killer as far-right, which is an inaccurate description at best.

A thorough reading of his 74-page manifesto, The Great Replacement (which refers to the replacement of white Europeans by Islamic and other immigrants), confirms that Brenton Tarrant is no right-winger in the U.S. sense, i.e., a believer in the individual, constitutionally guaranteed liberties, and free-market economics.

Tarrants ideological outlook appears to be consistent with that of the National Bolsheviks, a curious amalgam of communist and Nazi ideologies often associated with influential Russian political analyst and activist Aleksandr Duginwho is reportedly an influence on Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

Dugin is a leader of the small but influential National Bolshevik Party, whose adherents are known as the Natzbols. He is also a leader of the so-called Eurasia Movement, which strives to unite fascist political elements with nationalistic communists to create a European homeland stretching from Siberia to Ireland. Dugin and his fellow ideologues are widely admired by European neo-fascists and neo-Stalinist communists alike.

Dugins National Bolshevik/Eurasian philosophy is ultra-nationalistic, anti-Western, anti-free market, Green, and racist. There is something in National Bolshevism for every stripe of totalitarian. Variants of National Bolshevism have been used by Moscow to seduce Western fascists and racial nationalists into the pro-Russia camp.

Tarrants manifesto, which he posted online just before he embarked on his murder spree, incorporates the National Bolshevik symbol three times, including on the title page, without explicitly stating its meaning.

Tarrants manifesto is, however, littered with clues as to the writers core pro-Russia and anti-Western ideology.

Enemies of the United States

Interestingly, many Russian National Bolsheviks want to ally with Islam against the West. They may not want Muslims on white-occupied soil, but they still see them as fellow enemies of what they perceive as the world center of evil: the United States. Western National Bolsheviks are opposed to Islamic immigration not because they oppose Islamic teaching, but because they see Islam as an invader of their traditional white homelands.

The following statement, from the October 2011 Against Post-Modern World conference in Moscow, is attributed to Dugin:

In todays world, Islam is the world religion most actively resisting globalisms force. It makes the Islamic factor extremely important for the front of traditionalism. In this war with Islam, the United States and ideologue of the end of history Francis Fukuyama even tried to suggest the term Islamofascism to greater discredit the faith.

United States as an empire tends to designate Islam the new enemy No. 1. This is an almost official U.S. position now, while with Bush, it was merely formal. And therefore Islam should be treated as a priority field of struggle against U.S. imperialism, the modern and post-modern world and globalization. This determines the value and importance of Islam.

Tarrant makes it clear he doesnt oppose Islam per se, only Islam that tries to replace the white races of Europe and the wider West.

Tarrant answers his own rhetorical questions throughout the manifesto:

Did/do you personally hate Muslims? A Muslim man or woman living in their homelands? No. A Muslim man or woman choosing to invade our lands live on our soil and replace our people? Yes, I dislike them.

Tarrants anti-Americanism is very evident in his writings. He boasts that he used guns in the Mosque massacres specifically to promote civil war in the United States.

The last of Tarrants several listed goals was to create conflict between the two ideologies within the United States on the ownership of firearms in order to further the social, cultural, political and racial divide within the United States.

He writes: This conflict over the 2nd amendment and the attempted removal of firearms rights will ultimately result in a civil war that will eventually balkanize the US along political, cultural and, most importantly, racial lines.

This balkanization of the US will not only result in the racial separation of the people within the United States ensuring the future of the White race on the North American continent, but also ensuring the death of the melting pot pipe dream.

Tarrant later reiterates this point in another question to himself:

Wont your attack result in calls for the removal of gun rights from Whites in the United States? Yes, that is the plan all along, you said you would fight to protect your rights and the constitution, well soon will come the time, he writes.

Tarrant shows his anger at the United States for intervening in Bosnia after the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. U.S. forces backed Bosnian Muslims against the pro-Russia nominally Orthodox Christian but communist-led Serbs.

Furthermore, this balkanization will also reduce the USAs ability to project power globally, and thereby ensure that never again can such a situation as the US involvement in Kosovo ever occur again (where US/NATO forces fought beside Muslims and slaughtered Christian Europeans attempting to remove these Islamic occupiers from Europe).

Tarrant also calls for the assassination of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogannot because he is a Muslim, but because his death would help Russia by destroying Moscows main stumbling block to European domination: the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Erdogan, the leader of one of the oldest enemies of our people, and the leader of the largest Islamic group within Europe. This warlord must bleed his last, whilst he visits his ethnic soldiers currently occupying Europe. His death will also drive a wedge between the Turk invaders currently occupying our lands and the ethnic European people whilst simultaneously weakening Turkeys hold on the region, removing a prime enemy of Russia and destabilizing and fracturing NATO.

Its not hard to see that Tarrant wants the end of the United States as it is now constituted. While Tarrant doesnt explicitly say so, he demonstrably understands that destruction of the United States will remove the major obstacle to Russian expansionism.

Tarrant also admires Russias main military and political ally communist China, which, with its mixture of Marxism-Leninism, corporate state fascism, and ethnic Chinese nationalism, is very close to the National Bolshevik ideal:

The nation with the closest political and social values to my own is the Peoples Republic of China.

Tarrant claims he evolved from supporting communism, to anarchism, to libertarianism, to what he now describes as an eco-fascist position. His current ideology is like National Bolshevism, a mix of socialism and fascism. Tarrant is indeed on the left in most of his viewsthe racist nationalist left. And contrary to many media reports, he is no fan of U.S. President Donald Trump:

Were/are you right wing? Depending on the definition, sure.

Were/are you left wing? Depending on the definition, sure.

Were/are you a socialist? Depending on the definition. Worker ownership of the means of production? It depends on who those workers are, their intents, who currently owns the means of production, their intents and who currently owns the state, and its intents.

Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump? As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policymaker and leader? Dear god no.

Social Division

Chillingly, Tarrant shows a sophisticated grasp of the sort of socially divisive active measures once so effectively employed by the Soviet KGB in Europe and still employed by Russians in the United States. Moscow learned decades ago that the best way to prepare a country for revolution is to provoke maximum social conflict and to back both sides of any divisive issue.

Consider a quote from Dugins 1997 book, The Foundation of Geopolitics:

It is especially important to introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movementsextremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S. It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics.

In 1959, the government of NATO member the Federal Republic of Germany was hugely embarrassed when Jewish graves across Germany were desecrated with Nazi swastikas. During the ensuing panic at thoughts of a Nazi revival, questions were raised as to Germanys fitness to remain a member of NATO.

But all was not as it seemed.

According to CNNs Michael Weiss:

The two men who had inaugurated the spree of defacements in Cologne had belonged to a minuscule West German neo-Nazi party but  the authorities discovered that they frequently made trips to East Germany and one had a Communist Party badge hidden behind his coat lapel.

In a separate incident, the 22-year-old treasurer of a different fascist organization was arrested and admitted to the police that he was an East German agent whose mission was to infiltrate far-right groups in West Germany and whip up anti-Semitic sentiment.

Years later, former communist East German defectors revealed the true source of the swastika graffiti operation.

An operation is exactly what it was, too, cooked up by General Ivan Ivanovich Agayants, who headed Department D of the First Chief Directorate of the Soviet KGB. The D stood for Dezinformatsiya, or disinformation, and Agayants, an austere ethnic Armenian, was very good at his job.

In the last few years, the Moscow-based, Russian government-funded, Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia has actively supported both U.S. communists and Black Lives Matter activists as well as American right-wing activists from the Texan and Californian separatist movements.

Richard Spencer, the self-styled leader of the U.S. so-called alt-right, who organized the disastrous May 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, openly supports Vladimir Putins Russia, which he has described as the sole white power in the world.

That rallywhich resulted in three deathsresulted in massive negative publicity for Trump and the genuine American patriot movement. The internationally publicized street battles pitted pro-Russian white nationalists against pro-Russian communists from the Workers World Party and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

Guess which nation made Anti-American propaganda hay from the ensuing chaos? Just check out some RT (Russia Today) news clips from the period.

According to Newsweek, in 2014, Spencer invited Dugin to an international conference he planned to convene in Hungary. Fortunately, international sanctions prevented Dugin attending, and Hungarian police raided the subversive gathering. Dugin later became a contributor to Spencers AltRight.com website and his online journal Radix. Spencer has written at least one article for Dugins Katehon website. Spencers former wife, Nina Kouprianova, is Dugins English translator.

In 2013, Vice reported that during a leadership conference at Spencers National Policy Institute, Spencer declared in part: Our dream is a new society, an ethno-state that would be a gathering point for all Europeans. It would be a new society based on very different ideals than, say, the Declaration of Independence.

Former Ku Klux Klan leader and lifelong agitator David Duke downplayed his role at Spencers Unite the Right rally, which he described as a turning point. Duke has made no secret of his admiration for Russia, describing the country as the key to white survival, and has been photographed alongside Dugin.

Tarrant appears to be following the Russian playbookstoke both sides of a conflict, create maximum division, then move onward to revolution and the seizure of state power.

From his manifesto:

These tumultuous times can be brought about through action. For example, actions such as voting for political candidates that radically change or challenge entrenched systems, radicalizing public discourse by both supporting, attacking, vilifying, radicalizing and exaggerating all societal conflicts and attacking or even assassinating weak or less radical leaders/influencers on either side of social conflicts. A vote for a radical candidate that opposes your values and incites agitation or anxiety in your own people works far more in your favor than a vote for a milquetoast political candidate that has no ability or wish to enact radical change.

Canvas public areas in support of radical positions, even if they are not your own. Incite conflict. Place posters near public parks calling for (Islamic) sharia law, then in the next week, place posters over such posters calling for the expulsion of all immigrants, repeat in every area of public life until the crisis arises. Destabilize, then take control. If we want to radically and fundamentally change society, then we need to radicalize society as much as possible.

The use of National Bolshevik symbolism in his manifesto, clear parallels with that philosophy in his writings, and obvious pro-Russia views indicate that Tarrant is likely a National Bolshevik sympathizer.

Many important questions remain unanswered.

Did Tarrant learn this philosophy mainly through the internet and his own personal research, or was he part of a wider network?

Tarrant has traveled extensively in Europe and has visited both Pakistan and North Koreaboth known terrorist training centers. What was the nature of his trips?

Has Tarrant been in contact with Russians or National Bolshevik figures?

Its difficult to accept that Tarrant acquired the skills and will to efficiently execute his murderous rampage all on his own.

Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker, and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist, and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An ISIS terrorist flag, in the foreground lies in a tent encampment after U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters took control of Baghouz, Syria, on March 23, 2019. (Maya Alleruzzo/Photo via AP)

British Surgeon Who Says He Was Forced to Join ISIS Begs to Be Allowed Back Into UK

A British surgeon accused of joining ISIS is begging his former patients in the UK to help him overturn the refusal of British authorities to allow him back into the country.

Muhammad Saqib Raza, 40, from Leicester, was captured over a year ago attempting to smuggle himself out of Syria and since has been held in a jail run by Kurdish forces a four-hour drive from Raqqa, the former capital of the recently annihilated caliphate.

But the facial surgeon, who worked for the British national health service, claimed that he was the victim of an elaborate kidnap plot that unwittingly led him deep into the caliphate.

Speaking to the Mirror in an interview published on March 23, Raza said that he has had no contact from British authorities and that he is frightened his cellmate, a feared ISIS intelligence officer, is planning his death.

Raza appealed to his former patients for help.

When you, my patients, wanted help, I treated you like you were my own family, he said.

Now Im stuck in this prison hellhole and nobody cares.

My patients, maybe you care. I beg you, patients of mine, to help me in return for what I did for you.

BREAKING. He's asked the hundreds of patients he treated in the UK to now help him.  Daily Mirror  2019323

Raza criticised infamous ISIS bride, Shamima Begum, who travelled to Syria at the age of 15 to join the so-called caliphate, saying allowing her to return without rehabilitation would be dangerous.

She must be held responsible for a decision she made.

Yes she was only 15, but in the NHS we can allow consent (for operations) from people aged 12, Raza said.

Although she has since expressed a degree of remorse, Begum has never denied her motivations for travelling to Syria, like many of the thousands of foreign-born fighters.

A British 'Isil' doctor captured in northern Syria claims he was the victim of an elaborate kidnap plot and wants to  The Telegraph  2018112

But Raza is adamant that he did not go to Syria to join the caliphate, claiming in an interview with the Telegraph to have been deceived into travelling from Turkey to Syria by an ISIS recruiter.

He said he now fears for his life.

Im alongside a guy who I saw in [ISIS] territory. He was a feared intelligence officer. He is probably planning my death.

This same man says he is the son of a British barrister or something.

And despite his terrorist background he says hes confident he can get back into England. People like him are very dangerous.

The question of how to handle the foreign-born fighters who headed out to Syria to join ISIS has loomed larger in recent months with ISIS squeezed to its final dregs, finally collapsing to nothing on March 21, as the remaining few hundred terrorists were routed from their remaining position.

The UK Home Secretary revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shemina Begum, following a series of interviews in which she said she wanted to come home, but expressed little remorse.

Begum is staying in a refugee camp of 40,000 people, which is now home to the estimated 1,500 people who traveled from Western nations, predominantly Europe, to join ISIS.

Security experts such as British intelligence service head Alex Younger have warned, however, that would-be returnees like Begum were potentially very dangerous. Because they were in that sort of position, people like her were likely to have acquired certain skills or connections.

Survivors and other victims of the murderous cults reign of terror, meanwhile, are furious at the prospect of ISIS women getting a sympathetic hearing in the Western press, or worsea free pass.

Ali Y. Al-Baroodi, who survived ISISs bloody occupation of Mosul, told The Jerusalem Post that that claims on the part of jihadi brides that they were just housewives, as Begum has insisted, are simply false.

It was hell on Earth and every single one of them made it so, he said, asking sarcastically if perhaps local victims of the jihadi women should apologize for disturbing their stay there.

British authorities have previously stated that successfully prosecuting ISIS members for the crimes committed in Syria is potentially very difficult, instead choosing to block the return of those who headed out to Syria.
Radio and TV host Barbara Evoy and her husband celebrated their anniversary with Shen Yun Performing Arts on March 24, 2019 at the FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton, Ontario. (Allen Zhou/The Epoch Times)

HAMILTON, CanadaLocal radio personality and TV host Barbara Evoy had wanted to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for many years. She finally came on March 24, 2019 at the FirstOntario Concert Hall in Hamilton, Ontario with her husband. They were celebrating both their anniversary and her birthday.

Evoy, who is also a school trustee, an author and a business owner, among other roles, was fascinated by the performance.

I have to give [Shen Yun] a hundred and ten percent. It is so good. I am so incredibly impressed. The detailsevery single detail has been addressed and addressed very well  The dancers are beyond belief, she said.

Evoy, who used to perform, said she had an eye for the artistic details.

Everything was so well-done. I almost cried in the scene where the girl was punished for her faith. And that moved me beyond belief. I definitely did tear up, she said.

The scene she was referring to was Goodness in the Face of Evil, in which a young girl is persecuted for her faith in Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong), a spiritual meditation discipline based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

The [Shen Yun] choreographer really deserves kudos because I understood every single minute without even reading the program.  That was a real big moment for me in the first half, she said.

Based in New York, Shen Yun has set out to revive the glory of Chinas divinely inspired culture, developed over 5,000 years. Since its establishment in 2006, Shen Yun has toured the globe as the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company.

Evoy felt the spirituality reflected in all the aspects of the performance, including in the interaction of the digital backdrop with the stage.

Its so incredibly well-executed, she said. There was not a beat in time that was missed. I could see the divine [figures] coming down onto the dance floor and then leaving again. Perfectly, perfectly executed. Im getting emotional feeling it. It was really well-done, she said.

She also saw this spirituality in the performers themselves.

I find the whole message about compassion, divinity, and spirituality reads in every movement of every dancer, and that means the team has done an incredible job, she said. Its not just in the fabric, its not just in the set design, its in the emotion of every dancer out there. Their principles are fantastic. Everything works. Absolutely, everything works.

Evoy said she would definitely recommend Shen Yun to others. Come and see this show! Its the best, she said.

With reporting by NTD Television and Madalina Hubert.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese leader Xi Jinping inspect honor guards as Kim paid an unofficial visit to Beijing in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on March 28, 2018. (KCNA/via Reuters)

China Playing a Bigger Game Than Just North Korea

Is China using North Korea as a trap to stifle American support for Taiwan?

Since the latest denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea broke down in February, Kim Jong Un has threatened to restart his nuclear program. Is the threat directed at the United States? Are the North Koreans playing hardball with the United States?

Or, is their nuclear threat possibly directed at China? Thats not likely, is it? Is Kim going to threaten China with  what? Nuclear attack? Cooperation with the United States? Probably not. His aim is more likely about receiving additional assistance from China.

Still, the question has more layers than some might imagine. Consider, for example, the possibility that North Korea really wants to make a deal with the United States, but that China doesnt want that to happen. If a deal with the United States ever did come to pass, both Kim and Chinese leader Xi Jinping know that any deal would be very limited in scope and duration.

Why would that be?

One Capitalist Korea Is Enough

For one, the last thing China wants is two capitalist Koreas. It entered the Korean War in 1950 precisely to prevent that from happening. Today, the last thing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) needs is another example of why communism is unnecessary for Chinas continued development and economic growth. South Korea and Taiwan are already two examples too many.

And yet, China is alsosupposedlyagainst North Korean nuclear testing. Is that true? Maybe, but perhaps only to a certain extent. More about that in a moment.

But at the same time, China is North Koreas most important trading partner. One would think that China would be able to establish a very basic understanding between itself and North Korea, namely, for Kim to stop his nuclear testing or else.

China Has the Real Control

And lets not kid ourselvesChinas leverage over North Korea is absolutely real and operative. It provides the malnourished pariah of a nation with most of its food and fuel. Without Chinas continued assistance, North Korea would starve and freeze to deathin the dark.

With such a fundamentally skewed relationship, one would presume that China would be in a dominant bargaining position to persuadeor forceNorth Koreas dictator to stop his nuclear program. But that hasnt happened.

Why not?

That simple fact begs another question: Is North Korea really in charge of its nuclear policy? Is Kim the one calling all the shots in the nuclear negotiations with the United States, or even when it comes to testing bombs and launching missiles?

Or could it be that China has a more involved hand in North Koreas nuclear program and its policy toward the United States than widely understood?

Is Stability Really Chinas Goal?

Some China experts continue to regard stability on the Korean Peninsula as Chinas primary interest with regard to North Korea. China fears, the thinking goes, that a North Korean regime collapse would lead hundreds of thousands of North Korean refugees to flood across the border into China.

That may be truedesperate, hungry North Koreans may well attempt to pour into China by waves if Kim were to lose his leadership position. But really, would hundreds of thousands of hungry refugees be such a difficult problem for China to handle?

Not likely. Even a cursory glance at how efficiently the CCP deals with the millions of problem peoples within their borders would tell you how quickly they could dispatch weakened North Koreans on a rapid, industrial scale. Theyre quite prepared and experienced with such challenges.

The Chinese, after all, take their internal security very seriously. In fact, that budget is bigger than their external military budget. In 2017, China spent approximately $161 billion on the Peoples Liberation Army, and spent $196 billion on internal security forces. You know how it goes when youre an illegitimate government like the CCPyouve got people to suppress, torture, and imprison, such as millions of Uyghurs, Falun Gong adherents, and Christians, to name just a few. What are a few North Koreans? Priorities and all that.

No, the fear-of-refugees argument doesnt explain why China would allow the North Koreans to continue with their nuclear program.

Who Benefits From North Korean Nukes?

But when we ask, Who benefits from North Koreas nuclear gamesmanship and who loses? the answer becomes more apparent. Its no secret that the Chinese are no fan of President Donald Trumps protectionist trade policies toward China. They hurt the Chinese economy much more than they want the world to know.

The Chinese are also unhappy with Trumps enhanced relationship with Taiwan. Beijing seeks to bring to heel the so-called renegade province sooner rather than later. In fact, its a key part of Chinas expansionist plans in the Asian-Pacific region and beyond. The ramp-up in U.S. military and diplomatic relations threaten those plans.

Therefore, from Chinas perspective, the more difficult they can make life for the United States in Asia, the more likely Trump, Congress, and U.S. voters will be willing to expend American prestige, lives, and treasure defending Taiwan when that day comes, as it surely will. The North Korean nuclear negotiations are a powerful tool for Chinanot the North Koreansto frustrate, manipulate, and otherwise stymie Trumps more aggressive policy toward China and its growing influence in the region.

North Korea a Trap?

Theres a strange logic to this that makes some sense. It resembles those paper tube finger traps from China, where one person put a finger in one end as another person does the same at the other. As they try to remove their fingers, the paper tube is suddenly very snug around both.

The Chinese strategy may simply be for North Korea to have a similar effect on U.S. policy. Trapping American resolve and commitment to the region on the Korean Peninsula would leave the United States shorthanded in every respect as China increases its military and diplomatic advances on Taiwan, some 1,200 miles to the south.

As U.S. failure in North Korea unfoldedwhich China would ensure happenedAmerican resolve in the face of failure in North Korea may well be the first of many dominoes to fall in Asia.

James Gorrie is a writer based in Texas. He is the author of The China Crisis.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
An aerial view shows damaged buildings after an explosion at a chemical plant in Yancheng in China's eastern Jiangsu province early on March 22, 2019. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese Chemical Plant Blast Kills 64; Media Barred From Reporting

A chemical factory blast in China has killed at least 64 people, injured 657 others, and left another 28 missing, according to officials.

The explosion occurred March 21 at a pesticide plant owned by Tianjiayi Chemical Company, located in Chenjiagang Industrial Park in the city of Yancheng, in Jiangsu province, and has raised concerns of air and water contamination in the area.

Meanwhile, days after the incident, reports have emerged that authorities are blocking non-state media outlets from reporting the incident, as the communist regime seeks to monopolize the messaging.

The Blast

Aerial footage taken after the blast shows the factory completely destroyed, with a crater measuring over 100 yards at the epicenter of the explosion.

Of the hundreds of survivors taken to the hospital, 19 are in critical condition, and 98 are seriously injured, according to official figures on March 24. Meanwhile, 28 people are missing.

Locals, who didnt wish to be named, however, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that they are skeptical of the official figures, in particular, the number of missing persons. They said the hospitals were flooded with people searching for missing loved ones, such that they outnumbered hospital staff many times.

The blast also damaged 16 neighboring factories and shattered windows on buildings located within three miles of the epicenter. The China Earthquake Administration recorded a magnitude 3.0 earthquake caused by the explosion.

All my windows were gone, even my doors, Lu Peiyu, a villager who lives nearby, told Hongxing News on March 21.

Lu said that most of the houses in his village lost windows and doors in the blast. He added that hundreds of villagers were injured but because the only clinic in the village had collapsed, the villagers had to travel far to hospitals for treatment.

A local named Wang told state-run Beijing News that his 66-year-old mother died when their house, located 550 yards from the chemical factory, collapsed.

Wang said his father was at a neighbors house when the blast occurred, and broke his nose from the falling rubble. When his father rushed home, he found that their house had collapsed, and his mother was buried in the rubble.

My father dug for my mother, and did CPR on her after found her in the rubble, Wang said, adding that it was too late to revive her.

Children from nearby schools were also hurt. Dozens of young children were bleeding from their noses and ears after the blast, according to Chinese state-run media The Paper.

Nearby residents complained of the awful smell and taste of the fumes caused by the explosion.

My throat and nose are very uncomfortable [because of air pollution made by the blast], Chen, a businesswoman who operates a hotel about 1.24 miles away from the blast center, told state-run Qianjiang Evening News.

Contamination

The state-run news outlet Caixin reported that toluene, xylene, styrene, chlorobenzene, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides were present in the air after the blast. The concentration of nitrogen oxides was, at one point, 348 times above normal standards.

Local officials also found contamination in local water samples. According to official data from the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, water from all the three local riversthe Xinmin river, Xinfeng river, and Xinnong riverall tested positive for chloroform, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, and toluene.

Some volatile organic chemical measurements far exceeded surface water standardsby 15 times in one case.

Interference With Reporting

The incident has also triggered a round of censorship by the communist regime, with reports emerging of authorities denying and interfering with local reporters access to the site.

In the first two days after the blast, The Paper reported that the local government used a drone to interfere with aerial shots of the factory site.

Since March 23, news coming from the site appears to have been blocked by authorities.

A reporter whose surname is Wang told Radio Free Asia that the regimes propaganda department ordered all media outlets to call back reporters from the site and to only re-publish official announcements about the incident.

All our reporters had been driven away [from Xiangshui county]. We have no other choice than to use official reports, Wang said. The local government is trying to cool down the public attention. They are very experienced at it. You can understand why they wouldnt allow us to report continually.

Censoring or controlling news about major disasters and incidents is commonly employed by the Chinese regimes censors as it seeks to quell news that may tarnish the Chinese Communist Partys image.

Past Incidents

The cause of the explosion is still being investigated, but Tianjiayi Chemical Company, which produces more than 30 organic chemical compounds, has been fined for work safety violations in the past.

According to Beijing News, the company was fined six times between 2016 and 2018. The factory was closed from February to July 2018 after Chinas State Administration of Work Safety found 13 safety violations, including improper storage of chemicals. The factory re-opened in August 2018.

This isnt the first chemical explosion at the industrial park in Yancheng.

In 2007, another chemical factory in the precinct exploded. Dozens of reporters from other cities went to the site to report, but faced similar interference by the local government, according to state-run Business Network.

Li Runwen, a reporter from official China Youth Daily at the time, criticized the response in a blog post: After the accident, the Yancheng city government launched a series of emergency plans to forbid any interviews by media. They even used threats of force, house arrests, bribery, and honey trapping.

In 2015, a similar explosion occurred at a chemical warehouse in the northern city of Tianjin killing 173 people, according to Chinese state media.

Production safety has been a prominent issue marring the countrys economic development in the past few decades, with frequent industrial accidents triggering widespread public anger.

Beijing News, citing official data, reported that 620 chemical production accidents occurred from 2016 to 2018, killing 728 people.
Jessica Mhonderi stands in front of what used to be her son's home in Chimanimani. (KB Mpofu/AP Photo)

Cyclone Death Toll Above 750; Fighting Disease New Challenge

BEIRA, MozambiqueCyclone Idais death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera, authorities said on March 24.

In Mozambique the number of dead has risen to 446 while there are 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 dead in Malawi for a three-nation total of 761.

All numbers for deaths are still preliminary, warned Mozambiques Environment Minister Celso Correia. As flood waters recede and more bodies are discovered, the final death toll in Mozambique alone could be above the early estimate of 1,000 made by the countrys president a few days after the cyclone hit, said aid workers.

Nearly 110,000 people are now in camps more than a week after Cyclone Idai hit, said Correia, the governments emergency coordinator. As efforts to rescue people trapped by the floods wind down, aid workers across the vast region are bracing for the spread of disease.

Well have cholera for sure, Correia said at a press briefing, saying a center to respond to cholera has been set up in Beira though no cases have yet been confirmed.

Beira is working to return basic services, he said. Electricity has been restored to water pumping and treatment stations by the government water agency, so Beira and the nearby city of Dondo are getting clean water, he said. Electricity has been restored to part of Beira and the port and railway line have re-opened, he said.

Repairs and bypasses are being built to the main road, EN6, which links Beira to the rest of Mozambique and the road should open Monday, said Correia. The restored road connection will allow larger deliveries of food, medicines and other essential supplies to be to be brought to Beira and to flooded areas like Nhamatanda, west of the city.

People are already going, the environment minister said of the newly accessible road.

Malaria is another looming health problem that the minister said was unavoidable because large expanses of standing water encourage the spread of malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Asked about his countrys current corruption scandal and whether the diversion of money has hurt the rescue efforts, Correia bristled, saying the governments focus now is on saving lives.

We are doing everything to fight corruption, he said. Its systematic, up to the top, he said of the anti-graft drive.

Two large field hospitals and water purification systems were on the way, joining a wide-ranging effort that includes drones to scout out areas in need across the landscape of central Mozambique, said Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, deputy director of the U.N. Humanitarian operation.

The scale of the devastation is extraordinary not only because of the cyclone and flooding but because the land had already had been saturated by earlier rains, he said.

A huge number of aid assets are now in Mozambique, Stampa said: No government in the world can respond alone in these circumstances.

By Cara Anna
Senators hold discussions over a resolution expressing concerns over human rights abuses in China, at Wallenstein Palace, in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, on March 20, 2019. (Martin Samek/The Epoch Times)

Czech Senate Passes Resolution Condemning Human Rights Abuses in China

The Czech Republic is the latest country to pass a resolution condemning gross human rights violations in China, drawing particular attention to the communist regimes decades-long persecution of adherents of the spiritual discipline Falun Gong.

The resolution, passed by the Czech senate on March 20, marked the culmination of four years of efforts by local practitioners of Falun Gong, who had collected thousands of signatures on a petition calling for an end to the genocide committed by the regime against their Chinese counterparts.

The resolution calls on the Chinese regime to stop its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, Tibetans, and Uyghurs; to release all prisoners of conscience; and to abide by international human rights conventions.

The petition, signed by the more than 37,000 people, was submitted to the Senate Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions, which endorsed the petition and introduced a draft resolution to the senate for vote.

Staying silent means we agree to it [the persecution], Czech Sen. Marek Hilser, one of the chief architects of the resolution, said in Parliament on March 20.

Hilser added: We, as a country, have experienced a communist totalitarian regime and know what political despotism is, having experienced political executions, incarcerations, and censorship.

We know very well what human rights abuse and a lack of freedom are.

Thats why I think our country, having had this historical experience, should be sensitive when human rights are being violated and values are being trampled on elsewhere in the world.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an spiritual discipline involving meditation exercises and a set of teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

The discipline became immensely popular in China during the 1990s, with around 70 million to 100 million people practicing by the end of the decade, according to official estimates cited by Western media outlets at the time.

But in July 1999, fearing that its popularity would undermine the Partys authority, then-Party leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide campaign against the practice, mobilizing the countrys entire security apparatus to locate, arrest, and detain Falun Gong adherents.

Human rights researchers estimate that hundreds of thousands have since been detained in jails, prisons, labor camps, and brainwashing centers, where they are often tortured physically and psychologically in an attempt to force them to give up their faith.

At the committee hearing on March 20, Czech Sen. Vaclav Hampl said: I want very much to say thank you to all citizens for putting this petition into action and bringing this issue to the Senate. I think this is one of the many examples where cooperation between civic society and the Senate has been fruitful.

Another senator, Vaclav Chaloupek, said, Step by step, we have learned facts so horrific and terrifying that they are beyond what even our wildest imaginations could come up with.

Veronika Sunova, the head of the Czech Falun Gong Association, said that the passing of the resolution marked a unique step for the Czech Republick, bringing us back to where we belong, where our world views should be, and where our moral values are.

Organ Harvesting

In 2006, independent researchers uncovered evidence that the Chinese regime was harvesting organs from prisoners of conscience, and mostly targeting Falun Gong practitioners.

The Chinese totalitarian regime really keeps hundreds of thousands of political prisoners in concentration camps. A person in there becomes just an organ carrier, Czech Sen. Pavel Fischer said. Organs are harvested from healthy, living persons to forward them on in the best quality possible.

Hampl said, Today, there is no doubt Falun Gong adherents and possibly other groups have been abused [for organ transplants] and on a mass scale.

In 2016, an investigative report by Canadian human rights attorney David Matas, former Canadian Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific region David Kilgour, and investigative journalist Ethan Gutmann concluded that the Chinese regime had established an industrial-scale, state-directed organ transplantation system, controlled through national policies and funding. Most of the organs, the report said, are harvested from Falun Gong practitioners.

The Czech resolution sends that message to both perpetrators and bystanders: We know, we are concerned, we think something should be done, Matas said in an email to the Czech-language edition of The Epoch Times.

Kilgour, also in an email to The Epoch Times, said that the resolution is another helpful democratic initiative, which will hopefully this year bring to an end an ongoing crime against humanity across China.

In 2013 and in 2016, the European Parliament passed resolutions expressing deep concerns over the systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience, including a large number of Falun Gong practitioners.

In 2016, U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed H.Res.343, which also called for an end to the Chinese regimes practice of organ harvesting. Several U.S. state legislatures have passed similar resolutions, including Arizona, Georgia, and Missouri.

Ondrej Horecky contributed to this report.
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Relatives look for a missing worker at the pesticide plant owned by Tianjiayi Chemical following an explosion, in Xiangshui County, Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, China on March 23, 2019. (Aly Song/Reuters)

Death Toll From China Pesticide Plant Blast Rises to 78

BEIJINGThe death toll from a massive explosion last week at a pesticide plant in eastern China rose to 78 on March 25, with 13 people listed as being critically injured.

Public anger over safety standards has grown in China over industrial accidents, ranging from mining disasters to factory fires, that have marred three decades of swift economic growth.

State television said 566 people were still being treated in hospital after Thursdays blast at the Chenjiagang Industrial Park in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province on Chinas east coast.

The official Xinhua news agency said China would conduct risk assessments for all chemical industry parks.

Authorities at all levels should inspect enterprises that are involved in nitration manufacturing and storage to make sure they comply with regulations on dangerous chemicals, Xinhua said, citing a statement from the Ministry of Emergency Management.

According to a report by The Epoch Times, the Chinese regime is preventing non-state media from covering the story as it seeks to control the messaging surrounding the incident.

Locals, who did not wish to be named, told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that they were skeptical of the official figures, in particular, the number of missing persons. They said the hospitals were flooded with people searching for missing loved ones, such that they outnumbered hospital staff many times.

The blast also damaged 16 neighboring factories and shattered windows on buildings located within 3 miles of the epicenter. The China Earthquake Administration recorded a magnitude 3.0 earthquake caused by the explosion.

The Chinese regime has pledged to improve safety in factories, though explosions and other incidents are still commonplace.

In November, two people were killed and 24 others injured in an explosion at a machinery plant in Jilin Province. And in the city of Ningbo, two people were killed in a factory explosion.

In August, five people were killed in an explosion at an aluminum plant in the eastern city of Jiangsu.

In July, 19 people died in a blast at a chemical plant in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

In 2015, 165 people were killed in explosions at a chemical warehouse in the northern city of Tianjin, one of the worlds busiest ports, which is not far from the capital, Beijing.

By Ben Blanchard. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Despite Democrats Hysteria, There Was No Interference in Muellers Probe

Commentary

The initial summary of Robert Muellers report doesnt just confirm that there was no collusion. It also confirms that President Donald Trump did nothing to interfere with the investigation throughout the nearly two-year-long witch hunt.

The Special Counsel regulations require that I provide you with a description and explanation of instances (if any) in which the Attorney General or acting Attorney General concluded that a proposed action by a Special Counsel was so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued, Attorney General Bill Barr informed Congress on March 22. There were no such instances during the Special Counsels investigation.

In other words, Mueller had free rein to pursue his investigation without interference from the executive branch.

For nearly two years, Muellers team of biased, partisan investigators relentlessly reviewed millions of documents, conducted dozens of interviews, and spent more than $30 million digging into claims of alleged collusion between Trumps campaign and the Russian government. Barr told Congress, officially and unequivocally, that the Attorney Generals Office didnt once prevent Mueller from taking any kind of action at any point in that lengthy and wide-ranging investigation.

The longer we waited for Mueller to submit his report, the louder the Democrats and media screamed about transparency, preemptively accusing Trump and his administration of interfering with Muellers investigation and hiding facts from the American people long before the report was submitted to Barr.

But the real liberal circus began just moments after the media first learned that Mueller would not recommend any additional indictments in the case.

MSNBC host Chris Matthews, for instance, went on an angry rant against the president, suggesting that maybe [Mueller] missed the boat with his investigation.

[We] know about the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, we know about the meeting at the cigar bar with [Russian political consultant] Kilimnik, he said. My god, we know about all of those meetings with Kislyak at the Republican convention in Cleveland. All these dots were now to believe dont connect.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) went so far as to suggest that he wouldnt believe Barrs version of the report, telling MSNBC in an interview that most of his colleagues wont accept a report unless its veracity is testified to by Bob Mueller.

[You] know, there will be a lot of questions as to whether he was pressured to wrap this up, if there were any political pressure put on him, the lawmaker added.

The White House, which has always supported full transparency with the American people, released a statement after the report was delivered to the Department of Justice asserting that the president hasnt been told anything about the contents of the Mueller report, and would leave the process of releasing it to the public in Barrs capable hands.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that Mueller enjoyed total freedom to complete his probe without interference, the Democratic Party is not ready to give up its on own fake Russia narrative just yet.

In a desperate attempt to salvage at least something from the Mueller report, the Democrats now demand even more transparency from Barr, urging him to release the entire document, even though they know that it almost certainly contains classified information that he cant legally make public.

In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that Barr must also provide underlying documentation and findings of the Mueller investigation to Congress, which the attorney general, of course, has no obligation to do.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) went one step further, tweeting that Americans deserve to know the truth now that the Mueller report is complete, and that Barr must publicly testify under oath about the investigations findings.

We need total transparency here, she stressed.

In liberal-ese, it seems, the word transparency means information that fits the Democrat narrativeand theyre undoubtedly going to scream bloody murder when actual transparency fails to produce the outcome they want.

The probe is over, and the final verdict is in. Its time to move on from the collusion hoax.

Charlie Kirk is the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, an advocacy group for young conservatives.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte shows the way to Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony upon Xi Jinping's arrival for their meeting at Villa Madama in Rome on March 23, 2019. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

EU Budget Chief Proposes Veto on Chinese Investments as Rome Gets Cozy With Beijing

BRUSSELSBrussels budget chief has proposed an EU veto on future Chinese investments in Europe amid growing alarm among officials and leaders about Beijings financial influence on the continent.

European Commissioner for Budget Gunther Oettinger floated the idea as some member states expressed extreme concern about G-7 member Italy striking a deal with China on funding from its One Belt, One Road initiative, Beijings ambitious infrastructure plan that spans continents.

Germany, in particular, spoke out strongly against Romes decision to forge ahead with the agreement, which came despite the European Commission branding Beijing a systemic rival to the EU.

Leaders from the 27 EU countries met on March 22 to discuss for the first time what the blocs strategic approach toward Beijing should be in the future, with deep splits about how open to investment they should be.

Countries including Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK have all expressed deep reservations about state-owned Chinese companies buying up shares in European infrastructure and technology companies.

However other member states, especially those in the south such as Italy, Greece, and Portugal, who suffered the most after the 2008 financial crash, are much more open to such investment.

Strategic Infrastructure in Chinese Hands

On March 23, Italy signed a deal with China that includes $7.9 billion investment in the ports of Genoa and Trieste, plus several other sectoral agreements covering energy, steel, and natural gas pipelines.

Rome became the first member of the G-7 to enter into such a pact, but followed in the footsteps of numerous other European nations including Poland, Greece, Portugal, and Hungary.

Oettinger told the Funke Media Group that in Italy and other European countries, infrastructure of strategic importance like power networks, rapid rail lines, or harbors are no longer in European but in Chinese hands.

The expansion of transport links between Europe and Asia is in itself a good thing, as long as the autonomy and sovereignty of Europe is not endangered, Ottinger said.

Berlins Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also issued a warning over the deal, telling Welt Am Sonntag: Countries that believe they can do clever business with the Chinese will wonder when they suddenly wake up in dependency.

Diplomats from several European countries expressed alarm over the move, which they fear will leave one of the continents major economies dangerously dependent on Beijing.

A diplomat from a Northern European state, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Italian premier Giuseppe Conte had been conciliatory during the meeting with other EU leaders in Brussels last week, playing down his countrys links with China.

However, the diplomat warned, the south of Italy is poor and desperately in need of investment in its infrastructure. For as long as eurozone rules continue to limit their public spending, theyll look for alternative sources of cash.

The problem theyre going to have is its like going to a loan shark. Sure, its a short-term fix, but what happens when they come to collect?

An ambassador for one EU country, speaking in Brussels on condition of anonymity, warned fellow capitals that they had to stop being naive about Chinese investment and quickly come to a common European position on the issue.

Its time for the EU, with 430 million citizens and a very unique social model on the global scale, to really come to a common position in the next 12 months on how well move forward in the coming years, the ambassador said.

The only thing wed like to bring across to China now is be awarewere starting to be less naive and more pragmatic and were not going to let this go on as if nothing has changed in this world economically.

A diplomat from another EU country said many capitals were concerned the One Belt, One Road initiative was the dark side of Chinese outreach and that some member states were a bit too credulous, a bit too open to Chinese investment and influence.

Some people who are not in it worry its an attempt to buy influence, neuter opinions, and extend Chinese tentacles into EU decision making, the diplomat said.

That reinforces the determination of the EU to have candid discussions about China. Theres a value in the EU collectively reflecting on some of these challenges.
Chi Ping Patrick Ho sentenced in a bribery trial by District Judge Loretta Preska in New York, on March 25, 2019. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

Ex-Hong Kong Official Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison in US Bribery Case

NEW YORKA former Hong Kong government official was sentenced to three years in prison on March 25 by a U.S. judge, following his conviction for bribing officials in Chad and Uganda in exchange for contracts for a Chinese energy company.

Chi Ping Patrick Ho, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan federal court, where he had been found guilty of seven criminal charges last December. Ho, who has been in jail since his arrest 16 months ago, had sought a sentence of time served, while prosecutors had sought five years.

Preska said her sentence took into account Hos extraordinary history of charity, which included becoming a mentor to another prison inmate whom she had sentenced.

I feel great remorse that my actions and my situation have caused too heavy a burden on my family, Ho said in court, before being sentenced. I am deeply sorry.

Edward Kim, Hos lawyer, said he and his client were considering options for appeal.

Ho was arrested in November 2017 on charges of violating U.S. foreign corruption law, money laundering and conspiracy. Prosecutors said he arranged bribes on behalf of Shanghai-based energy conglomerate CEFC China Energy.

At the time of his arrest, Ho was secretary-general of the Hong Kong-based China Energy Fund Committee, which was funded by CEFC China Energy. He was once Hong Kongs home affairs secretary.

Prosecutors said Ho caused the energy company to offer a $2 million bribe to the president of Chad, Idriss Deby, in 2015 in exchange for exclusive oil rights in that country.

The government of Chad has denied the U.S. charges.

Prosecutors also said that Ho caused $500,000 to be wired to Ugandas foreign minister in 2016, with the promise of further payments in the future, to secure favors for the Chinese company, including the potential acquisition of a Ugandan bank.

Sam Kutesa, who previously served as president of the U.N. General Assembly, has been Ugandas foreign minister since 2015. Uganda has denied the allegations.

In arguing for a tougher sentence, prosecutors said in court filings that Ho hadnt accepted responsibility, pointing to emails he sent from jail.

In one email, Ho described himself as the first of the sacrificial lambs of hostility between the United States and China.

Ho sent that email following an exchange about the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on U.S. charges in Canada, which has fueled tensions between the two countries.

Huawei and affiliate Huawei Device USA recently pleaded not guilty to federal charges of bank fraud, wire fraud, and violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Wanzhou is personally indicted in this case and is currently fighting extradition proceedings in Canada.

The charges added heat to the scrutiny Huawei already faces in the West over concerns that its products could be exploited by the Chinese regime for spying. The company has continually denied this allegation.

By Brendan Pierson

Epoch Times staff writers Cathy He and Petr Svab contributed to this report.
Patrick Ho was found guilty on Dec. 5, 2018 for bribing officials of two African countries for Chinese energy company CEFC China Energy. (Sunrest/CC-by/Wikimedia Commons)

Ex-Hong Kong Official Who Worked for Chinese Energy Company Gets 3 Years in Prison for Bribery

NEW YORKA prominent Hong Kong businessman was sentenced to three years in prison on March 25 and fined $400,000 after he was convicted of paying bribes to the presidents of two African countries.

U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska sentenced Dr. Chi Ping Patrick Ho, who is also an ophthalmologist and was once Hong Kongs home affairs secretary.

Ho was convicted in December of paying bribes to the presidents of Chad and Uganda in a scheme to secure oil rights for a Shanghai-based energy conglomerate known as CEFC China Energy.

Lawyers for Ho insisted at trial that the payments to the presidents were legitimate charitable donations. The payments included $2 million in gift boxes delivered to Chads president in 2014.

Ho was charged in New York City by authorities who cited meetings and wire transfers in Manhattan related to the bribes.

Prosecutors had recommended Ho serve five years. Defense lawyers said his 16 months behind bars as a model inmate were enough.

Defense lawyers said in a pre-sentence submission that Ho deeply regrets his actions.

They said their client has tutored fellow inmates at a downtown Manhattan lockup on subjects ranging from geography to personal finance.

During a weeklong trial, prosecutors said Ho approached the presidents of Chad and Uganda on behalf of CEFC China Energy after growing accustomed to using money to entice foreign officials to help the company expand its business.

Prosecutors say the Ugandan scheme emerged at the United Nations in New York when Ugandas foreign minister served as president of the U.N. General Assembly.

Arms Deals

During the case, prosecutors also alleged that Ho helped broker arms deals to Chad, Qatar, and Libya. Documents filed last October show emails in which Ho discusses using the companys connections to arrange arms purchases for those countries.

In an email from March 2015, Ho discussed selling weapons to Libya and South Sudan, both countries are under arms embargoes.

Ho asked the other party, Find a way to pass them onto me and we can execute that right away.

Then the other party answered: Attached. [We] have the funding and processing mechanisms in place. If it works nice, there will be much more. Also for S. Sudan.

The prosecution also alleged that Ho was involved in a scheme to help Iran get around sanctions by accessing funds from a Chinese bank.

In an October 2014 email, Ho said he was going to Beijing to visit the CEFC chairman for business related to Iran. He wrote about how the Iranian government held funds in a Chinese bank and wished to buy precious metals.

The Iranian agent is looking for a Chinese company to act as a middleman in these transactions and will pay commission, Ho wrote. [They] have a strong urge to establish a relationship with us regarding oil and other products.

CEFC is a private company that typically does business in the state-dominated fields of oil and gas and financial services. Its founder, Ye Jianming, has been missing since March 2018 and is reportedly under investigation by Chinese authorities. Chinese state-affiliated media Caixin reported in March that CEFC was linked to the Peoples Liberation Army.

By Larry Neumeister. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Father Abandons Family Over Sons Leukemia, Finds New Girlfriend

A Chinese man left his wife and son after two years of paying for the boys leukemia treatment. He now has a girlfriend who is pregnant and said he will no longer give financial support to his wife, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on March 17.

The boy, who was unidentified in the report, is in a hospital in Beijing and has been suffering from leukemia for two years. According to the report, the boys condition relapsed and he needs a new round of treatment.

The boys mother, named Liu, along with his paternal grandmother, have stayed by his side in the hospital. The boys father, named Gao, has given up on the family for financial reasons, and went out to start a new family.

Liu told the Beijing Youth Daily that their family will be unable to pay the fees for the necessary bone marrow transplant. The costs are expected to exceed $100,000. So far, Liu has only been able to raise about $1,000.

Its really difficult, but my mother-in-law and I have no intention of giving up on our boy, Liu told the Beijing Youth Daily. Were going to do everything we can to get him the treatment.

Mother Left Alone

In September 2016, Lius son was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After two years of chemotherapy and marrow transplants, the boys health began to improve and he was able to attend kindergarten for some time.

However, the leukemia recently relapsed, and the boy will have to go through a whole new round of treatment.

Liu said that her sons medical fees have added up to almost $130,000, and there is no more money for them to borrow, according to the report.

Wed each make about over $1,000 a month, Liu told the Youth News. But after covering the expenses of our parents and our son, we didnt have much left. Now we have to look after our son, and we have no way to work.

The doctor said that I have two genes that can easily lead to leukemia, Liu said in a video posted by Headline News. [The father] feels that I gave my son this disease  My husband said: Its because of you  If it wasnt for you, my son wouldnt have this disease.'

I only hope that hell quickly come back and help me save my son, Liu said in tears in the video. Dont abandon me and my son.

Father Decides to Abandon

When Liu called Gao and asked if he would come back and take care of their son, Gao said he didnt want anything to do with the family anymore, according to the report. Its not happening, Gao told his wife. Theres nothing else I can do. Dont call me again.

According to Beijing Youth News, Gao told his wife that they should give up on their sons medical treatment. Despite disapproval from his mother, Gao decided to start a new family and plans to divorce Liu.

After taking him to the hospital all these years, medical fees added up to more than $150,000, Gao told the Youth News. I owe over $90,000. People are harassing me every day to pay back the money.

Now my girlfriend is pregnant, and we have to spend money with what were doing here, Gao told the Youth News. Dont tell [my son] that his father is working, just tell him that his fathers dead.

I really dont have any money to give them, Gao told Beijing Youth News. Its a bottomless pit.

Gaos own mother said in the video, in between sobs, that her son was disloyal.

My son never paid too much attention to his childs illness, Gaos mother told Beijing Youth News. Im not contacting him anymore after he leaves the family this time.
The exterior of the Sandy Hook Elementary School following the Dec. 14, 2012 shooting rampage, taken on an unspecified date in Newtown, Connecticut. (Photo by Connecticut State Police via Getty Images)

Father of Sandy Hook Mass Shooting Victim Reportedly Takes Own Life

The father of a victim in the Sandy Hook massacre was found dead of a reported suicide on March 25.

Jeremy Richman, 49, was found dead outside of the Newtown, Connecticut, City Hall building, reported WTNH-TV.

According to the Newtown Police Department, The death appears to be a suicide but police will not disclose the method or any other details of the death, only to state the death does not appear suspicious.

49-year-old Jeremy Richman was found dead this morning around 7am.  WTNH News 8  2019325

Police confirmed his death on Facebook.

According to WFSB, his body was taken o the Connecticut state medical examiners office for an autopsy. Its expected to be completed later on March 25.

Other details about his death are not clear.

Avielle was among 26 students and staff who were shot dead in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

JUST IN: The body of the father of a Sandy Hook shooting victim was found at #Newtown's Edmond Town Hall.  WFSB  Channel 3 Eyewitness News  2019325

This is a heartbreaking event for the Richman family and the Newtown Community as a whole, the police departments prayers are with the Richman family right now, and we ask that the family be given privacy in this most difficult time, said Lt. Aaron Bahamonde, Newtown police, reported WFSB.

Richman was the founder of the Avielle Foundation, and it works to reduce violence in society, Fox61 reported.

Police said the father of a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting died in an apparent suicide early Monday.  FOX61  2019325

Richmans death is the third reported suicide with a mass shooting-related connection in the past week.

Two Parkland Students Die

In Florida, two students who went to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland reported took their own lives in the past several days.

Sydney Aiello, 19, took her own life on March 17, according to officials. She was a friend of Meadow Pollack, one of the students who died in the school shooting last February.

Her mother told a CNN affiliate that her daughter suffered from survivor's guilt after the Parkland school shooting and had recently been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.  CNN  2019323

Over the weekend, a second, unnamed student killed themselves. The name of the student has been withheld, but police said he was a sophomore at the school.

Coral Springs Police spokesman Tyler Reik told CBS News that the second Parkland student died of an apparent suicide on the night of March 23. The student was described by Reik as a juvenile and released no further information, including the name.

Reik told CBS theres no indication at all that the unnamed student death was linked to last years school shooting or Aiellos suicide.

Ryan Deitsch, who helped organize the March for Our Lives, made a statement about the recent death: This is the aftermath of a massacre. Mental health care treatment in schools is atrociously underfunded and under-resourced, even in Parkland. Now is beyond the time to invest in the well-being of our students and our future, according to Local10.

Andrew Pollack, the father of Meadow, said of Aiellos death: Its terrible what happened. Meadow and Sydney were friends for a long, long time.

He said, Killing yourself is not the answer, the Miami Herald reported.

He continued: If anyone feels like that they have no one that can understand their pain, if theres any student out there thats having a hard time, please reach out to me on Twitter. I understand you. You arent alone.

Suicide Hotlines

If you are in an emergency in the United States or Canada, please call 911. You can phone the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1 800 273 8255. Youth can call the Kids Help Phone on 1800 668 6868.

In Australia, the suicide prevention telephone hotline at Lifeline is 13 11 14. You can also visit the Lifeline website at lifeline.org.au. Youth can contact the Kids Helpline by phoning 1800 551 800 or visiting headspace.org.au/yarn-safe
Former Hostage Joshua Boyle Tried on Assault Charges, Wife Revealed as Alleged Victim

The trial of former hostage Joshua Boyle began in an Ottawa court Monday, where one of his alleged victims was revealed to be his estranged American wife Caitlan Coleman.

Boyle, 35, has pleaded not guilty to all 19 charges against him, which include assault, sexual assault, and unlawful confinement. Coleman is named victim in 17 of those 19 charges.

Lawyer for the Crown Meaghan Cunningham said she expects the defence to vigorously challenge the credibility and reliability of Coleman, who is expected to begin three days of testimony on March 25, reports the Ottawa Citizen. She said the defence might argue that Coleman consented to Boyles abuse and domination.

A publication ban originally banned the names of the two alleged victims in Boyles case, but Colemans lawyer said his client wanted to lift the ban, a request that was granted. The other publication ban for the second alleged victim is still in place.

The court will also hear a 911 phone recording of Boyle from Dec. 30, 2017, along with testimony from the responding officers to that emergency call, Cunningham said. A neighbour of the couple, a Global Affairs Canada official, Colemans mother, and her two sisters are also expected to testify during two weeks of Crown evidence. Boyles bench trial is expected to take eight weeks.

According to CBC, the Crown lawyer said the judge may be asked to rule on whether Colemans testimony accords with common sense and human experience, but that Colemans unusual experiences may make it difficult to assess.

Boyle and Coleman, who is American, were taken hostage while on a hiking trip in Afghanistan in 2012. The couple, along with their three children born while in captivity, were rescued from the Taliban-linked Haqqani network by Pakistani forces in October 2017.

Boyle was subsequently arrested in Ottawa at the end of 2017, less than three months after his return to Canada. He was initially charged with 15 counts, but in January those charges were withdrawn and 19 charges were submitted in their place. Police allege the crimes were committed between Oct. 14, the day after Boyle and Coleman returned to Canada, and Dec. 30, 2017.

Boyle was released from jail last June on strict bail conditions that included house arrest with an electronic GPS ankle bracelet to track his movements. The judge also ordered that Boyle must not be given access to the internet nor communicate with the victims or their relatives.

Last June, an Ottawa judge granted temporary sole custody of the couples children to Coleman, who took the children with her to Pennsylvania, her home state. According to The Ottawa Citizen, Coleman alleged in an affidavit filed with the family court that she was physically and emotionally abused by Boyle while they were hostages. The allegations in the affidavits have not been proven in court, and Boyle denied the allegations.

The judge also issued a restraining order against Boyle, which prevents him from contacting or going near Coleman and their children.
Former foreign policy advisor to President Donald Trump's election campaign, George Papadopoulos (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) and then-Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Alexander Downer (Jack Taylor/Getty Images).

Declassified Mueller Report Would Reveal UK, Australian Intelligence Involved in Anti-Trump Witch Hunt, Says Former Trump Aide

President Donald Trumps former foreign policy aide, George Papadopoulos, claims that he was a victim of spying by certain people within the Australian, UK, and U.S. intelligence communities ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

George Papadopoulos says he feels vindicated after the release of a summary of Special Counsel Bob Muellers probe into Russian meddling.

Mueller, according to the summary, concluded there was no evidence that Trump and members of the presidents election campaign, including Papadopoulos, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government ahead of the election.

The witch hunt is over, Papadopoulos, Trumps former campaign foreign policy aide, told AAP on Sunday.

I plan on going on the offensive and hope the president does too.

Declassification of surveillance material is paramount.

Papadopoulos has been refuting Australian diplomat and former politician Alexander Downers claim that he was the one to inform Downer as then Australian high commissioner to the UK about Russias alleged possession of thousands of Hillary Clintons emails.

Downer, in an interview with The Australian newspaper last year, claimed Papadopoulos told him that Russia might use damaging material they had on Trump presidential rival Hillary Clinton in the lead-up to the election during a meeting in a London bar in May 2016 before Donald Trumps 2016 election win. Downers assistant, Erika Thompson, was also at the meeting. Papadopoulos has since claimed that Thompson maybe an Australian intelligence officer.

Downer said he was the one to pass that information back to Canberra the following day or a day or two.

The Wall Street Journal, quoting a diplomatic source, also reported that Downer was the one to pass on Papadopouloss Russia information directly to the U.S. embassy in London.

The meeting between Papadopoulos and Downer is credited as one of the triggers for the FBI investigation that led to Muellers probe.

Australian diplomat whose tip prompted FBIs Russia probe has tie to Clintons https://t.co/34EN3cvJLL pic.twitter.com/2CdEE0Nc2e  The Hill (@thehill) March 6, 2018

The 31-year-old former Trump aide has been saying that he believes Downers claim about the email informationwhich was actually revealed to him by a Maltese professor Joseph Mifsud who has since been accused of working for the FBI and Western intelligence agencieswas part of an elaborate plan by anti-Trump intelligence operatives to frame him and provide the FBI with the reason to proceed with the investigation into allegations of Russia collusion by the Trump campaign.

Get ready to see what I have been telling the world about Alexander Downer being used as a weaponized asset against me. https://t.co/F405Zdb1qy  George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) March 24, 2019

Another example of UK incompetence or complicity? Here is Joseph Mifsud a year after I notified the FBI that he was a suspected Russian agent with none other than the British Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson. Strange that a Russian agent gets such access to the top in the UK. pic.twitter.com/39J4PKv7RF  George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) October 14, 2018

The person who introduced me to western intelligence asset, Joseph Mifsud, also introduced Alison Saunders (the UKs top prosecutor) to Bruce Ohr 4 days before the Trump tower meeting. I expose this person in my book. U.K. is the epicenter of the coup attempt of last 2 years.  George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) March 24, 2019

Muellers team arrested Papadopoulos on July 27, 2017, at an airport on the same day that Mueller was informed of the discovery of shocking phone texts between former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page. The texts discussed an insurance policy in the unlikely event that Trump would win the election. Strzok was the FBI agent responsible for the bureaus investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server to send classified information.

After his arrest, Papadopoulos was sentenced to jail for 14 days when he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in early 2017 about his contact with Russian nationals and Mifsud. Papadopoulos was one of Muellers first prosecutions.

Papadopolouss book Deep State Target will be released on Tuesday, March 26, and details his account of dealings with Downer, Thompson, Trump, and others.

Sergei Millian, Joseph Mifsud, Charles Tawil, Alexander Downer, Stefan Halper, Azra Turk, Putins niece, a spy school and many more characters get analyzed in my forthcoming book: Deep State Target. Available for pre order now, in stores next month! https://t.co/yLe2q2bcfV  George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) February 7, 2019

In September last year, Trump wrote on Twitter key allies had asked him not to release classified FBI documents related to the probe into Russian influence.

Papadopoulos believes the allies were elements within Australia and the UK and he wants their involvement to be made public.

While the (Mueller) report is likely mired in classified material, and most will likely never be revealed to the public, I do hope what is public is what Alexander Downers and Erika Thompsons roles were and why Downer has become so protected, Papadopoulos said.

Papadopoulos also says that U.S. congressional sources revealed to him that a transcript exists of his London bar conversation with Downer, according to AAP. A transcript would prove Downer taped their conversation without his knowledge, he said.

Information from Alexander Downer was what sparked the FBI to open their counterintelligence investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign   The Epoch Times Australia     25  2018

Downer is said to have close connections with Bill and Hillary Clinton and arranged for the Australian government to pay A$25 million to the Bill Clinton foundation to fight AIDS in Papua New Guinea and South East Asia in 2006 when Downer was foreign minister. The humanitarian projects that came out of the funding helped thousands of HIV-infected patients gain access to antiretroviral AIDS medications, winning much praise, but was also criticised by auditors for management weakness and inadequate oversight of the budget, records have shown.

As foreign minister, Downer also oversaw the Australian Secret Intelligence Service at the time of the East Timor spying scandal. After leaving politics, he became a board member for Huawei Australia with John Lord and John Brumby. Downer resigned from the board in 2014.

Downer had previously avoided engaging in Papadopouloss spying accusation, telling BBC radio last year: Im not going to get into these sort of allegations.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has not denied Papadopouloss account of his interaction with Downer in previously media interviews and told The New York Times in January 2018 that he was not concerned over the revelation as Australias relationship with the United States was in excellent shape.

The government wont be making additional comments on a matter that relates to an ongoing investigation in the U.S., he said at the time. So weve got nothing further to add to that.

Trump told reporters at the White House on March 20 that he would have no problem if the full report was made public.

Let it come out, let people see it, Trump said.

Top Democrats are also asking for the full report to be made public.

With reporting by AAP US Correspondent Peter Mitchell

Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that George Papadopoulos made the claim that Erika Thompson maybe an Australian intelligence officer.

From NTD News

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French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Chinese Leader Xi Jinping at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on March 25, 2019. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

France Signs Multibillion-Dollar Deals With China, Pushes Back on One Belt, One Road Project

PARISFrance and China have signed agreements worth billions of dollars, including a huge Airbus plane order, during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, even as Paris pushed back against Beijings One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative.

President Emmanuel Macron wants to forge a united European front to confront unfair Chinese trade and investment practices.

Europe must be united and have a coherent message. Thats what we are doing on strategic investments, Macron said March 25 in a joint address with Xi. Neither leader took questions.

Macron and Xi will hold further talks on March 26 with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Unions executive arm.

Xi arrived in France after visiting Italy, the first Western power to endorse Chinas ambitious One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative as Rome tries to revive its struggling economy.

The OBOR plan, championed by Xi, aims to link China by sea and land with Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, through an infrastructure network on the lines of the old Silk Road.

France says Silk Road cooperation must work in both directions.

Macron said European firms needed better access to China, more trust in their exchanges and a tangible improvement in the business environment and fair competition. He said OBOR had to meet international norms.

The two sides signed 15 business deals totaling about 40 billion euros ($45 billion), including an order for 300 Airbus planes estimated at 30 billion euros alone.

The contracts ranged from the renewable energy sector to shipping and banking. Macron also said China has agreed to lift an embargo on French poultry.

Challenge and Partner

In a column in the French daily Le Figaro published March 24, Xi made clear he wanted Paris to cooperate in the project, calling for more trade and investment in sectors ranging from nuclear energy to aeronautics and farming.

Its up to us to work with France to develop a global and strategic partnership that is more robust, stable and dynamic, Xi said alongside Macron. We want our development to benefit others and thats the case with OBOR.

French officials describe China as both a challenge and partner, saying France must remain especially vigilant over any Chinese attempts to appropriate foreign technology for its own purposes.

The EU is already weighing a more defensive strategy on China, spurred by Beijings slowness in opening up its economy, Chinese takeovers in critical sectors, and a feeling in European capitals that Beijing hasnt stood up for free trade.

On March 12, the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, called Beijing a systematic rival in a report on EUChina relations.

As part of efforts to further that approach, Macron will play host to Merkel and Juncker on March 26 to meet with Xi to move away from a purely bilateral approach to ties.

By Marine Pennetier and John Irish
The Daisy Lane Parade started in 1953 when Gertrude Whittle worked with the Long Beach City Council and Council of Churches to help decorate the grass median on Daisy Avenue with a Christmas Village and nativity scene, according to the...
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 25, 2019. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)

France to Seal Deals With China But Will Challenge One Belt, One Road Project

PARISFrance and China will sign trade deals worth billions of euros on March 25 during a visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but Paris will also take the opportunity to push back against Beijings One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative.

President Emmanuel Macron wants to forge a united European front to confront Beijings advances.

After he and Xi meet later on Monday, the two will hold further talks on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Jean-Claude Juncker, heads of the EU executive.

Xi arrived in France after visiting Italy, the first Western power to endorse Chinas ambitious One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road) as Rome tries to revive its struggling economy.

The Belt and Road Initiative plan, championed by Xi, aims to link China by sea and land with Southeast and Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, through an infrastructure network on the lines of the old Silk Road.

Critics have said the initiative saddles developing countries with large debt burdens that they cant pay off, while Washington worries that the plan is designed to strengthen Chinas military influence, and could be used to spread technologies capable of spying on Western interests.

France says Silk Road cooperation must work in both directions.

An official in Macrons office said significant progress was expected in terms of opening up the Chinese market for some farm goods, especially poultry.

French officials have also expressed the hope that a multi-billion dollar deal for China to buy dozens of Airbus planes could be finalized.

In a column in Le Figaro published on Sunday, Xi made clear he wanted Paris to cooperate in the Belt and Road project, calling for more trade and investment in sectors ranging from nuclear energy, aeronautics and agriculture.

French officials describe China as a both a challenge and partner, saying France must remain especially vigilant over any Chinese attempts to appropriate foreign technology for its own means.

The EU is already weighing a more defensive strategy on China, spurred by Beijings slowness in opening up its economy, Chinese takeovers in critical sectors, and a feeling in European capitals that Beijing has not stood up for free trade.

An awakening was necessary, Macron said in Brussels on Friday. For many years we had an uncoordinated approach and China took advantage of our divisions.

As part of efforts to push that approach, Macron will host Merkel and Juncker on Tuesday to meet with Xi to move away from a purely bilateral approach to ties.

Macron is not happy to see China win so many prizes in Rome, so he has invented a bizarre European format by inviting Merkel and Juncker as a counterbalance to show that he is the driving force behind European integration, said one Paris-based Asian diplomat.

Rights organizations also urged Macron not to skirt the subject of human rights in China, especially Muslims in Chinas Xinjiang region.

Several hundred demonstrators converged in central Paris on Monday with slogans protesting against the alleged mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs and in defense of Tibet, 60 years after that regions failed uprising against Chinese rule.

Foreign officials have often justified not challenging Chinese leaders on human rights out of ostensible concern that they might lose face, Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

But President Macron should keep in mind that the faces that matter are those of the countless people wrongly imprisoned, tortured and persecuted by President Xi and his government.

By Michel Rose & John Irish. The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Google Likely Shifted Undecided Voters in 2018 Election, Perhaps Millions, Researcher Says

Google may have skewed the results of the 2018 midterm elections by millions of votes, according to research by psychologist Robert Epstein.

Epstein had about 130 anonymous field agents in Orange County, California, and about 30 more across the country who had all their election-related Google search results recorded, more than 47,000 of them, including nearly 400,000 web pages that the search results linked to.

We found significant pro-liberal bias on Googleenough, quite easily, to have flipped all three congressional districts in Orange County from Republican to Democrat, Epstein said in an emailed statement.

Democrats indeed flipped in 2018 the three congressional seats in the county that Epstein zeroed in for his study.

Compared to search engines Bing and Yahoo, Epstein and his team found the results from Google were significantly more liberal than non-Google search results on all 10 days leading up to and including Election Day and in all 10 positions of search results on the first page of search results, according to the summary of a paper Epstein plans to present at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association in Pasadena, California, in April. The summary was provided by Epstein to The Epoch Times.

They estimated the bias, based on ratings collected from thousands of people crowdsourced through sites like MTurk, he explained. Epstein further looked at news sources in the search results and calculated their political bias, based on ideological media map published in 2017 by Harvards Berkman Klein Center.

On a scale of -1 to 1, from the most conservative to the most liberal, Google search results had an average bias of 0.14, while non-Google search results averaged -0.13.

If that level of bias had been present nationwide, at least 4.6 million undecided voters would have shifted toward Democratic candidates; thats a modest estimate, Epstein said. In the extreme case, if all of those 4.6 million people had voted a straight Democratic ticket, that would have given Democratic candidates in different races 78.2 million votes.

He said extrapolating the Orange County results nationwide is more than reasonable, since the field agents in other areas experienced the same level of bias nationwide.

Power to Sort

While Epstein considers himself liberal, hes been outspoken about his concern about Googles power to influence political currents of the country.

In a January Epoch Times op-ed, he explained that even innocent-looking initiatives of the company, such as turning its logo on the search page from Google to Go Vote on Election Day 2018, could have notably favored the Democrats.

Since Google users tend to be more left-leaning on average, the Go Vote reminder was likely a net gain to the Democrats, he pointed out.

Given that more than 90 percent of political donations from Google employees have gone to Democrats since 2004, and Googles leaders were said to have been dismayed by Trumps win, Epstein doubted the company would take steps against its own ideological leanings.

Would Google display a Go Vote reminder to its U.S. users on Election Daya reminder that would be seen by Americans more than 500 million times that dayif there was the slightest chance that doing so would give more votes to Republicans than to Democrats? he asked.

Google executives have repeatedly denied that the political preferences of their staff leak into their products; theyve also called Epsteins past research flawed. Yet Google acknowledges that it not only sorts search results by relevance, but also by how authoritative the company deems the sources to be. Google even manually edits the search results on controversial topics, according to internal documents obtained by Breitbart.

Its exactly the power to rank and sort where Epstein sees the power of influence in the crowded information world of today.

In randomized, controlled, peer-reviewed research Ive conducted with thousands of people, Ive shown repeatedly that when people are undecided, I can shift their opinions on just about any topic just by changing how I filter and order the information I show them, he wrote in an Epoch Times op-ed on Sept. 26.

Update: The article has been updated with additional details provided by Robert Epstein.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) in New York City on March 20, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Graham Warns Democrats: Dont Repeat House GOPs 1998 Mistake

WASHINGTONSenate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham warned Democrats on March 25 against making the same mistake House Republicans made in the 1998 impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

If you keep going after [special counsel Robert] Mueller spoke, people are going to think that youre just out to get [President Donald Trump], that there is no right answer other than Donald Trump must be removed from office, and you will probably suffer the same fate we did as having gone too far, Graham told reporters during a March 25 news conference.

Democrats gained five House seats in the 1998 congressional contests, which came during the sixth year of the Clinton administration.

Sixth-year elections historically see the presidents political party losing rather than gaining House seats. Political observers at the time said many voters thought House Republicans went too far by impeaching Clinton.

Graham, who was a member of the House Republican impeachment team 21 years ago, responded to a reporter who asked for Grahams advice to House Democrats who are considering continuing multiple investigations of Trump.

The main focus of those probes concerns whether Trump or members of his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to defeat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential election and whether the chief executive or subordinates obstructed justice in dealing with Muellers probe.

Mueller found no evidence of collusion by Trump or his campaign staff with Russia in 2016.

House Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said on March 24 that his panels probe continues, based on his belief there is compelling evidence of collusion by Trump despite Muellers failure to find such evidence. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerome Nadler (D-N.Y.) vowed to do so, as well.

Other House committee investigations, including the Ways and Means panels demand for Trumps tax returns, also continue. That panel is chaired by Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.).

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said, however, she will oppose impeachment efforts unless there is something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan.

Trump is far from out of the woods, however, because there are continuing investigations of numerous aspects of his business and political conduct, including by the Department of Justices Southern District of New York at the federal level and the New York Attorney General at the state level.

Public opinion has been trending in recent months against impeachment, with 36 percent favoring it and 59 percent opposing it, according to a March 20 CNN poll.

Democratic campaign strategists interviewed by The Epoch Times expect the investigations should and will go on, but they cautioned that their partys leaders must keep a close eye on public opinion.

Based on what Speaker Pelosi has previously said, I dont expect to see impeachment hearings anytime soon, despite what I expect to be a push for them by some within the caucus, said Jim Manley, former communications director for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

I dont envy the job that Pelosi will have to do to juggle the competing demands within the caucus, but I am confident that she wont let House Democrats overplay their hand, Manley said.

Manley added that he expects Pelosi to let the investigations play out in a disciplined and coordinated way, even as she pushes House Democrats to focus on passing their legislative agenda.

Similarly, Jimmy Williams, a South Carolina-based Democratic campaign strategist who worked for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in 1998, said, Democrats have to watch the mood of the country, but I dont think they should stop.

Williams said the 1998 Clinton investigation began looking for land deals and ended up at the Monica Lewinsky scandal, whereas the Trump probes are about far more serious matters.

The investigations will go on about a myriad of matters, Williams said. The question is, how will they know if theyve gone too far and what if they do find something else?

The other governing factor, according to Williams: Can the Democrats get out of their own way and let Donald Trump defeat himself in 2020?

Republicans see a vastly different scenario when asked what happens now that the Mueller report is completed.

If you only follow cable news or political twitter, you would think the country is in the midst of a nervous breakdown. Its not, Kevin Sheridan told The Epoch Times.

Yet, Democrats cling to this narrative against their own long-term interests. If they cant find a way back to talking about real issues that impact peoples lives, they will pay at the polls, said Sheridan, who was a senior adviser to 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Could 2020 look like 1998? Sure. Nancy Pelosi knows this, but will Schiff, Nadler and their presidential candidates heed the warning? No chance, Sheridan predicted.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@EpochTimes.nyc
According to court testimony, 8-month-old Isaiah Neil (pictured) died after being left inside a boiling hot car for three hours in Ruatoki, New Zealand, on Nov. 2, 2015. (Shane Neil/Facebook)

Grandmother Guilty in Manslaughter of Baby Left in Hot Car as Family Took Synthetic Cannabis

A grandmother has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her 8-month-old grandson, who died in the back of a hot car while family members were high on synthetic cannabis.

Isaiah Neil died in November 2015 after being left in the car outside the family home in Ruatoki, New Zealand.

His parents, Shane Neil and Lacey Te Whetu, had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter, confessing, we cooked the baby, in a police interview.

They later became key witnesses in the trial of the boys grandmother, Donna Catherine Parangi, who was found guilty on March 25 according to local reports.

Parangi, who had smoked drugs together with the parents that day, had denied any role in the babys death.

The case hinged on whether the jury believed Parangi had taken on a parental role on the day of the boys death and on whether they believed he died of heatstroke, according to the New Zealand Herald.

Her lawyers had claimed that other marks on the baby, and the fact that he was ill with bronchitis, cast doubt on the conclusion that he had died of heatstroke.

#BREAKING Donna Parangi has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her 8-month-old grandson Isaiah Neil.Baby Isaiah  nzherald.co.nz  2019324

The three had returned home after driving to a nearby town to buy drugs, with the baby in the car. According to the prosecution, they then left the baby to sleep in the car on Parangis advice.

His father, Neil, told the jury that on the day his son died, Te Whetu, Parangi, and he were smoking synthetic cannabis, according to NZ Stuff. He said all three became drowsy and fell asleep for three hours.

When he woke, Neil found the boy lifeless and hot in the car, brought him in and handed him over to Te Whetu.

Te Whetu reportedly said she could still see the baby breathing, so the couple put the baby in his cot and went back to sleep.

She then tried to feed him with a bottle, before putting him in his cot to sleep.

Neil said he woke up again at around 6 p.m. and found the baby unresponsive and soaked in sweat. He told the jury the two called emergency services and while they waited for an ambulance to arrive, they sprinkled the baby with cold water to try to revive him.

She (Te Whetu) went into a full panic state. I think we knew he was gone, Neil told the court. It was the most I have seen anyone panic in my life. She was grabbing his body. Trembling, screaming, out of control.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Isaiah inside the ambulance but were unsuccessful. The child was then was pronounced dead.

I remember saying We failed.as parents, Neil told the jury. I got stoned after that.

After the incident, Neil spoke with Detective Sgt. Max Holder and told the police officer We cooked the baby.

During the trial, Te Whetu said her drug addiction was so severe that she was often overcome by the effects of the drugs and would fall into a stupor and lie on the floor in random parts of the house.

I gave my family no choice but to take care of my kids, she said, according to Stuff, because I couldnt.

Te Whetu said that Parangi was also addicted to the synthetic drug and was often so intensely under the effect of the narcotic that she was unable to provide care for the infant either. She said her mother smoked synthetic cannabis daily.

According to the New Zealand Herald, Parangi was remanded on bail until a nominal sentencing date of May 10.

Epoch Times reporter Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
Indiana Man Who Beat Pregnant Woman to Death Dies Several Days Before Sentencing

SOUTH BEND, IndianaA man who pleaded guilty to the beating death of a pregnant mother in South Bend, Indiana, has died in jail.

The St. Joseph County prosecutors office says 78-year-old George Kearney was found unresponsive Saturday night, March 23, in the county jails medical unit.

Kearney was pronounced dead early Sunday. His sentencing was set for Friday, March 29, and could face a 60-year prison term.

Authorities say Kearney had been terminally ill and signed an order with jail medical staff to take no lifesaving measures if he stopped breathing.

Just 2 weeks ago, George Kearney pleaded guilty to beating a 28-year-old pregnant mother to death. He was going to be sentenced Friday, but he died in jail. https://t.co/lSOM2lu308 #FOX59morning pic.twitter.com/MXeIQ5sh9C  FOX59 News (@FOX59) March 25, 2019

His guilty plea in the slaying of 28-year-old Miriam Rice came earlier this month.

Rice, was abducted on June 24, 1988, while walking her dog in a park. Her body was found about a week later obscured by foliage down an embankment.

At the time of her death, Rice was married, four months pregnant and had a 3-year-old child, James Rice.

James, now 30, told WSBT he was excited and thankful, but also still processing everything.

I couldnt believe that a case that was 30 years old would ever be solved or that there would be any new leads or anything, said James. The fact that were here today is just wild to me Im honestly still in shock.

Kearneys former girlfriend, Barbara Brewster, 56, also was charged with murder last year and is due to stand trial. Brewster has told investigators that Kearney killed Rice.

Kearney, Brewster and Brewsters three young children were camping and fishing in the park when Rice was killed.

Brewsters now-adult son, Robert South, told investigators that he saw Kearney drag Rice into their van and his mother beat her in the head with tools that were in the vehicle, according to court documents filed last July by prosecutors.

His older sister, Paula Brooks, now in her 30s, told investigators that Kearney, Brewster and South left the campsite to get food.

A couple of hours later she heard a blood-curdling scream from across the lagoon from a woman, St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit cold case investigator Brett Coppins wrote in an affidavit. This unknown woman was pleading for her life. The screaming continued for some time.

When they returned, all three were covered with blood, Brooks said.

Robert stated that he has been traumatized by this murder his whole life, Coppins wrote. He stated that he has never told anyone what happened because George Kearney threatened to kill him if he did.

BREAKING: George Kearney, a suspect in the 1988 murder of Miriam Rice, is dead. St. Joseph County authorities confirm Kearney was suffering from a terminal illness, and was pronounced dead early this AM. Autopsy set for Monday. His sentencing was set for Friday, March 29. pic.twitter.com/VPdDeoQNs0  Kim Shine WNDU (@KimShineWNDU) March 24, 2019

Kearney was arrested in July 1988 in an unrelated case and spent 27 years in prison. After his release, he reached out to investigators in 2016 and said Rice was killed by Brewster, according to the affidavit.

He stated that he had been getting letters while in prison from Paula (Brewsters daughter) questioning his involvement in the death of Miriam Rice, Coppins wrote. In order to clear the air, George Kearney advised officers that he wanted to come forward.

Brooks also told police she wrote to Kearney in an attempt to get him to admit to what he had done to Miriam Rice.
Johnny Walker (right), Iraqi interpreter for U.S. military in Iraq, and retired Navy SEAL Jason Tuschen (left) at citizenship ceremony in San Diego, California, on March 20, 2019. (Kimberly Hayek/The Epoch Times)

Iraqi Interpreter for Navy SEALS Sworn In as US Citizen

SAN DIEGOFor years, the man the U.S. Navy SEALs called by his code name Johnny Walker risked his life serving the U.S. military as an interpreter during the war in Iraq. Now, more than 10 years after arriving in the United States, Walker is officially an American citizen.

It is a crazy feeling. I mean, I am lucky.  I am the luckiest guy in the world, Walker told The Epoch Times on March 20.

As he put his hand over his heart while the national anthem played during the ceremony, Walker broke into tears, saying all of the memories of the missions hes served and the sacrifices of the men he calls his brothers came rushing back in a single moment.

It brings all the sacrifice of all my brothers and my sisters who fight for what they believe. Like my brother, my own brother, who fought al-Qaeda, and they kill himI remember him, I remember Chris Kyle, Luis [Lastra]  all those heroes.

Johnny Walker (codename), who risked his life to help Navy Seals in Iraq, became a U.S. citizen today pic.twitter.com/u4KyBiVtmd  The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) March 21, 2019

When the U.S. military arrived in Iraq, Walker went from base to base looking for a job; he started working with the military police shortly after. As his reputation as a capable and fearless interpreter grew, an elite group of U.S. Navy SEALs hired him and started calling him Johnny Walker, after his love for Johnnie Walker whiskeya name he says he loves more than his old name. It was also to protect him and his loved ones, and he uses it even today, as he still has extended family in Iraq.

Missions with the U.S. military were dangerous in and of themselves, but eventually, Iraqis working with Americans became targets for violence. The military interpreter received death threats, had a bounty put on him, and carried an AK-47 with him for protection.

Still, Walker remained loyal in his service to the U.S. military, serving in more than 1,000 missions with whichever group of soldiers needed him, wherever he was needed in his home country.

Walker said hes held the American dream in his heart ever since he was a teenager, and watching the men he worked with sacrifice and fight for what they believed in inspired him to make that dream reality.

That dream became solid fact, Walker said. I have to live in that country, because I want my kids to have a free life.

Then, in 2009, the military interpreter and his family came to the United States under a special U.S. visa program for citizens who face danger in their home countries because of their affiliations with the United States.

Walker applied for U.S. citizenship years ago, but even with military recommendations, his case got lost in the shuffle. Now, years after submitting an official application, he was sworn at the same time as his daughter in San Diego.

Although reciting the oath lasted just a few minutes, Walker said it was a moment hell never forget.

I came from a country where we saw blood and sadness every second  but the oath, it takes me down. It means a lot, Walker told The Epoch Times. Its a feeling that its a first time in my life. Like I know its just a few minutes but I catch it, I steal it from the time, and I will keep it always in my heart.

Walker said all of his sacrifices were more than worth it, and that its the responsibility of new U.S. citizens, the new blood of the nation, to keep the United States a free countryat the core of which is love and loyalty. Thats one of the reasons he believes legal immigration is necessary.

If you have no loyalty, why is he coming? Theres no reason, Walker said. He can have a free meal? If this is his goal, I dont think he deserves to be American.

Believe about this country and love this country and it will love you back and thats it. Dont forget your culture, but you have to have loyalty to this country.

Walker currently lives in San Diego with his wife and three children. All are U.S. citizens.
An Israeli police officer inspects the damage to a house hit by a rocket in Mishmeret, central Israel on March 25, 2019. (Ariel Schalit/Photo via AP)

Israel Mobilizes After Gaza Rocket Attack, Escalation Looms

KFAR SABA, IsraelA long-range rocket fired from the Gaza Strip slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people early Monday, March 25, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a high-profile visit to Washington and prompting the military to deploy troops along Israels southern border.

Netanyahu promised a tough response while Gazas Hamas leaders went into hiding, setting the stage for a possible major conflagration just two weeks before Israeli elections.

The early-morning rocket strike came at a sensitive time for both sides. Netanyahu, locked in a tight race for re-election, came under heavy criticism from his rivals Monday and faced tough pressure to strike back at Hamas.

The ISIS terrorist group, meanwhile, is facing perhaps its toughest test since seizing control of Gaza 12 years ago. An Israel-Egyptian blockade, imposed to weaken Hamas, combined with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority and mismanagement by the Hamas government have all fueled an economic crisis.

Hamas has been leading weekly protests along the Israeli border for the past year in hopes of easing the blockade, but the demonstrations have done little to improve conditions.

Last week, hundreds of Gazans took to the streets to protest the dire conditions, a rare expression of public discontent, prompting a violent Hamas crackdown that drew heavy public criticism.

Although neither side would seem to have an interest in a full-fledged war, they appeared to be on a collision course toward further violence.

Netanyahu, in Washington to meet President Donald Trump, held emergency consultations with military officials back in Israel. He said he would return home immediately after the White House meeting, canceling an address to the AIPAC pro-Israel lobby group and meetings with congressional leaders.

There has been a criminal attack on the state of Israel and we will respond forcefully, he said.

The sounds of air raid sirens jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, shortly after 5 a.m., sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family. The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor injuries.

The Israeli military said Hamas terrorists fired the rocket from southern Gaza. It said its Iron Dome rocket-defense system was not activated because the attack in central Israel had not been anticipated. The army added it was reinforcing its missile defense batteries in preparation for an escalation.

Maj. Mika Lifshitz, a military spokeswoman, said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of 120 kilometers (75 miles), making it one of the deepest rocket strikes ever carried out by Hamas.

Lifshitz added that two armor and infantry brigades were being mobilized to the Gaza front and that a limited drafting of reserves was also taking place.

The family home in Mishmeret was left in ruins, with tiles, broken furniture and debris scattered about. A shattered babys crib lay among the rubble and two family dogs died in the explosion.

I nearly lost my family, said Robert Wolf, grandfather of the injured residents. If we hadnt gotten to the bomb shelter in time, I would now be burying all my family.

Israel and Hamas, a terrorist group that seeks Israels destruction, are bitter enemies. They have fought three wars since Hamas overran Gaza in 2007, most recently in 2014, and engaged in dozens of minor flare-ups of fighting.

Mondays attack came 10 days after rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israels densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military at the time struck back and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation. But Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidentally.

Rocket from Gaza hit home in central Israel Hear directly from Israel Defense Forces Capt. Libby Weiss at the site of the Wolfs house in Mishmeret that was destroyed this morning by a Hamas rocket from Gaza.Seven people were wounded in the incident, including a woman in her sixties who suffered blast injuries, minor burns and shrapnel wounds. A 12-year old girl and two infants also received shrapnel wounds, and two dogs were killed.Please keep all of Israel in your prayers  Humans of JNF  2019325

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Mondays attack, but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rocket fire out of Gaza.

A possible trigger could have been a prison riot late Sunday when Hamas-affiliated inmates stabbed an Israeli guard in the neck in southern Israel. Guards moved in to subdue the rioters, wounding about a dozen prisoners, three of them seriously. In a statement, Hamas called for an end to the crackdown.

Hamas may also be seeking to heat things up with Israel to divert attention from its domestic problems. Senior Hamas officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media, said the group does not think that Netanyahu will launch a new war so close to the April 9 election.

Netanyahu, however, came under heavy criticism from allies and opponents for what they say has been an ineffective policy containing Gaza terrorists.

Netanyahu has conducted indirect cease-fire talks through Egyptian mediators in recent months, and even allowed the delivery of millions of dollars of Qatari aid to Hamas to ease harsh conditions in Gaza.

The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable, his chief challenger, Benny Gantz, wrote on Twitter on Monday. Gantz is a former military chief who led the army during the last Gaza war in 2014.

Netanyahu also came under attack from his own nationalistic allies.

Israels deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty Netanyahu has failed against Hamas, said Education Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the Yamin HeHadash faction in Netanyahus coalition.

We can confirm that #Hamas is responsible for firing a homemade rocket. It flew a distance of 75 miles across Israel and then destroyed this home: pic.twitter.com/nXytl8hcfl  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 25, 2019

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gazas Hamas leaders apparently went underground.

Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yehiya Sinwar, had canceled a public speech. Other leaders turned off their mobile phones, while Hamas police were seen evacuating their stations. Hamas even released some prisoners it was holding, in another sign of anxiety.

Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations are trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas but that effort has yet to bring an agreement. At the same time, there has been an uptick in violence in the West Bank over the past week, with a stabbing and shooting that left two Israelis dead near a West Bank settlement and Israels killing of two Palestinians it said attacked troops.

By Aron Heller
Damage to a house hit by a rocket is seen in Mishmeret, central Israel, on March 25, 2019. (Ariel Schalit/AP Photo)

Israeli PM Forced to Cut Short US Visit After Another Rocket Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said hes cutting short his visit to Washington after a Gaza rocket attack on Israel.

Netanyahu described Monday mornings rocket launch that struck a home in central Israel as a criminal attack.

He said he will return to Israel to handle the crisis shortly after meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday, March 25.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

The sounds of air raid sirens woke up the residents of the residential Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed.

The Israeli military said it identified a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Israeli police said the rocket hit a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, setting off a fire and destroying the house.

The attack comes 10 days after rockets were fired toward Israels densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military at the time struck back in Gaza and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation. But Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket had been fired accidentally and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility to Mondays attack but it would seem to be much harder to dismiss the latest incident as another misfire.

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an extremist Islamic terrorist group that seeks Israels destruction and possesses a large arsenal of rockets and missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel. The territory is home to other extremist groups, including Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also has a formidable rocket arsenal.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for any fire that originates from the Gaza strip where it is in control.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars since the terrorist group seized power in the strip in 2007. Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war in 2014.

The outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is locked in a tight fight for re-election and could face heavy criticism from his opponents if he is seen as ineffective against the extremists.

Netanyahu is currently in Washington, set to meet later in the day with President Donald Trump.

His chief opponent, Benny Gantz, called on him to return home immediately to deal with the crisis.

The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable, he wrote on Twitter. Netanyahu has to pack up now and return to Israel to handle this serious escalation.

In Gaza, Hamas has come under rare public criticism for the harsh conditions in the territory. An Israel-Egyptian blockade, combined with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority and mismanagement by the Hamas government have fueled an economic crisis in the territory. Residents have little desire for another war with Israel.

By Aron Heller
James Miller and his wife enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on March 24, 2019. (Sunny Chen/The Epoch Times)

VANCOUVER, CanadaJames Miller and his wife thought it was providence that brought them to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to see Shen Yun on March 24. They bought their tickets only hours before the matinee performance and managed to get front row seats.

I think something is actually meant to be, Miller said.

The vice president in sales and marketing had seen the advertisements for Shen Yun Performing Arts for several years and had always wanted to go. But Millers busy schedule never afforded him and his wife an opportunity to experience the traditional dance and music performance.

This all changed this year after a recent business trip to China.

I have a friend in China that Ive worked with him for years and he highly recommended it. I was over [in China] and I saw him in January. I said the show is back in Vancouver, and he said you have to go and see it yourself, he said.

Miller decided to heed his friends advice and was pleasantly surprised by what he experienced.

Its very beautiful! I love the costumes, the colors. I think its a beautiful story. Its very interesting, Miller said, adding that the front row seats provided him with a unique perspective.

Actually, its exciting to be able to see it so close up because you can see the performers faces and they seem very passionate about what theyre doing, he said.

New York-based Shen Yun is currently touring the world with a mission to revive Chinas 5,000 years of semi-divine culture that was lost after seven decades of communist rule. Through about 20 vignettes of dance, stories, and music, audience members are able to get a glimpse into ancient Chinese civilization and learn about the beliefs, traditions, and customs.

Miller thinks its important for people to preserve their cultures and share them with the world for everyone to learn about.

People should keep their cultures as much as possible. I spent a lot of time in China myself, and I think its a beautiful culture and the traditions are very meaningful, Miller said. I think we can learn things from all cultures. And for me, its very interesting to know about other culturesit makes us closer, globally.

Very Mesmerizing

Miller said he was particularly impressed by the live orchestra that blends Chinese and Western instruments to create a distinct yet harmonious sound. He was touched by the melodic notes coming from the Chinese instruments such as the erhu.

I also love that the music is live because the music, for me, is part of the whole story. I feel very moved by the music as well as the dancing, he said.

There were parts where you fall into the scene a little bit. Where the people start dancing, it gets a little bit almost acrobatic. There was a lot of physicality in dancing. So its a combination, he said, adding that the dancing was very beautiful [and] very mesmerizing.

Miller was also intrigued by the performers themselves.

He said, I actually can see [their purity] in not only their performance, but we can also see it in their face, their expressions, their confidence in what theyre doing, the passion in what theyre doing. So yes it comes out of their performance.

According to the Shen Yun website, many of the performers practice the spiritual discipline Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, and follow its tenets of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance.

For the performers, practicing Falun Dafa is a state of mind that guides their daily life, is oriented toward self-betterment, taking responsibility, and putting others first, according to Shen Yun. By incorporating these principles into their work and the production, the performers attempt to inspire audience members to reflect about themselves, and the world around them.

With reporting by Sunny Chen.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.
James Comey Tweets Forest Photo After Mueller Report: So Many Questions

Former FBI Director James Comey appeared to respond to the release of the summary of Special Counsel Robert Muellers Russias investigation.

So many questions, Comey tweeted along with a photo of himself in a forest. He can be seen looking upwards while surrounded by large trees.

Mueller was appointed special counsel of investigation into alleged Russian interference into the 2016 election. It came shortly after Trump fired Comey in May 2017.

Before Comeys tweet, Attorney General William Barr released a four-page summary about Muellers investigation and what it found.

Comey, in a recent opinion article written for The New York Times before Muellers report was released, said it would put at stake the apolitical administration of justice.

I have no idea whether the special counsel will conclude that Mr. Trump knowingly conspired with the Russians in connection with the 2016 election or that he obstructed justice with the required corrupt intent, Comey wrote. I also dont care.

I care only that the work be done, well and completely.

Findings

Muellers office, which interviewed hundreds of witnesses and used dozens of FBI agents over 22 months, did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with Russia, according to Barrs letter, which was handed over to several Congressional officials on March 24.

The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusionone way or the otheras to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction  the Special Counsels report states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,' Barrs letter said.

According to Barr, Mueller delegated the exoneration decision to the attorney generals office. Both he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided Muellers evidence didnt establish that the president committed the obstruction of justice crime.

The evidence is not sufficient, Barr said of the obstruction charge.

Trump responded to release of the summary, saying its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your president had to go through this.

It was a complete and total exoneration, he said, adding that it was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side.

Top Democrats Respond

Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said that Barr isnt a neutral observer, reiterating their calls for the full release of Muellers report.

Pelosi, the House speaker, and Schumer, who is Senate Democratic leader, said in a joint statement that Barrs summary to Congress about the report raises as many questions as it answers.

Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report, they stated. And most obviously, for the President to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.

Ivan Pentchuokov contributed to this report

Watch next:

4 Major Blows to the Credibility of the Steele Dossier
Offspring in the wild boar enclosure : 20 young wild boar attract visitors to Waldau

Venusberg The wild boars in the Waldau had two litters a few days ago. At the moment there are around 20 young wild boar. The citys forestry department is expecting even more offspring in the coming days.

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The herd of wild boar in the Waldau had some new additions a few days ago. The citys forestry department said there were around 20 tiny, young wild boar at the moment. Last weekend the people of Bonn were lucky enough to catch a first glimpse of the small piglets with the distinctive brown stripes.

The new litter maintained a low profile, however, and stayed mainly in the long grass in the middle of the enclosure or in the wild boars nest. The youngsters are still somewhat unsteady on their feet and do not really dare to go into the open, where their fellows romp, snuffle and rummage around. But that should soon change.

The crowds at the Venusberg were still manageable, not least because of the dull weather. However, families in particular took advantage of the Waldau facilities, including the nearby playground and the various animal enclosures. Again and again, cheerful childrens voices were heard as their owners saw the older wild boar piglets from last autumn chasing through the mud. They came up to the fence but had to be careful of their one-year-old brothers and sisters, who although suitable playmates, seldom handled them gently.

But even these piglets did not dare go up to the feeding spots. That would have been too risky  the grown ups were waiting there. And they take no prisoners. Nevertheless, many children stood here at the weekend to feed the wild boar, including Sven Herings two daughters. We come here to the Waldau every three to four weeks, explained the 38-year-old. Its always nice to bring the children closer to nature. And young animals are, of course, something special. My daughters are very excited about them.

The chances of seeing them in the coming days should increase as the citys forestry department is expecting more births. There could soon be up to 40 new arrivals, they said. So by April, the Waldau enclosure should be full  both in front of and behind the fence.
Omar Khadr makes his way into the courthouse in Edmonton on Tuesday Feb. 26, 2019. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson)

Judge Rules Omar Khadrs War Crimes Sentence Has Expired

EDMONTONAn Alberta judge has ruled that a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr has expired.

Khadr was accused of tossing a grenade that killed U.S. special forces soldier Christopher Speer in Afghanistan in 2001.

An eight-year sentence imposed in 2010 would have ended last October had Khadr remained in custody.

But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadrs appeal of his military conviction in the United States.

Chief Justice Mary Moreau says the Youth Criminal Justice Act gives judges flexibility to consider bail conditions as part of a sentence.

She told an Edmonton court Monday that, with that in mind, she ruled Khadr has served his time.

The Supreme Court of Canada had already said the punishment handed Khadr for alleged acts committed in Afghanistan when he was 15 years old was to be a youth sentence.

Khadrs lawyer Nathan Whitling had argued earlier this year that Khadr had served more than seven years in custody and on bail.

The Crown had argued Khadr should serve the remainder of his sentence in the community.

Khadrs case has ignited divisive debate among Canadians over terrorism, human rights, and the rule of law since it was revealed in 2017 that the federal government settled a lawsuit filed by him for a reported $10.5 million.

The payout followed a 2010 ruling by Canadas Supreme Court that Khadrs charter rights were violated at Guantanamo and that Canadian officials contributed to that violation.

The Epoch Times contributed to this report.
Police officers next to a white Lexus sedan that traveled off the Loop 101, through the dry canal embankment and collided with the right-of-way fence in Peoria, Ariz., on March 22, 2019. (Arizona Department of Public Safety via AP)

Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Woman After Freeway Crash

PEORIA, ArizonaA 25-year-old Arizona man who was driving a San Diego-area womans car is accused of fatally stabbing her after the vehicle veered off a freeway and crashed in a Phoenix suburb, resulting in a chaotic scene involving passers-by who stopped to help.

Fernando Acosta of Phoenix got out of the car and accosted a witness with a knife before repeatedly stabbing Martha Thy of Spring Valley, California, along the Loop 101 freeway in Peoria on Friday, March 22, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety probable-cause statement released Saturday.

Thy was stabbed while she was still inside the white Lexus sedan and then while on her knees on the ground outside it after she crawled out and closed a door behind her, the statement said.

Acosta initially was on the drivers seat when he began stabbing Thy, who was seated in the passenger seat, the statement said. He then got out of the drivers side of the vehicle, going around to the passengers side and resuming stabbing Thy before returning to the drivers side when she attempted to get away, the statement said.

Thy died at a hospital. The statement she was stabbed or cut at least 20 times.

CA Woman Martha Thy IDd As Victim Stabbed To Death By BF Fernando Acosta In Plain View Following AZ Crash https://t.co/xkSXczy9BG via @THECOUNTnews  Count  TheCount.com (@THECOUNTnews) March 23, 2019

The statement did not mention a possible motive. No additional information was available, the Department of Public Safety said Saturday.

Acosta remained jailed Saturday on suspicion of premeditated first-degree murder and aggravated assault. Court records dont list an attorney who could comment on his behalf regarding the allegations.

Several people stopped to help the woman, the Department of Public Safety said.

Gustavo Munoz told KNXV-TV that he was among the passers-by who stopped and jumped out of his car to help. I ran towards the vehicle, and when I got to the other side of the ditch the man comes out with a knife. Hands full of blood. (His) face, body was filled with blood, Munz said.

A man with a gun fired shots at the ground to try to scare the attacker to see if he would drop the knife and stop stabbing the lady that was in the vehicle, Munoz said.

One of the passers-by eventually tackled the suspect and knocked the knife from his hands, and others piled on and held the man down until police arrived, Munoz said.

Responding officers encountered a chaotic scene, Department of Public Safety spokesman Trooper Kameron Lee said. People everywhere, some screaming, yelling going on, so you can only imagine what an officers feeling when he arrives on scene and all he sees are people running around, Lee told azfamily.com.

It was tragic that the woman was killed, but authorities are grateful that none of the passers-by were injured, Lee said.

#UPDATE: Officials release the mugshot of Fernando Acosta, the man accused in womans deadly stabbing after Loop 101 crash in Peoria Friday. https://t.co/tAB0kInUYP pic.twitter.com/vHkFqMvzGR  azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) March 23, 2019

Northbound lanes of the freeway were closed in the area of the incident for much of Friday as Department of Public Safety detectives conducted their investigation.
More Passengers Lifted off Norway Cruise Ship before Towing

STAVANGER, NorwayRescue helicopters took more than 475 passengers from a cruise ship that got stranded off Norways western coast in bad weather before the vessel departed for a nearby port under escort and with nearly 900 people still on board, the ships owner said on March 24.

The Viking Sky carried 1,373 passengers and crew members when it had engine trouble in an unpredictable area of the Norwegian coast known for rough, frigid waters. The crew issued a mayday call Saturday afternoon.

Five helicopters flying in the pitch dark took passengers from the tossing ship in a painstaking process that continued throughout the night. The rescues took place under difficult conditions that included wind gusts up to 43 mph and waves over 26 feet.

Currently we understand 20 people suffered injuries as a result of this incident, and they are all receiving care at the relevant medical centers in Norway, with some already having been discharged, Viking Ocean Cruises, the company that owns and operates the ship, said.

The company said in a statement that before the ship started being towed to the port of Molde, 479 passengers had been airlifted to land by helicopters, leaving 436 passengers and 458 crew members onboard.

We saw two people taken off by stretcher, passenger Dereck Brown told Norwegian newspaper Romsdal Budstikke. People were alarmed. Many were frightened but they were calm.

Passenger Alexus Sheppard told The Associated Press in a message sent from the Viking Sky that people with injuries or disabilities were winched off the cruise ship first. The atmosphere onboard grew calmer after the rescue operations first dramatic hours, Sheppard said.

It was frightening at first. And when the general alarm sounded it became VERY real, she wrote.

Photos posted on social media showed the ship listing from side to side and furniture smashing violently into walls.

The last 24 hours have been very, very scary, very frightening, an American passenger, Rodney Horgen, told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. The best word I suppose is surreal.

Horgen said he was having lunch at one of the cruise ships restaurants when the ship started tipping from one side to another. The motion was strong enough to have people falling over. Dishes were all over the place, he said.

Crew members urged passengers to go down to their cabins. While Horgen thought it was only a precaution, he rushed, as ordered, to his designated evacuation point.

Things had remained, he said, pretty calm until that point when suddenly one of Viking Skys large windows broke and sea water just came rushing in, hitting past tables, chairs and broken glass and wiping people off their feet.

I was standing and my wife was sitting in front of me and all of sudden she was gone. I thought this was it, the waters going to rush in, Horgen said. Things were going through my mind.Titanic.I lot of things go through your brain.

Police said the crew, fearing the ship would run aground, managed to anchor in Hustadvika Bay so the evacuations could take place. A tug boat and two other vessels were assisting the Viking Sky travel from the bay to Molde.

Coast guard official Emil Heggelund estimated to newspaper VG that the ship was 328 feet from striking rocks under the water and 2,953 feet from shore when it stopped.

The ship was visiting the Norwegian towns and cities of Narvik, Alta, Tromso, Bodo and Stavanger before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury on the River Thames. The passengers mostly were a mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens.
Opponents to Oil Drilling Win Holy Grail Decision

WASHINGTONSupporters of American energy exploration and development are alarmed at an activist judges ruling last week that environmentalists claim provides their movement with the Holy Grail ruling they need to cripple the nations oil and natural gas industries.

Two left-wing nonprofit organizations, Santa Fe, New Mexico-based WildEarth Guardians and Washington-based Physicians for Social Responsibility, brought a lawsuit to halt energy projects in Western states. They succeeded in winning a temporary injunction March 19, blocking drilling projects on more than 300,000 acres of public land in Wyoming.

If the ruling remains in place, the Trump administrations energy agenda that depends on increasing fossil-fuel production to reduce reliance on foreign energy could be in trouble.

WildEarth Guardians climate program director Jeremy Nichols reportedly described the court ruling as the Holy Grail ruling weve been after, especially with oil and gas  [because] it calls into question the legality of oil and gas leasing thats happening everywhere.

In a case known as WildEarth Guardians v. Zinke, Judge Rudolph Contreras of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled the Interior Departments Bureau of Land Management (BLM) did not sufficiently consider climate change when authorizing oil and gas leasing on federal land in Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.

Contreras was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed in March 2012. Hes also a member of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

The BLM summarized the potential on-the-ground impacts of climate change in the state, the region, and across the country but failed to provide the information necessary for the public and agency decisionmakers to understand the degree to which the leasing decisions at issue would contribute to those impacts, Contreras wrote in the courts memorandum opinion.

Specifically, the BLM did not adequately quantify the climate change impacts of oil and gas leasing. Because the Bureau did not take a hard look at greenhouse gas emissions related to the Wyoming leases, this means the environmental assessments that found no significant impact on the environment regarding those leases didnt comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The Bureau must do the assessments properly addressing the deficiencies identified by the Court. The court ordered the BLM to reconsider the nine Wyoming leases at issue and enjoined the Bureau from issuing new drilling permits on the affected land until the court order is complied with.

Environmentalists claim the carbon dioxide generated by the consumption of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal is responsible for climate change, but this theory of manmade global warming has never been proven. Critics say the sun, as opposed to human activity, and other factors are more likely responsible for whatever climate change may be taking place.

Myron Ebell, director of the Competitive Enterprise Institutes Center for Energy and Environment, says the courts ruling is dubious.

The judge is apparently trying to stop or delay oil production on federal lands in Wyoming based on technicalities, Ebell told the Epoch Times.

The information on greenhouse gas emissions he claims is lacking has actually been available for some time in earlier federal filings. And even if it were not, its silly that the judiciary thinks they can require climate impacts for federal permits without any legal basis. They are making up requirements instead of following the law.

Along similar lines, the Denver-based Western Energy Alliance accused Judge Contreras of throwing out decades of legal precedent.

Donny Ferguson, president of Americans for a Better Economy, an Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit organization, told The Epoch Times this is just the latest example of political, activist judges using their gavels to bludgeon Americans with an agenda rejected by both the public and science. A sensible court should overturn this, and Congress must strip judges of their abusive power to go outside the law.

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican who represents Wyoming, issued a statement saying the judges decision should be overturned.

The ruling reflects the litigation strategy used by far-left environmental extremists to thwart energy development in Wyoming. It is yet another example of why the administration needs to overhaul NEPA implementation across the federal government. I will continue to work with President Trump to pursue policies that restore the voice of local stakeholders in Wyoming and reduce the serial litigation imposed by radical environmental groups.
Pence: Anti-Semitism Has No Place in the Congress

WASHINGTONVice President Mike Pence denounced Democrats on March 25 for their stance on Israel and anti-Semitism. He also criticized 2020 Democratic candidates for skipping the annual conference of the United States pro-Israel lobby.

Pence addressed this years American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference, the largest gathering of pro-Israel Americans in the United States.

All over the world, anti-Semitism is on the riseon college campuses, in the marketplace, even in the halls of Congress, Pence said.

Its astonishing to think that the party of Harry Truman, which did so much to help create the State of Israel, has been co-opted by people who promote rank, anti-Semitic rhetoric, and work to undermine the broad American consensus of support for Israel.

AIPAC made headlines recently when freshman Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, one of the first Muslim women in Congress, made controversial comments about Israel.

In a tweet in February, Omar wrote the song lyric, Its all about the Benjamins, baby, and she later suggested that money from AIPAC drove U.S. politicians to support Israel. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle condemned her comments, saying they play into anti-Semitic stereotypes.

The Somali-born representative sparked another uproar when she said, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK to push for allegiance to a foreign country.

She also said she supported the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, contrary to what she voiced during her campaign. She accused Israel of having hypnotized the world.

After fierce criticism, Omar apologized but also suggested she was being slated for speaking her mind.

Pence, a conservative Christian, took direct aim at Omar during his remarks, saying that anti-Semitism had no place in the U.S. Congress.

And, at a minimum, anyone who slanders those who support this historic alliance between the United States and Israel should never have a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States House of Representatives.

Omar was appointed to the committee in January.

Pence also criticized eight Democratic candidates for skipping the AIPAC conference. His speech was frequently interrupted by cheers and standing ovations.

The conference brings nearly 18,000 participants to a three-day event in the nations capital to advance the U.S.Israel relationship.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Washington, canceled a planned address to the AIPAC. He decided to cut his visit short after a rocket fired from Gaza injured at least seven people and destroyed a residential home in central Israel.

Pence condemned the attack and said, The United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas.

US Recognizes Golan Heights

President Donald Trump hosted the Israeli Prime Minister at the White House on March 25. During his meeting, Trump signed a proclamation that formally recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The strategic land was seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. No former U.S. president has recognized the land as Israeli territory. In May 2018, Trump also moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

The leaders of Romania and Honduras followed in Trumps footsteps and announced March 24 they would recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital.

Speaking at the conference, AIPAC president Mort Fridman touted the Trump administration for its policies over the past year to advance the U.S.Israel relationship.

The Trump administration has imposed tough sanctions on Hamas and Hezbollah, defended Israel from outrageous assault at the United Nations, and pulled out from the Iran Nuclear deal, he said.

Critics say Trumps move to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel was aimed to boost Netanyahus popularity at home ahead of Israeli elections, which will be in April. Netanyahu faces corruption charges and is locked in a tight fight for re-election. His strongest challenger, according to polls, is former Israeli army chief Benny Gantz, a center-left candidate.

We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, her fight is our fight, said Pence. We stand with Israel because we believe in right over wrong, in good over evil, in liberty over tyranny.

Other speakers at AIPAC, held from March 24 to 26 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, included Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

Democrat presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former Rep. Beto ORourke (D-Texas), South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) all indicated they would not attend the AIPAC conference.
An aerial view shows a chemical plant after an explosion in Yancheng in China's eastern Jiangsu province, on March 23, 2019. - The death toll in a chemical plant explosion in China rose to 64 on March 23 but rescuers found a survivor among more than two dozen still missing in the debris of one of the country's worst industrial accidents in recent years. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Chemical Plant Blast May Have Vaporized Workers, Fire Chief Says

The official death toll from the massive blast last week at a chemical plant in Chinas Jiangsu Province is being questioned after the regions fire chief suggested that individuals caught at the center of the explosion may have been vaporized, according to a report by state-run media The Global Times on March 24.

As of March 25, official numbers rose to 78 killed, and 13 critically injured by the blast. More than 600 others were injured, and 28 are missing.

The explosion occurred on March 21 at a pesticide factory in Chenjiagang Industrial Park in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, on Chinas east coast. The blast created a crater and damaged neighboring buildings, while windows in buildings from as far as four miles away were shattered by the force of the explosion.

According to state media, 566 people are receiving treatment at local hospitals. One local individual who wished not to be identified told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that local hospitals were filled with people searching for missing loved ones.

Footage of the disaster, including the explosion, was caught by local residents and quickly shared on social media, fueling anger about safety hazards and industrial disasters in the country.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Censorship

The head of Jiangsus fire department, Lu Jun, who responded to the explosion, told the Global Times that 11 of the 17 buildings in the area have been cleared.

From last night, some of the bodies could not be identified at all. We have to wait for the security bureau to do DNA testing, Lu said.

I think that, with such a huge explosive force, which affected a three-kilometer [1.9 miles] radius, I wouldnt rule out that people at the center of the explosion were instantly vaporized.

The interview drew widespread attention from the Chinese public, with netizens quickly expressing skepticism on social media about the official death toll, and posing the question, How many people were vaporized?

Such questions and doubts were swiftly deleted by the regimes censors.

Meanwhile, local coverage of the incident has also reportedly been censored as the regime seeks to control information relating to the disaster. One reporter named Wang told Radio Free Asia (RFA) on March 23 that the Chinese regime has ordered all reporters away from the site, and directed media outlets to only re-produce official statements regarding the incident.

All our reporters have been driven away [from the county]. We have no other choice than to use official reports, Wang told RFA. The local government is trying to cool down public attention. They are very experienced at it. You can understand why they wouldnt allow us to report continually.

Victims

One villager, named Lu Peiyu, told Red Star News that the blast shattered his windows and knocked the doors off their hinges. He said the other houses in his village were damaged in the same way.

Another man, named Wang, told the state-run Beijing News that his house collapsed from the explosion, crushing his 66-year-old mother inside. Their house was located more than 500 yards from the explosion.

Wang said his father was at a neighbors house at the time, and had his nose broken by falling debris. When his father came back to their house, he dug through the rubble to find his mother. When he found her, it was too late.

Children at nearby schools were also injured by the blast. Many children were bleeding from their noses and ears, according to state-run media The Paper. A kindergarten and a primary school are both located within a half-mile of the factory.

Locals also complained of the chemical stench after the blast.

My throat and nose are very uncomfortable [because of air pollution made by the blast], Chen, a businesswoman who operates a hotel just over a mile away from the blast site, told state-run Qianjiang Evening News.

The owner of the factory, Tianjiayi Chemical Companywhich produces more than 30 organic chemical compounds, some of them highly flammablehas a history of work safety violations. In 2018, authorities fined and closed the factory for half a year after finding 13 safety violations, including improper storage of chemicals, local media said.

A similar blast at a chemical warehouse occurred in Tianjin, a port located not far from the capital of Beijing. The 2015 explosion killed more than 160 people, according to state media.
Staff at the Silver Street Tavern restaurant in Maine were surprised by a generous tip on March 23, 2019. (Screenshot via Google Maps)

Restaurant Staff Surprised After Customer Leaves Them $2,000 Tip

What appeared to be a typical, busy Saturday evening at Silver Street Tavern, turned out to be surprisingly eventful for the staff after a couple left them a $2,000 tip.

Staff at the restaurant in Maine said they were stunned by the sweet gesture on March 23, and shared their story on social media, which quickly garnered the internets attention.

WOW! So awesome, we had to share! Thank you to the kind gentleman who came in for dinner tonight and had such a great experience that he left a $2,000 tip, to be divided among all the employees who were working the shift, a post on the restaurants official Facebook page read.

WOW! So awesome, we had to share! Thank you to the kind gentleman who came in for dinner tonight and had such a great  Silver Street Tavern & Restaurant  2019323

The post has nearly 1,000 reactions and close to 150 shares.

Samantha Clark, a server at the restaurant, was one of the staff that waited on the man and woman that left the huge tip. Clark, 21, told the Press Herald that the couple was at the restaurant for dinner and drinks.

She said at one point during the evening, the man told her someone had taken his wine glass by accident. Clark thought everything was resolved after a new wine glass was brought to the table, but started to worry after the man requested to talk to the manager.

Divided evenly, each person will get about $140.  Portland Press Herald  2019324

Clark said, We thought he was going to complain or that we did something wrong, reported the news website.

But that was not the case at all. The man had instead left a $2,000 tip on his $48 bill and instructed the manager to split it among the staff.

Clark said she only found out about the tip after one of her co-workers, who worked at the bar and had finished work, was scrolling on Facebook.

[The bartender] was freaking out. She was like Is this us? Is this us? Clark recalled, reported Press Herald. I was like, What? and I looked [at the Facebook post] and it was that table.

The owner of the restaurant, Charlie Giguere, said he was proud of his staff for their hard work and added that the staff was very appreciative. He said, The staff is so appreciative, and Im proud of them for engendering such a generous tip. Everyone is happy, and I hope [the customers] are too, according to the news website.

In another interview, Giguere said he believes the man, who wished to remain anonymous, was moved by the staffs teamwork, reported Fox News.

My guess is that the gentleman saw teamwork and that is why he felt compelled to leave the tip and have all involved get a piece of it, Giguere told the news station.

One of the restaurants bartenders, Tony Tuell, said kindness like this makes him feel better about his community, reported WGME.

A customer at a restaurant in Waterville turned a regular busy Saturday night into one staff would never forget.  WGME CBS 13 News, Portland  2019325

These are the kinds of things that make you feel good about your community, the people you live and work with to recognize that and to do something like this, Tuell said.

The 14 staff members that were working that evening will reportedly receive $140 each.
Former mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani speaks at the Conference on Iran in Washington on May 5, 2018. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Rudy Giuliani Calls on Democrats to Apologize for Advanced Collusion Story: SHAME on Them!

Personal attorney to President Donald Trump and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says the Democrats who accused Trump of collusion with the Russians should apologize.

Giuliani called the Democratic leadership shameless as they continue to suggest the report from Special Counsel Robert Muellers 22-month investigation leaves doubt about Trumps innocence.

On Monday morning, March 25, Giuliani told Fox & Friends Monday morning I think theyre shameless . You would think they would have the decency to say, I was wrong. I made a mistake.

The former mayor declared that Trump has been absolved, vindicated, exoneratedyou pick the word.

After listening to a string of Democrats who all indicated they believed beyond a doubt that Trump had colluded with Russia to win the 2016 president leadership, Giuliani noted, These people are unhappy with the finding. Shame on them! Shame on them!

On Sunday, Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders demanded the whole damn report, even though significant portions cannot be released due to security and privacy concerns.

Commenting on the Mueller probe and how they sent SWAT teams to arrest people in their homes, the presidential lawyer said, They conducted this investigation as if this were a terrorism or organized crime case.

Referring to some of the members of Muellers team as rabid partisans, Giuliani said, If they cant find [proof], its not there. There was no obstruction of justice. There was no collusion.

But he suggested people should be asking something else. Now the question is if there were three investigationsno evidence of collusionwho made it up? Giuliani asked on Fox & Friends Monday morning. It didnt just come out of thin air. I want to know who did it. Who paid for it? Who fueled it? Because the person that did it, and the group that did it, knows its untrue because they invented it.

He insisted, Every American should breathe a sigh of relief over the release of the Mueller probe and its indication that the president did not commit these crimes.

By David Krayden
Russiagate: What The Media Didnt Get

The Mueller report is in. According to Attorney General William Barr, it clears the president and his team of any charges of collusion with the Russians.

The report left open the issue of obstruction, but that is a hard case to make without an underlying crime (such as collusion). Reviewing the evidence, Barr concluded that it was insufficient for him to proceed with a prosecution for obstruction.

So, the news was about as good for the president as he could have hoped for. Really, its a win for the American people, too. After all, its nice to know that your president didnt collude with foreign agents bent on toppling your government.

Questionable Charges

Of course, in retrospect, a whole lot of time, energy, and money was spent investigating charges that were questionable from the start. Yes, six people affiliated with the Trump campaign were charged with crimes, but none of those charges had anything to do with conspiring with Russia. In fact, the very idea that Putin would have favored pro-military, pro-capitalist, and anti-communist Trump was always a bit far-fetched.

Because of my friendship and work with Ion M. Pacepa, the highest-ranking officer ever to defect from the Soviet bloc, I have come to know a handful of refugees from the Soviet system. These are people who, like Pacepa, risked their lives to escape the type of oppression that Vladimir Putin represents. To a person, they favored Trump over Hillary Clinton precisely because they believed he would stand up to Putin in a way she never would. As Pacepa put it, Trump is a tough guy.

On the other side of the coin, President Barack Obama mocked Mitt Romney for calling Russia the United States biggest geopolitical threat and was recorded relaying a message to Putin saying that he would be able to do more for Russia after the election. Hillary Clintonwho as Secretary of State pushed a reset button with Russia in 2009would likely have continued along those same lines. Certainly, Putin had every reason to think so.

This insight, which should have been obvious to the press and public officials who commented on the investigation as it went along, caused some to evaluate things differently than many observers did. Several times, a news commentator would critique a statement, action, or tweet by the president and note how badly it reflected on him from a political standpoint.

For instance, Trump said some nice things about Putin early in his presidency. Several commentators called that a mistake because Trump needed to distance himself from Putin. That would have been true if there had been actual collusion with Russia.

Watching those same events while granting the president the presumption of innocence, however, leads to a different conclusion. From that perspective, the statements, actions, and tweets are quite consistent with someone who knows that he is not guilty of the charges being investigated.

Sanctions

When it came to taking action, Trump pretty quickly revealed himself not to be a pawn of the Russians. In March 2017, in response to Russias use of a military-grade chemical weapon in the United Kingdom, Trump closed multiple Russian consulates and expelled 60 intelligence officers. In December 2017, he supplied arms to Ukraine, helping the nation protect itself against Russia-backed separatists. He also issued sanctions against more than 100 Russian individuals and firms for destabilizing actions in Ukraine and its occupation of Crimea.

While Putin was expressing support for Nicolas Maduro, Trump was imposing sanctions on the Venezuelan strongman. Trumps administration also sanctioned numerous Russians for violating non-proliferation laws by supporting weapons programs in Iran and Syria, and supporting North Koreas development of weapons of mass destruction. Trump also opposed Putins largest geo-economic project, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Perhaps most revealingly, the Trump administration sanctioned more than 50 Russian individuals and entities for their role in U.S. election interference. The president also signed an executive order imposing sanctions on any nation or individual who authorizes, directs, or sponsors meddling operations in U.S. elections.

Sowing Discord

Pacepa and the other Soviet expatriates to whom I spoke were certain that Russia tried to interfere with the election, as Mueller concluded. The Russians have done that for years. Computer hacking is an evolving specialty, so they are capable of doing more damage than in the past, but the effort is nothing new.

Russians were also able to plant stories online and drive them to the point where major media outlets could no longer ignore them. This is a traditional form of disinformation, used to shape the public perception, but social media has dramatically expanded the threat posed and damage that can be done in this manner. To the extent that Russians were hoping to sow discord and hamstring the U.S. presidency, they did pretty well. More than two years of investigation show that.

The common misperception, however, is that prior to the election, the Russians were working to secure Trumps victory. That was probably not their goal. Like most Americans, they likely assumed that Clinton would win. Their efforts were aimed to weaken her, not defeat her.

Secrecy and Confidentiality

Trumps detractors are having difficulty accepting the attorney generals summary of Muellers report. They demand to see the entire report (most of which will likely soon be public) and the actual evidence that the Mueller team reviewed (which is far less likely to be made public). In normal cases, investigations that dont lead to prosecution remain confidential. As frustrating as it may seem, the rule makes a lot of sense for a nation that values privacy.

Of course, the considerations in this case are different. There is greater public interest in the investigation of a president than there would be in other cases. There are, however, important security considerations regarding an investigation into governmental misconduct.

Part of that concern relates to the smooth functioning of the government. Some confidentiality is necessary for national security. In fact, that is the very reason for the existence of the FISA Court, from which the Department of Justice obtained a warrant to conduct surveillance on onetime junior Trump campaign staffer, Carter Page.

Just as important is the commitment to witnesses who came forward to testify. If they were told that their testimony would be held confidentiallike any grand jury witness would have been toldthat assurance should be honored.

This secrecy issue in grand jury matters was reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court in Douglas Oil Co. of Cal. v. Petrol Stops Northwest, (1979). The court said that if preindictment proceedings were made public, many prospective witnesses would be hesitant to come forward voluntarily, and witnesses who appeared before the grand jury would be less likely to testify fully and frankly.

Witnesses who testify about potential governmental wrongdoing can be left in particularly vulnerable situations. They may face retaliation in a variety of ways. Confidentiality gives them a degree of security. Revealing their testimony or the evidence they provided may make it much harder to get witnesses to come forward for future investigations.

At the end of the day, we know Russian operatives tried to interfere with the U.S. election, they successfully fomented discord and interrupted the smooth functioning of the federal government, and they will try to do it again.

Moving forward, we need to remain alert, improve security, and actively look for disinformation. We also need to protect future investigations by maintaining the confidentiality of witnesses who came forward to help with this one.

Ronald J. Rychlak is the Jamie L. Whitten chair in law and government at the University of Mississippi. He is the author of several books, including Hitler, the War, and the Pope, Disinformation (co-authored with Ion Mihai Pacepa), and The Persecution and Genocide of Christians in the Middle East (co-edited with Jane Adolphe).

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Russian Planes, 100 Troops Sent to Venezuela for Training and Strategy: Reports

A Venezuelan military official confirmed that a Russian general and 100 troops were sent to the country as part of a military strategy, according to reports.

Reports on March 24 said that an Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military plane arrived at the airport in Caracas. A local journalist tweeted photos of the planes.

Both Russian and Venezuelan officials have not issued any statements about two Russian planes.

According to The Guardian, the Russian officials are there to discuss equipment maintenance, training, strategy.

An unnamed Russian official was quoted as saying that there was nothing mysterious about the visit. It would be wrong to suggest this is some kind of major deployment, another person said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the planes in Caracas.

A flight-tracking website showed two planes left from a Russian military base and headed to Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, on March 22, Reuters reported. One of the planes left Caracas on March 24.

The Secretary told Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov that the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela. The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido, according to a statement from the State Department on March 25.

Hoy llegaron al aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetia estos dos aviones de la Fuerza Aerea rusa. 1 Ilyushin Il-62M

1 Antomov 124 Fotos: cortesia pic.twitter.com/w7hgQhyivr  Federico Black B. (@FedericoBlackB) March 23, 2019

Pompeo, according to a news release, also called on Moscow to stop its unconstructive behavior and join other nations, including the overwhelming majority of countries in the Western Hemisphere, who seek a better future for the Venezuelan people.

Several months ago, Russia deployed strategic, nuclear-capable bombers in the socialist Latin American nation. The Guardian also noted that there was speculation that Russian mercenaries went to Venezuela to protect Maduro amid calls from dozens of countries to step down from office.

The report comes after the Trump administration placed biting sanctions on Venezuelas oil industry in an attempt to pressure Maduro into stepping down.

The nation, meanwhile, has been racked by power outages, water shortages, food shortages, riots, and looting.

Guaido, who declared himself the interim president earlier in 2019, received the support of the United States and over 50 countries, including most of South America.

Both Russia and China have given billions of dollars to Venezuela, essentially propping up Maduro.

Other notable Maduro supporters include Turkey, South Africa, Iran, and Cuba.

Profound Change

Over the weekend, Maduro said there would be a shake-up in his government after months of turmoil.

I will in the coming hours announce new government methods and a profound change in the entire government of Venezuela, Maduro said in a speech broadcast via state TV, according to Bloomberg News. We need to renew ourselves, refresh, improve, change.

But Maduro also called on his supporters to mobilize and arm themselves to defend Venezuelas socialist regime.

Meanwhile, the U.S. sanctions, he added, wont force him to surrender, according to the news outlet.
The end after 42 years : Deutsche Post closes the Bonn Press Club

BONN The legendary Press Club in Bonns government quarter is about to undergo radical change: Deutsche Post wants to close its canteen, which is also open to outside guests. It is unclear what will become of the heritage-listed building.

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Deutsche Post DHL will close its canteen in the Press Club, which is also open to outside guests, at the end of the month. With the closure of Heinrich-Bruning-Strae 20, the government quarter will lose another institution steeped in tradition. We have leased the Press Club up to now but for business reasons have decided not to renew the lease, Deutsche Post spokesperson Hannah Braselmann confirmed, responding to relevant GA information.

The building was constructed in 1909 as part of the Gronau villa district. After the Bundesverlag was headquartered here during the time Bonn was the capital, the German Press Club moved in in 1977 and used the building as a meeting place for local and foreign journalists, federal politicians, diplomats and business representatives.

Surprise over timing

When the government relocated, the federal government handed the property over to the city of Bonn. The building was to continue to serve as a meeting place for media representatives. However, after two attempts at running it failed, the city sold the heritage building to real estate entrepreneur Marc Asbeck and put the proceeds into the reserve fund for the World Conference Center (WCCB). In 2010, Asbeck was able to sign up Deutsche Post, which also uses other buildings in the neighbourhood, as a tenant.

The timing has been met with astonishment among staff. The Post Tower Casino is often overcrowded during busy periods. Around 2200 staff work in the office high-rise. Braselmann offers reassurance: We will replace what is on offer for our employees by increasing the selection in the existing company catering facilities. The culinary offerings on the Deutsche Post campus have become increasingly varied in recent years. The Post Tower Casino, the World Cafe Mississippi, the Bistro Nil as well as cafes in Johanniter Strae and in the Pakethaus on the Deutsche Post campus offer a variety of menus. Another lunchtime offer will also be available to staff in the Post Tower lounge from next week: an Asia Bistro is to move in there.

Subsequent use still unclear

What, if anything, the Press Club villa, with its 1300 square metres of office space, could now be used for remains unclear. The owner, Asbeck, has not answered a query from the General-Anzeiger.

Asbeck is planning three spectacular glazed office high-rises in the immediate vicinity of the government quarter. Project Greengate, with floor space of over 14,000 square metres, is to be built on the site of the former Lower Saxony federal state office on Kurt-Schumacher-Strae. According to Asbecks homepage, it should be ready for occupancy in 2020. Deutsche Posts own kindergarten was demolished for this purpose. However, the federal state office building is still standing and there is no sign of any construction work as yet.

Originally, Deutsche Post, as tenant, wanted to move around 1000 of its staff here from various buildings scattered throughout the city. However, there is currently no future tenant named on Asbecks homepage. Deutsche Post said it would not make a statement at present.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks to media about the Mueller report at the Capitol in Washington in March 25, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Sen. Graham Says He Will Probe Alleged FISA Abuses, Calls for Second Special Counsel

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced March 25 that his committee will investigate alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which resulted in the yearlong surveillance of a former Trump campaign associate.

The day after Attorney General William Barr exonerated President Donald Trump of allegations of collusion and obstruction based on the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller, Graham called on Barr to appoint a second special counsel to scrutinize the events that led to the counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign.

I hope Mr. Barr will appoint somebody outside the current system to look into these allegations, somebody we all trust, and let them do what Mueller did, Graham said on Capitol Hill.

Graham has been calling for the appointment of a special counsel since 2017, when the first traces of evidence surfaced pointing to a potentially illegitimate surveillance operation against the Trump campaign.

A counterintelligence investigation is designed to protect the entity being targeted by a foreign power, Graham said. I still am at a loss as to why nobody went to President Trump to tell him.

Grahams announcement echoes the calls from other Republicans, the president, and his allies to investigate the Obama administration officials involved in what appears to be an extensive, multi-pronged, international surveillance operation targeting Trump and his associates before and after the 2016 election.

Efforts to unravel the surveillance operation by congressional investigators and the Justice Department watchdog have so far been impeded by the existence of Muellers investigation, which took over the FBIs probe of the Trump campaign. As a result, the Justice Department has stonewalled requests for transparency, on concern the release of information might create the appearance of interference with the special counsel investigation.

The completion of Muellers investigation opens the doors for further scrutiny of questionable actions taken by senior Obama administration officials in relation to the Trump campaign as far back as 2015.

In remarks to reporters outside the White House on March 25, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders called out former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and former CIA Director John Brennan, saying they were involved in the process of trying to take down the president with an absurd lie that the president of the United States was somehow a foreign agent.

The fact that they spent two years trying to delegitimize the presidents victory in 2016 is disgusting and there are a lot of people who should answer questions, Sanders said.

Lets not forget that all of this interference in the election took place during the Obama administration. They knew about it and they did nothing to stop it.

The FBI officially started its investigation of the Trump campaign in late July 2016. The probe was led by Peter Strzok, then a senior FBI official who showed anti-Trump bias in text messages with FBI attorney Lisa Page. Strzok and Page discussed stopping Trump from winning the election, an insurance policy in case he won, and the prospects of impeachment after Trump was elected.

The investigators eventually obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to spy on Trump campaign associate Carter Page. The core of the application for the warrant consisted of evidence from the so-called Steele dossier.

In their application to a secret surveillance court, senior FBI and DOJ officials failed to disclose that the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid for the dossier. The officials also failed to disclose that the author of the dossier, former British spy Christopher Steele, was biased against Trump and didnt want him to be elected president. Steele paid second- and third-hand sources with ties to the Kremlin for the information in the dossier.

Trump has long derided the special counsels investigation, due to its questionable roots. Muellers conclusion is the final nail in the coffin of the Steele dossier, every allegation in which has proven to be either debunked or unsubstantiated despite intense investigations by Congress, the media, and now the special counsel.

There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say treasonous things against our country, Trump told reporters at the White House on March 25. Those people will certainly be looked at. I have been looking at them for a long time.

I will tell you, I love this country. I love this country as much as I can love anything: my family, my country, my God. But what they did, it was a false narrative, the president added. We can never, ever let this happen to another president again.

Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Sen. Lindsey Grahams name in a caption. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
Committee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee March 12, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Senator Graham Responds to James Comeys Unusual Twitter Photo

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) posted a mysterious response on Twitter to an unusual photograph shared by former FBI Director James Comey.

Comey posted a photograph of tall trees with a caption reading so many questions shortly after Attorney General William Barr released a summary of investigative findings by special counsel Robert Mueller.

In the photo, Comey, dressed in a dark outfit and sneakers, is looking up as the trees stretch out of the camera frame.

Graham responded to the unusual photo with a cryptic message of his own.

Could not agree more, the senator wrote. See you soon.

Graham is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is investigating whether the FBI under Comey misled a secret court in order to obtain a surveillance warrant on a Trump-campaign associate, Carter Page.

Most of the information pertaining to the surveillance remained inaccessible because the surveillance of Page was part of the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign, which eventually morphed into the special counsel probe.

Under Justice Department rules, matters pertaining to ongoing investigations must remain classified. With Muellers investigation completed, many of the questions that went unanswered for more than two years may now be resolved.

Could not agree more. See you soon. https://t.co/KNGzyDizdq  Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 25, 2019

The special counsels investigation established that President Donald Trump and his campaign associates did not collude or coordinate with Russia in its efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, according to Barrs summary of Muellers report. Barr also exonerated Trump of the obstruction of justice allegations, concluding that the evidence presented by Mueller is not enough to establish the charge in court.

When contacted by The Hill about his response to Comey, Graham pointed to his letter to Barr about investigating Pages surveillance warrant. Comey signed the application for that warrant, which was then submitted to and approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in October 2016.

The Surveillance Warrant

The core of the surveillance warrant application consists of intelligence from the so-called Steele dossier, a document funded by the Clinton campaign and composed by former British spy Christopher Steele. The FBI failed to inform the court that Clinton paid for the dossier. Among a host of other issues, the bureau also failed to inform the court that Steele was biased against Trump.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017 upon the recommendation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Comey then leaked memos to the media with the intent of forcing the appointment of a special counsel. At least one of the memos contained classified information.

Trump celebrated the conclusion of the special counsel investigation and referred to the summary findings as a complete and total exoneration. The president said the investigation of his campaign was started illegally and called for an investigation of those involved, which would more than likely include Comey.

Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your President has had to go through this before I even got elected, it began. And it began illegally, Trump said on March 24.

And hopefully, somebody is going to look at the other side. This was an illegal takedown that failed. And hopefully, somebody is going to be looking at the other side, he said.
Former President Barack Obama stands with Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams during a campaign rally at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia on Nov. 2, 2018. Obama spoke in Atlanta to endorse Abrams and encourage Georgians to vote. (Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Stacey Abrams Launches Another Dark Money Group

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has started a new tax-exempt organization called Fair Count Inc., her latest in a string of so-called dark money groups that have anchored her political career.

Abrams, a rising star in the Democratic Party, narrowly lost a historic election for governor in November 2018 that would have made her the first African-American female governor in the nations history. Despite a record midterm turnout, Abrams continues to blame her loss on voter suppressionan issue she champions.

Since her defeat, Abrams has hinted at running against Georgia Republican Sen. David Perdue in 2020, and even told the New York Times on March 5 that she is considering a presidential bid. On March 14, Abrams met with former Vice President Joe Biden to reportedly discuss being his running mate in a possible Biden campaign for the White House.

Abrams announced Fair Count on March 25 with the intention of including hard-to-count groups in the 2020 Census, which according to the organizations website, are under-reported and unrepresented.

Proud to be part of making our democracy stronger by founding FairCounta new org working to make sure all people are counted in the upcoming census, Abrams wrote on Twitter.

I know too many Georgians who feel unseen and unheard. These are the voices we need in Georgia the most, she added in a video.

Fair Count comes as the Trump administration prepares to include a citizenship question that Democrats fear will cause illegal immigrants to shy away from participating in the once-a-decade national headcount. If so, it could diminish both federal funding and political clout in areas where they reside. The U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately determine the validity of the question.

According to Pew Research, almost 60 percent of illegal immigrants live in just 20 urban areas, including Atlanta. A pre-2016 presidential election analysis estimated that California, a sanctuary state, would lose five House seatsand therefore, five Electoral College votesif the states illegal immigrant population were wholly eliminated from the census.

Dark money refers to tax-exempt groups that dont disclose their donors or sources of funding. Abrams, whose other dark money nonprofits centered on mass registering voters and challenging alleged voter suppression, has already said that she is open to noncitizen voting.

In a Jan. 19 PBS Firing Line interview, Abrams said she wouldnt oppose noncitizens from voting in local elections. In an October 2018 campaign speech, she said that the blue wave of Democratic voters includes documented and undocumented immigrants, among others, although it is illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections.

The fine print at the bottom of Fair Counts fundraising page states that the newly launched organization is actually a remake of one of Abrams existing tax-exempt nonprofits called Third Sector Development Inc.

Fair Count Inc. is formerly Third Sector Development Inc., and is in the process of legally changing its name. Contributions to Fair Count Inc. are tax-deductible, the disclaimer reads.

Third Sector was one of two nonprofits Abrams founded that received a massive influx of financial donations in recent years, while she was serving as a state House representative in the Georgia Legislature. According to public records, Third Sector and the Voter Access Institute garnered $12.5 million between 2013 and 2016.

Abrams has consistently refused to disclose where the money came from, although she personally benefitted to the tune of nearly a half-million dollars, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) reported in September 2018.

Absolutely, 100 percent, no doubt, the organizations set the stage for Abrams 2018 gubernatorial campaign, a former Democratic candidate told the AJC on the condition of anonymity, citing a fear of political retaliation.

Prior to 2018, Third Sector organized a statewide voter registration drive known as the New Georgia Project. The effort relied on support from wealthy progressive donors who continued to give millions to Abrams during her run for governor.

But activities performed by the New Georgia Project led to a fraud investigation by the State Board of Elections, and the groups lack of transparency caused concern among many Democrats.

When pressed on the campaign trail, Abrams defended her organizations by suggesting that questions about her donors and outsized salary were sexist.

The implicit question is: Why didnt you do it for lessor for free? Abrams said in an interview with Glamour magazine. I cant imagine that any man at the head of a non-profit, who achieved what we achieved, and raised the kind of money that we raised, would be asked that question.

Public records reveal that Third Sector Development and Voter Access Institute were funded in part by national progressive groups, American Votes, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, and Priorities USA. The entities are backed respectively by labor unions and gun control advocates, environmental activist groups, and Democratic Party super PAC contributors.

In a separate interview in March, Abrams let slip about one of her anchor donors: George Soros.

George Soros and the Soros family have demonstrated nothing but deep investment and commitment to social justice. That is how I came to know them, because they were early investors in the New Georgia Project  she said.

Abrams other nonprofit, the Voter Access Institute, was reconstituted in December 2018. The former voter registration organization was rebranded as Fair Fight Action, with its articles of incorporation expanded to allow for greater political activity.

Previously, the Voter Access Initiative was prohibited from directly or indirectly participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. But thats no longer the case.

Fair Fight Action also supports a sister website and nonprofit group called Fair Fight Georgia, which asserts that elections in Georgia, and throughout much of our country, are not fair.

The newly launched Fair Counts chief executive is Rebecca DeHart, the former executive director of the Democratic Party of Georgia, and its program director is Jeanine Abrams McLean, Stacey Abrams sister.
An undated photo of Kayla McKnight, 16, who went missing after leaving home wearing a McDonald's uniform in McDonough, Ga., on March 14, 2019. (Courtesy of McDonough Police Department)

Teenager Disappears After Leaving Home Wearing McDonalds Uniform

Authorities are investigating why a teenager went missing after leaving home wearing a McDonalds uniform on March 14.

Police in McDonough, Georgia, are trying to trace the movements of Kayla McKnight, 16, who left home dressed for work.

She was last seen wearing her McDonalds uniform, which was a gray polo shirt and black pants, the McDonough Police Department said in a Facebook post dated March 22.

Authorities do not know which direction she headed in after leaving her home.

Kayla McKnight (age 16) left her home in McDonough in an unknown direction, police said.

Anyone from the public with information about there whereabouts of McKnight is encouraged to contact Detective J. Cooper or phone Crime Stoppers on 404-577-8477.

Police in McDonough, Georgia are asking for help to find a 16-year-old girl.

According the McDonough Police Department, Kayla McKnight was last seen leaving her home wearing a McDonalds uniform. Thats a gray, polo shirt and black pants. https://t.co/HKTl81L12N  BlackGirlsUnscripted (@BGUnscripted) March 24, 2019

Concerned members of the public expressed their sympathy on the Facebook post and tried to help find the teen.

I hope her parents at least checked her social media accounts, Melanie Ullrich said. Praying for her safe return to her family.

Robert Anderson hoped police would find McKnight in a safe condition and wished her well.

If she turns out to be run a way, I hope she gets the help she needs, he said. I genuinely hope they find her safe.

Others imagined any parents child could go missing.

This is some mothers daughter or some fathers daughter! Horrible, Diane Durham said.

Diane Durham good possibility, added Chris Longest.

Several others began praying for McKnights safe return.

Prayers for a safe return, Linda Hand Wilson said.

Praying for her safety! Vicki Faulkner added.

The Facebook post has been shared more than 850 times.

Meanwhile, McDonough Police Department has found and returned home China Penny who was reported missing on Feb. 9.

Penny, 16, had left her McDonough home on Feb. 9 and was last seen in Riverdale, Georgia, wearing gray leggings, black UGG boots, white jacket, and a red colored bandana.

Police confirmed the teen is already safely back at home.

China Penny has been located and returned home safely, police said in a Facebook post dated Feb. 21.

Concerned people were relieved to hear Penny was alright.

Good. Hope she stays there, Sue Brown Evans said. Its to dangerous for her out there.

GA  16-year-old McDonough teen is missing | 11ALIVE https://t.co/1PPJ2y1Chy pic.twitter.com/ZakLMb2wHu  I Have Vanished (@IHaveVanished) February 13, 2019

Police: Runaway McDonough teen missing for 3 days https://t.co/Ztq4VzXaJE  Tyshiba Maxie (@DanceUptown) February 13, 2019
Viking Sky cruise ship with helicopter hovering above it in Hustadvika, Norway, on March 23, 2019. (CHC Helicopters via Reuters)

Terror at Sea: Passengers of Troubled Norway Cruise Recount Their Ordeal

Passengers who were aboard the stricken Norwegian cruise ship have described their harrowing ordeal as the vessel was rocked by violent waves and howling winds on March 24.

Wind speeds of up to 50 mph left the 1,373 passengers aboard the 12-day luxury Viking Sky cruise ship terrified they would drown, as they feared the vessel would turn on its side, Mail Online reported.

Rodney Horgen, 62, from Minnesota, recalled the moment his wife, Judy Lemieux, 66, was swept away by a huge wall of water that had engulfed a seventh-floor restauranttheir designated evacuation post area.

I tried to grab her, but I just couldnt, Horgen told the Star Tribune, adding that she swept past him twice more before he could reach her.

The swells were hitting us broadside, just leaning the ship back and forth, almost to the point we thought it was going to tip, he added. People were getting tipped over in their chairs.

Furniture, utensils, and broken glass were tossed around in the seawater, Horgen described.

The force of the water, which burst through a window flung Lemieux across the room, and she recalled how she narrowly avoided injury.

There was a chair coming at me with the legs and I thought it was going to take my eyes out. Then Rod grabbed me, she said.

Battery dying and people sleeping everywhere. Probably my last tweet of the night. #VikingSky #Mayday pic.twitter.com/ouzegYmHOD  Alexus Sheppard  (@alexus309) March 24, 2019

British passenger Robin Kreger described the passengers terror as the cruise ships engines failed, and the moment of relief when she was airlifted to safety.

At one point we were dead in the water and then we had one engine and we were getting close to the rocks. Windows had been blown out. A lot of people got cut and bruised and some were on stretchers. We got off the helicopter and for a moment I almost cried. That was after the adrenaline and we were on land and we were okay, she told The Times.

Of the 1,373 passengers and crew aboard the Viking Sky, 475 were evacuated by helicopter when engine trouble struck along Hustadvika Baya treacherous area of Norwegian coast known for rough and frigid waters.

The ships crew issued a mayday call on March 23 for the rescue of its passengers before it made it safely to the nearby Norwegian port of Molde the following day, escorted by tugboats.

Speaking to The Times, Olav Magne Stromsholm, who captains dive ships in the area, said, Its the most dangerous coast in all Norway. Its a graveyard for ships. Even with modern navigation instruments, there is a major shipwreck in the strait every couple of years.

Around 20 passengers were injured in the ordeal aboard Viking Sky, which had been set to arrive in Tilbury, Essex, tomorrow.

The injuries that I saw were mostly injuries from falls that people either lost their footing on the ship was rolling or slipped on wet tiles. There were cuts to the head, cuts to the arms and the legs, and I heard some people broke bones, passenger Alexus Sheppard told the Today show.

It isnt the first time the cruise line has suffered engine failures, The Times reported.

On board the Viking Sky. The crew is doing an amazing job on trending to us. The galley has been damaged, broken glass, wine bottles, dishes, etc. Yet they have managed to make sandwiches, bring water and keep us calm. #VikingSky  Michal Stewart (@like2trvl) March 24, 2019

The Viking Star had engine trouble in August 2015, near Tallinn, Estonia. More recently, the Viking Sea was stuck in Barcelona after it lost power in December 2016, and again in Malta the same year.
Uttama Savanayana, Palang Pracharat Party leader, holds a news conference during the general election in Bangkok on March 25, 2019. (Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)

Thailand Election Thrown Into Chaos Amid Accusations of Cheating

Thailands first election since a military junta took power has been thrown into chaos following accusations of voting irregularities and cheating.

The Election Commission reported that the conservative Palang Pracharat Party had taken a surprise lead, with 7.6 million votesmore than half a million more than Pheu Thai, the party linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksins sister, Yingluck, led the Pheu Thai government that was ousted in 2014 by the military.

The strong popular vote by the Palang Pracharat Party shocked voters who had hoped the poll would loosen the militarys grip, while it appeared Pheu Thai had fallen far short of expectations, despite parties linked to Thaksin winning every prior election since 2001.

Meanwhile, the commission announced the winners of 350 of the 500 seats in the lower house, with unofficial results showing Pheu Thai with 137, to 96 for the Palang Pracharat Party.

Following the coup, the military brought in a new constitution in 2017 and with it an unelected 250-seat upper house, whose membership is decided by the military. Thai people are only able to vote for the 500-seat lower house, but the prime minister is decided based on the combined votes of both upper and lower houses.

To retain current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the junta would only need 126 of 376 lawmakers. For Pheu Thai to appoint a new prime minister, they would need all 376 seats from the lower house.

It was hoped that the vote, the first since the coup, would end 15 years of political turmoil in the Southeast Asian country, but the Election Commission says it could be weeks before the composition of parliament is settled.

The center-right Pheu Thai says it may mount a legal challenge over what it claims were poll irregularities.

There are irregularities in this election that were not comfortable with. These affect the nations credibility and peoples trust, said Sudarat Keyuraphan, candidate for prime minister of the Pheu Thai Party.

Weve voiced our concerns before for vote-buying, abuse of power, and cheating. All three have manifested. We will fight back through legal means, she told a news conference.

Thaksin, a Chinese-Thai tycoon who now lives in exile, wrote an op-ed for the New York Times on March 25 claiming that the election was rigged.

I knew that the junta running Thailand wanted to stay in power, but I cannot believe how far it has gone to manipulate the general election on Sunday, he wrote.

In a separate interview with the Financial Times, Thaksin complained that the election had not been free and fair and accused the military of manipulating the results.

Many have questioned the low voter turnout figure of 70 percent, with a spokeswoman from new party Future Forward saying the numbers dont add up.

This is making people skeptical of the election results, said Pannika Wanich.

The Election Commission should address this issue because if the people feel they cannot trust the results, there will be more problems to come, she said.

Some Thais took to social media, with hashtags Election Commission screw-up and cheating the election trending on Twitter.

The Electoral Commission has also been criticized for the delay in releasing the full results, a decision it hasnt explained.

We have nothing to hide, the Commissions deputy secretary-general, Nat Laosisawakul, told a news conference.

The country has been rocked by protests over the past 15 years, both in support and in opposition of Thaksin.

The results for the 150 remaining seats will only be announced on May 9, but the Commission is expected to give a breakdown of the votes on March 29.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) talks to reporters during a news conference a day after a bipartisan group of House and Senate bargainers met to craft a border security compromise aimed at avoiding another government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 31, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

The Mueller Report and Congressional Democrats Predictable Antics

Commentary

On the afternoon of March 22, special counsel Robert Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr. Shortly thereafter, news outlets began to report that Mueller would not be recommending any additional indictments relative to his investigation.

Predictably, congressional Democrats immediately re-ignited their threat to subpoena the full report and the underlying evidence if the information wasnt voluntarily released. To their dismay, the ultimate decision as to what information is released belongs to Barr.

As such, Democratic calls could eventually require judicial intervention from the nations highest court, and could be construed as another desperate fishing expedition in hopes of discovering any possible evidence to hurt (or impeach) the president.

In the past, the Independent Counsel Law required the special counsel to report to the House of Representatives substantial and credible information of impeachable conduct. However, this law has since expired. Currently, the relevant regulation states, At the conclusion of the Special Counsels work, he or she shall provide the Attorney General with a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel.

Furthermore, according to Fox News, The attorney general may release the report if he or she determines doing so is in the public interest. However, such release must comply with applicable legal restrictions. The purpose of this regulation was to give the Department of Justice more control over the special counsel and any investigations, and to restore the separation of power between the executive branch and Congress.

Although the decision of whether or not to release the report ultimately rests with Barr, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) held an emergency phone call with members of Congress on March 23. Prior to the call, according to Townhall, Pelosi sent them a letter, a portion of which stated:

Even if DOJ chooses not to prosecute additional individuals, the underlying findings must be provided to Congress and the American people. The Attorney Generals offer to provide the Committees with a summary of the reports conclusions is insufficient. Congress requires the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work, including oversight and legislating to address any issues the Mueller report may raise.

Barr has indicated that he wants to release as much of the report as is legally permissible. Assuming that Barr releases a summary of the reports conclusions, as opposed to the entire report and the underlying evidence, there are several reasons why a prolonged battle is likely.

First, as set forth in the Chicago Tribune, Barr has said he wants to release as much as he can under the law. That decision will require him to weigh the Justice Departments longstanding protocol of not releasing negative information about people who arent indicted against the extraordinary public interest in a criminal investigation into the president and his campaign.

Another barrier to the release of Muellers entire report involves the fact that much of the information was likely derived by way of a grand jury. Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e) prohibits public release of documents and testimony presented to the grand jury. There are a few exceptions to this rule, some of which were discussed in a recent Congressional Research Service report and an article by law professor Stanley M. Brand in The Conversation. However, the general rule is that such information is not disclosed so as to protect the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings, prevent those who are being investigated from leaving the area (fleeing), ensure full cooperation from witnesses, and protect those who are innocent from unnecessary and unjustified prosecution.

The courts are split about the release of grand jury records. Recently, a federal appeals court in Atlanta affirmed the rights of federal judges to release grand jury records based, in part, on a 1984 ruling from the same federal appeals court holding that federal judges have inherent authority to release the grand jury records because they pertained to an issue that was historically significant. Other courts have taken different positions on this issue, as set forth in an article by Josh Gerstein in Politico.

Another wrinkle in this tangled web involves the possibility that congressional Democrats will initiate impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.

According to the aforementioned report by the Congressional Research Service, while grand jury information is normally secretive in nature, two exceptions could possibly help Congress, including (1) the exception that allows a court to authorize disclosure of grand jury matters preliminarily to or in connection with a judicial proceeding, and (2) the exception, recognized by a few courts, that allows a court to authorize disclosure of grand jury matters in special or exceptional circumstances. Some courts have found that one or both of these exceptions is triggered when Congress requests grand jury materials in the context of impeachment proceedings.

Clearly, if Mueller doesnt recommend any further indictments, which appears to be the case, there will likely be one or more legal battles relating to the release of the entire report and the underlying evidence. The Supreme Court could be asked to ultimately decide this general issue.

Of course, some could view the congressional Democrats request for this information as yet another attempt to find anything that would quench their insatiable desire to impeach the president. After all, one thing is abundantly clear. Congressional Democrats who bet the bank on the Mueller report are feeling the heat.

On the one hand, they feel pressure from some of their major donors to initiate impeachment proceedings. On the other hand, they face the court of public opinion, which will likely not tolerate additional, time-consuming, and expensive investigations at the countrys expense.

Congressional Democrats are facing a difficult problem. However, its one of their own making and one that doesnt offer an easy way out.

Elad Hakim is a writer, commentator, and an attorney. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Western Journal, American Thinker, and other online publications.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump (L) with interim rector Bruce McPherson (R) as they leave St. Johns Episcopal church in Washington, on March 17, 2019. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Calls Mueller Report a Total Exoneration

Following the release of a summary of the long-awaited investigation into alleged Russian election interference, President Trump described it as a total exoneration.

A summary of the investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller was released by Attorney General William Barr on March 24, saying, The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Barr quoted Mueller as saying in the summary, referring to obstruction of justice in the case. Mueller left it up to Barr about whether to charge Trump with the crime of obstruction of justice.

Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided Muellers evidence didnt establish that the president committed the obstruction of justice crime, according to the summary.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

In remarks to reporters on March 24, Trump said, Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, its a shame that your president had to go through this.

It was a complete and total exoneration, he said, adding that it was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side.

On Twitter, the President made a more succinct statement.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! he tweeted.

Reactions

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders echoed the Presidents remarks just minutes later.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States, she tweeted.

Millions of Trump supporters, meanwhile, have been completely vindicated.

A great day for America and for President @realDonaldTrump. After two years of wild anti-Trump hysteria, the President and his millions of supporters have been completely vindicated.  Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) March 24, 2019

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell noted that President Trump was right about the Russia investigation, according to The Associated Press.

McConnell stated that the investigation confirms Trumps account that there was no effort by his campaign to conspire or coordinate with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

The Republican leader said he appreciates Barrs goal of producing as much information as possible from Muellers investigation. But McConnell declined to call for the reports full release, as many Democrats want.

McConnell also warned that Russias ongoing efforts to interfere in U.S. institutions are dangerous and disturbing.

Trump campaign manager on March 24, Brad Parscale, offered a stark rebuke to Democrats clamoring about alleged Russian interference.

He said, Today marks the day that President Trump has been completely and fully vindicated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, exposing the Russia collusion conspiracy theory for the sham that it always was and catching Democrats in an elaborate web of lies and deceit. 

Parscale accused the Democrats of taking the country on a frantic, chaotic, conspiracy-laden roller coaster for two years as they were distraught and blindsided by Trumps 2016 win, AP reported.

Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer said Barr isnt a neutral observer, reiterating their calls for the full, un-redacted release of Muellers report.

The American people deserve the truth. AG Barr must #ReleaseTheFullReport. Read my full statement with @SenSchumer here: https://t.co/rWLsszbNdk  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) March 24, 2019

Pelosi, the House speaker, and Schumer, who is Senate Democratic leader, said in a joint statement that Barrs letter to Congress about the report raises as many questions as it answers.

Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report, they added. And most obviously, for the President to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Watch next:

The SpyGate Scandal: What We Learned in 2018

2018 proved to be a year of numerous revelations that provided clarity regarding events leading up toand followingthe 2016 presidential election.
Then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill on May 11, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump Campaign Adviser Calls for Investigation Into Origin of Russian Collusion Claims

A Trump campaign adviser called for an investigation into the creators of the Russian collusion claims, noting that those who break the law should be punisheda day after Attorney General William Barr delivered a summary of the findings from Robert Muellers special counsel investigation.

Jason Meister, Trump 2020 Campaign Advisory Board member.

Barrs summary of the final report that investigated alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election found that President Donald Trump and his campaign associates didnt collude or coordinate with Russia in their efforts to interfere in the U.S. election.

Jason Meister, a Trump 2020 Campaign Advisory Board member, told The Epoch Times in a March 25 interview that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee, and the so-called Steele dossier should all be investigated so the nation can heal and move on from this.

The dossier was at the heart of the allegations that Trump colluded with Russia.

Time to move on from the fake investigation to the real investigation, Meister said. How did this [Russian] investigation get opened, to begin with?

This was the greatest political scandal in modern American history; its worse than Watergate.

Meister, who also served on the Trump 2016 campaign, noted that the United States is a country where there is the rule of law and people that break the law need to be punished for those laws that were broken.

Barrs four-page summary (pdf) to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees said that the special counsel interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, executed almost 500 search warrants, issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtained more than 230 orders for communications records, and authorized nearly 50 pen registers.

After two years of investigating  not one indictment having anything remotely to do with Russia or collusion and thats a very important thing to point out, Meister said. They are victims of Russia Gate, which is the biggest disinformation campaign in American history.

Barr also concluded that the special counsel didnt provide enough evidence to substantiate that the president obstructed justice. Mueller referred several cases to other offices, but will not issue any more indictments, Barr wrote.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced on March 25 that his committee will investigate alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act which resulted in the yearlong surveillance of a former Trump-campaign associate.

Graham called on Barr to appoint a second special counsel to scrutinize the events that led to the counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign.

Who at the Obama administration knew about this? How did they go about getting the FISA warrant? We need to get to the bottom of all that, Meister said. We do have some investigating to do. Theres a lot more to find out.

Two-Year Push

Meister, who agrees that the full Mueller report should be publicly released on the grounds of transparency, condemned the media and top-ranking Democrats who promoted Russian collusion claims.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) were among a number of Democrats who explicitly said there was evidence of Russian collusion, which Meister called a disgrace  at the highest level of our government.

The American people were brainwashed into believing a complete hoax, Meister said. [The report] puts the media in a terrible place. I think that theyve lost tremendous credibility  I think it will have a huge impact on the 2020 election.

The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, and MSNBC led the charge, writing more than 8,500 articles on the investigation since Mueller was appointed in May 2017, according to research by the Republican National Committee (RNC).

Meister said the findings from Muellers report was a major blow to the Democrats and all who continued to push the Russian collusion story. He said Trumps future in 2020 looks bright.

With this cloud off of him, he is going to do even better than before, he added. Its time for transparency so that all Americans can see the sham that it is.
Senior Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway at the CPAC convention in National Harbor, Md., on March 1, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Trumps Counselor Conway: Rep. Schiff Should Resign for Peddling a Lie

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, called on Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to resign in light of Special Counsel Robert Muellers conclusion of his investigation, which found no collusion between Trump or his campaign and the Russian state to sway the 2016 election. Schiff has been a mainstay on left-leaning media outlets pushing the collusion conspiracy, repeatedly claiming to have evidence of it.

You, in fact, running around, jutting your jaw out and saying, Im worried about the effect on the institutions, you were disparaging the institutions, you were demeaning and deriding our great democracy, the presidency of the United States, Conway told Fox News, referring to Schiff.

Adam Schiff should resign. He has no right as someone whos been peddling a lie day after day after day, unchallenged, unchallenged and not under oath. Somebody should have put him under oath and said, you have evidence? Where is it?

After a nearly two-year-long investigation, Mueller submitted his final report to Attorney General William Barr on March 22. The report has completely exonerated Trump and those connected to his campaign of all allegations of collusion with Russia, according to a summary of investigative findings issued by Barr on March 24.

Barr also concluded that the special counsel didnt provide enough evidence to substantiate that the president obstructed justice.

Mueller referred several cases to other offices of the Justice Department, but will not issue any more indictments, Barr wrote in the 4-page summary (pdf).

Schiff was still doubling down on March 24, telling ABCs This Week that significant evidence of collusion exists.

Theres a difference between compelling evidence of collusion and whether the special counsel concludes that he can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the criminal charge of conspiracy, he said.

Schiffs office didnt respond to a request for him to elaborate on what the difference is. The office didnt respond to a request for comment on Conways remarks either.

There appears to be no sign that Mueller hesitated to act on compelling evidence or even that compelling evidence exists.

Ham Sandwich

On Feb. 16, 2018, Mueller indicted 13 people and three companies that allegedly ran a Russian campaign mainly through social media intending to spread distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general, before and during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The defendants could have simply avoided coming to the United States and thus never face trial. But one of the defendants, a Russian company named Concord Management and Consulting, volunteered to stand trial.

Magistrate Judge Michael Harvey asked if the defense also represented Concord Catering, another company that Mueller charged and alleged is associated with Concord Management and Consulting. But one of the defense lawyers told the judge theyre not representing it, because Concord Catering didnt exist as a legal entity during the time period alleged by the government.

I think were dealing with a situation of the government having indicted the proverbial ham sandwich, the lawyer said.

The ham sandwich reference dates back to 1985, when New York Chief Judge Sol Wachtler told the New York Daily News that government prosecutors have so much power over grand juries, they can make them indict, in a sense, just about anybodyor anything.
Presence and intervention plan : Police check young people in Bad Godesberg

BAD GODESBERG Bonn police again targeted the known meeting points for young people in Bad Godesberg on Saturday evening. Checks were carried out on 107 people and 19 vehicles.

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Bonn police again performed checks at known meeting points for young people in parks and in school playgrounds on Saturday evening as part of its presence and intervention plan in Bad Godesberg.

At the start of the operation, carried out jointly with the citys public order officials, officers performed checks on several people in the Kurpark and Redoutenpark. Checks were made on a group of 18 young people in the Panoramapark. Their music was too loud.

In the Rheinaue, they noticed a party getting out of hand. The group had to clear their party site, a fire was put out and twelve people told to move on.

After another check in the Panoramapark, officers were underway in the Moltkestrae area. A vehicle being searched for because it was uninsured was pulled over from the traffic. The 28-year-old driver was not allowed to continue his journey. Investigation proceedings have started against him and the 22-year-old vehicle owner.

In total, officers checked 107 people and 19 vehicles during the course of the operation.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a joint news conference with Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 19, 2019. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Trump, Giuliani Call for Investigations Into Russia Probes Origin

Following the release of Special Counsel Robert Muellers key findings, President Donald Trump and personal attorney Rudy Giuliani on March 24 suggested that the investigators should be investigated.

Trump described the investigation as an illegal takedown of a sitting president, adding that it has failed. Muellers report showed there no evidence of collusion with Russia during the 2016 presidential election, according to a letter from Attorney General William Barr.

Hopefully somebody is going to look at the other side, he told reporters.

Rudy Giuliani calls for a full and complete investigation into where collusion claims originated https://t.co/9cLqBzYgwm  Frederick C, Voegtli (@DaBlueJuan) March 25, 2019

Later, Giuliani told Fox News that a probe should be launched into how the investigation started.

He was being investigated for a crime that never happened, Giuliani said. There was never any collusion.

The former Republican mayor of New York City continued: There has to be a full and complete investigation, with at least as much enthusiasm as this one, to figure out where did this charge emanate, who started it, who paid for it.

In the interview, he turned his crosshairs on Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), asking where the evidence of collusion is.

Where is Schiffs evidence? Giuliani asked. Where is it? In his head?

Schiff, earlier on March 24, told ABC News that Mueller should have interviewed Trump himself.

Ive said this all along: It was a mistake to rely on written responses by the president, he said.

Theres a difference between compelling evidence of collusion and whether the special counsel concludes that he can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the criminal charge of conspiracy, Schiff said hours before a summary of the report was released to the public. I leave that decision to Bob Mueller, and I have full confidence in him.

Trump, since the start of the probe, has maintained he never colluded with Moscow and has described the investigationseveral timesas a witch hunt.

Report Concluded

Attorney General Barr issued a summary of Muellers findings to Congressional leaders on March 24, concluding that the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

Barr submitted the four-page summary (pdf) to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate judiciary committees. The letter notes that the special counsel interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, executed almost 500 search warrants, issued more 2,800 subpoenas, obtained more than 230 orders for communications records, and issued nearly 50 pen orders. Mueller employed a staff of 19 lawyers and 40 FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, and professional staff, according to Barr.

Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided Muellers evidence didnt establish that President Trump committed the crime of obstruction of justice, according to the letter.

The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusionone way or the otheras to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction  the Special Counsels report states that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him,' Barrs letter said.

Following Barrs letter of the findings, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) claimed Barr isnt a neutral observer, reiterating their calls for the full, un-redacted release of Muellers report.

Given Mr. Barrs public record of bias against the Special Counsels inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report, they said in a joint statement. And most obviously, for the President to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.

Epoch Times Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report.

Watch next:

The SpyGate Scandal: What We Learned in 2018

2018 proved to be a year of numerous revelations that provided clarity regarding events leading up toand followingthe 2016 presidential election.
President Donald Trump (L) and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu show the proclamation recognizing Israels sovereignty over Golan Heights after a meeting outside the West Wing of the White House on March 25, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump Officially Recognizes Golan Heights as Part of Israel

President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation stating that the United States recognizes the Golan Heights as part of the State of Israel.

The State of Israel took control of the Golan Heights in 1967 to safeguard its security from external threats, the March 25 proclamation states. Today, aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hizballah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel. Any possible future peace agreement in the region must account for Israels need to protect itself from Syria and other regional threats. Based on these unique circumstances, it is therefore appropriate to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Trump hinted at the move in a March 21 tweet, saying: After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israels Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Trump for making the move while talking to press during the March 25 bilateral meeting between the two.

Ive met many friends of Israel in this office. But as I said in the other room, just now, in a day of history, we have never had a greater friend than President Trump, Netanyahu said.

Golan Heights is a strip of land about 40 miles by 12 miles, east of the upper Jordan River. It was part of Syria until 1967, when it was taken over by the Israeli military during the Six-Day War. Israel annexed the land in 1981 and has maintained that it needs to retain control over the area because it otherwise would be used to launch attacks on Israel.

Syria has been in a perpetual dispute with Israel over the land.

This should have been done, I would say, numerous presidents ago, Trump commented on the declaration during the meeting with Netanyahu. But for some reason, they didnt do it, and Im very honored to have done it.

The prime minister used the opportunity to reaffirm Israels commitment as a U.S. ally.

We are willing to fight for our common values. Were willing to fight. You have an ally that is willing to take up arms in defense of liberty, in defense of our land, our people, and our common values, he said.

Trump and Israel

Trump has reaffirmed and strengthened the alliance with Israel while in office, stirring the pot of volatile status quo between the Jewish state and Palestine, a state unrecognized by the United States that claims the West Bank and Gaza Strip territories and considers Jerusalem its capital. Israel took over those territories in the Six-Day War.

On Feb. 23, 2018, Trump announced that the U.S. Embassy in Israel would move to Jerusalem. The embassy officially relocated on May 14, 2018, on the 70th anniversary of the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

The relocation was originally mandated by Congress in the Jerusalem Embassy Act passed in 1995. Presidents had been since delaying it every six months on national security grounds.

The Trump administration also withdrew the United States from UNESCO, due to the U.N. agencys bias against Israel. Following the decision, Israel also announced it would withdraw from the organization.

Trumps daughter, Ivanka Trump, married Jared Kushner, a conservative Jewish man, and converted to Judaism; both are senior advisers at the White House.

Democrats and Israel

More than two-thirds of Americans maintain a largely positive view of Israel, a February Gallup poll showed, although support for the Jewish states side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has somewhat diminished among liberals, Democrats, and even moderate and liberal Republicans.

Several Democrats running for the 2020 presidential nomination, including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Beto ORourke, decided they wouldnt attend this years American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference on March 2426. AIPAC is a bipartisan group with a mission to strengthen, protect, and promote the U.S.Israeli relationship.
Trump Supporters Gather at Trump Tower With Message for New York City

A group of President Trump supporters rallied in front of Trump Tower in support of the presidents 2020 election bid, and celebrated the end of the Russia collusion investigation by Robert Mueller.

A grassroots collection of Trump supporters in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania came together in New York City on March 23 to support the president.

They came to Trump Tower on 5th Avenue with hats and signs saying Make America Great Again, Keep America Great, and Trump 2020.

When asked about what had brought them there, Brooklyn resident and rally attendee Hedy Aldina told NTD, because we want to support President Trump.

In spite of all his opposition, he is fulfilling all his promises and we want him to know that we the people are with him, for him, stand by him every step of the way. Go Trump.

Another attendee was asked about how unusual the rally was, due to New Yorks well-known Democratic and leftist leanings.

Well actually, New York state is not. Its just the five boroughs that is liberal, real liberal and Democratic. But outside the boroughs, [there are] a lot of conservatives and Republicans out there, rally attendee Derrick Gibson told NTD.

The event organizer Aidan Rowan expressed the need to show support for Trump in the places with a predominately liberal climate like New York City.

The purpose of the event is to show the president that we have some real good support up here in the northeast, especially in these liberal states, Rowan told NTD.

Gibson expressed his agreement with President Trumps views on socialism, and said he supported Trumps fight to keep further socialist influence out of U.S. governance.

Trump dont like socialism and neither do I (sic), Gibson said. Socialism destroys civilized society. If you look around the world, [in] all the countries, socialism has failed. Theres people living on the street, eating out [of] the trash canthats what socialism brings you.

Gibson also explained how Trumps policies have positively impacted business owners like himself, and how he has benefited from Trumps urban revitalization programs aimed at benefiting black Americans.

We like Trumps policies. Theyre good for business. Trump should be mayor right here, he should be governor right here, and he should be the president at the same time. It makes sense, Gibson said.

The gathering happened to take place one day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report on Russian collusion with Trump in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, effectively ending the investigation.

The rally had been originally planned for Trumps reelection but turned into a celebration party for Trumps vindication after the almost two year long Mueller probe.

Mueller submitted his report to Attorney General William Barr on March 22 and he did not recommend any further indictments.

After more than 2 years of non-stop conspiracy theories from CNN, MSNBC, Buzzfeed and the rest of the mainstream media, as well as daily lies and smears coming from Democrats in Washington, the Mueller Report proves what those of us with sane minds have known all along, there was ZERO collusion with Russia, Donald Trump Jr. wrote in part of a statement posted to Twitter.

Trump Jr. still remained skeptical that what President Trump has called a witch hunt will end, despite the Mueller probe outcome.

Sadly, instead of apologizing for needlessly destabilizing the country in a transparent attempt to delegitimize the 2016 election, its clear that the Collusion Truthers in the media and the Democrat Party are only going to double down on their sick and twisted conspiracy theories moving forward, Trump Jr. continued.

From NTD News

Watch next:

The SpyGate Scandal: What We Learned in 2018

2018 proved to be a year of numerous revelations that provided clarity regarding events leading up toand followingthe 2016 presidential election.
Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks with reporters after her general campaign kick-off rally in the Bronx borough of New York, on Sept. 22, 2018. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)

Two-Thirds of New Yorkers Want to Revive Amazon Deal, Poll Finds

New Yorkers overwhelmingly want a second chance at welcoming global e-commerce giant Amazon.com back to New York City, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.

Amazon had chosen Long Island City, Queens as its preferred location to build a second headquarters, known as H2Q. In exchange for $3 billion in tax incentives, the mega-corporation would have delivered an estimated $27 billion in tax revenue over 25 years and at least 25,000 jobs.

That deal fell apart, however, when anti-business activists targeted the company and its founder, Jeff Bezos, who is the worlds richest man.

By a margin of 64-28, Quinnipiac found that New York voters want Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other leaders to convince Amazon to reconsider. Voters supported offering tax breaks to encourage businesses to locate to the state, 62-29.

In both cases, there was strong support across every listed polling delineation, including political party, gender, education, age, race, and regional group.

In hindsight, New Yorkers think those hotly debated incentives offered to Amazon were worth it in the end, said Mary Snow, polling analyst for Quinnipiac University.

Almost two-thirds of New Yorkers want elected officials to try and woo Amazon to reconsider its decision not to build a campus in New York, said Snow.

The poll was conducted from March 13 to 18, and surveyed 1,216 New York State voters. It has a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points.

As an aside, Quinnipiac found that voters approve of Cuomos job performance, 50-41, which is the first time he reached 50 percent since May 2018. Only 46 percent of voters approved of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, (D-N.Y.), who is currently running for president.

On Tuesday, March 19, a Siena College poll found that New Yorkers blame Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY), more than anyone else for the Amazon debacle.

Thirty-eight percent said OcasioCortez, a self-avowed socialist, was the biggest villain in the widely-viewed missed opportunity, although 12 percent said the outspoken freshman congresswoman was a hero.

For months, Ocasio-Cortez helped drum-up local activist resistance to Amazon, in addition to leveraging her immense social media following.

Ocasio-Cortezs district includes parts of Queens, and she regularly denounced the companys hiring practices, wages, and lack of unionization. She took particular issue with the decision to offer $3 billion in state and city subsidies, which she believed should have gone to teachers and the local subway systemalthough the money mostly only existed as a reduction in Amazons long-term tax liability.

After much thought and deliberation, weve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens, an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement on Feb. 14.

In an interview with NBC News the same day, Jodi Seth, head of policy communications for Amazon, said despite repeated attempts to accommodate its critics, If you talk to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, its Never Amazon.

Undeterred, the 29-year-old congresswoman issued a celebratory post on Twitter: Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazons corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world.

But New Yorkers have a starkly different view.

At least 63 percent of Democrats, Republicans and independents, upstaters and downstaters, men and women, young and old, black and white New Yorkers agree: Amazon pulling out of Queens was bad for New York. Even 56 percent of self-described liberals think it was bad for New York, said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg in a statement.

While some may have celebrated Amazons announcement to pull the plug, the vast majority of New Yorkers of every stripe thought it was bad for the Empire State, Greenberg said.

The Siena College Poll was conducted from March 10 to 14, by telephone to 700 New York State registered voters. It has an overall margin of error of 4.2 percentage points.

The Amazon fallout also comes at a time when New York is facing tough financial challenges.

Gov. Cuomo announced a projected $2.3 billion budget shortfall on Feb. 4, or less than two weeks prior to Amazons retreat. The shortfall was even steeper last year, but state leaders were able to balance the budget by reigning in spending.

In what looks to be the beginning of a long-term revenue bind, Cuomo blamed congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump for a provision in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, that caps state and local tax (SALT) deductions from federal income tax liabilities at $10,000.

Previously, there was no cap, and New York states average SALT deduction was $22,000.

CNBC analyst Andrew Ross Sorkin expressed alarm at New York Citys long-term business prospects, and the rise of socialist sympathies via Ocasio-Cortez, Mayor Bill de Blasio and others.

Following the Amazon pull-out, he said, Were going to have less revenue in the next 10 years, and added, For all the talk that seems so politically correct or exciting to people today on the left, the stark reality of whats happened just now if youre a New Yorker should be very apparent.

If youre a major company in America, thinking of wanting to do business in New York City  Im not so sure this isnt as an attractive place as it was yesterday, Sorkin said.
A cell phone with the Uber transport technology app, with the destination and its cost to the international airport, is seen inside a car with an Uber driver, in Santiago, Chile, March 15, 2019. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido

Uber Is Said to Seal $3.1 Billion Deal to Buy Careem in Days

Uber Technologies Inc. is set to announce a $3.1 billion cash-and-share deal to acquire its Dubai-based rival Careem Networks FZ as early as this week, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The U.S. ride-hailing giant will pay $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes for Careem, the people said, asking not to identified because the talks are private. The notes will be convertible into Uber shares at a price equal to $55 per share, according to the term-sheet seen by Bloomberg.

Shareholders in Careem, whose backers include Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talals investment firm and Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten Inc., have been asked to agree to the terms of the transaction by late March 25 and a deal could be announced as soon as March 25, the people said.

Uber spokesman Matt Kallman declined to comment while a spokesman for Careem wasnt immediately able to comment.

Ubers acquisition of Careem would come ahead of its imminent initial public offering, which could be one of the New York Stock Exchanges biggest-ever listings. Uber is expected to publicly file for an IPO in April, kicking off a listing that could value the company at as much as $120 billion, people familiar with the plans have said previously.

Mideast Startup

Careem was valued at about $1 billion in a 2016 funding round, making it one of the most valuable technology startups in the Middle East. The company has over a million drivers and operates in more than 90 cities in 15 countries, according to its website.

For Uber, a deal would signal its commitment to the Middle East, where one of its biggest investorsa Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fundis based.

The acquisition would also be a departure in strategy for Uber, which has used such deals to offload costly overseas operations in exchange for stakes in competitors in the past.

By Dinesh Nair, Matthew Martin & Nour Al Ali
Woman Swallows Maggots in Attempt to Fully Cure Her Cancer

A recovering cancer patient swallowed a cup of live maggots after being told by a friend that this could fully eliminate the cancer from her body, local Chinese media reported on March 21.

Doctors in Shaanxi Province, China, suspected that the womans cancer had relapsed. But after some tests, they found that her symptoms were not caused by cancer, but rather by the insects crawling around inside her stomach.

The woman, whose surname is Li, has received medical treatment to remove the maggots, and is now in stable condition.

Medicine of Maggots

Three years ago, Li had been diagnosed with cancer in her left lung. Li underwent many different treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, according to local media First News. Finally, her condition stabilized.

Then, Li returned to the hospital. Li said that starting two weeks prior, she began to suffer from chest pains, acid-reflux, and heartburn, according to First News. She said the pain would become worse, even unbearable, at night.

The first thing we wondered was, did it metastasize? Wang Zheng, head of the Oncology Department at Xian City-Central Hospital said in a video widely uploaded to Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. So we used the standard assessment process for tumors and gave her a complete evaluation.

After we did the evaluation, we found that the her situation was completely stable, Wang said in the video. There werent any traces of the tumor relapsing or metastasizing.

Since no cancer was found, the doctors decided to instead exam Lis stomach directly, in search of the source of her pain. The hospital performed an endoscopy, using a camera to view her digestive track. We discovered that there were parasites in her intestines, and whats more is that they were still moving, Wang said in the video.

Finally, after we asked the patient in detail [about what shed done], the patient told us that one month ago, she swallowed a bottle of maggots, Wang said.

Li told the doctors that is was a folk remedy that she heard of from a friend. According to Li, the friend claimed that her cancerous tumor would be cured after ingesting a bottle of maggots.

Once the doctors found the cause of Lis ailment, they administered medicine to kill the maggots. By the second day, Lis pain was completely gone, according to First News.

Li has already left the hospital, and is now following the doctors orders.

Peculiar Medical Treatment

Though modern Traditional Chinese Medicine and folk treatments may have efficacy in some cases, some other ideas of health have gone to unwise extremes in China.

One woman recently gave herself an intravenous fluid drip full of fruit juice. The juice came from a mixture of 20 different fruits. Not long after, she felt itchy and hot. The concoction nearly poisoned her.

She was taken by her husband to a hospital for emergency treatment, and was admitted to the intensive care unit. She was found to have serious damage to her major organs, including liver and kidneys. Furthermore, her blood was unable to clot. The doctors diagnosed her with sepsis.

After treatment, she survived and left the hospital. I had thought that fresh fruit juice had plentiful health benefits, the woman told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.

The doctor responsible for her also warned against such careless attempts at treating oneself.
As of Monday afternoon in four trading days since the previous Wednesday, shares of the home construction giant Toll Brothers were up 3 percent, while Beacon Roofing Supplys were off by the same margin and homeowner insurance underwriter Allstates were flat.

As Alex Pettee sees it, the need for new housing in the United States will provide an overall upward lift for companies that touch aspects of that industry  with his inaugural fund debuting last week with the goal of giving everyday investors a way to profit from any such trend.

In Norwalk, Pettee has launched what he believes to be the first exchange-traded fund pegged to the diverse components that make up the U.S. housing sector, encompassing everything from finding a home, to buying or leasing one, insuring it, furnishing it, and keeping up with the maintenance over time.

Similar to mutual funds, exchange-traded funds are indexed to publicly traded stocks  but ETF shares can be bought and sold themselves on public exchanges, with Hoya Capital Real Estates new HOMZ fund debuting last week on the New York Stock Exchanges Arca system for ETF securities.

To the extent possible in a fund encompassing 100 stocks, Hoya Capital is as close to home as it gets for many investors. For instance, about one in four investments touch Danbury, to include brokerage giants Realogy and ReMax; mortgage lenders like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase; housing developments by Avalon Bay and Toll Brothers; home improvement stores Home Depot and Lowes; and of course Amazon which has numerous Danbury-area businesses selling through its website.

Out thesis is that theres 100 million renters out there, and that they are all affected by rising housing costs, Pettee said. We think this is the most direct way to (capture) that.

The ETF is weighted, with builders and real estate management firms carrying the greatest heft on the HOMZ index, and financial and technology companies having a smaller influence.

From just over 1,600 funds a decade ago, the ETF sector has mushroomed to more than 6,500 as of February according to the London-based market research firm ETFGI, with 100 new funds on a net basis in the first two months of 2019. The industry entered March with a record $5.2 trillion in assets under management, including $44 billion in net new capital in February alone.

Add Pettees HOMZ fund to the March totals to come, with Hoya Capital created on the foundation of Pettees masters project at Georgetown Universitys real estate studies program. Pettee designed the fund on the premise of a national housing shortage that over time will boost stocks of companies that touch the industry.

His mother Sheila Pettee is CEO and chief compliance officer, with Hoya Capital colocated in the Rowayton office of her Pettee Investors. Hoya Capitals executive vice president is Jonathan Morris, a Georgetown professor who advised Pettee on his graduate work.

Alex Pettee said the most challenging aspect for him has been handling all facets of the startup and management of a fund, with industry giants like BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street Bank wielding massive marketing power. With the fund now being actively traded, he anticipates Hoya Capital bringing on additional people as investors purchase shares and assets under management accumulate.

For a long time, weve been talking about the underinvestment in housing at the national level, Pettee said. The average age of the single family home in the United States is the oldest its ever been. ... Investors ... are saying, Why isnt there an ETF that is a pure play on the housing market as a whole?

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
HARTFORD  One legislative committee took the first step toward legalizing cannabis in Connecticut by approving a bill that creates a regulatory structure and gives equity opportunities to those impacted by the War on Drugs.

The committee voted 10-8 in favor of the bill Monday.

The legislation would establish a Cannabis Commission inside the Department of Consumer Protection along with regulations for growers, manufacturers, and retailers, and would require the commission to allow those disproportionately harmed by cannabis prohibition and enforcement to apply for a license three months before other applicants.

Sen. Doug McCrory, D-Hartford, said the bill doesnt go far enough and voted against the legislation.

He said the War on Drugs was racist in its intent.

My point is we have a policy thats left over from the Jim Crow era. Its probably the last one, McCrory said.

He said he isnt going to argue about the medical data and whether cannabis is harmful, a focus of many Republicans on the committee.

McCrory said he wont support a bill in which Connecticuts law is anything less than the gold standard of equity for those whose lives have been most impact by racially disparate enforcement policies. He said Connecticut has a chance to stand up for the past 80 years of prohibition that has harmed his community.

Sen. Kevin Witkos, R-Canton, said the communities most impacted by marijuana arrests, possession and sale were Clinton, New Haven, Meriden, and Granby.

It is not communities that some people think are disproportionately harmed by arrests for marijuana, Witkos said.

An equity applicant under the legislation is defined as individuals or communities disproportionately impacted by high rates of arrest and conviction, as well as individuals who can demonstrate, via affidavit and other documentation as the commission may require, (A) requisite experience with cannabis cultivation, distribution or the sale or manufacture of cannabis products.

Witkos said that prioritizes people who have been breaking the law over law abiding citizens.

Rep. Juan Candelaria, D-New Haven, said not to offer these entrepreneurs in the blackmarket a chance to become legal is a slap on the face.

He said its not so much about equity, but its about the human piece of making these individuals who have been wronged by life and society to say were going to give you an opportunity.

Rep. Bobby Gibson, D-Bloomfield, said minority communities most impacted by this have to have a seat at the table.

This bill here is a step in the right direction, Gibson said.

Rep. David Rutigliano, R-Trumbull, said those opposed to the bill are opposed to the commercialization of cannabis.

He said someone of his political persuasion could be in favor of decriminalizing it and allowing people to grow their own at home. But allowing these big companies to come in is a mistake, Rutigliano said.

Rep. Michael DAgostino, D-Hamden, said they went with this approach because he doesnt believe there is public support or legislative support for an unregulated marketplace.

He said they are still studying some home grow models and microbusiness opportunities.

Rep. Craig Ackert, R-Coventry, said hes not voting on the legislation based on race, but the health of the community.

Rep. Tony DAmelio, R-Waterbury, said pot is being used everywhere in his community and hes surprised at who supports legalization and who doesnt.

I appreciate that were trying to regulate it, but Im not there yet, DAmelio said.

He said he thinks legal weed will be too costly when its legal and that will only increase the black market, which will offer discounts.

Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, said if you make something legal thats illegal, those people might give it a try because its not illegal anymore.

We dont want to open the barn doors and allow the horses to roam free, Kissel said.

Lawmakers on both sides of the issue used statistics from Colorado, the first state to legalize marijuana, to support their arguments.

Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, said he cant image how legalization helps Connecticut.

He said former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner is investing in a holding company that invests in a Connecticut medical marijuana dispensary, not because its good public policy but because theres a lot of money to be made.

That money is being made at the expense of our youth and our adults, according to Candelora.

There are at least four other bills that deal with portions of the legalization debate.

Meanwhile, the committee passed another bill that would allow opioid use disorder to become a condition for its medical marijuana program.

The bill would also eliminate the $25 registration fee.

Last summer, the Board of Physicians that oversees Connecticuts medical marijuana program, voted against adding opioid use disorder to the list of qualifying conditions.
The number of organizations that offer flexible or completely remote work options increased by 40 percent over the past five years. Companies transitioning to remote work stand to benefit greatly when it comes to hiring top talent and keeping their employees happy. However, taking away the office and sending off employees to work remotely is not an easy undertaking. It requires significant planning and preparation.

Related: A Remote Workforce Keeps Your Business Agile

Heres what to keep in mind for a successful transition to remote work.

Define remote work policies.

According to Upwork, the majority of hiring managers said they have the resources to hire remote employees, but they dont have the necessary procedures in place. Before transitioning a team to remote work, its important to outline expectations, share them with everyone on the team, and update them regularly.

These policies will depend on the team size and needs, however, a general remote policy should outline:

Availability -- Does the team need to be online during specific business hours or will they be able to set their own schedules?

Tools -- Which tools will the team use to communicate and collaborate effectively?

Data management -- Which tools will the team use to organize and share documents and information securely?

Productivity -- How will the team track progress on projects and measure results?

Update hiring policies.

Going remote brings a whole new set of challenges to the hiring process as well. Whether a company is building a remote workforce from scratch or transitioning to hiring remote employees only, managers will need to revise any hiring strategies to reflect remote work expectations and responsibilities. For instance, it may be more important to focus on a candidates soft skills -- such as self-motivation and communication skills -- to ensure theyll be an appropriate addition to the team.

Have the right tools ready.

Team collaboration and communication can become messy and disconnected quickly if managers arent careful. Therefore, its important to have all the tools in place to support remote workers before making the switch.

Communication.

When working remotely, teams will need a way to communicate with each other painlessly. Email is not always the best option, so remote teams should opt for communication tools such as Slack, HipChat or Skype to stay connected. All of these tools offer real-time messaging, video call options and the ability to organize conversations by channel, project or topic.

Project management.

Organization will be key for teams working remotely. Its a good idea to set up a cloud-based project management tool so that everyone can access the files and information they need at any time. These tools also offer ways to organize projects between different departments and set deadline reminders. A few of the most popular project management tools for remote teams include Trello and Basecamp. For document and file sharing and management, Google Drive, DropBox and Box are popular options.

Related: Is Remote Work Making Open Plan Office a Relic?

Productivity.

How do remote managers know if their remote employees are really working? Nowadays, most remote teams assess their employees based on the number of tasks completed and whether or not they are meeting their goals, rather than the number of hours they clock in each day. However, it can still be challenging to keep everyone on task. If productivity begins to slip, time-tracking tools such as Toggl, Tick and Timesheets can be used to monitor projects or simply assess how long tasks are actually taking to complete to make improvements.

Security.

Going remote means many team members will be tapping into WiFi networks at cafes, coworking spaces, libraries and other public spaces to do their work. Therefore, its important to have an information security policy in place before transitioning to remote work. Remote teams should create secure passwords with tools like LastPass and update them frequently. Sensitive information should be stored in a secure cloud storage platform like Box, and a virtual private network (VPN) like VyprVPN is recommended when connecting to public networks.

Prepare managers.

A successful transition to remote work also depends heavily on well-prepared managers or team leaders. For many managers, the process can quickly become overwhelming, so its important to train and prepare them well. The first step is to make sure managers have the right tools (such as those mentioned above), so they can be available for their employees, answer any questions, offer feedback, and most importantly, keep projects on track.

Have a meeting place.

Going remote allows teams to eliminate the expenses that come with an office space, such as rent and utilities. However, it still may be necessary to have a physical place for the occasional team or client meeting. In most cities, there are temporary office spaces that teams can rent by the hour or day. These services can range from lavish meeting rooms that can impress clients to creative and comfortable spaces for in-person brainstorming or collaboration sessions.

Related: The Secret to Retaining Productive Remote Workers Is Remembering They Are People

Maintain company culture.

A positive company culture is fundamental for employee engagement. In fact, according to Gallups 2017 State of the American Workplace report, company culture was among the top five reasons why employees leave their jobs for positions with other companies.

Many teams fear that by going remote, company culture will suffer. However, this couldnt be further from the truth so long as team leaders make an effort to maintain it. With some creativity, teams can maintain a strong company culture. For example, with the money saved from eliminating an office space, teams can travel and meet each other quarterly or annually.

In addition to a team retreat, there are lots of ways to maintain a company culture digitally. For instance, regular video conferencing, rewards for accomplishments (such as gift cards), and having a place for team members to chat casually (such as a Slack channel or Whatsapp group) can help bring employees together.

Trust and let go.

About 35 percent of employees admitted they would leave their current job for one that offered remote work. Additionally, 90 percent of people who currently work remotely say they plan to continue doing so for the rest of their career. The demand for remote work isnt going away, and team leaders that dont trust their employees will find transitioning to remote work difficult.

There will be challenges along the way and managers wont be able to control everything all of the time, so its important to let employees find their own solutions to challenges that arise when necessary and suggest how to improve things moving forward.

With the right planning and preparation, teams can transition to remote work successfully.

Related:

How to Transition Your Team to Remote Work

It's Been 11 Years Since Tim Ferriss's '4-Hour Workweek' -- Are We Any Closer to Achieving It?

Onboarding Freelancers Is Tough -- Here's How to Do It Right the First Time



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WESTPORT  Kings Highway Elementary School Principal Mary Lou DiBella and four other Kings educators who were placed on administrative leave in January due to unspecified allegations have returned to the school, Assistant Superintendent Anthony Buono announced in an email to parents Monday.

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They had been on administrative leave without prejudice following allegations that were thoroughly addressed through a comprehensive review process. Immediately upon receiving the results of this review process, we decided without hesitation to return these educators to KHS the following day, Buono wrote in the email sent around noon.

Although Buono did not provide details about the allegations, Westport Now reported on Feb. 5 that they stemmed from a complaint filed with the state regarding an incident in which a 6-year-old special needs student was restrained, according to a parent reportedly familiar with the matter.

In circumstances such as these, the school community often has more questions than we are legally permitted to answer due to confidentiality rules imposed by federal and state laws, Buono wrote in the email to parents.

In her original email to Kings Highway families on Jan. 28 announcing the employees leave, Superintendent Colleen Palmer said the staff members will not be in the building for at least the next few days.

In total, DiBella and the other educators were on leave for two months.

You always have goals of what youre hoping things will take and sometimes they take longer, schools Human Resources Director John Bayers said in an interview with the Westport News on Feb. 14. At the end of the day, its important reviews are done in a very prudent manner and that you make sure youve completed the process. You can always have a set of goals, but you need to make sure youre doing due diligence when following through on something.

Principal Mary Lou DiBella started as head of Kings Highway, one of five public elementary schools in Westport, in 2016 following 11 years as an elementary school principal in Massachusetts.

svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1
NORWALK  Education specifications for the new Columbus School at the Nathaniel Ely site in South Norwalk were recently approved by the Board of Education.

Plans for the school include 21 classrooms and nine special support rooms to accommodate 480 students.

The new school is part of a plan, along with the expansion of Ponus Ridge School, to add 900 seats to the district and combat overcrowding of the existing Columbus Magnet School, just over a mile north of the former Ely School. Like Ponus, the school will adopt a K-8 model. Students across the district will be able to apply to attend the intradistrict school.

The approval of the specifications for the school were delayed for several months because of complications in the acquisition of a Tito Lane property within the planned schools footprint.

If you recall, there were some issues with our initial application, with timing issues, and so because of when we applied we didnt have all our costs, we didnt have some of the land acquisition already completed, Board of Education Chairman Mike Barbis said. So we are now wrapping this into the revised ed specs.

Because the project requires the use of existing parkland, it needs approval from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. As part of the plan, the 3.8 acres of park land in South Norwalk that will be built on will be replaced with 10 acres of converted parkland behind Norwalk Community College.

According to Barbis, the specifications will be filed with the state by June 30.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586
Vincero Watches

When Tim Nybo, Aaron Hallerman, and Sean Agatep graduated college nearly a decade ago, they did so in the aftermath of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. As such, they took the logical next step of booking three one-way tickets to Guangzhou, China, despite having no knowledge of the native language, self-described subpar chopstick skills, and just a few thousand dollars between them.

It was abroad, in that port city on the Pearl River, where the trio decided that they were fed up with the societal and cultural emphasis on charging exorbitant amounts of money for quality goods that were hardly unique in design. They were tired of settling for mass-produced timepieces that didnt do any justice to the wearers distinct story. Above all, they wanted to make products that were bold and exceptionally crafted, yet accessible and fairly priced.
WESTPORT  Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer will be away until further notice due to a family medical emergency, the Westport Board of Education wrote in an email to parents early Monday morning.

Late Thursday evening, Dr. Colleen Palmer notified the Board of Education that she would travel out of the area to attend to a family medical emergency. Saturday, she confirmed to the Board of Education that one of her family members is undergoing a major medical emergency that requires her presence and attention, said the email, sent to members of the Westport school communtiy around 7 a.m.
HARTFORD  As more towns wave goodbye to single-use plastic, Connecticut is moving toward a statewide ban on products including bags, straws and take-out containers.

The legislatures Environment Committee approved legislation Monday that would ban Connecticut stores from giving customers single-use plastic bags starting in January 2020. The proposed law would require paper bags issued by stores to be 100 percent recyclable and contain 40 percent recycled material.

The proposed legislation contains no fee for obtaining a bag, although lawmakers looked at a 5-cent mandatory charge earlier this year.

Gov. Ned Lamont suggested a 10-cent surcharge on plastic bags in his state budget with all the revenue going to the state. That measure, which concerns the anti-bag advocates, would raise $30 million for the state in 2020.

The state law approved by legislators Monday would not prevent towns from having stricter regulations on bags. Stamford charges 10 cents per paper bag, and other towns, like Darien, have considered fees. Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan and Hamden have passed plastic bag bans.

Certainly we would not want to impede any of the progress they have made, said Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, who chairs the Environment Committee.

The committee also advanced legislation Monday that would ban styrofoam take-out containers. Last week, the committee approved a bill that prevent restaurants from issuing plastic straws unless one is requested by the customer.

Bans on plastic bags, straws and take-out containers will need approval by the House and Senate before they take effect.

Hamden has a local plastic straw ban and Westport  where plastic straws were banned a decade ago  is looking at forbidding all single use plastics at restaurants, like straws, stirrers, cups and containers.

A group of bag-ban advocates, including Sen. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, and Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, gathered on a beach in Westport in February to highlight the important of reducing plastic use.

People said it couldnt be done, (but) the state can do it, too, Steinberg said.

emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson
ROXANA  A candidate for one of three four-year terms as Roxana trustee may need more than votes to hold the office, because of prior felony convictions.

Michael R. Franks, 50, of the 400 block of Doerr Street, Roxana, is challenging incumbents Dale Raymond, Steven C. White and Robert Lee Kelly for three seats in the April 2 election.

However, according to Missouri court records Franks has a felony conviction on two counts of unlawful use of a weapon in St. Louis County in 2002, which would make him ineligible to hold an elected municipal office unless Gov. J.B. Pritzker intervened, according to several sources, including Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons and the Illinois Attorney Generals Office.

Franks also has additional previous convictions, including several DUIs and DWIs, and charges of assaulting law enforcement officers related to the felony charges. According to officials with the Madison County Probation Office, he is currently serving probation for a 2017 DUI in Madison County.

In an emailed response to a request for comment, he acknowledged, and took responsibility, for his run-ins with the law.

I made those mistakes, he said, adding that he had drastically changed his life since then.

He said he thought the convictions had been dismissed, and said in a later telephone call to a Telegraph reporter that he had forgotten about them until it had now been brought up.

Franks said the 2002 convictions stem from an incident because his girlfriend at the time went into a manic state and was creating problems at a restaurant. When officers arrived he says he took the fall. He said the weapons charge was in reference to weight-lifting equipment he had in his vehicle at the time of the apparent disturbance.

Roxana Mayor Marty Reynolds said he is aware of the issues.

I have no personal experience with him, Reynolds said. I did appoint him years ago to the Zoning Board, which was a carry-over (from the previous administration).

Officially, there is nothing that is in our records that says he has a felony conviction and he cannot run for office, Reynolds said.

He also said that if somebody does have a felony conviction but has satisfied the requirements of that felony, they are eligible to run for office.

However, Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza and Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons said a felony conviction would bar someone from office except in rare circumstances.

Ming-Mendoza said the issue has gotten this far because municipal candidate filings are handled by the municipal clerks, while the County Clerks Office handles school board candidates.

When the village clerks take petitions, they dont run background checks on potential candidates, she said.

Once the candidate filed, she said the proper way to deal with that is to file an objection to the candidate. She noted that one school board candidate in Madison County was tossed off the ballot after a hearing on an objection over a felony record.

Since it didnt happen, the clerk certified to me a list of candidates who filed, Ming-Mendoza said.

If the information is accurate, its a no-brainer, Ming-Mendoza said. The simple solution would be that he is not eligible to be sworn in and I would not certify his results.

Annie Thompson, senior press secretary for the Office of the Attorney General, said the Illinois Municipal Code states A person is not eligible to take the oath of office for a municipal office if that person  has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony.

Gibbons agreed.

He said if a felon won an election and it was reported to his office, they would start an investigation and could then file a suit to intervene.

He noted that a recent case from Cook County dealt with that issue, and the only route that would make a felon eligible to hold such an office.

Roger Agpawa pleaded guilty to felony mail fraud in 1999, and was sentenced to probation, community service and was ordered to make restitution.

He was elected mayor of Markham in 2017, but was barred from taking the post after the Cook County States Attorney filed a complaint, citing state law barring felons from municipal office. The Illinois First District Appellate Court ruled in March 2018 that Agpawa could not hold the office, but later that year then-Gov. Bruce Rauner intervened by restoring Agpawas rights of citizenship, making him eligible to hold elected office. He was sworn in in September.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.
The United States used to be the nation that others around the world admired  the trendsetter, the standard-bearer, the first among equals. But we've given away our place at the head of the table. Now those of us who long for a pluralistic democracy  where diversity is respected, the common person is valued, civic virtues are upheld, and compassion and empathy are prized  must look elsewhere for examples.

In the aftermath of the horrific terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that small and unassuming island nation has become the model. Its prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, has been the embodiment of the nation's grief, empathy and support for the victims. Having respectfully donned a hijab when visiting the sites of the attacks, she has frequently expressed the view that Muslims are valued New Zealanders, that violent extremism will be hunted down and rooted out, that her nation will continue to embrace ethnic and religious pluralism.

Contrast her righteous indignation  she has said she will never speak the killer's name, denying him the notoriety he craves  to the tepid response offered by President Donald J. Trump, who could not bring himself to explicitly condemn the white-supremacist ideology that motivated the attack. That's no surprise. Trump has aligned himself with overt racists and is infamous for his Islamophobia.

New Zealand's welcome example, however, extends beyond the symbolism of Ardern's hijab and the riveting gestures of support from ordinary people, including impromptu performances of the haka, a traditional war dance of the indigenous Maori. Ardern has announced a national ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons, high-capacity magazines and any firearms parts that would allow shooters to modify weapons into terrifying machines of mass slaughter.

The suspected gunman is an Australian who traveled from that country to carry out the attacks; he had purchased firearms in New Zealand. Though it is not clear whether those were the weapons used in the attacks, he may have bought guns in New Zealand because Australia has stricter gun laws that would have made it difficult for him to purchase similar firearms there.

Australia adopted sweeping gun control measures after a 1996 mass shooting left 35 people dead. Since then, firearms deaths have dropped precipitously, and the nation has recorded just one mass shooting.

After the New Zealand atrocity, it took Ardern all of a week to propose gun restrictions, and she is expected to encounter little opposition. According to The New York Times, the major opposition party has already announced that it supports the measures.

Contrast that to my native land, which is the world leader in mass shootings, yet none of them has led to stricter gun control laws.

Last year, a gunman mowed down worshippers in a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11. In 2016, a Muslim extremist with Islamic State sympathies shot up a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing 49. In 2015, a self-avowed white supremacist killed nine churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina.

Many of the mass shootings in this country cannot be attributed to extremists motivated by ethnic or religious hatred, but rather by a looser and less-defined crazy. Last year, a former student executed 17 students and staff at a Florida high school. The highest death count from a mass shooting in the U.S.  so far, anyway  came from a 2017 rampage in Las Vegas, which left 58 people dead.

None of those deaths has changed the politics here, where the gun lobby and its allies resolutely block any effort to pass sane gun control measures. Many commentators point to the Second Amendment as a defining feature of our nation that differentiates us from our Western allies, but the Founding Fathers' reverence for a "well-regulated militia" did not, for most of the nation's history, give individuals the right to own battlefield weapons. The interpretation of gun rights that currently holds sway is relatively new  and profoundly reckless.

But we have allowed a power-mad and paranoid gun lobby to dominate the debate. Instead of restricting the ownership of battlefield firearms, we teach children to "shelter in place." We perfect alert systems that send panic alarms to our mobile phones. We hire more police officers for our schools and places of worship.

This is nuts. I wonder if New Zealand is taking in American immigrants. I've never been there, but it certainly seems a saner and safer place to live.
THE ISSUE:

Income levels, housing, and wellness are intertwined.

THE STAKES:

Can state and local government do more to ensure the homes of the most vulnerable New Yorkers are lead-safe?

---

Who lives at the intersection of poverty, health, and deteriorating housing? Children, that's who  children at risk of lead poisoning.

Two stories last week highlighted the relationship between housing and wellness: the annual county health rankings and a plea from county health officials for more funds to fight lead exposure.

It was no surprise that Saratoga County was once again named the Capital Region's healthiest county. Wealthier communities are healthier.

This year the analysis, published annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, calls attention to the connections between health and housing. The report emphasizes how a home's cost (what percentage of income is spent on housing?), location (is it in a food desert?), and condition (are there rats? mold?) affect residents' health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead-based paint and contaminated dust in deteriorating older houses are the biggest sources of childhood lead exposure. Though banned since 1978, lead paint is common in older houses. If it's chipped or crumbling, children may eat it or breathe in toxic lead dust.

Lead damages the brain and nervous system. It can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems. There is no safe level of lead in the blood. And the CDC notes poor children who live in older houses are at the greatest risk.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposes lowering the exposure trigger  the level at which a public health intervention occurs  from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of a child's blood to five micrograms. County health officials call it a good policy change  but warn it would increase their caseloads by hundreds and say they'd need more funding. That's a reasonable request: Directives without the money to implement them are false promises.

But here's another approach: What if we did more to protect children from lead poisoning in the first place?

More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com See More Collapse

Rochester has taken that approach. Since 2006, trained city inspectors have visited older rental properties every few years to check for crumbling lead paint. In high-risk neighborhoods, where county health officials have found high lead levels in kids, inspectors may also do dust analyses. A rental unit must pass lead inspection before it can receive a certificate of occupancy.

Analyses show Rochester's law has slashed lead poisoning rates in Monroe County over the past decade without squeezing the housing market. The city has kept costs reasonable by focusing resources where the need was greatest: non-owner-occupied housing built before 1978. Communities around the country have looked to Rochester as a model as they act to reduce their own lead poisoning rates.

This year, the state Senate is weighing whether new laws and resources are needed to help communities outside of New York City address housing code violations. Perhaps they should look at what they can do to encourage more communities to adopt programs like Rochester's. That might lead to lower health costs  and give children a healthier future.
Connecticut is in the midst of a deadly public health epidemic that claims dozens of lives every day. In New Haven alone, nearly 350 individuals died from a drug overdose in the five years between 2012 and 2017, the second-highest number of overdoses in the state over that period.

Even though substance use disorder is treatable, most Americans who struggle with it never receive treatment, in part because there is a severe shortage of trained medical professionals who can treat addiction.

Consider this fact: according to the latest estimates, nearly 21 million Americans nationwide needed treatment for a substance use disorder but only 4 million reported receiving any form of treatment. Though we have made significant progress in expanding patient access to medications for addiction treatment over the past decade, research shows our efforts have not kept pace with growing needs.

As addiction physician specialists, weve witnessed our nation continually fail to make the investments needed to build an adequate addiction treatment workforce. So it is imperative that Congress ensures funds are appropriated for programs that will.

Fortunately, Congress took an important step when it passed last years SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. The legislation authorizes $25 million for a student loan repayment program for clinicians who pursue substance use disorder treatment jobs in high-need areas. Participants would receive up to $250,000 in student loan repayment provided they work in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area or a county where the average overdose rate is higher than the national average.

Still, efforts to encourage more medical students and resident physicians to specialize in addiction treatment wont be effective if there arent enough educational opportunities for them to make the switch. Thats why Congress also authorized a Mental and Substance Use Disorders Workforce Training Demonstration Program as a part of the 21st Century Cures Act.

The program authorizes $10 million annually to support training grants for medical students, residents and other medical professionals who provide addiction treatment in community-based settings. This funding could help support training programs such as Rushford Addiction Medicine Fellowship program and Yales Addiction Medicine Fellowship, which trains fellows to become addiction medicine specialists while caring for patients in community addiction treatment settings.

We commend Congress for its leadership in authorizing these programs. Now, as the federal budget season approaches, it is crucial that Congress fully fund them through fiscal year 2020.

Time runs out every day for too many Americans with addiction. We must stop the devastating overdose rates in New Haven and across the U.S. and begin to stem the tide of an epidemic that is stealing the lives of those we love.

Melissa Weimer is an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and medical director of the Yale Addiction Medicine Consult Service at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Jeanette Tetrault is an associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine and program director for the Yale Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program.

J. Craig Allen is the president of the Connecticut Society of Addiction Medicine and a clinical instructor in psychiatry for the Yale residency program and the Rushford Addiction Medicine Fellowship program.
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Linkedin Rita Helbra Tenrini and Wesly Febriyanta Sinulingga (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019

Extreme weather is becoming more frequent in various parts of the world. The United States, for instance, has been experiencing extreme cold, with the air temperature in Minnesota recently plummeting to minus 49 degrees Celsius, a temperature typically associated with the North Pole.

In Chile, meanwhile, the driest area in the Andes mountain region is flooded. Some regions of Indonesia have also been experiencing extreme weather. North Sulawesi saw incessant heavy rain for a few days and West Java was hit by floods and landslides. Experts indicate that the more frequent extreme weather events are a result of climate change.

As an archipelagic country lying on the so-called Ring of Fire, Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change, and the impacts need to be tackled effectively and systematically.

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Linkedin Verania Andria (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019

In her recent visit to Indonesia, the former secretary-general of the United Nations climate change negotiations, Christiana Figueres, a global key player in climate change, coined a new term that could describe the best prescription for energy transition in the country: Gragent  meaning gradual but urgent.

Figueres was referring to the way Indonesia needs to address its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission cut in the energy sector. The UN Development Program (UNDP) embraces the Gragent term, given the fact that more than half of Indonesias current energy is supplied by fossil fuel.

The transition toward more renewable energy is a matter of urgency since Indonesia contributes significantly to global GHG emissions and climate change from burning fossil fuel. At the same time, a gradual transition is pivotal, since an abrupt shift may cause social and economic instability. Moreover, Indonesia has ratified the Paris Agreement and committed in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce by 2030 at least 11 percent of GHG emission from energy sector compared to business as usual level of emissions.

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Linkedin Hengky Ola Sura (The Jakarta Post) Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara  Mon, March 25, 2019 10:09 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee838e63f 1 Food anchovy,food,#food,exports,East-Nusa-Tenggara Free

Lembata regency in East Nusa Tenggara is best known for its tradition of whale hunting.

The area actually has a lot more to offer, including the local cuisine of Lewolein village and economic opportunities that cover the production of shallots in Merdeka village and anchovies in Hadakewa village.

Realizing its potential, the local administration is trying to develop each village by focusing on the areas strength, particularly the production of anchovies in Hadakewa village.

Lembata Vice Regent Thomas Ola Langoday told The Jakarta Post last month that Hadakewa was associated with world-class anchovies.

Production was started by village-owned enterprises in 2017.

As the largest producer of fish in the regency, the village offers seven types of anchovies, namely merang, peseng-peseng, siro, mao merah, mao putih, phada and gelle.

Read also: In search of 'Indonesian salmon'

Hadakewa is ready to export its anchovies. (JP/Hengky Ola Sura)

Each type is sold in various quantities, namely 100 grams, 250 g, 500 g and 1 kilogram, with prices starting at Rp 30,000 (US$2.12).

The anchovies are not only meant for local consumption, as they are currently available on Tokopedia. There has been interest from several countries, such as Timor Leste and China, to purchase the product.

Hadakewa village head Klemens Kwaman said they were ready to export the anchovies.

Klemens shared that Hadakewa anchovies tasted unique, as they were crunchy and not too salty.

Its 100 percent preservatives-free, he added.

Klemens said he found the anchovies production quite promising.

Residents take part in producing high-quality anchovies, from drying and selecting to packing, and the local administration pays them, he said. (jes/wng)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 16:34 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee839fafa 4 Art & Culture Indonesia-Fashion-Week,woven-fabric,Indonesia,fashion,#fashion,East-Nusa-Tenggara,designer Free

Dozens of designers from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) will be showcasing their woven fabrics at the upcoming Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2019, set to take place from March 27 to 31 in Jakarta.

These local designers, originating from 22 cities across NTT, have received mentorship from three national designers, namely Defrico Audy, Handy Hartono and Musa Widyatmodjo.

The chairman of the NTT Handicraft Council (Dekranasda), Julie S. Laiskodat, said woven fabric was now in high demand among Indonesians. Many Indonesians, including fashion designers themselves, wear the traditional fabric as their daily clothes.

Read also: Jakarta to host exhibition, auction of Sikka 'tenun ikat'

The reason why we are involving national designers as their mentors is to help them learn so that they can channel their creativity in designing into a high-quality woven product with a traditional touch, she said as quoted by kompas.com.

As the traditional fabric is starting to gain more popularity, the council is enthusiastic about promoting NTTs woven fabric to the public.

This is what makes the board feel eager to showcase hundreds of woven fabrics from NTT's local designers at the upcoming IFW, she said, adding that she hoped this event would increase public awareness about NTTs woven fabric. (dpk/kes)
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Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 18:27 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a3aef 1 Entertainment #entertainment,#music,#TVseries,#drama,#koreandrama,#Korean-film,#singer,#korean-actor,#encounter,#park-bo-gum Free

South Korean actor Park Bo-Gum dazzled his Indonesian fans in Jakarta over the weekend, showcasing his vocal range and dancing skills while wowing the audience by singing two Indonesian hit songs.

Held at Kota Kasablanka on Saturday night, the fan meeting was part of Bo-Gums Asian tour, titled 2019 Park Bo Gum Asia Tour < Good Day: May your everyday be a good day >, sponsored by Mecima Pro.

The latest tour marked his third visit to the country, following the 2017 fan meeting and Music Bank Jakarta music show.

Im very thankful and grateful that even after two years and the incredible distance between us, the Indonesian fans still come looking for me, and I am very grateful for that, Bo-Gum was quoted by kapanlagi.com as saying.

One moment that stuck with Bo-Gum during his previous fan meeting was singing Chrisyes hit song Untukku (For Me).

This year around, he sang Untukku again with his fans while playing the piano, a skill he honed beginning in kindergarten.

Along with Untukku and his own song My Person, Bo-Gum also covered a number of Korean songs, including IUs Through the Night, Day6s I Like You and PSYs Entertainer.

However, one surprise performance that got the fans going wild was when he sang Rizky Febians Kesempurnaan Cinta (Perfection of Love). He even honored fans repeated requests for an encore, singing the song twice that night.

The Korean heartthrob also showed off his dancing skills through a dance cover of Seventeens Pretty U and Twices What is Love, which he performed in previous fan meetings in other countries.

The 25-year-old broke into the spotlight with his roles in a number of television series, including Hello Monster, Reply 1988 and Encounter. It was reported he will return to the big screen for the upcoming action film Seo Bok, where he will act alongside Gong Yoo of the Guardian: The Lonely and Great God fame.

Bo-Gum, who topped the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list in 2017, also spoke of his love for Indonesian food, especially gado-gado (vegetables served in peanut sauce) during a press conference the day before the fan meeting.

Fried rice is also delicious, as is the satay, but I havent tried oxtail soup, he said.

As part of the event, the actor invited three lucky fans on to the stage to recreate scenes from romantic series Encounter, including a scene in which he puts a scarf around co-star Song Hye Kyos neck. Bo-Gum also handed out gifts, such as plush dolls, light sticks and Korean food, to his loyal fans.

Bo-Gum closed the night with Blessing before bidding his fans farewell. He is scheduled to continue his tour in Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Thank you so much, the day has been unforgettable because I got to hear your voices. This is my last song of the night before I have to go. The title is Blessing, so you all can get your own blessings as well. (ste)
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Linkedin Elysa Ng (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 15:44 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee839c006 3 Environment stray-animals,stray-cat,stray-dog,jakarta,Jakarta-administration,animal-welfare,JAAN,pets Free

Like any metropolitan city, Jakarta is facing a rampant stray animal problem. There are millions of dogs and cats roaming the streets of the city, multiplying like the plague. Animals that are abandoned by irresponsible owners find themselves thriving on the leftover food thrown away by many Jakartans.

Living on the streets is ugly. Aside from running the risk of spreading diseases and attacking young children, most stray animals make Jakarta their home live for a brief and miserable period of time. They die either of starvation, get killed by an outbreak of diseases or get run over by the millions of cars and motorcycles in Jakarta.

The life of a stray animal is not as dignified as wild animals typically featured in shows aired by National Geographic. In short, their lives are not pretty.

At the end of last year, the Jakarta administration decided to implement a new law stating that all stray animals would be rounded up by officials to be vaccinated, neutered and taken to a shelter in Ragunan to be adopted.

This caused an outcry among animal lovers in Jakarta. Within minutes of the announcement, the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) warned owners to keep their pets off the streets. Videos circulating of officers catching the animals using nets and cages caused an outcry.

Finally, in early January, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan responded to the problem by postponing the program, stating that he would be work with animal lovers in the future to find a better solution to solve the stray problem.

Within weeks, the situation had died down and society moved on. Nobody seemed to remember that the problem still remained and a solution had yet to be formulated.

Globally, there have been many solutions to solve the stray animal problem. There are several organizations that round up stray animals and take them to shelters. Some organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) believe that euthanizing the animals is the best way to stop this. Other organizations believe in trap neuter, release (TNR) where they catch the animals, vaccinate, sterilize them and release them back to where they were found.

Read also: Jakarta delays crackdown on stray cats, dogs

Each of these methods have their own pros and cons. For example, some people have argued that the method used by PETA is cruel. They believe that one day somebody might come and adopt one of those animals. But the reality is that the waiting list at shelters remain long and there are more animals coming in than animals coming out. The older the animal, the less a chance of it making it out of the shelter and smaller and cuter animals are always preferred. It makes sense to euthanize these animals who do not have a fighting chance against thousands of cuter younger animals. Perhaps bliss is better than living a miserable life behind bars, because that is not a life.

Others also argue that the TNR method takes a lot of work. The action of going back and forth itself would require a lot of time and funds. The animal in question might also be under a lot of stress after being captured. Society do not generally appreciate stray animal being brought back to the same location where they were found.

But whatever the method, the government should to try and keep stray animals under control because it will never avoid the fact that humans and animals need to coexist. Unlike wild animals, strays are born to share the city with us. In a sense, they have evolved alongside us. We must learn how to live with them and accept that they are not going to go away anytime soon.

Of course, we cannot solve the stray problem. But we can acknowledge the fact that the problem exists. And together, we can create a proper solution that will satisfy everybody using a combination of existing solutions so that the disadvantages cancel out each other. (kes)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Tue, March 26, 2019 01:03 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83af147 2 Art & Culture Tintoretto,art,Italy,united-states,artist Free

When he was just a teenager, Tintoretto was sent to Italian Renaissance painter Titian's studio, only to be kicked out within days because the older master got jealous. Or so goes the legend.

What is clear from the first major Tintoretto retrospective outside of Europe, opening Sunday at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, is that the "impetuous genius" critics reviled for his free, "unfinished" style was a bold innovator whose impact can still be felt today.

The exhibition, a debut for the museum's first woman director Kaywin Feldman, comes on the heels of city-wide celebrations and shows for the artist's 500th birthday in his hometown of Venice.

Jean-Paul Sartre called Tintoretto the "first film director", a theatricality seen in paintings like "The Conversion of Saint Paul" (circa 1544).

The eponymous scene happens in one corner of a canvas otherwise dominated by extravagant, zigzagging brushstrokes deliberately left clearly visible -- then a groundbreaking innovation -- to depict events like horses tumbling down an outdoor staircase.

The nearly 50 paintings and more than a dozen works on paper that span the artist's career, on view until July 7, demonstrate how he lived up to the motto he wrote on a wall as a youth: "The draftsmanship of Michelangelo and the paint handling of Titian."

There's a proliferation of superhuman, hyper-muscular bodies sometimes tumbling out of the sky and almost always in motion, as though Michelangelo's sculptures themselves were brought to life with unharnessed energy in an explosion of colors.

Religious or historical subjects and mythological themes are rendered with spirited virtuosity lacking spatial cohesion, earning the man born Jacopo Robusti his other nickname, "Il Furioso".

His bravura, shocking at the time, foretold of innovations that came centuries later.

"We would make the case that it's possible to draw a direct line from Tintoretto's dynamic compositions and eloquent brushwork through (Peter Paul) Rubens to (Eugene) Delacroix and (Theodore) Gericault and right on up to (Willem) de Kooning and to the abstract expressionists and to painters of the present day, such as Gerhard Richter," said co-curator Robert Echols.

Read also: The Met to showcase contemporary art on its facade

Back in spotlight

Despite dominating Venetian painting in the second half of the 16th century, Tintoretto later became somewhat of a neglected master.

Museum officials through the ages had to contend with his oeuvre being rooted in Venice, works by assistants and followers being wrongfully attributed to the master and the pieces' colossal size.

His "Paradise" in Venice's Palazzo Ducale is considered the largest Old Master painting in the world at some 70 feet (21 meters) wide.

A preparatory oil sketch crossed the Atlantic instead. Painted entirely by the artist, unlike the larger work completed for most part by assistants, it's still more than 16 feet wide.
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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Brussels, Belgium  Mon, March 25 2019

Abolition now! Abolition now!

Hundreds of human rights campaigners from countries across the world chanted this as they marched on the streets of Brussels, calling for the universal end to capital punishment.

The participants of the rally, which was held recently in Belgiums capital as part of the closing event for the seventh World Congress against the Death Penalty, held up a large banner emblazoned with the words Say No to the Death Penalty.

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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 20:26 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a998d 1 City MRT-Jakarta,MRT,MRT-Lebak-Bulus-station,LRT,LRT-Jakarta,Jakarta-administration,Jakarta-city-council,mass-transportation Free

The Jakarta Council approved a minimum Rp 8,500 (60 US cents) fare for Indonesias first subway service, MRT Jakarta, on Monday. That is cheaper than the fare proposed by the Jakarta administration and it leaves the decision on how much money is to be allocated for subsidies up in the air.

In the final meeting between the council and Jakarta administration, the councilors had decided the minimum MRT fare of Rp 8,500 would cover the first 10 kilometers traveled on the 15.7-km route between Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. Passengers are to be charged more if they travel farther than 10 km.

The council and administration also set Rp 5,000 as the fare for the LRT Jakarta that spans 5.8 km from Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta to the Velodrome in East Jakarta. The decisions were made a day after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated the MRT Jakarta on Sunday.

We are taking the middle road: Rp 8,500 for the MRT and Rp 5,000 for the LRT. Everybody agree? council speaker Prasetio Edi Marsudi, who led the meeting, said while banging the gavel in the chambers of the City Council building in Central Jakarta.

The councilors argued that both fares were appropriate to facilitate public use of the services. The MRT fare is to be charged to passengers starting on April 1 when it begins commercial operations.

Prasetio also urged the Jakarta administration and city-owned MRT operator, PT MRT Jakarta, to immediately calculate the subsidies needed to support the operation based on the decided fare. The councilors and administration would hold subsequent meetings to decide on the subsidies.

The city administration previously proposed a Rp 10,000 fare for the MRT and a Rp 6,000 one for the LRT, which would have required the city administration to allocate subsidies of Rp 572 billion and Rp 327 billion respectively this year. (ami)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 10:56 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8392a5f 1 Business B30-mandatory-policy,automotive-industry,application Free

The automotive industry is trying to adjust their products in line with the governments policy on the use of 30 percent blended biodiesel (B30) in an effort to absorb more palm oil in the domestic market, amid the current international pressure on the commodity.

The government implemented the mandatory use of 20 percent blended biodiesel (B20) in September last year. It is also conducting research on the use of B100 fuel in the transportation and other sectors.

PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motors (KTB) marketing director Duljatmono said the company, in cooperation with the government, had agreed to carry out a study on the use of B30 on the Mitsybishi Fuso, which will start in the middle of this month.

We will cooperate with the government to test the Colt diesel [with B30 fuel], Duljatmono said in Jakarta on Sunday as reported by kontan.co.id, adding that the use of B30 for vehicles was expected to start early next year.

He could not explain what the change of engine specification for the use of the new fuel type and the amount of investment needed for the adjustment would be, but based on experience, when its products started to use B20, the lifespan of the engines filters were shorter.

He said after the introduction of B20 fuel, the engines now have two filters.

So the investment is in additional filters, he said, adding that they had no complaints from consumers following the move to B20.

Meanwhile, PT Isuzu Astra Motor Indonesia (IAMI) president director Jap Ernando Demily said Isuzu was also preparing to adjust its vehicles to be compatible with B30, adding that the company supported the governments policy.

The vehicles would be tested internally and through cooperation with the government. We have started to test several types of vehicles -- the Elf, Giga, Traga and D-Max," said Ernando.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) president director Warih Andang Tjahjono said the company needed to cooperate with the government to make its vehicles compatible with B30.

He said all engines that were produced by the company were ready to use B30.

Warih added that the company had even anticipated the possible use of B100 and ethanol 100 (E100), saying the TMMIN had experience in producing engines that were compatible with E100, which were exported to the United States. (bbn)
On the spot: Author Seno Gumira Ajidarma arrives at the London Book Fair in a taxi. He was one of the featured writers at the Author of the Day program, which put some of the most successful authors into the spotlight to celebrate their work.

Seno Gumira Ajidarma has always been somewhat of a paradox.
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Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25 2019

Collaborative cornucopia: Members of the Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM) Indonesia group participate in the 7th International Food Festival in Jakarta on March 15. The charity event showcases homemade cuisine from around the world.(JP/Seto Wardhana)

Far from the more negative undertones that the increasingly popular term emak-emak has conjured since its introduction into the vernacular of Jakartans of all walks of life, a group of internationally-connected women in the capital are showing once again that behind every great man there is always a great woman.

Sometime in 2013, Mei Marciel, the wife of then-United States ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, opened her doors in Jakarta to fellow spouses of foreign ambassadors and heads of mission to hold a fundraising event they had planned earlier.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 18:06 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a2bd2 4 City Garuda-Indonesia,pilot,Airport,soekarno-hatta-airport Free

The Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police have named a man who was allegedly pretending to be a pilot for national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia a suspect for document forgery.

He was named a suspect for falsification of a Garuda Indonesia aircrew identity card and for using the card as if it was real, Criminal Investigation Unit head of the Airport Police Comr. James Hasudungan Hutajulu said as reported by kompas.com on Sunday.

Alvin could be charged under Article 263 of the Criminal Code on document forgery, which carries a maximum penalty of six years imprisonment.

He was arrested at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday after wandering around dressed in a Garuda Indonesia pilot uniform complete with the ID card on his chest.

Andre, a real pilot working for the airline, grew suspicious and spoke to Alvin, who he said gave him unclear and suspicious answers. Andre then reported Alvin to airport security personnel who forwarded the report to the Airport Police.

It was later found that he was a passenger of the airline's flight to Semarang, Central Java.

James previously said from preliminary investigations, it was revealed that Alvin had pretended to be a pilot as it was his longtime obsession.

When he graduated high school he applied to get into a pilot school, but he failed, James said. (sau)
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Linkedin Jamie Freed and Jason Neely (Reuters) Singapore  Mon, March 25, 2019 19:00 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a6a2c 2 Business Garuda,Boeing-737-MAX,Ethiopian-Airlines,Lion-Air-JT610,aircraft-crash Free

Garuda Indonesia, which on Friday said it planned to cancel its order for 49 737 MAX jets citing a loss of passenger trust after the crashes, will skip a briefing organized by Boeing to prepare for the return of the 737 MAX to commercial service.

Garuda CEO Ari Askhara told Reuters on Monday that the flag carrier was invited to the briefing.

"We were informed on Friday, but because it is short notice we can't send a pilot there," he said, adding the airline had requested a webinar with Boeing but that idea had been rejected.

Boeing said it invited more than 200 global airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an information session on Wednesday.

The meeting is a sign that Boeing's planned software patch is nearing completion, though it will still need regulatory approval.

Over the weekend, Ethiopian Airlines executives had questioned whether Boeing had told pilots enough about "aggressive" software that pushes the plane's nose down, a focus of investigation into a deadly crash in Ethiopia this month that led to the global grounding of 737 MAX jets.

The informational session in Renton, Washington on Wednesday is part of a plan to reach all current and many future 737 MAX operators and their home regulators to discuss software and training updates to the jet, Boeing said in a statement.

A Boeing spokeswoman said the Wednesday event was one of a series of in-person information sessions.

"We have been scheduling and will continue to arrange additional meetings to communicate with all current and many future MAX customers and operators," she said.

Garuda has only one 737 MAX and had been reconsidering its order before the Ethiopian crash, as has fellow Indonesian carrier Lion Air, which experienced a deadly crash in October.

Lion Air Managing Director Daniel Putut said Boeing had informed the airline of the Wednesday meeting but it might not attend. He declined to provide further comment.

Singapore Airlines said on Monday its offshoot SilkAir, which operates the 737 MAX, had received the invitation to the Wednesday event and would send representatives.

Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore representatives will also attend, a spokeswoman for the regulator said.

Korean Air Lines, which before the grounding had been due to receive its first 737 MAX in April, said it planned to send pilots to Renton. South Korean low-cost carrier Eastar Jet will send two pilots, a spokesman said.

Ethiopian Airlines did not respond immedidately to a request for comment about the meeting.

The 737 MAX is Boeing's best-selling plane, with orders worth more than $500 billion at list prices.

Teams from the three US airlines that own 737 MAX jets participated in a session in Renton reviewing a planned software upgrade on Saturday.

A US official briefed on the matter Saturday said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet signed off on the software upgrade and training but the goal is to review them in coming weeks and approve them by April.

It remained unclear whether the software upgrade, called "design changes" by the FAA, will resolve concerns stemming from the ongoing investigation into the March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash, which killed all 157 on board.

"After the crash it came to our attention that the system is aggressive," Yohannes Hailemariam, vice president for flight operations at Ethiopian, told local reporters speaking in the Amharic language.

"It gives a message of stalling and it takes immediate action which is faster than the action which pilots were briefed to take by Boeing," said Yohannes, himself a pilot with over 30 years of experience, including flying Boeing's 777 and 787.

The US official said planned changes included 15 minutes of training to help pilots deactivate the anti-stall system known as MCAS in the event of faulty sensor data or other issues. It also included some self-guided instruction, the official added.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 17:33 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a21f5 4 Business crude-palm-oil,Indonesia,Malaysia,move,European-Union Free

Indonesia and Malaysia will likely make a separate move against the European Union policy against palm oil through a delegated regulation supplementing directive of the EU Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II), which is now being deliberated by the European Parliament, a trade official has said.

We will wait for our partner, Malaysia, such as which law firm will be assigned. We have to complement each other, said the Trade Ministry's international trade director general, Oke Nurwan, in Jakarta on Monday as quoted by kontan.co.id.

The European Parliament on Monday kicked off the session, which will deliberate the EU Renewable Energy Directive II submitted by the European Commission on March 13. If the RED II is approved, the EU will categorize palm oil as an unsustainable product and phase out its use in biofuels in 2030.

The Foreign Ministry's special staffer for prioritized program acceleration, Peter F. Gonta, said the government was still waiting for the European Parliaments decision.

The session could produce a ban [on palm oil] or the parliament will delay the decision to April 15, or it would wait for the election of the new parliament. We still dont know. We will find out within the next three days, Peter added.

House of Representatives Speaker Bambang Soesatyo reportedly joined the diplomatic force by sending a letter to the European Parliament, calling on it to reject the RED II draft.

Indonesia takes the issue seriously and will take it to the World Trade Organization if the EU approves the draft, Oke said, adding Indonesia could make a separate litigation move or collaborate with Malaysia.

Indonesia is the largest crude palm oil (CPO) producing country, while Malaysia is the second.

Indonesian exports to the EU were recorded at US$17.1 billion in 2018, while imports were at $14.1 billion. Investment from EU countries to Indonesia stood at $3.2 billion in 2017. (bbn)
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Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 14:50 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee839b44c 1 Business oil-price,non-tax-revenue,lower-than-target,ignasius-jonan Free

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has said the country would not meet the nontax target revenue in the oil and gas sector, which was set at Rp 168.62 trillion (US$11.8 billion), this year because of low global oil prices in the last two months.

The price stands below US$70 per barrel of oil (Brent crude).

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said the target revenue was set with the assumption that the Indonesian Crude Price would be US$70 per barrel. Government data in the last two months shows that the price was around $68 per barrel.

"We've not reached the target in the past two months. This is a challenge for us in the remaining 10 months," he said at the House of Representative.

Jonan said the Cabinet had yet to hold a meeting to discuss a revision to the state budget.

"We'll see in the coming months, maybe in May or June Finance Minister [Sri Mulyani] will propose a revision of [macroeconomic] assumptions," he said.

As of Monday, the global Brent crude price stood at $66 per barrel of oil because of fears of a global economic slowdown, which have had a stronger impact on prices than the plan to cut oil production by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019

Indonesian Farmer Association (HKTI) chairman Moeldoko, also the presidential chief of staff, has declared that the HKTI, touted as the largest in the country, would support President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in his re-election bid this year.

"With our political rights, we therefore declare our full support for President Jokowi to continue improving the welfare of Indonesian farmers," Moeldoko said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, when Jokowi welcomed hundreds of HKTI representatives to open the association's national coordination meeting (Rakornas).

Moeldoko cited the incumbent's agrarian reforms as the grounds for the HKTI's support, claiming that land redistribution, village funds and infrastructure development, among other programs, had helped improve farmers' welfare and enhance food security in the country.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 18:36 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a4649 4 National robbery,legislative-candidates,bogor,Cibinong,motorists,2019-elections,#2019GeneralElections Free

A legislative candidate from an unidentified political party was arrested along with four suspects for allegedly stealing money to use for his campaign, the Bogor Police reported.

The Bogor Police said Friday the candidate had been arrested along with four other suspects.

The five suspects are identified as SP, AM, NJ, HR and NA. The police said SP was currently participating in the legislative election but refused to reveal the candidate's exact electoral district and political party.

All the suspects are repeat offenders, having carried out robberies in several regions, including in Palembang, Jakarta, Tangerang, Bogor and Bekasi.

The Bogor Police's crime unit chief, Adj. Commissioner Benny Cahyad said as quoted by kompas.com that the five attempted to rob motorists in Pakansari Stadium in Cibinong district, Bogor regency on March 13.

The police have seized around Rp 40 million from the suspects so far. The group has been operating for the last five months.

The group robbed motorists by first flattening the tires of the victims cars. They then tailed the victims until the tires were completely flat. When the victims got out the car to change tires, they forced them to withdraw money from their bank accounts.

Benny said the legislative candidate was the leader in the robbery. "The leader received the biggest share [of the money from the robbery]," he said.

Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. AM Dicky, said that SP's electoral district was outside Java. (das/evi)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 12:44 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8394deb 4 Business Lion-Air,Boeing-747-400-planes,Airbus-330-900NEO,replacement Free

Lion Air has announced that it will retire its Boeing 747-400 aircraft and replace them with the Airbus 330-900NEO.

The airlines have only operated Boeings double-deck airplane since April 23, 2009. The airplane has 12 business class and 492 economy class seats.

Lion Air spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro said the airplane had performed well, as it could cover long routes nonstop and at high speed and transport a large number of passengers or large amounts of cargo.

The airline was proud to operate the plane dubbed Queen of the Skies for the last 10 years to serve domestic commercial flights, said Lion Air spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro on Sunday as quoted by kontan.co.id.

The airplanes have flown from Jakarta to Medan, Batam, Surabaya, Denpasar and Makassar, among other routes.

He said the replacement of the Boeing 747-400 with the Airbus 330-900NEO was a strategic move by the company to respond to the dynamic market of the aviation business. The Airbus 330-900NEO will arrive in Indonesia gradually, starting in May. This year, Lion Air will receive two of the airplanes, he added.

Last Year, Lion Air ordered 10 Airbus 330-900NEO for planned delivery in 2019 and 2020.

Danang said the airline had made optimal preparations for the operation of the new airplanes, including with regard to human resources like pilots, cabin crew, technicians and ground handling staff as well as establishing training centers.

Lion Air is happy with the addition of the Airbus 330-900 NEO to its fleet as it is in line with the long-range aviation business development. The plane is known for its fuel efficiency and long range, he added. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 13:19 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83970ae 1 Business app-based-transportation,ojek-service,fares,decree,Transportation-Minister-Budi-Karya-Sumadi Free

The government on Monday announced the various fares for app-base ojek (motorcycle taxis) in a bid to end the disputes between the drivers and ride-hailing providers that have led to protests by drivers in many parts of the country.

Transportation Ministry Land Transportation Director General Budi Setiyadi told a press briefing in Jakarta on Monday that the fares, which were stipulated in a new ministerial decree, would be differentiated into three zones.

The first zone covers Sumatra, Bali and most of Java, the second zone is Greater Jakarta and the third zone is Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua.

The minimum fares have been set at Rp 1,850 (13 US cents) , Rp 2,000 and Rp 2,100 per kilometer for the first, second and third zones respectively, while the maximum fares were set at Rp 2,300, Rp 2,500 and Rp 2,600.

Meanwhile, the base fares for services of less 4 kilometers were set at Rp 7,000 to Rp 10,000 for the first and third zones and from Rp 8,000 to Rp 10,000 for the second zone.

Budi said the new fares were an increase of 11 percent to 20 percent on the previous rates imposed by ride-haling application providers.

These are net fees that the drivers must receive," he said, adding that the providers could charge customers up to 20 percent more.

Budi said the new fares would take effect on May 1 to give ride-hailing providers time to adjust to the new regulations.

He said the ministry would evaluate the fares every three months.

The ministry issued Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 12/2019 last week, which details the rules on safety. (ars/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 13:45 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8399280 4 Business unlicensed-P2P-lenders,police,investigation,criminal-charge Free

The Jakarta Police may arrest financial technology (fintech) providers on criminal charges, because their services have reportedly sparked unrest.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the force was currently investigating a number of cases related to fintech based on reports from the public. We are now studying the crimes and who is responsible for the operation, he said in Jakarta on Sunday, kontan.co.id reported.

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has reportedly blocked the operation of 635 unlicensed fintech providers, but analysts said peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platforms could easily change names and start operating again.

Argo said police were now trying to categorize the crimes they had committed.

If there is an indication of crime, we will seriously study the case and clarify it [with the fintech provider], but the most important thing is that people be careful in using P2P services; in particular by confirming the legality of the operation, he added.

He said the police were carefully studying the cases, because not all unlicensed fintech operations had caused losses to people.

There are many fintech operators whose operations have benefited people. The people could get quick financing that is relatively secure, he said, adding that users were advised to peruse the terms of fintech agreements to avoid any problems, including checking the status of the platform with the OJK.

Previously, OJK investment taskforce head Tongam Lumban Tobing said the blocked platforms were not registered with the agency. He said the OJK had announced the names of both unlicensed and licensed fintech providers. (bbn)
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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Badung, Bali  Mon, March 25, 2019 19:55 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a7a36 1 National Russia,orangutan,animal-conservation,bali,Bali-Airport,aviation-security Free

A Russian citizen identified as Zhestkov Andrei is facing a maximum of five years in prison after being accused of trying to smuggle a baby orangutan from Bali to Russia. Police confirmed that Andrei would be charged under the 1990 Conservation Law.

The suspect allegedly attempted to smuggle an orangutan, which is a protected animal as regulated in Law No.5/1990 on conservation of living natural resources and their ecosystems. "If found guilty, he could face a maximum of five years' imprisonment or Rp 100 million in fines," Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Ruddi Setiawan told a press conference at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Badung, Bali, on Monday.

Andrei was arrested at the airport's international departure gate on Friday night, as he was allegedly trying to smuggle the two-year-old baby orangutan to Russia. He is also accused of trying to take two geckos and four chameleons out of the country. Police report that all the animals were found drugged inside a rattan basket that was itself inside a suitcase.

The animals were apparently discovered after an aviation security officer grew suspicious over a blue suitcase.

The discovery was reported to the police, the Quarantine Office and the Natural Resources Conservation Agency.

"The suspect said that the baby orangutan was taken from Java to Bali," Ruddi claimed. "We are still investigating where he got the baby orangutan."

Ruddi added that police were also investigating whether the alleged smuggler was carrying the animals for himself or for someone else. (evi)
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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Kabul, Afghanistan  Mon, March 25, 2019 16:44 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a1292 2 World #Afghanistan,#USA,US,airstrikes,killing,Afghan,children Free

Ten children, part of the same extended family, were killed by a US air strike in Afghanistan, along with three adult civilians, the United Nations said on Monday.

The air strike early on Saturday was part of a battle between the Taliban and combined Afghan and US forces that lasted about 30 hours in Kunduz, a northern province where the Taliban is strong.

The children and their family had been displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in releasing its preliminary findings about the incident. UNAMA said in a statement that it is verifying that all 13 civilian casualties occurred around the time of the air strike.

Three other civilians were injured. The incident happened in the Telawka neighbourhood near Kunduz city.

Sgt. Debra Richardson, spokeswoman for the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, confirmed on Sunday that US forces carried out the air strike. She said the mission aims to prevent civilian casualties, while the Taliban intentionally hides among civilians.

A record number of Afghan civilians were killed last year as aerial attacks and suicide bombings increased, the United Nations said in a February report. Child casualties from air strikes have increased every year since 2014.

Fighting has accelerated during a period of recurring talks between US and Taliban officials aimed at ending Afghanistan's 17-year war.
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Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, March 25, 2019 16:41 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a033a 1 Business TEI,2019,exporters,non-traditional-export-markets Free

The Trade Ministry has announced that its annual trade exhibition, Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI), will be held for the 34th time from Oct. 16-20 at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Serpong, Banten, with a view to expanding exports to nontraditional markets.

The TEI is Indonesia's largest business-to-business exhibition for local producers to attract foreign buyers.

Last year, the TEI booked a record transactions value of US$8.49 billion in trade-related investment and sales of goods and services, more than five times the 2017 figure of $1.4 billion.

Trade Ministry Export Development Director General Arlinda said TEI 2019 would reaffirm Indonesia's export market diversification, including to Latin American and Caribbean countries, while maintaining access to traditional markets like the United States and China.

"Last year's visitors were mainly from nontraditional [markets] like those in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, whereas the biggest [goods and services] transactions came from buyers in Saudi Arabia, India and Egypt," Arlinda said during the TEI 2019 press conference on Monday. "This is in accordance with the government's target of diversifying toward nontraditional markets."

Arlinda said the ministry had not set any targets for transactions and visitor numbers this year, but she expressed confidence that it would be better than last year's figures.

The secretary of the Foreign Ministrys Directorate General for America and Europe, Ratu Silvy Gayatri, said South American countries alone had absorbed $1.18 billion of Indonesia's exports last year, a number she said could be greatly improved.

"We will support the export of strategic products that have a high technology content, such as trains, ships, arms and heavy machinery," Silvy said at the same occasion. (bbn)
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Linkedin Paul Handley (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Mon, March 25, 2019 08:38 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8387c8a 2 World #USA,#politics,Robert-Mueller,probe,Donald-Trump,Russia-scandal Free

US President Donald Trump declared Sunday that he had been completely exonerated after his campaign was cleared of colluding with Russia in the 2016 election, in a major boost for his re-election hopes.

The long-awaited final report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Moscow's election meddling concluded that no member or associate of the campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia in its plot to boost Trump in the vote more than two years ago.

While not completely absolving the president, Attorney General Bill Barr's letter to Congress summarizing the still-secret Mueller report cleared a dark cloud that had hung over the Trump's legitimacy since he took office in January 2017.

"There was no collusion with Russia. There was no obstruction. It was a complete and total exoneration," Trump said of Mueller's conclusions.

"It's a shame that the country had to go through this," he added. "This was an illegal takedown that failed."

Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Trump was "in a really good mood" and "very happy with how it all turned out."

The president watched television, talked to staff and made calls during his flight home from Florida.

- No collusion with Russians -

Summarizing Mueller's findings, Barr said no Trump campaign official was involved in Russian conspiracies in 2016 to hack Democratic computers and flood social media with disinformation to harm Trump's Democratic election rival Hillary Clinton.

He also said there were no new surprises coming from the Mueller team, which is disbanding -- no further indictments being referred, and no sealed indictments outstanding.

On the other hand, according to Barr's letter, Mueller clearly had some evidence to support an obstruction case, but was uncertain whether it was enough to support criminal charges.

"While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," Barr cited Mueller as saying.

Democrats in Congress are now certain to demand Mueller's underlying evidence and push to investigate further.

Door opened for strong 2020 bid

Nevertheless, a major barrier for Trump's re-election in 2020 lifted just as a strong field of potential Democratic candidates was forming to select who would take him on.

Trump for two years has labeled the investigation a "witch hunt," even as Mueller's team issued charges ranging from conspiracy to lying to investigators against 34 individuals.

Six of those were former insiders in Trump's circle, and five have been convicted, including Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen, his national security advisor Michael Flynn and his campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes including, at Trump's alleged instruction, using campaign funds for hush payments to an adult film star who allegedly had an affair with Trump.

And Manafort was imprisoned for 7.5 years, though mostly for crimes unrelated to the campaign.

The unending probe saw Trump frequently angrily attacking Mueller -- one of the most respected members of Washington's judicial and prosecutorial elite -- and at times appeared to throw his policy momentum off course.

For months, the White House worried that Mueller was honing in on Trump's family, including son Don Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as Trump himself.

And it also left questions in the minds of many of his supporters, who will now likely unite around his declaration of "complete exoneration."

White House advisor Kellyanne Conway tweeted "congratulations" to her boss.

"Today you won the 2016 election all over again. And got a gift for the 2020 election," she tweeted.

"They'll never get you because they'll never 'get' you."

Investigations move to Congress

But the end of Mueller's operation did not leave Trump's White House in the clear.

Democrats in Congress are already conducting some 17 investigations of the administration, spreading their net far more broadly than Mueller's relatively narrow mandate.

They want the full Mueller report and they are demanding the underlying evidence supporting his conclusions.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr's summary of the Mueller findings "raises as many questions as it answers."

"The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay," they said.

"And most obviously, for the president to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility.

Democrat Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that he would be calling Barr to testify in the near future.

"Special Counsel Mueller clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the president, and we must hear from AG Barr about his decision making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts," Nadler said.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 26, 2019

Honeywell Indonesia, the local unit of diversified conglomerate Honeywell International Inc., is redirecting its focus from the oil and gas sector to aviation and smart building technology following a shortfall in Indonesias energy-related investments last year. Indonesias investment in the energy sector last year only reached 86 percent of the governments US$37.2 billion target, prompting the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry to set a lower target of $33.34 billion for this year. Honeywells readjusted focus will pit it against other global brands in aviation and building technology. How is the company preparing its strategy to take on the competition? The Jakarta Posts Norman Harsono talked to Honeywell Indonesia president director Roy Kosasih during a media visit in Shanghai, China, to discuss the issue. Below is an excerpt of the interview.

Question: Why did Honeywell decide to focus on aviation and building technologies?

Answer: We saw that the aviation industry in ASEAN had the second fastest growth in Asia Pacific after China. Indonesia, under Lion Air and Wings Air, just ordered 250 planes around two years ago while Vietnam Airlines ordered 100 airplanes just the other day. This is a fast growing industry because of the growth of the middle class, who enjoy traveling and can easily do so with low-cost budget airlines.

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Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 26, 2019 02:35 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83b0a56 1 Business India,investment,bilateral-relation,foreign-direct-investment,infrastructure,healthcare,India-industry-confederation Free

Indian businesses are looking to participate in various sectors within the infrastructure and health industries in Indonesia, as investment from India to Indonesia has been growing in recent years, an ambassador has said.

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Pradeep Kumar Rawat said the two countries were recognized as emerging large economies globally and had similar challenges and opportunities, with both having an infrastructure gap.

On the sidelines of the second India-Indonesia Infrastructure Forum (IIIF) in Jakarta recently, Rawat told The Jakarta Post that Indian investors were interested in roadwork, urban railways, oil and gas, airports and the health industry.

These are the areas where Indian businesses could become beneficiaries in arrangements with the Indonesian companies, he said.

With Jakartas newly launched MRT, for example, Indian companies could share their expertise as India had built the cheapest metro projects in the world with highly competitive fares, Rawat said.

Some of the things we have achieved could become good starting points for our friends in Indonesia. Our engineers can offer cost-effective construction, which can certainly reduce costs and meet far more competitive price points, he added.

The South Asian country is among the largest economies in the world and third-biggest in Asia after China and Japan. However, its presence in Indonesia is not as big as its presence in China and Japan.

Data from the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) show that Indias investment in Indonesia amounted to $82.12 million in 2018, far lower than the 2017 figure of $286.6 million.

Between 2014 and 2018, the countrys investment in Indonesia totaled $518 million. In this same period, the top five foreign investors in Indonesia, including in infrastructure building, were all from East and Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, Japan and China.

Nevertheless, Rawat emphasized that having competitors in terms of investing abroad had never been a problem to Indian businesses.

Competition is always a good thing [...] Indian companies are used to competing with foreign companies in India, and as a result Indian companies are now very successful abroad, he said.

Also on the same occasion, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government was looking forward to learning more from India about various technologies used in waste management and health care.

Furthermore, India is leaning strong toward information technology and we would like to see their products be introduced here, he said. Let's hope that the next step of our 70 years of cooperation will be people-oriented development.

BKPM deputy chairman for investment planning Ikmal Lukman said the majority of Indias investments were still in wood products, trade businesses, food manufacturing and textiles.

However, most of the investments are far too concentrated on Java Island, so we encourage [Indian] investors to invest outside of Java because there is a lot of potential for development elsewhere, Ikmal said in the forum.

Private-backed Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) stated its plan to open an overseas office in Jakarta in May amid a growing interest among its members to partner with Indonesia.

Our basic agenda would be to understand the local regulations and local laws, to access the government here and to see how the Indian industries can enter here, Sujata Sudarshan, CIIs designated chief representative for the Jakarta office, told the Post on the sidelines of the forum.

One of the issues to be addressed by the CIIs Jakarta branch is the hassle Indians face in obtaining Indonesian work visas and permits, she said.

Back then, the Indonesian Embassy in India could do the visa stamping, but what I understand now is that [the embassy] is no longer one of the 22 embassies where the [Indonesian] government can issue [work] visas, Sudarshan said.

That is a business constraint because we have to go to countries like Singapore to get the stamp [...] It is also a problem in terms of cost implications and travel time.

She said the CII had raised the issue at the Indian Embassy in Jakarta, hoping that it could be resolved soon as it would greatly encourage more investment to Indonesia.
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Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, March 26 2019

Japan and Indonesia will start talks on a new framework allowing Indonesia to send more skilled workers to Japan in 14 new sectors including agriculture and construction, a Japanese diplomat has said, as aging Japan suffers from a labor shortage.

The Japanese Embassys deputy chief of mission, Keiichi Ono, said officials would work on the details of the framework, which was a follow up to his governments recent decision to open up the labor market to foreign workers.

Officials of the two countries are expected to begin meeting in April.

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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekabaru  Tue, March 26 2019

The Riau Police have named 12 people suspects in land and forest fire cases in Riau province, where wildfires have destroyed 2,719 hectares of land in the past three months.

The police arrested six people in Rokan Hilir, Bengkalis, Meranti Islands, Pekanbaru and Dumai from January to February, according to Riau Police chief Insp. Gen. Widodo Eko Prihastopo.

Six others were caught red-handed burning land to clear land [in March], Widodo said on Monday.

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Linkedin (The Star/Asia News Network) Sibu  Mon, March 25, 2019 13:21 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee8397314 2 SE Asia Malaysia,sex,family-feud,violence Free

A woman has been detained in Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia for allegedly injuring her husband's girlfriend, who is also married, with a knife after they had a threesome.

Sibu OCPD Asst Comm Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said the 46-year-old, who is a coffee shop attendant, was arrested shortly after the alleged incident.

The victim was sent to hospital in critical condition due to massive loss of blood after being stabbed in the private parts.

After treatment, the 34-year old victim, a cleaner at the council market here, was reported to be in stable condition.

ACP Stanley said prior to the incident at about 9 p.m. on Sunday, the man, 28, who is an assistant lorry driver, had agreed to invite his girlfriend (the victim) to their rented room in Jl. Lajong for a discussion on their three-way relationship, provided the suspect would not cause any trouble.

The suspect promised not to do anything. When the victim arrived at their place, the three of them were happily chatting.

The man had some alcohol while the two women only had soft drinks.

The three of them then agreed to have a threesome, he said.

After the man had sex with the suspect, she told him that she was going to the toilet to ease herself.

The man continued having sex with the victim when the suspect came into the room with a knife and stabbed the victim, causing her to scream, he said.

ACP Stanley said the man rushed out and told his brother, who rents another room in the house, to chase after the suspect.

She was later caught and handed over to the police.

ACP Stanley said the couple were married under local adat (traditions) and have been together for seven years.

The man's girlfriend is married with four children. Her husband is working in a logging camp in Solomon.

The case, ACP Stanley said, is being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.
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Linkedin Yoon Min-sik (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Seoul, South Korea  Mon, March 25, 2019 17:01 993 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83a1424 2 News Seoul,Palace,royals,tourism,travel,tour,Changdeokgung,Deoksugung Free

Royal palaces of the Joseon era (1392-1910) will hold limited tours, with Deoksugung inviting guests to see inside its buildings and Changdeokgung holding its annual nighttime tour.

From Wednesday to Sunday, and on April 2, tours of Deoksugungs five main buildings will be held twice a day from 10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m., and 4 p.m. to 5:20 p.m., according to the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Deoksugung was originally built as a home for the royal family, but became a palace after a Japanese invasion in the late 16th century destroyed the royal palaces. It was used as the main palace of the dynasty during Joseons dying years, during the reign of its last kings Gojong and Sunjong.

The tour will take visitors inside Junghwajeon, the main hall of the palace, Junmyeongdang, where King Gojong would welcome foreign envoys, Jeukjodang, the kings office, Seokeodang, where King Seonjo stayed after the Japanese invasion destroyed other palaces, and Hamnyeongjeon, where King Gojong took his final breath in 1919.

Read also: A day in Seoul: What to visit and when

Up to 15 people can attend each tour, with reservations available from 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Only those in middle school or older are permitted, to maintain order within the ancient buildings.

Reservations for the tour can be made at the homepage of the Deoksugung Palace Management Office, which also provides information about the palace in Korean or English.

Last week, reservations for the popular nighttime tour of Changdeokgung commenced at Auction Ticket. The tour runs from April 4 to June 9, and from Aug. 22 to Oct. 27, and tickets cost 30,000 won per person.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin (Kyodo News) Otsu, Japan  Tue, March 26, 2019 06:03 992 dcc1aefb9780f102b77c720ee83b4842 2 News bullying,school,school-bullying,Education,student,artifical-intelligence,Otsu Free

The western Japanese city of Otsu will begin next month the country's first attempt to use artificial intelligence to help teachers detect signs of serious school bullying.

AI will be used to analyze some 9,000 historical bullying cases reported by local elementary and junior high schools over the six years to this month. The system will also assess cases in which the bullying was only suspected.

The city signed an accord with Tokyo-based Hitachi Systems Ltd. on Friday to collaborate on the project.

The AI is expected to assist schools in detecting aggression in bullying cases, which can be triggered by a minor issue between students, even when some teachers lack knowledge or experience in identifying warning signs, according to the local education board.

Read also: Bullying becoming more common among kindergarten children, experts suggest

Otsu Mayor Naomi Koshi said earlier she expects local schools to "act firmly against (bullying) without solely being dependent on teachers' experience, by having AI theoretically analyze past data."

Among the factors to be looked at via the AI are the grade-level of students impacted, their gender and the number involved, the timing of the bullying and where it occurred, as well as the students' academic records.

The education board believes the analysis, expected to be completed by October, will make known the characteristics of bullying to help teachers identify cases in their classrooms.

In Otsu, the suicide of a 13-year-old boy in 2011 was determined by a third-party panel two years later to have been caused by bullying.

Since then, the city's education board has required each school to report bullying cases within 24 hours.
Democrats fall in Phuket

PHUKET: Phuket province, a traditional bastion for the Democrat Party, has fallen, with voters instead electing candidates from the pro-military Palang Pracharath Party in yesterdays national election, according to unofficial results announced the morning (Mar 25).

politics

By The Phuket News

Monday 25 March 2019, 11:44AM

The ECT live election results website still showed vote counting in Phuket as incomplete this morning (Mar 25). Image: Screenshot

The ECT live election results website still showed vote counting in Phuket as incomplete this morning (Mar 25). Image: Screenshot

The Democrats lost both Phuket Member of Parliament seats available, reported a notice issued by the Committee of the Phuket office of the Election Commission (PEC).

According to the notice, the unofficial tally shows that Suthapathip Na Thalang of the Palang Pracharath Party won the seat for Phuket Constituency 1 with 32,338 votes.

Phuket Constituency 1 comprises Mueang District, including Rassada, but excluding Koh Kaew, Rawai and Karon.

Raywat Areerob of the Democrat Party placed second with 25,194 votes, while Wisit Anansiriphan of the Future Forward Party placed third for the seat with 22,599 votes.

A total of 102,466 of the 144,722 eligible voters in Phuket Constituency 1 turned out to cast their votes, a turnout of only 70.80%, said the report.

There were 3,048 spoiled ballots (3.26%) among the votes cast and 2,932 of the ballots were submitted blank (2.86%), the report added.

However, the notice did not specifically confirm that the resulting figures given provided for 96,486 valid votes cast in Constituency 1.

The Democrats also lost in Phuket Constituency 2, which comprises the remaining areas of Thalang and Kathu Districts, but also includes and Koh Kaew, Rawai and Karon (see ECT map here), said the report.

Nattee Tinsakhu of the Palang Pracharath Party won the seat with 27,267 votes, ahead of Democrat candidate Chaiyot Panyawai, who secured 23,958 votes.

Supanat Leungluea of the Future Forward Party placed third for the seat with 19,963 votes.

A total of 108,500 voters of the 149,511 eligible voters turned out to cast their votes in Phuket Constituency 2, said the report.

There were 4,883 spoiled ballots submitted in the poll and 3,124 ballots were left blank, with a confirmed 100,493 valid votes cats in the district, the report said.

IRREGULARITIES IN VOTE COUNT REPORTING

The notice announcing the unofficial results was issued this morning via the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department.

The PEC has yet to publish any notices regarding the vote count from yesterday.

Oddly, the notice issued this morning was issued as reported by the district counting centre for Phuket Constituency 2, which was based at Thalang Phranangsang School in Thalang.

No information regarding the vote count has come from the district counting centre for Phuket Constituency 1, which was set up at Saphan Hin, and has for decades been the focal point for accumulating the vote count across the island in elections past.

Despite assurance the vote count would be quick and efficient, people gathered at Saphan Hin last night were left past midnight still wondering what the results were  the worst attempt at publicly announcing the vote count in recent memory.

Also, the notice announcing the unofficial results published this morning was left unsigned by the three signatories named on the official notice: Somprat Prabsongkram, President of the committee overseeing the district vote-counting centre in Phuket Constituency 1; Pol Col Teerawat Liamsuwan; and Thammanu Wanwichaikul.

On the eve of the election, PEC Director Nutthawat Wongitsaraphap explained, After the polling stations close at 5pm, the head of each polling station will count the ballots on site and report the results through the rapid report app developed by the ECT.

The app is safe and secure, he assured.

Using the app will allow for local, regional and national counting centres to be updated simultaneously as quickly as possible, he added. (See story here.)

However, as of 11:23am today the live reporting website specifically set up by the Election Commissin of Thailand to announce the unofficial election results as quickly as possible still reported only 63% of the votes actually counted for both Phuket constituencies so far. (See website here.)

PEC Director Nutthawat is expected to make a public announcement on that issue later this afternoon.
Egyptian tourist breaks arm in Freedom Beach fall

PHUKET: An Egyptian tourist has broken his arm after a fall at Freedom Beach on Sunday (Mar 24).

accidentspatongtourism

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Monday 25 March 2019, 11:02AM

Egyptian tourist, Khaled Abdelhamid Ahmed, 61, fell and broke his arm while walking down to Freedom Beach (Mar 24). Photo: Karon Police

Egyptian tourist, Khaled Abdelhamid Ahmed, 61, fell and broke his arm while walking down to Freedom Beach (Mar 24). Photo: Karon Police

Egyptian tourist, Khaled Abdelhamid Ahmed, 61, fell and broke his arm while walking down to Freedom Beach (Mar 24). Photo: Karon Police

The accident happened at around 12:40pm. Rescue workers and Karon Police officers arrived to find 61-year-old Egyptian, Khaled Abdelhamid Ahmed, lying on the floor with a visibly injured arm. Ahmeds wife was waiting beside him.

The couple arrived in Phuket on Thursday (Mar 21) and are scheduled to leave on April 6.

On the day of the accident, the couple took a taxi from their hotel in Patong to the parking area at Freedom Beach which is located between Patong and Karon beaches. As they walked to the beach, Ahmed slipped while walking down a steep dirt trail, tumbling 15 metres and breaking his arm.

Kusoldharm Foundation rescue workers provided first aid and took Ahmed to Patong Hospital for treatment.
Guyanese man, 62, arrested in Phuket for age-old black money scam

PHUKET: Police are investigating a network still using the old black money scam after a 62-year-old man from Guyana was arrested in Phuket and is now under investigation for fraud reportedly amounting to B9 million.

immigrationcrimepolice

By The Phuket News

Monday 25 March 2019, 06:22PM

Guyana national Abdul Kalam Azad Sattaur, 62, is still being held in the detention cells at the Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town. Photo: Courtesy of the Sattaur family

Immigration Bureau Chief Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn presented details of the arrest to the press in Bangkok on Friday (Mar 22). Photo: Surachate Hakparn / Facebook

Immigration Bureau Chief Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn presented details of the arrest to the press in Bangkok on Friday (Mar 22). Photo: Surachate Hakparn / Facebook

Immigration Bureau Chief Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn presented details of the arrest to the press in Bangkok on Friday (Mar 22). Photo: Surachate Hakparn / Facebook

The black money scam has been in use for more than two decades, convincing people to pay money for banknotes that the con artists insist have been removed from circulation and have been washed with black ink to make them unusable, but with the right chemicals the banknotes could be washed clean and used again.

The con artists have people make initial payments to make the banknotes available, but withhold the chemicals until the big  final  payment is made.

Usually, the banknotes are just regular paper literally washed in black ink.

The latest incident was announced by Immigration Bureau Chief Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn presenting details of the arrest to the press in Bangkok on Friday (Mar 22).

The presentation to the press was posted on Gen Surchates personal Facebook page (see here), and not through the Immigration Bureau.

The Guyanese national arrested was named as Abdul Kalam Azad Sattaur, 62.

However, Thalang Police confirmed today (Mar 25) that Sattaur remains in Phuket, and has done so since his arrest on Mar 14. He did not travel to Bangkok to be presented to the press.

Sattaurs arrest came on the same day that the owner of a local language school in Phuket  who police have not named  filing a complaint with the Thalang Police, reporting that she had been cheated out of B20 million, Thalang Police Deputy Superintended Lt Col Anukul Nuket explained today (Mar 25).

A woman came to complain about it at Thalang Police Station on Mar 14. She said that she had transferred about B9 million to different bank accounts outside the country, Col Anukul said.

We tracked him (Sattaur) down and found him at Eakkamon Mansion on Phang Nga Rd in Phuket Town at 2pm the same day, he added.

Sattaur is accused of using a fake Facebook and LINE account to pretend to be an American man who had worked in Syria, Col Anukul said.

He allegedly claimed to send the woman a security box containing the black-washed banknotes with a special liquid to wash the banknotes clean.

The total value of the banknotes was reportedly given as US$650,000, equivalent to about B20mn  which the Phuket language school owner would acquire for the bargain price of B9mn.

However, the woman said that Sattaur would not send the security box containing the banknotes until he received payment first.

She obliged and made payments amounting to B9mn to 10 offshore accounts.

However, the security box never arrived.

Sattaur now stands accused of fraud, and is being held in custody in the detention cells at Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town, where he has remained since his arrest on Mar 14, and will remain while the investigation against him continues.

He is charged with fraud by impersonating another person, Col Anukul told The Phuket News today.

Col Anukul added that police have the black money seized as evidence, which has now been forwarded to officers in Bangkok for further investigation.

His behavior is connected to a network in Bangkok, but I need to question him further tomorrow (Mar 26), Col Anukul said.

Col Anukul declined to confirm whether Sattaur had confessed to the charge against.

Sattaurs current predicament first came to the attention of The Phuket News after his son contacted the newspaper concerned for his fathers welfare as Sattaur had not been in contact with his family for several days  which the family had found strange, and wanted to know if he were missing in Phuket.

I believe he is missing because he is always on line and talks to my mom every day, since the last time, she never heard back from him, the son wrote.

Copies of Sattaurs boarding pass and tourist visa issued in Malaysia provided to The Phuket News confirmed that Sattaur arrived in Phuket on a flight from Kuala Lumpur on Mar 13  the day before his arrest.

The Phuket News has yet to receive a reply on how the family have received the news of Sattaurs arrest.
Three parasail operators caught with unsafe equipment

PHUKET: Three parasailing operators at Kata Beach were found today to have unsafe parasailing equipment, the Phuket Marine Office has confirmed.

tourismaccidentsSafetymarine

By The Phuket News

Monday 25 March 2019, 06:53PM

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

Paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office. Photo: Patrizio Forci

The unsafe harnesses were discovered by paratroopers from the Royal Thai Army Region 4 base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat conducting safety inspections on behalf of the Phuket Marine Office.

The safety checks conducted today were the standard six-monthly inspections, Wiwat Chitchertwong Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office, told The Phuket News today (Mar 25).

The inspections were introduced after the death of 70-year-old Australian tourist Roger Hussey in a fall at Kata Beach in July, 2017. The news made international headlines. (See story here.)

Mr Hussey plunged some 70 metres into the water below at Kata Beach after his harness somehow became unclipped from the parasail suspension lines. (See story here,)

The Phuket Marine Office wants to take care of the safety of people wanting to parasail, and so we have the parasailing equipment checked every six months. We invite paratroopers from Army Region 4 at Nakhon Sri Thammarat to inspect the equipment for us, Mr Wiwat said.

The paratroopers check that the hooks and clips, ropes and chutes are safe and in accordance with safety standards, Mr Wiwat noted.

Parasail operators at the tourist-popular Kata Beach were informed previously that they would have their equipment inspected today, Mr Wiwat said.

And still, three operators were found to be using unsafe equipment, he confirmed.

Three boats failed to pass inspection because the hooks were damaged and the size of the rope used was not standard, Mr Wiwat explained.

Regardless, the operators caught with unsafe equipment today will not face any punitive measures.

We let them take the parasailing equipment back so they could fix it and present it back to us for a second inspection, Mr Wiwat said.

The parasail inspections are to continue for the next two weeks, Mr Wiwat confirmed.

We have 25 parasail operators with 30 boats in total, operating at Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Patong Beach, Bang Tao Beach, Rawai Beach, Koh Naka Yai, and Koh Hei (Coral Island).

All of them must present their parasailing equipment for inspection, he said.

We are scheduled to conduct more inspections in June, but we have not set an exact date for that yet, he added.

Any parasail operators who are found to repeatedly have unsafe equipment stood to have their operators license revoked by the Phuket Marine Office, Mr Wiwat warned.
March 25, 2019

Amsterdam, the Netherlands  Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today convenes the 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) and publishes the agenda with explanatory notes. The agenda includes proposals to re-appoint Frans van Houten as President/CEO and member of the Board of Management, and Abhijit Bhattacharya as member of the Board of Management fulfilling the role of CFO. The AGM agenda also includes proposals to re-appoint David Pyott as a member of the Supervisory Board with immediate effect, and to appoint Elizabeth Doherty as a member of the Supervisory Board per August 1, 2019.

Ms Doherty is a senior finance executive with 30 years of international finance experience in large multi-national organizations across a range of industries. She has extensive operational experience in international consumer and retail businesses, specifically with branding, marketing and online sales. Her expertise will be invaluable in view of Philips transformation into a customer-centric solutions company focused on health technology across the personal health and professional healthcare domains.

As previously reported, Heino von Prondzynski, whose third term will expire at the end of the AGM 2019, and Jackson Tai, whose second term will expire, will step down as members of the Supervisory Board.

Furthermore, the agenda includes the proposal to re-appoint Ernst & Young Accountants LLP as the external auditor of Philips. The AGM will be held at the Hotel Okura Amsterdam (Ferdinand Bolstraat 333, Amsterdam) on Thursday May 9, 2019, beginning at 14:00 hours CET.

Click here to view the complete agenda with explanatory notes, the Annual Report 2018 (which was published on February 26, 2019), the binding nominations, as well as all other documents related to the AGM, including the new services agreements between the company and each of Mr Van Houten and Mr Bhattacharya.

For further information, please contact:

Steve Klink

Philips Group Press Office

Tel.: +31 6 10888824

E-mail: steve.klink@philips.com



Ksenija Gonciarenko

Philips Investor Relations

Tel.: +31 20 59 77055

E-mail: ksenija.gonciarenko@philips.com


The University of Toronto has received its largest-ever donation, a $100-million gift to further the schools research on artificial intelligence, biomedicine and how new technologies can disrupt and enrich lives.

The donation from the Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman Foundation will in part go to a new 750,000-square-foot complex to be built at the northeast corner of College St. and Queens Park starting this fall, school president Meric Gertler announced at a Monday news conference.

Gertler said this gift to build the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre will help spark Canadian innovation and examine how technology shapes peoples lives.

It is a new collective endeavour that will turbocharge innovation, Gertler said, calling the donation from Toronto billionaires Gerald Schwartz and Heather Reisman unprecedented in the schools history.

The new complex, which U of T said will be constructed in two phases, will house the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, which will study emerging ethical issues surrounding the field of artificial intelligence. It will provide opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students in science and humanities, Gertler said.

Schwartz, who was born in Winnipeg, is the founder and CEO of private equity firm Onex Corporation. Reisman is the founder and CEO of the Indigo bookstore chain.

The couple said they were moved to donate after they read an article on U of Ts plan to build a new innovation hub that would be a cornerstone for the Canadian economy  with references to tech-driven entrepreneurship, business partnerships and AI projects, all things they said sparked their imagination.

It was clear that the dream was world-class bold and ready to go, said Reisman, noting U of T already does so much in AI, biomedicine and socially responsible technology.

She said the family feels proud, honoured and excited to be a part of this extraordinary endeavour.

Canada is already punching way above its weight on the AI side, and if we can help in some little way to spur that, to turbocharge that, the ramifications well into the future should be exciting.

Designed by New York-based Weiss/Manfredi architects, in collaboration wth Teeple Architects, the first phase of the new complex, a 250,000-square-foot, 12-storey tower, will also house the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

The Vector Institute, founded in 2017, is an independent non-profit affiliated with U of T and devoted to artificial intelligence research.

Vector Institutes chief scientific adviser and U of T professor emeritus Geoffrey Hinton said the gift will boost research and innovation at the university, and help consolidate Toronto as a leading city in the field of AI.

My own belief if that developments in deep learning will radically change our understanding of what it is to be human, he said. My hope is that the Schwartz Reisman Institute will be the place where deep learning disrupts the humanities.

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The second phase of the complex will include a 500,000-square-foot, 20-storey tower which will house laboratories in regenerative medicine, genetics and precision medicine, the school said.

At the Mondays announcement, both Mayor John Tory and Navdeep Singh Bains, the federal minister of innovation, science and economic development, expressed gratitude for the donation and called for more people to invest in innovation.

The largest previous donation in U of Ts history was a $50-million gift in 2001 from the R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation to the Faculty of Medicine.

Canadian institutions often benefit from billionaire philanthropists largesse. Earlier this year McGill University received $200 million from John and Marcy McCall MacBain for the creation of a graduate scholarship program.

In 2014, the Rogers family donated $130 million to the Hospital for Sick Children to establish the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research.

An anonymous donor gave $100 million gift to CAMH in 2018.

With files from the Toronto Star library.
Brookfield Asset Management Inc. will invest $750 million in power producer TransAlta Corp. and nominate two directors to its board.

Brookfield could also increase its stake in the Calgary-based utility to about 9 per cent under certain conditions, according to a statement Monday. The deal allows Brookfield to convert its investment into an equity interest in TransAltas Alberta hydro assets at a later date.

The investment is being made through Brookfields publicly traded renewable-energy arm, Brookfield Renewable Partners.

Shares of TransAlta rose as much as 5.8 per cent in Toronto to $9.61, their highest intraday price since July 2015, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The stock was up 4.6 per cent at 10 a.m., valuing TransAlta at $2.7 billion.

The two parties have held conversations over the years about various transactions but ultimately decided to proceed with the deal because it allows TransAlta to crystalize the future value of hydro assets and speed up its transition to clean energy, said Dawn Farrell, TransAlta chief executive officer, in an interview.

Brookfield is a big and sophisticated company that has huge ownership in renewables and hydro, Farrell said. No amount of pressure would make this kind of transaction come together. It requires people who understand the industry, understand infrastructure, and understand each other.

Read more:

Toronto-based Brookfield faces scrutiny from Democrats over deal with Kushner company

Howard Marks sees industry consolidation after Brookfield tie-up

Clean Energy

TransAlta will use the proceeds from the investment to move toward its goal of producing 100 per cent clean energy by 2025. Brookfield holds a 4.9 per cent stake in the company, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The move comes as the Calgary-based Transalta faces pressure from investors Mangrove Partners and C. John Wilders Bluescape Energy Partners, which disclosed a 10 per cent stake in the company this month and said they planned to push for changes including a potential board revamp.

The deal with Brookfield had nothing to do with the activists knocking at its door and is in keeping with its strategy to transition to clean energy, Farrell said.

Mangrove is no different than any of our other shareholders. Everybody is looking for us to catalyze and bring forward that strategy. As weve been listening to our shareholders, thats the clear message that weve heard, Farrell said.

In a statement on Monday evening, TransAlta said Mangrove plans to nominate five candidates for election to its board at the upcoming shareholder meeting. TransAlta will review Mangroves notice and consider the suitability of its nominees and communicate more fully with its shareholder in due course, the power producer said in the statement.

The deal will also see Brookfields vice-chairmen, Harry Goldgut and Richard Legault, nominated to the companys slate of director nominees at its annual general meeting. Robert Flexon, the former CEO of Dynegy Inc., will also be added to the slate.

We look forward to contributing our capabilities, particularly our long-term expertise in the hydro sector, to enable the companys growth over the long-term, said Sachin Shah, Brookfield Renewable Partnerss chief executive officer.

Share Buyback

TransAlta began selling shares in its renewable-energy unit in 2013, forming TransAlta Renewables Inc. as a separate company. Its still the biggest investor in that company, with a stake of about 51 per cent  held jointly with a generation partnership  thats valued at about $1.8 billion based on current share prices.

TransAlta will use about $469 million of the proceeds from the investment to advance its strategy to move from coal to gas generation by 2025, and as much as $335 million on a share buyback, it said.

Shares in TransAlta fell about 25 per cent last year, but have made a rapid recovery since the start of 2019 as the company generates cash after reporting two straight years of net losses. The stock is up 62 per cent year to date through Friday.

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The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System said its setting up a 300 million-euro ($342 million U.S.) venture capital fund to invest in early-stage European technology companies.

Itll be led by Harry Briggs, a veteran VC previously at BGF Ventures and Balderton Capital. He said the fund would back as many as 25 companies across Europe with investments of 5 million euros to 10 million euros each. Some money would be reserved for followup financing.

Startups working to transform health care, finance and the future of cities and transport, were of particular interest, he said in an interview. Investments wouldnt be limited to these specialties though, he added.

OMERS manages about $97 billion (Canadian) and the new fund will be based in the public pension groups London office, it said in the statement. In the U.K., OMERS has stakes in Thames Water, one of the countrys major utilities, as well as port authority Associated British Ports, and the Vue chain of cinemas.

Damien Steel, managing partner and head of Toronto-based OMERS Ventures, said the new fund was part of a global expansion strategy. It opened a Silicon Valley office earlier this year.

Weve seen the European tech sector reach escape velocity over the past couple of years, producing more and more companies recognized worldwide, he said in a statement Monday.

In 2017, 7.7 billion euros in VC funding was raised in Europe, compared to 3.8 billion in 2013, according to data compiled by private equity trade association Invest Europe. VC firms including Atomico, Accel Partners, and Index Ventures, have over the past couple of years created new funds that collectively total almost $2 billion.

Briggs said that when it came to early-stage investing, European players have remained largely unchanged, but U.S. firms such as Sequoia, Benchmark, Bessemer and Andreessen Horowitz have increasingly sought early-stage investment opportunities on the continent.

The initial money for OMERSs new fund will come from the Canadian pension manager itself, but Briggs said additional capital would be raised later in the year from other investors who could offer something strategic.

Briggs will be joined in London by Tara Reeves, a former partner at VC firm LocalGlobe, and Henry Gladwyn, who worked with Briggs at BGF and who previously managed an angel syndicate whose members included the co-founders of Alphabet Inc.s DeepMind.
OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is keeping up the pressure on the Trump administration, warning that Canadas support for the updated North American trade pact may hinge on the U.S. lifting tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Freeland, who met Monday in Washington with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, says many Canadians have serious questions about ratifying the new NAFTA as long as those tariffs are still in place.

Freeland says she told President Donald Trumps trade czar that Canadians want the U.S. tariffs and Canadas retaliatory measures removed before the countries move forward with the approval of the agreement, also known as the USMCA.

In addition to being ratified in Mexico and Canada, the deal must make its way through Congress as part of a process that experts predict will take until late summer to run its course.

Freeland was in the U.S. capital to meet with Lighthizer as well as other lawmakers, including Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the new chair of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on trade.

She calls the tariffs  which the U.S. justifies on national security grounds  illegal and absurd, saying they make even less sense now that the new NAFTA agreement has been signed by all three countries.

I also made the point to Ambassador Lighthizer that the existence of these tariffs, for many Canadians, raises some serious questions about NAFTA ratification, Freeland said following Mondays meeting.

I have heard from a lot of Canadians that they would be really troubled by Canada moving forward with ratification while the tariffs are still in place. I think to Canadians it just doesnt make sense.
Canada has joined the U.S. in the inverted yield curve club, signalling a growing risk of recession that may keep Stephen Poloz on hold for his final 14 months as head of Canadas central bank.

The yield on Canadas 10-year bond dipped to 1.57 per cent Monday, or 10 basis points lower than the rate on the three-month Treasury bill, compared with a gap of 6 basis points Friday. That inversion hasnt happened since 2007, at the start of the financial crisis sparked by a U.S. housing crash. The 10-year inflation-linked bond, meanwhile, offers a negative yield in real terms, after accounting for consumer prices.

The so-called inverted yield curves in both the U.S. and Canada reflect concerns that a global economic slowdown will keep the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada from raising rates  and may even prompt a rate cut if it worsens.

A rate cut would require signs that the economy is declining, said Craig Alexander, chief economist at Deloitte Canada, in a television interview with BNN Bloomberg Friday. Still the inverted yield curve is troubling. Inverted curves have often been accompanied by recession.

Yields on government bonds have fallen in recent weeks amid weakening economic data in Canada, including lower than expected growth in the last quarter of 2018. The Federal Reserve Wednesday tilted even more dovish and the German bond yield returned to zero Friday as Europes largest economy weakens.

Signs of a global slowdown are real, said Alexander, who has also worked at the Conference Board of Canada and Toronto-Dominion Bank. This certainly puts the Bank of Canada on hold.

Investors are buying top-rated government securities in Canada as retail sales unexpectedly declined in January, reinforcing concerns that consumers may no longer be able to drive the economy with household debt at record levels and borrowers facing higher costs following five rate hikes by the Bank of Canada. Economists forecast growth of 1.5 per cent this year, down from 1.8 per cent in 2018, according to Bloomberg surveys.

The yield curve is the best economist out there and shouldnt be ignored, said Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, in an interview Monday with BNN Bloomberg.

Canada Deterioration

While the inversion of the curve is a wider trend in developed markets from New Zealand to Germany, Canadas curve suggests that the outlook for its economy has deteriorated more than most, said Greg Gibbs, a founder of Amplifying Global FX Capital, in a note to investors. Canadian real long-term yields have fallen more abruptly than in the USA, into negative territory.

The yield on the government of Canada 10-year inflation-indexed bond has turned negative, Gibbs points out in his note.

Canadian bond investors have been rewarded by the plunging yields, with an aggregate index of Canadian debt returning 4.1 per cent this year, compared with a 2.6 per cent gain for a comparable U.S. gauge, according to Bloomberg Barclays indexes.

On Hold

Investors appear to be betting on a pause by the Bank of Canada for now. Toronto-Dominion earlier this month shifted its view and now expects the overnight rate to remain at 1.75 per cent through the end of 2020. That would mean Poloz has already made the last rate hike of his tenure, which ends in June 2020.

If there is any move this year, its more likely to be a cut, based on trading in the swaps market. Chances of a rate cut at the Bank of Canada meeting in September have risen to about 36 per cent, from 23 per cent a week ago, according to swaps rates. Traders assign close to a zero per cent chance of a hike by then. There is a 29 per cent chance of a rate cut at the July meeting.

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The assassination of Mexican activist Mariano Abarca stands little chance of gaining the spotlight in Ottawa given all the tumult in the nations capital. But Mondays judicial review before Federal Court Justice Keith Boswell deserves attention, reminding us of the tragic events of a decade ago and the present day oversight, or lack thereof, of Canadian mining companies operating abroad.

Theres no disputing the fundamental facts. Abarca had assumed a primary role in protesting Blackfire Explorations open-pit barite mine in the southern state of Chiapas. The U.S. Geological Surveys minerals yearbook for 2008 noted that the Canadian junior mining company planned to extend its operations underground, with the company trumpeting the La Revancha mine as the largest high-grade barite deposit in North America. In other words, Blackfire saw a long, bright mining future in Mexico ahead of it.

Opposition to the mine was led by two groups, one of which, the Mexican Network of People Affected by Mining, was led by Abarca, speaking out against the environmental impacts of the mine and the failure to acknowledge the rights of Indigenous groups. Protests against the mine included a months-long blockade of its operations. Abarca, along with two members of his family, was beaten at his home in the summer of 2008. The following summer he led a protest delegation to the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City. He was later detained by police following a complaint by Blackfire. In November 2009, he lodged his own complaint against the mining company, alleging that death threats had been made against him by Blackfire employees. Days later he was murdered  a drive-by shooting outside his home.

In December 2009, the mine was shut down over environmental concerns, including toxic emissions, the redirection of water sources and the unpermitted change of land usage. Blackfire, which consistently denied any involvement, has since dissolved.

The issue that will be heard by Justice Boswell on Monday could have far-reaching implications for the mining industry.

In quieter political times, it would shine a light on the persistent failure of Canadian governments to effect a robust system of investigation of, and compliance by, the extractive industries.

And it comes at a moment when the still-new Mexican government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has put the international mining community on notice that there will be more robust oversight of foreign mining companies.

The review stems from a submission made more than a year ago to Canadas public sector integrity commissioner by the Justice and Accountability Project, which provides legal assistance to Indigenous communities negatively affected by resource extraction. The projects co-lead is Shin Imai, law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.

In February 2018, Imai requested that the integrity commissioner investigate the events around Abarcas murder. That seems an odd leap. What would the integrity commissioner have to say about a murder in a far off land?

It is this: What we can determine  I am quoting from Imais text  is that the Canadian Embassy acted in ways that appear to be contrary to government policies at that time, and may have resulted in two types of wrongdoing that should be investigated. The first issue relates to the Canadian Embassys failure to follow three policies relating to conflicts between local Mexican communities and Canadian mining companies. The Canadian Embassy ignored warnings that Mr. Abarcas life and safety were in danger, while actively advocating on the companys behalf with the government of the State of Chiapas. The second issue is whether the Canadian Embassy knew about, but did not report, suspicious payments made by the mining company into the personal bank account of a local politician.

The legal framework for the alleged wrongdoing is the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. The policies that are alleged to have been breached include a failure to adhere to corporate social responsibility guidelines established when Stephen Harpers Conservatives were in power.

A deep trove of diplomatic emails and briefings  more than 900 pages of documents obtained through Access to Information by MiningWatch Canada  were first reported on by the Star and La Presse in 2013. That report included emails from a Blackfire executive to the embassy in September 2008, thanking officials for everything that the embassy has done to pressure the state government to get things going for us. We could not do it without your help.

Last April, commissioner Joe Friday found that it was not in the publics interest to commence an investigation and concluded that the policies were not official Government of Canada policies. It is that decision that Shin Imai will be arguing against before Justice Boswell on Monday.

The Canadian embassy did act, in my view, in an egregious manner, says Imai in an interview, adding that the Abarca family continues to carry on the fight because they saw what happened to their father and they think its very important for the Canadian embassy to come under scrutiny and make sure it doesnt happen again.

Abarcas brother and his son plan to attend Mondays proceedings.

The case could boil down to this: is it the role of an embassy to be a corporate advocate or is it to uphold fundamental human rights and facilitate dialogue?

The current Liberal government has promised a whole new governance model for extractive industries, including an ombudsman with investigative and enforcement powers to replace the ineffective corporate social responsibility counsellor, whose mandate ended 10 months ago. Were still waiting on that.

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SAN FRANCISCOOne day in mid-October at 11:24 a.m., an alert went off in Facebook Inc.s election War Room. Political news in a Utah congressional district wasnt coming from inside the U.S. a mismatch Facebook had tuned its software algorithms to detect.

A data scientist in the election-monitoring centre at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., inspected the activity manually and discovered, at 11:47 a.m., that the source spreading the content was an ad farm in Bangladesh. Ten minutes later, an operations specialist removed all the suspect activity.

Thats a real example from the 2018 midterm elections, shared by Facebook executives in a recent slide presentation in Paris, meant to demonstrate that the companys tools are effective when working correctly. The slides, viewed by Bloomberg News, show in detail how Facebook has improved its process for rooting out bad actors using tactics similar to those Russian operatives used in 2016. The message: Facebook will be more prepared to take on misinformation and meddling in this years elections in India, the Philippines, Ukraine, Thailand and other countries as well as the U.S. presidential race in 2020.

The presentation details how Facebook has come to understand how networks of impostor accounts use the social network to amplify divisive ideas on immigration, guns and race relations. Since Russia used this strategy in 2016, the company says, it has built detection algorithms and involved more humans in the process, especially in cases where it needs to decide whether a user account is real or fake. Around the 2016 election, Russia often used real people, posting manually with fake identities, who would coordinate with each other to make ideas go viral.

Still, the company faces new concerns: If Facebook is focusing on cleaning up strategies used more than two years ago, is Russia a step ahead, using different tactics to avoid detection? Researchers have already tracked the migration of fake news to Facebooks groups, for example, and to encrypted messaging, where not even Facebook can see what users are saying to each other. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has explained that encryption and private communication will be central to the companys future product development.

Yet encryption isnt mentioned in Facebooks slide deck, which was presented at TICTec, a conference on the civic impacts of technology, by employees Samidh Chakrabarti, Monica Lee and Antonia Woodford. Instead, the company is focused on drawing conclusions from patterns of behaviour that are visible, and acknowledges the solutions may have to vary for different countries. Facebook is working on how to extend protection globally while adapting to each countrys systems, according to one of the slides.

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Antitrust actions against big tech are now palatable

The presentation also reveals areas where Facebook sees the need to improve especially when it comes to misinformation and political advertising.

Facebook recently started asking for political advertisers to verify their identities, so their ads can be shown in a public database. That system will be rolled out globally this year. The new rule routinely blocks foreign actors from running political ads, Facebook says, but there are flaws in the transparency. In the slide deck, the company said it is grappling with how, if at all, to handle funders who are opaque entities, such as limited liability companies in the U.S., and how to define what should be a political ad, without being overly broad.

The company also explains in the slides that while it took down 45,000 instances of content spreading misinformation about voting or trying to suppress votes, some of its fact-checking operations have a hard time addressing personal anecdotes like someone saying their voting machine doesnt work could discourage someone from voting. Facebook also says its unclear how they will solve more subtle forms of voter intimidation, including attempts to convince people their votes wont make a difference.

For now, Facebook says in the presentation, its going to use its social networks to encourage people to vote with ballot guides and election reminders, as well as colourful I voted stickers on Instagram.

With elections looming in countries around the world, the companys efforts to keep news and voting information authentic will be tested almost constantly. Its unclear whether theyll be enough to keep meddling and fake news at bay or to stave off government scrutiny.

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EDMONTONAnother Calgary United Conservative Party candidate has stepped down from the Alberta election race over hateful comments she made on social media.

Calgary-South East candidate Eva Kiryakos made her announcement in a four-minute video on Facebook on Sunday, saying she has been getting threats from a man who wants to release images of offensive posts she has made in the past. Two of the posts in question promoted false anti-immigrant and transphobic claims trumpeted by far-right groups online.

In the video Sunday, Kiryakos talks about her family coming to Canada as refugees from Iraq, and then goes on to show the posts.

One is a video she shared on Twitter about Germanys Muslim migrant rape crisis, a conspiracy theory that gained traction online in 2016 through false reports of sexual assault committed by asylum seekers.

The post contains an image of a sign that says Rapefugees not welcome and a girl being chased by men carrying sharp objects.

In her video Sunday, Kiryakos reinforces her belief in the so-called crisis, saying she shared the post because she cares about women being assaulted.

The second post included in her video is a Facebook comment expressing her disagreement with transgender students being able to use the washroom of their choice in schools, in which Kiryakos said she does not want her children to be brainwashed into accepting perversions as alternative lifestyles.

In the video, Kiryakos says her words about the washroom debate were misinterpreted, but then doubles down on her transphobic rhetoric, saying, The possibility of a grown man sharing a washroom with a little girl to me is a perversion.

The implication is that transgender women do not exist and that men will pose as transgender women to assault women and girls in public washrooms  a scare tactic perpetuated among the far right.

In the final post mentioned in her video, she says it is very prudent to have the females dress modestly.

Kiryakos concludes the video by saying she feels she has been bullied and vilified for exercising her freedom of speech.

To censor myself and continue to be scared is to give into this bully and his threats. How do you stop a bully? You stand up to them, she said.

So this is me, standing up, as a mother, an immigrant, and an Albertan. I will continue to voice my opinion. I will not be afraid to speak my mind.

Kiryakos said in a post accompanying the video that she decided to resign after conversations with other party members because she does not want to take away from the election of her fellow UCP candidates.

UCP Leader Jason Kenney said Monday he appreciates her decision to step aside and put the party ahead of her own interests.

I thank her for that selfless decision. Ive always been clear that the United Conservative Party is a big-tent coalition that respects human dignity and will protect the rights of people regardless of how they pray or who they love.

Last week, Calgary-Mountain View candidate Caylan Ford resigned after Facebook messages she sent promoting racist white supremacist talking points were made public.

Fords replacement, pastor Jeremy Wong, came under fire for saying in a sermon that wives should submit to their husbands, and for his ties to a group that practices a variation of conversion therapy.

Read more:

UCP candidate and pastor slammed for sermon comment that wives should submit to their husbands

Calgary UCP candidate resigns after comments about white nationalism surface online

Week 1 on the Alberta campaign trail: Candidate controversies, killing the carbon tax and pipelines, pipelines, pipelines

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Sellbyville, Delaware, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Middle East and Africa concentrated solar power market will witness growth on account of extensive investments to suffice the stagnation in the Spain solar industry and reluctance in the North America CSP industry. Established players are focusing more toward the development of new alliances with the regional players to expand their market penetration. Countries including China, South Africa, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco continue to encourage the local content requirement across the regional CSP programs.

Global Concentrated Solar Power Market is expected to cross USD 4 Billion by 2025, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc. CSP market is set to witness growth on account of growing adoption of renewable energy driven by favorable governments initiatives. For instance, in 2017 National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) of China has drafted a policy to increase the 2030 renewable energy target from 20% to 35%. Furthermore, stringent carbon emission standards along with growing effects of global warming will drive the technological deployment.

Growing electricity demand along with increasing investments toward the enhancement of efficiency index will positively influence the concentrated solar power market growth. As per the Australian Energy Council, global electricity demand will surpass 40,000 TWh by 2030 witnessing a growth of over 30% from 2017 level. Additionally, growing need for decentralized electricity production at remote locations will further fuel the product demand.

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Reduction in Levelized Cost Of Electricity (LCOE) driven primarily by reverse auction of projects and reduced O&M costs will stimulate the market growth across the forecast timeframe. According to IRENA, the LCOE of CSP projects are anticipated to fall in range of USD 0.06 to 0.10 per kWh by 2020. However, high capital cost as compared to solar photovoltaic project of comparable capacity have been diverting the investors toward a cheaper alternative.

Browse key industry insights spread across 265 pages with 441 market data tables & 35 figures & charts from the report. Concentrated Solar Power Market Size, By Technology (Parabolic Trough, Linear Fresnel Reflector, Power Tower),By Capacity (50 MW, >50100 MW, >100 MW), By Storage(With Storage {Molten Salt, Others}, Without Storage), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Spain, Greece, China, India, Australia, Israel, UAE, Kuwait, Morocco, South Africa, Chile, and Brazil), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2019  2025 in detail along with the table of contents:

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Growing adoption of high efficiency systems along with favorable government policies will boost the power tower CSP market size. The technology will further witness growth on account of its higher working temperature, lower thermal losses and less energy transfer steps as compared to other available alternatives. In addition, shifting trends toward thermal energy storage systems coupled with its better compatibility with power tower systems will boost the technology deployment.

Relatively lower specific cost characterized by economies of scale along with growing demand for electricity will drive the >100 MW concentrated solar power market size in the forecast timeframe. As per the statistics stated by International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), cost of a 100 MW CSP project is nearly 12% lower than that of a 50 MW project employing the same technology. Moreover, larger reflecting area associated to larger project provide higher operating temperatures implying to better overall efficiency of the plant.

Notable industry participants across the concentrated solar power market include Acciona, Abengoa Solar, GE Renewable Energy, Enel Green Power, TSK Flagsol, Suntrace, BrightSource, Atlantica Yield, Shams Power, CSP Services, SolarReserve, ACWA, Chiyoda Corporation and Therminol amongst others.

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About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.
A woman who escaped violence and human trafficking, and helped shelter former CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong, has arrived in Canada with her daughter after being granted refugee status.

Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter Keana arrived in Toronto on Monday before travelling to Montreal, where they will settle in an apartment provided to them by a non-profit group that filed her 2016 asylum application.

Rodel said as soon as the plane lifted off, she felt as though she could relax and begin to think of her new life in Canada.

I feel so great and I feel like Im free, she said after arriving at Torontos Pearson International Airport.

Her lawyer, Robert Tibbo, said Rodels arrival in Canada is the first victory in a saga that began in 2013. Rodel was part of a group that became known as Snowdens Guardian Angels. They helped the fugitive at Tibbos request in 2013, when the whistleblower fled the United States to Hong Kong after leaking classified information about the U.S. National Security Administration.

Five other people in the Angels group represented by Tibbo  three adults and two children  remain in Hong Kong. They fled Sri Lanka years ago, and their applications for asylum in Hong Kong have been rejected.

Rodel said she her thoughts are with those who remain in Hong Kong who also helped Snowden.

Im happy, but Im also sad because they are still left behind, she said. They are still stuck for many years in Hong Kong. They have so many troubles in their lives. ... Im hoping they also can come to Canada and (have) a better life.

Tibbo urged the federal government to intercede and bring the remaining refugees to Canada.

We are, though, very concerned that the other families have been left behind and we would like to see Mr. Trudeau and his government take necessary steps to decide the cases now, he said.

Snowdens leaks revealed to the world the global reach of the vast surveillance network of the U.S. and its allies. Snowden, who is still represented by Tibbo, is now in Moscow and is wanted in the United States on charges related to the leaks. The seven Angels gained notoriety in 2016 when their existence was revealed in Oliver Stones film Snowden, and Tibbo said they have since faced political persecution in Hong Kong.

Tibbo, originally from Montreal, and three Montreal-based lawyers set up a group to raise money for his clients who helped shelter the political fugitive. They filed asylum applications on their behalf, and collected about $350,000 for their expenses in Hong Kong and in Canada, should they all arrive in the city as privately sponsored refugees.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland was asked about the case Monday in Washington, where she was meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

For the private refugees, its a quasi-judicial process  its not a political process, Freeland said. And we cant comment on personal cases.

Tibbo said Rodel and her daughters asylum applications were clear cut.

There really wasnt a debate there, he said. And for the other families, all I can say is that their cases arent decided yet.

Tibbo said Rodel fled gender-based persecution and human trafficking in the Philippines before she fled to Hong Kong. She and her daughter were accepted by Canada as refugees in January 2019. Her legal team kept their status secret until Monday.

We wanted to make sure the wheels of the plane lifted off the ground, Tibbo said.

The other asylum seekers are a couple from Sri Lanka named Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Paththini, and their two young children. The fifth is Ajit Kumara, a Sri Lankan soldier who deserted the military.

Aside from the individual reasons they fled Sri Lanka and the Philippines, Tibbo said all of the so-called angels have a separate refugee claim based on political opinion, stemming from their association and their assistance to Mr. Snowden in 2013.

Snowden tweeted about Rodel and her daughter on Monday.

Thank you to all those in Canada and around the world who have made this possible, he wrote in French. After so many years, the first of the families who helped me is free and has a future. But the work is not over  with solidarity and compassion, Canada can save them all.

Tibbo said Snowden was charged with three counts of theft of data under the U.S. Espionage Act.

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A northern Ontario childrens aid society says it has fired its lawyer and apologized over a statement he made in court documents arguing a 14-year-old girl is not a child but a sexually mature young woman.

As first reported online by the Star on Sunday, Toronto lawyer Gary McCallum made the statement in a July 2018 affidavit as part of an ongoing court case in which a woman is suing Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services.

The woman alleges she was sexually abused as a child by her foster father while under the care of the agencys predecessor organization. In responding to an affidavit from the womans lawyer, McCallum stated in his affidavit:

A fourteen or fifteen girl (sic) is a sexually mature young woman. Not a child, as the term is generally understood.

Kenora CFS executive director Bill Leonard said in a Monday news release he had met with the agencys board of directors earlier in the day and that McCallum had been fired.

This statement is appalling and intolerable, and I agree with comments reported regarding the abhorrent nature of this statement, Leonard said in the news release.

The language was stronger than Leonards original response to the Star last week, in which he said McCallum was inaccurate. The news release also highlighted that Ontarios Child and Family Services Act, which governs childrens aid societies, makes clear that anyone under 18 years old is a child.

Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services takes the protection of all children very seriously. Mr. McCallums statement undermines this commitment and is in no way reflective of our practice, knowledge or belief. His services have been terminated effective today.

McCallum declined to comment to the Star on Monday, other than to say I will not be making any statements on matters that are currently being litigated and I will not be making any statements inconsistent with those of my former client.

McCallums statement in his affidavit was described to the Star by other lawyers and a professor of social work as offensive, shocking, and appalling  doubly so because it was made by the lawyer for the very agency charged with protecting the most vulnerable children.

This is outrageous, said Melissa Redmond, assistant professor of social work at Carleton University. You represent the organization that is responsible for protecting children in this community, protecting children from exactly the sorts of horrific circumstances that this child found herself in.

Children, Community and Social Services Minister Lisa MacLeod said in a statement Monday she was disgusted by McCallums comment.

I want to be clear that this is not my view, it is not the view of the Ontario PC Party, and our government certainly does not share the view expressed by the legal counsel for the Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services, she said.

I instructed my deputy minister to communicate this to the Kenora (childrens aid society) two days ago to ensure our governments values of respect for women and girls are upheld by Ontarios child welfare system. As such it is my understanding this lawyer is no longer on the case.

The statement by McCallum first appears in a July 2018 affidavit in which he responds to an affidavit of the plaintiffs lawyer, Simona Jellinek, which McCallum said is rife with errors, imprecisions, and misrepresentations. (Jellinek declined to comment to the Star.)

She states that the alleged assaults took place while the plaintiff was in childhood, McCallum states in his affidavit before arguing a girl of 14 or 15  the plaintiffs age at the time of the alleged abuse  is a sexually mature young woman and not a child.

As other lawyers have pointed out, McCallums position  which has been in the public record for about eight months since the affidavit was sworn in July 2018  was effectively the agencys position, as he had been acting for it in court.

Hes speaking on behalf of a childrens aid society, said lawyer Loretta Merritt, whose practice is almost exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs in civil cases involving sexual abuse. She added it is deeply concerning that a childrens aid society would ever take that view.

Reacting to McCallums firing, Merritt said she hopes the Kenora agency hires a lawyer with experience defending historical childhood sexual abuse claims.

Of course the (childrens aid society) has a right to defend such lawsuits but hopefully they will hire a lawyer who will not engage in procedural tactics that are inconsistent with moving the case forward and will conduct themselves in a way that promotes a timely resolution of the case and does not re-victimize the plaintiff, she said.

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Kenora CFS intially refused to say when it became aware of McCallums statement. On Monday, Leonard said the first time he saw the July 2018 affidavit was when the Star sent it to him last week for comment.

Clearly I need to do some work back tracking to find out how that happened so I cant comment further on it, he said in an email.

Its disappointing if Kenora CFS didnt know back in July that their lawyer had made such a statement in court documents, said Allen Wynperle, president-elect of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, which represents lawyers acting for plaintiffs.

I would have hoped that they would be aware of the comments that their lawyer is making, and certainly if they werent, thats a problem and a concern, he said.
HALIFAX  Nova Scotia is trying to maintain a level of decorum when it comes to custom licence plates, saying personal monikers like WARPIG and SMRTASS wont pass muster.

Also rejected were phrases like DAWIFE, DTHCRUZ and HOTNAN after they were deemed by Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal to be offensive or in poor taste.

The expressions were some of the dozens of custom plates panned by the department for being generally unacceptable or, as with IPA, KANABIS or RUMRUNR, referencing drugs or alcohol.

The tags  107 in total  are in a data set released to Global News under the provinces Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and cover a period between March 24, 2017, to January 30, 2019.

More innocuous sounding phrases like H82LUZ, RARN2GO and GMEATER were also rejected because they related to racing or speeding.

Plates such as DR NURS and TUTH DR were also given the boot for implying official authority.

The debate about the propriety of licence plate phrases gained national attention when a Nova Scotia retiree challenged the provincial government.

The registrar of motor vehicles refused to renew Lorne Grabhers eponymous licence plate in 2016 after it said someone complained that it was hateful towards women and promoting violence against women.

Nova Scotia officials agreed, finding the plate to be a socially unacceptable slogan, despite Grabhers claim that it was a gift for his late father and expressed pride in the familys Austrian-German heritage.

The judicial review of the Grabher licence plate is due back in court on April 23.

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REGINAA Saskatchewan man has been sentenced to prison with no chance at parole for 15 years for murdering his girlfriend in her home during an argument.

A jury convicted Duran Redwood in a Regina court last month of second-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence, but parole eligibility varies from 10 to 25 years.

The Crown, calling it a matter of public protection, had been asking for parole to be on the higher end due to Redwoods history of assault charges prior to the murder.

The defence argued for parole eligibility closer to 10 years because of Redwoods upbringing in a toxic family dynamic and the impacts of colonization on his family.

Redwood claimed responsibility and apologized for his actions when he addressed Celeste Yawneys family before he was sentenced.

Yawney was found dead in her home in May 2015 from blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen after a fight with Redwood.

We miss her smile, her laugh ... We will never stop missing her here on Earth, Janine Pereira, Yawneys sister, said in her victim impact statement Monday.

Redwood had pleaded not guilty to murder and was looking instead for a manslaughter conviction. The defence argued that because he was extremely drunk the night he and Yawney argued, he couldnt have formed the intent to kill her  something thats necessary for a murder conviction.

Redwood testified he couldnt remember the events surrounding his girlfriends death.

His lawyer noted that his client acknowledged his role and didnt attempt to flee from or clean up the scene, nor did he change his blood-stained pants before going to the police station.

The prosecution presented text messages Yawney sent to Redwood that appeared to indicate she was trying to end their relationship. The Crown said thats why Redwood went over to her place, forcefully entered the house and beat her to death.

The prosecutor told the jury it didnt matter what Redwood did or didnt remember, because a drunken intention is still an intention.
A man with serious injuries took himself to the hospital after a shooting in Liberty Village Sunday evening, Toronto police say.

Shortly before 6 p.m., police were called to the area of Dufferin St. and Liberty St. for the sound of multiple gunshots.

A 21-year-old man was sitting in a car when he was approached by a man he didnt know, police said in a news release Monday. The man allegedly pulled out a gun and shot at the 21-year-old.

A man was seen running to the front of (a) building and there was some commotion in a parking lot, Toronto police Const. David Hopkinson said.

Police were told that a vehicle was seen fleeing the area, striking other cars before it left the scene, he said.

Police found shell casings and evidence of gunfire at the scene. While they were investigating the evidence in the parking lot, the victim arrived at a nearby hospital suffering from a gunshot wound, Hopkinson said.

His injuries are considered serious, but non-life-threatening, police confirm. They said he was shot once and his car was hit four times.

The suspect fled in an unknown direction, possibly in a vehicle. Hopkinson said police do not know yet if the vehicle that fled was driven by the suspect, but investigators are looking to identify a small maroon or dark burgundy sedan and anyone who was inside it at the time.

Information on a suspect is not yet available.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-1400 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

With files from Claire Floody
A defence lawyer is asking a Toronto jury to acquit his client of a double murder arguing Harris Nnane had no reason to fatally shoot two people in a busy LCBO parking lot almost three years ago.

Why would Mr. Nnane commit this brazen, savage actwith no motive, Dirk Derstine said Monday during his closing address.

On April 29, 2016, Joseph Anzolona and Cynthia Mullapudi died after being shot while in the back of a Honda Pilot SUV parked outside the LCBO at Victoria Park Ave. and Ellesmere Rd.

Nnane has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.

The prosecutions theory is that Nnane and his friend, Alexander Fountain, entered the LCBO around 9:40 p.m., saw Anzolona, and made a beeline to him to get a closer look. About a minute later, Nnane left the store to retrieve a gun from the car from which we know the killer emerged, Crown attorney Rob Fried said Monday.

He agreed the prosecution has not established any pre-existing animosity.

But Fried, in his closing arguments, said Anzolona sensed danger and while standing in the window, by the cash, unexpectedly called his friend who was sitting in the car on the other side of the window.

Fried told jurors Anzolona correctly foresaw danger and was giving his friend a heads up, hejust didnt live to tell you about it.

Within moments of leaving the store Anzolona, 26, and Mullapudi, 24, were shot at close range, by someone who emerged from a Ford Fusion owned by Nnanes girlfriend, Julianna Talevski. Talevski was caught in several lies during testimony and claims she has no idea where her car is to this day, (and) never made any efforts to find it, Fried told the jury.

Derstine suggested Nnane would be in no rush to leave a government-run liquor store to commit a homicide when he would have known his image would have been captured by multiple interior surveillance cameras.

And the defence lawyer argued the Crown had distorted the significance of video surveillance footage inside the liquor outlet, showing Anzolona turning away as Nnane and Fountain approached him.

This is supposed to be the moment, the big shock of recognition, theyre going to sayMr. Nnane saw Mr. Anzolona, and conceived in his mind a plan to kill him immediately, Derstine said.

Do you see anything like that there? You see any shock or recognition?

Derstine suggested someone other than Nnane, whom he insisted was driving the Fusion, emerged from the car and shot the pair. Fountain has never been located by police. (Fried told jurors to discount him as the shooter because he was leaving the LCBO just as the gunman stepped out of the Fusion.)

In contrast to the interior surveillance images, the exterior footage is grainy and dark so jurors must decide which version they believe.

What are the odds that in light of the accuseds conduct in the store, and precipitous return to his car, that one of the other three people in that car matching his description decided to shoot Joseph that night? Fried stated.

Coincidence upon coincidence upon coincidence is not coincidence, its murder.

The trial, which was supposed to last three to four weeks, has stretched into seven. The jury is expected to begin deliberations Tuesday after Superior Court Justice Kelly Byrne finishes her legal instructions.
As serial killer Bruce McArthur pressed down on his throat, the man now suddenly fighting for his life had one thought: I gotta get out of this van  its all Im thinking.

Shocked and confused, his heart racing, the man struggled underneath McArthur as the now-convicted killer pinned him with his body weight, one arm pushing firmly and steadily into his neck, another pressing the mans arm down. After what felt like an eternity, unable to breathe and seeing black spots, the man was able to turn himself over and, with every last ounce of energy, push McArthur off.

I remember that first breath of air, he said.

Speaking publicly for the first time in an emotional interview, the man who escaped McArthurs grasp in June 2016 told the Star he believed he was going to die on that sunny evening, with cars whizzing past on Bathurst St. and pedestrians walking by, unable to see into the dark windows of McArthurs red Dodge Caravan.

The night nearly turned deadly just minutes into what was supposed to be a coffee and meal at a Tim Hortons at Bathurst and Finch Ave., he said.

The Star is not identifying the man because he is a victim of sexual assault and because he is not public about his sexual orientation.

McArthur, convicted of eight counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of men spanning from 2010 to 2017, has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Someone just tried to strangle me, he tells the 911 dispatcher, his voice sounding weak in an audio recording of a call captured by the mans in-car camera system and played for the Star.

After the dispatcher asks him to tell her what happened, he repeats: Someone just tried to strangle me to death.

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A timeline of the Toronto police investigation into Bruce McArthur and the Gay Village serial killing

Toronto officer failed to videotape interview with alleged McArthur choking victim in 2016, sources say

More details of Bruce McArthur investigation revealed in newly unsealed court document

In the mans front-mounted in-car camera video, McArthurs red van can be seen driving quickly away from the public parking lot at Bathurst and Finch, at one point travelling into oncoming traffic before switching lanes and heading southbound. Angry, the man briefly attempted to chase after McArthur with his own vehicle before pulling off to the side of the road at the urging of the 911 dispatcher, the man said.

The mans call summoned both ambulance and police, who he says took his statement within a few minutes. McArthur later went to a police station on his own, where he was arrested for assault but released with no charges.

According to police affidavits filed in court, McArthur told investigators that he met the man for a hookup and that he thought the man had wanted it rough.

The investigating officer, Det. (Paul) Gauthier, indicated that McArthur appeared genuine and credible in his recall of the incident. It was determined that there were no grounds to lay charges and McArthur was released unconditionally, the document states.

McArthur went on to kill two more men, Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman, before he was arrested in January 2018.

Gauthier is currently facing two counts of professional misconduct in connection to the 2016 incident, including that he allegedly failed to videotape the statement from the man  a verbatim written statement was taken  and did not photograph the victims injuries within 72 hours.

Through his lawyer and in a letter written to his colleagues and obtained by the Star, Gauthier denies any wrongdoing, saying a proper investigation was conducted.

The man says he wasnt surprised police didnt lay charges in the case, saying he knew it was always going to be his word against McArthurs. How am I going to prove it? he thought. I cant prove anything.

The intention was to ensure that McArthur didnt contact him again. He remembers telling police: Tell Bruce to stay away from me. Ill kill him.

The man says he met McArthur online around 2011, on a dating site, and the two got together periodically to hook up. McArthur struck him as very nice and accommodating.

Once, the man said, McArthur took him to a home he was house-sitting, made him dinner and asked him to put on a fur coat so he could take pictures of him. The man thought it was weird and didnt want to do it, but eventually obliged.

During McArthurs sentencing hearing, court heard police later found a folder of photographs of the man on McArthurs electronic device, some showing him wearing the coat. Court documents state this is the fur coat that is identical to the one with which McArthur had posed on some of his victims after they were dead.

The fur coat was spread out on the floor of McArthurs van on the evening of June 20, 2016, laying flat in the area where McArthur had removed seats. The man said he initially believed McArthur doesnt want me to get dirty.

The meeting had come at McArthurs insistence. According to the man, McArthur didnt contact him by cellphone, instead calling him from a pay phone. He would sometimes drop by his home unannounced, and in the lead-up to the June incident had twice come by his workplace, leaving a note tucked under the mans windshield.

On the day in question, McArthur had been waiting outside the mans apartment, stopped in his buildings parking lot. The man said he was annoyed, but agreed to meet McArthur in a short time, asking for time to go inside and shower.

When the two met in the parking lot of the Tim Hortons at Bathurst and Finch, McArthur quickly wanted to get inside the van, the man said. The van was parked on the edge of the parking lot, facing houses and directly next to the sidewalk. The location wasnt secluded, far from it, but the man says the windows were dark and it would have been difficult to see in.

He was insistent on it  insistent, the man said of McArthur wanting to get into the van.

The men got in and lay down, and McArthur asked the man to lie with his arm behind his back. Then suddenly, McArthur began pressing down on the mans neck, injuring him on contact. He wasnt able to swallow properly for days afterward.

The man was confused, and quickly knew by looking at his eyes that McArthur was trying to kill him  I thought I was finished, he said.

The look of anger and determination, like he was looking at a piece of garbage, like he was going to try to kill an animal  he had that look. I remember looking up in his eyes for a couple of seconds and I thought, This guy isnt joking around.

The man says he began twisting with all his strength, realizing he could feel his eyes bulging out of his head.

My right arm is completely trapped under his body. Hes got his legs over mine. Im a small guy compared to him. He had me pinned good, he said.

The mans mind went to his mother.

I thought, shes not going to bury me, he said.

Once he was finally able to push himself away from McArthur, the man says he was still consumed by fear but angry, too. Having escaped his grasp, he says he was filled with desire to try to kill McArthur, but instead got out of the van, saying McArthur was lucky.

The man says he then told McArthur he was going to call police and McArthur would get arrested. Though the man isnt sure how long he was in the van, the time stamp on his in-car camera says he was out, and then back in, within nine minutes.

The man says he didnt hear anything further about his report and was never in contact with McArthur again. It wasnt until he was driving on Hwy. 401 on Jan. 18, 2018  the day McArthur was arrested  that he heard on the radio that a landscaper named Bruce had been arrested and charged with murder.

The man said he was surprised, yet wasnt. And he quickly realized police would be in touch with him; he did an interview with investigators within a few days.

The man says he often thinks about the victims who werent able to escape McArthur  I feel bad for those other guys. I really do.

Despite knowing McArthur is locked away in prison, the man says he remains haunted. His heart races every time he thinks about the killer and he feels fearful when he sees red Caravans.

The day after, and every day pretty much, Id look in my driveway and see if he was there. Every day. Even after he was arrested.
A warrant was issued Monday for the arrest of a massage therapist convicted of sexual assault earlier this year after he failed to attend his sentencing hearing because he was out of the country.

Jasil Rahman Puniyanikodans lawyer Donna Pledge told the court her client had told her by email that he was in India and that he did not know when he would be returning to Toronto.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Max told the court that the officer in charge of the case had tried unsuccessfully to find Puniyanikodan. She was told by a neighbour that Puniyanikodan, 38, had gone away with his family and wasnt sure when hed be back.

Puniyanikodan was convicted of sexual assault for massaging the breasts and nipples of an 18-year-old university student for five minutes without her consent at the end of an hour-long massage, Ontario Court Justice John Moore said in his decision from January.

The woman had gone for a massage in October 2017 because of soreness in her neck and shoulders.

Puniyanikodan, a registered massage therapist, denied massaging the womans breasts at all.

Moore rejected that account. She is telling the truth. He is lying, the judge said in his decision. I accept her testimony 100 per cent.

When the sexual assault occurred, the woman testified she felt an anxiety-induced paralysis shed never experienced before.

In my body it felt like there was heat running through my veins, she told the court. She said she tried to convince herself in the moment that this was part of the massage practice at a place shed never gone to before. I was just, really an equal mix confused and really scared, she said.

The conviction came after Puniyanikodan was found not guilty of sexual assault in a similar incident from February 2015. A 38-year-old woman testified that, during a massage at an Aurora spa, Puniyanikodan touched and squeezed her breasts, placed his hands over her vagina basically pushing right inside and massaged her buttocks in a way that brought his thumb within an inch of her anus.

Puniyanikodan testified that no inappropriate touching took place during the massage.

In that case, Ontario Court Justice Peter Tetley found that, while it may well be that the complainant was sexually assaulted in the way she described, Puniyanikodans testimony raised a reasonable doubt.

After he was acquitted, Puniyanikodan said he had lost two years of his life.

Its hard to work to feed your family when women are between 70 and 80 per cent of those who get massages, he told yorkregion.com.

Puniyanikodan was investigated by the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario at the time, according to spokesperson Angie Brennand. The college did not conclude its investigation until the criminal matter was completed, she said. She did not say what the conclusion of the colleges investigation was but noted Puniyanikodan had been acquitted of the criminal charge.

The only reference to the February 2015 incident on the colleges website is a referral dated Sept. 6, 2018 that states he is now facing professional misconduct charges over the allegations. No hearing date is listed and, according to the website, no findings have been made.

His licence was suspended in December 2017 as a result of his second charge  the October 2017 sexual assault, Brennand said. The power to issue an interim license suspension prior to the end of an investigation only became available to the College in 2017, as a result of the Protection Patients Act. The investigation can continue in his absence, Brennand said.

Puniyanikodans bail conditions are listed on the college website, which states he became a licensed massage therapist in 2014.

At the Monday court appearance, the Crown said he would be asking that Puniyanikodan be sentenced in absentia for his conviction in the 2017 sexual assault. The Crown will be seeking a sentence of 14 months in jail.

The victim had flown to Toronto in order to read her victim impact statement in person, the Crown said, however upon learning Puniyanikodan would not be present she chose not to attend court.

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Puniyanikodan was released on a $2,000 bail with his wife listed as a surety after his arrest in October 2017. He is a permanent resident in Canada, according to court documents, and was born in India. His bail conditions banned him from practising massage therapy on women but did not prohibit travel or require him to surrender his passport. His bail was not revoked after his conviction, which is common practice.

His lawyer said he told her that he was in India for health reasons brought on by the stress of his conviction but provided no information about hospitalization or any other reason that prevented him from attending court Monday.

Justice Moore observed that it seemed unlikely that he would be returning.

The sentencing hearing was adjourned until May 29 for Puniyanikodans lawyer to inform him, obtain instructions, and prepare for a sentencing hearing in absentia.

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CARACAS, Venezuela - Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this weekend as part of ongoing military co-operation between the two allies, a Venezuelan official said Sunday.

Russian military officials are visiting to discuss equipment maintenance and training, and strategy, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

In December, Russia sent two Tu-160 strategic bombers to Venezuela for several days in a demonstration of support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has rejected demands from the United States and dozens of other countries that he resign.

Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site, showed the flight path Saturday of what it listed as a Russian air force plane, apparently headed to Caracas while flying across the Caribbean. The Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet had flown from Moscow via Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar Assad.

Javier Mayorca, a Venezuelan journalist, tweeted that a Russian cargo plane with military equipment also arrived in Caracas on Saturday.

The reports could not be independently confirmed. Associated Press journalists on Sunday went to Venezuelas main airport, just outside Caracas, but did not see Russian planes.

In January, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president, saying Maduros re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges that Guaido is a collaborator in a U.S.-directed plot to overthrow him.

Last week, U.S. and Russian officials met in Rome to discuss Venezuela, but remained split on how to resolve the crisis.

Russia says it is concerned that the U.S. is considering military intervention in Venezuela. The U.S. says it is focusing on economic and diplomatic efforts to oust Maduro, though President Donald Trump has said all options are on the table.
CARACAS, Venezuela - A new power outage spread across much of Venezuela on Monday, knocking communications offline and stirring fears of a repeat of the chaos almost two weeks ago during the nations largest-ever blackout.

The outage began shortly after 1 p.m. (1700 GMT) and appeared to have affected as many as 16 of Venezuelas 23 states, according to reports on social media. Officials declared that power had been fully restored by early evening, but hours later the lights went out again in much of the country.

As with the previous outage, the government of President Nicolas Maduro sought to blame U.S.-backed opponents, accusing them of sabotaging the Guri dam, source of the bulk of Venezuelas electricity.

A macabre, perverse plan constructed in Washington and executed with factions of the extreme Venezuelan right, Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez declared on state television, describing it as an electromagnetic assault.

Officials said the attack had been controlled, but their assurances, similar to ones the last time around, did little to calm the anger of residents in Caracas who filled traffic-clogged streets as they walked home after subway service in the capital was suspended. Their patience grew increasingly thin when a second outage struck late into the night, leaving neighbourhoods pitch black.

On social media, Venezuelans reported outages in Caracas and much of western Venezuela. Some said residents were banging pots and pans in the darkness in a sign of the nations mounting tensions. The latest outages come as President Nicolas Maduro tries to keep his grip on power amid a revived opposition movement and punishing economic sanctions from the United States.

Twenty-seven-year-old restaurant manager Lilian Hernandez said she was bracing for the worst.

We Venezuelans suffer all kinds of problems, said Hernandez, who had just recently managed to restock food that spoiled during the previous outage.

Netblocks, a non-government group based in Europe that monitors internet censorship, said the early afternoon outage had knocked offline around 57 per cent of Venezuelas telecommunications infrastructure. The second failure left nearly 90 per cent of the country offline, the organization said.

The Trump administration, which has made no secret of its desire to remove Maduro, has denied any role in the outages. Electricity experts and opposition leader Juan Guaido fault years of government graft and incompetence.

This outage is evidence that the dictator is incapable of resolving the crisis, Guaido wrote on Twitter Monday.

Meanwhile, as Venezuelas economic and political crisis deepens, many seem resigned to continuous disruptions in their daily routines.

The important thing is for people not to get desperate, said William Rodriguez, who sells books at a kiosk under a downtown highway overpass.

Also Monday, the rift between Russia and the United States over how to resolve the crisis in Venezuela widened following the arrival of Russian military personnel to support Maduro.

In a telephone call, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela, the State Department said. Pompeo said the continued insertion of Russian military personnel in Venezuela could prolong the countrys problems and urged Russia to cease its unconstructive behaviour.

Lavrov countered during the call that Washingtons attempts to organize a coup in Venezuela and the threats directed against its legitimate government represent a violation of the U.N Charter and blunt interference into internal affairs of a sovereign nation, according to the Russian foreign ministry.

Pompeos call to Lavrov came after a Venezuelan official said Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this past weekend as part of ongoing military co-operation. Reports that two Russian air force planes arrived could not be independently confirmed.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries support Guaido, who says Maduros re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges the U.S. and Guaido are plotting a coup.
ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG) (OTCQB: KRKNF) (Kraken or the Company) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems Inc., has been awarded a contract valued at $1 million with the Government of Canada for the ThunderFish 300 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). Krakens ThunderFish 300 was initially pre-qualified in April 2018 under the Canadian governments Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP). Kraken expects to deliver the ThunderFish 300 to its test partner, Defense Research and Development Canada (DRDC), in Halifax in Q2 2019.



Karl Kenny, Krakens President and CEO said, We are very pleased to be contracted to deliver our ThunderFish AUV to DRDC. This represents a pre-commercial R&D sale of ThunderFish. We are continuing development of the ThunderFish AUV platform to bring additional features to the market including the integration of our Multispectral SAS and 3D laser scanner sensors.



The ThunderFish AUV is an innovative marine robot designed for ultra high-resolution seabed imaging and mapping applications. It can be used for a wide range of oceanographic and military tasks including underwater surveys, environmental monitoring, habitat mapping, marine archaeology, inspection of submerged structures, searching for downed aircraft and naval mine countermeasures. ThunderFish carries an array of sensors and custom payload modules, including Krakens AquaPix Synthetic Aperture Sonar. The platform can be configured to operate at depths up to 6,000m and is ideal for monitoring or surveillance tasks where cost efficiency, ease of deployment and operational simplicity matters. Its modular design allows for rapid sensor reconfiguration and battery replacement.



ABOUT KRAKEN ROBOTICS INC.

Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX.V:PNG) (OTCQB: KRKNF) is a marine technology company that is dedicated to the production and sale of software-centric sensors and underwater robotic systems. The company is headquartered in St. Johns, Newfoundland with offices in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia; Toronto, Ontario; Bremen and Rostock, Germany; and Boston, Massachusetts. Kraken is ranked as a Top 100 marine technology company by Marine Technology Reporter. For more information, please visit www.krakenrobotics.com, www.krakenrobotik.de, www.krakenpower.de. Find us on social media on Twitter (@krakenrobotics), Facebook (@krakenroboticsinc) and LinkedIn.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, business objectives, expected growth, results of operations, performance, business projects and opportunities and financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in the Company's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this news release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provide (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, and the OTCQB has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:



Greg Reid, Chief Financial Officer

(416) 818-9822

greid@krakenrobotics.com

Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations

(647) 955-1274

sean@sophiccapital.com

Glenda Leyte, Marketing Manager

(709) 757-5757 extension 288

gleyte@krakenrobotics.com
KABUL - A devastating Taliban attack over the weekend on an Afghan army outpost in southern Helmand province killed 26 soldiers and seven policemen, a provincial official said Monday  casualties the countrys defence ministry has refused to disclose.

Separately, the United Nations said Monday that a NATO airstrike over the weekend in northern Kunduz province killed 13 civilians, including 10 children.

NATO did not comment on the strike and it was not immediately clear if it was related to fighting Friday on the outskirts of the city of Kunduz, the provincial capital, in which two U.S. soldiers were killed.

The attacks  and the fact they were not reported by the embattled Afghan government  underscore the challenges in efforts to resolve Afghanistans 17-year war, Americas longest. The Taliban stage near-daily attacks on Afghan forces, inflicting staggering casualties, even as they hold peace talks with the United States.

According to Helmand council chief, Attahullah Afghan, the attack on the army outpost took place in Sangin district on Friday. Along with 33 fatalities, he told The Associated Press at least 31 soldiers were wounded.

The Taliban claimed the attack a day later but the government remained silent. On Monday, Afghan military spokesman Nawab Shah said only that government jets had aided the besieged troops and eventually sent reinforcements to Helmand, an old Taliban heartland. He refused to discuss casualties.

A second Taliban attack in Helmand targeted a public ceremony on Saturday in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, killing at least four people, including a provincial official, said Omar Zwak, spokesman for the Helmand governor. Yet another attack in Helmand, this one on Sunday, killed five policemen, said Zwak.

Following the airstrike in northern Kunduz province, residents of the area held a protest, carrying several of the bodies. The airstrike was apparently in support of Afghan troops battling the Taliban, the U.N. statement said.

Earlier this month, Washingtons special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban held a 13-day round of peace talks in Qatar, where the Taliban have an office. The next round of talks is expected within the coming weeks.

The talks have sidelined Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis government. Also, Khalilzad has been pressing the Taliban to declare a cease-fire, something the insurgents have refused to do.

Also Monday, a bomb went off outside a clinic in the eastern city of Jalalabad, wounding six people, all of them women and children, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial governor.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the Taliban and the Islamic State group are active in the area.
SRINAGAR, India - Indian police on Monday blamed rebels for the death of a 12-year-old boy who was held hostage during a clash in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir.

Police officer Rahul Malik said the boy was taken hostage by the insurgents and killed Friday in the northern town of Hajin during a search operation by government forces which also left two insurgents dead.

Rebels have been fighting for Kashmirs independence from India or its merger with neighbouring Pakistan since 1989. India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the region in its entirety.

Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said on Friday that security forces found the bodies of two insurgents and the boy after an exchange of gunfire that started in the area a day earlier.

Police officer Malik provided new details on Monday after a preliminary inquiry into Fridays clash.

He said the insurgents initially held two civilians as hostages. One of them, 60-year-old Abdul Hammed, managed to free himself, Malik said.

Another civilian, a 12-year-old boy, Aatif Mir, was kept hostage by the terrorists till the end and despite repeated requests by community members and police for his release, he was brutally killed by the terrorists and could not be rescued from the clutches of the terrorists, a police statement said.

The rebels then fired on the security forces, who engaged them after evacuating civilians in adjoining areas to safer places, the statement said. In the ensuing fighting, two rebels belonging to the banned group Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed, it said.

Khurram Parvez, a prominent Kashmiri human rights activist who heads the Coalition of Civil Society, condemned the killing of the young boy.

In a tweet, he said the boy was killed during the encounter at Hajin when the house in which militants were hiding was destroyed by armed forces.

The boy was held hostage by militants. Militants and armed forces are both responsible for this murder. Surely militants are accused of a horrible crime, he said.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the insurgents, a charge Islamabad denies. Pakistan says it provides only diplomatic and moral support to the rebels fighting Indian rule.

Tensions escalated last month after India launched an airstrike inside Pakistan, targeting militants blamed for a Feb. 14 suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 40 troops.

Pakistan retaliated and said it shot down two Indian planes and captured a pilot, who was later returned to India. However, India says it lost only one aircraft. International pressure helped prevent the situation from worsening.
BEIJING - China says New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit next week, in a possible easing of recent tensions.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced Monday that Ardern will be in China on Sunday and Monday, but gave no details about her itinerary.

Relations between China and New Zealand have been strained in recent months after New Zealands spy agency in November halted mobile phone company Spark from using Huawei equipment in its planned 5G upgrade.

Since taking office in 2017, Ardern has promised to make an official visit to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

New Zealand was shaken earlier this month by a deadly shooting spree on two mosques in Christchurch.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand - The Latest on the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand (all times local):

7 p.m.

The body of a 26-year-old Pakistani who was among 50 worshippers killed during attacks on mosques in New Zealand has arrived at an airport in the southern port city of Karachi.

Syed Areeb Ahmed was among nine Pakistanis who were killed on March 15 when a white supremacist shot people inside two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

On Monday, his sobbing father Syed Ayaz Ahmed, family members and government officials received his body.

Ahmed was an only son who had immigrated to New Zealand for work, according to his uncle Muhammad Muzaffar Khan.

Last week, Pakistan observed a day of mourning for the victims and honoured another Pakistani, Naeem Rashid, who died along with his son after trying to tackle the gunman.

___

3 p.m.

New Zealands prime minister has announced a top-level inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the massacre of 50 people in two Christchurch mosques.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the countrys highest form of investigation, a royal commission of inquiry, was appropriate for matters of the gravest public importance.

Her Cabinet had previously agreed on holding an inquiry, but had not decided what kind of investigation would be held.

She said the Cabinet agreed Monday a royal commission of inquiry will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack.

An Australian white supremacist has been charged with murder for the March 15 attacks.
BERLIN - An Austrian court has sentenced a dog owner to six months in prison after her Rottweiler mauled a toddler who died of his injuries weeks later.

Public broadcaster ORF reported Monday that the Vienna regional court convicted the 49-year-old defendant of serious negligent homicide.

Authorities determined the woman, who wasnt identified, was intoxicated during the attack. She testified shed had at most half a litre (17 ounces) of Prosecco.

The Rottweiler, which wasnt wearing a muzzle as required, attacked a 17-month-old boy walking with his grandparents, biting him on the head.

The court also gave the woman a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered her to pay 65,000 euros ($73,613) damages to the boys family.

The dog was taken to an animal shelter but later destroyed after attacking a keeper.
COPENHAGEN - Norwegian officials have opened an investigation into why a cruise ship carrying more than 1,370 people set sail along the countrys often wild western coast despite storm warnings, forcing a major evacuation by helicopter.

One person is in critical but stable condition in an intensive care ward, hospital officials said, adding that eight others were still hospitalized after the weekend ordeal.

The Viking Sky had left the northern city of Tromsoe and was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems and issued a mayday call on Saturday afternoon.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Norwegian authorities then launched a daring rescue operation despite the high winds, eventually winching 479 passengers off the ship by helicopter in an operation that went on for hours Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

Dag S. Liseth of Norways Accident Investigations Board said the high risk which the ship, its passengers and crew were exposed to made us decide to investigate the incident.

After about half of the ships passengers were taken off, the captain made the decision mid-day Sunday to halt the evacuation. About 900 people were still on board when the ship limped into the port city of Molde on its own engines.

Viking Ocean Cruises said Monday it had begun an internal investigation .... to establish a complete and thorough understanding of what happened, and welcome the official investigations which they will fully support.

In the same statement, Viking Ocean Cruises chairman Torstein Hagen also said he would like to personally apologize for what our guests experienced.

Liseth said investigators were heading to Molde on Monday and declined to speculate why the Viking Sky captain had decided to sail to Stavanger in the first place despite the weather warning. He couldnt immediately say how long the cruise ship would remain in Molde.

Yngve Skovly, of the police force in Moere and Romsdal district, where Molde sits, said there is no suspicion of a criminal offence but police have opened an investigation to find out why the ship had engine problems. That probe would be part of the one by the Accident Investigations Board.

The Viking Sky is a relatively new ship, delivered in 2017 to operator Viking Ocean Cruises.

The ship was on a 12-day cruise along Norways coast before its scheduled arrival Tuesday in the British port of Tilbury, on the River Thames. The passengers were mostly an English-speaking mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens.

All the cruise ship passengers were expected to be flown out of Norway by Monday evening, police said.

Viking Skys next trip, to Scandinavia and Germany, which was to leave on Wednesday, has been cancelled but its owner said no other trip cancellations for the ship were foreseen yet.

___

This story has been corrected to use the spelling of Tromsoe, per AP style.
COPENHAGEN - Norwegian officials say they have found a ship buried in the ground west of Oslo, adding that it likely dates to the Viking era.

The ship was found by use of geo-radar, and archaeologists say they have no immediate plan to unearth it, but they will be using non-invasive methods to find out more about it.

Vestfold county spokesman Terje Gansum said Monday the ship burial  where a vessel is used as a container for the dead  was found in the Borre burial mounds, considered one of Norways most important cultural heritage sites

He said Viking-era ships are always at least 15 metres (50 feet) long.

The find is next to a museum promoting the local areas Viking heritage. The Viking era was approximately 793-1066.
PARIS - The Latest on Chinese President Xi Jinpings visit to France (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron says Chinas signature in Paris of a deal to buy 300 planes from Airbus is an excellent signal showing the strength and reliability of the relations between the two countries.

In a joint statement with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Elysee presidential palace, Macron said the discussions aimed at seeking a strong Euro-Chinese partnership, based on clear, strict and ambitious rules.

He added that France and China share views on the importance of the fight against climate change. Macron also said he raised concerns about the respect of fundamental human rights in China during frank exchanges.

Xi praised friendly and fruitful discussions with Macron. He said China attaches great importance to its relations with Europe.

___

7:25 p.m.

China has signed a deal to buy 300 aircraft from European plane maker Airbus during Chinese leaders Xi Jinping state visit to France.

A statement by the French Presidency says China Aviation Supplies Holding Company ordered 290 Airbus A320 and 10 Airbus A350. Further details and financial sums were not specified.

The global deal is estimated to be worth around $34 billion at list prices, although buyers often secure discounts.

Fifteen business deals on energy, the food industry, transport and other sectors were signed in the presence of Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday at the presidential palace in Paris, in addition to other bilateral agreements.

___

12:30 p.m.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a state visit in France where he is expected to sign a series of bilateral and economic deals on energy, the food industry, transport and other sectors.

Xi will be welcomed Monday by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris, before a meeting and a state dinner at the Elysee presidential palace.

The Chinese leader, who previously visited Italy and Monaco, arrived in France on Sunday evening where he had a private dinner with Macron in the resort town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera.

He will also meet in Paris on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Europe wants to increase trade with China but on European terms, especially amid U.S.-China trade tensions.
KIEV, Ukraine - Ukrainian authorities have denied entry to an Italian journalist, accusing him of an anti-Ukrainian bias.

Marc Innaro, a correspondent for the Italian RAI state television, has been barred from entering Ukraine when he arrived in the country to cover Sundays presidential vote.

Oleh Slobodyan, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Border Guards, said Monday that Innaro was refused entry because he frequently engaged in anti-Ukrainian rhetoric in his reports. Slobodyan also charged that Innaro had failed to get accredited with election authorities in advance.

The move follows Ukraines denial of entry to a journalist from Austrias national broadcaster ORF who was declared a threat to national security. Austria criticized the ban as an unacceptable act of censorship.
TERESIN, Poland - Not long ago, Andriy Lytvynenko was fighting Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. These days the Ukrainian war veteran drives a trolley up and down aisles of a supermarket warehouse in rural Poland and loads it with grocery items.

Unable to support his wife and three children as a driver at home in Ukraine, he recently left for the better pay offered in neighbouring Poland.

We fought in the war to make things better, but nothing has changed, the 36-year-old veteran, wearing a safety vest and helmet, said as he worked. Friends die and thats it. And everything remains the same.

As Ukrainians get ready for a presidential election on Sunday, millions have already voted with their feet to leave a nation mired in corruption and inequality, a nation where the separatist war in the east has dragged on for five years, killing 13,000 people and showing no signs of ending.

With Russia in control of Ukraines Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and backing separatists in eastern Ukraine, the government in Kyiv is unable to fulfil its aspirations of joining the European Union or NATO. Ordinary Ukrainians long for better wages but see them stuck at a monthly average of $350. Business owners crave transparent rules and predictability but often face being extorted for bribes by corrupt officials, an intractable problem in Ukraine.

Many Ukrainians who dream of a decent existence are seeking it elsewhere.

In a nation of 44 million people, about 5 million  more than one in 10 people  now work abroad, according to an estimate by the All-Ukrainian Association of Companies on International Employment.

The groups president, Vasyl Voskoboynyk, says the large-scale emigration is helping to release pressure in our boiling kettle by significantly lowering Ukraines jobless rate and injecting large sums of cash into the economy in the form of money sent home. Those remittances reached $11.6 billion last year and are expected to rise to $12.2 billion this year, nearly 12 per cent of Ukraines gross domestic product.

These are huge numbers, Voskoboynyk said. Its much more than what we get from the IMF (the International Monetary Fund) or from foreign investments.

For Ukraines government, that still isnt enough. It is considering a new law to tax the income earned abroad.

Many Ukrainians work abroad for only a few months at a time, returning home often due to legal restrictions in EU countries. That has created a back-and-forth work migration that leaves open the possibility that many could return home for good if economic conditions in Ukraine ever improve.

(But) sooner or later, if people see that there are no changes, we will lose them, Voskoboynyk said.

While workers going abroad have traditionally been in agriculture, construction or domestic jobs, a small but growing number are skilled specialists like doctors, nurses and computer specialists, threatening the former Soviet republic with a brain drain.

Dr. Oksana Lozova, head of the cardiology ward at Regional Childrens Hospital in Rivne, a city in western Ukraine, said a doctor in her hospital recently left for Poland but smaller cities are feeling the loss of doctors and nurses much more.

Experienced professionals are leaving and their places are filled with inexperienced young people, Lozova said.

Lozova was treating a 9-year-old girl for rheumatoid arthritis who had been brought 80 kilometres (50 miles) by her mother for treatment because there were no specialists nearer.

Ukraines economic stagnation was visible in the pale bricks that had fallen from hospitals facade, in the potholes in city roads, in the white zebra stripes almost totally washed away at pedestrian crossings.

Ukrainians have been drawn to Western European countries like Italy and Germany, but also to neighbouring ex-communist countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which years ago entered NATO and the EU, and have since seen corruption fall and their economies expand.

The country attracting the most Ukrainians has been Poland, population 38 million, where some 1.2 million Ukrainians now work, according to the central bank. There, average wages are about three times higher than in Ukraine, around $1,050, still low by Western standards but growing fast.

The Ukrainians are replacing some of the 2 million Poles who left for Western Europe, especially Britain, after Poland joined the EU in 2004. Those who chose Poland do so because of its geographic proximity, cultural and linguistic similarities that make integration nearly frictionless and a booming economy desperate for workers.

Poland is now the China of Europe, said Andrzej Korkus, the CEO of EWL, one of the work agencies that places Ukrainians in construction, warehouse and other jobs.

Of the 600 employees at the supermarket warehouse where Lytvynenko, the Ukrainian war veteran, works, 43 per cent are Ukrainians. Manager Marcin Szczepanski said so few Poles are willing to work in warehouses now that the business could not function without the Ukrainians.

Poland has also seen a huge surge in recent years in the number of Ukrainian university students, some of whom say they are better off paying tuition in Poland than the bribes required at home. Many of them stay on after graduation, taking jobs in Poland.

Medical professionals from Ukraine are also filling gaps left by Polish doctors, dentists and nurses who fled west for higher wages, but the process takes longer.

Olena Aleksiychuk, a 31-year-old Ukrainian dentist, left behind her parents, a home and her private dental practice in western Ukraine four years ago. She spent nearly three years learning Polish and passing Polands medical licensing exams. In that time, she worked as a dental hygienist, but says the temporary demotion was worth it, given the higher wages and greater opportunities to develop professionally that are available to her now in Poland.

She said she personally knows about 50 Ukrainian doctors, ranging in age from 20s to 50s, who are now taking steps to work in Poland.

Life is more comfortable in Poland. Its safe and its all easier, Aleksiychuk said, speaking from in her treatment room in a sleekly designed clinic run in a Warsaw neighbourhood full of modern glass office buildings. You dont have to worry about what will happen tomorrow.

One of her patients was also from Ukraine.

Lesya Benko, 25, arrived in Poland in 2015 and is now an account sales manager for a global headset company in Warsaw. Benko said she now runs into so many Ukrainians in her daily life  in stores, coffee shops and offices  that sometimes you cant tell if you are in Ukraine or Poland.
BEIJING, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yirendai Ltd. (NYSE: YRD) (Yirendai or the Company), a leading fintech company in China, announced today that it has entered into definitive agreements relating to a business realignment with CreditEase Holdings (Cayman) Limited, or CreditEase, the controlling shareholder of the Company, to better serve its investors and borrowers. Pursuant to the definitive agreements, Yirendai will assume certain business operations, including online wealth management targeting the mass affluent, unsecured and secured consumer lending, financial leasing, SME lending, and other related services or businesses (the Target Businesses) from CreditEase and its affiliates, for a total consideration of 106,917,947 newly issued ordinary shares of Yirendai and RMB889 million cash, as may be adjusted in accordance with the pre-agreed mechanism, at the transaction closing. Ning Tang, the executive chairman of Yirendai, who is also the founder, chairman and CEO of CreditEase, will assume the Chief Executive Officer role of Yirendai upon the closing of the transactions. CreditEase has also agreed not to compete with the Company and to provide business consulting and other support and license certain intellectual properties to the Company.



The transactions contemplated under the definitive agreements are subject to certain closing conditions. It is expected that the Target Businesses will be consolidated into Yirendais consolidated financial statements prior to the closing of the transactions once controls are transferred to Yirendai.

The Companys Board of Directors, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of its Audit Committee consisting of independent and disinterested directors, approved the definitive agreements and the transactions contemplated thereunder. The Audit Committee reviewed and considered the terms of the definitive agreements and the transactions with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors.

It is estimated that the unaudited total net revenues of the Target Businesses under U.S. GAAP were RMB6.6 billion (US$962.3 million) in 2018. The online wealth management business had RMB8.6 billion of total assets under management (AUM) as of December 31, 2018 and an active investor base of approximately 230 thousand in 2018. As of December 31, 2018, the lending businesses had facilitated more than RMB200 billion of loans to approximately 2.2 million borrowers since inception. In 2018, the lending businesses referred RMB15.9 billion of loans to Yirendai and facilitated RMB23.2 billion of loans on its own platform.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as will, expects, anticipates, future, intends, plans, believes, estimates, target, confident and similar statements. Such statements are based upon managements current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Yirendais control. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties as to Yirendais ability to attract and retain borrowers and investors on its marketplace, its ability to introduce new loan products and platform enhancements, its ability to compete effectively, PRC regulations and policies relating to the peer-to-peer lending service industry in China, general economic conditions in China, and Yirendais ability to meet the standards necessary to maintain listing of its ADSs on the NYSE or other stock exchange, including its ability to cure any non-compliance with the NYSEs continued listing criteria. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in Yirendais filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Yirendai does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.

About Yirendai

Yirendai Ltd. (NYSE: YRD) is a leading fintech company in China connecting investors and individual borrowers. The Company provides an effective solution to address largely underserved investor and individual borrower demand in China through an online platform that automates key aspects of its operations to efficiently match borrowers with investors and execute loan transactions. Yirendai deploys a proprietary risk management system, which enables the Company to effectively assess the creditworthiness of borrowers, appropriately price the risks associated with borrowers, and offer quality loan investment opportunities to investors. Yirendais online marketplace provides borrowers with quick and convenient access to consumer credit at competitive prices and investors with easy and quick access to an alternative asset class with attractive returns. For more information, please visit ir.yirendai.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Yirendai

Hui (Matthew) Li/Lydia Yu

Investor Relations

Email: ir@yirendai.com
SANAA, Yemen - Yemeni security officials say fighting has erupted in the key port city of Hodeida, killing at least eight people, including civilians.

Officials say the clashes began overnight and continued into Monday, leaving fires burning on the main front lines in the citys east and south, while exchanges of artillery fire shook the beleaguered city.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to brief journalists.

The new fighting could jeopardize the U.N.-brokered December cease-fire in Hodeida between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces.

Hodeida is the main entry point for humanitarian aid to Yemen, where nearly four years of war has spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
BEIRUT - Human Rights Watch says eight Lebanese men charged with links to the Hezbollah militant group are being poorly treated and held in undisclosed locations in the United Arab Emirates.

The rights group said Monday the trial of the eight men, all Shiite Muslims and long-time residents, has been marred with violations and irregularities, including brief hearings closed to the public and lack of access to defence lawyers.

They are expected to appear in court Wednesday. Local media reported they are likely to face new charges.

The men were detained more than a year ago, but were only charged last month. They are accused of setting up a terrorist cell with links to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The men deny the charges.

HRW says they are being held in solitary confinement.
JERUSALEM - The Latest on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (all times local):

4:30 a.m. Tuesday

Israeli forces were continuing early Tuesday to strike targets across the Gaza Strip, including the offices of Hamas supreme leader, in response to a surprise rocket attack from the Palestinian territory.

Israels military has bolstered its troops and rocket-defence systems in anticipation of heavy fighting with the Islamic militant group. Public bomb shelters opened and sports events and transportation were cancelled in southern Israel. The Israeli army said at least 30 rockets were fired into Israel, nearly all of them either intercepted or landed in open areas.

Late Monday, Hamas announced a cease-fire had been brokered by Egyptian mediators, but new rocket fire in Gaza and air-raid sirens in Israel were heard shortly after.

The Israeli military said it had retaliated with 15 airstrikes, hitting military sites for Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group.

Gazas health ministry said seven Palestinians were injured in the fresh bombings.

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10 p.m. Monday

Gazas Hamas rulers say Egypt has brokered a cease-fire to end the latest round of fighting with Israel.

Hamas media says the cease-fire went into effect at 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) Monday. There was no immediate Israeli reaction.

The announcement came shortly after several rockets were fired into Israel, setting off air raid sirens throughout the south.

Israel carried out a series of airstrikes across Gaza earlier Monday in response to a rocket attack that struck a home and wounded seven Israelis in central Israel.

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9:40 p.m.

Gaza militants fired at least 10 rockets toward Israel after an Israeli airstrike destroyed the offices of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, as air raid sirens wailed across southern Israel.

Israeli media report at least 10 missiles fired toward the southern Israeli town of Sderot late Monday. There are no immediate reports of casualties.

The latest escalation of violence began early Monday when a rocket fired from Gaza struck a home in central Israel, wounding seven people. Israel has vowed to respond forcefully, raising the prospect of a fourth war between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers.

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8:45 p.m.

Hamas radio station says an Israeli airstrike has demolished the offices of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The airstrike took place moments after Israel fired a pair of warning shots at the office, a tactic that Israel uses to get people to evacuate targeted buildings.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Haniyeh had gone into hiding earlier Monday, fearing retaliation after a rocket fired from Gaza struck an Israeli home and wounded seven people in central Israel.

In a written statement earlier Monday, Haniyeh said the Palestinian people will not surrender and its militant factions will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.

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8:30 p.m.

The Israeli military is reporting air raid sirens in southern Israel.

The sirens are the first sign of renewed rocket fire out of the Gaza Strip following a series of Israeli airstrikes.

Israel struck targets throughout Gaza late Monday in response to a rocket attack that struck a house and wounded seven people in central Israel.

The Israeli military says it struck a five-story building in Gaza City that serves the terror organizations military wing. The building houses Hamas administrative offices belonging to the organizations domestic intelligence agency.

An Israeli airstrike destroyed another multi-story building that the military said was a secret Hamas headquarters.

The Gaza Health Ministry says one Palestinian was wounded in an Israeli airstrike.

Col. Ronen Manelis, an Israeli military spokesman, says the Israeli barrage is expected to continue for hours to come.

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7:45 p.m.

The U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned at the latest developments in Gaza and is urging Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers to exercise maximum restraint.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called Mondays firing of a rocket from Gaza that hit a house in central Israel, wounding seven people, a serious and unacceptable violation. He said the U.N. is monitoring the latest reports of Israeli strikes on Gaza.

Dujarric said the U.N. is continuing to work with Egypt and other concerned parties to try to de-escalate the situation. He says further escalation is likely to make an already bad situation worse, in particular for civilians in and close to Gaza.

Dujarric noted that U.N. Mideast envoy Nikolay Mladenov will meet Guterres and brief the U.N. Security Council Tuesday, as previously scheduled.

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7:15 p.m.

An Israeli airstrike has destroyed a multi-story building in Gaza City that housed a Hamas-affiliated insurance company.

The Israeli military issued a statement Monday saying the building was a secret headquarters of the Hamas terror organization that was used by the Islamic militant groups intelligence agencies.

The powerful explosion scattered debris over a large area of the city. Prior to the main airstrike, aircraft dropped two smaller missiles on the roof of the building as a warning.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is responding forcefully after a rocket fired from Gaza struck a home in central Israel early Monday, wounding seven people.

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6:35 p.m.

Hamas leader says his group will respond if Israel retaliates too forcefully to an overnight rocket strike.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement Monday that the Palestinian people will not surrender and its militant factions will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines.

Haniyehs statement came as Israel began striking targets in the Gaza Strip in response to the early morning rocket attack, which wounded seven people in a small town north of Tel Aviv.

Hamas leaders went into hiding, police and security installations were evacuated and hospitals in Gaza were on alert in anticipation of the Israeli airstrikes.

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6:30 p.m.

Israels prime minister says his country has begun responding forcefully to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Speaking at the White House, Benjamin Netanyahu said he will not tolerate the rocket strike, which struck a home in central Israel early Monday and wounded seven people.

As we speak, he said, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

He says Israel will do whatever we must do to defend itself.

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6 p.m.

Israels military says it has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip after a rocket hit a house in central Israel earlier in the day, wounding seven people.

The military said Monday that Israeli forces started striking Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip.

The barrage begins as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House.

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5:15 p.m.

Israeli authorities are taking precautions ahead of a likely military retaliation against the Gaza Strips Hamas rulers after a rocket struck an Israeli house, wounding seven.

Local authorities in southern Israel started readying bomb shelters Monday ahead of possible hostilities.

Israeli media are reporting that flights to and from Israels main international airport were diverted from their normal flight paths, and train services to several southern cities near the Gaza Strip have been cancelled. The Israeli military has also closed several roads around Gaza.

Mondays rocket was the second launched toward central Israel in recent weeks, and prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington.

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4 p.m.

The U.N. Mideast envoy has condemned the firing of a rocket from Gaza into Israel.

Nickolay Mladenov called the overnight strike, which wounded seven people, absolutely unacceptable. He tweeted Monday that the U.N. is working intensely with Egyptian mediators and all sides to stave off a looming escalation but that the situation remains very tense.

Efforts by Egypt and the U.N. to restore a cease-fire between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers have halted bouts of cross-border violence in the past.

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3 p.m.

The Israeli military says it will halt agricultural work near the security fence that separates Israel from the Gaza Strip to improve readiness for an escalation after an overnight rocket attack.

The military said Monday it would block routes and areas on the Israeli side of the fence and requested that residents follow security instructions as long as necessary. Thousands of acres of Israeli farmland lie adjacent to the Gaza frontier.

A long-range rocket fired from the Gaza Strip slammed into a house in central Israel and wounded seven people early Monday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a tough response while Gazas Hamas leaders went into hiding, setting the stage for a possible major conflagration just two weeks before Israeli elections.

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1:30 p.m.

The World Health Organization has delivered medical supplies to the Gaza Strip to address the blockaded territorys growing trauma and emergency care needs.

The organization said on Monday that the aid shipment, donated by the European Union, would cover the needs of up to 120,000 patients injured during demonstrations and protests.

It cited shortages of medical supplies in Gazas stressed health care system, exacerbated by recent hostilities. Close to 190 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during Hamas-orchestrated weekly rallies along the Israel-Gaza border fence.

WHO says its scaling up its trauma care resources and appealing for funding ahead of a potential escalation and the one year anniversary of the protest movement at the end of the month.

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12: 50 p.m.

A Palestinian journalist who exposed Gazas government corruption has been acquitted by a Hamas-run court in the coastal territory.

The 34-year-old Hajar Harb had appealed a six-month prison term and fine on charges of libel and slander over her reporting. Rights groups had criticized the case as a violation of free speech in the enclave.

Harbs 2016 report highlighted misconduct at the Hamas-run health ministry, where healthy people purportedly paid doctors to help them circumvent Gazas Israeli-Egyptian blockade by issuing referrals to hospitals abroad. The ministry denied Harbs claims and urged doctors to file lawsuits against her.

Harb celebrated her acquittal Monday, calling it the most beautiful thing.

Rights groups charge that fair litigation is not guaranteed in Hamas judiciary system. Hamas seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007.

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10:45 a.m.

The Israeli military says it is reinforcing troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Maj. Mika Lifshitz, a military spokeswoman, says two armour and infantry brigades were being mobilized and that there is a limited drafting of reserves underway following the attack early on Monday.

She says the military has concluded that Gazas militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah. She says it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of 120 kilometres, or about 75 miles.

The attack destroyed a home in central Israel, wounding seven people and prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington.

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8:15 a.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says hes cutting short his visit to Washington after a Gaza rocket attack on Israel.

Netanyahu described Monday mornings rocket launch that struck a home in central Israel as a criminal attack and vowed to strike back hard. He says he will return to Israel to handle the crisis shortly after meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday.

An Israeli rescue service said the rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel, wounding seven people.

The sounds of air raid sirens woke up the residents of the residential Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong explosion followed.

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6:15 a.m.

An early morning rocket from the Gaza Strip has struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven people, raising concerns the attack could set off another round of violence shortly before the Israeli election.

The sounds of air raid sirens woke up the residents of the residential Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, on Monday, sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed.

The Israeli military says it identified a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Israeli police say the rocket hit a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, setting off a fire and destroying the house.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Sunday celebrated a total exoneration that special counsel Robert Mueller explicitly did not provide in his report on the Russia investigation.

Attorney General William Barr quotes Mueller saying his report does not exonerate Trump.

TRUMP: No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION.  tweet Sunday after Barr gave Congress his summary of Muellers findings.

TRUMP: There was no obstruction, and none what so ever, and it was a complete and total exoneration.  remarks to reporters Sunday after Barrys summary came out.

SARAH SANDERS, White House press secretary: The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction. AG Barr and DAG (Deputy Attorney general Rod) Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration.  tweet Sunday.

THE FACTS: It was not a total vindication. Muellers exact words in the report, as quoted by the attorney general, say otherwise: While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

The summary by Barr notes Mueller did not draw a conclusion  one way or the other  as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction, but rather set out evidence for both sides, leaving the question unanswered. Barr wrote in the summary that ultimately he decided as attorney general that the evidence developed by Mueller was not sufficient to establish, for the purposes of prosecution, that Trump committed obstruction of justice

Barrs summary also notes that Mueller did not find that the Trump campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia. To prove a crime, Mueller must generally meet a standard of proving an offence beyond a reasonable doubt. The summary did not clear the president of improper behaviour regarding Russia but did not establish that he was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, Mueller said in a passage from the report quoted by Barr.

The four-page summary signed by Barr gave the bottom line only as he and Rosenstein saw it. Muellers detailed findings remain confidential at least for now.

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Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck

EDITORS NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures
PHILADELPHIA - The first glimpse into the special counsels investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election did little to mend a gaping American political divide.

The four-page summary of Robert Muellers probe released by Attorney General William Barr didnt satisfy many who wanted more details. But in a bitterly divided country, the little bit that was known stirred cheers from many Republicans and scoffs from many Democrats.

The one side thats happy is happy. And the other side thats not happy wants to do some more investigation or do something else, said Stephen Turner, an electrical engineer from Belmont, North Carolina, who is Republican and voted for Trump. I wish itd just go away.

Across the union, the split reaction to the Mueller news repeated.

In West Palm Beach, Florida, along the route Trumps motorcade took before returning to Washington on Air Force One, Mary Jude Smith got a wave and a smile from the chief executive. The 71-year-old retiree from Hypoluxo, Florida, speaks about him with passion and insists he has been exonerated. She sees the investigation as Democrats pathetic attempt to impeach Trump.

I think Mueller was a crook. He wasted millions of our tax dollars for nothing, she said, before offering her assessment of Trump: Hes as clean as the driven snow.

In blue-state New York, 49-year-old filmmaker Dan Lee of Brooklyn Heights felt let down by Mueller and left with more questions than answers.

It stings a little, because I trusted Mueller, said Lee, a Democrat. There are still so many questions and it seems inconceivable that obstruction isnt one of the conclusions.

In red-state West Virginia, 44-year-old truck driver Michael Tucker of Bancroft, declared the Russian investigation a joke, for the most part and that Trump has been treated unfairly.

Its one witch hunt after another, said Tucker, who gave his vote to Trump in 2016 and likely will again next year. If they could have found anything, they would have.

There were morsels in Barrs letter both sides could savour. For Republicans, it was acknowledgement that there was no evidence Trump or his campaign conspired with Russia. For Democrats, it was the admission that while Trump wasnt charged with obstruction, he also wasnt exonerated.

Trump supporter Richard C. Osburn, 52, a nurse from South Charleston, West Virginia, said Muellers findings were proof the president was drug through the mud. He knows Democrats are hell-bent on destroying Trump, but says its time for the president to be given a break.

The things that the mans doing to try to help the average worker in this country never gets recognized by the mainstream media, said Osburn, a longtime Republican. They would rather hate, hate, hate than recognize accomplishments. Those days have got to stop.

In Los Angeles, 57-year-old accountant Sue Arani, checked news on her phone as she took her dog for an afternoon walk Sunday. She calls herself a Republican-leaning voter, though she gave her support to Clinton in 2016. She trusts Mueller, but even with Barrs release, she thinks there was collusion between Trumps campaign and the Russian government.

The public needs to see the report, she said, especially before the next election.

Claire Finkelstein, a University of Pennsylvania professor who founded the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, said if the full report isnt made available to the public and its contents become known only through leaks and back channels, it would be damaging to faith in the government.

Secrets are where conspiracy theories fester and grow, Finkelstein said. The only way that we are going to be able to move past this state of affairs is by as much coming out into the light as possible. Lets flesh out the facts, lets get them on the table and have a robust conversation.

What seemed certain was there would be no end to the debate over Trump, Muellers investigation, and the political divide across the U.S.

In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 74-year-old Richard Howell, a supporter of the president, said news of the Mueller report proves what critics of the investigation have been saying all along.

So we spent two years and millions of dollars, he said, worrying about nothing.

In Gaston County, North Carolina, Trump voters outnumbered Clinton backers nearly two-to-one in 2016, but Joy Owens didnt budge from her opposition. She believes Mueller has done a good job with the investigation but shes left feeling unfulfilled.

I keep hoping that if we just be patient, we be patient for a little bit longer, that there will be justice, said Owens, 66, who recently retired from running a yarn shop and framing business. I cannot believe of all the other convictions that are happening about this that Trump is going to be scot-free on this.

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Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://twitter.com/sedensky

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Contributing to this report were Corey Williams in Detroit, Michigan; Sharon Cohen in Chicago, Illinois; Chris Weber in Los Angeles, California; Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky; Jeff Baenan in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans, Louisiana; Tim Talley in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Massachusetts; Denise Lavoie in Richmond, Virginia; Josh Replogle in West Palm Beach, Florida; Colleen Slevin in Denver, Colorado; Sarah Blake Morgan in Belmont, North Carolina; Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas; Adam Geller in New York, New York; and John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
PHILADELPHIA - The Latest on reaction across America to the first glimpse into the release of special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation (all times local):

9:15 p.m.

Bob Miller is a retired manufacturing engineer, from Franklin, Wisconsin, who describes his political views as middle to the left. He says questions still linger in his mind following the special counsels Russia investigation.

He says of the report by special counsel Robert Mueller: From what I know of the report it sounds like there was no collusion. But Id want to see the whole report or find out everything.

Adds the 65-year-old retiree: If Congress gets the full report and all the information, Ill make my decision at that point.

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8:40 p.m.

Stephen Turner, an electrical engineer from Belmont, North Carolina, is a Republican who voted for Donald Trump for president. He says hes glad the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller is over.

My first reaction is Im glad ... Im glad maybe we can move on, Turner told The Associated Press. The ones side thats happy is happy. And the other side thats not happy wants to do some more investigation.

He says its time to move on and actually do stuff for the country and not spend all these resources and time on these investigations.

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8:20 p.m.

Justin Linot, a truck driver interviewed in Derby, Kansas, is a registered Democrat. He expressed surprise at the outcome of the Russia investigation.

Speaking at a Starbucks in that suburb of Wichita, Kansas, the 36-year-old trucker said Sunday: I am really surprised they werent able to find anything significant enough to be able to indict him.

He says he thought special counsel Robert Mueller did a good job investigating, but doesnt feel the public will necessarily ever learn the truth about Trumps dealings with Russia. Says Linot, I feel too many people havent told the truth to begin with.

He adds Democrats were right to investigate Trump, calling the matter something that should have been looked into regardless of whether the president was a Republican or a Democrat. Of Trump, he concludes, I think he has been treated more than fairly.

___

8:10 p.m.

Luke Ahearn, a 29-year-old general contractor from New Orleans, was grocery shopping in its suburb of Metairie with his brother Sunday when he learned about the Mueller reports outcome. Ahearn, who describes himself as a Trump supporter, questioned whether the time and money put into the two-year investigation was worth it.

Ahearn says he thinks special counsel Robert Mueller did a fine job. Officials say Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential vote.

But he adds of the investigation: I just think they spent way too much money on it, too much time on it.

Ahearn says he doubts whether its worth going through the effort of getting the entire report released, saying the country has a lot of other problems to deal with, adding, Lets move on to the next problem in our society.

___

8:05 p.m.

Morgan Raum, a 22-year-old senior at New Yorks Barnard College who is active in campus Republican and Libertarian clubs, says the conclusion of the investigation confirmed her longtime doubts about allegations of collusion.

Raum, who is majoring in political science and Judaic studies, said, It took 22 months and I dont really know how it couldve taken this long to conclude nothing happened. For me the whole time it seemed pretty far-fetched.

But Raum, who is from Manhattan, says she doesnt expect the report to change the minds of many Democrats.

Theyve been sure he (Trump) was guilty even before the investigation started, she says.

Raum is president of Columbia University Libertarians. She says she had long had issues with Trump, disapproving of his tweets and his belittling of adversaries. She voted for Libertarian Gary Johnson in the 2016 presidential vote.

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7:50 p.m.

Helen Jones, of Salt Lake City, Utah, says she is conservative and a registered Republican, but cant stand Trump. The 72-year-old retired English professor said she voted for third-party candidate Evan McMullin in 2016.

She doesnt expect anything sensational to come out of the Mueller report, but pointed to other ongoing investigations in New York and elsewhere involving Trump and those in his orbit.

She said, I think its just the beginning. I cant believe hes not implicated in some way. Look at the people hes surrounded himself with, theyre all crooks and liars.

Jones said she hopes the entire report is released, but expect it to change the minds of her relatives who are strong Trump supporters - or her own mind, for that matter.

A longtime political junkie who closely followed Watergate, she believes this is another historical moment.

I hope its a turning point in the Trump presidency, she said. Still, doesnt want Trump to be impeached.

My preference would be he just gets elected out, she said.

___

7:35 p.m.

Carl Solberg, a New York City Democrat who used to work as a federal prosecutor, called Mueller a very straight arrow kind of guy and said he believes Mueller did exactly what he was tasked to do. But Solberg doubts it will put an end to questions about Trump and Russia.

While in Boston visiting family, the 72-year-old Solberg said, Whether there is a prosecutor that pursues it or not, I think there will continue to be questions in peoples minds about the Russians.

He noted that Muellers mandate was narrow. He that ... frankly if I were a prosecutor trying to find evidence of criminal intent in Donald Trump, I dont (think) he has criminal intent I think hes just got a basically empty skull. So it would be very hard to prove that and I think Mueller probably realized that pretty early on.

Solberg said the conclusion of the Mueller investigation doesnt mean Trump is in the clear, noting that he remains under investigation by the federal prosecutors in New York.

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Trump supporter Richard C. Osburn of South Charleston, West Virginia, said the president was drug through the mud and wants his critics to give him a break.

The 52-year-old nurse said, The things that the mans doing to try to help the average worker in this country never gets recognized by the mainstream media. They would rather hate, hate, hate than recognize accomplishments. Those days have got to stop.

Osburn, a longtime Republican voter, supported Trump in 2016. He said the Mueller report does not end questions about Trump and Russia.

Its never going to go away, he said. This is what the media has to understand. (Democrats) absolutely despite this man. Its all about their own agenda. Theyre hell bent on finding anything.

Osburn said hes satisfied with what hes seen in the Mueller report and criticized Democrats for pressing for the investigation.

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7:20 p.m.

Michael Tucker of Bancroft, West Virginia, is not a fan of President Donald Trump. But the 44-year-old truck driver says he does not believe the president was treated fairly in the Russia investigation.

He also doesnt think Special Counsel Robert Muellers report will bring an end to questions about the president and Russia.

While shopping at a farm supply store Sunday in Cross Lanes, West Virginia, Tucker called the Russia investigation a joke, for the most part.

Tucker says if Trump colluded with Russia, they would have come up with something by now. Its one witch hunt after another, basically. If they could have found anything, they would have.

Tucker says hes confident that Mueller did what he was hired to do and has mixed feelings about whether Democrats should have pressed for an investigation into Trumps Russia ties.

Tucker said he considers himself an independent voter but would vote for Trump again compared to anyone currently in the Democratic field.

__

In Oklahoma City, Fernando Sevilla, a Republican who voted for Trump, said Trump is doing a great job and that he believes the Mueller investigation was witch hunts.

Sevilla said, I dont think he went with Russia at all. He added, Hes a businessman, he was never a politician. Politicians to me theyre just a bunch of crooks. They promise you one thing and they do another.

While Democrats were right to seek the investigation, he said Trump has not been treated fairly.

The 66-year-old Sevilla said the investigation did not answer questions he has about Trumps Democratic opponent in the 2016 election, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and the whereabouts of thousands of deleted emails.

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In Detroit, 36-year-old William Braasch has been following the Mueller probe from its start and  while disappointed in what Barr released Sunday afternoon hes not surprised.

Braasch, a registered nurse, said, I honestly doubted that much would come out, given that Barr was appointed by Trump. Im not any more let down than I would have been before with this administration and the investigations.

Braasch added that he is looking forward to Congressional investigations of Trump and investigations in New York state into Trumps foundation.

___

Sue Arani, an accountant, was walking her dog and checking news on her phone Sunday in downtown Los Angeles. The 57-year-old Arani is originally from Iran but has been a US citizen since 1981. She describes herself as Republican leaning, but says she voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential contest.

Arani said the full report should absolutely be made public immediately, in the name of full transparency.

She says the public must see the report, especially before the next election. She also says the White House shouldnt be allowed to spin the results: Trump is famous for lying too much.

Arani trusts Mueller: Im sure, based on his excellent reputation, that he did a complete job in his investigation. But he is in between a rock and a hard place, politically.

Arani personally believes that there was likely collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. But its possible that a lot of stuff wasnt disclosed from the lower levels to the top (within the campaign). They might have kept Trump in the dark on purpose, so he could stay beneath it all. Maybe that was his idea too.

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Nora Kubiaczyk (pronounced koo-bee-AH-che) lives in Minneapolis, works in advertising, leans Democratic and considers herself pretty liberal. She voted for Clinton in 2016. In an interview Sunday in downtown Minneapolis she said, Im not shocked. It seems like with each of these investigations, theres always going to seem like something like its a coup, or theres somebody that seems like a smoking gun, and then it will be like yesterdays news in no moment and Trump will keep walking on.

She said it seemed there moments where Mueller was going after Trump and others where there were a couple fumbles.

___

7:10 p.m.

Many Republicans are cheering and Democrats are scoffing as first word on the details of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation emerge.

For supporters of President Donald Trump, the four-page summary of the investigative findings released by Attorney General William Barr felt like an exoneration of the man they back.

For Trumps opponents, some of whom had visions of the Muellers work ending with the president being led away in handcuffs, it is a disappointment.

What seemed certain in the wake of Sundays release was that it marked no end to the political divide, to the fierce criticism of Trump or to calls for more of Muellers report to be released.

___

Contributing to this report were Corey Williams in Detroit; Sharon Cohen in Chicago; Chris Weber in Los Angeles; Claire Galofaro in Louisville, Kentucky; Jeff Baenan in Minneapolis, Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Tim Talley in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston; Denise Lavoie Josh in Richmond, Virginia; Josh Replogle in West Palm Beach, Florida; Colleen Slevin in Denver, Colorado; Sarah Blake Morgan in Belmont, North Carolina; Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas; Adam Geller in New York; and John Raby in Cross Lanes, West Virginia.
WASHINGTON - The Latest on President Donald Trumps response to the special counsels findings (all times local):

7:55 p.m.

President Donald Trump was in his room at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, when he first learned details of a summary of special counsel Robert Muellers Russia report.

Thats according to White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who briefed reporters aboard Air Force One just before it landed in Washington.

Gidley said the president told him, This is very good.

He said that on the flight back from Florida, Trump was in his Air Force One office, talking with White House staff members and watching the news unfold on television and Twitter.

Gidley said the president has only seen Attorney General William Barrs summary of the report, not the entire report.

___

7:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says America is the greatest place on earth.

That was Trumps only comment as he returned to the White House on Sunday, hours after the Justice Department declared that special counsel Robert Muellers investigation found no evidence that Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Mueller also investigated whether Trump sought to obstruct the investigation, but did not provide a definitive answer.

Back at the White House, Trump said only: I just want to tell you that, America is the greatest place on earth, the greatest place on earth.

Trump tweeted his reaction before leaving Florida. He told reporters there was no collusion with Russia and no obstruction and that it was a complete and total exoneration.

___

4:50 p.m.

President Donald Trump is claiming Complete and Total EXONERATION in a celebratory tweet following the release of a summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report.

Trump writes, No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! as he heads to the airport in Florida, where hes spent the weekend.

The Justice Department said Sunday that Muellers investigation did not find evidence that Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice, but did not come to a definitive answer.

But Attorney General William Barr says in a four-page letter to Congress that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on obstruction and instead sets out evidence on both sides of the question.

___

4:28 p.m.

The White House claims the Justice Department letter summarizing special counsel Robert Muellers report is a complete exoneration of President Donald Trump.

In a statement, press secretary Sarah Sanders says Mueller did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction.

In fact, Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump committed obstruction of justice in the Russia probe. Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein determined evidence gathered by Mueller was insufficient.

Barrs letter to Congress did say Mueller did not find evidence that Trump or his campaign knowingly co-ordinated with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.

___

4:26 p.m.

White House officials are celebrating the release of the Justice Departments summary of special counsel Robert Muellers findings that he did not establish that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government.

Director of Oval Office operations Madeleine Westerhout adds on Twitter: How many tens of millions of dollars did the American taxpayers have to pay to find out what everyone already knew.

Eric Trump, the presidents son, is calling for a simple apology from the media for the hell everyone has been put through during the two-year probe.

In fact, Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump committed obstruction of justice in the Russia probe.

___

2:09 p.m.

President Donald Trump is laying low at his Florida estate as he awaits the findings of the special counsel investigation.

Hes heeding the advice of his lawyers, who warned him against tweeting about the probe before details were released.

Trump is said to be relieved and happy that Robert Muellers probe ended without any new indictments. Thats according to people close to the White House, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Still, it was unclear whether Muellers report was critical of Trumps actions, and the presidents lawyers told him tweeting about the investigation before that was clear might make his life more difficult.
WASHINGTON - Robert Mueller has finally spoken. But it isnt easy to find exactly what he said.

A summary of Muellers findings is in a four-page letter sent to Congress on Sunday and signed by Attorney General William Barr. Its Barrs work, describing the work of Washingtons mystery man from the last two years.

But Barr only rarely quotes Mueller directly, bringing to the surface mere glimpses of the actual Mueller report.

Barr did give Mueller some of the most consequential lines. He quotes Mueller as saying while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

He also uses Muellers words to dispatch with the initial mandate of the investigation: The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. ... The evidence does not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

And Barr borrows Muellers exact phrase to explain that the special counsel did not make a conclusion on whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation. Mueller was faced with difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether President Donald Trumps actions and intent could be seen as criminal and said he conducted a thorough factual investigation into these matters.

Thats it, except for a throat-clearing reference to the confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions he made.

Sphinx-like in a capital where public figures typically lunge for attention, Mueller has maintained a studied silence since his appointment, no matter how many times Trump called his labours a witch hunt.

Even Muellers spokesman rarely speaks.

Almost all Mueller had to say remains under wraps, at least for now. Democrats are demanding to see his full report. Some have floated the idea of asking him to testify before Congress.

But when he and his wife, Ann, attended St. Johns Episcopal Church across from the White House on Sunday, photographers and videographers captured their sunny-sidewalk stroll.

Mueller did not speak.
WASHINGTON - Last year, proponents of limiting partisan politics in the creation of electoral districts needed to win over Justice Anthony Kennedy. They couldnt.

The issue is back before the Supreme Court again, with arguments on Tuesday, and it might be harder than ever to convince the justices to rein in the practice known as partisan gerrymandering, designing districts to benefit one political party.

A new round of redistricting awaits after the 2020 census, and the courts decision could help shape the makeup of Congress and state legislatures over the next 10 years.

With Kennedy retired, the question is whether federal courts will remain open at all to complaints about political line-drawing.

The question of what the outcome will be in light of recent changes in the membership of the Supreme Court is anybodys guess, said Seth Waxman, the former lead high court lawyer in the Clinton administration and a supporter of limits on drawing districts for partisan gain. Justice Brett Kavanaugh is in Kennedys seat.

Chief Justice John Roberts is now the court conservative closest to the centre and the focus of the arguments for reining in partisan redistricting, said Michael Kimberly, the lawyer for Republican voters who challenged a Democratic congressional district in Maryland.

The concern now is persuading him, Kimberly said, acknowledging Roberts skepticism about the courts involvement in the issue during arguments last term.

Critics of partisan manipulation of electoral maps say that when one party controls redistricting, it can exaggerate and entrench its power, even in states that are otherwise closely divided between Republicans and Democrats.

Republicans were the big beneficiaries of the most recent round of redistricting in 2011, following the once-a-decade census, because they scored resounding victories in the 2010 elections.

The court has before it two cases, from Maryland and North Carolina, with strong evidence that elected officials charged with drawing and approving congressional districts acted for maximum partisan advantage. In North Carolina, Republicans ran the process and sought to preserve a 10-3 split in the congressional delegation in favour of the GOP, even as statewide races are usually closely divided. In Maryland, Democrats controlled redistricting and sought to flip one district that had been represented by a Republican for 20 years.

Both plans succeeded and lower courts concluded that the districts violated the Constitution.

Bolstering those court outcomes were the candid appraisals by former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, a Democrat, and North Carolina state Rep. David Lewis, a Republican, of the critical role politics played in redistricting.

Part of the point in redrawing the 6th congressional district in western Maryland was to create a district where the people would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican, yes, this was clearly my intent, OMalley said in testimony for the lawsuit challenging the district.

Needing to reduce the districts population by just over 10,000 people to ensure similarly sized congressional districts, Maryland Democrats instead removed 360,000 Republicans and replaced them with 350,000 Democrats.

In North Carolina, Lewis boasted that the congressional map he helped draw in 2016  to replace a map that had been struck down for relying too heavily on race  would preserve the Republicans already sizable edge. He told fellow lawmakers then that he was proposing a 10-3 map because I do not believe its possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats. Lewis said later he was joking, but those who sued dont think so.

The 2018 race margins describe a tell-tale sign of partisan gerrymandering, according to map critics: Voters supporting the minority party are packed tightly into fewer districts, resulting in easy victories, while the majority party wins narrower races, but in more districts. While each of the three incumbent Democrats cruised to re-election in November with at least 70 per cent of the vote, no winning Republican in a contested race received above 60 per cent.

North Carolina voters will fill two House seats this year. One is in the GOP-leaning 9th Congressional District, where the state elections board ordered a new election based on evidence of illegal absentee ballot activities involving a political operative who worked for the Republican candidate. The other is the seat held by the late Rep. Walter Jones Jr.

A court ruling that leads to further remapping could add confusion for voters and candidates in the middle of campaigns.

But the Supreme Court might not be as receptive as the lower courts.

In 1986, the justices held that federal courts should be open to claims of partisan gerrymandering. But since then, the court has not struck down districts on those grounds or even decided on the right way to do so. By contrast, the court has invalidated many districts because of racial gerrymandering over the past 50 years.

By 2004, four conservative justices were ready to take courts out of the business of dealing with partisan gerrymandering claims, but Kennedy wouldnt go along.

Kennedys position encouraged supporters of limits when the justices took up cases last year involving Republican-drawn state legislative districts in Wisconsin and the same Maryland congressional district.

The cases had statistical analyses, proposals for how judges could reasonably determine when districting plans went too far and the non-partisan optics of Republicans in the offending role in one state and Democrats in the other.

Yet the court left the big issues unresolved in a pair of rulings in June that were nonetheless a setback for advocates who hoped they had finally found a way to prove their case to a long-skeptical Supreme Court and Kennedy, in particular.

But lower federal courts have continued to rule on redistricting complaints. In addition to the Maryland and North Carolina decisions, there are pending challenges to Republican-controlled plans in Michigan and Ohio that could be affected by the high courts decision.

Paul Clement, who served as President George W. Bushs top Supreme Court lawyer, said the justices should once and for all declare federal courts off limits for partisan redistricting because the inherently political job of drawing electoral districts belongs to the politicians. In his Supreme Court filing on behalf of North Carolina Republicans, Clement wrote that a judicially manageable test for adjudicating partisan gerrymandering claims does not exist.

A separate state court challenge to North Carolina legislative districts also is underway, following an approach used by Pennsylvania Democrats to win a state Supreme Court ruling last year that struck down the states Republican-drawn congressional districts.

___

Robertson reported from Raleigh, North Carolina.
JUNEAU, Alaska - Founders of the states constitution intended for a governor to appoint for judgeships candidates nominated by the Alaska Judicial Council, the chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court said.

Chief Justice Joel Bolger, in recent remarks, defended the councils process for vetting and nominating candidates after Gov. Mike Dunleavy filled one vacancy on the Palmer Superior Court but refused to fill another.

One of the seats is vacant. The second is soon to be.

Dunleavy, in a letter to the council last week, said he would not be making a second appointment from a list of three finalists the council sent him. He said there were qualified applicants inexplicably not nominated and requested the councils reasoning.

Dunleavy spokesman Matt Shuckerow said the governor looks forward to scheduling a meeting with Bolger to further discuss the matter.

The councils website shows there were 13 applicants for the two seats but two withdrew and a third was appointed to another judgeship.

Under the constitution, the governor is to fill a superior court vacancy by appointing one of two or more persons nominated by the council. The Alaska Supreme Court has held the council is within its right to send one more nominee than the number of positions to be filled.

State law calls for a governor to fill a superior court vacancy or appoint a successor for an impending vacancy within 45 days after receiving nominations from the council. That period has passed.

Susanne DiPietro, the councils executive director, said the seven-member council plans to meet Thursday to discuss its options. She did not get into what those might be.

She said former Govs. Wally Hickel and Frank Murkowski pushed back on nominations but filled seats within 45 days.

Bolgers comments were posted on the commissions website. DiPietro said they were made at the start of a commission meeting Friday.

Bolger said the council, on which he serves, aims to nominate the most qualified candidates. He said areas considered include professional competence, fairness, temperament, legal and life experience and commitment to public and community service.

Each council member votes independently, Bolger said. If a candidate receives four votes, his or her name is forwarded to the governor, he said.

It is not uncommon for the council to nominate a person for one position but not for another, Bolger said. Strength of the other candidates, the nature of the open position and the community the judge will serve are considerations, he said.

Democratic Rep. Matt Claman of Anchorage said Friday that Dunleavy is failing to uphold the constitution in the matter and has failed to follow the rule of law.

Shuckerow said by email Monday that Claman should join the Governor in asking for more openness and transparency in this process adopted by the Judicial Council.

Claman scrapped a Friday hearing on one of Dunleavys crime bills after speaking about the judicial matter and what Claman said was a denial by the governors office of a travel request by the state public defender. Claman said travel for public defender Quinlan Steiner was denied for the remainder of session.

Given that, Claman said he would only hear Anchorage-based staff with the administration testifying on crime bills by phone until travel for Steiner is approved.

Steiner said he was denied travel for a criminal justice commission meeting this month that ultimately wound up being paid for by the commission and for hearings on crime legislation and the Public Defender Agencys budget last week.

He said he was at one point asked to submit a travel plan, then was told by a deputy commissioner in the Department of Administration, under which his agency falls, that Dunleavys chief of staff denied travel for the rest of session then on Friday was asked for a travel plan that he said he will submit.

Steiner said he is trying to make a case for additional funding because his agency has more cases than it can handle and without more money could have to start refusing cases, which he said would disrupt the criminal justice system. Being at hearings in person also can be advantageous in weighing in on bills and helping resolve any potential snags, he said.

Dunleavys office has said it wants to end nonessential travel, and Shuckerow said previously that the Office of Public Advocacy and the Public Defender Agency have said they are underfunded.

The governors office has approved certain travel in the past, but is currently requesting a formal travel plan for the remainder of the legislative session to consider what is within reason, Shuckerow said.

He said if committee chairs prefer testimony by phone, that is perfectly acceptable to the Administration.
RENO, Nev., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Filament , provider of comprehensive enterprise blockchain solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced it has received a 451 Firestarter award from leading technology research and advisory firm 451 Research, recognizing the companys innovative contribution within the technology industry.



451 Researchs Firestarter program recognizes exceptional innovation within the information technology industry. Introduced in 2018, and awarded quarterly, the program is exclusively analyst-led, allowing its team of technology and market experts to highlight organizations they believe are significantly contributing to the overall pace and extent of innovation in the technology market.

Filament was recognized for its Blocklet platform which is the first-ever embedded blockchain solution to enable Internet of Things (IoT) edge devices and enterprise data systems to automate business processes through provable, end-to-end trust. Blocklet is the only technology that gives corporations the ability to securely process and record transactions on the device at the edge of the network where information is first generated, assuring data integrity to drive smart contracts, automation, compliance and new revenue streams. The companys solutions are being used by global corporations in the automotive, communications and other enterprise sectors.

Being recognized by the industry experts at 451 Research is important validation for Filament and it supports the value of emerging technologies such as enterprise blockchain, said Allison Clift-Jennings, CEO, Filament. This is an exciting time for our customers who are creating a new path to the digital future. We are enabling these corporations to develop new products and services with their machines, that are for the first time, trusted to transact independently. As a result, they can effectively participate in and realize the value of distributed ledgers and blockchains.

451 Research selected Filament to receive this Firestarter award for its innovative technology that has real potential to create new value for major corporations, particularly in the automotive and transportation market, said Csilla Zsigri, senior analyst, blockchain and distributed databases, 451 Research. As companies move toward enterprise blockchain adoption, Filament has proven itself ahead of the curve. Its roots and expertise in open protocol development and the Internet of Things laid a strong foundation for this company that not only understands the technology, but also the market dynamics and the opportunities that lie at the intersection of blockchain technology and industrial IoT.

Read more about Filaments 451 Research Firestarter Award .

About Filament

Filament builds comprehensive blockchain systems for the enterprise and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Its hardware, software and service solutions allow connected devices and machines to securely interact with and transact value against distributed ledger technology such as a blockchain. Filament is headquartered in Reno, Nevada with offices in Denver, Colorado and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more at filament.com .

About 451 Research

451 Research is a leading information technology research and advisory company focusing on technology innovation and market disruption. More than 100 analysts and consultants provide essential insight to more than 2,000 client organizations globally through syndicated research, advisory services and live events. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in New York, 451 Research is a division of the 451 Group. Learn more about the 451 Research Firestarters.

Filament and the Filament logo are registered trademarks of Filament in the U.S.A. and other countries. Blocklet and Blocklet Chip are trademarks of Filament in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

Filament Media Contact

Christy Kemp

Dahlia Public Relations

303-898-3390
MONTROSE, Iowa - Authorities say a 15-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed herself at a gun club in Iowa.

Lee County sheriffs officials say deputies and medics were called around 10:40 a.m. Sunday to the Tri-State Gun Club outside Montrose, a community about 80 miles (129 kilometres) south of Iowa City.

The emergency crews found Haley McManus suffering from a gunshot wound. The girl later died at a hospital.

Sheriff Stacy Weber said Monday that Haley was accompanied by her father and that both were target shooting.

Webers office says the incident is being treated as an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound. No crime or negligence is suspected.

The teen lived in nearby Fort Madison. Autopsy results are pending.

A phone number listed for the gun club rang unanswered Monday.
ORANGEBURG, S.C. - Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker is set to give the commencement address at a historically black university in the critical early primary state of South Carolina.

South Carolina State University announced Monday that Booker will speak to graduates on May 10. The senator from New Jersey visited the Orangeburg school last year to host a forum on the importance of voting in the 2018 midterm elections.

Booker recently made his third trip as a 2020 presidential candidate to South Carolina, which holds the first primary balloting in the South.

Most of the states Democratic primary electorate is black, and Booker has spent much of his time on the campaign trail here speaking to racially diverse audiences, hitting on issues like health care inequality, criminal justice reform and job creation.
CHICAGO - A young Chicago off-duty police officer was gunned down in a parked car by a man who was looking for a Hispanic person to attack after a confrontation at a fast-food restaurant, the citys police chief said Monday.

I guess he settled for the first Hispanic he saw, Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.

Murder charges were filed in the weekend slaying of John Rivera . The 23-year-old was repeatedly shot while sitting in a car with three friends after visiting a pizza bar early Saturday in Chicagos River North area. Another person was injured.

The alleged gunman, Menelik Jackson, 24, of South Holland, was charged with murder and attempted murder, along with Jovan Battle, 32, of Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke ordered the two men held without bond.

Both gentlemen pose a real and present threat to the victims, the live victims in this case, this community and every other human being on the planet that they come into contact with, the judge said.

Assistant Public Defender Christopher Anderson, who is representing Battle, said his client was denied the opportunity to make phone calls at the police station. He added Battle is unemployed and receives Social Security assistance for bipolar disorder and depression.

Attorney Robert Willis said Jackson has an associates degree and works at a specialty auto parts shop.

Battle met up with Jackson and a third individual to track down the people involved in the altercation at the restaurant, Assistant States Attorney James Murphy said. He added Battle pointed at the car Rivera was in several times before the suspects approached the vehicle.

Surveillance camera video clearly shows Jackson pulling out a handgun and aim directly at the drivers window of the car Rivera was sitting in, Murphy said.

Johnson said Jackson had tried to become a police officer in 2017, which he described as disgusting.

He said Jackson, who is black, was looking for revenge after a dispute with Hispanic men on a party bus at a nearby McDonalds. An hour later, around 3:30 a.m., shots were fired into the parked car. No words were spoken, according to police.

Rivera had been a Chicago officer for nearly two years.

Johns a sweetheart. Hes an angel, said friend Jennifer Navarro, 23. Why would someone just want to take his life away like that? He had a whole life ahead of him.

Investigators are searching for the third man who was with Battle and Jackson during the shooting, Johnson said.
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Council must decide this week whether to approve a $25,000 settlement in an excessive force lawsuit against a former Oklahoma City police officer who is serving a 236-year sentence for rape and other sexual offences.

The council will vote Tuesday on the proposed settlement between the city, ex-police officer Daniel K. Holtzclaw and plaintiff Demetria M. Campbell, The Oklahoman reported.

Campbell was not one of the 13 victims in Holtzclaws felony conviction . The former officer was found guilty in 2015 of sexually assaulting 12 black women and one black teenager. All 13 have sued Holtzclaw and the city since the former officers arrest in 2014.

Campbell alleges in her lawsuit that Holtzclaw pushed her without provocation in 2013, banging her face and head against a brick wall outside a restaurant while he was on duty. He then handcuffed Campbell and shoved her into his patrol vehicle, according to the petition.

Plaintiff prayed and sobbed as Defendant Holtzclaw travelled with her handcuffed in the backseat of his patrol vehicle through various parts of the city, the lawsuit states. After some time, Defendant Holtzclaw released (Campbell) without filing charges, but accused her of fitting the description of an individual who had stolen a vehicle.

Campbell received treatment at a hospital emergency room 90 minutes later, according to a city council memo from Municipal Counselor Kenneth Jordan. She provided documentation detailing $14,400 of medical expenses and said the incident inflicted physical and emotional injury.

Campbell also said Holtzclaw pressed against her inappropriately. But, a district court judge ruled any sexual misbehaviour during the encounter would fall outside the scope of Holtzclaws employment with the city, according to court records.

She was never considered a sexual victim by the City of Oklahoma City, Assistant Municipal Counselor Richard C. Smith said.

The resolution would only address Campbells allegations of extreme force. If the council approves the money, the city wont concede liability.

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Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com
WASHINGTON - House Democrats pressed the Justice Department Monday to provide the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller even as Republicans gleefully called for them to move on from the Russia investigation. President Donald Trump accused those responsible for launching Muellers probe of treasonous things against our country and said they certainly will be looked into.

Trump said the release of Muellers full report wouldnt bother me at all, and Democrats quickly put that statement to the test, demanding that his administration hand over the entire document and not just Sundays four-page summary from Attorney General William Barr.

Six House Democratic committee chairmen wrote to Barr that his summary is not sufficient and asked to be given Muellers full report by April 2. They also want to begin receiving the underlying evidence the same day. The information is urgently needed by our committees to perform their duties under the Constitution, they wrote, implying that the information would be subpoenaed if it is not turned over by the deadline.

Barr said in his letter to Congress that Mueller did not find that Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election  knocking down arguments from Democrats who have long claimed there was evidence of such collusion.

But he also said Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed the federal investigation, instead setting out evidence on both sides of the question and stating that while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Absent a recommendation from Mueller, Barr stepped in and decided there wasnt sufficient evidence to establish that the president obstructed justice. Democrats said Barrs judgment is not the final word.

All Im interested in is them releasing the full report, the full Mueller report, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Despite Muellers refusal to exonerate Trump, his spokesmen and leading congressional Republicans all claimed total vindication for the president anyway. Questioned by reporters, Trump said he welcomed Muellers results but complained he had been abused by the investigation occurring at all and taking too long.

We can never let this happen to another president again, he said. There are a lot of people out there that have done some very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country.

Those people will certainly be looked at. Ive been looking at them for a long time. And Im saying, why havent they been looked at? They lied to Congress. Many of them you know who they are.

He didnt name names, but Trump has spent months railing against former Justice Department officials, including former FBI Director James Comey, accusing them of an illegal witch hunt for the purpose of delegitimizing his presidency. He has also falsely claimed that the investigation was based on memos compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, and even blamed former Sen. John McCain, who died last year, for passing the memos to the FBI.

The investigation began months before the FBI saw the dossier  and the FBI already had a copy by the time McCain turned it in.

On Monday, after a series of evening strategy meetings, Democrats vowed to continue their multiple investigations into Trump, perhaps with shifted focus. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who has become a focus of Republicans post-Mueller ire, said he is circumspect about how much more we will be able to find on issues that he thoroughly investigated, but said Muellers conclusion would not affect his own committees counterintelligence probes.

There may be other corrupt meetings between the Trump campaign and the Russians, there may be other profound financial conflicts of interest that are not mentioned in the Mueller report, and there may be unanswered questions even within what he did examine, Schiff said.

Democrats also signalled that they will curtail some public focus, at least, from their investigations of Trump and try to keep attention on their policy goals. Schiff postponed an open hearing with Felix Sater, a Russian-born former business adviser to Trump who helped him negotiate an ultimately unsuccessful deal for a Trump Tower in Moscow, while the intelligence committee tries to get a look at Muellers report.

Pelosi, meanwhile, was scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday on health care legislation, Democrats top campaign issue.

Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a member of Democratic leadership, said he has been encouraging colleagues to talk about those policy issues like health care and infrastructure.

We need to talk about the work we are doing on these really important economic issues that matter in peoples lives, Cicilline said. Were doing the work, but we need to be more effective about sharing that and not just responding to questions about corruption and Muellers investigation.

Democrats seem more likely to focus on those issues, and their ongoing investigations, than engaging in the talk of impeachment that has been amplified on Pelosis left flank. As the release of Muellers report loomed, she recently tried to scuttle that talk by saying shes not for impeachment, for now.

But Muellers report hasnt dissuaded some of Trumps fiercest critics among the new Democratic lawmakers who helped flip the House from Republican control. By the end of the month, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., is still planning to introduce her resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to investigate grounds for Trumps impeachment.

Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers called for Congress to move on. This is done with, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. It is time for the country to move forward.

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the No. 2 House Republican, said Democrats dont want facts, They just want to change the outcome of the 2016 election.

At the same time, however, Republicans followed Trumps lead in looking into how the investigation began. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham promised to unpack the other side of the story of the Russia investigation.

Graham, who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will probe the actions of the Justice Department. Still, he said the investigation was legitimate and had to happen in order to answer questions about Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The South Carolina Republican also had a warning for Trump using his pardon power to help those who were ensnared by Muellers investigation.

If President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well, Graham said.

Among those whom Mueller charged during the course of his investigation were the presidents former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Five Trump aides pleaded guilty and a sixth, longtime confidant Roger Stone, is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to Congress and engaged in witness tampering.

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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Alan Fram, Mike Balsamo and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report.

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Follow all of APs Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations .
MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF.By February, the snow made many neighbourhoods here feel subterranean.

Twenty-foot walls of white, corniced by the wind, leaned over the plowed roads. Residents worked feverishly to keep the snow from swallowing their homes. They dug tunnels and narrow passageways to the street, opened portals to get light through second-story windows, shovelled dangerous weight off their roofs.

Unoccupied homes were so buried that a child might unknowingly sled down one. On still nights, when the wind stopped and the plows had passed, the silence was absolute. Only the streetlights and spirals of smoke from unseen chimneys suggested human life.

This years record-setting February and continued storms have reconnected residents to a historic rite of passage in Californias highest town, a place that largely came to be because of its monumental snowfall.

Brenda McCann had gone through the many harsh Mammoth snowfalls since her first autumn here in 1998, when four feet fell in two days at Thanksgiving. The old-timers called her neighbourhood of Old Mammoth Moleville because of its propensity to get buried, turning homes into burrows.

The long drought began to make those eerie winters feel distant, a fading quirk of a town just five hours from Los Angeles that regularly made winters in Buffalo look moderate.

But the heavy snows of 2017 brought back memories. Many homeowners were unprepared, and roofs collapsed.

Read more:

Wet winter greatly reduces drought conditions in California

Winter storms wash away California drought, burnish snowpack

Latest: Evacuations as storm approaches Southern California

This winter, the town was ready, as 17 feet of snow landed in February, with more storms following in March.

My whole house is encased in snow, McCann, 54, said recently. Im in an igloo.

While her house sits a good four feet above her driveway, she had to climb 5 feet over a frozen berm to get out, until she had someone plow it away. In the backyard, the snow rises straight up over the two-story roof of her next-door neighbor.

Ive seen a lot of dogs on roofs this winter.

During and after white-out days, people spend so much time shovelling, blowing, shovelling, that their backs wince and their abs feel like theyd done a couple hundred sit-ups. Members come into the gym where McCann works, they say, I worked out all day, I just need the Jacuzzi.

One of her friends, who had moved back to Mammoth in summer after many years away, told her: Im outta here. Now I remember why I moved away in the first place.

The sheer volume of the snow creates a logistical puzzle. Where to put it?

The towns public works crews and the California Department of Transportation use large ribbon-bladed blowers to shoot it up on hills between homes, where it builds until it looms over the roads like a wave ready to take a ship down. Dump trucks haul the rest to a site down Highway 203, where its bulldozed off the side of the mesa.

From the huge ski operations on the mountain to town hall to condo complexes to small cabins and trailer homes, the urgent matter day and night has been snow management.

People cant understand this type of snow, said Grady Dutton, the towns public works director. Fifty-three feet fell at the top of the mountain.

During storms, his crews hack away at it 24 hours a day. County employees scrape 104 miles of street with seven plows and five massive Kodiak snowblowers, delivering the snow to scattered spots and the snow pit off the mesa. We have a good idea of every nook and cranny in town, Dutton said.

The machinery keeps the resort town functioning at the height of the ski season.

Mammoth gets its heavy snow due to its altitude and the topography surrounding it. Generally in the Sierra, Pacific storms hit the western slopes and rise into thinner atmosphere against the ridges. The clouds relative humidity climbs, ice particles congeal and snow falls mostly in the highest, uninhabited interior wrung dry by the 12,000- to 14,000-foot peaks.

But here, storms roll up the deep gorge of the middle fork of the San Joaquin River, rising quickly to a wide break between the high peaks Mammoth Pass, just 9,300 feet.

Clouds funnel through the pass, and dump snow with a vengeance, particularly on the volcanic Mammoth Mountain, which rises to 11,059 feet.

Most of Californias big snow areas rely on this orographic effect of the storms rising and funnelling up deep canyons Squaw Valley, Bear Valley, Echo Summit and the home of Americas original snow nightmare, Donner Pass.

The community Tamarack, three miles from Bear Valley, holds the record for the greatest snow depth ever measured in the U.S. 37 1/2 feet.

In Mammoth, the remoteness of the area on the edge of the Long Valley caldera that once exploded with hundreds of times the material released by Mt. St. Helens combined with the harsh winters, kept settlers at bay.

The first to try it were some 2,500 prospectors who built a boom town they called Mammoth City in 1879. That December, storms dumped snow for 18 days. By spring, 28 feet had engulfed the newcomers.

Residents were forced to cut a warren of snow tunnels to allow them to make their way through town, and businesses hacked long rows of snow steps down to their front doors, wrote Martin Forstenzer, in Mammoth: The Sierra Legend.

Miners strapped barrel staves to their boots to use as skis, taking their cues from a Norwegian man who delivered U.S. mail all over the Sierra no matter the weather.

Only a handful of residents stayed to endure the following winter.

Modern Mammoth traces back to 1936, when a penniless 21-year-old from Independence took a job as a hydrographer for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, which had famously diverted the snowmelt of the Eastern Sierra into an aqueduct to the exploding city. Dave McCoys job was to ski throughout the Sierra measuring snowpack so the water managers in L.A. would know what to expect come summer. He came to realize with the bald lava dome of Mammoth Mountain that it had the deepest snow he had seen, and regularly trekked there with friends to ski. Where the miners had failed, McCoy struck what would become white gold.

But it was a place where skiers could race giddily down a wide bowl in brilliant sunshine, and an hour later, as a blizzard howls through, start envisioning a fate like the Donner Partys.

One day McCoy arrived at his friend Ted Cushions cabin, only to have it snow unrelentingly for 11 days, according to Forstenzer. When it stopped 20 feet later, McCoy and Cushion went to check on neighbours who ran a tavern. They climbed in a second-story window to find them alive and well. Cushion asked McCoy to check on a couple named Phillips who were winter caretakers of a summer camp.

He told me about how far it was and how to get to it, McCoy recalled to Forstenzer. But when I got there, I couldnt see a cabin or anything, anywhere.

Pretty soon I saw a little opening in the snow with a little bit of smoke coming out of it, and heard a strange noise.

Down below, the Phillipses were trying to tunnel out by shovelling snow by the front door into the cabin. McCoy helped dig them out.

Such conditions never daunted him.

McCoy built the first chairlift on Mammoth Mountain in 1955, and retired 50 years later, selling his ski resort for $365 million (U.S.).

The town contains many microclimates sloping down a thousand feet from the base of the mountain at 8,700 feet into the Long Valley caldera. Some areas might have 10 feet of snow, where others have two. Near the top, and just below the pass, Old Mammoth, gets heaps.

If you go down some of the smaller streets in town, it is literally tunnels, said Jo Louise, a hotel receptionist who moved here 22 years ago. You have to be careful. Its eerie.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump made formal a move he announced in a surprise tweet last week.

The president said it was time for the U.S. to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria. The U.S. is the first country to recognize Israels sovereignty over the Golan, which the rest of the international community regards as Israeli-occupied.

Syria and neighbouring Lebanon denounced the move, and at least two NATO members, Canada and Turkey, said they would not follow suit.

Trump said his decision would cement the Jewish states ability to defend itself from regional threats should a broad Arab-Israeli peace deal ever be reached. Trumps action also likely gives Netanyahu a political boost ahead of whats expected to be a close Israeli election.

During his 90-minute visit to the White House, reporters and photographers were invited to see Netanyahu at least four times, including his arrival at the South Lawn and in the Oval Office.

Israel has long argued that the strategically important area has, for all practical purposes, been fully integrated into Israel since it was captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and that control of the strategic plateau is needed as protection from Iran and its allies in Syria.

Today, aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, in southern Syria continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel, Trump said in the proclamation.

The proclamation noted the unique circumstances presented by the Golan, language that appeared to be aimed at countering criticism that the recognition would be used by other countries to justify control of disputed territory, such as Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimea region.

But criticism was speedy and intense.

Syria slammed the U.S. step as blatant aggression on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The foreign ministry said Trumps move represented the highest level of contempt for international legitimacy and showed that Washington was the main enemy of Arabs.

Lebanon, which Secretary of State Mike Pence visited over the past weekend, said that the Golan Heights is Syrian Arab territory and that no country can falsify history by transferring land from one country to another.

Even U.S. allies Canada and Turkey expressed opposition.

In accordance with international law, Canada does not recognize permanent Israeli control over the Golan Heights. Canadas long-standing position remains unchanged, the Canadian foreign ministry said. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law.

Turkeys foreign minister said that the U.S. had ignored international law and that the decision would further increase tensions in the region.

And, at the United Nations, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said U.N. chief Antonio Guterres adheres to Security Council resolutions that Israels annexation of the Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.

Amnesty International called the decision irresponsible, reckless and yet another example of the Trump administration violating international law and consensus by condoning Israels illegal annexation.

Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said Trump seems to want to drive a wrecking ball through international law that protects the people who live in occupied Golan Heights. He said it could embolden other occupying states to double down on their own land grabs, settlements and plunder of resources.

Netanyahu, even as he was somberly cutting short his visit to Washington to deal with a rocket attack in central Israel, was elated by Trumps move.

Israel has never had a better friend than you, he told the president.

Netanyahu noted a series of steps Trump has taken since assuming office, including his withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and moving the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.

In addition to signalling U.S. support for Israels security, the decision appeared to show Trumps support for Netanyahu, who is up for re-election April 9. Netanyahu is facing a tough challenge from a popular former military chief and reeling from a series of corruption allegations. He has repeatedly sought to focus attention on his foreign policy record and strong ties with Trump.

The two leaders met as the Israeli military was striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket that hit a house north of Tel Aviv, injuring seven people.

In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee earlier Monday, Vice-President Mike Pence said the rocket attack proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace. Pence told AIPAC that Hamas is a terrorist organization that seeks the destruction of Israel, and the United States will never negotiate with terrorist Hamas.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for what was to have been a three-day visit but announced early Monday he would leave early to take charge of the response to the rocket.

___

Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed to this report.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Tragedies like the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Sandy Hook Elementary school massacres eventually fade from view, blunted by other mass shootings and the passage of time. But for the survivors, the pain can never end.

The father of a Sandy Hook victim killed himself Monday, just days after two Stoneman Douglas students also took their lives. The Florida deaths have officials in Parkland and nearby Coral Springs renewing their communities focus on the suicide prevention and mental health resources that remain available 13 months after a gunman killed 17 people at the high school.

In Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 first-graders died along with six staff members six years ago, the body of 49-year-old Jeremy Richman was found outside his office Monday morning.

Richmans daughter Avielle was fatally shot at Sandy Hook. He had visited Florida last week and met with the parents of Stoneman Douglas victims, said Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter Alyssa died there.

Richman and his wife oversaw The Avielle Foundation, a group they started dedicated to preventing violence by better understanding brain health.

Our hearts are shattered, and our heads are struggling to comprehend, the foundation said in a statement. Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need.

Multiple suicides among mass shooting survivors can be alarming, but mental health experts said the Florida deaths are not surprising. They come amid a rising nationwide trend: More than 47,000 U.S. suicides occurred in 2017, at the highest rate in at least half a century  14 per 100,000. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among U.S. teenagers.

One of the big risk factors for suicide is exposure to violence, said Dr. Louis Kraus, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Even if they werent hit by bullets or didnt see shots fired, anyone who was at that school is at risk, Kraus said, and should be screened.

The scars simply dont go away with a fresh coat of paint, he said.

Psychologist April Foreman, a board member at the American Association of Suicidology, said survivors are more prone to suicide and thus must be vigilant about mental health check-ups just as if they had a family history of breast cancer or heart disease.

With help, people can overcome their suicidal impulses, she said.

Its not a foregone conclusion that this will happen to everyone whos been exposed to this and the majority of people who are suicidal dont go on to die. They go on to recover and live, she said.

The first suicide took place March 16. Cara Aiello told WFOR-TV last week that her 18-year-old daughter Sydney had suffered from survivors guilt  her friend, Meadow Pollack, died in the attack.

Sydney had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled to attend college because she feared being in a classroom, but never asked for help, her mother said.

Coral Springs police officer Tyler Reik confirmed Monday that a Stoneman Douglas sophomore apparently killed himself Saturday, but said an official determination had not been made pending an autopsy. The boys name was not immediately released.

Community leaders, government officials, parents, police and others held an emergency meeting Sunday after the second student suicide, Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky said.

The biggest push will be to alert parents to talk to their children about whether they are having suicidal thoughts and outline the danger signs for them, such as personality changes or a preoccupation with death, she said.

The groups also want students to look out for each other, and noted that the community counselling and resource centres that opened after the attack still remain available.

The task has been made more difficult as Stoneman Douglas students are on spring break.

Hunschofsky said that while there is concern the two suicides could lead to more, it is more dangerous not to discuss what happened.

We cannot be afraid of talking  the only way we are going to identify people who need help is to talk about it, she said.

A 16-year-old Stoneman Douglas sophomore who was in a classroom where three students died on Feb. 14, 2018, told The Associated Press on Monday that she tried to kill herself four times before she entered therapy.

At first, she was ashamed, she said, fearing that accepting counselling would mean she couldnt handle my problems and I was broken. But her attitude changed with the support of therapists, family and friends, said the girl, who the AP is not naming because of her age.

The girl said she fears not every Stoneman Douglas student who needs counselling is getting it and noted that some teachers seem uncomfortable talking about suicide and simply want to move on.

In Connecticut, Richman was among the Sandy Hook relatives suing Infowars host Alex Jones for contending the Newtown shooting never happened.

Neil Heslin, whose son, Jesse Lewis, was killed at Sandy Hook, said the families grief has been compounded by such conspiracy theories.

Every day you get up, you expect to get punched in the chin, Heslin said. I give Jeremy credit for what he accomplished with his work and his amazing strength that grew through the years.

Newtown Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde said Richman left a suicide note, but did not disclose its contents.

On Monday, residents streamed into the Resiliency Center of Newtown, which was set up shortly after the shooting as a place for therapy and for people to gather to talk. Richman worked with the centre in providing brain health first aid for children and others.

His friend, Stephanie Cinque, the centres executive director, said people are angry, sad and shocked by his death.

Theres mixed feelings throughout town, she said. Grief is complicated. Its very sad for the family, the children, the entire community. So today were letting people know its OK to have those feelings.

The emotional scars survivors feel last for decades.

Columbine High massacre survivor Heather Martin was not physically injured in the 1999 shooting that left 13 dead, but said she took years to emotionally overcome the attack. She helped form the Rebels Project, named after Columbines mascot, to assist mass trauma survivors.

Resilience is connecting with other people and gaining strength from other people, Martin said. You dont always have to be the strongest person.

___

Tanner reported from Chicago. Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; Dan Elliott in Denver; and Joshua Replogle in Parkland, Florida, contributed to this report.

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Editors note: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 800-273-8255. The Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 crisis support by text. Text 741741 to be connected to a trained counsellor. Students from Broward County schools can text FL to 741741.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Police in Georgia say a disabled man whose mother is accused of trying to scam him out of $200,000 has been found safe.

Gwinnett County police tweeted 20-year-old Lee Earnest Longmire was found safe and is staying with family. Citing a police statement, news outlets report officers found him Friday but arent saying where because theyre still investigating.

Police had earlier said Longmire has a mental disability, which they did not specify.

His mother, 58-year-old Yvonne Longmire, was arrested this month on charges including identity theft. The Lawrenceville resident is accused of using another man to pose as her son in court to try to gain control of his trust fund.

Police had been searching for her son since her arrest.
ROCK HILL, S.C. - A South Carolina man accused of driving around a college campus without pants on has been arrested.

Winthrop University police Lt. Charles Yearta tells The State newspaper that 23-year-old David Nathaniel Atkinson was arrested Saturday and charged with indecent exposure.

Yearta said two students looking out the window of their dorm before 8 p.m. saw a man without pants in a car.

Yearta said Atkinson isnt a student at Winthrop University and has no known affiliation with the school in Rock Hill.

York County Sheriffs Office spokesman Trent Faris told the newspaper that Atkinson was released Sunday after posting $10,000 bail. It wasnt immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

The newspaper reports that Atkinson was previously convicted of indecent exposure in December 2016 in Alamance County, North Carolina.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com
RIMOUSKI, Quebec, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puma Exploration Inc. (the Company or Puma) announces that by mutual agreement, Votorantim Metals Canada Inc. (Votorantim) and Puma have agreed to modify the terms of the amended and restated Asset Purchase Agreement signed October 5, 2016, as amended thereafter. Pursuant to the third amending agreement signed by Puma and Votorantim, Puma now has until June 30, 2019 to proceed with the final $3M cash consideration. The date at which the Environmental Bond has to be assumed has also been postponed to June 30, 2019. Once the final cash consideration payment is made and the Environmental bond has been assumed, title to the mining claims will be transferred.



As per the third amending agreement, Puma shall pay Votorantim $105,000 as an additional fee (Additional Fees). The Additional Fees shall be applied against the $3M cash consideration payable by Puma providing that Puma has performed additional exploration work on the Murray Brook Project involving expenditures of no less than $105,000 and Puma has provided to Votorantim a final written report on such work, together with any and all exploration and development reports, results and supporting data relating to the Murray Book Project generated or obtained by Puma since September 13, 2016, all of which shall be in a form satisfactory to Votorantim, on or before June 15, 2019. If Puma has not strictly satisfied the conditions set forth in the preceding sentence, Votorantim shall retain the Additional Fees for its own account.

We are very pleased with the amended terms between the parties which provides more time to optimise and finalise the current in progress studies, metallurgical tests, surface copper zone drill sampling and surveys at Murray Brook to achieve our shared objective to finalize the acquisition and define the best mining scenario for the Murray Brook Deposit, notes Marcel Robillard, President of Puma.

Qualified Persons and QC/AC

The content of this press release was prepared by Marcel Robillard, P.Geo., President and Dominique Gagne, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Puma Exploration, qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, who supervised the preparation and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Mr. Robillard and Mr. Gagne are not independent of the Company, as both are officers and shareholders thereof.

About the Murray Brook Project

The Murray Brook Project consists of three (3) distinct contiguous areas that covers 8,800 hectares and more than 18 kilometers of the favorable rocks that host the operating Caribou Mine (Trevali Mining Corp.), on the east side, the Murray Brook Deposit and the past operating Restigouche Mine (Trevali Mining Corp.). From east to west, the Murray Brook Project comprises the Murray Brook East Property (4925), the Murray Brook Mining Lease (# 252) and the Murray Brook West Property (7846).

The Murray Brook East and Murray Brook West Properties have been subject to various degrees of exploration and share the same potential of increasing the mineral resources defined at the Murray Brook Deposit and several future priority targets have been definedon these properties.

About the Murray Brook Deposit

The Murray Brook Deposit (Mining Lease #252) covers an area of 484 hectares with a currently defined measured and indicated mineral resources of 5.28 million tonnes averaging 5.24% zinc, 1.80% lead, 0.46% copper, 68.9 g/t silver and 0.65 g/t gold. The core of this mineral resource occurs in the West Zone which is 200 meters wide, extending from surface to 300 meters vertical and the true thickness of the massive sulphide body varies from 75 meters to 100 meters. The East Zone (Copper-Gold) is 100 meters wide, also extending from surface to 300 vertical meters and is mainly mineralized with gold and copper. On February 20th 2017, a NI 43-101 report was accepted and filed on SEDAR.

About Puma Exploration Inc.

Puma Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company with advanced precious and base metals projects in Canada. The Company's major assets consist of an option to acquire 100% beneficial interest in the Murray Brook Property, the wholly owned Turgeon Zinc-Copper Project and the Nicholas-Denys Project all located in the Bathurst Mining Camp of New Brunswick. As well as an equity interest in BWR Resources, exploring in Manitoba. Pumas objective for the coming year is to focus its exploration efforts in New Brunswick and advance the Murray Brook Deposit.

You can visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Learn more by consulting www.pumaexploration.com for further information on Puma Exploration Inc.

Marcel Robillard, President

(418) 724-0901

president@explorationpuma.com

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Puma Exploration Inc. to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma Exploration undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in the quarterly and annual reports and in the documents submitted to the securities administration.
TOLEDO, Ohio - A minister who promised a woman hed take care of her daughter began having sex with the teenager daily and later encouraged two other pastors to have sex with her as well, federal prosecutors said Monday.

Anthony Haynes could face up to life in prison if hes convicted of child sex trafficking and other charges. The two other Toledo-area pastors charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Prosecutors said during the opening of Haynes trial that he first had sex with the girl when she was 14. They said the evidence against him includes text messages, photos, voice mails and DNA evidence from his church where the girl said they often had sex.

Haynes attorney told jurors that the allegations are shocking, but theres not enough evidence to prove the trafficking and conspiracy charges he faces.

Attorney Pete Wagner also said Haynes may have had a questionable relationship with the girl, but he didnt co-ordinate or take part in trafficking her to the other ministers. He also said there was no paying for sex.

Prosecutors say the girl had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused by a relative.

Haynes pledged in front of his congregation to protect her and serve as a father figure, but he began grooming her for sex when she turned 14 and first forced her to perform sex acts in front of him, said Michael Freeman, an assistant U.S. attorney.

They had sex day after day, often at a motel or his church, the Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo, and Haynes would give her cash, Freeman said.

After about a year, Haynes introduced her to Kenneth Butler, another pastor, and he also began having sex with her, Freeman said.

Sometimes, the two men joked about the arrangement, prosecutors said. One text shown in court that prosecutors say was sent by Butler to the girl said: You better be nice and naked when I get there.

Prosecutors said the girl next met Cordell Jenkins, a minister who founded his own church in Toledo and built a large following until it closed after his arrest.

The FBI has said in court documents that Jenkins had sex with two girls at his home, church office and a motel and often recorded the acts with his phone.

Haynes, prosecutors said, encouraged the relationship with Jenkins.

In addition to the charges against the men, Haynes wife and stepdaughter are accused of abducting the girl at gunpoint in January and warning her not to testify at his trial.

Court documents say the pair forced the teenager from her apartment, choked her with a cord and told her to take back statements she made to investigators. Attorneys for Haynes wife and stepdaughter have declined to comment.

Just before her husband went on trial, his wife appeared Monday in the same courtroom where the judge overseeing the case turned down her request to be released.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest University officials have condemned an Instagram post that suggested the North Carolina school build a wall to separate it from a historically black public university in the same city.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that an Instagram post on Friday endorsed a candidate for student body president, saying he wants to build a wall between Wake and Winston-Salem State and hell make them pay for it. Thats ostensibly a reference to President Donald Trumps campaign promise to build a border wall financed by Mexico.

Wake Forest has confirmed that the student endorsed is not actually running, and did not participate in the posting. Wake Forest University President Nathan Hatch called the post deeply offensive and unacceptable, even if intended as parody.

Hatch said the school is investigating.

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Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.com
YORBA LINDA, Calif. - Radio show host Hugh Hewitt has been tapped to head a foundation focused on preserving the legacy of former President Richard Nixon, officials said Monday.

The Richard Nixon Foundation said the politically conservative author, commentator and law professor will become its next chief executive in July. Hewitt, who also served in the Reagan administration, helped start Nixons presidential library and museum in Yorba Linda, California, nearly three decades ago.

The world needs to be reminded of President Nixons lasting foreign policies, the strategic methods by which he assessed conflict and disagreement, and how he crafted strategies for resolution -- building a more peaceful world, Hewitt said in a statement issued by the foundation.

Today, the presidential library is overseen by the National Archives and Records Administration.

The foundation runs educational programs and supports the library and museum, which was renovated several years ago to include interactive touchscreens and video of Nixons speeches in an effort to draw younger audiences.

Hewitt will continue to host his radio show, write columns for the Washington Post and appear as a panelist on NBCs Meet the Press, the statement said.
DES MOINES, Iowa - More than two dozen residents in a suburban Des Moines neighbourhood are anticipating limited access to schools, work or emergency services for hours at a time this spring because of idling railroad trains.

Wayne and Rita Brasel live near Avon Lake, between Des Moines and Carlisle, where Union Pacific Railroad cars have periodically blocked access to the neighbourhoods only road for years.

The Brasels told the Des Moines Register that the problem became worse when the Nebraska-based railroad built the Wind 2 Rail distribution centre in 2017. Trains now park for several hours while workers load and unload wind blades and turbine parts.

The wind turbine transfers came to a halt for about two months from Christmas through most of February. But Union Pacific trains blocked the road for more than an hour earlier this month to off-load wind turbine parts, the Brasels said.

The railroad company had promised neighbours that the distribution facility would only be operational for 14 weeks in 2017, 20 weeks in 2019 and 26 weeks this year.

They said they were going to run for 20 weeks in 2018, but it lasted eight months, Wayne Brasel said. Thats way more than just 20 weeks.

Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South said the company was unaware of the issue with the distribution centre.

We want to be a good neighbour and we want to apologize for the inconvenience this has caused for the residents and businesses, she said. We are going to work with everyone on this.

Under Iowa code, its illegal for a train to block a crossing for more than 10 minutes.

Phil Meraz, an Iowa Department of Transportation official, explained that state law is superseded by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of 1996, which states that only the federal government has the jurisdiction to govern the movement and speed of trains.

Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith also said he didnt know about the issue.

If someone had told me that kids werent getting to school and people arent getting to work, then Id be right on top of that immediately, he said.

Hockensmith plans to work with the county attorney to see whether they have the authority to stop the railroad company from blocking the crossing.

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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
PITTSBURGH - The foreman of a jury that acquitted a white Pennsylvania police officer of homicide said Michael Rosfeld did not know the black teen he shot was unarmed and that his decision to run after his vehicle was pulled over factored into the verdict.

Juror Jesse Rawls Sr. told WHTM-TV that Antwon Rose II and another occupant who ran from the stop brought it on themselves and that the then-East Pittsburgh officer knew there had just been a drive-by shooting and was scared.

Its a felony stop, Rawls said. Once its a felony stop, you have to take precautions. He said Rosfeld could not let the occupants get away, and he didnt know what the kid had.

Rawls, 72, who is black, is a retired schoolteacher and wrestling coach from Harrisburg, where jurors were picked for last weeks trial in Pittsburgh.

He said jurors did what was right in acquitting Rosfeld of all charges Friday. The verdict has prompted protests over four days, including hundreds of high school and college students marching Monday in downtown Pittsburgh.

Rawls was among three African-Americans on the 12-person jury.

Rosfeld was responding to a report of a drive-by shooting in nearby North Braddock in June when he saw a vehicle that matched the description  an unlicensed taxi in which Rose was a passenger.

As Rosfeld was dealing with the driver, Rose and the other passenger got out and ran. Video captured Rosfeld shooting Rose three times, including in the back.

If the kids wouldnt have jumped out and ran, they would have never been in the situation, Rawls told the station. So put the onus on the young men in the car, why did they jump and run?

He noted there was a senior centre near where Rose was shot. Rawls said Rosfeld might have been concerned that Rose was armed and could have gone into the centre and begun shooting.

The other taxi passenger, Zaijuan Hester, 18, pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated assault and firearms violations, saying he  and not  Rose did the shooting during the drive-by incident.

Rose was in fact unarmed when he was killed, although he did have a gun clip in his pocket. Two handguns were recovered from the taxi.

Rosfelds lawyer, Patrick Thomassey, said after the verdict that his client probably cannot work again as a police officer. East Pittsburgh disbanded its force late last year, and Rosfeld and the borough face civil litigation over the shooting filed by Roses family.

Rawls said that if he had not witnessed the trial, he might have feelings similar to those expressed by the protesters regarding the shootings racial elements. Marchers have repeatedly chanted their opposition to racist police and portrayed Rose as victim of injustice and deserving of sympathy.

I think that they have to accept the fact that the 12 people in the jury room did what was right, Rawls said. Now, if you wanted me to do what was wrong and convict him of something that was wrong to please the neighbourhood, then thats not fair.

He also told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the jury was not unanimous at the start of deliberations.

Some people had to change their minds, he told the paper. It was a discussion, like, Tell me why he is not guilty. And then we went over it on the screen and we came up with the answer, and the person said, OK, I read this the wrong way.
EL PASO, Texas - The man accused of shooting a West Texas sheriffs deputy faces an upgraded charge after the lawman died over the weekend.

El Paso Magistrate Judge Penny Hamilton said Monday that 27-year-old Facundo Chavez was rebooked on a capital murder charge. Chavez was initially booked on a count of attempted murder.

The El Paso County Sheriffs Office confirmed Sunday that 35-year-old deputy Peter Herrera died after being shot Friday during a traffic stop.

Authorities say a man in vehicle Herrera stopped fired 15 shots at the deputy after he asked the driver to step out of a car in San Elizario, about 25 miles (40 kilometres) southeast of El Paso.

While officials initially expected him to survive, Herreras widow said on Facebook his condition worsened Saturday.

Officials say its the first shooting death of an El Paso deputy since 1940.
HELENA, Mont. - State officials say increased temperatures in a scenic Montana river have likely contributed to the growth of algae blooms considered a nuisance to recreation.

The Independent Record reported Monday that the algae species Cladophora has reached nuisance levels in the Smith River, where thousands of people enter a lottery each year for a chance to float down it.

The state Department of Environmental Quality sampled the river water last year, aiming to determine the factors causing the algae growth.

State water quality specialist Chace Bell says there has been a statistically significant increase in water and air temperatures over the past 22 years.

The temperatures combined with other environmental factors make conditions ripe for Cladophora growth.

Bell says that prolonged plumes of algae can push out insects and affect fish.

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Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com
HOUSTON - It could be several more days before a section of the Houston Ship Channel closed amid cleanup efforts after a fire at a petrochemical storage facility is reopened, a U.S. Coast Guard official said Monday.

The section of the ship channel near the storage facility owned by Intercontinental Terminals Company has been closed since Friday after some oily products leaked into the waterway when a containment area was breached.

Coast Guard Capt. Kevin Oditt said Monday that officials let one ship pass through the affected area Sunday. Oditt said that ship didnt interfere with the cleanup and its hull did not get contaminated with oil.

Oditt says additional test runs with four more ships and barges were set to be done on Monday.

The priorities remain ensuring the safety of our on-scene responders as well as mitigating any impact to the waterway or the environment and reopening the Houston Ship Channel, Oditt said at a news conference Monday.

The San Jacinto River, a waterway leading into the ship channel and located north of ITCs facility, was reopened to barge and tow traffic but only for about three hours on Monday.

The ship channel is one of the busiest commercial waterways in the country, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Houston.

Water samples from the Houston Ship Channel have been tested, but those results are still not complete, said Jeff Kunze, with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Over the weekend, benzene levels in the air were very high near the site of the fire, but they have dropped significantly, according to monitoring by the Environmental Defence Fund. The group also took water samples in Galveston Bay and is awaiting results.

Adam Adams, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said air monitoring from his agency as well as several others in the last 24 hours has not found any hazardous conditions that would require warning the public.

Thats very positive, Adams said.

The fire destroyed or damaged storage tanks that contained components of gasoline and materials used in nail polish remover, glues and paint thinner. Elevated levels of benzene were detected in the air Thursday, prompting officials to order people to remain indoors for several hours.

Brent Weber, the ITC incident commander at the site of the, said crews on Monday continued emptying the damaged tanks. At least five had been emptied and crews were focusing their efforts on draining two others, Weber said.

The fire and its aftermath prompted several days of cancelled classes last week because of concerns over air quality near the facility.

On Monday, students were back in class in Deer Park, Galena Park and other communities near the facility.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
SANTA FE, N.M. - The Latest on Democratic Sen. Tom Udalls not running for re-election (all times local):

1:00 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall is being praised by Democratic colleagues for his activism on environmental and Native American issues as he prepares to retire from the Senate.

Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday referred to Udall on Twitter as a friend who has helped build a stronger future for working people, especially in Native American communities.

Udall has announced he will not seek a third Senate term in 2020 and will look for different public service opportunities.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein calls Udall a champion for the environment, renewable energy and tribal land issues.

Long active on Native American concerns, Udall recently sought a permanent land buffer to keep oil and gas drilling away from Chaco Culture National Historical Park and other sites held sacred by Native American tribes.

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12:35 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall says his last months in office will be devoted to preventing any U.S. wars that are not authorized by Congress.

Udall announced Monday that he would not seek a third Senate term in 2020 and says he wants to ensure that President Donald Trump cannot attack Iran or North Korea without a declaration of war by Congress.

New U.S. sanctions against Iran are aimed at blocking nuclear research and foreign influence. The U.S. is negotiating with North Korea over its weapons program while the two countries are still technically at war, with the 1950-53 Korean War ending in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Udalls retirement at the end of next year puts a firmly Democratic Senate seat back in contention.

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10:30 a.m.

New Mexico Senator Tom Udall says he will not seek re-election in 2020 in a move that opens up a secure Democratic seat to competition.

The second-term senator and former congressman says he is confident he could run a strong campaign but preferred to look for new ways to serve the public.

Udall announced the end of his 20-year political career in Washington in a statement on Monday.
WASHINGTON - The Latest on Congress and the special counsels Russia investigation (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

The Democratic leaders of six House committees are demanding that Congress have the full report by special counsel Robert Mueller no later than April 2.

The chairmen of the panels wrote in a letter to Attorney General William Barr Monday that his four-page summary of Muellers work is not sufficient for Congress, a coequal branch of government to perform oversight duties.

According to Barr, Mueller did not find that Trump or his associates colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 elections. By Barrs account, Mueller did not implicate or exonerate Trump of obstruction of justice, effectively punting that question.

The heads of the committees asked Barr to send them the full Mueller report by April 2 and start sending Congress the underlying documents the same day.

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5:45 p.m.

The House intelligence committee is postponing an open hearing with a Russian-born former business adviser to President Donald Trump as Democrats seek more information about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation.

The panel was scheduled to interview Felix Sater on Wednesday. He is a former business adviser to Trump who worked on an unsuccessful deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.

Intelligence committee spokesman Patrick Boland said Monday that the panel is instead focusing this week on bringing in Justice Department officials to better understand Muellers report.

A four-page letter from Attorney General William Barr announced Muellers main findings, including no evidence of collusion by Trumps 2016 campaign with the Russian government.

Democrats say the letter is not enough and are looking for the full report.

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5:15 p.m.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is trying to quickly pass a resolution urging the public release of special counsel Robert Muellers report, but hes being blocked by Republicans.

Schumer said Monday that since President Donald Trump supports releasing the report, theres no good reason for anyone to object.

Shortly after the Senate opened, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell objected to Schumers request. He says the Justice Department needs more time to wrap up Muellers two-year probe.

The House unanimously approved the resolution last week.

Trump said earlier Monday that the release of Muellers report wouldnt bother me at all.

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4:10 p.m.

The special counsels office is handing off a court fight over a subpoena issued to an unidentified company that refused to turn over information demanded in Robert Muellers investigation.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Muellers office, said Monday that the matter was being handed off to federal prosecutors in the District of Columbia.

Mueller concluded his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election without additional charges Friday. His office has been handing off lingering issues to other offices in the department to see through to the end.

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from the company. The unidentified company, which is owned by an unidentified foreign government, has been racking up fines of $50,000 a day for not complying with a subpoena for documents.

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1:40 p.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says he told President Donald Trump that the late Sen. John McCain deserves better than the presidents harsh criticism.

The South Carolina Republican said Monday that Trump blames McCain for the Russia investigation. The former Arizona senator had turned over to the FBI a salacious dossier he received about Trumps activities in Russia. McCain died last year.

Says Graham: Trump believes it was the McCain people who spread this.

But Graham says he told Trump, it was not John McCain.

Graham and McCain were dear friends, but parted ways over Trump. Graham is now close to Trump and spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Graham said McCain did exactly what he should have done in giving the dossier to authorities.

Trump publicly criticized McCain last week.

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1:10 p.m.

Kentuckys Republican senators say special counsel Robert Mullers investigation vindicated President Donald Trump, but a home-state, Democratic colleague in the House says many questions remain after the summary of Muellers report was made public.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the special counsels conclusions confirmed Trumps account that there was no effort by Trumps campaign to conspire or co-ordinate with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Paul told reporters in Louisville on Monday that the nearly two-year investigation was a colossal waste of money and time.

Rep. John Yarmuth said Attorney General William Barrs summary of Muellers conclusions leaves many questions unanswered.

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1:01 p.m.

President Donald Trump is accusing those responsible for launching the special counsel investigation of treason and says they will certainly be looked at.

Trump did not specify who hes referring to, but told reporters Monday, that There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say treasonous things against our country.

Trump adds that, Those people will certainly be looked at and says: Ive been looking at them for a long time.

The comments come a day after the attorney general told Congress that special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence Trump or his associates conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 election.

Asked about the possibility of issuing pardons, Trump also says: I havent thought about it.

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12:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the release of special counsel Robert Muellers report wouldnt bother me at all.

Trump says hes glad Muellers investigation into Russian meddling is over and wishes it could have gone quicker. Trump says we can never let this happen to another president again.

Asked Monday whether Mueller had acted honourably, Trump responded: Yes, he did.

Attorney General William Barr has told Congress that Mueller found no evidence Trump or his associates conspired with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Trump was asked about Muellers report as he spoke to reporters along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH-hoo).

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12:35 p.m.

Special Counsel Robert Muellers team told the attorney general about three weeks ago it would not be reaching a conclusion about whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice. Thats according to a Justice Department official who spoke to The Associated Press on Monday on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

The official says the news from Muellers team to Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was unexpected.

In releasing a summary of Muellers findings on Sunday, Barr said Mueller had drawn no conclusion about whether Trump obstructed justice. Instead, his report laid out the evidence on both sides of the question.

Barr told Congress that he and Rosenstein decided there wasnt enough evidence to prove Trump had committed that crime.

 Associated Press writer Eric Tucker

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12:05 p.m.

A close ally says President Donald Trump felt a sense of relief after learning special counsel Robert Muellers report had cleared him of conspiring with the Russian government.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham flew home from Florida with Trump after spending the weekend awaiting Muellers findings. On Sunday, Attorney General William Barr told Congress Mueller did not find evidence that Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia during the 2016 election.

Graham says that on the flight home Trump conveyed a sense of relief that there was now the legitimacy of his presidency where there had been questions before.

Trump has declared the findings a total vindication, but Mueller reached no conclusion on whether the president obstructed justice. Barr says Muellers report presents evidence on both sides of that question.

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11:45 a.m.

Sen. Lindsey Graham says President Donald Trump came out of the Russia investigation stronger. But he is warning Trump not to pardon any associates convicted during special counsel Robert Muellers investigation.

The South Carolina Republican, who spent the weekend with Trump, told reporters on Monday that if President Trump pardoned anybody in his orbit, it would not play well.

Hes referring to figures such as Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign chairman. Manafort has been convicted in Washington and Virginia of crimes related to years of Ukrainian political consulting work.

Muellers report, turned over to Friday to Attorney General William Barr, did not find evidence that Trumps campaign conspired or co-ordinated with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice.

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11:35 a.m.

The Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says his panel will unpack the other side of the story of special counsel Robert Muellers probe into President Donald Trump and his campaign.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent the weekend with Trump in Florida, said his committee will investigate the actions of the Justice Department in the Russia investigation, including the FBIs use of a dossier compiled by British spy Christopher Steele.

Graham spoke Monday after Attorney General William Barr reported to Congress on Muellers findings. Barr said Mueller found no evidence that Trump or his associates conspired with Russia. Mueller did not make a determination on whether Trump obstructed justice.

Graham said he will be speaking with Barr at noon and wants him to testify before his committee.
MEXICO CITY, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terrafina (TERRA) (BMV: TERRA13), a leading Mexican industrial real estate investment trust (FIBRA), externally advised by PGIM Real Estate and dedicated to the acquisition, ownership, development, lease and management of industrial real estate properties in Mexico, announced the following:



Pursuant to articles 64 Bis 1 and 68 of the Securities Market Law and article 218 of the General Law of Negotiable Instruments and Credit Transactions, and in accordance with Clause 4.1 of the Irrevocable Trust Agreement identified with number F/00939 dated January 29, 2013 (as the same has been and is amended, the  Trust ), as well as the global certificate (the Global Certificate) that evidences the issuance of non-amortizable trust certificates known as CBFIs with ticker number "TERRA 13" (the " Certificates ") issued by CIBanco, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple (formerly known as The Bank of the New York Mellon, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple), as trustee of the Trust ( the  Trustee ), where PLA Administradora Industrial, S. de R.L. de C.V., as advisor and settlor, TF Administradora, S. de R.L. de C.V., as subsidiary (the Subsidiary) and Monex Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., Monex Grupo Financiero as common representative (the  Common Representative ) of the holders of the Certificates (the  Holders ), such Holders are called to attend the Annual Ordinary Holders Meeting (the  Meeting ) to be held on April 10, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. (Mexico City Time) in the Common Representatives offices located at Av. Paseo de la Reforma No. 284, Floor 9, Col. Juarez, Cuauhtemoc, 06600, Mexico City, Mexico, to discuss the following matters presented in the following agenda, provided that, capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in the Trust:

AGENDA

Proposal, discussion and, if applicable, approval of the audited annual financial statements of the Trust for the fiscal year ended 2018, pursuant to the provisions set forth in Clause 4.3, section (a), subsection (i) of the Trust.

Proposal, discussion and, if applicable, approval of the Annual Report as of December 31, 2018, pursuant to the provisions set forth in Clause 4.3, section (a), subsection (ii) of the Trust.

Appointment, ratification and/or removal of each of the members of the Technical Committee, pursuant to the provisions set forth in Clause 4.3, section (a), subsection (iii) of the Trust.

Appointment of the delegate to comply with the resolutions adopted in the Holders Meetings.

Holders of the Certificates who wish to attend the Meeting must deliver, no later than the business day prior to the Meeting: (i) proof of deposit issued by S.D. Indeval Institucion para el Deposito de Valores, S.A. de C.V., (ii) the list issued to that effect by the corresponding custodian, and (iii) if applicable, the proxy letter executed before two witnesses required in order to be represented at the Meeting, or a general or special power of attorney granted in terms of the applicable law, at the offices of the Common Representative, and addressed to Martha Corona Benavides, Rebeca Erives Sepulveda and/or Hector Esau Tapia Rivera between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. and between the hours of 4:30 P.M. and 5:30 P.M. (Mexico City Time), Monday through Friday, as of the publication date of this announcement. Furthermore, the Holders are hereby invited to contact the Common Representative, via e-mail ( hetapiar@monex.com.mx ), or by telephone +52 (55) 5231-0141, in the event that they have any questions related to any of the items of the Meeting Agenda.

Mexico City, March 25, 2019

CIBanco, S.A., Institucion de Banca Multiple,

in its capacity as trustee of the Trust F/00939

Juan Pablo Baigts Lastiri

Trustee Delegate

Itzel Crisostomo Guzman

Trustee Delegate

About Terrafina

Terrafina (BMV:TERRA13) is a Mexican real estate investment trust formed primarily to acquire, develop, lease and manage industrial real estate properties in Mexico. Terrafinas portfolio consists of attractive, strategically located warehouses and other light manufacturing properties throughout the Central, Bajio and Northern regions of Mexico. It is internally managed by highly-qualified industry specialists and externally advised by PGIM Real Estate.

Terrafina owns 299 real estate properties, including 287 developed industrial facilities with a collective GLA of approximately 41.1 million square feet and 12 land reserve parcels, designed to preserve the organic growth capability of the portfolio.

Terrafinas objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns for the holders of its certificates through stable distributions and capital appreciations. Terrafina aims to achieve this objective through a successful performance of its industrial real estate and complementary properties, strategic acquisitions, access to a high level of institutional support, and to its management and corporate governance structure. For more information, please visit www.terrafina.mx

PGIM Real Estate

PGIM Real Estate is the real estate investment business of PGIM Inc., the global investment management business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU). Redefining the real estate investing landscape since 1970, PGIM Real Estate has professionals in 18 cities in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific with deep local knowledge and expertise, and gross assets under management of US$72.7 billion (US$50.8 billion net) as of December 31, 2018. PGIM Real Estates tenured team offers to its global client base a broad range of real estate equity, debt and securities investment strategies that span the risk/return spectrum. For more information, visit www.pgimrealestate.com

About Prudential Financial, Inc.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU), a financial services leader with more than US$1.4 trillion of assets under management as of December 31, 2018, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudentials diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudentials iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com .

Forward Looking Statements

This document may include forward-looking statements that may imply risks and uncertainties. Terms such as "estimate", "project", "plan", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", and other similar expressions could be construed as previsions or estimates. Terrafina warns readers that declarations and estimates mentioned in this document, or realized by Terrafinas management imply risks and uncertainties that could change in function of various factors that are out of Terrafinas control. Future expectations reflect Terrafinas judgment at the date of this document. Terrafina reserves the right or obligation to update the information contained in this document or derived from this document. Past or present performance is not an indicator to anticipate future performance.

Presentation available at:

http://www.terrafina.mx/es/inversionistas/comunicados-de-prensa

http://www.terrafina.mx/en/inversionistas/comunicados-de-prensa
HOUSTON - The Latest on fire damage at a petrochemical storage facility that led to a partial closure of the Houston Ship Channel (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

Officials say they continue investigating the cause of a fire at a Houston-area petrochemical storage facility but have still not been able to visit the site of the blaze due to ongoing clean up efforts.

Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen said Monday afternoon officials have delivered a subpoena to Intercontinental Terminals Company, the firm that owns the facility, to preserve any evidence regarding the cause of the blaze.

Christensen says the subpoena is standard practice in such a probe and ITC officials have been co-operative in the investigation.

Christensen could not say how long the investigation of the fire at ITCs facility in Deer Park would take, adding that it will take time.

County officials said Monday the incident continues to be overall a low health risk to the community.

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11:30 a.m.

A U.S. Coast Guard official says it could be several more days before a section of the Houston Ship Channel closed amid cleanup efforts after a fire at a petrochemical storage facility is reopened.

Coast Guard Capt. Kevin Oditt said Monday that officials let one ship pass through the affected area Sunday. Oditt said that ship didnt interfere with the cleanup and didnt get contaminated.

Oditt says additional test runs with four more ships and barges were set to be done on Monday. Crews are cleaning up after products from storage tanks at the facility leaked into the ship channel following the March 17 fire. The tanks contained components of gasoline and materials used in nail polish remover, glues and paint thinner.

Intercontinental Terminals Company says it continues emptying the damaged tanks.

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9:30 a.m.

Students are returning to school in an area southeast of Houston after a fire at a petrochemical storage facility prompted several days of cancelled classes.

Students were back in class Monday in Deer Park, Galena Park and other communities near the International Terminals Company in Deer Park. Classes were cancelled because of concerns over air quality near the facility, which caught fire on March 17 and burned for several days.

The fire destroyed or damaged storage tanks that contained components of gasoline and materials used in nail polish remover, glues and paint thinner. Elevated levels of benzene were detected in the air Thursday, prompting officials to order people to remain indoors.

The fire also led to the closure of part of the Houston Ship Channel. The U.S. Coast Guard says it hopes to have the channel reopened Monday.
WASHINGTON - The Latest on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Washington (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

The U.N. Security Council in a December 1981 resolution called Israels annexation of the Golan Heights null and void and without international legal effect  and the U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (goo-TEHR-esh) adheres to council resolutions.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric (steh-FAHN DOO-jar-ihk) said Monday that Guterres position remains unchanged despite President Donald Trumps formal recognition of Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Guterres said in a report on recent activities of the U.N. peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights that he was gravely concerned at escalating tension there between Israel and Syria. He circulated the report on Monday to the Security Council.

The secretary-general singled out three incidents between Syria and Israel between Nov. 20 and Feb. 11.

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2 p.m.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says the U.S. has ignored international law by recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Cavusoglu said on Twitter on Monday that the decision would never legitimize Israeli occupation.

The minister said: The decision will further increase tensions in the region by preventing peace efforts in the Middle East.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.

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2:05 p.m.

Lebanon says the decision by President Donald Trump to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory undermines any efforts to reach a fair peace and further isolates Israel.

Lebanons foreign ministry said Monday that the Golan Heights are Syrian Arab territory and no country can falsify history by transferring land from one country to another.

Lebanon is technically at war with Israel, which occupied parts of southern Lebanon until it withdrew in 2000. Lebanon says Israel is still occupying the disputed Shebaa Farms and Israel considers the Lebanese Hezbollah group a strategic threat.

Trump signed a proclamation Monday recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The decision further isolates Israel, Lebanons foreign ministry said, adding that Israel will only find security with a fair and comprehensive peace.

__

1:05 p.m.

Syria says President Donald Trumps recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights makes Washington the main enemy of Arabs, and the Damascus government is calling the U.S. decision a slap to the international community.

Trump has signed a proclamation recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan, which Israel occupied in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.

Syrias Foreign Ministry calls the decision a blatant aggression on its own sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry says the U.S. move represents the highest level of contempt for international legitimacy.

The U.N. Security Council refers to Israel as the occupying power and says Israels attempt to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect.

Trumps decision reverses more than a half-century of U.S. policy.

___

12:55 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH-hoo) is asking President Donald Trump for permission to share Israeli wine with the White House staff.

And the Israeli leader is joking that he hopes they dont open an investigation as a result. Back home, Netanyahu is facing a pending indictment on corruption charges.

And Trump has been the subject of numerous investigations, but is claiming vindication following the release of a summary of special counsel Robert Muellers report.

Netanyahu made the offer after Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu says he brought Trump a case of the finest wine from the Golan. But he says Trump, who doesnt drink alcohol, is not a great wine drinker, and that he wanted to give the wine to Trumps staff instead.

___

12:20 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH-hoo) says Israel is responding forcefully to a morning rocket attack in central part of the Jewish state.

Israels military says its started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip after a rocket hit a house north Tel Aviv and wounded seven people.

Netanyahu spoke during a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump, who later signed an official proclamation formally recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu calls the rocket attack wanton aggression and says Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it.

The prime minister says he plans to return to Israel after the meeting with Trump.

___

12:05 p.m.

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

The document reverses more than a half-century of U.S. policy as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH-hoo) visited the White House.

Trump had previewed the move in a tweet last week that it was time for the U.S. to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.

Netanyahu has pressed for such recognition for months. Trumps action gives him a political boost just weeks before whats expected to be a close Israeli election.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognized by the international community.

___

9:35 a.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH-hoo) says hes cutting short his visit to Washington after a Gaza rocket attack on Israel.

Netanyahu describes Monday mornings rocket launch that struck a home in central Israel as a criminal attack and hes pledging to strike back hard. He says hell return to Israel to handle the crisis shortly after his meeting with President Donald Trump.

An Israeli rescue service says the rocket from the Gaza Strip wounded seven people.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for what was to have been a three-day visit. He was going to speak at the American Israel Public Affairs Committees policy conference and was to be hosted at a White House dinner.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - The rebuilding of Isle Royale National Parks grey wolf population is off to a strong start.

The Michigan park in Lake Superior now has 15 wolves following the transfer of seven from Canada over the weekend. Six came from Michipicoten Island and one from the Ontario mainland.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says the wolves were fitted with radio collars before their release so scientists can monitor their movements.

Theyre the latest newcomers relocated to Isle Royale from Ontario and Minnesota since the restoration project started last September, when only two wolves remained at the park. Their population had dropped the previous decade because of inbreeding and other problems.

Officials eventually want 20 to 30 wolves on the island to keep its moose numbers under control.
On Korea, the hawks are having their way. Three weeks after a failed summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, the chances of a rapprochement between the long-time adversaries continue to deteriorate.

On Friday, Pyongyang announced its withdrawal from a liaison office set up with much fanfare last fall to improve relations between North and South Korea.

The two Koreas are still technically at war with each other. The liaison office, situated in the border town of Kaesong, was the first of its kind since Koreas 1945 division into U.S. and Soviet zones of influence.

Its closing marks a setback for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has staked his political prestige on easing tensions between the two countries.

It also lessens the chance of a deal being reached between North Korea and the U.S., which also remain technically at war with each other.

The U.S. wants Kim to give up his nuclear weapons. Kim has said he wants a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. But he has never specified exactly what that would mean. The Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi last month was supposed to move the peace process along for all parties.

Moon hoped that the U.S. would agree to lifting sanctions against the North that prevent the two Koreas from co-operating economically. Kim had already shut down some of his nuclear capability. He hoped that, in exchange for further moves, Trump would agree to ease at least some of the economic sanctions strangling the North.

And the U.S.? A speech in January by Stephen Biegun, Trumps special envoy to Pyongyang, seemed to hint that Washington was willing to move in stages, as North Korea had suggested. But as the New York Times later reported, that speech alarmed hawks within the U.S. administration, such as National Security Advisor John Bolton.

For the hawks, only one deal was acceptable: If North Korea wanted sanctions lifted it had to first abandon and destroy all of its nuclear weapons and missile systems as well as the facilities capable of manufacturing more.

It was a deal they knew Kim could never accept.

But it seems they got Trump to agree to offer it by appealing to his vanity. The impossible deal was repackaged as a grand bargain that would allow the two sides to solve all outstanding issues at once.

All that was needed for success was the worlds greatest negotiator. And in Trumps mind, only one person fit the bill: himself.

So Trump went to Hanoi to pitch the grand bargain. As the hawks expected, Kim refused. And while the two leaders still have kind words for one another, the possibility of their reaching an agreement is fast diminishing.

Before Hanoi, there had been talk of moving toward a peace treaty that would formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, a war that pitted South Korea, the U.S. and their allies (including Canada) against North Korea and China.

Such talk is no longer heard.

Before Hanoi, Moon was making plans to reopen an industrial zone near the border that would combine South Korean capital and North Korean workers to the benefit of both countries. Those plans are now on indefinite hold.

The U.S. and its allies continue to enforce the punishing sanctions against North Korea. Pyongyang and its allies continue to evade them. Kim has launched no more missile or nuclear tests but its not clear how long he will keep this up without receiving something in return.

Only the hawks are happy. Conservative hawks in South Korea never trusted Kim. Ditto in Japan. In the U.S., the hawks are secure in the knowledge that Washington is returning to the comfortable certainties of the Cold War, where North Korea can be dismissed as an implacable enemy.

Chances are that in Kims dictatorship there are hawkish factions who view the world in a similar light. If so, they too must be pleased.

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Does a politicians character or lack of it matter anymore?

Thats the big question behind the bitter election campaign now underway in Alberta.

After all, Donald Trump was elected U.S. president even though voters knew, among other things, that he had sexually abused women, called Mexicans rapists, and duped people out of money at his bogus university.

Doug Ford was elected premier of Ontario even though he had been an eager sidekick to his brother Rob Ford when he was mayor of Toronto and embroiled in one public scandal after another.

Jason Kenney, a former federal cabinet minister and leader of Albertas United Conservative Party is facing the same kind of scrutiny about his moral fibre in his bid to oust NDP Premier Rachel Notley.

Unfortunately for Kenney, the scandal he is caught up in raises serious questions about how he was elected leader of the UCP, which of course put him on the road to possibly becoming Albertas next premier.

Read more:

The United Conservative Partys kamikaze mission investigation explained

Integrity vs. economy: How the UCP kamikaze scandal could affect the Alberta election

Does the kamikaze campaign controversy concern Calgary voters? We asked some of them

And since election day is only three weeks away, its possible that if Kenney becomes premier he will begin his tenure under the shadow of an RCMP investigation into that leadership campaign.

The scandal begins in October 2017 when the UCP held a leadership contest after the Progressive Conservatives and the Wildrose Party agreed to merge. There were four candidates for the leadership of the new party: Kenney, former leader of the Progressive Conservatives; Brian Jean, former leader of the Wildrose Party; Jeff Callaway, former Wildrose president; and Doug Schweitzer a Calgary Lawyer.

Given on the record interviews and documents from people directly involved, it now appears the Callaway campaign was a fake campaign, or as it has been dubbed a kamikaze campaign, designed to rip Brian Jean apart, leaving Kenney to travel the high road.

The Kenney campaign worked closely with the Callaway campaign, instructing Callaway how and when to attack Brian Jean, and even scheduling when he would drop out of the race and throw his support to Kenney.

Emails also suggest that Callaways videos and attack ads aimed at Brian Jean were produced by Kenneys staff and then sent to the Callaway camp.

At one point $60,000 was donated to the Callaway campaign in one fell swoop and then distributed to various campaign volunteers so it would look like the money was donated by them. The Alberta Election Commissioner has already fined three people and reprimanded one for donating funds given or furnished by another person.

Callaways co-campaign chair was fined $15,000 for obstructing the election commissioners investigation. The investigation concerning the $60,000 donation has been turned over to the RCMP.

Kenney has said there is nothing unusual about two competing political campaigns communicating with each other. And he has denied any direct involvement.

But it seems there was a lot more than simple communication going on. Collusion is the word that comes to mind.

And its not as though Kenney is an inexperienced political campaigner.

He has been immersed in political campaigns since he left high school. While at university in San Francisco he vociferously campaigned again pro-choice advocates, and he was active in a campaign to deny spousal rights to people dying of AIDs.

At the tender age of 22 he was president of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. He was a Calgary MP for 19 years and an influential federal cabinet minister for eight years.

That he is even associated with such unethical campaign tactics leaves one to wonder just what he would do behind closed doors as premier

Kenneys been at the backroom game for a long time. Maybe thats why he doesnt seem the least bit flustered by the accusations that he ran a dirty leadership campaign. He just motors along talking about the economy, jobs, and pipelines.

But perhaps hes also hoping that voters have become inured to scandals; that they accept them as par for the course just as many did with Donald Trump and Doug Ford. Maybe hes counting on voters anger at the Liberals in Ottawa and the NDP in Edmonton to carry him through no matter the stink rising from his leadership campaign.

Or maybe hes hoping that character doesnt count, winning is all that matters.

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When it comes to hating Jews, nothing other than the excuses has changed over time. A recent statement by the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) lists some of the guises of anti-Semitism through the ages.

In the ancient world Jews were assaulted for rejecting paganism. Later, Christians marginalized them for not accepting the Gospel. Exponents of the Enlightenment were offended by Jews resisting assimilation. Those who did assimilate were attacked on other, often mutually contradictory, grounds such as masterminding capitalism and, at the same time, championing communism.

In recent memory, in the words of the ICCJ statement, pseudo-science branded Jews as genetic menaces to allegedly superior races. The result was the Holocaust. And, as I alluded in my last column, after the establishment of the State of Israel Jewish longing for the security of political self-determination, something seen as a human right of other peoples, has been tarred as racist.

anti-Zionist, not as legitimate criticism but as anti-Semitism, is rampant across Europe today. The leader of Britains Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has been described as an anti-Semite even by his own members. In the United States, historically a haven for Jews, anti-Semitism in the guise of opposition to the State of Israel is today higher than it was, say, a decade ago.

However, though the evil of hating Jews hasnt been eradicated, the very existence of the ICCJ, reflected in its statement that renewed anti-Semitism is a warning sign of societal breakdown, is indicative of the current commitment of much of the Christian world to shed its 2,000-year old animus and accept Jews not as enemies of Christ but, in the way of the late Pope John Paul II, as elder siblings of the children of God.

The Catholic Church, perhaps even more than other Christian denominations, has shown the way of turning hatred of Jews into respect for Judaism.

The Vatican declaration Nostra Aetate of 1965 broke new ground in interfaith relations. It prompted the now retired Pope Benedict, who is also a distinguished theologian, to tell a journalist recently that the relationship between his church and the Jewish people is one of dialogue, not mission. Christians want to learn from Jews how to be better Christians instead of seeking to convert them.

In this vein, the current pope, Francis, has asserted that Catholics whore anti-Semites reject their own Christian origins. He said that recent anti-Semitic attacks in many countries have created a climate of wickedness and fury thats of great concern to his church and to him personally.

Addressing a delegation of American Jewish leaders earlier this month, the Pope reiterated his commitment to interreligious dialogue as a way of promoting peace, mutual respect, protection of life and the care of creation.

The Vatican has also taken the important decision to finally open its archives that will shed light on the activities of Pope Pius XII who has been accused of not doing enough to save Jews during the Holocaust.

Important too is the co-operation between Catholics and Jews on specific issues. For example, the Vaticans Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism is said to be working with a group of rabbis on a position paper about end of life matters with special reference to the dangers of legalizing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide instead of providing palliative care and maximal respect for God-given life.

But even more important than joint declarations from on high are the face-to-face encounters between members of synagogues and churches that take place all over the world in efforts to break down barriers and help adherents of both faiths respect and learn from each other.
Ontarios integrity and conflict of interest commissioners should examine why Premier Doug Fords friend Ron Taverner was given preferential treatment during the governments hiring of a new OPP commissioner, says an Ottawa-based democracy group.

Taverner, a 72-year-old Toronto police superintendent, was appointed last November, but withdrew his name from consideration on March 6 after a public outcry over his close friendship with Ford.

While integrity commissioner J. David Wake last week concluded in a 101-page ruling that the premier did not breach the Members Integrity Act, the independent ethics watchdog found a flawed and troubling hiring process geared toward ensuring the favoured candidate was hired.

On Monday, Democracy Watch formally requested Wake and conflict of interest commissioner Sidney Linden to investigate whether Fords political staff and senior bureaucrats contravened ethics laws by tilting the field to benefit Taverner.

There is clear evidence in the integrity commissioners ruling on the OPP commissioner appointment process that Premier Fords chief of staff, Dean French, and his former deputy minister (Steve Orsini) violated Ontario government ethics rules by giving preferential treatment to Ron Taverner more than once, and also to (deputy minister) Mario Di Tommaso, said Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch and an adjunct professor of law and politics at the University of Ottawa.

Conacher noted Di Tommaso, a bureaucrat appointed by Ford last fall, was Taverners boss at the Toronto police service.

Hopefully the integrity commissioner will do the right thing and stop ignoring the clear evidence of violations that he gathered in his investigation of the OPP commissioner appointment process, and will issue a public ruling finding Premier Fords staff guilty of violating provincial ethics rules, he said.

Government house leader Todd Smith dismissed Democracy Watchs concerns.

The results came back pretty darn clear last week. Weve said this from the beginning, that the complaints here were without any kind of merit. They were frivolous, said Smith. How many times do we have to have these types of complaints filed?

But NDP deputy leader Sara Singh said Ontarians deserve real answers, far more than that it was technically not illegal.

The process by which Mr. Taverner was appointed was flawed, and the people of Ontario have been left with far more questions than answers, said Singh, whose bid for the justice committee to probe the hiring was quashed by the Tory majority.

Taverners appointment triggered legal action from former deputy OPP commissioner Brad Blair, who was then fired after exposing the Tories attempt to get a police van with $50,000 of customized upgrades for Fords use.

York Regional Police deputy Chief Thomas Carrique, 51, who has no connection to the premier, was appointed the new OPP commissioner two weeks ago.

Blair, whose bid to force the Ontario ombudsman to probe the affair will be in court next month, revealed Fords office tried to get a customized OPP van with a powered reclining leather sofa, 32-inch TV with Blu-ray DVD player, and a mini-fridge for the premier.

The 32-year OPP veteran was briefly interim commissioner of the force.

Read more:

Ethics watchdog says Doug Ford did not breach law in Ron Taverner hiring

Democracy group disputes integrity commissioners findings that cleared Premier Doug Ford of violating ethics law

Opinion | Royson James: Ron Taverner shows he has better sense than Premier Doug Ford

Ford has maintained he and his staff did nothing wrong.

The integrity commissioners report and its findings represents a complete  I repeat a complete  vindication for our government, the premier said last week.

I support my chief of staff, he said.

Prior to the OPP offer, Ford had previously promised Taverner a patronage post as the $270,000-a-year president of community outreach at the Ontario Cannabis Store, the governments new recreational marijuana retailer.

That appointment did not go ahead after Taverner said he was getting cold feet about leaving policing after 51 years on the job.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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Student mental health is a huge concern for school guidance counsellors  who these days help kids with everything from stress to substance abuse and have even become the go-to person for families looking to find counselling.

A survey by the Ontario School Counsellors Association, to be released Monday, found that providing mental health help is the most drastic change the profession has faced, given a general lack of services and long wait times in the community  and its the one area they are now urging they receive more training in, given the new realities of their job.

Not only do they provide support to students, but are often expected to link families  and even marriages  to community agencies in times of crisis.

The minute somebodys at my door, I drop everything  they are what matters most, said Nicole Trotter, a middle-school guidance counsellor with the Peel District School Board and president of the association.

With school board social workers and psychologists already stretched among a number of schools, we cant diagnose (mental health issues), but we are sometimes the first resource the school comes to  teachers come to, students come to  when theres an issue.

The survey of 650 school guidance counsellors, who are specially trained, fully certified teachers, found that the top priority for training among those working in both elementary and secondary pertains to student mental health and wellness.

They spend more than eight hours a week working with students on social/emotional and interpersonal issues as well as liaising with psychologists and mental health professionals.

When asked what they think students expectations are, guidance counsellors said be a mother, be a father, psychologist, while parents want them to be the parent when they cannot get through to their child, as well as family or marriage counsellor.

The changing role of the guidance counsellor  typically thought of as someone who helps with course selection and career and post-secondary pathways, and who support students who have been disciplined  was confirmed in a recent People for Education survey, which found that one in four high school counsellors spent much of their time providing one-on-one counselling to students for mental health needs.

High schools have an average of roughly one guidance counsellor for every 385 students. Most elementary schools, because of their smaller size, share a counsellor with a number of other schools.

In 2018, the former Liberal government provided additional funding for counsellors specifically to help students in Grades 7 and 8.

We are the first contact, added Trotter, who works full-time in guidance thanks to a special initiative in Peel that has added even more guidance resources. Because of our role, we are spending (the) most time with these students when they are unable to manage the demands of the classroom.

We might be providing a safe space, calm learning conditions, or helping a student calm down after a panic attack. It can be anything.

Counsellors also work on diversity and inclusiveness initiatives, bullying and cyberbullying prevention but at the core of all that they do mental health just falls into pretty much everything within our work, she added.

Psychologists and social workers arent on-site and work among a number of schools, we also know in the community that wait times are horrible, she added. One of the biggest things are pushing for is training and professional development in all of these areas when it comes to mental health  self-harm, suicide  anything along that mental health scope, because we are helping to manage it on the front lines.

Its students first  you cant turn a student away.

I think of my own day, she added. I start with my students most at risk, and I end my day with them as well  its students first. You cant turn a student away.

With kids feeling more comfortable speaking out about mental health, the Ontario Student Trustees Association is looking for more support and resources in schools. A recent survey it conducted found one in three students felt there werent enough, and about half of parents and teachers felt services were inadequate to meet demand.

Clarington Central Secondary School student Lindsey Keene said teens naturally head to the guidance office because they are a constant presence, and students are assigned to one in particular so they have a familiar face to turn to.

Given the recent announcement by the government  boosting secondary class sizes from 22 to 28 over the next four years, with an estimated 10,000 teaching positions lost  Keene said the association is worried about losing any adult presence in schools.

The government has said the class sizes are in line with other jurisdictions in Canada, and that larger classes can help build teen resiliency.

The student association has been advocating for more guidance counsellors in elementary and secondary schools, she added, given the level of youth stress and anxiety.

At this point, we dont know what might happen in terms of what staff schools might lose  but we want to make sure that those positions stay there, said Keene, who is the public affairs co-ordinator for the organization.

Toronto Catholic board Chair Maria Rizzo called the current guidance-student ratios disgusting.

The bottom line is: We have a crisis and we dont have enough staff to address it, said Rizzo.

  I kind of think that you pay now, or you pay later.

The Ontario and federal governments have pledged $3.8 billion over the next decade for mental health support for adults and children.
MONROE, Mich., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB) today announced the appointment of Tj Linz as President of the companys Retail Division, effective April 28, 2019. He will succeed Daniel E. King, who will retire at the end of the companys fiscal 2019 year. Linz will report to Kurt Darrow, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and will be responsible for driving the strategy, growth and profitability of the companys Retail segment, which today includes 155 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores with approximately 1,400 employees.



Linz joined La-Z-Boy in 2015 as Director of Strategy & Analytics and became Director of Retail Operations & Strategy, reporting to King, in 2017. In that role, he developed strategic initiatives across a multitude of disciplines, including pricing and promotions, advertising, visual merchandising, and compensation, leading to improved performance across the Retail operation.

Darrow said, Tj has been instrumental in the development of numerous strategies that have delivered enhanced results across the Retail segment. Working side by side with Dan, he has demonstrated his acumen to use data-driven analysis to create high-performing structures and operational excellence. As part of the senior leadership team of La-Z-Boy Incorporated, I look forward to working with Tj to develop strategies across the entire enterprise, including those pertaining to the Retail segment, as we execute the companys growth plan.

Darrow added, It is with mixed emotion that we say goodbye to Dan, who joined La-Z-Boy in 2008 when the company owned 70 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores. During his tenure, Dan played an integral role in the turnaround and growth of the Retail business through changes to its operational structure and the integration of numerous acquisitions. A dedicated executive and leader, he built a results-driven team with passion for the business. Through their success, the benefit of the companys integrated retail model to the companys overall profitability became clearly evident. Dan will be sorely missed and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Linz said, I am excited to lead a growing part of the La-Z-Boy business, particularly during such a dynamic period within the retail arena. With an iconic and trusted brand, great people on the store teams, and a vibrant La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries store system across North America, I look forward to all that we can accomplish to continue to deliver excellent results.

Prior to joining La-Z-Boy, Linz was with Deloitte Consulting LLP for nine years, most recently as Senior Manager in the Deloitte Digital Division. He earned his B.S. in Computer Engineering from Northwestern University and his MBA from the Universitys Kellogg School of Management.

Additional Information

This news release is just one part of La-Z-Boys financial disclosures and should be read in conjunction with other information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is available at: https://lazboy.gcs-web.com/financial-information/sec-filings . Investors and others wishing to be notified of future La-Z-Boy news releases, SEC filings and quarterly investor conference calls may sign up at: https://lazboy.gcs-web.com/ .

Background Information

La-Z-Boy Incorporated is one of the worlds leading residential furniture producers, marketing furniture for every room of the home. The La-Z-Boy Upholstery segment companies are England and La-Z-Boy. The Casegoods segment consists of three brands: American Drew, Hammary, and Kincaid. The company-owned Retail segment includes 155 of the 352 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores. Joybird is an e-commerce retailer and manufacturer of upholstered furniture.

The corporations branded distribution network is dedicated to selling La-Z-Boy Incorporated products and brands, and includes 352 stand-alone La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores and 541 independent Comfort Studio locations, in addition to in-store gallery programs for the companys Kincaid and England operating units. Additional information is available at http://www.la-z-boy.com/.

Contact: Kathy Liebmann (734) 241-2438 kathy.liebmann@la-z-boy.com
kaddish.com

By Nathan Englander

Knopf. 224 pp. $24.95

---

Philip Roth died just 10 months ago, and now his friend Nathan Englander has published a book called "kaddish.com." I suspect that's not coincidental. There's nothing derivative about this clever novel, but its tragicomic treatment of death, guilt and Jewish orthodoxy surely pays homage to the late great writer. May his memory be a blessing.

When Englander won the PEN/Malamud Award for short stories in 2000, he was barely 30, by far the youngest-ever recipient of that honor, which typically recognizes a lifetime of achievement. Although he had only published a single collection, "For the Relief of Unbearable Urges," since then he's confirmed the judge's faith in his work. Four of his stories have appeared in "The Best American Short Stories," and in 2012, he published a second collection called "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank," which was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.

"Kaddish.com" is a novel, but its first part serves as another reminder of Englander's extraordinary skill as a short story writer. Set 20 years before the rest of the book, it describes a contentious family gathering following a patriarch's death. Larry - the black sheep - has come from Brooklyn to stay with his Orthodox sister in Memphis as they sit shiva. Despite hearing the "quiet, muttering stream of well-wishers," he feels harshly appraised. "I want them not to judge me just because I left their stupid world," he hisses at his sister in the kitchen. These two siblings lash out at each other with words sharpened by grief. Larry insists he be allowed to mourn in his own way. His sister upbraids him for thoughtlessly ignoring their traditions. "It's no reason to treat me like a freak," he cries. "They're just stupid rules."

But of course, they're not just stupid rules - not to his sister and not even to Larry. One of the fascinating points Englander explores in "kaddish.com" is the way ardent followers and angry apostates both regard religious tradition with awe - but from different sides. "Sometimes the rejection is a way to let people know that the thing we reject truly matters," Larry says much later. "It is its own kind of faith, even if it's the opposite of faith."

Larry and his sister may lose control, but Englander never does. Their vicious argument, made all the more injurious because they love each other, articulates the confusing interplay of grief, affection and self-righteousness that only death can provoke. As Emerson wrote, "Sorrow makes us all children again."

Before he returns home, Larry endures one last confrontation with his sister about his ongoing obligation to recite the Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead, for their beloved father. "I'm asking about the torch you must carry for this family - our family - for the next eleven months. Tell me you get that the Kaddish is on you," she insists. "You know you can't miss. Not once. Not a single service."

Larry knows he won't perform that duty, but then, after scanning the internet for porn, he accidentally discovers there's an app for that - or at least a website: kaddish.com. "JDate for the dead," he thinks. For a price, deeply committed students in Jerusalem will say the Mourner's Prayer for Larry's father for the next eleven months. What could be more convenient? As soon as he's typed in his credit card number, secular Larry has passed off his duty to a devout Jew "eager to do the job."

The cringe factor of this transaction is high - raised higher by a Rothian description of Larry pleasuring himself - but Englander has a way of wedding sharp comedy to anguished solemnity. After all, if Larry were as secular as he claims, he wouldn't bother with this secret plan to simultaneously shirk and fulfill his duty. His confidence that a website can carry out his familial and spiritual obligation is a brilliant satire of our mania for replacing actual human attention with slick, virtual solutions.

When the main part of the novel picks up 20 years later, Englander keeps pushing on these issues with the same fertile wit and tender compassion. Larry, now married with two children and working in a Jewish school, has flipped back to orthodoxy. Using his Hebrew name, Shaul, he's returned to the fold and frequently recites the tale of his rebirth for any gathering of Jews. "I do not share the story to brag, or show off, or even to make excuses for all the years of lost time," he sighs. "I only share it to say, it's never too late to live one's true life."

Larry makes that sound like the happy end of his story, but it's effectively the beginning of Englander's. Unsettled by a seventh-grade boy who refuses to observe his own father's death, Larry finds himself strangely discombobulated. The memory of that web transaction he made so many years ago returns to trouble him in fresh ways, drawing him down a tortuous path of esoteric concerns that even his most orthodox friends can't follow. But the heart of his dilemma is universal: If, as he's claimed, "it's never too late to live one's true life," what exactly is his true life?

That quest will take him far from home and shatter the contented equilibrium of his life, which provides an element of comic mystery to this plot. It also offers Englander a chance to explore the tension between naivete and faith. Larry's fanatical devotion and his anxiety about fulfilling it might look ridiculous to those who don't feel the vitality of tradition, but the humor of "kaddish.com" is infused with delight rather than mockery.

What a rare blessing to find a smart and witty novel about the unexpected ways religious commitment can fracture a life - and restore it.
ALTON  An Alton man has been charged in a shooting death that occurred at a gas station in Alton Friday evening.

Pedro Cisneros-Vega, 22, of the 1200 block of Brown Street in Alton has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful use of weapons. The warrant was signed Monday by Judge Neil Schroeder.

Alton investigators were able to connect the driver in the crashes and the Madison County States Attorney filed charges Monday.

Cisneros-Vega is currently in custody at the Alton Jail without bond.

The swift resolution in this case was possible because of the strong network of first responders in our area. We will ensure that network remains strong so we can continue to be among the best departments in solving violent crime. A special thanks to the Madison County Sheriffs Office, East Alton Police Department, East Alton Fire Department, Madison County Coroners Office and the Illinois State Police for their assistance in this case, said Police Chief Jason Jake Simmons.

Charges stem from an incident Friday where Alton Police responded to a report of a fight inside the Shell station located at 2500 Brown Street in Alton. During the course of that fight, 22-year-old Austin L. Pierson was shot and died as a result of the gunshot wounds.

This incident saddens me because it is yet another instance where young adults in our community werent able to look beyond the immediate moment and find a peaceful resolution to their problems. I have excellent investigators who solve these cases, but most could be avoided altogether if we do a better job teaching our young people that violence is not the answer, said Simmons.

Shortly after the shooting, Alton police learned of reports of a hit and run traffic crash in East Alton and then a second traffic crash at Illinois Route 140 and Illinois Route 159. A suspect was taken into custody by Madison County Sheriffs Deputies and Illinois State Troopers at the scene of the second crash.
SPRINGFIELD  A bill banning for-profit prisons in the state, including immigrant detention centers, advanced out of committee at the Illinois Capitol this week.

State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat, is the lead sponsor of House Bill 2040, which passed 18-10 out of the House Labor and Commerce Committee Wednesday. She called it critically important to Illinois remaining welcoming to all people.

There is an effort afoot to bring a private, for-profit ICE detention center to the state of Illinois, she said at a Thursday press conference. And yesterday we said slow your role. Hold up here. Thats not who we are, thats not how we operate. We dont believe in making money out of putting humans in cages, and were going to do everything we can to stop the advance of this effort.

Recently, trustees in Dwight, a village about 80 miles Southwest of Chicago, voted to annex and rezone 88 acres to be used for a detention center run by Virginia-based Immigration Centers of America, the Associated Press reported.

Cassidys bill would prohibit the state or any unit of local government from operating private detention facilities, and would prohibit the entering of contracts, receiving payment or providing payment to a facility owned, managed or operated by a private company or person.

The bill would take immediate effect if passed by both houses and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. It has 19 co-sponsors in the House, including Elizabeth Lisa Hernandez, a Cicero Democrat.

Stopping these kinds of centers is about ensuring common dignity and humanity to people, she said. There is no evidence that these types of facilities save any money, and often provide no oversight or specialized care to those held there. This bill is a major step in the right direction when it comes to protecting immigrants and providing the proper care that every person deserves.

Hernandez and Cassidy spoke in favor of HB2040 and other pro-immigrant legislation at the Thursday press conference with other immigrant rights advocates from the House.

Hernandez said she hoped to draw attention to 42,000 Illinoisans that are affected by President Donald Trumps decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program known as DACA.

Without DACA, these young people lose the ability to study and work and are subject to immediate deportation to countries many of them have never been to, she said. These young people, or so-called Dreamers, were brought into the United States by their parents when they were infants. They were raised in this country, educated in our local schools and often have no idea they are undocumented until they apply for a job, college or a drivers license.

Hernandez said the Dreamers pay taxes, contribute to the economy and are American in every aspect except for one  on paper.

The group, which included immigration lawyer and state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, a Glenview Democrat, urged federal action on passage of a clean Dream Act.

Members of the group also touted legislation such as allowing undocumented parents to designate legal guardians for their children should they be detained or deported; notary reform to increase fines for exploitative actions taken by notaries; and health coverage expansion to DACA recipients and legal residents that have been in the country for less than five years.

Reach reporter Jerry Nowicki at Jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com
In the first days after a fleet of 25 delivery robots descended on George Mason University's campus in January, school officials could only speculate about the machines' long-term impact.

The Igloo cooler-sized robots from the Bay Area start-up Starship Technologies - which were designed to deliver food on demand across campus - appeared to elicit curious glances and numerous photos, but not much else.

It was clear, officials said at the time, that more time and more data would be necessary to understand whether the robots would actually change the campus culture or become a forgettable novelty.

Today, some of that data emerged for the first time. In the two months since the robots arrived at the Fairfax, Virginia-based school, an extra 1,500 breakfast orders have been delivered autonomously, according to Starship Technologies and Sodexo, a company that manages food services for GMU on contract and works closely with the robots.

"Research has shown that up to 88 percent of college students skip breakfast, primarily because of lack of time, but that number is starting to turn around when delivery robots arrive on campus," Starship Technologies said in a statement released Monday.

"This follows a similar pattern seen at corporate campuses where delivery robots were added," the statement added, referring to an uptick in breakfast orders.

The robots make food deliveries all over the 800-acre campus, school officials say. Though they're frequently seen making the 15 minute trip from campus restaurants to a handful of nearby dorms, the robots make deliveries to buildings across campus, where students meet them when they're en route to class or studying.

Students took advantage of the service from the beginning.

During the first day of deliveries at GMU, the machines were flooded by so many dinner orders that school officials had to pull the plug, shutting off orders so that robots weren't operating late into the night, far behind schedule. Each robot is opened using a delivery code and can carry up to 20 pounds -- the equivalent of about three shopping bags of goods, Starship Technologies said.

The company didn't reveal whether dinner orders returned to normal levels after their early spike or offer any theories about why the machines were being used so heavily in the morning hours beyond "convenience." But perhaps the answer is not much of a mystery.

Sodexo officials have noted that college students are prolific users of food delivery apps and they place a high value on convenience and having access to multiple options when they dine. During the morning hours, restaurant experts say, there is generally more emphasis on speed than any other part of the day. Combine college students love of food delivery with chaotic morning routines and, perhaps, you have a perfect recipe for robots.

"During the week, people generally want quicker," Bruce Dean, CEO of 100-unit Black Bear Diner, told Restaurant Business, referring to people placing a premium on speed during breakfast. "They get to work, they have an hour at lunch. But on weekends people will wait to get in and sit at the table and that's great for us."

Starship Technologies says GMU is the first campus in the country to incorporate robots into its student dining plan. With a growing number of students using delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash, the robots - which travel 4 mph and make deliveries in 15 minutes or less - are part of an ambitious plan to keep some of that business on campus. The hope, company officials said in January, was to replicate the fleet elsewhere.

"We're trying to say, 'Why can't we do it and capture part of those sales also?' " Mark Kraner, executive director of campus retail operations, told The Washington Post in January. "It will benefit the students and the businesses paying rent here on campus."

How does the delivery system work? The robot's $1.99 delivery fee - which students can pay through their meal plan - goes to Starship Technologies, and GMU receives a percentage of the food sales. School officials say more sales means more money for the university.

The robots also provide campus officials with valuable data showing what time students are eating, where that food is coming from and how meal plans are being used. Though that information won't be monetized by the school, school official say, it could lead to changes in how the university serves students over time.

Starship Technologies also announced Monday that a new fleet of more than 30 robots is launching today at Northern Arizona University's (NAU) Flagstaff campus.

"We've been very pleased with how quickly Starship has been embraced on college campuses," Ryan Tuohy, SVP, Business Development, Starship Technologies said, according to Monday's statement. "These campuses are hubs of innovation and activity, with both students and faculty needing convenient and flexible services."
When the JetBlue plane from Washington touched down in San Juan, Puerto Rico, three women from the flight crew did what most visitors to the tropical island paradise would do: They checked into their hotel and made a beeline for the beach.

But what was supposed to be a relaxing overnight layover between flights in May last year didn't stay that way for long, two of the women said in a lawsuit filed this week in New York federal court.

The women, identified as Jane Doe No. 1 and Jane Doe No. 2, allege their trip took a nightmarish turn when they were drugged by two JetBlue pilots they met on the beach. Jane Doe 1 said she and another co-worker, who is not involved in the lawsuit, were also allegedly raped by one of the pilots and accused him of "intentionally" giving her a sexually transmitted disease.

The suit, which names JetBlue and the pilots, Eric Johnson and Dan Watson, claims the airline failed to take any "corrective action" against the men even after the women reported the incident last year. The 24-page document was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Monday.

RELATED: A JetBlue passenger was kicked off a flight and arrested after hitting a crew member because she didn't want to sit next to a child

"The pilots were not suspended," Abraham Melamed, an attorney for the two women, told The Washington Post on Thursday. "They were not put on any sort of leave. They continued to work and continue to work to this day without any ramifications."

For one of the women, that means she still has to encounter one of the men at work, Melamed said.

"You can imagine the type of effect that's had on her," he said. "In every instance, she's had to abruptly leave wherever she is."

In a statement emailed to The Post, JetBlue said it cannot comment on pending litigation but added that it "takes allegations of violent or inappropriate behavior very seriously and investigates such claims thoroughly."

"We work to create a respectful workplace for all our crewmembers where they feel welcome and safe," the airline said.

Court records did not list attorneys for the pilots, and their union - the Air Line Pilots Association, International - did not respond to a request for comment late Thursday.

It all began with a drug-laced beer, the lawsuit alleges.

After arriving in Puerto Rico in the early afternoon on May 9, 2018, the two plaintiffs and the other crew member got settled at the InterContinental Hotel, located near Isla Verde Beach. Eager to make the most of their downtime, the women set up camp on the picturesque stretch of white sand "where they schmoozed, and relaxed with some drinks they had prepared," the complaint said.

The women noticed two men sitting near them "pulling beers out of a lunch bag," according to the suit. The two parties struck up a conversation and the women learned that their fellow beachgoers, Johnson and Watson, were pilots who also worked for JetBlue, the suit said.

Then, Johnson allegedly offered Jane Doe 1 an opened beer from his lunchbox. Not knowing the beverage was "laced with a drug," she drank some before passing the can to the other two women, the lawsuit said.

From that moment on, "the rest of the night became a blur," the lawsuit said.

Neither of the plaintiffs could remember leaving the beach or how they got back to the hotel.

While "in a haze from being drugged," Jane Doe 1 alleged that she found herself in bed with Johnson and the third crew member, and the pilot was raping her.

"Plaintiff was unable to react to the situation, but was simply aware that it was happening," the suit said. "Plaintiff's flashes of memory included [Johnson] having sexual intercourse with the other crew member who was also under the influence of the drugs."

According to the documents, Johnson later told the women, "Thank you for making my fantasy come true."

Meanwhile, Jane Doe 2 alleged she was drugged by Johnson and Watson, who "intended to rape" her. However, the men allegedly changed their minds when she "began vomiting which was a turnoff," the lawsuit said. The suit noted that Watson left after getting scratched but did not provide additional details.

The next morning, both plaintiffs woke up feeling wrong. Jane Doe 1 said she was "groggy and felt numb." Jane Doe 2 was "extremely nauseous, tired, and in a weird out of body fog." All three women still worked a return flight to Newark but were repeatedly overcome by unusual bouts of nausea and had to vomit throughout the trip, the lawsuit said.

"The three of them looked up the symptoms of rape drugs and found their symptoms were consistent with having been drugged," the filing said. The two crew members who were allegedly raped also discussed the events and "expressed to each other that they were stunned by what had happened," the suit said.

Around the same time, Jane Doe 1 "developed a tremendous fear that she may have been exposed to an STD" during the alleged rape, according to the lawsuit.

Upon returning home to Utah, the woman immediately went to the hospital and reported being drugged and sexually assaulted. Previously free of STDs, her tests came back positive for human papillomavirus, or HPV, which "she could have only contracted from [Johnson]," the complaint alleged. HPV is considered one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both women reported the alleged assaults and sex and gender discrimination to JetBlue at their corporate headquarters in New York, but despite the airline "purporting to investigate the matter," the two pilots were not disciplined, the suit said.

Citing JetBlue's alleged handling of the situation, the lawsuit claimed that the airline "engaged in unlawful employment practices . . . by allowing sex discrimination, gender discrimination and a hostile work environment."

The women are seeking unspecified damages for discrimination, assault and battery and aggravated sexual abuse, among other claims.

"They're bringing their claims forward to seek some justice, to seek what they deserve for what they've undergone, but also, most importantly to show courage," Melamed said.

This is not the first time an airline has been accused of not doing enough when an employee is accused of sexual misconduct. In March 2018, an Alaska Airlines pilot sued her employer after a fellow captain allegedly drugged and raped her, The Washington Post reported. Though the pilot also told officials about the incident, the captain still continued working for the airline. A few months later, United Airlines was sued by federal officials for allegedly doing nothing to discipline a pilot who had taken sexually explicit images of a flight attendant and posted them online, according to The Post's Lori Aratani.

Melamed said he and his clients hope their lawsuit can effect global change.

"They would like to see this give a voice to the many other victims out there who otherwise are too scared to come forward," he said.
ALTON  An Alton man has been charged in a shooting death that occurred at the Shell gas station, 2500 Brown St., in Alton Friday evening.

Pedro Cisneros-Vega, 22, of the 1200 block of Brown Street in Alton, was charged Monday with two counts of first degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful use of weapons. He was taken into custody under suspicion Friday night and held over the weekend. He has no bond.

Alton police responded to a report of a fight inside the store at 7:13 p.m. on Friday. During the course of that fight, 22 year-old Austin L. Pierson, was shot and killed.

This incident saddens me because it is yet another instance where young adults in our community werent able to look beyond the immediate moment and find a peaceful resolution to their problems, Alton Police Chief Jason Jake Simmons said in a press release issued Monday. I have excellent investigators who solve these cases, but most could be avoided all together if we do a better job teaching our young people that violence is not the answer.

Shortly after the shooting, Alton Police learned of reports of a hit and run traffic crash in East Alton and then a second traffic crash at Route 140 and Route 159. A suspect was taken into custody by Madison County sheriffs deputies and Illinois State Troopers at the scene of the second crash.

Alton investigators were able to connect the driver in the crashes.

The swift resolution in this case was possible because of the strong network of first responders in our area, Simmons said. We will ensure that network remains strong so we can continue to be among the best departments in solving violent crime. A special thanks to the Madison County Sheriffs Office, East Alton Police Department, East Alton Fire Department, Madison County Coroners Office and the Illinois State Police for their assistance in this case.
EDWARDSVILLE  Poshmark, a way to buy and sell gently used womens clothes, purses and shoes online has allegedly been corrupted by human traffickers.

This tidbit was relayed by presenters during Edwardsville Townships monthly Lunch and Learn meeting. Marchs forum took place at the Sunset Hill Country Club Wednesday.

Kristen Shinn, director of community support services at Hoyleton Youth & Family Services, presented first. Based in Fairview Heights, Hoyleton started as an orphanage in 1895. It currently serves girls and boys, ages 9 to 21.

I talk about the ugly things no one else wants to talk about  unwanted pregnancies and human trafficking, Shinn told the audience.

She opened with some true or false questions designed to make people realize that human trafficking is not confined only to third-world nations and its not like the 2008 Liam Neeson film, Taken.

There are two main types of human trafficking  sex and labor. Indicators of sex trafficking may be having a Sugar Parent; unexplained gifts; branding or tattooing; and lying about ages.

More Information Human Trafficking Statistics According to the FBI, human trafficking brings in $150 billion worldwide and it generates an estimated $9.5 billion in the U.S. annually

The average age of a client referred to The Covering House is 15 years old while the U.S. Department of Justice reports the average age nationally is 13

Darr said St. Louis ranks 17th in trafficking jurisdictions due to the region's central location and its network of interstates

Per the National Human Trafficking Hotline, St. Louis ranks seventh in the number of calls for assistance per 100,000 people and 14th in number of cases per every 100,000 people

In 2017, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children responded to more than 10,000 reports of possible child sex trafficking

109 out of 140 cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2017 were for sexual trafficking

According to the FBI, at least 300,000 children are reportedly trafficked and that number continues to climb Ways to Help If you suspect trafficking, the presenters strongly advise you not to approach the person. They suggest contacting: The AG Human Trafficking Task Force at 1-844-487-0492

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or www.missingkids.com/home

Youth Runaway Hotline at 1-800-786-2929

The National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888

Visit Polaris Project https://polarisproject.org

The Office of Trafficking in Persons: www.acf.hhs.gov

Use the See Send app to report suspicious activity See More Collapse

Signs of labor trafficking could be: consistent school absences; isolation; performs work inappropriate for their age; or no control over schedule.

Shinn displayed a list of jobs  farm laborer, factory worker, nail salon operator  and asked what they had in common. Low pay and low skill, she said.

The increased need for money, being disconnected from family or school or low self-esteem are all conditions that can leave potential victims vulnerable to trafficking.

Shinn said that even after the demise of personal ad websites such as Craigslist and Backpage, those who profit from these illegal activities found other avenues.

Besides Poshmark, which contains a messaging application through which girls have reportedly been solicited, Facebook and the musical app, Tik Tok, are among other ways girls report that strange men contacted them.

Shinn illustrated two examples of recruiting tactics  Oh, you are so pretty; you should be a model! I know this guy in Chicago who has a studio or Ill give you the house you always wanted, Ill care for you and Ill buy you clothes and jewelry

One of Shinns slides displayed 24 popular social media icons; most of the audience recognized fewer than half of them, demonstrating how many are new and aimed at teens, pre-teens and children. She advised parents to discuss these applications and their use with their children.

Shinn mentioned a 2010 YouTube Video called Very Young Girls, which was allegedly pitched as A Day in the Life of Two Traffickers and a promotional springboard to a trafficking television reality series.

Shinn and the other presenters pointed out that abuse, prostitution and trafficking are not restricted to girls and women; boys and men are also victims.

Shinn said in their experience at Hoyleton, boys are attacked more violently than girls because the attackers are living out fantasies. She reported that a 9-year-old male trafficking victim in Boston said, They do to us what they would never do to their children or wives.

A man in the audience identified himself as an Afghanistan War veteran who said that he and his fellow troops often witnessed local men molesting boys and girls but they were forbidden to do anything about it because it was deemed part of the Afghan culture.

Mandy Darr, manager of events and marketing for The Covering House (TCH), spoke next. Based in St. Louis, it started in 2008 after its founder viewed a human sex trafficking documentary.

TCH provides long-term care for girls in a family-oriented environment and have five beds at their current facility in Missouri. They will open a new campus this year that will offer three times the care capacity. Per TCHs Mission Statement, it provides refuge and restoration using the least restrictive environment and top-level staffing and oversight.

Darr said the financial allure of being a trafficker is strong. A pimp can make up to $200,000 per child per year and they average five girls each, according to the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

TCH receives six or seven referrals a week for assistance and there is a waiting listed for beds, Darr said.

Darr said all of the girls referred to TCH have some sort of educational gaps or negative experiences with learning. Six out of 10 experience somatic symptoms stemming from trauma at some point during their stay, e.g. intense stomach pains.

The youngest referral weve had was 7 and she was from Kirkwood, not St. Louis City, she told the audience.

Among Darrs information is that the majority of the ladies at TCH were lured into exploitation via a relationship, 15 percent or less came to TCH via a force or a strong-arm attacker.

Nine out of 10 times, the girls will identify the trafficker as a safe source, Darr said. They dont see themselves as victims. We dont even use that word with them for the first six months they are in our system.

More than half of the clients have been in the system for more than two years. Forty percent of the girls identify themselves as LGBTQ and half of them are African American.

One of the girls told us that sending a naked selfie to a boy is todays Second Base, Darr said. She reminded everyone that once that boy has such an image on his phone, he possesses child pornography.

Speakers urge parents, teachers, counselors, and other adults to watch for red flag symptoms, such as girls or boys not being allowed to speak for themselves; they fail to make eye contact; a new tattoo; they suddenly wear/have items they could not afford on their own; evidence of fresh physical abuse, particularly in areas normally covered by clothing.

Reach Charles Bolinger at (618) 656-4700, ext. 31
LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces its investigation on behalf of Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure, Inc. (NYSE: SOI ) investors concerning the Company and its directors and officers possible violations of state laws.



If you purchased Solaris stock, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244 or Garth Spencer, of GPM, 230 Park Avenue, Suite 530, New York, NY 10169 at gspencer@glancylaw.com or at 212-682-5340. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Contacts

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP

Lesley Portnoy, 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224

Garth Spencer, 212-682-5340

gspencer@glancylaw.com

www.glancylaw.com




Plan Internationalwas founded over 75 years ago and is one of the oldest and largest childrensdevelopment organizations (non-profit / INGOs) in the world. We work in 50developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote childrights and lift millions of children out of poverty. Plans vision is of aworld in which all children realize their full potential in societies thatrespect peoples rights and dignity. Plan is independent, with no religious,political or governmental affiliations.
Living WaterInternational (LWI) is a global Non-Governmental organization that exists todemonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately neededclean water, and to experience living water- the gospel of JesusChrist  which alone satisfies the deepest thirst. Living Water InternationalUganda (LWIU) was formed in 2009. LWIU is an affiliate of Living WaterInternational based in Houston, Texas, USA that was founded in 1990 andcurrently works in over 20+ countries across Latin America, the Caribbean,Sub-Saharan Africa, and India. LWI Uganda runs an integrated Water SanitationHygiene (WASH) program in South Western Uganda & we partner with otherlike-minded organsations to provide safe drinking water, Community Mobilisation& Gospel Proclamation, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion to communitiesacross Uganda.
The United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations global development network.UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience andresources to help people build a better life. The UNDP provides expert advice,training, grant support to developing countries including Uganda withincreasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries.
Description

GIS - 25 March, 2019: Drugs worth Rs 16 million, was intercepted at the SSR International Airport on a man of Togolese nationality on 19 March 2019. The suspicious demeanour of this passenger in the green channel of the SSR Airport led the officers of the Mauritius Revenue Authority Customs Anti-Narcotics Section to intercept him.

The 60-year-old passenger was travelling on the Emirates flight EK 701 from Dubai and, upon scan and examination, nothing incriminating was found from his luggage. A body search on the Togolese also yielded negative result.

After intense interrogation, he revealed that he had swallowed 64 pellets of drugs suspected to be heroin and that a local contact would meet him in the hotel to collect the purged drugs.

The Togolese was handed over to the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit for further investigation and medical examination. Eventually the former purged 64 pellets and is under arrest. A Beninese, who arrived in Mauritius on Monday 11 March 2019, was also arrested during the control delivery operation.
CHARIHO: Charihos girls and boys soccer teams both won Division II titles in dramatic fashion. The girls won in penalty kicks and the boys in the final two minutes of double overtime. The football team reached the D-III title game, as did the field hockey team. The girls volleyball team played in the D-II semifinals. Erin vonHousen was All-State in girls cross country.

STONINGTON: Stoningtons boys soccer team earned its second straight Class M state title, closing the season with 21 straight victories. The field hockey team lost in the Class S title game.

WESTERLY: Westerlys girls volleyball team reached the Division III semifinals, losing to eventual champion Scituate. The football team played in the D-II semifinals. The girls soccer team reached the D-III semifinals. Jake Serra and Kaya West were All-State in cross country.

WHEELER: Wheeler boys and girls soccer teams qualified for the Class S state tournament.

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'Times change, good investment strategies don't.'

That's the strapline from Moneyfarm, an Italian firm backed by German insurance giant Allianz offering British investors a 'Brexit Isa'.

'Ignore the short-term noise and invest for life', it says  but what makes its stocks and shares Isa 'Brexit-y'?

The answer, put simply, is nothing. It's essentially a marketing ploy combining the rhetoric of Chancellor Philip Hammond and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney; Brexit is causing short-term volatility but the UK economy is fundamentally strong.

A financial firm has launched a Brexit Isa, telling prospective customers to 'ignore the short-term noise and invest for life'. But what is it, and should you?

However, part of its marketing strategy is offering those who invest in its stocks and shares Isa a fairly substantial cashback deal.

Investing 2,000 will net you 50, 5,000 - 150, 10,000 - 300 and putting in a year's Isa allowance of 20,000 will earn you 600 in cashback.

On 2,000, this is a return of 2.5 per cent and on the rest, a three per cent return.

Enter the promotion code 'BrexitIsa2019' when opening an account with Moneyfarm before 5 April  yes, after the UK is supposed to leave the EU  and you'll be paid the cashback by 6 July this year.

Of course, given the product is all about convincing potential savers to think long-term the cashback bonus comes with a catch.

You must keep your money deposited for two years from the date your first investment is put into it.

The bonus is open to customers transferring an existing Isa over, as well as new customers. And it is a stocks and shares Isa. That means its value can drop, as well as rise.

What is Moneyfarm?

Moneyfarm was launched in Italy in April 2012, founded by Paolo Galvani and Giovanni Dapra.

Galvani, who serves as chairman, previously worked for banking giants Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley, while chief executive Dapra also worked for Deutsche for six years.

It opened in the UK in July 2015, receiving authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority at the same time.

It launched its investment portfolios the following February, and began to offer a private self-invested personal pension product last year.

Its stocks and shares Isa

If a Brexit Isa is just a marketing strapline for its stocks and shares Isa, what are you actually investing in? Moneyfarm's investment Isa comes with six different already made-up portfolios.

When you sign up for an account with Moneyfarm, you will be asked a series of questions that range from your wealth, to your financial understanding, to your attitude to risk.

From these you will receive an investor profile, which will also be based on how long you plan to invest for.

Based on a series of questions when you open an account, Moneyfarm will recommend which of its six already built portfolios it thinks you should choose to invest in

This profile will then lead Moneyfarm to recommend which of its portfolios you should invest in, though you can of course choose your own.

The portfolios range from one to six, with one the safest and six the riskiest.

According to Moneyfarm, portfolio one has returned 8.2 per cent since its inception in 2016, and portfolio six has returned 31 per cent. This, of course, is not an indicator of future growth.

Portfolio one is made up of a much larger proportion of government bonds, with zero invested in equities.

At the other end of the scale 70 per cent of portfolio six is comprised of developed market equities, while just nine per cent of it is made up of cash and short-term Government bonds.

The portfolios vary according to risk. Portfolio 1 is comprised of a much larger proportion of Government bonds, which primarily come from developed countries and the UK in particular

At the other end of the spectrum, Portfolio 6 is comprised of a much larger proportion of US stocks and emerging market bonds

Ironically, for a Brexit Isa lionising the long-term staying power of the British economy, only in half of its portfolios do the assets located in the UK and the Eurozone comprise more than 50 per cent.

When it comes to fees, depositing your entire yearly Isa allowance of 20,000 comes with an annual cost of 218, which eats into the cashback.

Moneyfarm says this comes from a platform fee it levies of 0.7 per cent, an average exchange-traded fund cost of 0.3 per cent and an additional 0.09 per cent cost.

It describes this cost as an effect of market spread, the difference between the cost of selling an asset and buying it.

We round-up here: how to choose the best (and cheapest) DIY investing Isa - our pick of the platforms and online brokers.

While investing is inherently risky and the value of your capital can go down as well as up, Moneyfarm is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to 50,000.
It has been said that a man makes his own luck and, agree or disagree, that's how a so-called activist views the risky business of investing.

There are different types of investor, from the passive - who quietly cashes out and moves on if they don't like the direction a company is going in, to the steward - who engages with management under the radar to make sure they have shareholder interests at heart.

But at the extreme end of the spectrum is the activist, who leaves nothing to chance - especially not the potent issue of returns.

Activist investors leave nothing to chance and take management matters into their own hands

Activists have an agenda. They will deliberately buy into a company whose shares are underperforming with the intention of taking matters into their own hands and becoming directly involved that firm's strategy.

The activist playbook is long, but this form of investment seems to be particularly hot at present.

In recent months we've seen activist group Elliot Advisors demand FTSE 100 giant Whitbread dispose of a major asset - Costa Coffee.

Elliot Advisors intervened in Whitbread's plans for Costa Coffee, pushing it to sell the coffee chain last summer - a move that triggered a sharp rise in its share price

It argued there was value in the group's unwieldy structure that was waiting to be unlocked by immediately spinning off Costa and focusing instead on its Premier Inn chain.

Management had originally intended to dispose of Costa by 2020, but relented and sold the coffee chain to Coca Cola last August for 3.9billion.

Boardroom battle at Barclays Barclays urged investors earlier this month to block an attempt by activist investor Edward Bramson to gain a seat on the lender's board, arguing his appointment would be 'detrimental'. In a notice published ahead of the bank's annual meeting in May, outgoing chairman John McFarlane wrote that the board is unanimous in its view that Bramson's presence at the top table would 'not be in the best interests of shareholders as a whole'. The strongly worded circular added that Bramson's appointment result in 'significant disruption'. As well as calling for board seat, Bramson, who holds a 5.5 per cent stake through his investment vehicle Sherborne, has called for Barclays to curtail its investment banking arm. But McFarlane said that doing so would be a massive distraction and criticised Bramson for lacking experience in the banking sector, 'let alone an organisation of the scale and complexity of Barclays'.

Likewise, Barclays is in the process of 'shrinking itself back to health', says AJ Bell, after 'strong investor demand' led to the sale of its African arm.

Along with disposals, activists can force boardroom changes.

Premier Foods' second largest shareholder, Oasis, claimed the scalp of its boss Gavin Darby earlier this year, claiming that the CEO of six years lacked credibility. Two activists have since won spots on the Mr Kipling owner's board.

Pressure from Just Eat shareholder Cat Rock Capital also brought an abrupt end to the short tenure of Peter Plumb earlier this year.

Such investors have also been known to push for cuts, higher dividends, special dividends or share buybacks.

Activists may even seek changes to corporate governance, such as an end to 'excessive' executive pay, if they feel it necessary to improve a firm's share price performance.

But the jury remains out on whether these investors are strictly profit-driven corporate sharks, or in fact a firm's best friend.

Do activists ever launch their crusades in the interest of the greater good - donating their valuable strategic vision to boost the health of a declining firm, and protect jobs, etc, etc?

Mr Kipling and Bachelors owner Premier Foods recently fell victim to activist investors

Or do they force companies to make short-term decisions that temporarily lift the share price but erode the long-term potential, to the detriment of its stakeholders?

'I think activists have a positive role to play,' says Markets.com chief analysts Neil Wilson. 'They can help keep management honest and they tend to assist with balance sheet discipline.

However, Wilson adds that, 'of course you can get the sharks just looking for a quick profit too.'

In the case of Whitbread, AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould says it remains to be seen if the disposal of Costa will be the making of it, or limit the group's future.

For existing shareholders it was quids in, with the share price rocketing as the deal was penned and continuing to climb in the months that followed.

Whitbread's share price spiked in August when the company sold off Costa Coffee

And at the time, Whitbread returned a chunk of the cash proceeds directly to shareholders. But some will argue that the funds should have been invested back into the business to enhance its longer term prospects.

Clearly, no firm wants a back seat driver. But, as Mould says, if an activist pops up on your share register, the management team 'should ask itself, where is it going wrong', and should have seen it coming.

A flurry of activist action across Whitbread, BHP Billiton, Barclays, Hammerson and Micro Focus raises the question: Which British firms may attract the attention of an activist next?

Who's up next?

The firms that are particularly vulnerable to activists are those with a weak share price performance, too complex a business structure or an operational performance that does not match up to that of its sector counterparts.

'You're naturally drawn towards those not performing very well,' says Mould, who lists shopping centres owner Intu, 'whose share price continues to drop like a rock', Pets At Home, Petrofac, Crest Nicholson, Standard Life Aberdeen and Kingfisher as potential targets.

Beyond Intu, the real estate investment trust sector in general looks 'ripe for consolidation', he adds.

Markets.com's Wilson points to Vodafone as a potential target. 'There's lots of value to unlock there and the share price has been sliding for years,' he says.

In the case of Kingfisher, the B&Q and Screwfix owner is already understood to have bowed to the pressure of shareholders with its dismissal of boss Veronique Laury, who masterminded its controversial One Kingfisher strategy.

Shareholders worry that Screwfix may be cannibalising the group's B&Q in the UK, but Castorama is the business causing Kingfisher the most grief at present

If sentiment does not improve there, the DIY group could come under much greater scrutiny with shareholders eventually pushing for a more radical restructuring, such as the disposal of either its star performer Screwfix, or the thorn in its side, Castorama.

Another firm that has been linked to potential activist intervention is Dixons Carphone, which Elliott Advisors is reportedly eyeing up.

This would be bad news for new chief executive Alex Baldock, who has just got his feet under the table and is fairy early into his turnaround plan.

However, the Carphone Warehouse owner's share price has fallen by nearly 75 per cent in the past three years.

Shareholders may therefore call for more drastic action, such as the disposal of its Nordic and Greek businesses, which pull attention from the struggling UK arm and could raise a pretty penny to help reduce debt.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has called for businesses to pay higher taxes  while a special deal means her own income is tax-free.

Lagarde slammed international firms for using loopholes to avoid paying their fair share, and that cuts to corporation tax in countries such as the UK and US have damaged faith in the system.

She said: 'The ease with which multinationals seem able to avoid tax, and the three-decade decline in corporate tax rates, undermines faith in the fairness of the overall tax system. The international corporate tax architecture is fundamentally out of date.'

Rethink: International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde slammed big international firms for using loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax

However, under IMF rules, Lagarde pays no tax anywhere in the world on her 382,000 salary.

In addition, she also gets an allowance of 67,000 to pay for a standard of living appropriate to her position on top of travel expenses for her and her partner.

She was convicted of criminal negligence two years ago over a French corruption scandal, but spared punishment and allowed to keep her job.

The 63-year-old's predecessor at the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was forced to quit following a sex scandal.

And the managing director before him, Rodrigo Rato, is in a Spain jail for embezzlement.
Many of us have become addicted to consumer-friendly mobile apps such as Uber, its rival Lyft, and Airbnb. Indeed, it is hard not to like apps which offer less complicated and more connected services.

This week, users will get their first chance to become owners as well, with the planned initial public offering of ride-sharing and logistics outfit Lyft.

There is a natural affinity for investors with brands they know. We saw this with the recent flotation of reborn Levi Strauss, greeted on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange by men and women in denim.

Lyft - co-founded by John Zimmer, pictured - is seen as its potential competitor in the broader transport and logistics sector, with an initial valuation put at a relatively modest - by tech standards - $25bn (19bn).

In spite of patchy popularity in its native US, Levi's sales are going great guns in Europe and shares soared to a 32 per cent premium.

Lyft is a different kettle of fish. The listing prospectus shows in the past year it made an after-tax loss of $911m (689m) - enough to scare off anyone but the brave.

Investment bankers and the venture capitalists who bring tech companies to market are brilliant at concocting new accounting definitions to show commercial promise. In Lyft's case they talk of a 'positive contribution' of $921m (697m).

This essentially boils down to deducting direct costs - such as paying drivers and running vehicles - from revenues.

Among Lyft's attractions is that it is the challenger to Uber.

The latter, though far bigger, has been plagued by governance and ethical problems. Lyft is also seen as its potential competitor in the broader transport and logistics sector, with an initial valuation put at a relatively modest - by tech standards - $25bn (19bn).

Personally I always hesitate to give stockpicking advice on any tech company. When Google floated in the early noughties, I was working in the US and was convinced it would flop because of the legal challenges it faced from publishers, film makers and broadcasting companies over allegedly purloined material.

I could not have been more wrong.

Once Lyft is out of the way it is expected that Uber could be on the starting line quickly. Early backers among venture capitalists are anxious to realise gains.

Uber is seen as the master of the ride space with an enormous driver base, and is regarded as having democratised taxi-like services. It has followed the example of Amazon by using no-frills prices to attract passengers.

There is recognition that when it has a stranglehold on services, Uber will have the pricing power to drive up fares. Because of its immense geographical coverage it also has an ability to provide online delivery capabilities.

Current estimates suggest a potential market valuation of $120bn (91bn). The other popular tech name scheduled to float in 2019 is Airbnb, which has transformed the accommodation industry and forced hotel groups and letting agencies to look to their laurels.

Current estimates put a valuation of $31bn (23.5bn) for what has been one of the most widely used and talked about disruptive technologies.

If the big brands get away well as quoted enterprises we can expect smaller techs to try their luck. But a big disappointment is that all the big IPO activity in 2019 looks as if it will bypass London for New York.

Brexit uncertainty is taking its toll and, so far, only one minnow, the legal firm DWF, has braved the London Stock Exchange. The international hospital operator VPS Healthcare, advised by Rothschild, reportedly is now looking at Hong Kong as an alternative to the LSE.

This spring it is going to be up to New York to Lyft the spirits.
Canadian Western Bank has been the subject of 7 research reports in the past 90 days, demonstrating strong analyst interest in this stock.

According to analysts' consensus price target of $42.30, Canadian Western Bank has a forecasted upside of 44.8% from its current price of $29.21.

Canadian Western Bank has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.80, and is based on 8 buy ratings, 2 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.

4.4 Community Rank

Outperform Votes Canadian Western Bank has received 116 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.)

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Community Sentiment Canadian Western Bank has received 66.29% outperform votes from our community.

MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Canadian Western Bank and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CBWBF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CBWBF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days.

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GIS - 25 March. 2019: Twelve fishermen cooperatives received their letters of intent for the purchase of new outboard engine and fishing nets under the Grant Scheme which aims at increasing the catch of fishermen and giving a boost to the fisheries sector. The handing over of letters of intent was held, today, in presence of the Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, and the President of the Mauritius Fishermen Cooperative Federation Ltd (MFCF), Mr France Andy , at the LIC Building in Port-Louis.

In his address, Minister Bholah highlighted the need to encourage participatory initiatives in the development of the cooperative fisheries sector adding that Government is determined to provide support to the fishermen community and ensure that they benefit from a number of facilities and services. The Grant Scheme, he said, is part of the measures taken in budget 2018/2019 to enhance the financial position of fishermen cooperatives and equip them with necessary tools for their fishing activities.

The overall aim, he emphasised, is to leverage the fisheries sector and help fishermen to modernise their fishing activity by ensuring acquisition of modern and safer equipment. He recalled that in this endeavour, a refrigerated truck to the tune of some Rs 3.2 million was handed over last year to the Mauritius Fishermen Co-operative Federation Limited for their daily operations. He urged all fishermen cooperatives to demonstrate enthusiasm and to keep a fighting spirit against prevalent challenges of the sector so as to transform it into a thriving one.

For his part, Mr France Andy underlined that t he fisheries sector is currently facing a number of challenges especially due to climate change. He stressed that it is important for fishermen cooperatives to re-organise and re-orient their fishing activities to make themselves sustainable. The procurement of tools and equipment for fishing purposes under the Grant Scheme, he added, is a good initiative of the Government to valorise the contribution of fishermen community to the Cooperatives sector.

The Grant Scheme

The scheme, operated by the Cooperative Development Fund and the Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, comprises the provision of financial assistance to fishermen cooperatives for the purchase of new outboard engine and fishing nets.

Under this scheme, a grant of 60% of the cost of an outboard engine and fishing nets up to a maximum of Rs 60, 000 is provided whereby 30% up to a maximum of Rs 30, 000 is financed by the MFCF and other 30% by the Cooperative Development Fund while the recipient fishermen cooperative society bears the remaining costs.
Description

GIS - 25 March, 2019: The art of painting without the use of sketches, known as the Madhubani Painting, was launched on Friday 22 March 2019, during a training course organised by the Small and Medium Entreprise Mauritius Ltd (SME Mauritius Ltd) under the aegis of the Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, at the SME Mauritius Branch of Coromandel.

The Minister of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, who was present on that occasion, lauded the talents of the artists present and encouraged them in their endeavours. He urged them to get the necessary training to further develop and enhance their artistic aptitudes.

Mr Bholah expressed satisfaction as regards the progress being displayed by trainees and the artworks produced by them after only four days of training. He underlined that proper training, skills and talent development are key elements in revitalising the Handicraft sector and maintaining its competitiveness.

Speaking about capacity building, the Minister pointed out that the training forms part of the various courses being offered to SMEs with the objective of familiarising them with modern trends which ultimately will lead to improvement of product design. The training course, he added, also aims at equipping trainers in the SME sector with the necessary tools to improve their skills and promote the SME sector across Mauritius. This in turn will enhance local competences in the Handicraft sector and set up new innovative standards and boost unique selling propositions, he pointed out.

Furthermore, Minister Bholah highlighted that the training, scheduled from 18th March 2019 to 5th April 2019, is being delivered to trainers, namely artists and entrepreneurs, by a foreign expert, Mr Kumar Mishra, recognised by the Government of India as a Mastercraft Expert in the field of Arts and Crafts.

The Madhubani Painting

This art of painting, one of the many famous Indian art forms practiced in the Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal, uses colours that are usually derived from plants and other natural sources. Pigments like lampblack and ochre are used to create black and brown colours respectively. Characterised by complex geometrical patterns, these paintings are known for representing ritual contents for particular occasions, including festivals and religious rituals.

Madhubani Paintings derive its exclusiveness and uniqueness from the fact that it is created without the use of sketches; they are made instinctively by the artists who, instead of using contemporary brushes, make use of twigs, matchsticks and even fingers to create them.
WASHINGTON  A delegation of growers earlier this month visited congressional offices on Capitol Hill under the auspices of the New York Apple Association to lobby for improvements to the country's guest worker program.

"A stable, legal and reliable workforce is critical if we are to continue to have a vibrant domestic apple industry, said Cynthia Haskins, president and CEO of the association, which is based in Fishers, a small suburb of Rochester. Therefore, passing legislative reforms that address both the current and future flow of workers is the industrys top priority.

The New York delegation came down to participate in the U.S. Apple Associations Capitol Hill Day, in which growers nationwide fanned out to visit their representatives and senators.

The New Yorkers visited Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, as well as Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and four others.

Our apple farmers are a critical part of the New York economy and they deserve a functional guest worker program that meets their needs, Schumer said in a statement. This is why I will continue to push for comprehensive immigration reform which would increase the number of visas available while at the same time significantly bolstering worker protections.

With 29.5 million bushels annually, New York is the nations No.-2 apple-producing state behind Washington. The crop is closely divided, with 53 percent going to farm stands and grocery shelves, and 47 percent getting turned into juice, cider, pie filling, sauce and other packaged products.

New York growers export about 5 percent of their crop, with Canada and Israel as their biggest customers.

The 600 or so growers in New York are spread out across the state. Many are in the counties along the shores of Lake Ontario west and east of Rochester. But others are concentrated in the Champlain Valley as well as the Hudson Valley on both sides of the river.

I was glad to welcome the New York Apple Association to my office, and we had an engaging conversation about a number of issues facing apple growers upstate, said Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, a freshman who joined the House Agriculture Committee and set up his own agricultural advisory committee with representatives from each of the 11 counties in his 19th Congressional District. Our broken immigration system is hurting our farm families, who are struggling to access the labor needed to harvest their crops.

Much of the agricultural workforce is composed of immigrant labor. In the era of President Donald Trump and his deployment of ICE to arrest and deport those in the United States illegally, some upstate farmers are finding their labor supply dwindling.

New Yorks apple industry has a workforce of about 10,000 with the greatest need coming in the late summer through October. More and more, growers are relying on temporary workers from Jamaica and Mexico who enter on H-2A visas, pick apples for a matter of weeks, and then go home.

Growers say the system appears to work well  their apples get picked and brought to market and the paid workers return to their home countries. But the application process can be cumbersome, and delays in the system can mean workers not arriving on time  leaving apples left unpicked.

Growers want the process to be streamlined, Haskins said. Workers who have a good track record and have proven reliable in past years should be allowed easier access instead of having to repeat the visa application process anew each year, she said.

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Earlier this year, the Trump administration suspended the H-2A visa program for the Philippines, Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic because of repeated incidents of workers not going home and becoming illegal immigrants.

The agricultural workforce has suffered a long history of hardship and exploitation.

Exploitation is still happening, said Jose Chapa, legislative coordinator with the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign, a branch of Rural & Migrant Ministry.

The campaign is backing the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act, which is now before both branches of the state legislature.

The bill would give farmworkers rights long held by industrial workers: The right to unionize, an eight-hour day with extra pay for overtime, an optional day of rest and workers compensation benefits for job-related injuries.

Farmers who participate in the H-2A program are obligated to follow federal rules, which include pay guarantees and provisions for housing and transportation.

We want them and they want us; we need pickers and they need the work so they can provide roofs over their heads and feed their families, said Haskins. They are well-treated, or they wouldnt keep coming back year after year.
SCHOHARIE  A county grand jury appears to have finally been presented with evidence in the criminal case against Nauman Hussain, the operator of the limousine company involved in the tragic Oct. 6 limo crash that killed 20 people.

Hussain, whose father Shahed Hussain owns Prestige Limousine of Wilton, was charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide four days after the disaster. Prosectors in the case had six months to bring the case to a grand jury to seek an indictment  a deadline that would have fallen in two weeks.

On Friday, citing an unidentified source, CBS6 reported that a Schoharie County grand jury had been presented with evidence in Nauman Hussain's case.

That would appear to mean that State Police and Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery have concluded their investigation into the crash.

The tragedy occurred when a 2001 stretch Ford Excursion driven by Prestige Limousine driver Scott Lisinicchia blew through a stop sign at the intersection of Route 30 and Route 30A in Schoharie. The vehicle, hired by a group of friends and family from the Amsterdam area for a birthday party in Cooperstown, hit and killed two bystanders in the parking lot of the Apple Barrel Country Store and Cafe before ending up in a ravine.

Lisinicchia and all 17 passengers died from blunt force trauma. Nauman Hussain was charged, prosecutors say, because he knew the limo had safety issues after failing two roadside inspections and knowingly sent Lisinicchia out on the job even though the driver lacked the proper license.

Mallery did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the grand jury, although the county court clerk's office confirmed that one has been meeting and is scheduled to meet again on March 28 and 29 and April 5.

A new grand jury is scheduled to be put in place on Friday, May 3, so the current panel would have to take care of the Nauman Hussain case to meet the six-month deadline.

F. Christian Spies, the chief clerk for the Schoharie County Courts, said his office has no public information about the cases that are presented to the grand jury. Grand jury proceedings are secret pursuant to state law and the "disclosure of the nature or substance of grand jury proceedings is unlawful."

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Witnesses who appear before the grand jury are, however, free to discuss the questions they were asked and their answers.

Hussain's attorney, Lee Kindlon, says his client  who goes by Arslan  didn't deserve to face the single charge. His father has not been charged and has been living in Pakistan since before the accident.

"As with most investigations by a district attorney, the grand jury is just a step in the process," Kindlon told the Times Union. "We cannot comment on specific grand jury matters in this case. After months of investigation we remain confident that there was no criminal wrongdoing by Nauman Hussain."

Albany attorney Sal Ferlazzo, who represents relatives of the victims in a civil case against Nauman and Shahed Hussain, said he would expect any indictment that comes in the case within 30 to 60 days.

The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing its investigation into the crash. It filed a brief preliminary report last month that indicated that Lisinicchia tried to avoid a car stopped at the intersection of Route 30 and Route 30A  a strong indication that the Excursion might have been experiencing brake failure.
You may know her from the Mohawk Honda billboards and CDTA buses around the Capital Region, but Lindsey Haraden is more than a spokesperson. She is part of the fourth generation of Haradens to operate Mohawk Honda and they are celebrating 100 years of business in 2019. Despite the family business, a career at Mohawk Honda wasn't always in Haraden's plans, but now she says she wouldn't have it any other way.

Haraden, who you can follow on Twitter, is today's '20 things.'
Los Angeles

In one of the most terrifying moments of Jordan Peele's latest horror thriller, "Us," now playing in wide release, the Wilson family (played by Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke and young actors Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex) are confronted by their own menacing doppelgangers in the darkened living room of a Santa Cruz, Calif., vacation home.

The sequence, which brings the Wilsons face to face with their seemingly nefarious counterparts  known as "the Tethered"  for the first time, required multiple days of shooting, four body doubles and occasional facial replacement. It would have been a daunting task for the most experienced veteran, let alone two budding stars under the age of 18.

"That took about three days," said Joseph during a press day at the London West Hollywood hotel following the film's world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. The 15-year-old plays eldest daughter Zora and her counterpart, Umbrae.

"Oh yes," said Alex, 10, who plays Zora's younger brother, Jason, and his shadow, Pluto. "That was hard. Especially because we were in front of the fire."

"Yeah, the fire was really hot," Joseph agreed. "We were crying for a long time; we were dehydrated. It was great, though. The end product was incredible."

What makes that initial confrontation so impressive is the dramatic contrast between the "ordinary" Wilson family and their murderous counterparts, especially considering that the actors were tasked with playing both roles in the same filming day. Alex called it "a challenge."

"Sometimes, I had to go into makeup to put in 'Pluto's burn scars'," he said. "We'd come back as the 'bads' and we took like five minutes to get in sync with our character."

"Right," agreed Joseph. "Because it does take a while to really get into character and to really understand him or her. But it was actually a lot of fun. And Jordan really helped us by talking with us."

The director, whose 2017 debut feature "Get Out" revolutionized black horror and won him a screenplay Oscar, would pull the young actors aside to convey what the scene meant to him, what he wanted to portray and what he wanted the audience to feel, Joseph recalled. "So that helped a lot. And it really pulled the team together."

"He's really silly and goofy on set," she added. "But he gets into a different zone whenever we had to play our doppelgangers because he knows that we have our own processes for it."

"When we were the 'goods,' he'd joke around," said Alex. "When we were 'bad,' he wouldn't goof around that much. He'd be focused."

After sending in a self-tape, Joseph was invited by Peele to come in for a formal audition. "I was like, 'Oh my God, this is incredible,'" she said.

Alex followed a similar audition process, reading for Peele three times before being offered the role. The two actors first met during a chemistry read. "Jordan had to pick good actors," Alex said. "But if they couldn't work together well, the movie wasn't going to do well."

Both Joseph and Alex say they preferred playing the Tethered versions of themselves to the straight-laced Wilsons. "They're so cool because they're like, 'We have trained for years for this day,'" said Alex of the Tethered and their master plan. "They're amazing. Like how their movements were  how fast they could move just to kill their other selves."

Alex, who has performed in more than a dozen shorts and a handful of TV series, became interested in acting after his mom encouraged him to perform miniscripts in exchange for treats.

"I didn't even need treats because I already enjoyed doing it," he said. "And then we moved to California and that's where my acting career really 'started.'"

By contrast, Joseph got her start in musical theater, appearing in 2016's "Hairspray Live!" and in the Broadway production of "The Lion King" before nabbing the role of young Nala in Jon Favreau's upcoming photorealistic animated remake (Beyonce voices her adult counterpart).

Both Joseph and Alex are self-described horror fans, though their film choices belie their young ages.

"I like 'Halloween,'" said Alex, referring to last year's sequel to the classic 1978 film. Joseph named 2014's "The Babadook" as her favorite horror movie.
ALBANY  More than 1,000 New Yorkers descended on the Capitol Monday to advocate for a wage hike for workers who serve people with development disabilities.

The rally in the decorative War Room culminated in the announcement from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's counsel Alphonso David that the governor wouldn't sign off on a budget unless it includes funds to give these "unsung heroes" a pay hike.
NEW YORK  Todd Howe says he's a changed man now that he has swapped what his lawyers refer to as "the snaking vines of the lobbying network" for the "salt-of-the earth goodness" of Idaho.

And as the Rensselaer County-bred consultant-turned-bagman faces sentencing for his various crimes on April 5, federal prosecutors described in detail the extent of Howe's cooperation with their investigations into two pay-to-play schemes that resulted in the convictions of a Joseph Percoco, the former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Alain Kaloyeros, the founder of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, among others.

"I am writing as a profoundly changed person," Howe wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni filed late last week. "I am humbled and humiliated by the egregious actions I committed, but I know that to make amends for the past I have to continue moving forward to create a new, positive and productive future."

Howe added, "if you are to give me another chance, I will never go down this road again."

Howe's family members, friends and former co-workers  including former Lt. Gov. Stanley Lundine  wrote letters on his behalf to the judge attesting to his good character. Howe's oldest daughter, Hannah, revealed that her father was attacked by other inmates at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan.

Howe "cracked his head when he was pushed down the stairs by an inmate and he was injured again by another inmate who kicked him so hard while taking a shower that his Achilles ruptured," his daughter told the judge.

"My dad still walks with a limp, but is getting physical therapy to help," she wrote.

In September 2016, Howe admitted to eight felonies, including wire and tax fraud, extortion and bribery. His guilty plea includes his role in Percoco's acceptance of more than $300,000 in bribes and the rigging of $855 million in bids for projects in the governor's "Buffalo Billion" initiative.

Howe also admitted he ripped off his former employer, the powerful Albany law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna of more than $1.7 million. He didn't pay taxes on the money he stole from 2010 to 2015, leading to a tax liability of more than $714,000.

Howe operated out of Washington, D.C., running a subsidiary called WOH Government Solutions that shut down amid the federal investigation.

The onetime aide to the late Gov. Mario Cuomo  and later his son, when the current governor served as federal housing secretary under President Bill Clinton  made it clear he feels at peace in his new home in Ketchum, Idaho, where he is working as facilities manager at a winter-summer resort. There, Howe drives a Snowcat, a tractor-like vehicle used to groom ski slopes.

The judge allowed Howe, 58, to go free on bail in August.

"My life in Idaho is much simpler and more modest than it was while we were living in Washington, D.C. I'm more at peace with this new lifestyle and I am in a much better place, both mentally and physically," Howe said in his letter. "We enjoy simpler pleasures now like biking, hiking the mountains, taking long walks with our dog, reading, exploring this new state and enjoying the friendly and welcoming community.

"I have found it therapeutic living this less complicated life in an environment where salt-of-the earth goodness is what is valued, rather than the pressures and competitiveness of Washington and New York. Being outdoors every day in the Idaho mountains and working hard physically has itself been extremely helpful to me."

Sarah Howe, the defendant's wife of 35 years, told the judge her husband no longer watches cable television. Instead he has a library subscription. Instead of fancy bike classes, she said, Howe rides his bike a few miles to work. He reads the news online instead of receiving newspaper subscriptions.

Sarah Howe, who met her husband when they attended Hartwick College in Oneonta, noted that she spent most of her career at non-profit organizations, most recently for nine years at a group that "works to shine a positive light on the good work of public servants."

She said her husband, who "had a reputation as someone who could get anything done," was under pressure at work to deliver.

"He handled the pressure better than anyone I have ever met and even seemed to thrive in that intense atmosphere," she wrote. "But it is clear to me now that Todd seemed to handle the pressure, at least on the surface, for the benefit of our family.

"In reality, he was like a duck who swims smoothly along the water but is kicking for its life underneath the surface. In this way, Todd was able to go down this dark road of over-spending and then committing crimes to make up for it, all while making it seem like everything was fine to us ... But I have to accept that he did these things and I know that together we can make sure he stays on the right path."

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In a separate filing, federal prosecutors in Manhattan asked the judge to show leniency to Howe, citing his "significant and useful" cooperation that led to seven convictions at the political corruption trials of Percoco, Cuomo's former executive deputy secretary, and Kaloyeros. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman's office did not make a specific recommendation of jail time for Howe.

Prosecutors noted Howe's embarrassing arrest in the middle of the trial after he admitted under cross-examination to trying to get his credit card company to refund the cost of night's stay at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan. Still, they said he was deserving of the degree of leniency typically afforded to witnesses who cooperate with the federal government.

Howe was "a productive and helpful cooperating witness in an important public corruption case that sent a powerful deterrent message," stated Assistant U.S. Attorney Janis Echenberg, joined by fellow prosecutors Robert Boone, David Zhou and Matthew Podolsky, in her sentencing recommendation.

Howe's lawyers, Savannah Stevenson and Richard Morvillo, are asking Caproni to sentence him to time served  which in this case means the seven months he spent in Manhattan Correctional Center after his mid-trial admission about his Waldorf stay.

"Todd has begun a new life far removed from the politics and pressures of Washington, DC, New York, and the snaking vines of the lobbying network," they stated.

The lawyers submitted some 20 letters to the court from the family, friends and ex-coworkers. Alex Bliss, his current employer at the Idaho resort, told Caproni: "I appreciate you taking the time to review this letter and would ask that you consider leniency in your sentencing so that Todd can continue to work here at the resort."

Lundine, who served alongside Mario Cuomo from 1987 to 1994, wrote: "When I knew him, Todd was an honorable, public-spirited young man. He exhibited integrity and high character. It seems improbable to me that Todd has fundamentally changed in the years since I knew him as a dedicated, hardworking public servant. Obviously, I have no direct knowledge of the crimes for which he was convicted. However, based on what I know about him, he is a good family man with deep respect for his community and his country."

Another letter of support was submitted by Susan D. Berlin, a Washington-based psychotherapist who said Howe began meeting with her in August 2016 and that he has been sincere in his efforts to "live a better life and to be there for his family."

Howe's cooperation led to the March trial convictions of Percoco as well as Steven Aiello, the president of COR Development in Syracuse, and the subsequent guilty plea of Peter Galbraith Kelly, a vice president of Competitive Power Ventures. In July, another jury convicted Kaloyeros, Aiello, COR Development general counsel Joseph Gerardi  who was acquitted at the first trial) and Louis Ciminelli, the owner of LPCiminelli in Buffalo  on bid-rigging charges.

Echenberg noted in her recommendation letter that Howe met with the government more than 30 times.

Percoco reported to federal prison earlier this month.
Albany

College students dont eat much mystery meat anymore.

Rather than standardized dorm meals featuring the bland meatloaf of yesteryear, students nowadays can choose from a cornucopia such as the expansive food court in the University at Albanys Student Center.

Theres Chinese, Italian and pizza, halal and kosher choices, as well as vegetarian and old-fashioned deli foods. Theres also a grill for burgers or bacon and eggs  which seems to be a lunchtime favorite. And of course, theres a Starbucks, and, yes, there is usually a line there.

Despite that, State University of New York leaders say theres a hunger problem among the student body statewide. More specifically, they say theres widespread food insecurity in which some students simply run out of money or groceries and are left with nothing to eat until the next time they have some money in the bank.

Its ongoing right now, SUNY Vice Provost John Graham said of food insecurity, which national surveys have shown is as high as 30 percent on some campuses.

Graham led a meeting Monday of the SUNY Food Insecurity Task Force with representatives of various campuses as well as state social services agencies, including the Department of Health and Office for Children and Family Services.

The university system since last fall has already established some form of food bank at or near all of its 64 campuses. And it is launching a survey to better pinpoint which students need the most food help and where.

This is a big problem that youre taking on, said SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson, who briefly addressed the group.

Part of the problem comes from the simple fact that the numerous grants, awards and scholarships students receive dont cover everything. For many students, even those from middle-income families, worrying about meals can become an afterthought, especially when they are thinking about staying up to date on other bills like rent or tuition.

The due date on food is every day, said Patricia Thompson, assistant vice chancellor for financial aid.

Some campuses are also in food deserts, where pickings are slim after about 4 p.m., added Carson Rowe, a member of the student body at SUNYs College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse.

Students can also be confused about what's included with tuition and meal plans. Some students may assume that food is included at their schools at no extra cost. This is because increasingly K-12 school systems, especially in urban centers such as Albany, offer free breakfast and lunch to all students, largely in order to prevent "food shaming" or embarrassment for kids who would be fed due to their low family incomes.

Or some students may be perplexed by the meal plans. For instance, UAlbany students can choose from an array of plans or discount cards, which can run from less than $1,000 to nearly $3,000 per semester. Some plans run only during the week leaving students to shift for themselves on weekends.

Moreover, many rely on debit card-like accounts that link to their ID cards. If theyre not careful, they can quickly draw those monies down, whether its to pay for groceries from a campus deli or at the UAlbany Starbucks, as a couple students were doing on Monday.

Yeah. It happens to me. Sometimes it does run out, said Kayla Myers, a sophomore from Buffalo, referring to her card account with its Discount Dollars, which gives her up to 60 percent off on some items.

I dont think about it because of the Discount Dollars, she said about her spending.

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She lives in one of the schools downtown dormitories and doesnt like the food there, so she often dines in the up-campus food court. She admits that her mom has occasionally bailed her out when the card ran dry.

Myers said she wasnt aware the phenomenon known as food insecurity had a name, however. It happens, she said with a shrug.

I cook a lot, added Brittany Dunkley, a junior from the Bronx. She lives in an off-campus apartment since she believes its less expensive than living on campus and shes trying to save money for medical school. She shops in local supermarkets and makes batches of food. But she and Aanaya Rowel, also a junior from the Bronx, say they run out of meat and vegetables at times and have occasionally used the campus food bank.

The current UAlbany food bank is run by St. Vincent de Paul parish in the citys Pine Hills neighborhood. The food bank comes to the campus twice a month and students can use the service once a month.

More for you More Capital Region students are qualifying for free lunch. Is...

The campus in the next few months will open a grant-funded food pantry in the campus center.

Johnson said it was all part of a statewide push to cut down on food insecurity, wherever it might be. She noted that SUNY started in 2017 to open food pantries for students and had one for every campus in 2018.

We have accomplished a lot in less than a year, she said.

rkarlin@timesunion.com  518-454-5758  @RickKarlinTU
WASHINGTON, D.C.  New York Congressional representatives reacted to Attorney General William Barr's summary to the long-awaited Mueller report by asking for more.

Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is running for president in 2020, called for the release of the full report.

"Above all else, the American people deserve transparency and accountability," she tweeted. "Attorney General Barr must release Mueller's full report to the public without any delay."

The report by Robert Mueller detailed an investigation into Russia's attempts to sabotage the 2016 election and whether Trump or any of his associates conspired with Moscow's interference.

Barr's summary of the report also said that the special counsel's team lacked sufficient evidence to establish that Trump illegally obstructed justice, but added that Mueller's team stopped short of exonerating Trump.

A joint statement from Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed Gillibrand's sentiment.

"Congress requires the full report and the underlying documents so that the Committees can proceed with their independent work, including oversight and legislating to address any issues the Mueller report may raise," their statement read. "The American people have a right to know."

They also emphasized the report does not clear the President.

"General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," the joint statement read. "The fact that Special Counsel Mueller's report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay. Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the Special Counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), said Congress should now concentrate on thwarting any future efforts to sabotage U.S. elections.

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"I have consistently supported the Mueller investigation from the beginning," Stefanik said."Policymakers on both sides of the aisle should respect the findings of this investigation: there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government."

"Importantly, the Mueller investigation did find that there were Russian efforts to undermine and influence the 2016 U.S. election. I will continue to work to counter Russia's disinformation efforts and cyber threats on the House Armed Services Committee," she said.

Democratic Congressman Antonio Delgado (NY-19) also called for more than a four-page summary and said he couldn't fully comment until he sees the full report.

"The American public has called for the release of the full Mueller report," Delgado said. "And Congress unanimously voted for its release. ... I believe it is important for the full report to be released."
Cyril Abiteboul says F1 should look into introducing "e-fuels".

In an increasingly environmentally-minded world, the Renault boss doubts F1 did enough in 2014 by introducing the 'greener' hybrid engine formula.

"It is in our hands whether the young generation is still enthusiastic about driving in circles," he is quoted by Auto Bild.

"That's also because of the technologies we use."

For instance, with Formula E becoming more popular, Abiteboul says F1 should think about boosting its environmental image.

"We are talking about e-fuels, or fuel that does not come from fossil fuels," said the Frenchman.

"I believe that e-fuels is a game changer. And we have to make sure that those technologies are being demonstrated in formula one."

(GMM)
ALBANY  Two men previously convicted for their roles in a violent Massena drug war have pleaded guilty to charges related to their participation in a cocaine ring that covered most of the Capital Region.

State Attorney General Letitia James announced Monday that Tremel "Skinny" Rosario and Matthew "J" Malu, entered their pleas Friday in front of Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III.

Rosario, originally from the Bronx, pleaded to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree in exchange for 15 years in prison followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. Malu, originally from Queens, pleaded to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and is expected to be sentenced to 12 years in prison followed by 3 years of post-release supervision.

The sentencing of both men is slated for May 24.

Rosario and Malu were charged in October along with 28 others with supplying cocaine, heroin and prescription pills in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties beginning in August 2017. The initial indictment included a total of 205 felony counts.

The two men were caught on wiretaps over a 13-month investigation setting up smaller dealers to sell cocaine, heroin and prescription drugs from Albany to other parts of the Capital Region, according to the state attorney general's office.

All 30 defendants were charged with various degrees of felony criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy.

"These two individuals were the leaders of a drug ring that flooded the Capital Region with illicit drugs that take lives and harm our communities," James said in a statement. "Let their conviction serve as a loud and clear message: We will not take drug trafficking lightly and will hold those responsible to the fullest extent of the law."

Malu and Rosario appear to have resumed dealing drugs shortly after being released from prison for their roles in a violent Massena drug trafficking organization.

Malu was released from federal prison in February 2017 after being sentenced in September 2014 to 63 months.

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Rosario was sentenced to 65 months in November 2014 for his role in coordinating shipments of drugs from New York City to Massena with Malu, according to the Watertown Daily Times.

It is unclear when he was released from prison.

Malu oversaw one of the Massena organizations that clashed with another group between 2012 and 2013, according to media reports.

Malu's group feuded with, robbed and assaulted drug dealers aligned with Patrick Loyd, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Loyd was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for his role in the disputes, which Senior U.S. District Judge Gary L. Sharpe called "drug terrorism" at Loyd's sentencing in 2016.

All but one of the 30 people named in last fall's indictment have entered guilty pleas, James' office said. An arrest warrant remains active for the final defendant.
Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect the student tried to buy a rifle, not an assault rifle. RPI officials erroneously identified the weapon as "an assault rifle" in a Monday release. Assault rifles are illegal in New York. Read an updated story.

TROY  A Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute student was removed from campus and taken into custody after attempting to purchase a rifle, a university spokesman said on Monday.
Vonage Debuts CX Cloud Express for the Midsized Contact Center Market

Business cloud communications provider Vonage is in acquisitions mode. In September of last year, the New Jersey-based company purchased NewVoiceMedia, a cloud-native contact center solution that was integrated with Vonages other assets to build an expanded enterprise communications software suite. In partnership with Salesforce, Vonage is now in a strong place to capture large portions of the contact center market, particularly mid-sized to large companies.

Fast-forward to today, and Vonage has announced the debut of its newest contact center solution, CX Cloud Express, an expansion of the Vonage Business Cloud. CX Cloud Express seamlessly integrates with the VBC application, and is built on top of the One Vonage platform, a microservices architecture with the ability to meet the individual communications needs of all businesses. Its the first integrated offering of Vonage Business Cloud and the NewVoiceMedia contact center solution on a single stack, according to the company.

"With the acquisition of NewVoiceMedia in 2018, Vonage now owns the entire technology stack required to deliver a fully programmable communications solution. And, we control our own roadmap and service reliability - from carrier to application," said Jay Patel, SVP of Product Management for Vonage.

With the introduction of CX Cloud Express, Vonage aims to reduce IT complexity for contact center clients and seamlessly integrate with other business and CRM tools that contact centers may already be using. The new solution will be marketed heavily toward mid-sized contact centers looking for the feature set of premise-based solutions with the price tag and flexibility of a cloud-based solution.

CX Cloud Express offers users a variety of contact center functionality from the cloud, including advanced voice capabilities such as IVR and skills-based routing; performance management tools such as customizable reporting and analytics; and integration capabilities with the Vonage Integration Suite to connect to CRM solutions such as Salesforce, Zendesk, Sugar CRM and others to enable screen pops and notations. CX Cloud Express also integrates with business application platforms such as G Suite and Microsoft Office 365.

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Edited by Maurice Nagle
[March 25, 2019] Arizona Technology Council Urges Support for Senate Bill 1085, Enabling Affordable Health Coverage for Small Businesses

In order to give small businesses better access to health coverage, the Arizona Technology Council urges the business community to support Arizona SB1085. The bill, introduced by Senator Brophy McGee, will enable tens of thousands of Arizonans to obtain quality and affordable health coverage by providing a new pathway for employer groups and associations to offer fully insured and self-insured Association Health Plans (AHPs). Permissible by the federal Department of Labor rules, the proposed Arizona legislation would allow employer groups and associations the ability to offer either fully funded or self-insured AHPs by banding together on the basis of geography and industry for more substantial purchasing power. These new AHPs would provide small businesses the types of coverage currently available only to large employers, and also would let working owners and sole proprietors, plus their families, join and enjoy substantial savings. "The rising cost of health insurance is one of the most critical challenges facing our smaller member companies and startups," said Steven G. Zylstra, president and CEO, Arizona Technology Council. "By supporting SB1085, Arizona can pove once again that we are an innovation-focused state committed to strengthening our lead as a premier provider of pro-growth legislation that helps companies of all shapes and sizes."



AHPs can give employer groups and associations greater flexibility in designing health insurance plans to meet the needs of their members at lower costs. The lower costs of health insurance will lead participating small businesses to provide more generous overall compensation packages to their employees, a critical factor in helping technology companies acquire talent. The Council joins an extensive list of professional associations pledging their support for SB1085 including the Arizona Association of Realtors, Chandler Chamber of Commerce, and Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce.

"The Arizona Association of Realtors stands with Senator Brophy McGee in support of SB1085," said K. Michelle Lind, Esq., CEO, Arizona Association of Realtors. "It's imperative that we provide more opportunities for small businesses to reduce the cost of healthcare and receive more extensive coverage, so they are able to focus on growth and talent acquisitions." Providing technology companies with better healthcare options is a key priority of the Arizona Technology Council. The Council believes SB1085 is a good option to improve coverage for its membership and Arizonans in general and urges community support for this bill. The Council would also like to thank Senator Brophy McGee for running the bill and working with the stakeholders to bring this great option forward. For more information on the Council's legislative priorities in 2019, please visit www.aztechcouncil.org/public-policy. About the Arizona Technology Council The Arizona Technology Council is Arizona's premier trade association for science and technology companies. Recognized as having a diverse professional business community, Council members work towards furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. The Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, visionaries and community members to make an impact on the technology industry. These interactions contribute to the Council's culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona. To become a member or to learn more about the Arizona Technology Council, please visit www.aztechcouncil.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005749/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Ayyeka and Beabout Brock Easley Announce New Exclusive Partnership

LITTLETON, Colorado, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ayyeka and Beabout Brock Easley (BBE) have launched a new partnership for exclusive representation of Ayyeka's full range of products and solutions across the Rocky Mountain region, including New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. Ayyeka specializes in IIOT solutions for data generation and monetization, especially in the field of remote monitoring. Currently, Ayyeka's solutions are being used to streamline monitoring and operation of water and wastewater infrastructures, oil and gas assets, and energy and environmental industries across five continents. Beabout Brock and Easley are exclusive manufacturer's representatives for process industries. They provide collective solutions, industry experience and after sales service and support to a wide range of top-level clients in the fields of food and beverages; life sciences; metals and primaries; pharmaceuticals; power; upstream/midstream/downstream oil & gas; and water and wasewater.



"We are thrilled to partner with Beabout Brock Easley and benefit from more than 50 years of experience and a keen understanding of industry needs across the mountain states," said Scott Ceci, Ayyeka's Sales Director in North America. "We believe that the integration of Ayyeka's tried and proven technologies into additional industries and large infrastructures in this region will prove to be a win-win situation for all." "Beabout Brock Easley looks forward to adding Ayyeka's cutting-edge technologies to the wide range of leading products that we provide our clients," said Lindsey Beabout, Scada Solutions and Oil and Gas Manager for BBE. "There is a growing demand for advanced, accurate and cost-effective remote monitoring solutions, and we expect to see a lot of interest in Ayyeka's range of hardware, software and service solutions."

About Ayyeka: Ayyeka provides end to end IIOT solutions for data generation and monetization, especially in the field of remote monitoring. For more information, please visit www.ayyeka.com . About Beabout Brock Easley: Beabout Brock Easley provides technical support and knowledge of applications to Rocky Mountains industrial markets. For more information, please visit www.beaboutbrockeasley.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ayyeka-and-beabout-brock-easley-announce-new-exclusive-partnership-300817607.html SOURCE Ayyeka

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[March 25, 2019] Corning Celebrates Opening of Software Innovation Center in Montreal

R&D hub will discover and develop solutions for telecommunications industry CORNING, NY, March 25, 2019 /CNW/ - Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) today formally opened a research and development center in Montreal, Canada, focused on discovering and developing software solutions for the telecommunications industry. The Corning Technology Center Montreal will serve as Corning's global center of software innovation to support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, cloud computing, and data analytics, as well as software solutions for optical-wireless networks. Software engineers from Corning's Research, Development and Engineering organization will collaborate with developers from iBwave Solutions, the Montreal-based provider of networking software solutions that Corning acquired in 2015. The Montreal site joins Corning's network of research and development laboratories throughout North America, Europe and Asia, anchored by the company's Sullivan Park innovation center in Corning, N.Y. Over the next three to five years, Corning intends to hire software engineers, development team managers, and data analysts at the Montreal center. "The combination of transformative technologies and applications such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things depends on the optical connectivity solutions made possible by Corning's innovations," said Claudio Mazzali, senior vice president of technology for Corning's Optical Communications business segment. "The work that will take place here in our Montreal technology center will extend Corning's innovation capabilities beyond optical transport and connectivity, all the way to the intelligence required to deploy and enable those applications. Montreal is emerging as a major center of software innovation, and Corning is glad to be part of it." The Montreal center's initial focus will be software solutions for telecommunications networks, helping Corning's customers unlock opportunities presented by emerging technologies. It will eventually become a hub for software innovation across all of Corning's business segments. "In addition to the immediate and near-term applications in Optical Communications systems, what is also very exciting to me about Corning Technology Center Montreal is how these new capabilities in software, artificial intelligence and machine learning will support a corporate strategic initiative in materials and process informatics and modeling across our technologies and businesses," said David Morse, Corning executive vice president and chief technology officer. "I am delighted to welcome the CTCM team to Corning's global network of technology centers." Corning Technology Center Montreal will build ties to the region's software-innovation community through membership in IVADO, the Montreal-based research institute for data science, operational research, and artificial intelligence. "Our data science ecosystem will greatly benefit from collaborative projects with the Corning Technology Center Montreal, bridging academic expertise and business needs," said span >Gilles Savard, chief executive officer of IVADO. "We are thrilled to welcome Corning as our newest IVADO member and look forward to working together on developing innovative digital solutions for the telecommunications industry."



"We are delighted to see Corning, one of the world's most innovative companies, joining the thriving technology community in Montreal  further raising the region's profile as a hub for software research and development," said Valerie Pisano, president and chief executive officer of Montreal-based MILA, a research institute for artificial intelligence. Corning Technology Center Montreal aligns with Corning's strategy for success through sustained investment in research and development, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and close collaboration with customers to solve technology challenges.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995), which are based on current expectations and assumptions about Corning's financial results and business operations, that involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include: the effects of acquisitions, dispositions and other similar transactions by the Company, the effect of global business, financial, economic and political conditions; tariffs and import duties; currency fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and other currencies, primarily the Japanese yen, New Taiwan dollar, euro, Chinese yuan, and South Korean won; product demand and industry capacity; competitive products and pricing; availability and costs of critical components and materials; new product development and commercialization; order activity and demand from major customers; the amount and timing of our cash flows and earnings and other conditions, which may affect our ability to pay our quarterly dividend at the planned level or to repurchase shares at planned levels; possible disruption in commercial activities due to terrorist activity, cyber-attack, armed conflict, political or financial instability, natural disasters, or major health concerns; unanticipated disruption to equipment, facilities, IT systems or operations; effect of regulatory and legal developments; ability to pace capital spending to anticipated levels of customer demand; rate of technology change; ability to enforce patents and protect intellectual property and trade secrets; adverse litigation; product and components performance issues; retention of key personnel; customer ability, most notably in the Display Technologies segment, to maintain profitable operations and obtain financing to fund their ongoing operations and manufacturing expansions and pay their receivables when due; loss of significant customers; changes in tax laws and regulations including the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017; and the potential impact of legislation, government regulations, and other government action and investigations. For a complete listing of risks and other factors, please reference the risk factors and forward-looking statements described in our annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the day that they are made, and Corning undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events. Web Disclosure

In accordance with guidance provided by the SEC regarding the use of company websites and social media channels to disclose material information, Corning Incorporated ("Corning") wishes to notify investors, media, and other interested parties that it uses its website (http://www.corning.com/worldwide/en/about-us/news-events.html) to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors, or supplemental to information contained in this or other press releases. The list of websites and social media channels that the company uses may be updated on Corning's media and website from time to time. Corning encourages investors, media, and other interested parties to review the information Corning may publish through its website and social media channels as described above, in addition to the company's SEC filings, press releases, conference calls, and webcasts. About Corning Incorporated

Corning (www.corning.com) is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a more than 165-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramic science, and optical physics along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries. Corning's capabilities are versatile and synergistic, which allows the company to evolve to meet changing market needs, while also helping our customers capture new opportunities in dynamic industries. Today, Corning's markets include optical communications, mobile consumer electronics, display technology, automotive, and life sciences vessels. Corning's industry-leading products include damage-resistant cover glass for mobile devices; precision glass for advanced displays; optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions for state-of-the-art communications networks; trusted products to accelerate drug discovery and delivery; and clean-air technologies for cars and trucks. About IVADO

The Institute for Data Valorization (IVADO) is a joint initiative of HEC Montreal, Polytechnique Montreal and Universite de Montreal that brings together nearly 100 industrial, academic and government partners. With over 1,100 member researchers, IVADO is a multidisciplinary center of advanced expertise in statistics, artificial intelligence and operations research. IVADO's mission is to 1) contribute to the development of an economic sector in big data processing for decision making; 2) create privileged partnerships between industry and the administrative, social and academic sectors; 3) contribute to the advancement of knowledge and train new generations of data scientists; and 4) foster exchange and knowledge sharing between experts, partners, researchers and students. IVADO provides a framework for six research centers: Canada Excellence Research Chair in Data Science for Real-Time Decision Making, CIRRELT, CRM, GERAD, MILA and Tech3Lab. Follow Corning: RSS Feeds | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube SOURCE Corning Incorporated

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[March 25, 2019] Galaxy Next Generation Spotlights Marshall County, Alabama Choosing its G2 Panels as their Interactive Flat Panel Platform of Choice

TOCCOA, Ga., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. (OTCQB:GAXY) ("Galaxy"), a U.S. distributor of interactive learning technology hardware and software that create fully collaborative instructional environments, is proud to announce that Marshall County, Alabama, a prior purchaser of Over Forty 65 SAMS and SLIMS will continue to purchase Galaxy products for their remaining classrooms as funds are made available.

Said Charlie Jimmerson, the Technology Director of Marshall County Schools where he is responsible for the technology upgrades on13 separate schools, The G2 panel has exceededour expectations in regards to quality and performance. Customer service has certainly proven to be a bonus and the sound on the panel is far superior to any other brand.



Gary Lecroy, CEO of Galaxy, said, We thank Mr. Jimmerson for his kind words regarding our products and customer service and we remain confident that we will continue to exceed his and all of our other customers expectations for many years to come. Galaxy Next Generation is a U.S. distributor of interactive learning technology hardware and software that allows the presenter and participant to engage in a fully collaborative instructional environment. Galaxy's products include Galaxy's own private-label interactive touch screen panel as well as numerous other national and international branded peripheral and communication devices. Galaxy's distribution channel consists of 22+ resellers across the U.S. who primarily sell the Company's products within the commercial and educational market. Galaxy does not control where resellers focus their resell efforts, although generally, the K-12 education market is the largest customer base for Galaxy products comprising nearly 90% of Galaxy's sales.

CONTACT: Galaxy Next Generation, Inc. Investor Relations [email protected] 317-361-2392 Source: Galaxy Next Generation

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Jacques Villeneuve thinks Robert Kubica's return to F1 is "terrible" for the sport.

After an eight-year absence to recover from and adjust to his permanent arm injuries sustained in a 2011 rallying crash, Kubica finished dead last on his Melbourne return.

Villeneuve, the outspoken 1997 world champion, said the return is nonetheless a "great achievement" for the Pole.

"If you have done something that you love and it is taken away, you will work even harder to get it back," he told the Dutch publication Formule 1.

"If I were in his shoes, I would do the same."

But for F1 overall, Villeneuve said Kubica coming back is "terrible".

"Formula one should be the pinnacle of racing, so it's not good for the sport if someone with a disability can participate.

"Maybe in other classes, but not formula one. F1 must be difficult and almost unreachable. Robert's return is not the right message," said the Canadian.

(GMM)
[March 25, 2019] Global Autonomous Delivery Robots Market Forecast to 2024: Need For Better Efficiency In Supply Chain Processes & Need To Manage Last Mile Deliveries

DUBLIN, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Autonomous Delivery Robots Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2019 - 2024)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The autonomous delivery robots market is expected to register a CAGR of over 49.5% during the forecast period, 2019 - 2024.



Smart meters boost a utility's ability to precisely and timely bill customers for the extent of gas used. The remote read capability allows for smaller intervals between billing reads, better business preparation in understanding future revenue streams, or in producing a continuous flow of capital. For instance, smart gas meters take readings every half an hour in a day, and send it to the supplier.



The last mile in supply chain management and transportation planning describes the movement of goods from a transportation hub to the final delivery destination. Delivery is typical to a personal home/residence and can involve big and bulky items that require setup or assembly inside a home or office. Consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in what they demand from last-mile delivery. About 20% to 25% of consumers would pick same-day or instant delivery if it were available at low prices. Moreover, the e-commerce industry is growing without cessation and does not show any signs of stopping, more so as developing countries jump on the bandwagon.



This has led to the continued growth of courier, express, and parcel services across different regions of the world, as home delivery has grown to be the most preferred package delivery method, especially among the millennial population. In addition, municipalities are looking at regulating the use of these robots on city sidewalks in some countries. For instance, in December 2017, the city of San Francisco banned delivery robots from most of its sidewalks, forcing companies to test their robots in other cities.



Autonomous delivery robots began toting food to waiting for customers in San Francisco earlier in 2017 after Marble partnered with Yelp Eat 24 to test its flagship delivery bot. The four-wheeled robot is the size of an office copy machine. However, some pedestrians in San Francisco have complained that they crowd sidewalks and present a hazard to humans. Therefore, in May, shortly after Marble's first bot rolled down the sidewalk, San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee proposed a ban on the use of the technology in the city, citing public safety concerns. These challenges, among others, will determine whether last-mile delivery robots move from an emerging technology to a more mass-market offering. Thus, delivery robots are not likely to find easy usage on crowded roads, which is the most common scenario in urban areas.



Moreover, although the market is expected to grow, several challenges are expected to contest automated last-mile deliveries. Like self-driving cars, many trials of autonomous last-mile delivery robots are occurring in fair-weather locations. Outdoor deliveries will challenge such vehicles with snowy, icy, or rainy conditions.



For instance, in Boston, where NuTonomy has been road testing autonomous vehicles in cooperation with city planning officials, snow and seagulls have emerged as two of the biggest obstacles. Further, since delivery robots can be understood as cyber-physical systems in the context of Industry 4.0, there has to bethe related regulatory framework of Industry 4.0 in international terms. As some of the autonomous delivery robots available currently are still remotely controlled from a control center, a permanent exchange of data between the robot and the control center occurs, resulting in serious issues in terms of data protection. Unless all firms shift to provide completely independent autonomous delivery robots, such as Starship Technologies, this factor will challenge market growth.







Scope of the Report



The advent of autonomous delivery robots (ADR) has revolutionized the delivery systems, providing a cheaper and efficient way of delivery. Though delivery robots have not had high adoption, they are expected to have high growth in the future, owing to various advantages.





Key Market Trends



Retail and Logistics Segment is Expected to Register a Significant Growth



Retail and logistics is the largest end user for autonomous delivery robots, globally. The increasing presence of e-commerce players and omnichannel retailers worldwide is the primary factors driving the demand for autonomous delivery robots, especially for last mile delivery.



Although there are several initiatives for airborne delivery systems, such as the Amazon Prime Air, they are not efficient enough to bridge the gaps in last mile delivery and logistics. But in the case of autonomous delivery robots, they can serve more customers at more economics costs, traveling more distances in a much safer manner. In the current market scenario, most of the pilot programs and innovations made for the autonomous delivery robots are targeted to address the last mile delivery problems. In many countries across the world, they are even functional in several cities. Countries like the United States , Japan , China , and several other European countries have a considerable number of services that are already using autonomous delivery robots for last mile deliveries.



For example, as of June 2018 , JD.com, the second largest e-commerce player in China after Alibaba, started last mile deliveries using autonomous robots in Beijing . Previously, the company also employed autonomous delivery robots in several closed areas, such as college campuses and closed-off industrial communities, staying ahead in the competition.



North America is Expected to Hold Highest Market Share



North America is the largest market for autonomous delivery robots in the current market scenario. When compared to other regions, North America has a high number of startups and manufacturers working toward the growth of the autonomous delivery robots technology.



Also, the adoption of autonomous delivery robots across several end users in the region is comparatively high when compared to other parts of the world. In the hospitality and retail and logistics segments, the demand for these robots is very high; many retail and hospitality players are partnering with manufacturers to have a first-hand experience of the prototypes. For example, North America has a high degree of demand from the hospitality sector. Delivery robots are helping many prime hospitality establishments to gain tremendous attraction from media, which is an important channel in the region that influences tourists' decision to select a hotel or resort.



In fact, according to the E-commerce foundation, North America has the highest social network penetration rate in the world at 66%, while the global average penetration rate stood at 37% in 2017. Despite the reduction of labor costs, installation of delivery robots also help hospitality establishments to gain popularity on social networks, helping them to improve their RevPAR. Such advantages are expected to keep a constant demand for autonomous delivery robots from the hospitality sector.



Competitive Landscape



The autonomous delivery robots market is highly competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with the prominent shares in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging on strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and profitability. The companies operating in the market are also acquiring start-ups working on autonomous delivery robots technologies to strengthen their product capabilities.



In August 2018 , Kroger Co. and Nuro Inc. announced to have selected Scottsdale, Arizona , as the city for testing their prototype products. Initially, the trails are to be conducted with self-driving Toyota Prius, while at a later phase they would introduce their prototypes (Nuro R1) for delivery.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Introduction to Market Drivers and Restraints

4.3 Market Drivers

4.3.1 Need To Manage Last Mile Deliveries

4.3.2 Need For Better Efficiency In Supply Chain Processes, Such As Logistics

4.4 Market Restraints

4.4.1 Weather Conditions And Security Issues

4.5 Industry Attractiveness Porter's Five Forces Analysis



5 Market Segmentation

5.1 By End User

5.1.1 Healthcare

5.1.2 Hospitality

5.1.3 Retail and Logistics

5.2 Geography



6 Competitive Landscape

6.1 Company Profiles

6.1.1 Kiwi

6.1.2 Aethon

6.1.3 Dispatch

6.1.4 TeleRetail

6.1.5 Marble Robot Inc.

6.1.6 Starship Technologies

6.1.7 Robby Technologies

6.1.8 Savioke

6.1.9 Nuro

6.1.10 Eliport



7 Market Opportunities and Future Trends

7.1 Investment Analysis

7.2 Future of the Market



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qv3tlq/global_autonomous?w=5

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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[March 25, 2019] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Avon Products, Inc. Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Avon Products, Inc. ("Avon" or the "Company") (NYSE: AVP) securities between August 2, 2016 and August 2, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Avon investors have until April 15, 2019 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors suffering losses on their Avon investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to [email protected]. On August 3, 2017, Avon issued a press release announcing its second quarter 2017 financial results and held a conference call to discuss the results. The Company reported a net loss of $0.12 per share and a 3% decline in active representatives. Avon also reported that Brazil revenue was "down 2% inconstant dollars, primarily driven by a decrease in Active Representatives." On the call, Avon's Chief Financial Officer acknowledged that, despite Avon's earlier representations, the remedial actions in Brazil (i.e., stricter credit terms applied to recruiting new representatives) were negatively impacting active representatives and revenue in Brazil. On this news, shares of Avon fell $0.36, or 10.71%, to close at $3.00 per share on August 3, 2017, thereby injuring investors.



The Complaint filed in this class action alleges that Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Avon was engaged in an undisclosed scheme whereby it significantly loosened its credit terms in order to recruit new representatives in Brazil, its largest market; (2) its specific credit terms in Brazil; (3) Avon failed to increase its allowance for doubtful accounts to account for the changes to its credit terms in Brazil; and (4) as a result of these concealments, Avon stock was trading at artificially inflated prices throughout the class period. If you purchased shares of Avon, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to [email protected], or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005702/en/

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[March 25, 2019] UKTW IP Celebrates First Successful Year of UK-TW Science Research Cooperation

TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and British Office Taipei today hosted an event to recognise the first successful year of the UK-Taiwan Innovative Industries Programme (UKTW I2P), which was launched in March 2018 to promote UK-Taiwan science research bilateral cooperation activities.

ITRI and British Office Taipei on March 25 hosted an event to recognise the first successful year of the UK-Taiwan Innovative Industries Programme (UKTW IP).



UKTW I2P is the first UK government-funded programme of this kind, aiming to strengthen UK-Taiwan collaboration in key areas such as biotechnology, AI, robotics, clean energy, and autonomous vehicles. In the first year, the majority of the funding  200,000 (NT $8 million)  was allocated to support Taiwanese researchers to conduct research at UK universities and R&D institutes, with additional funding for sector analysis and bilateral visits. Administrated by ITRI, the programme for the first year has successfully attracted a total of eleven Taiwanese researchers, six of them from universities and five from the R&D institutes, including National Cheng Kung University, National Central University, National Chiayi University, Natioal Sun Yat-sen University, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, and ITRI.



Over the last year the UK-Taiwan Innovative Industries Programme has created a step-change in the collaboration between British and Taiwanese researchers. Eleven talented Taiwanese researchers undertook joint research at British institutions. The projects they initiated have significant potential across a wide range of areas, from medical devices to digital economy & advanced manufacturing. We expect these projects to benefit innovation in both the UK and Taiwan, and to create links that will last for many years to come. We are very grateful to ITRI for their professional and enthusiastic support in the delivery of this programme, said Catherine Nettleton, Representative of British Office Taipei. As a key delivery partner of UKTW I2P, ITRI has been working closely with the British Office Taipei to foster a deeper science and research connection between Taiwan and the UK. Dr. Pei-Zen Chang, ITRIs Executive Vice President, stated that UKTW I2P provided a great opportunity to enhance UK-Taiwan scientific partnerships, and that many potentially beneficial research topics had already been identified since the launch of the programme. In the future, he said, ITRI would devote even more efforts to paving the way for new topics and cultivating further the existing collaborative projects.

ITRI researcher Jih-Yang Chang, who participated in UKTW I2P, shared his experience of conducting research and work exchange in the UK. Through this project, I collaborated with the British AIE Rotor Engine Company to integrate a rotary engine into the hybrid electric power system of an ITRI-developed UAV to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency. The end result of this joint effort was phenomenal, and we were able to achieve the projects goal successfully! Chang also visited Sheffield University and Imperial College London to make some great connections with their network of high payload and high duration commercial drone technology. He indicated that during his stay in the UK, he was impressed with the professionalism of the British research teams and glad to exchange valuable ideas with each other. Another researcher Shih-Chun Lin, who is from the Department of Nursing at National Cheng Kung University, also shared her experience with the programme. UKTW I2P provided me with a meaningful platform to examine pediatric palliative care from different cultural perspectives and health care policies. Through my visits to ten British pediatric care organizations and talking with various specialists, I was able to share my views with the British pediatric hospice care professionals on the culturally-sensitive end-of-life care for families with Chinese-ethnic background while gaining valuable insights to input more international standpoints on Taiwans pediatric hospice research and education, Lin said. For more information about UK-Taiwan Innovative Industries Programme (UKTW I2P), please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/379163.zh-tw Media Contact of Taiwan execution partner of UKTW 12P

Yvonne Liu

Office of Marketing Communications, ITRI

+886-3-591-9154

[email protected] Media Contact of British Office

Amanda Lin

Head of Communications & Marketing, British Office

+886 (2) 87582006 or +886-910-902-831

[email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c518bdb0-d6ef-4f70-aca8-73f1748ec38f

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[March 25, 2019] VelocityEHS Focused on Future of HSE Technology at Verdantix Summit Europe

CHICAGO, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VelocityEHS , the global leader in cloud-based health, safety and environment (HSE) solutions, will join health and safety leaders from around the globe to share insights on the future of HSE software at the Verdantix 2019 HSE Summit Europe in London, United Kingdom. During the panel discussion, HSE Leaders of the Future: Innovators, Collaborators & Digitizers, Matt Airhart, president of VelocityEHS Canada, will make the case for HSE software that puts people first and is easy to use.

At the VelocityEHS booth (#5), its team will demonstrate how it is making Airharts vision a reality through its full suite of award-winning, HSE solutions that pair cutting edge technologies like AI, motion capture, voice to text, video capture and barcode scanning with the best user experience in the industry. Event attendees are invited to see how VelocityEHS is transforming the way companies use and deploy software to improve HSE outcomes. The future of HSE technology is in building software that is engaging for everyone who touches it, especially front line workers, said Airhart. At VelocityEHS, engaging means software that fits into the natural work flow, moves seamlessly from desktop to phone and back again, automates the mundane, streamlines the complex, and has SE best practices baked in. We encourage HSE professionals looking to upgrade their HSE programs through technology to focus less on specific features and more on products that are intuitive, scalable and easy to implement right out of the box. The real purpose of HSE solutions is to simplify things for the people using it.



Recognized as a Leader in the Verdantix 2017 Green Quadrant Analysis for EHS&S software, VelocityEHS received high marks for its capabilities and momentum, and ranked among the top software providers for product breadth and depth. The companys robust out-of-the-box solution stood out for exceptional safety, chemical management, and mobile functionality. The 2019 Verdantix HSE Summit Europe will gather more than 150 HSE leaders and technology executives at the Stamford Bridge Chelsea Stadium in London, UK to discuss the HSE technology landscape. Visit www.Verdantix.com for more information.

To learn more about VelocityEHS innovative software solutions, visit www.EHS.com . About VelocityEHS

Trusted by more than 13,000 customers worldwide, VelocityEHS helps you reach your EHS goals faster with quick implementations, affordable solutions, and unparalleled customer support. We deliver a comprehensive cloud-based environment, health and safety (EHS) software platform. Our easy-to-use software applications are designed based on industry best-practice principles to help you solve complex business challenges in simple ways. Recognized by the EHS industrys top independent analysts, and earning leading scores in the Verdantix 2017 Green Quadrant Analysis and 2017 NAEM EHS & Sustainability Software Ratings Report, VelocityEHS is the global leader in cloud EHS software solutions. VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; and Sydney, Australia. For more information, visit www.EHS.com. Media Contact Betsy Utley-Marin

312.881.2307

[email protected]

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[March 24, 2019] Panasonic's Next-generation HD-PLC*1, BPL Communication Technology Adopted as IEEE 1901a Standard

On March 25, 2019, Panasonic (News - Alert) Corporation announced that the IEEE Standards Association has approved the company's next-generation broadband over powerline (BPL) communication technology for Internet of Things (IoT) as the IEEE (News - Alert) 1901a Standard on March 21, 2019 at the Standards Board meeting in Munich, Germany. The company proposed the technology to the IEEE Standardization 1901a Working Group*2 in June 2018. This standard flexibly meets various demands for IoT-related services. IEEE 1901a, BPL communication standard for IoT enables to control frequency bands according to usage. It allows scalable communications with features to extend communication distances and to select speeds. The flexible features defined in this standard enable to address the diverse communication needs of IoT-related services. It implements the following new functions based on the Panasonic original HD-PLC Wavelet OFDM technology (standard mode), already adopted in the IEEE 1901-2010 standard. The standard mode communication band can be doubled or quadrupled, allowing a 500 Mbps *3 communication speed in double mode or a maximum of 1 Gbps *3 in quadruple mode on coaxial cable or dedicated line.

communication speed in double mode or a maximum of 1 Gbps in quadruple mode on coaxial cable or dedicated line. The standard mode communication band can be compressed by a factor of two or four (half or quarter), concentrating energy in narrow bands and consequently extending the communication distance up to twice the distance*4 in standard mode with a lower communication speed. This ability to select communication speed modes allows a flexible response to each user's needs, opening the scope of HD-PLC application to all aspects of daily life. Panasonic is now shifting to a strategy of providing "Lifestyle Updates" to consistently enhance the quality of people's lives with products and services evolving with the individual end-user's personal preferences and way of life. The integrated lifestyle platform HomeX is the information infrastructure that opens to various service providers and partners of corresponding consumer electronics and equipment. In order to continuously offer new lifestyle vlues according to the needs of the residents, every product such as household equipment, consumer electronics, and sensors in a home must always be connected to networks. The newly approved IoT BPL communication international standard defines a foundation technology designed for communications in homes, but not only. This technology also supports large-scale networks covering social infrastructure such as buildings and factories as well as homes, with prospects for use in a wide range of areas.



Panasonic licenses IoT BPL communication technology defined in this standard with the aim of promoting a greater evolution of the HD-PLC technology. In addition, by striving to secure interconnectivity between products conforming to the IEEE 1901 series through organizations such as the HD-PLC Alliance,*5 Panasonic seeks to provide HD-PLC products that users can use with confidence. Notes:

HD-PLC is the name of a High Definition Power Line Communication system created by Panasonic, and is a registered trademark in Japan and other countries. The Standardization Working Group about power line communications standards within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 500 Mbps and 1 Gbps are theoretical maximum speeds at the physical layer. The maximum communication distance varies depending on communication environment conditions. Established on September 25, 2007 with the aim of ensuring communication compatibility and widespread adoption of HD-PLC.

Website: http://www.hd-plc.org/ About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. The company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.982 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic, visit https://www.panasonic.com/global. Source (News - Alert):

https://news.panasonic.com/global/press/data/2019/03/en190325-4/en190325-4.html Related Links

HD-PLC Alliance

http://www.hd-plc.org/ [Press Release] Panasonic's Multi-hop HD-PLC Adopted as Smart Meter Communications System by Taiwan Power Company (Sep 25, 2018)

https://news.panasonic.com/global/press/data/2018/09/en180925-2/en180925-2.html [Press Release] Panasonic Next-Generation PLC Technology Approved as Baseline Specification by IEEE P1901.3 Working Group (Jun 29, 2018)

https://news.panasonic.com/global/press/data/2018/06/en180629-2/en180629-2.html HomeX brand site

https://www.panasonic.com/global/business/homex.html View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190324005030/en/

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[March 24, 2019] ARLO 24 HOUR DEADLINE ALERT: Approximately 24 Hours Remain; ClaimsFiler Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit against Arlo Technologies, Inc. - ARLO

ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have only until March 25, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Arlo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ARLO). Investor losses must relate to purchases of the Company's shares issued in connection with its August 3, 2018 initial public offering ("IPO"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Get Help Arlo investors should visit us at https://www.claimsfiler.com/cases/view-arlo-technologies-inc-securities-litigation/a> or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.



About the Lawsuit On December 3, 2018, the Company disclosed that shipments of Arlo Ultra, its recently-announced flagship security camera system, were delayed due to "a quality issue with the battery from one of its suppliers" discovered during the final testing phase, and that as a result it lowered its Q4 2018 financial guidance. On this news, the price of Arlo's shares plummeted.

The case is Wong v. Arlo Technologies, Inc. et al, 19-cv-00372. 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. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations. To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190324005013/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Overlooked and Under-Engaged - How the Workplace Forgot an Entire Generation

For the past 20 years, employers have been fixated on two major workforce impacts-preparing for the waves of boomers set to retire and creating a dynamic workplace to attract and retain the influx of millennials. While focus has been elsewhere, Gen X - a group now ages 38 to 53, who accounts for a third of the U.S. workforce, or 53 million people1 - has been overlooked. According to MetLife's 17th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS), released today, the impacts of this neglect are real: Gen X employees not only feel significantly underappreciated at work and engage at lower rates than millennials, they also lag both boomers and millennials in key financial security indicators. Across all demographics, the study found employees name personal finances as their number one source of stress, however just 59 percent of Gen X workers are confident in their finances, compared to two-thirds (67 percent) of millennials and 65 percent of boomers. Gen X workers are also the least likely to have a savings cushion of three months of salary - just over half (53 percent) have sufficient savings, compared to 58 percent of millennials and 60 percent of boomers. This, combined with the fact that nearly half (48 percent) of Gen X employees report living paycheck to paycheck, puts this generation in the danger zone when it comes to preparing for the unexpected and planning for the future. Gen X - unhappy at work, and lacking financial fundamentals Given their financial pressures, it's not a surprise the study revealed Gen X as the least happy generation of employees at work-just 68 percent of Gen X workers report being happy at work, compared with 75 percent of millennials and 74 percent of boomers. Contributing to Gen X unhappiness is that only 54 percent of Gen X workers feel empowered at work and 62 percent feel respected in the workplace. "The combination of Gen X's financial stress with low engagement and the perceived lack of appreciation can have significant negative repercussions across the workplace, and employers need to take this seriously," says Todd Katz, executive vice president, Group Benefits at MetLife. "With record low unemployment and employers competing in a war for talent, those who can understand their workforce's pain points will be best positioned to both attract and retain experienced, highly skilled workers." The importance of employee happiness should not be overlooked by employers - 90 percent of happy employees say they are loyal to their employer. Although employers attempt to show employees appreciation through many channels, Gen X workers are not feeling the impact. Relative to their millennial colleagues, Gen X workers believe employers are not providing them with timely promotions, exposure to senio leadership, and meaningful work projects. Employers, though, don't see this as a problem - only 18 percent of employers believe a top challenge they face is creating an inclusive environment for all generations.



This issue has reached its tipping point - employers can no longer overlook Gen X, especially since they are the most likely generation to say they will never retire and may remain in the workforce for the next 30 or more years. Nearly one in five (18 percent) Gen X employees do not plan to ever retire, compared to 14 percent of millennials and 12 percent of boomers. One reason could be that more Gen X workers (55 percent) are behind on their retirement savings than millennials (49 percent). While employers have focused on providing resources to millennials and boomers, the employees likely to work longest are Gen X - and employers need to understand how to keep this group engaged, happy and productive.

Steps employers can take to right the course Employers should start by looking at their benefits offerings. When asked to decide between better benefits or more flexibility, 57 percent of Gen X workers chose better benefits, compared to 48 percent of millennials. Benefits such as paid leave, financial wellness programs, legal plans, supplementary health and disability insurance provide resources as well as the necessary financial security to prevent long-term hardships. Offering financial wellness tools can help all employees, not just Gen X. Eighty percent of all employees want financial wellness programs available to them through work, yet just 20 percent of employers offer this benefit. In addition to their benefits, employers should also look at the training they offer employees. Roughly two in three Gen X workers say their employers do not provide people management and development skills training (68 percent) or learning opportunities to adapt to technology innovations (65 percent), yet only 29 percent of employers consider upskilling current workers a challenge for them. This indicates employers may not fully understand the desire from employees for more educational opportunities. "The study shows there are significant gaps between employee expectations and employers' priorities, especially among Gen X, who will continue to be a core segment of our workforce for decades to come," says Katz. "Employers have an opportunity to foster engagement among these employees and make them feel valued unlike ever before. By building workplaces that address all employees' needs, employers can build a more loyal and productive workforce." Research Methodology MetLife's 17th Annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS) was conducted in October 2018 and consists of two distinct studies fielded by Engine Insights - a practice area of Engine, a data driven marketing solutions company. The employer survey includes 2,500 interviews with benefits decision makers and influencers at companies with at least two employees. The employee survey consists of 2,675 interviews with full-time employees, ages 21 and over, at companies with at least two employees. About ENGINE Engine is a new kind of data-driven marketing solutions company. Powered by data, driven by results and guided by people, we help our clients make connections that count-leading to bottom line growth, an inspired workplace and business transformation. With global headquarters in New York and 17 offices across North America, the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Engine offers clients a vast range of marketing solutions-including insights, content, distribution, data and technology. Find out more at enginegroup.com or follow us @Engine_US. About MetLife MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com. _______________________________ 1 Pew (News - Alert) Research Center, "Millennials are the largest generation in the U.S. labor force." April 11, 2018. Available at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005004/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Levyx Technology Selected by FX Market Leader Cobalt for Its Large-Scale Distributed Data Immutability Solution

IRVINE, Calif., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levyx Inc., whose high-performance, ultra-low latency data processing software simplifies Big Data infrastructure implementations, announced today the signing of a license agreement with London-based fintech, Cobalt. As part of the agreement, Cobalt will utilize Levyxs Helium embeddable data engine for the on-disk storage in Cobalts data immutability solution.

Adrian Patten, Co-Founder and Chairman of Cobalt, said: We are very pleased to have signed an agreement with Levyx to implement Helium. Having tried a number of other providers, Levyx stood out as the leader in this space. With their help we are enabling customers to make any data sets immutable at scale. Reza Sadri, CEO of Levyx, said: We are proud to be a part of Cobalts pioneering journey and are confident that they will have a meaningful impact on the future of FX trading. In fact, we see the transition toward distributed and decentralized ways of keeping track of records occurring beyond just the financial industry. Because of this trend, we expect the demand for Helium as an optimizing engine to grow in an expanding number of innovative blockchain applications. Cobalts requirement involves the storage of billions of transactions in blocks of data across multiple datacenters and customers. Users need to be able to push peak rates of up to two million blocks per second into the system. Integrating with Helium, one of the world's fastest key value stores that is optimized for flash memory, storage-class memory, and multi-core systems, has enabled the fintech to significantly improve its ingest/access speeds. Levyx software technologies are hardware-independent and serve as enhancements to or replacements for many of the worlds most popular Big Data / Open Source packages, including RocksB, Apache Spark, LevelDB, Java Hibernate and Memcached. Levyxs Helium engine is one of the world's fastest key value stores and is optimized for flash memory, storage-class memory, and multi-core systems.



A community version of Helium is available at https://helium.levyx.com and Helium is also available for enterprise consumption by contacting [email protected] A short YouTube video on Helium can be found at http://bit.ly/LevyxHelium. About Levyx Inc.

Levyx designs high-performance software solutions to accelerate analytic and computational functions of demanding enterprise applications on any storage media or platform. Optimized for the latest hardware innovations, Levyx disrupts the economics of running big data applications and brings the benefits of high-speed data processing to all enterprises. The companys core value-add is to enable customers to process their massive workloads in real-time at fractions of the cost of competitive solutions. More information is available at www.levyx.com . About Cobalt Cobalt is a multi-award winning fintech focused on re-engineering the institutional FX market from the ground up. Cobalt is building a shared back and middle office infrastructure to replace the aged technology and inefficient manual processes incumbent in post-trade FX today. Using a unique combination of low latency and shared ledger technology, Cobalt has built a platform that is scalable, secure and fast  slashing cost and risk for the $5tn a day market. This is the future of financial services: signed, sealed, delivered. www.cobaltdl.com Levyx, the Levyx logo, and Helium are trademarks of Levyx Inc. All other trademarks or brand names referred in this press release are the property of their respective owners. Levyx Press Contact:

Luis Morales

(949) 466-2738

[email protected] Cobalt Press Contact:

Michael Deeny/Louis Hogan

Chatsworth Communications

[email protected]

+44 (0)207 440 9780

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[March 25, 2019] OneAmerica, Alzheimer's Association Launch National Effort to Prepare for Care

Today, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's Disease or another dementia1, but most people don't prepare for the long-term care needs of Alzheimer's until they or someone close to them is diagnosed. Often, that's too late to ensure they are ready, financially and otherwise, to care for someone living with Alzheimer's. To help encourage families to have conversations about preparing for their care before there's a need, OneAmerica announced it is launching a national initiative with the Alzheimer's Association. OneAmerica support will include planning and prevention resources, as well as funding for Alzheimer's Association research initiatives to help find a treatment, and care and support programs to improve quality of life for those living with the disease. "Our goal is to help people start those conversations about the care they want, should they need it," said Chris Coudret, CLU, ChFC, vice president of strategy and business development, Individual Life and Financial Services, OneAmerica. "Often, people don't realize there are a lot of steps they can and should take when they're healthy that can help ease the burden on themselves and their families. It all starts with early conversations - between family members, talking about care expectations as they age, and between people and their trusted financial professionals, talking about what steps they can take to prepare for costs of care." At the Intercompany Long-Term Care Insurance (ILTCI) conference, March 24-27 in Chicago, OneAmerica and the Alzheimer's Association will kick off their collaboration, sharing booth space and encouraging ILTCI attendees to share their stories of friends and family affected by Alzheimer's. At the conference closing session, the Alzheimer's Association will present new research and host a speaker from their National Early Stage Advisor Group, which includes individuals living with Alzheimer's. OneAmerica and ILTCI will also present the Alzheimer's Association with a donation. "We are pleased OneAmerica is joining with us in the fight against Alzheimer's," said Donna McCullough, chief financial officer, Alzheimer's Association. "Their generous support will allow us to advance research while enhancing care and support programs for all those affected by Alzheimer's. We appreciate the additional commitment frm OneAmerica to help raise awareness about the financial burden of Alzheimer's, so that more families are better prepared to face this devastating disease."



OneAmerica works through a network of trusted financial professionals, agents and brokers who help people prepare for retirement. OneAmerica company products, such as asset-based long-term care (LTC) protection, can help protect financial plans from unexpected expenses. OneAmerica asset-based LTC protection is a stable, predictable, guaranteed option to help with LTC expenses, and can include lifetime benefits and protection of two people with one policy. "Our work together at the ILTCI Conference is just the beginning," said Tracey Edgar, RN, BSN, CLTC, vice president of sales, Care Solutions, OneAmerica. "In the coming months, we'll be rolling out even more ways for our network of agents, brokers and financial planners to become involved with this collaboration, support local Alzheimer's Association chapters nationwide, and become engaged in the mission to help people plan for the reality of today while supporting a better future."

For more information about OneAmerica asset-based LTC protection, visit www.oneamerica.com/products-services. About Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Visit alz.org or call 800-272-3900. About OneAmerica A national leader in the insurance and financial services marketplace for more than 140 years, the companies of OneAmerica help customers build and protect their financial futures. OneAmerica offers a variety of products and services to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and customers. These products include retirement plan products and recordkeeping services, individual life insurance, annuities, asset-based long-term care solutions and employee benefit plan products. Products are issued and underwritten by the companies of OneAmerica and distributed through a nationwide network of employees, agents, brokers and other sources who are committed to providing value to our customers. To learn more about our products, services and the companies of OneAmerica, visit OneAmerica.com/companies. OneAmerica is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica. Products issued and underwritten by The State Life Insurance Company (State Life), Indianapolis, IN, a OneAmerica company that offers the Care Solutions product suite. Not available in all states or may vary by state. All guarantees are subject to the claims paying ability of State Life. On July 27, 2018, State Life was rated A+ (Superior) by A. M. Best. This is the second highest of 16 possible ratings assigned by the agency. 1 2019 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org/facts View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005229/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Seek Thermal Supplies the Entire Los Angeles Fire Department with Lifesaving Thermal Imaging Cameras

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with the Los Angeles Fire Department, Seek Thermal today announces it will supply fire & rescue personnel with thermal imaging cameras as part of every firefighter's standard gear across the city when on duty. Thermal imaging cameras are potentially lifesaving pieces of equipment because they provide the ability to "see" heat instead of light and display it on a screen. Fire & rescue professionals can find people and view their surroundings even in dangerous environments that are dark and filled with smoke. "Access to low-cost, high-resolution thermal cameras will save lives." said Mike Muench, CEO of Seek Thermal. "Due to the high cost of thermal imaging cameras in the past, only five percent (5%) of firefighters had access to this technology. Now, through this partnership with LAFD, we are providing 100% of these men and women with lifesaving technology." With a thermal imager's ability to detect heat  otherwise invisible to the human eye  and see through smoke, firefighters and rescue personnel can increase two vital parts of any emergency call, safety and speed. The variety of these situations include: ul type="disc"> Increasing personal safety while fighting fires with the ability to "see" through thick, dark smoke and provide greater security to themselves and other firefighters by being able to avoid and rescue themselves from potential trouble such as open holes in the floors of burning structures or other environmental dangers. Discovering faster ways to search buildings for people and animals to save more lives. Also, once it's established all people and animals have been rescued from a burning structure, water can be applied on a building sooner which will potentially save property from being further damaged. Enhancing the speed at which overhaul work can be done following a fire. Thermal imaging can help ensure there are no more hot spots from a structural fire.



Wade White of the Los Angeles Fire Department. "Now that this technology is available at a fraction of the price, we are thrilled to empower our team with this advancement to bring a new level of safety to the firefighters of Los Angeles as well as the community they work so hard to protect every day." Seek Thermal imaging cameras are designed and manufactured in Santa Barbara, California. For more information on how Seek Thermal serves the firefighting and search & rescue professions, visit: https://www.thermal.com/firefighting.html.

About Seek Thermal

Seek Thermal engineers and manufacturers low-cost, high-resolution thermal imaging cores for commercial, consumer and IoT applications. Founded by industry pioneers who spent 40 years advancing the state of military and professional-grade thermal technologies. Seek Thermal manufactures a variety of product lines to serve the firefighting, law enforcement and commercial markets under its brand. Seek Thermal has developed a breakthrough line of OEM thermal cores in a small, market-leading size footprint as well. Designed for small form factor, lightweight and low power consumption applications, Seek Thermal delivers high-end thermal capabilities, accuracy, and performance to enable many new applications and products. For more information, visit https://www.thermal.com (follow @SeekThermal on Instagram/Twitter). View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seek-thermal-supplies-the-entire-los-angeles-fire-department-with-lifesaving-thermal-imaging-cameras-300816672.html SOURCE Seek Thermal

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Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers says money is "not really the problem" as Zandvoort struggles to secure a F1 race for 2020.

It has been widely reported that the circuit must find tens of millions in funding by the end of March to finalise the deal with Liberty Media.

"The money is not really the problem for the people behind it," Lammers told Ziggo Sport.

He said negotiations are taking place so the organisers "get into a situation where there is an acceptable risk".

And he played down the significance of the end of March deadline.

"That date, which comes from a leaked letter from the beginning of November, has taken on a life of its own," said Lammers.

"It is getting closer, but it will not surprise anyone that FOM will eventually release the calendar and let's hope that Zandvoort is there," he added.

(GMM)
[March 25, 2019] New Cigna Research Reveals Many Americans Are More Stressed, Less Rested and Spending Less Time with Family and Friends

Global health service company Cigna released results of its annual global 360 well-being survey, Well and Beyond, which found that America is the ninth ranked country for health and well-being. Well and Beyond findings also reveal that more Americans than ever are stressed, particularly about physical, family and workplace wellness, less rested and spending less time with family and friends. Well and Beyond is an annual study that explores perceptions of well-being across five key indicators - physical, family, social, financial and work - in 22 countries, including the United States. It found that overall health and well-being of Americans declined by 1.2 points, placing the U.S. slightly above the global average and on par with European countries, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The decline was driven primarily by deterioration of workplace wellness, followed by physical and family wellness. All demographics show some level of decline, and the sandwich generation aged 35-49 is the least positive. "We're seeing high incidences of stress, poor sleep quality and less time connecting with loved ones, which all can have a profound impact on one's physical health. Instead of treating medical conditions after they arise, we want to take a proactive and preventive approach to improve our customers' total health and well-being," said Jose Quesada, chief medical officer, international markets at Cigna. "These new actionable insights better enable us to deliver the right tools and supportive resources to surround each individual, treating each person as a whole person, body and mind as one." Key Well and Beyond findings show: More Americans not prioritizing physical health

More Americans reported insufficient sleep in quantity and quality, less exercise and worsening eating habits negatively impacting their physical well-being. Only 28 percent reported being at a healthy weight and just 33 percent know their Body Mass Index (BMI). More than 60 percent know their blood pressure and 85 percent believe that high blood pressure is curable with lifestyle change, but nearly one in three reported not taking action to address potentially problematic symptoms. High incidence of stress across demographics

Four of five Americans report feeling stressed and 15 percent feel that stress is unmanageable. Working women report higher levels of stress (88 percent) than working men (80 percent). Despite the high incidence of stress, Americans feel a profound lack of support from employers in managing this important health issue. Only 25 percent of Americans report any assistance or suport from their employer in managing stress - a 17 percent decline from 2018. Nearly three of five Americans (61 percent) reported that their employer did not provide or sponsor any form of workplace wellness program.



For those with programs in place, more than a third feel that they fail to address mental well-being. Self-help solutions like exercise, talking to friends and sleep are the top avenues people are trying to beat stress. Seeking professional help is not widely common in America yet (10 percent), though many find it quite and/or very effective once tried (44 percent). Comparatively, Americans are less stressed than the global average, with unmanageable stress ranking similar to European markets and Oceania. Americans lacking quality sleep

Only 35 percent of Americans report they get sufficient sleep at night, down six points from 2017 and just 32 percent of Americans report having "good quality sleep," down eight points from 2017. American men (36 percent) claim to be sleeping better and longer than women (28 percent).

Time spent with family and friends on the decline

Only 45 percent of Americans attested to feeling excellent or very good about the amount of time they spend with their family, compared to 51 percent in 2017. Just 62 percent of Americans spend sufficient time with friends, down five points from the previous year. Americans reported having fewer friends to talk openly with, and less in-person interactions with both family and friends. This is consistent with Cigna's U.S. Loneliness Index finding that nearly half of Americans lack daily meaningful in-person social interactions. Cigna has made a short, 10-item questionnaire available to everyone, age 18 and over at no cost, to help assess feelings of loneliness and also receive tips to help increase social connections and improve feelings of vitality. "The connection between our physical health and our mental well-being is more apparent than ever. Well and Beyond data affirms the connection, and we hope these findings will increase awareness and inspire action so that individuals, families, employers and communities can work together to put America on a healthier path," said Ann Asbaty, Cigna Global Health Benefits Americas CEO. To read the full report, visit 2019 Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey - Well and Beyond. The study was conducted online, via a 20-25 minute assessment and based on sample size of 13,200 adults globally, including 1,012 adults in the United States. For health and wellness tips and resources to help people meet their health goals and better care for loved ones, please visit Helping You Live Your Healthiest Life today. About Cigna Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to improving the health, well-being and peace of mind of those we serve. Cigna delivers choice, predictability, affordability and access to quality care through integrated capabilities and connected, personalized solutions that advance whole person health. All products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America, Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Express Scripts companies or their affiliates. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in over 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has more than 160 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna, including links to follow us on Facebook (News - Alert) or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005327/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Kamstrup Commended by Frost & Sullivan for Offering Market-leading Customer Experience with Its flowIQ Smart Water Meter

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 25, 2019 /CNW/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the North American smart water meters market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Kamstrup Water Metering LLC with the 2019 North American Customer Value Leadership Award. Kamstrup Water Metering LLC, the North American subsidiary of the Danish company Kamstrup A/S, addresses the regional need for advanced metering solutions with its ultrasonic flowIQ smart water meter. The product has quickly established itself in the market by outperforming its competitors in durability, as well as boasting a low flow capture of 0.015 compared to its peers' 0.03. "flowIQ has a small footprint, has no moving parts due to its ultrasonic technology, and lasts more than 20 years. Its composite polymer body makes it dirt resistant, eco-friendly, magnet resistant, highly flexible, and condensation free. In addition, its wireless M-Bus reading capabilities allow it to alert utilities of leaks, pipe bursts, tampering, reverse flow, and dryness," said Seth Cutler, Principal Consultant at Frost & Sullivan. "Although the company also offers steel and brass meters, its main product is a composite polymer meter." Kamstrup's focus on excellent customer service is key to its value proposition. Despite having a meter with less than one-tenth percent failure rate, it introduced its technology to distributors and smaller utilities to gain a more diverse reference list before targeting large utilities. Working with the smaller utilities helps Kamstrup clearly understand customer pain points and industry trends, all while building trust in its distribution partner network. Kamstrup has set up a state-of-the-art manufcturing facility in Roswell, Georgia to develop and distribute its products specifically to North American customers. It expects to achieve high levels of automation and 100 percent US production by 2020. This manufacturing facility will reduce lead times to four weeks or less and provide both scale and flexibility. The company further entrenched itself in the market by presenting top-quality services through a countrywide distribution network and opening an office in Canada.



"Kamstrup is currently expanding into system sales, with strategies in place to offer its AMI systems in the larger markets. However, despite its value-added services, its ultrasonic metering continues to remain at the core of its value proposition," noted Seth Cutler. "As the flowIQ increases its footprint in the market, Kamstrup will strengthen its competitive position and enrich its line of products and services." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Kamstrup Water Metering LLC Kamstrup is world leading manufacturer of system solutions for smart energy and water metering. Through our leadership, expertise and passion for partnership, we always think forward in pursuit of a brighter energy future; one that advances the performance of every customer, whilst creating lasting value for the communities they serve. For more information contact Melissa Morris. About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Estefany Ariza

P: 210.477.8469

E: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kamstrup-commended-by-frost--sullivan-for-offering-market-leading-customer-experience-with-its-flowiq-smart-water-meter-300798769.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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[March 25, 2019] Kamstrup Commended by Frost & Sullivan for Offering Market-leading Customer Experience with Its flowIQ(R) Smart Water Meter

SANTA CLARA, California, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the North American smart water meters market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Kamstrup Water Metering LLC with the 2019 North American Customer Value Leadership Award. Kamstrup Water Metering LLC, the North American subsidiary of the Danish company Kamstrup A/S, addresses the regional need for advanced metering solutions with its ultrasonic flowIQ smart water meter. The product has quickly established itself in the market by outperforming its competitors in durability, as well as boasting a low flow capture of 0.015 compared to its peers' 0.03. "flowIQ has a small footprint, has no moving parts due to its ultrasonic technology, and lasts more than 20 years. Its composite polymer body makes it dirt resistant, eco-friendly, magnet resistant, highly flexible, and condensation free. In addition, its wireless M-Bus reading capabilities allow it to alert utilities of leaks, pipe bursts, tampering, reverse flow, and dryness," said Seth Cutler, Principal Consultant at Frost & Sullivan. "Although the company also offers steel and brass meters, its main product is a composite polymer meter." Kamstrup's focus on excellent customer service is key to its value proposition. Despite having a meter with less than one-tenth percent failure rate, it introduced its technology to distributors and smaller utilities to gain a more diverse reference list before targeting large utilities. Working with the smaller utilities helps Kamstrup clearl understand customer pain points and industry trends, all while building trust in its distribution partner network.



Kamstrup has set up a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Roswell, Georgia to develop and distribute its products specifically to North American customers. It expects to achieve high levels of automation and 100 percent US production by 2020. This manufacturing facility will reduce lead times to four weeks or less and provide both scale and flexibility. The company further entrenched itself in the market by presenting top-quality services through a countrywide distribution network and opening an office in Canada. "Kamstrup is currently expanding into system sales, with strategies in place to offer its AMI systems in the larger markets. However, despite its value-added services, its ultrasonic metering continues to remain at the core of its value proposition," noted Seth Cutler. "As the flowIQ increases its footprint in the market, Kamstrup will strengthen its competitive position and enrich its line of products and services."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in implementing strategies that proactively create value for its customers with a focus on improving the return on the investment that customers make in its services or products. The award recognizes the company's unique focus on augmenting the value that its customers receive, beyond simply good customer service, leading to improved customer retention and customer base expansion. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Kamstrup Water Metering LLC Kamstrup is world leading manufacturer of system solutions for smart energy and water metering. Through our leadership, expertise and passion for partnership, we always think forward in pursuit of a brighter energy future; one that advances the performance of every customer, whilst creating lasting value for the communities they serve. For more information contact Melissa Morris. About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Estefany Ariza

P: 210.477.8469

E: [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/824078/Kamstrup_Award.jpg SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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[March 25, 2019] Altium Launches "Altium Academic Programs" to Empower Next Generation of Technology Innovators

SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Altium LLC (ASX: ALU), a leading provider of design systems for PCB design, today announced the launch of its Altium Academic Programs, an initiative which is designed to support the next generation of engineers and printed circuit board designers. As part of the initiative, students and educators - including science, technology, engineering and math programs (STEM), FIRST Robotics teams and collegiate engineering teams - will have access to free or low-cost PCB design software and on-demand training. "Altium is committed to supporting the next generation of engineers and PCB designers, whose creativity and passion will bring exciting new innovations to the world," said Altium Chief Operations Officer Ted Pawela. "We are proud to offer these new programs, particularly at a time when many of the industry's most talented and experienced engineers are approaching retirement. By providing broad and easy access to the tools necessary to learn PCB design, Altium hopes to give budding engineers and designers a chance to transform their ideas into reality while preparing for their careers." A Printed Circuit Design & Fab survey of PCB designers, board managers and engineers conducted in 2017 noted the generational shift in the field. Of 301 respondents, more than half planned on retiring within the next 10 years. The majority of respondents were between the ages of 51 and 70.



Altium has long offered its leading PCB design software Altium Designer to academic associations and students on an informal basis, supporting many student teams, including MIT Solar Car Team, Princeton Rocketry Club, San Diego State University Mechatronics, and the Technical University of Munich Hyperloop Team. Altium invests in teams that design and build a wide range of innovative technologies, from solar-powered racing vehicles to hyperloop pods, underwater vehicles, rockets, satellites, robots and more. The launch of the new Altium Academic Programs significantly expands access to the company's software by offering it free to students and educators in K-12 STEM and First Robotics programs. Educator licenses at significantly reduced rates will also be available to students and teachers at technical schools, colleges, and universities offering electrical engineering and PCB design courses. Altium's team sponsorship opportunities are also available to enable competitive teams to pursue invaluable hands-on engineering experience.

"Altium has helped us get boards built correctly on the first spin," says Ryan Castle, Pod III Electrical Director of the Badgerloop Hyperloop team of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. "We're all excited to take these skills to our internships and eventual full-time positions in a growing and dynamic industry." Altium Academic Programs are now available for students and educators everywhere. Visit the Altium Academic Programs page to learn more. About Altium Altium LLC (ASX: ALU) is a multinational software corporation headquartered in San Diego, California, that focuses on electronics design systems for 3D PCB design and embedded system development. Altium products are found everywhere from world leading electronic design teams to the grassroots electronic design community. Media Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/altium-launches-altium-academic-programs-to-empower-next-generation-of-technology-innovators-300816536.html SOURCE Altium LLC

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[March 25, 2019] SIML Reports Completion of Merger and Increase in Revenue

GRASS VALLEY, CA, March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE  Simlatus Corporation (OTC Pink: SIML) ("Simlatus" or the "Company"), the Company announces that M&K CPAs are on track to complete and file the annual audit ending December 31, 2019. Chairman and CEO, Richard Hylen, states, First of all I want to thank our shareholders, noteholders, service providers and staff for the support and hard work required to complete the merger. Our auditors will be on track to complete the Satel Group audit and consolidated audits for SIML on time in order to file our Form 10K. Satel Group audits required 2016, 2017 and 2018 financial records which demonstrate several million dollars in revenue and assets. Mr. Hylen further stated, Proscere Bioscience will make its announcement in a private news release regarding distribution partners in Canada, United States, and Europe. We will begin to deliver our cold-water CBD extraction system by the end of next quarter. Our CBD extraction systems range from $750,000 for a high-end commercial system capable of 3000 gallons per day, to our low-end model costing $400,000. Our distributors have an exclusive 5 year license with sell volume discounts of up to $50M per year. Europe is already a fertile ground for hemp and it is growing fast thanks to the increasing consumption of other hemp-based products. In 2016, 33,000 hectares of hemp were cultivated on the continent, which equals about 81,500 acres. In the same year, the United States grew 9,650 acres. Our commercial cold-water CBD extraction system is expected to yield $225M over the next years, based upon expected growth and application.



About the Company: The holding company owns various subsidiaries which operates multiple revenue streams in the CBD Industry, Major Broadcast Industry and Internet Service Provider Industry. Proscere Bioscience manufactures a commercial grade cold-water CBD extraction system for pharmaceutical based utilization and an aeroponic commercial grade grow container for government food-safety programs, commercial and medical grade CBD growing facilities.

Satel Group is a premier high-rise DirecTV provider in the San Francisco metropolitan area, and is now expanding both DirecTV and Internet services across the SF Bay Area. With 20 years in operations, the company projects $12M in revenue over the next 3 years. Simlatus manufactures audio/video equipment that is its own proprietary systems for the major broadcast studios, such as Warner Bros., Fox News, CBS, and DirecTV, as well as Government military applications and underwater oil exploration. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements which are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in general economic and financial market conditions. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Contact: Richard Hylen, CEO Tel: (530) 205-3437

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[March 25, 2019] By Light Acquires Phacil, Significantly Expanding Core IT Capabilities

ARLINGTON, Va., March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- By Light Professional IT Services LLC ("By Light" or "the Company") today announced the acquisition of Phacil, Inc., a diversified software, cybersecurity, systems engineering and managed services provider to the US Government. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Phacil has been a trusted partner to its U.S. Government client base for nearly two decades. It delivers mission-critical IT services, including the modernization and assessment of IT systems, networks, and data centers; the implementation of cloud and other managed services to support web applications, infrastructure, and project management; cybersecurity threat identification, vulnerability testing and systems monitoring; and the development and implementation of cloud and other software solutions to assist with data migration, server hosting, web portals, and service desk support for the Department of Defense and civilian agencies. Bob Donahue Jr., CEO and Founder of By Light, said, "We are thrilled to acquire Phacil, which has a proven track record of excellent service and growth. Its diversified IT capabilities across a wide customer base make it an excellent fit with our company, and will allow us to expand our offering to better serve our customers." By Light's acquisition of Phacil is the Company's second since it was acquired by Sagewind Capital, a private equity firm with extensive experience backing strong management teams in the government/defense business, in 2017. In 2018, By Light acquired Axom Technologies. About By Light Professional IT Services LLC

Founded in 2002, By Light (www.bylight.com) is a leading provider of IT, cloud, cyber and infrastructure solutions to the US Federal Government. The Company provides services primarily to the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Defense Information Systems Agency, and the Intelligence Community.



About Phacil

Phacil is a leading provider of mission-focused, results-driven technology solutions to the federal government. We continually demonstrate commitment to our customers, excellence in performance, and service to the nation. Customers trust Phacil to solve their most complex challenges by delivering uniquely-tailored technology solutions that maximize value and mission success. Phacil's core competencies include Software Services; Systems Engineering/ Integration & Operations; Cybersecurity; Cloud & Managed Services and Artificial Intelligence Solutions. Learn more at www.phacil.com. About Sagewind Capital LLC

Sagewind Capital LLC (www.sagewindcapital.com) is a New York-based middle-market private equity firm. The principals of Sagewind have a proven track record of providing capital and financial resources to help promising small and middle market companies achieve success faster while generating long-term equity value. Through its investments, Sagewind Capital is building a portfolio of companies in key sectors that have the potential for organic growth and can serve as platforms for substantial value creation through a buy-and-build strategy of strategic acquisitions.

Media Contact:

Mark Semer or Cameron Njaa

Kekst CNC

+1 (212) 521-4800

[email protected] or [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/by-light-acquires-phacil-significantly-expanding-core-it-capabilities-300817514.html SOURCE By Light Professional IT Services LLC

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[March 25, 2019] Flare Capital Partners Appoints Parth Desai as Senior Associate

Flare Capital Partners, a leading healthcare technology venture capital firm, today announced the addition of healthcare technology investor and experienced policy professional Parth Desai as a Senior Associate. "Parth has dedicated his academic work and professional career to the transformation of the business of healthcare and is an incredible addition to our team," said Bill Geary, co-founder and partner, Flare Capital. Desai has been an advocate for profound healthcare innovation throughout his career. He joins Flare Capital from the investment team at New York-Presbyterian Ventures, where he spent time identifying innovations that have the potential to improve the quality and experience of care. Desai also spent several years at Deloitte (News - Alert) Consulting helping hospital and health plan executives reinvent their business models and invest in capabilities to succeed in risk-bearing arrangements. "We are very excited to have Parth on board and are confident that he will be critical to the success of our portfolio companies given his depth of understanding as to where the current healthcare industry is heading," added Michael Greeley, co-founder and partner, Flare Capital. Desai began his career as a Health Policy Analyst for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he led development of legislation reforming oversight of the pharmaceutical industry in Massachusetts and was an appointee to the Health and Human Services Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Desai often speaks on panels and writes about the topics of healthcare innovation and selling into hospital systems. He is also an active mentor to a number of healthcare start-ups.



"Parth has been an extremely valuable and committed partner to our growth and I think he will be a great addition to the Flare Capital team as well as an excellent resource for entrepreneurs in the healthcare industry. I look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role," added Harjinder Sandhu, CEO of Saykara. "This is a terrific opportunity for Parth and provides him a platform to guide exciting start-ups through the complexity of the healthcare industry, public policy and scaling great young companies. Given the dynamic nature of today's healthcare landscape, his unique background serves as an excellent resource for entrepreneurs. Flare Capital is a natural fit and the opportunities are boundless," observed Jeffrey Sanchez, a Menschel Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and former House Ways & Means Chairman for the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Desai earned his Master of Arts in Clinical Medicine and a Master of Public Health in Health Management and Policy, both from Boston University. Additionally, he graduated from Boston College with a BS in Biology. About Flare Capital Partners Flare Capital is a team of proven healthcare technology venture capital investors and senior operating executives known for their unparalleled strategic industry resources, insight and total commitment to the success of its entrepreneurs. Flare Capital raised one of the industry's largest dedicated venture capital funds focused exclusively on early stage opportunities in healthcare technology innovation and is privileged to closely partner with founders and management. Selected investments include Aetion, Aspen RxHealth, Bright Health, Circulation (acquired by LogistiCare), ClearDATA, Curisium, HealthReveal, HealthVerity, Iora Health, Somatus, Valence Health (acquired by Evolent Health), VisitPay and Welltok. Learn more at www.flarecapital.com and follow the firm on Twitter (News - Alert) @FlareCapital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005135/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Tinkergarten Announces $21M Investment from WndrCo

Tinkergarten, the leader in outdoor play-based learning, announced today that it has closed a $21M investment from WndrCo, a holding company that invests in, acquires, develops, and operates consumer technology businesses for the long term. Tinkergarten's vibrant community and research-based curriculum is designed to help children develop the social and emotional, physical and cognitive skills they need to be ready to learn throughout their lives and to help parents learn to support their child's development. Tinkergarten's technology platform enables families to connect with certified, local teachers who bring the curriculum's unique, play-based lessons to life in natural learning environments. The investment comes from WndrCo, founded by media and technology veterans Ann Daly, Sujay Jaswa, and Jeffrey Katzenberg who have built brands like Disney (News - Alert), DreamWorks, and Dropbox. Tinkergarten will leverage both capital and expertise to scale the company's offerings for long-term growth, with an immediate focus on launching Tinkergarten in more cities and to further develop Tinkergarten as a trusted global brand in early education. WndrCo partners Daly, Anthony Saleh, and Andrew Chang will join the board. Tinkergarten was founded in 2012 by Meghan and Brian Fitzgerald with a mission to elevate childhood. Meghan brings deep experience in education to Tinkergarten as a former teacher, curriculum developer and school leader in both public and private sectors. By blending her skills with those of her husband Brian, who has developed igh-growth online consumer businesses for companies like Yahoo and Audible (an Amazon company), the pair developed the educational program and technology tools that make it possible to help children develop a range of critical life skills. Today, Tinkergarten programs are offered in all 50 U.S. states, and Tinkergarten boasts a tech-enabled network of nearly 2,000 leaders trained to deliver healthy, social, and engaging learning experiences to families with kids ages six months to eight years.



"Children today have greater access to technology yet spend half as much time outside than their parents and have fewer opportunities to play," said Brian Fitzgerald, co-founder and CEO. "Tinkergarten has grown an active, diverse community of families who connect with our incredible leaders in the real-world and leverage our curriculum to learn through joyful play. The team at WndrCo brings tremendous experience, access and strategic guidance in delivering high quality experiences that will help us achieve great scale while positively impacting the lives of children and families." "Tinkergarten provides a unique and thoughtful way to engage with children in their early learning that is different from anything we've seen," said Daly. "We share Tinkergarten's vision to positively impact the way in which children learn and grow across the world and look forward to accelerating the organization's growth."

Tinkergarten continues to be supported by its early investors Omidyar Network, Owl Ventures, and Reach Capital. About Tinkergarten Tinkergarten, the leader in outdoor, play-based learning, is on a mission to elevate childhood. We're growing a technology-enabled network of leaders that bring families together in a local greenspace for classes in which kids learn through play. Tinkergarten lessons are engineered to help kids develop a range of essential physical, cognitive and social-emotional skills, helping them become ready to learn, ready to thrive and ready for anything. Tinkergarten classes are led by certified leaders who are trained to bring this healthy, social, and engaging learning experience to families of kids ages six months to eight years old. A rapidly expanding movement, Tinkergarten classes are now offered in over 1800 locations across 50 states. Tinkergarten is making high quality early childhood accessible to all. Learn more or nominate a leader today in your community at http://www.tinkergarten.com, and follow @tinkergarten. About WndrCo WndrCo is a holding company that invests in, acquires, develops and operates consumer technology businesses for the long term. Founded by media and technology veterans Ann Daly, Sujay Jaswa, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, WndrCo is co-headquartered in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Please visit www.wndrco.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005151/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Mosaic451 Named to the Channel Partners Excellence in Digital Services Awards Short List

PHOENIX, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mosaic451, a bespoke cybersecurity services provider and consultancy, today announced that Channel Partners, has recognized Mosaic451 for earning its place on the Excellence in Digital Services Awards short list. The newest award program recognizes standouts in various aspects of channel services and digital transformation. The Channel Partners editorial team, with help from their Advisory Board, selects Channel Partners Excellence in Digital Services Award winners each spring. The 2019 awards ceremony will be held during their industry-leading Channel Partners Conference & Expo, April 9-12, 2019, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The awards are open only to channel partners  agents, VARs, dealers, SIs, MSPs, consultants and other partner firms. Suppliers, master agents and distributors are not eligible; however, they encourage them to make partners aware of the awards. Founded in 2011, Mosaic451 offers a unique blend of deep technological experience and operational discipline. Mosaic451 protects and maintains critical infrastructure for Energy, Finance, Education and the U.S. Government. Focused on the triad of "people, process and technology", Mosaic451 offers its clients security services combining the best in advanced technology and personnel representing decades of experience in various cybersecurity, military and IT fields. Mosaic451 recognizes that while adoption of advanced and emerging technology is an important part of sound security strategy, no amount of technology can secure an environment without a strong foundation of smart, experienced, operationally minded humans to design, operate and optimize the echnology. Mosaic451's Hybrid solution combines 24/7 off-site monitoring with dedicated on-site personnel that act as a full security operations team to provide the most comprehensive level of information security.



"It's an honor to be recognized by Channel Partners for our commitment to the work we do, and the people we serve," said Cat Baker, Principal of Mosaic451. "We are dedicated to providing superior security services by combining the best technology with the deep industry knowledge of our engineers and analysts to create tailored solutions for each client." Mosaic451 has won numerous awards and been featured in InformationWeek/Dark Reading, USA Today, Harvard Business Review, CRN, Inc. Magazine, CIO.com, The Next Web and dozens of other media outlets.

About Channel Partners

For more than 25 years, Channel Partners has been the undisputed leader in providing news, analysis and education to the indirect sales channels serving the business technology and communications industry. In addition, Channel Partners online delivers a constant content stream of unique and breaking industry news, feature articles and premium downloadable content. As official media of Channel Partners Conference & Expo and Channel Partners Evolution, Channel Partners is the market leader that channel professionals turn to first. About Mosaic451

Headquartered in Arizona, Mosaic451 is a bespoke cybersecurity service provider and consultancy with expertise in building, operating and defending some of the most highly secure networks in North America. Its Mosaic Hybrid is an industry first solution, providing monitoring service through its operations centers as well as specialized staff onsite during business hours to work alongside clients' in-house technology and security staff. This hybrid model gives Mosaic451 the unique ability to empower security analysts to provide advanced data analysis and determine threat vectors, threat actors and intelligent root causes for every incident. Mosaic451 aggregates and empowers intelligent humans in the service of information security and IT operations excellence for our clients. For more information, visit www.mosaic451.com . Media Contact:

Jennifer Rodriguez

Firecracker PR

(888) 317-4687 ext. 703

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mosaic451-named-to-the-channel-partners-excellence-in-digital-services-awards-short-list-300817163.html SOURCE Mosaic451

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[March 25, 2019] Phonexa Shines a Light on Housing Crisis by Helping Habitat for Humanity

LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Phonexa, a Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions provider based in Southern California, is excited to announce that employees will help with the construction of a home by working with Habitat for Humanity of the San Gabriel Valley. Recent estimates have revealed that there is currently a shortage of nearly one million affordable homes in Southern California. High prices and low inventory have pushed the situation into a humanitarian crisis for the region. Glendale-based Phonexa is determined to address this emergency by raising awareness and getting hands-on with Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, March 30th as part of its community outreach program, Phonexa Cares. "A home is a place of security, stability, and family," shared Phonexa President David Gasparyan in a statement. "Our company is honored to be able to contribute in the construction of a home in our neighborhood. We believe it is important to bring attention to the dire housing situation faced by many in our backyard." The Phonexa volunteer team will be contributing to the interior inishing work on a home, assisting with insulation, drywall, painting, and flooring.



San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity has been around since 1990 and has recently announced a goal to double their efforts and attempt to help at least 200 families and roughly 800 low-income men, women, and children. Marina Moskalenko is coordinating the participation of Phonexa. Those with questions or requests are encouraged to contact her at [email protected] or 844-746-6392.

For more information about San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity and to donate to the cause, please visit: https://www.sgvhabitat.org/donate/ About Phonexa Phonexa is an all-in-one marketing platform that offers business solutions for call tracking, lead distribution, email marketing, and integrated accounting. Phonexa's customizable tools and features maximize workflow efficiency for publishers, affiliate networks, and direct advertisers. For more information, please visit www.Phonexa.com. Media Contact Marina Moskalenko

[email protected]

844-746-6392 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phonexa-shines-a-light-on-housing-crisis-by-helping-habitat-for-humanity-300817000.html SOURCE Phonexa

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Henry Avocado issued the recall voluntarily. Photo: Dania Maxwell/Bloomberg via Getty Images

This weekend, millennial Americans woke up to devastating news. A California company issued a voluntary recall of its avocados, proving that you cant count on anything these days. On Saturday, the Henry Avocado Corporation released a statement announcing its concerns that its California avocados might be contaminated with listeria. Dont panic yet, though: this is not the collapse of the World Avocado Order. Heres what you need to know about the recall.

How could the avocados betray us?

Dont lose faith, they didnt. The recall is voluntary and the result of positive results from tests taken during a routine inspection of one of Henrys packing facilities. There are currently no reported illnesses.

Okay, but where are the killer avocados lurking?

These potentially contaminated avocados have been distributed to Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

What is the company doing to protect me?

Dont worry, Henry is contacting stores to ensure that this blemish on the good name of avocados is removed from shelves.

How do I know if I shouldnt trust my avocado?

The fruits in question are marked with the companys Bravocado sticker, and all those packed since January are being recalled.

Should I destroy any avocados I have ripening at home?

No, dont go nuts. But if you have an avocado with the Bravocado label, the people at Henry Avocado say you should either throw it away or return it for a discount.

Okay, so do I need to care if I exclusively buy avocados from Mexico?

The company specifically points out that the avocados its imported from Mexico are not subject to the recall.

What steps is Henry taking to make sure I feel safe eating avocado toast in the future?

According to the companys statement, it is cooperating with health officials in California and the federal government to ensure the success of its recall.
[March 25, 2019]

GigaOm Explores Enterprise Data Governance with Modern Data Catalog Platforms

AUSTIN, Texas, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "Data catalogs, a category of product in the broad field of data governance, are emerging in popularity," says Andrew Brust, GigaOm Analyst and author of a new Research Byte just published by GigaOm, " Enterprise Data Governance with Modern Data Catalog Platforms ."

The GigaOm Research Byte takes a look at considerations for using data catalogs, spells out the categories of governance and discovery, explores what to expect in the future, and evaluates key players including: Alation , Collibra Catalog , IBM , Infogix Data3Sixty , Informatica , Io-Tahoe , Podium Data , Talend , Unifi , and Waterline Data .







Scrambling to comply with data regulations, while herding the growing number of repositories in the corporate data estate, today's data officers and practitioners are increasingly evaluating modern data catalog platforms. Brust notes catalogs are indispensable tools in support of regulatory compliance and data-driven decision-making, both mandatory requirements for any business of size.

"Penalties for non-compliance are high (up to 20M, or 4% of global revenues, whichever is higher, in the case of the GDPR) and, oftentimes, compliance can be less an objective judgment of what a company has or has not done and more a measure of its demonstrated willingness and best efforts," he says.

As today's data catalogs have grown in capabilities, importance, and integration with other tools, it is no wonder that building and maintaining a data catalog is increasingly seen as a fiduciary responsibility for any organization of significant market presence.

Brust notes a huge driver for chief data officers today is realizing that "funding and operating data infrastructure without a data catalog is a bit like opening a museum where none of the objects are identified or described on signage, or even arranged together within galleries across different floors."

"Curation is key," he says. Likewise, "putting a bunch of data out there without a catalog to provide guidance on its content and use will leave team members disoriented and disincentivized to make use of those expensive assets," he adds.

"If you are a chief data officer, you would be well-served to identify your own priorities and pick a vendor accordingly," says Brust, noting that finding trusted guidance in the data governance space can be difficult -- a motivating factor for the authoring of this brief.

"If the vendors covered in this report can up their game even further," he adds, "making data cataloging easier and even fun (much the way newer BI platforms have done with analysis), then new possibilities open up. Advances in ML and UX will help here. An increase in the total addressable market may well result."

About the Analyst

GigaOm Analyst Andrew Brust has held developer, CTO, analyst, research director and market strategist positions at organizations ranging from the City of New York and Cap Gemini to GigaOm and Datameer. Read more.

About GigaOm

GigaOm provides technical, operational, and business advice for IT's strategic digital enterprise and business initiatives. Enterprise business leaders, CIOs, and technology organizations partner with GigaOm for practical, actionable, strategic, and visionary advice for modernizing and transforming their business. Read more.

To learn more about GigaOm's leading technology research, visit https://gigaom.com/about/ .

Or contact:

Patricia Meyer

GigaOm Marketing & Public Relations

512-289-5372 / [email protected]

Read More Press Releases

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SOURCE GigaOm
[March 25, 2019] MEDIA ALERT: Tenable Chairman and CEO Amit Yoran to be Honored as an FCW Federal 100 Award Recipient

COLUMBIA, Md., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenable, Inc. , the Cyber Exposure company, today announced that its Chairman and CEO Amit Yoran will be honored as an FCW Fed100 recipient on March 28, 2019.

Honoring the most exceptional people in Federal IT, these awards celebrate individuals in both industry and public sector who are transforming the governments ability to deliver on its most critical missions. With a career spanning the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and RSA, Yorans deep understanding of the federal cybersecurity environment, from both a private- and public-sector perspective, has made him an influential leader. Ive known Amit for years and have come to rely on his technical expertise when it comes to cybersecurity policy  hes leading the industry in research and development and theres no doubt his leadership is making our country safer, said Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger. I congratulate him on this wel-deserved recognition.



Throughout his career, Yoran has worked to educate lawmakers and industry stakeholders on the importance of smart, common-sense cyber policy and critical infrastructure protection. Just this past year, effective advocacy from cybersecurity leaders, including Yoran, led to the elevation of the former DHS National Preparedness and Programs Directorate (NPPD) to its new status as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a DHS component agency focused on cybersecurity and infrastructure protection. Amits commitment to improving federal cybersecurity is unwavering, and his expertise in the industry gives Tenable and everyone he works with invaluable insight, said James Hayes, vice president of global government affairs, Tenable. This award is truly well deserved for the incredible impact Amit has on improving the state of cybersecurity throughout the federal sector.

In addition to Yoran, the Fed 100 awards recognize some of the brightest minds in federal cybersecurity, including Jeanette Manfra, Assistant Director for Cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security, and Dana Deasy, CIO at the Department of Defense. For more information about the Fed100 awards visit: https://fcw.com/fed100 About Tenable

Tenable, Inc. is the Cyber Exposure company. Over 27,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. As the creator of Nessus, Tenable extended its expertise in vulnerabilities to deliver the worlds first platform to see and secure any digital asset on any computing platform. Tenable customers include more than 50 percent of the Fortune 500, more than 25 percent of the Global 2000 and large government agencies. Learn more at tenable.com. Contact Information:

Cayla Baker

Tenable

[email protected]

443-545-2102, x 1544

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Milldam Public Relations to Exhibit at The National Facilities Management and Technology Conference and Expo in Baltimore

Milldam Public Relations, a full-service public relations firm serving a range of technology sectors including data center, telecommunications and energy, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the National Facilities Management and Technology Conference and Expo (NFMT), a trade show and educational conference for facility professionals responsible for the management, operations, maintenance, renovation and construction of non-residential buildings. The conference takes place this week, March 26-28, at the Baltimore Convention Center.

During the conference, representatives from Milldam Public Relations will be available at booth #2371 to speak with exhibitors and other vendors about how to leverage public relations and content to bolster their sales and marketing operations. Additionally, Milldam will feature a variety of client case studies including Article Placement, White Papers, Bylined Articles, Event Planning and Press Releases, highlighting the firm's expertise and breadth of experience throughout the facilities sector.







"As buyers continue to be inundated with more and information, it's more important than ever that vendors are able to cut through the clutter," said Adam Waitkunas, President, Milldam Public Relations. "Creating compelling content and generating news articles in industry trade publications can help vendors greatly increase their reach, while providing credibility and thought leadership that buyers are looking for. I am excited to attend NFMT this week and discuss how companies can use various vehicles to better deliver information on their products and services."

About Milldam Public Relations

Concord, Massachusetts-based Milldam Public Relations is a full-service technology public relations firm that provides competitively priced strategic communications including press releases, white papers, case studies, bylined articles, crisis communications and event management to a diverse array of clients throughout the country. Founded in 2005, Milldam Public Relations has solidified its position as the go-to public relations firm for companies in the critical infrastructure space. Clients include Data Specialties, Inc, Hurricane Electric (News - Alert), Future Facilities, and RF Code.

For more information on Milldam Public Relations, please go to http://www.milldampr.com or visit the company's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005578/en/
[March 25, 2019] 2NDGEAR's Interactive Display Contract with Local California School District Makes It Possible for Other School Districts and Community Colleges to Benefit

COSTA MESA, Calif., March 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 2NDGEAR, a subsidiary of Insight Investments, LLC, has been awarded a contract from Moreno Valley Unified School District in California for Newline Interactives line of TRUTOUCH interactive displays. Schools within the Moreno Valley District can purchase Newlines displays for classrooms with pre-approved terms and pricing from 2NDGEAR. This contract also makes it possible for other school districts, community college districts, and public corporations or agencies within the Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Orange counties to access the same terms and benefits.

As a Newline Interactive Valued Partner, 2NDGEAR offers the TRUTOUCH series of interactive displays along with related services to its education and business customers across the U.S. Interactive display technology has become an increasingly valuable edcational tool that elevates learning through enhanced collaboration and engagement.



Providing school districts with the educational technology equipment they need, at affordable rates and with superior service, is our focus, said Frank Wiacek, President, 2NDGEAR. This new contract will help schools throughout Moreno Valley and potentially across other approved districts as well. Newlines interactive touchscreen displays deliver state-of-the-art video conferencing and collaboration technology in a way that is incredibly productive and easy to use in a classroom. We handle the entire process from ordering to installation and set-up so that schools can stay focused on supporting the needs of their staff and the education of their students. 2NDGEAR is an established leader that provides customers with a comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology products and services that business and educational organizations need to be successful in todays digital era. The company is committed to making a difference for schools by providing the affordable, high quality technology needed to support todays educational objectives.

The term of the contract is one year with an option to extend up to three years and includes access to Newlines TRUTOUCH 65-inch and 75-inch RS Series of interactive classroom displays. For more information on this contract or 2NDGEARs offerings please email [email protected] About 2NDGEAR

2NDGEAR, a subsidiary of Insight Investments, LLC, is a leading supplier of new, recertified and refurbished IT equipment and software from partners including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, Adobe and more. Offering IT implementation and support services including data destruction, imaging, deployment, office technology relocation, asset liquidation and warehouse outsourcing, 2NDGEAR supports the entire IT lifecycle. An established company respected for its uncommon dedication to service, 2NDGEAR has served thousands of businesses and educational institutions across the U.S. For more information, visit www.2NDGEAR.com. Contact:

Christy Kemp

303-898-3390

[email protected]

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[March 25, 2019] Canada's Rural Economic Development Minister invites public ideas on ways to expand rural opportunity

OTTAWA, March 25, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadians living in rural and northern communities have unique needs. Access to better and more modern infrastructure, affordable housing, and faster, more reliable Internet Service can make a big difference in the quality of life for rural Canadians. The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Canada's newly-appointed Minister of Rural Economic Development, is travelling across the country and meeting with Canadians living in rural communities, including families, workers, community and business leaders. At each stop, she is asking for their stories and ideas as the Government of Canada develops an economic strategy that addresses the priorities and needs of rural Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since the beginning of her cross-country tour, Minister Jordan has travelled to many rural and remote communities, and the following are some of the key issues that have emerged from her discussions: The need for high-speed Internet services and wireless connectivity;

Attracting, training, and retaining talent; and

Population aging and outmigration; In addition to her public engagements, Minister Jordan invites Canadians to share their ideas for creating rural opportunity and ensuring that rural Canada continues to thrive. Send your ideas by email to [email protected], or by mail to:



Infrastructure Canada, Rural Economic Development Secretariat

180, Kent Street, 12th floor,

Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 0B6 Quote

"As a rural Canadian myself, I am proud to work for a government that is creating an economic development strategy that addresses the specific priorities of rural Canadians. The best way to learn about those priorities is to hear directly from the families, entrepreneurs, and community leaders of rural Canada. I look forward to learning more as I continue to travel across Canada and I encourage everyone from small and large communities to provide their insights on how we can ensure that all Canadians share in our nation's prosperity." The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development Quick Facts To help provide students, families and businesses reliable high-speed Internet to participate in today's economy, Budget 2019 aims to give every single household and business in Canada access to high-speed internet of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload by 2030, no matter how rural and remote by working with provinces, territories and industry, to deliver $5 to $6 billion in new investments.

access to high-speed internet of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload by 2030, no matter how rural and remote by working with provinces, territories and industry, to deliver to in new investments. To support Canadian businesses and organizations seeking to create or improve tourism-related infrastructure, products or experiences, including a focus on rural communities, Budget 2019 proposes $58.5 million over two years, starting in 2019-20, for the creation of a Canadian Experiences Fund.

over two years, starting in 2019-20, for the creation of a Canadian Experiences Fund. To help northern communities more easily access to the support they need, the Government proposes to consolidate federal programs that help reduce diesel reliance in Indigenous, northern and remote communities.

Building on the Government's ongoing support for the region to ensure that Arctic and northern communities can continue to grow and prosper, Budget 2019 announces more than $700 million over 10 years in new and focused funding that will bring broad benefits to those communities. Related links Learn more about Rural Economic Development: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/rural/index-eng.html Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

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[March 25, 2019] The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network Partner with Proteus Digital Health and Xealth Providing Fully-Integrated Digital Platform to Improve Treatment of Challenging Health Concerns

MILWAUKEE and REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and SEATTLE, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network announced today they have teamed up with Proteus Digital Health and Xealth to provide an evidence-based Digital Medicines offering that is fully integrated into patients' electronic health records (EHR). Patients at the Froedtert & MCW health network with diabetes, hypertension, and Hepatitis C are being prescribed Proteus Digital Medicines. These solutions include DigiMeds, medications with FDA-approved Proteus sensors, a small wearable sensor patch (patch), a mobile app for the patient and an online portal for the physician. These Digital Medicines solutions provide accurate feedback on medication ingestion to help patients reach their treatment goals faster. DigiMeds capture when patients ingest their medication and communicate that information to a patch patients wear on their torso. The patch also records information about activity, rest and heart rate. All this information is encrypted and sent to the mobile app on the patient's smartphone. The app keeps track of medication use, supporting improvements in patient health behaviors. Physicians can also access this information directly on the Proteus portal provided to them to aid in care team decision-making about drugs and dosing. Xealth is a digital health prescribing and monitoring platform. The Xealth platform enables clinicians to prescribe customized digital health care content, apps, and services as easily as they do medications today. The Froedtert & MCW health network has been using the Xealth platform, integrated into its EMR system, for 13 months. Through Xealth, the Froedtert & MCW health network patients who qualify for digital medicines are automatically recognized, and Proteus Digital Medicines are presented to the clinician as part of the normal EHR prescribing workflow. Once patients are using Digital Medicines, the data generated is automatically linked back to the patient record through Xealth, enabling patients to share data about their experiences with the medication back to their care team. "Our early results indicate high adherence and improved outcomes for patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension, and patients with Hepatitis C," said Bradley Crotty, MD, MPH, an internist with the Froedtert & MCW health network, and Assistant Professor, Medicine, MCW. "The ability to include Proteus in a medical record not only improves care coordination but it individualizes and broadens our view of the person. We can better partner with patients by understanding how they're doing between appointments and increasingly help personalize and optimize their regimen more quickly." Froedtert & MCW health network patients with Hepatitis C who used Proteus Digital Medicines achieved 98 percent medication adherence, and 100 prcent of the patients achieved a sustained viral response, essentially a cure, from Hepatitis C. Patients with chronic disease management for Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and High Cholesterol had 91 percent medication adherence with a reduction in average glucose levels and lower LDL cholesterol levels.



"Data from patients using Proteus Digital Medicines consistently shows the correlation between patients taking their medications and achievement of health goals. A key enabler of this is improved integration between the Proteus platform and provider systems to accurately update patient-reported data in the medical record," said Olivia Ware, SVP of US Markets and Franchises at Proteus Digital Health. "Xealth places the data from Proteus Digital Medicines directly in the EHR, making it easier for providers to see the objective data it provides about patients' medication taking, their rest, steps and heart rate and to use it to have a better conversation with their patients that can help them make more informed treatment decisions." "We are proud to see Froedtert & MCW health network use the Xealth platform in this way to empower patients," says Xealth CEO Mike McSherry. "Although the Xealth platform can be used to prescribe anything from digital content and applications to non-clinical services such as e-commerce product recommendations, feedback on use of medications and effect on activities and daily living is a critical need for patients and providers, making the Digital Medicines offering by Proteus a great example of how technology can improve that vital connection between provider and patient, and ultimately enable more people access to tools that can help them improve their health."

For more information, please contact:

Gerry Steele, Media Associate, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network

O +1 414-805-3057; [email protected] Sylvia Aranda, W2O for Proteus Digital Health

M + 424.201.9464; [email protected] Cynthia Church, Chief Marketing Officer, Xealth

M/O: +1 304 771 5755; [email protected] Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin

The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin regional health network is a partnership between Froedtert Health and the Medical College of Wisconsin supporting a shared mission of patient care, innovation, medical research and education. The health network operates eastern Wisconsin's only academic medical center and adult Level I Trauma Center at Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, an internationally recognized training and research center engaged in thousands of clinical trials and studies. The Froedtert & MCW health network, which includes five hospitals, one of which is a nationally ranked academic medical center, more than 1,700 physicians and nearly 40 health centers and clinics, draws patients from throughout the Midwest and the nation. In its most recent fiscal year, outpatient visits exceeded 1.1 million, inpatient admissions to its hospitals were 52,483 and visits to its network physicians totaled 979,143. For more information, visit froedtert.com. About Proteus

Proteus Digital Health is enabling a new category of pharmaceuticals: Digital Medicines. These include widely used drugs, formulated so they communicate when they have been ingested; a wearable patch that detects medicines and captures physiologic response; mobile applications to support patient self-care and physician decision-making; and data analytics to serve the needs of health system managers. The company has more than 540 issued patents that protect this enabling technology, and regulatory clearances in the U.S., European Union and China. Proteus Digital Health is privately held by investors that include Carlyle, Essex Woodlands, Kaiser Permanente, Medtronic, Novartis, Otsuka, and ON Semiconductor. Further information is available at: www.proteus.com. Connect with us on Twitter @ProteusDH. About Xealth

Xealth is a digital health prescribing platform that enables clinicians to easily integrate, prescribe and monitor digital health tools for patients from their EHR workflows. These can include patient education, online third-party apps and programs, device monitoring, and non-clinical services such as ride shares, food delivery and e-commerce product recommendations. Using the Xealth platform, care teams and physicians can monitor patient engagement and analyze the effects of more engaged patients. Xealth spun out of Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) in 2017, raising $9 million from a variety of investors including PSJH and other health systems such as UPMC and Froedtert Medical College of Wisconsin. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-froedtert--the-medical-college-of-wisconsin-health-network-partner-with-proteus-digital-health-and-xealth-providing-fully-integrated-digital-platform-to-improve-treatment-of-challenging-health-concerns-300817706.html SOURCE Froedtert Health

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[March 25, 2019] Small Business Owners Outsmart Cybercriminals - Here's How

The owners of your favorite diner with the best meatloaf in town, the pet rescue where you adopted Petunia Pie the cat into your family and the store selling those jeans that fit you perfectly all share one thing in common - securing their business against the threat of a cyberattack. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005733/en/ CyberSecure My Business panel left to right; Chiara Portner, Hopkins & Carley; Lisa Plaggemier, Infosec; Mitchel Chang, Trend Micro (News - Alert) (Photo: Business Wire) Education and information can empower small business owners to be more cyber resilient and stay a step ahead of the cyber bad guys. During today's CyberSecure My Business workshop, more than 120 small business owners learned how to recognize cybercriminal activity, react quickly to minimize an attack and recover after a breach. "Many business owners think they aren't at risk for a cyberattack," said Lisa Plaggemier, chief evangelist at Infosec. "But because small businesses often lack a comprehensive security plan, the bad guys have figured out they are an easier target for raiding bank accounts or stealing customer credit card numbers. "Security doesn't have to be hard. And while there are no silver bullets, having the basics, such as education, a password manager and two-factor authentication, can really help," added Plaggemier. "Knowledge is truly the ultimate defense. Armed with knowledge and the basics, small business owners and their employees can outsmart the bad guys." /p>



"The CyberSecure My Business workshops are designed to be easily understood by those without technical backgrounds. The goal is to empower small business owners and employees to take action and better secure their personal and business assets," said Daniel Eliot, director of Small Business Education with the NCSA.

Learn more about CyberSecure My Business and its series of free webinars and workshops. About NCSA NCSA is the nation's leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with a broad array of stakeholders in government, industry and civil society. NCSA's primary partners are NCSA's Board of Directors, which includes representatives from: ADP, Bank of America, CDK Global, CertNexus, Cisco (News - Alert), Cofense, Comcast, Facebook, ESET, Google, Infosec, Intel, Marriott International, Mastercard, Microsoft, Mimecast, NXP Semiconductors, Proofpoint, Raytheon (News - Alert), Symantec, Uber, U.S. Bank, Visa and Wells Fargo. NCSA's core efforts include National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Day (Jan. 28); and CyberSecure My Business. For more information on NCSA, please visit staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview/. About Infosec Infosec has been fighting cybercrime since 2004. Thousands of organizations and over 160,000 individuals trust the wide range of security-specific classes and enterprise security awareness and phishing training to stay a step ahead of the bad guys. Infosec IQ, Infosec Flex and Infosec Skills provide the most advanced and comprehensive education and training platforms. Founded by CEO Jack Koziol, Infosec is based in Madison, with offices in Chicago and Dulles, Virginia. Learn more at www.infosecinstitute.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005733/en/

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[March 25, 2019] W. R. Berkley Corporation to Announce First Quarter 2019 Earnings on April 23, 2019

W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB) will release its first quarter 2019 earnings after the market closes on Tuesday, April 23, 2019. A copy of the earnings release will be available on the Company's website at www.wrberkley.com. The Company has scheduled its quarterly conference call with analysts and investors to discuss its earnings and other information on Tuesday, Aril 23, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. eastern time. A live audio webcast of the conference call may be accessed via the Company's website at www.wrberkley.com. Please log on at least ten minutes early to register and download and install any necessary software. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Company's website approximately two hours after the end of the call.



Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates worldwide in two segments of the property casualty insurance business: Insurance and Reinsurance.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005778/en/

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[March 25, 2019] On the back of Brazil's 95%1 share of renewable expansion in 2018, Omega Geracao reaches 140% capacity growth

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Omega Geracao (OMGE3) announced its 2018 and 4th quarter results last Thursday March 21st. The Company reported an increase in capacity2 of 4.5 times since IPO in July 2017 and 140% in 2018 alone to reach a total installed capacity of 1,145 MW, 668.7 MW above 2017. Acquisition of Pirapora Complex (320 MW), largest operating solar complex in South America, alongside 508 MW of new wind capacity confirms company's leading position in the consolidation of Brazilian renewable generation making it a promising name in Brazil's stock market. Regarding the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency renewables accounted for 95% of the capacity added to the country's power mix in 2018. "We believe at least two thirds of new Brazilian installed capacity will come from renewable sources in the next decade, a multibillion-dollar investment opportunity for companies vested with execution capacity as well as deep technical and sector knowledge like Omega", states Antonio Bastos Filho, CEO of Omega. Omega reached a record production of 2.103,5 GWh in 2018, 58% above 2017. "Such positive performance confirms the consistency of our asset base as well as the high predictability of our gross proft generation, reinforcing our confidence in the long-term performance of the Company and its portfolio", completes Mr. Bastos.



In 2018, EBITDA reached R$ 411.6 million (81.9% EBITDA margin), 76% above 2017, exceeding market estimates of R$ 374 million for 2018. In the 4th quarter, the Company reported a R$ 153.0 million EBITDA, 31% increase in comparison to 4Q2017. Energy Gross Profit was R$ 173.9 million in the 4th quarter of the year, reaching R$ 502.8 million in 2018, 66% above 2017. Omega also reported 155.7 ktons of CO2 avoided in 2018 by its 100% renewable portfolio. The company will expand its international Investor Relations efforts in 2018 certain that the opportunities of Brazilian renewables are quite appealing for global investors seeking long term growth and vigorous economic performance. "We will increase efforts into creating awareness of the Company, its attributes, accomplishments and business plan to the global investor community during 2019. Growing confidence and our execution capability are paramount to consolidate Omega as the reference company for renewable energy generation in our geography", concludes Bastos.

About Omega Geracao Omega Geracao, a leading Brazilian renewable energy company, is an investment platform focused exclusively on wind, hydro and solar operational projects. Listed in "Novo Mercado" (ticker: OMGE3), the highest level of corporate governance in the Brazilian stock exchange B3, the Company has a portfolio of 744.7 MW and is expected to reach 1,145 MW when all announced M&As are closed. Targeting superior returns, Omega is driven by four pillars: (i) the consolidation of high quality renewables assets in Brazil on the back of M&A transactions and drop-ins from development partners; (ii) the operation of renewable assets with the highest efficiency, quality and sustainability standards; (iii) the continuous development of a top notch, problem solver organization, capable of creating tangible value for all its stakeholders; and (iv) the fostering of solid corporate values and governance practices.  Source: information bank from Geracao Aneel  03/15/2019

2 402 MW still subject to closing conditions such as waiver from lenders

Contact: Andrea Farias - [email protected]

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[March 25, 2019] Widex USA to Showcase Its Latest Technology at AAA Booth #1025 - March 27-29, 2019

Widex USA, Inc. will be exhibiting at the 2019 American Academy of Audiology (AAA) Conference taking place March 27-29, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio. On exhibit at Booth #1025, Widex will be offering demonstrations of Widex ENERGY CELL technology as well as the second generation Widex EVOKE. Widex ENERGY CELL technology uses what will be the world's smallest commercially-available fuel cell to allow wearers to reenergize their hearng devices off the grid in just 20 seconds. The second generation Widex EVOKE features an upgraded ZPower Rechargeable System and enhanced real-time machine learning to now work 25% faster.



"AAA is a great event each year, a place where hearing care professionals gather to learn about the latest tools, technology, events and treatments available to help improve the lives of people with hearing loss," said Eric Spar, Senior Vice President of Sales, Widex USA. "We invite all of our customers, partners and everyone in the community to come visit us at booth #1025 to see and demo our latest technology, providing superior sound quality and personalization to meet the needs of every wearer." Widex audiologists will also be offering daily presentations during exhibit hours to give conference participants an opportunity to earn AAA CEU credits. Class topics include: speech-in-noise performance; fine tuning remote care; real-time machine learning with Widex EVOKE; and the future of fuel cell technology. See the full schedule of classes here.

For the audiology students in attendance, Widex USA will be hosting an exclusive happy hour on Thursday, March 28 from 4-6pm at the Widex USA booth #1025. Students will enjoy drinks and snacks, while getting a chance to socialize with fellow students and learn more about Widex technology. For more information, please visit Widex USA at Booth #1025. About Widex At Widex, we believe in a world where there are no barriers to communication; a world where people interact freely, effortlessly and confidently. With sixty years' experience developing state-of-the-art technology, we provide hearing solutions that are easy to use, are seamlessly integrated in daily life, and enable people to hear naturally. As one of the world's leading hearing aid producers, our products are sold in more than one hundred countries, and we employ 4,000 people worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005804/en/

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[March 25, 2019] Airwallex Confirmed as Latest Fintech Unicorn Following Series C Fundraising

Airwallex confirms unicorn status following a successful Series C fundraising round of $100m USD, valuing the company at over $1bn USD. Airwallex's Series C fundraising was led by DST Global, which has previously backed internet giants Facebook, Airbnb and Spotify (News - Alert) and fintech leaders Nubank and Robinhood.

The new capital will be used to expand Airwallex's suite of international collection and payment products and to support global expansion into the US, UK / Europe and Southeast Asia.

Airwallex is committed to empowering marketplaces, online sellers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses. Founded in Melbourne (Australia) in 2015, Airwallex has grown from an emerging start-up to a global challenger in the cross-border payment space. Airwallex offers an end-to-end solution for businesses to make payments and move money programmatically on a global scale, supporting a client base of internet titans including JD.com, Tencent and Ctrip, and large financial service companies including MasterCard (News - Alert). With Airwallex, customers can instantly create Global Accounts with local bank details, access interbank exchange rates and send money through local and international clearing networks to more than 130 countries. Top-tier investor DST Global led the Series C fundraising round, which closed at $100m USD. DST Global has been a primary investor across a number of global technology success stories, including Facebook (News - Alert), Airbnb and Spotify, and other fintech leaders, such as Nubank and Robinhood. Alongside new investor DST Global, existing participants from Airwallex's previous rounds returned for the Series C fundraising, including Sequoia Capital (News - Alert) China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures and Square Peg Capital. The round brings Airwallex's total capital raised to over $200m USD. Just three years after it was founded, Airwallex is now valued at over $1bn USD, confirming its position as a newly minted fintech unicorn. Accelerating product development and global reach to help marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs "We started Airwallex because we knew there was a better way to make global payments," said Airwallex CEO and Co-founder Jack Zhang. "Airwallex is proud to free businesses from many of the traditional barriers that have made international transactions so difficult. Our mission is to build a worldwide, technology-driven financial infrastructure that will help our customers - including marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs -grow their businesses globally."



Alongside global expansion, the funds will also be used to continue product development, with an emphasis on delivering further value to marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs. Airwallex aspires to become the operating system of global banking, offering customers a truly global financial platform that serves their growing business needs. Tom Stafford, Managing Partner of DST Global, said, "The growing eCommerce industry needs a technology-focused payments network that is reliable, cost-effective and provides data transparency. Airwallex has built such a network and we are excited to partner with Jack and the team as they continue to grow their business."

NOTES TO MEDIA Interview opportunities Jack Zhang (CEO and Co-Founder) and Lucy Liu (President and Co-Founder) are available for telephone interviews. Please contact [email protected] to arrange. About Airwallex Airwallex is a fintech redefining payments globally. Since 2015, Airwallex has secured over $200 million USD in external funding, supported by top-tier investors including DST Global, Sequoia Capital China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures, Square Peg Capital, and MasterCard. The company uses advanced technology to enable low-cost, high-speed and transparent international payments encompassing the entire cross-border payment value chain, from global collection to foreign exchange and international payments. Led by a highly capable, experienced, and driven executive team, we have established international offices across Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore, London and San Francisco. www.airwallex.com For further information If you have any questions or would like to request further information, please contact [email protected]. GLOBAL MEDIA FAQ Airwallex Overview Who / what is Airwallex? Founded in 2015 in Melbourne, Airwallex is one of the world's leading fintechs. Airwallex has recently been recognised as a unicorn, a VC-backed privately-owned company valued at over $1bn USD, just three years after it was founded. Following its recent Series C fundraising round, Airwallex has now raised over $200m USD in capital from top-tier investors including DST Global, Sequoia Capital China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures, SquarePeg Capital, and MasterCard. Airwallex is able to offer an end-to-end solution for businesses to move money programmatically on a global scale. With Airwallex, customers can instantly create Global Accounts with local bank details, access interbank exchange rates and send money through local and international clearing networks to more than 130 countries. Airwallex aspires to become the operating system of global banking, offering customers a truly global financial platform that serves their growing business needs. What is unique about Airwallex's technology / product? End-to-end solution: The Airwallex platform is powered by sophisticated foreign exchange (FX) and payment engines which connect existing financial infrastructure and local clearing networks to provide an easy to integrate, end-to-end solution for our clients. Easy API integration: In addition to this, Airwallex offers its customers a platform-independent, easy-to-use suite of application programming interfaces (APIs) which can easily integrate into customer's existing finance or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, enabling streamlined international transactions. Series C Announcement How much did Airwallex raise in its Series C fundraising? Airwallex raised $100m USD in its Series C fundraising. What is Airwallex's valuation as of March 2019? Following the Series C fundraising, Airwallex is confirmed as a fintech unicorn with a valuation of over $1bn USD. How much has Airwallex raised in total? Seed: $3m USD

Series A: $13m USD

Series A+: $6m USD

Series B: $80m USD

Series C: $100m USD. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190325005446/en/

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[March 25, 2019] International Payments Fintech Start-up Airwallex has Raised $100m USD in Series C Round Led by DST Global

Airwallex will use the investment to accelerate international expansion to empower marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs to grow their businesses LONDON, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Airwallex confirms unicorn status following a successful Series C fundraising round of $100m USD, valuing the company at over $1bn USD. Airwallex's Series C fundraising was led by DST Global, which has previously backed internet giants Facebook, Airbnb and Spotify and fintech leaders Nubank and Robinhood.

The new capital will be used to expand Airwallex's suite of international collection and payment products and to support global expansion into the US, UK / Europe and Southeast Asia .

and . Airwallex is committed to empowering marketplaces, online sellers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow their businesses. Founded in Melbourne (Australia) in 2015, Airwallex has grown from an emerging start-up to a global challenger in the cross-border payment space. Airwallex offers an end-to-end solution for businesses to make payments and move money programmatically on a global scale, supporting a client base of internet titans including JD.com, Tencent and Ctrip, and large financial service companies including MasterCard. With Airwallex, customers can create international bank accounts instantly, access interbank exchange rates and send money through local and international clearing networks to more than 130 countries. Top-tier investor DST Global led the Series C fundraising round, which closed at $100m USD. DST Global has been a primary investor across a number of global technology success stories, including Facebook, Airbnb and Spotify, and other fintech leaders, such as Nubank and Robinhood.



Alongside new investor DST Global, existing participants from Airwallex's previous rounds returned for the Series C fundraising, including Sequoia Capital China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures and Square Peg Capital. The round brings Airwallex's total capital raised to over $200m USD. Just three years after it was founded, Airwallex is now valued at over $1bn USD, confirming its position as a newly minted fintech unicorn.

Accelerating product development and global reach to help marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs "We started Airwallex because we knew there was a better way to make global payments," said Airwallex CEO and Co-founder Jack Zhang. "Airwallex is proud to free businesses from many of the traditional barriers that have made international transactions so difficult. Our mission is to build a worldwide, technology-driven financial infrastructure that will help our customers - including marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs - grow their businesses globally." Alongside global expansion, the funds will also be used to continue product development, with an emphasis on delivering further value to marketplaces, online sellers and SMEs. Airwallex aspires to become the operating system of global banking, offering customers a truly global financial platform that serves their growing business needs. Tom Stafford, Managing Partner of DST Global, said, "The growing eCommerce industry needs a technology-focused payments network that is reliable, cost-effective and provides data transparency. Airwallex has built such a network and we are excited to partner with Jack and the team as they continue to grow their business." NOTES TO MEDIA Interview opportunities

Jack Zhang (CEO and Co-Founder) and Lucy Liu (President and Co-Founder) are available for telephone interviews. Please contact [email protected] to arrange. About Airwallex

Airwallex is a fintech redefining payments globally. Since 2015, Airwallex has secured over $200 million USD in external funding, supported by top-tier investors including DST Global, Sequoia Capital China, Tencent, Hillhouse Capital, Gobi Partners, Horizons Ventures, SquarePeg Capital, and MasterCard. The company uses advanced technology to enable low-cost, high-speed and transparent international payments encompassing the entire cross-border payment value chain, from global collection to foreign exchange and international payments. Led by a highly capable, experienced, and driven executive team, we have established international offices across Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore, London and San Francisco. www.airwallex.com For further information

If you have any questions or would like to request further information, please contact: [email protected] , +44(0)203-837-3747 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/840609/Airwallex_Logo.jpg

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Editors' Note: Updated at 4:17 p.m. PT with the release of iOS 12.2, which brings Apple News+ support.



It was a big day for Apple today (March 25), as the company held its Show Time press event at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters, introducing a ton of new services from a subscription news offering in its News app for iOS and Macs to original content coming via Apple TV+. We also heard about a premium game subscription service in Apple Arcade and a comprehensive credit card replacement in Apple Card.

(Image credit: Apple)

To rewatch the event, you can head to Apple's web site, where the company has a video of its announcements. You'll need a Mac running Safari on macOS 10.12 or later or an iPhone or iPad running iOS 12. PC users can watch on a Windows 10 machine. If you've got an Apple TV, just launch the Events app to follow the stream.

Here's a closer look at everything Apple announced during today's event.

Apple TV+

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple will work together with some of Hollywood's greatest creators in order to create original stories in Apple TV+. Among the Hollywood heavyweights to take the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater were Steven Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, Kumail Nanjiani Sara Bareilles , J.J. Abrams and Oprah Winfrey. And that's just a sampling of the extensive library of original content Apple is lining up for Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will be available via the Apple TV app, and will be available as an ongoing subscription service. Customers will be able to stream content, or download it to watch at their leisure. The service will be available this fall, with a price to be determined.

MORE: Apple TV+ Looks Cool, But We're Missing Two Big Things

Apple TV Channels

Original programming isn't the only change coming to Apple's video offerings. For the first time, Apple will soon offer standalone channels through its Apple TV app. (You could watch standalone channels before, but you couldn't buy them directly from Apple.) Whether you subscribe through standalone services, or full-fledged cable replacements, you'll be able to find your content in Apple TV Channels. Services such as Amazon Prime, CBS All Access and Showtime are present and accounted for.



In other words, the Apple TV app will continue aggregating content, much as it has always done. The service will be better at keeping track of both the movies and TV shows you're watching, holding your place in unfinished media, and personalizing your recommendations as you watch more and more content.



Apple will also add a new Kids section, which will aggregate popular content from PBS, Disney and other kid-friendly providers.



The new TV app will come to iOS and Apple TV this May, and MacOS (for the first time) this fall. The service will also be available on smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio. Roku and Amazon Fire TV will also have access to the Apple TV app.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade is a new service aimed at mobile gamers that will help users connect with higher-quality paid games, as opposed to the more popular freemium offerings on iOS. Apple Arcade will work with iOS, MacOS and Apple TV.



The service will offer more than 100 games that are either exclusive, or at least not available on any other mobile platform. Save data will carry over across devices, and each game will also be playable offline (perhaps sometimes in limited capacities). There are no ads, and no DLC packs to buy  everything will be included in Apple Arcade.



The service will be available this fall, with pricing details to be determined.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple Pay

Apple Pay will soon be accepted for public transit in Portland, Chicago and New York City. But that's not the biggest feature coming to Apple's mobile wallet this year.





The company will also offer Apple Pay's functionality as a standalone credit card service. The service will be called Apple Card. Users can sign up for Card on iPhones, and use it within a few minutes of applying. Card automatically becomes part of the Wallet app, and is accepted wherever Apple Pay is.



Apple will work in conjunction with Goldman Sachs and Mastercard in order to make the Card a reality. The Card will also be able to give you plain English explanations of the companies and locations where you spent money. With the Wallet app, people can also track how much they spent on various services, such as Food and Drink.



Apple Card will offer cashback rewards in the form of Daily Cash. Users will get 2 percent of any purchase at Daily Cash, which they can spend any way they choose.



You can also decide how much to pay in any given cycle, as well as how frequently to pay. This can help users select the right level of interest to suit their needs. There are no late fees, no annual fees, no international fees, and no overlimit fees. How Apple plans to make the Card as profitable as a traditional credit card is anyone's guess.



The Card will also come as a physical design, with no card number, no CVV, no expiration date and no signature. This could make purchases more secure  but it could also make tasks like online shopping less convenient. The service will be available this summer.

Apple News+

Tim Cook has lauded the reliability and curation behind Apple News. By at least one metric, Apple News is the top source for news consumption in the United States.

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple News will now support magazines as well, with current issues and full-color photography, as part of a newly launched subscription service costing $9.95 a month. (The first month's free, according to Apple.) You can try out the service now, with today's release of iOS 12.2, which adds News+ to the existing News app.

Among the magazines included in News+ are Time, Vogue, People and others  in fact, Apple News+ will launch with more than 300 magazines representing fashion, news and politics, lifestyle, health, travel, cars and just about anything else you'd find on a physical newsstand. A few newspapers will be available, too, including The Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal.



Apple says it won't allow advertisers to track users through News+, and Apple assured users that it would not be able to track what they read. We will have to wait and see how the company pulls that off.



For now, Apple News+ is only available in the United States and Canada, though it will come to Australia and the U.K. later in 2019.

About Apple Services



The announcements today are part of Apple's push to bolster its services, which already included the App Store, Apple Pay, iCloud and others. Cook provided some insight to the functionality behind Apple devices, which he summed up as follows:
Samsung Galaxy S22 price rumor is good news

A new report from SamMobile says that the Galaxy S22 might start at the same $799 that the Galaxy S21 debuted at. If true, that could bring the Galaxy S21 FE's true value into further question.
(Image credit: Roman Arbuzov/Shutterstock)

Kaspersky Labs revealed today that an unidentified threat actor modified the Asus Live Update Utility to gain access to target devices. The security firm said this attack, which it dubbed Operation ShadowHammer, "seems to be one of the biggest supply-chain incidents ever," after the CCleaner attack of 2017.

The researchers said that someone modified the Asus Live Update Utility, added a back door and then distributed it via official channels. This malicious version of the tool was hosted on the Asus update server and signed with a legitimate certificate. It also had the same file size as the official version of the utility.

All those precautions made the malicious version of the Asus Live Update Utility incredibly difficult to detect. (Kaspersky managed it, though, which is why disclosures like these are also thinly veiled advertisements.) The company said it detected the malware on 57,000 devices but estimated that 1 million were affected.

Yet, the unidentified threat actor only appeared to be interested in a very small subset of those devices: Kaspersky said they "targeted only 600 specific MAC addresses, for which the hashes were hardcoded into different versions of the utility." That means as many as 1 million people were compromised to target just 600.

The supply chain attack was first reported by Motherboard, which said it sent Asus three emails about Kaspersky's findings but hasn't received a response. The outlet noted that Symantec confirmed Kaspersky's findings and offered more details about how the researchers were finally able to uncover this attack.

Kaspersky said that "the same techniques were used against software from three other vendors" and added that it notified them about the attack, but it didn't say who the vendors are or how they responded. We suspect more information will be revealed after they've had a chance to protect their users.

More information about this attack is available on Kaspersky's Securelist website. The company also plans to present more details about the attack at the SAS 2019 conference on April 8 in Singapore. It will publish a full report to Securelist at that time as well--hopefully with details about the three other vendors.
(Image credit: Artem Oleshko / Shutterstock)

A modern Robin Hood would probably start his altruistic thievery by targeting tech companies. Where the folk hero is all about stealing from the rich to give to the poor, however, a Lithuanian man who plead guilty to stealing $122 million from Google and Facebook was only in it for himself.

That man's name is Evaldas Rimasauskas. He plead guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering after stealing $99 million from Facebook and $23 million from Google. The crimes took place between 2013 and 2015, and honestly, they seem all too easy given how lucrative they were.

Here's how Rimasauskas did it: he sent fake invoices, contracts, and letters to Facebook and Google pretending to be Quanta Computer. He also forged emails meant to look like they'd come from company executives. It's not surprising that someone attempted this scheme; it's surprising that it worked.

To be fair, the payments were apparently routed to bank accounts in at least six different countries, and Rimasauskas actually founded a company called Quanta Computer in Latvia. (The actual Quanta Computer is based in Taiwan.) So he did put a little bit more effort into the plot than it would seem.

Rimasauskas agreed to return nearly $50 million of the money he stole. He faces nearly 30 years in prison depending on whether or not he's found guilty of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and three counts of money laundering charges. His sentencing date has been set for July 24.

Still, it almost feels like anyone who can dupe two of the world's largest tech companies into paying more than $100 million by forging invoices has actually earned that money. Rimasauskas was no Robin Hood, but he still targeted some of the richest entities on Earth, and to bafflingly good effect.
Women's History Month: Celebrating women of the past, present and future The month of March is home to many things-St. Patrick's Day, the beginning of spring and Mardi Gras are all notable celebrations that come to mind. March is also Women's History Month, 31 days that bring recognition to women and their achievements throughout history and help educate the populace on all that women have done for civilization.

This missive from the city college is actually better than most of the politically charged celebration and offers some insightful quotes from ladies throughout the metro. Take a look:
Intersection Excerpt: Missouri Health Talks on Food Insecurity 'The Hidden Problem' In this excerpt from KBIA's Intersection, Melanie Hickcox and Monica Palmer with Feeding Missouri, a coalition of Missouri food banks, discuss the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding food insecurity. They spoke to KBIA for Missouri Health Talks. Monica Palmer: I grew up in rural Missouri. Single Mom. Five kids.

Fact of life . . . The right-wing often downplays access to food in the urban core but it seems that many of the same issues regarding subsidy, culture and education also impact mostly white residents in more "conservative" sections of the state. Here's a conversation about helping to alleviate the problem. Take a look:
The Italian automaker, known for creating raging bulls that have been every childs dream at some point in life, is actually known for much more than just the super fast hypercars it is known for lately. Speak to the Generation X folks, and they will reminisce Lamborghini as a company that once used to build a hardcore truck that made them go weak in the knees. Fast forward to 2019, and the company is actually considering the prospect of building an SUV that falls in line with the iconic LM002. Time to pop that bottle of 1986 Disaronno again!

Can The LM002s Philosophy Be Replicated?

1986-1993 Lamborghini LM002 shown here

Speaking to Motortrend, Lamborghinis CEO, Stefano Domenicali, said that the company is considering building a new rugged SUV on the lines of the LM002. Lamborghini did try to venture back into the SUV segment with the Urus, but lets be real for a minute here, the Urus is not even in the LM002s league. Yes, it is more road and user friendly and has sold six times more copies in a single year, but all you can do is fit the Off Road package on the Urus. However, it still wont be able to hold a candle against its bulbous predecessor. The LM002 enjoys a great demand, and to put things into perspective, a good condition 1988 LM002 thats run around 1,500 miles can make you lighter by as much as $400,000 (Google it and youll find the beauty available in the U.S. right now). Yes, thats the way the prices are soaring up. Which automaker wouldnt want to capitalize on that hype now?

It Has Been Quite A Famous Ride

Lamborghini revealed its first true off-road SUV back in 1982 at the Geneva Auto Show. Despite its humongous dimensions, the SUV could given stiff competition to its own supercar-siblings. The SUV was originally manufactured to garner military contracts. Was it successful? Not really; blame Hummer for bagging the order, but the civilian version struck a chord with the enthusiasts. Lamborghini went on to produce around 347 examples of the Rambo Lambo, as its fondly called, from 1986 to 1993 before it faded into the oblivion. Rumor has it that Muammar Gaddafi, former prime minister of Libya, ordered a load for the Libyan Army. The Saudis supposedly bought 40; and even Saddam Husseins son ended up with one, although it was later used by the U.S. Army in a car bomb simulation. Some other famous people who have owned the LM002 include Mike Tyson, Tina Turner, Pablo Escobar, and Sylvester Stallone.

What Made The LM002 So Special?

The Lamborghini LM002 actually dates back to 1977. Monikerd the Cheetah, Lamborghini wanted to procure the U.S. Military order that it lost to Hummer. Lamborghini was not going to write-off the SUV without earning at least something out of it. So, it decided to build a civilian version of the SUV. This experiment resulted in a Countach mill plonked on a 4X4 chassis that made it one of the scariest SUVs to have graced the planet. Production of the actual LM002 began in 1986, and it came with a 5.2-liter, V-12 engine under the hood, borrowed from the Countach GV5000, that churned out 444 horses. This propelled the beast to 62 mph from a standstill in just 7.8 seconds! The SUV came with an all-wheel-drive system in place, along with self-locking differentials. Lamborghini said that it could tackle more than 120-percent gradients. Imagine seeing something so monstrous in your rearview mirror.

The LM002 was not an aerodynamically sound car or anything; it was a 5,700 pound beast with raw power and pace. Lamborghini equipped the LM002 with an aluminum and fiberglass body and specially-developed Pirelli tires. The run-flat Scorpion tires wore a price tag of $1,600 a pop! On the inside, the LM002 was as luxurious as a Lamborghini could get. It came with leather upholstery, tinted glasses, electric windows, roof mounted stereo, and air conditioning. Folks who had more money to burn could order the hotter version called the L804. It came fitted with a 7.2-liter marine V-12 mill that is generally fitted to Class 1 offshore powerboats. Wondering about the fuel economy? Well, it was probably bad enough to give Tesla-lovers a cardiac arrest.

Now Thats A Conspiracy Theory

Today when we talk about powerful SUVs, beasts like the Rolls Royce Cullinan, or the Bentley Bentayga, or Lamborghinis own Urus come to mind. But for us, these SUVs are mere insects when compared to the LM002. Some automakers came up with 12 cylinders in their SUVs recently, like the Volkswagen Toureg, and the Bentayga. Audi also launched the Q7 with an optional turbocharged V-12 engine that produced 500 horses and 738 pound-feet of torque. Funny that all the famous 12-cylinder engines used in SUVs come from the Volkswagen stable!

Thats Not All The News

On a side note, if the LM002 spirit animal does come to life, it will be the fifth model in Lamborghinis lineup. Other than the Huracan, Aventador, and the Urus, Lamborghini is also planning to manufacture a 2+2 seater Grand Tourer. Again, it is something that the company is considering and should not be misconstrued as an affirmation from the automaker. The CEO has said that Lamborghini was looking to plonk a manual transmission for the special editions of the Huracan and the Aventador. Got your hearts racing, didnt it? Guess Lamborghini came up with this after the success of the Porsche GT3 manual that sells more than its automatic counterpart. However, containing the costs would be a big issue for the automaker. For instance, converting the Aventadors seven-speed automatic gearbox from to manual would be a pain because the car is mechanically unique and Lamborghini would have to develop a manual transmission from scratch as it does not have one that it could fit into it. So, it will likely never happen because its just too expensive.

Further Reading

Read our full review of the 1986-1993 Lamborghini LM002

LM 400

Read our brief story on the 2007 Lamborghini LM400 Concept

Read our speculative review on the non-existant Lamborghini LM00x

Read our full review of the 2019 Lamborghini Huracan Evo

Hexagonal shapes and sharp angles front to back Typical Lambo Styling with an SUV twist

Read our full review of the 2019 Lamborghini Urus
You and I both know that a robotized automatic transmission with one or multiple clutches is quicker at shifting through gears than any biped creature we commonly refer to as a human. In spite of this, you and I both would like to be able to do things our way, at our own pace. Of course, thats what flappy paddle gearboxes are for, but theres nothing quite like the added difficulty of a third pedal and a stick between the seats. Lamborghini has been telling us for years that the manual is dead - at least as far as its concerned - but the Italians prove they are genuine petrolheads because, in the meantime, they did at least look into it to make sure once again that the initial assessment was right. Props to SantAgata for that!

Regardless of your take on manual transmissions, you cant deny the added layer of involvement they provide to the driving experience. This is why its sad that modern supercar makers have all but ruled out the usage of such old-school transmissions for the sake of both costs and performance. Lamborghini is one of them although they were close to offering one on some special edition Huracan and Aventador models.

Its More Likely For You to See a Real Unicorn Than a New Manual Lamborghini

Lamborghini is more profitable than ever.

Nearly 6,000 cars rolled off the Sant'Agata Bolognese plant in 2018, and the number will increase this year by anywhere between 30- and 50-percent thanks to the hit that is the Urus SUV.

However, you cant ignore the fact that, by and large, supercar manufacturers are selling more cars than ever. Back in the day, Ferrari barely put out a couple a hundred cars over a period of 12 months. Granted, they were all hand-made, but its just as true that Enzo couldnt really find buyers for more.

Now, though, there are more rich people than ever and, also, thanks to the advent in technology on all fronts, modern supercars are usable and reliable to the point that anyone can drive one around and about without worrying for his health and safety. You couldnt say the same about a you-cant-see-outside Lamborghini Countach or an it-might-catch-fire-at-random Lamborghini Miura. But you can when talking about a Huracan. Part of making the supercar experience more accessible, while also pursuing the ever-present desire to bring more to the table in terms of performance, has been the implementation of ultra-quick transmissions.

Lamborghini is no stranger to such gearboxes and, currently, fits a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission on all of its models. The last manual Lamborghini was the Gallardo LP560-2 50th Anniversary. This was the bare-bone facelifted Gallardo, the twin brother of the Gallardo LP560-2 Balboni Edition.

The 50th Anniversary model was built in 2013, and only 100 units ever left the factory with a price tag of about $200,000 at the time.

Just like the LP560-4, it was powered by the naturally aspirated, 552-horsepower, 5.2-liter V-10 engine but, unlike the 560-4, all the oomph was sent exclusively to the back axle. This, Lamborghini said at the time, was to be the swansong of the supercar as it was once made, according to what was, by now, antiquated rules and laws. All other Raging Bulls that followed featured automatic transmissions - no exception.

But this, as we have found out much more recently, wasnt for lack of trying on Lamborghinis part. Some four-five years ago, Maurizio Reggiani answered a number of questions on the topic of Lamborghinis manuals or, more to the point, the lack of such transmissions. Around the time the Huracan was launched, Reggiani, who acted as Lamborghinis Head of Research & Development, told the press that "close to zero percent Gallardos were ordered in manual." What is more, then-CEO Stephan Winkelmann (Bugattis current CEO), admitted that "every time [an order for a manual Gallardo] came in they had to go back and re-check the order form, confirming with the dealership that a mistake hadnt been made," according to Auto Guide.

Road & Track also asked Reggiani this hard-pressing question and he explained that all the robotics work in tandem within the modern hypercar and putting a manual box in would just disrupt all of the electronics.

Basically, the car is designed to feature an automatic gearbox so you can't just choose between one or the other.

Youd have to pretty much design it from scratch as a manual to get the desired result in terms of chassis management, safety, performance, and everything else. Reggian said that "the clutch is one of the fuses of the system, whether youre engaging or disengaging the torque. This creates a hole in the communication between what the engine is able to provide and how the car reacts to the power of the engine."

He then added that "its the demand of the control of the chassis. If you want to control the chassis, you must control the power. If you want to control the power, the clutch must be under the control of the brain of the car, not your brain." He also argues in the same piece that modern manuals arent as pure as youd think they are because "in all the latest manual transmissions, there is a servo that reduces the load [of the clutch pedal]," he explains. "If we want to talk about the purist [experience], we must go back 20 years, not ten years, because already these filters were in place.

There were also other reasons at play, for instance, that "you needed 88.2 pounds of force to disengage the clutch [on the Diablo]. At that time, we were making 332 pounds-feet of torque. Now we are at 509 pound-feet of torque. Its a problem to manage the closing point of the clutch. If you have hesitation, with this torque, youll burn the clutch immediately." And this isnt good for Lamborghinis business because many of its clients arent professionals. It all goes down to my original point of making supercar performance available to more people to be able to sell more cars.

But, as I said, the current state of affairs could have been different. Lamborghini really wished it was.

The company looked into the possibility of making some special-edition models with manuals, but the numbers didn't add up, it was all too expensive.

Porsche managed to dodge the PDK-only bullet with such purist specials like the GT3 Touring which proved to be a hit and became, frankly, an instant classic.

According to Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali, who sat down for lunch with Motor Trend, even if a $25,000 premium was added to the MSRP of a Huracan or an Aventador, it wouldnt be enough to raise enough money to develop the transmission - considering each model would be sold as part of a 200-unit limited edition. By adding up the numbers, it means Lamborghini would require well over $5 million to develop a bespoke transmission for the Aventador as there isnt any around fit for the job in Volkswagens yard or elsewhere at a third-party gearbox builder.

Sadly, you can expect the status quo to remain unchanged as the company moves closer and closer to an electric future.

Domenicali said in the same discussion with Motor Trend that a grand tourer that can seat four akin to the GTC4Lusso could be the fourth model to be added to Lamborghini's lineup.

The Italian manufacturer was once famous for building a whole heap of front-engined V-12-powered grand-tourers but the last of the breed, namely the Espada, was discontinued in the late 70s when Lamborghini started focusing solely on mid-engined cars thanks, in no small part, to the success of the Countach.

Whats also interesting is that, in the future, there might be a fifth model in Lambos lineup and it might be another high-riding vehicle. No, a Urus Coupe or Urus Pickup isnt what Lamborghini has been looking into. Instead, a genuine follow-up to the popular (but also very rare and ludicrously expensive to buy) LM002 from the 80s could be on the cards. The original was a bonkers Frankenstein mobile with the engine from a Countach and the profile of a Hummer. It was, actually, supposed to be a military vehicle but, in the end, almost 400 were made for the public highways and every other terrain you can imagine.

According to Domenicali, some Lamborghini aficionados are so into the LM002 that theyre inquiring right at the factory about LM002 buying opportunities of which, if you pay attention to public auctions, there are few and far between.

The CEO also pointed out that, if this year's target of reaching 8,000 units sold will be achieved, the company can start actively looking into building a fourth model.

If not, Lamborghini isnt "strong or stable enough to invest in a fourth model," according to the former Head of Scuderia Ferrari. His wishes are for this fourth model to boost sales all the way to 10,000 models a year which is where he sees the necessity of a production cap in the interest of the brands exclusivity. Nowadays, Ferrari builds no more than 7,000 cars a year to be able to ask insane amounts of money for each one of their cars through claims of top-end exclusivity. Ferrari, also, is another manufacturer that has long since ditched the manual. In fact, the last manual Prancing Horse was the 599 GTB Fiorano.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Lamborghini Urus

Read our full review on the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Performante.

Read our full review on the 2017 Lamborghini Huracan.

Read our full review on the 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster

Source: Carscoops
NEVER FOLD, the fifth studio album from rapper Tedashii, makes waves with multiple top 10 entries on the charts. Released on March 8th, NEVER FOLD debuted this week at #9 on Billboard's Current Rap Album Overall Chart and #7 on Billboard's Christian Album Charts. Heralded by chart-topping singles like "Gotta Live" featuring Jordan Feliz and lead single, "God Flex" featuring Trip Lee -the 17-track project evokes the Texas-bred rapper's renewed creative vision and commitment to persevere. The album also features appearances by LeCrae, Crowder, 1K Phew, Jarry Manna, Parris Chariz, Sara Reeves and Kam Parker.

"I appreciate the album's response and I am floored by the success of it all," said Tedashii. "Never Fold is a reminder to never back down."

Inspired by the pointed declaration of Luke 9:62, which states, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and turns back is fit for the kingdom of God," NEVER FOLD gives us the Tedashii we know and love: fully transparent and self-aware. He's a man who's been tested time and time and again. And while he may have the battle scars to prove he's been in the trenches, his infectious joy and strength remain intact.

As a veteran artist on Reach Records, Tedashii and label mates: Lecrae, Andy Mineo, GAWVI, KB, Trip Lee, 1K Phew, and WHATUPRG are currently on the UNASHAMED TOUR . In partnership with William Morris Endeavor and Rush concerts, the 6th annual tour will kicked off in Washington DC on March 14 and will carry through to April 13 visiting 18 major markets including Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago. Full tour dates and ticket information are available at http://unashamedforever.com/ .

Tedashii is proudly Texas-born and bred. You may recognize his music from being placed on ESPN's SportsCenter and FOX's So You Think You Can Dance. For more information on Tedashii, be sure to follow @Tedashii on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

Tags : Tedashii tedashii news tedashii never fold TEDASHII new album
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rchopra@tribunemail.com

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, March 25

Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal has stepped down from the board of the Indian carrier he founded 25 years ago, the company said on Monday, as part of a rescue deal led by state-run banks to save the airline from bankruptcy.

Saddled with debt of more than $1 billion, Jet has been on the brink of collapse, and had to ground flights as it struggled to pay lenders, suppliers, pilots and leasing companies.

Banks have moved in to take control of the airline after Jet failed to convince investors, including largest shareholder Etihad Airways, to invest more money.

Goyals departure, however, is likely to lead to potential investors coming in to save Indias oldest private airline. Tata Sons, in November, had been in talks to invest in Jet but on the condition that Goyal would step down or take a less prominent role.

Under the rescue plan, Jets lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), will take a controlling stake of just over 50 per cent, the airline said in a stock exchange announcement.

The banks will issue a loan of Rs 1,500 crore to meet Jets obligations and form an interim management committee to oversee operations.

Goyals 51 per cent stake has been halved to make room for the banks, according to reports.

As part of the bailout plan, lenders will start a bidding process to sell their stake in the airline to a new investor.

Bids to buy a stake in Jet will open on April 9 and close on April 30 with the expectation that a new investor will be in place by May 31, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar said.  Reuters
editorial@tribune.com

Our Correspondent

Lalru, March 24

An Akali councillor, Balkar Singh Rangi, of Ward No. 2, Lalru, was allegedly assaulted with sharp weapons by a group of persons at Dappar near here today.

Balkar Singh, who sustained injuries on his head, alleged that he, along with party leaders, was sitting on the stage during a kabaddi tournament being organised at Dappar, when Gurdeep Singh, alias Soni, and Jaggi, accompanied by nearly 15 unidentified persons, asked him to come down from the stage for a conversation.

The victim said when he stepped down from the stage, they cornered him and started beating him up. He alleged that one of them tossed his turban into the air and pushed him. The others attacked with sharp weapons.

The victim was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi, from where he was referred to the GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, after his medical examination by a board of doctors. The councillor submitted a complaint to the police along with his medical reports.

The Lelhi police said as per preliminary investigations, personal enmity appeared to be the reason behind the attack. However, the police are also probing other angels in the incident. The police have booked the prime suspects, Gurdeep Singh, alias Soni, and Jaggi, along with their accomplices in this connection at the Lelhi police post.

What the councillor says

Balkar Singh Rangi, councillor from Ward No. 2, Lalru, was allegedly assaulted with sharp weapons by a group of persons at Dappar. He sustained injuries on his head. He alleged that he, along with party leaders, was sitting on the stage during a kabaddi tournament when Gurdeep Singh, alias Soni, and Jaggi, accompanied by nearly 15 unidentified persons, asked him to come down from the stage for a conversation. When he stepped down, they cornered him and started beating him up. He alleged that one of them tossed his turban into the air and pushed him. The others attacked with sharp weapons.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

The Indian Air Force on Monday inducted the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter that will significantly enhance its all-weather round the clock logistic capability, especially in the mountains, where maneuverability in close confines is an issue.

The Chinooks, manufactured by US aerospace major Boeing, will form part of the Chandigarh-based 126 Helicopter Unit, also known as the Featherweights, that has in its inventory the Soviet-origin Mi-26 heavy lift helicopters.

The IAF has received four out of the 15 helicopters. The machines, which had arrived to India by sea, were off-loaded at Mundra port in Gujarat in February and after being reassembled, flight tested and flown to Chandigarh by American crews, were formally handed over to the IAF. Part of the fleet will also be based at Dinjan in the north-east.

It is after a gap of 40 years that a US-built helicopter has donned the IAF colours.

From 1957 to 1979, fifteen American Bell 47G-2 light choppers, somewhat similar to the French-origin Cheetah that are still flown, were used.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, said: Our country faces a multitude of security challenges and we require a vertical-airlift capability for a very diversified terrain. The Chinook will give the IAF a quantum leap to transport cargo to precarious high-altitude locations, he said.

We have procured the Chinook with certain India specific enhancements to increase the flexibility of the platform across the entire spectrum of heli-lift operations, including search and rescue operations and air ambulance, Dhanoa said.

The aircraft is all-weather capable and state-of-the-art night vision goggles will permit all operations even at night, he added.

Although we have been operating the medium lift Mi-17 and heavy lift Mi-26 helicopters, the Chinook, with its operating ceiling of 20,000 feet will redefine heli-lift not only in operations like inter-valley transport of troops, airlifting artillery guns and heavy under slung loads for the Border Roads Organisation, but also for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to far flung crisis hit areas, he said.

Terming the Chinook to be a national asset, Dhanoa said the IAFs expertise will enable it to exploit the machines potential in a manner that will make it a game changer in heli-lift operations.

Salil Gupte, India head of Boeing handed over the symbolic key of Chinook to the Air Chief, who in turn passed it on the local air force commanders.

Highlighting Boeings activities in the country and other projects associated with the air force, Gupte said that the Chinooks were delivered ahead of schedule.

The company had earlier supplied the C-17 heavy lift aircraft.

India had signed a deal with the US in September 2015 for 15 Chinook helicopters at a total cost of Rs 8,845 crore, with an option for another four machines.

The IAF had sent 15 pilots and 15 engineers to the US in 2018 for training on the Chinooks.

With a payload capacity of 11 tonnes or 45 troops, the Chinooks will provide a much-needed fillip to the IAF heavy-lift capability, a role earlier being fulfilled by Soviet origin Mi-26s.

The three Mi-26s with the IAF, which have double the payload capability of the Chinooks, are grounded for want of overhaul.

Stationed at chandigarh base

15 Chinook helicopters ordered by India from Boeing

4 copters delivered so far, attached to IAF Chandigarh unit

Rs 8,845 cr is the total cost of the 15 heavy-lift machines

11 tonne or 45 troops is the payload capacity of a Chinook

Dhanoa takes dig at Pak counterpart

Responding to a question on Pakistan's Air Chief Marshal MA Khan leading from the front by flying lead aircraft F-16 on their national day, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa quipped, Pakistani air chief was strapped into the rear cockpit. Look from where he was flying.
Slowly but surely, we're getting there. The merciless winter chill is beginning to recede, the sun is making its big comeback, and summer will be here before you know it. The three months of passable weather are the highlight of the calendar year in Finland, nowhere more so than in the capital itself.

Summer is when the city truly comes alive and as such, there is an endless roster of exciting events planned across the city. Some are recurring events that locals have come to love, while others will be making their Helsinki debut in 2019. Here are five truly unmissable events this summer in Helsinki.

Midsummer Bonfires, Seurasaari

There's no better way to kick off the summer season than by heading to a midsummer bonfire. Finns have traditionally celebrated the midsummer by setting things on fire for hundreds of years and 2019 will be no exception. Head to Seurasaari Open Air Museum on 21 June to catch the biggest and baddest bonfire, which will be accompanied with Finnish music, dance, food, and drinks.

Craft Beer Helsinki, Railway Square

Only in the past couple of years has Helsinki's beer reputation started to gain international prominence. The proliferation of talented local brewers like Stadin Panimo and Bruuveri have put the city firmly on the beer-lover's map, which is why Helsinki will be hosting its very own craft beer festival on 4-6 June, with tickets starting from as little as 5 euros. Expect the very best of the city's local brew scene, as well as some guest appearances from international producers.

Amy & Bowie Tribute, Casino Helsinki

If you're looking for a classic summer show on those hot nights, hit up Casino Helsinki for their Amy Winehouse and David Bowie tribute musical, which will be staged there throughout the entire summer, starting in May. In the meantime, Casino Helsinki will be offering a range of progressive jackpots on all of their slot machines to tide you over, with over 300 games to chose from.

Helsinki Pride, Citywide

The biggest street party in Finland will be arriving on 24 June for a whole week of non-stop rainbow-coloured partying. Pick out your most sickening outfit and throw on some glitter for what might just be the most euphoric event in the city. Expect parties catering to everybody on the LGBT+ spectrum as well as appearances from the country's biggest celebrities and speeches from politicians, activists, and, of course, fierce drag queens.

Flow Festival 2019, Suvilahti

Helsinki's legendary Flow Festival has steadily risen through the ranks from being a niche boutique event just a few years ago to now being one of the most well-known and widely-attended festivals in Europe. This year's line-up looks more impressive than ever, with appearances from Cardi B, The Cure. and Tove Lo. The global electronic music label Resident Advisor will be hosting their own "front yard" section this year, where Nina Kravitz and Black Madonna are confirmed to be spinning their tracks.

This is just a taster of the many, many exciting events lined up across the city this summer. Make sure to keep tabs on My Helsinki to see what else is coming up.

Images:

Bonfire: ICP

Craft Bear Festival: Helsinki Craft Bear

Amy & Bowie: Helsinki Casino

Helsinki Pride: Helsinki Pride

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M Rajivlochan

M Rajivlochan

Professor, Department of History, Panjab University

IT may be said history shows that adversaries cannot be reformed as per ones wish. So, what is it that needs to be reformed in the specific case of Pakistan? A glimpse of this was made available when Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan referred to history in his address to the joint session of his countrys parliamentarians in the aftermath of the Balakot airstrike by the Indian Air Force, post Pulwama. References to history have to be taken seriously, especially when made by politicians, since they provide us a glimpse of the template along which the mind works. Being familiar with the template helps understand the nuances of the twists and turns that the politicians are liable to take while trying to grab more power and demolish their opponents. Most Indian newspapers missed out on Imran Khans take on history.

This is what Imran Khan said as he concluded his speech in Parliament on the matter of the Balakot strikes: If you push a community into a corner where it has to take such a decision, then a self-respecting community will fight for freedom. So today, I want to send a message to Narendra Modi that do not push anyone in that corner.

What is important is that Imran Khan sought to preface his remarks by referring to Tipu Sultan as the hero whom Pakistan seeks to currently emulate. Tipu Sultan  in Indian understanding  has been a most secular ruler, opposed to imperialism, etc. He lost his life fighting. In contrast there was Bahadur Shah Zafar, who agreed to being jailed by the British for participating in the mutiny of 1857. There was Bahadur Shah Zafar and there was Tipu Sultan, Imran Khan said, when it came to choosing between slavery and freedom, Tipu Sultan chose the latter. Tipu Sultan is our hero.

On the face of it such bombast could be little more than a face-saving device for the government of Pakistan, an effort to assure the people that their government would fight to protect them against an Indian invasion.

However, Tipu Sultan, carries a completely different meaning in Pakistan. According to the textbooks of Pakistan Studies on which Pakistani students are brought up, Tipu Sultan is depicted as a defender of the faith. Pakistani army blogs frequently mention Tipu Sultan as a great warrior who won numerous battles against infidels, experimented with new technology and made Mysore a very prosperous territory. The veracity of such claims is a matter of historical debate.

What does not require debate, though, is a letter by Tipu Sultan to Bekals governor, Budruz Zuman Khan, in 1790, which is cited in disgust by Pakistani columnist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid, who warns Pakistanis against having bad role models. Dont you know I have achieved a great victory recently in Malabar and over four lakh Hindus were converted to Islam? Tipu writes. I am determined to march against that cursed Raman Nair (Raja of Travancore) very soon. Since I am overjoyed at the prospect of converting him and his subjects to Islam, I have happily abandoned the idea of going back to Srirangapatanam now.

Prime Minister Imran Khans reference to the self-respecting community is to Muslims. The ones in India  the defence minister of Pakistan claimed in his press conference soon after the Balakot airstrikes  are a persecuted community. The falsity of that narrative has often been pointed out by various social scientists.

Neither are the Muslims of India persecuted nor do they form a homogenous community, except in the minds of Hindu and Muslim communalists. Communalism is roundly condemned. Communalists attract strong censure by society and polity in India. Yet, insisting that all Muslims form a singular political and social group is a point that forms the basis of Pakistans attitude towards India.

It also forms the guiding principle for bodies such as the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, which was formed as an umbrella body of 26 political, social and religious organisations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir for the cause of Kashmiri separatism. The word hurriyat means freedom. The slogan with which it works, too, is azadi. The context in which it is used gives it the meaning of azadi for Muslims. Now, that would never do for a multi-cultural country like India that is committed to secularism and pluralism.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

AICC media incharge and Kaithal MLA Randeep Singh Surjewala feels the 2019 election will be a contest between the delivery-oriented Congress and the empty rhetoric of the ruling BJP government. In an interview with The Tribune reporter

Geetanjali Gayatri, he says that the result of parliamentary elections will have no bearing on the Assembly elections where the Manohar Lal Khattar government will be voted out of power for its divisive ways. Excerpts:

The 2019 elections will essentially be a contest between two parties and their ideologies. How do you see the Congress prospects ?

The 2019 General Election will be about duplicity versus delivery. The Congress symbolises evolving aspirations of the ordinary Indian and has always delivered by sheer dint of hard work and experience. In 2019, we are for re-innovating governance by a new set of ideas like minimum income guarantee, jobs being the centre point of government, right to healthcare, agricultural reform of connecting farm to plate, compulsory participation of women etc. On the contrary, the BJP ideology is founded upon falsehood, fake propaganda and fear. People will decisively reject the same.

How will Pulwama and the airstrikes on terror camp in Pakistan impact the 2019 election?

The Pulwama terror attack was a grave national security and intelligence failure of the Modi government. While our valiant fighters of the Air Force taught the enemy a lesson, Pakistans violation of our air space, launching a failed missile attack and shooting down our Mirage fighter were blatant acts of aggression that have not been answered by the PM. The BJPs track record of governance is dismal and non-performance is PM Narendra Modis characteristic style. He hides behind the valour of our forces.

Will the result of the General Election have an impact on the ensuing Haryana Assembly poll?

The Haryana Assembly elections will test the five years wasted by the Manohar Lal Khattar government, be it the shameful non-performance or the sinister agenda of hate and division that was spread under a design. History is a witness that autocratic behaviour and divisive politics have always been defeated. Khattar will meet the same fate.

What will be the criteria for ticket distribution?

Winnability, commitment to the Congress ideology and a vision for development of the constituency will be the determining criteria.

What will be the Congress strategy and which will be the key issues this election?

Our track record of delivery of promises and our commitment to the soul of India are the benchmarks of our strategy. Besides the issues of jobs, minimum income guarantee, healthcare, education and agriculture, restoration of democracy as also the integrity of our institutions is imperative for our democracy to sustain.
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 24

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja on Sunday said the BJP has failed on all fronts, even in fulfilling its election manifesto.

The youth are still waiting for jobs, while farmers for the implementation of Swaminathan Commission report, but the BJP leaders are running away from reality, she said, while interacting with mediapersons at the residence of senior Congress leader Shamsher Singh Gogi in Sector 5.

On being asked about the new tagline of the BJP mai bhi chowkidar, she said let the BJP leaders decide whether they were chowkidars or chaiwalas.

They are only making fool of people and nothing else. People know very well about the jumlebazi of the BJP, she said.

In response to the claim of BJP president Subhash Barala that the party would win all 10 seats, she said the BJP does not even have its own candidates, but was dependent on candidates from other parties. On the claim to contest either from Sirsa or Ambala, she said the party leadership would decide that.

She claimed that the Congress was united and party leaders would launch a parivartan yatra in the state and all leaders would take part in it.
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Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, March 24

A protest against Faridabad MP Krishan Pal Gurjar marked the BJPs first Vijay Sankalp Yatra meeting held near Prithla village of the district on Sunday.

Gurjar and senior party leader Kalraj Mishra, who has been appointed in-charge of the Lok Sabha poll campaign in Haryana, were present in the meeting. About 35 protesters, claiming to be BJP workers, raised slogans against Gurjar, demanding that he should not be fielded again from Faridabad. They alleged poor development in their areas. The Lok Sabha poll in the state is scheduled for May 12.

Mishra said, There is no room for indiscipline in the party. Those creating problems must leave the party.

Gurjar did not address the meeting. He, however, alleged that supporters of a ticket aspirant created ruckus, but failed to derail the objective behind the yatra. On his candidature, he said the BJPs Central Election Committee would take the call. Mishra, meanwhile, claimed the BJP would win all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

On the achievements of the Narendra Modi government, Mishra, a former Union Minister, said the Centre handled the Pulwama terror attack in an efficient and diligent manner.

He hit out at the Oppositionfor trying to bring down the morale of the defence forces by raising irrelevant questions over the airstrike inside Pakistan. Vijay Sankalp Yatra will infuse BJP workers and supporters with renewed energy so that the party comes out stronger at the booth level, the BJP leader added.

Congress a sinking ship, says Barala

Karnal: State BJP president Subhash Barala said on Sunday that the BJP would win all 10 seats in Haryana.

The Congress is a sinking ship and the BJP has become a party of the general public. We will win all 10 seats in the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get another term, he said while interacting with mediapersons. He was here to participate in a programme organised by the Jain community. Later, he started BJP campaign EkPostNamoKNaam and said the country was safe in the hands of PM Modi. The Congress president Rahul Gandhi has no vision for the security of the country, he said. Without naming Rahul Gandhi or any party, he said some of the opposition leaders were raising questions over the IAF strike and discouraging the Indian forces. On being asked about the finalisation of the tickets, he said the state body had finalised the names of the panel of candidates and had sent it to the Central leadership. It will decide the names of the candidates, he said. On the proposed bus tour of the Congress, he said the Congress would get the same result it got in the Jind bypoll.

Party panel to take call on ticket: MP

Faridabad MP Krishan Pal Gurjar did not address the meeting. He, however, alleged that supporters of a ticket aspirant created ruckus, but failed to derail the objective behind the yatra. On his candidature, Gurjar said the BJPs Central Election Committee would take the call.
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Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

To ensure the welfare of persons with disabilities (PwDs), the state has framed some rules. A dedicated fund for the PwDs, an institutional mechanism at state and district levels and the concept of limited guardianship for the welfare of the disabled persons are the highlights of the new policy.

Framed under the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016, the Haryana Rights of the Persons with Disability Rules, 2019, seek to put an end to the exploitation of the PwDs and strive for their welfare.

A special feature of the new rules is the appointment of limited guardian for personal care of persons with disability. Among other things, the limited guardian will ensure right to life, food, clothing and shelter, religious needs, education, skill development, employment, healthcare, leisure, recreation, protection from exploitation, and human rights to the PwDs.

The rules state that the limited guardianship would not be permanent in nature and would be replaced by permanent guardianship within a period of one year.

It shall be legally binding on a person appointed as a legal guardian to keep the interest and well-being of the person with disability foremost while taking legally binding decisions on his behalf, read the notification issued by Shrikant Walgad, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

A dedicated fund for persons with disability, which would receive grants-in-aid from the state and Central government, funds from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and voluntary contributions, has been set up. An executive committee, under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, has been constituted to manage the fund which will be spent for various welfare measures of the PwDs.

Besides, a state commissioner will be appointed to coordinate various welfare activities for the disabled. An advisory committee, with representation from NGOs, experts, doctors, educationist (PwD) and women, will advise the state government on formulating polices for such persons.

A district-level committee, under the deputy commissioner concerned, will supervise the activities of various NGOs engaged in the welfare of the PwDs besides implementing the decisions of the state government at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, a Committee for Research on Disability with an eminent person having vast experience in medical or psychological research in the field of disability, three government nominees and five non-governmental representatives, will also be constituted under the rules.

Role of limited guardian
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Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, March 24

After the declaration of Kishan Kapoor as party candidate from Kangra, the BJP has started canvassing.

Kapoor held a meeting of party workers and met Shanta Kumar today before launching his campaign. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will be in Kangra and Nurpur on March 26 and 27 to address party workers. Kapoor also went to the Indrunag temple to seek the blessings.

The Congress is still uncertain over its candidate. Sources here said the party might still take a few days to decide its candidate from Kangra. They said the delay might be due to the busy schedule of AICC president Rahul Gandhi, who is on a tour across the country for campaigning and would put the final seal on the list of candidates. The sources said former minister GS Bali had said no to party ticket. His name would only be considered if the party high command asked him to contest, keeping in view the better winning prospects. However, his candidature was also facing opposition from the Virbhadra faction.

The screening committee has forwarded the names of former minister Sudhir Sharma and Congress MLA from Kangra Pawan Kajal. Kajal is being projected by a section of leaders who feels that he may help them galvanise the OBC vote bank in Kangra. The OBCs comprise of 30 per cent of the total electorate from Kangra. However, Kajal had said he would not contest the elections.

That leaves Sudhir as the only leader who is showing interest. Since Kapoor has been declared the BJP candidate, various Congress leaders are evaluating the new election scenario. It is being expected that now when Shanta Kumar is out of fray, Sudhir may galvanise the Brahmin vote that comprises of 20 per cent of the total electorate in Kangra. However, he will have to rely on the Virbhadra faction.

Also the Congress candidate will have to face an uphill task due to the fact that there is the BJP government. The party has 14 MLAs.

These MLAs will be under pressure to ensure the lead of the party in their constituencies. In a state where the dominant vote share is government employees, the government has an edge over the rival party.
harinder@tribunemail.com

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune news Service

Shimla, March 24

Its curtains on electoral innings of two-time Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, undoubtedly the tallest and most widely respected leader that Kangra has ever produced.

What set him apart from his contemporaries was his plain-speaking for which, by his own admission, he has very often had to pay a price. But there are no regrets. Rather, looking back he is proud of every moment of his political career.

I have opted out of electoral politics but will continue to serve the people. I wish to devote more time to my dream project  Vivekanand Hospital and Medical Research Trust in Palampur, he says. He will campaign for party candidate from Kangra Kishan Kapoor to ensure his victory.

Shanta Kumar has won accolades for his writing skills. He has 15 books on literature and poetry to his credit. Even his political opponent Virbhadra Singh is all praise for him for maintaining propriety even amid trying circumstances.

Shanta Kumar, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were part of BJPs margdarshak mandal. None were included in the Union Ministry because of their age. Shanta Kumar is till date remembered for his decision on no work, no pay when he was CM, a decision no politician would have dared to take.

He became the first non-Congress CM in 1977 when the Janata Party won the polls in Himachal. He became CM again in 1990.

Shanta Kumar was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1998 and 1999 and 2014. He had a stint as Rajya Sabha member in 2008. He served as Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and then Rural Development in the Vajpayee government.
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Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 24

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took long to announce the Jalandhar candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019, but when it announced today by fielding Justice Zora Singh (retd) as the candidate, it came as a shock for the local cadre.

Notably, the name of Dr Shiv Dayal Mali, the district president of AAP, was making rounds that he would be contesting from the Jalandhar seat. But the party instead announced Zoras name that is from Fatehgarh Sahib. To this, Dr Mali said he toe the party line with disappointment.

The core committee has taken the decision and I have no role in decision making. I have been working for the party with full dedication. The party must have thought something while deciding the name of Justice Zora Singh.

Dr Mali said he had not backed out.

There was no question of backing out of the party. No one should question my dedication and perseverance towards the party. Had I not been in the party, I would have been a director, health services, he said.

An AAP leader on the condition of anonymity said everyone knows the condition the party was in right now. The party was active when it started and was also popular among people and now, the situation is sombre, the leader added. However, the leader added that the name of Justice Zora would definitely give strength to the party from the district.

About Zora Singh

Justice Zora Singh (retd), who chaired a commission set up in 2015 to probe sacrilege incidents in the state, will be contesting from Jalandhar and it is being believed that being a baptized Sikh, Justice Zora Singh will eat into Akali votes.
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Arun Joshi

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wants to prove a point. Her decision to contest the Lok Sabha poll from the most volatile constituency of Anantnag in south Kashmir is not all about winning the seat for a third time  she had won this seat twice in 2004 and 2014 - but to tell friends and foes alike that she has fire in her belly to fight the toughest battle against all odds at any given time.

It is a demonstrative act to show that she has the capacity and will to overpower the political odds that have multiplied manifold since the fall of her government last year. In this erstwhile bastion of her party and family, her biggest challenge this time is to reverse the misfortunes that befell her party in 2016 when pellets, bullets and stones took lives on her watch as CM. Fighting rivals is a secondary political game.

One critical factor that has gone in her favour is the Election Commission of Indias decision to hold polling in Anantnag, that comprises four districts, in three phases. This unprecedented move has exonerated Mehbooba of the charge that she could not hold the bypoll to this seat after she vacated it to become CM. Her security argument has been validated by the ECI now.

There is another underlined meaning in the whole exercise  an unspoken admission of sorts that it was a mistake to have inducted her younger brother Tassaduq Mufti into politics. He had flinched from the contest for this seat after he realised he could not measure up to the challenges of political battles on the ground. He went for the easy option of getting nominated to the Legislative Council and becoming a minister. That was Mehboobas bigger mistake.

Political pundits see a tough task ahead for her. Their collective view is it is not going to be a cakewalk for the former CM. They have their own theories and logic drawn from the happenings on the ground  desertions by several leaders and her inability to handle the turmoil and save young lives following the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in July 2016. She is the face the people recall that could not control things.

Lack of governance  that is common to all governments in Jammu and Kashmir  combined with the alliance that she re-fostered with the BJP in early 2016  are the other factors that are being read out from the diary of the PDP chief whose political career was launched by her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 1996 when she was made to contest the Bijbehra Assembly seat on the Congress ticket. She surprised everyone, including her parents, by winning the election.

But this is a different test. She appears to have prepared the ground  knowing that it was the alliance with the BJP that cost her party dear, she not only started distancing herself from the saffron party but also began taking it to task for everything that went wrong in the country. Quite remarkably, she linked the Hindu right wing acts of violence against the minorities to the sense of privilege that they enjoyed under the current dispensation in the country and took on PM Narendra Modi for his silence on these issues as also his negative attitude towards Pakistan that is keen on resolving the Kashmir issue.

She got an opportunity to repair PDPs ties with Jamat-e-Islami, that was banned by the Centre. The Jamaat was angry with Mehbooba because of what all happened in Kashmir, particularly in the south, in 2016 when there was a spell of anarchy for more than four months.

Mehbooba was the first to protest against the ban and led a protest against the Centres action against the religio-political party, a behind-the scene ally of Mufti Sayeed since his Congress days. When the National Conference, during its 22-year rented name of Plebiscite Front, had boycotted the polls, the Congress persuaded the Jamaat to enter the fray to give legitimacy to the electoral exercise.

The Jamaat and the NC have had mutual hatred since the early political innings of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Mufti Sayeed, a hardcore anti-NC leader, had even defied the late PM Indira Gandhi in the late seventies, refusing to get grievances redressed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The Jamaat cadre would come out to defeat the NC. Their natural choice was the PDP after the Muftis quit the Congress. This election would demonstrate whether or not Mehbooba is able to woo back Jamaats latent support.

Within the party, she has taken upon herself to lead from the front. It is a critical test. No more a familiar terrain, she will be entering unchartered waters. Her victory, if it comes through, will lay the blueprint for the Assembly elections. It is a rehearsal she is taking quite seriously.
A male person is suspected of violent resistance to a public official, a police spokesperson stated in a press release . Also his actions against the minister are under investigation.

TIMO SOINI (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, was approached by a man behaving aggressively and threateningly during a campaign event in Korso, Vantaa, on Sunday, according to the Eastern Uusimaa Police Department.

The confrontation escalated into a tussle after the man was prevented by the police officers on site from approaching the minister  apparently with the intent to punch him, according to Helsingin Sanomat. Media reports also suggest the man was wearing a coat with the emblem of Soldiers of Odin, an anti-immigrant street patrol founded in Kemi, Finland, in 2015.

Soini commented on the unpleasant incident in his blog later on Sunday.

The threatening situation was defused quickly. Ive told police what I saw and experienced. The authorities are now handling the matter. They know what theyre doing. I want to thank the security personnel for doing a great job.

Soini himself is not running in the upcoming parliamentary elections but took part in the campaign event to lend support to his fellow members of the Blue Reform.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
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Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 24

Annoyed over the repeated betrayals by the BJP, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and West Pakistani refugees on Sunday announced fielding joint candidates on both Lok Sabha seats of the Jammu province.

As the majority of West Pakistani refugees are OBCs and Dalits, it was unanimously decided to field Labha Ram Gandhi, chairman of West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee, as the candidate on the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat. The decision on the Udhampur-Doda seat will be taken within a couple of days.

I am going to file my nomination papers from the Jammu-Poonch seat on Monday, Gandhi told The Tribune, adding, All castes belonging to OBCs have promised full support to me. He said on March 31, a rally of all 30 OBC castes will be held to mobilise support.

The announcement of OBCs and refugees to field joint candidates is significant as both communities are a deciding factor in the Jammu province. They had voted for the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

On Sunday, a meeting of the Vishwakarma community was held under the leadership of Justice (retd) RC Gandhi to discuss issues related to OBCs.

The members charged the BJP with betraying OBCs by ignoring all genuine demands of the community. Jammu Municipal Corporation corporator Raj Kumar pointed out that for the first time in the history, there was no OBC member in the State Backward Classes Commission because the BJP was against marginalised and neglected sections of society. We have to teach the BJP a lesson in the coming Lok Sabha elections, he said, adding, The BJP leadership has created hurdles in enhancing reservation of OBCs in J&K.

According to a rough estimate, West Pakistani refugees have nearly 60,000 votes on the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat and about 30,000 votes on the Udhampur-Doda seat.

Saffron partys earlier promises
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 24

Another soldier was killed in ceasefire violation in Poonch district today, taking the toll to three in a week as Pakistan kept targeting Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC).

Grenadier Hari Bhakar (20) of Nagaur district in Rajasthan had suffered serious injuries in a ceasefire violation in Shahpur sector last evening.

According to the defence spokesperson, he was evacuated to the nearest Field Hospital, where he succumbed to his injury around 3.30 am.

Unprovoked firing by Pakistan troops commenced last evening in Kerni and Shahpur sectors in which heavy caliber weapons and rockets were also fired. Indian troops retaliated and inflicted damage and casualties.

Pakistan again initiated unprovoked truce violation using mortars and small arms in Nowshera sector at 11.30 am, after which the Indian Army retaliated.

Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire along the LoC on a daily basis. On March 21, it used artillery guns for shelling in Akhnoor, Sunderbani and Nowshera sectors. Rifleman Yash Paul (24) of Udhampur lost his life in Sunderbani on Thursday and Rifleman Karamjeet Singh of Moga on Monday.

Mystery blast death
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Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 24

Normal life was affected on Sunday due to a partial shutdown observed in protest against the ban on the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) under unlawful activities.

The call for the shutdown was issued by the joint resistance leadership of Kashmiri separatists which termed the ban on the JKLF as highly authoritarian, autocratic and pure political vendetta.

In Srinagar, most of the shops and business establishments were shut. However, public transport plied normally. The authorities deployed large number of security men in sensitive parts of Srinagar to maintain law and order. There were reports of a partial shutdown in other parts of the Valley.

A police officer in Srinagar said the situation remained peaceful. There was no report of any untoward incident, he added.

Apart from separatists, mainstream political parties also condemned the Centres move of banning the JKLF.

Pandits welcome move

Days after the Central government banned the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) for supporting secessionist activities and genocide of Hindus in the Kashmir valley, displaced Pandits have reiterated the demand for constitution of a judicial commission to investigate targeted killing of the minority community.

On March 22, the Cabinet Committee on Security, as per the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, banned the JKLF led by Yasin Malik. The group was allegedly responsible for killing several Pandits during the initial years of militancy.

We welcome the ban which for the first time acknowledges the exodus of Pandits. There is a need to expose people who supported the killers of Pandits, said Col (retd) Tej Tikoo, president, All India Kashmiri Samaj.

Meanwhile, the Arde Narishwar Trust (Nadimarg-Kashmir) has urged the state and Central governments to reinvestigate the killing of 24 Pandits on March 23, 2003, in the Valley.
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Aneet Kanwal Randhawa

We are currently in the grip of a heightened jingoistic and fanatic fervour in the aftermath of the Balakot airstrike. Ironically, Balakot is a place where historically forces of a zealot were vanquished by those of a secular ruler. The pluralism so inherent to our history and culture should flourish and should not be annihilated by orthodoxy.

It is a fact that fanaticism has raised its ugly head innumerable times in history. Quite often, conflicts have been given religious colour to aggravate them beyond measure. We have witnessed orthodox Brahminism, with all its parochial preaching, resulting in the fragmentation of society. We have witnessed a host of ferocious Muslim invaders, smashing idols in our temples. What an irony that in their frenzy, emerging from the contradictions of two faiths, they could not appreciate the aesthetics which these idols were a manifestation of. They also ventured into forceful conversions. Even the more recent eclectic faiths such as Sikhism have had their own anxious moments with fanaticism.

But there is also another soothing fact of history. Fanaticism has always had a silver lining. Buddhism emerged from the dungeons of Brahmin orthodoxy. Movements such as Bhakti and Sufism seemed like cosmic plans to counter orthodoxy. Indeed, it seems that cosmic power has its own way of balancing out things.

Beyond these silver linings, there is a medium which has always expressed satire at orthodoxy. Poetry, in all its hues, has consistently mocked orthodoxy. Urdu poetry never left a chance to mock zaahids, sheikhs and Brahmins. They are accused of fragmentation under the sway of their beguiled preaching and secretly consuming liquor. At times, the virtues of taverns and cup-bearers are extolled over and above temples and mosques. These places of worship are accused of being divisive while taverns are unifying. The taverns may be interpreted as the earthly ones, or may have cosmic connotations, with cosmic power manifesting itself as the cup-bearer offering divine bliss. Poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan goes to the extent of calling the dreary mosque an anguished widow and the tavern a blissful bride.

The purpose of this satire will be grossly undermined if it is taken at face value. There is no intent to offend. While anybody would extol a place of worship, the intent is only to expose the hypocrisy that has crept in. In true spirit, a place of worship can only preach love and harmony. If it is preaching fragmentation, it has outlived its utility.

In the face of fanaticism, there have been sane minds that have proselytised love and communal harmony. Let them be the custodians of temples and mosques. As for the fanatics, send them to the taverns, as expostulated in the following couplet: Masjid ke jo bigde hain sheikh/unhein maikade mein bhejo sanwar jaayenge (the sheikh, so deformed by the mosque/send him to the mosque to be reformed).
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Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 25

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday declared what he described as his partys groundbreaking anti-poverty measure with no parallels anywhere in the world.

Addressing a press conference here after a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, Gandhi steered clear of the oppositions alliance woes and said he will not take any questions on any other issue save the Congresss Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme.

I am not going to say anything today, except that we are promising a groundbreaking idea, which will be the second phase of assault on poverty after the first phase of assault through MNREGA, Gandhi said in response to a Tribune query on what happened to the Congress led oppositions idea of a joint seat by seat fight with the BJP.

On the scheme, Gandhi said the Congress would give direct cash transfer of Rs 72,000 in the bank accounts of 20 per cent of Indias poorest people.

The basic income line we will consider is Rs 12,000, which means we will top up the incomes lower than Rs 12,000 until people reach the basic income of Rs 12,000. So if anyone is earning Rs 6,000 a month, we will top up another Rs 6,000, said Gandhi.

He said the scheme will benefit five crore families and 25 crore people directly.

I dont want two Indias one for the rich and the other for the poor, Gandhi said.

The Congress manifesto will contain the promise of the scheme, which the party hopes to work as a game changer in the upcoming elections.

Gandhi said fiscal consequences of the scheme had been analysed and it was perfectly doable. He said if the BJP could give money to the rich, the Congress could give money to the poor.

NYAY (Nyuntam Aay): Minimum Income Guarantee

Rs 12,000 a month would be treated as the minimum income line for the purpose of the plan

If you have a monthly income of Rs 6,000, Cong govt will give Rs 6,000 additional to take it to level of Rs 12,000

Once minimum monthly income crosses Rs 12,000 a month, the beneficiary would be deemed to have crossed the basic minimum income line beating poverty

"The scheme is fiscally prudent. Money is perfectly available and the scheme is perfectly doable" Rahul Gandhi, Cong Chief

We are giving more, its Cong bluff

"If it is tested on simple arithmetic, Rs 72,000 for five crore families works out to be Rs 3.6 lakh crore, which is less than 2/3rd of what we are giving. A bluff announcement" Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Mumbai, March 24

Five Indians, who spent over 14 months in a Greek jail after their cargo ship was detained on charges of carrying explosive material, arrived in Mumbai this morning. MV Andromeda was detained by the Greek Coast Guard on January 9, 2018.

Although it was established that the cargo in question was only a raw material for firecrackers, the crew of the ship had to languish in jail for over a year. The ship had set sail from Turkey on January 6, 2018, and was headed for Djibouti when it was diverted to the Greek coast for repairs and later, detained by the coast guard.

The explosive material was legal. Local authorities did not go through the documents that the Greek ship owner had, Bhupendra Singh, one of the Indian crew members told the media here. We were given consular access and they (the Indian embassy staff) were very supportive and remained present at every hearing, said Singh, a native of Gurdaspur in Punjab, adding that they were not subjected to physical torture in any form.

Singh, however, said he had to undergo mental agony especially when beef was served frequently. There were moments when I thought of ending life. I was the only son of my father... I could not be present in my sisters wedding, he added. Another crew member, Gagandeep from Bengaluru, said the jail authorities informed them that they were the first Indians to be lodged in the jail since it was built in 1953.

Pakistani inmates provided them the support, he said. Whatever grudge we may hold against each others country, but when we (Indians and Pakistanis) meet each other in other countries, we understand each other very well ... those two Pakistanis helped us a lot, Bhupendra Singh said.  PTI

Were detained for carrying explosives
ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

Manas Dasgupta

Ahmedabad, March 24

With no third party worth the name existing in Gujarat, it will be a straight fight between the BJP and the Congress in the home state of PM Modi. Though there is nothing to indicate that the PMs popularity has diminished, it will still require a superlative effort by the BJP to repeat its performance of 2014 when it swept all 26 seats in the state. A cent per cent result in two consecutive elections is a rarity. It is unlikely that the BJP will be able to achieve the feat.

The erosion the BJP suffered in its vote share in the 2017 Assembly elections compared to the 2014 parliamentary elections has become a matter of concern for the partys central leadership. Even in the worst times, the Congress has not polled less than 32% votes. In the last Lok Sabha polls, the BJP vote share went up to 60.09%. The Congress, though it failed to win a single seat, managed to secure 32% of the votes polled.

Post-2014, the Congress in the panchayat elections managed to regain some of the lost ground and the 2017 Assembly results came as a shock to the BJP. Though it was able to retain the majority in the 182-member House, its vote share dropped to 50% and that of the Congress went up to 42.2%, giving the party 77 seats.

To demoralise the Congress cadre on the eve of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has lured away five of its MLAs. However, unsure of the effect of the IAF airstrikes on Pakisans Balakot on the voters, the BJP, like the Congress, has worked on caste and regional combinations to pick candidates.

The Congress too is no better placed than it was two years ago. Party president Rahul Gandhis experiment to go with young leaders seems to have divided the party into groups. Disgruntled seniors have refused to cooperate with relatively junior leaders on important posts. Multiple ticket claimants coupled with a lack of unanimity on the state party leader has made the task of the high command even harder.

Any loss will mean loss of face for PM, Shah
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Beijing, March 25

China on Monday welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanging greetings amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Beijing said it wanted peace between the South Asian nations and was willing to play a constructive role to help them resolve their issues.

Last week, Modi extended greetings to Khan on the eve of Pakistans National Day, saying it was time for the people of the sub-continent to work together for a democratic, peaceful, progressive and prosperous region, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.

Khan responded on Twitter, telling Modi that it was time to begin a comprehensive dialogue with India to address and resolve all issues, especially the central issue of Kashmir, and forge a new relationship based on peace and prosperity for all our people.

The Indian government had described the message by Modi as a customary one.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said on Monday: We noted relevant reports and we welcome the goodwill sent out to each other by both Indian and Pakistani leaders. We support the two sides in maintaining engagement and improving their relations, stabilising the situations and resolving their differences.

China will continue to play a constructive role to this end.

India and Pakistan almost went to war after the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF troopers.

Asked what he meant by the word constructive, and whether there was a shift in Chinas position on the India-Pakistan issue as earlier this month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had said that Beijing was willing to mediate between them, Geng did not elaborate.

Chinas position on the issue of India-Pakistan relations is consistent. These two nations are important South Asian countries, and we hope they will resolve issues through dialogue and consultation. China hopes to stay in friendly relations with both and we will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the peace talks between the two, Geng added.

China publicly maintains a neutral stance on the Jammu and Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan, but its diplomats and state media have often suggested Beijings mediation.

India opposes any third-party intervention on the issue. IANS
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Guwahati, March 25

The Gauhati High Court on Friday quashed criminal proceedings against Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain in a rape case.

After hearing the ministers petition, Justice Suman Shyam set aside the order passed by the Nagaon Chief Judicial Magistrate on November 16 last year taking cognisance of the criminal proceedings.

An FIR had been lodged against the BJP leader alleging rape, and criminal proceedings were initiated against him.

The Union minister moved the high court challenging the criminal proceedings and subsequent passing of the November 16 order of the CJM.  PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Muzaffarnagar (UP), March 25

A man was booked for allegedly thrashing his brother who succumbed to injuries three days later in Lilon village in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, police said on Monday.

The brother, Amit, died in a hospital on Sunday evening, they said.

According to Circle Officer Ashok Kumar, Amit was beaten up by his younger brother Rahul on Holi, which was celebrated on March 21.

Amit died in the hospital after three days, Kumar said.

An FIR under Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was registered against the accused on the basis a complaint of Amit's wife.

The case is being probed and efforts are on to nab the accused, police said. PTI
The new Act on Residence-Based Social Security in Cross-Border Situations, which will take effect on 1 April 2019, will have consequences for how long persons moving temporarily outside Finland can retain social security coverage in Finland and receive social benefits from Kela. The Act is also relevant to persons moving to Finland from another country.

The right to social security in Finland can be based either on residence or employment in Finland.

The changes made to the law affect the residence-based benefits, including the sickness allowance and reimbursements for prescription drug expenses, the child benefit, the general housing allowance, and the pensions available from Kela. They do not affect such benefits as social assistance or financial aid for students.

Shorter time limit on residence outside Finland

Until now, it has been possible to live temporarily abroad for up to one year and not have it affect ones right to Kela benefits. This time limit will now be reduced to six months, with certain exceptions. The right to benefits is retained only if one intends to stay abroad for six months or less.

The exception is employment in another EU or EEA country. Even a short period of employment in these countries will disqualify one for residence-based benefits. As for persons staying in another EU or EEA country for reasons other than employment, for example pensioners spending part of the year in another EU or EEA country, Kela will determine their country of residence in consultation with the other country involved.

Even a short period of residence outside Finland can have consequences for eligibility for Kela benefits. Benefit recipients who move abroad must tell Kela in advance about the duration and purpose of their residence abroad, which will allow Kela to check whether the change of residence has any consequences for the payment of benefits.

Certain groups of persons will retain their right to benefits beyond six months even after the new Act has become effective. They include employees who are posted abroad, researchers and development aid workers, who can retain their right to benefits for up to five years, depending on their country of destination. Students attending a full-time educational programme abroad will remain eligible for benefits for the duration of their studies.

Changes affecting employees and students arriving in Finland

After 1 April 2019, incoming foreign workers will qualify for Kela benefits if they earn at least EUR 696.60 per month (as of 2019). The right to benefits will no longer depend on the duration of the employment or the number of hours of work per week. Kela consults the national incomes register for salary information.

Further, persons who have worked in Finland for at least six months can retain their right to benefits for up to three months after they stop working or work fewer hours.

The new Act also has consequences for the status of students arriving in Finland. They can qualify for health insurance benefits and certain residence-based benefits. This requires that they move to Finland on a permanent basis. Students who come to Finland for a short period of time, for example one academic year, will not be eligible for benefits.

Decisions on social security coverage will no longer be issued

Kela will no longer issue a separate decision on social security coverage in Finland for persons arriving in Finland or moving abroad. Instead, Kela will check their right to benefits if they move to another country or when they first claim benefits after moving. However, persons moving abroad will be issued a decision if they so request.

Kela informs the affected individuals of the consequences of their change of residence as soon as it learns of it either from the population register system or is notified by the individuals themselves. For this purpose, Kela is adopting two new customer service letters aimed respectively at customers who currently receive and those who do not receive benefit payments.

Anyone moving abroad can use Kelas e-service to check the information on file concerning their residence in Finland or abroad, which is used by Kela to review their entitlement to residence-based social benefits.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, MARCH 25

India has sought to delink plans for a corridor to Sharda Peeth  an ancient seat of learning-cum-temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)  from the general freeze in bilateral ties, after a Pakistani minister let it be known that Islamabad is amenable to the proposal.

Corroborating the development, Pakistans sole Hindu parliamentarian Ramesh Kumar said, Work on the project will start from the current year after which Hindus in Pakistan will also be able to visit the site. I am going to visit the place and send a report to Prime Minister Imran Khan. It was not clear by when Indian pilgrims will be given access.

Civil society activists from both sides of the border have for long been seeking a Kartarpur-type corridor to the seat of learning of the same vintage as Taxila and Nalanda. They were successful in bringing soil and flowers from Sharda Peeth (another name for Saraswati), but were unable to breach the Indo-Pak deadlock on the issue so far.

Sources said India had been seeking a corridor in the now-suspended composite dialogue with Pakistan and it viewed the demand as in keeping with the religious sentiments of the people.

The last time a yatra was organised was around 1948. Till 1947, people used to actively visit Sharda Temple and adjoining ruins of Sharda University, noted Ravinder Pandita, founder member of the Save Sharda Committee Kashmir. There is immense significance also because Adi Shankaracharya visited Sharda and won a debate with scholars and was awarded a degree called Sarvanjnanapeetham (the throne of wisdom), he recalled.

On the other side of the border, Tanveer Ahmed, who worked in tandem with Pandita, said local activists had reached the site to initiate some restoration to the shrine, which was heavily damaged in the 2005 earthquake. Pakistan officials, too, reached the site an hour later, he mentioned. Ahmed concurred with the Indian version of having repeatedly requested Pakistan to open a corridor to Sharda Peeth. The demand for a corridor had picked up on both sides of the border after India and Pakistan began consultations on activating the Kartarpur corridor.

5,000-yr-old shrine
vinaymishra188@gmail.com

Islamabad, March 24

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a probe into reports of abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of two teenage Hindu girls in Sindh province and to take immediate steps for their recovery, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday.

The two girls, Raveena (13) and Reena (15), were allegedly kidnapped by a group of influential men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi. Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown solemnising the nikah (marriage) of the two girls.

In a separate video, the minor girls can be seen saying that they accepted Islam of their own free will.

In a Twitter post on Sunday, Information Minister Chaudhry said the PM has asked the Sindh Chief Minister to look into reports that the girls in question have been taken to Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab.

Chaudhry said the PM has also ordered the Sindh and Punjab governments to devise a joint action plan in light of the incident, and to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The minorities in Pakistan make up the white of our flag and all of our flags colours are precious to us. Protection of our flag is our duty, he said.

The Hindu community in Pakistan has carried out massive demonstrations calling for strict action to be taken against those responsible, while reminding Prime Minister Khan of his promises to the minorities of the country.

Last year, Khan during his election campaign had said his partys agenda was to uplift the various religious groups across Pakistan and said they would take effective measures to prevent forced marriages of Hindu girls.

Sanjesh Dhanja, president of Pakistan Hindu Sewa Welfare Trust, an NGO, earlier urged Prime Minister Khan to take note of the incident and prove to everyone that minorities were indeed safe and secure in Pakistan.

Dhanja said the Hindu community had staged several sit-ins in Ghotki district after which the police reluctantly registered an FIR against the accused persons.

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional MPA Nand Kumar Goklani, who had initially moved a Bill against forced conversions, urged the government to get the law passed immediately.  PTI

Swaraj, Pak minister in war of words

A war of words erupted on Sunday between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistans Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary over reports of abduction of two Hindu girls and their forcible conversion. In a tweet, Swaraj sought a report from Indian envoy Ajay Bisaria. Responding to Swarajs tweet, Pakistans Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary said: Maam its Pakistans internal issue and rest assured its not Modis India where minorities are subjugated, its Imran Khans Naya Pakistan where white colour of our flag is equally dearer to us. Swaraj, in her response to Chaudhary, said she had only asked for a report from the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience, she said. PTI

Largest minority
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 25

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on former Congress leader Sajjan Kumars bail plea as it was listed before a Bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna who had earlier recused himself in the matter.

As soon as the matter came up for hearing, Justice SA Bobde  who was heading the Bench  said the matter would be adjourned.

One of the advocates wondered how it got listed before a Bench in which Justice Khanna was there.

Justice Bobde said it was because of some last minute change in the Bench and listed it for hearing after two weeks.

Kumar has challenged a Delhi High Court order convicting and sentencing him to life imprisonment for killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in south west Delhi on November 1 and 2, 1984, and burning down a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II during the riots.

Kumar (73) had surrendered before a Delhi court on December 31 to serve life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life. He has sought his release on bail pending his appeal.

Almost 3,000 people were killed, most of them in Delhi, in the anti-Sikh riots that broke out following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

Terming the killing of Sikhs during the 1984 riots as a crime against humanity, the CBI has likened it with mass extermination of Jews by Nazis, mass killing of Bangladeshis by Pakistan Army and killing of Armenians by Kurds and Turks.

As such, this case has to be viewed in the larger context of mass crimes and requires a different approach than a case of normal murder/rioting, the CBI told the top court opposing Kumars bail plea.

The brutal murder of innocent Sikhs during the 1984 riots fall under the category of crimes against humanity on parity with well-known genocides worldwide like large scale killing of Armenians by Kurds and Turks, mass extermination of Jews by Nazis, mass killing of Bangladeshi citizens by the sympathisers of Pakistani Army and mass killing during various ethnic riots within India also, the CBI said in its affidavit.

In this case, the minority community was targeted by the spearheaded attacks of dominant political actors like the applicant/convict and duly facilitated by law enforcement agencies, it added.

The agency has opposed Kumars bail plea, saying he was a leader with a large political clout and capable of influencing/terrorising witnesses.

A fair trial in other 1984 riots cases pending against him would not be possible if he was released on bail, the agency submitted.

The Supreme Court had on January 14 issued notice to the CBI on Kumars petition challenging the Delhi High Courts verdict sentencing him to life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

He has sought suspension of sentence and grant of bail pending final adjudication of his appeal.

Bringing to justice the first-ever senior Congress functionary for his role in the 1984 Sikh carnage, the Delhi High Court had on December 17 last convicted former MP Sajjan Kumar of criminal conspiracy to murder five people of the minority community and sentenced him to imprisonment for the rest of his natural life.

Reversing Sajjan Kumars April 30, 2013 acquittal order passed by Delhis Karkardooma court, a Delhi High Court Bench headed by Justice S Muralidhar had said the trial court failed to address the charges of criminal conspiracy against Kumar.

Justice Muarlidhar too had termed it a crime against humanity.

The criminals escaped prosecution and punishment for over two decades. It took as many as 10 committees and commissions for the investigation into the role of some of them to be entrusted in 2005 to the CBI, 21 years after the occurrence, the HC had said.
editorial@tribune.com

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 24

The state government has cancelled the empanelment of all 90 private hospitals with the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESI) hospitals following complaints of alleged wrongdoing.

The decision was taken on the basis of field reports, which mentioned that ESI doctors and other employees were allegedly recklessly referring cases to private hospitals notwithstanding the fact that these institutes have specialised services as well as the infrastructure required for treatment.

Though no action has been taken so far against any senior medical officer or other staff for the wrong referrals, the empanelment has been cancelled with immediate effect. Under the empanelment scheme, employees were allowed to avail treatment from private hospitals on the state government insurance cards.

Health Secretary Satish Chandra issued the orders for cancelling the inclusion of the private hospitals under the ESI scheme. He told The Tribune that the decision was taken on the basis of the field reports that highlighted the reckless referrals.

These private hospitals were empanelled with the ESI facilities as the latter then lacked staff and equipment. However, we have filled the vacancies of specialist doctors and other employees in the last few months. We have also installed necessary equipment and infrastructure for the treatment of most diseases, he said.

The 90 hospitals were empanelled in October last year. The scheme was, however, started during the previous SAD-BJP regime.

Sources in the health department said many senior medical officers had referred patients to private hospitals instead of treating them at the ESI hospitals. The state government officials inspected the records and found that despite providing the required staff and equipment, patients were being referred to private hospitals.

Sources said the government may even conduct an inquiry into some cases if there were allegations that government staff received commission for the referrals.

Reckless referrals to blame

The decision was taken on the basis of field reports, which mentioned that ESI doctors and other employees were allegedly recklessly referring cases to private hospitals notwithstanding the fact that these institutes had specialised services as well as the infrastructure required for treatment.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday issued bailable warrants against Punjabs former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and MLA Bikram Singh Majithia, but recalled the order later, on a petition filed by Justice Ranjit Singh.

A former Judge of the High Court, Justice Ranjit Singh had alleged attempts by the two to bring to disrepute a commission headed by him for probing the cases of sacrilege in the state.

Before parting with the order, Justice Amit Rawal directed the issuance of fresh notice to the two as per procedure prescribed under Section 204 of the CrPC. The order is being interpreted to mean that the two will now have to appear before the Bench on the next date of hearing.

Justice Rawal, during the course of hearing, observed that Majithia was not personally served. As per office report, his personal assistant jotted down the date. But there was no representation on his behalf. Justice Rawal also observed that notice issued to Sukhbir was received back with the report that some work was going on in the house and no one, as per the guard, was residing here.

Justice Rawal also took note of submission by Justice Ranjit Singhs counsel APS Deol that the Court was empowered to issue warrant, in lieu of, or in addition, to summons.  service upon the respondents be effected by way of bailable warrant through Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandigarh as well as Amritsar, Justice Rawal added.

Before parting with the case, Justice Rawal observed when the court was about to rise, its attention was drawn to the copy of the summons issued to Majithia with another title. In my view, the particulars of the case were not correctly given on summons. Since summons was sent by mentioning different case number and title, therefore, it is not a valid service, Justice Rawal added. The official dealing with the matter was also directed to be careful in future after she appeared before the Bench and expressed remorse for the inadvertence.

Justice Ranjit Singh had moved the court for initiation of proceedings under Section 10A of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. The provision deals with penalty for acts calculated to bring the commission or any of its members into disrepute.

If the first-of-its-kind plea is allowed, the respondents may find themselves facing proceedings for simple imprisonment for a term extending up to six months, or fine, or both. Section 10-A, among other things, say: If any person, by words either spoken or intended to be read, makes or publishes any statement or does any other act, which is calculated to bring the Commission or any member thereof into disrepute, he shall be punishable with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Dera Baba Nanak, March 25

Farmers, whose land is sought to be acquired for the 4.5-km Kartarpur corridor project by the NHAI, will get compensation at the rate of Rs 34 lakh per acre.

With this development, after days of acrimonious arguments between farmers and NHAI and the Gurdaspur district administration, decks have finally been cleared for the construction of the corridor.

The NHAI will now take possession of the land and construction of the road and the Integrated Check Post (ICP) will commence soon.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gursimran Singh Dhillon, who was designated as Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA) by NHAI, today held a meeting with the farmers and resolved the issues, following which the rate was finally agreed upon.

The SDM added that the farmers had the right to go in for arbitration with the Jalandhar Divisional Commissioner.

It is their right to go in for arbitration. We cannot stop them from doing so. However, this will not affect the actual construction work of the corridor as according to the rules, the NHAI can now take possession of the acquired land. Once possession is taken, building work of the road and the ICP will start. If the arbitration proceedings go in favour of the aggrieved parties, they will be paid more, but that will have no bearing on the construction process, said the SDM.

Farmers were protesting the low rate of compensation by the NHAI.

Few days ago, protesting agriculturists were assured by Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa that they would not be paid a penny less than the official rate, following which they called of their protest.

The land of nearly 400 farmers is to be acquired for the project, which comprises the actual road (corridor) and the 50-acre ICP, which is to be built a stones throw away from the raised passage constructed by the BSF for viewing the shrine on the Pakistan side.

Terming it a positive development, Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujwal said, Whatever apprehensions were there now stand dispelled.

The SDM arrived at the price after taking into consideration the average rate of the last three years at which the land had been sold in and around the area. After that 100 per cent solatium was added to the amount.

A solatium is a form of compensation paid to somebody for emotional rather than physical or financial harm.

Now I am sure the passage will see the light of the day before the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak in November, said Randhawa.
editorial@tribune.com

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 24

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing police firing cases has come up with more evidence, negating the claims of some accused police officers, including an IGP and a former SSP. These accused had stated that the police had resorted to firing on protesters at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura on October 14, 2015, in self-defence.

While opposing the bail to former SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma, the SIT has placed on record medical reports and other documents to prove that protesters were sitting peacefully at Behbal Kalan until Charanjit Sharma and Inspector Pardeep Singh used foul and abusive language and slapped a protester.

It led to a full-fledged confrontation between the police and protesters. The police resorted to lathi-charge and opened firing without obtaining requisite permission from the duty magistrate, who was present at the spot. The SIT stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the Bargari police post was under threat as none of the protesters was carrying weapons. However, the police fabricated evidence by firing upon the escort Gypsy of Charanjit Sharma, alleged the SIT.

The post-mortem report of those killed in police firing has revealed that bullets were fired at the victims from upward positions, showing that the protesters were sitting at that time, claimed the SIT in its documents submitted in the court.

In an FIR against protesters, the police had claimed that ASI Surinder Kumar was beaten up by protesters so the police had to resort to firing in self-defence to save him.

However, in his statement with the SIT, Surinder has stated the police had fired at protesters before he was beaten up. His statement reads that the protesters burnt vehicles after the police firing led to the death of two persons.

The SIT has recovered the gun which was used to fabricate bullet marks on the Gypsy and the owner of the gun has also given his confessional statement, claimed the SIT. The SIT blamed the police officers for misleading the court, saying they did not produce true translation of the District Magistrate orders about the restrictions on protest marches.

Documents produced
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

London, March 24

The United Kingdoms exit from the European Union was in disarray on Sunday as Prime Minister Theresa May faced a possible plot by ministers to topple her and parliament prepared to grab control of Brexit from the government.

At one of the most important junctures for the country since World War II, British politics was at fever pitch and, nearly three years since the 2016 referendum, it was still unclear how, when or if Brexit will ever take place.

With May humiliated and weakened, ministers insisted she and the British government were still in charge of the country, and that the best option was still for parliament to ratify Mays twice-defeated Brexit divorce deal.

As hundreds of thousands of people marched across central London on Saturday to demand another Brexit referendum, May was the subject of what The Sunday Times said was a coup by senior ministers seeking to oust her.

The newspaper cited 11 unidentified senior ministers and said they had agreed that the prime minister should stand down, warning that she has become a toxic and erratic figure whose judgment has gone haywire.

When asked by Sky about reports in The Sunday Times and other newspapers of a plot and whether she had run out of road, finance minister Philip Hammond said: No. I dont think that is the case at all.

Changing prime minister wouldnt help us, Hammond said.

To be talking about changing the players on the board, frankly, is self-indulgent at this time.

Hammond said the best way forward would be for parliament to back Mays deal, although he said it might not be approved and so parliament should then try to find a way to end the impasse.

Im realistic that we may not be able to get a majority for the prime ministers (Brexit) deal and if that is the case then parliament will have to decide not just what its against but what it is for, he said.  Reuters
rajivbhatia82@gmail.com

London, March 25

A British Airways flight destined for Dusseldorf in Germany landed in the Scotish capital Edinburgh by mistake, after the flight paperwork was submitted incorrectly, a media report said on Monday.

The passengers only realised the error when the plane landed and the "welcome to Edinburgh" announcement was made.

The flight has now been redirected and landed in Dusseldorf, BA says. German firm WDL Aviation ran the flight for BA as part of a leasing deal, the BBC reported.

BA said it was working with WDL to find out why it filed the wrong flight plan.

"We have apologised to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually," BA said in a statement.

The airline declined to say how many passengers were affected by the mistake.

BA say the pilot wasn't lost at any point, but because the paperwork said Edinburgh, air traffic control allowed the flight to take that route.

The plane took off from London City Airport.

Sophie Cooke, a 24-year-old management consultant, who travels from London To Dusseldorf each week for work, said when the pilot first made the announcement that the plane was about to land in Edinburgh everyone assumed it was a joke. She asked the cabin crew if they were joking.

The pilot then asked passengers to raise their hands if they wanted to go to Dusseldorf.

Everyone raised their hands.

"The pilot said he had no idea how it had happened. He said it had never happened before and that the crew was trying to work out what we could do."

Sophie said the plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours, before flying onto Dusseldorf.

"It became very frustrating. The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks. It was also really stuffy," she said.

Passengers complained about the error on Twitter, with one person called Son Tran saying it felt "like an honest mistake".

BA responded saying it did not "currently have any information" as to why the flight had gone to the wrong place.

The airline said its customer service team in Dusseldorf had met all the passengers on arrival and would follow up with them "in due course". - PTI
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Addis Ababa, March 25

Ethiopian Airlines said on Monday it would keep close ties with US planemaker Boeing even though questions remained about its 737 MAX 8 model, after a crash shortly after take-off this month killed 157 people.

CEO Tewolde Gebremariam also promised to work closely with an investigation into the March 10 incident, after reports that the probe was under strain because the Ethiopian authorities were not sharing information with international partners.

Boeing has come under intense scrutiny since the crash, the second in five months involving its new 737 MAX 8 model. But Tewolde said the airlines relationship with Boeing was sound.

Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future, he said, in his most extensive written statement since the incident.

We pledge to work with Boeing and our colleagues in all the airlines to make air travel even safer, he said, although he added: Many questions on the B-737 MAX airplane remain without answers.

He said he did not want to speculate on the cause of the crash, but defended the airlines training programme.

Boeings 737 MAX fleet has been grounded worldwide, wiping $28 billion off the companys market value and throwing doubt over advance orders of the plane, worth more than $500 billion.

Tewolde said he supported the decision to halt flights of the plane. Until we have answers, putting one more life at risk is too much, he said,

Tewolde said both pilots of the doomed Ethiopian Airlines plane had been fully trained beyond the requirements of Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration.

The airlines Aviation Academy annually trains more than 2,000 pilots, flight attendants, maintenance workers and other employees for Ethiopian Airlines and other African carriers, he said.

We are the company others turn to for aviation expertise, he said, adding the company had invested more than $500 million in the last five years in training and other infrastructure in their Addis Ababa base. Reuters
The European Union and United Kingdom on Friday agreed to postpone the withdrawal by at least two weeks by extending Article 50, granting British Prime Minister Theresa May a third opportunity to push her exit deal through the Parliament.

A HARD BREXIT is more likelier than ever, views Arto Satonen (NCP), the chairperson of the Parliaments Grand Committee.

If the deal is accepted, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union on 22 May, one day before the elections to the European Parliament. If the deal is rejected for the third time, the British Parliament will be able to weigh up alternative options, including seeking further extension and crashing out of the EU, until 12 April.

Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union lays out the procedure for member states to voluntarily leave the EU.

Satonen on Sunday reminded in a press release that a no-deal withdrawal would be a major blow to the Finnish economy and create considerable uncertainty.

Brexit is a sad display of short-sighted populism depriving tens of millions of people of hope, he stated. A no-deal Brexit would immediately also dent Finland. Great Britain is an important trade partner for us and exports would likely contract substantially if it exits the EU without an agreement.

Finland exported a total of 2.7 billion euros worth of goods and 1.4 billion euros worth of services to the UK in 2017.

Satonen estimated that the best of the worst options would be to accept the exit deal and weigh up other options during the two-month extension. The UK, he added, has thus far managed to determine only that it wants neither to revoke its withdrawal notification, to accept the withdrawal deal in place, nor to leave the bloc without an agreement.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Wellington, March 25

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Monday a royal commission, a powerful form of public inquiry, into the events leading up to a March 15 attack on two mosques in Christchurch that killed 50 people.

It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to the bottom of how this act of terrorism occurred and what, if any, opportunities we had to stop it, Ardern told reporters at Parliament House in the capital, Wellington.

A suspected white supremacist has been charged with one count of murder over the Christchurch shootings and will next appear in court on April 5. Ardern has said the man had not been on any watch lists in New Zealand or Australia.

She said a major focus of the inquiry would be whether security agencies focused their attention on the right issues and whether there were any clues that were missed.

It would also include the role of social media and the suspects ability to obtain a weapon, Ardern said.

The precise terms of reference for the royal commission have yet to be announced but Arderns decision to call such an inquiry was welcomed by members of New Zealands Muslim community.

The announcement of an inquiry is a great call and the right thing to do. I hope that it will be an inclusive inquiry and that an opportunity will be provided to the Muslim community to feed into the terms of reference, said Guled Mire, a Muslim community advocate.

Its important we get this right so we can learn from past mistakes, he said.

Royal commissions are independent inquiries and are usually reserved for matters of the greatest public importance. Ardern said such an inquiry was an appropriate response to the attack but declined to give a timeframe while her government finalised the terms of reference.

Massey University security and defence analyst Rhys Ball, who formerly worked for New Zealands intelligence service, said the inquiry should include agencies such as customs, police and immigration.

I know that right-wing extremism was always considered a potential problem and was monitored from time to time and investigated, Ball said.

There may be some failings, may have been things missed, but its only fair that you apply that scrutiny to all agencies involved, he said.

Ball said the United States and Australia had held similar wide-ranging inquiries in the aftermath of major attacks. Reuters
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Washington, March 25

Donald Trumps campaign did not conspire with Russia during the 2016 election won by him, according to a summary of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report submitted to Congress on Sunday, in a major relief to the embattled US President on an issue that has cast a shadow on his presidency for nearly two years.

In a four-page letter to top lawmakers on Sunday, Attorney General William Barr highlighted two sections of the long-awaited Mueller reportRussias efforts to affect the 2016 presidential election and whether President Trump obstructed justice.

The report was submitted on Friday to Barr, who reviewed the document before handing a summary to Congress.

Trump, who repeatedly described the inquiry as a witch hunt, said on Sunday it was a shame that the country had to go through this, describing the inquiry as an illegal takedown that failed.

Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey and other actions throughout the probe raised concerns about the president trying to end the investigation.

Mueller, who spent nearly two years investigating Moscows determined effort to sabotage the last presidential election, found no conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign, Barr wrote in the letter to lawmakers.

Muellers team drew no conclusions about whether Trump illegally obstructed justice, Barr said, so he made his own decision.

The attorney general and his deputy, Rod J Rosenstein, determined that the special counsels investigators had insufficient evidence to establish that the president committed that offense.

Barr cautioned that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on the obstruction of justice issue.

The investigation had cast a shadow over the Trump presidency for nearly two years with the Democratic leadership alleging that Russian interference helped him in the 2016 polls.

Barr said that Mueller found no proof of such a conspiracy despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

The special counsels investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 US presidential election, the attorney general said.

For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction, Barr said, adding Mueller ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment.

The release of the findings was a significant political victory for Trump who described it as a complete and total exoneration.

Terming the allegation of collusion the most ridiculous thing ever, Trump said, Its a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest its a shame that your president had to go through this.

This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side, Trump said.

After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side where a lot of bad things happened... it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia, he said.

The Democrats were banking heavily on the results of Muellers investigation to defeat Trump in the 2020 elections. Many were also talking about impeaching the president if the report reveals collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.

While the president and his allies saw vindication in Barrs letter, Democrats questioned how Barr came to his conclusions and called for more information from Muellers report.

Citing concerning discrepancies, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said he planned to call the attorney general to testify.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement that Barrs letter raises as many questions as it answers and called for access to the full report.

For the president to say he is completely exonerated directly contradicts the words of Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility, the statement said.

Barrs letter could be just the beginning of a lengthy constitutional battle between Congress and the Justice Department about whether Muellers full report will be made public.

Democrats have also called for the attorney general to turn over all of the special counsels investigative files.

Barrs letter said that his goal and intent was to release as much of the Mueller report as possible, but warned that some of the report was based on grand jury material that by law cannot be made public.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the report has justified the presidents stand.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said this is a great day for all Americans.

As we have said all along, there was no collusion and no obstruction. Now that this investigation is over, Democrats need to finally end their baseless investigations and political crusade against President Trump for the good of the country, she said.

Trumps campaign manager Brad Parscale said the president has been completely and fully vindicated by Muellers report. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Islamabad, March 25

A Pakistani woman who had been tied with chains for several weeks and tortured by her husband has been rescued, police said.

The husband had allegedly kept his wife locked up at their residence in Sahiwal city for at least 20 days, an officer said. He has been arrested, the Dawn reported.

Alerted by neighbours, the rescue came through on Sunday.

TV footage showed the woman sitting on the floor of a room handcuffed, her shackled feet connected to a wall with a chain.

"My husband and in-laws used to tie me up and beat me," the woman told police after her rescue.

Media reports quoted the police as saying that the man had chained his wife up "on the pretext of her being possessed by demons" and would regularly beat her up brutally.

He had also taken their two children away from her, including an infant.

It was initially suggested that she was of an unsound mind but the woman has refuted the statement. She is currently in police custody.

Investigation officer Afzal Gill told DawnNewsTV that the woman would be presented in the court of a magistrate on Monday who will determine whether she requires mental healthcare.

Her children presently live with her husband's family. IANS
pardeepdhull@gmail.com

New York, March 25

After being hounded for over two years by accusations that he treasonously colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election, US President Donald Trump has won an exoneration after an arduous investigation and his opposition has received a setback.

But any reprieve is only temporary and the Democratic Partys leaders were unmoved by the summary of the finding of Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe released by Attorney General William Barr on Sunday afternoon and vowed to continue their own Congressional investigations of Trump.

After Barr released the summary in letters to Congressional leaders, Trump told the media that the probe and the Russian collusion charges were an an illegal take-down that failed and called for a probe of the other side.

With the Russia probe behind him, Trump may see an opportunity to navigate the treacherous political waters without the dark cloud of impeachment dogging him in the 20 months before the presidential election.

The Democratic Partys Congressional leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier on Sunday on a CBS TV talk show: We are not focused on impeachment. And the Mueller findings did not rise to the bar set by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that there should be something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan for an impeachment.

Trump may be able to regain some his standing to focus on pressing issues like the China trade negotiations and the North Korean nuclear stalemate.

He can claim a victory and the Democrats appear to have suffered a setback because of their singular over-reliance on the Russia-Trump collusion theory to bring him down in their rage after Hillary Clintons stunning defeat in the 2016 elections.

After 22 months of investigations involving 500 witnesses, examination of thousands of pages of documents, and 500 search warrants, Mueller has ruled out Trumps or his campaigns involvement with Moscow.

Trump gloated in an email to supporters: NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION - COMPLETE EXONERATION.

But most Democrats are unconvinced about the clean chit and have demanded the release of the full report hoping to find material to continue their pursuit of Trump.

A short letter from Trumps hand-picked Attorney General is not sufficient, Senator Kamala Harris tweeted.

Mueller has given them ammunition to continue their attacks on another front: Trump did not get an exoneration on a key allegation that he had tried to obstruct the investigations into Russian interference, which would be a crime. With a note of ambiguity, Barr said that in this regard Muellers report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

The Mueller investigation also produced collateral damage to Trumps reputation by association as five key members of his team, including campaign Chairman Paul Manafort, his personal lawyer Michael Cohen and former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, have been convicted - but only on charges like lying during investigations and tax and financial fraud unrelated to the Russian linkas result of information unearthed during the probe.

If these prosecutions were meant to pressure them to testify that there were Russian links, they did not work.

Mueller also established that Russia interfered in the elections through a campaign of disinformation and social media manipulation to sow social discord, and by hacking Clintons and Democratic Partys computers and email and publicising damaging information.

Of the legal action launched against 34 individuals and entities during the probe, some involved Russians.

The action now shifts to Congress and federal and state prosecutors offices where elements from the Mueller investigation may be used.

Having wrested control of the House of Representatives in November mid-term elections, the Democrats are poised to launch investigations by several committees into various aspects of Trumps businesses, campaign, conduct and foreign involvement. Many of the panels have demanded that Trump officials preserve documents they may require.

Federal prosecutors in New York are looking into Trumps property deals and whether his swearing-in gala received illegal foreign contributions, and possibly into actions by his family members. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating loans from Deutsche Bank to Trumps enterprises and has taken action against the Trump charitable foundation.

There are also personal civil cases pending against him in several places.

When Trump spoke of the take-down that failed and said the other side should be probed, he was speaking to the deep-seated fears among his supporters that a well-entrenched establishment - the Washington swamp as Trump has called it - was conspiring to overthrow him.

Trump supporters in Congress like Devin Nunes have said that there was an orchestrated campaign within the administration of former President Barack Obama and within the Federal Bureau of Investigation against Trump.

This they say started with a dossier on Trump compiled by Christopher Steele, who had worked for the British intelligence service, and was partially paid for by the Clinton campaign through a US private investigation company. It was shared among politicians and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

They also allege there were various leaks of information damaging to the Trump campaign by officials.

Another sore point for them was the decision during the last days of the Obama administration to not take action against Clinton for using a private email server for classified information in violation of rules.  IANS
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Washington, March 25

President Donald Trump signed a decree on Monday at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the United States recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

The decree formalised Trump's statement on March 21 saying it was time for the United States "to fully recognize" Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. The move appeared to give Netanyahu a boost ahead of the closely contested April 9 Israeli elections.

Damascus calls it attack on Syrian sovereignty

Beirut: Syria has called the U.S. decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights a "blatant attack" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying it had a right to reclaim the territory.

"The liberation of the Golan by all available means and its return to the Syrian motherland is an inalienable right," Syria's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

"The decision...makes the United States the main enemy of the Arabs."

The statement said nothing could change the "eternal historical fact that the Golan was and will remain Syrian Arab".  Reuters
Political Leader of the Tobago Council Tracy Davidson-Celestine may soon find her position untenable, as more Executive members of the Tobago Council resign.

There have been four additional resignations from the Executive of the Tobago Council of the PNM in the last 48 hours, following the first one from former chairman Stanford Callender.
Okay, I am prepared to give the new governor of Tobago one-half an apology for writing last week that he is a fool. Be nice to the young man, nah... he trying to put together an energetic team to first salvage, then turn around the islands economy...
Oakland based Producer and Rapper TOPE releases his first single of 2019 connecting with San Diego's Jimmy Javier. Something smooth to ride to in the night time, TOPE questions the loyalty and commitment of a past lover on "No Lie." TOPE has been one of underground hip hop's best-kept secrets for sometime recently producing for Slum Village, Skyzoo, Gift Of Gab of Blackalicious, Blu, Abstract Rude, and more TOPE also received co-signs from soul music icons Erykah Badu and Cody Chesnutt for his early releases. After a relocation from Portland, Oregon to Oakland things have been a little quieter than normal for TOPE on the music front as he has taken some time away to start his own creative company

, produce an album for up and coming R&B artist

, and more. Now linking with Javier, it sounds like TOPE got his groove back on "No Lie." Press play and be sure to add "No Lie" to your playlist!
Flag carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has reportedly ruled out cancellation of orders it had made to America-headquartered Boeing company to supply it with Boeing 737-800 Max jets.

This is despite the concerns that had been raised following fatal crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 jets; the crash of Indonesian airline Lion Air flight 610 on October 29, 2018, and the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 tragedy on March 10, 2019.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Government clarifies Kenya Airways doesn't fly troubled Boeing 737 Max 8 jet

Kenya Airways chairman Michael Joseph was quoted saying the airline would not cancel its order for Boeing 737 Max 8 jets. The carrier had ordered for 10 B737-800 Max jets. Photo: Kenya Airways.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Drama as UK-bound Boeing 737 MAX jets turn around mid-air following ban

In an interview with Business Daily (BD), KQ's chairman, Michael Joseph, disclosed the carrier had no intention to take off the table the deal it had with Boeing even as other airlines across the world revoked orders they had placed for B737-800 Max jets for safety reasons.

The only option we have planned for is the Boeing 737-800 Max. This will make it easier for us to conduct training and maintenance of the aircraft, the former Safaricom CEO said as quoted on Monday, March 25.

READ ALSO: Trump grounds all Boeing 737 Max 8, 9 aircrafts days after Ethiopian Airlines' plane crash

The loss-making Kenyan national carrier is reportedly planning to acquire a fleet of 10 new Boeing 737-800 Max jets which are expected to cost the taxpayers an estimated KSh 120 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) in total.

We are hoping that between now and the time when we will be ready to acquire the new fleet, Boeing will have sorted out the current issues, Joseph said.

The issues he was referring to include a software problem that is widely believed to be responsible for the crash of both Lion Air flight 610 which went down with 189 people and Ethiopian flight 302 which claimed 157 lives.

READ ALSO: Ethiopian Airlines plane crash: Pilot's family holds send-off prayers, body still missing

The revelation by the KQ chairman comes a few days after Indonesia's flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, announced it had revoked its order for 49 Boeing 737 Max 8 jets, becoming the first airline to cancel a contract with Boeing.

Garuda Indonesia, headquartered in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang city, clarified it resolved to cancel the KSh 600 billion (US$ 6 billion) deal with Boeing after passengers started losing trust in the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

READ ALSO: CNN matatani kudai Ethiopian Airlines ilipoteza sifa kuafuatia ajali iliyowaua 157

Several countries across the world had banned Boeing 737 Max 8 jets from flying in their airspaces including the United States where the troubled jets are made.

Below is the list of some of the countries where Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft were grounded for safety precaution:

1: Australia banned Boeing 737 Max

2: Malaysia has banned flights of 737 Max aircraft into and out of country

3: United Kingdom has banned 737 Max 8

4: Norwegian Air has banned Boeing 737 Max fleet

5: France has banned 737 Max jets

6: Germany closed airspace to 737 Max

7: Oman suspends temporarily 737 Max jets

8: Ireland banned all variants of 737 Max planes

9: Iceland banned 737 Max 8

10: Singapore has banned 737 Max 8

11: Turkish Airlines grounded all Boeing 737 Max aircraft until further notice

12: Italy banned commercial flights of 737 Max 8

13: Netherlands banned 737 Max 8

14: Europes EASA suspended all 737 Max operations in Europe

15: China was the first to ban 737 Max 8

16: India banned 737 Max 8

17: United Arab Emirates banned 737 Max 8 ban

18: Kuwait banned 737 Max 8 ban

19. United States of America grounded both 737 Max 8 and Max 9

READ ALSO: 257 people dead in Africas worst plane crash in recent history

The reason why Kenya was not in the list of countries that had grounded Boeing 737 Max 8 jets following the fatal Ethiopian plane crash was because the country's flag carrier (KQ) does not have that kind of aircraft model in its fleet yet.

Transport CS James Macharia on March 13 confirmed there was no single airline in the country that operated Boeing 737 Max 8 jet being grounded by other countries.

We wish to state that no Kenya air operator has in their fleet the affected aircraft type, he noted.

TUKO.co.ke understands KQ currently has a fleet size of about 44 aircraft including all-Boeing long-haul fleet of one 777-300ER, six 767-300ERs and four 777-200ERs.

Do you have a life-changing story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Has The Government of Kenya failed the people of Turkana? - On Tuko TV

Source: Kenyan Breaking News
The following is a release by the Elections and Boundaries Commission on the recount request
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, which were created in an extremely short period of time, have become the pride of the country.

"To be certain of the changes in our country, one should go to the front. Our army is the pride of our country. It was created in an extremely short period of time. There are 50,000 women  snipers, intelligence officers, military doctors, experts in electronic warfare  among 250,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is also our achievement," President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said at a meeting with the students and professors of the National University of Bioresources and Natural Resources of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, NATO generals did not believe in the possibility of creating a combat-capable army in Ukraine.

"In 2014, the soldiers were taken to combat zone by school buses. Nobody believed then that we would save our state and create the army. The four-star generals of NATO came and told me: "Mr. President, you simply do not know how it is done. The creation of one brigade requires five years. If you want to have 30 brigades, they will not be created in your lifetime, it's impossible." I replied: "Let's see." We involved the volunteer troops. We appointed the best commanders, who showed their worth in the first days of the war, and the army was created," Poroshenko said.

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The Russian armed formations again neglected the norms of the humanitarian law and shelled two schools in Donetsk region.

According to the OSCE SMM report based on information received as of 19:30, 22 March 2019, in the Trudivski area of the Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of the city centre) at 1 Samarska Street, the SMM saw a fresh impact (15cm hole) 30cm above ground in the north-west facing side of a functioning school building, assessed as having been caused by heavy-machine-gun fire, the press service of the JFO Headquarters reports with reference to the Ukrainian side of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination.

As the school staff told the SMM, the shooting had occurred on 21 March in the early morning, when the pupils had been in attendance. However, they refused to answer any further questions without permission from senior members of the armed formations.

The indicated scheme shows that the Armed Forces of Ukraine can in no way be involved in damaging the school because the distance to the closest Ukrainian positions is 3,450 meters at least, which is unattainable for firing a machine gun, and also because the school is located inside a residential area and is surrounded by the residential buildings on all sides. Taking into account the fact that the impact is 30 centimeters above ground, the bullet could not bypass all those houses, the press service reports.

The observers spotted another shelling of a school in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk). As the SMM was not allowed to enter the school, it could not assess the type of weapon or the direction of fire. As the monitors note, the Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot be involved in the shooting of the school as the distance to the actual contact line and, accordingly, to the closest Ukrainian positions is more than 2,200 m. In addition, the school building is located inside the dense environment of multi-storey buildings, while the landscape in the direction of the Ukrainian positions is closed, that is, creates an obstacle for opening fire from small arms.

The cited facts testify to the provocative nature of the actions of the Russian-occupation troops that are trying thereby to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine and cover up their crimes against the civilian population, the JFO Headquarters notes.

ol
The association agreement with Ukraine is the most powerful and most ambitious one, which the European Union has ever signed.

"As a result of the Revolution of Dignity, we managed to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. It is the largest, most powerful and most ambitious agreement, which the EU has ever signed with the European countries," Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for Euro-Atlantic integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said during a meeting with students of the Zhytomyr Medical Institute, the press service of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration reports.

According to her, about 30% of European directives and regulations are to be applied to the Ukrainian legislation for ten years. In addition, the association agreement facilitates the reform of various branches of the economy.

"We have already seen the concrete results, which we must continue to implement. We have already used the first freedom - a visa-free regime - and we continue to work on the freedom of goods, trade. We must defend the opportunity: to cross the Rubicon of no return," the Vice Prime Minister added.

ol
The militarization of Russian-occupied Crimea remains a threat to the international security.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin today, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

The illegal annexation of Crimea remains a threat to the international security system, and the militarization of the peninsula is of concern to the international community, Asselborn said.

He noted that Luxembourg, as a member of the European Union, as well as the entire EU, supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

We strongly advocate that the annexation of Crimea should be never recognized ... We stand for the release of all hostages and their return to Ukraine. We also support the position that representatives of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission should have access to the entire territory of Ukraine, including Crimea, Asselborn summed up.

ish
03/25/2019

Contact:Nancy Cicco: 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette: 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu

This is a notice of upcoming events, photo opportunities and story ideas at UMass Lowell. In case of inclement weather, call UMass Lowells weather hotline at 978-934-2121; if the university is closed, events are canceled. For more, visit www.uml.edu/pressroom.





Sources of the week

UMass Lowell faculty experts are available to discuss:

Why the Mueller report and Russia investigation is failing to capture the attention of some Americans;

General Motors new drive to build electric and autonomous vehicles, including: -

- How these new cars and trucks are reshaping the auto industry

- The new technology being developed at UMass Lowell for use in EVs

- The ethical challenges associated with autonomous vehicles

Contact UMass Lowell media relations if you need an expert source on any subject.

M2D2 $200K Challenge Features Cutting-Edge Biotech Innovations

When and where: Wednesday, March 27, 5 to 9 p.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell

What: Finalists in the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) $200,000 Challenge will pitch their medical device and biotech innovations to a panel of expert judges for a chance to receive services including legal, business and clinical assistance to help bring their concepts to market. The event will also feature speaker Rick Bright, director of the Biomedical Advances Research and Development Authority and deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Since its inception in 2007, M2D2, a partnership between UMass Lowell and UMass Medical School, has assisted more than 100 startups. Members of the public who would like to attend should email MaryAnn_Picard@uml.edu.

Repair Cafe to Showcase Skills of Women Engineering Students

When and where: Saturday, March 30, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lawrence Lin MakerSpace, Falmouth Hall, Room 102, North Campus, 201 Riverside St., Lowell

What: The public is invited to bring clean, mendable clothing, knitted and crocheted items and broken lamps, clocks, small appliances and bicycles to the UMass Lowells Repair Cafe, where students in the campus chapter of the Society of Women Engineers will fix goods for free. The students will also demonstrate how to change vehicles windshield wipers, add needed fluids and locate the jack and spare tire in car trunks. Donations are requested to cover to cost of parts; participants may also bring the parts needed to make goods whole. Members of the public interested in more information should email Linda_Barrington@uml.edu.

International Civil Rights Leader to Headline Day Without Violence --NOTE:This event has bee canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date.







When and where: Tuesday, April 2, 12:30 to 2 p.m. OLeary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell



What: Civil rights champion Fania Davis, UMass Lowells 2019 Greeley Scholar for Peace Studies, will deliver the keynote address at the universitys annual Day Without Violence, a free program for the campus and public. Davis came of age in Birmingham, Ala., where the murder of two of her childhood friends in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of 1963 cemented her resolve to become a justice-seeker and healer. She is the founder and director of Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY), which works to transform public schools and juvenile court systems through reconciliation and other programs that are alternatives to punitive zero-tolerance policies. Free parking for the public will be available in the nearby Wilder Lot.

Acclaimed Writer, Actress, Advocate to Share Work at Free Event

When and where: Thursday, April 4, 5 p.m. OLeary Library Learning Commons, Room 222, South Campus, 61 Wilder St., Lowell

What: Acclaimed writer, actress and advocate for people with disabilities Marianne Leone will read from her work and talk about her creative process in a free program for the campus and community. Leone is the author of the memoirs Jesse: A Mothers Story, which recounts her familys efforts to care for her son with cerebral palsy, and Ma Speaks Up: And a First Generation Daughter Talks Back. She has appeared in HBOs drama The Sopranos and in films by David O. Russell, Larry David, John Sayles and Martin Scorsese. Best-selling author and UMass Lowell English Prof. Andre Dubus III will also participate in the event, the latest in the universitys Writers on Campus series. Leone and her husband, Oscar-winning actor Chris Cooper, hold honorary degrees from UMass Lowell. Free parking for the public will be available in the nearby Wilder Lot.

Animals Visual World, Impact on Science Explored at Program

When and where: Thursday, April 4, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. University Crossing, 220 Pawtucket St., Lowell

What: While humans can see the colors of the rainbow, the visual world of animals is totally different. Many birds, insects, reptiles and aquatic animals perceive colors in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, which exists literally over the rainbow and goes unseen by humans. Charles Clark, chief of the National Institute for Standards and Technologys Electron and Optical Physics Division and an authority on the properties of light, will talk about the latest scientific findings connected to the ultraviolet spectrum, how animals ability to see it affects their behavior and how scientists understanding of it is influencing advances in physics, astronomy and climate change. The free event for the public and campus is one in the UMass Lowell Kennedy College of Sciences Eric and Lola Chaisson Lecture Series on Science and Society.
Selfies are not so modern as they might appear to be. People have been taking selfies for centuries. But at that time, they were referred to as self-portraits. These artistic self-portraits first started with paintings and then moved on to being taken by the first cameras. We bring to you 10 of the oldest selfies of all times that are taken with cameras. These selfies play a significant role in helping us understand how the photography world has developed over the years.

1. A self-portrait taken by Robert Cornelius in 1839 has been officially declared as the worlds oldest selfie. The words the first light picture ever taken were written on the back of his photo.

Robert Cornelius is a pioneer in the history of American photography. His parents were immigrants from Amsterdam and his father was a silversmith who later opened a lamp manufacturing company. When Cornelius finished school, he started working for his father. He became an expert in silver plating and metal polishing. His work became so famous that when the daguerreotype, the first ever photography process, was invented, he was approached by Joseph Saxton. Saxton, an American inventor and photographer, wanted him to create a silver plate for his daguerreotype. This sparked an interest in photography in Cornelius.

Cornelius had a keen interest in chemistry while he was at school, so, he combined his chemistry knowledge with the metallurgy experience and worked towards improving the daguerreotype. At the age of 30, he took a self-portrait outside their family shop. The year was 1839, and this image was the first ever self-portrait. Cornelius had to sit motionless for about 10-15 minutes for the imprint to take place on the exposure. (source)

2. Hippolyte Bayards self-portraits were well-known in the 1840s. He created his first staged photograph entitled Self Portrait as a Drowned Man in 1840 as a response to the injustice subjected to him when he was persuaded by a friend to not declare his photography technique costing him the recognition as one of the principal inventors of photography.

Hippolyte Bayard is another pioneer in the history of photography. He was a French photographer and invented his own technique to take print photographs. His method consisted of the production of direct positive paper prints in the camera itself. On June 24, 1839, he became the first person to hold a public photography exhibition. He also claims to have invented photography before Louis-Jacques Mande Daguerre of France and Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot, the two men who are hailed as the inventors of photography.

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Bayards photo-developing method involved exposing silver chloride paper to light. This turned the paper to black. The black paper was then soaked in potassium iodide before being exposed in a camera. After the exposure, it was washed in a solution of hyposulfite of soda and left to dry.

Bayard wanted to take his technique to the French Academy of Sciences, but he was persuaded by Francois Arago, a friend of Louis Daguerre the inventor of the daguerreotype process, to postpone it. Because of the delay, Bayard lost his chance to be recognized as one of the principal photography inventors. In response to this injustice to which he was subjected, he created his masterpiece Self Portrait as a Drowned Man in 1840. (source)

3. Jean-Gabriel Eynard was one of the first Swiss people to use the daguerreotype photography technique. He created numerous self-portraits in the 1840s making him one of the pioneers of the modern-day selfie.

Jean-Gabriel Eynard was one of the first enthusiasts of the daguerreotype method of photography. He started using the daguerreotype in 1839. This made him one of the first people in Switzerland to use this method of photography. He kept his passion alive until he breathed his last in 1863.

The pictures above are a few of his self-portraits. (source)

4. Henri-Jacques-Edouard Evenepoel was a Belgian artist whose self-portrait using a mirror dates back to 1897-1898.

Henri-Jacques-Edouard Evenepoel was an artist from Belgian, well known for his artworks related to Fauvism. Fauvism refers to the painting style of a group of modern artists of the 20th century. These particular group of artists emphasized vibrant and colorful artistic styles as opposed to the representational or realistic styles prevalent at that time.

But this Belgian painter was not just constrained to paintings. Evenepoel experimented with camera selfies and seriously considered them as a form of artistic expression. The picture above is a selfie Evenepoel took around 1897-1898. (1, 2)

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5. Hannah Maynard used an exposure trick in photography to give the impression that there are many of her in her self-portraits. These multiple-exposure self-portraits were created by her around 1893.

Hannah Maynard was active in the late 1800s, primarily around 1893. She was the first official photographer for the Victoria Police Department. She is famous for the eccentric self-portraits that depicted multiples of her in the same self-portrait. Like in the above photograph, there are five of her in the same frame! The trick is the utilization of multiple exposures. Maynard seemed to have exceeded the abilities of the cameras available during that time.

In the above photograph, two of her are depicted, dressed in identical Victorian clothing and having tea. Also, there seems to be a painting of her too on the wall, pouring tea over one of the seated Hannahs. Seems she had a mischievous side apart from her brilliant knowledge on multiple exposures! (1, 2)
For 15 years, Anass Mousa worked as a printer in Damascus, Syria. Now safe from war, the 40-year-old is putting his skills to good use at Croatias oldest printing company.

I think this is my chance, he says. I can work in my area of experience. Printing is my hobby, my work, my life. I am never tired around these machines. I love them.

Graficki Zavod Hrvatske (GZH) prints textbooks for schools. It is employing refugees like Anass in a win-win arrangement that could be a blueprint for social integration and a partial solution to Croatias labour shortage.

The idea was first proposed by Domagoj Zeba, Executive Director of Production at GZH.

When the refugee crisis happened in 2015 I was just a normal guy, watching it all on television, he says. Of course, I was moved and I thought: We are going to have to do something about this. We had a war here ourselves [in the 1990s], so we have some experience of that. You cannot be cold when it comes to peoples needs.

"I am never tired around these machines."

Until recently, five refugees were working at GZH but two left, leaving three, including Anass. The company is open to hiring more. Zeba wants reliable people who will stay a meaningful length of time and whom he could perhaps promote.

Tamara Karakhanova, 40, is an Armenian who fled to Russia during the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the time of the Soviet collapse. Her family did not settle well in Russia and sought asylum in Croatia in 2012.

Anass stacks sheets of paper at Croatia's oldest printing company.  UNHCR/Marko Mihaljevic

It was quite a long process, says Tamara. We were in a reception centre for a while. Now we rent our own house and our kids are getting the education they missed. Our daughter wants to be a make-up artist and our son is interested in computers.

Low-paid catering and delivery jobs can be a lifeline for refugees, who may not have brought education certificates or proof of previous employment from home. This means they are entered into the employment database as unqualified.

The Croatian Employers Association (CEA) is frustrated by bureaucratic barriers like these which deter many companies from hiring refugees under a government scheme.

Executive director Domagoj Zeba and Anass discuss one of the company's projects.  UNHCR/Marko Mihaljevic

The scheme aims to help the unemployed by offering internships, on-the-job training and subsidies for employers. However, only a few small firms including GZH have taken on refugees under the scheme, while some 40,000 jobs nationwide remain vacant.

It is a great loss for refugees and for our society, says CEA director Marija Sutina. We would like to see those who are qualified, or could be re-qualified, moving to better jobs, with better rights. Specifically, we would like to see them moving into manufacturing.

Croatia has a population of some four million. Since 2004, it has officially granted international protection to 720 refugees.

See also: Syrian refugee baker rises to the challenge in Germany

For Anass, the printing job is a good opportunity. It offers him the chance to become established in Croatia and maybe one day reunite with his wife Rama, who is still waiting in Syria.

When his Croatian improves, he will be able to read instructions and move on to more complicated jobs than the paper folding and stacking he currently does. He is doing his best to learn the language in his spare time.

I am happy with this simple start here, he says, smiling. I dont have the time or strength to move around anymore. I need to build something up now for myself and my wife. The good times are starting. I can feel it.
By Zinyange Auntony in Chipinge, Zimbabwe, and Catherine Wachiaya in Nairobi, Kenya | 25 March 2019 | Espanol | Francais | 

Congolese refugee Deborah Kibangu stands in front of her collapsed home in Tongogara refugee camp, Zimbabwe.  UNHCR/Zinyange Auntony

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working to dispatch emergency relief items  including tents, tarpaulins, solar lanterns, cooking utensils and other items  to help refugees who lost their homes in parts of Zimbabwe devastated by Cyclone Idai.

The cyclone affected tens of thousands of people when it struck the eastern coast of Southern Africa during the night of 1415 March, causing torrential rain and flooding in parts of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.

The refugee agency is working with the governments of the affected countries and other humanitarian partners to assist those in need. These include refugees in Tongogara, Zimbabwe, and the communities hosting them.

One survivor is Deborah Kibangu, 44, who fled to Tongogara to escape conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

My children dont even have a single pair of shoes. Everything was washed away by the rains.

She had built a two-room house for herself and her two children. On Saturday, she stood next to its destroyed walls and surveyed the damage.

My children dont even have a single pair of shoes, she said. Everything was washed away by the rains.

Before the cyclone, my life was hard. Now its just gotten worse, she added.

Zimbabwe's displaced struggle in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai (Vania Turner: videographer / Sifiso Khanyile: camera / Alex St-Denis, editor)

Deborah is one of some 13,000 refugees at Tongogara camp. They and 20,000 residents who live nearby need urgent assistance.

More than 100 people are reported to have died due to the cyclone in Zimbabwe and the government has declared a state of disaster. In Chipinge district, where Tongogara camp is located, over 2,000 refugee houses, mostly built with mud bricks, were completely or partially damaged and over 600 latrines have collapsed.

UNHCR staff on the ground have conducted a rapid assessment to determine the extent of the damage and concluded that there is a danger of waterborne diseases as borehole water is feared to be contaminated by flood waters.

We have compiled emergency shelter and core relief items from our global stock which will be flown into the affected areas immediately, explained Valentin Tapsoba, UNHCRs Regional Director for Southern Africa.

The relief cargo will include items like family tents, plastic tarpaulins, sleeping mats, cooking sets and utensils, jerrycans, buckets, mosquito nets, solar lamps and soap.

Two women walk past a house destroyed during Cyclone Idai's landfall at Tongogara refugee camp in Chipinge district, south-eastern Zimbabwe.  UNHCR/Zinyange Auntony

Two boys stand amid a large pool of water dumped by Cyclone Idai, at Tongogara refugee camp, Zimbabwe.  UNHCR/Zinyange Auntony

Rwandan refugee Magdalena Niragire sits by the rubble of her home partly demolished by torrential rains that pounded Tongogara refugee camp, Zimbabwe.  UNHCR/Zinyange Auntony

A UNHCR worker talks with the family of Magdalena Niragire at Tongogara refugee camp, Zimbabwe.  UNHCR/Zinyange Auntony

We are planning to distribute these critical items to some 30,000 people in dire need," added Tapsoba.

The assistance will come as a huge relief, not least for elderly refugee Magdalena Niragire, who sits among the rubble of her demolished house. The 97-year-old Rwandan lost nearly everything when the cyclone struck.

We are planning to distribute these critical items to some 30,000 people in dire need."

My life is not good. Im always sick and now Ive lost all my property in the rain, she said.

She is lucky to have her family with her and they are trying to rebuild her house.

By responding to this situation and by using our expertise, we continue to demonstrate solidarity with the people of this region, says Tapsoba. For decades, they have hosted refugees and shared their limited resources with them.

UNHCR will continue to support the effort to respond to the urgent needs of the affected, including refugees and their host communities.
When thousands of children, women and men fled Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for safety in western Tanzania, they spent months in dilapidated emergency shelters and tents, at the mercy of wet season rains.

But thanks to flexible funding from its donors, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, was able to build 470 robust, long-lasting shelters. While the overall need is far greater, they gave the most vulnerable the security, comfort and privacy they desperately needed.

UNHCR uses the so-called unearmarked funds in three main ways: to make an immediate difference in peoples lives by kick-starting emergency responses; bolstering efforts in underfunded and forgotten crises, and scaling up programmes in a coordinated and efficient way.

Unearmarked funds are vital, said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, during a recent visit to Nyarugusu camp in western Tanzania, which is home to more than 150,000 refugees.

How does UNHCR use unearmarked funds? (Kathryn Porteous, producer)

They allow us to build shelters, to help with the education of refugees, to promote activities which bring together the host communities and the refugees, he added.

In the East African country, needs are acute as UNHCRs operations are severely underfunded, at just 6 per cent of the US$126 million sought.

In addition to providing the new, more environmentally friendly housing, flexible funding has allowed UNHCR to keep schools open and support projects such as farms and small businesses that benefit not just the 162,000 refugees in Tanzania, but also their host communities.

Congolese refugee Apolina Nyassa, 86, lives alone in a Refugee Housing Unit (RHU) given to refugees with special needs, at Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

Burundian refugee Nimbona Valyne, 26, teaches at Jugudi Primary School in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, Tanzania. There are 68 boys and 44 girls in her class.  UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin

Syrian refugee Amira with her daughter Amani in their home in an informal settlement in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, February 2018. The family built their shelter with wood and tarpaulin supplied by UNHCR.  UNHCR/Hannah Maule-ffinch

Two men build a house as part of a UNHCR construction project in the Malemaka district of Bangui, Central African Republic, November 2017.  UNHCR/Djerassem Mbaiorem

A class is in full swing at Mbera camp, Mauritania, May 2018. UNHCR support to primary education includes paying stipends to teachers and maintaining the school facilities  UNHCR/Jose Manuel Caceres

With around 68 per cent of the funding UNHCR received last year earmarked or tightly earmarked for spending in particular situations, up from about 65 per cent in 2017, flexible funding is more important than ever.

In Lebanon, which hosts around one million Syrian refugees, unearmarked funds provide cash assistance that helps cover rent, pay for education, and, during the chill winter months, help pay for shelter materials and fuel.

In the Central African Republic, where a gradual transition to peace and stability began in late 2016, flexible funds are supporting the reintegration of thousands of returning refugees and internally displaced people.

In Mauritania, meanwhile, they are supporting primary education for almost 6,000 Malian children, paying the salaries of 120 teachers and school staff working in six primary schools, two extensions and school canteens.

I thank those donors that trust us and give us the responsibility to make the choice of where to put those funds, Grandi said during his visit to Tanzania.

And I want to encourage all donors to support refugees with unearmarked funding so that we may respond quickly and to those in need.
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Ukraine imports natural gas worth $57 mln in January

Swiss-registered companies supplied the largest batches of gas to Ukraine.

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Police are now probing Volynvuhillia over the non-payment of UAH 5.9 million ($220,000) in salaries from July 15 to September 5, 2018.

Ukraine's police are investigating two companies and a factory over a coal deal which some anti-corruption campaigners say epitomizes the difficulties of doing business in the east European country.

The sums involved in the deal are small but the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, an independent watchdog, says it illustrates the lack of transparency in Ukrainian business, an issue in a presidential election on Sunday that has cost President Petro Poroshenko support, Reuters said.

Read alsoRussia sells stolen Donbas coal as its own to Turkey, Europe without latter's knowing that  Ukraine's minister

State-run coal company Volynvuhillia ordered the Novovolynska-9 mine it oversees in Novovolynsk, northwestern Ukraine, to sell coal to privately held Ukrainskiy Natsionalniy Product (UNP), company documents show. A contract was agreed in December 2017 and sales began two months later.

Volodymyr Yurkiv, the mine's director at the time, told Reuters he complained to the energy ministry about the contract because it allowed UNP to pay eight percent less for its coal than the minimum price set by the ministry for private buyers.

He and trade unions also protested to the ministry when miners went unpaid as Volynvuhillia spent on other projects and went into the red. Police are now probing Volynvuhillia over the non-payment of UAH 5.9 million ($220,000) in salaries from July 15 to September 5, 2018, suspecting unnamed UNP officials of lining their pockets while the miners struggled to make ends meet, according to court documents. Police declined to name the officials.

Energy ministry figures show wage arrears in state mines had reached UAH 138.8 million by January 1. Former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk told Reuters the arrears were largely caused by company officials spending money that should go to salaries on big purchases such as equipment because of the kickbacks that often go with such purchases.

Asked about the sales contract with UNP, Andriy Pylypiuk, acting manager of Volynvuhillia, said the coal purchase price in the original contract was an error that was corrected after the deal and that UNP quickly started paying more for its coal.

Company documents seen by Reuters confirmed the price increase.

Pylypiuk said his company supported selling to UNP because no other firm wanted to buy coal from Novovolynska-9 and that UNP had offered to pay up front. He denied wrongdoing.

Andriy Dombrov, who owns UNP, declined to answer Reuters' questions. Police provided no details of how the investigation is going. The energy ministry declined comment.

A second police investigation is underway into an arrangement under which Volynvuhillia pays a local factory to enrich, or clean, the coal sold to UNP. Police are probing whether this arrangement, part of the sales contract between UNP and Volynvuhillia, is a criminal conspiracy.

Mykhailo Bondar, head of a parliamentary subcommittee on the coal industry, says Lvivska Vugilna Compania (LVC) enrichment factory is being paid for a job it does not do because it lacks the technology needed. Yurkiv said the coal had previously gone directly to electricity generators without being enriched.

Andriy Vengryn, who is a principal at LVC as well as a representative of UNP, denied any wrongdoing in the deal with Volynvuhillia. He confirmed LVC is doing the enriching and said the factory needs the extra coal to improve its financial well-being, telling Reuters: "I am in full compliance with the law."

Read alsoUkraine's energy minister: Coal bought from Belarus not of occupied Donbas origin

He added that under his management LVC had been rescued from the verge of bankruptcy. "There are a lot of unfair rumors about me," he said.

When Energy Minister Ihor Nasalyk tried to step in last May, his order that the deal with UNP be canceled was not acted on. Nasalyk did not respond when asked about his order not being carried out.

A special energy ministry commission has twice recommended Pylypiuk's dismissal, in March last year and in May. But the energy ministry said Pylypiuk had provided written justifications for his and Volynvuhillia's actions and that it found no grounds to dismiss him.

"The deal between UNP and Volynvuhillia epitomizes many of the problems of doing business in Ukraine," Andriy Savin, a lawyer at the Anti-Corruption Action Centre in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, told Reuters. "Such deals show why foreign investors are so wary of investing in Ukraine."

"This (situation around the sales deal between Volynvuhillia and UNP) ... is undermining Poroshenko's authority," said Mykhailo Volynets, leader of the Ukrainian miners' trade union.

Looking ahead to this month's election, he said the situation helped explain why people "want changes, new faces in power," he said.

Poroshenko's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment but the president has dismissed such criticism in the past.
Russia's S7 Space confirms plans not to buy Ukraine's Zenit space launch vehicles

There is no known timeframe when the contract would be terminated.

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Canada interested in buying Ukrainian eggs, meat, apples

A Canadian delegation of experts will arrive in Ukraine in May to inspect the Ukrainian quality control system.

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OPEC Fund Partners Ameriabank to Address Problems and Help to Improve the Life of People in Armenia. T. Alnassar.

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"We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement

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Russian energy ministry expects Russia, Ukraine to agree on gas transit after 2019

The final trilateral meeting between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union on gas transit via Ukraine can be held in September-October 2019, Russian official said.

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In the Ukrainian capital, Uber acts as the actual fleet operator, rather than having drivers introduce their own cars.

The mobility company Uber has launched its service UberGreen in Kyiv.

In the Ukrainian capital, 200 electric cars of different makes are to take to the streets and the company expects 10,000 people using the service by the end of April. Yet in other cities, progress has been slow, according to Electrive.

Kyiv is not the first city in which Uber is trying to encourage the uptake of electric cars. UberGreen is currently available in Bucharest as well as Amsterdam, Paris, London, Lisbon, Porto, Zurich, and Munich.

In Kyiv, Uber acts as the actual fleet operator, rather than having drivers introduce their own cars. In the Ukrainian capital, the fleet comprises 200 electric vehicles, including Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Hyundai Ioniq, Tesla S, BMW i3, Chevrolet Volt, and Chevrolet Bolt cars, according to the Kyiv Post.

Uber has been trying to increase efforts to help their usually freelance drivers to switch to electrified options, not the least due to incoming legislation preventing gas guzzlers from entering city centers. In London for example, the company has introduced a surcharge through the app that is to translate into an extra for the driver reportedly. Moreover, a trial in Berlin is imminent, the report claims. On an even greener note, Uber has also bought into e-bike sharing services as they acquired Jump to add to its mobility portfolio.

For UberGreen to render real results though, increasing the number of available electric cars remains critical. Given that UberGreen started in Bucharest with 20 EVs, the 200 electric cars for Kyiv seem a good start.
The man tried to receive the duplicate of his Ukrainian documents, which he allegedly lost

In Kharkiv, operatives of the Security Service of Ukraine detained the DPR militant, who traveled there seeking to regain the previously lost Ukrainian ID, the press office of the Security Service reported via Facebook.

In early 2019, the man decided to move to Ukraine for permanent residence. He tried to get a duplicate of his documents, which he had allegedly lost. However, the SBU found that in February 2015, the militant had joined the illegal DPR armed group in Horlivka, 112 Ukraine TV channel reported.

The man served in the "military intelligence of Novorossiya" and was actively involved in fighting against the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Read alsoRussian intelligence plotted terror attack in Kharkiv subway ahead of elections  SBU

Law enforcers searched the detainee's apartment where they found an RGD-5 grenade and a TNT explosive. A criminal investigation was opened.

Earlier the SBU detained a man in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region; he appeared to be the informant working for the terrorist organization known as 'DPR' ["Donetsk People's Republic"].

The law enforcers found out that the local resident gathered data on the movement of Ukrainian military vehicles in Kramatorsk. He passed the information to the members of an illegal armed group.

The perpetrator was detained and charged with the creation of a terrorist group.

The pre-trial investigation is underway.
He thinks it necessary to seriously address the issue of counter-propaganda in the occupied areas.

Volodymyr Zelensky, who polls say is now a frontrunner in the presidential race in Ukraine, believes that negotiations on Donbas need to additionally include representatives of the United States and United Kingdom.

Speaking with TSN, the candidate said he also considered it necessary to seriously address the issue of counter-propaganda in the occupied territories.

There are Minsk agreements. Everyone says they are not working, but, nevertheless, we must continue the Minsk process. I would like to expand it and add representatives from the USA and the UK. But you know, it seems to me, a number one thing should be a serious information war. [Otherwise] people who now live in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk  'LPR/DPR'  may lose contact with us," Zelensky said.

Read alsoComedian Zelensky remains frontrunner in Ukraine presidential race: Poll

On the issue of Crimea de-occupation, the comedian, actor and Sluha Narodu Party leader hopes for a breakthrough after the change of leadership in Russia.

"If we win, this will be the first step toward the return of Crimea. I believe that the return of Crimea is possible [perhaps this could upset someone now] only after a change of leadership in Russia," he said.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted Law On the Security Service of Ukraine on March 25, 1992.

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko congratulated the staff of the Security Service of Ukraine on the 27th anniversary of the agency's creation.

The muscle that the SBU has built up over the past 5 years instill fear in enemies and confidence  in Ukrainian society. The SBU has become an effective mechanism for protecting national security and citizens," Petro Poroshenko wrote in a greeting delivered via Facebook.

Read alsoSBU blocks several Russian intelligence networks in 2018  Poroshenko

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 22, during ceremony on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the SBU founding, Poroshenko stressed that over the five years of war, the SBU prevented almost 300 terror attacks; exposed, including for treason and espionage, 341 individuals, who were later convicted; seized more than 8,000 thousand illegal weapons, over 960,000 explosive devices, and 10 tonnes of explosives. The Security Service of Ukraine has also identified and prevented waves of cyberattacks by the Russian special services on state electronic resources and critical infrastructure systems. During the aggression of the Russian Federation in the east of Ukraine, 27 SBU operatives were killed. Two of them posthumously received a title Hero of Ukraine.

*** On September 20, 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine by its decree On the Establishment of the National Security Service of Ukraine liquidated the State Security Committee of the Ukrainian SSR [KGB]. On March 25, 1992, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law On the Security Service of Ukraine.
According to the official, the visit is supposed to have some kind of impact on the presidential campaign in Ukraine.

Ukraine's representative to the Trilateral contact group believes no Ukrainian politician will succeed in making concessions on Donbas on Russia's terms as the Ukrainian society will not agree to such terms.

The representative of Ukraine to the Tripartite Contact Group for resolving the situation in Donbas, Yevhen Marchuk, considers speculative a recent Moscow visit by one of the presidential candidates, Yuriy Boyko, along with the chairman of the political council of the "Opposition Platform - For Life" Party Viktor Medvedchuk.

This shows [the visit's] simple speculative nature  if there is such a naive idea that even if there is a new president he will be able to retreat from a constant that the whole society praises, he said, answering the question on what the visit of the presidential candidate to Moscow could indicate.

Read alsoAP: Ukrainian presidential candidate meets Russian PM in Moscow

Do you think that society would allow some politicians to accept the conditions Russia is setting? We all know Russia's conditions, and no politician will ever be able to go for such compromises on Russia's terms, Marchuk stressed.

According to the envoy, the visit is supposed to have some kind of impact on the presidential campaign in Ukraine. The statements by Putin and the Russian establishment are an attempt to influence the very election campaign, summed up Marchuk.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 22, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller met in the PM residence outside Moscow with presidential candidate Yuriy Boyko and Chairman of the political council of the "Opposition Platform - For Life" Party, Viktor Medvedchuk.

It was stated that the interlocutors had discussed issues of cooperation in the gas sector. Boyko said he was ready to offer the Russian Federation options for overcoming the transit gas contract, since the current government of Ukraine "is not pro-active" in resolving the issue.
More than 1,500 troops and over 300 units of military equipment have been deployed to take part.

The Russian Ministry of Defense is holding large-scale exercises of airborne forces in the illegally-annexed Crimea.

Tactical exercises involving airborne assault and artillery regiments of the Seventh Guards Airborne Assault Division employ more than 1,500 paratroopers, more than 300 units of military equipment, as well as military transport aircraft and helicopters of the Black Sea fleet, RFE/RL's Ukrainian bureau reports.

Previously, Russia announced the strengthening of its military grouping in the occupied Crimea.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on March 11 said that this "provides for the protection of the territory of the peninsula and Russian interests in the Black Sea."

Read alsoPutins Crimea visit "violation of Ukraines sovereignty": Poroshenko

Earlier it was reported that on March 1, Russian missile forces held launch exercises involving coastal missile systems "Bastion" and "Ball."

Since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has been holding regular military exercises across the peninsula.

The General Staff of Ukraine Armed Forces calls illegal the actions of the Russian military in Crimea.
Monitors representing the aggressor state cannot observe the holding of democratic elections, the foreign minister stressed.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin states that Russian observers cannot monitor Ukraine elections either from the political or the legal points of view.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn, Ukraine's top diplomat said: And despite the fact that, as we all believe, the question of Russian observers has exhausted itself, I'd like to say once again that we will have no observers [from the Russian Federation] either long-term or short-term, none of them, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

Observers from an aggressor state which has violated all possible and impossible principles of international law and moral principles cannot observe the holding of democratic elections, the foreign minister said.

Read alsoUkraine denies registration to Russian citizens nominated as OSCE/ODIHR observers

This is impossible neither politically nor legally, as you perfectly understand, nor simply from a moral point of view. And of course, we do understand that official Russian observers don't work for democracy, they work for the relevant special services of their country, added Klimkin.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on February 7, the Verkhovna Rada prohibited citizens of the Russian Federation from registering as official observers at the presidential elections in Ukraine, elections of people's deputies of Ukraine, and local elections.

Chief of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Inhiborg Solrun Gisladottir, expressed disappointment with the decision. According to her, the ban to Russian observers was contrary to Ukraine's obligations before the OSCE and its member states.

Read also"Unprecedented" number of observers registered for upcoming presidential election in Ukraine  CEC

On February 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine noted that the ban was not contrary to the international obligations of Ukraine in the field of free and democratic elections.
In total, 2,344 observers from international organizations and foreign states will take part.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has completed the registration of foreign observers for the presidential elections in Ukraine.

"We have just completed the registration of the last foreign observer for the presidential election in Ukraine. In total, 2,344 observers from international organizations and foreign states will take part," adviser to the CEC head Oleksandr Ostapa wrote on Facebook.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on February 7, 2019, passed bill No. 9524 on amendments to certain laws on observing the electoral process in Ukraine that bans citizens of the Russian Federation from being recruited as election observers for the presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in Ukraine.

On February 26, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko enacted a law that bans citizens of the Russian Federation from being hired as election observers for the presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in Ukraine.
He also debunked the myth that the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexiy had allegedly considered the possibility of giving the Ukrainian church complete independence.

If the head of what was formerly known as "Moscow Patriarchate", Metropolitan Onufriy, agrees to become part of the newly-created orthodox Church of Ukraine, Patriarch Filaret will welcome such decision.

We will accept him as a brother, said Filaret, 90, who is an honorary patriarch of the OCU, according to Glavkom.

Patriarch Filaret also debunked the myth that the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexiy had allegedly considered the possibility of giving the Ukrainian church complete independence, and that his Letter of Independence inked in the early 1990s was only the first step.

Read alsoUnlike KGB, SBU doesn't tell church what to do  Filaret

The hierarch stressed that no one wanted to give Ukraine neither autocephaly nor independence in managing itself. At the Local Council, where the Patriarch of Moscow was elected, and where they elected Patriarch Alexiy, not me, as primate, I raised the question that the rights of the Ukrainian Exarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church should be expanded. Because Mikhail Gorbachev then raised the issue of expanding the rights of the republics. Since Ukraine as a republic received wider rights, respectively, I sought more rights for the Ukrainian Exarchate. And then the Council issued a resolution that the UOC was granted the right of self-management, but only as part of the Moscow Patriarchate, Filaret said.

He noted that Patriarch Alexy had later brought that Letter to Kyiv, and after the liturgy in St. Sophia Cathedral, he handed it over to Filaret. This was still in the times of the USSR. And when the Union collapsed and Ukraine declared itself an independent state, then at the Council of the Ukrainian church I raised the question of complete independence. And we at the Council of November 1-3, 1991, made such a decision, he recalled.

As Patriarch Filaret noted, the current head of what was formerly called the "Moscow Patriarchate", Metropolitan Onufriy, was among the signatories of that decision.
Not a single enemy shelling was left without an adequate response.

On March 24, the Russian occupying forces three times fired at the positions of Joint Forces, according to the press center of the JFO HQ.

During the shelling, the enemy four times opened fire from weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements, the report says. A total of thirty-eight 120mm and 82mm mortar shells were launched on Ukrainian positions.

All enemy attacks on our positions were carried out in the zone of responsibility of the operational-tactical grouping 'Pivnich' [North]: with the use of 82mm mortars  near the village of Zolote-4; 82mm mortars and small arms  in the area of Novoluhanske; 120mm and 82mm mortars as well as weapons installed on an infantry fighting vehicle  near the town of Popasna," the report reads.

Read alsoRussian-led forces never allowed OSCE SMM to patrol zone supposed to be weapon-free  Envoy

The past day brought no casualties among Ukrainian troops.

Not a single enemy shelling was left without an adequate response, the headquarters said.

According to intelligence data, on March 24, two invaders were killed and another one was wounded as JFO returned fire.

From day-start today, the enemy twice shot at positions of Joint Forces in the zone of responsibility of the operational-tactical grouping Pivnich: sniper weapons were fired in the area of Luhanske; large-caliber machine guns and small arms  near Novotoshkivske, the message says.

As a result of shelling, two Ukrainian defenders were injured.

Information on enemy losses as a result of a Ukrainian fire response is being verified.
Russian occupation forces are trying to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine has said Russian-led forces fired at two schools in Donbas.

"In the Trudivski area of the Petrovskyi district in Donetsk city (non-government-controlled, 15km south-west of the city centre) at 1 Samarska Street, the SMM saw a fresh impact (15cm hole) 30cm above ground in the north-west facing side of a functioning school building, assessed as having been caused by heavy-machine-gun fire. School staff told the SMM that shooting had occurred on March 21 in the early morning, and that pupils had been in attendance at the time, but refused to answer any further questions without permission from senior members of the armed formations," the OSCE said in an update based on information received as of 19:30 Kyiv time on March 22, 2019.

Read alsoOSCE spots Grad projectiles in residential areas of Ilovaisk

"At 13 Shkilnyi Avenue in Holmivskyi (non-government-controlled, 49km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM observed a 1cm hole and several cracks in the second-floor window on the northern side of a functioning school. As the SMM was not allowed to enter the school, it could not assess the type of weapon or the direction of fire. School staff told the Mission that the damage had been caused by a bullet in the late afternoon of March 20 and that there had been no pupils in the school at the time. The school staff member added that, according to instructions received from senior members of the armed formations, they were neither allowed to let the SMM enter the school nor to talk to the SMM," reads the report.

As the JFO HQ said on Facebook citing Ukrainian members of the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC), the Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot be involved in the shooting, since the distance to the actual contact line and the closest positions of the Ukrainian military is over 2,200 meters.

The Ukrainian side of the JCCC says these facts suggest the provocative nature of Russian occupation forces' actions, who are trying to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine and cover up their crimes against the civilian population.
The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops.

Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas on March 25, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.

Read alsoOSCE: Russian-led forces fire at two schools in Donbas

"Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time. One occupier was killed and another two were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook.

The enemy opened fire from 122mm artillery systems, 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns and small arms at the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Novotoshkivske and Luhanske.

The situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation remains under control of Ukrainian troops.
Russian military officials are visiting to discuss equipment maintenance and training, and strategy, the source claimed.

Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this weekend as part of ongoing military cooperation between the two allies, a Venezuelan official said Sunday.

Russian military officials are visiting to discuss equipment maintenance and training, and strategy, the official said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, the Associated Press repoted.

In December, Russia sent two Tu-160 strategic bombers to Venezuela for several days in a demonstration of support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has rejected demands from the United States and dozens of other countries that he resign.

Flightradar24, a flight-tracking site, showed the flight path Saturday of what it listed as a Russian air force plane, apparently headed to Caracas while flying across the Caribbean. The Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet had flown from Moscow via Syria, where Russia supports President Bashar Assad.

Read alsoRussian air force planes land in Venezuela carrying troops: report

In January, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president, saying Maduros re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges that Guaido is a collaborator in a U.S.-directed plot to overthrow him.

Last week, U.S. and Russian officials met in Rome to discuss Venezuela, but remained split on how to resolve the crisis.

Russia says it is concerned that the U.S. is considering military intervention in Venezuela. The U.S. says it is focusing on economic and diplomatic efforts to oust Maduro, though President Donald Trump has said all options are on the table.
The recognition, which Trump had announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory in an election boost for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as his chief political rival sought to appear as a better alternative to lead Israel.

During a White House visit by Netanyahu, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, in a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. Israel seized the strategic land from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, as reported by Reuters.

The recognition, which Trump had announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move.

Read alsoNo double standard in Trump's Golan Heights decision  Pompeo

The Israeli prime minister, who faces an election on April 9, earlier on Monday cut short his U.S. visit after a rocket fired from Gaza injured seven people near Tel Aviv. He arrived in Washington on Sunday, originally for a four-day trip.

Signing the document as Netanyahu looked over his shoulder, Trump said: "This was a long time in the making."

He handed the pen that he used for his signature to Netanyahu, and said: "Give this to the people of Israel."

Netanyahu welcomed Trump's move and said Israel has never had a better friend. He harked back to two previous Middle Eastern wars as the reason why Israel needs to hang on to the Golan.

"Just as Israel stood tall in 1967, just as it stood tall in 1973, Israel stands tall today. We hold the high ground and we should never give it up," he said.

The rocket attack near Tel Aviv in central Israel, blamed on Hamas, came as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel group, held its annual meeting in Washington with speaker after speaker expressing U.S. support for strong ties with the country.

"We stand with Israel because her cause is our cause, her values are our values, and her fight is our fight," Vice President Mike Pence said.

Pence also talked tough against Iran, saying that under Trump, "America will never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon."

Netanyahu's strongest election challenger, Benny Gantz, appeared before the gathering on Monday, and vowed to protect his country against threats from Iran and Syria. He called for unity in Israel.

"We must remember if that we want hope, we must have unity," he said.

With election day approaching, opinion polls put Netanyahu's right-wing Likud and Gantz's centrist Blue and White party neck and neck.

Trump's event came as he celebrated the end of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether Trump's 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia. Attorney General William Barr on Sunday said Mueller found no evidence that the campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia.
Pompeo called on Russia to cease its unconstructive behavior.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has called on Russia to stop the continued insertion of its military personnel to Venezuela.

Read alsoVenezuela says Russian planes land for military cooperation  AP

"The Secretary told Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov that the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela. The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela risks prolonging the suffering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President Juan Guaido," Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a press release following Pompeo's call to Lavrov on March 25.

"The Secretary called on Russia to cease its unconstructive behavior and join other nations, including the overwhelming majority of countries in the Western Hemisphere, who seek a better future for the Venezuelan people," reads the report.
The practice of medicine in the US may well find itself in intensive care in the coming years due to the high demand for physicians, but ironically foreign-born doctors are struggling to get licensed in this country.

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, a deficit of 121,000 physicians is projected for 2030 in the US, a scenario that could be alleviated if the procedures whereby thousands of foreign physicians get certified can be streamlined.

I admire the dedication with which these doctors are devoting themselves to the course of study. They are completely focused on their studies and are participating in all the activities that were organizing for their training, including ... on the weekends, Julio Giron, the head of the Kaplan Test Prep headquarters in Miami, told EFE.

The company - which also has offices in Chicago, Pasadena, New York and Houston - specializes in preparing people to take dozens of standardized tests and licensing exams, including the US Medical Licensing Examination, and later for their residency period in hospitals and medical centers.

A foreigner or immigrant who graduates from a medical program in their homeland - after, on average, seven years of study - who wants to make the difficult transition to pursuing the medical profession in the US first must get through the procedure to acquire a student visa and take an English exam.

Then, they will have to study in the US for an average of about three years to be able to pass the four exams making up the USMLE and be able to foot the bill for all that study and test prep with online courses costing up to $30,000.

Finally, the years of residency remain and the length of time spent in this phase depends on the area of specialty.

Alvaro Soria, from Bolivia, is one of the thousands of Latinos, who make up the majority of students, who are preparing for the exam by studying eight hours a day in class, at home, in local cafes and on the University of Miami campus.

Our aim is to pass this exam, Soria told EFE, noting that hes been in the program for three months and has set this goal for himself both because of his passion for medicine and out of gratitude to his family.

He said that his older brother Sergio emigrated to the US after graduating as an odontologist in Bolivia, but he never was able to practice his profession in the US and is currently paying for his younger brothers studies.

Its a lot harder than I thought, but my gratitude to him and to my mother gives me strength, Soria said.

Even if they make it through the entire process, Soria and his fellow students will face the dilemma of how to work in the US when their student visas have expired.

The US has an enormous scarcity of doctors but those who are trying to validate their degrees here, when they finally get them, dont find it easy to work, immigration attorney Tammy Fox-Isicoff told EFE.

The procedure, she said, includes applying for a J visa, which is granted in situations where someone is obtaining professional training but it obligates the recipients to return to their countries of origin for two years when they have finished the residency period, thus running the risk that they will lose their contacts and forget what they (learned) here.

The other option would be to compete for one of the 65,000 H1B visas, which are the ones employers extend to professionals after they graduate - and they are much in demand.

Fox-Isicoff said that the scenario has gotten more complicated because of the tightening of immigration policies by the Donald Trump administration.

The most recent AAMC report said that there is a serious threat that the US will have a shortage of doctors by 2030, in particular in four broad categories: primary care, medical specialties, surgical specialties and other specialties.
WASHINGTONA newly released public opinion poll of registered voters in the United States shows overwhelming disapproval of a proposal to lift the ban on trophy hunting in Botswana and to initiate regular culls of the countrys elephants. On February 21, a Botswanan cabinet subcommittee recommended lifting the hunting ban and starting regular elephant culling to President Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, who is expected to make a decision soon.

The United States is Botswanas second largest source of tourists. The results of the U.S. poll show that 75 percent of respondents think it is important to protect elephants from trophy hunting. An overwhelming 78 percent of respondents do not support the proposed culling. Furthermore, 73 percent of respondents believe that if trophy hunting and elephants culls are started, Botswanas image as a leader in wildlife conservation would be harmed. With reports of elephant poaching on the rise in Botswana, 75 percent of those surveyed were worried about elephant poaching.

In a historic move, Botswana banned trophy hunting in 2014. After the ban went into effect, the country became a popular tourist destination for travelers who want to support ecotourism and the countrys iconic wildlife. In fact, this highly productive industry is considered to be under threat since many visitors choose Botswana as their safari destination specifically because of its firm anti-hunting stance. Using data from the CITES international trade database, Humane Society International estimates that Botswanas trophy hunting ban has saved nearly 2,400 elephants and 140 leopards from the bullet so far. Leading tour operators have stated that the proposal goes against everything the country stands for and implementation thereof would amount to taking regressive steps rather than building on a sound ecotourism record.

Sign the petition to protect Botswanas elephants

In 2018, travel and tourism in Botswana experienced 3.4 percent growth, contributing US$2.52 billion or 13.4 percent to the countrys economy and supporting 84,000 jobs or 8.9 percent of Botswanas total employment. Leisure travel accounted for 96 percent of travel and tourism spending, and almost 3/4 of spending came from international travelers. With tourism now the second largest contributor to the countrys GDP and a significant employer, reinstating trophy hunting and starting elephant culls could hurt the countrys economy.

Iris Ho, senior specialist for wildlife programs and policy at Humane Society International, said, Millions of foreign tourists travel to Botswana to shoot majestic wild animals, not with guns, but with their cameras. Wildlife watching and photographic tourism is on the rise around the world, outstripping the revenue from trophy hunting and the number of trophy hunters by a wide margin. The current ban on trophy hunting is a win-win policy for Botswanas economy, for the local community and for the animals. There cannot be a more drastic shift for a country known as a safe haven for elephants to become an elephant canning factory for pet food. With poaching of elephants across Africa on the rise, legalized hunting and culling is severe blow to Africas rapidly declining elephant population.

In conjunction with the release of the polling results, more than 87,000 people from around the world signed HSIs petition to the president of Botswana, asking him to keep the trophy hunting ban in place and to reject plans to cull the countrys elephants. HSI also led a sign-on letter from 33 animal welfare and wildlife conservation organizations from around the world with similar appeals.

The poll of 1,091 registered voters was conducted by the Remington Research Group from March 3-5, 2019, with a margin of error of +/-3 percent and a 95 percent level of confidence.

ENDS

Media contacts:

United States: Nancy Hwa, (202) 676-2337 (office), (202) 596-0808 (mobile), nhwa@hsi.org

Africa: Leozette Rood, +2771 360 1004 (mobile), lroode@hsi.org
The restoration of Cupars Burgh Chambers reinstated an abandoned and endangered historic gem to its rightful position as the dazzling centrepiece of the towns Georgian townscape, and a symbol of economic regeneration in a struggling town centre.

Neglected for 40 years, this Common Good building was brought back to life in a imaginative and faithful restoration, adapting it for use as a holiday flat, complete with local furniture and paintings from the Georgian era, to visitor and community delight.



This project was the culmination of 5 years partnership work by the community, Fife Council, Fife Historic Buildings Trust and a team of specialist consultants and contractors. For decades, the community had lobbied for a future to be found for the neglected common good property.

However, the building was severely constrained by the physical arrangements of the rooms, which had very poor accessibility and difficult relationships to neighbouring properties. Feasibility studies identified a range of potential uses and following development work and further community and stakeholder consultation, the preferred use emerged as a short-term holiday let.

This use accommodated the access constraints, limited impact on historic fabric, was financially viable in the long term and delivered community benefits.

The 148m2 building is B listed and sits at the key town centre location, with an elegant bow front and clocktower overlooking Cupars wide medieval marketplace. Neglected for many years, the buildings condition was poor and it was designated At Risk. Structural movement had required emergency steelwork to be installed, masonry was spalling, the clocktower leaning and water leaking. It looked terrible, a symbol of decline at the heart of the conservation area.

Technical investigations revealed a complex building with layers of construction phases presenting challenges to its structural and fire safety integrity and complex relationships to neighbouring buildings. This made it impossible to install a lift, constraining potential uses.

The philosophical approach was to retain as much original fabric as possible and enhance authenticity with the reinstatement of historic finishes and removal of modern interventions. Contemporary improvements were either hidden or simply presented in an understated manner, deferring to the historic fabric.

A detailed process of designing conservation repairs included lime plastering and elaborate cornices, a lead dome, burgh streetlamp, clock and weathervane restoration, extensive joinery repairs and window restoration. An especially complex process of removing cement and synthetic paint from the existing sandstone facades was completed through painstaking steam processes, followed by hand tool stone repairs and repointing. This allowed the existing distorted masonry window openings to be retained, with the original sash and case windows brought back to working order.

During the works, many original historic features were uncovered, most retained to increase the heritage value of the completed project. Energy efficiency was dramatically improved with the introduction of up to 300mm of sheeps wool, a natural renewable form of insulation that mitigated the risk of interstitial condensation. Acoustic insulation to the shop below was also substantially enhanced.

An innovative passive stack natural ventilation system with heat recovery was installed, using redundant chimney flues to provide fresh tempered air, without heat loss. This avoided ingress of noise and air pollution from the adjacent main road through open windows.

Change of Use requirements for building standards were challenging to resolve, requiring extensive consultations and specialist design over fire safety, accessibility, acoustics and thermal performance. The interiors were carefully designed to achieve a modern level of comfort, while retaining original fabric and bringing a level of local historic authenticity and character. A suite of authentic Georgian colours was matched to the individual sequence of spaces. Light fittings were carefully selected to suit the period, while the new kitchen was designed as a discrete and sympathetic contemporary intervention.

The team worked with the local historical society to source a range of local paintings, etchings and artefacts displayed throughout the building. A local Scottish furniture expert helped to identify and source original Georgian furniture, including a long clock and other items made in Cupar. All of this added to the locally authentic character of the restoration and the quality of the visitor experience.



The total project cost was 571,000 (3,858/m2 incl. fees) and this was provided from a range of grant bodies including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, Fife Council and Fife Environment Trust. A total of 297,840 was grant funded.

The property rents for around 570/week and is managed by Fife Historic Buildings Trust on behalf of Fife Council, who own the building as a common good property. FHBT employs a local person part-time to manage the building. https://fifehistoricbuildings.org.uk/fife_holiday_lets/cupar-burgh-chambers/ Bookings have exceeded targets.



The revenue generated funds the long-term maintenance of the building, with any surplus contributing to the towns common good fund. The building is available to the community for suitable uses, such as providing accommodation for artists in residence during Cupar Arts Week or as a place to visit during Doors Open Day. This was another advantage identified in the use as short-term let.

The team ran an extensive community engagement programme to showcase the project:

 Doors Open Day began gave many residents their first chance to see inside the building

 Hard hat tours gave stakeholders a chance to meet the architect and contractors and see restoration work up close.

 Courses for local contractors demonstrated sash & case window and masonry repairs.

 Training for Fife Council masonry apprentices used it to highlight common repair and maintenance issues.

 High School students visited at several stages, meeting the architect, Project Officer and CARS Energy Efficiency

Officer. Learning included architecture, design, energy efficiency and traditional skills. As a result, the school hosted

a traditional skills/careers showcase on campus.

 An over-subscribed open day for the public after completion  with overwhelming positive feedback from local

residents and groups.



This project has been a stand-out success, not just in conserving the historic fabric of an important building and financially safeguarding it long-term for the benefit of the community, but in using finite resources to also deliver training and learning for local people, creating a powerful symbol of economic regeneration for a struggling town centre, and showing how cross-sector partnerships can deliver sustainable futures for challenging common good buildings. In this, the project is an experience to share with other communities.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The alleged threat of Islamists coming to power in Algeria is being actively used by the incumbent government as an excuse to restrict people's right for protests amid the ongoing political turmoil, retired Maj. Gen. Ali Ghediri, a presidential candidate in the postponed Algerian election, told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2019) The alleged threat of Islamists coming to power in Algeria is being actively used by the incumbent government as an excuse to restrict people's right for protests amid the ongoing political turmoil, retired Maj. Gen. Ali Ghediri, a presidential candidate in the postponed Algerian election , told Sputnik.

Last week, newly appointed Algerian Prime Minister Ramtane Lamamra embarked on a big diplomatic tour, having visited several EU countries and Russia. According to the TSA Algerie newspaper, in a bid to secure support during visits to Germany and France, Lamamra referred to the danger of Islamists' accession to power in the country and mass migration to Europe as the two main threats that the current anti-government protests could entail.

"The government does not stop referring to the Islamist threat so that Algerians do not take to the streets for protests due to the danger of a recurrence of the events of the 1990s ... Now all Algerians are taking part in street protests. Some media report about millions of demonstrators, and there are no Islamists among them! This does not mean that we should not be vigilant. Objectively, it is rather an excuse that the government abuses to limit demonstrators' right to protest," Ghediri, a former Defense Ministry senior official who now calls for a "change of the system" and establishment of a "second republic," said.

Dwelling on the 1991-2002 Algerian Civil War, Ghediri described a conflict between the Algerian government and Islamic rebel groups as a "solved problem." According to the politician, the Islamists have realized that they have to adhere to established rules if they want to stay in Algeria.

As for migration, the presidential candidate opined that "in the 1990s, in the midst of unrest and bloodshed, not many Algerians emigrated to Europe."

The migration, however, has taken on an "alarming scale" since President Abdelaziz Bouteflika came to power in 1999, Ghediri claimed, adding that the flows dropped after the current protests broke out, which makes any fears of mass immigration groundless.

On March 11 amid the anti-government protests, Algeria's ailing long-time leader Bouteflika withdrew his bid for re-election and postponed the vote, initially scheduled for April 18. However, protests have continued, with people demanding immediate changes. Now, a national conference, expected to take place soon, will decide on the election date, according to the country's leadership.
(@FahadShabbir)

About 1,100 service members from four branches of the US armed forces are in Morocco for the annual African Lion military exercise that runs through April 3, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2019) About 1,100 service members from four branches of the US armed forces are in Morocco for the annual African Lion military exercise that runs through April 3, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) announced on Monday.

"Exercise AFRICAN LION 19 is led by US Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa and sponsored by US Africa Command and will include military training in command-post activities and counter-violent extremist organization tactical training," AFRICOM said in a press release.

Various units from the US Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force and the Utah Army National Guard will conduct multi-lateral training with units from the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, the release said.

In addition to the United States and Morocco, other participating nations include Tunisia, Spain, Canada and the United Kingdom, the release added.

Another set of exercises is also taking place in Tunisia to include a field training aviation and air-to-ground integration, command post exercise as well as non-commissioned officer development, the release said.

US forces are slated to return to their home bases when the exercise finishes on April 3, according to the release.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2019) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's reelection in March as a result of election fraud would only deepen the existing rift in the country and could potentially break it up, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has predicted.

"His victory as a result of blatant falsification of voting returns would deepen political and socio-economic tensions in the society and potentially cause Ukraine to fall apart," he told the Izvestia newspaper.

Patrushev said that Poroshenko's reelection for a second term would not mend Russian-Ukrainian ties.

"If Poroshenko stays in power it will not normalize the Russian-Ukrainian relationship. He has already made the decisive step to end the Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Russia and Ukraine," he explained.

Patrushev argued that only the United States was interested in keeping Poroshenko in power.

"He is a known, predictable and tractable figure in the eyes of Americans, whose reelection is in Washington's strategic interests of keeping Ukraine on track to the Euro-Atlantic [integration]," he said.

He warned the incumbent against using populist rhetoric to score points with voters, claiming that people in Ukraine had come to associate Poroshenko with a rise in the far-right, rampant human rights and freedom of religion violations, and corruption scandals.
(@FahadShabbir)

The United States has continued its "Do Not Travel" advisory for the Central African Republic because of crime and civil unrest in that country, the US Department of State announced in a release on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2019) The United States has continued its "Do Not Travel" advisory for the Central African Republic because of crime and civil unrest in that country, the US Department of State announced in a release on Monday.

"The Department of State renewed its Travel Advisory for the Central African Republic on March 25, 2019. The Department continues to advise travelers to not travel to the Central African Republic," the release said. "Central African Republic - Level 4: Do Not Travel. Do not travel to Central African Republic (car) due to crime and civil unrest."

The State Department explained in the release that both violent crime and homicide are common in the Central African Republic.

"Large areas of the country are controlled by armed groups who regularly kidnap, injure, and/or kill civilians. In the event of unrest, airport, land border, and road closures may occur with little or no notice," the release said.

The State Department also warned that the US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in the Central African Republic.

The latest travel warning replaces the previous Travel Advisory from October 3.
Dan Frering from the Lighting Research Center developed three different concepts for the park.

Berkshire Lightscape Turns Focus To Lighting Up Park Square



The lights in Dunham Mall were added at the start of the winter. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Berkshire Lightscapes is honing in on a plan to add lighting to Park Square.

The non-profit raised a little more than $100,000 for its plan to add lighting to City Hall, Dunham Mall, and Park Square. The Dunham Mall lights were added in the winter, decorating the walkway with rotating snowflakes, and Park Square is next.

Dan Frering from Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer (N.Y.) Polytechnic Institute designed multiple concepts to highlight key areas of Park Square with new lighting.

The key areas will be the Civil War monument, the elm tree, the fountain, the Vietnam memorial, and the pathways. Frering developed three different options.

For the monument, Frering is suggesting a soft light aimed upward in a way that allows the inscription to be read but more significantly highlights the soldier at the top. He is suggesting similar lighting for Elm Street. Those lights will be inground pavers that shine upward.

Frering envisions the fountain as being blue, though the colors could change either all the time or just for certain events. He'd like to do lighting strips on the inside and outside and then uplight the water in the fountain.

The concept also looks to add a light attached to the trees to shine down on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

But the biggest question remaining is what to do on the walkways. Frering said the options include mounting lights on trees to shine down on the path to "softly illuminate the pathways." He'd also be asking to change out the post tops on the poles inside the park.

Another option is to add lighting underneath the benches, again with light strips.

"We would want to increase the number of benches so the path is evenly illuminated," he said.

A final option would be to do in-ground pavers throughout. Those can be more elaborate and change colors when people walk on them. He said those could also be installed around the elm tree and the fountain.

"Kids are going to love to play with this," he said.

Frering said additionally, the city could use this project to delve into light art. He suggested the city look to commission sculptures that can be lit up.

He also mentioned the possibility of having light festivals such as is done in Montreal.

"I encourage you to think about how other cities really do use their parks like a winter festival," Frering said.

The equipment costs for the various concepts range from $35,000 to $132,000. Two of Frering's concepts were in the $35,000 range and the option to install in-ground pavers on the walkways, around the tree, and around the fountain was at $132,000. Frering said that cost could be brought down by using fewer pavers.

Frering also did a cost estimate on the electricity the new lighting would need and said each option uses around the same about of electricity the city currently uses. The annual cost to the city could go up as little as $42 or as high as $86 depending on the option that is chosen.

"If the power available for those fixtures are already in the park then you don't need to run new power lines," he said.

The high-cost option is likely out as Elie Hammerling, who founded Berkshire Lightscapes, said it would exceed the budget. Hammerling brought the concepts to the Parks Commission on Tuesday and the commissioners gave their support to move forward.

"I think something like this would be a great addition," said Parks Commissioner Anthony DeMartino, particularly supportive of the idea of adding new benches and lighting underneath them.

Hammerling said the next steps include having the committee decide on the final option and budget, get the engineering work completed, shop for the specific fixtures the group would want to use, and determine the mounting locations.

"My interest is to do tasteful, artistic lighting," Hammerling said.

Meanwhile, Hammerling is trying to convince downtown business owners to install lights on their buildings so all of them can be coordinated.
The Albany Berkshire Ballet has been presenting 'The Nutcracker' every holiday season for 45 of its 50 years.

Albany Berkshire Ballet Looks Ahead  And Back  in 50th Anniversary Year



Albany Berkshire Ballet has formed collaborations with organizations like Williams College, where ABB dancers join student dancers for performances.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The five dancers glided around the room, its purple-and-mirrored walls enclosing a faintly muggy space, either from powerful bodies working hard or a late-winter heating system still cranked up, or maybe a combination of both.

The three women and two men were rehearsing a dance for an upcoming showcase at Williams College, but on this day, their ballet slipper-clad feet pounded the dance floor in the second-floor studio of the Albany Berkshire Ballet headquarters on Fenn Street.

In the past, on a weekday afternoon, that studio might very well have been silent. That's because it's only recently that the ballet company  officially celebrating 50 years this year  actually hired these five adults as full-time dancers and pay them a salary to form the base of the company. That company will continue the tradition of staging "The Nutcracker" in December  but also will branch out before then with a full-length production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in the fall.

In between, the dancers participate in many collaborations with local colleges likes Williams and other organizations like Norman Rockwell Museum, and touch the lives of countless local students through ABB's educational outreach programs.

It's all part of the grand plan  kind of.

The original plan, 65 years ago, was a "little ballet school," according to artistic director and founder Madeline Cantarella Culpo. Cantarella's School of Dance was housed in a downtown Pittsfield space, where passers-by could look up on a Saturday morning and see through the windows overlooking North Street the heads of children practicing their rond de jambes and pirouettes.

That was a lot of for a woman to accomplish on her own in 1955, but Culpo didn't know the meaning of the word "no." One year, about 45 years ago, she made a suggestion to her team: "Let's do The Nutcracker." This was in the fall. "The Nutcracker" is a Christmas tradition. That didn't leave much time.

"Everybody thought I was crazy," Culpo said during a media preview of the upcoming anniversary season in the Pittsfield studio on March 20. "I didn't know it was not possible."

It was possible, and the tradition of "The Nutcracker" was born, continuing through multiple generations of students now.

"Now I have children of children who are in it," she said.

That was just the beginning of the growth of her dream to spread her passion for dance  a dream that shifted and evolved to open the Berkshire Ballet Guild in 1960. That evolved into "Berkshire Civic Ballet" and then, with expansion into the Albany, N.Y.-area 50 years ago, into Albany Berkshire Ballet, a professional company that aims to be a real force in a community of myriad cultural institutions. Through it all, the little Cantarella School of Dance has continued to flourish and is now the official dance school of the ABB, whose studio space it shares.

Culpo didn't do it alone, of course, and as she enters this new chapter of ABB's history, the 50th anniversary year also marks the accomplishments of associate artistic director Mary Giannone Talmi.

"I hope this year can really be a celebration of their leadership," said Alison LaRocca, president of ABB's board of directors.

Even before Talmi's arrival, ABB was a cultural force, presenting not only "The Nutcracker" but also many other classical ballets. However, this year's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be the first full-length ballet staged since a 2009 "Midsummer" production had to be canceled as a result of the economic collapse, which hit performing arts companies particularly hard. Since 2009, Culpo said, she took "a little break" to re-imagine Albany Berkshire Ballet's future after a past that included opening for national and international companies at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and performing in places like New York City.

"Now we're back, and that's what's exciting," Culpo said.

Culpo hopes to have found the perfect potion for the company's rebirth: talented and experienced artistic directors like Talmi, a strong board of director led by people like LaRocca who were dance students themselves, and a dedicated  if small  staff of people supporting the mission. They also have those five dancers to form the base of their upcoming programs: the May 3 and 4 performances with the Williams College dance team; a "Process and Performance" show May 26 in Chatham, N.Y., that celebrates the development of new repertory with partners like Williams College, SUNY Purchase and Skidmore College; the 50th anniversary gala on Aug.17; "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from the end of August into the beginning of September at three venues; and, of course, "The Nutcracker" performed over four weeks in four cities.

"We're going to be doing some incredible things," said Joe Durwin, the ABB's director of communications and partnerships, one of the small and dedicated staff Culpo credited with helping grow the mission and reputation of the ballet company. "It's going to be a great year."

Talmi agreed with that assessment, especially in regards to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which she said was "quite a coup and a feather" in Culpo's cap.

"It's time to show the Berkshires  these beautiful productions," she said. "We're the company to do this for this region."
Following a papal appeal on Sunday, Nigerian Cardinal John Onaiyekan says his people are grateful to Pope Francis for his prayers and for highlighting the critical situation in the West African country.

By Linda Bordoni

Im sure most Nigerians are very much delighted and grateful to the Holy Father for publicly announcing his concern for the situation of insecurity and violence in our country, said Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the day after the Popes appeal during the Sunday Angelus.

His plea to pray for the many victims of inhumane violence in the West African nations of Nigeria and Mali, and his appeal to convert cruel hearts resounded in a desolate media landscape that, the Cardinal said, seems to have forgotten the suffering of so many people.

Cardinal Onaiyekan revealed that thanks to his constant interaction with Pope Francis, he knows that his country is always in the Holy Fathers prayers.

Every time I meet him and ask him please keep praying for Nigeria, he says I do that every day!, he said.

A forgotten tragedy

Describing the ongoing violence and suffering of the people as forgotten news, Cardinal Onaiyekan decried the fact that it no longer makes the front page in the international media.

Its almost as if they are tired of us, he said. But no matter how forgotten it is, the people who are themselves concerned cannot forget, especially the victims.

No victims forget, he explained, even the victims of past violence, because their loved ones are gone.

Recent escalation of violence

The Cardinal said that in the recent two months or so there have been even more reasons for concern following a sharp escalation of the level of violence.

Before, he said, it was perceived as religious strife, with clashes between Christians and Muslims.

Then, the focus was on socio-economic clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

But what we have seen recently is more political, he said.

Political matrix

Cardinal Onaiyekan explained that he believes much enmity is fostered by political opponents who instead of simply going to vote and letting their votes be counted so that the winner may emerge, they deploy all kinds of violent means to outdo one another.

He spoke of what he called large-scale accusations that politicians are recruiting thugs and arming them to create mayhem.

At the same time, he said, there are also large-scale accusations that the government - that in this case also happens to be party to this context - is misusing state security apparatus to intimidate and oppress opponents.

The Cardinal expressed his concern that, with this kind of situation, the stage may be set for another serious breakdown of law and order.

We are really very, very worried about this, he said.

Cardinal Onaiyekan pointed out that the Nigerian Bishops Conference has also, on many occasions, released clear statements condemning the abuse of power and reiterating that human life is precious.

We have always insisted on the importance of respecting human life, no matter whose life is involved, he said.


Serving our Kids Foundation hosted its 11th annual bowl-a-thon fundraiser at Sams Town. Critical Care Comics and Las Vegas Valley Firefighters also bowled with the children (Photos courtesy of Serving Our Kids Foundation).

Sponsors included Southwest Specialties, Centennial Toyota, Hearing Associates of Nevada, House of Blues, Argentum Partners, Jerimy Kirschner, Garman Turner Gordon, Keystone, Allianz, and Cheesecake Factory.

Serving Our Kids is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to feeding at-risk and homeless children throughout Clark County. It has served more than 435,000 weekend food bags to children and currently supports 63 Clark County schools by providing weekend food bags.

There are enough big hearts in our community that no child should have an empty stomach, said Farley, who made child welfare a high priority during her time in the Legislature.

In Carson City, Farley led bipartisan efforts to better fund education, combat drug abuse and make families a priority in Nevada. She was also served on a blue ribbon commission to improve the child welfare system.

Childhood hunger contributes to lower grades, poor self-esteem, illness and crime,Former State Sen. Patrica Farley has been elected board president of Serving Our Kids,said. People who grow up hungry may not be prepared to live and contribute to their community or Nevada.

Farley said she looks forward to expanding Serving Our Kids reach to over 8000 kids served each week, while retaining its grassroots energy.

Dedicated people pulling together is how change happens, she said.
Monday Devotional: Speak to Your Heart

The Fellowship | March 25, 2019 Close up of hand pointing to text in the Torah.

The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.  Proverbs 18:21

In loving memory of my father, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, I share with you his devotions expressing his passion for family, for passing on his faith, and the importance of living a faith-filled life.

 Yael Eckstein, President

How much do our words matter? What if we say something hurtful, but no one is around to hear it? What if we arent speaking to God, but just talking to ourselves? Do those words matter? How much power can air and sound have on our lives?

According to a verse in Proverbs, our words fully determine our lives. King Solomon put it this way: The tongue has the power of life and death. Our words are everything.

Judaisms Oral Tradition teaches what has become a popular saying: Words that come from the heart go to the heart. The traditional explanation of this teaching is that when we say something that comes straight from our heart, it enters the heart of the person we are speaking to.

So, for example, if we tell someone that everything is going to be all right, they will receive the message and believe much more deeply if we really mean it. In fact, when Moses told the Israelites that they were going to be redeemed from Egypt, they werent able to receive the message because of their defeated spirit (Exodus 6:9). However, the Jewish sages teach that it wasnt the Israelites defeated spirit that was the problem. It was Moses spirit. Had he truly believed in his message and delivered it wholeheartedly, it would have been received and believed.

This teaching is valuable because we learn that speaking with sincerity and passion is far more important than being eloquent or exciting. If we want to reach our children, friends, family, or anyone at all, we need to speak from the heart.

However, there is another way to understand the saying. The Jewish sages explain that the teaching can also mean that when we speak from our heart, the words we say return to our hearts.

Just as the physical heart pumps blood through the body by sending out clean blood that then returns to the heart, allowing the body to function healthily, so too, the mouth is the heart of the soul. What we say  what we put out there  returns to us in the most powerful way possible.

So if we say things that are positive, praising God, being thankful for what have, and affirming life all that positive energy returns to our soul. It affects how we live and what we receive from God. Yet, if we speak words of negativity, gossip, or complain in a bitter hopeless way, these unhealthy words, too, return to our heart and to our soul in a negative way.

Today, lets take this teaching most seriously. Speak only good words from your heart so that they may return to you tenfold.

For more on what it means to live a faith-filled life, please download Rabbi Yechiel Ecksteins timeless teachings in his booklet, A Man of Faith.
John Garvey (left), Global Finanical Services leader of professional services firm PwC, and Grant Dennis (right), general director of PwC Consulting Vietnam

What are the biggest trends for banks around the world right now, including Vietnam?

Garvey: The emerging focus areas are, firstly, new digital competitors and how to deal with market disruption, and secondly, how to transform the current workforce for the digital age. In many places, the third major item on the minds of executives is around re-establishing trust between financial institutions, the broader populace, and regulators. That is what is driving major efforts around digitisation. With legacy financial institutions, there is a lot of work that we are doing on workforce transformation.

Dennis: The global trends are only a very short way away from hitting Vietnam. Many Vietnamese banks are trying to digitise their businesses to be more customer-centric, with faster customer services. A lot of technology is being purchased and implemented, and more banks are transforming their workforce for the digital age. Cybersecurity and anti-money laundering regulations are also high on the agenda at Vietnamese banks, similar to their global peers. So what is happening here does not deviate much from the global trends.

On the global scale, how are banks affected by fintech? Is it a friend or foe for banks?

Garvey: There are three international trends in this area. First, most fintech firms have become partners to banks, instead of becoming competitors, so they are indirectly regulated through the banks. The banks are supposed to be responsible for the entire chain, including where the fintech firms operate.

Second, fintech companies that are not co-operating with banks have become digital-only banks and are subject to the full set of regulations just like brick-and-mortar lenders.

Third, regulators in many countries are creating special licenses for limited-use fintech banks that are different from normal brick-and-mortar ones.

Take Apple Pay as an example. Banks spent several months figuring whether Apple is a partner or a competitor and vice versa. Ultimately, Apple decided that it did not want to be regulated like a bank and realised that it had to partner with banks. Likewise, banks realised that Apple was not taking revenue away from them. Apple was actually facilitating additional payment flows towards its favourite lenders. That is a concrete example of how fintech firms and banks started off not knowing whether they were friend or foe and then ended up partnering with each other.

What about the Vietnamese fintech sector? How do you see it progressing in the near future?

Dennis: Fintech firms have received quite a lot of attention in Vietnam lately, thanks to their success in promoting different platforms for payment, personal finance, and investment activities. The regulatory framework for their operations has been gradually improved to allow for more accessibility and reliability. The State Bank of Vietnam has also set up a Fintech Steering Committee aimed at encouraging the development of fintech companies in Vietnam.

Still, Vietnam currently has a lower level of fintech development than Asian neighbours, as is evident in the lower number of fintech companies operating here. Part of the reason is that investment capital has not been available. There is also some concern around the bilateral use of cloud services, whereas fintech firms essentially need cloud services to be effective.

Garvey: To follow up on that point, I think it is a critical question of the regulators getting comfortable with the use of the public cloud and the banks understanding how to better control and secure it. Therefore, measures like data masking are very important. In Singapore, for example, the Monetary Authority of Singapore has recently allowed local banks to use the public cloud as long as the data is anonymised, meaning that the personally identifiable pieces of information are taken out. Of course, this would require more work in terms of the infrastructure, the design of the end-to-end services to clients, and security and privacy laws.

How can banks, including those in Vietnam, adopt a customer-oriented mindset in their operations?

Garvey: There are a number of actions we see globally to improve client-centricity. First, banks are becoming less product-focused as they move towards adopting customer lifetime value modelling and measurement. Second, they are putting all forms of distribution under common control, from branches and telephone to mobile. Third, regulation in many countries is driving better behaviour, in areas such as fair lending and complaints. All of these changes require much better controls and changes in culture and business models. Lastly, digitisation in banks is focusing on the customer experience, from integration of fintech firms and leveraging social meeting to better monitoring of social media platforms.

Dennis: What is important is for banks to look at the lifestyle of each customer and understand what needs or ambitions they have, whether it is to buy a car, buy an apartment or start a family. Banks should be in a position to help the customer achieve those personal goals through the use of their services, such as savings, loans, life insurance or third-party products like health insurance.

Further, banks should be able to envision the needs of the customer and offer respective services even before the customer knows or asks for them. This is possible through proactive data analytics-driven customer insights, enabled by smart technologies and very often by partnering with fintech companies or other solution providers.

How do you think free trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will affect the global banking sector and Vietnam?

Garvey: Since the global financial crisis, banking has transitioned from being international to being much more national and regional. This de-globalisation is mostly because of regulations around a number of elements, including capital. Looking at it in a simplified way, banks used to be able to put capital in one place and dynamically allocate it to different countries, depending on the business needs. Now, banks have to put fixed capital in every country they do business in. So I do not think trade agreements would be a big factor in terms of opening cross-border banking. As long as you have different regulators and different capital rules, banking will mostly remain a local or regional thing.

Dennis: Yet from an operational sense, with the free trade agreements coming into force, there will be more opportunities for trade of goods and services across borders. At the moment, the sophistication of the trade finance systems and services in Vietnam are low. So there is significant room for Vietnamese banks to enhance those services. They can automate and digitise lease, credit, and trade finance, among others. Banks can introduce more sophisticated services that will be demanded by importers and exporters. If you look at the service revenues of local banks, they have grown very fast in recent years. The cost of capital is low so interest revenues have not grown very strongly, but many banks recorded service revenue growths of 20-40 per cent last year. Thus, I think that trade finance, lease, and credit will continue to be big growth opportunities for Vietnamese banks because of the trade agreements.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the agro-forestry industrial park and expansion of the THACO Chu Lai mechanical-automotive industrial park

In the morning of March 24, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the ground-breaking ceremony of numerous projects in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone, Quang Nam province.

The PM said that THACO (Truong Hai Auto Corporation) and Chu Lai Open Economic Zone have confirmed the key role of the private sector, especially in the harsh barren land of Quang Nam.

In 2018, THACOs industrial production value in Chu Lai was nearly VND42 trillion ($1.8 billion), created 9,000 jobs for local people, and contributed VND16 trillion ($696 million) to the local budget.

At the ceremony, PM Phuc highlighted six lessons from Chu Lais success, including pioneering investors like Thaco who are energetic, determined, as well as have plenty of financial resources and good business vision.

Provincial leaders should accompany businesses. The keys for success are finding win-win-win (government-businesses-local people) solutions and maintaining the 3-in-1 principle (economy-society-environment) in every case. Additionally, desire, innovation, and breakthrough are also key factors for the success of the economic zone.

Ground-breaking ceremony of the residential area for workers and the resettlement area

In the time coming, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hoped that Chu Lai would become a high-quality agro-forestry processing hub of the country and meet the huge demand from the ASEAN, northeastern Asia, G7, and G20 countries.

He expressed hope that Chu Lai would help turn Vietnam into one of the worlds wooden interior production centres, while addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of Chu Lai Agro-Forestry Industrial Park at Chu Lai Open Economic Zone.

The prime minister suggested that Chu Lai team up with Dung Quat in Quang Ngai province and Da Nang city by close co-ordination in policymaking and pooling resources for development.

He urged provinces to submit breakthrough mechanisms and policies to the Party Central Committee to improve the competitiveness of the key economic areas in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands, including Danang, Quang Nam, and Dung Quat-Quang Ngai.

The 450ha agro-forestry industrial park will develop a materials farming area for Central Vietnam, the Central Highlands, and neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. It will be built from 2019 to 2022 at a total cost of over VND8.1 trillion ($352.2 million).

It will also double as a research centre for seedlings, agricultural materials, biotechnology, harvest, preservation, and processing. Farms will grow grapefruit, mango, jackfruit, as well as industrial and fruit trees by using modern technology.

Once operational, the agro-forestry IP is expected to attract domestic and foreign investors to create a production chain, add more revenue to the local state budget, and generate jobs to 20,000 workers.

The ceremony of exporting the first shipment of fruits from Chu Lai Port

On the occasion, automaker Thaco Truong Hai began the construction of an expanded automotive mechanical industrial zone on a total area of 115ha. Costing over VND1.6 trillion (69.6 million), the work is expected to increase the localisation rate for automobiles to exceed 40 per cent, thus meeting the requirements for exportation to ASEAN member states by 2020.

The management board of Chu Lai Open Economic Zone also granted an investment license to Thadi industrial, agricultural, forestry park. Thaco Truong Hai also signed strategic contracts with domestic and foreign firms to supply clean farm produce.

Built in 2003, Chu Lai Open Economic Zone is the first coastal economic zone in Vietnam. It is strategically located midway between Vietnams northern and southern regions, and connected to National Highway 1A, national coastal routes, the trans-national railway, Ky Ha seaport, Chu Lai airport, and the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway.
The German delegation visiting a tailoring class

In a trip to Hanoi in the afternoon of March 22, the leaders of the Federal Republic of Germanys Leipzig city visited The Vietnam Vocational College of Craft Art and Techniques. Accordingly, the delegation expressed interest in entering into a co-operation with the school.

At the meeting, a representative of the city said that the co-operation would entail Germanys highly effective dual vocational training model, half of which is practical training at enterprises.

The delegation's meeting with the Vietnam Vocational College of Craft Art and Techniques

We wish to establish a firm relationship with vocational training schools in Hanoi, to help graduated trainees to easier find employment, said Kristian Kirpal, chairman of the Leipzig Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Kristian Kirpal introduced Germany's vocational training programmes to the Hanoi People's Committee on the same day

According to Dirk Panter, member of Sachsen States parliament, "After the visit, we will design training programmes for each descriptor group, then Leipzig will support vocational training activities in Hanoi. This is a great opportunity to enhance the relationship between the Vietnamese capital city and Leipzig city.

The Vietnam Vocational College of Craft Art and Techniques is managed by the Vietnam Co-operative Alliance. The partnership in vocational training with Germany is a great opportunity to approach the countrys new training model, facilitating the firm relationship between Hanoi and Leipzig cities."

Dirk Panter, member of Sachsen State's Parliament

According to statistics published by the Leipzig Chamber of Commerce and Industry, dual vocational training programmes in Germany lured in 65 per cent of high school pupils, offering training in 349 sectors. 21 per cent of the students of these training programmes have not graduated from high school, while 76 per cent only finished 9th or 10th grade and three per cent have not finished secondary school before enrolling on these vocational training courses.

After a student completes the training programme and overcomes the tests meeting the standards of the Leipzig Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they will be granted a globally accepted certificate which is valued even higher than university or college degrees.

Holders of certificates of dual vocational training programmes are sure to find jobs.

The German dual vocational training model could make Vietnamese workers far more employable

Experts expect that this training model will deal with the employment issue resulting from university and college graduates falling short of enterprises requirements. This model will help students start work without taking time to get used to the work or being retrained.

The delegation visiting classes

The delegation took a photo with The Vietnam Vocational College of Craft Art and Techniques
With an array of tariffs set to be heavily reduced, Vietnamese companies will have a golden chance to export to some of the worlds biggest markets, Photo: Le Toan

Note: 2017 figures - Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has just approved a plan for the implementation of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), to which Vietnam is a signatory. The plan details the main targets and tasks assigned to each agency in the MoIT, along with requirements on their deadlines and outcomes. The main tasks, including the prompt creation of regulatory documents on the implementation of the trade pact, particularly in export and import management, traceability and competitiveness, will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will start this year, while the second will be launched in the 2020-2025 period, with a vision towards 2035. The MoIT has also launched a new website, cptpp.moit.gov.vn, where the business community and local people can learn more about the CPTPP. Detailed explanations for commitments are also provided for readers to better understand the trade deal. The website also includes information for exporters, such as the commitments of member countries and those regarding the opening of service markets and investment for Vietnamese providers in other CPTPP markets. The website boasts the full CPTPP text in both English and Vietnamese, along with relevant documents including the governments plans for implementing the deal and the legal amendments.

TNG chairman Nguyen Van Thoi has said that his business, among the top 10 garment and textile companies in the country, will gain significant advantages from the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), thanks to tariff cuts that help Vietnamese-made products compete directly with Chinese goods.

Thanks to the deal, the number of our companys export orders to the Canadian market will increase about 6-7 per cent this year, maybe even up to 10 per cent, which could help TNGs revenue to reach about $10 million annually, said Thoi.

Many other businesses like TNG have also actively sought export opportunities into the CPTPP member markets, which comprise the third-largest free trade area in the world in GDP, after the North American Free Trade Agreement and the EUs European Single Market.

Golden gate to export

The CPTPP will open new opportunities for trade and create conditions to restructure both export and import markets. Under a study recently conducted by Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the CPTPP can expand Vietnams GDP and export turnover by 1.32 and 4.04 per cent, respectively, until 2035. Total import turnover will also likely rise by an additional 3.8 per cent until 2035.

Kenneth Atkinson, executive chairman of US-backed consulting firm Grant Thornton Vietnam said, The opportunities are of course driven by the fact that trade among the member countries will be the agreement to reduce tariffs on goods and services traded between them, and although the size of the market is greatly reduced from that of the original TPP because of the withdrawal of the United States, the market created by the remaining members still accounts for approximately 13.5 per cent of global trade.

He continued, The initial beneficiaries are likely to be those companies engaged in manufacturing in Vietnams traditional export sectors, such as garments and footwear plus seafood exporters, and those companies and sectors not currently trading with the member countries. Basically, any industry that will benefit from tariff reductions is likely to benefit in the longer term.

The CPTPPs member countries have pledged to cut 77-100 per cent of tariff lines on ordinary Vietnamese goods, according to a report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). For example, Canada has committed to reducing 94.9 per cent of its import tariff lines, which accounts for 77.9 per cent of the total value of exports from Vietnam. For products such as furniture and seafood such as frozen shrimp, pangasius, and tuna, Canadas level of commitment is 100 per cent, which means that seafood and furniture will be duty-free when imported into Canada. Thus, thousands of tariff lines will be abolished for domestic products, opening up many fresh opportunities for domestic exporters, especially those in the footwear sector. Up to 78 per cent of the revenue from Vietnamese footwear exports to Canada will be exempt from taxes.

Meanwhile, Japan will eliminate 86 per cent of tariff lines as soon as the trade pact becomes effective, and almost 90 per cent after five years. This is the first time Japan has exempted most of Vietnams agricultural and seafood imports from duties.

The key export sectors to Canada, Chile, and Australia of textiles, footwear, and seafood will also see new opportunities as the CPTPP comes into effect, while Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Mexico, and New Zealand will open up the gates for Vietnamese-exported items such as phones and computers, according to the MoIT.

Furthermore, the MoIT said that the total global import value of the 10 members in the CPTPP amounts to nearly $2.5 trillion. Meanwhile, Vietnams existing export turnover from these countries sat at nearly $42 billion last year. Thus, the room for Vietnamese exports to these markets remains large.

Eased rule of origin

Frederick Burke, managing partner of Baker McKenzie in Vietnam, noted that besides tariff cuts, the CPTPP takes a more simplified approach where importers are allowed to complete the origin certification for the goods they import. Accordingly, member importers who meet certain conditions set forth by the regulators in their country may self-certify the origin of the product they are importing, a first for Vietnam.

Traditionally, origin is only certified by the exporter or the manufacturer, after which the certificate of origin must be issued by the competent authority of the exporting country. In a more advanced approach, this certificate may be issued by the exporter or manufacturer, for example through the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement.

Besides, it is expected that engaging in the CPTPP will help Vietnam restructure its import-export markets.

Oliver Massmann, general director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC, said that aside from expanding markets, the CPTPP also helps balance relationships with key markets, approach larger markets including Japan and Canada, reduces any trade deficit, and can attract foreign investment. It will also help the Vietnamese economy allocate resources more effectively, enabling active support to the processes of restructuring, innovation, and regulatory improvement, as well as bolstering administrative reforms.
Around 245 projects are open for foreign investment in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019

The information was stressed at a meeting between the leaders of the city and foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) during last weekend. The event saw the participation of 25 business associations and foreign organisations, along with 200 foreign FIEs operating in Ho Chi Minh City.

The city is calling for experienced foreign companies to implement key projects in 2015-2020 and contribute to the development of the city.

Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan said that the foreign enterprise community has become stronger and one of the driving forces of the citys economy. $1.55 billion had been poured into Ho Chi Minh City in the first three months of 2019, up 20.4 per cent from the same period last year.

All capital invested in the economy not only brings about benefits to enterprises and investors, but also shows enterprises support for the municipal administrations reform efforts to build a facilitative administrative system for the development of Ho Chi Minh City, the secretary noted.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong noted that Ho Chi Minh City always considers FDI an important part of the local economy and place value on promoting the long-term development of this investment channel. According to the official, the city is now home to more than 8,000 FDI projects with the total registered capital of nearly $445 billion.

With an average $20 billion of export revenue each year, FIEs account for 58.7 per cent of the citys total export value. The sector employs 670,000 workers and creates indirect employment for millions of others.

Phong affirmed that the city will continue its efforts to create a favourable and competitive investment environment in accordance with international standards and commitments in new-generation free trade agreements to which Vietnam is a member. The citys administration will always listen to investors and work closely with them for the citys sustainable development and investors success, he said.
Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Nguyen Van Suu (R) and Deputy Minister of State at the Hungarys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bezetei Akos (Photo: hanoimoi)

Akos said the Hungarian side is very interested in the place that Hanoi authorities had recommended to the Hungarian Embassy in Vietnam.

The country hopes this issue will be concretised by an official document.

Suu said he will report to the Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as relevant departments to compose a reply text to Hungarian leaders in the earliest time.

During the function, the two sides also highlighted the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and Hungary.

The host said Hanoi hopes to receive more support from Hungary as the capital is in the process of urbanisation with the expansion of its areas over the past 10 years.
HVACR 2019 introduces and displays a variety of modern machinery to serve the industries

More than 250 participating companies and brands gathered at the 13th HVACR Vietnam, hailing from countries such as China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, and Vietnam.

This year, the expo also has more than 1,600 visitors who have pre-registered for the show, 180 pre-qualified buyers attending the show, and over 600 pre-scheduled meetings lined up.

The expo is a bridge linking suppliers with industry buyers, and a platform where business negotiations and deals are made. Many deals are expected to be made in the years to come, as Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and the world continues to have a voracious appetite for HVACR systems.

According to Navigant Research, the global HVACR systems market is expected to increase to $265.2 billion by 2024. The Southeast Asian HVACR market alone is projected to reach $13.63 billion by 2023.

The growth in the global HVACR market is due to a few factors. The first is the rising temperature due to global warming. Another is the worldwide boom in the construction sector.

Asias hot and humid climate, along with strong economic development, has driven the demand for HVACR products, making it one of the strongest HVACR markets in the world. According to a report from TechSci Research, the Vietnamese air-conditioner market is predicted to increase by 14.64 per cent on average annually until 2021.

Because of global warming, governments and societies are calling for the construction of green buildings and energy-efficient HVACR solutions. As a result, HVACR products are now moving towards the integration of new technologies, such as IoT sensors, remote control systems, and hybrid HVACR units. This shift has created new business opportunities for the industry.

Within Vietnam, there are many government-funded infrastructure development projects, expansions in the tourism industry, increases in construction activities in hospitality, and increases in investments in industrial and commercial sectors.

As more and more leading HVACR manufacturers move their operations to Vietnam, the industry is expected to expand tremendously over the coming years with the increase in the construction of new buildings.
Italian firms look for opportunities in the Vietnamese printing and packaging market

Italys Uteco, the world-leader in the production of printing machines for flexible packaging, has been present in Vietnam for three years. Tran Viet Hai, sales director of Vietflex, a local distributor of Uteco, shared that Vietnam is a developing market with a robust packaging sector. In particular, flexible packaging for the food and beverage industry is projected to grow well in the country given that per capital consumption remains low. Many companies are investing in EU-imported machines to improve product quality for consumers.

He added that Uteco is supplying printing machines and laminating machines for food packaging, such as instant noodles and snacks. The company has recorded sales of 3 million ($3.42 million) after three years of launching in Vietnam. The figure is beyond Utecos expectations, given that the brand is quite new here.

Meanwhile, Italys Turatti Group, alongside with 21 other Italian companies, also attended ProPak Vietnam 2019 held in Ho Chi Minh City last week to showcase the latest solutions and technology.

Thanh Nguyen, the representative of Turatti in Southeast Asia, said that Turatti chose Vietnam to set up its headquarter in the Asia-Pacific three years ago due to the markets huge potential. The firm has developed a facility based in Hanoi to serve growing orders in both Vietnam and regional markets.

According to Thanh, Turatti is specialised in designing and manufacturing machinery and complete lines for processing tropical fruit, vegetables, as well as for juice and puree making. In 2018, the firm posted a 15 per cent rise in revenue against 2017. It has also expanded investment and localisation rate in the country to meet the demand and supply more types of machinery.

The value of equipment and machinery exported from Italy to Vietnam was 25.2 million ($28.7 million) in 2018

Aldo Peretti, president of the Italian Manufacturers Association of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting and Paper Industry, said that the strongly developing market of Vietnam is tempting more international and European companies to this side of the world, and market data confirms the trend.

Theres a growth in the food and beverage, healthcare, and personal care industries, a bright future for our business. Vietnam, a country where the demand for new technologies increases every day, is a great challenge for us. Italian companies are ready to boost the Vietnamese market with our Industry 4.0 know-how and the fame of Made in Italy goods around the world,he noted.

According to Paolo Lemma, Italian Trade Commissioner to Vietnam, most companies participating in Propak & Printech Vietnam 2019 have distributors, agencies, representative offices or branches in Vietnam. In addition, they are also seeking further opportunities in this emerging market, as well as consolidating co-operation with Vietnamese businesses  and are looking for new partners.

In 2018, Italy continued to affirm her position as one of the leading manufacturers in the packaging and printing industry. In the first 11 months of 2018, the total export turnover of packaging and printing machinery for the Italian food, beverage, and tobacco sectors amounted to some 3.9 billion ($4.45 billion). The value of equipment and machinery exported from Italy to Vietnam was 25.2 million ($28.7 million), up 2.4 per cent from 2017, said Lemma.

Italian firms showcasing technologies at the Italian Booth at Propak & Printech Vietnam 2019

A large number of Italian packaging companies were present at the Italian Booth at Propak & Printech Vietnam in recent years. This year, the number of enterprises specialising in the food processing industry, particularly in fruit and vegetable processing, has increased remarkably.

This indicates that Propak Vietnam has brought co-operation opportunities for both Vietnamese and Italian businesses, as many Vietnamese enterprises want to be equipped with modern Italian machinery and technologies to improve product quality.
IDF Bombs Hamas in Response to Rocket

Stand for Israel | March 25, 2019 Embed from Getty Images

Hours after terrorists launched a rocket into central Israel that destroyed a family home and left seven wounded, the IDF has responded by striking Hamas targets in Gaza. The Times of Israels Judah Ari Gross and Adam Rasgon report that the Israeli military has struck terrorist sites in the Hamas-ruled enclave, including the office of the terrorist groups leader:

The Israeli military began bombing targets throughout the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, including the empty office of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, some 12 hours after a rocket fired from the coastal enclave slammed into a home in central Israel, injuring seven people.

At this time, the Israel Defense Forces has started to attack terror targets belonging to the Hamas terror group throughout the Gaza Strip, the army said in a statement shortly after 5:30 p.m.

Approximately three hours into its bombing campaign, a mortar shell was fired from the Gaza Strip toward the nearby Eshkol region, triggering air raid sirens, the IDF said
Januarys Ethiopian Airlines crash, which killed 157, was the second Boeing 737 MAX to crash in just a few months, Photo: Le Toan

Viejets consideration on whether to retain the $20-billion order for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has aggravated the crisis of the US-based aircraft maker.

Last week a representative of Vietjet told VIR, We are following the Boeing 737 MAX case and will decide whether we will put the aircraft into commercial operation after receiving the official conclusion, and guidance from the global aviation authorities as well as the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

Also discussing the issue with VIR, a representative of Bamboo Airways, which ordered 30 Boeing 787-9 aircrafts, revealed no intentions to continue with the purchase of the 737 MAX. Currently, Boeing 737 MAX has been banned across the world. Even Boeing has also temporarily halted manufacture of this type of aircraft.

The two crashed Boeing 737 MAX airplanes as well as the global ban may lead to the company losing $600-billion worth of orders for more than 5,000 planes across the world. 157 people died in Februarys Ethiopian Airlines crash, shedding further doubt on the safety of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft just a few months after 189 died in an Indonesian Lion Air crash last October.

While Vietjet is still considering the Boeing order, numerous airlines across the world have shown intentions to cancel orders completely.

US-based Bloomberg newswire stated that Kenya Airways is considering buying Airbus A320 airplanes instead of the 737 MAX. Russian airline Utair Aviation also asked for assurances from Boeing before receiving the first batch of goods, including 30 Boeing 737 MAX.

Meanwhile Lion Air is examining its options in cancelling a $22 billion standing order for the Boeing product. Saudi Arabian Airlines $6 billion order is also teetering on the edge due to the controversy.

Along with the US governments investigation, the global ban has raised concerns on the negative impact to airline business in the case of not being able to put Boeing 737 MAX airplanes into commercial operation.

To maintain business, airlines including Vietjet may be forced to cancel the Boeing orders if the global ban is maintained.

The Ethiopian Airline crash has pushed Boeing into its biggest ever crisis. The companys market valuation lost $27 billion and its stock price has seen a drop of 12 per cent since March 10.

Even worse, Boeing currently faces the risk of losing $600-billion in orders, as well as potentially having to spend huge amounts in compensation for airlines containing 737 MAX aircraft due to the global ban.

On March 13, Norwegian Air publicly requested compensation for its grounded fleet of Boeing 737 MAX. According to Norwegian Air CEO Bjrn Kjos the airline lost 1 per cent of its seat capacity due to the grounding, and so wishes Boeing would compensate the airline for the damage.

Surrounded by huge risks, Boeing is currently keeping silent on the case. It recently released an announcement to upgrade the airplanes software related to the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). However, the upgrade will not smooth the concerns on Boeing 737 MAX aircraft or be a factor in the official result of the investigation.

Despite the cause of the tragic crashes still being under investigation, opinion is divided on whether the faulty automatic pilot could be the culprit. According to data published by Aviation Safety Reporting System under NASA (ten ay u), at least two US pilots reported that their aircraft nosedived and lost altitude when using autopilot mode on the B737 Max 8 in the last few months.

In case of the fault of the two crashes falls into the airplanes design, Boeing may spend at least $500 million to revise the error, and the fixing time may fluctuate between three and six months, according to analysis expert Ronald Epstein from Bank of America. Thus, revising the error could lead to Boeing losing a year of sizable profit on the aircraft.

One firms nightmare is another firms opportunity, and the time ahead is seen as just that for its competitors, specifically Airbus, with airlines across the world potentially seeking out Airbus airplanes as an alternative solution to the Boeing 737 MAX.

In fact, both Vietjet and Bamboo Airways told VIR that they have put Airbus 320 and Airbus 321 Neo aircrafts into operation. In addition, the Bamboo Airways representative said the airline will buy further Airbus 321 Neo jets, as well as negotiate with Airbus to buy more of the aircraft makers products.
Are consumers boycotting Masan products for traditional fish sauce?

Masan Group (HSX: MSN) in the group VN30 (the group of 30 largest-cap stocks traded on HSX) recorded a decrease on March 18, along with Phu Nhuan Jewelry JSC (PNJ), Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco  SAB), and SSI Securities Incorporation (SSI).

In particular, this was the sixth consecutive decline for MSN, perhaps partially due to the company's involvement in crafting new draft standards for traditional fish sauce producers.

Before March, MSN produced impressive growth, increasing from VND77,000 ($3.35) to nearly VND90,000 ($3.91) only in February, a rise of 17 per cent.

At the beginning of March, many enterprises in traditional fish sauce production raised their voice against the draft national technical standards for fish sauce (TCNV 12607:2019) proposed and put out for consultation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).

The reason is that most standards set by the draft will cause difficulties for traditional fish sauce producers.

Le Tran Phu Duc, chairman cum general director of Phan Thiet Fish Sauce JSC (PT FICASO) stated on baobinhthuan.com.vn that he was one of 12 members chosen by the MARD on behalf of the Phan Thiet Fish Sauce Association to build the draft.

The first meeting I attended was open and had good and transparent ideas for both traditional and industrial fish sauce, Duc said. However, by February 2018, the contents of the first meeting were deleted and another meeting was held with the participation of Masan Group.

According to Phu Duc, the second meetings content wholly disregarded the first one.

As the fish sauce market was thrown in distress, MSN stocks began losing their value. ON March 22 the stock stood at VND84,500 ($3.67), down 2.2 per cent compared to a week before.

Since the draft was put to consultation, MSN stocks lost about VND5,300 ($0.23) in value, equivalent to 5 per cent of their market price. This means more than VND5 trillion ($217.39 million) of the company's capitalisation disappeared.

Many organisations representing the traditional fish sauce industry strongly oppose the standards set out in the draft, claiming them to be unreasonable, difficult, even going so far as to say it will destroy traditional fish sauce.

Standing fast against the public backlash, Masan's representative said that he has carefully studied the draft standards and found it compliant with international standards and thinks it is feasible for implementation, according to news.zing.vn.

In 2018, Masan Consumer Corp. was the leading player in sauces, dressings, and condiments thanks to its dominance in fish sauce and soy sauce and strength in chilli sauces. Masan offers a wide range of products in both the premium and mass segments.

According to Euromonitor, the global fish sauce market value is estimated at $4.5 billion with an annual growth of about 4.7 per cent from 2016 to 2021. Of this, the Vietnamese fish sauce market is estimated at about $501 million, with more than 70,000 tonnes of fish sauce produced in 2015. Over 300 million litres of fish sauce are consumed annually and a Vietnamese person consumes an average of four litres of fish sauce each year.
Strengthening Vietnam-Germany strategic partnership in training. Photo: MPI

Today at the headquarters of the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Minister Nguyen Chi Dung met with Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, along with numerous congressmen, officials of the ministry, and over 20 German businesses.

At the meeting, the two ministers expressed their desire to promote the strategic partnership and friendship between the two countries, discussed the establishment of a German chamber of commerce and industry in Vietnam, the capital adjustment of Metro Line No.2 in Ho Chi Minh City (Ben Thanh-Tham Luong), boosting co-operation in training human resources and some other sectors when the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is inked.

Highlighting Vietnams recent socioeconomic achievements, Minister Peter Altmaier expressed his belief that with constant innovation and determination, Vietnam will catch up with Industry 4.0 that developed countries like the US, Japan, and Germany are spending so much money on. He also confirmed to consider Vietnam as an equal partner.

In the next 5-10-year development period, Vietnam would like to partner closely with Germany in every sector, especially science-technology and innovation, as well as elicit its support to formulate a national strategy for Industry 4.0 and the establishment of the National Innovation Centre (NIC), Minister Dung said.

Some German

businesses introduced and raised ideas of co-operation with Vietnam in renewable energy, startups, insurance, and environmental protection. The German minister also mentioned that the National Assembly has just approved the investment of 22 million ($24.86 million) into a vocational centre in Ho Chi Minh City.

Also at the meeting, the two ministers signed a joint statement between the MPI and the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy on business training programme for 2019-2021. This is the fourth phase of the programme which has been deployed since 2008 and trained 565 trainees so far.

With the new joint statement for a new period, the German government committed to train dynamic managers for Vietnamese businesses, who could meet the demands for economic development and international integration, as well as strengthen economic relations between the two countries and with European countries.
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after attending a church service, near her Maidenhead constituency, west of London. (Adrian DENNIS/AFP)

Ensconced at her country residence Chequers, the embattled premier met with Tory Brexiteer MPs, including the influential Jacob Rees-Mogg and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson - widely seen as wanting to replace her.

May must decide when, or even if, to ask lawmakers to vote again on her unpopular EU divorce deal which they have already overwhelmingly rejected twice.

After a particularly chaotic week even for May's crisis-plagued tenure - during which she made an ill-judged attack on MPs' intransigence on her plan - speculation is rife that Conservatives are preparing to force her to resign.

The Sunday Times reported she was "at the mercy of a full-blown cabinet coup", with plans afoot for her de facto deputy David Lidington to take over in a caretaker capacity.

The newspaper said it had spoken to 11 senior ministers who "confirmed that they wanted the prime minister to make way for someone else" and planned to confront her at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Such gatherings usually take place on Tuesdays but Downing Street confirmed one was scheduled for 10.00am (6.00pm Singapore time) on Monday.

The Mail on Sunday said May could be ousted "within days" and Environment Secretary Michael Gove, a prominent Brexiteer, could take over as interim leader.

Both Gove and Lidington have denied any desire to take over the leadership.

"It's not the time to change the captain of the ship," said Gove.

Finance Minister Philip Hammond on Sunday criticised the plotters, arguing it would be "self-indulgent" to try to switch leader.

"Changing the players doesn't solve the problem," he told Sky News. "We've got to resolve this issue."

A Downing Street statement described the Chequers meetings as "lengthy talks with senior colleagues about delivering Brexit".

UNCERTAINTY REIGNS

May is also confronted with the prospect of lawmakers seizing control of House of Commons procedures in order to hold a series of so-called "indicative votes" to reveal what support exists for other options on Brexit.

It follows May securing at a European Union summit this week a delay to Britain's scheduled Mar 29 departure for at least three weeks to get her agreement approved or find a viable alternative.

Britain's parliament, and cabinet, has been deadlocked for months over Brexit, with lawmakers unable to decide how to implement the 2016 referendum vote to leave, reflecting bitter divisions nationwide.

On Saturday, organisers estimated one million pro-Europeans marched through central London demanding another public vote on leaving the bloc.

Following the agreement with the EU to postpone Brexit - which MPs must still vote into British law next week - the path forward still remains highly uncertain.

If May's deal finally wins MPs' backing Britain will leave the EU on May 22 under the terms she struck with the bloc last year.

If it is not passed in the coming weeks London must outline a new plan or face a no-deal Brexit as early as Apr 12.

A request then for another, likely lengthy, extension would require holding European Parliament elections in May.

The prime minister and Brexiteers have decried the prospect, saying it would be unfair to the narrow majority of Britons who voted to leave the bloc in 2016.

'ALTERNATIVE WAY'

May has told MPs she will only bring back her deal for another vote if there are signs of "sufficient support".

But with her parliamentary allies the Democratic Unionist Party indicating on Friday that they remain opposed to her plan, that appears unlikely.

"It's looking very difficult to bring together a majority for it," Hammond conceded to the BBC.

However, "one way or another parliament is going to have the opportunity this week to decide what it is in favour of," he added.

MPs will resume debate on Brexit on Monday and have the chance to vote on an amendment tabled by a cross-party group of senior lawmakers scheduling "indicative votes" two days later.

A similar move earlier this month failed by just two votes.

If passed, lawmakers will be able to vote on a range of options, from stopping Brexit altogether or holding a second referendum to remaining in a customs union with the EU or its single market.

MPs could then try to turn their non-binding votes into enforceable law.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay warned on Sunday such a move could spark a constitutional crisis and that "the risk of a general election increases" under such a scenario.

"There is a constitutional collision if parliament is instructing a government to do something that is fundamentally against what it has been elected to do," he told the BBC.
Visa CEO Al Kelly (left) and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) at the meeting

The delegation met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, State Bank of Vietnam Governor Le Minh Hung, as well as leaders of Vietnamese banks, to discuss the importance of digital payments and how the company can deepen its partnership across the ecosystem.

Kelly said, Vietnam is one of the fastest growing markets for Visa across the globe. With a young population, emerging middle class and consistently strong economic growth, we are very optimistic about the future of digital payments here and the role we can play in supporting Vietnam as it continues on its path to becoming a developed economy.

Visa also used the visit to reinforce its support for the Vietnamese governments vision for a less-cash economy and the role the company can play in helping the country to achieve this.

We strongly support Vision 2045 and will continue to partner with our clients, the government and the broader ecosystem to help Vietnam realise this goal. We have come a long way but there is still much to do. Were committed to driving financial inclusion, financial literacy, and introducing new payment innovations that will make it faster, more convenient and more secure for Vietnamese consumers and businesses to pay and be paid.

Visa has a long standing commitment to Vietnam with the first Visa card payments being accepted by retailers back in 1995 and the first Visa credit card launched in the country two years later.

Visa will soon be launching its Future of Security Roadmap for Vietnam, working closely with the State Bank of Vietnam to design a robust approach for strengthening payments security in the country.

Seniors of Visa and the State Bank of Vietnam took a photo

The company continues to be at the forefront of innovation, both enabling new payment experiences and co-developing these with local fintechs to bring global best in class payments to Vietnam.

Last year Visa launched its inaugural Visas Everywhere Initiative in Vietnam, a global innovation programme that aims to harness the creativity and talent within the startup community worldwide, to solve payments and commerce challenges. The strength of the entries received reinforced why Vietnam is earning a reputation internationally for being a fintech hub for the region.

Visa is also working closely with the government to enable digital payments across a variety of use cases including transit, with developments underway on a smart ticketing system on city buses in Ho Chi Minh City.

Since 2012, Visa has run an annual financial literacy programme in conjunction with the Central Committee of Vietnam Students Association (CCVSA), which teaches young Vietnamese effective ways to manage their money. Over the course of its seven-year history, the programme has reached millions of young adults across Vietnam, equipping them with vital financial skills that will provide ongoing benefits throughout their lives.

Vietnam is at a pivotal time in the evolution of its economy. While the country has a heavy reliance on cash, we are seeing some very positive signs of this changing, including increasing uptake of digital payments such as debit cards and credit cards, the adoption of new payment technologies such as contactless payments, and a rise in e-commerce, said Kelly. Were very excited about the opportunities that lay ahead here in Vietnam and we are proud of our role in helping to develop payment infrastructure in the country. We look forward to working with our clients and the government to continue to grow the expansion of digital payments and position Vietnam as a leading digital economy in the region.
Dang Tuyet Dung, newly-appointed country manager for Visa Vietnam and Laos

Prior to Visa, you worked for 25 years at leading international and local banks. How does this background help you with your current leadership position at Visa?

Such a long relationship with the banking industry really gives me a deep and practical view of bank client requirements and how those link with the overall banking strategy across corporate and retails segments. Joining Visa was a great opportunity for me to learn more of the leading technologies and digital solutions, and I see huge potential of how Visa can work even better and differently with our bank clients, corporate customers, and fintechs to best leverage our capabilities in payment technologies and digital innovations in developing electronic payments and the digital economy in Vietnam.

How does Visas work in financial inclusion tie in with Vietnams development goal?

The Vietnamese market has made very positive moves in transferring consumers faster from cash payment behaviors to the electronic form. Achieving the cashless society target of 10 per cent cash payments per total PCE (personal consumption expenditure) is challenging and will require a very strong and consistent direction towards financial inclusion.

Financial inclusion is on the prioritised strategic agenda of Visa in Vietnah, and aims at educating financial knowledge, financial planning skills to the larger population, and to create a strong foundation for digital economic growth.

Our company has been actively participating in financial literacy promotion activities to support organisations and government agencies. One eminent example is our co-operation with the Central Committee of the Vietnam Students Association in 2012-2018. The programme provided financial knowledge to students from 36 universities across Vietnam. Also, since 2015 Visa has been co-operating with CARE, an international non-governmental organisation, to consecutively support 879 women in the northern highlands areas on financial management training to feed stakeholder production and business needs. About 75 per cent of female participants later informed us of improved family incomes despite the short time of engaging in the programme.

Vietnam has also witnessed a breakneck growth of fintech in recent years. What is your view and how does Visa respond to the craze?

Were very supportive of fintech firms in Vietnam. The fast growth of fintech in recent years is very encouraging given that it will create a strong impact on the growth of electronic payments and digital services via changing the consumer behavior, especially in everyday buying and spending needs. However, there is a critical need of a complete legal framework to facilitate the healthy and sustainable business model of fintech groups.

To Visa, fintechs are wonderful partners and we are developing business partnership with them in every market, regionally and globally, to support them with better payment and digital capabilities through our Visanet platform. Fintechs are becoming a very strategic partner group for us to expand acceptance, and strengthen acquisition across markets.

A prominent venture from us is the Visa Everywhere Initiative, launched to assist startup and fintech companies in developing and executing their ideas and business models. The programme has been participated in by hundreds of companies from Vietnam. Given the objective, the Fintech Fast Track from Visa is now co-operating and helping Vietnamese fintech companies upgrade capacities in providing e-payment services and their own services, by connecting with Visas payment infrastructure and ecosystem.

Just how much do you think Vietnamese consumers are embracing the digital payment trend?

The latest Visa digital payments report and consumer attitudes survey show that in 2018, the total value of purchases made by Vietnamese consumers on their Visa credit and debit cards is up 37 per cent, while the number of transactions is up by 25 per cent. E-commerce in particular saw strong growth with the total value of purchases up by 40 per cent.

These results highlight that Vietnamese consumers are embracing digital payment as a faster and more convenient way to pay, with consumers using their credit and debit cards more often for in-store and online purchases. Consumers are carrying less cash, and 73 per cent of respondents are using credit and debit cards, up on 59 per cent from the year prior.

The Visa report also pointed out that 82 per cent of respondents have attempted to make transactions on mobile phones and 44 per cent indicated that they are now making payments in mobile apps. Furthermore, about 32 per cent are using contactless payment technologies, and 19 per cent have used QR payments.

As the Vietnamese economy grows and becomes increasingly globalised, commerce here will require ever faster and efficient ways of paying. These recent figures from our network demonstrate clearly that digital payments are now truly a part of day-to-day life for many Vietnamese consumers, regardless of whether theyre buying from an online retailer on the other side of the world, or simply paying for their groceries.
Thai voters head to the polls Sunday for the first time in nearly five years, and analysts say the results could have an impact on democracy throughout Southeast Asia.

Thailand's military junta took power in May 2014, when then-army chief Prayut Chan-ocha led a coup that toppled the government. Observers see the coming elections as a struggle between democracy and military rule.

Prayut, now seeking the premiership, has said that if he wins, voters would be returning his junta-led country to a "democracy."

Thailand is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and pro-democracy advocates within the trading bloc are paying close attention to the vote, despite its policy of noninterference in members' internal affairs.

The ASEAN Post, an independent regional digital media company in Kuala Lumpur, recently noted that freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and press freedom had deteriorated since the junta seized power, initiating the longest period of army rule in modern Thai history.

"Several hundred activists and dissidents have since been called national security threats and faced serious criminal charges such as sedition, computer-related crimes and lese majeste [insulting the monarchy] for peaceful expression of their views," it noted in a recent opinion piece.

The coup  Thailand's 13th since 1932  ousted then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and caused international outrage. The pending elections, the military hopes, will fix that.

Myanmar's experience

The election framework echoes the 2015 ballot in neighboring Myanmar, where hopes of democratic freedom were dashed by a military that has maintained an overarching influence on a civilian administration, through its allotted seats in parliament.

A more drastic story has unfolded along Thailand's eastern border.

Cambodia was returned to a one-party state last year after the main opposition party was banned from competing at elections, media outlets were closed and political dissidents were jailed, raising the prospect of U.S.- and European-imposed sanctions.

Elections will also be held in Indonesia in April, and midterm polls are to be held a month later in the Philippines, where the separation of powers  a cornerstone in any democracy  has foundered amid the government's war on drugs.

Singapore has been ruled by the same party since independence in 1965. Of the remaining non-democratic countries, communist Vietnam and Laos have initiated crackdowns on dissent, while Islamic Brunei has instituted sharia.

David Welsh, country director in Southeast Asia for the Solidarity Center, a nonprofit that seeks to help build a global labor movement, said human rights were a major concern ahead of looming elections, and that the strong-arm from governments favoring big business were affecting workers and trade union issues.

"The prospects for business and trade are probably pretty good. The prospects for labor laws and worker protection aren't, although I've been pleasantly surprised by what's happened in Malaysia, so let's see," Welsh said.

Bright spot

Malaysia emerged as one the few democratic bright spots among the 10 members of ASEAN after the electorate, which tired of allegations of gross corruption, stunned pollsters and ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is now facing trial.

But observers say the chances of the Thai junta losing power at the ballot box appear remote.

Under a new constitution, the next Thai prime minister will be elected at a joint sitting of parliament. The 250 members of the Senate will all be appointed by the military, with political parties contesting only the 500 seats in the House of Representatives on Sunday.

That heavily favors Prayut, who led the coup and is hoping to legitimize his leadership by standing for prime minister.

The Southeast Asian Press Alliance has expressed concerns about his leadership, citing a crackdown on press freedoms, while the Asian Network for Free Elections has warned of "inconsistencies and irregularities" in the lead-up to the election.

Those inconsistencies were also noted by Laddawan Tantiyitayapitak, vice president of Poll Watch in Thailand. She said vote buying in the poorer provinces had emerged as an issue in campaigning, but that so far the Election Commission of Thailand had failed to act on complaints.

"They start from 100 baht, 200 baht, 300 baht to 500 baht. Now it's 1,000 baht (about U.S. $32) that they are saying they are going to give to the people" for their votes, she said.

Transportation, food

Laddawan said voters were also being organized into large groups to be trucked to the polling booths, where they have been instructed to vote for the same political party en masse and were offered a free lunch.

"The politicians, they do not realize that what they are doing is wrong," she said. "But nowadays, people, they realize, so vote buying may or may not affect the result of the election."

Laddawan declined to name the political parties that she said were offering money in return for votes, but said there were "many."

The U.S. government has issued an advisory to its citizens, warning that travelers may encounter a heightened police and military presence throughout the country, particularly near polling stations.

The U.S. is urging its citizens to abide by Thai laws that prohibit criticism of the monarchy, avoid any election-related large gatherings, and monitor international and Thai media before, during and after the elections.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has played down the possible significance of the EU withdrawing Cambodias preferential trade treatment over human rights concerns.

As EU officials arrived in Cambodia to assess the situation, Hun Sen told garment workers in Pursat province the Cambodian economy could stay afloat without the added competitiveness provided by the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme.

Speaking on Wednesday, Hun Sen said: If they grant us the free trade scheme, we cannot become a rich country, but if they withdraw it, we are also not going to die.

The EU delegation, led by Paola Pampaloni, a senior EU foreign affairs official for Asia and the Pacific, will report its findings to Brussels in the coming weeks. The EU has given Cambodia until 2021 to reverse course after Hun Sen oversaw the jailing of political opponents and a widespread crackdown on civil society ahead of elections in 2018.

Despite Hun Sens comments, a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhon suggested some in government were less welcoming of the prospect of Cambodias expulsion from the scheme.

The minister said that EBA is very important for Cambodias economy. It has improved more than 600,000 garment factory workers livelihoods and 2 million of those who depend on them, the statement reads.

In conclusion, both parties have indicated the same stance in keeping EBA and maintaining the tie between EU and Cambodia.

Pampaloni also reportedly met Interior Minister Sar Kheng last week.

Dozens of Cambodian NGOs have signed a statement urging the government to meet the EUs conditions for retention of its EBA membership.
The U.S. State Department's principal deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Patrick Murphy, on Friday called on the countries in the Indo-Pacific region to follow free, open and rules-based principles.

In a telephone press briefing to wrap up his trip to Thailand, Indonesia, and Hawaii last week, Murphy said democratic governance was a key discussion topic, particularly due to this past Sundays elections in Thailand, in addition to security and economic relations.

This particular set of trips was a chance to address the importance of democratic governance as well, and a number of countries are going through, or preparing for, important national elections, including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, which will have local elections, and even Australia anticipates elections later this year, he said.

I noted there are many visions within the region, and we welcome that, we embrace that, but were very encouraged to see such commonality among these visions in a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, he said.

In Bangkok, Murphy met with Thai officials and others to discuss Thailands 2019 ASEAN Chairmanship and the U.S.-Thailand alliance.

The U.S. is very pleased to see so many Thai people who have been quite hungry to exercise their rights and go to the voting places, he said.

We are very keen to see Thailand return to elected government. Democracy has served Thailand and the Thai people well in the past, and served the relationship and the region, he said.

In August last year, President Donald Trump approved the nomination of Murphy as his pick to lead the U.S. mission in Cambodia amid soured U.S.-Cambodian relations over Phnom Penhs handling of a general election in July 2018. He has yet to be confirmed.

Its a great honor for me personally to be nominated as an ambassador, he told reporters.

I was re-nominated in January and the process now resides with the U.S. Senate, and we look forward to their further consideration of that nomination as well as other nominations that are active for envoys to the region and positions in Washington, he added.

Murphys appointment comes as relations between the two countries hit a low after Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than 30 years, accused Washington of sponsoring a plot to overthrow him by supporting the former opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party.

The CNRP was disbanded in November 2017 and its leader, Kem Sokha, arrested on treason charges, prompting criticism and limited sanctions on some officials.

Cambodia held a general election on July last year that saw Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party win every seat in parliament in the absence of the CNRP, which previously held a large minority.

Ou Virak, founding president of the Future Forum, a Cambodian think tank, told VOA Khmer that the decision to nominate Murphy may be a sign of the increasing importance Washington placed on Cambodia given its strengthening alliance with China.

Its a sign that the Trump Administration is considering Cambodia as a more important and strategic country as Patrick Murphy is senior and quite respected in Asia-Pacific diplomatic circles, he said.

Its likely due to two reasons: the rise of China and its influence and the growing importance of Southeast Asia.

Before being stationed at the State Departments Asia division in 2016, Murphy was a diplomat in Thailand, serving as the deputy chief of mission, and a special envoy to Myanmar during the democratic transition before the 2014 election.

Over the past two years, Murphy has been a frequent visitor to Southeast Asia, including two visits to Cambodia in 2017.

The concept of the Indo-Pacific remains as a top priority for the U.S. government, according to Murphy.

Among all of the global priorities, the Indo-Pacific is a top tier priority. We are continuing to work on garnering additional resources. Those resources have been identified in the most recent budget request, for example, for Indo-Pacific priorities, he said.

Our aspirations to see a region of sovereign, strong, prosperous countries, he added.

Paul Chambers, a political analyst, and lecturer in Thailand's Naresuan University, said in an email: The US stance in the Indo-Pacific stresses geo-politics over human rights though Washington emphasizes human rights in countries which, such as Cambodia, have seemed to side with China.

He added that democracy promotion has been important in US foreign relations because such values reflect US political culture.

Thus Washington has been an important plank of US relations with other countries, he added.

Additional reporting by Aun Chhengpor.
The crisis in Sudan and turmoil in other parts of the Africa region have sent thousands of refugees fleeing their homelands in the hope of finding better lives for themselves and their children. Many are fleeing to Egypt, where Edward Yeranian reports the influx is causing a strain on resources.
US Officially Recognizes Israeli Control over Golan

Stand for Israel | March 25, 2019

Before flying back to Israel to deal with the rocket attack that struck the Sharon region and the heightened tensions that have gripped the Holy Land, PM Netanyahu paid a visit to the White House on Monday for a monumental event. The Jerusalem Posts Herb Keinon tells us that Trump at last officially signed a declaration recognizing Israels sovereignty over the Goland Heights:

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a decree on Monday saying the United States recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House at noon Monday for his meeting with US President Donald Trump in the shadows of Hamas missile attack on Central Israel.

Following the meeting Netanyahu is scheduled to fly directly back to Israel forgoing the rest of his planned schedule, which included a speech to AIPAC tomorrow, a meeting with Congressional leaders and a dinner meeting with President Trump.

Netanyahu is expected to speak with Trump about the attack and Israels response
The Venezuelan government in Caracas under the control of President Nicolas Maduro has denounced as illegal the takeover this week of some of its diplomatic offices in the United States by representatives of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim leader of the oil rich but economically impoverished nation. But as VOAs Brian Padden reports, the move by the U.S. to legitimize Guaido and further isolate the embattled Maduro government has recent legal precedent.
U.S. airplane manufacturer Boeing says it plans to hold a briefing Wednesday for 200 pilots, technical leaders and regulators as it works toward returning its 737 MAX planes to service following two deadly crashes.

The company said in a statement it is working to have sessions with all operators of the 737 MAX and national aviation regulators.

"At the same time, we continue to work closely with our customers and regulators on software and training updates for the 737 MAX. Boeing is paying for the development of these updates," Boeing said.

Airlines and aviation oversight bodies around the world grounded the 737 MAX planes earlier this month after the crash an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Examinations of the plane's flight data recorders showed what Ethiopia's transport ministers called "clear similarities" to an October crash of the same model plane in Indonesia.

Boeing is working on a software update for its anti-stall system, which the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration wants to have in place by sometime next month.

The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that the FAA has given its tentative approval to the fixes.

The acting head of the FAA, Daniel Elwell, is among those scheduled to testify Wednesday at a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing on airline safety. The panel is also planning a future hearing that would include Boeing and pilots.
A Brazilian federal judge on Monday ordered the release of former President Michel Temer from jail, allowing him to face corruption charges while free.

Judge Antonio Ivan Athie said there's no need to jail the 78-year-old politician because he doesn't pose a risk to the investigation into the charges.

Temer and seven other people were jailed Thursday on corruption charges in the sprawling Car Wash probe. At the time, Judge Marcelo Bretas argued that they should be held so they could not destroy evidence.

Brazil's federal police did not say when Temer would be released.

Temer became president in August 2016 after President Dilma Roussef was impeached and removed from office, and his term ended Jan. 1, when President Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in.

His administration was clouded by corruption allegations, though on two occasions, lawmakers refused to authorize prosecution of Temer. In Brazil, the prosecution of a sitting president requires a vote of Congress.

Athie's ruling could still be reversed by his colleagues on the same court, which had been expected to decide on Temer's future only on Wednesday.

"As I examined the case, I verified that there is no justification to wait for two more days for the decision," the judge said.

The ruling also said Bretas' decision to arrest Temer was based on "assumptions on old facts."

The Car Wash probes also led to the jailing of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is serving a 12-year sentence for corruption and money laundering.

Once hugely popular, Da Silva, who governed between 2003 and 2010, has only left his prison cell in Southern Brazil city of Curitiba to testify in other lawsuits and to attend his 7-year-old grandson's funeral in March.
British voters were promised that leaving the European Union after half-a-century of membership would be simple. And according to one leading Brexiter, Liam Fox, negotiating a deal with Britains erstwhile partners would be the easiest in human history.

It hasnt turned out that way.

Simplicity has given way to complexity and rancorous division, shaking constitutional foundations. Amid the political chaos there are burgeoning concerns about the safety of Britains lawmakers.

Last week, as British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to seek a postponement of Britains exit from the European Union, members of Parliament were advised to take taxis home over fears they risked being assaulted by members of the public.

Personally, I have never felt this level of tension during my time in the House and I am aware that other colleagues feel the same, the deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle wrote to lawmakers, advising them to take extra security precautions.

Many colleagues have already been subject to widely publicized abuse and intimidation, he wrote. He added security measures had been adopted at the homes and constituencies of most MPs.

Increased pressure to step down



This week Brexit could claim the scalp of Britains Theresa May, whos clinging to office amid demands from some of her own Conservative lawmakers to quit. They want a caretaker prime minister to be installed to test different exit strategies. Mays Brexit withdrawal agreement has been rejected twice by parliament and there appears little prospect it will pass, if she brings it before the House of Commons for a third try.

Even the skittish plot to oust her fell apart Sunday, the victim of splits in the Cabinet over who should replace her.

Parliament will try this week to seize control of the Brexit process from a government so divided that it has become powerless.

That would turn Britains modern-day constitutional practice on its head and may not resolve anything  it isnt clear theres a majority in the House of Commons for any alternative from staying in the EU, to holding a second referendum, to effecting a so-called soft Brexit, which would see Britain closely tied to the bloc economically but outside its political institutions.

Accusations of betrayal, treachery

But unnerving British politicians the most is the rising tide of Brexit-related accusations of betrayal and treachery, which is deepening distrust in parliament and risks encouraging violence, they fear.

Lawmakers have found themselves outside Parliament surrounded and jostled by protesters. On social media they are regularly denounced in menacing messages often threatening physical harm.

At the back of lawmakers minds is the murder four years ago of Labour MP Jo Cox, who was shot and stabbed to death by a 52-year-old assailant outside a library in her normally placid northern England constituency.

Her killer had a history of psychiatric problems.

Those favoring an exit argue parliament is frustrating the peoples will and they accuse lawmakers of treason. Brexit-backing tabloid newspapers dub those trying to block leaving the EU enemies of the people and even the traditionally more sober columnists of the broadsheet newspapers arent restraining themselves in taking sides.

The leading Brexiter Nigel Farage has described Mays delay  Britain was scheduled to leave on March 29  an outright betrayal. He has warned darkly of a widening gap between the people and politicians.

Calls for new referendum

But pro-EU campaigners point to Saturdays rally in London calling for a second referendum that attracted a million marchers as an indication public opinion has shifted away from Brexit and people have changed their minds.

They accuse Brexit-favoring lawmakers of intransigence and also of a betrayal of the interests of the people by not abandoning Brexit.

Others fear long-term harm to Britains political institutions.

Writing in Britains Daily Telegraph, Charles Moore, a former editor of the storied Conservative newspaper and a staunch Brexiter, said political parties promised Britons the 2016 Brexit referendum would be honored and if parliament now breaks that trust, it undermines the purpose of its existence.

He added, It invites us to replace its members and perhaps the institution itself.

That, say some critics, misunderstands Britains unwritten Constitution and where sovereignty lies  not with the people, but with Parliament. Britains longest-serving lawmaker Ken Clarke, a Conservative, was critical of holding a Brexit plebiscite in the first place, fearing it would strip from MPs what was rightfully their decision to make.

The tension between parliament and people isnt new. In the 18th century, philosopher and lawmaker Edmund Burke told the voters of Bristol that an MP was not a delegate, but a representative.

Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion, he said. That principle has long been seen as key for a parliamentary democracy.

If voters are unhappy with their MP, they can always vote them out at a subsequent election. Which is what the Bristol voters did to Edmund Burke.
British Prime Minister Theresa May says she does not have enough support in parliament to hold a third vote on a deal for Britain's exit from the European Union.

"But I also indicated that I was continuing to talk to colleagues across this House [of Commons], and I would hope to be able to bring back a vote in this House that enables us to guarantee Brexit," she told parliament.

May's proposed deal for Britain to leave the European Union has been rejected twice. At present, Britain is set to leave the bloc without a deal on April 12  an outcome which May has said she will avoid.

May said that she is "skeptical" that indicative votes for alternative Brexit plans would provide a clear path to the divorce.

Northern Ireland's DUP and many other lawmakers oppose May's Brexit deal because of the Irish backstop clause  a proposal that would prevent a physical border between Ireland (which would remain a member of the EU) and Northern Ireland (part of Britain).

May has come under increasing scrutiny, facing calls to step down even from within her party, as the country's exit from EU proves complicated.
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots warns chances of achieving a U.N. treaty banning the development, production and use of fully autonomous lethal weapons, also known as killer robots, are looking increasingly remote. Experts from some 80 countries are attending a weeklong meeting to discuss the prospect of negotiating an international treaty.

Representatives from about 80 countries have been meeting on lethal autonomous weapons systems since 2014. They have to decide by November to begin negotiations on a new treaty to regulate killer robots.

Nobel peace laureate Jody Williams says Russia has been in the forefront of a group of countries, including the United States and Australia, trying to block movement in this direction. At the opening session, she tells VOA that Russia argued for drastically limiting discussions on the need for meaningful human control over lethal autonomous weapons.

It is very unlikely as they finish up this year that there will be a mandate to meaningfully deal with meaningful human control, which is fundamental in our view to how you deploy such systems, Williams said. There would be no utility in continuing to come here and hear the same blah, blah, blah over and over again.

Williams said the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots may have to resort to civil activism to get an accord banning killer robots. She said such tactics successfully achieved international treaties banning land mines and cluster munitions outside the United Nations framework.

But for now, the activists are not giving up on persuading U.N. member countries to take the right course. They said delegating life-and death decisions to machines crosses what they call a moral red line and should not be allowed to happen.

They said they have strong support for their stance from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In a statement to delegates attending the meeting, he warned of the dangers of giving machines the power and discretion to take lives without human involvement.

He called this morally repugnant and politically unacceptable. He said these weapons should be prohibited by international law.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been treated to a sumptuous dinner near Nice and an official welcome by his French counterpart at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris  not to mention a 17th-century French translation of Confucius.

But Xi's three-day visit to France, which began Sunday, promises to be a much bigger challenge than his past two stopovers. The Chinese leader coasted on the first leg of his European tour, marked by getting Italy on board his "Belt and Road" project, and a friendly welcome in the tiny Riviera principality of Monaco, which agreed to let Chinese technology company Huawei develop its controversial 5G telecommunications network.

His third leg will test both Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron, who has cast himself as one of Europe's strongest champions. For Xi, analysts say, the goal is not just to broaden Chinese economic ties, but also political clout in Europe in the face of other major global competitors. For Macron and his allies, it means coaxing a fractured bloc to speak in a single voice when it comes to doing business with China.

"It's in the Chinese interest that Europe is not divided, that we remain a leading partner," Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper wrote, summing up what it described as Macron's thinking about China's relations with the European Union, its biggest trading partner.

Monday's agenda included inking energy, food and transport deals, followed by a state dinner for Xi hosted by Macron at the Elysee presidency. Besides trade, the two leaders were also expected discuss climate change, with Macron reportedly seeking greater Chinese cooperation to counter Trump administration skepticism.

The bigger business comes Tuesday, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker join Macron in Paris for talks with Xi.

The French president has already set the tone, declaring Friday "the time for European naivete is over"  a sentiment echoed by fellow EU powerhouse Germany.

"We want a relationship based on reciprocity," Merkel said. "If one side has access, then the other side should, too."

But European solidarity may be undermined by more than a dozen individual trade and investment agreements struck between China and EU member states, from Poland and Portugal, to Greece and the Czech Republic.

"If Paris, Brussels and Berlin are on the same page, it's not certain that everyone will follow them," France's Le Monde newspaper wrote. "Scandinavian countries are reticent ... those in the south  Italy, Portugal, Greece ... need Chinese investment."

Indeed, earlier this month, Malta signaled it might be the next contender.

"One has to be wary of any country, especially with political ambitions or any sort of ambitions," Maltese Finance Minister Edward Scicluna told CNBC, "but that's life."

Also described as the new Silk Road, China's strategy of infrastructure development and investments now spans more than 150 countries. Chinese yuan have helped to bankroll new trains, roads and ports around the globe  crucial additions, especially for developing nations, and key instruments to expand Beijing's economy and global leverage.

Win-win deals  or are they?

China calls the initiative a "win-win" deal. But critics note the infrastructure projects have indebted some African and Southeast Asian nations and rendered strategic assets, including ports in Djibouti and Greece, essentially under Chinese control.

Already weakened by Brexit and internal political divisions, Europe's ability to handle China in a unified way may be put to the test at an EU-China summit next month.

The European Union has drafted an official strategy calling on member states to pressure Beijing for greater accountability and transparency in its business dealings. Yet that might be undermined by another reality; China's effectiveness "at dividing and conquering EU member states by targeting them individually," wrote University of Bristol East Asia expert Winnie King in The Conversation.

Francois Godemont, an Asia expert at the Montaigne Institute in Paris, believes Xi's priorities on this trip are not only economic, but also to "disarm" a skeptical Europe and further distance Brussels from Washington before more U.S.-Chinese trade talks next month.

"Seen from China, trade deals are a footnote," he added in an interview Monday with France-Info radio.

Another French analyst, Sylvie Kauffman, argues Xi's visit underscores a much bigger threat as other powers  including Russia and the United States  also seek to undermine European unity.

"Europeans need more than a wake-up call," Kauffman wrote in the The New York Times. "They must decide whether they can contemplate the prospect of their continent being cut up piece by piece by competing bigger powers, or whether they want to regain enough collective strength and common sense to control their own destiny."
China and the Philippines have learned to live with each other over the past three years at sea despite an unresolved sovereignty dispute, marginalizing a new international legal complaint aimed at Beijing.

Former Philippine foreign secretary Albert del Rosario and the governments ex-ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed the complaint as civilians March 13 with the International Criminal Court prosecutor. The petitioners told a news conference Friday they want Chinese President Xi Jinping and other people in his government held accountable for what they call crimes at sea.

The case is seen also as a swipe at Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whose government withdrew from the court in mid-March and has made friends with China since 2016 without resolving the sovereignty dispute.

Duterte cited Chinas stronger military and willingness to give Manila development aid as reasons to improve relations. China, in turn, wants to be seen around Asia as a good neighbor. Now the two governments consult periodically and avoid acts that inflame the other side.

Theres no need for active cooperation, said Eduardo Araral, associate public policy professor at the National University of Singapore. As long as they dont bring in those big tourist ships and dump garbage in the ocean or do overfishing in Philippine waters, I think the Philippines would just be happy to let things be as they are.

Legal complaint

The Philippines withdrew from the Netherlands-based International Criminal Court March 17. The country began its withdrawal process last year after the prosecutor started a war crimes probe into Dutertes deadly strikes against Filipino drug dealers. The prosecutor could technically build a case from the March 13 complaint, as well.

That (Xi Jinping) is powerful does not deter anyone from filing a case against him, Carpio-Morales told the news conference as broadcast by Philippines news network ABS-CBN. Lets all be optimistic. Are you reminded of the case of David and Goliath?

But the complaint is unlikely to sway Sino-Philippine relations, political experts say.

Tacit agreements

The two countries have informally agreed to avoid provoking each other, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

I think thats a kind of an untold, tacit understanding, Huang said. I think its the leaderships decision.

China lets Philippine fishing boats use waters around Scarborough Shoal, a fisheries-rich islet where Beijing took control in 2012, analysts have said. China also let the Philippines build on Thitu Island in a different part of the disputed sea last year, though it sent scores of boats to check out the construction in December and January. China in 2016 pledged $24 billion in aid and investment for the Philippines.

Dutertes government avoids criticizing China in international bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The two countries in November signed a memorandum of understanding to explore together for fossil fuels under the seabed.

Beijing claims about 90 percent of the sea including tracts in the Philippine exclusive economic zone off their west coasts. China has angered Manila as well as three other Southeast Asian governments over the past decade by building up small isles for military use.

Anti-China sentiment

The 17-page complaint to the international courts prosecutor says Xi should be accountable for crimes against humanity over China's activities in the South China Sea as the acts have deprived Filipino fishermen of food and livelihood, state-run Philippine News Agency reported.

A tense standoff in 2012 over Scarborough Shoal sparked four years of tense relations under Dutertes predecessor, whose government won a world arbitration court case against China -- but one that effected no change in Chinese use of the sea. China cites historical documents as support for its claims.

Suspicion of China still reflects sentiment among some Filipinos, who prefer Washington to Beijing as a political ally. The legal complaint was filed two months before mid-term congressional elections in the Philippines.

A presidential office spokesman in Manila said Saturday the complaint may be futile, domestic news website Philstar.com reported. China will ignore the complaint because it does not represent an official stance, Philippine News Agency said.

Its a political play going on here, said Jay Batongbacal, international maritime affairs professor at University of the Philippines. I think its less about the actual case than about going against the government and China.
Internally displaced people at Rukban refugee camp in southeastern Syria are rejecting a claim by Russia and the Syrian regime that they are being used as human shields by the U.S. troops near al-Tanf military base.



Rukban refugee camp is located in a remote area in Syria's Homs governorate, near the strategic joint border with Jordan and Iraq. The makeshift camp is home to nearly 60,000 Syrians displaced from different areas of the country since the escalation of the country's civil war in 2014. About 16 kilometers from Rukban is a U.S. military base hosting about 200 American soldiers.



"The refugees in Rukban camp are suffering because of the Russian siege," Omar al-Homsi, a spokesperson for Rukban camp, told VOA.



Reiterating a statement from Rukban camp's political committee last week, al-Homsi accused the Syrian government and the Russian military of "trying to force refugees to evacuate the camp by preventing aid from going inside the camp."



The camp's political committee said several infants have died recently due to deteriorating health conditions at the camp.



Women and children



The United Nations refugee agency estimates about 80 percent of the Syrians settled there are women and children, many suffering from fatal diseases, and lack of food and basic services. The U.N. said it is ready to send aid trucks across the border from the Jordanian side to the camp, but said it has failed to obtain permission from the Syrian government in a timely manner.



The Syrian government and Russian military say delivering aid to the camp has been delayed mainly due to lack of security guarantees for relief workers entering the U.S.-controlled area.



Russian and Syrian government refugee coordination centers last week blamed U.S. forces for allegedly detaining the displaced Syrians in the camp. The centers claimed about 95 percent of the displaced people want to return to their homes due to poor conditions at the camp and the de-escalation of violence in other parts of Syria.



Rukban camp spokesman Al-Homsi told VOA that many frightened refugees wished to resettle in rebel-held areas in the north, but doing so was difficult because the Syrian forces are not willing to provide them a safe passage.



He said the Syrian government and the Russian military were embargoing the camp to force the refugees into reconciliation and to pressure U.S. troops to leave the nearby military base.



"Many people resorted to this desert area near al-Tanf base because they wanted to be protected from Russian and Syrian airstrikes," al-Homsi said.



Forced conscription



According to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), many refugees in the camp fear arrest and forced conscription if they return to their homes in areas controlled by the government.



"There were Russian promises to the refugees who don't oppose (the) Bashar Assad regime to return back to their cities and villages without being arrested," Rami Abdulrahman, head of the observatory, told VOA. "But the refugees do not believe these promises because there were cases in the past when a number of refugees were arrested after they left Rukban camp."



The refugee camp, along with the U.S. base, falls within al-Tanf's 55-kilometer exclusion zone established in 2016 as part of the U.S.-backed coalition's effort to fight the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria.



The main rebel group in the area, Revolutionary Commando Army, currently maintains the security of the camp and provides safe passage to aid convoys. The group's fighters have for years protected the area from IS infiltration and Syrian regime attacks.



Maher Sulaiman al-Isa, a representative of the U.S.-backed group, told VOA that Russia and the Syrian regime are attempting to forcefully evacuate people from refugee camps and return them to their homes to demonstrate to the outside world that the war-torn country is going back to normalcy under the regime.



He said the embargo on the camp has tainted Syria's claim for a new beginning and its promises of a major reconstruction process.



"Russians are trying to get rid of the embarrassment that these camps are neglected by the Syrian regime," al-Isa told VOA "They are relentlessly asking the Syrian regime to find a solution for this camp, because it is located inside the Syrian territory."



US protection



Al-Isa said the U.S.-backed rebels in the zone and the refugees in the camp depend on U.S. protection against attacks by the Syrian regime and Iranian militias.



Last December, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria after IS is defeated. However, Trump in February decided to keep about 400 U.S. troops in Syria, 200 of these troops allegedly will be stationed in al-Tanf.



Al-Isa said the base's strategic location, which prevents Iran from gaining access to the Iraq-Syria-Jordan tri-border, in addition to humanitarian considerations, will likely encourage the U.S. to keep troops there for a while.



"We know that there is a debate around the withdrawal from al-Tanf, especially among the U.S. generals, and this is for strategic reasons to face the Iranian plans," al-Isa said, adding, "The withdrawal will be delayed from al-Tanf base for an indefinite time."
Vietnam's cheap workers might not be the country's stars for much longer: low wages helped to propel the communist nation to some of the fastest growth rates in the world, but analysts say it needs a new economic model now.

After a slow recovery from the Vietnam War, the Southeast Asian country saw gross domestic product rise year after year from the 1990s on. That was built on the back of low-cost labor and factory-driven exports, as well as companies increasing tie-ins to foreign investment.

Vietnam is currently at a turning point, looking back at simple exports like rice and Reeboks that helped it develop, and looking forward to a more advanced economy along the lines of Taiwan or South Korea. Locals do not want Made in Vietnam to signal low quality. They also want to integrate into global trade, without the backlash against globalization seen among populist voters from Europe to the United States.

What has been working in the past 30 years may not necessarily work in the future, said Ousmane Dione, the World Bank director in Vietnam. The impacts of initial institutional and structural reforms seem to have reached their limit.

He was referring to the Doi Moi reforms that began three decades ago, when Vietnam started to introduce more and more traits of a market economy into its system, like private ownership of firms and houses. Hanoi is conducting a review of how well Doi Moi turned out, and how to chart an economic path for the next three decades.

Advisers have put forward ideas of how the new economy could look in Vietnam, among which are three common themes: the internet and other high-tech sectors will dominate; businesses will move into services and other value-added industries rather than physical goods; and employees will constantly update their skills through life-long learning.

For example, Vietnamese factory hands are accustomed to assembling phones and cars, but could they one day move up the value chain, such as by providing tech support to people who buy these products?

On the technology side, Vietnam could do more to collaborate with the rest of Southeast Asia, according to Pham Hong Hai, CEO of HSBC Vietnam. That may range from ensuring electronic payments go off without a hitch across borders, to cooperating on a response to cyber threats, he said.

Businesses are crying out for tangible developments that will smoothen intra-regional trade, Hai said. Vietnam should continue the momentum to further integrate into the region and gain most benefits from globalization.

Left Behind?

The other vital theme has to do with the workforce, making sure its productivity and skill levels improve. Millions of Vietnamese now rely on entry-level jobs to make a living, whether its gluing together wallets at a factory, or picking coffee cherries on a farm.

That was the work that used to attract foreign investors to the country in droves, but not all of those jobs will last. So groups from government agencies to charities are enacting education and training programs to equip locals with skills for the future.

This is meant not just to increase job security, but also to prevent Vietnamese from feeling left behind or bitter if jobs get off-shored to cheaper countries. Vietnam hopes to avoid the populist resentment of other parts of the world, as well as the trade protectionism that has created.

To that end Vietnam is turning to partners like Australia, which has supported projects that allow the fruits of economic success to be spread more widely.

Vietnam set out on a new chapter that embraces innovation, promotes bold reform, and helps Vietnam achieve its ambitious development goals, said Craig Chittick, the Australian ambassador in the country of 100 million people.

His government has backed programs in Vietnam like the KOTO center, which teaches hospitality skills to street children, as well as a contest to invent technologies useful to rural women and a forum to promote impact investing. The idea is that not all groups have benefited from past economic growth, but there is still a chance to change that in the new Vietnam.
The deadly mosque shootings in New Zealand last week by a gunman who promoted an anti-immigrant manifesto coincide with a surge in the incidents of right-wing extremist killings in the U.S.

Last year, domestic extremists killed at least 50 people in the U.S., up from 37 murders in 2017, according to the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, which tracks such murders. The last five years have produced a higher number of extremist-related murders than any other five-year period since 1970, according to the ADL.

Mark Pitcavage, a senior fellow at the Center on Extremism, said that every one of the perpetrators of last years murders had ties to at least one right-wing movement.

The majority of the murders were committed by white supremacists, with a smaller number perpetrated by anti-government extremists and extreme misogynists who identify as "involuntary celibates" or incels, Pitcavage said.

While a few high-profile incidents such as the massacre of 11 Jewish worshippers by white supremacist Robert Bowers at a Pittsburgh synagogue last October have been widely reported, others have received scant attention.

Just two months before the synagogue shooting rampage, another man espousing white supremacist views, Joden Rocco, stabbed a 24-year-old black man outside a bar in Pittsburgh. In an Instagram video posted before the killing, Rocco said that he was trying to see how many times he could use a racial slur for African-Americans before getting kicked out of bars.

"Every year there are a number of incidents like this where one person dies or sometimes two people die, but it was not something where there were mass casualties  or attracted a lot of attention, but it was an extremist killing someone," Pitcavage said. "Someone died. There was a victim. A life was lost."

Among other underreported incidents:

In January 2018, Samuel Woodward stabbed to death Blaze Bernstein, a gay Jewish college student. Investigators later found homophobic and neo-Nazi material on Woodward's cellphone, including content related to the violent hate group Atomwaffen

In October, Gregory Bush, a 51-year-old unemployed white resident of Louisville, Kentucky, killed two African-Americans ages 67 and 69, at a supermarket. While the ADL excluded Bush from its list of extremist-tied murderers due to a lack of evidence, other organizations have counted the murders as related to right-wing extremism

In November, Scott Paul Beierle, a man who had posted sexist and racist videos online, killed two women and injured four others at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida

In addition to ADL, other research organizations have also reported increases in extremist-related killings last year, though in smaller numbers. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino tracked 22 ideologically driven murders in 2018, including 17 carried out by white supremacists, up from 15 the previous year.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, said at least 40 people were killed in the U.S. and Canada by "individuals who were either motivated by or attracted to far-right ideologies." SPLC said 2018 was the deadliest year for victims of right-wing extremism.

"We're just seeing a whole lot of violence from people who are influenced by white supremacy and that kind of extremism," said Heidi Beirich, director of SPLCs intelligence project.

President Donald Trump said recently that he did not think white nationalism was a growing problem following the New Zealand rampage by self-styled white nationalist Brenton Tarrant that killed 50 Muslim worshippers at two mosques.

But the SPLC said white nationalism is on the rise. The Alabama-based legal advocacy organization recently reported that the number of hate groups in the U.S. rose to a record 1,020 last year, boosted by increases in the number of both white and black nationalist groups.

Not all white nationalists are violent. But those who commit acts of violence in the name of white nationalism do so out of fear that immigration into Western countries is sowing the seeds of "white genocide," experts say.

"If you look at the man who killed all those people tragically in New Zealand, he talks constantly about white people being displaced in their home countries," Beirich said.

With demographic fears driving the violence, Beirich said the problem is unlikely to go away any time soon.

"The demographic trends that they view as destroying them are not going to shift," Beirich said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cutting short his visit to Washington in response to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip, received a big pre-election present from President Donald Trump just before he returned home Monday.

With Netanyahu looking on, Trump signed an order recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.



"This was a long time in the making. It should have taken place many decades ago," said the U.S. president.



Netanyahu said Trump's signature turns a military victory more than a half-century ago into a diplomatic victory.



"We will hold the high ground and we shall never give it up," said the Israeli leader.



The declaration is a boost for Netanyahu facing a stronger-than-expected re-election challenge after police last month recommended the Israeli prime minister be indicted on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust.



Trump's order on the Golan Heights "is very clearly an attempt to make sure that that Netanyahu gets elected at all costs and that without Netanyahu, the U.S. -Israel alliances wouldn't be the same. And I wouldn't be surprised if this actually does catch the election for him, indictment charges, notwithstanding," Zena Agha, U.S. policy fellow for Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian policy network (think tank), tells VOA.

Syria calls Trump's declaration on the Golan Heights an attack on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In comments to Syrian TV, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Trump's move would only serve to isolate the United States.

Israel seized the territory to its northeast from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed it in 1981.

Trump's stance breaks with long-standing U.S. policy and the international community, which considers the Golan Heights as Israeli-occupied, not a sovereign holding.

WATCH: Trump's Golan Heights decision

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters that to Guterres "it is clear that the status of Golan has not changed."



Netanyahu had been scheduled to have dinner at the White House Tuesday and also give an address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a major U.S. lobbying group for the Jewish state. But the dinner and speech have been canceled so Netanyahu can return home as Israel's defense force responds to Monday's rocket attack northeast of Tel Aviv.

"Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it," he said along Trump in the White House Diplomatic Room. "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."



The rocket, blamed on Hamas, hit a house of a British-Israeli family in central Israel, wounding seven people, including children.



Netanyahu is lagging in political surveys ahead of next month's election.His main rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, is speaking at the annual AIPAC convention Monday.



Netanyahu has enjoyed a close relationship with Trump, in contrast with his dealing with previous U.S. President Barack Obama who took a more even-handed approach to Middle East relations.



Trump has put his son-in-law Jared Kushner in charge of crafting a new Middle East Peace Deal and is strongly siding with the Israelis and, in particular, Netanyahu.

That policy keeps Trump in good stead with an important part of his political base -- the U.S. evangelical Christian community, which is an avowed backer of Israel and Netanyahu's policies.

Some analysts see the Trump administration rejecting a transformative strategy for the Middle East that previous U.S. presidents pursued.



The sweeping plans of George W. Bush and Obama "really broke apart when they contacted reality," says Jim Phillips, senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Heritage Foundation.



"This administration is much less ambitious, much less focused on trying to transform the Middle East and more focused on dealing with it as it is. And I think it correctly has put relations with allies and a much higher priority than trying to engage adversary such as Iran or the Assad regime (in Syria), Phillips tells VOA.

Tina Trinh in New York, Patsy Widakuswara in Washington contributed to this report.
Mozambique's President Filipe Nysui is warning countries ravaged by Cyclone Idai could face more flooding. The cyclone's heavy rains, which killed at least 750 people in Mozambique and neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe, have also pushed dam retention levels to near maximums.

Mozambique said after heavy rains from Cyclone Idai, the water level behind the Cahora Bassa Dam, the fourth largest in Africa, is above recommended levels, raising the possibility that a discharge might be required to relieve growing pressure.

In addition to Cahora Bassa, there are concerns about dams in neighboring countries such as Chagwa in Malawi and Kariba in Zimbabwe that are also close to their maximum capacity.

A large release of water could worsen the already dire situation for many downstream who were hammered earlier this month by the cyclone.

Nysui said evacuations are needed as he fears the structural integrity of the dams could be a problem if water pressure grows.

He said with the forecast of rainfall until April, there may be need for a discharge, worsening the flooding. Therefore, said Nyusi, there is an urgent need to evacuate populations from risk areas until the situation stabilizes.

The Red Cross said Cyclone Idai has made 400,000 people homeless in Mozambique. On Monday, Mozambique's Land and Environment Minister said 128,000 are living in makeshift camps.

The National Election Commission has postponed Mozambique's electoral census scheduled for April 1, which could see general elections on Oct. 15 delayed.

Election commission spokesman Paulo Cuinica said the date for a new census and any election postponement have yet to be decided.

But Cuinica said he guarantees that general elections will take place in 2019. The international community has donated more than $70 million for Mozambique's cyclone relief, including $6.5 million pledged by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Authorities and donors announced a joint commission to manage the funds and make sure they get to those most in need.
In a big legal and political win for U.S. President Donald Trump, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded in his final report that there was no evidence that Trumps 2016 presidential campaign or anyone associated with it colluded with Russia to influence the outcome of the vote, according to a summary of the confidential report released on Sunday by Attorney General William Barr.

That finding was emphatic, and validated Trumps long-standing insistence that there was no collusion between his campaign and Russian hackers and meddlers who sought to change the outcome of Trumps presidential battle with Democrat Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state. Using Muellers own words, the Barr letter stated that [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.

But on the question of whether Trump obstructed justice in the course of the investigation, Mueller reached no conclusion and punted the decision to Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, according to a letter Barr wrote to top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate judiciary committees summarizing the reports principal conclusions. Complicating Mueller's challenge in getting to the bottom of the question was Trump's refusal to answer questions under oath and instead provide written answers. Barr and Rosenstein  who appointed Mueller as Special Counsel and oversaw the investigation concluded that the evidence developed during the investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense.

That finding is certain to be a key bone of contention for congressional Democrats who are investigating Trump and his administration, especially given the Special Counsels assertion that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, tweeted that The fact that Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report & documentation be made public without any further delay.

Mueller submitted his report to Barr late Friday, nearly two years after he was appointed to investigate allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election and collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

After combing through the report over the weekend, Barr submitted a four-page letter to Congress absolving Trump of any collusion with the Russians or obstruction of justice in blocking the criminal investigation. Barrs letter was made public shortly after it was delivered to Congress.

It was complete and total exoneration, Trump told reporters in Florida before returning to Washington Sunday afternoon. This was an illegal takedown that failed and hopefully somebody is going to be looking at their other side.

Here are five key take-aways from Barrs summary of the Mueller report:

Trump was right: There was no collusion

The central question before Mueller was whether members of the Trump campaign or any other Americans conspired with Russians to tip the 2016 campaign in favor of the real estate tycoon. On that score, the Mueller report delivers a categorical vindication of the president.

While Mueller's investigators uncovered evidence of Russian meddling in the U.S. election, [the] investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the summary quotes Mueller as writing.

The special counsel interpreted "coordination" fairly broadly to include both tacit and express agreements.But he found no evidence that members of the Trump campaign accepted offers of help from Russian operatives. There was really an affirmative No" said Eric Jaso, a former associate special counsel for the Whitewater affair during former President Bill Clintons administration and now a partner at the Spiro Harrison law firm.If they'd gone along and said yes, that would have fallen under the tacit agreement category.

Mueller punts obstruction of justice question

Muellers decision to punt the question of obstruction of justice struck many legal experts as unusual.

The Special Counsel took up the question after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey over the Russia investigation and after Comey claimed that Trump had asked him to stop investigating his former national security advisor, Michael Flynn.

But Mueller drew no conclusion about whether Trumps actions during the investigation amounted to obstruction of justice, according to the Barr summary.

Instead, for each one of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as difficult issues of whether Trump obstructed justice, Barr wrote.

With Mueller leaving the matter unresolved, it was left to the attorney general to make a determination. Barr wrote that after consulting with Justice Department officials, he and Rosenstein concluded that there was not enough evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice. The determination, he added, was made irrespective of a long-standing Justice Department guidance that a sitting president can't be indicted.

Before taking the helm of the Justice Department last month, Barr had written critically of the Mueller probe and called the investigation of Trump for possible obstruction of justice fatally flawed.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, called the decision concerning and said he'll ask Barr to testify before the panel in the near future.

Jaso said the fact that Barr made the determination in concert with Rosenstein provides Barr with political cover.

He can't be just painted as a toady of the president, Jaso said.

No additional indictments

The Special Counsel investigation led to the indictments of 37 individuals and entities, mostly Russian operatives and a handful of former Trump associates. In the run-up to the Mueller report, speculation was rife that the Special Counsel would announce new indictments against individuals in the president's orbit.

But Barr's summary says the Special Counsel does not recommend any additional indictments in his report and says that there are no indictments under seal that have yet to be made public.

A redacted version in the works

The full extent of Mueller's findings, including evidence concerning obstruction of justice, will remain unknowable until a more complete version of the report is released. In his letter, Barr indicated that he'll share a redacted version of the full report at a future date.Barr said that he's asked the Special Counsel to identify confidential information that must be kept classified and that as soon as that process is complete, I will be in a position to move forward expeditiously in determining what can be released. Democrats are demanding full disclosure and vowing to compel the attorney general to comply.

Thorough investigation

Defenders of the Mueller investigation found a measure of vindication in the thoroughness with which the veteran prosecutor and former FBI director carried out the probe. According to Barr's letter, the Special Counsel issued more than 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication records, made 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses.

By all accounts, Mueller left no stones untouched in his dogged effort to probe whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow and whether the president sought to impede the investigation that followed.

But Mueller appears to have steered clear of one line of inquiry that the president had said was off limits: Trump's finances and whether the president's business interests in Russia led him and his campaign into collusion.

It does not say that thirdly or furthermore we investigated whether the Trump campaign or Trump himself had a desire to ingratiate himself with the Russians which somehow made him vulnerable to this effort, Jaso said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday a top-level investigation into the attack at a pair of mosques in Christchurch earlier this month that killed 50 people.

The inquiry is what is known in New Zealand as a royal commission, and carries the goal of figuring out not only what happened, but how future instances could be prevented.

"It is important that no stone is left unturned to get to the bottom of how this act of terrorism occurred, and what, if any, opportunities we had to stop it are included," Ardern told reporters.

She said the independent investigation will examine the shooter and his prior activities, the availability of semi-automatic weapons in New Zealand, the role of social media, and the work of police and intelligence agencies before the attack.

"New Zealand is not a surveillance state, and its been a very clear directive I think from members of the public," Ardern said. "But questions of course need to be answered around whether or not this was the activities of an individual that we could or should have known about, and the agencies themselves are welcoming independent oversight and investigation into that very question."

The prime minister did not give a timetable as to when the probe will be complete. She said she understands the public does not want to be left waiting for answers, but that there needs to be time for the inquiry to be done properly.

Last week, Ardern announced an immediate ban on all military-style semi-automatic and automatic assault rifles in New Zealand. She said Monday work continues on gun control legislation, including possible actions related to licensing or a gun registry.

She also said her government has been receiving additional information from Facebook about its efforts to remove uploads of a live stream of the attack originally posted by the shooter. Ardern wants social media companies to make what she called "meaningful change" to ensure such events are not repeated.

"Its not just for New Zealand though. We do need a global push because these are global platforms," she said.

Ardern expressed sympathy for Muslims receiving threats following the attack, urging them to report any cases and assuring that police are taking them seriously.

"I think its devastating to know that when a community has been the subject of a direct attack like this that they would then be subject to threats. I think thats utterly despicable," she said.
The United States on Monday accused Russia of "reckless escalation" of the situation in Venezuela by deploying military planes and personnel to the crisis-stricken South American nation that Washington has hit with crippling sanctions.

The Russian planes and military personnel arrived outside the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday, according to local media reports, two months after the Trump administration disavowed President Nicolas Maduro.

Washington has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate president and demands that Maduro leave power, which Russia has described as a U.S.-backed coup against the socialist government.

"The United States condemns Russia's deployment of military aircraft and personnel to Caracas, which is another contradiction of both Nicolas Maduro's and Russia's calls for non-intervention in Venezuela and is a reckless escalation of the situation," a State Department spokesman said on condition of anonymity.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a phone call on Monday that Washington would "not stand idly by" as Russia backed Maduro, who has overseen a dramatic collapse of a once-bustling economy.

However, Pompeo did not say what the United States would do in response to Russian troops.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in 2017 that the "military option" was on the table when it comes to Venezuela, but administration officials have since downplayed talk of armed intervention.

The Organization of American States, a Washington-based diplomatic group for hemispheric affairs, in a statement called the presence of Russian military equipment and personnel "a harmful act to Venezuelan sovereignty."

Bloomberg News, citing an unnamed Venezuelan information ministry official, reported that the officials had come to perform maintenance on Russian military equipment that Venezuela had purchased through bilateral accords.

The information ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the presence of the planes or the Bloomberg report.

"Such cynicism on the part of a country like the United States," wrote Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Twitter. "(With) a growing military budget of more than $700 billion, it seeks to interfere with the technical military cooperation programs between Russia and Venezuela."

Russia has warned the United States and neighbors against a military intervention in Venezuela.

The Trump administration has imposed crippling sanctions on Venezuela's crucial oil industry. On Friday it sanctioned its development bank, Bandes, in efforts to choke off financial flows to Maduro's government and called on Venezuelan military leaders to abandon him.

Maduro has denounced the sanctions as U.S. intervention and maintains diplomatic backing from Russia, China and Cuba.
Former communist militant Cesare Battisti has admitted four murders carried out in the 1970s, weeks after being jailed in Italy for the killings that were part of a failed bid to spark a far-left revolution.



Battisti, 64, admitted all the charges brought against him in four murder cases during Italy's so-called "Years of Lead," Milan prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media on Monday.

He also admitted that armed revolution was wrong, Nobili said.

Nobili, who questioned Battisti at a high-security prison in Sardinia for nine hours over the weekend, said it had "felt like I was watching the liberation of someone who was initially embarrassed, troubled."

Nobili quoted Battisti as saying: "I realize the wrong I have done and apologize to the families."

Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told journalists he now expected "these pseudo-intellectuals on the left who for years cuddled this murderer also to apologize."

Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later and spent nearly four decades on the run.

An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January, before he was extradited to Italy.

Battisti was sentenced in absentia to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard; for taking part in the murder of a butcher who was also a far-right militant; and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweler, who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair.

Apologies 'out of place'

The murdered policeman's brother Maurizio Campagna said "apologies now seem out of place".

"I think his lawyer is advising him so he can have his sentence reduced," Campagna told Italy's Sky TG24 television.

Battisti is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough "41-bis" prison regime usually applied to Mafia members.

His lawyer Davide Steccanella said the statements weren't made "for possible benefits, the hope was to give [my] client back a fair image, not that of someone who could strike again, as he has been described."

Battisti admitted the killings "little by little ... not as a flood," Nobili said.

"The armed struggle prevented the development of a cultural, social and political revolution which, from the events of '68, would have been absolutely positive," Nobili quoted Battisti as saying.

After his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels.

In 2004, he skipped bail in France where, like many other far-left Italian militants, he had taken refuge. He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree  later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court  in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome.

But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers.

Years of Lead

Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee.

Italy's Years of Lead was a decade of violence which began in the late 1960s and saw dozens of deadly attacks by hardline leftwing and rightwing groups.

During his election campaign, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro vowed that if elected he would "immediately" send Battisti back to Italy.

Battisti, who has a five-year-old Brazilian son, in 2017 told AFP he would face "torture" and death if he were ever to be sent back to Italy.

Italian authorities are still hunting 30 "terrorists" on the run abroad, 27 from the left and three from the right.

Fourteen of those being sought are believed to be in France.
After six months hiding in Hong Kong, two sisters from Saudi Arabia have been granted asylum in an unknown third country, bringing their tumultuous time in legal limbo to an end.

Known to the media as "Reem and Rawan," the sisters left Hong Kong last week for new lives elsewhere, their lawyer Michael Vidler said Monday.He did not disclose the location of their asylum to protect their safety.

The sisters, aged 18 and 20, said they were elated at their "happy ending" after enduring "violence and oppression," in a statement released through Vidler.

"We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations.We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women," the pair said.

April 8 deadline

The announcement comes two weeks before an April 8 deadline set by immigration authorities for the sisters to leave Hong Kong or face legal prosecution.

Hong Kong has not signed the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, which means Reem and Rawan were forced to apply for asylum elsewhere.

The sisters claim to have renounced Islam, according to Vidler, and could face the death penalty if they return home.

After fleeing a family vacation in Sri Lanka, the pair traveled to Hong Kong in September in an attempt to reach Australia, but Vidler says they were stopped at the airport by Saudi officials.

Legal limbo

They have been in legal limbo since November when Saudi authorities cancelled their passports while they were in hiding.

Hong Kong's immigration authorities initially granted the sisters permission to stay until February 28, which was later extended until April 8.

Vidler said despite the extension the sisters were "liable to prosecution and removal as overstayers," raising the stakes on their application for asylum.

Hong Kong's Immigration Department does not comment on individual cases.

Once a magnet for refugees from across Asia, Hong Kong's contemporary treatment of refugees is controversial.

There are around 10,000 asylum seekers living in Hong Kong, according to the refugee rights group Justice Center.Many spend years waiting for their claims to be processed before they can be resettled in a third country.

This is the second high profile case this year involving young women fleeing their families in Saudi Arabia.

In a case earlier this year, 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun was stopped in Thailand while in route to Australia.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok on January 5 on a flight from Kuwait after running away from her family.After initially being denied entry into Thailand, she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and posted pictures and texts of herself on Twitter, drawing global attention to her plight.The attention prompted Thai immigration authorities to reverse their earlier decision to send her back to Saudi Arabia.

She was later granted asylum in Canada.
Conflict and political upheaval in Sudan and turmoil in other parts of the Africa region have sent thousands of refugees fleeing their homelands in the hope of finding better lives for themselves and their children. Many are heading to Egypt, where the influx is causing a serious strain on resources.

One refugee from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, El Hadi Osman, tells VOA that he fled Sudan because of religious persecution. Hadi worked as a writer and journalist until Sudanese police targeted him for becoming a Christian.

"(In Khartoum)," he says, "police told me to stop going to church and renounce my faith, but I said no." "When they jailed me," he confides, "they beat me and hung me upside down in prison." "I have torture marks on my body," he says sadly, "pointing to scars on his arms and shoulders."

El Hadi says that he fled to Cairo in 2014 after spending weeks in a Sudan jail. "I was living in fear," he insists, "crossing the street to escape shadows that were chasing me." "My old friends," he remarks, "deserted me and I became a lonely man."

WATCH: Sudanese refugees tell stories after fleeing

After spending weeks in an overcrowded cell and eating lentils twice a day, el Hadi was released. He fled to the north of the country and entered Egypt, heading by foot and by bus to Cairo, where he spent weeks sleeping on a sidewalk in a slum. In Cairo, he turns to refugee agencies for odd jobs to survive.

As young people march for freedom on the streets of Khartoum, Sudanese refugees in Egypt - like El Hadi - keep a watchful eye on events back home. Many dream of returning home if political change pulls down the current regime.

Sudanese refugees, like Adel Youssef Salah, who fled war-torn Darfur after enduring years of strife, has an enthusiastic glint in his eye as he talks about the current wave of protests that have swept across his homeland.

I hope the Sudanese people," he insists, "will seize (their) destiny, and make the (President Omar Hassan al Bashir) chart a course towards democracy. Bashir came to power in 1989 in a military coup which ousted then Prime Minister Sadeq al Mahdi.

Despite the struggles of daily life, Salah says Egyptians have been kind to him. "Egyptians are not wealthy," he points out, "but they usually share what little they have."

Santo Makoi is a political refugee from South Sudan. He studied fine arts at Sudan University in the north of the country before the south became independent in 2011. He worked for a European NGO called War Child, teaching refugee children to draw and paint.

Santo tells VOA that he moved to Juba when the south became independent but "quickly fell afoul of the new authorities controlling the country because of his caricatures, drawings and cartoons of prominent people." Santo is registered as a refugee with the UN, but continues to paint and draw at a studio run by an Egyptian charity group.

Nour Khalil, an immigration lawyer, says the refugee crisis in Egypt is even worse than the official figures suggest. Tens of thousands of Syrians, Yemenis, Ethiopians, Eritreans and Libyans have left their countries for Egypt due to the plethora of conflicts raging in the area. Many are not officially registered with the UNHCR.

"230,000 refugees are officially registered with the U.N. in Egypt," says Khalil, "but no one knows their real number." Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi confided to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2017 that Egypt had over five million refugees in its territory.

During a recent gathering of heads of state and government from Europe and Africa, Sissi told his counterparts that Egypt is heavily burdened by the many refugees on its soil.

"Egypt is hosting millions of refugees," he asserted, "offering them schooling and health care, despite the difficult circumstances the Egyptian people themselves have gone through in recent years." He stressed that Egypt has "prevented boat-loads of refugees from leaving its territory for Europe since 2016."

The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) says Egypt has given refugees safe haven and in some cases the right to work, to health care and to schooling. UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo tells VOA that the U.N. "makes sure that they have access to basic services and are also supported and protected in the best way we can."

Mantoo points out, however, that the current anti-refugee sentiment in many countries is hindering the work of her organization, since "only 55,000 refugees out of millions were resettled (by UNHCR) in other countries, last year." She also points out that many countries have been late in paying their normal contributions to UNHCR, making the group's work even more difficult.

Refugee agencies are also complaining of "donor fatigue." One foreign refugee agency volunteer told VOA that "at least two major U.S. charitable organizations were expected to pull out of Egypt, next year."

In the meantime, the life of a refugee in Egypt has become a struggle, so much so that many go on to Libya and from there, try to reach Europe by boat - a journey that a lot of them do not survive. Many others have also found themselves in detention in a Libyan jail cell, where inhuman conditions have been reported.
Thais waited Monday for the results of an election called a return to democratic rule, but which has been widely criticized as an exercise designed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha to entrench his militarys stranglehold on power.

Preliminary official results released late Sunday showed that with 93 percent of ballots counted the military-backed Phalang Pracharat party was in the lead with about 7.6 million votes, short of what would be needed for a majority in parliament.

In second place was the Pheu Thai party of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra with 7.1 million votes.

The campaign was marred by allegations of vote buying, however, complaints were few on polling day with election observers from Australia, Canada, the United States and the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations on hand.

Security was tight and opinions were mixed as about 52 million Thais voted. But the long shadow of the military is still having an impact, most of those willing to express an opinion declined to be identified.

WATCH: Thai elections

Some were positive about the outcomes, particularly among the youth vote. A hotel receptionist said before voting, I have my choice in my mind, its good for me, I like it.

Another said she had faith in a political system guided by the military and Thailand's 20th constitution, written after 13 coups since 1932, We are very confident with the election today, it is going to be democratic and fair to the society.

Others remained angry about the coup in 2014, which ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and installed General Prayut as head of a junta that curtailed civil liberties and banned political opposition.

The coup is a really terrible thing that happened to our country. You can not say what you want or what you think, you can not protest because they will take you to the jail, she said.

Her sentiments were echoed by others who said it was wrong that Prayut and the military could dominate the political system and exert their influence to the point where they are widely expected to remain in control after this election.

To answer whether to bring democracy back to Thailand is good or not; I won't say it's good, one middle-aged businessman said. Everywhere in the world, in every country  even in America  you see how democracy works. Does it work for the country or the privileged few?

Paul Chen, 80, was an exception. He spoke openly and said the elections were a step in the right direction and could provide a much needed boost for the economy, but noted the legal restrictions imposed by the junta.

After today I think everything will be getting better, he said. They have so many good political parties, about two or three, but I can not mention their name, it may be against the law.

Thais have cast votes for the 500-seat House of Representatives, while 250 members in the Senate will be appointed by the armed forces. A joint session of both houses will elect the next prime minister.

A key figure will be the overall popular vote. Pheu Thai, the party of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin - who was also ousted by a coup in 2006  are expected to poll well in the rural north.

Future Forward, led by the young entrepreneur Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, has been effective in attracting the youth vote with promises to end military conscription, and inclusive polices have endeared him to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The youth vote and the LGBT community number around seven million each. Combined, they share 25 percent of the total vote. But seat distribution and absolute military control of the Senate leaves General Prayuts Phalang Pracharat as the only likely clear winner.

In Thailand today after five years of dictatorship, we see these rising expectations among voters. Social mobilization, political participation, people want change, said Paul Chambers, lecturer and special advisor on international affairs at Naresuan University, Phitsanulok.

You know the last time there was a long period like this of dictatorship between elections, my gosh its maybe 30 years ago. So people really want change. Now the junta leaders are not stupid, they're certainly trying to corral and control.

During a panel discussion at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand Chambers said, ... you know you can't stay in power militarily forever, you have to change your legitimacy, somehow. And the best way to do that in the world today is to have a so-called democracy.

Election results are not expected to be ratified until late May.
Ukraine is preparing to choose a new president, with the first round of voting in scheduled for Sunday. The leading two candidates then will then face a run off two weeks later.



The winner faces daunting challenges in a country struggling to tackle corruption and kick-start a sluggish economy, and still at war with Russian-backed rebels in the east.



Although there are 39 candidates on the ballot, the election appears to be a three-way race between the incumbent Petro Poroshenko, the well-known politician Yulia Tymoshenko, and television comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was leading the polls with a week to go.

Incumbent Petro Poroshenko says he has spearheaded reforms during his five-year term, moving Ukraine toward the West and tackling corruption. His supporters say now is not the time to change leaders.



"Changes in a nation come about through changes in people themselves and their relationships. This process is always slow.If you act radically, you disrupt it.I believe that this kind of radicalism delivers worse results than a gradual evolution," says prominent Poroshenko supporter Alexander Paskhaver of the Kyiv-based Center for Economic Development.

But Poroshenko's campaign been tarnished by allegations of corruption in military procurement, denting his hopes of re-election.



Leading the polls is a new face in politics: 41-year-old television comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy.During a recent visit to his campaign headquarters, banks of young supporters fed a 24/7 social media stream, promoting the Zelenskiy brand under the diminutive "Ze!'"



Campaign spokesperson Dmytro Razumkov says Ukrainians are longing for new leaders.



"The fatigue and the lack of trust in all the political elites has led to a decision by the Ukrainian people to punish them, and the name of this punishment is Zelenskiy."

In Zelenskiy's television comedy show, titled Servant of the People, an everyday Ukrainian worker becomes president by chance.So is life about to imitate art?



Some say it's just too good to be true. The billionaire owner of the "1+1" channel that broadcasts the show, Ihor Kolomoisky, is accused of fraud at Ukraine's Privat Bank, leading to claims that Zelenskiy is an oligarch's puppet.His team strongly rejects that accusation and says Zelenskiy would take on Ukraine's corrupt elite.



"The first task is to remove the immunity from prosecution of everyone MPs, judges and the president."



The third leading candidate is Yulia Tymoshenko, instantly recognizable as one of the faces of the 2004 Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Since then she has been twice jailed on disputed corruption charges and has now returned to the political front line, promising cheap gas prices and a trebling of state pensions. That has put her on a collision course with the International Monetary Fund, which has loaned Ukraine billions of dollars.



"Her supporters see her as a miracle worker.Her voters are the poorest people of Ukraine: pensioners and people with low salaries," says Volodymyr Fesenko, an analyst at the Center for Political Studies in Kyiv.



He adds that looming over the election is the ongoing war in the east and the constant threat from Russia.

"No matter who becomes president, they can't finish this war by themselves.But they also can't meet (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's conditions, as the people of this country won't accept it, so it is a stalemate."



From the 39 candidates vying to be president, the ultimate choice will likely come down to a familiar political player who knows the system or a fresh face untested on the political stage.With the country at war, that it is a tough decision. Many Ukrainians say they remain undecided over who should be their next leader.
The top U.N. aid chief says the United Nations is appealing for $282 million to help the victims of Cyclone Idai in Mozambique.

Mark Lowcock said Monday the funds will be used for health, water, sanitation, and hygiene issues as well as food security and helping people regain their livelihoods.

The cyclone's heavy winds and rains killed at least 750 people in Mozambique and neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe and made hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

Lowcock said appeals for Malawi and Zimbabwe would be coming in the next few days.

"Mozambique is, we think, the worst hit, but there are very real needs in the other two countries as well," he said.

Also, Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense said it will provide $6.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Mozambique. It said the money will be used to fund 10 days of logistics support in Mozambique, including relief responders and airlifting aid materials.

The U.N. World Food Program said its director, David Beasley, will travel Tuesday to Mozambique to draw attention to the devastation caused by the cyclone.

A statement by the group said satellite imagery has shown that the cyclone has created what it called an "inland ocean" floodplain, measuring 125km by 25km, the size of Luxembourg.

The group said Beasley will meet with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi on Wednesday.

Nyusi has warned Mozambicans that the country could face more flooding with a forecast of rain until April and has also raised an alarm about the structural integrity of the Cahora Bassa Dam, the fourth-largest in Africa. He says the dam is above recommended levels and may need to be discharged, and has called for evacuations in areas around it.

Officials have also raised concerns about dams in neighboring countries such as Chagwa in Malawi and Kariba in Zimbabwe which are also close to their maximum capacity.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has also launched an appeal for $30.5 million to provide life-saving aid for 200,000 of the most vulnerable survivors in Mozambique.

IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy recently returned from a visit to the coastal city of Beira, which was about 90 percent destroyed, according to the Red Cross.

He said one shelter facility he saw in Beira was a disaster in the making.

"One of them I visited was in a school.Three thousand people in a school of 15 classrooms.And, the school itself is half flooded and there are only six toilets for all those people. So, it is not an exaggeration when I say that we are really sitting here on a water, sanitation, hygiene ticking bomb," he said.
The United Nations confirmed Monday that ten children were among at least 13 civilians killed by a recent American military airstrike in northern Afghanistan.

The deadly attack occurred early Saturday near the capital city of volatile Kunduz province where Afghan and U.S. forces were conducting a joint operation against Taliban insurgents.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) lamented the deaths while releasing preliminary findings of its investigation into the incident. It said work is ongoing to verify other reports of civilian casualties that occurred around the time of the airstrike.

The Mission expresses serious concern that initial fact-finding indicates that 10 of those killed were children, part of the same extended family whom were displaced by fighting elsewhere in the country, said UNAMA.

Officials and residents around the conflict zone said that insurgents had strongly resisted the joint Afghan-U.S. military raid in the Taliban-held Telawka neighborhood. The ensuing clashes killed two American soldiers and several local commando forces, prompting the U.S. military to launch the airstrike in support of forces on the ground.

U.S. officials confirmed the killing of two service members and carrying out an airstrike in the area, accusing the Taliban of using civilian areas as hideouts.

UNAMA urged parties involved in the airstrike to conduct their own enquiries into the incident and take immediate steps to safeguard civilians from harm. Parties are urged to publish results of their findings, as well as provide appropriate compensation to victims.

Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the 18-year-old war in Afghanistan. The armed conflict last year killed more than 3,800 civilians, including 927 children, the highest number of civilian deaths recorded in the past ten years, according to UNAMA.

The mission documented a sharp increase in civilian casualties in 2018 from aerial and search operations conducted by Afghan and U.S. militaries, blaming pro-government forces for an unprecedented 24 percent overall increase in civilian casualties.

Battlefield hostilities in Afghanistan have sharply increased with the advent of spring. The Taliban has inflicted heavy casualties on government forces in several provinces over the past few days.

The deadliest of the attacks occurred early Saturday in Sangin district of the southern Helmand province, killing at least 65 Afghan forces, including 48 military personnel.

The intensification in the war comes as Taliban and U.S. officials are due to reconvene soon to build on the progress they have achieved in recent negotiations to try to find a political resolution of the war.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says preliminary findings show that an estimated 250,000 people in Zimbabwe have been impacted by Cyclone Idai, which devastated some parts of the country, Mozambique and Malawi, leaving more than 750 people dead in the three nations.

In a statement, the UNDP said, it is also estimated 37 percent (121,000 people) of the rural population in Chipinge district require urgent food assistance, while 77 percent (114,000 people) are in need of food assistance in Chimanimani.

At least 35,000 households - with over 120,000 women and over 60,000 children - are in urgent need of protection interventions in the two assessed districts (Chimanimani and Chipinge). An estimated additional 100,000 children are in need of welfare and civil registration services in nine districts.

The UNDP further noted that infrastructure sustained significant damage with 95 percent of the road networks in the affected areas damaged by heavy rains.

In addition, some 48 schools, 18 water points and 10 bridges have been damaged or destroyed.

The United Nations agency said search and rescue operations are continuing, with active operations still underway. The government says 179 people died while 329 people are missing. Observers indicate that up to 259 people have died.

Efforts are being made to recover bodies that were trapped under mudslides and rubble. However, progress has been slow due to the difficult weather conditions. Command centres have been established for people rescued.

It said access to clean water remains a challenge. Water supply infrastructure has also been damaged and Chipinge town is without access to clean water.

According to the UNDP, households in Chipinge depended on livestock (small-scale dairy) as a key income-generating activity from an estimated 100,000 herd of cattle, 200,000 goats and 60,000 sheep.

A significant percentage has lost their herds. All the districts 73 dip tanks were flooded. Tickborne disease is a threat to those that survived  Most livelihoods activities in the region have been disrupted. Of the assessed areas so far, over 1,500 ha (hectares) of irrigation schemes have been affected. Crops have been submerged. Infrastructure including weirs and canals have been silted, boreholes submerged and irrigation equipment swept away.

Chimanimani and Chipinge remain the hardest-hit districts, with access still problematic, especially in Chimanimani. Crops and livestock have been destroyed in both districts, which were already facing crisis levels of food insecurity. Power supply and communications are disrupted in affected areas.

Rains have started to dissipate in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces. UNDP, as part of the joint UN team, says it immediately deployed manpower to the affected areas to assess the extent of the devastation on people, livelihoods and infrastructure.

The rapid assessment report will inform immediate response and rapid deployment of assistance and start early recovery work.
By CARA ANNA and FARAI MUTSAKAMarch 22, 2019

BEIRA, Mozambique (AP)  With the flooding easing in parts of cyclone-stricken Mozambique on Friday, fears are rising that the waters could yield up many more bodies. The confirmed number of people killed in Mozambique and neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi climbed past 600.

Eight days after Cyclone Idai struck southeast Africas Indian Ocean coast, touching off some of the worst flooding in decades, the homeless, hungry and injured slowly made their way from devastated inland areas to the port city of Beira, which was heavily damaged itself but has emerged as the nerve center for rescue efforts.

Some were wounded. Some were bleeding, said Julia Castigo, a Beira resident who watched them arrive. Some had feet white like flour for being in the water for so long.

Aid workers are seeing many children who have been separated from their parents in the chaos or orphaned.

Elhadj As Sy, secretary-general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the relief efforts so far are nowhere near the scale and magnitude of the problem, and the humanitarian needs are likely to grow in the coming weeks and months.

We should brace ourselves, he said.

Helicopters set off into the rain for another day of efforts to find people clinging to rooftops and trees.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for stepped up support for victims of Idai saying the U.N. and its humanitarian partners are scaling up the response but far greater international support is needed.

The U.N. chief said in a statement that with crops destroyed in the breadbasket of Mozambique more people are at risk of food insecurity in all three countries.

With water and sanitation systems largely destroyed, waterborne diseases are also a growing concern.

The situation is simply horrendous. There is no other way to describe it, As Sy said after touring camps for the growing number of displaced. Three thousand people who are living in a school that has 15 classrooms and six, only six, toilets. You can imagine how much we are sitting on a water and sanitation ticking bomb.

The death toll in Mozambique rose to 293, with an untold number of people missing and the mortuary at Beiras central hospital already reported full. Deaths could soar beyond the 1,000 predicted by the countrys president earlier this week, As Sy said.

The number of dead was put at 259 in Zimbabwe and 56 in Malawi.

Thousands made the trek from inland Mozambique toward Beira, some walking along roads carved away by the raging waters. Hundreds of others arrived by boat, ferried by fishermen who plucked stranded people from patches of land that had been turned into islands. Many of the arrivals were children.

In Beira, people salvaged the metal strips of roofs that had been peeled away like the skin of a fruit. Downed trees littered the streets.

And yet there were flashes of life as it used to be. White wedding dresses stood pristine behind a shop window that hadnt shattered.

A downtown sidewalk was Marta Bens new home. The 30-year-old mother of five clutched a teary child to her hip as she described the sudden horror of the storm that destroyed their home in Beira.

Ive never seen anything like this, she said, barefoot, a cooking pot bubbling nearby. We were not warned. Suddenly the roof flew away.

She and others now homeless begged passers-by for help, saying they had received nothing from the government or aid groups, not even bread.

In Zimbabwe, where roads began to open and some basic communications were set up, a fuller picture of the extent of the damage began to emerge.

The victims included a mother buried in the same grave with her child; headmasters missing together with dozens of students; illegal gold and diamond miners swept away by raging rivers; and police officers washed away with their prisoners.

In the city of Mutare, Maina Chisiriirwa said she buried her son-in-law, who had gone to the diamond fields to mine illegally.

There are no jobs and all he wanted was to feed his family. He was with his colleagues. They thought it would be easier to mine since the rains would keep the guards and the police away from patrolling, Chisiriirwa said.

His colleagues survived, but her son-in-law was swept away, she said.

___

Farai Mutsaka reported from Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Harold J. DeBlieck age 64, of Osakis died on Sunday, December 5, 2021, at Alomere Hospital in Alexandria. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 10, 2021, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Osakis. Visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on Thursday, Dec
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26 March-18 Oct. The Markets of Trajan present Mortali Immortali, tesori del Sichuan nellantica Cina, an exhibition showcasing treasures belonging to the Shu people, an ancient civilisation in what is now the Sichuan province in south-west China.

On display are finds in bronze, gold, jade and terracotta, dating from the Bronze Age to the Han period (second century AD), on loan from important Chinese museums.

The exhibition is designed to highlight the culture of the Shu people through the most significant surviving objects including the mysterious bronze masks from Sanxingdui.

The show focuses on two main themes - religion and daily life - examining how the ancient civilisation worshipped the sun and how its people used their skills to create decorated statuettes of deities, people and animals.

The independent Shu state was conquered by the state of Qin in 316 BC.

For full details see Mercati di Traiano website.
twitter.com/RT_Erdogan

Ankara, Mar 24 (Xinhua/UNI) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will take the issue of US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights to the United Nations.

US President Donald Trump's statement on Golan Heights is a "gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of parliamentary elections set for April, Erdogan said in an interview with local broadcaster TGRT Haber on Sunday.



On Thursday, Trump said it was time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, triggering strong criticism and condemnation across the world.



Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz tweeted that Trump will sign an official document to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights when he meets Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.



Erdogan voiced against the US move on Friday, noting that the legitimization of the occupation of the Golan Heights cannot be allowed.
Trump also read a Wall Street Journal report from October and became convinced that bondholders and others were profiting off federal government aid  and grew furious. (The report describes prices on Puerto Ricos bonds increasing after its governing fiscal board projected that disaster funding would boost the islands overall economic health.) Since then, aides have described a president who regularly brings up the island to make sure it is not getting too much money. Current and former officials say Trump often complains in meetings that Puerto Rico does not even know how to spend the money the island has been allocated.
Indys International Marketplace, which has become a fixture along 38th Street on the west side, is being forced out of its building on Commercial Drive after it couldnt reach a purchasing agreement with the property owner. Mary Clark, executive director of the International Marketplace Coalition, said they have to move out by March 31.

The coalition moved into the building about a year ago with the understanding that it would purchase the building. Clark said the loan approval process took longer than expected, and when it was finally approved in late February, Sandor Development, which owns the property, wanted terms that the coalition wouldnt agree to.

Clark would not say what those terms were. Reached by phone, Brian Ziff, chief operating officer and general counsel for Sandor Development, said the company had no comment.

Indys International Marketplace was the central hub for the International Marketplace Coalition, which is made up of about 80 ethnic restaurants and 40 ethnic markets in a 2 1/2-quare-mile area. The organization put close to $100,000 into the building for painting, cleaning, an alarm system and a stage with audio and lighting. The building has donated artifacts from around the world that effectively make it a museum too.

We know the work weve been doing has been showing this area  that we are a destination, Clark said, and we are creating a place that is welcoming to all.

For now, Clark said the community has stepped up to help the marketplace, which will have temporary office space at what used to be Community Health Network Physical Therapy and Rehab on Guion Road. That building is now operated by The Saturday Evening Post, a nonprofit news organization. Other community organizations are offering to host some of the coalitions planned events that probably would have been cancelled otherwise.

When this community found out we were closing the doors to this building, they came in and said, What can we do to make sure the work youre doing doesnt stop? Clark said. This community has rallied together.

Clark said the coalitions loan approval is good for the next three months, and there are already some locations in the area leadership is looking at. For now, though, the coalition is asking for volunteers to help move out of the building on March 28, 29 and 30. Those interested should contact Maria Manalang at mmanalang@imcoalition.orgor call 317-332-8007.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.

Indys International Marketplace holds artifacts and flags from different countries around the world. (Photo provided)
Nora and Jeremy, despite or perhaps because of their suffering, kindle a flickering romance. Through this development, Lalami judiciously ensures that The Other Americans is propelled by two story motors. We want to find out why Driss was killed, but were also keen to see how Nora will choose to live. As it happens, she remains uncertain. Regarding Jeremy, Nora remarks, I didnt know why I was spending so much time with him. He wasnt the sweet kid I knew in high school; he had fought in a brutal war, a war I hated.
Communities large and small have received immeasurable benefits from this generosity  as one cannot walk into a museum, library, hospital, or university without being reminded that the buildings and the programs they house would fail to exist without philanthropy, Weiss said in a statement. With the benefit that comes from accepting these gifts, comes the obligation for institutions to devise thoughtful gift acceptance policies that ensure that they can realize their respective missions and values. At The Met, we fully acknowledge that our institution has an obligation to be accountable for its decisions.
My research on this reveals: Talking to oneself is often associated with high intelligence, it is fairly common, and it is an efficient way of organizing your thoughts. I read a quote from a software developer who said that in his industry, its not uncommon when debugging to explain the problem to an inanimate object, like a rubber duck. This externalizes our thought process, and solves the problem without having to bother one of our co-workers.
Among the theories commentators advanced was one by New York magazine writer Jonathan Chait, who speculated in a cover story in July about whether the dark crevices of the Russia scandal run not just a little deeper but a lot deeper. He suggested that it would be dangerous not to consider the possibility that the [then-upcoming] summit [between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin] is less a negotiation between two heads of state than a meeting between a Russian-intelligence asset and his handler.
I reckon that reporting by The Washington Post, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, CNN, Bloomberg News, the Daily Beast, Mother Jones, ProPublica and others drove forward a national conversation that needed to happen. As Americans saw with their own eyes Trumps bizarre efforts to ingratiate himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin, that reporting mattered and provided context.
The investigation into the shooting shut down schools and roads in the area when police set up a barricade because they suspected the gunman had run into the townhouse, Prince Georges County police said. After entering the home, police said the gunman was not inside. They lifted the barricade around 5 p.m. and continued searching for the gunman.
The walkout, led by the high schools Black Student Union, started at noon in McIntire Park and drew a few hundred people, said Zyahna Bryant, president of the organization and a senior at the high school. The protest unfolded after an online threat against black and Latino students forced the closure of schools Thursday and Friday.
During my research, I came across something written in 1973 by Joe D. Allen, nature columnist for the Leaf-Chronicle. He shared a hint for bird lovers weary of starlings: Put out feed about dawn and again about an hour before dark. At those times, the starlings are coming or going from their communal roost several miles away, feeding as they go to some extent. Songbirds, roosting nearby in trees, shrubs and thickets, often arrive at feeders by the time you can see them at dawn.


If the Americans are in fact leaving at last, the Kurds are still going to be betrayed and left to the mercy of their enemies  be this Turkey or Syria





By Robert Fisk

March 25, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - After all the headlines about the supposed defeat of Isis, anyone who doesnt believe a word of it may seem a bit of a spoilsport. But whenever I read that victory has been declared  whether it be of the Bush mission accomplished variety or the last Isis stronghold about to fall fantasy  I draw in my breath. Because you can make a safe bet that its not true.

Not just because the fighting around Baghouz is, in fact, still continuing outside the wrecked town. But because there are plenty of Isis fighters still under arms and ready to fight in the Syrian province of Idlib, along with their Hayat Tahrir al Sham, al-Nusra and al-Qaeda comrades  almost surrounded by Syrian government troops but with a narrow corridor in which they could escape to Turkey; always supposing that Sultan Erdogan will let them. There are Russian troop outposts inside these Islamist front lines, along with Turkish military forces but the tentative ceasefire which held for five months has become a lot more tenuous in the past few weeks.

Maybe its a failure of our institutional memory  or its just plain simpler to go along with the simplest story  but Idlib has for three years been the dumping ground of all Syrias Islamist enemies, or at least the antagonists who didnt surrender when they fled the big cities under Syrian and Russian bombardment.

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Last September  though we seem to have forgotten this  Trump and the UN were warning of the impending last battle for Idlib, fearing  so they said  that the Syrians and Russians would use chemical weapons in their assault on Isis and its chums. Even the Syrian army announced the impending conflict, minus the chemicals, in a military website called Dawn at Idlib.

But I took a long trip around the Syrian front lines at Idlib, from the Turkish frontier then south, east and north again up to Aleppo and saw no tank convoys, no troop transporters, few Syrian helicopters, no supply trains and concluded  even as the warnings of final extinction continued  that this particular last battle was still a long way away. On the day I arrived south of Jisr al-Shughur, al-Nusra and Isis had fired a few mortars at Syrian army positions  the Syrians had fired a few shells back at them  but that was it.

A complicated truce agreement, involving both the Turks and the Russians, managed to forestall the carnage everyone predicted. There was much talk of the Isis, al-Nusra and al-Qaeda men  some of whom are Saudis  being shipped out by the Turks under a laissez passer to the wilds of Saudi Arabia for a little re-education. I always hoped this might be the woefully hot Empty Quarter where their superheated theology might be turned to a crisp.

But they are still in Idlib, happy no doubt to hear that the west thinks it has scored its final victory over Isis. The battle for Baghouz, of course, was always likely to pick up the headlines. The American air bombings and the presence of the friendly (and very brave) Kurds made this a more accessible  although still dangerous  story. And it switched attention away from other questions: like who invented the title Syrian Democratic Forces  which are in fact mostly Kurdish, many of whose members would prefer not to be thought of as Syrians, and whose ranks never enjoyed a democratic election in their lives.

If the Americans are in fact leaving at last, the Kurds are still going to be betrayed and left to the mercy of their enemies  be this Turkey or the Syrian regime (with whom the Kurds held some not very successful talks last year). A good time for the Americans, therefore, to call it a day outside Baghouz  a victorious one of course  and get the hell out. Hoping that the world will forget about Idlib.

But I dont think it will. The Syrian war is not yet over  although thats what the world (including, it seems, the Syrian government) believes. Idlib remains a land of tens of thousands of refugees as well as legions of fighters, a place of destitution, broken railways and blown-up motorways and Islamist groups who sometimes fight each other with more enthusiasm than they wish to fight the Syrian military.

But this will now be Russias chance to show it knows how to defeat Isis. There are contacts, of course, between Moscow and every group involved in the Syrian war. Isis fighters left Syrian cities over the past two years under Russian military protection. This could be repeated. Putin has allowed the Isis women and children to return home. There is still just a chance that Isis, Nusra/al-Qaeda and their comrades will be able to leave unharmed  although time suggests they may yet have to fight a real last battle for Idlib.

But even then, it might be a good idea to put a hold on our victory headlines.

This article was originally published by " The Independent " -

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The New York ruling on the president, and a similar decision from the Richmond-based federal appeals court that said a Virginia county officials Facebook page used for government business had to stay open to critical commenters, has given people all over the country the ability to push back when public officials block them from these spaces on the basis of viewpoint, said Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Jaffer is scheduled to argue the case against the president Tuesday.
The Mossad team moved Eichmann to a safe house where they held him for days without speaking. Keeping silent was more than an operational necessity, Mr. Eitan said. We did not want to show Eichmann how nervous we all were. That would have given him hope. And hope makes a desperate person dangerous. I needed him to be as helpless as my own people were when he had sent them in train loads to the death camps.
Chapman said she came to Portsmouth aware of external strife between police and residents in the majority-black coastal city, particularly in the wake of the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white officer in 2015. But she said it was the officers conviction on manslaughter charges the following year that revealed to her the depth of racial tensions within the police department as well.
There are few crimes that involve such profound betrayal and lasting damage than those where a child is sexually abused, Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Nicole Wittmann said in the offices statement. She said the child has a loving family and community of supporters to help him deal with the impact of this crime, and that, she said, gives us all much hope.
According to police a corrections officer spotted an altercation between Moyer and a second inmate. The officer called for immediate medical aid for Moyer. Emergency treatment was given until he could be taken to a hospital, where he later died, police said.
Burdett and others from the group had rallied outside Harriss office in Salisbury when a congressional staffer offered to meet with them inside, the state prosecutor previously said. The staffer told the group that recording was not allowed in the office, but Burdett recorded and live-streamed the meeting anyway, court documents state. Maryland law requires that all parties consent to being recorded.
The investigation into the double shooting shut down schools and roads in the area when police set up a barricade because they suspected the gunman had run into the townhouse after the shooting, Prince Georges County police said. After entering the home, police said the suspect was not inside; they lifted the barricade around 5 p.m. and were still searching for the suspect.
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Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue.

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Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions.

Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020
But House Democrats see the upcoming Pence event as an opportunity to raise money for themselves, using Trump as a galvanizing force in the only Southern state won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016. Fifty-nine percent of Virginia voters disapprove of the job the president is doing, according to a February Quinnipiac University poll.
Research published in the journal Anesthesiology last May on more than 1.5 million surgical patients found that those who got at least two other forms of pain medication, such as acetaminophen and an NSAID, along with an opioid did better overall.
Missing S.D. girl has history of running away, parents say: A 9-year-old girl missing from a South Dakota residential youth home for nearly two months has a history of running away, her parents said in an interview published Sunday. Chad and Kasandra Dennard told the Rapid City Journal that their daughter, Serenity Dennard, had planned escapes by packing a suitcase and leaving in the middle of the night. The family's home in Sturgis, S.D., has an alarm to help prevent that from happening. Serenity has been missing since she ran away from Black Hills Children's Home near Rockerville on Feb. 3. Authorities said that it's unlikely she survived if she was outside.
Its certainly in Sycuans interest to ensure that if there is an industry that others are allowed to participate in, we want to have that opportunity as well, Day said. I can tell you we dont have a current business in that field. But we are actively looking at exploring the issue to ensure that if we were ever to get into that field that we have the ability to do so.
Death toll in Mali massacre up to 134, U.N. says : The death toll from a massacre in a central Malian village has risen to 134, the United Nations said, as video emerged showing victims strewn on the ground amid the burning remains of their homes. An ethnic Dogon militia already blamed for scores of attacks in Mali over the past year attacked an ethnic Peuhl village on Saturday. At least 55 people were wounded. Members of the Dogon group accuse the Peuhls of supporting Islamist extremists linked to violent organizations in the north and beyond.
As a longtime Georgetown resident, I had the privilege to know Mr. Evans as our advisory neighborhood commissioner and D.C. Council member back in the 1980s and 90s. He was always there to listen to our complaints or run interference with various agencies, from Volta Park, traffic calming and town-gown issues with Georgetown University. But Mr. Evanss real hero status with us was earned after my family moved away from Georgetown. In recent years, Mr. Evans has gone to great lengths to help us find lead-testing data for our children from back in the 90s. He helped us find out what services were available to children who might have been exposed to toxic lead. He also helped connect us with the congressional inquiry into the lead-exposure crisis in Washington. While other city officials, including the mayor, ignored our pleas for help, Mr. Evans showed genuine concern for our childrens health, even though we were no longer living in the city.
Among the reasons that the Mueller investigation was not a witch hunt or, as Mr. Trump put it on Sunday, an illegal takedown that failed, is that the inquiry was the calmest and, we presume, fullest review of Russias hostile 2016 activities the nation has seen. It led to the charging of a variety of Russian entities. As important as it is to get more information from Mr. Muellers full report on the question of whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice, it is certainly no less crucial to learn what Mr. Mueller has to say about the Kremlins 2016 election meddling. Mr. Barr provided few clues in his four-page summary.
Privacy regulations must give companies an incentive to design and monitor their systems to prevent these sorts of exposures  because right now, too many are evidently doing too little. Explicit requirements, such as, say, never storing passwords in a readable format, would be next to impossible to impose; too many risky behaviors would be left out. Instead, a more general duty of care could mandate that companies adhere to reasonable security principles and undertake thorough audits. Companies would have to be ready to prove their compliance to regulators, which would encourage them to think rigorously about what data they have and how they store it. Thats a healthy exercise for any firm in the digital information business. It might well have helped Facebook to realize that its logs were collecting passwords earlier and purge them.
No doubt there is some benefit to be had, fundraising-wise, by keeping true believers fired up. However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has signaled a wiser course by disavowing impeachment, which is another way of telling her troops that theyre probably stuck with Trump through 2020. That is, the solution is to win at the polls the same way Democrats did in 2018: The only way out is through.
And yet the Democratic Party, a mob of the unready, has set off to alienate the vast middle of the American electorate. It talks of socialism, as though the voters are clamoring for the government to take over General Motors. It suggests breaking up megacompanies such as Amazon, as though its customers feel abused by low prices and Shazam-fast delivery. (Amazon founder and chief executive Jeffrey P. Bezos also owns The Post.) The Democratic Party has presidential candidates who endorse universal Medicare without acknowledging its cost or what it would do to private insurance. It has candidates who support reparations for the descendants of slaves  a morally correct impracticality and, I would imagine, a hard sell in the sad areas of the country that Trump carried. Try making the argument to an out-of-work coal miner.
Lehigh University researcher Nader Motee honored with 2019 SIAG/CST Best SICON Paper Prize

Nader Motee, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics at Lehigh University's P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, has been selected to receive a 2019 Best SICON Paper Prize, presented by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) Activity Group on Control and Systems Theory (SIAG/CST).

The award recognizes "Sparsity and Spatial Localization Measures for Spatially Distributed Systems" as one of the two most outstanding papers published in the SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization (SICON) in the three calendar years preceding the award year. Motee's work with co-author Qiyu Sun, a professor in the department of mathematics at the University of Central Florida, was published in 2017.

The prize committee cited the researchers for making "a fundamental contribution to spatially distributed systems theory, showing in particular that quadratically optimal state feedback controllers for spatially decaying systems are sparse and spatially localized."

"Our work is motivated by applications of an important family of spatially distributed systems where coupling between every two subsystems decays as a function of their (spatial) distance; for example, a team of robots communicating with each other in a spatial domain," says Motee. "Our results suggest that estimation and control design problems for this class of systems can be implemented in a localized and distributed fashion."

The research is based on work Motee conducted as an Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program awardee in 2013.

As the director of Lehigh's Distributed Control and Dynamical Systems Laboratory, Motee has attracted significant national attention for his work in developing data-driven algorithms to assess global performance, risk, and fragility features of various real-world networks, such as unmanned autonomous vehicles, distributed power grids, and socio-technical networks.

"The continued recognition of Professor Motee's work comes as no surprise," says John Coulter, professor and senior associate dean for research and operations at the Rossin College. "Since joining our faculty in 2011, he's continually pursued avenues of research--theoretical and experimental--that identify him as an innovator in the design, control, and optimization of distributed control and dynamical systems."

In 2015, Motee earned a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award. The following year, he was recognized with Young Investigator Award from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) for work proposing the development of a novel unified theory based on a general theory of systemic measures to increase understanding of performance and risk in large networks of autonomous systems.

Motee received his master's and doctoral degrees in Electrical and Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his undergraduate studies at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran.

###

The SIAG/CST Best SICON Paper Prize will be presented at the 2019 SIAM Conference on Control and its Applications to be held June 19 to 21, 2019, in Chengdu, China, where Motee will deliver a prize plenary talk on this research.

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This story has been published on: 2019-03-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
A detailed report from WSJ has spilled the beans on Apples upcoming video streaming services and news subscription service due to be unveiled at its Show Time event on March 25.

The report mentions that Apple will be charging $9.99/month for Apple News Magazines. It will feature more than 200 magazines and newspapers at launch including content from The Wall Street Journal. However, WSJs general news content will be given a higher priority over business and finance news which caters to a smaller audience.

As for its video streaming service, Apple will be offering customers subscriptions to HBO, Showtime, and Starz each for $9.99/month and charge extra for its own content. It remains to be seen as to how this works and how Apple will charge for its original content.

Additionally, to reach a wider user base, Apple is mulling bringing its TV app to smart TVs and Roku streaming boxes. Apple has already expanded AirPlay 2 support to TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, and Vizio earlier this year, though the feature is only available on some popular models released in the last year or two.

Apples CEO Tim Cook has been pretty serious about the companys services efforts. He has regularly pushed the team to achieve goals which they initially thought were impossible. The Apple Music team had expected to cross 10 million subscribers within one year of its launch. Cook, however, told them to increase this goal to 20 million which Apple Music did end up crossing pretty easily.

The success of Apple Music gave Tim Cook and Eddy Cue the confidence needed to explore other avenues in the services sector where Apple could leave its mark. Videos were right at the top of that list and Apple even considered buying Disney or Netflix outright as per the report. Ultimately though, it decided to produce its own original content. At its Show Time event, Apple will be showing some footage from its original content to show viewers what it has been up to over the last year or two.

Our Take

Theres a lot of buzz around Apples upcoming video streaming service and it is being cited as a Netflix killer by many. However, a lot depends on what Apple charges for its streaming service and most importantly, how good its shows are. So far, we have seen Apple release a few original shows of its own including Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke which bombed with the audience.

Apple will be live streaming Its Show Time event.

[Via WSJ
It was surprising that Abbe Smith defended the right to counsel by appealing to an abstract sense of duty in her March 21 Thursday Opinion essay, Why lawyers represent rapists. Or that she would invoke former secretary of state Hillary Clinton as a paragon of dutiful defense work. Ms. Clinton defended her representation of a man charged with a sex offense in 1975 by telling the public 40 years later that she had asked the judge to take her off the case.
The country had an unpleasant job that needed doing. The president of United States had surrounded himself with people who lied about their contacts with highly placed Russians. He had fired the director of the FBI, James B. Comey, and within hours he personally assured the Russian ambassador that he did so to shut down an inquiry into these lies. It was possible all this could be explained as the product of incompetence and naivete, because Trump had been utterly unprepared for the presidency and was surrounded by gangsters and clowns. But it was also possible something intentional was going on.
Barrs summary  a news release addressed to lawmakers  contained not one full sentence from the Mueller report. Barr seemed determined to exonerate, declaring Trump had not obstructed justice even though Mueller drew no conclusion. Barrs letter, though saying Mueller found no conspiracy, didnt address what we colloquially call collusion. As Trump himself helpfully informed us, collusion is not a crime, and even his attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani claimed he never said there was no collusion between Russia and Trumps campaign. I had speculated in 2017 that Trump and his team were too incompetent to organize a conspiracy. That Mueller found no conspiracy is a relief, sparing us the crisis of having a president who betrayed the country.
Jean Sexton, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Lius office, would not describe next steps regarding the subpoena for documents, including whether it would or could be enforced or dropped, saying, We have no comment at this time.
Which raises more questions: How far will Democrats go to get more information, and how long will that take? A subpoena by the House to get the report could end up in the Supreme Court, with Congress seeking to assert its investigative authority while the Justice Department argues for maintaining the confidentiality of its probes.
After all of that suffering. After all of a horrible 20th century which has seen a number of genocides, one might have hoped and believed that maybe, just maybe, the world would understand that we share a humanity, he told the crowd. Who really stays up at night worried that your skin is darker than mine? Who worries that your religion is different than mine?
There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, some very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country, he said. I will tell you, I love this country, I love this country as much as I can love anything  my family, my country, my God. But what they did  it was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing. We can never let this happen to another president again . . . Very few people I know could have handled it.
Trump advisers often joked that the presidents actions made them think he was guilty, even as he said he was not. Why would you behave that way if youd done nothing wrong? said one former senior administration official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions.
And I told him the only thing I knew to do with it, it could be a bunch of garbage, it could be true, who knows? Turn it over to somebody whose job it is to find these things out, and John McCain acted appropriately, Graham said, according to CNN.
I see these next two years as an incredible opportunity, he said. Without the distraction of another campaign, I can get so much more done to help reverse the damage done to our planet, end the scourge of war, and to stop this presidents assault on our democracy and our communities.
Barr said the special counsel concluded that no one associated with Trumps campaign conspired or coordinated with the two major Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential campaign  the hacking of Democratic email accounts and a social media campaign to inflame an already polarized American electorate.
I dont want to see Democrats driven away from talking about their Israel bona fides. I want them part of this, and it scares me, Kessock, who identifies as a conservative, said in an interview. The Democratic critics of Israel, she added, have big, big voices, and its drowning out the centrists. You cant let your fringe element become your party and start holding the mic. We dont want a Jeremy Corbyn situation here in the U.S., referring to the leader of Britains Labour Party.
He called his inner circle and polling experts, Thaksin recalled in an interview with The Washington Post. The numbers did not seem right, he said, with the Pheu Thai Party faring far less robustly than expected. Pheu Thai is the latest iteration of the political movement he founded that has dominated Thai elections since the early 2000s.
Across the country, Afghans have been marking the Persian new year, or Nowruz, with celebrations that began on Thursday and continued for several days. But hopes for a peaceful start were dashed by a surge in violence on all sides, coming as peace talks intensify between Washington and the Taliban in an effort to chart an end to Americas longest war.
Conservative lawmaker and super-Brexiteer Boris Johnson, one of the favorites to replace May should she resign, wrote in Mondays Daily Telegraph that the government had chickened out on delivering Brexit and that if May wants to win support for her deal, she needs to show that the next phase will be different from the first. This suggested to some that he might be willing to back the deal, as long as May promises to step aside.
If we want hope, we must have unity; if we want security, we must have unity; throughout history, the only way we have won is by being united! Unity is our past, and unity must be our future! he told a welcoming crowd. I will return to Israel  to stand and if needed to fight in defense of my people, our people. I am a soldier. That is who I am. That is what I do.
President Trump has repeatedly said that all options, including military intervention, are on the table in dealing with Venezuela. But administration officials have said that there are no current plans to use military force and that U.S. policy is focused on diplomatic and economic pressure through escalating sanctions. Earlier this month, the administration evacuated U.S. diplomatic personnel from Venezuela.
Those things must be investigated, he said in a news briefing Sunday. It makes no sense. Why do we have a national security council, why do we have a ministry of defense, why do we have a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, why do we have so many official committees, if when it comes to one of our most strategic decisions, we bypass them all by cousins and lawyers?
Sundays vote  the first since a coup in 2014 ousted a government run by Thaksins sister, Yingluck Shinawatra  was held to determine the makeup of Thailands parliament. The election was not merely an exercise in picking which parties had better policies or the most qualified candidates, but also a referendum on the fundamental question of whether elected civilian leaders or a military government should lead Thailand, with the monarchy at its center.
For Rodel, landing in Canada marks the start of a new chapter in a saga that began when she fled sexual violence in the Philippines in 2002 and sought asylum in Hong Kong. Her journey took a twist in 2013, when her lawyer asked if she might shelter an American in distress  and that American turned out to be Snowden.
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National Australia Bank will ditch its controversial "introducer" home loan referral program in an effort to clean up its reputation and practices in the wake of the royal commission as big banks compete on the speed with which they can improve their image.

The move will place pressure on the other banks to follow NAB in putting an end to the practice of paying members of the public a commission to recommend new mortgage customers.

NAB's acting chief executive and chairman-elect, Phil Chronican, says he recognises the introducer loans were open to potential abuse.

For chairman-elect Phil Chronican, who is the face of the cleaner, more customer-oriented and better-behaving NAB, this move would have to have been a no-brainer.

And announcing it in the days leading up to his appearance before the House of Representatives Economics Committee certainly provides a handy platform for Chronican to provide evidence that NAB is acting decisively on improving the treatment of customers.
Blackmore is all about the big picture, anecdotal answers and a near-aversion to detail. Ask a question and you get a story. "This will be my first ever job where my success will be measured on how quickly I can get rid of the job," Blackmore says. This will be my first ever job where my success will be measured on how quickly I can get rid of the job. Marcus Blackmore He has already begun interviewing potential replacements for a job which he doesnt formally begin until next week. Henfrey was the internal candidate who took the chief executive post 18 months ago when the high profile Christine Holgate left to run Australia Post.

Henfreys was an amicable departure according to Blackmore - a resignation rather than a removal. Loading But it was announced only a week after Blackmores disappointed the market with a weaker than expected profit and cautious sales outlook statement. Blackmore characterises it as unfortunate timing "I guess the timing of Richards resignation was probably not the greatest in that sense because some people just put two and two together and said, 'Well, hang on, the share price has dropped 23 per cent and the chief executive goes next week (and) its obvious what happened.' Well that wasnt right at all," he says.

What's clear from his comments is that under Henfreys command, the company was not moving fast enough for Blackmore's liking and had lost a bit of its entrepreneurial zeal. The company Blackmore's father founded has grown from a small to medium sized natural therapy business into a $1.6 billion multinational operator, producing more than four billion tablets a year, but it is suffering indigestion. Richard Henfrey will leave his role as Blackmores chief executive on March 29. Credit:Chris Hopkins "We havent kept up with the speed of sales growth in the company," Blackmore says. "We got too fat, got too bureaucratic and were too slow at making decisions." The official statements from Blackmores have described the need for "transformation" within the company. Its a word that suggests a radical change.

Blackmore views this as a bit of company speak - a vernacular that doesnt sit well with his down-to-earth approach to communication. Blackmores doesnt need to transform so much as "trim the sails" he says. It also needs to provide investors with some confidence that its highly successful China business has not hit a wall when it comes to growth. In February the half year results showed Blackmores' China business sustained a slide in earnings before interest and tax in the first half to $11.7 million, compared with $20.8 million a year earlier. China revenue had also fallen 11 per cent to $65.4 million. If that result made investors nervous, the outlook was even worse warning the second half profit would be below the first half. Blackmores shares were sold sharply and fell 25 per cent in a day. Changes in the distribution channel, increased competition and rising costs were variously blamed for the weaker than expected performance.

Blackmore doesnt blame this outcome on Chinas slowing economic growth. He admits there were mistakes made but apprises the situation without any evident panic - relying on his long corporate memory for perspective. Were now in a market thats very sensitive about companies that have got an exposure to China. Is that unreasonable? Probably not. Marcus Blackmore "Were now in a market thats very sensitive about companies that have got an exposure to China. Is that unreasonable? Probably not. Its a massive opportunity but it comes with a higher level of risk in comparison, say, to our other established markets in Asia where we have been for 30-odd years," he says. China's health doesn't seem to keep Blackmore up at night. "I go to China and I see all these buildings going up and I see all the cranes around the place. Then I read about their GDP (which) is - instead of being 8 per cent this year is only - I dont know the actual numbers - but its only going to be 7 per cent. Seven per cent of the biggest economy in the world is a massive massive amount of money," he says.

He doesnt think the company, in which he holds a 23 per cent stake, is overly affected by the general state of the economy in China or Australia. "I can tell you in the past, sometimes when things got tight we sold more product. We certainly sold more executive stress product." But dont ask Blackmore for detailed nor short term guidance. "We went public in 1983 and I think in that time we gave guidance once. The problem with guidance is that if you say I am going to make $20 million profit and you make $19,999,000 theyll say (in) the headline in the paper the next day, Blackmores falls short." Blackmore may not have mastered the finer arts of managing investor expectations but he reckons that neither has he made false promises.

"If you look back to what I said to the shareholders three years ago I made a speech and it was related to the very significant increase in the China business. In the space of five years we went from $2 million a year to $130 million or something ... I said to the shareholders we didnt see it coming and we didnt see it going. Now in retrospect I made a very true statement at that time," he said. Blackmores' biggest shareholder Marcus Blackmore and wife Caroline. When I approached Blackmore a few weeks ago for an interview he was en route to visit the recently elected member for Sydneys eastern suburbs electorate of Wentworth, Kerryn Phelps. He was on a lobbying mission aimed at fighting regulations due to take effect on April 1 that will prohibit private insurance rebates on many natural therapies. He says these regulations will save the government $20 million but ultimately cost much more. He regards the regulations as based on dubious science and false economy.

"They obviously didn't speak to the patients of these practitioners or adequately research the literature," Blackmore says. "The impact of the withdrawal of the private health insurance rebates is likely to (have) a significant long term impact on the natural therapies professions and their patients. The effect will flow through to Blackmores as a supplier to the natural health professions. Over time this effect will be significant." Blackmore says the meeting went "well" with Phelps, who he counts as an old friend and a big supporter of integrated medicine. The Phelps visit is but one political pit stop in Blackmores decades-long campaign to promote a holistic approach to health and his companys contribution to promoting wellness.

From former Queensland premier Joh Bjelke Petersen and wife Flo to the current health minister, Greg Hunt, Blackmore can regale stories of supporters and detractors, of wins and losses. Now less than ten days before these rebate changes come into effect Blackmores powers of persuasion appear challenged and his efforts will now be directed to the even more difficult talk of reversing a regulation already in operation. Blackmore argues that those that previously used natural therapies and received rebates are going to move to orthodox medicine. Cue another illustrative story. "I was with my cardiologist this morning. I walked out of there and asked how much do I owe?' Nothing its all on Medicare," he says. Championing the cause is personal for Blackmore but its also good for business. Blackmore is a rare breed - a trained naturopath who can boast a personal wealth of more than $300 million.

Christine Holgate left Blackmores to run Australia Post. Credit:Wayne Taylor He is socially conservative with a progressive twist. Holgate, he says, describes him as a capitalist with socialistic tendencies in part because of the companys practice of giving 10 per cent of its profit to staff each year without reference to sales targets. But this ideological hybrid has very clear views on the trust many large businesses have abused in recent years. "I think business has a lot to answer for." It's clear why he places such store in corporate reputation.

Selling health brands requires an additional level of customer faith. "At the end of the day, if you are going to stick a tablet in your mouth youre sure as hell going to want to trust the company that made it," he says. But who is to blame for the poor treatment of customers that has coloured the public perception of big business? "I'm not convinced that our system of governance is much good. Do you mean to tell me that at AMP they knew that somebody down the bottom of the line was still collecting money on insurance policies as people die? "How would the directors find out about that?
One of the most popular Australian painters of the last century, Jack Absalom OAM, has died. He was 91.

Mr Absalom was on ABC TV in the 1970s and 1980s, starring in programs in which he travelled the country painting outback scenes and demonstrating the skills of a bushman.

Jack Absalom stayed in Broken Hill even after his contemporaries had moved on or died. Credit:Rick Stevens

His work, which often depicted the country that surrounded his home in Broken Hill, adopted a more realistic style than that of his prominent contemporary, Pro Hart.

Along with Mr Hart, Mr Absalom was a member of the Brushmen of the Bush, a collective of artists largely outside the art establishment centred on Broken Hill that also included John Pickup, Hugh Schulz, and Eric Minchin.
From the two minutes' silence across her nation on Friday to the gunman who shall not be named, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern showed us this past week that leadership is as much what you dont say as what you do.

Our own Prime Minister Scott Morrison, despite loosening his tie and sitting down for a television interview with commentator Waleed Aly, could have taken some lessons out of the Ardern playbook. Not long before his interview on The Project, which can only be described as awkward and at times aggressive, the New Zealand first family had some news of their own.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the Al Noor Mosque for a national call to prayer on Friday. Credit:Jason South

It was delivered in their trademark dont-tell-me-show-me style, which has become synonymous with the social media stream of this former DJ PM and her TV star partner, Clarke Gayford, host of Fish of the Day and stay-at-home father.

It wasnt Arderns announcement in Christchurch that her country would ban all semi-automatic assault rifles in light of the massacre of 50 people in two mosques, welcome though that was, and applauded the world over by the likes of Hillary Clinton. It was back in the capital, Wellington.
Centrelink has threatened to charge daily compounding interest, garnishee wages or seize funds from the bank accounts of former welfare recipients who fail to pay 'robo-debts' issued by the government's automated recovery scheme.

The strong-arm tactics used by the Department of Human Services are expected to inflame tensions with social services advocates and legal experts who are planning to challenge the controversial robo-debt program in the Federal Court.

Former chief crown prosecutor Gavin Silbert. Credit:Jason South

The blunt warnings, which were part of a DHS letter sent on March 6, also include a potential ban on overseas travel, legal action or forfeiture of tax refunds if payment is not received within 14 days.

The department, which acts on behalf of Centrelink, has refused to say how many letters were sent, but insists its enforcement activities comply with all relevant legislation.
The Australian Medical Association WA has called on the government to complete the testing of cladding at WA hospitals as soon as possible after Fiona Stanley Hospital bosses confirmed the presence of potentially dangerous cladding.

In an email sent to all staff on Monday Fiona Stanley Fremantle hospitals group executive director Neil Doverty and south metro health service chief executive Paul Forden said aluminium composite panels had been used on the state's largest hospital.

Fiona Stanley hospital was built with potentially dangerous cladding. Credit:Peter Bennetts / Fiona Stanley Hospital Design Collaboration

The cladding is the same material experts believe may have added to the ferocity of the fire that killed 72 people in the Grenfell tower fire in London in 2017.

"Specialist fire engineers have confirmed the presence of Aluminium Composite Panel panels on the exterior of the Fiona Stanley Hospital," the email read.
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday recognized Israel's 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights in an election boost for visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting a sharp response from Syria, which once held the strategic land.

US President Donald Trump, left, and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's PM hold up a signed proclamation after a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC. Credit:Bloomberg

With Netanyahu looking over his shoulder at the White House, Trump signed a proclamation officially granting US recognition of the Golan as Israeli territory - a dramatic shift from decades of US policy.

The move, which Trump announced in a tweet last Thursday, appeared to be the most overt gesture by the Republican president to help Netanyahu, who had been pressing Trump for the move since February 2017.

Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognised internationally.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING ; Youngest has just returned to university after her Spring Break, which consisted of staying home for a week, alternately sleeping, lounging, napping, lazing and taking it easy. (To be fair, she did bring in wood for the wood stove every day and washing a whole PILE of dishes, so I can't complain.)

Spring Break has long been sold as a bacchanalia for youth, a week of sun, fun and booze that's a must-do while in college. According to my extensive research (I read Mental Floss ) Spring Break's first iteration in this country began when Fort Lauderdale opened Florida's first "Olympic" pool back in 1928. Competitive swimmers would come down for training in March, and over the years, it became a combination training camp/social event for student athletes from across the country.





Needless to say, other students noticed their peers returning to campus with tans and big smiles on their faces, and in 1960 the modern version of Spring Break became a defined by Where the Boys Are which I've never seen, but which sounds like a bit of a downer (spoiler: boys can't be trusted and girls who have sex get sideswiped by cars. Good girls get George Hamilton!) The scenery was terrific, though, and it started a rush to beaches all up and down Florida's Gold Coast, followed by Key West, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, etc. etc.





I don't remember ever doing Spring Break myself. My parents were extremely open-handed about anything to do with education, but a trip to Florida with 10,000 other college students wasn't the kind of education of which they approved. The Smithie spent one Spring Break having fun with friends in New York City - one set of parents had a pied-a-terre - and another getting extra hours at her work-study job. In my circle nowadays, if kids are going on a warm-weather vacation, they have to do it without access to the parental pocketbook. As one mom told me, "If I could afford a trip to Cancun in March, I'd take it myself!"





Which make me think - maybe what we need is Adult Spring Break. Let's face it, in 90% of the continental US, late March is a trial, ranging from "when is the grass going to get green" to miserable snow and sleet. There's no better time to get away to some place with warm, flower-scented breezes and drinks in coconuts.





As adults, we can afford our getaway - we don't have to ask mom and dad to help out. And we'd be much better guests for tourist destinations: we tip well, we stay in hotels with good mattresses, and we'll never bother the locals with loud partying at 1am, because we all go to bed at 10. Instead of spending money for our kids to swan off to tropical islands, we can pay them to house sit. "Don't forget the cat's special allergy food! See you in a week!"

Reds, do you have any memorable Spring Break experiences? And what do you think of my idea for Adult Spring Break?





JENN MCKINLAY : I worked all through college so I usually worked all through spring break, but I did take off to the Bahamas for spring break during my sophomore year and it was a blast. My favorite part was hopping on a bus and taking an unofficial tour through the non-tourist parts of the island. It was on a Sunday, so the ladies all had their church hats on and there were chickens scrambling through the aisle. Oh, and the accents. Caribbean accents are just divine, aren't they? I am raising my hand in favor of an adult spring break. Take me away!



HALLIE EPHRON : When I was in college, I never had the money to go exotic places on spring break, and I couldn't go home because it was on the opposite coast, so I pretty much stayed at the college or visited friends whose families lived nearby. Or maybe the concept "spring break" simply hadn't yet been invented. As a grownup, I once had the misfortune of once (accidentally) being in Key West during spring break. Lucy can talk about what a bad idea that is. It is my firm belief that spring breaks should be taken in the dead of winter.

RHYS BOWEN : At college in England we had an Easter break but I remember using it to study hard as exams were in June. My kids certainly did cool spring break things, going on the combined UC ski trip to Aspen and Whistler. I'm not sure where the money for that came from. Certainly not from me. But they did have jobs in college. I'd rather have an adult summer camp, or rather mommy' summer camp where we can hike, swim, do crafts, relax on hammocks, cook marshmallows and laugh around a campfire with plenty of good food and wine. Who is in with me?

JULIA : My kids went to an amazing summer camp, and I told the director for years if she opened a week for adults, she'd be booked in five minutes.







I don't remember going on spring break either--it must be a newer invention, and yes! I'm in for adult spring break, though can we write a little too? I'm behind on everything! LUCY BURDETTE : Seems like all of March in Key West is now spring break. At this point we try to work around the busiest places--forget about the beaches, bars, Duval Street--and make any reservations well in advance. I think the worst is the crazy people on scooters with no helmets racing around town. We always leave a little extra time to get anywhere!I don't remember going on spring break either--it must be a newer invention, and yes! I'm in for adult spring break, though can we write a little too? I'm behind on everything!

JULIA : Maybe for folks in tourist-heavy vacations, Spring Break can be a (frozen) lakefront cabin in Minnesota!





DEBORAH CROMBIE : No spring breaks for me, I'm afraid. It seems like I was always studying through any sort of breaks in college. In any case, I couldn't have afforded it, and my parents certainly wouldn't have paid for it. But, yes, I'm all for adult spring break! I'm imagining a bunch a writer friends, getting together for a couple of days visit with some sightseeing, good food, and walks on the beach. I'd be thrilled with a hammock and a book, too.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN : Debs, absolutely. Spring break. Spring Break....did we have that? I know there were movies about it, with, like, Annette and Frankie Avalon, and that was when I was about 13. But when I was in college? I have no memories, not one, of spring break. We used to mourn the winter in what we called the January Flats, the horrible bleak January in Ohio. And yes, then there was a February break. Huh. I remember now. Sort of. Okay. I think---I stayed at school? Or maybe--went with my family somewhere? But "spring"? Oh, gosh, scary, I have no spring break memories. I'll call my sister.



And I was just thinking today about how I'd love a little vacation. Somewhere sunny. But vacation to me means I can work! Just in a warmer place where there are margaritas at night. So yeah, I'm in!
Companies that pursue ESG principles tend to be more mature companies, she says. They recognize the value of ethical practices for not only their brand but their bottom line as well. Some people tend to think that when companies invest in their communities and pursue higher standards, its just an added line on the expense sheet. But thats not true  socially responsible companies are more likely to avoid regulatory and cost-intensive risks like labour disputes, environmental fines or brand boycotts. It pays to be a good corporate citizen.

Cash is a board member with Women in ETFs, an organization that works to promote gender equality and female leadership in the male-skewed world of financial services. She was also part of a team that raised millions from Bay Street titans for charitable endeavours across Canada. She highlights how SRI can provide a personal impact to investors in addition to generating returns.

This isnt just marketing  this is real for investors, she says. Doing good feels good  thats why socially responsible investing can be such an emotional experience. You can take pride in the fact that your investment is helping to achieve something you believe in, whether its a low-carbon future, alleviating poverty or championing progressive values globally.

In Canada, more than $1.5 trillion in AUM goes to SRI, and most of that is driven by institutional trading. Many of Canadas large pension funds have mandates to invest with ESG principles as part of their portfolio strategies. The Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, for example, has grown its sustainable investing fund to $316 billion (as of March 2017), investing in companies that focus on climate change, water quality and management, human rights, and executive compensation.

However, individual investors are increasingly looking to put their money into ethical investing, too. According to the Responsible Investment Association [RIA], individual investor assets in SRI almost doubled from 2013 to 2015.
Canadian VC deal activity with US participation accelerated to $1.6 billion, marking an all-time high by accounting for 186 of the 273 cross-border transactions completed last year. Among the key drivers behind this trend were potentially lower cost of living relative to US coastal epicenters like the Bay area; burgeoning tach ecosystems in major cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto; and a surplus of capital to dispense.

The report documented a slump in venture fundraising, however, as only three vehicles were able to amass nearly $220 million last year. Whats more intriguing about the venture tally is how low it is relative to historical totals; the fundraising cycle in Canada is likely resetting, the report said. Looking at Canadian venture activity by sector, it identified software as the largest component by far, reflecting the trend in other fast-developing, mature economies such as those across the European Union.

Pitchbook also revealed healthy PE activity last year, with $52 million  the second-highest cumulative deal value notched for the decade  raised over 324 deals. Each of the past four years has seen well over 300 completed PE transactions in Canada, the report noted.

Technology companies continued to be an active area of interest for PE buyers in Canada, accounting for over 20% of deal flow last year. But the report noted that B2B companies accounted for a plurality of add-ons, figuring in nearly 40% of Canadian PE deals and accounting for over 40% in terms of value (in Canadian dollars).

Healthy Canadian PE activity in 2018 has been significantly bolstered by the popularity of the add-on strategy, which accounted for a record proportion of all buyout activity last year, the report said. While buyouts and leveraged buyouts accounted for less than 30% of all Canadian PE deals last year, add-ons accounted for over half.
Companies are already making progress in using technology to automate certain processes, such as client onboarding, because there are no regulatory impediments to that work. Regulators surveyed for the research said they werent overly concerned with the perceived lack of audit trail with digital advice.

Regulators we spoke with generally felt the adoption of digital technologies was more of a business issue than a regulatory one, Grace said. Just as it has been up to firms to figure out which regulations govern changes to their business models from a human-centric point of view, they felt tech-based changes should proceed the same way.

But other industry stakeholders pointed to three main exceptions that had to be considered by regulators before next-generation digital advice could move forward. First, they noted that digital strategy relies on data, but tech-reliant firms cant access the data they need today to create the right solutions. Open data is necessary for algorithms to work in a legitimate and verifiable way. This poses a challenge in terms of privacy and security issues, but also an opportunity for regulators to encourage innovation, Grace said.

Another issue arises from fulfillment. It is possible to develop platforms that deliver prudent advice, Grace wrote, but they cant always execute on the plan. Regulatory silos between product regimes  securities and insurance, for example  create tremendous complexity in implementing a holistic recommendation. That means to remain compliant, digital firms trade engines must have permission for an electronic handoff between regulatory regimes.

Finally, firms today must work within and across the current regulatory silos, which are complex, slow, and expensive to navigate. Financial services companies are governed by regulators on both federal and provincial levels, with further segmentation occurring with respect to industries and products. That creates a significant barrier and cost delivering solutions that are broad enough to be multifunctional while considering the entirety of a persons personal financial circumstances and needs.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the event (Source: VNA)



He expects Chu Lai would help turn Vietnam into one of the worlds wooden interior production centres, while addressing a groundbreaking ceremony for Chu Lai agro-forestry industrial park at the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in the central province of Quang Nam on March 24th.

The leader suggested Chu Lai (Quang Nam) team up with Dung Quat (Quang Ngai) and Da Nang city to form growth poles and required close coordination in policymaking and pooling resources for development.

He urged provinces to submit breakthrough mechanisms and policies to the Party Central Committee to improve competitiveness of key economic area in the central and Central Highlands, including Da Nang, Quang Nam and Dung Quat - Quang Ngai.

The 450ha agro-forestry industrial park will develop a materials farming area for the central, Central Highlands and neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. It will be built from 2019 to 2022 at a total cost of over VND8.1 trillion (USD352 million).

It will also double as a research centre for seedlings, agricultural materials, biotechnology, harvest, preservation and processing. Model farms will grow grapefruit, mango, jackfruit and forestry trees using modern technology.

Once operational, it is expected to attract domestic and foreign investors to create a value production chain, add more revenue to the local State budget and generate jobs to 20,000 workers.

On the occasion, automaker Thaco Truong Hai began construction of an expanded automotive mechanical industrial zone on a total area of 115ha. Costing over VND1.6 trillion, the work is expected to increase locally-made items for automobiles to more than 40 percent, thus meeting demand for export to ASEAN member states by 2020.

The management board of Chu Lai Open Economic Zone also granted an investment license to Thadi industrial, agricultural, forestry park. Thaco Truong Hai also signed strategic contracts with domestic and foreign firms to supply clean farm produce.

Build in 2003, the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone is the first coastal economic zone in Vietnam. It is strategically located midway between Vietnams northern and southern regions, and connected to National Highway 1A, national coastal routes, the trans-national railway, Ky Ha seaport, Chu Lai airport, and the Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway.

In the morning the same day, the PM laid wreaths at the monument dedicated to heroic Vietnamese mothers and martyrs cemetery in Quang Nam on the occasion of its 44th anniversary of liberation./.
NEWTOWN  The two communities are already linked in national violence prevention conversations after mass shootings in their schools, and on Monday, Newtown and Parkland, Fla., shared yet another tragic connection.

The towns are reeling from the suicides of people who lost loved ones or friends in the school massacres.

Jeremy Richman, 49, whose 6-year-old daughter, Avielle, was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, was found dead Monday after killing himself. It came just days after the suicides of two survivors of the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Most people who experience trauma do not die by suicide, but it does increase their risk, said April Foreman, a psychologist on the board of directors for the American Association of Suicidology. Knowing someone who has died by suicide also heightens ones risk, she said.

We know this is a rare, but complex reaction to trauma, she said.

Little is known about what led Richman, 19-year-old Sydney Aiello or the unnamed sophomore in Parkland to kill themselves. In Aiellos case, however, her mother told CBS Miami that her daughter suffered from survivor's guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Traumatic experiences  like surviving a mass shooting or losing a child to one  can cause people to feel angry and hopeless, said Kate Mattias, executive director for the Connecticut chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, noting those feelings can lead to depression and suicide.

Very often when these kinds of circumstances happen, the people that remain sometimes feel survivors guilt, she said. So, Why my daughter and not me? Why my friend and not me? And that can lead them to be significantly depressed.

And losing a child no matter the circumstance is devastating for mental health, said Dr. Jorge Aquilar-Zanatta, a psychiatry specialist with Western Connecticut Health Network.

More for you Sandy Hook father who died by suicide was a beautiful human being

That is one of the most profound and difficult loss anyone can experience, he said. We really need to be careful and be mindful of how that can impact our own mental health and really be on top of our self-care.

Those who survive trauma might initially practice self-care, but falter years later, Aquilar-Zanatta said.

If were able to de-stigmatize psychiatric illness and really be mindful of the mental health well being, we can support each other and possibility reduce the horrible events like we saw (Monday,) he said.

Suicide contagion

More Information If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or needs emotional support, help is available 24/7 through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. See More Collapse

A concern that often arises after a suicide, especially one of a public figure or in a public location, is suicide contagion, where someone dies by suicide and then another imitates him or her. This is more common among youth than adults, said Tom Steen, of the Connecticut chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

But he said contagion is rare.

It usually happens when good practices are not employed when a child dies, Steen said. And thats when sometimes one, two or sometimes three other kids say, Look what she or he did. Im going to do the same thing.

It is also more likely when suicide is sensationalized, he said.

The idea of a suicide contagion concerned mental health advocates in the Danbury area last month after the suicide of 16-year-old Hailey Nailor, a Danbury High School student. It caused them to urge for a vigil not be held.

Experts know suicides can happen in clusters, but do not have a good understanding of why, Foreman said.

But Foreman said it impossible to know whether the suicides of the Parkland teens were a factor in Richmans death.

At the end of the day, if someone tells you they know why someone killed themselves, then they know something every scientist does not, Foreman said.

Steen doubts the suicides were connected.

Suicide is a symptom of something else going on in the persons life, especially an adult, he said. Something was going on and we dont know.

Seeking help

Zach Cartaya survived the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 and is now finance director for Rebels Project. The organization was founded by Columbine High School survivors after the shooting in Aurora to support people who experience similar traumas.

He, too, once considered suicide. Its because the trauma becomes so overwhelming, he said

Cartaya said he felt survivors guilt after the Sandy Hook tragedy as he thought about all the things he had done, like driving a car, that the elementary students would never get to experience. This guilt is isolating, but survivors must remember they are not alone, he said.

He urges survivors and others affected by mass shootings to seek professional help, something that took him years to do.

One of the things that I learned is that it really is a marathon, Cartaya said. You have to continue to work at it.

For the Newtown community and others who know someone who has died by suicide, it is important to pay attention to ones mental health, Foreman said.

Its the people of Newtown who must think about the public health issues and the well being of their citizens, Foreman said. These events are rare. Theyre difficult to understand and experts are ready and able to consult.

Steen learned of Richmans death while he was in Newtown giving a presentation on suicide prevention and gun safety at the National Shooting Sports Foundation in town. That organization and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partner to hold these trainings because the majority of gun deaths are from suicides.

As sad as the news was, it was a teachable moment because no one can predict suicide, just like you cant predict a volcano from erupting or an airplane from crashing, Steen said. The horror of it all is, its so preventable.

Those who are thinking about suicide or know people who need emotional support are encouraged to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The lifeline is free, confidential and available any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
WESTON  The Board of Selectman are looking to put Weston on the map.

Peter Blau and Jon Acher from the Marketing and Communications Advisory Committee introduced a plan at the boards March 21 meeting to better communicate the benefits of living in town. The board subsequently approved funding for a new municipal website to help that vision become a reality.

Our committee is really much more about communications than marketing. We cannot sell someone on moving into our town, only provide more information about the good things we have to offer, said Blau, chair of the committee.

The committee, made up of marketing and media professionals, is tasked with building Westons brand and promoting the towns positive attributes both to residents and prospective homebuyers.

Blau said four areas of focus should be community outreach, Realtor marketing, town signage and wayfinding, and branding.

While Weston offers a wide range of community events every week, the committee found weaknesses in shopping options, transportation, walkability, retail access, and limited access to city water and natural gas utilities.

Blau said there are opportunities to revitalize existing commercial sites (Weston Center and Cobbs Mill), and felt there should be more senior housing and services.

Efforts should also be made to consolidate services with adjoining towns for cost savings, the committee reported.

In its presentation, the committee suggested outreach through social media and a new town website would help improve communition between town departments and residents.

At the meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to authorize an agreement with marketing company Granicus for a new municipal website.

The advisory committee will work with the selectmen to relaunch the website and also facilitate posts on social media platforms and other local websites. The audience will target current Weston residents, neighboring communities and prospective Weston buyers.

There were over a dozen applications sent in, but out of all of them, Minnesota-based Granicus offered the most appealing option for the town.

It will be a nice addition to the town, Town Administrator Johnathan Luiz said.

The cost for the website will be a one-time fee of $15,300, in addition to an annual maintenance of $4,500 per year for the first five years. After that, the cost will rise.

However, the company will offer the town unlimited customer service and training, according to the presentation.

They understand our needs and are willing to listen, First Selectman Chris Spaulding said.

People in Weston will be able to sign up for notices, agendas, emergency alerts and more.
WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find that Donald Trump or his campaign schemed with Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, according to a summary released Sunday that the president immediately embraced as a "complete exoneration" even though Mueller reached no conclusion about whether the president obstructed justice.

After a nearly two-year investigation, Mueller's findings seemed to dispel the cloud of conspiracy that has hung over the administration since its inception. But by delivering caveats alongside conclusions, the closing of the Mueller investigation opens the door to fiercer political fights over the president's judgment and power.

The four-page summary issued Sunday by Attorney General William Barr declared: "The Special Counsel's investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election."

The letter notes that Mueller's probe said no such conspiracy was found "despite multiple offers from Russia-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

Barr said he and Justice Department officials separately determined that there was insufficient evidence to make an obstruction accusation against the president - though Mueller was not definitive on that point.

Trump spoke to reporters at a Florida airport Sunday afternoon, declaring that the dark cloud of suspicion that had hung over his administration since its inception had finally lifted.

"After a long look, after a long investigation, after so many people have been so badly hurt, after not looking at the other side, where a lot of bad things happened, a lot of horrible things happened for our country, it was just announced there was no collusion with Russia," the president said, declaring the findings "a complete and total exoneration."

"It's a shame that our country had to go through this, to be honest it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," Trump said, urging that Democrats be investigated.

On the question of whether the president might have sought to obstruct the high-profile investigation, Mueller's team did not offer a definitive answer.

"The Special Counsel . . . did not draw a conclusion - one way or the other - as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction," Barr's letter to lawmakers states.

"The Special Counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him'," the letter says, signaling that Mueller's team apparently struggled with the issue.

"For each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction," the letter says.

Mueller's decision to forgo a conclusion as to whether the president tried to obstruct justice struck a discordant note with current and former law enforcement officials, who noted that it was one of the primary reasons for appointing a special counsel.

"I think courageous people have the courage to make decisions, and those who don't punt decisions," said George Terwilliger, a former deputy attorney general who worked in the George H.W. Bush administration with Mueller and Barr.

Since his appointment in May 2017 as special counsel, Mueller has wrestled with the question of whether the president attempted to obstruct justice once the FBI began investigating those close to him. Current and former White House officials who were questioned by Mueller's investigators were repeatedly asked about how the president spoke of the investigation behind closed doors, and whether he sought to replace senior Justice Department officials to stymie the probe, according to people familiar with the interviews.

Mueller "ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment" on the question of obstruction, Barr wrote, so the attorney general and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided.

Rosenstein and Barr "concluded that the evidence developed during the special counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction of justice offense. Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president," Barr wrote.

Barr further explained that decision by writing that "the report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Department's principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction of justice offense."

Barr's letter does not make clear whether Mueller asked Barr and Rosenstein to make a final determination on the question of obstruction.

"Over the course of the investigation, the Special Counsel's office engaged in discussions with certain Department officials regarding many of the legal and factual matters at issue in the Special Counsel's obstruction investigation," it says.

A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment.

The top two Democrats in Congress accused the attorney general of bias and questioned his judgment in deciding that Trump had not committed obstruction, alluding to opinion pieces and a private memo Barr wrote before he became attorney general that were critical of some elements of Mueller's work.

Barr's letter "raises as many questions as it answers," said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.: "Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report."

Schumer and Pelosi repeated their demand for the full report to be made public, saying "the American people have a right to know."

Trump's lawyers seized on a portion of the letter that said Mueller recognized "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference." That is not necessary to charge the crime of obstruction, Barr noted, but he added that "the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction."

It was unclear whether the White House will get to review Mueller's full report. Justice Department officials have been silent on that question, though Barr's letter strongly suggests that he intends to release a redacted version.

Barr said the Mueller report appears to contain grand jury material that is barred by law from being released, and that he will work with Mueller to identify which portions those may be, as well as any portions whose public release might compromise ongoing investigations.

The attorney general said his "goal and intent is to release as much of the Special Counsel's report as I can consistent with applicable law, regulations, and Department policies."

Brian Rabbitt, the attorney general's chief of staff, called White House lawyer Emmet Flood and gave him a readout of the letter at 3 p.m., a senior Justice Department official said.

A Justice Department spokeswoman also called her White House counterpart to notify her of what was soon to happen.

"That is the extent of the conversation between us and the White House on the report thus far," the official said.

Mueller's central mission had been to determine if Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 election were aided or assisted in any way by Americans, including people close to Trump.

In all, Russian citizens interacted with at least 14 Trump associates during the campaign and presidential transition, according to public records and interviews.

Of particular concern was the interaction between a London-based professor and a low-level Trump foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos. According to court filings, the professor told Papadopoulos in April 2016 that the Russians held damaging information about Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, in the form of thousands of emails.

Mueller also dug into a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York. Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met with a Russian lawyer after being told she had incriminating information on Clinton that was being offered as part of the Russian government's support for the GOP candidate, according to emails exchanged in advance of the meeting.

The lawyer has said she was not working on behalf of the Russian government. Trump Jr. and Kushner have said she did not provide any information about Clinton at the meeting.

Seeking to answer the collusion question, Mueller has also scrutinized the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, which released batches of Democrats' emails that U.S. investigators say were stolen by Russian intelligence officers.

The special counsel's work led to criminal charges against 34 people, including six former Trump associates and advisers.

On Saturday, officials said that one of those cases - that of Trump's former deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates - will be transferred from the special counsel's office to federal prosecutors in Washington. Gates pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy and lying to the FBI, and he continues to cooperate with prosecutors while awaiting sentencing.

A senior Justice Department official said the special counsel has not recommended any further indictments - a revelation that buoyed Trump's supporters, even as additional Trump-related investigations continue in other parts of the Justice Department, in Congress and in New York state.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a series of tweets he wanted Barr to quickly testify before Congress to explain what the lawmaker called "very concerning discrepancies and final decision-making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report."

Nadler said Mueller "clearly and explicitly is not exonerating the President, and we must hear from . . . Barr about his decision-making and see all the underlying evidence for the American people to know all the facts."

Republicans cheered the findings.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called the findings a "good day for the rule of law. Great day for President Trump and his team. No collusion and no obstruction. The cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed by this report. Bad day for those hoping the Mueller investigation would take President Trump down."

Rep. Douglas Collins, R-Ga., the senior Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said the investigation was "long, thorough and conclusive: There was no collusion. There is no constitutional crisis."

He called on Democrats in Congress to now dial back their "sprawling" inquiries into the same issues.

- - -

The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez, Paul Sonne and Drew Harwell contributed to this report.
WESTPORT  Fun, food and fashion walked the runway Saturday afternoon when the Westport Womans Club hosted its Spring Fashion Show fundraiser.

About 25 local amateur models came out to show off some of the best and brightest clothes from merchants Splash of Pink and Southern Tide. Other local businesses lent their support and time to this sold-out event.

All the proceeds will go back into Fairfield County, said communications chair Gloria Smithson, referencing the many local endeavors in which the club lends a helping hand.

I want to say that we really appreciate everybody supporting the club, President Christina McVaney said.

A sold out fashion show is really unbelievable, she said. Were really proud of the show we put on and want to thank all our sponsors.
MAPLE RIDGE, B.C. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted efforts by the Liberal government to help first-time homebuyers put more down on their mortgages during a visit to a region of the country Monday that is facing a housing squeeze.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens while being introduced before a post-budget housing announcement at a townhouse development in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Monday March 25, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MAPLE RIDGE, B.C. - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted efforts by the Liberal government to help first-time homebuyers put more down on their mortgages during a visit to a region of the country Monday that is facing a housing squeeze.

In its budget last week, the government introduced measures that would allow Ottawa to pick up a portion of new homebuyers' mortgage costs and it increased the amount they can borrow from their retirement savings for a down payment.

Housing has emerged as a major issue for many Canadians, especially young people who are trying to get into the real-estate market at a time when prices are soaring in some major cities.

During a visit to Maple Ridge, B.C., Trudeau said the budget contains measures to help first-time buyers by allowing them to withdraw $35,000 from their RRSPs, up from $25,000, to help lower their borrowing costs.

It also brings in a means-tested incentive that would see the government pick up part of the costs of the mortgages of those eligible for the program to lower their monthly payments.

Trudeau said housing is also a concern for parents who are worried their adult children won't be able to live in the neighbourhoods where they grew up.

"Owning a house is a big achievement. It's where you raise a family and set down roots. But far too many young people are worried that they won't be able to reach that dream. Housing prices in the Lower Mainland are some of the highest in the country and rising."

Trudeau said the government has also tried to spur new building and keep prices from rising through its national housing strategy to help increase supply.

"We just can't treat the symptoms of sky-high housing prices," he added. "We have to deal with the causes as well. When there aren't enough properties on the market, more people are competing for the same places, which forces the costs up for buyers and renters."

Last Tuesday's budget also included $10 billion more for a program to fund the construction of new rental units  the third time the Liberals have expanded the program, which aims to create 42,500 units over 10 years and now carries a $13.75-billion price tag.

As well, Trudeau said Ottawa is helping the Canada Revenue Agency go after tax fraud and money laundering, which have also been blamed for driving up housing prices in British Columbia.

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Trudeau later visited Vancouver Island where a byelection has been set for May 6 in the riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith. The prime minister strolled Nanaimo's harbourfront with Liberal candidate Michelle Corfield, stopping to shake hands and speak with people as they went.

The byelection was called after New Democrat Sheila Malcolmson stepped down from her seat in the House of Commons to successfully run for a seat in the provincial legislature.

Bob Chamberlin, a long-serving chief councillor of a First Nation based on Gilford Island in the Broughton Archipelago off northeastern Vancouver Island, has said he intends to seek the NDP candidacy in Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

Paul Manly, a researcher, filmmaker and communications specialist, is running for the Green party. He finished fourth in the riding in the 2015 general election, earning almost 20 per cent of the vote.

The Conservatives have selected financial manager John Hirst to run in the riding while Jennifer Clarke, who lost the nomination to Hirst, will represent the new People's Party of Canada, led by Quebec MP Maxime Bernier.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the federal government aims to create 14,000 new housing units and that it is spending $50 billion over 10 years on the program.
OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is keeping up the pressure on the Trump administration, warning that Canada's support for the updated North American trade pact may hinge on the U.S. lifting tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland speaks to media following a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019. oreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is trying to keep the pressure on the Trump administration about the ratification of the updated North American trade pact. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is keeping up the pressure on the Trump administration, warning that Canada's support for the updated North American trade pact may hinge on the U.S. lifting tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Freeland, who met Monday in Washington with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, says many Canadians have serious questions about ratifying the new NAFTA as long as those tariffs are still in place.

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Freeland says she told President Donald Trump's trade czar that Canadians want the U.S. tariffs and Canada's retaliatory measures removed before the countries move forward with the approval of the agreement, also known as the USMCA.

In addition to being ratified in Mexico and Canada, the deal must make its way through Congress as part of a process that experts predict will take until late summer to run its course.

Freeland was in the U.S. capital to meet with Lighthizer as well as other lawmakers, including Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the new chair of the House Ways and Means subcommittee on trade.

She calls the tariffs  which the U.S. justifies on national security grounds  illegal and absurd, saying they make even less sense now that the new NAFTA agreement has been signed by all three countries.

"I also made the point to Ambassador Lighthizer that the existence of these tariffs, for many Canadians, raises some serious questions about NAFTA ratification," Freeland said following Monday's meeting.

"I have heard from a lot of Canadians that they would be really troubled by Canada moving forward with ratification while the tariffs are still in place. I think to Canadians it just doesn't make sense."
CALGARY - Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the government remains committed to putting the Trans Mountain pipeline and its proposed expansion back in private hands as he unveiled four principles for including Indigenous groups in those discussions.

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Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau speaks to the Economic Club of Canada about the federal budget in Calgary, Alta., Monday, March 25, 2019.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the government remains committed to putting the Trans Mountain pipeline and its proposed expansion back in private hands as he unveiled four principles for including Indigenous groups in those discussions.

But he says timing and details of the sale of the pipeline depends on when it is "de-risked" and therefore can't be determined until consultations now underway with affected Indigenous groups are completed.

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The minister says discussions of potential Indigenous ownership could proceed if the communities would have "meaningful economic participation", if the deal can proceed in the spirit of reconciliation, and if the resulting entity works to the benefit of all Canadians and on a commercial basis.

Morneau is in Calgary to promote last week's federal budget. His next stops are in Vancouver and Edmonton.

Chanting and honking horns could be heard from a large gathering of pro-pipeline picketers across the street from the Fairmont Palliser hotel while Morneau spoke to the Economic Club of Canada.

In his speech, he said Ottawa realizes that resource-dependent provinces like Alberta have different economic challenges than others and vowed to continue to implement measures that encourage confidence and optimism.

"We've been very clear that we see the importance of getting our resources to international markets. We've also been very clear that the only way these projects can get done is if they're done in the right way," he said.

"I hope and expect that Albertans will see that we're comporting ourselves in the way we need to in the face of getting a project done."
DES MOINES, Iowa - More than two dozen residents in a suburban Des Moines neighbourhood are anticipating limited access to schools, work or emergency services for hours at a time this spring because of idling railroad trains.

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DES MOINES, Iowa - More than two dozen residents in a suburban Des Moines neighbourhood are anticipating limited access to schools, work or emergency services for hours at a time this spring because of idling railroad trains.

Wayne and Rita Brasel live near Avon Lake, between Des Moines and Carlisle, where Union Pacific Railroad cars have periodically blocked access to the neighbourhood's only road for years.

The Brasels told the Des Moines Register that the problem became worse when the Nebraska-based railroad built the Wind 2 Rail distribution centre in 2017. Trains now park for several hours while workers load and unload wind blades and turbine parts.

The wind turbine transfers came to a halt for about two months from Christmas through most of February. But Union Pacific trains blocked the road for more than an hour earlier this month to off-load wind turbine parts, the Brasels said.

The railroad company had promised neighbours that the distribution facility would only be operational for 14 weeks in 2017, 20 weeks in 2019 and 26 weeks this year.

"They said they were going to run for 20 weeks in 2018, but it lasted eight months," Wayne Brasel said. "That's way more than just 20 weeks."

Union Pacific spokeswoman Kristen South said the company was unaware of the issue with the distribution centre.

"We want to be a good neighbour and we want to apologize for the inconvenience this has caused for the residents and businesses," she said. "We are going to work with everyone on this."

Under Iowa code, it's illegal for a train to block a crossing for more than 10 minutes.

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Phil Meraz, an Iowa Department of Transportation official, explained that state law is superseded by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of 1996, which states that only the federal government has the jurisdiction to govern the movement and speed of trains.

Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith also said he didn't know about the issue.

"If someone had told me that kids weren't getting to school and people aren't getting to work, then I'd be right on top of that immediately," he said.

Hockensmith plans to work with the county attorney to see whether they have the authority to stop the railroad company from blocking the crossing.

___

Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
TORONTO - Shares in Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. soared nearly 30 per cent after the company signed a deal to be acquired by private equity firm Onex Corp. worth $445 million.

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The Onex Corporation logo is displayed at the company's annual general meeting in Toronto on May 10, 2012. Shares in Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. soared nearly 30 per cent after the company signed a deal to be acquired by private equity firm Onex Corp. worth $445 million. Gluskin Sheff shares were up $3.18 at $14.35 in trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange late Monday morning. Onex announced its friendly offer for Gluskin Sheff of $14.25 per share after the close of markets on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

TORONTO - Shares in Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc. soared nearly 30 per cent after the company signed a deal to be acquired by private equity firm Onex Corp. worth $445 million.

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Gluskin Sheff shares were up $3.18 at $14.35 in trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange late Monday morning.

Onex announced its friendly offer for Gluskin Sheff of $14.25 per share after the close of markets on Friday.

Onex chairman and chief executive Gerry Schwartz called Gluskin Sheff one of the largest and most respected independent wealth management firms in Canada.

Under the agreement, Gluskin Sheff will continue to be led by its existing leadership team and operate under its brand.

The deal, which requires regulatory, shareholder and court approvals and well as the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the first half of 2019.

Companies in this story: (TSX:ONEX, TSX:GS)
MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is walking back a statement by its CEO, who said last week he never cited the protection of 9,000 Canadian jobs as a reason the construction giant should be granted a remediation agreement.

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The headquarters of SNC Lavalin is seen Thursday, November 6, 2014 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

MONTREAL - SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. is walking back a statement by its CEO, who said last week he never cited the protection of 9,000 Canadian jobs as a reason the construction giant should be granted a remediation agreement.

Neil Bruce told The Canadian Press last Wednesday that if SNC-Lavalin is convicted of criminal charges and barred from bidding on federal contracts its workers would end up working for the Montreal-based companys foreign rivals.

"We have never put forward anything that is purely an economic argument about jobs and why we think we qualify for a DPA (deferred prosecution agreement)," he said in an interview. "We put forward an argument in terms of the public interest."

The charges stem from allegations the engineering firm paid millions of dollars in bribes to win government business in Libya between 2001 and 2011.

In a statement posted to its website Monday afternoon, SNC-Lavalin says it never threatened the federal government.

"However, the company had made it very clear to the government through its advocacy campaign that the implementation of a remediation agreement  known as a deferred prosecution agreement  was the best way to protect and grow the almost 9,000 direct Canadian SNC-Lavalin jobs, as well as thousands of indirect jobs through its more than 5,000 suppliers across Canada. The company still asserts this position."

It added that an agreement is not "a get out of jail free card," as a few commentators have stated.

"It is an internationally recognized tool for protecting innocent stakeholders from the criminal actions of a few bad actors in a company."

SNC said countries around the world have made this tool available to their prosecution and that Canada was at a competitive disadvantage until it passed its own version of the DPA.

"If the remediation agreement is not available to SNC-Lavalin, the company will continue to vigorously pursue a path that allows it to move forward and defend its innocent employees to the fullest as it moves forward through the Canadian court system."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly held up potential job losses as the main reason he and other top officials spoke with former attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould about her decision not to intervene after federal prosecutors declined to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement with SNC-Lavalin.

Wilson-Raybould, who resigned from cabinet last month, has suggested political considerations rather than jobs were behind the alleged pressuring by the Prime Minister's Office to hammer out an agreement with the company.

Earlier Monday, Chile's state-owned copper mining company said it has terminated its contract with SNC-Lavalin, accusing the construction giant of breaching its obligations.

Codelco said SNC-Lavalin failed to live up to its commitments under a US$260-million contract attached to one of the world's largest open pit copper mine, citing quality issues and delays in subcontractor payments and project execution.

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The contract, awarded in November 2016, included engineering, supply and construction of two new acid plants for a smelter at the Chuquicamata mine in northern Chile.

The announcement from Codelco comes after SNC-Lavalin slashed its profit forecast twice in two weeks earlier this year, stemming largely from problems with the project and plunging SNC's share price to 10-year lows of around $34.

SNC-Lavalin announced last month it had agreed to settle a dispute with the Chilean state miner through a fast-tracked arbitration process, which it expected would yield "significant recoveries in the future" on losses of about $350 million.

The project cancellation "likely means relations between the two companies have further soured" and could make clawing back any losses more "difficult" during arbitration, analyst Derek Spronck of RBC Dominion Securities said in a research note.

SNC-Lavalin did not respond immediately to requests for comment about the contract termination.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SNC)
LONDON - British lawmakers seized a measure of control over the stalled Brexit process from Prime Minister Theresa May's foundering government Monday, setting up a series of votes that could dramatically alter the course of the U.K.'s departure from the European Union.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Liam Fox Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade arrives for a Cabinet meeting at Downing Street in London, Monday, March 25, 2019. Embattled Prime Minister Theresa May was scrambling Sunday to win over adversaries to her Brexit withdrawal plan as key Cabinet ministers denied media reports that they were plotting to oust her. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONDON - British lawmakers seized a measure of control over the stalled Brexit process from Prime Minister Theresa May's foundering government Monday, setting up a series of votes that could dramatically alter the course of the U.K.'s departure from the European Union.

The move came after May conceded that Parliament would defeat her twice-rejected divorce deal with the EU again if she put it to a third vote.

With Brexit delayed and the new departure date up in the air, the House of Commons voted to give itself temporary control of the parliamentary timetable starting on Wednesday so lawmakers can vote on alternatives to May's withdrawal deal. The government usually controls the scheduling of votes in Parliament.

Lawmakers who backed Monday's motion, which passed 329-302, hope the planned "indicative votes" will narrow the options down to one that can secure majority support. Possible options include a "soft Brexit" that maintains close economic ties with the EU or scrapping Britain's departure altogether.

Three government ministers quit their posts so they could back the motion. Richard Harrington, who resigned as a junior business minister, accused the government of "playing roulette with the lives and livelihoods of the vast majority of people in this country" by failing to resolve Britain's Brexit impasse.

A campaigner holds a banner outside Parliament in London, Monday, March 25, 2019. British Prime Minister Theresa May is under intense pressure Monday to win support for her Brexit deal to split from Europe. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The government said it was disappointed by the vote, claiming it "upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, unpredictable precedent for the future."

But it also conceded that the new votes might be a way to break the months-long Brexit gridlock. May said she would "engage constructively" with the results of the process, though she said she was skeptical that it would produce a decisive result.

The move raises the chances that Britain will tack toward a softer Brexit, and is likely to be welcomed by the EU. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator, tweet that it was an "opportunity to build a cross-party co-operation leading to an enhanced political declaration & a closer future relationship!"

Earlier in the day, May acknowledged, "with great regret," that her deal still lacked "sufficient support" to be approved as of Monday.

She said she hoped to hold a third vote on the agreement later this week and was working to build support for the deal, which sets out the terms of withdrawing from the EU and the outline of future relations with the bloc.

May warned opponents that continuing to reject the deal could lead to a "slow Brexit" that postpones the country's departure indefinitely.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement on Brexit to lawmakers in the House of Commons, London, Monday March 25, 2019. May is under intense pressure Monday to win support for her Brexit deal to split from Europe.(House of Commons via AP)

With the March 29 Brexit day set almost two years ago days away and the withdrawal agreement lacking Parliament's approval, European leaders agreed to a postponement last week to avoid a chaotic cliff-edge departure that would be disruptive for the world's biggest trading bloc and deeply damaging for Britain.

However, the EU granted a shorter delay than May sought. It said if Parliament approves the proposed divorce deal, the U.K. would leave the EU on May 22. If not, the government has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do - leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a path to a new option.

In agreeing to the postponement, European leaders hoped Britain's deadlocked politicians would find a solution to the crisis. But the EU isn't counting on it. The European Commission said Monday it had completed planning for a no-deal Brexit, calling that outcome "increasingly likely."

The EU said its members would be able to cope with a no-deal departure, although more remained to be done on ensuring an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland  something both sides have agreed to. Checkpoints there were a source of tension and a target during the decades of sectarian violence before Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord.

An EU official said the bloc was in "in intense discussions with the Irish authorities about these matters."

May stands little chance of getting the deal she struck with the EU approved unless she can win over Brexit-backing lawmakers in her Conservative Party and its Northern Irish ally, the Democratic Unionist Party. The DUP said Monday that the party's "position remains unchanged."

Protestors for opposing views face off against each other, with pro-Brexit split from Europe at right, and pro-Europe anti Brexit at left, outside parliament in London, Monday March 25, 2019. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP)

May has come under intense pressure to quit the prime minister's post as the price of winning support for the deal.

At a meeting Sunday at the prime minister's country retreat, Chequers, prominent Brexiteers told May they might back the deal  if she agreed to step down so a new leader could take charge of the next phase of negotiations, which will settle Britain's future relations with the EU.

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who attended the meeting and is likely to be a contender in any future Conservative leadership race, accused the government of lacking "gumption" and chickening out on delivering Brexit.

Britain's bestselling newspaper, The Sun, put a call on its front page for the prime minister to resign under the headline "Time's up, Theresa."

May is hanging on, hoping she can persuade Brexit-backing lawmakers that rejecting her deal means Britain may never leave the EU.

She told lawmakers that Britain would not leave the EU without a deal unless Parliament  which has already rejected the idea  voted for it.

Opponents of Brexit feel the political tide may be turning in their favour. Hundreds of thousands of people marched through London on Saturday calling for a new referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain.

But with the deadline for a Brexit decision less than three weeks away, British politicians remain divided, and increasingly despairing about the country's political gridlock.

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"Brexit is like the Death Star of politics," Conservative legislator George Freeman said. "I always feared it would be like this. It's destroying and soaking up all the prime minister's room for manoeuvr and political goodwill.

"I've never known this country so divided, so angry and in such a dangerous state," he said.

___

Lorne Cook reported from Brussels. Danica Kirka contributed to this story.

___

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit
Why Petron Gasul?

One of the basic commodities that we use to cook our food every day is "cooking gas" or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Since we use it most of the time, I believe that it is best to buy the brand with the highest quality. It's easy to use an LPG but there are risks when you don't know how to use it properly.

sakto, sulit, and safe features and these qualities can be found in Petron Gasul. Sharing my thoughts Why Petron Gasul is one of the best and trusted LPG brand in the market today below :)



Why Petron Gasul? For a stay-at-home like me, quality is of utmost importance. I don't mind paying extra if I believe in the product's quality and performance. If the product is worth the price, I will make sure to buy it, especially if it's all about safety. That's why when choosing an LPG brand, we look for the one with, andfeatures and these qualities can be found in Petron Gasul. Sharing my thoughts Whyis one of the best and trusted LPG brand in the market today below :)



Petron Gasul is the highest quality LPG brand in the market today. It is sakto, sulit and safe that's why I can say it's the best when it comes to quality. Why?





1. It is sakto- the weight of every cylinder is correct and accurate.

2. It is sulit- emitting a true blue flame for faster and more economical cooking. Have you ever tried another brand of LPG where you see an orange flame? Chances are, there's is something wrong with the gas burner or in the LPG being used.

3. It is safe- Petron Gasul's strict standard will assure us that it's leak-free and has a laser-printed seal as proof of passing through numerous safety tests.

Why Petron Gasul?

Did you know that there are illegal refillers of LPG products in the market today? Yes, those are who obtain empty, legitimate LPG tanks of big brands and refill them to pass as genuine. This is dangerous for you and your family. Having this said, we really need to be vigilant in buying LPG tank that we use at home.





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Order only from AUTHORIZED PETRON GASUL DEALERS and double-check authenticity. Our family's safety is important to us that's why we need to be meticulous and must verify their source of LPG that we buy every now and then.

1. You'll be assured of safety, quality, and convenience. When these are met, you and your family will have a peace-of-mind and security of their choice.

Tanks bought from authorized dealers regularly undergo leak testing at various LPG terminals nationwide.

They are assured that tanks are maintained and repaired as needed while tanks that are illegally or independently refilled (smaller players) might not undergo the same quality of safety checks.

Those that are legitimately bought from authorized dealers are subject to technical warranty and leak testing.





Why Petron Gasul?

2. Petron Gasul has been in the industry for more than 50 years. It has proven, time and again, that it is the most tested and trusted brand out there. More and more moms use Petron Gasul. If my memory serves me right, we've been using Petron Gasul since time immemorial. Those were the times that we still have a bakery.





Why Petron Gasul?





3. Always verify your Petron Gasul. There are steps to do to ensure quality and safety:

Check the seal  color should be white with a laser-printed serial number. (Laser-printing is a form of printing that does not fade when scratched)

You may call Petron Gasul Express Delivery Hotline (737-8000) in Metro Manila. When you order, they assure you that the Petron Gasul that will be delivered is sakto, sulit and safe and is from an authorized dealer.







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Why Petron Gasul?

Laser-printed serial number





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You can SAVE P10 on Petron Gasul 11KG refill upon presentation of Petron Value Card at participating Petron Gasul stores.

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Why Petron Gasul?





5. Petron Gasul shares The BEST recipes and kitchen tips that are posted regularly on the official Facebook page.





My family's safety is my number one priority that's why I make sure to do my best by making sure that we use one of the tested and trusted brand of LPG in the market and that's no other than Petron Gasul.





To get the BEST tips and know more about how you can get you own Petron Gasul from authorized dealers.

Call them on their hotline: Petron Gasul Delivery 737-8000 (Metro Manila) for sakto , sulit , safe Petron Gasul

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Know yourmore:Importance of Ordering from Petron Gasul Authorized Dealer Stores:
EDMONTON - The last legal restrictions on Omar Khadr were lifted Monday when an Alberta judge ruled that a war crimes sentence for the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner has expired.

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EDMONTON - The last legal restrictions on Omar Khadr were lifted Monday when an Alberta judge ruled that a war crimes sentence for the former Guantanamo Bay prisoner has expired.

"I'm really happy with the decision today," Khadr said outside Edmonton's courthouse.

"It's been a while, but I'm happy it's here. Right now I'm just going to focus on recovering and not worrying about having to go back to prison or just struggling."

Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr leaves court in Edmonton on Monday March 25, 2019. A judge ruled Monday that Omar Khadr has completed his sentence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

The ruling means Khadr can apply for a passport as well as travel and visit freely.

"There's nothing further for him to serve," said his lawyer Nathan Whitling. "We don't anticipate any further legal proceedings in the matter."

Khadr was sentenced to eight years in 2010 by a American military court for alleged acts committed in Afghanistan when he was 15 years old. That sentence  which the Supreme Court of Canada ruled would be a youth sentence  would have ended last October had Khadr remained in custody.

But the clock stopped ticking when a judge freed him on bail in 2015 pending Khadr's appeal of his military conviction in the United States.

A photo of Omar Khadr, taken before he was imprisioned in 2002. THE CANADIAN PRESS / HANDOUT

Court of Queen's Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau ruled that the youth crimes legislation allowed her to consider time he spent on bail as part of his sentence.

"The bail order must be considered in context," she said.

"I order that Mr. Khadr be placed under a conditional sentence for one day, which I consider to be served."

Faint sobs from Khadr's supporters could be heard in court after Moreau's judgment.

Omar Khadr speaks outside court in Edmonton on Thursday, December 13, 2018. An Alberta judge is expected to rule today on whether a war crimes sentence for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Khadr should be declared expired.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Khadr has appealed the U.S. sentence. His lawyers say the military commission that issued it has been widely discredited.

Whitling had argued that the appeal hasn't moved forward at all and it would be unfair to hold that against his client.

Lawyers for the Crown wanted Khadr to serve some time on conditional release in the community.

Khadr is also the defendant in a civil lawsuit by the family of the soldier he is alleged to have killed. A U.S. court has already ruled in favour of the family, who are trying to have the $134-million judgment served against Khadr in Canada.

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Former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr leaves court in Edmonton on Monday March 25, 2019. A judge ruled Monday that Omar Khadr has completed his sentence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Khadr spent years in U.S. detention at Guantanamo Bay after he was captured and accused of tossing a grenade that killed special forces soldier Christopher Speer at a militant compound in Afghanistan in 2001.

Since he was released on bail, Khadr has lived in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., without incident. The court had eased some of his initial bail conditions, but several had remained. Moreau's ruling on Monday lifts them.

Khadr could not have access to a Canadian passport and was banned from unsupervised communication with his sister, who lives in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. He also had to notify his bail supervisor before leaving Alberta.

Khadr's case has ignited divisive debate among Canadians over terrorism, human rights and the rule of law since it was revealed in 2017 that the federal government settled a lawsuit filed by him for a reported $10.5 million.

The payout followed a 2010 ruling by Canada's Supreme Court that Khadr's charter rights were violated at Guantanamo and that Canadian officials contributed to that violation.

 Follow Bob Weber on Twitter at @row1960
Lunchtime traffic at the crosswalk on Isabel Street and Alexander Avenue  where a four-year-old girl and her mother, recent arrivals from Eritrea, were struck by a vehicle March 18  is almost sensory overload.

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Lunchtime traffic at the crosswalk on Isabel Street and Alexander Avenue  where a four-year-old girl and her mother, recent arrivals from Eritrea, were struck by a vehicle March 18  is almost sensory overload.

Vehicles, noise, hot exhaust lingering at street level, and small children trying to cross  typically travelling in groups, sometimes holding hands in a chain, usually accompanied by a parent.

Four-year-old Galila and her mother were both struck by a northbound vehicle and taken to hospital in critical condition. (Twitter)

Its tense. The traffic seems especially snarly. Drivers watch impatiently. The idling engines sound like the cars are muttering under their breath.

"Its not a fun job," one of the crossing guards said, referring to the daily standoffs between pedestrians and traffic.

Three crossing guards employed by Winnipeg School Division try to bring order to the chaos during the times when most children go to and from Dufferin School: the start of the school day, the lunch hour, and when school lets out.

The crossing guards, dressed in fluorescent yellow jackets and carrying orange flags, step out onto the road ahead of the children. Theyre going to take the bullet if anything goes wrong.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Traffic consultant Jeannette Montufar suggests flashing amber lights might enhance safety at the Isabel-Alexander pedestrian corridor

But what happens when they finish their shifts and depart? When one Free Press reporter tried to cross last week, one car came to a complete stop while another zoomed right through the crosswalk.

The mother and daughter from Eritrea were trying to cross March 18 at 11:55 a.m., prior the crossing guards shift. They were both struck by a northbound vehicle, and taken to hospital in critical condition.

The girl later died; her mother is in stable condition at Health Sciences Centre.

Isabel-Alexander is a study in contrast to the pedestrian corridor at St. Annes Road and Varenne Street, where eight-year-old Surafiel Musse Tesfamariam died after being hit on his way to school in February 2018.

In response, the City of Winnipeg installed low flashing amber lights, almost like a train crossing, in addition to the overhead lighting. The city also cleared tree branches that had partially obscured the overhead sign.

Vehicular traffic, and traffic of the two-legged kind, is also much less at the St. Annes-Varenne crosswalk than at Isabel-Alexander.

St. Annes only requires one crossing guard. Last week, the woman who worked from the centre median was jovial, not tense, joshing with the children as she directed them across the road.

"One more day to go before spring break!" she hollered. "Woohoo! Have a good evening everybody."

Traffic consultant Jeannette Montufar suggests flashing amber lights might enhance safety at the Isabel-Alexander pedestrian corridor. The city is testing and evaluating that option, she said.

Another option is Winnipeg could implement a "vision zero" approach, such as in Edmonton. There, each jurisdiction is allotted funding to reduce traffic fatalities.

Jurisdictions typically use a multidisciplinary approach, combining engineers and educators.

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That may include traffic studies to determine the worst locations and spending money to improve them, said Montufar, a former University of Manitoba professor in transportation engineering, now a founding partner and chief executive officer of MORR Transportation Consulting Ltd.

Since vision zero began in 2006, annual road injuries and fatalities have dropped by almost 60 per cent in Edmonton.

Meanwhile, there are other distractions that further complicate Isabel-Alexander, including the turn-off to Alexander being located just past the crosswalk. A car whose brake lights flash might not be stopping for the crosswalk but to make a turn just past the crosswalk, which can confuse other drivers.

One man who was walking his two grandchildren to school last week complained the drivers just have to obey the rules of the road. "Cars just go by without stopping," he said.

A mother who had dropped off her children and was recrossing Isabel Street to go home, said people have to make sure cars are stopped before they cross. She said some people just push the crosswalk button and step off the curb, without making sure drivers have stopped.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  Manitobas federal cabinet minister says his government understands many of its investments will only chip away at long-standing issues that affect Winnipeg.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (993 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitobas federal cabinet minister says his government understands many of its investments will only chip away at long-standing issues that affect Winnipeg.

"Though we may all want to be in a big hurry, and get to the finish line fast, we cant always afford it. So we have to choose the pace that the economy and public opinion can support," International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr said.

The federal budget, unveiled last week, includes spending on various programs, from air ambulances to high-speed internet to skills training. Many will only kick in after the October election, while some aim to partially alleviate issues such as poverty, costly drugs and the shortage of affordable housing.

"There are always people who think that youre going too fast, too far. There are those who think youre not going fast enough or far enough," Carr said.

He said pacing came up numerous times in a recent town hall with his constituents in Winnipeg South Centre.

"These are balancing decisions that governments have to take, because you have to be able to put the importance of an issue against your capacity to resource it properly," the MP said, giving the example of pharmacare.

The budget commits to the federal government negotiating drug prices, instead of the provinces, and harmonizing the list of drugs that are covered.

The government has hinted it may top up insurance schemes rather than usher in universal prescription drug coverage.

"The government says in this budget that it sees the need; it sees the importance and it is taking the first steps," Carr said.

The Liberals will wait for an expert panel to issue a report about drug coverage this summer before rolling out their full plan.

Thats not good enough for Winnipeg NDP MP Daniel Blaikie, who argues the issue has been studied thoroughly and is popular with Canadians.

"They tend to assume that once theyve talked about a problem and made a flashy announcement that somehow the problem is solved," Blaikie said.

Carr spent last week touting a one-time doubling of the federal gas tax  a long-standing levy collected at the pumps  for cities so they can maintain roads and transit. In Winnipegs case, it amounts to $43 million. Ottawa has also put up $1 billion for municipalities to undertake environmental retrofits.

Blaikie dismissed this as "a flashy announcement in the lead-up to the election," instead of making direct spending to cities a regular policy.

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"What the Liberals have come up with is an end-of-year bonus, as opposed to a salary increase," he said. "Its really nothing to brag about."

Last weeks budget aims to improve the plight of Indigenous people who live in cities through upgrades to friendship centres and possibly places such as Thunderbird House. But it did not renew funding for programs such as the volunteer Bear Clan Patrol or after-school mentorship.

Carr said hes hopeful that the governments anti-poverty and housing strategies for all of society will have a real impact in the lives of such families. He noted the massive Canada Child Benefit has resulted in poverty decreasing in places such as Winnipegs North End, and that a federal reform of child welfare is underway.

"Were meeting the demand as fast as we can, through a wide section of issues," he said. "Its having an important impact in Indigenous communities in the cities.

"Its a question of pacing, and some think we should be going faster. I think many Canadians will see that the road to reconciliation has been further travelled with this government than at any other time in Canadas history."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The quality of secret recordings police gather while investigating some of Manitobas most serious crimes has been called into question, shining a spotlight on the rarity of forensic audio analysis in Canada.

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The quality of secret recordings police gather while investigating some of Manitobas most serious crimes has been called into question, shining a spotlight on the rarity of forensic audio analysis in Canada.

Last week, Court of Queens Bench Justice Chris Martin spoke out about wiretap and intercepted probe recordings that were difficult to hear because of static, background noise and soft-spoken or whispered conversation.

Supplied During Raymond Cormiers trial last year, jurors were given headphones to listen to often-unclear recordings.

As he delivered his verdict at a first-degree murder trial, he said he was "frustrated and surprised" by the poor quality of the recordings, which were the Crowns only direct evidence in the case.

The judge took the unusual step of calling for police to have recording equipment with "first-rate" technology, considering judges have to allow "someones deepest privacy to be invaded" when they authorize the use of wiretaps.

"Anecdotally, this is not the first time a murder trial in Manitoba has been in this position," Martin said. "I expect the investigators and Crown did the best that they could with the resources they had. But evidence in such a condition leaves the investigation, the court, the Crown and the accused in an untenable position. Over time, it erodes confidence in the administration of justice," he said.

On March 19, Martin found Julian Donally Telfer guilty of first-degree murder in the 2016 drive-by shooting of Theodoros (Teddy) Belayneh. He acquitted co-accused Paige Eveline Crossman.

For more than a month before they were arrested, Winnipeg police investigators listened in on their conversations in their apartments and in their rented vehicles via probes that had been set up to record them. In his decision, Martin said he found Telfer guilty even when disregarding the intercepted recordings.

Wiretap and probe recordings are rarely authorized; theyre usually reserved for the most serious cases. They can become the Crowns strongest evidence against an accused, such as in last years second-degree murder trial of Raymond Cormier. He was acquitted of the high-profile death of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine. In that case, jurors were given headphones to listen to often-unclear or inaudible portions of recordings, and they were reminded that the accompanying transcripts, prepared by police, couldnt be used to help them make their decision.

"How much weight can be placed on evidence that is that unreliable because of how poor the quality is?" asked Eric Wach, a Winnipeg defence lawyer who has handled several drug cases involving wiretaps.

Those cases sometimes require Crown and defence lawyers to seek outside help to make sure they can play back and hear the recordings properly.

"Its really labour intensive, because you effectively have to listen to, sometimes, hours and hours and hours of conversations and then compare them to the transcripts to make sure that theyre one and the same," Wach said.

"Sometimes you do have to turn to audio experts in order to amplify certain portions that cant be heard. Those experts are very expensive, too, so that comes at a big cost to your client as well."

In his decision on Telfer and Crossman, Martin not only said police need the best tools, but he questioned whether forensic specialists could have been brought in to help.

"I wondered as I heard the testimony, and later as I adjusted my audio players, whether forensic or professional sound engineers could have brought clarity," he said.

The Winnipeg Police Service said it was aware of the judges comments, but declined an interview request on the subject, saying police cant talk about their investigative techniques.

Few Canadians are trained to handle forensic audio recordings. David McKays company, Blackstone Forensics of Vancouver, is one of only a handful of such firms across the country. The bulk of his clients are involved with civil and criminal court cases.

The forensic audio and video specialist says audio collected in a police investigation can lose quality if its improperly extracted from the recording device, when its converted to different file formats and when its played back on low-quality speakers. Listening without headphones doesnt help, he said.

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"Theres a number of points in time as that recording has made its way through the criminal justice system, that there could be areas where the recording has lost some detail or quality. Really, the job that we do is to ensure that doesnt happen," he said.

McKay has taken courses at the National Center for Media Forensics in Denver  most forensic audio specialists are in the U.S.  and he manages the Forensic Video and Surveillance Technology lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He said he is aware of only three or four other companies that do similar work in Canada.

He can clarify or enhance a recording by cutting out background noise, amplifying voices and isolating certain sounds. It requires hours of manual work because there is no "magic" software, he said. Theres "a very fine line in what you can actually do without changing the contents of that recording."

"You cant just take any audio engineer that has no training in forensics and have them do the work, because there could be things that they do in their daily sound-editing life that... wouldnt be acceptable in a forensic setting," he said.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
The University of Winnipeg released a series of calls to action Monday to advance the voices of two-spirited Indigenous and queer and transgendered people of colour in all sectors of society.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The University of Winnipeg released a series of calls to action Monday to advance the voices of two-spirited Indigenous and queer and transgendered people of colour in all sectors of society.

Believed to be among the most marginalized in Canada, the two groups began forging a formal relationship at the C2C 2017 conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the U of W. The purpose, then and now, was to highlight ongoing discrimination based on sexuality, gender identity and race and to recommend ways to build and strengthen coalitions between the two communities.

That started Monday, with a new lexicon and terms the two LGBTTQ* communities would prefer people use to address them in formal and informal settings.

For instance, 2S is a term used by Indigenous two-spirited people, and QTPOC stands for queer/trans people of colour.

Chantal Fiola, assistant professor, urban and inner-city studies at the University of Winnipeg, during the release of the calls to action Monday. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press

More than 60 people attended a luncheon at the U of W, where the 30-page booklet of recommendations was released. Guests included founders, co-founders and elders for the Two-Spirited People of Manitoba and Queer and Trans People of Colour Winnipeg.

The 35 recommendations are described as calls to action, in a gesture to evoke the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's documenting the impact of residential schools.

"This is trying to work alongside the TRC, and to encourage folks not to forget about ongoing discrimination faced by two-spirited and QTPOC people," said urban and inner-city studies assistant Prof. Chantal Fiola, who, along with women and gender studies assistant Prof. Sharanpal Ruprai, introduced the 30-page booklet.

The calls are organized under five headings  community, education, government, arts and culture, and all our relations  similar to the format the TRC used to frame its 94 calls to action in 2015.

They range from calls to "white settlers" to improve relationships by directing funding and material support to create spaces that recognize the two communities, to advocate on their behalf, and to consult with organizations that represent their concerns in dealings with institutions, from police to health care, education, justice, government services and employment.

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Sharanpal Ruprai, assistant professor, women and gender studies at the University of Winnipeg (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press

"You need to think about the marginalized voices in our communities. Thats the start to building a relationship between Indigenous peoples and other groups in Winnipeg," Ruprai said.

About 10 per cent of the general population is believed to be LGBTTQ*.

"These groups continue to be among those groups marginalized most," Fiola said. "The calls themselves point out gaps in services for two-spirited and QTPOC folk, things like when national commissions and inquiries happen, two-spirited and QTPOC voices are left out."

Another focus is to forge lasting relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of colour who identify as LGBTTQ*.

The U of W is believed to house one of the most comprehensive archival collections of materials on two-spirited Indigenous and queer and transgendered movements for social justice in Canada.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
The Kingston Crescent flood committee is on high flood alert, but members haven't started hoisting sandbags.

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The Kingston Crescent flood committee is on high flood alert, but members haven't started hoisting sandbags.

The crescent curves around the Red River in Winnipegs St. Vital area. Its one of the lowest lying neighbourhoods along the river bank, making it prone to flooding.

Louise Townsend has lived on Kingston Crescent for nearly 15 years, and her husband has been there since 1969.

Theyve seen their fair share of flooding, but Townsend says this year theyre not concerned.

"After 1997, the permanent dikes were built up and improvements were made to the floodway. Im just feeling very fortunate that all of these things have been done. Thats what Im encouraged by," she said.

Townsend said the community has been warned by the province about the potential for flooding this spring, but is still waiting for more snow to melt.

"We are not sandbagging yet; the call hasnt come out. We got one message that plans are being made if necessary," she said.

Despite the risks, Townsend said shes feeling optimistic.

"We plan to stay here until they haul us out in a box, I hope its not in a boat," she said.

The Red River is still frozen and shows no sign of flooding when looking from the BDI bridge toward Kingston Crescent. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

In 1997, southern Manitoba experienced disastrous flooding in what became known as the "Flood of the Century." Dikes were built, hundreds of thousands of sandbags were needed to keep water at bay, and houses were evacuated.

By May, 54 homes across the city had been flooded and the Red River's level had peaked at 24.5 feet in downtown Winnipeg.

In response, the Kingston Crescent community created a flood committee composed of volunteers. It creates emergency plans and makes sure neighbours are up to date on flood information.

Townsend said the committee has started preparations for this year as flood risks have heightened.

"The committee on Kingston Crescent have emailed us and theyve very organized," she said.

Free sandbags available to Winnipeggers

Earlier this month, the province predicted in a flood forecast that water levels could reach 2009 heights, or higher.

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Heavy snowfall in parts of southern Manitoba and North Dakota in early March contributed to the risk of imminent flooding.

In response to the provinces warnings, the city has set up free sandbagging depots for Winnipeg residents in need of protection.

There are three locations: 1220 Pacific Ave., 1539 Waverley St. and 969 Thomas Ave. Stations are open between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The U.S. National Weather Service is predicting a slow and gentle melt across the Red River basin. Temperatures are expected to reach above freezing this week, but will dip down overnight. They said this slow thaw will delay the chance of flooding.

The province is expected to release an updated flood outlook in the coming days.

city.desk@freepress.mb.ca
Prairie Rose School Division is investigating an incident at Carman Elementary where a staff member asked students to show their underwear waistbands as part of an investigation into a clogged toilet.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prairie Rose School Division is investigating an incident at Carman Elementary where a staff member asked students to show their underwear waistbands as part of an investigation into a clogged toilet.

Manitoba Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said in a written statement that he asked PRSD to look into the matter after the news came to light over the weekend.

"As this information is concerning, I am asking the school division to investigate the circumstances and report back to me as soon as possible," Goertzen said.

The incident in question took place Friday, after it was discovered someone had flushed a pair of underwear in the boys washroom.

In an effort to determine who was responsible for the clogged toilet, a school staff member asked a group of Grade 4 and 5 boys to pull the elastic waistbands of their underwear above the tops of their pants to prove they still had them on.

The principal of the school, Cecile Affleck, sent letters home with the boys involved Friday to notify parents.

"Please be aware that the request of the staff person was not intended to be salacious nor exploitative. The action, however, was not done according to our investigative methods for matters of this nature," Affleck wrote.

PRSD confirmed it was investigating when reached for comment Monday by the Free Press.

One parent who notified the Free Press of the situation expressed anger at how the staff member handled the incident.

"This made my son very uncomfortable, as he was taught that this behaviour is unacceptable from anyone. I am not certain how many kids or how many times (the staff member) has done this. The letter the principal sent home was trying to downplay the whole situation," the parent said in an email.

A number of other parents have reportedly gone so far as to say they want the staff member fired.

In a written statement sent to the Free Press, PRSD Supt. Terry Osiowy said that aside from confirming the investigation, the school division wont be commenting further.

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"The investigative actions applied to this incident did not follow respectful investigative methods. PRSD will continue to investigate this matter and will respect all student and personnel confidentiality both during and following the investigation," Osiowy said.

"PRSD will continue to review and revise administrative procedures that will provide school leaders with the necessary guidance and direction for completing sensitive investigations."

Carman is located roughly 85 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.

The school division oversees 10 community schools (plus 17 Hutterian schools) and some 2,100 students.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet in Winnipeg today with the head of Richardson International, amid Chinas escalating canola spat with Canada.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet in Winnipeg today with the head of Richardson International, amid Chinas escalating canola spat with Canada.

After attending a Liberal party event for donors Monday night, Trudeau was scheduled to meet with labour leaders today to highlight his partys skills-training promises for the fall election.

For the second visit in a row, Trudeau will not meet with Premier Brian Pallister while in the city, this time due to a scheduling conflict. The two are at loggerheads over untapped federal funding.

Together with International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr, Trudeau will meet this morning with Richardson president Curt Vossen as well as the head of the firms parent company, Hartley Richardson.

Last Friday, China blocked all canola seed imports from Canada, three weeks after suspending Richardsons export permit, citing "dangerous pests."

Chinas actions are widely viewed as retaliation for Ottawas arrest last fall of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of United States tax authorities.

Prior to the canola meeting, Trudeau will take reporters questions at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology after showcasing skills-development initiatives from last weeks budget.

If passed, the budget would allow Canadians to claim an annual $250 credit to undergo courses or training programs, up to $5,000, and allow employees to bank up to four weeks of employment insurance to upgrade their skills.

Trudeau will also meet today with representatives from the Manitoba Federation of Labour about a range of issues.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is expected to attend; they will likely raise questions about numerous issues that culminated in back-to-work legislation last November, which was passed without the support of some local Liberal MPs.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada will likely attend and raise issues around the ongoing Phoenix pay-system debacle.

Sources say any leaders suspected of turning a blind eye to recent allegations of sexism within the Winnipeg Labour Council will not be present for Trudeaus meeting.

The focus of Trudeaus short visit on labour and jobs highlights the Liberal partys manoeuvres in areas where the NDP could gain some ground in Octobers federal election. After finally winning a seat as an MP, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has his eyes on Liberal-held ridings such as Winnipeg Centre.

Trudeau will likely be asked about Monday reports that he kiboshed an attempt by former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould to appoint Glenn Joyal, the chief justice of Manitobas Court of Queens Bench, as both a Supreme Court judge and the head of that court. Joyal wrote in a statement that he had withdrawn his candidacy due to a family issue.

Premier Pallister will be in British Columbia today to meet with his counterpart, as well the B.C. opposition leader. The premiers office said Trudeaus team had extended an invite but the two couldnt nail down a time for a meeting.

The prime minister last visited the city Feb. 12 to unveil funding for a Winnipeg Transit garage in Fort Rouge. That funding involved a federal-municipal partnership without the provinces involvement.

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While Manitoba had funded various transit projects through cost-share agreements, the bus-garage allotment did not involve the Pallister government, a rare divergence in how Ottawa tends to fund infrastructure projects.

The Liberals have doubled down on that approach in last weeks budget, doubling municipalities share of the long-standing gas tax, a levy used to pay for infrastructure such as road upkeep and transit.

Pallister and Trudeau remain in a dispute over untapped funding allocations, which Ottawa claims amounts to $1.9 billion, ranging from housing and mental-health supports to infrastructure projects. The province has pushed back on suggestions that Manitoba is exceptionally slow to sign final deals or submit proposals, and say Ottawa has stalled on approving Manitobas submissions.

Carr has been critical of the province for not following through with trilateral meetings with him and Mayor Brian Bowman, to discuss issues that include infrastructure allocations for Winnipeg. A meeting had been planned for last week, but Pallisters office pulled out.

The province has questioned the usefulness of such chats, given that Carr does not oversee infrastructure programs. Some within his government have also been critical of Carr for chiding Pallister over infrastructure cash, arguing his comments spoiled the chance for a productive conversation.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The elm bark beetle kills 15 mature elm trees in Winnipeg every day. The emerald ash borer that arrived in late 2017 could kill every ash tree in the city in the next decade.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (993 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The elm bark beetle kills 15 mature elm trees in Winnipeg every day. The emerald ash borer that arrived in late 2017 could kill every ash tree in the city in the next decade.

Winnipeg has the unfortunate distinction of being the only city in North America at war with both of these tree-killing insects at the same time, and the two species they destroy make up almost two-thirds of the citys public trees.

The emerald ash borer could kill every ash tree in the city in the next decade. (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

Our urban forest is on the cusp of devastation, but a sense of public urgency has yet to set in. In Ottawa, more than 100,000 ash trees have been lost in the eight years since the emerald ash borers arrival. Our day is coming. As we battle the invaders, management of our street trees will mean replanting more diverse species as old ones are lost, but we should not undervalue efforts to preserve our existing older trees.

The economic, environmental and social benefits of street trees increase exponentially with size, and it can take generations for the value of a lost mature tree to be regained. A replanted basswood, as an example, will be less than half of its mature height and breadth after 30 years of growth. A disease-free American elm can live up to 300 years, and doesnt reach full maturity until 150 years. With salt and other environmental pollutants in todays city, most replanted trees will never reach the scale of our current canopy.

Because of this, investment made to preserve larger trees will have significant payback over several decades. The costs will be high, but there are few public expenditures with greater return on investment than protecting our street trees.

The majestic beauty of leaf-filtered light streaming through the cathedral arch canopy of towering street trees inspires a sense of place that emotionally connects people to their neighbourhoods and cities. They create a comfortable pedestrian experience by providing shade and wind protection, while establishing an intimate pedestrian zone that separates cars and people.

A Toronto study, Neighbourhood Greenspace and Health in a Large Urban Centre, found exposure to trees can be psychologically and physiologically restorative. (Phil Hossack / Free Press files)

This perception of safety is enhanced as street trees define the road edge and enclose a drivers field of vision, which instinctively calms traffic and lowers driving speeds. A 2008 study by the Texas Transportation Institute found that the presence of large street trees lowers the average cruising speed of vehicles in suburbs by almost 5 km/h.

This more comfortable pedestrian environment translates into economic benefit. A study from the University of Washington determined that when shade trees are added to a retail street, the positive impact on the experience makes people stay longer and shop more, increasing spending by as much as 12 per cent on average. It also found that the attraction to mature street trees can increase residential property values by as much as 15 per cent. In Portland, Ore., this was calculated to be worth US$15 million in added property tax revenue for the city.

Street trees also improve physical and mental health. A large tree can remove up to 25 per cent of nearby airborne fine particulates and gaseous pollutants emitted by vehicles and buildings. Large mature trees remove 70 times more urban air pollution than the small trees planted to replace them. Recent findings published in the Urban Forestry and Urban Greening Journal indicated that across 86 Canadian cities, the combined reduced air pollution from urban trees saves the health-care system $227 million annually, avoiding 22,000 incidences of acute respiratory symptoms.

The elm bark beetle kills 15 mature elm trees in Winnipeg every day. (John Woods / Free Press files)

A Toronto study, Neighbourhood Greenspace and Health in a Large Urban Centre, found exposure to trees can be psychologically and physiologically restorative. The study asked 31,000 residents in different communities to assess their perceived state of health.

When the data were overlaid on tree maps, they revealed that having 10 or more mature street trees on a block had the equivalent self-reported health benefits of feeling seven years younger. People in poorer areas with plentiful street trees reported health that resembled affluent neighbourhoods, and those living on wealthier streets without trees reported health like that of people in poorer areas.

As trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere, they can play an important role in reducing a citys contribution to climate change. Once again, size matters. As trees age, their climate benefits increase disproportionately, with as much as 50 per cent of their carbon accumulation occurring in the last quarter of their lives, and almost three-quarters in the last half. The cooling effect of shade trees also reduces the energy requirements for the air-conditioning of buildings, which in turn reduces GHG emissions. A study by the City of Sacramento determined that large street trees can reduce summertime energy use by as much as 35 per cent, twice as much as medium-sized trees, with small trees having very little effect.

When shade trees are added to a retail street, the positive impact on the experience makes people stay longer and shop more, increasing spending by as much as 12 per cent on average. (Joe Bryksa / Free Press files)

With climate change increasing the frequency of high-volume stormwater events, street trees are playing a more important role managing runoff and relieving pressure on municipal infrastructure.

Large street trees can absorb as much as 60 per cent of the water in a rainfall, with capacity being directly related to the size of the trees canopy and root system. Losing our large trees would likely have catastrophic effects on Winnipegs combined sewer system  pipes that collect both raw sewage and rainfall, with a replacement cost pegged at more than $4 billion.

Winnipeg without its majestic street tree canopy is difficult to imagine. The economic, social and environmental impact would be devastating. The battle to preserve as many large old trees as possible, and to replace the ones that are lost, will take a significantly increased commitment from private citizens and all levels of government.

Their benefits show that a citys trees are not merely leafy decoration, but should be considered an essential piece of urban infrastructure, no less valuable than roads, sidewalks and sewer lines.

Brent Bellamy is a senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg without its majestic street tree canopy is difficult to imagine. The economic, social and environmental impact would be devastating. (John Woods / Free Press files)

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It rated only the briefest mention in Tuesdays federal budget  but its feeding hope throughout Canada.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (993 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

It rated only the briefest mention in Tuesdays federal budget  but its feeding hope throughout Canada.

"Critically important for a childs education is ensuring they have healthy meals before and during school," the budget said. "Budget 2019 announces the governments intention to work with provinces and territories towards the creation of a national school food program."

The government didnt back up that commitment with cash, but health and education groups were thrilled to see Ottawa take the first step toward something theyve been seeking for years  a national program to feed hungry students.

"Today we celebrate the federal governments commitment to a national school food program," Debbie Field, co-ordinator of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, which represents about 50 groups across Canada, said in a statement. "At the same time, we wish the government had included actual funding in this budget."

The coalition, whose ranks include the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, had recommended the government commit $360 million, through provincial and territorial transfers, to healthy school food programs, with the eventual goal of universal coverage.

The money is desperately needed. When it comes to combating hunger in schools, Canada has been given a failing grade. Shockingly, we are the only G7 country that does not have a program to ensure all students from kindergarten to Grade 12 have access to healthy food in school.

In a UNICEF report published in 2017, Canada ranked 37th out of 41 high-income countries on providing access to nutritious food for children. That report recommended the creation of a national school food program, because kids cant learn when they have empty stomachs.

"When children attend school hungry or under-nourished, their energy levels, memory, problem-solving skills, creativity, concentration and other cognitive functions are negatively impacted," the Coalition for Healthy School Food said.

In sharp contrast, food is a constitutional right in Brazil, where a national program feeds 47 million students at 190,000 schools each day.

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In Finlands national school food program, children are fed a balanced, healthy meal every day while sitting around a table in a communal way, as a supervisor teaches them about nutrition and healthy eating.

Sadly, its a different story in Canada, where there is a patchwork of programs serving only a fraction of students, with funding coming from provincial, territorial and municipal governments and charities.

The non-profit Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba is forced to hold fundraisers  such as the Stone Soup culinary contest earlier this month  to support school breakfast, lunch and snack programs throughout the province.

When it formed in 2001, the Manitoba council provided funding for 192,500 meals and snacks for 1,445 students at 10 schools. Last year, it funded an astonishing 4.5 million meals and snacks for 29,000 children in 260 schools.

"People dont realize how big the need is," the councils Viola Prowse told the Free Press. "We provide only 11 per cent of what schools require to run nutrition programs. Theres still a lot of funds they have to raise. Every year, the demand increases. Every year, we have more applications."

The federal government deserves our applause for agreeing to hold talks on this critical issue, but talk doesnt fill empty stomachs and there is zero nutritional value in promises.
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BEIRA, Mozambique - The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for $282 million for the next three months to help Mozambique start recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai.

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This article was published 25/3/2019 (992 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A UN humanitarian helicopter prepares for a day of work, at the airport in the Mozambique city of Beira, Friday March 22 2019. Some hundreds of people are dead, many more still missing and with many thousands at risk from massive flooding in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe caused by Cyclone Idai. (AP Photo/Cara Anna)

BEIRA, Mozambique - The United Nations is making an emergency appeal for $282 million for the next three months to help Mozambique start recovering from the devastation of Cyclone Idai.

The U.N. funding will be used to provide water, sanitation, education and restoring the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of displaced people, U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said Monday.

He said separate appeals will be made shortly for Zimbabwe and Malawi, also hard-hit by the cyclone.

Lowcock said funds for cyclone victims are starting to come through, including 22 million pounds from the United Kingdom, but are far outstripped by the needs.

Residents remove mud from their home and yard caused by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe Sunday, March 24 2019. The death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/KB Mpofu)

UNICEF head Henrietta Fore just visited Mozambique's ravaged port city of Beira and said "it's a race against time" to help the displaced and prevent disease.

Authorities in Mozambique say that with a key road open to the badly damaged city of Beira, conditions on the ground improving and more international help arriving, vital aid to those hit by Cyclone Idai should now flow more freely.

Cyclone Idai's death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers rush to restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera.

In Mozambique the number of dead has risen to 446 while there are 259 dead in Zimbabwe and at least 56 dead in Malawi for a three-nation total of 761.

The death toll is "very preliminary," said Mozambique's environment minister, Celso Correia, who said it is expected to rise.

A young boy walks past a house submerged in water caused by Cyclone Idai in Inchope, Mozambique, Monday March 25, 2019. Cyclone Idai's death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers rush to restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The U.S. military will join the number of international aid groups assisting in providing food and medical care to those affected by the massive cyclone, one of the worst natural disasters in southern Africa in recent history.

Some 228,000 displaced people are now in camps across the vast flooded area of Mozambique, said Correia, who is the government's disaster co-ordinator, briefing journalists on Monday. It is still too early to give a number of missing, he said.

Diarrhea is reported in camps but he says it is too early to say whether it is cholera. He has said that it is almost certain that the deadly disease will emerge.

Aid teams are going to high points on islands created by Cyclone Idai and finding "a lot of people," Correia said.

Until all areas can be reached and assessed, it is impossible to say the disaster response effort has turned a corner, he said.

School books at Inchope primary school in Inchope, Mozambique, are left to dry in the sun after the school was damaged by Cyclone Idai, Monday March, 25, 2019. Cyclone Idai's death toll has risen above 750 in the three southern African countries hit 10 days ago by the storm, as workers rush to restore electricity, water and try to prevent outbreak of cholera. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

When asked by journalists about people found sheltering in a school along the newly opened main road to Beira who said they had not eaten since the storm, Correia said the aid had to be prioritized according to necessity.

At least they were found and aid is coming, he said. "They can still hang on for a few days."

Correia defended Mozambique's storm warning system, asserting that people knew weeks in advance that trouble was coming. More than 300,000 people were warned in advance, he said. "All reports say the system worked," he said.

Some residents of Beira and Buzi, however, have said they had heard nothing to indicate the scale of the cyclone and were shocked by the quickly rising waters, and some have expressed anger at the government for not giving more warning.

Mozambique's former president, Joachim Chissano, was at the press briefing and said authorities "did what they could" to warn residents. Chissano added that it would take three years to rebuild the city of Beira.

Flooding in Sofala Province in Mozambique.;

Sebastian Rhodes Stampa, deputy director of the U.N. Humanitarian operation, told reporters that "a lot more assistance" should be seen by Tuesday as more aid arrives at staging areas such as the Beira airport.

He confirmed the reports of diarrhea in camps. "It's a killer," he said.

He said the government is repairing key roads just enough to allow aid and other trucks to have access, with repair crews on hand when problems arise. They are being repaired "for now, and that's good enough," Stampa said.

One bright spot amid the hurried response efforts is the weather, which on Monday morning in Beira was dry, partly cloudy and hot. With no rains, the flooded areas should be able to drain.

"I'm pretty confident in the weather," Stampa said. "It's the only thing I'm confident about."

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The United States military says President Donald Trump has directed it to support relief efforts to help Mozambique with the destruction caused by Cyclone Idai more than a week ago.

The U.S. Africa Command statement comes three days after Mozambique's government made a formal request to the international community for aid. The southern Africa nation earlier declared a national disaster as its president said deaths from the cyclone could reach 1,000. Confirmed deaths are now close to 450.

The U.S. statement says AFRICOM provides disaster relief "when it has unique capabilities that can be utilized in the U.S. Government's response."

It says the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa will lead the U.S. military efforts and that its initial assessments have begun at the scene of the disaster.

___

Edith M. Lederer contributed to this story from the United Nations
WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

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This article was published 24/3/2019 (993 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Sunday, March 24, 2019, at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., en route to Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or co-ordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

The battle began Monday as White House aides and allies blanketed television news broadcasts to trumpet the findings and claim that Trump has been the victim in a probe that never should have started.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump will let Attorney General William Barr decide whether the special counsel's Russia report should be publicly released, though she adds that "he's more than happy for any of this stuff to come out."

Trump cheered the Sunday outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

President Donald Trump speaks with the media after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington. The Justice Department said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start  whether his campaign worked with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. That could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favour.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts  like firing his FBI director  that he was legally empowered to take.

A copy of a letter from Attorney General William Barr advising Congress of the principal conclusions reached by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, is shown Sunday, March 24, 2019 in Washington. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the last two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment, his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign, his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser, and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.

The special counsel's investigation did not come up empty-handed. It ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation. Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Sunday's summary  and its suggestion that Mueller may have found evidence in support of obstruction  sets up a fight between Barr and Democrats, who called for the special counsel's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigations.

President Donald Trump speaks with the media after stepping off Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, March 24, 2019, in Washington. The Justice Department said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

"Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

"Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's own claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added.

Trump was at his Florida estate when lawmakers received the report. Barr's chief of staff called Emmet Flood, the lead White House lawyer on the investigation, to brief him on the findings shortly before he sent it to Congress. Mueller submitted his report to Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department.

Barr did not speak with the president, Mueller was not consulted on the letter, and the White House does not have Mueller's report, according to a Justice Department official.

Though Mueller did not find evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign co-ordinated with the Russian government, Barr's summary notes "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

That's a likely reference not only to a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Donald Trump. Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Clinton from a Kremlin-connected lawyer, as well as a conversation in London months earlier at which Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was told Russia had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see "all the underlying evidence." He said on Twitter, "DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work."

Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign co-ordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses. Trump answered some questions in writing, but refused to be interviewed in person by the Mueller team.

Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses.

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In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trump's actions constituted a federal crime prosecutors could prove in court.

____

Associated Press writers Jonathan Lemire in New York, Deb Riechmann in Palm Beach, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Online: Read the letter: http://apne.ws/Am0jB94

Follow all of AP's Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations
One day last May, a container ship entered the San Francisco Bay with extra cargo.

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This article was published 23/3/2019 (995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One day last May, a container ship entered the San Francisco Bay with extra cargo.

A 45-foot-long dead female fin whale was draped across the ships bow. The impact with the ship had broken her back, ruptured her organs and caused severe internal bleeding.

Ten whale deaths were attributed to ship strikes in 2018  the highest number on record in California since the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), a division of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, began tracking in 1982. The mortality rate represents an enormous increase from the average 3.4 ship-strike victims recorded annually in the five previous years.

Five of the 10 whales that died with boat collision injuries in 2018 were endangered or threatened fin, blue and humpback whales. Despite the prevalence of whale mortalities linked to ship strikes, few rules are in place on the West Coast to mitigate collisions.

Cargo ships are so big that crews often have no idea they struck a whale unless they see a carcass when they reach port. Many container ships that enter the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are more than 300 metres long.

"We cant see the whales if theres whitecaps and we cant see them at night," said Jeff Cowan, a retired captain and national president of the Council of American Master Mariners (CAMM).

Large whales in U.S. waters havent been commercially targeted with harpoons since the 1970s, but ships still pose a significant threat to the giants that swim beneath the oceans surface.

"Its concerning," said Justin Greenman, who as the California assistant stranding co-ordinator for NOAA Fisheries works with volunteers responding to injured, stranded or dead marine mammals. "I think that there will definitely be some looking back at this year."

Vessel strikes are one of the leading human-related causes of whale deaths. In the past 10 years, at least 60 blue, grey, fin and humpback whales with signs of ship strikes have been found dead in California, Oregon and Washington, according to records from NOAAs Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, which keeps track of injured and dead marine mammals. Many go unreported.

"If we had all these whales floating around on the water and showing up on beaches, nobody would stand for this," said Michael Fishbach, executive director of Great Whale Conservancy.

Scientists are unsure why California ship strikes surged. While fluctuation in numbers is expected since stranding records depend on observed incidents, last years body count indicates the issue requires attention. Most experts agree that reported deaths represent only a fraction of ship-strike mortalities.

"One doesnt mean one  one probably means 10 to 20 are occurring. So, when you have 10, thats a pretty big multiplier," said John Calambokidis, a biologist at Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia, Wash.

Recovery rates are low because struck whales tend to sink upon death. Others are never spotted because of ocean currents and decomposition. Ship strikes alone kill more than 80 whales off the West Coast each year, according to 2017 estimates made by Point Blue Conservation Science and Cascadia Research Collective.

The undocumented losses are important because they deflate a key number used to determine if species need further protection, undercutting arguments for regulatory measures.

On the East Coast, regulation limiting the speed of large ships has been effective in reducing North Atlantic right whale deaths. NOAA Fisheries established the "Ship Strike" rule in 2008 to protect right whales, which remain one of the worlds most endangered whale species. The policy relocated shipping lanes and mandated ships to slow down in specific areas during periods of peak right whale activity.

"It was a challenge. We had a lot of pushback, but we just kept trying to come back to the science," said Greg Silber, who spearheaded the rule-making process as a marine biologist at NOAA Fisheries.

Slower ship speeds have been shown to reduce the likelihood of a ship-whale encounter and the lethality of a collision. The number of right whale mortalities has dropped since the rule was created.

Beyond speed, other large whale conservation methods include separating ships from whales by rerouting shipping lanes, limiting shipping activity when whales are most active and using technologies to help ships detect and avoid whales.

The interests of many groups converge around the 70-nautical-mile stretch between the coast of Southern California and the Channel Islands that make up the Santa Barbara Channel. Whales, specifically blue and humpback, are drawn to the region to feast. The feeding frenzy is a boon for whale-watching companies, which navigate the waters alongside thousands of container ships moving in and out of the largest port complex in the United States.

Some conservationists believe rerouting the shipping lane behind the Channel Islands could decrease the risk of ship strikes. But the waters behind the islands are a part of the U.S. navys 93,000-square-kilometre Point Mugu Sea Range. The navy is resistant to funnelling ships through the area it uses for missile tests and training exercises.

"Its like a perfect storm against the whales," said Fishbach, who advocates that the best method to save whales is to limit ship traffic at night, when they are more likely to feed near the surface.

Efforts to reduce ship strikes in California intensified after five blue whale carcasses were found in the Santa Barbara Channel in September 2007. The carnage triggered NOAAs Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to start working with the shipping industry, government agencies and non-profit organizations to reduce ship collisions.

"Thats what really got movement. A mass mortality event," said Jessica Morten, a resource protection specialist at the marine sanctuary.

Following the blue whale deaths, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned NOAA Fisheries to create a mandatory seasonal 10-knot speed limit in the Santa Barbara Channel. After the petition was denied, the centre filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Coast Guard accusing it of failing to ensure ship traffic does not jeopardize the lives of endangered species.

"Nobody was doing anything, so we decided to sue," said Miyoko Sakashita, the oceans director at the centre, who remains concerned about the issue.

The centre lost the lawsuit, but in 2012, the coast guard recommended shifting the southbound shipping lane nearly two kilometres north. The change took effect the next year.

Fishbach called the lane shift to divert ship traffic away from whale feeding grounds in the Santa Barbara Channel an "insignificant, pitiful effort."

The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary continues to drive efforts to mitigate ship strikes in California, but it doesnt have regulatory authority beyond its boundaries. Creating mandatory regulation to protect whales from vessel strikes would require either the coast guard or NOAA Fisheries to draft a proposed rule and shepherd it through an interagency approval process.

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For now, the Channel Islands sanctuary is focused on voluntary and incentive-based programs. A collaborative initiative between California air pollution control districts and other marine sanctuaries, known as Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies, gives small stipends to companies that comply with recommended reduced speed limits around whale feasting areas in California.

The number of incentivized transits has increased over the years from 27 in 2014, to 125 in 2017, but the program reaches only a sliver of the 2,500 container ships that travel through the Santa Barbara Channel each year.

"While theres been some success demonstrated with the incentive program, as well as voluntary reductions where theres followup with shippers, all of these pale in comparison with a mandatory reduction in ship speed in key areas," Calambokidis said.

Slowing down doesnt only help protect whales  its beneficial for human lungs as well. Lower speeds reduce air pollution emissions such as nitrogen oxide, a key component in smog. Marine shipping accounts for approximately 70 per cent of the NOx emissions in Santa Barbara County.

"Shipping emissions account for a significant amount of our pollution in Santa Barbara County and we dont have any regulatory authority over that pollution," said Lyz Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, which helps fund Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies.

 Washington Post
Local musicians selected for honor band The following Winterset High School musicians were selected from over 350 applications for the Drake University Honor Band. They rehearsed with other students from across Iowa and performed a great concert on Saturday evening at...

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Imam Hashim Madani leads a prayer service on Saturday in the mosque at Kelownas Islamic Centre to remember and honour the dozens killed and wounded in terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15. Madani was joined by Steve Shoranick, president of the Kelowna chapter of the BC Muslim Association. About 120 local residents participated in the prayer service.
Up to 92,320 polling stations served the general election, the first since the military coup in 2014, starting from 8:00 to 17:00. Preliminary unofficial results are expected to be announced at 20:00 the same day.

A total of 81 parties are contesting the election, and thousands of candidates will vie for 350 constituencies. The other 150 members of the House of Representatives will be elected from the national party lists under a system of proportional representation.

A Thai voter casts her ballot in the country's general election on March 24th (Photo: AFP/VNA)



Under the new electoral system, having the most number of MPs in the 500-seat House of Representatives may not be enough to win the premiership. Thailands new Constitution empowers 250 military-backed senators to join 500 MPs in selecting the prime minister during the initial period.

Prominent candidates include Sudarat Keyuraphan from the Pheu Thai party; former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva from the Democrats; and a young telecoms billionaire, Thanatorn Juangroongruangkit, from the new Future Forward party. Notably, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who led the military coup in 2014, has been nominated as the only prime ministerial candidate of the newly formed pro-military Palang Pracha Rath Party.

A 24-hour alcohol ban began 6 pm on March 23rd due to the election.

A representative from the Election Commission of Thailand said a group representing foreign countries and international organisations is observing the election. The group includes those from foreign embassies in Bangkok, such as that of Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam./.
Altai Resources Inc. operates as a natural resource exploration and development company in Canada. The company explores for oil and gas, and gold properties. It holds a 100% interest in the Sorel-Trois Rivieres natural gas property comprising five oil and gas and reservoir licenses covering an area of 68,483 hectares located in St. Lawrence Lowlands, Quebec; and a 45% interest in the Cessford oil property covering an area of 240 acres located in the Cessford area of Central Alberta. The company was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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iShares S&P 500 ETF's stock was trading at $275.41 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IVV shares have increased by 71.6% and is now trading at $472.74.

View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19.
The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited.
The following companies are subsidiares of Prudential Financial: 210-220 E. 22nd Street SSGA Owner LLC, AIG Edison, AIG Star, AREF Cayman Co Ltd., AREF GP II Pte. Ltd., AREF GP Ltd., ASPF II - Feeder Fund GmbH, ASPF II - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, ASPF II Management GmbH, ASPF III (Scots) L.P., ASSURANCE, AST Investment Services Inc., Adlerwerke CB Investment LLC, Administradora de Fondos de Pensiones Habitat S.A., Administradora de Inversiones Previsionales SpA, Aoba Life Insurance Company, Asia Property Fund III GP S.a.r.l., Assurance IQ LLC, Assurance Intelligence LLC, BSC CP LP, Braeloch Holdings Inc., Braeloch Successor Corporation, Brazilian Capital Fund GP Limited, Broad Street Global Advisors LLC, Broome Street Holdings LLC, CB German Retail LLC, CLIS Co. Ltd., COLICO INC., Campus Drive LLC, Capital Agricultural Property Services Inc., Chadwick Boulevard Investment Holdings Co. LLC, Cibecue LLC, Coconino LLC, Colico II Inc., Columbus Drive Partners L.P., Commerce Street Holdings LLC, Commerce Street Investments LLC, Coolidge LLC, Coral Reef GP, Coral Reef L.P., Coral Reef Unit Trust, Cottage Street Investments LLC, Cottage Street Orbit Acquisition LLC, DHFL PRAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, DICKENS AVENUE HOLDINGS VI LLC, DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI (Ireland) L.P., DICKENS AVENUE PARTNERS VI (US) L.P., Don Cesar Investor LLC, Dryden Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Dryden Finance II LLC, EVP II GP S.a r.l., EVP II Sweden Resi I GP S.a r.l., Edison Place Senior Note LLC, Essex LLC, EuroCore GP S.a r.l., European Value Partners GP S.a.r.l., Everbright PGIM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Flagstaff LLC, GA 1600 Commons LLC, GA 333 Hennepin Investor LLC, GA BV LLC, GA Bay Area GP LLC, GA Bay Area Investor LLC, GA Belden LLC, GA CLARENDON LLC, GA Cal Crossings LLC, GA Collins LLC, GA E. 22nd Street Apartments Holdings LLC, GA East 86 Street LLC, GA JHCII LLC, GA MENLO PARK INVESTOR LLC, GA Manor at Harbour Island LLC, GA Metro LLC, GA Mission LLC, GA TRITON INVESTOR LLC, GA W Paces LLC, GA/MDI 333 Hennepin Associates LLC, GIBRALTAR BSN HOLDINGS SDN BHD, GIBRALTAR INDIA SOLUTIONS LLP, Gateway Holdings II LLC, Gateway Holdings LLC, German Retail Income CP LP, Gibraltar BSN Life Berhad, Gibraltar International Insurance Services Company Inc., Gibraltar International Service LLC, Gibraltar Reinsurance Company Ltd., Gibraltar Universal Life Reinsurance Company, Glenealy International Limited, Global Portfolio Strategies Inc., Gold GP Limited, Gold II L.P., Gold L.P., Graham Resources Inc., Graham Royalty Ltd., Green Tree GP, Green Tree L.P., Greenlee LLC, Halsey Street Investments LLC, Hirakata LLC, IVP Fund GP LLC, Impact Investments Bridges UK S.a.r.l, Inter-Atlantic G Fund L.P., Inversiones Previsionales Chile SpA, Inversiones Previsionales Dos SpA, Ironbound Fund LLC, Jennison Associates LLC, Kyarra S.a r.l., Kyoei Annuity Home Co. Ltd., LINEUP LLC, Lake Street Partners IV L.P., MC GA COLLINS HOLDINGS LLC, MC GA COLLINS REALTY LLC, MC Insurance Agency Services LLC, Manor at Harbour Island LLC, Marble Canyon LLC, Maricopa LLC, Market Street Holdings IV LLC, Morenci LLC, Mulberry Street Holdings LLC, Mulberry Street Investment L.P., Mulberry Street Partners LLC, Mullin TBG Insurance Agency Services LLC, MullinTBG Insurance Agency Services, National Family Assurance Group LLC, New Savanna, Orchard Street Acres Inc., PAI Bay Farm LLC, PAI Bayrock Groves LLC, PAI Belvidere Farms LLC, PAI Big Cypress Farm LLC, PAI Corcoran 640 Ranch LLC, PAI DeKalb Farm LLC, PAI Delano 1500 Ranches LLC, PAI Flicker Orchard LLC, PAI Good Hope Farm LLC, PAI Hawk Creek Ranch LLC, PAI Hills Valley Ranches LLC, PAI Holly Hill Groves LLC, PAI Hunt Farm LLC, PAI Jackson Bayou Farm LLC, PAI Lake Placid Groves LLC, PAI Wallula Gap Vineyard LLC, PCP V Cayman AIV GP L.P., PEREF II Co-Invest 1 GP S.a r.l., PEREF II GP S.a r.l., PEREF II PV S.r.l, PFI EM-Tech Fund I LLC, PG Business Service Co. Ltd, PG Collection Service Co. Ltd., PGA Asian Retail Limited, PGA European Limited, PGI Co. Ltd, PGIM (Australia) Pty Ltd, PGIM (Hong Kong) Ltd., PGIM (Scots) Limited, PGIM (Shanghai) Company Ltd., PGIM (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., PGIM AVP IV GP S.a r.l., PGIM Advisory (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PGIM Agricultural Investments GP LLC, PGIM Agricultural Investors LP, PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Fund L.P., PGIM Broad Market High Yield Bond Partners LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management (Feeder) VI LLC, PGIM Capital Partners Management Fund VI L.P., PGIM European Financing Limited, PGIM European Services Limited, PGIM Financial Limited, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund II L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives Fund L.P., PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives GP LLC, PGIM Fixed Income Alternatives II GP LLC, PGIM Foreign Investments Inc., PGIM Holding Company LLC, PGIM INDIA ASSET MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM INDIA TRUSTEES PRIVATE LIMITED, PGIM Inc., PGIM International Financing Inc., PGIM Investments LLC, PGIM Japan Co. Ltd., PGIM Korea Inc., PGIM LTIF Berlin GP S.a r.l., PGIM LTIF Berlin MLP S.ar.l., PGIM LTIF GP S.a.r.l., PGIM Limited, PGIM Loan Originator Manager Limited, PGIM M Campus GP S.a r.l., PGIM Management Partner Limited, PGIM MetaProp Investor LP LLC, PGIM Netherlands B.V., PGIM Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Company Ltd, PGIM Private Capital (Ireland) Limited, PGIM Private Capital Limited, PGIM Private Placement Investors Inc., PGIM Private Placement Investors L.P., PGIM REF EUROPE SCSp, PGIM REF Europe GP S.a r.l., PGIM REF Europe Member LLC, PGIM REF Intermediary Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate (Japan) Ltd., PGIM Real Estate (UK) Limited, PGIM Real Estate CD S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Capital VII GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest GP S.a r.l., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest L.P., PGIM Real Estate Carry & Co-Invest SCSp, PGIM Real Estate Co-Invest Holdings LLC, PGIM Real Estate Debt GmbH, PGIM Real Estate Finance Holding Company, PGIM Real Estate Finance LLC, PGIM Real Estate France SAS, PGIM Real Estate Germany AG, PGIM Real Estate Global Debt GP LLC, PGIM Real Estate Inmuebles S. de R.L. de C.V, PGIM Real Estate Italy S.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Loan Services Inc., PGIM Real Estate Luxembourg S.A., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Administradora V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles IV S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate MVP Inmuebles V S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate Management Luxembourg S.a.r.l., PGIM Real Estate Mexico S.C., PGIM Real Estate S. de R.L. de C.V., PGIM Real Estate U.S. Debt Fund GP LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management (Feeder) I LLC, PGIM Senior Loan Opportunities Management Fund I L.P., PGIM Strategic Financing LLC, PGIM Strategic Investments Inc., PGIM USPF VI Manager LLC, PGIM Warehouse Inc., PGLH of Delaware Inc., PIFM Holdco LLC, PIIC Limited, PIISC Holdings (UK) Limited, PIM KF Blocker Holdings LLC, PIM KF Blocker V Holdings LLC, PIM USPF V Manager LLC, PLA Administradora Industrial SRL, PLA Administradora LLC, PLA Administradora S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional II S. de R.L. de C.V., PLA Asesoria Profesional S.de R.L. de C.V., PLA Co-Investor LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager I LLC, PLA Mexico Industrial Manager II LLC, PLA Mexico Residential Manager I LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Limited Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund III Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund IV Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Residential Fund IV Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Blue LP, PLA Retail Fund I LP, PLA Retail Fund I Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund I Red LP, PLA Retail Fund II Aggregating Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LLC, PLA Retail Fund II LP, PLA Retail Fund II Manager LLC, PLA Retail Fund II U.S. Carry/Co-Invest LP, PLA Services Manager Mexico LLC, PLAI Limited, PMCF Holdings LLC, PMCF Properties LLC, PPPF General Partner LLP, PR GA SCP Apartments LLC, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP (SCOTS FEEDER) LLP, PRAMERICA PRECAP VI GP LLP, PRECO ACCOUNT III LLC, PRECO ACCOUNT PARTNERSHIP III LP, PRECO Account IV LLC, PRECO Account Partnership IV LP, PRECO III GP LLP, PREFG Hanwha Manager LLC, PREI Acquisition I Inc., PREI Acquisition II Inc., PREI Acquisition LLC, PREI HYDG LLC, PREI International Inc., PRIAC Property Acquisitions LLC, PRICOA Management Partner Limited, PRISA Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Fund Manager LLC, PRISA II Pooled Manager LLC, PRISA III Fund GP LLC, PRISA III Fund PIM LLC, PRREF II Fund Manager LLC, PRU 3XSquare LLC, PRUCO LLC, PRUDENTIAL CAPITAL ENERGY PARTNERS MANAGEMENT (FEEDER) LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP MEMBER LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP REIT LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE 2 LLC, PRUDENTIAL MORTGAGE SKP VENTURE LLC, PT PFI Mega Life Insurance, Passaic Fund LLC, Pine Tree GP, Pine Tree L.P., Platinum GP Limited, Platinum II L.P., Platinum L.P., Pramerica (Hong Kong) Holdings Limited, Pramerica (Luxembourg) CP GP S.a.r.l., Pramerica (Scots) CP GP LLP, Pramerica Business Consulting (Shanghai) Company Limited, Pramerica EVP CP LP, Pramerica Financial Asia Headquarters Pte. Ltd., Pramerica Financial Asia Limited, Pramerica Fixed Income Funds Management Limited, Pramerica Fosun Life Insurance Co. Ltd., Pramerica General Partner LLP, Pramerica Holdings Ltd, Pramerica Insurance Agency (China) Company Ltd., Pramerica PRECAP I GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP II GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP III GP LLP, Pramerica PRECAP IV GP LLP, Pramerica Pan European Real Estate (Scots) LP, Pramerica Property Partners Fund (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital I GP (Scots Feeder) LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital II (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital III (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP (Scots Feeder) LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital IV GP Limited, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V (Netherlands) GP LLP, Pramerica Real Estate Capital V (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica Real Estate Capital VI (Scots) Limited Partnership, Pramerica SGR S.p.A, Pramerica Systems Ireland Limited, Preco III (Scotland) Limited Partnership, Pru 101 Wood LLC, Pru Alpha Partners I LLC, Pru Fixed Income Emerging Markets Partners I LLC, PruVen Capital Partners Fund I L.P., Pruco Assignment Corporation, Pruco Life Insurance Company, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, Pruco Securities LLC, Prudential 900 Aviation Boulevard LLC, Prudential Affordable Mortgage Company LLC, Prudential Agricultural Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Annuities Distributors Inc., Prudential Annuities Holding Company Inc., Prudential Annuities Inc., Prudential Annuities Information Services & Technology Corporation, Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Captive Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Term Company, Prudential Arizona Reinsurance Universal Company, Prudential Bank & Trust FSB, Prudential Capital Energy Opportunity Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners L.P., Prudential Capital Energy Partners Management Fund L.P., Prudential Capital Partners Management Fund IV L.P., Prudential Capital and Investment Services LLC, Prudential Chile II SpA, Prudential Chile SpA, Prudential Commercial Property Holding Company LLC, Prudential Customer Solutions LLC, Prudential Equity Group LLC, Prudential Financial Securities Investment Trust Enterprise, Prudential Fixed Income Global Liquidity Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Fixed Income U.S. Relative Value Partners LLC, Prudential Funding LLC, Prudential General Services of Japan Y.K., Prudential Gibraltar Agency Co. Ltd., Prudential Global Funding LLC, Prudential Holdings of Japan Inc., Prudential Huntoon Paige Associates LLC, Prudential IBH Holdco Inc., Prudential Impact Investments Mortgage Loans LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Debt LLC, Prudential Impact Investments Private Equity LLC, Prudential Industrial Properties LLC, Prudential Insurance Agency LLC, Prudential International Insurance Holdings Ltd., Prudential International Insurance Service Company L.L.C., Prudential International Investments Advisers LLC, Prudential International Investments Company LLC, Prudential International Investments LLC, Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, Prudential Japan Holdings LLC, Prudential Legacy Insurance Company of New Jersey, Prudential Life Insurance Company of Taiwan Inc., Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 1 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Asset Holdings 2 Japan Investment Business Limited Partnership, Prudential Mortgage Capital Asset Holding Company LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Funding LLC, Prudential Mortgage Capital Holdings LLC, Prudential Multifamily Mortgage LLC, Prudential Mutual Fund Services LLC, Prudential Newark Realty LLC, Prudential QOZ Investment Fund 1 LLC, Prudential Realty Securities Inc., Prudential Retirement Financial Services Holding LLC, Prudential Retirement Holdings LLC, Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company, Prudential Securities Secured Financing Corporation, Prudential Securities Structured Assets Inc., Prudential Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., Prudential Seguros S.A., Prudential Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Prudential Structured Settlement Company, Prudential Systems Japan Limited, Prudential Term Reinsurance Company, Prudential Trust Co. Ltd., Prudential Trust Company, Prudential Universal Reinsurance Company, Prudential Workplace Solutions Group Services LLC, Prudential do Brasil Seguros de Vida S.A., Prudential do Brasil Vida em Grupo S.A., Prudential/TMW Real Estate Group LLC, Pruservicos Participacoes Ltda., QMA JP EM All Cap Equity Partners LLC, QMA LLC, QMA Wadhwani LLP, Quartzsite LLC, Residential Services Corporation of America LLC, Rio CP LP, Rock European Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock Global Real Estate LLC, Rock Kensington Limited, Rock Marty GP S.a r.l., Rock Oxford S.a r.l., Rock UK Real Estate Holdings S.ar.l., Rock UK Real Estate II S.a.r.l., Rockstone Co. Ltd., Rosado Grande LLC, Ross Avenue Energy Fund Holdings LLC, Ross Avenue Minerals 2012 LLC, SCP Apartments LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERS VI GP LLC, SENIOR HOUSING PARTNERSHIP FUND VI GP LLC, SHP IV Carried Interest LP, SHP V Carried Interest L.P., SMP Holdings Inc., SVIIT Holdings Inc., Sanei Collection Service Co. Ltd. (Kabushiki Kaisha Sanei Shuuno Service), Senior Housing Partners IV L.L.C., Senior Housing Partners V LLC, Senior Housing Partnership Fund IV L.L.C., Senior Housing Partnership Fund V LLC, Sterling Private Placement Management LLP, Stetson Street Partners L.P., Strand Investments Limited, TBG Insurance Services Corporation, TENSATOR HOLDINGS LTD, TF Proveedora S.C., TMW ASPF I Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, TMW ASPF Management GmbH, TMW Management LLC, TMW Real Estate Group LLC, TMW Realty Advisors LLC, TMW USPF Verwaltungs GmbH, TRGOAG Company Inc., The Gibraltar Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Keynes Dynamic Beta Strategy (US) Fund GP LLC, The Prudential Assigned Settlement Services Corp., The Prudential Brazilian Capital Fund LP, The Prudential Gibraltar Financial Life Insurance Co. Ltd., The Prudential Home Mortgage Company Inc., The Prudential Insurance Company of America, The Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd., The Prudential Real Estate Financial Services of America Inc., The WMF Group, Thurloe Commercial Guernsey Limited, Times Square Center Associates, USPF V - Verwaltungs - GmbH & Co. KG, USPF V Carry LLC, USPF V Co-Invest LLC, USPF V Investment LP, United States Property Fund VI GP S.a r.l., Vailsburg Fund LLC, Vantage Casualty Insurance Company, Wabash Avenue Holdings V LLC, Wabash Avenue Partners V L.P., Wadhwani Capital Limited, Waveland Avenue Holdings I LLC, Waveland Avenue Partners I (Ireland) L.P., Waveland Avenue Partners I (US) L.P., Wellness Services Ecossistema De Bem Estar Ltda., Wellness Services SRL, Yamato Life, and Yavapai LLC.
Fiera Capital Corporation is an employee owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional investors, mutual funds, charitable organizations, and private clients. It manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. The firm also launches and manages equity, fixed income, and balanced mutual funds and income trusts for its clients. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe with a focus on Canada. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap companies. It also invests in G.A.R.P. and value stocks of large-cap companies. The firm also makes investments in income trusts and preferred shares. It also applies exclusions to be fossil fuel free, integrates environmental, social, and governance considerations, and applies an ethical filter while making its investments. The firm employs fundamental and quantitative analysis along with bottom-up stock picking approach to create its equity portfolios. It employs a top-down macro-economic research to make its fixed income investments. The firm also makes alternative investments, including the use of long/short equity strategy. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P/TSX Index, MSCI ACWI Index, S&P/TSX Composite FFF Index, and S&P 500 indices. The firm conducts in-house research to make its investments. It makes investments in social infrastructure with a focus on affordable housing and community health care facilities and also makes investment in solar and wind power generation, transport, and mid-market assets. It typically invests in Canada. It was formerly known as Fiera Sceptre Inc. Fiera Capital Corporation was founded in 2002 and is based in MontrAal, Canada with an additional office in Toronto, Canada, Calgary, Canada, and Vancouver, Canada.

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Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere

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The following companies are subsidiares of IDEX: ADS Corp., ADS Environmental Services Pty Limited, ADS Environmental Technologies Inc., ADS LLC, AEGIS Flow Technologies, AEGIS Flow Technologies L.L.C., AWG, AWG Fittings GmbH, Abel Pumps, Advanced Thin Films, Advanced Thin Films Inc., Airtech Group, Akron Brass, Akron Brass Company, Alfa Valvole, Alfa Valvole S.r.l., Band-It Clamps (Asia) Pte. Ltd., Band-It Company Limited, Band-It-IDEX Inc., Banjo Corporation, Banjo Europe S.r.l., BarbIDEX International SRL, CIDRA Precision Services, CVI Laser, CVI Laser LLC, CVI Laser Limited, CVI Melles Griot, Corken Inc., ERC, Eastern Plastics, FAST & Fluid Management S.r.l., FM Delaware Inc., FM Investment Inc., FMD Distribution and Service LLC, FMD Fabrication Services LLC, FTL Seals Technology Limited, Fast & Fluid Management B.V., Fast & Fluid Management Eastern Europe Sp. Z O.O., Fast and Fluid Management Australia Pty. Ltd., Flow Management Devices, Flow Management Devices LLC, Fluid Management Canada Inc., Fluid Management Inc., Fluid Management Operations LLC, Gast Group Ltd, Gast Manufacturing Inc., Godiva Limited, Godiva Products Limited, Hale Products Europe Limited, Hale Products Inc., Hurst Jaws of Life Inc., IDEX Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., IDEX Dinglee Technology (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., IDEX Europe GmbH, IDEX Health & Science KK, IDEX Health & Science LLC, IDEX Holdings GmbH, IDEX Holdings Inc., IDEX India Private Limited, IDEX Italy S.r.l., IDEX Japan GK, IDEX Korea Ltd, IDEX Leasing GmbH, IDEX MPT Inc., IDEX Mexico S.A. de C.V., IDEX Middle East FZE, IDEX Pump Technologies (Ireland) Limited, IDEX SAS, IDEX Service Corp., IDEX Sourcing Corporation, IDEX Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., IDEX Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, IDEX UK Investment Ltd, IDEX UK Ltd., IDEX do Brasil Servicos e Vendas Ltda., IETG, Isolation Technologies, KNIGHT LLC, KVT-Koenig Holding Limited, Knight (Canada) Limited, Knight Inc., Knight UK Ltd, LUKAS Hydraulik GmbH, Liquid Controls, Liquid Controls LLC, Matcon, Matcon (R&D) Limited, Matcon Group Limited, Matcon Limited, Melles Griot B.V., Melles Griot GmbH, Microfluidics, Microfluidics International Corporation, Micropump Inc., Nova Technologies, Nova Technologies Corporation, Novotema, Novotema S.p.A, OBL, OBL Srl, Oil & Gas Process Solutions LLC, PP AWG GmbH, PPE International LLC, PPE LLC, Precision Photonics, Precision Polymer Engineering Limited, Project Gold Acquisition Corp., Pulsafeeder Inc., Quadro Engineering Corp., RV Acquisition Corp., Richter Chemie-Technik, Richter Chemie-Technik GmbH, Richter EP (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Richter Pumps & Valves Inc., Roplan AB, Roplan GmbH, Roplan Holding AB, Roplan Ltd, Roplan Machinery (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Machining AB, Roplan Sales (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Roplan Sales AB, Roplan Sales Inc., Roplan Trading AB, S.A.M.P.I. S.p.A., SFC KOENIG, SFC KOENIG Flow Control (Suzhou) Co. Limited, SFC Koenig AG, SFC Koenig Beteilgungs GmbH, SFC Koenig GmbH, SFC Koenig LLC, Scivex, Seals Limited, Semrock, Steridose Sales AB, The Fitzpatrick Company, Toptech Systems, Toptech Systems Inc., Toptech Systems NV, Trebor International Inc., Velcora, Velcora Holding AB, Vetter GmbH, Viking Pump Inc., Viking Pump of Canada Inc., Warren Rupp Inc., Wright Flow Technologies Limited, XAM Swiss Holding I GmbH, iPEK, iPEK International GmbH, iPEK Spezial TV GmbH, thinXXS Microtechnology, and thinXXS Microtechnology AG.
Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

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C&J Energy Services, Inc. provides well construction, well completion, well support, and other complementary oilfield services and technologies to oil and gas exploration and production companies throughout the continental United States. It operates through Completion Services and Well Support Services segments. The Completion Services segment provides hydraulic fracturing; cased-hole solutions comprising cased-hole wireline, pumpdown, wireline logging, perforating, pressure pumping, well site make-up and pressure testing, and other complementary services; and well construction and intervention services, which include cementing, coiled tubing, rig services, fluids management, and other completion and well support services. This segment also engages in the engineering and production of various parts and components, such as perforating guns and addressable switches, which are used in the completion process. The Well Support Services segment offers rig services, such as providing workover and well servicing rigs that are primarily used for the routine repair and maintenance of oil and gas wells, re-drilling operations, and plugging and abandonment operations; fluids management services, including storage, transportation, and disposal services for fluids used in the drilling, completion, and workover of oil and gas wells; and other special well site services, such as fishing, contract labor, and tool rental services for the completion and workover of oil and gas wells. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Dominion Energy: 96WI 8me LLC, Alamo Solar LLC, Align RNG Arizona LLC, Align RNG Arizona-Snowflake LLC, Align RNG California LLC, Align RNG California-Corcoran LLC, Align RNG Grady Road LLC, Align RNG LLC, Align RNG Magnolia LLC, Align RNG North Carolina LLC, Align RNG North Carolina-Bowdens LLC, Align RNG Utah LLC, Align RNG Utah-Milford LLC, Align RNG Virginia LLC, Align RNG Virginia-Waverly LLC, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Azalea Solar LLC, BOE Holdings Inc., Blackville Solar Farm LLC, Blue Ocean Energy Marine LLC, BrightSuite Home LLC, BrightSuite Inc., BrightSuite Solar CT Inc., BrightSuite Solar SC Inc., BrightSuite Solar VA Inc., Buckingham Solar I LLC, CEA Americus LLC, CEA CO-Fort Morgan LLC, CEA Clovis LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Colorado LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Georgia LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Idaho LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Nevada LLC, CEA Dairy RNG New Mexico LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Texas LLC, CEA Greely LLC, CEA Mason LLC, CEA TX-Dimmitt LLC, CID Solar LLC, CNG Coal Company, CNG Power Services Corporation, Carolina Gas Transmission Corporation, Catalina Solar 2 LLC, Clean Energy Asset USA LLC, Clean Energy Enterprises Inc., Clipperton Holdings LLC, Consolidated Natural Gas Company, Correctional Solar LLC, Cottonwood Solar LLC, Cove Point LNG LP, Cove Point LNG Limited, DE Arlington Solar LLC, DE Fluvanna Solar LLC, DE Hanover Solar LLC, DE Henrico Solar LLC, DE King William Solar LLC, DE Louisa Solar LLC, DE Newport News Solar LLC, DE Powhatan Solar LLC, DE Virginia Beach Solar LLC, DECP Holdings Inc., Dairy RNG Holdings LLC, Dairy RNG NY LLC, Dairy RNG NY-Curtin LLC, Dairy RNG OH LLC, Denmark Solar LLC, Dominion ACP Holding Inc., Dominion Alternative Energy Holdings Inc., Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Dominion Capital Inc., Dominion Cogen WV Inc., Dominion Energy Fuel Services Inc., Dominion Energy Gas Distribution LLC, Dominion Energy Generation Marketing Inc., Dominion Energy Inc., Dominion Energy Kewaunee Inc., Dominion Energy Marketplace LLC, Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut Inc., Dominion Energy Overthrust Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Payroll Company Inc., Dominion Energy Questar Corporation, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline Services Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings II Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings Inc., Dominion Energy Services Inc., Dominion Energy Solar CA LLC, Dominion Energy Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy South Carolina Inc., Dominion Energy Southeast Services Inc., Dominion Energy Technical Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies II Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies Inc., Dominion Energy Terminal Company Inc., Dominion Energy Wexpro Services Company, Dominion Equipment III Inc., Dominion Equipment Inc., Dominion Fairless Hills Inc., Dominion Fowler Ridge Wind LLC, Dominion Gas Projects Company LLC, Dominion Generation Inc., Dominion Greenbrier Inc., Dominion High Voltage Holdings Inc., Dominion High Voltage MidAtlantic Inc., Dominion Investments Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline Holdings Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline LLC, Dominion MLP Holding Company III Inc., Dominion Mt. Storm Wind LLC, Dominion Nuclear Projects Inc., Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Production Inc., Dominion Person Inc., Dominion Privatization Florida LLC, Dominion Privatization Georgia LLC, Dominion Privatization Holdings Inc., Dominion Privatization Kentucky LLC, Dominion Privatization Maryland LLC, Dominion Privatization Pennsylvania LLC, Dominion Privatization South Carolina LLC, Dominion Privatization Texas LLC, Dominion Privatization Virginia LLC, Dominion Products and Services Inc., Dominion Projects Services Inc., Dominion Resources Capital Trust III, Dominion Retail Gas Holdings Inc., Dominion Solar Construction and Maintenance LLC, Dominion Solar Gen-Tie LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings I LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings II LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings III LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings IV LLC, Dominion Solar Projects A Inc., Dominion Solar Projects B Inc., Dominion Solar Projects C Inc., Dominion Solar Projects D Inc., Dominion Solar Projects I Inc., Dominion Solar Projects II Inc., Dominion Solar Projects III Inc., Dominion Solar Projects IV Inc., Dominion Solar Projects V Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VI Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VII Inc., Dominion Solar Services Inc., Dominion State Line LLC, Dominion Voltage Inc., Dominion Wholesale Inc., Dominion Wind Development LLC, Dominion Wind Projects Inc., ESCT-SA-Suffield LLC, Eagle Holdco Solar LLC, Eagle Solar LLC, Eastern Shore Solar LLC, Enterprise Solar LLC, Escalante Solar I LLC, Escalante Solar II LLC, Escalante Solar III LLC, Four Brothers Solar LLC, Fremont Farm LLC, Granite Mountain Holdings LLC, Granite Mountain Solar East LLC, Granite Mountain Solar West LLC, Greenbrier Marketing Company LLC, Greenbrier Pipeline Company LLC, Greensville County Solar Project LLC, Hardin Solar Energy LLC, Hecate Energy Cherrydale LLC, Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC, Hope Gas Inc., Imperial Valley Solar Company (IVSC) 2 LLC, Indy Solar Development LLC, Indy Solar I LLC, Indy Solar II LLC, Indy Solar III LLC, Innovative Solar 37 LLC, Iron Springs Holdings LLC, Iron Springs Solar LLC, Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas, Maricopa West Solar PV LLC, Moffett Solar 1 LLC, Moorings Farm 2 LLC, Mulberry Farm LLC, Mustang Solar LLC, PSNC Blue Ridge Corporation, PSNC Cardinal Pipeline Company, Pavant Solar LLC, Phone House, Pikeville Farm LLC, Prairie Fork Wind Farm LLC, Public Service Company of North Carolina Incorporated, QPC Holding Company LLC, Questar Corporation, Questar Energy Services Inc., Questar Field Services LLC, Questar Gas Company, Questar InfoComm Inc., Questar Southern Trails Pipeline Company, Questar White River Hub LLC, RE Adams East LLC, RE Camelot LLC, RE Columbia Two LLC, RE Kansas LLC, RE Kent South LLC, RE Old River One LLC, Richland Solar Center LLC, Ridgeland Solar Farm I LLC, SBL Holdco LLC, SCANA, SCANA Communications Holdings Inc., SCANA Corporate Security Services Inc., SCANA Energy Marketing LLC, SCANA Pharmacy LLC, SRFI LLC, Scana Corporation, Scott-II Solar LLC, Seabrook Solar LLC, Selmer Farm LLC, Siler Solar LLC, Sol Madison Solar LLC, Somers Solar Center LLC, South Carolina Fuel Company Inc., South Carolina Generating Company Inc., Southampton Solar LLC, Summit Farms Solar LLC, Sussex Drive Solar Project LLC, TA - Acacia LLC, TWE Myrtle Solar Project LLC, The East Ohio Gas Company, Trask East Solar LLC, Tredegar Solar Fund I LLC, VP Property Inc., Virginia Electric And Power Company, Virginia Power Fuel Corporation, Virginia Power Nuclear Services Company, Virginia Power Services Energy Corp. Inc., Virginia Power Services LLC, Virginia Solar 201 Projects LLC, Wakefield Solar LLC, Wexpro Company, Wexpro Development Company, Wexpro II Company, Wilkinson Solar LLC, Wrangler Retail Gas Holdings LLC, and Yemassee Solar LLC.
The following companies are subsidiares of UnitedHealth Group: 1031387 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, 1070715 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, 1st Avenue Pharmacy Inc., 310 Canyon Medical, 310 Canyon Medical LLC, 4C MSO LLC, 4C Medical Group PLC, 5995 Minnetonka LLC, ABCO International Holdings LLC, ACN Group IPA of New York, ACN Group IPA of New York Inc., ACN Group of California, ACN Group of California Inc., AHJV, AHJV MSO, AHN Accontable Care Organization LLC, AHN Central Services LLC, AHN Target Holdings LLC, AMIL International, AMIL International S.a.r.l., APS  Assistencia Personalizada a Saude Ltda., ARC Infusion, ASC Holdings of New Jersey LLC, ASC Network LLC, ASI Global, ASI Global LLC, Access Administrators Inc., Access HealthSource Administrators Inc., Access HealthSource Inc., Access I.V., Administradora Clinica La Colina S.A.S., Administradora Country S.A., Administradora Medica Centromed S.A., Advanced Care, Advanced Care Pharmacy, Advanced Pharma Inc., Advanced Surgery Center of Clifton LLC, Advanced Surgical Hospital LLC, Advantage Care Network Inc., Advocate Condell Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate Sherman Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate Southwest Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Advocate-SCA Partners LLC, Alere Health, Alere Health Improvement Company, Alere Healthcare of Illinois, Alere Wellbeing, Alere Wellology, Alere of New York, Aliansalud Entidad Promotora de Salud S.A., All Savers Insurance Company, All Savers Life Insurance Company of California, Alliance Surgical Center LLC, Aloha Surgical Center LLC, Ambient Healthcare, Ambient Healthcare Inc., Ambient Healthcare of Central Florida, Ambient Healthcare of Georgia, Ambient Healthcare of Northeast Florida, Ambient Healthcare of S. Florida, Ambient Healthcare of West Florida, Ambient Holdings, Ambient Holdings Inc., Ambient Nursing Services, AmeriChoice, AmeriChoice Corporation, AmeriChoice Health Services, AmeriChoice of Connecticut, AmeriChoice of New Jersey, AmeriChoice of New Jersey Inc., American Health Network of Indiana Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Indiana II LLC, American Health Network of Indiana LLC, American Health Network of Ohio Care Organization LLC, American Health Network of Ohio II LLC, American Health Network of Ohio LLC, Amico Saude Ltda., Amil, Amil Assistencia Medica Internacional S.A., Amil Lifesciences Participacoes Ltda., Antelope Valley Surgery Center L.P., Analisis Clinicos ML S.A.C., Apothecary Holdings Inc., Apothecary Shop of Phoenix Inc., AppleCare Medical Management, AppleCare Medical Management LLC, Aquitania Chilean Holding SpA, Arise Physician Group, Arizona Physicians IPA, Arizona Physicians IPA Inc., AssuranceRx, AssuranceRx LLC, Athens ASC Holdings LLC, Audax Health Solutions, Audax Health Solutions LLC, Austin Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., Avella Patient Access Program Inc., Avella Specialty Pharmacy, Avella of Austin Inc., Avella of Columbus Inc., Avella of Deer Valley Inc., Avella of Denver Inc., Avella of Gilbert Inc., Avella of Las Vegas II Inc., Avella of Orlando Inc., Avella of Phoenix III Inc., Avella of Sacramento Inc., Avella of Scottsdale Inc., Avella of St. Louis Inc., Avella of Tampa LLC, Avella of Tucson II Inc., Avella of Tucson Inc., Aveta Arizona, Aveta Health Solutions Inc., Aveta Inc., Aveta Kansas City, Aveta Tennessee, AxelaCare Health Solutions, AxelaCare Intermediate Holdings, AxelaCare Intermediate Holdings LLC, AxelaCare LLC, B.R.A.S.S. Partnership in Commendam, Banmedica Colombia SpA, Banmedica Internacional SpA, Banmedica S.A., Beach Surgical Holdings III LLC, Behavioral Healthcare Options, Behavioral Healthcare Options Inc., Belleville Surgical Center Ltd. an Illinois Limited Partnership, Benefit Administration for the Self Employed L.L.C., Benefitter Insurance Solutions Inc., Birmingham Outpatient Surgical Center LLC, Blackstone Valley Surgicare GP LLC, Blue Ridge GP LLC, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings I SRL, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings II SRL, Bordeaux (Barbados) Holdings III SRL, Bordeaux Holding SpA, Bordeaux International Holdings Inc., Bordeaux UK Holdings I Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings II Limited, Bordeaux UK Holdings III Limited, Bosque Medical Center Ltda., Brandon Ambulatory Surgery Center LC, BriovaRx, BriovaRx, BriovaRx Infusion Services, BriovaRx Infusion Services 102 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services 200 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 204 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 209 Inc., BriovaRx Infusion Services 305 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services 402 LLC, BriovaRx Infusion Services Inc., BriovaRx Specialty LLC, BriovaRx of California, BriovaRx of California Inc., BriovaRx of Florida, BriovaRx of Florida Inc., BriovaRx of Georgia, BriovaRx of Georgia LLC, BriovaRx of Hawaii, BriovaRx of Indiana, BriovaRx of Louisiana, BriovaRx of Louisiana L.L.C., BriovaRx of Maine, BriovaRx of Maine Inc., BriovaRx of Massachusetts, BriovaRx of Massachusetts LLC, BriovaRx of Nevada, BriovaRx of New York, BriovaRx of New York Inc., BriovaRx of Texas, BriovaRx of Texas Inc., CDC Holdings Colombia S.A.S., CLISA  Clinica de Santo Antonio S.A., CMO  Centro Medico de Oftalmologia S/S Ltda., CMS  Central de Manipulacao e Servicos Farmaceuticos S.A., CNIC Health Solutions Inc., COI Participacoes S.A., COI  Clinicas Oncologicas Integradas S.A., Cabin Enterprises LLC, Cabin Holdings LLC, California MedTrans Network IPA LLC, California MedTrans Network MSO LLC, California Medical Group Insurance Company Risk Retention Group, Camp Hill-SCA Centers LLC, Capital City Medical Group L.L.C., Cardio Management, Cardio Management Inc., Care Improvement Plus Group Management, Care Improvement Plus Group Management LLC, Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus Wisconsin Insurance Company, Care Improvement Plus of Texas Insurance Company, Casa de Saude Santa Therezinha Ltda., Casa de Saude Santa Therezinha S.A., Castle Rock SurgiCenter LLC, Catalyst360, Catalyst360 LLC, Catamaran Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Catamaran Health Solutions, Catamaran Holdings I, Catamaran IPA III, Catamaran Mail, Catamaran PBM of Illinois II, Catamaran PBM of Puerto Rico, Catamaran PD of Pennsylvania, Catamaran PD of Puerto Rico, Catamaran Rebate Management, Catamaran S.a.r.l., Catamaran Senior Services, Catamaran of Pennsylvania, Cedar Park Surgery Center LLC, Cemed Care - Empressa de Atendimento Clinico Geral Ltda., Cemed Care  Empresa de Atendimento Clinico Geral Ltda., Central Indiana Care Organization LLC, Central Ohio Care Organization LLC, Central de Compras SpA, CentriHealth Corporation, CentriHealth UK Limited, CentrifyHealth LLC, Centro Medico Hospitalar Pitangueiras Ltda., Centro Medico Odontologico Americano S.A.C., Centro Medico PJ Ltda., Centro de Entrenamiento en Reanimacion y Prevencion Limitada (CERP), Centro de Servicios Compartidos Banmedica S.A., Centromed Quilpue S.A., Centros Medicos y Dentales Multimed Ltda., Centurion Casualty Company, Channel Islands Surgicenter L.P., Channel Islands Surgicenter Properties LLC, Charleston Surgery Properties LLC, Charlotte-SC LLC, Childrens Surgery Center LLC, ChinaGate (Hong Kong) Limited, ChinaGate Company Limited, Citrus Regional Surgery Center L.P., Clinica Oftalmologica Danilo de Castro Sociedade Simples, Clinical Partners of Colorado Springs LLC, Clinica Alameda S.A., Clinica Bio Bio S.A., Clinica Ciudad del Mar S.A., Clinica Davila y Servicios Medicos S.A., Clinica Medico Cirurgica de Santa Tecla S.A., Clinica San Borja (La Esperanza del Peru S.A.), Clinica San Felipe S.A., Clinica Santa Maria S.A., Clinica Sanchez Ferrer S.A., Clinica Vespucio S.A., Clinica del Country S.A., Coachella Valley Physicians of PrimeCare, Coachella Valley Physicians of PrimeCare Inc., Coalition For Advanced Pharmacy Services, Coalition for Advanced Pharmacy Services Inc., Coastal Physicians Management Inc., Collaborative Care Holdings, Collaborative Care Holdings LLC, Collaborative Care Services, Collaborative Care Services Inc., Collaborative Care Solutions, Collaborative Realty, Collaborative Realty LLC, Colmedica Medicina Prepagada, Colonial Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Colorado Innovative Physician Solutions Inc., Colorado Springs Surgery Center Ltd., Comfort Care Transportation, Comfort Care Transportation LLC, Commonwealth Administrators, Connecticut Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Connecticut Surgery Properties LLC, Connecticut Surgical Center LLC, Connextions, Connextions HCI, Constructora e Inmobiliaria Magapoq S.A., Consumer Wellness Solutions Inc., Country Scan Ltda., Crescent Drug Corp., Cypress Care, Cypress Care Inc., DBP Services of New York IPA, DBP Services of New York IPA Inc., DTC Surgery Center LLC, DWIC of Tampa Bay, DWIC of Tampa Bay Inc., DaVita Magan Management Inc., Danbury Surgical Center L.P., Day-Op Surgery Consulting Company, Day-Op Surgery Consulting Company LLC, Definity Health, Dental Benefit Providers, Dental Benefit Providers Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of California, Dental Benefit Providers of California Inc., Dental Benefit Providers of Illinois, Dental Benefit Providers of Illinois Inc., Derry Surgical Center LLC, Diagnostico Ecotomografico Centromed Ltda., Diasnostico por Imagenes Centromed Ltda., Dilab Medicina Nuclear Ltda., Diplomat Pharmacy, Distance Learning Network, Distance Learning Network Inc., Doctor + S.A.C., Dry Creek Surgery Center LLC, Dublin Surgery Center LLC, Duncan Printing Services, Duncan Printing Services LLC, E Street Endoscopy LLC, ELG FZE, EP Campus I, EP Campus I LLC, East Brunswick Surgery Center LLC, Electronic Network Systems, Electronic Network Systems Inc., Elual Participacoes S.A., Empire Physician Management Company, Empire Physician Management Company LLC, Employers Health Choice PPO Inc., Empremedica S. A., Endoscopy Center Affiliates Inc., Enterprise Life Insurance Company, Equian, Equian LLC, Equian Parent Corp., Esho  Empresa de Servicos Hospitalares S.A., Etho  Empresa de Tecnologia Hospitalar Ltda., Evercare Collaborative Solutions, Evercare Collaborative Solutions Inc., Everett MSO Inc., Excellion Servicos Biomedicos Ltda., Excellion Servicos Biomedicos S.A., Excelsior Insurance Brokerage Inc., Executive Health Resources, Executive Health Resources Inc., Executive Surgery Center LLC, Eye Clinic Oftalmologia Clinico Cirurgica e Diagnostico Ltda., FMG Holdings, FMG Holdings LLC, FOR HEALTH OF ARIZONA, Family Health Care Services, Family Home Hospice, Family Home Hospice Inc., First Rx Specialty & Mail Services, Florida MedTrans Network LLC, Florida MedTrans Network MSO LLC, For Health, For Health Inc., For Health of Arizona Inc., Fortified Provider Network Inc., Fortify Technologies Asia LLC, Fortify Technologies LLC, Foundation Financial Services Inc., Franklin Surgical Center LLC, Freedom Life Insurance Company of America, Freeway Surgicenter of Houston LLC, Frontier MEDEX Limited, Frontier Medex Tanzania Limited, FrontierMEDEX, FrontierMEDEX (RMS), FrontierMEDEX (RMS) Inc., FrontierMEDEX Government Services, FrontierMEDEX Government Services LLC, FrontierMEDEX Inc., FrontierMEDEX Kenya Limited, FrontierMEDEX US, FrontierMEDEX US Inc., Fundacion Banmedica, GRANTS PASS SURGERY CENTER LLC, Gadsden Surgery Center LLC, Gadsden Surgery Center Ltd., Gainesville Surgery Center L.P., Gainesville Surgery Properties LLC, Genoa, Genoa Healthcare Inc., Genoa Healthcare LLC, Genoa QoL Wholesale LLC, Genoa Technology (Canada) Inc., Genoa Technology Inc., Genoa Telepsychiatry Inc., Genoa of Arkansas LLC, Glenwood Surgical Center L.P., Glenwood-SC Inc., Golden Outlook, Golden Outlook Inc., Golden Rule Financial Corporation, Golden Rule Insurance Company, Golden Triangle Surgicenter L.P., Grapevine Finance LLC, Greater Hartford ASC LLC, Grove Place Surgery Center L.L.C., Guardian Health Systems Limited Partnership, H&W Indemnity (SPC), H&W Indemnity (SPC) Ltd., H.I. Investments Holding Company LLC, HCP ACO California LLC, HCP ACO Nevada LLC, HCentive Technology India Private Limited, HMI NewCo LLC, Harken Health Insurance Company, Hayes-Strub LLC, Health Business Systems, Health Care-ONE Insurance Agency Inc., Health Inventures Employment Solutions LLC, Health Inventures LLC, Health Net Insurance of New York, Health Net Services (Bermuda) Ltd., Health Plan of Nevada, Health Plan of Nevada Inc., Health Technology Analysts Pty Limited, HealthAllies, HealthAllies Inc., HealthCare Partners ASC-LB LLC, HealthCare Partners Management Services California LLC, HealthCare Partners RE LLC, HealthFirst IPA Inc., HealthMarkets Group Inc., HealthMarkets Inc., HealthMarkets Insurance Agency Inc., HealthMarkets LLC, HealthMarkets NewCo Inc., HealthMarkets Services Inc., HealthSCOPE Holdings Inc., HealthScope Benefits Inc., Healthcare Partners Plan of Nevada Inc., Healthcare Solutions Inc., Heartland Heart and Vascular LLC, Help S.A., Help Service S.A., Highlands Ranch Healthcare, Highlands Ranch Healthcare LLC, Home Care I.V. of Bend, Home Infusion With Heart, Home Medical S.A., Hospice Inspiris Holdings, Hospice Inspiris Holdings Inc., Hospitais Associados de Pernambuco Ltda., Hospital Alvorada de Taguatinga Ltda., Hospital Ana Costa S.A., Hospital Maternidade Promater Ltda., Hospital Samaritano de Sao Paulo Ltda., Hospital Santa Helena S.A., Hospital de Clinicas de Jacarepagua Ltda., Humedica, Humedica Inc., Hygeia Corporation, Hygeia Corporation (Canada), Hygeia Corporation (DE), Hygeia Corporation (Ontario), INOV8 Surgical at Memorial City LLC, INSPIRIS of New York IPA, INSPIRIS of New York Management, INSPIRIS of New York Management Inc., INSPIRIS of Texas Physician Group, IRX Financing I LLC, Illinois Independent Care Network, Imed Star  Servicos de Desempenho Organizacional Ltda., Impel Consulting Experts, Impel Consulting Experts L.L.C., Impel Management Services L.L.C., Indian River Surgery Center Ltd., Indian River Surgery Properties LLC, Indiana Care Organization LLC, Infusource, Ingram & Associates, Ingram & Associates LLC, Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3001 S.A., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo 3600 Ltda., Inmobiliaria Apoquindo S.A., Inmobiliaria Clinica Santa Maria S.A., Inmobiliaria Vinamed Ltda., Inmobiliaria e Inversiones Alameda S.A., Inspiris, Inspiris Inc., Inspiris Services Company, Inspiris of Tennessee, Instituto do Radium de Cammpinas Ltda, International Psychological Services Pty Limited, Inversiones Clinicas Santa Maria S.A., Isapre Banmedica S.A., Isapre Vida Tres S.A., Johnston Surgicare L.P., Joliet Surgery Center Limited Partnership, LHI, Laboratorio ROE S.A., Laboratorios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., LifePrint Health, LifePrint Health Inc., LifeStyles Marketing Group Inc., LifeWell Ltd. Co., Lifeprint Accountable Care Organization, Lifeprint Accountable Care Organization LLC, Lifeprint East, Lifeprint East Inc., Logistics Health Inc., Lotten-Eyes Oftalmologia Clinica e Cirurgica Ltda., Louisville S.C. Ltd., Louisville-SC Properties Inc., Loyola Ambulatory Surgery Center at Oakbrook Inc., Lusiadas - Parcerias Cascais S.A., Lusiadas A.C.E., Lusiadas S.A., Lusiadas SGPS S.A., MAMSI Insurance Resources, MAMSI Life and Health Insurance Company, MD Ops, MD Ops Inc., MD-Individual Practice Association, MD-Individual Practice Association Inc., ME AHS UC LLC, MEDEX Insurance Services, MEDEX Insurance Services Inc., MGH/SCA LLC, MHC Real Estate Holdings, MHC Real Estate Holdings LLC, MIAMI SURGERY CENTER LLC, MSLA Management LLC, MXMD Centros De Cancer, Mamoeco  Mamografia e Ecografia Centro de Diagnostico, Managed Physical Network, Managed Physical Network Inc., March Holdings, March Holdings Inc., March Vision Care, March Vision Care Inc., Marin Surgery Holdings Inc., Maryland Ambulatory Centers, Maryland-SCA Centers LLC, Massachusetts Assurance Company Ltd. PIC, Massachusetts Avenue Surgery Center LLC, Mat-Rx Development, Mat-Rx Fort Worth GP, MedExpress Development, MedExpress Development LLC, MedExpress Urgent Care Alabama LLC, MedExpress Urgent Care Inc. - Ohio, MedExpress Urgent Care Maine Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care New Hampshire Inc., MedExpress Urgent Care of Boynton Beach, MedExpress Urgent Care of Boynton Beach LLC, MedSynergies, MedSynergies LLC, MedSynergies North Texas, Medalliance Net Ltda, Medalliance Net Ltda., Medica Health Plans of Florida, Medica Health Plans of Florida Inc., Medica HealthCare Plans, Medica HealthCare Plans Inc., Medical Clinic of North Texas PLLC, Medical Hilfe S.A., Medical Preparatory School of Allied Health, Medical Support Los Angeles Inc., Medical Surgical Centers of America Inc., Medical Transportation Services, Medical Transportation Services LLC, Medication Management Systems Inc., Melbourne Surgery Center LLC, Memorial City Holdings LLC, Memorial City Partners LLC, Memphis-SC LLC, Memphis-SP LLC, Mesquite Liberty LLC, Metro I Stone Management, Metropolitan Medical Partners LLC, Metropolitan Medical Transportation IPA LLC, Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of Tennessee, Midwest Center for Day Surgery LLC, Mile High SurgiCenter LLC, Mississippi Surgery Holdings LLC, Mississippi Surgical Center Limited Partnership, Mobile Medical Professionals, Modern Medical Inc., Monarch Management Services, Monarch Management Services Inc., Montgomery Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Mountain View Medical Group LLC, Mt. Pleasant Surgery Center L.P., Multiangio Ltda., Muskogee Surgical Investors LLC, Mustang Razorback Holdings, Mustang Razorback Holdings Inc., My Wellness Solutions LLC, NAMM Holdings, NAMM Holdings Inc., NSC Fayetteville LLC, NSC Greensboro LLC, NSC Lancaster LLC, NSC Seattle Inc., NSC Upland LLC, Nashville-SCA Surgery Centers Inc., National Foundation Life Insurance Company, National MedTrans LLC, National Pacific Dental, National Pacific Dental Inc., National Surgery Centers LLC, Neighborhood Health Partnership, Neighborhood Health Partnership Inc., Netwerkes, Netwerkes LLC, Nevada Medical Services LLC, Nevada Pacific Dental, New Orleans Regional Physician Hospital Organization L.L.C., New West Physicians Inc., Newton Holdings LLC, North American Medical Management - Illinois, North American Medical Management California, North American Medical Management California Inc., North Puget Sound Center for Sleep Disorders LLC, North Puget Sound Oncology Equipment Leasing Company LLC, Northern Nevada Health Network, Northern Nevada Health Network Inc., Northern Rockies Surgicenter Inc., Northwest Surgicare LLC, Northwest Surgicare Ltd., Nutritional/Parenteral Home Care, Nutritional/Parenteral Home Care of Huntsville, OC Cardiology Practice Partners LLC, OSB  Tecnologia e Servicos de Suporte Ltda., Omesa S.A., OmniClaim LLC, Oncocare S.A.C., OneNet PPO, OneNet PPO LLC, Optimum Choice, Optimum Choice Inc., Optum, Optum Bank, Optum Bank Inc., Optum Biometrics, Optum Biometrics Inc., Optum Care Inc., Optum Care Services Company, Optum Clinical Services, Optum Clinics Holdings, Optum Clinics Holdings Inc., Optum Clinics Intermediate Holdings, Optum Clinics Intermediate Holdings Inc., Optum Digital Health Holdings LLC, Optum Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Global Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Global Solutions (India) Private Limited, Optum Global Solutions (Philippines), Optum Global Solutions (Philippines) Inc., Optum Global Solutions International B.V., Optum Government Solutions, Optum Government Solutions Inc., Optum Growth Partners LLC, Optum Health & Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, Optum Health & Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, Optum Health & Technology (India) Private Limited, Optum Health & Technology (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Optum Health & Technology (UK) Limited, Optum Health & Technology (US), Optum Health & Technology (US) LLC, Optum Health & Technology FZ-LLC, Optum Health & Technology Holdings (US), Optum Health & Technology Holdings (US) Inc., Optum Health & Technology Servicos do Brasil Ltda., Optum Health Services (Canada) Ltd., Optum Health Solutions (Australia) Pty Ltd, Optum Health Solutions (UK) Limited, Optum Health and Technology FZ-LLC, Optum Healthcare of Illinois, Optum Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services, Optum Hospice Pharmacy Services LLC, Optum Inc., Optum Infusion Services 100 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 101 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 103 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 201 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 202 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 203 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 205 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 206 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 207 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 208 Inc., Optum Infusion Services 301 LP, Optum Infusion Services 302 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 308 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 401 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 403 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 404 LLC, Optum Infusion Services 501 Inc., Optum Insurance of Ohio, Optum Insurance of Ohio Inc., Optum Labs, Optum Labs Dimensions, Optum Labs Dimensions Inc., Optum Labs Inc., Optum Labs International (UK) Ltd., Optum Life Sciences (Canada) Inc., Optum Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Optum Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Optum Networks of New Jersey Inc., Optum Nevada Accountable Care Organization LLC, Optum Operations (Ireland) Unlimited Company, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care Inc., Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Pennsylvania, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Pennsylvania Inc., Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Texas, Optum Palliative and Hospice Care of Texas Inc., Optum Perks LLC, Optum Pharmacy 701 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 702 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 703 LLC, Optum Pharmacy 705 LLC, Optum Public Sector Solutions, Optum Public Sector Solutions Inc., Optum Rocket, Optum Rocket Inc., Optum Senior Services LLC, Optum Services, Optum Services (Ireland) Limited, Optum Services (Puerto Rico) LLC, Optum Services Inc., Optum Solutions UK Holdings Limited, Optum Solutions do Brasil  Tecnologia e Servicos de Suporte Ltda., Optum Technology, Optum Technology LLC, Optum UK Solutions Group Limited, Optum Women's and Children's Health, Optum Women's and Children's Health LLC, Optum of New York Inc., Optum360, Optum360 LLC, Optum360 Services, Optum360 Services Inc., Optum360 Solutions LLC, OptumCare ACO Florida LLC, OptumCare ACO Holdings LLC, OptumCare ACO New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Clinical Trials LLC, OptumCare Colorado ASC LLC, OptumCare Colorado LLC, OptumCare Colorado Springs LLC, OptumCare Endoscopy Center New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Florida CI LLC, OptumCare Florida LLC, OptumCare Health Plan of California Inc., OptumCare Holdings Colorado LLC, OptumCare Holdings LLC, OptumCare Holdings New Mexico LLC, OptumCare Management LLC, OptumCare New Mexico LLC, OptumCare New York IPA Inc., OptumCare South Florida LLC, OptumHealth Care Solutions, OptumHealth Care Solutions LLC, OptumHealth Financial Services, OptumHealth Financial Services Inc., OptumHealth Holdings, OptumHealth Holdings LLC, OptumHealth International B.V., OptumInsight, OptumInsight Holdings, OptumInsight Holdings LLC, OptumInsight Inc., OptumInsight India Private Limited, OptumInsight Life Sciences, OptumInsight Life Sciences Inc., OptumRx, OptumRx Administrative Services, OptumRx Administrative Services LLC, OptumRx Discount Card Services, OptumRx Discount Card Services LLC, OptumRx Group Holdings, OptumRx Group Holdings Inc., OptumRx Health Solutions LLC, OptumRx Holdings, OptumRx Holdings I LLC, OptumRx Holdings LLC, OptumRx Home Delivery of Illinois, OptumRx Home Delivery of Ohio, OptumRx Home Delivery of Ohio LLC, OptumRx IPA III Inc., OptumRx Inc., OptumRx NY IPA, OptumRx NY IPA Inc., OptumRx PBM of Illinois, OptumRx PBM of Illinois Inc., OptumRx PBM of Maryland, OptumRx PBM of Maryland LLC, OptumRx PBM of Pennsylvania, OptumRx PBM of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx PBM of Puerto Rico LLC, OptumRx PBM of Wisconsin, OptumRx PBM of Wisconsin LLC, OptumRx PD of Maryland, OptumRx PD of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumRx Pharmacy, OptumRx Pharmacy Inc., OptumRx Pharmacy of Nevada, OptumRx Pharmacy of Nevada Inc., OptumRx of Pennsylvania LLC, OptumServe Technology Services Inc., Orlando Center for Outpatient Surgery L.P., OrthoNet Holdings, OrthoNet Holdings Inc., OrthoNet LLC, OrthoNet New York IPA, OrthoNet New York IPA Inc., OrthoNet Services, OrthoNet Services Inc., OrthoNet West, OrthoNet West Inc., OrthoNet of the Mid-Atlantic, OrthoNet of the South, OrthoNet of the South Inc., Ovations, Ovations Inc., Oxford Benefit Management, Oxford Benefit Management Inc., Oxford Health Insurance, Oxford Health Insurance Inc., Oxford Health Plans (CT), Oxford Health Plans (CT) Inc., Oxford Health Plans (NJ), Oxford Health Plans (NJ) Inc., Oxford Health Plans (NY), Oxford Health Plans (NY) Inc., Oxford Health Plans LLC, P2 Lower Acquisition, P2P Link LLC, PCCCV, PCCCV Inc., PCN DE Corp., PHC Subsidiary Holdings, PHC Subsidiary Holdings LLC, PHYS Holding Corp., PHYSICIANS DAY SURGERY CENTER LLC, PMI Acquisition, PMI Acquisition LLC, PMSI, PMSI Holdco II, PMSI Holdings, PMSI Holdings LLC, PMSI LLC, PMSI Settlement Solutions, PMSI Settlement Solutions LLC, POMCO Inc., POMCO Network Inc., PPH Holdings LLC, PacifiCare Health Systems, PacifiCare Life Assurance Company, PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company, PacifiCare of Arizona, PacifiCare of Arizona Inc., PacifiCare of Colorado, PacifiCare of Colorado Inc., PacifiCare of Nevada, PacifiCare of Nevada Inc., Pacific Casualty Company Inc., Pacifico S.A. Entidad Prestadora de Salud, Paoli Ambulatory Surgery Center, Paoli Surgery Center L.P., Parkway Surgery Center LLC, Pasteur Plaza Surgery Center GP Inc., PatientsLikeMe, PatientsLikeMe LLC, Patrimonio Autonomo Nueva Clinica - PANC., Payment Resolution Services, Payment Resolution Services LLC, Peoples Health, Peoples Health Inc., Pharmaceutical Care Network, Pharmacy Review Services, Pharmacy Software Holdco Inc., PhyServe Holdings, Physician Alliance of the Rockies LLC, Physician Care Partners, Physicians Health Choice of Texas, Physicians Health Choice of Texas LLC, Physicians Health Plan of Maryland, Physicians Health Plan of Maryland Inc., Physicians Plaza Holdings LLC, Plano de Saude Ana Costa Ltda., Plus One Health Management Puerto Rico, Plus One Health Management Puerto Rico Inc., Plus One Holdings, Plus One Holdings Inc., Polar II Fundo de Investimento em Participacoes, Polar II Fundo de Investimento em Participacoes Multiestrategia, Polo Holdco, Polo Holdco LLC, Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Pomerado Outpatient Surgical Center L.P., Precision Dialing Services Inc., Preferred Care Partners, Preferred Care Partners Holding, Preferred Care Partners Holding Corp., Preferred Care Partners Inc., Preferred Care Partners Medical Group, Preferred Care Partners Medical Group Inc., Premier Choice ACO, Premier Choice ACO Inc., Premier Surgery Center of Louisville L.P., Prime Health, Prime Health Inc., PrimeCare Medical Network, PrimeCare Medical Network Inc., PrimeCare of Citrus Valley, PrimeCare of Citrus Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Corona, PrimeCare of Corona Inc., PrimeCare of Hemet Valley, PrimeCare of Hemet Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Inland Valley, PrimeCare of Inland Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Moreno Valley, PrimeCare of Moreno Valley Inc., PrimeCare of Redlands, PrimeCare of Redlands Inc., PrimeCare of Riverside, PrimeCare of Riverside Inc., PrimeCare of San Bernardino, PrimeCare of San Bernardino Inc., PrimeCare of Sun City, PrimeCare of Sun City Inc., PrimeCare of Temecula, PrimeCare of Temecula Inc., ProHEALTH Fitness of Lake Success, ProHEALTH Fitness of Lake Success LLC, ProHEALTH Medical Management LLC, ProHealth Medical Management, ProHealth Physicians, ProHealth Physicians ACO, ProHealth Physicians ACO LLC, ProHealth Physicians Inc., ProHealth Proton Center Management, ProHealth Proton Center Management LLC, Procura Management, Procura Management Inc., Progressive Enterprises Holdings, Progressive Enterprises Holdings Inc., Progressive Medical, Progressive Medical LLC, Progressive Solutions, Promotora Country S.A., Pronetics Health Care Group, Pronounced Health Solutions Inc., Prosemedic S.A.C., Prospero Management Services LLC, Pueblo-SCA Surgery Center LLC, Pulse Platform LLC, QoL Acquisition Holdings Corp., Quality Software Services, QuarterMaster Newco LLC, R&H Family Fitness Unlimited LLC, Rally Health, Rally Health Inc., Real Appeal Inc., Recaudacion y Cobranzas Honodav Ltda., Redlands Ambulatory Surgery Center, Redlands-SCA Surgery Centers Inc., Reliant MSO LLC, Research Surgical Center LLC, River Valley ASC LLC, Riverside Electronic Healthcare Resources Inc., Riverside Medical Management, Riverside Medical Management LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Meadowlands LLC, Riverside Surgical Center of Newark LLC, Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization Incorporated, Rocky Mountain HealthCare Options Inc., SC Affiliates LLC, SCA Alaska Surgery Center inc., SCA Athens LLC, SCA Austin Holdings LLC, SCA BOSC Holdings LLC, SCA California Surgical Holdings LLC, SCA Capital LLC, SCA Cedar Park Holdings LLC, SCA Clifton LLC, SCA Danbury Surgical Center LLC, SCA Development LLC, SCA EHSC Holdings LLC, SCA EWASC Holdings LLC, SCA Hays Holdings LLC, SCA Heartland Holdings LLC, SCA HoldCo Inc., SCA Holding Company Inc., SCA Holdings Inc., SCA IEC Holdings LLC, SCA Indiana Holdings LLC, SCA Nashville ASC LLC, SCA Pacific Holdings Inc., SCA Pennsylvania Holdings LLC, SCA Premier Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, SCA ROCS Holdings LLC, SCA Rockledge JV LLC, SCA SSC Holdings LLC, SCA SSSC Holdings LLC, SCA Sage Medical LLC, SCA Sage Medical MSO LLC, SCA Southwestern PA LLC, SCA Specialists of Florida LLC, SCA Stonegate Holdings LLC, SCA Surgery Center of Cullman LLC, SCA Surgery Holdings LLC, SCA Surgery Partners LLC, SCA Surgicare of Laguna Hills LLC, SCA Teammate Support Network, SCA eCode Solutions Private Limited, SCA of Clarksville Inc., SCA-Albuquerque Surgery Properties Inc., SCA-Alliance LLC, SCA-Anne Arundel LLC, SCA-Applecare Partners LLC, SCA-Bethesda LLC, SCA-Blue Ridge LLC, SCA-Bonita Springs LLC, SCA-Brandon LLC, SCA-Castle Rock LLC, SCA-Central Florida LLC, SCA-Charleston LLC, SCA-Chatham LLC, SCA-Chevy Chase LLC, SCA-Citrus Inc., SCA-Colorado Springs LLC, SCA-Connecticut Partners LLC, SCA-DRY CREEK LLC, SCA-Davenport LLC, SCA-Denver LLC, SCA-Denver Physicians Holdings LLC, SCA-Derry LLC, SCA-Doral LLC, SCA-Downey LLC, SCA-Dublin LLC, SCA-Encinitas Inc., SCA-Eugene Inc., SCA-First Coast LLC, SCA-Florence LLC, SCA-Fort Collins Inc., SCA-Fort Walton Inc., SCA-Franklin LLC, SCA-Frederick LLC, SCA-Freeway Holdings LLC, SCA-Ft. Myers LLC, SCA-GRANTS PASS LLC, SCA-Gainesville LLC, SCA-Gladiolus LLC, SCA-Grove Place LLC, SCA-Hagerstown LLC, SCA-Hamden LLC, SCA-Hilton Head LLC, SCA-Honolulu LLC, SCA-Houston Executive LLC, SCA-IT Holdings LLC, SCA-Illinois LLC, SCA-JPM Holdings LLC, SCA-Kissing Camels Holdings LLC, SCA-MC VBP Inc., SCA-Main Street LLC, SCA-Marina del Rey LLC, SCA-Mecklenburg Development Corp., SCA-Memorial City LLC, SCA-Merritt LLC, SCA-Midlands LLC, SCA-Midway Management LLC, SCA-Mobile LLC, SCA-Mokena LLC, SCA-Mokena Properties LLC, SCA-Morris County LLC, SCA-Mt. Pleasant LLC, SCA-ND VBP Inc., SCA-Naperville LLC, SCA-Naples LLC, SCA-New Jersey LLC, SCA-Newport Beach LLC, SCA-Northeast Georgia Health LLC, SCA-PORTLAND LLC, SCA-Palm Beach LLC, SCA-Palm Beach MSO Holdings LLC, SCA-Paoli LLC, SCA-Phoenix LLC, SCA-Pocono LLC, SCA-Practice Partners Holdings LLC, SCA-River Valley LLC, SCA-Riverside LLC, SCA-Riverside Partners LLC, SCA-Rockville LLC, SCA-Sacred Heart Holdings LLC, SCA-San Diego Inc., SCA-San Luis Obispo LLC, SCA-Sand Lake LLC, SCA-Santa Rosa Inc., SCA-Shelby Development Corp., SCA-Somerset LLC, SCA-South Jersey LLC, SCA-Sparta LLC, SCA-Spartanburg Holdings LLC, SCA-St. Louis LLC, SCA-St. Lucie LLC, SCA-SurgiCare LLC, SCA-Swiftpath LLC, SCA-VERTA LLC, SCA-Wake Forest LLC, SCA-Western Connecticut LLC, SCA-Westover Hills LLC, SCA-Wilmington LLC, SCA-Wilson LLC, SCA-Winchester LLC, SCA-Winter Park Inc., SCA-Woodlands Holdings LLC, SCAI Holdings LLC, SCP Specialty Infusion, SCP Specialty Infusion LLC, SHC Atlanta LLC, SHC Austin Inc., SHC Hawthorn Inc., SHC Melbourne Inc., SPINETRACK 20/20 Inc., SRPS LLC, SXC Comet, Sacred Heart ASC LLC, Saden S.A., Salem Surgery Center LLC, Salveo Specialty Pharmacy, Salveo Specialty Pharmacy Inc., Sand Lake SurgiCenter LLC, Santa Cruz Endoscopy Center LLC, Santa Helena Assistencia Medica S.A., Santos Administracao e Participacoes S.A., Savvysherpa Administrative Services LLC, Savvysherpa Asia Inc., Savvysherpa LLC, Scanner Centromed S.A., ScripNet, ScriptSwitch Limited, Seisa Servicos Integrados de Saude Ltda., Senate Street Surgery Center LLC, Senior Benefits L.L.C., Senior Care Partners, Serquinox Holdings LLC, Serquinox LLC, Servicios Integrados de Salud Ltda., Servicios Medicos Amed Quilpue S.A., Servicios Medicos Bio Bio Limitada, Servicios Medicos Ciudad del Mar Ltda., Servicios Medicos Santa Maria Limitada, Servicios Medicos Vespucio Ltda., Servicios de Entrenamiento en Competencias Clinicas Ltda., SharedClarity LLC, Shelby Surgery Properties Inc., Sierra Health Services, Sierra Health Services Inc, Sierra Health Services Inc., Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company, Sierra Health and Life Insurance Company Inc., Sierra Health-Care Options, Sierra Health-Care Options Inc., Sierra Home Medical Products, Sierra Home Medical Products Inc., Sierra Nevada Administrators, Sierra Nevada Administrators Inc., Sirona Infusion, Sistema de Administracion Hospitalaria S.A.C., Small Business Insurance Advisors Inc., Sobam  Centro Medico Hospitalar S.A., Sociedad Editorial para la Ciencia Limitada., Sociedad de Inversiones Santa Maria S.A., Somerset Outpatient Surgery L.L.C., Southwest Medical Associates, Southwest Medical Associates Inc., Southwest Michigan Health Network Inc., Southwest Surgery Center LLC, Southwest Surgical Center of Bakersfield L.P., Space Coast Surgical Center Ltd., Specialists in Urology Surgery Center LLC, Specialized Pharmaceuticals Inc., Specialty Benefits, Specialty Benefits LLC, Spectera, Spectera Inc., Spectera of New York IPA, Spectera of New York IPA Inc., Spotlite, Spotlite Inc., St. Cloud Surgical Center LLC, StoneRiver P2P Link, StoneRiver Pharmacy Solutions, Stonegate Surgery Center L.P., Streamlines Health LLC, Summit Home Infusion, SunSurgery LLC, Surgery Center Holding LLC, Surgery Center at Cherry Creek LLC, Surgery Center at Kissing Camels LLC, Surgery Center of Boca Raton Inc., Surgery Center of Clarksville L.P., Surgery Center of Colorado Springs LLC, Surgery Center of Des Moines LLC, Surgery Center of Easton LLC, Surgery Center of Ellicott City Inc., Surgery Center of Louisville LLC, Surgery Center of Maui LLC, Surgery Center of Muskogee LLC, Surgery Center of Rockville L.L.C., Surgery Center of Southern Pines LLC, Surgery Center of Spokane LLC, Surgery Center of Summerlin LLC, Surgery Center of The Woodlands LLC, Surgery Center of Vero Beach Inc., Surgery Center of Wilmington LLC, Surgery Center of Wilmington Properties LLC, Surgery Centers of Des Moines Ltd. an Iowa Limited Partnership, Surgery Centers-West Holdings LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates, Surgical Care Affiliates LLC, Surgical Care Affiliates Political Action Committee, Surgical Care Partners of Melbourne LLC, Surgical Center of South Jersey Limited Partnership, Surgical Center of Tuscaloosa Holdings LLC, Surgical Health LLC, Surgical Health of Orlando LLC, Surgical Hospital Holdings of Oklahoma LLC, Surgicare LLC, Surgicare of Belleville LLC, Surgicare of Jackson LLC, Surgicare of Joliet Inc., Surgicare of La Veta Inc., Surgicare of Minneapolis LLC, Surgicare of Mobile LLC, Surgicare of Oceanside Inc., Surgicare of Owensboro LLC, Surgicare of Salem LLC, Surgicenters of Southern California Inc., Symphonix Health Holdings, Symphonix Health Holdings LLC, Symphonix Health Insurance, Symphonix Health Insurance Inc., THE SURGICAL CENTER OF THE TREASURE COAST L.L.C., TeamMD Holdings Inc., TeamMD Iowa Inc., TeamMD Physicians of Texas Inc., TeamUP Insurance Services Inc., Tecnologias de Informacion en Salud S.A., The Advisory Board (Chile) SpA, The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company, The Lewin Group, The Lewin Group Inc., The Magan Medical Group, The Outpatient Surgery Center of Hilton Head LLC, The Polyclinic MSO LLC, Thomas Johnson Surgery Center LLC, Thousand Oaks Endoscopy Center LLC, Three Rivers Holdings, Three Rivers Holdings Inc., Three Rivers Surgical Care L.P., Tmesys, Tmesys LLC, Topimagem Diagnostico por Imagem Ltda., Touchpoint Health Plan, Trails Edge Surgery Center LLC, Travel Express Incorporated, TriMed LLC, Trinity Infusion, Trio Motion LLC, Tucson Arizona Surgical Center LLC, U.S. Behavioral Health Plan, U.S. Behavioral Health Plan California, UHC Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, UHC Global Health Services BC Ltd., UHC International Services, UHC International Services Inc., UHC of California, UHCG Holdings (Ireland) Limited, UHCG Services (Ireland) Limited, UHCG  FZE, UHG Brasil Participacoes S.A., UHIC Holdings, UHIC Holdings Inc., UICI Funding Corp. 2, UMR, UMR Inc., USHEALTH Academy Inc., USHEALTH Administrators LLC, USHEALTH Advisors L.L.C., USHEALTH Career Agency Inc., USHEALTH Funding Inc., USHEALTH Group Inc., USMD Administrative Services, USMD Administrative Services L.L.C., USMD Affiliated Services, USMD CT (Mo), USMD Cancer Treatment Centers, USMD Cancer Treatment Centers GP, USMD Diagnostic Services, USMD Holdings, USMD Holdings Inc., USMD Inc., USMD PPM, USMD PPM LLC, USMD of Arlington GP, Ultima Rx, Unidad Medica Diagnostico S.A., Unimerica Insurance Company, Unimerica Life Insurance Company of New York, Unison Administrative Services, Unison Health Plan of Delaware, Unison Health Plan of Delaware Inc., United Behavioral Health, United Behavioral Health of New York I.P.A., United Behavioral Health of New York I.P.A. Inc., United Group Reinsurance Inc., United Health Foundation, United HealthCare, United HealthCare Services Inc., United Management Services Inc., United Resource Networks IPA of New York, United Resource Networks IPA of New York Inc., UnitedHealth Advisors, UnitedHealth Advisors LLC, UnitedHealth Group Finance Inc., UnitedHealth Group Global Healthcare Services Limited, UnitedHealth Group Global Services, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, UnitedHealth Group Information Services Private Limited, UnitedHealth Group International Finance (Ireland) Unlimited Company, UnitedHealth Group International GP, UnitedHealth Group International L.P., UnitedHealth International, UnitedHealth International Inc., UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services, UnitedHealth Military & Veterans Services LLC, UnitedHealth UK Limited, UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealthcare Benefits Plan of California, UnitedHealthcare Benefits of Texas, UnitedHealthcare Benefits of Texas Inc., UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of California Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Georgia, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Georgia Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio Inc., UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Texas L.L.C., UnitedHealthcare Consulting & Assistance Service (Beijing) Co., UnitedHealthcare Consulting & Assistance Service (Beijing) Co. Ltd., UnitedHealthcare Europe S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare Europe S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare Global Canada Limited, UnitedHealthcare Global Medical (UK) Limited, UnitedHealthcare Inc., UnitedHealthcare India Private Limited, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Designated Activity Company, UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services, UnitedHealthcare Integrated Services Inc., UnitedHealthcare International Asia, UnitedHealthcare International Asia LLC, UnitedHealthcare International I B.V., UnitedHealthcare International I S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International II B.V., UnitedHealthcare International II S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International II S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International III B.V., UnitedHealthcare International III S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International III S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International IV S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International IV S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International V S.a.r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VI S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VII S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International VIII S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare International X S.a r.l., UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley Inc., UnitedHealthcare Service LLC, UnitedHealthcare Services Company of the River Valley, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits, UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits LLC, UnitedHealthcare of Alabama, UnitedHealthcare of Alabama Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Arizona, UnitedHealthcare of Arizona Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Arkansas, UnitedHealthcare of Arkansas Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Colorado, UnitedHealthcare of Colorado Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Florida, UnitedHealthcare of Florida Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Georgia, UnitedHealthcare of Georgia Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare of Illinois Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Kentucky, UnitedHealthcare of Kentucky Ltd., UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana, UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Mississippi, UnitedHealthcare of Mississippi Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New England, UnitedHealthcare of New England Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico Inc., UnitedHealthcare of New York, UnitedHealthcare of New York Inc., UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina, UnitedHealthcare of North Carolina Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Ohio, UnitedHealthcare of Ohio Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Oklahoma, UnitedHealthcare of Oklahoma Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, UnitedHealthcare of Oregon Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania, UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., UnitedHealthcare of South Carolina Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Texas, UnitedHealthcare of Texas Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Utah, UnitedHealthcare of Utah Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Washington, UnitedHealthcare of Washington Inc., UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin, UnitedHealthcare of Wisconsin Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic, UnitedHealthcare of the Mid-Atlantic Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Midlands, UnitedHealthcare of the Midlands Inc., UnitedHealthcare of the Midwest, UnitedHealthcare of the Midwest Inc., UpFront Insurance Agency LLC, Upland Holdings LLC, Upland Outpatient Surgical Center L.P., Urgent Care Holdings, Urgent Care Holdings Inc., Urgent Care MSO, Urgent Care MSO LLC, Urology Associates of North Texas, Urology Associates of North Texas P.L.L.C., VERTA MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC, Valley Hospital L.L.C., Valley Physicians Network, Valley Physicians Network Inc., Vida Tres Internacional S.A., Vidaintegra S.A., Vivify Health Canada Inc., Vivify Health Inc., WESTMED Practice Partners LLC, Wauwatosa Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Wauwatosa Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Wayland Square Surgicare Acquisition L.P., Wayland Square Surgicare GP Inc., WebInsure Benefits LLC, WellMed Medical Management, WellMed Medical Management Inc., WellMed Medical Management of Florida, WellMed Medical Management of Florida Inc., WellMed Networks  DFW, West Coast Endoscopy Holdings LLC, Western Connecticut Orthopedic Surgical Center LLC, WillowB Labs LLC, Wilmington ASC LLC, Winchester Endoscopy LLC, Winter Park LLC, XLHealth Corporation, XLHealth Corporation India Private Limited, Your Health Options Insurance Services, Your Health Options Insurance Services Inc., Your Partner in Health Services, divvyDOSE, eCode Solutions LLC, gethealthinsurance.com Agency Inc., hCentive Inc., inPharmative, inPharmative Inc., and ppoONE.
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. engages in the manufacture and distribution of nitrogen fertilizer. The firm owns and operates nitrogen plants and serves agricultural and industrial customers through its distribution system. It operates through following segments: Ammonia, Granular Urea, UAN, AN, and Other. The Ammonia segment produces anhydrous ammonia, which is company's most concentrated nitrogen fertilizer product as it contains 82% nitrogen. The Granular Urea segment produces granular urea, which contains 46% nitrogen. The UAN segment produces urea ammonium nitrate solution, which is a liquid fertilizer product with a nitrogen content from 28% to 32%, is produced by combining urea and ammonium nitrate. The AN segment produces ammonium nitrate, which is a nitrogen-based product with a nitrogen content between 29% and 35%. The Other segment includes diesel exhaust fluid, nitric acid, urea liquor and aqua ammonia. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Deerfield, IL.

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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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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..
SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Fidelity National Information Services: 11601 Roosevelt Boulevard Realty LLC, AFSF II AIV Investors D-LP, AGES Participacoes Ltda., AKC Insurance Company LLC, Advanced Portfolio Technologies Ltd., Alphakinetic Ltd., Armed Forces Financial Network LLC, AssetExchange, Automated Securities Clearance LLC, Best Payment Solutions Inc., Bibit Spain S.L., Bitpay Payments KK, C&E Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., CPRS Holdings Inc., Canadian Envoy Technology Services Ltd., Capco, Central Credit Services Limited, Certegy Canada Company, Certegy Card Services B.V., Certegy Dutch Holdings B.V., Certegy France Limited, Certegy SAS, Certegy UK Holdings B.V., Chex Systems Inc., Clear2Pay, Clear2Pay (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Clear2Pay APAC Pte. Ltd., Clear2Pay APAC Pty Ltd., Clear2Pay BV, Clear2Pay Belgium BV, Clear2Pay China Limited, Clear2Pay France SAS, Clear2Pay Germany GmbH, Clear2Pay Limited, Clear2Pay Nanjing Co. Limited, Clear2Pay Nederland BV, Clear2Pay Poland Sp. z o.o., Clear2Pay Scotland Holdings Limited, Clear2Pay Scotland Limited, Clear2Pay Spain S.l., ClearTwoPay Chile SpA, Complete Payment Recovery Services Inc., Compliance Coach, Credit Management Solutions, Decalog (UK) Limited, Decalog N.V., Envoy Services Bulgaria Limited, Envoy Services Ltd. (Asia) SDn BHD, Envoy Services Pty Ltd., Envoy Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, F.I.S. Systems (Middle East) Limited, FIS (Switzerland) SA, FIS (Tunisia) I SARL, FIS (Tunisia) II SARL, FIS Ambit Holdings Pty Ltd, FIS Apex (International) Limited, FIS Apex (UK) Limited, FIS Asia Pacific Inc., FIS AsiaPacRim Holdings Ltd., FIS Australasia Pty Ltd., FIS AvantGard LLC, FIS Banking Solutions UK Limited, FIS Bilgisayar Hizmetleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC, FIS Business Integration (UK) Limited, FIS Capital Markets UK Limited, FIS Capital Markets US LLC, FIS Card Services (Caribbean) Ltd., FIS Card Services (Thailand) Co. Ltd., FIS Consulting Services (Ireland) Limited, FIS Consulting Services (UK) Limited, FIS Denmark ApS, FIS Derivatives Utility Services (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Derivatives Utility Services (UK) Limited, FIS Derivatives Utility Services LLC, FIS Energy Solutions Limited, FIS Financial Solutions Canada Inc., FIS Financial Systems (France) SAS, FIS Foundation Inc., FIS GCS LLC, FIS Global Business Solutions India Private Ltd., FIS Global Execution Services (Ireland) Limited, FIS Global Execution Services Limited, FIS Global Holdings S.a.r.l, FIS Global Recovery Services India Private Limited, FIS Global Solutions Philippines Inc., FIS Global Trading (Deutschland) GmbH, FIS Global Trading (Hong Kong) Limited, FIS Global Trading (Iberica) S.L. Unipersonal, FIS Global Trading (Nederland) B.V., FIS Global Trading (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, FIS Global Trading (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Global Trading (Suisse) SA, FIS Global Trading (UK) Limited, FIS Healthcare Trustee Limited, FIS Holdings (Germany) GmbH i.L., FIS Holdings Limited, FIS Holdings Mauritius, FIS Insurance Services Limited, FIS International Subsidiaries Holdings Inc., FIS Investment Systems (UK) Limited, FIS Investment Ventures LLC, FIS Investor Services LLC, FIS Japan KK, FIS Kingstar Cayman Islands Limited, FIS Korea Ltd., FIS Management Services LLC, FIS Management Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., FIS Pakistan (Private) Limited, FIS Payment Solutions & Services India Private Limited, FIS Payments (Ireland) Limited, FIS Payments (UK) Limited, FIS Pensions Limited, FIS Romania SRL, FIS SG (Italia) S.r.l., FIS SG International Holdings LLC, FIS SG Systems Philippines Inc., FIS Sherwood Systems Limited, FIS Solutions (India) Private Limited, FIS Solutions LLC, FIS Solutions Software (India) Private Limited, FIS Systeme GmbH, FIS Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, FIS Systems (Luxembourg) S.A., FIS Systems (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., FIS Systems (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Systems Canada Inc., FIS Systems International LLC, FIS Systems Kenya Limited, FIS Systems Limited, FIS Systems NZ Limited, FIS Systems Pty Ltd, FIS Systems South Africa (Pty) Limited, FIS Systems de Colombia S.A.S., FIS Technology (Beijing) Co. Limited, FIS Technology Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., FIS Technology Services (Tunisia) SARL, FIS Technology Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Treasury Systems (Europe) Limited, FIS Treasury Systems (UK) Limited, FIS UK Holdings Limited, FIS Vietnam LLC, FIS Worldpay (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, FIS Worldpay Jersey Limited, FIS-SG Holding Corp., FNIS Istanbul Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, FV General Partner LLC, Fidelity Holding Ltda., Fidelity Information Services (Hong Kong) Limited, Fidelity Information Services (Iberia) S.L.U., Fidelity Information Services (Israel) Ltd., Fidelity Information Services (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Fidelity Information Services (Thailand) Limited, Fidelity Information Services Front Arena AB, Fidelity Information Services GmbH, Fidelity Information Services Holdings B.V., Fidelity Information Services India Private Limited, Fidelity Information Services International Holdings Inc., Fidelity Information Services LLC, Fidelity Information Services Limited, Fidelity Information Services Operations GmbH, Fidelity Information Services SARL, Fidelity Information Services Slovakia s.r.o., Fidelity Information Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fidelity International Resource Management Inc., Fidelity National Card Services Inc., Fidelity National Global Card Services Inc., Fidelity National Information Services (Netherlands) B.V., Fidelity National Information Services C.V., Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Fidelity National Participacoes e Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos de Tratamento de Documentos e Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos e Contact Center Ltda., Fidelity Participacoes e Servicos Ltda., Financial Insurance Marketing Group Inc., GL Settle Limited, GL Trade (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, GL Trade CMS (Thailand) Limited, GL Trade Software DOO, GL Trade Solutions CMS (Thailand) Limited, Glesia S.r.l., GoCart LLC, Information Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Integrity Treasury Solutions Europe Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Inc., Integrity Treasury Solutions Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Pty Limited, Link2Gov Corp., Memento, Metavante Corporation, Metavante Payment Services LLC, Metavante Technologies Inc, Metavante Technologies Limited, Minorca Corporation NV, Monis Management Limited, Monis Software Limited, NYCE Payments Network LLC, Oshap Software Industries Ltd., Oshap Technologies Ltd., PT FIS Systems Indonesia, PT Fidelity Information Services Indonesia, Panther Holdco 2 Inc., Panther Holdco Inc., Payment Brasil Holdings Ltda., Payment Chile S.A., Payment Trust Limited, Paymetric Inc., Pazien Inc., People's United Merchant Services LLC, Platform Securities Holdings Limited, Platform Securities International Limited, Platform Securities International Nominees Limited, Platform Securities LLP, Platform Securities Nominees Limited, Platform Securities Services Limited, Reech Capital Limited, Reliance Financial Corporation, Reliance Integrated Solutions LLC, Reliance Trust Company, Rocket Partners Holdings LLC, Sanchez Computer Associates Pty Limited, Secondco Limited, Ship Holdco Limited, Ship Luxco 2 S.a.r.l., Ship Luxco 3 S.a.r.l., Ship Midco Limited, Solutions Plus Consulting Services Limited, SunGard, SunGard Data Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., SunGard Global Services (Tunisia) III, SunGard Global Trading (Australia) Pty. Ltd., SunGard India Sales Private Limited, TP Technologies N.V., Tayvin 346 Limited, Transax Limited, Trax BV, Valuelink Information Services Limited, Valutec Card Solutions LLC, Virtus Fund Services, Virtus Group LP, Virtus LP Holdings LLC, Virtus Partners Fund Services Cayman Ltd., Virtus Partners Fund Services Holdings Company, Virtus Partners Fund Services Ireland Limited, Virtus Partners Fund Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Virtus Partners Ireland Ltd., Virtus Partners Ltd., Virtus Trade Settlement LLC, WebTone Technologies, Worldpay, Worldpay (HK) Limited, Worldpay (NZ) Limited, Worldpay (UK) Limited, Worldpay AP Ltd., Worldpay Argentina SRL, Worldpay B.V., Worldpay Canada Corporation, Worldpay Cayman Holdings Limited, Worldpay Company LLC, Worldpay Do Brasil Processamento De Pagamentos Ltda., Worldpay Finance Limited, Worldpay Gaming Solutions LLC, Worldpay Governance Limited, Worldpay Group Limited, Worldpay Holdings (Barbados) SRL, Worldpay Holdings Brasil Participacoes Ltda., Worldpay ISO Inc., Worldpay India Private Limited, Worldpay Integrated Payments Canada LLC, Worldpay Integrated Payments LLC., Worldpay Integrated Payments Solutions Inc., Worldpay International Group Limited, Worldpay International Holdings Limited, Worldpay International Limited, Worldpay International Payments Limited, Worldpay International Solutions Limited, Worldpay K.K., Worldpay LLC, Worldpay Latin America Limited, Worldpay Limited, Worldpay Marketing Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Worldpay Payments (Barbados) SRL, Worldpay Processing Services SRL, Worldpay Pte Ltd., Worldpay Pty Ltd., Worldpay S.a.r.l., Worldpay Services Company, Worldpay Services SRL, Worldpay Solutions SRL, Worldpay Technology Bucharest S.R.L., Worldpay Treasury Solutions SRL, Worldpay US Inc., Worldpay eCommerce LLC, Worldpay eCommerce Limited, Xpede, YES-Secure.com Limited, YESpay International Limited, Zenmonics Inc., Zenmonics Software Private Limited, eFunds Corporation, eFunds Holdings Limited, eFunds International Limited, i DLX International B.V., and mFoundry Inc..
The following companies are subsidiares of Banco Santander: 2 & 3 Triton Limited, A & L CF (Guernsey) Limited (f), A & L CF June (2) Limited, A & L CF June (3) Limited, A & L CF March (5) Limited, A & L CF September (4) Limited, AFB SAM Holdings S.L., ALIL Services Limited (b), AN (123) Limited, ANITCO Limited, Abbey Business Services (India) Private Limited, Abbey Covered Bonds (LM) Limited, Abbey National, Abbey National Beta Investments Limited, Abbey National Business Office Equipment Leasing Limited, Abbey National International Limited, Abbey National Nominees Limited, Abbey National PLP (UK) Limited, Abbey National Property Investments, Abbey National Treasury Services Investments Limited, Abbey National Treasury Services Overseas Holdings, Abbey National UK Investments, Abbey Stockbrokers (Nominees) Limited, Abbey Stockbrokers Limited, Ablasa Participaciones S.L., Administracion de Bancos Latinoamericanos Santander S.L., Aduro S.A., Aevis Europa S.L., Afisa S.A., Albert., Aljardi SGPS Lda., Alliance & Leicester, Alliance & Leicester Cash Solutions Limited, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (Derivatives) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments (No.2) Limited, Alliance & Leicester Investments Limited, Alliance & Leicester Limited, Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited, Altamira Santander Real Estate S.A., Alternative Leasing FIL, Amazonia Trade Limited, Amherst Pierpont, Andaluza de Inversiones S.A., Aquanima Brasil Ltda., Aquanima Chile S.A., Aquanima Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aquanima S.A., Arcaz - Sociedade Imobiliaria Portuguesa Lda., Argenline S.A. (b), Asto Digital Limited, Athena Corporation Limited, Atual - Fundo de Invest Multimercado Credito Privado Investimento no Exterior, Atual Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos e Meios Digitais S.A., Autodescuento S.L., Autohaus24 GmbH, Auttar HUT Processamento de Dados Ltda., Aviacion Antares A.I.E., Aviacion Britanica A.I.E., Aviacion Centaurus A.I.E., Aviacion Comillas S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Intercontinental A.I.E., Aviacion Laredo S.L., Aviacion Oyambre S.L. Unipersonal, Aviacion Real A.I.E., Aviacion Santillana S.L., Aviacion Suances S.L., Aviacion Triton A.I.E., Aymore Credito Financiamento e Investimento S.A., BEN Beneficios e Servicos S.A., BRS Investments S.A., BZW Bank, Banca PSA Italia S.p.A., Banco Bandepe S.A., Banco Madesant - Sociedade Unipessoal S.A., Banco PSA Finance Brasil S.A., Banco Popular, Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A., Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 100740, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso 2002114, Banco Santander (Mexico) S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico como Fiduciaria del Fideicomiso GFSSLPT, Banco Santander - Chile, Banco Santander Consumer Portugal S.A., Banco Santander International, Banco Santander International SA, Banco Santander Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Banco Santander Peru S.A., Banco Santander Rio S.A., Banco Santander S.A., Banco Santander Totta S.A., Banco Santander de Negocios Colombia S.A., Banco de Albacete S.A., Bansa Santander S.A., CCAP Auto Lease Ltd., Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund IV LLC, Capital Street Delaware LP, Capital Street Holdings LLC, Capital Street REIT Holdings LLC, Capital Street S.A., Carfax (Guernsey) Limited (f), Carfinco Financial Group, Carfinco Financial Group Inc., Carfinco Inc., Casa de Bolsa Santander S.A. de C.V. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Cater Allen Holdings Limited, Cater Allen International Limited, Cater Allen Limited, Cater Allen Lloyd's Holdings Limited, Cater Allen Syndicate Management Limited, Centro de Capacitacion Santander A.C., Certidesa S.L., Chrysler Capital Auto Funding I LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Funding II LLC, Chrysler Capital Auto Receivables LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 2 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding 4 LLC, Chrysler Capital Master Auto Receivables Funding LLC, Cobranza Amigable S.A.P.I. de C.V., Community Development and Affordable Housing Fund LLC (g), Compagnie Generale de Credit Aux Particuliers - Credipar S.A., Compagnie Pour la Location de Vehicules - CLV, Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Argentina S.A., Comunidad Laboral Trabajando Iberica S.L. Unipersonal en liquidacion (b), Consulteam Consultores de Gestao Lda., Consumer Lending Receivables LLC, Crawfall S.A. (b), Cantabra de Inversiones S.A., Cantabro Catalana de Inversiones S.A., Darep Designated Activity Company, Decarome S.A.P.I. de C.V., Deva Capital Advisory Company S.L., Deva Capital Holding Company S.L., Deva Capital Investment Company S.L., Deva Capital Management Company S.L., Deva Capital Servicer Company S.L., Digital Procurement Holdings N.V., Diners Club Spain S.A., Direccion Estratega S.C., Dirgenfin S.L. en liquidacion (b), Ebury, El Corte Ingles, Elavon Mexico, Electrolyser S.A. de C.V., Entidad de Desarrollo a la Pequena y Micro Empresa Santander Consumo Peru S.A., Erestone S.A.S., Esfera Fidelidade S.A., Evidence Previdencia S.A., Financeira El Corte Ingles Portugal S.F.C. S.A., Financiera El Corte Ingles E.F.C. S.A., Finsantusa S.L. Unipersonal, First National Motor Business Limited, First National Motor Contracts Limited, First National Motor Facilities Limited, First National Motor Finance Limited, First National Motor Leasing Limited, First National Motor plc, First National Tricity Finance Limited, Fondos Santander S.A. Administradora de Fondos de Inversion (en liquidacion) (b), Fortensky Trading Ltd., Fosse Funding (No.1) Limited, Fosse Master Issuer plc, Fosse Trustee (UK) Limited, GTS El Centro Equity Holdings LLC, GTS El Centro Project Holdings LLC, Gamma Sociedade Financeira de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Gesban Mexico Servicios Administrativos Globales S.A. de C.V., Gesban Santander Servicios Profesionales Contables Limitada, Gesban Servicios Administrativos Globales S.L., Gesban UK Limited, Gestion de Instalaciones Fotovoltaicas S.L. Unipersonal, Gestion de Inversiones JILT S.A., Gestora de Procesos S.A. en liquidacion (b), Getnet Adquirencia e Servicos para Meios de Pagamento S.A., Global Vosgos S.L. Unipersonal, Grupo Empresarial Santander S.L., Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico S.A. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, Guaranty Car S.A. Unipersonal, HQ Mobile Limited, Hispamer Renting S.A. Unipersonal, Holbah II Limited, Holbah Santander S.L. Unipersonal, Holmes Funding Limited, Holmes Master Issuer plc, Holmes Trustees Limited, Hyundai Capital Bank Europe GmbH, Iberica de Compras Corporativas S.L., Independence Community Bank Corp., Insurance Funding Solutions Limited, Interfinance Holanda B.V., Inversiones Capital Global S.A. Unipersonal, Inversiones Maritimas del Mediterraneo S.A., Isla de los Buques S.A., Klare Corredora de Seguros S.A., Landcompany 2020 S.L., Langton Funding (No.1) Limited, Langton Mortgages Trustee (UK) Limited, Langton Securities (2008-1) plc, Langton Securities (2010-1) PLC, Langton Securities (2010-2) PLC, Laparanza S.A., Liquidity Limited, Luri 1 S.A. en liquidacion (b) (e), Luri 6 S.A. Unipersonal, Master Red Europa S.L., Mata Alta S.L., Merciver S.L., Mercury TFS, Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.A. de C.V., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.L., Mercury Trade Finance Solutions S.p.A., Moneybit S.L., Mortgage Engine Limited, Motor 2016-1 PLC, Motor 2017-1 PLC, Mouro Capital I LP, Multiplica SpA, NW Services CO., Naviera Mirambel S.L., Naviera Trans Gas A.I.E., Naviera Trans Iron S.L., Naviera Trans Ore A.I.E., Naviera Trans Wind S.L. (b), Naviera Transcantabrica S.L., Naviera Transchem S.L. Unipersonal, NeoAuto S.A.C., Norbest AS, Novimovest  Fundo de Investimento Imobiliario, Open Bank Argentina S.A., Open Bank S.A., Open Digital Market S.L., Open Digital Services S.L., Operadora de Carteras Gamma S.A.P.I. de C.V., Optimal Investment Services SA, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland Euro Fund, Optimal Multiadvisors Ireland Plc / Optimal Strategic US Equity Ireland US Dollar Fund, PBE Companies LLC, PECOH Limited, PI Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., PSA Bank Deutschland GmbH, PSA Banque France, PSA Finance UK Limited, PSA Financial Services Nederland B.V., PSA Financial Services Spain E.F.C. S.A., PSA Renting Italia S.p.A., PagoFX Europe S.A., PagoFX HoldCo S.L., PagoFX UK Ltd, PagoNxt Merchant Solutions S.L., PagoNxt S.L., Parasant SA, Patagon.com, Pereda Gestion S.A., Pingham International S.A., Popular Spain Holding de Inversiones S.L.U., Portal Universia Argentina S.A., Portal Universia Portugal Prestacao de Servicos de Informatica S.A., Prime 16  Fundo de Investimentos Imobiliario, Punta Lima LLC, Punta Lima Wind Farm LLC, Retop S.A., Return Capital Servicos de Recuperacao de Creditos S.A., Return Gestao de Recursos S.A., Riobank International (Uruguay) SAIFE (b), Rojo Entretenimento S.A., SAM Asset Management S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, SAM Investment Holdings S.L., SAM UK Investment Holdings Limited (b), SANB Promotora de Vendas e Cobranca Ltda., SCF Eastside Locks GP Limited, SDMX Superdigital S.A. de C.V., SMPS Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A de C.V, Sancap Investimentos e Participacoes S.A., Santander (CF Trustee Property Nominee) Limited, Santander (UK) Group Pension Schemes Trustees Limited, Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 1 S.A., Santander Ahorro Inmobiliario 2 S.A., Santander Alternatives SICAV RAIF, Santander Asesorias Financieras Limitada, Santander Asset Finance (December) Limited, Santander Asset Finance plc, Santander Asset Management - S.G.O.I.C. S.A., Santander Asset Management Chile S.A., Santander Asset Management LLC, Santander Asset Management Luxembourg S.A., Santander Asset Management S.A. Administradora General de Fondos, Santander Asset Management S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Asset Management UK Holdings Limited, Santander Asset Management UK Limited, Santander Back-Offices Globales Mayoristas S.A., Santander Banca de Inversion Colombia S.A.S., Santander Bank & Trust Ltd., Santander Bank National Association, Santander Bank Polska S.A., Santander Brasil Administradora de Consorcio Ltda., Santander Brasil Gestao de Recursos Ltda., Santander Brasil Tecnologia S.A., Santander Capital Desarrollo SGEIC S.A. Unipersonal, Santander Capital Structuring S.A. de C.V., Santander Capitalizacao S.A., Santander Cards Ireland Limited, Santander Cards Limited, Santander Cards UK Limited, Santander Chile Holding S.A., Santander Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Santander Consumer (UK) plc, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2013-B3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L4 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2018-L5 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2019-L3 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-B1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L1 LLC, Santander Consumer Auto Receivables Funding 2020-L2 LLC, Santander Consumer Bank, Santander Consumer Bank AG, Santander Consumer Bank GmbH, Santander Consumer Bank S.A., Santander Consumer Bank S.p.A., Santander Consumer Banque S.A., Santander Consumer Credit Services Limited, Santander Consumer Finance Benelux B.V., Santander Consumer Finance Global Services S.L., Santander Consumer Finance Oy, Santander Consumer Finance S.A., Santander Consumer Finance Schweiz AG, Santander Consumer Financial Solutions Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Finanse Sp. z o.o. (b), Santander Consumer Holding Austria GmbH, Santander Consumer Holding GmbH, Santander Consumer International Puerto Rico LLC, Santander Consumer Leasing GmbH, Santander Consumer Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.L., Santander Consumer Multirent Sp. z o.o., Santander Consumer Operations Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Receivables 10 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 11 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 3 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables 7 LLC, Santander Consumer Receivables Funding LLC, Santander Consumer Renting S.L., Santander Consumer S.A., Santander Consumer S.A.S., Santander Consumer Services GmbH, Santander Consumer Services S.A., Santander Consumer Technology Services GmbH, Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc., Santander Consumer USA Inc., Santander Consumo S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Corredora de Seguros Limitada, Santander Corredores de Bolsa Limitada, Santander Corretora de Cambio e Valores Mobiliarios S.A., Santander Corretora de Seguros Investimentos e Servicos S.A., Santander Customer Voice S.A., Santander Digital Assets S.L., Santander Drive Auto Receivables LLC, Santander Equity Investments Limited, Santander Espana Merchant Services Entidad de Pago S.L. Unipersonal, Santander Espana Servicios Legales y de Cumplimiento S.L., Santander Estates Limited, Santander F24 S.A., Santander Facility Management Espana S.L., Santander Factoring S.A., Santander Factoring Sp. z o.o., Santander Factoring y Confirming S.A. E.F.C., Santander Finance 2012-1 LLC, Santander Financial Exchanges Limited, Santander Financial Services Inc., Santander Financial Services plc, Santander Finanse Sp. z o.o., Santander Fintech Holdings S.L., Santander Fintech Limited, Santander Fundo de Investimento SBAC Referenciado di Credito Privado, Santander Gestion de Recaudacion y Cobranzas Ltda., Santander Global Consumer Finance Limited, Santander Global Facilities S.A. de C.V., Santander Global Facilities S.L., Santander Global Operations S.A., Santander Global Services S.A. (b), Santander Global Sport S.A., Santander Global Technology Brasil Ltda., Santander Global Technology Chile Limitada, Santander Global Technology S.L., Santander Global Trade Platform Solutions S.L., Santander Guarantee Company, Santander Holding Imobiliaria S.A., Santander Holding Internacional S.A., Santander Holdings USA Inc., Santander ISA Managers Limited, Santander Inclusion Financiera S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.R. Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico, Santander Insurance Agency U.S. LLC, Santander Insurance Services UK Limited, Santander Intermediacion Correduria de Seguros S.A., Santander International Products Plc. (d), Santander Inversiones S.A., Santander Investment Bank Limited, Santander Investment Chile Limitada, Santander Investment I S.A., Santander Investment S.A., Santander Investment Securities Inc., Santander Investments GP 1 S.a.r.l., Santander Inwestycje Sp. z o.o., Santander Lease S.A. E.F.C., Santander Leasing LLC, Santander Leasing S.A., Santander Leasing S.A. Arrendamento Mercantil, Santander Lending Limited, Santander Mediacion Operador de Banca-Seguros Vinculado S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Operations S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Services S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions S.A., Santander Merchant Platform Solutions Uruguay S.A., Santander Merchant Platform SolucoesTecnologicas Brasil Ltda., Santander Merchant S.A., Santander Mortgage Holdings Limited, Santander Paraty Qif PLC, Santander Pensiones S.A. E.G.F.P., Santander Pensoes - Sociedade Gestora de Fundos de Pensoes S.A., Santander Private Banking Gestion S.A. S.G.I.I.C., Santander Private Banking UK Limited, Santander Private Banking s.p.a. in Liquidazione (b), Santander Private Real Estate Advisory & Management S.A., Santander Private Real Estate Advisory S.A., Santander Real Estate S.A., Santander Retail Auto Lease Funding LLC, Santander Rio Asset Management Gerente de Fondos Comunes de Inversion S.A., Santander Rio Trust S.A., Santander Rio Valores S.A., Santander S.A. Sociedad Securitizadora, Santander Secretariat Services Limited, Santander Securities LLC, Santander Seguros y Reaseguros Compania Aseguradora S.A., Santander Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., Santander Servicios Especializados S.A. de C.V., Santander Technology USA LLC, Santander Tecnologia e Inovacao Ltda., Santander Tecnologia Argentina S.A., Santander Tecnologia Espana S.L.U., Santander Tecnologia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Santander Totta SGPS S.A., Santander Totta Seguros Companhia de Seguros de Vida S.A., Santander Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych S.A., Santander Trade Services Limited, Santander UK Group Holdings plc, Santander UK Investments, Santander UK Operations Limited, Santander UK Plc, Santander UK Technology Limited, Santander Wealth Management International SA, Santander de Titulizacion S.G.F.T. S.A., Santusa Holding S.L., Services and Promotions Delaware Corp., Services and Promotions Miami LLC, Servicio de Alarmas Controladas por Ordenador S.A., Servicios de Cobranza Recuperacion y Seguimiento S.A. De C.V., Sheppards Moneybrokers Limited, Shiloh III Wind Project LLC, Sociedad Integral de Valoraciones Automatizadas S.A., Sociedad Operadora de Tarjetas de Pago Santander Getnet Chile S.A., Socur S.A., Sol Orchard Imperial 1 LLC, Solarlaser Limited, Sovereign Community Development Company, Sovereign Delaware Investment Corporation, Sovereign Lease Holdings LLC, Sovereign REIT Holdings Inc., Sovereign Spirit Limited (f), Sterrebeeck B.V., Suleyado 2003 S.L. Unipersonal, Summer Empreendimentos Ltda., Super Pagamentos e Administracao de Meios Eletronicos S.A., Superdigital Argentina S.A.U., Superdigital Colombia S.A.S., Superdigital Holding Company S.L., Superdigital Peru S.A.C., Suzuki Servicios Financieros S.L., Swesant SA, TIMFin S.p.A., TOPSAM S.A de C.V., Taxagest Sociedade Gestora de Participacoes Sociais S.A., Teatinos Siglo XXI Inversiones S.A., The Alliance & Leicester Corporation Limited, The Best Specialty Coffee S.L. Unipersonal, Time Retail Finance Limited (b), Tonopah Solar I LLC, Toque Fale Servicos de Telemarketing Ltda., Tornquist Asesores de Seguros S.A. (b), Totta (Ireland) PLC, Totta Urbe - Empresa de Administracao e Construcoes S.A., Trabajando.com Mexico S.A. de C.V. en liquidacion (b), Trabajando.com Peru S.A.C., Trans Rotor Limited (b), Transolver Finance EFC S.A., Tresmares Growth Fund Santander SCR S.A., Tresmares Santander Direct Lending SICC S.A., Tuttle and Son Limited, Universia Brasil S.A., Universia Chile S.A., Universia Colombia S.A.S., Universia Espana Red de Universidades S.A., Universia Holding S.L., Universia Mexico S.A. de C.V., Universia Peru S.A., Universia Uruguay S.A., Uro Property Holdings SOCIMI S.A., WIM Servicios Corporativos S.A. de C.V., WTW Shipping Designated Activity Company, Wallcesa S.A., Wave Holdco S.L., Waypoint Insurance Group Inc., and Wirecard (Technological Assets).
With the acquittal of an East Pittsburgh police officer in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Antwon Rose II, an attorney for the late teen's family said the fight for justice is far from over.

"It will have to be challenged, in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. It will have to continue to be challenged on a federal level," attorney S. Lee Merritt said Friday.

"Antwon Rose was shot in his back. ... He was unarmed, and he did not pose a threat to the officer or to the community, and the verdict today says that is OK, that is acceptable behavior from a police officer," he said.

Antwon was shot three times when he ran during a traffic stop on June 19. A witness to the shooting captured it on video that was posted on Facebook.

Officer Michael Rosfeld, 30, faced one criminal homicide charge. The jury was instructed to consider first-degree murder, third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he could have been sentenced to life in prison.

The shooting raised racial tensions. Rosfeld is white, and Antwon was black.

Four hours of jury deliberations

Three and a half days of testimony and four hours of jury deliberations led to a verdict of not guilty on all counts.

Rosfeld testified Thursday that he initially pulled over the gold Chevrolet Cruze that Antwon and others were in because it matched the description of a car involved in a drive-by shooting 20 minutes earlier. He said that he knew from radio dispatch communications that between 10 and 12 shots were fired in the drive-by, which he said signaled to him more than one armed suspect may have been in the vehicle.

The car with a shattered rear windshield was riddled with bullet holes when Rosfeld called in a felony traffic stop.

Rosfeld said he saw both Antwon and another passenger, Zaijuan Hester, then 17, move from the car at the same time. He acknowledged that he couldn't differentiate between the two to say which one was pointing what he thought was a handgun at him, so he fired his gun in the general direction of both.

"I'm not going to wait to be attacked," Rosfeld said on the stand when prosecutor Dan Fitzsimmons pressed him on why he didn't wait in his police vehicle until other officers arrived.

Rosfeld initially told police his intention had been to get all three occupants of the car on the ground as he awaited backup, according to the criminal complaint.

Protests begin immediately

Demonstrators gathered outside the Allegheny County Courthouse as soon as the verdict came in, and protesters marched on the streets of the east side of Pittsburgh in the hours afterward. Overnight, gunshots were fired into the Monroeville, Pennsylvania, office of Rosfeld's attorney, Patrick Thomassey, CNN affiliate KDKA reported.

The June shooting of Antwon sparked protests as crowds questioned the police's use of deadly force against an unarmed youth.

Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto said in a statement following the not guilty verdict that he grieves with Antwon's loved ones and the community.

"Words cannot heal the pain so many are feeling," Peduto said. "Only action can begin the process, a process that will take work and understanding. An understanding that inequality exists and we have a moral obligation to address it."

Rosfeld had been on the job for two weeks

Rosfeld testified that he'd been sworn in nearly an hour before the shooting. He'd been working on the job for about two weeks then and had been a police officer in other jurisdictions since 2011.

Rosfeld said he ordered the driver to the ground and Antwon, the front seat passenger, left the car and turned his hand toward Rosfeld, and the officer said he saw something dark he perceived as a gun.

He has been criticized for an inconsistency in his telling of the incident, because when asked again to recount the events, Rosfeld "told the detectives that he did not see a gun when the passenger emerged and ran. When confronted with this inconsistency, Rosfeld stated he saw something in the passenger's hand but was not sure what it was," the complaint said.

Police later found two stolen guns in the car, traces of gun residue on Antwon's hand and the empty clip of a handgun in his pants pocket, according to court records.

Witnesses during the trial testified that Rosfeld was distraught and emotional after realizing he fatally shot Antwon.

"This case had nothing to do with race, absolutely nothing to do with race," defense attorney Thomassey said after the verdict. "Certain people in this city have made it that way, and it's sad." His client, the lawyer said, told him "many times: It had nothing to do with that kid's color. I was doing what I was trained to do."

Clarification: A previous version of this story mischaracterized the charge levied against Officer Michael Rosfeld. He only faced one charge of criminal homicide.
NEW HARTFORD, NY  The Hindu festival of Holi was celebrated by members of the Mohawk Valley India Association at Danieles Banquet Specialists Sunday.

Holi, also known as the festival of colors, is a religious celebration to welcome the return of spring.

There was plenty of traditional food, music, and dancers in bright vibrant colors at the festival.

The president of the Mohawk Valley India Association, Mayuri Desai, said being able to celebrate Holi is very important in keeping their traditions alive.

We want our kids to know our culture so they can keep the heritage alive that we brought from back home. Its a 5,000-year-old culture. There are meanings to everything. If the kids know the meanings, then they will have a lot of respect for it and they will try to follow the culture.
DEERFIELD, N.Y. - The Mohawk Valley Coin Club held its annual Coin Show on Sunday at the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department.

Mohawk Valley Coin Club Secretary Gerry Steele says coin collectors really enjoy this small but popular show.

Steele says he, like so many collectors, got his start when he was little, I started when I was four years old because my father gave me one of those blue folders and you got to put the pennies in.

Dick Phelps of Remsen brought down a bunch of old coins he had collected over the years, including a 2 cent coin from the 1800s, Theres big lettering and small lettering and I have the big and the small is the big money so I didnt get my two cents worth.

Phelps says he was told by dealers at the show that his two cent coin was worth between 50 cents and a dollar, Ill keep it for now for sentimental reasons.
It's time now to meet the newest members of the Morning Mug Club -- brought to you by Holland Farms Bakery & Deli.

Find your next "Pay Day" at the Herkimer College Career Fair. It's coming up on Wednesday, March 27th, from 1-3pm in the Robert McLaughlin College Center at the College.

There, you can meet with representatives from over 70 companies that have full and part-time opportunities available. Be sure you dress for success, bring your resume and fill out some job applications. It's open to the public.

For a full list of employers head over to herkimer.edu/career.
UTICA, N.Y. -- Law enforcement officers Monday received training on how to handle elder abuse.

A state committee along with the state Division of Criminal Justice, worked together to provide the training.

The focus of this training is financial exploitation" of seniors.

Patrol officers and investigators are learning about the signs of exploitation, power of attorney, and penal laws pertaining to exploitation of seniors.

A bank fraud investigator talked about why seniors might not want to report it if they fall victim.

Particularly a senior may not want to admit they have fallen victim to this. Theyre fearful a family member or care giver may feel they are no longer able to take care of themselves, said Darryl Lindsay, a bank fraud investigator.

Scams are just one kind of financial exploitation and certainly that's on the rise as well whether its on the internet or the telephone or door-to-door, said Mike Romano, with Oneida County Office for the Aging.

Offices for the aging, in most counties, have resources. Also, if you do fall victim to a scam, report it immediately to your bank and to authorities.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The Democratic leaders of the New York state Legislature say they're making progress during budget talks with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The update from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins came after they emerged from another closed-door negotiation with Cuomo on Monday morning.

The two legislative leaders wouldn't say whether they expect the budget to include proposals to legalize recreational marijuana, eliminate cash bail for criminal defendants and impose new vehicle tolls in central Manhattan.

A new budget is due by April 1.

There's broad support for many of the key provisions in Cuomo's $175 billion spending proposal, including his call to legalize marijuana and impose new tolls to raise money for New York City subways.

Getting legislative agreement by next week's deadline, however, could prove difficult.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
UTICA, N.Y. -- Congressman Anthony Brindisi voted yes on a resolution calling for the Mueller conclusion report to be made public.

The report found there was no conspiracy between President Donald Trump and Russia.

Meantime, professor of politics at Utica College and WKTV contributor, Luke Perry, says that despite the findings, the president is not out of the woods yet.

"What still remains is that Donald Trump might be in legal jeopardy when it comes to the state of New York, and some of his business practices, in terms of the federal government, in terms of campaign finance laws, so there are still a lot of questions that remain in terms of his behavior and legality, but the one that seems to be settled for the most part is that he didn't directly cooperate with the Russians in 2016, said Perry.

There are other ongoing state and federal investigations involving the president, the Trump Inaugural Committee and the Trump Organization.
MONTICELLO, Ind. (WLFI)  The White County Area Plan Commission is holding a meeting to consider a rezoning that could lead to an expansion of the landfill near Buffalo.

The spokeswoman for Waste Management of Indiana said the landfill will run out of space in 9 years and it's important to start the process of rezoning as soon as possible.

The White County Area Plan Commission will hold a special session to discuss the rezoning Monday at 6 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the White County Building.
RENSSELAER, Ind. (WLFI) - An Illinois man is in the Jasper County Jail after he tried to escape arrest. It happened on Friday around 3 p.m.

Newton County Deputies requested help from the Rensselaer Police Department to revive a man who appeared to be suffering from an overdose. The man was identified as 30-year-old Thomas Pranskus of Kankakee Illinois.

After Pranskus was revived with Naloxone, he was take to Franciscan Health of Rensselaer. RPD later learned he was a suspect in a bank robbery that happened earlier that morning in St. Anne Illinois.

When a Rensselaer Officer arrived at the hospital, Pranskus was seen walking out of the emergency room area wearing only jeans and socks. The officer noticed that he still had electrodes connected to him. Pranskus made eye contact with the officer and then fled towards the area of Melville and Grace with the officer which led to a chase.

Detective Hughes, along with Cpl. Hammond and Officer Davis responded to the scene to take Mr. Pranskus into custody. Pranskus then tried to force his way into a vehicle that was stopped at the stop sign occupied only by a female driver. After a brief struggle he was taken into custody and returned to the hospital to be medically cleared.

He was then taken to the Jasper County Jail on charges of resisting law enforcement (A misdemeanor) and attempted robbery (level 5 felony).
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  Purdue will host an open conversation with United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on April 2 as part of his visit to the university.

Perdue is a two-term former governor of Georgia. He was elected secretary of agriculture in April 2017.

According to a news release, he will meet with College of Agriculture students who have organized Hammer Down Hunger, an annual event in celebration of Ag Week, which this year will prepare 150,000 meals to be distributed throughout Central Indiana as well as abroad.

Dean of the College of Agriculture Karen Plaut invited Perdue to the West Lafayette campus on behalf of the students running the event.

I am incredibly impressed and know the secretary will be as well by the student leaders who saw the opportunity to make this years Hammer Down Hunger such a significant event to celebrate the universitys 150th anniversary and, most importantly, to make a difference in the lives of so many people, Plaut said.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels will host the conversation from 9-10 a.m. in Stewart Centers Fowler Hall. It is open to the public.
An interactive exhibition featuring the testimonies of political activists and civilians who experienced a pivotal year in Northern Irelands history is to be hosted at the University of Wolverhampton.

The Voices of 68 travelling exhibition focuses on a period when the civil rights movement and political tensions came to the fore across the province.

It features the filmed testimonies of 30 historians, political activists and civilians and encourages a fresh look at this crucial turning point in Northern Irelands political and social history.

The exhibition will visit the University of Wolverhampton, which has research strength in this area, from 1-12 April 2019. It will be open to the public on the second floor of the Lord Swraj Paul Building in Wolverhampton.
Afghanistan is a landlocked nation found in central and south Asia and spans an area of 252,000 square miles. The country imports goods worth more than $6 billion and exports goods valued around $1 billion which include nuts, fruits, gold, and opium. The country has huge mineral deposits valued at over $41 trillion of proven reserves. Here are the largest industries in Afghanistan:

Mining industry

Afghanistan has huge deposits of nonfuel mineral reserves which include both known and potential deposits of different types of minerals such as iron, copper, lithium, bauxite, silver, and rare earth metals among others. In 2010, the country was reported to have approximately $1 trillion of untapped mineral deposits, which are enough to fundamentally change the economy of Afghanistan. According to other sources, the total value of minerals in Afghanistan could be worth more than $3 trillion. Some of the previously unknown deposits include huge veins of gold, cobalt, copper, iron, and lithium. The deposits are so huge, and it is believed that if they are fully exploited, it could transform Afghanistan into one of the most critical mining centers in the world. It is also believed that Ghazni province could be holding the largest lithium reserves in the world. The government of Afghanistan has invited more than 200 global companies to explore the minerals in the country. Ministry of mines and petroleum controls all the mining in the country and has its headquarters in Kabul with several regional branches spread across the country.

Agriculture

In Afghanistan, about 12% of the total land area is arable, and out of this only 6% is presently utilized for cultivation. Agricultural production in the country is only a fraction of its potential, and it is constrained by over-reliance on erratic winter snow and rainwater in spring. Irrigation in the country is still underdeveloped, and there is minimal mechanization, use of fertilizers, and pesticides. Different types of crops cultivated in different parts of the country, for instance, the region near Herat, Kandahar, and the larger part of Kabul plains produce different types of fruits, while the Northern part of the country such as Takhar and Helmand provinces produce mainly cotton. Corn is widely cultivated in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, while rice is cultivated in Laghman, Baghlan, and Kunduz provinces. Wheat is an important crop in Afghanistan, and it is common in different regions and the counts for 80% of cereal production in the country. Total wheat production in 2002 was about 2.69 million tonnes, which was about 67% more than the 2001 production. Other important crops in the country include barley, corn, rice potatoes, and cotton. In 2001, agricultural commodities accounted for almost 53% of the countrys total exports.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing in Afghanistan is still underdeveloped, and its contribution to the country's output on domestic employment is minimal in comparison with the size and the resource endowment in the country. Most of the industrial employment is confined to small-scale and manufacturing operations of handicrafts, which contribute more on export and domestic value output compared to the large scale organized industries. Employment in the manufacturing industry depends mainly on domestic raw materials such as cotton, wool, skins and hides, and fruits. The constraints against rapid development of manufacturing sector include income levels in the country, the location of the country which is mainly landlocked, and mountainous terrain. The government of Afghanistan has a 7-year plan which is a public investment program which emphasizes industrial expansion.
Andorra is a microstate in Europe, located on the Iberian Peninsula, in the east of Pyrenees Mountains. Officially the Principality of Andorra, it covers an area of 181 square miles and has a population of 77,281, ranking as the 6th and 16th smallest country by area in Europe and the world respectively, and the world's 11th least populous. Andorra la Vella is the capital city of Andorra and is the highest city in Europe, located at an elevation of 3,356 feet above sea level. Catalan is the country's official language, although other languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, and French are commonly spoken in Andorra. With approximately 10.2 million visitors each year, tourism is the backbone of the countrys economy, as it accounts for about 80% of Andorra's gross domestic product (GDP).

The Rise of Andorras Economy

Given its isolation in the Pyrenees Mountains, small population, limited resources, and lack of proximity to major trade routes, Andorra's economy has historically been small. However, Andorra experienced rapid development in the latter half of the twentieth century due to its growing tourism industry and the state's status as a duty-free zone. Both factors contributed to the growth of the nation's retail sector, which is popular among visitors from Spain and France. The tourist and retail industries also attracted many immigrant workers from Portugal, France, and Spain, which in turn contributed to a rapid increase in Andorra's population. As a result of this growth, the country was challenged with controlling rapid urban development. For example, some local governments now limit the number of new buildings allowed to be constructed. While Andorra is not a member of the European Union (EU), it enjoys a unique relationship with the EU, in which it is treated as a member when dealing with manufactured goods but not agricultural produce. Following the implementation of the Single European Market in the 1990s, the state lost its duty-free status, although retail items remain less expensive in Andorra compared to neighboring countries. Andorra has 167 miles of roads, of which 123 miles are paved, and has no railroads or airports due to its terrain. In fact, the nearest international airport is located about 112 miles away in France.

Biggest Industries

Agriculture

Andorras natural resources are relatively limited but include potential hydroelectric-power, mineral water, lead, timber, iron ore, and hot springs, which have resulted in the creation some of Europe's biggest health spa resorts. Due to its mountainous landscape, farming is limited. In fact, only 2% of land in Andorra is suitable for farming. Nevertheless, the cultivation of cereals such as barley, wheat, rye, and oats, as well as the rearing of cattle and sheep, occurs in the Valira Valley. Rivers in the country provide irrigation water for small vegetable and tobacco fields, and most farmland is used for hay production. Tobacco is the most lucrative crop, and it occupies 8% of the total farmland. Varieties of tobacco cultivated include Andorran tobacco and eastern tobacco. The country has an estimated 1,100 cattle and 9,000 sheep, and meat production has experienced a slight increase in recent years. The majority of Andorra's food must be imported in order to meet local demand.

Manufacturing

Andorra's primary manufactured goods include furniture, cigarettes, and cigars for export. Cigarettes are much cheaper in Andorra than in France or Spain due to the nation's status as a tax haven. As a result, the smuggling of cigarettes out of the country has become a significant challenge, especially during the 1990s, as smuggled cigarettes accounted for 15% of all cigarettes in Spain. The issue resulted in intense political and diplomatic pressures on the Andorran government by the EU and member states. Consequently, the proportion of contraband cigarettes in the Spanish market dropped to 12% in 1997 and 5% by 1999. Other measures introduced to reduce smuggling included sealing the Andorran border and introducing patrols on the hills and valleys.

Services, Trade and Tourism

The services sector is the largest component of Andorra's economy. In particular, tourism accounts for more than 80% of GDP. Visitors, especially from Spain and France, flock to the nation year-round to shop for goods such as watches, cigarettes, electronic goods, and jewelry. Tourists also visit the country during the winter to ski at various resorts such as Soldeu. Other tourist attractions include the small glacial lakes that dot Andorra's mountain landscape. The largest glacial lake is Lake Juclar, which covers an area of 28 hectares and attracts thousands of tourists who want to experience its unspoiled nature. The country receives more than 10 million foreign visitors each year, which is the highest tourist per capita ratio in the world. Additionally, Andorra contains 270 hotels and 400 restaurants that employ a significant portion of its labor force. The country is also a center for financial and banking services due to its status as a tax haven. Andorra imports most of its consumer goods, especially from Spain and France. For example, in 2006, 53% of imported goods came from Spain while 21% came from France. The total value of goods imported that year was estimated at $1.9 billion, while Andorra exported services and goods valued at $ 148.7 million. Spain is the country's biggest export market, accounting for 60% of Andorra's exports in 2006, while 17% of exports went to France.

Economic Prospects

Andorra's economic growth rate has historically been difficult to predict. However, in recent years Andorra has experienced a steady growth rate, which was estimated at 3.5% in 2005. The country's fiscal position has also improved considerably, as its rating by Standard & Poor's increased from "AA-" to "AA." The Andorran government is attempting to further integrate with the European Union in order to continue its economic stability and growth. Incentives introduced in hopes of boosting the economy include financial support for entities that establish tourist facilities within the country. Andorran banks also attract a significant number of foreign investors and depositors due to the country's lenient tax regime and bank secrecy laws.
Croatia is a country located between southeast Europe and central Europe which spans an area of about 21,851 square miles with a population size of 4.28 million people. The economy of Croatia is largely based on the service industry with the tertiary sector which accounts for about 60% of the country's GDP. Here are the largest industries in Croatia:

Tourism

In Croatia, tourism is a major industry and in 2018, there were about 18.4 million visitors who toured the country and made about 110.275 million overnight stays. In 2017 tourism accounted for about 20% of the country's GDP and income from the tourism industry was estimated to be about 9.5 billion. The effect of tourism in the country was felt in all parts of the economy because it resulted in increased businesses volume absorb and retain business, summer seasonal employment, and processing industry orders. Tourism in the country is taken as an export trade since it decreases the external trade imbalance in the country. The history of tourism in the country can be traced back to the mid-19th century in around 1850, and it has been developing successfully since that time.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry in Croatia has a long history that dates back to the 19th century when several industry branches were developing the country such as wood industry, food processing, shipbuilding, footwear and leather processing, and textile production among others. Presently, manufacturing in Croatia is largely based on food and beverage, which account for 24% of the total manufacturing revenue in the country.

Agriculture

Agriculture in Croatia is carried out in less than 1/4 of the country's land area, and it accounts for less than 1/10 of the country's GDP. Currently, most other agricultural land is privately owned, and most landholdings are very small for profitable production. Agricultural products from Croatia are exported to different countries like Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Slovenia. Slavonia is the most fertile agricultural region in Croatia and is often referred to as the granary of Croatia. Farming in Slavonia is characterized by capital-intensive, large-scale land holdings and market-oriented production.
Cyrus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily and Sardinia. Ancient Cyprus was a notable copper producer with mines being exploited as early as the 2500 BC. Today copper, asbestos, iron pyrites, and gypsum have contributed significantly to the external trade. Here are the most important industries in Cyprus.

Industry and Manufacturing

The nations industrial and manufacturing sector has in recent years witnessed a gradual decline as the services sector continues rising. Manufacturing accounted for about 6.5% of the country's GDP in 2013. The sector also employed 9% of the nations labor force in the same year. The country is ranked at position 39 out of a total of 185 countries in terms of ease of doing business by the World Bank. The ranking takes into account the conducive and the regulatory environment in the opening and operating of local firms. Some of the main products manufactured in the country include textiles, food, and beverages, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and equipment.

Mining

The mining sector makes a relatively small contribution to the nation's economy. In 2012 the sector employed an estimated 534 people. The mining industry which includes copper, gold, iron pyrite and asbestos was at one point very profitable. The sector, however, began its decline in the 1970s as a result of some external factors that included the Turkish invasion of the northern regions of the island in 1974 which had some important mines.

Agricultural

The agricultural sector together with forestry and fisheries accounted for about 2% of the country's GDP in 2010. The sector has witnessed a considerable decline due to the steady development of other sectors of the economy. The sector, however, is still crucial as it employed an estimated 4.3 % of the nations labor force in 2010. Agriculture takes up about 13.5% of the country's land according to estimates from 2009.

Tourism

The tourism industry has played an important role in the economy of Cyprus since independence. The country is currently among the biggest tourist attractions in the Mediterranean region. In 2011 the sector generated $3.6 million and provided jobs to about 74,000 of the countrys citizens. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the nation is ranked at position 35 out of 181 countries regarding tourism industry's contribution to the overall economy. The sector accounted for 17.7% of the nation's economy in 2011 compared to the world average which is 14%.

Banking and Financial Services

The banking and financial sector is quite large and sophisticated. It consists of companies carrying out commercial banking, cooperative credit, accounting and tax, capital markets, and insurance. The asset in the industry represented about 69% of the countrys GDP in 2009.
Eight hundred workers employed by pharmacy retail giant Chemist Warehouse (CWH) Distribution Centres at Somerton and Preston in Melbourne and Eagle Farm in Brisbane remain on indefinite strike after walking out on March 12. They are demanding a 25 to 30 percent wage rise and cuts in the use of casual labour.

CWH warehouse workers are paid 25 percent less than those employed by industry competitors. Labour hire companies ASAP and Taylors provide between 75 and 80 percent of the CWH workforce. Casualised work and a permanent state of job insecurity has enabled the company to drive down wages and conditions and massively increase profits.

These conditions, including the ongoing use of casuals, are the product of cost-cutting agreements between the National Union of Workers (NUW) and the highly profitable pharmacy retailer.

Under the previous Enterprise Agreement (EA), endorsed and imposed by the NUW, CWH distribution centre workers are paid an average of just $20.84 per hour. This pattern of low-pay applies across all CWHs operations, including in its retail outlets. Pharmacy assistants receive $19.05 per hour and retail sales assistants as little as $17.54 per hour.

Striking CWH workers have reported that they have been threatened. Several trucks have been deliberately driven at their picket lines, injuring several workers. NUW nation secretary Tim Kennedy told the media on Sunday that the company was condoning violence against the picketing workers.

Despite these violent provocations, the NUW is deliberately isolating the strikers. No other section of the NUWs 70,000-strong membership has been called out on strike or mobilised to defeat these attacks.

Like the rest of the trade union apparatus, the NUWs main concern is to contain the industrial action and negotiate a deal which ensures it remains as the industrial police force for the company and the warehousing and servicing sector.

On the first day of the strike on March 12, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus addressed a protest outside CWH head office next to its online distribution warehouse in Preston.

McManus declared, CWH relies on broken rules to keep workers in insecure work. This was a reference to the trade unions bogus Change the Rules campaign, which is directed to secure the election of a Labor government in the upcoming federal election and minor modifications to the repressive Fair Work Australia industrial laws.

The comments are entirely hypocritical. The ACTU and the entire trade union movement endorsed the previous Rudd Labor governments introduction of the Fair Work Commission in 2009 which illegalised all strike action by workers except under tightly prescribed rules that favour employers. The casualisation of warehouse work has been actively endorsed and imposed by the unions for decades.

Addressing a March 22 rally outside the CWH Preston head office, Labors shadow assistant minister for workplace relations Lisa Chesters proclaimed a federal Labor government would stop labour hire rorts once and for all. This is belied by the fact that labour hire and casualisation vastly expanded under the last Labor government from 2007 to 2013.

Striking Somerton workers spoke with World Socialist Web Site reporters last week about the exploitative conditions facing casual workers. They explained that although there are seasonal fluctuations in warehouse output around Christmas and Mothers Day, almost all casual workers are expected to report for work every day.

Workers described conditions at Somerton and Preston warehouses as toxic, where fear of losing shifts coincided with bullying, intimidation and sexual harassment.

Nana, worked at CWH for five years but was only made permanent a year ago. She said one of the NUW delegates, a man with a young family to support, has been called in every day for years, but refused a permanent position.

Juliet, who has worked at CWH for over a decade, said, Taylors hired a whole lot of new casuals, I think for the benefits they get from the government, and then they put them on standby, and then they hired a whole lot more. Workers placed on standby, she said, are often only hired once a week for one short shift of four hours from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

She said that some of those on standby were single mothers and never know when their next shift would be. One young woman, she explained, who lived 41 km from the warehouse, was given a four-hour shift and then offered just $2 for petrol if she returned for a four-hour shift the next day. She totalled only 15 hours for the week, Juliet said.

Juliet said CWHs newer warehouse in Somerton had no fans or air conditioning for the picking staff. Management refuses to meet with workers about heat injuries or fan installation. Managements solution to high temperatures, she said, was to supply one bottle of water per day.

When temperatures in the warehouse reached 45 [degrees centigrade] sick workers wanting to go home were told that they would receive no pay for that day if they did go. If they did [leave], it had to be for a medical reason which would mean they would have to obtain a doctors clearance before they would be allowed to work again, she said.

WSWS reporters also spoke to CWH strikers on a picket line outside the Brisbane warehouse.

Isaac, a young worker, said There is a lot of uncertainty, whether you are casual or full-time. Casuals are forced to compete against each other. In general, it is a dog eat dog world for casual workers. There are just 44 full-time employees here, but there are over 60 casual workers.

A worker who is on full-time only gets $24.50 an hour, but casuals are paid even less. And there is no certainty. A casual may only get one or two shifts a week, and they can be replaced at any time. Casuals dont know if they're working the next day, or even if they still have a job. This EA dispute is about stopping the casualisation of the workforce and winning a pay rise that is on par with the industry standard for the work we perform.

The situation confronting CWHs 10,000 employees stands in sharp contrast with the company owners. CWH operates under the East Yarra Friendly Society and its sales reached $2.7 billion in 2016 with a net profit last year of $101 million, up from $97 million the previous year.

To take forward a struggle for higher pay and permanent jobs, Chemist Warehouse workers have to recognise that the conditions that they confront are a product of decades of betrayal by the NUW and all unions.

Nothing can be defended without a complete break from the unions and the Labor Party, and the establishment of independent organisations of working-class struggle. This includes rank-and-file committees to coordinate an industrial and political fight across the warehousing sector and to turn to other sections of the working class nationally and internationally. This fight must be based on a socialist perspective and directed towards the establishment of a workers government.
This is the ninth and final part in a series of articles on the recent Berlin International Film Festival, the Berlinale, held from February 7 to 17, 2019. The first part was posted on February 15, the second on February 22, the third on February 28, the fourth on March 5, the fifth on March 11, the sixth on March 13, the seventh on March 16 and the eighth on March 21.

When living and social conditionsand often localechange, people confront the need to alter their relationship to outdated traditions. When examined closely, the supposedly unbridgeable cultural differences invoked by racists, but also by pseudo-left advocates of identity politics, prove to be rent by social contradictions.

At a time when racism and xenophobia in various forms increasingly determine official policies towards the poorest migrants and refugees, the three films below exude a humanistic spirit of enlightenment and dialogue: everyone, regardless of their ethnic, religious or cultural background, has the right to a better life.

A Tale of Three Sisters

The Turkish film A Tale of Three Sisters by Emin Alper (Beyond the Hill, Frenzy) takes place in a remote Anatolian mountain village.

A Tale of Three Sisters

In wintertime, the narrow road to the city is impassable. In the past, employment at the local coal mine fed inhabitants, but the village is now desolate because the mine has closed. Just a few old people clamber through the mines tunnels, risking their lives to gather and sell chunks of coal. Most of the inhabitants have moved away.

The widower Sevket (Mufit Kayacan) lives with his three daughters and the husband of his eldest daughter, Reyhan (Cemre Ebuzziya), in a tiny house without electricity.

As is often the case in poor rural families, the father sent Reyhan to work as a maid for a better-off family in the city. However, she returns pregnant. The second-eldest, Nurhan (Ece Yuksel), was dismissed by the same doctors family after she fell ill. Sevket then appeals to the doctor to engage his youngest daughter, Havva (Helin Kandemir), although one assumes the doctor is the father of Reyhans illegitimate child.

Ece Yuksel and Mufit Kayacan in A Tale of Three Sisters

Reyhans husband, who earns little as a shepherd, desperately begs the doctor to help him find work in a gas station. For his part, the doctor enthuses about the positive effects of the picturesque mountain idyll, which its inhabitants look upon as hell.

The old stone houses seem timeless. But something is shifting. Most of the inhabitants have moved away and the traditional respect for the elderly is evaporating. What is a village head without a village community or a head of a family who cannot feed the family?

The sisters are reluctant to submit to the father. They are desperate to leave poverty behind them. Turkish women in the village today are more self-confident than they were in the 1970s, according to Alper (born 1974). His aim is to show that the desire to improve the conditions of life is universal: Many people around the world are hoping for a better life. Most of the immigrants who have done everything to get into the European Union (EU) come from the lowest layers of the working class, second-class citizens at best.

The extent to which overwhelming social conditions can render people helpless is impressively embodied in the figure of the father. In a hopeless situation, he wants the best for his daughters, albeit in traditional fashion. The films oft-magical atmosphere gives the impression that the characters live alongside ghosts. Reyhans husband sees dangers everywhere and fears a punitive God, as was the case in the old days. Others who have come to know urban life ridicule his naivete.

Another culture?Not really, its just poverty.

Daughters of Two Worlds

Daughters of Two Worlds

A consideration of the same theme can be found in the remarkable documentary, Daughters of Two Worlds (1991), by the German-Turkish filmmaker Serap Berrakkarasu (screened in Berlin as part of a retrospective).

Twenty-four-year-old Meral was born in a Turkish village, but grew up in Germany. Her mother, Seriban, is strongly influenced by her native villages traditions in line with her own generation. Meral brought disgrace on the family when she fled the village and the husband who had been chosen for her by her parents, according to village custom. She now lives happily, unmarried, with a German man.

Meral is very open in front of the camera. She explains she cannot now imagine living like women of her same age from the village, women who have known no other culture. She knows the village now only from her holidays. The cultural differences are illustrated in the film by various images of a traditional rural wedding. We witness a young bride who appears to be very unhappy on the most wonderful day of her life. Presumably, she will submit to her fatethat is part of the tradition and embedded in the rural-conservative environmentand accustom herself to a man she does not love.

Originally, the director only intended to feature Meral on screen. To her surprise, Seriban said she also wanted to put forward her point of view. The dialogue between the generations (which never actually took place in person) was so important for the mother and daughter they were prepared to enact it before the camera and for an audience beyond the immediate German-Turkish community.

The fact that Daughters of Two Worlds, made almost 30 years ago, has not been available on DVD until now reflects the social climate, which has been marked by malicious government and media attacks on the unwillingness of migrants to integrate rather than dialogue. For its part, the film advocates mutual respect, trust and patience to successfully tackle such a problem as forced marriage.

Oray

What is the relationship of Turkish-German Muslims to their religion? The thoughtful feature film Oray was awarded a prize for best first film at the festival. Its director, Mehmet Akif Buyukatalay, grew up in Germany.

Oray

Oray (Zejhun Demiro) is a young man who, in a fit of anger, curses his wife Burcu (Deniz Orta). This entails, according to Islamic law, a three-month period of separation. The former petty criminal converted to Islam when he was in prison. Since then he has been trying to persuade others to live an honest life. After the separation, he returns to his family in Cologne, finds work and a place to live.

But Oray gets into trouble. He owes rent and has financial obligations to Burcu. He still loves her. In the meantime, however, he has painstakingly gained a foothold in Cologne. His wife works in Hagen, where she has completed her training and has the prospect of a secure job.

Oray increasingly asks himself (it haunts him in his sleep): did he utter the curse against Burcu three times in a row, which means divorce forever? Under the pretext of uncovering Gods will with a pure heart, he has used his faith to betray someone he loves. In the community, there are those who suspect something is wrong with Oray. After all, it is not Gods will to separate people who love one other.

Against the background of todays political propaganda against Islamism, the film stresses the ordinariness of Islam. It is no more about strange and rigid rituals than any other religion.

Inadvertently perhaps, the director points to a social and political reality. Oray yearns for true brotherhood, stable social relationships and a powerful ideology that binds people together. Clearly, none of the official political or social movements, including the left ones, in Germany (or Turkey) provide anything like that. Oray pursues his religious faith in part because it is radical: heaven or hell. He despises the governments lukewarm integration program, where young people only learn hip-hop.

Oray intimates that state efforts to criminalise Islamic communities strengthen the type of fundamentalist conservatism that perceives and paints the hypocritical, hard-hearted world of wealth as a purely German or Christian phenomenon. In the film, the religious diatribe against infidels is primarily directed against those in the Turkish community who worship money.

Concluded
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of London on Saturday to call for another Brexit referendum.

The march, which concluded with a rally in Parliament Square, was called by the Peoples Vote campaignan alliance of politicians and pro-Remain organisations stretching from the Green Party, to the Liberal Democrats and Blairite wing of the Labour Party, to pro-Remain Conservatives.

In the days leading to the demonstration, an online petition, calling for the revoking of the Article 50 legislation authorising Brexit, was signed by millions of people, and has now been signed by more than 5 million people.

The demonstration and petition were a show of force by the Remain campaign for what is now the likely majority opinion among the population. A YouGov poll published before the march showed those wanting to Remain in the EU at 57 percent, as opposed to 43 percent for Leave.

That there has been a shift to support for staying in the EU is hardly surprising, given that the whole process of leaving the bloc has been an unmitigated disaster since the June 2016 referendum vote.

Saturdays rally was held just six days before the UK was scheduled to leave the EU. However, due to the May government being unable to get support in Parliament for the deal she finalised with the EU in November, EU leaders were forced to grant May more timeallowing her a delay of Brexit to May 22, but on the proviso that she passes her deal in Parliament this week. If not, May has only until April 12 to propose a solution.

Brexit is favoured by the faction of the bourgeoise that sees Britains geostrategic interests best served by becoming a free-trading, deregulated powerhouse allied to the United States and able to penetrate new global markets, including India and China.

In response, a central feature of the pro-Remain campaign is its cultivation of an EU patriotism and insistence that the UKs own national interest is bound up with being part of the worlds largest trade bloc, under conditions of growing inter-imperialist trade and military antagonisms.

This has had its impact, with many in the demonstration coming with their faces painted in blue with EU stars and wearing EU flags as capes. However, the vast majority came on the basis of a broad range of concerns, often of a progressive character, including opposition to anti-migrant policies and the growth of the far right.

Millions are fearful of Brexits impact on the economy and their jobs and the dwindling opportunities for the next generationparticularly due to the ending of the free movement of labour that comes with Brexit, on which many youth rely for employment.

These sentiments have been exploited to the hilt by the political reactionaries leading the Remain coalition, including Caroline Lucas, the sole MP of the Green Party, the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Among the Tories speaking were Dominic Grieve and Michael Heseltine, the Thatcherite wheeled in to perform the role of elder statesman. Anna Soubry, who defected from the Tories last month along with two other Tory MPs to join seven Blairites in setting up a new parliamentary faction, The Independent Group, also spoke. Addressing the crowd were Blairites, including Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, David Lammy and Jess Phillips, alongside another Labour MP, Clive Lewis, who was advanced as representing the pro-Remain left.

A featured speaker in Parliament Square was Tom Watson, Labours deputy leader, who utilised the occasion to launch a de facto leadership bid. Watson broke ranks with the decision by party leader Jeremy Corbyn for Labour not to officially back the demonstration and support, at this stage, the call for an immediate second referendum. Referring to his absence, sections of the crowd were organised to chant, Wheres Jeremy Corbyn?

Watson did not go far enough, however, and was booed by sections of the crowd for stating rhetorically to May, Ill support your deal through Parliament, or a tweaked deal if youll work with my party. But I will only let a deal through if you let the people vote on it too.

Earlier in the day, pseudo-left groups organised in the Another Europe is Possible campaign assembled in a sub-demonstration. They made a collective feint of opposition to the worst excesses of the EUits imposition of poverty and misery on millions by inflicting savage austerity measures and the murder of thousands of refugees by transforming the continent into a Fortress Europe. But all this amounted to was the amorphous slogan, Remain and Transform. Nowhere did they explain what the capitalist EU and its Fortress Europe was to be transformed into and by whom.

Faced with the reality of the pro-EU movement led by some of the most right-wing political forces in Britain, Socialist Resistance, the British section of the Pabloite United Secretariat of the Fourth International, proclaimed, Its irrelevant that many of its main organisers are Labour and Tory sworn enemies of the Corbyn leadership. When hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets, events run beyond the control of schemers like [Tony Blairs former advisers] Peter Mandelson and Alistair Campbell.

Socialist Resistance bemoan the fact that under a different leadership the London demonstration could have united the struggle against the Tory government with the campaign against Brexit. But they again insist that whatever the intentions of the organisers the protest weakens the Tories and Labour needs to press home that advantage.

These are dangerous political lies. Amid an unprecedented crisis over Brexit and the mounting threat to the global standing of British imperialism, there is huge social and political discontent affecting broad layers of the population.

Such is the existential crisis facing British imperialism that over the next days and weeks, any number of further destabilising events could transpireincluding the removal of May, crashing out of the EU in a hard Brexit, the suspension of Article 50, a second referendum and possibly even a second snap general election. But without the working class being able to intervene under a leadership and based upon a programme that articulates its independent interests, right-wing forces on both sides of the Brexit divide will continue to dictate political events.

This remains the case even if a Labour government comes to office.

Corbyn has spent more than three years now confirming that a government under his leadership would serve as a reliable partner of big business and would implement a programme dictated by Watson and the Blairites. True to form, he had nothing to say in opposition to Watson mounting the stage in London.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told Channel 4 News on Friday how he had sought to smooth things over with Blairs former director of communications and fellow unindicted war criminal, Alastair Campbell.

Assuming his habitual pose as the Uriah Heap of British politics, he said, Alastair Campbell asked me whether Id be going along and I said to him very honestly that by going there I might alienate some of the people who are strong Leavers who I want to bring on board.

The Socialist Equality Party was the only political party at the rally advancing a perspective for the political independence of the working class. Its statement, Answer Brexit with the struggle for socialism throughout Europe!, warned:

The greatest political danger is that Brexit is being deliberately used by the ruling class and its media to drive a wedge deep into the working class, subordinating workers to contending right-wing capitalist factions and preventing the necessary unified struggle against the common class enemy.

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) calls for a conscious political rejection of such well-practiced attempts to divide-and-conquer. But this can only be done by repudiating any and all perspectives based upon capitalism and taking up the struggle for socialism.
Saturdays election in New South Wales (NSW), Australias most populous state, has further underscored the mass alienation, hostility and anger of broad layers of working people to the political establishment and all the major partiesLabor, the Liberal-National Coalition and the Greens.

With three seats still to be declared for the Legislative Assembly, the lower house of state parliament, it appears likely that the Coalition will form the next government. It will have, however, a majority of just one or two seats, while in the Legislative Council, the upper house of parliament, it will be a minority.

Absurdly the Coalition and the media are presenting the outcome as a product of the masterful tactics of NSW Liberal leader Gladys Berejiklian. She is being hailed as the first female politician to lead an election win in NSW, while members of the crisis-ridden federal Coalition government have declared they will seek to learn the lessons of this success for the federal election slated for May.

The Coalition win came amid a decline in the primary vote of the Liberals and major losses for the National Party. If Berejiklian scrapes back into office, it will be because voters do not regard the Labor Party, despite all the efforts of the unions and pseudo-left organisations, as any alternative to the Coalition, not even a lesser evil.

The defining feature of the election was the decline in the vote of all the major parties. With around 74 percent of lower house ballots counted, the Liberal Party vote is down by almost 2.5 percent, compared with the 2015 election. The swing against the Nationals was around 1.1 percent, while Labor and the Greens each lost roughly 1 percent.

Successive Coalition and Labor governments at the state and federal level, in some cases directly supported by the Greens, imposed the austerity agenda demanded by big business and created a massive social crisis.

Popular anger has been fueled by the deepening social gulf between rich and poor, rising unemployment and the crisis of infrastructure. Real wages are plummeting, up to half of the workforce is employed in precarious casual or part-time labour and youth joblessness is endemic in Sydneys working-class suburbs and in regional areas.

The speculative property bubble, which has propped up the NSW economy, is rapidly unravelling, leading to the destruction of tens of thousands of construction jobs. Hundreds of thousands of households confront mortgage debt, meaning they are struggling to meet their housing repayments.

Unable to address the social concerns of working people, the major parties focused their campaigns on attack ads and mudslinging on the one hand, and bogus election promises on the other.

Many voters sought to register their hostility by casting a protest ballot. The lower house votes for five minor partiesright-wing populist parties, such as the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, One Nation and Sustainable Australia, along with Animal Justice and Keep Sydney Openwere up a combined 8.6 percent compared with 2015. With counting yet to be finalised, the overall vote for minor parties and independents has increased from just over 10 percent in 2015 to nearly 14 percent in 2019.

There were significant swings in key seats against the major parties.

The Nationalstraditionally the party of rural and regional areaslost heavily. It lost the seat of Barwon, which it had held for 69 years, to the Shooters and Fishers Party, with a fall of 17.8 percent in its vote. The Nationals also lost Murray to the SFF, on the back of a 20 percent swing. The SFF retained the seat of Orange, with the Nationals vote falling more than 40 percent.

Regional and rural voters were angered by the Berejiklian governments lack of action to alleviate the states devastating drought and water mismanagement that has led to massive fish kills in the Murray-Darling Basin. For decades, successive state governments have presided over the gutting of essential services and jobs in rural and regional areas.

Despite the widespread hostility to the Coalition at the state and federal level, Labor appears to have gained no seats and its primary vote declined, including in working-class electorates such as East Hills in western Sydney.

In areas such as Hurstville, in the seat of Kogarah, which have a significant Chinese community, Labors vote fell by up to 10 percent, in part prompted by a leaked video showing Labor leader Michael Daley denouncing Chinese people for supposedly stealing jobs from Australian workers.

Labor and the unions, like the Coalition, have stirred up anti-immigrant and anti-refugee xenophobia for decades, aimed in particular at Muslims and Chinese. All of these parties are responsible for cultivating the extreme right-wing nationalism that led to this months fascist attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 50 people.

Labor governments, at the state and federal level, have spearheaded the assault on the working class. It was the federal Hawke and Keating Labor governments, which, in collaboration with the unions, began the deregulation of the economy in the 1980s, leading to the destruction of hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Since then, Labor and the unions have played the key role in an unending attack on jobs, wages and conditions. They have done everything to suppress any rebellion by workers against the corporate offensive.

The claims of the Greens to represent an alternative to Labor and the Liberals are also increasingly discredited. The party retained three lower-house seats, in Ballina in northern NSW, and the inner-city Sydney electorates of Newtown and Balmain, but their vote remained in single figures in most working-class and regional areas. The Greens are a party of the affluent upper-middle class and have supported or joined governments at the state and federal levels that have attacked basic democratic and social rights of working people.

The election will deepen the profound political crisis and instability of the past decade, which has resulted in seven prime ministers over the past eleven years, and the toppling of multiple state governments.

Already, federal MP and former National Party leader Barnaby Joyce has demanded that the Coalition wake up and stop ignoring the bush. Joyces populist pitch will intensify the civil war within the Coalition, which is already in turmoil following the ousting of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last August and the installation of the far right-wing Scott Morrison in his place.

Facing a federal election, Labor leader Bill Shorten will draw no solace from the partys failure to make any gains in NSW despite the hostility to the Berejiklian government. At the state level, Daley has declared that he will remain as NSW leader, but he is likely to face a challenge sooner rather than later.

The election result poses critical political issues for workers. Anger and hostility towards the official political establishment, while entirely justified, are not enough. The independents and right-wing populists that attracted a protest vote have all collaborated with state and federal Labor and Coalition governments in implementing their anti-working class policies.

What is required is the development of an independent political movement of the working class based on a socialist and internationalist perspective to fight social inequality, war and the attacks on democratic rights, and their source, the capitalist profit system.
The inundation of the central United States from a bomb cyclone storm system on March 13 has left four known dead, forced thousands from their homes and inflicted billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, housing, agriculture and industry.

The upper Mississippi and eastern Missouri Rivers had recently received record snowfalls, up to 200 percent above normal. Still-frozen ground prevented the absorption of the runoff triggering major floods in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, the likes of which have not been witnessed in 50 years. At least a dozen levees in these states were breached.

With rising temperatures, rain fell on snow, speeding the pace of melting and rapidly inundated rivers. Record flood levels have been registered at 42 locations across six states and the effects are still being felt more than a week later.

In Nebraska, 70 percent of the state is under a disaster declaration affecting 88 cities and 65 of the states 93 counties. One dam burst, roads washed away, bridges were closed and some communities were completely cut off.

Over 2,000 homes and 300 businesses were damaged with estimated losses of $85 million. Infrastructure losses are at $439 million while the states agricultural sector has lost $400 million in livestock and $440 million in crops.

In Iowa the losses are estimated at $1.6 billion. Some 1,200 homes are damaged with a repair bill that will exceed $480 million. Businesses suffered another $300 million and the losses to agriculture are at $214 million.

Most recently the flooding has hit towns in Missouri and Kansas. Flooding has closed more than 100 roads in Missouri. St. Joseph, Missouri, had to quickly evacuate 7,000 people as the Missouri River crested inches short of the record of 32.07 feet set during the historic flood of 1993.

As mind-numbing as the statistics are, they are only a snapshot of a still developing disaster. Further melting of snow and ice along with more rains promise to bring even more flooding. Besides those levees that have been destroyed, the US Army Corps of Engineers reported that some 200 miles of levees in four states were compromised.

In Iowa alone, some 70 miles of levees operated by the Corps are damaged or washed out and it will cost $350 million to repair them. And the time required for repairs can be up to six months.

But the Corps of Engineers has a mere 15 percent of the nations levees under their jurisdiction. Those remaining are under local, state and Indian reservation oversight. Given economic problems and budget cuts it remains unclear what their condition might be and what is in store for the communities they are meant to protect.

Other dangers are lurking in the background. The degree to which toxic industrial chemicals are being leeched into the environment, or how many open-air lagoons of hog farms may be in danger of being overrun by flooding is, as yet, unknown.

Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted some 25 states are at an elevated risk of flooding through the end of May. A NOAA press release stated, This is shaping up to be a potentially unprecedented flood season, with more than 200 million people at risk for flooding in their communities.

Mary C. Erickson, deputy director of the National Weather Service, predicted at a press conference last week, The flooding this year could be worse than anything weve seen in recent years, even worse than the historic floods of 1993 and 2011.

But nagging questions persist. Why were there not advanced notice and more measures taken to protect against this catastrophe? Were there detectable warning signs?

Certainly, record snowfalls should have triggered emergency operations.

The Climate Prediction Center confirmed on February 15 that a weak El Nino climate pattern had formed in the Pacific and that it might increase in strength. The El Nino phenomena results from increased warm water surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean around December. And, while difficult to predict, it can portend increased wet weather across the United States.

Even further back, a December 13 article in USA Today reported that Strong El Ninos can lead to floods in the western United States It also cited a recent study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, which warned, El Ninos will be stronger and more frequent in the decades ahead because of global warming, causing more extreme events in the United States and around the world.

But despite the overwhelming number of climate scientists who have sought to bring these dangers to the attention of the authorities, little is being done. Why?

While some still seek to call events such as the flooding in the Midwest natural disasters, this is a bald cover-up. Global climate change is now understood to be highly influenced by human activity. But this human activity has largely occurred during a period of history dominated by the capitalist mode of production.

The locks, bridges, levees, dams, dredging, flood-ways and other infrastructure that dot the Mississippi and other rivers greatly facilitated the process of capitalist expansion and progress. But this expansion always had a concomitant factorthe capitalist profit motive.

What necessarily fueled the profits of capitalism in terms of river infrastructure did not always extend to the communities of workers, farmers, small businesses and Native Americans on reservations. And today, under the decline of capitalism with record budget cuts and tax windfalls for the rich, the capitalist state finds the needs of the masses of people more of a hindrance than a concern.

Cities, seeking added tax revenue and pressured for housing, conspired with real estate and construction companies to expand housing into areas of greater flood risk, even as the effects of climate change and development further amplify that risk.

During the epic flood in 1993, workers in Des Moines, Iowa, explained that previously flooded housing areas were quickly rehabbed and sold to unsuspecting immigrants for short-term profits.

The example of Hamburg, Iowa, during the current flooding is a case which serves as an indictment of the capitalist system.

Located along the Missouri River, with a population of 1,100, Hamburg long had an 18-foot levee as a barricade to flood-waters. In 2011, when even higher floodwaters threatened the town, residents and the Army Corps of Engineers hastened to add another eight-to-nine foot makeshift structure on top of the existing levee.

The structure held and saved the city from the 2011 floods. But the Corps of Engineers declared the 2011 addition to the levee was dangerous and did not meet specifications. It was removed but never replaced because the Corps did not have the funds for the project and efforts of the locals to raise funds came up short. Then came the recent floods, engulfing the town and leaving residents deeply angered.

During the same period, trillions of dollars were transferred to US banks in wake of the 2008 banking crisis. Trillions have been dedicated to building up the military and financing wars. But nothing was done during the last eight years for the residents of Hamburg, who will now incur the costs of repairing their homes or relocating to restart their lives.
Despite yellow vest protesters anger at French officials threats to have the army fire on them, their marches on Saturday overall unfolded peacefully and without violent incidents. On Friday morning, the military governor of the Paris area, General Bruno Le Ray, had said that soldiers deployed to confront the yellow vests would have different means for action faced with all types of threats. That can go as far as opening fire.

Ultimately, there were no confrontations between the army and the yellow vests this weekend, or soldiers opening fire on protesters. It was the police forces that committed the only major act of violence that marred the weekend. In Nice, they violently charged and beat over the head a 73-year-old woman who was not threatening the police forces, as footage from several video surveillance cameras has confirmed. She has been hospitalized with subdural hematomas and was reportedly for a time in a coma.

The police prefect has given the hospital very firm instructions not to communicate with the exterior, including with the family, who finds it very difficult to obtain information, said Arie Alimi, the lawyer for the victims family. The family intends to bring a lawsuit against police for voluntary violence by individuals disposing of state authority on vulnerable persons. The daughter of the victim raised the question of the presidents responsibility, stressing that police are under no obligation to obey the orders of a little king.

The Yellow Number Facebook page announced that there had been 123,000 yellow vest protesters in many cities across France. The Interior Ministry announced the absurd figure of 8,100 protesters across France, before changing its estimate to over 40,000.

The largely peaceful unfolding of the yellow vest demonstrations raises again serious questions on the role of the security forces in the violence on March 16. Hundreds of unidentified violent protesters pillaged dozens of shops or stores on the Champs Elysees avenue. The media and parties of the political establishment immediately reacted hysterically. The Macron government claimed that the violence of March 16 was carried out by hardened, far-left violent protesters who were unidentified but enjoyed the complicity of the yellow vests.

The government had announced the mobilization of the army as well as numerous measures including bans on protesting, raising fines for illegal protests from 38 to 115, mobilizing anti-hooligan brigades and the use of drones. Bans on protests hit Paris neighborhoods like the Champs Elysees, where the fighting had taken place on March 16, Capitole Square in Toulouse, where the protests have been strong, as well as neighbourhoods in Bordeaux. Nice and Marseille were also hit by protest bans.

The hardened violent protesters the government blamed for the violence, without identifying or arresting them, did not appear at all this weekend. This strongly raises again the question of the identity of the elements that carried out the pillage on March 16, particularly given that elements of the riot police were videoed participating in the pillage. The suspicion still remains that forces inside the state could have given their agreement, at least tacitly, to a provocation.

The threats of deadly violence that Macron and Le Ray were effectively making against the yellow vests come after four months of protests in France but only two weekends after mass protests began by Algerian workers and youth to bring down the Algerian government. The emergence of an international movement with revolutionary aspirations terrifies the French ruling class. Fearing the overthrow of General Abdelaziz Bouteflikas regime, they are willing to turn to anyone to strangle the protests against the Macron regime in France.

WSWS reporters spoke to yellow vests at Saturdays protests in Paris. Asked about the advisability of the presence of army units around the Paris protests, one yellow vest explained to the WSWS: As far as I see, I dont think the media and the military will come together to practice shooting civilians. Its impossible, unimaginable. But given the orders that exist today, coming from the Interior Ministry and the current government, it is possible that the soldiers could in fact shoot civilians at point blank range if there are problems.

About the violent criminals, he said that they show up to try to blend in yellow vest protests. That everybody knows and sees, including the police. But we cant stop them because they come in large numbers, usually. We speak to them and they say: We have a right to protest and to do what we want, so there, people should not be left by themselves to decide how to handle this problem.

About General Le Rays threat to fire, another yellow vest told the WSWS: Its really extremely shocking. It had not happened in France since 1947 that the army was called in against protests. There, it is getting into a quagmire.  They are there just to protect buildings, but they do not realize this has a terrible impact. Its really an admission of impotence to call in the army against the population while continuing to claim one is a patriot supporting law and order. This is clearly a new attack on democratic rights. The army is supposed to be there to shoot at enemies, not at the people.

Asked about events in Algeria, this yellow vest applauded the demonstration: It is extremely beautiful what they are doing. They have succeeded much more than we have from early on, to expand the movement while remaining totally peaceful. And I think that for the time being they have better chances than us. Bouteflika has already given in once, I think that the masses are still mobilized and that they will succeed in forcing the government to turn around.

David, an IT professional, stressed his hostility to Macrons anti-democratic measures: I am here first of all because everything that is happening with France today is attacking liberty with anti-violent protester laws, given what is happening with the soldiers. They are trying to frighten us and today the people are hungry. There are people who cannot make it to the end of the month, who are having real trouble.  Today the only response we have had from Mr. Macron is repression, it is to send more and more police against us. Now he is sending military men against us, he is issuing threats via the media and television.

There was similar opposition from a yellow vest and student, who cited police brutality to explain why he had decided to come to the Paris protest: We are rather often told that this movement is running out of steam. But it is not the armys role to preserve law and order and to fire on the people. We have already had enough of riot police who hit people, who live difficult lives. I think the issue of people firing live ammunition now, its just talk to frighten us.  But then why send in the army? This movement has really scared those at the top. Its just to scare people, try to shift public opinion, but now public opinion is really behind us.

Asked about workers struggles in Algeria and beyond, he compared that struggle with that of the yellow vest movement: I have full solidarity with them on everything.  We know very well whatever happens in other countries.
Hudson Yards, the $25 billion private real estate project on the Far West Side of mid-Manhattan, was officially opened on March 15. It has been hailed by its billionaire developers as a transformative venture that will bring at least 55,000 jobs, 4,000 apartments and a jolt of energy and enthusiasm to New York City as a whole.

The reality is far different. A study has documented that the project is drawing development from other neighborhoods without creating new growth. Only about 10 percent of the housing will be affordable, even by the usual flexible definition of that term. Hudson Yards will be in essence a kind of gated community for the very wealthy, yet another and even more extreme expression of the hypergentrification that has fueled historically unprecedented social polarization, nowhere more pronounced than in New York.

The development, the product of at least a decade of planning, will eventually consist of 16 tall buildings. It is made possible by a massive platform built over the old storage yards of the Long Island Rail Road. In terms of square footage, Hudson Yards will be the largest private real estate development in the history of the US.

Among those structures already completed are four skyscrapers, transforming the citys skyline on the Hudson River and nearly obscuring the iconic view of the Empire State Building, about one mile due east. Another prominent element that has been opened is a seven-story, 720,000-square-foot luxury shopping mall.

Aside from the mixed-use residential, commercial and office buildings, Hudson Yards also includes the Shed, a city-sponsored arts center that is the only part of the development not built with private funds. Another feature, temporarily called the Vessel while a permanent name is decided upon, is a 150-foot-high structure with 2,500 steps, erected at a cost of $200 million, and meant to serve as a kind of thematic sculpture and attraction for visitors and residents in the surrounding neighborhood of offices, shops and residences for the super-rich.

Plans for Hudson Yards began to take shape in the years after the 9/11 attacks in Lower Manhattan. The midtown area between 34th and 59th Streets had already overtaken the old financial district in size. By the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, however, there was growing concern within the ruling establishment about competition from London and other financial centers.

One of the few areas where expansion was possible in the already crowded business district was the Far West Side, the site of the old storage yards of the LIRR. The push for Hudson Yards accelerated after New York lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics, and thus the rationale for the plans for a new stadium on the Far West Side. Ground was broken for the project in 2012.

The completion of the first major stage of the project is emblematic of the vast shifts that have taken place amidst the capitalist globalization and financialization of recent decades. Everything about Hudson Yards symbolizes the Second US Gilded Age, which has left the First Gilded Age of more than a century ago in its dust. In the words of New York Times architecture critic Michael Kimmelman, the development is a combination office park-shopping mall and quasi-gated community targeted at the 0.1 percent.

The shopping mall is similar, only on a far bigger scale, to the one opened more than a decade ago in the Time Warner Center mixed-use towers, about a mile to the north.

Star architects, including Skidmore, Owings and Merrill and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, were hired by the billionaire developers, The Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group. For the forthcoming western side of the project the names include Frank Gehry, Santiago Calatrava and Robert A.M. Stern.

Hudson Yards follows Billionaires Row on West 57th Street and numerous other luxury and high-end towers in Manhattan in the northern tip of Brooklyn. The explosion of luxury real estate, resting on continuously escalating inequality, is symptomatic not of the health, but rather the sickness and decline of American capitalism. Hudson Yards is the culmination of a process that can be traced back at least four decades, to the near-bankruptcy of New York in 1975.

That crisis, bound up with the economic downturn that followed the oil price shock of 1973, was followed by a very different sort of recovery from the past. The ensuing social and economic policies, associated most prominently with the names of Reagan and Clinton in the White House and Ed Koch, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg in New Yorks City Hall, were part of a social counterrevolution, which continues today. Capitalist prosperity is now based on rampant speculation, combined with vicious assaults, sponsored by both parties and abetted by the trade unions, on all the gains made by the working class in the 20th century.

While there were occasional efforts to improve the citys infrastructure, as in the modest improvements in New Yorks transit system in the 1980s, these were seen as the cost of maintaining the city as a global business center.

The basic trajectory was to claw back the gains of the working class and to lower living standards for the majority of the population. The consequences of this are symbolized by Hudson Yards and its place in the city today.

Tax breaks and other public assistance for Hudson Yards have reached nearly $6 billion, twice the figure estimated as the enticements for Amazon to build its headquarters, in plans that it has now abandoned, in Queens. The extension of the No. 7 subway line to the neighborhood cost $2.4 billion, while the rest of the transit system was left to decay. The city also spent $1.2 billion for parks and open space.

Companies that plan to relocate from other sites to Hudson Yards were granted tax breaks, including $25 million for the gigantic BlackRock hedge fund, with $5.98 trillion under management, $14 million for WarnerMedia, and numerous others. While an estimated 430 affordable apartments are included in Hudson Yards, about 63,000 residents of the city are homeless.

Hudson Yards bears some comparison with the 1970s project for Westway, an underground multi-level highway to modernize the citys West Side Highway, while above the highway would sit acres of parkland as well as commercial space, office and homes. Westway was stopped by popular opposition to spreading highways through cities, and to development favoring the wealthy. Liberal columnist Russell Baker warned, The Hudson River would be sealed off by a towering wall of condominiums for the rich.

One major difference between Hudson Yards and Westway is the role of private interests. The earlier project was to be largely financed by the federal government.

Another difference is that today, more than 30 years after Westway was finally abandoned, the interests of the super-rich are unchallenged by any level of government, and the steady growth of inequality is accepted by Democrats and Republicans alike.

The consequences are not attractive, as Kimmelman explains. [Hudson Yards] offers 14 acres of public open space in return for privatizing the last precious underdeveloped parcel of significant size in Manhattan  With its focus on the buildings shiny envelopes, on the monotony of reflective blue glass and the sheen of polished wood, brass, leather, marble and stone, Hudson Yards glorifies a kind of surface spectacleas if the peak ambitions of city life were consuming luxury goods and enjoying a smooth, seductive, mindless materialism.

The empty and mindless ambitions of the ruling elite call to mind the famous phrase attributed to Louis XV in pre-revolutionary France: Apres-moi le deluge.

More than five years ago, current New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a self-styled progressive Democrat, was elected on the promise to fight inequality. Hudson Yards shows not only that de Blasio is a liar, but also that the unwillingness and inability of politicians like him to weaken the grip of the oligarchy on social and economic life reflect the fundamental nature of capitalism. What flows from this is the need, not for fruitless attempts to regulate or improve this decaying system, but to establish the political independence of the working class in the fight for socialism.
Reporters for the World Socialist Web Site spoke to demonstrators at Saturdays anti-Brexit protest in London. They explained the social and political concerns that brought them to support the demand for a second referendum.

Haleh, a school teacher from Kent, said, Brexit is a shambles. It will affect so many people in many ways. The economy is going down. House prices have already dropped and that is a big indicator of something very serious.

Of course, Europe is not perfect, but before we had a say. Now we are in a weaker position. Now we have parties of the far right trying to steal our futures. I am British but what is happening is that this is being hijacked by such as the British National Party and [former UK Independence Party leader] Nigel Farage. They are xenophobes. Immigrants are not leeches on society. They all work hard and are the reason why society ticks. It is a Nazi type of ideology.

People are looking at this with Brexit and are now changing their minds. They saw the truth and how the economy has dropped. They saw the xenophobia after the vote. I think people are going to lose their jobs. We need to be together with Europe, not isolated.

It will affect education a lot. There are lots of schools who have European students who are now in limbo. Ive got colleagues from Europe who are waiting to see what to do with their passports. It is heart-breaking.

[Tory MP and leading Brexiteer] Boris Johnson doesnt give a damn about the rest of us. He comes from a very elite background. He doesnt have any understanding of reality of what peoples lives are like. He has never done a days hard work in his life. How can he relate to a factory worker who tomorrow wont have bread and butter on the table?

If we dont stop it, Im worried about my children. I came from Iran after the revolution [in 1979]. I have taught thousands of children here. What right has the BNP and the far right to scapegoat me?

Look at who wants Brexit. The first one to support Brexit was [US President Donald] Trump. Trumps interest is zero sum, that means my gain, your loss. He wants everyone else destroyed. Its not just America First and Britain second. Its America first at the cost of others. It doesnt work for him that we live in an inter-dependent world. We need to work together. We need to look long-term and not just think about our own little world and separate off. No one will win out of this [Brexit].

I feel completely lost [politically]. I normally support Labour but I have voted Green. I think Labour have not been clear enough.

Susana came to the demonstration with friends Bethany, Rachel and Pixie. My parents are Portuguese. They have created a life here, they could be deported, she said.

Pixie said, Im half French and still want to be part of Europe.

Her girlfriend Bethany said, A lot of people didnt vote in the 2016 referendum. No one knew what was going on. Brexit was a protest vote. We werent educated on what the EU is. We need change. The governments bomb other countries and wonder why people are fleeing to Europe. I dont support the wars.

Susana, Bethany, Rachel and Pixie

Speaking about the rise of the far right, Rachel said, Were going back in time. Look what happened in New Zealand [with 51 dead after the rampage by a fascist in Christchurch]. Look at America.

Connor said, The government is a shambles, were a worldwide laughing stock now. The rest of the world cant possibly contemplate how badly were dealing with the Brexit fallout.

I think with protests like today, they will sit up and take notice. All you can really do is try and make your voice heard as loud as possible by all coming together, and hopefully common sense will prevail. Its everything, whether its your jobs, your rights, everything right across the board. Ive got a small son, and Im worried where this is going for his sake. Hes only three. What kind of a country are we becoming?

Sally said, I am here because Ive got a Greek husband. Ive spent 10 years working abroad and some of my pension is in France and Greece. I dont think we should leave. I think we should get another chance to have our say, now that everybody knows how disastrous it is. Now we know the full details. We were lied to [by Brexit politicians] in the vote. I think now we need another chance to say what we feel.

I am surprised that Greece is still in the European Union after what has happened with Brexit. My mother-in-law moved her money from Greece into England, thinking it was a safer place. But that was a bad move. Greece is very committed to staying in. I dont think they will leave unless they are ejected. There was a vast majority to join the EU in Greece and they joined before us.

For me, when I was brought up, the idea of joining the EU and being able to work all over Europe freely was a good one. But I was mis-sold on it, in that I was given to imagine that if I paid my social security anywhere in Europe, I would then be able to draw it when I left for the full amount of years that I had worked.

But that isnt how its worked out. You can draw your pension, but only what youve built up in Britain. I worked for five years in the French Alps and five years on the Greek islands. Ive got pension credits built up in different countries. If we leave the EU all that money that I have paid in will be lost.

Ali, a young man in his 30s of British-Pakistan origin, is unemployed. He said that being Asian, he was worried about Operation Yellowhammer being implemented and further surveillance of the population by the government.

The rise of far-right ideology is making Islamophobia and racism more acceptable, he feared. The populist movement is growingwith Trump, Farage, Hungary. Its become global, its frightening. Unfortunately, they are using Islam and anti-immigration as a bogeyman. They are using fake stories to besmirch the good name of refugees.

Im a big fan of the Greens. The wealthy elite are contributing to the damage being done, because of capitalism and climate change. Ive noticed a lot of younger people coming out to vote, against climate change. Look at Brexit [voters], they were older and not as educated as younger people.

On Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Ali said, He hasnt pushed enough. He should have been more supportive of the EU. Something needs to be done, I dont believe Corbyn is going to be the one to do it. A lot of Labour are Blairites, proud to be corporate. Theyre going to shift people to the right.

Joe, a visual artist in his mid-30s, came to the demonstration because I believe in staying in the European Union. Its more communal in looking after people.
Ending years of official US neutrality, President Donald Trump tweeted a message Thursday recognising Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Trump tweeted, After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israels Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!

Trumps tweet violates international law outlawing the acquisition of territory by force. Such annexations were declared illegal under the Geneva Conventions enacted in the wake of the Second World War to prevent the repetition of actions like those carried out by Germanys Nazi regime.

Along with his decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Trump has effectively repudiated the entire post-World War II international order and signaled that militarism, territorial aggrandisement and colonialism are the order of the day.

Israel captured the Golan Heights, which occupies an important strategic position overlooking the Galilee, from Syria during the June 1967 war, forcing 100,000 residents to flee and destroying most of the 200 villages. It soon began constructing settlements and, in 1981, effectively annexed the region by bringing it under Israeli law and administration.

The United Nations Security Council condemned the move. Its Resolution 497 states, The Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction, and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect, while Resolution 242 stresses the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war.

The Golan is a crucial source of water in an arid region, with rainwater from its catchment feeding into the River Jordan and providing a third of Israels water supply. It may also contain important energy reserves. In 2016, the Israeli authorities gave Afek, an Israeli subsidiary of the US firm Genie Energy, approval to conduct more drilling in the Golan, following the discovery of an oil reservoir.

The Israeli-occupied Golan is now home to some 20,000 Syrians, mainly members of the Druze community, and 20,000 settlers.

Trumps decision was met with near universal condemnation from Washingtons allies and foes alike.

While the State Department insisted the wording-change did not mean a policy change, it is no aberration. The move has been at the top of the agenda in diplomatic talks between Washington and Tel-Aviv. Days earlier, the US dropped its customary Israeli-occupied designation of the Golan in its annual human rights report.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the announcement, which came ahead of an official visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Israel. President Trump has just made history, Netanyahu stated. I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again. The message that President Trump has given the world is that America stands by Israel.

Trumps decision and Pompeos visit are intended to shore up the position of Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political life, as well as his freedom, in the elections scheduled for April 9.

Netanyahu, mired in corruption, faces multiple charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. He is confronting an unexpectedly stiff opposition from a new electoral alliance, Blue and White (a reference to the Israeli flag), made up of former chief of staff Benny Gantzs electoral vehicle Resilience Party, Yair Lapids Yesh Atid, former Likud Defence Minister Moshe Yaalons Telem, and former chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi.

All of Netanyahus opponents have also hailed the US decision.

Trump has signaled his support for the election of a neo-fascist government headed by Netanyahu, who has brokered a merger between the fascist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party and the more established right-wing party of religious Zionists, Jewish Home. Netanyahus aim is to secure enough support from the ultra-nationalist and religious parties to form another Likud-led coalition. He has thereby legitimized an organization that traces its roots to the long-outlawed Kach Party of Meir Kahane, which the US declared a terrorist organization.

Otzma Yehudit, like Jewish Home, encourages violence against Palestinians, calls for the expulsion of Arabs from Israel and the occupied territories, and advocates a ban on intermarriage or sex between Jews and Arabs. This fascistic outfit could, following its electoral alliance with Jewish Home, win seats in the Knesset and become part of the next government.

Two of Otzma Yehudits leadersMichael Ben Ari and Itamar Ben Gvirare cofounders of a group implicated in a 2014 arson attack on a school for Jewish and Arab children in Jerusalem. Ben Ari was denied a visa to the US in 2012 as a member of a terrorist organization. Ben Gvir has acknowledged having a picture in his home of Baruch Goldstein, the Kahane supporter who murdered 29 Palestinians at a mosque in Hebron in 1994.

Last week, the Supreme Court disqualified Ben Ari from contesting the election, overturning an earlier decision by the electoral committee, because of his incitement to racism. This provoked a storm of criticism from Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of the newly formed Hayamin Hehadash party, who has pledged to pass a far-reaching policy package giving the Ministry of Justice the power to nominate judges for approval by legislators, aimed at ending the independency of the judiciary. Shaked provoked international outrage after appearing in an election ad in sultry poses promoting a fictional perfume called Fascism. Satirising attacks on her ultra-nationalism and authoritarianism, she opens the bottle and sniffs its content, saying, To me, it smells like democracy.

A Netanyahu-led government that would likely include Shaked would accelerate the expansion and creation of new Zionist settlements, escalate the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from East Jerusalem and sanction the outright annexation of the Palestinian land known as Area C, which constitutes 60 percent of the occupied West Bank.

Trumps decision on the Golan Heights follows a series of measures in support of his regional attack dog: the relocation of the American embassy to Jerusalem; the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organisation office in Washington; the ending of US aid to Palestinians, estimated, according to OECD data, at nearly $7.3 billion between 1993 and 2017; the enactment of US laws that prohibit providing funds to the families of Palestinian political prisoners and individuals killed by Israel, under the pretext of fighting terrorism; and moves to brand any form of criticism of Israel, including the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, as anti-Semitic. The US left the UN Human Rights Council in protest against its scrutiny of Israels policies.

Trumps naked interference in the Israeli elections is bound up with broader aims of US imperialism to escalate its military intervention in the Middle East, particularly to roll back Iranian influence in the wake of the successive debacles suffered by Washington in Iraq, Libya and Syria.

With Israel long claiming that the continued threat from Iran, Syria and their Lebanese ally Hezbollah makes it vital for its security to maintain control of the Golan, it is clear that US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, coming in the aftermath of Washingtons unilateral exit from the international nuclear deal with Iran and the supposed pullout of US military forces from Syria, is aimed at Iran.

According to Haaretz, two weeks ago, the Israel Defence force released its Golan File supposedly revealing that, unknown to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Hezbollah terror cell was planning to infiltrate a village on the Syrian side. This would, the newspaper reported, necessitate a military response from Israel unless Assad distanced himself from Hezbollah and Iran.
The World Socialist Web Site and the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) are playing a leading role in organizing opposition to the imprisonment of Chelsea Manning and the persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Meetings and rallies are currently scheduled for Tuesday, March 26 at San Diego State University and Northern Virginia Community College. Click here for more information.

On Saturday afternoon, Chelsea Mannings support committee issued a press release reporting that she has been subjected to solitary confinement since her incarceration at Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia beginning March 8.

Manning was jailed more than two weeks ago by US Eastern District Court of Virginia Judge Claude Hilton on charges of contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury empaneled for the purpose of crafting frame-up charges against WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder and publisher has himself been living under extremely isolated conditions in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 under a grant of asylum.

Chelsea Manning

The malicious imprisonment of Manning in solitary confinement is an effort by the US District Court to force her to testify before the secret grand jury that is drawing up an indictment against Assange. It must also be seen as an effort to mete out further retribution on Manning for courageously exposing US war crimes in the Middle East.

In 2010, Manning leaked documents revealing innumerable war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan to WikiLeaks, including the now infamous Collateral Murder video which shows a 2007 US helicopter gun ship assault in Baghdad that killed 16 civilians, including two Reuters journalists. Manning was arrested by the military in 2010, under the Obama administration, and subjected to years of imprisonment and solitary confinement. After a trial, she was sentenced to 35 years in military prison, of which she served seven before her sentence was commuted by Obama in 2017.

Condemning the latest measures against Manning as torture, the support committee demanded that the courageous whistleblower be freed from solitary immediately. The statement reads in part, Since her arrival at Truesdale on March 8th, Chelsea has been placed in administrative segregation, or adseg, a term designed to sound less cruel than solitary confinement. However, Chelsea has been kept in her cell for 22 hours a day.

Chelsea cant be out of her cell while any other prisoners are out, so she cannot talk to other people, or visit the law library, and has no access to books or reading material. She has not been outside for 16 days. She is permitted to make phone calls and move about outside her cell between 1 and 3 a.m.

Prison officials have claimed that high profile prisoners are kept in adseg for their own protection and Dana Lawhorne, the sheriff of Alexandria, Virginia told a CNN reporter that claims of torture were not accurate and it is unfair to claim that there is a conspiracy of any kind.

However, the Manning support committee statement points out that her confinement for more than 15 days actually constitutes prolonged solitary. The committees online press release provides a link to a document called A Sourcebook on Solitary Confinement, by Juan E. Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, that substantiates both their claims of torture and prolonged solitary confinement.

If not for the brave stand taken by Manning, the existence of the grand jury and the possibility of US charges against Assange would likely not be known to the world. The brutal treatment of Manning and the secret case against Assange are coming up at this moment for obvious reasons.

A major premise of the Special Counsel probe of Robert Muellerwhose full report has just been delivered to the US Justice Departmenthinges on the unsubstantiated assertion that the Russian government hacked Democratic National Committee (DNC) mail servers and delivered the email contents to Julian Assange and WikiLeaks before the 2016 US elections.

Assange has repeatedly denied this explanation for how the DNC messages were provided to WikiLeaks. The publication of those messagesespecially those of Clinton campaign chairman John Podestaone month before the 2016 elections exposed the depth of political conspiracy within the Democratic Party against the candidacy of Bernie Sanders as well as the obsequious relationship between Hillary Clinton and the Wall Street oligarchy.

Concerns about how solitary confinement will impact Mannings health are very real. However, the committee statement says firmly, Chelsea is a principled person, and she has made clear that while this kind of treatment will harm her, and will almost certainly leave lasting scars, it will never make her change her mind about cooperating with the grand jury.

As exposed in a legal motion filed by her attorneys opposing the grand jury subpoena, Manning has been the subject of continuous harassment and illegal electronic surveillance since her sentence was commuted on January 17, 2017 and she left the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. Manning is recognized worldwide as a soldier who stood up against and exposed the secret operations of the most criminal enterprise the world has ever known, the US military.

Workers, students and young people must continue their efforts to demand the release of Manning from prison for refusing to comply with a subpoena that violates her First and Fifth Amendment rights and is a blatant abuse of the grand jury process.
PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5



Two months after workers launched wildcat strikes in the Mexican city of Matamoros, 89 maquiladora factories, mostly in the auto parts, electric, and metallurgical industries, have agreed to workers demands for a 20 percent raise and a bonus of 32,000 pesos (US$1,655)half of the average yearly salary. The strike wave has become known across Mexico as the 20/32 movement.

The Mexican and US ruling classes have sought to claw back concessions and contain and isolate the rebellion by laying off 4,700 workers to date. The ruling class has also threatened to fire 50,000 of the 85,000 maquiladora workers in the city and is desperately propping up the trade union apparatus to block further struggles. It is accelerating its attacks against democratic rights and is turning toward authoritarian and militaristic forms of rule.

On March 1, a Matamoros worker shared a World Socialist Web Site article online regarding the crippling effects strikes are having on the North American auto industry and the growing support for Mexican workers across the continent. The worker posted: Wow, finally I read something coherent about workers and their movement. As it began to circulate widely on Facebook, 52-year-old labor lawyer Susana Prieto Terrazas intervened to denounce the WSWS.

But this outlet also publishes stupidities, she wrote. They are also part of my detractors. The left that sells the idea that workers can organize by themselves, naturally and without help. They are pathetic.

What she calls patheticworkers independent initiative of self-organizationis precisely the source of the workers power. Workers in Matamoros took the historic and crucial step of forming rank-and-file committees to by-pass the trade unions so that they could communicate democratically, appeal not to the Mexican government, but to workers across the city and internationally and organize the largest strike across North America in at least three decades. Consolidating these gains and taking the struggle forward under an internationalist and socialist program is the only way forward against mass reprisals.

For all Prietos left talk, the truth is that she is a longtime partner of the US trade-union federation, the AFL-CIO, which makes Mexican company unions or charrismo look almost like militants.

A self-proclaimed capitalist, Prieto arrived at Matamoros dishonestly denying her ties to any unions and to the ruling bourgeois party Movement for National Regeneration (Morena) in order to politically disarm workers and find the best way to shut the strike down. She offered the legal advice that workers had to remain tied to the union apparatus and place their trust in Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as AMLO) to win their demands. She convinced workers to send delegations on March 5 to Monterrey, Leon, and on March 13-15 to Mexico Cityto discuss joining independent unions bound to the Morena government and US and European imperialism.

Tellingly, the Wall Street Journal, which has historically elevated the most right-wing forces, featured Prieto in its March 14 edition. The newspaper sent a photographer to Matamoros to portray Prieto as a Marvel superhero character, while rejoicing: Her efforts have made her a folk hero in Matamoros. Workers have given her cakes, flowers and T-shirts with her name on it and the legend: God sent an Angel to Matamoros to help the working class. Some have composed ballads in her honor.

Yet, the tribute to Prieto by the top media outlet of the American financial aristocracy also exposes another lie. The paper indicated that she makes her income as a lawyer for independent unions.

It is critical to refute Prietos slanders against the WSWS because they lie at the center of this political fraud against the working class, which must now draw the lessons from the strike and render accounts of the roles played by its protagonists. This requires a sober examination of how this strategic experience unfolded within its historical and international context.

What produced the wildcat strikes and why in Matamoros?

During the 1980s, new shipping and information technologies set the stage for the globalization of capitalist production. One of its effects was to render unviable the isolated Soviet economy, fast-tracking the dissolution of the first workers state, the USSR, at the hands of the Stalinist bureaucracy. The closer integration of production globally and the demise of the USSR only deepened the crisis of the capitalist system. Japanese and European imperialism had partially recovered since World War II to become again contending rivals of US imperialism. Renewed global competition for sources of cheap labor, markets and natural resourcesintensified by the computerization of trade and financial capitalwas accompanied by the formation of rival trade blocs.

A 1992 study by the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) on the negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement noted, The European Common Market and the potential entailed by a supposed European self-sufficiency calls for the integration of regional markets with the magnitude of the so-called North American common market.

The development of this economic stronghold for US and Canadian imperialism rested on the exploitation of the Mexican maquiladoras as a cheap-labor platform. However, the report warned, If the cost of manual labor increases and Mexico ceases to enjoy a competitive world-wide edge the tendency will be towards the disappearance of the maquiladora industry as such in Mexico.

Industrial centers sprung up across the US-Mexico border and in the Bajio region in North-Central Mexico, raising the workforce at maquiladora sweatshops from 400,000 to 3 million today, with millions more employed in related activities. Despite the ballooning demand for Mexican labor, living standards fell.

A study by the Economics Faculty in UNAM titled Mexico 2018: another social and political defeat for the working class found that the real purchasing power of Mexicans has fallen 80 percent in the last 30 years, indicating that more than 24 hours of work today are necessary to afford the staples one bought in 1987 with roughly five hours of work. Today, industrial salaries in Mexico are 50 percent of industrial salaries in China. The relation was the opposite two decades ago, reported the bank HSBC last year.

Seeing their wealth and power increase with the inflow of foreign capital, the Mexican bourgeoisie and trade unions forged tighter relations with US imperialism and readily enforced the falling compensation for Mexican workers labor to meet the globalized profit requirements of the financial elite.

In Matamoros, strikes during the 1980s had won maquiladora workers unique conditions in the region, like a 40-hour week paid at 56 hours in 1983, along with a relatively more militant tradition. Facing such pressure from below, Agapito Gonzalez Cavazos, after four decades leading the Union of Laborers and Industrial Workers of the Maquiladora Industry (SJOIIM), was one of the few trade union leaders still calling strikes to resist the downward pressures of the approaching NAFTA agreement.

On January 31, 1992, however, during negotiations with 42 companies, including General Motors, Gonzalez was detained for several weeks by federal authorities on charges of fiscal fraud.

Under Gonzalez, the union had consolidated its significant wealth, financial obscurity, prominence in the CTM and ruling circles and its corporatist role as a labor contractor subordinated to management. [Williams, Edward J. and Passe-Smith, John T., 1992. The Unionization of the Maquiladora Industry: The Tamaulipan Case in National Context. San Diego State University] The arrest was for Gonzalez the sign that it was impossible to continue juggling any defense of workers interests and the union bureaucracys comfortable social standing, which rested on the defense of capitalist relations and their nationalist framework. Along with every trade union in the world, the SJOIIM responded to the new context under globalization by dropping any serious resistance until Gonzalezs death in 2001 and thereafter.

The 48-hour week was re-imposed and, according to a recent article by SomosMass99, the starting salary being negotiated in 1992 by the SJOIIM was the equivalent of $19.50 per day, compared to the current $10.86 including the recent 20 percent raise.

By the end of 2018, the percentage of the working population with an income below the basket of staple foods, which the government defines as extreme poverty, was 40 percent. Meanwhile, the top 10 percent has hoarded 67 percent of the countrys wealth and more than 80 percent of financial assets. The number of dollar millionaires increased 27 percent to 88,000 just in 2017, when officials reported that 57 percent of the working population had no access to social security benefits, including health care.

The pressure to transfer ever greater amounts of money into the financial markets only intensified after the 2008 crash, at a time when China became a new economic competitor on the world stage. Facing a continued decline of its relative economic power, US imperialism has been compelled to consolidate its own economic, political and military sphere of control in preparation for economic and military confrontations against its global rivals.

These strategic considerations were behind Trumps renegotiation of NAFTA, which includes several concessions from the Mexican and Canadian bourgeoisies in favor of US capital, including a ban on forging a free trade agreement with China. Fundamentally, Trumps protectionism relies on further downward pressures on wages and conditions to incentivize the reshuffling of production from China, Europe and Asia back to North America and, on a lesser degree, to the rest of US imperialisms backyard, Latin America.

The US Commerce Department recently listed imports for US auto manufacturers, and presumably other key industries, as a national security concern. The new NAFTA requires that 75 percent of components of cars and trucks be manufactured within North America, an increase from 62.5 percent.

Already 45 percent of auto parts imported into the US come from Mexico, while 40 percent of Mexican-made vehicles exported to the US consist of auto-parts made in the US. The US and Mexico auto industries are like Siamese twins, inseparable and highly intertwined, writes the industry magazine Mexico Now. Eighty percent of Mexican exports, mostly industrial products made in maquiladora plants, go to the US.

Cheap labor, tax cuts, land and other incentives for investments in the Mexican maquiladora industry lie at the heart of US capitalisms strategy for trade war and military confrontation with its global rivals.

Representing the interests of rent-seekers or junior partners to US and foreign capital within the Mexican ruling elite and upper-middle class, including factions of the trade-union bureaucracy, the AMLO administration came up with a scheme to further cheapen labor and cut taxes to attract US investments, particularly after the Trump administration had brought down the corporate tax rate from 34 to 21 percent.

At the same time, the overwhelming majorities won by Morena during the July 2018 presidential and parliamentary elections reflected profound, popular aspirations that this party, touted as left, would implement policies to massively improve social conditions for the toiling masses.

These considerations led to a signature campaign promise of AMLO: turning the 18-mile-wide strip along the 2000-mile border with the US into a free trade zone. The plan, which took effect January 1, cut the value-added tax from 16 to 8 percent and the income taxes from 30 to 20 percent in the new free trade zone. It also raised the minimum wage 16 percent nationally to a meager 102 daily pesos ($5) and 100 percent within the free trade zone to 176 daily pesos ($9.15).

The majority of workers along the border already earned slightly more than 176 pesos. In Matamoros, only 20 percent earned less, according to the maquiladora association Index. The crux of AMLOs free trade zone was that companies would be free to eliminate bonuses to compensate for the new minimum wage, even if workers were not benefitted by the raise.

While AMLO and Morena were taking workers for fools, as early as November 13, there were reports of workers at border cities denouncing the elimination of their bonuses.

In Matamoros, the situation was even more explosive. An old provision in the SJOIIM contract stipulated that salaries across the board must increase proportionately to any minimum-wage hike to protect purchasing power, and that bonuses had to compensate workers for this change.

Throughout December, the union leader, Juan Villafuerte Morales, and the union delegates from the 48 plantsa majority of which are owned by US-based companiesheld backroom talks with the local government under the new Morena mayor, Mario Lopez (nicknamed La borrega or the sheep).

During these negotiations, Mayor Lopez told reporters from Central TV that the wage increase was not financially viable for the maquiladoras so he was intervening in a chat between the union and the companies. Instead of paying the 100 percent wage increase and the corresponding bonus of 32,000 pesos, it turned out that the plan of the SJOIIM, Morena and Index was to silently overlook the raise and bonus, even the standard annual bonus of 3,000 pesos.

On December 28, a short wildcat strike of hundreds of workers at the maquiladora of Seisa Medical in Ciudad Juarez against the halving of their bonus was a shot across the bow.

With a social explosion brewing, Susana Prieto returned from a vacation in Patagonia and, as early as January 5, intervened with a video message to AMLO, claiming she was receiving complaints from workers in the border region and channeling this opposition behind an appeal to the new government to ban the sweeping cuts to bonuses.

Prietowhose office is in Ciudad Juarez and who resides across the border in El Paso, Texasgained local prominence in 2015-2016 while representing 56 workers fired from a Lexmark maquiladora for protesting for a switch to an independent union to fight for better conditions.

In 2016, protests against the unions, poverty wages and sweatshop conditions soon grew into mass marches of thousands of workers from Eaton, Lear, Foxconn, Lexmark and other plants.

Prieto quickly founded an advocacy organization named Obrer@s Maquiler@s de Ciudad Juarez A.C. [Maquiladora workers of Ciudad Juarez]. While claiming a leading role, it served to prevent wildcat strikes, isolate workers in Ciudad Juarez and channel them into a dead end: formal complaints to the corrupt Labor Conciliation and Arbitration board, loans, unsuccessful demands to switch to one of the self-proclaimed independent unions, and an unsuccessful non-party bid for mayor by one of the workers, Antonia Hinojosa Hernandez.

Her organization and representation of the 56 workers was openly backed in March 2016 by the main trade-union federation in the United States, the AFL-CIO, along with the Mexican New Workers Central (NCT), IndustriAll and several other local and international organizations. A letter from the AFL-CIO called on Lexmark to recognize publicly the rights of workers to form an independent union, and was signed by the director of the US federations International Department, Catherine Feingold, who rose up the ranks of the federations CIA-sponsored Solidarity Center.

Prieto continued to develop her relations with the AFL-CIO. In December 2017, she was a keynote speaker, along with several AFL-CIO officials, at a Binational Conference to Cancel NAFTA in Carson, California. The event was co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO and the Mexican Electricians Union (SME). According to Mexico Webcast, Prieto attended another Binational Conference in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, in March 2018 in which an agreement was reached between several Mexican and US unions to make the struggles across the border visible.

Prietos Obrer@s Maquiler@s de Ciudad Juarez A.C. then organized a march across the border on April 24-26 with the Alliance of National, State and Municipal Organizations of the Movement of San Quintin Workers, itself co-founded by the AFL-CIO during a similar rank-and-file rebellion against the existing union in 2015 by agricultural workers in Baja California. The most important victory, according to an Alliance statement, was the founding of the Independent, National and Democratic Union of Workers of San Quintin (SINDJA), which immediately affiliated to the National Workers Union (UNT). The march co-organized by Prieto would culminate in another Binational Conference in Ciudad Juarez on April 27-28, 2018.

Within Mexico, Prietos Obrer@s Maquiler@s de Ciudad Juarez A.C. publicly backed the candidacy of AMLO. According to reports on El Paso Inc., August 20, 2018, Prieto was also behind an effort to organize a march in Downtown Juarez in support of Morena mayoral candidate, Javier Gonzalez Mocken, who had publicly asked the local Index to join me in constituting part of the municipal government.

Then, on January 7, 2019, Prieto announced the beginning of the fight in defense of salaries in this country in a video in which she expressed concerns about growing opposition to AMLO and gave thanks to Morena congresswoman Letty Ochoa Martinez for sharing her videos with the president of Morena, Yeidckol Polevnksy. Finally, she called for a demonstration in Ciudad Juarez for January 19.

To be continued

PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5


On Friday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded his nearly two-year-long investigation, finding no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, reads a section of the report excerpted by the Justice Department.

Allegations that Trump colluded with Russia have been at the center of the Democrats opposition to the Trump administration. Beginning with Paul Krugmans declaration in a July 22, 2016, New York Times op-ed that Trump was a Siberian Candidate, the Times, Washington Post and other news media carried hundreds of articles supposedly proving that Trump won the election through a nefarious conspiracy with Vladimir Putin.

But Mueller, the former FBI director whose investigation spanned over 600 days, and who, according to the Justice Department, issued 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, obtained more than 230 orders for communication records and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses, could find no evidence of these claims.

The outcome of the investigation is a debacle for the Democrats and their associated media outlets, leaving the fascist Trump in a stronger political position. No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION, Trump declared on Twitter. Now, as Trump intensifies his frontal assault on the social and democratic rights of the working class, he will have the political wind in his sails.

In the more than two years since Trumps election, the danger posed by this administration to the working class has become abundantly clear. Trump has used emergency powers to allocate funds not appropriated by Congress for his wall on the US-Mexico border, a vast expansion of executive power directed at the suppression of all opposition. The administration has imprisoned tens of thousands of immigrant children in concentration camps, in what human rights officials have called torture.

In recent months, Trump has declared war on socialism, as part of his appeal to fascistic forces in the United States and internationally. His fascistic rhetoric has inspired neo-Nazi terrorists, such as Brenton Tarrant, who massacred 50 people in New Zealand this month; Robert Bowers, who killed 11 people in a synagogue last year; and James Alex Fields, who drove a car into anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville in 2017.

There is one clear and inescapable conclusion from the tortuous experience of the past two years: the struggle against the Trump administration cannot be based on the Democratic Party, the rotting corpse of American liberalism.

From the start, the Democrats opposition to Trump has centered on differences over foreign policy and how best to secure the predatory interests of American imperialism. Trumps enemies within the ruling class demanded that the president take a more confrontational stance toward Russia and invest additional military resources in destabilizing and overthrowing the Syrian government.

The dispute, in other words, has been confined to an intramural scrimmage (as Obama put it after Trumps election) between right-wing factions of the ruling elite. A major goal of the anti-Russian hysteria promoted by the Democrats has been to divert the broadly-felt popular hatred and hostility to Trump into a right-wing, pro-war framework, while serving to justify attacks on democratic rights.

The campaign surrounding allegations of Russian meddling has been used to legitimize internet censorship, leading to a massive search traffic decline to left-wing sites. It has also been used to demonize WikiLeaks and create the conditions for jailing whistleblower Chelsea Manning and escalating the persecution of Julian Assange.

At the same time, the Democrats have, on many fundamental issues, formed what amounts to a national unity government with Trump. They have rubber-stamped two massive annual increases to the US military budget, fully endorsing Trumps plan to vastly expand the size of the US military in preparation for great-power competition with Russia and China.

In recent months, the Democrats have not only embraced Trumps trade war against China but have criticized the White House for being insufficiently aggressive in the US campaign against Chinese telecommunications companies. And they have, almost without exception, backed Trumps demand for regime change in Venezuela.

The Democrats main concern has been to avoid anything that would mobilize broader sections of the population. Thus, they have consistently opposed impeachment proceedings, insisting that everything must be subordinated to Muellers investigation. The Democrats are far more afraid of the growth of the class struggle than they are concerned about whatever factional differences they have with the present occupant of the White House.

All of this was determined by the class interests of the social forces represented by the Democrats, who speak for powerful sections of the financial oligarchy and military-intelligence apparatus, together with layers of the affluent upper middle class.

Trump is not an aberration. Rather, his administration expresses the most essential characteristics of the capitalist system. It is one symptom of a far deeper disease, of which his opponents within the political establishment are another.

The only social force capable of leading a real struggle against the Trump administration is the international working class. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote in June 2017:

The working class confronts in Trump and his administration a vicious enemy, dedicated to the destruction of its democratic rights and a further lowering of its living standards... The working class must oppose this government and seek its removal. But this task must not be entrusted to Trumps factional opponents in the ruling class. The working class cannot remain a bystander in the fight between Trump and the Democrats. Rather, it must develop its struggle against Trump under its own banner and with its own program.

The nearly two years since the publication of this statement have been marked by the growth of an international strike movement spanning nearly all countries and industries. Last year, more than half a million US workers went on strike, a 20-fold increase over 2017. Ten years after the 2008 financial crisis, and after decades of social inequality, the working class has emerged on the stage of global politics. The initial expressions of working class struggle will develop and expand in the course of this year.

The growth of the class struggle on a world scale must be transformed into a conscious, international and revolutionary movement against the capitalist system. This is the essential and urgent political task.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, on strengthening China-Monaco relations, in Monaco, March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

MONACO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, here Sunday on strengthening China-Monaco relations.

Xi was paying a state visit to Monaco, the first by a Chinese president to the European country.

Noting the affinity between the two peoples, Xi said that since China and Monaco established diplomatic relations more than 20 years ago, the two sides have always treated each other as equals with sincerity and friendship.

Xi said China-Monaco relations are developing steadily, with bilateral practical cooperation keeping pace with the times and taking the lead in China-Europe cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, telecommunications and mobile payment.

Xi said China and Monaco have set a fine example of friendly exchanges between countries that are different in size and have different historical and cultural backgrounds and social systems.

The Chinese president said the exchange of visits between him and Prince Albert II in about half a year demonstrated the high level of China-Monaco ties.

He called on the two sides to firmly grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, constantly consolidate traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support in the United Nations and on international affairs.

Both sides should adhere to openness and cooperation and pursue more win-win results, Xi said, adding that China welcomes Monaco to actively participate in the joint development of the Belt and Road.

Calling on the two sides to elevate cooperation on environmental protection, Xi said the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is welcome to conduct public-service activities in China aimed at environmental protection, so as to continuously enrich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Describing Xi's visit as a "historic" one, Prince Albert II said Monaco is willing to expand cooperation with China in such fields as science and technology, innovation, ecological and environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and renewable energy.

The prince said Monaco highly appreciates China's role in international affairs such as climate change and stands ready to support China in hosting the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year. He also wished the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics success.

Before the talks, Prince Albert II held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.

Monaco is the second leg of Xi's three-nation Europe visit. He has concluded a state visit to Italy and will pay a state visit to France.

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[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
This week, the deputy secretary of international relations of the Spanish far-right party Vox, Ivan Espinosa de los Monteros, declared that the ultraleft and [Catalan and Basque] nationalism are the enemies of Spain and that between us all we have to finish them off. He said that Vox would propose outlawing parties that dont believe in the unity of Spain and those who dont renounce Marxism.

Vox has signed up five former generals to run in the April 28 general elections. Two have publicly defended the legacy of fascist dictator Francisco Franco.

Voxs policies are openly anti-democratic and reactionary. They include suspending all regional governments, reversing limited measures that sought to address Francos crimes, closing mosques, bolstering the Catholic Church, lowering income and corporate tax, and deporting migrants.

Former Navy General Agustin Rosety Fernandez de Castro will head the Vox list in the southern province of Cadiz. Rosety, who served the Spanish army for 40 years under Popular Party (PP) and Socialist Party (PSOE) administrations as Chief of Special Operations, head of the Ministry of Defences top bodythe General Directorate of Defence Policyhas revealed his true colours.

So too has former General of Division Alberto Asarta who will stand in Castellon. He is the author of the current Spanish Air Force military doctrine and has taken part in Spanish imperialist wars and interventions, leading the Multinational Brigade Plus Ultra II in Iraq and UNIFIL in Lebanon.

Both Rosety and Asarta signed last years pro-fascist manifesto Declaration of Respect to General Francisco Franco Bahamonde, Soldier of Spain, along with 670 other top current and retired officers. Published in the pro-Francoite Asociacion de Militares Espanoles (AME-Association of Spanish Soldiers), it proclaimed Franco, who slaughtered hundreds of thousands of workers during the Spanish Civil War and founded a 40-year fascist dictatorship, to be the saviour of Spain.

Rosety and Asarta will be joined by former Air Force General Manuel Mestre Barea, who fought in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iraq and will stand in Alicante. Former General Fulgencio Coll, who will be the candidate for mayor for Palma de Mallorca, was chief of staff of the Spanish Army between 2008 and 2012. General Antonio Budino Carballo, who oversaw operations in Croatia, Albania and Iraq, will stand in Pontevedra.

The decision of top Spanish officers to hail fascist crimes, join Vox, and run for parliament is a warning to workers in Spain and beyond. As the French army threatens to shoot yellow vest protesters, the financial aristocracy everywhere is moving towards fascistic military-police regimes.

This lays bare the claim that the Spanish army was democratised after the fall of the Francoite regime. Rather, in line with events across Europe, the transition to bourgeois democracy under the slogan of forgive and forget covered up the crimes of the fascists, allowed them to continue their careers unhindered and incubate their successors. The state is deliberately building up the Vox party. It was created by former hard-line PP politicians, appealing directly to the military, the judiciary and the police.

These forces exploited the Catalan nationalists calling of an independence referendum to shift the political atmosphere far to the right and legitimize the building of an openly pro-fascist party.

Polls show that Vox does not draw support from the working class. Most if its voters are former PP supporters and middle-class layers earning over 2,000 a month. Only 13 percent of Spanish citizens earn this amount.

Last December, after massive media promotion, the party came from virtually nowhere to win 12 seats in the 108-seat Andalusian parliament and almost 11 percent of the vote. It then became the kingmaker, deciding to back a right-wing Citizens-PP coalition government in the region.

Vox could again be in a position to broker a right-wing government after the national elections in April. According to the latest polls, the party could win 10.3 percent of the vote, or 20 to 23 seats in the 350-seat parliament. Combined with the PP and Citizens the right wing could end up with at least 176 seatsa slim majority over the PSOE and Unidos Podemos.

Espinosa de los Monteros threat to ban Marxist parties is also a warning. Amid growing strikes and social protests in neighbouring Portugal and France, and across Europe, Spains ruling class is aware of broad opposition to the PSOE and Podemos on their left, from the working class.

After 36 years of uninterrupted rule in Andalucia, the PSOE suffered its worst-ever defeatits number of seats dropped from 47 to 33whilst Unidos Podemos lost three of its 20 seats, torpedoing claims it would substantially increase its vote.

Podemos is not a Marxist party. It is rapidly being exposed as a pseudo-left populist party of the affluent middle class, representing social layers somewhat excluded from the two-party patronage system installed after the collapse of the Franco regime. A regional representative in Andalucia receives a salary of 3,127 a month plus extra money for serving on committees or for being a party spokesperson and travel expenses up to 500 a month.

The fact that Vox and the army feel emboldened to hail Franco, a fascist mass murderer, and call for banning Marxism, is due above all to the reactionary role of the PSOEwhich promoted most of these officers to become generalsand of Podemos.

Since its foundation five years ago, Podemos has claimed that the only realistic policy to defend the people was to integrate itself in the state apparatus and appeal to the ruling class. During these years, general secretary Pablo Iglesias assiduously courted bankers, representatives of big business (including with a trip to Wall Street), and military and police associations.

Podemos has formed coalition governments at a regional and local level (where it helped impose austerity). Iglesias pleaded with the PSOE to continue this policy at a national level and include Podemos in a Government of Change.

Last June, Podemos was finally able to install a PSOE-led government through backdoor talks with the regional nationalist parties to oust the PP government. Within two weeks, the farce of a progressive government programme with the PSOE, Spains main party of capitalist rule since 1978, was exposed. PSOE Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced he would comply with EU austerity and execute the budget passed by the PP.

In the ensuing eight months until it fell last month, the Podemos-backed PSOE government pursued an agenda indistinguishable from that of the PP. It has continued prosecuting imprisoned Catalan nationalist leaders.

Now, the PSOE has opened the door to the most right-wing, law-and-order campaign in Spains modern history, centred on the Catalan separatist question and migration. As the daily El Pais noted, the economy has gone into the background to the detriment of more populist messages, the Catalan question or the dust cloud unleashed by the eruption of Vox. Everyone admits that in this campaign the economic debate will be minimized despite the serious threats of slowdown and the long list of pending tasks in the economic field. There is hardly talk of cuts, austerity or tax increases.

The unstated target of this campaign, however, is the working class. Whichever coalition is formed after the elections, whether one led by the right wing with the backing of Vox, or a PSOE-led government supported by Citizens or Podemos, it will rapidly move against the workers.
Last week the Australian and New Zealand governments furiously attacked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over his response to the March 15 Christchurch mass shooting, in which Australian fascist terrorist Brenton Tarrant killed 50 people in two mosques.

Addressing a political rally on March 18, Erdogan likened Tarrants white supremacist ideology to the anti-Muslim views of Allied soldiers sent to fight the Ottoman Empire in World War I. His comments prompted immediate, belligerent denunciations from the Australian and New Zealand political establishment and media, which glorifies the role of the Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) in WWI, especially the disastrous attempted invasion of Turkey via the Gallipoli Peninsula in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

The Anzac legend is a central ideological tool used by Australia and New Zealands ruling elite to promote patriotism and militarism particularly amid acute social tensions over poverty and inequality. It has helped create the environment that fuelled the growth of fascist groups and led to the Christchurch massacre.

Speaking to a crowd near the Gallipoli battle site, Erdogan declared that Tarrants shooting wasnt an individual attack, this is organised, contradicting claims by New Zealand police that Tarrant acted alone. Turkish authorities believe he was backed by a well-resourced organisation and may have been planning terror attacks in Turkey, which he visited twice in 2016.

Referring to the defeat of the Allies at Gallipoli, Erdogan said anyone travelling to Turkey with views like Tarrants would face the same fate. Your grandparents came, some of them returned in coffins, he declared. If you come again like your grandfathers, be sure that you will be gone like your grandfathers.

At several campaign rallies, Erdogan has shown excerpts of Tarrants video of his horrific attack, in which three Turkish nationals were injured. He demanded that New Zealand bring back the death penalty for Tarrant, otherwise Turkey would make [him] pay one way or another.

Erdogans statements are aimed at whipping up Turkish nationalism in order to divert growing working-class anger over social inequality in the lead-up to the March 31 local elections. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is desperately trying to cling to power amid an economic crisis and worsening tensions with the US, which backed a failed coup against Erdogan in 2016.

The outraged response to Erdogan from Canberra and Wellington, however, is just as reactionary. Neither government condemned or sought to differentiate themselves from Tarrants call in his manifesto for Christians to reconquer Istanbul and slaughter Turks, or his threat to kill Erdogan. Instead, they sought to whip up nationalist sentiment against Turkey and defend the Anzacs World War I campaign.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in a bellicose rant, called Erdogans speech highly offensive to Australians and highly reckless in this very sensitive environment, and an insult [to] the memory of our Anzacs.

After speaking with the Turkish ambassador, Morrison told the media he was not satisfied with the excuse that Erdogan was engaged in a heated political campaign. He declared that all options are now on the table, including expelling Turkish diplomats.

In a highly provocative move, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sent Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters to Turkey to confront Erdogan. Peters told journalists that Erdogans speech imperils the safety of the New Zealand people, even though the Turkish president did not threaten peaceful tourists, only violent anti-Muslim extremists like Tarrant.

Peters leads the right-wing nationalist New Zealand First Party, which has a major role in the Labour Party-led coalition government. It has repeatedly scapegoated immigrants for social inequality, low wages and unemployment and demonised Muslims as potential terrorists. Before departing, Peters told journalists he would not retract his previous anti-Muslim statements.

By Thursday Australia and New Zealand had received an assurance from Ankara that travellers would be welcome at Gallipoli on Anzac Day. Morrison said he was pleased Erdogan has moderated his rhetoric. The Australian, however, reported that some in the government feared [Erdogans remarks] could... unleash a wave of jihadist attacks on Australians at home and abroad.

Anzac Day, the April 25 holiday in Australia and New Zealand, marks the landing of soldiers at Gallipoli in 1915. The ruling class in both countries encourages citizens to make patriotic pilgrimages to Gallipoli on the day.

The Gallipoli campaign was a disastrous attempt by the Allies to seize control of the strategic Dardanelles shipping lanes. The battle cost the lives of 8,700 Australians, 2,700 New Zealanders, more than 21,000 British, 10,000 French, 1,300 Indians and more than 86,000 Ottoman soldiers. A further 262,014 people were wounded on all sides. After the war the defeated Ottoman Empire was broken up and its Middle Eastern territories divided between Britain and France.

The slaughter at Gallipoli was part of an imperialist war aimed at re-dividing the world between the major imperialist countries. Australia and New Zealand joined the war as part of the British Empire and as minor imperialist powers in their own right seeking a share of the plunder, especially of colonies in the Pacific region.

The battle is promoted by the Australian and New Zealand ruling class as a pivotal moment in the forging of national identity and militarist values. During the 2014-2018 centenary of World War I, governments in both countries poured hundreds of millions of dollars into museums, monuments, films, books and events glorifying the Anzacs, in order to inculcate respect for the military and prepare young people, in particular, for future imperialist wars.

Anzac Day ceremonies promote not only WWI and WWII, but all wars Australia and New Zealand have joined, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the US-led wars aimed at controlling resource-rich Iraq and Afghanistan, fought on the pretext of defeating terrorism.

Anzac mythology has always falsely justified the imperialist war as the defence of democracy and our way of life. Now, however, it is increasingly portrayed as a fight against Islamic extremism and a precursor to todays wars. John King, chairman of the Returned Services League (RSL), told the Australian on Thursday that Erdogans speeches were the sort of hate and extremism Australian soldiers had fought against.

Damien Fenton, who wrote a state-funded book praising New Zealands World War I campaign, has described the war against the Ottoman Empire as New Zealands first taste of jihad. A Southland Times article in October 2014 reported: Fenton says it is chilling to reflect that Gallipoli was the cradle for the jihad the world is experiencing right now.

The Australian far-right group United Patriots Front, which was a major influence on Tarrant, heavily promotes Anzac Day and portrays the Gallipoli campaign as part of an ongoing fight against Islam.

The fascist who carried out the March 15 attacks did not develop his views in a vacuum. He grew up during a quarter century of constant wars in the Middle East, accompanied by anti-Muslim racism and militarist propaganda, including the historical lies surrounding the Anzac legend.

The author also recommends:

Australian PM seeks to cover up political roots of fascist attack in New Zealand

[23 March 2019]

After far-right terror attack, New York Times glorifies New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

[21 March 2019]

The New Zealand terrorist attack and the international danger of fascism

[18 March 2019]
25 years ago: US troops withdraw from Somalia

US troops in Somalia

On March 25, 1994, the last US troops withdrew from Somalia. Initiated in 1992 under President George H. W. Bush and continued under the Clinton administration, Operation Restore Hope was advertised by the media as a humanitarian aid scheme to feed a starving population during civil war.

The real economic reasons for launching the intervention included Somalias untapped oil reserves, as well as its strategic coast along which passed much of the oil shipped from the Persian Gulf. Four major US oil companies held exploration rights in Somalia. Once the US opened the door, many other imperialist countries followed suit and sent their own troopsincluding Germany, which had not deployed troops overseas since the Second World War; and Italy, Somalias former colonial master.

After dropping all humanitarian pretenses, the intervention quickly evolved into imposing a new political structure in Somalia. Search and destroy missions were carried out in a manhunt to find the most powerful clan leader, Mohammad Farah Aidid. At least 10,000 people were killed during the course of the operation, reaching a height on October 3, 1993, when 1,000 Somalis were killed or wounded in a marketplace shootout in Mogadishu.

American commandos responsible for the massacre suffered heavy losses from Aidids fighters, creating a major political crisis for the Clinton administration. The debacle and widespread bloodshed on both sides culminated in the ultimate decision to remove the troops. Twelve other countries did the same following the US announcement.

Since the previous July, unwilling to risk further casualties, US and UN troops had pulled back into their compounds, effectively becoming prisoners in their own barracks until the final withdrawal date.

Reports of poverty-stricken civilians raiding and looting barracks as troops were leaving surfaced as armed Somali fighters openly walked the streets. Scuffles between troops and civilians broke out at the airport. Lieut. David Wolcott, who was in the last amphibious vehicle to leave, told the final remaining reporters: We accomplished our mission, the safe withdrawal of all troops. I suggest you get out of here while you can.

The Americans and the UN came in with a kind of arrogance, a senior United Nations official told the New York Times. Their psychological operations were naive, their intelligence very poor. They didnt speak the language. They met with few Somalis. This has damaged the credibility of the UN.

50 years ago: Mine disaster in Mexico

The Barroteran mine in Mexico

One of the worlds worst mining disasters occurred in Barroteran, Mexico, on March 31, 1969. Out of the 156 workers in the coal mine at the time of the explosion, a total of 153 were killed. Some were killed by the initial explosion, however most died after being trapped underground.

Like many mine disasters, the Barroteran explosion was caused when a pocket of methane gas was ignited. The explosion caused all mine exits to become blocked, trapping the 153 inside. As gas continued to pour out, the workers suffocated.

The specific cause of the blast was unclear. But in most cases of a methane explosion the event is triggered when a new area of coal is tapped into without properly checking for a methane pocket or safely clearing the gas.

The explosion had caused the mine shaft to be filled with deadly gasses which had to be cleared before rescue operations could begin. Once the mine was ventilated, teams of workers immediately went down a second shaft to begin rescue operations. However, the process to properly ventilate the mine took nearly three days.

By the time the rescue teams could enter the mine there was little hope of recovering survivors. Families of the miners waited near entrance of the mine to identify their loved ones. When asked if she thought it possible for survivors to remain in the mines, Juana Velazquez the wife of one trapped miner said, Theyre all dead down there. We know that.

Several rescue workers were injured during their operations. Even after the ventilation process, rescue workers who had re-entered the mine would come running out, choking on the gas. The Red Cross had to establish stations with oxygen tanks for the rescue workers after they resurfaced.

The disaster was the second worst mining disaster in Mexicos history. The largest death toll was the Rosita Vieja Mine disaster in 1908 where 200 miners, mostly Japanese immigrants, were killed.

75 years ago: Mass reprisals by Nazis in Rome

Nazi troops in the streets of Rome

On March 30, 1944 Italian youth, scavenging through the Ardeatine caves just outside Rome, uncovered an entrance to a section of the caves where 335 Romans, ages 14 to 75, had been executed four days earlier by the German SS in reprisal for a partisan attack.

Ever since British and American troops had landed on the Anzio beachhead south of Rome, Italian partisans had intensified their attacks against German occupying forces by destroying gasoline depots, ammunition dumps and military transport, and fighting German soldiers in the citys outlying areas.

On March 23 partisans set off a mighty explosion of TNT, hurled mortar shells and opened up with small arms fire on a column of 150 German SS soldiers along Via Rasella in central Rome, killing and wounding more than two-thirds of the German troops.

Hitler, enraged by the action, ordered 10 Italians to be executed for every dead Nazi within the next 24 hours. The SS quickly combed the prisons for Communists, Jews and spies, ultimately having to add nonpolitical prisoners and detainees to complete the list on time.

In a corridor of the Ardeatine caves, 10 prisoners were shot at a time in the back of the neck. The next group of 10 were forced to climb up on top of their dead comrades to be executed. When the pyramid of bodies reached a height of five feet, a new accumulation was started. By the end, the ghastly mass of bodies occupied an area of 160-square feet.

Pope Pius XII publicly charged the partisans as the guilty parties responsible for the 335 deaths, and not the Nazis. Despite early knowledge of the SS execution plans, the pope refused to intervene and oppose the massacre. He believed that to intervene might disrupt his negotiations with both Germany and the Allies for an orderly withdrawal of German troops from Rome and its occupation by Allied troops, which he saw as essential to preventing a revolutionary insurrection.

100 years ago: Mass rallies in New York City to hear Soviet envoy speak

Ludwig Martens

On March 27, 1919, the Central Opera House on 67th Street in Manhattan was filled to overflowing with workers who had come to hear Soviet representative Ludwig Martens speak. Martens, who had lived in New York until the outbreak of the February 1917 revolution, when he returned to Russia with Leon Trotsky, was a trade envoy from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

The meeting was sponsored by the Socialist Party of New York County. Speakers included Ludwig Lore, the editor of the German-language Volkszeitung, as well as the editor of Russian-language Novy Mir, for which Trotsky wrote when he lived in New York, and the editor of a Hungarian weekly, Elore. Speakers denounced the imprisonment of Socialist leader Eugene V. Debs and demanded his freedom and that of all political prisoners in the US.

According to the New York Times, the venue was so full that over 3,000 people were turned away.

A second meeting at the Manhattan Lyceum on East 4th Street featuring Martens was held on March 31. The venue was also filled. The event most on peoples mind was not only the resistance of the first workers state to Allied invasion and counterrevolution, but also the newly founded Hungarian Soviet Republic. The New York Call, aligned with the Socialist Party, reported:

Louis Basky, an Hungarian Socialist, made a fervid address, both in English and Hungarian: There is only one way to help the Hungarian and Russian Soviet governments. That is to revolutionize America. You must wage an uncompromising class war against capitalism. John Reed, Jim Larkin, Benjamin Gitlow, Sen Katayama, and others joined in the greeting of Martens and hailing the Hungarian revolution.

Martens told the audience: Soviet Russia now has been in existence for almost a year and a half. It has left behind itself the preliminary stages of the revolution. It has become deeply rooted in the consciousness of the workers and peasantry of Russia. Its power within Russia cannot be challenged by any group of opponents on their own accord. The forces of the enemies of the people are badly disrupted. Only with the help of foreign bayonets is it possible for small groups of former exploiters of Russia to make a stand against the united forces of the working people.

The United States at the time had not recognized the Soviet government and had no official diplomatic relations with it. Martins had come to the US to found the Russian Soviet Government Bureau, which served as an unofficial embassy for the Soviet government and would primarily be concerned with trade relations.
Park Chan-wook poses prior to an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Watcha



Filmmaker talks about UK drama debut



By Park Jin-hai



Award-winning filmmaker Park Chan-wook, one of the most celebrated Korean directors who has put Korean cinema on the global map through a series of works including "Old Boy"(2003), "Thirst" (2009) and "The Handmaiden" (2016), has made his first small screen debut in the U.K.



The British miniseries "The Little Drummer Girl," an adaptation of John le Carre's 1983 best-selling novel of the same name, set in the late 1970s, is a spy thriller revolving around a young, idealistic actress Charlie, played by Florence Pugh.



She is recruited by the mysterious Gadi Becker, an Israeli intelligence officer, whom she is drawn to, and takes on a dangerous mission devised by spy mastermind Kurtz as a double agent who infiltrates a Palestinian terrorist group. Charlie is caught in a love triangle as she falls in love with both Becker and Kurtz.



Director Park said he first contacted the novel's author Le Carre and his sons and chief producers of "The Ink Factory" Stephen and Simon Cornwell, because he liked the complexity of the story.



"The good thing about the British TV series is that the world of espionage and Israeli-Palestine conflict is meticulously intertwined with romance. Charlie's mission is inseparable from her romance. Becker recruited Charlie, but as he falls in love with Charlie, he faces inner conflict on driving his lover into danger," Park said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday.



"This drama has a series of complex, interconnected theories. Brain games and complexity of emotions come together in a compelling story. I like the complexity of this story. It is just hard to categorize, to say Charlie is innocent or Kurtz is cruel."



Park said his decision to go for the small screen was inevitable, because he really wanted to put the long original story onto the screen without compromising any of the original work.



"If I were to make it into a film, the whole story would have to be squeezed into a 130-minute movie, which I thought was not possible without compromising its originality," he said.



"Compared with my previous works, people say that this story gives more weight to romance. But, I don't think I've given special attention to romance in this film alone, in fact throughout all my works, romance has been an important part," Park said.



The process of making his debut drama was not easy, the director said. In his 2013 film "Stoker," Park's first project with Hollywood actors, he had six months to edit the film to his liking. With the drama's release date set, Park said he did not have enough time and had been rushed.



But he said he liked his new challenge. "If I had filmed it in Korea with local staff, it could have been more easy and comfortable for me. But if I did, I couldn't have worked with new languages and new subjects for the story. Working in the unfamiliar setting gave me tense moments and it was physically challenging as well, but at the same time I feel that to keep moving forward, I can't settle down where I am," he said.



"If I have another great long story to tell, I think it can be a good option for me to make it a TV series or in OTT format," he added.



"The Little Drummer Girl," following its world premiere in October last year on BBC, will be aired on Fridays through Channel A from March 29. The director's cut version for the entire series will be unveiled through local streaming service Watchaplay the same day.


About Kenny Garrett: Over the course of a stellar career that has spanned more than 30 years, saxophonist Kenny Garrett has become the preeminent alto saxophonist of his generation.



Garrett has always expressed interest in music from other parts of the world. Whether its Africa, Greece, Indonesia, China or Guadeloupe, he immerses himself in the culture and gleans from his experience something that becomes a part of his artistic message.



The Band:

Garretts current working band is very much up to the task on Seeds From The Underground. And like all successful bandleaders, Garrett knows what he wants musically and has formed a band that will best communicate his message (with implicit trust among one another).



Bassist Nat Reeves is a rhythmic anchor and a long-standing member of Garretts past aggregations. However, for this recording, Garrett thought a lot about the talents of fellow Detroiter, drummer Ronald Bruner, as well as Venezuelan pianist Benito Gonzalez.



When I decided I wanted to do the album, I had Ronald in mind; I thought that he would work well on these songs. And Benito has been in my band for a while, and we talked conceptually about how I hear the piano in the band.



McCoy Tyner is my man, so I wanted to have more of that sound, and there arent a lot of young guys around who are dealing with that like Benito is. Percussionist Rudy Bird also provides a driving, rhythmic pulse to the recording.



Members: Kenny Garrett  saxophone, Corcoran Holt  acoustic bass guitar, Vernell Brown  piano, McClenty Hunter  drums, Rudy Bird  percussion



Venue: MoMKult

1124 Budapest, Csorsz u. 18.

Ticket prices: HUF 9.900/ 12.900 / 14.900

Source: Get Closer Concerts
A demonstration was held in Budapest in support of the academic freedom of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) and against plans to split the institution.

After protesting outside the Academys headquarters, the demonstrators moved on to the innovation and technology ministry (ITM), where a petition was handed over.

MTA researcher Emese Szilagyi, the protests organiser, said a plan to hive off the institutions research network from the Academy should be prevented, adding that the institutes leaders had received a letter demanding they hold off from implementing the plan.

The ITM minister has not yet responded to the question of why the government intends to sever the research network from the Academy, she said.

The joint declaration of intent signed by the ITM and the MTA on March 8 cannot be seen as a compromise, she said, referring to the document in which the Academys head acknowledges the governments plan to separate the research network from the rest of the institutions operations.



MTI Photo: Koszticsak Szilard
Hungary strives to build close economic ties with the United Arab Emirates, one of the countries setting the pace for global economic change, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said after a session of the Hungary-UAE joint business committee in Budapest.

Cooperation between UAE and Hungarian firms will be promoted by way of a credit line of 630 million dollars set up by Hungarys Eximbank, Szijjarto said.

Szijjarto said the government has earmarked a total 21 billion forints to finance Hungarys participation in the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. Participation in the expo could help Hungarian water management technology firms to UAE markets, he said.

Szijjarto and Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, his UAE counterpart, signed an agreement on cooperation in research and technology with special regard to renewable energies, GMO-free food products and automatic vehicles. Szijjarto noted that the UAE had opened an embassy in Budapest in January.

Trade between the two countries has jumped by 14 percent in 2018 to exceed 240 million dollars, he said. Hungary will participate in training experts for the UAEs first nuclear power plant to start operation next year. Further, it is set to offer 100 grants to UAE students in Hungary, Szijjarto said.

Mansoori noted that UAE entrepreneurs are already present in Hungary, especially in the hotel business. He suggested that the two countries sign an agreement on promoting small and medium-sized businesses.



MTI Photo: Kovacs Attila
The management board of the International Investment Bank (IIB), which recently announced it will move its headquarters from Moscow to Budapest later this year, has released a statement denying what it says are unfounded media accusations of close ties to the Russian secret service and the Russian state itself.

In accordance with Article 25 of the IIB Charter, all international officers of the Bank are fully independent from any authorities or officials of the states, which they are citizens of, the statement says, reacting to widespread media claims that the bank remains closely tied to the Russian state and its security apparatus.

IIB adds that it is an international development financial organization established by sovereign states, and acting in accordance with an international agreement registered in the Secretariat of the United Nations under number 11417 on July 10, 1970.

The bank also notes that at the moment, EU countries are in control of more than half of the voting shares, and that the decision-making process is completely transparent as the principle of double majority is applied during votes.

In addition, the IIB denies the accusation that it acts as a Russian tool to avoid economic sanctions, arguing that it is an international development financial institution.

The Bank carries out its activities strictly in accordance with international compliance regulations (FATF, Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, OECD) and taking into account existing sanction restrictions, the board notes. The statement also claims that the bank is apolitical.

The banks says that the relocation of its headquarters to Budapest is a logical continuation of the Strategy of Growth (prepared in collaboration with the World Bank Group) aimed at comprehensive expansion of the IIBs activities in European markets in the interest of all its shareholders.



Security concerns

At present, the IIB has nine members: Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam.

The banks top three shareholders by paid-in capital are Russia, Bulgaria, and Hungary, with 46.03%, 12.95%, and 12.27%, respectively, according to a commentary by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a pan-European think tank.

The ECFR commenatary notes that the IIB is registered among the official state organs and governing bodies of the Russian Federation, meaning that it is an integral part of the Russian state administration.

It argues that the decision to grant the banks Russian employees sweeping diplomatic immunities could hinder action in the event of a security threat, and notes that under draft legislation providing for the banks move to Hungary, neither the bank nor its transactions or operations are subject to financial or regulatory oversight.

Moreover, the law sets no limit on the number of IIB employees or guests in Hungary, adds the ECFR. In theory, the bank could host hundreds of foreign citizens who would be able to move freely within the Schengen Area.

The same applies to IIB-owned vehicles, which will be protected from search, expropriation, seizure, and disposal.



Photo: kormany.hu / Ministry of Finance
On May 2, Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House will be given a modern twist under the title Karacsony Helmereknel (Christmas at the Helmers).

Ibsen was one of the founders of 19th century Modernism in the theater, and A Dolls House is one of the first dramatic calls for the equal rights of women; Christmas at the Helmers brings it into the 21st century.

This will be followed on May 5 by Nikolai Gogols Marriage (Haztuznezo), a black comedy with an insight into the desperation and secret fears of modern man.

The Theater advises that the captions are best visible from rows 8-12.

Tickets:

Christmas at the Helmers: HUF 2,500 - 4,900

Marriage: HUF 2,200 - 3,900

Venue:

Katona Jozsef Theater

1052 Budapest, Petofi Sandor u. 6
A Syrian man suspected of acts of terrorism and carrying out multiple executions in his homeland in 2016 has been taken into custody, the Budapest public prosecutor said on Sunday.

The metropolitan investigative prosecutors office requested the arrest of the suspected Islamic State member, and a central district court judge today ordered the arrest of the man known as F. Hassan to last for the duration of a month.

The Syrian is thought to have been a high-ranking IS leader who organised suicide bombings and at least 20 executions. His lawyer, Laszlo Kelen, told public affairs channel M1 that the suspect denies the charges.

On Saturday, Hungarys Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK) has said it was working together with Europol and the police forces and secret services of various countries to assess the past criminal activities and network of links maintained in Europe by the Syrian who had successfully applied for asylum in Greece.

The municipal chief prosecutor said the 27-year-old is believed to have participated in Islamic State executions in Homs in 2016. Before arriving in Hungary, the suspect had visited a number of other European countries, TEK said.

The suspect was first detained at Budapests Liszt Ferenc International airport on Dec. 30 after producing forged travel documents for himself and a woman in his company. In a court proceeding he was handed a suspended prison sentence for human smuggling and other crimes and was awaiting expulsion from the country, the statement said.

The Belgian authorities and Eurojust informed the Hungarian authorities of the mans suspected terrorist activities, it added.



MTI Photo: Mihadak Zoltan
Al Jazeera host Mehdi Hasan apologized over the weekend for remarks made a number of years ago that disparaged LGBT people and non-Muslims.Like a lot of journos (humans?) Ive said things years ago that I now deeply regret. Chief among them for me is, more than a decade ago, in my 20s, when I wasnt a public figure, I gave a bunch of speeches to students on Islam/extremism. And I said dumb offensive ranty stuff, he said in a Twitter thread on Monday.Speaking without notes, & trying to be bombastic, I made stupid sweeping remarks about non-Muslims, especially atheists. I cringe now when I rehear/reread those remarks. I made stupid offensive analogies to animals. Argh. Im embarrassed to have to write about all this again, the thread continued. But I dont want to defend/explain today. I just want to say, Im sorry.Hasan currently hosts Al Jazeeras English-language programs Upfront and Head to Head.Also Read: How Disney Could Shake Up Fox Film Slate, Starting With Brad Pitt's 'Ad Astra'In old recordings that resurfaced this week but have percolated for years, Hasan compared non-Muslims and atheists to cattle and included homosexuals in a long list of behaviors and categories which he said argued were transgressive of Islam.All of these ulama unanimously agree that at the very minimum if Yazid was not a Kaffir  then at the very minimum he was a fasiq, a transgressor, a breaker of Islamic laws, a corrupt individual, a tyrant, a killer a drunkard, a dog lover, a music lover, a homosexual, a pedophile, a sexual deviant, someone who slept with his own mother, Hasan says in an old recording of what appears to be a sermon on Islamic law.In this respect the Koran describes the atheist as cattle. As cattle of those who grow the crops and do not stop and wonder about this world, he said at another moment.You can listen to his statements here. Hasan, who also works as a columnist for the liberal website The Intercept, said he was inspired to raise the issue of his own past remarks after the attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this month that left 50 dead.I have always regretted the dumb and offensive comments I made in my 20s, on atheism and homosexuality. They still embarrass me, but they havent been representative of my beliefs for over a decade, he told TheWrap in an additional statement. Rather than bury them, I chose to raise them myself in a Twitter thread over the weekend to try and urge us all to reckon with our prejudices and to challenge hate speech  whether witting or unwitting  wherever we find it.Hasan also noted that he has previously addressed his past remarks in pieces for both the Huffington Post and New Statesman.Reps for Al Jazeera did not immediately respond to request for comment. In a statement, The Intercept said they stood behind their columnist as well and applauded his decision to face his past remarks.Mehdi Hasan is a highly accomplished and deeply principled journalist and political commentator. We applaud his decision to put out a reflective and self-critical series of tweets over the weekend, showing regret and contrition for remarks he made more than a decade ago, when he was in his twenties and not a public figure, they said. We stand by him and his trailblazing journalism and podcasting for The Intercept, where he has used his platform to defend universal human rights and to denounce bigotry of all kinds, including anti-Semitism, homophobia, white nationalism, and Muslim extremism.Read original story Al Jazeera Host Mehdi Hasan Apologizes for Past Criticisms of Non-Believers At TheWrap

Al Jazeera host Mehdi Hasan apologized over the weekend for remarks made a number of years ago that disparaged LGBT people and non-Muslims.

Like a lot of journos (humans?) Ive said things years ago that I now deeply regret. Chief among them for me is, more than a decade ago, in my 20s, when I wasnt a public figure, I gave a bunch of speeches to students on Islam/extremism. And I said dumb offensive ranty stuff, he said in a Twitter thread on Monday.

Speaking without notes, & trying to be bombastic, I made stupid sweeping remarks about non-Muslims, especially atheists. I cringe now when I rehear/reread those remarks. I made stupid offensive analogies to animals. Argh. Im embarrassed to have to write about all this again, the thread continued. But I dont want to defend/explain today. I just want to say, Im sorry.

Hasan currently hosts Al Jazeeras English-language programs Upfront and Head to Head.

Also Read: How Disney Could Shake Up Fox Film Slate, Starting With Brad Pitt's 'Ad Astra'

In old recordings that resurfaced this week but have percolated for years, Hasan compared non-Muslims and atheists to cattle and included homosexuals in a long list of behaviors and categories which he said argued were transgressive of Islam.

All of these ulama unanimously agree that at the very minimum if Yazid was not a Kaffir  then at the very minimum he was a fasiq, a transgressor, a breaker of Islamic laws, a corrupt individual, a tyrant, a killer a drunkard, a dog lover, a music lover, a homosexual, a pedophile, a sexual deviant, someone who slept with his own mother, Hasan says in an old recording of what appears to be a sermon on Islamic law.

In this respect the Koran describes the atheist as cattle. As cattle of those who grow the crops and do not stop and wonder about this world, he said at another moment.

You can listen to his statements here.

Hasan, who also works as a columnist for the liberal website The Intercept, said he was inspired to raise the issue of his own past remarks after the attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this month that left 50 dead.

Story continues

I have always regretted the dumb and offensive comments I made in my 20s, on atheism and homosexuality. They still embarrass me, but they havent been representative of my beliefs for over a decade, he told TheWrap in an additional statement. Rather than bury them, I chose to raise them myself in a Twitter thread over the weekend to try and urge us all to reckon with our prejudices and to challenge hate speech  whether witting or unwitting  wherever we find it.

Hasan also noted that he has previously addressed his past remarks in pieces for both the Huffington Post and New Statesman.

Reps for Al Jazeera did not immediately respond to request for comment. In a statement, The Intercept said they stood behind their columnist as well and applauded his decision to face his past remarks.

Mehdi Hasan is a highly accomplished and deeply principled journalist and political commentator. We applaud his decision to put out a reflective and self-critical series of tweets over the weekend, showing regret and contrition for remarks he made more than a decade ago, when he was in his twenties and not a public figure, they said. We stand by him and his trailblazing journalism and podcasting for The Intercept, where he has used his platform to defend universal human rights and to denounce bigotry of all kinds, including anti-Semitism, homophobia, white nationalism, and Muslim extremism.

Read original story Al Jazeera Host Mehdi Hasan Apologizes for Past Criticisms of Non-Believers At TheWrap
Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol, right, shakes hand with Rep. Park Byeong-seug of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea before attending a parliamentary Economy and Finance committee at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, March 25. Lee said drawing up a supplementary budget of about 10 trillion won ($881 million), about 0.5 percent of the country's GDP, will help boost the country's growth rate, adding that from a macroeconomic standpoint, the economy is at a critical moment that expansionary fiscal policy is needed. Yonhap
Fifty years after the Art Ensemble of Chicago first became an internationally known force in avant-garde music, co-founder Roscoe Mitchell has no plans to make any major changes to the groups working method, which unifies musical strands ranging from deep blues and heavy funk to rigorous composition, ritualistic soundscapes and beyond under the tagline Great Black Music  Ancient to the Future.

We worked on our music and we kind of let the other stuff fall in line on its own, and thats worked up to this point, the 78-year-old says, speaking by phone from his current home in California. The Art Ensemble always said that if it gets down to just one person, then thats the Art Ensemble, so Im just gonna stay with that kind of thinking.

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Hes referring to the fact that of the five members who made up the groups classic quintet incarnation, intact from 1970 through 1993, only two are left: himself, one of the worlds foremost improvisers on a variety of reed, wind and percussion instruments and an accomplished, highly advanced composer, and Don Moye, whose self-styled Sun Percussion encompasses top-flight jazz drumming as well as African and Caribbean styles.

The group grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, a Chicago composers collective co-founded in 1965 by the late pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, who Mitchell deems a mentor to me and so many other musicians. Along with future avant-garde legends Henry Threadgill, Wadada Leo Smith and Anthony Braxton  a Pulitzer winner, Pulitzer finalist and NEA Jazz Master, respectively  the AACM included trumpeter Lester Bowie, bassist Malachi Favors and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Jarman, each a virtuoso with a thirst for experimentation. Coming together first under Mitchells leadership, and evolving into a cooperative unit, Mitchell, Bowie, Jarman and Favors made their way to Paris in 1969 and soon took on the Art Ensemble of Chicago name.

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By the next year, they had met Moye, a Rochester-born drummer who was then living in France, and begun honing their sui generis multimedia approach. Ever since, theyve traversed the full spectrum of black music, and moods ranging from somber to slapstick. Their shows have often taken the form of elaborate happenings, complete with costumes, face paint and a stageful of instruments.

Bowie, Favors and Jarman died in 1999, 2004 and this past January, respectively. While the group has remained sporadically active with various new collaborators, it hasnt released a new album since 2006. Now, though, the Art Ensemble are in the midst of a bright new phase, with younger musicians expanding the band into a mini orchestra. One new recruit is Moor Mother, a poet and experimental musician whose work spans abrasive, abstracted hip-hop and protest-minded free jazz. Her engrossing, incisive recitation lies at the center of We Are on the Edge, the title track of the groups first proper studio album in 15 years, out on Pi Recordings  which has released albums by the Art Ensemble and its various members and associates since the early 2000s  on April 26th.

Though the album bears a dedication to Bowie, Favors and Jarman, and the subtitle A 50th Anniversary Celebration, this piece, like the album as a whole, shows just how committed the group remains to looking ahead rather than backward. Featuring music by Mitchell, the piece reflects his extensive classical background, sounding more orchestral than anything from the Art Ensembles past. It begins with a soft, searching trumpet line, answered by gradually emerging brass, string and flute lines. Around the three-minute mark, the instrumental textures grow more dense and active, and basses and cellos begin plucking out a steady rhythmic vamp.

Moor Mother enters, declaiming her own passionate poetry, part written and part improvised in the studio. We are on the edge of victory, she proclaims as a refrain. In between, she paints a rueful composite portrait of the black American experience: All them sit-ins and daughters graduating from black colleges only to return to the projects to gather the family out;  dripping in blood from the rat race, from doin time, from doin plantation time;  on the edge of Mammys head, fresh from all the sweat from escaping from the sexual advances of Mister, and his masters clock.

Moor Mother met Mitchell backstage at an experimental-music festival in Riga, Latvia, in 2017. Mitchells niece had tipped him off about Moor Mother, and Moor Mother had been a fan of the Art Ensemble, finding their classic 1973 album Fanfare for the Warriors, which featured Muhal Richard Abrams as a guest, particularly inspirational. Later, Mitchell invited her to participate in the upcoming album and sent her a demo of what would become We Are on the Edge.

Its significant what shes saying, what shes writing, Mitchell says of Moor Mother. Shes a very good writer and a very good deliverer of her poetry.

Moor Mother says she put the words for We Are on the Edge together on the way to the session, feeling a combination of nervousness and excitement. She found herself reflecting on the Art Ensembles legacy and the groups place in the broader pantheon of American music.

I really wrote that on the plane and on the way to the studio, Moor Mother explains via phone from her home in Philadelphia. I had just been immersed in myself and the world, so that just was the feeling that came out of me, that we are on the edge. We are almost there, all the work that you did, all the work Lester Bowie did, all these people that have passed that have been pillars in what we call African-American classical music. So it just felt so fitting for me coming into that: We are on the edge/We are on the edge of victory. Were so close, kind of like that.

After she delivered her words in the studio, performing live with the ensemble, her nerves quickly gave way to elation.

Just going into the control room and watching Roscoes face so intently listening to every word, I was just freaking out  I went outside to have a smoke, she recalls. Because I was like, Oh, I cant deal.

And then I come back, and another brothers on the couch and he just yells out, We are on the edge!' she continues, sounding awed at the memory. And then Don Moye yelled it out, and they were just speaking it like, Yes! Yes! And I mean, I could have cried right there if I didnt hold it on, because its hard being a black woman poet thats not in the spoken word realm. And for someone thats so important to me musically, for a couple of them, to even just champion what I was saying, and saying it was on-point, it made my life, you know? It just gave me all the confidence, and just everything that I needed that I wasnt getting from the so-called music world.

Art Ensemble of Chicago, with Roscoe Mitchell, Famoudou Don Moye and their invited guests record in

Moor Mother recording with the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

Photo: Barbara Barefield

Moor Mother is just one of many newer Art Ensemble collaborators featured on We Are on the Edge. Others include flutist Nicole Mitchell, cellist Tomeka Reid and bassist Junius Paul, all younger members of the AACM, and bassist Jaribu Shahid, who has worked with Mitchell since the early Eighties and joined the Art Ensemble following Favors death. The album covers an appropriately vast amount of stylistic ground, from the contemplative art song of opener Variations and Sketches From the Bamboo Terrace, featuring operatic vocals by Rodolfo Cordova-Lebron, to the vibrant, near psychedelic Afro-Cuban chamber jazz of Oasis at Dusk, along with new versions of older AEOC pieces such as Moyes mesmerizing percussion-driven Chi-Congo and Lester Bowies warm, lyrical Villa Tiamo.

When asked about the albums largely forward-looking perspective, with some of the most prominent roles given to younger artists, Mitchell says it reflects his present enthusiasm for his chosen discipline.

Hey, Im more excited about music right now than Ive ever been in my life, he says. Theres so much going on. I would like to be a part of that. So, yeah, Im trying to keep one foot in front of the other in terms of whats going on musically here. I think that this group comes from all the work that has been done previously in the past, with the beginning of the AACM and the members of this group that are second-generation AACM members and other musicians that Im putting together.

As engaged as Mitchell is with the future  having just performed at Knoxvilles Big Ears, the group is looking ahead to other performances both in the U.S. and internationally  he says he keeps the past in mind too.

They visit me often in dreams, he says when asked how present the Art Ensembles bygone members are in his mind these days. Theres never gonna be another Lester Bowie or Malachi Favors or Joseph Jarman. They had a profound meaning on my life. I feel honored to have been able to share some time with them.

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Beloved Texas School Librarian Is Discovered Dead by Her Daughter, and Cop Husband Is Suspect Librarian Is Discovered Dead by Daughter, Cop Husband Is Suspect

Belinda Hernandez led an enriching life but never lost sight of the dream she carried in her heart.

I was very happily married; I loved my children, she reflected in a 2014 interview with the Houston Chronicle. But I always had my one regret. I wished I had gone to college and become a teacher.

In 2011 she enrolled in classes and did just that, eventually landing a job with the Pearland, Texas, Independent School district as the librarian at Shadycrest Elementary School.

On Saturday she was found shot dead in the kitchen of her Pearland home. The murder suspect is her husband, Hilario Hernandez, a sergeant with the Houston Police Department who was arrested and charged the same day, according to police.

Hilario Hernandez

The news meant that grief counselors were on hand Monday as students arrived to discover Mrs. Hernandez would never be coming back.

Mrs. Hernandez was a beloved, longtime employee who worked for Pearland ISD for 15 years, the school district said in a statement released over the weekend, reports Houston TV station KHOU. Pearland ISD will provide counselors for students and staff for as long as needed. For the privacy of the family, this is the only information that will be shared by Pearland ISD at this time.

The couple had two children and had been married for more than 30 years, reports KTRK.

Police responded to the home around noon Saturday after the 52-year-old victims daughter found her dead, according to the news outlet.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Her 56-year-old husband was named in an arrest warrant, and his vehicle subsequently was found about 250 miles away in Kingsville, Texas, where he was arrested at a motel by local police aided by state troopers.

Authorities have not released a motive.

Hilario Hernandez was taken Sunday to the Brazoria County jail, where he remains. It could not be determined if he has entered a plea to the felony charge of murder or retained an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

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A longtime friend of the victims said she saw Belinda Hernandez at the elementary school on Friday afternoon.

Gave her a hug and you would have never known that anything was wrong, the friend told KTRK. She seemed happy.

The school district statement said: Please keep our Shadycrest family and the Hernandez family in your prayers.
Dr Muhammad Saqib Raza wants to return from a Syrian prison

A British surgeon accused of joining Isis has made a plea to patients he treated on the NHS to help bring him home.

Dr Muhammad Saqib Raza, 40, has been locked in a jail in Syria run by Kurdish forces for more than a year.

He is being held near Raqqa, the fallen capital of the former Isis caliphate.

Dr Raza, who has dual British and Pakistani nationality, told the Daily Mirror he was a victim of anti-terrorism terrorism, saying the Home Office had done nothing to try to return him to the UK.

This picture taken on March 24, 2019 shows a discarded Isis group flag lying on the ground in the village of Baghouz in Syrias eastern Deir Ezzor province near the Iraqi border, a day after IS groups caliphate was declared defeated by the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are claiming victory over Isis, which means as many as 300 Britons could ask to return home.

Dr Raza made an appeal to the patients he treated during his eight years as a facial surgeon with the NHS.

He said: When you, my patients, wanted help, I treated you like you were my own family. Now Im stuck in this prison hellhole and nobody cares.

My patients, maybe you care. I beg you, patients of mine, to help me in return for what I did for you.

I helped hundreds of you in Leicester, London, Bournemouth, Poole, Chelmsford and Oxford and other places in my eight years in the NHS as a facial surgeon.

I beg you to raise your voices in protest and help get me home.

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Dr Raza, who has a four-year-old son, left his home in Leicester to go to Turkey in 2017. It is alleged he had become increasingly extreme in his views, but he claims he went from Turkey to Syria on a humanitarian mission to help in a hospital.

He claims he was kidnapped on the Turkish border with Syria and sold on to Isis, who he says held him against his will.

He said: In my cell I also heard the Coalition bombing, bombing, bombing and people dying, dying, dying. And I wished the bombs would kill me too.

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Dr Raza was captured in IS territory last year by the SDF. He claims he had just fled from Isis when he was captured by Kurdish troops.

Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces flash gestures with their hands while standing next to the SDFs unfurled flag while on watch duty in the village of Baghouz in Syria (Picture: AFP/Getty)

He was found with a laptop and 13,000 euros, which Kurdish forces believe were linked to his support for Isis fighters.

Dr Razas wife, a Pakistani woman living in Leicester, divorced him after he left Britain, the Mirror reported.

His case follows that of teenage jihadi bride Shamima Begum, who left her home in east London when she was 15 to marry an Isis fighter in Syria.

Her British citizenship was stripped from her by home secretary Sajid Javid after she appealed to be allowed back into the UK.





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A Walk to Remember Reunion! Shane West Gushes Over Mandy Moore at Her Walk of Fame Ceremony Mandy Moore and Shane West Had a Sweet A Walk to Remember Reunion

Mandy Moore received a very sweet surprise from one of her dearest friends.

The This Is Us star, 34, was honored at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony by her A Walk to Remember co-star Shane West, who presented her with a photograph of the two after they wrapped filming on the 2002 film.

We couldnt have been more opposite when we met, West, 40, said of Moore before the crowd in Hollywood, California. I was busy wearing ill-advised clothes and having dubious hair choices and wearing eyeliner in my garage punk band or whatever, whatever that was. And you were killing it on the pop star scene. You had very long beautiful blonde hair at the time.

West shared his memories of working with Moore on the film, which was based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name.

I was trying to get you to listen to The Clash or the Ramones. You were not interested but you were very sweet about it, and you stuck to your Fleetwood Mac. Always Fleetwood Mac, he said. And so apparently our director for A Walk to Remember, Adam Shankman, decided, Hey, yeah, why not lets put these two together, lets put the two opposites attract together. And Im glad he did.

Shane West surprises Mandy Moore with a picture of them from the set of #AWalkToRememberpic.twitter.com/7fBlHied0S

 Variety (@Variety) March 25, 2019

West continued, Not only was this film a wonderful experience in every way, but it also gave me the chance to fall for this fantastic woman.

Turning toward his costar, he shared a sweet message, saying, Mandy, you are an absolute gem. Your smile is ridiculous, seriously its ridiculous, it lights up a room when you walk in. Your energy is irresistible and your heart is second to none.

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RELATED: Mandy Moores Former Costar Shane West Calls Her Strongest Woman Amid Ryan Adams Controversy

He added, I always knew you were incredibly talented and I always knew you would go on to do big things, and amazing things and you have. Here you are about to be immortalized on Hollywood Boulevard. I couldnt be more proud of you, I couldnt be more happy for you. Love ya.

Shane West and Mandy Moore | Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

The Gotham actor has always supported Moore, standing behind her after she opened up about the alleged harassment and emotional abuse she endured from her ex-husband, musician Ryan Adams. (Adams denied Moores claims via his lawyer, saying her characterization of their relationship is completely inconsistent with his view.)

Speaking your truth can be painful and triggering but its always worth it, Moore wrote on Instagram after the article was published. My heart is with all women who have suffered any sort of trauma or abuse. You are seen and heard. #sisterhoodforever.

In a show of support, West commented, Warmest hug EVER to the strongest woman I know.
Knightfall is upping the ante. The History series returns for season two on Monday, but this time, it's coming back with a vengeance -- and Mark Hamill.

The Star Wars icon joined the historical drama as the series underwent significant changes in front of and behind the camera, tapping a new showrunner (Black Sails and The Flash's Aaron Helbing) and a recast of Princess Isabella (Genevieve Gaunt takes over for Sabrina Bartlett). It was all in the name of making things darker and grittier, required aspects to bring the story towards the end of the Knights Templar.

"The story dictates a darker tone," Helbing told ET in February. "We wanted to embrace the fact that the Templars slept in their clothes... We wanted to bring that element to it, that authenticity."

Season one centered on fictional Templar leader Landry (Tom Cullen), a brave and capable warrior, but not the most godly. Landry's vow of celibacy went to the wayside when he engaged in an affair with his friend King Philip's (Ed Stoppard) wife, Queen Joan (Olivia Ross), who became pregnant with his child. What ensued was a brutal war by the crown against the Templars, whose mission to find the Holy Grail became eclipsed by Landry's personal drama.

That's where Hamill comes in, portraying new character Talus, a battle-hardened knight tasked with transforming initiates -- and an outcasted Landry -- into Templar Knights. Helbing admitted that the role drew parallels to Hamill's most recognizable character, Star Wars' Luke Skywalker, who trained Padawans into Jedis. Helbing explained that the coincidence is merely that: "We weren't trying to duplicate Star Wars."

History

"I've worked with Mark on The Flash. He's a pro. I thought he brought a lot of value to the show, just because he's such a great actor," Helbing said, revealing that his casting was a "collaborative effort" among Knightfalls creative team.

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Cullen couldn't have been more pleased with Hamills addition. "I think everybody on the globe has some kind of attachment to Mark though Star Wars," he shared, recalling how he bonded with his younger brother (who plays one of the initiates in season two) over the intergalactic space saga. "I'm such a huge fan... It was fun to work with him."

"Mark doesn't need showing the ropes," Cullen added. "He turned up on set and knew exactly what he was doing."

That's not to say the 67-year-old actor didn't have questions when he joined the show. As Hamill previously admitted, he was unfamiliar with Knightfall before being approached to join the series. And after working primarily as a voice-over actor in recent years, it took several tries to get Talus' character right. "He really humbled himself. He'd constantly be asking questions about things he wasn't quite sure about, and he created a really great working environment," Cullen said. "But Mark just turns up and raises everybody's game, because he's a badass."

Like his character Landry, Cullen had to go through a bit of boot camp for the new season. The Welsh actor, who told ET ahead of the series premiere in 2017 that his body looked "like Christmas," confessed that the most recent hiatus left his body in a somewhat similar state.

"I had just finished directing a film and editing for six months, which requires a lot of sitting down and eating," he said with a laugh. "I had to do a lot of physical work to get myself back into shape again. But in terms of the fighting, it was all there."

History

The 33-year-old jumped right back into the show's battle sequences, perhaps a little too eagerly; he broke both of his big toes on the first day of shooting while filming an epic battle in the rain.

"We were actually able to do a lot more stuff, bigger stunts and more dangerous stunts, and it was all on camera. There's some pretty epic stuff," Cullen said, more jazzed about the badge of honor his injury provided than upset by it. "I learned to run alongside a galloping horse, hold onto the side, jump on it whilst kicking a guy off. And they let me do it! I mean, the idiots!"

Helbing conceded that the battle sequences were a big priority for him. "I always wanted it to be something I've never seen before, so I had long conversations with our stunt coordinator, Cedric [Proust], saying, 'Bring in weapons that we haven't seen before. I want to see Tom on a horse kicking a**, things like that,'" he shared. "It's just trying to tell the best story, even in the fighting. There's an emotional component to all of our fights. We wanted to make sure everything is charged."

It's not just the Templars or battle sequences that will look different in season two. The series is playing into the "psychological" aspects of the royal family. After King Philip killed his wife, Queen Joan, in his battle with Landry last season, he starts to look a little more like the former Temple Master.

History

"He just wants to look like me," Cullen quipped of Philip's new bearded look, as Helbing confirmed there was more going on underneath the surface.

"All of it was a concerted effort to really tie in the storytelling to the characters and make them as grounded as possible. And the way we shot [the show], our DPs really brought a different element to the show too, our directors, everybody was on board for a darker tone," Helbing said. "Everybody involved really stepped up and wanted to make the show the best it could possibly be."

Helbing's assertively clear concept mixed with his laid-back personality seemed to be a recipe for success. "Aaron's vision was very, very, very strong. And one that every single one of us fully, fully bought into," Cullen said. "We were completely on the same page, 100 percent. It was perfect from the beginning."

"I have a policy that the best idea wins, so it doesn't matter where it comes from," Helbing chimed in, praising Cullen's input for the sophomore premiere. "I'm always open to what other's thoughts are."

In season two, Knightfall heads toward the ultimate demise of the Templar Order, which occurred on Friday the 13th in 1307. Even though it may appear that one chapter of the Knightfall tale is closing, Helbing promises he still has big plans for the series past that point. "The Templars were outlawed or banned in France, but there were other parts of Europe where they weren't banned. You just have to tune in to find out who lives and who dies," he teased.

"We all love the show and we all want to make as much of it as possible, because we have such a good time making it," Cullen expressed. "And there are so many stories to tell about the Templars. They're a fascinating sect that don't actually end at the end. They carry on going. There's a lot of stuff to mine there."

"We just have to keep raising the bar," Helbing said.

Knightfall returns Monday, March 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on History.

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Lauren Swanson is grateful to fans for the support theyve sent her following her miscarriage in October.

The wife of Josiah Duggar shared a touching Instagram post on Sunday, reflecting on the loss.

I just want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers, support, and for all you mamas out there for sharing your angel baby stories, Swanson, 19, wrote, captioning a photo taken of a piano in her home, on which her wedding photos were placed.

Its easy to share those happy times in our lives, but sharing something hard, like losing a baby can be like putting salt to a wound, she added. I know by yall sharing your stories it has not only helped me, but many other women who have gone through the same trials.

Swanson ended her post by quoting Psalm 147:3 in the Bible. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

RELATED: Josiah Duggars Wife Lauren Breaks Down After Miscarriage: I Was Hoping It Wasnt True

Duggar and Swanson got engaged in March 2018 and married on June 30 of last year at John Brown University Cathedral of the Ozarks in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

Back in February, the TLC stars opened up about their miscarriage in PEOPLEs exclusive sneak peek from the new season of Counting On.

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Lauren and I were actually preparing for a trip to go to a friends wedding, Duggar, 22, said in the clip. She started feeling really sick and started noticing some different things. Mrs. Swanson was there, so she was able to help her out. I didnt know exactly what was going on.

I wasnt feeling well, Swanson recalled, breaking down in tears. I was cramping really, really bad, which was quite strange because I normally dont. I was thinking maybe I had something that had gluten in it. It was late at night and I went to use the restroom and there was the baby. Gone. I couldnt believe it and I was hoping it wasnt true.

View this post on Instagram  A post shared by Josiah and Lauren Duggar (@siduggar) on Sep 25, 2018 at 8:59am PDT

RELATED: Fredrik Eklund Felt Helpless After Devastating Miscarriages: I Was a Mess

She went on to explain that she wanted to talk about her heartbreak to let yall know that youre not alone.

Nobody really talks about it, she said, adding she couldnt have gotten through the pain without the support of her family. It was the worst day of my life, really.

Counting On airs Mondays (at 9 p.m. ET) on TLC.
CARACAS (Reuters) - Two Russian air force planes landed at Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to media reports, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow. A flight-tracking website showed that two planes left from a Russian military airport bound for Caracas on Friday, and another flight-tracking site showed that one plane left Caracas on Sunday. That comes three months after the two nations held military exercises on Venezuelan soil that President Nicolas Maduro called a sign of strengthening relations, but which Washington criticized as Russian encroachment in the region. Reporter Javier Mayorca wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the first plane carried Vasily Tonkoshkurov, chief of staff of the ground forces, adding the second was a cargo plane carrying 35 tonnes of material. An Ilyushin IL-62 passenger jet and an Antonov AN-124 military cargo plane left for Caracas on Friday from Russian military airport Chkalovsky, stopping along the way in Syria, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. The cargo plane left Caracas on Sunday afternoon, according to Adsbexchange, another flight-tracking site. The flights carried officials who arrived to "exchange consultations," wrote Russian government-owned news agency Sputnik, which quoted an unnamed source at the Russian embassy. "Russia has various contracts that are in the process of being fulfilled, contracts of a technical military character," Sputnik quoted the source as saying. A Reuters witness saw what appeared to be the passenger jet at the Maiquetia airport on Sunday. Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Russia's Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry did not reply to messages seeking comment. The Kremlin spokesman also did not reply to a request for comment. The Trump administration has levied crippling sanctions on the OPEC nation's oil industry in efforts to push Maduro from power and has called on Venezuelan military leaders to abandon him. Maduro has denounced the sanctions as U.S. interventionism and has won diplomatic backing from Russia and China. In December, two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for Maduro's socialist government that infuriated Washington. Maduro on Wednesday said Russia would send medicine "next week" to Venezuela, without describing how it would arrive, adding that Moscow in February had sent some 300 tonnes of humanitarian aid. Venezuela in February had blocked a convoy carrying humanitarian aid for the crisis-stricken country that was coordinated with the team of opposition leader Juan Guaido, including supplies provided by the United States, from entering via the border with Colombia. (Reporting by Carlos Garcia, Carlos Jasso, Diego Ore and Brian Ellsworth in Caracas, and Maria Tsvetkova and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Moscow; Editing by Leslie Adler and Chris Reese)
The problems of living with other vampires are the vampires Ive chosen to stay with, explains Nadja, one of the three creatures of the undead at the heart of FXs new comedy series, What We Do in the Shadows.

A spin-off of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waitiis hilarious 2014 mockumentary about vampire housemates, it transplants the idea from Wellington, New Zealand, to Staten Island, New York, where Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), her husband Laszlo (Matt Berry) and former Ottoman Empire warrior Nandor (Kayvan Novak) have shared a house for several unpleasant centuries, having utterly failed through indifference in their mission to conquer and enslave the new world for all of vampkind.

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The movies primary concern was its high-concept intermingling of ancient evil with contemporary mundanity, like the vampire housemates bickering over chore assignments. Theres still plenty of that in the series version  in the premiere, Nandor and his familiar (a human who serves a vampire master), Guillermo (Harvey Guillen), visit the grocery store, while Laszlo runs afoul of touchscreen technology not built with the cold-blooded in mind. But Clement(*), Paul Simms (Atlanta) and the shows other writers understand that for the idea to work over the long haul of a series, we have to better understand what makes these monsters tick besides the frequent ingestion of human blood.

(*) Waititi directed the March 27th premiere, but this is largely Clements baby. He wrote the first episode and directed the other three that Ive seen.

Much time, for instance, is devoted to the dysfunctional relationship between Nadja and Laszlo, who would probably have split several generations back were he not supernaturally bound to the woman who gave him that fateful bite. Nandor  much fussier and more formal than his size and homicidal pedigree would suggest  has no immortal spouse, but theres a loopy codependence to his dynamic with Guillermo, who sticks around out of the hope that hell one day become a vampire, too.

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These interpersonal dynamics take a while to fully establish, though. For the first few episodes, most of the comedy comes from the more fundamental culture clash, and from the shows most inspired addition to Shadows mythology: a fourth roommate, Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch from Better Call Saul), an energy vampire who acts like the most boring person with whom anyone could ever share a cubicle wall. Colin Robinson(*) is hilarious in every scenario, because he always manages to shape his gift for tedium. When he takes the more traditional vampires to a local zoning board meeting as part of their long-delayed plan to overthrow the human authorities, he begins a speech to the council with, Ordinance. What does it mean?

(*) An instant addition to the pantheon of TV characters who should only be referred to by their full name. See also Will Tippin from Alias and both Jordan Catalano and Rayanne Graff from My So-Called Life, among others.

Colin Robinson winds up carrying a disproportionate amount of the humor load in the first couple of episodes. But in very short order, the vampires and Guillermo begin to come into focus, as does the specific world of being a vampire in the five boroughs of New York City. And the series becomes more frequently amusing as a result. The fourth episode, for instance, has an amazing running gag about Laszlos prideful insistence on wearing a hat that is obviously, painfully cursed, while also contrasting the Staten Island crew with their more glamorous Manhattan counterparts, led by guest star Nick Kroll. And Jenna (Beanie Feldstein), a virginal LARPer (that is, a fan of live-action role-play) who narrowly evades becoming a meal in the first episode, keeps hanging around as Nadja becomes an endearingly macabre mentor to her.

The series maintains the movies aesthetics, including the way supernatural powers can be displayed in casual fashion but also seem genuinely scary on occasion. The main characters are all idiots (the guys a bit more than Nadja), emotionally frozen in a time long past, but Clement and company understand that the comedy requires they be dangerous to someone, even if its just the zoning board or the endearingly hapless Guillermo.

Is it as consistently hilarious as the movie? No, but its unfair to compare an ongoing series and a 90-minute film. And What We Do in the Shadows in its TV incarnation quickly demonstrates a capacity for growth that its main characters lost centuries ago, if they ever had it to begin with.

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Jordan Peele may have delivered another horror masterpiece with Us now in theaters, but he still had plenty of fears when it came to rebooting The Twilight Zone. At Sundays Paleyfest panel for Twilight Zone, the Oscar winner addressed why he was afraid to be the series host and narrator, roles that original series creator Rod Serling made famous.

Its one of these things where its terrifying to step into the shoes of such an iconic dude. I mean hes such a master, said Peele. And Im thinking as a fan watching the show and its like, Is that, is that Key or Peele up there? I dont know. It felt presumptuous.

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The more he thought of the impact of Serlings onscreen presence though, the more Peele came around.

Read More: The Twilight Zone Trailer: Jordan Peeles Reboot Will Get Under Your Skin

Part of the DNA of the show was to have Rod, an important producer and such an important presence in the show representing it, and being the face [of it], said Peele. So in the end it felt right. It was one of those situations where how long can you bat away the opportunity of a lifetime? I did it, and its such an incredible honor and it feels like Im living in an episode of The Twilight Zone.

Steven Yeun, "The Twilight Zone"

Steven Yeun, The Twilight Zone

This reluctance mirrored how Peele initially felt about even tackling the return of The Twilight Zone. He and executive producer Simon Kinberg had agreed that it was too big of a show to reboot, but real-life events convinced them otherwise.

One of the things that we kept coming back to was the timing felt right because its one of the sentences you hear often like once a week for the past couple years: It feels like were living in the fucking Twilight Zone. That was the signal.

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Kinberg cited the surreal nature of a reality star who had no political experience [becoming] the leader of the free world as the ultimate example of a Twilight Zone plot. Jordans interest in the show and the conversations we started to have changed the conversation with CBS about the show and just how far we can push with the show, he said.

Peele acknowledged that the science fiction and horror trappings made for fun escapist fare, but didnt downplay the impact of the shows storytelling. As with most of his art, Twilight Zone could be used as a tool to reflect on and comment upon societys ills.

One thing that we definitely landed on was Serlings show is important. He is a master of parable. Hes a master of allegory. And what he did was he spoke to society through stories, said Peele. This is one of the most powerful weapons that people have against violence and hatred and all the awful things that this world can bring and certainly all the awful things that we have now. There were some things that Serling was simply 50 years too early to talk about.

"The Twilight Zone" episode "To Serve Man"

The Twilight Zone episode To Serve Man

However, on the flip side of that serious purpose lies a certain slyness. One of the things that really opened this up for me was to realize that [Serling] is a humorist. We think of him as a horror science fiction master but he has a perfect-pitch tone of comedy that we were calling the Serling wink.

Peele pointed to the classic episode To Serve Man, in which aliens land on Earth and insist theyre only there to help and serve mankind. But its revealed  too late  by then the end of the episode that the aliens book is a cook book. They want to serve man for dinner. Peele called it basically a long-winded dad pun.

That was a big thing that kind of opened up the energy of the show. The Twilight Zone is a place where anything can happen. The possibilities are as endless as your imagination can take them. Even when theyre at their most harrowing, they leave you feeling up; they give you a sense of fun, they give you something to talk about going into your week That sort of subversive humor offers a relief from just the grind of reality, which is so often just depressing and struggling and, and crazy-making. Hes a comedy guy.

The Cast Weighs In

Much like the original Twilight Zone series, the new one involves bizarre situations that often involve a major twist. In order to keep the anticipation high and not spoil the series, almost no details have been released on the episodes plots. The one exception is the episode starring Adam Scott, which is loosely inspired by the classic Richard Donner-directed episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet starring William Shatner as a man whos just recovered from a nervous breakdown who is the only person an a flight to see a gremlin out on the wing. Scotts episode, Nightmare at 30,000 Feet was teased in the new series trailer, but its unclear what the twist will be.

Adam Scott, "The Twilight Zone"

Adam Scott, The Twilight Zone

Scott said he discovered the original series when he was about 11 or 12. Every night there was a different story, a half hour long that I could jump into. So its been one of my favorite shows forever and Nightmare at 20,000 Feet the William Shatner one, but also the John Lithgow one from the movie Ive seen so many dozens of times. Im a huge fan and so excited to jump in in every way.

The rest of the cast had to be cagier about their episodes. Ike Barinholtz had filmed an episode written by Heather Campbell, co-starring Rhea Seehorn and Taissa Farmiga.

I got sent the script that was so well-written by the great Heather Campbell. It definitely dealt with the overall theme of toxic masculinity, I would say, which we are definitely being strangled by, he said. The feeling that I got by reading the script  and I dont even think this was their intention  that if it had tones of one of my favorite episodes, which is, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

Read More:Us Makes a Radical Argument for Black Identity By Ignoring It

Sanaa Lathan praised the inclusivity in the cast and the rich characterizations in her script. I was on the edge of my seat the whole read, she said. Ive done sci-fi movies and, and one of the things about horror or sci-fi is they tend to kind of skew like cardboard characters, stereotypical. And one of the things that I love about Jordans work  is that these are fully developed characters with all of the arc that you can ever dream of. So for me that was, it was kind of a gift.

Sanaa Lathan and Damson Idris, "The Twilight Zone"

Sanaa Lathan and Damson Idris, The Twilight Zone

Ginnifer Goodwin didnt even bother reading the script before she made her decision to join the show.

Then when I did read it that night after I packed, Ive never had this reaction to a script. I got sick from it. It hooked me in a way that made me so uncomfortable and I was very excited to go into uncharted territory, she said. I was up for the challenge and I felt very appropriately cast for where my character begins and I appreciated that sort of safety. It was sort of like playing a character that then just you walk to the edge of the cliff and then are violently pushed off, and its like lets see what happens when she falls.

And even though Steven Yeun has been off The Walking Dead for a while now, he says that he still misses Georgia, where the show is shot. The AMC zombie show and Twilight Zone dont share much in common, but he found a similar sense of determination behind the scenes.

Twilight Zone [is] taking the time to just make something that says something, it means something it felt like Walking Dead in that way, he said. Walking Dead I always felt like it was this common mission that were all headed to do in Georgia and much to the similarity of the feel of the show, theres always a purpose to everything.

The Twilight Zone premieres on Monday, April 1 with two back-to-back episodes on CBS All Access.

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Labor union members of credit card firms urge for the government to set guidelines on minimum credit card fees for large merchants, at the Seoul Government Complex, Thursday. The calls come amid an ongoing feud between card firms and big merchants, in which the latter are refusing to pay more credit card fees which is part of a government plan. / Yonhap
Photo credit: Win McNamee - Getty Images

From Esquire

If the president* really had an ounce of empathy in him, he'd issue mass pardons immediately because, otherwise, a number of people are going to feel really stupid going off to federal prison. They will be going off to federal prison knowing that they committed their crimes in defense of nothing. William Barr on Sunday did what he was hired to do. He summarized Robert Mueller's report in the most favorable light possible to the administration* and, where he couldn't do that-specifically, on the crime of obstruction of justice-he just decided to turn Mueller's own conclusion completely upside down. But, in any case, if Barr's summary is taken whole, Paul Manafort et. al. got caught up in a criminal conspiracy in which the only crimes were their own.

To refresh everyone's memory, prior to being appointed Jefferson Beauregard Sessions's successor, Barr wrote a 19-page memo regarding the Mueller investigation in which he pretty much predicted his own summary.

Mueller should not be permitted to demand that the President submit to interrogation about alleged obstruction. Apart from whether Mueller a strong enough factual basis for doing so, Muellers obstruction theory is fatally misconceived. As I understand it, his theory is premised on a novel and legally insupportable reading of the law. Moreover, in my view, if credited by the Department, it would have grave consequences far beyond the immediate confines of this case and would do lasting damage to the Presidency and to the administration of law within the Executive branch.

...in a further unprecedented step, Mueller would apply this sweeping prohibition to facially-lawful acts taken by public officials exercising of their discretionary powers if those acts influence a proceeding. Thus, under this theory, simply by exercising his Constitutional discretion in a facially-lawful way - for example, by removing or appointing an official; using his prosecutorial discretion to give direction on a case; or using his pardoning power ~ a President can be accused of committing a crime based solely on his subjective state of mind. As a result, any discretionary act by a President that influences a proceeding can become the subject of a criminal grand jury investigation, probing whether the President acted with an improper motive.

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So, when you get to the following passage in Barr's summary, you can't possibly be surprised.

After reviewing the Special Counsel's final report on these issues; consulting with Department officials, including the Office of Legal Counsel; and applying the principles of federal prosecution that guide our charging decisions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsel's investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Our determination was made without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president.

In making this determination, we noted that the Special Counsel recognized that "the evidence does not establish that the President was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference," and that, while not determinative, the absence of such evidence bears upon the President's intent with respect to obstruction.

And thereby hangs the upcoming brawl. Mueller says essentially that he is drawing no conclusions on obstruction of justice. Meanwhile, Barr-and Rod Rosenstein-are saying that, because Mueller drew no conclusions, he did in fact draw a conclusion. The law, as it has been said, is an ass.

Photo credit: Tasos Katopodis - Getty Images

There will be insufferable cock-a-doodle-doo'ing from the usual suspects for the next two years, and we all better get used to it. I suspect that both Barr and Mueller will get hauled before various congressional committees. In fact, the basic overriding result of Barr's summary is that the whole matter now has been dumped into the laps of a divided and hyper-partisan Congress in such a way as to guarantee that the Congress will be more divided and more hyper-partisan than ever before. The Democratic House will hold hearings and the Republican Senate will yell about Hillary Clinton. The Internet will be indiscriminately insane for the foreseeable future.

For those of us who are Iran-Contra obsessives-and you know who you are out there-this summary carries a similar aroma. A lot of important people are going to pass the buck around to each other, over and over again, until the country forgets what all the fuss was in the first place. This should be no surprise, again, because, back in 1992, when he was George H.W. Bush's AG, Barr advised that president to pardon all of the people convicted in Iran-Contra-people who, unsurprisingly, all could have testified that Bush's non-involvement was a self-serving lie. Maybe he'll give this president* the same advice. Who knows?

The wild card, of course, is the president* himself. He's got another wankfest scheduled this week and he's liable to say anything. And Paul Manafort still will be in jail simply because he got tied up with a guy who opened the floodgates on Manafort's crimes. He'll sit there forever, hoping for a pardon that will never come because he's not the guy who got to appoint his own attorney general to bail him out.

Sucker.

Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here.

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Dad of Sandy Hook school shooting victim dies in apparent suicide: Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Jeremy Richman, the father of a Sandy Hook school shooting victim, was found dead Monday morning from an apparent suicide, according to police in Newtown, Connecticut.

The body of Richman, 49, was found at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown, where his foundation had an office, authorities said.

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.

(MORE: Sydney Aiello, 19-year-old survivor of Parkland mass shooting, dies from suicide)

Richman's 6-year-old daughter, Avielle Richman, was among the 26 children and educators killed in the Dec. 14, 2012, mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

PHOTO: Jeremy Richman looks at a picture of his daughter, Avielle Richman, on his computer screen as he gives a lecture via Skype on behalf of the Avielle Foundation from his Newtown, Conn. home, Oct. 30, 2013. (Craig Ruttle/AP, FILE)

Richman appeared last year on ABC News' "10% Happier" podcast, telling host Dan Harris that losing Avielle was "infinite heartbreak."

"She could light up a room with her smile, her giggle," he said.

Avielle had a strong sense of justice and was a "free spirit," Richman said. "She would narrate her whole morning in this ongoing song ... I really miss that."

"Fully understanding forever -- you will never see her again, you will never hold her ... that's with me in my mind always," he said, adding that over time "that feeling of sadness has definitely waned."

After his daughter's murder, Richman, a neuro-pharmacologist, founded The Avielle Foundation, a nonprofit "to study the neuroscience, the underpinnings of violence and the risk factors," he told "10% Happier."

PHOTO: Jennifer Hensel and Jeremy Richman, parents of Sandy Hook School shooting victim Avielle Rose Richman, listen at a news conference at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown, Conn., Jan. 14, 2013. (Jessica Hill/AP, FILE)

(MORE: 2nd Parkland teen dies from apparent suicide in less than a week, authorities say)

"We wanted to prevent others from suffering the way that we were suffering," he said. "If there's a hope that we can get somebody help before it's another tragedy, then that would be everything."

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"I suspect I would be bitter and frustrated and lacking a lot of purpose if I didn't do this," he said of the foundation.

"Jeremy was a good friend," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told ABC News Monday. "He was someone so committed to understanding why these tragedies happen and why brains push people to acts of violence."

PHOTO: Jeremy Richman, top right, listens as Mark Barden joins U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in making a statement on gun violence in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 17, 2013, in Washington. (Getty Images, FILE)

Murphy said Richman was at his office a few weeks ago and appeared "so excited about the work the foundation was doing and their ability to get their training program -- teaching about the way that the brain works and the way that it can fail to work properly -- to more and more people."

(MORE: Sandy Hook mom reflects on 'incredibly raw' grief ahead of 6th anniversary)

"It seemed like the future was limitless for the kind of work The Avielle Foundation could do," Murphy said.

He knew that if we put more attention on the brain then maybe we can figure out how to identify somebody like [Sandy Hook shooter] Adam Lanza far before a tragedy happens," Murphy said. "I talked a lot to Jeremy about the stigma that exists, especially after these mass shootings, where folks think that everybody with mental illness must be prone to violence. And he really felt that research could help reduce that stigma.

He continued, "Every single time somebody commits suicide you can't understand it. But in this case, Jeremy spent his entire life trying to help people identify the warning signs of harm. And it tells you how complicated the brain is, that even Jeremy couldn't figure out a way to get himself the help that he needed."

PHOTO: Jeremy Richman talks with students and faculty at the University of New England on Aug. 12, 2014. (Press Herald via Getty Images, FILE)

(MORE: 2 Parkland teens, Sandy Hook dad die from apparent suicides: How to help with suicide prevention)

Police did not provide any additional details surrounding Richman's death beyond describing it as an apparent suicide. An autopsy is expected to be performed Monday, police said.

Richman and his wife, Jennifer Hensel, went on to have two more children -- a girl and a boy -- after Avielle's death.

"Our hearts are shattered and our heads are struggling to comprehend," The Avielle Foundation said in a statement. "Tragically, his death speaks to how insidious and formidable a challenge brain health can be and how critical it is for all of us to seek help for ourselves, our loved ones and anyone who we suspect may be in need."

"Jeremys mission will be carried on by the many who love him, including many who share the heartache and trauma that he has suffered since Dec.14, 2012," the statement continued. "We are crushed to pieces, but this important work will continue, because, as Jeremy would say, we have to."

Richman's death comes just days after what police say was the apparent suicides of two Parkland, Florida, area teenagers.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont tweeted that he's "heartbroken for the Richman family."

"Thoughts and prayers just don't feel like enough in times like these," he wrote. "Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow."

Annie and I are heartbroken for the Richman family. Thoughts and prayers just don't feel like enough in times like these. Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow.  Gov. Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) March 25, 2019

Newtown Police Lt. Aaron Bahamonde called Richman's death a "heartbreaking event" for the Richman family and Newtown community.

ABC News' Ben Stein and Rachel Katz contributed to this report.
Meet the 26-year-old who scours the globe for incredible travel experiences originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

Editor's note: This is the latest installment in a new series on some of the most unusual and amazing jobs in the travel industry. Lexie Carter is a product development manager for EF Ultimate Break, a leading provider of group tours for anyone age 18 to 29. She describes her job as being "a movie location scout, travel agent and food critic rolled up into one."

On my last trip to Italy, I had what some would call a dreamlike Italian experience. After a week of meeting, eating and visiting with colleagues in Rome, I spent a day touring wineries in the Tuscan hills. This was followed by a day of more winery wandering on the back of a Vespa in and around Florence. Believe it or not, this kind of amazing stuff happens to me every month or so  and I must stop and think, "Oh my god, this is my job?!"

Thats just one example from the long list of travel experiences Ive had as a product development manager for EF Ultimate Break, a leading provider of group tours for anyone age 18-29. Because Im developing travel experiences for people 18 to 29, I have to think about creating trips that appeal to a wide range of interests and ages, not just myself. Ive become an expert at envisioning the ultimate vacation for an entire generation, my generation -- the millennials? And, dont forget GenZ. Thank goodness Im 26 and up-to-date on the latest memes, right?

(MORE: Amazing travel jobs: Bourbon steward-in-residence at Kentucky hotel)

While it is awesome and fun, its a big job to create experiences that allow my generation to achieve our dreams. EF Ultimate Break strives to break the mold on group travel, offering so much more than what most young people expect. People have called the trips eye-opening, restful, social, career-enhancing and good for the soul. It's my job to make those things happen, while also making international travel effortless and stress-free. My personal goal to make sure our travelers leave with life changing experiences and relationships that evolve along with the way they look at the world.

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PHOTO: Exploring Siena, Italy with one of our Tour Directors based out of Florence. (Lexie Carter)

This is no small feat, of course. As a product development manager, I want to get my boots on the ground in each region and destination we consider for a tour. Im like a movie location scout, travel agent and food critic rolled up into one. I explore local neighborhoods, cities and countries, and then I seek out, experience and evaluate the best adventures each destination has to offer to build a mind-blowing itinerary.

(MORE: Jessica Nabongo expected to be 1st black woman to visit every country in the world)

Not to throw around the term "dream job" lightly, but Ive amassed an amazing collection of stories and memories throughout my time in product development that have forever changed my life. Whether its sledding down the Swiss Alps, exploring an old Romanian fortress or ringing in the New Year in London with 200 EF Ultimate Break travelers, I strive to re-create these experiences for our future customers.

PHOTO: Taking the little electric carpet up to sled down Mt. Titlis with coworkers. (Lexie Carter )

There are a few episodes I try not to replicate: getting stuck under a raft (in white water) in Uganda or flying 30 hours to Fiji only to have a typhoon roll in and force me to fly back after only a few hours. They cant all be perfect, but I still wouldnt take back any of these moments.

PHOTO: Scouting some new locations in Pampaneira, Spain  rented a car and drove through the Sierra Nevadas. (Lexie Carter)

I've been able to fine-tune my ability to build trips and experiences that are authentic, fun and safe. The good and bad moments have also taught me how to create experiences that encourage a strong sense of camaraderie and bring a group of individuals together. Thats the beauty of group travel, after all: with over 60 percent of our customers signing up as solo travelers, almost all of them leave with new lifelong friends, and even more will come back on a second, third or fourth trip with us and their newfound travel-mates.

PHOTO: Gelato in Rome. (Lexie Carter )

My peers ask how I got this incredible job at the intersection of travel and lifestyle. I studied Economics at Bates College in Maine. My perspective was forever changed when I went abroad to Nepal my junior year. There, I was introduced to a completely different culture and way of life; my experience there changed the trajectory of how I wanted to spend my life and direct my career. If my job with EF Ultimate Break has taught me anything, its that life experiences, a sense for adventure, and a willingness to try (almost!) anything can beat out the traditional resume.

My advice to other young people trying to build a career in travel: Dont underestimate your life skills and personal experiences. For me, they far outweigh any lectures or exams I had in economics. Just dont tell my econ professors that, my five-year reunion is coming up after all.
A jaguar stepped onto the dirt road in front of us and approached our group slowly, the pads of her enormous feet moving inaudibly. Then, in one graceful swoosh, she flicked the tip of her tail and glanced over her shoulder before slinking into the underbrush.

It wasnt even 8 a.m. and Id already seen a wild jaguar. And you can too.

The mostly flat, seasonally-flooded Pantanal grasslands cover more than 81,000 square miles in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. According to Dr. Rafael Hoogesteijn, the Conflict Program Director for Panthera's Jaguar Program, there are nine jaguars per 40 square miles in Brazils Pantanal  one of the highest densities on the planet. Wildlife never comes with a guarantee, of course, but if youre going to see a jaguar in the wild your chances are higher here than almost anywhere else on earth.

To further increase your chances of a sighting, visit during dry season (AugustDecember), when the animals congregate around the few remaining water sources and less foliage makes for better visibility. Bed down at Refugio Ecologico Caiman, and youll have even better chances of locking eyes with one of these majestic cats. There are many hotels and lodges in the Pantanal, but only Caiman is located on its own nearly 14,000-acre private protected reserve and is home to its own jaguar conservation program.

Carlos Eduardo Fragoso/Courtesy of Oncafari

Like most areas of the Pantanal, the land that Caiman was built on what used to be a cattle ranch (called a fazenda), where jaguars were viewed as pests because they preyed on the herd. Despite laws prohibiting the killing of jaguars, cattle ranchers in the Pantanal still hunt them. In 2004, the owners of Caiman decided to take action, dedicating about ten percent of their 130,000-acre property to conservation. The herds were removed, and the land naturally shifted back to habitat for jaguars. The population of big cats has since flourished: animals can be spotted year-round.

Jaguars are so common in the Caiman preserve that, for safety and mobility, most excursions are done in African-safari style vehicles. All excursions are led by a local guide (often a former cowboy) and a trained biologist.

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When not out spotting jaguars, guests can relax in one of three luxurious lodges that comprise the Caiman property. Each small-capacity lodge has its own staff, kitchen, and pool. Large well-furnished living rooms and communal meals lend the feeling of staying in a chic house, while encouraging guests to recap the days adventures with other travelers.

One activity you wont be able to do during your stay: go outside for a jog, unless you want to be chased down by a jaguar  an apex predator, might we add.

Despite the propertys many attractions, jaguars remain the big draw. During my time at the camp, I saw the same jaguar from before three more times from the safari truck, enjoyed a very rare (and heart pounding) sighting of a large male while hiking, and saw another unidentified individual during a night drive. And let me tell you: it never, ever got old.
The Coolest New Yorkers Came Out to Celebrate the Metrograph Theaters Third Birthday

Justin Theroux and Griffin Dunne Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

The specialty cocktail of the evening: The Sphinx, a mixture of Absolut Elyx vodka, prickly pear, and yuzu. Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Lolita Chammah, Isabelle Huppert, and a party guest Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

The infamous dragon dance show, a staple of events thrown at the Metrograph. Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Rachel Antonoff, Tavi Gevinson, and Jack Antonoff Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Hailey Gates Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Director Dee Rees, whose upcoming film starring Anne Hathaway, The Last Thing He Wanted, is expected to be released later this year. Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Alexander Olch, the founder and president of the Metrograph Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Peter Brant, Jr. and Anh Duong Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Partygoers, including Isabelle Huppert (second from right) Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Patti Smith Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Director Paul Schrader, a recent Oscar nominee for his 2018 film First Reformed Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

Tavi Gevinson Photo: Kristina Bumphrey / StarPix

As one of the few remaining art-house theaters to evoke New Yorks movie palaces of yore, the Metrograph has no trouble bringing in an A-list crowd to celebrate its anniversaries. On Thursday night (the theaters third birthday), it proved how beloved it truly is.

Tucked away in the Lower East Side, the Metrograph was launched in 2016 as a way to promote and preserve a specific type of filmgoing experience that seemed to be going extinct. The boutique theater is devoted to screening archived, quality 35mm prints of films, both underrated and beloved, classic and contemporary. Plus, the Metrograph is regularly frequented for its offerings that go beyond cinemabook signings, dinners, and special events.

For Alexander Olch, the menswear designer-cum-Metrograph founder and president, starting the theater was his way of trying to recapture the magic of the grandiose movie palaces he frequented in his youth, including the since-shuttered Beekman, Plaza, and Ziegfeld Theatres. Those were places where when you walked in, before the movie even started, you knew something special was there; a certain type of glamour and mystery, Olch said. That was the kernel of what I was attempting to find: this magic I felt as a young boy.

Judging by the overwhelming turnout to the anniversary party, its safe to say that Olch found what he was looking for. Just one look at the attendees is proof enough of the Metrographs appeal; with a bevy of press-averse directors, actors, musicians, and artists in attendance, all happily trudged through the evenings pouring rain to get there. After all, where else are you likely to see Sienna Miller, Spike Jonze, Justin Theroux, and Griffin Dunne throwing back cocktails while swaying to a 60s French cover of These Boots Are Made for Walkin?

Arriving promptly at 8:00 p.m. for her hosting duties, punk icon Patti Smith bypassed red carpet interviews, grabbing a drink with her friends in the corner instead. Once the party officially began later that evening, the festivities continued with performers putting on a dragon dance showa tradition at Metrograph events. The elaborate show, which included having the performers under the dragon costumes throw cabbage into the air, was enough to make Jack Antonoff and Tavi Gevinson anxiously shuffle away from the sensory overload of it all. Thankfully, Isabelle Huppert arrived late enough to miss the performance and immediately settled into her natural role as the chicest woman in the room.

Both as a celebration of the Metrographs anniversary and the launch of their new distribution project, Metrograph Pictures, Thursday nights soiree perfectly encapsulated what makes the theater so special.
ESB Professional/Shutterstock

March 25, 2019

An Oregon mother whose baby died of bacterial meningitis wants other parents to recognize the symptoms of this life-threatening infection. Because as Ginger McCall knows all too well, failing to respond immediately can have devastating consequences.

On the morning of March 15, McCall rushed her 7-week-old daughter Evianna "Evi" Rose Quintero-McCall to Salem Hospital in Salem, Oregon, according to the Statesman Journal. She says Evi, who had fever, was given Tylenol and fluids before being discharged with what the hospital staff described as a routine infection. Two days later, little Evi passed away. The grieving mother is now determined for something positive to come from her tragedy.

McCall wishes she knew to insist on a meningitis test when Evi was first admitted to the hospital. She tried to stay calm and trust the doctors, but her instincts were right: Her daughter was not suffering from anything routine, and Evi's weak, moaning cry was a clear sign that something was seriously wrong.

"There's a stereotype of a hysterical, panicked, first-time mom," McCall told the Statesman Journal, "and that probably affected the situation."

A few hours after Evi was discharged, McCall took her to her pediatrician. When the still feverish infant threw up in the exam room, the doctor told McCall to get Evi to the emergency room immediately. He even called ahead to let the hospital staff know she was coming.

"Only then did they look for meningitis," McCall tweeted. "But it was too late for Evi."

The hospital staff performed a spinal tap and tried to stabilize the infant, yet her condition deteriorated rapidly. She was transported via ambulance to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland. The baby was later placed on life support and declared brain dead. Doctors withdrew life support on the morning of March 17, and Evi died in her mother's arms.

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McCall quickly learned her daughter wasn't the only baby to die from an undetected case of bacterial meningitis. She tweeted she "was greatly distressed" to read an article about a 7-month-old boy named Blaize who died at a different hospital in Salem last year. Like Evi, the baby was treated with Tylenol and discharged without a meningitis test being performed.

"It is my opinion that these were preventable deaths," tweeted McCall, an attorney and state official who works as Oregon's public record advocate. "These babies never should have been discharged. If you are a parent, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS."

Out of about 4,100 cases of bacterial meningitis annually, 500 are fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And although anyone can contract bacterial meningitis, babies have a higher risk. Several types of bacteria can cause meningitis, including Group B Streptococcus and Escherichia coli, which mothers can pass on to their infants during labor and birth. Bacterial meningitis may also spread through coughs, sneezes, saliva, and contaminated food.

Now, McCall is urging parents and hospital staff to familiarize themselves with the symptoms babies with meningitis display. Those include increased crying, increased irritability when held, sluggishness, lower body temperature, loss of appetite, increased spitting, and vomiting.

"My hope is that something good can come out of this," she told the Statesman Journal. "What I want the most is to raise awareness so this doesn't happen to anyone else."
After two years, 37 indictments, and prison terms for the presidents former lawyer, campaign manager, and (probably) national security adviser, special counsel Robert Mueller has completed his investigation of Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Below, we answer all your most pressing questions about what we know so far.

FINALLY. Okay, what does the Mueller report say?!

We don't really know.

But...but you said it was complete!

Correct. Federal regulations governing the special counsel's appointment, however, require him to transmit a report not to Congress or to the public, but instead on a confidential basis to the attorney general, William Barr, who was confirmed to that position just over a month ago. The Mueller report itself was not released on Sunday; what you might hear referred to as "the Mueller report" today is actually Barr's four-page summary of it, which he wrote over the weekend and delivered to House Judiciary Committee chair Jerry Nadler.

All right, well, what does that say?

According to Barr, Mueller's report is divided into two sections: one dealing with whether the Trump campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia in 2016, and one dealing with the Trump White House's alleged efforts to obstruct law enforcement efforts to find answers to that question. On the first issue, says Barr, the investigation affirmed that Russian government actors were responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee servers and used WikiLeaks to disseminate those stolen documents. It found no evidence, however, of the Trump campaign's criminal complicity in those efforts.

On the obstruction-of-justice question, Barr's letter is notably vague: It says that Mueller did not make a determination one way or the other, but instead "sets out evidence on both sides of the question" and "leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as 'difficult issues' of law and fact concerning whether the President's actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction." Quoting Mueller's report directly, Barr adds, "The special counsel states that 'while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.' "

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Hmmm. How does Barr propose to resolve that ambiguity?

By exonerating him. Barr goes on to say that after consulting with deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, he has "concluded that the evidence...is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction of justice offense."

That feels like a really big and significant finding. What evidence exists for it, exactly?

We don't know! Barr's position is that he has reviewed it, and you can trust his analysis.

I want to make sure I understand this. Barr made a determination after two days that Mueller didn't feel comfortable making after two years?

Correct.

Is there any reason to question the, um, objectivity of Barr's claims?

There sure is. Before he was nominated as attorney general, Barr lobbied hard for the job by offering vociferous defenses of the president to any media outlet that would listen. In The Washington Post, he praised Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey as "the right call," and parroted Trump's "13 angry Democrats" criticism of Mueller's team by opining that the special counsel should have sought a more politically balanced roster of attorneys. A year after the 2016 election, he was still arguing in The New York Times that Congress should be probing the Clinton-Uranium One conspiracy theory, and has generously excused Trump's calls for law enforcement investigations of his political opponents as fully within his powers as chief executive.

Just in case Trump hadn't gotten the hint, while Barr was still in private practice last summer, he wrote a baffling, unsolicited memo to Rosenstein that made the rounds in Washington's conservative legal circles. In it, he argued that Mueller's obstruction inquiry was "fatally misconceived" because "facially lawful" presidential exercises of authoritylike, for example, firing one's FBI director, even if he does so for the purposes of trying to save a friend who lied to the FBI from legal troublecannot constitute obstruction of justice. It was easily the thirstiest and most transparent stunt in Republican politics for two whole months, until Brett Kavanaugh secured a seat on the Supreme Court by screaming, "I LIKE BEER!" at bewildered members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both stunts, of course, worked.

Are there any hints we can glean from this glorified book report about the obstruction-related evidence?

Maybe. The fact that Trump was not involved in an underlying crime, Barr says, "bears upon [his] intent with respect to obstruction." In other words, because the president did not collude, it is less likely that he acted to interfere with an investigation into nonexistent collusion.

Is the existence of an underlying crime necessary for an obstruction-of-justice charge?

No. From The Washington Post:

For example, [said] former federal prosecutor David Alan Sklansky, now of Stanford University, if the President wrongfully tried to block the investigation into Russian interference in the election because he wanted to protect the Russians, or because he didnt want people to know that a foreign government had tried to hack the election in his favor, that would constitute obstruction.

Ah.

Second, Barr notes that to convict Trump or one of his associates of obstruction, the government would need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person, "acting with corrupt intent, engaged in obstructive conduct with a sufficient nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding." In other words, the person had to knowingly obstruct justice, and do so by interfering with an ongoing or looming investigation. What Barr seems to be saying here is that acts that might look like obstruction are not obstruction if the actor passively obstructed justice, or acted before law enforcement began an investigation.

Okay, but wouldn't this require Barr to know Trump's intent in each case?

It would.

How could Barr know that? Has Trump ever sat for an official interview as part of this investigation? With Barr, or with anyone?

He has not.

Yikes.

Lastly, when asserting that none of the president's actions meet these thresholds, Barr notes that many of Trump's actions "took place in public view." This seems to suggest that actions which might have been obstruction had Trump done them in secretfor example, asking Russia to steal Hillary Clinton's e-mails, or telling Lester Holt on national TV that he fired Comey because of "this Russia thing"are not obstruction because he felt no need to hide what he was doing from anyone.

So what you're telling me is that the president's attorney general, who has made extremely clear his view that otherwise-lawful hiring and firing decisions cannot constitute unlawful obstruction of justice, concluded that the president did not obstruct justice?

Correct. If the Mueller report were a big-budget movie, Barr's letter is the equivalent of its principal financier confidently assuring critics that the movie is a surefire Oscar contender before any of them have the opportunity to see it.

How many complete sentences from the Mueller report does the Barr letter contain?

Zero. He only quoted partial sentences.

Will we ever get to see the report for ourselves?

Hopefully. Considering that the American people were subjected two decades ago to 455 grueling pages detailing Bill Clinton's sex life, it seems appropriate that we get more than four pages this time around. In his confirmation hearings, Barr would not promise to release the report, stating only that his goal would be to "provide as much transparency as I can consistent with the law." This is one of those statements that sounds nice and means exactly nothing.

Barr reiterated this sentiment in his letter to Nadler, promising that his Department of Justice would begin the process of determining what information it would need to redact in order to safeguard confidential grand jury information and refrain from interfering in other, ongoing mattersincluding, he notes, ones Mueller has referred to other law enforcement officials. "As soon as that process is complete," he wrote, "I will be in a position to move forward expeditiously in determining what can be released in light of applicable law, regulations, and Departmental policies." There is no timetable for this event, and no indication of how much information will eventually make it through the filter.

Did the ambiguity stop the MAGA industrial complex from declaring total victory on Sunday?

Hahaha. It did not.

How does the Barr letter affect the likelihood of House Democrats initiating impeachment proceedings?

The Constitution's "high crimes and misdemeanors" standard for impeachment is a political term of art, not a legal one, and it is possible for Congress to decide that a given course of conduct is impeachable even if it is not indictable. (This is another reason Barr's letter is so strange; whether he's the one who should be drawing legal conclusions from its facts is, at best, a debatable proposition.)

The Judiciary Committee is likely to subpoena the report in the days to come, and depending on how much of the report Barr ultimately releases, the Committee may subpoena Barr and/or Mueller, too. Basically, by releasing a grip of partisan talking points in lieu of the actual document, Barr has produced a political Rorschach test: Republicans will say they were right about the "witch hunt" all along, while Democrats, noting Barr's acknowledgment that the Mueller report does not exonerate the president, have no reason to halt their own investigation into the underlying facts.

Does the Barr letter in any way affect Trump's involvement in felony campaign-finance law violations, his lies about his efforts to construct Trump Tower Moscow, or his well-documented history of literal tax fraud, about which we've all somehow decided to forget?

It does not.
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Women's Health

This weekend avocado lovers everywhere were hit with the worst possible news: California-grown avocados in six states are being recalled due to potential contamination with the bacterium listeria. Here's what you need to know.

The avocados in question are from the Henry Avocado company, who found the contamination during a routine inspection, according to the company's statement. The recalled avocados (both conventionally grown and organic avos are part of the recall) were sold in Arizona, California, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Avocados imported from Mexico and distributed by Henry Avocado are not subject to the recall and can be eaten without concern, said the company.

So how do you know if your avocado could make you sick or if it's benign? Potentially contaminated avos that were conventionally grown sport a sticker that says "Bravocado." The organic ones don't have the "Bravocado" sticker but are labeled "organic" and include "California" on the sticker. Here's what they look like:



Photo credit: Henry Avocado Corporation

If you spot the sticker or bar code, chuck your avo in the trash (RIP) orif you're like me and get annoyed that you spent $1.50 a pop on a fruit that might make you sicktake them back to the grocery store where you bought them for a refund.



So far, no one has gotten sick from noshing guac, but the concern is legit. Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA recall notice. Healthy individuals may get a high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In pregnant women, listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

('You Might Also Like',)
In the new Hulu series Shrill, Annie, played by Aidy Bryant, finds herself pregnant. She figures it out by taking a pregnancy test in her local pharmacy's bathroom  the same pharmacy that had sold her the morning-after pill seven times before. Holding the positive, pee-soaked pregnancy test, Annie tells the woman behind the counter something must be wrong; she can't be pregnant because she took emergency contraceptives. That's when the pharmacist, who is not the same person who sold her the pill, tells Annie something not often talked about: Emergency contraceptive pills may be less effective for people over a certain weight.

According to the American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC), some research has shown that certain emergency contraception  a method designed to prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg and starting a pregnancy  may be less effective for people both over and under a certain weight. There isn't enough research to say exactly what that weight is, or that the morning-after pill actually is less effective for people of a certain weight, but ASEC does note that people at higher body weights should be advised the product could be less effective for them, arming them with the information to make their own decision  something Annie's pharmacist definitely did not do.

Alison Edelman, MD, MPH, a professor at the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Oregon Health & Science University, explained to Teen Vogue that the efficacy of the morning-after pill may depend on a number of factors, including which pill you take.

"Emergency contraception is for all women, no matter their weight or body mass index," Dr. Edelman says. "The evidence is limited at this time but appears to show that levonorgestrel-containing emergency contraceptive pills may start to become less effective for women who weigh 154 pounds or higher. The evidence is even more unclear for ulipristal acetate-containing emergency contraceptive pills, but may start to become less effective for women who weigh 194 pounds or higher."

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According to Jessica Grossman, MD and CEO of Medicines360, emergency contraceptives should be for everyone, but it's not necessarily a one-size-fits-all type thing. Dr. Grossman says that people with higher body mass index (which is not a measurement of fatness or health) are "exposed to much lower concentrations" of the hormones necessary to prevent pregnancy, depending on which kind of pill you take.

Ella is among the more common brands of emergency contraceptive pills containing ulipristal acetate (which requires a prescription), and Plan B contains levonorgestrel (and is available over the counter).

Prevention during sex is the best way to avoid needing emergency contraceptives after. "The best way to avoid the need for using any emergency contraception is to make sure you are protected in the first place," Dr. Grossman says. "Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), such as IUDs, are safe and effective options for women with higher BMIs. One such example is the hormonal IUD, LILETTA, which is the only IUD that was specifically studied in women with high BMIs to prove and ensure safety and effectiveness in all women."

If the potential for emergency contraceptives to be less effective for people over a certain weight is news to you, you may also be curious about birth control pills, and whether those can also be affected by weight. There are conflicting studies on this point, but Dr. Edelman says weight could "possibly" influence birth control effectiveness. More important, she adds, is being consistent with taking your pill.

"The biggest impact on how well a birth control pill works is adherence," she says. If you're not good at taking your pill at the same time each day, no sweat. There are a lot of other birth control options, and Dr. Edelman says it's about finding the one that's best for you.

Whether or not you're great at taking the pill at the same time every day, or you're diligent about using condoms, sometimes stuff happens. No matter if you thought you took your pill but missed it, or the condom broke, emergency contraception should be an option for everyone. The ASEC says no one should be discouraged from taking the morning-after pill because of their weight, but Dr. Edelman says it's also important to know that a copper IUD, if inserted within five days of unprotected sex, is the best method of emergency contraceptive, regardless of your weight.

"The most reliable method of emergency contraception is a copper intrauterine device. However, we know that often women choose this option because they want to use the copper IUD as an ongoing method of birth control," Dr. Edelman says. "We also know that to get an IUD there can be many barriers because you have to interface with the health care system and schedule a visit within a certain time period to use it as a method of emergency contraception." She continues, "Women, no matter their weight, can still safely take the emergency contraceptive pills, but we just dont clearly know if it will work as well for some women as for others. The most important thing, if you do need an emergency contraceptive pill, is to take it as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. I know we all call it the morning-after pill because its catchy, but it should be the take immediately pill because it actually works better the earlier you can take it!"

The lack of clarity regarding weight and the efficacy of emergency contraceptives is daunting, but Dr. Edelman notes that researchers are recruiting subjects for studies to answer this very question. Hopefully we'll have answers in the future, and also morning-after pills that are clearly effective for everyone who uses them.

Read up on reproductive health:

Now, hear from five women on learning to love their bodies:
By Jhoo Dong-chan



The nation's brokerages are downgrading their target share prices of Asiana Airlines after the firm's stock trading was halted Friday following an auditor's negative opinion on the airline's financial status.



Following the audit report by Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers which issued a "qualified" opinion, 60 billion won worth of the airline's corporate bonds, the "Asiana Airline 86," will also be suspended from trading next month, the Korea Exchange (KRX) said.



"Qualified" means that the auditor's auditing scope was limited because it could not gain more evidence for its decision or the company's financial records were not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.



The KRX said trading of the stock will resume today but has placed the nation's second-largest air carrier on its watch list. Reflecting a series of bad news engulfing Asiana Airlines, domestic brokerages have become increasingly pessimistic about the future course of the airline's share prices.



According to Samsung Securities, Monday, the target share price of Asiana has been lowered by 30 percent to 3,500 won ($3.08) per share. The brokerage had maintained its investment recommendation for the airline stock as "buy" until March 20, but shifted to "maintain" following the auditor's announcement.



"Asiana Airline's 2018 earnings have been revised downwards. Its fiscal credibility was also severely compromised," said Samsung Securities analyst Kim Young-ho said.



"The airline's financial soundness has come under question once again."



Daishin Securities also lowered Asiana's target share price from 4,800 won to 4,300 won, March 22. The brokerage's investment recommendation for the firm's stock has been also revised to "hold."



"Asiana Airline said it will undergo the financial audit once again to regain investor confidence, but I don't think the firm will be able to receive "positive" opinion from an auditor in the near future," said Daishin Securities analyst Yang Ji-hwan.



"Investor confidence has already been greatly diminished. It is inevitable for Asiana to suffer a nosedive in its stock price."



According to the Financial Supervisory Service, Asiana Airlines posted 6.78 trillion won in sales with an 88.6 billion won operating profit in 2018. The firm first said it suffered a 10.4 billion won net loss last year, but revised to raise its loss by nearly 1,000 percent to 105 billion won.



In a bid to secure a cash reserve, Asiana issued asset-backed securities (ABS) last year. Its outstanding ABS debt is worth 1.2 trillion won. Separate from the 1.2 trillion won, the airline has also issued 420 billion won worth of ABS through its low-cost carrier units.



Asiana is required to repay 1 trillion won worth of debt by the end of this year, but the matured debt for this year could stretch to 1.7 trillion won since the company has obliged itself to repay the debts earlier than mature dates when its senior corporate bonds rating fell below the current BBB rated by the Korea Investors Service.



If the rating house makes a cut in the ratings, the carrier's liquidity problems will be aggravated, analysts said.


Addis Ababa (AFP) - An anti-stall system believed to have caused a fatal October jet crash in Indonesia was probably also involved in this month's crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed all 157 people onboard, the carrier's CEO said on Monday.

Tewolde GebreMariam told The Wall Street Journal an automatic anti-stalling system specific to the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was "to the best of our knowledge" activated on the fatal March 10 crash of Flight ET 302 minutes into its journey to Nairobi.

Although he is not a part of the official crash probe and gave no details on how he knew of the system's activation, Tewolde's comment adds pressure on Boeing to fix the popular aircraft model, which was grounded worldwide after the disaster.

Ethiopia's transport minister last week said "clear similarities" exist between the Ethiopian crash and the October crash of an Indonesian Lion Air jet which killed all 189 passengers and crew.

Investigators in that case have honed in on the MCAS automated anti-stalling system designed to point the nose of the 737 MAX 8 downward if it is in danger of stalling, or losing lift.

Boeing is expected this week to unveil a patch to the MCAS system, with the aim of getting the model back in the air.

- Confidence -

Tewolde's comments to The Wall Street Journal came the same day as the CEO issued a statement saying the carrier "believes in" Boeing despite the crash.

"Let me be clear: Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years," he wrote.

"We will work with investigators in Ethiopia, in the US and elsewhere to figure out what went wrong," Tewolde added.

He also hit back at reports critical of Ethiopian's safety record.

The New York Times reported last week that the pilot of the doomed flight had not trained on a 737 MAX 8 simulator.

"Contrary to some media reports, our pilots who fly the new model were trained on all appropriate simulators," Tewolde said in the Monday statement.

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The Washington Post also reported that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received two complaints about Ethiopian's training and safety record in 2015, before the 737 MAX 8 was in use.

Tewolde announced on Saturday the airline would sue both publications for "publishing baseless defamatory stories", according to Ethiopia's state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate.

Ethiopian Airlines is Africa's largest carrier and has had a long association with American aviation.

Founded in 1945 with assistance from former American carrier Trans World Airlines (TWA), Boeing aircraft make up the majority of the Ethiopian fleet.

Tewolde called for the 737 MAX 8's grounding after the crash, but in the statement struck a conciliatory tone towards Boeing.

"Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future," he said.
ROME  Donald Trump is going to go full animal now that he sees himself no longer under the shadow of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, former White House adviser Steve Bannon said last weekend. When I saw no new indictments  I thought, Oh my God! They didnt indict anybody regarding the Flynn investigation, they didnt indict Don, Jr.! Maybe [Mueller] could have details about obstruction of justice that are not indictable, but are meaningful. But right now, it looks like they have nothing. And he predicts Trump will come off the chains  and use the Mueller findings to browbeat the opposition and ignore House requests for more documents: He will use it to bludgeon them.

Steve Bannon speaks in Rome on March 21, 2019. (Photo: Fabio Cimaglia/LaPresse via ZUMA Press)

Bannon spoke to Yahoo News in Rome, the latest stop in his European tour aimed at forging a coalition of populist parties  while condemning Italy's new tentative agreement with China on economic cooperation, meeting with right-wing political leaders about the upcoming elections for European Parliament  the result of which he believes will push the European Union more to the right, and setting up an academy to train the next generation of leaders in populist, nationalist politics.

In the course of two interviews, one on Friday (just before the Mueller report was handed over to Attorney General William Barr) and one on Sunday as Barr was releasing his summary of the report  which found no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, as well as the decision not to pursue obstruction charges against the president  Bannon sounded off on a wide range of topics, including American and European politics.

President Donald Trump speaks to media before boarding Air Force One on March 24, 2019, at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., en route to Washington. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP)

He claimed credit for predicting that Trump would be unscathed by the report and advising the president not to discredit it.

"I kept telling him, 'Don't say Mueller's bad, I don't think he's going to have anything."

The upshot of the Mueller probe is that the left is "in tears, he said. On Rachel Maddow, she went 10 minutes into her show before the words no indictment crossed her lips. On CNN, they're in the mumble tank. They're crestfallen. They thought this would be it."

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Bannon, who left the White House in 2017 and has been on the outs with Trump over comments to author Michael Wolff, believes he inspired some ideas now circulating among the left-populist wing of the Democratic Party. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who has the most ambitious policy agenda among the leading presidential contenders is sort of stealing from me in her proposal to break up and regulate the giant tech and social-media companies such as Google and Facebook; Bannon said hes been pushing for them to be treated as public utilities since 2017.

But even though Warren is coming at this with some fundamental populist policies that he believes will make many Trump supporters think, I wish Trump was saying that, he believes her presidential bid is doomed.

Shes consistently gone down [in polls]  shes now at 8 percent. I dont think were ever going to see her in double digits. Why? Because Trump is focused on her. Mocking the Massachusetts senator as Pocahontas and deriding her DNA results, Bannon says, have crippled her chances. Trump, he declared, has destroyed her candidacy.

He likewise dismisses Joe Biden  whom he describes as too old, too tired and hes lost his star. Youll see peak [support for] Biden the day he announces, he predicts, and he doubts the former vice president could hold up in mano a mano battle against the sitting president.

He sees Kamala Harris as a classic Democratic centrist with a career as a prosecutor who has been so pulled to the left, so quickly its surprising  and thats an issue and notes that Beto ORourkes policies are shockingly unformed. Nevertheless, hes betting that they will emerge, at least for a while, as Democratic frontrunners, forging an alliance with Harris as president and ORourke as vice president  in the short term, at least.

But his most surprising prediction is that the Democratic candidacy will go to someone who ran in the 2016 election  and not Bernie Sanders.

By this fall, unless one of these candidates has broken out on a national basis, he thinks Hillary Clinton will step up. Shell look at this field and says, What a nice group of people  and not one of them can beat Donald Trump. Shell say, Ive learned from my mistakes, I beat him by 3 million, and theres not one person in this field who can do that.

But would Democrats take her back? Shes a viable alternative, he says. And Democrats want Donald Trump out of their lives.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attends an international conference focusing on gender equality at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway, on March 8, 2019. (Photo: NTB Scanpix/Berit Roald via Reuters)

As much as Hillary is despised by progressives, he predicts that Democrats will come together over any candidate that will take down Trump. All these policies like Medicare for all  arent going to matter. The simple theme for the Democrats is Orange Man Bad.

And despite the gauntlet of investigations that Trump faces, he believes the anemic Mueller report will deflate them  and simultaneously inflate the president. If the Mueller report doesn't have details about obstruction of justice, Trump will say, 'We're not dealing with Jerry Nadler  here's a club, Jerry Nadler!"

Nadler can request, Bannon noted, but you've got to get the Justice Department to issue subpoenas ... And Bill Barr is going to be like, 'Guys, all the information you want went to Mueller, read the transcript."

He believes most investigations into Trump are effectively dead in the water.

On one of the other big issues playing out on the world stage  Britains catastrophic negotiations to leave the European Union  he dismisses British Prime Minister Theresa May for ignoring Trumps advice on playing hardball with EU. The long-winded negotiations have shown the Tories as incompetent, says Bannon: Its been a disaster, and you have to hold May accountable. He foresees a Hard Brexit with no deal, despite the fear that idea is generating. This fear campaign is the equivalent of Y2K  when everybody thought it was the end of the world, and we got up the next morning and said, What was that all about? He predicts that on April 12, theyre going to do a hard out, no deal, and the sun will come up the next day. But Mays administration will be setting shortly thereafter.

British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after addressing a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday, March 22, 2019. (Photo: Frank Augstein/AP)

Bannon, who helped shape and fuel Trumps nationalist candidacy and early administration, takes no responsibility, either personally or on behalf of the president, for the shooting March 18 in a New Zealand mosque. Did you read the [killers] manifesto? he asked. In 64 pages, theres one passing reference to Trump and white nationalism. Bannon notes that the shooter is actually a guy on the left who says hes an eco-fascist. Hes a complete nut job, who should be dealt with harshly and swiftly, said Bannon, adding that the killer wrote that theres one government, one system he admires: the Chinese Communist Party.

That is a subject near and dear to Bannons heart, and one of the reasons Bannon was in Rome: to speak out about Chinas plans to bolster its economic power and technological muscle worldwide.

There are three things the Chinese are doing simultaneously, he said. Thats why theyre in Italy today. Pushing an ambitious infrastructure project called One Belt, One Road that connects three continents by land and sea, they had successfully solicited initial support for a maritime Silk Road from China to Trieste, Italy. They also are planning a land Silk Road that ends in Turkey, he added. China is also pushing a program called Made in China 2025, which Bannon described as the convergence of advanced chip design, artificial intelligence and robotics, which will give them vast control of high-value manufacturing in the world.

Finally, they are rolling out 5G, which will control quantum computing, he said. Thermostats, lights, computers will all be connected through the Internet of Things, he said. The problem, he said, is with 5G, data becomes the new plutonium. Data can be weaponized against countries, peoples and individuals. And according to Bannon, Chinese company Huawei is trying to underbid every telecom company in the world to dominate 5G and control the data it holds.

And if theres one thing Bannon is, its a visionary capable of seeing futures few dream of. After all, of Trumps campaign team, it was reportedly only Bannon  not even the president himself  who believed that the real estate mogul might actually one day sit in the Oval Office.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Special counsel Robert Mueller did not find evidence that President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election but reached no conclusion on whether Trump obstructed justice, Attorney General William Barr declared Sunday. That brought a hearty claim of vindication from Trump but set the stage for new rounds of political and legal fighting.

Trump cheered the outcome but also laid bare his resentment after two years of investigations that have shadowed his administration. "It's a shame that our country has had to go through this. To be honest, it's a shame that your president has had to go through this," he said.

Democrats pointed out that Mueller found evidence for and against obstruction and demanded to see his full report. They insisted that even the summary by the president's attorney general hardly put him in the clear.

Mueller's conclusions, summarized by Barr in a four-page letter to Congress, represented a victory for Trump on a key question that has hung over his presidency from the start: Did his campaign work with Russia to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton? That was further good news for the president on top of the Justice Department's earlier announcement that Mueller had wrapped his investigation without new indictments. The resolution also could deflate the hopes of Democrats in Congress and on the 2020 campaign trail that incriminating findings from Mueller would hobble the president's agenda and re-election bid.

But while Mueller was categorical in ruling out criminal collusion, he was more circumspect on presidential obstruction of justice. Despite Trump's claim of total exoneration, Mueller did not draw a conclusion one way or the other on whether he sought to stifle the Russia investigation through his actions including the firing of former FBI director James Comey.

According to Barr's summary, Mueller set out "evidence on both sides of the question" and stated that "while this report does not conclude the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him."

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Barr, who was nominated by Trump in December, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in May 2017 and oversaw much of his work, went further in Trump's favor.

The attorney general said he and Rosenstein had determined that Mueller's evidence was insufficient to prove in court that Trump had committed obstruction of justice to hamper the probe. Barr has previously voiced a broad view of presidential powers, and in an unsolicited memo last June he cast doubt on whether the president could have obstructed justice through acts  like firing his FBI director  that he was legally empowered to take.

Barr said their decision was based on the evidence uncovered by Mueller and not affected by Justice Department legal opinions that say a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Mueller's team examined a series of actions by the president in the last two years to determine if he intended obstruction. Those include his firing of Comey one week before Mueller's appointment, his public and private haranguing of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation because of his work on the campaign, his request of Comey to end an investigation into Michael Flynn, the White House's first national security adviser, and his drafting of an incomplete explanation about his oldest son's meeting with a Russian lawyer during the campaign.

Mueller's findings absolve Trump on the question of colluding with Russia but don't entirely remove the legal threats the president and associates are facing. Federal prosecutors in New York, for instance, are investigating hush-money payments made to two women during the campaign who say they had sex with the president. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, implicated Trump in campaign finance violations when he pleaded guilty last year.

The special counsel's investigation did not come up empty-handed. It ensnared nearly three dozen people, senior Trump campaign operatives among them. The probe illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.

Thirty-four people, including six Trump aides and advisers, were charged in the investigation. Twenty-five are Russians accused of election interference either through hacking into Democratic accounts or orchestrating a social media campaign to spread disinformation on the internet.

Sunday's summary  and its suggestion that Mueller may have found evidence in support of obstruction  sets up a fight between Barr and Democrats, who called for the special counsel's full report to be released and vowed to press on with their own investigations.

"Attorney General Barr's letter raises as many questions as it answers," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

"Given Mr. Barr's public record of bias against the special counsel's inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report," they said. Trump's own claim of complete exoneration "directly contradicts the words of Mr. Mueller and is not to be taken with any degree of credibility," they added.

Trump was at his Florida estate when lawmakers received the report. Barr's chief of staff called Emmet Flood, the lead White House lawyer on the investigation, to brief him on the findings shortly before he sent it to Congress. Mueller submitted his report to Barr instead of directly to Congress and the public because, unlike independent counsels such as Ken Starr in the case of President Bill Clinton, his investigation operated under the close supervision of the Justice Department.

Barr did not speak with the president, Mueller was not consulted on the letter, and the White House does not have Mueller's report, according to a Justice Department official.

Though Mueller did not find evidence that anyone associated with the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russian government, Barr's summary notes "multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign."

That's a likely reference not only to a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting at which Donald Trump. Jr. expected to receive damaging information on Clinton from a Kremlin-connected lawyer, as well as a conversation in London months earlier at which Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos was told Russia had "dirt" on Clinton in the form of thousands of stolen emails.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said Congress needs to hear from Barr about his decision and see "all the underlying evidence." He said on Twitter, "DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work."

Barr said that Mueller "thoroughly" investigated the question of whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia's election interference, issuing more than 2,800 subpoenas, obtaining nearly 500 search warrants and interviewing 500 witnesses. Trump answered some questions in writing, but refused to be interviewed in person by Mueller's team.

Barr said Mueller also catalogued the president's actions including "many" that took place in "public view," a possible nod to Trump's public attacks on investigators and witnesses.

In the letter, Barr said he concluded that none of Trump's actions constituted a federal crime that prosecutors could prove in court.

____

Associated Press writers Jonathan Lemire in New York, Deb Riechmann in Palm Beach, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Online: Read the letter: http://apne.ws/Am0jB94

Follow all of AP's Trump Investigations coverage at https://apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations
Paris (AFP) - A French Muslim group said Monday it was suing Facebook and YouTube for allowing a live broadcast of the grisly video of a massacre at a New Zealand mosque, reviving the debate over how social media amplifies such attacks.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) was taking the legal action against the French branches of the two tech giants for "broadcasting a message with violent content abetting terrorism, or of a nature likely to seriously violate human dignity and liable to be seen by a minor," according to the complaint filed with prosecutors, a copy of which was seen by AFP.

In France such acts can be punished by three years' imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros ($85,000).

A white supremacist who killed 50 people in attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, live-streamed one of the attacks on Facebook, from where it was uploaded to other video sites, including YouTube.

Facebook France told AFP by e-mail that it would study the suit, adding that "acts of terror and hatred speech have no place on Facebook, and our thoughts go out to the victim's families and the entire community affected by this tragedy.

"We have taken many measures to make this video disappear from our platform, we are cooperating with authorities and our teams remain totally mobilised," it added.

- 17 minutes -

The livestream lasting 17 minutes was shared extensively on a variety of internet platforms and uploaded again nearly as fast as it could be taken down.

The CFCM, which represents several million Muslims in France, said it took Facebook 29 minutes from the start of the live broadcast to take the video down.

Facebook said it acted "quickly" to clamp down on the offensive images, and that it removed 1.5 million videos of the shooting in the first 24 hours after it happened, with much of this blocked by software at the moment of upload.

Major internet platforms have pledged to crack down on the sharing of violent images and other inappropriate content through automated systems and human monitoring, but critics say this was not working.

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Internet platforms have cooperated to develop technology that filters child pornography, but have found it much more difficult to join forces to block violent content.

"AI systems are based on 'training data', which means you need many thousands of examples of content in order to train a system that can detect certain types of text, imagery or video," Guy Rose, vice-president of Facebook said on Wednesday.

"This approach has worked very well for areas such as nudity, terrorist propaganda and also graphic violence where there is a large number of examples we can use to train our systems.

"However, this particular video did not trigger our automatic detection systems. To achieve that we will need to provide our systems with large volumes of data of this specific kind of content, something which is difficult as these events are thankfully rare," Rosen said.

- 'Going viral' -

"This was a tragedy that was almost designed for the purpose of going viral," Neal Mohan, YouTube's chief product officer told the Washington Post.

"Weve made progress, but that doesnt mean we dont have a lot of work ahead of us, and this incident has shown that, especially in the case of more viral videos like this one, theres more work to be done," he added.

In New Zealand, where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has called for a global response to the dangers of social media, a 44-year-old man has been charged with sharing the livestream video shot by the accused gunman, 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, during his killing spree.

In the United States, a congressional panel last week called on top executives from Facebook and YouTube, as well as Microsoft and Twitter, to explain the online proliferation of the video.

The House Committee on Homeland Security said it was "critically important" to filter the kind of violent images seen in the video.
Baghdad (AFP) - For the millions forced to endure the Islamic State group's brutal rule, life in the "caliphate" was a living hell where girls were enslaved, music was banned and homosexuality was punishable by death.

The jihadists applied an ultra-conservative interpretation of Islamic law across the swathes of Syria and Iraq that they captured in 2014, torturing or executing anyone who disobeyed.

The fall of the last sliver of IS territory in eastern Syria marks the end of their proto-state, once the size of the United Kingdom and home to more than seven million people.

The fate of prisoners used by the jihadists as human shields remains unknown, but more than 3,000 Yazidis are still missing.

The jihadists singled out the minority, followers of an ancient religion, for particularly harsh treatment which the UN has said may amount to genocide.

They slaughtered thousands of Yazidi men and boys, abducting women and girls then selling them at slave markets.

Many suffered years of sexual abuse.

"We did everything they demanded," said Bessa Hamad, an Iraqi Yazidi sold six times by jihadists before escaping their last redoubt in Syria.

"We couldn't say no."

Yazidi boys who were not killed were forced to fight and indoctrinated to hate their community, leaving families struggling to reconnect with those who were rescued.

Children who went to IS-run schools learnt to count with maths books featuring guns and grenades, but pictures of people were banned.

As well as frontline fighters, IS ran its own police force, whose officers could impose fines or lashes on men whose breath smelt of cigarettes or alcohol.

Books were burned, while dancing and music were banned. Instead the jihadists broadcast propaganda via their own radio station.

The jihadists used sledgehammers to destroy priceless ancient artefacts they deemed idolatrous.

A strict dress code forced even young girls to wear a full black Islamic veil.

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Beards and traditional robes were compulsory for men.

- Thrown from rooftops -

The extremists ran their own courts, sentencing people to death by beheading and hanging.

Men and women accused of adultery were stoned to death. Men were shot or thrown from rooftops for the "crime" of being gay.

The jihadists even introduced their own currency, minting coins that veterans of the battle against IS now keep as trophies.

Jail terms were imposed on those unable to pay IS taxes.

Iraq's major northern city of Mosul and Raqa in Syria were transformed into the twin de facto capitals of the "caliphate".

Raqa become a byword for atrocities carried out by the jihadists, and it was from there that IS organised devastating overseas attacks.

Human heads were displayed on spikes in the city along with crucified bodies, to sow terror.

IS initially won support from some residents who felt abandoned and abused by corrupt state authorities.

But today, those who survived its rule accuse the jihadists themselves of graft -- as well as extreme acts of violence.

IS left more than 200 mass graves in Iraq and thousands of bodies are expected to be uncovered in Syria.

Numerous women interviewed by AFP said they received IS-stamped death certificates for their executed husbands, but the jihadists would not return their bodies.

It could take years to discover what happened to some of their victims.

Some IS members leaving the group's last redoubt of Baghouz in eastern Syria have cricitised the group's leadership.

"God's law was applied," said Abdel Moneim Najia, a jihadist who stayed in what was left of the "caliphate" until its final days.

But he voiced the same grievances as Iraqis and Syrians expressed about their governments ahead of the IS takeover.

"There were injustices," he said. "Officials stole money and abandoned the people."


By Kang Seung-woo







Grand Hyatt Seoul launches three Korean grilled burgers



The Grand Hyatt Seoul's Steak House has launched three new unique burgers as part of its special luncheon menu.



The galbi burger, kimchi burger and pumpkin burger were all born from its steak house origins to offer a creative twist on its beef steak burgers by adding a unique set of Korean flavors.



All three Korean grilled burgers include two special side dishes, dirty fries mixed with special homemade kimchi sauce and a side of sweetly marinated thin sliced vegetables.



The menu is available from noon until 2:30pm, Monday through Saturday.







Glad Hotel and Resorts unveils package for foreign travelers



Glad Hotels and Resorts is presenting its "Glad for you" package for individual foreign travelers visiting Seoul.



The package is available at the operator's four properties in Seoul, including the Glad Yeouido and the Glad Gangnam Coex Center until the end of the year. The two others are the Glad Mapo and the Glad Live Gangnam.



The promotion features a one-night stay and one breakfast buffet. In addition, it provides a handmade soap as a welcome gift and a bottle of Budweiser beer or Bundaberg drinks.







Walkerhill to host cherry blossom festival



Walkerhill Hotels and Resorts will bring back its cherry blossom festival next month.



The annual event, marking its 28th anniversary this year, is scheduled to run from April 6 through 28, and it will raise the curtain with its wine and beer fair every Friday and Saturday.



Walkerhill will also hold three types of gourmet dining feasts of Chinese, Italian and Japanese delicacies at Aston House during the festival.



Under the concept of "Newtro," the Vista Walkerhill Seoul's social lounge Re:BAR will have retro decorations and music, among other entertaining events.






Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas Sunday that Israel would not hesitate to launch a "large-scale operation" in Gaza, as daily exchanges with the Palestinian territory threatened a wider escalation.

Speaking ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu noted that while "rogue factions" were behind the recent Gaza "provocations", it "did not exempt Hamas", the enclave's Islamist rulers, of responsibility.

"I've heard people in Gaza saying that since we're in an election campaign, a large-scale operation is out of the question," he further said, referring to April 9 Israeli polls.

"I'd suggest to Hamas -- don't count on it. We'll do whatever is necessary to return the peace and quiet to the Gaza border communities, and the entire south."

Earlier Sunday, Israeli aircraft struck Hamas targets in Gaza after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit the Jewish state, the army said.

"Fighter jets and aircraft struck several military targets in a Hamas compound in the northern Gaza Strip in addition to two Hamas vessels," a statement from the army said.

The attacks were in response to a rocket fired from Gaza late Saturday "in addition to the continued violence emanating from the Gaza Strip," the army said.

The rocket hit an open field in Israel's Eshkol region, causing no casualties or damages, a local government spokeswoman said.

A security source in Gaza said a Hamas site in the northern Gaza Strip was hit as well as fishing boats west of Deir al-Balah in the central part of the coastal enclave.

The source denied the boats belonged to Hamas's armed wing. No one was injured.

Gazans have been launching balloons carrying explosive devices at Israel and stepping up attempts to damage the border fence on a daily basis for more than 10 days, prompting Israeli retaliation.

Israeli forces said Saturday they had launched several strikes against Hamas sites in Gaza in response to a projectile launched from the coastal enclave the night before.

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At least 253 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since March 2018, the majority shot during weekly border protests and clashes.

Others have been hit by tank fire or air strikes in response to violence from Gaza.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period.

Israel and Hamas, which has controlled the blockaded Gaza Strip for over a decade, have fought three wars since 2008.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

The U.N. Security Council in a December 1981 resolution called Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights "null and void and without international legal effect"  and the U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (goo-TEHR'-esh) adheres to council resolutions.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric (steh-FAHN' DOO'-jar-ihk) said Monday that Guterres' position remains unchanged despite President Donald Trump's formal recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Guterres said in a report on recent activities of the U.N. peacekeeping force on the Golan Heights that he was "gravely concerned" at escalating tension there between Israel and Syria. He circulated the report on Monday to the Security Council.

The secretary-general singled out three incidents between Syria and Israel between Nov. 20 and Feb. 11.

___

2 p.m.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says the U.S. has "ignored international law" by recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Cavusoglu said on Twitter on Monday that the decision would "never legitimize Israeli occupation."

The minister said: "The decision will further increase tensions in the region by preventing peace efforts in the Middle East."

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.

__

2:05 p.m.

Lebanon says the decision by President Donald Trump to recognize the Golan Heights as Israeli territory undermines any efforts to reach a fair peace and further isolates Israel.

Lebanon's foreign ministry said Monday that the Golan Heights are "Syrian Arab" territory and "no country can falsify history by transferring" land from one country to another.

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Lebanon is technically at war with Israel, which occupied parts of southern Lebanon until it withdrew in 2000. Lebanon says Israel is still occupying the disputed Shebaa Farms and Israel considers the Lebanese Hezbollah group a strategic threat.

Trump signed a proclamation Monday recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The decision further isolates Israel, Lebanon's foreign ministry said, adding that Israel will only find security with a fair and comprehensive peace.

__

1:05 p.m.

Syria says President Donald Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights makes Washington "the main enemy" of Arabs, and the Damascus government is calling the U.S. decision a "slap" to the international community.

Trump has signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan, which Israel occupied in 1967 and unilaterally annexed in 1981.

Syria's Foreign Ministry calls the decision a "blatant aggression" on its own sovereignty and territorial integrity. The ministry says the U.S. move represents the "highest level of contempt for international legitimacy."

The U.N. Security Council refers to Israel as "the occupying power" and says Israel's attempt to "impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect."

Trump's decision reverses more than a half-century of U.S. policy.

___

12:55 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo) is asking President Donald Trump for permission to share Israeli wine with the White House staff.

And the Israeli leader is joking that he hopes "they don't open an investigation" as a result. Back home, Netanyahu is facing a pending indictment on corruption charges.

And Trump has been the subject of numerous investigations, but is claiming vindication following the release of a summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report.

Netanyahu made the offer after Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu says he brought Trump a case "of the finest wine from the Golan." But he says Trump, who doesn't drink alcohol, is "not a great wine drinker," and that he wanted to give the wine to Trump's staff instead.

___

12:20 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo) says Israel is "responding forcefully" to a morning rocket attack in central part of the Jewish state.

Israel's military says it's started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip after a rocket hit a house north Tel Aviv and wounded seven people.

Netanyahu spoke during a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump, who later signed an official proclamation formally recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu calls the rocket attack "wanton aggression" and says "Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it."

The prime minister says he plans to return to Israel after the meeting with Trump.

___

12:05 p.m.

President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

The document reverses more than a half-century of U.S. policy as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo) visited the White House.

Trump had previewed the move in a tweet last week that it was time for the U.S. to take the step after 52 years of Israeli control of the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.

Netanyahu has pressed for such recognition for months. Trump's action gives him a political boost just weeks before what's expected to be a close Israeli election.

Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war but its sovereignty over the territory is not recognized by the international community.

___

9:35 a.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (neh-ten-YAH'-hoo) says he's cutting short his visit to Washington after a Gaza rocket attack on Israel.

Netanyahu describes Monday morning's rocket launch that struck a home in central Israel as a "criminal attack" and he's pledging to strike back hard. He says he'll return to Israel to handle the crisis shortly after his meeting with President Donald Trump.

An Israeli rescue service says the rocket from the Gaza Strip wounded seven people.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday for what was to have been a three-day visit. He was going to speak at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's policy conference and was to be hosted at a White House dinner.
Tehran (AFP) - The death toll of floods that have swept across most Iranian provinces has risen to 18 with more than 70 injured, the country's emergency services said Monday.

National Emergency Service chief Pirhossein Koolivand said the casualty toll in the southern city of Shiraz was 17 dead and 74 injured, while another person was killed in Sarpol-e Zahab in the western province of Kermanshah, the service said on its website.

Iran has been facing unprecedented floods in 25 of its 31 provinces, the country's Crisis Management Organisation said.

The latest floods have struck mostly west and southwest Iran and follow major flooding on March 19 in the northeast's Golestan and Mazandaran provinces, for which no official casualty toll has been issued.

Emergency services have been hampered by Iranian New Year holidays, with many employees on vacation.

The police have advised against road trips in the coming days, with many roads blocked by flooding or landslides caused by heavy rains.

The Crises Management Organisation and the health ministry, in charge of hospitals, have cancelled all leave and been placed on full alert, while provincial chiefs have been ordered to remain at their posts.

Iran's meteorological service has warned that the rains will carry on into Wednesday.
Paris (AFP) - France's European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau said Monday that she would resign her post to lead President Emmanuel Macron's centrist campaign for the European Parliament elections in May, hoping to counter a populist and eurosceptic wave in countries across the continent.

Loiseau, a career diplomat with no government experience before joining Macron's cabinet in 2017, will be tasked with forging a pro-Europe alliance promoting deeper integration to deal with immigration, globalisation and other challenges.

The parliament election on May 24-26 is shaping up as a test of Macron's liberal vision of a more unified EU, at a time when the bloc is being buffeted by Brexit as well as a growing backlash against Brussels.

Populist parties have entered governments in Italy, Hungary and Poland and have gained ground in several other countries in recent years, in large part over the wave of immigrants fleeing war and misery in Africa and the Middle East.

Anti-Europe parties accuse the bloc of failing to take sufficient measures to stem the arrivals, and encouraging economic liberalisation that has hollowed out many European industries.

Macron, a 41-year-old centrist, is expected to name prominent environmental campaigners to the list led by Loiseau, who led France's elite ENA school, which produces its top civil servants.

She had announced her candidacy this month during a televised debate with far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen later took to Twitter to criticise Loiseau as an "ultra-technocrat" who acts "as if the people don't even exist".

A poll published Sunday suggested that Macron's Republic on the Move party and its centrist Modem partners could score 23 percent in the European Parliament vote in France, with Le Pen's National Rally taking 22 percent.

Loiseau's departure from the government could prompt other cabinet moves, with both government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux and Digital Affairs Minister Mounir Mahjoubi thought to be weighing an exit to compete in the Paris mayor's race next year.
WASHINGTON  Special Counsel Robert Mueller did not find that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 election, Attorney General William Barr wrote in a letter to Congress that was made public on Sunday.

In the letter, Barr released the summary of the principle conclusions of Muellers investigation, after the special counsel delivered his report on Friday.

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Mueller made no conclusion on whether Trumps conduct during the investigation rose to the level of obstruction of justice. The Special Counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.'

Instead, it left the obstruction of justice question to Barr, who concluded that the Department of Justice found no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct on the part of the president.

Shortly after Barrs letter was made public, Trump tweeted, No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!

It is a shame that our country had to go through this. To be honest, it is a shame our president had to go through this, Trump told reporters. He called it an illegal takedown that failed, and called for a new investigation of why the Russia investigation was launched.

The White House reacted with a sense of vindication.

The Special Counsel did not find any collusion and did not find any obstruction, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote on Twitter. AG Barr and DAG [Rod] Rosenstein further determined there was no obstruction. The findings of the Department of Justice are a total and complete exoneration of the President of the United States.

Story continues

Rudy Giuliani, one of the presidents lawyers, said on CNN that they viewed it as a complete exoneration.

Barr wrote that the investigation determined that there were two main Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election  a misinformation campaign and a hacking operation to obtain emails from those associated with the Clinton campaign and the Democratic party. Barr wrote that the Special Counsel did not find that the Trump campaign, or anyone associated with it, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in these efforts, despite multiple offers from Russian-affiliated individuals to assist the Trump campaign.

But House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) expressed concerns over Barrs determination that Trump did not obstruct justice. He tweeted that Special Counsel Mueller worked for 22 months to determine the extent to which President Trump obstructed justice. Attorney General Barr took 2 days to tell the American people that while the President is not exonerated, there will be no action by DOJ.

That sentiment was echoed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said in a statement, Attorney General Barrs letter raises as many questions as it answers. The fact that Special Counsel Muellers report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay.

They said that Barr had a record of bias against Muellers inquiry and was not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.

Muellers investigation, stretching nearly two years, has been the source of ongoing anticipation of whether it would in any way implicate President Trump, particularly when it comes to questions of whether he attempted to stymie the probe or even obstruct justice. Trump had repeatedly insisted that there was no collusion, and has characterized Muellers investigation as a witch hunt.

On Sunday, broadcast networks and cable news channels covered the release of the summary to Congress and the public with great anticipation, as it gives the first glimpse of Muellers report since he delivered a completed copy on Friday. CNN kept a camera at a Justice Department entrance, along with reports from Capitol Hill.

Democrats continue to urge Barr to release the full Mueller report, and Nadler said that he planned to call the attorney general to testify before the House Judiciary Committee in light of the very concerning discrepancies and final decision-making at the Justice Department following the Special Counsel report, where Mueller did not exonerate the president.

Trump did not sit for an interview with Muellers team, but issued written responses to questions.

Barr wrote that he concluded that the evidence that Mueller gathered was not sufficient to establish an obstruction of justice offense. He noted that Mueller found that the underlying evidence does not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference.

When it came to the question of obstruction, media attention focused on Trumps decision to fire James Comey, among other incidents.

In cataloguing the presidents action, many of which took place in public view, the report identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct had a nexus to a pending or contemplative proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Departments principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction-of-justice offense, Barr wrote.

Muellers investigation led to the indictments of more than three dozen individuals, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and longtime associate Roger Stone. Trumps former attorney, Michael Cohen, plead guilty to lying to Congress.

Trump is likely to use the results of Muellers investigation to make further attacks on the media and deride their reporting as fake news, while the findings of no collusion removes one possible avenue for Democrats to pursue impeachment proceedings.

But philanthropist Tom Steyer, who has been leading a campaign to impeach Trump, said that We need to hear from Robert Mueller, not Attorney General Barr. We need to see the facts so we can judge for ourselves.

Muellers investigation led to other investigations that are still ongoing, including by prosecutors in New York and Virginia, while House Judiciary Democrats have launched a wide-ranging inquiry that includes Russian collusion and Trumps business interests.

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Seoul (AFP) - North Korea has returned its staff to an inter-Korean liaison office, Seoul said Monday, just days after unilaterally withdrawing from the joint facility.

The office in the Northern city of Kaesong was opened in September as the two Koreas knitted closer ties, but the North pulled its staff out last week amid a deadlock in talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

The unification ministry said some of the North Korean staff were back at work on Monday saying they had come to cover their "shift as usual".

"Thus, the South and the North held consultation at the liaison office this morning and will continue to operate the office as usual," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the North did not offer details on why they had returned or pulled out in the first place.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was instrumental in brokering the talks process between the nuclear-armed, sanctions-hit North and the US, Seoul's key security ally.

Moon has long backed engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table, and has been pushing the carrot of inter-Korean development projects, among them an industrial zone also in Kaesong and cross-border tourism for Southerners.

But the failure by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump to reach agreement in Hanoi last month on walking back Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for relaxation of the measures against it has raised questions over the future of the process.

In his New Year speech -- a key political event in the North -- Kim said without giving details that Pyongyang might see a "new way for defending the sovereignty of the country and the supreme interests of the state" if Washington persisted with sanctions.
SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea sent back its officials to an inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border city of Kaesong on Monday, reversing a decision two days ago to withdraw the officials, South Korea's Unification Ministry said. A group of four to five officials showed up at the office earlier in the morning saying they came to work "as usual," the ministry said in a statement. Though the presence of the North's head of the office was not confirmed, the two sides held a consultation and will "continue to operate the office as usual," the ministry said. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Joyce Lee; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)




By Jung Min-ho







Activists in Thailand called on their government early this month to come up with appropriate solutions to regulate e-cigarettes to protect the country's image among foreign tourists.





The move came after local police detained and demanded bribes from a

for possessing an e-cigarette.





The popular tourist destination has very strict laws against vaping. People can be fined and even jailed for possessing vaporizers such as e-cigarettes and e-baraku.





Unaware of the ban, which came into force in 2014, the tourist was caught holding an e-cigarette in January. She claimed that after refusing to pay bribes, she was detained in a cell, where she shared "a hard, dirty floor with 60 other people for four days" and fined 827 baht ($26).





She also claimed the ordeal cost her about 8,000 euros in legal fees and travel expenses and ruined her holiday with her boyfriend.





A survey last year ranked Thailand as the worst country in the world for e-cigarette users.


The National Weather Service (NWS) gave a hazardous weather outlook on Sunday, March 24, for parts of central and southern Minnesota. A number or rivers were at risk of flooding, and, during the week, snow melt and ice jams would also be a factor.

Residents in areas along the Minnesota River, including Savage, in Scott County, near Minneapolis, were told water levels would continue to rise until Saturday, March 30, at the earliest.

Moderate flooding is occurring and major flooding is forecast, the NWS said, adding that the Minnesota River at Savage had reached about 702 feet and would rise to about 714 feet by early Saturday morning with additional rises possible thereafter.

This footage, filmed on March 21, shows flooded roads near Henderson and Blakely, near Minneapolis. Credit: Jake Heitman via Storyful
A coup leader emerges as a civilian prime minister, pro-democracy forces unite to thwart the junta's ambitions, a stalemate or another putsch resets the political landscape -- Thailand's cliffhanger of an election Sunday could result in a number of outcomes.

Here are some of the possible scenarios after the first vote in eight years.

-- Junta triumphs --

Thailand's junta stands a good chance of emerging victorious.

Former general Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who took power in 2014, benefits from a junta-crafted charter that tilts the scales in his favour.

It allows the junta to appoint a 250-member Upper House, meaning Prayut's Phalang Pracharat party needs only 126 of the Lower House's 500 MPs to select the premier.

By contrast, its rivals need to win 376 seats in the Lower House to secure a simple parliamentary majority of the 750 seats.

But Prayut's return as a civilian premier may be hamstrung by questions of legitimacy if he is reliant on the unelected Senate.

-- Democratic revival --

Anti-junta parties face an uphill battle but they could unite to defy the odds.

The military-scripted charter limits the number of seats large parties -- like Pheu Thai, linked to the political machine of exiled ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra -- can win.

It is designed to keep "Thaksin-aligned parties from emerging with a large number of MPs", said analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University.

Thai Raksa Chart, a Pheu Thai offshoot created to scoop up more votes, was dissolved following its ill-fated bid to have Princess Ubolratana run as its prime ministerial candidate.

But Shinawatra-linked parties have won all elections since 2001, and they are projecting to win 150-200 seats.

Pheu Thai will need to look to other parties to reach the threshold of 376 seats.

The most prominent newcomer is the anti-military Future Forward, whose telegenic billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has attracted millennial voters.

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-- 'The Matchmaker' --

More than seven million young Thais are voting for the first time and do not neatly subscribe to traditional political sides.

Their votes and the new system that helps smaller parties win more seats could give "outsider" groups like Future Forward a key role in helping form a government.

Smaller but more established regional parties, like Bhumjaithai, which came third in the last election in 2011, will also be key power brokers.

The party's super-rich leader Anutin Charnvirakul believes they will win the third largest number of seats.

"I will be the matchmaker, but (Thais) will have to decide who to match," he said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva -- a former prime minister -- may play a key role too as head of Thailand's second-biggest party in 2011 elections.

But the Democrats have not won a Thai election in almost two decades and they have stated they will not join a Pheu Thai-led coalition at this stage.

-- Deadlock, caretaker government --

With neither side expected to win a comfortable majority, the election could be followed by a prolonged period of horsetrading.

"It will be a mess," political scientist Napisa Waitoolkiat of Naresuan University told AFP.

And with the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn planned just six weeks after the election, the junta "cannot allow any disturbance, any demonstration, any instability during that period."

A caretaker government could be installed by the Election Commission to steer the country peacefully through the coronation, which runs from May 4-6.

But after the coronation is over, she says the question remains: "How long can (the junta) buy time for?"

-- Coup, again? --

The country's coup-peppered history means military power grabs "can never be ruled out," said analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak, though he called it an "extreme outcome".

If the election were to result in a landslide win for anti-junta parties, "the likelihood of a military option will grow," Thitinan said.

Thailand has seen 12 coups in the last 90 years - an average of one military takeover every seven years.

Thailand was rocked by rumours of a coup last month after Princess Ubolratana's run for prime minister was promptly slapped down by her brother King Maha Vajiralongkorn in a royal rebuke.
Rome (AFP) - Former communist militant Cesare Battisti has admitted four murders carried out in the 1970s, weeks after being jailed in Italy for the killings that were part of a failed bid to spark a far-left revolution.

Battisti, 64, admitted all the charges brought against him in four murder cases during Italy's so-called "Years of Lead", Milan prosecutor Alberto Nobili was quoted as saying by Italian media on Monday.

He also admitted that armed revolution was wrong, Nobili said.

Nobili, who questioned Battisti at a high-security prison in Sardinia for nine hours over the weekend, said it had "felt like I was watching the liberation of someone who was initially embarrassed, troubled".

Nobili quoted Battisti as saying: "I realise the wrong I have done and apologise to the families."

Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini told journalists that he now expected "these pseudo-intellectuals on the left who for years cuddled this murderer also to apologise".

Jailed in 1979 for belonging to an armed revolutionary group outlawed in Italy, Battisti escaped from prison two years later and spent nearly four decades on the run.

An international police operation eventually tracked him down and arrested him in Bolivia in January, before he was extradited to Italy.

Battisti was sentenced in absentia to life for having killed a policeman and a prison guard; for taking part in the murder of a butcher who was also a far-right militant; and for helping plan the slaying of a jeweller, who died in a shootout that left his teenage son in a wheelchair.

- Apologies 'out of place' -

The murdered policeman's brother Maurizio Campagna said "apologies now seem out of place".

"I think his lawyer is advising him so he can have his sentence reduced," Campagna told Italy's Sky TG24 television.

Battisti is serving his sentence in a Sardinian prison housing more than 250 convicts, many of them living under the tough "41-bis" prison regime usually applied to Mafia members.

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His lawyer Davide Steccanella said the statements weren't made "for possible benefits, the hope was to give (my) client back a fair image, not that of someone who could strike again, as he has been described".

Battisti admitted the killings "little by little... not as a flood", Nobili said.

"The armed struggle prevented the development of a cultural, social and political revolution which, from the events of '68, would have been absolutely positive," Nobili quoted Battisti as saying.

After his jailbreak, Battisti had reinvented himself as an author, writing a string of noir novels.

In 2004, he skipped bail in France where, like many other far-left Italian militants, he had taken refuge. He then went to live clandestinely in Brazil until he was arrested in 2007 in Rio de Janeiro.

After years in custody, then-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued a decree -- later upheld by Brazil's Supreme Court -- in 2010 refusing Battisti's extradition to Italy, and he was freed, angering Rome.

But earlier this year, Battisti was seized without a struggle in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in an operation carried out by a joint team of Italian and Bolivian officers.

- Years of Lead -

Until now, he had admitted to being part of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, a radical group that staged a string of robberies and attacks, but always rejected responsibility for any deaths, painting himself as a political refugee.

Italy's Years of Lead was a decade of violence which began in the late 1960s and saw dozens of deadly attacks by hardline leftwing and rightwing groups.

During his election campaign, Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro vowed that if elected he would "immediately" send Battisti back to Italy.

Battisti, who has a five-year-old Brazilian son, in 2017 told AFP he would face "torture" and death if he were ever to be sent back to Italy.

Italian authorities are still hunting 30 "terrorists" on the run abroad, 27 from the left and three from the right.

Fourteen of those being sought are believed to be in France.
Oslo (AFP) - Norway breathed a collective sigh of relief on Monday after the dramatic rescue of a stricken cruise ship off its coast, but questions mounted about why the vessel chose to sail into notoriously perilous waters in a storm.

The Viking Sky, carrying 1,373 passengers and crew, sent out a mayday call on Saturday after it lost power in stormy seas, as it was tossed about in 15-metre (50-foot) waves that sent tables and furniture sliding from side to side.

The incident led to a spectacular airlift rescue. Images from the scene spread widely in the media and on social networks over the weekend.

It was one of the biggest rescue operations in modern times, with almost 500 passengers, many of them elderly, airlifted off the ship through day and night by a relay of helicopters fighting heavy winds.

Remarkably, just 28 people were hospitalised and only one suffered serious injuries.

- 'Could have been worse' -

"The risk to the passengers and the vessel was high," Dag Sverre Liseth, director of the marine department at the Accident Investigations Board Norway, told AFP.

"It could have been worse, but thankfully, it all ended well."

The agency has launched an investigation into the incident, which could quickly have turned to tragedy.

With only one of its four engines working, the ship drifted dangerously close to rocky reefs notorious for shipwrecks.

At the last moment the crew managed to drop anchor on Saturday about two kilometres (1.2 miles) from shore, stabilising the situation.

With three of four engines restarted on Sunday, the vessel set sail under its own power for Molde, 500 kilometres northwest of Oslo -- about 26 hours after issuing the mayday call.

One of the questions investigators will have to look into is why the Viking Sky, which was en route from Tromso in the north to Stavanger in the southeast, took the risk of sailing through that tricky stretch of water when a storm had been forecast.

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"I don't want to speculate on that but it's one of the aspects we'll look at in our investigation," Liseth said.

- Controversial choice? -

The decision by the Finnish captain of the Viking Sky raised several eyebrows in Norway, especially since the famed Coastal Express, a tourism boat that criss-crosses the country's coast, had chosen not to sail through that stretch and instead flew its passengers by plane.

"We have no particular opinion on the question of whether it was particularly controversial to do that," Eirik Walle, a Norwegian rescue centre official, told AFP.

"Even if other ships decided to stay docked in port, there was a lot of maritime traffic in the area at the time," he said.

Rescue services were also called on to help a merchant vessel in trouble in the region on Saturday. The nine crew members, in survival suits, had to jump into the chilly waters before being winched to safety by helicopters.

The owner of the Viking Sky, Torstein Hagen, on Sunday ruled out that the decision to sail despite the storm was taken due to financial considerations.

"I would like to personally apologise for what our guests experienced," Hagen said Monday in a statement in which he also thanked the rescuers, authorities and crew.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has offered to take part in the Norwegian inquiry, since around 600 of the passengers were American.

As passengers began returning home, many of them praised the Viking Sky's crew and the rescuers who helped them, and well as those who received them once they reached dry land.

"I'll tell you, the people have been amazing," one passenger told the TV2 channel while he waited for his flight home from Molde airport.

"Not only the folks in the helicopters and standing by for those of us who stayed on the boat. But all the people in the dock... It was amazing."
JERUSALEM (AP)  The leaders of Romania and Honduras on Sunday announced that they will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, following the lead of President Donald Trump.

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez delivered their announcements at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference in Washington. The announcements were welcomed by Israeli politicians.

However, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, a government rival who's in charge of the East European nation's foreign policy, said the prime minister hadn't consulted with him over the decision. He accused her of "total ignorance" of foreign policy.

The move is considered controversial as it goes against the rest of the European Union. Romania currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency.

Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the U.S. Embassy to the city, a move that was applauded by Israel. Guatemala followed suit.

The move angered the Palestinians, who seek east Jerusalem as capital of a future state.

Most countries have embassies in Tel Aviv out of sensitivity over the contested city. The Palestinians, and most of the international community, say the city's final status should be resolved in negotiations.
(Repeats item without changes to text)

* Riyadh wants oil prices above $70/b to balance books

* Cuts supply to customers much below requests

* Riyadh still has to convince Russia to extend output cuts

* Higher price could be damaging longer-term

By Rania El Gamal, Alex Lawler and Dmitry Zhdannikov

DUBAI/LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - Budget needs are forcing Saudi Arabia to push for oil prices of at least $70 per barrel this year, industry sources say, even though U.S. shale oil producers could benefit and Riyadh's share of global crude markets might be further eroded.

Riyadh, OPEC's de facto leader, said it was steeply cutting exports to its main customers in March and April despite refiners asking for more of its oil. The move defies U.S. President Donald Trump's demands for OPEC to help reduce prices while he toughens sanctions on oil producers Iran and Venezuela.

The export cuts are designed to prop up prices, sources close to Saudi oil policy say. Saudi officials say the kingdom's output policies are merely intended to balance the world market and reduce high inventories.

"The Saudis want oil at $70 at least and are not worried about too much shale oil," said one industry source familiar with Saudi oil policy.

Another source said Saudi Arabia wanted to "put a floor under oil prices" at $70 or slightly lower, and added: "No one at OPEC can talk about output increases now."

Officially, Saudi Arabia, which plans to raise government spending to boost economic growth, does not have a price target. It says price levels are determined by the market and that it is merely targeting a balance of global supply and demand.

Even a price of around $70 a barrel would not balance Saudi Arabia's books this year, according to figures cited by Jihad Azour, director of the International Monetary Fund's Middle East and Central Asia department in February. For that, he said, Riyadh needs oil prices at $80-$85 a barrel.

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Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, also wants to make sure it avoids a repeat of the 2014-2016 oil price crash below $30 per barrel, sources familiar with Saudi policy said.

LOSS OF MARKET SHARE

Saudi Arabia plans to reduce March and April oil production to under 10 million barrels per day -- below its official OPEC output target of 10.3 million bpd.

A Saudi official told Reuters this month that despite strong demand from customers, state oil giant Saudi Aramco had cut its allocations for April by 635,000 bpd below nominations -- requests made by refiners and clients for crude.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said such swings were not unusual because last year the kingdom had raised output and exports above targets to avoid imminent shortages.

Saudi Arabia has also been advocating an extension of OPEC-led supply cuts beyond June until the end of 2019.

Russia, which is not an OPEC member but is cutting output in tandem with OPEC, can balance its budget at oil prices of $55 per barrel and has not made clear yet whether it is prepared to extend them when OPEC next meets in June.

"With budget needs at above $85 per barrel, the Saudis desperately need prices at above $70 per barrel," said Gary Ross, CEO of Black Gold Investors and a veteran OPEC watcher.

"They also need to convince Russia that the strategy of output cuts makes sense despite the loss of market share to the United States," he said.

The United States and Russia produce 12 million and 11 million bpd respectively. Unlike Russia, the United States pumps at will via its commercial energy sector, led by shale. The International Energy Agency forecasts its output will soar by another 4 million bpd in the next five years.

Those increases would be likely to outpace the growth of global demand and give Washington an even bigger share of the global market, making it a bigger exporter than Saudi Arabia.

PRESSURE FROM TRUMP

Riyadh has long been a close ally of the United States and the two countries have coordinated oil policy more closely since Trump became president than under his predecessor, Barack Obama.

Trump has supported Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman despite a global outcry over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, and has made clear he expects OPEC to help lower global oil prices.

Last year, Saudi Arabia raised output steeply under pressure from Washington. But it later heard that the United States had granted Iranian oil customers unexpectedly generous waivers and the price of oil subsequently fell to $50 per barrel.

On Monday, OPEC and its allies, led by Russia, scrapped a planned meeting in April and will decide instead whether to extend output cuts in June, once the market has assessed the impact of new U.S. sanctions on Iran due in May over its non-compliance with a deal to curb its nuclear program.

"We have to wait and see what the Americans will do first," a second OPEC source said.

There is, however, no guarantee Saudi policy will remain unchanged if Washington puts pressure on Riyadh to raise supply.

"They (the Saudis) do care about Trump, but they can't do whatever he says every time," an OPEC source said.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Two Saudi sisters marooned in Hong Kong have arrived in a safe third country after securing humanitarian visas, their law firm said on Monday, ending a months-long ordeal as they sought sanctuary from an abusive family.

The siblings -- the latest example of Saudi women escaping the ultra-conservative kingdom only to find themselves stranded in foreign cities -- said they were "thrilled" their story had a "happy ending" after making a public appeal for their safety.

The young women, aged 20 and 18, said they made a break from an abusive family during a holiday in Sri Lanka last September with the intention of heading for Australia, but they only made it as far as Hong Kong.

The pair -- who use the aliases Reem and Rawan -- said they were intercepted at the airport by Saudi consular officials and their air tickets cancelled. Fearful they might be abducted, they entered Hong Kong as visitors but later had their passports revoked, leaving them stranded in the semiautonomous Chinese city.

The sisters, who had previously said they lived in constant fear of being found by Saudi authorities and their family while in Hong Kong, were finally able to leave the city late last week after being granted "emergency humanitarian visas" and start new lives in another country, their law firm said.

A video posted on the firm's Facebook page showed the sisters jumping around excitedly as they departed Hong Kong airport.

"We are thrilled that our story has a happy ending and that we have found our way to safety to re-start our lives free of violence and oppression. We wish for our story to offer hope to others who face similar situations," Reem and Rawan said in a statement.

"We want to say loud and clear to the Saudi authorities and other regimes which treat women unequally: never underestimate the strength of brave women," they added.

- 'Immense courage' -

Their lawyer Michael Vidler did not disclose their new location "to ensure their future security", saying no further details would be provided, including on the application process and their new lives.

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Vidler said the sisters would not give interviews again, but thanked local and international media for their support.

The two women last month told AFP that chronic physical abuse by male family members prompted them to flee. They said they had also renounced Islam, a crime technically punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Their testimony cannot be independently verified and Saudi authorities have yet to comment on their allegations.

Lynn Maalouf, Middle East research director at Amnesty International, said the sisters "showed immense courage and took huge risks to escape the repeated abuse by their male relatives".

"The sisters must be allowed to build their lives without living in fear that their family or the Saudi authorities will force them back," she added.

Many Saudi women who flee overseas have spoken to media and rights groups of persuasive and coercive tactics used by Saudi officials and family members to pursue those who escape.

At the beginning of the year, 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun drew global attention with her dramatic escape from an allegedly abusive family, gaining refugee status in Canada.
A rocket strike launched from Gaza hit a house in Israel on March 25, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Israeli officials said the blast left seven people injured, including children.

Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom tweeted that it received a report of a rocket hitting a house in one of the Sharon villages at 5.22 am on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in the US, was reported to have cut short his visit following news of the attack. Credit: Israel Police via Storyful
Vehicles carrying South Korean officials of the inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea head to Gaesong through the inter-Korean customs, immigration and quarantine office on Gyeongui Line in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap



Dozens of South Korean officials headed to an inter-Korean liaison office in North Korea on Monday, the unification ministry said, despite Pyongyang's abrupt pullout of its staff from the office last week.



Around 40 South Korean officials crossed the western land border on their way to the liaison office in the North's border town of Gaesong, according to the ministry. Together with about two dozen people already there, about 60-70 South Korean officials are expected to staff the office this week, officials said.



Their dispatch came despite the North's withdrawal of its staff from the office Friday.



The North did not give a clear reason for the pullout, only saying the decision was based on an order from "higher-ups." Experts and analysts said the move appears to be designed to pressure Seoul to do more to persuade the United States to lower its demands in the stalled denuclearization negotiations.









"Previous governments had endeavored to open a round-the-clock communication channel between the two Koreas, and the South-North joint liaison office opened last year as a result," Kim Chang-su, deputy head of the office, said before crossing the border.





Deputy head of the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaesong Kim Chang-su, left, and other officials of the office arrive at the inter-Korean customs, immigration and quarantine office in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to head to the North Korean city, Monday. Yonhap
Khartoum (AFP) - Dozens of Sudanese journalists Monday protested in downtown Khartoum demanding the release of a prominent editor detained for criticising a state of emergency imposed by President Omar al-Bashir, witnesses said.

Osman Mirghani, editor-in-chief of independent daily Al-Tayar, was taken away by security agents from his office on the night of February 22 after making televised comments on Bashir's decision to impose emergency rule nationwide.

Bashir declared the state of emergency after an initial crackdown failed to quell widespread protests against his administration that erupted in December.

The journalists gathered in downtown Khartoum to express their solidarity with Mirghani and to fight for freedom of expression in the east African country.

"We are the voice of our own people and not of the regime," they chanted and carried banners demanding Mirghani's release, witnesses said, before dispersing.

The protest was organised by the Sudanese Journalists Network, a group belonging to the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) that is spearheading the protest campaign against Bashir's iron-fisted rule.

Mirghani was arrested after an interview with Sky News Arabia in which he said Bashir's measures would "spark a new wave" of protests and send a message that the public "can exert more pressure to achieve its goal of removing this regime".

The US-educated engineer turned journalist has often been targeted by security agents, who have detained him several times, confiscated copies of his newspaper or barred its publication without giving any reason.

Sudan's powerful National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) regularly seizes entire print runs of newspapers over articles it deems inappropriate, especially those criticising the authorities or government policies.

Sudan is ranked 174th out of 180 countries in media watchdog Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index.

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On Monday, scores of protesters also staged a demonstration in south Khartoum's district of Jabra, where Bashir inaugurated a hospital hours earlier.

Men and women chanted anti-government slogans as they walked through the district, witnesses said.

Protests first erupted on December 19 in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread.

But they swiftly escalated into nationwide demonstrations against Bashir's three-decade rule, with protesters calling on him to step down.

Protesters accuse his adminstration of mismanaging the country's economy that has led to soaring food prices, shortage of fuel and foreign currency.

Bashir, 75, has remained defiant in the face of protests.
By Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's first general election since a military coup five years ago was thrown into disarray on Monday as two opposition parties alleged cheating and the election commission said it could be weeks until the make-up of parliament becomes clear. Confusion over the outcome of Sunday's election raised the specter of a protracted struggle to form a government, spoiling hopes of a clear cut result that could have ended 15 years of political turmoil in Southeast Asia's second largest economy. Both the pro-army party seeking to keep coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha on as prime minister and the opposition party linked to self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, claimed they would command enough parliamentary seats to form a coalition government. The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party said it was considering a legal challenge over what it said were poll irregularities after partial results showed Prayuth's Palang Pracharat party with an unexpected lead in the popular vote. The strong early showing for Palang Pracharat increased the likelihood that Prayuth, who was army chief when he overthrew a Pheu Thai government in 2014, would stay in power, although that outcome was not certain. "There are irregularities in this election that we're not comfortable with. These affect the nation's credibility and people's trust," said Sudarat Keyuraphan, candidate for prime minister of the Pheu Thai Party. "We've voiced our concerns before for vote-buying, abuse of power, and cheating. All three have manifested. We will fight back through legal means," she told a news conference. Thailand has been racked since 2004 by street protests of both opponents and supporters of Thaksin. Parties linked to Thaksin have won every previous election since 2001, but the populist telecoms billionaire was thrown out by the army in 2006 and a government led by his sister was ousted in 2014. Thaksin wrote an opinion piece headlined "The Election in Thailand Was Rigged" in The New York Times on Monday. "I knew that the junta running Thailand wanted to stay in power, but I cannot believe how far it has gone to manipulate the general election on Sunday," he wrote. Earlier on Monday, election commission official Nat Laosisawakul blamed delays and irregularities in results on "human error" and said a full count of the vote would be released on Friday. "We have nothing to hide," he said. Election in Thailand interactive graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/2CrED4M DECK STACKED FOR MILITARY The lower house and the upper house Senate, whose 250 members are appointed by the junta, will together select the next prime minister based on the support of a simple majority of 376 lawmakers. That means Prayuth's party and allies have to win only 126 seats in the lower house to vote him in as prime minister, while Pheu Thai and its potential "democratic front" partners would need 376 all from the lower house to choose the next premier. The House of Representatives, the lower house, has a total 500 seats, and on Monday the Election Commission posted the winners of the 350 seats that were contested on a first-past-the post basis. The, as yet, unofficial results showed Pheu Thai leading with 137 seats to 96 seats for junta leader Prayuth's party. However, official results for the lower house's remaining 150 "party seats", which will be allocated by a complex formula involving voter turnout, will not be announced until May 9. It might, however, be possible to roughly calculate the shares of the 150 "party seats" on Friday, when the Election Commission is due to give a breakdown of votes cast. "CHEATING" TRENDS ON TWITTER The strong popular vote showing by the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party stunned voters who had hoped the poll would loosen the grip that traditional elites and the military hold on power in a country that has one of the highest measures of inequality in the world. Many Thais took to social media to voice their suspicions about the results of an election that critics had said was systematically skewed in favor of the military from the outset because of the junta-appointed Senate's role in selecting the prime minister. Thai-language hashtags that translated as "Election Commission screw-up" and "cheating the election" were trending on Twitter in Thailand. Many tweets referred to inconsistencies between the numbers for voter turnout and ballots cast in some parliamentary constituencies. Some questioned the overall turnout of less than 70 percent, which was much lower than expected. Future Forward, a new party that appears to have made a spectacular election debut, winning 30 of the 350 constituency seats thanks to its appeal to young voters, also questioned the poll numbers. "There are obviously some irregularities with the numbers because they don't add up. This is making people skeptical of the election results," said Future Forward spokeswoman Pannika Wanich. A change.org petition launched a week ago to impeach the Election Commission had garnered almost 600,000 signatures by Monday evening, up from around 200,000 at the start of the day. (Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Chayut Setboonsarng; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Ain Issa (Syria) (AFP) - Syria's Kurds on Monday called for an international court to be set up in the country to try suspected Islamic State group jihadists following the announced fall of their "caliphate".

IS imposed its brutal interpretation of Islam on millions living in the proto-state that it declared across a large swathe of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014.

The extremists stand accused of carrying out numerous crimes including mass executions, kidnappings and rape.

"We call on the international community to establish a special international tribunal in northeast Syria to prosecute terrorists," the Syria Kurdish administration said.

In this way, "trials can be conducted fairly and in accordance with international law and human rights covenants and charters", it said in a statement.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced the end of the "caliphate" after defeating IS jihadists in the eastern village of Baghouz near the Iraqi border.

Kurdish-led forces, backed by a US-led coalition, have detained thousands of suspected IS fighters in more than four years battling the jihadists, including around 1,000 foreigners.

While alleged IS fighters are held in jail, women and children suspected of being affiliated to the group are housed in Kurdish-run camps for the displaced.

More than 9,000 foreigners, including over 6,500 children, were held in the main camp of Al-Hol, a Kurdish spokesman said, giving the latest figures from a week ago.

- 'Not realistic' -

The Kurdish administration has repeatedly called for the repatriation of foreign IS suspects, and warned it does not have capacity to detain so many people.

But the home countries of suspected IS members have been reluctant to take them back, due to potential security risks and a likely public backlash.

"The Kurdish administration in northeast Syria has appealed to the international community to shoulder its responsibilities" with regards to IS suspects, it said Monday.

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"But unfortunately there was no response."

It urged the international community, particularly countries that have nationals detained, to support the establishment of an international tribunal.

A top foreign official for the Kurdish administration said foreign experts could work side by side with local judges.

"They could be foreign judges working with local judges and be experts in crimes committed by terrorist groups," Abdel Karim Omar told AFP.

Previous international courts include the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which tried genocide perpetrators in the African country.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia meanwhile tried those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in conflicts that tore apart the Balkans in the 1990s.

Joel Hubrecht, a Paris-based expert in transitional justice expert, said setting up an special tribunal to judge IS was a good idea in theory in view of the international dimension of its alleged crimes.

"The idea of an international criminal court is relevant and interesting," he told AFP.

"But in northeast Syria it's not realistic."

The Syrian Kurdish authorities are not internationally recognised, setting up such a tribunal usually takes time, and ensuring witness protection is tough in a war-torn country, he said.

- Humanitarian crisis -

Despite the declared victory against IS in Baghouz, the jihadists still maintain a presence in the country's vast desert and have continued to claim deadly attacks in SDF-held territory.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces have made a territorial comeback against rebels and jihadists with key Russian backing since 2015, but the war is far from over.

The battle to end the "caliphate" has triggered an exodus of tens of thousands of people -- mainly women and children -- out of crumbling IS territory, sparked a humanitarian crisis.

The main camp in Al-Hol is now bursting at the seams, housing more than 70,000 people -- in a place designed for just 20,000.

"Humanitarian conditions in Hol camp are extremely critical," World Food Programme spokeswoman Marwa Awad said Monday.

At least 140 people -- overwhelmingly young children -- have died on the way to the camp or shortly after arriving, the International Rescue Committee aid group says.

The Kurdish administration on Monday called on the United Nations to improve living conditions at the Al-Hol camp.

It particularly called for more humanitarian assistance, expanding the camp, and better water and sewage networks.

Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Apart from fighting IS, the Kurds have largely stayed out of the civil war, instead setting up their own semi-autonomous institutions in the northeast of the country.
By Panu Wongcha-um and Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Partial results from Sunday's election in Thailand showed a pro-military party slightly ahead of the populist party leading a "democratic front", an unexpected and - for many - stunning outcome from the country's first poll since a 2014 army coup. With 93 percent of overall votes counted, the Election Commission reported the pro-military party Palang Pracharat, which is seeking to keep junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha in power, was leading with 7.59 million votes. Trailing with 7.12 million votes was Pheu Thai, a party linked to exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose loyalists have won every election since 2001. The numbers were for the popular vote, but these did not reflect parliamentary constituency seats that would ultimately be won. Pheu Thai could still win the lion's share of these because of its concentrated popularity in the north and northeast of the country. Nevertheless, there was dismay among many voters who had hoped that the poll would loosen the grip on power that traditional elites and the military have held in a country that has one of the highest measures of inequality in the world. At Pheu Thai's headquarters in Bangkok, the mood fluctuated from cheerful to quiet disbelief. "I didn't think this is likely. I don't think this is what the people wanted," said Pheu Thai supporter Polnotcha Chakphet. A #PrayforThailand hashtag started trending on Twitter as the results trickled out, and some people tweeted that they would leave the country if Prayuth was returned to power to remain prime minister. The Election Commission chairman said unofficial results would be announced on Monday afternoon. The commission said turnout was 66 percent, based on 90 percent of the vote counted. ROYAL ROLE The royal family, which wields great influence and commands the devotion of millions of Thais, played a part in the election though how far it influenced the outcome was unclear. On the eve of the vote, King Maha Vajiralongkorn made an unexpected and cryptic statement, recalling a comment made by his late father in 1969 on the need to put "good people" in power and to prevent "bad people from ... creating chaos". His message was a departure from the approach of his late father, who died in 2016: in his latter years, the former king usually kept a distance between the monarchy and politics. Although the king did not refer to any of the sides in the election race, there was speculation on social media that it was a coded reference to main political factions - broadly the middle class and urban establishment, who identify with the monarchy and the military, and their pro-Thaksin opponents. King Vajiralongkorn also weighed in on electoral affairs last month after a startling turn of events when a pro-Thaksin party nominated Princess Ubolratana, the king's sister, as its prime ministerial candidate. Within hours, the king issued a statement saying her candidacy was "inappropriate" and she was disqualified. Still, the connection between the princess and Thaksin persisted in voters' minds, particularly after they were seen hugging on Friday at the wedding of his daughter in Hong Kong. "We had a lot of dramas in the last hours before the election," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political analyst at Chulalongkorn University told Reuters. "Thaksin overplayed with a royal involvement and that was countered by his opponent." DECK STACKED FOR MILITARY Thailand has been racked for the past 15 years by crippling street protests both by Thaksin's opponents and supporters that destabilized governments and hamstrung business. The country has been under direct military rule for nearly five years since then-army chief Prayuth overthrew an elected government linked to populist Thaksin, who himself was thrown out by the army in 2006. The election will determine the make-up of parliament's 500-seat House of Representatives. The lower house and the upper house, the Senate - which is appointed entirely by the ruling junta - will together select the next prime minister. Critics have said a new, junta-devised electoral system gives a built-in advantage to pro-military parties and appears designed to prevent Pheu Thai from returning to power. The provision means Prayuth's Palang Pracharat Party and allies have to win only 126 seats in the House, while Pheu Thai and its potential "democratic front" partners would need 376. The non-aligned Democrat Party, which many had thought could hold the balance of power between pro-military and "democratic front" factions, appeared to have been deserted by many voters. Its leader, former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, announced his resignation within five hours of the polls closing. (Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat, Kay Johnson and Aye Min Thant, Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by John Chalmers and Robert Birsel)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The deployment by Russia of air force planes and personnel in Venezuela over the weekend is a "reckless escalation of the situation," the U.S. State Department said on Monday, confirming news reports that Russian planes had arrived in Caracas on Sunday. "The United States condemns Russia's deployment of military aircraft and personnel to Caracas, which is another contradiction of both Nicolas Maduro's and Russia's calls for non-intervention in Venezuela and is a reckless escalation of the situation," a department spokesman said. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Leslie Adler)
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- A new power outage spread across much of Venezuela on Monday, knocking communications offline and stirring fears of a repeat of the chaos almost two weeks ago during the nation's largest-ever blackout.

The outage began shortly after 1 p.m. (1700 GMT) and appeared to have affected as many as 16 of Venezuela's 23 states, according to reports on social media. Officials declared that power had been fully restored by early evening, but hours later the lights went out again in much of the country.

As with the previous outage, the government of President Nicolas Maduro sought to blame U.S.-backed opponents, accusing them of sabotaging the Guri dam, source of the bulk of Venezuela's electricity.

"A macabre, perverse plan constructed in Washington and executed with factions of the extreme Venezuelan right," Vice President Delcy Rodriguez declared on state television, describing it as an "electromagnetic" assault.

Officials said the "attack" had been controlled, but their assurances, similar to ones the last time around, did little to calm the anger of residents in Caracas who filled traffic-clogged streets as they walked home after subway service in the capital was suspended. Their patience grew increasingly thin when a second outage struck late into the night, leaving neighborhoods pitch black.

On social media, Venezuelans reported outages in Caracas and much of western Venezuela. Some said residents were banging pots and pans in the darkness in a sign of the nation's mounting tensions. The latest outages come as President Nicolas Maduro tries to keep his grip on power amid a revived opposition movement and punishing economic sanctions from the United States.

Twenty-seven-year-old restaurant manager Lilian Hernandez said she was bracing for the worst.

"We Venezuelans suffer all kinds of problems," said Hernandez, who had just recently managed to restock food that spoiled during the previous outage.

Netblocks, a non-government group based in Europe that monitors internet censorship, said the early afternoon outage had knocked offline around 57 percent of Venezuela's telecommunications infrastructure. The second failure left nearly 90 percent of the country offline, the organization said.

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The Trump administration, which has made no secret of its desire to remove Maduro, has denied any role in the outages. Electricity experts and opposition leader Juan Guaido fault years of government graft and incompetence.

"This outage is evidence that the dictator is incapable of resolving the crisis," Guaido wrote on Twitter Monday.

Meanwhile, as Venezuela's economic and political crisis deepens, many seem resigned to continuous disruptions in their daily routines.

"The important thing is for people not to get desperate," said William Rodriguez, who sells books at a kiosk under a downtown highway overpass.

Also Monday, the rift between Russia and the United States over how to resolve the crisis in Venezuela widened following the arrival of Russian military personnel to support Maduro.

In a telephone call, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that "the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela," the State Department said. Pompeo said "the continued insertion of Russian military personnel" in Venezuela could prolong the country's problems and urged Russia "to cease its unconstructive behavior."

Lavrov countered during the call that "Washington's attempts to organize a coup in Venezuela and the threats directed against its legitimate government represent a violation of the U.N Charter and blunt interference into internal affairs of a sovereign nation," according to the Russian foreign ministry.

Pompeo's call to Lavrov came after a Venezuelan official said Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this past weekend as part of ongoing military cooperation. Reports that two Russian air force planes arrived could not be independently confirmed.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries support Guaido, who says Maduro's re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges the U.S. and Guaido are plotting a coup.
By Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, cleared by Special Counsel Robert Mueller of conspiring with Russia in the 2016 U.S. election, vented his anger on Monday at the inquiry and vowed investigations into unnamed political enemies who did "evil" and "treasonous things." The Republican president and his allies in Congress went on the offensive a day after the release of a summary of Mueller's report gave him a political victory ahead of his 2020 re-election bid, with no allegations of criminal wrongdoing brought against him at the end of a nearly two-year-long inquiry. U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Sunday released a four-page summary of the findings of the investigation that detailed Russian interference in the 2016 election. "There are a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things, I would say treasonous things against our country," Trump told reporters at the White House, without mentioning anyone by name or citing specific actions. Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and a Trump ally, told reporters he would ask Barr to appoint a special counsel to investigate the origins of the Russia probe. Graham said Barr told him in a telephone call that he would be willing to testify to the judiciary panel about the Mueller probe, according to a spokesman for the senator. Trump pledged new investigations but did not specify who would conduct them or who should be targeted. Trump in the past has called for investigations of Hillary Clinton, the Democrat he defeated in 2016. "Those people will certainly be looked at. I've been looking at them for a long time," Trump said in the Oval Office sitting alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "And I'm saying: Why haven't they been looked at? They lied to Congress. Many of them. You know who they are." TRUMP CRITICS White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders called for congressional hearings to investigate prominent Trump critics including former U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, Comey and other FBI figures. In an appearance on NBC's "Today" program, Sanders said: "The media and Democrats have called the president an agent of a foreign government. That is an action equal to treason, which is punishable by death in this country." Asked if Trump owed Mueller an apology, Sanders added: "I think Democrats and the liberal media owe the president and they owe the American people an apology." The end of the Mueller inquiry did not spell the end of the investigative pressure on Trump. Democrats gave no indication of easing up on their multiple congressional investigations into his business and personal dealings. Graham said it was time to look at the Clinton campaign and the origins of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant for former Trump adviser Carter Page, which was based in part on information in a dossier compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who co-founded a private intelligence firm. The inquiry was first handled by the FBI and then by Mueller after the president fired the agency's director, James Comey, in May 2017. Republicans said the FBI failed to disclose that Steele was hired by a firm funded by Democrats to do opposition research on Trump's business dealings. "I love this country as much I can love anything: my family, my country, my God," Trump said. "But what they did. It was a false narrative. It was terrible thing. We can never let this happen to another president again." Trump had repeatedly accused Mueller, a former FBI director, of running a "witch hunt" with a team of "thugs" and having conflicts of interest. But asked on Monday if Mueller had acted honorably, Trump said: "Yes." Trump also said he had not thought about pardoning anyone convicted or who pleaded guilty in the Mueller probe. They include several of his former aides such as former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and former personal lawyer Michael Cohen. The special counsel also detailed extensive contacts between Trump associates and Russia. FIGHT OVER MUELLER REPORT A fierce fight was brewing over how much of Mueller's findings should be made public, and Democratic lawmakers who control the U.S. House of Representatives, were likely to face a protracted legal battle that will turn on Trump's right to keep communications with his advisers private, legal and political experts said. One of Trump's lawyers, Jay Sekulow, said at least part of the report should be withheld. Sekulow said it "would be very inappropriate" to release the president's written answers to questions posed by the special counsel, calling the responses provided in November confidential. After lengthy negotiations, Trump reversed his previous stance that he would be willing to submit to an in-person interview with the Mueller team, ultimately agreeing only to provide written answers. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday blocked a second attempt by Democrats to pass a measure aimed at prodding the Justice Department to publicly release the full report. The House of Representatives earlier in March voted 420-0 in favor of making the report public. [ Mueller, who submitted his confidential report on his findings to Barr on Friday, neither accused Trump of obstruction of justice in trying to impede the investigation nor exonerated him of obstruction, according to the summary. Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, concluded the investigation's evidence "is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense." The Mueller investigation had cast a cloud over Trump's presidency but he has declared himself fully exonerated, despite what Barr's summary said on the obstruction of justice issue. On March 5, Mueller visited the Department of Justice's main office in Washington to meet with Barr and Rosenstein and told them he would not be reaching a conclusion with respect to obstruction, a decision that was unexpected, a department official said. A person familiar with the matter said there were no plans at this time to show the Mueller report to the White House. Trump said on Monday that "it wouldn't bother me at all" if the report were released but that it was up to Barr. The Kremlin said on Monday that President Vladimir Putin was ready to improve ties with the United States following the release of Barr's summary and called on Washington to formally recognize there was no collusion. Russia repeated its denial of U.S. intelligence agencies' findings that it meddled in the election. Mueller, in previous legal filings, described a Russian campaign to interfere in the election through hacking and propaganda to sow discord in the United States, harm Clinton and boost Trump. Mueller charged 12 Russian intelligence officers, 13 other Russians accused of taking part in a disinformation campaign and three Russian companies. (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Mark Hosenball, Sarah N. Lynch, Doina Chiacu, Makini Brice, David Morgan and Lawrence Hurley in Washington and Tom Balmforth and Maxim Rodionov in Moscow; Writing by Will Dunham and Grant McCool; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney)
With speculation running rife that Theresa Mays time in Downing Street is nearly at an end, talk has turned to who will replace her.

Brexit has been the thorn in the PMs side since she took over from David Cameron in 2016 and reports in Sunday newspapers suggested various names to take over.

Theresa Mays days are numbered at Downing Street, according to reports (Getty)

The Prime Minister told colleagues at the end of last year that she would step down before the next scheduled General Election in 2022 but the pace of Brexit means she could be gone within days.

Here are the key names currently being floated to take the helm if Mrs May steps down

Michael Gove has been rumoured to act as a caretaker PM (Getty)

Michael Gove

The Environment Secretary had a bruising experience in the last Tory leadership race but he is now seen as the favourite at 3-1  according to Ladbrokes  to replace Mrs May, largely due to his Brexiteer credentials.

In June 2016, Mr Gove, who was campaign manager for Boris Johnsons drive to succeed David Cameron, withdrew his support on the morning Mr Johnson was due to declare and threw his own hat in the ring instead.

Read more:

Theresa Mays potential successors deny rumours of Cabinet coup

Tony Blair: Britain will be a serious country again after Brexit

Brexit is about to destroy the Tory Party and Theresa May

He came third in the first round of voting, trailing behind ultimate winner Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom.

Mr Gove, 51, was born in Edinburgh, studied English at Oxford and was a journalist before becoming an MP. He is married to Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine.

Despite speculation he could take the job, he told reporters on Sunday it was not the time to change the captain of the ship.

David Lidington is the Deputy PM in all but name (Getty)

David Lidington

Mrs Mays de facto deputy is seen by some as the natural caretaker prime minister but he has been clear he does not want the job.

He said on Sunday: One thing that working closely with the Prime Minister does is cure you completely of any lingering shred of ambition to want to do that task.

Nevertheless, Ladbrokes are offering odds of 4-1 for him to become Number 10s next occupant. The 62-year-old has been the MP for Aylesbury since 1992 and was Minister of State for Europe from 2010 to 2016. He is married with four children.

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Boris Johnson has been an outspoken critic of Mrs Mays handling of Brexit (Getty)

Boris Johnson

Prominent Brexiteer and former Foreign Secretary Mr Johnson has been a leading voice of opposition to Mrs Mays Brexit plan. The colourful Old Etonian was one of the key players in the 2017 Leave campaign and resigned from the Cabinet following the Chequers summit in July.

He was heavily tipped as a successor to David Cameron but ruled himself out of the 2016 leadership contest after Michael Gove made a last-minute bid for the top job.

Odds of him taking the helm have slipped in recent months to 8-1, according to Ladbrokes, but he is likely to have the backing of many pro-Leave members of the party.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was a prominent Remainer in the EU referendum (Getty)

Jeremy Hunt

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (odds of 8-1 with Ladbrokes) was a prominent Remainer in the 2016 referendum. As Health Secretary, Mr Hunt fought a long battle with doctors over a new contract.

The 52-year-old, who was first elected as MP for South West Surrey in 2005, was appointed Foreign Secretary in July following the resignation of Boris Johnson.

The bookies odds on who will replace Theresa May (PA)

He chose not to run in the 2016 leadership contest and instead gave his full support to Mrs May, saying it was not the right time to put his hat in the ring.

Mr Hunt made a noticeable public shift towards Euroscepticism after the referendum, which could win him allies in the Leave camp if he ran for the top job.

Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is thought to harbour prime ministerial ambitions (Getty)

Dominic Raab

With odds at 12-1, Mr Raab is an outlier to take over from the Prime Minister but is thought to harbour ambitions for the role.

Mr Raab, a prominent Brexiteer in the referendum campaign, was appointed as Brexit Secretary in July but resigned from the role in November, saying he could not support Mrs Mays eventual deal.

In his resignation letter on November 15, he wrote: Ultimately, you deserve a Brexit Secretary who can make the case for the deal you are pursuing with conviction. I am only sorry, in good conscience, that I cannot.

Mr Raab, 44, has been the MP for Esher and Walton since he was elected in 2010.
(Recasts with software orders, Ethiopian CEO interview)

* More than 200 pilots, regulators invited to Wednesday meeting

* Ethiopian CEO expects crash report soon, 'believes in Boeing'

By Eric M. Johnson and Clement Uwiringiyimana

SEATTLE/KIGALI, March 25 (Reuters) - Boeing Co will provide airlines that have bought the 737 MAX with free software upgrades, the U.S. manufacturer said on Monday, as Ethiopian Airlines told Reuters it expected a preliminary crash report this week or next.

Any fixes to the MAX software, the focus of investigations in two deadly crashes that have prompted worldwide groundings of the aircraft, must still get approval from governments around the world.

The causes of separate Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes are still unknown, though Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam said on Monday he expected the release of a preliminary report into the crash that killed 189 people "maybe this week or next week."

Ethiopian authorities are leading the investigation.

Meanwhile, Boeing has begun briefing airlines on software and training updates for the MAX, with more than 200 global airline pilots, technical experts and regulators due in Renton, Washington where the plane is built this week.

Tewolde told Reuters the leading African airline may or may not attend the briefing, but earlier said in a statement that Africa's biggest carrier will work with Boeing and other airlines to make air travel safer.

"Despite the tragedy, Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines will continue to be linked well into the future," Tewolde said in a statement. "Ethiopian Airlines believes in Boeing. They have been a partner of ours for many years."

Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East carriers, also threw its support behind Boeing on Monday after two crashes since last October raised safety concerns about the 737 MAX.

The airline will however delay the April delivery of another MAX jet until the cause of the crash is known, said Qatar Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker.

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"I am sure that the aircraft will get back into the skies soon and that Boeing will get to the bottom of what happened and if there is something technical wrong that they will find a fix for it," he said.

The 737 MAX is Boeing's best-selling plane, with orders worth more than $500 billion at list prices.

Boeing's shares were up 1.5 percent midday on hopes that a fix is nearing completion, but have lost about 14 percent since the March 10 crash.

In another blow to Boeing, France announced on Monday that Airbus had agreed to sell 300 aircraft to China Aviation Supplies Holding Company, including 290 A320 planes and 10 A350, in a deal worth about is 30 billion euros ($34 billion).

SOFTWARE FIX

The session in Renton, Washington is part of an effort to reach all current, and many future, 737 MAX operators and their home regulators to discuss software and training updates to the jet, Boeing said in a statement.

A Boeing spokeswoman said the meeting, which follows a separate session on Saturday with airlines including the three U.S. carriers that operate the MAX, formed part of a series of in-person information sessions.

"We have been scheduling, and will continue to arrange, additional meetings to communicate with all current, and many future, MAX customers and operators," she said.

Ethiopian's Tewolde said that many questions on the 737 MAX "remain without answers."

Lion Air Managing Director Daniel Putut said his airline would send two people on Wednesday, a pilot and an engineer.

The crash of an Indonesian Lion Air flight last October killed 189 people and first brought the safety of the 737 MAX into focus.

Ethiopian and French investigators have pointed to "clear similarities" between the two crashes, putting pressure on Boeing and U.S. regulators to come up with an adequate fix.

No direct link has been proven between the crashes but attention has focused on whether pilots had the correct information about the "angle of attack" at which the wing slices through the air.

Garuda Indonesia was invited to the briefing, Chief Executive Ari Askhara told Reuters on Monday. Last week, Indonesia's national carrier said it planned to cancel its order for 49 737 MAX jets, citing a loss of passenger trust.

"We were informed on Friday, but because it is short notice we can't send a pilot," Askhara said, adding that the airline had requested a webinar with Boeing, only to be rejected.

Garuda, which has only one 737 MAX, had been reconsidering its order before the Ethiopian crash. ($1 = 0.8841 euros)

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle and Clement Uwiringiyimana in Kigali; additional reporting by Jason Neely in Addis Ababa, Jamie Freed in Singapore, Cindy Silviana in Jakarta, Heekyong Yang in Seoul, Alexander Cornwell in Dubai, Sylvia Westall in Muscat, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and David Shepardson in Washington; Writing by Jamie Freed by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Michael Perry, Clarence Fernandez and Lisa Shumaker)
CANBERRA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Mass evacuations of remote communities in Australia's Northern Territory before they were hit by a cyclone on Saturday have been credited with saving lives.

More than 2000 residents of the remote communities on the NT's east coast were flown to safety by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in a matter of days and a state of emergency was declared as Tropical Cyclone Trevor bore down on the region.

With the storm having passed and residents returning to their communities on Sunday, ADF Brigadier Matt Pearse told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the evacuations "almost certainly saved lives."

"I think the thing that sticks in my mind here is firstly the leadership and coordination that's been achieved, real teamwork between everyone who's contributing and everyone's been willing to try and help out the best that they can," he said.

"And I think the other thing is the remarkable resilience of those people from the remote communities who have come into Darwin.

"Being able to proactively evacuate people from an area has been a real plus and has almost certainly saved lives."

Despite warnings that Trevor could be the most damaging cyclone to hit the NT since Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people in 1974, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said in the past weekend that the storm passed without causing any major injuries or "significant damage."

"It was an incredible, and extraordinary effort from our police, emergency personal, defence and others," he said.

[ Editor: WPY ]
Kim Chang-su, center, deputy chief of the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaesong in North Korea, heads to Gaeseong along with other South Korean officials at the border transit office in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Joint Press Corps



By Jung Da-min



South Korea expressed hope that planned inter-Korean projects will proceed smoothly after some North Korean officials at the inter-Korean liaison office in the North's Gaeseong went back to work Monday.



A meeting between the representatives of the liaison office from the two Koreas was held and the office will operate normally, according to the unification ministry.



North Korean officials were quoted by the ministry as saying they came to work "as usual."



On March 22, North Korea withdrew its staff from the inter-Korean liaison office saying the measure reflected "instructions from a superior authority," without giving further details.



While the North Korean side has yet to explain the withdrawal and partial return of officials at the liaison office, Seoul remained hopeful about keeping the momentum for talks.






Yakima's four municipal wells normally pull water from a deep aquifer, but with a few adjust

City of Yakima water supply

The original city of Yakima water system was developed by the Pacific Power and Light Company (PP&L) in the early 1900s. The city purchased the system in 1926. At that time, the supply consisted of a diversion from the PP&L power canal.

In an effort to expand the water supply, the city purchased land at Oak Flats to develop a source on the Naches River.

Today, the intake for the water system is located on the Naches River about six miles west of Yakima. Water is diverted from the Naches River at the confluence of the Tieton and the Naches Rivers by the Bureau of Reclamation through the Wapatox Canal.

The city also has four wells at the airport, Kiwanis Park, Kissel Park, and Gardner Park to supplement the Naches River supply.

Source: City of Yakima




South Korea's foreign ministry confirmed Monday that it has carried out an audit of the country's embassy in Vietnam amid allegations of power abuse by Ambassador Kim Do-hyun.







Based on the results of the five-day regular audit last week, it plans to "take necessary measures going forward," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told reporters.







The statement came in response to a controversy over Kim's work style, viewed by many as unorthodox or eccentric for a senior diplomat.







He's accused of treating embassy officials in an arrogant and authoritarian manner, a practice called "gapjil" in Korean.







The ministry secured multiple related tip-offs during the audit, according to the Seoul-based Hankook Ilbo newspaper.







Ministry officials would not go into details, saying a formal review of the audit's outcome is still under way.







Kim, 53, was appointed to the post in April last year, having served as a Samsung Electronics Co. executive responsible for smartphone sales in Europe. He earlier served at the ministry. (Yonhap)


One of Germany's richest families, whose company owns a controlling interest in Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Panera Bread, Pret a Manger and other well-known businesses, plans to donate millions to charity after learning about their ancestors' enthusiastic support of Adolf Hitler and use of forced laborers under the Nazis, according to a report Sunday.

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In a four-page report, the Bild newspaper reported that documents uncovered in Germany, France and the U.S. reveal that Albert Reimann Sr. and Albert Reimann Jr. used Russian civilians and French POWs as forced laborers.

Family spokesman Peter Harf

"It is all correct," he told the newspaper. "Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty ... they belonged in jail."

The father and son, who died in 1954 and 1984, did not talk about the Nazi era and the family had thought that all of the company's connection to the Nazis had been revealed in a 1978 report, Harf said.

But after reading documents kept by the family, the younger generation began to ask questions and commissioned a University of Munich historian in 2014 to examine the Reimann history more thoroughly, Harf said.

Nazi SS troops (Photo: Getty Images)

The expert presented his preliminary findings to the Reimann children and grandchildren, as well as Hanf, several weeks ago, he said.

"We were all ashamed and turned as white as the wall," he said. "There is nothing to gloss over. These crimes are disgusting."

In addition al Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Pret a Manger, the Luxembourg-based JAB Holding Co. has controlling stakes in Keurig Green Mountain, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee Co., Panera Bread and other companies.

Many German companies have acknowledged using slave laborers during the Nazi era and have conducted their own independent investigations.

In 2000, the German government approved a 10 billion mark (about 5.1 billion euro) fund to provide compensation, with half the money coming from companies like Bayer, Siemens, Deutsche Bank, Daimler-Benz, Volkswagen, and AEG.

Bild reported that even before the Nazis came to power, the Reimanns donated to the paramilitary SS.

During World War II, the company used forced laborers in its industrial chemicals company. It was not clear how many were used overall, but Bild said in 1943, 175 forced laborers were being used, about 30 percent of its workforce.

In addition to Russian and other Eastern European civilians, the company used French prisoners of war -- about whom Reimann Jr. complained in a letter to the Ludwigshafen mayor in 1940 that they weren't working hard enough.

After the war, the two were investigated by the occupying Allied powers and initially banned by the French from continuing their business activities but then had the judgment overturned by the Americans, Bild reported.

Harf said the family would donate 10 million euros ($11.3 million) to a not-yet-determined charity as a gesture, and once the historian's report is complete, it would be released to the public.

"The whole truth must be put on the table," he said.
An early morning rocket fired from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven people and prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a trip to Washington. The developments set the stage for a potential major conflagration, shortly before Israel's upcoming elections.

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The rocket attack destroyed a residential home in the community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of the family. The Magen David Adom rescue service said it treated seven people overall, including two women who were moderately wounded. The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

Aerial view of destroyed house (Photo: Yair Sagi)

The sounds of air raid sirens jolted residents of the Sharon area, northeast of Tel Aviv, from their sleep shortly after 5am, sending them scurrying to bomb shelters. A strong sound of an explosion followed. The Israeli military said it identified the rocket fired from the Gaza Strip.

House destroyed by Gaza rocket (:  ,  ,   )

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The rocket smashed through the roof of the house and exploded on the floor, creating a crater in the ground and sending the shrapnel flying through all areas of the house. The rocket is currently stuck in the ground and efforts were being made by the security forces to extract it.

The strike left a family home in Mishmeret in ruins, tiles and debris scattered all about. Four family dogs were killed in the explosion.

House damaged by Gaza rocket (Photo: Yair Sagi)

The attack comes 10 days after rockets were fired toward Israels densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military at the time struck back in Gaza and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation. But Gazas Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidently and calm was quickly restored.

Code Red rocket alert in Sharon region (:  )

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Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility to Mondays attack, it comes just hours after several Hamas prisoners stabbed two guards at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, moderately wounding one of them. In an attempt to restrain the prisoners, at least 11 of the incarcerated were wounded, two critically. Following the incident, Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group issued a threat, warning Israel of consequences for its aggression that will be felt by soldiers and citizens.

Aerial view of destroyed house (:  )

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The outburst comes at a sensitive time for both sides. Israel is holding national elections in 15 days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is locked in a tight fight for re-election and could face heavy criticism from his opponents if he is seen as ineffective against the militants.

Damage to the house hit by Gaza rocket (Photo: Kobi Tamam)

Netanyahu, who is currently in Washington and set to meet later in the day with President Donald Trump, announced his intention to cut the visit short in light of the "criminal" rocket fire.

"I concluded a telephone consultation with the IDF chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet and the head of the National Security Council. There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully," the prime minister said. "In light of the security events I have decided to cut short my visit to the US. In a few hours I will meet with President Trump; I will return to Israel immediately afterwards in order to manage our actions from close at hand."

House damaged by Gaza rocket (Photo: Kobi Tamam)

His chief opponent, Benny Gantz, called on him to return home immediately to deal with the crisis.

The reality in which Hamas turned Israel into a hostage is unprecedented and unfathomable, he wrote on Twitter. Netanyahu has to pack up now and return to Israel to handle this serious escalation.

In Gaza, Hamas has come under rare public criticism for the harsh conditions in the territory. An Israel-Egyptian blockade, combined with sanctions by the rival Palestinian Authority and mismanagement by the Hamas government have fueled an economic crisis in the territory. Residents have little desire for another war with Israel.
The rocket launch early Monday morning, that hit a house in the Sharon region, took Israel completely by surprise. It was carried out in order to cause casualties. The large rocket, apparently an M-75 that according to the IDF was manufactured by Hamas, was fired at dawn, when people were still sleeping. The rocket was fired to its maximum range (80-140 km) towards an area of Israel that the people who launched it believed was not protected by the Iron Dome missile defense system.

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The rocket, which probably carried a warhead containing dozens of kilograms of explosives, hit the center of the living room. Fortunately, the family members were sleeping in inner rooms, and therefore escaped serious injury. The building, made of reinforced concrete with large windows and openings, also helped to dilute the impact of the blast.

Site of rocket fire on home in central Israel (Photo: AFP)

The rocket was a copy of an Iranian Fajr-5, which has a range of 75 km. When produced in Gaza (under Iranian supervision) it is called the M-75. Extending the length of the rocket by several dozen centimeters allows it to contain more fuel and increases its range by kilometers.





Fire set by indendiary device launched from Gaza

Bracing for West Bank strife

Initially it seemed that Islamic Jihad had fired the rocket, but an IDF investigation revealed that it was in fact Hamas. Ostensibly, this a move that runs contrary to the interests of the organization, which is hoping to get receive aid relief from Israel, Egypt and Qatar both for itself and the residents of Gaza. An Egyptian intelligence delegation was supposed to arrive in Gaza on Monday, to renew negotiations for long-term calm that would stabilize the situation on the Gaza border.





Palestinian protests along Gaza fence (Photo: EPA)

But Hamas is not interested in a fair deal, but rather one in which the other side totally capitulates to its demands and conditions without it having to cede even a little of its "resistance." Hamas - and Islamic Jihad with which it is coordinating - want to continue harassing Israel and disrupting Israeli life in order to differentiate themselves from the position taken by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of "popular resistance" and less violence.







Site of rocket fire on home in central Israel (Photo: AFP)

Hamas is unwilling to commit itself to anything, primarily because Israel has lost its deterrent power in Gaza. The organization is certain that until election day on April 9, Israel will satisfy itself with a minor response to the rocket fire - and in the meantime it can use the election period and Benjamin Netanyahu's fear of Israeli losses to extort concessions from Jerusalem without giving anything in return.

Israel's deterrence has been severely damaged, and Jerusalem cannot allow this state of affairs to continue. In any event, an immediate response would be ineffective and fail to sufficiently hurt Hamas and Islamic Jihad - and it is better to prepare for a major confrontation before carrying out any response.

An IDF tank on the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters)

This includes mobilizing reservists, extensive deployment of the Iron Dome missile defense and other active systems, as well as bringing in reserve ground forces should Israel need to enter the Gaza Strip in order to paralyze the rocket fire and the rocket workshops, and destroy as much as possible of the terror groups' tunnels and bunkers.

Israel must also be equally prepared to stop riots and mass disturbances that could break out in the West Bank. All of this needs time  albeit not very much - to mobilize troops, call up reservists and make logistical preparations, which could be completed by the time the prime minister lands in Israel on Tuesday morning.

The Egyptians may well intervene in the middle of all this in an effort to stop Israel, and that too must be taken into account. Once the prime minister returns to Israel and convenes his security cabinet, one must hope that the decisions taken are balanced but firm, and will not be influenced by the election campaign, but are aimed at preventing terrible events such the ones of Monday morning.
The head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhla, said Monday that if Israel launches an attack on Gaza, it would provoke a strong response.

The statement comes in light of a possible Israeli retaliation to a rocket fire that hit a residential house in central Israel, wounding seven people.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the Sharon area of central Israel were woken up at 5:18am to rush to their secure rooms as sirens wailed across the region.

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A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip - at least 80 kilometers  landed in Moshav Mishmeret, where local residents had not heard an air raid siren since Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

The house destroyed by a Gaza rocket (Photo: Israel Fire and Rescue Services)

For one family, the nightmare was just beginning, for the rocket struck their home directly, leaving seven people wounded and killing their dogs.

The scene of the attack (Photo: AFP)

The rocket smashed through the roof of the house and exploded on the floor, creating a crater in the ground and sending the shrapnel flying through all areas of the house. The rocket was stuck in the ground and efforts were being made by the security forces to extract it.

"It's a miracle that nobody got killed," said Assi Dvilanski, a Magen David Adom paramedic who was one of the first responders at the scene.

Images from the scene of the rocket strike showed massive destruction. Parts of the house collapsed, showering a bedroom and the baby's crib inside with tiles and shingles. Rescue forces who arrived the scene began destroying parts of the building.

Robert Wolf, center, the owner of the home hit by a Gaza rocket surveys the damage, apparently after his release from hospital (Photo: Dana Kopel)

According to Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who visited the scene of the attack, the family believes that their secure room saved their lives.

The scene of the rocket strike (Photo: Kobi Tamam)

Smadar Castelnovo, a Mishmeret resident who lives opposite the destroyed house, said they were woken up shortly after 5am.

The scene of the attack (Photo: Yair Sagi)

"We heard the siren and we didn't think it was anything, but my daughter made us go into the reinforced room," said Castelnovo, still in her pajamas.

Evacuating the wounded after the rocket strike (Photo: Yair Sagi)

"My daughter was upset because we had left the dog out. We went out to get the dog and as soon as we went back in there was a very loud boom," Castelnovo said.

The scene of the attack (Photo: AP)

Islamic Jihad had already announced that "Israel's crimes against the (security) prisoners would change the situation," referring to Israel's decision to jam the signals of cell phone smuggled into its jails - and a short time later the rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip.

Hours before the launch, two wardens were stabbed and wounded in a riot at Ketziot Prison in the Negev. Eleven prisoners were also hurt, including two who were in critical condition.
IDF Spokesman Ronen Manelis said Monday that that two infantry and armored brigades had been deployed to southern Israel.

The announcement comes in light of the rocket attack from Gaza, which destroyed a house in central Israel, wounding seven people.
The Israel Defense Forces on Monday accused Hamas of carrying out a pre-dawn rocket strike from the Gaza Strip, and said troop reinforcements - including reservist soldiers - were being deployed to the Gaza border.

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The rocket strike, which came a little after 5am, directly hit a family home on Moshav Mishmeret in the center of the country. Seven people were wounded and the house was decimated. Four family dogs were killed in the attack.

IDF troops on the Gaza border earlier this month (Photo: Reuters)

In wake of the rocket strike, infantry and armored troops were being deployed to the south. In addition, reservists from Iron Dome and intelligence units were also called up to service in what the army said was a "specific" deployment.

Following the strike, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi held a series of situation assessments with the head of the Shin Bet security service, the GOC Southern Command, and other defense officials.

Anticipating a strong Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders apparently went underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yahiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

The scene of the attack (Photo: AFP)

IDF Spokesman Ronen Manelis told a press briefing Monday morning that the rocket was fired from the Rafah area of southern Gaza - a range of 120 kilometers. According to the IDF, the rocket that struck the home is a self-manufactured Hamas rocket.

"The rocket fire was carried out by Hamas from a Hamas position. We see Hamas as being responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip," the army said. The terror organization seized power in Gaza in 2007, and have ruled the Strip ever since.





Robert Wolf, the owner of the home hit by a Gaza rocket (Photo: Dana Kopel)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his current trip to the United States due to the attack, planning to return Monday after his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

"I concluded a telephone consultation with the IDF chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet and the head of the National Security Council," Netanyahu said after the strike.

"There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully," the prime minister said.

"In light of the security events I have decided to cut short my visit to the US. In a few hours I will meet with President Trump; I will return to Israel immediately afterwards in order to manage our action from close at hand."





The scene of the attack (Photo: AFP)

Asked why the rocket was not intercepted by Israel's revolutionary Iron Dome defense system, Manelis said that, "Iron Dome protects the areas in which it is stationed, according to operational situation assessments."

After the previous rocket strike on the Dan region on March 14, the IDF said that the attack was "mistakenly" carried out by Hamas. On Monday, the IDF Spokesperson declined to address the question of whether the latest strike was also a mistake.





The scene of the attack (Photo: AFP)

"The IDF is improving its readiness for a variety of scenarios," Manelis said. "This is a serious incident of a direct hit on a house in central Israel and follows a series of incidents. The deployment is also offensive, not just reactive."

The army also noted, however, that there are currently no changes in the guidelines for the home front.
The head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhla, said Monday that if Israel launches an attack on Gaza, it would provoke a powerful response from the factions in the Strip.

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The statement comes in light of an anticipated Israeli retaliation to a Gaza rocket fire that destroyed a residential house in central Israel, wounding seven people, early Monday morning.

Prior to the rocket attack, Islamic Jihad issued an earlier threat following a large-scale altercation between Palestinian prisoners and guards at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, likely due to Israel jamming the signal of cell phones smuggled into the prison.

Head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhla

The incident began when several Hamas prisoners stabbed two prison guards, moderately wounding one of them. In an ensuing brawl, 11 prisoners were wounded, two of them critically.

"Israel's crimes against the prisoners will change the situation  Israel will bear consequences for its aggression that will be felt by soldiers and citizens," the terror group said in an official statement just hours before the militants in Gaza launched a long-range rocket at the Sharon region, northeast of Tel Aviv, for the first time since 2014 Operation Protective Edge.

Hurt prison guard evacuated to hospital (Photo: Meir Ibn Chaim)

Hamas issued a more muted response following the Ketziot Prison incident, calling on the international human rights organizations to intervene in the way Israeli security forces treat Palestinian prisoners and to protect them from the ongoing Israeli crimes.

"We must act swiftly on all arenas, in cooperation with all the institutions  in order to protect the Palestinian prisoners and to force Israel to stop commiting crimes against them and to respect their rights," Gazas rulers said in a statement.

House damaged by Gaza rocket (Photo: AFP)

The IDF accused Hamas of carrying out Monday's pre-dawn rocket strike, and said troop reinforcements - including reservist soldiers - were being deployed to the Gaza border.

As Israel pointed the finger at Hamas for the rocket fire, the group's leaders apparently went underground. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises. Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yahiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.

The rocket attack, which came a little after 5am, directly hit a family home on Moshav Mishmeret in the center of the country. Seven people were wounded and the house was decimated. Four family dogs were killed in the attack.


By Jung Min-ho







Employees at Korean Air, the country's largest airline, have demanded a Japanese government official apologize and offer compensation to a company official he allegedly assaulted at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, March 19.





A union representing Korean Air staff released a statement March 22 to express "serious regret" for the "unforgivable" behavior of Kosuke Takeda, 47, a senior official at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.





Takeda allegedly assaulted an employee, who held him back from boarding a plane for "being too drunk." While refusing to comply, he reportedly said things like, "I hate Korea!"





"It was a necessary safety check, which is stipulated in the guidelines," the union said.





If Takeda refuses to apologize, the union said it would take action to strip him of his civil servant status.





This is was not the first time Takeda had been prevented from boarding a flight to Japan. Only two days before the incident, he was held back by

for being drunk and disorderly.





After the second incident, he was temporarily detained by Korean police, but released a few hours later and returned to Japan.





On Facebook, Takeda denied being drunk and said he did not understand why police detained him. "It's a weird country," he wrote.





After the issue came into the spotlight, the health ministry released him from his position as head of the wages division and apologized.


The woman who was moderately wounded in Sundays pre-dawn Gaza rocket attack on central Israel has been described as stable by doctors at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva.

The womans 12-year-old daughter, who was lightly hurt, is expected to undergo a surgery on her foot later today.
France has banned flights in and out of the country by Iran's Mahan Air, accusing it of transporting military equipment and personnel to Syria and other Middle East war zones, diplomats said on Monday, after heavy US pressure on Paris to act.

The decision to revoke Mahan's licence to operate in France was made after Germany banned the airline in January.
A joint situation room of military factions in the Gaza Strip threatened Monday to respond harshly to any Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave.

"We warn the Israeli army not to test the resistance, because it will be surprised by the harsh and collective response the occupation will not be able to endure," said the statement.

The announcement comes after a pre-dawn Gaza rocket destroyed a house in central Israel, leaving seven people wounded.
The Israel Defense Forces said Monday afternoon that it will halt agricultural work near the security fence that runs along the border with the Gaza Strip "to improve readiness" for an escalation after a pre-dawn rocket attack destroyed a house in the center of the country and wounded seven people.

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The IDF's Gaza Division said it would block routes and areas on the Israeli side of the fence and requested that residents "follow security instructions as long as necessary."





IDF troops deployed along the Gaza border (Photo: AFP)

Thousands of acres of farmland lie adjacent to the Gaza frontier, swathes of which were set alight over the past year by incendiary and explosive devices attached to balloons and floated across the border.

These attacks continued Monday after the rocket fire.

IDF troops deployed along the Gaza border (Photo: Avi Rokah)

The road closures were the latest signs of a potential IDF response to the rocket fire.

Earlier in the day, the army deployed infantry and armored corps units to the Gaza border, and began calling up reservists from Iron Dome and intelligence units.

Israel now believes that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, was behind the rocket launch, and said that it would "respond forcefully" to a "criminal attack."

The house destroyed by a Gaza rocket (Photo: Kobi Tamam)

IDF Spokesman Ronen Manelis told a press briefing Monday morning that the rocket was fired from the Rafah area of southern Gaza - a range of 120 kilometers. According to the IDF, the rocket that struck the home is a self-manufactured Hamas rocket.

"The rocket fire was carried out by Hamas from a Hamas position. We see Hamas as being responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip," the army said. The terror organization seized power in Gaza in 2007, and has ruled the Strip ever since.

IDF troops being deployed to the Gaza border (Photo: Avi Rokah)

"I concluded a telephone consultation with the IDF chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet (security service) and the head of the National Security Council. There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"In light of the security events I have decided to cut short my visit to the US. In a few hours I will meet with President Trump; I will return to Israel immediately afterwards in order to manage our actions at close hand."

In addition, local authorities in all the communities bordering the Gaza Strip cancelled all after-school activities for Monday.

Israel found support Monday from the US, with Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, writing on Twitter: "We condemn this violence from Gaza & affirm Israels right to defend itself."

Again an attack on Israel from Gaza. Again a rocket fired at a major metro area in Israel, which hit a home causing its collapse & injuring 6. We condemn this violence from Gaza & affirm Israels right to defend itself.  Jason D. Greenblatt (@jdgreenblatt45) March 25, 2019

The United Nations envoy to the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, condemned the rocket fire and said that contacts were being held with the Egyptians in an effort to reach a truce.

"Today's firing of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel, which hit a house north of Tel Aviv and injured seven people, is absolutely unacceptable," he wrote on Twitter.

"(The) UN is working intensely with Egypt and all sides but situation remains VERY tense," he said.

#BREAKING: Today's firing of a rocket from #Gaza towards #Israel, which hit a house north of Tel Aviv and injured seven people, is absolutely unacceptable. This is an extremely serious incident! #UN is working intensely with #Egypt and all sides but situation remains VERY tense.  Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) March 25, 2019

Hamas miscalculation

Israel estimates that the rocket that struck the home on Moshav Mishmeret made a Hamas-made copy of an Iranian Fajr-5, tweaked to extend its range to the 120km it travelled from the southern Gaza Strip.

Sources in the Gaza Strip confirmed to Ynet that Hamas fired the rocket that hit the home, but said the terror group did not expect a massive response from Israel so close to the elections on April 9.

Newly deployed Iron Dome battery (Photo: Shaul Golan)





"The rocket was fired from an area between Khan Yunis and Rafah, which is under the full control of the Hamas military wing," the source said. "The objective was to put pressure on Israel while the Egyptians were in the area as part of negotiations (for long-term calm), based on the assessment  that Israel would refrain from a broad military response two weeks before the elections."

According to the Gaza sources, Hamas thought it would be able to deny a connection to the rocket fire or say  as it did 10 days ago - that it was down to a technical malfunction.

IDF strike on Hamas targets in Gaza following March 14 rocket attack on central Israel

The group believed that the rocket fire would lead to a relatively limited Israeli response, but the Gaza sources said that Hamas misjudged the situation and Israel would react in harsh and uncontained manner.

Anticipating the Israeli response, Gaza's Hamas leaders apparently went underground Monday. Witnesses reported seeing Hamas evacuating its personnel from government premises.

Hamas also announced that its Gaza chief, Yahiya Sinwar, had cancelled a scheduled public speech. Israel also shut down its main crossings into Gaza and imposed restrictions on fishing off the Gazan coast.
A delegation of Egyptian intelligence officials on Monday cancelled its planned visit to the Gaza Strip, ahead of an anticipated IDF response to rocket fire on a central Israel home that left seven people wounded.

The delegation was part of Egyptian efforts to broker a lull in clashes between Israel and the Palestinians along the Gaza border.

Cairo is now reportedly attempting to avert a major conflagration in Gaza.
Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz took a strong tone against Iran on Monday, telling the annual conference of the pro-Israel AIPAC lobby in Washington, DC that Israel would not allow Tehran to entrench its troops on Syria's border with Israel on the Golan Heights.

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"I say from this stage to the Iranian regime: Never again," Gantz said. "We will not allow you to establish yourselves in Syria. We will not allow you to develop a nuclear weapon."





Benny Gantz at the AIAPC conference (Photo: Reuters)

The former IDF chief, who is seeking to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister when Israel goes to the polls on April 9, also gave a wry nod to the revelation that the Iranian regime is suspected of having hacked his cell phone.

"You know me well," he said in a message to the Iranians, "and not because of my cell phone... On my watch Iran will not become a regional power, and I will not hesitate to use force when needed."

Gantz also addressed other Israeli enemies with a warning that the Jewish state would not be defeated.

"Let Hezbollah, Hamas, Al-Qaeda and ISIS know - weve met before on the battlefield. You know the result," he said.

He also expressed the desire for Iranians to be free of the regime in Tehran.

"I know that the children of Tehran, and the children of Jerusalem, are born free of hate," he said. "I know that the Iranian people are waiting for a new dawn - one I hope, we will all get to see in our lifetime."

Benny Gantz and US Vice President Mike Pence at the AIPAC conference in Washington (Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld)

Touching on the rocket strike from Gaza on a home in central Israel early Monday, which the IDF attributed to Hamas, Gantz said that the leaders of the Palestinian terror group should recall that Israel assassinated one of its most senior officials during the Gaza conflict of 2012 and was capable of doing the same again.

"The reality in the south, as we unfortunately saw today, where Israeli children spend their nights in bomb shelters, while the heads of Hamas celebrate must end now  and it will," he told the conference.

"The heads of Hamas had forgotten what happened to Ahmed Jabari - their chief of staff. They will get a personal reminder if they continue targeting our population, as will all terrorists," Gantz said. "We will maintain our military edge; we will firmly keep our security advantage - by air, by land, by sea, and even under the sea."

The house destroyed by a Gaza rocket (Photo: Moti Kimchi)

Gantz said, however, that Israel would always reach out in welcome to anyone who sought peace, but added that the state had several red lines it would not cross.

"To those that would like to turn a new page, we will extend our hand in peace and we will strive for peace with any honest and willing Arab leader," he said.

"With every future agreement we will not compromise on this: Jerusalem is, and will always be, Israels united and eternal capital.The Jordan Valley is, and always will remain, Israels eastern security border. The responsibility for security over the entire Land of Israel will remain in the hands of the IDF, and the IDF alone."





Benny Gantz at the AIPAC conference (Photo: AFP)

Furthermore, Gantz said that Israel would "never withdraw from the Golan Heights. Never."

Netanyahu was also due to address the conference, but cancelled his appearance in order to return to Israel to oversee what he said would be a harsh response to the rocket attack. He was, however, due to hold talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House, for a meeting that would see the US formally recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed a decree on Monday at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the United States recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, territory that Israel seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

The decree formalized Trump's statement on March 21 saying it was time for the United States "to fully recognize" Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. The move appeared to give Netanyahu a boost ahead of the closely contested April 9 Israeli elections.
Israel Defense Forces troops began attacking Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening, a little over 12 hours after a rocket attributed to the terror group hit a home in the center of the country, wounding seven people.

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The military confirmed the start of the operation at around 5:45pm, saying that its forces were "striking Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip."

IAF warplanes strike Rafah in southern Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

The wave of attacks by Israeli warplanes in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening were just the first stage of what will be a broad operation, the IDF spokesman told Ynet.

"We are just at the beginning," Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said. "A large attack is planned. I think that Hamas understands this is a significant strike (following) a serious incident, and ultimately, this is a price that Hamas has been accruing for the past year."

At around 7pm, the army said its warplanes had attacked a three-story building in central Gaza that served as the secret headquarters of Hamas, housing the terror group's security and general branches.

The expected retaliation was not long in coming. Air raid sirens began to sound in the Eshkol Regional Council, close to the Gaza border, warning of rocket fire from Gaza, at around 8pm.

Meanwhile, city councils across Israel, including in Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon and Kiryat Malachi opened their public bomb shelters in anticipation of rocket strikes.

Ashkelon council said Monday evening that its schools would be closed Tuesday, and it was banning public gatherings of more than 300 people, the Walla news website reported.





An IDF image of the three-story secret Hamas HQ in Gaza

The barrage began as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu, who was in the US for the annual AIPAC conference, cut his trip short and was to return home immediately after his meeting with the president.

Speaking from the White House, Netanyahu said that Israel would not tolerate rocket attacks on its territory, and would do whatever it must to protect its people.

Netanyahu and Trump at the White House (Photo: AP)

Palestinians in Gaza said that the IDF had attacked Hamas' large "Ashkelon" position as well as targets along the coast in the northern Strip, which is under the control of Hamas' naval force.

Gazans also reported attacks in the Rafah area of the southern Strip, close to the border with Egypt.

Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu, said a mild response was not an option.

"It will be something on a bigger scale," he said.

"He doesn't want a war before elections, but they put him in a corner," he added. "After three missiles reaching the heart of Israel, the chance of a big escalation including a ground offensive, is very high."

In Beirut, Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah said its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, met Monday with a Hamas delegation led by miliary leader Saleh Arouri. Hezbollah said they discussed the Gaza situation and "Israeli aggression."

Smoke rising from IDF strikes on Rafah (Photo: AFP)

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the group would respond if Israel retaliated too forcefully to the rocket strike.

In a written statement, Haniyeh said the Palestinian people "will not surrender" and its militant factions "will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines."

IDF vehicles on the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters)

The attacks followed a day of preparations by the IDF, closing roads and halting agricultural work near the security fence that runs along the border with the Gaza Strip.

The IDF's Gaza Division said it would block routes and areas on the Israeli side of the fence and requested that residents "follow security instructions as long as necessary."





An Iron Dome battery (Photo: Shaul Golan)

Earlier in the day, the army deployed infantry and armored corps units to the Gaza border, and began calling up reservists from Iron Dome and intelligence units.

Israel said that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, was behind the rocket launch, and warned it would "respond forcefully" to a "criminal attack."





IDF troops along the Gaza border (Photo: Reuters)

IDF Spokesman Ronen Manelis told a press briefing Monday morning that the rocket was fired from the Rafah area of southern Gaza - a range of 120 kilometers. According to the IDF, the rocket that struck the home is a self-manufactured Hamas rocket.

"The rocket fire was carried out by Hamas from a Hamas position. We see Hamas as being responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip," the army said.

The terror organization seized power in Gaza in 2007, and has ruled the Strip ever since.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump at the White House Monday evening where the president signed a decree recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

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The meeting between the two leaders comes against a backdrop of increased tensions in the region following a Hamas rocket attack on a town in central Israel early Monday morning.





Trump signing declaation on Golan

The prime minister also addressed the recent developments vis-a-vis Hamas in Gaza and the IDFs retaliatory strikes that began Monday evening. Today, a rocket was fired from Gaza deep into Israel injuring seven people including two children. Fortunately, nobody was killed. Israel will not tolerate this Israel is responding forcefully to terror.

Trump after signing the declaration (Photo: AP)

Netanyahu turned to Trump and said: It was very generous of you to invite and meet me here at the White House. I am grateful to you. Throughout the years, Israel has had an excellent relationship with the United States but there has been no greater friend than you.

You demonstrate it by the sanctions you have imposed on Iran, by the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the embassy, said Netanyahu. You said and you acted and you have shown (your support) today with your official declaration recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. This is a historic day.

Netanyahu and Trump shake hands

Netanyahu continued to talk about the history and strategic importance of the Golan in protecting northern Israeli towns from Syrian attacks. There have been declarations by previous non-Jews including King Cyrus of Persia, Lord Balfour, president Truman and President Donald J Trump. You have done it not once, but twice with your brave decelerations regarding Jerusalem and now the Golan, he said.

Netanyahu also mentioned the Iranian threat and their attempts to establish themselves along Israels northern border.

President Trump told Netanyahu: Welcome to the White House, you are a special person doing excellent work. Regarding the rocket which injured several Israelis Monday morning Trump said that he is praying for our friends in Israel. The president reiterated his support for Israels right to defend itself while referring to the offensive actions by Iran, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon who seek to use the Golan to attack Israel.

Netanyahu, Trump, Pence (Photo: AFP)

Trump spoke about the special bond between the two countries, declaring that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people and that they wished to see the US embassy there for many years and now it is happening. He also pointed out the effect the sanctions are having on Iran and its aversion to America and Israel.

Meanwhile, Syria's foreign ministry called the US decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights a "blatant attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Syria on Monday, in a statement carried by state news agency SANA.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio is "clear that the status of Golan has not changed," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday after the US Presidents statement.

"The UN's policy on Golan is reflected in the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and that policy has not changed," Dujarric said. Israel captured the strategic land from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war.

On a lighter note, Netanyahu asked President Trump for permission to share Israeli wine with White House staff. The Israeli leader joked that he hopes "they don't open an investigation" as a result. Back home, Netanyahu is facing a pending indictment on corruption charges.

Netanyahu made the offer after Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Netanyahu says he brought Trump a case "of the finest wine from the Golan." But he says Trump, who doesn't drink alcohol, is "not a great wine drinker," and that he wanted to give the wine to Trump's staff instead.
The wave of attacks by Israeli warplanes in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening are just the first stage of what will be a broad operation, the IDF told Ynet.

"We are just at the beginning," Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said. "A large attack is planned. I think that Hamas understands this is a significant strike (following) a serious incident, and ultimately, this is a price that Hamas has been due to pay for the past year."
Ambassador Abida Islam

As we celebrate the 48th anniversary of our glorious Independence and National Day of Bangladesh, I extend my heartiest felicitations to all the Bangladeshi nationals residing in the Republic of Korea and also the hospitable people of this beautiful country.



On this occasion, I pay my tribute to the greatest Bengali of all time, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the nation towards independence. I pay my profound tribute to millions of our fallen heroes, all our freedom fighters, men, women and children, who made our present reality.

It is encouraging to see that the cooperation between Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea has increased in the spheres of trade, commerce, education and culture during the past year. I hope it will further be strengthened in various other sectors as well in the coming days.

Long Live Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea Friendship.
DUBAI - At least 18 people were killed and around 100 others were wounded in flash floods in Iran's southern province of Fars, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, following devastating floods in the north.

State TV said several provinces were also on high alert for more imminent flooding because of heavy rain. The meteorology department warned people about rain forecast for the coming days, state radio reported, urging them to avoid any trips.

As the victims of the northern Iran flood struggled with the water and mud, President Hassan Rouhani's hardline rivals have criticised his government for doing too little, too late.
The Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza said that they give preference to Egyptian mediation efforts to defend Palestinian blood and prevent offensive moves.
The rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Monday was one of the most powerful launched ever by Gaza militants, flying nearly 120 kilometers (70 miles) before it slammed into a house in central Israel, wounding seven people.

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Over more than a decade, the Islamic militant Hamas group has built up a large arsenal of rockets and missiles. It started with crude short-range projectiles and now possesses rockets that can strike virtually anywhere in Israel.

Bottom: Qassam rocket with range of 17.7 km

Hamas militants (reuters)

A network of smuggling tunnels along the Egyptian border is believed to have helped Hamas bring in advanced weapons and raw materials, though Egypt shuttered most of the tunnels around 2013.

In 2018, Gaza's Hamas chief Yahiya Sinwar boasted that the group had not only replenished the rockets it fired during the 50-day war in 2014, but had many more at its disposal. He said that what had been fired in 50 days "would be fired within five minutes" of any future Israeli offensive.

A rocket being launched from Gaza into Israel

Monday's rocket strike was the furthest a Gaza rocket has landed since 2014, when Hamas struck the northern Israeli city of Haifa, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) away.

Hamas doesn't release details about its military capabilities.

Gabi Siboni, an Israeli military analyst, said Hamas "has a variety of advanced, precise, and effective weaponry." He said this includes guided anti-tank missiles and shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, both produced by Russia, as well as some drones.

Rockets

Qassams: In 2001, a year after the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising against Israel, Hamas first fired a cross-border rocket toward Israel, calling it "Qassam" after the group's military wing. The homemade rockets, aimed at Israeli border towns, had an irregular trajectory and sometimes landed inside Gaza.

R-160: Hamas calls this its longest-range home-grown rocket. It was first fired in the 2014 war and at one point hit Haifa. The "R'' in the name refers to Abdel-Aziz Rantissi, a senior Hamas official who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2004. The number refers to the range, in kilometers.

J-80: This rocket, also produced locally, is named after Hamas military wing commander Ahmed Jabari, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his car in 2012, setting off an eight-day war. Israel reportedly believes the rocket that hit central Israel on Monday was this model and blamed Hamas. The group has not claimed responsibility.

M-75: Hamas unveiled this rocket in 2014, claiming it was homemade. But experts believe it is a version of the Iranian Fajr 5 rocket, which Iran acquired in the 1990s and is based on Chinese technology.

M75 rocket

Hamas also possess a variety of Russian Grad rockets. These projectiles, with a range of about 20 kilometers (12 miles), are believed to have been delivered via Iran.

Hamas arsenal

Tunnels

In recent years, Hamas has built a sophisticated network of tunnels. These include attack tunnels that run under the Gaza-Israel perimeter fence, for use by terrorists to infiltrate Israel. Defensive tunnels, located away from the border, are used to store weapons and serve as hideouts.

Hamas attack tunnel (Photo: Reuters)

Hamas first used tunnels in a 2006 cross-border attack in which it killed two Israeli soldiers and captured a third. The soldier, Gilad Shalit, was swapped for more than 1,000 prisoners in 2011.





During the fighting, Israel said it discovered and destroyed 32 tunnels. Since then, it says it has discovered and destroyed several additional tunnels.

Motorcycles captured in Hamas tunnel

To combat the tunnel threat, Israel has begun building an underground barrier running the length of the Gaza Strip, and this year it said it was reinforcing the Gaza fence with 20-foot-high galvanized steel.

Hamas military parade

Imported weapons

Mortars: Hamas has fired hundreds of mortars at short-range targets just across the border. The mortars are believed to have been smuggled from Libya through Egypt.

A mortar shell which landed in southern Israel (Photo: Roee Idan)

Laser-guided anti-tank missiles made by Russia. Last November, Hamas fired such a missile, known as Kornet, at a bus from which Israeli soldiers had just exited. One soldier was seriously wounded. In a 2006 war, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia killed dozens of Israeli tank soldiers using these weapons.

Drones: Hamas has developed an early-stage drone program, displaying images of Israeli fields purportedly filmed by these aircraft. It's not known whether they have been used for attacks.
Palestinians TV station Al-Aqsa is reporting via an unknown source that an Egyptian brokered ceasefire has been reached with Israel that will go into effect at 10pm.
Expert Interviews with Kevin Turner.

One of the more recent trends property investors are now factoring in to their portfolio is the possibility of a long-term strata site amalgamation. Amalgamation expert Tom Doran from Burgess Rawson explains what is involved, the potential and how to choose a suitable building.



Listen to the interview now:

Transcript:

Kevin: Its interesting that one of the more recent trends that investors are now factoring in is the possibility of a longterm strata site amalgamation when theyre looking at strata units.

Kevin: According to Burgess Rawsons Associate Director Tom Doran, who joins me as our guest, this is one of the considerations you should be looking into, if youre looking at investing into a strata development. Thanks very much for your time, Tom.

Tom: Yeah, absolute pleasure, Kevin.

Kevin: Can you tell me whats involved in site amalgamation, and are you witnessing it happening in many locations?

Tom: Yeah, its become a lot more prevalent over the last five or six years. Basically, with a site amalgamation, its when a developer comes along and either makes an offer to strata owners to buy out all the lots individually.

Tom: And quite often, theyre doing that just because the strata thats in place is underutilised in terms of its floor space ratio. So, if they knocked it over and start again, they could build a significantly bigger building than whats on there at the moment.

Kevin: I suppose the value of these together, for that scenario, is a lot more valuable than them as individuals. If you combine them all for that reason, Tom.

Tom: Yeah, thats exactly right. I mean, you could have a strata of a few properties on a big block 1,000 square metres of land. The value from a retail or investment point of view could be 2 or 3 million. But with all the vacant sites that underutilised, it could be 5 or 6 million, to use an example.

Kevin: Is it more prevalent, say in New South Wales, where there have been some recent changes to the law, allowing these sorts of things to happen? Or is it right around the country?

Tom: Well, Id say New South Wales and Sydney Metro is where its happening most. Thats because weve got more established markets. And you tend to find the more strata properties within the CBD or city fringe areas. So if youre looking at targeting these type of investments, Id say stick to the major capital cities: either Melbourne, Sydney, and the CBD areas.

Kevin: My memory, correct me if Im wrong, the New South Wales reform that was made, made it mandatory for all of those to sell if there was a certain number. In other words, if one or two people decided not to, they would almost be forced to sell. Is that correct?

Tom: Yeah, thats exactly right, Kevin. So previously, to end the strata plan, you needed 100% of owners to agree. But now, its only 75% of owners that need to agree to activate the renewal rule. So the renewal rules run through the Land Environment Court for the other 25% of owners, so they get fair market value.

Tom: So the Land Environment Court runs out and they resolve any disputes. Or they can run a mediation process between the owners, to get fair market value for everyone.

Kevin: Your company, Burgess Rawson, is this actually what youre doing? And if so, can you cite a couple of examples of where it might have happened?

Tom: Yeah, so Burgess Rawson, we sell investment properties all over New South Wales. Strata and also Freehold. Also a couple of retail investment properties in Ermington late last year. And thats out in the western suburbs of Sydney, on Victoria Road.

Tom: That was an older, 1960s-style building, ground-floor first floor. Had 27 stratas in total. And that was a building that was built when the floor space ratios, and also the height limits, were significantly less.

Tom: So, when the buyer came along and ended up purchasing at one of our portfolio auctions, he raised the point as well. He just looked at it and said, Its not highest in best use as it is. However, its a really strong investment property. So he could see the upside for holding it.

Tom: Now, we might have an overnight, Kevin, in terms of the strata renewal. But it might be five, 10, or 15 years away, when theres a little pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Kevin: What do you look for? What you your tips in looking for sites that are going to fit this amalgamation, become a prospect for it?

Tom: Yeah, theres probably four main tips that Id give any property investor. Firstly, you have to look at the fundamentals as an investment. Okay, thats the main thing. So you want to make sure that youve got a good strong tenant. Long lease, and good fixed annual increases.

Tom: They should also, secondly, they should look for all the buildings. Theyre the ones that would have built 50 or 60 years ago. So there certainly could be some further FSR or height thats been added in zoning over the last 50 or 60 years.

Kevin: Sorry, FSR means?

Tom: Floor space ratio.

Kevin: Yep, thank you.

Tom: Thats the amount you can build on a particular building, and counsel will give you the FSR if you search their web site on a particular site.

Tom: Thirdly, Id say developers love corner locations. So if youre going to look at a strata building, see if you can find one thats got a corner location. Its just more efficient for developers to build residential developments with light wells and so on.

Tom: And then lastly, Id just say look for strata buildings with underground parking. Developers save a lot of money; the underground parkings already been built out.

Kevin: Very good tips. And its an interesting area that weve never explored, but its certainly a developing area. Tom Doran is from Burgess Rawson. Tom, thanks for your time.

Tom: Thanks, Kevin, have a great day.

...................................................................................................................................................
Western Australias newly introduced foreign-buyer tax would not help the states property market, said a senior official from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The surcharge would have possibly helped in taking the edge off in periods of very strong growth, but that was not the case for WAs current market, according to RBA Assistant Governor Michele Bullock.

I would only observe that given the WA market was not particularly buoyant to begin with, putting a tax on it wouldnt seem to help that circumstance, Bullock said during an Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) WA event.

Under new levies, foreign investors are required to pay a 7% surcharge on residential property purchases in WA. The plan is expected to raise about $120 million over the next four years to boost WA government coffers, according to an article by realestate.com.au.

UDIA WA has been against the surcharge. In 2018, the industry group called for the move to be deferred until the market has retreated from its current downturn.

UDIA WA Chief Executive Officer Tanya Steinbeck said the institute understands the governments decision to augment WAs budget in the short term, but the modification on foreign-buyer tax would unpleasantly affect the market in the longer term.

We are yet to see serious signs of a recovery and, given foreign investment in the property market is integral to the success of the market and the wider WA economy, we have strongly urged the government to remove the tax as it directly detracts from new investment in WA property, Steinbeck said

The central bank also encouraged banks to ease the tightened lending standards, according to Bullock. This is an initiative that is well supported by UDIA.

Given more positive population growth projected moving forward, UDIA is certainly expecting a return to more positive growth in the property market in the next 12 to 18 months. WA is on the precipice, and it will take all stakeholders including government, banks, and industry working together to create a supportive environment for growth, Steinbeck said.
Honorable State Minister

for Foreign Affairs

Md. Shahriar Alam, MP

Today is 26th March, our great Independence and National Day. This is the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation; a day of reaching the enlightened world from the abyss of darkness. On this very day in 1971, the Bangalee nation started the War of Liberation against the misrule, exploitation and repression of the brutal Pakistani ruler with the clarion call of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.



Pakistani Occupation Forces committed one of the worst genocides in history indiscriminately on 25th March 1971 to silence the Bangalee Nation forever. Diabolical mass killings during the liberation war are a black chapter not only in the history of Bangladesh, but also in the history of world humanity. In 2017, the August National Parliament of Bangladesh declared March 25th as National Genocide Day to commemorate the genocide carried out by the atrocious Pakistani Forces on the black night of March 1971. Bangabandhu, the Architect of Bangladesh, declared the independence of Bangladesh in the wee hours of 26th March in 1971. Bangladesh made its place on the world map as an independent and sovereign state with self-esteem through the nine-month long Liberation War.

On this very day, I pay profound reverence to the great hero of the war of independence, the architect of great independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who led his people from the front in various movements and struggles from the 1952 Language Movement to the 1971 Liberation War to the greatest achievement of Bengali Nationalism  an independent Bangladesh. With profound love and respect, I recall the supreme sacrifices made by our war heroes, the three million martyrs and the wounded freedom fighters.

On this historic moment, I recall the contributions of the officials of the then Foreign Ministry who worked to build public opinion all over the world in response to the clarion call of Bangabandhu during the Liberation War.

Bangabandhu had a dream of bringing smiles to the face of the Bangalee people. He wanted to make them free from exploitation, hunger, poverty and subjugation. The daughter of our founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has been leading the development pursuit of Bangladesh.

Recently, the people of Bangladesh fortified their support for her with huge public support in the Eleventh General Election. As a result of pragmatic initiatives commenced by the Awami League government, now Bangladesh has been transformed into a trade-dependent country from an aid-dependent one. Currently, Bangladesh is marching forward with $1,752 per capita income and more than 7.86 percent growth rate. As a result, Bangladesh has been recognized as a "Role Model of Development."

On this auspicious day, I thank all the members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions abroad who have been working with sustained dedication and commitment in achieving our foreign policy objectives and promote the national interest of Bangladesh on the world stage. Also my heartfelt felicitations go to the Bangladeshi Diaspora who have been contributing unceasingly to the development of our motherland by sending invaluable remittances and brightening the image of Bangladesh globally by practicing Bangla and Bengali culture abroad.

On this glorious day, being imbued with the spirit of our great Liberation War and with a view to building Bangabandhu's dream of "Sonar Bangla" (Golden Bengal), let us take a fresh vow to devote ourselves to work from our respective positions in advancing the ongoing development efforts of the present government to strengthen the hands of Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and build a better world for our future generations.

Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.

May Bangladesh Live Forever.
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Between 2004 and 2011, there has been over 20,000 road crashes with about 35,200 casualties on just the countrys major intercity highways.

In 2018 alone, there were over 13,000 reported cases of road accidents across the country, with about 15,000 casualties including recorded death cases.

According CitiNewsRoom reports, 13 major highways in the country were assessed for road crashes within the 8-year period.

Most dangerous highways in Ghana Source: CitiNewsRoom.com

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Ghanaian leaders express concern and worry over increasing number of road deaths

Other major roads assessed were, Techiman to Kintampo, Sunyani to Bamboi, Bamboi to Wa, Hohoe to Nkwanta and Nkwanta to Yendi, all of which recorded less than 550 road crashes and less than 1,200 casualties.

The top 7 selected by virtue of the frequency of road accidents on those stretches are as follows:

1. Accra  Cape Coast road

The stretch is 145 kilometers long via the N1 Highway. Within the 8-year period, there were 6,104 road crashes on that stretch with 7,465 casualties. This means that, consistently for eight years, 2 people died or got injured in road crashes on that stretch every single day.

2. Aflao  Accra road

This stretch is 187 kilometers of the N1 highway and has recorded 3,919 road accidents in the year under review. 6,826 persons got injured or died from the incidents.

READ ALSO: Government procures 3 helicopters for Ghana Police Service

3. Tema  Hohoe road

191 kilometers long. This stretch recorded 1,965 road crashes with 4,393 people being casualties. This makes it an average of 2 persons getting injured or dying from each reported accident on the stretch via the N2 highway.

4. Kumasi  Techiman

This is a 126-kilometer stretch using the N10 highway. In 8 years, 1,702 road crashes were officially recorded on this stretch. This resulted in 3,481 casualties, indicating that each accident left about 2 people dead or injured.

5. Kintampo  Tamale

939 road crashes occurred on this stretch within the years under review via the N10 highway with 2,523 casualties. The stretch is 196 kilometers.

6. Takoradi  Elubo

The 130-kilometer road via the N1 highway has seen 839 road crashes within 8 years and 1,425 casualties as a result.

7. Tamale  Bolga

On this stretch, 780 motor accidents were recorded with 1,696 casualties. The stretch is located on the N 10 highway and is approximately 160 kilometers long.

PAY ATTENTION: Celebrities Who Won't Do Nude Scenes

Yenkasa: Can the Gh. Cedi ever catch-up with the U.S. Dollar?| #Yencomgh

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Source: Yen Ghana
The ingenuity of Ghanaians is under the spotlight again as 21-year-old Stephanie Ode Wilson is celebrated as the youngest real estate developer in the country and perhaps, West Africa.

Wilson has been described by Georgebritton.com as one of Ghanas leading silent entrepreneurs. One of the most interesting aspects of the young woman's achievement is that she is rising quickly in a male-dominated industry.

The young woman is an alumnus of Kumasi Girls Senior High School and currently in her 3rd Semester at Bluecrest University. For someone yet to earn a degree, Wilson's is a rare Ghanaian story.

She reportedly saved for her first piece of land from running errands and doing follow ups on building materials from vendors on behalf of her boss.

At 20, she built a 3-bedroom apartment on a 100 x 70 Plot and completed her fist sale in November 2017.

READ ALSO: Photo of missing Lebanese man in Ghana pops up as NDC MPs complain

Stephanie Ode Wilson. Photo credit: Ghanaweb.com

Source: UGC

Wilson reportedly became interested in construction as a child. Then an inexperienced 17-year-old, she committed to learning from construction workers and architects at any given time during her days in High School.

With support from her family, she started importing building interior materials such as tiles, wall coverings and security doors.

After 3 years of gaining knowledge, expertise and a strong network, she coordinated and built a team of construction workers and architects.

By the end of 2017, she proceeded to sell 3 more houses for clients abroad.

ATTENTION: The Amazing Cast Of Game Of Thrones In Then And Now (PHOTOS)

Wilson officially launched her company, Scown Properties Ghana in October of 2017.

Currently, She is completing phase one of Scown Court; a 12-Unit Gated Community at Dawhenya in the Greater Accra region. Wilson has a vision of building Scown Courts across the country.

Apart from owning a clothing shop, Wilson is set to launch Girl Code Africa, an initiative aimed at teaching 100,000 girls across the continent basic coding, web and app development over the next 10 years.

READ ALSO: The Ghanaian many call the "Black Bill Gates" receives top Commonwealth position

Yenkasa: Can the Gh. Cedi ever catch-up with the U.S. Dollar?| #Yencomgh:

Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story.

Source: Yen.com.gh
Ghanaian rapper Pappy Kojo has announced his search for a Ghanaian girlfriend who will only cook for him.

According to the rapper, the girlfriend will only cook local meals for him and aside that, they will not get intimate.

In a tweet, Pappy Kojo revealed his willingness to date a Ghanaian girl only for the purpose of cooking local dishes for him.

READ ALSO: Afia Schwar causes more damage to gospel singer Ernest Opoku; claims he slept with 10 women in Germany

"Looking for a Ghana based girlfriend who will cook local foods for me , no kissing and anything sexual, just cooking and maybe pegs," he wrote.

Deducing from Pappy Kojo's tweet, it indicates that the rapper is not searching for a lady who he can get intimate with.

Twitter users on reading Pappy Kojo's tweet reacted:

Innocentia teased Pappy Kojo:

Ellis quizzed if Pappy Kojo will allow the girlfriend to be free:

Pop had this to say:

PAY ATTENTION: 15 Rare But Remarkable Images Of The Royal Family

Derrick claimed he has a sister for Pappy Kojo:

Efya commented:

Deducing from the replies, it seems Pappy Kojo's wish to have a Ghanaian girlfriend who will only cook is a daunting task.

YEN.com.gh cannot reveal why Pappy Kojo wanted a Ghanaian girlfriend but it seems the rapper is not getting some local dishes to eat when he comes to Ghana.

The rapper who is normally based in Italy and partly in Ghana has for few years now, thrilled Ghanaians to some hit songs.

Even though Pappy Kojo does not have a hit song in the system at the moment, he seems to be pushing hard to be relevant in the industry.

READ ALSO: Majid Michel himself breaks silence on throat cancer report

Yenkasa: Can the Gh. Cedi ever catch-up with the U.S. Dollar?| #Yencomgh

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Source: Yen
Let me begin with an extract from a recent press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs:

"Central Government in its pursuit of strong action against terrorism, has today declared JKLF (Yasin faction) as an unlawful association under the provisions of Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967."

Does this order have finality?

No. This does not have finality of JKLF being declared an 'unlawful association'. However, a good beginning has been made. Now, it is incumbent on the government to request the Delhi High Court to nominate a judge to preside over the UAPA Tribunal while referring this notification to the Registrar of High Court. The provisions of the Section 4 has to be satisfied by the Union government. The provisions are recalled below

Section 4. Reference to Tribunal

1) Where any association has been declared unlawful by a notification issued under sub-section (1) of section 3, the Central Government shall, within thirty days from the date of the publication of the notification under the said sub-section, refer the notification to the Tribunal for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the association unlawful. (2) On receipt of a reference under sub-section (1), the Tribunal shall call upon the association affected by notice in writing to show cause, within thirty days from the date of the service of such notice, why the association should not be declared unlawful. (3) After considering the cause, if any, shown by the association or the office-bearers or members thereof, the Tribunal shall hold an inquiry in the manner specified in section 9 and after calling for such further information as it may consider necessary from the Central Government or from any office-bearer or member of the association, it shall decide whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the association to be unlawful and make, as expeditiously as possible and in any case within a period of six months from the date of the issue of the notification under sub-section (1) of section 3, such order as it may deem fit either confirming the declaration made in the notification or cancelling the same. (4) The order of the Tribunal made under sub-section (3) shall be published in the Official Gazette.

Section 5. Tribunal

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute, as and when necessary, a tribunal to be known as the "Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal" consisting of one person, to be appointed by the Central Government: Provided that no person shall be so appointed unless he is a Judge of a High Court. (2) If, for any reason, a vacancy (other than a temporary absence) occurs in the office of the presiding officer of the Tribunal, then, the Central Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the provisions of this section to fill the vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Tribunal from the stage at which the vacancy is filled. (3) The Central Government shall make available to the Tribunal such staff as may be necessary for the discharge of its functions under this Act. (4) All expenses incurred in connection with the Tribunal shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of India. (5) Subject to the provisions of section 9, the Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure in all matters arising out of the discharge of its functions including the place or places at which it will hold its sittings. (6) The Tribunal shall, for the purpose of making an inquiry under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely:- (a) the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath; 8 (b) the discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as evidence; (c) the reception of evidence on affidavits; (d) the requisitioning of any public record from any court or office; (e) the issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses. (7) Any proceeding before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and 1 [Chapter XXVI] of the 2 [Code].

Next step in the process

Now after reference to the judicial institutions for confirming the notification of the declaration of JKLF as an 'unlawful association', the judicial authority will swing into action. The procedure is like that a mini trial. The Presiding Officer is at liberty to hold court anywhere and summon witnesses and suggestions and objections from the public hear them and conduct due process of trial before confirming or otherwise of this notification.

I have been once associated with a tribunal in respect of one such notification and hence am fully conversant with the procedure. Here also the officer of the government has to defend the notification against all odds like public witnesses, objections from various pressure groups from different parts of the country. We rely upon the inputs of our agencies for security inputs and Department of Legal Affairs on points of law.

Process abused by government in the past

However, this is an opportunity for a leadership to show itself as strong and placate an interested party without taking the blame. It happened in the case of the SIMI ban in 2008-09. The notification was issued. It was issued by the Human Rights and National Integration Division (HR&NI) of the Ministry of Home Affairs. A judge of the High Court, Justice Gita Mittal, was appointed. The HR & NI Division could not defend its notification and UAPA Tribunal did not confirm the notification of declaring SIMI as an 'unlawful association'.

A very important point here is that the Internal Security (IS) Division is administering the Act and is well versed in the procedure of declaration of unlawful associations. But in case of SIMI, they were kept out of the loop and the job was assigned to HR&NI Division.

Possible reasons for not assigning to the division with core competence

There were a few reasons for not assigning the task of declaring SIMI as 'unlawful association' to the IS Division. Firstly, there were many elements in the then governing political establishment who sympathised with SIMI. Besides, SIMI's latent involvement in the Samjautha Blast was on the radar of the IS Division. Thirdly, several issues relating Col Purohit being framed would have come to the fore if all documents and evidences were to be placed before the tribunal. Hence, this faux paus was allowed to happen. All these are verifiable.

It is earnestly expected that the present dispensation defends its declaration of the 'unlawful association' of JKLF in the most professional manner and not allow repeat of what happened with SIMI.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)


New Delhi: Drop everything else as Deepika Padukone's first look from her upcoming movie 'Chhapaak' is out. She plays the acid attack survivor, Laxmi Agarwal in the biopic which traces her entire journey and how she braved all odds.

The film is being helmed by 'Raazi' fame director Meghna Gulzar and Vikrant Massey play an important role in the movie. Deepika is not only playing the titular role of the acid attack survivor but also producing the project.

Noted south film critic Ramesh Bala shared the first look still on Twitter. He wrote: Here is @deepikapadukone 's FL as Acid Attack Survivor from the movie #Chappak She plays a character #Malti - Based on the true story of Acid Attack Survivor/Activist #LaxmiAgarwal Shooting starts today in Delhi.. #MeghnaGulzar directs. Check it out here:

Here is @deepikapadukone 's FL as Acid Attack Survivor from the movie #Chhapaak She plays a character #Malti - Based on the true story of Acid Attack Survivor/Activist #LaxmiAgarwal Shooting starts today in Delhi.. #MeghnaGulzar directs.. pic.twitter.com/jQ1WmAWafK  Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) March 25, 2019

Later, Deepika too shared the first look on social media along with the release date.

The acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal was attacked way back in 2005 when she was only 15. The 32-year-old assailant was known to the family and after Laxmi rejected his advances, he attacked her.

This will be Deepika's first film after Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period drama 'Padmaavat'. With this movie, the actress is also venturing into production. This is the first time that Deepika will be seen playing a character based on real-life.






Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes, right, congratulates Brazilian-born designer Carol Ji-young Lee on winning a logo design contest, March 19. / Embassy of Brazil



Joint logo launched to mark diplomatic relations



By Yi Whan-woo





A logo designed by Brazilian-born designer Carol Ji-young Lee to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Korea / Embassy of Brazil

Two Korean immigrants in Brazil proved a good example of how bilateral relations have developed, when the Brazilian Embassy in Seoul began a series of celebrations last week to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the countries.

On March 19, Brazilian-born designer Carol Ji-young Lee received an award at the embassy for winning a logo design contest for the anniversary.

Also on the same day, the embassy hosted the opening ceremony for an art exhibition by Jeon Ok-hee, an office worker-turned-painter who has lived in Sao Paulo for 25 years.

Titled "We are one," the exhibition features 42 of Jeon's drawings that depict women in Bahia in Brazil's northeast, its children, countryside and rural lifestyle.

"The logo contest was an unprecedented joint initiative by the two embassies (in Korea and Brazil) to inaugurate the celebrations of the 60th anniversary in 2019," Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes said after presenting Lee the award certificate at his office.

Lee also received a gift certificate worth 1 million won ($880).

Lee's design was among the 243 proposals submitted by 173 contestants from Brazil and Korea.

The logo highlights the number 60 inspired by a red and blue circle on the Korean flag and a blue disc, a yellow rhombus and a green field on the Brazilian flag.

The ambassador said Lee's design best symbolized the 60th anniversary "from an aesthetic and visual point of view."

"In addition, we considered that it was also an original and easily understandable symbol," he added.

The logo will be used throughout the year in Korea and Brazil for celebratory events and promotional goods.

Also joining the award ceremony was Jo Yung-joon, director-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau.

Lee moved to Busan eight years ago.





Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Luis Henrique Sobreira Lopes, second from right, poses with artist Jeon Ok-hee, second from left, Director-General Jo Yung-joon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, left, and Korea Brazil Society President Choi Shin-won at the opening ceremony of Jeon's art exhibition in the embassy's main hall, March 19. / Embassy of Brazil



The opening ceremony for Jeon Ok-hee's exhibition took place at the embassy's main hall. The exhibition will run through May 19.

The ambassador noted that Jeon, through her works, "has been contributing to bringing Brazil and Korea closer" and therefore was appropriate for this year's cultural programs aimed at strengthening bilateral bonds.

In the first of four categories, Jeon depicts the simple life of women in Bahia concisely yet distinctively.

The paintings of Brazilian children highlight their purity and innocence by portraying them vividly while simplifying the scenery surrounding them.

Jeon expresses the bright and relaxing features of Brazil's rural landscape to help viewers feel comfortable and calm.

The last category portrays the quiet and natural aspects of Brazil's rural lifestyle.

The exhibition attracted other ambassadors, many from Latin America and the Caribbean, and Korea Brazil Society members including President Choi Shin-won.

Jeon formerly worked at Hankook Tire. She and her family decided to live in Brazil while working at the firm's branch office there.

Other major cultural programs this year include "Dear Amazon" contemporary art exhibition (May), "Rio Carnival" photo exhibition by Omar Montenegro (June), a concert by the Assad Brothers (July), an Independence Day festival (September), a sculpture exhibition by Jac Leirner (September) and a film festival (October).
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday extended interim protection from arrest granted to P Chidambaram, son Karti in Aircel-Maxis cases till April 26.

Earlier it was scheduled for March 25.

Chidambaram, then Union finance minister, allegedly gave Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB)approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI in March 2006 even though he was empowered to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore. Beyond the said limi it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

The CBI is probing how Chidambaram granted a FIPB approval to a foreign firm, when only the CCEA was empowered to do it.

The senior Congress leader's role has come under the scanner of investigating agencies in the Rs 3,500-crore Aircel-Maxis deal and the INX Media case involving Rs 305 crore.

Chidambaram had filed the plea for protection from arrest in the ED case on May 30 last year after which he got relief from the court on various occasions.

ED had on October 25 had filed charge sheet against Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis money laundering case, accusing him of conspiring with foreign investors to clear their venture.
New Delhi: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates praised Wipro Chairman Azim Premji for his contribution to society as a philanthropist.

Gates took to twitter to acknowledge Premji's commitment towards philanthropy, saying that he gets inspired by the IT czar. He tweeted:

Im inspired by Azim Premjis continued commitment to philanthropy. His latest contribution will make a tremendous impact. https://t.co/IOTiHxtivw  Bill Gates (@BillGates) March 24, 2019

Earlier this month, Premji, who is also the chairman of Azim Premji Foundation, earmarked Rs 52,750 crore to philanthropy. This action is in addition to his earlier donations to philanthropy, which included Wipro's shares, as well as other assets owned by him.

With this action, the total value of the philanthropic endowment corpus contributed by Mr. Premji is -Rs 1,45,000 crores (-UD 21 billion), which includes 67% of economic ownership of Wipro Limited, the company had said in a BSE filing.

The Azim Premji Foundation works directly in education and supports other not-for-profits working in some specific areas through multi-year financial grants. The Foundation has also set up the Azim Premji University in Bangalore for developing outstanding professionals in the domains of education and related areas of human development for the entire country.

Last year, Premji was also awarded with the highest French civilian award Chevalier del la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) for his contribution to society as a philanthropist through the Azim Premji Foundation and University.
New Delhi: Jet Airways founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal on Monday stepped down from the company's board, the company said in a BSE filing on Monday.

Goyal who set up the company with his wife in 1993, would also cease to be the chairman, the filing said. Meanwhile, one nominee of Gulf carrier Etihad, which owns 24 percent, will also step down from board.

The company further said that a resolution plan being formulated by a consortium of domestic lenders led by State Bank of India in accordance with the guidelines set out under the Reserve Bank of India on. Under this, an Interim Management Committee will be constituted at the instructions of the Lenders to manage and monitor the daily operations and cashflow of the Company

Jet, battling acute financial woes estimated to be more than Rs 8,000 crore, is looking at all possible options. The liquidity crunch has not only forced the Airline to ground aircraft leading to cancellation of several flights, it has also caused delayed salary payments to its pilots, engineers and other senior staff.

Jet said said there will be immediate funding support by lenders for the cash-strapped airline.

Immediate Funding support of upto Rs 1500 crore by Lenders by way of issue of appropriate debt instrument against security of its assets which will restore normalcy to Company's level of operations, the company said.

The board has also approved issue of 11.4 crore equity shares to the Airline's lenders upon debt to equity conversion of Re 1/ of the outstanding debt.
Several students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday evening tried to forcibly enter the residence of Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, in protest over admission policy, resulting in a scuffle.

A march was to take place to the residence of VC Kumar and the students had reached his residence at 7 pm but he was not present. They wanted to enter his residence but were stopped by the security guards and a scuffle ensued. The DCP too was present at the site.

At that time only the wife of the VC was at home as VC Kumar had gone for a meeting. She has been hospitalised for mental trauma.

After some time the students dispersed to their hostels. No police complaint has been filed. The situation has been brought under control now.

The Delhi Police said, "There was a call for march till the JNU VC's house today. Students reached his house and tried to enter. They were stopped by the security staff. So far most of the students have gone back to their hostel. Few of them are still there. The situation is under control."

VC Kumar took to Twitter and spoke about the situation.

He tweeted, "Few hundred students have broken into my residence at JNU and have confined my wife inside the house. She is alone at home and terrified. Very unfortunate. This evening few hundred students forcibly broke into my JNU residence and confined my wife inside the home for several hours while I was away in a meeting. Is it the way to protest? Terrorising a lonely lady at home?"

The students had been on a hunger strike for a week to protest against the varsity's decision to hold online entrance exams and several other issues. Demanding the vice-chancellor to take cognisance of the issues being raised by them started their indefinite hunger strike on March 19.

The decision to impose online examination to all courses, including MPhil and PhD, disregarding the opinions of the teachers and students who pointed to the problems of accessibility and pedagogical limits in having such an admission process is one of the issues the students' union wants a discussion on.

The other issues include the decision to delink the integrated MPhil-PhD program without any deliberation or discussion in the academic council meeting and the decision to do away with BA second year admission.

The JNUSU had also demanded that VC Kumar be removed.
New Delhi: The finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday said liquidity situation of the economy is comfortable and it will be boosted further by Rs 35,000 crore through the rupee-dollar swap window.

Liquidity situation is comfortable now, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg told reporters here.

Asked about the new tool of rupee-dollar swap arrangement by the RBI to infuse liquidity, Garg said it is a "sound move (by the RBI)".

According to a senior official of the RBI, the liquidity position in the system is comfortable and the central bank is constantly monitoring the situation in the system.

"At the moment, I don't think there is any issue with regard to liquidity in the market. If some people are not getting financing then it is probably because of their balance sheet problem," the official said.

The rupee-dollar swap auction announced by the RBI, earlier in March, will infuse Rs 35,000 crore in domestic liquidity on Tuesday, the official said.

The auction of USD 5 billion for a tenure of three years will be conducted on Tuesday.
New Delhi: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Monday said he will be meeting heads of payments banks later this week to understand their issues and concerns.

As many as seven payments banks have commenced their operations.

He also said that guidelines on regulatory sandbox will be issued in the next two months to promote FinTech in the country.

A sandbox approach means experimenting and learning before finally adopting a technology or system. This approach helps in containing the impact of failures.
The Centre has decided to improve infrastructure and connectivity in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The development projects are aimed at augmenting the physical infrastructure in terms of road, air and sea connectivity, improving electricity generation and mobile and internet connectivity as well as economic development through tourism promotion.

The key sectors identified for the development of Andaman and Nicobar Islands include infrastructure, tourism, green energy and skill development.

Five islands here have been identified for the HDI project and another 12 islands will be added later. Improvement of connectivity has been given the top priority, to promote tourism.

Air connectivity

With civil works completed at Diglipur Airport on the northern tip of Andaman, air operations by Andaman Airways are set to commence from June. Port Blair has been declared as an authorized immigration check post for entry to/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers.

Seaplane operations

Bidding has been opened for seaplane operations at four locations in Andamans (Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep, Hut Bay and Long Island) under the UDAAN Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Road connectivity

The lifeline of the Andamans - the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) is all set to receive an upgrade following the grant of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance in December of 2018 for the Middle Strait Bridge. 'In principle' approval has also been obtained for Chatham-Bambooflat bridge in Port Blair in fulfilment of a long-standing demand of the island residents.

Tourism promotion

Four tourism-based projects have been developed as 'ready to launch' projects under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Also paving the way for 'Ease of Tourism', 30 islands have been exempted from the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) regime. A requirement of mandatory registration of foreigners arriving in the island within 24 hours of their entry has also been done away with.

Green Energy

As the islands are environmentally very sensitive, maximum use of renewable energy has been given a high priority. Two solar energy plants with a total capacity of 45 MW [20 MW by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and 25 MW by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) are under implementation. UT Administration has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the NTPC for a 50 MW LNG-based power plant.

Telecommunications

Work has commenced for the laying of a submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Chennai and Port Blair and eight other islands. The project is likely to be completed by June of 2020, after which unlimited bandwidth shall be available here.
At least two alleged terrorists were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Bihar police on Monday in Patna.

They are said to be affiliated with the terrorist organisations, the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD).

The Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh is a terrorist organisation operating in Bangladesh and the ISBD has been actively growing in Bangladesh.

According to the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police Kundan Krishnan, the investigation revealed that the duo are residents of Bangladesh.

Incriminating material has been recovered from them, added ADG Krishnan.

"Two suspicious persons were apprehended today (Monday), during interrogation it was revealed that they were Bangladeshi citizens and affiliated to Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen. Incriminating material has been recovered," said ADG Krishnan.

Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is a special police force.
A Delhi court on Monday allowed alleged middleman Rajiv Saxena to become an approver in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed Saxena`s plea seeking a pardon after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) supported his application.

The ED said that it had examined Saxena`s statement and that he would be an important witness in the case.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) security agencies had picked up Saxena from his Dubai residence on January 30 and extradited him to India the same night. He was granted bail on medical grounds last week. The ED did not oppose his bail application.

According to the ED, Saxena, in connivance with lawyer Gautam Khaitan, provided the global corporate structure that laundered money for payment to various political leaders, bureaucrats and Indian Air Force (IAF) officials in order to influence the contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers in favour of AgustaWestland, the Rome headquartered helicopter design and manufacturing company.

with IANS inputs






Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rahim Hayat Qureshi, 10th from left, and First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, ninth from left, pose with other ambassadors during a reception to celebrate Pakistan's Republic Day at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, March 18. / Embassy of Pakistan





By Yi Whan-woo



The Embassy of Pakistan in Korea, marking the 79th anniversary of the country's Republic Day on March 23, underscored its efforts to bolster the economy and attract foreign investment.

Before about 400 guests, the anniversary reception at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul last week showed slide images related to Pakistan's infrastructure and tourist attractions, together with what it called elements of an "emerging Pakistan."

Among the tourist attractions in Pakistani capital of Islamabad was Faisal Mosque, one of Asia's largest mosques featuring a contemporary design inspired by a Bedouin tent.

From the country's most populous city, Karachi, was Jinnah Mausoleum where the tomb of its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah is located. The second-most populous city, Lahore, has Minar-e-Pakistan tower, UNESCO-inscribed Lahore Fort, and Badshahi Mosque built in the Mughal era.

The embassy also showed images of a highway connecting Islamabad and Lahore and the Indus Basin  the world's largest continuous irrigation system  while highlighting that the country was the world's seventh- largest sugar producer and Asia's the eighth-largest exporter of textile products.

The embassy referred to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a megaproject connecting Pakistan's Gwadar Port to China's northwestern region of Xinjiang with highways, railways and pipelines, "a game changer" for its economy, despite concerns that CPEC has put Pakistan in a debt trap.

"Due to the policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan, there is resounding international optimism about our economy," Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rahim Hayat Qureshi said in his welcoming address.

He called the country's population of 200 million "custodians of a democratic and progressive Pakistan" and said the country "continues to strive for regional peace, stability and prosperity."

Commenting on Pakistan-Korea relations, Ambassador Qureshi pointed out that these dated back more than 1,600 years. He referred to the spread of Buddhism in the ancient kingdom of Baekjae by Monk Maranantha from the Gandhara Civilization in 384 A.D.

Gandhara was an ancient state in present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The envoy said the two countries, after signing their diplomatic treaty in 1983, had developed their ties "from strength to strength in all fields." They included the 10th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) in Seoul last year.

, as well as Korean investment in the automotive, energy, chemicals and consumer goods sectors.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led the Pakistani representatives at the reception.

The Korean delegation was led by First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who was joined by ambassadors and other VIP guests.

We are now moving towards having the third round of Joint Trade Committee consultation for the promotion of bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation," Ambassador Qureshi said.

Cho said close and friendly relations between Pakistan and Korea were underpinned by a strong economic relationship.

Republic Day celebrates the passage of the Lahore Resolution in Lahore on March 23, 1940. It called for the establishment of an independent federation comprising the provinces with a Muslim majority located in the north-western and north-eastern region of British-controlled territories in India. It culminated in the creation of Pakistan in 1947.
Coimbatore: A major fire broke out at a large garbage dump in Vellaloor on the outskirts of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu in the early hours of Monday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) issued in a statement. On request from the state administration, 109 Helicopter Unit (HU) based at Air Force Station in Sulur was pressed into service for the fire fighting operations.

A Mi-17V-5 helicopter was immediately airborne to carry out a reconnaissance of the area for ascertaining the scope and type of fire fighting required, read the statement.

Aerial spraying of water by the Mi-17V-5 helicopter from Air Force Station in Sulur using Bambi buckets to extinguish the fire was underway. The Bambi bucket carried by the Mi-17V-5 helicopter is capable of carrying a maximum of 3,500 litres of water at a time which can be replenished with water from any water body with a depth of just two metres, the statement added.

The focus of the helicopter operation by the IAF was to prevent the spread of fire to contiguous areas before concentrating the effort on dousing it completely. The aerial fire fighting operation by the IAF was carried out in close coordination with the local authorities including the city police.
In a massive shot in the arm for the Indian Air Force, the first four of 15 Chinook helicopters were officially inducted into the force in Chandigarh on Monday.

Part of a $ 15 billion deal signed with the US in 2015, the Chinook helicopters can be a game-changer in carrying out high-altitude transport operations. In addition, the vertical lift capabilities of the helicopter can also be crucial during rescue and relief, firefighting, aircraft recovery, medical evacuation and heavy construction operations.

India is now the 19th country in the world to have Chinook helicopters. Manufactured by Boeing, the helicopters have played a crucial role in many wartime as well as peace operations around the world. Capable of carrying loads weighing 23,000 kilos, the Chinook can carry men and material at high-altitude locations at a maximum speed of 302 kmph. Reduced vibration, powerful engine and vertical lift capabilities are some of what sets these helicopters apart from other military transport helicopters around the world. These also have a range of close to 600 kilometres with night-flying abilities as well. It can also be fitted with missile systems for offensive and defensive actions.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said that the Chinook helicopters will add to the operational abilities of the IAF. "Chinook helicopter can carry out military operations, not only in day but during night too. Induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet," he said.

According to army-technology.com, there are close to 1200 Chinooks in operation in countries like the US, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, Spain and the UK.

These helicopters have shown their capabilities in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday sought details from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad following reports of abduction, forced conversion and underage marriages of two Pakistani Hindu girls in Sindh province.

"I have asked the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report," the Minister wrote on Twitter.

The two sisters, aged 15 and 13, were reportedly abducted on the eve of Holi.

India has also shared its concerns through an official note to Pakistan Foreign office sent on Saturday. According to sources, India has said that suitable remedial action is taken by Pakistan to protect and promote safety, security, and welfare of its own citizens, especially from the minority communities.

The incident came to light after their father and brother said in videos that went viral on social media that the two were kidnapped and forced to embrace Islam.

In a separate video, however, the minor girls are heard saying that they accepted Islam of their own free will.

Responding to Sushma Swaraj`s tweet, Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a tweet, said it is his country`s internal issue.

Replying to Chaudhry`s tweet, Sushma Swaraj asked him if giving data on abducted Hindu girls is making them nervous. She attributed the nervousness to a guilty conscience.

"Mr. Minister - I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad about the kidnapping and forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience," she said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered a probe into the incident, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday.

Chaudhry said Khan wanted concrete steps taken to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Hindu community in Pakistan staged protests seeking action against the kidnappers.

Sources said that as per Pakistan media reports, two teenage girls were kidnapped, forced to convert from Hinduism to Islam before being married to Muslim men. The father and the brother of the two minor Hindu sisters, Reena and Raveena, said they have been abducted and forcefully converted on March 20, 2019. The two sisters are from village Hafiz Salman near the town of Daharki in Pakistan`s southern province of Sindh.

The abductions have been allegedly carried out by people from the Kohbar and Malik tribes. Separately, there have been Pakistan media reports of abduction and forced conversion of another minor Hindu girl, Shania from Mirpurkhas also in Pakistan`s southern province of Sindh on March 20. Further details of the Mirpurkhas case are yet to surface, they said.

The sources said that an FIR of the incident was registered in Daharki Police Station on behalf of the victims` brother.

They said that the case of two Hindu girls from Sindh is one of many cases of forced conversion and marriage of underage Hindu girls to Muslim men, which are repeated in villages of districts of Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar and Umerkot in Sindh (close to Indian border) from time to time, many of which go unreported.

These three districts Mirpurkhas (33 per cent Hindus), Tharparkar (36 per cent Hindus) and Umerkot (49 per cent Hindus) contribute to the significant Hindu community in Sindh.
The Indian Air Force on Monday inducted the first four of 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers in Chandigarh.

Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa inducted the helicopters into the force which would now be used for deploying troops and machinery at high-altitude locations. "The country faces multiple security challenges. We require vertical lift capability across a diversified terrain. Chinook has been procured with India-specific enhancements, it's a national asset," Dhanoa said at the event.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa: Chinook helicopter can carry out military operations, not only in day but during night too; another unit will be created for the East in Dinjan (Assam). Induction of Chinook will be a game changer the way Rafale is going to be in the fighter fleet. pic.twitter.com/TxJgJt8h5P  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

India, in September of 2015, had signed a USD 1.5 billion deal with the US for the 15 Chinook helicopters. The first four of these had arrived from the US at Gujarat's Mundra Port last month. From here, they were transported to Chandigarh.

India now becomes the 19th country in the world to make use of these helicopters which are vital in carrying out high-altitude transport operations. Capable of carrying cargo weiging up to around 23,000 kilos, the Chinook helicopter has a max speed of 302 kmph.

Apart from using these for transport-related operations, Chinook helicopter can also be used during military operations as well as for rescue missions.
A missing report was lodged at Police Station Vilgam in which it was reported that the three boys from the neighbouring village of Dohama were missing. During the course of the investigation, it surfaced that the three - along with the other friends, had left their home for Handwara town. While most of them returned, the three mentioned above did not.

Handwara police immediately initiated searches and eventually managed to trace the three missing boys in Srinagar. Why the boys went missing is not clear yet and is being investigated. They, however, were handed over to their respective families after counselling.

Meanwhile, people in the area have hailed the prompt action of Handwara police.

Last year, a Kashmiri youth who had gone missing from a university in Uttar Pradesh and had reportedly joined terrorist group Islamic State, had returned home. Ehtisham Bilal Sofi, who had gone missing from Sharda University in Greater Noida and had reportedly joined ISJK, returned to his home at Khanyar in Srinagar.
Indian Air Force (IAF) will receive a massive boost in its combat capability with the induction of the Rafale fighter and Pakistan will not come anywhere near the Line of Control or the international border, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa said on Monday.

Calling the twin-engine Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) Rafale jet superior to any fighter in the arsenal of either the Pakistani Air Force or China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, ACM Dhanoa pointed out that once "the Rafale comes in, the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold". The first Rafale jet will arrive in Indian in September 2019.

"I have said earlier also (that) it is giving you a tremendous capability jump. It is superior to all the aircraft in the inventory of both our adversaries. Once Rafale comes in it will ensure the deterrence of our air defence will increase manifold and they will not come anywhere near our LoC," said the IAF top gun.

India is buying 36 Rafale fighters from France's Dassault Aviation a part of its effort to modernise the IAF arsenal. While the first Rafale will join the IAF in September 2019, the 36th jet will land in India in 2022.

The Rafale was the star attraction during February 20-24, 2019, Aero India show at Bengaluru's Yelahanka Air Force Station. The French Air Force had come with three Rafale jets for the biennial show.

At 15.3 metres long with a width of 10.9 metres and 5.34 metres high, the Rafale is not the biggest fighter but one of the most versatile 4++ generation aircraft in the world currently. The empty aircraft weight of Rafale is 9,500 kg while a fully loaded and the armed plane will weigh 24,500 kg which can carry out air superiority, air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence missions.

The Rafale has 14 hardpoints out of which five can carry drop tanks and heavy ordnance. With the capability to carry missiles and bombs weighing up to 9000 kgs, the Rafale can operate the MICA air-to-air Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles, in their IR (heat-seeking) and EM (active radar homing) versions. The MICA missile can also be used within visual range (WVR) too.

The other weapons that Rafale can fire are the HAMMER (Highly Agile and Maneuverable Munition Extended Range) modular, rocket-boosted air-to-ground precision-guided weapon series, fitted with INS/GPS or INS/GPS/IIR (imaging infra-red) guidance kits, or with INS/GPS/laser guidance kit.

The SCALP long-range stand-off missile, AM39 EXOCET anti-ship missile, laser-guided bombs, 2500 rounds/minute NEXTER 30M791 30 mm internal cannon as well as the upcoming METEOR long-range air-to-air missile which can hit targets over 100 kilometres away.
New Delhi: In what could come as bad news for Akhilesh and Mulayam Yadav before the Lok Sabha 2019 election, the Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to CBI regarding the probe it had carried out into alleged disproportionate assets of the two political leaders.

Acting on a petition filed in the top court seeing direction to CBI on the status report of its investigations, a bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi gave the investigative agency two weeks to reply in the matter. Vishwanath Chaturvedi, the petitioner, had demanded that the CBI submit a report on the action it took, as per SC orders in 2007 and 2012, into investigations against Akhilesh and Mulayam.

The CBI probe against the father-son duo was ordered during the Congress-led UPA government's tenure.

In 2007, the top court had ordered the CBI to go ahead with the probe against Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in a disproportionate assets case.

The top court ordered a CBI inquiry on March 1, 2007, into the alleged accumulation of disproportionate assets by the Yadav family, on public interest litigation (PIL) by an advocate, Vishwanath Chaturvedi, reportedly a Congress leader.

The apex court, however, dropped the CBI probe against Dimple Yadav, daughter-in-law of Mulayam and wife of Akhilesh, saying that she was not holding any public office and she was only a private person holding no position.

The top court had ordered a CBI inquiry against the Yadav family in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Chaturvedi, reportedly a Congress leader.

Akhilesh, now SP president, has accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of misusing the CBI for political vendetta.
In a not-so-subtle rebuke to Congress over seat-sharing arrangement in Karnataka for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, HD Kumaraswamy said on Sunday that he and his party workers won't create

impediments even if Congress does.

JDS and Congress are in alliance in Karnataka for the upcoming election but have reportedly had differences galore over which party will contest from where. And Kumaraswamy clearly is unimpressed with the rather uneasy political friendship. "Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let JDS workers do the same," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI in Mandya. "Country is important for me. No matter how much they backstab my candidates, JDS workers and I won't do the same."

Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy in Mandya yesterday: Few people in Congress tried to create speed breakers for my candidates. I won't let JDS workers do the same. Country is important for me. No matter how much they back stab my candidates, JDS workers and I won't do the same. pic.twitter.com/9BLaNdZGMn  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Kumaraswamy had previously said that he won't be pleading for seats to contest from and had also said that some of the Congress leaders are opposed to his son - Nikhil Kumaraswamy - contesting as a coalition candidate from Mandya.

Tumkur too has emerged as a point of friction with reports that not everyone within Congress is fine with the party giving up the seat for JDS despite having a sitting MP there.

Meanwhile, JDS is learnt to have given up the key constituency of Bengaluru North to Congress in a bid to calm frayed nerves.

@INCIndia is thankful to Shri H D Deve Gowda ji and the JD(S) for their kind gesture of giving back the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. Together, let us reclaim democracy.  K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) March 24, 2019

The BJP, however, has been keeping a close watch on the alliance between Congress and JDS. Friction between the two parties is expected to be of enormous help to BJP in Karnataka.
Akbaruddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen on Sunday launched yet another brazen attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed that the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign is only an electoral gimmick.

BJP leaders, including PM Modi, had prefixed 'chowkidar' (watchman) to their Twitter names earlier this month in a bid to create an emotional connection with people at large. PM Modi himself has said on several occasions that he is the chowkidar of the country and serves to protect its best interests. It is a claim that rival political leaders, including Akbaruddin, have repeatedly questioned. "I've seen on Twitter 'Chowkidar Narendra Modi'. He should also mention 'chowkidar' in his Aadhaar card and passport. We want a PM, not a chaiwala or pakodewala," he said at an event in Hyderabad.

This is not the first time that Akbaruddin, the younger brother of Asauddin Owaisi, has taken potshots at PM Modi. He has also hurled insults and abuses galore at him and other BJP leaders like Yogi Adityanath.

In December of last year, he had warned Adutyanath to take care of Uttar Pradesh and not venture into Andhra Pradesh politics. At an event, he had also said that PM Modi is using claims of being a chaiwala to further his political ambitions. "We need a PM, not a chaiwala," he had said.
Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that Congress will give a yearly sum of Rs 72,000 to India's 20% of the poorest if the party is voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha 2019 election.

Addressing a press conference after the Congress Working Committee meet in New Delhi, Rahul said that the Congress is concerned about the country's poor and has the vision to address the issue. "Congress party promises that India's 20%,most poor families will get yearly 72,000 rupees in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme," he said. "Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from this scheme. All calculations have been done. There is no such scheme anywhere else in the world."

The Congress president then launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "If PM Modi can give money to India's rich, we too can give money to the country's poor," he said, adding that the scheme would be for families earning less than Rs 12,000 per month.

Congress' Minimum Income Scheme, according to Rahul, forms a major part of the party manifesto. "The manifesto covers a wide range of issues and topics but eradicating poverty has been given special attention in it."

The call to eradicate poverty bears resemblance to Indira Gandhi's 'Garibi Hatao' program which was also taken up by Rajiv Gandhi.

The BJP has often accused Congress of making tall promises but not acting on them. The party has said that while Congress believes in dynastic politics, the Modi government has actually worked for the common man.
Former Environment Minister Kim Eun-kyung appears at the Seoul Eastern District Court, Monday, for a hearing that will decide on her arrest on charge of abuse of power. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



The prosecution is expanding its investigation into the environment ministry's alleged "blacklist" to the presidential office as it is considering questioning a presidential secretary in charge of personnel affairs.



Since the main opposition Liberty Korea Party raised the allegation last December, prosecutors have confirmed some cases pertaining to a political purge. The ministry allegedly compelled 24 senior officials at its eight affiliated organizations appointed by the previous administration to step down so the posts could be filled with people loyal to the current government.



On Monday, the Seoul Eastern District Court held a hearing to decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for former Minister Kim Eun-kyung on charges of abuse of power after banning her from traveling abroad in February. Kim led the ministry from July 2017 to November 2018.



According to the prosecution, the environment ministry investigated some of the officials who were refusing to step down to uncover individual wrongdoings or business-related mistakes. Following such pressure, a standing auditor at the Korea Environment Corp. (KEC), surnamed Kim, quit in March last year.



Now, believing it is improbable that the ministry did not create the blacklist by itself, the prosecution has been looking into whether Cheong Wa Dae pulled the strings from behind the scenes.



Prosecutors have already questioned two junior officials from the Office of Balanced Personnel Affairs, which is in charge of personnel management for non-economic departments. Now their probe is targeting Balanced Personnel Affairs Secretary Shin Mi-sook.



"We are coordinating the schedule for questioning of secretary Shin," a senior prosecutor said in a media interview, Monday.



The prosecution suspects that Shin's office and the environment ministry were involved in drawing up the alleged blacklist and hiring pro-government figures since the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in government in 2017.



It is alleged that Shin strongly complained to then-vice environment minister after a figure favored by the presidential office was dropped from the screening process in the selection of a KEC standing auditor  a post which became vacant following the former auditor's resignation  last July.



In addition, former Minister Kim said in the early stages of her inauguration that she had no personnel authority over the ministry's affiliates, raising speculation that Cheong Wa Dae may have interfered with the selection of officials at them. This suspicion may make it inevitable for the prosecution to call in Senior Personnel Affairs Secretary Cho Hyun-ock  although the prosecution said nothing has been decided yet regarding him.



If the allegation is proven to be true, it could deal a serious blow to President Moon, who vehemently criticized the former Park Geun-hye administration's drawing up of a blacklist of artists critical of the government.



Regarding the allegation, Cheong Wa Dae has said the ministry's list was a "legitimate act of supervision" of the affiliated organizations.


New Delhi: With just a little over two weeks to go for the first phase of voting in the Lok Sabha 2019 election, the Congress Working Committee has decided to meet and discuss the party's poll preparedness on Monday.

It has been learnt that the top Congress leadership will meet at the party headquarters to take stock of the preparedness ahead of the crucial election. It is likely that Congress also fine-tunes its manifesto, possibly finalising it, before releasing it to the people of the country.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has convened the meeting of the highest decision-making body which had its last meeting in Ahmedabad on March 12. Monday's meeting is likely to be attended by Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Ahmed Patel, AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma, and other others. News agency PTI reported that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia - made party in-charge for UP, will also be present at the crucial meet.

Discussing poll preparedness and giving finishing touches to the manifesto both are expected to be the key topics of discussion.
Lucknow: Veteran actress Jaya Prada is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday. Her probable admission to the saffron party comes barely weeks ahead of the high-pitched Lok Sabha election.

Reports suggest that the actor-turned-politician may contest the Lok Sabha poll from Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh

Jaya Prada is expected to contest the election against Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan.

In 2014 Lok Sabha poll, Dr Nepal Singh of BJP had won from the Rampur seat.

Rampur is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, which was formed before 1957.
New Delhi: India is in the grips of election season with political parties ramping up their efforts to woo voters. With just 17 days left for voting in the first phase, parties are working overtime to perfect their election strategies and reach out to voters in a bid to get their support.

While BJP is hoping to sail through the election and have Narendra Modi as PM for another term, a number of political parties in the rival camp are plotting his downfall. Congress, a party which was nearly destroyed in the last Lok Sabha election, is hoping that Rahul Gandhi is able to take it past the finish line. Regional parties too have national ambitions and could leave a lasting impression on Lok Sabha election 2019.

Thank you, readers, for joining us. Do come again on Tuesday (March 26) for election live updates.

Here are the updates from Monday (March 25):

* Congress releases a list of 26 candidates for Lok Sabha election. Former MP Sanjay Nirupam will contest from Mumbai North-West in Maharashtra.

* Kuppalji Devadoss an independent candidate filed his nomination for Chennai South parliamentary constituency by paying his election security deposit in coins.

Chennai: Kuppalji Devadoss an independent candidate filed his nomination for Chennai South parliamentary constituency by paying his election security deposit in coins. #TamilNadu #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/c5H8wJY8Rf  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

* Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases their election manifesto

* Paralympics Games winner Deepa Malik and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Kehar Singh Rawat joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

* Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan met TMC chief and Chief Minister and Mamata Banerjee. He said, "Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman)."

* Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) releases their election manifesto for the Lok Sabha election.

* Karti Chidambaram files nomination for the Sivaganga parliamentary constituency as the Congress candidate.

* Hema Malini files nomination from Mathura. (Read full report here)

* Rahul Gandhi says that the Congress manifesto covers a wide range of topics and issues but removing poverty is the priority. (Read full report here)

* "Congress party assures that 20% of India's poorest families will be given Rs 72,000 per annum."

- Families earning less than Rs 12,000 per month to be given Rs 72,000 per annum.

- We have discussed this with top economists of the world to come up with this.

- If Modi can give money to the rich, we can give money to the country's poor. 25 crore people will be taken out of poverty.

Rahul Gandhi: Congress party promises that India's 20%,most poor families will get yearly 72,000 rupees in their bank accounts under minimum basic income guarantee scheme pic.twitter.com/cGWcUErPRh  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

* CWC meet has ended. Rahul to address members of the press shortly.

* Supreme Court has junked a petition which sought a ban on road shows, bike rallies before elections. (Read full report here)

* Supreme Court asks Election Commission to file an affidavit by March 28 on why physical verification of VVPAT paper trail should not be extended to more than one polling station per assembly segment: ANI

* Hema Malini offers prayers before filing her nomination:

Mathura: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Mathura Hema Malini offer prayers at Banke Bihari temple, ahead of her filing nomination. pic.twitter.com/G3b0yWIcaX  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 25, 2019

* National Conference-Congress candidate from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, files nomination.

* Congress' Raj Babbar, BJP's VK Singh and Hema Malini to file their nomination papers today for the first phase of Lok Sabha election. The April 11 voting in UP would be conducted in Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzzafarnagar, Bijnor, Meerut, Bagpat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar.

* Sources tell Zee News' Ravi Tripathi that there is a heating argument between Sheila Dikshit and Ajay Maken on the possibility of Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi. In the CWC meeting, both leaders of Congress argue on the merits and demerits of an alliance with AAP. Dikshit is against an alliance, has reportedly questioned Maken's contribution when he was heading the Congress' Delhi unit.

* BJP releases list of candidates for two parliamentary constituencies in Odisha. Mahameghabaham Aira Kharbela Swain to contest from Kandhamal, Prakash Mishra from Cuttack. (Read full report here)

* A decision on whether Congress forms an alliance with AAP in Delhi is likely today at the CWC. Senior party leaders from Delhi attending the meeting.

* Actress-turned-politician Jaya Prada may join BJP. Sources say she could be given a ticket to contest from Rampur.

* CWC meet begins in New Delhi.

* Congress Working Committee meeting to take place in New Delhi to fine-tune manifesto and take stock of poll preparedness.

* Today is the last day for filing nominations.
New Delhi: In the intense battle for digital space, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has an edge over his rivals, including Rahul Gandhi, as his campaign has struck a chord with youths and people from different walks of life, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Monday.

Prime Minister Modi's digital communication approach has been engaging, exhaustive and exemplary, he said.

"PM Modi has addressed a vast diversity of people, from youths to senior citizens and from professionals to housewives. He has also reached out to the fence-sitters while energising his own cadre," the Union Minister said.

The Prime Minister also partnered with celebrities from all fields, hence further amplifying the message, he said.

The 2019 general election is being fought as much on the ground as in the digital space with all major parties, including the BJP and the Congress, stepping up their social media campaigns to reach out to people from all sections.

During the period March 10-22, PM Modi made 125 tweets that garnered 11.24 lakh retweets, a BJP leader said.

His tweets also garnered 57 lakh Twitter engagements and 1,94,640 crore impressions.

Compared with this, Rahul Gandhi made 19 tweets that garnered 1.72 lakh retweets, the BJP leader claimed.

The Congress chief's tweets had a Twitter engagement of 9.8 lakh and impressions of 25,220 crore, the BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

"It's been two weeks since we've seen Narendra Modi address any kind of public meeting. Except for the audio bridge with Chowkidars, he's hardly spoken anything in public. Yet, he's managed to dominate the narrative since the last two weeks, day after day," the BJP leader said.

For the young voters, the Prime Minister has weaved in films and popular culture in his tweets. So, there were references to 'Apna time aayega' (from the film Gully Boy), 'How's the josh' (from Uri: The Surgical Strike) and 'Toilet Ek Prem Katha', the BJP leader said, referring to Bollywood songs and dialogues.

"For the politically inclined janta, his blogs on institutions, Mahatma Gandhi and Congress and Lohia were a master class. His aggressive tweets against the statements of Sam Pitroda got huge traction," the leader said.

Prime Minister's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign is perhaps the most engaging and successful campaign in political history, the BJP leader said.

"It trended worldwide for two days and in India for multiple days. It received more than one crore pledges and 10 crore video views," he said.

PM Modi started tweeting in the year 2009 when he was among the very few leaders of India active on any social media platform. By October 2012, he had over one million followers.

At present, his Twitter account has a whopping 46 million followers.
Jaipur: The BJP said on Monday that before starting his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Rahul Gandhi should tell people why the Rajasthan government failed to fulfil the promises made by his party during the assembly polls.

Former minister Arun Chaturvedi alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state mislead youths over the promise of unemployment allowance and farmers' loan waiver, and deliberately stalled the execution of schemes introduced by the Narendra Modi government.

"The Congress president had promised that farmers' entire loan will be waived in 10 days of the government's formation in the state. Three months have passed but nothing happened. They took vote on promising entire loan waiver but the government failed to deliver," he told reporters.

"The party had also promised unemployment allowance of Rs 3,500 monthly but they announced Rs 3,000 monthly and such a criteria of giving the allowance was fixed that most of the unemployed persons were not able avail the benefit," he said.

Chaturvedi said of the 33 lakh unemployed people in the state, the government announced cover only for one lakh of them.

"No work was done on the ground. Youths and farmers were betrayed by the Congress government. Before beginning his campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi should give the account of works done by the Congress government in Rajasthan," he said.

He said the Centre had announced schemes for the welfare of farmers but the state government showed negligence.

Chaturvedi said the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme was also not implemented in the state.

"Now the government was looking for discontinuing Bhamashah health insurance launched by the former BJP government led by Vasundhara Raje," he alleged.

He said the Congress makes promises just to garner votes every time but nothing happens and the people have understood this.

Gandhi will be addressing public rallies in Suratgarh in Sriganganagar and Bundi district and a meeting of party workers in Jaipur on Tuesday.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking a direction from the court to the Election Commission to ban roadshows and bike rallies during polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed last year`s plea filed by former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Vikram Singh and environmentalist Shaivika Agrawal.

The plea stated that holding such events violated the Commission`s norms and was detrimental to the environment. It said that road shows and bike rallies held during election period causes air and noise pollution and also result in traffic jams which cause inconvenience to the general public.

The top court`s ruling comes ahead of the 17th Lok Sabha elections, which is beginning from April 11 and will be held in seven phases.

Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan's party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), on Monday forged an alliance with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's party, Trinamool Congress (TMC), in the Andaman and Nicobar islands for the Lok Sabha election.

After holding a meeting with CM Banerjee at Howrah's Nabanna, an exuberant Haasan made the announcement saying that he will be campaigning for the TMC candidate in Andaman. He added that he hoped the alliance will evolve in the future.

"The meeting was excellent. We are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate (in Andaman)," said Haasan.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands has only one Lok Sabha constituency which represents the entire Union Territory (UT).

Haasan`s party had recently released its first list of 21 candidates for the Lok Sabha election in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The list did not include Haasan`s name. The MNM will contest all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the coming polls.

"In Tamil Nadu, we have two opposition DMK and AIADMK. BJP is in alliance with AIADMK, so now we have three opposition in Tamil Nadu," said Haasan.

MNM was launched by Haasan on February 21, 2018, from his hometown of Rameswaram.
New Delhi: Actor Jim Sarbh who has created a niche for himself in Bollywood by playing grey characters in films like "Neerja", "Raabta" and "Padmaavat" is back with web series "Made In Heaven".

"There are plenty of projects in my hand right now. I am looking forward to play characters that I have not played so far. It is important for an actor to play different roles," Jim told IANS in recorded responses.

The 31-year-old is currently enjoying praise for portraying Adil Khanna in web series "Made in Heaven", which he says explores reality of society.

"The show is like a great juxtaposition of all those that go on behind beautiful facades. It removes the curtains and make you see the reality of backstage. It shows what actually goes on in a wedding, not just looking perfect from outside. It reflects the integration of modernism and traditionalism," said Jim.

The actor is also on board for other web shows like "House Arrest and "Flip".

To a question whether a web series give more depth to an actor, he said: "It totally depends upon the writing. Be it films or shows or plays, it's the content that matters the most. Good writing is the key.

"Many people make blanket statements that theatre gives you more depth...web shows, films and plays are different. They can give you depth or not depends upon writing," he said.

Jim was recently showstopper for designer Siddartha Tytler at Lotus Make-up India Fashion Week Autumn Winter Week 2019 and walked the ramp in an all-black ensemble.

Asked what's his fashion mantra, Jim said: "A lion has a mane, a peacock has a tail."
New Delhi: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is prepping up for Kalank, has denied contesting Lok Sabha polls.

Issuing a clarification on Twitter, Sanjay wrote, "The rumor about me contesting for the Loksabha elections is not true. I stand with my country and in full support for my sister @PriyaDutt_INC. I urge everyone to come out in maximum numbers and cast their vote for our nation!"

Earlier, Salman had also tweeted to clarify that he is not contesting elections anytime soon. His tweet read, "Contrary to the rumours I am not contesting elections nor campaigning for any political party.."

On the work front, Sanjay will be seen in Karan Johar's magnum opus Kalank and Panipat. Kalank stars Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha and Madhuri Dixit. The film unites Madhuri and Sanjay after twenty long years. They were rumoured to be in a relationship for a very long time.

Kalank will hit the screens on April 17, 2018.
Jaipur: Hundreds paid last tribute to martyred Army jawan Hari Bhakar in Makrana village of Rajasthan's Nagaur after his mortal remains was brought to his hometown. Bhakar lost his life in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on March 23.

His last rites will be performed at his native village on Monday.

Rajasthan: Mortal remains of Army jawan Hari Bhakar, who lost his life in ceasefire violation in Poonch, J&K on 23rd March, brought to his village in Makrana, Nagaur. pic.twitter.com/GnVSNWAZ4E  ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2019

Grenadier Hari Bhakar was part of the 4 Grenadiers Regiment.

The jawan was injured in cross-border shelling at around 4 am on Sunday. Bhakar was immediately shifted to the nearest field hospital, where he succumbed to injuries, officials said.

Pakistani troops opened fire on the Shahpur and Kerni areas in Poonch district at around 5.30 pm on Saturday and it continued intermittently through the night, officials added.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
Anna, a Chinese woman in charge of promoting Burning Sun to Chinese clubbers, appears at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul, March 20, after she tested positive for illegal drug use. Yonhap



By Lee Gyu-lee



The Chinese woman who was in charge of promoting the club Burning Sun to Chinese clubbers has refused to return to her homeland after testing positive for illegal drugs in Korea.



Local media reported Monday that the woman, nicknamed Anna, refused to comply with the Ministry's deportation order and took the issue to court, after she tested positive for ecstasy and ketamine in October.



Anna, who worked at the club between February 2018 and this February, is suspected of not only taking the drugs but also supplying them to customers.




New Delhi: Down with two releases already in 2019, Tamannaah Bhatia has a growing kitty of projects across genres and languages. The actress says being a part of epic two-part drama "Baahubali" not just made her adventurous physically, but also brave in terms of decision making in life.

Telugu film "F2 Fun and Frustration" and Tamil drama "Kanne Kalaimaane" hit the screens earlier this year, and "Devi 2", "That Is Mahalakshmi" as well as "Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy" are in the pipeline for release. Additionally, she has just signed up for one Telugu film, and one in Tamil.

What about any Hindi projects?

"I am not working on anything in Hindi as of now. I am open to doing a lot of Hindi work. But I don't want to do something just because it's Hindi. I want to do a project because it maybe a good film to be a part of. 'Sye Raa...' will be released in Hindi as well. It is mounted like a pan-India film," Tamannaah told IANS of the Chiranjeevi-starrer which has a cameo by megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

All of 29, the actress has been a part of showbiz since her early teens. A majority of her films have been in Tamil and Telugu, but she has done a fair share of Hindi and Kannada films too.

She credits SS Rajamouli's magnum opus "Baahubali", in which she played the feisty warrior Avanthika, for being life-changing for her as an artiste and as a person.

"I was someone who was very scared of heights. I was not someone who was very adventurous. Because I had to do a lot of stunts, and the physicality of the character was very essential in 'Baahubali', my orientation helped me in my personal life. I became a lot more adventurous and brave not just in terms of what I do physically but also in terms of my decision making.

"People started looking me at not just as a commercial heroine, but also an actor, which is essentially what I came here to do. That was what excited me about having a film career, that I could play different people and characters.

"I consciously now choose to do movies which have something interesting for me to do," Tamannaah said in the telephonic interview, asserting how she is on a path of being conscious and cautious about choosing projects.

"As an actor, one has to take that plunge... Some of it works, some of it doesn't. But keep going at it. I think 'Baahubali' gave me an attitude to be able to take risks."

All in all, she is currently soaking in the joy of having a versatile slate of projects.

"There's no one kind of a movie. I am doing quite a mixed bag. I am working on a period film ('Sye Raa...'), I will soon shoot a film with Vishal, which is a completely different characterisation in the Army backdrop. So I am excited about that."

Will that see her doing a lot of action again?

"Well, I don't know how much action, but it will not have the typical female lead running around the trees."
New Delhi: Actor Rana Daggubati is all set to begin shooting for his upcoming film Hiranyakashyipu from June. Pre-production work of the film is going on at a brisk mode since a year and the team is working pretty hard to make sure that everything will be in place when they begin shooting for this mythological film. Five teams at five different places and offices have been working on it. Nearly 17 VFX studios will be working for the graphical content of the film once it is wrapped. Beginning from June, the shoot will be wrapped up as early as possible as the team will have a lot to do with the computer graphics.

Almost a year ago, it was announced that the film will be directed by Gunasekhar of Rudramadevi fame and will be produced by Suresh Babu under Suresh Productions. This film will simultaneously be shot in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. It is also said that the estimated budget of the film is Rs 180 crore.

This will be the second time Rana will be starring in a mythological role. The first one was in Raudramadevi where here played Chalukya Veerabhadra. He received a lot of appreciation for this role. Though his role as Bhallaladeva is not a mythological one, the actor has received a tremendous response for the role. In fact, this film had fetched Rana many more roles to do. He also has Haathi Mere Saathi, Marthanda Varma: King of Travancore, Virata Parvam and other films in his kitty. The actor will begin shooting for this film soon.
Chennai: The DMK on Monday announced it was suspending well-known actor and senior party leader Radharavi for his alleged misogynistic remarks against popular South Indian actor Nayantara.

His remarks at an event had created a furore, with actor Taapsee Pannu and director Vignesh Shivan hitting out at him. A video purportedly showing Radharavi making the remarks had gone viral.

DMK president MK Stalin said the party was a movement that protected women's rights and that the actor's comments were not acceptable to it.

In a tweet, he uploaded party general secretary K Anbazhagan's statement that Radharavi was being "suspended" for bringing disrepute to the DMK.

The statement was carried in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli.'

"Radharavi is being suspended from all party posts, including the primary membership, for violating the party discipline and bringing disrepute to it," Anbazhagan said.

Stalin said such indiscipline from partymen will not be tolerated.

"The remarks by Radharavi, who belongs to the DMK which protects women's rights, about women artistes is not acceptable. It is strongly condemnable," he said.

"Partymen should express opinions in a dignified manner and action will be taken against those violating it," he warned.

Shivan, said to be a close friend of Nayantara, had raised the issue on Twitter, tagging Stalin and DMK MP Kanimozhi and sought action against the "crass and sexist" Radharavi.

He said both Stalin and Kanimozhi had "vociferously" spoken against the Pollachi sexual harassment case and asked "why dont you take stringent action against" the actor too.

Pannu also hit out at the senior actor, saying his remarks were "disgusting".

"This is disgusting beyond words. Who asked him about casting pre-requisites and is he the president of character certificate association? This comes for one of the strongest actresses of the industry (Nayantara), I can only wonder what he might have to say about others," she tweeted.

Nayantara, who has acted with top South Indian stars including Rajinikanth, Vijay and Ajith Kumar, is also known for featuring in women-centred themes like 'Aram' and 'Kolamavu Kokila.'

She had also starred with Telugu star Balakrishna as Seetha in 'Sri Ramarajyam,' a reel depiction of The Ramayana.
The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) has set up bases at the Myanmar-Bangladesh border and is imparting armed training to their cadre to launch massive attacks on Myanmar security forces.

ARSA is a Rohingya insurgent group active in Myanmar. As per the intelligence report, some camps are situated very close to Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Earlier, the Myanmar government also alleged that ARSA has three training camps inside Bangladesh and many Rohingyas are joining them.

In January, six Myanmar Border guards were injured after 10 armed ARSA attackers ambushed a border guard post near Wet Kyein village in Maungdaw township in the north of the Rakhine state.

Bangladesh authorities had denied that Rohingya terror camps are operating inside their territory. On the Bangladesh side the Arakan Army has two bases and ARSA has three bases. Therefore, Myanmar army has lodged a complaint with the Bangladesh military attache over the issue, said Zaw Htay, spokesman for Myanmars Presidents Office, during a press conference in January.

On August 25, 2018, ARSA had issued a statement expressing grave concerns at the sufferings of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and urged all Rohingyas to unite under the common goal of defending the community from the genocidal army and terrorist government in Myanmar. ARSA also mentioned that its legitimate right to protect Rohingyas from persecution, ensuring their return to 'our ancestral land with safety and dignity'

and urged refugees to refrain from indulging and trading in drugs, human trafficking and violence.

As per some report, ARSA is recruiting people from refugees camps in Bangladesh. They are brainwashing and radicalising the Rohingya Muslims and giving them weapons to fight against the Myanmar Army.

Amnesty International in his report blamed ARSA for killing 99 Hindus in Rakhine state.

"A Rohingya armed group brandishing guns and swords is responsible for at least one, and potentially a second, massacre of up to 99 Hindu women, men, and children as well as additional unlawful killings and abductions of Hindu villagers in August 2017. Based on dozens of interviews conducted there and across the border in Bangladesh, as well as photographic evidence analysed by forensic pathologists, the organisation revealed how ARSA fighters sowed fear among Hindus and other ethnic communities with these brutal attacks," Amnesty International revealed.
US President Donald Trump came out all guns blazing against his critics after an investigation into charges of colluding with Russians during the presidential campaign appeared to give him a clean chit.

Findings of special counsel Robert Mueller were submitted to the US Congress in which it was reportedly mentioned that Trump or his associated did not conspire with the Russians to influence the 2016 presidential election. It was a moment of triumph for Trump, who has long been targeted over the matter. "It is a shame hat our country had to go through this. It is a shame your President had to go through this," Trump was quoted as saying by US media in a press conference shortly after. "It was just announced that there was no collusion with Russia - the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, that there was no obstruction and none whatsoever."

Trump also took to Twitter to lash out at those who had questioned him over allegedly being hand-in-glove with the Russians. ""No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!" he wrote on the micro-blogging site.

No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2019

Interestingly, the report mentions that while it does not conclude that Trump committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Mueller has left it to the attorney general to take a final call on whether a crime was committed.

Trump, however, is celebrating because he has maintained that the charges against him - that he colluded with the Russians to influence voters in the US - were fabricated and part of a larger conspiracy to undermine his win over Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016.

The Democrats are unlikely to go down without a fight and have demanded the release of the entire Mueller report.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said Monday his municipal government will provide wholehearted support, including cash, to foreign companies investing in the capital city.







The Seoul Metropolitan Government will create six industrial clusters in the city to accommodate foreign enterprises, Park said in an address at a special luncheon meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, or AMCHAM.







The mayor said he will discuss with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy with regard to offering cash to foreign investors.







Park said he will also strive to ease visa conditions and provide public housing for excellent foreign talent as part of the package of support measures.







He noted his government will advertise the support package for foreign investors in major global media, including the New York Times.







In a question and answer session, executives of AMCHAM member companies expressed concern about Seoul's fine dust air pollution problem and Park said his government is doing its best to resolve the problem that affects not only Seoul but the entire nation.







After hearing that many AMCHAM members supported the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Park asked for the chamber's continued support for a joint bid of Seoul and Pyongyang for the 2032 Summer Olympics.







Park was asked if he will again run for elected office after his term as Seoul's mayor, but didn't give a direct answer. Park was elected to his third term as mayor in local elections last June. In South Korea, the term for local government heads is four years, and they can be reelected up to three terms. (Yonhap)


Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice on March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

NICE, France, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday stressed the importance of maintaining a sound China-France relationship to both countries' long-term development and its potential impact on the world.

Xi, who is paying a state visit to France, made the remarks when meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the southern French city of Nice.

Recalling the history of friendly exchanges between China and France, Xi noted that France is the first major Western country to establish official diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

France, he added, also is the first country to form a strategic partnership and conduct strategic dialogue with China and the first to carry out civilian nuclear-energy cooperation with China.

He pointed to the special significance of his visit, which came at a special year that marks both the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic relations.

Xi spoke of the things that remain unchanged in the face of profound changes in the international situation and bilateral relations.

He said the importance China attaches to its relations with France has not changed. China has always regarded France as a priority partner of cooperation, and the two peoples keep a special friendship, he added.

"This is a valuable asset that we must inherit and carry forward to keep China-France relations at the forefront of the times," Xi said.

Xi went on to say that the common pursuit for peace, development, fairness and justice has not changed.

He said both China and France uphold the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter while practicing multilateralism and opposing protectionism and unilateralism in international affairs.

Both countries are committed to building an open world economy and working together to meet the common challenges facing humanity, Xi said, adding that China and France have cooperated successfully on many occasions in the field of climate change, playing a positive leading role in the world.

The mutually beneficial and win-win nature of China-France cooperation has not changed, Xi said.

"The history of China-France cooperation shows that bilateral ties are not 'a zero-sum game.' The strong complementarity between the two economies will remain for a long time," Xi said, adding that China's sustained development and further opening-up will create a host of new opportunities as well as broader space for bilateral cooperation.

Xi called on the two countries to constantly explore new fields of cooperation, nurture new growth areas for cooperation, and speed up the implementation of the Belt and Road and third-party cooperation projects that have been agreed upon.

"China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication and coordination with France on major issues including the UN affairs, the reform of the World Trade Organization and climate change," Xi said, adding that China always supports European integration and hopes France can play a more active role in leading and promoting China-Europe relations.

Hailing his successful visit to China last year, Macron said that the two countries have been implementing the important consensus reached by him and Xi over the past year, strengthening cooperation on economy, trade, technology and culture.

France pays high attention to the Belt and Road Initiative, regards China as an important strategic cooperation partner, and appreciates China's important role in and contribution to climate change and other international affairs, Macron said.

The French president pledged to further strengthen strategic communication and collaboration with China, and bring into full play the leading role of the France-China comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to jointly safeguard multilateralism and promote world peace and prosperity.

France is the last leg of Xi's three-nation Europe tour that has taken him to Italy and Monaco.

2

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]




By Park Ji-won







Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman, Rep. Lee Hae-chan, left for Vietnam, Monday, for a three-day visit centered on seeking support for President Moon Jae-in's New Southern Policy of improving ties with Southeast Asian nations.







Before departing from Incheon International Airport, Lee told reporters he plans to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vietnam's ruling party to boost political exchanges and cooperation between the two parties.







"Last December, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung visited the DPK and asked us to sign an MOU between ruling parties," Lee said.







"Vietnam is very important for the country's New Southern Policy. It is one of the countries with the most human and trade exchanges with the South and has a large potential among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)."







The trip followed Moon's recent state visits to ASEAN countries such as Brunei, Malaysia and Cambodia to boost ties with them under the New Southern Policy. It aims to widen its diplomatic spectrums and reduce reliance on the neighboring countries for trade and security.







Lee is also expected to follow up on the breakdown of the second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump held in Hanoi, Vietnam last February.







Regarding the summit, he rejected the speculation that his trip was aimed at seeking a post-Hanoi breakthrough in inter-Korean relations and said, "It is aimed to boost exchanges between South Korea and Vietnam separate from inter-Korean relations."







During the trip, Lee plans to meet with Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, he added.







He is also scheduled to visit a Samsung Electronics factory and meet with South Korean businesspeople working there to learn about their business environment and two-way trade between Seoul and Hanoi.







Vietnam has diplomatic relations with both South Korea and North Korea.


Kim Chang-son, chief protocol secretary for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un got out of a vehicle as he arrived at Sheremetyevo International Airport, northwest of the central Moscow, to head for Vladivostok, March 24 (KST). Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



There are signs that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may soon visit Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin, according to North Korea watchers.



Kim Jong-un's chief protocol secretary Kim Chang-son arrived in Vladivostok, Sunday morning (KST) after a five-day visit to Moscow. Secretary Kim, also known as the "chief butler" for the North Korean leader, departed from Sheremetyevo International Airport, northwest of central Moscow on Russia's Aeroflot flight SU 1700.



"Secretary Kim's visit to Vladivostok is viewed as a necessary step ahead of the upcoming Kim-Putin summit as he was in Singapore and Vietnam shortly before the two Kim-Trump summits and inspected hotels and other accommodation for the North's delegation," a government official here said.



On March 4, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was expecting to finalize the date of Kim Jong-un's visit and added an agreement will be made "in the near future" as contacts have been ongoing through diplomatic channels.






Seen above is the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong, North Korea. Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



Some North Korean staff returned to the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong, Monday, three days after Pyongyang made an abrupt decision to pull out all of its personnel there, according to the unification ministry.



"At around 8:10 a.m., some North Korean officials came back to work at the office," an official from the Ministry of Unification said.



He added that the inter-Korean communication channel was now again working properly. The North delivered its willingness to cooperate in joint projects with the South in line with a series of recent inter-Korean agreements, the official said.



The reason behind the sudden change of stance has not been confirmed, the ministry said. As of Monday afternoon, four to five North Korean officials were known to be working at the office.



The latest move from Pyongyang came two days after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of additional sanctions on the regime Friday (Washington local time). The order came after the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on two Chinese shipping firms, Thursday, for helping the regime avoid international economic sanctions.



The reconciliatory gesture from Trump is expected to have had an effect on the North in reversing its recent decision.



The unification ministry said it would make details public after holding discussions with the North. Pyongyang has yet to issue any reports on the latest decision through its propaganda media outlets.



In recent weeks, the North has shown signs of returning to the past by ramping up provocative rhetoric against the U.S., passing the buck for the breakdown of their recent summit in Hanoi.










South Korea's customs agency has set up a temporary task force, with China, the Philippines and other regional partners, to crack down illegal shipments of waste, an official said Monday.







Participants plan to discuss ways to effectively deal with cases of transboundary movements of waste at an Operational Control Unit in southern Seoul, said Woo Je-guk, an official handling the issue at the official of the Korea Customs Service.







Delegations from Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam took part in a joint campaign that is set to end on Friday.







South Korea plans to inform seven other countries and international organizations  Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, India, Japan, Maldives and Singapore, as well as the U.N. Environment Program and the Secretariat of the Basel Convention  of the results of this week's meetings as part of regional efforts to combat illegal shipments of waste, Woo said.







The Basel Convention, a multilateral environmental agreement that went into force in 1992, is meant to combat, among other things, toxic trade. (Yonhap)




By Troy Stangarone





In the most recent report by the U.N. Panel of Experts (UNPE), the 1718 Committee documented the increasing number of ways that North Korea continues to evade U.N. sanctions. However, the report also discusses the unintended consequences of sanctions, one of which is the impact on humanitarian assistance in North Korea.



Aid groups looking to engage in humanitarian activities in North Korea have faced difficulties as the sanctions on the North have increased over the last two years, despite a move by the U.N. to provide exemptions for these.



According to the UNPE, they have faced challenges from the deliberative nature of receiving exemptions from sanctions, delays at customs, a disruption of banking channels, a decline in suppliers willing to provide materials, increases in prices, and reductions in available funds.



Some of these issues are perhaps inevitable. While the report notes some entities still unwittingly work with North Korea, the increased scrutiny of transactions with Pyongyang will inevitably lead to longer times to clear customs as exports are inspected and a decreasing number of suppliers willing to do business related to the North.



At the same time, some of the challenges from sanctions could be minimized. As the sanctions expanded in an effort to pressure North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile tests and return to talks, large categories of goods were prohibited from being exported there.



These are not always complex, dual use goods that could contribute to Pyongyang's weapons programs or that might help it earn hard currency, but mundane items such shovels, hoes, nail clippers, and office supplies such as paper clips.



More complex equipment related to irrigation, harvesting, and water sanitation is also prohibited under U.N. sanctions. This often happens because the U.N. sanctions ban exports of items in whole sections of the harmonized code, which is used to classify exports and imports that include both prohibited items and items which are needed for humanitarian assistance.



To address this challenge, the UNPE recommends creating a whitelist of goods that are approved for humanitarian export. This would be a step forward in separating out items that are humanitarian in nature from those that would either help further Pyongyang's weapons development or help it earn hard currency.



At the same time, legitimate humanitarian assistance needs to be balanced with helping North Korea become self-sufficient. In recent weeks there have been concerns about a food crisis in the North with an expected shortfall in the coming year.



According to North Korea, crop production was down 16 percent last year from 2016 and it is expected to face a shortage of 1.4 million tons of food this year. The U.N. estimates that 10.9 million people are in need of aid.



The good news is that, unlike in prior years, the regime has also been importing increasing quantities of food from China despite exports declining to minimal amounts and its hard currency dwindling. There is also reason to suspect that the growing number of markets help to fill the food gap as well.



When it comes to food aid, there may need to take a more nuanced approach. Where there are real needs for food assistance the international community should be willing to provide assistance. However, it should also be careful not to provide such large amounts of food that aid undermines the growth of the markets and the small scale farmers who provide them with produce.



In this sense, the creation of a whitelist for goods that will help to support agricultural production may be more beneficial than direct food aid. Allowing for the exports of shovels, irrigation equipment, or other supplies that will help North Korea grow food are useful steps that should be pursued.



The nuclear talks with the North could also help alleviate shortages. If the United States and North Korea are able to restart talks after the breakdown in Hanoi and reach an initial understanding, an early area for sanctions relief should be the creation of a mechanism that would allow for Pyongyang to purchase the food it needs.



At times there has been the discussion of developing an escrow account to hold North Korean earnings until dismantlement has reached the point of no return. Funds held in this type of account could be dedicated to the North initially buying food on international markets, but in time, shifting to the purchase of basic equipment and fertilizer to help boost agricultural production domestically.



The U.N. sanctions were never meant to hinder humanitarian aid to North Korea. Steps that the U.N. can take to ease the process, such as a whitelist, should be perused, but the idea of humanitarian aid to North Korea should also go beyond food to what should be provided so it is able to sustain itself.





Troy Stangarone (ts@keia.org) is the senior director of congressional affairs and trade at the Korea Economic Institute.


By Arthur I. Cyr







Being high up in the air, travelling at hundreds of miles per hour, is not the normal human condition. Some of us react to being on an airline flight with intense concern and anxiety, some with death grips on the arm rests, but most of us react with vague sensations of concern.







The fatal crash on March 10 of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 is the sort of tragedy that focuses comprehensive international attention on the inherent risks of flight. For large numbers of people around the globe, that vague sensation becomes focused fear, especially if they will soon be boarding planes themselves.







The fatal flight was supposed to be a routine relatively short trip between Addis Ababa, the headquarters city of the airline, to a landing in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. Instead, the aircraft plunged to the ground after only six minutes in flight, killing all 149 passengers and the 8 members of the crew







The aircraft type, a Boeing 737 Max, was also involved in a similar fatal crash last October. The Indonesia airline Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in almost identical circumstances while on a domestic trip. All 189 people aboard were killed when the aircraft suddenly dived into the Java Sea only 12 minutes after taking off.







With the second air crash involving large fatalities, the international media and politicians have been quick to react. There have been demands for action, investigation, and in particular that the suspect Boeing airplanes be grounded.







At least in institutional terms, both Boeing Corporation and the United States government have been relatively slow responding to this second air tragedy. Boeing quickly provided reassuring statements about safety, and little else. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the plane was safe, certified as such by government inspection.







Scholars of government, known as political scientists, have an established tenet that public regulatory bodies tend to become captives of the industries they are supposed to supervise. The railroad industry is the classic case study. This story appears to provide new evidence, including reports Boeing not the FAA handled safety inspections.







President Donald Trump demonstrated the political instincts that brought him to the White House, overruling bureaucrats corporate and governmental. He grounded the aircraft, as has the rest of the world







Meanwhile, shortly after the latest fatal crash, Boeing filings revealed that chief executive officer Dennis Muilenburg last year received a 27 percent raise, to $23.4 million annually. Executive compensation is a primary function of a corporation's board of directors.







While the increase may be justified by Boeing's profits, the announcement timing and tone demonstrates the tin ear for politics and public relations that characterizes much of corporate America. Impersonal, insensitive finance-driven management ultimately destroys loyalty of workers and the public.







Meanwhile, air travel overall has become safer. During 2017, there were no fatalities from commercial passenger flights anywhere in the world  a first.







There has not been a fatal civilian crash in the United States since 2009. In the U.S. and other advanced economies, air safety has improved steadily.







Deregulation of the airline industry has greatly aided this trend. In this realm as in others, President Jimmy Carter deserves credit for policy success.







Carter appointee Alfred Kahn on the Civil Aeronautics Board pressed airline deregulation and opening of other sectors. Turmoil resulted, but prices declined, efficiencies increased and so did safety.





Free markets properly regulated free people to earn, live better  and travel.









Arthur I. Cyr (

) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War."




By Alex Gratzek



The end of February witnessed the second meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Hanoi, and its failure. Entering into the summit, the diplomatic engagement between North Korea and the United States had been one of the few bright spots of Trump's presidency.



Knowing this, it is not unreasonable to believe Kim thought Trump would seize at any deal, even if it were substandard. The deal offered by Kim called for the easing of sanctions in return for the made-for-TV spectacle of the destruction of an aging nuclear site.



This site was only a small piece of the North Korean nuclear infrastructure. Kim gambled wrong in believing such a spectacle would prove irresistible to Trump.



Despite my previous criticism of Trump, I will give credit where credit is due. He made the right move by leaving the summit rather than get suckered into a shoddy deal. The early departure echoed President Ronald Reagan when he simply walked out of a summit with former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Reykjavik in 1986.



From the looks of things, it appears that Kim has proven to be a feckless negotiator as were his father and grandfather before him. Prior to their first summit, Kim announced the destruction of the nuclear testing site at Punggry-ri as a show of good faith.



Such an action should be taken with a pinch of salt as it's widely believed the only destruction wrought was a cosmetic destruction of the tunnel entrances while leaving the rest of the facility undamaged and easy to reopen. No inspectors were ever allowed in to verify the "destruction" despite Kim's proclamations that they would be allowed to do so.



Furthermore, American intelligence officials believe that between the two summits, Kim continued building weapons and expanding the nuclear infrastructure of North Korea. Surely these can't be considered the actions of a leader who was intent on truly bargaining away his nuclear weapons to gain economic development.



What will be interesting to see will be Kim's reaction to the failed summit. Upon coming to power, he promised the citizens of North Korea that they would never have to tighten their belts again. The lack of relief from the most stringent sanctions North Korea has ever experienced puts Kim in a bind as he has failed to deliver.



Now, reports are coming out that North Korea is preparing the launch pad at Sohae for missile tests in the wake of the failed summit. This launchpad was supposed to have been previously dismantled or demolished. Time will tell if this is just a ploy to pressure Trump to make concessions or if North Korea actually follows through in order to put the spotlight back on itself.



Whatever happens, the choice is North Korea's. It can choose to maintain the slightly improved relations as seen by the a cessation of joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, its own stoppage of nuclear and missile testing along with the halting of vitriolic rhetoric from both sides.



This would not destroy the atmosphere that has allowed for negotiations and summits to have taken place. Negotiations between lower level officials could still continue.



If it launches the missile in a provocative move, then the likely countermove would be the resumption of joint military exercises coupled with attempts to emplace even tighter sanctions and the escalation of rhetorical warfare. It would bring us back to where we were a year ago before the warming of relations in the build-up to the Olympics.



If that is the case, then the most recent round of negotiations will have come full circle. Every other negotiation for the past 30 years has followed a similar trajectory. It is time to begin to think of a radical approach to dealing with North Korea as the traditional approach of negotiations has proven fruitless time and time again.





Alex Gratzek is an American who has lived, studied and worked in South Korea. Contact him at ajgratzek@gmail.com.


By Trudy Rubin







The mass murderer of 51 worshipers in New Zealand mosques issued a manifesto in which he asked himself this question: "Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?"







His answer: "As a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose? Sure. As a policymaker and leader? Dear god no."







In other words, there was no linear connection between Trump and the New Zealand massacre, nor can he be directly blamed for the carnage. Yet Trump has become an important symbol for white nationalists and bigots in America, and for autocrats worldwide.







The New Zealand tragedy is only the latest illustration.







The United States, which inspired would-be democrats abroad for decades, is now led by a president who inspires anti-democratic movements.







Look no further than his response to the New Zealand tragedy for the latest illustration of this dangerous trend. When asked if he viewed white nationalism as a rising global threat, Trump replied: "I don't really. I think it's a small group of people ..."







The president studiously ignores statistics from respected U.S. groups that track extremism.







According to the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), there was a 182 percent increase in white supremacist propaganda incidents in the last year, with 1,187 cases reported, compared with 421 in 2017. At least 91 white supremacist rallies were held in 2018, up from 76 the previous year.







The ADL also says that in the U.S. in 2018, "every single extremist killing  from Pittsburgh to Parkland  had a link to right-wing extremism." There were 50 such murders.







Add to that, the Southern Poverty Law Center, a diligent tracker of far-right extremists, says the U.S. had more hate groups last year than at any time in the last two decades, with "a 30 percent increase with Trump's campaign and presidency."



Get the trend?







Yet rather than denounce far-right bigotry after the New Zealand slaughter, Trump tweeted a storm of support for Judge Jeanine Pirro, who was briefly suspended by Fox News for anti-Muslim slurs. He retweeted kooky far-right Trumpsters who promote the crazy QAnon conspiracy theory detailing a secret plot by an alleged "deep state" against him.







Just before New Zealand, he told far-right Breitbart News that he had "the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump," to play it tough against his opponents if need be, and "then it would be very bad, very bad."







His fact-free tweets about "stolen elections" hint at future incitement to violence should he lose in 2020. A further yellow light to violent extremists.







Of course, we have become inured to this behavior from a president who famously insisted some neo-Nazis at the torch-lit parade in Charlottesville, Va., were "fine people." No need to reprise his support of the "birther" lies about President Barack Obama, or his racist comments about immigrants.







But experts on extremism warn against downplaying the impact of the president's words in egging on extremists.







"It modifies what is considered permissible," says Harvard's Steven Levitsky, co-author of How Democracies Die. "Trump is defining deviancy down, and things thought unimaginable are suddenly imaginable. A congressman body-slams a reporter, and this is praised by the U.S. president. That shapes opinion."







Warns the ADL's deputy national director, Kenneth Jacobson: "For a long time, the view was that (right-wing extremists) were a few extreme kooks. It's not clear their numbers are growing substantially, but there is the growing sense that this is their moment and they may be able to act things out."







Rather than stem the tides of far-right extremism, Trump drives them higher like a bright new moon.







The president has also become a lodestar for anti-democratic leaders and movements in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. We've gotten used to his fulsome praise for Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping, and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, accompanied by consistent nastiness to democratic allies.







Trump is clearly far more comfortable schmoozing with a clone like Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an open admirer of his country's past military dictators, than with democrats like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.







The damage done by Trump's autocrat envy to America's image and influence cannot be overestimated. "We prided ourselves in the '50s and '60s as a model for democracy," says Levitsky. "If there are ugly folks in the White House, that can have the opposite effect."







The anti-democratic example Trump sets worldwide is glaring. Example: his constant denigration of responsible media as "fake news" and the "real enemy of the people." That term has been adopted by autocrats to persecute press critics, from Poland to the Philippines to Moscow (where many journalists have been murdered). Just this week, Trump said he was "very proud" to hear Bolsonaro use the term fake news.







Such language has consequences. It inspires strongmen who jail or murder journalists. Think Jamal Khashoggi.







So when the New Zealand killer cites the U.S. president as a symbol for white supremacists, pay attention. This is how low the presidency has sunk under Trump.









Trudy Rubin (





trubin@phillynews.com ) is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her commentary was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Time to heal wounds of citizens hit by manmade disaster



The southeastern port city of Pohang has earned the dishonorable nickname of "dangerous city" in the wake of the 2017 earthquake, the second-worst seismic event in the country. The quake left 118 people injured and caused damages of 84.5 billion won ($75 million). A considerable number of residents are still living in groups in gymnasiums due to the possibility of their homes collapsing.



Eighty percent of its citizens are complaining of "mental damage," while 42 percent of them are still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the 5.4-magnitude tremor triggered by Korea's first experimental geothermal plant, according to a year-long study by a team of government-commissioned experts from home and abroad.



It is no wonder that the citizens are furious at the government, arguing that it did not care about their lives and property when constructing an experimental power plant relying on the Earth's internal heat to generate clean and cheap energy.



What the government, the National Assembly and the people have to do right now is heal the wounds of Pohang residents and help them recover as soon as possible from the suffering caused by the manmade disaster.



The government and the Assembly need to closely cooperate in formulating special legislation to compensate the residents for their suffering and to free them of any fear that the earthquake event could recur. A more in-depth investigation should be conducted to determine who is responsible for the absurd incident.



In particular, President Moon Jae-in, even if his government is not directly responsible for the calamity, needs to visit the city to apologize to the citizens and to comfort them as the leader of the nation.



We should take the unprecedented disaster as a stern warning. Even if we do not damage nature, a quake can still take place at any time. We have to take a lesson from the Pohang temblor.






Authorities should reduce heavy reliance on cheap coal



When it comes to electricity generation, South Korea is highly dependent on coal power. This means that Asia's fourth-largest economy has long adopted the cheapest  but the dirtiest  means to generate electricity. For this, the country has had to pay the price  air pollution.



According to the OECD, the country's coal-fired power plants accounted for 46.2 percent of total electricity generation in 2017, much higher than the average 27.2 percent recorded by the 35 states in the world's rich countries' club. The figure was also higher than the global average of 38.1 percent. Korea's figure is the world's fourth-highest, following South Africa's 87.7 percent, India's 76.2 percent and China's 67.1 percent.



It is no surprise that the heavy reliance on coal put Korea in fourth place in the global list of bad air quality. The average ultrafine dust levels, or PM 2.5, were the highest in India at 90.2, followed by China (53.5), Vietnam (30.3) and Korea (25.1).



Considering the grave nature of air pollution, the Moon Jae-in administration is required to take radical measures to overhaul the country's energy mix and cut down on the use of coal. The government initially decided to shut down aged coal-fired plants, which have been in operation for more than 30 years, by 2022. But it recently announced a plan to speed up the closure in the face of the worsening fine dust problem.



The authorities have also decided to increase the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for power generation. Tariffs on LNG imports will be lowered drastically to offset the rising costs for power generation. Yet such measures are insufficient to fight air pollution. That's why the Moon administration should go to much greater lengths to boost clean energy.



First of all, President Moon needs to reconsider his much-avowed nuclear phase-out policy. Of course it is not easy to renege on his campaign promise to reduce the number of nuclear power plants. However given public opinion in favor of maintaining nuclear power generation, he can change his stance.



Actually, Moon has no other option but to build more conventional power plants using coal or LNG, if he presses ahead with the nuclear phase-out. He might want to boost electricity production by harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. But this will take a long time, and a huge investment to increase the use of renewables, which only account for 2.8 percent of power generation here.



Thus, the Moon government should take a realistic approach. One of the viable options is to put the nuclear phase-out policy on hold. It needs to pay heed to Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, who called for the suspension of the policy.



As Sohn pointed out, Moon's policy has not only aggravated the fine dust issue, but also weakened the nuclear power industry and the regional economy. In addition, the rigid policy has dealt a severe blow to exports of nuclear reactors and related technology.



It is important for the country to have a better energy mix to maximize its efficiency and prevent environmental degradation. Policymakers should come up with a new energy plan which can address all problems without any further delay.


ZHENGZHOU, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Fifty red-necked wallabies arrived in central China's Henan Province Saturday from the Netherlands, according to Zhengzhou Customs.

The wallabies, 25 males and 25 females, arrived at the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport after traveling 26 hours.

These animals will be quarantined for 30 days in the city of Jiaozuo, before being sent to zoos across China to meet visitors.

Zhengzhou Customs received 277 varieties of imported live and fresh goods in 2018, including alpacas, giraffes, dolphins and other living animals.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
By Tong Kim



Since the breakdown of U.S.-DPRK summit talks in Hanoi, there has been enough information to conclude the cause of the summit failure and to pin down where the positions of both sides are today on denuclearization.



The North blamed Trump's advisers for the failure, especially John Bolton, U.S. national security adviser, who said the accusation was "inaccurate". It's not clear who it was  secretary of state Mike Pompeo or Bolton or both  that persuaded Trump, or Trump himself decided, to walk away from the talks.



The Trump administration rejects any incremental step-by-step approach espoused by North Korea. Washington favors an immediate complete denuclearization up front, ratcheting up the sanctions, hoping that the pressure will force the North to make more concessions.



It is unknowable how soon the toughening sanctions will render an unbearable tipping point of economic hardship for the North forcing them to give up their self-reliant economic struggle and surrender their weapons of mass destruction. The regime has survived the sanctions so far and will continue to exploit the loopholes of the sanctions.



The premise of denuclearization first before lifting sanctions will never be acceptable to the North. This playbook of quick denuclearization preferred by Bolton and other hardliners is likely to fail, given the lessons the North Koreans learned from the demises of Muammar Gaddafi who gave up a nuclear weapons program and Saddam Hussein who never even had any nuclear weapons.



A comprehensive package deal may not be a bad idea if it consists of all the requirements of a clearly defined denuclearization and if its implementation is phased over a period of time through reciprocal measures. The U.S. demand for North Korea's unilateral disarmament will not succeed if Washington only keeps offering Pyongyang no sanction relief but only the concept of a bright future of North Korea.



This column suggests a proposal for a five-year, five-phase process of denuclearization, which incorporates the juxtaposed approaches advocated by the two sides. A compromise between an all-in-one deal and an incremental approach could be a fair deal, as long as it is designed to move toward the ultimate goal of complete, verified denuclearization.



In the first year, say before the end of 2019, the U.S. and North Korea agree on a five-year denuclearization plan as a comprehensive package deal that will be carried out in "synchronized phases" over the next five years. At the outset, a clear definition of denuclearization should be understood and accepted by both, if it has not been yet. A written commitment to a permanent moratorium on nuclear and missile tests should also be weaved in an initial agreement.



The five-year period falls within a second term of the Trump presidency, a timeline Trump can accept as he speaks as if his second term has been guaranteed.



Also, in the first year, the North undertakes verified dismantlement of its Yongbyon nuclear facilities, finishes the dismantlement of the Dongchang-ri missile site, and invites experts to verify the destruction of its only nuclear test site.



As a corresponding measure, Washington signs an end-of-war declaration, undertakes talks on a peace regime, waves inter-Korean economic projects from the sanctions, and offers a 20 percent curtailment of the sanctions in monetary terms impacting the North Korean economy.



In the second year, North Korea announces a moratorium on all nuclear weapons and missile production activities on undeclared sites, and undertakes verified dismantlement of these production facilities.



In return for these actions, the U.S. then lifts another 20 percent of the sanctions and moves forward on peace talks.



In the third year, the North declares the size of its nuclear arsenal including fissile materials and reduces it by 50 percent with a pledge of non-proliferation. The U.S. lifts another 20 percent of the sanctions, encouraging a people-to-people program, making progress on peace talks towards a peace regime and normalization.



In the fourth year, the North files a declaration of its stockpile of mid and long-range missiles as well as chemical and biological weapons. It undertakes and completes the actual dismantlement and disposition of these weapons. The U.S. lifts an additional 20 percent of the sanctions and establishes an exchange of liaison offices in each other's capitals as a prelude to normalization.



In the fifth year, the final dismantlement and disposition of the remaining nuclear weapons is carried out. The U.S. lifts the remaining 20 percent of the sanctions, signs a peace treaty and normalizes relations with North Korea.



Each phase will require verification and a snap-back clause for re-imposing sanctions should the North fail to comply with its obligations.



This proposal provides a rough idea that can be further refined and built on.





Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies.




By Gwynne Dyer





You can keep your Orban, your Netanyahu, your pathetic Boris Johnson. As for Donald Trump, he's really an icon of democracy, just slightly shop-soiled. The coveted title of World's Leading Demagogue has just gone to the Turkish president, Recep Tayyib Erdogan.



Erdogan may look like an ageing, disappointed post office clerk, passed over for promotion too many times, but he can take an ignorant remark from halfway around the planet and inflate it into an existential threat to Turkey's future. He's desperately trying to rally support for his AK party in local elections due at the end of the month, so what better theme than the threat of an invasion by New Zealand?



"Your grandparents came here," he warned the savage New Zealand hordes, "and they returned in caskets. Have no doubt that we will send you back like your grandfathers." Erdogan had already warmed the crowd up by showing them footage of the massacre of New Zealand Muslims in their mosques by Australian terrorist Brenton Tarrant, so they cheered that line.



He was speaking at a rally commemorating the Ottoman empire's victory over British and allied troops who landed at Gallipoli, 200 km southwest of Istanbul, in 1915. ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand) troops played a big part in that First World War battle, which is one of the founding myths of modern Turkish nationalism.



So Erdogan's audience would not necessarily have giggled when he defiantly warned the evil New Zealanders: "We have been here for a thousand years and will be here until the apocalypse, God willing. You will not turn Istanbul into Constantinople." There he stood, metaphorical sword in hand, turning back the New Zealand neo-Crusaders single-handed, and the world heavyweight title for demagoguery was his.



First, a couple of niggling details. Istanbul IS Constantinople; the name hasn't changed. "Istanbul" is just the Turkish pronunciation of the old Greek popular name for the city, "Stamboul."



Second, the Turks have NOT been there for a thousand years. They conquered the city in 1453, five-hundred-and-some years ago. Before that it was Christian for rather more than a thousand years. But you don't want to get caught up in the details when you're holding a flaming sword.



And third, I have never met anybody in Europe who wants it "back." It would be as ridiculous as somebody in the Muslim world wanting Granada or Seville back.



Oh, wait a minute. I HAVE met Muslims who want Granada and Seville back. They tend to be of the Islamist persuasion, but there is a quite widespread conviction in the Arab world that the original 7th-century conquests that gave Muslims control of half of the then-Christian world were legitimate, whereas the 12th-century European counter-offensive that tried to take some of them back (the Crusades) was illegitimate aggression.



It was really just the ebb and flow of empires, with religion mostly as cover. The Muslims (or at least the Ottoman Turks) were on the offensive again by the 15th century, almost reaching Vienna by 1688. Then the tide turned again and the British Empire was almost at the gates of Istanbul in 1915. Nothing to get excited about  and now it's over.



It really is over. Legally, it has not been permissible to change borders by force since the UN Charter was written in 1945, and in fact few have changed. Militarily, modern technologies and methods of political mobilization have made it ruinously expensive to sustain the long-term occupation of people who do not want to be occupied.



So I think it will be hard for New Zealand to reconquer Istanbul even if it wants to. Turkey is safe. But the old tribal buttons are still there to be pushed, and there are plenty of populist demagogues willing to push them.



Trump has his border wall ('criminal' Mexicans) and his anti-Muslim immigration controls ('terrorist' Muslims). Orban has the Jews (the enemy within Hungary's border) and Muslim refugees (the enemy without). Narendra Modi, now in election mode, has Muslims both within India's borders (cow-killers) and beyond them (Pakistani nukes and terrorists). And Erdogan just has New Zealanders. Must try harder.





Gwynne Dyer (gwynne763121476@aol.com)'s new book is "Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work)."






By Baek Byung-yeul







SK hynix successfully demonstrated a new solid state drive (SSD) for data centers, which boasts faster data processing and an extended lifespan, the chip maker said Monday.







The firm introduced the new SSD, using Zone Namespaces (ZNS) software technology for the first time in the industry, at the Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit technology forum held in San Jose, Calif., March 21 and 22.







SK hynix said ZNS is a software technology that divides the storage capacity of the SSD into several zones for improved data storage management.







"With the arrival of artificial intelligence and the big data era, there have been increasing demands for improved SSDs from data center operators. ZNS SSDs are expected to meet those demands as their data processing is about 30 percent faster and they have about a four times longer lifespan compared to previous SSDs," an SK hynix spokesman said.







The firm will complete the development of the ZNS technology-based SSD by the end of 2019 and will commercialize it within the first half of 2020.







The SSD market has seen explosive growth. According to market researcher IHS Markit, the SSD market in 2018 was estimated at $32.4 billion and will grow to $51.8 billion by 2022. The market growth will mainly be driven by SSDs for enterprise purposes with an annual growth rate of 15.7 percent.


Lee Gwang-jin, a battery engineer at Samsung SDI, practices the Japanese sword art iaido. Courtesy of Samsung SDI



By Baek Byung-yeul



The government lowered the maximum working hours to 52 from 68 in 2018 giving people more time to improve the balance between their work and personal lives.



Lee Gwang-jin, an engineer at battery manufacturing team of Samsung SDI, might be an example of someone who has achieved such a balance.



Lee has practiced iaido, a Japanese martial art that uses a sword, for 11 years, after starting to learn the lesser known practice in 2008.



"I enjoyed practicing various martial arts such as taekwondo or jiu jitsu as I have loved martial arts-based novels and films since I was young. Somehow I was interested in the sword art and began attending an iaido dojo, Lee recently told The Korea Times.



While practicing iaido, Lee said he could attain balance of mind.



"By practicing iaido, people can train not only their bodies but also spirit. The biggest change I learned through the sword art is to remain calm in my life," he said.



"Whenever my mind is cluttered with all kinds of memories, I try to practice iaido to stay calm. Of course, I do lose my temper sometimes but I can get back to feeling calm, after practicing the sword art."



Lee usually practices iaido at an indoor gym, he also trains at an outdoor training site once a month to cut bundles of straw or bamboo sticks.



"When I visit the outdoor training site in Cheongju, I usually cut about 50 bundles of straw," he said, adding he has cut about 7,000 so far.



"I still remember my first time cutting the bundles. I brandished my sword to cut the bundle and the surface was so uneven, which was completely different from what I imagined. But now I can even cut bamboo sticks which are harder than the bundles," Lee said.





Lee Gwang-jin, a battery engineer at Samsung SDI, performs an iaido demonstration during a local festival at Sejong City in October 2018. Courtesy of Samsung SDI




By Baek Byung-yeul







Hancom GMD secured a contract to supply its forensic kits to investigative agencies in the U.K., a mobile device forensic service affiliate of Hancom Group said Monday.







Mobile device forensic examination is the act of extracting information from mobile devices. The increase in mobile devices has led investigative organizations to conduct more forensic examinations to collect, preserve and analyze evidence during the courses of their investigations.







The company said it signed a contract with the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit and Leicestershire Police in the U.K. to provide its MD-NEXT forensic software for data extraction from mobile devices and MD-RED data analyzing software.







"It is an honor to enter the U.K. market and win recognition for our technological capabilities," said Hancom GMD. "We will strengthen sales and marketing efforts to establish ourselves in this market."







Hancom GMD said the two investigative agencies decided to use its products to collect evidence from mobile devices made by Asian manufacturers, adding that they conducted months-long tests before purchasing its tools.







In addition to securing deals, Hancom GMD also won the Outstanding International Collaboration in a Complex Digital Investigation award at the International Digital Investigation & Intelligence Awards. The firm said this was the first time a Korean firm has been recognized at the awards.







The event, which recognizes excellence and collaboration in digital and cybercrime investigation, was held in London, March 14. During the event, Hancom GMD also promoted its advanced forensic tools that can be used in closed-circuit TVs, cloud computing services and internet of things devices.







Established in 1997, Hancom GMD has become a leading mobile forensic service firm in Korea. It has been providing its products and technological support to about 150 investigation organizations and public organizations and expanding its reach into overseas markets such as the United States, U.K., China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and India.




By Jun Ji-hye



Korea's worsening fine dust pollution has created unwitting beneficiaries across various industries, prompting more companies to produce goods and services that help people deal with the deteriorating air quality, according to industry analysts Monday.



In its report, Shinyoung Securities named 21 companies in 10 industries as beneficiaries from the fine dust air pollution.



On the list, IT firms such as LG Electronics, Coway, Winix, Dayou Winia were cited as beneficiaries on the back of the growing popularity of air purifiers.



In the automobile industry, automotive components company Motonic was a beneficiary as the government has recently decided to allow any citizen to buy LPG cars. Motonic produces LPG injectors.



Previously, only a limited number of people, including taxi drivers or the disabled, were allowed to drive LPG cars here.



In the oil industry, SK Gas was a beneficiary, given that the firm, established in 1985, has provided a stable supply of LPG, maintaining the leadership in the nation's energy industry.



Shinyoung Securities said NeoPharm, specializing in skin care products, is also expected to benefit from the fine dust crisis as an increasing number of consumers are showing interest in skin protection.



The firm's products include ATOPALM specialized in sensitive skin care.



In the shipbuilding industry, Sejin Heavy Industries enjoys benefits as it operates ships to transport LPG.



"The fine dust crisis has become an issue that requires prolonged discussion," Shinyoung Securities said in a report. "Given that the government's policy to tackle fine dust issues is still in the beginning stages, it is also necessary to pay attention to agriculture in the long term."



Meanwhile, Hana Financial Investment expected Shinil Industrial, Kyung Dong Navien and Clean & Science to become the biggest beneficiaries amid fine dust challenges.



Shinil Industrial, an appliance manufacturer, has redoubled its efforts to supply air purifiers to schools and public offices in accordance with the government policy. The company also plans to launch large-sized air purifiers in the third quarter.



Kyung Dong Navien, which makes water heaters and gas boilers, is expected to ride high on its high-efficiency, eco-friendly condensing gas boilers as a law was passed earlier this month to make it mandatory to install eco-friendly boilers when replacing old ones and constructing new buildings. The new law takes effect in March next year.



Clean & Science produces filters for air purifiers, taking a 70 percent share in the domestic market.



"Clean & Science will be a direct beneficiary as it maintains the top position in the market of filters for air purifiers," said Lee Jeong-ki, an analyst from Hana Financial Investment.


The GM Korea booth at the 2019 Seoul Motor Show / Courtesy of GM Korea



By Nam Hyun-woo



The upcoming Seoul Motor Show will feature not only 36 new cars but also technologies for connectivity, sustainability and future "mobility services," in a bid to revive automakers' faltering interest in Korea's largest auto industry exhibition, according to officials Monday.



Starting with a media preview Thursday, the 2019 Seoul Motor Show will kick off at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, with 227 companies showcasing more than 270 vehicles until April 8.

According to the show's organizers, this year's event will be the largest in its history by number of participating companies. Of the 227, 21 are complete car brands which will offer five world premieres, 10 Asia premiers and 21 Korea premieres at the biennial show.



This year's show will be comprised of five themed sectors: complete cars; eco-friendly; self-driving and connected; robots, drones and other electrified vehicles; and auto parts.



"This is to break the conventional exhibition method of focusing on complete cars and auto parts makers," an official of the organizing committee said. "We expect the new structure will be more satisfactory for both participants and visitors."





Hyundai Motor's Sonata / Yonhap



In the complete car sector, Hyundai Motor will showcase the "new" Sonata, whose 2.0 gasoline and LPG models debuted on the local market last week. At the show, the carmaker will reveal the faster 1.6 turbo and hybrid versions of the Sonata, which will be released here in the second half.



Kia Motors will unveil two world premieres at the show  the Mohave Masterpiece concept SUV and the SP Signature concept. The Mohave Masterpiece will be a preview of the face-lifted version of the Mohave large SUV which will be rolled out in the second half. The SP Signature is a crossover that is smaller than the automaker's Niro.



GM Korea will showcase the Tahoe full-size SUV along with the Traverse large SUV and the Colorado pickup. Both Traverse and Colorado will go on sale in Korea in the second half. GM Korea will decide on the Tahoe's introduction into the Korean market depending on customer responses at the show.



Renault Samsung plans to wow visitors by unveiling the XM3 Inspire show car for the first time in the world.





The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe / Courtesy of BMW Korea
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, left, speaks during a luncheon with American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Monday. On his right is AMCHAM Chairman James Kim. Courtesy of AMCHAM



By Nam Hyun-woo



Korea will maintain a flat income tax of 19 percent for foreign nationals working here for the next three years, regardless of their income, to make the nation more attractive in the eyes of multinational companies, Seoul mayor Park Won-soon said Monday.



Even though the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) does not set the income tax rate, Park claimed that he played a key role in persuading the National Tax Service to keep the 19 percent flat rate.



In a luncheon meeting with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM), the mayor also said the local government is considering providing cash incentives to foreign companies and other benefits to make Seoul more business friendly.



"I remember AMCHAM Chairman of the Board of Governors Jeffrey Jones spoke about the possible side effects of abolishing the special provisions on taxation of foreign employees, such as the outflow of foreign talent," Park said in his speech in English to AMCHAM member company officials.



"I'm pleased to inform you that the Seoul Metropolitan Government has consulted closely with the central government and it has been decided that the special provisions will not be abolished and instead extended for three more years."



So far, foreign employees in Korea who have worked for less than five years have been subject to a 19 percent flat tax rate regardless of their income.



However, the special provision allowing the benefit was scheduled to end last year, triggering concerns from foreign businesses in Korea.



Last year, AMCHAM and four other foreign chambers of commerce here issued a joint statement expressing their concern on the envisioned elimination of the flat tax rate for foreign residents in Korea.



At the time, the chambers said the elimination would "trigger relocations and involuntary repatriation of employees to lower-cost jurisdictions, which will involve job losses and a decline in Korea's tax income."



According to officials, the central government has recently amended its rules to keep the flat tax rate for three more years for foreigners resident in Korea for less than five years. Those who have lived here longer than five years will not be eligible for the benefit. The SMG also played a key role in persuading the central government, they said.



Though the chambers' initial hope for expanding the benefit to those who have lived in Korea for more than five years was not accepted, an AMCHAM official said the chambers' demand was "partially accepted."



During the luncheon, Mayor Park said Seoul was "still hungry" for foreign investment and that he would talk with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy about providing cash support to foreigners investing in Seoul. Also, the SMG is in talks with the Ministry of Justice over exempting visas for foreigners seeking to start their own companies here.



The visa exemption is in line with an MOU signed by the SMG and the justice ministry last year. An SMG official said the local government was in talks with the ministry about the detailed conditions for the exemption.



Park reiterated the promise he made in his New Year speech that the SMG will provide public rental apartments to foreign employees and "talent" coming to Korea.



Park also said the SMG will create six industrial clusters across the city to accommodate foreign enterprises



This was the first time in a decade for AMCHAM to host a meeting with a Seoul mayor. In the last one in 2009, then-Mayor Oh Se-hoon talked about architectural goals for the capital.



To AMCHAM Chairman James Kim's question over his intention for running for other elections, including the presidential one, Park did not give a direct answer.






By Meng Jing







China plans to accelerate commercialisation of 5G as development of the advanced wireless technology enters a "final sprint" phase, with winners poised to achieve accelerated economic development, according to a senior Chinese government official.

China plans to accelerate commercialisation of 5G as development of the advanced wireless technology enters a "final sprint" phase, with winners poised to achieve accelerated economic development, according to a senior Chinese government official.





Wang Xinzhe, chief economist at China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said the ministry has set a number of priorities to speed up the commercialisation of 5G as the next generation wireless technology enters what he called the "final sprint".







"The ministry will speed up commercialisation of 5G, building a telecommunication infrastructure that has high speed and with full coverage, as well as growing a stronger and bigger 5G industrial chain," Wang said at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Saturday, without disclosing a detailed timetable for the construction of a 5G network.







China, the U.S., Japan and South Korea are the countries competing in the global race to launch commercial 5G mobile services, which are expected to drive the introduction of more industrial applications over the internet to support economic development and improve people's livelihoods.







The five priorities singled out by the ministry are mainly designed to address the two challenges China is facing in 5G development: further development of the 5G industry and deeper integration of application for the technology, according to Wang.







The ministry will push for integration of the technology with the real economy and set up pilot projects in key companies and industries to lead overall development of the sector. The industrial internet, smart transport, intelligent manufacturing, smart medical care and digital agriculture are among the areas prioritised by the ministry.







Wang said MIIT will also boost its capability to cope with the rising security challenges brought about by 5G and build an open ecosystem for international collaboration.







Speaking at the same forum, Yang Yuanqing, chairman and chief executive of computer maker Lenovo Group, said 5G was a catalyst to make every industry become "smarter", delivering more benefit to enterprises than consumers.







Beijing regards advanced 5G mobile networks  which offer faster data rates, reduced latency, energy savings, cost reductions, higher system capacity and massive device connectivity  as its chance to get out in front for the first time in telecoms innovation, which in turn will fuel increased economic activity.







That ambition, however, has set up a competitive technology clash with the U.S., which has raised concerns about the security of 5G technology provided by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, which is considered a leader in the emerging field. The U.S. has been putting pressure on European countries to ban the use of Huawei equipment, citing national security concerns that the company has strenuously and repeatedly denied.







According to the latest report from Forrester Research, China is best positioned to win the emerging global race to implement 5G mobile telecommunications. About 57 per cent of China's estimated tech spending of US$256 billion in 2019 will be allocated to telecommunications, Forrester said.


Attendants serve tea as Chen Quanguo listens during a Xinjiang panel session in Beijing on March 12. Photo from South China Morning Post



By William Zheng





When Xinjiang officials took questions from the media recently about the crackdown in the western border region, it was the chairman, Shohrat Zakir, who did much of the talking.



Although Communist Party secretary Chen Quanguo was seated to Zakir's left, he remained silent throughout the hour-long session at the National People's Congress in Beijing.



But for the reporters in the room and the China watchers observing the event via television broadcasts around the world, there was no question of who was in charge.



After five years in neighbouring Tibet, Chen took the reins in Xinjiang in 2016. There has been speculation that Chen  who is a member of the policymaking Politburo  is now in line for promotion, but sources familiar with the matter told the South China Morning Post that the 63-year-old from Henan province will stay where he is for now.



"The [policy] direction has been set," one of the sources said. "The overriding priority in Xinjiang now is to maintain stability  a change in leadership is unlikely."





Residents perform horse racing on snow in Hemu Village of Kanas, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 1, 2019. Xinhua-Yonhap



Beijing has drawn international condemnation for its mass internment camps in Xinjiang, where human rights experts estimate 1 million or more Uygurs and other Muslim minorities have been held for political indoctrination. The government insists they are "vocational training centres" needed to counter "religious extremism" and ensure stability. Chen has driven the campaign, and observers said Beijing was unlikely to make leadership changes in Xinjiang while it is under pressure over the repressive policies.



Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California, said Chen was not likely to be promoted to the upper echelons in Beijing in the near future because "all the other key positions that would be considered a promotion are occupied with people unlikely to retire soon".



"The appointment of Wang [Junzheng] does not necessarily suggest Chen will be moved to Beijing any time soon," Pei said, referring to Wang taking over as the region's party security chief last month. "Given the mess in Xinjiang, [President Xi Jinping] probably does not want to make any moves for now."



He added that Chen's next "upwards move" would probably be to the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, which was unlikely to happen before 2022.



Alfred Wu, an associate professor with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, agreed that the president was unlikely to make changes to the Xinjiang leadership at the moment. He said Xi would want to keep Chen where he was since he had proven to be effective at keeping the region "under control".





A national flag raising ceremony is held at the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Oct. 1, 2018, the National Day, to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua-Yonhap



"Chen understands stability is what the top leadership wants and he is able to deliver results," Wu said. "Despite criticism by Western governments, Beijing sees that Chen is doing a good job in Xinjiang  although the real question is about stability in the long term."



Another source familiar with Xinjiang affairs said the clampdown under Chen stemmed from policies set out by Xi at a work conference in 2014.



"The overall direction was set by Beijing and the leadership in Xinjiang was entrusted to turn those policy directives into operational details to be implemented," the source said.



He added that it was decided at the conference that "maintaining long-term stability" was a priority.



"Stability is the primary focus and developing the economy takes second place," the source said. "This will continue to be the priority until the top leadership reviews its Xinjiang policies again."



That focus has seen Chen take a draconian approach to governing the region  setting up grass-roots vigilante cells to stamp out any sign of dissent among Uygurs and other Muslim minorities.





A "terrorist" is captured by the special force members during a joint military exercise held by Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members in Yining, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003. AP-Yonhap
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella (R, front) hold talks in Rome, Italy, March 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

ROME, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, held talks here Friday, and agreed to jointly push for greater development of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.

The two heads of state agreed to guide the direction of bilateral ties from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

During their talks, Xi noted that both as countries with an ancient civilization, China and Italy have profound historical relations.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, and the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year, Xi said.

He recalled that for nearly half a century, China and Italy have respected, trusted and helped each other, enhanced high-level exchanges and strategic mutual trust, facilitated communication, cooperation and convergence of interests, and deepened mutual understanding and traditional friendship.

As the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, China is willing to carry forward the spirit of cooperation with the Italian side, strengthen strategic communication, encourage the international community to seek common ground while reserving differences and promote development through cooperation, so as to contribute new wisdom and strength to building a better world, Xi said.

China stands ready to join hands with Italy to firmly keep the direction of bilateral relations in the new era, carry out r high-level exchanges and upgrade the quality and level of bilateral practical cooperation, he said.

Xi said he agrees with Mattarella that Italy and China should be partners with inclusive interests and common development, adding that China is willing to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership with Italy.

The two sides need to strengthen communication on visions, consolidate political mutual trust, continue to extend mutual understanding and support on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns, and strengthen communication and cooperation between their governments, legislative bodies and political parties, Xi said.

He encouraged the two sides to create highlights in bilateral cooperation, jointly build the Belt and Road, and promote the synergy of their development strategies and the planning of practical cooperation.

China is willing to import more high-quality products from Italy and encourage more capable Chinese enterprises to invest and start business in Italy, Xi said.

He also urged the two countries to boost cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance communication and cooperation in such fields as culture, education, film and television, and media, so as to consolidate the popular support for friendship between the two peoples.

On China-Europe relations, Xi said his country has always supported the European integration and respected the European Union's efforts in solving its problems.

Xi said he hopes that Italy will continue playing a positive role in promoting EU-China partnership for peace, growth, reform and civilization, Xi said.

China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with the Italian side on major issues such as the United Nations affairs, global governance, climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, jointly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and jointly push economic globalization in the direction of becoming more open, inclusive, balanced, win-win, and beneficial to all, he said.

Mattarella warmly welcomed Xi, saying he still has a vivid memory of his visit to China in 2017.

The frequent high-level exchanges between Italy and China, especially President Xi's visit this time, demonstrated the high level of bilateral relations, Mattarella said, calling China a and important partner of Italy.

Italy admires China's development achievements, appreciates China's adherence to the opening-up strategy, and has confidence in the prospect of Italy-China cooperation, he said.

Italy is willing to take the opportunities of the 15th anniversary of the Italy-China comprehensive strategic partnership this year and the 50th anniversary of Italy-China diplomatic relations next year to expand the mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields such as economy and trade, investment, science and technology, and innovation between the two countries, Mattarella said.

Italy and China were at the two ends of the ancient Silk Road which had been a bond ly linking the two countries, Mattarella said.

Italy supports Xi's initiative on jointly building the Belt and Road and believes that it will be conducive to Eurasian connectivity and common development, as well as to reviving the ancient Silk Road in modern times, Mattarella said.

Calling the Belt and Road a cultural exchange road, the Italian president said his country is willing to boost communication and cooperation with China in culture and tourism.

Both as countries with an ancient civilization, Mattarella said the peoples of Italy and China have wisdom to address the challenges facing human society today.

Italy believes that China's rejuvenation will make new historic contributions to the world's peace and prosperity, he said, adding that Italy is committed to promoting in-depth development of EU-China ties.

Italy is willing to enhance communication and coordination with China in multilateral institutions such as the UN and the Group of Twenty, jointly safeguard multilateralism and trade liberalization, and meet challenges such as climate change and international security together, Mattarella said.

The two presidents held a joint press conference after the talks.

Before their talks, the Italian president held a grand welcoming ceremony for Xi.

The Chinese president arrived in Rome Thursday for a state visit to Italy, the first stop of his three-nation Europe tour, which will also take him to Monaco and France.

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[ Editor: zyq ]
Leader of the pro-junta political party Palang Pracharath, Uttama Savanayana (C) and members of an executive committee during a press conference at the Palang Pracharath Party in Bangkok, Thailand, Mar. 24, 2019. EPA-Yonhap



Results of Thailand's first election since the 2014 coup were expected to trickle out Monday, with the junta primed to retain its grip on power after a vote that saw its main rival diminished, but vaulted a new pro-democracy force into the kingdom's politics.



The Election Commission delayed without explanation a full announcement of preliminary results on Sunday night as a blizzard of complaints mounted over apparent mistakes in the count and possible irregularities at the polls.



Nearly 1.9 million votes had been invalidated with 93 percent of votes tallied, the EC said late Sunday. Earlier counts showed that in a handful of provinces more than half the ballots cast were invalidated.



Sunday's election  seen as a referendum on the military  was held under new rules written by the junta to ease its transformation into a civilian government.





Sudarat Keyuraphan, Pheu Thai Party's prime minister candidate, speaks during a news conference at Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Mar. 25, 2019. Reuters-Yonhap



Despite that headstart, analysts had not expected the army-linked Phalang Pracharat party to win the popular vote, given anger at junta rule and the enduring popularity of Pheu Thai  the party of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.



But as initial figures dribbled out, Phalang Pracharat  with 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha as its candidate for prime minister  edged into a clear lead, racking up more than 7.6 million votes with more than 90 percent of ballots tallied.



"This will give them... popular legitimacy and more credibility," Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, told AFP.



Phalang Pracharat had nearly half a million more votes than Pheu Thai, despite the track record of Thaksin whose parties have won every vote since 2001, drawing on loyalty from the rural and urban poor.





Supporters of Pheu Thai party cheer while watching television election results at party headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Mar. 24, 2019. AP-Yonhap
The Basel Mission, started its missionary work in South-Western India in 1834, which resulted in Basel Mission Churches coming up. Basel Mission Church came into existence in three separate administrative ecclesiastical districts of South Kanara with Coorg, Bombay-Karnataka or South Maharatta, comprising the districts of Dharwar, Bijapur and Malabar. In connection with the work of these Basel Mission Churches, the landed properties consisting of agricultural and non-agricultural lands were acquired for purposes of Church buildings, Prayer Halls, Meeting rooms, Graveyards, Schools, Hospitals, Printing Press, Theological Seminaries, Hostels, Boarding Houses, Sick-Houses, Homes for the poor, widows and converts and for the residence of Missionaries and other servants and agents of the Church. With the passage of time, the activities of these Churches increased and they acquired several properties and were managing all those properties. Though the title of the immovable properties stood in the name of General Treasurer of the Basel Mission, they really belonged to the Churches. The Basel Mission was merely acting as a Trustee of UBMC in India. All these properties were confiscated by the British Government on the outbreak of the First Great War of 1914, as enemy properties and vested in the custodian of Enemy property, Madras. Later, under orders of the Governor-General in Council, the said properties were released by a registered deed dated 26.01.1920 to certain trustees, who came to be later designated as the Mission Trust of Southern India for being managed and used for the benefit of these Churches. Throughout the period of management, the said properties continued to be in use and enjoyment of indigenous Basel Mission Churches in the several districts as before, without any break. Similarly, all the properties which belong to German Missionaries of Basel Mission was also confiscated and vested in the Missionary Body known as Kanrese Evangelical Mission and they confined their activities to the ecclesiastical districts of South Kanara with Coorg and Bombay-Karnataka. The Basel Mission Churches in Malabar, however were affiliated on 01.04.1919 to the South India United Church as its Eighth Church Council. Later, after the British Parliament permitted the German Missionaries to return to India, Basel Mission, which is the successor of the original Based German Evangelical Missionary Society, resumed its work in 1926 in its former sphere of operations in the three ecclesiastical districts. The aforesaid Kanarese Evangelical Mission withdrew from South Kanara with Coorg and Bombay-Karnataka.

After the return of Basel Mission, the Mission Trust of Southern India, which was administering the aforesaid properties which vested with them under the documents dated 26.01.1920, transferred those properties on 09.08.1931 to a Society incorporated in Switzerland and carrying on Mission work in India, West Africa, China and Borneo and represented in India in its secular affairs by its General Secular Agent and treasurer. In 1933, the Basel Mission relinquished its control over all the Basel Mission Churches in the three ecclesiastical district units and those Churches came to be constituted on 17.10.1933 in the autonomous body of 'The United Basel Mission Church in India', each of the three district units being an independent entity vested with the control of the affairs of the Churches within its limits under the revised constitution and Church Rules with effect from 17.10.1933, each of these three ecclesiastical district units became an autonomous unit independent of all control by the Basel Mission. Therefore, all the properties of UBMC in India belonging to these three district units were vested by the Basel Mission in Defendant No.32, i.e. Trust Association for management for the benefit and in the interest of UBMC in India, subject to directions of the Church authorities in the respective districts, as expressly stipulated in the relevant declarations of Trust, executed by the Basel Mission on 18.09.1934, for the benefit of the works of the Church founded by the Society. It also executed a document dated 01.08.1939, in respect of properties for the benefit of works of the Mission carried on by the Society in India. These two documents were registered in the office of the Registrar of Madras-Chingleput on 27.01.1935 and on 29.11.1939 respectively. These two declarations of Trust, which, in fact and effect are gift/settlement deeds confirming/creating a Trust, establish beyond doubt or dispute, the exclusive and absolute ownership and beneficiary rights in these Trust properties which have subsisted continuously in UBMC of India, a distinct autonomous religious society governed by its own constitution, independent of any control by the Basel Mission.

The Trust Association was a Company registered on 28.08.1934 under the Companies Act, 1913. Under the aforesaid documents dated 18.09.1934, 01.08.1939, it is clearly recited that, if the Society should at any time be desirous of retiring from the office of trustee, it shall have the power to appoint new trustees of these properties. In exercise of its power, the Basel Mission, relinquished its Trusteeship in respect of all these properties and appointed the Trust Association and Trustee in its stead as evidence by the declaration contained in each of the documents No.828 dated 01.08.1939 which are duly registered on 08.04.1936 and 29.11.1939 respectively. The relinquishment was absolute, unconditional and complete and the Trust Association accepted and acted upon it.

Basel Mission, since 1948 has been openly attempting to influence the UBMC to merge in the CSI. In 1957, Basel Mission in order to coerce the UBMC of South Kanara and Coorg, to merge in the CSI and ultra vires its powers purported to revoke the declarations of Trust in aforesaid documents and drew up fresh declarations of Trust in document dated 03.12.1957, which was registered on the same day, whereby, a new provision was made to enable the Trust Association to utilize these Trust properties for the benefit of the district Churches of UBMC in India even if they join CSI. Both these documents were challenged as incompetent and void in the Court of the Subordinate Judge of Palghat in O.S.No.7, in which, the CSI, the CSI Trust Association, the Basel Mission and UBMC in India are also defendants. By judgment dated 07.04.1971, it was held that both these declarations of Trust were incompetent. This finding was affirmed by the Kerala High Court in its judgment on 01.08.1975 in Appeal Suit No.410/71. In spite of the aforesaid declarations, in disobeying the valid orders of injunction of the High Court in RSA 741/71 and of the Civil Judge of Udupi in M.A.No.16/70, the 30th defendant-Basel Mission, under a document dated 14.03.1972, executed on its behalf by the Treasurer and Attorney Rev. Albert Veigel, which was duly registered on 17.03.1972 purported to transfer all the immovable properties of UBMC of South Kanara and Coorg and of Bombay-Karnataka, described in Schedule-A and Schedule-B respectively, to the CSI Trust Association, without consideration, to hold the same in Trust for the Church of South India, after purporting to revoke by means of documents of 1972, the previous declarations of Trust in earlier documents. Basel Mission having ceased to be Trustee, it had no subsisting right or interest to execute the aforesaid documents and hence they are void. That apart, the properties purporting to be transferred, belonged to UBMC in India and hence, none could have transferred the properties belonging to UBMC in India to SCI. The said documents were executed when litigation concerning the said properties was pending and hence, aforesaid transfers are void and being hit by the principle of lis pendens.

Thereafter the Trust Association, again in disobedience of the valid orders of injunction, purported to transfer certain properties of UBMC of South Kanara and Coorg, described in Schedule C, to the third defendant-CSI. Trust Association, without consideration to hold the same on Trust and for the use and benefit of the work in India in the district of South Kanara and Coorg, by means of document dated 17.11.1972 registered on the same day. The third defendant-CSI Trust Association, in purporting to receive the properties of the UBMC described in Schedule C, on behalf of first defendant-CSI also acted in contravention of the injunction order of the Civil Judge of Updui in M.A.No.16/70. These alleged transfers are illegal, void and of no effect. They are sham, nominal and make-believe, not intended to be acted upon and also hit by the principle of its pendens.

The plaintiffs are constrained to file this suit in personal capacity as well as in a representative capacity, under Order 1 Rule 8 of CPC on behalf of members of UBMC of South Kanara and Coorg, who are vitally interested in the subject matter of the suit and steps have been taken under Section 92 as well as under Order 1 Rule 8 CPC, to so institute this suit.

In regular first appeal the Division Bench comprising of Justice N Kumar and Justice A N Venugopala Gowda of Karnataka High Court decreeing the suit directed the District Court is directed to settle a scheme for the proper and due administration and management of the properties of United Basel Mission Church in India, South Canara and Coorg for the proper and due administration of the affairs of United Basel Mission Church in India, South Canara and Coorg, its properties, institution, assets and activities in accordance with its constitution as it is or by making necessary changes therein or in the alternative, by making necessary provisions for the same in the scheme to be settled and other consequential reliefs and to issue such directions as deemed fit, either for conducting elections and for appointment of such elected persons as trustees or for management of United Basel Mission Church in India, South Canara and Coorg and its properties and for such other purposes in implementing the scheme to be formulated by it and make it a part of the scheme. [Christopher Karkada and Others Vs. Church of South India, Madras and Others, 2012 (1) KCCR 503: ILR 2012 (1) Kar 725 (DB)].

Tags : Others
New Delhi : In a huge set for the State Government, the apex court dismissed the government's plea to move petition in related to to Sabarimala issue to SC.

However, the court made it clear that the state government can approach High Court, if needed.

In a plea submitted in SC, the government had demanded to move all the 33 pleas filed at the high court, including the plea against the Sabarimala observatory committee.
According to the 2017 constitutional amendments, Thai voters will cast ballots to elect 500 members of the House of Representatives, including 350 constituency seats and 150 party-list seats. The 250-member Senate will be appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by incumbent Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha. After that, the bicameral parliament, consisting of 750 members, will elect the prime minister. The election is held in the form of mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation system in which voters cast only one vote to decide both the representative for their single-seat constituency and those on the party list candidates. According to the Election Commission of Thailand (EC), more than 100 political parties have registered, but only 77 parties are eligible for the election. There are 10,792 candidates contesting the individual constituencies and 2,810 party-list candidates in the race to the House of Representatives, while 68 candidates from 44 political parties are running for prime minister. Of the nearly 80 political parties joining the election, three parties have the strongest potential, including the Pheu Thai Party close to the Shinawatra family, the Democrat Party  the oldest party in Thailand, and the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), which was formed last year to support PM Prayut Chan-ocha. The results of the pre-election referendum showed that the Pheu Thai Party won favour from more than 36% of the surveyed voters, followed by the PPRP with nearly 23% and the Democrat Party with around 15%. Of the 68 prime minister candidates, three prominent names include current PM Prayut Chan-ocha of the PPRP (26% of the voters in favour), Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Pheu Thai Party (24%), and Democrat Party leader and former Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva (nearly 12%).

During its election campaign, the PPRP sought voters support with bold commitments, such as raising the minimum wage from 300 baht to more than 400 baht per day, 18,000 baht per month for skilled workers and 20,000 baht per month for workers with bachelors degrees. The party also promised to raise taxable personal income from 150,000 baht to 200,000 baht per annum, together with an increase of 2-3 million people entitled to social security benefits. With the almost absolute support of the 250-seat Senate, the PPRP needs to win a minimum of 126 seats in the House of Representatives to take a majority in the Thai National Assembly, thus securing the rights to establish the government. However, the PPRP has still left open the possibility of allying with other political parties to form a coalition government, in case they do not win more than half of the seats in parliament. Despite the lack of an experienced and reputable leader such as ex-PMs Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, the Pheu Thai Party is still a powerful force and always receives great support from the working class, especially in the northeastern stronghold. Pheu Thai have also committed to increasing the minimum wage to 400 baht per day and 18,000 baht per month for college graduates, rescheduling debts for farmers within two years, exempting the turnover tax for new businesses, granting a two-year tax exemption for e-commerce businesses, and solving the issue of public debt which is projected to increase to 50% of GDP by 2022. However, the Thai Raksa Chart Party, an important ally of the Pheu Thai Party, getting disbanded and its leadership team banned from political activities for 10 years due to the nomination of Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya as its prime ministerial candidate, is a huge loss for the Pheu Thai Party right ahead of the election. With it hardly receiving the support of 250 senators, the Pheu Thai Party must win at least 376 seats in the House of Representatives in order to be able to form a government. This is an impossible task, because according to the Election Law in the Thai Constitution, if winning 200 seats or more in the House of Representatives, the Pheu Thai Party will have no more seats in party lists. Meanwhile, the Democrat Party, the oldest political party in Thailand, has vowed to boost anti-corruption efforts, narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, improve social security and increase autonomy for localities. Although it is no longer a strong force, the Democrat Party of former PM Abhisit Vejjajiva still receives great support from the elite class, the capital city of Bangkok and the rich southern region.

Experts state that it is very difficult for a party to win a majority of seats in the Thai bicameral legislature. Therefore, the coalition plan has already been taken into account. Prior to the election, the PPRP and the Democrat Party both greenlighted the possibility of allying together or with other parties to form a government. However, whether a party or a coalition wins, the tasks of ensuring socio-political stability, restoring the momentum of economic development and improving peoples lives must still remain a top priority of the new Thai government.
20 Days Left to Find Buying Opportunities In Gold

Our researchers have been glued to Gold, Silver and the Precious Metals sector for many months. We believe the current setup in Gold is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for skilled traders to stake positions below $1300 before a potentially incredible upside price move. Weve been alerting our members and follower to this opportunity since well before the October/December 2018 downside price rotation in the US markets.

October 5, 2018: Prepare for a gold and silver rally

December 9, 2018: Waiting for gold to erupt

Jan 25, 2018: Why everyone is talking about gold and silver

Additionally, our researchers called the bottom in the US equities markets and warned of an incredible upside price rotation setting up just before the actual price bottom occurred on December 24, 2018.

December 26, 2018: Has the equities selloff reached a bottom yet

Our research continues to suggest that Gold and Silver will rotate within a fairly narrow range over the next 3~5 weeks before setting up a likely price bottom near April 21, 2019. Weve been predicting this bottom formation for many months and have been warning our followers to prepare for this move and grab opportunities below $1300 when they set up.

This first chart, a Monthly chart showing our TT Charger price modeling system, clearly illustrates the strength of this bullish price trend and the initiation of this trend back in early 2016. One of the strengths of the TT Charger modeling system is that it establishes a number of key price data points and trend factors. The background color highlighted ranges show price range breadth and range expansion or contraction. The dual channel facets show where price is likely to find support and resistance. The DOT LEVELS show where critical support or resistance is in terms of the overall trend channels.

Right now, we are still in a bullish trend with key support near $1165. The Dual Channel system is showing the $1260 to $1285 level is currently the most likely active support levels just below current price. Thus, we could see a move to near these levels over the next 3+ weeks and I would suggest skilled traders jump on this opportunity. The Range system is showing a current $250~350 price range, thus, any upside price breakout could easily rally within this range and push prices at least $250+ higher than current levels  likely well above $1550. If range expansion sets up, we could see prices well above $1750.

Weve authored hundreds of research posts over the past 12+ months and the one thing that we continue to mention is that Fibonacci price theory continues to operate on the premise that price must always attempt to find and establish new price highs or lows  at all times. Please keep this in mind as we continue.

Take a look at the TT Charger chart, above, and the raw Monthly price chart, below. Price must always attempt to find and establish new price highs or lows  so where is price going based on the most recent price rotations? Lets review

After rallying in early 2016 to establish a price high of $1377.50, gold immediately rotated downward to establish a higher low near $1124.50. The $1377.50 high price was a new price high in terms of previous rotational highs while the $1124.50 low was a higher low price rotation point. Thus, a failed new price low.

Since these two price points, Gold has settled into a sideways price channel where new price highs and lows have been attempted, but have failed to breakout out of the existing previous high and low price levels. As a technician of price, we can immediately identify this as a possible Pennant or Flag formation. With the last new price level being a new price high we still believe that Gold will attempt to break above the recent high price levels and attempt a much bigger upside price swing.

Our analysis suggests the April 21 date as a critical date for the potential price bottom in Gold and Silver. Our belief is that this date will like result in a near-term momentum bottom in price. Where price may fall, briefly, below $1290 and rotate into a washout low price rotation. The opportunity for this move could come 3~5 days before or after the April 21 date.

This last chart, a Monthly price chart, illustrating the Pennant/Flag formation in Gold should be the clearest example we can provide that Gold will soon break out to the upside and rally extensively higher if our research and analysis are correct. The momentum that has built up over the past 2+ years, as well as the global demand for Gold by central banks and by investors as a hedging instrument, could prompt Gold and Silver to rally at least 50~60% in this first upside breakout wave  resulting in $1900 gold prices. Silver could rally to well above $18~19 in a similar move and the number our researchers believe may become the upside target in Silver is $21.

This big picture chart and technical pattern could still take months to unfold if the price is to test the lower end of the trading range at $1225. If our analysis is correct, Gold and Silver could begin an upside price breakout shortly after April 21 (very likely to become evident in early May 2019). The upside potential for this move is at least $1550 in Gold and at least $18 in Silver.

Please understand that any upside breakout in Gold and Silver will likely be associated with general global market weakness including the potential for some type of global crisis event. This could be related to the EU, BREXIT, China, France or any other nation burdened by debt, dealing with election turmoil or related to social or economic angst. We could almost throw a dart at a map of the globe and hit some area that is poised for some type of economic crisis.

Gold  Gold chart by TradingView

Our last buy signal for gold and gold miners was in Sept 2018 and subscribers and our team profited from that $100 gold rally. This next opportunity here is to understand that we only have about 20~25 days to search out and isolate the best entry prices we can find in Gold and Silver before our April 21 momentum bottom date hits. This means we need to prepare for this upside breakout move in Precious Metals and prepare our other open positions for the possibility of extended downside pricing concerns. If you read our continued research posts, youll understand that we believe the US stock market will rotate a bit lower prior to this April 21 date and rally as well.

We believe the US equities markets will become a safe-haven, like Gold, where foreign investors can balance the strength of the US Dollar with the strong US economy and continued equity price appreciation while more fragile nations deal with economic crisis events and debt concerns. Thus, we believe capital will flood the US markets after April 21 as evidence of these economic concerns drives foreign investors into US equities.

Take a minute to find out why Technical Traders Ltd. is quickly becoming one of the best research and trading services you can find anywhere on the planet. We are about to launch a new technology product to assist our members and we continue to deliver incredible research posts, like this one, where we can highlight our proprietary price modeling systems and adaptive learning solutions. If you want to stay ahead of these markets moves and find greater success in 2019 and beyond Join Our Wealth Trading Newsletter Today.

Chris Vermeulen

www.TheTechnicalTraders.com

Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic



Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better.



His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility.



He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk

Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect.

Chris Vermeulen Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Can We Lock Up Rachel Maddow Now?

Message to Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Kemala Harris, Tulsi Gabbard and the rest of the crew: you can stop asking for campaign donations, because you no longer stand a chance in the 2020 elections. Your own party, and the media who support you, made sure of that. Or rather, the only chance you would have is if you guys start another smear campaign against your president, and I wouldnt recommend that.

I dont want to start another Lock Her Up sequence, thats too ugly for my taste. But three parties in this No Collusion disaster must be held accountable: US intelligence, the Democratic party, and the media. You cant just let it go, too much water under the bridge. No can do. The Democrats need to move on, a recent soft line, is not good enough. They must be held to account.

Bill Barr can investigate the FBI and DOJ, but the obstacles there are obvious: investigating the investigators. The Democratic party would mean going after individuals, but sure, lets see what Loretta Lynch, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Maxine Waters have to say for themselves and take it from there, before you get to Hillary. The media, though, is something else altogether.

Freedom of the press, and freedom of opinion, is one thing. Conducting a 2-year+ smear campaign against your own president is another. So what does US law say about this? Lets hear it. Since Trump made Bill Barr the new Attorney General, Barr is instrumental in answering these questions. Is it a smear campaign? Is that acceptable? Is it legal? Asking for a friend.

Not a soul could blame me if I were to gloat because what Ive said since the 2016 elections has been proven: there is no collusion between the Russians and Donald Trump and there never was. But I dont feel much like gloating because 1) its old news and 2) this tale is far from over. The media, and the Democrats, are not going to cave in, because they have nowhere left to cave into.

The biggest shame, I think, is not that the media will just keep doing what they have, but that a remnant, a residue of all the made-up narratives will remain in their audiences minds, long after Robert Mueller has said it was all lies all that time. That the public will say: theres been so much, surely some of it must be true?! The power of repetition.

The same media that has spun the collusion theme all this time will simply continue doing what its done, just perhaps without using that term -and not even that is sure. Dont lets forget, and Ive said this 1000 times, that while there is a dose of genuine hatred of their own president involved, and some political issues, most of all its about their business model. Trump scandals mean readers and viewers. And money.

Because of that, or at least partly because of it, I would seriously like to ask what the odds are of putting Rachel Maddow behind bars. How many lies can you tell, and how often can you repeat them, about anyone, but certainly about your President, before someone calls you on it? Trump cant really defend himself, or couldnt as long as Mueller was busy, but this cant be.

Does the fact that you work for the media protect you to the extent that you can just say anything? And Maddow of course is just an example, albeit an extreme one, but the same goes for CNN, New York Times et al. What freedoms do you have as a journalist? And at what point are you no longer a journalist at all? Who decides that?

BuzzFeed said Mueller was in possession of evidence that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. Mueller himself had to discredit that. The Guardians Luke Harding wrote a #1 NYT bestselling book called Collusion before writing an article with Dan Collins claiming that Manafort had met with Assange multiple times in London.

Not a word of that was true. But Harding And Collins and their editor still work at the Guardian, and no apologies or corrections were ever issued. And at some point you have no choice but to ask: where does it stop? Where do we draw the line? Can anyone who labels themselves a journalist and/or anyone employed by MSM, say anything they want? From sources:

The nonpartisan Tyndall Report pegged the total amount of time devoted to the story on the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS and NBC last year at 332 minutes, making it the second-most covered story after the Senate confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. According to a count by the Republican National Committee released Sunday, The [Washington] Post, The New York Times, CNN.com and MSNBC.com have written a combined 8,507 articles [since 2017] mentioning the special counsels investigation [into nonexistent collusion], some 13 articles a day. The cable news networks, particularly CNN and MSNBC, have added hundreds of hours of discussion about the topic, too.

And they wrote many more in 2016 as well. They were on a mission. Tyler Durden adds:

Muellers 40 FBI agents issued over 2,800 subpoenas, executed nearly 500 search warrants, and obtained over 230 orders for communication records. They also issued 13 requests to foreign governments for evidence and interviewed approximately 500 witnesses.

All that time, and all those resources, dedicated to a figment of the imagination, invented out of this air to derail a presidential election and a presidency. Where do we think these people see their country go? I must admit Im not sure about that one. But I see Bernie Sanders on the anti-Trump wagon, and AOC and Tulsi trying to get on, and I think: please dont do that, it doesnt go anywhere.

Ive called for a second special counsel many times, and I cant imagine there wont be one, and as much as I think its desperately needed, its obvious at the same time that it can only divide the nation further.

There was a reason Trump was elected: people had gotten sick of what was there before, of what Republicans and Democrats had to offer. And there is absolutely nobody in either party who addresses that issue. In other words, theres still nobody who is listening to those people. So they tune into Rachel Maddow and her kind of reporting.

Looks like Bill Barr will be badly needed. And that to restore the credibility of US intelligence, he will need to clean up the FBI and DOJ and get rid of all those whove taken part in the collusion debacle. A formidable task. Id suggest he start with Maddow et al and take it from there. Find out who feeds the media their fantasy stories.

Oh, and now that collusions off the table, free Julian Assange. Let Robert Mueller show hes not as much of a coward as he looks until now. To that end, let him swallow the Guccifer 2.0 nonsense as well. That Rachel Maddow makes things up from scratch, doesnt mean Special Counsels should do that too. Mueller knows exactly what this is about.

A friend (not exactly a Trump fan) mailed me last night saying this was never a witch hunt. And Im thinking: maybe that depends on how you define it. Heres one definition: an unforgiving, evidence-scant campaign against a group of people with unpopular views. Not too far off, is it?

Time for spring cleaning, Bill Barr.

By Raul Ilargi Meijer

Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory)

 2019 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




What Do Air Plane Crashes and the Precious Metals Markets Have in Common?

Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration worked closely together to hustle a new passenger jet through the safety certification process. The combined efforts to save time and cost, coupled with little sense of accountability, resulted in a tragic safety flaw.



Now hundreds of passengers are dead, albeit in other countries. The public is finding the enormous trust placed in the manufacturer and the agency tasked with monitoring safety was badly misplaced.



The regulator tasked with safety appeared more interested in protecting Boeings monopoly and bottom line.

Here is an excerpt from an article last week in the Seattle Times:



Federal Aviation Administration managers pushed its engineers to delegate wide responsibility for assessing the safety of the 737 MAX to Boeing itself. But safety engineers familiar with the documents shared details that show the analysis included crucial flaws.

The FBI announced it will join a criminal investigation into the process for certifying the 737 MAX.



Precious metals investors will find many elements of the Boeing story familiar.



Gold and silver bugs have already learned just how dangerous it is to trust corrupt and captured federal regulators. Now that lesson is being taught to Americans at large.



By the time all the details of this sordid tale have been published, more Americans will wonder who federal regulators really work for.



Gold and silver investors who have been similarly betrayed by the regulators. Regulatory malfeasance and corruption is a theme the precious metals markets and airline industry have in common.



Concerns over regulatory capture and a track record of failure were largely ignored . Editors at Bloomberg outlined some of the history of the FAA in a March 21st editorial. Suffice it to say the recent crashes arent the only examples of the agency putting the needs of airlines and plane manufacturers ahead of public safety.



The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the primary regulator for gold and silver futures markets, spun its wheels for five years on an investigation into rigging of silver prices. The investigation ended in 2013, without a single charge being levied.



Just 3 years later, Deutsche Bank agreed to settle a civil suit and cooperate by providing evidence for use against the other banks involved.



The bank turned over hundreds of thousands of documents and dozens of recordings which reveal widespread price rigging during the exact period of time the CFTC was investigating.



Congressman Alex Mooney (R-WV) is demanding the CFTC explain itself.



Regulators collaborate with the wolves who guard the hen house . The FAA outsourced much of its work to Boeing and agency managers pressured their own people to meet the companys demands.



When it comes to financial regulation, the situation is no different. And it could even be worse.



The CFTC works closely with banks, and employees there often leave to take high paying job in the industry they used to regulate.



Most Americans dont realize, however, that banks have been put in charge of their own oversight as a matter of law. Regulators arent collaborating with wolves, they are wolves. The Federal Reserve is the primary regulator for banks, and it is owned by the likes of JPMorgan Chase and Citicorp.



Too bad most Americans didnt know about that when the Fed masterminded the bank bailouts in 2008.



It would have helped them understand why the central bank was eager for banks to avoid accountability for the massive fraud and resulting economic catastrophe.



Unless outrage forces a major reevaluation of the regulatory scheme, there isnt likely going to be much change .



The federal agencies involved will still be in charge of oversight. Worse, if history repeats, they may be rewarded with budget increases. Officials generally whine about a lack of resources and Congress usually buys it.



There is another parallel between the recent plane crashes and price rigging in the metals markets, and this time it is good news.



The customary process, whereby the regulator conducts the investigation and either takes no action or slaps a few wrists, is going to be circumvented.



The Department of Justice is pursuing criminal investigations in both cases. And both will be litigated in civil court where class action attorneys can take full advantage of the large troves of evidence available.



The corporations and the regulators that have enjoyed such a close working relationship have lost credibility. Outside parties are going to get a look at what happened. There is genuine reason to hope people will be held to account this time.

By Clint Siegner

MoneyMetals.com

Clint Siegner is a Director at Money Metals Exchange, perhaps the nation's fastest-growing dealer of low-premium precious metals coins, rounds, and bars. Siegner, a graduate of Linfield College in Oregon, puts his experience in business management along with his passion for personal liberty, limited government, and honest money into the development of Money Metals' brand and reach. This includes writing extensively on the bullion markets and their intersection with policy and world affairs.

 2019 Clint Siegner - All Rights Reserved



Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.




Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, on strengthening China-Monaco relations, in Monaco, March 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

MONACO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Prince Albert II, head of state of the Principality of Monaco, here Sunday on strengthening China-Monaco relations.

Xi was paying a state visit to Monaco, the first by a Chinese president to the European country.

Noting the affinity between the two peoples, Xi said that since China and Monaco established diplomatic relations more than 20 years ago, the two sides have always treated each other as equals with sincerity and friendship.

Xi said China-Monaco relations are developing steadily, with bilateral practical cooperation keeping pace with the times and taking the lead in China-Europe cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, telecommunications and mobile payment.

Xi said China and Monaco have set a fine example of friendly exchanges between countries that are different in size and have different historical and cultural backgrounds and social systems.

The Chinese president said the exchange of visits between him and Prince Albert II in about half a year demonstrated the high level of China-Monaco ties.

He called on the two sides to firmly grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, constantly consolidate traditional friendship and political mutual trust, and strengthen communication, coordination and mutual support in the United Nations and on international affairs.

Both sides should adhere to openness and cooperation and pursue more win-win results, Xi said, adding that China welcomes Monaco to actively participate in the joint development of the Belt and Road.

Calling on the two sides to elevate cooperation on environmental protection, Xi said the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is welcome to conduct public-service activities in China aimed at environmental protection, so as to continuously enrich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Describing Xi's visit as a "historic" one, Prince Albert II said Monaco is willing to expand cooperation with China in such fields as science and technology, innovation, ecological and environmental protection, wildlife conservation, and renewable energy.

The prince said Monaco highly appreciates China's role in international affairs such as climate change and stands ready to support China in hosting the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year. He also wished the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics success.

Before the talks, Prince Albert II held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.

Monaco is the second leg of Xi's three-nation Europe visit. He has concluded a state visit to Italy and will pay a state visit to France.
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On 15-17 March, around 180 workers and students met in London for the annual national conference of supporters of Socialist Appeal, British section of the IMT. The meeting was, without a doubt, the best in the history of Socialist Appeal, as evidenced by the record attendance, the extremely enthusiastic mood, and the impressively high political level of the discussions.

All attendees left the weekend-long conference with a real sense of purpose about the tasks ahead. The ruling class in Britain  and internationally  is in a deep crisis. There is a polarisation and radicalisation taking place in the depths of the working class. Mass movements of workers and students are on the order of the day. What is urgently needed is a strong Marxist voice for Labour and youth.

The conference kicked off on Friday evening, with Alan Woods  editor of the international Marxist website, In Defence of Marxism  introducing a discussion on perspectives for world revolution / Image: Socialist Appeal

Perspectives for world revolution

The conference kicked off on Friday evening, with Alan Woods  editor of the international Marxist website, In Defence of Marxism  introducing a discussion on perspectives for world revolution.

Capitalism is a global system. We therefore cannot separate events in Britain from the wider processes taking place globally. Alan outlined the key economic and political developments worldwide, with a focus on the rising conflict between China and the USA, and the never-ending crisis in Europe.

Overall, the perspectives for the future indicate intense instability, as the ruling class attempts to make workers pay for the crisis of capitalism. Alan pointed out that this is a recipe for social explosions everywhere, as anger, frustration and rage builds up below the surface. This can be seen in the revolutionary movement in Algeria, taking place as the conference met.

Contributions from the floor filled in this international picture, with comrades highlighting the global student strike movement against climate change; the 200 million strong general strike in India; the political crises taking place in the heart of Europe, in Germany, France, and Italy; and the prospects for class struggle in Brazil, in the wake of Bolsonaros election.

Britain: crises everywhere

The main discussion on the Saturday was on perspectives for the class struggle in Britain.

Rob Sewell, author of In The Cause of Labour and editor of Socialist Appeal (eponymous journal of the British comrades), explained the background to Brexit, which represents the deepest political crisis for the British establishment in living memory.

Most significantly, the ruling class has lost control of the situation. Big business is no longer able to rely on the bulk of the Tories, nor on the leadership of the Labour Party. Splits in both major political parties are therefore inherent in the situation  and are already taking place.

The main discussion on the Saturday was on perspectives for Britain, led by Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal / Image: Socialist Appeal

Rob discussed how the civil wars inside both the Conservatives and the Labour Party are heating up and reaching boiling point. The Blairites are cynically using the question of anti-semitism as a weapon against the left. But in response, the demand for mandatory reselection is growing stronger by the day.

It is only a matter of time before we see a Corbyn-led Labour government come to power. This could happen in the coming months, or even weeks. The struggle to kick out the big-business wing of the Labour Party has therefore never been more urgent.

Comrades from across Britain contributed to the discussion, coming in on a range of topics. Many reported on the mood in their local Labour parties  particularly on how grassroots members were seeing right through the Blairites and their anti-semitism smears.

Others highlighted the dire social conditions facing working class communities in Britain today. And young activists noted the incredible radicalisation taking place amongst students and youth  but also stressing that this anger is not being channelled by the NUS or Young Labour.

The conclusion of the discussion was clear: a determined Marxist tendency must be built inside the British labour movement. Only in this way can we bring in a socialist Labour government and address the burning issues facing workers and youth in Britain today.

Guide to action

Theory and perspectives are a guide to action. On the Sunday of the conference, therefore, attendees discussed the tasks that lie ahead in building support for the ideas of Marxism in the movements of workers and students.

With the deepening crisis of the political establishment, there is a massive potential for Marxist ideas to gain a wide echo in the labour movement / Image: Socialist Appeal

With the deepening crisis of the political establishment, combined with the open sabotage of the Blairites, there is a massive potential for Marxist ideas to gain a wide echo in the labour movement.

In this respect, comrades emphasised the success of the Labour4Clause4 campaign, which has helped to put socialism back on the agenda within the Labour Party. In addition, supporters highlighted the role of the Socialist Appeal paper, which provides a much-needed Marxist voice within the labour movement.

Student activists also noted the success of the local Marxist societies in the universities, who, as well as bringing Marxist ideas to a new generation, have also linked up with workers in struggle  particularly those in precarious sectors, who are fighting for decent pay and conditions.

Across the country, the Marxist Student Federation is now a recognised force on the student left. This is reflected not only in the impressive turnout at the MSF conference last month, but also by the victories seen for Marxist candidates in NUS delegate elections. As a result, the MSF will be sending almost a dozen delegates to this years national conference of the NUS, who will argue the case for socialist ideas.

Aiming high

A highlight of the conference was the collection for the fighting fund, which provides the much-needed finance to support the analysis Socialist Appeal produces and the campaigns being run.

Comrades from across Britain raised an impressive 35,000 to help develop the work into new areas. This is a testament to the confidence that comrades have in the ideas of Marxism  and the high level of sacrifice that Socialist Appeal supporters are willing to make to put these ideas into practice.

All comrades left the conference inspired with an increased determination to transform society  not just in Britain, but across the whole world / Image: Socialist Appeal

Mina from London, attending the conference for the first time, said:

I was so impressed with the high political level of the speakers, of both older and younger comrades alike. In times of such political chaos, the energy, enthusiasm and absolute dedication of all who took part in the conference was a refreshing and inspiring thing to see.

In closing the conference, Alan Woods called upon all comrades to set their sights high. We are aiming for the socialist transformation of society  not just in Britain, but across the whole world. We must therefore make the necessary sacrifices to achieve this aim: of our time, energy, and finances.

Following a rousing rendition of the Internationale, all comrades left the conference inspired with an increased determination to make this aim a reality.